Photo Friday: Atticus & Teddy Have Tummy Time

May 22, 2015

Edith Turns 2 1/2

April 25, 2015 - My favorite recent photo of Edith

On Thursday Edith turned exactly 2 1/2 -- not exactly a banner occasion, but one I marked (in my mind, at least) all the same. It's hard to believe how different she is from even six months ago, let alone last year at this time.

She can recite the alphabet with very little help. Counting to 10 is no problem, and sometimes she can even get to the mid-teens. She knows all the colors and basic shapes, although pentagons and octagons look the same to her.

Her favorite activities: blowing bubbles and swinging. She could spend all day at the playground, and she can even climb on the big-kid equipment. Going down the twirly slide is a recent accomplishment that always brings smiles.

Edith's vocabulary has exploded. She might not always speak in absolute full sentences, but she generally can get her point across with the main nouns: "Daddy - car - work." And speaking of cars, she can certainly tell you the color of Daddy's car and Mommy's car (otherwise known as Edith's car, since that's where her seat is!), as well as the color of our house.

She transitioned from her crib to a twin bed -- AKA her "big girl bed" -- just a couple of weeks ago, and she loves it. But I don't love it all the time since she really likes to play with her toys instead of going straight to sleep during her afternoon nap.

Edith can't get enough books. I think she would stay on my lap indefinitely as long as I was reading to her. She's begun flipping through them on her own at times too. She watches some TV a few times a week, but that doesn't stop her from regularly requesting "Super Why!" Other faves: "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" and "Curious George." "Sesame Street" is good, too -- especially the parts with Abby Cadabby. Edith pretends that her plastic pinwheel is her fairy wand.

Sure, she can be a handful at times. But it's hard to stay mad when she says things like, "More kisses, please!"

And, of course, she loves her baby brother. Far from worrying about jealousy, I'm more concerned that she's annoying him with too many hugs.

So that's my little/big girl at 2 1/2 years. Always growing, always changing and ever so sweet.

Photo Friday: Touch a Truck

Last Friday we went to a nearby Touch a Truck event, where kids of all ages can get up close and personal with fire trucks, school buses, utility vehicles and other equipment that is usually off limits. The size and sound was a little overwhelming for Edith -- she was mainly just interested in the stand-alone train ride. "Edith's turn!" she exclaimed when the train came into sight. We rode it -- and Edith got some coloring books and a pink plastic hardhat, so the day wasn't a total loss.

Atticus Gets Baptized

Sunday afternoon was hot, humid, busy and exciting. Atticus was baptized in front of about 20 relatives from Columbus, northwest Ohio and Indiana. And thanks to Atticus's godmother Emily, and Emily's mother Annette (who happens to be my godmother), I already have a nice collection of photos from the ceremony.

Obviously the religious component of the day makes baptism meaningful. But in addition, this was the first event in which Atticus was the center of attention in our family, aside from the day of his birth -- which hardly counts!

Everything went smoothly. Atticus didn't even make a peep as the holy water was poured onto his head. I got photos of every possible family combination after the ceremony was over. The food at our party afterword was plentiful. Even one set of my grandparents -- Atticus's great-grandparents -- were able to attend.

And to make the day even more significant, Atticus wore the same outfit that my father wore when he was baptized more than 60 years ago.

Photo Friday: Where's Edith?

Finding Edith in her crib could sometimes be like a game of Where's Waldo? She recently transitioned to a twin bed, so she has lots more room for the toys she doesn't want to sleep without.

April 20, 2015

My Mother's Day

My traditional Mother's Day gift has been a day without changing diapers -- not so feasible this year, with two kids in diapers, including one that can go through more than 10 a day. Instead, I got some amusing stories.

Our church on Sunday morning passed out long-stemmed carnations. I was handed a pink one, along with a "Happy Mother's Day!" Edith wanted to hold it. She then proceeded to bite the stem, which soon after broke in half. I was then ordered to "fix it."

After church we got groceries. There I was handed another carnation, and Edith received a pink balloon and a life lesson regarding helium. Despite the clip at the end of the balloon string, it floated way up to the ceiling in a few short minutes. The carnation made it a little longer -- Edith waited until we got home to pluck every petal onto the kitchen floor.

The "Happy Mother's Day" that Edith heard earlier in the day at church stuck with her, because she continued to repeat it all day while trying to hand me what was left of the pink carnation. Soooo cute! Until I heard her ask where "Happy Mother's Day go?" I then realized she thought the flower's name was Happy Mother's Day. When Paul asked who her mother was, she said "daddy."

Good stories are better than chocolate or jewelry anyway.

Photo Friday: Atticus Odds & Ends

April 25, 2015

April 17, 2015

Atticus's shoes, made by Aunt Becky! April 22, 2015

Growing Up in the City vs. Country

Whenever Edith hears whirring blades high above our house, she is quick to point them out. "Helicopter!" she proclaims several times a day.

Growing up in rural northwest Ohio, I wonder if I had even heard a helicopter by the time I was two years old, let alone seen one. But we hear and see hospital, news or police helicopters several times a day here in Columbus.

It's the helicopters that really brought home to me how different Edith and Atticus's upbringing is going to be than my own. Perhaps not in essentials -- I feel I have basically the same ideas about raising kids as my parents do -- but in atmosphere, certainly.

The cornfields of my childhood have been replaced by houses just more than a hand's reach away for Edith and Atticus. The closest grocery store when I grew up was a 15-minute car ride away. We can walk to Kroger here -- not to mention the library, rec center and quite a few stores and restaurants. It takes my dad several hours on a riding lawn mower to cut the grass. Paul and our push mower can get our postage-stamp lawn done in less than an hour.

Of course, with city living also comes more traffic, more noise and more crime. But I'll take my chances. I like it here, and I hope Edith and Atticus will have as happy of a childhood as I did -- no matter how different it is.

Photo Friday: Blowing Bubbles with Grandma and Grandpa

April 15, 2015