The Clash

Clash is the word that comes to mind when I see Adessa after she's dressed most mornings. Once she's put an outfit together--based on... what? We will never know, except that it has nothing to do with color or pattern--she will thenceforth only wear the chosen pieces together. Adessa remains strong in the face of coercion or persuasion and will not be moved to consider any other pairing, or any outfits that I put together. Since I am a laundry fanatic, and love having clean clothes in drawers, she often wears her bizarre ensembles twice a week or more. All that to say, we haven't seen the last of the clash: there's a whole lot more clashing to come.

Please enjoy the range of emotion, the small bits of action, and the hideous clothing combinations in this sequence of the girls.

Big events!

Big events for our house, anyway.

On March 25th, sometime during the early morning, the Binky Fairy visited our house! She left Adessa with a few treasures and took away alllll the Binkies from our house. Poor Eliana was deprived of her binkies, too, but received no treasures, as we are just not going to go through THAT again. (Adessa actually gave her binkies up relatively easily, only 2 days of deep distress at nap- and bed-time. Which made me think that I should have invited the Binky Fairy a LONG time ago.)

On the very same day, Adessa slept through the night without a diaper on or wetting the bed, verrrrry exciting in the growing up department.

And the final big event: During my spring break (April 5th, specifically), with minor coaching and coaxing, Eliana became potty trained! This is truly huge, as she seems so much more like a kid now, not a baby. She has been watching Adessa and trying out the potty for months, it finally occurred to me that I'd better not miss "the window." And she was ready: it took two days with many undie changes, and that was it.

The Potty Trainer (trainee?) on her throne.

One more thing, not a big event: It is unbelievable to me to think that when Adessa was the age that Eliana is now, Eliana was born. Mind boggling. We do want one more child, and I am happy to wait a bit before embarking. That said, I do see the advantages of having older kids, it is so much easier!

The girls collecting duck eggs at cousin Henry's house. The faces are what happens when you say: "Smile!". Oh dear.

MMMmarch!

Pigtails. They lasted about 20 minutes, darn it.


Ecstatically riding horses at the mall with Daddy on a rainy day.


Catching up on some reading time.


Eliana comes home from work. And goes to work again.

Is it anyone's birthday? Because Eliana is happy to serenade!

Hiking Fun.

And it is about time!

Calvin and I both have separately admitted to enjoying hiking, but rarely have done it together, and never? with the girls. Well. Did we feel foolish for waiting so long. It was marvelous, so easy and so fun. We "hiked" up a fire road to Bear Mountain, saw the Cathedral Groove of Roaring Camp infamy, and had a picnic. Very lovely!

Just starting out, our intrepid adventurers are in fine form.


Eliana has discovered the joy of swinging, between Calvin and I, normally. She's taken to going limp and trying to lift her feet up regardless of whose hands she's holding. Here she's hoping Daddy and Adessa will "wing" her.


Wood Sprites in Cathedral Grove.


Playing house.


Picnic time.

February Makes Me Shiver

Although we had an extraordinarily warm few weeks in there, we are now back to cold and rainy, and even...snowy! Which is okay, for everything, there is a season... (Turn, turn, turn).

We went over the hill in the pouring rain and slushy snow, and on our way back, found significant snow on the mountain! Eliana was not enchanted, but Adessa was giddy with the fun of it, and ran around like crazy doing every snow-activity possible in our short stop. Its such a treat to have snow close by, normally its a five hour drive, and it's Adessa's first conscious memory of snow.







We didn't think of videoing Adessa's frolicking until we were back in the car, (darn!), so we filmed her souvenir snow ball.


Dress Up
Dress up has become an everyday activity, with Eliana as involved as Adessa. Here they are dressed up as Ballerinas. (Which Eliana can say, sort of. She's very into repeating every new word.)
Prima Ballerina.


About to do a particularly difficult dance step.


Done near tuckered out from all the dancin'.


Other Fun
Playing dress up with Jayden and Elijah after our house blessing. Jayden was the Beau of the ball!


Those funny uncles!


Tooth brushing time at our house. Eliana is most interested in turning the water off and on.


Holding hands during a scary part.


Eliana playing catch with Daddio.

Growing Girls

It is with so much joy and sadness that I see my girls growing up. There are days where I feel I barely touch Adessa, and have to make a point to hold her. She doesn't need me very much, which is so nice on some levels and... so heart-wrenching on other levels. Inevitable, I know, but still! It does go by so fast. And I am unsure of the future: will we get along? Will they confide in me? Will they want me around, not just to take them places? Will we successfully navigate the sometimes choppy waters of mother-daughter relationships? Because I know that now, they are still mostly "mine". I can do very little wrong in their minds, I am just their mom. Our uncomplicated relationship involves yelling, scolding, and crying followed instantly by hugs and laughter. Ach.

Adessa has started telling jokes, most of which make little sense but are greatly amusing to her. She is helpful and has greatly reduced her fit throwing, which is so wonderful, a welcome break before Eliana takes up the banner for terrible two's and fit throwers everywhere.

In another facet of growing up, Eliana is finding her will. The purely sweet, amiable, darling girl is not always there. Sometimes a back-arching, non-complying, No-shouting, Mine-grabbing Eliana takes over. Ohhh. So soon. I did enjoy every day when she was just sweet, and the sweet girl is there often, but... she's got to grow into herself, too, and being ornery is part of it. I keep thinking, how will I bear it, when they are grown, when they aren't exactly like this? And in the next breath I am waiting for the day where I have my life "back to myself." and they can get themselves in and out of the car, make their own breakfast, do everything related to the bathroom all on their own, etc. Stay present, Keidi! Just stay present and smile into their eyes every day.

For Gerilyn