weather

We had lovely weather at the start of last week.  Shorts and tees and coming inside a little bit pink and rosy kind of lovely weather!  We dug out the sidewalk chalk and brought out a picnic.  Levi took the afternoon off to get some work done uninterrupted and ended up making phone calls and jotting notes al fresco.  It felt like the first taste of summer to come!

Even baby got a chance to feel the warm breeze between her pudgy little toes.  Poor girl hasn't known much but wind and snow and cold since she came home with us in October.  I've been needing the sun.  I just needed to feel the warmth and know that everything is going to get better.

A few days after that ... rain and big sploshy puddles.  Avery's been singing a newly minted version of "Rain Rain, Go Away" all week.

And then another day after that ... snow.  Hello snowman.  Levi and Avery made the best of our end of April dump of wet snow.  I pretended it didn't exist as best as I could.

Today we had sun.  Snowman is not much more than a lump and a carrot and that makes me happy.

drawing

It is so much fun to watch how Avery's drawing style and abilities keep changing.  She hasn't always been willing to enjoy drawing - seemed to be frustrated easily by what she couldn't do rather than just enjoying the fun of it - but lately we've been noticing her gaining confidence and patience with herself.  Her drawings are becoming more complex and each week she seems to add a new feature detail, like eyebrows or rosy cheeks or (as in this week) fingers.  Lots of fingers.

I was cutting Levi's hair in the kitchen the other afternoon and we asked Avery to sit and draw a picture of Daddy getting a haircut.  This is what she came up with.  I couldn't see Levi's face, but apparently he was afraid.
This is a monster named Gaga.  Those are flies in his mouth.  He has lots of fingers to wear lots of rings, and that is his bum at the bottom of his body.  One foot includes a heel and a big round toe, which she cleverly added after observing what my foot looked like.  Cannot say how much this creation thrilled Levi and I.

Whatever the outcome of the drawing is, I'm always so happy to see her try.  And nothing beats seeing her own satisfaction in what she created.

half year

Ella is six months old today.  I had a little fun today recreating her first photo shoot so we could see how much she's grown.  She's become so soft and pink and plump.  Bright eyed and happy and sweet.  She's such a content and easy baby.  While I imagine a lot has to do with it not being my rookie year learning the language of baby cries and flailing limbs, I still think she's been consistently easy to soothe and settle and shows a pretty patient and relaxed personality.   

Avery loves being her big sister.  I asked Avery what she would tell people about Ella since it's Ella's six month birthday today.  She said that "Ella is a big baby and is months old and is sixteen pounds.  I love her and I miss her.  I rock her and burp her and feed her and I put her to bed and change her diaper and throw her diaper in the garbage and sell people's toys and ... not toys ... and play with Ella and try to make her laugh and try to make her roll over and try to make her jump and try to make her bounce on one leg.  That's what I love about Ella.  That's what I love about Ella, Mama.  Everything.  Everything is what I love Ella for."

I think I'd have to say the same thing.  Everything.  Everything is what I love Ella for.

Happy half year, sweet Ella-bella.  xoxo

sunday schooler

{This is her excited face}

At the end of the day, when we ask Avery what her favorite part of the day was, her answer has been the same all week long: "Tomorrow ... when I go to Sunday School".  Every morning she's asked if she could go to Sunday School and every day we've had to explain that it's not Sunday yet and there are still 6 more sleeps (5 more sleeps, 4 more, 3 more, etc.).  It's brought her to tears almost every time.  We've had to explain every day that nobody is there and she'd be all alone.  It's done wonders for our own church attendance.  She just won't stand to miss out when she's been counting down the days since Sunday afternoon.  On the long-awaited Sunday morning, you wouldn't guess she'd been so pumped.  She often clings to Levi as he drops her off and needs another tall, warm body to attach herself to before letting him go.  During the service when the kids are called to the front before being let out for children's church, she plods to the front with her chin tucked into her chest.  Her best buddy Ava beckons and calls out loud for Avery to run to her and sit beside her, but she's got her reputation to maintain.  When the kids run out with giggles and glee, Avery tucks down her chin and shuffles like a certain sad donkey ... all eyes trailing her blonde head as she slowly makes her way out.  Since I've led children's church a few times now, I can attest that she livens up and enjoys it the same as any other kid once she's safely away from all those grown-up eyes.  Avery girl, you really are a funny little goose.

In other news ... this was the weather we woke up to this morning.  Miserable snow.

inspired by buns

Source: enjoylivingsustainably.com via Shelley on Pinterest

I always thought my Grandma's zwieback were neat.  Sweet little hat buns which, when the one-bite cap was popped off, left a perfect groove for a teaspoon of jam.  Although I'm scared of baking my own buns, these caught my eye this week and it may be time to muster up the Mennonite in me and give them a try.

solids

Big day in our house for the littlest girl!  It was pablum day!  Ella got her first tastes of solid foods, heavily assisted by her big sister who was more excited about it than anyone. 

Oh Ella, you have no idea what's yet to come.  Rice cereal isn't too bad, but let me tell you about barley cereal, and then squashed yams, and hello smushed bananas.  Fruity yogurt, homemade applesauce, diced spaghetti and oatie ohs.  Ripe raspberries, buttered toast, juicy peaches ... and then ... marshmallows. 

Avery was so excited to share the world of food with Ella that she made up a little jingle.  It's catchy.  (Sorry for the shaky camera work, I was using one hand to rescue the baby from her attempts to get out of the bumbo.)

Next up - baby doll needed her first experience with some 'tendin' food, too.    

easter

Hope you had a happy Easter!

one house ...

... for sale.

We made a big decision this past month and on Wednesday we put our house up for sale!  After our realtor pounded the sign into our lawn and left we looked at each other and realized it felt a little surreal.  A little vulnerable.  A little bittersweet.  We've really come to love our first little house!  But it's time to move on, and of that we're sure, so we're looking forward now to what's next and hoping our house sells quickly.  The plan is to be Kelowna bound by the beginning of summer and, if all goes according to plan, Levi will start the process of getting his education degree in the fall.  Onward and upward (or something like that)!

we love parents

Gramma and Grampa were here!  Yahoo!  On the morning of their arrival, Avery was vibrating with excitement.  She was like a bee buzzing at the window every few minutes to check if they were here or not.  That's actually her favorite format for asking questions these days - "Are Gramma and Grampa here ... or not?",  "Am I still waiting ... or not?", "Are you going to read me a book ... or not?".  It's kind of a fun break from "why".  It was wonderful to have my parents here to give the girlies heaps of attention and love, as well as being a big support to Levi and I as we process some big decisions.

For my Dad, a visit to our house isn't complete without tackling a list of handy-man projects.  He set to work painting and fixing, cleaning and tinkering, and even squeezed in a little baby whispering.  Both Mom and Dad helped us immensely this week as we set to the task of doing a thorough spring cleaning.  We purged each room of unwanted things, each closet was organized, old clothes taken away to the second-hand shop, and the garage got some very necessary attention.  Feels so good to have tackled such a big job of de-cluttering and cleaning up!  It's amazing how much stuff accumulates year to year.

Ella girl seems so ready to sink her gums into some real food.  Always watching, eyes wide, looking hungrily at whatever we're eating.  We gave her a few licks of an apple and she thought that was pretty magical.

(This pic makes me laugh just because I'm pretty sure Dad was sleeping under the disguise of reading.)

Thanks for coming to be with us, Mom and Dad!

lettering

I love these first primitive letters.  She's gotten the hang of the letter 'A', and a pretty good grasp of a leggy 'E', but she surprised me on this day with her own renditions of a few more letters.  Love this.