Well, hi there

It's been awhile. A bit has happened. We've all grown up a little (and for at least one of us, sadly, also out a little). We've learned new things, done new things, and oh yes, become a family of five. A year ago. That precious little one to the left with those incredible baby blues is our fifth member. She will turn one in two weeks. She is a tiny little thing, only 30th percentile. This is notable for me because my eldest was always around 90th and my middle was somewhere around 150th. She is active, oh so so active. She's walking and wishing she could run. She climbs. She opens. She closes. She explores. She exhausts. She has... in her objective mother's opinion... a very advanced sense of humor, so she must be a genius. She giggles all the time and finds humor everywhere. She also gives the world's best snuggles. She is not talking, except to mimic the dogs when they bark or say "uh ooooooooh." She is wonderful. I am so grateful she's in our family.

While baby blues keeps us all giggling, her big sister over here to the right is busy providing a running commentary on anything and everything from the moment she wakes up until the moment she goes to bed, stopping only to let us know that she is mad, mad, MAD and that she will not, not, NOT do whatever it is she's been asked to do. This particular photo demonstrates "mad" mode, not "talking" mode. It involves defiantly crossed arms, closed eyes, pursed lips and tossed-back head. She turns three in three days and she is taking the task to heart. She loves ballet and music. She is sweet and nurturing and loves to cuddle and have her back rubbed. She talks, seriously, all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. She is independent. She chooses her own fascinating clothing ensembles, wants to make her own meals and is very good at entertaining herself. And oh my lord she loves to talk.

And then there's big boy over here to the left. He's 5 1/2, and oh so much fun. He loves to build and draw and create. He builds towns with blocks and train tracks, planes and ships with legos, and robots with cardboard tubes and boxes and tape. He draws everything he sees. He plays soccer and is not the most physical player, but he's smart and understands the game and so he's good. He loves the Magic Treehouse books and the Star Wars movies and riding his bike. He is a perfectionist and gets frustrated easily. If he can't do it well immediately, he doesn't want to try. He is learning to read and has lost a tooth. He will start Kindergarten next year. It's so fun, this boy at this age. He is interesting to talk to and he's funny and he's curious.

So that's them, almost 2 years later. And, well. There will be a fourth. Coming in August. I'm still kind of in shock about that. After all of the heartache and time it took to get to parenthood, I can honestly say I never imagined being so blessed. But I am grateful, if also a little terrified. Be back soon?