4 Months

Eli went in for his 4-month check-up yesterday. He is up to 15lbs. 9 oz. (a whole oz. more than Norah at her one year check-up!) and is 25 inches long. He's a joy, and a super-fun addition to Robinson County. After much deliberation, we've decided to go ahead and keep him.





E loves to smile. He loves his baths. (I realize the picture seems to negate both claims, but bear in mind that he did have 4 shots, so he was a little out of sorts) He loves to be outside. He loves flirting with people who sit behind us in church (I worry a little about him being a distraction because he is so social!) He loves to eat, and he loves his big sister.

He's strong. Really strong. I think he'll be able to take me at arm wrestling in another month or so.



I thought this picture was too funny to keep to myself. Norah was playing "Where's Eli?" with the blanket. The look on his face cracked me up.

"So, you think you'd like to work for Robinson Enterprises? Please, state your qualifications- alphabetically."

What's Wrong with This Picture?

We've (praise the Lord!) moved into the final phase of potty training with Norah. She's been accident-free during the daytime (and naps) for a couple of months now, but we'd been relying on pull-ups at night.

Last week, we ran out of pull-ups, and didn't buy anymore, hence, leaving Norah to wear her big girl drawers to bed. Since she can't quite make it all night, Jason or I usually take her to the potty one last time before we go to bed (she almost always sleeps through it, but does, take care of business).

Early this morning, I heard Norah shuffle into my room when she awoke. (She comes to snuggle with us a little before our alarm goes off on a regular basis, so I didn't think much of it.) When she slid under the covers, I reached around her legs to pull her in close, and noticed that both her legs were crammed into one pant leg.

I immediately recalled the "shuffling" sound I heard upon her entrance into our room and laughed out loud. Since Jason had been the one to take her on her "last potty run", I had to give him a hard time for her wardrobe malfunction.
To compound the hilarity of the situation, I noticed that she was wearing her sparkly flip-flops. Maybe she thought the flashy shoes would detract from the attention to her pants?

She is such a sweetheart. She never questioned our incapacity to properly clothe her. She just made do and shuffled her way into our room. (Although, she did think the whole ordeal was pretty funny when all was said and done)

Discovering His Hands (and other milestones)

Little man is growing by leaps and bounds! We go in for his 4-month well check next Tuesday, and I can't wait to see how much he's grown since our last visit.

He's found his hands, and as I mentioned in a previous post, he likes to hold them together. (He also likes to lounge with the bottoms of his bare feet touching each other...so cute!)





He's becoming more aware of his ability to manipulate objects around him.

See hand.









See hand touch.











Touch, hand, touch.

He's been rolling for a couple of weeks now (he actually had his first "roll over" at the exact same age as Norah...to the day. Crazy!), and he's trying his best to crawl, but seems only to make (slow) backward progress.

He is very strong, so I think he may get there a little sooner than sister did, but time will tell!

Her First Verse

Jason and I noticed about a week ago that Norah is developing a fantastic memory. (It's always been good, but she's been able to remember much longer sentences/complete thoughts lately) We decided it would be a shame to let her memorization skills go to waste, so we started teaching her a Bible verse. We thought Proverbs 17:17 ("A friends loves at all times and brother is always there to help you.") would be a great start, since "friend", and "brother" are two words that she knows and really understands.

I was amazed at how quickly she committed her verse to memory. She says the first sentence very clearly. (The second is a little slurred, but she's still working hard at it). Jason and I are so proud of her! So, to commemorate her very first Bible verse, I made a keepsake pillow with her name and scripture reference on it.

I put the pillow on her bed and told her she had a surprise waiting in her room. (a "special prize", as she calls it, always gets her a little giddy)











It wasn't long before I heard her exclaim, "I found it!", followed by, "My pillow! It's so berry, berry, berry cute!" ("berry" is her current adjective of choice, especially used in multiples of three--not sure where she picked it up, but it's pretty cute when she says it)

I explained to her what her pillow said (she's also showing a lot of interest in letters/words, so she seemed really pleased by her gift) and, of course, she proudly recited her verse. Sweet girl.

It is such a neat feeling to make something special for her, and to see her receive it and appreciate it. (I don't think I did a very good job of that when my mom sewed for me growing up, and I wish so much that I could go back and be more appreciative.)

Moreover, it is so thrilling hear scripture recited by such a tiny, precious, eager voice! I can't wait to share more of God's word with her, and to watch her faith grow as she does.

From the Mouthes of Babes...

N: "I want to sturrve it!" (exclaimed pretty much any time I'm stirring anything in the kitchen)

While I was putting Eli to bed, Norah came in and sat down on his floor. Jason followed behind her with an orange popsicle, which Norah immediately zoomed in on. Their conversation went as follows (bear in mind, we're working overtime to instill good manners in the inhabitants of Robinson County).

N: I want a bite.
J: You want a bite, what? (Fishing for a please)
N: I want a bite of orange. (Seemingly pleased with her answer)
J: You want a bite of orange, what? (Trying again)
N: I want a bite of orange popsicle?
J: You want an orange popsicle, what?
N: (Epiphany!) I want a bite of orange popsicle, PLEASE! (And you'd better believe, after all of that work, she got one!)

N:" Norah's a girl. Eli's a boy."
A: "Mommy's a girl, and daddy's a boy."
N: "No. Mommy's a ma'am. Daddy's a sir."
A: "Oh. You're right. Good girl."

Passing the Torch...

Since Norah's becoming increasingly interested in helping me in the kitchen, I try to have at least one kid-friendly dinner preparation per week.

Last night she helped me prepare salmon patties, just like I used to help her Mimi make, when I was a little girl. (It's not one of Jason's personal favorites, but I had to make it with Norah, just once, for sentimental reasons)

Just as I suspected, crushing up the crackers was her favorite part (it was always mine, too!).


She wasn't nearly as keen on forming the patties. She would pat a couple of times, then turn her hand over for careful examination, as if to determine just how slimy they were getting. After one and a half patties, she looked at me with those big, blue eyes and questioned, "my pan and my spoon?"

So I indulged her and she set to work on her own specialization, water soup! Guess she's picked up at least one other habit of mine in the kitchen (I'm a big cook-by-taster) Her post-finger-licking exclamation: "Iss almost ready!"

And in case you're wondering, the precious apron was a handmade gift from Jason's cousin, Tara, and her sweet daughter, Aidan. (We love it and use it all the time!)

Slobber Police to the Rescue

Since the appearance of tooth one, Eli's been drooling to beat the band. He seems to have decided to go ahead and cut all his teeth at once (at least he's been slobbering like there's no tomorrow), so I decided it was high time to employ a drool-repelling device (AKA "teething bib").

I had a couple of random, cotton bibs, but they get soaked in a matter of minutes, and I always hated to cover up his church clothes with bibs that didn't match. So, after a little inspiration via House on Hill Road (and Gramps' brilliant suggestion to use denim), I set to work. The bib is three layers (solid denim front, batting, and striped denim back), so it should be durable, in addition to being absorbent. I added a patchwork panel, some homemade bias binding, and of course, personalized it with little man's name.

I have been going through a bit of a "dry" spell, as far as sewing goes. Jason is helping me refinish my sewing desk, and I just have a hard time getting excited about sewing on a card table. (I'm so spoiled). This was the perfect project to get me back in the mood to sew. I really enjoyed it, and it's officially the first thing I've made for Eli. It fits, and he's already drooled all over it--which really makes me happy. Seriously. I felt like it was totally worth it to know that I made something that was functional and cute (if I do say so myself). It matches almost all of his church clothes, too! I foresee making quite a few more of these- both for Eli, and to give as gifts.
While modeling for my "new bib photoshoot", Eli struck my latest, favorite pose. (I'd been wanting a picture of it, so it killed two birds with one stone) He clasps his little hands together like this, all the time. (Honest, I didn't even have to pose him, his little hands just gravitated there on their own) Sometimes he even falls asleep with them that way (I don't remember Norah ever doing this, which makes it extra cute to me because it is "his" thing).

Let Them Eat Cake...or Not

Jason's birthday was Thursday, so to celebrate, he had had a "guys night", complete with video games and snacks.

I always get a big kick out of making J's birthday cakes because the #1 reason I started making cakes was so that I could create original/special birthday cakes for my own husband/kids.

This year he's been really into "Warhawk", a PS3 game; so a Warhawk cake seemed to fit the bill.


Since the game is largely about fighter airplanes (and I'm not the world's greatest artist), I cheated and had an edible photo scanned from his video game box. The words around the sides all relate to the game ("Pocket_Sand" is his handle, "T2P" is his clan name, and KDR: 5.73 is a game stat. The back of the cake reads, "Wingman", which is J's current rank)

Jason loved it...and so did the guys. A little too much, I'm afraid. When I returned home after the party (it's was guys-only), the cake was still fully in tact. Not a piece gone. Anyone want some cake?

Blog Fluff

Mom R caught this sweet photo of Eli one Sunday afternoon. Isn't he a doll? (I actually hear that comparison fairly regularly, though I'm sure he'll hate to hear that recounted when he's older!)


He's getting teeth (at 3 1/2 months!). He has in two and is working on a third, and like his older sister, he's cutting them in a random order. (The first tooth cut was about 3 over from where his lower, front incisor will be; he has since gotten one of his lower, front incisors and is working on another by the first one cut) Guess we'll have to break out the steak and potatoes a little sooner than we had planned if he keeps this up!

(And for the record, I know you can't actually see any teeth in these photos, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I just wanted to show-off what a good sport he was while I tried to get pictures, twisting his mouth to and fro)

For her birthday, N got a play cookie baking set to go with her play kitchen. (Thanks, Jon & Amy!) For a few days, here recently, she was carrying around the "cookie dough roll" everywhere she went. When we were leaving to go on a walk, she dashed back into the house, got the cookie dough, carefully tucked it in her pocked and stated, "Ok, now I'm cool."

So many thoughts raced through my mind:
And having cookie dough in your pocket makes you cool, how?
Where did you learn that phrase, anyway?
Do you plan to eat that dough when we get to the park, and if so, should I pack some pretend milk in a sippy, just in case?

I found Norah in this position the other day. Intrigued, I inquired as to what she was doing. Her reply:
"I'm a bunny. See my tail?" (You might notice she's referencing a book to be certain her stance is accurate)

Look Closer

Notice anything special about this BBQ pit?













How about now?

My brother went to clean out his BBQ pit a few weeks back and discovered that a wren had built a Spring nest, complete with tiny, speckled eggs, beneath the grate. He thought it was pretty special, so he decided to hold off on BBQ-ing and let nature run it's course.

Low and behold, while checking on "the eggs" this morning (The kids and I were over for a visit), we discovered that the chicks had arrived! (All except one--we're still waiting to see if the final egg will hatch). We also discovered that the babies would open their mouthes up wide if we whistled...mean trick, I know--we just did it a couple of times to get a good picture (otherwise it was hard to tell what they were), and then we let them be. (And in case you're wondering, Mama Wren returned home with some lunch shortly after we vacated)

First Thing in the Morning...

Today marked the first morning in I can't remember how long that I woke of my own accord. Eli's been sleeping like a champ for a few weeks now (up to 12 hours now!!), but Norah has recently decided that "our special time" is anytime between 3-5am. I don't know that she consciously chose this obscure window of time, as I'm pretty sure that she isn't really awake when she comes and crawls into bed with me, (I think we have a little sleep walker on our hands), but she's been doing it like clockwork for a while now.

Typically she comes to my side of the bed, and gropes around until I reach down and help her up. Then she wiggles and thrashes mercilessly around until I finally give in and take her back to her own bed. (Usually after a quick trip to the potty, which she also manages to sleep through, while still taking care of business) Even though she's asleep through all of this, somehow she knows when I try to leave her room, because she always submits a pitiful request to, "Snuggle, Mommy?" and I usually do for a little while (who could deny such a sweet petition?) before heading back to my room for a few more precious winks before Eli's morning feeding.

At any rate, for whatever reason, today she never came. I was a little uneasy when I awoke, so I went to check on her in her room, and discovered that she has, apparently found a new sleep position. (Well, not entirely new--I used to occasionally find her like this in her crib when she was smaller, so I guess old habits really do die hard) It made me laugh, so I had to get a couple pictures. (As you can see, the quilt I worked so hard on keeps her really warm)

....and since I had the camera out and was in the neighborhood, I thought I'd grab a quick picture of Eli too. He wasn't making any noise, so I expected to capture a sleeping baby picture, but what I got was even better! This is the way I find him on most mornings. I peer over his crib, he sees me looking at him, and I'm greeted by a jubilant smile exuding pure, 100% elation at my mere presence. Talk about a serious confidence boost! And now, I have that face memorialized in photo form for all eternity. (He also does this cute, little "happy wiggle" because he knows he's about to get breakfast when he sees me--I really need to catch that one on video--it's priceless!)

Springtime at the Farm

Spring has arrived, as was evidenced during last weekend's visit to "the Farm". Norah was pleased to make the acquaintance of seven, new baby goats (with even more on the way)









Here she is riding on proud Papa, "Bill's" back.










Uncle Grant has also added some wee little piggies to his animal menagerie.







They were a little skittish at first, but Norah has long since learned that the way to Uncle Grant's animals' hearts is through their stomachs.




Norah didn't believe that Uncle Grant could really lasso her...









So he proved it to her. Of course, next, a game of "Oh no, don't lasso me, Uncle Grant!" (Which, as you can imagine, is quite similar to the ever-popular, "Oh! Please don't tickle me!") ensued.









Norah was amazed as she watched Uncle Grant herd his goats with the bull whip (don't worry, he uses it for the intimidating sound it makes, he doesn't actually beat his livestock). She decided to try her hand at it. (Again, don't worry, it is way too long for her to get enough snap on it to give herself an Indiana Jones-esque scar anytime soon)




Norah discovered that one of the farm cats had a new baby kitten...







Which, of course, she had to hold...









Meanwhile, Eli sat, entranced by one of Grandmother's stories. (Jason joked that by the look on E's face, it's obvious he's the only one in the family who hadn't heard it before)

The Importance of Accessorization

Today was a good day-- one I hope to remember. There was nothing overly spectacular about it, other than the fact that it was a really good day with Norah.

In spite of what our Utopia-esque blog might imply (I keep this blog, partially for my children to go back and read my "journal" efforts someday, so why chronicle the negatives?), we definitely have our days when I am conscious (all day long) that Norah is SO two years old. Then, there are great days, like today, when all I can think about is how lucky I am, how much I love her, how precious she is, and how much I'm going to miss days like today when they are no more.

N wanted to walk by herself at the grocery store today, so for the first time ever (at least on a full-out grocery shopping trip), I let her. I told her that she had to stick by my side, and she did. It was a totally pleasant shopping experience. I was so proud! (If you don't understand why, I'm guessing you either have a perfect child, or you don't make a habit of shopping with a two year-old)

Naps have been very hit and miss lately. I know she's probably close to giving up her afternoon nap, but I'm holding on for dear life. Today, however, she never really got fussy or showed any signs of exhaustion, so instead of forcing the issue, I decided to have some mommy/daughter time in the kitchen. We made homemade pizza, and had a blast. (She even cheered for me while I attempted my first-ever restaurant-style pizza dough toss!) My favorite memory of our cooking experience today was when I cut the bell pepper into rings and Norah quickly grabbed two, slid them onto her wrists, and exclaimed, "Look, Mommy! Bracelets match my outfit!"

This Week in Cakes

I had two fun new cake designs this week, so I thought I'd share. The first was for 4 year-old Karis, and the second was for her 9 year-old sister, Melody.












Their amazing (and brave) mother had both (separate) parties on the same day! What a woman! I was worn out just making the cakes!










Both designs were taken from napkins that matched the party decor. It was fun to do something so different and whimsical!

Dinner and a Show

Perhaps N has a future in fashion design. Last night at dinner she fashioned a custom poncho for her sippy cup. As she ever-so-carefully tried it on her model, she smiled in triumph and exclaimed, (and I quote), "Awwwww! A brand new outfit!"

Don't discount the quality of her work based on the primitive nature of her medium. I don't think I could have done much better if all I were given was a tortilla to work with!



While I was getting ready for Ladies' Class on Wednesday morning, I put Eli in the school house play center. Norah loves it when he's in there because she likes to "teach" him. (She usually tries to force him ring the bell or shake the rattle), but on this day she was in the mood to entertain.

I heard her singing a medley of fully recognizable songs (ranging from the ABCs, to Jesus Loves Me, to a few choice Veggie Tales tunes), so I sneaked in behind her, unnoticed and enjoyed a full show, including her own, unique dance moves.
One of the most entertaining parts was watching Eli. He was BEAMING at her, completely entertained by her theatrics.

I rushed away to get my camera and caught one snapshot of his expression before Norah was onto me and wanted to pose. All in all though, I think both pictures turned out pretty sweet. (And it still cracks me up that she can't knowingly be photographed with her brother without putting her arm around him or her hand on his head, etc. She is so proud of that baby brother!)