Eliza Wren's first steps

Yesterday afternoon we were all chillin' together in the living room when Eliza Wren decided to take her first big steps!  She loved the cheering we showered her with and gave us a few different takes - so I was able to catch a step or two on video. :)

Just 1 day shy of her 16 month birthday, she's well ahead of her sister's walking ability at this age! :)

Happy 16 months, sweet girl!  We're glad you're stepping into toddler-hood - fun times ahead!

 (photo taken by Meredith)

First Ballet Class

This spring, Meredith is taking a 6 week dance class.  She is thrilled and loves going to her class each Monday with a bunch of other 3 year old girls all dressed in pink! :)  

Every week she comes home and shows us what she learned.  

Here she is putting peanut butter on one foot, jelly on the other and putting them together in a sandwich.

Got a scrunchy-nosed smile?

ducky-duck time

Bath time for our girls is called, "ducky-duck time" in our household. (I think it started with Meredith's hooded duck towel)  Gets these two girlies giggling and loving it straight away, so it's usually a happy time in our household. :)

They love when we close the shower curtain and let me go nuts splashing together!

wish this wasn't blurry - just love the adoring look Eliza is giving her big sister. :)

Chattering

Both our girls are chattering from dawn until dusk these days.  Here are some tid-bits from the different styles/abilities/language of each child... :)

Meredith Quotables

At our table, Meredith's chair faces three windows with a view out to our back yard.  She is often seeing airplanes in the sky or noticing the different weather patterns.  

This week she asked me, "How do the clouds hold rain, snow, thunder and lightening?  How, mama?"

***

Since this winter has been long, and the most skin-drying winter I can remember, I've been having Meredith use my homemade lip balm...which I call chapstick. 

 She loves it (there's honey in it - yum!), so she often asks, "Mama, can I have some chap lips?"  :)

***

happy spring!

 Gardening season is beginning!  Hallelujah!! Though the temps are still chilly, we are forging ahead and embracing the earth again.  It's been a long, long winter.  Our friends, and new gardening buddies the Bo-Jo family, prepped the garden beds with Erik last weekend.  We'll be sharing plots this year to use space most efficiently, and hope to have a full spring, summer and autumn crop.

Youngest Bo-Jo surveying the garden.

This sweet gal is loving the freedom of playing outside again and quickly edging into toddlerhood!

Date!

As an early celebration of our 6th Anniversary this month, Erik and I went to the Flower Show in Philadelphia.  We spent a lovely Saturday morning there soaking in some much needed color and fun designs.

Afterwards, we popped over a few blocks to a highly recommended cafe, Strangelove's.  Great place - and we had a relaxing time talking without interruption of any kind (?!?!?) and eating tasty food.

Tomorrow (March 15th) is our actual anniversary day...so more photos to come!

sunshine and signs of spring

The beginning of last week was cold and still full-on winter.  Late in the afternoon we were all cranky and resorted to watching different clips from Mary Poppins on YouTube. :)

Two days later it was sunny...still brisk, but we took the opportunity to take a walk in the Morris Arboretum.  And, we saw these beautiful and bright flowers peaking out at us!!!  HOORAY!!  I am so starved for color this winter, so seeing this yellow sunny sweetness was just what I needed. 

We also enjoyed the warmth of the greenhouse there - imagining ourselves in New Zealand for a bit!

Come quickly, spring!!