...Spring, Finally!...

We are alive. We've been sleeping, eating, playing, growing...waiting for spring. And, it's finally arrived. A couple of weeks ago, it was finally warm enough to drive with our windows open, and the girls were thrilled. Annie exclaimed, "I'm catching the wind on my tongue!" We've dug out the sidewalk chalk, opened all of windows, switched from snow boots to rain boots, and today we went to the zoo without any coats. Of course, snow is predicted for Friday, but we're happy to know that spring is here, and if snow comes, it won't last long.

Since January, we've traveled to Iowa City for a great long weekend with good friends, we've had visits from South Dakota, and from Arizona. I ran my first 7K, Annie celebrated her fourth birthday, Eric's enjoyed some more frequent opportunities to perform, and Siri got her first hair cut. I got the chance to perform (for the first time since high school!) in a play at church, Annie is finally night-potty-trained, Eric has completed our once-again-complicated-taxes, and Siri has learned all the words to "Tomorrow" from Annie.  Needless to say, with two little girls, life is never uneventful.

The girls are getting more and more engaged with each other. It's a treat to watch them enjoy playing together so thoroughly. Of course, along with more interactions, there are lessons in limits and boundaries, but it is wonderful to watch their relationship to develop.

At four years old, Annie sure seeking her independence. She has a plan for everything, and is very stubborn. She also is creative, imaginative, and tender. She is asleep right now, cuddled up to Eric's belt that has been dubbed her pet snake. We hung a mirror in the girls' play room, and Annie has developed quite a relationship with her reflection (yes, this does remind me of Lucy Maud's "Anne"), and tonight her reflection was helping her be certain she was already for bed. She loves helping with things around the house. The other day, during her quiet time (while I was putting Siri down for her nap), she was being so impressively quiet that I was a bit nervous. When I came out of the bedroom, she had prepared afternoon snack for us. She spread out the tablecloth on the floor, dragged the table and chairs from the playroom to the living room, set the table, and poured milk in all of our bowls, and water in our cups. It wasn't anywhere close to snack time, but an impressive feat nonetheless.

Siri, is almost two, and our little entertainer. She loves to sing, to dance, to accompany herself on the piano. She  is much more of a ham than Annie, and is always trying to do things (especially make faces) to make us laugh. She also is in a phase where she is trying to establish her independence, and so we often hear "I can do it myself!" from her. She is quite the communicator, and is incredibly verbal and articulate. I am constantly amazed by how well she can express herself. She loves taking care of her baby dolls and stuffed animals, and continues to be incredibly cuddly. Yesterday, she was helping me clean leaves out of garden beds and was thrilled to find and observe worms crawling through the dirt. She may be our naturalist, as she also has been loving to point out buds on trees everywhere (here is Minnesota, how can we not be thrilled about spring?). She loves reading, playing with big sister, and pretending to take naps in any bed she can find.






We are so happy to be getting outside, and are doing well.
(though this formatting is not working out well...sorry...)
The following are just a few more pictures from the last few months...I will post some from Annie's birthday very soon!
Happy Spring!

Celebrating my birthday

Celebrating Eric's birthday

The girls were hamming it up in front of the camera. Siri has learned this pose from Annie (who jumped out of the frame just before I took the picture.)

We love her smile!

Siri likes Annie to "rock" her, and Annie is always happy to comply.

Here is the snack Annie prepared for Siri, herself, and me all by herself.

Annie next to a chalk drawing she did. This a woman wearing a long white dress, with a pink sling for her baby.