Our gal. Our guy.

Harriet is scooting herself all over the floor these days! She's 5.5 months old and such a happy, calm baby. She stares at me with big blue eyes (with one blot of brown in one!!) and it's just us forever and ever. I feel a strong, deep connecting with her. If I sit her up she can stay there on her own till she gets bored and reaches for something to play with. She loves holding and playing with and putting everything in her mouth! She is a party animal and loves to be right in the middle of the action, but also loves for the attention to be on her big brother (he doesn't mind this either!!) I have quite a pair of goofballs! I love their fun quirky personalities.

 Freddie gets funnier, more defiant and independent, sweeter, and gentler by the day. He's learning so much and is so much fun. He surprises me so much too! He's gotten to the stage of repeating everything we say and do. He's so aware. He is a peacemaker in our family and gets upset if there is contention of any kind in our home. He takes care of his little sissy and reminds me of what (he thinks) she needs. And he's usually right. I feel both my kids have been very easy babies but it has been a challenge having two for me. I wouldn't change anything for the world though so I can't complain. It's all about learning and growing and figuring it out. I'm trying to do that and some days are better and easier than...others. 

At night we eat dinner and then around 7/7:30 I go into our bedroom and turn out all the lights and nurse Hattie to sleep. During that time, Collin starts a bath w Freddie, gets him ready for bed and brushes his teeth, and they read in bed for a while (both the kids LOVE reading and I've decided that's the best thing---books rather than toys!) they read scriptures and I come in and we say a prayer and either Collin or I get alone time w Fred where we lay down and sing or talk and fall asleep together. It's all very special and wonderful.

We have decided that to help us with patience (because sadly a growing learning experimenting toddler can produce so much frustration for adults, controlling and stubborn as we are!) we just have to try to keep in mind at all times that everything we do and he wants to do is a learning teaching opportunity, and that is our purpose. He wants to help with every little part of making dinner and sometimes that means a huge mess, things take forever or just aren't done the way we want them, but none of that matters. It matters that I can teach him how to hold a handle and stir properly, open a stick of butter all on his own, pour in an ingredient, wipe something up etc and he will practice and get better and even more importantly develop confidence that he can be successful and that his mom trusts him. It's a big work in progress but I think we are getting better.

This summer (spring for another 20 days!) is already super sweaty unbearablely hot so I've been loading up the calendar with tons of indoor things to do...library events like baby and toddler time, reptile guy, puppet theater, rocks and minerals, minion mania literacy night, children's museum, I.d.e.a. Museum, an indoor train and carousel, national geographic kids club, Eric Carl reading time, meet CORDUROY!!, Frozen in July, Summer movies at harkins, and more. And anything outside will be swimming or splash pad hopping. I think it will be a lot of fun. 

Alright, time to get up. Just laying in bed w my sweet angels. 

(Pic from Saturday.)