Clara's First Blog Post

It's been over a year since I've posted anything which almost always means that we're doing well and that life is simply full and busy.  It's both, but also very joyous.  

When I first started writing regularly in the blog, after Clara was born, I used to imagine a day when she (and any other future children) might be able to be contributors.  It may be awhile before Clara is typing her own essays, and who knows, maybe she won't ever have any interest.  But I thought it would be sweet to share these pages from her summer journal after we returned from a long weekend in Charleston.  

The literacy teacher in me is delighting in watching my own child develop as a reader and writer.  These are precious moments that I've watched in other people's children countless times.  Getting to see the baby I've read hours to in my lap and the child who was - it seems like yesterday - just scribbling with a crayon on paper now writing complete stories is a new kind of magic.  

So, here's Clara's first blog post, along with a handful of photos from our time in the lowcountry last weekend.  

(Last weekend we went to Charleston to visit Rick and Charlotte and JJ.  I liked catching blue crabs, swimming in the pool, going to the aquarium and kayaking with Daddy.) 

If these pictures seem familiar to you, check out our trip to this same place three years ago, when Clara was the age that Eloise is now.

A Few Firsts

Here are a few of Eloise's first firsts.  Her first bath on June 10 (it took that dern stump 22 days to fall off!) and her first bottle, on Father's Day (June 15).  Her big sister loved helping with the bath and Eloise loved it too.  I thought all babies screamed like a banshee in the tub for the first time (Clara sure did!), but it's definitely the highlight of Eloise's day.  She kicks and splashes and mellows right out.

She took the bottle like a champ and even though we haven't done many since then, I'm grateful that she knows how and will oblige.  I may just have to leave her side some day.  I could write many posts about how different the feeding experience has been this time around.  I take nothing for granted, knowing what a struggle it was with Clara and still find myself surprised and shocked at the beauty of the ordinary.  Here's to bottles!

And just for bonus, a shot of Robert with both of his girls before church on Father's Day.

Rub a Dub Dub

Those of you who are friends with us on Facebook have seen lots of photos posted over the past many months that look like these:

But lately, Clara has been sharing her tub with some other friends!  A few weeks back, Susie and Rebekah came to Winston to visit for the day and we had a great time swimming at Tanglewood.  Afterwards, it was into the bath for both girlies....

And when cousin Caroline came to visit, we let the two of them splash around together, too.  An (apparently) long time dream of Caroline's, realized at last...

Fun with rubber duckies...

And this past weekend we had a wonderful time in the mountains with our friends, the Lindseys.  Many more photos of the weekend to come, but here's a sneak peak of four of my favorite girls all washing off together after an afternoon of hiking and playing in a creek. Doesn't get any better than that, huh?

Rub a dub dub

Sweet kids in the tub

And who do you think they be?

Rebekah and Caroline and Lindsey girls

And all of them cute as can be!