it's just a walk in the park

it's officially fall in the NW

is it rainy?  yep.

chilly?  of course.

beautiful?  that, too!

Those hours between end of nap and dinnertime are perfect for walks to our neighborhood park!

 

CJV is happiest when walking sprinting down the sidewalk with reckless abandon. She giggles non-stop ... except when she does stop to pick up a berry or a rock-y or just to examine a crack in the sidewalk.  In that regard, my little peanut is such a typical toddler!

She also loves to chase after her big sister ... and crunch the leaves with her {fake} Ugg boots!

 

My sweet daredevil will attempt to CLIMB anything in her path.  She is fearless and dangerous and just so cute!

On the rare occasion I catch her sitting still, her bright blue eyes and sweet smile just melt my heart!

And then there's my crazy, silly Natalie.  It seems I take a lot less pictures of her these days.  Mainly because she is so aware of the camera.  I love this shot because it is so her ... wild tufts of hair, bright blue eyes, and mouth open because she is saying something ... probably telling me a story or asking me a question (or 12).

While the girls played, I occupied myself with a little project ... using leaves to form the first letters of their names ... and now my goal is to do something like this for each season!

 

There is nothing like watching my girls grow up together!

book nook

The girls are enjoying their new sunny book nook!

The new chairs - pink and personalized - were birthday gifts from Mimi.

I love them and so do the girls.

The girls sit in them. Climb on them. Make forts out of them.

I love spending an hour in the late afternoon

with both girls in our new book nook ...

Natalie "reads" one book after another

While Charlotte practices taking steps

sisterly love

 

hanging out in their new {super cute, pink pbk} chairs

playing in the sandbox and coloring pictures

visiting our local zoo and hanging out in the hammock

no matter what they are doing ...

they love each other ... at least for the most part

nhv can have a tough time sharing 

and demands time to play by herself - 

by hurrying to close her bedroom door

as cjv excitedly crawls toward it

but she also looks out for her and takes care of her

and makes her laugh like no one else can!

cjv absolutely lights up when she sees her big sister

she says naaaa-yeeee as soon as she wakes up

she is happiest when she's doing whatever

natalie is doing :)

nothing alike

It's been awhile since I've done a side-by-side of the girls ... 

who are sisters by the way ... 

born to the same mother and father ... 

just reminding you of these facts because ... 

aside from the pajamas and the chair,

I don't see any similarities between these two!

Natalie is 8 months younger and 3 pounds heavier 

than Charlotte in this side-by-side.

Natalie weighed 17.5 pounds at 6 months.  

Charlotte weighs about 14.5 pounds at 14 months.

Okay, so my girls are alike in some ways ... 

like the fact that they both L-O-V-E that binky!

And Itty Bit (white bunny) is a hand-me-down lovey from Natalie.  

Both of my girls love that Bunny by the Bay.

Other ways they are "nothing alike" ...

• First and foremost, Natalie is a great sleeper, and she is a heavy sleeper.  Charlotte is a very light sleeper and wakes easily and often.
• Natalie has always loved reading books.  She would sit on our laps for hours and read one story after another.  From a young age, she "read" stacks of books by herself.  Charlotte will sometimes tolerate having a book read to her.
• Charlotte will eat fruit all day long ... berries, citrus, as long as it's not pureed, she'll eat it.  Natalie refuses to eat any fruit; she will occasionally eat applesauce or a banana or one slice of a clementine (but only if I insist).

High Chair Games

To say that Charlotte loves her big sister would be an understatement of epic proportions. And the feeling is most certainly mutual.  Grand gestures or official announcements are not necessary, sisters show their love through pure silliness!

One of their favorite games is played after just about every meal ...

Natalie hops up from her seat and takes off jogging around the table. 
Charlotte follows her every move, kicks her feet and waves her hands.
Natalie gets close and smiles and laughs and says something hilarious.
Charlotte is so excited she nearly jumps out of her high chair.
Natalie starts off on another lap and the game continues.

I love the squeals of delight.
I love the expressions of pure joy.
I love the pride Natalie feels from making Charlotte so happy.
I love my girls and their silly games!

mornings with my girls

I took these photos at 7:30 in the morning on Wednesday.  

Charlotte still in her adorable pink footsie pajamas and wearing a baby mohawk, a result of a bath the night before and me rubbing her head while she nursed before bed.

Natalie already out of her {Ariel} nightgown - the only pair of pajamas she will even think about wearing - and into her {Tiana aka the Frog Princess} dress-up outfit: hot pink leotard, fabulous skirt made by my friend CrazyCraftyCarrie, and ... socks as gloves - that's her new thing this week :)  Look closely and you'll even see a stuffed frog in her lap.

Charlotte can't take her eyes off me.  She wants her big sister's attention. She wants to play and sing songs and be smothered with kisses.

Natalie is quick to give me a smile when she first wakes up, and she usually chats a bit about her dreams. Some mornings I can talk her into a quick snuggle. After transforming herself into the princess-of-the-day, she usually plops down (in the W sitting position) and reads a stack of books.  Looking at the camera before she's had her breakfast, well, that's not going to happen :)

I love the time I spend with my girls in the morning.

Resemblance?

resemblance [rɪˈzɛmbləns] noun - the state or quality of resembling; 

likeness or similarity in nature, appearance, etc.

I think genes are pretty amazing!

Same mother.  Same father

Sisters.

There's a resemblance.

And then, maybe there isn't!

Perhaps we should all just agree ...

they are both more than a little cute!

a special thanks to my friend Deann for reminding me 

that it was definitely time for another side-by-side comparison!

Recent photos of morning snuggles ... oh, how I love these girls!

 

You can see more great photos and Word-less-ful Wednesday
posts here and here.

Sisters

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

~ Marion C. Garretty

Before CJV was born, I worried about how
NHV would react to being "replaced."

I spent time planning ways to make her feel special
and to show her how much I still love her.

I feared sibling rivalry would taint the blessing of having a second child.

Before I first witnessed my daughters together,
I thought about finding time to spend with each girl individually.

Figuring out how there would ever be enough of me to go around.

Seeing them together brings me so much joy.
They both light up when they see each other.
My heart swells with love for them. 

I worried needlessly.   

Top 10 Tuesday - Blessings Times Three

I've written more than 100 posts this year!  How is that possible?  I had a baby in December, for goodness sakes!  Where do I find the time?  I mean, really? :)  

Here's the thing, there are some really good "old" posts floating around this little blog of mine, so I plan to dust them off, shine them up a bit - just for you - and share a favorite each Tuesday.  I even made a button ... 

Blessings Times Three
originally posted June 17, 2008


My younger sister, Laura, recently became a mommy ... for the third time ... brave (or crazy) soul that she is, and I couldn't be happier for her because she is so darn happy! She has a 6 year old daughter, who is sweet, creative, and inquisitive. Her first son, Jase, is 19 months old - full of energy, smiles (big ear-to-ear ones), and the almost constant gibberish we refer to as Jasenese. And her second son, Greyson, was born May 28; from what I've witnessed - through photos and during my recent visit - he seems like a fairly easy-going baby, and he is cute beyond belief, in my biased, Aunt D opinion :)

So three kiddos under one roof - a feat my mom accomplished quite successfully plus one, but still I am in awe of the idea of three ... my one has given me a run for my money on more than one occasion. Anyway, I called her earlier today to chat about an gift for my parents' upcoming anniversary, and she answered the phone. She quickly answered my question, and then informed me that she was in the middle of putting Jase down for a nap while Greyson was crying the background - a scene I could easily picture in my mind. In this version, Laura was totally calm and collected. In the version starring me, I would be a frazzled mess, and I sure as heck wouldn't have answered the phone :) These thoughts left a smile on my face and an admiration in my heart; I am so proud (and a little envious) of the person my sister is ... Just to further prove that point, in an email message to follow-up our earlier conversation, she apologized for being so brief on the phone with this explanation ...

My hands are full and so is my heart 

and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Isn't that a beautiful statement? I love you, Laura Helen, and all three of your nuggets, too!


---------------------------------
Today's Thoughts:  I adore being a big sister.  I am the oldest of four with two brothers and a sister.  There is something so special about sisters; a fact that makes me look at my own two daughters with great anticipation for the days when they'll be able to play together and become the best friends they are destined to be.  


Despite an eight-year age difference and a couple thousand miles distance, I feel close to my sister.  We don't talk all that often - not even once a week - but we follow each other all over Facebook and here on my blog.  When we manage to find a few minutes to chat, hearing the sound of her voice makes me smile.  She always has this amazing insight and sense of calm when I need it the most.  Many, many times I've wished that we could live closer together.  That we could meet at the park and watch our kids play together.  That we could invite each other over for dinner.  That we could lounge on the couch watching TV, giving each other head rubs, and chatting about nothing and everything.


Well, sometime in the next 10 days, it is my personal mission to make sure each of those things happen.  I will be back in my hometown - introducing CJV to my family and watching NHV get to know her cousins.  I haven't been "home" since December 2008, and I am homesick beyond belief.  There are so many reasons why I am looking forward to this trip, but I am especially excited to see my sister and her nuggets.  Love you, Laurla!

Sisters in Pajamas

Both freshly bathed and looking so cute.

NHV was so excited to have the chance to hold baby sister.

CJV was ready to eat but did her best to enjoy the moment..

Both sisters managed to look pretty darn adorable!

You can see more great photos and Word-less-ful Wednesday
posts here and here.

Sisters ...

Photos taken at about the same age ... give or take a week.

Sisters

Oh, that first meeting.

Words cannot express.

NHV has taken to big sisterhood with much enthusiasm and love.

She giggled and smiled and just gazed with such awe.

She must've said the words, "babee sistah" at least a dozen times.

"Babee sistah grew in mommy's be-yy-y."

"Babee sistah ... Charlotte." 

"See babee sistah's tootsies."

"Babee sistah's tootsies ... t-I-ny."

She then counted her toes and leaned in for a tootsie kiss.

"Dat babee sistah's naket (blanket)."

And her best observation ...

"Mommy work hard ... get babee sistah out her tummy."

---------------------------------------------------------

I cried.  I smiled.  I suddenly understand ...

A mother's love is infinite.