How to Find a Paci

Ah yes. We should have known it was too good to be true. Despite our best efforts to convince Alden his paci was gone, apparently, he was scrutinizing the yard each time we played outside. He found it. We were all there to witness it too. I so wish I had had the camera because the look on his face was priceless. He picked it up out of the grass and held it while staring down at it in disbelief. Then he looked at us with a blank expression as if he were shell-shocked. His trance broke when we started laughing and groaning, and he popped it in his mouth mud and all. So, what to do? We've kept paci sequestered to the crib. He can have it for naps and bedtime. But I guess I'll just get rid of it later.

Daddy made a rudimentary see-saw. They need help doing it, but they love it anyway. I had to laugh b/c I was reading a nursery rhyme book to the kids that had a picture of a board on a rock for a see-saw. So I guess we're moving up in the world.

Duke Gardens is one of our favorite haunts this time of year, and for some reason, we just have not been able to get there even though we've tried multiple times to go. It's made Rhianwen very disappointed. Finally we went on Sunday although rain threatened. We just decided not to care. I'm so glad we did. It's magical in the spring there!

Raining but picnicing too. It didn't stay around for long, but Rhianwen reclaimed her umbrella anyway.

It's been so fun to watch Rhianwen's and Alden's relationship develop. They really enjoy each other's company and seem to be able to connect despite their age and vocabulary difference. For example, at the table one day, Rhianwen said: Beep! Beep! and Alden said: Crash!. That's about all we heard for about 10 minutes along with a lot of giggling. I also love how Rhianwen sings a lot in the car, and Alden almost never fails to give her much applause. He even lets her lead him around by the hand at times even though his independence is really budding. He keeps insisting to us that it's "My turn" when we are trying to do things for him like get him dressed, undressed, brushing his teeth, turning off the faucet. He's discovered his pockets and is just irresistible when he's all dressed up for church with his hands non-nonchalantly stuck in his pockets. People just have to smile even if they don't know him. He even tries to lighten the mood at the dinner table by suddenly saying, "Happy nose!" or "Happy toes!" or just "Happy!" I love my little happy guy.

Alden's not the only one who's happy. Rhianwen loves one-on-one attention and feeling like the big girl. She certainly is the leader in imaginative play with Alden and tries to include me as much as she can. She called me "Firemom" today as they were playing fire-rescue. I had to laugh! It sounds like a new superhero. I think I should make a costume. She also told me that her hairbows need her b/c they want to feel safe. She has so many crazy statements each day that Wally and I just look at each other with puzzled expressions and are never sure if we should act like we totally know what she's talking about or whether we should venture into the dusky unknowns of Rhianwen's thinking. I'm just so thankful for her desire to include everyone around her in her play. Occasionally it does come off as bossy, but most of the time it's just a very sweet natural inclusion into her little world of whoever happens to be there. Even our owls seem to respond specifically to her voice (albeit usually it's her crying...they hoot nearly every time she yells or cries outside). Anyway, it's neat to see God answer my prayers for unity especially between siblings in our little family. Although there will always be something to work on, it's just a very small but significant encouragement for me to see.