Brightness

A short clip of Alden playing the recorder. He's become even more of a virtuoso and no longer hums into it. He's very proud of this new skill. I wonder if that means he'll blow out his birthday candles.

The up and coming star Alden Wallace strides confidently to his waiting limo even amidst the paparazzi.

In fact Alden is becoming a star at imitating other people. He tries to blow bubbles when Rhianwen does. He's learning how to jump and run (in fact, the library has become a difficult place to be now that he can go so quickly. He loves to RUN as fast as he can down the rows and across the building. Today I resorted to quickly grabbing whatever didn't look heretical for Rhianwen and departed in about 20 minutes...a new record for us.) He saw mommy and daddy kissing on the lips and wasn't satisfied with mommy's cheeks anymore since apparently the lips are the new cheeks this season. He loves playing tag with us and trying to throw balls. Of course there are some negative things about imitating. Now if we could just get Rhianwen to understand the importance of setting a good example. Which reminds me of a very annoying habit of hers: using the popper toy only when I am talking on the phone. It is the single most noisy toy we have, and she only seems to play with it when I am trying to make a phone call. Why is this? I really don't think it's intentional, but it's nearly without fail.

We've been enjoying what I consider "summer" activities even though technically it's still spring. Rhianwen planted some cantaloupe seeds in a blue pot which is now on her dresser. I hope they sprout! We've begun having our usual summer breakfast food of "garlic" yogurt and fruit. Actually, it's granola, but when we ask Rhi what she wants for breakfast she says, "Garlic!". One summer activity that I'm not going to do anymore is to let Alden wander around in just his diaper. He managed to intentionally rip it off in one motion while going down the step into the family room. It was only later that I realized that he had been pooping at that time.

There's no doubt they are siblings! Noise or no, poop or no, you just have to melt when you have moments like this.

We also got some painted lady caterpillars as a gift from Grandmama. They came in a jar with a bunch of food on the bottom just in time for Nanny Kim's visit for Advance '09. They've been growing longer and fatter and will soon form chrysalises at which point we'll transfer them to the supplied butterfly cage.

Caterpillars.

A visit with Nanny Kim is always exciting. Usually it's because of all the wacky things she does, but since she was gone most of the time at the conference and in a more serious mood, I felt compelled to spice things up a bit. I cunningly sprinkled black pepper onto a hot burner while everyone was hanging out in the kitchen. Now we all know first hand what an attacker feels like when he inhales pepper spray. We all were hacking! (In all actuality, it was Nanny Kim's fault for talking to me while I prepared dinner. I had forgotten that I had moved my pan off the burner. Yes, I can always find a way to blame her ;0).

Enjoying ice-cream with friends at a dairy/creamery. I think it's hilarious how the girls are holding their cones. It reminds me of the wedding photographers'/coordinators' warning to the bridesmaids about how NOT to hold their bouquets.

Alden gets even with mommy and daddy for once-again withholding ice-cream by eating hay while we are distracted by Rhianwen's jumping.

We let Rhianwen stay up late one night to chase fireflies outside. This was her first introduction to them. What fun! A couple of nights later daddy put some in her butterfly cage so that she could watch them while she went to sleep. Fireflies are one of my favorite creatures. They are so magical...that is until you remember why they are flashing.

Family Time

Uncle Christopher: “I can’t believe I’m holding a real Avent Magic Super Sports Cup! And in hot pink none the less!”

Rhianwen: “Where has this guy been?”

Alden: “That skunk looks like he’s about to pee on me.”

Well, he’s been in Seattle. Which is why it was so special to see Uncle Christopher for a couple of days. Rhianwen patiently waited for him the day of his arrival and kept wanting to sit in the chair closest to our front door so that she would be sure to see him when he got there. Finally mommy was able to convince her that the time would be better utilized by playing, eating supper, and hanging out with Chris’ dreadless friend Matt (of whom Rhianwen wondered aloud “Is he going to bring his icky hair?” since he had graced us with a showing of the dreads after his cut a while back.). Matt did indeed bring his icky hair and left a choice piece in Uncle Chris’ bag to be found by him later with much disgust.

Nanny Kim, Grandpa, and Uncle Skipper came up for a double visit to spend time with Uncle Christopher and us. We had a fabulous time. Of course, we had to spend most of it in the backyard on or around the swings.

Shockingly, a family picture was suggested…who heard of such a thing on mommy’s side of the family? Daddy’s…we take family pictures as a rule and lots of them. Lighting is discussed, backdrop is discussed, timing and placement is discussed multiple times throughout the process. Pictures are reviewed, and if the baby isn’t looking, we start all over (attitude and time permitting). This family picture however, was slightly simpler with the exception that we needed a potty break after assembling down on our bridge and before any shots were taken. Despite our attempts, the camera found it impossible to catch baby’s eye. He’s much more interested in the creek.

Pretending to fly like the ladybug on Uncle Christopher’s hand.

Then daddy left for a trip to GA while we stayed home and felt the desolation of an empty house without company. Okay. It wasn’t that bad! We actually had some fun reconstructing the Eiffel Tower in our living room and being successful in that activity following it up by playing Madeline. Rhianwen, who has been taken with the NHL playoffs in our paper decided to suit up to rival any professionally designed uniform.


When she showed dad she said she had to bend her toes to get into her skates. He thought it sounded uncomfortable, but as any fashionista could tell you style over comfort is always a must.

Funny time in our house:

Rhi, finding some scissors on the kitchen table: I’m going to cut Alden’s sock!
Mom: No no no! Are you crazy?!
Rhi: Yes, I am.

Rhianwen’s last swim lesson was this past Saturday. She can float on her own, blow bubbles on her own, and jump in under the water all on her own. Now, if she could just learn how to get from the bottom of the pool back to the top with her head out.

We’ll probably put her in another group of lessons that are more advanced later this summer. We are very happy with the progress and fun she’s had with these first one. She actually met all of the goals that they were teaching, and I think Wally had a blast helping her learn.

An evening enjoyed at DQ.

Alden, desponded and dejected, wondering why he can’t have any of that glorious- looking pile of stuff.

We’ve begun reading a verse from the “real” Bible at mealtime (not a Bible story book but the real thing). Thinking back on it, I guess we should have been doing something like this a long time ago, but I’m glad we’ve started it now. I had expected Rhianwen to be bored and disinterested, but she actually reminds us to read a verse and even tries to pick one out. Once we did the Romans road which has the verse Rom. 3:23, Rhianwen recognized the number pattern and has asked for other references with that pattern for example: Romans 5:25 or 8:28 etc. At first, I had said we couldn’t just choose something randomly, but Daddy very wisely suggested we read what Rhianwen chooses and what mommy chooses too. Amazingly, she manages to pick awesome verses. I guess Romans is just one of those books that is loaded. Daddy suggested we expand Rhianwen’s horizons by informing her that there are other books in the Bible than just Romans. But she often will insist on “Paul!” meaning, start at Romans 1 and read. Fun times.

So Ya' Think You Can Dance

Alden's just been getting into everything. Mommy's attempts at distraction are pretty much futile. He'd rather be eating dirt, plants, paper, climbing into and onto things he shouldn't be, and playing with outlets. He's been a FUN little cutie though too. He's started imitating. He loves playing with the Little people bus and saying "Brrrrrmmmm. Brrrrrrmmmm." while he drives it (dad showed him how to do that). He also is saying "Amn. Amn." at the end of mealtime prayers. It's so adorable!

e'd rather be finding tools and digging through weeds than playing in the kiddie pool.

Not Rhianwen. Although she does enjoy the "BIG" pool better.


Our little toofy teefer.


Enjoying the treehouse/fort.

This next month is going to be busy. I'm feeling really overwhelmed. Mommy needs a lot of prayer.

MULA

Now that Alden has mastered walking, it's on to new and exciting feats of daring.

He's also been a sweet little guy and loves to try to feed mommy his graham crackers, brush mommy's teeth, and hold the phone to mommy's ear for her to talk.

Wally took his MULA week this past week (Mandatory Unpaid Leave of Absence). No, he isn't under investigation for crimnal activity. It's just a company wide requirement for their workers. We enjoyed having him around but of course, it was an insane week of tasks and surprises and traveling. We got our countertops in, had tree people come to give quotes, helped pull off a nursing home visit with playgroup (sadly no pics from that), celebrated my birthday, tried to get our house treated for termites but discovered we had to find out where our well was thus beginning an epic series of telephone calls that led to no information, and went to Uncle Averett's graduation. 

The nursing home visit was amazing! It was at a memory care facility. We had many kids ranging from 3 months to 4 years old and around 20 residents gathered in a room about the size of our family room (small!). We had a story/signing/singing time followed by balloon games, and the kids did GREAT. It took no time for them to warm up and in fact we had a hard time containing their enthusiasm in some cases. I've been wanting to do something like this for 2 years, so I'm so happy it went well. We hope to do it on a quarterly basis and vary the activities. 

Since my birthday was on the same day as the nursing home visit and as the day that the counters had to be torn out, it wasn't a huge celebration. But that's how I like it anyway. I don't really like being in the spotlight. Rhianwen had a fun time shopping with daddy and insisted that she get a purple birthday card for mommy. They carefully selected one meeting the criteria but upon opening it, Rhianwen said, "Oh. This is not a birthday card. It doesn't play music!" at which point the search began anew for a musical birthday card. Here we are enjoying her final selection:

Then it was off to Clemson for a 3 hour graduation. There were highlights: Averett graduated and we got to do the CLEMSON FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT cheer in Littlejohn with Rhianwen (awesome). 

Yep, Alden was there.

The happy graduate.

Death Valley did our kids in.

We came back to Grandmama's and Grandaddy's and had fun visiting with the fam and trespassing on a good friend's farm to show the kids their horses and to swing on their swings and hammocks and to hang out on their dock (be careful what you offer....we'll make ourselves right at home!). :) 

The horses are a little scary to the kids. Every time one breathed on Alden he kind of squinted and almost cried; then they stole his graham cracker. Rhianwen took a lot of convincing to get near enough to feed one. 

Back at home enjoying a fairy pop-up book from Nanny Kim.

On her way to pick some lettuce for supper.