Eden Adelaide

New eyes awaken.

I send Love's name into the world with wings

And songs grow up around me like a jungle.

Choirs of all creatures sing the tunes

Your Spirit played in Eden.

— Thomas Merton

Welcome to our newest cousin.

We are so glad to make your acquaintance,

enthralled by all your beautiful little parts,

admire your already strong spirit

and can't wait to get to know you more!

Happy Birthday, Ba!

We don't know what we'd do without you!

We hope you have another wonderful year!

and thank you for the cake, auntie!

not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach

ATTENTION!
IF YOU DO NOT LIKE BLOOD PLEASE DO NOT SCROLL DOWN!

this morning my sweet daughter's nose looked something like this

it will never look like this again

because by late afternoon it looked kind of like this

and by the time she went to bed a lot like this

Home Sweet Home

some days are just like this...

everyone gets along,

there are smiles on faces

and songs in hearts

and it makes you wonder

why we ever go anywhere and do anything

they are just so happy to be here,

enjoying each moment

at home!

love birds

God turns you from one feeling to another
and teaches by means of opposites,
so that you will
have two wings to fly, not one." - Rumi

my love gave me a beautiful valentine
special in more ways than one
birds made in Haiti
five of them, flapping their metal wings
reminding us of all we have been given
how quickly it can be taken
all five of them singing
of what we mean to each other
how glad we are to be together
will our children ever fully understand these things?
the drums from which they were made
beat, beat, beat
reminding me to show them
we are blessed, loved, and we need to give in return

valentine carnage a valentine ukulele

being four and a half

today, my girl, marks the halfway point between four and five

in six short months you have learned to do so many things

we are daily amazed at your accomplishments

you have baked your first cake

can now write your name and the names of all the people you love

swim all on your own (that was a big suprise!)

have met your first princess

had your first ballet lessons

played your first soccer season

it seems that every time we turn around there is a new skill that you have mastered

instead of us helping you along I think that it would be more accurate to say that you teach us how to be more affectionate, compassionate, forgiving and fun

thank you for letting us be a part of your life...

A Baby Gift

opening the gift

my younger brother will soon be a father for the first time

so we put together a special gift for them
but a little bit about their life first

• they live in a trailer (no crib or changing table)
• aren't "sure" if the baby is a boy or girl... hmmm!
• are a bit more green than the average people (in other words "eco-conscious")

keeping all of those things in mind we made them a eco-friendly, gender neutral, transportable changing station!

it includes newborn essentials like a clean onsie, my favortie aiden and anis gauze blanket, alcohol swabs for the umbilical cord, vaseline and q-tips (in the unlikely event that they have a boy), organic nursing pads and bamboo burp cloth, pba free pacifier and cute clip, unbleached, biodegradable diapers and wipes, a fun wipes travel case in a japanese frog print, reclaimed wool baby bonnet, twig print changing pad, sencha and a few crunchy granola bar type snacks, etc.

the kids and I had so much fun putting everything together

they helped choose prints and snacks and practiced putting everything on their dolls

our hope is that she will just be able to stick it on a shelf somewhere and feel like she has everything she need for the first little while

here it is half full

It's been the week for playdates...