Taking a Minute to Breathe

Is there anything more delightful than a three month old's squishy-faced smile?  Or two sleeping babies in your house?  (I know, Sylvia's not a baby, but...but...YES SHE IS!)  We are totally sitting in a sweet spot right now and I feel like every single second of life at our house is a gift and a blessing beyond measure, beyond anything I could have ever hoped or wished for.  I know these moments come and go.  I know that we're on the up swing of a raging cycle that's about to take a major turn when I go back to work, but for today, things are sweet and things are easy and things are gooooood.

One of Sylvia's favorite phrases lately has been "I'm so haaaaappy!"  She has some other less savory phrases that I'd rather not remember forever, but this one is my current favorite.  Tonight, we had to run to my Mom's house to look for a lost library book and she was playing with a game that her Mamie gave her for her birthday.  When I took her out of her car seat I said, "You really like your game, don't you?"  She said in a very mature and grown up way, "Yeah!  I do!  It makes me so haaaappy!" 

So many things that Sylvia says sound like they came right out of my own mouth.  She's a tiny little recorder, playing back all of my words verbatum, which is usually funny but sometimes...not so much.  Good example: She runs up to Margot and sings, "Hi there, my sweet girrrrrl!  Are you talking to me?  I hear you!"  And she sounds EXACTLY like me, which is totally weird.  Bad example: She got mad at me for trying to change her diaper (the nerve, right?) and she curtly demanded, "Go away Mommy." Then, when I didn't go away, she COUNTED at me!  She said, "One......" and I thought this is not happening, my child is not giving me the one-two-three count, then she said louder, "TWO.......!" and by that time I was done changing her diaper, thank goodness.  I don't even want to know what would happen if that girl ever reaches three.  Just like she's never had to find out what happens when I reach three!  He, he...the count works on everybody.

Margot has become a total flirt lately.  She's madly in love with her little cow, just like Sylvia was in love with her duckie.  I don't know what it is about those vibrating toys, but my girls are suckers for them!  She sat up in her bumbo seat for the first time today (I know, they've been recalled, but I had it on the floor and I was right next to her so...don't judge!).  She's finally starting to understand how to "play" with someone or something.  She doesn't hate tummy time as much as she used to.  She's becoming more and more FUN every day....and now I have to go back to work.  Boooo Hooo!!!  Oh well.  I have a day off in October.  Then before I know it, it will be Thanksgiving and Christmas...and then SUMMER!!!  I'm counting down the days already!

Here are some pictures from the last couple weeks.  We've been busy!

Our neighbor's backyard, along the creek.  A great place to explore this time of year!

Sylvia "reads" to Margot every morning.  It's totally adorable and makes me want to ugly cry.

Baby Claire made a new friend at Mom and Jay's bonfire.

Roasting marshmallows with our buddy, Charlie.

This one makes me warm and fuzzy inside.  Playing on the hammock, bellies full of s'mores, laughing at each other for no good reason.  Love.