Grandma and Grandpa Come to Town

 My parents came to visit us the first full weekend in January.  I love it when they come.  The kids were thrilled and grandma had the magic touch with Freya.  Honestly, they were talking to each other and generally enjoying each others company.  They were only here for a few days, but we did get a chance to go for a walk in the trails behind our house, visit the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum and play in the one snow "storm" we have had this year. 

Happy Valentine's

Valentine's Day is something that Dave and I don't really celebrate.  We mark the start of us as a couple on February 20th, so that day has real meaning for us.  We typically express heartfelt love to each other then and leave Valentine's to everyone else.  However, having kids changing things, everything really.  You are no longer in charge of which holidays you will choose to celebrate.  The hype for Valentine's wasn't huge, but it was in the air. Cards to make, candy to eat, pink/red to wear.... you get the idea.  Since I was home, I thought that his was my chance to do something special for the kids.  I decided that I would try out a new cake recipe and made a white chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream frosting in the shape of a heart.  Dave found some awesome Valentine's cards based on Downton Abbey that he printed out and hid around the house for me - it was a total and complete surprise, score one for Dave.  He also bought me some beautiful bouquets of roses the day before.  We had an awesome "hand-me-down" onesie for Freya that was perfect.  All in all, it was a great day.  Love was all around.

2 Months

It seems like every time I wake up Freya has grown some more.  She is already two months old.  At her two month check-up she measured in at exactly 11 pounds (75th percentile) and 22 1/2 inches long (50th percentile).  She is now putting on weight at a faster clip and the cheeks are starting to show it.  She found her hands the day before her check-up and now happily sucks on them when she gets a chance.  She makes that loud sucking noise that both surprises you and makes you giggle.  She is smiling more and more and even giggles herself from time to time. It is mostly the sharp intake of breath with her arms and legs waving frantically while her eyes sparkle.  Phinn is warming up to her these days and even asks to hold her or gives her kisses.  Her special bond with Enoch is continuing to grow as he is the first to ask to hold her and the last to want to let her go.  Hilde loves to show her off.  She is starting to settle into more of a routine.  She is refusing to take a bottle - but that will have to change soon as I have to go back to work in 2 weeks!  We love her, and here are some pictures to help you love her as well:

A Tale of Two Stories

Here are two stories that Enoch wrote during Language Arts and brought home from school this week (spelling is his):

Story 1:
Ther onec lived a planet. It looked like a monster.  But it wasint.  It shoots comits.  It hit an orange planet.  It was damiged.  It was a war.  And they lived happily ever after.  The end.

Story 2:
There onec lived a girl named Freya.  She found a big egg.  She saw it crack.  She yeled MoM.  Mom came and looked at the egg.  I cracked open!  Inside was a t-rex.  They toock him home and named him bitter.  And they lived haply ever after.  The end.

I love these little glimpses into what is in his head. 

Math Magician

Enoch loves to do math.  At Darley he was a regular winner of the "Math Magician" award.  This year first grade has not even begun to challenge him in math.  Frequently we augment his homework with some of Hilde's.  Yesterday Enoch came home super excited. 

E:  "Mom, I HAVE to tell you what I did to Ms. Choi."
Me:  "I can't wait to hear, what happened?"
E:  "We were doing math and I showed Ms. Choi my number bonds to a thousand and she said, SERIOUSLY Enoch, SERIOUSLY??? And I got to stop right there and not do any more problems." 

He brought the paper home last night and here is what he had done:

Equivalent equations - solve these equations:
3+4 = 8-1
The answer is 7 for both

After you do a series of these, you get to make up 10 of your own.  After doing two small ones, here is what Enoch did purely in his head for number 3 (which ended up being the last one he had to do):
113 + 887 = 225 + 775
The answer is 1000 for both

I love this kid!

One Month

Guess who is already a month old?  We had a doctor's check-up so I can tell you she is right in the 50th percentile.  She had gained her birth weight back and is a healthy 8 lbs 14 oz.  She is just starting to smile and get on more of a "routine".  She still spends a lot of her time sleeping and her biggest fan is Enoch, with Hilde a close second.  This dress was made for Hilde by one of our good friends moms, I can't believe how talented some people are!  It is a little strange to see Hilde's old clothes as I pull them out of the bins they have been safely sitting in for 8 years!  Phinn is staring to accept Freya as part of the family even offering her a few kisses.

Master of Disaster

Need I say more?  Luckily - it washed right off.