1.15.2013
Where's Will?
After the last post, I realized that Will wasn't in any of the pictures I posted. So, to prove that he was definitely there, please enjoy the following video: click here.
Joanna is 3!
Our little girl is three today! Thankful for birthdays today, which help me to reflect on the person being celebrated. As I reflect on the past three years of getting to know our daughter, I am full of thoughts, giggles and prayers. To sum Joanna up in a few words: expressive, emotional, unpredictable, cute as a button, creative and funny. By expressive, I mean that she is a word sponge who then strings together idioms and individual words in sometimes logical, sometimes amusingly illogical ways. At times you think you are talking to a seven year old, and then she'll say something that reminds you that she's just turned three. By unpredictable, I mean this: she can be full of joy or full of almost-rage, full of willingness or full of obstinance, totally out-going or completely unwilling to leave my side. Her unpredictable nature causes me to study her more closely and pray for her more frequently. And by funny...nearly every hour of Joanna wakefulness produces in us a giggle, a big smile or a laugh out loud.
Joanna loves the character June from "The Little Einsteins" DVDs we watch, so we had a June birthday in January. Ironically, it was an unusually warm day, which was perfect for the first ride of her new bike. Joanna has also assumed the identity of Marta from "The Sound of Music" (and Phoebe is Liesl), so my Mom made them both "curtain/drape clothes" and "traveling clothes". Please go watch the movie if you are not familiar with these terms. Soon, if possible! She also loves Belle. I look forward to the day when I actually let her watch the movie, so that she can see that Belle's character is also a lover of books and words!
Another theme in Joanna's life currently is the anticipation of Baby Brother's arrival. She received some "Big Sister" books, which she is really relating to. She will walk around with one of her dolls in her shirt, talk to the baby in my belly, and yesterday she and Phoebe even pretended to go to the hospital for her to deliver June. How their little minds process things!
Her cake...
The party people all seated around my great aunt Mamie's table...
Opening presents...
Opening her Marta curtain dress...
Phoebe opening her Liesl dresses...
Marta Savage...
The girls giving a free "Sound of Music" concert for us...
Ready to ride!
Out for her first try...
Complete with June and chapstick in her basket...
Her Little Einstein's matching game...
A birthday package from Nonnie and Papa!
Winding down from all of the excitement with Belle...
Chocolate chip pancakes for her birthday breakfast!
One of her new "Big sister" books...auf Deutsch!
With Daddy at Chick-Fil-A!
Our outdoor photo shoot...
My favorite...
Of course Joanna's birthday has two very special people connected with it...her Deeda's birthday is the day before her's, and her Great Grandmother Cleola (my Grandma Tyo) had the same birthday as Jo. She would have been 92 today.
Enjoy the pictures! Happy Birthday, Jojo! Or Marta. May God use your emotions and love for words to bring Him much glory. We are really looking forward to how He wants to use these gifts to show His love to the world through you.
For Joanna's 1st and 2nd birthdays, click on the numbers. For Phoebe at 3, see this post and this one.
Joanna loves the character June from "The Little Einsteins" DVDs we watch, so we had a June birthday in January. Ironically, it was an unusually warm day, which was perfect for the first ride of her new bike. Joanna has also assumed the identity of Marta from "The Sound of Music" (and Phoebe is Liesl), so my Mom made them both "curtain/drape clothes" and "traveling clothes". Please go watch the movie if you are not familiar with these terms. Soon, if possible! She also loves Belle. I look forward to the day when I actually let her watch the movie, so that she can see that Belle's character is also a lover of books and words!
Another theme in Joanna's life currently is the anticipation of Baby Brother's arrival. She received some "Big Sister" books, which she is really relating to. She will walk around with one of her dolls in her shirt, talk to the baby in my belly, and yesterday she and Phoebe even pretended to go to the hospital for her to deliver June. How their little minds process things!
Her cake...
Of course Joanna's birthday has two very special people connected with it...her Deeda's birthday is the day before her's, and her Great Grandmother Cleola (my Grandma Tyo) had the same birthday as Jo. She would have been 92 today.
Enjoy the pictures! Happy Birthday, Jojo! Or Marta. May God use your emotions and love for words to bring Him much glory. We are really looking forward to how He wants to use these gifts to show His love to the world through you.
For Joanna's 1st and 2nd birthdays, click on the numbers. For Phoebe at 3, see this post and this one.
8.27.2012
One Year Old!
Will is one! We were able to celebrate his birthday twice: once with his Nonnie and Papa in Evansville, and once at his Mimi and Deeda's house, together with his Great-Grandma Vi, whose birthday is five days after his. He did not eat his cake...he tore it up a little and then wanted his hands wiped off. Now, at twelve and half months, he is saying "Bye" and waving, giving powerful high-fives, has been a ring-bearer (hopefully more to come on that later), and drinking consistently from a cup. He is also in the 90th percentile for height and weight. He tries very hard to keep up with his sisters...in volume, in pace, in play, and imitates them while they are reading books. He likes to turn the pages in his little board books. He's still a very cuddly little boy. We love you, Will!
7.07.2012
Eleven Months Old!
It's hard to believe that Will is approaching being a year old already! This time last year was filled with preparing his room, elevating those ankles, spending precious time with the girls, and the final doctor's appointments. Since then we've had eleven months of cute, cuddly boy who fills our lives with smiles, hugs, and of course, more laundry (all very much worth it!).
Lately Phoebe has been playing "Mommy" with Will, walking him around while holding his hand, saying "this way, baby!" Joanna loves running into his bedroom in the morning and saying "Hi Wheeeeel!" We also see their natural inclination to want to pick on Will, including knocking their wobbly little brother over.
Will's newest skill this month is walking! He loves to keep up with his sisters. He is enjoying trying new foods, including pizza (a proud moment for Daddy), and is taking a cup. He loves playing with balls, putting a cell phone to his ear and saying "Da!", and playing peek-a-boo.
Time for more avocado!
For Phoebe at 11 months, click here, and here for Joanna.
6.22.2012
Phoebe is 4!
Phoebe turned four years old on June 12th. She had been asking for a Cinderella cake for about eight months of the past year, and she enjoys tea parties, so we decided to have a little princess tea party for her birthday with the girls from her Sunday school class and our next door neighbors. It was so much fun to plan with Phoebe. She picked out some of the menu (the "hot pink fruit dip" from our favorite cookbook, for example), put together the goody bags, and helped decorate. The night before the party, as we said good-night, she called out "I'm a princess party planner!"
Making the goody bags...
Daddy helping with the cake...
Sisters!
Phoebe's princess guests...
Mimi, Deeda, and Will in the shade...
Birthday buddies forever!!
This was also a special birthday because at four years old, children in our church start going to "big church", or to the service in the sanctuary with their families, so Phoebe received her first "complete" Bible. Thanks to the ideas of friends, we have a backpack full of activities for Phoebe during the service as she learns to sit for a longer period of time. Her first Sunday in big church was a very special Sunday, as it was the Sunday on which our cousin Tara was baptized to make it known that she had trusted Jesus for her salvation! Praise the Lord! It was also Greg's first baptism. What an incredibly special day.
Phoebe also got to celebrate her birthday with her grandparents. Her Mimi and Deeda made her chocolate chip pancakes and a chocolate peanut butter cake for her birthday, and her Nonnie and Papa came up from Mississippi to celebrate with her, and took her to her favorite place to eat, Chick-Fil-A.
Phoebe is growing into a very articulate, observant, caring, social little girl. She is very sensitive to the needs of her siblings, and loves to ask lots of questions. Though she typically does not show a lot of emotion (taking after her Daddy), you can definitely tell when she is excited about something! She is our little peace-maker, who loves to make cards and color pictures for other people (and she will also suggest where you should hang it). She is also a lover of books (especially Richard Scarry ones) and singing songs...mostly ones that she has made up. We pray that she will see her need for a Savior early in life and realize that she cannot be "good" on her own, but only with Jesus' help. She is truly a gift from God. May we be faithful stewards of this gift!
A few more fun birthday pictures...
Getting her nails painted for the first time...
I'm four!!
My two favorites from our backyard photo shoot...
We will always love you, Phoebe Grace!
Making the goody bags...
The finished cake...
Helping Mommy decorate...
How Phoebe decorated the sofa table to welcome her guests...
Let the party begin!
And the special surprise guest, Stephanie, who Phoebe has loved since we first set foot in Reynoldsburg...
Another very special celebration was her family party with her birthday buddy, Ausin (Aunt + Cousin) Tara at Tara's pool. Phoebe got to swim, eat pizza, cake, and Jeni's ice cream, a special Columbus treat. For their first party together, click here.
Mimi, Deeda, and Will in the shade...
This was also a special birthday because at four years old, children in our church start going to "big church", or to the service in the sanctuary with their families, so Phoebe received her first "complete" Bible. Thanks to the ideas of friends, we have a backpack full of activities for Phoebe during the service as she learns to sit for a longer period of time. Her first Sunday in big church was a very special Sunday, as it was the Sunday on which our cousin Tara was baptized to make it known that she had trusted Jesus for her salvation! Praise the Lord! It was also Greg's first baptism. What an incredibly special day.
Phoebe also got to celebrate her birthday with her grandparents. Her Mimi and Deeda made her chocolate chip pancakes and a chocolate peanut butter cake for her birthday, and her Nonnie and Papa came up from Mississippi to celebrate with her, and took her to her favorite place to eat, Chick-Fil-A.
Phoebe is growing into a very articulate, observant, caring, social little girl. She is very sensitive to the needs of her siblings, and loves to ask lots of questions. Though she typically does not show a lot of emotion (taking after her Daddy), you can definitely tell when she is excited about something! She is our little peace-maker, who loves to make cards and color pictures for other people (and she will also suggest where you should hang it). She is also a lover of books (especially Richard Scarry ones) and singing songs...mostly ones that she has made up. We pray that she will see her need for a Savior early in life and realize that she cannot be "good" on her own, but only with Jesus' help. She is truly a gift from God. May we be faithful stewards of this gift!
A few more fun birthday pictures...
Getting her nails painted for the first time...
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