June 2012

I've let so much time elapse between posts that I honestly don't know if I need to go backward or move forward? I think this quote from an excellent recent read is somewhat applicable:

"Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward." -Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Thanks, Laura! I've already started your next recommendation! :-)

Looking back at the month of June...

A certain little boy keeps growing.

Caroline had a Senior K class program and graduation, shared moments with sweet friends, and had an awesome 2 weeks of swimming lessons.

The girls had a blast at gymnastics camp (especially Helen).

That's a lot of fun to pack in to one month. And it doesn't even include our week at the beach. It's hard to believe summer is half over. I'm certainly going to do my best to ensure we enjoy every last, hot minute of it!

Budding writer

Caroline is doing great in school. The girls write frequently and are supposed to use "kindergarten spelling". I was kind of worried that I'd have to encourage Caroline a lot because she's such a perfectionist. She likes things to be just right and I assumed that she would get easily frustrated at not being able to spell things correctly. But she has really embraced trying to spell things out on her own and writes notes all the time. Caroline wrote and illustrated this book for her sweet friend Shelby a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was so cute and had to photograph it before she gave it away.

 "We are friends forever" (the title)

 "Hi! Can we be best friends?"

 "Sure. I will be your friend."

 "We will be best friends forever." (The girls are hugging - too sweet!)

 "Let's have a playdate!"

 "And they did." (The girls are playing superheros. I love the capes!) 

Caroline Suzanne

You are four! We've been teasing you for weeks that you are really only turning three this birthday. But you are insistent and sure that this is your fourth birthday.

I can't even begin to quantify every single thing that makes you so awesome. But here are just a few things the we love about your four-year-old self.

You love reading. You read several words and can sound out easy ones by yourself. You are always up for reading a book together. We've started reading bigger books to you. We read The Tale of Despereaux and recently started The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. You really get into the story. You tell us all about what is happening in the book. Your eyes light up with delight when you say, "Aslan is on the move! Spring is coming to Narnia!" I am so excited about this. There are so many great books I want to share with you as you grow.

You love school. You are very smart. You can write all the letters, spell easy words, and do very simple addition problems. You have an amazing memory, as evidenced by the fact that you know several Spanish words, lots of sign language, tons of songs, and the Lord's Prayer. We are all excited about Junior Kindergarten starting this fall!

Princess is your favorite pretend scenario right now. Daddy is your Prince (of course!). You run off and say, "Where is my slipper? I can't find it anywhere!" And Prince Charming brings your slipper and it's magically a perfect fit! Then you dance together. You are definitely a Daddy's girl.

You are now big enough to play many games. Go Fish is a lot of fun and has become our "go-to" game or time-killer. You tell me that your favorite is Hullabaloo. We have so much fun playing games together.

You play and pretend and flit and dance and sing and twirl and party. All day long. You play so well by yourself. It is highly entertaining to watch you entertain yourself.

I feel like there are pages and pages I could write about you and all of your awesome attributes, sweet Caroline. Your Daddy and I think you are amazing - inside and out, head to toe. It is a joy and a privilege to watch you grow. It is exciting to think about who you are becoming, what you will do, where you are going. We are lucky, blessed, and humbled to be your parents. You are an incredible gift and we thank God for you.

Happy birthday, beautiful girl! We love you so much!

O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
-Isaiah 25:1

This girl's got skills

Kevin and Caroline were playing with the Aquadoodle tonight. Kevin spelled "Helen" for her and she wrote every letter herself - without help! Wow... We are so proud! (Don't you love her dirty face from dinner?)

Fireside

Caroline got to have her bedtime story by the fire tonight. She loved it!

Miss Pettigrew

I highly recommend light reading in the summer. It's just too hot to think about heavy plots. Plus, in case you fall asleep in the backyard hammock or on the beach, you don't have to struggle to remember what you read last!

I just finished this delightful book, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Set in the 1930s in London, it's a story about the governess Miss Pettigrew who gets a very lively new employer. It is witty, hopeful, and endearing. You can't help but love and root for dowdy Miss Pettigrew. It's a quick read - lots of fast dialog. The movie is coming out on DVD late this summer and I can't wait for Netflix to deliver it!

Reading

We really aren't surprised that Caroline has inherited her parents' love of books. She loves to read. She loves looking at books by herself and "reading" the parts she knows. I am looking forward to hearing her read to me someday. And I can't wait to read some of the classics with her - The Hobbit, The Secret Garden, Stewart Little, The Wind in the Willows...

Reading to bunny

The bubble

Here she is in her new bubble - sewn by Mommy! It's a little bit big, but she's a growing girl. I'm so happy with how it turned out! I only broke out my seam ripper once (not counting the button holes)! I can't wait to make another one.

Favorite part of the day: Daddy comes home and reads books to her!

Close-up of the smocking

{...sigh...}

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy... Sweet... Subtle... Refreshing... This is now one of my favorites.

I stumbled on this really interesting website: Library Thing. If you amass and love books like we do, this is a pretty neat online book catalog. Check it out.

And, lastly, a photo of my two very favorite people...

Reading with Dad

I thought this was a particularly sweet moment between Kevin and Caroline. She was wildly playing and just happened to stop long enough in the perfect relaxed position for reading a book.



Not even a book can keep this girl from smiling at the camera!

Grammy and Grandy read to Caroline