10 Weeks - A Happy Girl

Not A Doll

Since Gloria's neck muscles have strengthened and the boys have been given more freedom to carry her and care for her, I can't tell you how many times I have heard myself say, "she is not a doll" - because of excessive trips from couch to swing, or because they grab her legs and pretend to run a race, or they flip her from back to front for tummy time, then front to back and back to front again.

Today Gloria was my doll.

Gloria: Week 5

Lending a Helping Hand

Around our house JJ and I are often stressing the idea of our family being a team, working together to love and support each other, and to make our home a place we enjoy being. Leading up to Gloria's birth we gave Chase and Daniel more responsibilities around the house. Since Gloria's birth those respoonsibilities have included yard work. This week Daniel mowed the back lawn almost entirely by himself - pretty impressive for a 6-year-old. And both Chase and Daniel have been trained to safely prune unwanted branches.

What's in a Wardrobe?

Between all the hand-me-downs, our own bins of clothes, and the mass of pink garments from all those people who "couldn't help themselves" when they found out we had a new girl in the family, I have done lots of sorting through clothes to organize Gloria's closet.

Here is a look into the wardrobe of a girl named Gloria.

The View From Here

With Daniel at Kindergarten every morning,
Chase has had some extra bonding time with Gloria.

... and I think he likes it.

Happy 6th Birthday, Daniel

Daniel,

This has been the birthday that never seems to end. Although today is your actual birthday, we got the ball rolling a week and a half ago with your birthday party at Moe's Bowling Ally. We scheduled the event so early in hopes of avoiding a clash with your baby sister's birth. And it's a good thing we did. Gloria was born less than 48 hours after your bowling bash.

Your friends (Addie, Faith, Matthew, Peter, Porter, Louge and Dylan) and family joined the fun. Even Jeremy made it out for the occasion, although he left all the bowling to his Daddy. It was a great afternoon.

April 23 arrived today, which meant a birthday breakfast before school, where your class sang to you and gifted you with a new book, silly straw and rainbow pencil. After school Nonna whisked you away to P,F, Chang's for lunch - a tradition that began last spring when you and Nonna scouted out their kid's low main and free birthday-boy dessert. (Make sure to note how big the piece of chocolate cake was.)

Happy Birthday, Daniel. 

We are so proud of the caring, compassionate, thoughtful, clever boy you have become. 

We pray for all your years to come.
 May God's gracious and merciful spirit shine among them.