Comparing the Bug & the Bee

I can't resist sharing these photos of Josephine & Beatrice. There are times when I think Bea will grow up to look just like Josie and others when I think they will look very different. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Josie's Hospital Photo - One Day Old

Bea's Hospital Photo - One Day Old

Josie at One Week Old

Bea at One Week Old

Josie at One Month Old

Bea at One Month Old

So...I'm really looking forward to your feedback on this one. I certainly have my thoughts about whether or not they look alike - what do you all think? :)

Week with Grandma

With the exception of Bea's full birth story, I think this post will officially have me all caught up on the blog. (Well, almost...I just thought of something else I forgot. Stay tuned for that.) 

Grandma swooped in to save the day for my first week alone with Beatrice once Lou returned to work. He had a full week at home with Josie and I when she was first born, but the cards didn't fall that way this time. Most of Lou's week off was spent in the hospital since I was induced at the beginning of the week and that really only left us with two full days at home just the three of us. My mom came the next week - week two - and we impressed ourselves! There was a trip to the hair salon, to the mall, to lunch, out to get coffee and to the park with both girls.  (My oh my how much easier the second one is than the first! I barely left my bedroom during Josie's second week - let alone venturing out all over town.) 
Grandma definitely spent plenty of time helping out around the house and with Beatrice during the day, but her biggest job was keeping Josie entertained and amused and she did that with FLYING COLORS! Once Josie realized Grandma was there this time just to play and not to babysit while we were away at the hospital, she was all over Grandma.  And they spent LOADS of time together - having a blast! Here are some of my favorite photos from that week.

Grandma taught Josie how to play baseball in the backyard.  They spent about an hour playing catch and learning proper pitching. Girl Power!

They also played "Bengal Tiger."  Grandma has spent a lot of time practicing her Cincinnati "Who Dey" Bengal growl - doesn't she look fierce? And doesn't Josie look impressed and amused? And aren't Grandmas the best?!

Grandma also taught Josie how to work the computer by herself so she could play the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse stories:

And we made fruit kabobs:

This one cracked us up! Josie took Grandma's camera and we later found a bunch of photos of DR. OZ that Josie had photographed from the cover of a magazine. Who doesn't love Dr. Oz?

Here is Josie modeling her pajamas for us one night before bed - look closely - nothing matches - everything is mismatched down to the socks and slippers. Silly little goose!

And of course there was lots of time with Sweet Sweet Bea!

Grandma even captured Bea giving her first kiss to Josie!

And cuddling with DD:

Yay for Grandparents!

Thanks for all of your help Grandma! You have two very lucky little Grand-daughters! xo

Fashionista

Here we have Josephine modeling the outfit she dressed herself in for school this morning.

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Five weeks old

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...and smiling

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Painting Rocks and Climbing Trees

This weekend was mostly spent in and around the house because both of the girls were down with a nasty cold and cough.  We had a great time just hanging out together, but not much to report.  (We did finally get caught up on laundry thanks to Grandma Fifi and all of her help!)

Last weekend was great. The weather was nice and we spent a lot of time in the yard. The highlights were both Josie-inspired.  She & Louie decided to collect and paint rocks to look like bugs, and Josie was very engaged in that work for most of the afternoon.

Later she got it in her mind that she wanted to climb her first tree. We have enormous trees in our yard - not the best for climbing unless you had a ladder to reach the lowest branch. Luckily Lou realized that we had the "perfect" tree in our side yard and up she went. I love this first one of her looking up at the tree. Her face says it all.

 
I love these moments when Josie tackles something that she previously thought herself too small or too young or too scared to do before. She was so unbelievably proud of herself after this. (Made very obvious by the fact that she first declared before climbing that I should bring the camera, later she announced that she would tell all of her teachers about this at school on Monday, then she asked if we could go get all the neighbors so they could see her in the tree.) 

Oh how we love our brave little girl!  This one is my favorite - if you haven't already noticed the headband that she rocked all weekend, I think this shot just about sums up Josie - climbing trees in princess shoes:

In other weekend news, spring arrived on our block!  I am trying with everything I have not to get my hopes up too high and to try to be realistic about what we can actually accomplish in our yard this summer. But for now I am just positively giddy about the tulips and and daffodils and green buds on all the trees!

And - we have a woodpecker! We hear him often and over the weekend we finally captured him on film (albeit blurry film).

And we definitely now know his favorite tree - with telltale holes all the way up and down the trunk - that little stinker.

Days like these confirm we made the right choice by leaving the city and getting a yard. We love it here in EWH!

Swingin & Slingin'

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Bea loves the sling. I love the sling. Josie loves the sling because I still have two free hands. Three cheers for baby-wearing.

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The days are long...

...but the months are short

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A lovely day

Today was the perfect day. Lou had enough time this morning to make me breakfast, Bea took a nice morning nap so I got a shower, the folks at Trader Joes were super helpful with getting my groceries to and inside the car and Bea cuddled the whole time in the moby wrap. I came home and got a load of laundry done, nursed Bea and then we headed to the carline to pick up Josie. It was such a gorgeous afternoon at seventy & sunny that we decided in the school parking lot to head directly to the park! And so we did. I was a little apprehensive about my first time with both of them on my own, but it was great!

On our walk through the field, Josie found a stick shaped like an "L" and wanted to spell a word. We quickly found a broken stick in the shape of a "V" and our minds were made up. Then we found an "O" mushroom and made an "E" out of flowers. She later added a leaf for an "I" and an acorn "U". We took a picture to send to daddy and then I snapped the rest of these to share with all of you.

All in all, a lovely day!!! The kind of day that just makes you feel lucky.

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