The Beard Babies

We just returned from a weekend visit with the girls to Illinois this past weekend. So glad we have the van now because we started with 4 passengers on Friday and came home with 5 passengers as Grandma Di Pie came back home with us! We enjoyed visiting with Grandma Golda and seeing my parents this weekend. A stop at Pizza Man, an all time favorite of mine, made the weekend trip complete! So far today, because Grandma is here, our laundry is done, supper is cooked, and babies are entertained. We took a walk with the double stroller today as well as played in our new sun hats. Smells of homemade chicken soup and sounds of "shaking our sillies out" song are filling the house. Happy rainy Monday from Nashville!

We haven't been at home very much the past few days, so my blogging time has been minimal. I've missed you! Jason and I met Jessica in Jackson first thing Monday morning to head to Memphis so I could clean my kindergarten classroom out. She will begin her first year of teaching this coming fall and after helping me the past 9 summers set up my classroom, I wanted to share with her some of my classroom items as she has laminated, cut out and hot glued numerous things for me over the years. I hope it helps her as she starts out. I felt nostalgic reflecting over the past four years in that classroom. I found old files, favorite books, and funny pictures to bring back lots of memories from the children I taught at Lakeland. As I sorted through things it was a different kind of adventure to find good reads for my new students at home. I found several books and book kits, including Brown Bear, There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, and The Hungry Mouse and the Red Ripe Strawberry. We've already read many of the books I brought home and the girls have enjoyed them so much. During the last nine and a half years of collecting and reading good books, I can honestly say reading books to one's own children is the most rewarding and fun. Watching them examine pictures and hear unknown words is a treat. The girls look at the pictures as I read and like to help me read with occasional squeals, smiles, and coos. We've read to the girls even back in the NICU days, but the past couple of weeks we've started reading together everyday after I feed them brunch at 11 a.m. The couch and a couple of pillows keep everyone where they are supposed to be and help to make story time comfortable and safe for everyone. The book shelf, full of my favorite stories, we placed in the girls' room, is one that I hope to add to and use frequently with the girls. I look forward to adding their favorite books and going on reading adventures with them through the years.

Mary Charlotte is smiling more and more each day and loves singing songs. This past Tuesday, Elizabeth rolled over by herself. The expression of her face was priceless. I really think she knew she had done something new. I placed them both on the carpet on a quilt Jessica made for them and the next thing I knew Elizabeth was dropping her shoulder and rolling over. I couldn't believe it. In fact, I kept putting her back on her tummy just to make sure she had really rolled over and that I wasn't being a proud, anxious, embellishing mommy! Each time I put her back on her tummy, she smiled and did it again! Her sister is still content right now to cheer her on and continues to like her back best so she can observe what everyone in the room is doing! Other than the occasional accidental head butting, we love floor time and looking at new toys while sucking on pacis, fingers, or whatever we can grab! Happy rainy Thursday from Nashville!