happy birthday, little ones.

Ira Clarkson had a birthday.

Oh my, this little one is such a sugar. He is so cheerful and smiley -- he's got an entire mouthful of teeth and is steady on his feet, though he hasn't taken many steps on his own just yet. He loves to sing and play ring-around-the-rosy, he doesn't know the actual words, but he does the rhythm with his sweet little voice and it never gets old. He loves his big sister and copies her every move -- sometimes in secret, especially if we're talking about playing with the dollhouse or some of her other favorite toys, since she's sometimes not in the most sharing of moods when it comes to these things...so, when she's off doing something else, I'll catch Ira standing at the dollhouse, tapping the little dolls around the various rooms. It's precious.

Ira loves to play ball, and he'll toss it back and forth with whomever is willing to play, for as long as they're willing.

He knows how to pitch a nice little fit when things aren't just to his liking -- so, you know, there's that.

And he's accumulating quite a little word-bank: 'please', 'thank-you', 'baby', 'Ira', 'ball', 'bath' (pretty much sounds the same as ball), 'mama', 'dada', an occasional 'Immy', and a few others that I'm not recalling.

He eats like a ravenous wolf, easily putting away the same amount as Imogen.

Stats from 1 year appointment: 28.5" (7%), almost 20lb (25%). He likes his sleep, bless his punkin head, and takes a couple naps a day, or sometimes one long nap, then in bed by 7:45 and not up for the day until at least 12 hours later (granted, he does still wake once a night to nurse...)

 He's pure sugar. No doubt about it.






Imogen Violet also had a birthday since the last time I checked in here (whirlwind year, folks, no doubtin that).  She's 3 -- and imaginative, and the most fun to play with. She loves to paint and draw and do her little piano lessons and be read to and dance. (and all of that feels too good to be true at this point, so I'm holding these things very lightly...just waiting for the day she wants to collect snakes and monster truck posters...)
She's so sweet, and she says the most adorable things -- T and I love swapping Immy quotes every night after she's tucked in bed.  She's quite the pretender; I love hearing her little high pitched dollhouse people voices, and peeking in to see her playing. It's precious.

She loves her brother and likes to play with him....but they also fight daily+ (what, already?!).
She can also pitch a fine tantrum -- so, you know, there's that.
:P

She's an earrrrly riser (generally in the 6am hour), sometimes a bit earlier if she's excited about a fun event planned for the day, and I've groggily awoken to find her entire outfit spread out on our bed before 6am -- she's ready to go.

Her favorite shows include but are not limited to: Caillou, Daniel Tiger, and Super Why -- the old Winnie the Pooh is also a favorite, which is nice for me :)  -- so it's not always all art and music around here.  Heh heh.

3 yr old stats: 38" (75%), 35lb (85%)

She's my darlin girl.



So there's the update.

These kids. I love them to bits.

And, in the interest of honesty, there are so many days that are foggy, frazzled, or a serious combination of both, days when I'm sure this house is going to just cave in around me, days when I'm wishing that it would -- and those days are sometimes met prayerfully, with a peace that does not come from this Mama; and sometimes with wild eyes and enormous sighs -- but, either way, at the end of the day, when everyone is tucked in bed and all feels right with the world, I'm a very thankful girl, overwhelmed by the blessings that make up my life and make it all worth it.

More grace.

And more love to Thee.

<3