Family Life

Another beautiful day, and we enjoyed some time outside and a family walk this evening. I suggested Abby try the backyard swing, and Jonathan was very insistent that he get to push her. "She's bigger, Mommy! Baby Abby's bigger and can play in the swing!" He told me, "I'm going to push her, and she's going to laugh!"

With lots of reminders that Abby wanted to be pushed gently, Jonathan really enjoyed pushing his sister and seeing her smile and laugh in the swing. Abigail had a great time and lit up every time the swing spun around to face towards her brother.

"Hold on tight, Baby Abby! Hold on tight!" he reminded her. It was so much fun to see them starting to play and enjoy one another. I can't believe how much our family has changed in the 2 years since my last swing-blog-update. I can't believe that baby boy is growing up to be this sweet big brother.

This evening we put Abby in the front of the double stroller for our evening walk (as opposed to reclining in her baby carrier, set on top).

She was all wiggles and clearly delighted to be up and looking around for the first half of our walk.

The down-side I hadn't forseen is that the poor sleepy baby ended up slumped over in her chair when she dozed off to sleep.

Yesterday was even more beautiful, sunny and cool. We spent the afternoon at the park, and Jonathan had a great time playing with other kids he met. A group of 9 year olds playing on the see-saw was just as entertained by him as he was by them. He appreciated the ride, shouting, "Go higher! Go higher!" and holding on tightly as they bounced him up and down. They got a kick out of "Baby Radio" as they called it, when he began a long rendition of "The people on the bus go Up and Down! Up and Down..." The verses got a little quirky with time, including at least one about the Baby Froggy on the bus.

Before we left, Jonathan convinced me to help him climb a tree. He just loves to be up in a tree, in particular one in front of our church that his Dad lifts him up into after church most Sundays. Here he's sporting his new Buckey's T-shirt, which actually received a lot of compliments at the park! David picked up one for himself and one for Jonathan on a recent road trip, and Jonathan is so proud to have a beaver shirt "just like Daddy's."

Abigail started "solids" this week, which means mushy baby rice cereal. She smiled at the first taste, and then slept better that night than she has in a week. The next two days she started opening her mouth when she sees it coming, and then grabbing the spoon from my hands to pull it into her mouth herself. Here are some pics of her wielding a spoon that first day.

As Abby ate her cereal, Jonathan told me Baby Monkey was hungry and needed some cereal, too. So he took Baby Monkey (the Monkey Formerly Known as Max) to the couch to feed him while I fed Abby. At some point I heard, "NO PEPPER! NO!" I think there may have been some competition for Monkey's cereal.

With Abby at the dinner table with us we're getting a real feel for being a "family of four." Jonathan is already taking to entertaining Abigail as his audience, and she thinks it's just hysterical when he makes a ruckus with banging his silverware on the table or growls like animals between bites.

Seems we're in a season of particularly fast change. It's amazing how different this month is from last. Jonathan's been out of diapers for about a month now, and we've (thankfully) progressed from going to the restroom every 30 minutes on schedule to a more normal routine and no accidents the past 3 days. This was one funny potty moment I won't forget. He wanted his rear to go swimming in the water and attempted, despite my protests. But once he was stuck I couldn't help but sneak out to get my camera before rescuing him. As I returned he exclaimed, "I want to flush myself!"

Abby has been busy this month, too. She started rolling from her back onto her tummy and was doing so a little more frequently when the pictures below were taken about 2 weeks ago. But now she's rolling both ways and all over the place. I can set her on the floor, walk out of the room to get something, and find her 8 feet away when I return. She's getting more mobile by the day and is really enjoying the freedom to get toys (and things that weren't intended to be toys) that are just out of reach.

Found these older pics on the camera just now. This was a super sweet sibling moment a month or so ago. Jonathan wanted to "make Baby Abby cozy" with his blanket, monkeys, and tiger.