What Does a Bunny Say? HOP! HOP! HOP!

Momma Post: We had several celebrations during the week of Easter. Ruby's first time dying Easter eggs with Nana. All on her own, Ruby decided the egg wands that came with the dye kit weren't sufficient enough, so she used two spoons to gently rotate the coloring eggs.

Steve came into town late Tuesday night and we were able to visit with him over several evenings. See the picture of Grandpa "Easter bunny" Steve and Willa in the post prior. Steve shared with us the details of Shelly and David's wedding, which we were sorry to miss. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

My parents, Clark, and his girlfriend Monica came over Saturday afternoon. Ruby entertained us with an egg hunt in the backyard. Matt did a great job with organizing the hunt, creative egg placing and solely devouring a bag of Starburst jellybeans himself.

On Easter we celebrated over at Carrie and Tony's with the same group of friends that we've shared the past several Easters. The past two years we've taken an annual photo of all the kids. Unfortunately this year, the kids weren't having it. How quickly the tide turns... All in all, a lovely holiday to toast the new Spring season.

Willigan!

Momma Post: Somehow the nickname Willigan started for Willa...I believe in the hospital actually. I love that Ruby is calling her sister by it which is pretty endearing. Willa's doing great. At her 4 month Well Baby Check, she weighed 13 pounds and 3 ounces and was 25 inches tall. She has perfected rolling over from her stomach to her back, but not the other way just yet. Willa is very vocal and has added "razzies" (spitting sound with her lips) to her vocabulary. We've mentioned that she's been scooting around like crazy, but she's been gaining significant distance lately. Willa can scoot backwards about four to five feet now. The teething phase has begun. Everything is going into her mouth, including her thumb, which she discovered over the past month. The pressure against her gums, seems to provide some relief and adds to the drool. Thankfully for me, no teeth just yet.

Willa is still nursing like a champ. We've been really lucky and haven't used any formula except for two days in the hospital before my milk came. Around 4 months with Ruby, we were supplementing a bottle of formula a day, which equates to a canister of formula a month. I justified buying the organic brand, which was roughly $15 a pop, so with Willa were saving a little money for the time being. We still haven't introduced any solid food, as I would like to hold off until six months, but that's only a month away. Also, I would like for Willa to become more comfortable in the sitting position before we get her into the high chair and wave a spoon in her face. Willa has been a great sleeper for the most part. She is still waking for two or three night feedings, but this is to be expected at 4 months old. Her little system is like clockwork and every morning she has a very full poopy diaper for Dad.

Ruby's very loving towards Willa and enjoys making her laugh, especially in the backseat of the Subaru. Ruby will squeak or make a "what a toddler and baby find funny" noise and Willa will giggle. This can go on for a few minutes.

Rock Stars

Daddy Post: The girls are sprouting and acquiring new skills. As you can see Ruby has learned to play drums while at cousin Dave's Wall St. Pizza. Hopefully, she'll emerge as the next John Bonhom rather than the next Phil Collins. To amplify her rock-n-roll street cred she is also sporting a sassy Pebble's style hairdo. She has also been taking some inspiration from our recent trips to the zoo while developing her inner play-do artist. Evidently she's taken a liking to her own reflection as well and has begun posing for the camera on a regular basis. Willa seems to be sharing a similar affinity and has been soaking up the love. Watching her one can tell that she is eager to become more active in participating with her sister. For now she will have to settle for cooing, drooling, and rolling/shuffling a lot.

Baby don't you cry gonna make a pie,...

Momma Post: Life has been busy with appointments, work, shuttling kids to daycare or play dates. But, occasionally we'll have a moment that is so special that I'm almost afraid to blink. So instead I grab the camera and pray for a photo that captures how blessed I feel. Ruby, above, helped roll her first pie crust, while making her great-great-grandmother Pauline's Washington Nut Pie recipe. I believe the apron she's wearing is from either her great-grandma Martha or Dorothy...I'll have to investigate. While pregnant with Willa, the movie "The Waitress" came out and after seeing the movie this song kept haunting me and was running through my head during my afternoon pie making with Ruby.

Baby Don't You Cry (The Pie Song) Lets Make a Pie
lyrics by Quincy Coleman

When the world is gray and bleak
Baby don't you cry
I will give you every bit of love that is in my heart
I will bake it up... in a simple little pie

Baby don't you cry gonna make a pie
Gonna make a pie with a heart in the middle
Baby don't be blue
Gonna make for you
Gonna make a pie with a heart in the middle
Gonna make a pie from heaven above
gonna be filled with strawberry love

Baby don't you cry
Gonna make a pie
Hold you forever in the middle of my heart

Baby heres the sun
Baby heres the sky
Baby I'm the light and I'm your shelter
Baby you are mine
I could freeze the time

Keep you in my kitchen with me forever
Gonna be a pie from the heaven above
Gonna be filled with strawberry love

Baby don't you cry
Gonna make a pie
Hold you forever in the middle of my heart.

Gonna bake a pie from the heaven above
Gonna be filled with butterscotch love

Gonna be a pie from the heaven above
Gonna be filled with banana cream love

Baby don't you cry
Gonna make a pie

Hold you forever
Hold you forever
Hold you forever in th middle of my heart.

Shine on You Crazy Diamond

Daddy Post: This is a little late coming, but last weekend we had a great time when Grandma Joan made a surprise visit in to celebrate Great Grandma Alice's birthday. GG received a pair of diamond earrings to commemorate the occasion. As you can see she looks fabulous. Ruby and cousin Holden had a great time running wild and throwing tennis balls around the house. They've developed quite a friendship and we're looking forward to Willa joining the mix once she is able. Willa is a charmer as always and has been demonstrating her shuffling skills as of late. It's not uncommon to find her crying in her crib after a nap as a result of her getting stuck in a corner. I guess she's not aware of the old maxim that "Nobody puts baby in a corner!" All else is well here living the good life.