A rare but beautiful moment :-)

Of course I am referring to the top photo, of Ian and Maggie actually snoozing at the same time (and without me snoozing in between them)! It doesn't happen often, but when it does it is sooooooo appreciated. I can't wait til they can co-sleep together at night- not too much longer in the big picture! I love having them (at least one of them!) safe next to me at night, but I'm looking forward to a full night's sleep, perhaps with Daddy next to me instead of a hungry little person!

Ahhhhh, spring has finally sprung around here. We went to the Buffs' spring game a couple weeks back, and Ian & Nora remembered just what to do. Ralphie V is in effect now, and she is a fast little girl! Check out the YouTube video of her trampling one guy and almost getting free! It was a gorgeous day and felt like it should be September already. Check out our Crabapple blossom at the bottom- Matt poignantly described the gorgeous tree as a "sculpture in a junkyard", since our summer landscaping projects have yet to begin! We have big plans, though...

We are missing Grandma this week- she came for a short visit and left on Sunday after a quick and beautiful trip to the zoo. Is it possible we have no pictures with Grandma?? What a shame. I'm not sure why I can't remember to take pictures of such visits... oh yeah, it's because we worked Grandma daily, from shopping, planting, to refinishing furniture! Not many photo ops there... but we did have a lovely tea with the girls at Dushanbe Tea House (Maggie knew exactly what to do, and enjoyed her crostini thoroughly). We missed Grandpa (he was probably afraid we'd put him to work too!).

Funny Ian stories.... around the time of the Spring game, Ian insisted one morning (in only his diaper) that I get out his REAL football helmet (from the highest shelf in his closet) and put it on his head. I did this, obediently, and he lifts it partway back up so his mouth is free and orders a drink of water. Apparently, he wanted me to squirt it into his mouth like the water girl he thinks I am! Nothing gets by this kid... even when you think he's not watching (or listening!)

Miss Maggie is her sweet-as-ever self. Noisy, chatty, happy, grabby, and now STRONG! She is pulling herself up on only my pinky fingers and is almost pulling herself up on the very same basket of toys Ian used for this purpose two years ago! She's finally enjoying eating a little more, but still no baby food. Toast, avocado, yogurt, banana, mango, blueberry inards, and did I mention she loves ice cream?? I'm shocked.

Not Frank Todaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy!

That's become our morning ritual lately as we prep our grind-n-brew coffee pot to brew. You see, if you knew anything about Lightning McQueen, you'd know that Frank is the big, scary wheat combine that chases after Lightning and Mater after they go tractor tipping. So now, everything loud and sudden is "FRAAAAANK!!!!".... the vacuum and the coffee pot especially.

Miss Maggie's new morning noises include, much to Mommy and Daddy's delight, long sequences of smiley and drooly "Mamamamamamamama....." or "Dadadadadadadadadadadada.....". We don't care that she doesn't really assign those names to us yet, it's damn cute. She's got her second (SHARP, let me tell you!) bottom tooth and she's working on knawing toast and anything else with a nice texture she can find. Forget baby food, we want nothing to do with it! But neither did her brother so that's no surprise. Just yesterday she started reaching so far forward to get to a toy from a sitting position that she is pulling herself over. She hasn't shown much interest in crawling, but when she wants a toy she REALLY wants a toy, so I think one day she'll just do it. Problem is, when she pulls herself on to her belly she gets so mad that she's there that she just complains. Hopefully that will be motivation for her.

Notice Ian's new game in the pictures. The crashes are for fun, he actually never crashed believe it or not! He's gone through another huge physical and language developmental spurt- he's climbing and jumping from higher and higher spots, and is just so much more capable these days. Poor guy hasn't been feeling great for a month now, but hopefully with spring fully here and days getting warmer he can get and stay healthy. And btw, our new favorite store is Murdoch's ranch and home supply. Nothing better than baby chicks, tractors, and rail road ties to climb all in one place!

Off to find another adventure for today....