May

Well, summertime is here! We've been spending more and more time outside in the backyard, playing in our pool and running through the sprinkler. Savannah has enjoyed relaxing in the neighbor's baby swing, sucking on the straps to her heart's content. I love Savannah's little bare toes.



One of Clara's favorite things to do is go into my closet, dump the dirty clothes out of the laundry basket and turn it into a turtle shell or take her animals for rides. If she's really lucky Jason will push her around the house in it.


I've been trying to find out things to do locally this summer. We made it to the university's arboretum, which was an adventure. Savannah needed a nap and it was the hottest day of the spring so far, but we did see some nice bugs.



Clara can't get enough of books. If she could, she would have us read to her for hours. She's learning to read and can recognize lots of words.


I'm tired, too. Adios.

Clara's birthday!

Clara's birthday party was Saturday: her first party with friends, which she was so excited about! She wanted to bob for apples, but ended up just playing with the apples. She didn't want to stick her face in the water, but ome of her friends, and Jason, bobbed for them and had fun getting all wet. We played some other games and had a pinata. She had such a fun time! I can't believe she's four!




My parents got Clara these dress-ups, which she and her friends loved playing with.

Six Months!

This was back in April, but she's so cute I wanted to share! She is sitting up so well now, has found her feet, and has started playing with her tongue, which is so amusing to watch. She loves Clara and always laughs for her. It's so fun to have a baby in our family. Sometimes she looks just like her big sister.


Clara around 6 months

March

Here's a taste of what we've been up to this March. I can't believe it's April! It might start to feel like spring if it would stop snowing. My big girl is almost 4 and we've started dreaming up her first birthday party with friends. She can't stop talking about it.

Clara has started to "trap" her sister's arms...and apparently Savannah doesn't mind.
This is what I get to see when I get her out of bed. I can't get enough of her smile.

Savannah and Clara's baby (Sarah) during some not-so-productive tummy time.

During Jason's spring break I took Clara and Savannah, along with some friends, up to the Children's Museum in Pittsburgh. There was a wind room, a garage room, and a water room that Clara liked best. We had a lot of fun and it gave Jason a whole day of uninterrupted studying.

Later in the week we went to Washington D.C. to visit our friends Steve and Bekah and also visit the Natural History Museum. The museum was a bit old for Clara, but she especially liked the bugs exhibit. Jason touched a cockroach and held a centipede (or a millipede, I can't remember)...eek. It was fun to be in a big city again. We also went to the Washington D.C. Temple, which was wonderful. We all "slept" in the same room, and didn't get much sleep, so when we got home we needed a vacation from our vacation.


Jason is nearing the end of his second year of medical school (YAHOO!) and received what Clara calls his "big white coat," along with the rest of his class. (Doesn't he look handsome?) After the ceremony when the med students were all walking around in their white coats Clara said, "Look at all the doctors everywhere!" It was a fun milestone along this long road. Jason will be done with classes at the end of April and will have tests in May. In June he will take the first part of his boards, which will determine what kind of residency he'll be able to do. So, although the semester is almost over, there are many many weeks of studying left. Sigh...

Februrary

Savannah was 4 months in February and was 13 pounds and 24 inches long. She laughs at Clara a lot and likes us to do squats when we're rocking her to sleep. I'm getting pretty toned. She loves to cram as many fingers into her mouth at once and is sleeping really well at night.

Two weeks ago we were tricked into thinking spring was coming, so we made it to the park. The warm weather was so wonderful.



When her hands aren't crammed in her mouth, this is how Savannah spends most of her leisure time: hands behind the head and sucking on her lower lip. What a life.


Savannah loves when Clara comes up to her and plays with her or sings to her.

Clara was so excited to plan Jason's birthday party. We got balloons and streamers, made a cake, and put up all the decorations. She kept saying "I wonder what we're going to do at his birthday party!" So I had to think of some games to play; we taught her charades and played fruit salad and hide and seek.


Apparently Savannah wasn't a fan of the "Happy Birthday" song. By the end she was screaming. Maybe she was upset about not getting any cake.

Disappointed Daddy

Clara to Daddy: I have an idea! You can take a nap and I'll play by myself.

Daddy: That sounds like a great idea!

Clara: No...it was just an idea.

January

What a busy week! Last weekend some of our family members came into town for the baby's blessing. Jason gave her a really sweet, tender blessing. My parents and Jason's parents came, along with my brother-in-law Paul, my sisters Allison and Ashley, and Ashley's boyfriend Tom. It was a full house, but so much fun. Clara loved having her pick of "playmates" and bounced from one person to the next. We had snowball fights and had fun catching up. Paul lives in London and we haven't seen him for a year, so it was wonderful to see him. My sister, his wife, passed away in April 2009 and we don't get to see him very often these days. We especially missed Angela last weekend. I can't believe it's been almost two years that she's been gone. I miss her everyday.

Sledding and throwing snowballs in the backyard. (Allison, Ashley, Clara, me)


Allison sneaking up on Ashley and Tom.


Jason's parents, Jay and Lois.


I love this picture. What blue eyes! And look at those cheeks! What a pure, innocent little soul.


My mom Lynda.


Uncle Paul with his two nieces, Scotty the Scottish cow, and Crush the Turtle. Scotty came all the way from London to see Clara and Savannah. :)



Over Christmas my youngest sister Allison challenged us to "not be idle" and to get more active. She challenged us to participate in the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award program. The challenge is to do 30 minutes of activities (not necessarily "working out") for 5 days a week for 6 out of 8 weeks. So far I've done 2 out of 3 weeks. It feels really good and is challenging to find ways to be active. I'm really enjoying it.

Savannah is getting more smiley and is laughing every so often. I'm still trying to figure out how to make her laugh. She is sleeping through the night, or only waking up once a night. Yey! Clara, on the other hand, is getting up multiple times a night. I hope this phase ends soon...

I am really having fun with my two girls. Jason will be studying more this semester, especially for the boards in the Spring. As he got home the other day, the girls and I were playing in the playroom, and as he walked in I felt so grateful that I could be home with them all day and not have to leave them. They are such a joy. I'm so grateful for them.