Due

This baby is due soon.
I know that, but have been reminded in several subtle ways lately.
Our most recently purchased gallon of milk has an expiration date of 3.3.
And the book I just borrowed from the library is meant to be returned by 3.3.
And my stomach doesn't feel as though it can stretch much more...

Although the infant carseat isn't yet installed, I trust that it will be soon.
And otherwise, my freshly painted toenails and I are ready.
JEB

Laptime Naptime

(Shared by Grandma Rosie & Grandma Jan)

xoxo

People say it all the time, how they'd give up anything for someone they love.
In the accounting scheme of a parent's heart, a child's life is worth everything.
Hers certainly is.

Her smiles made our hearts sing.
Her snuggles make our hearts swell.
Her laughter made our hearts leap.
Her kisses make our hearts melt.

Our hearts are full. And we would give anything.

February 2008

February 2009

JEB

Expecting

We're expecting a few things...

The baby, of course. But we're hoping Shim (Aunt Kate's recent nickname for she/him) waits a little longer (at least till Aunt Kate gets home from Cali at the end of the month).

And good friends. Cory and Bridget and Ellie should arrive from Iowa later today. We have lots of fun planned for the week with them. And perhaps we'll take a little Betz blog hi8us, while they're here. But blog documentation of their time here will be forthcoming, for sure.

And miracles. Big ones, small ones. We'll take what we can get.
JEB

Temporary Custody

It's true, all parents really only have temporary custody of their children. It's just that we've learned ours may end earlier than most.
Celia is 23 months old today. The days of counting days and weeks and months were long over. You know, in the beginning when someone asked how old she was, we could respond without a moment to calculate: "She's two months, three weeks, one day, 47 minutes..."
Now, we might say, if asked, "Oh, she's almost two." But the days and weeks and months matter more again. And our tendency to count every minute is not temporary anymore. Because our time with her is.
So today we celebrate 23 months. (And the fact that she can wear her hair in a ponytail!) And tomorrow, we'll celebrate 23 months and one day. And when our custodial period runs out, we know Who will assume custody and there's some comfort in knowing that...

JEB

Real

When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real. It doesn’t happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby.
Margery Williams – The Velveteen Rabbit

We may not have a long, long time. But by all means, Andy is a real Daddy. I'm not saying his hair has been loved off, or he's very shabby. And I'm not saying it happened all at once. But it happened.

Yesterday, on Andy's birthday, he and Celia shared cookies for breakfast, and snuggled on the couch, alternating between the History Channel and Noggin. They dole out lots of Daddy-daughter love, every day. For real.

JEB

Messmaker

[photo credit: Grandpa Rod]

(as sung to tune of Matchmaker from Fiddler on the Roof by Grandma Rosie)

Messmaker, messmaker, make me a mess
You do it well, I must confess
You can get cereal everywhere,
Especially in your hair!

Well, now you know where Celia was while her parents and Colby were out buttsledding! Funny how the words to songs you haven’t sung in twenty-some years come right back to grandparents – a few genuine lyrics as well as those you made up for fun. I frequently sang the above version of Matchmaker to Jenni and Kate when they were little, and the first verse came back into my head this weekend while Celia was enjoying oatmeal and peaches for breakfast. (I trace her affinity for peaches back to my father, who always welcomed peaches in any form, but most especially in ice cream.) Celia never fails to make that “Mmmm – mmm” good sound that lets you know she’s enjoying a meal. Of course, messmaking eventually led to bathtime last Saturday night… and you already know how much she loves splashing and bubbles and water. After bathtime, Celia got to rub on some of my special lavender chamomile lotion… which led, not surprisingly, to a mostly made-up rendition of "Lavender’s blue, silly Celie, lavender’s green… "
G'Ro