Happy

It takes very little to make this girl happy. How lucky are we?

Dance

We're very conscious about not over-scheduling the girls and our family these days. It's so easy to get wrapped up in the modern parental mindset of having to expose your small children to every creative opportunity known to humanity all in the first five years. We are taking our time in this family and enjoying every moment. Having said that, sometimes a child leads you to an activity with clarity and... well, flamboyance.

Stella has started a creative dance class. Pretending, leaping and twirling - she loves it.

My favorite moments aren't actually during the dance class itself. It's when we return home and I catch her sashaying across the playroom or gracefully leaping to the bathroom when she thinks nobody is looking. I so remember believing I was Clara from the Nutcracker, and it's so sweet to see Stella enter a whole new world of imagination and movement. And now that she's asking me to teach her French (from what little I remember), she now does all this while saying, "Bonjour!" and "Je t'aime, mon cheri!"

Plus, how cool is this tree? After every class, the kids run outside to the gigantic tree in the courtyard and climb like monkeys.

Rhythm

As Stella has happily found her groove at school this year, Phoebe and I are finding our own rhythm in the mornings. Last year, Phoebe napped while Stella was at school. And while that Mama break was fabulous, it's been lovely having several hours each day to ourselves. It reminds me of the time with Stella before Phoebe was born, and it's such an honor to watch Phoebe develop into such a charming and precocious little girl.

I swear you don't really need toys. A sink full of bubbles? She spent an hour and a half playing with suds here. I love it.

Back to School

Stella is back in school and loving it. Now that she's a second year student, she's feeling confident, proud and spunky. It's so cool to head back without the anxiety and concern of last year's first year.

And Phoebe? She and Mama are enjoying full mornings of playing, reading and cuddling just the two of us. What a treat!

Sucia Island

Oh my goodness, we look so weary here. But it's that great kind of weary that follows four full days of island sun, fog, water and woods. Our dear friends, Lena and Kris, invited us to join them for our first trip to Sucia Island (a small, uninhabited island in the San Juans) last month. Aside from it being one of the most beautiful places on earth - can the Northwest be any more spectacular? - it was a fantastic place for kids to explore and run wild. So here we are on the dingy on our way back to the boat for our journey home, and we were all seriously tuckered but tremendously rejuvenated.

Kris and Isaac

Lena

Edison

It's so much fun watching Eddie (and Phoebe) come into their own. At a year and a half, these two are carrying up the rear with great humor and grace.

Exploring coastal shores is truly amazing. The adults were almost more geeked out about jelly fish and hermit crabs than the kids.

They thought I was still futzing with the camera.

Okay, Mama's ready. These two slay me.

This was the view from our tent every evening. As the sun set, the kids carried bucket after bucket to the shore, building and digging and laughing.

Isn't that light delicious?

This is the view from Little Sucia. If you enlarge the photo, you can spot our bright orange tent in the background. Pretty shabby scenery, huh?

Paradise

It was an unbelievably magical trip, and we feel grateful beyond words that Kris, Lena and the boys were gracious and kind enough to invite us. They have an awesome boat and an awesome family. Thanks, you guys, we love you!

One more thing... I know I use this blog to mostly focus on Stella and Phoebe's latest adventures, but I must pause to write a wee note about my beloved. We just celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary and are about to mark our sixteenth year together. And while I don't think we've held an uninterrupted conversation with one another in about ten months, I still find this guy irresistibly charming after sixteen years. He may not be the skinny little punk with rockin' blue boots I first met at nineteen. But he's become a man of integrity, compassion and patience, and he holds my heart - as well as our girls' - with reverence and love. I am endlessly grateful he is mine. Happy Anniversary, Love.

Marrowstone

Oh, how I love the sight of little sandy toes. This is what summer should look like, right? (Okay, a swimsuit is usually more typical, but here in the Northwest we'll take what we can get.) In August, we spent a week on Marrowstone Island (an oh-so-tiny island twenty minutes out from Port Townsend), enjoying the beach, eagle watching and generally chilling as a family. The trip provided a much-needed break for all of us, and it was so wonderful to watch the girls make the best of the gray and chilly weather.

I swear Stella is growing by the minute. While there are still challenges here and there, her maturity and positive perspective is truly lovely these days.

And Phoebe's curiosity is starting to rage - yipee! - as is her attempts to communicate. This wee sprite is gathering a useful little tool box of words for herself and feels pretty darn proud.

And my goodness, she's a goofball.

I love the natural industriousness of kids. But throw them on a beach with rocks, sticks, shells and sand? Watch out, Andy Goldsworthy. My little family loves them some fleeting beach art. The Mama and the Papa love this stuff just as much as the wee ones, and it was one of those moments that just felt like us.

A little glamour is always helpful.

This picture isn't exactly special, but it does capture one of the countless moments where Stella and Phoebe show their true spirits while playing. They are buddies. They are go-getters. They are silly cheese balls. They are sweet friends. They are tiny helpers. So yeah, they are definitely the worst roommates I've ever had. But they are also awesome companions day in and day out.

You said it, Phoebe.

Happy Birthday

Thanks for being patient with us as we've taken a hiatus from the blogosphere. Since we really only had about five weeks of summer here, we decided to unplug and squeak out as much summer fun as we could. But now we're back.... Stella's fourth birthday party marked the beginning of a true summer, and it was a fabulous day. The kids were squealing in ways I didn't think humanly possible as they ran through the spray park...

... quickly followed by some serious chat time...

... and parent-indulging poses.

Brand new babes graced us with their presence...

... cupcakes were savored with the utmost care...

... and the frosting mustache was perfected by one elfin little sister.

Honey sticks were enjoyed by kids and adults...

... and our little Miss Scout demonstrated gracious gratitude and hospitality as she turned another corner in this growing up gig.

Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate (near and far). We love you, Stella. Happy Birthday!