Slow Down, You Grow Too Fast!

There is a part of me that wishes my girls would stay babies forever. This is the part that calls my friend Teri from the Target almost crying when I can't buy Delia the Swaddlers diapers anymore because she won't fit in them. It's the part of me that is reluctant to move Delia out of the cradle she still sleeps in next to me. It's the part that cuddles and rocks Ella so long at night, she has to finally ask, "Are you ready to go in your bed?" Having said that, though, I am proud and happy to see my girls growing and learning as they should be.

Ella is officially potty trained. She actually started a few weeks ago, but we've recently hit some milestones that label it "official"-- total independence, no more accidents and even using the big potties when we are out in public. While we never stressed about getting her potty trained, we are happy that it's done. Besides that, we see so much development in her artistically and spatially, lately. She colors, paints and dots with intentionality and you can actually tell what she meant to create. She strings beads on necklaces (one of her big prizes for using the potty) and builds train routes. She can play a simple game of memory and puts together bigger (25 piece) puzzles too.

Delia continues to be the biggest love bug-- full of smiles and snuggles even in some new found mobility and independence. She is finally big enough for the exersaucer and she LOVES it. It's so nice to have my arms free for bigger chunks of time while she plays on her own. She scoots and rolls around to get toys that interest her. She seems to understand toys too-- crinkling and shaking them, pressing buttons to turn them on. She is very close to sitting up on her own. She has been eating rice cereal for a few weeks now also and will start with pureed fruit soon.

What a blessing to get to parent these two cuties. What they learn and do and how they interact with each other and me gives me great joy every day!