Another One

Baby G, Greta, Margaret, Mar Mar, Greta Girl. I think we drive our friends and family crazy. The kids seem to get used to it. People rarely go by their birth given names around here. Even the dog...my Dad calls her Ripley. Not her name. But then again, he is half deaf from a life of running power tools and might think that actually is her name.

This little girl - Margaret Irene - just turned one.
Her birthday came on a Sunday. A busy day for us with a new church plant - we have two babies.

But there was plenty of time for celebrating. I am finding that the more kids we have, the more fun birthdays are...because there are more people to get excited for you, with you. The party just gets bigger with every kid you add!
The love is mutual among these three. My favorite time of the day is putting them all to bed in the same room. Greta is usually swinging from the sides of her crib or throwing things over board. Lots of laughing is heard at bedtime.
So how many pictures does one need of a kid eating a cinnamon roll? Scroll on and find out. The cinnamon roll was "the cake." It finally occurred to me on the third kid, why in the heck do we give them cake?! (Unless of course her Mimi buys it and it is in the shape of a one and so cute. Then a cake? Of course, a cake!!) But this kid, she's never touched an ounce of sugar, except what is in fruit. Now I'm going to send her into diabetic shock by letting her shove her face into a Ralph's bakery cake?! So I thought a cinnamon roll might be a little less toxic. Actually, we all just like cinnamon rolls...in a can from Trader Joe's. I am such a health food hypocrite. (Why is that spelled with an "e" on the end?) And it was cheaper than making a cake. My time is money! So back to the pictures. It started with a lick.

Then a full single hand touch.
Two hands
Horizontal approach
Diagonal approach
Unroll it. "You want some?"
Start cramming
I think may a third of it was ingested. Perfect. That means I got one and 2/3!
The cards. She was very serious about her cards, so thank you to all who sent them. Each was opened, turned and twisted, and dropped over the side of the high chair.
There are fewer things cuter than a baby peekin'.
So I took 3 pictures of it.

Olivia has become a yard sale connoisseur. Only problem is our neighbors want to give her stuff for free. I am trying to limit the c.r.a.p. that comes in the house, so I help her figure out how much of HER money she wants to take over and when it is gone it is gone. But she comes back with the money and a lunch box full of crap. (Boy, I hope I haven't given our blog address to any of our neighbors.) This time Margaret was the joyful recipient. I suppose it was kind of Olivia to collect for others.
"Seriously, you let her get this stuff...and give it to me?"
The real birthday cake. First birthday celebrations are about the parents anyway, right? Actually, I guess the first 3 or 4 birthdays are probably more about the parents than the kid. So I made this to share with our church family in the afternoon.

She watched us eat it from here. I think she got plenty of bites of strawberries and cream from passers by. August gave her the cute little pull toy. Have I told you about August yet? He lives in the house that the Dasher's sublet (Lou and Bert) for the past year. They have been in Germany. I like the call the last month since his return AugustFest. He now comes in our house without knocking. He LOVES Greta. And I think she really likes him - especially when he speaks to her in German.
After church, front yard, 1st birthday pictures.


This picture, though kind of non-descript, speaks a thousand words. That's Lilly going mach-8 down the side walk. You've seen her on here before. She is the great niece of our neighbor Robin. Robin is raising her. Lilly is 3 months older than Greta and they are sweet friends. Robin and Lilly have become very dear to us.


What a great day that was - start to finish. Celebrating a little girl and the God who made her. Margaret Irene. She won't remember it, but we sure will.

F is for

Flowers. One of the ladies in our church has an incredible patio garden - fruit trees and everything - on a patio! She brought me this huge box of roses a few weeks ago. I think I accidentally posted one of the blurry pictures. Sorry, to tired to correct it.F.O.X. We took Joseph through the alphabet this year. Made a little file folder for a different letter each week. Some weeks were more creative than others - depending on how strung out I was at the time. F was a good week. Even more impressive than learning his letters, he and Olivia both know the entire alphabet in sign language now. That was fun.
Five. Apparently the size larger underwear that Joseph needs. We had "clutching issues" for a few days until I realized his underwear was too small.

Fierce

Fumpkin. Not really, I just had this random picture to share and couldn't think of an F word to describe it. We planted about 6 seed. One sprouted. It had about 30 blooms. One became a pumpkin...and took over our sidewalk. It's still growing. Maybe will carve it for Halloween.

Mon petit chou

Being there

I really like San Francisco. I never spell it right the first time. But as a city, I enjoyed it and would like to go back...maybe without children. We love our children, don't get me wrong. But sometimes it is just nice to travel a little lighter.Minna's parents were in town as well and it was fun to tour around with them.


One rough lookin' city bird. Go ahead, blow him up - r.u.f.f.
The famous Painted Ladies.



We rode the ferry over to Sausalito.
Having a little mother daughter moment...and probably only my mother will be able to look at this picture and know that it was strenuous, not sentimental moment.


Minna's little baby bump.

Alcatraz. I am currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo and this is what I picture for the Chateau d'If.
So, do you even remember that this was the impetuous for the whole trip?
And it was totally worth it!
She was wonderful!!
Olivia made a dozen or so drawings the week before we left with the intention of giving them to the actors in the play. She was so proud to do so and they were very gracious.
It was a wonderful trip all the way around.