Peace and Quiet

Boy, I never realized how much I would appreciate peace and quiet. Here I am, up at just past 6 with no alarm clock, coffee made and not one sound in the house. Even Odie the Reindeer isn't clickity clacking across the hardwood floor, all that there is are the sound of ducks and a prop plane flying overhead. What makes this more amazing is that we even have Ami & Jonas staying over. I'm sure anytime - ahh I hear a whine now - right on cue, better type fast...I should have kept my fist closed.

My little princess loves her tea and kettle set that Darby got her. She tips the spout and slurps from the cups. She is becoming more and more comfortable in her own skin, the sashaying has gone by the wayside, her steps are more determined. She even walked around the pontoon boat the other afternoon. She's got her sea legs! Minus a few spills, even a unintentional trip by Gerdpa that sent her straight on to her face, she survived. The best part of the journey to see Discovery's last launch was Pierce and her at the front of the vessel, huddled next to each other and looking down river.

Daddy's little rocker is still rockin'. His new music requests are Skynyrd's "Freebird" and Styx's "Mr. Roboto". He is like a Tasmanian Devil in a whirlwind, the sound of helicopters and missiles emanating from his vortex. Pierce has been constantly smashing (for years now) his Matchbox cars, Transformers parts, blocks and whatever else into the top of the piano, his bedroom furniture and our butcher block countertops, leaving divots behind everywhere in his wake. It's funny, he's not much of an outside kid, doesn't like playing basketball, getting on the scooter or riding in the bike trailer, but as soon as Harper shows interest - there he is getting involved. I love it, now we spend time in the afternoons shooting hoops, bouncing the ball and learning to pass & catch. He is getting the hang of it.

Harper on the other hand is my little athlete, she is trying to get on the scooter herself and picks up the big basketball and bounces it herself. She loves being outside! She is also my little Ed McMahon and says "Hi - oh!" all the time. It's so funny, she is babbling alot and pointed at Odie the other day saying "O - E". She is very curious and loves to sit & thumb through books (along with everything else in the house).

I marked their heights along the garage door trim Friday, it had been near 2 years since we moved in, that I had done it last. Pierce has grown so much, soon I will draw another line of growth and wish I could have some time back. That they would slow down and not grow up. It is such a paradox, you want them to become independent but you want to hold them and not let go. As I fed Harper a bottle last night as she was falling asleep in my chair, she is almost too big to fit between the arms, her foot was rubbing back and forth on the leather...I realize it goes by too fast.