Say Cheese!

Solvi Smiles!

Our Sweet Solvi clocked in at 10 lbs 10 oz today during her pediatrician's appointment. But the big news is that she is already smiling! We've been suspecting her of this ability of a few days now, but today she smiled without a doubt - many, many times...Of course, not for the camera, which is why I have no pictures of it. She responds to faces, not cameras! You'll just have to take my word for it now - it's precious!

Happy Birthday Solvi!

Birthday Girl

How quickly time flies! Given that every minute Solvi was inside me felt like a year, it’s hard to believe that she’s already 4 weeks old today. She’s developing so nicely, quickly growing into a big, strong girl. Like her older brother, Solvi has taken on some charming “Little Buddha” rolls, and is so strong she can hold her head up and even put some weight on her legs! She continues to be an ace baby - almost never crying – and is so good natured that I’ve taken to calling her “Sweet Solvi.” She definitely seems to recognize my voice now, answering with her own little "ahhhs" as well as wild kicks and a "smile" in her eyes. She’s still unusually alert for a newborn – often up for 4 hours at a time in the morning and evening and then waking only for quick feeds every 3 hours at night. Solvi's favorite thing seems to be looking at any light. (Maybe this will be her first word as well.) Gramma Sylvia says she’s going to be on Broadway.

See how big Solvi is already? Wait, THAT baby isn't Solvi!

Olie is doing too many wonderful things to fully recount, but here are some highlights... He was the first in the water this year when, last wknd, I took him down to Rock Harbor to wade. Of course, before 2 minutes were out he was fully naked, skipping in the water, running through the grass, and throwing snails and seaweed into the waves, while everyone on the beach laughed... A sensitive boy, whenever you ask him if you can have a bite of something he's eating or give him a hug, he’ll say generously, “Of course you can.”... A little less charming is the fact that we’ve reached the “why?” phase. Now no statement goes by without being totally explored with several follow up “why’s?”...It is possible that we read too much to Olie because recently when he roll plays with trucks or animals or whatever, he doesn't just say his character's lines, he narrates. So if he's playing with an ambulance, he'll say, "'Oh, Emergency!' the ambulance screamed!"... Olie really lives in his imagination now. A new favorite book features Babar the elephant and Rataxes the Rhino. Now I’m if I accidentally refer to him as Oliver, he corrects me, “You say Rataxes…” I’m Babar. Last wknd when Olie was digging in the dirt, he found some stones and pronounced that they were dinosaur bones. I asked him if he was a paleontologist. “Yes,” he replied, “I’m a Rataxes Rhino Paleontologist!”

Oh, and Oliver used the word "similar" for the first time today. When playing with his triceratops and his styracosaurus (another ceratopcian) he noted that they were "similar." Indeed! 

Summer Lovin'

It takes a Village

Belated thank you to “The Village” that helped us bring Solvi into the world, with well wishes, sustenance, supplies, helping hands, and care. Extra kudos to Uncle Chris who literally “labored” with us taking care of Olie while Mom and Dad were in the hospital... and special, special thanks to my Mom who took care of all of us for the first week of Solvi’s life. What a nice day to spend Mother's Day - with three generations of girls! As if that weren’t enough, Chris and Gramma Martha labored again this past Memorial Day weekend, helping us watch two kids, open up the cottage, clean inside and out, and plant a new garden. Phew!