Laurel Elisabeth Stevens

DSC_0012 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . I can ride this tractor too. But why isn't it moving when I'm sitting on it?

DSC_0051 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . (note the tongue in cheek again)

DSC_0042 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens .

DSC_0040 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . Note the pursed lips. This is from her father! She's concentrating seriously!

DSC_0035 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . (she's in the middle)

DSC_0023 , originally uploaded by j_lstevens . Posing in our backyard prior to dress rehearsal (note the new grass and well trimmed trees)

Henry is learning so much. Today he sat by the kitchen cabinet methodically trying on lids on various food storage containers. He had a job to do. When I came to get him for dinner (usually he's clamoring around my legs for something to eat) he looked up at me as though to ask, "But what about my work? I'm doing stuff here, can't you see?" As I began to put away the containers, he helped me, and then when I brought him to his high chair he suddenly remembered that he was hungry. The wordless begging began. I thought I should try to get him to wait while we pray, but all that means is that we hear his "begging" all through the prayer. Then as soon as I put some pieces of sweet potato on his tray, they are down the hatch. He wants whatever we have, so if it is pizza, he gets the crusts (at least they are whole wheat). His favorite food is a smoothie, I think. He got over his fear of the blender when he realized that what was coming out of it was...

Every day for a week Elisabeth talked about her performance in The Wizard of Oz. She could hardly wait. I was unduly worried that her flower would fall out of her hair, and I tried not to pass on that fear to my daughter. I coached her more than once: "What will you do if your flower falls out of your hair?" "Just leave it and keep dancing," she replied, as I had told her. "And what if a mom asks to fix your flower?" "Let her." I had visions of her flower falling out before the performance, and since John would be with her and not me (and he's not much of a hair-fixer), I could see Elisabeth balking at the idea of someone else helping her. But none of this happened. The rehearsal went great, and then Elisabeth begged John to stay and watch the rest of the rehearsal. When Mom and I arrived at 5:00 for the performance, Elisabeth ran up to me and hugged me. I was sure she was running up to Mom/Grandmere to hug her, but apparently she wa...

Our little dancer has her first performance at the end of the month. She is a munchkin, I believe, in The Wizard of Oz. It is not a big deal, and no costume or performance fee, so I'm happy. That way if she oh so gracefully bows out, we'll just roll right along with it. Elisabeth is enjoying learning French. We have 2 cds from the library—one she listens to during her rest time (but I have all the songs memorized already from getting it a few years ago) and one in the car. She loves to count to 10 in French, and today called Grandma (Stevens) and sang her happy birthday in French. It was her own idea! When she sang in French she used her sweet shy voice, but when she sang in English it was her louder, sillier voice. I do think personalities can change in other languages! Our church helped out at the Tamina Spring Festival, and John and I supervised the moon walk for an hour. At the end it was empty, so we put Henry in. Elisabeth’s movement was enough to give him the...