Laurel Elisabeth Stevens

The day before Henry’s birthday we met Sarah, Timothy and Charlotte at the Mercer Arboretum. It was a gorgeous day, once the pea soup fog lifted. Sarah and I could barely see street signs as we drove there. I would guess that I had about 30 feet visibility. Almost as soon as we arrived at the arboretum Elisabeth identified a chipping sparrow—a little advertisement for The Burgess Bird Book For Children here. The stories give the birds personality, and the friendly descriptions stick in our heads. Elisabeth is trying to identify any bird she sees. Elisabeth and Timothy were so excited about drawing in their journals. For the first 15 minutes they wanted to draw everything they saw. Then it was time to run and run and run. John likes the pictures of Henry by the bluebonnets (Texas state flower) because he looks like a farmer surveying his field with much satisfaction.

Henry turned 2 on March 19. We celebrated a little bit that day and then again on Saturday the 21st with grandparents and cousins. Henry was so excited for his birthday cake. He saw Elisabeth and me decorating it Friday night and he just marched right over, climbed the step stool and tried to take a swipe at it. He was making all his winsome and not so winsome attempts at getting what he wanted. He did get a little sample after dinner that night, but it was only enough to whet his appetite (for sugar!) The next morning was the party, and as I was getting things ready in the kitchen, suddenly all was quiet. The cake was on the dining room table, so I rushed over, and there was Henry quietly climbing up onto a chair. I caught him just in time. He had bumped the table and knocked off a wheel. I asked him what the cake was. He said it was a car. Eventually it looked like a train to him, which is what I had planned. "Don't let it be over, please!" Hmm, now he's onto the ...