Laurel Elisabeth Stevens

Thanks for your prayers and concern for us as we had a routine little surgery this morning and Elisabeth got tubes in her ears. We were a bit disconcerted by Elisabeth’s bug this weekend, but that passed and the surgery took place as planned. It went fine, and of course, she had the makings of an ear infection already in progress. So we are on the road to recovery. If that is all you wanted to know, then stop reading. The rest is just the ramblings of a mom! Some interesting moments: As soon as the dr. came in to see us before the surgery, Elisabeth began a chorus of “Go home, have snack” (she couldn’t eat or drink after midnight). This did not stop until she was given some medicine to help sedate her (before they rolled her away) and she got quiet and began to look so happy. Actually she was already very calm, but this made her even calmer. To pass the time I asked if she wanted to sing. Her favorite song of late is “Old MacDonald.” She always chooses an appropriate farm an...

Elisabeth did get to see her reindeer, and John and I learned a few things about them as well. Did you know female reindeer have antlers too? And they have a tendon in their ankles that makes a clicking noise; hence "Up on the housetop, click click click." Unfortunately, almost as soon as Elisabeth saw the reindeer she was ready to move on and see some other things: the dogs that were barking like crazy upon our approach, and the horse and donkey nearby. The familiar is just so nice. Consequently it was hard to get a picture of Elisabeth with the reindeer. Oh well. She continues to talk about seeing them. I've noticed a bit of revisionist history on Elisabeth's part since we've been home. If she sees a picture of a snowman, she says, "Bitty made no-man." Hmm. Grandma, did Elisabeth make a snowman? We tried to get her to help us, but Daddy did the rolling, and Grandma did the decorating. Bitsy cried and said, "Doh in-yide. Doh in-yide." But now,...

Grandma and Mommy help Elisabeth get used to what little snow there was. The real fun came later with some sledding. It is hard to capture the delight on her face, but Elisabeth loved it. She even went by herself a few times (the hills were a gentle slope in John's parents' backyard.

Elisabeth partakes of a special Stevens tradition: Grandma's Christmas cookies. She had 3 and loved each one! Grandma and Grandpa look on as Sandy opens her gift. Of course Elisabeth is always ready to open "nother present." Uncle Andy and Elisabeth enjoy a tickle. We all laughed as Fernie and Elisabeth provided the entertainment for the evening.

Well, I feel like my Grandmother here: I just inserted all these pictures in the proper places in the text from Christmas Day, and I clicked on publish and they were gone. Where did they go? So I'm trying again, and you'll have to imagine them in the right places. Sorry! Grandma Gray presides over the caroling on Christmas Eve. This was the biggest year yet--the family keeps on growing! Bitsy's not so sure about Santa Claus Grandma Gray sits on Santa's lap

Merry Christmas! I'll have to post the pictures later, for so now, just a hundred words or so. I thought we were doing a good job of teaching Elisabeth what Christmas was about--she was learning about the angels (Angel said "Don't be fwaid") and Mary and Joseph and a "baby named Jesus." She knew that wiseman wore crowns and rode on camels, and a few days ago if I asked her "Whose birthday are we celebrating?" she would answer, "Jesus." Alas, today after opening lots of presents, I was putting her down for her nap and I said, "Whose birthday is it today?" "Bitty's!" without a bit of questioning in her voice. She knew right away it must have been hers. "No," I said, "Whose birthday is it?" She went through the list: Mommy's, Daddy's, Grandma or Grandpa. And Jesus was never among them. I suppose she's right since we don't know when he was actually born, and we are the ones who'v...

Right now Elisabeth loves to look at pictures. I will be downstairs and she will be upstairs and I get worried, thinking, she's so quiet, what is she doing? And when I go check on her, she is standing at the computer, watching the screen saver slide show go through countless pictures. Right now her favorite pictures are of "Bitty and Minny" (Bitsy and Timothy). So here are a few favorites.