Tea Party Shower

So, I've had mixed feelings about having a shower for a second and third girl. One the one hand, I do have plenty of Hope's clothes that will work just fine for Grace and Joy (have we mentioned that's what we're naming the twins?). But on the other hand, it's fun to celebrate the birth of any child. So, with another playgroup friend of mine, Mimi, that is pregnant too - we decided to have a playgroup tea party shower for each other. It was a small and simple shower, but mostly fun to just get together. Mimi did a wonderful job on the food, and I got to take care of the fun stuff I like to do anyway, like decorations and favors. Here are some pics from the occasion below.

Thanks to my mother-in-law for her fun teapot collection.I had a fun time coming up with and making these favors. Tea bags seemed the appropriate favor. I used a shipping label (since I have a bunch of extras) to make a tag for each of the tea bags, with a picture I came up with resembling Mimi and I. It said "Babies are Brewing" and then the whole Mimi and Angela's Baby Shower and the date, etc. Then I made these boxes out of scrapbook paper, I liked the idea I found online to cut a window in the front, and I taped cellophane inside so you could peek in at the tea bags.
Lily and Hope had fun with their own tea party.
This is Mimi and me (I must not have heard the "smile at the camera" cue) opening one of the essential presents - diapers and baby wash. (Thanks, Megan!)

Just in case you felt like you didn't get a good enough shot of my belly - I really do have one (an ever-growing one). I'm measuring about 37 or 38 weeks (depending on who's measuring)...and Hope was born at 39 weeks, so I figure I'm almost as big as I got during my entire first pregnancy.

Hope's Independence

I know, I know...I'm a slacker blogger. I'd like to blame it on pregnancy and my more recent pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome...but really, I'm just a procrastinator at heart. I start on the computer for one thing, and might even think about blogging...but lately, I've been addicted to the abundance of creative blogs out there. I could browse around on them for hours.

Anyhow, lest you wonder if I'm still alive, I am. And I'm doing well. As usual, blessed with health and happiness and a home and what more could you ask for. I know those of you with kids are already so much in love with your own kids and amazed at how fast they learn and turn into their own little people. That's the way I feel right now with Hope. Every day it seems like something new - she's this little sponge just waiting to soak up whatever we offer her next. Last week I took her for a short walk around the block, and she took her baby doll in a baby doll stroller. Knowing we wouldn't be going at a fast pace, I grabbed my paperback and read and walked along behind her. Later that day, we went to Target, and as we walked in the store, she picked a book out of the dollar section at the front, and proceeded to read and walk around the store with me. Too cute!

I don't know if it's her body needing the vitamin D, but Hope loves to be outside. Andrew has been giving me a break and taking Hope for a walk to the lake whenever the weather is nice. They feed the ducks, pet the dogs being walked, and just wander around according to the whims of a two-year-old. She loves it. A couple weeks ago, she wanted to go for a walk and I said Daddy was sleeping but when he got up they could go. Instead I said she could play out back in our own yard until Daddy got up. I didn't realize we were mis-communicating until I realized I couldn't see her anymore, and went around the side of the house, and saw she had her baby in her stroller and had carried her over the rocks on the side of the house to the sidewalk that led to the front of the house. I went to grab my jacket and proceeded out front and she had already made it to the sidewalk in front of our next-door-neighbor's house. I kept following her, and she would turn around and tell me to "go away." I did catch up to her and explained I wasn't going away. We walked all the way to the Lake and did her normal lake routine. She's definitely got her own mind. Here's Daddy and Hope on their way to the Lake.

Flower Arranging

We recently learned a little about flower arranging from a sweet sister at church. Hope really enjoyed making her own creations. It was surprising just how meticulous a two-year-old could be with the flowers, but she had a lot of fun.

Our finished arrangements...okay, so I might have helped a little.

My Christmas Trees

No, that's not a typo, that's correct. This year we got two matching trees for Christmas. We were planning on getting our Christmas tree after our ultrasound, and the news we discovered was how Andrew decided we needed two "twin" trees. It was fun to decorate both trees - not too bad for "unbreakable" ornaments - a necessity with a toddler. So, our trees aren't identical, but from our ultrasound we don't know if the twins are fraternal or identical. We do know we can expect two little girls and that they are in separate sacs - which I believe increases the odds that they are fraternal, but if the splitting that occurs with identical twins happens early enough, then they could still be in separate sacs. Next year Andrew thinks we might need three trees, one for each child...and on and on as our family grows. This could get out of hand if we actually reach our original goal of eight kids.

Christmas Traditions

Last Sunday we made Gingerbread Houses. Unfortunately Hope fell asleep, but she was still impressed with the fruits of our labors. Maria and Adam made one house together, Andrew made a house, and I made a house too. Can you guess which is mine? Do you have a favorite?


This year I wanted to do start an advent calendar with Hope - but something she would enjoy, and not just because candy was involved. I actually didn't put any candies in these, but it could be an option next year, we'll see. Anyhow, I found this idea online to use a 24-cup mini-muffin tin. So, I cut my circles out, decorated with stickers, laminated, and put magnets on the back. Inside each cup I put an activity to do and a Christmas book to read. Some of our activities that we've done or will do include visiting a retirement home, going to the Creche Exhibit, going to the Sing-Along Messiah, watching the Survivor Finale with family, going to a tree lighting among others. Some are things that are routine and probably gonna get done anyway, like taking holiday pictures with her cousin or stamping and mailing Christmas cards (at least I aim to get those done)...and some days I admit we've just read the book because of tiredness. Anyway, I liked the idea of the circles being magnets for each day, and then they turn into an ornament that can go on this Christmas tree I made for the refrigerator. Hope loves magnets anyway, so she's enjoyed putting the magnets on. Also, for an extra step of fun, I wrapped each day's book - and she's LOVED the unwrapping part.

Happy 2nd Birthday Hope!

We had three fun celebrations for Hope's birthday. We celebrated with the Compton's during Thanksgiving. Then we had the Ringlein's over for another celebration. Then, we celebrated with friends at the Zoo. We played Nursery Rhyme Pictionary at the Ringlein celebration, and it was pretty hilarious how few the guys' team knew. We had a great time!

One present that Hope enjoyed was a baby doll. She has very much gotten into babies...which hopefully means she'll be a great big sister. However, cousin Joe also was pretty impressed with one of the dolls, Hope had to keep getting it back from him.Hope's present from Grandma Dori was a kitchen. Aunt Maria got her the culinary attire and she had fun playing pretend.Here's Hope and her playgroup friends, Lily and Karina, whose birthdays are just a few days before.

At the zoo, Hope enjoyed the sites with her buddy, Luke.

Dickens Fair

One of my favorite traditions over the past few years has been attending the Dickens Fair. I love the music, dancing, attire, smells, sights, sounds...all of it! This year my sister and I enlisted my mom to make us costumes. It was so much fun (well, fun for me to wear a costume, maybe not fun for her to sew it). Although, I must say, that getting around in a hoop skirt wasn't the easiest thing. My mom was so sweet and made Hope a darling dress as well. (Yes, there is a not-so-flattering picture of myself here, but I wanted to show off how full my skirt was).