Happy Birthday Times Three!

Today is the birthday of three very special children, whom I will always think of as babies.

Happy 5th Birthday A, E, and G! Thank you for allowing me to be but a small part of your lives and teaching me so much in our year together. I hope you are all big, and happy, and healthy!

Love Always,
Your Jen

Corners of Our Home

There is a group of photos on Flickr called Corners of my Home that is a "place to share the favorite little spots in your home - the spots that make you truly feel something - joy, peace, whatever it may be. It doesn't need to be a literal corner - perhaps just a nook or cranny or object." The purpose of this group is that we often don't think to take photos of the spaces that we know so intimately, and years from now we may find it difficult to remember our favorite spaces and how we lived in them. I thought it might be nice to start a set of photos dedicated to photos of corners in Our Quiet Place.

One corner that we enjoy is currently featured as the header of this blog because this is where we spend most of our days. This is where we sing, read, play piano, build forts out of couch cushions, play hide-and-seek, and just hang out. I also love how you can see our backyard and swing through the window, another space where we spend much of our time.

Another corner I love is our dresser, which is filled with things that remind me of our family and wedding. If you view it on Flickr, you can scroll over the photos to see my notes on this picture.

I also love this view of it, in a picture taken by Curtis when Noah was about 5 weeks old. This was our view for most of those first 5 weeks and beyond. I think I memorized most of the blessings written on our wedding photo from having read and re-read them while nursing Noah. Note the piles of burp cloths, cloth diapers, and blankets on the dresser.

So, from time to time, I will add photos of special corners of our home. Until then, maybe you could take a few moments to notice and perhaps photograph some special corners of your own home?

-Jen

First Snow

We had our first snow of the season today. It was just a dusting, but enough to get outside and enjoy. This was Noah's first time playing with snow...though he couldn't do much in his puffy snowsuit! I did offer him a little taste, but I don't think he was that impressed. Soon we will be making snow angels, building snowmen and trying out his new red sled! This will be quite a bit different from how he spent time outside last winter; snuggled up in his wrap under my coat.
-Jen

Jabbertalker

Noah seems to be talking up a storm these days. However, we don't quite know who or what he's talking to. You would think that after 15-30min of non-stop babbling he would be rather tired. I don't know how he does it, but he keeps going. It's rather cute at first. Then your mind attempts to analyze the conversation that he's making. He's so deliberate in what he says and how he says it, that you feel as though you should be able to understand him. Obviously, Jen and I aren't fluent yet in jabber-babble. Something tells me that this won't be the only time in Noah's life where I won't understand him. Knowing this makes me happy that he's still only 11 months old. As a reminder for those of you out there, Mr. Noah will turn the big '1' on December 5th. How exciting! Of course, we'll keep you posted on his amazing adventures right here.
-Curtis

Baby Beluga

One of Noah's favorite books is Baby Beluga, a lovely illustrated book of the lyrics to the children's song made popular by Raffi. It's always the first book he reaches for. As Jen and I read it, we try our best to sing the hit song. If you need a reminder of how it goes, click here. Then watch Noah's rendition below.

You Are So Beautiful...

We have all been feeling a bit under the weather here this past week. Noah has been fussy and whiny (prompting many complaintive phone calls from me to my Mom), and now that I am sick too, I can understand why. It is miserable.

Our one entertainment for the week? This lovely, large, harvest bouquet. How, you may ask, can a bouquet bring entertainment? At the dinner table, when Curtis says, "You look really beautiful tonight." And I respond, "Thanks, your hair and right ear look particularly nice today, too."

Ha, ha, ha!
-Jen

Look Ma, No Hands!

About a week ago, Noah did something pretty amazing. Check it out in the video below: