thinking back

We didn't send out any Christmas or New Year's greetings this year...nor did I blog much during our family's "birthday season". Each of my girls turns a year older near the year's end..a good time to pause for quiet remembering. So these are some thoughts that I journaled so not to forget the growing up times.

Madelyn is becoming a beautiful girl right before my eyes. Her birthday is on the last day of the year and she always has the patience being the "last" one of the girls. This year has been a time of great change in her. As she gets older, I'm fascinated by the obvious parentage of her father! They are so alike in their thinking, pondering, asking and deducing. I sometimes hide my smile as they debate some finer point of something for an entire car ride or walk. Being the firstborn, Madelyn does not lack leadership skills, though her little sisters might call it being bossy. She takes charge in all settings, including her classroom at school, standing out to everyone as a determined firstborn usually does. She was given a Bible for her birthday and is starting to make her way from the beginning to end. I showed her a few through-the-Bible-in-a-year plans but she said that she wants to get the "whole story" this time through and just read cover to cover. I cannot wait to see how God will open her heart to His Word this year.

Ella...where to begin with our darling five-year-old who spins and sings the day away? Ellie is quite the dramatic girl, will cry at the slightest provocation but will quickly be laughing at another's antic. We have had to teach her soft heart to seek after self-control and as her mama, I have learned much patience in the many crisis of her day. She has a great love for learning; almost independently reading Bob books and enjoying her preschool workbooks immensely. She is so super observant about who's where or what is going on. She is the one we turn to when we've misplaced something in our home. During school time with Maddie, she is a big help in entertaining Charlotte. They will play with their baby dolls, fairies, blocks, lacing cards for many happy minutes. Ella received a leapfrog pretend texting device for Christmas and it has become a favorite. It teaches not only phonics and shapes but it has the proper keyboard for "texting" messages. I don't even have texting on my phone! Ellie's a little snuggler and would sleep next to a sister or parent each night if she could. She loves to listen to stories, either read my mama or daddy or to books on cd. Her current favorites are Curious George, Little Tree and the Little House books that we are reading as a family.

Charlotte, our baby girl, turned three on Thanksgiving. She lights up every room she enters. I love to watch her outgoing personality (once you get past the shifty eyes). She has been completely toilet-trained for over a year but we're just now hoping that we'll be done completely with nighttime. With the biggest blue eyes, the window to her soul, gazing up at you, it's a bit challenging as a parent to always be able to think straight. Her greatest love right now is singing...any song, as her favorites change weekly. Most of the time, she insists upon soloing these pieces and will belt out the song no matter where we happen to be at the time, perusing Target or selecting library books. We got a zoo membership this year thus encouraging the fascination with giraffes that Charlotte possesses. It thrills her heart to approach the giraffe exhibit, hand over $1 for 3 crackers and lovingly feed the creatures out of her hand. Her lovey giraffe, Jane, so well worn and loved, has become increasingly special and needed to Charlotte (not less as I thought might happen as she got older). She likes to spot "giraffes" whenever we're out and see the giraffe print on suitcases, clothes, furniture and toys.

Thank you Emily for the beautiful shots of the girls!