Six

Happy sixth birthday to the one who made us parents.  Amalia June Ward, you are as fierce and beautiful as the day you were born.  This year we have seen you grow even more than we expected.  As bold as ever you started Kindergarten (marched right on to that bus!), made new friends, learned to swim, welcomed a baby sister with open arms, began to read, and navigated more of the world around you each day. Your current favorite song is "Party in the USA" as well as a few more that we wish you didn't hear on the bus." You love screens in any form, the color turquoise, traveling, sushi, and making plans. You prefer writing to reading, and swingsets to bikes. We have watched you confidently leave our family "nest" and return to us with love. I hope to always remember the day you were passing out desserts to all of us and you paused by me and said, "And one for someone special!"  Daddy & I just eat up compliments from you since you speak nothing but the truth!

As much as you have grown, we still catch glimpses of our baby girl in you at times.  One morning we indulged in a yummy breakfast before heading down to our favorite seafood store in the Strip District.  When you saw chubby blow-fish, you asked with complete seriousness if they had gotten that way from eating too much bacon.  You also believe that the little boy on your bus really did travel to outer space last week.  At least you gave him a chance to talk instead of reminding him again about the Kindergarten discipline policies.  You do love justice in all forms. I love picturing you as a lawyer someday.  As well as a loving wife and mother, surrounded of course, by your sisters and their families.

Miss Amaila, there is nothing cuter than you dressed in a cape pretending to be WordGirl, shouting "Word Up!".  But even sweeter were the comforting words you provided to us and your aunt & uncle after we heard troubling news this spring.  The words of Mark 5:36 ("do not fear, only believe") were on your heart.  What a blessing to all of us to watch your faith grow.  That is our prayer for you, above all other prayers.  We love you so very much.  Thanks for being our first "pancake"

Six Months Old!

Seriously?  A whole half-year out of the womb?  Not possible!  This little cutie of ours has been quite the world traveler lately.  She's been to Michigan, Chicago, and Texas all in the past few weeks.  Thankfully, she's great in both a car and plane.  Binkys and puffs help.  We tried to eliminate the binky habit (mainly for Carrigan's sake--she just can't resist those tempting things) but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

Laney's been an overall good sleeper, but ever since our final days in Texas she's been up a few times during the night.  Ugh.  She is also a little crabby falling asleep for naps and bedtime which leads us to believe a tooth or two may be on the way.  That hasn't affected her eating at all.  In fact, the riverboat tour guide in San Antonio stated that she looked like she "hadn't missed a meal!".  (Have you ever known a Ward to miss a meal?)

She's certainly still a sweet girl even when she scoots herself on her tummy further in this house than we could have imagine.  We love how she shakes her hands and feet when she's excited whether that's about a swimming pool, her stuffed animals, or just another round of rice cereal.  Her laughs are contagious and even her hair-pulling charms us.  Love, love, love her.

Loss and Joy

Without going into too many personal details, we do wish to share that our extended family has experienced a recent loss.  A loss that was somewhat expected, but nonetheless tragic.  However, in midst of deep sorrow, our family did experience peace and joy.

We have learned many things in the past few weeks.  We saw firsthand that there is strength in numbers and that families are strongest together.  Friends sent all sorts of comfort, namely in kinds words and prayers. We saw that God provides in expected and unexpected ways.  We were reminded over and over that He is faithful in his promises, even that He will "wipe every tear from your eye" (Revelation 21:4)  and that He will "turn mourning into dancing" (Psalm 30:11).

Praise be to God for his wonderful gifts--for friends, for family, for medical care, for comfort, for Holy Baptism, and for his promise of heaven.  In the words of Job: 

"I know that my redeemer lives,

and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes —I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!"
 --Job 19: 25-27

Texas 2012

Once again, the Kurth family provided us with a simply marvelous vacation.  This time we were even wow-ed by their lovely new home! We day-tripped to San Antonio to check out the lovely Riverwalk and Alamo. Blue snowcones were involved.  All in the name of Texas Independence, I guess.  We swam and ate BBQ, and drank Oreo shakes.  Most importantly, we relaxed and enjoyed their wonderful hospitality while discussing all topics near and dear to our hearts.  Just seeing these pictures make me crave an afternoon chai!  Maybe with a side of Rudy's.  Oh, and a mint Oreo too.

On Mali and Kindergarten

Somewhere in the busyness of the last few weeks, our first baby girl graduated from Kindergarten. The morning of her "closing ceremony" she looked up at her Daddy and asked if there was any way he could ask his boss to leave work early that afternoon to watch her receive her Kindergarten certificate.  What's a daddy to say to that?  So all five of us in Mali's personal cheering section watched her perform as a storyteller, recite her songs/prayers, count to 100, and teach the audience a "chickety-chackety-chAMALIA" rhyme. 

Her teacher was nothing less than fantastic.  She knew how to push them tenderly and to provide the gentle structure that Mali thrives in.  She loved math and writing and persisted throughout reading, even when it was challenging.  One of her biggest accomplishments to date is only getting on "uh-oh frog" twice during the school year.  We'll take it.

Most importantly, she learned even more about Jesus and her faith and was guided to apply it in real-life interactions with others.  Thanks again to Redeemer Lutheran School to providing that for her.  She's proud to wear her RLS shirt and thrilled to go there all day next year for first grade. (GULP!)

On Brinnly & Preschool

Our "first youngest" has wrapped up her preschool career.  Her closing ceremony was yesterday and it was a delight to see her sing and perform with her class.  Her teacher had also been working on sign language with them and the class demonstrated those skills by signing all of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  What a blessing to have Christian teachers.

We had gone back and forth with the idea of Brinn and preschool this year.  Redeemer's preschool is in a different campus than the rest of the school and a good 20 minutes away from our house.  Brinn is probably the best at independent play and "reading" of our kids and in a lot of ways homeschooling would have been good for her too.  We compromised with sending her two of the three morning a week program.  (Carrigan lived for those mornings that she and I filled with outings to Target and the library). Bhe enjoyed being a part of her own school, having "letter days", the gross motor play, the chapel services, and the music class.  She quickly made special friends with a set of twins who were too shy to talk to anyone but each other.  Her birthday treat of donuts cured that shyness.

Brinnly is off to Kindergarten next year.  She's technically 10 days past the age deadline, but we are considering her an exception.  We've watched Mali's curriculum throughout the past year and think it will be appropriate for Brinn now, even though she will be young for the grade.  And another Ward girl (Carrigan) will be starting preschool in the fall.  So congratulations to our Bug-a-boo...we can't wait to see what possible pose you come up with for your Kindergarten picture.!

(Sorry for the poor quality pictures--they were taken and sent from a friends' phone)

Our bookends

Five Months Old!

Laney is as sweet as ever these days.  She chows through jars of food with the best of them.  Rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, bananas, carrots, and peas are all favorites.  Really, she hasn't met a food she doesn't like yet.  I'm pleased that she is still a solid nurser as well.  Carrigan and I may have even allowed her a teensy-tiny bite of a solid pretzel at Target the other day, but don't let that secret get out. Laney is now comfortable on her back and tummy and rolls both ways easily.  She is also beginning to scoot along on her front and manages to get herself in various places.  Her exer-saucer and Bumbo provide not only good entertainment but precious protection from her her-loving sisters.  She is beyond patient with them as well as the busyness of a big family.  Definitely a trait of a fourth-born babe.  That smile of hers lights up our lives constantly and she is much, much loved.

Scenes from a fantastic May birthday party

First bites

Excuse the lighting...but the porch is really a lovely place for dinner.

Delaney has been eyeing our food for quite some time.

So her daddy obliged.

We have no idea how she twisted herself in that Bumbo...she was just SO anxious for food.

Then Mali took over.

And all were happy.

May Weekend To-Do List

1)  Celebrate the Man of the House.  34 years!  Happy birthday to the guy who loves all of his girls in such wonderful ways.  We are so blessed  by him.

2)  A May birthday calls for a party in the park.  Rosemary chicken and rum cake are on the menu.  Can't wait!

3) Not for Laney, however.  Miss Cakes is on to rice cereal and boy, does she love it. Pictures to follow!

4) Mother's Daylunch with Mali and Brinnly at school today.  How sweet (and grown-up!) is that?

5) Pittsburgh Marathon relay on Sunday!  Wish me luck as I run my first 3.5 mile race since Laney arrived.  Sunday morning races also involve a more complicated relay of a kids-race-church combination.  Jonathan offered to bring the girls to watch me finish and I love the idea of encouraging them to run themselves someday.   Actually, our family is now big enough to have a relay team of our own.  Watch for us in the Pittsburgh Marathon 2025!

Four Months Old

Our precious Laney!  Oh, we love those smiles so.  And yes, that is a tutu she's wearing.  She is a Ward girl, after all, and dress-up clothes are to be expected.  The "background" is compliments of Mali, who thought a toy and dress shoes would be the best additions to this photo shoot.  Laney did get the memo that the bedtime at the Ward household is 8:00 pm, which we are grateful for.  She's still usually up once a night to nurse, but it's do-able.  Some days.  She's incredibly interested in watching people eat these days so we think it's time to pick up some rice cereal.  She's also a big fan of her swing and bumbo and car seat toys.  And her sisters are still big fans of her.

Some days call for a slip-and-slide

Who care if it's April?  And next week's forecast calls for snow showers?  Carpe diem. 

Enjoying the Small Things

I've been an avid follower of this blog for some time.  (The big sister featured on it may or may not have been a partial-inspiration for Delaney's name and nickname)  I'm thrilled that the author now has a book out!  I even broke the -no-TV-in-the-morning rule to catch her interview on the Today show. Here's the description for the memoir, Bloom:

Love me. Love me. I'm not what you expected, but oh, please love me.

That was the most defining moment of my life. That was the beginning of my story.
From the outside looking in, Kelle Hampton had the perfect life: a beautiful two-year-old daughter, a loving husband, a thriving photography career, and great friends. When she learned she was pregnant with her second child, she and her husband, Brett, were ecstatic. Her pregnancy went smoothly and the ultrasounds showed a beautiful, healthy, high-kicking baby girl.
But when her new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, Kelle knew instantly that something was wrong. Nella looked different than her two-year-old sister, Lainey, had at birth. As she watched friends and family celebrate with champagne toasts and endless photographs, a terrified Kelle was certain that Nella had Down syndrome—a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed. Yet gradually Kelle's fear and pain were vanquished by joy, as she embraced the realization that she had been chosen to experience an extraordinary and special gift.
With lyrical prose and gorgeous full-color photography, Bloom takes readers on a wondrous journey through Nella's first year of life—a gripping, hilarious, and intensely poignant trip of transformation in which a mother learns that perfection comes in all different shapes. It is a story about embracing life and really living it, of being fearless and accepting difference, of going beyond constricting definitions of beauty, and of the awesome power of perspective. As Kelle writes, "There is us. Our Family. We will embrace this beauty and make something of it. We will hold our precious gift and know that we are lucky."

Isn't that beautiful?  What a reminder that all children are a precious gift.

While I was unpacking suitcases and Easter gifts...

"Mommy!  I need help washing my hands" 
"Why?"
"They are all sticky"

(In other words, she had found a Cadbury Egg in the suitcases and quickly devoured it before she was caught.  The sticky hands, however, will give you away every time). 

And if you really want and earfull, just ask Miss Carrigan about the scary, scary peacocks at the Michigan City zoo.  Those feathers!

Glimpses of our Easter Weekend