Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from our new backyard! What fun we had sharing our egg hunt with some of our favorite people.

Our new home

 

It's been a wild and crazy few weeks (months, really), but it really happened. We moved! We couldn't be happier with our new space. Our house and yard are so...spacious! It's really incredible to be sitting in a room and literally feel the space around me. It feels great. And we are settling in well. I'm not at all surprised to announce that Dalia is sleeping better here than she ever has. Eloise is a whole other story. I'm not even going to go there except to say that I don't think I have ever been so exhausted in my life. It's not just her sleep, ear infection, fussy, I can climb anything little remarkable self, of course. Moving is HARD! Even when it's fun. 
 
It's been an adjustment in many ways for Mark and I. Less so for the girls. It's still pretty much as close to everything as Sellwood is, but just different. We are trying to come to terms with losing sidewalks. That's the hardest for me. And living in a fancy neighborhood where everyone mows their lawns (or has someone do it for them). We'll expect that they stay green during the summer too. But, it's like a storybook here. My eyes are saturated from the views out every window, day and night. It's stunning. 

sunset our first night here

our back deck and yard

And we are warm. And a room can get totally messy and the whole house doesn't feel like a bomb went off. And there's room for everything! (The girls closets are literally empty because they didn't have closets in their last house). 

And all my linens are folded and put away in a GIGANTIC room, but not nearly as big as my amazing bedroom. And there's all kinds of birds to look at. And, the neighbors are as welcoming and wonderful as our dear friends we left behind in our old hood. And we are just two blocks from the school and park! 

And, when we went out for a date, we got to drive through the forest over the hill to NW and feel back home there again after so many years. So, I hope I will get used the the lack of sidewalks and be grateful that my butt and thighs will be thankful for all the hills I have to haul up and down with the double stroller. We'll just have to find a parking lot to ride bikes in for a while. 

We've had snow and sun, warmth and cold to welcome us to our little oasis. It's been great and we are looking forward to settling in. Mark, I know, is thankful to be out of his cold basement and working in our little treehouse room. 

Dalia loves her bedroom and regularly goes in there and turns on her cd player now (or sometimes 94.7, which just cracks me up). I've found her sitting on the floor, knees curled up to chest really listening to her Jewel CD, which also cracks me up, and makes me a little sad at how fast I know she will grow up here. 

Mark is out of town and yesterday was about the perfect day (minus him). The girls both migrated into my bed and the first bleary eyed sight for me was their sillouettes in the dawn light giving each other a morning kiss. Then Dalia asked me to turn on the fireplace while we snuggled and tickled and read books in bed. 

Then we say a full rainbow out our windows.  

After I dropped Dalia off at school, I brought Eloise back, enjoyed giving her a long, splashy bath with no yelling or hustling, played on the floor in the playroom with her for what seemed like the first time in a very long time, had a milky snack and a cracker snack, some tea from my insta hot water spout and, well, the day just continued on in such a beautiful, peaceful way. 

 I feel blessed to have stepped into the flow of life. I know there are going to be lots of moments of doubt and uncertainty, but am so glad to say that so far we are feeling like our choice was the best for our family. I feel a sense of rest that I haven't had for years about home space. And I'm in love. 

Springish

 Well, most of you know we are in the middle of moving to a new house. It's spring renewal all around. And just in time for Eloise to really come into her own. She is loving going on walks now as much as she is enjoying helping pack boxes, write on them and live in regular disarray. More to come from our new house and new adventure!

I think we have  pic almost exactly like this of Dalia at this age

a close to last picture of Eloise in front of our sweet little house

scored a baby swing from a neighbor! and on a beautiful day, too. this will surely come in handy as we settle in to our new house (picture in our soon to be old backyard).

my sweet baby girls

Some beautiful flowers on a cold but fun springtime walk.

Loving outside and learning to run

really nothing better than hangin' with her sister

Happenings

 For the past almost four months we've been in the process of selling our house and looking for a new house that is more suitable for our needs and our growing girls. Because of this, I've been sorely neglectful of the blog and even Eloise's baby book. Eesh, and so much has happened. 

what I get to look at most nights

Eloise is walking, talking, dancing, signing, singing, playing ball, being silly and generally turning into a very interesting little person. 

first day sitting in a chair all by herself (with her purse and drink)

Her yeses are starting to look more like yes, unless she's really excited and then they look like big, enthusiastic no's. Very cute. If she wants something she says, "Mamamamamamama" or she points at it and then points at herself (very cute). But she's clearly saying phrases like "what is this?" and "can I have that?" She's matching Dalia in the noise department, joining in with growling, yelling, screaming, laughing. And just recently she really got the signing we've been doing with her for months. She loves to sign more and cracker, all done and is just starting on please. 

playing yoga together

We've had great weather this winter and she's learning to walk around outside. A treat for everyone. 
 

If only our preschooler wanted to go outside more. 

she happily and confidently tried roller skating

Dalia is currently in a fear phase. She's afraid of skunks and forests (oh no!). She's even boycotting Sellwood Park because she heard Mark having a conversation with a woman about how her dog got sprayed by a skunk. She thought the woman meant there at the park. So, even though we've explained differently, she still refuses to go. She will, however, go to a park downtown, conveniently close to our new house! So, that's good. But she doesn't like going out after dark. She's also taken to wearing only my clips and hair ties as she's so afraid she'll lose hers. What have I done!??!

pushing sister at Washington park

I know she's transitioning in so many ways. We all are. And I totally empathize with the fear stuff taking over. Not only has she had to endure probably 50 or 60 house viewings (some of the time staying with Gigi instead), she had to help keep this house clean for 27 days of sheer exhaustion without Mommy sitting down or really playing with her at all. Thank goodness for school! Ironically, she was with her gigi when we finally found our new house! But, we went back for the inspection and she gave it a thumbs up, especially the doorbell and the dutch door. 

We also lost our beloved cat, Zoey. Mark and my first baby. She was 15 years old. It was such a sad sad time for us. But she was so ready to go. Her body wouldn't keep up anymore. She spent her last day outside, where she loved life the most. 

saying goodbye

We'll finish out Dalia's school year at her current preschool, which should help with the transition. And even though we are moving to the other side of the river, it's still only 4 miles away. So we'll be sure to spend lots of time in the coming months visiting with all our friends. Hopefully, they will come to us so she can realize that our friends can all come to our new house with us. I did find a wonderful new school for her to go to Pre-K in the same little neighborhood as our new place. I'm very excited about it. 

In the meantime, she's working on counting to "amillion abillion" and doing dance performances daily. Eloise, happily helping out with performances - dancing and clapping with glee (and a lot of spunk).

dancing with Dalia

Dalia the storyteller

Remember when Dalia made those awesome faces? Well, lately she's been writing her own stories. It started at school, stapling together paper and asking her teacher to write down some words to go with her drawings. She made a couple of Christmas books for her grandparents, but this one is the most detailed of them all, and thankfully don't include getting sprayed by skunks, which is her most intense new fear these days. Anyway, it is so fun to do this with her as it has been my passion since I was a child, too. I'll never forget my mom helping me write stories and even have a copy of one of my first in our bookshelf. Only I was 7 and not 4. She honestly narrated this story verbatim. I just wrote what she asked me to. Enjoy.

A Fon Summer With Dalia and Eloise By Dalia Kathryn

Videos of Eloise

I've not ever had trouble posting videos on the blog before, but am experiencing technical difficulties. Too cute not to share, so I'm figuring out how to upload to YouTube. If it works you'll be able to click on links below to see some pretty darn cute stuff including: teeth, laughing, walking and singing. Food on the mouth, Dalia talking in the background, Zoey (cat) meowing incessantly, and the tv on are all extra fluff! Also, a disclaimer on the singing part: we hardly ever watch Dora around here. Seriously! I think Eloise heard the song once and memorized it. That is scary stuff, guys!

 

Baby steps

Oh my goodness! I have been trying to keep up with all the amazing things these girls are doing, but in doing so, I'm really losing ground documenting all of their accomplishments. While Dalia is easily picking up simple math that I couldn't do in second grade and writing her own stories, Eloise is trying to say everything. She whispers like Dalia did when she's working on a new word. It's so sweet. She's thoroughly enjoying talking on the phone and because we've done face time with my brother and his family, she thinks the people she's talking to can see her. The waving at the phone is just too much! But, more importantly, she's walking!!!! Okay, she's taking steps. She loves to practice and gets so proud of herself it's infectious. She's much more cautious than her big sister was (an understatement), but no less independent. She will walk all over the house on her knees so she doesn't have to crawl and she can get from the kitchen to Dalia's room on her feet if you'll just give her your finger. We had Dalia try and help us with a video. Here it is. She takes a couple of steps and then throws herself forward in glee at her accomplishment.


I'm just so in-love with these girls. They are truly inspiring.