Recovered

Well, we are more or less recovered from a fun and family-packed summer, filled with two week-long family reunions, several houseguests, one pageant, a couple shorter trips, family pictures (click here), and plenty of swimming, barbequing, and good old lounging. Somewhere in there we also fit in my 25th birthday (whoot, whoot!), which Mike did a fabulous job of commemorating. Because my birthday was on a Sunday, he planned a lovely family day on Saturday. We took our afore-mentioned family pics in the morning, went and bought Maggie's first movie theater ticket to an early matinee and saw Toy Story 3 (which we all loved, but I ended up bawling, just like last year during Up--what is it with those Pixar movies?), ate at Pei-wei (which has my beloved lettuce wraps but is more family-friendly than it's fancier and pricier counterpart P.F. Chang's, where the wait is longer), got yummy frozen custard for dessert, and headed home for naps. Then we finished up the day with a trip to the local pool. If you ask me, celebrating the day before is a good way to go. We may have to make it a family tradition. Because let's face it, young or old, I think most people hope somehow their birthday will be really special. And when you celebrate the day before you don't wake up with such high hopes or expectations on your actual birthday thinking, "I hope somehow today is special." You wake up thinking, "Man, that was a fun day yesterday!" You already felt so celebrated the day before that anything else is just icing. And so it was. My actual birthday, the cake, the gifts, the well wishes, were all low-key but wonderful. And I'm 25.

Maggie is swiftly turning from toddler to little girl this summer: She still loves letters (she loves to tell me a sign has "ABC's on it"), and is now fascinated with princesses and having her nails and hair done (like her cousins and youngest aunt). She is commonly found singing Princess songs or Primary/church songs as she plays and loves when we do fingerplays or action songs. Most recently she loves pulling up her little chair to use as a step-stool so she can do things like "help" me in the kitchen, like last weekend when she ate about half of the apple slices I cut as we prepared apple crisp for a church function--if only I hadn't been in a hurry. :/ But it was so fun to have my little helper I couldn't bear to get rid of her. Especially when her cute little voice was saying with a huge grin, "I helping, Mama. I helping."

Kate is quickly approaching toddlerhood as she pulls up and scales tables and couches to get things. She loves it when we hold her hands so she can run. She is starting to point, can now crawl on all fours as well as army-style, and as of about a month ago can also go up stairs (but not down...except I guess the hard way, but it hasn't come to that). Kate is so smiley and fun and simply loves to laugh. And now that we are past the mere purees and on to more interesting tastes and textures, Kate is liking food a lot more, so that is nice. She especially likes noodles and kept growling for more tonight when we were eating with Mike's brother's family. It was pretty cute.

I have also come to the conclusion over the past couple months that it is more difficult to clean, pack, or leave the house with a two-year-old and a nine-month-old than it was when they were both under two, because now they can both get into things and get away from me, whereas before Kate couldn't do much besides lie on her back and look cute (now she still looks cute, but she's just more trouble :) ). Though I will say, now that Maggie can put on her shoes instead of just taking them off (which would usually occur right before we were about to leave the house), things are improving. :)

I should also add that it is incredibly fulfilling to have these two little angels in my life and see them interact and laugh and play together. Watching them grow together this past nine months has been pure joy. I can't believe how adorable they are. Maggie loves to make Kate laugh. One day recently they both woke up from their naps around the same time and I heard them laughing and laughing at each other in their cribs for several minutes. I peeked in and saw them standing facing each other, smiles on both their faces, sharing some private joke. Occasionally Maggie would duck, then peek at Kate, who would shake her head and chortle. Finally Kate started to have her fill of the fun and the happy cries started to turn to whines. But when I went in to get Kate, Maggie was enjoying their time together so much that she tried to stop me. "No, Mama. Away. Away," she said, shooing me with her arms.

Another time, I was going to take a shower when Mike wasn't home and put Kate in her playpen with a few toys and Maggie playing nearby. When Maggie saw Kate going in she wanted to be put in with her. I was somewhat wary, but put them in together and listened to them on the monitor during my shower. They played happily the entire time.

And frequently, Maggie will ask to be put in Kate's crib when they first wake up or coos "Oh, baby. Poor Katie." to a sad Kate in the backseat when Mama can't help. And it helps. Kate definitely responds to her sister. (She also responds when Maggie occasionally pins her to the floor with an overly-exhuberant hug. And Mike has to explain that we don't put sisters in half-Nelsons.)

I hope they are always close.

Here is a little video of our little playmates we made for Mike's family reunion. It is mostly old pictures, but enjoy. This song is a favorite of Maggie's. She loves when Mike plays it on the piano for her to sing-along.

Now we are rejuvenated and enjoying returning to our daily routine and life here in Kansas, catching up with friends and chores we have neglected over the summer. (Not to put you all on level with chores--that came out wrong. And, for the record, I actually enjoy chores as long as my life isn't nothing but chores.) Mainly, I just wanted to say I'm back from my blogging break. Life is good with the Gotfredsons. More details to follow on our fun lives and all the thoughts and half-finished blog entries that have been swirling in my crazy little head. I'm sure you are all on the edge of your seats.