Lately

Lately, I haven't been blogging much. I apologize. Some of you are missing me...some of you haven't noticed. And that's OK. I understand you have more important things happening in your lives than what is happening in mine. Sometimes I feel the same way about myself. :)

Since I have been so lax in my updates, I'm not even sure what I need to be telling you. So I have another tab open with my blog posts so I can see what's missing.

I see something that is unacceptable. I never posted pictures from Rebekah and Sarah's birthdays! I should be fired. (It won't be much of a pay cut.) So let me make amends.

Sarah's birthday was first. She finally got to celebrate her own birthday! I had planned to make a cake shaped like a number one. I ordered one, but it didn't come in time. I didn't want to carve anything out of a sheet cake because I didn't want chunks of cake left over. So I had to go to plan B on the morning of her birthday. This is what I ended up with.

We have a recent (starting with Rebekah) tradition that the baby gets to attack the cake first and the rest of the family gets to eat from the carnage. It makes great pictures! Sarah was very willing to sample the cake put before her. She even tried out the paper petals!

Sarah enjoyed her birthday cards, as well. We didn't let her eat those.

It was a very filling cake. She looks satisfied, doesn't she?

The cake didn't end up too messy, considering what we put it through!



And of course, there were presents. Sarah was happy to rip paper (one her favorite quite-time activities) but she didn't quite understand the importance of ripping THIS paper. Fortunately, she has 5 older siblings who stepped up with experience and understanding.


Once the quilt came out of the wrapper, it became a designated place to sit for opening the rest of the presents!


It was a fun evening as we helped Sarah celebrate her first birthday. She took her first steps the week after her birthday. We have all marveled at Sarah's milestones. She turned 13 months two days ago and is now walking (toddling) all over the house. The kids still point out that she's walking!

Last night, she bumped her head and sat back to rub it for several seconds and I saw a little more of the baby slip away. How can I be so happy and sad at the same time?

And yesterday afternoon, Sarah enjoyed another first...she rolled down an entire flight of stairs while her older brother and sister fought over who was going into the other's room. I just happened to be at the bottom of the stairs at exactly the right moment to have her roll right into my arms. I was there because I was going to get after them for fighting so long. So then I let them have it. And I ended up with a sore throat afterwards.

This morning, Sarah has a little red spot in the white of her right eye. I'm assuming it's related to her tumble. I guess I'll watch it and see what happens. Poor kid.

And Rebekah's birthday is my next topic. But not my next task. I guess my kids want lunch today. They are begging for it loud enough!