All-American Day

It was pretty much the quintessential American Memorial Day here on Monday with sunshine, parades, and hot dogs. The weather was absolutely perfect on Monday, not a cloud in the sky. We ventured down to main street to watch the annual Tunkhannock parade. There were marching bands, fire trucks, balloons, floats, old cars and tractors, and, of course, veterans. There were people giving out beads, candy and flags, all of which were a big hit for the toddler. Maggie sat in her pint-sized lawn chair with her eyes glued to the road, waving her American flag. It was pretty much the cutest sight on earth! It was our first parade experience as parents and we forgot a few key things like a blanket and our camera. So we tried to re-create the experience in the kitchen when we got home, but it wasn't quite the same. Naturally, Claire slept through the whole parade. Maybe we should see if that marching band can roll through around 2 am and put her to sleep when we really need it!

What happened to the band?

Later that day Maggie let Mommy put her hair in pigtails, which is a rare treat.

Word of the Day

It seems like Maggie has a new word every day! Not only does she suprise us with a new word almost daily, but when she says the word it is usually pronounced so clearly it's like she's been saying that word for months. Just this past week she has added: circle, neck, knock, milk, bunny, knee, me and Hannah (the 2 year old next door) to her ever growing list. She also uses the baby signs for "please" and "thank you" in context. It's so exciting to be communicating with her at this level and to watch her grow.

Snack with a view

During her afternoon snack, Maggie loves to look out the window and see the happenings of the yard. The chipmunks and rabbits nibbling in the flower bed just outside the window are great sources of entertainment. The biggest event of the afternoon, though, is at 3:30 when the school bus rolls down the street to drop off the neighborhood kids. If Maggie has moved on to playing when 3:30 rolls around, as soon as she hears the bus she drops everything and runs to the window to watch. It's crazy to imagine the day when the she'll go off to school, thankfully it's not for a few years!



Claire is getting bigger every day and doing what newborns do best...eat, sleep and poop. Although, she has a little trouble with the sleeping. It was bound to happen though, Maggie has always been a tremendous sleeper, we were sure to get one who struggles in that department. Claire is still young though, we're trusting Dr. Weissbluth's advice is accurate and she'll get there eventually.

Flower Power

My friend Sarah made these adorable shirts for the girls. They wore them when we went to the nursery to pick out our spring annuals. Maggie has learned that you can see pictures in the camera. Now when she sees that the camera is out, she wants to take a look and won't let you take her picture. (Thus the protesting to this picture) Maybe she has a future as a photographer.

Thank God for Grandmothers!

Jim's mom Mary graciously gave two weeks of her time to help us get settled with Claire. She cooked amazing meals for us, cared for the grandkids so we could sleep, and generally made our lives a lot easier in these early weeks. Naturally, she showered the girls with all sorts of gifts including some very pretty dresses. PawPaw came for a weekend too, but he had to get back to work eventually. The visit included lots of firsts, including our first trip to Chuck E Cheese and Maggie's first experience with Play Doh. Maggie even learned how to say "MawMaw" during the visit. We are so grateful for the love and support of family!

Maggie had a blast driving the school bus

Fashion courtesy of MawMaw

Fun with Play Doh

Sister, Sister

Maggie is such a loving big sister! She has been displaying a lot of empathy when Claire cries and really likes to give her hugs. Maggie even shared her brand new Elmo doll with her little sis. It's cute to hear the inflection in Maggie's voice when she is excited to see Claire. She exclaims, "Baaaaby!" We've also gotten a preview of Maggie doing what older siblings do best...pick on the younger one! When Maggie bounced Claire's bouncy seat a little too hard and watched her sister being jostled from side to side, she let out this sinister little laugh. It was tough to keep a straight face when issuing the warning. Overall though, the transition to having a new baby in the house is going very well. Here are the highlights...

Hugs for Claire

"Have a blanket, you look cold."

"Gimme 5"