Ian's FIVE!!

He's FIVE! 

My goodness! How can it possibly be your FIFTH birthday. These years have flown by with so much love, joy, and wonder. Now, when we ask you how old you are, you beam and hold up your WHOLE HAND!

Five years ago today I was marveling at you for the first time and, truth be told, I still marvel at the incredible being you are each and every day.

You are strong, joyful, intelligent, exuberant, curious, kind, daring, adventurous, cautious, encouraging, loving, determined, sweet, imaginative, bold, articulate, devoted, and still absolutely set on being a farmer.

For your birthday this year you chose to go apple-picking again at Butternut Farm (like last year) and you wanted to make applesauce with Papa and for me to make you an apple cake! When asked when your birthday is, you always reply that it's when the apples are ripe! We love that.

This week Aunt Christine was here to celebrate your birthday with us! She got you an awesome magnifying glass :)

This coming weekend you are going on your first big camping trip with Papa! The two of you have been talking about The Common Ground Fair in Maine since we left last year. I cannot wait to hear about your adventures and visit you one of the days!

Sticking true to your farmer soul, we made dirt dessert for you to share with your friends at school today. You were excited to celebrate with your buddies! It was a rainy morning, but that couldn't dampen your spirits! We joked that we should plant a seed in the dirt, let them get some rain, and see if they grow! You thought that was pretty funny.

You continue to amaze us with your love of stories and your ability to retell them to us. You listen to books on CD each night and every week you bring home a massive stack of library books, which you pour through as soon as we get home. You really enjoy learning new words and phrases and often work them into your everyday vernacular. You love using the word "simultaneously" :)

Right now you are really getting into Legos and Playmobil toys; we just acquired a few bins of hand-me-down toys from our neighbors! You are ecstatic.

You love riding your balance bike and are so fast an agile at it now! You and Owen love your newfound independence on walks and we love living in a place that makes it easy to bike/walk around town and campus.

Lately we've watched a few new movies and you've been quoting different lines at different, pertinent moments. One of our favorites was when you ate a treat that Papa made and said, "Crunchy, yet satisfying!" You adapted a Simba line from when he tried a grub: "Slimy, yet satisfying" and it was perfect for the situation.

You are a wonderful and devoted big brother. Owen loves sharing a room with you and, when I asked you about how you feel about sharing a room, you said, "I like having a buddy in there." Heart melt.

Most mornings you can be found playing together before we wake up and almost immediately you ask if you can hold Liesl! You love making her smile and are determined that you will marry her when you are older. Ha!

Most mornings you help let the chickens out and feed Leif. On the weekends you like it when Papa makes crepes or pancakes; he lets you choose the night before. Papa usually does your bedtime routine and you watch "The Bearded Man" (Justin Rhodes- a farmer with 4 kids) and other farming or interesting videos on Youtube-- you love this time and Owen does, too.

You are very thoughtful and conscientious, holding doors for me, thanking me for meals, sometimes helping to clean up other dishes, but always making sure to take yours to the kitchen after each meal. You have a huge heart and we pray that you retain this through the years!

Ian Forrester, we are so incredibly proud of you. You are pursuing your passions, trying new things, and tackling each day head-on. You make us proud and nothing you could EVER do would be able to separate you from our love. We hope you grow to know that <3

Love you forever, dear five year old!
- Mama, Papa, Owen, & Liesl

Liesl's THREE Months Old

We're already halfway through her three months of life and I haven't written the post yet! Thankfully I took the pictures on her three month birthday, August 25th, and jotted down a few notes during the month in my journal.

What a little love she is!!

I seriously cannot get enough of my sweet & constant companion <3

She's craning her neck to see whatever she can while on the floor, and following the voices of those wild brothers all around the house.

 She's very content, most of the time. Liesl likes to be in the same space as other people and grins VERY big when anyone swoops over to smile and chat with her.

 She'll often start cooing and chatting back, if spoken to. Sometimes she just starts chatting in hope, it seems, that someone will carry on a conversation with her.

 And it truly feels like we have a mutual understanding when we're conversing. Oh, how I love her. May our chats be life-giving & loving throughout the years.

 Liesl's turning over onto her side, craning to see the world around her. She can often be found doing crunchs with her belly and swinging her legs back and forth, from side to side. It almost looks like she's trying to muster up the motion to roll quickly over. Although she has rolled over a few times, she is not doing it often and with intention, so far. She can often be found in the same position she was left in, except angled a different direction on the floor. OR one of her brothers have heard her pleas for assistance and rolled her onto her belly... haha. The third child is blessed by having couple helpers!!

 Her eyes in the photo below show her "cooing" expression. She often squints a bit as she's chatting with you, sincere in her conversation.

 She often falls alseep while nursing and then I lay her down, but sometimes she just wants to chat a little more before drifting off. I'll sit in the rocking chair and she'll smile and coo at me until I rock her to sleep, feeling her weight more strongly in the nook of my arm and on my chest. This is one of my favorite things ever, this sweet interaction as she fully settles, resting completely in my arms, chatting and smiling her way to sleep. Oh, how deeply loved she is!

 This month we tried nursing in the carrier while I was walking on Jenness Beach!! It was a new experience for me (yes, this third time around) but it was so lovely. I walked the beach and no one I passed knew I was nursing. And she nursed, was satisfied, and then fell straight to sleep. Why haven't I done this sooner?! It won't be the last time, I'm sure :)

 People comment on the deep blues of her eyes and the color of her strawberry blonde hair, turning even more blonde underneath. When her hair is wet, it curls up all over her head! It will be interesting to see what becomes of these sweet curls as her hair grows.

 One of Liesl's signature expressions is to tuck her bottom lip up under her top lip :)

 She has the sweetest rolls!! Enough said. They are darling.

 And, already she's splaying her pinky toe our like her mama. Ha!

 Her sweet pudgy hand is often wrapped around my fingers and therefore my heart. I love studying her hands and bitty toes.

 Here's a play by play of her current favorite activity... rolling onto her side.

 Those baby blues!!! All the heart eyes. All the time.

 You are still a mighty sleeper and for that we are oh so grateful!!! You fall asleep around 7:30 or 8 each night and sleep until between 4:30 and 5:30, when you wake up to nurse and then go right back to sleep. I didn't believe babies like you existed.... but you are living proof! And I am so thankful!

 And she still continues to wow us with her strength. This girl. We hope and pray that you grow to know how deeply loved you are. We pray you grow to be strong, thoughtful, determined, generous, humble, confident, graceful, and steadfast. We are forever in your court, little one.

Happy 3 months, sweet Liesl!

You love: cooing, giggling when I tickle your belly, chatting with your brothers, airplanes, listening to mama sing, rolling onto your sides, being worn in the sling and the carrier, swinging on the swing outside, being held by Papa, & being swaddled for sleeping.

You dislike: the carseat, the stroller, and soiled diapers.

 We look forward to the months ahead, but we are savoring the here and now. You are adored & deeply loved by each of us.