Robbie these days

Robbie is just learning and growing so much. He is getting very creative in his Lego play and now plays with the little Legos in his room during quiet time (after which he often takes a nap, mercifully :-)). Two days ago I got him from quiet time and he showed me the sword he had made. This is a far cry from the boy a year ago who loved to just fill up the green plate with the 2x2 Legos to make a birthday cake. I was proud of him for doing that, too, and it's fun now to see his mind and abilities grow. He is starting to get into superheroes--Daddy has shown him some Star Wars, which he liked, and he is also interested in Spider-man, fighting, etc. He has fun playing peek-a-boo with Henry, who just watches him so eagerly--you can tell he wants to do what his big brother does. Robbie is also into categorizing things (grouping like objects together, etc.). He and Clara quarrel a lot (both of them love to antagonize and provoke the other), but they also enjoy being together and laughing and being crazy. If I'm there to referee, things go pretty well. Not sure how to improve their relationships but I'm praying about it.

I wish I could remember every funny thing that Robbie says every day. The other day he told me he needed to go potty but then came back informing me he didn't need to. "My bum just burped," he said. "And now I feel much better." Earlier that same day he had accidentally unscrewed part of the whiteboard and was trying to fix it. "Can I help?" I asked. "No!" he responded. "Only boys can fix things. Girls only sweep." ?! After agreeing to let me help, he decided that both boys and girls could fix things and that we could work together.

He is still pretty particular when it comes to food and loves macaroni and cheese and pizza but doesn't like most pasta, anything green (although he enjoys removing the peas from the sugar snap pea pods and will occasionally drink a green smoothie), or most meat. He does love chocolate, chewy candy like Starbursts, Oatmeal Squares, "teeny wheats," apples dipped in peanut butter, and cheese.

Robbie continues to be a social guy and is the life of the party at church activities. People pretty much love him, although he unfortunately doesn't always reciprocate (we're working on manners and not sticking your tongue out at people). He is a good messer-upper and a good helper and cleaner, which is a pretty good combination.

 I took some pictures of the kids last week when Nana and Bapa were here. I love every one of these--so Robbie.

Super fun with a super (babe) friend

My BYU roommate, Chelsey, and her family came to visit us a couple of weeks ago from North Carolina. It was such a treat!!

 We drove up to Big Meadows in the Shenandoah National Forest and enjoyed a picnic lunch before starting off on our hike.

Jillian on the horse hitch post.

 Lucy and a stick. Small caption for such a big personality.

 We hiked up to Hawks' Bill, the highest peak in the park. Robbie really wanted to climb all over the place; it gave me heart palpitations.

 Henry appears concerned about the height as well.

Can I just say that getting everyone to look and smile is a lot harder than it should be?

 Crazy Robbie!

 My sweet ten and three-quarters girl. Don't just call her ten years old. Trust me.

I love this baby!

 Double gorgeous--man and scene.

 That night we enjoyed some homemade pizza and then roasted marshmallows. Clara really loved these kids and they were very sweet with her.

 Doesn't get much better than a s'more with a marshmallow the size of your fist.

Thanks again for coming, Chels, and for being one of the best women I am privileged to know.

A quick visit from Grandma and Grandpa

A few weeks ago we were thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa could come visit for a few days. David and Char also came over for the weekend, and I sadly only got a couple pictures as evidence.

Here is Nina, David and Char's eight-year-old (?) playing with Henry. She loved holding him and was so cute with him. Robbie loved playing with his cousins, especially Lincoln, and he often talks about him and wants to see him. We are so glad that they are close by (in D.C.) for several more months while David learns Hindi in preparation for his first foreign service in New Delhi, India.

Grandma and Grandpa were awesome, as always. It was a privilege to have Grandpa ordain Michael as the bishop of our ward that Sunday. The next five years will certainly be a new adventure for us, but I feel peace about it and know it will be a blessing to our family. When the stake president met with us, he talked about the mantle of a bishop, and he felt that the mantle was charity, receiving and feeling Christ's love for God's children. That makes total sense.