Spending time with The Littles

Yesterday Hilary had a photo shoot so she dropped off Lynnlee on her way to Prophetstown State Park for the first part of it.  Gary went to her house to pick up Owen from the bus since he went to developmental pre-school that day.

The kids played downstairs and had fun.  We fed them lunch and Lynnlee just couldn't seem to get enough.  Both of the kids were napping when Hilary returned.  The last part of the photo shoot was down with our new/old barn as the backdrop. 

I had just convinced her to take a nap on the couch for a while when Owen came downstairs, startled.  I think he had awakened and didn't know where he was.  He came into the kitchen at a trot, wide-eyed and shaking.  That movement awakened Lynnlee who was napping in the crook of Papaw's arm. With her awake and his noise, Hilary's nap came to an abrupt halt.

After that we visited for a while, the kids played, and then they had to leave because Landon and Tessa would be getting off the bus soon.

This morning Hilary had a hair appointment in Francesville at 9:30 so she dropped off Owen and Lynnlee at 8.  They ate breakfast, then had a full morning of playing in the family room.  While I baked a pumpkin bread, made chicken tortilla soup, and put together a pork chop crockpot dinner, then played quietly with Papaw supervising.

Rebecca, our first realtor, stopped by to see what we had done with the house.  It was the first time she had been her since our walk-through the day before closing.  So much had changed- floors, paint on the walls, appliances, furniture, window coverings, deck and porch furniture. I was excited for her to see it because she was very aware of the condition of the house when we bought it and she knew a little of my plans for decorating.  Other than the girls and Karen and Clay, and Kathy, no one had been in here to understand the before and after.  It was a fun tour, to say the least.  Of course Owen had to add a few exciting moments and Lynnlee wanted to be held when we passed through the downstairs.

After Rebecca left, it was lunch time, then trying for naps.  Hilary returned before the naps could happen.

Both of the kids are at such a fun age right now.  Lynnlee is developing more and more of a personality.  She understands the word 'no' and stops when she hears it.  She is on the move with her crawling, and soon she will be climbing the stairs and walking everywhere.  She laughs and giggles and kicks her feet out from the chair when she is being fed.  She loves Owen and we can tell that he loves her too.  They are best buddies.

Owen is talking so much more. Some of the words we can understand.  Some are totally indistinguishable.  But the important thing is that he is trying to verbalize and that is more than he was doing before he started the pre-school.  He is growing so much and he looks HUGE compared to Lynnlee.

The more time the kids spend here at our house, the more comfortable they are.

The more time the kids spend with us, the more comfortable they are with us.

It is sad to me that neither Lynnlee nor Owen will remember the old house, and there is a strong possibility that Cooper, Tessa, and Landon won't have really vivid memories of it either.

But I do know that memories are being made here, at the new house, and that is what is important.

I feel like life is much more complete because we can see the kids more frequently.

We are definitely blessed.