Through the Eyes of a Child

One of my favorite things about being a preschool teacher was getting to discover the world one little wonder at a time over and over again every year through the eyes of my two year olds as they would watch the the leaves change colors, or discover a worm on the sidewalk after it rained, or listen to birds sing outside, or chase bubbles full of rainbows . . . . This sweet joy is all the more delightful when experiencing it with my own child.

Here in Nashville the dogwoods are in delicate full bloom, everyday our Japanese maple proudly dances in the sun wearing its deep red spring dress, and the apple and cherry trees drip sweet blossoms. I LOVE spring in the south. Each year it surprises me all over again with it's beauty. Shawn and I listen to the song "The World Exploded into Love" by Bob Schneider over and over again every spring as it seems that is exactly what is happening. Being able to share all this beauty with Hannah is such a blessing and a joy. She finds it all amazing and wonderful.

We have been going for lots of walks lately. I park her stroller underneath the dogwoods growing along our neighborhood street and she looks up into the branches with such wonder it just shows all over her body. I wish I had a picture of her expression to share! This evening Shawn and I bent down branches so she get a closer look. She sniffed the flowers and touched the petals so gently with her little eyebrows raised up in an expression of delight and curiosity. Even dandelions yellow or all misty white bring such excitement to her. I always pick her some and put them on her stroller tray. She loves to smell them and holds them out for me to smell with a look that says "See Momma, aren't flowers just amazing?". Watching the milky seeds blow away on my breath is a mystery to her. I will deeply treasure these memories.

Tonight Shawn's blessing prayer for Hannah was that she would never loose her child-like wonder and delight in God's creation. I pray that I will continue to get it back so I may share in and facilitate her discoveries of this amazing world in which God has placed us.

Hannah's view of our Japanese Maple

Did I Mention that Hannah Likes to Climb?

My mother tells stories of me climbing up to the ceiling on the thief bars of the windows of our West African house when I was two. I'm just glad we don't have any theif bars as I'm sure Hannah would be headed in that direction . . . (She just learned to walk a month ago, now there is no stopping her!) :)

After watching her daddy she climbed this ladder all by herself!

Forget typing Mom, this box was made to climb on!

I guess I need to move that blue stool! (Next she tried to climb ontop of the toilet tank!)

After bath gymnastics.

This is my favorite! She just climbed right in the flower pot, managed to straddle her leg over to the next one, sat down and was so proud of herself!

Hannah Around the House

Here are some snapshots from Hannah's every day life! I thought family and friends might enjoy seeing Hannah in her ordinary activities. Our general day revolves around meals, all kinds of play and attempting a few household chores-- the typical delights of every stay-at-home mom, I'm sure.

Hannah Eats:Hannah loves to try and feed herself. It is always an adventure! This "neat freak" mom is certainly learning a lot of flexibility and patience with kale and cereal being flung onto curtains, smeared into hair, and food laden baby spoons tossed onto the floor. However, if Hannah will actually eat then anything is worth it!

Hannah Plays:

Digging and meandering around our patio has be Hannah's top activity of choice now. She will stand here and dig and play with a little bowl of water I put in one of the flower pots for sometimes up to twenty minutes! She is, as always, very serious about her "work".

Hannah's little friend, the frog. :)

"I just love being outside and getting my hands dirty!"

Reading books is probably Hannah's second favorite past-time. She will sit turning through the pages by herself and labeling everything she can, but especially likes snuggling up in your lap with as many books as you have time to read to her! (Yes she actually likes sitting on our laps now to read! Yeah!)

Hannah has a new found love of small spaces. She finds spaces between furniture and walls and loves to squeeze in and then peek out at you with a little smile. She really likes climbing into this closet!

Hannah Helps:

Hannah adores the fridge. This is actually a hindrance more than a help. :) I am getting very good at opening the fridge the tinniest amount possible in order to retrieve what I need and then quickly shutting it (without pinching any little fingers) before Hannah (who has become lightening fast especially when a cold, colorful adventure land beckons) manages to squeeze herself between me and the door and start exploring. When she does make it before I get the door shut, she stands there and says "brrrr" with the biggest smile on her face. She loves to pat the shelves and touch everything she can reach! Inevitably her fridge adventures end with a burst of frustration and tears as I do have to eventually shut the door. She is getting more tolerant now of her exploration ending as I have made up a little song to say goodbye to the fridge to help ease her disappointment. :)

Hannah actually is a big helper with the laundry. She enjoys transferring things from one container to another so taking the clothes out of the dryer and putting them into the laundry basket is loads of fun! She also helps take all the clothes out of the laundry basket once we have carried them upstairs and then climbs in and out of the basket while I fold and hang up clothes!

"Hmmmm. What shall I get next?"

"How about this sock, Mom?"

Well, Hannah's awake from her nap now so I'm off for more reading and playing and toddler adventures!

Easter Weekend/Grandma and Grandpa's Visit

We were so lucky to spend our Easter weekend with Shawn's parents-- Grandma and Grandpa. I was very thankful that they could come and visit us! We haven't seen them since Thanksgiving and Hannah has changed so much since then I was anxious to share all her new developments with them. We had a wonderful and very full time with them! Saturday we went to the Easter egg hunt at our church, Otter Creek, Sunday we went to church with Grandma then enjoyed a yummy roast dinner for Easter dinner (as well as having an early celebration of Shawn's birthday), and then on Monday we topped it all off by going to the zoo-- even though it was snowing!

Grandma with her festive necklace, and Hannah wearing her new spring outfit that Babu got her at Christmas.

Showing Mommy a dandelion flower.

Though Hannah enjoyed putting a few eggs in her basket, mostly she enjoyed using her new found finesse in walking to explore, explore, explore. She walked all around the big field to practically all four corners with whomever would go with her-- mainly her daddy, of course. That is, after all where she gets this insatiable drive to explore!

For more pictures of Hannah's Easter Egg hunt adventures please check the Norman's blog, (Hannah's friend, Elijah.) They have posted some great pictures under the title "The Not-So-Nice Easter Egg Hunt."

After the egg hunt we spent some time on the playground. I think Hannah wore her Grandma out with swinging! Hannah just couldn't get enough!

Hannah says "I just want to be big! Let me on the big kid's side! Pleeeease!" She kept trying to climb the fence as it just looked like so much fun over there!

This was the main activity of the weekend! "Bouncy Bouncy Balley, Dribbledy, Drabildy, Whoopsey-yeah!" Grandma and Hannah had so much fun playing ball together, and Grandma knew such a cute and fun song to sing along as she taught Hannah how to bounce a ball! Hannah was a quick learner and now she bounces and chases the ball all around our kitchen!

Of course reading books was another favorite way of getting to know Grandma and Grandpa. Here Hannah and Grandpa are "mooing" together as Hannah shares one of her favorite books "What do You Say?" by Mandy Stanley with her new found friend, Grandpa.

Hannah shows off her squat/bounce dance move to Grandpa as she plays her piano.


Sharing Easter smiles.

Hannah and Grandma working together with Duplos. They were pretty much as inseparable as Duplos during the whole weekend! :)

All bundled up for our zoo adventures!

Hannah has been fascinated with pictures of goats lately in several of her books so it was great fun to get to share with her a real live goat! She even got brave enough to pet one!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for such a special Easter weekend. We love you and miss you!