.Alathea Joy.

Anyone who knows Alathea at all knows that she is a complete JOY most of the time- but, as I've often joked about, her highs are really high (she's really happy), but her lows are really low (like the whole world is falling apart) and they both can exist in the same 2 minute period...what a girl :) The pictures above & below can demonstrate- my sisters friend Kristen took them the same afternoon (www.kristenleighphotography.blogspot.com)

This is how you'd find Alathea playing- cooking Bunny food in her kitchen (above), putting her baby down for a nap (and be careful, she'll get quite upset if you walk into the room after baby is asleep (gee, I wonder where she got that from :) (below)

I thought I'd do a little update on my biggest girl.  Alathea is now 2 1/2 years old! I can't believe in less than 6 months I will have a 3 year old! She has really grown up these past 7 months that she has been a big sister. I'm amazed looking back at pictures on her 2nd b-day (just 3 days after Abi was born) and how young she looks- it almost looks like I had two babies. But now she seems so grown up. She enjoys helping me and mothering Abigail. Its wonderful, but sometimes she carries it too far, like today when I caught her spanking her little sister. Abigail had this quizzical look on her face as I walked around the corner and discovered Alathea in the act. When I asked her what she was doing, she said Abigail didn't obey "all the way, right away, the cheerful way"  as if I should totally understand :) We had a little talk, and I trust she knows not to do that again, but it gives you a little glimpse into Alathea's personality. 

Alathea hasn't grown a ton this year, she's still a peanut, weighing only 2 pounds more than her 7 month old cousin. And I'm sure not much more than Abigail. We've actually started buying the same size diapers for them both (yep, not potty trained yet, but I'm at least thinking about it). 

The biggest change in Alathea is how much she talks and you can understand. She'll still tell stories that go on and on, complete with her laughing hysterically at herself as she tells it, while Joe & I have NO idea what she's talking about. But for the most part she's starting to speak English. She loves to sing and now knows all the words to the  Gospel song and is pretty proud of it. 

The girls have their own special way of communicating to each other through raspberries and the like. Its so cute. They have huge smiles and laugh the whole time. The sweetest thing is hearing the two of them "talking" in the morning before I get them. Abigail usually wakes up first and "talks" and then I hear Alathea say, "Is that MY Abi!" Then for a few minutes I just listen to them "talk" to each other across the hall and smile and listen.

Alathea has also been a great sport adjusting to the new schedule that a little sister brings. We can't go to the park or friends houses or anywhere until Abigail wakes up from her nap. She must hear it alot from me, because tonight we were looking at pictures on the computer and everything she saw she'd get excited and say, "Yay-Yay like the beach, Mommy!  Yay-yay go to beach after Abi's nap? Oh, Yay-Yay like pumpkin patch! Yay-yay go to pumpkin patch after Abi's nap? Yay-yay like park. Go to park after Abi's nap?" 

And the biggest "new" thing is that since Labor Day Alathea has been sleeping in her big girl bed! The first few days it took a few hours until she finally fell asleep, but now she's doing great. Its been fun being able to lay in bed and read stories with her at night. Sometimes the whole family is in the little twin bed. The crib is still in the room too- but for now Abigail is in a pack n play in the office. One step at a time. Eventually the hope is that they'll share the room.

Anyways, thats a lot of writing :) I am a blessed woman to have these sweet little girls!