I wanna be like Nat :)

My wonderful sister-in-law (otherwise known as another copy of myself, but a million times better), Natalie, has made the resolution to make an entry every day and I've decided to play copy-cat. There are so many wonderful things that happen each day. Luckily, I have been writing some of the cute things down each month and we have the monthly funnies as a result. But that's not even the smallest part of all that goes on, all that these angels teach me, all that I'm learning from my many mistakes and my small successes, all that I feel about this wonderful life I've been given. So it might be small, but I resolve to do my part to let no day go by unrecorded. Life is too wonderful, too short, too full of blessings I simply don't deserve.

So today I feel really huge. Which is not a big surprise since baby Darren will be coming sometime in the next month. Hopefully he will be at least a little early so he won't be quite as big as Ryn. But really, I just want him to come whenever is best for him. Big babies might be harder to deliver, but they have all been so happy and content in their adorable, chunky rolls that my life-after-delivery was always relatively easy.

We're a little worried about Ryn's hearing right now. She has been overly prone to ear infections since she turned 2, but they never put tubes in, thinking that she would grow out of it. She had an ear infection a couple of weeks ago and now she really is not hearing well at all. So we've got an appointment for Friday at the pediatrician and hopefully we'll get in to an ENT soon. Other than not hearing us when we ask her to do something, Ryn is her usual sweet and obedient self. It never ceases to amaze me how she understands the WHY of things immediately and then does her best to follow what she should do. Tonight during family prayer Eden wasn't staying still and, instead of just showing a good example, Ryn tried to explain (in the middle of the prayer) to Eden what she needed to be doing. I told her that she could just keep doing what was right and Eden would watch and, eventually, follow. She thought about that for a minute and then jumped in her bed and pulled up the covers. "Eden, look at me! I'm getting in bed!" Sure enough, Eden climbed into her bed, right next to Ryn's and snuggled up. What a blessing to have her leading our little pack in everything good. I see Elle using the same tone of voice, the same games, the same little tricks to make Eden smile and laugh that Ryn does every day.

Elle is really coming into her own. She has always been extra verbal, super smart and totally unique. I've been loving the sweetness that has been coming out lately. Not that she wasn't sweet before, but now it's in everything she does. On Saturday Kevin was letting me sleep a little later than usual and Elle heard me coughing from the bedroom. She ran into the kitchen, grabbed a cup, filled it with water, and told Kevin, "Mom needs a drink!" Her efforts to love and buddy up with Eden are finally being favorably responded to, which makes my heart sing every time. Before, Eden would usually push her away every time she offered a kiss or a hug or a snuggle. Now, whenever a movie is on, they can be found holding hands, Eden laying with her head on Elle's lap, or Eden sitting on Elle's lap (a little difficult since they're pretty close in size). She is so proud of all that she is learning and of every time she does something to help me, but she still reminds us that she's our little princess (Ryn is the big princess and Eden is the baby princess :) ). That's fine with me. Anything that keeps them from growing up too quickly is great.

Eden is a little spark of pure happiness. Today she was in my bathroom with me as I was getting ready and she was playing the harmonica :). She would play a few notes, stop and smile and ask with her head tilted, "You yike dat song?", then repeat at least 30 times.

She has to be included in everything Ryn and Elle are doing--setting the table, art projects, dancing, dressing up, etc.--and they are so adorable about helping her find a way to participate. (Although Ryn does wait til Eden's nap time to get out her favorite art projects, always asking sweetly, "Mom, is it time for Eden to take a nap?") Seeing her hop/gallop/Snoopy dance around the house with her golden curls bouncing on her shoulders is one of my daily joys. She loves to tell us all what to do, give us unlimited kisses and hugs, sing along at full voice (especially to "I See the Light" from Disney's Tangled and any Primary song), sit on her little green chair and eat "go-bees" (blueberries), and ask us with her firmest voice, "Where's my fa-fa?!" (where's my pacifier)

And Kevin is working hard, taking care of us all, and making us all happy every single day. I love, love, love hearing the girls laugh uncontrollably at all his funny voices, faces, improvised games, surprises, treats and stories. He has done the dishes at least once every day for the past I don't know how long. When I don't have dinner ready by the time he gets home, he just opens the fridge, finds something and starts cooking. When I pick a birthday cake for Ryn that is ridiculously out of my league, he stays up til 2am with me to finish it. Oh, how I love that man.

So, that's it for today. Hopefully I'll be ready to report on Christmas, Ryn's bday, etc, etc, etc. very soon.