A Whole Lotta Happy

We went to the State Fair last Monday. As you can see from the photos, everyone had a great time.

My 3 favorite memores of the fair are:

1. Jacqueline and Sophie dancing, giggling and screaming with excitement when we went into the animal barn. They thought it was really cool being that close to the cows, donkeys, goats, chicks, and horses.

2. Watching J&S eat their first corndog. Yes, we broke down and let them eat fried food. As Shannon said, "at least it has some vegetable matter." At least it wasn't fried butter! For the record, Shannon had a corndog too. I had a Polish sausage.

3. The painting of the teddy bear done by rubber stamping was beautiful.

Mom & Jacqueline looking at chickens...our 1st stop at the fair.

Examining the corndog closely. She ate the whole thing.

Jacqueline enjoying her lunch

Looking intently at the "oreo" cow

Pirate Sophie Pig Tails!

Pirate Jacqueline the Lover!

Exhausted kids at nap time. Sophie never napped until the ride home.

Listening to bluegrass music. There was much dancing

Sharing Dad's ice cream.

Dinner at Federals..."I'll have the Vegetable Risotto, please"

"Me too!"

Old North Durham Block Party - 2009

Shannon w/ Justin, Monika, Maria and Alex

Trying to light the heater

Saturday evening was the Old North Durham Neighborhood annual block party. It was a little chilly, but the camaraderie, good food, and a little beer provided plenty of warmth. Everyone had a great time. Jacqueline and Sophie enjoyed pushing their strollers and playing with other neighborhood kids.

Old North Durham rocks!

Trip to the Museum of Life and Science #1 and #2

This first photo is just a silly shot of Sophie.

Jacqueline playing in the kitchen at the Museum of Life and Science.

Sophie on the indoor playground getting ready to go down the slide. Museum of Life and Science.

While watching the girls last week, we went to the Museum of Life and Science two days in a row. The first day was a planned outing and we were there for several hours. The second day was a quick stop after story-time at the North Durham Library to kill an hour before lunch.

Shannon thinks I'm crazy by going so often. She thinks the girls and I would get bored. I disagree. Anything fun with J&S is entertaining. They always do something different.

For example, on Day 1 they spent a lot of time on the indoor slide and in the play kitchen. See photos. The second day was playing with the wall of doors with different types of latches and drawing on the chalkboard.

And those activities are only the smallest pieces of the Museum.

Tough Job

I have a new respect for "stay-at-home" Moms.

Shannon's back is bugging her so I've stayed home the last 2 days. Caring for Jacqueline and Sophie has been my sole responsibility. Shannon has stayed in her chair the entire time, so its not like other "Daddy Days" when she does help some.

Feeding, clothing, diapering, playing with, occupying, discliplining, and any other "-ing" 2 toddlers is tough work.

I have to admit we had our first "big" accident yesterday while I was in charge. Jacqueline took a tumble down the bottom half of the stairs yesterday afternoon. She got distracted by Sophie while walking down. She lost her concentration, turned her head to look at Sophie, lost her balance, and her hand fell out of mine. She bounced 3 times (I remember...it all happened in slow motion) on her back and shoulders. Fortunately, her head and neck were fine. She was scared, but was back to normal in about 20 minutes. Kids are tough!

So, KUDOS to Mom's around the world. Sit back and have a glass of wine, or a back rub or a massage, or all the above....you deserve it!

Very Close Up

Kootenai Falls, Montana

Nice photo after hard day work in Montana

(Taken August, 2009)

Aaahhhh.....Monday

Four random thoughts as to why many people don't like Monday!

1. I overslept again. I need to start waking up on time. As punishment, I got to experience #2.

2. My normal 15 minute drive to work this morning took 35 minutes. All the RR crossings in downtown Durham were malfunctioning: barriers were down and would not go up. I sat at the Mangum crossing for 10 minutes. Once finally getting turned around (thanks to a nice person who let me back-up) and driving on a road (Ramseur/Pettigrew) parallel to the tracks, the next 3 crossings were blocked too. I finally backtracked to Hwy 98 and went out Hwy70 to Bethesda to work.

3. Scary sight but maybe not surprising......I saw EMTs carrying someone on a stretcher out of the Hardees on Hwy 54. Is it just bad food at that restaurant or over-indulging in 6-dollar, Angus burgers?

4. My colleagues and I were blindsided by a longtime partner this afternoon. The company decided they did not want to be part of our highly successful team when the contract is re-bid this winter.

Family Update

Summer is winding down (at least it feels like it) so I'd better document Sophie & Jacqueline's new endearing (& not so endearing) traits. Several people tell me that they are 18 and going to college before you know it. Trust me, I believe them.

In general news, we signed them up for pre-school. They will attend the one around the corner from our house (at Calvary UMC) one day a week to start. School starts a week from Tuesday. The pre-school only had 1 open slot, so they will alternate until a child moves up to the toddler room. We attended the open-house on Saturday morning. I think they will be fine. They loved the toys in the room and liked the teacher. They also should benefit from being with other kids and away from their sibling for a while. Mom will enjoy the break too (running errands, not relaxing).

Jacqueline's "likes" and "dislikes" and other general musings.

1. She loves to dance. Dancing is shaking her head and wiggling her body. She also learned to clap when I song ends. She enjoyed the bluegrass band at the Farmer's Market last weekend. In a similar vein, she likes to wander in circles. Sophie will play with toys forever; Jacqueline gets bored quickly and just wanders.
2. She does not like obstacles she can't figure out. She is quick to show a flash of temper when she gets frustrated, usually exhibited as a loud, ear shattering, high pitched scream.
3. Her new thing is to push large objects around. The learning table and her princess scooter are her two favorites. I think someone is going to enjoy re-arranging furniture.
4. She is learning to not let Sophie bully her around. She'll even push Sophie out of the way when walking to get where she wants to go.
5. Like Sophie, she has developed an obsessive desire to figure things out. Case in point, Jacqueline spent 20 minutes on Sunday repeatedly climbing into and out of their water/picnic table.

Sophie's "likes" and "dislikes" and other general musings.

1. Sophie doesn't really dislike anything. She's a laid back kid. If anything, she doesn't like nap time because she can't be exploring.
2. Sophie really likes slides. Big smiles and giggles when she reaches the bottom. The pre-school has one so I know she will be happy. We may have to get one for home.
3. She still obsesses, maybe a little too much, trying to master skills and learning how toys work. Stairs are still particularly fascinating.
4. She has become a little goofball/show-off when she wants attention. Cute sometimes, but not when she's supposed to be eating dinner. We'll see where this goes.
5. Sophie is Mom's little helper. You can count on Sophie to pick up any object off the floor and bring it to you. She also is starting to understand verbal commands, like "get Mommy's shoe." (Ok...that last sentence sounds like I'm discussing a dog...)

New Photos

Select photos from our trip to PA are in the slideshow. Enjoy!

Trouble Makers!

Tweedle: R.I.P

Tweedle Thornburg

October, 2003 (est.) - August 23, 2009

Sad news to report.

Tweedle died unexpectedly on Sunday.

About 5 AM on Sunday morning, I put Tweedle outside so Shannon and I could get a little more sleep after a long drive back from Philadelphia. He did not come to the door for breakfast. After Tweedle did not show for dinner, we started to get worried. Raven and I walked the neighborhood after putting J&S to bed. I found Tweedle lying along the bushes between Charlie & Ida's house and the apartments. Our best guess is that Tweedle ate some rat poison at or near the apartments. He was physically intact. It was clear Tweedle was not hit by a car or mauled by a dog.

Tweedle is buried in our backyard next to Pie.

Tweedle transformed from a skittish, feral cat into one of the sweetest cats I've known. Whenever we came home, he was always sitting on the island waiting to greet us. He was loving and patient with J&S, allowing them to pat and pull his fur.

It's hard to believe Tweedle was part of our family for almost 5 years; probably because we expected to Tweedle be around for many more years. We lured him inside in November, 2004. When all the adoption agencies said he could not be adopted because he was feral, we kept him rather than put him back on the street. His death yesterday is a shock because we were expecting Tweedle to grow with J&S and fill all our lives with joy for a long, long time.

We love you Tweedle. We will miss you.

Jon, Shannon, Sophie, Jacqueline, Raz, and Raven

"Terrible" 14 Months?

Everyone has heard of the "Terrible Two's", but what about the "Terrible 14 Months?"

Talking with Shannon last night, she mentioned Sophie has started throwing temper tantrums. Not just crying when she doesn't get her way. We are talking about the full, all out on the floor, banging hands, kicking legs, screaming, crying temper tantrum. I have a cell phone picture, but it is not very good. I'll ask Shannon to get a better picture.

Seems a little early for Sophie to act this way, but who knows? I am not a child psychologist. Maybe my little girl is maturing fast.

Needless to say, Shannon and her parents try mighty hard not to burst out laughing when Sophie throws her tantrums. They also are trying to teach Sophie not to get frustrated when she doesn't get her way. Sophie has always been a little obstinate and ornery...just like a Thornburg.

A side note to embarras Doc......he threw some pretty good tantrums when younger. I remember one tantrum at the Thornburg farmhouse where he screamed and cried right in the middle of the living room floor for a good 20 minutes before eventually falling asleep. (I guess tantrums are exhausting.) Mom, Dad, and everyone else ignored him the entire time. Most likely we continued talking and playing cards.

Home Alone

So I have been home alone since Saturday night when I returned from Cleveland. Shannon, the girls, and Raven went to PA for a few weeks to escape the heat.

Yes, it is lonely without the ladies in the house. (I do have Raz and Tweedle and I do talk to them, but it is not the same.) However, I am managing to keep myself busy. So what have I been doing?? Here is an abbreviated list.

Saturday Night: Q-Shack for dinner then bed....I was exhausted.
Sunday: Worked in the office most of the day. Went to the Bulls game with Mark and Amy.
Monday Night: Went to Bulls game with a colleague from work...he had an extra ticket.
Tuesday Night: Actually stayed home! Watched a movie and read some.
Tonight: Working on a proposal and typing this blog.

I lead an exciting life, don't I?

How I Spent My Friday Night

Fixing the leak on refrigerator/freezer.......

The joys of home ownership!

10 Topics

10 Things I Like Talking About....

1. Beer
2. Sophie & Jacqueline
3. Current events
4. Corporate management do's and don'ts
5. Baseball
6. Proposal development
7. Books recently read
8. Shannon...preferably talking to her
9. Interesting problems or puzzles
10. Bull City politics

Answers

1. Cheese-aholic? Sophie

2. Food-aholic? Jacqueline...she eats anything!

3. Cruise-aholic? Sophie

4. Smile-aholic? Jacqueline

5. Stairs-aholic? Sophie

6. Fruit-aholic? Jacqueline and Sophie

Aholics

New game today......

Jacqueline and Sophie are addicted to certain activities. We tease that they are "-aholics" because of the repetitive nature of their activities as they learn.

Can you guess who is the "aholic"? Note, some answers may be both Jacqueline and Sophie.

1. Cheese-aholic?
2. Food-aholic?
3. Cruise-aholic?
4. Smile-aholic?
5. Stairs-aholic?
6. Fruit-aholic?

Sophie Milestone

Sophie walking across the kitchen floor to Mom!See Jacqueline clapping and cheering her sister on!?!?!

Video coming soon!

Sophie & Jacqueline are 1 Year Old Today!

Technically, not until 6:22 and 6:25 PM tonight. But what is a few hours?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRLS!!!!

10 Things

Long time, no post. Yes we are alive.

Between raising 2 increasingly active little girls, the joys of long overdue house projects, and Jon's insane work schedule there has been little time or energy to post.

For once, I actually have a few minutes while waiting for a colleague to comment on a document.

To provide everyone an update, here is another "10 Things" list.....I know everyone loves them!

10 THINGS ABOUT JACQUELINE

1. She has 5 teeth, all at different heights.

2. Combine the teeth with her crazy, wild hair....she would be a great witch at Halloween!

3. She likes to suck the juice out of raisins then spit out the husk.

4. She is an expert at drinking from her sippy cup.

5. Dad or Mom can't have a beer without Jacqueline wanting to "taste" some.

6. She LOVES Raven!

7. Combine her love of Raven, Raz, and Tweedle with her highly developed fine motor skills......I think she'll be an animal surgeon when she grows up.

8. She still shows no interest in rolling over or pulling herself into a sitting or standing position, but we know she can....we have seen her do it.....she just doesn't want to all the time.

9. She is getting better at cruising everyday.

10. When fingerwalking, she is a Speed Demon! Track star in the making!

10 THINGS ABOUT SOPHIE

1. She has thick, silky hair. She didn't inherit that from Mom or Dad!

2. She developed an extreme aversion to baths in the last 2 weeks.

3. Cruising is her thing.

4. She can crawl up the stairs (with Mom or Dad behind her, of course).

5. She waves "hi" or "bye"....inconsistently, but she can do it in context.

6. You can't eat in front of her without sharing.

7. She is a bulldozer......she crawls over everything and anything that is in her way.

8. Peek-a-boo is her favorite game.

9. Her molars are starting to drop....we now know what parents mean when they say "teething was not bad until the molars..."!

10. She helps get herself undressed.

Christening

Sophie and Jacqueline were baptized 2 weeks ago. All grandparents, Aunt Amy & Uncle Mark, and Uncle Doc & Aunt Analee + cousins Kendall and Holly attended. Our friends Jim and Nicolle are their god-parents. They were on vacation together, so his Mom (Arlene) and brother (Jason) were proxies.

Here are some pictues:

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Love,

Jacqueline, Sophie, Jon, Shannon, Raven, Raz, & Tweedle

A Beautiful Spring Day

The weather last weekend was gorgeous. Here are some photos of the family playing in front yard. Aunt Amy came over one afternoon too. Good times all around! This Easter weekend will be fun too! Spring is such a wonderful time of year!

Doc Enjoying a Coors

Here is the link to the photo mentioned in the previous blog.

http://docgrinch.blogspot.com/2009/03/coors-original-goes-down-smooth.html

We'll try to get a scanned version posted soon.

If you read the comments from the "Dad's Favorite Beer" post, Doc raised an interesting question.

What will our kids think of our habits? Jacqueline & Sophie will probably think that "Dad did not have a favorite beer"....because I drink so many different varieties.

p.s. Jacqueline loves nothing better than wrapping her lips (and sore gums) on a nice, cold beer bottle.

Dad's Favorite Beer

In case you don't subscribe, All About Beer magazine has a story on Dad's favorite beer. Readers were asked to submit brief anecdotes of their Dad's beer drinking habits. Also included was a list of all the beers that readers submitted. I'd heard of many, but a lot were local brews that, unfortunately, have stopped production.

I missed the submission deadline because I heard about it too late. So, here is my blog submission.

Dad's tradition (like most stories in the article) was to come home from work and immediately swing by the fridge to grab a beer before going to change clothes. That beer would be empty by the time he was changed. His second beer accompanied dinner or was consumed while grilling (usually on weekends). If I remember correctly, his third beer was optional on weeknights but almost always drunk on weekends.

Dad's favorites (unlike many other Dads) seemed to vary over the years. Dad has told stories of drinking PBR and Schlitz in the 60's. Coors was the favorite in the 70's. I distinctly remember Dad and Grandpa sitting in the garage at the farmhouse drinking Coors (probably hauled from California) and playing cards. Stroh's was the beer of the 80's, although I remember Dad consuming other brands occasionally. The other brands must have been "on sale." All these beers were canned; he never drank from bottles.

Somewhere along the way, maybe while on business travel, Dad started drinking imports. English and Irish beers seemed to be a favorite, especially Guinness (and remains so to this day). Dad contributed heavily to my beer bottle collection I accumulated in high school. My guess is Dad's fondness for imports led to his enjoyment of craft brews that became popular in the 90's.

Today, his house is always stocked with Yuengling, Guinness, Mendocino Brewing Co. beer (when on sale), and Corona (although I think that is for Mom). Carolina Brewery is another favorite, only available in growlers or 5 gal kegs. Dad will have to build his keg-erator so he can have a continual stash. That would get me over to their house a lot more...=). I don't remember Dad ever drinking Bud and Miller products.

My most vivid memory actually revolves around Doc and Dad. As a toddler, Doc would follow Dad around the house hoping for the "last sip." Dad almost always gave his almost empty can to Doc. There is a famous family photo of Doc sitting on the couch, head tilted all the way back with a Coors can to his lips, making sure he got the last drop.

If anyone has that picture, please scan it and share with everyone.

Nice Photo

Another Empty Bottle

I finished the last finger of a scotch bottle the other night. Glenmorangie 12 Yr Port Wood Finish. Doc gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago.

Like all the scotch I've enjoyed, I drank this one slowly. A little here and there when I was in the mood for something easy on the senses. I also learned something new with this bottle. Sometimes a drop or two of water to release the aromas and flavors is needed. That's how I drank the last half. Doing so really opened the chocolate and mint flavors.

Now, it's time to move on to something new. Good think Dad is bringing me another bottle of something when he and Mom return from Florida.

More Developments

Another day of developments by Sophie and Jacqueline. They are growing FAST!!!

This morning S&J and I were playing catch with a ball. We were throwing it back and forth to each other. Sophie was better than Jacqueline; better gross motor skills. (Jacqueline has better fine motor skills....she can pick-up the smallest crumb off her high chair....but I digress.) Sophie definitely is left-handed. Jacqueline is right-handed. Sophie laughed and giggled the entire time we played catch.

This afternoon, while Jacqueline and Dad were napping, Sophie pulled herself into a standing position. Sophie is still a little wobbly once she's up. Her milk gut is too big! We just tried to have Jacqueline pull herself up....no luck. If put place her in a cruising position, though, she is very steady on her feet.

Time to get back to the family.......

An Old Family Fave Has Made It To Durham

I stopped by Sam's today to pick-up a few 6 packs. While there, I saw one of the Thornburg-Burling clan's favorite beers. I had seen it a couple weeks ago at Tyler's, but it had slipped my mind.

Nope....not original Leinie's. I do wish it would come to NC. I guess folks in Wisconsin don't want to share with the rest of us (who could blame them?)!

Fat Tire and the other beers from New Belgium Brewing are now sold in NC.

After reading this post, Amy might make a stop at Sam's before going home.

Fragility

Although I have tons of work to do, I need to take a minute and get something off my chest.

This morning I realized (again) how fragile life is.

Natasha Richardson's death was the start. Later this morning, I learned one of my colleagues died unexpectedly yesterday. Jon Black had been in the hospital for over a week. The doctor's thought it was pancreatitis. The autopsy determined he had terminal, inoperable pancreatic cancer. The cancer had gone undetected.

Jon is my age. He also has two little girls.

As of March 9th, he was healthy. We had a meeting together that afternoon. Ten days later, he is gone.

A sobering thought for a Dad with two little girls.....

Drum Roll Please......

Sophie is now crawling.....

She started Tuesday at Gymboree. She showed me Wednesday evening.

She may only crawl backwards and she moves as fast as a snail, but she is now mobile.

Shannon may suddenly become a lot busier in the next couple weeks!

AIG

The hoopla over the $1 million bonuses paid to certain AIG employees brings to mind the Bare Naked Ladies song "If I had a Million Dollars."

Them: If I had a million dollars, I could barely get by for another year....

Me: If I had a million dollars, I'd be rich.

Milestone

With a roll of drums.....we are proud to announce that.....

Jacqueline now drinks (successfully) from a sippy cup!

GO JACQUELINE!!

She has been successfully placing her pacifier in her mouth for about 2 months. We're glad to see she adapted that ability to the sippy cup. I think she even makes the connection that water-juice is there to drink when she is thirsty.

p.s. For those of you thinking we'd announce Sophie is crawling.....it won't be long......

New Photos

Finally.....new pictures are posted in the slideshow. We hope you enjoy.

More news coming soon!

Firsts....

Could you feel it yesterday?

Spring is coming.....fast.

To celebrate and enjoy the warm weather, we spent as much time out as possible yesterday. We started with a long, leisurely lunch at Federals. Good thing we got there early because the patio was full by 12:30. Sophie and Jacqueline were very popular with our fellow patrons. After the afternoon nap and dinner, we played with Raven in the backyard. During our stroll, we saw our first crocus. We'll see how long it will take Raven to trample it. We finished our day on the front porch. Jacqueline and Sophie played in their exer-saucer and jumperoo. Mom and Dad enjoyed a beer in the rocking chairs. It was nice to chat with our neighbor Doug too.

We feel like we've been isolating ourselves, but we feel that way every year in late winter. Warmer weather means seeing friends and family out and about. So if the weather is nice, stroll by our house cause we should be on the porch. We'd love to chat.

Things I Have Learned #1

This installment is the first in a very occasional series of posts to describe interesting (or not interesting) facts, tidbits and similar items I have learned from family and friends. So, without further adieu......

This tidbit is courtesy of Nathaniel (aka Doc).

Did you know that filling your soda cup with 95% diet Pepsi and 5% Dr. Pepper (fully loaded, not diet) makes your drink taste like Dr. Pepper without all the calories? I do this whenever I'm at a self-serve soda fountain (like today at the RTI cafeteria) and diet Pepsi and Dr. Pepper are available. Delicious! Unfortunately, the trick does not seem to work as well with diet Coke.

Giggling Jacqueline with Smiling Sophie

Jabbering Jacqueline (with Commentary by Sophie)

News Supplement

Oops. I forgot one big piece of news. I didn't realize I forgot until I downloaded the camera this evening.

Sophie & Jacqueline have graduated from the kitchen sink to the bathtub for their baths. Sophie has been splashing enthusiastically for several weeks. Also, since both can sit unassisted it made since to make the move. Tonight was their third bath in the tub and both had a great time playing and splashing. For the first time, Jacqueline and Sophie seemed to play with each other. They were touching each others faces, holding hands, and laughing.

From a parent's perspective, moving to the tub saves a lot of time. Efficiency and time management is key with twins!

The photo below is from their first bath in the tub.

Latest News

Whew…it has been too long since the last entry. The Thornburg clan had a triple whammy of 1) the Holidays and accompanying family activities, 2) Sophie, Jacqueline, Sophie (again), Shannon catching nasty colds, and 3) Jon taking care of sick Mom and babies then working nights and weekends on proposals. So, after a month life is finally getting back to normal (we’ll ignore the fact the Christmas decorations are still up).

We had a wonderful Christmas multiplied by 3. We celebrated early with Grandma & Grandpa Thornburg. Sophie & Jacqueline were most interested in eating the wrapping paper instead of their gifts. We spent a relaxing week in Pennsylvania at Babcia and Dziadek’s house. Tara, Mike and Alina were there too. We took many great photos of all three babies. (Slideshow update is coming soon.) This time, Jacqueline and Sophie started to enjoy unwrapping presents. The only bad part of the trip….Alina gave Sophie a cold for Christmas. Naturally, it was a gift that did not stop giving as everyone but Jon became sick.

We also started Jacqueline and Sophie on solid food over Christmas. Rice cereal is a big hit. Sweet potatoes, acorn squash, avocado, pears, and bananas have become favorites too over the last couple weeks. Cantaloupe is the only food they refuse to eat, although Jacqueline is not a big fan of barley. The baby food maker from Aunt Tara is used daily. Jacqueline and Sophie definitely prefer homemade versus jar food. The downside of solids foods is the messier and stinkier diapers, especially when Sophie isn’t constipated.

After returning home, we had a nice, quiet gift opening. Jacqueline and Sophie finally figured out the joy of unwrapping presents. They were not too interested in the final gift, but they enjoyed ripping paper.

Although we haven’t allowed Jacqueline and Sophie to play with all their gifts yet (saving some for later), they definitely have their favorites of the ones currently out. Probably their two favorite gifts are the “Sing Along Stage” and the “Crocodile Xylophone”. Yes, one major development milestone reached in the last month is both really enjoy banging on things and making noise. Sophie learned the joy of making noise first, but Jacqueline soon followed after she recovered from her cold.

Since learning to bang her toys to make noise, Sophie has lost some of her quiet, cautious demeanor. She is now reaching, grabbing, and pulling everything within reach towards her. She still becomes very focused on her current activity and studies the toy (or whatever) intently. She also sits unassisted all the time and is starting to show interest in crawling. She can do all the correct movements, but she hasn’t mastered combining them into the proper order. If placed in a crawling position by a parent, she can hold herself up but she has not figured out how to move yet. It shouldn’t be too long before she is mobile. And finally the biggest news….Sophie has two teeth! Her bottom two teeth broke through this month.
Jacqueline, actually, was sitting up first. However, her cold set her back a few weeks. This week she re-mastered this skill. It’s funny though that she still doesn’t show any interest in rolling over. We have seen her do it, honest! Every morning she is in the exact same position as the night before. Sophie, on the other hand, could be anywhere and in any position. Since she doesn’t like to roll over, Jacqueline is quickly learning to cruise. She lacks strength to pull herself up and to move on her own, but she can support herself unassisted for a few minutes. We still think she will be walking by 10 months. Jacqueline’s caring nature is becoming more evident too. She loves to caress Mom’s face and hair, pet the cats (especially Tweedle), and laugh at anything Raven does. She is definitely a “people person.” She also is much more talkative. During the last week, she has been jabbering away constantly, experimenting with all sorts of noises.

If you are interested, Mom and Dad are doing fine. We are definitely looking forward to Spring and ability to spend more time outside on weekends. In the meantime, we are starting swim lessons next week. Should be fun and a great photo opportunity! We’ll try to keep everyone updated more frequently.

Yes, We Are Alive!

Jacqueline, Alina, Sophie