Amid the craziness...

There are moments like this (Gwen waking up from a nap)...

Life with two is even better than I imagined it would be. Gwen is currently at such an easy age (though our days are numbered!) because she's sitting and content to play happily, watch William, giggle at the dog and her (apparently very goofy) parents, BUT she is not yet mobile, so it's very easy to keep and eye on her and keep her safe. She's starting to rock forward to reach for things, and does a cute frog-like movement with her little folded legs (will have to catch this on video, it's hard to explain), so I would guess that she'll be crawling within a month. She is 7 months and 1 week old, and William crawled a bit after 8 months.

In any case, lately we are just in a great groove and I feel so lucky. We have busy days and I wouldn't have it any other way. On non-preschool days we always make a morning outing (library, a park, etc.). One day this past week my two little buddies and I went to the Children's Lake in Boiling Springs, where Gwen and I sat on a blanket, watching the dogwood blossoms blow off of trees and flutter down like snowflakes, while William found a suitable stick and dug in the mud "for centipedes and worms." That day was so beautiful out - and we actually got packed up in the car, headed out but not having a destination in mind. Yesterday we went to LeTort Park here in Carlisle armed with bread to feed the ducks. This turned out to be especially fun, even though we've done it before, because there were several separate duck families with lines of tiny ducklings bobbing along behind their mothers in the water. William kept squealing about the "wittle cuties!" We came home for lunch, and after naptime (BOTH KIDS SLEPT AT THE SAME TIME!) we built a fort in the backyard with some huge boxes I had from a shipment of frames for a client. We got out tempera paint and decorated the fort, which William quickly decided was, in fact, a dog house, to go along with his imaginary play du jour of Pound Puppies. When Daddy came home from studying for the day, we had dinner together and afterwards walked down the street to Rita's for some Italian Ice. 

Of course there are epic toddler tantrums, screaming baby episodes, exploding diapers, and the logistics of grocery shopping, post office runs, bank trips and other daily errands with two in tow, but - my goodness. Lately everything seems to have fallen into place. Gwen has fit into our family so easily. It seems like I hear people say this a lot, and it's becoming a bit rote, but I really can't remember what it was like before she was here with us. 

I had a record-setting month in April with photography and am so proud and happy to report that I am actually making MORE than I was at my recruiting company office job in Austin, WHILE getting to stay home with the kids. I don't love working on weekends, but we make it work with a LOT of help from both the Grims and the McCombies. I edit at night while the kids are in bed, or on those rare and glorious afternoons when they both nap simultaneously.

I have had plans of eventually printing this blog (all 4-ish years worth, so far!) in a blog book. It's kind of become a journal of our lives ever since we were expecting William. I don't want to forget the little things like  our daily routine, and am trying to take photos of everyday life... I don't want to only have photos of the kids dressed perfectly for holidays or other big events. I know I really love seeing pictures from my childhood of what our houses looked like, what my parents looked like when they were 25, or 30... and hope William and Gwennie will like to see these someday.

Here are some recent ones of our little lovies. Nothing technically special, but very special to me.

And with that, we're off to Camp Hill, the SUV packed with 9 frames and prints to deliver... just have to pack up my two little assistants, too!