One month old

This has been a very healing month for our family, having welcomed Willow safely into this world; our sweet baby girl is finally in our arms to love and snuggle. It's also been bittersweet. When your four year old enthusiastically says, "isn't it so great that Willow didn't die when she was born?!?!" And your seven year old announces how much she enjoys having a baby sister *who lives*, we all miss our baby Simone a little extra.

Willow gets so many snuggles from both Gabriela and Easton. They always want to love on her. Gabriela is learning how to settle down a fussy baby, and Easton is convinced that Willow stops crying when she sees him or hears his voice. 

Willow and the rest of her family are so lucky that Lane was able to stay home with us for three whole weeks. She had a lot of Daddy Moby time during those three weeks. 

This baby sleeps a lot, much to Gabriela's dismay. In three weeks, Willow grew two whole inches! She is a champion nurser. and doesn't really cry at night. 

Willow has had some fussy days though. We think it's because she's gassy. I got some gripe water for her, and she seems to be doing better. Her favorite though is being wrapped in the moby or a sling. She will sleep for hours all tucked in tight next to mama or daddy. 

Willow has given us a few awake smiles, but most of her smiles have happened while she's been sleeping. She even giggles in her sleep, which is strange, since she doesn't giggle or laugh when she's awake yet. But we can't wait to see that!

At her two week pediatrician visit we were referred to a cardiologist because they think she has a slight heart murmur.

After an EKG, and an ultrasound in which they captured more than 70 images of her sweet heart, the pediatric cardiologist  confirmed that Willow has a tiny hole in her heart. He believes it may close up in the next six to twelve months. But, even if it never closes, it's so tiny that she wouldn't ever need medication or surgery for it, and it would have no impact on her physical activity or quality of life. So we are very grateful for that. 

In addition to being our tiniest baby yet (at two weeks, she had Easton's birth weight), and having the most hair, Willow also has the lightest eyes. Right now, they look almost blue. They are definitely lighter than our other kids' eyes, but of course we know her final eye color won't show for another few months. Lane says her eyes will be brown, but I'm wondering if she will surprise us. We have also spotted some dimples on this girl, just like her brother and sister's dimples. Her toes are so long. In fact, her second toes are mich longer than her big toes. 

Willow is enjoying her hand me downs from Simone. Auntie Kristie sewed this adorable dress for Simone, and we love seeing Willow in it.

Willow Virginia, you have given our hearts so much joy. We love you to pieces, sweet baby girl. 

Easton turns four.

Thursday was Easton's fourth birthday. My big boy awoke to his family singing Happy Birthday to him. He couldn't believe he was finally four! No more three and three quarters, but four!  He opened some presents right from the bed. Nana and Papa sent him an Easton ball glove and some baseballs, we gave him a set of Tinker Toys, but the most exciting gift, by far for Gabriela and Easton, and let's be honest, Lane too was Easton's nerf gun from Auntie Adie and family. 

I took Willow to a doctor appointment, Lane dropped Gabriela off at Chess class, and then took Easton for a birthday daddy doughnut date. 

While gabriela was at cooking class, we made Easton's birthday cupcakes and pizza dough because that was our birthday boy's special request: pizza with those little circles and a cupcake beside it. 

Then Lane took the kids to the library to see a presentation on bats with live bats. Easton was so excited. Weal wive bats!

We watched a movie, enjoyed delicious pizza, and sang happy birthday again, this time with chocolate cake!

I can't believe my little guy is so big. He loves Star Wars still, zooming around on his bike, making potions outside, doing Harry Potter spells with his sister, and playing train tracks. 

Easton loves his tie dye shirts, his pink cowboy boots. His favorite friends are Zace, Hudson, Tucker, Beck, and Ezra. Easton doesn't really care for eating. But he does love fruit, especially bananas and pomegranates, pesto, and mac and cheese. He loves to write words and letters down, and is starting to recognize certain words in writing. Easton can often be found with a pile of books. Right now, he's on a Magic Treehouse kick. He also has been requesting to do his own school work and sat down to do a whole section of phonics in one night. 

Easton is turning into quite the chess player. He sets up the board perfectly, without any help. He "castles" his king, tries to explain why he's put you in check make, he recites chess rules from Gabriela's class, but has no idea how to move pieces. In fact, every piece he moves results in the other player losing a piece. It's pretty funny. I love that he's so into it. 

Easton is surprising us with how warmly he has welcomed his big brother role. He constantly asks to snuggle Willow, he always wants to hold her and love on her. Easton  is so excited when he helps settle down Willow, and announces that she stopped crying because she saw her big brother. And he's so protective. If anyone is having questionable behavior, he shouts, "be careful with my baby sitzter!"

Easton, my sweet, loving, tender hearted, boy... (Except when it's time to eat dinner or brush teeth). He is such a happy soul, he wants to be all grown up, but he's still my snuggle bug and I just love him. 

Happy birthday, Sweet Easton. I'm so happy you are ours. 

Here he is, where he watches scary parts of movies.