Happy Father's Day.

It is hard to believe this is the fifth Father's Day we've celebrated. And, all that has happened in those years. We've experienced three pregnancies, the burial of our sleepy little angel daughter, the laughter of one sassy little princess, kisses from one roly poly snugglebug, buying our first house, getting married, many job changes for me, many promotions and a graduation for Bill, years of sobriety, and all of the little (and large) bits of life in between. And, through it all, Bill has been energetic, loving, and careful with my heart. And more heartbreakingly beautiful than I could have ever imagined, is seeing Bill with the girls. The way his heart is so full with them, the way he sometimes cries (sorry, buddy) when he catches them in moments of astounding beauty, and how perfect they are in his eyes - all those things make me so proud.

We love you so much, Daddy.

I just knew it...

Eleanor has always had a great vocabulary. Like, amazing. She started talking very early (she said "dog" around eight or nine months and moved on from there) and knows as many words as anyone I know. But, her sentence formation hasn't gone quite as quickly. Or in the normal way. I've said this before, but she doesn't really do as much repetition as I'd imagined she would. (Of course, she says things, "I want it. I don't want it. I want to. Don't want to. Play outside." Etc. I told Bill I thought any day she'd start sentences like crazy. Lately, as her vocabulary reached a pinnacle (as in, she knew ALL the words), there was only one choice - start really using them together. And, in great ways. Here are some highlights.

"Mommy...(pause)...Monsters scare me. Mommy...(pause)...big trucks scare me, too. Oh fast. Mommy, Jackson loves big trucks. Not scared. I love Jackson."

"Mommy...You funny feet. Me sock two feet. Two feet. Two socks."

"Want chocolate milk. Me. In cup. With top."

"Want more lotion my hands two."

Eleanor just told me to take a nap, sang a song, and shut me in the bedroom. She is still singing. Now, she just "checked on" me. Apparently, I am still sufficiently napping, because she is gone again. Oh, "More chocolate milk please." Because "It's gone." My "nap" is over.

It's too easy to forget...

...that these moments are finite. Josephine is lying here next to me, snuggled up. She is quiet and calm and so very much a baby. But, soon, she will grow and change and her personality will gather steam. I will love those moments, but you can be sure I will miss her smooth baby skin, her steady gaze, and her soft noises. Because babies just don't keep.

Not that you asked...

...but do you remember this post? I was so proud of what looks like about nine bottles of breast milk in my freezer. And, for good reason. With Eleanor, I was never able to freeze a single bottle. But, we've got a bit of a situation right now. This is my freezer today. With close to 100 10-12oz. bottles of breast milk, it is a whole different ball of wax. Good thing we are too broke for frozen food. :o) (Except for that bucket, which is ice cream, haha.)

Cereal Schmereal.