Sisters.

Not much to say in this post, other than, aren't my girls the cutest?!? I can't believe I have two daughters. Danielle has just started really smiling at Natalie, and Nat-Nat is such a good big sister, always wanting to kiss her, hug her, and bring her blankets.

Mom's Birthday

The first weekend in May we spent a day at Mom and Dad's house to celebrate Mom's birthday and Mother's Day.  It was a gorgeous spring day and we grilled burgers, ate ice cream cake, and enjoyed the outdoors.  While I wish that Mom and Dad lived in Kalamazoo so we could see them even more often, I feel so lucky that they are only a 45 minute drive away so that we can celebrate milestones and have lots of casual gatherings too. 

Four Generations

I took advantage of my more flexible maternity leave schedule to join my mom on a road trip to Rochester, NY for a few days so that Danielle Joan could meet her Great Grandma Joan! My grandma is one of the most influential women in my life, and it meant a lot to me that she was able to meet her namesake. Mom and I have become really good road trip buddies on these trips to Rochester.  These days when we get together, Nathan and Natalie monopolize most of her attention, so it was a luxury to get her all to myself for some uninterrupted conversation.

Our time in Rochester was not long, but it was just about perfect.  I was struck by how many of the same considerations you need to make when out and about with an infant and an older person with a walker.  Needs to be wheel-friendly, flat, not long waits for tables, not too cold, and we need to end the activity before that evening witching hour when they both start struggling emotionally.  So we did a lot of eating at local favorite restaurants and short visits to the places that my Grandma has loved her whole life.  She is living at an assisted living facility now and can no longer drive, so the real treat of our visits is that she can get out and about around town.

Danielle was a champ for the entire trip! Mostly sleeping on the highway and giving both Grandma and Great Grandma lots of adorable smiles and coos. What a sweet baby.

Love at first sight!

We drove through the countryside along Lake Ontario. Aren't these baby fruit trees lucky with their waterfront orchard?

Irondequoit Bay, just down the street from where my mom grew up. It was in a bit of a gloomy mood that day, but still lovely.

The sun peeked out for a little bit, and we were able to walk along a nice flat sidewalk to see Lake Ontario.

Danielle slept through her first encounter with a great lake. And yes, I think it's funny that she's been to Lake Ontario but not Lake Michigan. The trials and tribulations of a February baby. :)

Nothing makes Simpson women happy like time on the waterfront. 

We were a bit cold and tired after walking along the lake, so we headed back to the hotel lobby for some free coffee and wifi. Mom got out her iPad and Grandma had a blast looking at photos and videos of the great-grandkids. 

I was thrilled that Grandma actually agreed to a little photo shoot of all of us--usually she is extremely resistant to having her photograph taken. This picture of the four generations is one I will treasure always.

Joan and Danielle Joan

Fun with the Appledorns

The day before Easter, the Appledorn family came over for an afternoon of running around in the backyard and burgers on the grill. It had been ages since we had all spent time together, so it was fantastic to catch up. Have I ever mentioned that I wish we were neighbors??

Of course, we had to get all the kiddos together for a photo. Can you handle all this cuteness in one picture?? I think Danielle may have been a little concerned for her safety though. Never fear, this was a closely supervised activity!

Easter 2014

The kids were so excited for Easter this year that they were up at 5:00am! They enjoyed the spoils of their Easter baskets and then kept a watchful eye out the window, spotting the eggs that the Easter Bunny hid around the yard. By the time the sun came up enough for the actual hunt, the kids made quick work of it! :)

After the egg hunt, we went over to Dan and Nancy's house for brunch. Todd's cousin John joined us, which was the first time we had seen him since his return from studying abroad in England for six months. It was a really nice day!

Kentucky Weekend 2014

This year we met for our annual girls' weekend in late March instead of January. Since the 2013 girls' weekend, in our group if eleven women we have had: 5 new babies born, a cancer diagnosis and treatment, the loss of a parent, a parent diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, a cross-country move/new job, and a hundred other victories and challenges. It has been quite the year!!

Our gathering in Kentucky was only 6 of the 11, but having a quieter weekend this year wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as we all arrived a little ragged. :)  Babies who aren't yet mobile are welcome to join the weekend festivities, so this year Gillian's daughter Nora and my peanut Danielle experienced their first girls' weekend. They were both such good babies the whole weekend, and I think they both liked having a few days as only children. 

I am thankful every single day for this group of women in my life. The level of comfort I feel around them, knowing that they love me for who I am, is one I will never take for granted. This year we did the math and realized we have now been friends for half our lives! I'm a lucky lady.

Meeting Uncle Jordan

Todd's paternal grandmother passed away at the end of March. There are so many sad things about a loved one dying, but one of the silver linings is the opportunity to gather with family and friends to celebrate her life. Jordan made the trip back to Michigan for Grandma Fowle's funeral, and was able to spend a few days with our family. This meant that he got to meet Danielle!

2 months old

Here is Danielle's belated 2 month update:

Baby D is such a sweet peanut! For the most part she is an easy-going baby. She is a good nurser, and is getting chubbier by the minute! I love those sweet baby rolls!

The best developmental milestone that Danielle accomplished during her second month is the social smile!!! It amazing how wonderful it feels to have your baby recognize you and respond with a huge gummy grin and sparkling eyes.

Danielle is working hard on finding her fingers, but hasn't gotten there yet. Since a pacifier makes hr angry, her favorite comfort measure (aside from nursing of course) is to suck on my pinky finger. It works like a charm, but means that she requires both hands a lot of the time.

D got a clean bill of physical and developmental health at her 2 month checkup. Here are her stats:

12lb, 7oz (75th percentile)

22.25" long (36th percentile)

15.24" head circumference (62nd percentile)