Noella is 5 months old!

She did not have a doctor appointment this month, so we do not have any formal statistics. Instead, I can report that she is already filling out her 6-9 month wardrobe very well!

Noella is pushing and rolling herself all over, has discovered the joy of shrieking, and seems to be enjoying getting up for the wee hours of the morning. Lately, it seems like a competition at our house to see which girl can get up the earliest. This morning, we were up and ready to go at 5 AM.

Our other big development is the introduction of food, which we decided to start since I can no longer go through a meal without my plate, cup, and food getting snatched. So far she has been fed rice cereal and bananas, and has no hesitation about what to do with them.

A Conversation with Mariel, take 2.
Playing outside by the baby pool, after extensive questioning of the new rules (such as, "Why can't I pour my bucket of water on Noella's head?)
Mariel: Mom, can I put my towel in the water?
Anne: No. That is against the rules. Mommy said no towels in the pool.
Mariel: Oh. (pause) Mom, can you go inside?
Anne: What? Why?
Mariel: That way you can't see when I put the towel in the pool.

An abridged version of conversation today, after dinner:
Patrick: It's bathtime.
Mariel: Please, can I play dress up instead?
(she just got new dress up clothes from Lexi, and she is very excited)
Patrick: Well... 5 minutes. You can play for 5 minutes and then it is time for bath.
Mariel (thinking hard): No, Dad. I want FOUR minutes.
Patrick (straightfaced): All right, 4 minutes.

She has the idea of negotiation, just not quite the math skills. This won't work for long. Of course, at the age of 3 the amount of time agreed upon does not matter at all, as she still has no real sense of whether 4 or 40 minutes have passed.

First Stand!

(She had some help to get up there, but she held on all by herself for quite a while)

At Grandma Maryann's request:

Some photos from today. We had a good weekend- lots of yard work, play time outside, good food (hooray for strawberry rhubarb pie!), and a trip out for lunch and ice cream today. I am working on appreciating the joys of every day, and telling myself that taking care of two girls, two dogs, a home and a husband (even, occasionally, myself) is plenty of an accomplishment. It is a change of pace for me to think that this is "what I do" as opposed to my research. Its a good change, but still a challenge.

Anyway...
Here is Mariel, getting ready for the weekly treat of the Lawrence Welk show (judging by the collars, hairstyles, and men in hot pink three piece suits, we are guessing it was a 1970s edition).

Noella, playing on her play mat (which really is just a launching off place these days, as she usually rolls or ooches herself off of it in a few seconds).

And Hudson, who for some reason decided to pose as I was taking pictures.