The weather has been delightful and completely abnormal for Texas in August! We are spending a lot of time on the porch and can resume the much-loved walks in the big stroller.
In other news, the kids just get cuter and cuter! No surprise there, I guess. Gracie loves giggling while rubbing her face in her fluffy polka-dotted blankie (from Aunt Fay) or while playing peek-a-boo with the blankie. Isaac never cared about his blankets, but these kids love having a soft fuzzy one to lay their heads on. I can't blame them! They also love burying their faces in the comfy giant stuffed puppy, "Philbert." They try to climb all over him and laugh at each other and at their own antics.
David has learned to play peek-a-boo by himself, holding the blanket instead of us having to put it over him. The others will pull the blanket off, but they still want us to put it on them. When Sam threw the blanket in front of Gracie instead of over her head, Gracie looked at Sam like, "You did it wrong!"
While we were in Arkansas, I had David in the tub, and Marcie had just gotten out of the tub but wanted to stay in the bathroom. The shower curtain was partly drawn, and when Marcie pulled herself up on the tub edge and found she could peek around the curtain at her brother (who was playing with the faucet) she burst into peals of belly laughter. David thought that was hilarious so laughed right back at her. They just kept going and going, playing their own game of peak-a-boo. Marcie would peek around, they'd laugh hysterically - so much so it sounded like they were sobbing! - and they'd start all over again. I wished I could have grabbed a camera just then!
When Will wants to watch Baby Einstein (a nightly wind-down routine, also a help for Seth's food therapy), he looks at the TV, looks at us, and makes a questioning grunt/yell. They sure can communicate while not having any words yet! We are trying to teach them please in sign-language at the table so they'll stop screaming for their turn. :}
Seth was laughing and babbling and turning himself in circles again last night just before bed. He can also get into and out of a crawling position on his own in order to reach toys, but he doesn't crawl at all yet. His arms seem too weak. He sure loves to stand and walk with us, though!
Today Seth was in his exersaucer, and Marcie was standing at it too, and they both started dancing when they activated the song it plays. SO CUTE! Marcie kept bouncing on her chubby legs to the music, and Seth did a little head-bobbing in sync. Gracie bobs her whole body when she "dances," as does David. I hate to admit it, but I don't remember what Will does when he hears the music - except bounce up and down even faster if it's The William Tell Overture and he's in his Jumparoo! Will is 22 pounds now. What a hunk of a "nine-month-old."
Please pray for Seth. He is miserable with a sinus and eye infection and has been put on antibiotics just like David. Please pray no one else gets it, too! Most of all "Mom" and Aunt Samantha, because Gavin is away. He and Isaac are having a WONDERFUL time with our friends from PNG, the Weavers, in Lancaster County, PA this weekend while Gavin flies the helicopter for a Missions at the Airport program there. I'm jealous that Isaac got to fly up there in the helicopter with him! I love helicopter flights so much. What an amazing opportunity for our big boy, and what a good chance this is for Gavin to share the need for mission aviation and Bible translation around the world.
Love and gratitude,
Carrie