One fine-dressed year

One year ago, December 2008:

Then: wearing a dress that I wore on my very first Christmas and standing, thanks to some help from Daddy. See that darling white edging on the dress? That's hand-tatted lace, made by Ivy's great-grandma to adorn this red corduroy dress that Ivy's grandma (aka, my MOM) made for me when I was a baby.

Now, December 2009:

Today: wearing an outfit that friends sent last December and Ivy is standing (and walking, dancing, running, jumping, etc.) all on her own -- this dress used to drag on the floor and I thought that she'd never be tall enough to wear it, but now, 12 months and 12 inches later, it's a tunic top. Ivy and I both love this outfit and she's going to wear it as often as possible before she outgrows it.

Christmas in review

We've had a wonderful week of Christmas Joy. We started celebrating last weekend at Grandma & Grandpa B.'s house in Cochrane and we're still ringing in the season with treats and special times at home in Madison. Santa received our letter, telling him that we prefer creating special holiday memories with family and friends to an influx of material things, and our Christmas was simply lovely, elegant and calm.

That said, we discovered that rounds of races in an antique rocking horse helps burn up some of the energy that simmers during the season. This is particularly useful after we've been cooped up in the house for days on end.

We also learned that ringing a brass singing bowl after breakfast on Christmas Eve catches the attention of eight flying reindeer and their jolly driver:

While our Christmas was simple, it was far from empty. Santa brought a wonderful little wooden kitchen that Ivy absolutely loves. Both sets of grandparents helped furnish the kitchen with necessary foodstuffs and crucial utensils:

An important part of the holidays is the post gift-opening clean-up. Fortunately, Ivy is on top of this task.

And, of course, our favorite memories are of the times we spent with one another. We're all on vacation for another week and look forward to reading many books to each another, cooking warm meals in our small and large kitchens, and spending more time with family and friends.

**Some of you may have noticed the red and white hat that Ivy wears in most of the photos taken this month. She LOVES this hat and asks to wear it every morning after she wakes up. We think that she looks like a precious little elf and seeing her in this hat fills my heart with Christmas cheer. I just might let her wear it all year long -- we could call it a firecracker hat in July, right?

Season's Greetings!

Happy holidays from Santa's most adorable little helper (and her parents). The three of us send all our love and wishes for a safe, healthy and happy Christmas.

Snow Day!

And since we've no place to go. . .

. . . let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

At the farm

Ivy adores farm animals and especially loves sheep. We recently enjoyed a late-autumn drive and stopped at a picturesque sheep and poultry farm, the Rainbow Fleece Farm, near New Glarus, WI. I'm a knitter, spinner and occasional crocheter and have purchased a lot of fiber from this lovely farm.

In addition to early-Beatles tunes, Ivy's favorite song is Baa Baa Black Sheep. Here she is, wearing a wooly sweater that I designed & made for my niece when she was a baby, discovering sheep in the meadows of Green County:

We visited the farm on the weekend before Thanksgiving and Ivy was very excited to see actual turkeys. She communicated with them in their own language and proudly told the farmers and other shoppers that turkeys say, "gobble-gobble."

Ah, to be 20-months old, 31-inches tall, and nestled in sun-warmed fleeces on a glorious November day:

When we returned home we drew pictures and wrote stories about our adventures on the farm:

We look forward to visiting the farm next spring to see the newborn lambs; Ivy will be a big two-year old girl next spring and will have so much more to see and experience.

Family Day

Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, was our Family Day. November 26 was the first anniversary of our becoming a family.

One year ago Ivy was placed in our arms and now I cannot imagine a time when the three of us were not together. There are so many things to be thankful for this year -- for family and friends who helped us find our family feet, for our colleagues who daily encourage us and who keep us laughing, and to the universe for helping the three of us find one another. I am most thankful for our daughter, who continues to guide us and who teaches us the true and honest definitions of love.

Thank you, Ivy, for being our little girl. Thank you for your good nature, for your creativity, for your curiosity, and for your loving, trusting spirit.

Grandma & Grandpa Apple

Ivy is blessed with two sets of grandparents who love her very, very much. We Skype with the Virginia Grandparents every Monday night and try to visit the Wisconsin Grandparents as often as possible.

We made the trek to the western WI earlier this month to partake of the annual Lyster Lutefisk Supper at Ivy's great-great grandparents' little white church in the valley. Ivy didn't eat any lutefisk (and neither did her mother), but she loved her first taste of lefse and meatballs.

Ivy read to Grandma B. on the drive back from the little white church in the valley. A good book helps everyone forget the aroma of lutefisk.

Ivy loves the apple trees in her WI grandparents' backyard. Because of this, she calls them "Grandma and Grandpa Apple." Last week her Apple Grandparents spent a few days with us and they took care of Ivy while Markie was out of town. Ivy is smitten with Grandpa Apple -- he plays his guitar on her command, feeds her all of his own breakfast, and doesn't seem to mind when she jumps on his belly while he's napping on the couch.