Just a Bit

This was so cute this morning...Greta fed Therese some of her cereal after Therese was already done with breakfast and crawling around everywhere.
Therese loves it when Greta gives her attention!
Such a happy baby!!! And Greta is being very "motherly" lately. She often takes care of one of her little baby dolls, who she has decided is Baby Jesus: today she set up a bowl of pretend sugar for Baby Jesus to have next to him during his nap, and during lunch Greta wanted to get down so she could go check on him. When I put Therese down for her nap Greta set a little bowl next to her and said it was a snack of flour and sugar for Therese to have in case she gets hungry. She says things like "Oh, baby" and "Sleep well!" In fact, the other day as we were getting off the bus she said "Thank you, see you later, sleep well!" to the driver!
Therese loves to crawl around with toys hanging out of her mouth.
This is our little make-shift "office" we've created near our living room and dining room--the superbowl was on recently and Matthew was able to stream it on the computer--Greta likes just about anything Papa likes, and so she was very excited about eating chips and watching it with him (apparently she needed her purse with her...)

On Saturday during breakfast (we always have "special" breakfast Saturday mornings, which involves pancakes or waffles or some other sweet treat) Matthew played a song I hadn't heard much of since during my labor with Greta. I mentioned something like "This song reminds me of when I was having Greta"...and awhile later, while the song was still on, I said "I don't think I like the song very much, I think it reminds me of a dark time during my labor when I had just gotten the epidural and I felt really alone..." and Greta, who I really didn't think was listening or would even understand what I was talking about, interjected with "But I was there to protect you from the dark place. When you were in that dark place at the hospital I was there to protect you, mama--Greta was with you! I gave you lots of tight hugs!" She said this to me several times. It was quite amazing. She looked at me with her big blue, serious "old soul" eyes while she told me this, and I think I believe every word of it :-)

I'll be going back to work part time starting next Monday. It will be good, because I'll just be gone from about 12:30-6:30 M-F, so I'll mostly just miss the 3:30-6:30 time when the girls are up from their naps (well, Greta hasn't "napped" in ages, she has a playtime in her room which she enjoys very much--she plays, reads books, colors, sings songs, poops in her diaper...and who knows what else!)...I guess what I'm saying is I won't miss TOO much! I'm looking forward to the job, but of course am a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Matthew will be with the girls each afternoon but Friday, when Linda will be able to look after them until I get home. Our hope is that when Matthew finishes school in April, he will be able to also get a part time job and we can share the care of the children, while both also getting the chance to be out of the house with adults, making money for our work, and using what we've learned during our expensive graduate degree schooling :-)