2018 – 2019 Family Video

A stranger watching this video wouldn’t know that it’s been one of the toughest years for our family. After Penny fell into a fire while camping last summer it shook us to our core. After many doctors visits and uncertainty her arm and back are almost entirely healed now. Praise God! The emotional aspect of the accident has had its toll on each of us in different ways. It’s hard not to let that event overshadow the last year and dwell on the difficult parts.

And yet I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face as I was editing this video. My kids are so fun and goofy. Penny’s spirit is indomitable. Their faces light up the world around them. I am so thankful for Andrea, Nora and Penny. We’ve been “reclaiming” things this year like going camping again, and this is my small attempt to reclaim last year’s memories for the better.

It was a year of sisters learning to play together (a.k.a. fighting over toys), preschool programs, swimming lessons, learning to ride bikes, eating snow, good friends, cousins, and lots and lots of dancing.

Penny 1 Year

Well, I was on a six month schedule with making family videos, but it’s been a bit of a crazy year, so I decided I had to get a video done for Penny’s first Birthday! We love our little Penny, it’s been so fun to watch her grow up this year, I can’t believe she is so big already and she is the perfect addition to our family.

    Eleven Months

    This month Penny has started interacting a lot more with people and toys. She likes to wave, give her baby a hug and say hi. After army crawling for a few months, she started crawling up on her knees…and she is fast! She is walking around the furniture but not taking any steps yet. All of the sudden Nora wants to “hold” Penny even though Penny is constantly on the move so Nora’s favorite nicknames for Penny are Little Wiggler and Penninator.

    To read about Nora at eleven months, click here.

      Ten Months

      Penny now loves to stand ALL THE TIME. She is not cruising around the furniture yet but she is pulling up on everything. She enjoyed her first Christmas…especially having all of her cousins around to give her attention. She also got her first haircut this month so she is looking especially cute. Penny’s standing has been a big transition for Nora as she can now reach everything but we are beginning to find more and more things that we can all play together.

      To read about Nora at ten months, click here.

        Nine Months

        At nine months Penny loves crawling around the house…especially toward the bathroom. She helped us cut down a Christmas tree (a bit smaller than usual in case she pulls it down on top of herself) and is trying to pull up to stand. Around Thanksgiving we had a couple of weeks of sleeping through the night and then went back to at least one wake up. Penny loves to eat Cheerios and play with Nora’s dolls. She even hugs the babies and talks to them.

        Read about Nora at nine months here.

          Eight Months

          month-8

          This was a month of very little sleep for our family. We had our first experience of the girls sharing germs when Nora had croup and then Penny got croup as well. Sleep was going so poorly that we decided to move Penny into her own room downstairs. Not only were we sick but Penny also got her first two teeth. She is easily army crawling quickly around the room and says, “Sss” for sister. Nora has decided that now she is a baby as well as she adjusts to Penny being able to follow her around and play with all of her toys.

          To read more about Nora at eight months, click here.

            Seven Months

            month-7

            I think Penny’s pictures just keep getting cuter! This has been the month of food, and Penny loves to eat. She will eat from a spoon, from a pouch, or by feeding herself. Fruits are her favorite but she will try just about anything. She is taking two naps a day and up in the night one time. Mealtimes are more interesting as she is trying to grab everything. To help, we are putting her in her own highchair. She can sit up so well she can even ride in the seat of a shopping cart. Nora loves the addition of Puffs to our diet, and we can almost eat an entire can in one sitting.

            To read about Nora at seven months, click here.