Because It's February 29

How often do you get to blog on February 29? My next opportunity is when I'm 39 years old (if I make it that long!) so I better grab my chance while I have it.

My sister Beth and nephew Nathan arrived yesterday afternoon by train. Lucas has enjoyed having the "other Nathan" around (he has two cousins named Nathan). While the younger (and closer) Nathan is still his "little buddy," Lucas is excited to have a bigger boy around. Lots of laughing and jumping around. I've mentioned the past couple days - more than once - that the Apache Indians have the same word for "boy" and "lightning" (perhaps that's an urban legend). Anyway, if it is indeed true, the perceptiveness of that connection has been unmistakable in our household over the last 24 hours. Not much inactivity!

Don't believe me? Check out this video!

Lucas Music Videos

We haven't been able to capture any of Lucas' spontaneous singing on video, but you can rest assured that he likes to sing. He's becoming even less camera shy, as he realizes the fringe benefit of seeing himself on the family blog. Hopefully we're not preparing him for a future in Hollywood in front of the camera!

Here are a couple of his singing treasures from the past two days.

In the Bleak Midwinter

Winter continues to hold us in its cold clutches, though it was actually a tad warmer today. Many places not too distant have experienced an all-time record snowfall in the past months. We probably haven't had it quite that bad, but we have had a steady succession of storms and cold. We will be happy to smell the thawing earth in the weeks ahead, a happy portent of the coming summer breezes and days in the warm sun.

Even in these still-dark days our children provide light to our lives. Lucas' verbal skills continue to improve and increase on a weekly basis. Grace is able to scoot across the floor with ever-increasing agility and speed. Lucas had a passing fancy helping his Mom and Dad play Yahtzee; he still enjoys assisting during rousing games of Battleship. Grace had a fussy period for a couple weeks. We were uncertain of the origin (teeth? ear infection?). Finally Tarren began to wonder if perhaps she was hungry. We began to increase her caloric intake, and it has seemed to do the trick. She's once again the smiley, cheerful chirper to whom we had grown accustomed.

I'll add a couple pictures, just in case you forgot what they looked like! I'll also insert a short video for your viewing pleasure.

Those Stairs

Now that Grace is crawling, she's finding new places to explore. One of her favorites routes is to come around the corner from the living room into our home office. She's like a little train, as she "blows her whistle" (hooting and hollering) announcing her impending arrival. Her favorite hang out, however, is the landing of the staircase that leads upstairs. She will crawl over to it, pull herself up and spend several minutes listening to her little voice echoing up the stairs.

Though she's not as noisy as she can be, here's a video of little Grace exploring her favorites digs.