BFFs: Elsie and Camille






































If you have had a phone conversation with Elsie recently--and many of you have, I know, she is into the phone but not adept with it--chances are, she has mentioned Camille, her best buddy. Elsie attends school with her on MWF and goes to library storytime on Thursday mornings with her and then has occasional playdates with the moms as well. The first photo is at library storytime--the girls are not being good listeners! The pictures that follow are the girls at the Georgia Historical Society Georgia Day parade--they are practicing for the big parade on St. Patrick's Day in two weeks!

Tales of Judy, II: Elsie and Judy Get Beebo Tattoos!

Nice to Meet You, Kit.

Hours after Elsie was born, we called our family and friends and I had a friend ask me if when I saw her "it was like I knew her" or "recognized" her, if she seemed familiar to me. And it was an interesting question that I thought about then and have considered since with Kit's birth, because actually what is so surprising is that the opposite is true. Elsie was so completely alien to me. She was strange because she was a baby, something foreign to me, but also as a person. And now, I am having the same experience with Kit. It is like I am just getting to know her--she is so unfamiliar to me, yet fascinating in spite of all of her newborn limitations. In fact, what I find is that getting to know her is not unlike falling in love: I met her and liked the looks of her, and then before too long, I can't get enough of her. I am enthralled by every little face twitch and semi-smile. Then the real smiles came, and my heart melted just like the cliches said it should. And I feel a catch in my throat... What we have seems like a private matter that no one has ever experienced before.

I had forgotten about this process, but I realized that aspects of it never disappear. Still to this day, when I'm lying in bed, relieved to be quiet in bed with Elsie and Kit quiet in beds in their own rooms, I find myself trying to remember the details of their expressions from earlier that day, trying to picture them precisely in my mind's eye, and eagerly anticipate seeing them again the next morning. No matter how "two" Elsie acted that day and no matter how glad I am that they are asleep, I can't wait to see them again. And I feel that catch in my throat.

Housebound


We were housebound this weekend--housebound with rain and tornadoes on Saturday and housebound with freezing cold and potential flurries on Sunday--housebound with Elsie with a fever and cold and cough as well. Housebound with an energetic two year old who is, but doesn't feel, sick is hell. She had the same energy level yet was stuck indoors. I never knew how much I depended on trips to Target and Publix, walks to the park, or playdates just to survive. We even tried to be bad and let her watch TV--hell, we even rented her movies--but no, she wouldn't indulge in being a couch potato with us. Instead, we had to constantly come up with new activities to satisfy her twenty minute attention span. Sometimes, we had creative craft ideas with good intentions and failed execution. (You won't get the "cards" Elsie made for you. They wouldn't be worth the postage.) And sometimes, we failed to come up with activities all together--hence, Elsie's idea to play beauty parlor with Daddy.

The Big Sister

And Who Does She Look Like?






So everyone asks who she looks like. Here we can compare. Elsie wore these same "tiny jeans" from Corie and Jamie at six weeks old. Our big girl is already busting out. To me, she seems to look a lot like Elsie at this age... not like Elsie now, and people tend to say she resembles David. Maybe she'll go brunette like him and get his good looks. Stay tuned...

And as for what we call her, Kit's nicknaming Daddy has dubbed her "little bear"... for now.

Sweet Ducky

Sisters




Folks have been asking about how Elsie gets along with her baby sister, and it has been really good so far. By no means is Elsie an angel--she is two and a half, but she doesn't seem to act out against Kit or resent her.... at this time. Ask us again when Kit decides to play with Elsie's Dora dollhouse or animal hospital. Elsie loves bathing Kit, tickling her, getting her to smile, assisting with tummy time, and then here in the last shot, helping her get ready to go out. Elsie decided she needed some toys to go on a walk.... check out the menagerie surrounding Kit's head.

Modeled by Kit

Check out this gorgeous blanket, a gift from the Tibbitts.

Elsie and Some of her Favorite Folks

Kit at 8 weeks

We're Back... Look How We've Grown

Out of the Mouth of Elsie, Part II

Over breakfast, she tells me this story. (I actually jotted it down verbatim.)
"Bryce was in the treehouse in the town describing and fixing wheels. He pooped in the treehouse."

Later in the car, she told me that she was going to make cupcakes in the treehouse at school and Aunt Kate was going to come--not Uncle Johnny. The cupcakes were chocolate with candles.

Out of the Mouth of Elsie

Kono--name of giraffe
Canus--name of buffalo
Kaffee--name of turtle nightlight

"hmmm let's see what we do today? I know go to Alanta."

Major upchuck after the Valentine's party on the way home from school speeding to meet Carol Spadaro, my college roommate's mother, coming through town on a visit.

"Where's daddy's computer?" Still held hostage and may never be returned especially after our behavior on the phone with HP "service" representatives.

If I had a computer...

that worked... I might upload pictures of my birthday festivities. January 31st was a great day--not because I turned 37, but because I awoke to freshly baked homemade from scratch cupcakes delivered by Elsie and her daddy to my bed! I might upload pictures of Elsie and Daddy coming home from swimming or the balloons and bling and card I received as presents from them. I might upload pictures of dinner with the Belzers--though we missed the Martins! I might upload pictures of the wonderful gifts and cards I received.

I might upload pictures of our visit from Aunt Kate and Uncle Johnny and our adventures to see trains, at the park, or out to dinner. I might upload pictures of our visit from Aunt Meredith and her friend Charles and our fun downtown with our wine guy Stan Ray and his family. I might upload pictures of our dinner at Vinnie's or our adventures at the honey shop--Savannah Bee Company on Broughton. Elsie loves that place--she gets to sit in a hive and dress like a beekeeper. I might upload pictures of our fun at the free museum day today going to the Roundhouse museum and the Jepson museum.

I might upload pictures of how much Kit likes the Bjorn and how much Elsie likes to spin around and around and get dizzy. I might upload pictures of how handsome David looks with the Bjorn on spinning his dizzy daughter around and around--you might notice how he is graying a bit. Remember, I'm only older than he is for another month.

But I can't upload these pictures because our computer is being held hostage and we have an impossible antique to deal with in the meantime.

Tales of Judy

The other day when I asked Elsie to come to me to get ready for naptime she told me she couldn't because she was busy feeding Judy. I came around the corner prepared for an involved tea party and discovered Elsie sitting on the sofa with Judy kicked out to the side--all three feet of her, face planted in Elsie's belly. She tells me she "can't come right now. I feeding Judy with my belly." You may remember Judy from this earlier post--she was the highly developed and very tall doll that Nonie gave her for Christmas. So for the rest of the day when I nursed baby sister, Judy also took her turn with E.

In fact, Judy has had lots of action lately--she was Elsie's choice for show and tell a few weeks back at school. I had suggested a few books, a photo, a stuffed monkey, but no, Judy had to go. Her pants are so tight that she couldn't sit to ride in the car to school but no worries Elsie strapped her into the seatbelt in a standing position. It was a bit cold for Judy's midriff revealing top and bare feet, but she compensated for that lack with extra accessories, makeup and jewelry. Ahhh Judy.... Her classmates were in awe of this baby teenager doll, but I'm not sure her teachers were as impressed.

And there would be photos of some, not all, of these adventures, if only we had a freakin' computer that wasn't too old to handle such things... Still having computer issues... Stay tuned.

One Month Old

Weighing in at 8 pounds 11 ounces, Kit is beginning her second month of life 2 lbs bigger and 2 inches longer!

Her sister is also 2 inches taller lately because she insists on wearing cowboy boots everywhere.

Getting in Touch with our Feelings

Yesterday, Elsie tells me that she is "very enthusiastic" about playdough.

She then tells me she is "very mad" about having to eat her dinner--she would prefer fish sticks for every meal. She told me that she wanted to be by herself to be mad.

Next, she tells me to come back in the room because she is "happy again."

We are trying to figure out what person, book, or show put her in touch with her feelings. We're not quite sure if it is a good thing.

Low Tech

So, we are having computer issues and will be blogging without photos for a while. No fun, I say. All is well though--Kit is a sweet sweet baby and Elsie is a champion big sister. We'll have to come up with more words without the pics.

Big Sister Elsie

Every morning for the past week, Elsie's first words to us are about her "baby sister":

• Where is baby sister?
• Can I hold baby sister?
• I kiss baby sister.
• What baby sister doing?

Her enthusiasm is heartening especially after a sleepless night when her parents are more than aware of where baby sister is and might not feel so sweetly toward her at that given moment. Elsie has worn her big sister T-shirt on loan from Emma Pace and her big sister jacket embroidered especially by Addie. She brought big sister cookies and pictures to school for show and tell. She tells everyone she meets "I have a baby sister." We hope that the positive feelings continue after Grammy leaves and Daddy goes back to work and the sharing really begins in earnest.

St. Pat

My mom has been here for over a week now spoiling us while we try to care for our new one. David is now talking of adding on a cottage for her out back so she can continue to keep stocking the refrigerator and cooking him dinner. She really is a saint and we can't thank her enough!

Family Portraits

It was a joyful beginning for 2009, especially with so many grandparents around.

Baby Portraits



Now I know why there were so many more pictures taken in Elsie's first year: they don't do much and you really can't help yourself and they seem to change daily. Kit is one week old already and we are enjoying getting to know her.

So, to catch you up on the new year's happenings... I started feeling some form of contractions New Year's eve but didn't think they were of consequence--we went and had a lovely dinner at the Martins. On New Year's Day, after a decent night's sleep, I awoke feeling definite contractions eight minutes apart about 7am and they became more intense and closer together over the next few hours. Elaine headed over to care for Elsie, and Mom and Dad headed down from Atlanta. We got to the hospital at 9:30 or 10 and my doctor was on call, and she confirmed that not only would I be having a baby, but most likely, in true Howells/Harvey fashion, I'd have a baby by lunchtime. And after brief labor (thank you, good birthing genes), she arrived at 12:22pm. I was a celebrity at the hospital for having her so rapidly and my doctor suggested I could have an army of little ones or investigate surrogacy. Relieved and delighted to have our healthy little girl, we were still trying to adjust to her early arrival. Mom, Dad, and Elaine brought Elsie over to meet her sister at 4 or so that afternoon and we had a very sweet visit.

The next day, Friday, we were able to go home early after Kit was given the A-OK by her pediatrician. Ann and Roy came over from Alabama to meet their new granddaughter and visited for the weekend. It was a good thing Kit was here to soothe these Bama fans after the bowl loss.