48 hours with Phoebe Rae!

Forty-eight hours have passed since Rose and Ryan left Phoebe in our care. Rose and Ryan have gotten to go to Jackson Hole, WY for a business trip. (Tough life! :-)) Phoebe and Yia-yia went over to visit Grandma and Grandpa Newell in Anderson. It was a fun time. Grandpa pulled Phoebe in a way too little John Deere wagon. She gave them lots of hugs too! She even did the chicken dance for them!

Papouli and I took Phoebe to Stuckey Farms to pick apples. She really wasn't that interested in it--a lot of school and preschool children there on field trips! She investigated the apples on the trees but was more interested in the redder apples on the ground. Once in bags, she had more fun taking them out of the bag! In the one picture, it looks like she's reading the name of the apple on the sign! She's sooooo smart!!!


Phoebe ran about barefooted outside too. She likes to step from one to another as Yia-yia counts. She's so very inquisitive of little bugs and what have you on the steps or patio.

She loves to spend time with Papou outside, especially when she gets to swing!!!


Phoebe just brightens our life so much--we are blessed!!!

Holliday Park and Bubbles make for a great time together!

Rose had to go in on Friday to have all four wisdom teeth extracted, so Phoebe came over to stay with Papou, Yia-Yia and Auntie Kate. What fun it was! The weather was perfect--not too hot nor too cool. It certainly called for a day at the park to play and climb.

The bubbles in the back yard with Kali proved interesting too. We thought for sure Kali had eaten so many bubbles that she'd surely get sick. But she didn't. Phoebe has this neat little battery operated bubble blower that she holds in her hand and presses the button for a fan to go and make bubbles galore! Whe even decided to sit righte down in the grass and enjoy them.
Phoebe also enjoys just playing--her wagon with a special drawer for her to put things is special. However, when she wants something out of the wagon, sometimes it's difficult for her to reach it--but that doesn't keep her from trying!





Soon we piled in the car and drove down to Holliday Park. Not too many children when we first arrived, plenty of sun and a cool breeze. Perfect park weather. Auntie Kate did a whole bunch of running and following Phoebe while Yia-yia tried to take pictures. Slides were already too hot, but not the tunnel tubes or the swings.



All said and done she came home to lunch and a very long nap, which is unusual for her. We continued the day doing some shopping for a swing for her to leave at Yia-yia and Papouli's. However Papouli will need to get some more rope to hang it over the tree limb. That's okay....next time she comes over!

She's really walking!

And climbing, and getting into everything! Aunt Kate was home for spring break last week and enjoyed time with Phoebe. She's such a great aunt. This is all new to me to have three generations of family in one place--close so one can be involved in the life of each other.

Phoebe along with her mother and father went to her aunt's wedding in Florida. They just returned this evening and it was so very good to see them. When Uncle Steven carried her into the house in her car seat, her eyes got big, her feet started kicking and she wanted her Yia-Yia! Oh how fun it was to pick her up and receive her! I wonder if that is how our heavenly Father receives us. I wonder if that is how we receive Him.

Phoebe saw Pita, their dog for whom we were dog-sitting, in her kennal when she got out of her car seat. She walked over and climbed into the kennal hugging Pita and loving on her. I'm sure Rose will post a picture on her blog.(She'll post many pictures I'm sure!)Later in the evening the five of us went to El Meson for dinner. Phoebe had a "serious conversation" with her Uncle Steve. She would say "yeah" and he'd say "no". She locked eyes with him, not blinking and continued the bantering back and forth. Finally with furrowed brow she let out a tirade of syllables to Uncle Steve. She was SERIOUS! We all cracked up laughing because of her focus and intensity. I don't think any of us want to know what she was saying.



In my devotions today, reading in the Psalms, it read, "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." Psalm 89:1 Oh may my life be witness to God's faithfulness to my children and my children's children.

Just like the flowers, she's growing!

In the last month and a half Phoebe has started to desire to walk really bad. She takes off when someone is holding her hands or she stands up and desiring of letting go she does only to find her legs are still too wobbly. She's also climbing and she doesn't know any danger. Okay yia-yia and papouli, be careful.She's playing longer with her toys and discovering everything. She's cut her four top teeth all at one time.


I find so much joy and happiness in caring for Phoebe. She's a little girl full of laughter and mischieveousness. She'll give you a stare and then her lips will curlup making you laugh for sure. She's taking a step here and there. She desires to move faster. We play pat-a-cake, this is the way the lady rides, three little monkies, eensy-weesnesy spider and more. She tries to do the motions to the finger plays. She babbles all the time.


The other week, Rose, Phoebe and I went over to my parents' home in Anderson. It was neat to see how Phoebe warmed up to them, especially grandpa.
Today, Sunday the 9th, we cebrated Steven's 29th and Rose's 31st birthdays. We all went to eat at Granite City after church and then to the house. Rose had a berry-berry pie and Steven's a chocolate marble cake and chocolate icing.Yum! They were good!


Now they are all on their way. Steve's driving back to Chicago, Kate to Ft. Wayne and Rose, Ryan and Phoebe to their home. It's been a good day! - yia-yia

Wintering with Phoebe

With cold weather, it's a perfect time for Phoebe to stay inside and learn to crawl, pull up and stand and eventually walk. I'm sure that will happen before I realize it. It's been so neat to see her learn how to crawl. Phoebe and Rose come over on Fridays sometimes to just spend time together. Whether it's just playing or going out, the time with Rose and Phoebe is so special. This last Friday we drove down to Greenwood to Old Time Potter and Flower Factory. It was Phoebe's first ride in a grocery cart. It was as if she was looking at a whole new world for the first time. Her legs kicked, her arms waved and she looked around and around, taking all that she saw in.


Kate and I went to Once Upon a Child and found a high chair for her. Having her sit at the table with us for meals is quite an adventure. She's learning to eat junior food. I even tried processing some food through the cuisinart. It met with mixed reviews.

Deno and I are planning for Phoebe to spend the night with us in another week or so. The baby bed is set up in Rose's old room. I've made new window treatments and covered the cushion on the rocking chair. It's fun fixing up her room too.

But for today, she's at her home keeping warm with Mom and Dad. The snow will provide a time for bonding once again. Enjoy!

Christmas Celebration

Christmas got spread out this year like many families. Rose, Ryan and Phoebe went to Peachtree, GA to visit Nana and Rick and the rest of Ryan's family. That didn't keep us from celebrating on Christmas day with Samme's family in Anderson, IN. It was fun and a little looney--ask Great Grandmother Newell about the turtle.


But, the Wallis' got home on Sunday so Monday was the day we scheduled to celebrate with Kate, Steven, Rose, Ryan and Phoebe. Deno and I had looked forward to being with them. Aunt Kate bemoaned the fact of not following tradition by eating breakfast first, but like I told her, there were alot of new traditions being made and there are many more families to consider now.
The breakfast was great--biscuits and sausage gravy, eggs, hashbrowns, and enough calories to kill us all much sooner than we should.

Phoebe is crawling more and pulling up to stand. What fun! Deno and I watched her so the kids could all go see a movie together. She found Kali's rawhide chew bone and enjoyed herself until Papouli found her with it. She even crawled up the one step from the family room to the kitchen. Watch out world, there's no stopping her now!


She played her first "concert" with pots and pans. I gave her a Costa Rican chocolate stirrer and a table spoon and she was able to make plenty of "music".

The afternoon went quickly with her--Yia-yia even took a little nap with her and before we knew it, the kids were all back from the movie. Phoebe is coming into her own, showing some of her personality. She loves to laugh and investigate. She loves to dance and babbles all the time. She doesn't like her mommy to be too far away and gives her daddy plenty of hugs. She loves to chew on Uncle Steven's i-phone, where he gives her guidance on what she can and can't do with it. And Auntie Kate is one she loves to play with! As a matter of fact, Auntie Kate went over Phoebe's house tonight to get more Phoebe time.


So today was nice with the gifts--but the best thing was to be with the family. However, no one played canasta with me. hmmm. I'm going to have to work on that!

Celebrating the Holidays with Family

Yesterday, four generations converged at Grandpa and Grandma Newell's home in Anderson. Cousin Joel and Jen with their daughters Bella and Gabby were in from Phoenix, so we all had to be together! Phoebe wasn't too sure of what to make of all of this, but after having 61 at Thanksgiving at her Aunt Mary's this was a piece of cake!

Who all was there? Well everyone except Cortney, who had to work at the hospital and Stavros who was coming in from Chicago. They were certainly missed.

Great Aunt Becki and Uncle Rex were there with their kids and grandkids. Cassie and James Kirkpatrick were there with David and Haley. Kyle was there too, missing Cortney, I'm sure. Then Great Uncle Eric and Aunt Bonnie were there with Joel & Jen, Bella and Gabby. The newly weds were there too--Shawn and Miriam were there too. They'll be in Kentucky for Christmas.