The man from snowy river.....

 Sequoia has a new best friend living in the front yard. His name is Sign....I am not certain where that came from, but that is what she named our big old friendly snowman during our walk around the neighborhood this afternoon.

 He towers over her...heck, he towers over Colleen and I as well. It will be fun to see how long he hangs around. This is, I believe Sequoia's first real snowman. I do not remember building any last year as the snow actually tended to be too deep to easily build snowmen.

Anyway, Sequoia had a ball helping us build it the other night and decorate it today. She has, in general, really enjoyed the snow this year. She likes eating it - she is eating an apple juice snow cone right now - and her snow angels are quite good as well. She also likes making footprints in the snow. She really gets a kick out of that.

Reflections on change...

Yesterday was a tough day around here. We found out that our plans for a growing family have been postponed for a little while. It certainly has come as a shock to us after the completely uneventful experience we had with Sequoia's arrival. We know that this is a normal part of life's experience, but it has certainly left us a bit sad.

We are still very excited about adding another laughing voice to our house in the near future. We know that things will happen when the time is right. I certainly believe in the mysterious nature of the process. I am strongly reminded about how very unprepared and scared I was when I heard that we were expecting Sequoia ... and it is obvious what a wonderful blessing she has been from the beginning. I could not have predicted how perfect the timing of her arrival was, and I am convinced that the timing will be equally perfect if and when the next Newberg shows up.

For now, our family is perfect in every way. Not lacking for anything. Not missing anything. I love my two girls and feel my life is completely full and complete with them around. And because of that, there will always be more than enough love for one more.
We will welcome what the future brings with open hearts and open minds.

No business like snow business...

 Sequoia has been having a ball this winter even though we have not been subjected to the big snows of last winter.

 She likes the snow. She likes watching it fall. She likes eating it. She likes catching it on her tongue.

 She likes making snow balls. She likes throwing snow balls. She likes making snowmen. She likes sledding.

 She likes making snow angels....although her technique is that of a fearless 2 year old ... face first into the snow... but it works. The other day she used the more conventional back side down technique, but in a mud puddle.

 Sequoia is having fun growing up and we are having an equal amount of fun watching. Well, it is not so much watching as it is chasing and playing ... she sets a pretty demanding pace.

 She is fun to be around ...when the two year old tantrum gene is not kicking in, but even then I can relate to the frustration she must be feeling at that moment.... She has started writing very pretty songs that she sings with great emotion, rhythm and tone. We bought her a little guitar, at her request...it was actually something that Santa had been asked for but failed to deliver on....she sits and plays her guitar, strumming it with her guitar pick and sings her songs about Yukon, Rogue, Mommy and Daddy .... it is really neat stuff.

 She has also started telling us elaborate stories that involve all sorts of characters and story lines. Sometimes they are funny. Sometimes they are scary with monsters. Lots of times they involve princesses. Her imagination is matched only by her memory these days.

I love watching her teach us about the world around her. She knows so much more than we realize and it constantly catches us off guard. That is a good thing.

One small step for man, one giant pedal for Sequoia...

 Last weekend we were at the local Goodwill Store and came across the perfect bike for Sequoia.

 It is purple, which all by itself makes it perfect, but it also has pretty flowers and dragonflies on it and a pretty basket, and training wheels.

 She was incredibly excited about the bike and could not wait to get out to try it out. She had never been on a bike before as far as I know anyway, other than as a passenger. We think she did extremely well on her first outing and I expect that she will pick it up very quickly.

 When we got home from the store with the bike Sequoia was overdue for her nap...seriously overdue, but she really wanted her bike. We had to bring the bike into her room so that she could put a blanket on it so they could both nap together.

 During her first ride she insisted on bringing her mermaid Barbie along for the ride.

They both had a great time.

Best birthday ever.....

 On December 30th ... my 43rd birthday, Sequoia gave me a tremendous birthday present. She told me that she had a present for me. Made me sit and wait in the living room while she and mommy went to get it. When she returned she was wearing her

"BIG SISTER"

shirt.

Even I am smart enough to catch on to that pretty quick. We are all so super excited that our family is growing and we can't wait to welcome the new little person in to our house in August!!!

Deck the halls.....

 Christmas this year was a wonderful and fun blur of activity for our family.

 In the middle of moving into our new house we managed to fit in a whole slew of fun events including Sequoia's first big stage performance in her school's Christmas Cantata.

 She dressed up in her pretty Christmas dress and joined her classmates at the local auditorium for the performance of Jingle Bells, which we had been rehearsing non-stop for the previous month.

 We were very proud by how well she did. No stage fright in that girl ... gets that from her mommy.

 It was fun getting to put up a tree in our new house and we all enjoyed decorating it.

 We had a great Christmas Eve dinner at Sequoia's Uncle Jeff and Aunt Peggy's house.

 Sequoia really enjoys playing with her big cousins, and they absolutely love playing with her too.

 I am really thankful that we are in the area right now, at a time when her cousins are at an age where they love playing with her. She is getting to really know them these days.

 A few years from now they will be insane teenagers with far too important things going on to pay much attention to a little girl trying to tag along ... but by then they will already have a strong bond and history with each other.

 Of course Sequoia loves spending time with her Gram-mom.

 And this picture of Sequoia with her cousins Chris and Will, all crammed under a glass top coffee table is pretty much the definition of how well these kids get along.

 So meanwhile, back at our new house late on Christmas Eve, we had plenty of preparations to do for Santa's big arrival. This was Sequoia's first year of really understanding the concept of the Santa Clause story.

 We had to write a nice note for Santa, and leave him a plate of cookies, some carrots for the reindeer and a glass of milk.

 Sequoia dutifully signed her name to the letter and we went to bed excited about the next morning.

 Sequoia loved all of the presents that she got this year....including the Princess Color Book that she asked Santa for and her fishing game from her Mamacita. Of course, every present was for her regardless of whose name was on it.

 Later on Christmas Day we all went to cousin Ryley's and Aiden's house for Christmas Dinner.

 Sequoia had fun sporting her fancy princess dress up accessories that her Gram-mom had given her for Christmas.

 She also had a ball playing with her awesome tea set, a gift from her Aunt Sherri.

 And of course, more than anything, Sequoia loved playing with her cousins.

It was a very merry Christmas indeed.