Ephraim - 7 months

Ephraim is 7 months now, and ready to take on the world.  Last week he pulled up in his crib for the first time, and the look of pride and power on his face was priceless.

"I am baby - hear me roar!"

This morning, he had a good time dumping blocks all over, and scooting around on our floor. When the dog came to lay down by him, he thought it was great fun to grab the little white tip of her tail.  Luckily, we have a very tolerant dog.

This month Ephraim has had his first sled experience, just sitting... but he would rather be snug in his enclosed stroller, covered in blankets.  It was a too cold of a winter to do much outside with Ephraim.  (And yes, he is in Sylvia's old pink snowsuit.  It really confuses people when we go out places.)

Ephraim has piercing blue eyes, lots of hair, and a deep laugh.  He isn't as squeely  as Sylvia was, for which our ears are grateful.    He is very busy, curious, and opinionated  - traits I expect he will keep for life.  Here are some pictures from this past month.

It has been a busy time, but one worth it.   It has been especially  rewarding to see the older kids learn how to make him happy and notice when he needs something.  They will be great parents down the road.   Ephraim is a blessing to us all. 

Janurary Birthdays (Noel and Mattias)

We are lucky to have two kids with birthdays in January.   This helps us to have something to look forward to after the Christmas season is over.

Noel turned 17 this year.  Not only does she have the most beautiful smile, but she is also a creative artist.  Thus, her cake was a colorful palette with paint colors.

 We were glad that her friend, Dorie, was home from college to celebrate with us.

 Dorie's mom, Marla, joined us for cake and iceream as well.  I love the below photo of these three. They have been on many roadtrips and adventures all across the county together. What an adventurous crew.   Marla and Dorie have been a wonderful part of Noel's teen years.

I had a lot of fun making Noel's colorful cake.  But, when it comes to Mattias's birthday, he always looks forward to making his own.  He can remember all the cakes he has attempted in the past, with varying degrees of success.  This year he wanted to try a log cake with whipped cream filling.  I think it turned out tasty.

Mattias turned 14 this year, and has a low voice and a loud laugh.  We love having him around.  He fills our house with music and new ideas. Without him, we would know very little about air compressors, metal lathes, or sodium chloride hexahydrate.

Janurary birthdays are a wonderful excuse to enjoy tasty cakes with good friends.   It also amazes me to see the good-hearted people my kids are turning into.