Carissa turns 14 months old this weekend. She is growing so much in size and personality. I feel like once she hit one, her personality started to soar.

When she’s happy she giggles and wiggles and dances on her tippy toes (John says she gets that from me). She’s a lot more vocal (read: LOUD) than Wes was at her age; sometimes I think she whines too much. But like Wes, she gets into everything. Her favorite activity involves emptying drawers (which she often does in partnership with her brother). She has three teeth on the bottom, four on top, and is getting some molars (oh, boy!). She is very ticklish and likes it when I do “Five Little Piggies” on her toes (which ends with a healthy dose of tickles). Wes also likes to do “Piggies” on Carissa’s toes. His version goes like this: “Pig, home, pig, home, pig, WEE-WEE-WEE-WEE-WEE” as he tickles her like crazy.

I can definitely see John in her, but–and I’m a little sorry for her–I think she’s starting to look more and more like me, especially like me as a little girl.

Then again, not a day goes by when I don’t look at her and think, “She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” so maybe that’s not a bad thing after all.

Wesley’s Favorite Grandpa

Carissa’s Favorite New Skill

Carissa’s Favorite Team

Wesley’s Favorite Activity (watching football) with His Favorite People (his family)

So, I seem to have lost my camera. Last seen: on the top of the trunk of my car, as I buckled Wes and Carissa in their car seats.

Not a happy thing.

Today, in fact, I found myself oft times thinking not-happy thoughts and focusing on not-happy things. It took a lot of effort, and maybe some sprinkling of blessings from above, but the day turned into a very nice one. Even though I still can’t find my camera.

This morning we had a baby sitter early to attend a pottery making class. I signed us up for it as an excuse to get out of the house on a real date (hee hee). We barely made it to the class on time, only to find the place basically empty. We came to learn that 1) whoever scheduled us for a class signed us up for the kids’ class, not the adult one, and 2) the teacher canceled all classes today anyway and didn’t tell the pottery studio she wasn’t going to be there.

Our babysitter meter was already ticking away, and I maybe whined lightly to the attendant about how we got a babysitter especially to be there for the class that was scheduled wrong and then canceled. The word “discount” might have popped up a couple times.

So we’re going to reschedule that class. Since we were already out, we debated seeing a movie (a total rarity), but it would have put us getting home later than we had planned. And since it turned out I left our cell phone at home, and the movie theater didn’t have a phone we could use (really??), we opted to float around the mall and enjoy a sit-down lunch instead. It is always nice to walk around with one’s hand in your sweetheart’s, no matter what the occasion.

After we were home and the kids were settled into naps I found myself idly catching up on bookmarked blogs that I haven’t read in a while. One of these is the Nie Nie Dialogues. It’s written by a local woman who survived a private plan crash in 2008. Eight-five percent of her body burned, and her husband sustained substantial burns, too, but they survived. They have four lovely kids and–amazingly–one on the way. Pretty much, every time I read what this woman has gone through and still experiences daily I am in awe, and it gives me a healthy and needed dose of gratitude for my own life.

After dinner (grilled cheese) I needed to get out. Wes and Carissa gladly agreed to a ride in the stroller and off we went. Tonight was cool and brisk–the brink of Fall. We walked around our neighborhood and stopped at the playground behind Wesley’s school. (He was super excited to be at his school and kept pointing to the doors, saying, “Open!”)

Wes didn’t want to climb in the playground but preferred to race around the grassy field, playing with old deflated basketballs and soccer balls left behind. We chased each other and played tag (which, in Wesley’s world, means you run after him saying, “I’m gonna get you!” until you do and he giggles wildly and runs away as fast as he can so you can get him more). Carissa toddled after us, trying to catch up. It was dusk. The clouds were full and spread across the whole sky. The air was still, except for our shouts and laughter. Wes kept pointing up and declaring, “Moooooon!” It was a beautiful evening, and I wish I had my camera to take pictures to share with you. But at least we have the memories.