And in other news...

...we are leaving here Tuesday morning to drive to San Diego. Thursday morning, D and I will be miles above the planet, soaring over oceans and continents on our way to touchdown in Delhi.

My sister will be a Mrs. in a mere nine days...coincidentally, the same day our last baby turns one year.

So many milestones...so little time...so much love and wonder and hope <3

I leave you with three striped kids at the train table. Many more pictures to come, upon our return!

Don't mind my rant...

I was just looking at a slideshow of a hypnobabies hospital birth...it sounded great...until I got to the parts about the baby being taken to the warmer "until the nurses were satisfied," and worse...the line about "jail break" to get home :(

Seriously...I know not everybody wants a home birth, but if you think the nurses control where your baby is, and you consider getting home a "jail break," isn't the whole birth worth re-evaluating??

:(

Sigh. I just feel for parents who are missing the control, the power, the empowerment, that birth should bring...reading things and seeing pictures that take the control away from the mom just makes me sad.

.

Seriously, it's February?!

Where has the time gone? January flew by, and here we are already in February...month of much activity and festivity for this Bass gang!

Feb 6 Grandma P's 59th bday
Feb 16 drive to San Diego
Feb 18 fly to Delhi
Feb 20 my 35th bday
Feb 23 O's first bday
Feb 23 my sister's wedding
Feb 24 my sister's big party

So yes, in a mere 15 days, we will be heading out in our trusty minivan with not only the four kids and ourselvees, but our luggage for India, and enough clothing, toys, books, lovies, diapers, and snacks to get them through the 10 days we'll be gone...

EEK

In other news, Mr. OP has started taking a few sporadic steps here and there. His record so far is four - four steps, straight to his biggest sister <3 He signs more, milk, and all done, waves hi and bye (and speaks the word "hi" as well), and has six teeth now. He's a jolly, giggly baby who is curious and quick.

L is STILL Mr. Two. His fits are trying, to say the least; though in the next moment he is the most adorable, sweet, loving little guy...he is very active, and physically adept...and his speech has become rather clear and wordy!

E still enjoys her school and animals, and has made a few new friends in her class this year. She is reading now, and her cursive writing is really taking off.

C also loves school, has become quite the class leader and the class treasurer this year. She still reads voraciously and has found a love of chess.

As for D and me? Pretty much same ol' same ol'. We are so very much looking forward to this trip and all the wedding festivities to come.