Caitlin's First tooth

Joe has been at a conference in San Diego this week and gets home
tomorrow night. Caitlin has a little surprise... All the fussiness is
now explained--a tooth! She'll also surprise him with her new-found
ability to army crawl.

I'm happy to report that I completed my first 10km race, the Fort
Worth Zoo Run. It's not every day you see elephants playing ball while
on your run. I'm still running just over an 11 minute mile, so hoping
to improve but glad I can run the full distance in any case. Thanks to
Michelle Laferney, my running guide. Note: Michelle took up running at
fifty-something and has just run her first two marithons this year.
Wow right? I'd say she qualifies as awesome.

In other news, I'm busy packing boxes. Thanks to my friend Rachel for
having Miriam over to play. I'm really blessed with wonderful friends.
I'll be so sad to leave. someone at church last Sunday commented on
how Caitlin has more hair than Miriam did at this age; I must admit I
almost cried to think of leaving the place where people remember my
children as babies. It surprised me that such a simple comment would
make me so nostalgic. We came here just the two of us and we're
returning as a family of four. Two years is a lifetime... Actually two
little lifetimes.

Sweet Dreams

I have two sleeping babies right now. I'm sat here dreaming of
triathlons. I fel in love with tandem biking just two years ago. This
year's habit is running--I'll be running my first 10km/6.2mile race
this weekend, and assuming I survive, this will be the perfet bookend
to a really great time living in Fort Worth as we are moving back to
San Antonio at the end of next week.

I have a friend, Jennifer Linford, who is into triathlons and she has
broadened my horizons. She took me swimming a couple of weeks ago for
my first laps in fifteen years. I had a great time and she claims I'm
fast--who knew? Well, I highly doublt I'm that fast, but perhaps I can
hope to get there.

So, I've been mulling this around for a few months and I'm now
prepared to commit it to writing. I'm training for a triathlon! Don't
be holding your breath though because it might take a while,
particularly since I'm thinking I'd really like to do it in Australia
with my sister, Beck.

Caitlin at 6 Months Old

That's right; we've been celebrating our little Caitlin's half
birthday today. Time has flown much faster with two children and I
regret not recording more of her milestones. Here's a couple; she just
learned to sit by herself. I hardly even saw her roll over much in the
past, but Joe went away to San Antonio for two days and now she's
become a pro at both.

Caitlin is so sweet, adorable, and smiley to everyone. That is, until
she gets hungry or tired, and then she becomes baby-zilla. She doesn't
mind letting you know her feelings.

I told Joe recently that I no longer feel invincible. I was quite
nervous as a new parent, and then I felt like I was getting the hang
of it. I was so excited when I could share parenting advice with
friends who were expectant mothers. I knew all about the best baby
products and gadgets and just what to do. Now I have a second child
who is not a carbon copy of the first, and I realized that parenting
is a completely different experience every time. Apparently I'm no
longer an expert.

Having two girls has been fun. They are now interacting more. Miriam
loves her little sister (although she's very jealous that Caitlin gets
to suck on a binky). Here are a few short stories:

Joe had caitlin in a front-pack and was pushing Miriam on the swing.
Every time the girls came close together they broke out laughing.
That's my first memory of them truly playing together. Now Miriam
likes to make baby laugh all the time.

Secondly, we've often called Caitlin "Baby" as though it was her name
and that's usually what Miriam calls her too. However, a couple of
weeks ago we were out walking and Caitlin started crying. Miriam
exclaimed "Oh no! My baby!" Miriam doesn't care for dolls too much,
but when it comes to the real thing, it appears she takes ownership.

Speaking of Miriam and funny exclamations... We took the girls to the
Fort Worth Science and History Museum. Joe took Miriam into a 4D
theatre to see a dinosaur show while i waited with Caitlin outside.
Joe reported that at the beginning of the show there was an almighty
boom, like a thunder clap which sent Miriam clinging to his side. Then
a moment elapsed and she piped up in her spunky little voice "What was
that!?". Apparently she raised some laughter in the theatre.