MJ started solids! Well, oatmeal and some mushy veggies, anyway. She seems to love eating and being included in mealtimes with the family. She sits in her little black seat at the end of the table and bobs and weaves her little head and torso, eyes wide and interested. She opens wide for each bite, even though her tongue pops out at least half of every spoonful. It's pretty funny to watch. Peter always feigns that he's grossed out. She'll eat a pretty big portion though!

Tonight I want to record that I got to hold Molly all day long and swoon. As she gets older, and being the fourth, she may doubt that ever happened when she was a baby. But today it snowed all day long. And Lucy and I sat by the fire and held her. In fact, we spend lots of days like this. Sometimes the thought that I really should get up from this proverbial "spot by the fire" and do something "productive" comes. But for some reason, with this sweet Molly Girl, I've been able to easily push that notion aside whenever it creeps up on me. This cold winter (the 9th coldest in recorded history here in Iowa) has been such a blessing for me! I am usually a little compulsive about getting out of the house. If it's sunny and lovely, it literally pains me, no really, literally, to just sit inside. Even to be productive, if it's inside, it just feels wrong when it's nice outside. "Isn't there some yard work that needs to be done?" But this cold winter, with many (47? but who's counting?) days below zero degrees, has allowed me to stay bundled up cuddling my two youngest girls for hours on end. Lucy and I usually read books first thing when the big kids head to school and Molly naps. Lots and lots of books. And we play baby dolls. And it's absolutely wonderful.

And then the big kids come home more than an hour earlier than Jillian did last year. That is a treat too, as are the many snow and cold weather days they've been able to stay home with us. (In SOME ways, home schooling would be so great! In other ways, like they'd probably flunk because this mom is disorganized ways, not so much.)

There's also something about just being here a year. I have a few good friends but I don't feel a sense of panic, as I have after other moves, that I'm not making enough friends, that I'm not getting invited to everything, that whatever. It has allowed me to completely relax, and focus on getting to know these sweet kids of ours.

Back to Molly Molly Joy Joy, as we sometimes chant. She really couldn't be any sweeter. Often, if one of the kids takes her in the other room, or even if Kevin does, she'll start to fuss. But then as soon as she can see me again, she calms down and just stares at me with a goofy grin on her face. Or if she's sitting in her Bumbo seat, which Peter calls her Bimbo seat, at my feet while I cook dinner, or if she's lying on the couch next to me, I'll look over and she's just looking at me with the purest smile. It's difficult to describe how that makes my heart leap. I guess it's sort of like realizing an admirer has been staring at you. It's so flattering. Often I find that sentiment "It's no small thing when they, who are so fresh from heaven, love us" coming into my thoughts. No small thing indeed. I am trying my very best to cherish these moments as a mother of little children. They are truly miraculous, pure, quick to forgive, easy to be entreated, all of the things we are told to strive after in the scriptures. And sometimes I'll catch one of their eyes and see so much wisdom there. They are so good. And I know it is my greatest blessing to be a part of their young lives. It won't be this way forever, and I know their small worries will give way to much bigger ones. I'm trying to prepare myself for that as well. To help them gain testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ of their own, so they will be ready for any hardship life might present. Just another reason I'm grateful for this time to be safe together, to learn together, to become good friends with these children who have the souls of giants.