This is a photo of Deirdre from last year when she was about 9 months old!
This is a photo of Deirdre from last year when she was about 9 months old!
Dear Friends and Family,
Ah, it’s time for holiday letters, now isn’t it? A time to reflect on this past year... and what a year it has been! This past year we celebrated Deirdre’s first birthday and we discovered we were expecting another baby. Deirdre started walking as my belly grew. She learned to giggle as her godparents were getting married on our family trip to New York. She learned to run while her Grammie was being consecrated as a Diaconal Minister in Texas. She abandoned her baby juice bottle while playing with her Mimi. She started talking and her Daddy assumed command of 16th Cavalry’s Regimental Headquarters Troop. Rhiannon
Clare was born at home in a birth pool on August 29th while Deirdre slept the night away. Deirdre learned about dolls while I
nursed Rhiannon. Rhiannon napped and watched while Deirdre and Daddy read book after book after book. Our arms are always full but so are our hearts. There are always five projects going on at the same time but we are never bored. We have so much to be thankful for: two healthy, happy girls; a long and enduring marriage; good health; and satisfying hobbies.
I have been designing a personal web page these past few months and really enjoy the project. I’ve also found my vocation. I
have started certification as a doula. Doulas are people who provide one on one support for moms in labor. We provide
emotional and physical support. I have my first client due in January and am very excited about it. I’ve become a birth junkie,
studying pregnancy and birth and loving it.
Rich has been in command for over 6 months now and is doing very well. He and I both really enjoy playing on the internet but
he gets very limited time to play in between working fairly long hours and being a fantastic Daddy. He takes such good care of
our girls and they absolutely adore him.
Rich and I have also been living a bit more naturally, exploring more natural ways to approach our health. We are learning
about natural remedies and just good healthy lifestyles.
Deirdre loves all things related to Sesame Street and Curious George. She has Sesame Street toys and cassette tapes and
videos and shirts and pants and SOCKS! Ernie goes everywhere with her. She is really beginning to talk and she is a great
companion. She loves her baby sister and is very good to her. We constantly find little stuffed animals tucked up in Rhiannon’s
arm from Deirdre. Deirdre loves her Winnie the Pooh Quilt that her Grammie made her. Sometimes I pick on her and say,
“here’s you Pooh blanket!” and she quickly corrects me, “Pooh KWILT!”
Rhiannon wishes you a lovely day!
Rhiannon is almost four months old. She loves it when we sing to her. She laughs and laughs when we play with her and wiggle her arms and legs. She is really good about letting Deirdre cuddle her and her face lights up when Deirdre snuggles up to her. She sucks her thumb and index fingers (at the same time) when she sleeps and is just a cutie. Below is another picture of Rhiannon at 3 months:
Segue is still here with us, trying to find a quiet place to cat-nap and avoid the chaos. She’s taken to slipping out in the yard to
get away from the busy-ness inside. Except for the periodic chipmunks who encounter her, that’s been ok and she loves
exploring.
We’ve really enjoyed having several members of our family visit this past year. Deirdre is very lucky to have met so many
cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends of ours in just under two years! Our family visits have been great fun
for us and we’ve taken advantage the chances to rest or go out on dates again. Occcasionally, I find myself missing one on one
time with Rich but after being away from the girls for an hour or so, I start to ache for them. We’ve created quite a rhythm
together as a family.
So many changes in such a short time! So many of our friends got married or moved or had babies this past year! We share in all your joys and love you all so much. We wish you a happy new year!
Love,
Catherine, Rich, Deirdre Gael, Rhiannon Clare and Segue
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