April showers...

hopefully bring May flowers!

Downtown Memphis

The girls stayed home from school today to hang with their grandparents. We decided to visit the Peabody Hotel and watch the ducks march, eat some BBQ at Blues Cafe and stroll down Beale Street. The weather cooperated and we had a ball!

the Duckmaster

Eagerly awaiting the ducks, practicing their quacks

Emi fascinated with an injured duck on the roof-top

on Peabody roof-top, Mississippi River in background

hanging on Beale Street

Louisa's Baptism

The most important reason the grandparents came to town was for Louisa's baptism. 

 Big sisters were SO interested!

 Louisa wore the same gown that both Cora and Emilia wore, so special!

Bosco's brunch followed

Another important birthday

Molly celebrated her 6th birthday with us. as well! Finn and Bonny gladly shared her birthday cookie bone :)

Happy "pretend" birthday, Cora!

Since everyone is in town, why not celebrate Cora's birthday a week early? She was certainly amenable! 

 Cora's request for dinner... sushi!

  Emi LOVES the crown and clip-ons!

 Spoiled rotten...

 Another instrument for our collection :)

A cookie cake was her request, also

 Gleefully driving Nana & Duke's Mercedes (Emi's not into it yet, but Cora has a 4-point turn down!!!) 

Welcome, grandparents!

For the first time since our wedding, we got Oba and Sofu and Nana and Duke in the same place! We have a special weekend planned and are thrilled to have them all here :)

Our little helpers

We wish it lessened the burden, but we can't trust them to feed alone, as you can see...

 Emi proudly feeding the fish (we predict she'll be the first kid to fall into the pond...)

 

Cora getting the "last word" on fish feeding, carefully taking inventory that all "named" fish came to dinner

 Our yellow irises just bloomed

Purple irises

2 months old already!

12 lb 12 oz (75th percentile) and 23.5 inches tall (90th percentile)

(that's a 5 lb gain and 2 inch growth in 2 months, we hope she doesn't continue to grow at this rate!)

Louisa amazes us daily, she loves to smile and is starting to "coo," as well. Her big sisters continue to adore her and she is definitely noticing them more :)

"fun" in the yard...

We knew when we bought a house on a lot of property, we'd have a lot of maintenance to the yard... it has taken over all of our weekends, but the beautiful weather makes it worthwhile for now. Cora LOVES to help, which is a blessing, as is the fact that Emi and Louisa like to nap! 

 The farmer, his wife, 2 month old and dog 

(thank you, US military for the coveralls and styling sunglasses!)

 Finished product!   

 One of 2 dogwood trees

 Fuschia azaleas

 Rose

 No idea what this is, but it's pretty :) 

White azaleas

 Our pond (notice poor Greg inside), attempting to repair the suddenly broken pump

 The girls picked tons of wild flox 

(wish this blog was able to exhibit their wonderful scent!)

 Cora helping "round up" the brick and stone pathways

 Cora posing with her dolly (whose dress was Louisa's before she outgrew it!)

Front yard as evening approaches