This week in our house.

ABBY
She is such a special kid. Monday night, she asked me "At school, we're making boxes for Haiti- are you doing that, too?" My first thought was 'what does she know about Haiti?'... but I forget. The girl forgets nothing, and absorbs information like a sponge. :) I asked "What's Haiti?" She replied that it's a state, and when I corrected her, saying 'country', she said "Oh, yeah." :) Then I asked "Why do we need to make 'boxes for Haiti'?" She told me that they had an earthquake there. She didn't really have any other information, so this prompted a lengthy discussion about both earthquakes and the current conditions in Haiti... all while we made dinner. I must have mentioned something along the lines of "since some things are hard to mail, a lot of people are sending money". She thought for a minute and responded with "but if people's homes are messed up, aren't the stores messed up, too? How can they even buy what they need?" I told her that some people were going over to help them, and that they would take items with them. She asked if we could go. I told her no and she wanted to know why. We again discussed the location of Haiti and the fact that it's an island. And the fact that we have school. ;) She seemed content, but disappointed that she couldn't help first hand. I've since found out that a friend's husband is going over with his Army battalion- she's excited to "know" someone who's there helping! I'm so proud of my sweet, empathetic girl.

ALEX
Alex is getting so big. He's almost 20 pounds! He'll be in 12 month clothes by the time he's 6 months at this rate!! Glad I got the "infant seat" with a higher weight limit, or he'd be nearly done with it already! We've just started him on rice cereal (he had it a few times last month, but not consistently) and he LOVES it. :) I can't believe he'll be 6 months old in a few weeks! He can roll from his tummy to his back in both directions (right and left). He can really get his "bouncey seat" bouncing- he kicks his legs so hard. He enjoys his exersaucer and his bumbo seat, and doesn't like to lay down or be held in a reclining position- seems for fear that he'll miss something- I think he gets that from his sister. ;)

CHAS AND I
We're working. Trying to keep the house up and the bills paid. :) I'm getting a "new" car in the next couple weeks- I'm buying my grandpa's Chevy Trailblazer from my grandma. I'm not looking forward to the significantly fewer miles per gallon- and a car payment, too- but it will be so nice to have more room in the car. The four doors will be fabulous, too. :) And as silly as it sounds, it will be nice to have something of his, especially a vehicle since we spent so much time together on trip and when he would drive me to and from Gainesville, in college. I know it's a new car- not the one we rode together in- but still. <3