Ode to Stella



It isn't officially an ode to Stella, because I am not sure exactly what an ode is. But it is a post dedicated to Stella. You might be thinking "Wait. Didn't they just have a baby? Shouldn't this post be about the baby, with many pictures?" That is forthcoming. This is about Stella because her life, as of 8/13, is never going to be the same. Now that we have a baby, we are going to have to put her down. Just kidding! But seriously, Stella will have to take the back seat to Evelyn from now on. And so, this post is dedicated to her.

Stella has been a source of joy and annoyance for about a year now, thanks to Ben and Ryanne. One of Elin's cousins told her that a good way to get a baby to come is by drinking whole milk and having a cat. So we had been drinking whole milk for awhile, and then Stella came in September, and by November a baby was on the way. Who knew? We really owe Stella a lot.

She slept like this for a few days. Apparently cats don't need to breathe sometimes.

She loves yogurt.

While in Houston I taught her to climb trees. That was fun for a bit, until I wanted her to come down and she wouldn't. Then I had to climb up and get her. Once, she fell out of the tree but caught some other branches about 10 feet below. That was exciting.

She loves baths.

Trying to catch me (Spiderman) on the tv.

She jumped into this drawer and got stuck in Elin's bloomers.

She and I were doing battle here, but you can't really tell. If the video came through, below, it will make mores sense.

She likes to snuggle up against Elin's legs. Elin likes Stella the best when she is snuggling.

She recently has started burrowing. That lump is her under the bedspread. I don't know why she does it, but it is funny.

You can see her if you look closely.

She is a mighty hunter. I always wanted to get a picture or video of her hunting down the little roaches we had in Houston, but couldn't. I had to settle for this one, which is still pretty good.

Sisters Are Joined at the Heart

In the house in which I spent those delightful years of teenagedom, there hung in the downstairs bathroom a fancy piece of needlework that read, "Sisters are Joined at the Heart." It was actually quite a pretty little thing. I just never understood why it was hanging in the bathroom. Delys, Laurel, and I often quoted it to each other, half in jest, when wisdom needed to be imparted. 

Though I'm not exactly sure what it means to be "joined at the heart," what I will say is my sisters are my best friends, my confidantes, and examples that I constantly look up to. And this last weekend, my little sister, Laurel Jenson became Laurel Hendricks in the Dallas, TX temple. So here we are, the three of us. Some things never change.

Yes, I do look like a purple marshmallow next to my 2 beautiful sisters. And yes, I am  9 months pregnant in this picture. And yes, I had been crying and that is why my face is so puffy.