Cora likes daddy's chili

meeting Kamryn Rae

After 7 boy cousins (and nephews for E ric and I) the Jahn-Young family landed a girl, Kamryn Rae--to parents Matt and Steph on Monday April 23.  When we told the girls, even though they kept referring to her as a "he," we all couldn't wait to see her. I think seeing Connor a few weeks ago helped in the confusion, but it also aided in the excitement.  

Amara was first up. She held her several times.  Each time, squeezing her just a little tighter, always gently though, and very sensitive the entire time. The sheer joy and love on her face is so intoxicating and she just kept saying how soft and cute she was.

Cora was up next.   She kept stroking Kamryn's head, leaning down to kiss or hug her, and was really hugging her tight!  But she also took time to really look into her face--even as close as they were together.

At one moment, Cora leaned over and gave her the sweetest little squeeze/hug and I think everyone in the room just melted.  Cora is so stoic when she holds babies, it's adorable and it's clear she thinks it's the most important thing in the world.

In a flash, she is done and moved on, but i bet if she came back once to hold her, she came back a half dozen times.

Both girls were very sad to go, but I promised we'd come back soon. I think they are happy to have another cousin, especially one who is just a smidge more like them this time.

Easter afternoon at the Jahn's

After a busy morning of baskets and church, the girls took a much-needed nap at home.  When they woke up, they were ready for play clothes and to head to Grandma and Grandpa Jahns.  

All the other cousins were already there, and the older ones had already hidden the eggs for the younger ones, so they were all ready to dig in!

The rain kept the hunt from lasting too long, and of course Cora was distracted by the swing and all the kids-- but the older kids helping the younger ones out was pretty great.

If it could have just been a few degrees warmer it would have helped!

Never fear--we had a cool weather plan too. We brought the ceramic eggs to paint and fire like we did last year.  The older kids got involved helping the younger ones again and the aunts, moms and g'mas got involved too!

Amara LOVES painting and arts and crafts of any kind really so this is always right up her alley.

Cora was happy to have me help her with a monochromatic egg and put her seal of approval on that pretty quickly.

I love this project because everyone really does get involved--whether they start to initially or not, the creativity takes over. We had some with a Pepsi logo, rainbows, a rabbit and lots of freehand work. I can't wait to see them when they are glazed and fired.

Easter morning

Easter morning started off pretty calmly--other than Amara got up before Cora.  That almost NEVER happens, so we decided to go ahead and get them ready for church before letting them dive into their baskets.

When they found them, they started right in! In true Cora fashion, she found her cape and glasses and got dolled up--then Amara jumped in too.

Cora REALLY loves sunglasses. I pick up a pair almost anytime I can find them for a dollar.

Amara looked so grown-up and sweet in her dress. She was happy to pose--even if it was standing on the balance beam~

I thought we were going to have to take Cora to church in her cape.  It would have been kind of cute, actually, but since it was cruddy and rainy we had to bundle her up in her sweater instead.  We left it for safekeeping on the stairs.

After playing in their baskets and toys, they were happy to pose again--and were all dolled up for a special church morning.  They both did pretty well at service, but Cora did get a little crabby after the singing stopped and daddy took her to play in the annex for a bit.

Our Easter eggs

Cora did not color eggs.  She had NO interest in coloring eggs--bless her heart, she was literally walking the balance beam next to us while Amara colored eggs.  Have I mentioned these two girls couldn't be more different?

After a busy morning in Lancaster and time with Grandma and Grandpa, it was time to color our eggs. Amara had selected glitter eggs, so she and daddy got the dyes ready while the girls patiently waited.  At some point, Cora decided the waiting was too much and moved on...but Amara was very interested this year.

She wrote names on a couple and played with mixing colors on a few...she and daddy were quite the experimenters with technique and mixing!

Next was the glittering phase--quickly dunking the eggs in a food-safe adhesive, then into the glitter bag (adult attention required).  Daddy got the technique down and the two of them took at it like pros.  I enjoyed it specifically because Eric does NOT normally enjoy the craftier things with the girls, but he and Amara had a great time.

Egg coloring at 2 and 4 is quick. Not too dirty, and basic.  I see friends posting pics of their teenagers still coloring eggs and I wonder if Cora will be interested by then--we'll see ;)

We got them done anyway--and since is't calling for snow (again) tomorrow (on March 31) we MAY be doing an indoor egg hunt anyway.  It's ok, we've had a few great days already this Spring.

Rising park egg hunt

I think this year was the 2nd time we've gone to the Lancaster Rising Park egg hunt and it didn't disappoint!

We got to the park with plenty of time to play, pails and cameras in hand, and enjoyed the sunshine with Grandma and Grandpa Young.  Both girls were exploring away on the wonderful play sets they have there, swinging, sliding, running and smiling.

About a quarter to 11 we made our way to the 1-4 area--the last time for a bit the girls will be in the same egg class--and got our spot along the wall.  Amara was scoping out the eggs and her strategy and I reminder her that unlike all the other egg hunts, THIS egg hunt uses REAL eggs.  (Note: this must have stuck in her head but good...)

After a few more painful minutes waiting, and announcements began and the siren sounded.  Grandma Young helped Cora and Amara took off on her own.  The girls made their way across the field getting candy and eggs and within probably :90 seconds, the whole thing was over.

Cora got to me first--proudly showing me her bucket of Kit Kats and Almond Joys (?  They just toss the candy in the grass there, no plastic eggs)...and then handed one to me to open.

Amara was next, PROUDLY showing me her pail full of HARD BOILED EGGS--she had literally stepped over top of all of the chocolate, to fill her basket as full as she could with Easter eggs.  Gotta love that girl.  Don't get me wrong, she helped herself to a piece of Cora's candy, but she was proud as a peacock of her dyed eggs.

Grandma and Grandpa Young took Amara back to the park while Cora and we headed back home.  There was a slight "where's sissy?" moment in the car as Cora realized Amara wasn't with us--but other than that she was content to have us to herself for a bit.

Amara played at A-HA and then went to a special lunch with her grandparents and then back up to home to get ready for the rest of the weekend. It was a great day, and we were thankful for the weather and the family alike.

JD Equipment egg hunt

We decided to mix it up this year and try out a few different egg hunts--it seems they are all packed and the girls get trampled, by parents telling kids "run out as fast as you can and get as many as you can."  It gets old.

I thought the John Deere equipment one could be fun because the girls could climb around on some machines while we got some help from mom and dad.  It wasn't super warm yet (especially since it was early) so we bundled up and started exploring.

The girls couldn't resist climbing on the big combines (like pappaw's) and taking him from mower to machine, back and forth across the lot.  After waiting just a little bit, it was time for the hunt.  The girls are still in the same age group, so they lined up on the side and waited for the countdown.  

For the most part, the girls stuck together at first.  Cora could have cared less that she only got three eggs--she was thrilled to be part of the hunt and running around in all the craziness.  Look at that smile!  She didn't even care that there was candy in the eggs!

Amara on the other hand made up for Cora's lack of eggs--I don't know that her pail would have held more!  She won a ticket for a free toy, some discount coupons and lots of candy too--but she was most proud of just having the eggs themselves in her bucket.

Going through them all was a little time consuming--but you had to because of the prizes.  The girls just wanted to get going, but when they found out we were going back inside to pick out prizes, they were thrilled! They each picked out some JD socks and work gloves and we were out the door.

We stopped at Wendy's for a quick lunch--before they got busy, thank goodness, then home for a quick nap before the rest of the busy weekend :)

Ladybug Easter egg hunt and party

Amara's school Easter party was actually a week and a half before Easter, so it was her first egg hunt of the year.  I was excited to come and help hide eggs--but before they ready in the church mouse play house for us, I got to help with games.

Amara and Saphira were in particularly good spirits that day, hugging and playing--getting all excited for the festivities.

The girls and boys played a ring-toss game, and a beanbag toss also.  Other parents were there to help out as well as Mrs. Misty, as other friends had joined the class for the day and it was a full house!

Amara decorated her foam egg with markers and put a happy little guy on him.  The other side had a more traditional egg design, which she had a blast coloring.

They also had a photo frame craft, complete with sparkly bunny ears and tie, and a slot for a pic when we got home.

After all the crafts were done, the kids lined up for the big hunt.  Landon's mom and dad and one of the grandmas and I had hidden over 200 eggs for the kids who were there.  The playhouse is really a big open room, so we were excited to see them dash all over the place.

All the kids had custom egg bags they had decorated earlier in the morning.  They colored their eggs with damp tissue paper and used converted grocery bags.  On Mrs. Misty's call, the kids darted around the room as fast as they could.  All we saw were backs taking off away from us! 

It felt like the egg hunt lasted about :60 seconds. It might have been slightly longer for some of the kids for them to even all the eggs out, but they started digging in right way to indulge in their treats, tattoos and stickers from their lovely filled eggs.

meeting Connor! (Finally)

When Mr. Connor was born on March 1--it was a tad earlier than we were expecting him. By dumb luck (and the fact that at any given time, odds are pretty good that ONE of us are sick--) Amara was sick.  We postponed seeing him for a week. 

Then the next weekend, we'd gotten over THAT bug, but then another had popped up in its place...so I think Connor was 3 weeks old when we finally all got to meet him and we loved every second of it.  The girls were so excited, they were chatting about it all day--Amara had decided he was 'her' baby, so she kept talking about bringing him home.

I think Connor looks like Eric--he seems to have his coloring somewhat.  Jim wasn't there, so he could have Jim's for all I know, but Eric enjoyed his time with his little nephew--the 2nd on the Young side, and we have 5 on the Jahn side of course too :)

But it was Cora who shocked us and brought us all to tears.  She took this visit AND Connor SO very seriously!  She almost took him out of my arms and insisted on holding him a half dozen times. She's always been very motherly--but I'd never seen her quite like this.  She kept hugging him and asking to hold him. 

She held him on the floor, upstairs in his nursery, just wherever and whenever we'd let her do it.  She was so careful with him and I started to get worry she'd get upset when we had to leave!

Kristin was great with him and was super patient with the girls being little mommies to her son, giving them snacks and trying to keep a somewhat calm environment.  Little C slept through the entire visit--I don't think I saw his eyes open but for a second--I'm sure, not a coincidence to the craziness all around him.

We gave Connor one last squeeze and then packed up our things.  I know he wont be as tiny the next time we see him, but he better brace himself for two older cousins who love him very much and I'm sure will have no problems showing him the ropes. 

cuddle time

The girls aren't particularly cuddlers, but when they do it's pretty sweet.  One thing they like to do either before bedtime or sometimes on weekends is jumping into the big chair, grabbing the fluffy blanket and snuggling up to watch A.N.T. farm.

Cora is a hugger, too.  Sometimes she just leans over and gives her sister a squeeze--which totally melts Eric and I every time.  It's not hard to see how much she adores and idolizes Amara--with good reason.  These moments make us feel so very lucky.