Incredibly, it will have been a month next week since Keira's classmate's father was arrested for murder. While I still find that a part of my mind is mulling over the gruesome affair, I also realize that life...simply goes on. I wake up every morning, I work, and I spend time with my girls and Felix.

And how are the girls? They're wonderful. Keira has discovered the joys of singing and story-telling, and our lives are suddenly full of CD's and books. Of course, with my passion for music and reading, I am just adoring every minute of this stage in Keira's life. My favorite is to snuggle in with Keira at bedtime to read a book together.

"Goldilocks sat in Papa Bear's chair, but it was..."

"Too hard!"

"That's right! She sat in Mama Bear's chair, but it was..."

"Too sof'!"

"That's right! She sat in Baby Bear's chair, and it was..."

"Jus' right!"

"And then what happened?"

"Seat broke! Goldilocks fall down!"

The best is when Keira decides she wants to read "by 'self" and tells me all about what's happening as she flips each page. It's just too adorable for words. And while she can't seem to recall what she ate five minutes before, or the fun events of the past weekend, Keira's memory for books and details amazes me. A girl after my own heart for sure!

As for Ellie, she's become absolutely lovably and kissably FAT. That child is a little miss chubbs, and I'm crazy about her. She just started to smile! I had forgotten how heart-stopping those first tiny grins are, especially when she's looking right at me with her big, warm, brown eyes. Ellie's such a talker, too - ever so much more than her big sister. Coo, coo, coo...it's unbearably cute.

Now I simply wish that I could slow things down just a bit. While life's progress helps me leave troublesome thoughts behind, I can't help but long to dig in my heels and cherish my babies for a brief minute more.