Today is Olivia's 4th birthday! Time has flown by. When she was born we were still living in Santa Clara, not sure where we were headed next. The sleepless nights, pumping for extra milk, worries about jaundice, bewilderment about how our lives had just changed, excitement for the future...it was pretty overwhelming. Mostly, that sense of being overwhelmed was in a good way - we wanted this. And then, when Livie was about 2, we were beginning to think: Hey, we've GOT this! And then Brenna came along.

Now Livie has a pretty well established identity, a fiery, independent spirit who is a challenge at times, but also who has a sweet, caring and empathetic disposition. She's very articulate verbally, almost to the point where we sometimes forget that she's just turned 4! She and Brenna are playing well together these days and she's beginning to show signs of the big sister looking after her younger one. Brenna is a little parrot of Livie right now, everything Livie's been saying, Brenna tries to repeat. It really is the main reason we decided to have two kids, so they could grow together, share together, laugh (and inevitably of course lock horns) together.

Most of all, (knock on wood) we are grateful to have two healthy, happy little girls and we're doing the best that we can at this parenting thing.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately - the time since Beulah called it a day has almost been as long as we were a functioning band (this doesn't count the two years or so where MK and I noodled together HWS), and though musical forays have been few and far between, I've managed to cobble together a living to be able to help provide for two happy and healthy girls. It doesn't make much for copy but I'm glad for the way life has gone. Do I miss touring, making records, the excitement from our fans at our shows? Sometimes - of course! But better to have given it a go, right? K & I are lucky that we were able to establish our individuality, whatever you want to call it, and a semblance of a career and/or artistic direction before settling down and having our kids. Not everyone is able to do that, and we count our blessings every day!

Happy birthday, sweet Livie!