Just a Moment

One evening this week I walked into the living room and R quietly pointed towards the couch Squirm's doctor's office. I melted; and immediately ran to find the camera. She had come home from preschool that day with a Doctor's Bag - which seemed like an art project because the items were glued onto the inside of the bag, which was made from construction paper. She did not consider this an art project and removed the glove, band aid, tongue depressor, and other items from the bag so she could use them.

Getting ready to give a shot.

Putting her band aid on her hand.

Telling her that "it'll be okay"

Say "Ahhhh"

The next day I caught this superb glimpse of Shelby Ann sunning in the back yard. It's actually been in the 70's here! The dogs and us humans are very, very happy about this.

Getting rid of those tan lines.

Pterodactyls Know How to Party

I've been trying to come up with lovely words about the Great's first year. I was unsuccessful - not because his first year wasn't lovely - so I thought I would just go ahead and post photos from his party.

Dinosaur Party!

I got to use my drink dispenser!

Auntie H landed at the airport and came straight to the party.

Auntie C and Almost-Uncle TPIII came to celebrate!

Yay the Great!

We sent his one year update to his birth parents last week. It was fun to pick out pictures to send, and to record his little personality traits and fun moments from the past three months. For the first year we send updates (letter and pictures) every three months. After one year, we will send an update once a year.

Come on dada! Let me touch the candle!

Really, we have to sing a song first?

Not so sure about this....

I guess cake isn't so bad.

Yum....but not that impressive.

As far as his "blog one year update": the Great is very tall for his age and his chunky thighs and cheeks are still very kissable. Sometimes he yells at me for kissing and squeezing him when he just wants to get down and play. He bobs his head to music, he seems to prefer rock; and his favorite word, and person, is still DaDa. He loves to chase his sister, take a bath, splash in the pool, make loud noises with my pots, eat pretzel sticks, and climb.

No, Uncle TPIII, you can't have my chocolate milk. I have a stick.

Sugar!!

Even on the ear?

Oh, his expressions.

We are so happy that so many friends and family members came to celebrate his birthday. It's wonderful to remember that our dear friends prayed for this child - the child that we all got to see each his first birthday cupcake and smear icing everywhere.

Dinosaurs like chocolate, fun fetti, and red velvet.

We've named this dinosaur ELD. Thanks for taking these photos.

He's wearing a cape.

Digging for dinosaurs! Interestingly, Squirms seems to be collecting the toys from the other children.

And we are always thrilled to see our family. Grandpa and Gran drove down the day before his actual birthday so they could spend his birthday with him, and help me make cupcakes. Auntie H flew down and Auntie C and Uncle TPIII drove down on Saturday morning. Don't tell Squirms that they weren't all here just to see her.

Can I have one of your six dinosaur skeletons?

Well....I guess you can have one.

Oh my heart.

I'm trying not to go wake him up so I can kiss those cheeks!

Her brother's new toy tractor and dinosaurs that she took from other children found in the sand.

Off playing with Grandpa

Presents! Ribbons!

And this is when Gran fell backwards while trying to take a picture.

This is what he played with first.

And it makes noises!

Now, if I can just get used to saying he's a one year old....

The 9th of October

The Great turns one tomorrow. 

A couple of posts from this time last year: 

http://cornerofcentralflorida.blogspot.com/2013/10/countdown-and-flowers.html

http://cornerofcentralflorida.blogspot.com/2013/10/ii.html

http://cornerofcentralflorida.blogspot.com/2013/10/iv.html 

And these are some photos from this past week.

This one made me laugh.

My men.

We have put aside our garden so I don't have any collards stories. The lone remanent is our lemon tree, and this week several lemons ripened. Before tasting, R juggled them.

Juggling lemons.

 Tanner is doing well. He's still the most handsomest dog ever. And prone to ear infections. And thinks he is human.

Ah. My chunky baby boy is about to have a number designation instead of just months. 

Angel baby.

I'm so kissable.

Let's try this.

Delicious.

R and I are up waiting on Grandpa and Gran to arrive!

My mother-in-law gave me a new cookbook, A Time to Cook. The short review is Wonderful. 

pound cake

Ten Things

1. R took Squirms to her first air show. Our weekend had been rather blah because poor the Great was not well and R had been excited about taking our family to the air show. Sunday morning, with the Great still under quarantine, our neighbor gave us two tickets. R, very happily and excitedly, took his eldest to see the Thunderbirds fly on Sunday afternoon. This is what I learned afterwards:
"Jets are loud."
"Jets are fast."
"Thunderbird is so pretty."
"It's perfect." (while admiring her miniature F-16)
"Vertibal Lizer." (vertical stabilizer)

2. H asked me yesterday if I was still going to make Squirms be an astronaut. I replied, in all seriousness, Well. No. I mean, we don't really have a way for astronauts to go to space anymore. I was considering voicing my views on Russian launch pads when H interrupted me. She had meant for Halloween. Right. I had been looking at ordering an astronaut flight suit for Halloween.

3. It's difficult finding Halloween costumes for children to wear in 80 degree weather. Fleece, full-body, and warm head coverings are not things I can ask my children to wear more than 90 seconds.

4. I bought shoes for my bridesmaid dress for C's upcoming wedding!

5. The Great will be One Year old on Friday.

6. My cousin AMC's birthday is today!

7. I'm reading C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves: And Exploration of the Nature of Love. I like reading Lewis, even though he is too intelligent for me - I think that's why I like his work. I am constantly impressed by his questions, insight, analogies, and conclusions....but constantly unable to then talk about what I've read in a coherent manner. R thinks this is hilarious. And listens (and laughs silently) while I stumble through stories and half quotes trying to explain why what I've just read is so amazing.

8. My violin teacher taught me how to restring my violin. Cool.

9. I might have bought Shelby Ann a dinosaur hat-costume for the Great's birthday party.

10. Have I complained yet about missing Fall? Usually I devote an entire post to this issue. I'll try to find something - like bath-temperature pool water or hmmmmm, I literally can't think of anything - to be positive about central Florida during these months. I'm trying to work on my attitude towards living here.

Kevin

This is Kevin.

Kevin is a horse that Squirms brought home from her grandparents' house in June. Kevin used to belong to three little girls who played Barbies a lot, but lately he had been in storage with all those Barbies. 

Kevin is now friends with Elmo.

And Ariel.

Kevin, the beloved plastic horse, is the first toy that Squirms named herself.

I believe he is most likely named after the elusive bird, that Squirms refers to as a peacock, in the movie Up.

This is how Squirms gets ready for bed.

This is Squirm's dad. She wanted to make sure he took a photo too.