Happy Birthday Dawson

Well, the babies have done it again. This one's gone and turned one without even asking if it was okay to be so old, kind of like Lucy did.

Dawson will always be a special child to me. Crystal and I have been friends for 15 years and were able to go through this pregnancy together. Crystal was convinced that this baby would be okay because we were pregnant at the same time and it was meant to be. It was. I was also with Crystal at Dawson's birth (and she here for Lucy's), which gives me a different perspective on his life. That's something pretty special to be able to share. I know Dawson and Lucy will grow up knowing each other, and I love the time they spend together. So, I suppose, even though he didn't consult me before having his birthday I'll forgive this one. But when he turns two? We'll see.


Here Dawson is opening his gift from Lucy. She got him PJs, a shopping cart cover, and some bibs. Just what every one-year-old wants!

Big brother Dayton was all-too willing to lend a hand ripping into the gifts.

Mommy and Daddy with the birthday boy!

Dawson discovers cake ...

... and feeds it to his mommy. Yum!

I wish you the happiest of years to come, Dawson.

Ahhh, September

Can you tell I'm back to school? I'm working on juggling full time (getting Lucy out of the house by 7:00 and not home until almost 4:00) with essentially three new classes (new textbooks in everything with all my materials, homework, class practice, quizzes, etc. geared toward the old book) and have 106 students (once again the booby prize in my department with the biggest classes). And I was thinking about taking a class?

Hahahahahah!

Oh yeah, and this is Lucy's "My mommy is too busy to spend all day helping me push things around the house and reading books to me" face. She makes it a lot.

What a Baby Does

Lucy is a busy baby. All of the time. As I head back to school I'm already longing for the days where the hours seemed to stretch out ahead of us, when it was okay to push the stroller around the driveway for 30 minutes or take an hour for lunch. My days (mornings especially) from now until June will be a race to get us out of the house before 7am to make it to school in time. Now I can just wonder how Lucy fills her days playing with her friends at Kimmie's.

Last week, however, Lucy was ...

... playing with inappropriate toys. Here, the piece of wood we use to "lock" our sliding door. The list of other inappropriate toys includes the bottle of prilosec, the telephone and remote control, and bathroom items, lotion, combs, and if she can get her hands on it, the toilet brush ...

... letting mommy put silly things on her head and then snap photos. Lucy likes to play with headbands and has the idea that they go on her head but if one actually makes it there, watch out ...

... playing sudoku. This baby's got mathematical tendencies already ...

... pushing our stroller around the house, usually with a favorite toy riding. She can go back and forth across the house a hundred times without getting bored ...

... harassing Shorty. Poor dog just wants to eat her can of food so I set up a gate to give her some space. Lucy looks like the kind of girl who might jump those orange fences to ski in the woods ...

... exploring the box mommy put in the living room. There's always something exciting about a new object in the house, especially one you can fit into ...

... and sleeping. All of this activity can really wear a girl out, you know.