We had a little dog-pile daddy time the other day and I tried to get some pics. Unfortunately, Nick has a hard time keeping his eyes open for the camera. And so does Alison. Andrew seems to be the only one who can keep them open.
It cracks me up when I see Andrew doing the same things that Alison used to do. Okay, well only some things I find truly funny (getting into things and eating paper - not funny), like the penchant for sleeping with blankets on their heads.
Alison at 2 months
Thank you Megan Y. for the generous hand-me-down bike trailer! We got Alison a helmet and she and daddy take evening rides together after dinner. She LOVES it. 
And they look pretty cute getting on their way....
Sometimes I'll put Andrew in Alison's bed while we read before naps. Alison is always asking to hold and snuggle him. He never looks quite as happy about it as she does. Oh yes, and she's mastering the art of winking.
I'm going to start calling her Maude when she wears these.
Andrew decided he needed to try out the Bumbo seat at Heather's shower. He looked so cute in it and seemed to like the vantage point of looking out instead of up from the floor. 
So I got on Freecycle to see if anyone had one they weren't using anymore and some generous person offered us this!
Now if we could get him to stop slurping on his bib and hand while we are feeding him sitting up in this, things will be pretty good!
I have trimmed his hair since this next pic. Everyone, okay, a couple of people, had suggested that I cut his hair. WHAT?!!? CUT HIS HAIR!!!? He actually had hair when he was born and I wasn't ready to say good bye to it yet. Well, I have finally cut it, but here we have:
If Hitler had been the 4th stooge.
Nothing says Happy Birthday like blue smiles from yummy cupcakes!!
See some more cutes pics of these little hilarities HERE.
We had a horrific storm come down our street back in Jun. We've actually had quite a few tornadoes and crazy thunderstorms this summer. And most of them seem to happen on Sunday nights. This night started out no differently.
Nick was at work and I had just put the kids down when there was a huge lightning strike and thunder following almost instantaneously. That jarred me a bit. Randy (my father-in-law) came in just then to use our computer. So at least I wasn't alone. The wind was really strong and it was dark. The trees were blowing so far over I was surprised they were still standing. Since we don't have TV we started looking on the internet for tornado warnings. As I was sitting on the couch something changed outside and I looked out the window and there was a WHITE-OUT. No kidding. It was crazy. I couldn't even see my driveway or his car parked in it. My first thought was, "I've got to go get the kids out of bed and lay on top of them so that when our house is blown of it's shoddy foundation we don't all end up in munchkin land!!"
When it passed/calmed down/stopped and I could see out the window this was what I saw across the street: (these pics were actually taken all the next morning - too dark that night).
I'm not really sure if you can tell, but the tree on the left used to be as big as the one on the right. 2/3 of it was strewn across the lawn. Here is another shot.
Neighbors started spilling out of their homes to collect trash cans and recycling bins and debris that had been blown down the street. We didn't see any funnel clouds - but with the winds as strong as they were it was something like that.
Nick was on his way home from work and was unable to get into our street because trees had fallen blocking the only street access. Luckily he was able to go around and come through the park several houses down.
Here are more branches down.
And this one, you have to see that that big mound of dirt is actually the root base of a VERY large tree. The roots are taller than the 6-7" fence!
This about 1/3 of my neighbors Bradford Pear. so sad - I love that tree in the spring!
And here are the tree cleaner-uppers taking care of part of a tree that had fallen onto the neighboring house.
It was definitely the most exciting thing that has happened here on Dewey Drive. Randy emailed the local weather guy and asked if it was a tornado. His response was basically - the radar doesn't show that it was, but the winds and damage do, so if you want to tell people it was a tornado, I won't dispute it.
Someone said they thought it was a Microburst. After reading about them and seeing the trees down around our street (some facing in opposite directions) I am inclined to believe that's what it was. Either that or aliens. Scully, Mulder? are you there?
She's standing on top of a spigot that sprays water up in the air. I wish I had the shot right after this when she took her foot off and got sprayed in the face! It was pretty funny.
Alison is a flip-flop thief. If your's are missing, she has probably managed to take them. She is fearless and merciless. She sees an unworn pair (no matter where we are - or for that matter whose they are) and they will be on her feet in seconds. Here she is sporting mine.
She loves to "help" with the garden. This mainly involves spraying water, dumping water, playing with water, oh yeah, and eating the tomatoes.
Whoever 'you' is. I guess if you are reading this - then I'm talking to you!
These were taken by my friend Charlotte Geary - Photographer extraordinaire. Click HERE and HERE to go to the rest of the photos from the fun baby shower we went to. My favorites are the baby Zoolander shots.
And just check out her photoblog (on my left sidebar under links) if you want to see some amazing wedding photos and scenic shots of the Denver area and environs....
I've been trying everything to get Andrew to laugh lately. He gives me the cursory toothless grin most of the time. So I was just feeding him and he's all over the place, not staying focused on the task at hand, and then this.
Me: Andrew! (clap my hands to get his attention)
Andrew: baby giggles (smiles)
Me: Are you kidding me? (thinking to myself, his first laugh is AT ME!!!)
Andrew: more baby giggles
Me: Oh boy, I'm in for it.
So now instead of eating this whole time he's watching me type. Can you say, "we've reached the curious stage"?
I have a ton of pictures to post, but can't get around to it as he sleeps in the office and he's sleeping A LOT.
they are both looking at Uncle David - they know he's more entertaining than me any day!
Thanks to all my Oceanside friends, headed up by Allyn, for putting together this absolutely adorable quilt!! I LOVE IT!!! (and guess what, the stripe is an Amy Butler!)
This is going to be a wall quilt. Allyn doesn't want Andrew choking on any of the buttons!
This is what happens when someone like this
who knows what they are doing (see Charlotte Geary Photograpy)
Takes pictures with my camera.
I got to spend some time with some high school friends this weekend and Charlotte is one of them. We all had a great time laughing, eating, catching up and watching old colorguard footage! What a hoot!
So we've been hitting milestones around here lately. Andrew has rolled over, front to back and back to front, started eating rice cereal and is going to sleep rather easily at night. BUT! the big news is. . . . . .
NO MORE DIAPERS FOR ALISON!!!
I didn't understand how big of a deal this was until we were faced with it. Potty training isn't just something the kid needs to be ready for - the parent needs to be ready, geared up and prepared for it. I was given the potty training in less than a day book by a friend and I decided Monday would be the day.
I spent all last week talking about her elmo panties and saying good bye to diapers and using the toilet. And then Sunday night I put on her last diaper, we said bye bye to rest of the package and she picked out her byebye diaper book for me to read to her that night.
Monday morning came and we got down to it. For 5 hours it was nothing but:
"are your panties dry?"
"let's go sit on the toilet?"
"Hurry hurry so you don't have an accident!"
"here's some more juice/milk/water"
"good job! here's an M&M"
"daddy/grandma/grandpa/elmo/mommy/annie,leo,june,qunicy will be so proud of you!"
I was beat by lunch. But with just two accidents (one of them being right in front of the toilet) she was good to go. She knows when she needs to go and goes. She made it through her nap yesterday. AND through the night last night! And no accidents today even. I'm amazed and convinced she is a potty genius. Whatever - that book was the key! (Thanks, Karen!) Our next step will be conquering the fear of public toilets. I think she gets that from me.....
Last night she was exclaiming, "I'm so happy! I have hello kitty doll on my panties! I'm so happy! I use the potty!" She looks cute in her undies too - I didn't snap a picture - but maybe I will tomorrow. Would that be 'inappropriate content'?
