Salty Dog Blog

{this moment}

2012-01-27T07:23:00.000-05:00

{this moment}

2012-01-20T05:38:00.000-05:00

{this moment} A single photo -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

{this moment} - First Snowfall

2012-01-13T06:06:00.003-05:00

{this moment} Two photos -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

{this moment}

2012-01-06T03:57:00.000-05:00

{this moment} A single photo -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-12-30T21:48:00.000-05:00

{this moment} A single photo -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Lordy, Lordy

2011-12-29T23:04:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, I had the ~~tenth~~ fortieth birthday party of my dreams. While I am blessed with friends who can whip up an elegant soiree in their sleep, that wasn't at all what I had in mind. So we rented out the local roller rink, and time travelled back to the 1970s-80s. I couldn't squeeze into the vintage Jordache jeans I'd bought, but otherwise my outfit was my dream outfit from 1981: baseball tee with a glitter iron-on transfer (a saying my mother never would have allowed, for the record,) ribbon barrette, Love's Baby Soft perfume, press-on nails, Bonne Bell Lip ~~Slime~~ Gloss, and rainbow pompoms on my skates. Whether or not I was rocking Wonder Woman Underoos will remain my secret.

Mark rocked a glittery flame-throwing Jeep and an original PacMan trucker hat, and held my hand while we skated to the slow songs! My amazing family and friends (and even their kids) went all out with their outfits.

SuperJen made me the most radical, bitchin' cake EVER!

We did the Hokey Pokey, and we turned ourselves around, because that's what it's all about. We ate greasy cheese pizza, we did the limbo, we sported glow necklaces, we played skee-ball and whack-a-mole, we scored vinyl-topped CDs and rainbow bubble gum favors.

Nate's tee has a glittery Big Wheel. Awwww, yeah.

Take THAT, forty!

Daze of December

2011-12-29T16:56:00.001-05:00

December was a pleasant daze of simple joys with our boy, friends, and family. It started with Santa on a firetruck (the Woodland Beach VFD toy drive.) Nate really didn't have too much knowledge of Santa Claus, but we figured he would enjoy the firetruck. We joined friends Steve and Suzanne and their boys Dylan and Deegan for the stop in their nearby beach neighborhood.

When the firetruck arrived, and Santa got out, I hung back with Nate to let all the excited older kids get to Santa first. After expressing concern about whether the "elves" were going to close the door, Nate looked up and said, surprised, "That's Santa Cwaus!" He didn't have many requests, but gave the big man a high five, and delighted when Santa let him ring the bell on the firetruck.

Next, we went to select our Christmas tree. Nate was a little disappointed that the real trees didn't "go round and round" like the artificial one he'd seen at Kmart, but he got over that quickly, and helped Daddy pick a good one.

After a photo op with Daddy:

Nate visited the two Santas at the place. He loved the huge papier-mâché Santa, but was a little more wary of the smaller one that sang and danced. Until we left, of course, after which that was all he could talk about.

Once the tree was set up, Nate enjoyed playing with his nativity set and reading Christmas books beneath it. These three were in heavy rotation:

We never actually achieved ornaments, but he was happy with lights. His keepsake ornament this year was (what else?) a donkey.

There was a mid-month intermission, in the form of a housesitting/petsitting gig at the beach. As always happens when we are there, Nate moves ahead by leaps and bounds in the space of a week or two. This time, he mastered the slide and climbing stairs and onto/off of beds without a spotter. He also enjoys the wonderland of toys there. Favorites this time were the train table, the "ice caper" (lightsaber), the "balances" (a weight/balance learning toy), and that perpetual favorite, "the jumps" (mini trampoline.)

Visitors joined us for Shannon's 40th birthday party (more on that later,) filling the big house with busy boy energy and holiday fun.

There was the usual Nate silliness:

We also visited Homestead Gardens, so Nate could see the lights, the holiday train display, gorgeous trees, and Santa and his reindeer. We found some holiday napkins for Honey, and he charged toward the registers to buy them, only to be transfixed by a music box display. Eventually, the lights got him outside, where he insisted on going to every tree, naming them all by the color of the lights.

Finally, the holiday weekend arrived, and we headed over the river and through the woods to both grandmothers' houses. (Although Nate has hit a paternalistic streak, referring to "Daddy's house," "GrandDad's house," and "PopPop's house.)

We went bright and early Christmas Eve morning to Happy and GrandDad's to visit with them and Granny and Papaw. Santa brought Nate a recycling truck, a huge wagon of MegaBlocks, a stuffed donkey in a bed, a light that cast "stars on the ceiwing," his own rolling suitcase (a HUGE hit,) a wooden stacker puzzle, and a rabbit family for the dollhouse. But it was hard to get him to focus on any of that, what with a washing machine to be watched and games of chase and peek-a-boo to be played.

While Nate napped, Wesley and Andrea helped Honey bake cookies.

The waiting is SOOO hard.

After Nate's nap, both boys enjoyed the grandparents...

Pondered the religious and secular aspects of the holiday...

and posed for pictures (or didn't and instead played chase) until bedtime:

After bedtime, Santa came.

Mama stayed home from church to get Nate to sleep and because a cold made singing impossible. But saying prayers, she asked God, "tomorrow, help us remember the reason for the day." Nate chimed in, "the baby asweep in the hay." Mama will remember that forever.

Christmas morning, the boys miraculously slept until about 7. Clad in matching jammies, they woke Honey and PopPop, who sent them to their room for a little while longer. With the help of some distractions and Cheerios, they weathered this amazingly well. Then the call came, and they headed downstairs to the tree.

Santa brought Nate a play kitchen. From Mama and Daddy: a handmade memory game, a slide whistle, and some other goodies. From Honey and PopPop: some winter gear and jammies for a future Christmas, and a cool sea life play set. From Andrea, Rick, and Wesley: a wooden train set with a bridge and windmill (goes round and round-genius.) He also enjoyed playing with Wesley's play blender and Honey's colored wineglasses. All between breaks to see the swing and washing machine, and pop bubble wrap.

It's the little things, indeed. We are so grateful to our boy for reminding us. And now, we can take a much-needed milk break before the new year. We hope your holiday brought you moments of peace and joy. But if not, there is always January.

{this moment}

2011-12-16T08:13:00.000-05:00

{this moment} A single photo -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-12-09T09:20:00.000-05:00

{this moment} A single photo -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Thanksgiving Weekend, as narrated by Nate

2011-12-06T23:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry we're late in posting; we've been both busy and (at times) away from the internet.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving Day and the weekend after at the grandparents' houses. Unlike last year, when I didn't know what to expect, this year I was ready, especially for mashed potatoes and my 'little piece of (pumpkin) pie."

Truth be told, I had more than just a little piece of pie, but I earned it, since I helped Mom make two of them.

Mom tried to get a picture of me and Daddy in our "dressy" clothes, but we got kinda silly:

I woke up at the crack of dawn every day to play some of my favorite games at Honey and PopPop's. I got to swing in the basement, watch PopPop "make fire in the fireplace,"play the guitar, and watch a movie with Honey and Aunt Karin.

And, my most favorite: "battery." This is the coolest toy EVER. So what if it's marketed for cats? "Take the lid off, green lid, battery in the motor. Battery makes the motor go round and round and round. SEE it. Put the lid on. Put it on the flowah. Tail tickle you."

I also got to spend lots of time with Happy and GrandDad and Granny and Papaw. Happy's coolest toy is this red step stool. I figured out that I can carry it around to get to things. Things like the spice cabinet, "washing monchine," and Granny. Happy asked me what my favorite spice was. I told her, "herbes de provence." (She seemed surprised, maybe hers isn't in a cool jar like ours at home.)

I got to explore outside at Happy's house, too. Their driveway has great rocks, and around the corner of the house there are TWO fans.

I got to play silly games with Happy:

Talk man-to-man with Granddad:

and be doted on all around:

Bart, Tracy, and Sara came on Sunday. I was so excited to see Sara, especially.

And just like I thought, we had big fun, hiding in Happy's closet and doing bed gymnastics:

Sara also helped Mama peel potatoes, and trounced everyone at Uno. I know my colors, but can't read the numbers yet. Someday soon, I'll be in the game.

My family tops my list of things I'm thankful for, but I am also thankful for:

-walks to the "beach" to walk to the end of the pier and throw rocks in the water.

-freedom of artistic expression, even if it's only in the bathtub. "All the colors together make brown."

-jobs to do. In addition to helping Mama with cooking, I give Daddy lots of help with yardwork. There are leaves to rake, and a lawn to be mowed, even in the rain. It can get tiring.

-books and blanket forts. 'Nuff said.

There's just so much to be thankful for. Although Mama says I shouldn't end a sentence in a preposition.

{this moment} - Granny's hairdresser

2011-12-02T08:12:00.000-05:00

{this moment} A single photo -no words- depicting a moment from the past week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Cozy

2011-11-17T16:39:00.001-05:00

We're not quite ready to let go of fall. Fortunately, we've been enjoying the balance of outdoor adventures and cozy time inside. We spent a weekend with all the grands and great-grands.

Helping Honey with laundry

Laundry Dance

Checking out one of PopPop's radios.

Reading with Happy

Granny sleeping? OK, I'll just take her walker out for a spin.

PopPop's tractor is fun, too.

And we're enjoying some new games at home:

Hide-and-seek. He's amazingly patient waiting to be found, so we employ this often
to get small tasks accomplished upstairs.

Hangers. He likes to ask for one of each color from Daddy's closet.
This is "dark green" and "REALLY green."

"Legos." (Duplos.) He has amazing focus-he built all of this
(except the base Daddy added for stability) at one time.

But mostly, by Nate's choice, we read books. Books, books, and more books. He quotes phrases, sentences, sometimes several pages, from his favorites. Right now, the (roughly estimated) top ten:

Even patient, book-loving parents could get tired around the 20th book of the day. But it's tough to say "no" to this:

In between books and games, Mama sneaks time for holiday elving and plans for two parties. You gotta have something to get you through "cold wintertime, when belly buttons hide."

{this moment}

2011-11-11T09:48:00.005-05:00

{this moment} A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Monkeying Around

2011-11-03T09:33:00.001-04:00

We started our Halloween celebration on Sunday at the Schooner Sultana Downrigging Days in Chestertown, MD. Several tall ships join the Sulatana at the end of the sailing season. One of our favorite events each year, it's always a gold mine for sailing and photography geeks. When we can't make it by boat, we take the land yacht.

This year, we took advantage of the Open House and trick-or-treating aboard the Kalmar Nyckel from Delaware. As we waited in line on the dock, a little girl (a big sister with 8 months' experience) solemnly asked me, "can I PLEASE hold your baby?" She was very motherly and concerned, and Nate didn't seem to mind her attentions at all.

We arrived late in the afternoon (Nate's naptime trumps all) so we missed the model boat-building for kids, but Nate had fun splashing his hands in the empty pool set up for the purpose. Nate wore the monkey costume I made 12 years ago for the eldest of my friend's kids (and since worn by her other two), Mark went as the Man in the Yellow Hat (from Curious George) and I went as a zookeeper.

Lots of kids and parents recognized Curious George, and so did these fearsome pirates:

Nate enjoyed ~~walking~~ running around the quaint little town, meeting several dogs and one pre-teen werewolf, to whom we had to discourage him from "give pat-pats."

Monday, Mama had to work, but Daddy took Nate trick-or-treating at a few houses on our street. Days later, Nate is still giving the play-by-play. He was mostly excited by the decorations, neighbors' dogs (and one parrot) and other kids, but one seasoned pro (a mom of three) skipped the bowl of chocolate and found Nate a lollipop.

New and notable this week:

-Nate told Mark, "that makes sense."

-If he's been being loud, chanting "nononono" or squealing "AAAAAAAAAH," he will beat us to the punch in asking, "What's all the no-no's about?" or "What's all the AAAAAAAAHs about?"

-More lines from books. I wasn't sure why he kept talking about "Summer Nights" (Reminiscing? Watching Grease?) until Mark told me that "The Belly Button Book" has made a comeback.

-I earned a "fun Mama."

-He's making connections. He took two Laffy Taffys from his trick-or-treat bag, placed them just so, and proclaimed, "Make 'T' yellow and brown one." And when I handed him a round slice of cheese, he said "sounds like (looks like) balloon!"

Other than a few cold days, the weather has remained nice, allowing for "go see propellers." Nate now powers up the steep driveway of the marina.

We took a gorgeous evening sail on Tuesday.

It was bittersweet, as it was likely our last sail on Salty Dog. She's going to a new home soon. Hopefully, the new owners will love her as much as we have, and get her out more often than we've been able to the last two seasons.

Sailing on our own boat will be a 5-year plan, something to dream of during the winter months.

{this moment} - Drive Thru

2011-10-28T08:12:00.000-04:00

{this moment} A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-10-26T23:30:00.000-04:00

I missed posting Nuggets last week. Highlights included a (much more successful) second haircut, and another trip to the pumpkin patch with the donkey. Nate requested "go that farm, see donkey" about a dozen times, so I relented. And was glad I did when this time there were THREE donkeys, all braying for dinner. "Heeehawww."

Also new lately:
-Nate quotes lines from favorite books. When I mentioned something was in the green room (guest room has green walls,) he said "the great green room." Took me a minute to recognize it from Goodnight, Moon. He's also quoting numerous sentences from Cat in the Hat, which for some reason we had only started reading recently. For the record, the Cat doesn't wear a bow tie. It's a propeller.

-Singing: "up the water spout ayahhahhhayahh,"etc.

-He knows his full name, and after saying his middle name, he says both great-grandparents' names (his middle name is their family name.)

-Bathtime is high shenanigans these days. No more sitting sweetly on the nonskid mat.

Sunday, we went to the local garden center's Fall Festival. Nate ran the straw maze:

He also admired pumpkins and flirted with a little girl:

We admired the pigs ("tails wagging!") and goats, and Nate campaigned vigorously to ride the pony (like his veterinarian mama and photographer papa needed much convincing.) Once astride "Buddy," he was unsure, but kept his composure, and stayed on for the full two laps around the pen. Afterwards, he was all smiles, and "Nate ride the pony, it's all right, it's all right, pick you up in a minute" was all he could talk about for an hour or so.

That evening, we hosted a few friends for an impromptu fall party. Mark fired up the smoker, and Shannon had fun decorating and setting up squash bowling:

Nate insisted on doing everything the big kids did, decorating cookies and scooping pumpkin guts:

Waiting his turn.

Jenny-Jen generously brought a kids' picnic table, and Nate requested lunch and dinner outside on Monday:

Tuesday, we joined Jenny-Jen and Alex to explore the Maryland Zoo.

Nate liked the "zebra, ostritcssssh, elephant drink water, yellow frogs, and feed a giraffe leaves." He also wanted to sit in the model heron's nest, and (do you detect a theme?) "pet the donkey."

I took the stroller (love BOB) but mostly it carried the backpack while I jogged behind this:

After all that fun with Mama, Daddy had a tough act to follow today, but beach and boats did nicely:

We're wanting very much for October to last another few months.

{this moment}

2011-10-21T09:15:00.002-04:00

{this moment} A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-10-14T05:59:00.001-04:00

{this moment} A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. An ordinary, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-10-12T15:41:00.000-04:00

Fortunately, the weather has been gorgeous. Because all Nate wants to do is go outside. Some of his inside toys probably haven't seen action in a month.

We spent the weekend at Honey and PopPop's, since cousin Wesley was in town. The boys enjoyed each other's company lots, with Nate a much more active participant than before.

One of their favorite games was to get on the indoor riding toys and do laps around the living room and kitchen. Nate would gleefully announce, "Here come the boys!"

There were hikes up the lane:

flower gathering with Honey:

and a trip to Great Country Farms. Like last year, our friends joined us.

Nate enjoyed the animals most of all, and both boys enjoyed the cow train.

Nate sat out the big bounce, and Caitlin aged out, but Kelsey, Nicholas, and Wes gave it a go:

Nate's phase of adding "io" to everything seems to have ended. Only "Daddy-o" remains. But after I told him he used to be a little dude, and is now a big dude, he now tells everyone they're a big dude. He sees it as a compliment. He also now professes himself to be "handsome."

But, can you argue?

With a late start, and lots to do at Great Country Farms, we never made it to the pumpkin patch. Honey bought the boys mini pumpkins (gourds) but on the drive home we heard Nate exclaim, "tasty!" and found him eating his. So on Tuesday, we headed to a local farm to pick pumpkins. Nate was excited about the pumpkins, and ecstatic about the farm's miniature donkey, Maude. Donkeys are currently his favorite farm animal, although he still finds goats hilarious.

I could enjoy this child, at this age, in this season, forever.

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

2011-10-05T19:26:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow would have been my Dad’s 65th birthday. Lately, I’ve been thinking about all that he taught me. The usual stuff, of course: riding a bike, tying shoes, driving. And the peculiar-to-Dad stuff: introducing yourself even if you think they know you, the art of the smartass remark, the discipline and joy of learning, the motto “Why be normal?”

He loved so many people, so many animals, so many stories, so many places, so many foods, so many interests. He introduced his children to a world beyond our hometown.

One of his great loves was the theater. He took me to my first musical, a high school production of “South Pacific,” when I was 8 or 9. Seeing that show last night, this time as a parent, I was moved to tears by the lyrics to “Carefully Taught:”

You've got to be taught

To hate and fear

You've got to be taught

From year to year

It's got to be drummed

in your dear little ear

You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught

To be afraid

Of people whose eyes

are oddly made

And people whose skin

Is a different shade

You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught

Before it's too late

Before you are 6 or 7 or 8

To hate all the people

your relatives hate

You've got to be carefully taught

Maybe what Dad didn’t teach us was, in fact, his greatest gift.

Apple Picking

2011-09-30T12:33:00.001-04:00

Thursday, our friends took us to a nearby orchard to pick apples. Nate enjoyed picking and putting apples in the bag, and insisted on carrying the bag himself. When he finally decided it was too heavy, he enjoyed running back to the barn (it had a fan) and the pumpkins.

{this moment}

2011-09-30T09:36:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. Thanks to Soule Mama for the idea.

Our hosts

2011-09-29T15:45:00.001-04:00

We are so grateful for the hospitality and good company of our friends. Tom and Hannah, along with daughters Lili, Kate, Grace, Lucy, and Siiri, have fed us, entertained Nate, and been excellent tour guides. This is especially impressive when you consider their many family, professional, and community commitments. We hope we've absorbed some of Tom and Hannah's gentle, respectful parenting skills. We are certain that Nate has absorbed some of the girls' enthusiastic spirit. And quite a bit of Lucy's mothering:

Camden

2011-09-29T13:38:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, our friends took us to Camden. We enjoyed the historic buildings, gorgeous harbor, and some ice cream, before heading to a local beach to explore at low tide.

After the beach, the Salty Dogs went for another schooner sail, this time aboard the Schooner Appledore. The sunset sail into Penobscot Bay was a real highlight of our trip. Nate had fun watching the crew, the lines, the bell buoy, and talking to other passengers and another boat dog.

Acadia National Park

2011-09-29T13:20:00.000-04:00

On Monday, we made the short drive into Acadia National Park. Nate and I froze our toes at Sand Beach, one of the only sandy beaches in Maine. We marveled at Thunder Hole, and drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain, taking in the views of Bar Harbor and the neighboring islands.

Bar Harbor

2011-09-29T13:14:00.001-04:00

Again this year, we planned a vacation around a continuing education conference, this time in Bar Harbor, Maine. We flew to Portland, staying with friends overnight before heading north. We took a lazy route to Bar Harbor, stopping in Freeport at the flagship L.L. Bean store and in Wiscasset at Red's Eats, billed by a friend as having the best lobster roll in Maine. It was divine, well worth the half-hour wait in cold rain, and we warmed up afterwards with fresh cookies from a local bakery.

The boys explored the town and the hotel grounds in the mornings while I attended the meeting. One of their best discoveries was the soda fountain at the Rexall drugstore.

Nate charmed the clerk, who recommended a local playground we'd never have discovered on our own.

Nate checked out all of the equipment, and did extensive testing of the slide. Luckily for him (and us) a sweet 9-year-old girl took him under her wing.

The fountain in a park downtown was another big draw. "Nate belly all WET!"

At low tide, you can walk across from shore to Bar Island. We didn't make it all the way across, as there were too many diversions along the way. Rocks, shells, seaweed, puddles, birds, and a few dogs kept Nate very busy. At one point, fed up with the several days' lack of propellers, he declared that he was going to go see the propeller of the huge cruise ship across the harbor (picture, top middle.) Thankfully, an interesting tide pool persuaded him to stay put.A special treat this time was that a colleague attended the same conference with her hubby. We adore S. and J., and had fun exploring the tide pools with them, as well as dinner Saturday. Nate dressed and acted particularly adult, for the occasion:

On our anniversary, we sailed aboard the Schooner Margaret Todd, with her 151 feet, 4 masts, and 2 Newfoundland dogs, followed by dinner at the lobster pound

{this moment}

2011-09-23T17:56:00.000-04:00

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-09-21T08:51:00.003-04:00

Painting-before/during.

Painting-after.

"Drive da boat." This is the new addition to the daily visits to the propellers across the street. And he never fails with the reminder that "Daddy need to fix da motor."

Nate's sandbox replacement-kidney beans. Also a daily routine.

Stay tuned for our next adventures, in Maine!

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-09-16T06:15:00.005-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Geaux, Dog, Geaux!

2011-09-13T22:19:00.001-04:00

I headed to Louisiana this weekend, solo, for a reunion with old friends. My first discovery was how great it was to travel light again-one carry-on bag, no sippy cup/diapers/wipes/carseat/stroller/stuffed animals. Also, no laptop, giant camera, power cords, card readers, GPS, MP3 speakers-you know, the big boy's toys.

I met up with these characters:

I met Gannon in the summer of 1985, and Scott (in the purple shirt) soon after. The handsome younger man is Xander, Scott's son. I'd been hearing about Xander from his proud dad for 13 years, but had never met him. When I did, Xander asked me, "You met my dad when you were MY age?" and I almost fainted. Could we have been that young?

Scott had scored tickets for us to the LSU-Northwestern State game- a night game in Tiger Stadium, aka Death Valley, a first for me.

We stayed up far too late, looking at old pictures, reminiscing, and catching up with Gannon's parents, who generously hosted us in Baton Rouge. On Sunday, after a brief visit with his family, Scott drove me to New Orleans, where I played tourist for 24 hours, before heading home.

But of course, I missed these guys terribly (the big two, anyway. Baby Bruce and I aren't really close.)

So home I came, with an armadillo puppet for Nate, pralines for Mark, and fond memories for me.

And Nate learned an important lesson:

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-09-07T16:43:00.004-04:00

We had a fun long weekend with all the grands and great-grands. At Honey and PopPop's, Nate played with lots of great toys from Mark's childhood. I had this FisherPrice village, too, and it was one of my favorites. Choking hazards aside, this toy really stands the test of time. It has so many things to keep a child's interest.

Honey's magnifying makeup mirror also saw lots of action:

There was also lots for Nate to help with:

At Happy and GrandDad's, Nate recruited ball players:

Happy taught Nate his family name, which just hadn't occurred to his parents, somehow. He also amazed us by learning (and retaining) the different last names of his maternal grandparents and great-grandparents. If I weren't so worried about his motormouth, I'd teach him my passwords and PIN numbers. That could help a mutha out one of these days.

On the homefront, pretend play started in earnest this week, delighting Mama. I couldn't begin to tell you where "cat sit on a chair, watch a movie" or "doggie go off-a diving board-splash!" came from. Simply amazing to watch that happen.

Nate is really excited about "Nate's boat," along with "Nate's propeller on a motor." He visits it in the driveway at least twice a day, rain or shine. In the boat, he proclaims "one hand on the wheel; one hand on the throttle. Not POTTY {impish grin}, throttle." His sailor-at-heart parents are a little chagrined that he likes powerboats so much, but at least he's accepting the lifejacket. And we can't resist "sit in Mama's lap; boat go fast!"

Cooler weather this week reminded Mama of the impending need for socks and shoes. A quick try-on of all available hand-me-downs showed nothing suitable, so we braved the mall. Nate was amazingly cooperative, and we got a cool retro pair of kicks once Mama got over her shock at the measured size. Surely my little baby doesn't need those big boy shoes?!?

But PopPop has a theory about why Nate's growing so fast. He thinks it's all the time he spends on this kid-stretcher on our deck:

Time to put that thing away.

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-09-02T05:42:00.003-04:00

A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-08-31T22:55:00.006-04:00

We headed to New Jersey last weekend for cousin Wesley's third birthday:

Simple brownie cake on his actual birthday.

Hurricane Irene forced the postponement of the party, but we had a grand time, anyway.

After the storm passed through, we took the boys, suffering from cabin fever, outside to explore. Eagle-eyed Wesley found this very entertaining earthworm swimming hole:

We returned home Sunday night, to a (thankfully, undamaged) house with no power or running water. Nate somehow managed to entertain himself:

Left: "This fits." Right: "Fix rocket. SrewDRIVER!"

We were finally able to capture Nate's impressive "downward dog" yoga pose on film.

Usually he announces, "down dog," but he sometimes channels his inner Scotsman to proclaim that he is "upside doon!"

Tonight we cruised to dinner dockside, then headed home in a glorious sunset.

I will forever remember the exact weight of his life-jacketed body on mine, the smell of his blowing hair, the wonder in his eyes, his "Night, Night Little Moon," and the quickness with which he announced "motor OFF!" each time the quirky outboard died. This little family is my greatest adventure.

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-08-26T05:42:00.002-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

(OK, some words.) That long, talented, drink o'water is my goddaughter Caitlin. As they say where I grew up, "I knew her when she was knee-high to a grasshopper." And in the thirteen years since, my love for her and pride in her has grown almost as fast as she has.

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-08-24T23:15:00.000-04:00

It was a good week for Nate. He ate dinner "cooked" for him by the visiting girls, then took them out for ice cream:

Swam:

Found a subtle way to tell Dad it's time to go "AH-side!":

where they looked at the water:

and went boat shopping:

He branched out from fans into several other interesting things that go "roundandroundandround":

(the laundry, "puh-pellers," and "Bahbie's head.") NB: Pet Doctor Barbie (because girls are too dumb to know the word "veterinarian") was a tongue-in-cheek gift from my friend Jen when I got into vet school. Don't know how Mattel knew that we all wear hot pink paw print leggings and pink combat boots with our snug-fitting labcoats.

Visiting the puh-pellers across the street at the marina is now at least a daily event:

As is this sweet laugh (this time at Daddy pretending to bonk his head:)

The days are just packed.

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-08-19T06:04:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Whirlwind

2011-08-18T21:33:00.001-04:00

Our friends Tom and Hannah visited this week, with daughters Lili, Kate, Grace, Lucy, and Siiri. It was a short visit but oh, what fun we packed in!

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-08-17T15:43:00.002-04:00

Our regular walk is down to "the beach." The real beach is about a mile away, but a public pier for fishing and crabbing is only a few blocks away. For Mom and Dad, the decaying bait and porta-johns detract somewhat from the allure of the river view, but Nate delights in splashing rocks and dipping toes (and sometimes his diapered bum) in the water.

Our river view is so beautiful because the shoreline is largely undeveloped, occupied by an environmental research center and YMCA camp. My sweet niece headed to sleepaway camp there on Sunday, giving us an excuse for a sleepover and pool/bubble/crayon time with Aunt Tracy, Uncle Bart, and Cousin Sara beforehand.

On Sunday, Mama persuaded the guys to dress up for a birthday party for a sweet little friend.

This week's activities featured some old favorites:

"SPICES!" Nate likes to turn the turntables, shake the jars, identify the "heavy" ones, and touch and smell things.

"PUDDLES!"

and some new ones:

One morning, he asked for the Washington Post Magazine before breakfast.

Crayons are now a big hit, too. He has some chunky ones, but prefers Mama's big box of regular crayons. He's stopped putting them in his mouth, and is very gentle with them, so we allow it. He mostly likes to pull one out, name the basic color (sometimes still confusing green and blue), then "put it back." But sometimes he actually draws on the paper.

He's been speaking in sentences for a while, but sometimes lately, when he's excited, it's more like paragraphs. In the bathtub, looking at the exhaust fan with its cover removed: "Fan not broken. Fan is ON. Daddy fix the fan. Fan in ceiling. Fan go roundandroundandround."

In the self-serve furniture area at Ikea, we passed someone reading an item number aloud, ending in "9...8." I expected that he'd repeat the numbers, and he did. But he surprised me when he followed that (in the "I just figured it out!" tone) with "NATE!"

I feel so lucky to be along for the ride.

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-08-12T06:03:00.004-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-08-11T15:49:00.003-04:00

Nate's great-grandparents just made a big move to live with Grandma Happy. Nate congratulates Granny with a high-five.

Papaw requests a high "four-and-a-half." The sense of humor this man maintains at 91 years old is amazing. Granny, too. Sitting and holding hands at lunch, Papaw turned to Granny and said sweetly, "I love you." She grinned and shot back, "I don't like you."

Have I trained these two well, or what?

A fun morning blowing bubbles on the deck. This has been happening at least twice daily for quite some time, but we have some new developments. We borrowed a furry buddy, Dylan. And Nate hoists the huge Vat o' Bubbles and expertly unscrews the lid. Mama loves, loves, loves the tongue thrust out in concentration.

Visiting Grandma Honey and PopPop again this weekend, Nate's ~~obsession with~~ interest in their fans hit a new high. When leaving, he insisted on saying goodbye to the fans, individually. He spent the longest with his favorite, in the rec room. And when we talked about how we'd be back at "HoneyPopPop's House" soon, he corrected us, "Fan's House."

At Kmart today (I don't know why I bother; this store never has a single thing I go in looking for) he was snuggling with me and answered my "I love you, Nate" with "I love you, Mama." Totally melted me. For at least three minutes, until he also professed his love to the trash cans and fans.

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week. Shannon's definition of Hump Day is flexible. Thanks to Dig This Chick for the idea.

{this moment}

2011-08-05T06:38:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-07-29T06:26:00.002-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Hump Day Nuggets

2011-07-20T22:19:00.001-04:00

My addled brain is grateful to blogger Dig for inviting others to copy her "Hump Day Nuggets" format. It's especially well-suited to my current inability to tackle any large projects. Blame the heat, the constant noise and movement of a household even "just" one kid, the chicken-with-its-head-cut-off pace of my workdays, whatever. But my inability to string together more than a few meaningful sentences doesn't mean that I am not loving these days, grateful for the little moments they contain, and wanting to remember them always.

Nate is into making up games. The current favorites are:
1)Sitting on "Mama's Wap" on the daybed in his room, then falling over onto the pillows saying, "Oops, capsized!"
2)Peeking above, beneath, and beside some object, saying "Up here!" Down there!" "Over here!"
3)After getting the first (factual) answer to his car query "Where we GOing?," he'll ask if we're going somwehere else. Then he'll smile and say, "nooooo." I come up with sillier and sillier places we might be going, and he delights in answering "noooo" to all of them.
4)Hiding an object, he'll speak all the lines in the following drama, if no one else does: "Where'd _______ Go?" "I don't know." "Hiding." {does a slow reveal of the object} "Found it!"

My grandparents are moving in with my mom (under two hours' drive from us) at the end of July. Words can't express how grateful I am that Nate (and all of us) will have this time with them. Not once-yearly, harried, trying-to-see-everyone visits. But sitting a spell, telling stories, sharing meals. No one I have ever known can enthrall a child, using no toys or props, like my Papaw. My Granny loves my patient, hardworking husband like one of her own children. I pray that the travel, and the transition, will go as smoothly as possible for them. Because, me? I feel like a kid two weeks before Christmas.

Walking the other night, Nate saw a woman in the distance with a leash. "Doggie, doggie, doggie!" he said, until he got a look at the teacup chihuahua at the end of the leash. Then he changed his mind: "Cat."

We are already losing some of my favorite mispronounced words. "Hippo Pappanas" has given way to "Hippotamus." At least we still have "breksits" every morning.

Happy Hump Day!

True Story

2011-07-16T00:06:00.000-04:00

Mama was eagerly awaiting the boy's 18-month checkup. She envisioned all the ways he'd wow the pediatrician with his vocabulary, perception, memory, and complex sentences. Instead, the boy sat silently for the entire 20 minutes (surely a first.) He didn't repeat the word "stethescope" or point out that the doctor had "glasses on." He didn't name body parts, nor colors/letters/shapes he had spied from across the room. He accepted the tongue depressor the doctor offered, intended to distract him during the exam of eyes, ears, nose. Satisfied, the doctor sat back down across from them, and informed Mama that by two years old, the boy should have a vocabulary of 50 words ("he knows at least that many food items!" she silently protested) and construct two-word sentences. The boy placed the tongue depressor in his mouth and, drooling, said nothing.

As the door closed behind the doctor, the boy handed Mama the tongue depressor and said, "Stick tastes terrible."

{this moment}

2011-07-15T06:48:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-07-08T07:57:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Happy Fourth

2011-07-04T23:37:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful holiday weekend. Nate saw two small-town parades (and was cute enough in his wagon to be his own parade, if you ask us.) He also enjoyed: four doting grandparents, waving his little flag, star beads, a lollipop, a great dinner with friends, ice cream, running around the lawn, a cornhole game, "boom boom fireworks," a glow bracelet, and a late bedtime.

{this moment}

2011-07-01T07:44:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

First Haircut

2011-06-28T16:18:00.000-04:00

Nate was not a fan of the haircut itself but liked the "barber pole go round and round and round" and the lollipop. Proving he dwells on the positive, if you now say "barber shop" to him, he responds "Lollipop." And now he can stop rubbing the back of his neck and saying "Hot!"

My favorite colors

2011-06-26T13:04:00.000-04:00

are all blue. Mark and I enjoyed a lazy weekend aboard, while Nate had fun at home with some favorite people.

{this moment}

2011-06-24T08:21:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-06-17T05:35:00.006-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

A Life Well-Lived

2011-06-16T15:01:00.002-04:00

We bid farewell today to our sweet Sandy dog. Shannon adopted her 15 years ago, at a little over a year old. She has been with her (and later Mark and Nate) through countless adventures. We could not have asked for better, and (we hope) neither could she.

Change of Scenery

2011-06-12T21:34:00.000-04:00

We housesat/petsat at the beach this week. We're always amazed how a change of scenery highlights Nate's rapid growth. This week his speech and play jumped light years ahead. Even apart from the beach outside, the house is heaven to the 6 grandchildren of its owners, and to Nate, as well. It's well stocked with toys, games, costumes, and art supplies. Some firsts for Nate were the sandbox, car, dress-up, slide, and "bicycle."

There was lots of the usual silliness...

...and one glorious day on the beach...

...during which we took a photo to compare to last year's. One set of feet grew quite a bit, and is now much less likely to remain still.

Tough job, but somebody's gotta do it!

{this moment}

2011-06-10T07:04:00.001-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Neverland

2011-06-04T23:36:00.001-04:00

We had a grand time today at our friend Alexandra's 3rd birthday party. It had a Peter Pan theme, with lots of magical details and room for kids and their imaginations to run free. Although I am sure everyone expected a pirate costume for Nate, I decided to make him one of the lost boys instead. I took a stained hand-me-down Onesie and tea stained it, and I sewed the rest with fun fabrics and trims from Joann's. The cool wooden turtle beads were 2 for a dollar on clearance, hence the matching necklace for me. Grandma Happy and I decided a lost boy shouldn't be too cherub-faced, so we "dirtied" his face and arms with makeup.

By the end of the party, Nate had "walked the plink," hunted for "trishoh," and tried on the personas of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and even Tinkerbell. Full disclosure: every one of those accessories was forced on him against his will. Swimming, on the other hand, was so much fun he cried only when we made him get out. What a sweet day to celebrate a sweet ~~little~~ girl. (oops; forgot she's a big girl now!)

{this moment}

2011-06-03T08:03:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-05-26T21:04:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Nate wanted the "water can," and knew just what to do with it. After that, he tried to put "back!" the fallen leaf.

{this moment}

2011-05-20T06:29:00.002-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-05-13T21:12:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-04-29T06:10:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Does it Show?

2011-04-28T23:21:00.001-04:00

1) We are loving our boy.
2) We are loving spring.
3) We are loving this shirt Aunt Jenny-Jen made for Nate, and these boots Happy gave him.
4)We can't wait to get out on our boat.
5) Our boy is growing even faster than our weeds. And that is saying something.

Easter

2011-04-28T23:06:00.000-04:00

We had the most joyous Easter this year. Happy and GrandDad spent the night Saturday night, working their (rabbit) tails off to help us get ready for Easter dinner for 26 people!

Nate was much more interested in breakfast and grandparents than in his basket, but finally did discover the goodies, including a rabbit puppet, pinwheel, bubbles, shaker eggs, tambourine, sidewalk chalk, "deets" (mini M&M "treats") and some books.

With some last-minute wardrobe fixes (practically an Easter tradition in Shannon's family) we got Dapper Nate in his Sunday best for church. This was purely for photo purposes and to indulge Mama's seersucker addiction, as our church is delightfully come-as-you-are.

Nate was wonderful through the service, watching the choir and harpist, admiring the ceiling fans and flirting with parishioners. Small talk bores him, though, so he kept busy during coffee hour with toys and the lawn.

Back at home, it was naptime for Nate and dinner time for the other 25 of us. Once Nate awoke (and devoured some ham, asparagus, green beans, and salad) we headed outside for the egg hunt. Andrea hid dozens of easier-to-find eggs in the smaller front yard, while the older kids hunted tougher quarry (including two golden eggs) in the back.

Bubble blowing and other shenanigans ensued, until the thunder convinced us to go inside. What a beautiful, memorable day!

{this moment}

2011-04-22T06:03:00.001-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-04-15T09:55:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Kite Festival

2011-04-14T15:52:00.000-04:00

Sunday, we went to the National Mall for the Kite Festival. Mark used to compete in this every year, and we both love watching the kites. We figured Nate would, too.

He did. Almost as much as he enjoyed his first picnic (if you don't count nursing al fresco; we did lots of that), playing with Happy and Grand-Dad ("Bappy!" "Dad-Dad!") and just running around with us in pursuit.

He finally agreed to help Dad fly the kite we'd brought, and was pleased with the results. Mama proved less successful at kite flying, but Mark was patient, as always.

We then walked up the Mall toward the Capitol, and Nate had his first carousel ride. He didn't seem to know what to think. I had to tickle him to get a smile. But, on the upside, the inevitable "crying-because-it's-time-to-get-off-the-carousel" moment can wait until next year.

{this moment}

2011-04-08T06:44:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-04-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-03-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

Our little world got turned a bit upside down the last few weeks, but we are getting through it with lots of help from family and friends.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Now, wait just one minute!

2011-03-08T01:57:00.001-05:00

You turn your back on your baby for one second, and he saunters off with a talking dog in a shopping cart. Another minute, and he'll be climbing up the school bus steps without even waving goodbye. Asking for the car keys to take a date to the movies. Jetting off to a junior year abroad.

I didn't authorize any of this.

{this moment}

2011-03-04T00:10:00.009-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

What a Difference a Year Makes

2011-03-03T20:41:00.000-05:00

We housesat this same time last year.

{this moment}

2011-02-25T20:30:00.013-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Our new exercise regimen.

{this moment}

2011-02-18T05:04:00.001-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Nate's new tricks this week include brushing his teeth, and crossing his fingers. There's stair-climbing, too, but that's hard to photograph while spotting him at high speeds.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T23:38:00.002-05:00

A gleam in his eye, and a swagger in his step. It can only mean one thing: Valentine's Day. Nate spent the morning with his true love.

Much love to all of you, today and always!

{this moment}

2011-02-11T07:05:00.000-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-02-04T08:47:00.000-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-01-28T06:45:00.000-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-01-21T07:00:00.002-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment}

2011-01-07T22:09:00.000-05:00

Christmas, Part Two

2011-01-05T16:54:00.001-05:00

The weekend after Christmas, we went to Honey and GrandPop's to celebrate with them, along with Andrea, Rick, and Wesley. Cousin Wes amazed us by consistently looking out for Nate. He brought him toys, and even shared his brand-new toys without any prompting. His focus playing with his trains, and helping Rick repair one toy (picture top left) were also amazing for a two-year old.

Santa and the grandparents again spoiled us all, with gifts, food, and a couple of relaxing days. The Brown Dog made Mama belly laugh early New Year's Day by pulling her on a long walk then leaping in crazed circles around the large lawn. Bet I won't be doing that when I'm in my nineties.

Happy and Granddad Don joined us Saturday night for dinner, then we Salty Dogs headed home to get ready for Nate's big party on Sunday.

{this moment}

2010-12-31T16:27:00.002-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Nate's First Year

2010-12-29T01:00:00.001-05:00

In one year, our little baby boy has gained:

-18 pounds

-10 inches

-6 teeth

-several clothing sizes

-mobility

-dozens of words

His parents' gains over the last year (other than a few pounds we'd rather not discuss)?

Immeasurable.

Happy Birthday, Nate!

Nate's First Christmas

2010-12-28T16:47:00.001-05:00

Nate's first Christmas was as relaxed, joyous, and merry as we had hoped. For a couple of weeks leading up to Christmas, he enjoyed the Christmas tree, the snowglobe music box, the decorations made by Grandma Happy when Mama was a baby, the stockings ("sock") the bubble light nightlights ("bubba") and the Fisher Price manger set from Auntie Andrea (the angel apparently has the best mouthfeel, in case you were wondering.)

On Christmas Eve, he dressed up in a Christmas sweater and red corduroy pants that Mama sewed (no, she wasn't going for an MC Hammer look; weird things happen when you work without a pattern.) With Mama and Dad holding his hands, he walked up to the creche at church to place the baby Jesus in the manger. Then it was off to bed in Christmas jammies, after a reading of "The Night Before Christmas. Grandma Happy and Granddad Don spent the night at our house, too, so they could share Nate's first Christmas morning.

Christmas morning, Mama woke at 5:30, and waited impatiently for Nate to wake up. Finally at 7:30 the coos and songs started in his crib. After a change into clean Christmas jammies for Nate, we came downstairs, where Dad was waiting with the videocamera. Santa had brought a big red wagon and Nate went straight for it. He (literally) kicked the tires and then wanted to sit in it. Next, he spied the activity cube. That occupied him until breakfast and naptime, and much of the afternoon as well.

With no schedule to keep (Mama's favorite part of Christmas Day,) we just let him take his time opening gifts. From Mama and Dad: books, a houseboat, a ball, a wooden clacker push toy, handheld jingle bells and cymbals (a HUGE hit), fabric fruits and veggies for his play kitchen. From Grandma Happy and Granddad Don (in addition to the help they generously gave to Santa:) a LeapFrog dog, boat toy for the swimming pool, pots and pans for the play kitchen, books, nesting blocks, and a snowglobe ornament with a light that changes colors (mesmerizing.) Aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends also gave him several great gifts.

In his stocking, he found a shaker made by Mama from items found around the house, heart-shaped crayons molded by Mama from broken bits (hopefully easy for little hands to grab in a few months,) mini M&Ms (sugar is a very rare treat,) animal crackers, bubbles, Weebles, a huge sweet potato (his favorite food) wearing a Santa hat, and an adorable Humbug, who isn't really grouchy; he just doesn't like to come out and sing until Dec. 25th. (We have plans to have a hunt for the Humbug every Christmas morning, but this year we made him pretty easy to find.)

Mama's family has a tradition of a special ornament each year, to commemorate some interest or event that year. We continued this for Nate with a blown glass rubber ducky wearing a Santa hat, since Nate loves ducks, and "duck" was one of his first words. It was the only glass ornament on the tree this year, and had to nest way up high, although Nate was very good around the tree. He liked to sit and rub his head on the bottom branches, and needed reminders to touch gently, but we were amazed at his restraint.

On the 26th, Uncle Bart, Aunt Tracy, and cousin Sara joined us to continue the celebration. Mama made her first-ever pies from scratch (huge thanks to Dig for the world's most forgiving pie crust recipe!) Sara was (as always) great with Nate, and we all enjoyed hearing about Uncle Bart's recent trip to Italy.

Now we Salty Dogs are looking forward to Part Two at Grandma Honey and GrandPop's house this weekend!

{this moment}

2010-12-17T07:45:00.001-05:00

Much-needed (by both parties) quiet, snowy walk with my old girl.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Living Room Rescue

2010-12-16T23:35:00.001-05:00

Despite numerous setbacks, and at our usual last minute, we completed the living room renovations in time to put up a Christmas tree. Mark did an amazing job repairing the drywall where the old fireplace insert had been, installing recessed lighting, patching, sanding until his knuckles were raw, painting, and installing a new (electric) fireplace. We can't believe the difference in this room we used to hate.

{this moment}

2010-12-10T21:24:00.002-05:00

The payoff for beating my old sewing machine into submission. I think my adorable second cousins liked their superhero capes.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

{this moment} and {that moment}

2010-12-03T23:24:00.000-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

and one from last week, when Friday found us in the slow lane of the Information Superhighway. (In-laws have dial-up.)

Winter

2010-12-03T11:48:00.000-05:00

Like it or not, temps are dropping, and it's time to winterize and put away our summer toys. Dreaming of warmer months and summer adventures to come helps us get through this process. That and a litte creativity... ~M

{this moment}

2010-11-19T07:54:00.001-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Eleventh Month

2010-11-02T20:46:00.002-04:00

Nate narrates a typical day:

*6am: Wake up singing and chattering in my crib. Mom or Dad brings me a bottle. If Mom has to leave for work, taunt her by falling back asleep with Daddy in the big bed.

*7:30 am: Breakfast. Usually fruit and oatmeal to humor the parents, then my favorite: BOBs! This is my word for Cheerios, organic fruit puffs, anything I get to eat on my own.

*7:45-9:30: Play. I have so many toys, it's hard to keep track. But I usually make sure to hit the activity table and bandstand. Sometimes I run both simultaneously, like a mixmaster at the turntables. DJ Drool, they call me.

I also like this car Grandad Don bought me, and sometimes I can catch up to Sandy Dog.

*9:30-9:45: Wind down. This is a good time for books (especially dog ones, ones I can touch/feel, and ones with moving parts) and cuddles.

*9:45-11:30: Nap. I like to cuddle and fall asleep with Goodman. He's the bear my great-grandparents Granny and Papaw gave me.

*12:00-5:00: Wild Card. I like to mix things up in the afternoon. Lunch, play, outings, +/- a nap. Sometimes I nap willingly in the crib or during an outing; sometimes I fight it desperately. Dad and I might take a walk with the stroller to go look at boats and the water, or Mom might take me for an outing in the Ergo. I am fond of the Ergo. It's warm and snuggly, and I have a great vantage point for hair-pulling.

*5:30-6:30: Dinner. I help out in the kitchen while dinner is being made. I have my own cabinet and utensils for tasting and banging.

*6:30-7:00: Bath and Bedtime Routine. Cleanliness isn't all that important to me, but OH BOY do I love bathtime! I get all excited just seeing the bathtub and my toys. I always play with my ducks, and I have a flotilla of small boats. Bath books are great, too, because I'm actually allowed to chew on them.

Then it's a bottle, a bedtime story or two, prayers, and to sleep in my crib until morning, or before, if the mood strikes. I like to keep them guessing, you know?

*all times are Eastern Standard, and VERY approximate.

Downrigging and Halloween

2010-10-31T21:54:00.000-04:00

Although we couldn't travel there by boat like we have in past years, we were excited to attend part of the Schooner Sultana's annual Downrigging in Chestertown. Chestertown is gorgeous anytime, but especially so in the fall. Add some photogenic ships and a Family Fun Day, and we can't resist.

After all that fun, we hurried home to get Nate in his costume for trick-or-treating at a few neighbors' houses before bedtime. He humored us, as always, and so far hasn't complained that we've been eating his haul.

{this moment}

2010-10-29T00:01:00.003-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

We set out Tuesday in search of ducks to feed, since "duck" and "quack" currently constitute 40% of Nate's vocabulary. They were all on vacation, apparently, but a silly swarm of seagulls in Deale made him giggle. He snoozed on Mama's back while Mark and I strolled around Galesville, enjoying the afternoon light on the schooner Sally B.

{this moment}

2010-10-22T00:01:00.006-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Grandma Happy came this week to help us tackle some home improvement projects. While she scrubbed our much-loved retro bamboo furniture (mildewed after years in storage,) Nate kept her company. He enjoyed the leaves and grass in the backyard, muddying his feet for the first (but oh my, certainly not the last) time. Random thought: If you didn't know what it meant, might you think "mildew" was kind of a pretty word?

Loving Today...

2010-10-15T10:27:00.002-04:00

-- Not being at work this week during a stressful transition for the hospital.
-- A phone call from Mark, safe and exhilarated after an exciting Schooner Race.
-- Nate's jacket, a gift from cousin Kinsey. It's French, evokes a nautical feel, its hood covers Mr. No-Hat's bald noggin, its toggle buttons make me think of Paddington, and (did I mention?) it's French.
-- This scarf (and fingerless gloves) hand-knit by a favorite client as a thank-you for taking care of her pet. It matches my favorite lightweight sweater (and hides the grease stain on said sweater) and will always remind me of one of the world's best cats, who was kinda lilac himself.
-- Several excellent yard-sale finds, including this covered (cheese?) plate which, although unnecessary, can be justified for $1.50.
-- Fall cooking.

Not loving that today my dear friend has an MRI and PET scan for recently-diagnosed breast cancer, but praying (as are many, many others) for good news.

{this moment}

2010-10-15T06:50:00.000-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

A Day at the Farm

2010-10-12T11:23:00.001-04:00

This weekend, we joined Grandma Honey, GramPop, cousin Wes, and the Dinoias at

Great Country Farms.

The Dinoias (minus one VIP,) who are pros at Fall Festivals, showed us the ropes:

Nick and Wes demonstrate the classic toddler "parallel play" in the sandbox. Wes' "eat sand and die" look when he realized Nick had the bigger dump truck quickly melted into busy play.

Wes also enjoyed pushing things,

bouncing,

animals,

riding,

and the cow train.

Watching Nate belly laugh at the goats, I felt it with every fiber of my being. Well, the dirt, yes, but also this: Every rough road I ever travelled has led me to this life, right now. Where the people I love teach me to learn, and live, and laugh with abandon. I wouldn't have it any other way.

{this moment}

2010-10-08T21:55:00.001-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

We had *almost* forgotten the sweetness of a newborn. So wonderful to watch A. and M. delight in Lil' G.

Love Shares their Burrito.

2010-09-25T23:33:00.000-04:00

Today is our sixth wedding anniversary. We spent the majority of it in a service station waiting room, before finding out they couldn't have the car running reliably until at least Monday. Which led to a harrowing cab ride back to the hotel, with Nate (hungry and tired) wailing all the way.

I couldn't help but think of my grandparents, who celebrated sixty-six years of marriage this year. Sixty-six years of joys, losses, and obstacles big and small, and they are still each other's biggest fans. They didn't get to this point with over-the-top romantic gestures. They got here by loving fiercely, counting their blessings, working hard, not sweating the little things, forgiving, apologizing, praying, and laughing.

We had the following passage from I Corinthians read at our wedding. So did a lot of people, I know. But I just don't think it can be said too often:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never ends.

So, trusting that if we're patient, all will work itself out, we replaced the planned gourmet picnic on the beach with champagne from plastic cups and a shared entree from room service. On my long, long list of the ways I know Mark was meant for me, this makes the top ten: we always pick the same one or two things on any menu. When we're hungry enough, we order two and share both. When we're not as hungry, we share one. And tonight, we really got to share, since they delivered only one fork.

Which reminded me of another pronouncement about love, from a beloved 8-year-old who, watching us share a wrap sandwich at lunch a few years ago, rolled her eyes as if we'd been making out, and said, "Love shares their burrito."

Thank you, Mark, for six years of sharing our burrito. Here's to at least sixty more.

{this moment}

2010-09-24T17:57:00.001-04:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama