Congratulations Amy & Ole!

First Birthday - The Cake Sequence

Bailout Situation

happy birthday daddio

It is 11:30pm on my dad's birthday, and i didn't even get to talk to him today. Aside from feeling like a pretty lousy daughter, i missed getting to wish him a happy 61st and that really stinks. My attention has been on a big wedding tomorrow between Amy & Ole, the rehearsal day festivities, and 'keeping the faith' professionally despite the tumultuous federal bailout package currently being considered on Capitol Hill, etc.

But i'd be remiss if i didn't take just a second to say this: I have a GREAT Dad. Don't get me wrong - He's not perfect. But he's the best for me. My dad loves us kids, and is grateful God knew just what batch he needed. (Even if that was FOUR daughters before getting a son.) When we were growing up, he made it a priorety to be home after work, and to sit together at the breakfast table before the day began. Now that i'm a gainfully-employed member of society, he has an interest in what i do, and lets me know he's proud. (Even when we we might not always agree on a political strategy!)

Today he had to take some steps to protect his parents and love them in a tough way; but even in that he is showing tremendous leadership. My dad has demonstrated that marriage isn't for quiters, and he knows that his cute dutch/canadian wife is his greatest asset.

i love you daddio and i'm glad we got you. thanks for not being perfect, thanks for being real, and thanks for leading our family.

delirious laughter

Last night, RM was so tired - Little Folks totally wore him out, and he refused napping opportunitites. Anyway, the only way to get him to stop crying was to make him laugh... and laugh he did. This went on for quite some time. You can tell he's on the brink of tears though. Enjoy.

SkyTop Apple Orchard, Flat Rock, North Carolina

highlight of the weekend: Heading up to the apple orchard with good friends to soak up the first hints of fall and pick some delicious fruit.

lowlight of the weekend: Realizing the car battery is dead after your nostalgic apple picking adventure.

favorite room in the house

RM's favorite room in the house is the bathroom. I think he would explore in there all day long if he had his way. Usually, the door is shut... so before bathtime is usually when he has his fun.

The face of mischief.


The rear-end of mischief.


The face of "i-want-more-mischief".

Aunt Cristy is the Best!

Soooo, a long long time ago my sweet friend Cristy decided that since RM was a thumbsucker, he needed a little bitty blanket to facilitate a more cozy thumb-sucking atmosphere. She put great thought into this - it had to be small (so as not to drag the ground), it had to be soft (so as to encourage sleep) and it had to be silky/satiny (so as to be perfect for nuzzling). But, it's almost as if RM knows and appreciates just how calculated this gift was, because he does appreciate all of it's finer attributes. And he's finally old enough to grab it in his chubby fingers, and rub it against his cheek while he sucks that amazing thumb. So here he is, showing off those skills. (In the finger-lacerating Phil & Ted's.)

Floyd at His First Birthday Party - April 19, 1983

Since RM's first birthday is ten days away, I thought it appropriate to include a preview comparison shot of his daddio, from the same anniversary in his life. Think lower Alabama, early eighties, yeahhh... good times.

We'll have party pics of our own soon!

(Apologies for the poor quality... lifted via camera phone!)

Granny's Place at Breach Inlet

We scooted down to the beach last weekend to spend time with my high school friends, and frolick in the surf. Okay, so seriously, we did no frolicking. I did one giant leap away from a jelly fish but that was about the extent of it. As you can see Evelyn, Floyd & RM are easily the most pasty white of the bunch, so we didn't stay out too long. Beth's Granny is the greatest - she loaned her house to this crazy bunch.

The HUGE umbrella, courtesy of Emily & Rob was much appreciated though!!! See the happy non-tanners smile? We're serious about our shade. And Will got to enjoy his most recent Cormac McCarthy obsession peacefully.
Meanwhile, RM was engrossed in the sand all around him. Fortunately, he wasn't quite as into tasting it as he was the last time we ventured to the Palm Coast in FL.

The Batts' were especially cute with Ru's belly being the fascination of the trip. And Red & Anna Griggs (5 weeks younger than him) had a BLAST playing together!

Grandma's Birthday

This post is a little belated, but Grandma's birthday was September 3rd and we popped by after dinner for a little visit. Here is "Yaya" with RM, one of her TEN great-grandbabies. It is so nice that she and Granddad are close enough to visit!



This is a shot of the roses that Aunt Ann & Uncle Manfred and their family sent her for her birthday. Everyone made a special effort to recognize her birthday and make her feel special. I think she really enjoyed it.

kudos

I almost turned the RNC coverage off tonight. Romney was nothing extrordinary and Huckabee's high points were still dull... The good Mayor Rudy was just bright enough to make me hang on for the presumtive VP nominee. And I'm glad I did.

She is no nonsense, yet carries herself gracefully; she's married to a man's man, who is confident enough to stand by his very capable wife. She's the Governor who sold Alaska's luxury jet on Ebay and drives herself to work. She doesn't shy away from the power of the VETO when it comes to wasteful spending, and her state enjoys a budget surplus.

She recognizes that some of life's greatest blessings are also the largest challenges - the things that make us better people. If you missed the speech tonight, I highly recommend it - substanative and persuasive.

Favorite Quotes:

Romney: "Liberals would replace opportunity with dependency on government largesse. They would grow government and raise taxes to put more people on Medicaid, to work requirements out of welfare, and to grow the ranks of those who pay no taxes at all."

Huckabee: "I’m not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me."

Palin: “Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America’s energy problems - as if we all didn’t know that already. But the fact that drilling won’t solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we’re going to lay more pipelines…build more nuclear plants…create jobs with clean coal…and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources. We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers.”