Cousins

Our happy , handsome boy!

It warms a mama's heart (and an Auntie's too) to see these boys playing so well together. So much more fun in their future!

Here, they are negotiating how quickly D can fly down the slide. G is trying to be patient, but in the end 'helps' little D out. :)

Happiness!

Cali Visit

We had a wonderful vacation in the Bay Area. Thanks to all our amazing friends for hanging out with us and we're thrilled that we lucked out with mostly sunshine (weather report said it was supposed to rain all week).

Here are a few photos from the trip.

Twin Peaks:
We spent some time in Napa Valley and got to visit with one of my dearest friends Tracy. Tracy, I love you and miss you and your daughter is just gorgeous!

Little D on the farm:


One of the best people I know:

I'll post more photos soon!

18 months

It's been a wild and wonderful ride getting to 1.5, but we're here and oh-so-happy!

Seven

I've always liked the number seven. It sounds good on the tongue; it is, or was, my sister's favorite number (mine was always eight). But to realize I have been without my darling father for seven years makes me like this number a little less today.

Most days I celebrate all I had with my dad... all the music, love, adventures and laughs. Today I am not celebrating, but instead am feeling rather melancholy as I reflect on what is missing from my life.

Sounds I miss - tea kettles boiling over and whistling rudely in the early morning hours as my starting-to-lose-his-hearing father forgot he put water on for tea. Soon after came the sounds of his slippers shuffling across the kitchen floor. I miss the turning of the paper-thin, crinkly pages of his Bible as he quietly read each morning, sometimes at the table, sometimes in a comfy chair. I even miss the sound of him clearing his throat. I miss his voice. I miss the guitar, which he often noodled around with, unobstrusively, in the background of our lives. That was so 'him,' to be out of the way and yet so present.

Sights I miss - the bathrobe, the slippers, his hands on his guitar or holding a pen as he recorded his thoughts or composed a letter to some lucky person. His little dance when a dance-worthy song came from the stereo. Hats, scarves, coats, socks - anything to keep warm. Baseball. Man, I miss the baseball, the finding of the perfect stick at the beach with which to send rocks flying into the ocean; the playing of catch in the yard and especially when he'd throw one reallysuperhigh to pretend I was catching was a pop fly.

Mostly I miss all that he is missing because he is gone. The weddings, the babies, the books to discuss, the questions I cannot ask him and the answers that will never come. I do not question why he is gone, that part has passed for me, but I still miss him.

Thank you, daddy, for marrying my beautiful mother and for giving me 3 gorgeous sisters, without whom I would not be handling your departure as well as I am. We still sing, we still laugh and we still cry. Our family is alive and well and your spirit is with us. Always.

Love, love, love,
Naomi

Mild Winters

With the mildest winter I can remember, it's fun to take the little man outside to play in the wet grass and slippery deck. Maybe I can sell the snowsuit I bought (that's still hanging in the closet with the tags on). :)

Here are a few photos from a recent outside adventure in our back yard.

"Hi, mom."

Yeah! Being outside is fun!

Contemplating his next move.

Hey, dad, put me up there!

OK. Now, don't let go!

Hmm, I'm parched. Is there anything to drink around here?

Mmm, delish!

In the Name of the...

Our little man was finally baptized on Sunday. It was the perfect day for it, as it was Grandpa Bob's birthday, my Aunt Kathleen's birthday and also the Feast of the Holy Family. Great homily on this topic, btw. We're all part of one, great, big family. :)

Thank you to our fantastic family for being a part of this wondrous event. It was a fun and holy day.

Jocelyn and Kevin graciously agreed to be the godparents. Hooray for us! Here the 5 of us are, hamming it up, waiting for the procession. There were 4 babies baptized that day and we were all announced just prior to entering the church (we followed the choir, and were followed by the priests). Those members of the congregation that were at the aisle took turns blessing the children as they entered the church. Pretty cool stuff.

Let's call this the "before" shot. I think he smiled way more after receiving the sacrament, as was illustrated by him dancing and clapping along with the choir. Or, OK, maybe he was just tired here...


Well, at least Jocelyn looks pretty in this one. Not so much the little dude.

Even though my son is 14 months old, I tried to convince the priest that he was just a very large newborn. Fr. Dave made a joke about the Seahawks wanting our phone number.

Baptized moment #1!
Baptized moment #2 - he really just wanted to play in the water, we think.

Here is a nice shot with both godparents and Grandma Rita. This is before Gabriel joined the group and blew out the candle (and then exclaimed, "More fire! More fire!").
Four families, 4 sets of godparents and many loved ones:

Recent Happenings

New photos are here - finally, right? :) It's taken me longer than usual to get some new photos up, but I guess it's that time of year where 'busy' is an understatement. The holidays are feeling really magical this year, as opposed to last year when I could barely lift my tired head out of my cereal bowl. Newborns are cute and all, but I really like the better sleep as they get older. We are quite enjoying watching our little man grow and develop a groove all his own. Here are some recent pix. Hope you enjoy!

Today he fell asleep in his high chair during one of his i-don't-want-lunch-just-feed-me-crackers moments. I heard rumors of this trend from the daycare when he was younger, but it's the first time I watched it happen myself. I was doing dishes and I noticed some 'extended blinks' and wondered if he might drift off at some point. Next thing I knew, this is what was waiting for me in our high chair. Pretty cute.


A few weeks ago my mom was here and we ventured to the park with cousin Gabriel. I thought it was cold that day (of course, it's waaay colder now), so we bundled up to go play outside. With baby in his stroller it was easy to snap a few nice shots.

I love the colors in this one, love that he's not looking at the lens:


"Mom, lemme take one of you next." - or maybe, "let me eat the camera. again."

Gabriel cheering Baba on!


Thanksgiving was really fun this year, especially as he had learned to walk just a couple of days before we broke bread my sister and brother-in-law's new house. Great house, you guys; thanks again for hosting!

The little man was all decked out in a seriously stylish outfit, complete with button-down shirt and a shiny new vest (courtesy of Great Grandma Flora - thank you!).

Here is a great moment. My mom is an artist and she always told me, "add a touch of Cadmium Red to any painting." I think a touch of red goes along way here too. And, sigh, this was my father's beret: