I Pick You

Each night SBR & I have our very practiced bedtime routine. 
Sometimes (almost every other night) it will start with his bath.  
Then we pick out his jammies.  I pick two, he picks 1 from those 2. 


He gets lotioned up, clean diapered, jammied head to toe.  
We're about 75/25 on how many times he throws a fit. 


After he's dressed to the [cloud] 9's, we dim the lights and start his lullaby's.  
Then we go to the chair, I rock him as I read him a story (most of the nights).  
He gets his milk and then it's time for bed. 


Tonight, as he finished his milk, I was holding him like a baby and I was softly playing with his hair. 
I was looking at this beautiful little boy, into his slow, sleepy, big, blue eyes. 
I was thinking I could stare at him all night long.  It was such a sweet moment.


Then I started softly talking to him.  I told him, "You are the most amazing little boy, ever.  I love you so much, you will always be SO special to me, buddy.  You are such a sweet sweet little boy."  (as I feel his hands start to touch my face, it tickles, so I close my eyes, as I continue talking) "You, my baby, someday.. you are going to be..."


And this is the part where he sticks his cute little tiny index finger straight UP MY NOSE.  
I open my eyes & he starts belly gut laughing. 


End Of Story.

HELLO, Wisconsin!!

This year we were fortunate (very fortunate) enough to make it to the annual family trip to Wisconsin. 
Each year Nana & Papa host all the grandchildren (over the age of 5) for one week.  The cousins get to bond with each other & the Lord as Nana & Papa lead them through the week.
  (Cousin Camp by Ramona Roberson)
The following week the parents come out.  Rarely are all the cousins & all the parents able to make it, but this year was the exception!  Perfect timing to celebrate Papa's 70th birthday!  (Papa, it's your young spirit makes you seem so much younger.)


I always love getting to know our nieces & nephews a little more, it's fun to see how they grow & change.  To try to figure out who they will become. 


The baby did not disappoint.  He fell in love with a couple of the girls.  How can he not.. they are all so beautiful, smart & adorable. (it's too early for the "they're your cousins" talk)
He certainly got down flirting somehow, probably learned that from Auntie Lala. 
probably?  no doubt about it. 


*He reconnected w/ his 'real' dog buddy, Ruby. 
*He learned how to climb stairs. 
*A Watermelon entertained him for about 15 mins  
  while he tried to pick it up. 
*He got to play and lay and roll around in real honest 
  to goodness Midwest grass.  It was fascinating. 
*And he played with his daddy's Choo-choo everyday. 
   (all in pics below.)


OHH!!  and he's a full time walker.  He looks a bit like a drunken sailor & puts out *Jazz* hands to the side to maintain balance.  That boy always has me laughing!


He was amazing on the flights.  It's always refreshing when the passenger in the same row confesses her distaste for 'the little ones' and would like to put in the suggestion box... Please create a separate room for those without children, so they do not have to be bothered.  
Oh wee, this will be fun. 
After the flight ended & we were all waiting to carefully remove our overhead luggage, Cute-baby Hater said we had the best behaved baby she'd ever flown with!  
A huge compliment, I still smile ear to ear about.  


I bet you think I exaggerate on how impossibly awesome SBR is.  I really don't.  I don't have to.  
He's just that. awesome. 

And the icing on the cupcake for this trip, my BFFEandEandEandE, was just a hop, skip and a... smashed flower away!  Yay, we LoveLOveLOVE you, Lala!


Back to the story: I forget how absolutely beautiful the Northwoods are.  It's a photographer's little woodsie heaven.  I really need a not cheap, kick-butt camera!  But honestly, I will settle for ah camera.  I used our camcorder, which is very nice... but needs are needs! 

The weather up there was PeRFeCt!  68-75, nice overcast, rained a little, this weather is made for me.  The last day, humidity came back...  I do NOT miss you, Sister!  Nor your annoying friend, the Mosquito! 

It was so humid the last day, my clothes were still damp when I unpacked that night. 

Really, Arizona.... it IS a dry heat. 

The last day, I decided to do a photo shoot, I wish I would've thought of it earlier to have captured all the cousins & my SIL's, but next time, maybe I'll have a better camera by then. 




Placing a beautiful child, in the center of such a beautiful setting is just.... beautiful. 

Thanks Nana & Papa, for this week and so much more!  We love you!

*the below collage is my first attempt at one, sorry the photos are a little off center. 

Dear Lala, this, in part, is because of you.
We thanks you. 

Summertime

What rhymes w/ One?  FUN!  

Our little boy is owning one.  He is walking all over it.  

He gets cuter (and taller) as each moment passes. 

Man, I love this kid.... 

These pics are in no particular order, mostly taken over the last month.

  

I love this pic, Mr. Husband's smile & the baby's profile... beautiful. 

 This was on SBR's actual birthday. 

 Big Boy, Little Shorts

 We miss you so much, Grammy!

 Can't hear you... Phineaus & Ferb are on!

 Where's this little guy??  Upside, those shorts actually fit now. 

(4 mos old)

 Loves his chair

 heh-heh

 Does this dipe make my butt look big? 

 Spaghetti for the first time... LoVeD!

 The sauce brings out those beautiful eyes. 

 What can I say?  He's a lot like his momma... little bit lazy.

 Dadda reading Nana's book... brushing up for our trip to WI on Sunday!

 So many micro meltdowns, we shall call him Chedda!

 Doesn't Mr. Husband have the best smile?  I love him. 

 Sharing with the pups? more like a game of Syke! 

 4th of July, after driving to go to  fireworks, forgetting this is no small rural IL town & we couldn't find parking, so we watched from the grocery store parking lot after getting ice cream

 Someone needs to feed that kid.

 I iz Pez 

 Mo?  Just one of THIRTEEN words in his vocab... 

I know. GENE-YUS.

just. simply. gorgeous.

Updates on achievements (aka, braggin on the babe):  

He's a Walker!  He gives 'bumps' (OL, this is where you put your hand in a fist & connect it or 'bump' it to another persons fist) & blows kisses... well, he actually just kisses the palm of his hand, which is way cuter anyway.   

that vocab list?

Momma, Dadda, Hiii, Bye (w/ wave), Uh-oh, No & Don't (always a fav), More, Up, Eddy? (ready), Hey, OooOhhh & Dat? (that, while pointing in any random direction)

And there you have it, the boy is a walking handful. 

 He is honestly, the sweetest, most loving boy ever.  

We are truly blessed each day we have together. 

I've always hated these months in the desert... but I must say, it is definitely getting better. 

Happy Summer!!