Abby

Ok, don't everyone get too excited.  Just because she got a name doesn't mean we're keeping her.  After lots of discussion, we decided to enroll her as part of the SWAT (Saving Wonderful Animals Team) program here in Walla.  She will be listed on Pet Finder, taken to their weekly 'Adoption Days', and SWAT will pay to have her spayed and vaccinated.  We will be her foster parents until someone shows interest in her, at which point we get first choice of where she is placed.  IF, after these next few weeks (adoptions can take up to 5 weeks), we decide that the best place for her is here...well, then we pay the adoption fee and she's ours.  So far, I am not seeing what the big deal is with two kids and a puppy.  Maybe I've just gone crazy?  I guess have a few weeks to find out.  Ready, GO.

The Accidental Dog

This little stinker wandered up to me outside the office as I left work last night.  Nearby was a mom with 3 kids...I thought the puppy was theirs so I headed to my car.  The gal yelled after me and said "Hey there's a puppy here.  Wish we could keep her but we live in an apartment."  Her little girl was bawling...they took off and there I was with the cutest puppy on the planet.  The Humane Society was closed...so I borrowed a crate last night and she slept in it like a little angel all night.  I took her to the vet this morning and they think she's a boxer mix that's about 3-4 months old.....What to do, what to do?

Jameson loves her.  Hadley is warming up.  Mommy is hook line and sink 'er for dogs in general.

Stay tuned.

Ten Months...First Steps

Ten months old and already mowing the lawn for us!

Jameson is now ten months old, and as it is with all kids I'm sure, time is flying by!  I know everyone says this, but I can't believe his 1st birthday is less than two months away.  In a totally random series of events, involving the fact that I was supposed to leave for Seattle today (with Hadley, but leaving J behind), I pulled a muscle in my back and have been laid up on some strong pain meds.  So, long story short, I didn't leave today...and Jameson took his first 3 steps right at the time I was scheduled to hop in the car and drive away!  So so so glad I didn't miss this.  Still trying to figure out how I'm going to get over to Seattle for Caitlin's baby shower, but I saw my kid's steps so I am thrilled! 

Other notably cute things that my 10 month old is doing:  holding his bottle / sippy cup, stealing his sister's chocolate milk any chance he gets, self feeding everything, saying 'mama', 'dada' & 'baba', and something we are pretty sure Hadley didn't do until many months into walking, standing up from the floor without holding onto anything.  I can already tell he's going to be a handfull just like the sis.

Love you, Bowie, happy ten months & 3 days!

Hadleyisms

It is my personal opinion that two year olds are awesome.  You hear so much about the "terrible twos" but I've been thinking quite the opposite, that this is my favorite age so far.  In the spirit of loving 2 year olds, I just wanted to write down some of the cute things that have been coming out of her mouth lately:

- First and foremost if you know Hadley you know she loves shoes. She changes her shoes at least twenty times a day. She gets them on all by herself but they are almost always on the wrong feet. We were given a hand me down from a friend (Cate) and these navy blue Mary Janes are hands down her favorite. She is frequently yelling "Cate's Shoes, are you?!" at the top of her lungs when se can't find them. It sounds more like "cashews" so this one took us a while to sort out.
- She counts everything. She can get to ten all by herself!  Today, when she woke up from her nap I was listening to her on the monitor and she was counting her babies (4), her binkies (6), and her blankies (2). I know I know, how does she fit in her crib?  And yes, she still has a binky.
- "I more too, that" any time she wants more of something (usually a "tweet" - treat :)
- "Really Hot" about her food or bath water or the stove. When she checks it to find that its not in fact "really hot" she then says "Just warm"
- She's starting to rock the ABC's, she still needs prompting to get to most of the letters but one string she knows for sure is QRS, and she will repeat it over and over til you prompt her for TUV...she really likes V.
- "Daddy beer" nearly every day at some point she gets Andy a beer from the fridge (no lie, totally unprompted). Soon we will teach her to pour wine...
- "Mommy make it?" first thing in the morning, regarding her oatmeal. (Followed by "Oatmeal Really Hot").
- Any time she sees anything with Curious George on it she screams "GEORGE!" like she hasn't seen him in ten years.
- "No no Bowie, Stop!" any time he's doing, well anything really. She's quite bossy.
- "Daddy white coat. Hadley white coat. Mommy white coat too." this is a long story but Andy has this white zip up sweatshirt that he wears like every night. So at some point of him asking Hadley to help him find his white coat, out of the blue Hadley started calling everyone's coats their white coats. The first time she said it and we figured out what she was talking about we nearly died laughing.
-"Hadley Rose. Bowie Rose. Daddy Rose. Mommy Rose. Fwamah Rose (Grandma)" everyone's middle name is Rose, just ask Hadley.
- "No. Not."  Any time she doesn't want to do something / eat something.
- "Yeah, OK, Sure!" when she agrees to do a little errand for me, like grab the baby wipes or Bowie's sippy cup...she says it all out of breath like she's so excited to help.  So cute.
- This one is my all time favorite and probably TMI (too much information) but last night Hadley was running around in the buff after her bath.  She was playing with some little puzzle pieces and started pretending to put them in her hoo ha (seriously).  I asked what on earth she was doing to which she replied "I put in Hadley pocket".  Oh man....

It's fun to have a little talker running around, I find myself on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what's going to come out of her mouth next.  Love that little girl!

{Save the Date}

Anyone who knows me knows that I love birthdays. Mine, yours, my kid's, your kid's...the neighbor's, whatever. Because I also love hosting big parties and so does Andy, you can imagine where this is going.

Little known fact: Jameson and I are lucky enough to share a birthday (May 22.  Him 2010, me 1981). Although he's the best birthday gift I've ever gotten, I also spent the better part of my 29th birthday in labor without an epidural. I figure my kid owes me one!

So, In celebration of Jameson's 1st birthday and my 30th, we are throwing The Big One on Saturday May 21st!

If we've ever met, you're invited. Seriously! We are working on some fun little details...a beer truck, some top notch Block Cellar wine, catered snacks, there may even be pony rides. Just sayin. We're going to party with the kiddos from about 3p on and after they go to bed I'm hoping for some firepitting out back. I figure this is the last year I'm really going to observe my birthday anyway, in years to come it's all his!  I think I'd rather quit while I'm ahead anyway.
We've got some space up for grabs if you're interested in coming from out of town, just email me!

Embrace It.

I read somewhere that some of the happiest families have the messiest houses. So, I am getting over my compulsion to keep everything neat and tidy.  I'm throwing away my to-do list.  I am letting my son smear sweet potatoes and WHATEVER all over himself because he loves it! 
I love this kid!

Nine.

Jameson had his 9 month appointment today -- stats:

Weight: 19 lbs 5 oz (50th%)
Height: 28.5 inches (50th%)
Head circumference: 18 inches (75th%)

He's a growing kiddo! He didn't get any shots today and thank God for that because he has had a fever and nasty cold the past few days, I don't think he could've handled that!