After Midnight

We were watching a movie in the living room.
It was past midnight.
You woke up and saw us...and eventually started crying.
I went in first to your room and you smiled when you saw me.
You just wanted to be with us.
I thought for a split second that you could come watch the movie with us, but you need to sleep.
I held you, you held me.
You peered through the window to look for your Mama.
I asked you if you wanted to say hi to her and you smiled so big that I signaled for her to come in.
We held you tight, and you held us back.
You looked so grown up in that moment, as if you'd grown wiser and older since we put you to bed.
You just wanted to be with us.
We rocked you and sang to you.
I kissed you goodnight and left the two of you alone.
She sang a little while longer and put you down.
You fell back asleep.
Don't grow any more tonight... be this age tomorrow, if you can.
We want to be with you too.

Fall Back: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving means one thing: stuffing your face full of awesome food.

Okay, Thanksgiving means two things: stuffing your face full of awesome food AND family.

We got to do both for your Second Thanksgiving.

We had three turkeys; one with your Godparents, the Nodelands, and the Shields. One with an entire branch of the Roomiani/Powell/Zaehler/Weinstein/Cantrell Family tree. And a smaller one (dinner, not turkey) with the Weinsteins and Helfords.

Food was had by all; naps were had by all; fun was had by all.

Trips to the arboretum with Aunt Rebekka, playing chase with Kaelyn, and going to the playground with Pops and more...this was the week for family fun!

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Fall Back: More Fun

This fall has been so much fun with you! You're old enough to enjoy things that you slept through last year (like the Fair and the Zoo and Pops' stories). So, while the weather was nice, we went to see some ancient animals at the Heard Museum.
Here you are feeding the T-Rex the biggest stick you could find. You got upset when the stick got caught in his massive jaws.




We also went to see some living animals at the Dallas Zoo!



You got to 'feed' nearly every animal (statue) you encountered. They were very appreciative. It's so awesome watching you use your imagination...and sharing with the animals in the process.
You actually barked at the penguins later...I guess that's what happens when you have penguin-sized dogs at home!
Even though you liked the animals a lot, you also enjoyed some of the zoo's less popular attractions: like the stairs and grates exhibit...


And we also partied like animals to celebrate Brady's first birthday party!


Brady's getting older too (#common sense statement), so you and he have more in common the more mobile he gets. You've actually started playing together!



When we're moving so fast and taking in so many sights and sounds with you it sometimes becomes a little too fast-paced to immediately reflect. But, as odd as it may sound, when your Mom and I take you to a zoo, or a nature trail with animatronic dinos or a party, the animals, dinos or cupcakes aren't the main attraction: you are! And here's where I officially start sounding like a over-sentimental old man...

But it's true: experiencing things with you as you experience them for the first time is wondrous. Seeing the world through your eyes where nothing is old and everything is exciting is such an adventure, and we're so happy that we're fortunate enough to be there with you.

You find amazement in an ant climbing around on a bolt holding together the chimp exhibit, paying no attention to the monkeys themselves...



...sooner or later you'll only see the chimps, which isn't a bad thing at all, it's part of growing up.

I'm just so thankful that we get to experience these moments with you and be with you as you grow and change the world around you...and I guess we're changing too. I didn't really care about the chimps either...I was more focused on the little boy who was focusing on the ants on the bolt; and that moment alone was totally worth the cost of admission. Lucky for me, though, that there are thousands of these moments to fall back on...and thousands more we've yet to experience.

Fall Back: Halloween

Your second Halloween was awesome! Such a difference one year makes...you've grown from a cute little monkey into a fine young pirate!




In fact, your whole family turned into a clan of pirates!


This was also your first year to really go trick-or-treating. Uncle BJ and Aunt Kari joined Brady (a dashing Mickey Mouse), Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Michelle for trick-or-treating in our neighborhood.

At first you were a bit iffy about the whole thing, but then we gave you your second lollipop of all time and then you were a full blown sucker for Halloween for the rest of the sticky, sticky evening.



You held up your pumpkin bucket for candy, waved thank you and bye bye to our nice neighbors and ate dutifully ate your lollipop for all 90 minutes of trick-or-treating.



Your Mom, Uncles and I managed to eat the rest of your loot over the next weeks. Perhaps next year you'll be able to eat one or two more pieces of your own candy!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrren't you glad you were a pirate for your second Halloween?