School Picture Day

I love school pictures. They're little windows into who you were at the beginning of each school year. A great little way to see how much you've grown from year to year.

Sometimes they're cute-bad; sometimes they're cute-amazing; but they're always phenomenal! A wonderful way to begin a school year and take your loving smiles with us into the future.

Aidan, here you are in all your handsome, monochormatic glory. Sporting a spiky bracelet we got you in Australia and a fresh hair cut, your impish smile, and caring eyes really come through.

 And of course, the class photo!

Miss Julia, you have grown up at White Rock Montessori, even before you were officially a student there! Your photos highlight your awesome fashion sense- including your new pixie hair cut; you're wearing a locket we bought for you at Comicon! You are fun, mature, silly, and amazing!

Class Photo!

I love that our photographer also takes pictures of siblings together, because even though you two may be in different classes, you are very much a duo, and I love capturing that love on film!

We are so lucky to have the opportunity to come do FAMILY school pictures with you!

And, I also spotted a few BONUS pictures of you with your pals, Aidan! How cool is that?

Yay Picture Day!

Sick Days Have Their Rewards

On Monday I stayed home from work since your mother, you and Julia (and me too, a bit) were under the weather. But, being under the weather has its perks too: some good cuddles.

You awoke from a nap a bit too early, so you fell asleep again on me. I was honored to do it, and even caught a few winks myself.

I'm so grateful for the relationship we're building, Aidan. And I'm also thankful that we still get moments like this, years after we first held you.

So we slept for a little bit, until I awoke and put you back in bed, where you slept for about 45 more minutes.

You awoke in a much better mood and seemed to be feeling all better. I'm not going to say that sleeping on your dear Papa has magical powers...but I'm not going to say that it doesn't either.

Mommy and Me (and Me) : Week 38

Aidan and Julia,

You have a magnificent Mom. I should know, she's my best friend. You're lucky to have her on your side, and lucky when she's not on your side that she still loves you and always will.

Things are about to change here for the both of you. Julia, you're going to be coming into the world and Aidan, Julia's about to be coming into the world. You'll both have to do something neither of you may like too much...you'll have to share your Mommy with each other. 

I'm pretty sure it's going to go smoothly, though, because your Mommy has more than enough love to go around, and once we emerge from this whole last trimester of pregnancy and fourth trimester outside, you're Mommy is going to have a lot more energy than she has now. 

Week 38, in a book store

That said, though, I'm amazed at the energy she does have this late in the game with a pregnancy. We're about a week out, and, Julia and Aidan, your Mom always has time and energy for "Mommy and me" time with and for the both of you:

She's a great hand-holder:

Her belly, aka Aidan's sister, is a great place to play with Buzz and Woody:

 She's a fabulous art teacher:

She's great at making you laugh:

She's a pro crocheter, and has already made you three hats, Julia!:

She's outdoorsy, she's artsy, she's funny, she makes tasty foods and does silly voices. That's your Momma.

And, although you both will have to share her from now on, you also get something else: each other!

A Blurry Moment; Aidan "kissing" Julia

Soon enough, Julia, you'll be a sister. And Aidan, you'll be a brother.

But don't worry, your Mommy will ALWAYS be your Mommy, and will always always love both of you.

As will I.

Big Brother, the Belly and You: Week 24

Little one,

It has been a busy couple of weeks in the bumpdom. You've been going on some kicking and tossing and turning sprees nightly, much to my and your Mom's enjoyment. We can definitely feel you manuevering in your ever-shrinking home.

It's hard to believe you're already 24 weeks along.

But, knowing that you're the size of a cantaloupe now, it's not hard to see where that cantaloupe is hiding.



Week 24



Just look at that bump! As exciting as it is to see you growing from the outside, inside your mom's belly is where the really exciting business is going down. You're totally jamming out now to the sounds of the outside world, and probably really loving the sounds of your mom's heartbeat.

Your skin is growing more and more opaque, and more pink...meaning you're really starting to look like a baby now!

But, out here, all we can do is monitor the bump and wonder about your secret inside life. I wonder if you can feel our hands when we are trying to feel you moving...it would only stand to reason that you could, right?

Well, I may not know the answer to that, but I know that if you could feel us, you'd have noticed a much smaller hand than mine or your mother's recently resting on your little growing head.

Your brother found the bump to be quite a convenient arm rest the other day...but there seemed to be something more deep going on with the way he gently opened his hand to feel the bump...and maybe the baby within.

And there his hand stayed for a good 20 minutes. Sure, sure, maybe he was just transfixed by watching "Follow that Bird" (for the first time).

But, I'd like to think that- while that's partially true- perhaps he even felt you kick, and is starting to grasp that you (a baby!) are going to one day emerge from your little bump and come out here and make him into a brother...and come into the world. Perhaps he, like the rest of us, knows that you're there...and that you'll soon be here!

All Better! The (short) road to recovery!

Sorry to keep you in suspense! But, you're all better from your surgery. But, you probably shouldn't have been nervous. You're reading this now, so clearly, you know that you survived the surgery with flying colors.

In fact, by that afternoon you were acting as if nothing had happened.

They said you wouldn't remember this surgery at all, but I didn't know that they meant that you'd be forgiving and forgetting within hours!

Today your Mommy took you in for a follow up and they even took your bandage off.

The surgery couldn't have gone any better. Before you went back to the operation, you were all smiles and giggles, flirting with the nurses and playing (or trying, anyway) to play with all the neat toys in the hospital.

The doctor even let you play with the marker they used to write "YES" on the side of your head where they were going to operate.

Then they took you back and less than an hour later they called us back to see you as you were waking up from anesthesia. You were, understandably, a bit cranky and sleepy- but no major terror or crying.
Once we could hold you, you got very cuddly and lovey. All you wanted at that moment was your Mommy; not even your new Elmo did anything for you.
But, then you napped in the hospital, napped in the car and napped in your crib for about 3 hours. When you woke up from that nap, you were all better- you loved Elmo, you loved Mommy and Daddy and you wanted all bandaids off your body.

Once those were gone, all you wanted to do was eat and play again!


So, we spent the afternoon eating and playing with our happy, healthy little boy.

We are so proud of you Aidan- your strength and resilience is amazing. You made having your head cut open seem easy as pie! You're a little fighter; A little fire...and that's why we love you.

We were so glad when the surgery was over and felt silly for ever worrying to begin with. But, all in all, it was a great day that we all go to spend together. From our 5 am wake up call, all the way through to our very early bed times.

February Birthday Fever & Playing with Pops

Your Pops' birthday was one whole week ago! And, man, the way February birthdays are spreading, you'd think they were a virus! In the month of your birth, your Uncle Jeremy has a birthday, your cousins Kobi, Kathryn and Haley have birthdays and, of course, Herbie- your Pops- has a birthday. So, that means we celebrate as many birthdays as we can!


On an Aidan-marathon day last weekend, we celebrated with Pops. We had it all planned out: you would take your normal nap at 11 and we'd go over to Mimi and Pops' for the afternoon. But, come 11 o'clock, and you were still wide awake. Then by noon, you were still showing no signs of sleepiness. So, we figured we'd drive over to Mimi and Pops and you'd fall asleep in the car, as usual. But, nope! You didn't even bat a pretty little eyelash in the car. So, we figured you'd play with Mimi and Pops and eat lunch and THAT would tire you out. By 2 o'clock, you showed signs of sleepiness. So your Mommy put you down for a nap. We figured it would be a doozy, what with all the nap-missing.


But, nope, you were done in twenty minutes and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready for more playing. So, everyone headed outside and played with you in the sun and leaves on a crisp February day.
You found some sticks that you really liked, and, looking back on the photographs, I'm pretty sure you were doing some fancy wizarding spells.

You were even kind enough to make everyone laugh with your awesome stick skills.And you just had a blast with your Mimi and Pops on that crisp February day.

Eventually we had to go home and, eventually, we figured you'd have to go to sleep. But, nope, still no napping! By your regular bedtime, though, you seemed like you might enjoy a nice sleep. So we put you down and, low and behold, you finally slept. And most likely dreamed of the wonderful day and of your upcoming birthday...

Okay, you probably didn't dream of that, since you've never had one before. But we've been thinking about it a lot.

You will be turning one in FIVE days! 365 days of being our son. 365 days of us being your parents. Some days have been harder than others, and some have been more magical than others. We have loved every single day that we've been lucky enough to be with you and watch in amazement as you've grown up before our eyes.

It wasn't too long ago that you were nothing more than two blue lines on a pee stick. And now you are old enough to hold, wield and enjoy playing with (non-pee) sticks in a leafy, grassy back yard on a sun-kissed afternoon. It's hard to believe sometimes. But we cherish every day with you, and as we count down to the end of year-one, we are already looking forward to year two, and all the magical days, nights, mornings and afternoons that we're lucky enough to share with you.

Snow and Ice are Really Nice! (2011 Edition)

You probably don't remember, but last February, when you were about to be born, Dallas got hit with a major snow storm. Your Mom was super pregnant, I made snowmen and a snow baby too. But this year, I didn't have to make a snow baby at all...because we had you!

Following two days of ice storms, Dallas got hit with a major snow, closing schools, art studios and offices, so that meant that Mommy and Daddy got to be at home with you all day for most of the week!

Once the nice blanket of snow came down we finally bundled you up and braved the weather. You LOVED snow...until you got cold.

Maybe you did remember last year's snow after all!

Snowfall brings out a sense of wonderment in all people, I think. Except maybe eskimos. But, it was exceptionally magical watching you experience snow for the first time. It brought you pure joy. Until it sunk in that we'd forgotten shoes and your feet got wet, so we went back inside. But, while it lasted, it was pure flaky, serene joy.