Balloon chasing

Not sure this is how our little town intended for the new farmers
market pavillion to be used, but it's good fun on a rainy day.

Aw

No, we aren't getting one, but what's cuter than a lab puppy? A yellow
haired kid with a lab puppy maybe.
This was a big event for little Tayloe - he got to skip his bath and
go out after dark with his uncle geoff and me to visit these one week
old pups. I'm always a little fearful in situations like these that
the bad side of crazy is going to turn loose, but this time it didn't.
He was just as kind and calm as he could be.
Sweetness brings out sweetness I guess. Note to self ....

Apple picking

We went apple picking this afternoon. Any idea the kind of disrespect
a baby has for his diaper after 2 green apples?

You come too, mom

Sometimes I'm so caught up in the day to day that I forget our kids
will have a life together that is beyond their father and me. Not long
from now their paths and personalities will be shaped more by each
other than by us. Maybe I'll think differently later, but mostly I'm
really happy they are so close in age.
Is it true for you - that the best parenting experiences are when
you're just tagging along on their adventure?
It seems so obvious.

A photos worth a zillion words

Take a look. I'm giving you a visual of what our week has looked like.
Nnnooo mommy. I don't want to mommy. Let me do it! You're in my space,
mommy.
That last one is my favorite. Precious right?
Oh three. You ugly beast.
But let's give a kid a break. He started preschool. No drama on the
surface, but he's bright enough to know it marked the end if one thing
and the beginning of another.
He's realized the pool, his favorite place in the whole world, is
closed.
He has the sniffles.
His dad was away for a few days and then had a busy week.
So ok. I'm willing to just write this week's bad behavior and constant
demands and inane negotiating off. God knows I've been no saint.
Cocktail hour came early more than once.
All I'm asking - and I'm asking it because I don't want to end up in
jail - is for my sense of humor to stay intact. Help me bury it deep
inside, safe from all the hen pecking.
Peck. Peck. Peck peck peck peck peck peck

Bedtime at the rock house

The boys and I are at Mt. Airy for the weekend. When we told Tayloe
where we were going he said, "ooohhh, the rock house!"
Stone, son. Stone

Welcome to the new blaby

Look!
After months of blogger laziness, i used my newfound freetime this
morning (t2 in school, thomas napping) to snitzy up this here blog.
Now I can update my blog quickly from my iPhone, which I bet I'll do
all the time. Expect to see a lot more of us on the fly and in almost
real time!I hope I can better capture some of the moments that happen
everyday because it seems that lately good bloggish stuff happens and
by the end of the day I have no head space for downloading photos and
composing sentences.
Should also be fun for you to laugh at my typos - the iPhone keyboard
has a mind of it's own. You understand.

Testing to see if I can post from my phone. Did it work?

milestones

thomas turned one last tuesday. i'm still not sure how that's possible, but ok. we had a small celebration for him at home - presents and cupcakes. no hesitation on the cupcake - food doesn't last very long in front of him. he's growing so fast - and he's so smart. he knows exactly how to get his brother's attention (pick up his favorite toys, of course). he watches people so intently i can't help but think i'm really in for it when he's really up and moving and can download all that information. and yet, i'm really excited about his next year. as challenging as it will be, i can't wait to see him come into his own. before long he'll be running right next to his brother, standing up for himself and doing things 'all by myself.' sniff.
meanwhile, we've been gearing tayloe up for preschool. it's at the episcopal church in scottsville only 1/2 a mile from our house. it wasn't my first choice, but i think it'll be just fine. he's thrilled about the toys there and seems genuinely excited to make friends. so off he trucked with his beloved baby tucked in his backpack, new shoes and all the confidence in the world.
break. my. heart.