8/31 - 3 years ago

Beautiful baby,
blue, in the best way.  Chest scar
kissed by science / God.

Photos taken when she was about a year old.
Only 3 years ago?!  Seems like lifetime.

Seconds

Second fire of the season.

Tried to make the first for the boy a few weeks ago but we didn't have a fire starter so after burning

 all our recycling, I gave up, eventually put the kids to bed, then poked at the ashes and... *poof*

Big roaring fire.

Right when I wanted to go to sleep (natch).

So will actually claim a first on that one - first banked fire.

(All those historical novels as a kid really DID pay off)

Was also certain this was the girl's first mixing beater -

Except I just found this photo from last Christmas.

Did someone give her Cheez Puffs?

Little monkey.

Happy Birthday Tima!

Only a couple days late this time.  At least I called on the day of!

Photo from last year.  Still sorry about... whatever it was I tried to stick a candle in here.

 This is from a year ago too & the photo I used on the

thank you cards from our first (and, tragically, only so far) buddy walk.

 She wasn't walking yet a year ago. We have photos of her standing in various places &

there was a lot of this going on. When did the walking start in earnest? 

Will have to go back thru the pix. I'm a HORRIFIC chronicler.



Gigi and the kids, last July. 

Little girl's 15 months older now  - so many changes.

Though this wasn't the best picture of her

(I usually delete the overly vacant shots)

It was also freakishly cold for July, hence the awkward blanket.

I took the boy to lunch yesterday after a MD visit.  The hostess at our local Steak & Shake had DS.  I think I'm ok with this all but I spent our lunchtime watching her, and eyeballing her co-workers.  I would have guessed they were all in high school but it was noon on a Thursday so probably early 20s (which dates me a bit, but nevermind that)... working in a burger joint far from any college.  Surely they're old enough to have outgrown the bullying.  Are they kind to her?  Do they include her? 

The surfer-dude/waiter knocked over a bunch of silverware and I was relieved it wasn't her.  Later, when some people came in and self-seated, I caught an eye roll.  Our girl had clearly gone on break - we'll assume the eye rolling was for the presumptuous customers? And not the absent hostess?  Yes?  I wanted to know more but what do you ask?  Are you happy?  Do you like working here?  How did you get the job?  How often do weirdly solicitous customers ask you overly-personal questions?  Are the truckers and construction guys eating there patient with her?  Do rowdy teenager boys come in and.... can't even go there.  

But then again it should be normal & I shouldn't be making a fuss. 

But I know where we're going to be eating henceforth. 

One year ago

Happy Birthday Little Girl

We are so very very lucky to have you in our lives.

Baptism

First Halloween

Our profound gratitude to Dr Fiore

First Birthday

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

Second Christmas

Patio Pizza Parlor

Full service available on the deck

Birthday Countdown almost starting!

This was taken one year ago:

Who's a cute doggie? Who? Who? Kong!

One Year Ago - the construction begins...

(doesn't that sound ominous?  Imagine Jaws music)

Before - wasn't it pretty?

The (useless & yet expensive) Machine:

Symbolic of something....

Good Uncle:

The end of a very long, very very hot day - and yet, only the beginning.

I supervised.  Someone else was bleeding

One Year Ago

One Year Ago in May:

Photos taken 6/5/2009: