First Pumpkin!

Henry says, "Ya carve a better pumpkin with your clothes off!!"

because i don't feel like editing photos....

I think this is just so creative. I'm especially into it when Solsbury Hill starts playing. Pure. Genius. I think you'd have to have seen The Shining for this to make any sense though. I played it for Garrison a few weeks ago (he has never seen the movie) and he was all like, "OH? Ha...ha?" afterward.

Now I'm off to by a real mop and a broom that hasn't been used to sweep up used cat litter cuz baby boy be crazy crawling now!

Oh and equally awesome? This:

First Ferry Ride!

Watching the street musicians in Port Townsend

We're back! Our trip home was awesome. It was really good to see my family and to be able to go to Stacie's memorial. I really needed some closure and although it was emotionally the hardest thing I have ever done, in a weird way it was incredibly good for me.

On Saturday Henry got to ride on a ferry for the first time. The weather was perfect and the streets of Port Townsend were filled with traveling musicians and the smell of the Pacific ocean and good food. Henry ate coconut pineapple ice cream and played in some of the coolest toy stores I've seen in a long time (until he ripped the tag off of a wooden teether. and i noticed it was $19. wtfembarrassinglet'sgonow. right?)

Washington State, you pretty much rule.

Some LOLs

Henry loves looking out the window, especially during take off/landing. I know he doesn't "get" the whole flying concept, but the whole thing still gets him so excited.

juss reading mah doggie book and eating some pringles (apple puffs, actually. no, i don't really feed my eight month old pringles- are you kidding me?)

Outfit change in the Charlotte, NC airport bathroom.

This silly cup trick kept him entertained for a good part of the long flight.

The other part of the flight went like this. Good baby, Henry. I think I need to find a way to play loud, humming airpline noises in his room because seriously this kid naps longer on flights than he does during the day.

It's so good to be home (again). Hope you are all having an awesome weekend so far! Love.

Washington Again!

Henry and I are leaving early tomorrow morning for Washington, once again. Thanks to my wonderful mom and dad, I am able to make it to my friend Stacie's memorial on Sunday. This is really good for me, because being so far away from all family and friends that knew her makes it hard for me to process and accept everything.

While this definitely will not be a happy trip, I am looking forward to squeezing the heck outta my adorable sisters and brother and talking in person to my parents much sooner than I had originally planned!

a day in the life.

I am a nanny. Four days out of the week I'm making PB&J sandwiches, leading Waldorf based educational activities, finding lost lovies, and reading the entire collection of Disney Princess books more times than any sane person should. I answer to "Meemo" and Henry is know as "Haaay-reeee", "Baby Henry", and "Haaay! Stop cry'an!"

Our situation is perfect here. I love these kids, work with the nicest family, I don't have to put Henry in daycare, and he basically has two older siblings and a couple puppies to play with.

I accidentally snapped this picture the other day and holy crap is it perfect representation of Haaay-reee's relationship with little f and little r. Hahaha, poor kid (Not really. Get used to it baby. Some day you're going to have siblings!) He really loves both of them more than words (Get it? He can't talk yet? Ahhhaha) but let's just say the love he gets in return can sometimes be a little...overbearing. Can you blame them though? Just look at those chubby cheeks and that huggable little body!

Lately we've been chanting, "Babies need their baby space, stay out of a baby's face!" Thanks Yo Gabba Gabba. You know, as much as I am trying not to like you you just keep being freaking awesome and I'm kind of falling in love.


On a sorta related note: This is what my last weekend looked like. What are those big wet marks, you ask? Oh, just POOP STAINS. Little r decided that it would be awesome to use the couch as a trampoline right after he had completely filled his diaper. With runny poop. Don't know how I missed it exactly, but apparently every time he would land poop would explode all over the place.

Although I Stanley Steamered every inch of that couch, thinking about sitting on it still grosses me out. Oh, poor poop couch! You're going to be so lonely from here on out!

I'm Cheap.

Henry is getting really good at crawling. Three weeks ago he started scooting around on his belly, using one little chubby arm to pull himself forward. About a week ago he propped his arms and knees up, took a few wobbly crawls, and since has decided that the belly scoot is for jerks.

Since he's been crawling, his soft little knees are now replaced with red, harder skin. It sucks that we have like, no carpet in our entire house (i'm not counting the mat that the stupid cat puked all over yesterday...) so he's always banging up those once so-soft chubby legs of his.

You know those adorable little leg warmers, Baby Legs? So cute. But also? So expensive (for what they are. I told you, I'm cheap.) But I wannnt them! Henry's red knees neeeed them! To solve this dilemma, I picked up some adult knee high socks (hello Target/$1.99!) with a fun pattern, cut the feet off at the heel and voila! Sorta Baby Legs. Good bye red knees, hello hella exploring.

I really should sew the hem at the bottom and add some elastic...but not only am I cheap, I'm lazy too!

Happy Eight Months!

Henry,

Today you are eight months old. Wow! I feel like you have grown both physically and emotionally more than than the previous months and I love watching you turn into this squirmy little boy. You have become quite the busy body, you're never content with just sitting now. Just this past week you've discovered that crawling on all fours is much faster than the one armed scoot you had been practicing and I know it's just a matter of weeks until Bunz the cat has to start guarding her tail. When you are in my arms you use those busy feet of yours to crawl up my chest and onto my shoulders...what do you think is up there?

You've mastered what we like to call the "stink face" and you know how to use it too. Every time you get frustrated, you make it look like you are crying and then stop to flash us a little two-toothed grin before resuming that fake frown. We're so on to you, by the way- but OH! what a reaction you get from us.

ex: stink face.
(sorry, but how could i even resist putting little f's new headband on that bald little head of yours?!)

Tonight your dad lowered your crib because you have been pulling yourself to a standing
position using any reachable object. I still remember putting that crib together and thinking that the six inches between rail and mattress was way too low. Now your sleepin' deep and it's really weirding me out over how fast time flies.

Happy eight months! We love, love you.

Sorry Beatles!

I said to Little f, "Do you hear this song? It's by the Beatles! Do you like the Beatles?"

She thought about it for a good amount of time, looked at me quite seriously and said,
"Ummm, nahhhh....but I like the ANTS!"

RIP Stacie

9/15/1986 - 9/15/2010

My dear friend Stacie passed away yesterday. I thought for sure she would pull through her serious accident, she's always been one of the strongest people I have ever known. I still can't accept that she is gone. I can only process a small fraction of this tragedy at a time, which is probably for the best because everytime I do my heart literally hurts.

I hate that I still feel like I could call her and catch up on lost time. I hate that such a precious life could be taken away in just a matter of seconds. I hate that she never got to meet Henry. It's all so unfair.

Stacie and I have been friends since we were little kids. I used to go over to her house and play army soldiers, drink chocolate milk, and try to annoy her older sister Lisa. Our summers together were packed with camping trips, water balloon fights, and sleepovers. In college we found ourselves meeting up on break to hang out with our friends until early morning.

When we were six or so, Stacie would say, "Hey Allie, say 'Sleeping Beauty' again", to which I would reply, "Sleeping Booty" because apparently I had an awful hard time with the "eau" sound. She would start laughing so hard her eyes would fill up with tears.

One time Stacie's sister Lisa was babysitting us and she was listening to Alanis Morrisettee. We told her that she shouldn't be listening to it because she said the word "maggot" and Lisa laughed and asked us if we even knew what that word meant. Of course we didn't and that made us feel like idiots for calling her out on something so stupid. We got back at her real good though by hiding in her closet, quietly giggling while she called a boy that she had a huge crush on. And then we told her mom about it.

As we grew up together, I learned so much from Stacie. She taught me how to love unconditionally. Even when she was dealing with the crappy parts of life (we all have them) her eyes would smile as she talked about the good she did know. Stacie was my silly friend. We were always laughing about the dumbest things together, it was nice knowing that someone else shared my weird sense of humor.

Stacie is one of the lucky few who has really experienced life. Her spontaneity has taken her to Colorado, Nepal, and India and the last time I talked to her she was living in a VW van, obviously enjoying life as it was meant to be experienced. Simple and free, surrounded by friends and life experiences rather than stupid material crap like tvs or new clothes. Stacie's passion and love for life was contagious and I know I'm not the only one who was greatly affected by this.

Stacie, you were taken much too soon and it's really hard to deal with your sudden absence from my life. I miss you so much my love.

Magical Mommy

I love watching Henry discover things for the first time. There is this new spinning light toy at work and it completely blows. his. mind. Can you even imagine seeing something like this and not knowing what it is or even how it works? Henry probably thinks I'm a wizard.

Please Pray

Got a call from my mom this morning informing me that my friend Stacie was hit by a car while riding her bike. She is suffering from a head injury and is currently unconscious and in critical condition. Words cannot even express how sad I am right now. I don't feel like writing or posting, everything that I once thought mattered suddenly feels incredibly pointless and disgustingly frivolous.

Please be praying for my best friend's recovery and for her family as they fly out to be with her today.

Vacation Photos Pt. 1

Still waiting for our lost luggage (serrrriously?) so I can't access many of my photos. Here are a few that luckily I had uploaded before my camera battery got stuck in Atlanta for who knows how long.

Delta airlines? You suck!

Getting ready to go to the zoo with Lindsay, Vanessa, and Mel

Visiting Garrison's grandpa at the marina

Henry meets his great grandpa Marr

Getting coffee with Neil and Larissa

Soaking up some serious grandparent sugar

We're Home!

With new teeth to show and everything!

We flew into Savannah late last night and started trying to adjust to east coast time and the incredibly humid weather once again. Our flight was delayed by two and a half hours, our baggage is still missing, and our taxi driver was kind of a jerk...but we made it.

It was really hard saying goodbye to our families, I already miss them so much my stomach hurts. Introducing Henry to so many new people was hilarious and awesome and amazing. He probably thinks he's a celebrity or a baby god and is wondering where his chorus of "ooooohs" and "awwwws" has gone every time we enter a new room.

I honestly can't say I'm excited to be home. Usually by the end of a long vacation I am aching to sleep in my own bed but this time it is totally different. There really is nothing greater than family and good friends. And Washington state? You are STILL AWESOME.

Ugggh, I am sad!

Thank you all so much for your comments while I have been away. I'm sorry I haven't been awesome at replying to them all, but things will get easier now that we are home again. Just know that I read every single one and loved and appreciated them beyond words. You guys are the best.