And it is DONE!!!

Alpha (beginning)


Omega (end)

H-town!!!

A few weekends ago we traveled down to Houston to visit Aunt K, Granny Great and 4 good friends from our college days at Tech, two of which had a new baby for us to meet. We bypassed taking a car down there with the gas prices and flew. A short flight, a *FREE* (still under 2) passenger, and two happy parents made for an excellent weekend.

Saturday we spent with our college buddies and babies, then headed to Galveston beach for an annual sand castle building contest that Aunt K's company competed in and then ended the night with dinner at Daddy's favorite restaurant in Houston, Amazon Grill. Aunt A and Unckie J were in town and met up with us there to visit Aunt K also.


Boys, boys and more boys!!! Future Tech graduates: Junior (H family #1 - 21 months), GTP (P family #1 - 16 months), STA (A family #1 - 5 months), and CJP (P family #2 - 7 weeks)


Me with STA


Junior with STA


Junior loving on GTP


Sunday was busier than Saturday. We went to morning mass, where Junior was surprisingly, somewhat quiet, went to visit the Water Wall by the Galleria, played in a park downtown next to Aunt K's office, visited her office, stopped for a quick bite for lunch, visited with Granny Great and then dropped off at the airport.


Junior with Aunt K's bear she's had since she was born (it's almost 30 years old)!!!


The amazing Water Wall - Daddy, Junior and Aunt K




Junior in the water spouts in the downtown park



Daddy and Junior on suspended stairs at Aunt K's office (the stairs are only attached at the top)! "Get your guns up"!


Future structural engineer hard at work


Me, Junior and Granny Great


Junior was a trooper the whole trip, not whining as much as expected for a 1-1/2 hour nap over the span of two days when he normally would have had 6 hours for two days. Not to mention the late nights and early mornings. It did take him a couple of days to recuperate once back at home.

Thanks always to Aunt K for the hospitality all weekend and our 4 friends for lunch on Saturday. It was great to see all of you!

Daddy turns 29!!!

Junior was so happy to help bake Daddy's cake, can you tell?


Daddy with his family and birthday cake (the cake got a little too warm and the icing started sliding off in front)


Blowing out his candles


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY, WE LOVE YOU!!!

A little goes a long way

The result of leaving a toddler alone by himself for more than a couple of minutes.



For those of you wondering...NO, it's not suntan lotion (that would be too easy to rub in and send him outside for a bit). It is diaper cream (oil-based of course). It took two baths that day to completely rid him of it. He was proud of himself, Mommy was not!

Presenting Baby E

It was almost a month ago that Junior and I went to visit his pal Big J and his new little sister! They had such a good time playing together and Big J was so proud to show off his new little sister, Baby E. They sure were hamming it up here!


A picture of Baby E...isn't she beautiful?!

Random pictures and update

Junior is becoming quite the character these days.

• He knows how to make us laugh when we are trying to discipline him
• He growls at us when we discipline him
• He thinks he's hilarious and will laugh at himself regularly
• He's in the process of fine tuning his fork and spoon eating ability
• He loves to run, but is still a little stiff legged
• He shrugs his shoulders when asked a question he doesn't know the answer to
  
• He has a limited, fairly understandable vocabulary which include:
• mama
• dada
• water
• more
• moon
• cook
• flower
• bubble
• ball
• cheese
• cracker
• yeah
• no

The first 4-generation picture I've taken. (Great-Grandma, Nana, me and Junior)


Great One and Junior playing "I'm gonna get you"!


My little cheese ball.


Great One was out of town one weekend and Junior went to spend the night with Nana to keep her company. This is the tent Nana bought Junior to play in at their house.

Good-bye old friend :(

Two weeks ago Nana and Great One were over at our house to watch Junior for the night while Daddy and I went out. I realized when we got home after Junior was already asleep that I forgot to mention where Junior's pacifier was. I couldn't believe that he went to sleep without it! Nana told me that it wasn't the first time that had happened. She then went on to tell me of other times Junior was at their house and she couldn't find the pacifier and he went to sleep without it.

For a while we have just been giving his pacifier to him for naps/bedtime, in the car (to get him asleep), and church. He had recently started asking for it at those specific times (but not needing it), knowing that we would give it to him.

So because of these events we realized it was time to say good-bye to our old friend. Two weeks ago we put all 3 of them away. (We have had the same two since Junior was born and just bought one more a few months ago when the other two were worn down. Amazing!) The first two nights he did ask for it before bed and cry louder and longer before falling asleep, but now it's a thing of the past. Unfortunately for us he wakes up earlier now. :(


Dear Pacifier,
Thanks for everything! Over the past 20 months you've calmed my fears, put me to sleep, comforted me, kept me quiet in church, made my car rides more enjoyable, and fixed my "boo-boos". Thanks for always being there friend!
Love, Junior

Thanks a million!!!

My aunt and uncle over the past couple of years have graciously given us bags and bags full of clothes for Junior. They adopted an amazing 1 year old boy from Russia a few years ago and don't need the clothes anymore after he out grows them. This last bunch we received was more than a bunch...it was a truck load! Daddy met my uncle after work last night to collect the load and when he arrived home it took him at least two trips to get it all inside. There were so many clothes, shoes, toys, puzzles, and books. (One book was the "Potty Book for Boys". Good thing we had just purchased a potty a couple days before...now we are set!) But the most loved "toy" was one that Daddy and I had been talking about wanting to get Junior the next time we were out and about. We took pictures of it as soon as we got it and also today when we used it for lunch. Junior was brought inside the house last night kicking and screaming because he didn't want to leave it. We are so thankful to have such wonderful family!!! Thanks again "B" family!!!


Last night when the picnic table arrived


So excited!


Today...nice weather and a great picnic table


Cheeeeese!

Mr. Fix-it...well, not quite

Daddy's brother learned of our unfortunate loss during the storm last week. He offered his handyman skills and construction equipment from his job to lend us a hand in fixing it ourselves. After 4 hours, Daddy, his brother, his parents and a few nephews, exhausted all resources and gave up on the project to let the professionals finish it up. They realized after getting further into it there was more work involved than they anticipated. They were not expecting the fence posts to be placed so far in the ground and surrounded by concrete. I managed to get a few great pictures of everyone hard at work...well almost everyone.

The equipment arrives


Junior taking it for a spin


Junior showing off


Junior, his uncle S and Daddy preparing the hole to pull the post out


More help arrives...Mimi and Daddy at the first post, Junior's two cousins at the second post, uncle S at the last post and Grandad "supervising"!


One of four...They had the most progress on this one and it still wouldn't budge if you leaned into it.

A day with Junior's cousins

Two Friday's ago we had the pleasure of watching two of our nephews and our niece while their parents went out of town for a family wedding. We had an exciting and fun-filled day, not to mention exhausting. There are not that many pictures to post because bottom line, with 4 kids to watch, I had no time!!! Junior was not awake when they arrived in the wee morning hours so they all entered his room when we heard him waking up to welcome him to the day! He sure did not know what to think at first but eventually he warmed right up to them. He LOVED having them here for the day! He followed them everywhere imitating every move they made. He did have time to give them random hugs through out the day which was so cute!


C and M kneading their dough (we were making pizzas for dinner)


P kneading his dough


And also tasting it


M and C spreading the sauce over the dough


C and M's pizza before it headed to the oven...(it may look a little crazy, but it tasted better than the one I helped P make


Junior woke up from his nap a few minutes before we were done making ours so he helped put the pepperonis on which allowed him to be apart of the "chef picture". So here is the one P made with a little help from me and Junior.


Daddy was only home for a little while with all 4 kids and he has a look on his face like he had them all day...if only he knew!!! They are just all too CUTE!!!