big as the sky

Not Me

He say, "I know you, you know me"

One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Come together.  Right now.  Over me.

~JL

Moving on from deep, thoughtful, downer posts, did I mention that one of my girlfriends shaved her head?  My awesome friend and her (almost) equally awesome husband were shorn like sheep to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer.  Their son had rhabdomysarcoma and is in remission (yeah!) and we all celebrated at a pub, drinking beer and shaving our heads.  Their heads.  There's so much to tell about that evening, but what sticks in my mind was her tear-jerking speech about how she couldn't care less about her hair as long as she had her family, and how(surprisingly) beautiful she looked bald.  Everybody said so. 

Heres a few photos. 

  

D ate a juice box while we waited.  Fun evening.

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And, of course . . . D turned one last week.  We celebrated with a cupcake, food fight, and lots of loud sister singing.  I have video that I'll get later.  Happy birthday my little light.  We love you soooo much!

Boys of Summer

Before you cross the street,

Take my hand.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy.

~John Lennon

This is my oldest nephew holding little dude at a 4th of July parade.  My oldest nephew who was two-years-old, like, yesterday.  Blink and they grow up.  Into gorgeous young men on the inside and out.  You are basically looking at my world, not including the ten ones in between. 

Happy belated 4th of July!  

 

See more best shots at Melody's

Warrior Princess

It's summer, so the rules are by law relaxed.  If my kids want ice cream for dinner, the answer is quite possibly a "yes".  We might throw a hot dog in to balance it out.  Or not.  So when my 6-year old asked yesterday if she could "color her face" I struggled with my knee jerk "no" response as I honestly could not think of a reason she shouldn't.  A reason besides my fuddy duddy, "But it would make a GIANT MESS and the world would fall off it's axis!!!"  So, I said "OK" as long as it was just this once (I might add the reason she wanted to smear marker all over her precious visage was because she had learned at summer camp that the "Chinese did not have drama, they wore masks to convey their emotions."  Geesh, I learned how to make a pot holder at summer camp.)

So, here's the result, complete with Hank as roaring sidekick.  My Warrior Princess.    

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In other big news, and I mean BIG, Little Man is learning to sleep!  Oh, happy day!!  And he is so incredibly good to his Mommy.  His version of "crying it out" was ten minutes.  Yes . . . ten minutes, then "Oh well, nobody's coming, may as well fall asleep".  I adore him more and more each day.  I hit the moon every time he flashes his big smile at me.  He put on quite a show this evening for my oldest nephew.  I saw everything come full circle right in my sister's kitchen with the last little butter ball cousin smiling and laughing at the first one who is now pushing adulthood.  It was a brief, beautiful glimpse of the soul of the universe right next to the dinner dishes.    

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In other obvious news, I am completely aware that I have the most boring blog design ever not created.  As I peruse other's nifty addresses with all kinds of curb appeal and flair, I feel a bit deflated as I have no clue how to go about doing any of that stuff.  But, then I realized (or, decided to use as an excuse) that it's a reflection of my life at this moment . . . in skeletal form waiting to take shape.  I just have to do a little (a LOT) of research, soul searching, and litigating to see the form and design my life will take.  None of which is, by the way, being recorded here.  The soul searching and research, I mean.  It's too much, too soon, and too confusing.  And it is taking up the entire pie chart of my life.  The tiny sliver that can be projected onto this super highway seems awkward and at times a bit pitiful, but it's all I have to give right now.  A nice little diversion.

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Happy Birthday to my other nephew who I haven't even seen since he turned FOURTEEN last week because he's been off saving the world through mission trip and saving home plate through baseball.  I love him as much as a heart can hold.     

Buy One, Get Three Free

OK . . . First thing's first.  I try to submit a BSM each week to keep me clicking away.  Kind of like homework.  I have received "zero's" the last two weeks, so here's a few to up my average.  

My best shot this week would have to be of little man.  I should first say about this particular shot that it would have been impossible with the first two babies as I had a restraining order against them regarding my bed.  No baby allowed within ten feet.  Ever.  I had heard horror stories about babies that didn't sleep until college if they were allowed in bed with mom, so a strict boundary was set and kept.  

By the time little man came along, however, I frankly didn't care what happened beyond the particular moment in which we found ourselves.  All I wanted was my sleep and his happiness and we would deal with any future problems just there . . . in the future.  I stuck him in bed with me and we have been happily sleeping and dozing through night feedings ever since.  Sad to say, he might get the boot soon as we begin a regular sleep program because the current one has been blissfully carefree.  And I get to awaken to this every morning . . . hard to give up, I say.

See more best shots at Tracy's.

Okay, here's another one just because he's so darn cute.  

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The other news is that we awakened last Friday and, like zombies possessed, cancelled our plans, drove straight to the local animal shelter, and demanded they relinquish three animals into our care.  As if the newborn and the un-potty trained 3-year old were not enough.  "Why?" you ask.  "Sais pas" except to say that my oldest wanted one, I wanted Bee to have one, and if I make eye contact with any older dog in a shelter, it's comin' home with us.  Luckily, it was buy one kitty, get one free.  So, it is my pleasure to introduce . . .

 

Charlotte

Hank

And Patsy

Obviously, I need more pictures of Hank.  He's super cute.  All of them have adjusted beautifully and add much love and entertainment to our previously clean and pleasant smelling home.