Home with the Halls

enough is enough

2010-01-31T15:47:00.001-08:00

Some days I love love love blogging. And other days it's just another thing on my to-do list.

It doesn't help that I have two blogs to update. Inevitably, I end up posting more to one blog than the other. And then there's the problem of deciding which blog to post what information to... Sometimes, it's easier to just not post.

Today, I have come up with the solution, and I've finally taken the time to figure out how to do it: to merge the two blogs.

So, it is with the slightest bit of sadness that we bid adieu to this blog, and move everything to my personal blog, because, really, I'm the only one who posts here anyhow. I'm excited. I think I'll feel less conflicted over the whole blogging-direction thing.

And don't worry, you can still get your Liam-cuteness-fix, you'll just have to do it here instead.

ice, snow, and more snow

2010-01-31T15:16:00.000-08:00

We had big plans for this weekend:

Thursday evening, my mom and I had been planning to go out to Mimi's Cafe in Rogers, just the two of us, to celebrate our birthdays. Even though the rain was supposed to turn into ice that evening, we decided to chance it and go out anyhow. We had a great meal and even better conversation, keeping an eye out the window the whole time to make sure the roads weren't getting to slick. They were by the time we left. The ice was coming down quickly, and Hwy 412 might have been an extra long skating rink by the timw we got to it. But we made it home.

By the next morning, a half inch of ice covered everything. By mid-afternoon, the ice turned into a snow storm, which blanketed everything with a good 6 inches of snow. I know that this is nothing for our Iowa relatives, but for Arkansas, this is a LOT of snow. The most I've seen here yet.

Needless to say, we had to cancel our big Dallas trip for Saturday. Boo. The roads between here and there were guaranteed to be impassable and an icy mess. So, we're rescheduling for 2 weekends from now. Ikea, here we come...soon.

Despite the disappointment, we made the most of our wintry weather. Gabe came home from work early on Friday, and went to pick up my mom in Springdale so she could spend the weekend with us.

We drank a lot of tea, kept the fire going, and played in the snow.

Here's a view of our street, before the snow had stopped falling. It's a big mess of snow drifts now.

Liam had lots of fun. He kept saying, "More snow!" all day long. He's played outside a few times, and he really enjoys just tromping around in it.

An improvised sled...

It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so hopefully it will be warm enough to melt the snow instead of creating more ice to deal with.

Molly's post on Arkansas

2010-01-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

Click on the title to see some of Molly's pictures from her visit with us a couple of weeks ago...

a weekend visit and Liam on the swings

2010-01-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

Our friends Rachael and Joseph flew out to visit us for the weekend. It was a pretty relaxed and low-key visit. Activities included grocery shopping and library perusing in Fayetteville, a chilly walk to the park, church Sunday morning, and making homemade pasta together. Liam wowed everyone with his potty training skills, all of which made for some nudity-induced funny moments.

It was a good visit. We had some good talks. I really miss Rachaels' company.

Of course, we didn't really take any pictures, except when we went to the park. Here are some favorites of Liam on the swings:

how to get things done

2010-01-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

Put him in the sink...

breaking news

2010-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Liam, the vegetable hater, happily munched away three carrot sticks, asked for more, and then moved on to celery with peanut butter.

This is a big deal, people!

Other veggies he'll sometimes eat: corn, peas, beets.

heat wave

2010-01-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

Today warmed up to 63 degrees.

After the last few week's near-zero temperatures, the weather today felt incredibly warm. Warm enough for a trip to the playground.

Liam's coordination and courage are improving, especially when it comes to climbing. He went down the spiral slide, unassisted, a dozen times or so.

Here is how it's done:

1. Go up the stairs

2. Run across the walkway

3. Carefully cross the bridge

4. Climb up the steps to the slide and sit down

5. Woo Hoo!

6. Repeat

It was a fun afternoon at the park, but this pregnant Mama doesn't have quite the energy she is used to. It wiped me out.

photo shoot

2010-01-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

This morning I staged a little photo shoot for some handmade items I'm donating for Haiti (see more about that on my blog). Liam desperately wanted me to also take pictures of his blanket.

So we did.

favorite things

a little show

2010-01-18T10:55:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Molly, Rebecca, and Andres put on a little show for the kids at my mom and Linda's work.

Molly and Rebecca did their body balancing act

And Andres did a shortened version of his chair act (the ceiling was low...)
The kids really enjoyed the performance. Liam was the only one in the group who wouldn't sit still for the show.

After it was over, the kids got to meet the performers.

This little girl was especially thankful. She gave each of them big smooches on the cheek.

It made my mom really happy to show off

Molly, Andres, and Rebecca's talent.

Liam loves visitors

2010-01-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

Molly, Andres, and Rebecca got to our house at 5 am Wednesday morning, after driving all 17 hours from Florida straight through. Liam was surprised to find Rebecca sleeping on the couch when he woke up. He kept pointing to her saying "What's that?"

When they woke up later in the morning, it didn't take Liam long at all to warm up to his Tia Molly, Tio Andres, and Rebecca.

They brought him a very fun surprise.

A horse costume that he both wears and rides... He kept running around saying "neigh!"

Rebecca's flashy shoes are also a treat for Liam. He has been walking around in them every chance he gets.

Fun times with Tia Molly

One cool dude

1/4 of a century + 1 day

2010-01-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my 25th birthday.

For my 23rd birthday, I was 7 months pregnant with Liam. Gabe and I had celebrated a few days before my actual day, so when the 15th rolled around, I was home alone feeling very pregnant, miserable, and just plain sorry for myself. Not so this year.

My sister Molly, her husband Andres, and her circus partner, Rebecca, have all been here since Wednesday. We spent the day just hanging out around the house.

The biggest excitement for the day was when Liam pooped on the kitchen floor. Dahlia came along right behind him and ate it up. Yes, she ate his poop. By this point, I was running Liam to the bathroom so we could finish his business on the potty, but out popped another landmine and I stepped in it. We continued into the bathroom, leaving poop prints from my shoe the whole way. By the time we got there, he was done.

Yes, exciting.

Despite this incident, he's still doing fantastic with going on the potty, with only one other accident in the last 3 days! That is the best present Liam could have given me. That and the birthday poop story.

In the evening, my mom, Linda, and Ethan joined us for a yummy dinner of Thai food takeout from the Lor Orchid. My favorite!
There were some gifts:

Gabriel surprised me with a marble mortar and pestle set, wrapped in blueprints.

Molly gifted me with two beautiful maternity tops, and my mom helped fund our Ikea shopping trip coming up in a couple weeks (more on that later...).

Since my mom's birthday is next week, Molly brought something for her as well: a tool kit. As you can see, she's thrilled with it.

We finished up the evening with homemade mango sticky rice, drizzled with coconut sauce and toppped with coconut ice cream. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.

And we watched Grey's Anatomy.

It was a great day.

I think we're in business now

2010-01-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

Liam went on the potty all by himself today.

Twice.

update: by the time he went to bed tonight, he'd succesfully peed 2 more times and even pooped on the potty! All by himself. And NO ACCIDENTS on the floor!!! Woohoo.

This is a huge step forward. We have spent the last week and a half making frequent runs to the potty with Liam shouting pee pee. He'd sit and try for long periods of time, but never could relax enough to go. And then I'd clean up mess after mess later.

I think he really gets it now.

The naked bottom approach (except when he's sleeping) seems to have been the best approach for him. He was very aware of sensations down there while he was unhindered, and we purposely stayed at home with nothing on the schedule for the last week or so.

Reading lots of books on this subject to Liam while he sat on the pot seems to have also been very helpful (special thanks to Amy for sending out a stash and all of the encouragement!). Another favorite book came from the library, Tinkle Tinkle Little Tot, which was full of what I suppose you could call inspirational jingles.

Here's a sample of one of our favorites:

The Tushy Pushy

to the tune of the hokey pokey

You pull your undies down.

You get the potty out.

You sit your bottom down,

And you push the poopy out.

You do the tushy pushy

Til you push the poopy out.

That's what it's all about.

You really can't get any more inspirational than that. Nevertheless, we have both had quite the potty mouths lately.

I know the journey isn't over yet, but I am finally feeling like all this work wasn't for nothing.

mr. mechanic

2010-01-10T17:21:00.001-08:00

Gabriel is good at many things, one of them being auto repair. Today he replaced a valve gasket on my mom's car with only the user manual as his guide.

Way to go, Honey!

potty training - day 4

2010-01-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

Peed on the potty: once
Pooped on the potty: once

Times I had to dash to the bathroom with him already going: both times

Still, it's progress!

Potty Training - day 3

2010-01-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Peed on the floor: 6 times
Pooped on the floor: 5 times (he'd been *ahem* backed up)

And then he started throwing temper tantrums if I even mentioned the potty. He was in a contrary mood. So, we gave it a break for the afternoon.

But before all that, he enjoyed Singing in the Rain. I recently discovered that he likes musicals...so we've been skipping ahead to all the dance numbers (Thanks for the idea, Crystal).

Epiphany Pageant

2010-01-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

Prepare yourself.

You are about to see the cutest and most oblivious shepherd in the history of Epiphany Pageants.

Well, at least in the history of Epiphany Pageants we've attended. This was our first.

But Liam was awfully cute.

Proof.

Attending Grace Episcopal has been quite the learning experience for me and Gabriel. There are so many seasons and traditions layered with meaning. Epiphany, however, is simply a celebration of Christ's coming and, specifically, when the wisemen came to see the Child.

Our church celebrates this with a children's pageant portraying the event.

Liam had no idea what was going on.

He refused to wear the head scarf... but he clearly enjoyed himself.

potty training - day two

2010-01-06T06:48:00.000-08:00

trips to potty: every 20 minutes or so

times he peed in the potty: 0

times he peed on the floor: 8

On to day 3!

Everett Parker Gray

2010-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

We are so happy for Crystal and Micah's new addition, and even more excited that they now have a boy!

He is so precious.

It will be fun to see him and River playing together in the not too distant future.

snow cakes and other treats

2010-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

We woke up to even more snow this morning, along with a chilly day-time high temperature in the teens... Temporarily undeterred by the cold. Liam and I bundled up to go play outside.

The snow wouldn't pack good enough for a snow man, so instead we made snow cakes.

It wasn't too long until Liam's hands were freezing in his mittens. We came inside for some hot chocolate and apples.

Notice the big boy underwear. We are on day one of serious potty training. So far, he has peed on the floor 5 times and not one drop in his potty chair. Maybe tomorrow will go a bit better.

Christmas - round two

2010-01-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

Ben, Carolyn, and Grace showed up at our place late on New Year's Eve. The trip from Alabama to Arkansas is suddenly much longer when you have a toddler... We should know.

We celebrated Christmas with them on New Year's morning. It was fun to watch Liam and Grace open presents. Liam was especially excited to get to open presents again.

Grace enjoyed Liam's craft table with all of the chalk. Carolyn is already telling Ben he needs to make a similar table for their little ones. I agree ;-)

Notice all of the coloring pages in the background. One of my daily crafty blog must-reads, Elsie Marley, had a new coloring page for each day leading up to Christmas. This was one of Liam's favorite festive activities.

Grace really took to her Uncle Gabriel quickly. We hadn't seen her since she was 8 weeks old, but it didn't take long at all for her to warm up to us.

We were greeted with a couple of inches of snow this morning. Ben was thrilled, even though they had to begin their drive back this morning. Hopefully their return trip went quicker than the drive out here.Thanks for such a nice visit!

In the snow

2009-12-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

21 months

2009-12-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

Somehow our little baby boy has turned into a toddler. His new big boy haircut only reinforces this definite change.

He now says things

Hold me, Mama

Purple cat vitamin

Doggies woof woof outside

Dahlia. Couch. Down!

Color markers

More juice. No milk.

The list goes on and on. It's fun to watch him discover new words and to let us in to his thought process, even when he is in a stinker mood.

Christmas day

2009-12-29T12:51:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning I woke up with a sore throat, fever, body aches, and general yuckiness, and spent the day on the couch...apparently, the flu/cold was kind enough to arrive full strength on a day Gabe was home from work. By Monday I felt remarkably better, and today I feel fine other than a lingering cough. So, despite the interruption, here are some Christmas snapshots:

Christmas morning we woke up to find two miracles: a White Christmas and a still-sleeping toddler. We busied ourselves with warm drinks and reheated the coffeecakes I had made, and then finally woke the little guy.

We were all so caught up in the Christmas activities that we never took any pictures of the snow outside. There were several inches blanketing everything. It was beautiful. You'll just have to imagine it.

Liam was thrilled to find both a new pacifier (which he has lately begun calling his "fye fye" ?) and candy...

Enjoying our pastry and the warmth of a blazing fire in the woodstove, thanks to Uncle Forest.
Gabriel made Liam this incredible play kitchen.

Liam was more than excited to finally get to open all of the presents under the tree. And he did. He helped everyone open each present that he could get his hands on.

Grandpa and Grandma Hall made Liam an incredible tool set. I always knew that Kenny works with wood for a living, but the detail here is so impressive: a hammer, pliers, a framing square, a chisel, and a saw, all in a tool caddy with a measuring tape, a work apron, and carpenter's pencils. Lim thinks it is great, and it continues to be one of his favorite toys to play with.

Linda bundled up for the freezing temperatures in her new hat and scarf set from Molly. She looks cute, but sometimes you have to wonder just how much a cigarrette is worth when it is 18 degrees outside...

In the afternoon, we all decorated the gingerbread house.

But Liam thought it was much more fun if we left the decorating up to him.

Modeling a new shirt from Gabriel's parents.

When I came downstairs in this, Forest said, Whoa, Dorothy, you have a belly. I didn't notice before. He had been staying with us for the past week. Boys.

Although Christmas just isn't the same when parts of the family are missing, it was still a nice day. We stayed inside, ate good food, and enjoyed each other's company.

merry-making

2009-12-26T17:06:00.000-08:00

This has been a very busy holiday season for me...enough that I haven't had much time for this space.

Here are some fun moments from the last week or so.

Liam has been enjoying crafting, and I tried to have a Christmas coloring page or activity for him most days. He really enjoyed making this "gingerbread baby" (as he likes to call it).
He discovered a new hat and wore it around the house for several days.

Watching Auntie Linda put on make-up was a favorite activity.

Feeding Grammie spaghetti.

Watching Uncle Forest play computer games.

I'll post about Christmas tomorrow.

A package from San Diego

2009-12-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

Today, FedEx delivered a huge package from Grandma and Grandpa Hall in San Diego. Liam was thrilled to help me put the presents under our tree, but was even more excited when we came upon one that said Liam, Open Now.

Dahlia wanted to help, too.
A new ornament, handmade by Grandma.

Liam loves it so much he doesn't want to leave it on the tree.

Thanks, Grandma!

Christmas crafting

2009-12-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

I am in over my head with all the Christmas crafting I had planned for this year's decorations and gifts. I finally got a package in the mail today for Gabriel's family, only with a little help from my crafting buddy.

I still have two more packages to get in the mail...all involving handmade gifts. And then it's on to the gifts for Liam. That Christmas countdown is going way too fast.

the yummy dance

2009-12-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

21 weeks

2009-12-15T06:41:00.001-08:00

I'm the picture taker around here these days, so we haven't really been getting any belly shots. But last night I persuaded Gabe to take a few.

River James

2009-12-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today I had my 20 week ultrasound, and, yes, it's a boy!

At a 13 week ultrasound my doctor thought he was a girl, and so did I. But then at 17 weeks we saw that he was most certainly a boy after all. Today was the official verdict. He's still a boy.

When I thought we were having a girl, it was fun to think of things like bloomers and dresses, but as soon as we found out he is a boy, I felt a huge amount of relief. I know what to do with a boy. We have all the boy stuff. And we have the perfect boy name: River James.

So, at today's scan, we discovered that he likes to use the placenta as a pillow. And he even measured exactly acording to his due date: April 27.

It's fun to think of Liam with a brother, and also a little overwhelming. They'll be quite the handful.

hallelujah

2009-12-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

Today, Liam took his first afternoon nap in the last week.

I think I needed his nap more than he did.

this one's for you, Tia Molly

2009-12-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

After I got off the phone with my sister yesterday, I told Liam I had been talking with his Tia Molly. He then surprised me by parroting back "Tia Molly," and then chanting it while he went back to playing with his Lego's.

Of course, I had to coax it out of him for a video, but here it is :-)

jingle all the way

2009-12-09T13:35:00.000-08:00

Iowa

2009-12-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, we went up to the farm in Iowa. We usually go for Thanksgiving weekend, but pushed the trip back a week this year to spend the holiday with my mom and sister. The one week's difference sure made a big difference in terms of the weather.

We didn't see a single snowflake until we turned onto Highway 20, about 45 minutes from the farm. The snow wasn't accumulating until we took the Aplington exit. We didn't have any problems with slipping and sliding until the stop sign on their corner. The travel conditions really couldn't have been any better all things considered.

This is what we were greeted with:
They were bummed to have such an early snow, but it was a welcome surprise to us.

It's always fun to see the calves with their winter coats. I would have never thought that cows could look so cute and fluffy.

This one was born the day before. He got a special wool coat to keep him warm.

We brought winter gear for Liam, too. He had a hard time maneuvering in it all.

Gabe worked on the East side of the barn with Jim, digging holes and setting rail road ties for some new stalls. Liam helped, too.

Playing in the dirt just isn't so much fun when it isn't even 20 degrees outside...

This lasted about 5 minutes.

One day Liam and I went in to Aplington to check out their little thrift store. Liam loved this ramp. He went up and down over and over, shrieking "whee" every time.

Then we went into the library to meet Santa. Liam wasn't too sure about him until Santa gave him a huge Hershey's bar.

He decided that Santa wasn't so bad after all, although he is definitely better at a safe distance.

I'm not sure which Liam said more over the weekend, cow or cold. Both topics were equally important to him.

So this where milk comes from.

On Saturday, Jared, Allison, and Makenna came up for a visit. Makenna is 8 months younger than Liam, and all she wanted to do was grab him: his face, his hands, his clothes. He wasn't so sure about that.

They just seem bewildered that we would bundle them up to stand outside in the freezing cold.

For the drive on Thursday, we had left at 2 am to get as much driving done as we could before Liam woke up. We only had to stop for gas (and bathroom breaks for me...). For the return trip, we drove through the middle of the day. Liam traveled like an old pro.He took awesome naps, ate his snacks, listened to music, and waved bye bye at the passing cars.

Ever since we got home, he has been telling his farm story:

Cows

Cold

Dog

Cold

Cats

Cold

Outside

Cold

It was a good trip.

Now, if I could just convince him that naps are stil necessary, we'd be doing great.

Some evening exercise

2009-12-02T18:40:00.000-08:00

to whet the appetite

2009-12-02T18:37:00.001-08:00

I came down one morning to find Liam licking clean a bowl of chocolate. Thanks, Gabriel.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T16:50:00.000-08:00

We have enjoyed the four day weekend with nowhere to go and nothing to do besides enjoy each other's company and good food. There was certainly plenty.

Thanksgiving morning, Liam helped Gabriel make some french toast. It was a good start to the day.
I filled the turkey with turkey with chestnut stuffing. It turns out that shelling the chestnuts was a time-consuming ordeal. Even Liam helped Grammie and Gabriel get it done. Gabriel is reading over my shoulder as I type. He says, "How'd you get a picture of me smiling while doing that?"

The feast.

After the meal, Liam and Linda played woodland dress-up with the rosemary sprigs.

Our little sprite.

And of course, there was pie.

It was a good day.

the lighting of the ozarks

2009-11-23T16:44:00.000-08:00

Saturday evening, we went down to the Fayetteville Square for the "Lighting of the Ozarks." The yearly Christmas parade is always opened with turning on the thousands of lights coating the trees around the square. It's beautiful every year.

Liam had no idea what was going on at first. Why were we just standing around in the dark with everyone else in Fayetteville?
But his reaction when those lights turned on was defintely worth that squirmy wait.

He loved the lights.

He loved the parade.

It was a good night.

what he does with Daddy

2009-11-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, I was busy helping my mom make a cake for an open house at her work, which meant Gabe was "in charge" of Liam.

Liam loves every little bit of Special Daddy Time that he can get, especially when Gabe has been out of town like he was last week.

Usually they do things outside, or play legos, or wrestle. Each other's company is simply enough. But Gabe wasn't feeling especially motivated for any of the usuals. I suggested he and Liam color with markers.

This is not what I had in mind.

little tiger

2009-11-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

Liam and I were surprised today by a packge from Tio Andres and Tia Molly. Liam gets just as excited about these kinds of things as I do.

He's saying box, box, box...

Oooh!
A tiger costume!
Liam loves playing dress up and then looking in the mirror. This costume won his approval right away. It's even good for nap time.

Thank you, Tio Andres and Tia Molly.

arts and crafts

2009-11-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

I haven't been good about blogging lately. Between the general exhaustion of growing a baby (while chasing around a toddler who does not like me to be on the computer) and a keyboard that only types some of the letters sometimes with no rhyme or reason (making the simplest of sentences time consuming and frustrating) blogging just hasn't been much of a priority.

Liam has been really interested in arts and crafts lately, much of that having to do with his new craft table I found in a dumpster.

Yes, in a dumpster.

I painted the top with chalkboard paint, and we keep sidewalk chalk (perfect for toddler hands and slightly less breakable) in the cupboard on top.

Liam loves having a table just his size.
Sage spent the day with us last Thursday. He and Liam painted hand-turkeys together. It was a big mess and big fun. Thank you, washable acrylics...

Sage was not thrilled with wearing the smock. But once we got it on, he was happy with the paint.

The table is also good for playdough (homemade, of course). Liam had a lot of fun making a spiny caterpillar with toothpicks.

He is a lot to keep up with, but we are settling into a balance of somewhat structured activities with lots of time in the rocking chair with a good book or two or three. And he has been doing great entertaining himself with duplos and puzzles.

ninja, bat, duck

2009-11-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

We had three days of Halloween activities, which meant Liam could wear three different costumes.

Thursday

For the special Halloween story time at the library, Liam went in his ninja costume. I taught him to say "hi-yah," which he continues to repeat at random moments.

I forgot to bring my camera, but just imagine the world's cutest little ninja. That's the picture.

Friday

Time for the bat costume.

I took Liam downtown in the wagon for Siloam's annual downtown trick or treat. The street was blocked off from traffic, but it was congested with LOTS of people instead. Liam came home with lots of candy, although along the way he ate

a tootsie pop
a now n' later
a dum dum
2 tootsie rolls
a twizzler's pull and peel

Let's just say he was a very happy bat.

Back at home, Liam's balloon popped. He was stunned. Not because of the noise. Because he couldn't find his balloon. He just kept repeating "uh-oh" and motioning to the now empty rubberband around his wrist.

Saturday

For Halloween officially, Liam was a duck. This was his favorite costume. He had a huge grin from the moment he saw it, and he gladly wore the hood all day.

We spent the morning in Fayetteville, stopping at the library, the Little Bread Co, the Farmer's Market, TerraTots, and ONF. Everyone liked the little duck...

Liam definitely liked Halloween!

autumnal walk

2009-10-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

October has been a cold and wet month here in Arkansas. So when we had sushine and 60 degrees yesterday, I took Liam on a wagon ride to collect Fall leaves.

He helped me collect all kinds of leaves, twigs, and acorns, and I was envisioning decorations for the house. But then Liam systematically dropped each and every leaf, twig, and acorn out the side of the wagon on the way home.

But it was still a beautiful afternoon.

San Diego-part 4

2009-10-14T11:08:00.001-07:00

Tuesday morning, we went to a park in Mission Bay for Liam to get a chance to run around and play.

He did.

That afternoon, we made a second beach trip. Since there were only five of us going, we decided to pile into Grandma Cindy's car.

Gabe got the lucky seat.

It was breezy and a bit chilly, but they didn't seem to care. I stayed huddled under a beach towel...

That evening, we had pizza at my grandparents for one more visit before we hit the road the next morning.

And then Wednesday morning, we were on our way back to Arkansas. Forest had decided to stay in San Diego. It was bittersweet to have the extra room in the car for the drive back.

But Liam was a great traveler. Taking breaks at fast food places with playgrounds for Liam to run around in seemed to make a huge difference. We stopped in Albuquerque for the night, then it was back to the road on Thursday.

And now, here we are, back in Arkansas. Back to the present. Unfortunately, our camera broke the last night of our trip, so we have no new pictures to share. It is being repaired and I should get it back in the next week or so.

San Diego - part 3

2009-10-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Monday was wedding day.

I got up early and went with my mom to San Diego Wholesale to buy all of the flowers for the bouquets and the cake. We didn't plan ahead for the time we'd spend in the gigantic refrigerator to select the flowers. Our teeth were chattering, but we came out with armloads of gerbera daisies, statice, coffee berries, amaranth, and more and more flowers a greenery.

I spent the next few hours arrranging 5 bridesmaid bouquets, the bride's bouquet, and the cake toppers, while my mom and Sue Seydel decorated 60+ cupcakes with mums and greenery.

They all turned out beautiful despite the ticking clock. As soon as the flowers were complete, I loaded them up in the car and picked up Gabriel, Liam, Cindy, and Forest. After a drive through In-n-Out for burgers, we spent the next 2 hours on the road to Riverside.

The wedding was in a circus tent in the middle of a field. Everything was circus: a ticket booth, animal cages with plush lions and tigers, a life-sized elephant, antique cars and trucks, carousel ponies. It couldn't have been more perfect for Molly and Andres.

The wedding ceremony itself was simple: traditional with some circus flair. The bridal party walked in to Bach, Liam leading the way as the "popcorn boy" (rather than flowers...), but he ate the popcon down the aisle instead of throwing it.

The officiant was a circus ringmaster, and he conducted the ceremony in a seamless blend of spanish and english.

Molly and Andres' kiss was blush-worthy.

When the ceremony was over we all danced out to the Black Eyed Peas "I've got this feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night..."

The reception was filled with tasty food from El Pollo Loco, a circus performance, dancing, cake, champagne (don't worry, I had sparkling cider...)

Cindy was an amazing help with Liam. She entertained him while I was busy with pre-wedding preparations, and she kept him busy during the reception so Gabriel and I could eat and visit with my long-distance family. But best of all, Liam had lots of one-on-one time with Grandma, and he seemed to really warm up to her. It was special.

We called it a night at 9, even though the dancing was just getting started. Liam had fallen asleep in Gabe's arms, and we still had a 2 hour drive back down to San Diego.

I'll post more pictures as soon as Molly sends me a picture cd.

San Diego- Part 2

2009-10-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

I didn't intend for it to take me so long to get these posts up... this past week has been busy with after-trip clean up and recovery. We finally had the window on our Element replaced last Monday, and I've been struggling with morning sickness and a very busy toddler. So, picking up where I left off:

Sunday morning we went to the San Diego Zoo just the three of us. Liam had a fun time looking at all of the animals, all the while with his "serious observer" face.

He still loves the flamingos.

Just for fun, you can see his reaction to the flamingos at 5 months (scroll down to zoo trip round 2)

He really liked the chimps

But I think this monkey will always be Liam's favorite.

It was great to see the new elephant exhibit: it emphasized archeology and fossils, since elephants are a kind of living history... Liam particularly liked all of the extinct creature sculptures.

Here he is with a mammoth.

Like I said, serious observer.

It was fun to see the lions up close in their new exhibit.

We were warned.

Liam wasn't sure what to think about these big cats.

His favorite part of the day was when we let him run around the children's zoo. These hanging banners were a lot of fun.

Watching ducks with Daddy.

This rock was especially enticing.

Just the right height for our little climber to go up.

And then slide back down.

Looking for otters.

There's one!

Later that afternoon, we went with Gabriel's family to Coronado beach. This was Liam's first time to really get out there and play. He had a blast.

Learning what to do with sand. Notice how his beach ensemble dwindles. Above is his original outfit: swim trunks and sun hat.

The hat didn't last long.

But that sand! He loved it. A lot.

Discovering sea weed. After touching it, he dusted off his hands and said "eew."

Lots of digging.

More digging with Hannah.

Digging with Daddy. And now he's lost his swim trunks, too.

The beach is the best in just a diaper...

San Diego - part1

2009-10-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

We left Arkansas for California Thursday evening after Gabriel got home from work. Our car was full: the three of us plus my mom and brother, all of our luggage, a car-top carrier on the roof, and a bike and umbrella stroller on a rack off the back.

We drove straight through the night, swapping drivers as we became too tired. Liam slept mostly through the night, but when he was awake, he was still content with his Grammie and Uncle Forest on either side of him. He liked being able to reach over and stroke my mom's hair or rub Forest's arm. And they fed him snacks when he woke up in the midle of the night. It was definitely his kind of road trip.

We stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast in Gallup, New Mexico. It was good to be out of the car for a while, and Forest finally conquered the tabletop game. You know, the one where the goal is to be left with only one pin.

And then it was back on the road. When we finally crossed the Californa border, we stopped in Needles to fill up the gas tank, where they charged $3.69 a gallon. My mom and Gabriel insisted we only put in a few gallons, enough to get us to Barstow without breaking the bank. Three gallons later we were climbing the desert mountainous pass, and burning more gas than we had thought. When the gas light came on, it was clear that we would not make it to Barstow, and we might not even make it to the only other hope between here and there: Ludlow. So we turned off the A/C, drove 55 mph, and praqyd our way to the gas station. We made it, barely. We filled the gas tank all the way to the top, even though it was outrageously expensive, and we had ice cream all around to celebrate not being stranded in the desert.

Liam definitely approved.

We finally made it to Pomona Friday evening, where Molly and Andres were performing at the LA County Fair. We stopped by the hotel where my grandprents were staying for the weekend and were treated to a nasty blowout diaper from Liam. All down his legs. All over the carseat. We were using disposables for the trip, and they just don't work as well as cloth. So, he took a bath, ad we each took turns in the shower, and it was great to be off the road.

We all spent the night in Molly and Andres' trailer, which slept all 7 of us comfortably. Liam slet with me and Gabriel, and I discovered that he moves around in his sleep. Alot.

The next morning we went to Molly and Andres' co-ed bridal shower at IHOP. Here's the entire group:

We all spent the afternoon at the Fair, where it was very very hot. More ice cream was definitely needed.

The happy couple

It was so good to see Rachael.

One of the attractions at the fair was the african safari made entirely out of plants and flowers.

Here's Gabriel's GQ pose in front of the giraffes (also made out of plants...)

Liam loves his Uncle Fofo.

Like I said, it was hot.

Andres is in a family of wire walkers, and they have a piratey theme. Molly is now one of the family.

That's Andres on the far right, his Uncle Walter with the sword, his Aunt Vicky in th egold top, and Molly in the red boots.

Walter and Andres' cousin Hernan were frightening to watch on this.

Especially when Hernan did this at the very top.

Here's Molly in a split on Andres and Walter's shoulders. They're pretty amazing.

After the show, we finally made the rest of the trip down to San Diego, where Liam was hapy to end his day in the bath with his cousin Hannah.

a vacation, a weddng, and traveling mishaps

2009-10-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

We're finally back from a whirlwind trip to San Diego for my sister Molly's wedding. We actually arrived home Thursday evening, but my morning sickness decided to return home, too, and some things just take a little longer to get around to doing...

We have lots of pictures and stories to share, and I'll spend the next few days posting about them.

We drove there and back (it's a 24 hour drive...with a toddler...). On our return trip we had almost made it to Oklahoma City when a rock hit the driver-side front window and completely shattered it. Gabriel was driving and he handled the whole ordeal amazingly well. He just calmly pulled over into the emergency lane, all the while glass was falling in around him. Amazingly, no one was hurt.

It was after 5:00, so no glass repair places were open. We still had 3 hours to drive, and there was a chance for rain, so we stopped at Lowes (conveniently at the exit where we pulled over into the emergeny lane) and purchased a plastic drop cloth, duct tape, and scissors to seal the window. Of course, this made it impossible to see out the window, so driving was tricky and very noisy, but we made it home, and our Element is scheduled to be repaired at the Honda dealer on Monday.

It was quite the adventure.

Monday Night Football

2009-09-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

Last night, my mom, Liam, and I drove down to North Side High School in Fort Smith to watch Forest's football game.

Liam love love loved the bleachers. He ran up and down over and over again, and he made a little friend, too.

he's #91

Forest's goofy coaches only put him in the game for 3 plays near the end. He may be the new kid, but he's a great player. Here he is, sprinting.
They really should have put him in the game more. Look at this sad score...

Maybe next Monday will be better, but it was still fun to see my little brother's game :-)

Liam loves his boots

2009-09-13T13:22:00.001-07:00

He's climbing into everything

2009-09-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

Liam is turning into quite the little monkey these days. He climbs onto his highchair (and every other chair), onto the couch, and today, into the dryer.

He wanted to join his friends, who just finished their necessary bath after a naughty cat used them as a litter box... Liam was happy to see them clean and dry again.

6 weeks

2009-09-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

Liam will be a big brother sometime around April 27, 2010.

Yep. We're pretty excited.

A morning visit

2009-09-04T05:24:00.000-07:00

It has been so nice having my mom close enough for frequent visits. Liam is getting the hang of having a Grandma close by, and he is soaking up every minute of it.

Here they are on a short walk out front to visit the neighbor's kitty.

We'll see you soon, Grammie.

Frisco Festival

2009-08-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

Last night, I picked Gabe up from work and we had dinner at my mom's. Linda and her boyfriend Ethan joined us, and then we all went in to downtown Rogers for the Frisco Festival.
We'd never been to this festival before, but I assumed it would be like Siloam's Dogwood Festival. It was. Just without the "arts & crafts - but really just more imported kitsch- emphasis." My mom and Forest got a good dose of the Arkanas local color... lots of fried foods, lots of smokers, and lots of rednecks dancing to the live classic rock at the main stage.
There was a good turnout. It was tricky getting around with an umbrella stroller, but Liam preferred for Gabe to hold him anyway. At one point a woman tapped me on the shoulder, her face a mask of worry: "You've lost your baby," indicating the empty stroller I was pushing. Really? I reassured her that my baby was safe and sound in my husband's arms behind me.

The fair was small enough that we had seen it all in 15 minutes, but Liam was happy to spend the remainder of our time in the sand pit over by the playground. To say he loves playing in the sand is a huge understatement.

He made a friend, too. He really just wanted her shoes (they are his biggest fascination right now: our shoes, his shoes, a stranger in Wal-Mart's shoes...and his favorite book is, of course, Dr. Seuss' The Foot Book)

He just can't get enough of the sand.

He even snuggles it...

But a fresh funnel cake was incentive enough to move on.

His first taste.

Mmmm...good.

And then we called it a night.

Gardening au naturale

2009-08-27T15:07:00.000-07:00

One of Liam's favorite activities...

a busy week

2009-08-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, my mom and brother, Forest, moved out here. To Northwest Arkansas! It has been a blur of a week. We spent an entire day visiting the local high schools so Forest could choose his best fit: Heritage High *Go War Eagles!*. This narrowed down another day of apartment hunting: a cute complex in Rogers. Several more days were spent signing up for utilities, furniture hunting, and finally this last Sunday, moving them in.

It all meant lots of driving. Lots of takeout, and lots of ice cream cones to keep a certain grouchy man a happy traveler.

I didn't take any pictures.

Here are the only ones from the past week, just before we left for the Fayetteville Farmers' Market. He was just too cute with his apple and *thrift store find* Crocs for Fall.

Hop on over to my blog see a chair I recovered for my mom's place. Hopefully I'll take some pictures of their apartment soon, along with some of Liam with his Grammie and Uncle Forest.

British?

2009-08-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Liam's vocabulary is increasing every day it seems. Some of his newest words include hot, shoes, hat, that, there, fish, food, and fork.

But the funniest is the way he says more. Like he has a British accent. We didn''t teach him this. Honest. Here's a quick listen.

The dangers of bathing

2009-08-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

While Gabriel was giving Liam a bath the other night, the little guy slipped and hit his head on the side of the tub. This happens frequently enough that it is not normally a cause for too much concern, except this time there was a loud bang and crack on contact. Gabriel instantly scooped Liam out of the tub, who grew furious for being taken out of his bath. He was fine. Although he sported a good-sized goose egg on his forehead.

The tub did not weather it so well. It now has a crack in the side. I hope it shows up in this picture...

Who knew bathtime could be hazardous for the tub?

Liam really is fine. By morning, the bump on his head was nonexistent and he seemed perfectly normal.

Iowa

2009-08-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

Coming to you LIVE from our very own internet connection *cheers and applause*

Last week, Liam and went up to the farm in Iowa while Gabriel was gone on yet another business trip. It was a last minute decision, but it worked out for us to drop him off at the airport on the drive up, and we picked him up on the way back. This meant, though, that I'd be driving with Liam 8 hours in the daytime. It could have been very bad. But it wasn't. We stopped in Kansas City for about an hour, and then we stopped again just north of Des Moines. While we drove, Liam slept, looked at books, ate snacks, threw snacks all over the car, and watched out the window.

We arrived at the farm in the afternoon. Liam was eager to explore.

There were so many things to see and do.
This wagon was a big attraction for him. Every time we went outside, he'd head towards it. He went right up to the huge wheels and patted them affectionately.

He did not like the cows. Maybe next time.

Remember this itty bitty kitten from the spring?

We got to meet him again. This kitty's strong and friendly, thanks to Uncle Jim's special pampering.

Of course, no trip to the farm would be complete without a tractor ride.

Discovering the sand pile.

On Tuesday, Allison and Makenna came up for the day. It was fun to watch Liam and Makenna play together. We took them to the park in Aplington. Liam was cranky and just wanted to throw rocks. Makenna just wanted to eat them.

But they both enjoyed the swings.

And Liam tried a merry-go-round for the first time. He thought it was great, but it made me a little nervous as he walked close to the edge while it was spinning.

But Liam's absolute favorite part of the farm was all of the wind-blown apples beneath the apple trees. They weren't ripe yet, so they weren't good for eating. But Liam thought they were good for putting in and out of buckets and, even better, for throwing...

Nothing says "summer" in Iowa like fresh sweet corn. Liam was unsure about walking through the rows.

But piles of cobs are a different story. They're lots of fun to put in a wagon.

Helping Uncle Jim work on farm equipment.

Liam had a great time with his Uncle Jim. They walked around the farm together to give me and Janelle time to husk corn and prepare meals. Liam loved it.

He also helped Aunt Janelle feed the calves.

It was a great trip. A good break for me. Thanks, Jim and Janelle!

we're still here, but

2009-08-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

our computer isn't...

Liam and decided at the last minute to go to the farm in Iowa while Gabriel went on another business trip last week. We had a great time (more on that later...), but when we all got home Thursday evening, our computer was busted. Apparently a storm blew through and took our motherboard along with it. Boo.

So, we bought a new computer over the weekend (and a battery-back-up surge protector), but our wireless antenna is also busted. We finally gave in and signed up for our own internet, which we will actually pay for...

It won't be hooked up until Thursday. We're at the library now, but Liam is not the most patient...

So, until Thursday then :-)

six years

2009-08-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

Six years ago today, we promised to love each other forever. I'm so glad we did, even if it it seems crazy now that we were only 18 and 20.

Here we are, a year before we got married, on the junior/senior class trip to the Grand Canyon (yes, this is the entirety of both classes - very small school). We got in huge trouble for holding hands...

So much has changed since then. We've changed. But if anything, our love has grown stronger. More real. More lovely.

And what better way to celebrate our 6th than with the 6th Harry Potter? (It was fantastic, by the way).

Little Shopper

2009-08-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Liam loves pushing these little shopping carts at Ozark Natural Foods. Last weekend was his first attempt. It is especially fun because all of the employees there recognize us and know what an exciting thing this is for Liam. And, being the extrovert he is, he walks right up to them to say hi and show them his Co-op Kids Card for his free treat (this month it is animal crackers...).

Here's a bit from today.

Meet Daisy

2009-08-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Current pet tally:

1 dog
2 cats
9 chickens
1 guppy

and

1 rabbit named Daisy

Gabriel's coworker needed to find a home for her, and a certain someone has a love for rabbits. I really want her, but it's up to you. Please.

So, we now have a bunny that is surprisingly friendly (I'm a bit bunnyphobic - it's those teeth...)

moving day

2009-08-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

Today, we helped the Grays move into their new Townhouse. Most of the boxs were already there, and we didn't help with a lot of the unpacking... hardly enough to earn the pizza at lunch. But Liam and Simone had plenty of play time together. They were both kept up past normal nap time. Liam decided to take a break on Simone's lap.

Just look at those sparkly blues.
Yes, he's still pretty attached to the paci during the day...

Congratulations on the new place, guys. I'm sure there will be many fun visits there...

If it gets him to eat some veggies...

2009-07-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Liam has been on a thorough and undiscriminating veggie strike for months now. Even the common kid-pleasers like potatoes, corn, and carrots earn a gag and a launch onto the floor. His diet is mainly consisting of bread, fruit, and cheese/yogurt. Maybe he'd rather live in France? I don't know, but I think I may have to check out Deceptively Delicious and work on incorporating pureed veggies into things he will eat.

In the meantime, he has another solution. If I let him help me cook, he gladly samples what we're making. Last night it was shredded zucchini (from the garden, of course).

But it sure made a mess...

Now if only he was as enthusiastic about the frittata we made with it...

playdate

2009-07-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Liam and I went on our first official playdate with Trang and Allison. Trang was a fellow CM major at JBU with Gabriel, and now we have children the same age. Allison is 4 months older than Liam, big enough for Liam to be fascinated by her big-kid skills and eager to copy her every move. They played well together, and Trang and I had a great time getting to know each other.

We decided to make this a weekly date. I feel a marvelous friendship in the making...

26

2009-07-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

It's crazy to think that he is now closer to 30 than 20... We celebrated his special day on Saturday with the Grays. They brought an ice cream cake from MaggieMoos. Here's the birthday boy chowing down.

Happy Birthday, Gabriel. I love you.

Tulsa

2009-07-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Liam and I drove out to Tulsa to check out the zoo. It was a hot day, but Liam was just fine in his sunhat and new favorite munchy.

I've mentioned before that I have high expectations when it comes to zoos. Let's just say this one was a disappointment.
The majority of the enclosures were in these formidable-looking buildings. All of which had two sets of double doors one after the other for the entrance and exit. All of which had automatic buttons to push. None of which worked. Going from building to building with a stroller was tricky.
If you look closely at the door on the right, you'll see a no-firearms sign. Do we really need to be told not to carry guns into the zoo? Really? We are definitely in Oklahoma...
The buildings covered several geographic regions: Southwestern Desert, Arctic Tundra, Eastern Forests, Lowlands (under construction), and Rainforests. Most of these buildings were in sad disrepair. There were holes in the walls, peeling paint, bowing trim work, and the Eastern Forest smelled overwhelmingly like B.O. Most of the enclosures were pathetically small. I almost cried when I saw the bald eagle sitting on the ground in his cage, panting from the heat exactly like our chickens.

But there were some pleasant surprises.

The Rainforest building, the largest of the group, was my favorite part of the entire zoo. Rather than displaying the animals in cage after cage, much of it was a large open atrium divided by tunnels of rocks, trees, and vines which directed the crowd through the exhibits. But the best part was the zoo keepers, who mingled with the guests, walking around and striking up conversations about whatever we were looking at. They didn't recite a script or stand in one place to point out key features. It was really cool.

And then there were the funny zookeeper notes. Like this one.

reads: I'm not stuck. I like to play and relax in the moat. When ready, I'll climb back out.

Liam and I both had fun in the petting zoo. These goats were definitely friendly.

I didn't realize that Liam still had his apple core in his hand until we were in with the animals. I took it from him and kept it discretely in the palm of my hand. It didn't take long for the goats to figure this out.

They all wanted that apple core. The zookeeper noticed all the commotion and came over to scold me. I gave him the apple to throw away, gesturing meekly at Liam. How embarrassing.

Liam's favorite part of our day was the playground. There were all kinds of play structures, but his favorite was this boardwalk. He walked back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...

He eventually tried some of the other play areas and liked them, too.

We made the drive to Tulsa again today, this time to visit the Oklahoma Aquarium. Liam had a blast. We went through the entire thing with me holding him up to look in the tanks. He was very serious abut examining what was inside each one. And then I let him get down and run around. This made him very excited. He walked all oer the place. Peeking up at the tanks, saying hi to anyone and everyone, going in circles. He walked around for at least 45 minutes (He is getting really good at walking now). I was too busy chasing him to take very many pictures, but here is one I managed to squeeze in.

This boy likes fish.

The Pigeon Roost Trail

2009-07-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

In case I've never mentioned it here before, the weather in Arkansas is fickle.

Last week: 100+ every day.
This weekend: highs were in the 80's. And the lows were in the 60's!!!

The only fitting way to celebrate such great weather in the Ozarks is with a morning hike, even if that means skipping church to do so.

We drove out to one of our favorite hiking spots, the Pigeon Roost Trail in Hobbs State Park. It is a 4.5 mile loop which meanders through the forest and dips down to one of Beaver lake's many branches.

Liam decided he had to play in the water, even though we didn't have swim gear, sandals, or a spare diaper. Going commando in a onesie and a pair of socks worked just fine for him.

throwing rocks

taking a dip

looking at fish

dripping dry

He even did some hiking on his own.

It all made for a sleepy ride home.

Bye, Caleb and Owen

2009-07-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

Our friends the Boucher family moved to Connecticut on Saturday. We'll sure miss you guys!

playdough

2009-07-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Liam has been difficult to keep happy lately. He is still working on cutting in that stubborn molar, which seems to really bother him. He has needed his pacifier and his blanket a lot lately...But sometimes I think he is just bored. Especially with me. So I have been trying to be extra creative and come up with new things for him to do.

Playdough experience round 1:

I cooked up a batch of playdough for him to try out. At first he seemed a bit uncertain.

Do I eat this stuff?

But with a little help, he got the idea pretty quickly.

It was especially fun to hammer and smoosh the balls of dough.

All in all, this gave me about 5 minutes of happy and entertained boy. And then the grouch returned.

Other ideas we've tried:

Putting fabric scraps in a basket he can sort through. He especially likes to feel the different textures.

Letting him help me cook (translate: throw flour all over the floor)

Playing dress-up (this seems to be a favorite)

Playing dress-up with Dahlia.

I'd be happy for any other suggestions :-)

walking

2009-07-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

I was starting to wonder if Liam would ever learn to walk, but at 15 months, he finally decided he was ready. Just further proof that I need to let him learn at his own pace, which is always just right for him...

Liam started taking his first real steps while we were on our trip. Since then, he's been getting more and more confident.

Since I'm goofy and can't seem to remember that I can't turn the camera to take a video, you'll have to watch this one sideways. Sorry.

since then

2009-07-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Here is an update from the past couple of weeks since our trip to New Orleans:

Liam - teething, temper tantrums, and general grouchiness...

Me - compassionate, patient Mama giving way to exhausted, frustrated, just-please-stop-crying Mama

Getting stuck under the couch

Making really big messes (I intentionally let him do this one...on a particularly fussy day when I was desperate for a few moments of peace and quiet. It worked for abut 30 minutes, but then I had to clean it up)
A new haircut. Suddenly he looks so much like a little by. Maybe that has been his problem the past few weeks? Growing up can be a difficult thing :-)

4th of July watermelon

Story time with Daddy. Liam has become very interested in books again. His favorites are ones involving flaps and puppy dogs.

Still managing to be cute, even with the necessary pacifier in his mouth (he usually just gets this while going to sleep)

Here's to hoping for happier days...soon!

Down in the Swamps and City Park

2009-07-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

Here it is: the last New Orleans post. This has taken me embarrassingly-long to get around to finishing. Oh well.

Our favorite part of this trip was when we actually left New Orleans and drove south about 30 minutes to the Jean Lafitte National Park.

Crossing the Mississippi aways seems so monumental.

From the visitors center, there are several trails to choose from. Most of them meander through the swamps with these boardwalks, which put us just inches over the wild. We never saw any alligators, but not because we weren't anxiously keeping our eyes out for them. We saw some fresh tracks through the murky areas, and a few suspicious splashes in the distance, but mostly it was just a steady hum of insects, birds, frogs... it was surprisingly noisy.
Walking through so many cypress trees dripping with the moss was beautiful.

We walked for a couple of miles before turning around. On our way back we were horrified to realize that in all of that time we'd spent scanning the swamp below for danger, we had missed the humongous spiders in webs spun across the boardwalk, just over our heads. They were frighteningly large.

Eventually I'll get around to posting more about all of the crafting I did in preparation for our trip over on my blog; but for now, here's a shot of the dress I made for the trip.

One of the mornings we drove up to City Park. Let's just say that nothing in New Orleans opens before 10 am, including park attractions. But we had a nice time admiring the ancient oaks an meeting some overly-eager ducks.

They all came waddling at us with surprising speed.

This one was especially bold.

These Canadian Geese apparently have decided to hang around all the time. It was neat to see some up close.

The history of the place seemed to be the most dominant theme in New Orleans, everywhere we went. As if the city is clinging to a bygone era. What a great opportunity to get just the smallest taste of it for a few days. I'm glad we went.

Uptown to the Zoo

2009-07-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

While walking the French Quarter was a lot of fun, taking the St Charles streetcar Uptown was even better. The breeze through the open windows was almost refreshing, and sitting back and watching was a great alternative to all of that walking.
The streetcar went along with traffic, so there was a lot of stopping and going. We had to hold on tight.

This streetcar was an antique. It was neat to watch the operator pull the different levers.

And then we stopped at a corner and the operator hopped out and stepped into a corner market. He was gone for a good 10 minutes, without giving a word of warning.

Then he came back. With his lunch. And we kept on going.

The line went though the Garden District, where this was the average home. Gorgeous.

Liam took a snooze on the way.

We got off at Audobon Park and walked the mile to the zoo. They have a "shuttle", which is really just a small SUV that can only take 4 people at a time... There were others, so we walked.

We're glad we did. This park was beautiful. Full of these amazing trees.

Liam was really happy to get to the zoo. It had been 6 months since our San Diego Zoo trip. He enjoyed it then, but he seems to be old enough now to really get excited about the animals.

Here he is, pointing out our first stop.

Growing up with the San Diego Zoo as my standard, I guess some may call me a zoo snob. I was so impressed with this zoo. It was beautiful: lots of bronze scultpures, incredible landscaping, gorgeous fountains, and, most important of all, great animal exhibits.

Liam thought this little elephant was just his size.

Getting to touch the real elephant was a little scary for him, but he smiled when he felt the elephants bristly skin.

It was such a hot day that most of the animals were napping, but a few were still out and about. It was so much fun to see Liam eagerly look for animals in each enclosure.

But it was sure a hot day to be outside in the sun.

The reptile house seemed to be one of Liam's favorites. Besides the fact that it was dimly lit and air conditioned, it was full of snakes, lizards, and turtles. Liam really enjoyed looking and finding the creatures in each tank... I'm afraid he may be one of those boys.

Because we're in Louisiana, here is an alligator:

And because we're in New Orleans, well...

He thought this was realy funny. Being a seal.

And then he tried to climb through it...

He wasn't so sure about touching the snake. They're definitely better behind glass. That's right.

Meeting some goats in the petting zoo.

He felt safer petting the sheep behind the fence.

And because we were roasting hot (have I mentioned that yet?) some sorbet was definitely in order. It was too much of a cold shock for Liam at first.

But he settled into it just fine.

there's a first time for everything

2009-07-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

including bee stings...

Yesterday was Liam's day.

We were in the backyard. I was sitting on a blanket, knitting as if to convince myself it wasn't 95 degrees outside. Liam was crawling around, saying hi to the chickens, over and over, then investigating the ashes in the fire pit, when all of a sudden he started whimpering and made it over to my lap in record time. I held him while he cried, trying to figure out what was causing so many tears. When he finally calmed down, I saw the stinger sticking out of his calf.

Let's just say he wasn't a model of bravery and gracious behavior. He screamed and clung to me. But after the past few weeks of needless temper tantrums, discovering he can hit others, and just being a stinker, him wanting his Mama was fine by me.

The good news is, he doesn't seem to have any bee allergies....

Now, back to New Orleans. Maybe I can finish it up today.

In the French Quarter - part 2

2009-06-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

We spent the majority of our time walking up and down the French Quarter. It was hot hot hot, but with our water bottles handy and some smears of sunscreen, we were good. We just got used to being constantly sweaty (and a bit stinky, too).

Here we are in that yarn shop, where they offered to wind my yarn for me. It was a lot of fun to actually see a swift in action, and the lady said she's heard of woodworking patterns for making your own. I think that would make an excellent gift (*hint hint* Gabriel).

As much fun as it was to see the different architecture and eclectic assortment of shops, perhaps the best part was actually watching all of the different people. We never knew what we'd find.

Like these people who, apparently, just got married and were out for a stroll.

Or this lady. In front of the St Louis Cathedral.

Right after I snapped her picture, she looked right at me and then began walking straight at me.

Gulp.

Her: You know what?

Me: Just stares dumbfounded and speechless

Her: I went in for communion, and when it was my turn, the priest said "Not for you today" (she says this as if she were impersonating Gollum, while recoiling her body around the forbidden -and imagined- chalice)

Me: Wow.

Her: It must be the way I am dressed. He was totally judging me. And I didn't even take the balloon in with me (Refer to the phallic balloon above. Point taken.) How did he know I wasn't a Messenger or something?

Me: Umm... Well, I think you have to be baptized in the Catholic church to take Communion.

Her: I am. From when I was a baby. I told him and all he said was "Not for you today" (assumes Gollum impression again).

Me: Geez. I'm really sorry.

And then she walked away. At least she wasn't mad that I took her picture...

Here's the St Louis Cathedral, where, apparently, Gollum is the priest.

It was gorgeous inside.

Just in front of the cathedral is Jackson square. And bananas grow there, too.

These horse/mule-drawn carriages were all over the Quarter.

And we couldn't spend time in the French Quarter without a stop at the famous Cafe du Monde for beignets (we passed on their equally famous chicory coffee - bleh).

It seemed that everyone else made the obligatory Cafe du Monde stop at the same time as us. It was packed. While waiting in line, this dragonfly landed on the lady in front of me. It stayed there for a few minutes. She never noticed.

While we waited, Gabriel and Liam watched them making the beignets through the window.

In the French Quarter - part 1

2009-06-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

Being in New Orleans was like being in another place, literally. Walking down Canal Street could have been downtown San Diego (+ 30 degrees F), and the French Quarter could have been old world Europe. The streets were narrow and lined with historic buildings just brimming with ornate iron work and lush tropical plantings. Of course Bourbon Street had more than its fair share of bars, but there were also restaurants aplenty (more on that later), curio shops, antiques and junque shops, and a great little needlework shop, where I snagged 2 skeins of alpaca yarn...

Our hotel was one corner out of the Quarter, on Frenchmen Street, and was called The Frenchmen Hotel, of course. It was built in 1860 and had lots of charm, including a courtyard pool.

And like any charming hotel built in 1860, the rooms were more hobbit-sized.

And because travelers in the 1860s didn't bring along pack n' plays to put their child into the extra small closet, ours had to sleep in the shower.

But the beautiful pool more than made up for the room's diminutive size.

Liam especially thought so.

canal street and the river front

2009-06-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

We spent the first night (the official business trip portion) at the Clarion on Canal street. It was an old hotel complete with creaky, clangy elevators and missing a 13th floor. Liam and I stayed behind while Gabriel went off to scope his Wal-Mart, the plan being for Liam to take a nap while we waited. That absolutely did not happen. After much screaming and protesting on Liam's part, I finally relented and we walked the several blocks down into the French Quarter, where he happily snoozed on my chest.

Since Liam is used to having his own room at night, we knew he needed a little spot all his own for sleeping. So we put him in the closet.

The pack n' play barely fit, but he slept the entire night through and didn't seem too concerned waking up in such close quarters.

You have to love those continental breakfasts.

Liam sure did...

New Orleans is made for walking. And that is what we did. All over the place. Gabriel and I both ended up with blisters and sore feet, but that wasn't as bad as the temperature outside. It was in the high 90's every day, but with the humidity it felt more like 105+. We just got used to being covered in sweat.

From our hotel, it was just a quick walk down Canal Street to the Riverfront. There was music everywhere, perfect for a dancing break.

We passed Molly on the way...

The Mississippi River

Dipping our toes in...

Liam spent the entire weekend in this Mei Tai Wrap, and he never complained about it... He was content to experience each new adventure from the comfort of our arms.

we're back

2009-06-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

For our first ever family vacation, where the destination was not the home of family or friends, we flew down to New Orleans for the weekend. (Technically, this was a business trip for Gabriel, but Liam and I tagged along. The business part only lasted about 4 hours and the rest of the trip was at our leisure. How great is that?)

We have a lot of pictures and stories to share, but first the most pressing issue: how to fly with an often-grouchy 15 month old (who also happened to be cutting in his first molars...).

Step 1.

Zip around the airport in style. We made a t-strap to attach his car seat to our rolling-suitcase, and it worked great. Liam thought it was a lot of fun, and it allowed us to have the car seat handy if there was room on the flight (which is how it worked out for 2 of the 4 total flights).

Step 2.

Allow the pacifier whenever he wants it. Translate: all the time. A few favorite toys are good to bring along, but even better are the flight safety cards and empty drink cups.

Step 3.

Keep the blanket handy at all times.

Step 4.

Snacks. Snacks. More snacks.

Step 5.

When it comes to flying, Daddy just doesn't cut it. Liam sat by me on all of the flights except our final connection from Houston on the way home. This picture was taken just before takeoff, when Liam decided to have a MAJOR meltdown. There was lots of screaming. Lots of tears. Until we were finally in flight and Liam could safely be transferred across the aisle into my arms. He instantly laid his had on my shoulder and fell asleep for the remainder of the flight.

Lessons learned.

a short break

2009-06-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

We lost internet connection for a few days, but now it's back and we're going to be gone for a few days. Until later, here are a few pictures to tide you over:

Picking blueberries with Simone. They are too cute in their sunhats...

Seriously eating Little Bread Company goodies...

And olive-toppped fingers.

some things are best left up to me...

2009-06-10T09:34:00.000-07:00

Such as getting Liam dressed. I grew tired of changing Liam out of Gabriel's chosen outfits, which had a reputation for being unseasonable and, well, interesting. So, then I started laying coordinated and seasonably appropriate outfits out on the changing table. All he has to do is put them on Liam.

Here's what I discovered the other morning:

un petit francais, c'est vrai?

2009-06-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Liam models a chocolate goatee well.

trouble maker

2009-06-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Lately, Liam seems to be getting into anything and everything. He especially loves to push buttons on the stereo. Here, he has just turned it off. Again. Uh-Oh!

Sunday

2009-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

After some yummy french toast on Sunday morning, Liam was ready to go back outside on the farm. He banged on the door and fussed until Gabriel took him outside.

In the milking parlor with Great Great Uncle Jim and Flash.

That afternoon was warm and sunny. Liam's bum was still pretty raw from the pear incident, so he played outside au naturale.

Clearly, tractor rides are more fun this way...

And a bucket of water is always fun.

The best part was the ride on the new lawn mower.

I took Liam into Atwoods (the local farm store) yesterday to get some chicken supplies, and he flipped out when he saw the lawn mowers. I'd say they are a newly found passion of his.

What started as an asparagus patch in the garden many years ago has turned into wild asparagus throughout the farm. Gabriel and I went to dig up one of the distant ones to try and transplant to our garden. He picked what he thought was a small section, but turned into quite the endeavor to dig up.

It was probably the best weekend we've spent on the farm yet. Thanks for such a great visit!

Saturday

2009-05-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning came too soon since we were up with Liam in the middle of the night. He was crying and crying and wouldn't go back to sleep. I thought maybe it was just the unfamiliar bedroom. Then I thought to check his diaper. Remember the pear he polished off in the car? Well, I'll just say it completely flushed him out and left him pretty raw. Poor guy.

But after a breakfast of probably too many cinnamon rolls, he was ready to go outside again.

First, he had to put on this sweater we recently received as a hand-me-down. It's a size or two too small, but how could we resist?

His first spin on the little tractor

My favorite part of the farm has always been the barn cats, especially the kittens. This little one was only 3 weeks old and very friendly.

Liam liked him, too.

Going on a farm tour.

Meeting the calf again.

Playing with Makenna. She is the daughter of Gabe's mom's cousin Jared and his wife Allison. I think she is his 3rd cousin..? Either way, she is super cute and it was fun to watch them play Although, Liam did not like it when she accidentally sat on his lap.

Allison and I went on a walk to try and keep our then-fussy babies happy...

Jared was nice enough to take Liam and I on our first tractor ride.

Liam was wide-eyed the entire ride, but afterwards he begged and begged to get back in. We have all of these pictures scrolling as our screen saver right now, and every time the tractor comes up, Liam points at it and makes tractor sounds. He is definitely a boy.

Enticing the teenager cows with a little snack.

They overcame their fears.

And took the bait.

They must have decided that he was okay, and came in for a closer look.

But it was a bit too close for Liam.
Makenna remained oblivious. That blade of grass was just too interesting to pass up.

Friday -part 2-

2009-05-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon, when Janelle came home from school, she and I took Liam into town. We stopped at the library, where they have a fantastic puppet selection, and then went to the park. Liam had a blast.

Driving the police car.

Going down the big slide together. It was a tad bit too intense.

But the swings were great.

And these tunnels were even better.

Perfect for playing peekaboo with Great Great Aunt Janelle :-)

And for throwing pebbles.

That evening, I bottle fed the calf.
Liam wanted to try the bottle, too.

But it was pretty slobbery.

Liam had fun inspecting the dirt.
And the rocks.

But the best part was the heavy machinery.

Here he is trying out the skid loader.

So many new things to see and do on the farm. They both like it. Alot.

Friday -part 1-

2009-05-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

Good morning. It is 7:00, and we have already been on the road for 6 hours. Yes, we left at 1:00 am so this little guy could sleep through a big portion of the 8 hour drive. He did. And then he ate this entire pear.

Breakfast at Perkins (kind of like Denny's or Carrow's).

I ordered a cup of coffee and they brought me an entire carafe. I was skeptical. It was only $1.99. But it was good. And I am picky. I wish I could have drank the whole thing...

Liam enjoyed the 1/2 & 1/2 containers while we waited for our food.
We arrived at the farm at 10:30. Just in time to catch Jim before he went into town. Janelle was still at school, so we went on a hike in the woods right there on the farm. It was beautiful.

We kept our eyes out for morel mushrooms, but it was probably a bit too late in the season. Although, even if there were some to be had, we could have walked right over them and never noticed with our untrained eyes. Too bad. We saw some at the Whole Foods in Kansas City. They sell for $49.99/lb!!!

Liam seemed a bit shell-shocked with all of the new things to take in. He was content to hang out in the backpack for a while.

Iowa is amazing this time of year. It was in the 70's the entire time we were there.

Some play time with Daddy.

And picture time.

Stop to smell the flowers.

And to smell the trees. That's our little tree hugger :-)

Flash, the farm dog, followed us on the entire hike.

On the Farm

2009-05-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

We spent Memorial Day Weekend on the farm in Iowa again. We had a great time and, of course, have lots of pictures to post. I'll get to them as quickly as I can, but it'll probably be a little at a time. Caleb and Owen are here today, so it could be a while until I can get back to this ...

a message from Liam

2009-05-17T14:43:00.001-07:00

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v]bv u[ jkm v dfc c hgC v l'// vfg'; f'/;rdse][

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and his first still life

If you're happy and you know it

2009-05-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

Liam learned how to clap yesterday while he was in the shopping cart at Ozark Natural Foods. Gabriel taught him while I was busy in the bulk foods aisle. I came back and Liam was clapping away. And then he continued clapping for the rest of the shopping trip.

So, here is a clapping video. And you get to hear me singing in the background. Sorry.

The Winning Photo

2009-05-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

Here it is, at long last, Liam's 2nd-place-winning photo from the Whole Foods Favorite Food Contest.

You can see it on the official site here.

Clearly, Liam is the cutest of the bunch. I guess we should have had him balance the apple on his nose instead.

chicken love

2009-05-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Future Fireman?

2009-05-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

We stopped at Firehouse Subs for a quick lunch the other day, and they have complimentary firehats for the little ones. Liam, of course, had to have one, and it is enormously entertaining.

a morning outside

2009-05-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

hat parade

2009-05-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

while the daddies work

2009-05-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

While Gabriel and Micah were hard at work in the living room, Liam and Simone kept Crystal and I busy.

When the rain finally let up for a short window of time, we took them into the backyard to visit with the chicks, and they came in pretty muddy. Crystal handled it well :-)

Simone borrowed one of Liam's outfits, and she looked lovely in it, too.

Liam showed her one of his favorite things: turning on the mobile from Grandma and Grandpa Hall (It's the first thing he does when he wakes up, which buys me more time before he starts wailing for me to come get him).

story time

Going for a ride. Liam has his biker sneer on:

so much to say

2009-05-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

It seems that the times when I have the most things to blog about, I'm too busy to blog...
This has been the story the last week or so. Last week was warm (80's) and sunny, so we spent a lot of time working in the garden.

Here's Liam enjoying the warm weather and the wind with his first popsicle:

Of course, since this is spring in Arkansas, the weather is fickle. We're back to cool 50's and continuous drizzles.

Check out my blog to see why we knocked a gigantic hole in our wall this past weekend.

In the paper

2009-04-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Liam made the Sunday paper.

We were out for a walk on Friday afternoon when this lady drove by, pulled a U-turn and chased us down. She was a photographer with the Siloam Springs Herald Leader and said she had to take Liam's picture.

So, here it is :

Whole Foods Prize Package

2009-04-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

We have been axiously waiting for Liam's prize to come in the mail from Whole Foods (what for? you ask? Cuteness!). Today was the day.

Liam was pretty excited to see such a huge box

He peeked inside

and found the best surprise ever: packing peanuts!

Nothing could have been better.

They could have skipped on all the goodies and just sent him a box full of the peanuts. These were endlessly entertaining, and I'm still picking up bits of them off of the floor.

But the goodies inside were a big treat for me.

Here's what was inside:

A cute congratulations card

California Baby lotion

California Baby shampoo/body wash

Peter Rabbit conditioner and detangler

Whole Foods label soaps: Grapefruit and Linden flower

Hyland's Vitamin C tablets

Hyland's homeopathic cold tablets

Earth's Best foods:

Pureed apples
Bananas
Banana, peach, and raspberry
Carrots
Sweet potatoes and cinnamon
Apple Juice
Letter of the day cookies, Oatmeal Cinnamon
On-the-go O's, Honey Nut

Crunchin Grahams honey sticks

365 Organic Cotton Balls

365 Organic Surface Cleaner, grapefruit

7th Generation Baby laundry detergent

7th Generation Baby wipes

All in a sturdy shopping bag!
A great prize!

a bit dapper

2009-04-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

Auntie Molly and Rebecca brought back an outfit for Liam from Korea. It sure is spiffy!