Nearing Toddlehood

James is creating all sorts of mayhem these days. A week or so ago I had to tape the door shut on the butchers block (this is where I store all of our stemware) to keep curious, chubby hands away. Last night I was in another room and I heard a series of mysterious thuds coming from the kitchen where James was toddering in his walker. When I went to see what the fuss was I found that James had discovered the makeshift pantry shelf and was unloading the boxes of cake and muffin mixes onto the floor. Normally I might not have found this to be suitable entertainment for the little ragamuffin but it just seemed like the thing to do. I mean the shelf will only be there maybe a week more so how much of a mess can he make?
He now has 6 teeth and the 7th is cutting through. He had a ruff month what with getting 4 teeth in four weeks. This one he's working on now doesn't seem to bother him much.

He's also been working hard on waving and saying Bye-Bye. Most times he waves bye-bye now even on command. A couple of days ago he was sitting on the floor and I had just turned on the Today Show and as I walked by him I noticed he was waving at someone so I looked a the tv and they were out on the Plaza and all the people were waving at the camera, so James decided it would only be right to wave back. He's very random at saying it though, he'll only say it when he sees fit.
He's still not crawling. He's just too content. He loves his walker and sometimes it seems like he may just skip crawling and walk first. Its hard to say. He is getting up on his hand and tucking one knee under himself so maybe he will crawl yet. Mom says that I'm too pushy and he'll do it on his own time, which I am sure she is right, as she most generally is. I ask myself why I want him to anyways? He's already getting into everything and following me every where I go, why would I want to make him even more mobile?

"Give it, I'm gonna get it, I am, I am!"

"Cameras look so fun"

"I'm such a big ol' brute I'm gonna be built just like my Uncle A."

"Gonna, heck, I already look like him"

"Momma just loves my new smile. She loves my squinty VanHofwegen/Rozeboom eyes"

"If Momma would make me some cake I wouldn't have to eat the box."

"I'm not naughty, who said I was naughty?"

Crawdad Days 2007

This past Saturday was Harrison's annual festival "Crawdad Days". Tim and I live only about 8 or 10 blocks from the square and town park so we loaded James into his stroller and trotted down to participate in the fun. Festivals like these are part of the reason I love small towns so much. I love being so close that we can walk. In July they also have a large fireworks display over the lake in the park. Its the reason to live in a small town. You see all of your neighbors and colleagues and everyone has a smile for you.
Here are a few of the sights from the festival:

Its kind of scary that most of the crawdads in this picture are merely shells.

Yum, I kind of wish we had tried some.

The festival mascot.

This is the crawdad eating contest. The man in this picture is last years winner, he ate 21 lbs. of crawdads in the '06 contest.

James found the whole affair very hot, but he did get a balloon tied to his hand and that was worth it.

"Horsies are fun but Momma says I can't have one, she says I have to talk to Uncle A."

Sweet Home ....

" 'Ya Don't Gotta Be From Down Here to Get Along Just Fine, Being Southern is a State of Mind"

Some of these old rock songs have some wisdom in them.

Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day as a Mother


This past Sunday was my first Mother's day as a Mother. It was awesome. So often I find myself saying "I love being a Mom", and I do. It didn't feel right having the day be somewhat my day though. Its still Mom's day. I mean isn't that only right though? She's been doing this for 27 years and I've only been at it about 8 1/2 months. I think she needs the day more than I do, we know she's a great Mom, but me, well, time will tell I suppose.

For some reason the men folk decided the a pic of rolling heads on a pole was ok

"Momma, Momma, No more kisses, I can't take it any more"

"Hi Grandpa"

"Ooooh...a garden, can I walk barefoot in the dirt?"

"Bye, Bye"

Boo Boo

James had his first boo boo this week. On Mon. I was painting in the hall way and James was zooming around in his walker. He decided that it might be fun to ram the 6 ft folding wood ladder that I had sitting nearby. So he got a run for it and rammed the bottom of the the ladder. It came toppling over landing squarely on his head before I could grab him. Poor little tiger didn't know what hit him, but he was a real trooper. After the initial scare and pain he was smiling again within a minute. If you look closely on on the picture you can see some of the makings just above his right eye just about in his hairline. He came out pretty much unscathed bearing a new found knowledge of gravity.

Here and Now

My Aunt Wanda had this picture shellacked on a wood plaque hanging across from the toilet in her bathroom as long as I can remember. Aunt Wanda passed away 12 years ago this coming September. I never appreciated this cartoon until the past couple of years. I always thought it was just a silly cartoon hanging in my Aunt's bathroom. To be honest I never really thought about it that much at all. But as I grow older and think more about what my Aunt and Ziggy had to say I realize what good advice it is. Its not profound, but somehow we still manage to forget this simple concept.
I think about my Aunt a lot now. I was only 9 when she died. I think about all of the things that made her so very unique. I probably think about her even more because people say I am like her. I wish my husband and son could have met her. People say that often you appreciate people more after they pass away and while I do agree with this to extent because so often in life we take the things nearest to us for granted, I don't necessarily agree in this case. Its just that now that I am older I see the little things that made her unique in a new light. She was my favorite Aunt then and if she were here I believe she'd be my favorite Aunt today.