no words are really necessary here. (except that it was taken by Dave, yay!)
... at Krispy Kreme, one of our new family traditions (b-fast at KK at Christmastime). it's fairly obvious that Lucy thought it was scrumdiddlyumptious!
eli is starting to be very playful. i planted him in the middle of our big red couch, and he sat there pretty happily for a long time. lucy joined him, of course, reading her books and helping him keep track of the toys on his lap. it is easy to make eli laugh and smile.
as i left a friend's house on thursday morning, i noticed how the fog was just sitting on the nearby mountains, making a compelling backdrop to the rooftops of the neighborhood. i thought immediately of a great carl sandburg poem (or was it langston hughes?) about fog & "little cat's feet".
and for laughs: this happened about 7 times this week. i put it in black & white to help you keep down your breakfast. :) oh, eli. we'll never have clothes for hand-me-downs at this rate!
i got an e-mail request from a loyal reader to post a new pic of lucy (eli's been getting all the publicity lately!). so here's the latest. we were out Christmas shopping last week, and we hit a toy store. oh my goodness, she jumped at the chance to push this stroller around. and she took off throughout the store like there was no tomorrow. then she'd come to the stuffed animals, throw out the "used" one mercilessly onto the floor, and tenderly put in a new one for the next lap. it broke our hearts not to get this for her right then and there. we'll see what the extended family comes up with for her for Christmas! ;)
i adore my son.
the very same toy Eli had by his side just days after he was born.
that's some size difference, eh?
see what makes others cozy here!
A few seconds later, not so much.
Methinks he's just a tad melodramatic, like his momma. He was happy again right after that.
See what's making others scream over at Picture This!
The last one is my best shot for the week. Crisp colors, that velvety-black roof, sharp angles contrasted with the roundedness of the lone archway. I was sitting outside the Chinese takeout place when my eyes just feasted on this view.
Beautiful fall weather + soccer tournament = a great time for the family!
We went to said tournament because it featured one of Dave's students. He's a wicked cool soccer player and just wicked awesome in general (check him out in action here). Their team won, 5-1. Lucy really enjoyed watching the game; she kept shouting, "Ball!!" as the boys kicked it around. She also loved running around during the game. Dave loved chasing her around, if you know what I mean. It had to happen at some point: Lucy charged right into the field as the game was in action. Dave was exceedingly quick in catching her by the back of her overalls straps and carrying her off, all as a very serious referee came charging down the field to call the action. It was like Dave & Lucy were dodging an oncoming train. But lots of laughter surrounded this event (well, not from the ref), and no one was injured in the making of this humorous memory.
Of course, I would be remiss in leaving out our darling son, who was there in great spirits as well. Here we are sitting along the sidelines, shortly after the event described above.The tournament was in Decatur, which is the next town away from us. It seemed like a nice enough place. I was hoping to stop in the Old Navy after the game to use a coupon I have (no Old Navy in H-ville, for shame!!), but lunch time and nap time became more important. It was a really fun day for us!
NaBloPoMo day 5
(taken by my mom on her last visit)
(taken by Dave the day Eli was born)
I like the first one because this is something Eli and I do a million times a day. That boy makes eye contact with me that is so strong and endearing. Everyone who sees us together makes some kind of comment about how he "only has eyes for me" or "he is in love with his mama".
The second is one of my all-time favorites, because it captures the perfect peace and joy I felt after our son was born. I love how neither of us are looking at the camera (or each other), and I love the magnetism of our new relationship. I can't say that I remember Dave even taking that picture. It's a little blurry, but I think that adds to its charm.
But to celebrate the theme of "mama", here is one my dad took of me and my mom. She is amazing. I love you!
Check out other mamas at Tracey's!
The sun streamed in as Lucy experienced climbing through her first playground tube.
i love the innocence of this picture.
swinging is always fun!
say cheese!
looking out
enjoying the fresh air with mommy!
Dave went out of town this weekend (to Canada, eh?) for a wedding, and my mom came to help me out with the babies in his absence. It was a really full and fun weekend. We went to the park twice, to Target twice (why not?), to Bruegger's twice(!), to church and the nature trail. We also went on a walk around the neighborhood. My mom & I kinda went crazy with the picture taking. Between us I think we snapped over 350 pictures of everything. Then we'd camp out in front of the computer and play with them each night after the kids went to sleep. 'Twas much-o fun-o. Thanks for coming, Momma, and thanks for sharing her with us this weekend, Daddy!
I think if it were up to her, my mom would have selected this as my best shot of the weekend. Lucy was bravely independent during our every outing, exploring everything around her with avid curiosity. She is a tactile learner, I realized, as I observed her. I watched her touch tree bark, dig into dirt, and lean over many walls and benches. She rarely looks at the camera because she is just too busy taking it all in with her eyes. They drink everything up. Still, the trails and paths were often rocky and difficult to maneuver on her own, so she'd cling to our hands for support. And when she came across this silent, covered bridge, she let loose and ran into it with abandon. She could see safety in this enclosed place. My mom said this picture is pure joy. I agree.
** Special Guest Photographer! **My mom captured this quiet moment with Eli as he slept throughout much of our journey on the nature trail, and decided that it was her Best Shot Monday. We love how the sunlight streams in on his innocent face and captures the colors surrounding him. Such an angel baby. Great job, Mom!
See other illuminating Best Shots and post your own at Picture This!
Lucy in May 2006 (3 mos. old)
Lucy in September 2007 (19 mos. old)
Go Phillies!
