silly head

mini-mandie and the fonz

I think, in this picture, she looks a lot like me when I was little. What do you think, family? Mini-Mandie?


And watch out ladies, we've got another fonzie on our hands.

can I call you eddie?

This is Eddie, my sister Melinda's youngest. Her kids were blessed with beautiful skin and deep brown eyes that bore into your soul. We had a playdate at their house today and I got out my camera to take pics. None of the kids were interested in stopping to say cheese, but Eddie came over to me, gave me a long soulful look and then took off to play. Thanks kid.

what the what?

pic by Brian

A few weeks ago we invested about $100 in some flowers for our front yard. Next thing we know we got yard of the month for our neighborhood! Brian answered the door when the landscape committee gave us the news and I swear it was like we had just won publishers clearing house or something. Brian's pretty passionate about our yard, especially the lawn. It's kinda cute.

Anyway, they give out five awards month, and I know they're trying to spread the love to different people, but there are yards that are so much better than ours that haven't won this year. There is a yard close to ours that always looks colorful and perfect and in my opinion better than ours. The other day I was looking out the window and saw the owner walk by our house and check out the competition. I'm sure she was thinking "Pssh. Ours is better. Why didn't WE win?"

I hear ya, sister. I hear ya.

BFFs

Had our big family reunion this weekend and it was wonderfully insane and chaotic. I left the picture taking up to Dad and Sheena and refrained from taking pictures the whole time, except to get these two together. Emma and Aubrey have been two peas in a pod since they were born. They only see eachother maybe once a year since Aubrey and her family moved across the country a few years ago, but time and distance has not changed their friendship. They are still the best of friends and two of my favorite nieces.

totally random pictures

10 things about carter

It's been a while since I posted about Carter, so here goes:

1. Hasn't been eating hardly anything lately. It's been concerning me a whole lot, especially since I think he might have reflux, but today I realized he's cutting his bottom canines. ohhhhh. That's why.
2. He's talking up a storm. He is consistently saying two and three word phrases and mimics everything Abby says. It's cute cause he's learning all sorts of words in Abby-eze that I know I'll have to correct later.
3. He loooves swimming. And I'm soooo glad. He's so competent with his floaties in the pool that I don't have to hang on to him all the time and he gets a little independence. Side note: Abby learned how to dive into the pool today. She's got pretty good form for a three-year-old.
4. He still loves to climb onto everything, but hasn't once attempted to get out of his crib. Knock on wood.
5. He has my dad's smile and hint of mischief in his eye.


6. He's still looks bald, but he's finally getting more bleach blonde hair. I miss the baldness.
7. He has finally stopped complaining when I put him in the car seat.
8. He has a sweet little husky voice that I wish I could bottle up and give to all the unhappy people in the world.
9. He's very social now and always says hi and bye to strangers everywhere he goes. He always gets a few "awwws" and that just encourages the flirtatious behavior. The kid knows how to work it.
10. He's really growing up fast, but I want him to stay this way forever.

Someday I'm going to do this...

This is Brian, and I still don't post very often, but this one was important.

I read this blog post today and said to myself, "Someday ... (sigh)." Surely you have a trip that you've dreamed of. So, here's my wishlist of stadiums I would love to see the Ranger's play:
Fenway
Yankee Stadium
Wrigley (I know it's National League. We play the Central Division next year, I think.)
Camden Yards

And, of course, our rivals:
Oakland Coliseum
Safeco Field
Angel Stadium (stupid name, by the way - only the Yankees can get away with this)

Who's with me?

The big day

We got approval from our insurance company for Abby's cochlear implant two weeks from the date the doc submitted the request, which is super fast. (I love you, Cigna!) We've had approval for a while, but we've been sitting on this for the past couple of weeks because it's such a big decision. The debate isn't if we should implant Abby, it's when, and after a lot of prayer, pro-con lists, research and talking with other CI parents and professionals, we decided that sooner is better. So.... Abby will be receiving a cochlear implant in her left ear on July 24th.

I can't lie, I'm really nervous about it. I believe in the technology and never thought I would hesitate when it came time for either of our kids to get an implant, but now that it's REAL... man, it's scary. I trust our surgeon- he's one of the best, and the risks are minimal, but still. It's different when its your child getting a hole drilled into their skull. But we have faith that the surgery will be successful and Abby will be okay, and that with lots of therapy and dedication this will be the best thing that has ever happened to her.

Oh, and this is my 500th post. Hollah!

Have you ever...?

Hvae you ever wanted to take one of your household appliances, yank it out of the electrical socket, and throw it out the window?

Our vacuum sucks, because it doesn't suck. And we need a new one.

So do you have a good vacuum recommendation? Please don't say a Dyson, cause they're too expensive and it will just make me depressed.

last day of school

Abby's last day of school was today and I'm really sad. She LOVED school, talks about her teacher and friends all the time, and I don't think she's going to understand why she's not going back to school on Monday. She'll go back in the fall, and we'll do lots of swimming and other fun things in the meantime, but I'm just a little sad for her. And *maybe* just a little bit sad for me too. It was hard sending Abby off to school at first, but turns out, having one kid in school is kinda nice.

This is her Auditory Impairment Teacher "Mit Adam" (translation: Mrs. Adams) It was her first year of teaching and I think she's going to miss the kids more than they will miss her.

This is Abby's Speech Language Pathologist, "Mit Migee" (Mrs. McGee) She's hearing impaired also and went through the very same program as a child that Abby is going through. Although her hearing loss is moderate to profound, you can't tell a single bit. She's a poster child for how successful the Plano Regional Day School Program for the Deaf really is and what it can do for hearing impaired children.

the kings in black and white

Over a year ago Jenna and Trevor decided to try for another baby. So along came Parker...







...and Preston and Madeline and Dahlia.

Yep. Four beautiful, incredible little miracles. Go to their blog to read more.

Parker got the most shooting time with me, but luckily the Kings have had several photographers knocking down their door, so between the three of us, I hope we got everyone. The Kings are moving this Friday and we will really miss them!




You notice that spit up stain on Jenna's shoulder? I could have edited that out but I chose to leave it. It's kind of like a badge of honor I think. She's always so polished and beautiful, you'd never think she was the mother of five children under the age of three. She looks amazing, huh?