My Sister and a Little Project She Done

As my sister Merritt says, "It ain't braggin' if it's true" so I don't feel badly about the following...
EVERY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY (BOTH MARRIED-IN AND BLOOD) ARE TALENTED.
My middle sister, Merritt, blogged recently about her endeavors as an upholsterer. Pretty awesome if you like kicking butt...
http://merrittgade.com/blog/?p=282

One Half Year

Six months, two teef, and lots of squealing later, Alden is practically applying for college. His hairs are getting longer, his eyes are a different shade of green-blue-brown-grey every day, and his disposition is sunnier as he ages. He has always been happy and very engaging but he seems more comfortable in his body. Especially since that body is 17 pounds and one ounce now. Dang, Alden, you workin' out?

He communicates pretty effectively and it doesn't take tears and full-on melt downs to get his message across any more. The solid food experience is rather predictable... rice cereal is good. Peas = baaaaad. So bad, in fact, there was a food strike for the next two days. Hey, I wouldn't trust me either if I pulled a fast one like that.

When he sleeps, it is soundly and when he is awake it is loudly. He is one of my favorite people and that's not just because I helped make him.

Latest Time Sucker

In no particular order, I have assembled the newest of my attempts to make money, honey. I take a picture of your choosing and make a silhouette painting of it on stretched canvas. You choose the color and size of canvas. Get it? Got it? Good!

Odd Sense of Humor

This Just In. Alden is Rad.

Not one...

Not two...

Not three...

Not four...

But 5 images of Alden with his eyes closed!

Gotcha!

Growing back boobs!

Growing hair!

He rolls EVERYWHERE. Why scoot when you can roll, right people? He does a full push up with his arms straight. He blows raspberries. He squeals in delight. He squeals in excitement. He squeals til Dustin and I worry a little. Little dude is vocal. He laughs and engages us to laugh with him. And even when he doesn't get the joke, he'll give us a half smile to encourage us to keep trying.
And, as of Thursday evening, little Mr. has two teeth! The first, bottom right, broke through on Thursday and was joined with the bottom left by Saturday. Of course, our reaction was shock, glee, and then tears. He is growing so quickly. He already has a new part on his body. He did that! On his own! He seems very content and excited about this new accomplishment while he chomps and clamps down on anything that dare cross his path.

Here We Go to the Property Prop.

Over the Christmas weekend, my dad took my sister, her fiance, and my family up to the property he and my mom had bought in the early seventies. I hadn't been up to see it for over 15 years (there was a horrible bee swarm/attack that scared me from it) and it looked soooo different than how my memory pictured it.

It didn't help make me feel any younger, by any means. This was the inside of a little trailer we would nestle in during the summer visits.
It was a bit sad to see something so worn out and ripped apart. I felt like it represented something far bigger than a childhood memory... like my childhood itself. Heavy stuff, right? It helped to have my sister there to joke and reminisce with.


Davey Crockett himself drinking a fancy-schmancy coffee...
Two generations of hillbilly.

Very Close and Personal

Green Marriage

We've been married for about nine years. We've been together for nearly 13. In we were dogs, our partnership would be very, very, very old.

Dude. Dude! Twenty-two looks extremely young to me in this picture. Me, now, with my laugh/frown lines and mom pants. Dustin with his youth and optimism.

Anyway, when were planning our wedding we thought it best to save money and make everything ourselves and with the help of friends and family. Hmmm, there seems to be a persistent pattern here. Whatever. Aside from the formal wear, we did manage to hand-create our wedding vision and still have enough patience and energy left over to actually get married. Below is the picture of our site and the alter that Dustin made with help.


Dustin goofing up his vows...

The alter was very significant to us. It was our jumping off point into a new portion of our lives together. So, of course, it made sense to hold onto it out at the in-law's property until we recently moved back home. We found it in the woods behind their old home, leaning against a tree, covered in leaves and debris. Kinda like us, it needed to "come home" and be renewed and honored once again.

So Dustin re-customized our alter into our head board for my Christmas present. Damn! And all I got him was a baby.

We stood on an alter out in a myrtle wood grove those many years ago and promised to always care for one another. The journey continues.

"What is Awesome?" for $1,000, Alex?

Unless you are Porkie Pig, pants are cool. I have had the luxury of alternating between cloth diapers for Alden at home and disposables for public outings and travel. I found myself having to switch it up not only for convenience but the fact that modern baby pants are not meant to stretch over cloth diapers. Some don't and some simply can't. Alden can't bend at the waist in that combo making car seats impossible to use. So Santa took pity on our situation and bought us 3 pair if legwarmers. Below you'll find Alden in the slimming argyle set.
Now he can wear cloth diapers, stay warm, and not scuff up his knees in his recent effort to crawl. I thank the lady who gave me a spankin' deal on them and expect spring to come early as a personal "thank you" from Mother Earth.
You're welcome, Mother Earth.

Tough Guy

Yeah, Alden may not appear like a number one butt-kicker here in this picture. But that is exactly what he wants you to believe. The binky? Just a prop. The "mommy" p.j. sleeve tattoo? Purely nodding to an ironic innocence.

He has a snuggle hold that WILL bring you to your knees.