Summer fun...

Just got home from the Dallas v. Houston soccer game. It was a hard fought match that ended in a 2-2 tie. An exciting game to attend! Hard to pull against Dallas, since they should be our home team, but as a novice soccer fan, my "home team" tends to be wherever my brother-in-law is playing. So I was a huge DC United fan, but now I get to pull for Houston. :) Fender didn't attend the game tonight as we are trying to give him extra rest to heal his ear infection before tomorrow's flight. And since it is nearly 2AM and we are catching a 10AM flight to Florida tomorrow for our neice's graduation...I'm off to bed. In the meantime, some pics of our boy and a couple of us tonight after the game.

Playing outside the toy box from within...


Watching the ants from a safe distance... :)
 

Trying out Daddy's old glasses...
 
 
 

Well it certainly wasn't me, ref...


Sisters...


Brothers...

Happy 10th anniversary...

Today is our 10th wedding anniversary! So I thought it might be fun to share a few photos that show how we've grown up together over the past 16 years! That's right...16 years all together and I have to say we've had some good times and bad, but the amount of good WAY WAY WAY out numbers the bad. I can honestly say I'm married to the love of my life and I can't imagine life without him.

It all started with a wee little band called "Capital Gain." Not a lot of you reading this site knew us back then. This is how we met. He was the guitarist, of course. I was friends with everyone in the band, but had never met Drew since he went to another High School. We met when I was invited over to be their singer. Uh...that's a big fat NOPE! But my sister and I did introduce them to Mary, who became their singer. She rocked! Had never sung before and this little petite girl pulled off the screaming thrash hardcore style of music they played. It was awesome...there was one video, but it has since been long lost. :(

Here are a couple of really old, hard to see photos, but Drew's in the white shirt with the guitar on the far right side of the first picture.
1992:  
1992:  

This one was at Palo Duro Canyon the weekend of Drew's High School Graduation.
1993:  

This one was us at my Senior Prom, which Drew came all the way back to Texas from College in Florida for. What a guy!
1995:  

A few of our wedding photos...
1998:
1998:
1998:

2004:
2005:

And then there was Fender...
2006:
2007:
2008:

Frogs and water...

This one is just some fun playing with the water hose.


This one is Fender's first pet. It is a "grow in water" frog that started out about 1/6 the size it is now. He shrinks back down if he doesn't have water, so Fender always checks on him and makes sure he has plenty of water to live in.

Things to remember...

As Fender gets older and is talking more I know he will eventually stop using his sign language, so I thought I would mention a few that he does now that I hope I never forget...

The way he says "I love you" by saying your name or looking right at you and touching his fist to his heart several times. That is the sweetest!!!!

And how he is starting to say sentences now by combining sign language and words he can say. Like this one he started last week to say that he wants to "play outside in the pool." He makes his sign for "play" with both fists and then says "agua outa." Agua for water and outa for outside. So cute.

And IF he isn't getting what he wants when he asks, he'll rub his hand on his belly, which is the sign for "Please." And who can refuse a little boy who asks so nicely. :)

Of other notes...not jumping just yet, but trying; can't dress himself yet, but wants to; not potty trained yet, but trying. He has initiated the whole potty training stuff by calling my attention to the fact that he has pottied or is about to go potty. I don't intend to rush it, but wouldn't it be lovely if we were out of diapers not long after his second birthday.

One more picture with cousin Claudia.


Playing outa in the agua with the doga...

Sunny day = water play...

One of Fen's favorite things is the watering bucket. Papa and Grandma have two...oh boy! And it was a good thing, because on this day, cousin Claudia wanted to play. By the way, Claudia is 3 1/2 months younger than Fender. I think I forgot to mention that before now.

 
 
 

And the kids loved the baby pool, but my camera did not. This was the only decent shot I got.
 

Cousin Clauida visits Papa and Grandma...

My second mother's day was great and we wish we could have shared it with all our moms.

We had a terrific lunch over at "Papa and Grandma's", which my sister, Drew and I prepared. I think the folks were a bit nervous that we were preparing all the fixins. :) Grandma seemed to really enjoy the full house, which included her youngest granddaughter (more with her later), and not having to cook for everyone. I really enjoyed seeing my mother's day post from Drew. Yep...I try to engage in conversation and they typically ignore me or tell me to get lost. :/

So in honor of my boys, I'll stop talking now and get on with the pics...

The first one is just for fun and not related to mother's day or Claudia's visit at all...
 

DJ and I took the kids over to the zoo on Thursday...they were asleep when we got there, but one was waking up just as the other was drifting off...yep, should have known that wasn't a good sign. It was a rough visit, but there were good moments. Here are a couple of pictures.
 
 
 

These are pics from Mother's Day...


Fender had everyone looking for the "roly poly" bug he lost. Too funny.


And this is our "family" picture...I'm there...can you see me...:)

Happy Mother's Day

I just want to wish Candice and all our moms a very Happy Mother's Day, but especially Candice. She works non-stop to take care of the boys in the house (the dog, our son, and Sebastian). And the video below is the typical thanks she gets:


So today I thought I'd say a big thanks, and I love you.
-Drew

Forever young...

Forgot to mention that Fender recently started going through a phase where he wants to be a little baby again. No idea if he got the idea from watching babies at the daycare, or if it is just one of those natural development phases...either way...I think it is very cute!

He doesn't do things often, but when he sees things that remind him of babies, he tries them out himself. For instance, he wanted to swing in his old baby swing the other day instead of rocking it himself. Sometimes he will also climb up into one of our laps, grab a blanket to wrap around himself and lay his head on your shoulder and say "baby." I have to admit...I LOVE that. It is one of those rare moments where a mom can actually hold her sweet, otherwise ever-moving, toddler boy...even if the novelty wears off for him after about two minutes max.

And the funniest thing we've seen lately is how he has taken to climbing into his old walker (which he actually never used much the first time around) and he'll grab the sides and lift it up off the floor and walk it around like the Flintstones did with there cars. OMG...(and I know I sound like the typical momma here) it is one of the cutest things he's ever done. We tried to film it, but the lighting was too dark so maybe I'll take it outside and try again later.

May Day, May Day...

Wow...with as busy a lineup as this month has to offer, I may need to post an SOS to get through. ;) So here's what's planned for us under the New Moon:

* Tomorrow DJ (fabulous step-mom) and I are off to OKC to pick up her granddaughter, Claudia Magdalene, for the week. Yea. Claudia (though I want to call her Maggie so bad!!!) is only three months younger than Fender so we should have a blast...and our hands full! A trip to the zoo is definitely in order.
* Then, lets not forget...Sunday is Mother's Day and my sister and I are planning a nice luncheon for DJ where she doesn't have to do a thing. :)
* We take Claudia back home around May 15th and then just after the full moon (May 20th), Drew and I celebrate our 10th anniversary on May 23rd, which is the start of...
* Memorial Day weekend (May 23-26).

But that's not all...oh no...not even close...

* Wednesday, May 28th Fender's "Uncle Bobby" Boswell and his new team, the Houston Dynamo's (here's a late..."Welcome back to Texas, Bobby.") play here, against our own FC Dallas and we plan to attend that late night game in Frisco.
* To be immediately followed by an early morning flight to Tampa, FL to cheer on Fender's fellow guitar named cousin Gibson at her High School Graduation that Friday.
* We'll end the month away, but literally return home at the start of the next New Moon (Jun 3rd).

So if I don't post many updates this month...you now know why. But I'll do my best, because there are sure to be plenty of photo ops.

Love and Peace and SOS...



P.S. Fender is now 19 months old. Have not weighed or measured lately. He climbs with ease on anything. He communicates more nearly every day. Likes to play in the dirt. And LOVES "namos" (balloons). He doesn't cry much unless he is really hurt and even then, not for very long. Little bumps, scrapes, bleeding busted lips, fire ant bites etc...apparently no cause for alarm. He wants things HIS way and fusses if he doesn't get it. We have to "stick to our guns" and not give in once we've told him he can't have or do something. But he is smart and he "gets it." Wow...he really knows what he is doing when he acts up. Parents of yet-to-be toddlers beware. But he is still so amazing to watch. You can see the thought process turning in his mind before he does something and he is such fun to play with. Still ambidextrous at this point, though still favors his left hand, as he has for a long time now. We'll watch to see when he switches over to favor his right, or if he is destined to be a lefty after all. I don't think you can tell until they start to write (but he draws and colors with his left right now).