tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85227886767414237442024-02-19T16:32:42.936-08:00Bitzels...not small broken chips, just pieces of my lifeEgomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-30636053665866132592011-06-19T20:30:00.000-07:002011-06-20T06:25:32.142-07:00Life...On June 20, 2010 I became a mother for the fourth time. With fear, joy, love and relief we welcomed William Ellery John into our family on that day, Father's Day. I will never forget how I felt and I might not ever be able to express it quite right... perhaps that's the largest reason for my blog land silence. Or perhaps it's because shortly after William's birth my marriage suffered so severely from my husband's mistakes that even now I'm not sure we've fully recovered. <br /><br />I've always wanted my blog to be a place where I shared my life, a place where I could look back with my family and say, "this is where we were..." However, in large part my blog has just been this happy, perfect place that totally disregards the whole truth. There is no yelling here, no messy house, no despised in-laws, no talk of my dead Mom, no talk of how my children drive me completely batshit at some point each and every day, and there most certainly is not a drop of marital strife mentioned here. Not a drop of insecurity or fear either. <br /><br />The day of William's birth I felt a fear like none I had ever experienced in my life... in hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to listen to the same music that I did while laboring with Walter. I believe it might have been the intense pain in my back that started my visceral reaction. This birth felt too much like Walter's. I started to cry out "I'm so fucking scared. Oh my god, I'm so fucking scared!" I don't think a mother of a child without birth injuries can understand this. Certainly they can empathize and certainly I appreciate it immensely when they do, however they could not possibly know the full gravity of the situation. I am a mother of four children, each birth challenged me in ways I never thought possible. I have had one fucking horrible cesarean (Arden) after pushing for 5 hours to no avail. I've had one homebirth (Walter) where by trusting Nancy Wainer Cohen to attend as a midwife I was left with a brain injured child. *but shit, at least "you had your VBAC!" she said* (It could have happened in the hospital too and been worse, I know.) His body was posterior and his head transverse. I smashed the shit out of his poor little head on my pelvis by pushing him out. He also had a shoulder dystocia. I wish to infinity and back for a do-over. I would thankfully lie down and have 100 cesareans if it meant Walter could have been safe.<br /><br />After years of consideration I went on to have another homebirth (Claire) who got her shoulder stuck too. It was beautifully resolved by my amazing friend and midwife who not only knew what to do, she was expecting the possibility of it. <br /><br />And then there was William. William who was born at home a year ago... that little bugger not only got his shoulder stuck, he was huge and broke his arm and clavicle coming out. I will never forget feeling a weird snap (like when you break apart a chicken bone) in my vagina. "Call 911!" And I could go into every single detail that ensued but I won't. The important parts are...<br /><br />-I got to hold that sweet little baby in the ambulance.<br /><br />-Chris was able to ride with us.<br /><br />-William nursed as happy as a clam the entire ride to the hospital.<br /><br />-Our amazing friend, Chava was able to bring my other (scared) children to the hospital with us.<br /><br />-The staff were all kind to us.<br /><br />-We weren't there for more than 4 hours. <br /><br />-We all slept in our beds that night.<br /><br />-As similar as some parts of the boy's births were, the fear I carried from Walter's birth into William's was transformative for me. <br /><br />I have often wondered why me? <br /><br />I don't know what my message is to those out there possibly seeking answers for their impending births... it could (and probably has been said) by people that I should have done things differently. I chose to trust even when I was so fearful I felt like I couldn't go on. Truthfully, I didn't like any of my options. I chose what felt the most right for me and I urge everyone to do the same for themselves. <br /><br /><br />With all that said, this past year of my sweet little William has been wonderful, challenging, joyful, fulfilling, simply amazing in every way. I am filled with wistful longing for my sweet boy who grows oh so fast. Arden feels it too. Tonight as the littles were getting baths she was down in the basement getting fabric to make him a bib. I went down to join her and she stood there with tears threatening to spill as she said, "Mom, I can't believe Baby William is going to be one tomorrow." I hugged her and said, "I know honey, I feel the same way." And she suddenly cried a deep mournful cry, while choking out "He's growing too fast Mom!" <br /><br />I know my dear girl, oh how I know what you feel is true. <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOuxmRuWr5dlXwLYH96pZfRUFc_KsOHT9AwqlriedTL4RPujd6eq-gXzfX-GwO1OG-OKUa9N__NyBbc33_VXoNTxVw2zOgy4FR2ACENVKzb1i3HJSDVSiPzmTR66PBqcTZur8qIMTx3s/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOuxmRuWr5dlXwLYH96pZfRUFc_KsOHT9AwqlriedTL4RPujd6eq-gXzfX-GwO1OG-OKUa9N__NyBbc33_VXoNTxVw2zOgy4FR2ACENVKzb1i3HJSDVSiPzmTR66PBqcTZur8qIMTx3s/s400/DSC_0053.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620146186411770562" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_a6-MMpco495-fPVrt2dINTrvz63FMoTXCdIhyphenhyphen8D9BX5eLKNxgn6s9LUwSGacDNfdrcc1aUqgpoMaAYjVNeNk4rDwZlKEKOD9OdMyYmjD28xlDiSs1b73f3y4Rwd9H7jUhTWBTRaPrQ/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_a6-MMpco495-fPVrt2dINTrvz63FMoTXCdIhyphenhyphen8D9BX5eLKNxgn6s9LUwSGacDNfdrcc1aUqgpoMaAYjVNeNk4rDwZlKEKOD9OdMyYmjD28xlDiSs1b73f3y4Rwd9H7jUhTWBTRaPrQ/s400/DSC_0005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620146194155667250" /></a><br /><br /><br />"...but I tell you life is sweet in spite of the misery. There's so much more, be grateful..."Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-66602557121680282332010-06-18T20:46:00.000-07:002010-06-18T20:48:11.628-07:0039 weeks, 2 days complete...I am holding the baby in today. It was on this day in my pregnancy with Walter that he was born. I have just a few more minutes to be in the clear!Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-15161361310783289832010-06-09T11:43:00.000-07:002010-06-13T06:23:30.045-07:00A week ago or so Arden came home from school and told us the school nurse had checked her eyes and discovered that Arden was having a hard time seeing far away. Yesterday I took her to an ophthalmologist and he found the same thing. We went to a few different shops before we wound up at Walmart (of all places!) and she found the perfect frames! She can't wait until they are ready next week. I'm still in shock she needs them.<br /><br />Today was Walter's last day of nursery school and they had a little picnic. I had a nice time and actually felt relaxed. I will miss this arrangement for Walter but look forward to less running around.<br /><br />Claire has been doing this thing lately that drives me somewhat batshit... she will ask me something, I'll answer and then she'll continue to ask over and over again. Example:<br /><br />"Mom, what's that?"<br />"It's make-up Claire."<br />"It's make-up Mom?"<br />"Yes, it's make-up."<br />"It's make-up Mom?"<br />"Yes Claire, it's make-up."<br />"It's make-up?"<br />"YES!"<br /><br />I have yet to figure out a better way to acknowledge her so that she doesn't continue to ask repeatedly. I'm guessing she's needing some more explanation and attention... perhaps craving conversation?Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-7094853177154488082010-06-06T20:22:00.000-07:002010-06-07T08:42:52.909-07:0037 weeks, 4 days completeIt's hard to believe that in a matter of days I'll have a new baby. Time stands still while moving quickly. I am yearning to meet this little one... not knowing who he or she is or how they will fit into our family but intrinsically knowing that when we meet them we will have known them all along.<br /><br />I take this time to feel my body, knowing it will be the last time I feel a baby inside of me. Knowing it's the right thing for me now. While pregnant with Claire I spent a lot of time thinking "this is the last time I'll _________" and I felt so sad about it. I don't feel that way now and it's good. <br /><br />This baby spends a lot of time tickling my right hip... I'm not quite sure of it's position and I'm honestly trying not to worry about it knowing it's too early to matter anyway. This baby also hiccups more than Claire and Walter and maybe even as much as Arden did. When it first happens I laugh while enjoying the feel of it and then after 5 minutes or so I'm sick of it and become kind of woozy from the movement. But I want to remember these feelings and take them with me for all the rest of my days... knowing that I have done something that I had wanted for so long.<br /><br />I spend my days knitting, cleaning, mothering and napping while I wait. I talk to Chris and try to tell him all of my fears without being fearful. We'll be happy to have the birth be over with and the baby safely here. Having had it go wrong in the past shows us just how delicate of a process birth is. By design we are made to do it but one intervention can change all of that, altering one's life forever. It's not that I know without a doubt what was the deciding factor in determining Walter's birth injuries but my intuition tells me it all started with breaking my bag of waters.Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-88267249754316431822010-06-03T09:25:00.000-07:002010-06-03T09:28:11.562-07:00Newborn Sweater for Baby #4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioI8Qf5wF6kEwARnFC1wZ3-yCGjhq2O8v7PWQaCYMdz3ZzE2hHdslGvAR-ZXPDkBB1eay4dJe3K8fsaz0Yt2ICELx8MuAn9ITsyesmCwcm1VPE-Fwhusu25Ui3mzz4guFINsaNkFMMiU/s1600/DSC_0007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioI8Qf5wF6kEwARnFC1wZ3-yCGjhq2O8v7PWQaCYMdz3ZzE2hHdslGvAR-ZXPDkBB1eay4dJe3K8fsaz0Yt2ICELx8MuAn9ITsyesmCwcm1VPE-Fwhusu25Ui3mzz4guFINsaNkFMMiU/s400/DSC_0007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478584644487865810" /></a><br /><br /><br />Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Organic Cotton <br />Colorway: 632<br />Pattern: Baby Cardigan by Joy Jannotti<br />Size: 3-6 monthsEgomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-35757033605297083922010-06-02T18:52:00.001-07:002010-06-03T08:43:09.616-07:0037 Weeks complete<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizbwSKtWGMDTxSCeEkGdsEPv9_CvmID31-7s43Bk1gEDT2EWhuRUAbxQIb_zE4B4JFmi5SRPWhG1Cxf_R0obNtWOZJek2S7vxLih76vK_jxP7gDPlTCU649jYIH8ynhsfsXEZXwYDWZY/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizbwSKtWGMDTxSCeEkGdsEPv9_CvmID31-7s43Bk1gEDT2EWhuRUAbxQIb_zE4B4JFmi5SRPWhG1Cxf_R0obNtWOZJek2S7vxLih76vK_jxP7gDPlTCU649jYIH8ynhsfsXEZXwYDWZY/s400/DSC_0027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478359628005832514" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-13623619535447788162010-05-16T19:12:00.001-07:002010-06-03T09:28:57.511-07:00Baby Blessing34 weeks, 4 days complete<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5MCQKawXz6qjJ9FIoNG98K_VJSqhy4yTLATfesdQ0dn5sgnr1qFeE9NqfyMh3-YstJLCglMWv5vOI4VoYslKw-EHWDDthQ3AKFQSHRZyaglUPRz0NgplggdNFNjY2XWr9la2N1ilIrg/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5MCQKawXz6qjJ9FIoNG98K_VJSqhy4yTLATfesdQ0dn5sgnr1qFeE9NqfyMh3-YstJLCglMWv5vOI4VoYslKw-EHWDDthQ3AKFQSHRZyaglUPRz0NgplggdNFNjY2XWr9la2N1ilIrg/s400/DSC_0055.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472266496727699010" /></a><br /><br /><br />My friend Nancy offered early on in my pregnancy to plan a birth blessing for me. She did it last time when I was pregnant with Claire and it was really, truly wonderful. (I'm about to have my 4th child and consider myself quite lucky to never have had to endure a baby shower, which is really quite amazing for a former Long Island girl!) Last time the ceremony was at my house with a bunch of my girlfriends. The men took the children bowling and it was exactly what I wanted at that time. I knew I couldn't allow my children to be a part of the ceremony...I was in a place of fear about the birth and the support and belief of the women around me was exactly what I needed to help carry me past it without the distraction of worrying whether or not my children were comfortable. After the ceremony we had a belly dancer and it was great fun! By far the girliest-girl bonding I had ever done! <br /><br />It took me a long time to envision what I wanted this time. I knew I wanted to include the children and Chris. I've realized over the years that birthing these beautiful babies of mine is as stressful for Chris as it is for me. Certainly they haven't been perfectly easy! Over the last few months I've heard Arden express concern about having another sibling. She knows it will be crazy around here with four children... she's worried she's going to get ousted out of attention. <br /><br />I wondered what was the perfect way to have a family celebration to welcome this baby into our lives? My answer was held in this verse from a book we cherish around here...<br /><br />"...On the day you were born<br />the Moon pulled on the ocean below, and,<br />wave by wave,<br />a rising tide washed the beaches clean for your footprints...<br /><br />...while far out at sea<br />clouds swelled with water drops,<br />sailed to shore on a wind,<br />and rained you a welcome across the Earth's green lands."<br /><br />It was then the planning began...<br /><br />A small, quick ceremony at an ocean beach, where I knew the children would have fun. We would be able to see, hear and smell the beauty and I would feel closer to my Mom. Nancy planned it perfectly, opening with everyone lighting a candle while expressing a wish for our family, or the baby or the birth, or all of those things, or none (as was the case with the littlest ones!) A beautiful song from Nancy & Eli, a reading of "Welcome to the World" by Arden, Walter's impromtu "You are My Sunshine", bracelets, necklaces, and dancing! It was made even more real and fun by the fat, bleached blonde woman in the background yelling at her kids that if they wanted ice cream they better hurry up and get everything together (while she stood there smoking!)<br /><br />I don't have the right words and didn't get the perfect photos to describe the beauty I felt today but the joy of the day will be inside of me forevermore!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoU9RDfs3QwvW7pgI3PdPzN6Xo-FTfc_b1gzi0Pej5qD-WpO_HtHfeE3gBZA_VimrZRfuUPvjMFumOlznIrjRzdN4JfLBzaRJ65MllUEzzmofstc4wrzmMgpC5BnGH5WjSkFHbd3MXSo/s1600/DSC_0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoU9RDfs3QwvW7pgI3PdPzN6Xo-FTfc_b1gzi0Pej5qD-WpO_HtHfeE3gBZA_VimrZRfuUPvjMFumOlznIrjRzdN4JfLBzaRJ65MllUEzzmofstc4wrzmMgpC5BnGH5WjSkFHbd3MXSo/s400/DSC_0014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472306298241935010" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeFZGggJAMkL3kkWjNew7w3UWjEyjGdrkwx3BXwYEsbwdQmm2hyJbTkH2Lv1NMKPw1SBP61oqzjs36SCrECnsQSaHLp1Re-n0eaOBNWBxUaE1gNClP056VQeln53lVln7K2yaWqeeZSA/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeFZGggJAMkL3kkWjNew7w3UWjEyjGdrkwx3BXwYEsbwdQmm2hyJbTkH2Lv1NMKPw1SBP61oqzjs36SCrECnsQSaHLp1Re-n0eaOBNWBxUaE1gNClP056VQeln53lVln7K2yaWqeeZSA/s400/DSC_0015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472307728262347746" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59Giq_q_JW4VHW-zJiB7Ul-DCpWg8sZoKkzvLXDRX4RgpNn7KCHCCQH9oMpyTt279AZ9LM6RUJdk0QH_CNI3KAFJFIx_FaFtSmtuSY0JyOaWgSjxcVaht-m-yJRG26bNLzjJVg-DWyHk/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59Giq_q_JW4VHW-zJiB7Ul-DCpWg8sZoKkzvLXDRX4RgpNn7KCHCCQH9oMpyTt279AZ9LM6RUJdk0QH_CNI3KAFJFIx_FaFtSmtuSY0JyOaWgSjxcVaht-m-yJRG26bNLzjJVg-DWyHk/s400/DSC_0048.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472309686641977026" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJcAybMi5VDce19FalfL1kZGFEgkrfuMjiPTNyBfiq0uhExrA-zulTMSOhXDTqOCGEiq_b7YXqhJHAlSRD0XNmYcnza4Ta4Zp1SAbiVZar9MBFdZMiF19RxCQmGarwqYv0tTK8n0k_a8/s1600/DSC_0038.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJcAybMi5VDce19FalfL1kZGFEgkrfuMjiPTNyBfiq0uhExrA-zulTMSOhXDTqOCGEiq_b7YXqhJHAlSRD0XNmYcnza4Ta4Zp1SAbiVZar9MBFdZMiF19RxCQmGarwqYv0tTK8n0k_a8/s400/DSC_0038.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472309677251211010" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2fk2M9A28z-vYf5hRJ9atMEPIUz_QcDXFGgr5hcCIk-4eoyB9oPmOrzGQ4b4TfNiBuqUiDq2lcgl888aa64Jn7rSmpBtri1DDuYEFCn2cNBTTxE4SnY6p2dUx7h76-GhqoplXGJ8HLM/s1600/DSC_0052.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2fk2M9A28z-vYf5hRJ9atMEPIUz_QcDXFGgr5hcCIk-4eoyB9oPmOrzGQ4b4TfNiBuqUiDq2lcgl888aa64Jn7rSmpBtri1DDuYEFCn2cNBTTxE4SnY6p2dUx7h76-GhqoplXGJ8HLM/s400/DSC_0052.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472309691242804690" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtXLaaaa6xZHF-AR_qoK4s7BHOSJ8aYXJ6THWDHAlS97sALp8zB22eiBoTDkJZvhZQNaO8lJaBNLalbg6tCto8tORSE9PxXgBKtgRXnE2Uh5iVbfKXMEZbgu66PUU4pqOnuOIhqU4PjE/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtXLaaaa6xZHF-AR_qoK4s7BHOSJ8aYXJ6THWDHAlS97sALp8zB22eiBoTDkJZvhZQNaO8lJaBNLalbg6tCto8tORSE9PxXgBKtgRXnE2Uh5iVbfKXMEZbgu66PUU4pqOnuOIhqU4PjE/s400/DSC_0022.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472307742747173682" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pYBXsVmiGQ_QnAa-mM94dIx_RwglG1vnccFFsSiDn_2h9UEk-yoVH5VlJwU8-DoJgSwhnilNKmJTAVnVJL6bNTb0i8JCrlpUUzDvNNOhs8SO8ywTWXFKfAVKQ7c7OT7_1UTlpZn5foM/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pYBXsVmiGQ_QnAa-mM94dIx_RwglG1vnccFFsSiDn_2h9UEk-yoVH5VlJwU8-DoJgSwhnilNKmJTAVnVJL6bNTb0i8JCrlpUUzDvNNOhs8SO8ywTWXFKfAVKQ7c7OT7_1UTlpZn5foM/s400/DSC_0027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472307755433168466" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY7mvfUgghWDZuI9CbBezEvCXG5ehCHUI-bWkZt_qW8K_A1iSuUyVa2ssU440XZ-9EDEAxWbxChuN-lAorPt42Dw6vi9qN94Pn6zYC6ArA_jdQECl1wNZ5LG1dxc9nRYA5TAodxUPSdg/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY7mvfUgghWDZuI9CbBezEvCXG5ehCHUI-bWkZt_qW8K_A1iSuUyVa2ssU440XZ-9EDEAxWbxChuN-lAorPt42Dw6vi9qN94Pn6zYC6ArA_jdQECl1wNZ5LG1dxc9nRYA5TAodxUPSdg/s400/DSC_0019.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472307734417715378" /></a><br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />A very special Thank You to Nancy for helping to make my vision come true. I am truly grateful for you!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgespPjGAZrya415VFbyZjQ5BhHC-4LuiQpnGKM4AMPmUSGp7sDAbtaSqIsbHLu8BwfXfSfqnLp9mb8nVFMDYgTyOvsKNMkREwZp9ZHFKC979KA_K8J0b8REyIfyIkLMuj9UpNOykNJ24g/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgespPjGAZrya415VFbyZjQ5BhHC-4LuiQpnGKM4AMPmUSGp7sDAbtaSqIsbHLu8BwfXfSfqnLp9mb8nVFMDYgTyOvsKNMkREwZp9ZHFKC979KA_K8J0b8REyIfyIkLMuj9UpNOykNJ24g/s400/DSC_0033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472309697244240322" /></a><br /><br />and for you too Eli, you always make me laugh!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGZbk2oOY8MYCkQ2QINxVG6pUWV-vyu4H1nM2LiYogP1o0Beqk8Yt9p8RzAXqnL_bl6QJgJRCQJPVp0vsoDJ3EC_YZyuG_TckTatqZ-CxTHGNPVSUnG5QMPOuDrV6xwYaQSw6QUDb4zE/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGZbk2oOY8MYCkQ2QINxVG6pUWV-vyu4H1nM2LiYogP1o0Beqk8Yt9p8RzAXqnL_bl6QJgJRCQJPVp0vsoDJ3EC_YZyuG_TckTatqZ-CxTHGNPVSUnG5QMPOuDrV6xwYaQSw6QUDb4zE/s400/DSC_0013.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472307720021167426" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-30563127896891151952010-04-24T18:42:00.000-07:002010-04-26T07:45:46.066-07:00Nameless baby, clean house...This past Tuesday I saw my midwife for the first time in months! It was a nice visit. Baby seems fine in there, my blood pressure is great etc. etc. The baby is still nameless and we really need to come up with something fast! I want to make sure we have enough time to see if we really like the name or if it fades away. <br /><br />It dawned on me this morning that I need to get the house in tip top shape. If anything were to happen early baby-wise it would be a raging mess and make the chaos of all that goes along with a baby that comes too early far worse.<br /><br />So I spent the day cleaning upstairs. I steam cleaned the carpet and it took forever and I still feel like it's not clean at all. Carpet is disgusting. I can't imagine anyone voluntarily putting in carpet. I look forward to the day we replace it with wood flooring. In my dreams Chris sends me away for a week (alone!) and I come back and he surprises me with wood floors upstairs. In reality I will have to beat him over the head for years to get him to do it. <br /><br />I gave Walter a haircut tonight. <br /><br />To remember: Today Arden was blowing bubbles into her mug of milk and Claire shouted "A LATTE!!!"Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-41661572719019624192010-04-22T18:10:00.001-07:002010-04-22T18:24:43.282-07:00"Swing Thing" cardigan for ArdenPattern: "Swing Thing" by Little Turtle Knits<br />Yarn: di.Vi Zenith 100% merino wool (some seriously soft, stretchy wool for my cotton only girl!)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnTG0vHXSrBm-B1532KSURVvekISIMXa_ssomT_9Yo_-Tf92egIzKwkSaxbEmQ9DlBlnSH891matCqVtIBzP3MCS0d8Kzx4RRet6ApD_d2Q6u7f4I91XroJ7YaHR2ngV8Qx7qVzTHkwQ/s1600/DSC_0094.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnTG0vHXSrBm-B1532KSURVvekISIMXa_ssomT_9Yo_-Tf92egIzKwkSaxbEmQ9DlBlnSH891matCqVtIBzP3MCS0d8Kzx4RRet6ApD_d2Q6u7f4I91XroJ7YaHR2ngV8Qx7qVzTHkwQ/s400/DSC_0094.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463135002903947554" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Oe3PasoK4VttESZiXmmwGbCcKvB-3unMmhPQ5q8Z6BOTgSYOO__UrBjQrrrK-EnaH06w9nGJYNijyZJEgt_UjjALDi6mtSDOfd7wDdzpVn6PANd2qc7u3DKHxn6HBnBYjAhqRD09NhM/s1600/DSC_0106.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 321px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Oe3PasoK4VttESZiXmmwGbCcKvB-3unMmhPQ5q8Z6BOTgSYOO__UrBjQrrrK-EnaH06w9nGJYNijyZJEgt_UjjALDi6mtSDOfd7wDdzpVn6PANd2qc7u3DKHxn6HBnBYjAhqRD09NhM/s400/DSC_0106.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463134994207473474" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8nDpftQIKr9vuMWallQqQHilUwcfoBeAHiiyPo5PUfTp-GQ8X8MAyeE2wsq-eL6qdLtuLTlaTejBYdLEm4BzdTjWrj4-k7U4G_50hvpocKDHHIFWl6gFbPN5pMRch2VuZcTa4VP-jWw/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8nDpftQIKr9vuMWallQqQHilUwcfoBeAHiiyPo5PUfTp-GQ8X8MAyeE2wsq-eL6qdLtuLTlaTejBYdLEm4BzdTjWrj4-k7U4G_50hvpocKDHHIFWl6gFbPN5pMRch2VuZcTa4VP-jWw/s400/DSC_0089.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463134985484973826" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnSSfbiVdkvCP_QQYckJP_78IYnfGPDb8H8Y6viMSdE4Mx3oBZQGicQkDj59YIv6JhIqPy48XC9JUMaO3JzseftcFSS914Zgz1sJIJYPJNTEHZ1c_7omMMoIiH4Nr4HRZpAscBx_u-Lg/s1600/DSC_0112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnSSfbiVdkvCP_QQYckJP_78IYnfGPDb8H8Y6viMSdE4Mx3oBZQGicQkDj59YIv6JhIqPy48XC9JUMaO3JzseftcFSS914Zgz1sJIJYPJNTEHZ1c_7omMMoIiH4Nr4HRZpAscBx_u-Lg/s400/DSC_0112.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463134985137828754" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-78256914577627899472010-04-19T19:49:00.000-07:002010-04-19T20:05:20.017-07:00We're all about the birthdays in this house...And today it was my turn! I spent the day in awe of the awesome pictures my fancy new birthday camera takes without me having any clue what the hell I'm doing! Look here...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZFlXLIN5PZ0pzF8iI3Xob7g3DoJXzi_BaLzQ-vc3My8R4f_jynsfKdMmoTckFyZq2itOF5WRlmt4Fu7y5sRyIeoDzfYggvXtbDGulRTjLbnD1sGmYHh9JJzhIYAVYLbgFuuNuYdYnXM/s1600/DSC_0055.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZFlXLIN5PZ0pzF8iI3Xob7g3DoJXzi_BaLzQ-vc3My8R4f_jynsfKdMmoTckFyZq2itOF5WRlmt4Fu7y5sRyIeoDzfYggvXtbDGulRTjLbnD1sGmYHh9JJzhIYAVYLbgFuuNuYdYnXM/s400/DSC_0055.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462047323749865762" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfAuAW4gSoYGNYZ3ktHrdnSN1sCKcBN0B5HmoKkH8fwrMKZQBsdjatGudx_Fgcxps2lWTPTukXt8WZOx7sWEPFgQ949lolXME6jvt027OtaDabvvpVJ8aplalTHxF-0nLALcrlI4toyc/s1600/DSC_0046.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfAuAW4gSoYGNYZ3ktHrdnSN1sCKcBN0B5HmoKkH8fwrMKZQBsdjatGudx_Fgcxps2lWTPTukXt8WZOx7sWEPFgQ949lolXME6jvt027OtaDabvvpVJ8aplalTHxF-0nLALcrlI4toyc/s400/DSC_0046.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462047319633083026" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHt8w2B0B-TEsnpGxVg-hgddddJFLufnqGMVVgL6FZiko964vwDLpD8Ps-jCKzFGgufd7vtPxFyKQyGmlRoFaH1pBBzfl3N3a5yKcsNJzoFRegQkND7MgkP1RyeFOI7kIFLtC8awa8o3Q/s1600/DSC_0045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHt8w2B0B-TEsnpGxVg-hgddddJFLufnqGMVVgL6FZiko964vwDLpD8Ps-jCKzFGgufd7vtPxFyKQyGmlRoFaH1pBBzfl3N3a5yKcsNJzoFRegQkND7MgkP1RyeFOI7kIFLtC8awa8o3Q/s400/DSC_0045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462047310976786530" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnR_Kf76F5jUqreVJjkHF6qdkJn6zHZdKSqA6LGKN1-zhy25yBcxYI3i2B5bk7mLNVCPtgp7-CU-SOKkJ3p4fx5GLVGVbGpp0FCUtr7S8hT8VjV36AwI6s8faQKy-YrkJ-nwmioVfvWM/s1600/DSC_0004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnR_Kf76F5jUqreVJjkHF6qdkJn6zHZdKSqA6LGKN1-zhy25yBcxYI3i2B5bk7mLNVCPtgp7-CU-SOKkJ3p4fx5GLVGVbGpp0FCUtr7S8hT8VjV36AwI6s8faQKy-YrkJ-nwmioVfvWM/s400/DSC_0004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462047293238929890" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzE37QWv-e-d3juO89ci-5liJfkcFDV7SekI0UM1PsPuE9z_2AjAnp1HpCb06d2U13y-32JCrpmpC9JYyDpixg_AraWfpIBrLBSphgi-cZ9YX_G2ywDJUgudUJIAYJG7duvlttVL86kw/s1600/DSC_0003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzE37QWv-e-d3juO89ci-5liJfkcFDV7SekI0UM1PsPuE9z_2AjAnp1HpCb06d2U13y-32JCrpmpC9JYyDpixg_AraWfpIBrLBSphgi-cZ9YX_G2ywDJUgudUJIAYJG7duvlttVL86kw/s400/DSC_0003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462047281002397570" /></a><br /><br />And this is what 37 looks like...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenffhKu18o5OriI_jvhkhiLxdL1JvfxmnvUNPV7zTFpK3RlCby176rJrbq70hdnbyTUDs4xRGss1h42ieSG9xT_v66AE8iQRf63XIZaZlfIpBk0_GdmscJ2JP4EU29yBzLdnOd8ko8I4/s1600/DSC_0059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenffhKu18o5OriI_jvhkhiLxdL1JvfxmnvUNPV7zTFpK3RlCby176rJrbq70hdnbyTUDs4xRGss1h42ieSG9xT_v66AE8iQRf63XIZaZlfIpBk0_GdmscJ2JP4EU29yBzLdnOd8ko8I4/s400/DSC_0059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462048941368648050" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEcINaztJ-xbwMq6bPeV5NJ42hcBBuvfYbwBKhVqvWhPZ7slmJ7zGlcqRs8xfYW6EZCO3hFw0flp3GPRtxUsJbCkNpAG65zwTv_SalDRyDqw1CYAfTgewMe0o5RwJyhwPFramWg77PI8/s1600/DSC_0058.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEcINaztJ-xbwMq6bPeV5NJ42hcBBuvfYbwBKhVqvWhPZ7slmJ7zGlcqRs8xfYW6EZCO3hFw0flp3GPRtxUsJbCkNpAG65zwTv_SalDRyDqw1CYAfTgewMe0o5RwJyhwPFramWg77PI8/s400/DSC_0058.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462048929963920274" /></a><br /><br />(30 weeks, 5 days complete) <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjeH5IbEu6N5R0DX6NqjL2hefhx9biTDMOc_AnSCx1YzVu8c-Tg9NtYIVUGhgESM8A4sM-31cAsaqDY6R_bIGtyFtBW6qAgRGU73CRxliTy8oqikwPP_nFCBsNhDImuFkhfON5vgxLGQ/s1600/DSC_0067.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjeH5IbEu6N5R0DX6NqjL2hefhx9biTDMOc_AnSCx1YzVu8c-Tg9NtYIVUGhgESM8A4sM-31cAsaqDY6R_bIGtyFtBW6qAgRGU73CRxliTy8oqikwPP_nFCBsNhDImuFkhfON5vgxLGQ/s400/DSC_0067.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462048949679042578" /></a><br /><br /><br />I had a great day! We hung around the house all day until we all went out to dinner and then we came home and had a yummy cake that Chris made.Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-57806051187186338542010-04-04T19:31:00.001-07:002010-04-06T16:40:08.723-07:00Happy Easter!Knee walking man finds joy in the pansies!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZXZsytxdGrfQdgiMYKEo9m8tjdVaJ8n7oqardNebsFNJZg6Fr4h9or2uwgbWKDYsHHoa3CEGy_1xmw0qHototIxYj9oVW8A4y8j50s0Ivu4Zlh0pgY84xQkJapTbpbgUwJijL3pwcZA/s1600/IMG_9951.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 376px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZXZsytxdGrfQdgiMYKEo9m8tjdVaJ8n7oqardNebsFNJZg6Fr4h9or2uwgbWKDYsHHoa3CEGy_1xmw0qHototIxYj9oVW8A4y8j50s0Ivu4Zlh0pgY84xQkJapTbpbgUwJijL3pwcZA/s400/IMG_9951.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456484442382431970" /></a><br /><br />Big tree climbing girl!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4C1IRY3oCpQK56nTIhKNJi42PkqepzTRy1s808s-SSdwJj52IM2WO34UHkz3nhCBPdBN8lHRggW8DNufyo0jD0qOyt8nJYDbclsaS4eMjbouhWSJg7J9ZR6SUlrfes-sTi1TqDdepdk/s1600/IMG_9967.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4C1IRY3oCpQK56nTIhKNJi42PkqepzTRy1s808s-SSdwJj52IM2WO34UHkz3nhCBPdBN8lHRggW8DNufyo0jD0qOyt8nJYDbclsaS4eMjbouhWSJg7J9ZR6SUlrfes-sTi1TqDdepdk/s400/IMG_9967.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456484425863145410" /></a><br /><br />Sweet toddler!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHgRKkglqkJeRxLe0t7894GWGoUVf3szU2SC-AAZybt4CkrJeot0ZErEVh7YaaC4KqEk1PCCtFR141Ub2SSYP9GfdztvJIk9VDZ9aXNuwoRR6oaQ-vJ7vX0G2u_i1uIRzHjLL-60tZ1E/s1600/IMG_9993.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHgRKkglqkJeRxLe0t7894GWGoUVf3szU2SC-AAZybt4CkrJeot0ZErEVh7YaaC4KqEk1PCCtFR141Ub2SSYP9GfdztvJIk9VDZ9aXNuwoRR6oaQ-vJ7vX0G2u_i1uIRzHjLL-60tZ1E/s400/IMG_9993.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456484411722646114" /></a><br /><br />Can you find the egg?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjeF475ttf9tA-8hWfUqGZROjKehjJBy486l5GYruhaiaCJKt3j_kNx63JYZ6KPbw5o6OySqRlzGVC3p95-lQHOWw1xy0LrgnOBGjVfP2f6tea3-U6ANHN3hlp7tblROHOo5jwKJal-o/s1600/IMG_9982.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjeF475ttf9tA-8hWfUqGZROjKehjJBy486l5GYruhaiaCJKt3j_kNx63JYZ6KPbw5o6OySqRlzGVC3p95-lQHOWw1xy0LrgnOBGjVfP2f6tea3-U6ANHN3hlp7tblROHOo5jwKJal-o/s400/IMG_9982.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456484402598754178" /></a><br /><br />Walter can!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD4s_5q6X7NABPSf4g0vqFRmhX2qYz_6MfTZhpxPvYfLXq8TD5B4tLs60q23NIiVo46QirR7KEosQzPpAyWos7njqknstPzA1zetxpD3IKxJ39A5HnpAU_9QGzZxK2e4Ud8jtIu4NSrk/s1600/IMG_9984.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD4s_5q6X7NABPSf4g0vqFRmhX2qYz_6MfTZhpxPvYfLXq8TD5B4tLs60q23NIiVo46QirR7KEosQzPpAyWos7njqknstPzA1zetxpD3IKxJ39A5HnpAU_9QGzZxK2e4Ud8jtIu4NSrk/s400/IMG_9984.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456484390190638226" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc5tu10z37CxWxLLFGcDHQ4bp51p8OxzWHZhcmNR8X-kW8df03x1LW_9KxZ4cH0zo6L1nPIY3Yot_sLBuXA8tjMUAEVUC8kyPj57l41qj0SDgxr4jGfU68om3vmRuHk7tkFRlcxVeKNA/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWc5tu10z37CxWxLLFGcDHQ4bp51p8OxzWHZhcmNR8X-kW8df03x1LW_9KxZ4cH0zo6L1nPIY3Yot_sLBuXA8tjMUAEVUC8kyPj57l41qj0SDgxr4jGfU68om3vmRuHk7tkFRlcxVeKNA/s400/IMG_0005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457173158241701650" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-47801169108054957652010-03-31T11:54:00.001-07:002010-03-31T11:57:53.967-07:0027 weeks, 5 days complete (taken on 3/28/10)Completely full of energy one day, wiped out the next! Feeling that sweet little baby in there all the time and wondering who he/she is...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK1d4BPMfH0SbQ6MYsPx88Uu-7EtUfHb6sd-ZmuHhdkBx7viUC1enu-eFAoaOTXlGGcZ4COAhIRRp7FhAjt1Zj2AQleHvHmdboK7SmYao96If26VdcnOvsv47KOMhZRJmXCPgcUUUTbI/s1600/IMG_9844.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK1d4BPMfH0SbQ6MYsPx88Uu-7EtUfHb6sd-ZmuHhdkBx7viUC1enu-eFAoaOTXlGGcZ4COAhIRRp7FhAjt1Zj2AQleHvHmdboK7SmYao96If26VdcnOvsv47KOMhZRJmXCPgcUUUTbI/s400/IMG_9844.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454873542164303858" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-66072317543809419552010-03-23T18:10:00.000-07:002010-03-23T20:00:27.302-07:00Magic in the woodsMarch 18, 2010<br /><br />Just at the end of our road lies a magical place made of mud and streams, leaves, trees and just enough sunshine... I watch these two children play there and think about how lucky I am to have them in my life. Whoever would have thought I would feel such delight to watch my 2 year old bend and scoop up icy cold water?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOdFZsIURLPTu1zJWSNpUqmmntAJvm_eFzeyjpEJOsmagzVr2Bw-kxlcsk9lCamSKMSJ_w3jnqcfznHvVI9fv9cpaTiscBm9-RQXgMgSiS3RmxZmSGbf9BhZLFb11aiCfoy3loIWFUOQ/s1600-h/IMG_9596.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOdFZsIURLPTu1zJWSNpUqmmntAJvm_eFzeyjpEJOsmagzVr2Bw-kxlcsk9lCamSKMSJ_w3jnqcfznHvVI9fv9cpaTiscBm9-RQXgMgSiS3RmxZmSGbf9BhZLFb11aiCfoy3loIWFUOQ/s400/IMG_9596.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452012836409929842" /></a><br /><br />Or the elation I would feel when she stood in a stream and watched the water run over her feet, observing something so simple yet so complicated...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFn81Nv4_UkaKtNVKXqB7fhBxZ-P_lpyvUPMdrRnm-_ip-_TrmH_gEpek0SF1r_VRm8EbKK45_iu4Sqn_unGqD6vKFwdOYeTaWdExtYfcvCsKtdeOKlpeceD8LS_XH82NAY3bsIiQAgWY/s1600-h/IMG_9601.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFn81Nv4_UkaKtNVKXqB7fhBxZ-P_lpyvUPMdrRnm-_ip-_TrmH_gEpek0SF1r_VRm8EbKK45_iu4Sqn_unGqD6vKFwdOYeTaWdExtYfcvCsKtdeOKlpeceD8LS_XH82NAY3bsIiQAgWY/s400/IMG_9601.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452012827308022914" /></a><br /><br />And there is a point at which one must realize that there have been too many trips to the local cafe for lattes when your children start playing coffee shop in the woods...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizehB5C9J8S2hBVaAJwhwiQ2WAF-7u15LWGk0komtUsSRMv8E-1CHXSJShhl-in1z0QIw7g2gYS24IJ-YbP6edeLyUK4gB5mke9m8exDocvti-vvlMKKFbyAJC9MpZOCHHJ1-FGGOzXvE/s1600-h/IMG_9606.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizehB5C9J8S2hBVaAJwhwiQ2WAF-7u15LWGk0komtUsSRMv8E-1CHXSJShhl-in1z0QIw7g2gYS24IJ-YbP6edeLyUK4gB5mke9m8exDocvti-vvlMKKFbyAJC9MpZOCHHJ1-FGGOzXvE/s400/IMG_9606.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452012813945615138" /></a><br /><br />Sipping a pretend ice cold decaf latte...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3OogarYdkOjx4NTTnv8CmeIgsX00Dsk9znwvYm39cS8OUM9Lf4-FuO6IcfPV4g2B-Zc0BGRGmoeZF4ITuWaZ1yS0I5MFJW7CLjFobqqpewCWrlxknt6feuQVgI_anTbUgOE-Z1OOvPA/s1600-h/IMG_9612.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3OogarYdkOjx4NTTnv8CmeIgsX00Dsk9znwvYm39cS8OUM9Lf4-FuO6IcfPV4g2B-Zc0BGRGmoeZF4ITuWaZ1yS0I5MFJW7CLjFobqqpewCWrlxknt6feuQVgI_anTbUgOE-Z1OOvPA/s400/IMG_9612.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452011084261103154" /></a><br /><br />Cake making complete with candles and "Happy Birthday" songs...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVz06az5bB4VKgSJ5AHpo-TT7OcZwZi2QWVye9TlPhvRHX4guh8ojBXc13FNgHZZe5pskfaET_oCGBM6oPoJjoR6StyPbpJf_DP0XOycFXc_gNPH71QJHRzAU7ZJ5z2NNMf09gtZ_LicY/s1600-h/IMG_9613.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVz06az5bB4VKgSJ5AHpo-TT7OcZwZi2QWVye9TlPhvRHX4guh8ojBXc13FNgHZZe5pskfaET_oCGBM6oPoJjoR6StyPbpJf_DP0XOycFXc_gNPH71QJHRzAU7ZJ5z2NNMf09gtZ_LicY/s400/IMG_9613.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452011074200998818" /></a><br /><br />I truly love Spring and all that it holds in it's wisdom...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFkL0RGUiHuQbMIkT74wGeX1cUZAG88tvuykqS-o09WKhA7NcbApKuGvIVUzsZkuTVLq9GcXy3nf1F4F7nJeZ5fGmro9rE9CuCzHOjpCUAIcqDOkr4BB_nDNNfmDRi2jRrLmPaNS-KkM/s1600-h/IMG_9616.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFkL0RGUiHuQbMIkT74wGeX1cUZAG88tvuykqS-o09WKhA7NcbApKuGvIVUzsZkuTVLq9GcXy3nf1F4F7nJeZ5fGmro9rE9CuCzHOjpCUAIcqDOkr4BB_nDNNfmDRi2jRrLmPaNS-KkM/s400/IMG_9616.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452011053591974274" /></a><br /><br />Joyous boy who is just 2 days away from turning 5!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSGEhka55Bg6CaQCq1RlIy8LBqlKi7BAyhuyHH0j2vjkLhRlfZYDBq1r_77Yt3QxGZEqEnt-GFRfNRqE85QGP9HNN3C4HSH42Eu3336d7QrlFRTAzI19UDQt_0kSZD23hxczPIN_6egY/s1600-h/IMG_9629.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSGEhka55Bg6CaQCq1RlIy8LBqlKi7BAyhuyHH0j2vjkLhRlfZYDBq1r_77Yt3QxGZEqEnt-GFRfNRqE85QGP9HNN3C4HSH42Eu3336d7QrlFRTAzI19UDQt_0kSZD23hxczPIN_6egY/s400/IMG_9629.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452011011775299442" /></a><br /><br />And finally, in this open air they work as a team instead of tugging and taking from one another...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY0qCe03TTaLHfGvLHjoJnDj1gwXd5XT3RpNw64lsN1G_Qd1YG1KkHCKVEXD2uT_TDahtSBmZWGEiOQqBvO8Hqj4u8wFU3M8eG7uUVhD8TJRSg_ZU1EKvch0pSy7S3umwTb4XmHuzb4s/s1600-h/IMG_9630.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY0qCe03TTaLHfGvLHjoJnDj1gwXd5XT3RpNw64lsN1G_Qd1YG1KkHCKVEXD2uT_TDahtSBmZWGEiOQqBvO8Hqj4u8wFU3M8eG7uUVhD8TJRSg_ZU1EKvch0pSy7S3umwTb4XmHuzb4s/s400/IMG_9630.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452011002589064930" /></a><br /><br />We came home and they had lunch and went down for a nap. I picked Arden up from school and told her of our morning fun and she was ready to get in on it too! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTcC11rF2E6RM8h_D6MqE3p68Fz_lPwnVh-ZMjR6Tiac2SpqoBcvU5bYVJ1o62gNskSriQyAhFrEOKB_3GjFa8leLW7Cs_b10fEzzDTGte6fCrprqmaTNFXb53sStK_tRk6x6K4zsA7U/s1600-h/IMG_9634.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTcC11rF2E6RM8h_D6MqE3p68Fz_lPwnVh-ZMjR6Tiac2SpqoBcvU5bYVJ1o62gNskSriQyAhFrEOKB_3GjFa8leLW7Cs_b10fEzzDTGte6fCrprqmaTNFXb53sStK_tRk6x6K4zsA7U/s400/IMG_9634.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452002708567241362" /></a><br /><br />She was content to sit there and talk to us... about her day, about the woods, about anything we would listen to!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqanBt02nk0xKCPKnVUeyBtzgVMmTzOquIJ4FpLruDEPiBGRU1Jr-zlFNaXCTvV7AUAf2syTsxK941jRCOQS2_xZqEdzzEHY6M-YEtagOyrpGZwCtn20DPq6HIFRaU0xgbdY-J5TM0JGA/s1600-h/IMG_9635.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqanBt02nk0xKCPKnVUeyBtzgVMmTzOquIJ4FpLruDEPiBGRU1Jr-zlFNaXCTvV7AUAf2syTsxK941jRCOQS2_xZqEdzzEHY6M-YEtagOyrpGZwCtn20DPq6HIFRaU0xgbdY-J5TM0JGA/s400/IMG_9635.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452002700274062274" /></a><br /><br />We managed to get Chris to step away from his computer and come out with us. Here he helps Walter find the biggest piece of moss he can carry for a roof to a fairy house...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fJlDInQ_UYaj6JH169Zjzt7fkMYQLYmgcX3O6VKh7nIWcaeiP9A0Z2Fx-c2XT6yKgV5ih1muBztkecjSYZgFJmqUM2kIjx8aj00UlJwykHm2NC_A4YmOJzjk3MeXZ9Yek6zho_MpgN0/s1600-h/IMG_9643.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fJlDInQ_UYaj6JH169Zjzt7fkMYQLYmgcX3O6VKh7nIWcaeiP9A0Z2Fx-c2XT6yKgV5ih1muBztkecjSYZgFJmqUM2kIjx8aj00UlJwykHm2NC_A4YmOJzjk3MeXZ9Yek6zho_MpgN0/s400/IMG_9643.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452002691361484370" /></a><br /><br />This is the man I love... and as we go through a challenging time there are moments when I feel so hopeless and frustrated, lonely even and then the gray lifts off and I feel joy, and thankfulness, knowing that after all of the assholes I dated I could be doing much worse. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWOgrESZrIZBcA2ZutXPXOwng6MNX0sGpR7CgjEIIwNyDvnq0hFel74Qu8F-QqWRLBXDpi-c4d4zZ-1HKrJ3337XRa3cQo2V_CvAKd6OoIrZVyiodYvsgcTHQx0XBXUBWKRal75nABp4/s1600-h/IMG_9639.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWOgrESZrIZBcA2ZutXPXOwng6MNX0sGpR7CgjEIIwNyDvnq0hFel74Qu8F-QqWRLBXDpi-c4d4zZ-1HKrJ3337XRa3cQo2V_CvAKd6OoIrZVyiodYvsgcTHQx0XBXUBWKRal75nABp4/s400/IMG_9639.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452002665164334610" /></a><br /><br />I'm quite certain that if you look closely you might just see a fairy in that little fairy house...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMKuUteavlCNDucwZPe2vgl4UjAOEwTvU_QEZtyqkpKXsWh65lbnLYbnbUh6dL7VBiYnlKLIw4kK0iPydbRf-X0rtaNsjKbttwiBsw1A-ibCa8zjHp_-OP7BA7ROf3_QcjbDr7E0IZOc/s1600-h/IMG_9648.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMKuUteavlCNDucwZPe2vgl4UjAOEwTvU_QEZtyqkpKXsWh65lbnLYbnbUh6dL7VBiYnlKLIw4kK0iPydbRf-X0rtaNsjKbttwiBsw1A-ibCa8zjHp_-OP7BA7ROf3_QcjbDr7E0IZOc/s400/IMG_9648.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452002714190389026" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-61128656157378380492010-03-20T18:51:00.001-07:002010-04-16T20:41:02.155-07:00Walter Turns Five!Early morning birthday table ready to go! Walter told us the night before that he wanted to be able to open his presents in the playroom instead of at the table. (He must have known he was getting something big!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRqmoV8A2zGsw4zB5So1UNPHgawGM85m2auLdPUQPdjqop6Ot9U95jyN9MnMGzr3Ttd31Ig6FcluxR2x5VcqH8fwKxncrosC2yXlyC29BRiPSk4OU0nxiTkan_R_E1MJCVzX7TX5auzQ/s1600/IMG_9692.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRqmoV8A2zGsw4zB5So1UNPHgawGM85m2auLdPUQPdjqop6Ot9U95jyN9MnMGzr3Ttd31Ig6FcluxR2x5VcqH8fwKxncrosC2yXlyC29BRiPSk4OU0nxiTkan_R_E1MJCVzX7TX5auzQ/s400/IMG_9692.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455000059633255634" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS7AvhNgOPgAyMvvgdCS3I37R3PUXxHy-_uPSzFIEZvBh3aFyxNsuKaXsFZAsY-xXDOHEcmAyI9FLDR1eMDtj-Nkik2ZLEdFLzRpMhbdnHK0Cqzl57R_3HzPJz_NVo6CAtOzxcRyrWwY/s1600/IMG_9686.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS7AvhNgOPgAyMvvgdCS3I37R3PUXxHy-_uPSzFIEZvBh3aFyxNsuKaXsFZAsY-xXDOHEcmAyI9FLDR1eMDtj-Nkik2ZLEdFLzRpMhbdnHK0Cqzl57R_3HzPJz_NVo6CAtOzxcRyrWwY/s400/IMG_9686.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455000052870848018" /></a><br /><br />Beautiful birthday window (by Chris!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-fVNI3mMW6KrwtUhyphenhyphen34fGG4R3viF-rVB2FQb4FPA2cHglRmXww6hKR4TcroHIKirHSorcdIKubh2wbxrTz0m4uCB8yEHsUeKAxWC9BHy7n71WTID9wKWm84CloYjANUAQ7tMO4FCDn8/s1600/IMG_9824.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-fVNI3mMW6KrwtUhyphenhyphen34fGG4R3viF-rVB2FQb4FPA2cHglRmXww6hKR4TcroHIKirHSorcdIKubh2wbxrTz0m4uCB8yEHsUeKAxWC9BHy7n71WTID9wKWm84CloYjANUAQ7tMO4FCDn8/s400/IMG_9824.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455000042462337074" /></a><br /><br />Playroom all ready! I even found wrapping paper that said "Hoppy Birthday!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuV36lLy-Xq3m1VqmCI1ATPXOgkmhuUCB_iNkHaqew1SRUu5oOsiNRKWzd2R4ahDAH4DXzRv9XlQP2ntzpHwUjFjI7IIjxImYa-17wN12MMgpocIVTZxPxyHdbi34OPITKcQ9CHrfd0k/s1600/IMG_9698.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuV36lLy-Xq3m1VqmCI1ATPXOgkmhuUCB_iNkHaqew1SRUu5oOsiNRKWzd2R4ahDAH4DXzRv9XlQP2ntzpHwUjFjI7IIjxImYa-17wN12MMgpocIVTZxPxyHdbi34OPITKcQ9CHrfd0k/s400/IMG_9698.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454999214415758002" /></a><br /><br />The birthday boy comes down! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiADgEXWjuBgc_e-lvBwzCPt2RYUw8yCv2_Ntc1Zc45_YwbP4LXrrY99bCeYdscztGsgSxpG-RckKX_0706MnMqyJRbnCY5pFc5E0cwTSvNYNNnCAlrBAXczznWzCECMM-McXyOrMYwDI/s1600/IMG_9707.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiADgEXWjuBgc_e-lvBwzCPt2RYUw8yCv2_Ntc1Zc45_YwbP4LXrrY99bCeYdscztGsgSxpG-RckKX_0706MnMqyJRbnCY5pFc5E0cwTSvNYNNnCAlrBAXczznWzCECMM-McXyOrMYwDI/s400/IMG_9707.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454999203311265490" /></a><br /><br />Making a wish for himself!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6xexIEODp1Ao6dgSBk_lMN04y_omcS5Q8ywkE4cKLFUuAADoTciXilVDsy1yhyWs1cZnxFFojbOnt9-T3WAgd_I7WmuKh8x65Ups8-iq60xgqM9OIQBbZS3ppIydf8SLJuastzyaVzg/s1600/IMG_9721.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6xexIEODp1Ao6dgSBk_lMN04y_omcS5Q8ywkE4cKLFUuAADoTciXilVDsy1yhyWs1cZnxFFojbOnt9-T3WAgd_I7WmuKh8x65Ups8-iq60xgqM9OIQBbZS3ppIydf8SLJuastzyaVzg/s400/IMG_9721.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454999196288452210" /></a><br /><br />Claire helps him open his card...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwlS5gApU8LRP_J4GUBRrrAK2EhTYHIsEimhToWfGY4GJww0AGFTiZCTj-GKDVp6jX0SRl021lOKlRSQ3zaxQtnsTjnwPajfFdxRAXPnqSN_YFxqpmPFyJ3H78OWRDQ1b6HHq0ThgLQQ/s1600/IMG_9726.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwlS5gApU8LRP_J4GUBRrrAK2EhTYHIsEimhToWfGY4GJww0AGFTiZCTj-GKDVp6jX0SRl021lOKlRSQ3zaxQtnsTjnwPajfFdxRAXPnqSN_YFxqpmPFyJ3H78OWRDQ1b6HHq0ThgLQQ/s400/IMG_9726.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454999190339720626" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEtl1CEjkaiJtBfVdPOTfQVkvgmVL4GrrjvYsRsrFvp8PWMKHvdasiJ22Av9PXtatB0B7Eh7Vg4nW2zHRRKo5l5wQ2DyCxATIk8Ko9sOqWCbopxeehnw5LHmNNFzzlLmqhE2BH_joUkw/s1600/IMG_9728.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEtl1CEjkaiJtBfVdPOTfQVkvgmVL4GrrjvYsRsrFvp8PWMKHvdasiJ22Av9PXtatB0B7Eh7Vg4nW2zHRRKo5l5wQ2DyCxATIk8Ko9sOqWCbopxeehnw5LHmNNFzzlLmqhE2BH_joUkw/s400/IMG_9728.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454999179397646082" /></a><br /><br />"Space Pajamas!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlwq4xD8Q_S-HJLcqPDd6yBAPs7SGBx4kK1CesT__7Fe4qP5sWCWTIy7y_FvdJ3pouRsaVHmwP7ignC9OFNJBL9pW-YOnHKQ5CQBEmuZoHt0gh0NzOhexJaeSchZAFzWmlCuBZ9o3-Wo/s1600/IMG_9758.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 279px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlwq4xD8Q_S-HJLcqPDd6yBAPs7SGBx4kK1CesT__7Fe4qP5sWCWTIy7y_FvdJ3pouRsaVHmwP7ignC9OFNJBL9pW-YOnHKQ5CQBEmuZoHt0gh0NzOhexJaeSchZAFzWmlCuBZ9o3-Wo/s400/IMG_9758.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454997839835139634" /></a><br /><br />The girls are excited as he is opening the big one! Unfortunately it's just a big boring brown box...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EuCP9rLxbyg30UQyGwZOCIcUdXKhPDIt-lzQWqkqPm-sbebISssd65fwF8YIYsmmSak398mLxYEa-YToFSUGM0hq_zDM0I4wdZBT42x9cMG6qlRPjblzWMHmrNpHpH35-NesAA7-jlM/s1600/IMG_9771.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EuCP9rLxbyg30UQyGwZOCIcUdXKhPDIt-lzQWqkqPm-sbebISssd65fwF8YIYsmmSak398mLxYEa-YToFSUGM0hq_zDM0I4wdZBT42x9cMG6qlRPjblzWMHmrNpHpH35-NesAA7-jlM/s400/IMG_9771.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454997838972910642" /></a><br /><br />We tell him what's inside and he is perplexed about how we got this huge box delivered to the house without him knowing!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0-AU7IWw5E7MYxq0oHE8nzYHZS2eeCF6oeHoYCBSzM3BPlTr1ZRX-5xY98-RChpLU0Q6NMlVAZnyxA9T_YmFBNyiG17qVLIS7BeZF3QCPgUF1OZTvcKl3fBJmj_sdOj7kwymyPVazLM/s1600/IMG_9783.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 232px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0-AU7IWw5E7MYxq0oHE8nzYHZS2eeCF6oeHoYCBSzM3BPlTr1ZRX-5xY98-RChpLU0Q6NMlVAZnyxA9T_YmFBNyiG17qVLIS7BeZF3QCPgUF1OZTvcKl3fBJmj_sdOj7kwymyPVazLM/s400/IMG_9783.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454997826623258930" /></a><br /><br />It's a giant bounce house that *just* fits in our bonus room! He's a bit overwhelmed! (We got this because we knew it would be good for his core strength and fun!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNkNikoEfFWwbAO5UxeszGAspX1kNp7tRtvEZcv1NHxbtfYWDDSSSQpb-kvvMjzUJFQjVdkDTccWhyBwMU6hq_PHKV1cCbfTEYzYMzqQ67h9yZgOIQa-xuI8SLaA-gdE4GfqJs15yKLg/s1600/IMG_9794.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNkNikoEfFWwbAO5UxeszGAspX1kNp7tRtvEZcv1NHxbtfYWDDSSSQpb-kvvMjzUJFQjVdkDTccWhyBwMU6hq_PHKV1cCbfTEYzYMzqQ67h9yZgOIQa-xuI8SLaA-gdE4GfqJs15yKLg/s400/IMG_9794.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454997820532907682" /></a><br /><br />Off to Walter's current favorite breakfast place...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj360fVWhQZb1DE02ayqHjVc22HLE2f17oyz1hbCX-cIEUQkq_F9gu6CTsd7yAWeWinT77AlwOo3yn5Zo9_7_TKfLS1MtvDiP1n4I1RFpP66UQDStRGTA4P46SZxwkiZLt-0oBXk86DLv4/s1600/IMG_9806.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj360fVWhQZb1DE02ayqHjVc22HLE2f17oyz1hbCX-cIEUQkq_F9gu6CTsd7yAWeWinT77AlwOo3yn5Zo9_7_TKfLS1MtvDiP1n4I1RFpP66UQDStRGTA4P46SZxwkiZLt-0oBXk86DLv4/s400/IMG_9806.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454997816968264706" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgv93zfijrPLaYKUmpjqvjvh1_S3XAmTnJnGxs76L4d-yrm-ohVCpyszQYUpsw6NAmDHGBGebLkg3s0VwjbHWJUg_2S_Iy0kVYzJbNZHxMCd7VtGmPwlgZOTnC0Nosklm3YsnImRe89Q/s1600/IMG_9807.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgv93zfijrPLaYKUmpjqvjvh1_S3XAmTnJnGxs76L4d-yrm-ohVCpyszQYUpsw6NAmDHGBGebLkg3s0VwjbHWJUg_2S_Iy0kVYzJbNZHxMCd7VtGmPwlgZOTnC0Nosklm3YsnImRe89Q/s400/IMG_9807.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454994290372934850" /></a><br /><br />Back home with full bellies we set up the bounce house outside and have some fun!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CowydVF0x2FE1G1BHRVc8FMCvD-O5xqm8KoxefqiV_HwEkzZQmRMiOnb90EB0j8vZVzWKuOQTBCoNdS3kvnl6t6PXtiwgAcVnZ3YMLkZlgz_UsClVf3BlVL2Vv13duJubcCvmI6KbeY/s1600/IMG_9817.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CowydVF0x2FE1G1BHRVc8FMCvD-O5xqm8KoxefqiV_HwEkzZQmRMiOnb90EB0j8vZVzWKuOQTBCoNdS3kvnl6t6PXtiwgAcVnZ3YMLkZlgz_UsClVf3BlVL2Vv13duJubcCvmI6KbeY/s400/IMG_9817.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454994274767055282" /></a><br /><br />Whee!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhJO6OdtBi9QIUA8wiQMYXHCT0S-S6nJ3rfM4eZHozVwBlrxY4JhEhE2ofAOPB9osYgMDsn8XgRvy9ARex36lWAOX2pUNQgBqpxBsRkNheAgClfGP_rfxcBH4AXde5ZMUEdpSn0I30Rg/s1600/IMG_9823.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhJO6OdtBi9QIUA8wiQMYXHCT0S-S6nJ3rfM4eZHozVwBlrxY4JhEhE2ofAOPB9osYgMDsn8XgRvy9ARex36lWAOX2pUNQgBqpxBsRkNheAgClfGP_rfxcBH4AXde5ZMUEdpSn0I30Rg/s400/IMG_9823.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454994272977647986" /></a><br /><br />Walter requested a "hot dog fire pit party" and here it is! We invited some close friends and had a really nice time. The weather was beautiful too!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDBSfkw5I2JPaVox1tkzU1fL3CqAthI_4m9nd8rok0DQkft7-j2IyuMUl10gUqegpP6EWpG7nQ5NyszbIsw1eq96On1FgEoKoxdb-lh8uElPKO0HlK6O59QEalnbY0ARnbnWlXss9d7M/s1600/IMG_9826.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDBSfkw5I2JPaVox1tkzU1fL3CqAthI_4m9nd8rok0DQkft7-j2IyuMUl10gUqegpP6EWpG7nQ5NyszbIsw1eq96On1FgEoKoxdb-lh8uElPKO0HlK6O59QEalnbY0ARnbnWlXss9d7M/s400/IMG_9826.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454994265044174594" /></a><br /><br />The children bounced so much and for so long that they had to find other uses for the bounce house! Here it is some sort of ship! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJghho_dz-HHmmF60pYWNxdKIE6NUaZu3QHyCH3_PCiAylNMiTQQgbHiYaZ3aOPs8nzkT_AdPBsEYcUCXFOxoGXGeauCSEsWFfVdSq86lme7ITikOtg-AolqiF2QdV3IpTHXLgUC3QT4/s1600/IMG_9832.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJghho_dz-HHmmF60pYWNxdKIE6NUaZu3QHyCH3_PCiAylNMiTQQgbHiYaZ3aOPs8nzkT_AdPBsEYcUCXFOxoGXGeauCSEsWFfVdSq86lme7ITikOtg-AolqiF2QdV3IpTHXLgUC3QT4/s400/IMG_9832.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454994253561584978" /></a><br /><br />Happiest 5<span style="font-style:italic;">th</span> Birthday Walter! We are wishing more great things for you this year! (Homemade cannoli cheesecake!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCo9s_xPCSB6H4xVsmuXFdMBmzGbApWlVbNHUdw0dbitGxSv_G9diOefrvmpUmvFFkt3MWiI0joCOh1mDKpymIcTRK4Xyf0Qclax73HI3efo8BCjSTYHVrL2bl_ZOVz8ay5WnreCnVHU/s1600/IMG_1345.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCo9s_xPCSB6H4xVsmuXFdMBmzGbApWlVbNHUdw0dbitGxSv_G9diOefrvmpUmvFFkt3MWiI0joCOh1mDKpymIcTRK4Xyf0Qclax73HI3efo8BCjSTYHVrL2bl_ZOVz8ay5WnreCnVHU/s400/IMG_1345.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460945350824400066" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-61456098549801123492010-03-12T20:02:00.001-08:002010-03-23T17:12:54.916-07:00Day of Walter...In an effort to show a bit of what a day can look like for Walter's therapy...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Monday</span><br /><br />Bright and early we're off to the public school for occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (ST). This is a 45 minute appointment that's shared by the 2 therapists. The OT has him for the full 45 minutes and the ST has 30 minutes. If he were attending school I would have it specified in his IEP (Individualized Education Plan) to have it separated but in the interest of the school being a 15 minute drive one way from our house we bulk it up. I left Claire at home on this particular morning with Chris, although I can't always. It's a lot easier on me when I can as Claire gets into everything Walter does and it makes it harder for him to focus. Arden was at school.<br /><br />Here he is with his OT, Maria... what she does with him changes all the time but for this session she helps him roll over the yellow peanut on his belly to get to an object to try and pick it up with his left hand. This is helpful for back extension (muscles!) as well as weight bearing on his arms. He has hemiparesis cerebral palsy and his left side gives him a lot of trouble.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPChi8GVCWgWDSupzjkf-Q77lGBk6y_o_DX_LI6NceOHcTzfO4XU4m78app4LLCINKMjq6aRaxx63ukk_Q8t9xiP26Hmicf1w6Nt8T-WfkBNWUsgUb58w_xRumCAYiXpcqSUyNYIOn7tI/s1600-h/IMG_9487.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPChi8GVCWgWDSupzjkf-Q77lGBk6y_o_DX_LI6NceOHcTzfO4XU4m78app4LLCINKMjq6aRaxx63ukk_Q8t9xiP26Hmicf1w6Nt8T-WfkBNWUsgUb58w_xRumCAYiXpcqSUyNYIOn7tI/s400/IMG_9487.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447967230795913202" /></a><br /><br />She shows him a card with an object on it and then he has to find it. This helps with hand eye coordination too!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0jPkYrB8qH2tQPXSn5dFrZqMUr1aCbizLMNCsX5seR_gOd6GE8mPUOEgOoyUhRTpuP_SFlfCg3pEXEEdUj3ZGcbVvfObIMsIsM8-iznpPfVA7hp-GyziWHLjmspGp3p0np4G_zR28FU/s1600-h/IMG_9494.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0jPkYrB8qH2tQPXSn5dFrZqMUr1aCbizLMNCsX5seR_gOd6GE8mPUOEgOoyUhRTpuP_SFlfCg3pEXEEdUj3ZGcbVvfObIMsIsM8-iznpPfVA7hp-GyziWHLjmspGp3p0np4G_zR28FU/s400/IMG_9494.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447966619651638562" /></a><br /><br />After a bit of prompting to his left hand he is able to open it and pick up the object. This is really hard for him to do. He cooperates for 3 objects but then protests and switches to his right hand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m9TW50Qe7Q01rs5t_So8o3IHf1rVNR6I_a-Eouk3frdA__XjJplXCi9DAKCyrE5Dm963r4Cggy-fvuy25ohCji6IGYLxcKi_GGDv2_JMw19XAymxYYJKweZO1bzfuYbFuHgbWumM678/s1600-h/IMG_9492.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m9TW50Qe7Q01rs5t_So8o3IHf1rVNR6I_a-Eouk3frdA__XjJplXCi9DAKCyrE5Dm963r4Cggy-fvuy25ohCji6IGYLxcKi_GGDv2_JMw19XAymxYYJKweZO1bzfuYbFuHgbWumM678/s400/IMG_9492.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447966621777729074" /></a><br /><br />Next up is warm up for a game of catch... Maria calls out a color of frog for him to point to with his left hand and he does it! It helps him to be on his back as his arm is more supported and the spasticity in his left hand is a little less than usual in this position.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRyejbIr1lTFPvL3aZAPUFgXYO0zFLON4D12sKQ_bHrQ-2vPOkxOHVj3Voe02uXaNmAGd_uri8A_iF6-bZP7JPdHTqeN3X4p9A6qy_CwOL6CU1kfOJeQG1APE_WwsDR_KmtKmsOi05_o/s1600-h/IMG_9496.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRyejbIr1lTFPvL3aZAPUFgXYO0zFLON4D12sKQ_bHrQ-2vPOkxOHVj3Voe02uXaNmAGd_uri8A_iF6-bZP7JPdHTqeN3X4p9A6qy_CwOL6CU1kfOJeQG1APE_WwsDR_KmtKmsOi05_o/s400/IMG_9496.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447966605310959634" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here is his "mitt" (a big velcro landing pad!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8Qjs2-n6Zum3AO1cc5N2jj75bLiWIIx-w0KI2qTvcRVk6EMevOsmQGeSc_Lku6d101X7rgfsK02ccf9ohhyphenhyphenIbbhn0iU1ahvsj0gPRXnoptAP6TfoS1GfwvUUsF-GbWxzoDgBvE6eL0Q/s1600-h/IMG_9499.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8Qjs2-n6Zum3AO1cc5N2jj75bLiWIIx-w0KI2qTvcRVk6EMevOsmQGeSc_Lku6d101X7rgfsK02ccf9ohhyphenhyphenIbbhn0iU1ahvsj0gPRXnoptAP6TfoS1GfwvUUsF-GbWxzoDgBvE6eL0Q/s400/IMG_9499.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447966596904707474" /></a><br /><br />It's a challenge for him to get the ball off and you can see here how he opens his mouth he is struggling to balance it all out...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsJswCiPxSPE_5ZwSaplEVEi8D2yTJ7lqg1iSiRSQGosyd5X3K8GOBZLkyBLpDkzHbSCEGcAk5rnMInURFbd0EqHulVoEEgdu8UMT5Map4N-WKRs3TjmHAAC4j9_hgD1oOOROVJqwzGs/s1600-h/IMG_9501.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsJswCiPxSPE_5ZwSaplEVEi8D2yTJ7lqg1iSiRSQGosyd5X3K8GOBZLkyBLpDkzHbSCEGcAk5rnMInURFbd0EqHulVoEEgdu8UMT5Map4N-WKRs3TjmHAAC4j9_hgD1oOOROVJqwzGs/s400/IMG_9501.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447966595342663810" /></a><br /><br />After the first 15 minutes the speech therapist joins us... she had a sweet little baby a few weeks ago and we are lucky to have her back! Walter is currently working on the "sh" sound with her. He has the "s" sound down pat and is starting to get all the other S blend sounds with a pause in between, ie. "sn", "sw", "sp", "sc", "st" So for an example, when he says the word "snow" it comes out like, "s" brief pause, "no!" The "sh" sound requires lip rounding and protrusion which is going to take a lot of work though!<br /><br />--------------<br />He can be quite the jokester wise guy with this particular therapist! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPSok9fu5SH7g6Mlh7P7LF0tAh6I9859zFs-uDMQzsMVbgagtohjahb84VwA2ELPKNfCMnrD1jHgbATGX_EnAoHdUuJrqyxzZPYWl-6Nlz9HM9xCBgcDXSDwZiogTvp1qblsYc4jV9E4/s1600-h/IMG_9503.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPSok9fu5SH7g6Mlh7P7LF0tAh6I9859zFs-uDMQzsMVbgagtohjahb84VwA2ELPKNfCMnrD1jHgbATGX_EnAoHdUuJrqyxzZPYWl-6Nlz9HM9xCBgcDXSDwZiogTvp1qblsYc4jV9E4/s400/IMG_9503.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447971897259567138" /></a><br /><br />Here she tries to show him how his mouth shape should be...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlkRz9CN0lFOq-qR40RwBpRwVEONbRg4-ffFFk1mKjJPyYvYrnieInw8D2a7ewHm3ZlzBapScoWCr8_FvW4oAvqhT99jViG5WjuA5390N9U_OjR384YjkFkzkuI8wBLioGDLqC2ikgUA/s1600-h/IMG_9505.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlkRz9CN0lFOq-qR40RwBpRwVEONbRg4-ffFFk1mKjJPyYvYrnieInw8D2a7ewHm3ZlzBapScoWCr8_FvW4oAvqhT99jViG5WjuA5390N9U_OjR384YjkFkzkuI8wBLioGDLqC2ikgUA/s400/IMG_9505.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447971895153526130" /></a><br /><br />After the initial introduction it's onto practicing other S blend words and each time he says one he gets a magnetic chip to put on this sheet. He loves doing this and works really hard to get them just right in each little circle. His favorite part of the game is at the end I pretend to be upset that the chips are all over the place and tell him to quickly clean them up. The ST gives him a "magic wand" and he cleans them up quickly while laughing!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVvcYd72m0c4RooX2aRfrVxLFHdvPNaIqgXZ7zeSdHM7pv3b6HKTOYH7fYlecvqXr4wkVNlMfq5wOQSbPl_21c7AZr5ZPEtweq-jVsxNZML5Ya89GeXPItN5LKmzysVyg834YxEJgoVY/s1600-h/IMG_9507.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVvcYd72m0c4RooX2aRfrVxLFHdvPNaIqgXZ7zeSdHM7pv3b6HKTOYH7fYlecvqXr4wkVNlMfq5wOQSbPl_21c7AZr5ZPEtweq-jVsxNZML5Ya89GeXPItN5LKmzysVyg834YxEJgoVY/s400/IMG_9507.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447971880744105778" /></a><br /><br />What the heck is he practicing here?! It's not what you think! There is a little ball in the basket that if he blows just right (breath control, lip rounding, lip protrusion) he can raise it and have it hover over the basket... too hard of a blow makes it shoot out onto the floor. A few months ago he couldn't raise the ball at all so he's doing really well!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHj3B9ICv-IFKNPszFCN3JdAki2ITv09zCOU7imcWy3B2QS5rJmeam3pDfpIt1VE0QeZRPxpkHb9YcPFj_2UOpgw4dSQMXa2eV9jLPbftkw-Ky4UgXt7O8FyRtErZcwUOH90rzfcP4do/s1600-h/IMG_9508.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 361px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHj3B9ICv-IFKNPszFCN3JdAki2ITv09zCOU7imcWy3B2QS5rJmeam3pDfpIt1VE0QeZRPxpkHb9YcPFj_2UOpgw4dSQMXa2eV9jLPbftkw-Ky4UgXt7O8FyRtErZcwUOH90rzfcP4do/s400/IMG_9508.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447971874282092338" /></a><br /><br />A quick snack at home and then our new guy Tom comes. Tom is a senior kinesiology student at a local college. I recently realized that we can't do <span style="font-style:italic;">everything</span> and that I don't want to be Walter's therapist, I want to be his Mom. He currently sees his physical therapist (PT) once a week (75 minutes) and as good as she is it's just not enough. We work with him a little each day doing a few minutes of stretches and some walking with his braces but like most everyone in this world he could really benefit from more exercise.<br /><br />I asked our PT and she recommended posting a job at the local college's kinesiology department. I decided to have someone come in and work with Walter 3x a week on stretching and strengthening. We interviewed 2 different guys and Walter felt really strongly about Tom.<br /><br />Here is Walter with Tom... it's good for Walter to have a male other than his Dad to work him! We've been sending them up into the bonus room so they can work without the girls interrupting them. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0KrhB23wcUBpnC73fnNTCBBN8TE79wqWlJfR0j2fdjXbbvElgXPrsYCuUIee8D32_YfHUi3v9ecc2lB-9IICAnwGcMOs1-t20K3iH6CxW7bItcYt-MD2hmGr0-oq2tadFoP7MWxESOA/s1600-h/IMG_9511.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0KrhB23wcUBpnC73fnNTCBBN8TE79wqWlJfR0j2fdjXbbvElgXPrsYCuUIee8D32_YfHUi3v9ecc2lB-9IICAnwGcMOs1-t20K3iH6CxW7bItcYt-MD2hmGr0-oq2tadFoP7MWxESOA/s400/IMG_9511.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447971868231832210" /></a><br /><br />While they were busy I took the opportunity to take Claire outside to try and learn to peddle her tricycle...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekQ1wu8YPmN8ZaCkB4jre9f8bVHw7INH7Dm8x23X4nZpE1vA-5o4F1lbjQF_Tl3nfN_dpRb0aCvBB_FyR9_9m79DKw5hi5W4Hkl09hFjncVvKDD50Bd0JF2UNL6yr0FU5qbap07nAg_8/s1600-h/IMG_9512.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekQ1wu8YPmN8ZaCkB4jre9f8bVHw7INH7Dm8x23X4nZpE1vA-5o4F1lbjQF_Tl3nfN_dpRb0aCvBB_FyR9_9m79DKw5hi5W4Hkl09hFjncVvKDD50Bd0JF2UNL6yr0FU5qbap07nAg_8/s400/IMG_9512.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449024965691521282" /></a><br /><br />She's just starting to be able to do it too! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZvIuk1EXBL4D4pLgjERCU4AyrvsSquUxM214HzU0srGuD_wisT1LV49ZP5u9q_FgTe0so1ztnTQoesbjiwVl1U8t_Ite-zEre09nApYareBIEC3hbgnzMpIedMIFOdsXwg6D55Wl3e8/s1600-h/IMG_9513.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZvIuk1EXBL4D4pLgjERCU4AyrvsSquUxM214HzU0srGuD_wisT1LV49ZP5u9q_FgTe0so1ztnTQoesbjiwVl1U8t_Ite-zEre09nApYareBIEC3hbgnzMpIedMIFOdsXwg6D55Wl3e8/s400/IMG_9513.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449024953610252178" /></a><br /><br />Claire really likes Tom and wants to go upstairs with him and Walter so I had to bust out the big guns, paint!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD_0fhFAqX-5EofpVAIYLzVs10f8cYsnJk1yIuTvp2aO7Q-XbvgKHMK_-5wCRLPMmanHBAT4nW36kUNRdgti8L-6endoaSlKAEqmKOHlNB1plDtB8joIf4N7kJc4f4bUDGl7ZypCBv5k/s1600-h/IMG_9519.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKD_0fhFAqX-5EofpVAIYLzVs10f8cYsnJk1yIuTvp2aO7Q-XbvgKHMK_-5wCRLPMmanHBAT4nW36kUNRdgti8L-6endoaSlKAEqmKOHlNB1plDtB8joIf4N7kJc4f4bUDGl7ZypCBv5k/s400/IMG_9519.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449024944862050434" /></a><br /><br />Even more fun is getting to do her own clean up!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGo8AxbpborQWs2k1y06cqhmc1lXDv-vaf8QQUNqLbUmnQbrixD5uMOsTLnTdku-_nJXiDvqDjoY9MsL61v2RC-eeypVi9xUnx9Sedaklnj5tVh2cJNLpy1Q17ZmTs_uvT9GLq4Nzj-k/s1600-h/IMG_9520.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGo8AxbpborQWs2k1y06cqhmc1lXDv-vaf8QQUNqLbUmnQbrixD5uMOsTLnTdku-_nJXiDvqDjoY9MsL61v2RC-eeypVi9xUnx9Sedaklnj5tVh2cJNLpy1Q17ZmTs_uvT9GLq4Nzj-k/s400/IMG_9520.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449024939333324082" /></a><br /><br />While we were busy doing that I went upstairs at the end of the hour and found Walter doing this...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrLByjs7wMCLZ2X4MD9lZsshqmswJDO8wzhJsDkSj2pyddq16RM-EPJ2zBkXPhDlFUBciRyBscC93bfrcxmwUapBrwGMMZWWl2jHw0bIAGRr5vZyE3qfQbyBK3kvdhRlHcnRVdYawkyU/s1600-h/IMG_9522.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrLByjs7wMCLZ2X4MD9lZsshqmswJDO8wzhJsDkSj2pyddq16RM-EPJ2zBkXPhDlFUBciRyBscC93bfrcxmwUapBrwGMMZWWl2jHw0bIAGRr5vZyE3qfQbyBK3kvdhRlHcnRVdYawkyU/s400/IMG_9522.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449031122933580658" /></a><br /><br />But he was really just hiding his eyes for Tom to hide something for a game of Hot/Cold!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2PgLpMKM1PkrVAw_KfeTqtr7sHtJzWrig3UhrxnqcjEO14UFvN2YdPzEdOWRlu2MEdZY60tK33ZKlwVGFqhM72lARIh4NkcwoHd9bYvOkD4ZQFCdS1M5e-2f9_OAwdl0Tspe9-BI1oI/s1600-h/IMG_9523.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2PgLpMKM1PkrVAw_KfeTqtr7sHtJzWrig3UhrxnqcjEO14UFvN2YdPzEdOWRlu2MEdZY60tK33ZKlwVGFqhM72lARIh4NkcwoHd9bYvOkD4ZQFCdS1M5e-2f9_OAwdl0Tspe9-BI1oI/s400/IMG_9523.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449031113119203170" /></a><br /><br />Looking...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgeZY1BZUKUTGKe77i-hjP3h00S512ru5fOSQbRgL9nke1zTBE1FsJf7hDzMjul01HhoZ1IB5HLuNTXaPpr5M9QoXUhIdj-tPT5Yo-YjFmUSPb1TxRYE3okbTQNKXXoJ8qYBiVaHSj2A/s1600-h/IMG_9526.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgeZY1BZUKUTGKe77i-hjP3h00S512ru5fOSQbRgL9nke1zTBE1FsJf7hDzMjul01HhoZ1IB5HLuNTXaPpr5M9QoXUhIdj-tPT5Yo-YjFmUSPb1TxRYE3okbTQNKXXoJ8qYBiVaHSj2A/s400/IMG_9526.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449031105641749474" /></a><br /><br />Found it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsh7XT9LWwZT93xNP8gEHq1SUpkz3uzJmM4uAnIArx-Z12d0IWcWSc-AM0QH6EWpi3_ll70Mac2sEaXuVQ3mtv1KdNwPqWIP0di5k7JwbxrOY9lHlggqHvrsD2j5mlXxN9vEUtX54_lA/s1600-h/IMG_9529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsh7XT9LWwZT93xNP8gEHq1SUpkz3uzJmM4uAnIArx-Z12d0IWcWSc-AM0QH6EWpi3_ll70Mac2sEaXuVQ3mtv1KdNwPqWIP0di5k7JwbxrOY9lHlggqHvrsD2j5mlXxN9vEUtX54_lA/s400/IMG_9529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449031087465065858" /></a><br /><br />After this was family walk, dinner, bath time and bed!Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-23649588522832011222010-02-23T18:27:00.000-08:002010-02-23T20:14:44.321-08:00Happy 7th Birthday Arden!I apparently went completely out of my mind and offered Arden the option of having a birthday party this year. She was totally into it and was limited to inviting 7 children. It pained her to have to pick and choose amongst her friends but I was insistent. We decided to decorate candles with decorating wax, have pizza delivered and get a cheater cake from Whole Foods. This was the first time ever that I didn't cook for a party! I have to admit, it was great! The candles were a huge hit and I'm especially glad that I didn't send everyone home with a bag of crap!<br /><br /><br /><a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQL3gWyetg6JEphDl8SsSU7Czu1Gy9nepVlHSMwFQmF9QlC3hbZd30HNSeQXF7TAfc6HSzLaKj7Gd2N1gAlkKFyx4aBmrgMSMlSHvu-M2ShlNdp125WFMN6tT2VzLWE1EvnjPE9V4RWhU/s400/IMG_8751.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441643670254363778" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPqOCa1KGwBR4aTcdJsiW2XxlQOQHsaJwJ8hihqNfcR7G_IpN_hnOfkh8dvuQJHWL5L4eFXnvZZE62wKKg04ymJuNvhRMsPmCWRS5eqrAx1KUu7t0FOGORqhYEbhEB6kW5J6NxCIB5Vs/s400/IMG_8752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441643685680640162" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNH9gPBKDrFJofeAg29Hmp4lztz5uqgTNWRJyFzrrjqEeiz3kOCQ8__JL3L6_zR_S72uHZqpyovMPX-rdP0RZIVHfzFQKZcWKqZFEOnnNmjmqxQwpjigGsO3e42qUSrvm4sXphtkuzUw/s400/IMG_8763.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441643691852323346" /></a><br /><br />After candles it was cake time! Arden gets mesmerized by the candles, it's so cute!<br /><br /><a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SN9JLW3uAwwgbgXHvZXDFDF9riCj7lTVid1H7GsmqNT0kW_l6UOc3FTBHFro_qDGgvrBqAvJcODUB_OVlaieVwtEWvACbGKiJG_LkHY9Pe0kWDhRI_dZQaiZ03YxSOSWcU8z-vzm9Ic/s400/IMG_8773.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441643699788500098" /></a><br /><br />Her friends brought awesome gifts as you can see here. She's all excited as the boy to the left (her right) had just told her, "It's not <span style="font-style:italic;">just </span>a tea set... it's a PAINT YOUR OWN TEA SET!" She was totally psyched!<br /><br /><a><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFGUZii-4JouTHiN8zxJWKAIxxXll78krEZw2ardK15rbid5tu5yNV9md1WNZ4By1HfsmaSR7jrFZwflTJVg0XG26Dita9gizV7-p2QypEJhDmWrc6ZcdXZy8lK8MTy7zxFzliM5ZD4s/s400/IMG_8794.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441643708364063538" /></a><br /><br />A beautiful handmade necklace by the sweetest little girl who stood excitedly nearby (and unfortunately out of the photo.) Arden is afraid to break it and has been admiring it from her dresser. We'll have to work on that!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gfmzgR_g6eTxc50yZ8Rk5oSvYn9T-_TveFCRno4LXxgkPiXBNlmts1tyPeTLsCBG9OA0gKo7z2oFFa8zKOGM8jhONBlFhyphenhyphenLquEHbhyphenhyphen722RA6mM8MaOLdA2uI5U56NJ_SbtdQoi3p43Y/s1600-h/IMG_8799.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gfmzgR_g6eTxc50yZ8Rk5oSvYn9T-_TveFCRno4LXxgkPiXBNlmts1tyPeTLsCBG9OA0gKo7z2oFFa8zKOGM8jhONBlFhyphenhyphenLquEHbhyphenhyphen722RA6mM8MaOLdA2uI5U56NJ_SbtdQoi3p43Y/s400/IMG_8799.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441646058858491570" /></a><br /><br /><br />The day after was spent ALL OVER Scotty! Here he is getting ready to leave... Claire barely left his lap the entire time he was here. The children completely vie for his attention. It's nice having cherished friends that my children love too. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKgpB6oVHXYLDFA3oQYgSRE3D3mH-Xma1jgH80g6SZaPDK8dH_5z2BzpE7ReF7RxB3JUC5OK1VsuPSOwReJ0cmewv3FCVL_6AmyGkOSy5RQzPlZq9PXH8dubgO49iw00nlblZSU3_GRU/s1600-h/IMG_9343.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKgpB6oVHXYLDFA3oQYgSRE3D3mH-Xma1jgH80g6SZaPDK8dH_5z2BzpE7ReF7RxB3JUC5OK1VsuPSOwReJ0cmewv3FCVL_6AmyGkOSy5RQzPlZq9PXH8dubgO49iw00nlblZSU3_GRU/s400/IMG_9343.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441646047303364498" /></a><br /><br />Last night Arden went to bed, her last night ever as a 6 year old! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFL0YXsJuhhgOmsduRVGM_9UJkSLKUNwLDySviYxlIb4j4okZKvibJzGzhksAfELSDH5H9CxJEddZpKsSze7G4OX0VNnzBzeBmmXvP4iIWqdpug97EZ2uVZFm0fecOtp00IU1C0ic07c/s1600-h/IMG_9350.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 328px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFL0YXsJuhhgOmsduRVGM_9UJkSLKUNwLDySviYxlIb4j4okZKvibJzGzhksAfELSDH5H9CxJEddZpKsSze7G4OX0VNnzBzeBmmXvP4iIWqdpug97EZ2uVZFm0fecOtp00IU1C0ic07c/s400/IMG_9350.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441646035871699410" /></a><br /><br />Today I spent the morning getting her birthday table and window ready. Claire and I had dropped Walter off at school so it made all of my last minute errands a bit easier. As soon as we came home I put them to nap and then worked hard to get everything all set before Arden got home from school. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1pXpmVU7z9lO7UewOcnvnWIV76cpDOKm8U5qyYUpBcCo4zWx4aV6ML-PuWLOztzOv5o74_VHbsbwYCdXnQr0pUNhOJchAxdXqubXB-Vr1kDJCNjcuKzQtanqI7yaUEfuGt12Rh0vdwM/s1600-h/IMG_9361.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1pXpmVU7z9lO7UewOcnvnWIV76cpDOKm8U5qyYUpBcCo4zWx4aV6ML-PuWLOztzOv5o74_VHbsbwYCdXnQr0pUNhOJchAxdXqubXB-Vr1kDJCNjcuKzQtanqI7yaUEfuGt12Rh0vdwM/s400/IMG_9361.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441646030567507490" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRG2mzv21gjzNZFJjXQYNz3t31NaTRwM-KMhV4jVZg4WZL1nuV9x2FqIWlNtPy1ktlHc1Iz1kQMf2mIqer5Sf3gCIPxV1d9gjNg1gxjx2zWTgeoRNqlfnvmGypWqKy_tZSsJWYVq8zgLc/s1600-h/IMG_9362.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRG2mzv21gjzNZFJjXQYNz3t31NaTRwM-KMhV4jVZg4WZL1nuV9x2FqIWlNtPy1ktlHc1Iz1kQMf2mIqer5Sf3gCIPxV1d9gjNg1gxjx2zWTgeoRNqlfnvmGypWqKy_tZSsJWYVq8zgLc/s400/IMG_9362.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441646018718218546" /></a><br /><br />After naps Walter and Claire worked on their birthday cards with no time to spare!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgF1s_fCZodpqlirVEVJbnVxIKLe2bY_JFo4KiWquQVABH5e743SnyihCNKxESi8Qd4af1NlYokPFsb1H65sfshEw7K5vBKpyyYYUOIDLneK3-JWjr59mwM4ealyKGc33cVRlIJnLd1I/s1600-h/IMG_9364.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgF1s_fCZodpqlirVEVJbnVxIKLe2bY_JFo4KiWquQVABH5e743SnyihCNKxESi8Qd4af1NlYokPFsb1H65sfshEw7K5vBKpyyYYUOIDLneK3-JWjr59mwM4ealyKGc33cVRlIJnLd1I/s400/IMG_9364.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441647647217911842" /></a><br /><br />The birthday girl arrives!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUPrkoE-SHBA9eyWx0cxQ-nmY-FMfgB1sEfmkZUlgcoe6hY5MyM-ewtarLw9tXMxqdMgkOP_TFrD8UqhWSXkGIZLjdQzHaoWkykfW0LcdokdRP1pz1gBQ0s__MjDA0XM5EifxNKE54m4/s1600-h/IMG_9366.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUPrkoE-SHBA9eyWx0cxQ-nmY-FMfgB1sEfmkZUlgcoe6hY5MyM-ewtarLw9tXMxqdMgkOP_TFrD8UqhWSXkGIZLjdQzHaoWkykfW0LcdokdRP1pz1gBQ0s__MjDA0XM5EifxNKE54m4/s400/IMG_9366.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441647642278654802" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFajQ7w3ikOmgQrS4TXgVCEizkED2WU1DG3ywzxlAXbOku57hXnx5VG5eG7KwAgcux__DlNuhOvd5eLkiOdP3u5fyFO5YE88dnVjW0-dYaYCiWuDXCPwF4tf_0CLHWs7wntnS5dGNroKA/s1600-h/IMG_9369.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFajQ7w3ikOmgQrS4TXgVCEizkED2WU1DG3ywzxlAXbOku57hXnx5VG5eG7KwAgcux__DlNuhOvd5eLkiOdP3u5fyFO5YE88dnVjW0-dYaYCiWuDXCPwF4tf_0CLHWs7wntnS5dGNroKA/s400/IMG_9369.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441647634564872082" /></a><br /><br />Checking out her birthday window...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinVxfn_ypU3jF-yA1ruHPXmfIOxI-h7T-5aKEpSsyxOytQCghdGWQwU82H1r0UqmpFvBc2Cjmwc_ihVOVaOBsxA8ajuSZvt5dK9ZPQ-VbIvD7rGjLa5tp5tV01k7QVcO9osIX48EQBi8/s1600-h/IMG_9378.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinVxfn_ypU3jF-yA1ruHPXmfIOxI-h7T-5aKEpSsyxOytQCghdGWQwU82H1r0UqmpFvBc2Cjmwc_ihVOVaOBsxA8ajuSZvt5dK9ZPQ-VbIvD7rGjLa5tp5tV01k7QVcO9osIX48EQBi8/s400/IMG_9378.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441647632751493618" /></a><br /><br />What's that Mom? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfTdPfya64qyMr2RZ5b6ScoBD_XF-SrLY91YuEIR5KZg8GTpVioLVrGXQ6K_PpHMdFuPhkU1SubdnGcJ8bzPBdBDCf6MD9m8PjEs-aELv2VxoJ5RQS8VUbIdmTq5TOr1CFdPcSR689J0/s1600-h/IMG_9375.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfTdPfya64qyMr2RZ5b6ScoBD_XF-SrLY91YuEIR5KZg8GTpVioLVrGXQ6K_PpHMdFuPhkU1SubdnGcJ8bzPBdBDCf6MD9m8PjEs-aELv2VxoJ5RQS8VUbIdmTq5TOr1CFdPcSR689J0/s400/IMG_9375.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441647623244950322" /></a><br /><br />Well it's a little girl <span style="font-weight:bold;">riding a bike</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">reading a book</span> with the number 7 on it of course! (Two of the biggest things Arden learned to do this year!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh8Z6_vu6LGUSiF-gPSfFY30Pc6OiHlS_lidcnf05Nah8zfPw438FlBgYfU5lP4cx1IYvQDueviVDfOjpPKeThM2-iMCz8U8lFaLCnW80MzfYdPi2XtzcHF2kFyRMR_A9WJecO7xev0c/s1600-h/IMG_9360.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh8Z6_vu6LGUSiF-gPSfFY30Pc6OiHlS_lidcnf05Nah8zfPw438FlBgYfU5lP4cx1IYvQDueviVDfOjpPKeThM2-iMCz8U8lFaLCnW80MzfYdPi2XtzcHF2kFyRMR_A9WJecO7xev0c/s400/IMG_9360.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441656833461620082" /></a><br /><br />More wishes...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhsUkM_j8MhBzklWlA1h_Rp8ED0TF3x09EXMkQA2NYNvbZ1cscuV8-zOxfbaqHsqYUFqWZu3GDJcqXSHtcsXSar62HZ9jKf3t09lTTK9YSl8mhMuFeCvt-smhPj0UuD9Jvmn8x0WQ6lA/s1600-h/IMG_9384.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhsUkM_j8MhBzklWlA1h_Rp8ED0TF3x09EXMkQA2NYNvbZ1cscuV8-zOxfbaqHsqYUFqWZu3GDJcqXSHtcsXSar62HZ9jKf3t09lTTK9YSl8mhMuFeCvt-smhPj0UuD9Jvmn8x0WQ6lA/s400/IMG_9384.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441649911273414546" /></a><br /><br />A beautiful picture from her little brother...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguH68FqB139VqEbRlSZUoigM0Vlf8H1GgJ9SIRWh7mGmDnZPxpBvVBmkvdBwTxaXmYH4DzcthpX9RogzqwiMJIiY0s7Adgkbrg63si8BxH2gmqrytGuumrQ7n_yBQfpoqdlfQNvWr5Ebc/s1600-h/IMG_9392.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguH68FqB139VqEbRlSZUoigM0Vlf8H1GgJ9SIRWh7mGmDnZPxpBvVBmkvdBwTxaXmYH4DzcthpX9RogzqwiMJIiY0s7Adgkbrg63si8BxH2gmqrytGuumrQ7n_yBQfpoqdlfQNvWr5Ebc/s400/IMG_9392.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441649904445467890" /></a><br /><br />And the biggest present of all! "A SIZE 2 BIKE!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaCqQPSxZAKcwIGG6v8SEgd6wfqjlmUlF82U6UX-BKkfMB31UZ_qh9PxInS_3Qq5OfWmquRw6bAa_48o1tHEhVdfn9zYIPtbvhvf2z0OGnSfzW0n5MHubrjphB_3OxRUFZtVFFlOMj4w/s1600-h/IMG_9425.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaCqQPSxZAKcwIGG6v8SEgd6wfqjlmUlF82U6UX-BKkfMB31UZ_qh9PxInS_3Qq5OfWmquRw6bAa_48o1tHEhVdfn9zYIPtbvhvf2z0OGnSfzW0n5MHubrjphB_3OxRUFZtVFFlOMj4w/s400/IMG_9425.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441649896799976146" /></a><br /><br />Wish for nothing but good things sweet girl! Thank you for making me a Mama! I love you so!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw36jmjO4FUxx6p_o6nWAazphFXFucJ8g_EohImzfMT8ARqJmpJDlNzKcLzyG4Jn-E2ZqkdKnBceG8qvTEQIsFacJkNKFGth8g5fkxPsEcwVWKrrjh5YxWQWCDjuSOLdDIBaTQq1GW5Hc/s1600-h/IMG_9433.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw36jmjO4FUxx6p_o6nWAazphFXFucJ8g_EohImzfMT8ARqJmpJDlNzKcLzyG4Jn-E2ZqkdKnBceG8qvTEQIsFacJkNKFGth8g5fkxPsEcwVWKrrjh5YxWQWCDjuSOLdDIBaTQq1GW5Hc/s400/IMG_9433.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441649888619326626" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-75190992081967255002010-02-01T20:14:00.000-08:002010-02-01T20:31:25.846-08:00Sweater for Claire...In September I cast on for this sweater and shortly afterwards I realized I was pregnant and ridiculously tired. It was laid aside unfinished until recently. It feels good to have it done and I can only hope that Claire actually wears it! (She runs hot.)<br /><br /><br />Pattern: <a href="http://carole.barenys.com/YokeSweater.html">Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater</a><br />Yarn: Misti Alpaca Worsted Solids<br />Needles: US 6 & 7 (I was going for a toddler sized yoked sweater so upped my yarn size and needles, luckily I hit it spot on!)<br /><br />Gauge swatch? I don't need no stinking gauge swatch!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3f5ZOCOz5V2NjAlcQsmt7w_2Hl82NyJVEfQLhyX-VvJtWxS-bqEr0ZyhQzY9V2mg_d_X3cbChxSMUiGKdMVgjVtRcOVYYLNrx5LL7pKuHCKiW147o8XzUUIsnm_iVENvcxbCJnbjr60/s1600-h/IMG_8687.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3f5ZOCOz5V2NjAlcQsmt7w_2Hl82NyJVEfQLhyX-VvJtWxS-bqEr0ZyhQzY9V2mg_d_X3cbChxSMUiGKdMVgjVtRcOVYYLNrx5LL7pKuHCKiW147o8XzUUIsnm_iVENvcxbCJnbjr60/s400/IMG_8687.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433495622706670386" /></a><br /><br />My sweet 2 year old! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqLTyinvlpRoVXGNYyciRCt2v212mFH0LIVWTAxE_7wfkS88pRjn2sc3mC8pRRR_D-KdHwBRmeLc-vmlkMSVdSI6XYvHrWHCqJB3yNIIC28oUFZ22RUkjEyUxFUc_wuGFZiSQgawFNDs/s1600-h/IMG_8650.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqLTyinvlpRoVXGNYyciRCt2v212mFH0LIVWTAxE_7wfkS88pRjn2sc3mC8pRRR_D-KdHwBRmeLc-vmlkMSVdSI6XYvHrWHCqJB3yNIIC28oUFZ22RUkjEyUxFUc_wuGFZiSQgawFNDs/s400/IMG_8650.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433495610468272226" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOgtbQaumUOjEIkquDX9P4BnsDERDUgwdXusQvGy-k9gICSwqO-TiKhOX8pp9NAU4h6w6QDJnhHbaPtTC6-leM8lz1Mysd0t6RSsvRNxIV4RFUEwK1vxXTKUwNDRhFfYKjAP7KUsuUlc/s1600-h/IMG_8644.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOgtbQaumUOjEIkquDX9P4BnsDERDUgwdXusQvGy-k9gICSwqO-TiKhOX8pp9NAU4h6w6QDJnhHbaPtTC6-leM8lz1Mysd0t6RSsvRNxIV4RFUEwK1vxXTKUwNDRhFfYKjAP7KUsuUlc/s400/IMG_8644.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433495617994722818" /></a><br /><br />Yoke detail...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT0mBdGv24lm1Y4jyFRr77m9ZQ3-oHudG2-bn054VUF-n8XZZw6evNGRUgcH8ONUKNX2-IjS-DFodSrFtDoJfyb0NM-I5widl-caT9FuILUs5pa67SuOfBrQ7jERBdUo8sgF02dlf3eM/s1600-h/IMG_8684.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaT0mBdGv24lm1Y4jyFRr77m9ZQ3-oHudG2-bn054VUF-n8XZZw6evNGRUgcH8ONUKNX2-IjS-DFodSrFtDoJfyb0NM-I5widl-caT9FuILUs5pa67SuOfBrQ7jERBdUo8sgF02dlf3eM/s400/IMG_8684.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433495607414427266" /></a><br /><br />Button detail...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBngafcwOvVlrPPetOnbv18oMXkl2_vdlQ8kezpec2A7Y0QyOZguZ9-dvV8gKoe6UJi0-APtsZadf6bg0Leap3uVHDr6L6WWo2tzEsj8jOH49tSfMcXz2tJkXBP1U0nO-2eESmKMkA6c/s1600-h/IMG_8686.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBngafcwOvVlrPPetOnbv18oMXkl2_vdlQ8kezpec2A7Y0QyOZguZ9-dvV8gKoe6UJi0-APtsZadf6bg0Leap3uVHDr6L6WWo2tzEsj8jOH49tSfMcXz2tJkXBP1U0nO-2eESmKMkA6c/s400/IMG_8686.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433495602281744034" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-6147975483301790142010-01-23T18:56:00.000-08:002010-02-20T17:48:09.434-08:00Happy 2nd Birthday Claire!Claire finds her birthday table first thing in the morning...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uBn0J4Kzk6PqZBEpCP8qBEOGISI6qMKAuMZm1g4Qz3FalDMDTdBfsRtWfSMj725ODxKPaOVkHFgHqPwCQFAiYOAVkLfAAQJxEIZgYUiBjBcCwquD7UKFgaR2spJ8tjB5c-pX80nqovc/s1600-h/IMG_8515.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uBn0J4Kzk6PqZBEpCP8qBEOGISI6qMKAuMZm1g4Qz3FalDMDTdBfsRtWfSMj725ODxKPaOVkHFgHqPwCQFAiYOAVkLfAAQJxEIZgYUiBjBcCwquD7UKFgaR2spJ8tjB5c-pX80nqovc/s400/IMG_8515.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430137231785685570" /></a><br /><br />Excited to find a card from her big sister...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtPUm4RgSbdgxzQ3tWISBm974cFHaYog2NpNDgzAvdhJth4yzYH_8tEzpGZja6FaWHEG1G4BRGzLZJsfnug-GE_VWmif8CKysDUR392RW58_HX4FWFG3kjzxMXu_mSyPF7rf-xPI2bjI/s1600-h/IMG_8536.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtPUm4RgSbdgxzQ3tWISBm974cFHaYog2NpNDgzAvdhJth4yzYH_8tEzpGZja6FaWHEG1G4BRGzLZJsfnug-GE_VWmif8CKysDUR392RW58_HX4FWFG3kjzxMXu_mSyPF7rf-xPI2bjI/s400/IMG_8536.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430137223219920002" /></a><br /><br />and from big brother...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EPapvFmWnDK-n0M6xBLr7tlwyObDp4RbTIPmGsIajWZkEzEhixUioSGxpX8nTEFR_co_fWDgoT88HBO4XHJURnrGyqp6WsXOj0NmKjQGZUlXNmfjFIbZcKeKQVKI8hs_KjpwtUNfqs4/s1600-h/IMG_8538.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EPapvFmWnDK-n0M6xBLr7tlwyObDp4RbTIPmGsIajWZkEzEhixUioSGxpX8nTEFR_co_fWDgoT88HBO4XHJURnrGyqp6WsXOj0NmKjQGZUlXNmfjFIbZcKeKQVKI8hs_KjpwtUNfqs4/s400/IMG_8538.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430136780528560850" /></a><br /><br />The "big" present! (A Duplo farm set... it's super hard to find gifts that aren't stuff we already have (or total junk) and are perfect for a 2 year old and this fit the bill perfectly for us!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6f1nnJGatPDjNi93faAI1lgcRsCweJhj0KpIi3h4FTrhpA5YYfTUHxR06bDCBzE-6a1QLgT4Tc_eiiemGdIPN_xxXq6bSrezJbMajBXGSrb_q-50ghAFjXZELDfgwSOSXpb_2sR1o1OA/s1600-h/IMG_8558.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6f1nnJGatPDjNi93faAI1lgcRsCweJhj0KpIi3h4FTrhpA5YYfTUHxR06bDCBzE-6a1QLgT4Tc_eiiemGdIPN_xxXq6bSrezJbMajBXGSrb_q-50ghAFjXZELDfgwSOSXpb_2sR1o1OA/s400/IMG_8558.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430136773985629330" /></a><br /><br />"Fish!!!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUnrLwp0P5AjPWG6_TRnKTZzUdORBfmyGnlR3FKYa5SkKO8CVD-aZO7j8nf8wxV5gra99FvT6sKouwWj5flqQjT-XDOCqmfxxf_64d1Swu4msxhgOvjsLOwxAy35K1m5ZaSDU-s1CuUg/s1600-h/IMG_8564.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUnrLwp0P5AjPWG6_TRnKTZzUdORBfmyGnlR3FKYa5SkKO8CVD-aZO7j8nf8wxV5gra99FvT6sKouwWj5flqQjT-XDOCqmfxxf_64d1Swu4msxhgOvjsLOwxAy35K1m5ZaSDU-s1CuUg/s400/IMG_8564.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430136767858103858" /></a><br /><br />Her birthday window...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyo0cqXfCnxJCPOy_tFyIKRcRM_vOZI6uu-6jDklMibfltoaDRpfPUnN8hIuhqYJWESXvb2W8KrY-wAcw5jQpWn4qSEIKupKB3hJqFev3fZmuJgI1bPR9lE7UE_9qbEakPGfgk6ZQRv4/s1600-h/IMG_8578.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyo0cqXfCnxJCPOy_tFyIKRcRM_vOZI6uu-6jDklMibfltoaDRpfPUnN8hIuhqYJWESXvb2W8KrY-wAcw5jQpWn4qSEIKupKB3hJqFev3fZmuJgI1bPR9lE7UE_9qbEakPGfgk6ZQRv4/s400/IMG_8578.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430136756884081298" /></a><br /><br /><br />Arden got Claire a pink spinning skirt for dancing in and Walter chose a dress up dress that Claire promptly declared herself a "prunsess" upon trying it on. After present time Chris took all three children outside for some snow play while I got time alone to get the house ready for a small dinner party. While they were outside the mail came and brought with it a treasured baby from her cousins in Florida! <br /><br />She loves this baby! Thanks so much you guys!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VdK4QZmcEGnbKcNmaecg3RUvAZH2UMnPwlgBhCaqcAxr8-SIqPwUYyV140qAxKkjptMk0fu0eO8Qd-CEs8wpSbXbLJpxDIdff38vi05AS10U4ViLoDy5ewRBEVoncD_73DhD4__i-lA/s1600-h/IMG_8585.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 336px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VdK4QZmcEGnbKcNmaecg3RUvAZH2UMnPwlgBhCaqcAxr8-SIqPwUYyV140qAxKkjptMk0fu0eO8Qd-CEs8wpSbXbLJpxDIdff38vi05AS10U4ViLoDy5ewRBEVoncD_73DhD4__i-lA/s400/IMG_8585.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430136753770915970" /></a><br /><br /><br />Luckily we managed the double nap and then it was time for friends! <br /><br />Our dining room isn't that large but our table is! There were 13 of us!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQD4uk_xwmSHyKb6Fm4aNbSpfjo0ne6MrXeR_Cha_fv8bpCw1t6FlbCmUwieeUS-iaC1xpJYinN0nZGq6ih9fjz9-YDX68mWFlvvEPSjmH4DfwEwE4YCexD6aR-gRBh7kmVGJ88221ps/s1600-h/IMG_8586.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQD4uk_xwmSHyKb6Fm4aNbSpfjo0ne6MrXeR_Cha_fv8bpCw1t6FlbCmUwieeUS-iaC1xpJYinN0nZGq6ih9fjz9-YDX68mWFlvvEPSjmH4DfwEwE4YCexD6aR-gRBh7kmVGJ88221ps/s400/IMG_8586.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430135806990754402" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfqE9H-wBwmUpNUyqv90t2LFOTi4MRE7Gzjldg0Q8D0NXwsh583PSz1Cvkl8xsulai38nAavQReHoOJMRdryYTlLLkt1TaA4wYo2yVrgOqtaL6gY-blAbvqVVH5MjQdZCjnJ-icHORfw/s1600-h/IMG_8588.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfqE9H-wBwmUpNUyqv90t2LFOTi4MRE7Gzjldg0Q8D0NXwsh583PSz1Cvkl8xsulai38nAavQReHoOJMRdryYTlLLkt1TaA4wYo2yVrgOqtaL6gY-blAbvqVVH5MjQdZCjnJ-icHORfw/s400/IMG_8588.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430135797872036498" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm_w7TEhliivJhsyqaddmuEdSLiK48rOhyphenhyphenIxJtDS555EKonQL2RDz0BM-37JVBjt3yvvx2Mh0dFEmdq_AJ86lxTnu1ARxHQo45DukW07pmgTV3xhz3AfwU6Mt1BEXmhRWGgWNEAoTMTU/s1600-h/IMG_8590.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm_w7TEhliivJhsyqaddmuEdSLiK48rOhyphenhyphenIxJtDS555EKonQL2RDz0BM-37JVBjt3yvvx2Mh0dFEmdq_AJ86lxTnu1ARxHQo45DukW07pmgTV3xhz3AfwU6Mt1BEXmhRWGgWNEAoTMTU/s400/IMG_8590.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430135792549031922" /></a><br /><br />Claire and Chava...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5_JkxwQ-4iB1bTfeIDT04QxS2PxbRQtOqhap4HNglELgliLz_wQlv9toWL9cJTjwSVAe7ee0ftsuk30v4bBuFF54Mtacrzh_W8m1yR7CIwuLhrQ-faqrbm2EiZZ6PNNyP5vSscoJztg/s1600-h/IMG_8595.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 364px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5_JkxwQ-4iB1bTfeIDT04QxS2PxbRQtOqhap4HNglELgliLz_wQlv9toWL9cJTjwSVAe7ee0ftsuk30v4bBuFF54Mtacrzh_W8m1yR7CIwuLhrQ-faqrbm2EiZZ6PNNyP5vSscoJztg/s400/IMG_8595.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430135780991804514" /></a><br /><br />Cake and wishes time! We wish for a wonderful year ahead for our sweet little one! Happiest Birthday to Claire!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT2GK7-hcr5j_JovE8plBZu37kSZ5kce3TIhQY8VbsO9xRNC4SVdq0FJzEP1LKIeVOWFpndMRO6E_k8WWvxAby2m1u_Sx7t7YM-qvlbhizsOXE9Hxh0UANweIvn884MXzYu67e4a-KJU/s1600-h/IMG_8602.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 386px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT2GK7-hcr5j_JovE8plBZu37kSZ5kce3TIhQY8VbsO9xRNC4SVdq0FJzEP1LKIeVOWFpndMRO6E_k8WWvxAby2m1u_Sx7t7YM-qvlbhizsOXE9Hxh0UANweIvn884MXzYu67e4a-KJU/s400/IMG_8602.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430135774062881442" /></a><br /><br />(That's a homemade vanilla and chocolate ice cream cake!)Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-79031973765638714072010-01-18T14:14:00.000-08:002010-02-23T18:31:41.951-08:0017 weeks 5 days completeThere really is a baby in there!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_Byxq_1DFSmVUWlwMCtTwZUdkG9ijiFb54F2mdWg1oS7YyhYTbxCUlxy_E1f558EAlGqQknnn_3KmO9sdKevyKISmjVtxeuVYmLXQ_kUPP7fcGCsj3jhjtCr4vx94s64NJ3yHKXjtks/s1600-h/IMG_8495.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_Byxq_1DFSmVUWlwMCtTwZUdkG9ijiFb54F2mdWg1oS7YyhYTbxCUlxy_E1f558EAlGqQknnn_3KmO9sdKevyKISmjVtxeuVYmLXQ_kUPP7fcGCsj3jhjtCr4vx94s64NJ3yHKXjtks/s400/IMG_8495.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428208285721396706" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-9234745718880368922010-01-12T18:21:00.000-08:002010-01-12T18:26:56.115-08:00AnniversaryEight years ago today I was married. At the time I had plans for three beautiful children... not knowing I would have them all plus one more on the way eight years later. I did not know that the future held traumatic births for my first two children. It never occurred to me that I would have a c-section or a brain injured child. I didn't know that my Mom would be found dead on the side of her driveway, or that I would grow to despise my in laws for their utter narcissism. <br /><br />The truth is I didn't envision much of what married life would be like. I was a blank canvas... waiting for my life to unfold in the realm of marriage and hopefully motherhood.<br /><br />Now eight years later, here I am, and while my life has had more than it's fair share of travails, I am humbled. I have experienced profound and untold joy in becoming a mother, and it is this that I am most thankful to my husband for. He has gratified me with three awe-inspiring, magnificent people to share my life with and the promise of one more to come. <br /><br />(Thank you Chris. Happy Anniversary! I love you!)<br /><br />As a small token of my love I knit this nifty hat for him!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjULB4udzBwsxFFUsWr_wf4TERNlnHRYUUUgcivm3Ud6KXrYkkJrihiVDrLpqMJMBDQR5cYpe7h0A6lLO8BoQVmchNY8UkQfQgQ3y30e09lZ3bBmyNgyNuXUZfwEc17y5yXA6A8TkVBDg/s1600-h/photo-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjULB4udzBwsxFFUsWr_wf4TERNlnHRYUUUgcivm3Ud6KXrYkkJrihiVDrLpqMJMBDQR5cYpe7h0A6lLO8BoQVmchNY8UkQfQgQ3y30e09lZ3bBmyNgyNuXUZfwEc17y5yXA6A8TkVBDg/s400/photo-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426044561218296930" /></a><br /><br />(as a bonus it matches Walter's... minus the pom pom!)Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-85003832604719899992009-12-26T17:59:00.000-08:002009-12-26T18:27:53.110-08:00It's what Christmas is made of...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJrjMyGgO4e65hmUVgFZo-ZNPdQDzEB8JKKhLF7UyS4iHWN2SScbSrg4WbY9TKFXWgOmwRHcWXSDnI9w0hAtmpAadFVEjW8LqGf2OjmDH5w1lxL3JlnwId-wezL2WuqYC165R4iHxUBo/s1600-h/IMG_8320.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJrjMyGgO4e65hmUVgFZo-ZNPdQDzEB8JKKhLF7UyS4iHWN2SScbSrg4WbY9TKFXWgOmwRHcWXSDnI9w0hAtmpAadFVEjW8LqGf2OjmDH5w1lxL3JlnwId-wezL2WuqYC165R4iHxUBo/s400/IMG_8320.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419736064528265954" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnYX0fdBplshnlrfG4T5rxdn4nZV6eGxIi9_WDLe21n2eJ4zZQglU8ABaQccHCHi7_SzJ6Mh1SAMi3YCCVl2-80NG7EsALGkyCsbz2vc56xKVd_H3zDGwzNv0foH5ZLK3_lw-fHj6zHM/s1600-h/IMG_8329.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnYX0fdBplshnlrfG4T5rxdn4nZV6eGxIi9_WDLe21n2eJ4zZQglU8ABaQccHCHi7_SzJ6Mh1SAMi3YCCVl2-80NG7EsALGkyCsbz2vc56xKVd_H3zDGwzNv0foH5ZLK3_lw-fHj6zHM/s400/IMG_8329.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419736059442476226" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHiKpahHD8rwJYm3DtXfwXAIBthyuFuuWTkOpfnJvZv2jAM4Fgwd_FiVu9ygrM15RtLp8M6lACrXnPD4NENUX6y7gddD3rxP6RO0fk51y93kZgSJW-MSx4X2gwgzT7cSsWl3-ZZVTFhI/s1600-h/IMG_8327.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHiKpahHD8rwJYm3DtXfwXAIBthyuFuuWTkOpfnJvZv2jAM4Fgwd_FiVu9ygrM15RtLp8M6lACrXnPD4NENUX6y7gddD3rxP6RO0fk51y93kZgSJW-MSx4X2gwgzT7cSsWl3-ZZVTFhI/s400/IMG_8327.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419736051825098034" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vrxGS2GpQ8N1aw_rPB6SJpmbn7F3y9W4dV1F_qw5i_ZK1lKnE0bTEOMRewstoW-sMjj0os2HrBuuaIsuoZoYpaNHq7ySVoUa_36AApU-kgkdXlCn0_CjZ173Kjycnk2MMA1B00gggVw/s1600-h/IMG_8338.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vrxGS2GpQ8N1aw_rPB6SJpmbn7F3y9W4dV1F_qw5i_ZK1lKnE0bTEOMRewstoW-sMjj0os2HrBuuaIsuoZoYpaNHq7ySVoUa_36AApU-kgkdXlCn0_CjZ173Kjycnk2MMA1B00gggVw/s400/IMG_8338.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419736047206240002" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQiSdU2-2vGe2ARmsuC5iBDyTuxDHFjOUZsZbUIjEeFgtfOv4NXJOKnrdJnAhrmF-WUzJeYKXAr2OkvqkQl5BYumFWkptZZ7Y2hJYzXGefAf1xX4gVIW74r9WlFwVm_SaRx0F28j72UE/s1600-h/IMG_8335.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQiSdU2-2vGe2ARmsuC5iBDyTuxDHFjOUZsZbUIjEeFgtfOv4NXJOKnrdJnAhrmF-WUzJeYKXAr2OkvqkQl5BYumFWkptZZ7Y2hJYzXGefAf1xX4gVIW74r9WlFwVm_SaRx0F28j72UE/s400/IMG_8335.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419736038331001522" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-32183973801750835292009-12-20T07:57:00.001-08:002010-02-01T20:33:35.580-08:00Baby gift finished!<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynne73/4199643249/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2520/4199643249_0721460d1a_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynne73/4199643249/">Milan Jacket</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/lynne73/">LynnE73</a></span></div>I knit this little newborn sweater for Walter's speech therapist. It's her first baby, a sweet little boy. I used Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton, size 0-6 months.<br clear="all" />Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-64982752719130959822009-03-28T18:01:00.000-07:002009-03-28T18:03:01.986-07:00The Band<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF6_4v9ysH5fmZSv_2viwgqY4o5C3imvM7TGmeFqMk3B6ztWW60xYbCNvTYIFvJtk2avv0PDWHJr-5RS67LeSnVwqfYwH0dI4Z-Wa-mzVh_SrFdPWDLrKWj1R7tjN5sLTl98goVKSFJo/s1600-h/IMG_7236.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF6_4v9ysH5fmZSv_2viwgqY4o5C3imvM7TGmeFqMk3B6ztWW60xYbCNvTYIFvJtk2avv0PDWHJr-5RS67LeSnVwqfYwH0dI4Z-Wa-mzVh_SrFdPWDLrKWj1R7tjN5sLTl98goVKSFJo/s400/IMG_7236.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318408841359070578" /></a>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-90359163447816328442009-03-26T17:16:00.000-07:002009-03-26T17:23:49.232-07:00Happiest 4th Birthday Walter!!!At bedtime the night before Walter's birthday he shows us it's his very last day of being 3!<br /><br /><a href="http://x11.xanga.com/3b6f13e041d31237413051/b187654513.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x11.xanga.com/3b6f13e041d31237413051/z187654513.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7071" width="400"></a><br /><br />In the morning he woke up to find his birthday ring! <br /><br /><a href="http://x5e.xanga.com/e84f1be441d30237413053/b187654515.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x5e.xanga.com/e84f1be441d30237413053/z187654515.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7081" width="400"></a><br /><br />He was happy about that but not happy he had to wait for Arden to get home from school to open his presents!<br /><br /><a href="http://x76.xanga.com/215f321ac8233237413056/b187654517.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x76.xanga.com/215f321ac8233237413056/z187654517.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7084" width="400"></a><br /><br />At last it's opening time! He told us he wanted to open his presents in the playroom instead of at the table which worked out fine cause he had some pretty big ones! We were joined by our neighbors (one of them wore all orange just for Walter!)<br /><br /><a href="http://x6c.xanga.com/a81c8be341c31237413060/b187654521.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x6c.xanga.com/a81c8be341c31237413060/z187654521.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7089" width="400"></a><br /><br />Arden is great at helping...<br /><br /><a href="http://x68.xanga.com/e70f06e442530237413064/b187654524.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x68.xanga.com/e70f06e442530237413064/z187654524.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7093" width="400"></a><br /><br />literally, she is his left hand...<br /><br /><a href="http://x7c.xanga.com/82cf00e742430237413073/b187654532.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x7c.xanga.com/82cf00e742430237413073/z187654532.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7097" height="400"></a><br /><br />And Claire was pretty interested too!<br /><br /><a href="http://x3c.xanga.com/60ef241a33632237413298/b187654713.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x3c.xanga.com/60ef241a33632237413298/z187654713.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7100" width="400"></a><br /><br />Walter just wanted to open, open, open!!!<br /><br /><a href="http://xd0.xanga.com/3b8f10e546031237413301/b187654716.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xd0.xanga.com/3b8f10e546031237413301/z187654716.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7105" width="400"></a><br /><br />He could hardly believe he got new bird pj's! They were his favorite when he was 2 and he wore them to death! (You gotta love Ebay!)<br /><br /><a href="http://x34.xanga.com/517f021a33630237413303/b187654718.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x34.xanga.com/517f021a33630237413303/z187654718.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7112" width="400"></a><br /><br />We got him a sand and water table for the deck! (Arden was *totally* into it too!)<br /><br /><a href="http://xaf.xanga.com/872f01e546030237413306/b187654721.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xaf.xanga.com/872f01e546030237413306/z187654721.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7140" width="400"></a><br /><br />Birthday window...<br /><br /><a href="http://x90.xanga.com/003f21e358032237413666/b187655029.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x90.xanga.com/003f21e358032237413666/z187655029.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7220" height="400"></a><br /><br />and flowers...<br /><br /><a href="http://xf0.xanga.com/551f07e051d30237413671/b187655033.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xf0.xanga.com/551f07e051d30237413671/z187655033.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7222" width="400"></a><br /><br />and dinner! (rib roast and roasted broccoli and zucchini that we made Scotty eat cause it was overdone! I made a salad instead!)<br /><br /><a href="http://xc3.xanga.com/772f05eb46033237413307/b187654722.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xc3.xanga.com/772f05eb46033237413307/z187654722.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7152" width="400"></a><br /><br />Cake time! (It was so nice that Scotty was able to take off of work early and drive up from NJ! You rock Scotty!)<br /><br /><a href="http://x52.xanga.com/7e5f17e546031237413311/b187654726.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x52.xanga.com/7e5f17e546031237413311/z187654726.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7161" width="400"></a><br /><br />4 candles and 1 for luck!<br /><br /><a href="http://x2c.xanga.com/eddf07e748c30237413442/b187654833.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x2c.xanga.com/eddf07e748c30237413442/z187654833.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7164" width="400"></a><br /><br />I hope he wished for good things! I know I did!<br /><br /><a href="http://xa7.xanga.com/156f351a35232237413445/b187654836.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xa7.xanga.com/156f351a35232237413445/z187654836.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7166" width="400"></a><br /><br /><br />The next day was his party!<br /><br /><a href="http://x12.xanga.com/a97f32e749433237413453/b187654842.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x12.xanga.com/a97f32e749433237413453/z187654842.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7174" width="400"></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://xf8.xanga.com/84bf201a35c32237413456/b187654845.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xf8.xanga.com/84bf201a35c32237413456/z187654845.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7175" width="400"></a><br /><br />Cheater cake from Whole Foods!<br /><br /><a href="http://xbf.xanga.com/246f56e375c35237413459/b187654848.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xbf.xanga.com/246f56e375c35237413459/z187654848.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7181" width="400"></a><br /><br />We all sing and we all wish and we all help blow them out!<br /><br /><a href="http://xcd.xanga.com/d72f50e346535237413468/b187654856.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://xcd.xanga.com/d72f50e346535237413468/z187654856.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7187" width="400"></a><br /><br />This little sweetheart is in Walter's class at school. The other day Walter asked why you had to be a grown up to get married. I responded by asking him who he would marry and he immediately said this little girls name. Isn't she cute?!<br /><br /><a href="http://x48.xanga.com/64df3ae346332237413526/b187654908.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x48.xanga.com/64df3ae346332237413526/z187654908.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7190" height="400"></a><br /><br />Apparently Scotty is really good for snuggling with! (Ladies?!) <img src="http://s.xanga.com/images/silly.gif" width="15" border="0" /><br /><br /><a href="http://x89.xanga.com/7b1f20e366332237413527/b187654909.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x89.xanga.com/7b1f20e366332237413527/z187654909.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7200" width="400"></a><br /><br />And for helping big girls climb trees...<br /><br /><a href="http://x60.xanga.com/fa8f3a1ac7732237413553/b187654929.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x60.xanga.com/fa8f3a1ac7732237413553/z187654929.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7202" height="400"></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://x3e.xanga.com/6fcf23e450132237413556/b187654932.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x3e.xanga.com/6fcf23e450132237413556/z187654932.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7206" width="400"></a><br /><br />Down the street there is a gnome home. Here is Arden having a visit...<br /><br /><a href="http://x72.xanga.com/9c0f30e550033237413561/b187654936.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x72.xanga.com/9c0f30e550033237413561/z187654936.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7207" height="400"></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://x6e.xanga.com/dbaf261ad7632237413564/b187654939.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x6e.xanga.com/dbaf261ad7632237413564/z187654939.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_7209" height="400"></a><br /><br />And here's the gnome! What?! You didn't think there was really a gnome?! Well there is!<br /><br /><a href="http://x44.xanga.com/747f0be751033237413655/b187655020.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x44.xanga.com/747f0be751033237413655/z187655020.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; width: 300px; height: 401px;" alt="IMG_7211"></a><br /><a href="http://x90.xanga.com/003f21e358032237413666/b187655029.jpg" target="_blank"></a><br /><a href="http://xf0.xanga.com/551f07e051d30237413671/b187655033.jpg" target="_blank"></a><br /><a href="http://xc7.xanga.com/0f4f02e051330237413660/b187655024.jpg" target="_blank"></a><br />It was a great weekend! (I just realized there are no photos of Chris. Sorry Honey!)Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8522788676741423744.post-58055219977508859342009-02-19T19:53:00.000-08:002009-02-19T20:00:08.788-08:00New Favorite Photo of Claire<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>I especially love that the dog is milling about...</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiSbrJfvMX3waDg_r8lelAFDIq2JAg-hVngWBlMO3ZZfnpSNHhzTrtTIAUZHyjgZHAzd6I6elySVoLmmlShSiqFa4bOWmHq11I3h45x4xaSMPsHJNQ7nfQXGDe9896r2ZOaVZwCXD9Rw/s1600-h/IMG_7169.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiSbrJfvMX3waDg_r8lelAFDIq2JAg-hVngWBlMO3ZZfnpSNHhzTrtTIAUZHyjgZHAzd6I6elySVoLmmlShSiqFa4bOWmHq11I3h45x4xaSMPsHJNQ7nfQXGDe9896r2ZOaVZwCXD9Rw/s320/IMG_7169.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304723006573538690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Egomomiachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03342545463775225553noreply@blogger.com0