A Terrific Day for a Thirty-tworrific Birthday Girl

Wish us luck: We're takin' a new and improved 20D picture this morning at a studio. Mary is on her way from San Antonio with a car load of Bailey and Caeden and things. Robyn is upstairs puttin' the terrific in thirty-tworrific for today is her birthday. And oh so soon... we'll all be smilin' or screamin' at the picture people. Happy Birthday, Robyn! Is this what you imagined as the perfect day?!?

Celebrating a Little Early

I know you won't be surprised to hear that we've started the celebrations already for Rosa Jane's 5th month birthday. It's just thirty-one little hours before Rosa Jane is officially 5 months old. And besides, I doubt we'll stay up until 11:08 p.m. tomorrow night anyway. So here's to Rosa Jane and to all the days ahead. May they be filled with good times and bad times, gimme some of that.

Baby Hands

I think happiness is having my baby cling tightly to my hands. This past weekend, I went back to work as photographer extraordinaire. My mom babysat for us and I know the evening apart was much harder on me than it was on my 4th week 4 month old. I missed her grabby hands tugging at my fingers and pulling my hand to her mouth and I definitely missed her smile and all the laughing and giggling she does at "B" words like "BOO" and "BRING BACK MY BONNET TO ME". At the same time, it was great to be for hire behind the camera again working for a dear family.

In a couple of days, Rosa Jane will turn 5 months old. The few days before her new month birthday she always starts to do something new and amazing. Today she is holding her head up and leaning forward as if to sit up on her own. She drops her toys only to have us pick them up for her. For Valentine's Day, RJ received an amazing exersaucer that she loves to play in. While trying to put the durn thing together, I thought it was going to be the end of me. My true love gave me a coupon for hours to be spent at the local spa. I truly can't wait indulge in the special treatment.

Rosa Jane is back to her old ways of not sleeping through the night. She wakes at 3ish and never goes back to sleep for any solid amount of time. If anyone has any ideas on how to make nights a happy time again, please post a comment.

"I Want That!"

Our favorite line from Napoleon Dynamite is when Uncle Rico sells tuperware to the couple and offers them a FREE sailboat with the purchase. The wife leans into her husband and says, "I want that."

That's how Rosa Jane looks at all glasses these days. Here we happened to catch her lusting after a margar. We didn't let her have any, but we have been letting her sip some water from the glass and through a straw. It's crazy amazing to watch her go through this learning process. She also watches me intensely when I'm putting on a little bit of makeup in the morning. It makes me feel a little guilty because in no time she'll want to wear my lipstick and grow up way too fast trying to be just like Momma. Scary! I wish you to stay little Rosa Jane while you can.

Rosa Jane Has a Message To

... All You LOVE SCROOGES out there.

Just Try Not to Love ME.

A Little R and R on Sunday

800 Miles Later . . . There's A Reason They Call It "Texarkana"

Ah, the things we will do for love and to show support for the ones we love dearly. After a particularly trying Thursday morning, I got the sad, sad news that Heather Jane's stepfather had passed away in New Boston, Texas, after suffering from a heart attack two weeks prior. All of 20D calls Banky's mom, "MamaJane", so there was just no way I could not NOT be there representin'. Robyna and I plotted all afternoon how we could make the trip (some 6.5 hours) together and also manage to pick up R's dear friend who happens to be arriving from the U.K on Friday night. Whew! It was so much to think about and hard on both our souls. At the 11th hour, Robyna knew she couldn't do it and so RJ and I set off Thursday night to meet my parents in Richland just before midnight. The next day we drove through driving rain and "harsh Texas weather" to make it to the funeral with 20 minutes to spare. It was so good to hug MamaJane's neck and to finally introduce her to little Rosa Jane. MJ was beaming as she introduced all as "This is the one named after Heather." And we waited around for Nana to show up about whom I feel she's my own grandmother since both of mine have passed long ago. Oh, how I love MamaJane and Nana! It's like three degrees of separation. Banky was super close to her mother and to her mother's mother. They were like the Three Stooges. To love one is to love them all dearly and passionately. I pray for their strength to get through their losses.

With Mary coming in from California next week for a whole month, we are hoping we'll be able to have some girl time with MamaJane while in the big D. I just can't imagine her grief, yet we are all comforted by the thought that Heather and Benny are eating fried chicken and rejoicing on the other side.

I love my parents so much. They always give me so much whenever I have asked any thing of them. Even though Mom wasn't feeling well and had a horrible cough, she didn't say "no." She thinks she didn't do much, but the truth is that I wouldn't have been able to get to Texarkana without her... and she without Dad. So to them I say "Thank You" from the bottom of my heart. Thanks also to my dear, sweet husband for his support and love and encouragement and understanding why I just had to make the trip. He made our homecoming extra sweet with homemade seafood gumbo and flourless chocolate cake. I will pretend it was for me and RJ and not just for our lovely guest, Ruthie. With twelve hours of sleep under my belt, I feel I am ready to conquer anything this next week and beyond have to offer . . . (It's a good thing, too, since this coming weekend FauxToes is back in the wedding business!)

Eyeing Things Left and Right

It's just a matter of time before Rosa Jane is on solids. I'm not excited about that and would like to prolong it as long as possible. Just cause I think there's no going back... she'll be all growed up. Last night she kept eyeing my delicious tall glass of water that I just had to let her try some. It was pretty cool to watch her go through this very different new experience.

Earlier this afternoon, we went for a hike on the beautiful trails behind our neighborhood. I enjoyed introducing the woods to Don and watching Hankie have quite the good time frollicking in and out of the crick. Needless to say, he needed a good bath afterwards. I am a woman who can do it all --babysit a 19 week old and bathe a dog with my eyes closed. Talk about talent!! Sorry, there are no pictures. Who do you think I am, anyway?!

Wave Bye.

Today screams, "Beautiful day for a drive to Marble Falls to lunch at the Bluebonnet Cafe!" RJ was a big hit and she always draws a captive crowd. Here you can see the passenger in the car next door "ooo'ing" and "ahhing." We are trying to teach Rosa Jane to wave bye. We took the long way home through mighty beautiful hills. Once home, Dad treated RJ to animatronic music that Rosa Jane seems to be fascinated by. Click on the picture to see more from this set.

The Future Is Soooo Bright!

Okay, I know this title is trite, but I'm feeling less creative today. We spent the afternoon on Congress with loud buses and fun people everywhere to watch. We had to carry baby, stroller, diaper bag and 50 lbs of other stuff up a flight a stairs to view a Texas Women's Photography exhibit. I appreciated my photo education even more when looking at the various techniques. I can't wait to have my own darkroom and more time to play with chemicals. While downtown, we even spotted one of those crazy Segway Human Transporter http://segway.com/. Click on the pictures to see that, leftover lunch and other interesting items ... like a baby and a puppy dog! And by the way.... doesn't Rosa Jane look oh-so-cool in her new shades? In case you can't tell -- they are purple leopard print. GRRRRRR! Go get'em, tiger!

What If a Mother's Love Isn't Enough?

It is such a blessing having Robyn here with us. Yesterday afternoon, after a lovely time of running errands, treats at Trudy's North, and a pit stop at Emma Long City Park including a run-in with a funny bloak named, Chris, I changed Rosa Jane's diaper and was reminded of her birthmarks. She has a smallish bright one on her upper right arm, and then she has a much larger one which is pale brown and covers about half her stomach. Of course Don and I think they are beautiful and we joke there will be no bikinis in her future... but then I was thinking aloud to Robyn "what if the kids tease her and a mother's love isn't enough to make it all better?" She replied, "Man, there's not enough mother's love for middle school. A mother's love is not the issue!" And I know she is right and I get teary. My sweet Rosa Jane will have to live and learn for herself.

I forgot to wash RJ's cozy cocoon yesterday and so I dug up her Miracle Blanket from the depths of her closet. I thought she had outgrown it, so we haven't used it in some 30 days. Do remind me why. The littlest angel slept until 6am and then went back to sleep until almost 8! As cute as the cozy cocoon is in its leopard print, it ain't no miracle blanket. She's never slept as well. And lately it was getting quite worse -- waking at 3 and never soundly going back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Robyn and I are on a Great CFS Tour 2006. CFS = Chicken Fried Steak. We try a new one about every 20 days give or take. Its fried greasiness demands a good two weeks in between tastings. Yesterday we tried Trudy's because of Robyn's brother, Austin. He swears in all his Texan Elite-essness that Trudy's is the best restaurant on the planet. I have to differ. Sure their Mexican Martinis are to write home about and their queso is delish, but the rest of it is just so-so. The steak was too chewy and reminded me of something I could choke on if not careful. The fried crispy shell was extra crunchy and Robyn enjoyed that.

Yesterday I also visited briefly with my dear friend, Sally. And we're so excited that she is planning to visit someday soon. A girl like me is overwhelmingly blessed by wonderful people and so much to look forward to!