Remembering our Bayley and rejoicing in the innocent fun of our dog, Bode Bay and the blessings of our children, Maryn Amelia, Benham Austin and Miller Louise.
We finally made it to the Riverbanks Zoo and I think we'll be heading back sooner than later. It caters to smaller children with lots of hands on experiences that I've never seen at a zoo before. Highly recommend.
These two met eyes. Creepy but so cool.
Our good friends, Erin, Whit and Abby drove down from Charlotte, the perfect meeting place.
Best buds!
Milk it Mama!
The giraffes were my absolute favorite. I've never been to a zoo where you can get this close and basically nuzzle an animal. It was feeding time.
This is how things went down for Ben.
excited.
curious.
unsure.
pissing his diaper.
She just liked feeding the baby giraffe.
I think the giraffe won.
We love the Bairds and need to plan our next get together.
Thirteen months for Maryn was sort of a plateau. She was in a standstill with her motor skills and I just don't remember too many milestones occurring that month. In Ben's thirteenth month, he's learned to walk, got his first haircut and learned about 5 new words. He's vocal and if things are too quiet, he'll start singing a tune just to make noise. He climbs on everything and if you turn your back on him, he's made his way up the stool onto Maryn's bed or is 3/4 th the way up the staircase. Outside is his favorite place on earth.
New words: book, bubbles, baby, shoes, Poppop, baa (when you ask him what a sheep says)
Walking!
Hair: Before *note the baby mullet*
Hair: During
Hair: After
Mac and I are a perfect match. I will ride the tallest, steepest, fastest roller coaster in the world but if I even watch those damn spinning tea cups, I'll vomit. Mac wets his pants when he sees the roller coasters off of I-77 at Carowinds. He likes the tea cups. So, for now, he rides these sorts of contraptions with Mimi.
And if anyone thinks they can block this meathead, they're wrong. He's an animal and will bite your head off. Just check out Maryn's arm, teeth marks from a morning quarrel.
We've experienced an influx of the Y chromosome over the last couple of months and all I seem to be able to pray for is that my son does not influence these boys to jaywalk, ride their bikes without helmets or shoot spit balls out of a straw. I apologize in advance.
A friend from 10 years past, Scott, and his wife Jennifer welcomed their first baby
Logan Robert
6 lbs 11 oz
March 28
One of my best friends from college, Jaclyn, and her husband Dave welcomed their first baby
Oliver Daniel
8 lb 8 oz
April 17
And Mac's roommate from his frat years in college, Adam, and his wife Kenda welcomed their first baby
Ryker Charles
8 lb 6 oz
May 9
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but couldn't these three boys pass for each other? They are beautiful and perfect in every way and I look forward to squeezing each one of them!
And to add to our boy boom, my other bestest friend Anne and her husband Rob, just found out that baby #2 is a BOY! He'll be joining big sister Hudson. I know that 13 months doesn't really give my advice much weight but I'll just leave them with a few highlights of what they may soon experience. My opinion offered as a guide to action.
Boys eat grass, sand and mud. Boys have no fear and will deliberately try to drown themselves.
Boys cannot get food into their mouths at a rate that satisfies them. Boys get pissed when they feel hunger pangs because they have low thresholds for pain.
Boys think they are hilarious, even if they aren't.
Boys love meat and believe that the sandwich is a gift from God.
All hail the sub!
Boys are thrill seekers and will drain all the change in your pocket to ride these things.
Boys need to be thrown as high up into the air as possible to balance out the abundance of energy they have in their feet.
Boys love extreme sports, wind surfing via hair dryer.
Boys can be bullies. Boys can also be lovers. Lovers of their mamas.
Boys do not require shirts.
Boys are wild animals and they communicate in grunt.
preface: taught by his father
Boys judge an objects fragility by performing the art of head butt.
Our amazing 6 year old dog, Bayley, was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer on January 25, 2008 and lost his battle on July 20, 2008...just one week after our new puppy was born. It was as if Bay simply knew he had to wait until he was sure that more joy would be brought into our home. Bayley was the most gentle, loving, selfless dog (or human for that matter) that you had ever met. Our brave little man endured 6 months of chemotherapy and tried to fight the nasty evil, but unfortunately for us all, he was taken too soon. We find comfort in knowing that he's in heaven running free without pain, swimming in the oceans, and eating endless treats. Dog owner's might have an easier time understanding how this has affected our lives. These loyal and loving animals have the uncanny ability to make life meaningful and 100% more fulfilled. It's crazy how the love from a dog can touch your heart in a way that no human can. We decided to get our new puppy, Bode, so that Bayley would have a friend during his last year but they never got the chance to meet. Bode reminds us so much of Bayley...it's as if a little part of Bay's soul is inside of him. This blog started as a means of therapy during a sad time in our lives and has turned into a site for us to rejoice in the happy, innocent joys of our puppy, Bode Bay and the miracle of our children, Maryn Amelia & Benham Austin.
