In search of Sun

We decided it was time to seek out some sun. The low cloud cover, plus all the snow and cold has been cramping our style. We loaded up the car and headed over the mountain in search of some blue sky.

It was also long overdue for us to finally meet our newest little baby friend, Madeline. She was born in September, and we could no longer stand it... we had to get us some of that "new baby smell".

And what a sweet-heart she is!! A bright little ray of sunshine, that melted our hearts and charmed our socks off. Owen loved her too... he kept saying "Bay-bee!" and "Mwah!" (which is his expression for love... usually followed by a kiss).

Here is our favorite picture of Sweet Madeline...



After hanging with them for the evening and the next morning, we packed up and headed downtown. We wanted Owen to stretch his legs a little before stuffing him back in his carseat for the drive home. We took him to the park to get an up-close and personal view of some ducks... little did we know just how close and personal.



The Ducks of Drake Park are not afraid of humans. They are beggars... and parents have to be protective of little fingers. Owen was in Heaven. He hasn't been that close to a duck recently (he was at this same park back in August, but wasn't walking yet) and he was all about it. At one point he tried to get through the fence to get a closer look.



But mostly, he observed.



And they observed him...



In the end, it was a good trip. The Dude lost his cool a few times on the ride home, but wouldn't you if you were strapped into a seat for 3 hours while your parents made you listen to "Journey"? Um, right.

Happy 2009!

We are filled with optimism this January. This is going to be a good year. The Dude is now fifteen months old, walking like a champ, talking and communicating with everything he's got, and growing like a weed (well, a short little weed....). Mama and Papa have come to the realization that there is no way that we can keep up. He is developing too fast.... the new things are hitting us over the head faster than we can recover from the previous. All there is left to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

For instance, just this weekend he's started mimicking words that we say (yes, even the not-so-nice ones!!). And all be darned if he doesn't nail them, pretty much every time. Last week he sat with Nonna and put together puzzles (the wooden ones that you match up the animals or shapes) like he's been doing them for months. Mama did an experiment in which she told him to go in the other room to get a specific item, and he marched into the room, looked around for the item, then brought it back to her... so proud. His comprehension is pretty amazing. It seems like all of a sudden a light has turned on in him, and so much is just "clicking".

The Dude is also..... a total goof-ball. He's got a sense of humor, and knows how to ham it up when he has an audience. We happily oblige. And so do all the ladies in the supermarket or store. He seeks them out and gives them that big toothy grin.... it's all over from there. We try to not be in a hurry, because we are usually there for a while.

Yep. It's going to be a good year. So much to learn, so much to see and do, and so many adventures to be had.

We're glad you're here for the ride too. Cheers!