the adventures of Austin

Happy Easter!!

2007-04-09T13:38:00.000-04:00

Enjoying spring!

2007-03-29T21:12:00.000-04:00

check it out!

2007-03-23T20:40:00.000-04:00

Austin wears his new shirt with PRIDE!!!! :)

It's not the best picture, but it's rare to find him standing still and ready to pose these days. All pictures are literally taken on the RUN!!!

Have a GREAT weekend and don't forget to click on the ads!!!!

NBA bound

2007-03-22T15:33:00.000-04:00

Too cute for words!

Austin really loves his new hoop and is perfecting the Dora-ball slam dunk!
I think he may have a future in the NBA!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!!!!

2007-03-19T20:38:00.000-04:00

I am cooking up a special dinner for you. Please come home soon so you can eat it!
Happy Birthday!
We love and miss you!!!!!

Weekend adventure

2007-03-18T20:48:00.000-04:00

We ventured off the compound this weekend to meet up with Anne, Chuck, Katy, and Ryder at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. We all had a great time despite the fact that winter has returned. (Grrrr....)

There are lots of stories to tell but I'm just too tired so I'll just post a lot of pictures for you to enjoy!

3 "spirited" boys in the ball pit. No girls could hack it. They ran for their lives!

Katy taking great care of Austin and making sure to explain to him where we were going.

Austin had the best seat in the house. No effort---all view!

More reasons for mommy to never go in the ocean again. The creature in the back is an alligator!
We had a great time even though it was only about 20 degrees!!!!!!

Eating my own words

2007-03-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

I used to complain about them. They were big and obnoxious. Dorky looking. The parking lot was FULL of them and the women driving them were always the most annoying on the road. I swore up and down that I will NEVER own one. No way. No how.

and then.....

I saw one and OMIGOD...it's a dream! The space!
The storage!!!
The LUXURY!!! (lol!)
This thing has 15 cup holders!! 15!!!!!
There is a storage cubby for everything!
so, I proudly announce that I am now the owner of a beautiful and spacious MINI-VAN!!

and I don't care what anyone thinks because even Austin loves the new ride!!

all ready!

2007-03-12T14:12:00.000-04:00

Austin is geared up and ready for March Madness!! He has been practicing his jump shot and his dribbling and mommy is convinced he has a future in basketball!

He is also very happy that the weather has been much nicer lately and we've been able to play outside.

strike a pose....

2007-03-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

Austin and I went to the mall today to do some shopping and playing. Austin had a blast in the play area and ran and squealed with all the other little ones. Back in the old days, mommy would cringe as she walked past this part of the mall. These days, she looks forward to it as a break from compound living!!!

It was a fun day but we are ready for SPRING!!!!!!!

****
OK, I know a lot of you read this blog, so where are all my clickers??!! See all these need google ads everywhere? Please click on them and visit the various vendors. Many thanks!

Austin's perch

2007-03-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

Austin's favorite seat in the house is on the windowsill. He hangs out here in the morning and waves to every person (and dog) that happens to be walking by. Yes, these people probably think I'm a psycho for hanging out in the window with my kid, but hey---it is entertaining for the little guy and that is all that matters!

He sets up his cars and other toys on the ledge and sometimes plays there for a good TEN minutes straight!!

TEN MINUTES people!!!! You know what you can get accomplished in 10 uninterrupted minutes?

Yea, not so much, but I'll take it!!!!

Unfortunately he has displaced Cisco --who used to be the primary window watcher in the house. Now Cisco spends a lot of alone time in the basement, wondering when he will be petted again.
See....don't you feel sad for him?
Don't you want to take him home and take care of him?
(please?!!)
*****

More snow today and we are NOT happy about it!!!

Really, it's driving everyone insane, even Austin!

Seriously....any takers???

2007-03-06T15:42:00.000-05:00

Single male dog seeking new family. Old but loyal and just wants non-stop petting and attention. Prefers a family without small children and someone who will walk him at least once a day. Only a few years left, looking to make the most of them!

Happy Friday!!!

2007-03-02T20:48:00.000-05:00

We had some decent weather today so Austin and I headed outside to play. Even though there is still snow on the ground, we managed to work up a sweat kicking the soccer ball back and forth. (ok, so the ball doesn't really come "forth", but he tries!)

Austin was very curious as to what Mommy's bike was all about. He got a good laugh at her trying to remember how to ride it too because honestly, it doesn't just all come back to you!! (at least not when you have a lot of gears and brakes to worry about)

And then we played with the bubbles, which if you look very closely you will be able to see in this picture. It felt great to be outside again and hopefully more warm weather is on its way!

****
I forgot to share this picture of Austin wearing his new hat that mommy bought for our Florida trip. It's pretty much the only picture of him wearing it since it gets flung off approximately one second after you put it on. Since the digital camera has a 2 second delay, there are basically no other pictures of him and said hat!
Another $5.99 wasted at Target!!!
Oh well, it was cute for this picture at least!

Have a great weekend!!!!

florida memories

2007-02-26T16:33:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more pics from our fun trip last week!

Grandma and Grandpa scored this awesome truck for Austin to enjoy. It is a 2 door model, unlike his car at home. This allowed him easy entry, even though he usually wanted to climb into it through the back window!!

We had lunch on the beach one day and Austin decided his favorite part was the lemon that came with mommy's drink! Notice the man in the background of the second picture----Austin was keeping everyone entertained!!

(now before you comment with "I can't believe you let your precious child suck on a lemon" please note that he LOVED it!!! He did this over and over and over again and was very upset when Mommy took it from him! )

Who knows, maybe lemon sucking is tons of fun after all? Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Meanwhile...have you clicked around the site lately? You know what I'm talking about so get to it! :)

One week ago....

2007-02-25T19:37:00.000-05:00

we had this:

Today, we have this:

Mommy is not very happy!!! Can we go back to Florida now????

Austin got a "kick" out of wearing his new snow boots today! They are much cuter in person!

Back to reality....

2007-02-23T15:11:00.000-05:00

So we have returned to the compound and the lovely cold, windy, and overall cruddy weather.
Yippee.

***

Our trip was great though and we had lots of fun. We got to see Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle John, Aunt Lois, Aunt Terry and Dot. Apparently it is THE place to be during the winter!!

We spent only a few minutes on the actual beach since Austin has decided that sand is evil. The minute his little toes (or fingers) came into contact with the sand he had a meltdown. As you can see, not even the safety of the beach towel calmed his fears. Poor little guy! The other beachgoers were very, very happy when we packed up and left because apparently Austin's cry is louder than crashing waves. (sigh) We did a lot of walking along the boardwalk and playing in the parks.

Mommy grew several new grey hairs during the plane ride but thankfully it was only 2.5 hours long. My favorite quote (and one of the nicer ones) from a fellow passenger was "Well, your son certainly has a healthy set of lungs!"

Yep, that is true!

Well, the weather was amazing and we can't believe our trip is over!!!! :(

we're back!!!!!!!!!

2007-02-22T20:13:00.000-05:00

and we're EXHAUSTED!!!!
More posts to come about our awesome trip...here are a few pics to enjoy!

AAACCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!

2007-02-14T22:23:00.000-05:00

Does THIS look like Florida to you??!!!!!

(notice the shards of ice laying on top that are falling from my rooftop)

After a stressful and harrowing trip to the airport this morning, we returned home to the compound.
Not Florida.
No warm weather.
No grandma and grandpa.
Just ice, snow, wind and cold. :(

There is hope though. We have a new flight on Saturday and I'm telling ya, it better not snow/ice/rain or anything that day!!!!!!

*****
For Austin, it was just another day to play. :)

Sunday wrap up

2007-02-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

Austin spent the day with daddy today and had some fun with Grandma and Grandpa M.
They were impressed (of course) with his above average intelligence and mouthful of teeth!

He is also coming along well in his yoga practice, creating his own hands free version of downward dog.

Maybe he is just preparing himself for a full blown headstand?

Or maybe his big old belly caused him to tip over? :)

Either way, it's adorable.

of course!

************
Austin is heading on a BIG adventure this week when we board a plane for FLORIDA!!!! I know, I know...mommy vowed she would never do it again after the trip last year, but the promise of warm weather has taken over her brain and mommy cannot wait to escape the tundra that we call home.
So, we need your help. Please, oh please go outside and do the ANTI-snow dance because if it causes mommy to cancel her trip she will be one very, very, very, very MISERABLE mommy!!!! Thanks, we appreciate your help.

Speaking of that....have you clicked any links lately? :)

is it summer yet?

2007-02-07T22:13:00.000-05:00

Today we enjoyed yet MORE snow!! Oh, yippee!

(Can you hear the enthusiasm in mommy's voice?)

It is EVIL cold here which means we are trapped inside and Cisco is not a happy dog! He doesn't get to enjoy any fun outings to Target or the Mall, so he is feeling very neglected right now. Anyone want to come to the compound to walk him? :)

Despite the cold weather, we are having a ball!

Austin has been keeping busy with friends at the gym and Miss Jamie's house---but unfortunately I have no pictures to share. It is very cute though!

He's also been trying to figure out how many ways he can climb in and out of his car without using the actual door. Here he is deciding to exit the vehicle through the windshield. Hopefully, he will outgrow this by the time he hits driving age!

playtime

2007-02-03T22:23:00.000-05:00

The cold weather has been keeping us from playing outside, so we've been taking a lot of trips to various stores in the area, which isn't a good thing for Mommy's wallet!

Last week we ventured out to the mall to have lunch with our friends Cheryl and Michael. As you can see from the picture below, Michael was telling Austin a great story, but he seemed to have that "deer in the headlights" look! It must have been because he was too relaxed in his lounge-stroller to pay full attention. (and very nap-deprived!) It was great to catch up and we sure hope that Miss Cheryl gets a job and moves back to this area!! (hint! hint!)

Austin is working on his cooking skills with his new play kitchen. Mommy is very hopeful that he will learn some good recipes, because she certainly doesn't know many!

weekend getaway

2007-01-27T22:49:00.000-05:00

We're having an awesome weekend because we are back in Delaware!!
We've been having a ton of fun and Austin has been soaking up all the love and attention---especially from Aunt Terry!

He has also been enjoying his favorite goldfish snacks, which he was kind enough to share with Mommy!

Today was a really nice day, so we went outside to play some soccer and football. Austin can really move fast these days, although sometimes he tips over and has a hard time getting back up! Too cute, of course!
(sorry about the hat Grandma!)

And then of course, we just had fun with toys inside. Austin seemed to think these binoculars were pretty entertaining!

It's been a great weekend and we are sad to head back home to the compound. Hopefully we will be back again very soon.

2007-01-21T23:01:00.000-05:00

Winter has (unfortunately) arrived on the compound.

Austin wasn't really sure about stepping on the snow and definitely wanted no part in touching it! Good thing too, because Mommy isn't a snow-fan and was just as happy to go back inside!

Once inside (all warm and dry!) we saw some sledders go by the front window. Fortunately again, Austin didn't ask "Hey, can we go do that?!"

Is it spring/summer yet?

what's new?

2007-01-15T13:37:00.000-05:00

Ok, so we've been pretty busy here on the compound! Austin is a bundle of energy that goes from one toy to the next---faster than you can blink! The days are going by so fast that we can hardly keep up! So we are hanging on with both hands and enjoying the little things in life.

Like the ball pit. Everyone needs one of these---it is a great way to unwind after a tough day! Just strip down to your underwear and jump in for some good fun!

Goldfish snacks are also a great treat in life. Austin likes to eat his at his "big-boy" table in between playing with many, many toys!

Unfortunately some of our favorite people in life decided to head south for the winter last week. We (tearfully) waved goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa as they headed off on their Florida vacation. Let's hope the next 8 weeks fly by because we miss them a lot already!!!!!

That is what we have been up to.....how about you????

Still here...

2007-01-09T15:46:00.000-05:00

but busy playing and laughing! Stay tuned for more and in the meantime....click around!

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T22:19:00.000-05:00

It was a great holiday for Austin and he is looking forward to a wonderful 2007!

More posts coming soon....

Twas the Friday before Christmas....

2006-12-22T21:10:00.000-05:00

Austin spent a good 30 minutes today "gabbing" on the phone with someone! Maybe it was Santa and he was putting in his final requests?

He walked all around the house chatting into the phone and every now and then giggling....just as if he was talking to a real person! It was absolutely adorable, of course!

Fortunately Mommy was smart enough this time to unplug the phone from the wall, so he couldn't actually dial Santa --or China!

We celebrated the holiday at the gym today with a special luncheon. We had some great food and Austin enjoyed playing with all of the exercise balls and dancing to the Christmas music in front of the mirrors. Too bad Mommy left her camera in the car and didn't catch any of the excitement on film. You'll just have to trust her when she says it was very, very cute!

Here is a cute picture instead of Austin shaking his jingle bells. Good thing there is no sound with pictures or else you'd be able to hear mommy attempting to sing!
Have a great weekend!!!

where's your nose?

2006-12-20T21:33:00.000-05:00

Austin and I did some grocery shopping today and played the "where's your nose" game.
We think it's tons of fun, but the fellow shoppers probably think I'm insane.

Whatever, I say.
I'm having too much fun with my little guy to care what they might think!
Besides, until you play "where's your nose" 300 times in a row, you really can't knock it!

As you can see, Austin was a happy little shopper today.
Must be the great weather that we are still enjoying!

weekend wrap-up

2006-12-17T21:23:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful weekend here on the compound! The weather has been amazing and Mommy is able to walk again! WOO HOO!!!!!

We spent most of the weekend outside----exploring and playing.
Austin's favorite activity these days is to push this little car everywhere we go.

He doesn't really want to ride it and definitely doesn't want anyone to help him push it!! (as he will show you by pushing your hands away from it)
He just pushes it up and down the sidewalk---even manuevering around any turns and bends!
I'm telling ya...the kid is a GENIUS!!! :)

After bathtime tonight Austin discovered (in a closet) one of his retired toys---the bouncy seat!

Mommy wistfully remembers the many hours her little "peanut" spent in this chair, mesmerized by soothing music and bubble sounds.
It seems like only yesterday!
OMIGOSH....WHERE DID THIS LITTLE PEANUT GO??
(sniffle, sniffle)

Ok, now that I've composed myself...

Austin has renewed interest in the chair and insisted on sitting in it, even though he must outweigh the weight limit by a good 5 pounds. (don't we all?)

It was just the cutest thing ever, so of course I captured it all on film.
I'm sure one day he will thank me for this!!
Enjoy!

reading, balloons, and food!

2006-12-12T21:31:00.000-05:00

The weather was great again today so Austin and I went on several walks and spent a lot of time at the playground. Mommy is moving slowly...but she is moving and very happy about that!!

She is also very thankful for her AWESOME friends at the gym who have been absolutely wonderful to us! We got a huge "Get Well" balloon bouquet and then Amy brought over a delicious (and huge!) pizza for dinner. Austin had a great time flailing the balloons all around, sending poor Cisco into a stressed out frenzy in the corner. (he had a traumatic experience with balloons about 7 years ago.)

(note: the trash bag in the picture is not trash! It is a bag of clothes for the Salvation Army)

After a big meal, we spent some time at our reading table, going over all our favorite books.

It was another GREAT day on the compound!

Mommy is still here!!

2006-12-10T20:49:00.000-05:00

Mommy survived her surgery and is now busy recovering. Aside from the giant bandage and inability to shower (yuk!), she is feeling much, much better!!

Austin is working on his lumberjack look these days. He is turning into such a little man....gone are the rolls of baby fat and the random shrieks. He can now communicate very well with varying levels of "eh?" and "eh!" and don't forget... "ehhhhh!!!!!!".
It's amazing though and everyday is a new adventure!

Austin loves reading and following along with his leappad book.
Truthfully he likes to push as many buttons as he can and flap all the pages, but mommy still considers that reading!

Today was a gorgeous day --one that mommy likes to refer to as a "great day for a run!"
Even though Mommy's running shoes are on hiatus for now, we decided to show our support this morning for Mike and friends as they ran their first official 5k race! Congrats to them all for running a great race! Go runners!!!! Austin and I got to hang out at the finish line and cheer for everyone. It was a lot of fun and we were happy to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.

It was definitely a great day for a run and hopefully Austin and I will be running again very soon. Until then, go out and run a few miles for us!

Tuesday playdate

2006-12-06T22:04:00.000-05:00

Today we ventured off the compound for a playdate with Christina, Sam, and baby Ellie. Austin had a blast exploring Miss Christina's house and mommy had a great time chatting with a great friend!

***

Look mom! No hands! Do you like my purse?

Austin spent a good 30 minutes today carrying mommy's purse around the house and seemed to be having the time of his life.
Hmmmm.......

***
Mommy is having surgery tomorrow to repair her knee. Please say a prayer for her and hope that the doctor operates on the correct knee!!

yum....spaghetti!!!

2006-12-05T21:30:00.000-05:00

Austin really enjoyed his dinner tonight.

When was the last time YOU had a dinner like this one? :)

Can you believe this!?

2006-12-02T15:20:00.000-05:00

Mommy bought a CHRISTMAS TREE!!!
and DECORATED it!
Can you believe it?

Well, it's true!
The Festivus pole (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus) came down and up went the tree and other decorations.
Of course, a sneaky little Austin wants to pull all the ornaments off the tree and fire them at Cisco, so mommy has to enforce the official Christmas tree fence.

Maybe she should put some lights on that too?
Where did that tinsel go.....

the crowds!

2006-12-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

Austin and I ventured out to the mall today to have lunch with our friends Bob, Nora, Grace and Rory. It was great to see them again and to finally be able to relate with their parenting stories!! They have TWO kids though, so I can't imagine how they ever get anything done! :)

Austin was a little jealous to see that Rory got to have some of her mommy's chocolate milkshake for lunch. (Which she graciously shared with her daddy's shirt and pants!)
Sorry Austin, no milkshake for you!

After lunch we explored the mall a little bit but mommy is too impatient to deal with the crowds. We waved to Santa, (and all the people standing in the line that snaked around the mall), window shopped for all the stuff we can't afford, and then headed back the compound.

It was a fun time, but now we are all exhausted!

If Austin could speak.....

2006-11-28T20:17:00.000-05:00

"Umm, mommy...are my pajamas done yet?! "

still here!

2006-11-28T14:15:00.000-05:00

The weather has been great lately and we've tried to take advantage of it. Austin can now walk/run faster than mommy, so it is an adventure to keep him entertained outside.

He really enjoys:
stepping on the curb
stepping off
stepping on the curb
stepping off
**repeat 7000 times**

If you interrupt his game, be prepared for massive howling!!

*****
Have you ever wondered why some people insist on putting their toilet paper rolls on so that the paper goes under instead of over? It is because they had children!!!
Austin has discovered the joy of unrolling the toilet paper roll.
Note to self: change all rolls immediately!
(it did look like fun though!)

The feast continues.....

2006-11-25T19:54:00.000-05:00

We continued our food festival by having a second Thanksgiving celebration with mommy's family yesterday.

Our favorite Delawarians came to visit us in the morning and we spent most of the day clinging to them!

In the afternoon, Austin got to experience some fine bowling for the annual family bowling event where Grandma and Grandpa whip everyone. (except Scott, who apparently was very motivated when Mommy mentioned she was going to tell his friends that his GRANDMA was crushing him!) Austin just watched from afar this year......maybe next year he'll get to actually participate.

As you can see, he got a lot of love from everyone.

After bowling, we all gathered at Aunt Patty's house to eat....again.
Mommy wasn't very good in the game of spoons--thanks to her "old" reflexes as her young nieces like to point out. (sigh....someday you'll be old too Vic!)
Mommy thinks her reflexes were just slow because of a sugar coma brought on by consuming mass quantities of Aunt Terry's M&M bars!

Austin was sure to give lots of hugs to Grandpa, although he apparently had ulterior motives. Must be the Irish genes? Austin had a great time playing with cousin Jen and his favorite yellow ball. We headed home late---with tired eyes and very tight pants!
This morning we had to say goodbye to Aunt Terry and her crew as they headed back to Delaware. Hopefully we will see them again very soon!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T22:25:00.000-05:00

It was a busy day for Austin visiting with many relatives! He had lots to eat and was introduced to the wonderful world of Grandma's stuffing. (sorry Aunt Debra, it is someone else you need to share with now!)

We had a wonderful day and are very thankful for ALL the people in our lives.

Here are a few pics from the day:
Austin and his cousins from the compound.
Austin and Grandpa M. (I think Austin may have learned how to be a pickpocket....isn't that a wallet in his hands?!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T22:24:00.001-05:00

random stuff

2006-11-20T22:07:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Aunt Saundra for the yummy food tonight!!! :) She came over to cook for us and I unfortunately forgot to get a picture. We all enjoyed having company for dinner, especially Cisco!

Austin is growing up so fast these days that my camera can't keep up!
He is also able to walk faster than me. (sigh. click, ok? click! click!)

Here are a few random pics of the cutest little boy in the world. Feel free to comment on how adorable you think he is! :)

muscle building

2006-11-16T22:24:00.000-05:00

We've been keeping busy on the compound playing, singing, and window watching. Unfortunately Mommy is still out of commission and losing what is left of her marbles.
Since she can't workout, Austin has decided to entertain you with his workout routine.

Here he is with a medicine ball---his favorite for working his abs and also one arm push ups.

Another favorite is his stability ball. Here he is showing off his sculpted glutes!

And of course after all that hard work, a strong boy needs to reload with some protein powder.

today

2006-11-12T21:16:00.000-05:00

Austin had a great time with Daddy today. He showed him how he likes to keep track of the latest Britney/KFed news. (yes, he is a gossip hound like his mama!)

Daddy then showed him how to perfect his channel surfing technique. (mommy suspected it might be genetic!)

uh oh...

2006-11-12T11:55:00.000-05:00

Dear family,

Sorry my mommy hasn't been posting many pictures and stories lately. She got hurt and it is hard for her to take pictures of me these days. We are still having lots of fun though and she is hobbling around taking great care of me. We've been outside a lot enjoying the sunny, warm weather. Hopefully mommy will be back to taking pictures very soon! Don't forget to click! :)

Love,
Austin

PS: Look at how cute I am!!!

Rainy day fun

2006-11-07T22:24:00.000-05:00

Even though the weather was horrible, we still had a ton of fun today!!!
Austin and I played with everything in the house (which partially explains why it is a complete disaster) and went to Target for our daily outing.

Todays discoveries include:
the window ledge makes the perfect seat for a little boy and

the realization that he is the cutest little boy EVER!!!

2006-11-06T23:00:00.000-05:00

Austin had some great adventures this weekend, but my camera battery was dead so I did not capture most of them.

Thankfully his Daddy took some good pictures of their day yesterday.

(note the shoes--they are no longer evil!)

Cold weather blues

2006-11-04T22:29:00.000-05:00

We're trying not to let the cold weather get us down but it just isn't fun to bundle up so much for a simple walk!!
Isn't he super cute though?

We're having a busy weekend of outings, playdates, and fun.
How about you? What is going on with you this weekend?

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T21:09:00.000-05:00

Austin enjoyed trick-or-treating tonight and Mommy is looking forward to eating all of his candy!

Don't miss the tail on the costume. Too cute!

baby-zilla

2006-10-30T21:26:00.000-05:00

Austin has a cool set of blocks that always entertain Mommy--she thinks she does an excellent job of building pyramids. She has to be quick though because once Austin (aka: baby-zilla) catches sight of her artistic creation, he comes toddling over (with a shriek or two) and quickly wipes everything out. He usually includes a foot stomp and a grunt-like noise to go with it. It's quite entertaining, yet slightly unnerving! Hopefully this behavior won't transfer over to the school playground! :)

Austin had great fun with Grandma today while Mommy taught too many classes.
Thanks Grandma!!

my little pumpkin

2006-10-26T22:03:00.000-04:00

We had a great time today visiting the pumpkin patch. Austin was mesmerized by the crowds of screaming kids, the various farm animals, and the random guy singing songs like "Brown Eyed Girl". (not sure how that fits in with a pumpkin patch theme, but it was entertaining!)

The best part about this adventure was that he was so excited about everything he completely forgot about those THINGS on his feet!!!

Austin had a hard time choosing which pumpkin he would take home. We think he liked this one....

but those big 'uns weren't part of the "take-home-a-pumpkin" special. (of course!)
He got to choose a much, much, much smaller pumpkin...

but he didn't care, he was having too much fun!

Mommy had a great day and knows that she picked the best pumpkin of them all!

Shoes are evil

2006-10-24T22:22:00.000-04:00

Today's adventure included a trip to the real shoe store to get Austin fitted for his first pair of shoes. Yes, the little man has been walking for over a week now yet still has no shoes.
(hint: click on the boxes above--Austin needs shoes!!!!)

Having shoes on your feet is apparently very scary and traumatic!! We perused our shoe choices and all seemed to be going well.

Then we got our feet measured....still having fun.

Shoes being placed on our feet....still good.

Suddenly...all has gone wrong.
"Mommy, there are SHOES ON MY FEET!!!!!!! GET THEM OFF NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!"

These shoes must have felt like fireballs on his feet because Austin SCREAMED bloody murder until they were removed from his precious little feet. Then we went to the cash register and it was Mommy's turn to SCREAM andCRY when she was told what these things cost!
Holy cow!! The total was enough to make your hair stand on end!!

my mommy, my servant

2006-10-23T21:03:00.000-04:00

Austin finds joy in throwing things overboard from his highchair. He seems to think it is great fun to watch me pick things up for him.

As you can see from the pictures below, Austin will look directly at me as he drops the unsightly toy or food product over the edge of his highchair.

It's not really a game to him, just a way of life. Mommy is his servant. She will take care of the items he no longer enjoys. If he could talk, he might say something like this:

"I don't think I want more chicken pieces. Off you go....mommy will pick you up later!"

"This sweet potato is good, but I'm going to chuck it over my right side to see where it might land. I'm sure mommy won't mind."

"Cisco, would you like this piece of cheese....because I don't and it needs to be out of my space."

"This measuring cup and spoon are no longer fun. Over the side you go!!"

new toys are cool!

2006-10-20T23:15:00.000-04:00

Austin scored a bunch of fun new toys for his birthday. Most of them make some sort of noise or play an obnoxious song---guaranteed to drive any mommy or dog crazy!

Here are a few that we played with today---

I wonder if biting Elmo's nose will make that annoying giggle stop? I hope so.

Mommy bought Austin a new car that looks like all sorts of fun on the box. Too bad she is too tired (ok, lazy) to put it together. For now, it sits in pieces in our playroom. Austin likes to climb in it and pretend that Mommy put it together for him.

The ball popper is also a big hit. It plays some loud music and the balls shoot out the top. We've discovered that it can also double as a hair dryer.
Or when you turn it on it's side, the balls shoot at Cisco.
Big fun! Big fun!

Stop on by the compound someday to say hi.
In the meantime, click on the pretty boxes above.
Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Birthday

2006-10-19T23:36:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!!!

We had a great day today and mommy gave me way too many hugs and kisses. I've got too many things to do these days though (like walking!) and sometimes I just don't have time to sit still for hugs and kisses. I'm too small to realize that this just CRUSHES mommy's heart into a zillion pieces.

I guess that is what motherhood is all about.

walkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalkwalk

2006-10-18T21:42:00.000-04:00

Walking. All day. Everywhere.
Mad when not walking.
Screams when not allowed to walk.
Did I mention that Austin loves to walk?

As much as he is wearing me out, I can't get enough of the "take my hand and help me walk over here mommy". (no, he isn't talking---I'm just reading his mind!!!)
My hand will always be out for him, no matter how old he is.

******
10/18/05: Stuffing my face with cheese and chocolate (yum, Melting Pot) because I was 41 weeks pregnant and figured I deserved a little treat.

10/18/06: Stuffing my face with chocolate (yum, Ghiardelli brownies) because my baby turns ONE tomorrow and I can't seem to deal with that. Therefore I deserve a little treat.

rough night

2006-10-16T14:13:00.000-04:00

This is the "morning-after-a-fun party" look.
I'm sure many of us can relate!!

party day

2006-10-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

Today was Austin's first birthday party and we celebrated with most of our friends and family. We had a great time and mommy made it through the event without crying!!

Austin got to experience his first taste of cake and surprisingly didn't really like it.
(could he have been switched at birth??!)
Fortunately, mommy was there to help him eat it. Of course.

Austin wowed the guests with his new WALKING skills ---that's right folks, he is WALKING!!!! Can you hear mommy sighing?

He's mobile.
He's growing up.

This week, my baby becomes a TODDLER.

2006-10-09T21:07:00.000-04:00

The bulk of Austin's bibs were purchased when he was very small and their main role was to absorb drool. Now that they are used at mealtime, they all have a sweet potato/carrot residue look to them, so mommy went out and got him a "catch-all" bib that is supposed to be great.

Austin gave me a look like "Are you serious?!"
It definitely does the job, but I think he can pick up radio signals with this thing!!!!

Austin gets the fun experience of watching mommy prepare for her yoga classes. Sometimes I get the feeling he is holding back the hysterical laughter!!
Anyway, here he is practicing his own boat pose. Notice the perfectly pointed toes! He need a little work on his alignment, but I think he is a natural!!
(in reality, he is trying to hurl that pillow across the room. Unfortunately he ended up hurling himself backwards!)

Trapped!

2006-10-06T21:08:00.000-04:00

It rained.
All day.
It was cold too.
We were trapped!!

It is going to be a very long winter!!!!

Please don't mention the B word!!!

2006-10-03T21:01:00.000-04:00

As I turned the calendar this morning I was forced to face the reality that it is October.
I'm not ready for this month. I am not ready to accept the fact that Austin is going to be a year old. My baby is now considered a toddler.

Why is it that a year in my pre-baby life crawled by at a snail's pace --yet this year, has absolutely flown? At this rate, Austin will be going to college (with me duct taped to his side, of course!) before I can finish folding my never-ending stack of laundry.

How do you live in the moment....enjoy the present....when you are constantly worried about the future? I want to close my eyes and burn into my brain just how he looks and sounds and smells in this very moment.

I know that as he continues to grow there will be new moments to enjoy which is why I can't understand how emotional I am at the thought of this first year coming to end!
What has happened to me?

This baby thing is a powerful drug---which sadly leaves me wanting more.

Here is one of my favorite pics to enjoy.
Mommy needs to get a box of tissues and a bag of oreos now.

belated weekend wrap up

2006-10-01T22:20:00.000-04:00

So we headed to our favorite Delaware town this weekend for a lot of fun. We arrived in time for a block party at Aunt Terry's house where everyone assumed we were part of the "block". Unfortunately we are not but maybe someday? :)

The party was rockin' and included all sorts of fun conversation, junk food (that mommy inhaled), and football & basketball games for the kids. The main event was the arrival of the firetruck, in which Austin was able to take a ride. He hesitated at first but had fun once we got rolling. Mommy had a lot of fun as well since she was able to control the engine horn. (did you know it is actually a foot pedal???)

Our trip was too short and as we left on Sunday there were tears all around. Hopefully we'll be back again very soon.

(note to Aunt Terry: We hope you had a great day today!!!!)

He's a big boy!

2006-09-27T22:31:00.000-04:00

Austin and I went to the playground today with the hopes of making some friends. (at least that was my intent, Austin seemed to be thrilled just to watch all the action and scream to his hearts content!)

Anyway, another mommy strolled over with her little boy and placed him in the swing next to Austin's. I thought "cool! she is going to talk to me!!" She did!! But after asking how old Austin is, she let out the famous comment of --"Wow--he's a big boy for 11 months! I bet he eats a lot!?"

This statement is starting to get on my nerves!!!
Austin is a normal sized healthy boy who is PERFECT.
Anyone who says otherwise is INSANE.
Got it?

I wanted to fire back "Well, your little boy is so small. Do you not feed him?"
But like I said above, I was trying to make friends.
Not with her though!!

I guess I have a phobia that Austin will be labeled husky or big-boned and end up shopping at the Big/Tall store.
Then again, maybe he'll become a famous linebacker and support his mama.
Until that happens, please click on a box above. :)

Enjoy the pictures from the playground--we had a great time despite the crazy lady standing next to us!

thank you!

2006-09-25T21:24:00.000-04:00

Dear cousin Kristin,

Thank you so much for the cute University of Delaware outfit!! My mommy tried to get some great pictures of me wearing it but I was having too much fun playing to stop and pose. I think it is really comfy though and I'm glad that it is still warm enough for me to wear. Mommy told me that you cannot make it to my birthday party and I'm really sad. I wish you could be there because I miss and love you a lot. I hope you are having a great time at college and that I get to see you again soon.

Love,
Austin

Toes

2006-09-24T21:41:00.000-04:00

Look at that perfectly adorable foot!
the perfect aligned toes (for now, at least)
the silky soft soles
I just can't resist them!
and I can't resist the giggles that I get when I nibble on those wonderful toes

what a weekend!

2006-09-24T21:21:00.000-04:00

We wrapped up another fun weekend with lots of adventures!!!

We met up with Belinda and crew to go on a hiking adventure with our new backpack carrier. (Thanks Mike!) I don't think you can technically call it a hike--more like a very long walk--but we still looked official!!

As you can see from this picture, the backpack is larger than the person wearing it!!!!
Austin loved the view though and being able to pull Mommy's hair.

On Sunday, Austin spent the day laughing and having a great time with Daddy.

No phone for you!

2006-09-21T20:49:00.000-04:00

Austin has a lot of fun playing with the telephone--even though Mommy knows she shouldn't let him play with a real one. But ---we were having one of those mornings so I thought "what harm could it do"? Yeah...a few minutes later I realized it probably wasn't such a good idea.

Apparently Austin had figured out how to dial Aunt Debra. And fortunately he hung up before she heard Mommy singing some weirdo made-up song in the background!
Hopefully he didn't call anyone else, but I have a bad feeling that he did.
Lesson learned for today: No more telephone for Austin!!!!

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of what happened late yesterday but it was priceless!
It was exercise time so Austin was working on his quads (in the Jumperoo) and mommy was on the treadmill. Thankfully I was only walking at the time, or the story would probably have a completely different ending. Cisco was catching a power nap next to the treadmill, happily dreaming of endless amounts of food. Sounds harmless, yes?

Out of nowhere, Austin let out a heck of a screech. This caused Cisco to jump up and run to me for help. In his sleepy stupor he forgot that I was logging my pedometer obsessed steps on a moving treadmill. Cisco was flung backwards, whacked right into the wall--and let out one heck of a screech as he scurried upstairs away from it all.
I'm still laughing!!!
aren't you?

Constant motion, birthdays, and tears. What a day!

2006-09-19T21:03:00.000-04:00

People have emailed me about the lack of pictures/posts lately.
(hopefully these same people are clicking on the pretty boxes above, yes??!! Help a mama out, will you!?)

I try everyday to get good pics of Austin but he is in CONSTANT MOTION and most of the pictures turn out like this:

He doesn't have time to strike a pose like he used to. There are things to be thrown, crumpled, eaten, climbed upon, and mushed!!

Today was a busy one that started out with a visit to see Miss Belinda at the gym. It was her birthday and she was sharing some cake with the kids. Austin is of course too young for cake! This didn't stop him from finding a stray piece on the floor and quickly shoving it in his mouth. Yum--dirty cake! He didn't seem to mind and scoured the rest of the floor looking for more. He must have learned that from his big brother Cisco!

After that, we headed into town to wish Daddy a Happy Birthday as well!!!
Happy Birthday Daddy!!! We had a great time having lunch with him.

After dinner Mommy decided that she could no longer stand the mullet that Austin was sporting. She thought "I'll just give him a trim". She really didn't think that one through, I mean how do you give a child that is in CONSTANT MOTION a hair cut? It was quite the experience, but she thinks she did a pretty darn good job!! Thanks to the assistance of a Baby Einstein DVD and the exersaucer!!!
Here is the before (which note was taken almost a month ago, so it really was more mullet-ish today!):

and here is the after:

I would have taken more pictures but I was too distraught over the fact that I had just given Austin his first HAIRCUT!!!!
Those little hairs that have been growing since before birth-
that I have washed for the past ELEVEN months-
that I have run my fingers through everyday
were now laying on my floor in a little pile.
WHAT HAD I DONE!!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!

(sigh) This gets easier, right?

hungry?

2006-09-18T22:12:00.000-04:00

Austin wants to know if you would like a bite of his sweet potatoes?

out and about

2006-09-14T21:49:00.000-04:00

Austin and I ventured out in the rain today to meet up with good friends Andrea and Michelle. We had a lot of fun catching up on the latest in the days of our own lives and both of them agreed that they are soooooooooo happy they are beyond the baby/toddler stage!
(I know Andrea was definitely thinking this as she was getting splattered with peach juice! Sorry about that....)

It was great to see them again and we hope they visit us on the compound VERY soon!!
Michelle was gracious enough to take this picture:

This afternoon we went to the gym where mommy worked a few hours in the childcare room. Again this meant that she hovered around Austin trying not to let any other children come into contact with him. (Kidding!)
Unfortunately Austin was pretty tired and was not in the best of moods today.

Here is how one conversation went with Brock, who is 4 years old:

Brock: Miss Lisa, can baby Austin talk yet?
Lisa : No , not yet.
Austin: SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHH!!!!
Brock: Miss Lisa, he can talk!! Didn't you hear him??
Lisa: (sigh) Yes, honey...the shoppers at Food Lion heard that one, but I don't think that counts for talking!

Needless to say, Austin was wiped out by the end of the day, as is Mommy!

SPF!!

2006-09-14T14:09:00.000-04:00

Austin wanted to send a quick Happy Birthday to his fave celeb-baby Sean Preston!!!
Mommy will have some cake in his honor tonight!! :)

playdates for both of us!

2006-09-10T21:22:00.000-04:00

We spent time hanging out with Miss Belinda and her cutie crew this weekend. We played some games and took a nature walk. Her boys picked up gross things to show her and gave me a glimpse into my future with Austin. (again--I'm scared!)

It was a great weekend with some great weather!

Here are the pics to enjoy! (sorry about the blurry one, but it's too cute not to post!)

Running guilt and shopping! What a day!

2006-09-08T21:33:00.000-04:00

I took Austin out for a run this morning, which was again a lesson in patience.
It's not that he *hates* the jogging stroller, but he kinda does!!!
There is something about the semi-reclined position and the giant armstraps that just puts him in a mood! I usually gear up with 50 different toys, a snack (for him, of course!), and water bottles. This all adds up to mommy pushing an extra 35 lbs on her morning run....therefore I should be the one crying, not Austin!! I usually get about 15-20 minutes before the little guy starts to voice his dissatisfaction. Ok, maybe I'm a little oversensitive to these "cries". My biggest fear is that a fellow walker/runner is going to come over and say:

"Hey lady, do you realize your kid is crying? Are you that selfish that you are sacrificing HIS happiness so you can get a little exercise? What is WRONG with you??!!!!!"

Those inner voices are brutal---but a mama has to get out every once in awhile, y'know?!

After our run together, we decided to go shopping with Grandma. (see any irony here?!) Austin got some new fall duds (from Old Navy) and Mommy and Grandma got indigestion from some yucky pizza! :)

We had a lot of fun and Austin was a perfect little shopper.
It was another great day in our world!

look, it's cousin Makena!

2006-09-07T20:38:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe that these two babies are only 5 weeks apart!!!
Thanks Aunt Debra for the cool new toy! Austin has discovered that he can CLIMB on it and reach all sorts of dangerous things. I couldn't get a picture of him reaching for the vaccuum because I was too busy sprinting across the room to catch him from falling to his death!

It's been a busy week so today we just stayed home and played with all of our toys.
As you can see, Austin has a very wide selection to choose from!!!!

He was also very curious as to what Mommy was doing, so here are some shots of him checking out the camera.

summer is over! :(

2006-09-05T21:52:00.000-04:00

where did the time go? We wrapped up the holiday weekend with a pool party at Cousin Laura's house. (still not sure about that 2nd cousin-once-removed thing? Anyone know how that works?)

Anyway, we had a great time swimming in her awesome pool and Austin got the royal treatment from two cute girls.

We woke up this morning to some fall-like weather, which we are not ready for!! We had to bundle up for our morning walk, as shown in this cute picture. Austin is such a handsome boy in his grey hoodie, isn't he?!!

Austin wanted to give everyone a good shot of his beautiful teeth. SMILE!!!

road trip!

2006-09-02T21:34:00.000-04:00

We decided to take a quick trip to our favorite state and visit with Aunt Terry, Uncle Dean and cousin Scott. We missed cousin Kristin because she is now at COLLEGE!! (how did we get so old???!!!)

We took Grandma with us this time and had a ton o'fun. (despite the hurricane rain and winds!!)

Austin got his usual sink bath treatment from Aunt Terry. Here he is with his soapy Kramer-like hairdo!

Austin is amazed by Scott....also known as "the boy". (lol!) Whenever Scott appeared, Austin was mesmerized by his every move. Austin is modeling his new fall sportswear in this picture and reading a book with Scott.

and life doesn't really get any better than this....here he is reading a book and cuddling with Grandma and his blankie. Austin can barely keep his eyes open...he is overwhelmed with "coziness"!! (and Mommy was patiently waiting for her turn on Grandma's lap!!!)

It was a fun trip to Delaware and we hope to go again soon.
Meanwhile, it's back to life on the compound.
(sigh)

PS: scott cheats in ping pong. and he pinches really hard too!!!! :)

Life in Timbuktu

2006-08-29T20:57:00.000-04:00

I needed to go to Babies R US to return some things that have been sitting in my car for almost a month. Seems simple enough, right? (sigh)
Not when you live on the compound....aka Timbuktu.
The window for travelling to the baby store is roughly 30 minutes and given the fact that it takes at least 30 minutes to get there, you are pretty much guaranteed an unhappy trip. Here's the logic:

Go before 10am and get stuck in rush hour
Go between 10 am and 2 pm and get stuck in construction
Go between 2pm and 8pm and get stuck in rush hour
Go after 8pm and get stuck in construction

(note: If you are considering a move out this way, RECONSIDER!!!!)

So, I decided to take a chance that maybe the million or so people that live around here are all on vacation this week. Yea, that didn't really work out for me!! We sat in traffic like you wouldn't believe!!! I wish I had my camera with me to show you the MISERY that we get to experience out this way. Words cannot explain it...actually some choice words were used to describe it today and I'm hoping that these will not be Austin's firsts!! Ok, rant aside...we made it there and back. We got some cool stuff. Austin exercised his lungs. And mommy has a KILLER headache!! (that has Excedrin written all over it!!!!)

Since we spent most of the day in the car today, I didn't get a chance to take any pics. This one is from yesterday though and I think it's pretty darn cute!

Weekend wrap-up

2006-08-27T21:49:00.000-04:00

Austin managed to convince mommy to get in an OUTDOOR pool on Saturday, in front of other people!!!!!! Those of you who know mommy will understand that this is huge for her!!! It was worth it though because we had an awesome time!! Austin enjoyed the water (even though it was like ICE to mommy) and had a great time meeting new people.
Here is a picture of me enjoying the party!

On Sunday, Austin hung out with Daddy who bought him his first car!! Here he is motoring around and wondering where the navigation system is located!!

I can walk!!

2006-08-25T22:36:00.000-04:00

well...sort of! Austin loves to push his "walker" back and forth across the house---strengthening his amazing quads!! Pretty soon he is going to be pushing ME in the jogging stroller!!

It's getting difficult to get a great picture of him these days because he is always on the move, but I was able to snag this one this morning. Isn't he adorable????!!!

When he needs a break, he stops by the window to check everything out. Everyone loves to people watch, right? Too bad everyone can see us doing it!!

Everyday is a new adventure for us --and we are loving every minute of it!!!

and then there were 2.....

2006-08-22T20:38:00.000-04:00

Our excitement from yesterday came to a crashing end when our visitors left this morning. We were extremely sad to see their car driving down our street...away from the compound....leaving us all alone again. (sigh) The house seems so empty and quiet.

That quiet only lasted a few minutes though...as there was PLAYING to be done!!!!
Austin keeps on truckin' with a new mode of transportation.

Here he is using one of his kid chairs to help him "walk" across the room. I am wondering if I should clip my pedometer on Austin to see how many steps he is taking each day? :)

We also found a new food group for Austin....pizza crust. YUM!!

What a GREAT Monday!!!

2006-08-21T22:52:00.000-04:00

Today was a GREAT day on the compound!! Aunt Terry and Cousin Kristin made the trek up to visit us and we had a blast!! Austin got to show off his new skills and got tons of attention.

We are all exhausted and hopefully we will ALL sleep well tonight!

Here are some pics to enjoy:

weekend playdates!

2006-08-20T11:35:00.000-04:00

Austin had some friends over yesterday and learned what life is like as a 2 year old. (Mommy is very, very, afraid!!) Jordan and Kiah ran through the house like a couple of tornados! They enjoyed some soggy Doritos after discovering they could dip them into Cisco's water bowl. YUK!! Cisco loved every minute of their visit since there were many hands to pet him and many crumbs to snarf up! Austin had fun playing with some new toys and watching all the activity. This picture was taken at the end of our day and he was a little unhappy by then, but he hopes to see his new friends again soon!

We also went on a walk and and stopped by to visit Grandma.

Mommy obviously should have kept her hat on for this picture!!

Austin is on the verge of walking!!!! Here he is practicing his "I can open cabinets, pull things out, and walk around the kitchen" dance.

my little hippie!

2006-08-18T20:56:00.000-04:00

Austin has a TON of hair!! It is growing longer each day and I've started referring to is as "the mullet"!! I guess it's time to start thinking about his **sigh** FIRST HAIRCUT!!
Omigosh, I'm not ready!!
Austin won't mind wearing a ponytail--just like mommy---right??

Here he is showing off his BOY-ness with a new toy car. This kept him occupied for a good 20 minutes...which is a lifetime record for Austin!
Today was another wonderful day on the compound.
We played, we went to the gym, we took walks.
Feel free to stop by sometime and say "hi!".
We'll be looking out the window waiting for you.....

**I have a really cute pic that I am trying to post here but it won't work!!!
and I'm too tired to try and figure it out. Blogger.com is not working very well these days...anyone have other suggestions??!!!

Please explain!

2006-08-16T23:10:00.000-04:00

I don't know how people that run home daycare centers can do it! When I am working at the gym and need to "fill in" in the childcare room, I can't focus on anyone but Austin. I end up hovering around him and trying to get the other kids to play elsewhere! Why do they all seem drawn to the "BABY!"?
They all want to help him or pick him up, or just generally interact with him. Don't they know that mommy doesn't want anyone else touching her baby!!!?!! Sometimes I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from screaming "Go away kids, find someone else to play with!!!"

What really gets me though is that other kids can come up to Austin and rip whatever toy he is playing with right out of his hands. They can yell "No, baby!!" right in his face and leave him sitting there toyless. He is unphased and just merrily goes about his way. Yet when mommy directs him away from the vacuum cord or germy dog toys and softly says "no,no Austin...let's play over here instead"....he arches his back and SCREAMS as if I am ruining his life!!
Where is the justice?!?!

Overall it was a busy day.
All that play makes for a sleepy boy!

beads anyone?

2006-08-15T20:36:00.000-04:00

The picture posting feature is still not working, but I managed a workaround by using some HTML. The pictures are smaller, but you should be able to click on them to make them bigger.

Austin just loves his new "Bead rollercoaster" and mommy loves the fact that she scored it for cheap on Ebay!



We spent a good portion of today perched in the front window so that Austin and Cisco could check out everyone who happened to walk by.



Austin is always eager to give Cisco a big hug....or to use him as a boost so he can stand up. Fortunately Cisco is a good sport and doesn't seem to mind. He seems to think he might even get a belly rub out of the deal.

technical difficulties....

2006-08-14T22:31:00.000-04:00

Mommy is having trouble getting the pictures posted, so please visit again at another time! Feel free to click on the ad above!!!
:)

My little Hoo!!

2006-08-14T22:21:00.000-04:00

Austin is enjoying his new hoo-wear, although the socks don't stay on for long!
Here he is doing some reading since he heard how hard it is to get into UVa these days.

For those of you that need an "I feel OLD!" moment, Austin will be a member of the class of 2024!!!! (sigh)

Remember the teeth I mentioned a few weeks back? Here is a great shot of them!!! What a ham!!

Busy boy

2006-08-11T22:37:00.000-04:00

Austin is a busy baby these days. He cruises about the house exploring and finding things to bang together. He is definitely all "boy"!!

He loves Cisco dog and always wants to play with him. Unfortunately, Cisco spends a lot of time behind bars but Austin will always cruise over to say "hi".

Or maybe he is really saying "ha ha...I'm out here playing and you are stuck over there!"?
You be the judge!

Austin has a cool new bath hat that he wanted to show off. It doesn't really do the job it was intended to do, but doesn't it look neat?

For such a little guy, Austin sure has a lot of hair! Must be those wonderful Johnson and Johnson bath products that his mommy buys him? This picture makes me think of Kramer (from Seinfeld!)

a rear view

2006-08-08T21:42:00.000-04:00

Today we spent the morning at the gym and the afternoon shopping with grandma.
In between we did a lot of playing, screaming, and having fun!

It is getting harder to get good pictures of Austin these days because he is so busy crawling away to explore and destroy that he just doesn't have time to pose anymore!

Here he is trying to figure out how to climb into the cubby unit!
(Why don't I fit in here Mom??)

Here he is hanging out with Cisco. In reality, Cisco is usually parked on the floor somewhere and Austin enjoys going over to say "hi" (which involves fur pulling and smacking).

Most dogs would get up and walk away, but not Cisco. He just loves the attention....poor thing!

Finally...a captured pose after taking a zillion pictures!!!

Mobile Monday

2006-08-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

Today was another mobile day with Austin moving all over the place. He loves to cruise his new cubby unit (that mommy put together all by herself!) and pull out all the toys.

He also heads straight for the stairs to practice his mountain climbing skills. (which stresses mommy out!)

just to test Bobby's suggestion: diet coke, fisher price, cheerios, gateway

What a year it has been!

2006-08-03T14:26:00.000-04:00

What an exhausting yet exciting year it has been!

Turning 29 has been tough for me today :), but Austin has helped me through the day with lots of smiles and screams!!! The highlight for him was our trip to the grocery store. Mommy decided to let him have a "Biter Biscuit" and he snarfed it down in a matter of minutes.
Hmmmm.....I guess he inherited mommy's sweet tooth!!!

Now that I'm a mom, I'd have to say that today should be a celebration for MY mommy, not me! She was the one who had to do all the work (29 years ago)---all I did was cause her grief and pain, which most would agree that I'm still doing even today!

Thanks and happy birth-day to the best mom in the world! (and thanks for the birthday brownie, I snarfed it down in a matter of minutes!!!)

Lunch date!

2006-08-01T16:59:00.000-04:00

Austin had a lunch date today with an older woman!!
Here he is with the incredibly adorable Phoebe Brooke.
He needs to learn a few manners though since he spent most of the date "yelling" (of course!) and trying to grab Phoebe. She was an angel though and didn't seem to mind his grabbiness! (maybe it is because he shared his yummy cheerios with her, much to her mommy's dismay!)

Mommy had a great time hanging out with Phoebe's mommy and hopes she gets to see her again VERY soon!!

I recognize you....

2006-07-31T21:49:00.000-04:00

So Austin and I went to Food Lion today for our daily outing. (exciting, right?)
The clerk started "talking" to Austin and said:

"I've seen you here before. You are the baby that yells really loud, but not because you are crying. "

Yep, that is Austin!
Known around town for his trademark "Yell"!!

Pictures

2006-07-29T21:56:00.000-04:00

We hung out with Daddy today who took this adorable picture of Austin snuggling with his stuffed animals. Isn't he just the cutest little boy??!!!!

And here are some pictures of Austin and Cisco hanging out. Austin is absolutely in love with Cisco but I think Cisco spends the majority of his day plotting how to get rid of him!

Note the "evil eye" that Cisco is giving Austin in this picture!

Cisco is a good sport though and lets Austin practice his crawling skills without trying to eat him. I am very thankful for that!!!

Like mother, like son. I found Austin reading yet another gossip mag!!
He can't resist, they are so juicy!
Don't you think he looks a little embarrassed that he got caught reading about Nick!

back to the pool!

2006-07-27T15:45:00.000-04:00

Today's adventures started off with a dip in the pool for our water babies class. Val got to witness the excitement and was on hand to take some pics. Austin splashed about while mommy just tried to keep warm! The highlight of class for Austin was when he got a chance to climb/hang on the ladder. This little guy LOVES to climb!!!

We spent the rest of the day playing and chatting with Val. We are sad that she is leaving tomorrow to head back to London. :(

TEETH!!

2006-07-25T22:02:00.000-04:00

Austin was playing with Grandma today while mommy went to earn a few bucks at the gym. When I came to pick him up, Grandma nonchalantly said "You know he has some teeth coming in, right?" My response "Yes mom, I told you he has a new one coming in on the bottom."

*insert loud laughter here from Grandma*
She proceeded to point out the FOUR top teeth that are starting to come through!!!!

Can he really be cutting 5 teeth at the same time??? FIVE????!!!!!!!!
My little Austin?
My baby is turning into a little boy!!!!
(Can you hear the sound of my tears hitting the keyboard???)

Here are some pictures from the day. No matter how many toys Austin has, he prefers to play on things like the stair gate, which totally stresses mommy out!!
I mean, what if those screws give way and he goes flying down those death-stairs!!!?)
Why oh why must he do this?!! Is this a boy thing?

another favorite is the wall-doingy thing. (what are those called?)
He loves to smack them and laughs at the weird noise they make.
Truthfully, who DOESN'T like to do that?
I think I'll go play with it right now, I could use a laugh!

Slow Sunday

2006-07-23T21:58:00.000-04:00

It was a pretty quiet weekend here on the compound. Austin continues with his quest to explore every nook and cranny of the house. His crawling is starting to pick up speed and it's only a matter of weeks (days maybe?) before he is faster than me!

Mommy went to the baby store today and spent a fortune on baby gates---otherwise known as containment devices!!! My house now resembles a small prison....with bars around every corner!!

We spent most of the day with Daddy who apparently has been living in the attic!! :)

Nah... he was just gracious enough to climb up there to try and find the source of a water leak!!! Austin was quite impressed with his dresser climbing skills, but hopefully will NOT try to imitate them anytime soon!!!!
Many thanks to Daddy for doing this because judging by what he looked like when he climbed down, it is Africa-hot up there!! :)

Outside of the attic, the weather was gorgeous here this weekend so I was able to get out for a run with my favorite running partner. Isn't he awesome??

I want to read this one Mommy!

2006-07-21T18:48:00.000-04:00

Just like his mommy, Austin just can't resist a little Britney gossip, even if it is old news!
He is hoping he gets to have a playdate with little SPF!

Not much happening on the compound today. We took some walks, did a lot of playing, crawling, pulling up and climbing.
I'm exhausted and hopefully Austin is as well!

Has it been 9 months already??

2006-07-19T16:41:00.000-04:00

Nine months old. I can hardly believe it!! Where has the time gone?
Austin is growing up so fast!!!

Here are some of my favorite pics from those first few days. (sniff, sniff!!!)

Now he is a big boy that is cruising all over the place!! (sigh)

Today we went to the gym in the morning for Mommy's "job" and then to the doctor this afternoon.

Austin is up to 21.3 lbs!!!! No wonder I'm out of breath when I get to the top of my stairs!! There is also a new tooth on the horizon which would explain the river of drool that has been around lately!

Austin has found a new way to scare Cisco off....banging pot lids together and screaming at the same time. I think it's adorable, don't you? :)

I'm willing to bet that Cisco doesn't think the past 9 months have flown by!

PS: we miss Aunt Terry, Kristin, Scott and Dean!!! :(

mobility=freedom

2006-07-17T15:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't been able to post much because Austin has me chasing him all over the place trying to make sure he doesn't get hurt. He loves to climb. Everything!!!
Where did that small snuggly baby go??!!

Due to his mobility, the Cisco-free zone has been reduced to a small cage. It doesn't matter what is in the cage, Austin just wants to hang on to the sides and peek over. (and scream!)

Look at me--I'm swimmy!

2006-07-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

We took Austin swimming today in an outdoor pool!!! There were some other little people in the pool, so he was quite entertained. Cousin Kristin did a great job of helping him swim since Mommy didn't really want to get in the water.

Austin also enjoys feeding the fish with Aunt Terry. Ok, he really just likes pulling the plants, but someday he'll notice the fish!

Austin absolutely loves playing with Aunt Terry. Here he is doing some inner thigh work on his exercise ball!

Tomorrow we head back to Virginia. (sob!!!)

it's official!

2006-07-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

he's mobile!!!
Austin is crawling and on the move---every chance he gets!

Life as I know it is over!!