If I Were Maasai...

I would see an elephant, of course!

Logan's little drawer where I keep all his artwork is already getting cramped. This is bad news since he's only in kindergarten, so I decided to start scanning what I can. I love this picture. The elephant is so cute. And I love how the palm tree has a shadow. That's good thinking, Logan! The little guy is either really happy or scared out of his wits to see an elephant at the watering hole, I'm not sure which.

Bedtime Reader

Claire,

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The other day you weren't feeling well so I tucked you in bed with us. You know, because I think if a kid's going to throw up in the middle of the night they should generally have their face three inches from mine.

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What I didn't expect, was when I came back from the bathroom you would be sitting there in bed reading your father's sports magazine.

And although I believe in an early introduction to literature, I quickly swapped the sports rag out for something a little more acceptable...

like the Avon catalog. See? Aren't you much happier this way?
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You're welcome.
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Love,
Mama

Good-bye High Chair

And hello to table top dining!

Okay, so you still need your booster and your blankie. That's completely fine by me. I think we should take baby steps out of your babyhood anyway.

You are so precious to me in every way, little girl.

Love,

Mama

We Love Grammy

Kids, I love it that you are so close to your Grammy. I love that she can come up to stay with us so much. You guys just light up when you're around her. Anyone who can get Claire to break a smile this early in the morning is a special person, indeed.

Claire's Shenanigans

Claire, when you have kids I hope they crack you up as much as you and your brother do me! Of course, all your energy is sometimes a bit misdirected - like on this day when I was trying to dust the bookshelf:

You actually climbed right in there and laid down. It was just about your size! By the time I had gone running for the camera you had fallen out and here you are trying to get back up again. If your childhood memories include living in a very dusty house, I guess you'll know why.

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But sometimes you're just plain adorable, like on this day when you decided, all by yourself, to change your babydoll's diaper. How sweet were you, laying out the changing pad and getting the bag of wipes out! Just like Mommy does it! You are so sweet.

I love you so, so much, little girl.

Mama

February Flashback: The Beginning

I'm constantly afraid something's going to happen to all our photo CDs and our memories will be forever lost in a flash. So I figured if I got in the habit of digging through our archives once a month and putting them into a flashback post, eventually I'll be all caught up.

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Since this is my first flashback AND Valentine's is just around the corner, it's appropriate to begin at the beginning, no?

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Kids, your dad and I went all the way to St. Lucia in the Caribbean to get married. We got married on November 19, 2003 - a beautiful partly cloudy morning, barefoot on the beach.

Yep, I'd do it again.

Happy Valentine's Day, baby.