Hannah, ONE year ago!

So admittedly I am an on again off again content provider of personal photos and blog posts and websites and videos, I start and stop everything. But I have to spend countless hours watching “Baby’s Day” or “Wiggles” with Rachel tucked in the bed with her pillow “just right” and her blanket “just right” and her hand attached nearly constantly to my chest in comfort, just so. Luckly Hannah is still enamored with mundane objects like knobs and keys and crackers and the occasional dangerous chew toy, like a plastic bag, or toothbrush.

But I preach “try again” to my children, so I too will try again to blog. I have a lot of super cute pictures, and Hannah just turned ONE! And I am feeling their infancy escaping and even their childhood floating away ever so effortlessly (for them).

So this is it, this is my chance to be a good mom and blog it all so there is a permanent record of their neverending cuteness and neediness and our relationships and our adventures. I will try.

July 11, 2008 - We love our visits to Ella's house.

What is up with everybody benefiting and not taking any personal responsibility for anything in our governmet, it’s just criminal, yet there are no trials like enron, or worldcom or all those other hints that this was coming… what is happening!! and this Barney Frank thing that you just did on CNN We the People’s Court is outstanding. Where is the leadership and the trust… you say it, I hear ya.

June 13, 2008

I’m not sure if this Wall Street Journal article means that people can really vote at the Bruce Springsteen concert, but I don’t care. The fact that you can register and vote for the president on the same day, is crazy. We must pay attention to the voting process in our country, we are at a time where trust is hard to find.

“During a one-week period that ends Monday, voters can register and cast a ballot at the same time. The Obama campaign, in particular, has encouraged residents to take advantage of the same-day process. On Sunday, Bruce Springsteen plans to perform at Ohio State University as part of a rally for Democrat Barack Obama that is aimed at increasing registration and early voting.”

“In arguing for the election observers, Republicans have raised concerns that early voting, particularly when same-day registration is involved, could increase the chance of fraud.”
…
“Ohio law does not specifically provide for election observers for early voting”

Rachel, holding a baby kitty at Nick's 3rd birthday party.

Dear diary,

What the ***k is going on? We actually just paid tax credits and incentives to everyone in the congress, exactly buying their votes? Are we kidding here, that is so cheap!

Why didn’t we get any economic minds from the public to oversee the government here. These people in Washington are a joke. They needed all these other tax add ons to deal with a crisis, that’s like saying, my house is on fire, but first let me get a few things before I run out the door. Lame.

I like Sarah Palin, she seems like she’s driven her own car, brushed her own hair and just been normal in her recent life.

Anyways, Sean just walks around talking on his iPhone about the big idea, and reading Richard Branson.

I would love for my family and friends to agree with my political views, because I’m always right! but at least I hope they are all staying informed. I really like Glenn Beck, here’s some enlightened reading on the economy, read Glenn Beck’s Letter, really, it’s interesting, and at least he’s a witty person, even if you don’t agree.

peace, me

Father's Day 2008, Gulfport, FL

Dear diary,

I’m a little un-nerved about the economic situation of the humbled USA here lately. Glenn Beck tells me that these are “the next four most important days of your entire life”. The decision to spend 700 billion dollars on some bail out plan makes me sick, and all I see is another government controlled entity sucking more of my freedoms away with rules and taxes that suck. Sean says it may “get more weird”, it may even suck just a little more, but basically, chill out, because were not living under a bridge just yet. He won’t listen to Glenn Beck tell me the end is near, and he’s watching Fringe instead of CNN right now. So, I too will try to relax a bit, I am more outraged at our society for this crappy deal of no way out and I can’t help but skip a few heart beats listening to Glenn Beck and CNN and all the other media. Is this really one of those paradigm shifting moments?

Only time will tell I guess.

Dear Hannah,

Your little teeth are coming in now, and it just seems as it life doesn’t give you a break. My little grumpy girl has grown up, and you are such a sweetheart.

We love you so much! You are sitting and reaching and smiling and laughing. You have started to play and coo at your loving parents

You love your little Amby Swing bed, it’s the perfect little cocoon. You are a great sleeper, but as Dad says, if you step on a sock, you stir. We all listen to static now. Maybe we can grow into some ocean breeze now that you have come alive and noticed the world.

Your sister is big entertainment and we hope for you two to grow up to be the best of friends.

My sweet angel, you are adorable!

love, mommy

Dear Rachel, you are beautiful inside and out! Carefree, curious, confident!

You love to run. You do summersalts on the bed. You unload the diswasher, holding a glass in one hand, your other hand behind your back, and you shake your head, saying “not safe… break… joke”.

You struggled and struggled until you mastered holding up two proud fingers.

You like to say “do it” and “self” and “own” and “me, Rachel”. It’s so cute!

You can sing the abc’s now, sometimes missing a letter here and there. You can definitely count to 5, and mostly count to 10. You like the 1, 2, buckle my shoe song.

We blow birthday candles out still, after almost 6 weeks now since your actual birthday.

And Barney is a huge hit, but it makes your brother complain. When you were first learning to talk you called him “Barn”. We sing those purple dinosaur songs all the time… Mr. Sun, Sun… and Mr. Knickerbocker… you are so funny. You mimic your friend doing the Cooper Dance sometimes, and you mimic your brother, telling me to “stop” in the middle of my fine singing.

We mess around on the art table every day now: coloring, painting, glueing, playdough and your newest accomplishment, scissors!

You’ve grown up into a fine 2 year old. 35 inches high, and 26 lbs. You have a baby, she nurses, and takes a bottle. She cries a lot! She has a great mommy though! Always rocking and pushing her around in the stroller.

We sing the ABC’s to Hannah to bounce her to sleep in the Amby Swing, you’ve learned to be cooperative at naptime. You love your sister and the two of you are so symbiotic, often waking from your naps within minutes of each other, even when nothing had seemingly stirred you. But you are starting hit her and that has to stop.

You are sleeping as good as you can, and crawling into our bed to get some of the same snuggle time daddy and Hannah and I enjoy. We have all seen Nemo about a million times. But that is all that the bedroom tv plays. A little Disney channel here and there, and we do miss the dvd portable since your summersalt landded on it, but we are taking a nice break from it. The car dvd’s can suffice for now.

There are a million little things I like about you!

love, mommy

Dear Grandpa and Rachel,

I loved seeing you two play together today. We are sorry about your shiner. Rachel’s glad to share the look though!

Love, Liz

Sean and Mark Cuban

Dear husband, another “work” day, I guess! Meeting Mark Cuban sounds pretty cool. Don’t forget about us at home. We were splashing around in the zoo today, acting carefree. Doesn’t compare.

love, your wife