Daily Something September 12: Phone Call

Daily Something
We are all outside; Chad is cleaning the garage and I am spray painting my latest furniture makeover. Bekah and Porter are coloring on the porch while still wearing their bike helmets. Christopher is begging for yet another treat while Oliver sits in his stroller eating treats of his own. It is hot. Extremely hot for a mid September afternoon, but we are enjoying this extra little bit of summer that mother nature is treating us to.
Chad's phone rings. He looks at the caller ID and his face lights up and he says, "Hey there!" before he even answers. The way his eyes sparkle and the grin that spreads across his face tells me it must be Publishers Clearing House or at the very least Santa Claus.
I was way off.
It's Ryeleigh.
Ryeleigh his 12 year old daughter, whom he has desperately tried to get a hold of for months. They keep missing one another's calls. He didn't have anything particular he needed to tell her. I think he just needed to hear her voice. He needed to hear that she missed him and loved him even a little bit as much as he misses and loves her. He needed to hear that she still needs her daddy.
He listened proudly as she listed off her present achievements, intently as she told her story of the most recent dog escapade and nervously when he asked if she would want to spend time with him over Thanksgiving week.
I don't think even Santa Claus could have given him a better present than her saying that she would love to.
That little blue eyed girl that had him so very tightly wound around his little finger when I met them 10 years ago...hasn't unwound that string one bit.

Turn Around Bright Eyes...

My little Oliver is walking.

It's true.

It's sad.

It's cute.

But mostly it's hard to get him to look at me while I am trying to take a photo.
There we go, 1 second to see why mom is telling me no no for getting into the bookshelf...again. I do have other kids besides Oliver I promise. Someday I might let you know what they are up to too! :)

60 Seconds with the Oli Bug

While sorting through some school stuff in the boys room today and doing a rotation of toys I was taking pictures for my other blog.

My little Oliver decided he wanted my camera.

The following 6 pictures are a result of the immediate 60 seconds after he saw me with the camera.

"Oooh I want that thing mom!"
"You say no to me all the time...it stops me in my tracks...but just for a minute.""I will have it now!"
"Seriously...look at me...how could you not just hand it over? Look into my eyes, I am completely and wholly adorable."
"Not going to give it to me huh? Oh well I give up!"
"Psyche!"

This kid is a fast little stinker, but my camera got out safe and sound...barely! :)

I smell TROUBLE

She's getting older...and prettier...and sassier...

Gulp.

Because He's Totally Awesome...

...He goes out in the morning with a giant astro pop while still wearing his jammies and can totally pull it off.

We don't like Big Buns

One of the things both Bekah and I look forward to every year is the ballet recital mandatory dancers bun.

There are only smiles and laughs as I gently pull her long hair up into the little swirl and tenderly place pins holding it into place.

Or NOT.

Mostly just crying of big crocodile tears, wailing and gnashing of teeth, slapping and biting...maybe exaggerating a bit...but nonetheless...

Bekah HATES getting her hair pulled back into a bun, and I am not a fan of seeing my little girl cry.

So every year the last day of recital we cut her hair off, it's celebratory.

She has the summer with the hair off her neck, no chance of a ponytail or any other abomination pulling the little hairs at the back of her head.

Then come ballet in the fall, it's just starting to get long enough again to pull back, and by recital time it's full on ready for her favorite bun.

This years cut while especially short, frames her adorable little freckled nose face quite nicely. :)

Tiny Dancer

Last recital here in Klamath Falls!

I have to admit, I am a little bit...a lot a bit in love with having a little ballerina for a daughter. It's kind of a dream come true. Chad can have his little wrestlers, soccer players, football players, little sluggers, dirt bike enthusiasts whatever...I gave him plenty of boys to live vicariously through...just let me have my tiny dancer...

Welcome to the Crawl Ball

Easter Best

Is there anything sweeter...

...than a baby sleeping on your shoulder?

I can't think of one.single.thing.

This little guy has us smitten.

Gaga.

Crazy in love.

We would do anything to make him smile.

He knows this, and demands attention at all hours of the day.

We give it, even when the dishes have been piling up for days, the garage is a mess, there are pictures to edit, a neglected family blog, exercise to do, laundry to be put away, and meals to prepare.

Sometimes we wish we could do those other things that need our attention, but getting smiles and slobbery kisses from him is just too big a temptation to pass up 99% of the time.

So yes, our house is messy, and there are things left undone.

But he is our last...and we are soaking it up.