Category Archives: Buddy

The ups, downs, ins and outs of life with this crazy little man!

Sesame Live

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Imagine my surprise when my husband actually suggested that we take Calder to see Sesame Street Live.  Short of dropping the bowl of ice cream I held in my hand and racing to the computer to purchase tickets, I was more than happy to oblige at my earliest convenience.  I would have thought something along those lines would have ranked right up there next to Chuck E. Cheese.  Nonetheless, he mentioned it, and as it turned out the show was coming to a nearby theater within a couple of weeks. 

Aunt Julie was thrilled to spend the day, and what actually became the entire night, watching Seneca while the three of us took our surprise adventure.  Stopping to take a quick picture, we made him say, “Elmo” and “Sesame Street” though he still wasn’t aware of the excitement in store.

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Once he caught sight of the balloons, dolls, toys and shirts he made the connection!  He was really intrigued by all the excitment around us as we waited for the show to start. 

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It was so funny watching him absorb the whole scene.  I don’t think he blinked the entire first half of the show.  Seeing him in that setting and accepting his calm coolness confirmed just how much like his daddy he truly is.  While I was bouncing all over trying to evoke some sort of reaction or excitement from him…he just calmly sat there, smiling and completely enjoying himself. 

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It was such a great time, spent with a little focused attention on our Big Boy.  I hope we can continue to do things separately with our babes.  He’s been a little Sesame Dancing fool since our little trip! 🙂  Following the show we ate a great lunch then did some back-to-school shopping with Grandma.  Needing a little grand-baby time, she took him home for the night and we promptly crashed on our respective couches.

Best Shot(s) Monday – Let’s Go See the Animals, Mommy!

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Our first zoo tripthis summer has become the beginning of what I’m sure will be several.  I foresee many zoo memberships and at least bi-weekly trips in the coming summers.  Garth and I often joke about the poor individual who screens our little man for kindergarten.  Sure, we know that as his parents we are completely biased and think he’s beyond genius, but still, when marmots and komodo dragons are among the animals he names on a whim…I think the whole entry into formal education will be really interesting! 🙂

During a routine grocery trip, I found a little flyer advertising a very reduced entry fee for the John Ball Zoo, so I made the mental note to make the trip.  The plans were set, we headed out with our packed lunch, even Grandma came along for the day.  When we rounded the corner and saw the insanity that was the line to park, as well as the admission line, I realized the grievous mistake of planning a trip on Kids Day! 

While we could scarcely maneuver through the crowds we did manage to see several exhibits – the penguins were among his favorite seeing that he’d recently been on a Happy Feet kick.  In the past couple of months since our visit one of the preferred post-dinner activities involves running to various corners of the house looking at the “animals.”  I absolutely adore the imagination he has, and the blossoming little personality of Miss Seneca.  I suppose it’s better late than never, so here are a few shots from our day at the zoo…
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Sunflowers ~ Best Shot Monday

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I remember when we first walked through the house where we now live.  After seeing many homes ~ some great, some absolutely NOT ~ we’d kept coming back to the pictures of this one online.  When we finally decided to look at it, even though it wasn’t in the location we really wanted, we knew it was the one we would buy.  I snapped dozens of pictures on our second walk-through and would scroll through them back at our apartment.  Before long, the house was ours…one week away from our first wedding anniversary. 

Recently, I found a few of those pictures  and was amazed to see the ways in which the home both inside and out has changed to fit the needs of our growing family.  Projects such as landscaping, painting, or updating the deck, or installing the new playset have really changed the look over the nearly five years we’ve lived there. 

A few years ago we pulled out the dead and dying lilac trees that resided in the back corner of our yard.  I was sad to see them go because the smell of lilacs is something I remember fondly from days spent in Grandma Gert’s backyard.  We’ve tried wildflowers, which ended up looking more wild than flowery.  We’d thought about turning it into some type of sitting area with a bench, arbor and fountain.  But none of those plans ever felt right.

This year, Garth sprinkled sunflower seeds (aka leftovers from a winter of feeding the birds) into converging rows.  I liked the idea, but it was really his thing.  He’d be out there watering or thinning them while we played in the yard.  Even when they were small, it already looked so much better than any of our prior attempts.  Then, after two weeks of rain and the sudden warmth, they exploded.  What was once a cute patch of knee-high plants, became a forest through which Calder was suddenly wary to explore. 

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The first signs of buds appeared.  Our excitement grew. 

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We watched and counted the numbers of buds appearing on a single stalk.  Did you know there could be more than one per stem?  I observed the pride on Garth’s face as his laboring was paying off.  While our time away has been refreshing, we’re anticipating a sea of sunny yellow to smile upon us when we arrive home.

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My best shot this week is the first one, I love all the possibility that it holds, and yet wince a little to think about how quickly the time will pass when he really will be forging out on his own, exploring the world around him.  And yet, if you look closely, you’ll see his daddy’s hand, outstretched.  It’s enough to make my heart melt. 

How about you?  What’s blossoming in your world this week?  What are you exploring?

Our Family Grows Again

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OK, so I know that at least a few folks who thought this was another odd “I’m pregnant” announcement.  While I can’t deny some intentionality in my misleading, I can say that we’re NOT, I repeat, we’re NOT having another baby. 

Instead, our family circle has expanded to include our lovable little Betta named Ernie.  Calder was quite entranced by Uncle Luke and Aunt Ann’s Betta (Bert) when we visited them this summer.

A routine shopping trip last week became and resulted in the impromptu adoption of our fishy friend.  Calder loves feeding him and he helped change his water today.  The series below is when he met Ernie last week.

Entering the kitchen after nap…
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I love this one…he’s looking back for Garth. I imagine he was thinking, “Hey, do you see this too?”
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I can’t tell whose expression I love here more…
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My best shot has to be the little pointy finger picture…it was then that he said, “It’s my fish?”
Fish Collage

On a slight tangent, I’m in complete denial that it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve posted anything!  I have SO MANY pictures to share, and fun things we’ve done….chances are, I’ll “backblog” a few of our fun summertime memories sometime this week!  ‘Til then, we’ll try not to do anything fun and photoworthy so I can play catch up. 

{crickets chirping}

I’m guessing that won’t happen…considering we’re headed back to da U.P. on Wednesday!!  In any case, here’s to a fun-filled and not-enough-time-to-stay-caught-up-with-tech summer!