four videos, three days.

i'm really disappointed i didn't get a video of the twins helping rocket walk yesterday. it was...hilarious. use your imagination...one on each side holding a hand with both of theirs and practically DRAGGING him across the living room while he gave me his best sourpuss face.

here's a few i did get... dinner with jack:


early morning dance party with mommom:


spinning in uncle justin's chair while his cousins slept:


spinning uncle justin's chair while his cousins slept:


christmas pictures are coming. i promise. i'm doing this thing where i post the pictures from the last holiday just before the NEXT holiday. or on it.

playing with fire.

here's a little preview of our christmas.

the birthday party.

i have procrastinated this post for several reasons: disappointment, tremendous guilt, lack of time/energy. the list goes on. but nevermind all that.

last sunday was rocket's true blue first birthday. his party was scheduled for that afternoon. i had anticipated a beautiful florida december day... crisp, clear, a little warm in the sun. this fantasy was encouraged strongly by all the local weather reports. instead, this was the scene of the party.


notice the effect of the wind on the balloons (SIDEWAYS) and streamers (BARELY HANGING ON). it should be noted that monday was a gorgeous, sunny, amazing day. monday. not sunday.

anyway, travis and poppop did a great job decorating. mommom and i made some cookies and favors. and i decorated the big cake.






there were lots of freezing guests in attendance. rocket's fans are DEDICATED :)








ok, here's the part where i cringe out of guilt. i made this cake (it's a pickle) for rocket to eat. there's not much to a one year old birthday party aside from the cake eating so... as SOON as everyone was there we commenced with it.


it took... about 14 seconds for rocket to become extremely cold. notice the purple hands...


he still had a little fun.


he fed some cake to mom-o.


and looked adorable.


and mom-o fed some cake to him.


but then he pitifully asked mom-o to hold him because he was freezing.


so we relocated to mommom and poppop's house.


in the end it was a memorable event. rocket seems to have forgotten the whole thing entirely :)

new skill alert.

hair combing. because it's important to look dapper when you're in the tub with your scuba diving dinosaur.

bouncing boy.

i just...can't get up the motivation to tackle the birthday party post tonight. i am EXHAUSTED. and tomorrow isn't looking good either.

BUT. here's an adorable video of my one year old from this morning.


and a picture of him helping his dad trim trees this afternoon.

the best moments of most days are with dado.

that includes birthdays.

one year ago today.

happy birthday, little rocket :)

mister independent.

yesterday afternoon i felt crunched for time and began rolling, cutting, and baking birthday party cookies while no one was here to play with rocketman. i had been at it about three and a half minutes - or JUST long enough to get my hands good and covered in flour - when i turned around and saw this:






"here's something to clean your hands with, mom"


"here, mom. here. this is for you."


"no? ok i'll clean the cabinets with it."


crazy face!


and a big congratulations to auntie c, who graduated today :)


now she's nurse carolyn!

go go gadget.

baby popeye.

steamed spinach for dinner. an obvious favorite.


also on the menu lately: herb roasted chicken. goat milk yogurt. clementines. kiwi fruit.
running favorite: dill pickles. preferably dipped in goat milk yogurt.

rocket meets the man.

and it went rather well. helped in no small part by his sister's support, no doubt.

it's christmastime.

this is great!

the love affair continues.

bathtub dance.

it cures what ails ya.

and i, for one, cannot wait.

saturday night.

i don't write about myself much on here - even though this blog, like everything else, USED to be mine :) - but i really felt this quote.

"Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom." -Kierkegaard

via the haptic lab

rocket's first thanksgiving.

this year i was thankful to be able to eat more than four bites of food at thanksgiving dinner, because rocket was outside my belly instead of inside it. here are some pictures.

the whole family in the kitchen.


turkey hats!














mustachio.


the mckillop clan came for a day from north georgia where they spent their thanksgiving.






rocket really likes leaves and sticks because mommy doesn't try to stop him from putting them in his mouth. well, mostly i don't. sidenote: travis took this pictures, and i am in awe of them.






especially these two... (seriously. click on them and look at them full size.)




granny and her great grandkids.


rocket helped uncle david make a fire. because boys build fires. duh.








:)