Tomorrow...

...I will turn 31, and you will turn 9 months.
What a great year 30 has been.

I love you, Kellan.
Mommy.

Kid quotes from our Zoo trip

I couldn't help giggle at some of the conversations kids were having amongst themselves at the zoo. Two stuck with me and are still making me smile.

At the big-eared desert wolf exhibit, 2 boys came running up:
Boy 1: "WOW! DUDE! Let's look at these wolfs!...Why do you think they're ears are so big?"
Boy 2: "I don't know but that is a VERY good question."
Boy 1: "Those feet are FOR REAL man."
Boy 2: "Yeah...why are they chasing each other like that?"
Boy 1: "Probably to kill each other and eat the little one."
Boy 2: "Cool...Let's go!"


At the petting zoo, 2 youngsters were trying to pet a cow:
Girl: "Be careful...this cow just scratched me."
Boy (yelling to his mom standing across the yard): "MOOOM!!!"
Mom (responding to her son from across the yard): "WHAT?"
Boy: "THESE COWS HATE PEOPLE!"

Giraffes...eh, take 'em or leave 'em

This morning Kellan and I went to the zoo and fed the giraffes. I had a blast, Kellan was OK with them until they stuck their tongues out to get lettuce out of my hand. Funny thing was there was a sign as we walked onto the platform that said: "avoid sharp sounds and quick movements." Does that include babies screaming?

The petting zoo was also iffy...as long as the goats were asleep, Kellan tolerated them.

He did like cows and a horse named Smokey though.

Happy Easter!

Easter outfit courtesy of Aunt Bridget

Handmade tie courtesy of Martina Damko
Baby courtesy of Mom and Dad

The Breast Stroke

Kellan has been cooling off with some water toys outside since it's been so warm here already this season. We started off with some ziploc plastic containers and a pitcher...we've now moved on to a blow-up kiddie pool.

8 months old!

I can't believe it, Mom.

Interview with a Rocking Horse

Kellan rode his rocking horse for the first time a couple days ago. He would like to tell you all about it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

We received some awesome St. Patty's outfits from Grandma and Grandpa.

Here is outfit number one: "Daddy's Little Leprechaun"

Show Me the World

Kellan...first, I have to say: I love you so much I can't take it.

I love how much you love being outside...how you squeal just walking down the street seeing your own shadow.

You are delighted with the world that is delighted by you. I never thought putting you in a backpack would change my whole life...but you do that, every day.

$10 donations to Japan...easy and meaningful

You've probably all done this before to help with other disaster relief campaigns, but texting is an easy way to send help and adds just a little more to your phone bill. I copied this list from CNN...I'm sure there are other charities out there using the same tool for fundraising if you are partial to another entity.

The humanitarian group "World Vision" is helping Japan by sending personnel, food, water, medical supplies and shelter. They are also creating "child-friendly" spaces to help provide some sense of security to children affected by the earthquakes and tsunamis.

Text "4japan" to 20222 and a $10 donation will go to them and show up as an additional charge to your phone bill.

The Red Cross has a similar way to donate. Text "redcross" to 90999 to donate $10 to their efforts.

Salvation Army: Text "japan" or "quake" to 80888 to donate $10

Save the Children: Text "JAPAN" to 20222 to donate $10

Mercy Corps: Text "MERCY" to 25383 to donate $10

Convoy of Hope: Text "TSUNAMI" to 50555 to donate $10

The International Medical Corps assists in health care training and relief and development programs. Text "med" to 80888 to send a $10 donation.

Kellan's Portrait

This is a charcoal portrait I made for Kevin for our 1 year (paper) anniversary. It's Kellan at 7 weeks old. It's about 42 inches wide and 4 feet high.

Kellan's Perspective

Today as I lay outside with Kellan, I kept my face as close to his as possible...down low, in the grass to see the world at this point as he sees it.

While I thought it would all seem quite big, I now realize that's not the case. The world is in fact miniature...everything else is too big to be relevant. The neighbor's balcony is too high, Georgia's feet are far more accessible than her head, the grass is profoundly more important than the sky.

It's actually a very lovely, digestable reality.

No Kid Hungry

No Kid Hungry is a campaign put on by Share Our Strength to bring light to the hunger crisis in America affecting our children.

I encourage everyone who reads this blog to click on the link below to learn more about the campaign and all the different outlets there are for you in your community to help solve childhood hunger that is probably happening in your very own neighborhood, but is going unnoticed. If you don't have time to volunteer, you can still support through donation or shopping with retailers supporting the movement (Williams Sonoma is on their list and one of my faves). There are also culinary events and programs that connect communities with healthy food resources that would be great to take your kids to, such as tasting festivals, the Great American Bakesale, Dine Out week and their Cooking Matters education.

Some children only get the food they need from their school lunch program. This breaks my heart...especially when I think of how lucky we are to give Kellan all the food he needs to thrive each day.

Take a peek:
http://nokidhungry.org/

Chicken, you say? I don't think so.

Kellan is now 7 months old and by the labels on things, has graduated to the "meat" level in baby food.

Now, while I have heard nothing good by way of reviews on "meat" baby food, I thought I would try it anyway...if nothing but to add to the reviews and (hopefully) eventually get this garbage off the shelves. It's a weird concept to me in the first place---pre-cooked meat in a can or pouch, sold in the dry goods aisle unrefrigerated? I would only eat it, say, if it were stockpiled in an Armageddon bunker. However, someone must love this stuff because the shelves are FULL of it and the combinations are endless.

Experiment no.1: "Chick Chick" by Happy Baby.
A blend of organic chicken breast, sweet potatoes and brown rice pasta...
Holy Moly! This is SO bad I can't even believe I thought that warming it up would make it better! And poor Kellan spit it out across the tray and WINCED! Not just a mere shudder people...he actually seemed hurt by how bad it was. I tried it myself and I speak from experience: Don't even bother!

Back to blueberries and pears for now.

I'll huff and I'll puff...

from G.K. Chesterton

A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life.
Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free,
therefore they want things repeated and unchanged.
They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead.
For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony.
But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.
It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the Sun;
and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon.
It may not be automatic necessity that make all daisies alike;
it may be God makes every daisy separately, but he has never got tired of making them.
It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy;
for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

Kellan plays soccer

Lip Smackin' Good

This may be one of those home movies that only parents can adore, but I thought we'd share anyway...just in case.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

You make me so happy Dad! Happy 32nd Birthday!!! Me and Mommy love you so so much.

Quick Mom! Before I lose it!

On Sunday, Daddy got Kellan to sit up for a little minute while skyping with Grandma and Grandpa Cooney. I wouldn't say he is sitting for real just yet but he's almost there...