Happy 1st Birthday!

I experimented and made my first 1st double-layer carrot cake for the big birthday,

complete with a personal cupcake for Kaden to devour.

• You were running a fever this morning so we couldn't get your shots,

but you now weigh in at 18 lbs. 13 oz. (5th percentile) and are 30 inches long (50th percentile).

I love Dr. Fletcher because he said that you are perfect and I just need to keep doing what I'm doing (YAY!) because a child's growth will pattern one parent & there is nothing much to be done. 

• Even though you’re “little”, you are my adventurous eating buddy!

You  try foods your daddy won’t touch (such as calamari, eggplant, and zucchini pancakes).

o You begin many breakfasts by devouring an entire banana & hoarding it like a little monkey.

• I have recently come to the conclusion that dog chows must taste incredible!

In fact, we battle this topic on a daily basis. I am forever closing the gate to the laundry room to keep you away from Schatzi’s chows.  This usually prompts you to exert your independence by waving your arms for a few seconds and telling me you are upset.

Opening one of your birthday presents from Auntie D...

A painting from Tanzania!

• You have proven to be a great travel companion.

o On our last plane trip you slept most of the way and enjoyed “people watching” in the airport.

o You seem to sleep well in any crib or pack-n-play.

o Next month we are going to go on our 3rd plane trip together.

• A “nuk” must be on hand anytime we leave the house.

 birthday present from great-Aunt Mary... and you match (not planned)!

• There have been lots of new noises emerging from the back seat as we drive around town; LOTS of pointing while babbling, spitting, and noise making.

• At 11 ½ months, you learned to gracefully dismount the couch without falling.

You’ve attempted the bed a few times… The first time I watched in stunned disbelief as you swung your legs over the edge and rode the sheet down. (I laughed out loud.)

The other times have NOT been so graceful.

• You love WATER for drinking, swimming, bathing, Schatzi’s bowl, the hose, sprinklers...

• We now have a great nighttime routine that we all look forward to:

o bath—you race to the bath tub when you hear me turn the water on.

I constantly hear myself uttering the phrase, “sit down please.”

o jammies—we’ve acquired some wild ones recently

o read a short story—been into the “touch & feel” books lately

o XOXO—hugs, kisses and squeeeeeeeeeezes

o we typically put you to bed around 8:30 and you sleep until 7:15 a.m.,

where we usually find you playing and babbling in your crib.

• When going to sleep, you scoot to the end of the crib to hang your arm over the side.

• You’re still not walking on your own, but you CREEP along everything; about a month ago you started pulling up on and gliding the laundry basket & kitchen chairs across the floor as walkers.

• You completely relax by slumping against whoever is reading your book.

• Being outside almost always cures all crabbiness.

• You’ve taken a liking to my hair & pony tail or bun. And sometimes give it a good yank.
You don’t seem to understand the concept of “gentle” yet.

• My FAVORITE NEW THING: You’ve suddenly started wrapping your arms around my neck as I hug & kiss you before bed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

You are the best!

Grandpa Cook Comes To Town

Dad pulled into Amarillo on Friday night and spent several days with us.

Ben's teacher orientation meetings began this week, so he missed out on a few of our adventures.

He did, however, take one night to go to the Amarillo Dilla Villa
to watch some minor league baseball with us.

Although we were somewhat limited as to what we could do (dad had his knee scoped 3 weeks ago & Kaden is little).
and couldn’t hike any trails in Palo Duro Canyon, we drove to Buffalo Lake instead.

“Buffalo Lake” was an interesting place...

especially since there are no longer any roaming buffalo…

or a lake in sight.

It was still a pretty drive.

Kaden & Grandpa Cook

West Texas

Dow Family Vacation 2010

All of the Dows packed up & flew east to see Dorothy (Aunite D) for a few days.

I was slightly nervous about Kaden on the plane, but he did really well overall. He slept the majority of our flights & my only complaint was that I couldn’t get comfortable enough to take a nap.

After a brief layover in Memphis, we touched down at Raleigh-Durham airport, hopped into our Acadia rental and found our way to our Hampton Inn in Chapel Hill.

We had dinner at Vespa Ristorante in Chapel Hill.

Kaden and the owner became instant friends.

On Friday, Dorothy had to work so we took the beautiful 2-hour drive to Wilmington Beach.

Unfortunately the sun disappeared as we approached the shore.

Ben & David were able to get in the water for 15 minutes or so before dark clouds rolled in and lightning cleared the beach.  It was still beautiful but I can't wait to see it again someday...

Kaden & Shanny feeling the Atlantic waves on their toes.

The Benjamin Dow family, August 2010

 

Throughout our trip we seemed to time our dinners just right where Kaden calmly looked around the restaurant for a while before drifting off to sleep in his car seat.

On Saturday afternoon I got a chance to attend a yoga class with Dorothy. 

Afterwards we visited the Durham farmers' market.

The Dow clan.

Dorothy gave us an extensive walk tour of Duke, where she is currently doing a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University Hospital.

Pictures around campus

2010 NCAA Basketball Champions.

Practice facility next to Cameron indoor stadium.

The lawn in the background is where undergraduate students literally camp out for DAYS in hopes of getting floor seats

to be a part of the Cameron crazies. 

Posing in front of Duke's chapel.

Tired of bending down to pick up Kaden's pacifier.

Kaden & Auntie D

Shanny & David at Duke's botanical garden.

 Later that night, relaxing on Dorothy's porch swing before our final night on the town.

It was a great trip and I can't believe how much we saw, did and ATE in the span of 3 ½ days!  

Maybe next time the beach will be sunny or we can experience the mountains of North Carolina. 

 

Summer Has Just Begun

... for Ben.

Today marked Ben’s last day as a case worker AND today was the deadline for completing 

all summer coursework for the PACE program. I am amazed at the volume of education coursework can be crammed into one summer. At first, when he told me about the program and confessed that there would be 3-4 hours of work every day (including weekends) I thought to myself,

“Yeah right, there is no way these classes will monopolize that much time…” I was wrong.

There was a tremendous amount of work to be done in the span of three short months!

I’m glad I didn’t have to do it, and I’ve even more grateful that it is over (for now)

so we can hang out as a family again.

To celebrate, ALL of the Dows are leaving Amarillo for a long weekend to see Dorothy

(and the beach!) in North Carolina. Then Ben will turn around to go on the annual man-tastic fishing trip to Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico before setting up his classroom and preparing for the

2010-11 school year.

I have been promised that NEXT summer we (the two of us) will go on a big trip.
Fingers are crossed.

Amarillo Town Club

Today all of the Les Mills classes had their launches for each class at the Amarillo Town Club (ATC). The “theme” this time was Hawaiian Luau, which was basically an excuse to have more fun in class & get people a little more keyed up about the new release/workout.

Malee and I teamed together for the new Body Pump (#74).

I’ve been teaching Body Pump for 2 ½ years now and Ben has finally decided to attend my class. 

Although I've enjoyed teaching classes for the past 4 years, Being a fitness instructor has been a HUGE blessing this year with me staying home. With this small job, I get the best of both worlds—I am able to get out of the house every day, yet spend the bulk of my time with Kaden. 

Sometimes I question why I do it, but for an hour a day the gym PAYS me to leave my house/ take a “mommy” break to exercise & socialize with other adults while offering Kaden an hour to get acquainted with other babies/toddlers.  How can I pass that up?

Sundown Lane Babies

The last year that I taught elementary school, I had the privilege of sharing a portable with Heather Richard. (a.k.a. the best year EVER!)  When the school year began Heather was 3 months pregnant with Danni.  As the year progressed, she made the agonizing decision to leave me (HA!) to stay home with her daughter.  Meanwhile, around Christmas I discovered that I was pregnant with Kaden.  Finally, as Christine Martin moved her things into Heather's old room to begin her first year of teaching, she shockingly discovered that she was pregnant with HER first child.
Three teachers all becoming pregnant within in a matter of months... Was there something magical about portable A?

Fast forward to the present and the three of us gathered at my house to catch up over lunch & let the kids  attempt to play together.

Kaden (11 months) with Danni Shea (17 ½ months) What a difference a few months can make!

Christine with her daughter, Ellie (9 months).

Heather supervising.

Better Late Than Never

We’ve finally started reading a book to Kaden before putting him into his crib for the night.
And I know what some of you are thinking. 

“Why, we’ve been doing that with our child since he/she was..."  

It’s not that I hadn’t tried before this point.

Until now it seemed more like forced family fun, or that I was trying to be a “good mom” instead of helping my child relax & unwind before bed.

Sorry for the picture of Ben sans shirt;

it’s summertime in Amarillo and I’m too cheap to blast the AC.

Little Buddy

This has been the best month yet!

With all of the speed crawling, pulling up, cruising walls and furniture, new facial expressions, babbling,

not to mention sharing real meals, I feel like I have a true little companion during the day.

4th of July... A Week Later

We didn't have the best 4th of July holiday this year.

Kaden was getting over a wicked virus just as Ben caught the same virus. I ended up driving Ben to the emergency room at Northwest Texas Hospital after he began suffering from a fever of 104°F while shaking violently with chills. I didn’t think this type of thing happened in the middle of summer!
I knew that I should have been thankful that I didn’t catch whatever the two of them had, but I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to see fireworks.

Lucky for us, we got to experience the fun, food, and fireworks that comprise a typically 4th at our friends’ farm a week later. They ended up rescheduling the festivities due to all of the wet and rainy weather we have been experiencing here in the Texas panhandle.

I didn’t think Kaden would last until dark (9:45 p.m.) when they started shooting off fireworks, but he couldn’t have been more content reclined in his jogging stroller. I told Ben that we would leave once he started whining and acting crabby but he was wide-eyed, enjoying himself by watching everyone and experiencing fireworks for the first time. 

And what a show it was!

5-Year Anniversary

We can hardly believe that 5 years have gone by since we said our vows.
I guess time flies when you're having fun.