Wordless Wednesday - Friendship

Nothing like pure Todder love of friends.

More Wordless Wednesday here and here.

BSM - At the Beach

Maybe NOT the best shot, but it's a favorite shot. And in my opinion it embraces breaking the rules in photography. Some rules are made to be broken.


Although we spent quite a bit of time at the beach yesterday, I actually took this at this beach this morning. One thing I love about Summer is that we have church on the beach. Yes, unconventional and maybe even pushing inconvenient by means of parking or fully hearing the sermon, etc., etc. But refreshing in so many other ways.

Some time to hear and reflect on God's word...

Some time to discover nature and play with friends.


More best shots here!

Photo Story Friday - What the Heck?...

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek
This is not the first time I've glanced up to find my child like this.

He has a penchant for lying down anywhere. At theme parks; in the middle of a store, mall, or library; the zoo; the aquarium you name it.

So on this day as I glance up from my dinner prep, rather then panic and run arms-flailing out the door in a high octave screech over the sight of my non-moving child sprawled on the ground, I went and grabbed my camera.

Because I'm like that.

Shortly after, I realized he was talking to someone-er-thing.

Then he moved closer.
And finally got up - to run into the house.

As I turned to set the camera down and greet him at the door, he burst in holding out his thumb saying,

"Mommy! May I keep my pet ant? Oh, look. He's soo cute!"

"Ah - er - well." I sputtered as I examined the not-looking-so-well ant.

"May I keep my pet ant?!!"

Pet-Ant then fell off his thumb to the ground and the little toddler hands swept down to retrieve it, smooshing little ant even more so in the process. But he was determined to keep what was left of his little friend.

"Oh mommy, he's dead."

"Yeah, well, he got a little squished maybe we should leave him outside. Some day we can get an ant farm and watch the ants work, what do you think?" I offered.

With a pause, Harrison pondered his "pet ant" for a moment [I racked my tired brain with the next "wise mommy" words to pull out if he didn't go for it.] then he wiped off the remains from his fingers, gingerly asked for a smoothie and bounced into the house.

Phew!

Done deal.

Theme Thursday - Some Summer Fun

I know how fortunate we are - we have the beach in one direction and theme parks in the other; but what is better than a good old fashioned picnic in the park?

Not much.

Running and jumping, gunny sack races, bobbing for apples, eating ice cream...

good old-fashioned water balloon toss, singing and shouting, hamburgers and hot dogs...

A perfect summer day at the park.

Mostly Wordless Wed. - Look What I Discovered!

Freckles! See them?... Right below his eye - they're new.

(click on the picture for a larger view.)

When I uploaded pictures to the computer last week- there they were!
They are so faint I'd never noticed them before. I love freckles!

What is he watching, you wonder?

A lot of this...
this..
this...
and this...


Check out more Wordless Wednesday here and here.

Hello, My Name is Golightly and I'm a Harrison-Wearer

While cruising around the blog world one day last Spring, I landed here. I thought, "what a great idea, I'll add the button from Adventures in Babywearing. But I never added it, I thought with a newly turned 3-year-old at the time I was no longer a babywearer.

For the most part that is true, but I still keep my Mei Tai and ring sling close at hand for those rare opportunities. Last week was on such occasion; we were staying late at Disneyland for the Fantasmic light show in Adventure Land. Harrison was getting - understandably - tired but he didn't want to sit in his stroller, he wanted to be in my arms. Lucky for me, I had the solarveil ring sling in the stroller. I put it on and Harrison climbed into my arms and the carrier to snuggle close as we stood and waited half an hour for the show to start. It was much easier to hold him when the bulk of his weight is supported in the carrier.

Here are some pictures from a couple years ago. I never get pictures of us now since we are always on the go.

Harrison in the "new" Mei Tai (Not a great picture of me - can you say "sleep deprivation"?)

Daddy carrying Harrison in the Moby Wrap

Harrison's first swim at 3 months in the Solarveil ring sling

First trip to Disneyland at 3 months in the pouch. (He was so tired in this pic, it was just about nap time...)


I think one of the main things I miss about Harrison getting older and not having another child is wearing him. We have a special bond together from babywearing.

So I am a babywearing blogger and proud of it!

BSM- Just Another Day at the House of Mouse

We're [sadly] in the final countdown of the annual pass to Disneyland. It has been a glorious adventure over the last year and I'm already going through withdraws. But it is what it is, and on July 31st we will no longer be able to go to the Mouse House on the drop of a dime.

So I can only dedicate this week's best shot to one of the many from our [almost] monthly visits to Disneyland. As I mentioned a few weeks back, there is that face Harrison makes that I can't so "no" to; then there is this face that he makes as we wait for the carousal...

Yeah, that doesn't get him far...

Then there are those cute little toddler lips and still-slightly chubby cheeks that I just want to kiss when we stop to rest and watch the Parade of Dreams pass by after a thorough soaking at Bug's Land in California Adventure.

But my best shot of the day would be that of a 3-year-old's shear joy at just getting wet - Theme Park or no...

And in case you didn't notice these shots are in reverse sequence of events, we he went from getting wet to watching the parade while getting dry to making faces in Fantasyland.


Harrison and I also had the pleasure of joining up for some friends [and their good friends as well] to ride on some attractions together. What a joy for Harrison, they were nice enough to take him on the Tea Cups along with their friend's 4-year-old daughter; something he has wanted to do and I JUST CAN'T do (without getting dreadfully motion sick, that is). Fine with me because I got to watch Harrison from a far and stay with their absolutely adorable 1-year-old!

Isn't he just the cutest?! Harrison calls him "My favorite baby-A..." Thanks again, J & T, we enjoyed spending time with you!!


Check out more Best Shots at Mother May I, Tracey is back from BlogHer!

Wordless Wednesday - Slippery Fish

Bath time is ALWAYS fun around here!

For more Wordless Wednesday stop by here and here.

The Daddy Files - Just Like You

The Guy-I-Dig needs to have a small out-patient surgery in mid-August. Nothing super serious, but keep us in your prayers because there is recovery time needed and he runs his own business.
Harrison often complains about aching in his right leg, one pediatrician said it was "growing pains - which mainly happen at night" but this is often during the day and even more often in the car. Another pediatrician said he doesn't believe in "growing pains" and thought it might be a type of "restless leg syndrome"; apparently Harrison will most likely grow out of this. [back to the growing pain theory...] The pediatrician even did blood tests that didn't show anything Abby Normal.


So as the GID was putting Harrison to bed the other night the subject came up again...

"Daddy, you need an oferation...
I need a oferation!
You go to your doctor for a oferation.
I go to my doctor... I have a BAD leg."

What is up with this leg thing?

Best Shot Monday - More Celebrations!

A very busy weekend has left us exhausted and partied out! I volunteered to help with VBS last week - Oh. My. Gosh. That was beyond exhausting! Then on Saturday we had a first birthday party to go to, a carnival to celebrate the finish of VBS and then I attended church that evening.

On Sunday, I volunteered in Harrison's classroom for childcare at church and afterward we came home and BOTH took well-needed naps!

So my best shot is of the birthday girl - she turned one year old. Isn't she a cutie?

She sure is enjoying her chocolate cupcakes!

Her mommy made ALL these wonderful (and yummy) cupcakes for the party.

When the Happy Birthday singing was finished and he was given the go-ahead, Harrison happily charged right into a chocolate cupcake with Oreo cookies on top.

But once he was past the frosting and the Oreos, he started eying the pretty sunflower cupcakes.

And before I could stop him, he leaned over and bit a pretty little yellow pedal right off a cupcake! [I really wasn't wanting to eat a cupcake - especially if it wasn't chocolate - which the sunflower ones were not.]

I was left to do the "mop-up" work... it's a tough job but somebody has to eat them!

They sure were tasty!!


See more of this week's best shots over at Tracey's, she's back from vacation!

Theme Thursday - A July 4th Celebration

Last Friday was the 4th of July and although we were invited to a couple celebrations, we opted to stay home. In fact, I did laundry. I had to - it needed to be done. Maybe I should have gotten the bicycle out and taken a ride along the Strand (with the 1000 other people with the same idea.) but I didn't.

Rather, we had a nice impromptu gathering at my house around 4PM. Burgers, hot dogs, watermelon - what else do you need? How about a total of 5 three-year-olds thrown in the mix to keep it all lively!

After food and fun, we walked down to the pier and plopped on the green for the fireworks. It was wonderful and relaxing. We were close enough to really enjoy them and far enough that the kids didn't get startled from the noise.
I admit, I've become quite a home-body when it comes to celebrations like the 4th of July and New Year's Eve. I don't mind not having to drive after an all-day (or night) celebration. Although I pray for safety of all my friends that do drive home.

But before my friends leave, we watch the parade of people walking and driving up the street from the pier. It has been a blessing to live so close the last couple of years. After fireworks, you've got to finish an evening with a birthday cake for America!

Don't forget to head over to Land of K.A., if you haven't already, for more Theme Thursday shots.

Wordless Wednesday - Sweet Dreams

It really was a busy weekend. I brought him, set him down [awake], ran back out to the car to grab something and viola! - he was asleep. Look at that little angel face, do you see the tell-tale signs?



How about here? That face says it all! A long, busy day indeed!



But if you thought the face looked dirty...check out the hands!

This is what happens with unplanned naps at 5pm. [Bath at 9:30pm - no joke!]

See more [really] Wordless Wednesday pictures here and here.

BSM - "Master Mommy"

If he's not calling me "Mom", [which is far too grown up sounding to me] he's calling me "Master Mommy".

"Hey. Master Mommy. Master Mommy?"

" Master Mommy, let's fight the Battle Droids!"

"Master Mommy, I need my Star Wars breakfast..."

"Come Master Mommy, let's play outside"...

He has discovered the joy of belt loops on shorts.
He is poised and ready to go; light saber at hand to ward off any bad guys and battle droids.

He favorite music right now? Star Wars Episode I soundtrack. By request, I turn it on and all else temporarily ceases to exist.
Then comes the Light Saber Happy Dance. He tells me, "I'm exercising mommy!"

He looks like a pro. Watch out Darth Vader, here comes Jedi Master Harrison!


Do you think he likes Star Wars?

Head over to Slurping Life this week for more Best Shot Monday Pictures!