Bi Phone.

Thanks to Charlie. He is, however, loving his new blow-up pool.

One Year Ago . . .

I was connected to this little belly. I brought Emerson home a brother named Charlie. I learned I had a greater capacity to love.

He got rain for his birthday. 

Charlie, I love watching you walk around pointing to things saying, "Eeewwwww" with your mouth making an o shape. You remind me of a little monkey climbing and eating everything in your path. You are fascinated by everything and we are fascinated by you. 

Your family is glad you were born.

We Went to California

 Nancymom took us on a road trip to California. When I was a wee one I called her this. We stayed in Encinitas, which is a laid back, great-for-vaca town with a nice beach. 
I like these pictures JR took on the beach in the dark. It's amazing what cameras can show us  that our human eye cannot. 
Above is a bonfire beach party. I wasn't invited. Will someone please invite me to one of those some time? They just sound like the epitome of a coastal summer to me. I grew up in Utah and attended camp fires in the mountains, but no sand, no cute beach attire covered in hoodies, and certainly no crashing waves to serenade the friendly chatter around the fire. . . back to the trip:

This is the family.

 This is Emerson in San Diego pretending to be a pirate. 

Grandma felt bad that he had to use his hand for a patch and we later found him like this:

 We spent a day at Disneyland. Walt Disney. What. A. Dreamer.

Emerson will tell you that Buzz Lightyear was his favorite ride, but he didn't stop smiling and laughing during It's a Small World. Toward the end he said, "It's beauiful, It's so beauiful!" Charlie got a kick out of it as well. 

Little Men

I think we ran 8 miles in the park that day. I was actually yelled at once to "Stop running, just slow down a little," by an employee. It completed the sensation I had that day that I was a little girl again. 

Now What?