ABCs!

I'm hopeful to get some holiday pictures up this weekend. For now, I'll just have to leave you with the cuteness that is a piano and vocal duet by Mommy and Shepard. I am attired in my Saturday morning PJs, and Shepard is wearing a t-shirt of mine that he insisted on. We make quite the pair. I have no idea where he gets this bossiness from.

August flew by--but we have a few videos to prove it existed

Excuse me. Has anyone seen August? I'm not sure where it went. Our house is on the market...so we get to go behind the wee tornado of toys and clean up the aftermath. Sometimes, if we're lucky, he'll help. He definitely likes to vacuum. It's been eventful, but not in great ways. We had a few trips to the hospital last week with Daddy and Grandma. I think everyone's on the up and up now. Daddy started a new school year, and Shepard moved up to the two-year-old class at day care. He learns so much every day that there's no way to document it all. He walked out of his room this morning saying "Follow the Leader. Follow the Leader!" Huh? It's awesome watching his language explode.

Here are some non-sense videos of the last two weeks or so. In the first one, he was reprising his fun trick of moving his bowl and alternately saying "Diamond. Square. Diamond." Did that all on his own. And of course, once I get the camera rolling, he sometimes doesn't "perform" the tricks. That's ok. It would be great if we could catch all the funny moments in our house, but for now you'll just have to believe me.





Here he is after a sweet little nonsense song he was singing. One day I'll catch his little songs on video. They don't happen too often, but they're nice when they do. This is a balalaika (Jerod's). We're just calling it "guitar" for now.




 All the grandparents came to town to help with life as we shuttled to and from the hospital earlier this week. Here is Grandma with her "fuzzy feet" and "scary toes..." And my little monkey-climber with unending energy.



We finished up summer with a dip in the backyard "pool" on Saturday. As hot as it was, it was good to get splashed and watch Shepard have some summer fun. Though this mama can't wait for some cooler weather. Happy Labor Day, y'all!

Just like a rock star

It was nearly bath time. I had gotten as far as getting clothes off and was tending the bath. I came in Shepard's room to find him performing, so naturally I flew to get the video camera. Thank God I caught some of it for you. Rock on, little man.


I have more videos to upload from July, but it's been a little nuts here lately. More to come!

Stayin' Alive

I know, I promised a beach video, but this was just too much to wait on!
Shepard and I were listening to a little disco music in the kitchen before bedtime this evening. He has really been learning some sweet moves lately. I credit his dad's and my awesome dance skillz. And maybe Miss Brandy and Miss Whitney at school. I know they do "music and movement" every day. Forget the alphabet and colors...this is PRICELESS LEARNING!
Enjoy.

Making Meowsic

I admit it. I bought a toy for Shepard because I knew I would enjoy it. I mean, I think he does too...but this thing is seriously fun. Technically, it was a gift from my sweet co-workers for Shepard's first birthday, but I was able to pick it out in a return situation.  :) I had been eyeing it for some time. It's a cat-keyboard that has five key sounds, techno/samba/disco beats, pre-loaded sing-along songs and some instrumental tunes. Not only will I be able to teach him basic piano/keyboard skills...it has a....MICROPHONE TOO! He really gets a kick out of hearing his voice amplified.

(you can get the cat at Target, 'cause now I know you're as interested as I was)

Without further ado, here's Shepard recently hanging with the cat. I think Cat needs a name. I'll be working on that. And, I'll be learning to play the ever-popular "Smelly Cat" on this for sure.

Father's Day

We had a little Father's Day moment Saturday night. Jerod had spent the day outside doing a project (in the heat, bless him!). He was out there for several hours and had hooked up a CD player for entertainment. He pulled out an old favorite CD by his very favorite band, Better Than Ezra, and "heard" this song with fresh ears. When he played it for me Saturday evening, I was a teary mess (but then again, what's new?). He's had this CD for almost ten years and can sing every word, but just hadn't really heard this song with "daddy" ears before:



"Closer"
And the morning light was breaking
Slowly moving across the bed
He gets up without her waking
To the voices in his head

Through the shadows in the hallway
To the room they painted blue
And on the inside he is frightened
At a loss for what to do
Until he opens up his eyes
And the angels all look down

Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things that you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win

And he knows his life is changing
It's never easy letting go
For the first time you are mortal
As the child before you grows
And he wonders at the sight
Of the joy that they have found

Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things that you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win

And what would you intend to find?
Solitude? Your peace of mind?
Holding out for something less
Than touching the hand of God?

Even closer than this life
Closer than this faith
Closer than the things that you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win

Closer than this life
Closer finally
Living for the only thing
You ever made complete
Oh, for the one thing
That you both did perfectly