Communication milestones...

Nope, still not signing...

However, today Alder said his first word that was not 'mama' or 'dada'. He has been saying these for awhile now. Dada for months and mama for a few weeks.

It is not surprising that his third word should be something he loves seemingly as equally as he does his parents....an object that he finds in any setting and points to with a smile or sometimes a quite serious gaze...something that he has been in tune with for months, even mimicking its noises. Yup, today Alder said 'car' and it wasn't just once, but he uttered "cah' in reference to any wheeled object (the wagon, a truck, a car, etc.) about 50 times today.

I didn't think I would be so excited about this, but I really am. I guess after months of crying to let us know his needs and even now he seems to be getting more fussy and frustrated when he can't tell us what he wants, it is nice to see this little glimmer of true verbal communication. I think he is holding out on us with the signing. He knows what we mean when we sign, but has not yet reciprocated....soon enough.

He has also started taking off his diaper (not necessarily in reference to needing to go potty) and he is quite infatuated with the bathroom and big potty since we started flushing his business and waving bye-bye after successful catches. If I have not seen him in awhile, I can often find him playing with his little potty in the bathroom. Don't worry, we are keeping the big potty seat closed for safety and sanitation reasons. Removing his diaper and going to get his potty may soon translate to telling us he needs to go....maybe....maybe not...;)

He is growing up so fast.....but thankfully still loves to cuddle!
Sorry no pics.

Recipe and random pics

Here is the recipe scanned in. Yes, it is vegan, but I used real butter instead of margarine. I also doubled the recipe to fill a 9x13 casserole dish, but only increased the crust by 1/2 and there was plenty...enough to get creative;). I would recommend this cookbook (Candle Cafe Cookbook) - it has the best tempeh rueben I have ever had. The recipes tend to be a bit involved though.

I am lazy not to type it out...I hope you can read it ok. If you click on the image, it should get larger.

Here is a pic of big boy bath time fun - no longer in a contraption to hold him sitting. He is getting accustomed to slipping around and loves to throw the toys out of the tub. This is certainly a face that favors Jason!


...and this one is just because that outfit is so darn cute....


Isn't it funny how kids like to play with non-toys....why do we spend money on silly toys, when mom has a stocked tupperware cabinet and there is a case of beanie weenie at Grammy and Paw Paw's?!!

Solstice Weekend

It is so nice to get out of town every now and then and leave all your responsibilities behind. Especially when it involves heading up into the hills and seeing friends that you haven't seen in years!

Last time we saw Sarah and Drew was 2.5 years ago when they were hosting their annual oh so fun Louisiana/Appalachian-style bash. Now they are pregnant and due in October! Last time we saw Laura and Derren, they were pregnant and now Cyrus is 18 months old. It was so awesome to see how different Alder and Cyrus are - 6 months makes a huge difference at this age. Cyrus is running about and signing like mad. It is such an inspiration to keep up/step up our signing with Alder with the hope that he too will be able to communicate like this in just a few months. We didn't get any photos of him actually signing, but this shot shows how expressive and cute he is!

Thanks for letting Alder play in your sandbox and for teaching him how to play frisbee golf.


Alder had a blast sliding down the slide and got a bit frustrated when he couldn't climb back up.

He was actually pretty fussy the whole weekend...he better cut some molars here soon or we will be worried he is just getting to be a big fuss pot! So Alder's first experience with kid tv/dvd was actually quite helpful. They chilled for about 20 min and watched kids singing some songs... baa baa black sheep, wheels on the bus, etc... getting them relaxed and ready for bed....isn't it amazing/scary how that screen sucks them in.

We spent the weekend completely relaxing and eating wonderful, decadent food prepared by our host. The best part was sharing in great conversations about times past, present and future with truly great people! Thank you sooooo much for a great time. Sorry no pics of us big kids, but we had our blast too. The plan was to spend the day at the solstice fest in Blacksburg, but we, perfectly contented hanging out around the house and yard, didn't make it out beyond a nice walk to play in a creek.

I was inspired by all of Laura's great cooking this weekend and decided to make one of our favorites for dinner tonight: veggie pot pie. I never use tarragon in anything else, but I should b/c it is sooo yummy. I would like to post the recipe but it is kinda long. Maybe I can scan it in...anyone interested?

We also wanted to post a pic of the garden as it appears now. We actually pulled up much of the lettuce seen here b/c it was bolting. We erected some cattle fencing for the tomatoes to grow up. Basil and chard make up most of the front bed now.

Father's Day

I am thankful today for the following great dads…

Dad, thanks for raising me to be strong-minded and critical thinking. Your influence has been and continues to be very important in shaping my opinions and values…even though we sometimes disagree! You had no idea that your encouragment would bring me to where I am today, did you?! I look forward to you teaching Alder how to navigate the coastal Louisiana marsh (with a GPS of course!) and how to be patient so that one day he will catch his ‘limit’ of fish! …in addition to numerous other things I am sure…

Clint, it is so amazing to see my brother grow up and be such an amazing dad to two beautiful girls. Even though we see each other only a couple times per year, I know how much joy being a dad brings to your life - I can see it in you eyes and hear it in your voice. This makes me so happy!

Tom, thanks for raising my husband to be the dad he is – caring, patient, and most importantly, engaged! I know that it has been your example that has not only made Jason such an attentive and considerate husband, but also such a wonderful dad.

As we often joke, I know I can look 30 years down the road and expect to see Tom….and I want you to know that this is something I am looking forward to!

And most especially, Jason, the father of my son! Thanks for being the best husband and most wonderful dad I know. For your first year on ‘the job’, you are incredible! I am happiest when I hear and see you and Alder playing/laughing/talking. Nobody can get him to belly laugh like his daddy. I am envious of your ability to put your work behind you each day and truly ‘BE’ at home with us. I am so excited for our future together and I look forward to you teaching Alder how to notice, enjoy, and appreciate all the wonders of our natural world.

Yes, this is Alder's very first dirty diaper in the hospital....Jason was very excited to jump right in.

...and this one is just for fun...he loves his oriole hat!...it's a long story...
I love you darlin.

Dog Days...in June?

Dang has it been HOT this past week - temps up to 101 and heat index up to 110!! It's the humidity that makes it unbearable! We typically turn on the AC once the temps rise over 90 and we were hoping this would not be until late June or July...I guess I should not complain because our spring was incredibly pleasant...just no transition to summer!

Alder is waking up from naps soaked with sweat and a bit cranky, but he snaps out of it pretty quickly:Thank goodness for the neighborhood pool just a couple of blocks away! Sorry no pics yet, but we will have some up soon.

Alder is so much fun these days. He has begun to act silly on purpose - playing peekaboo, sneaking up on me when I am laying on the ground, making dramatic gestures while eating, etc. He is also responding to questions verbally (though not in English). For example, "Alder, would you like some bread?" He responds, "ah!" in a very positive and almost sing-songy manner.

Jason has been cranking away in the garden despite the heat and while our spinach and lettuce are bolting and bitter-tasting, the tomatoes are growing fast and have plenty of green maters already! We bought some cattle fencing for the tomatoes and squash to climb up since our plot is so little. I think it is the perfect size for us though and if done right, could provide plenty for our little family. Especially since we have a half membership with a community supported agriculture (CSA) group where we get fresh, locally grown, organic veggies all summer! Here's the link: http://www.victoryfarmsinc.com/

Pics of the garden to come soon.

Alder has also been pulling up in his brace. He slipped on the hardwood floor the other day and bonked his head pretty good...

Looking guilty....actually I think he was about to poop....