climbing the steps in the fall

Bizzy Bear

Bizzy Bear is a book we found at the library about a bear (named Bizzy) who has adventures.  The first one we found was called "Bizzy Bear Fire Rescue" and Tim had it memorized within the first day because it is so short and catchy.  Attison loves Bizzy Bear because it is more than a lift the flap book, but it has things that pop out and turn and pull off the page that he finds amazing. 

Thankfully, I figured out that there is a series of Bizzy Bear books and we were able to return the fire rescue book to the library before reading it so many millions of times that I felt the urge to throw it out the window.

leopards that read

High-five birthday

The day before Attison's birthday, my dad called and said he and my grandma wanted to come out that evening to see Attison for his birthday.  We were very surprised, but told them to come on out!

 First things first, we demonstrated how to high five. 

 Then we clapped our hands with great grandma.  We clapped for Attisons first taste of cake!

Then we opened presents!

Thanks for coming to have dinner with us!  We loved it!

Halloween

It was raining and cold on halloween, but that didn't stop the trick-or-treating!  We live on a street that dead-ends into a park and there is currently only one other child on our street, so we don't get any trick-or-treaters.  We went over to Rippey Street, a few blocks away, to join in their celebration and pizza party.  Lydia is holding our little lobster in the center right side of the picture. 

Below are some pictures of the parents holding umbrellas and taking pictures.

We are extremely thankful for all of our friends who live on and near Rippey Street.  Since we lived there for a few months when we first got married, we are still on the Rippey Street email list.  They host a potluck dinner every other friday at someone's home and we usually stop over, especially now since we don't have a functional 1st floor!

Our good friends Jonny, Emily and Elliott just moved from their apartment on Rippey to a home on the next street over.  Attison and Elliott are about 10 months apart (Elliott is older).  Baby Raufer #2 and Baby Cagwin #2 will be just 2 months apart in age!

The little lobster and his friend Jennythedog.

Working and napping in the car

One weekday Attison and I were running errands and he fell asleep in the car on the way home.  I left him in the car and went in to grab my lap top so I could get some stuff done while I was waiting.  I got pretty caught up in what I was doing and when the boy woke up I couldn't just stop so he played chauffeur for awhile while I kept working in the passenger seat.

A year

Today is Attison James' birthday.  1 year old!  What a wonderful, magical year it has been.  One year of a new baby - growing, learning, laughing, moving, talking, entertaining. I'm so thankful for how great this past year has been and of the little family we have started.

I'm not a poet or even a very adept writer, and as I sit here I am just crying as I reminisce on how we got here.  I'd like to share one memory and then some of my favorite pictures from my little baby boy's first year.

I went on a silent retreat in October of 2011.  One day, 8 hours of silence, except for some group prayers and a short break for lunch.  The retreat was at the Sisters of St. Francis grounds outside of the city and it is directly adjacent to a cemetery.  Not being able to stand silence unless I'm trying to sleep, I went for a long walk to and through the cemetery and prayed for a baby boy. I had taken a rosary with me and I prayed the rosary for my not-yet-conceived child.

God must have agreed that it was indeed time because it wasn't long until we figured out our good news that our lives were about to change forever. Thanks be to God for this little boy.

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11 months

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.