This is for you Amy T

Well, this is for Amy T and anyone else who wants to read it. Last Saturday I got the opportunity to go to my home town of Dover, Delaware to go to a baby shower for my dear friend Lorili. She wasn't due until the end of February and the shower had been planned months ago, but little Dallin decided he wanted to come prior to the shower and arrived on the 18th of January. He was only five pounds 13 ounces so Lorili thought it was better to leave him at home. But this is Lorili "holding" her baby.

This was the biggest baby shower I have EVER been to. I thought I had walked into a wedding reception. It was held in a small gym with a stage at a local school. There were at least 9 round tables that held 8-9 people. Every table but one was full. Lorili's oldest sister had planned everything to a T. What's even more remarkable is that her sister planned this enormous party all the while grieving her husband who died the week before Christmas. She said having the shower to plan gave her something positive to focus on. The cake was amazing and the frosting was the best I had ever tasted ( I wanted to eat it by the spoonful). The tables were set with all kinds of favors and centerpieces. Her theme was monkeys and on the stage was a huge palm tree covered in lights with stuffed monkeys hanging from it. Each table had a "barrel of monkeys" in the center with monkeys sprinkled around. The food was great. She had people bring crockpots full of soup, plates with different types of sandwiches, and fruit with a chocolate fountain.

Ofcourse I was so busy enjoying the company and the food that I forgot to bring out my camera until after the cake was eaten and most of the people were gone. Infact I didn't bring out my camera until almost everything was cleaned up. Amy, your mother was so funny - first she decided that she was going to come sit with my mom and me because we were the only ones at our table, but then she decided she would stay her table until after she got her food because her table got to go 4 tables in front of mine. Then AFTER she got her food she sat with us! Too funny. Then she wanted to hold Piper and Reenie said that she would hold her until MJ finished eating. Your mom scarfed her sandwiches down so fast and asked for the baby. My mom said but you haven't finished your soup - MJ replied "Who cares". Reenie said "but your soup will get cold, do you want me to spoon feed you?" Thankfully MJ replied no - she didn't care about her soup when she could hold a baby. It was so cute and funny. I love our moms!

The best part of the day was seeing so many people from my childhood. Amy T - we missed you and oh how I wish you lived closer. Your mom and I talked about how we need to do some job searching and get you out here. I was going to ask Lorili if we were going to her house Sat night to spend the night since it WAS her birthday - it would have been like old times with Lorili, Angie, Natalie, Me etc... Also at the shower was Tammy, Amy Duran, Elizabeth Snyder and her sister Jenn, Sis. Hyde, Kroshus, Thwaites, VS, Temple, Kopp, Victory, Bothell, Evans, Sylvester, Stapleford, Trisha, Mariana. It was really like old times except for the slew of new people in Dover Ward that I didn't know and the fact that Tabitha Stapleford and Rachel Haxton are now 21 and not 4.

Natalie showed up at the very end with something very twinkly on her finger. Yep- she's engaged. I am really happy for her! She looked so good. She and Matt really remind me of their mom. I miss seeing Sis. Badell's smiling face when I go back! Natalie said she really missed you too.

It was a really fun day! I love childhood memories and seeing the people who helped me create them.

On a weird side note - Lorili was due Feb 24th and had her baby Jan 18th. My cousin Amanda was due to have her baby on Feb 18th and had it on Jan 24th. What's up with 24 and 18? Taffy and Boss - you are both due mid Feb will you be going way early too? I was wondering what was up with Feb babies coming so early!

Monster

There's a monster in my family!

Isn't she cute?

Rubber Dolly

Our little rubber dolly (as my mother always calls babies without their clothes on) is getting too big for the bathroom sink. It's much easier to hold on to her in the small sink, but now she likes to push her feet against the edge of the sink forcing her head and back against the other side. I have to be constantly conteracting her pushes and kicks so she doesn't hurt herself. I think it's time to make the big move to the kitchen sink but that makes me a little nervous too because babies are so slippery.

She usually enjoys her baths and even lets us make little soap horns on her head.

We love it when she gets all dried off and wears her sweet smelling baby cologne (baby lotion).

Tiny Soldiers

For Christmas, Chase and MacGregor got ACU's (the new military uniforms, BDU's were the old green camo). They even got "desert tan" boots. Before Daniel returned home he got name tapes embroidered for them. Last Friday was "hat day" at school. The boys wanted to wear their military hats so we decided they should go all decked out in full uniform. Thursday night I sewed on their US Army and name tapes.

Another GREAT thing - We have our Halloween costumes for next year! Daniel can even go dressed up with the boys! The boys got camo face paint in their stockings so this summer they'll have alot of fun hiding in the trees at my parents cabin. We decided no face paint at school though! :)

Repetition

This is our Natural Gas Bill for the month of December.

You don't see that number very often. (Did they just hold that key down?) Hmmmm.........

Boston Globe Article

We were recently sent this link to an article published in the Boston Globe. Daniel had told me in November that there was a journalist from the Globe embedded with their unit. He was there for some time. The unit that Daniel was attached to (399th Combat Support Hospital) was based out of Massachusetts.

Daniel really enjoyed the article. Hopefully he can give his feelings on the article when he has time, but he told me that the article was very accurate. It really took him back to his stay there in Mosul and I could see the emotion in his face as he looked at the pictures of some dear friends. He became very close to many of the doctors and staff he worked with there and it was very special to see them again in these pictures.

Daniel was there the day the author wrote about (the day the pictures are from). I remember talking to him about it. It happened the day or so after I had Piper. I remember being in the hospital and hearing about the bus that had been bombed in a city nearby Mosul. Daniel's position during a mass casulty was to be a "trauma team leader". He "triaged" or assessed the wounded as they came in and determined what they needed done and where to send them next (surgery or clinic etc...).

If this link works correctly you should be sent directly to the article. In the middle of the text is a box that has a link to some slide shows. Daniel's group is in the second slide show. He is pictured in the second slide. He's one of two people seated, he's on the right. His roomate, Dr. Apostle is in another slide examining a foot. The voice you hear narrating was Lt. Col "JC", their commander. Daniel said he was a terrific guy. He told me he has never worked with a better group of people!
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The following appeared on Boston.com:Headline: In Iraq, 'it's us versus death' Date: December 31, 2006"MOSUL, Iraq -- The alert hit the 399th like a shot of pureadrenaline. "____________________________________________________________
To see this recommendation, click on the link below or cut and paste itinto a Web browser: http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2006/12/31/in_iraq_its_us_versus_death?p1=email_to_a_friend

Sisters!!

They sure like to be together!! Infact, Ainsley was really good in the first few weeks about looking but not touching but now she has become a bit more brazen. I found her picking up the baby off the floor (Ainsley was sitting on the floor, not standing, so that was a little easier to take). Then a day or two later I saw her opening the swing and trying to take her out (heartstopper!!). And then when Daniel and I had our backs turned Ainsley tried to pick Piper up out of the bouncy seat. Everytime we catch her Ainsley says, "BUT SHE'S CRYING". We try to tell her she can talk to her or rock her in the swing or seat but NOT pick her up. I just envision her tripping with the baby. Chase walks around holding the baby once in a while and THAT even makes me nervous. To Ainlsey's credit - she does seem to support the head and bottom. :)

I am happy with simple floor play - everyone remains on the floor - making faces, singing, wiggling arms and legs. BUT most importantly - staying on the floor!

So, Do they look alike? We are still trying to figure out who this baby looks like. At first we saw Gregor. Lately I've really seen Chase but there is something about her that looks different than the rest - we are thinking perhaps her eye shape and width apart is a little different. She has some similarities too though. She has that perfectly round grapefruit head and her mouth seems very similar to Ainsley's. What do you think?

The Playoffs!

So the EAGLES made it to the playoffs after a very shakey season. They made it past the first round against the "Stinkin" Cowboys. Last night was game 2. And we were ready!

I wish I had thought to get the camera out a little earlier because Chase, Gregor and Ainsley all got Eagles jerseys for Christmas. Daniel has an Eagles shirt, sweatshirt and hat. So everyone was decked out last night but the game didn't even start until 8pm so the kids had gone to bed by the time I thought to get out my camera.

We had a fun family night. We had treats - popcorn, soda, ice cream, and apples and caramel dip. The boys made signs to hold up - "OFFENSE" and "DE + an image of a fence." Daniel would get so excited and yell at the top of his lungs scaring the poor baby out of a sound sleep.

In the end though the EAGLES lost it. With a minute and half left on 4th down the quarterback got it to his receiver that would have walked it right into the end zone.... BUT.... a lineman had false started and the EAGLES were forced to punt. So sad! After the game, I heard Daniel say, "That's too bad" and few minutes later - I heard him say again, "That's too bad". He went on to say it roughly 10 more times over the next 15 minutes or so until I finally pointed out to him that he was saying that repeatedly. I think we was rethinking the game over and over and that phrase just kept coming to mind! Funny!

Daddy Loves Baby!

Here are the pictures that eluded us for so many weeks!


Daniel has been home just over two weeks now with his new baby. I think he may like her a little bit!

He loves her! Although sometimes she's not so keen on all his doting.

You can't imagine my joy at taking and looking at these pictures. I'm so glad Daddy's home!

Check below on 12/23/06

I finally finished the post I started some time ago - Because I am not proficient at blogging I couldn't chage the date to make it a current post and it posted below my most recent entry. So please scroll down to 12-23-06 and see ..... THE REST OF THE STORY (for you Paul Harvey lovers) ........ which is the "The Whole Story (a little late).