Missing Aunty

Yesterday, when we told Orin that his Aunt Andy

would be leaving the next day

he was devastated. 

"I will hear nothing of this!" he exclaimed.

"Aunty can't be leaving... we were just starting to have fun together!"

"I used to think Aunty Andy was scary," he went on

"But now she gives me hugs

and piggy back rides, takes me on walks,

and slips me margaritas when nobody is watching..."

"It won't be the same without her."

"I know... it's terrible" I said.

"I have been having so much fun too."

This morning, on the way home from the airport,

I tried to think about what I could do when I got home

that wouldn't remind me of my sister.

 I couldn't come up with anything. 

It has only been a couple hours and I already miss her so much.

But I can only feel sorry for myself for a little while,

before I remember who is suffering from her departure the most:

Eggy.

The poor dog is still sitting on the porch

 patiently waiting for her to return

so that, once again, he can be the Number One Dog

who gets plenty of belly scratches, table scraps, and extra walks.

Only when Aunty Andy comes to town.

Wanted: More hands

One of the worst parts about being a baby 

is not knowing how to walk.

But it's not the fact that crawling simply takes longer,

it's that crawling requires hands, 

hands that could otherwise be used to carry things.

One way around the problem is to carry said item in one's mouth

and one of the best things about being a baby

is that no object is really off-limits for this purpose.

From toothbrushes to rubber duckies, he is on the move,

and they are coming with him.

Another Visit

Rumor has it that Aunt Andy really likes us

(either that or she just came back for the wondrous 

array of microbrews)

because she is in Oregon visiting us again, this time for two weeks.

The weather during her last trip was not the best,

but the last week has been beautiful, so Orin and I took 

the opportunity to show her the Columbia Gorge 

(we had passed it up last time)

The hike was really nice, all of the Trillium were in full bloom,

dotting the trail with little white flowers.

We came across the standard waterfalls,

and clothespin trees...

but the best part of the hike for me was not having to carry Orin

(aka The Chunk)

If you have noticed that I am constantly fobbing off the 

baby-carrying responsibility on hikes,

 then you are very observant.

Hey, he is heavy... can you really blame me?

More to come.

One Step at a Time

Orin has been spending an awfully lot of time of his feet lately.

Although he can't walk unassisted yet, he can easily cruise 

around the house with one hand on a wall for support.

Now that his walking is less exciting, Orin has had to look for

new ways to impress us.

So the other day when I saw him at the bottom of the stairs,

pounding the first step with his fists, I was not surprised.

Casey got the honor of playing spotter and the journey was on.

After the first step, Orin hardly hesitated.

He climbed all the way to the second floor like it held

nothing but an endless bounty of cherrios and strawberry yogurt.

When he got to the top, Casey and I clapped and cheered.

Orin beamed proudly at his accomplishment.

After carrying him back down, we put up a permanent blockade,

because now that he knows he can do it,

we are worried about the possibility of overconfidence.

One step at a time. 

2 Mistakes

Over the last two days I have failed you in a pretty major sort of way.

I forgot to bring my camera to two pivotal events:

the first being my dirt-bike debut (I rocked),

and the second being Orin's first Easter Sunday egg hunt.

Although there will be more pictures of me riding my dirt bike

to come (for those of you who will find it humorous 

to see me in a chest protector and goggles)

Orin's first Easter was a once in a lifetime event,

and we will therefore need to build 

at least one mental picture of the event.

Please picture with me: Grandma's house, front yard, 

easter eggs everywhere ("hunt" may have been a stretch)

Orin standing next to a cement statue of a bunny,

holding an ear for support while he enthusiastically licks an orange 

egg he has just stumbled upon (i.e. been handed to by dad)

until I realize that the dye is bleeding all over his face

and am forced to take it away.

He is okay with this, as long as I hand him the blue sparkly one.

I do and the crisis is averted.

The photo would have been taken in the instant 

right before the dye discovery.

So that will have to do.

Nobody can remember the camera every time, you know.

But, of course, I will post a couple pictures from the vault,

to satisfy those of you who scroll through my tedious ramblings

to get to the good part of the entry: the pictures.

Here is Orin sleeping on the couch with his uncle.

And Ori discovering the wonderful mess

that accompanies the consumption blackberries. 

Happy Easter.

Praying for soft ground

This is the husband. 

(it was really his idea)

This is the picture that sparked the idea.

(this was supposed to be a joke)

This is the new bike.

(yup, my first dirtbike came home today)

Tomorrow I learn to ride.

Good thing I already have a fan club.

Wish me luck

and don't hesitate to pray.

The Lawnmower

The other day we invested in a new lawnmower.

He is not quite as efficient as the regular gas-powered kind,

but we try not to rub it in too much because he obviuosly 

takes his job quite seriously.

 All in a hard day's work.

Opening Day at the Gorge

Well, we have made it back home safely from North Carolina. 

If you should ever find yourself in a situation where you could 

advise me about my future travel plans,

please kindly remind me that I should no longer plan on traveling

on an airplane alone with Orin, at least not without 

earplugs and heavy sedatives.

Moving on.

Back in Oregon we were greeted with the best weather of the season,

so we headed off for the Gorge to take in a little of nature's finest. 

We picked one of the first trails that we came to,

knowing that they all contain basically the same components:

waterfalls...

more waterfalls...

ferns growing right-side-up...

ferns growing upside-down...

knotty trees...

moss and rocks...

babies...

treacherous river crossings...

that seem even more treacherous if you are a wimpy dog 

that refuses to cross until a helpful stranger drags you 

to the middle and gives you a push...

steep switchbacks...

and, of course, more waterfalls.

And you wonder where those nature calendar pictures were taken?