Birthday Eve

The night before Owen's birthday, we (and by we, I mean Bill) blew up about 100 balloons. 

We used a giant quilt to herd them all into the hallway:

And then we carefully and quietly snuck them into Owen's room while he slept:

And then I could barely fall asleep myself...

Picture Day

Owen came down with a fever at the start of October and was sick into the start of the next week.  The night before Picture Day, he had a fever of 103.  The next morning he actually woke up without a fever for the first time in several days, but I was skeptical that it was just early in the day, and we were already behind schedule since I had let Owen sleep in.  I called the school and said we weren't going to make it.  They said the photographer had been delayed, that they hadn't taken the group picture yet, that several kids also with fevers were there to get pictures taken and go home, that Owen would be the only kid in his class absent, and would we please get there in 10 minutes??


We were still in our pajamas and barely awake, but I called Mom, who had just set foot out of the shower and dashed over with her hair still wet.  We got Owen and Leo ready in record time, ran out the door, and drove as quickly-while-still-driving-safely as possible downtown.

And we made it!  The whole class was present!  Not on my watch would Owen be the only kid absent in his class photo.

The fruit of our labor (Owen, top row center):

And here is Owen's individual shot - poor thing, he barely knew his name that day, which may be the only way that the photographer got him to pose like this:

This is a picture of a picture.  See my thumb in the bottom left corner?

He was very sleepy and very malleable, and the photographer just put his arms and legs where she wanted them to go and he let her.  I don't think she would have had as much luck on a non-sick day!

Aunt Jackie

At the end of September, Aunt Jackie visited Charleston and met Leo for the first time. 

He thought Jackie was swell, but his heart goes pitter-pat for Boo:

Sisters and brothers:

Smile all around (look at how adoringly Leo stares at Owen:)

Leo was eager to get Owen's attention: 

Baby boy:

Great to have you here, Jackie! xoxo

Owen and Jase vs. Jack's Cosmic Dogs

Owen and Jase won.  Good times.

Dan

You may remember Dan Keane, one of Bill's dearest friends, from our wedding (July, 2005 - we look exactly the same, right?):

Well, Dan is one of the few people on earth that we would -- after staying out very late in Chapel Hill the night before and enjoying several adult beverages while we did -- break a sweat trying to get all four of us packed up, in the car, and on the road back to Charleston to see.  Especially because Dan is usually in Mexico or Bolivia or (now) Ann Arbor.  But on this particular Sunday, Dan and his girlfriend Jenny were in Charleston, and we were not going to let that occasion pass without a proper visit.

Dan and Jenny (September, 2011):

When Owen was born, Dan sent Owen a vest made of alpaca wool from Bolivia (November, 2008 - Owen, five weeks old, looks like a little bruiser, huh?):

Three years later, it is still one of his favorites and it -- somehow! -- still fits.  Pictured below: the vest giver and the vest receiver:

Love you, Dan.  Come back soon.

Leo does the Reservation (Mama and Dada do the dance floor)

We went to Chapel Hill at the end of September for my friends Matt Clay and Anna Catherine's wedding.  (Note to self: do NOT take two children out of town on a Friday (arriving at 9pm) when you have to come back home on Sunday (leaving at 9am).  Brutal.) 

On Saturday morning, we paid a visit to the Reservation to see Papa and Grama.  Leo and Papa picked up right where they left off.  Leo was very fond of Papa and very fond of his name tag:

The name tag was not just a passing interest:

It was more of a full-blown obsession:

Like his big brother (and all other descendants of his great grandfather, Norman M.), this child has focus... determination... perseverance:

Everyone thought it was all fun and games, but Leo was NOT messing around.

"You think I'm kidding, people, but I want to chomp on this name tag NOW."

Finally, Papa had to take more aggressive measures to secure his personal effects:

Ultimately, a 180-degree rotation was required to change the subject:

"Until you've tasted name tag, don't judge me."

Dee Dee gets a turn:

"Oooooh!  I thought I liked name tag, but that was before I got a good look at YOU.  Scrump-diddly-umptious."

And then Marsh got a turn:

"Check my hair: nothin' 'faux' about this faux-hawk, am I right?"

"I LOVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.  SERIOUSLY."

That night, Aunt Amy, Uncle Brad, Dad, and Gooche babysat, while we got to enjoy the rare and special treat of an evening out.  We got dressed up, attended Matt Clay and AK's beautiful ceremony, and had a grand old time at the reception.  

Exhibit A:  

Exhibit B (they had a photo booth right outside the dance floor):

Fun, fun, fun (except for the 6-hour drive each way).  Next time, we'll stay longer...

Bath Time

Leo gets his clean on:

 

Post-bath:

Leo getting smooched (when you're very cute and very clean...watch out):

This little rascal gets his teeth brushed:

We have yet to do the joint bath, but, now that Leo can sit up, I think we're ready...

Aunt Marsh!

Aunt Marsh was also in town in September (along with Michael, but, alas, he was not present for the photo shoot), and Leo, Marsh, and I got to spend a fun Friday together.  We played at our house, ate delicious things downtown, toured Owen's school, and even had a run-in with the law!  (Note to self: next time you pull over to feed Leo in the car, try not to park in a commercial loading zone.)

Here are some sweet pics of Leo with his Aunt Marsh - do these two look ready for mischief, or what?:

Aunt Marsh's thumb was DEE-licious:

"If you take your thumb away, I'll be forced to eat my own hand."

"I'm not kidding."

Yep.  It's love, alright.

Love you, Marsh, you CPDDDDH.

Pooh and PapaRuss!

Pooh and PapaRuss came to Charleston for the last two weeks of September.  Pooh was eager to get her hands on Leo.  They snuggled like crazy and quickly got reacquainted - after all, Leo hadn't seen Pooh since he was two-weeks old, AND none of us had seen Pooh since she debuted her new look - Gray and GORGEOUS:

Meanwhile, Owen and PapaRuss Talked About Important Things:

 

Then, it was PapaRuss' turn for some Leo lovin':

I love this one - they are making the exact same face!

Leo worked diligently on PapaRuss' watch (like his brother, he is fond of most any timepiece):

 

Hey there, handsome:

Then, Pooh gave the boys matching Carolina Blue vests, and we managed to snap a photo (Owen was too excited to sit still for longer than 2 seconds):

Here are two great shots (thank you, Brad Russ!) from the lovely day we spent with Pooh, PapaRuss, Uncle Brad, and Aunt Amy out on Seabrook Island.  How magnificent is this photo??  Owen looks like a hard-core mall walker:

Brothers:

We love you!  Come back soon!