San Fran: Day 2.

We were up with the sun, still operating on Central time, which was great because we had a nice, long morning to enjoy the city.

First, we took the historic Powell-Hyde cable car ride.  We were at the front of the car and Buck stood up hanging off the side the entire way.  Brave guy!  It was foggy and misty, but the views were still pretty good.

Riding the nation's only moving historical landmark.

Views down Hyde Street -- Alcatraz is in the distance.

We got off the cable cars and wandered through Fisherman's Wharf and the piers.  Because it was still early, we were able to see the sea lions on Pier 39.  They were hilarious to watch!

Checking out the boats.

The sea lions.

View of the city from Fisherman's Wharf.

Then it was time for a walk to Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.  

See that tower in the center?  That's where we were headed.  It was a long, steep walk.

Buck in front of a statue of Christopher Columbus by Coit Tower.  We were both a little perplexed as to what significance Christopher Columbus has to San Fran...but it was a good place to rest our legs.

Coit Tower up close and personal.  The views looking down were amazing.  And, instead of going back the way we came, we took the 400 stairs down Telegraph Hill.  Very neat.

Then we walked through Chinatown, the largest Chinese community in the United States.

Lots of food markets.  Buck got a bit anxious when he passed a man carrying brown paper sacks THAT WERE MOVING out of a market.  What live creature was in there?

There were also tons of souvenir shops ... think all the little shops in New Orleans with an Asian twist.

The Grant Street gate of Chinatown.

After that we headed to the Ferry Building -- a historic building right on the bay.  It was surrounded by all sorts of artists selling their goods.

The clock tower of the Ferry Building.

Then, thankfully, it was time for lunch.  We'd certainly earned it after our trek through the city. We had reservations at Wayfare Tavern, one of Tyler Florence's restaurants.  It lived up to all the accolades -- the meal was fantastic and the atmosphere was so cool and right up our alley.  Buck had meetings all afternoon, so I headed to Market Street for some shopping.  

Buck planned Friday night and he picked the Giants game.  We got a pre-game drink at MoMo's (apparently it is a famous sports bar) and ventured around the stadium to the Marina Gate.  What a gorgeous setting for baseball!

Buck in front of AT&T Park before the game.

We had great views from our high seats.

Buck with the Willie Mays statue.

We headed home from the game in the 7th inning and called it a night!

San Fran, Day 1.

Buck and I went to San Francisco for a long weekend in August.  Buck had a work conference there -- but only about seven hours of meetings.  So though he was there for work, we had plenty of time to explore the city together.

It was my first ever trip to California.  Buck had been twice before -- once for a baseball tournament as a teenager and once to LA for work.  It was actually only the second time we've flown together -- the first being our honeymoon ten years ago.  That shocks me!  I feel like we go and do things but it's usually pretty close to home (the lake, the farm, the beach, the mountains). In fact, while waiting in the Birmingham airport, I realized it was the first time I'd flown since before I was pregnant with Fawn (five and a half years ago!).  It truly has felt like I blinked and the time "post-children" has absolutely flashed before my very eyes.  How can five years pass in an instant?

Enough with my musings on the passage of time, back to our trip to San Fran...

We arrived in the late afternoon, and between bad traffic (the 49ers had a pre-season game and the Giants were also playing in town) and having to get Buck registered for his meetings by the time we got settled we really only had time for a quick drink before our dinner reservations.  We stayed at The Palace Hotel...a gorgeous, old hotel that is one of the oldest in the city.  The original Palace burned down in the fires following the 1906 earthquake and was said to be even more grand and ornate.  It was a gorgeous building!

The roof of The Garden Court -- in the middle of The Palace Hotel.  The photo does not do it justice -- the ceiling and chandeliers were magnificent!

We headed to The View for a drink, a bar on the 39th floor of the Marriot.  Though it was foggy and cloudy, we still had pretty good views of the city.

The View had these amazing windows to look out of.

Welcome to San Fran -- Buck found this local beer (Anchor Steam) and drank it all weekend.

The Bay Bridge.

Our dinner reservation was at 8 pm -- so we were exhausted and starving because of the time change.  We went to Town Hall, which serves fancy southern food in the heart of San Francisco. We enjoyed our meal, and headed back to the hotel to crash and get ready for a fun morning of sight seeing.

Bye Bye Girly Hair.

Upon our return from San Francisco, my first order of business was a haircut for the boys.  Fawn likes his hair super short.  He also loves his barber, Mr. Eddie, and the goodies that come along with a trip to the barber, namely a lollipop and Matchbox car.  He wasn't in desperate need for a cut, but it was time for a good back-to-school hair do.  And, Small Fry...wow that child had some long hair.  At eighteen months old, while it was cute it was just a bit too much.  Plus, he's such an active, messy child that it was becoming quite the hassle.  So off we went.

Fawn, as typical, was a perfectly compliant angel for Mr. Eddie.  He tried to "talk" Small Fry through it so Small Fry would know what to expect.

Mr. Eddie: Fawn, is Small Fry going to be as good as you?
Fawn: Not a chance.

100% accurate prediction.

Stoic Fawn. 

Pre-cut locks.  Easily fit in very cute pigtails.

Things did not start off well.  We removed the robe and put Small Fry on my lap.  We also gave Small Fry a lollipop.

I gave Fawn my iPhone to take pictures.  Fawn was way more interested in his new Matchbox car than getting good pictures so most are a blurry mess!  

What a transformation!

I sent Buck a picture text.  His response: Who is that impostor and where is my little boy?

It is a bit sad to see him looking so grown-up.  And he looks like a different child!  But, it's growing on me and so much easier than the curly locks.  Hopefully next time will be much less traumatic for all involved.

Small Fry's Half Birthday.

We celebrated Small Fry's half birthday last Thursday ... right before Buck and I jumped on a plane to San Francisco for a long weekend (more to follow).  But, we couldn't skip a celebration for our little man.

A little pre-celebration phone call.  I have a picture of Fawn about this age talking on a real, cordless phone.  I'm not sure Small Fry would even know what a real phone looks like.  A sign of the times!  (Please excuse the snot...poor angel is not sick at all, just teething like a maniac.)

During the singing of Happy Birthday.  Small Fry got a helicopter (from the deer show) from Buck, a tiny baseball glove from me (because he wears a koozie on his hand as a makeshift glove), and a baby doll from Fawn.  Let me explain the baby doll -- Small Fry had been attempting to steal dolls from other children.  So, Fawn and I picked out a baby doll at the toy store and proceeded to cut off its girly clothes and hair bow.  Now, it's a pretty cute naked baby.  And, Small Fry wants nothing to do with it.  Buck is relieved, but Fawn is sad that Small Fry doesn't like his present.

An assist from Fawn.

And a "booyah" from Small Fry.  One of his favorite words, which he says all the time with an arm pump.

Happy half birthday precious little one!  We love you!

Eighteen Month Update.

Sweet baby Small Fry is a year and a half.  I keep thinking in my head he is six months old, not eighteen months old.  In fact, I've almost purchased size 12 month clothing multiple times for the upcoming season for him.  I stop myself in the nick of time and look at my TODDLER (not baby) and wonder when my mommy brain will be replaced by my real brain!

Love bug is teething like you wouldn't believe.  Drool and snot everywhere.  The boys had their dentist appointments last week and the dentist was amazed by how many teeth are popping through at the same time.  It's got to be miserable -- and there have been several days when he has let us know it.

Small Fry hated the dentist and lost his mind.  Then we got a repeat performance at his eighteen-month old checkup.  Granted he got a finger stick and a vaccine, but the "easy" things (height, weight, head circumference) also caused great angst.  He's holding steady in the 45% of weight -- tipping the scales at just over 25 pounds.  And, true to his genetic predisposition, his height is in the 30%.  (Still wondering how in the world Fawn has been and remains above the 75% in height...have you seen Buck and me?!?!)

I got brave and sent him to summer Mother's Day Out at church for three mornings this month.  My sweet friends up there assure me he did fantastic.  A good warm up for the fall and a sign of independence!

Small Fry is still not very interested in television.  That's great, but it would be nice if he would cuddle in bed and watch cartoons in the morning seeing as though he gets up a solid hour before his brother.  It's quite a task to keep him quiet when he is raring to go.  I ask him if he wants to watch cartoons.  His response, "No.  Baseball."  So we watch Sports Center in the morning.  Until he weasels his way out of bed to write on the wall (blue colored pencil now adorns our master bedroom walls), to try on mom and dad's shoes, or to break stuff.

He's talking and loud.  He can say and repeat many words.  He's not talking in sentences or grouping words yet.  Case in point, Buck is determined to get him to say "Roll Tide".  As many times as Buck says it, Small Fry only repeats "Roll."  The funniest word Small Fry says is "fish" ... it comes out as a four-letter word starting with sh and ending with t.  And there are fish everywhere (bath toys, pool toys, Botanical Gardens, zoo, baby books, you name it!) so I hear that word multiple times a day.  I'm just glad Fawn hasn't picked up on it.  Speaking of Fawn, Small Fry still lovingly refers to him as Bubba or Bubby.  It's precious!

He is a typical, picky toddler in terms of eating.  At this age, it truly is all about control.  Most nights he pushes away his entire dinner plate and tells me "no" loudly and emphatically.  Everyone laughs, which is not good in terms of encouragement.  But it's hilarious!  He will reject something multiple days in a row and then eat his body weight of that same food.  It's frustrating to figure out, especially with the "language barrier".  But, it's only a season.

What else?  Sleeping is better!  Yay!  He's totally over the high chair.  He figured out how to drive a Power Wheel.  He actually likes reading now and seeks books out.  He wants to play with Fawn all the time, but hasn't mastered the etiquette of trains (do not climb on the train table and rip the track apart), Legos (do not break apart the carefully constructed structure), or Transformers (do not disassemble Transformers).  He loves to dance.  Aside from ESPN, the only television channel he likes is the streaming radio.  He will hand me the remote and say "dance, dance".  He loves to swim.  While he screams when we are putting swimmies on him, he gets so excited when he can be independent in the water.  He is happy to jump in and loves to put his face under water.  He is a bull in a china shop.

Small Fry is full of life -- and has filled our lives with so much joy and love.  He's hilarious, adorable, and just what the baby of the family should be.  We are so glad he's ours!  We love you baby!

Post-eighteen month checkup.  I let him pretend to drive to calm him down. 100% boy.

Four and a Half.

It was half birthday time at our house again!  Fawn turned four and a half on July 26.  I cannot believe that the next birthday we celebrate will be his fifth birthday.  It continues to fly by!  In Buck and Belle tradition, we presented Fawn with three (small) presents -- one from each of us -- to celebrate his half birthday.  Buck gave him a helicopter that he picked out at the deer show a couple weekends ago.  

There was singing before Buck left for work.

And a new Transformer from Small Fry.

And a super hero board game from Mommy (a great activity during Small Fry's afternoon nap).

We started the day with pancakes per Fawn's request.  Small Fry proceeded to get syrup all over his mullet so we continued the morning with a bubble bath.

Then it was off to my grandparents' house for some swimming with a couple of Fawn's best friends.  Nothing fancy -- just a play date with his best buddies.  We all brought picnic lunches and my mom came to help with Small Fry.  I baked brownies (again per Fawn's request) and we repeated the singing.

A happy day with a happy boy!  We love you more than you will ever know sweet Fawn.  Enjoying life with you just keeps getting better and better.  And an occasion to celebrate you?  We'll take it every time!  

Dog Days of Summer.

That is actually not a very accurate post title, because the "Dog Days of Summer" are supposed to be the hottest days and we have been blessed with the most lovely, mild -- albeit rainy -- summer so far.  Don't worry fellow Bama friends, I am knocking on every available surface to not jinx our August and September.

For the 4th of July, we headed to Orange Beach to join some church friends who graciously invited us to their bayside condo for the week.  The boys and I headed down on Tuesday morning, and, yes, I survived the five hour car trip solo.  I've never driven that far by myself with just Fawn let alone Fawn and Small Fry.  The boys did great in the car -- aided by an extended stop at the Greenville, Alabama McDonald's play place.  The condo had an amazing view and an even better pool complete with a baby pool with fountains, a water slide, and a lazy river.  We played and played in the water on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Good thing we did because the heavens opened up with rain on Thursday and it never really let up.  The dads arrived together late Wednesday night, and we beat the rain Thursday and got to take a boat ride in the bay.  It was Small Fry's first boat ride and he loved it so much he zonked out.  We stopped at Pirate's Cove to let the boys play and sweet Small Fry just slept on my lap in the boat.  During the small breaks in the rain on Thursday and Friday, we introduced Buck to the lazy river (he loved it) and the water slide.  Fawn was in heaven as Buck took him on the water slide again and again.  The dads and big boys also got to do some fishing from the pier.  The boys loved it -- and their favorite part was throwing their caught fish to the pelicans, herons, and cranes.  (Yes, we were like the annoying people who feed the seagulls.)  We watched fireworks from the shelter of the balcony.  I learned to make okra gumbo -- delicious (you cook okra down as the base instead of making a roux) -- but failed to take a single picture.  The rain and threat of rain was so constant that I didn't ever take my phone or camera on our mini-adventures.  Buck captured this one of Small Fry just chilling out:

We headed home Saturday morning after Fawn woke up with a stomach bug.  Poor guy.  It didn't last long at all, thank goodness, but left him completed wiped out:

Asleep for good at 5:30 pm.  That's when you know he's really tired.

We've been to the Zoo a ton.  The boys love it (especially the awesome dinosaur exhibit), and since the weather has been so mild it's been one of our constant hang-outs this summer.  Fawn has perfected climbing the spider web all by himself.  He is so proud, and we spend at least a few minutes of each trip playing on the playground so he can show off his new skills.

Small Fry just watches.  (Buck loves this outfit, by the way.  He calls the diaper cover Small Fry's panties.  Lovely.)

Hard at work.

And then there are the fountains.  Fawn is waiting for his prey.

Our little devil.

Gotcha.

And speaking of dog days, our sweet beagles are Fawn's latest patients in his booming medical practice.

Hank needed a check-up so Fawn Superman swooped in.

That is one blurry and patient dog. (Please note the Superman cape, Spiderman tattoo, and Spiderman socks.  My house is being overtaken by super heroes!)

Small Fry agrees with Superman; Hank is a-okay.

If the beagles have put on a few pounds, we have Small Fry to blame.  We are done with the high chair (can I get an amen?).  Currently, this booster is on loan from my parents.  It's more fun and interactive for the boys to sit at the same table while eating instead of Small Fry in his high chair and Fawn at the counter.  But, boy can Small Fry make a mess.  The dogs are the direct beneficiaries of his messes.  

It's Cheerio time!

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

Do you see Fawn's sweet hand pointing out the goodies to Hank?

Hannah is greedy enough to clean off the chair while Small Fry is eating.

We obviously need to work on manners with our canine and human children.

T-minus five weeks until preschool starts back.  I am not looking forward to it, as we have so enjoyed the freedom that this summer has brought.  But, a little routine will do us all good.  Hope you and yours are enjoying these last magical moments of summer!