PHOTO OP!!

More beautiful days of 75-80 degrees around here. I was talking with two friends of mine about photography and realized I've really been letting my creative juices dry up. So I got motivated by a conversation I was having and brought Charles outside just to practice cuteness. I learned how to make him laugh for pictures, I'm sure my neighbors thought something crazy was going on on the other side of the fence. And I was missing some of you so I was in "NY state of mind" for a couple of days and broke out the "I love NY" t-shirts Charles got in Dec. when I was visiting and trying to get the Statue of Liberty with him! just in the nick of time, he's growing like a weed!



Charles and Bear visting the dog next door.



Though he's usually quiet, this is what Charles looks like when he's talking to you on the phone. He gets a real kick out of the voice coming out of this little box. And our house alarm too, he likes the voice "armed...exit now..."


Charles's first words in perfect Brooklyn accent "eh, fugedabout it"

CATCH!!

WELCOME TO SUNDAY...HEREBY DUBBED "VIDEO BLOG DAY." These videos take a long time to load up and I take a lot of video footage during the week as Charles is very active and on the move. I often feel that a picture is not painting the 1,000 words that it used to. More like 30 seconds of video paints 1,000 words.

Charles can actually CATCH. I know in some of these videos it looks like we're handing him the ball, but he actually understands the concept of having his hands up. He thinks it's fun and giggles ... because he seems to know, this is playtime!



These videos are of mealtime, WARNING, they contain graphic footage and are not suitable for all audiences! Especially if you have a weak stomach or are eating yourself. Of course if you were ever a little boy you'll probably think this is pretty cool like our boys do.




And, I know Dad hasn't seen this one since last summer...but here's poopy face caught on 'film.' It's been a while since I've caught him in action (hard to believe with the number of diapers I've changed over the past couple of days.)


And Charles's 9 month old picture. Also getting more and more difficult to take as he immediately starts playing with the doggy and crawling for the cameraman. But this is, in fact, quintessential Charles...a face we see VERY often. He is still a very happy baby and laughing more and more at nearly everything and nothing at all.


And hidden down here...it's, again, a little challenging getting Charles on film because, I show him the videos on the camera when I'm done and he understands and recognizes the voices and himself. So, as soon as he sees me with the camera, he makes a b-line for it and wants to grab it. I have to be very sneaky and quiet. Here he is in his own little world playing with some magnets while I was cooking dinner.


And a little Bible challenge in light of the upcoming Easter. How many stories can you think of or find in the bible of people coming back from the dead? Our teenagers are looking it up this week...besides Jesus, we have 3. I'll post the scriptures when they find them.

IT WASA BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

It was a beautiful day yesterday. Charles and I spent some time in the backyard playing, reading, pruning.

Pruning the lime tree.

A little prayer thanking God for the wonderful weather.

This is the second time I've seen Charles climb up on something. A few days ago he climbed up on one of his toys but was back down before I could run and get the camera. This time I was studying and caught him in action.

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All good things must come to an end. Then we went inside where Charles helped load and unload, and load and unload (etc. etc.) the dishwasher.
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In like a Lion??? What happened?

It's been pouring rain for 2 days now. Charles has the right idea. Ahh, the wonder of digital...this was taken just moments ago.


But I'm not complaining. My heart goes out to all of our adoring fans who are
1/2 buried in snow and about to get completely buried during the course of the day. And of course congratulations to all you little ones who are enjoying your SNOW DAY TODAY...woo hoo!!!

To Charles's credit. He DID help me do this!!!

See, here he is...helping...

So what do you think? Do I have a problem? I have one more book shelf to bring in from the garage but it does not have books on it. This is it. The other shelf is to provide symmetry. See two on either side of the nice bookshelf and the safe will do a 1/4 turn sometime this week.

This, by the way, is what I'm getting rid of so far. It's a BIG box though, see the hammer? It's for scale.