The last couple weeks I have been working hard on finishing up my masters degree capstone. It is a major project where I researched writing assessment and instruction. I ended up developing a writing assessment model; all five chapters drafted - 66 pages all together. I just have some revising to do and organizing of the appendices and then I mail it on Friday. I am not as sick of it as I thought I would be. I am actually quite excited about the model I can actually use in my classroom. However...I am sick of not spending time taking care of my boys and my home. While I've been busy, Roger and Owen have had to keep each other company and my house has gotten quite messy!
I spied on the boys from the balcony while I took my eyes off the computer screen...here they play with toys...
Here they have successfully made a mess...
Here it looks like it's getting to be snack time...
Hey, at least one of them is wearing pants!

Owen got new PJ's so we were havin' fun trying them out! He and daddy played around on the floor and then Owen stood by the toy chest gigling and smiling and pounding. He's got the ye-bye wave down and I think he knows what it means too. This morning when I left him at daycare and said bye-bye, he started crying. He's never cried when I left him. Oh, so sad. But then, I gave him a big smile and said everything will be okay. He then waved bye-bye without crying. Big smiles...I think he knows what that means too!

Cousin Skotty sent this home with Owen last Saturday when he went to see G-Gramma Mae. Owen loves the noises it makes and how he can scoot himself around. However, we have carpeting so he can't go too fast! :-) I guess that's alright. Boy at play-nothin' better than seein' him smile!

Don't know if you can tell...I got 6 inches cut off my hair...Gramma Mimi, can you tell??? Owen doesn't seem to mind...he still knows it's me!

I don't even bother to clean up...Owen's toys find their way out & about! After a bit of throw-up last week (sweet potatoes and peas) we got our carpets cleaned. Is Grauntie Karen glad? :-)

"I'm sorry, Owen. I couldn't resist!"

Here's yet more evidence of Owen getting away from me at diaper-changing time. He wiggles and squirms and wobbles away to find something fun to play with. He is enthralled with the powder bottle and has figured out that his door swings open and shut. He loves the spring on the back of the door too! He is an adventurous little tyke! Only when we are in a hurry and I can't get a diaper on his wiggly little body does it frustrate me just a wee bit.

Life with little Owen is never dull: He's learned to wiggle away from the diaper and now knows how to get away when it's time to put jammies on...
Owen has found his knees and wobbles and wiggles his way-some of you call this crawling.

:-)
He may want to "get away" but he has to make sure I don't get too far away from him.
"Here I come, Mom!"
"Mom! I did it! You can hold me now!" heh heh (Owen really has a funny giggle-his raspy little voice has a way of charming and swaying the toughest of crowds!

Many of you didn't know that we took a trip! We had to keep it a secret from Gramma Mama because we were surprising her for her birthday last week! For over a month we kept the secret from her: all her girls, Owen, and Rog flew down to Florida to surprise her on her own vacation. It was so much fun! Here Owen is looking out the window of the airplane. :-)
I'm not surprised that Owen was smothered by Auntie Lori and Auntie Julie upon arrival--they have not seen him since September! So much fun to be together again.
Great Gramma Mimi even came over to Orlando from her stay in Cape Coral (visiting Vivi and Jim). She picked Julie, Owen, Rog and me up at the airport--she rented a car and found her way! The joke all weekend was asking her to "act her age." But then again, how many of us "act our age?" :-)

Rog soaked up some sun too!

Grampa Phil was busy teaching Owen to crawl.

We spent some time out on the porch too! So much fun chatting it up and laughing about all the same stories that make up laugh every time we are together.

We ate, smiled, laughed, played a very interesting game of pictionary, laughed even more, and enjoyed all our time together. Friday was a day in the sun, and Saturday was a day at Universal Studios. Too much fun!

Here they are! All covered up and protected from the hot Florida rays.

Owen didn't mind the water, but he was still waking up when I thrust him into the experience.

Here we are at one of the pools...

The fountains and gardens were beautiful and we enjoyed our walks around the grounds. We will miss that place, but we are already in the midst of discussing where our next reunion will be! Owen sure will be the travellin' kid!

"Mom washed my chothes!"
"hmmm, green sock, sweat pants...maybe I can help mom here"

"hee hee! I'd rather play!"

This is called multi-tasking. :-) Owen stayed home with a fever again today, but by lunchtime it was down and Owen was in good spirits. What a trooper! He's such a big help.

Owen, happy at play...Owen's first cardboard box to play in! I remember when I was little that getting new appliances or a new TV always meant that we'd get a big box to cut up, play in, or draw all over. Owen's first play box happens to be a diaper box. We used it as a little "wagon" and pulled him around the house. See how much fun we have? :-)

Little boy playing with trucks! My precious little guy is turning into a "real boy" (as auntie emmy says). :-) Such personality and life. He's so vocal and smiley...when he's in a good mood. However, today he is not feeling well and can't tell us what hurts. Church was cancelled so we thought we'd sleep in and have a good day relaxing at home, but, Owen was up at 5:30-nnot happy. He just fell asleep again now, though; sitting with daddy in the recliner. It's 7:30. We are snowed in and wondering what to do next. The house looks like a storm blew through it...perhaps clean? hmmmm... I've gotten to the point where Owen's toys rarely get "put away" because we just pull them out as soon as they are put away. Oh well...some things in life just "gotta give." Right?

OLD PICTURE...NEW NEWS! Owen finally has a toothe! Yippeee! Well, I'll let you know how it goes...
:-) I am surprising myself at the excitement I feel each time he reaches another one of these "firsts." I always expect other people to get as excited as me. For example, I called my mom and MB, saw Jenn and told her, and then shared the news with the ladies in the child center at LTF, and then Roger when I saw him...just to say Owen got a toothe. Too funny! Sorry if you feel left out because I didn't call you...notice that Roger was #5 to find out. Oops! :-)

Peas!?? Does he like them?
He's eating them faster than his mommy ever would!!! Yummy!
He must be faster because I already "squished" them for him! :-)

But then...playing with toys is almost as much fun! :-)

Owen got a new "do"...I resisted using daddy's pomade, but the spray bottle did wonders!

I don't know about these two! What are they going to do next?

Grampa Phil "heard" somewhere that letting Owen play with our cell phones was going to cause many temper tantrums. He said we needed to get him his own "play" cell phone so he knows the difference between his toy and something that belongs to mommy or daddy. So...I gave him my old one! :-)

He loves it! Owen says, "Thanks Grampa! You had a great idea!"

Owen likes pushing the buttons and waving it in the air. I hope he doesn't bonk his nose with it. :-)

"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, MOM!" Owen made me a card at daycare today! What a son! :-)

There are a few older boys at daycare who love Owen. They told me that when Owen woke up from his nap today, he said, "What?!" I doubt he was trying to talk, but they sure thought so. Another favorite part of my day is when we are driving and Owen "talks" to me. I've considered that one day he will perhaps talk too much and I'll wish he'd shut up. On the other hand, that day may never come. Maybe he will have such a sweet voice and sing to me like his daddy. So many things to smile about.

On Sunday we stood before family and our home church; we made our dedication to raise Owen to know Jesus and follow God's word. I know Owen will make his own choices one day, but right now I take the charge to teach him and love him and be an example of faith and hope for him. I pray for special blessing on this boy to be used by God in mighty ways...what are those ways? I do not know yet, but God knew Owen before he was conceived. I have to trust a God who is El Roi.

I did not know an 8-month old could have a temper-tantrum...Owen accomplished just that! He was playing with the cell phone, talking to Auntie Julie when I took the phone to talk to her myself. He screamed like I did the worst possible thing! So I gave him the phone back and he immediately stopped his screaming fit...hmmmm. What am I going to do???? God help us all...

:-)

Oh Forgive me Owen! I went and did yoga after you went to bed so I forgot to do your monthiversity blog yesterday! So, today, I say, "yipeee!" You are getting so big and trying so many things. You so want to learn to crawl. Your legs are under you and you push forward. You shimmy and scoot; you'll get it one of these days! Tonight you were so close! Although, I am not ready to put up the gates, so hold off for just a bit. I love you more than anything. I tell you everyday that you are my favorite thing...

First time in the "big-boy tub"! :-) It looks like potential fun, but Owen began crying soon after this picture was taken...We did have enough time, though, to spell out Owen's name with floaty toys and get all clean!

We are looking forward to seeing gramma mama and grampa phil this weekend. They are coming up, and Owen will get "dedicated." There won't be water or baptism, but we want to symbolize our dedication to raise and teach Owen the ways of God. Thank you, friends & family, for your prayers and support.

Tough Guy in his "monster truck" t-shirt looks so cuddly with a raggy on his head! I didn't do it on purpose; it just fell on his head accidentally! Then he looked at himself in the mirror and giggled. I couldn't resist taking the picture. You probably think that I keep a camera on-hand at all times...well, our house isn't that big!

There he is...reaching, scotting, grabbing whatever he wants. At least it appears he will be the literate type! He rolled around with this newspaper for awhile...

"Ladies Man"...yep, he sure knows how to smile and get lots of lady attention! Thanks Grampa Steve for the t-shirt...no need to advertise though-he's doin' okay with those blue eyes and little giggle that all the girls at Lifetime like. Hmmm...what am I going to do?

Speaking of "ladies man"...Auntie Emmy came over just to hug and squeeze him. They made some sweet potatoes together and surfed the net together. He finally showed her how he rolls and scoots where he wants to go. He's just started reaching for things and using one leg to push himself just a bit further. He can get his butt up and knees under him, but he hasn't figured out what to do next...Won't be long!