gone are the days...

Gone are the days of putting Toby on a blanket or even sitting him on the floor and leaving the room to answer the phone, go to the bathroom or even get dinner started. He is all over the place and totally determined. When he locks in on something he thinks he wants...look out, he will do whatever it takes to get to it. Joe says he loves the determination!

I got out the camera to get some pictures and when he saw it, he came after me...just look at the little stinker go. (I took the next 3 pictures as he was coming at me)

he was trying to intimidate me with this look...

and trying to impress me with this one...not realizing that no matter what face he makes he is not getting those paws on my camera! Nick, Becky and Phoebe came over to see the progress we are making on the house...as you can see we are awaiting the arrival of our newest cousin and we can't wait to meet the little one (gender unknown!) Isn't Becky beautiful and looking GREAT for being in her last 2 weeks of pregnancy!

they are such good buddies!
Toby wanted to help Joe hang the blinds...he really just liked to crinkle the plastic wrap--it's the simple things in life that make him happy.

On Friday we went to the park with friends...Toby loved to swing and Mya was kind enough to push him the entire time!

After all that swinging he worked up an appetite and feeding him isn't easy. What was I thinking not putting a bib on him? To quote Jordan Thompson (our friend)..."we got into a food fight!"

beach pictures are here!

WARNING...there are a ton of pictures, and these are just a few. I had to pick from about 1,000 pictures--enjoy!

FYI--the water is about 64 degrees!

aren't those feet great!

remember the water is COLD--just look at Toby's face!


One of Joe's proudest moments as a dad, his boy also loves the cold ocean water of York, Maine!

where did the time go?

This is the time of year when many parents experience a bit of sadness at the realization that their babies have grown up. Today, friends of ours from church are taking their oldest daughter to college to begin her freshman year. Parents all over are sending their little boys and girls to start high school, kindergarten and ever preschool. Although we are a few years away from school, our baby has had a milestone day...

we lowered his crib to the big boy level!

I posed him here, but he is not far away from pulling himself up like this.
and he loves it!

Toby is in the beginning stages of crawling and each day he gets a little more brave

He's thinking about it...

ready or not...here he comes!

even his sneeze is adorable...at least to me, the mom!

we are back online!!!!!!!!!

we are moved in, unloaded (some what) and now to complete the move...we are ONLINE!

I don't remember a summer when I have been so thankful for August to arrive! In the month of July we moved, made two trips to Kansas City, lost my aunt and went to Maine to visit Joe's family at the beach. Vacation was much needed, time with Joe's family was a blast, and we are so glad to be back in STL making our new house a home.


Pictures from the vacation will be coming soon and you won't want to miss them! but until then here are a few recent pictures!

we are ditching the bottle and working on the sippy cup!
his favorite way to sleep...needless to say, we check on him OFTEN!
and he is working on crawling! so far he only scoots backwards
and after a while he reverts back to his old ways...

we grieve because we love

Janice Y. (Watts) Due

My very special aunt Janny passed away on Friday July 27, 2007. We spent the weekend with family remembering and celebrating her amazing life. She was strong, courageous, encouraging, full of love, never self-seeking, funny, and always happy despite a life of physical challenges. If I could only be half the aunt, sister and wife that she was, I would be in good shape.

In 1986 my aunt was very sick, her doctor told her that she would not live to see another Christmas. She looked up at him and said..."I am not going to die yet, I have not seen Lisa or Kelli's babies." I am so thankful that aunt Jan lived long enough to see our sweet little Tobias. She came for a visit in February after he was born. We named him "Tobias" because it means "God is good!" and today I am reminded again that the Lord is GOOD. Thank you, Jesus, for giving me an aunt, a role model, a mom, and a friend in my aunt Jan. I love her so much and will miss her everyday!