It's A Jungle Out There

As we spent the last week in the desert, we were jolted to reality by our return to the jungle...or is that our yard? Apparently our grass likes the cooler weather, and, as we had not mowed the previous weekend, Mommy spent saturday evening mowing our yard. There was so much grass that the motor actually stopped several times and, after I apologized to our very mild-mannered neighbor for our yard, he admitted that there was quite a lot of grass in some places, which was about the most generous thing he could have said. Mr. Incredible was inspired by the cooler weather to plant some pansies, and Dash, who has not once objected to playing in dirt, generously helped remove dead plants and explored their very intriguing roots.

What Dash Learned During A Week At Grandmom's

Mommy will let me watch movies on Mr. Incredible's computer on the plane. She will also bribe me with graham crackers and bananas. And if your plane has a maintenance problem that requires you to sit on the ground for an hour before they turn on the engines and and the auxillary power just isn't cutting it and it is really, really hot in the back row of the plane, Mommy will let me run around the plane with no pants on. And then give me more cookies.


If Grandmom and Granddad happened to miss my First Birthday, I will get to eat cake and open presents all over again.

Dash has No Fear! (I guess we already knew this.) He will jump right into a freezing cold pool. He also looks good in an innertube.
There is such a things as a pet store that has tons and tons of puppies. Perhaps the highlight of the trip was seeing wall-to-wall puppies, pointing, petting and playing with them!

Dash's Shoes

Two women at Mr. Incredible's office and one mommy at the playground have commented on Dash's shoes in the last week. So I thought a comment appropriate...I am very glad that others find Dash's shoes cute because they cost more than many of mine and are one of 2 styles that are made in double-extra-wide. Not regular, wide or extra-wide, but double-extra-wide. Those cute little Robeez shoes that we got for baby gifts I could barley get over his toes. His feet are adorably chubby...they almost look like claymation feet attached to his ankles. And they are already half the size of my feet (just like my height)!

The Sweetest Thing Ever...

is when your baby boy learns how to give hugs! We practiced all day yesterday and when Mr. Incredible came home, Dash was ready to show him his new talent. I can't resist saying, "Dash, give Mommy a hug" every few minutes.

And an update on our diaper box slide...Dash has figured out how to climb on it to reach previously unreachable spaces, such as the top of the stove. A little too ingenious...

Anniversary Blessings

Following our parish's birthday blessing, there is an anniversary blessing. This is our week, so we converged on the altar, Mr. Incredible and Dash from their usual station by the end of mass...the back of church, and Mommy from the side. I may have mentioned that Dash does NOT like to be held for an extended period of time (read: more than 10 seconds), thus Mr. Incredible was compelled to put him on the ground. He immediately climbed up the altar steps and was heading for a very shiny gold candle stick that was aflame. Our priest noted that Dash must want to be a priest.

So, dutifully, Mr. Incredible picked him up to avoid a catastrophe but Dash, being just as stubborn as his Mommy, was not likely to forget about the shiny candlestick and started screaming at the top of his lungs. This as our wonderful priest reached the point at which he says "surrounded by the blessing of children" at which point our priest had to pause as he and the congregation laughed at the timeliness of Dash's screams. However, our 3 babies, the one climbing up the altar, the one in heaven and the one in my tummy are the greatest anniversary blessings a wife could ask for.

Such A Clever Guy!

Dash loves the slide at the playground! He will go down it as many times as Mommy's arms and back will allow. Being the smart little boy that he is, he single-handedly turned a diaper box into a slide that actually works....I didn't realize what he was doing right away, but he kept standing on one side until it buckled, and now climbs up, turns around and slides down. Maybe he will be an engineer! We can save a lot of money this way, too. I wonder how many other toys Dash can construct out of cardboard...

Home Alone!

Mr. Incredible spent his very first weekend alone with Dash as I travelled for the baptism of my completely adorable godson. The weekend seems to have gone very well, with Dash displaying only one bruise and one cut from running into the patio table, and taking, to my knowledge, no trips to the emergency room! He even went swimming AND played with a puppy and his Godparents on Monday. For Dash, it doesn't get any better than that (unless he ate juicy, ripe peaches all day long, too). Dash also appears to have learned a new dance move while I was away. I missed my two boys very much!

Mr. Incredible Is Off To The Draft...

With his good luck charm, Dash, in his football jersey!

The very important Fantasy Football draft, that is. I was informed when he got home that he got "LT", which he was very excited about. No idea who that is. I'm sure that there are other wives who do a much better job about keeping up with the sports their husband's love.

He Will Never Want For Food...

On Dash's First Birthday, we lined up a book, a piece of bread, a dollar bill, and parsley. According to tradition, if Dash chose


The Book: He will never want for wisdom
The Bread: He will never want for food
The Dollar: He will never want for money
The Parsely: He will never want for honor

He actually stared down the line for a good 30 seconds before heading straight for the most easily edible item...the bread. Not exactly shocking for the guy who eats so well!