dear God, thank you for the scrunchie face

Ninety-five percent of people that meet Levi think he looks just like his daddy.

This is pretty much the only time people ever say my son and I look alike:

I’ve dubbed it the “scrunchie face”.

When Levi does it, people giggle and say that it’s cute.

When I put it on it doesn’t really get me anywhere. But at least then I can prove that he is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone.

I like that.

Dear friends, who do people say your child looks like?

mama scrunchie face,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for auntie kates.

It takes a village.


One of our favorite village people is Katie... "Auntie Kates".

She makes our family feel a little more complete.

Auntie Kates is traveling right now, but we took some photos before she left.

Oh geeze... we miss you.

So, Auntie Kates, this one's for you.

We heart you.

sigh,


P.S. How adorable is my boy in baby skinnies and baby old school Vans? Seriously. Add to that his big boy "swoop" hair style, those chubby cheeks, and his deep, dark brown eyes? Beyond adorable. *gasp* Be still!

I decided to jump back on the bandwagon. 
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adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for beauty in garbage

Don't you just love seeing life through a child's perspective?


Last night at dinner I sat next to a friend who has a little boy the same age as ours. Somehow we got on the topic of how children help us to slow down... pause... see things in a new light.

A couple of days ago I was on a bush walk with Levi. We stopped to look at a tall, beautiful gum tree. I've always loved gum trees - their smooth bone-white trunks, their muted sage green colored leaves, and the fresh scent of eucalyptus.

I placed Levi's hand on a part of the trunk where the bark was stripped back saying, "smooth, smooth" and then over to an area where the bark was still in tact saying "rough, rough." 

We did the new-found "smooth, smooth, rough, rough" game a few times. Levi loved it - he laughed and laughed and looked from the tree to me and back again in delight.

I'm not sure if he was laughing at the new experience, laughing at the comparison of touch sensations, laughing at my words, or just laughing because he was enjoying himself. 

No matter the reason for his laughter, it really spurred me to think about the joy of discovery.

I can get so caught up in running here and there, doing this and that, and it's far too easy to let the detail of life pass me by. But having a small child that is learning so much every day really helps me to put things into perspective. He helps me to see things through new eyes and enjoy the small things that I might never notice without his help.

He helps me to see beauty and wonder and joy in a tree trunk... or a garbage can.

Dear friends, what has your child helped you to see lately?

trying to take notice,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for easily amused children

Who needs to spend money on toys anyway?

This little wonder is Levi's current favorite toy, and has been for the last two weeks. He carries it around the house with him as he crawls from room to room.

He obviously finds it both fascinating and exciting - one of the "adult" objects within his reach that's not forbidden. (Apparently it must taste good as well.)

The other day I caught him practicing his clapping while still holding his beloved doorstop with one hand.

And the day before that, I found it in the bathroom... a few hours after I found it under the couch in the office. This doorstop travels.

Dear friends, what are your children amusing themselves with these days?

stocking up on doorstops,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

some "happy six month" photos... of my seven month old

Dear Levi,

Here are a few of your six month photos.

Sorry that mommy's a bit late.

Happy seven months today son.

It has been a good seven months, hasn't it? {Best ever.}

Mama loves you, and thinks these photos capture how adorable you are...

...even if you were too busy chomping and sucking and examining and lifting and shifting to give me a smile.

I know how important the business of play is to you, and I can appreciate that.

{I also know that the camera doesn't phase you in the slightest since you think it's an extension of my arm.}

Dear mommy-friends, it's the thought that counts, right? Although I took the six month photos at six-and-a-half months... and then posted them at seven... I thought about it months in advance.

in need of a little more organization,

Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for big, ridiculous toys that allow mommy to take a shower

I thought I'd be the mom that would never buy gigantic play centers like this. Because, you know, kids like to play with shoes and wooden spoons and remote controls... But then Levi started crawling and Target had a sale and... I changed my mind.

A friend of mine refers to their monster toy conglomerate as "baby jail" for when she needs a few minutes with the baby contained somewhere safe.

I like to think of ours as "baby heaven"... where the ammo for chomping is never beyond reach...

...and where big boy gets to "stand up" as much as he wants without depending on mama's help.

Really, it keeps everyone happy... for 20 minutes at least.

Dear mommy-friends, what are your favorite ways to keep your baby imprisoned entertained while you "get stuff done"?

Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for family life down under.

levi: "look daddy, he's just my size!"

two mamas and our joeys. xx

levi: "mama, what is this fuzzy, furry thing?"
mama: "that's the zookeeper, sweetie. he's holding a wombat."

just another family photo with a big, fat snake. {as you do.}

did someone just throw a water balloon at my son? or is that really just drool?

levi: "my dad is special."

my little croc hunter and his lovely assistant. {ahem, *grin*}

nervous ryan? cuz levi sure isn't...

my little koala with his newest furry friend.

Dear mommy-friends... the wildlife is one of the things that make living where we do special and fun. What is it about your city/state/area that makes it special? What are the things you help your kids experience so that they'll enjoy--and have good memories of--the place they grow up?

Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for the technology to connect with loved ones overseas

{the pacific ocean just got a little bit smaller}

Dear mommy-friends, how do you connect with friends and family who live far away?

Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for half-birthdays.

{love you sweet baby boy. thank you for the best six months... ever. x}

Have you registered your blog here yet?

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission

dear God, thank you for a new chapter

Today was Levi's first taste of solids. There *may* have been more than a few laughs. There *may* have been some clapping and cheering. There *may* have been a whole lot of excitement. There *may* have been a game of "airplane". There *may* have been four adults standing around with cameras and videos reeling... And there *may* have been a couple of tears when it was all over. {only momma's}

Oh baby, some days you are... JUST. TOO. MUCH.

{I was going to link in with Simplicity's photo challenge, but I just clicked over to enter and realized that I missed it. Anyway... this is my "clean" baby in the before shot.}

Yes, mommy friends, just a momma-bragging post today. Feel free to gush about how gorgeous my boy is. {grin} Or, you're more than welcome to leave me tips on starting solids! Specifically, what time of day did you start the first meal? When/how did you know to transition to two "meals"? Any good recipes or on-line baby food recipe sites you've found?

P.S. If you're a member of the Mom Bloggers Club, I just started a new group for baby blogs and bump blogs. It's called Oh Baby! Come join and register your blog if that applies to you and you're interested: Oh Baby! {pregnancy & baby blogs} 

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