Flashback Friday...

Jan. 2008 4 months..

June 2009 -- 20 months.

Take me out to the ballgame..

Tuesday the Ladies and I headed out to the A's game. They played the Giants, I don't think I ever realized that the rivarly is a bit like the Raiders and Niners. It was interesting to be in the place where two teams are pretty evenly represented, especially with all the alchohol everyone was consuming. :) It was a good game, I left a bit early to try and beat the rush home, that did not work out very well and it took over an hour to get home. It was a fun night, and different than just getting together for drinks or dinner.





I took some pictures with my phone..

Nicole, Sofia, and guest star peanut before he met his end.

Nicole, Marika, and Sofia :)

Summertime fun..

(meant to get Dev and I, only got Dev :))

A video of Elmo show

This shows some of Darrian's excitement at the Elmo show. It dark for a bit but you can see him dancing and saying "yay" :) So cute. I have watched it about 10 times!

Going to see Elmo...

I thought Darrian might be afraid of the noise, or the characters he loves from Seasame St. being so BIG and in person. I thought wrong. Saturday my Mom and I took Darrian to see Elmo's Green Thumb. I kept telling Darrian all day long that we were going to see Elmo, his response was "huh?". I wore Darrian in the Ergo on my back, he loves riding like that and it was an easy way to contain him without the stroller. We got there a big early and grabbed a bite to eat. Grandma bought him a light toy, and then we went to find our seats. Grandma got really good seats on the floor about 10 rows from the stage. Darrian had no idea what he was there for, and keeping him in his seat till the show started was hard. I thought once the show started he would be in his seat just fine, I was wrong. The show started and I just can't describe the joy on Darrian's face. He wanted down, he HAD to dance! In the aisle, he danced pretty much the WHOLE time. He even had a few characters come down the aisle to dance with him, and tried to join them a few times. A sweet lady nearby made the comment that he was more entertaining then the show, I found myself only watching him too and smiling because he was SO happy!

(checking out the show)
(dancing in the aisles)

(Elmo Balloon Grandma got him, $10!)

I would say he loved it. I can't wait till we can take him to another show like this again.

A birthday Party ..

Last weekend I took Darrian with me to a 30th surprise party. I was not going to bring him, but I went to brunch that morning with Devyn and did not want to away the whole day. Plus others were bringing their kids. Since I had Darrian I did not get many pictures and no pictures of the birthday girl. I will say she was VERY surprised.. She is a great friend and happy she was pleased with a party of friends and family who wanted to wish her a special Happy Birthday.

PS> I want to try and get up some pictures from Elmo Show which Darrian LOVED, it is busy so may have to wait till tomorrow.

Planes..

Darrian is really into pointing out planes when he hears them in the sky. He always says " buh-bye plane see you later!" when he sees one. Last weekend we took him to the concord airport to view the planes taking off and landing. We only saw a few, it was really windy. I think it would be fun to go back with a small lunch and play and watch the planes.

Going to see Elmo this weekend!

Grandma got Darrian these tickets for Easter, and we are taking him together to go see the show on Saturday. We have really good tickets, so I hope he loves it because we are pretty close. He loves Elmo and also really loves Bert and Ernie and they will be there too!! I will let you know how he does at his first "live show"!

Flashback Friday .. In Honor of Father's Day

September of 2007, D was two weeks old.

May 2009 D is 20 months old.




Father's Day is Sunday, I thought I would make Flashback Friday about Keith and Darrian. Look how tiny Darrian was, gosh it is so hard to remember him even being that small. I remember back then people asking if we HAD to do pictures right then, he was only 2 weeks old.. this is why I did. I don't think I would remember if I did not have these to look at. Now when Keith holds Darrian his legs hang down below his waist. Amazing.

Keith and Darrian have had a special bond right from day one. From when he was in my tummy and Keith used to laugh when Darrian kicked his hand really hard. Darrian looks for Dada, and although Keith would say he is a Mama's boy.. I think he loves to play with his Daddy and often favors Dada to me. Keith can tease him and drive him crazy sometimes, but it never stops him from coming back for more. I enjoy sitting back and watching their bond blossom. I knew Darrian had him from the moment he walked into the NICU at 11pm at night (he was suppose to be sleeping at home), because "I just had to come see my boy" . It melts my heart when I see them cuddled up together sleeping, and Darrian still loves to lay on Dada's shoulder in his moments of stillness.

Keith is a amazing Dad, I always knew he would be. Happy Father's Day Babe!

Flashback Friday..

July of last year... 10 month old.




June this year, 20 months 3 weeks old.

Baby D loves hats...

Darrian is growing so much and saying so many new words. Actually most of what we say he repeats. He has also started streaming words together, like the other day he said "Hi Dada, How you?" , also waving to the plane saying "Bye-bye plane, see you later!" . He also loves hide and seek. Since he was walking he has had a secret hiding place for things, our remotes, keys, his sippy cups... Now he also hides himself. He climbed into a cabniet the other day and shut the door, it was pretty cute.


Last night we were in the backyard and he was wearing Daddy's hat. He loves hats. I of course had to get some pictures.




He likes to bring me rocks and bugs. I make an ewwweee face.. this is his impression of it.

Seriously doesn't he look too grown here! I think it is the hat.

1 year.

A year ago today, I saw my Dad for the last time and said good-bye. It doesn't seem like it has been a full year since I spoke to him, and it doesn't even seem like that should be possible. Grief is not a fun thing, and I think I spend most of my time not trying to dwell on it in front of others, mainly because the thought of him being gone can make me swell up with tears everytime. I wonder if that ever goes away. I think I will always miss him like I did when it was so fresh. I would like to believe he is in a better place, forgiven for any wrongs and hanging out with his Mom. I like to believe that he is watching over Darrian, and our family, and making sure we are safe. I have to believe that he can see him growing and is not missing out on all the things he is learning.
I choose the things that I loved about my Dad and I carry those traditions on. Darrian and I say our prayers every night, I tell him to sleep tight and to not let the bed bugs bite. I think of my Dad each time I say it.
My Mom found some old pictures, I am going to try and get pictures of them. They were a lot of fun to look back at and see a younger him that I did not know. I wish I could have found them when he was still alive so he could tell me about those periods in his life. I guess sometimes you just don't get a chance.

Miss you Dad, and Love you.

Flashback Friday...

I am going to try and post some then and now pictures on friday.. cause my baby is getting so big. It really is noticable in pictures.

From last May, almost 8 months old.

20 months old, this May.

Lily's 1st birthday!!

Little Ms. Lily turned 1 last Saturday! I can't believe how time flies. I know I say that a lot but really a year, already? We lost our keys doing a garage sale so we were a little late to arrive to the party. It had a really cute backyardagains theme to it. I haven't seen the show, but the colors were really cute. Lily let me actually hold her for a little while, and I taught her to say Owl. Darrian had a pretty good time at the party, he got really tired towards the end.




Lily seemed to love her birthday dinner, cake and gifts. Malia and Ivy also got in on the smashing cake action. All in all a great first birthday. I took a MILLION pictures. Figured out the way to get Lily to be ok with my camera.. put a sugary cake in front of her to distract her. ;0)

She loves cloths, these were her reaction to the new outfits :)