He's One

So sorry it's been absolutely forever since I've posted anything. Halen had an amazing birthday party and got sooo many great gifts. He is absolutely beside himself with all the new stuff around. He just goes from one toy to another, happy as can be. Thanks to all who came and gave him the excellent toys that you did. I'll get on him to write those thank you notes soon.

Mississippi

We went to Mississippi for Thanksgiving. We rode horses and boats. It was a blast. Halen got pretty sick though. He's pretty miserable now. Poor baby. He is walking like crazy now. He's still crawling most of the time, but walking more and more, like from one object to another. He is also clapping. He loves to clap. It is real cute. I love that he's learning language. You can just say clap, dance, and nose and he knows what to do. You don't have to show him anymore. He's one smart cookie.

Stander Upper

From This.

To This.


And then, he WALKS!!!
Check out those new christmas jammies. You know you want some!

Big Digger Rides

a nickel a ride

Swoosh

Look mom, when you push this down, it goes swoosh. Luckily, he still hasn't discovered the water inside the toilet. We've been keeping the lids down and he hasn't tried opening it. My nephew Sam used to play in the toilet like crazy. He'd be at it at least 5 minutes before I'd find him. With 3 kids, one can slip away a little easier.
Oh, and isn't he cute in his pink diaper? He's not afraid to be a man and sport the pink proudly.

Big Big Boy

Halen sure is growing up. He's getting better and better at walking. Crawling is still his 'getting around' of choice. His walking is so methodical. It's really cute. He's also starting to get real tired of jarred baby food. He wants to sink his 6 teeth into some of that stuff mommy and daddy are eating. So, he's getting a much bigger variety of foods these days. He can climb on and off the futon, and the bed now. He likes to get off and on the bed over and over and over again, well after bed time. Aren't we a happy little pirate family? I sure am happy with my family. So happy, I'm thinking it might be time to make it bigger. No, I'm not pregnant, yet. haha. Halen likes riding in this treasure chest so much that he'll pitch a serious fit when you take him out. Did I already mention that in the last blog? I can't remember what are emails and what are blogs. It was his first fit, and it was funny. He laid down on the floor, kicking and screaming. Gotta love it.
Well, Daddy took Halen out so I could get this second quilt done and here I am at the computer. I'm gona get in trouble. I had to take a lunch break. Don't beat me. Just Kidding. Dan doesn't beat me, I'd kick his ass.
Love,
Mommy

International Baby

Halen was trying to use chopsticks at Harmony's lunch special yesterday. It was pretty cute. He did a fairly decent job. The waitor said that babies in China use them all the time. So we let him at it. Then we went to my brother's and Halen played with his cousins for awhile. They got a new dog who is really cute and just Halen's size. He's about 5 pounds now, and will only grow to 15. His name is Oliver. Halen loved him, squealing at him with delight. Tonight is the Plush opening at youngblood. It looks great in there. Halen wishes his room was that cool. So do I.
See ya there!

Happy Halloween

Halen had a fun and happy Halloween as a dinosaur. He got to pull the guts and seeds out of a pumpkin, then play in the yard with it, and trick or treat! We only went to one house since he can't eat the candy yet, but we needed to pictures. Dan and I didn't dress up. I have been too busy lately. There is a group show this weekend at YoungBlood that I am a part of. I am trying to come up with a short and easy aerial act to perform on my homemade swing that is in the show. I've hung it a couple of times and tried to practice, but Halen gets really excited to see mommy spinning around like that and crawls as fast as he can toward me. So then I have to stop. He got on it with me and we spun real fast. I have it rigged to my fancy swivel made for my spanish web. He laughed! I don't think he got dizzy or sick or anything. I am certainly not in the shape I used to be in and my body is not so used to the spinning anymore either. That's why the act will be less than 2 minutes and consist of easy tricks.
Well, we're off to lunch with the cousins.
Later,
Christy

pics

Where Do I Even Begin???

Halen is getting more and more amazing everyday. His list of party tricks is growing out of control. The fake sneezes are real cute, with a little grunt noise and head thrust. He thinks it's hilarious when you sneeze back or say kazuntite (sp?). He came up with that one all by himself.
The most fun thing ever though, is the dancing! He pulls up onto something and starts bouncing his knees, shaking his head, swinging one arm (holding onto something with the other), and opens his mouth to belt out a long string of notes. It's amazing! He's got Dan and I dancing with him all the time. Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince are his favorite dancing tunes. He's definitely my son! There is some great video of this. I'll try to get it onto you tube or something and then I'll post the link.
We spent last weekend in Asheville, with Kerry, Bram, and Connor. The fall colors where BEAUTIFUL. We did some hiking, shopping, and damn good eating. I wish Rosetta's kitchen would move to Atlanta. I might just move to Asheville, just to be closer to that food. We did pick up a real estate book while there. Asheville is so progressive for a little mountain town! There where flyers for a company that would switch your home's heat to biodiesel. I would love to have a little solar/biodiesel powered house there. Maybe after Dan graduates!
I got the stay puff outfit at this new consignment store by our house, called 'smarty pants.' It's got lots of cute kids clothes for cheap. It has some maternity and nursing clothes as well, also real cheap. Just in case any of you want to get pregnant and join the parental club! It's the best club I've ever been a part of. Dan said it best when he said, "why wouldn't anyone want to do this?" Everyday is a new amazing bunch of discoveries and the most deep amazing strong love imaginable.
I better get to work on quilting. I was commissioned to make two organic custom quilts for a lady, the owner and co-founder of Urban Decay cosmetics. She's probably a millionaire. I'm definitely not charging her enough. Haha. I already mailed the first one to her. The second one needs to be done by next Tuesday and I've barely begun! Yikes.
Damn, the pictures I uploaded didn't work. I guess I gotta try that again, then quilt. It happened again! I guess I'm trying to download too many pictures at once. But how do I choose only a few, when there are so many??? When my baby is so damn cute? Jeez! I guess I'll narrow it down in this one and maybe post another one later, with some more. Fuck it. I'm wasting too much time. Pictures later. They're just not uploading!

We're Back, But Off Again

Halen and I spent the last 4 days visiting his great grandparents in Arkansas. We had fun just spending time with family and exploring the area. Halen was unbelievably good on the plane rides! We had a couple of long layovers in Memphis too. On both travel days, he was PERFECT! Everyone had fun being on the receiving end of his adorable flirting, and couldn't stop commenting on how good and cute and happy he was. It's true, he's perfect! I love the little booger. He turned 10 months while we where there. Today he weighed in at 25 pounds, no change from last month, but measured in at 33 inches! That's an inch taller! He's getting further away from the charts, because this is normally the age where there mega growing slows down. Not for Halen! I don't know if that will ever happen for Halen. He'll grow crazy fast and crazy big till he's 6'6" at age 10 or something.
Today we're off on another trip! This time Daddy is coming and his buddy Connor, and Connor's parents of course. We're all going to Asheville for some fall colors and vegan eatin'. I better get busy finishing packing. Stay posted for outdoorsy hippy pictures from Asheville.

Come Hither

My little underwear model!

First Birthday Party

Pirates Pirates everywhere! Halen went to his first birthday party. His best buddy, Connor, turned ONE! It was a super fun pirate party, with good food and a big yummy chocolate cake. Halen is still feeling a little sick, but he toughed it out well and partied hard. He wants a radio flyer wagon like the one Connor got too! Whew wee, he had some serious fun in that. He's got his appetite back and is eating us out of our house. He even sampled some dog food this morning. No more vegan baby. Oh well. He didn't eat it, but he got it in his mouth before I could stop him. I usually pick the dog bowls up off the floor if they leave food in them, but they where empty. He found a scrap though, outside of the bowl that I hadn't seen when I did a spot check. Momma's gotta go work on some quilts now. Halen is napping well for the first time in days. He isn't coughing himself awake. I tried to go down with him because I'm going crazy for sleep too, but it wasn't meant to be.
Later,
Momma

Poor Baby

Some one isn't feeling well. I think he caught something at storytime. He was up all night coughing. He doesn't even want to eat! That's rare! He'll nurse, but that's it. Atleast he's getting something.

First Steps

That's right folks, Halen is trying to walk. Dan and I have been making him practice by having one of us walk him towards the other and then we let go. From there he would sort of fall forward (not even a controlled fall) while moving his little feet. This morning I was trying to do it myself by just leaning out holding on and then letting go while pulling him toward me. It didn't seem to work right, so I had him hold himself up on the excersaucer and then would try to get him to come to me. The first few tries where just the daredevil falling forward and trusting mommy to catch him. Then he started to get a little more control and one time he just let go and took 3 good slow solid steps toward me. Oh how we danced! We weren't able to get much more practice in because he was tired and when it's nap time, he gets clumsy. One good fall and he was done for it. He just wanted booby and bed. So, we'll try some more when he wakes up. I've got to get the video camera out. October 3rd was the day. Mark your calendars. I'm so proud.
Yesterday we went to story time. He had a blast! He couldn't believe there where so many kids and babies and that he could just crawl around them and on them. He was a bit rude when kids would cry though. I guess he thought they where being funny because he'd get right in their faces and just laugh! Most of them didn't like this. Some laughed back. We'll definitly be going back.
Now, I'll add some pictures and post this booger. For awhile I was taking a long time between posts because I thought no one was looking at the blog. There where never any comments. Then I started getting emails and phone calls telling me to get with it, that there are people checking in everyday, and there's no changes. So sorry. I didn't know. I am trying to keep it more updated now.

Fancy Do

Halen got his first hair-do. He doesn't have much hair though, so it's subtle, and didn't last long. Mommy had a piece of art in a fancy gallery, so he wanted to do something special. The show was called 'On the Spot.' 25 artists showed up to 25 blank pieces of paper and started working in the gallery during the opening. Then you could go work on it throughout the month, then there was a closing and signing party for when they where all done. My friend Kelly and I worked on our pieces together. I started the duck one, she started the horse one. Then we switched, then we switched again. It was fun. There was a real interesting mix of artists and works. Halen had fun watching us and everyone else work on their pieces, and he liked the vastness of that huge open space.
Halen is getting really close to being able to stand on his own. Sometimes he can let go of something and stand there for a few seconds. He usually gets so excited that he's actually doing it that he sort of hops with glee. Then he either falls to his knees or his butt. It's pretty cute.

First Masterpiece

Halen's first piece of art! Bidding will start at 1 million dollars! And yes, Bruce is a total princess. he's sleeping on the couch, under the covers! he totally did that himself!

Dinner Time

This is the favorite time of the day for the doggies. Halen is a little more leanient on the 'no people food for dogs' rule. What is Halen eating in this picture? Vegan Spinach Florentine raviolis. Now that he's a big 9 month old, he can start eating more big people food. He LOVES it!
We tried to go to story time at the library yesterday, but it was cancelled. Halen couldn't believe the number of babies and strollers outside the library. He was waving frantically with both hands. He had all the mommy's awwwing at him.
Here he is to write something about it himself.
jiiggggggggeet7yhr
later,
momma crust

9 Months!!!

Halen is 9 months old, 25 pounds, 32 inches, crawling, waving, kissing, being "so big", and I think he said "DOG." He's still off the charts for length and weight. At the playground yesterday, there was a 15 month little girl in the swing next to Halen who was smaller. It was funny. I'll try to be better about keeping this updated. The little girl in the picture where they're both in yellow, is Emiline. She has the same bday as Halen. They are really cute together and I think they want to get married.
Allrighty, it's bedtime for mommy. Later.

Peek A Boo