The Owens Family

Happy 6th Birthday, Kate!

2009-07-02T09:28:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Kate's sixth birthday with a superfun gymnastics party. The kids had a ball running, jumping, and weaving in and out of the obstacle course. Kate insisted on an "America" theme - she loves America these days - I love it, too. The party was complete with an American flag cake and sparklers and 'Pop-its' for favors. Happy Birthday, Kate, and Happy Birthday, America.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-14T07:46:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful day it was to celebrate our Risen King!! We woke up to Easter Bunny surprises in the living room complete with easter egg hunt. Kate loved her Lincoln Logs and 50-state quarter collecting book. Charlie still hasn't stopped playing with his new set of Thomas track. We dressed up and went to church early to try and capture a family photo - in 3 1/2 years we still do not have a good photo of all 4 of us! After a moving presentation of the Easter story by our pastor, we went to Nanny's house for Easter lunch with Mimi and CeCe. You just can't beat ham, cheese grits casserole, jello salad, and homemade yeast rolls. We ended the day with a good, old-fashioned car wash - just before the rain came down.

Snow in Alabama

2009-03-01T11:03:00.000-08:00

It has been ten years since I've seen this much snow in Alabama! The kids have loved sledding down our neighbors hill, building snowmen, and making snow angels. Right now everyone had passed out after a hot lunch. The big question on everyone's mind - school tomorrow?

Merry Christmas!

2009-01-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful Christmas filled with family visits, good food, and a fun Nativity play performed by Kate and cousins. Unfortunately, Charlie and Lola could not participate this year, but next year, I'm sure they will be the first to choose their parts in the play. Ford got to play the shepherd and Joseph, Anne Carlton was the angel and sang a beautiful solo, Kate finally got to be Mary, and Libby was the wise woman. Next we were on to CeCe's house where Santa came to visit. Kate got an American girl horse, and Charlie got the train of his dreams - a real Lionel. I think Daddy had just as much fun as Charlie setting up the train. I am working on uploading a few videos, but for now still picks will have to do. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Love the Owens family!

Six Flags

2008-09-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

Startlingly yesterday we had a free day here at the Owens' house and instead of spending it at home doing chores, we decided to pile in the car for a trip to Six Flags. The kids loved it as evidenced by the pictures. Kate beamed the entire day, and Charlie spent his time trying to figure out how the rides worked (my little engineer:). He looked disappointed on the hot air balloon ride, asking, "Where's the fire? You know, the fire that makes it go up." Like father, like son.

Kindergarten

2008-08-12T06:06:00.001-07:00

It is raining this morning and it is Kate's first day of kindergarten. She is anxious and excited at the same time. Of course, all of the parents walk their kindergartners in to school on the first day, so the halls were packed with people, raincoats, and cameras. She seemed right at home as we walked away. I think she is too sleepy to be upset. Charlie kept us up all night with fever and a croupy cough, so we dropped him at Nanny's house on the way to school. Thank goodness for family. I guess now I'm off to the pediatrician with number two.

A Day at the Lake

2008-07-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we spent the day at the lake with some dear friends. Kate watched their four year old learn to ski and determined that she, too, would try. She was so brave! I snapped a quick picture just before she lost her balance. After a few tears, with pride slightly bruised - she was convinced that she wouldn't fall - she got in the boat and watched everyone else take a turn. After she saw everyone else take fall after fall, she now wants to give it another try - next time.

Happy 5th Birthday, Kate!

2008-07-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

Kate turned five today. As I was putting her to bed tonight she said, "I still feel like I'm four." I give her points for honesty. She had a great day and a fun time at Pump it Up - a party place where kids can jump freely for two hours on large inflatables. By the end of the "jump time" most of the kids were lying on the floor, begging for drinks and food. It is fun to see them absolutely wear themselves out. I think they all passed out in their cars on the drive home.

Seagrove

2008-06-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a week at the beach with cousins, grandmothers, and aunts and uncles. While we were there we celebrated Mimi's birthday - she is now a beautiful 82 years old. Kate and Charlie enjoyed time with cousin Lola, the Toms got plenty of beach time, and the ladies put together three big puzzles. Swimming skills improved for all three children - Lola learned to putt around the pool in her inner tube, Charlie mastered going under water, and Kate practiced her snorkling skills around the pool. See Katherine and Tom's blog for pool pictures - Tom used his underwater camera to capture the kids in action. We sorely missed Uncle Michael and Aunt Sara, but expect they will join us next year - same time, same place.

Kate's First Ballet Recital

2008-05-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Kate is taking ballet this year from the same teacher who taught me as a little girl - Ms. Claire. She is fabulous and the girls just love her. I am amazed at how she coordinated about a hundred little preschoolers in a recital last night for family and friends. The theme was Broadway musicals. Kate loved every minute of her 1 1/2 minutes of stage time. Her group performed a dance to Beauty and the Beast. Our cousin, Libby, was also in the recital - she was in Hello Dolly - and performed beautifully. There were no tears and not much stage fright - lots of waving to family and twirling to the beat of their own little drums. Just precious.

Disney World

2008-05-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

We just returned from 3 days at Walt Disney World with Kate. She is the perfect age right now where the line between reality and fantasy is a blur. We stayed at the Polynesian resort - Kate now loves Hawaii. Our pool had a volcano waterfall with a water slide right through it. We rode the monorail to the Magic Kindgom and back at least twice a day. We met the real Peter Pan - Kate's favorite by far - and all of the Princesses signed her autograph book. Parents stand in lines for hours waiting for these characters to appear and pose for photos with their children. We knocked out several autographs at a Breakfast with Cinderella and friends - by far the best Disney strategy out there. We spent the rest of our time riding Thunder Mountain Railroad, Peter Pan's flight, and Snow White's Scary adventures. We are home now, recovering from all the magic - and explaining to Charlie that he gets to go when he is five.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

Charlie's Lip

2008-03-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

Charlie gave everyone a scare last night. Around 11 o'clock we heard a loud "thud" and ran to Charlie's room to see what happened. He was lying on the floor at the end of his bed in a pool of blood. He had rolled off the end of the bed onto the wooden floor - thoroughly busting his nose and upper lip. The next few hours were spent drying blood and tears and checking for damage to teeth. We saw the dentist this morning who said no fractures, just a lot of bruising to the gum line. Hopefully, we won't end up with two black front teeth! Lots of mashed potatoes and milk shakes to look forward to this week!

Nanny's Little Helper

2008-02-29T12:24:00.001-08:00

Charlie and Kate spent the night with Nanny last week-end. Charlie helped her water her plants and cook supper.

Climbing Mimi's Tree

2008-02-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

Kate has been asking to climb a tree for a week now. We went to see Mimi last weekend and she was elated to discover the twisy crepe myrtle in Mimi's back yard - perfect for a first climb.

Rock Star Party

2008-01-26T05:35:00.000-08:00

Kate went to a Rock Star Party last night. "What is a rock star?" she asked. We transformed a princess costume into perfect rock star attire. Thanks, Aunt Collins, for the pink and purple hair for Christmas. The party was lots of fun with dancing, games, and additional dress up accessories - glitter hair spray, tattoos, and plastic guitars. I still don't think Kate knows exactly what the theme was, but she had tons of fun.

Nativity Play

2007-12-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

Kate was a perfect little angel for her 4 year old nativity play this week. Mrs. Nella read a Christmas story poem and the children acted it out. Kate lifted her arms to heaven right on cue. The class topped off their performance with "Away in a Manger." The whole thing lasted about 2 minutes, but every parent was there with cameras and video recorders to capture the moment.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

We spent this Thanksgiving with Nancy in her new house. It was a wonderful first big meal out of her new kitchen. Tom got up early (after a busy night of moonlighting) to start smoking the turkey. Needless to say, after a big meal he passed out. CeCe and I walked the kids to Overton park to play, but it was too cold to stay for long. When we got home, Charlie did his best to wake his daddy up - not happening. While Daddy slept, Kate and Charlie helped CeCe make the whipped cream for the pumpkin pie. To finish the day, we watched Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving special and ate pumpkin pie for dessert.

Peter and the Wolf

2007-11-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

Nanny and I took Kate and her friend Summer to see the Children's Theater production of Peter and the Wolf. They loved it. The Alabama Symphony orchestra played and there were refreshments afterward. Kate had her picture made with a few of the characters. The wolf was a bit intimidating, but showed her how the costume snapped on and how the hat attached. Now she wants a wolf costume.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T12:37:00.001-07:00

Kate and Charlie dressed up this morning for their school Halloween parties. Charlie happily played in his superman costume all morning. Just as we were walking out the door he grabbed the cape and said, "Cape - off" as he wriggled out of the whole suit. The fireman worked out a little better for him and he actually kept up with the hat all day. Kate did not make it through the day as a lion. I picked her up from school in pink floweredy overalls with her whiskers still painted on. It is a little toasty in there on a warm day. Tonight will be great fun as we head out for some candy collection. Happy Halloween!

Bedtime Woes

2007-10-16T11:30:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

2007-10-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

Charlie turned two today! We celebrated at Triangle Park with a few close friends and family this morning. Charlie enjoyed digging in the dirt with his new excavators and diggers. The girls climbed the jungle gym and played "soccer." We had cake and ice cream and an all around great time. Now everyone has passed out from the activity and the sugar high. I think I am going to join them!

Kate's First Barbie

2007-09-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Kate loves for Mom to go up in the attic and bring down my old toys. Last week, she brought down the barbie suitcase. This is the barbie Kate chose for her own. She carries around one pink shoe to go on the foot. I love it that she has no concept of the barbie world of fashion. She loves this one-legged, no arms, frizzy-headed barbie like it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Charlie at the Park

2007-09-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

I took Charlie to the park yesterday while Kate was at school. I've been feeling guilty lately for not having as many pictures of him as I do of Kate, so I followed him around with the camera. I think I got some pretty good ones. Can you tell he takes his playtime pretty seriously:) Thought I'd share.

God is so Good!

2007-09-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

New Hair

2007-09-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

I took Kate to get a trim last week. We ended up with an adorable new bob. It took a little getting used to, but now she loves it. It was sad to see the long curls go, but we have no more hair-washing, tangle-combing, ponytail-fixing battles!!!

Bye, Bye Miss Melissa

2007-09-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Melissa's last day with us as our Nanny. Kate and Charlie really don't "get it." We hope she will be able to babysit every now and then, so the kids won't go into complete Melissa withdrawals. Good luck at your new job!!!!

Martinique

2007-08-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

We just got back from the beach with the extended family. It was our first time to Orange Beach at place called Martinique on the Gulf. The house was beautiful and held all 12 of us without any trouble. Kate and Charlie had a ball learning how to "surf" on Uncle Tom's surfboard, swimming in the pool, and building sandcastles in the cool evenings. The adults spent most of our downtime working a 3,000 piece puzzle that Katherine brought (we will be finishing it at Christmastime). Uncle Michael and Aunt Sara enjoyed taking late walks on the beach, reading, and visiting with the kids. The Owen's branch of the family met Pops at the Blue Angels air show one morning in Pensacola and went to the flight museum afterward for a cool indoor activity. The kids loved "flying" the airplanes. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing Fort Morgan where Tom grew up camping and exploring. I think my favorite pictures are from our time at Fort Morgan.

Happy Birthday, Tom!

2007-08-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

Tom turned 40 July 19th. I tried to make it a little less traumatic by surprising him with the grill of his dreams - The Big Green Egg!! I think it is going to be a gift that keeps on giving. My meat dishes are taken care of for the rest of my life! Yea! Above are some pictures of his first chicken and pork roasts. The chicken was just skinless, boneless breasts with salt and pepper - normally dry and chewy on the grill. These were juicy and tender. The pork was tender as well, he smoked it all night with no worries. Go Tom! Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

2007-07-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

We spent the 4th of July at the lake with friends. The kids had a blast. We ate barbeque and swam with the children. The adults enjoyed skiing and wakeboarding and the kids loved the boat ride. Kate cannot wait until she can ski, too. I have to remind her - first, we need to learn to put our face in the water and blow bubbles. Leah passed out ice cream cones to all of the children at the end of the day. They had to be soaped down in the lake to get the sticky off before going inside. What a fine day.

Lips

2007-07-04T09:58:00.001-07:00

Charlie found my make-up this morning. I don't know why I trusted him when he said, "No open." When I noticed how quiet the house was, I found him. He said, "Lips."

Happy 4th Birthday, Kate!

2007-07-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

Kate turned 4 this past Sunday. She had lots of friends at her Kindermusik party at the Pink House. Everyone danced, played instruments, sang, and ate lots of cake. There were pink dresses and bows galore. Cousin Lola came down from Nashville and enjoyed an extended stay at our house. She and Charlie have both mastered the word "mine" at the same time. Mimi came up from Sylacauga and we celebrated her 81st birthday Saturday night at a Chinese restaurant. She is just as beautiful as ever. Happy Birthday to two beautiful ladies!

Beautifulest Butterfly

2007-06-20T12:53:00.001-07:00

Beautifulest Butterfly from Tom on Vimeo

Charlie Dancing

2007-06-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Charlie Dances from Tom on Vimeo

Beach Trip

2007-05-26T13:56:00.001-07:00

We just got back from a trip to the beach with the Dennards and their baby girl Avery. The water was beautiful as was the weather. We decided that going on vacation with kids is really not a vacation, it is a trip. Going away with your spouse without kids would be considered a true vacation. Even though it was a lot of work managing three toddlers, we had a great time catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Kate and Charlie discovered a "pond" full of tadpoles, Ryan caught crab and fish with his net, and we built many sandcastles. Charlie had a crush on our beach neighbor, Ella - I think she is his first kiss. He still talks about her.

Pell City Fly-in

2007-03-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we woke up early and got out of the house by 7:00 am - probably a record for all four of us. Tom drove the family to the Pell City airport fly-in breakfast to watch airplanes. For anyone who has never been to a fly-in: different airports host breakfast on various weekends of the month and pilots from all over "fly in" to eat and talk about flying. Basically, it is an excuse for pilots to get their airplanes out on beautiful days. Charlie and Kate had a ball and the weather could not have been more perfect.

Charlie Gets a Haircut

2007-03-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

Lola's Visit

2007-03-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

We loved having cousin Lola come for a visit this past week-end. She and Charlie are just about the same size and height. They spent most of their time trying to get whatever toy the other one possessed. Lola usually won. It is amazing how my children never play with certain toys and when a friend comes over, they fight over them. Human nature shining through. Thank the Lord for grace from above!

We're back!

2007-03-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some new pictures of Kate and Charlie - finally! We really haven't gotten out the camera much since Christmas. Charlie's first year portfolio is pitifully small compared to Kate's. I'm afraid he is a typical second child in the photography department. Kate was ready for school watching the end of Diego! and Charlie was loving on her begging for attention - a typical scenario in our house. Charlie follows Kate around, and Kate spends most of her time trying to find a way get away from Charlie. It is funny how she misses him when they are apart.

Christmas Fun

2006-12-29T14:02:00.000-08:00

Kate and Charlie had a fun-filled Christmas morning. They loved their new red car "like the one at the end of the street." Charlie is great at pushing it in reverse - we have a little work to do on forward. Thank you Uncle Tom and Aunt Katherine for Kate's lovely butterfly raincoat and umbrella. As soon as she opened them, she put them on and went outside in the "rain" to test them out. Charlie is particularly fond of the umbrella and calls it "lella, lella, lella." He carries it around the house and gets frustrated because he can't open and close it himself.

Nativity Performance

2006-12-24T06:35:00.000-08:00

We had another wonderful time at the Crabbe family Christmas. Aunt Carol organized a Nativity play (not just a scene this year). We thought that everyone did a good job - Kate the angel announced the birth of Christ, Ford, Joseph, asked everyone if there was room in the inn. Anne Carlton was Mary and Libby the wiseman brought her a gift. Finally, Charlie was the shepherd who danced as everyone sang Away in a Manger. He had no intention of keeping his costume on. We missed Lola terribly and will have to have an encore performance next year. Merry Christmas!

Penicillin allergy

2006-12-11T08:29:00.001-08:00

Barring a small miracle, there will be no Christmas card pictures from the Owens family this year. Kate and Charlie have been sick off and on for 6 weeks. Kate finally had enough of run of the mill snot and decided to rupture her eardrum last week. She has been on Amoxicillin for 9 days and suddenly out popped the drug rash. Oh well. I am mostly disappointed because I didn't want her to be allergic to any antibiotics. They come in awfully handy when you need them, especially penicillin and its relatives. Charlie didn't want to be left out and ruptured his eardrum about four days ago and is also on Amoxicillin. I hope we don't see him in red spots this coming week.

Thanksgiving play

2006-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Kate's class put on a Thanksgiving play yesterday. Kate was a pilgrim and her friend Summer was an Indian. The three year olds did a wonderful job "acting out" the Thanksgiving story as their teacher narrated from a children's book. They even sang two sweet songs. Mostly they stood on stage and waved to their parents. A few, overcome with stage fright, sat with mom and dad. All in all the play lasted about 5 minutes - just enough time to get some cute pics.

A Princess Halloween

2006-11-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

I know it is a little late for a Halloween post, but I just had to show off Kate as Cinderella and Tom's pumpkin carving skills. The children have both been sick, and I happened to catch a moment to blog while both of them are napping! The simultaneous nap with multiple children is a huge blessing. Charlie would not keep his bear costume on, so he went as himself this year. Kate loved trick or treating with her new friend Katie. Katie dressed as Little Bo Peep and her baby brother, Andrew, was the sheep. They were adorable. The girls were a little shy at first about approaching houses, but as soon as they got the hang of it, they were tearing it up. Kate had three lollipops in one night. I thought the sugar high would never end:)

Charlie's First Birthday

2006-10-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Charlie's first birthday last Saturday. The house quickly filled up with family and friends. Charlie had a ball. Edgar's bakery made a separate "smash cake" just for him. He dug in, tasted the icing, and promptly spit it out. He prefered the apple slice I had given him earlier. We celebrated Uncle Lester's birthday, too. Mimi made him her special all-time-most-requested chocolate, fudge cake. Delicious!

I know it is in here somewhere...

2006-09-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Zoo Fountain

2006-08-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Melissa and I took Charlie and Kate to the Zoo for playtime in the fountain. Charlie loved it! He splashed and dipped his face in the fountains regardless of how much water splashed in his eyes. He just blinked and moved on. Kate, our cautious child, took her time warming up to the surprise spurts of water and gradually put her toes in. By the end of the day, she was enjoying the water as much as Charlie.

First Day of School

2006-08-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Today is Kate's first official day of "school". She is actually going to Mother's Day Out four days a week from 9-1. She couldn't be more excited - especially about her new lunchbox. We packed it last night and she arranged and re-arranged everything in it until it was perfect. I hope she actually eats what we made - peanut butter sandwich, goldfish, raisins, and a juicebox. Yum!

Fun at the Beach

2006-08-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our family beach trip to the Gulf. One of Kate's favorite pasttimes was flying kites with her dad and Uncle Tom. She could have stayed out all day in the sand, sun, and salt water. Charlie, on the other hand, had a sunscreen reaction the first day and could only go out at sunset - high mosquito time. Fortunately, he enjoyed playing in the house with Mimi and cousin Lola. Charlie and Lola enjoyed rolling around on Nanny's king size bed, climbing in the refrigerator and dishwasher, and patting each other's heads. All in all, it was a fun time. The boys shopped and cooked, the girls put puzzles together and played with the children, and many naps were had by all. Next year, Aunt Sara and Uncle Michael will have to join us. We missed them, but don't feel bad for them - see their blog for an update on their Guatemala adventures.

Kate's 3rd Birthday

2006-07-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

Kate turned 3 on July 1st. We celebrated by having family and friends to the zoo that morning to ride the carousel and zoo train. We rode the rides and enjoyed the lion and butterfly exhibits before heading home to the party. Mimi and Nanny had decorated the house with balloons and streamers - and had a beautiful carousel cake on the table. Kate couldn't wait to blow her candles out. She put them on the cake - all by herself - and blew them out with a little help from Mom. A good time was had by all. We enjoyed our family visit from cousin Lola, Katherine, Tom, Mimi, Lester, Carole, Holly, Cece, and Aunt Betty. At the zoo Laura Herren asked Kate, "Are you three today?" To which Kate replied, "No. (pause) Yes...Yes. I am three today!"

Beach Trip

2006-06-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a week at the beach. Kate loved the sand and spent most of her time laying in it, digging in it, and burying herself in it. She didn't mind the 2-3 baths a day it took to keep her nap and dinner worthy. Charlie on the other hand did not like the sand one bit. He did everything he could not to have his feet touch the gritty stuff. He stayed in his tent when we were on the beach, and enjoyed the ocean waves and splashing in the pool as long as he was held. Here are some photos and our attempt (once again) at a family picture.

Charlie's Baptism

2006-05-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Charlie was baptized this past week-end at our church in Huntsville, Southwood Pres. He grunted at the appropriate times and enjoyed being held up in the air to greet the congregation, but it was Kate who stole our hearts. We were seated on the front row and during the hymns, she danced and danced for the whole church to see. Her dancing was graceful and was so worshipful, it brought tears to our eyes. The whole family came up for the event. We were happy to visit with Katherine, Tom, and Lola who came all the way down from Nashville. Many thanks to our gracious hosts, Kathryn and Jason Roach who packed most of us in to their home. We had a wonderful time getting to know their little one, Sarah, who is just four weeks older than Charlie.

Sitting Up

2006-04-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Charlie sat up today. He has been trying for a few weeks, but today he made it on his own for at least 5 minutes. I think we have reached a milestone. No real tripoding either - just straight sitting. I think he was proud of himself.

Teething

2006-04-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Charlie is teething. He fusses a lot and chews on everything in site. Nanny tried to calm him down by reading to him the other night. He looked really interested in the book, but really, he was trying to figure out how to get it in his mouth. It worked for about 10 minutes of quiet.

Easter

2006-04-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Kate and Charlie enjoyed an Easter visit from both of their grandmothers this year. We took a few pictures after the church service. All Kate wanted to do was spin around in her Cinderella dress. She felt beautiful in the dress Aunt Katherine wore 30 years ago. Nanny made it by hand, and it is just as beautiful today. Kate didn't understand much about Easter this year - I tried to explain, but I don't think a whole lot got through. The only thing I know made an impression were the candy-filled eggs in her Easter basket. If anyone has any bright ideas on explaining Easter to a toddler, please feel free to share.

Charlie and Lola

2006-03-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a visit from the Petillos this past week-end. Kate loved having cousin Lola to play with. Here is Charlie and Lola discovering each other. They were fascinated to have someone their size to play with.

Mother Kate

2006-03-12T04:46:00.000-08:00

Kate is becoming quite motherly these days. She tucked Charlie into bed with all of his stuffed animals. She got under the blanket with them. When Charlie started to fuss, she put her finger to her lips and said, "SHHHH!" Charlie thinks Kate hung the moon.

I Found My Feet

2006-02-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

Charlie has finally found his feet. He loves to try to chew on his toes. Uncle Michael wanted to see some smiles. Here they are. Charlie smiles and belly laughs when I tickle him under his arms and neck. He also loves it when Daddy lets him play with his hair.

Carousel

2006-02-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

Kate loves carousels. She especially likes the one at the zoo, but today she settled on the one at the mall. She likes to ride the cheetah, but has to sit on the lion afterwards. The lion doesn't go up and down, but he is magical to Kate somehow. It is too cold to ride the carousel at the zoo right now, so we took a trip to the Galleria and rode the one there. At home, Kate likes to spin around the pole in the basement pretending she is on the carousel. I think we will be spending a lot of time at the zoo this spring - looking at the animals on the carousel.

Big Head

2006-02-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

Charlie is 4 months old now. He had his check up yesterday with Dr. Stone. Charlie weighs 14 1/2 pounds and is 25 1/2 inches long. He is in the 50th percentile for weight, 80th for height, and 95th for head circumference. Daddy is especially proud of his big head. Dr. Stone reminded us that it is not size that matters but number of convolutions. There are many mammals with big brains who aren't so smart. Daddy doesn't care - he is still proud.

Tummy Time

2006-01-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

The doctor says we need to give Charlie "tummy time." He sleeps on his back and needs to develop his tummy muscles. Charlie does not like his tummy time. He lays there with both arms straight out. After about a minute he starts fussing. I try to let him fuss and struggle a little bit, but it is so hard to watch him so miserable. I guess letting your kids struggle to achieve a goal is part of being a parent. I don't like that part.

Ride 'em Cowgirl

2006-01-12T07:27:00.000-08:00

Kate woke up ready to get outside and play cowgirl. We rode our horse around and around the backyard in our pajamas, bedroom slipper and cowgirl gear. Dress-up is by far our favorite game right now. Thanks Uncle Terry for the horse!

Miss Brit, we'll miss you!

2006-01-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

It is a sad day at the Owens' household. It is Brittny's last day as our beloved nanny. Her growing belly is making it difficult to run around chasing Kate, and holding Charlie is becoming a challenge. She, Brandon, and Christopher (due in March) will be moving to Huntsville in June for Brandon's 3rd and 4th years of medical school. We will have to come visit often. Our door is always open for a playdate, Brittny!

Christmas nativity

2005-12-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed our Christmas with the Crabbe family. Aunt Carol engineered a Christmas nativity scene complete with costumes and a manger for Baby Jesus. Kate loved being a shepherd - busy tending her flock of two stuffed sheep. Libby the wiseman wouldn't give up her sippy cup, Anne Mary Carlton kept poking Jesus in the eye, Joseph Ford kept Mary from hurting Jesus, Jesus Charlie wanted his bottle, and Baby Lola was a perfect angel - complete with wings.

Cookie Baking

2005-12-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

Kate decided to help Mommy bake Christmas cookies for the neighbors. She learned how to sift and stir the dry ingredients. The cookies turned out beautifully. Kate went straight to the bath. She had a ball. Yet again, Kate chose her outfit for the day, her Miss Pattycake dress with pajama top. I think I am going to have to invest in the next size up.

Christmas Picture

2005-12-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

Taking a Christmas picture of a toddler and a newborn is not easy. I had to prop Charlie up in the rocking chair and hold him there with my foot. Kate wants to be such a helper, but sometimes loves on Charlie just a little TOO much. She loves to hug him and pat him - especially around his face. Fortunately, he is patient with her and doesn't seem to mind being "loved" on.

Charlie's Smile

2005-12-17T09:31:00.000-08:00

Charlie is nine weeks old now and is smiling and cooing up a storm. He was 12 # 3 oz at his 2 month visit with Dr. Stone. He is 80% for weight and height - Daddy is proud. Brittny, our amazing nanny, captured this picture of Charlie's smile by accident - her camera delayed just perfectly. Thanks, Brittny!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2005-12-16T18:58:00.000-08:00

The Christmas tree had been up for a week - bare. Once we had the lights on it, Kate could not wait to "help" decorate it. She loved playing with the ornaments while Mommy put them on the tree. Kate dressed herself for the occasion wearing her daily outfit of pajamas covered with her Miss Pattycake dress. She feels beautiful in her green dress. She has a Santa mouse who sings "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Kate replies (to the mouse), "Santa is NOT coming." I think she is a little nervous about an old man in a red suit coming to see her. She loves carrying around Baby Jesus from the nativity scene. He goes everywhere with her these days. Appropriate I think.