Happy half-birthday, Boss!

March 2011
Boss--3 months

Dear Boss,

Since you crashed into our lives on March 17th, you have changed our world. We were going to make a list of our favorite things about you, one for each year, like our friend Uyen did. Then we realized that our list would only be half of one thing long.That doesn't a good list make.

So, there is no magic number to count the ways you have become special to us that matches your age. Instead, this little list comes from our hearts.

1. You were 5.2 pounds when we adopted you to become part of our family. Now you are 11.4 pounds--big boy!
2. You lost all your baby teeth, two of which we found and have saved. Perhaps they will go in your scrapbook one day.
3. You have been asked to have your picture taken with strangers due to your extreme cuteness.
4. You whine in the softball/kickball dugout if one of us isn't paying attention to you. When you see Mommy, you squirm and reach for her even if someone else is holding you.
5. We have already been through your first disease together, giardia, and have all survived. Supposedly, it's tough to get rid of but for you? Gone after the first round of medicine. Good boy!
6. At 4 months, we decided you were a big boy and could go to the dog park with cousin Sophie. Dogwalker Erin says you love the dog park and playing with your friends each day.
7. You have already graduated from Puppy Kindergarten and Basic Commands class. You know how to play well with others, and can sit, stay, drop it, leave it, and come. We are still working on fetch.
8. You have gotten big enough to jump on the bed by yourself.
9. You have learned how to sleep in until 7:00 am. Mommy is very grateful.
10. Your 6-month birthday means you are now good-to-go to be neutered. Enjoy the remaining time you have with your teabags. They will soon be a distant memory.

We love you, little Boss. You have been good practice for us to think we can handle parenthood.

June 30, 2011
Boss--6 months

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

FY and I

1. Jesse, Boss, and I head out to Leavenworth, WA on Saturday for a lovely weekend on the east side of the mountains. Jesse & I are signed on for a whitewater rafting adventure Saturday afternoon, complete with BBQ near the river. Boss will hang out at the raft shop for the afternoon.

B. Boss is giardia free--woot!

D. I am much better at kickball than softball. Our kickball team is 3-1 (the loss came off a ridiculous cheating display by the other team that was even acknowledged by the ref--don't get me started), and we had a triple play in our last game.

48. I used to be good at softball. I played outfield in high school and was even on the all-district team my senior year. What the bleep happened? I suck now.

VI. I've been watching The Voice. Yes, ANOTHER reality singing competition. But I like this one. The contestants have a celebrity coach (Blake Shelton? Yes, please.) who mentors them through the process. Anyway, I'm catching up with the finale that aired last night and my bet is on hottie Javier.

One of those days that makes 10 months of Seattle's crappy weather worth it.

Best Friends: Boss & Sophie

Fierce Boss

Hi Boss

Boss & me

Up close.

With the Budweiser Couch Cooler. Classy.

I wish the two people here were Jesse and me.
Now THAT would be a great picture.

It took until late June, but it finally happened.
A summer (spring by Texas standards) day.

Father's Day

I don't know why, but Father's Day makes me super sad.

Mother's Day doesn't really.

Which doesn't make too much sense, since they are both gone.

But I have some theories:
1. Mama's been gone 14 years. Daddy's been gone less than 3.
2. Mama was super sick and it was less surprising. Daddy's was a tragedy of ridiculous proportions.
3. When Mama went, I still had Daddy. And Grandma. And my grandfather (we called "Dad"). When Daddy went, I had...

So, maybe that explains why on Mother's Day I don't have too much issue reading a billion Facebook statuses (stati?) and blog posts oozing love and sentiment about all the wonderful mothers out there. But the Daddy posts? Skip.

So, here's my Daddy post.
When I think of Daddy, I think of:
*his cowboy hat
*country music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s...a little 90s but he thought it became too "rock" to qualify as real country
*biggo belt buckles, countrified
*summer vacation at the ranch
*dependability
*naps!
*loyalty
*fried chicken--mmm
*quirky humor
*Nick at Nite
*the highest metabolism...EVER.
*love

the yin and yang of June

So, I submitted my Human Subjects application. Two weeks later, I was told that my research didn't qualify for that type of application and I need to submit another one instead. I'm doing that now. And you know what? I'm not hurrying. What would be the point?

Boss has giardia. I noticed when he started pooing bloody diarrhea. Awesome.

It's still barely making it to the 60s here in Sea-town.

And that's been June.

Wait, that's only one part of June.

The other part of June has been...
Playing softball and kickball
Being asked to be a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding
Celebrating Jesse's (near) graduation
Boss waking me up in the morning with kisses

Okay, I feel better now.