Liam: 6 Months and Darling

Sweet baby Liam has all the coloring and features of his mother, aside from one eyebrow that unconsciously raises in an arch just like his dad's! He is already six months old and proving to us that he can sit up...with just a little assistance. All he needs is the occasional net of hands by his side when he inevitably and fearlessly teeters over.

He's beautiful. Look at him!

I had such fun photographing Liam hanging out at their quaint home in Red Rock, AZ. I love all the color in their clothing and around their house along with the flood of natural light pouring through the windows.

Here’s Liam with the adorable handmade VW toy lovingly made by his dad for a Christmas gift. What a treasure!

So cute at the feet of his mama and daddy.

We went to the park and Liam was infatuated with the lovely bright green grass, and so much so that I could not get his attention on the camera for any amount of time! But this is still a sweet shot.

And this was his first time eating rice cereal! He really likes it and Jen tells me he is a pea fanatic!

Loving my sweet nephew with the infectious smile,
Auntie Dawn

FedEx Tracking: The Epitome of Anticipation

Tuesday night I stayed up late working on a birthday gift for Nathan online—less than a week away from Nathan’s 1st birthday party! I know; close, right? Yikes! When it came to making the final purchase, I thought it may not make it in time on the regular delivery schedule, so I ordered the two-day shipping service for an extra cost, and it will be so worth it if the package arrives before the party! I thought it’s sure to arrive by Sunday. Let’s see: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday—no problem! But after I made the purchase, I read the fine print that says Saturday delivery is not available for two-day shipping, and I also realized that I made the assumption that it would only take one day to prepare my order. Oh, no!

But I actually think it’s going to make it in time; I do! I’ve been a bit addicted to checking out the FedEx tracking of my package, which is an incredible service by the way, and currently it is on schedule! Here’s how it stands right now:

From Maryland and now in Tennessee and who knows where to next, but by tomorrow afternoon, it’s set to be at my front door in Arizona! Crazy! The journey of a package is exciting. I hope this package enjoys his final destination in the hands of Nathan!

With much anticipation,
Dawn

P.S. I can’t say what it is inside of the package in case my sister reads this before Sunday. But I’ll share the secret later...

Nathan Turning One

About one year ago... and today...

My sweet baby nephew Nathan has turned one year old today. Unbelievable. It's amazing how much he has changed! To read about his birth, click here.

He's grown so much and is impressing me every day with his charms, smarts, and abilities!

His favorite phrase is, "What's that?" but it comes out more like, "Dat?" in a high pitched serious question tone, his pointer finger out reached. "What's this? Well, it's a camera, sweet Nathan!"

He can point out facial features on people, but it's so cute when you ask, "Nathan, where's your nose?" and he points to his ears! But he gets Grandpa's nose right every time!

He's the fastest crawler in the West and has a toosh and knees of bubble wrap! Now he is starting his walking legs, which are more like wobbly skier legs, with the help of someone's hands above his ears or with the aid of his Nathan-sized toy train.

Tonight we sang "Happy Birthday" to him over macaroni and cheese with sausages, and he decided it's not his favorite meal after all and opted for mashed up sweet potatoes instead. But as we sang in jolly chorus, he first looked confused and then he had a little sheepish smile as he realized that it was all for him, and as we reached the final line of the celebratory song, that smile became a full-on grin. Then we all clapped for him and he clapped back, so we clapped for him again and then he realized he had the power and all of us wrapped around his chubby little finger! When he clapped, we clapped. He giggled and it was just adorable-- there's no other word for it!

He's so lovable and such a joy. I'm so proud to be his Auntie and I love to watch him grow!

Happy Birthday,

Auntie Dawn