Fi has found a new sound. "Bababa." Totally cute.



And she's eating baby food now. Loves peas. Hates carrots.



Getting ready for a cold day



BFF



teaching her card tricks... "Is this your card?!"



She can now sit and crawl... oh, God. Already?!



The mental institution/prison of Staunton. Yes, they are making the institution/prison buildings in to condos. God help those residents! Creepy!



My photo project is finally over! I will post some pictures of those when I get some time. It is finally freezing. Every year I try to pretend it won't happen, and every year I hate it. Hate it. Hate the cold. Oh well.. only 6 more months!

election day!

Wow... what a crazy thing to be a part of such a historical election! It was an event (isn't it always) to get out of the house sans bebe.. but I did it! An hour of waiting in line, and 10 seconds casting my vote. Totally worth it:) Hope everybody did the same.

Halloween wasn't all that interesting as far as Fiona is concerned.... she wasn't anything. I am kind-of sad about it, but I figure she's too young to remember anyway... it would mainly be for pictures. She has enough of those, I am sure! But, for Rene' and I it was awesome! Tim and Vickie came for an overnight, Halloween visit and I was so happy! I was a square dancer (thanks, Jen Kidd!) and Rene was a "grifter." Tim was a baby, and Vickie was his father. It was incredible. And hilarious.





and of course, pictures of Fi. Don't make fun. I love photos..... give me a subject who can't say no and I'm all about it!





with help from Ma, she ended up like this.



Here's to voting! Woohoo!

I am a constant picture-taker

So... here's a family one. Rene gave me permission to use his face:)


this is Fi's favorite buddy.... her BFF, if you will. Charlie. They have a mutual love for each other and I think it is the sweetest thing. Luckily her mama and I are buds, too. It makes most of the days fun. Thank God for Jen!



For all that missed it (Bailee was there for this milestone, too!) Fi had her first food! She's been exclusively breastfed til now, and even now she mostly nurses... but her first food eating experience was pretty fun. She loved it. She will surely be a food-eater.


A little like Rene'... Smoothie blanket in towe...



and a little like me... asleep with my mama bear. Whom I still sleep with. Aunt Lauren should get a kick outta that!



I am almost finished with the Blue Ridge Pediatric photo project I have been working on, and still doing styling for some toy catalogs... (check em out if you want... Magic cabin and HearthSong. My mom also illustrates for Magic Cabin... she's really good at it) Rene is still working at Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. Now that the deaf schools have merged to Staunton there are many more students. And Fi is grabbing things with her two fingers... very skilled. She's laughing and squealing and being all-around awesome. This is so cool, this parent thing. I'm glad Rene and I get to do it together.

hmmmm

Other happenings in recent 2008. 80's party.....
where I look 12.




and

weddings

fall

My mom saved so much stuff from my babyhood (thanks Ma.) So Fi now has a chance to enjoy some of my old things. It totally melts me to see her wearing an old tee shirt or dress I used to wear, or a sweater my mother made for me. Here are some old shoes... her feet were almost too big!



and her with little baby... my first baby doll, whom I took EVERYWHERE. She loves her as much as I do!


Fi-made mowhawk



We went to the park this weekend to enjoy the amazing weather. Nothing like fall in Staunton, Va.





I found her under the couch this morning. Perfectly happy.


She really loves tags most of all.



Something about fall makes me all twiddly inside. Hope everybody is enjoying the leaves!

screecher

Her new favorite sounds.

Trapper Schnapperman

In honor of my father, the raccoon catcher.
Thanks Dad:)