Date Night

The shortened version of the story goes something like this.......... 12 years ago when we were wee little pups at UT, I lived at a the Parapet, a Melrosish apartment complex near campus with a great big Magnolia tree in the middle courtyard.  I came home one night to find some new neighbors had just moved in, and they were celebrating just a little too much.  Some how I ended up down in the courtyard celebrating with them. 

Several nights later I get knock at my door, and it's my new neighbor holding 2 Ziegenbock beers.  A couple weeks later we went on our first date, on June 26, 1998, and the rest my friend is history......

We went out to celebrate this occasion, that we are still in it for the long haul, and that yes, we still happen to REALLY like each other.  We decided to try out a little dive restaurant just around the corner from our new house on the lake.  We snuggled up to the bar, ordered up two tall Ziegenbocks for good times sake,

and spent the rest of the evening gazing in eachother's eyes while the band played in the background and the drunk people danced. 

It made us remember how one year we danced in the corner all night long during one of my work parties.  And if you know me, I dont do dancing all night long, in the corner.  If I remember correctly, that was also the night Ryan didn't quite make the window........and then proceeded to tell the car wash attendant the next day that his date puked in his car. 

Good times, good times.  We hope for twelve more twelves.

Chance Quote of the Day

"Mom, we don't really need to brush my teeth tonight.  That way you can save your energy and not be so tired"

The "Pity"

You see this small gray dome with a flat dot on top of the roof?  This is the best pic I could get of it but ironically enough this is about it's true size as you are driving down the highway at full speeds scanning the horizon and it pops up in the distance.

This is the Bell County Expo Center, otherwise known as the TITTY.  The Titty competition started way back when in 1998, on our first trip up to Dallas from Austin.  Ryan and I had just met that summer and we were heading up to Dallas so I could meet his family for the first time.   And as you come upon the Belton horizon you see it, and if you are really lucky you see it FIRST.  Ryan introduced me to this competition as we were driving and he yells out TITTY and starts pointing all crazy like in the direction of something.  And then I see it, and then I know why it is called the Titty. 

So car rides with us to and fro Dallas are pretty normal and light until you reach the unmarked "zone".  We each have our own well memorized markers, and probably they are in very close proximity to each other, cause as soon as we come in range, the car gets very quiet as we are each scanning the horizon.  First to see it must yell TITTY. 

Basically, I am the winner.  I've been winning since the beginning.  I see it more often than Ryan and REALLY I have the most points. 

Ryan would say otherwise.  He thinks he has the most points.  But I know the truth and that's all that matters.

So last weekend on our quick trip down to Austin to check on our rent house, Ryan had been complaining about his contacts drying out so he took them out and kept driving without them.  The sun was setting and SUPPOSEDLY he was having trouble seeing the cars in front of him.  His glasses were in his briefcase in the way back of the car....we were going to get in to Austin pretty late and had decided to try to push thru as fast was we could with as little stops as possible, so the glasses had to wait.  But the cars were getting blurrier and blurrier, so we had to pull over as quickly as possible to the side of the road to retrieve them.  Need I mention that we just happened to be pulling over IN RANGE of the ZONE......hummm.  Within 1 minute of the pull over, guess what comes up on the horizon? 

You see, this competition is steep.  One must go to all extremes to win, even if it puts you in to Austin really late at night.

We tied, in case you were wondering. 

After yelling Titty at the top of our lungs, the peanut gallery in the back questions WHAT DID YOU SAY? WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?

"Daddy said PITY, Chance.  If you see that building over there you have to yell out PITY.  And if you see it first, then you will win."

Chance: Why do you call it Pity?

Ryan: "Cause that building is just such a pity"

And so it was in that moment that the PITY was born, and the competition gets passed down from one generation to another. 

But I'll always be the winner.

It's a New World

It's like the whole world has finally opened up for the little man this week.  Mobility has taken on a whole new meaning around here. I found him like this yesterday after nap time, on his knees and pulled up on the railing.  Guess it's time to raise that railing back up or before we know it, he'll be climbing over it. 

This week Brooks has finally learned to crawl.  We thought a man of his stature would never be able to bear such weight on his arms, but nature knows what it is doing.  And all this moving around has actually made him lose a pound. 

In addition to almost crawling, he's understanding more and more every day.  He was eating some melon through the little mesh bags and decided it would be a good idea to show it to Chance.  To his surprise (and clearly NOT to mine!) Chance takes the bag and pretends to starting eating it himself.  Brooks proceeds to scream and look straight at me, like mom, DO SOMETHING.  So I ask Chance to hand it back.  2 seconds later, guess what happens again? 

And then there's the UH-OH's that have started as well.  Drop something on the ground and watch mommy pick it up.  UH-OH, over and over.  Cause and effect.  How long will mommy play this game.

We were outside by the pool, one of his favorite places.  But of course he wants to be on the ground, picking up leaves and sticking them in to his mouth.  I've been working on telling him, JUST FOR LOOKING, NOT FOR EATING. And I know the kid knows what I am saying as he grabs the leaf, looks straight at me with a sideways look, and then slowly raises the leaf to his mouth, the whole while looking at me with those eyes like whatcha gonna do now? 

Remembering Zurich

Chance was almost in tears today before our phone call to Mikkel and Felix.  I REALLY MISS MY FRIENDS MOM, he said very sadly.  It's tough on all of us little buddy.  I really miss my friends as well.  I know we'll get thru it, it's just a long and painful process. 

I decided to upload the pictures off of Chance's camera, and was brought back to the day that Chance walked around the apartment, taking pictures of it so that he could remember it.  Here's some great ones.....

The fireplace:

Chance's (very messy!) room:

Chance's bed:

The bathtub:

And last but not least, hold your breath folks, this is a good one.......

Cause we just have to remember the toilet and all that's in it.

Mini Reunion

About the time we were celebrating our year anniversary in Zurich, Ryan's sister Beth sent me an email asking if she could give my contact information to a couple moving to Zurich that she knew through work.  About a month after that, Amy and Wes move in down the street from us with their son Layton and we were friends ever since.  What a small world.  We got to see Layton grow from a 13 month old baby into a 3 year old, and we also got to welcome little Trevor in to the world while they were in Zurich.  They moved home last September, paving the way for us.  And luckily for me, they moved back to Dallas and are now very close to where we live!

So Amy and her boys came over, it was so good to see them after almost 9 months.  Little Trevor is now walking all over the place and him being in our house was such a good indicator of what is to come......and where we need to baby proof NOW.   Like the back of the computer facing out in to the room with cords all over the place, or the breakable knickknacks on shelves that little hands can reach.  I am so out of touch, and at the rate Brooks is moving these days, I better get to work!

Chance was super cute, being the protective big brother, hovering over Brooks as Trevor tried to play with him.  I love that Chance is so good and so kind to Brooks.  He is so lucky to have him.

After Amy left, Chance and I were in his room and I commented that he could earn a star for his allowance chart if he were to pick up his room.  He said, "Na, I'm going to leave it for Layton to clean up when he comes back on Sunday."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

CHANCE: Mom, I really want to call Mikkel and Felix.
ME: Ok.  Let me email Linda and we can set up a time to talk, you know, so we'll both be home when we try to call.
CHANCE: Mom, we are ALWAYS home.

Ok, I get the hint.  Yes the broken foot has been a minor set back!