What is new that I need to add here?
Dave has his birthday -- as you can tell from the previous two posts. Last year I didn't have time (with two-week-old twins) to do anything really SPECIAL for his 30th Birthday. SOOOOOO -- I decided to make it up to him this year (even though he didn't know I needed to make it up to him -- crazy boy didn't realize a little Melinda love and creativity were missing last year).
First of all, I started over a month ago to gather information to do a Celebrating David memory book. I wrote all of his friends, even contacted as many people as I could find info. for from before his mission., and family members and got quite a few of them to send me memories/highlights from his life. I got pics from his mom and then raided his saved back-up CDs for pics from his mission, the military, etc. And I put it all into a 30-page memory book, inserting pics and then copy and pasting (and editing/condensing in some cases) the memories I had received. It was FABULOUS!!!! I put in countless hours (with a keyboard that was missing quite a few keys) -- and each and every sleepless night and day that passed without the dishes and laundry getting finished WAS WORTH IT a million times over when I saw the look on his face. PRICELESS, MY FRIENDS -- truly priceless.
His birthday was actually on Sunday, but we drove to Spokane on Saturday to celebrate and went to Wolf's Lodge. Extremely pricey steak house, but totally worth it for the once or twice a lifetime that you might go there. Dave's birthday and our last birthday/big event in the Northwest for who knows how many years constituted enough of an event to justify it. And it wsa worth every bite, let me tell you. Then, since it was his birthday, they gave him a potato ice cream bar -- a potato made out of ice cream, molded and doused in chocolate and then topped with hot fudge and almonds. It was delightful -- and we even got to take it home and share it with his sister because the waiter forgot it was his birthday and didn't actually bring it to us until we were already out the door. Truth be told: I literally went back inside and kindly/subtley let them know they had forgotten and Dave needed his complimentary whatever. So it turned out great.
The babies are doing great! Last Sunday I was sitting in church, holding Isaac and leading the music with his hands like I always do. Then he started to fuss for Daddy and we did a swap. Soon, Dave nudged me and nodded toward Isaac. The cute little man had noticed that the conductor in front of the congregation was moving his hands as he led the music and STARTED TO LEAD THE MUSIC WITH HIM. Can you believe it? Gifted, anyone? GIFTED! Granted, he wasn't waving them in-time; but ever since then whenever we sing and dance, he starts to wave his hands. And sometimes, just sometimes, he gets it right on beat. Very. Cute.
Wish he was as cute when he eats. He's going through a phase (please, let it be short) where he will throw everything on the ground that is on his plate. It's not that he doesn't like to feed himself -- cuz he does that as well, sometimes. But he has discovered that he can make noise on his tray, that the food slides around with his hands, and that the food will fall to the ground if you drop it. Sometimes I think he does it on purpose to annoy me; and sometimes I think he is just playing around. Oh, and p.s., he doesn't like to get his hands dirty (another part of it, I think). So when his hands start to carry things and move them from one place to another, he is also discovering how some things stick and some things fall. And the things that stick get a good shaking before they ievitably fall as well.
What's new with Abby? Well, the chatter box has decided she doesn't want to cuddle anymore . . . ever. And she has thankfully NOT had anymore "virus" episodes since the last time. She is a terrific little eater -- she sips at water or milk as she eats and just seems to relish every bite and every drink. She says hello fairly clearly (though she talks about everything, even putting in intonations, as if she knows exactly what is being talked about and if you want to join in her conversation then you better step it up, cuz she isn't waiting for you.
7 years ago
