October 2009- Brittani and Wanda

This is Brittani- she and Wanda came down for that weekend and stayed for just the two days. Brittani had just turned 5 a month before they came down. I love these pictures of her- she looks so much like Rip. She had soooo much fun on the beach!!

The next picture shows her "ready" to go to the beach- complete with matching purple fuzzy purse and hat, and pink fuzzy shoes! She was so funny!

I taught her how to stomp into the ocean- boxing the waves and stomping on them! Then we would hold hands and wait for the waves to come so she could JUMP over them! I remember doing that as a kid- so I had to make sure she has that memory too!

We went out one night- Brittani was sooo tired from all the fun and curled into Wanda and zonked out! I love this one of them.

**** Please pray for Brittani!!! After Rip died, Brittani became a ward of the state since Wanda didn't have "official custody" of her (even though she has raised her since NICU!!). The courts have recently, and very unexpectedly given custody to Catherine- this is a reaalllyy reeallly bad situation! Wanda didn't get to say good-bye; she does not know if or when she will see B again. She is appealing and fighting for custody. We are all heartbroken, devastated. So please, pray for Brittani and Wanda!!!

October 2009- Random Pix

He "helped" unpack...

Playing under the patio table, peeking through the chairs~

That is the sweeetest, cutest little boy in the whole entire world!!

October 2009- Sand

Caelan LOVED playing in the sand! And obviously tasting it.

October 2009- Beach

Caelan has been to the beach a couple of times up here but the beaches here are so different- he has never been to the "beach" beach... to the Gulf. The water was a bit cool- particularly because it was windy from time to time. But I'm thinking he liked it!

October 2009- Aunt Janie

Janie was reading to one of the boys.... then within seconds all three of them were gathered around her for some super Aunt Janie time.

Hmmmm..... what could make this boy start running, laughing his head off, shoulders all crunched up around his neck???

Aunt JANIEEE!!!!!

This was sooooo cute!! Caelan had just started walking about a week and a half before we went down in October... he still had the "Frankenstein" walk and of was just starting to run. Janie was chasing him all around the playground saying "I'm gonna getcha!" He laughed sooo hard!!

(We have video of it that is really great- we all laugh watching it, but I don't know how to post it)

October 2009- Mulch

I often refer to him as the "relocater" because he loves to pick up stuff (anything) and move it from one place to another. So it didn't surprise us in the least to see Caelan go sit in the mulch area and play in it! He would pick up handfuls at a time and toss it.... and then he would take it over to the edge and toss it into the grassy area.

October 2009- The Park

Because we have reeeaally different weather here- Caelan had not been exposed to a lot of parks, playgrounds, etc. There is an awesome park down the block from Sally's house. Solon and Luke are there quite a bit and they have also gone to Gymboree for a long time. So Solon and Luke showed Caelan how to crawl through the tunnels, up steps, swings, slides..... everything a boy needs to know! He is a bit timid of slides- Mommy and Aunt Moe helped him down- and as you can see he liked it!