A Whole New Perspective

Hooray!! Owen has finally crossed the threshold into a new weight class: the twenty pounders. He is now able to join his friends and face forward in the car. What fun! Passing objects are seen head-on rather than in reverse. Mama can turn around and tickle his yummy toes any time she gets the notion. Toys can be traded freely between front and back seats. Car rides are once again bearable by all parties.

This Grass Feels Yucky!

The Arboretum has the most velvety soft grass I have ever felt. It is so absolutely perfect that it seems fake. Evidently, Owen did not appreciate the feel of the grass nearly as much as his Mom. He kept lifting up one leg and then the other (The boy has abs of steel!) to escape the sensation of the grass on his legs. And note the facial expression. It is one of pure disgust! That's our city slicker for ya'!

Ode to Wesley

Wesley and Owie enjoyed a delightful afternoon at the Arboretum. The weather was just perfect!

"Look! A boy sized bench just for us!"

Wesley 's gorgeous baby blues

Wesley and his sweet Mommy, Laura, pose in front of the tulips

Thanks for playing, Wesley and Laura! We had a great time!

Fabulous Shoes!

Every girl needs a pair of birthday shoes! I had been wanting these shoes so badly, so Suzanne surprised me with an early birthday gift. Now they can go on our trip with us this weekend! Quite a few friends were curious what kind of shoes could so capture my heart, so here's a photo!

Happy Birthday to Mia!

Mia Claire had a rockin' first birthday party this weekend. We all had a great time eating pizza and pasta and relaxing with family and good friends.

The Birthday Girl herself

What a great grin!

Owen is caught in the act of doing his number 1 no no, SPITTING! Many a 3 minute session in Time Out has resulted from that pesky tongue!

I think the "big kids" might have had even more fun than the little ones! Boys will be boys!

GO O!

Owen has been testing out his feet lately. Come to find out, they support him pretty well!

O thinks it is the most fun game to stand up and then make himself topple over. Very applause worthy!

Owie on the go! He looks ready to run a marathon, but he actually just takes one step at a time. You have never met a prouder set of parents than we are of that one tiny step!

Ladies Who Lunch

Today, Owen and I met my sister, Caroline (AKA Auntie LouLou), for lunch in Uptown. She always knows the cool, trendy places to hit, being a cool, trendy woman without kids. We visited the Tahitian Noni Cafe on Blackburn. We enjoyed gourmet sandwiches and fruit salad, while Owie inhaled his avocado/banana delicacy prepared "a la Mama." I am so blessed to have family living here that I can closely share life with! Love you, Lou!

Adventure at the Ft. Worth Zoo

This past weekend, the whole Halpin clan (minus Uncle Joel), packed up for a day at the Ft. Worth Zoo. It was a gorgeous day, and a fabulous time was had by all!

All six cousins. It's quite a feat to get them to all sit still in one place long enough to take a picture!

back row:Maddie, Clayton

front row: Ally, Baby Oliver, Owen, Mia

Owen loves on Baby Oliver. He's learning how to "be soft."

Jeremy and Clayton feed the birds. Notice Clayton's look of absolute terror!

Dallas Really Does Bloom!

Dallas Blooms started at The Arboretum today. My Mom (aka Numpy) were there for the kick off! What a perfect day!

The O has not yet learned not to stare directly at the sun.

Numpy and Owie laugh at an inside joke...something about snorts and tummies and toes...way too involved for us outsiders!

That's my Boy! Some folks are visual learners, others audio. My son learns through taste.

I finally catch up with The O for a quick photo op.

A Day at the Zoo

Owen, Grant and Preston Black experience the Dallas Zoo

Owie touched a bunny! (I was a little grossed out at first, but after a good dose of Purell Hand Sanitizer, all was well and we were able to enjoy the moment.)

The O's famous "snort face." I have been trying to capture this face for ages and finally got it at the zoo. Do you think the funny animal smells had anything to do with it?

O's (Third) Biggest Fan

Owen is a huge fan...of himself, as are we all. Clapping is such a wonderful pastime, whether it be for every bite taken at lunch, prayers said before dinner, a ball successfully rolled, or for absolutely no reason at all. I love my sweet little boy who takes such delight in the simple things and is not bashful about praising himself.

One Step at a Time

Owie is slowly, but surely, getting a little more steady on his feet. In fact, his fave new game is to pull up to a stand, let go, and see how long it takes him to fall. The House of Halpin record: 10 seconds!!

An Apple a Day

Owie enjoyed a refreshing apple slice after the exhausting task of being pulled around in his wagon enjoying the view at the Arboretum.