To my G-Baby....With Love

Last week was such a fun week! My daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter came for a whole week!! The reason? Audrey had her first birthday!!! It was a fun, hectic, wonderful, tiring, happy time!!!! I can't believe she's one! Where did the time go? This amazing little girl joined our family August 19, 2008.

She was just beautiful!! She spent two days in the NICU, scared us all, but was still absolutely perfect!! I remember standing outside the nursery window, watching my baby with her baby, and just feeling so completely overwhelmed with love. Love for my daughter as she started this new journey as a mommy. Love for my son-in-law as he watched over Audrey, making sure she was well taken care of by the nurses. I remember my first glimpse of Audrey. It was through the nursery window. Only parents were allowed in the nursery. But after a couple of hours of us standing there with our noses pressed to the glass (and Audrey having some breathing problems), the nurse came out and said that we could go in, one at a time, to see our little baby before they took her to the NICU. Just touching her was wonderful. We couldn't hold her, but I remember just touching her head and her hand and feeling so amazed that this was my granddaughter!! And how awesome it was!

These are two of my favorite pictures from the day she was born:

Melissa holding her daughter. And Audrey holding her daddy's finger. Such wonderful love.

Over this last year we have watched Audrey grow and develop. Her first smiles. The first time she rolled over. Her first tooth. Sitting all by herself. Laughing at her funny faces over the new foods she ate. Playing with toys. Standing. Walking. Watching her do all the motions to the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" song. Blowing kisses! Showing us her belly button.

To my g-baby:

You have brought such joy to our family. You have truly been a blessing. And you are loved so very much.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Ode to a Squirrel

Today, as Megan and I were out doing our errands, we came to a crossroad with a squirrel. I was going one way....he was going the other way. No problems. Everything is just fine and dandy! That is until the brain-dead squirrel decided that my way was obviously the better way! So he decided to just run in front of me.

Now, most people may not pay too much attention to squirrels on their journeys through life. But I come from a family that pays real close attention to squirrels. And we have for years now. It started with my dad. To make a long, kinda scary story shorter and less scary, it goes something like this: dad had pecan trees...squirrels like pecans...shed...hiding...bb gun...fur flying.... Just kidding about that last part ( I hope ). Anyway, whenever we see a squirrel, we rev the engines and gun for that pecan-eating beast. Even though we have never seen a pecan tree in Colorado (but I've never really looked for one), it makes Dad so proud.

So today, when that squirrel ran in front of me, all I could think about was missing it! I know...I know. What about my loyalty to my dad? What will he think of me? How did I go so wrong??? But just when I think I've missed it, I hear a thunk and a bump! OH CRAP!!! I hit it! Does anyone else hear cheers coming from the deep South????

I covered my mouth...eyes wide.....looked at Megan....she's laughing. LAUGHING! She just stepped into the favorite granddaughter position!! I was afraid to look in the rear view mirror. I didn't want to see it. I really didn't mean to hit it....didn't mean him any harm. Then just before I pull onto our street, Megan says "maybe he is stuck under the car"! WHAT??? Are you kidding me? Can that really happen? I made her check when we parked but no squirrel. Whew!

Now, my story could end there. But after we were home for a little bit, we had to go back out. And we had to go past the scene of the crime. And what did we see? Nothing. No dead squirrel laying on the pavement with his feet pointing up and tongue hanging out. So the question is where is the squirrel? I know I hit it. But now I'm thinking that maybe I didn't kill it. So that's what I'm going to think. He just ran off into the woods (or someones backyard..whatever) and is happily eating someones pecans!

I just hope that someone doesn't have a shed...hiding....waiting......