Feet Stink Oh! So! GOOD!

Dear Henry, 

Okay, this could be another post that might embarrass you but it covers such a constant in our lives that I cannot fail to mention it.  Since J pushed you into this world we have loved your little feet. The first photos I took of you at home were actually of your wrinkly pink tootsies.  They were all crackin' and dry so I lovingly slathered on baby oil to smooth them out.  About that same time Daadoo and I started kissin' those little piggies and playin' the, "your feet are so stinky game," with you.  We snarl our nose, squint our eyes and declare as we swipe our hand under our noses and up, "EWE! EWE! STINKY!"  

You giggle and smile and snarl your nose back.  Quickly, even before you walked, you would kiss at Mommy's feet, pet them and bite my toes.  You love it so much you started doing this to yourself then offerin' your foot up to our faces to share a whiff.  

As you became more mobile you would smell our feet and say, "stinky!" You do this to other's too.  Heather's pretty red toenails do not escape your pats.  At night we zip your socks off much like Bahboo did for me when I was a young girl (eh, I'll say it! I have no shame!) and also through high school and even when I was home from college sometimes.  We pull on the sock toes and make your legs fly around wildly and make a zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sound until the sock parts your sweaty foot in a grand gesture.  You can't get enough of this and I do believe if you could you'd put those socks back on for a repeat performance.  It seems as if this playin' around may have created a misunderstanding of how one shows love to another.  

No alarm yet, as it seems you may be starting to turn on this as just today you gave Bahboo and Grandma P a kiss on the cheek repeatedly.  We've had so much fun with this and now you smell your own feet to tell us just how stinky they are.  Sometimes I tell Dadoo that I'm not really lookin' forward to those feet becoming big, hairy, smelly teenager feet, but I'm sure looking forward to you being around.  Just make sure you get some odor eaters though Peep.

Love, Mama  

A Campin' We Will Go! A Campin' We Will Go!

Dear Henry, 
One of our favorite activities is camping.  Since you, a year and some change ago, we haven't been camping.  Grandpa Tim has been working on an apartmentesque room in the barn with a full bathroom and kitchen area so technically it isn't totally roughing it but it is in the woods.  The land sits a top a beautiful hill that over looks some huge cornfields and is surrounded by large old trees.  We arrived and made a fire so we could burn cook some hot dogs.  You love hot dogs!  We sat by the fire a bit only to notice some raccoon tryin' to open the door to the barn.  Ole Raccoonie was reachin' up and grabbin' at the handle and when that didn't work it started traipsing toward us by the fire.  Based on our furry friend and your twisting and lurching for the fire we quickly decided it was time to go in.  You enjoyed running around the barn-do-minium and fussed a little when laying you in your pack in play.  

The excitement of being away from home made it difficult for you to sleep.  I'd wake up to you talking and I'd see you standing up staring at us.  I'd pick you up to snuggle with us but it was more like snugglin' with a porcupine, elbows flying and legs kickin' you went straight back to the pack and play.  Finally! in the wee hours we all got some sleep to awake the early to pick up and get breakfast ready.  

We cooked bacon and eggs in a pan over the fire.  It was AWESOME!  Then we ruined our tummies on the s'mores we didn't eat the night before.  You were not so sure about toasted marshmallows.  You smacked it immediately into your hair, on your clothes and rubbed it between your hands wailing as if we were spiders trying to trap you in a web.  

That's what it looked like anyway.  Marshmallow was stretched out from you hair to hands.  

I had to grab my camera, but I was trying to help you at the same time so they aren't that great.  We put out what was left of our fire and loaded the van.  We visited Grandma LaJean for a bit then made our sleepy way home.  We napped the rest of the day as if we had been on a month long mountain hiking adventure.  What can I say, it is time we tuffin' up again.  We plan on camping again really soon.  
Love, Mama

Fun at Farmer's Market

Dear Henry,
Deck building on and off for two weeks has gotten me WAY behind on my letters to you.  Just in case you were worried you are still alive and okay during the month of June.  While Mommy was super motivated during deck building I pooped out the last two days I haven't had something consistent to do... so...the next few posts will be pre-haircut while I catch up.  It is kind of painful, even though I know you're much more comfortable sans long curls in the heat, 97 today, I look at your "old" photos and twinge a little.
So let's start with our summer farmer's market Saturday's... 

We've been making it out to the market just about every Saturday this year.  We don't buy anything really other than a tamale and strawberries every week.  Daddy holds you a lot as we get our look-sees in, occasionally stopping and letting you down to dance and listen to music.  One week the popular kids musicians had a big bird with them.  You were getting dangerously close to her tail.  We weren't fearful of the bird or the bird you but rather the massive amount of poo the bird was consistently dropping.  Needless to say we made you take some steps back.  

We often see many people we know including David and Kate, Auntie Carrie.  

Usually just as we make it out of the tamale line our friends who live parallel lives, Mike, Megan and Devo get in line for their tamale.  It is a nice time, sitting and eating.  We chit chat for a while and you two boys stare at each other.  




We part ways and if the fountain is running we let you go and play in it a while.  

A Clip, A Snip and Henry is Hip!

Dear Henry, 
Today was exciting!  You had your first haircut!  If you are like J, Crappaw (whom you've been calling Bahboo for a week now) and Grandma P, or cousin Tony you will shout at the screen, "NO!!!  Don't do it!"  Your curls are/were fabulous!  Beautiful! but as the summer season has edged in with lots of humidity and heat you sweat a lot.  You've been smackin' at the curls in the front and trying to push back the sides.  Your hair started growing so fast about 6 months ago and it was looking straggly.  So, Mommy set an appointment with Tamara and we took you in.  We came in tow with your blankie and a cup of Teddy Grahams.  You took the first comb she started to comb with and tried to do it yourself.  She found another and she got to work.  You sat on the chair just fine, a little squirmy but surprisingly steady.  The mist sprayer made you cheese up and giggle.  My heart did a little flip when the first strands hit your lap.  Our baby started looking like a little boy very quickly.  You smiled at Tamara and gave her a Teddy Graham and a kiss when she finished.  

Your curls were so luscious but I have to say seeing your bright eyes so clearly takes you to a whole new level.  Mommy collected lots of the locks and plans to send some to J.  

I sent her an after photo too and she said you looked like Johnny Depp in Cry Baby.  That is a very nice comparison Henry, Johnny D. is desired by ladies all over the world and anybody who sees you would not doubt that someday you'll have endless ladies knockin' at your door.

We are so proud of how well you handle new situations.  Your curiosity helps you enjoy so much in life already and we enjoy seeing that.

Love, Mama

You Climb

Dear Henry, 
My apologies.  Our internet has been down and I am behind in your life's story.
I will work on catching up.  Not sure when...we are building a new deck this week.  Yeah!
I know you will love the tools and watching us work.
For now, here is a photo to tide you over.
Thanks to your buddy Devo, who came to watch the LOST series ending, you have a new trick.  I've kept you from climbing on things by simply not showing you how.  By golly Devo fixed that right up.  You aren't to his scaling abilities just yet but you're working on it.  You now climb up on this chair countless times everyday, after just one live demonstration from Devlyn.  Your trick is way better than the LOST ending for sure.  Perhaps I shouldn't make the comparison as it kind of doesn't raise the bar high for you. 
Pretty cool!  Just don't jump.  You hurt my heart when you make efforts to hurl yourself over the back.  I love the little happy dance you do when you make it to a standing position, like watching football in the 80's.
Love, Mama