My cousin and I were talking this weekend about how most people think of grandfathers as the the sweet old man passing out Werther's originals, but our grandfather was the total opposite. Our grandfather was a gruff old man always ready with an insult for just about anybody that walked in through the door. He saw everything in black and white and made no apologies for anything he ever said or did, no matter how horribly offensive it might be. He died this past Wednesday at the age of 87.
Boyce Brown was a decorated World War II veteran. He fought with the US Army in the second wave on Omaha Beach in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was the kind of man that lied about his age to join the Army when he was just 15 (as I remember his story).
The kind of man that drove his motorcycle through the church doors to announce his return from the war. The kind of man that always had a story to tell. Maybe the disappointments he received in childhood and the devastation he witnessed during war times hardened him into the man that he became. As I child, I just remember that he always seemed so mad all the time, and he was mean as a snake.
The older I got the less time I spent with him. I only saw him a handful of times over the past 10 years. Maybe it was his failing health or his old age, but his demeanor had softened over the past few years. He wasn't as mean to me and he was even complimentary of my child. I'm racking my brain, and I don't believe that Ian ever even met him. I only took Mason over a couple of times. I wasn't close to him at all, but, oddly enough, I'm taking his death much harder than I ever thought I would. Maybe it's the guilt.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
11 Months Old
It's hard to believe, but we have been in our Houston home for an entire year now! It's even harder to believe that Ian is 11 months old today! He is such the perfect baby. Drew and I do realize how truly blessed we've been to have two VERY laid back babies.
Ian is very chill, and usually will roll with the flow. He could be a competitive crawler - he gets around so quickly these days. He's also mastering the art of "cruising" along furniture. He hasn't exactly mustered up the courage to just let go yet, which is surprising considering that over the past couple of days he's turned into quite the climber. He's determined to climb up onto the fireplace hearth, the window sill, and Mason's little picnic table! And every time I redirect him, it just strengthens his will. We are very much into "monkey see, monkey do" these days in the Dyer household. Ian thinks he can do whatever Mason does and vice versa. One of Ian's favorite games is to drop his cup at the high chair or throw a toy over the baby gate and proclaim, "Uh-oh!" He's also saying "mama" and "dada" and "Deeeeeeeee" (whenever he sees Dixie). I'm interested to see what he calls Mason in the future.
Mason is a great big brother (most of the time). He's frequently giving Ian hugs and kisses (even when Ian protests), and he always tries to soothe him when he's upset. "It's okay, Ian Bug." "You're alright, Ian Baby." Sometimes Mason will just sit and stare at Ian for a while and he'll always say, "He is sooooo cute, Mama." Of course, he said that about the goats at the zoo, too. It's soooo sweet. There are those time when he warts him to death as well. For some reason he likes to try to crawl under Ian - through his legs while he's standing and it doesn't always work out well. Ian will take a tumble and everyone gets upset. Or just this morning Mason was trying to stick a set of toy keys down the back of Ian's onesie and Ian just wasn't having it, but that didn't deter Mason. There are days when I have to repetitively get onto him for playing rough, but I know that I'll be doing that for many years to come.
Ian is very chill, and usually will roll with the flow. He could be a competitive crawler - he gets around so quickly these days. He's also mastering the art of "cruising" along furniture. He hasn't exactly mustered up the courage to just let go yet, which is surprising considering that over the past couple of days he's turned into quite the climber. He's determined to climb up onto the fireplace hearth, the window sill, and Mason's little picnic table! And every time I redirect him, it just strengthens his will. We are very much into "monkey see, monkey do" these days in the Dyer household. Ian thinks he can do whatever Mason does and vice versa. One of Ian's favorite games is to drop his cup at the high chair or throw a toy over the baby gate and proclaim, "Uh-oh!" He's also saying "mama" and "dada" and "Deeeeeeeee" (whenever he sees Dixie). I'm interested to see what he calls Mason in the future.
Mason is a great big brother (most of the time). He's frequently giving Ian hugs and kisses (even when Ian protests), and he always tries to soothe him when he's upset. "It's okay, Ian Bug." "You're alright, Ian Baby." Sometimes Mason will just sit and stare at Ian for a while and he'll always say, "He is sooooo cute, Mama." Of course, he said that about the goats at the zoo, too. It's soooo sweet. There are those time when he warts him to death as well. For some reason he likes to try to crawl under Ian - through his legs while he's standing and it doesn't always work out well. Ian will take a tumble and everyone gets upset. Or just this morning Mason was trying to stick a set of toy keys down the back of Ian's onesie and Ian just wasn't having it, but that didn't deter Mason. There are days when I have to repetitively get onto him for playing rough, but I know that I'll be doing that for many years to come.
crazy hair
playing with vacuum cleaner attachments
such a big boy!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Memorial Day
Having some fun in the sun
Ian was having fun
Looking for airplanes while wearing Mom's sunglasses
Playing on his new swing set
Houston Zoo
A couple of weeks ago Drew had the week off from work. We spent most of that time getting some work done around the house but we did decide to take Wednesday off to go to the zoo. It was the boys' first visit to the Houston Zoo, and they really had a blast. The weather was great and it wasn't as crowded as we feared it might be. It was a great day. There were too many pictures to post so I just did a video slide show.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Will it ever end?
Where to begin?
As if being flooded in for several hours last Tuesday wasn't enough drama, something else had to happen that afternoon - 12 stairs. I had left Ian playing in Mason's room while I took Mason to the bathroom to potty, and I completely flaked on putting the baby gate back up at the door. (We don't have one at the top of the staircase because of the shape and stability of the banister post). Anyway, I was helping Mason when I heard this noise, and then the screaming, and THEN it hit me. I was freaking out far worse than he was. I called the doctor's office, and it was 5:05 so I, of course, had to wait on the answering service to pick up and take my info. They immediately put me through to to a nurse who questioned me about his appearance, consciousness, and ability to move his limbs. Since he appeared to be fine, and was actually playing and laughing at this point she advised that I didn't necessarily have to take him to the ER and gave me a list of signs to watch for. I had initially convinced myself that he was fine, and didn't need to go to the ER, but the more I thought about it the more paranoid I grew. I decided to take him in for my own peace of mine. Rather than drive to Texas Children's Hospital and risk possibly catching swine flu in the ER waiting room, I took him to the Emergency Health Centre upon the recommendation of a friend. We were in and out in about 1.5 hours, and the doc gave him a very thorough examination and concluded that he was perfectly fine. I still put him in the bed with us that night to keep an eye on him, but he is fine.
Last Friday, his first tooth actually broke through! Yay! He turned 10 months old yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, I took both boys back in to the see the pediatrician to get their ears rechecked. Of course, Mason began running fever Monday evening, and still had a low grade fever when we got to the doc's office. Both boys' ears looked great but Mason's throat was a little red so the doc ordered a strep test. It came back positive so we're back on antibiotics to fight that off. I'm hoping we caught it early enough that it won't cause him much pain, and that he doesn't pass it on to his brother (or his parents). He hasn't been running any fever today so that's encouraging. I'm just so ready for them to get WELL!
So I'm keeping positive thoughts and trying to send positive energy to my kiddos.
As if being flooded in for several hours last Tuesday wasn't enough drama, something else had to happen that afternoon - 12 stairs. I had left Ian playing in Mason's room while I took Mason to the bathroom to potty, and I completely flaked on putting the baby gate back up at the door. (We don't have one at the top of the staircase because of the shape and stability of the banister post). Anyway, I was helping Mason when I heard this noise, and then the screaming, and THEN it hit me. I was freaking out far worse than he was. I called the doctor's office, and it was 5:05 so I, of course, had to wait on the answering service to pick up and take my info. They immediately put me through to to a nurse who questioned me about his appearance, consciousness, and ability to move his limbs. Since he appeared to be fine, and was actually playing and laughing at this point she advised that I didn't necessarily have to take him to the ER and gave me a list of signs to watch for. I had initially convinced myself that he was fine, and didn't need to go to the ER, but the more I thought about it the more paranoid I grew. I decided to take him in for my own peace of mine. Rather than drive to Texas Children's Hospital and risk possibly catching swine flu in the ER waiting room, I took him to the Emergency Health Centre upon the recommendation of a friend. We were in and out in about 1.5 hours, and the doc gave him a very thorough examination and concluded that he was perfectly fine. I still put him in the bed with us that night to keep an eye on him, but he is fine.
Last Friday, his first tooth actually broke through! Yay! He turned 10 months old yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, I took both boys back in to the see the pediatrician to get their ears rechecked. Of course, Mason began running fever Monday evening, and still had a low grade fever when we got to the doc's office. Both boys' ears looked great but Mason's throat was a little red so the doc ordered a strep test. It came back positive so we're back on antibiotics to fight that off. I'm hoping we caught it early enough that it won't cause him much pain, and that he doesn't pass it on to his brother (or his parents). He hasn't been running any fever today so that's encouraging. I'm just so ready for them to get WELL!
So I'm keeping positive thoughts and trying to send positive energy to my kiddos.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
12:45 pm - Flash Floods 04/28/09
Water flowing over the gully bridge - it didn't do this during Hurricane Ike!
Police barricaded the bridge off while I was outside taking photos. They also put a barricade up at the opposite street corner.
12:30 PM - Flash Floods 04/28/09
By 12:30 pm the water had already begun to recede - see below for pics from only 1 hour earlier.
street corner (Candlecreek and Candlebrook)
view of street/end of our driveway
view of street
a car stalled across the street
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