The Rocky Dance

I usually reserve the Rocky dance for a particular run that I do around Austin. It's a long run where at one point there's a long climb up the hills of Mt. Bonnell. When you reach the park, there's a final dash up the stairs to the summit, where, once at the top....you do the Rocky dance.

Well, for Bryce's birthday, Spencer and Julie got him Rocky the Robot Truck.
For a while Rocky sat idle. If you pushed the button on top of his exhaust pipe he would talk and joke...occasionally even fart (yes, that's right, the truck farts). But recently, we finally figured out how to make Rocky come alive...and when we did, a whole new Rocky dance came to life.

Pumpkins

We thought Ivy was fearless. She will do anything but today she met her match...pumpkins. I took the kids to meet friends and take pictures at a pumpkin patch. Ivy freaked out when we got there. All her friends were very sweet and picked up baby pumpkins to show her that there was nothing to be scared of. She couldn't wait to leave. It was hard to take pictures of Bryce because he was having so much fun running around that he wouldn't stand still and smile. It's the thought that counts right?

On a side note, Russell took this picture of Ivy doing something that she loves, eating chili!

Birthday Party Crasher

Bryce's friend Morgan had a birthday party this weekend at the Little Gym. You might remember the Little Gym from Bryce's list of summer time activities. He seemed to have fun running around the mats at the gym and walking across the balance beams. I think he occasionally hung from some things, but generally he would stand to the side and mentally mock the other children...he's got a cynical side I'm telepathically cultivating.

Ivy on the other hand will literally leap at any opportunity to fall off something. Luckily the Little Gym is full of padded floors (although the way Ivy attacks that place, she'll more likely be in need of padded walls somewhere down the room...seriously...she's crazy). So...with an opportunity to hit the gym this weekend and crash a birthday party (read: sneak a piece of cake), Ivy was all over it.

Here you'll see Ivy playing under the direct supervision of a responsible adult who has her best interest in mind. Notice the safe proximity and spotting demonstrated by this person we'll call "Mommy".


In this video you'll see Ivy taking a more independent approach to her gymnastics career. It's probably advisable that she be spotted by some one (instead of perhaps...say...filming), but that's what you get when you leave Daddy alone with the kids.

But...as usual...she gets up with a smile (although it is hard to ignore the flash of sheer terror at about the 12 second mark...but without pain there would be no joy...right?). How much do you think it would cost to floor our house in those mats?

Requiem for a Nanny

2009 has been a difficult year for the Newman side of the family. With January came the passing of an Uncle who spent more time than any of us knew battling cancer. April came quickly after when on the 10th day, a Great Aunt - Auntie - left us after more than 100 years. The summer came and we started to heal. Ivy turned 1 and Bryce turned 3. Lots of firsts - walking and talking; more of the same - golf in the yard, tricycle riding, and too many cookies. Things were getting better. Then August came...and Nanny went. A car accident was the terribly tragic end to more than 95 years of life...not fair.

I'd like to think that there wasn't anything she loved more than us, her grandchildren...but that would be a lie. Her Great Grand Children brought more joy than a fresh bakery roll covered with fresh tomato and nice piece of American cheese. I'm told it took several days for the smile to go away from our last visit at the park in Waco earlier this summer. ...A gift I'm glad we were able to give her. And for Nanny...who was always quick with a quarter for the toy machine at the grocery store, or a bakery fresh cookie, or even a crisp $20 bill...her last gift to us (and our kids) will be something we can cherish for a lifetime.

So with our new piano so elegantly displayed, I'm thrilled to have music brought in to our house (although not as excited as Bryce was when the 'packer' truck showed up to deliver it). But more than that, I'm glad that we'll have something we can look at, and listen to, that reminds us of her.

With much love...