Wednesday, September 14

when it rains, it pours



July 1
Sunroom
I'm a little behind so three months old seems like ages ago! He's a happy boy (read "mama's boy") and already has a smile that will make the girl's (read "mama's") knees weak.


July 2
LGBG
A long overdue playdate with Luke. Some sand pit fun then beer and barbecue lunch. Let's be honest, the playdate was just as much for the parents.


July 3
Children's Museum
LB digging this marker storage. I am too.



July 4
Downtown Ashland
Went to spend some time with our old neighbors in our best Fourth of July attire. Caught the last act of the parade, (The chair twirlers. Seriously, synchronized lawn chair dancing.) the orchestra, and delicious cookies.


The cat tried to leave with us. Or maybe he just really liked Edwin because earlier he jumped in the carseat with him.


July 5
Kitchen
Dad snuggles.


July 6
Station 7
He's probably peeking in the window thinking how cool it is to have a job where you get to lounge in a recliner and watch whatever tv you want.


July 7
Kitchen
When there is no beer left and Miriam leaves this girly drink in your fridge...



Pad Thai Restaurant
Doing a twofer because the kids and I are about to go out of town for a couple weeks. And to remind us of the wasp almost landing on Jonah story when we look back at this photo.


July 8
Sunroom
I'm holding a baby. This is what it looks like to be him. A doting father and a great-aunt that loves her niece so much she flew to town just to turn around and get in a car with two babies and drive 1000 miles through the night.



July 9
Bedroom
Getting our last rest before the journey. I like this because I have a similar photo with Leena. Oh, the dependent sleepers.


July 10
Kiki's Condo
Little Rock, AR
We made it! And before sunrise! 
Now there's something we don't see every day: a tv! And a baby butt crack.



July 11
Kiki's Condo
Getting our bearings on Kiki's neighborhood. Gutter puddles, check.


July 12
Bedroom
Richmond
Meanwhile, Andy prepares for a night of sleep study sleep.


Kiki's Pool
First pool swim of the summer for these two!




July 13
War Memorial Splash Pad
Little Rock
Puts the garden's splash pad to shame! Once Leena warmed up, she was on it!



July 14
Kiki's Condo
Making sure the kids don't forget their father.


July 15
The Riverwalk
Little Rock
Taking a walk with Grandpa Bud. It was a billion degrees, but we survived.



July 16
Little Rock Zoo
Dollar zoo day was...well, a zoo! Leena and Harper, cousin-cousins, became best friends this day.



July 17
Holy Souls Playground
Little Rock
We spent Sunday morning at the church playground. We had it to ourselves and Leena was the cutest.



July 18
Grandma Kelly's
Little Rock
Spending time with Grandma in her bed. So blessed we had this time to visit with her and for her to get to spend some time with her great grandkids. She passed away 8 days later on the 26th, just two weeks after her 95th birthday. If ever there was a life to be proud of, she had it.



July 19
Grandma and Grandpa Frost's
North Little Rock
Here's another moment I will forever treasure. Grandma Frost meeting her newest great grandson. She passed away a few weeks later on August 7. To me, these two women are the beginning of everyone I know and love as family. It is a great loss, but the legacies they each leave and the gifts they have each given are innumerable.



July 20
Backyard
Richmond
Andy is not exactly relaxing with all his kid-free time. Between his hell week shifts, he's been digging a giant ditch. Ben didn't help. He just got in and held the tape measure when it was all done. (JK.) But for real, it rained heavily the next day and Andy had to redo a bunch of the digging. So this is the literal "when it rains, it pours".


July 21
Oma's House
Kilmarnock
And this is the figurative.
I'm so glad Andy got to spend so much time with Oma in life and in the end. Theirs was a relationship I always admired, for their closeness and connection. Oma immediately adopted me as her own the minute I walked into Andy's life. I'm forever grateful for all that she shared with me. She passed away July 30, peacefully at her home.


July 22
Kiki's Condo
Rollers start to trickle into town for Jeta's big pre-wedding-celebrations weekend. Here they are meeting Jonah for the first time.


July 23
Bob's House
Little Rock
The bachelorette portion of the celebrations. 
Bob's traditional contribution: a cake for breakfast. This one perfectly decorated for the occasion.



A gay bar I can't remember the name of
Obviously we made Jeta volunteer for some ridiculous game on stage. And obviously we were the oldest people in this bar.



Ernie Bigg's Piano Bar
I think just saying where we are is evidence that we don't know what's cool in Little Rock anymore. But we do still know how to shut a place down! (We made it to last call. Woot!)



July 24
Solomon's House
Little Rock
The bridal shower portion of the celebrations. Not bad for the morning after! And the alternate caption: My mom watching the photo shoot, says "Y'all don't look older at all" in the most sarcastic voice ever. Thanks, Mom.



July 25
The Wonder Place
Little Rock
Getting in some final friend time with Mimi and her gang. Joseph looks way bigger because he is closer to the camera, but he's only 2 weeks older than Jonah. This is the beginning of their forced best friendom.



July 26
Kiki's Condo
Scrubbing up before the long journey. Another example of having the most generous people in my life...Carver flew to Memphis this morning, just to be picked up and literally drive right back to where she came from. All so I didn't have to journey with the kids by myself. We spent the night in Nashville, ordered Indian take out, and watched tv.



July 27
Nashville AirBnB
Getting ready for day two. Carver already has the crazy eyes that come with hours in a closed space with a toddler and a baby.



July 28
Sunny Point Cafe
Asheville, NC
Making sure to finish the road trip on a full stomach. Carver was a champion in entertainment, patience, and all-in-all everything. I'd probably still be in Little Rock if she hadn't helped me get back to Virginia.



July 29
Children's Museum
Richmond
Back together again. So happy to be in the same state as my better half. I loved spending so much time in Little Rock, but being a single parent is hard. And anybody who has to do that without an end in sight, is a winner every day in my book.



July 30
Otter Cover
Kilmarnock
These two being cute and sitting together like they love each other. A sweet sight for a sad day.


July 31
Otter Cove
Ducky/Jonah time in the morning. A relaxing way to end the hectic month.