Victory Speech

My apologies to those who don't share my politics - please feel free to skip this -but I just have to share my favorite parts of Obama's victory speech.  Some would cynically say his speech writers are manipulating me.  I would say they have reached the heart of what matters. 

We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president — that’s the future we hope for. That’s the vision we share. That’s where we need to go — forward. That’s where we need to go.


…

What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.

…

I am hopeful tonight because I’ve seen the spirit at work in America. I’ve seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job. I’ve seen it in the soldiers who reenlist after losing a limb and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back.

I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm. And I saw just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care.

I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own. And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright. That’s who we are. That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president.

…

I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.

…

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states.

Election Day Smile

Need a smile?  Just keep reading. 

The Scene:  our living room; 6:00 a.m.; Annie sitting on her little potty, having just finished telling me a story about her friend Levi who tried to take all his clothes off at school yesterday.

K:  That's a really funny story.  Hey, before we go to school, we are going to go vote this morning.
A:  Vote?
K: Yes, we are going to go stand in line, and then Mommy and Daddy are going to press some buttons on a screen and vote for president.
A: Why are you going to be president?
K: I'm not going to be president, I'm going to vote for president and tell everybody who I want to be president.
A: Can we take our clothes off?
K: No, that would probably not be a very good idea.
A: Are we going to go swimming?
K: No, why do you think we are going to go swimming?  Oh, did you think I said boat?  I didn't say boat, I said vote, with a "V."  vvv vvv vote.
A:  Are we going to go fishing?
K: No, we aren't going to go fishing.  And I didn't say boat, I said vote, with a "V." vvv vvv vote.
A: Can Sadie go on the boat?
K: No, I don't think she would like it.
A: Daddy, we are going boating!
K:  No, we are going voting!  There are NO boats.
A: Why are we going?
K: Because we need to vote to be good citizens.
A: Are we going to wear life jackets?

Sigh...

Teeth!

What?  Finn has two tiny little teeth already?  At 4 1/2 months, he is half the age Annie was when she got teeth.  My husband believes this is conclusive evidence that Finn is ready for a steak.   As for me, I was wholly unprepared, and miss the gummy little grin already.  I'm so glad that I have a couple of photos of that wide-open little laugh, sans teeth. 

Happy Halloween

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!  We had a very fun Halloween this year.  The contrast to Annie's timid trick-or-treating of last year was pronounced.  She marched from house to house quite purposefully, climbed the steps, rang the doorbell and beamed an intense smile through the glass windows at whomever was coming to bring her chocolate.  She often said "trick-or-treat" before the folks could open their doors. By the end of the night, after being confused over how many things I kept prompting her to say, she was saying "Halloween Thank You" after receiving candy.  It was precious.

We decided that Finn makes a really good lion. He tolerated our fun pretty well.

And here we are working on my resolution to not only take more family photos, but to actually BE IN the photos, regardless of how tired, frumpy or stressed I feel.  I figure I owe it to the kiddos.  I'm taking this one up a notch by actually SHARING said photos of tired, frumpy, stressed Krista.  Enjoy. 

Its a shame that you can't see Annie's beaming smile on the other side...I think we may have some that Grandma and Grandpa took a few weeks ago during a practice run. I'll try to share those later.

 Annie loved this house because they had ghosts.  She had been hunting for ghosts all day and was very happy to finally find some!

Annie and Grandpa - I think they're having fun. :)

And, blast from the past - Annie last year.  Melts my heart. :)

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October happenings

October has flown by - here's what we've been up to, in brief:

Hanging out at home.  Finn is morphing even more into a mini-Toby, which makes me smile every day.  Here they are, with Finn wearing his "Mini Cooper" onesie. 

 

And a very frequent sight in our living room - Annie loving on Finn.  It usually involved some version of tackling, squashing, squeezing or otherwise putting Finn at risk for a minor head injury, but Annie sure loves hugging her brother.  She tells me that she will take care of him at school, and she likes to sit next to him and pat him while saying, "Awwww.  Its okay, Finn.  Your mommy will be here after naptime."  Finn's favorite thing in the world is watching his sister jump, dance, and otherwise act like a toddler.  He giggles at her, which makes my heart melt.

We went back to Gentry's farm this year.  Its quite the autumn tradition in these parts.  I have more cute pictures, just not the time to post them.

Finn is officially a big eater.  At his 4 month visit, the doctor said we could start him on oatmeal and then veggies.  The boy LOOOVES to eat and is already eating twice a day now.  He is going to go from large to huge between now and his 6 month visit.  Favorite foods:  oatmeal and squash.  Not too sure about peas, but he'll eat them.

And my favorite picture we've taken so far this fall - my little owls!  How on earth did we get both of them smiling?  This may be my favorite picture we have ever taken of them.

We attended Pumpkinfest on Saturday.  Annie had a great time on the giant inflatable slide...and I did, too. :)

Finn hung out in the front-pack, where he got a lot of snuggles from Daddy.

We met up with Annie's BFF, Nolan and shared some chicken tenders and bouncy fun.

My apologies for the short/missing posts lately.  Now that Finn is sleeping in the guestroom, which is where we keep the computer, I have zero access during the only times of day when I could actually compose a post.  This too shall pass. 

Spot the Difference

PS - just wanted to add (this is Dad by the way) this picture of someone else very special to our hearts, taken 27 months ago;

I think Krista and I will be out hunting for a nice double picture frame this weekend!

4 months and an even rougher week!

Well, the last 10 days or so have been so rotten that I don't even feel like recounting the drama.  The short version involves my return to work, an eye infection, having to go cold turkey on Finn's pacifier addiction, and Finn's hatred of daycare.  We are all better now, thank you very much. 

As evidence that we have made it through the worst of the drama and that Finn does not appear to be permanently traumatized, I present the following incredibly cute photos.

He was a trooper through his 4 month shots, even paci-less.  He is 16 pounds, 4 ounces, and 25 inches tall.  75th percentile for everything, except his head, which is a bit smaller (50th).  He LOOOVES eating oatmeal, which has been a different experience from Annie's introduction to food.  Did I mention that he is cute?