Phenix City Tornado 04/19/2009

This is less then a mile away from my house.... actually if you look at the first pictures the trees and stuff to the left...I live right behind the trees...I dont even have any words for how scary this all is....

This is HWY 280 going into Georgia onto Victory Drive! Street Light with a weird bend...

There is residental housing behind all this which I couldnt get into to take pictures as it was blocked off by police...I cant stop thinking about the tornado going into the other direction...then it would've been us...

"The Cage" and Kara's 1st Easter

We spend Good Friday with our friend C. and her son! I saw what I can only call a child trapping device under her crib (I believe they are called "play yards" although "baby jail" would be a much better description of the product) and before I knew it I was loading it in my car...Kara cant and will not sit still for longer then 2 seconds and although I enjoy the added activity of chasing her tiny bootie around the house...every once in a while I would like to enjoy to read more then one sentence at a time in a book or magazine...I have been eying the idea of getting one of those but so far just couldn't justify $70 on such a thing...

I tried it out after we got home and here you can see how it went... oh and as a side note...the dress she is wearing is a size 0-3...now why my 8 month old fits into this...I surely don't know...

"mmmhhh...ok..."

"ok...well....I'll just chew on my toy..."
"HEY...MOM...I see you!!!"

"ok...hello? how do I get out?"
"THIS IS NOT OK!!!!!"
I assume she will get used the idea of being in there a few times a day and so far it has been ok as long as I change out her toys frequently...

Then today was Kara's 1st Easter! I had put her in the cutest Easter Pajama Saturday night but as I was nursing her to sleep she decided to throw up 2.5 larger tubs of Gerber Sweet Potatoes and Banana Vanilla Custard and the milk she had up until then...oh well...she gave me a heart melting smile and a cute (although entirely accidental) wave that I managed to capture so I guess that's worth more on the picture then non smiling 1st Easter Pajama's...

My parents had send money and the plush bunny... we bought her this adorable stroller as their gift (can I just say it one more time...THANK GOD I GOT A GIRL I mean how cute is that stroller???).

I must admit that we didn't even get a an Easter Basket...we did however get her a stationary push toy that she adores and she will get the all American " Easter Basket" next year.

Grandma Fran

Grandma Fran...I don't even have words for her! She is our adopted Columbus, GA Grandma...
Kara (and I for that matter) are so lucky to have her in our lives and we are so thankful for the leap of faith that brought her into our little world way before Kara was even born. Fran - thank you for everything!!! Whenever the Army moves us I will pack you up and take you with us!!!!


Taking a nap...the child doesnt even sleep on me like that...

If Fran is our adopted grandmom then Chris must be the adopted uncle... :-) whatever it is...Kara is just as much in love with him as she is with her...these were taking before his Senior Prom!

Kara and the BEACH Part 2

Here is the rest of the "vacation" pictures:

Asleep on the little boat that took us to "Shell Island"!
Posing for mama! I just wish she would've looked at the camera once...

Still WAY more interested in all the "stuff" thats going on around her...heck who wants to look at mama when there is sand, ocean and birds all around...

All giggles...look close she really is giggling behind all my hair...

I call this one "baby feet in the sand"...

Happy little camper...

Screaming in delight...

Ok...so I thought let her touch the sand...didnt think of her constant wet slobber hands and that sand does actually stick to it...it was so hard to get off...yet she is unphased and still playing with the sand in her left hand...

awwwwww...if I may say so...

More giggles...

Looking but of course NOT smiling...I guess I just cant have it all...
We got to shake Dolphin hands...Kara was rather fascinated...
And here the highlight of the trip...at least in Kara's eyes...the oh so soft and fluffy bed! She was mushing her face all in it as soon as I put her on the bed she crawled to the pillows and had a good ole time...oh how she loves the simple things...

ATTACK!!!!SMUSH!!!!!!!

Right before full on body smush into the pillow! I could've watched her on this bed for hours...

Kara and the BEACH Part 1

For the sake of getting this done sooner I decided to split these up in several posts!

The Pier at the Hotel with the Bay behind us.

Excuse that HAIR! Wow sea air is not my friend ;-)

Kara got to dip her feed in the cold ocean...I admit..mainly for the sake of the picture...

Yeah...getting all 3 to look is like trying to fit Easter and Christmas in one day...
She just kept starring at the ocean :-)