Ferris Wheels, Friday Fun, & Father's Day

Sunday, June 20, 2010:

Yesterday was Father's Day and we awoke to Stella yelling, "Daddy! Daddy!" from her crib. It was as if she knew it was his day and was ready to give him her undivided attention. Luckily for her, Alan is not the type of dad to want "alone time" on Father's Day...he wants to be with her every moment and be just as hands-on as he is any other day. And so he did. We went to the beach in the morning where they played in the sand and jumped in the waves. It was a great day!

Digging a big hole in the sand!

Splashing in the waves!

Friday, June 18, 2010:

During the summer months in Wilmington, the River Walk downtown hosts a concert series called "Downtown Sundown." Many of the bands that play are tribute bands. This past Friday was the Guns-n-Roses Tribute Band, so we went to hear some live music. Stella had a great time dancing, but the highlight of the evening definitely occurred during our walk back to the car: We were walking past this young gentleman who plays music on the street for tips. His musical instruments included a set of drums, a harmonica, and a kitchen pot (which he wears on his head). As we neared this man, we noticed that he was making up songs, on the spot, about the passers-by. Alan was pushing Stella in the stroller when the musician composed a fine tune with these lyrics: "Hey dude pushing the baby around. Won't be long 'fore she's pushing you around. And you'll be the one wearing diapers...." Ha! That really had us laughing because it is probably true. Anyway, here are some photos from Friday's fun night!

Getting ready to leave for the show! She loves her shades.

Dancing in the air - with the help of Daddy!

Dancing on Daddy's shoulders!

Thursday, June 17, 2010:

Last week we decided to take Stella to Carolina Beach for the evening to take some "planned" photos. Many of the brick walls along the boardwalk are painted bright colors, so we thought it would make for an excellent backdrop. I remember the days when we could set Stella down and do silly faces and dances to get her to smile for the camera. Those days are LONG GONE as most times she runs in the opposite direction of the camera. Regardless, we were able to get her to stand still for a few moments while I asked her various questions: "Can you point to the sky?" or "Look there! What's that?" It worked for a while; then she caught on. Ultimately, Alan was able to get some great shots, and through his editing capture the beauty (and not the beast) of our 18-month-old.

"Hey Stella! What's that?"

"You're crazy, Mom. There's nothing over there worth noting."

"Can you point to the sky?"

"You can look at it...but there is no way in hell you're going to ride on it."

"See ya later, folks!"

Denim Derriere

When I first received an email that advertised Huggies' Denim Diapers, I thought it was a joke. Still, I thought to myself, "Sure...if denim diapers existed, I would purchase them. Especially if they don't cost more than the others." Then, I saw a commercial advertising these diaper duds. Thrilled that they actually existed, I said to Alan, "I think I'm going to get a package of those denim diapers for Stella." His response was, "No. That's stupid. There's no way they look like denim." Well, today I was in WalMart and I saw these denim diapers in person. Even though I had a full package of Pampers at home, I succumbed to the temptation and purchased a package. Overly excited, I came home to reveal my find to Alan, who rolled his eyes. Stella, however, was thrilled. I immediately changed her diaper and then made her spend the rest of the night in nothing else (until she poo'ed). Her denim-clad bum was just so stinkin' cute (no pun intended).