Laughing Baby

You can't help but laught at this little guy. No relation, just a random you tube video.

Allergies

DSC_0421.jpg
Originally uploaded by alexmuse

I've been fairly allergic to random things like dust mites, animal hair (dogs and cats, sorry Battle), etc. I've recently had some "flair ups" and so I finally got to see an allergist. As she was going over my history, I told her about a particularly bad incident involving Aaron, a gym, hives, and an emergency room. She is now so worried about me that she gave me a prescription for an Epi-Pen. =|

Zurich Switzerland LDS stake center

Zurich Switzerland LDS stake center
Originally uploaded by SergeBrasseur

Several months ago I started a Flickr group dedicated to collecting photos of the many LDS chapels around the world. Our stake center here in Virginia is pretty in its own right, but it probably looks just like yours. I got the idea several years ago while driving in Salt Lake on 9th East as I drove past several beautiful, unique chapels (one of which was Spanish Colonial). I love how uniquely LDS many of them are.

The picture included in this entry was uploaded just today. Doesn't it make you want to go to church.... in Switzerland?

"I making a..."

This is how Spencer starts. "I making a..." What follows could be a fire engine, "dump trutt", house, police car, or (today's installment) a rocket ship. Yesterday, with a little map education from Auntie Celeste, Spencer decided he was going to "Americas." On his trip, he brought sandwiches with cheese (his shoes), some soda (balls), and all other survival items one might imagine. It all started quite simply...



I thought it was really cute, so I took a picture of this first fire engine. Here's an interim picture from a later creation.



You see, they just get bigger. Spence has taken to relocating any and all items not nailed down or too heavy for his 34 pound frame to lift, and all of said items become a part of his ____ (you fill in the blank). There are some key elements: pooh bear, lots of blankets and pillows, all the puzzles in the toy closet, the roller coaster of beads, a Discovery toy ball carnival, the dump truck, and all the balls that are customarily neatly stacked in the bed of that same dump truck. I go back and forth from being a bit frustrated at the amount of clean-up required after each adventure to amazed at his ingenuity and desire to create. This little man will never be bored, I believe.

"I'm just making a bit rocket ship," Spencer has announced. "Come help me, Mommy. Help me make a big rocket ship." And he just took my cell phone, which I'd like to see again, so off I go to play with my cute, creative, sometimes rascally little boy. And so it goes...

Happy Birthday Katy!

Subtitles - "Happy Birthday Katy Cummings"

Argentine at Heart

DSC05423.JPG
Originally uploaded by Adam W.

How can it be that we do not yet have a picture of my handsome hubby up on our blog yet? Well that is due, in part, to my being technologically deficient. I could net get the computer to upload a cute family picture taken at my sister's wedding. However, lest any more time pass I am uploading this choice photo from Flickr. This picture was taken when Adam visited Argentina this past June. He went down to attend the BYU Management Society Dinner in Buenos Aires, host a GMAT prep class for some hopefully-BYU-bound members, and visit with some folks he taught on his mission. Doesn't Adam look like a missionary? I am so proud of him as he furthers the dream of establishing a university abroad and continues to be an outstanding father and husband. No small feat!

Did I mention that he did the Sunday dinner dishes? Oh, how I love him!

We're going to zoo, zoo, zoo

"We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...How about you? You? You?..." Ah, the music of Peter, Paul, and Mommy (from the CD title). A childhood favorite. (I think that credit goes to Dad, the main CD purchaser in our family). This catchy little tune was running through my head the entirety of our trip to the National Zoo on Thursday. I am convinced I lead a charmed life. This dates back to an experience walking down the antiquated streets of Cambridge and exclaiming to my two roomies, "The only thing that could make this better is if there were bells ringing..." and then, on cue, the church bells began to "Bong! bong! bong!" This time around, we had been concerned about finding parking, so my mom pulled over to let the stroller brigade out at one of the first lots so she could scout out lots D, E, F... A parking attendant rushed up and said that a car had just pulled out, and we immediately took the offered spot. Our Cummings group was going to meet up with the Wride group who had made an earlier start somewhere in the zoo, and we were preparing to use cell phone locating techniques to perform said meet-up when who should appear walking along our entrance to the zoo than the very people we had intended to find! Like I said, a charmed life is mine.



Now for some favorites: Spencer loved the panda bears, the mating turtles (awkward, I know), the elephants, all the creepy snakes, the seals, and the fire engines that happened to be by the panda entrance. Emma loved sleeping in her Baby Bjorn (through nearly the entire day with the slight exception of the moment we took the picture at the top of this post), and she managed amazingly well in the late afternoon shower that drove the crowds away and cooled us off. I loved seeing my cute kids at the zoo and missed the giraffe (my favorite animal) who is down in Florida with friends while his home is reworked.

A cute little anecdote. I was asking Spencer yesterday who was in his family yesterday, having received a perfect answer earlier in the day ("Daddy, Mommy, Emma, Spencer!"). The afternoon's version was "Daddy is in my family, and fire trucks, and policemen..." Apparently seeing the fire engines and accompanying police cars at the zoo brought this boy's passion for emergency vehicles to the forefront of his little mind. What a family reunion we are going to have!

Marie at Wolf Trap

Marie at Wolf Trap
Originally uploaded by Adam W.

Here's Marie last Saturday as we waited for Camelot to start. (This photo was taken just seconds after the obligatory "No cameras or other recording devices can be used" was played over the loudspeaker, and taken just seconds before an earpiece totin' security guard reminded us).

Wolf Trap productions are always a lot of fun. But the most fun is had while you picnic on the lawn before the show.

[Update: Marie and others are at the National Zoo today so I thought I'd post in her absence.]

[Update: Italian soda is an enjoyable beverage in the summer.]

3 months old!

Alright, it may seem that I am now an excessive blogger having posted thrice previously today. However, at some point this evening I realized that today is the 18th and that means our little Emma is three months old! Coming from a long line of shutterbugs (remember those BUG books, Cummings clan?), I pulled out the camera to document the day, and Emma obligingly gave me a sweet little grin (see above). Now for a little brag time.

Emma is a beautiful baby with dark hair and the most exquisite blue eyes. She is a content little girl and has been sleeping through the night for the last month (bless you, Em). She loves to snuggle, but likes her alone time too. Emma is learning to laugh, starting to coo, and just recently started reaching out and purposely grasping things (like the toy that hangs from her swing, the skirt of her dress, or her mother's hair). She LOVES to be outside and truly does enjoy long walks...in the neighborhood since we do not have ready access to a beach. Emma loves the fellas in her life (big brother Spencer, Daddy, and both Grandpas) and reserves some of her sweetest smiles for them. She's been holding her head up since the day she was born and falls in the 97th percentile for height and weight. What a gal! We love you, Em!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Here are Marie, Emma, and Aaron at the Nationals game on Monday. Adam and Spencer are on the other end of the camera phone. We went to the game courtesy of Aaron's law firm and were just six rows back. We had a spectacular time, especially because our team won, and that meant fireworks! Emma jumped a few times at the spontaneous applause, but both she and Spencer thoroughly enjoyed being out of doors and at the game. We had hot dogs and sang the traditional "Take me out to the Ball Game!" What a wonderfully American experience!

Red, White, & Blue

Here's a little (belated) 4th of July post. We had fabulous fun at the town parade. Spencer and cousin Maddie were festive pals, sharing the candy they collected on the sidelines. Later, it was off to the local fireworks. We braved the rain and were rewarded with a spectacular fireworks show - Emma's first! Both our kids - two and new - loved the fireworks and being outdoors. Emma was sporting a darling outfit given her by Aunt Susan (thanks!) that was just right for the day.

Getting Started...

Alright, here goes! We are entering the world of the bloggers. Yes, Adam has been involved in this world for quite some time, but I am now bringing the family into the blogging scene. I do not promise to wax eloquent with each and every post, but I do promise to update it more often than I have e-mailed family updates. (Not hard to beat that record, I'm afraid). And yes, there will be plenty of baby pictures for all to peruse. That's what we do best, after all. If I knew how to link you to our flickr account I would, but as it is I am just getting started...