No Training Wheels!!

Well, it's official, Olivia is a "Big" girl now. She has been asking to take her training wheels off of her bike, but Mom had not been ready...until now. Daddy finally agreed and he and Olivia decided to start with her old bike since it's smaller. Well.....true to form, she jumped on and never looked back. So much for that bonding experience of teaching your child how to ride a bike! She needed no help from us :o) She never fell, not even once! Here is some video of it. She was so excited that David had to take her out at 7am this morning for a quick once around before school. Just growing up too fast for me!

Peace and Quiet

Airfare $400

Hotel $600

Massages $250

Dinner at Mortons $220

Weekend spent alone as a couple $PRICELESS$

9 Years and Counting

Well...............Jaime has successfully put up with me for 9 years. Tomorrow is our official anniversary, but I will be in Florida, so we did some celebrating today. I was thinking this afternoon of all the places we've been and things we have done. I still cannot believe that she let me move her around the country for seven years before finally settling down back near home. I suppose the net result in being back in TX near family makes it all worth while.

So............as my tribute to my awesome wife Jaime, I am making additions to a previous post from early last year. This post is being made under no duress, alcohol or narcotics. (last post was done after a visit to Dr Richard Chop and heavy medication........or that is what it was blamed on) Back by popular demand, here is what I love about Jaime Cowan:

She lets me work a well-paying, life-draining job so that she can work a no-paying, life-changing job -- The only time I don’t miss her is when I’m with her -- She doesn’t realize that I don’t deserve her -- She understands my jokes and thinks they’re funny….or really dumb -- She doesn’t hold it against me (for long) when she thinks that I’m mean to her -- She talks a lot…….A Lot -- She indulges my bizarre ideas -- She makes the best brownies in the world -- She takes me out of my comfort zone -- She showed me how much I could be loved -- She’s my best friend -- She recognizes when traditions are irrelevant and meaningful and important -- She can laugh at herself -- She can laugh at me -- I can laugh at her….well sometimes. -- Her laugh triggers an endorphin release in my brain. -- She’s the most intuitive and emotionally intelligent person I know -- She still has a temper -- She’s comfortable and content being herself -- She puts a lot of thought into every gift she gives -- She taught me how to treat her the right way (I’m still learning) -- She’s a great cook -- She likes my grilling -- People like me better when they know she approves of me -- She listens as well as she talks -- She loves games, she’s very competitive, and she likes that I’m competitive as well, because seriously, what’s the point of playing a game if you’re not trying to win? -- She has not yet completely flipped out over my habit of biting my nails – She lets me open doors for her -- I brag about her to my friends and family -- I pat her rear every time I walk past her and she still looks at me funny like I did something wrong -- She says the funniest, most random things when she’s asleep -- She’s an amazing friend, to me and to everyone -- She’s kind to children and small animals -- She helps me dress in a socially appropriate manner -- She has this tiny little shirt that, uh, never mind…-- She’s both humble and confident -- She has beautiful penmanship -- Her beauty and the force of her presence do not allow me to ever take her for granted -- She takes care of me even when there’s no reason for it -- Her come-hither expression makes me weak in the knees – She is the most amazing mother -- She gave us Olivia…….and still agreed to have Reece -- She appreciates children’s sense of wonder/humor -- She can recognize a crazy ambition in me, and she lets it run its course rather than actively squelching it -- Everyone in my family absolutely loves her -- She lets me hold the TV remote even though she hates the way I use it – She can recognize a pre-60’s car or truck and point it out before me -- She still calls her parents everyday -- I can’t imagine life without her.

I know that each of you enjoy having her in your lives just as much as I do.
Dave

Random Pics

Since we haven't had a ton of stuff going on lately, I decided to just add a few random pics....enjoy!

Helping Daddy Work on the Stairs

Relaxing with His Puppy!

Tasting the Screwdriver :o)

Balancing While Snacking

Valentines Morning

Valentines Dinner

To Cross This River, You Must Pay A Tax

It is interesting that with all the shortcomings in the economy today, cities are getting creative on how to make ends meet. For example...................I noticed the most interesting/creative tax this week. While in New Orleans, first of all you cannot get a hotel without paying 30% in taxes. My room rate was $89 and the tax tacked on was $24, which is not abnormal. The most interesting thing was this....................I valet parked my rental car, which turned out being $26 per night (yikes). On top of the valet rate, there was a city valet tax of $3 and a parrish valet tax of $2. Try asking a valet guy who is paid on tips to explain this to you.........it is pretty funny listening to the spin.

Now......for those of you who know me well, you know that I hate debt and actually have a phobia of it. Even if you offer me zero percent interest, I would rather pay cash than owe someone. Thus the reason I LOVE American Express. They make you pay in full at the end of every month so you can never push off a purchase on credit. This way, you should never have any credit card debt. I bring this up to say that this week I got my annual report from AmEx which is always cool to look at. Check out how my 2009 went:

I took 42 round trip Southwest flights.
I rented a car 26 times.
I stayed in 53 different hotels with multiple nights.
I went out to dinner 177 times in which I paid.
I purchased gas 146 times.
I paid $408 in tolls.......(tax)

I cannot wait to get the 2009 recap on Jaime's AmEx................just to see how many times we contributed to Starbucks bottom line. LOL.

Mystery Snack

So yesterday Reece and I were at this new park we've been going to. While we were walking around, he stopped to play with some small rocks on the ground. Nothing unusual about this, he is fascinated with rocks. So I look away to see a truck driving by, when I turned back I see him chewing. Hmm, surly he isn't chewing the rocks (though he's been known to try) so I run over to discover it's not a rock but rather this. Who knows what this is???

Oh yes, that would be DEER POOP!! He was just munching away and I nearly had a heart attack. I scrapped as much out as I could with my finger, and used his shirt to clean out his rest. I guess to him it looked like raisins but he didn't seem to mind the taste of the little brown yummies. Ugg, how gross, I had to make him leave the park after that because he was looking for more "nack". Nice!

What's Reece Into These Days?

Okay, that statement is really more of an accusation than a question, coming from me, but I thought it was appropriate. Our little Reece is into EVERYTHING these days to be specific. Since we had his port surgery in October and began prophy shortly after we LUCKILY have not had any bleeds or major injuries that required a trip to the doc. I know it's just a matter of time, but so far so good! He has had a couple of minor falls that we gave a higher dose than normal, and a call to the doc., but we didn't have to go in. This is really amazing since he has turned out to be even more of a dare devil that Olivia was (didn't know that was possible). All my hopes of him being laid back and calm for the sake of safety are out the window :o) He is 100% boy and goes at everything with a big (mischievous smile) and at a dead run.

We did have some blood work done just after Christmas to send off for genetic testing. We are going to find out where in his genetic make-up his mutation occurred then we will compare that to mine to find out if he received the "mutated gene" from me or not. This matters because if he did get it from me, then Olivia has a chance of also being a carrier. I'm trying to not worry about that until we know for sure if is was me or not.

Other than this, Reece has been a normal wild almost 2yr. old. I feel so much better about letting him do all the climbing, running, and jumping that he wants when I have his factor right inside the house (and his helmet on). If I know we're going to have a big day, I just infuse him and go on with our life. It's such a comfort knowing we have that ability now! Here are a few pics of him and what he's doing these days.

I discovered this talent while doing laundry one day....yes scary!

Playing Silly String with Sister Wearing Daddy's Hat We play with EVERY toy in the box! He sits in the wagon the way HE wants to!