The Scrapping Abyss

Well I must be an official geek now- as of last week, my laptop was FULL, as in would not let me download things, could not even open a file in Photoshop. (Help, Santa!) So until I have a better solution, some of my digital scrapbooking files will have to live on the desktop.

In the last week, Michael's vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds. We know he understood most of these words before then but had yet to say them himself. In the last month he's become very good at parroting what we say, but he's now crossed the border into talking on his own initiative. Example: While shopping at Hy-Vee the other day, he pointed to the bakery and said, "cookie," plain as day. He remembered a time or two ago when Christopher was along and they got cookies. Michael even asked politely "pease" at the bakery and received his prize.

Scrapbook pages above:
Top left: Christopher with Jill (my sister-in-law) on her hospital bed right after Lucy was born. Journaling reads:

When I met Lucy 4 days after she was born, Jill mentioned she was glad she had a girl b/c if she’d had a boy, she was sure he would be “gross” like her friend’s son. Jill was full of praise that Christopher isn’t “gross” like that.

After returning home, I had to email Jill back: Jill, I thought you were thankful that Christopher isn't "gross"...but I just scrutinized the pictures from Lucy's birth day and lo and behold Christopher is sitting in your hospital bed with a WHOOPIE CUSHION!…

Jill’s reply: I don't consider that gross. I can't explain it, [the friend’s son] just is gross. That is funny though. Here I am on the day I give birth, playing with a whoopie cushion with my nephew. He was hiding it in my bed covers. I can practically imagine my speech at his wedding. :)

The layout at lower left shows Christopher and me making the carrot cake for Michael's first birthday party. Jeff stood up on the counter to get the way cool picture (very creative...two thumbs up, Jeff!)

Another two thumbs up to Jeff for the picture of Daisy...he'll have to explain the technique in the comments section, but it involves a special program that integrates 3 pictures together...one purposely underexposed, one right in the middle, and the third overexposed.