The Robertson Reporter

My Birmingham Bar Bulletin Article

2011-09-20T16:46:00.003-05:00

I am on the Birmingham Bar Association committee for their publication, the Birmingham Bar Bulletin. As a committee member, I was asked to write an article, which was published in the fall issue of the Bulletin. This may be my first real published work, though it did not require submission or competition. It did require effort, however, which I took seriously. I wanted to write an engaging article, and I am very pleased with how it turned out--just in time for football season! I uploaded a pdf for my Facebook friends, but this may be a little easier to read. It is not just for lawyers, so enjoy!

The Sports Fanatic’s Guide to Motions to Continue

For those of us who live and breathe college football, few things stand in the way of our fandom. Work, for most of us, is a passion, but a passion tempered by other passions. Like football and...well, FOOTBALL!

So what happens when your team makes it to that national championship game but you have a trial scheduled? You might even have expectations that this will be one of those magical seasons capped off with a trip to New Orleans. You may find yourself in the position where you want to move to continue the trial, but you don’t want to invoke the wrath of your judge and invite public scrutiny. Certainly, it would behoove you to get up-to-speed on what other attorneys have done to successfully get their motions to continue granted when faced with a similar dilemma. Let this be your guide.

The first sports fanatic to make local headlines for a motion to continue was Bessemer attorney Jon Terry. Alabama was set to play Texas in the 2009 BCS national championship game on January 7, 2010, but Terry was scheduled for trial before Judge Dan King for the very same date. Of course, Terry did what any good lawyer in his situation would do. He moved for a continuance. THE continuance.

I call it THE continuance, because not long after it was filed, Terry’s motion made national headlines. Within a day, THE continuance was picked up by the Atlanta-based legal blog, Abovethelaw, where readers discussed the merits of SEC football, and within hours, nationally-read Deadspin grabbed the story and posted opposing counsel’s response in opposition. The Birmingham News ran with the story too, and before he knew it, Jon Terry, along with his fellow defense attorneys were in the spotlight for having had the audacity to ask the Court--with a touch of levity--for the trial to be continued.

In his brief, Terry, eloquently explained that “such an event only comes infrequently during a person’s lifetime and is an achievement of such a magnitude that all involved in this litigation should want everyone to fully participate in this achievement.” Such levity, as we will see, is often well-received, though perhaps the most important thing here was that Terry was honest about his reason for seeking the continuance.

The Honorable Scott Vowell commended Terry on his bold request. According to the Birmingham News, Judge Vowell commented, “There’s been some motions for continuances and I’ve suspected what the real reason was, but this is the first one I’ve seen that was this honest and candid about the reason.”

But humor helps too. Abovethelaw characterized the plaintiff’s response in opposition as “lucid--and utterly humorless.” And it was the opposition who was overruled, despite the fact that the presiding judge was an avid Auburn fan. Judge King explained that he was inclined to grant the motion because if he didn't, “they'd say, ‘He just didn't grant it because he's an Auburn fellow.’” But perhaps he was compelled by Terry’s prescient argument that someday fans of that “other great team in this State” might “one day find themselves in the same position that the Defendant attorneys are in . . .”

Indeed, the very next year, Auburn faced off against Oregon for its own shot at the BCS National Championship. This time, two local attorneys made headlines with their motions to continue--Birmingham lawyers Michael Mulvaney and LaBella Alvis. Unlike Judge King, the presiding judges were fans of the same teams as the moving parties. In fact, the judge presiding over the trial that conflicted with Alvis’ BCS travel plans was none other than the Honorable Scott Vowell.

Perhaps Alvis was emboldened by Judge Vowell’s comments regarding Terry’s motion the previous year, as she took the sports fanatic’s motion to continue to a new level by writing her entire brief in metered verse resembling that of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. She opened with, “ ‘Twas three weeks before Christmas/When all through the muck/Not a creature was stirring/Not even a Duck,” and she concluded, “So let me hear you exclaim as I walk out of sight/Go to Glendale counselor and have a great night!”

Rather than fight the motion, opposing counsel Patrick Lavette requested that Alvis sing Title Night/Championship Fight to the tune of Silent Night in open court should the motion be granted. Not surprisingly, the motion was granted, but not without further poetry.

Judge Vowell crafted a poetic order in favor of Alvis’ motion. “So defendant's motion is granted; the case will be reset/But counsel are cautioned that not on a bet/Will any further delay be made legal./And, in closing, by the way, WAR EAGLE!” It appears Lavette was wise not to oppose Alvis’ motion.

Not every sports fan may have Alvis’ penchant for poetry. Take heart! Mulvaney used a completely different tactic with grand success in his motion to continue. His strategy? Copious amounts of cuteness. In an attempt to convey his family’s high level of investment in the Auburn football program, Mulvaney attached two pictures of his three daughters to his motion to continue. The first was a recent picture; the second was a picture from seven years ago in which his three angel-faced girls were sporting Auburn jerseys and flag-football gear. Mulvaney pleaded with the Court that this was a “once in a life-time opportunity” to attend the National Championship Game.

His judge, the Honorable Kristi DuBose, was not unmoved. She granted the motion, and by way of explanation, attached as an exhibit a picture of her own daughter as a toddler in Auburn cheerleading garb sitting next to a stuffed Aubie tiger. According to Mulvaney, he did not know that Judge DuBose was an Auburn fan before filing the motion. Fortuitous as it was, I cannot imagine any judge would be so stoic as to deny such an impassioned--and adorable--plea.

While the rest of the country might chalk up the orders granting motions to continue to attend football games as proof of the pervasiveness of football culture in Alabama, Alabama is not alone in having made these sorts of headlines.

Stephen Babcock, an LSU fan, might be credited as the first college football fan to move to continue a trial so he could attend the BCS championship game. His tactic? Humor and persuasive authority. He moved to continue his January 7, 2008 trial date based on the Louisiana Civil Code of Procedure, which states, “A continuance may be granted in any case if there is good ground therfor.” Per Babcock, “All counsel to this matter unequivocally agree that the presence of LSU in the aforementioned contest of pigskin skill unquestionably constitutes good grounds therefore.” Babcock even cited an Indiana case stating the importance of college football. Rensing v. Indiana State University Bd. Of Trustees, 437 N.E.2d 78 (Ind. App. 1982).

Babcock’s motion was granted, and not without precedent. In January of the previous year, the New Orleans Saints made their first NFC championship appearance in franchise history. Louisiana attorney James Garner and his fellow defense attorneys cited concern that there would not be a “full” jury pool if trial went forward the next day. The court granted a two-day continuance.

Then later, in 2010, when the Saints made their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, New Orleans Civil District Court Judge Michael Bagneris took “judicial notice that Saintsmania permeates the City of New Orleans.” He continued the trial for an entire week before the Super Bowl, recognizing that “several attorneys involved in this litigation and Court personnel plan on traveling to the promise land--the Superbowl in Miami, Florida” and that “this pilgrimage enhances the chances of the Who Dat Nation to acquire the long sought after Holy Grail--the Vince Lombardi Trophy.” Perhaps the order was the result of numerous motions to continue, or perhaps Judge Bagneris simply recognized the inevitable city-wide party that was to come.

If you are a fan of some other team of some sport other than football, don’t lose heart. Motions to continue can work for you too. Consider, for instance, Darrell Cook, a self-professed “Texas Rangers Baseball Club” fan who, despite his team’s pitiful history, found itself making a postseason run. In addition to humor, Cook opted to go push the pity-envelope as he described having a “Sports Cry” in the stands when the Rangers beat “the Evil Empire” to earn their spot in the World Series. Again, the presiding judge was moved, and granted his motion to continue.

So there you have it, the sports fanatic’s guide to motions to continue: honesty, poetry, cuteness, precedence, and pity. Take your pick or perhaps use some combination of these. But above all, do not forget your sense of humor.

Here’s to hoping your team puts you in this enviable dilemma this year.

At first they weren't so thrilled...

2011-06-16T15:18:00.004-05:00

...when Little I pulled the card that said "wash the car" but after getting things set up they had a blast!

Soap suds and water hoses make for a fun morning and I have a clean car to boot!

Summer Fun Kick-Off

2011-06-15T16:41:00.008-05:00

With preschoolers the end of "school" is almost non-existent yet we still feel the freedom and possibilities that summer vacation can hold. We started off with a very fun week of VBS. Little I and Mr. C enjoyed all of the activities and MomE taught a great class of rising first graders.

This week the boys started swimming lessons and if their enthusiasm is any indication we have a couple of little "fish" in the making. I am so glad they are excited about swimming as it is one of those life skills they have to learn whether they want to or not!

To help fill the summer days and provide the routine that little people like I have adapted an idea from my friend Penny. I made a poster board of "life under the sea" and each morning the boys take turns pulling a sea creature out of a fish bowl and on the sea creature is our daily activity. We post the cutout on the poster board and at the end of the summer can look back at all the fun things we have done.

Tuesday was the first day and Little I drew "go to the Dollar Store" where they each got to pick one item. They both chose toys that squirt water and had a great time soaking each other.

Wednesday Mr. C drew "play hopscotch" and in some form or fashion we played several rounds until the 90+ degrees got to us.

We can't wait to see what we have tomorrow!

Can Spiderman save us from the Pirate?

2010-10-11T15:14:00.003-05:00

Our local Chick-fil-A has Family Night every Tuesday. Children get a free kids meal with each adult meal purchase & there is usually a special attraction to sweeten the deal. Several weeks ago Starshine Faces was there and we took advantage of their talented artist. Instead of Little I and Mr. C we came home with Spidey and Jack Sparrow!

Cool Summer Pix

2010-09-26T20:21:00.011-05:00

Now that our boys are over the age of two, I've become remiss in seeking out and responding to good photo-ops. Fortunately, Mom E has picked up the slack and, between the two of us, Mom E and I have managed to capture a few funny, cute, and amusing moments this past summer. Here are a few of our favorites that especially stood out.

Icing on the noses.

The beach (lake) in PA.

Little I trying on my ear protectors.

Full concentration--Mr. C painting a birdhouse.

Rough and Tough.

Don't worry, there are more; these are just a sampling. We'll post an update from Mr. C's birthday celebrations and probably some zoo pics soon!

Summer Vacation in PA - Lake Tobias

2010-08-14T10:51:00.007-05:00

They boys & spent 2 weeks in PA this summer. We enjoyed the cooler weather (at least for the 1st week!) and I had fun taking them to places I enjoyed as a child. We played on the playground at my old elementary school, went to story time at the library and played in the green fields. One of our bigger trips was to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. The boys had so much fun seeing the zoo animals, feeding the animals in the petting zoo and feeding the buffalo, deer, and various large cattle you encounter on the safari tour.

Here the boys are checking out the alligators- a current favorite!

Little I, Mr. C & GG with the zebra they could pet and fed a cracker!

The boys feeding an Alpaca.

A Watusi, prized African cattle, which Mr. C bravely fed resulting in a VERY saliva covered hand. Thankfully the Watusi preferred crackers to fingers!

Summer Garden

2010-08-14T10:10:00.005-05:00

We planted our first garden this summer. Little I and GG planted green beans in May. We then added 4 varieties of tomatoes (red zebra, brandywine, marzano & what was supposed to be grapes tomatoes but must have been labeled incorrectly) some herbs and a sweet baby watermelon.

Here the boys are picking the green beans. We had a nice crop and while they will not claim green beans as a favorite veggie they ate them. Victory!

The red zebra tomatoes have done very well, the brandywines are delicious but the plant grew so tall & heavy that we have had a hard time keeping it upright, the marzanos were disappointing and the mystery tomato is a mystery we would probably not repeat but we can now plan better for next year! We currently have two grapefruit sized watermelons growing and the boys are faithful to check on them anticipating the day they get to eat them!

Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

2010-04-12T16:37:00.005-05:00

This past weekend was the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. We love all things car and we love all things fast so this seemed like a great family outing. The advertisers promoted it as a family event and Friday tickets were quite affordable so we decided to check it out. The big race was on Sunday & Friday's schedule was mostly practice which suited us just fine.

After a day of clarifying that we were going to see "Indy" cars not "Indian" cars we headed to the track. There was lots of grass for the kids to run around on and a children's area with inflatables.

The cousins trying out an Indy car.

Little I watching the track.
I am not sure which car is passing by but please appreciate the difficulty in timing a shot involving a car going 150 mph!

Little I playing on the hill during practice.

Mr. C getting his first taste of cotton candy.

MomE and the boys.
It was impossible to get them to look at the camera because of the noise. They couldn't hear the person shouting to look at the camera!

Easter Pics

2010-04-12T16:18:00.008-05:00

Happy Easter!

At least we are all looking in the general area of the camera! Little I is holding out his hands to catch the football we used as entertainment while trying to get a family picture.

Mr. C playing football before lunch.

Go deep!

Aunt A & Puck were here for Easter. We had a great visit with a trip to T-town to watch some Alabama baseball, Little I went to his first movie at the theater and Puck survived another visit with two preschoolers!

Here for a Visit

2010-04-12T16:03:00.003-05:00

DadD's parents came for a visit last month. They were just in time for the beginning signs of spring. We enjoyed a great visit including some time playing outdoors, riding the carousel & of course eating!

No pinching allowed!
Little I is sporting his green shirt as he helps granddaddy with the potatoes for our traditional
St. Patrick's Day meal.

Mr. C enjoyed some special time working on a puzzle with granddaddy & grandma.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the fun visit we had with our GA & NM cousins. We were all together for a couple days and managed a quick trip to Atlanta before everyone headed their separate ways.

Winter Summary

2010-04-12T15:25:00.005-05:00

Mr. C shows off the new football he received for Christmas.

MomE and Aunt A dressed up in reindeer antlers and elf hat on Christmas morning

Our cousins came for a fun visit right before Christmas.

What a treat! Aunt B and Cousin K came for a visit over New Years!

We projected the National Championship Game on our family room wall.
The boys had fun making shadows before the game.

We cheered for the Crimson Tide while munching on chips!

Snow ball fight! Little I challenged everyone to a battle.

Mr. C was just glad to be outside in the snow!

We were very excited to cheer on Bama at a couple of basketball games this season.

I wanted to catch you up very quickly on all our winter fun! Stay tuned for signs of spring!

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-30T15:29:00.005-06:00

I am hoping that we have started a new Christmas tradition this year. We invited our good friends from And Baby Makes Three over to decorate gingerbread houses although this year it was really graham cracker houses (gotta wait until the kiddos are old enough to appreciate the work that goes into real gingerbread houses!) Considering the children are all under 4 I think we had a good showing for our first attempt. Most of the candy went on the houses (at least initially) and some real creative juices were flowing (at least in the female gender).

Little I, Mr. C and Bubs stare down the houses. This is the only time Bubs had anything to do with decorating. In exactly 30 seconds after sitting down at a table FULL of candy he darted off to play at the train table. Gotta hand it to him- real self control around sugar!

Bubs favoring Thomas over decorating gingerbread houses.

The Bean hard at work decorating her house. Unfortunately she decorated her roof so well that by the end her roof line was a bit flatter but tasted just as good!

Mr. C probably would have been playing with Bubs except he was strapped into his booster seat and he has a real sweet tooth. He was a bit more into un-decorating than decorating.

MomE puts one on and I take one off and put it in my mouth...

...or put it in my house for later!

Little I did a great job decorating and to my surprise did not eat much candy.

Carefully considering which color next.

Cheese! I am done and am wearing the chocolate mustache to prove it!

Both moms decided that the trial run was a success and we hope to try it again next year so stay tuned!

Little I turns 3!

2009-12-30T15:04:00.004-06:00

Little I celebrated his third birthday this month. He of course wanted a Thomas the Tank Engine birthday so everything was decorated in blue (for Thomas), red (for James) and green (for Percy).

Little I's friends enjoyed hot dogs, all the juice boxes they could drink and of course cake!

His cousins drove over from Georgia to help celebrate.

Mr. C and Cousin JDH battle it out in balloon vs. sword!

Little I blows out the candles on his Thomas Cake!

A Look Back at Autumn

2009-12-11T19:44:00.012-06:00

Sorry for the delay in posts but we have been busy as you will soon see! This past October we moved out of our townhouse and into a larger home with a wonderful backyard. The boys have loved the room to run and even have a treehouse with a slide. It is a wooded lot with trees holding more than 30 large bags worth of leaves- after 30 we have stopped raking them up! I sure hope Santa brings a leaf blower!

DadD, Little I & Mr.C went trick-or-treating and met some of our new neighbors. Mr.C was a friendly dinosaur while Little I was a ferocious lion complete with a growl.

The boys enjoying the backyard

DadD's proud new ride.

Mr. C hard at work!

Reflections of Summer

2009-10-17T16:41:00.011-05:00

Last year we had a beautiful fall. I expounded on the glory of fall and football in the South--the best time of year down here. Well, this fall has not been so glorious. It has been rainy, drizzly, and rainy. But, we've tried to make the best of it.

Already it appears that cold weather has set in for good. Where'd our beautiful fall go with its crisp cool nights and moderate days? Where are the bright shades of sunrise turning in the autumn leaves? Muted? Hidden? I don't know but it's been awfully dreary here recently. Perhaps it is time for a little reflection back on the summer of 2009.

Reflection #1--Enjoying being outside. While fall has been rainy, summer was surprisingly cool, which just means it was not unbearably hot. Whether feeding the ducks (above) or playing at the park (below), it's just nice to just get of the house.

Reflection #2--Pennsylvania Lake House. We were fortunate enough to be invited to some family friends' lake house at Crystal Lake in the Poconos in August. We enjoyed one beautiful day at the lake--just enough time to get wet, get sunburned, and capture some great photos--before heading back to GG and Papa's house.

Reflection #3--Hilton Head. In September, my parents and grandma came to visit. My sister and her family had a gift certificate to use for a condo in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and invited my parents, grandma, and us to join them. Fortunately for Mom E, Little I, and Mr. C, there was room enough for them. Unfortunately for me, there was no way I could get off of work, so I had to sit the trip out. By all accounts, the boys loved the beach and loved playing with their cousins. We may have to make the trip a regular event.

Apologies for not updating the blog as frequently recently, but as you can see we've been busy. We're also in the middle of a move--more updates on that to come. In the mean time, enjoy these parting reflections.

Baby Zombies

2009-09-05T08:24:00.004-05:00

Mr. C has taken his first steps. Initially, he would try to run, rather than walk, and would fall right over. He's discovered that he needs to be a bit more deliberate and, thus, has begun the inevitable baby-zombie-walk. A little stilted, a little wobbly, but definitely walking. Go Mr. C, go!

Saturday Morning Mist

2009-08-29T15:33:00.007-05:00

We awoke inside a cloud this morning. The sunrise was pushed back by a sopping wet haze that seemed to muffle even the cardinals. Every night for the past week, we've watched a quarter-sized spider spin a massive web from house to fence. Each morning after, I've checked in anticipation of a masterpeice, only to find the web missing. This morning I finally saw the web and the mist. The mist seemed a perfectly eerie backdrop to the dewy strands, so I snapped some shots, then kept going:

Trip to Vulcan

2009-07-31T21:06:00.008-05:00

A couple of weekends ago was the Birmingham Membership Alliance Day, where various museums and theaters throughout the city allow reciprocating access to members of other museums and theaters. We have memberships at the Birmingham Zoo and the McWane Science Center, so we figured we'd use the opportunity to visit one of Birmigham's other sites, Vulcan.

Vulcan Park and Museum is a tribute to Birmingham's history in the steel industry. The statue of Vulcan, god of the forge, stands atop Red Mountain, overlooking the city of Birmingham. For those of you interested a detailed history, take a peek at the Vulcan website. For those of you who don't want to click away from these beautiful smiling faces, here is my executive summary:

Birmingham was founded in 1871. The area where the city grew is very special because it contains coal, iron ore, and limestone, the raw materials for making iron and steel. Birmingham's founders knew this would be a good place to build an industrial city. By 1900, Birmingham was called the "Magic City" because it grew so quickly. The city's leaders wanted to advertise Birmingham and the state of Alabama to the world by entering an exhibit in the St. Louis World's Fair. James A. MacKnight, the manager of the Alabama State Fair, decided a statue of Vulcan would best highlight the area's growing industrial abilities.

. . .

Designed by Italian artist Giuseppe Moretti and cast from local iron in 1904, it has overlooked the urban landscape of Alabama's largest city.
. . .

The statue proved to be a very popular exhibit and won the Grand Prize [at the St. Louis World's Fair] . . .

In 1905, when the World's Fair had ended, Vulcan was taken apart and brought by train back to Birmingham. . . . he finally wound up at the Alabama State Fairgrounds. . . . Merchants began to use him for advertising, and over the years he held various objects, such as a giant ice cream cone, a pickle sign, and a Coke bottle. Later he wore a giant pair of Liberty overalls. In the 1930s he was repainted in flesh tones.

. . .

In May 1939, Vulcan, now painted with aluminum paint, was finally in his new home in Vulcan Park, atop Red Mountain. The hollow statue was filled with concrete to help anchor it in place. In 1946, some safety-minded citizens decided Vulcan should remind everyone to drive carefully. Instead of his newly forged spear, he now held a cone-shaped, lighted beacon. This signal glowed green on days no one was killed in an auto accident and red on days when there was a fatality.

Apparently, Vulcan suffered from the same ailment as my backyard basketball goal in high school. Just like my basketball post which was never covered, the top of Vulcan's head was not covered, so rain poured in and he eventually developed cracks. Unlike my basketball goal that rusted at the base and fell over, someone figured out what was happening to Vulcan and dismantled him in 1999 before he could fall over. He was fixed, repainted, and the park re-opened in 2003.

I suppose it is a tribute to how long I've been in Birmingham because I can remember going up in Vulcan prior to 1999 and also remember when they took him down for safety reasons. For a while there, it seemed like no one was willing to put any money into restoring Vulcan. Eventually they did, but I wonder what Vulcan's fate would have been if they had to do the repairs in 2009 instead of 1999. . . Maybe he could have gotten some of that fictional dome money.

Ah well, at least Birmingham has some lasting legacy that heralds a time when Birmingham was a booming city full of promise. For Little I's and Mr. C's sake, I'm anxious to see some of that promise return.

Happy Birthday Mr. C!

2009-07-18T15:15:00.015-05:00

It is hard to believe that just one short year ago MomE and I were still at the hospital with our newest family member, Mr. C. Yesterday was a big day for Mr. C. He had a little birthday celebration with friends from play group, he got some new toys to play with, and he had his first cake. We decided to treat him to barbeque out for dinner after spending some time at the library. Mr. C must have known it was an important day because he surprised us with two new words: "bubbles" and "balloon"! His vocabulary now consists of eight words, which means he improved his vocabulary by 33% on his birthday. Way to rise to the occasion, Mr. C! Rather than wax philosophically about the relativity of a year depending on how you look at it or spend an inordinate amount of time reminiscing about the past 365 days, I'll get straight to the pictures.

The friends:

The family:

Blowing out the candle, Little I helped:

The cake with action shots:

I have to brag about MomE's creativity here. The "ice cream cones" below are actually cup cakes baked into ice cream cone shells. No silverware or napkins needed!

Happy Birthday Mr. C! We're so glad to be your mom(E) and dad(D)!

2young2text

2009-07-11T16:53:00.003-05:00

I: Hey C
C: zup
I: chk out my new cellphone.
C: Who U been callin?
I: GG, Papa ... Santa ;-)
C: ROTFL :-D
I: JK GG is on Mommy's phone, but I pretend to call her. I'll let you talk to her on my phone sometime.
C: TY WRUU2 right now?
I: I'm helping mommy make a strawberry pie.
C: Sounds gud. I still would prbly prefer a "na" (banana).
I: UR loss G2G help make dinner now. TTYL
C: L8R

Puck

2009-06-13T21:42:00.008-05:00

This video is for Anne. We know she is missing Puck in Seattle, so we've uploaded this video for her to enjoy. I'm sure everyone else will enjoy it too. I mean, what's not to like about watching a baby play with a chihuahua?

Mud Pies

2009-06-13T20:30:00.004-05:00

When I was little, my older sisters made me a "mud pie" and used their powers of persuasion to get me to eat it. Looking back, I'm still not sure why I took a bite. I knew it was mud. I didn't for once think that the "mud pie" that looked exactly like a mound of mud was anything other than mud. But, my sisters were so earnest. I thought, they must really want me to take a bite of this for some reason, I wonder what it is... "OH YOU JUST ATE DIRT!!!" Yeah, I did. Stupid sisters. I guess I didn't learn my lesson with the vanilla extract, or the dog food . . . or the cat food.
I had this flashback of my childhood mud pie moment just a few days ago while I was watering the flowers. Little I had dumped some bubble soap out and I went over to use the hose to wash off the porch. Bubbles foamed in the grass and Mr C couldn't stay away. I returned to watering flowers thinking that Mr C might have fun playing in the bubbles, but after a few moments, I looked back to see Mr C with a mouthful of mud, blissfully munching away on soapy mud. I'm wishing now that I had taken the photo before I wiped the top of Mr C's mouth, because bits of grass and mud were everywhere! I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised as Mr C generally has a tendency to want to put rocks (or snails) into his mouth, but it was all I could do to keep from dying laughing. At least we now know what kind of cake to get Mr C for his 1 year birthday!

P.S. I sometimes use the pictures from this blog for my computer at work. I've discovered the 8x10 proportions works best for my work computer, which has a traditional glass-screen monitor. For my home computer monitor, an LCD flat-screen, the 3x4 size works better. In future posts that have background-quality photos, I'll probably do the photo with 8x10 proportions, then do a link to the 3x4 version. If you want to do this and need some guidance, try the following: Pass your icon over the picture above. Right click, then choose "Set as Background." If, when you close your windows, the background is too big, try right clicking on the desktop, then choose "Properties." A window entitled "Display Properties" will open. Click on the tab that says "Desktop." If the Position listed is "Center" or "Tile," you need to change it to "Stretch." If you already have it on "Stretch" and it looks skewed, click on the link that says "3x4 version" above and repeat the above steps with that picture instead. If neither ratio works for your computer, let me know and I'll try something different.

Back from New Mexico

2009-06-08T21:31:00.027-05:00

It's been over two weeks since we got back from New Mexico, and we know that our blog is overdue for an update. The Robertsons visited the Land of Enchantment for Dad D's niece's high school graduation on May 21. Congratulations, Kira! We are praying for you as you endure the gruelling feat of Army basic training.

Traveling with a ten-month old and a two-year old has its challenges. Yet we survived.

We were looking forward to nice dry sunny days with highs in the 80's and cool starry nights in the 40's--that is normally what Gallup, NM is like in the late spring. Unfortunately, Dad D's younger brother, Steve, and his girlfriend, Helen, decided to make the trip from Seattle, WA. As everyone knows, rain comes from Seattle; so Steve and Helen apparently decided to contribute to New Mexico's annual 9 inches of rainfall on their visit to New Mexico by bringing pacific northwest thunderstorms with them. It rained nearly every day that we were in Gallup! It actually became a bit amusing as everywhere we went, Gallupians remarked to one another, "Isn't this weather wonderful!" Meanwhile, Mom E and I grumbled under our breath. All of that is to say that I wish I could have posted great shots of the Red Rocks unique to my hometown and beautiful photos of New Mexico's ever expansive blue sky, but we missed the photo opportunities on the first day or so of dry weather. Plus, we were in Albuquerque for the majority of our first two days. Day one we visited the Albuquerque zoo.

Day two we went to the Albuquerque science museum, Explora!, with Steve and Helen. Also, just to make sure no one gets the wrong idea, we were thrilled to get to see Steve and Helen. We were extremely fortunate to be able spend some quality time with them in Albuquerque. Spending time with them and the rest of Dad D's side of the family was worth countless thunderstorms raining cats and dogs . . . and was even worth a house full of cats and dogs.

Despite rumors to the contrary, we were not able to turn Mom E into a cat lover on this trip. I guess we'll just have to try again! One highlight of the trip was that Little I and Mr C were able to meet their Great-Grandma Bea for the first time.
And, of course Grandma and Grandaddy were able to spend some quality time with their grandkids.

Another highlight was Little I's numerous encounters with cacti. Yes, he knows that he is standing in front of a Prickly Pear cactus.

He is still talking about cacti two weeks later, "I see prickly pear cactus in dry desert." Unfortunately, we weren't able to visit the other object that Little I associates with dry deserts--a hogan. Maybe next time, Little I, maybe next time.

We Won!

2009-05-05T14:34:00.006-05:00

Little I is the very happy winner of the Publix Kid's Cookie Club for the month of May. Each time we take a trip to "The store" as Little I calls Publix (all the other stores are just "a store") we must make a beeline for the bakery counter where Little I politely asks for a free cookie. The baker then stamps our Cookie Club card and after 10 stamps we enter it in a drawing for the free 10 inch cookie cake which is given away every month. Little I was almost levitating with happiness as we left the store with our free cookie cake--because you know the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a BIG chocolate chip cookie with icing!

Mr. C is Crawling

2009-05-01T15:57:00.004-05:00

As promised, here is a little video of Mr. C crawling. He now has two weeks of crawling under his belt, so as you can see, he is definitely mobile.

Easter and More!

2009-04-17T16:49:00.008-05:00

Who are those good looking boys?!? It's hard to believe that only a year ago Mr. C was still in Mom E's tummy and Little I was just discovering what he could do with a bat and ball. Now Little I is practicing hitting balls as I toss them to him and Mr. C has begun crawling (more on that to come in a later post)! This Easter weekend was a bit unusual for us. Mom E had a close family friend getting married in Texas and flew out to Ft. Worth with her parents for the wedding while I stayed home with the boys. This worried me for a number of reasons. I was initially concerned that Mr. C or Little I would really start missing Mom E and feel sad or distressed in her absence. As it happened, my sister and her family were traveling back through Birmingham from Spring Break in Disney World on Friday and stayed with us through Saturday. Consequently, Little I and Mr. C had distractions aplenty! I'm sure they missed Mom E, but the time with family really seemed to help. Little I was perhaps the most excited about the visit. He really loves his cousins and even thanks God for them nightly. Other prayers of thanks come and go--thanks for trains, cars, toys, the colors green and blue, the park, the science museum, etc., but "Aunt Ellie," "Uncle Joe," and their kids are regulars. We spent most of Saturday at the science museum and having fun around the house. My sister and her family left late Saturday night, leaving me with Sunday to manage the boys by myself...Easter Sunday. As you can see, I actually managed to get the boys dressed (in clothes Mom E set out before she left), and we even made it to church (albeit a few minutes late).
Everyone was excited to see Mom E later Sunday night. To my surprise, after just one weekend in Texas, Mom E stepped off the plane sporting . . . cowboy boots! GG and Papa, who were also at the wedding, sent a little gift for Little I from Texas--his very own cowboy hat! For Christmas, Aunt Anne made the boys a tepee and headdresses. As you can see, we're now all set to play Cowboys and Indians!

Not Quite Ready for Bedtime

2009-03-29T19:21:00.003-05:00

This is minute-long video is worth watching if for no other reason than you get to hear Mr. C laugh. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Pilates

2009-03-15T15:44:00.006-05:00

It's about time for another developmental update, not to mention another cute picture of Mr. C smiling. Mr. C has become a food-eating champ. He has moved beyond ordinary baby food and can easily handle crackers, banana bites, and even small finger veggies like peas, carrots, and broccoli. Mom E and I were quite impressed by Mr. C's enthusiasm for veggies. His foray into broccoli remined me of an old video I took of Little I when he was this age. He was also an advanced eater, especially since he already had top and bottom biters by 6 months. As you can see, Little I's reception of broccoli was not nearly as warm as Mr. C's was.

In fact, even now it's a struggle to get Little I to eat his "little trees," despite the fact that I tell him that giraffes and dinosaurs eat trees.

In further baby developmental news, Mr. C has started clapping and has a fine pincer grasp. Also, he has finally managed to turn from his back to his stomach, which is a big step towards crawling. He continues to do extremely well sitting up, but hasn't figured out how to get there without assistance. Rather than use his hands to walk himself up to a sitting position from his stomach, Mr. C tries to do a straight power-crunch from his back. The result is undoubtedly a wonderful Pilates move--one that Mr. C can hold for an admiralably long time. But as you can imagine, Mr. C simply doesn't have the power to power-crunch his way up to a sitting position. Mom E, who is in a Pilates class herself, has optimistically said that Mr. C is building a really strong "core."

Snow!

2009-03-01T15:13:00.008-06:00

This morning, the Robertsons awoke to a treat: Two inches of snow had fallen overnight and an additional two inches were predicted to fall by noon! Friends and family from Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Finland just shrugged their shoulders. "So what?" Right? Well, consider that I've been living in Alabama for the past twelve years and I can only remember one other snowfall in the state that was of snowman-building quality and quantity. That is a long time. Also, Little I has never experienced snow in Alabama; one time we saw some flurries, and I tried to get Little I excited about the "snow," but he kept wondering what the fuss was about. There was no difficulty getting Little I excited this time. Snow!?! "I want to touch," he said as we opened the window to grab some. Build a snowman? "Yes! And a pumpkin," he told me driving home from church. What? "Daddy shave snow off car," he explained. This was going to be a lot of fun. We got home and bundled up to build a snowman. Little I was very excited, even after I told him we couldn't build a pumpkin. Making a snowman consisted of me pushing boulders of snow while Little I ran around with some neighborhood kids who were also making snowmen. At one point he tried to throw a snowball at one of the kid's granfathers, but I think he missed. Mom E and Mr. C joined us for a few pictures before we made a break for the warm house. After we had come inside, Little I took a toy baseball and basketball and stacked them to make his own snowman. The beauty of his indoor snowman was the basketball served as his "pumpkin." Unfortunately, as I write this blog entry, the snow that stopped falling at noon has already melted. It has become a sunny March day, and our towering snowman, if not already a watery carrot salad, is certainly a remnant of what he once was. We'll miss you Birmingham blizzard of 2009. We'll anxiously await your return in 2015.

Happy Valentine's Day 2009

2009-02-14T18:02:00.003-06:00

Holidays are tons more fun with family. Especially Valentine's Day. This Hallmark holiday is waayy overrated, unless you make a big deal about it like Mom E did for the kids. She had heart-shaped felt bags with treats in them for me and Little I and gifts wrapped up for Little I--a wooden Thomas the Tank Engine, the Troublesome Trucks, and some track for them to ride on. It has been a big hit all day. Mr. C got a new toy to grab and chew, but he didn't seem to realize it was a holiday. Rather than fight the crowds and spin the roullette wheel of eating out on Valentine's Day, we're continuing our tradition of eating in. I make dinner and Mom E makes dessert. We're having filet mignon, salad greens with homemade roquefort blue cheese dressing, and roasted root vegetables. For dessert, it's made-from-scratch brownies and vanilla ice cream with a mixed berry sauce. Right now, Little I is considering eating some heart-shaped Jello. So here's a Valentine from us to you, we hope your day is special.

Fun at the Aquarium

2009-02-11T13:03:00.012-06:00

You've probably realized by now that we love aquariums. We documented our last visit to the Georgia Aquarium with GG and Papa in a previous blog entry. On our way out of the aquarium, we were given discount coupons for a return visit in January or February. My mom was in town for Mr. C's baptism and I took Tuesday off of work to spend time with her and the family. We decided to use the discount coupons to take a trip to Altanta and to spend some time with my sister and her family in Georgia.

We were especially excited about bringing Little I to see the cold water exhibit. Little I has a Curious George book where Curious George visits an aquarium. Inside, Curious George sees beluga whales, sea lions, and penguins. We knew there were beluga whales and penguins in the Georgia Aquarium's cold water exhibit, so we talked them up. Little I loved walking through the exhibit and seeing one fish exhibit after another. The museum was not at all crowded so we gave him a little more freedom to explore the tanks without having to continually hold our hands. He really liked the "booger whales," and kept wanting to go back to them. We got to see the sea otters at feeding time, which was fun. We were at first a bit dismayed because the penguin exhibit was closed for remodeling. However, we discovered that there were "backstage tours" at the information desk that took people to see the penguins in their temporary homes. This was a real treat for Little I who laughed with glee when he saw the penguins jump, dive underwater, and shake water off.

Of course, no visit to the Georgia Aquarium is complete without a visit to the massive shark tank. Check out Little I dancing in front of the whale shark.

Mr. C also enjoyed the sights and seemed to be content to soak everything in.

Thanks to all our friends and family who were able to make it to the 8 a.m. service for Mr. C's baptism--especially GG, Papa, and Grandma who flew in from out of state and to Aunt Ellie who was not only on time, but early for the early service! For those who weren't able to make it, that is okay, we understand the risks of choosing an early service for baptism, we still covet your support and prayers in raising Mr. C to be a Psalm 1:1-3 man.

I'm 6 Months Old!

2009-01-23T16:02:00.004-06:00

Notice the fuzzy head and no teeth. Obviously, Mr. C will get hair and teeth when he is good and ready. Right now, both are slowly coming in. His favorite thing to do is to smile at people. Usually big brother is his favorite, but he'll find other people to randomly smile at, including other babies at church, which is fun to watch. Mr. C can sit up quite well, though he usually ends up toppling over after a few minutes. He loves to grasp and pull, as previously reported, and will laugh and coo if you horseplay with him. He has a very pleasant disposition. Back when Little I was an infant, Mom E and I called him our little velociraptor. Mr. C is more like a big bear. He cuddles, he sleeps, he packs in the food. If only he'd start hibernating the whole night through...

Goldfish Toast

2009-01-17T08:04:00.006-06:00

To follow up my last post about Little I the Chef, last night he created another dish--Goldfish Crackers on Toast! I thought you all might enjoy the picture series showing Little I's soon-to-be-wildly-popular treat.

The Chef and the Gourmand

2009-01-10T13:36:00.011-06:00

Remember that scene from Ratatouille where the main character, Remy tries to teach his brother, Emile, about food? Remy gives Emile a piece of cheese and tells him to think about the flavors, then he gives him a strawberry and tells him to think about the combination of flavors. Emile has a something of a mild epiphany before losing it. He is just as happy eating trash. Sometimes I wonder what is going through our kids' heads when they are eating food. I had a little instructional moment the other day with Little I. He was pointing to our salt container on the stove, clearly trying to communicate to me that he had noticed it and was interested in it. So I took the container down, pulled out a couple of grains of salt, and we tried the salt. Little I was somewhat interested when I told him it was salty. Next, I took a couple grains of sugar down and let him conduct the same experiment. This time I explained that the sugar was sweet. We went back to the salt and I told him it was salty. Well, of course, he just wanted to keep trying the sugar after that.

What really cracked me up was when Little I decided to combine his chili with his yogurt. I envisioned a gourmand critiquing the dish like this:

"The kudzu honey does well to sweeten the tart creamy yogurt. I'm getting a little something else in here too, like cumin, and oh, what's this, a kidney bean?!? What a bold statement! So simple, so fresh! It brings me back to my days as a child when I used to put beans in my yogurt . . ."

You get the idea. I had to take a picture.

The truth is, Little I is becoming quite the cook. He has helped Mom E make a few dishes such as Aromatic Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese, Cut-Out Cookies, and most recently, Cranberry Chocolate Oat Bars. In fact, it was at Little I's insistance that Mom E pulled out the ingredients to make the Oat Bars. He wanted to cook! It was funny watching him add the chocolate chips. He seemed torn about dumping an entire cup full of chocolate chips into the dough. With a little probing, Mom E was able to help him do it; but he refused to sprinkle any on top once the dish was done. Those delectable morsels just don't get sprinkled on top of food--they go directly into the mouth!

Mr. C's pallette has expanded as well. He has now graduated to sampling rice cereal, squash, and sweet potato puree (see picture above). Of course, that is when he is not munching on his toes, his toys, his sleeve, or my shoulder. More than Little I did, Mr. C loves to put things in his mouth. He has acquired quite a grasp and has excellent coordination (for a 5.5 month-old). Also unklike Little I, Mr. C is verrry interested in touching, feeling, and interacting with things placed in front of him. He is very hands-on. Litte I was more "hands-off." Perhaps Mr. C's favorite "item" to interact with is his big brother. His face lights up any time Little I comes around and he doesn't mind a bit if Little I pushes on him, lays on him, or climbs over him. My parting shot is my little chef and gourmand tussling on their chairs.

Merry Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T13:44:00.005-06:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The Robertsons are visiting Mom E's family and friends up in Carlisle, PA. Here are Little I and Mr. C in their matching Christmas morning pajamas. The highlight of the morning was hearing Little I yell, "Presents!!!" when we found hidden presents on a stocking scavenger hunt. We hope your Christmas was as delightful as theirs was!

The Dangerous Twos

2008-12-09T19:41:00.007-06:00

As of yesterday, Little I was 731 days old (don't forget 2008 was a leap year). He celebrated this momentous day by falling into the moulding by the stairs and busting his forehead open. Mom E and Little I got to take a fun trip to the emergency room where Little I got five sutures. Poor guy. He kept saying, "Be all done soon" while the doctor stitched him up. He handled it very well and told me that he "have Band-Aid" and it would "be okay." Thanks for the encouragement little guy! To make him feel better, Mom E baked some special cookies decorated with some of Little I's favorite things. Happy Birthday Little I! Let's stay safe this year and stick with minor bumps and bruises only!

Thanksgiving Recap

2008-12-05T20:02:00.015-06:00

To all our family who traveled from accross the country to visit for Thanksgiving, THANK YOU! We had a blast! It was so much fun to see a large portion of the Robertson family together for Thanksgiving. It was nice that my parents and my sister Sharon got to meet Mr. C for the first time. It was really nice that a certain uncle got to meet Mr. C and Little I for the first time. I guess that's what happens when you live over 2,000 miles away... Well, for those of you who missed it, here is the recap: Grandaddy Robertson made the turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Grandma Robertson made a sweet potato casserole. Mom E made cranberry salsa, salad, roasted asparagus, and a ginger pumpkin merengue. Ellie made a dutch apple pie and brought stuffing. The highlight of the meal for me was the gravy. I've never seen such a recipe for gravy. It required chopping various root vegetables into the turkey roaster, cooking the giblets and making a broth from them, chopping up the giblets and continuing to let them simmer, deglazing the carmelized drippings from the turkey with white wine, adding reserved broth from the giblets to the drippings, making a roux from some giblet broth, and then putting everything together for the world's awesomest gravy. No problem. I have to hand it to my dad, he follows recipes to a tee. On the mashed potatoes, he specifically purchased russet potatoes "for texture." Wow, they were even fantastic as leftovers. The other highlight of the meal had to be the ginger pumpkin merengue made by my lovely wife. I can't tell you how it tasted as leftovers because there was none leftover.

Then, we had an early birthday party with family for Little I. I'll let the pictures below speak for themselves. They fairly accurately capture the party. All I have to say that Little I is still talking about his birthday party, describing how he ate cake, jumped high, and shot hoops with Cousin James and Uncle Joe.

Fall is Here

2008-11-18T19:40:00.008-06:00

Fall is the best season in Alabama. The weather gets cooler,

... trees turn colors, ... and college football reigns! This fall has been especially nice as far as college football goes. Newcomers to Alabama quickly learn that they must declare their football allegiance: Alabama or Auburn. As an alumnus from the University of Alabama School of Law, the decision to root for U of A was not a difficult one to make, despite the fact that my three years at Alabama were during the Franchione/[Mike Price]/Mike Shula debacles--all the while Alabama was under NCAA enforced sanctions. Still, for those of you who follow Alabama football, or football at all, you know that this fall is an especially good time to be an Alabama fan as the team is currently 11-0 heading into the much-hyped Alabama-Auburn Iron Bowl.

Of course, football is merely a diversion. The real joy of the fall has been to see my two boys grow and mature. Little I continues to talk in full sentences (his Mother's-Day-Out teacher said he is the only one in his class to do so). He is amazingly coordinated and "mature" for a 23-month old. Mr. C turning into Mr. Smiles, and his expressions continue to thrill Mom E and me. My parting shot was taken on my new camera--a digital SLR, which can take snapshots without that annoying delay, allowing for otherwise impossible shots such as this. Check out that form!

Smiles and Coos

2008-11-06T19:03:00.004-06:00

Mr. C has reached two milestones. He has turned over from stomach to back and he has laughed. I've not caught either one on video yet, but here he is smiling and generally being cute.

Georgia Aquarium

2008-10-21T19:46:00.008-05:00

GG and Papa visited recently and prior to their arrival Little I told me that he wanted to go to the pool with GG and Papa. I told him that it was too cold out, so we'd have to go somewhere else, like the science museum, to which Little I responded, "Fish." I was amazed that he remembered the fish from the McWane Center. So, I thought it would be neat to show him the pictures of the fish from our visit on the computer. Then in looking for videos of fish online, I discovered the Georgia Aquarium's website with a live webcam of their 6.3 million gallon Ocean Voyager tank. Little I was hooked. He was especially interested in the sharks and stingrays, which he told me he wanted to "pat." I remembered there was a kids area at the aquarium that allowed kids to touch rays and little sand sharks, so I started talking it up. We even started a game: my arm is the shark that slowly comes to take a bite out of Little I; all the while I hum "Jaws" music; then Little I swats my hand and the arm-shark retreats with a yelp. (Repeat as necessary).

We went down to the museum on a friday, so it was not too busy, and met up with our cousin John Andrew and aunt Ellie. The entrance of the aquarium has two walls of fast-swimming tuna. When we stepped through the door, Little I saw the fish, hopped out of my arms, and was off like a shot to get a closer look at the fish. When we actually started on the Ocean Voyager exhibit, Little I pushed his way to the front of the crowd and pressed his face against the glass to watch the various fish, rays, and sharks.

Unfortunately, Little I had already been running on adrenaline, not sleep, and became overwhelmed before the end of the exhibit. While we got to see the Tropical Diver, we knew we were running short on time. We made a quick trip to the kids' area, the Georgia Explorer, only to discover that Little I was not very proficient at only using "two fingers" when trying to touch to rays, shrimp, etc. It is also hard for a toddler to remember not to put his hands in his mouth until after he gets to a sink...so we gathered our things, popped "Finding Nemo" into the van's dvd player, and said goodbye to the fish, to the sharks, and to the stingrays.

"I got smiles"

2008-09-19T16:29:00.011-05:00

No, Mr. C didn't say that, he actually said, "I got gas..."! At two months Mr. C isn't just smiling when he has gas, however. He smiles and coos responsively to Mom E and me. Even big brother brings the smiles out from Mr. C. He loves his bouncy seat and, of course, ceiling fans. We're working on going to sleep without the bouncy seat and have hopes that Mr. C will soon decide to sleep through more of the night than just the first five hours. But with a face like this, we're in no position to complain.

"I got booger"

2008-09-19T16:29:00.009-05:00

It was a revelation from Little I. He has boogers. We're learning a lot these days. We're learning our shapes, colors, numbers, and even letters. We're learning how to string words together, like the title of this entry. We recently took a trip to the McWane Science Center, where Little I was thrilled to see the fish, play with blocks that stuck to glass, pilot a rocket ship, watch a train, jump on a giant piano keyboard, put colored pegs in holes, and just generally run and explore. Here are a few pictures from the trip that show Little I having fun. My favorite word that Little I now says is "pentagon." Yes, he's advanced. Mom E's favorite word is still "kooker" (for cookie).

I'm Six Weeks Old!

2008-09-01T14:32:00.015-05:00

Many of you have asked for updated pictures of Mr. C, so here are a few, including these where Mr. C is sporting a onesie made especially for him by his aunt Anne.

Thank You Friends and Family!

2008-08-18T20:22:00.003-05:00

I wanted to just say thank you to all our friends and family who have helped us--and continue to help us--with the transition from one to two children. Obviously, the biggest help came from GG who spent three weeks with us, doing everything from cooking to cleaning to sewing to babysitting. We cannot thank you enough. Others have prayed for us, called us to make sure we're doing okay, visited us, and offered to bring food. These all raise our spirits and it has been a big help for Mom E to not have to worry about meals these first few weeks. I certainly don't mind sampling others' culinary talents at all!

Oh, and the picture above? That was taken after some friends brought over some Italian food, complete with Italian bread which Little I decided to abscond with. Mom E and I looked up and wondered where the bread went. And where was Little I? He was in the dining room munching on the end of the loaf!

Two Boys

2008-08-12T20:28:00.013-05:00

Having grown up with three sisters, I was excited at the prospect of having two sons who were close in age. No offense to my sisters--I love them--but there really is something neat about brotherhood. While an exchange student in Finland, I lived with a family of three boys, making me the fourth "brother" of three very different guys who were close in age to me. It was great. For three months we ate meat and potatoes in large quantities, we played sports, we hung out with friends, we talked about girls, we had excellent comraderie. I'm hoping Little I and Mr. C will be best buds, even though I can already tell that they will have very different personalities.

Now, from everything you hear, boys are harder to raise at younger ages and girls are more difficult in the teen years. From what I've observed, that is probably true. However, Little I and Mr. C can both be very sweet. Little I will often give unsolicited kisses to Mom E and myself and even to Mr. C.

However, Little I will also try to step on Mr. C, take off his socks, and violently rock him in his car seat or bouncer. Really, Little I is just an active toddler. If Mom E and I don't engage him or give him activities, he will invariably get into trouble--usually on purpose. So we spend a lot of time doing things with Little I, like playing "gnames" (games) from dawn to dusk.

A typical morning conversation might go like this.

(whimper in his crib) "Dada? Dada?"

"Good morning!"

"Ball."

"You want to play ball?"

"Hit."

"You want to hit a ball?"

"Throw. . . Catch."

"Alright, let's get your ball . . ."

Other sports words include "kick," "mintt" (mitt), "shoot," "hoop," "arack" (raquet), "bat," "hat," "pitch," "nna" (tennis), and "goff" (golf). These usually get more use when Little I wants me to play with him. He can spend hours playing a "gname." I may be surprised, but I don't expect that Mr. C will have the same obsession with sports as Little I has. At least, it would be surprising to me if Little I's enthusiasm could be matched. I do have a feeling that Mr. C will get interested in something else boyish--like bugs or dinosaurs or trains or trucks or something. Regardless, I am sure that Mom E and I will have our hands full for a few years while we keep up with these two cannonballs.

6,000 Word Picture Essay and Video

2008-07-18T19:26:00.009-05:00

Anticipating Adjustments

2008-07-08T18:56:00.010-05:00

Mom E, Dad D, and Little I are all getting ready for the newest Robertson to make his arrival. We've been getting the baby's room ready, we've been vetting our house of unused books and unnecessary clutter, we have acquired special equipment, i.e. a double stroller, and we have even gone so far as to purchase..... A minivan!

As I explained to Mom E on Sunday when we parked in between two Honda Odysseys at church, it really is a predicta--I mean, practical vehicle.

Now that we've gotten the logistics taken care of, the only thing left is to make the lifestyle adjustment. I have a feeling that some of us will have an easier time with the adjustment of having a new baby around the house better than others....

Breaking News: Little I Throws Dirt

2008-06-18T16:36:00.004-05:00

In other news, Tiger Woods wins the U.S. Open.

Ian's Dance Party

2008-06-05T19:40:00.003-05:00

As promised:

A Tribute to GG and a Lead-In to Ian's Dance Party

2008-05-31T13:43:00.007-05:00

Little I loves dancing. It is one of the most entertaining things he does. I've tried numerous times to capture Little I shaking his thang, but to no avail--he usually spots the camera and comes running to look at pictures of GG, which he knows are on my camera. Like this:

So, that reminded me, I've got a great video from our last visit to see GG and Grandpa that is long overdue to be posted. Little I loves to watch the video and repeat "GG, GG."

Now that I've built it up, I'm going to leave you hanging. You will have to check back later for the post of Little I getting his groove on. I promise it will be worth it. But for now, I'll leave you with this parting shot--it's the one that Little I insists upon viewing when he spots my camera. For added symmetry, it is a picture of Little I looking at GG's camera. We can't wait to see you again GG!

I've Been Tagged

2008-05-08T12:18:00.003-05:00

My good neighbor has tagged me. I usually do not do these type of things but you don't say no to a woman who is 9 months pregnant! So, here goes......

5 Things on my To-Do list:
1. Choose a name for my soon to be born second child
2. Figure out how to fit a bedroom full of stuff elsewhere in the house to make room for a nursery
3. Buy a bigger vehicle
4. Finish the laundry
5. Make dessert for tomorrow night

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Cheez-its with peanut butter & apple slices
2. Hummos & carrots
3. Triscuits with melted pepper jack cheese
4. Salt & vinegar potato chips
5. Frozen blueberries with milk

5 Things I'd do if I were a Billionaire:
1. Pay off our mortgage and buy a house with enough space for our family & guests
2. Buy a bigger vehicle for the family
3. & a convertible just for me!
4. Significantly increase charitable giving
5. Set up a college scholarship

5 Bad habits:
1. Not exercising
2. Watching TV when there is so much else to do
3. Being a little to particular about some things
4. Sweating the small stuff
5. Spending too much time on the internet

5 Places I have lived:
1. Carlisle, PA
2. Birmingham, AL
that is about it!

5 Jobs I've had/have:
1. Grocery store cashier
2. "Pits Crew" (dishwasher) at a summer camp- didn't get to pick that one!
3. Nursing assistant
4. Registered Nurse
5. Mom

I want to know more about (you've been tagged!):
1. Amy Cook
2. Melanie Henningsen
3. Ashley Little

Watch Out A-Rod, Here Comes I-Rob!

2008-04-29T20:05:00.010-05:00

Some say little boys are made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Perhaps. Our little boy seems to have a penchant for sticks, rocks, dirt, water, and . . . BALLS. Big balls, little balls, basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs, stress balls, exercise balls, plastic eggs that look like balls. . . He also likes bats--you know, the kind that you hit balls with. Little I even likes to watch sports that use balls on TV. If I am flipping through the channels and come to, say, a basketball game, Little I will stop what he is doing, put down his toy, and clap for the player while yelling, "BALL BALL." So, without further ado, here is a little clip of Little I (or "I-Rob") hitting a baseball. Amazingly, I did not show him what to do with the bat and ball, he figured that out on his own!

Little I has an announcement!

2008-04-12T12:54:00.004-05:00

Little I would like to announce whether he will soon have a baby brother or a baby sister.

Lions and Tigers and Pooh Bears

2008-01-26T09:21:00.000-06:00

Here is a video from a few weeks ago that I've been meaning to post. It captures Little I being ridiculously cute as he growls like a tiger and laughs at the name "Pooh Bear."

Gratuitous Bragging

2008-01-06T20:16:00.000-06:00

Little I continues to make Mom E and I laugh at his antics. In the picture to the right, he climbed onto his play table without prompting. The fact that it was without prompting really makes it great. Little I has been practicing climbing up the stairs and has gotten quite good at climbing up and down the stairs all by himself. He also likes to hold my hands and walk up the stairs, taking entire steps with each stride. About two days ago, he decided to walk up the stairs backwards (while holding my hands). Again, it was without prompting. Then, tonight, he decided to make growling noises. He would climb up and down the stairs and toss about roaring like a lion or a velociraptor. It was funny because Mommy and I used to call Little I a velociraptor as a baby since he would eat voraciously.

Most incredible to me are the instances where Little I has displayed amazing recognition skills. One of our new favorite books asks how dinosaurs eat their food; one specific line asks if a dinosaur would "stick beans up its nose?" On cue, Little I points to either my nose or his. In the same book, there is a soccer ball. When I pointed it out, he stopped, looked up, pointed to a picture of a soccer ball in his room, and grunted. Then, today, I showed him a blue bird in a bird book. He went and got his puzzle with a blue bird on it. The recognitions go on and each one tickles me to know that his mind is growing, making connections, and figuring things out.

New Year New Blog

2008-01-06T15:36:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

The Robertson Reporter (RR) is open for business. Thanks for stopping by. Our on-the-ground reporters are Mom E (Mommy) and Dad D (Daddy). We'll be updating the RR as often as we can.

As you can see from the picture to the right, Little I enjoyed Christmas and even tried to help Mommy bake Christmas cookies. Although he is smiling at the camera here, this is a rare moment where he was not completely enthralled by the Christmas tree. A favorite game of Little I's is to grunt and point to the ornaments while Daddy names them for him.

We spent Christmas day at home this year and even indulged in that ever-popular Christmas Story tradition of Chinese food for dinner. Mommy would have cooked Christmas dinner if she were not in the middle of her first trimester of pregnancy... Yep, if you've been diligent enough to read this far, you now know our big news--we're expecting again! Our due date is July 16, so stay tuned to hear breaking news regarding the newest Robertson.