Knox Lee

Knox's BIRTH day was October 29th.  He is our sixth great grandchild and our fourth great grandson.

Knox is an important part of this very large family (even though he didn't get here in time to be in the picture). 

And an important part of this large family (even though he didn't get here in time for this picture either) (Actually he's in this picture - you just can't see him).

And a very special, important part of this smaller (but large) family.  (Posed by Beth Fletcher Photography)

Tonight I thought to interview him for his BIRTH day post but I realized he was probably too young to answer all my questions so I decided to just let him just tell his story. That's okay with you isn't it, Knox?  Sure, I don't mind at all.

Can you describe for us how your special day unfolded?  Well, as far as I could tell, everything was pretty normal and calm at first.  I was cozy in my mommy's belly and I had no idea what was about to happen.  It seemed like everybody was just waiting for something.

During the time when they were waiting, I heard my Mom and Dad talking about my sister Aubrey's birthday.  It sounded like they were expecting me to appear somewhere in time for her to come and see me on her birthday but now I was moving so slowly that they wouldn't be able to see Aubrey except by face-timing her.  So they did.  Everybody seemed pretty okay with that.

Then it was back to waiting some more and I wondered what it was all about and then I realized they were waiting for ME to get OUT!

I could tell my mommy was starting to get a little tense after awhile.

And right after that I found myself in a bright, cool room with tons of people.  I found it kind of disconcerting.  Who were all these people and what did they want?  All I wanted was my mommy and daddy.

And they were there and they were SO happy!  I felt like I'd really accomplished something - just being there for them.

Everybody just had to get a look at me including my maternal grandmother.  I already loved these people.  But I was ready for THESE people to skedaddle.

But I guess they were there for a reason and my mom seemed especially fond of this person - her obstetrician who cared for her the whole time I was in my mommy's belly.

I was really starting to relax and enjoy this 'skin to skin' warming method.  

 And then I met my dad up close and personal.  I liked the feel of his strong, loving hands and I knew it wouldn't be the last time I'd feel them.

 Then it was back to Mommy and she still looked overjoyed!

 I was also excited for that first photo shoot with Mommy and Daddy and I really wanted it to be a great picture but try as I might, I could only get one eye open.  

Then just when I was starting to feel comfortable being out here in the world with my parents, I was whisked away.  The new place was warm so that was good but this person just wouldn't leave me alone.  She put her finger in my mouth,

started feeling my head all over,

exercising my legs,

and just generally disturbing me in all sorts of ways.

When I felt like I couldn't take much more, something new came on the scene and I had a feeling I would become very familiar with it in the next couple of years - my first garment.  A diaper!

It felt pretty good actually and just about the time I thought I could finally relax, she started messing about with my feet of all things!

Then, I guess because she couldn't think of anything else to do, she measured my head!!!  Good grief!

Finally she gave up trying to think of ways to torture me and I got to go back to my mom and dad.

But relaxing wasn't in the cards for long because we were all packed up and sent off to another room where the next day brought all sorts of new experiences.....and people. First of all, I got clothes - regular big boy clothes.

And then there was a phone call and everybody in my room started getting a little excited.  I guessed it must be because my dad was returning but turns out it was a little more than that.

 Turns out I was part of a larger family and my siblings had arrived.  It wasn't too shocking though because these voices sounded pretty familiar. 

Then they each had a turn holding me.  Their arms may not have been real experienced but I could feel the love in each and every one of them.  First Emma.

 Then Wade,

Aubrey

Dane

And Jack

 Finally, I met my grandma on my dad's side.

What an amazing time I've had!  From this.....

to this in less than 24 hours!

I have a feeling I have quite a life ahead of me.  I'm pretty sure my parents are the BEST!  and my siblings are too!  I could tell before I even arrived that there was a busy household around me that was filled with love and happiness and I'm so happy to be a part of it now!  And just to show things are going well.... Here I am at one month of age!

And of course I have to add my 2 cents.  We are thrilled to welcome this beautiful little boy into our family.  And we're so proud of Chris and Amber and the family that they are raising.  It reminds me of another family many years ago.   We're looking forward to spending as much time with them as possible and watching these wonderful little personalities develop.  So Happy Birth day, Knox. We love you so much!

Oh and just one small footnote.  When we got home from Michigan after Knox was born, the unthinkable happened.  I was unable to download the pictures I'd taken.  The SD card was totally corrupted and it took almost six weeks and an outside data retrieval company to save them. But save them they did and all's well that ends well!

Weather

Just to review, I'm writing from the following suggestion list for thirty days.  Hopefully this will get me back to blogging which really is my diary and hopefully I'll find something interesting to say about each subject.  Here's the list:

Since I only have five minutes to write, I'd better get started.

First of all, it's a difficult day weatherwise at a difficult time of the year weatherwise to write about the weather.  Today has been especially gloomy all day and for the first time this year, the 10 day forecast includes many temperatures below freezing and some snow.

I can't complain though.  This has been the most beautiful autumn in my memory.  Those horrible blustery cold days that I usually associate with this time of year have been few and far between.  We haven't had snow to speak of yet although I did see a few flakes one day.

But here's what it looks like this year on this day.

 

 Not that pretty is it.  And is that a squirrel nest up there?  Could they really spend the winter in such a precarious place with no real shelter from the wind and the cold? 

 I've never really liked squirrels but this almost makes me feel sorry for them.  Because sometimes they can be cute - even in snowy weather.

But then I look at pictures like these and I'm reminded that I don't like them - at all.

But I digress.  Back to the weather.  It's sad that because of the weather, my koi will spend about a third of their lives like this.   They will just kind of lay at the bottom of the pond in a state of semi hibernation until the water warms and they can become playful and fun again.  Right now I'm thankful that the pond has been cleaned and the net is in place to keep leaves from polluting the water. 

And finally I have this to say about the weather.  Rainy days don't make me sad.  Cold days can be okay.  After all we have our warm houses and warm cars to protect us.  Hot days are fine because if it's too hot we can sit in the air conditioning and look out at the wilting world outside.  Sunny days are really pretty and there's protection to keep us from getting too much sun.  (Remember your sunblock should contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.)

But the weather I just can't endure is wind.  It's rude and unrelenting.  It doesn't care if you're trying to deliver mail or if you don't want your hair flying around and showing that you need to get your roots done.  It just blows and blows and makes scary noises.  No.  I can't abide wind.

But the weather will be what it wants no matter what.  It's one thing that just can't be controlled so I guess we should just make the best of it.   Even when it's blowing all the neighbors leaves into our yards.   Wait.   No.  There's no making the best of that.

Hello

My good friend, Nancy at http://bacardimama.blogspot.com/2016/12/hello.html shared an idea for 'getting back to blogging' and I'm thinking to try it, too.  The idea is to use the suggested topics and write for five minutes about each one.



Today's topic is Hello which is great because I'm already at a loss.  The first thing I think of is the Beatle song, Hello Goodbye.  It came out when Harry was in Air Force Tech School in Denver, Colorado and we were counting the days until he got leave and we could get married.  It was late in the evening and I was writing him a long letter and this new song came on.  We were always huge Beatle fans like everybody else in our generation and I critiqued the song for him in my letter.  Of course all the comments were positive.

And then there was the song Hello Hello by Sopwith Camel.  It was very popular and very sweet and very similar to so many of the fun, happy songs of the sixties.   I mean really "Would you like some of my tangerine?  You know I'd never treat you mean".  It doesn't get much better than that.

And then there's hello to old friends and new friends, to family, to strangers we meet everywhere.  It's a good word and it's an important word.  Definitely an 'opener' kind of word.

So hello everybody!  Hope you're all doing well and I hope you have an amazing holiday season!

And my five minutes are up!

But wait!  P.S.  I realized that every blog post should have a picture or two so I quickly scanned through my 120,000 + pictures and grabbed the first one where the pipe-smoking subjects were clearly saying hello to each other.