my first tooth brush!

Oral B makes this thing. you put some gel on a textured plastic finger sleeve and use it to brush babies teeth. they recommend this especially if the baby sleeps on the boob, like akello.

treats and eats

Akello has been getting used to the spoon these days and the cup as well. Things are busy these days and i dont have much energy to write lately, but i wil try to post pics at least.

From the desk of Theresa

It’s amazing how time flies! As Akello approaches his 8th month, I have to stop and think how did we get here and where has all the time gone? He has grown and changed so much and as many of our friends have their first and second babies and I see these new, teeny-tiny precious bundles I already feel like I don’t remember Akello being that small.




I know that he was and the memory and feelings of those early days are still fairly fresh but I am in awe of how quickly that newborn period came and went. I feel so fortunate that I have been able to witness so much of his young life. It is my joy of waking up each day.

I am thankful for his growth and good health. It’s exciting to see the continual development of motor skills, the unfolding personality traits and the TEETH (he has 2 on the bottom and 4 coming in on the top!!!!) and I can’t help wonder what’s next?
I try to take it one day at a time and savor each moment but it’s hard not to project into his future or get caught up in milestones that say when an infant is “supposed” to achieve something. I have to ask myself what’s the rush; he’ll get there when it’s his time.

I think it’s the hurried pace of western living. I feel like I have lived much of my own life in a hurry, multitasking way too much for my own good. It feels like I’m getting a lot done but in completing a task I sometimes miss out on the process. It is actually Akello who is teaching me slow down. I love following the child. He’s knows just where to go and when. He reminds me to be aware of the process.
Time has been on my mind a lot lately. I recently celebrated my 37th birthday on Saturday, April 14th and I think how did I get here and where has all the time gone? Since Akello’s birth I have a new appreciation for birthdays. I hope to never again to take this day for granted or have vanity about my age because it’s so irrelevant. The passing of a birthday is a wonderful time to stop, reflect and be grateful for my life up to this point and to give thanks for another day to fulfill God’s purpose for me on this earth.

I think about this a lot. I can’t help it. I think it is a part of what becoming a parent does to you. I guess I want to be more thoughtful of these things because I feel a responsibility to help Akello appreciate and respect this most precious gift.

I LOVED my birthday this year, maybe for the simple fact that having Akello is like a rebirth. I see the world in a whole new way.




Recapping my birthday: I awoke with positive intentions, greeted by the “son,” my favorite morning light. Gil was nowhere to be seen but he was working his magic in the other room as the festive sounds of music started coming out the living room speakers. Gil had made a special birthday CD of birthday-themed songs; Beatles and Bjork serenaded me, as I got ready for my day. Gil greeted me with a smile and kiss and the most beautiful hand made card filled with words that made my heart melt. After he returned from picking up breakfast, we all sat around so leisurely I almost forgot Gil had to go to work but alas,
I had some great hang time with my other main man Akello. It was an absolutely gorgeous day so we spent a good deal of it outside, one of our favorite places to be. Later that afternoon,
My mom came down from Killeen with 2 of my young cousins bringing a batch of her delicious homemade gumbo (mmmmm good).






My cousin Val, Lamar and their daughter Jasmine as well as Simone came in from the south side. It truly felt special being around so many loved ones.







Simone brought the most decadent chocolate cake I have ever tasted. just thinking about it makes my mouth water and my teeth ache.








It was good times and good conversation and as Akello enjoyed watching his 5 year old cousin, Jayla, dance around, sing and make silly faces, my mom, Nia and I played scrabble, my favorite board game till everyone had to go home. At the end of the day it was the 3 of us again sitting around so leisurely it was like we were on vacation. These are some of my favorite moments, when we live in the present moment, enjoying each other and the process, no rush, no where to go, no place to be, just BEing. A lovely end to a lovely day.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Cold Mornings!

Happy Tuesday!

Easter Recap

Akello's first Easter!

no time for bluebonet pictures as the weather here was in the 30's.
that didnt stop one of our butterfly iris's from blooming though.

We went to a packed church along with one of Akellos Godmothers, Tia Anita who drove down from the Metroplex with my Godfather, uncle Joe. we heard a wonderful sermon to start the day!


tia with akello!


it was so cold, we were able to squeeze one more use out of a christmas outfit that michelle had bought him.


akello doesnt like toys...only containers that hold toys. a future industrial designer perhaps? put tupperware on that christmas list!


it was so cold, akello had to wear his military bomber jacket that his grandparents bought him.


im sure you can guess wich grandparents.


after church we drove down to san marcos for lunch with my side fo the family. We decorated eggs and hid them around and akello did a good job of grabbing them, but didnt seem to want to drop them in the basket.


uncle joe introduces akello to fire.





my sister made a tasty easter cake, we took one ear home, it lasted for two days!



decorating the eggs.






mom laughs at some of our designs.


not this one though. good job theresa


akello looks up from his book to find out why nobodys giving him any attention


all ready to hide!


let the easter egg hunt begin!




grandma buys akello "pat the bunny" how fitting.


akello also gets some gardening toys from great grandma,


so he gives her some love


that bucket turns into a drum once great grandpa starts getting rowdy with the harmonica. Akello can help it and has to set the beat!



We arrived back home safe and sound with enough leftovers to last for two days!

had to walk all those leftovers off! and no better place to do that then around the neighborhood!

the cutest deduction ever

this baby is worth $1000!



well more than that, but not in the eyes of uncle sam!

we just got back from H&R BLOCK and boy are we happy. This marks the first time that theresa or I have not been feautured on the 10 o'clock news driving by the downtown post office on April 14th.

but this is also the first time that we bought a house, and had a baby too, so we decided to take grandma pearls advice and talk with Shirley from H&R block. This is the first time in a while that we are getting a refund! we are thrilled, even though it is small and will just go back to pay for HR services. we pretty much broke even, but are thrilled none the less! whew! thank goodness for akello, otherwise we would be owing big!




so today i went walking in the new(er) subdivision...so i give you...ghetto walk, new subdivision edition.



dont know if they are trying to do this, or they're just being lazy. Im guessing lazy by the roundup commercial waiting to happen in the driveway.



I think the tree is pretty stable at this point barring an F5 tornado...you can take the stakes out of the yard now. the string has even rotted away.

first teeth

kING OF THE BONGOS!



little guy is still interested in hitting everything he sees so i continue to put a drum in front of him. What better time for drumming than when we are working on his sittup time.

His first teeth have broken through! you can kind of see those two little teeth in this pic below.



i tried to get closer...forget about it! once the camera is in his reach, its all over!

here he is swiping at one of my attempts!


its not so easy to just let him chew on your finger anymore...he will rip it up!



these cheeks were made for kissing!



lots more pics on the flickr.

sitting up!

so here are some pics of daddy and akello being silly!





and now....the ghetto walk, mailbox edition!

so take a look at this one.


so i can see how this one went down.....

"hey! bobby jo's got a blowtorch...lets git him to do it!"

do what?

"make us a blowtorch! i mean, a mailbox!"

why for?

"cuss he can do it all custom! make it look all fancy and shit!"


yep. im pretty sure thats how it played out.

like, i guess this is cool and all, but its pretty messed up from the other side...or is that just me? so messed up that they have to put mailbox numbers on the mailbox apparantly. maybe there was a part two?

"you idiot! now look what you done!"

i didnt do it! bobby jo done did it!

"it only works one way!"

well yeah i can see that! i have eyes!

"well what are we going to do about it?"

i know!, we'll go to home depot and get some of those mailbox numbers and put them on the wrong side of the mailbox!

"good idea! i know i married you for sumpin!"


now then, this aramadillo. i wouldnt call this ghetto, but i had to share. I like it, even though i wouldnt rock it. its just not my style, but i do like it. its charming.




this one too. it gets points for originallity and upkeep. again, i could never do this, but it beats most others. i love the whole, "barn remodeled into a lighthouse look" or was it a lighthouse remodeled into a barn???? only on the ghetto walk folks!




still trying to make the video look good on the blog, messing around with the settings and such. the other ones looked too blocky and pixelated. lets try again with a quicktime version





so akello can now sit up on his own for a minute or so before falling over. i usually just hold him by the back of his shirt but in this case ive got both hands at his sides ready to catch him!