that's a big bird

We live in a wildlife sanctuary. Everyday we enjoy our meals at our breakfast table, while watching birds, squirrels, moles, chipmunks, insects, bunnies, turtles, dogs(that's just Pollack, though) and other animals. Sometimes we will look out and I can count over 50 birds in our yard. But one bird dwarfs the rest. It is our hawk mommy and daddy that like to sit on our fence and in our trees watching over the yard. The pictures don't do justice to their size. They are four times bigger than the average bird sitting in our grass. I am almost afraid to send my two year old out for fear of him being chased and pecked by this beast. Do hawks do that? Of course, it is so cold that we really aren't going outside at all right now anyway. We can safely watch from our window. I don't think birds like this are supposed to hang out in neighborhoods.



Anyone know what kind of hawk this is? Any bird watchers out there?

ahhhhhh...sleep.

I figured after I sent out a prayer request for sleep at the Gaskill home, I better update you. Yes, we did get sleep! The first night of boot camp was about 5 hours of crying....uggghhh. The second night was about 1 1/2 hours of crying....better, but not good. But our third night was great. I woke up at 6am and realized that he was crying for the first time. Praise the Lord!!!
I do believe God made babies so cute so that it would make up for the lack of sleep and trouble that they cause. And they are trouble. With a capital T. But we love them!

Danny has been saying so many cute things lately. I really should write them down when he says them. It always seems like I sit down to update the blog and I draw a blank trying to remember what ever it was that had me rolling with laughter. I think my favorite moments lately have been watching him play with his little people toys. He has conversations and the little people interact. It is hilarious. Eddie and Max and the crew have a whole world of their own that Danny has created. What an imagination!
I also caught a cute moment today that made me smile. We were at a gas station with Jada and Michelle and Michelle had gone into the store. I peeked in the window and saw Danny holding Jada's hand and talking sweetly to her. He has been so excited about their visit. While we were at the gate, he got so excited about them walking up the hallway. I asked him if he would run to them when we saw them and he said he was going to give them a kiss. What a sweetheart!!

Go to sleep already...

well, the new year has begun and it is with great sadness that I am updating the blog. Of course, I have things to share and pictures to post, but I am not ready to move Scott's blog down one slot. I think he did an amazing job recapping our past year and I enjoyed sharing our adventures. I was exhausted when I finished reading it though, because it brought back full force all the memories of 2008.
Really? I mean, who tries to change jobs, travel lots, have a baby, move into a new city, and lead a busy life with a toddler all in one year? I guess we do. I am excited to start 2009. We have lots of trips planned and events coming up, including: a ski weekend for Scott and I, a trip to Boston with ADPis, a Virginia beach weekend with the boys for Joshie's first birthday, Scott and Anne's last year being in their twenties(yikes!), and many other fun events.

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I have to make a confession.
Many times in the past I have looked unapprovingly upon moms and dads that gave into their babies nighttime requests. I would say to them to be tough. Don't let that baby be in control.
but...I must apologize.
I have become one of those parents.
ok....you can tell me I'm wrong. You can tell me that letting a baby snuggle and eat every time they whimper in the middle of the night is the easy fix. And you would be right. But try telling that to me when it is chilly out, the bed is soooo snugly, and my sweet little 8 month old is reaching out for me. Of course, I make excuses. "We don't want to wake up the two year old." "He does have a little cold." "He is cute and won't want to snuggle me forever(like it happened with his brother)!"
But the truth is I have created a little snugly monster.
I am a wimp.
But nobody is perfect.

oh, and Danny has figured out how to open door knobs. We learned that last night when pitter-patter feet came to the top of the steps and waited to get a reaction. Fortunately, just a loud "Danny" hollered up the steps fixed the problem, as the pitter-patter feet ran back into their room and jumped quickly in the bed.
And I guess locking doors goes hand and hand with this new skill, as our oldest proceeded to lock his daddy out in the back yard this weekend. Don't worry. Mommy was home or we could have had a repeat to this early blog post. yikes!