Fun and Father's Day

With more time on our hands, we're filling it with fun and friends! Brian, Caroline and Jake McNeely came over last Saturday for a long overdue visit and the boys had a great time chasing each other around, sharing toys and taking turns while Brian flipped them over his head! Jake's getting so big and even more "boy" since the last time we saw him. Time's going too fast, I wish it'd slow down!

The next day, Matty and I headed to Macon for a late weekend with Mom and Dad. I took off work on Monday so we could get a nice visit in and not have to rush back. We had a nice time, just relaxing and being together in the air conditioning. Matty was surprised with several new toys that will stay at Mimi and Bop's and he loved introducing himself to them! Mom is also doing great. She has 3 chemo rounds checked off and is off to a great start with radiation. Not quite to the halfway mark, but it's getting closer everyday!

Ben had a great Father's Day! Having worked to the point of heat exhaustion on a solar project the previous two days, on Sunday he was able to sleep late and rest. Matty and I gave him his Father's Day cards and his present: Season 7 of M*A*S*H for his collection. Ben spent the day on the couch, hydrating and recuperating and watching the next installment in his 4077 collection. For dinner I even surprised myself, cooking a fabulous whole beef tender to medium-rare perfection (i.e. pink and not charred to a gray piece of yuck, and yes it does merit mentioning! :) Ben took Monday off to conclude his recovery and is all better now and promises to never push it that far again!

Most importantly, Matty is doing awesome! Boy, that personality shines through more and more everyday. From his sounds and faces, this child is ALL boy! And he just cracks me up. This weekend we were in the kitchen and he was bringing me letters from the Alphabet on the fridge. He brought me an "H" and I was very appreciative. Then he brought me an "I" and I simply cracked up...he brought me "Hi" :) At school, they've been working on sign language and it's really taken root. At breakfast today, he signed and said "more" clear as day on both counts when I briefly paused in feeding him his morning yogurt. I was so impressed! I had tried to start sign language last year, but not being with him during the day, it fell by the wayside with no reinforcement from school. But now I think we'll start again and add a few more to the mix.

All in all, us Brownings are doing great and hoping you all are too! And we're wishing my parents a very happy early 41st anniversary (Saturday)! You know, Dad, I did read that the 41st is the "land" anniversary...uh oh!

Here I Go!

Matty bravely going where at least he had never gone before - head first down the slide! Nothing his Daddy could do at this point but watch!

Summer is Here!

Hi Friends and Family! I hope everyone is enjoying the start to their summer as we are! No big vacations on the horizon but we're enjoying some fun in the sun nonetheless! This past weekend was gorgeous and even though Ben was working for part of it, the three of us managed to find some nice quality time together at the park and walking around Marietta Square. Matty loves the park by our house and especially loves being able to run wild and not hear too many 'no's from Mommy! I could just not believe his bravery, including going down the slide - head first! It was like he'd been doing it forever! He had a blast, and I'm working on not hovering over him every second :)

Matty is such a big boy now! Very independent and certainly knows himself well. He wants to do everything on his own. Brushing teeth used to be the easiest task, but now he insists on doing it himself - or not at all! We're working out the kinks, including some new flavored toothpaste that's helping out the cause, for this week at least! He is an expert walker - and runner now! He's even starting to navigate the stairs well and runs to them at every opportunity to practice his big-boy stepping. He's talking more and more and I really must use caution when talking in front of him because it's in the ears out the mouth these days! Luckily only good things so far! He loves 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' and we sing that along with 'Old MacDonald' numerous times a day. 'Old MacDonald' is especially fun when Matty chimes in with the "E-I-E-I-E-I"s he sings so well! He's just the happiest little boy and is just blossoming everyday! At school, they certainly act as though he's the most popular boy at DCA. Apparently he has about half a dozen girlfriends of various ages! Oh dear...

Memorial Day weekend we were able to go to Austin to get in a good visit with Ben's family. We'd been planning on paying a visit to Waco to see Ben's brother and grandparents. Ben's Papaw suffered a stroke the day we left for our trip out there but luckily is doing quite well considering. We were able to see him in the hospital and he is speaking pretty well and is at the rehab center recovering and hoping to get home to Memaw, though we don't know when that will happen yet. The visit was too short but so good to see Mama O, Daddy O, Uncle Ted and Memaw and Papaw. Not to mention Robin and Lauren too. Mama O spoiled Matty to pieces! Pool toys, new toys, old toys, special meal treats and the awesome Little Tikes ride-on train that was Ben's when he was little! What fun that was! Matty took to being a little conductor quite well :) Matty and Beau became big buddies, too, and Matty still asks about him almost everyday. Every 4-legged creature on the planet is now "Beau?!"

Earlier in May was my long-awaited Relay for Life Walk. A most wonderful experience to finally culminate 5 months of meetings, planning, emailing, organizing, fundraising and begging and pleading for donations! All totalled, team "Fluffcats" raised just over $10,000 for the American Cancer Society, more than doubling our original goal. And our team won "Best Theme" of the night! All themes needed to be TV or movie related, so we all got together to M*A*S*H out cancer for Fluffy (Julie Hix 1966-2008). Our tent was the perfect "Swamp." A beautiful experience, I'll certainly do again next year. Matty and Ben came out for a while and Matty had a great time. There was a band playing in the tent next door and he just walked right on over and started dancing! When the songs were over and everyone clapped, he thought for sure the applause for him, but of course!

Things are slowly starting to level off after what has been a whirlwind 6 months. Now we're able to take a breath and are looking forward to hanging with friends soon. I have Wino this week and we're having the McNeely's over for some summer beach food later in the week. Next week the Parrilli's are having a party too! So excited about the fun ahead!

I'm Gonna Walk Like a Man...

We've had a really exciting day at our house! Matty took his very first without-a-doubt-absolutely-no-denying-it first steps! For a few weeks, it's been a cautious step here or there. Then, last night he had a slumber party at Jake McNeely's, who is an expert walking man, and we think that must have been just the push he needed!

I went to lunch with Jake's Mommy today and some other friends and when I came home, this is what he decided to start doing...

Thanks Jakers!!