Less Than Six Weeks

Since the big baby announcement on Christmas Eve...(I cried, but of course I did) we nicknamed this babe Fetus Fawson. The entire family was deliriously in love with this pregnancy from the beginning. The due date is drawing closer now...less than six weeks away. We can hardly wait to meet this little girl!

My daughter...first born love of mine...is so perfectly a mother.

As I watch her with her children, I admit I feel a tinge inadequate of my own mothering through the years.

She is actively engaged in every aspect of her children's lives.

They are her world right now. She makes every moment a teaching moment filled with fun...and treats on occasion!

Cass has always been a lover of knowledge...now that she is a mom, she has expanded her learning to the stage of life she know finds herself in. She continually notices her children's developmental stages and challenges them to progress.

Weekly she can tell you the size of the baby she is carrying...eggplant, cantaloupe, or cabbage as the days pass. This attention to mothering, from the daughter who as a teenager once told her baby brother to "Shut up baby" when he cried incessantly.

She is strong and brave and good...and her example does not go unnoticed. During a family hike a few weeks ago, pregnant mommy and brave little Olivia were the first to cross this frigid river while we all stood around discussing whether or not we should. Where I may or may not have ridden piggyback on Dean's back...all to keep the camera dry of course. See...I told you she was brave!

What doesn't come natural to her she quickly gains expertise.

One of my favorite things about my beautiful daughter is her love for books. If you sit down to read a book with Olivia and Henry...the first thing they will do is tell you "book jackets off." Something about that drives them crazy, I think their Daddy Bob started it.

The next thing you will notice is that both of them can tell you the name of the author and additionally the name of the illustrator for every book they read.

And oh how they LOVE books.

They get that love from their momma.

From the moment the miracle of motherhood became hers...she has been completely wrapped up in it. Wow...has she had her hands full over the last 3 1/2 years.

And her hands are about to get more full! Do you think Olivia and Henry have any idea how their little three-year old world is about to change?

No...but they have no idea how wonderful it's going to be either! Gorgeous expecting daughter...I love you with all my heart. And I am so thankful you made me a Nanny Goat! 

Also...this last photo thrills me...so happy I learned how to use a camera!

Weekend with O & H

The boys left town for a week of cat skiing in the Canadian wilderness. Since Cass was home alone with hubby traveling too...we made a long weekend out of it.

Olivia and Henry are growing leaps and bounds lately. Board games have become one of their new favorite pastimes. The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel game teaches colors and numbers...Sami the dog would mostly just like to have a squirrel snack.

 Izzy the pooch tags along with me for the weekend and mostly tolerates all the attention from Olivia and Henry...

 mostly! Ah...Princess Izzy Pants!

Whenever I'm with these two little bumpkins lately, I can't help but drool over their zest for adventure. From the moment their peepers open in the morning until they finally drift off to sleep at the end of the day...the world is their playground.

 Sister kisses for Henry.

We decided to go see the Ice Castles in Heber, but when we arrived a very long wait in the freezing cold looked immanent and certain...because everyone and their Aunt decided to have the same adventure on the same day.

Early dinner plans were quickly devised, hoping the crowds would disperse by the time we finished. Cass is a wonderful mamma...every moment is a teaching moment with her little people.

 Henry and I sipped beverages and then we all played Simon Says

and occupied ourselves as best as we could until dinner finally arrived. Patience is not in a toddler's vocabulary.

Snowsuits and hats and boots and gloves and then a moment when Olivia lost it! It seems her hand was nowhere near the end of her glove. In fact, if you look at the length of her forearm you can see that her fingertips are somewhere in the middle of the arm of the coat. Cass and I got the giggles...which Olivia did not appreciate.

We convinced the kids that going inside the Ice Castle was not going to work out for us...after selling the idea to them only an hour earlier. There were promises to return with Daddy Bob when the crowds were down and the sun was warming the air just a little bit more.

 The thing about kids is...they just don't care. Because around the corner is a gazebo that you can run and chase and laugh and forget about going inside the Ice Castles. Oh if only us adults could be more childish sometimes.

Bedtime routines are the sweetest moments in this home. Night Nights and milk they call it. Prayers for all, teeth brushes and storytime. Doesn't childhood sound wonderful right now to you?

 Early every morning the rugrats would sneak into my room...jump into my bed and exclaim "I waked you up Nanny Goat." Then morning snuggles and giggles would ensue aplenty.

Until our next sleepover my sweet sweet grand children...love you, love you long time!

Olivia at Three

I turned around and my baby girl granddaughter got big. She talks a mile a minute, wears grown up clothes and knows all her letters and numbers. Olivia spent a weekend with us for Nana Bubba Birthday Fest and we loved every second of our time together. She is growing up so quickly, I'm afraid I'll forget all the adorable things about her at age three.

I want to remember that whenever she leaves a room and then returns, she announces loud and clear "I'm back!" Or when she saw the neighbor girls jumping on the tramp in our back yard she called out with all the confidence you've ever seen in a three year old "Hey girls, it's me Olivia...I'm here!"

Upon waking one morning, I scooped her up in my arms and declared it was time to use the potty before we had breakfast. She quickly placed both chubby hands on each of my cheeks and turned my head to face hers..."First kisses, then potty!" If you insist my sweet granddaughter!

Olivia has this delightful little growling grumbling giggle when she is super happy. Being extremely brave and adventurous...she prefers climbing up the slide instead of sliding down.

When it comes to negotiating this little girl has stellar skills. "Olivia I'll give you 2 gummy bears if you let me take a picture of you." Which she quickly responds..."How about 9 Nanny Goat!" Yes I use bribery/motivation efforts on the grandkids. And yes I even love her term of endearment "Nanny Goat!"

Twirling, spinning, giggling, prancing...life is one big Princess Party for this cherub. Often I'll ask her if she is my sweetheart to which she replies "No...I'm a girl Backson." It's a Winnie The Pooh thing...which incidentally, you should hear hear sing "Deep in The Hundred Acre Woods." Swoon...it will melt your heart!

One shoe off and one shoe on...I can't believe how blessed I am to call this little one my granddaughter and I still marvel at the miracle of her arrival in our family. 

Princess Olivia...Bubba and I love you to the end of forever and back!

Henry at Two

Dear Nana...


It has come to my attention that you might have forgotten to post photos from my 2nd birthday.

You know, the birthday party where my mom made a road...

in the middle of my basement.


We were supposed to drive our cars on the road...

 but we thought it was more fun to run up and down the road...over and over and over again!

 Bubba came to my party and gave me birthday kisses.

 I opened some awesome presents.

 And all my friends got to make their own cars to drive on the big black road.

There were lots of delicious treats

 and even a pinjata.

 I showed off my mad pinjata slaying skills

but I let Grant finish it off.

By request, my mama made banana cream pie for my birthday instead of cake.

I loved it!


But then you know all that Nana...because you were there taking pictures!

Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet Henry grandson.