PRECIOUS

SEAFOOD

You slept through pretty much the entire visit to the New England Aquarium.  Luckily, you did wake up in time to catch the seals.  Exciting stuff.  Well by the look on your face, maybe not so exciting for an 8-month old.

FASHION FAUX PAS

While strolling around the streets of Boston, we came across your very first parade.  A gay pride parade.  A GAY PRIDE PARADE!  Not that there's anything wrong with being a homosexual.  Whether or not you wind up liking boys, girls, or animals for that matter, the more important thing at matter here is to never wear anything remotely like that possibly gay man's outfit out in public.  No matter how hot you may be or think you may be, you'll inevitably wind up in random people's photos of weird and unusual things.  Much like this guy. 

BOSTON COMMON

Do you think that we'd actually keep you pent up in a hotel room your entire stay in Boston?  Not to worry, you actually did make it out a few times.  We spent an afternoon shopping on Newbury Street.  The "Rodeo Drive" of Boston.  After that we strolled through Boston Common. 

We stumbled across these ducklings.  You and Anna weren't so sure about them. 

BEANTOWN

We traveled all the way to Boston, so that you could hangout in a hotel room the entire trip.  Well, at least it must have seemed like it to you.  You spent your time hanging out with Anna and her grandma on the 15th floor.  At least you had a view of Boston. 

What were all of your parents doing?  Celebrating your dad's friends, Sheahan and Tamara's wedding...

AJ SQUARED

This much anticipated day has finally arrived.  17 months in the making.  What could be such a big deal?  You finally got to meet your BFF, Anna Joan.  Anna Joan and Alison Jane.  AJ squared.  It's a friendship that's meant to be.  Or at least all of your parents are assuming so. 

Since Anna's dad, Joe, is one of your dad's dearest friends, it only makes perfect sense that you two will be as close.  After all, you both have the exact same initials, AJH.  Even though the Haligowkis are in Michigan, your dad and Joe are excited to be raising girls together. 

How excited are they?  They spent a late night discussing the appropriate way to interact with your teenage girlfriends.  Their worst fear?  Being that creepy dad that weirds out all your friends.  Although they may never be that creepy dad (hopefully), I'm sure each of them will find more than enough ways to embarass you both.  Intentionally or not.    

GRAPE JUICE

With the discovery of your newly-found independence, you're obviously not wasting anytime and moving on to the good stuff. Raiding the wine cooler. You helped yourself to a bottle of my favorite Styring dessert wine. Now if you could only figure out how to use the corkscrew...

ELEPHANT MAN

Every parent dreads this day, but it inevitably happens sooner or later.  The dreaded trip to the ER.  It only took you just under 8 months for this big event.  This was our first of what will probably be many trips to the ER with you.  A tumble off the bed and head-first on to the hardwood floor, makes for a very unhappy baby and a long night at the ER. 

Not that you hadn't taken some ugly looking falls before, but this time it was really ugly.  Ugly enough for your dad to to make me come home in the middle of a movie night out with the girls.  By the time I got home, your swollen forehead bared a similar resemblance to this guy...

With all that swelling, you could have easily passed for the Elephant Man's illegitimate child.  A few tests and one CAT scan later, you were in the clear to go home. 

Your dad feels he let you down.  Not only for letting this happen and not being able to break your fall, but for the fact that he's convinced you had to have just lost a few IQ points and the thought of any academic college scholarship has now just gone out the window.  I think that as long as you stay away from drugs, alcohol, and sex (for that matter) during high school, any IQ points lost now will even out then and we're back on track!

(Not so bad looking a day later)

PAPER OR PLASTIC

We really need to get a jump on baby proofing the house.  Not only do you now know how to open drawers, you know where the plastic bags are.  Go figure.