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moving

Friday, August 10, 2012

Once upon a time, I was a girl with a blog.  It was an etiquette blog, and I used a pen name so I could say whatever I wanted.  It's been five years since I launched Simple Etiquette.  (Time flies.  Like woah.)

Then, I became a girl with a blog and a baby.  But my blog wasn't about my baby, so I started another blog. Then, I was a girl with two blogs and a baby.

That's a busy girl.

So, I took the leap.  I got my own URL and stepped out from behind the pen name.  And just like that, two blogs are now one.  Introducing, www.ProperPaige.com!  (TA DA!)

I'll blog about etiquette there, so if you only read this to find out about Jack, you'll want to skim those posts.

I'll also blog about Jack there, so you'll still have lots of the cute.  I'll just use initials there, FYI. My boys will be known as D and J.

I'll be great.  I won't even say epic.  Because that's lame.  And it will not be lame.

Hope your day is full of trips to my kick ass new blog.  

Talk soon,
Heather

reflection

Thursday, August 9, 2012



The other night, Jack chose, "Oh the Places You'll Go" as one of his books before bed.

The copy he chose is the one I did my Pinterest-magic to -- it bears notes and signatures from all of the daycare teachers he's had thus far.  I'll keep gathering these notes as he grows up.  It's sure to be a memorable keepsake and hard core tearjerker for years to come.

Anyway, despite the fact that book is always sort of trendy, have you read it lately?  Like, not in the ho hum way that we sometimes zip through books at story time.  As in, have you read it and thought about it lately?

I did.  And let me tell you.  Woah.

It says this:
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?Or go around back and sneak in from behind?Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confusedthat you'll start in to racedown long wiggled roads at a break-necking paceand grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.Waiting for a train to goor a bus to come, or a plane to goor the mail to come, or the rain to goor the phone to ring, or the snow to snowor waiting around for a Yes or a Noor waiting for their hair to grow.Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to biteor waiting for wind to fly a kiteor waiting around for Friday nightor waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jakeor a pot to boil, or a Better Breakor a sting of pearls, or a pair of pantsor a wig with curls, or Another Chance.Everyone is just waiting.
NO!That's not for you!

It really made me think.  And I liked it.  A little introspection and reflection for me, courtesy of Dr. Seuss, was much appreciated.

Hope you have some good reflection this weekend.

Talk soon,
Heather

update

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

We're cruising toward having a 2 1/2 year old in these parts.

Here is an update, of sorts:


Jack still really likes the Fresh Beat Band.  This show makes me smile and makes Durel want to stick a fork in his eye.  The fact that one of us can tolerate it seems about right for kids' shows.



Jack is a con artist.  If you tell him it's bedtime, he tends to develop a raging hunger, unquenchable thirst, or deep desire to cuddle on the couch with you.  Note:  All of these things do not involve taking a bath and going to bed.



Jack loves his daddy.  But, he prefers to call him Durel.  As in, this happened:
Jack:  Hi, Durel!
Durel:  Jack, call me Daddy.
Jack:  OK, Durel.
Jack is ticklish.


May you tickle with impunity today.

Talk soon,
Heather

maryland

Monday, August 6, 2012

I went to Maryland a few weeks ago.  I may have chosen Austin as my forever home, but I'll always be from Maryland.

This means several things.

1.  On any given day, I could lapse and pronounce the word "water" as if it's spelled "wooder."
2.  I will not eat a crab cake anywhere other than the Delmarva peninsula.
3.  I know what I am talking about when I say "Delmarva peninsula."
4.  I'm an Orioles fan.
5.  When the occasion presents itself, I do enjoy scrapple.
6.  I know what I'm talking about when I say "scrapple."
7.  I don't think it's weird to call everyone "hon."

I said I would take pictures while I was in Maryland.  I didn't, really.  But I did take a few pictures as proof of my seafood bender, and also a few flashback snapshots I found while at my parents' house.

Clockwise from top left:
I played field hockey, which is also a very Maryland thing to do.  I played badly.
Crab cake sammich.
My adorable mom as a bridesmaid in my aunt's wedding.  (That's not my dad.)
The best oysters I've ever had. Not even joking.  
Hope somebody calls you hon today.

Talk later,
Heather

ahoy, maties

Friday, August 3, 2012


Captain Jack wants ye all to have an AAAAARRRRRRGGGH kind of weekend.

Or he'll make ye walk the plank.


Look at that face.  He'll totally do it.

Hope your day is full of sequined pirate hats, and not a lot of plank walking.

Talk soon,
Heather

how pablo came to live with us

Thursday, August 2, 2012

I spend a lot of time talking about Jack.  And while everything he does is fascinating and wonderful, um, there are other personalities under my roof.



Like Pablo.

Pablo was our first (furry) kid.  We adopted him from the awesome Town Lake Animal Center, here in Austin.  At the shelter, he had been given the name Jeremy.

Aside from the fact that one of Durel's best friends is named Jeremy, we just didn't think this dog *was* a Jeremy.  He was much more ... aloof.  Cooler, somehow.  More worldly.  (Sorry JerBear.  You're plenty worldly.)

It was 2005.  We were just about to get married, and had just moved back to Austin from Washington, DC.  We had no business adopting a dog at that particular moment.  But, we didn't care about that.  We had met Jeremy, and we were in doggie lurve.

We needed to go back the next day to finalize the adoption.  So, we left sans Jeremy, but full of excitement.  And with the burning need for a new name.  So, we did what all carefree, childless Austinites do when they have something to mull over.  We went to Trudy's and had a margarita.  Duh.

And we brainstormed names.  And somehow, I started ticking off artists' names.

Claude?  

Nope.

Matisse?

Nope.

Vincent?

Nope.

Pablo?

[pause]

Yup.

Artiste.  Bon vivant.
Lover of the ladies.
Taker of photos.
Wearer of two watches.
Seriously bad ass type of man person.

And with that, our Pablo happened.


Hope your day has some Cubism in it.  Or Surrealism.  Whichever you prefer.

Talk soon,
Heather

no slurpees for you

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

I don't know what happened to my baby.

Oh, wait.  Yes I do.  He grew into a boy.

Exhibit A:


Hanging at school used to entail maxin' and relaxin' on a Boppy (pre-sitting up with confidence), holding hands with his girlfrang.

Exhibit B:

Hanging at school now entails playing on the playground, being photobombed by a buddy, and giving your teacher a look that says, "Dude, we're playing here.  MMMkay?"

Or, as a friend put it best: 

In this picture, he looks like he's about to ask you if he and his buddies can ride their bikes to the 7-11 to get Slurpees.  
And, NO THEY MAY NOT.

Hope you get photobombed today.

Talk soon,
Heather

Friday, August 10, 2012

moving

Once upon a time, I was a girl with a blog.  It was an etiquette blog, and I used a pen name so I could say whatever I wanted.  It's been five years since I launched Simple Etiquette.  (Time flies.  Like woah.)

Then, I became a girl with a blog and a baby.  But my blog wasn't about my baby, so I started another blog. Then, I was a girl with two blogs and a baby.

That's a busy girl.

So, I took the leap.  I got my own URL and stepped out from behind the pen name.  And just like that, two blogs are now one.  Introducing, www.ProperPaige.com!  (TA DA!)

I'll blog about etiquette there, so if you only read this to find out about Jack, you'll want to skim those posts.

I'll also blog about Jack there, so you'll still have lots of the cute.  I'll just use initials there, FYI. My boys will be known as D and J.

I'll be great.  I won't even say epic.  Because that's lame.  And it will not be lame.

Hope your day is full of trips to my kick ass new blog.  

Talk soon,
Heather

Thursday, August 9, 2012

reflection



The other night, Jack chose, "Oh the Places You'll Go" as one of his books before bed.

The copy he chose is the one I did my Pinterest-magic to -- it bears notes and signatures from all of the daycare teachers he's had thus far.  I'll keep gathering these notes as he grows up.  It's sure to be a memorable keepsake and hard core tearjerker for years to come.

Anyway, despite the fact that book is always sort of trendy, have you read it lately?  Like, not in the ho hum way that we sometimes zip through books at story time.  As in, have you read it and thought about it lately?

I did.  And let me tell you.  Woah.

It says this:
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?Or go around back and sneak in from behind?Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confusedthat you'll start in to racedown long wiggled roads at a break-necking paceand grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.Waiting for a train to goor a bus to come, or a plane to goor the mail to come, or the rain to goor the phone to ring, or the snow to snowor waiting around for a Yes or a Noor waiting for their hair to grow.Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to biteor waiting for wind to fly a kiteor waiting around for Friday nightor waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jakeor a pot to boil, or a Better Breakor a sting of pearls, or a pair of pantsor a wig with curls, or Another Chance.Everyone is just waiting.
NO!That's not for you!

It really made me think.  And I liked it.  A little introspection and reflection for me, courtesy of Dr. Seuss, was much appreciated.

Hope you have some good reflection this weekend.

Talk soon,
Heather

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

update

We're cruising toward having a 2 1/2 year old in these parts.

Here is an update, of sorts:


Jack still really likes the Fresh Beat Band.  This show makes me smile and makes Durel want to stick a fork in his eye.  The fact that one of us can tolerate it seems about right for kids' shows.



Jack is a con artist.  If you tell him it's bedtime, he tends to develop a raging hunger, unquenchable thirst, or deep desire to cuddle on the couch with you.  Note:  All of these things do not involve taking a bath and going to bed.



Jack loves his daddy.  But, he prefers to call him Durel.  As in, this happened:
Jack:  Hi, Durel!
Durel:  Jack, call me Daddy.
Jack:  OK, Durel.
Jack is ticklish.


May you tickle with impunity today.

Talk soon,
Heather

Monday, August 6, 2012

maryland

I went to Maryland a few weeks ago.  I may have chosen Austin as my forever home, but I'll always be from Maryland.

This means several things.

1.  On any given day, I could lapse and pronounce the word "water" as if it's spelled "wooder."
2.  I will not eat a crab cake anywhere other than the Delmarva peninsula.
3.  I know what I am talking about when I say "Delmarva peninsula."
4.  I'm an Orioles fan.
5.  When the occasion presents itself, I do enjoy scrapple.
6.  I know what I'm talking about when I say "scrapple."
7.  I don't think it's weird to call everyone "hon."

I said I would take pictures while I was in Maryland.  I didn't, really.  But I did take a few pictures as proof of my seafood bender, and also a few flashback snapshots I found while at my parents' house.

Clockwise from top left:
I played field hockey, which is also a very Maryland thing to do.  I played badly.
Crab cake sammich.
My adorable mom as a bridesmaid in my aunt's wedding.  (That's not my dad.)
The best oysters I've ever had. Not even joking.  
Hope somebody calls you hon today.

Talk later,
Heather

Friday, August 3, 2012

ahoy, maties


Captain Jack wants ye all to have an AAAAARRRRRRGGGH kind of weekend.

Or he'll make ye walk the plank.


Look at that face.  He'll totally do it.

Hope your day is full of sequined pirate hats, and not a lot of plank walking.

Talk soon,
Heather

Thursday, August 2, 2012

how pablo came to live with us

I spend a lot of time talking about Jack.  And while everything he does is fascinating and wonderful, um, there are other personalities under my roof.



Like Pablo.

Pablo was our first (furry) kid.  We adopted him from the awesome Town Lake Animal Center, here in Austin.  At the shelter, he had been given the name Jeremy.

Aside from the fact that one of Durel's best friends is named Jeremy, we just didn't think this dog *was* a Jeremy.  He was much more ... aloof.  Cooler, somehow.  More worldly.  (Sorry JerBear.  You're plenty worldly.)

It was 2005.  We were just about to get married, and had just moved back to Austin from Washington, DC.  We had no business adopting a dog at that particular moment.  But, we didn't care about that.  We had met Jeremy, and we were in doggie lurve.

We needed to go back the next day to finalize the adoption.  So, we left sans Jeremy, but full of excitement.  And with the burning need for a new name.  So, we did what all carefree, childless Austinites do when they have something to mull over.  We went to Trudy's and had a margarita.  Duh.

And we brainstormed names.  And somehow, I started ticking off artists' names.

Claude?  

Nope.

Matisse?

Nope.

Vincent?

Nope.

Pablo?

[pause]

Yup.

Artiste.  Bon vivant.
Lover of the ladies.
Taker of photos.
Wearer of two watches.
Seriously bad ass type of man person.

And with that, our Pablo happened.


Hope your day has some Cubism in it.  Or Surrealism.  Whichever you prefer.

Talk soon,
Heather

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

no slurpees for you

I don't know what happened to my baby.

Oh, wait.  Yes I do.  He grew into a boy.

Exhibit A:


Hanging at school used to entail maxin' and relaxin' on a Boppy (pre-sitting up with confidence), holding hands with his girlfrang.

Exhibit B:

Hanging at school now entails playing on the playground, being photobombed by a buddy, and giving your teacher a look that says, "Dude, we're playing here.  MMMkay?"

Or, as a friend put it best: 

In this picture, he looks like he's about to ask you if he and his buddies can ride their bikes to the 7-11 to get Slurpees.  
And, NO THEY MAY NOT.

Hope you get photobombed today.

Talk soon,
Heather
 
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