The Great American Eclipse of 2017...

...was covered by a cloud during totality. It was so depressing. School was out, I took the day off, we all went down to the riverfront in Nashville, brought snacks and our glasses, played in the water fountains... but 2sec before the sun was blacked out, a giant cloud covered it up and did so until well past totality. 

I mean, I was beside myself. Ask your mom. A full and total solar eclipse happens where we live?? This is truly a once in a lifetime happening. The eclipse ran across the entire USA, bringing the whole country together for sometime good and not political... and we didn't get to see it. 

We did see the partial eclipse phases though. I remember looking up and seeing the sun be slowly swallowed by the moon... it gave me an oddly eery feeling. And as totality drew near, the sunlight turned to a weird dim gray light I've never seen before. Then the sky went dark as night, but the surrounding horizon maintained its brightness, only it turned orange like an almost gone sunset, in all directions. The temperature dropped at least 10deg. You could hear people "oooooo"ing and "aaaaahhh"ing  all around us, across the river even. And then 2min later, like nothing even happened, the sun came back out. People were mostly quiet after that. You could tell everyone around was just as astonished at missing it because of a cloud as I was, so at least we weren't alone. 

Over the next 24hrs I heard and read nothing but anecdotes about how amazing it was and it was like nothing they'd ever seen before. Images started being shared. I grimaced a lot that next day. I'd missed the biggest cosmic event to been seen in TN in the last 500yrs. Im still bummed but calming down a bit. After all, I must be somewhat more special because I didn't see it like the majority of people, right? haha... ugh

But in the end, we had a nice day, my nagging anxiety about finding the perfect viewing spot was now replaced with unchangeable regret (hahaha), i don't think anyone damaged their eyes during viewing, and we made it home safe and sound. You guys were good sports despite not getting naps. 

hoping this new app works; i miss blogging

had a fun night out with the kids. went to tim and jenny's for jacobs 18th birthday. grilled out and had a fire. kids ran around having a good time. isobel had a cold drink in her hands that made them cold and she would walk around and put her cold hands on someone and laugh when they jumped. she did it about 150 times. pretty funny. angus just keeps growing and developing, picking up new words to say and understanding even more. his little blond curls  and laugh.

life is so drawn out its hard to imagine being an old man watching my kid's kids run around wondering where the time went.... but that's how all old men are. no one can grasp the passage of time. we're all just doing our best to get through each moment.

in case this doesn't get said enough, my kids are really wonderful and watching them run around and play and laugh and find pure joy in the most random thing, wonder in next, it's so refreshing and rewarding.


(this wasn't tonight but i needed to test uploading a picture)

(testing a new blogger app because the official one just disappeared(?) blogging isn't quite the rage that it used to be, but i think there always something rewarding about journaling regardless of the overall purpose. there's someone so fun (and usually embarrassing) about reading back through a log of thoughts and feelings and observances.)

Our Little Gus

First off, I apologize for not writing more down, buddy. We just have less and less time nowadays and we're terribly unreliable writers. We think about writing all the time but just take pictures and video instead.

So let me catch you up...

You're about to turn 1yr old, like in 6 days. And you've been the most wonderful baby. You came right on time and mom was only labor for maybe 5-6hrs. You've been healthy as a horse since day 1. You only cry when you're tired or hungry and have one of the most calming demeanors I've seen in a baby. You laugh and smile way more than Isobel did when she was baby. Speaking of, you're very patient with your big sister (shes been quite a pill since she turned 2!)

...

so of course i started this entry july 27 of last year... it's now June... so there go those memories :P (isobel is still a pill tho.)



gustav you've been such a treat. so full of laughter and enthusiasm. a few ear piercing screams but mostly laughter. you're now getting into the terrible 2s where you say "no no no" to everything and you're super attached to your "paci" but you seem to love life and mom and usually me and definitely isobel (who you call "abby") (oddly enough you call abby "abby" as well) you and isobel were slow to take off but over the past year as you've come to life, you and her have become quite the little partners in crime and annoying each other. everyone and then there's 5min of quiet playing or playing together and it's beautiful but it only lasts a short time before someone starts crying and we have to separate you both.

but i really did just this week notice that angus you've changed into a little kid and seem to not really be a toddler any more. you sleep in your own bed and understand so many words and thoughts can see so many more gears turning when i talk to you now.

gus you're mom is so sweet on you. she cuts you way more slack than isobel and i can barely get her to put you down sometimes. someday we'll both seem weird and old and out of touch to you but i want you to know your mom absolutely pours herself out for you and isobel. she's a really good mom and gives you everything she has.

goodnight :*

ps. currently you hate swimming in the pool. you like water enough but scream theentire time i hold you in the pool. we're working on it though and i think we'll have it turned around by end of summer.

One to Three and Three to Four

Isobel

Your little brother is right around the corner. In fact he's due next week, but considering he's a Hunter, it'll probably be another week or two. But in any case, life is going to be different and quite possibly even more awesome. I have a feeling you're going to love your little brother so much, but it's going to be a difficult adjustment. For the past 2yrs you've been front and center in our life; everything has revolved around you. However, babies require a lot of time and effort and you may feel left out in the next 6mo, but we want to assure you that you are still front and center and the most important thing in the world to us... only now, you'll have a little brother sharing the stage with you. We know that we'll love him just as much as you, but the idea of shaking up our amazing little world makes us anxious for sure. But a sibling is such a special thing. He's a best friend for life, a partner in crime, a playmate, a listener, a helping hand...

You probably won't remember what life is like with just the 3 of us. And honestly, after time, your mom and I won't either. But these past 2+yrs have been some of the most incredible yet and we've taken countless pictures and videos... Watching you go from a little pudgy baby that sleeps all day to a crawling toddler bumping your head on tables to a tiny adult two year old who points and tells people what to do and sometimes collapses on the floor in a tantrum... watching you learn to communicate with your mom and me and hearing you say you love us and seeing you smile and laugh... it's been maybe the single greatest joy and honor of our lives. As you get older the world seems to get darker and murkier and you.... you are the brightest source of light and pure joy... If I could I'd whisk us all away to a deserted island to live out our lives free of the world's influence and stress... but that isn't very likely, so I'll just do the best I can wherever we find ourselves.

So here we are, watching you grow from 1 to 2 to 3... while our family grows from 3 to 4. We love you and can't wait to meet your brother :*

doing the chicken dance

watching fireworks from my shoulders

 

4th of July

you were a little uncomfortable with fireworks

Uncle Sean 

your first "tree house"

pretty sure something popped when they lifted you :\

Charity & Jordan

Memorial Day weekend

the most peaceful tantrum i've ever seen

we take selfies on fridays because i drive you to mrs. trudie's

This was your first day at daycare. Too precious.

Uncle Nick's 1st visit to TN

you didn't like your halloween costume

 

Decided to settle down at the back door with a nice cozy dish towel.

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Isobel look out for that...

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