This is the Post With All the Pictures

 Yesterday I plugged in my camera and was surprised at how many pictures I've let build up.  So I thought I'd clump them all together in this post . . . . 

The day before Rich's surgery we went to the swim beach at the lake.  I'm glad we took the time to relax, since things haven't been so easy since.

We played in the water

and spent time on the swings.

Then went for a swim.  She fell asleep on the boat (on my lap) before we got back.

Becca has a new adorable way of giving kisses.  She kisses her toys, us, others, and most adorably, herself (in the mirror).  

I just liked this one.

Here we are, shopping for little Jason's birthday present.  Notice the cart cover?  I wish everyone would . . .

If I could get her to wear a hat, I'd get one that says "Careful, I bite."

And here are a few family pictures from the birthday party last Sunday:

With Big Jason, Nanny at the table, and Aunt Maureen in the background

With Great Uncle Mike

A couple of swimming pool pics--the birthday boy on his new raft.

Rich wanted an action shot--Grandmom Ellie's in the back, the birthday boy in the front, and his grandpa (on the other side) is controlling the oars.

Becca with Great Aunt Maureen (and part of Great Uncle Mike)

Becca with Cousin Kaitlyn (and even less of Mike)

Becca should get a tee shirt that reads "I went to Philadelphia and all I got was a lousy picture of me and Dad in the Chili's around the corner from the hospital."  We could write in on the napkin, but it won't stay on her head.  Rich's dad went in on Monday (that's two Riches two Mondays in a row) so we went in to visit.  This was lunch.

I had woken up that morning with the vivid memory of the creepiest fish dream I'd had in a long time.  I don't like fish--they skeeve me with their not blinking and their mouths (and don't start with the see through eyelids that do blink--it doesn't make me feel any better).  And I realize the irony of marrying an aquatic biology major, but anyway the dream involved cannibalizing fish and one that puffed up with air and turned into a space ship.  I told Rich about it but I don't think he really listened.  

As we were packing up the car he casually mentioned that depending on how things went he'd like to stop at the Aquarium after.  Yes, after that dream I really want to see fish.  But Rich still isn't eating solid food (hence Chili's for soup) and was exhausted from lack of sleep and his slow starvation diet.  So no fish for me.  Notice how thin his face looked?  At this point he's about ten pounds down from where he was a week ago.  (Sadly, I am not on a sympathy starvation diet--in fact my appetite increases with every meal he doesn't eat.)

We picked Rich Sr. up from the hospital Tuesday morning (angioplasty) and, thankfully, he's doing well.  I dropped the two Riches and Becca off at grandpa's and went to fill a prescription at the local Sears Essentials.  Sometimes I think I should take a picture of the store, because we're sure it's not going to last long (empty, always empty--and across the street from a Walmart).  But all big box stores look the same anyway.  I came out with two swimming pools.  Overkill?  Perhaps, but they were half off, and the little one was five bucks.  I blew up the little one and Rich attached the hose to the laundry room sink so we could add warm water and Becca and I hopped in.  It's really little.  (Oh, and since Rich can't eat, Popsicles have become popular at our house, and Becca gets a lick here and there, too.)

I love how she splashes--she screws her face up and closes her eyes and moves her hand almost down to the water then chickens out and stops short.  Then she tries again and hits the water with this adorable combination of joy and horror.

She's adorable.

But the bad news:  While picking up the pools  I missed Becca's first crawl.  Three moves forward and then a lunge.  The good news:  She crawled!