Blue Bell Ice Cream

Grandma, Mom and Dax drove to Brenham to visit the Blue Bell ice cream factory. We got a tour of the facility and Dax had his first ice cream (mint chocolate chip). He loved it! (I know, you're shocked - a kid liking ice cream when it's 100 degrees outside?) We had a fun day.


with Grandma


Diggin' the hat


First taste of ice cream


Dax signing "please", so I'd give him more

Vacation to PA, NY, and St. Louis

We took a family vacation and Dax had his first plane ride. We visited family in Pennsylvania and New York, then stopped by to see our friends, the Hilliards, outside St. Louis. Dax did great on the plane and slept pretty well during the trip, especially considering he had 4 different "bedrooms" and he cut not 1, not 2, but 3 molars. For all the pictures from the trip, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/karen.derouen/July2008 .

Some favorite memories of the trip:
-Dax curling up with his lamb on the floor in the middle of the airport because we'd woken him up at 4:30 in the morning
-making friends with other kiddos in the airports
-Dax eating blueberries until we thought he'd burst
-eating dinner at restaurant where owner kept taking Dax and introducing him to all the other diners
-Dax grabbing his toes when we asked if he wanted toast
-Dax saying "mama" for first time
-sitting on the porch at the lake, talking with family
-Dax and Ava chasing each other, squealing the whole time
-seeing how much other people love our little guy

We had a wonderful time catching up and relaxing with everyone. We're hoping to make the trip again next year.


Dax's first plane ride


with Daddy at Great Aunt Sue's house in PA


with cousins Lori, Rob, Sydney & Jarrod, and Great Aunt Sue


Dax LOVED picking blueberries


At Kueka Lake in NY with Mommy's 2nd cousins Tommy, Megan & Shannon. Dax's 3rd cousins Jackson, Adrian & Connor


In St. Louis with friend Ava

2nd Haircut

Dax got his 2nd professional haircut, this time with clippers. Mom wanted it shorter, since his hair grows so quickly. Plus, she has come to terms with the fact that Dax is a "little boy" and not a "baby" anymore, so the shorter hair is OK.

"I'm not in the military, I just have short hair"


Mini-Duane (check out the matching nose, mouth, chin, and dimple!)


Duane at 18 months


OK, maybe he has his Mom's eyes. Karen at 12 months

Happy 4th of July!

Our neighborhood had a parade, complete with lots of people, dogs, horses, and a FIRE TRUCK! Dax really soaked it all in and he loved climbing on the fire truck. After the parade, we had a cookout at our house. Grandma, Barb, Uncle Travis, Aunt Hollie, Payton, and "Aunt" Kateri all joined us. It was a fun day. It was the same group as last year, plus Barb. Check out how much Dax has changed in the past year!