Back again, for the very _____ time

Here's the deal, Carter turns 1 next week, and I'm trying to do a little repenting. Since I haven't been keeping a journal in a really long time, so this really is the closest thing to knowing what she's been up to besides her Mama's regular E-mails, which are not to be shared in this forum. Anyhoozle, without further ado, Carter's latest =

This is what I know, "Peanut" weighs 20 lbs. & 15 oz's per a Dr. visit yesterday evening (ear infection - almost made it an entire yr. without one). She's 30 1/2" or 2.5 ft. as her Father enjoys saying. The little lady has a several words she is able to pronouce with clarity, and has learned three sign language motions. The words are: "up", "uh-oh", Dad-dah", "duh" (for down), "baby", "peek-oh" (peek-a-boo), "yeah", "meh" (mom), "bah" (ball), "bye-bye" and perhaps others but we're drawing a blank. The motions are "more", "kiss" & "bye-bye".

What you see here is her favorite play-place. Save your money, go to Costco and pick-up cardboard boxes, it's wonderful hours of entertainment. She will place several toys in her box, climb in, and then proceed to eject them very emphatically. Occasionally she will even go in there to "do her business".

Just about every day we find her quietly sitting in her alcove by her bookshelf, with many books about her reading, and you better believe she babbles while flipping pages. Today I realized that she even knows which direction the books should be when peering at images and text. Quite frankly, she doesn't enjoy being disturbed when she's reading by herself. It's her quiet time.

Moving on, her absolute favorite activity is bathing. In fact, she's so fascinated with the tub that she prefers to join anyone doing their own "business" so that she may clang any semi-blunt object on the rim of the tub.

As most kids her age, she does a slight jig when she hears a tune she enjoys. Much to the opposite of our projections, she will not be walking by her 1st birthday. She does have a speedy crawl and will pull herself up on anything that is of interest.

As you will notice below, she will locate any object to inspect, investigate and move around.

Thing is, sometimes she can't exactly get herself out of some of those locations. Especially in undiscovered territory.

She really enjoys climbing into the dishwasher, and following her Mama' vacuuming. Of course, she's just like any other wanna-be-toddler, she plays with her alphabet blocks to learn new "nouns", and very much enjoys plugging away at the psuedo - piano play-circle she has, and clanging pots and pans on the kitchen floor. Stairs are a quick conquer these days and rarely ventures fast enough to be worrisome.

Every now-and-again she watches Baby Einstein, but that's not a regular since we'd rather have her watching the best kind of reality television that exists = Sports. Yes, she's a Redskin fan, and yes, she too is disappointed in the firing of Eddie Jordan after he was asked to win with a basketball team without the two players it was built around (injured Brendan Haywood & Gilbert Arenas), and oh yeah, leading the team to three consecutive playoffs for the first time in two decades.

Well, since the little lady's father hasn't been diligent in updating this little blog here, I'll close with our respective Halloween costumes:

1.) Daddy as Frank Castle aka "The Punisher" (see Dec. 5th, 2008 Punisher: War Zone)

2.) Carter as "Thumper" from Bambi.

3.) Lauren as "Little Red Riding Hood" (which is a tough costume to locate that isn't quite risque, so she used various items to arrange the costume.)

Enjoy as it may be a while before there are further updates.

Miscellaneous Events

I've been a busy little lady, and if we ever get a "firewire" then "dah-dah" - as I call him - will post some video clips from as far back as three months ago as Mom had promised to the general public.

As you may observe on the left, I have been working hard on my bicept to impress the fellas, you know like "No-No" (that boy is so talented it's hard to keep up, but I will, cause I'ma Downs and we compete) & the likes.

The results are slow in coming, but here's where I'm @ right now ....

Barbell Curls are my favorite, especially since "Monster Mike" bought me a 1 pound dumbbell to work-out w/ and tone up that "baby fatty-fat" (as De La calls it).

But you know how it goes, "light weight, bay-beh!!"

The last thing I want is to have a "girth" issue like my "dah-dah" who's growing posterior has earned him the nickname "Tubby", which was surprisingly catchy, and eventually burst his suit-drawers several months ago & it became quite an issue. (Feel free to ask him, but not to be explained further in cyber-space.)

Anyhoozle, I've got some seriously cool video-clips to add, and I will have to stick w/ one last cool picture of my family to show how wonderful a time I had on the 4th of July. I held my first sparkler and loved the fireworks Aunt Tammi purchased that my cousin "Iceman" and my "Dah-Dah" launched for all's delight.

Next year, we're going to have to crank in more funding for another wonderful celebration of American Freedom!

Which C.P. will we have this season?

http://


They call me, "Southeast Jerome, Mr. Stanky Janky, Captain Tu-Tu, Mr. Choo, Choo, Dolemite Jenkins"

Food Excitement - 7/08

So, the 3 of us were laughing @ the impressive attire of a little boy out in California (go figure, those in CA being outlandish) and it occured to our Team (Downs 4.3) that some folks might care to view a few recent images.

For those who care to know, Lauren has been in the process of preparing her phone, which contains Delta-5 Clearance material, for being converted to the joys of the Palm "Centro" - the black version of course, because once you go black, you never go back ... or so they tell me. Thus, our laptop was chug, chuggin' along w/ her efforts to add images to our external database. So here's our 15.15oz, 28.25" lady's update.

First, the foods .....

Don't you worry peoples, I'm a messy-bessy, & w/ all the friends of mine that were born w/in the last 8 months I'm sure I'm not the only 1!!

"Big C Dogg" is to thank for the sinus infection looking mucus on my face, since she thought I was able to feed myself on the 4th of July (@ a very mature 7 months).

Guess what Dad saw me do?

Not often does her father witness the amazing actions that are new discoveries; usually Mom observes those. Today however, I noticed that while I was sitting on the end of the bed and she was in her "rocker bed", she had curiously lifted her head, raising her shoulders off and holding as though she was going to sit up. She remained frozen in this position, looking like a turtle stretching it's neck, for about 15 seconds and then eased her way back down as I reached to pick her up. After relating the event to Mom, it indeed was a first.

Then, to later add to her father's delight, while observing Dad make himself some lunch from her cozy "rocker bed", she extended her left arm far in front of her and maintained his gaze for about 10 seconds, with her palm extended as though she was asking to be picked up. Normally this behavior is demonstrated in a similar manner by extending an arm and then staring curiously at the fingers as they move. But this time it was a definite, "Hey, come pick me up please." And as is often the case with this little lady, she didn't fuss in begging fashion. She was quite polite.

They tell me I'm svelt & fit

NBA ... Where Isaiah Happens

Today I find it only fitting to recite a humorous anectdote from Bill Simmons of ESPN.com Page #2 (aka "The Sports Guy)

"What if the Knicks had never hired Isiah Thomas?

This could have been its own bizarro "Where Amazing Happens" commercial called "Where Isiah Happens."

(Cue the piano music.)

(Picture of the '05 Suns celebrating after a playoff win.)
Where Phoenix dumps the Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway contracts on someone and remakes its team into a contender happens.

(Picture of the '07 Bulls celebrating after a playoff win.)
Where Chicago dumps Eddy Curry for two lottery picks and copious amounts of cap space happens.

(Picture of the '07 Raptors celebrating after a playoff win.)
Where Toronto finds some dummy to take Jalen Rose's contract and aid its rebuilding process happens.

(Picture of San Antonio's 2005 trophy celebration.)
Where San Antonio dumps Malik Rose's contract for a center who helps them win the title happens.

(Picture of the '08 Blazers celebrating after a last-second win.)
Where the 2008 Blazers become the most likable young team in the league because they found a taker for Zach Randolph happens.

(Picture of a white SUV.)
Where a Truck Party happens.

(Picture of Anucha Browne Sanders celebrating on the courthouse steps.)
Where a humiliating $11 million sexual harassment settlement happens.

(Picture of Curry and Randolph looking overweight.)
Where an NBA frontcourt that includes two C-cups happens.

(Picture of a mostly empty Madison Square Garden.)
Where a 60-year tradition of professional basketball goes down the tubes happens.
(Picture of Isiah sitting on the bench with that frozen, blank look on his face like he's either flatlining or planning to kill everyone on the locker room after the game.)

Where Isiah Happens.


(Follow-up note: Has a GM ever directly altered the fortunes of SIX franchises before? Portland, San Antonio, Phoenix, Toronto, Chicago and New York. That's 20 percent of the league.)"

C.K.'s Hip-Hop Dancing Debut

http://ustream.tv/recorded/hk,MIPW8AASAHx4,wb1qeQ

Iceman = #24 MLB CCHS

So, I'm working with an emboidery company that is going to silk screen the following image to a bunch of T-shirt for my rising Junior nephew, who's a superb Middle Linebacker that I've dubed "Iceman"; his real name is Jeremy Rhoads.

Vogue, Vogue, Vogue

So, a few weeks back Jemele Hill, a Page #2 Sportswriter for ESPN.com posted the following article, and I disagreed, and wrote the E-mail scripted below.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/080320&sportCat=nba&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1


There are a lot of white morons, and a lot of black morons getting paid handsomely to racially polarize any culture. I'll use two of three examples you cited in your article:

1.) Jack Nicklaus - In 1994, Jack Nicklaus said there weren't more African-Americans in golf because "blacks have different muscles that react in different ways."
- I imagine Mr. Nicklaus, regrets having made such foolish statements 14 years ago, when it is an obvious thought that Tiger Woods either is already or is becoming the greatest golfer ever.
2.) Michael Irvin – Phenomenal receiver, average commentator. Correct me if I'm wrong, and I quite often am, and you are in the published media forum, not I, but wouldn't he have been reprimanded or chastised, off air of course, for making such a declaration?
Michael Irvin, Tim Legler, Stupid A. Smith, Mike Ditka, Deon Sanders and Charles Barkley all seem to be involved in commentating in their respective sports due to their "shock factor." I absolutely adore the charisma Charles Barkley brings to the TNT program, and that's because he says some things "off the cuff" that are straight forward and probably leave Producers scrambling for their mute buttons. Truth be told, Charles, Kenny and Ernie just got a raise not too long ago didn't they? And if that's the case, people eat up the controversy he and others convey, NOT because "Chuck" is black or because "Ernie" is white.
Again, I don't feel this Vogue cover is so much of a racial portrait as a "Beauty and the Beast" shocking contrast. You seem quite respectful of LeBron's personal presentation; I however, think he's anugly 40 year old man. Kobe Bryant, Antonio Daniels, Caron Butler, and Dwayne Wade those men are handsome. For however LeBron carries himself off the court, nothing he achieves on the court is graceful, beautiful or lovely. He's an extremely talented 250 pound fullbackbarreling through the lane and isn't going to ever be considered forhis finesse a la Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, or Kobe Bryant; he simply doesn't exude grace and beauty. The fact that it was are nowned, thick, muscular, heavily tattooed black dude and an unhealthily thin, gorgeous haired, white chic makes the contrast obvious; which is to say, Vogue does beauty, not brawn. If the combination was Brian Urlacher and Halle Berry, would you have flipped your argument to be that all media portrays black women as unhealthily thin, curvaceous, sultry sex symbols?
LeBron and his team of H.S. buddies felt this cover picture was worth their pay and the exposure. They also agreed, as anyone does going into a photo shoot for major media that the magazine is going to post whichever of the many shots taken is the most provocative. And you know what? it worked. Now you and I are babbling on about a magazine that never gets sports exposure, because I happened to see your article on espn.com.

You cited David Beckham as not likely having been portrayed in such a fashion, when in fact, he's arguably the most renown male sports athletes in the world, and certainly one of the most aesthetically pleasing. Should Vogue have placed "Becks" on the cover, they may have gone for something more gritty or sexy, like say, the August 2007 cover of W Magazine. Athletes are revered, and you participate in that portrayal, as are musicians for their "art". These folks aren't respected for their minds.

Even "Good 'Ol Boy Brett Favre" has never been considered the smartest in his field; he was known as a reckless "gun slinger" for most of it.
But I digress, I have to agree with your closing comments, of that if LeBron wants to bring additional respect to his race, and not only focus on his million dollar empire, he'll need to take a few notes from Michael Jordan (who even w/ the gambling issues won the hearts of the world and transformed all sports), Kobe Bryant (who chased awayone of the best Center's of all time, probably did something extra explicit with a hotel worker and yet has still won the heart of millions with his suits and smiles) or even Sean Carter (who as you pointed out is so excepted as a "black man" who brags about exploiting women, dealing drugs and earning millions, that he's been dating the black sweetheart of the world in Bootyance). But, LeBron is a 23year, High School graduate, so he's going to make some really bad decisions as he grows into his goal of being a "Global Icon", and I don't feel that race will dictate those decisions, money will.