I thought the above photo was just too freaking cute not to share (aside from the fact that Fraser's ear is bent forward like a monkey's and he doesn't even seem to notice). There is also a particularly adorable video of Fraser feeding Hammie which I took on September 3rd, but it is too large for the blog so I am currently trying to upload it on utube. The video is not only adorable because Fraser insisted on giving Hammie his bottle by yelling "Hammie sit on MY lap!" while I was making Hammie's bottle or because Hammie was actually okay with this arrangement, but because of what Fraser is saying during the video. Amusingly, I didn't realize what he was saying until I watched the video (another reason why I love the video function on our camera.) Okay, go ahead and watch it, I'll wait..... Did you figure it out? For those not well versed in Fraser-eze, he is saying "Hammie has brown eyes." I was totally floored when I realized this since (a) a four word sentence is still a really big deal for Fraser and (b) I have never pointed out to Fraser that Hammie has brown eyes. Andy and I have discussed Hammie's eye color (there was a long standing debate whether they would be brown, my eye color, or more hazel) but I haven't specifically pointed it out to Fraser. Plus this is a pretty amazing observation by someone who still consistently confuses the colors red, blue, yellow and green.

So, things in our household are pretty good and pretty adorable these days, which sums up my general attitude this morning while I was watching the today show and folding laundry. If you caught the today show this morning you probably already know where this is going. They had a story about a young mother of four children who has a blog she started to keep her family and friends updated on her life and her children's lives. The blog, however, gained worldwide appeal because she has such a positive and upbeat attitude about raising children (okay, so the similarities between us aren't quite as strong as was originally implied, but you get the idea). The segment then goes on to explain how this woman and her husband were in a plane crash in Arizona and they both have serious burns (she has them over 80% of her body) and are in critical condition. There was a huge outpouring of support from the readers of her blog, who have already raised over $100,000 to help her family.

I was in tears. I wasn't only thinking about her poor children who have to face such a tragedy, but also thinking about my boys, and how it would feel to have them grow up without us. And, of course, we are all getting on a plane next week. Sweet. I swear, it is a lucky thing the kids are going to Italy with us otherwise I think Andy would probably have to drug me like Mr. T to get me on the damn plane.

These are the mornings I guess, when I am given a good chance to take a deep breath and remember how incredibly lucky I am to have two happy and healthy children and a wonderful marriage that has, thus far, survived two happy and healthy children. That said, I think I will get back to being a mom here and read "My Big Truck Book" for the fourth time today, and the 4,000th time ever. May I only be lucky enough to be here, and have the boys here, so I can read it another 4,000 times.

If you want to read about the woman I mentioned above:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/fashion/07burn.html?pagewanted=all