Growing Up Fast

Blaise's First School Photo

Stranger Than Fiction

Our Blaise

One evening my husband Sacha, who was my boyfriend at the time, came home from work and told me about a little boy named Blaise he'd met that day. Both Sacha and I really liked the name and started talking about what we'd want to name our baby if we ever decided to have one together.

After several years passed we found ourselves married, pregnant and again discussing baby names. I remembered Blaise and reminded Sacha how much we loved the name and suggested it would be a good option for either a boy or a girl. He agreed but proposed we keep it in mind and continue our search just in case we came across something we liked better.

For weeks this was a point of contention for us as I had already pretty much made up my mind but since I didn't want to fight over something that was supposed to be fun, one evening I gave in and brought home a half dozen or so baby name books to Sacha. He was very happy and thanked me for understanding his point of view. Then jokingly he picked up one of the books and said to me, "I'm going to close my eyes, flip open this book, point to a name and whatever it is we'll name the baby that."

He did as he had explained and when he opened his eyes I saw the expression on his face change from playful to astonished.

"It's Blaise!", he said.

"What's Blaise?", I replied.

"I landed on Blaise!", he exclaimed.

As I leaned in to look, without moving his finger from where it had landed he thrust the book in my face and nearly shouted, "SERIOUSLY LOOK! I LANDED ON BLAISE!"

We both stared speechless at the book and then at eachother for about half a minute before we began discussing our amazement and the statistical probability of the scenario that had just unfolded before us.

After an hour or so the shock lessened and Sacha, realizing he had been fighting something he shouldn't, closed the book and put it away.

He hasn't touched any of the books I bought him since.

Cogburn's Ark

Yesterday Sacha, Blaise and I made a quick trip out to the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. Their grounds actually house quite a variety of animals: donkeys, deer, goats and lorikeets but the ostriches were definitely the stars of the show.

Hungry Bird

Food for the animals was provided as part of the entry fee and feeding them definitely made for an incredibly entertaining hour. The deer with their little wet noses and velvet tongues were the most gentle of the animals while the ostriches were by far the roughest. None of the animals were really interested in biting the hand that fed them but a gentle accidental nip did happen from time.

Really, Really, Really Ridiculously Cute

Thievery was a problem on the ranch as most of the animals, given the slightest chance, would steal the cup of food right from my hands. Blaise and I of course punished them severely for their greediness with more food and petting.

Unfortunately we did pass on the moster truck tour of Picacho Peak that the ranch offers but next time that'll be first on our list.  

Home Again

I'm home after a wonderful weekend in Seattle celebrating my birthday and Halloween with friends and family. Thanks to everyone who made it happen!

Back to the pool I go.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween from the Pacific Northwest!

The BIG 3-Oh

Thank you to my fans, friends and family for making my birthday so special!