Summertime Baby!

And I don't mean "Summertime, Baby!"

Every time I look around someone is having a baby! This is natural, since we have a pretty consistently high birth rate in the world.

Well over the past few months, I've gotten to hang out with some stinkin' cute babies (not stinky, but stinkin' cute). In case you don't believe me, I'll prove it:

First stop on our vacation this summer was Dallas. We met up with some of my family, including this handsome little man, Cole. That's him holding my heart in a pick-up-sticks can. I gave it to him freely (my heart, not the can).

Next, we visited our friends in Ft. Worth area. I hadn't seen Miss Hannah for eight months, but I had already fallen in love with her the day she was born. My heart was torn apart when she moved to Texas, but I was happy to see her again this summer. (And the entire family, of course, but this is a baby post).

This little monster (hey, his parent's call him that, okay?) was born while I was gone on my roadtrip! It was sad, because Mandi the first of my close friends to bring forth life into the world. She's the first one whose belly I could touch and not feel like a creeper. I had to be satisfied with a phone call congratulating her, since I was in a different time zone during his birth. In retrospect it was better, because present at our first meeting was Mandi, baby Dale, and me. No competition for baby holding!

 I first met him last week, but failed to document our intial meeting, so this photo is from last night. Little 3-week Dale stole the biggest part of my heart. I think it was when he fell asleep in my arms and I had the unquenchable urge to kiss his wittle bitty face. And run my fingers through his soft baby hair. And say things like, "You so sweet, you wittle bitty baby, wif your wittle bitty fingews..."  

Lastly, I met Zoe for the first time this past weekend. She's my cousin's daughter and this is her first trip to the states! So, yeah, I'm kind of in love with her too, although she wasn't so comfortable with people who aren't her mom. Hence the somewhat unsure expression on her face. It's okay, I'm patient and I think in the long run, I'll win her over!

 
And now, I'll conclude with this poem:
 
Babies, babies everywhere. Babies, babies in my hair...
Not exactly in my hair, not even in my underwear.
Was the last line inappropriate? 
I tried to find a word to fit. 
It's just that babies are so cool, 
I want to throw them in a pool---no I don't!
I'll show them that I ain't no fool---not really that either
I'll protect them in a duel? 
Nevermind.