random allister pics

nature walk

This weekend, the whole fam went for a little nature walk.  Rachel was in disguise.

at the kabob place

allister loves the imac

at the Chinese Buffet

happy to see her daddy

This morning, Allister was awake when I went in to check on her.  She started dancing and smiling when she saw me.  Right now she's on the floor wrestling with Chi Chi, her toy dog.  She's winning.  Sorta.

allister jane goes 80s synth dance rock

more NC travel pics

As we drove North, Rachel's parent's were taking the exact same route South.  We were able to meet up with them for some lunch and Allister did all of her great tricks.  She laughed out loud.  She smiled.  And lately she's been doing a thing with her head where she lays it all the way over on her shoulder, looks at you, and laughs.

grandma lebeau

This weekend we went down to North Carolina to visit Rachel's Grandma Lebeau.  

Family portrait

merrrrry chrisssstmas

allister's first snow!

A few weeks ago we had the blizzard of 2008 (.04 inches of snow) here in DC.  While the roads and Senate were shut down, everyone scrambling for last loaf of bread or handful of milk, we snapped this shot of all of us.  

exersaucer, dec 21

helping out with the laundry

dec 20 - headshots

Oh, your poor, poor eye.

Here's how it happened:

In 2000 pb*, Rachel and I were living in Jefferson City, TN.  We went to MD for Christmas, but celebrated the New Year's at home with my brother and our friend, Matt.  

Oh wait, some back story:  In High School, when Jon and I switched schools Matt had been the first friend we made collectively, and he ended up being our best friend.  We did everything together.  Over the summers we would go visit Matt's family's property in southern VA (I actually have no idea where it was), which we called "fish camp."  After a long day of skiing and fishing we would always play cards, which would always turn into Matt and I throwing cards at each other.  

You'll think I'm making this up, but we actually got good enough that our hands would be covered with little cuts after a game from where we'd blocked the other person's cards.  Several times my hands actually bled.

Fast-forward to 2000, and Matt's at our house.  We're talking about fish camp, about to play cards.  Matt says, "Remember how we would.." and throws a card.  I see stars.  

After a few minutes of rubbing, I go to our bedroom and lay my head on our bed.  My eye won't stop watering and it feels miserable, like it's full of sand.  Every time my eye opens it feels like it's being cut.  I say I should go to emergency room, but Matt (pre-med at the time) says my eye is just in shock, so I ask them to go to Wal-Mart and get something that will keep my eye shut.  When they get back, I put on the silk, cosmetic eye patch and everyone laughs.  

In the emergency room an hour later, the doctor puts some stuff in my eye that knocks out the pain.  I actually said, "Dr, I don't even know your name, but I love you."

The same night one of the worst colds I've ever had kicked in.  When Wes saw me three or four days later, he said (mostly because of the over sized sweats I think) that I didn't look like the same person.

I wore the patch for a week, and dealt with eye issues for two years!  I had to put salve in my eye for a year.  

Here's a polaroid from the incident:

*pre-baby

family portrait dec 19

Medieval Times

Last night the entire Lowery clan went to Medieval Times to celebrate my parent's 36 years of union with jousting and rotisserie chicken.  And a rib.  It was Allister's first time seeing horses.  Wait, scratch that.  She actually saw one in PA on the way to see Rachel's parents.  

dec 18 in the a.m.

loads of new pics (dec 2008)

Allister's cousin, Noah:

Sleepy time:

Right in the eye!:

Christmas dress:

solid food

Allister started on bananas last week. Her diapers are now amazingly not amazing.

Dec 8, 2007

more pics from Boston

Visiting harvard:

Playing Dingleberries:

Boston outdoor bookshop:

On the cape:

I'm gonna get you nip!  (NY restaurant)

Father/Daughter art date

Rachel is out of town this weekend, visiting Sarah (the big three dash oh) and Brandooon, so I'm in charge of making sure Allister gets her (doctor recommended) supply of art. Here's us in front of an unusual Jean Miro painting at the National Gallery of Art:

Here's us in front of (I think!) the new Capitals Ice Hockey Arena presented by Doritos brand chips:

the real Colin and Clare met up with us, and followed us back to the homestead for a game of Sequence and THREE pizzas from our favorite spot, Zpizza.

allister and dad at Ihop

Saturday we said goodbye to our friend Kevin Brannon over breakfast at Ihop.