Seven Ways you know you have a Toddler:

1. Your suitcase becomes inhabited by a 30 pounder:

* I know that not all toddlers are nearly 30 pounds, but I am just working with experience people!

2. Your bathroom time is not only interrupted by someone, but also his toy table:

3. Your trash can becomes a new place for socks or various other nondisposables:

4. Small items just seem to cover your floor at ALL times, no matter what you try and do about it. :)

5. Your lower shelves are not longer a place for books:

6. Instead of finding something wrong when he looks in the mirror, your thirty pounder just seems to LOVE himself. And you have a bag full of dirty diapers hanging from your door. Gross, I know.

7. And finally, Dad's quick shower turns into Asher's unsupervised baby powder extravaganza:

P.S. I love the little footprint in this one. Even with all of the above, I think I wouldn't mind freezing Asher in time.

A long time!

First of all, congratulations to Gardner, my oldest brother, and his wife Crista, and their children Cameron, Addison, and Axel on their new baby boy!!! We are so excited for a new baby Crane.

Yes, it has been a few months, and it may be a few more before my next post, but that's just how the Popes roll.

We had a great and busy end to 2009.

Asher and I (sadly Mike had to stay home and study) were able to share Thanksgiving with my family in Utah:

The girls in all of my mom's aprons

Cameron and Addison in their cool school shirts



Gardner & Crista

Maren, Grant, and Dad

Asher and Axel: man talk

And we were able to gather with Mike's family in Billings, Montana for Christmas. It may have taken us 2 1/2 days, 3 missed flights, one Asher throw-up on a flight, a desperate, unsuccessful search for a sippy cup in the the ENORMOUS mall of America, and one unplanned night in a shady hotel to get there, but it was definitely worth it. We had a great time.

Visiting our friends, the Trendlers, in Minneapolis during our second day of our prolonged layer-over. So fun to see them though.

Big cousin Joe showing Asher what Chucky Cheese is all about.

The Popes and the Nyes... and yes, the Nyes are attempting to steal children.

A shepherd with his little uncooperative sheep

Now back to the cold, harsh reality of a Chicago winter in January. Wah, wahhh.