A demonstration in 5 parts

How to relieve teething pain on your own.

One part cold glass:


One part proper application of lips:


Two parts sliding your face down the glass:




And one part total enjoyment of the solution:

In which I appease you with pictures

We're back in VA now, but still exhausted. Thankfully, Shepherd is sleeping now, and he's on medicine for his ear infections (2!! one in each ear!! ouch!!). Here are some pictures from Shepherd's first Christmas (and using my wonderfully fun new camera!)

Merry Christmas

Self Portriat of new camera
Originally uploaded by meandscreech.

We're having a wonderful time down in NC with family. It's amazing what being home will do for a tired spirit. I have to say that this Christmas has been by far our best Christmas yet. A combination of being home with family, Shepherd's first Christmas, and the kick-ass camera that my husband's family surprised me with (the new Nikon D40) (Yeah, I was totally shocked and surprised, a first, since I normally guess my gifts... it's a curse, I tell you). I'm so giddy about the new camera that I've been taking a gazillion pictures. You can see a sampling over at Flickr.

Despite all of that, my favorite part of Christmas has been being home with family. It's so wonderful to see Shepherd interact and play with everyone. He's been the center of attention, and totally loves it. He's been crashing hard for his naps since he's being worn out by climbing stairs, chasing cats, chasing the dog, and just having a blast with his new toys. We've just had a great time.

We hope that you and yours are having a wonderful Christmas... and have a Happy New Year.

Bark, Bark, Bark

Okay, so I'm not a dog, nor do I have a dog, but that's the noise echoing through the halls of our home these last few days. Shepherd seems to have come down with a nasty case of Croup that's afforded copious amounts of snot. His cough is fine during the day, it's during the night and early morning that my poor baby sounds like he's hacking up his left lung. Granted, I know we're fortunate, because he's able to sleep well still, and doesn't have trouble breathing, so that's good. It's just that my heart breaks every time I hear him cough. The other thing is that he's just not feeling well either. He's fussier than normal, and cries at the smallest things. Poor guy cried this morning because the ball he was holding rolled away. Normally, he'd just chase it, yet today, he stuck his bottom lip out, and let it quiver a little bit before the crocodile tears streamed down his face.

I just hope he starts feeling better soon, because we're traveling to see family in NC tomorrow, and nothing short of another appendectomy is going to keep me from going. We're so excited because we get to see both Forrest's family and my famiy!! Then, to top things off, Forrest's dad is flying up here for New Years, which will be a blast!! :) After that, Forrest's brother is getting married January 6, so we'll be headed down to Georgia for the wedding. We've got a crazy couple of weeks, so if you don't hear much from me, don't fret. I'll try to post pictures from time to time because, I mean, come ON... Shepherd's first Christmas!!!

Anyways... hope you guys have a great hoiday and a happy new year!!! Thank you all for your support and your kind words over the last few years. It has meant so much to me and carried me through some pretty tough times. Many hugs and much love to all of you...

Merry Christmas!!!!

10 months

Shepherd,

Today you turn 10 months old. I cannot believe that you are already 10 months. I can remember when you were around 3 months old, I wondered in amazement that you'd be 10 months by Christmas, and tried to imagine what you would be like. I never could have imagined that you'd be like you are... so full of joy, life, and happiness. You are the happiest baby I've ever seen. And I'm not the only one that thinks so. Strangers often will walk up to me and comment on how happy you are. You smile at anyone and everyone, and you never, ever meet a stranger.


This past month you've developed quite a unique personality. You seem to have grown up overnight, and you no longer look nor act like a baby. You care nothing for the "baby" toys we have, and any chance you get to play with "big kid" toys, you relish the opportunity. You're cruising faster and faster each day, getting closer and closer to your first independent steps. You're a curious little booger, and you explore every tiny detail of something new.


Another wonderful thing has happened this month... you've started sleeping through the night. We put you down to bed around 7 pm (sometimes as early as 6:30 depending on how tired you are) and you sleep until 7 am. You often wake around 4 am, and softly cry for a little bit. I lay in bed, listening to you, debating on whether or not to go and get you. After a few minutes, you quiet down, and I can hear you snuggle up with your ducky and go back to sleep. When 7 am rolls around, you're ready to get up, but you're not quite ready to play. Most days I get you, and we head to the living room where we sit and cuddle on the couch, while watching the morning news. After 10 minutes of cuddling, you squirm out of my arms, and slide off the couch to play with your toys.


Shepherd, I can't begin to tell you what joy you bring me. I love you beyond what I ever thought I could. I look back at pictures of you and see how much you've grown. In those pictures I also see how much my love for you has grown. I know that no matter what, I will always love you.


You're my little man... my sweetie pie... my baby.



Happy 10 months, booger bear.

Love,
Mommy

Have I mentioned?

Have I mentioned how hard it is to keep up with an almost walking baby?

Have I mentioned how close he is to walking?

Have I mentioned all of the different things I've found and retrieved from his mouth, only after having a major coronary?

Have I mentioned how fast the child can crawl?

Have I mentioned how much he loves (like totally, head over heels, bordering obsession) loves the toilet in our bathroom?

Have I mentioned how long it's been since I cleaned that toilet?

Have I mentioned how hard this motherhood gig can be?

Have I mentioned how much more I love him every day?

Have I mentioned how big he's getting?

Have I mentiond....

Oatmeal Brains

I'm totally a slacker. Either that or my brain has completly turned to oatmeal. I'm gonna say it's the later, because today, I drove more than halfway to Beth's house, thinking that we had a playdate today with her and Sarah. But guess what? That's not until next week. I'm so glad I realized this before knocking on Beth's door and feeling like a total loser (which, you know, is true, but I need not be reminded of this). Anyways... I've been driving around all week with my camera in my purse, trying to remember to take a picture of the house near us that has me confounded as to what to call it. I finally went out last night, leaving Forrest to watch Shepherd, and took several pictures. I may have driven around for about 30 minutes just because I was all alone, without a baby, which by the way was glorious.

So anyways.. no one has sent me pictures... which means:

A.) the folks in your neck of the woods are incredibly tasteful
B.) no one reads my blog
C.) You do read my blog, but honestly could care less about some stupid lights.

So, I guess I'll just resort to making a huge album of the tacky lights in our neighborhood. So, here's the two homes that must be competing for the tacky home award. I'd say the first one wins. How about you? Any suggestions as to what to call this??

I'm Dreaming of a Tacky Christmas

Last night, after FREE! dinner at Panera (coupon!), Forrest and I were driving around looking at Christmas lights. Shepherd was passed out in the back seat, clearly not understanding or caring for the lights. Most normal people drive around trying to find beautifully decorated homes so that they can say things like "oooooo" and "ahhhhhh". But we like to buck that trend.

It started two years ago in Raleigh, NC. One particularly beautiful night, we decided to drive around town to look at Christmas decorations. That night, would forever change the way we searched for the best and brightest. You see, there was this one house, on a busy road. The home was dark, and undecorated. There were several trees in the front yard, and one giant oak tree that's branches hung over the road, forming a cool canopy in the summer, a bright ceiling in the fall, and a delicate cathedral in the winter. The tree was beautiful during the day, as it's branches stretched for the warmth of the sun from the coolness of the earth. You would never in a million years the horror that ensued at night. That cool winter's eve, we set out for a neighborhood close by that we knew would have beautiful lights. As we traveled, in the distance, we saw something bright, something shining, something splendidly horrific. This tree was strung with several strings of different color lights in a such a haphazardously way, that it looked as though an elf had vomited. I looked at Forrest and said, "Does that look like Elf Vomit to you?" He laughed, and we both laughed, and laughed, and laughed. We may have even turned around several times because, like a train wreck, you cant' help but watch.

So that evening, we drove around, not trying to find the most beautiful, but the most horribly decorated homes in Raleigh, looking for "Elf Vomit". I can honestly say that it was a million more times more fun than looking at clean, crisply decorated homes, with neatly manicured lawns. We laughed, and debated on the criteria that musts be met for something to be labeled Elf Vomit. For two years now, we have enjoyed driving around town, searching for evidence of Elves, and taking joy in others inabilities to decorate.

However....

Last night, we stumbled upon something so horrific, that we stopped our car, and sat in silence. There are no words to describe what we saw, and we have yet to coin a phrase. I had no camera, so we plan on driving by again tonight for pictures. There, before our eyes, was a house with every square inch of the yeard covered in antique, plastic light up christmas statues and other gloriously tackey moving, lit toys. The giant fir tree in the front yard was strung with lights that made the tree appear as though it was wearing a pinstripe suit. The roof was covered in lights and a giant santa with his reindeer prancing capped off the display. Forrest and I looked at one another, and looked back at the home. Never have I felt more joy than at that moment, when I gazed upon the ugliness of the decorations. It was so ugly, it was almost beautiful. It reminded me of the time my family went looking a lights, and my father would click his tongue and say, "Tacky, tacky, tacky" and I would cry and say, "But Daddy, it's beautiful!"

But this got me thinking. How many of you enjoy looking at "tacky" decorations? And surely there are those of you who have homes in your neighborhoods that are awe-inspiring in their hideousness. I though it'd be fun to collect pictures of these homes, and put together a gallery of "tackiness" for us to share in this joy together. E-mail me your pictures by Friday, December 15 at corinny[at]gmail[dot]com (replace the at and the dot). I'll try to get the album together and posted by next Sunday night. I can't WAIT to see your pictures. Also, in order to spice things up, we're going to hold a contest. Based on nothing more than personal opinion, and years of appreciation for tacky lights, the winner of this contest will receive something wonderful. I'm going to keep the prize a secret, but trust me, it's glorious. :) So get out there, get hunting, and report back here with what you find... :)

(Oh, and I'll try to get our pictures up tonight late tonight so you can see some samples).

A Love Affair

I love my husband. Lots and lots. You could say I'm crazy about him. Now, before you get to thinking that this is going to be some sappy romance story about the two of us, think again. This is the nitty, gritty, day to day grind of life kind of love we're talking about. Today, I'm offering a rare, unscripted, unedited glimpse into our life. What you're about to see might be disturbing. If you are a Type A person, you may want to cover your eyes to avoid the horror of what you're about to witness.

Exhibit A: Proof my husband loves me (even though I do things like use Comic Sans to purposley annoy him, because, according to him, "It's a sin for graphic designers to cast their eyes upon such filth) (click photos to enlarge)





See? This is my mess. I would like to emphasize that it is my mess because Forrest nearly threw a fit when I told him I'd be posting these pictures. He, being the type A person that he is, was horrified that you, the internet, would witness such filth and desecration. Me, on the other hand, could care less because honestly? I've been living like this my whole life, and have yet to care who witnesses my mess. (Okay, I kinda do care sometimes, like when people are coming over and all, but this is my day to day housekeeping at it's best) (And I kind of care when it does get totally out of control, leading me to clean every inch of the room).

BUT.... there is another point of view. There are those of you out there who are clicking your tongues and saying things like, "Shame, shame" and "You have all that time at home by not working, and your house looks like that, what are you doing? Eating bon-bons and watching The Price is Right all day?" To which, I promptly respond, "You try it for one day, and see how well you handle it." Anyways... I was saying... To those of you who are wondering why my husband puts up with me...

Exhibit B: Proof I love my husband (click photos to enlarge)

Well crap...

I had this great post planned for today, but since stupid blogger won't let me upload pictures, I'm at a loss for what to do. I guess you'll have to check back tomorrow for my "revealing" post. :) So check back!!!

Mmm....baby fingers

I never thought I'd be saying "Don't Bite the little boy" to my 9 month old son.... what can I say, the other boy looked yummy, and stuck his finger in Shepherd's mouth.

Walk Walk

Shepherd Walking

Um.... I didn't know he could do this until today, when a lady at church told me he could, so I went out and found this at a consignment store, and looky what he can do!!!

Overheard

Overheard while getting my hair cut Friday.

Woman (on phone): What do you mean it's over? I mean, I know you're saying it's over, but, I just don't feel like it's over. Like, you know how when it snows, after it stops snowing, it's not really over

...pause...

Woman: Well, you know, after it snows, there's the salt trucks that salt the road, there's the slush on the ground, and then it freezes, and there's the wrecks and all that... so you know, it's not really over when the last snowflake falls.

Woman: Why are you laughing?! Is that funny or something? I'm trying to explain how I don't think it's over, and you're laughing.

...pause...

okay, so you're saying it's over? but it's not... okay, I'll talk to you later.

10 seconds later

Woman: Hey sorry to call you back, is your wife home? Can I talk with her?