This past weekend, we spent at the beach... we had such a wonderful time with Shepherd, we cannot wait to go back again. He absolutely LOVED the water, squeeling and laughing as he stomped through the tide pools. He'd run and run through the water towards the ocean, falling a few times, but getting right back up and running some more. Nothing scares this child... not even big waves (well, they did at first, but he got over it quickly). We had a blast watching him run and play. We also spent some time at the Aquarium and enjoyed looking at all the fish and turtles. He put his new signs for fish, turtle and boat to good use, and by the end of the day, was pointing at every fish in sight, signing fish. So cute! All in all, it was a good weekend...
Check out more pictures on flickr by clicking on picture above.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
These are some Dadgumed Lucky Mice
Total Mouse Traps = 6
Bait = Peanut Butter
Dead Mice = 0
Mouse Traps licked clean = 6
Seriuosly, what are we doing wrong?
Bait = Peanut Butter
Dead Mice = 0
Mouse Traps licked clean = 6
Seriuosly, what are we doing wrong?
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
15 months
Shepherd,
Wow... I hardly know what to write about, since this last month has gone by so incredibly fast. And on top of that, you are changing so much every day, that it's nearly impossible to document what new things you know.
You've begun to repeat everything we say. E-VER-Y-THING. In fact, the other day, while we were riding in the car, I was joking with your daddy, and said something about someone acting like a jackass. No sooner had the word left my mouth, I heard this little voice from the back seat say "Jaaaa...", as though you were trying to say the word. Of all the words I had said, that was the one you'd picked to repeat. We now know that we must be incredibly careful what we say around you.
You're also picking up more and more words for body parts. You have known where your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair are for a few months now, but recently added elbow, knees, feet, toes, and your favorite, bellybutton. You're quick to show anyone your bellybutton, and quick to point out their bellybutton to them by lifting up their shirts. I'm amazed at how quickly you learn now, as opposed to even a few weeks ago.
You also are learning new words every day. You have so many words and signs that I cannot keep track of all you know. This weekend, you learned the sign for boat and bird, mostly because we were at the beach and you kept pointing to both of them, as if to ask what they were. You picked up on the signs immediately, and were fascinated with every boat and bird you saw. At the aquarium, you squeeled and laughed at all of the fish. You even came up with a new sign all on your own. After seeing the big sea turtle swimming in the tank, you raised your arms up and flapped them around, just as the sea turtle was doing to swim around in the water.
Your sense of humor has really come out this past month, and you laugh at mommy and daddy when they do silly things. A silly face from daddy makes you giggle like crazy, and a silly dance by mommy makes you laugh out loud. You love to entertain us, and will dance and "shake your booty" when we ask you to. When we have company over, you love to do silly things to make them laugh, and the more they laugh, the more and more you love doing the silly things. You're quite the ham, and love being the center of attention.
I look back over the past 15 months, and realize how much things have changed. I've been doing a lot of thinking about when you were a little baby, probably because you are going to have a little sister this fall. I keep thinking what she will look like, and try so very hard to remember what you were like at that age. It's so hard to remember, even though it wasn't that long ago, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind about that time was how impossible it seemed that you'd ever reach the age that you are now. I want to remember that, because it's so hard to enjoy those first few months when it seems all you did was poop, eat, and sleep. I want to remember because when your sister comes, I'll feel the same way. I hope and pray that I don't wish those first few months away wishing she were the age you are now. I have to remember that it took that long for you to grow up, and that I wouldn't change it for the world.
I love you little man... more than you will ever know. Happy 15 months!
Love,
Mommy
Wow... I hardly know what to write about, since this last month has gone by so incredibly fast. And on top of that, you are changing so much every day, that it's nearly impossible to document what new things you know.
You've begun to repeat everything we say. E-VER-Y-THING. In fact, the other day, while we were riding in the car, I was joking with your daddy, and said something about someone acting like a jackass. No sooner had the word left my mouth, I heard this little voice from the back seat say "Jaaaa...", as though you were trying to say the word. Of all the words I had said, that was the one you'd picked to repeat. We now know that we must be incredibly careful what we say around you.
You're also picking up more and more words for body parts. You have known where your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair are for a few months now, but recently added elbow, knees, feet, toes, and your favorite, bellybutton. You're quick to show anyone your bellybutton, and quick to point out their bellybutton to them by lifting up their shirts. I'm amazed at how quickly you learn now, as opposed to even a few weeks ago.
You also are learning new words every day. You have so many words and signs that I cannot keep track of all you know. This weekend, you learned the sign for boat and bird, mostly because we were at the beach and you kept pointing to both of them, as if to ask what they were. You picked up on the signs immediately, and were fascinated with every boat and bird you saw. At the aquarium, you squeeled and laughed at all of the fish. You even came up with a new sign all on your own. After seeing the big sea turtle swimming in the tank, you raised your arms up and flapped them around, just as the sea turtle was doing to swim around in the water.
Your sense of humor has really come out this past month, and you laugh at mommy and daddy when they do silly things. A silly face from daddy makes you giggle like crazy, and a silly dance by mommy makes you laugh out loud. You love to entertain us, and will dance and "shake your booty" when we ask you to. When we have company over, you love to do silly things to make them laugh, and the more they laugh, the more and more you love doing the silly things. You're quite the ham, and love being the center of attention.
I look back over the past 15 months, and realize how much things have changed. I've been doing a lot of thinking about when you were a little baby, probably because you are going to have a little sister this fall. I keep thinking what she will look like, and try so very hard to remember what you were like at that age. It's so hard to remember, even though it wasn't that long ago, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind about that time was how impossible it seemed that you'd ever reach the age that you are now. I want to remember that, because it's so hard to enjoy those first few months when it seems all you did was poop, eat, and sleep. I want to remember because when your sister comes, I'll feel the same way. I hope and pray that I don't wish those first few months away wishing she were the age you are now. I have to remember that it took that long for you to grow up, and that I wouldn't change it for the world.
I love you little man... more than you will ever know. Happy 15 months!
Love,
Mommy
Friday, May 25, 2007
Long Weekend + Best Headline of the Day
We're heading out of town for a long weekend with my father-in-law, which may or may not include lazy beach combing and lots of sand and sun. I'll be sure to post pictures when we get back, as I expect to have lots of them.
I'll leave you with the best headline in the news today... or at least the one that cracked me up:
Rogue toddler destroys monks artwork
Because, seriously? Rouge toddler?? I thought that word was reserved for secret agents or something of the sort, although if you think about it, it wouldn't be that surprising if these little guys weren't secret agents, conspiring to drive their parents absolutely insane!! :)
Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!!
I'll leave you with the best headline in the news today... or at least the one that cracked me up:
Rogue toddler destroys monks artwork
Because, seriously? Rouge toddler?? I thought that word was reserved for secret agents or something of the sort, although if you think about it, it wouldn't be that surprising if these little guys weren't secret agents, conspiring to drive their parents absolutely insane!! :)
Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Of Mice and Corinne
I like to consider myself an animal lover. I've always had a special place in my heart for animals of all kinds (bugs don't really count). If the animal was furry and cute, I was in love. Of course, there are your usual housepets I loved, dogs, cats, gerbils, hamsters, rabbits, chinchilas, and so on. Then, of course outside animals, cows, horses, donkeys, pigs, anything on a farm. I even thought house mice were cute, and was one of the few in my 8th grade class who didn't freak out when a little grey mouse decided to sit in on a math lesson. I just figured he wanted to learn.
However, in recent years, I've found myself more and more prone to hate certain animals... yes... certain furry animals. Our old apartment was over-run with stray cats. At first, I felt sorry for the little cats, and tried my best to get the animal shelter to come out and catch them. Then the female cat had kittens. "Hooray!" I thought, "now the kittens will get management's attention and the animal shelter will catch them and they will be adopted!" Much to my changrin, the kittens were not captured, and instead, grew up and started having babies of their own. One time, a little kitten crawled up in my engine and got stuck. Thankfully I heard the kitten before starting my car, and managed to fish the little guy out. I called animal control to let them know I'd caught one, and they came out to collect it (they'd come to collect animals, just not trap them). Yet, even after talking with the animal control officer, they did nothing. Our apartment was overrun with cats, so much so that we began tracking fleas inside. In to where my precious baby, my beautiful 7 month old baby was learning to crawl. I started down a path I'd never thought I'd go down. I started hating those cats. I'd hiss at them, stomp at them, I was angry at them. But more than that, I was angry at the woman downstairs who refused to stop feeding the cats, thus keeping them around.
Thankfully, we moved away before I ever snapped, and I went back to loving animals again, even stray ones. Several weeks into our new home here in NC, we had a little visitor. A little grey mouse had gotten himself caught in one of our ceiling lights. We carefully trapped him (and his fried little buddy) in a trash can and promptly did the humane thing to do.... released him into the woods across the street. Problem solved. Or so we thought.
This this past saturday, we were cleaning the house, and I decided to do more than just a standard wipedown of the counters, and move everything off and scrub really good. As I moved the flour/sugar/tea canisters, I noticed little black droppings everywhere. Upon closer inspsection, it was obvious we had more visitors. This time, it wasn't just one. Angry that our little friend hadn't appreciated my saving him from proper drowning in the toilet, and instead had brought back a party, I set out to the local hardware store. We purchased two traps that looked easy enough to use. Gone, I thought, are the days of the old fashioned wood traps that are near impossible to set. In their place are the new plastic, easy to set traps. We purchased two and set home, gloating in our smart purchase, hoping to wake up the next morning with two dead mice. That was not the case. The little buggers still ran around our kitchen (as evidenced by their droppings everywhere), yet didn't venture near our traps.
The next night, we set the traps out again, this time with pieces of cracker set down deep in the trap. We awoke the following morning only to find our traps cleaned out, and little cracker crumbs strewn about the counter along with fresh mouse droppings. Infuriated, we headed back to the hardware store, only this time to purchasee some poison, because these mice just HAD TO GO. We set out the poison, inspired by the hardware store man who went on and on about how mice LOVE to eat this stuff, and how quickly they'd be gone. Just for safe measure, we set the traps out again, this time, baited with peanut butter. This morning, we awoke to find our traps cleaned out again (they licked the stupid trap CLEAN) and the bait/poison untouched.
I am beyond insinced. I have no idea what to do now. I may go out and purchase 50 old fashioned wooden traps and line the walls and counter with them, hoping a bloody massacre of mice will happen. Have any of you had this problem? I'm at my wits end cleaning the counters off every morning with clorox, and I'm trying very hard not to think about where else these little vermin may be roaming.
However, in recent years, I've found myself more and more prone to hate certain animals... yes... certain furry animals. Our old apartment was over-run with stray cats. At first, I felt sorry for the little cats, and tried my best to get the animal shelter to come out and catch them. Then the female cat had kittens. "Hooray!" I thought, "now the kittens will get management's attention and the animal shelter will catch them and they will be adopted!" Much to my changrin, the kittens were not captured, and instead, grew up and started having babies of their own. One time, a little kitten crawled up in my engine and got stuck. Thankfully I heard the kitten before starting my car, and managed to fish the little guy out. I called animal control to let them know I'd caught one, and they came out to collect it (they'd come to collect animals, just not trap them). Yet, even after talking with the animal control officer, they did nothing. Our apartment was overrun with cats, so much so that we began tracking fleas inside. In to where my precious baby, my beautiful 7 month old baby was learning to crawl. I started down a path I'd never thought I'd go down. I started hating those cats. I'd hiss at them, stomp at them, I was angry at them. But more than that, I was angry at the woman downstairs who refused to stop feeding the cats, thus keeping them around.
Thankfully, we moved away before I ever snapped, and I went back to loving animals again, even stray ones. Several weeks into our new home here in NC, we had a little visitor. A little grey mouse had gotten himself caught in one of our ceiling lights. We carefully trapped him (and his fried little buddy) in a trash can and promptly did the humane thing to do.... released him into the woods across the street. Problem solved. Or so we thought.
This this past saturday, we were cleaning the house, and I decided to do more than just a standard wipedown of the counters, and move everything off and scrub really good. As I moved the flour/sugar/tea canisters, I noticed little black droppings everywhere. Upon closer inspsection, it was obvious we had more visitors. This time, it wasn't just one. Angry that our little friend hadn't appreciated my saving him from proper drowning in the toilet, and instead had brought back a party, I set out to the local hardware store. We purchased two traps that looked easy enough to use. Gone, I thought, are the days of the old fashioned wood traps that are near impossible to set. In their place are the new plastic, easy to set traps. We purchased two and set home, gloating in our smart purchase, hoping to wake up the next morning with two dead mice. That was not the case. The little buggers still ran around our kitchen (as evidenced by their droppings everywhere), yet didn't venture near our traps.
The next night, we set the traps out again, this time with pieces of cracker set down deep in the trap. We awoke the following morning only to find our traps cleaned out, and little cracker crumbs strewn about the counter along with fresh mouse droppings. Infuriated, we headed back to the hardware store, only this time to purchasee some poison, because these mice just HAD TO GO. We set out the poison, inspired by the hardware store man who went on and on about how mice LOVE to eat this stuff, and how quickly they'd be gone. Just for safe measure, we set the traps out again, this time, baited with peanut butter. This morning, we awoke to find our traps cleaned out again (they licked the stupid trap CLEAN) and the bait/poison untouched.
I am beyond insinced. I have no idea what to do now. I may go out and purchase 50 old fashioned wooden traps and line the walls and counter with them, hoping a bloody massacre of mice will happen. Have any of you had this problem? I'm at my wits end cleaning the counters off every morning with clorox, and I'm trying very hard not to think about where else these little vermin may be roaming.
Monday, May 21, 2007
25 weeks
This morning, as I was showering, I realized that I only have 15 weeks left in this pregnancy. Only 15 weeks?! Where has the time gone? I'm definately feeling more and more pregnant, as my belly has popped out. It's harder to bend over and pick up Shepherd, and near impossible to get comfortable sitting or sleeping. The little lady is kicking up a storm, and her patterns are pretty predictable. She almost always gets to going around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, with a flurry of activity right before I go to bed. Earlier this week, I started having some pretty intense Braxton Hicks contractions, enough to where I called the after-hours nurse, who told me to call back if they continued after another hour, or if I experienced more than 4 contractions in one hour. Of course, I'd already had 5 that previous hour, and told her that. We scheduled and appointment the following morning just to double check everything and make sure nothing was progressing. I met another doctor from this new practice and liked him a whole lot. He was so wonderfully nice, and reassuring. Everything checked out, and the baby is doing great. He said since I had early contractions with Shepherd, that I'd probably have even more with this one... especially since everything has already stretched out once before. The babie's heartbeat was super strong, and my weight gain is wonderful (so far only 8 lbs, but I'd lost 6 pounds the first trimester, putting me only 2 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight).
I'm getting more and more excited about this pregnancy. It's not that I haven't been excited, it's just so hard to focus on being pregnant when chasing after a 15 month old. It's much easier now to focus on being pregnant when my belly is in the way of chasing and running after Shepherd, making it a challenge to keep up with him anymore. I'm having to find more creative ways of corraling him so I don't have to run after him. Thankfully, our mall has a wonderful play area for toddlers that's completely closed in. They also have free wireless, allowing me to type this entry while Shepherd runs screaming around the play area climbing everything he can. Another bonus? No one seems to know that the play area opens early in the morning, so no one is here. So here I type, on free internet, and not having to chase my son around, only glance up from time to time to check on where he is. Whoop, gotta go!!! He's on top of the slide!!
I'm getting more and more excited about this pregnancy. It's not that I haven't been excited, it's just so hard to focus on being pregnant when chasing after a 15 month old. It's much easier now to focus on being pregnant when my belly is in the way of chasing and running after Shepherd, making it a challenge to keep up with him anymore. I'm having to find more creative ways of corraling him so I don't have to run after him. Thankfully, our mall has a wonderful play area for toddlers that's completely closed in. They also have free wireless, allowing me to type this entry while Shepherd runs screaming around the play area climbing everything he can. Another bonus? No one seems to know that the play area opens early in the morning, so no one is here. So here I type, on free internet, and not having to chase my son around, only glance up from time to time to check on where he is. Whoop, gotta go!!! He's on top of the slide!!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Ever wonder if He liked Milwaukee's Best?
While perusing the shelves of my mother-in-law's vast collection of books, I stumbled across a book that looked quite interesting. I laughed aloud at the title, and pulled it off the shelf.
Imagine my dissapointment when it wasn't a book about Jesus' childhood obsession with beer, or better still, a guide to Jesus' recommended brews. Instead, I found that the authors name was Beers, and that it was poorly placed on the spine. Still, at least it made for a good chuckle.
Imagine my dissapointment when it wasn't a book about Jesus' childhood obsession with beer, or better still, a guide to Jesus' recommended brews. Instead, I found that the authors name was Beers, and that it was poorly placed on the spine. Still, at least it made for a good chuckle.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
14 months
Shepherd,
A few weeks ago, you turned 14 months. I know, I know, I'm a little behind in the monthly newsletter, but this blogging thing is getting harder and harder, as it is way more fun to play with you. More and more, you are developing the most precious and wonderful personality, making it harder and harder to put to words how you've changed.
This month, your vocabulary has taken off. You learn signs very fast, and you're not afraid to try out new words. Just last night, you were carrying your toy remote around, and held it up to me as if to ask what it was. I told you it was a remote. You paused, looked at it, and slowly but very confidently repeated "meh-mote". The pure wonder in that moment of you repeating back to me what I'd just said can never be described. I sat there in amazement, begging you to say it again by prompting, "what is this?" You'd reply, "Mote!" "Meh-MOTE!" with excitement. Later that night, during your bath, you picked up a fish, made the sign for it (you just learned the sign yesterday) and then said, "ey-yee". You pointed to the fish's eye, then to your own, looking up to daddy and me for confirmation. You pointed to the mouth and said, "mou" and then to the nose and said "nuh". You know all the parts of your face, including ear "ee-yer". You also made a sign up for daddy's beard, where you stroke your chin as though you're up to no good.
Not only are you an excellent communicator, but you figure things out so incredibly fast. You know that keys work in cars and doors, and if you find daddy's keys, you either attempt to open the front door to go outside (your favorite sign right now) or you ride your tractor, trying to fit the keys in the ignition. You know that doors open by their handles, and you are constantly trying to open doors. We are soon going to have to buy some safety knobs so that you can't open them. Saturday night, Gram babysat you, and she pulled out one of Uncle Jussy's old toys. It was a workbench, complete with screws, hammers, and bolts, and the necessary tools to manipulate them. Gram showed you how to turn the screwdriver and make the screw go in. You grabbed the screwdriver from her, placed it properly in the screw, and started turning. Just like that, you'd figured it out.
This month also was a hard month. You've cut 4 teeth this month, and you're already working on your canines. This hasn't been a fun experience, but usually, you handle it like a champ. The only time that it's just too much for you is in the evening, when our day is winding down. You begin to get fussy, and very quickly, it turns into hysterical screams of pain that nothing can soothe. We try to soothe the pain, oh boy do we try. But holding you close is about the only thing that seems to help. After crying yourself tired, you wind up falling asleep, and then amazingly you then sleep 13 hours straight, without as much as a peep from you. The only thing we figure is that you're just so tired from all that crying that you just poop out.
This month, you've also started helping us out a whole lot. You're fascinated with the broom, and help mommy sweep the deck off. You also love helping us dust the coffee table. But the most fun we've had cleaning was when we washed the car in the from yard. You grabbed a rag, and helped us wash the dirt off. You weren't sure about the water coming out of the hose, but that didn't stop you from exploring how it worked, even if every time the water came out, you cried and ran for one of us.
But all in all, you are a brave little boy, venturing out in the yard to check new things out, climbing on top of everything you can, and learning to slide off the bed feet first. You love dogs, and cats, even if Garfield, Gram and Grandaddy's cat, hissed at you after you grabbed his tail. You love other kids, and love playing with them. You make friends with everyone you meet, and have never met a stranger.
I only hope that this next month holds as much joy and fun as this last one, as it seems every month gets better and better. I know everyone always says that it gets better, and as cliche as that may sound, it is so very true. I say that every month, but I can't help it. I love you little man... keep up the hard work of learning, and never, ever give up.
Love,
Mommy
A few weeks ago, you turned 14 months. I know, I know, I'm a little behind in the monthly newsletter, but this blogging thing is getting harder and harder, as it is way more fun to play with you. More and more, you are developing the most precious and wonderful personality, making it harder and harder to put to words how you've changed.
This month, your vocabulary has taken off. You learn signs very fast, and you're not afraid to try out new words. Just last night, you were carrying your toy remote around, and held it up to me as if to ask what it was. I told you it was a remote. You paused, looked at it, and slowly but very confidently repeated "meh-mote". The pure wonder in that moment of you repeating back to me what I'd just said can never be described. I sat there in amazement, begging you to say it again by prompting, "what is this?" You'd reply, "Mote!" "Meh-MOTE!" with excitement. Later that night, during your bath, you picked up a fish, made the sign for it (you just learned the sign yesterday) and then said, "ey-yee". You pointed to the fish's eye, then to your own, looking up to daddy and me for confirmation. You pointed to the mouth and said, "mou" and then to the nose and said "nuh". You know all the parts of your face, including ear "ee-yer". You also made a sign up for daddy's beard, where you stroke your chin as though you're up to no good.
Not only are you an excellent communicator, but you figure things out so incredibly fast. You know that keys work in cars and doors, and if you find daddy's keys, you either attempt to open the front door to go outside (your favorite sign right now) or you ride your tractor, trying to fit the keys in the ignition. You know that doors open by their handles, and you are constantly trying to open doors. We are soon going to have to buy some safety knobs so that you can't open them. Saturday night, Gram babysat you, and she pulled out one of Uncle Jussy's old toys. It was a workbench, complete with screws, hammers, and bolts, and the necessary tools to manipulate them. Gram showed you how to turn the screwdriver and make the screw go in. You grabbed the screwdriver from her, placed it properly in the screw, and started turning. Just like that, you'd figured it out.
This month also was a hard month. You've cut 4 teeth this month, and you're already working on your canines. This hasn't been a fun experience, but usually, you handle it like a champ. The only time that it's just too much for you is in the evening, when our day is winding down. You begin to get fussy, and very quickly, it turns into hysterical screams of pain that nothing can soothe. We try to soothe the pain, oh boy do we try. But holding you close is about the only thing that seems to help. After crying yourself tired, you wind up falling asleep, and then amazingly you then sleep 13 hours straight, without as much as a peep from you. The only thing we figure is that you're just so tired from all that crying that you just poop out.
This month, you've also started helping us out a whole lot. You're fascinated with the broom, and help mommy sweep the deck off. You also love helping us dust the coffee table. But the most fun we've had cleaning was when we washed the car in the from yard. You grabbed a rag, and helped us wash the dirt off. You weren't sure about the water coming out of the hose, but that didn't stop you from exploring how it worked, even if every time the water came out, you cried and ran for one of us.
But all in all, you are a brave little boy, venturing out in the yard to check new things out, climbing on top of everything you can, and learning to slide off the bed feet first. You love dogs, and cats, even if Garfield, Gram and Grandaddy's cat, hissed at you after you grabbed his tail. You love other kids, and love playing with them. You make friends with everyone you meet, and have never met a stranger.
I only hope that this next month holds as much joy and fun as this last one, as it seems every month gets better and better. I know everyone always says that it gets better, and as cliche as that may sound, it is so very true. I say that every month, but I can't help it. I love you little man... keep up the hard work of learning, and never, ever give up.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Ramblings
Okay, so I've reached the point in my pregnancy where I'm starting to show. Overnight, it seemed as though my belly has exploded, and with it has come the increasing uncomfortableness. Chasing Shepherd has become a chore, and picking him up isn't much fun either. However, when I have moments like this, alone, with Shepherd asleep, I'm quite fond of the little bump, and can hardly motivate myself to do anything other than veg out on the couch and watch TV. I know that right now, I need to fix dinner (or at least get started) or vacumn, or dust, or clean the bathrooms, or do SOMETHING productive, since Shepherd keeps me from doing such things when he's awake. I could blog during these times, but seriously, that involves way too much thought and effort, so I'm surprised I even got a post up today.
I'm way behind on Shepherd's monthly letter (he'll be 15 months before I know it). Part of me doesn't know what to say, because, seriously, there is SO MUCH TO SAY! He's into everything, running, climbing, talking, signing... the whole shibang. His favorite signs right now are "outside", "cat", "dog", "shoes", "more", "food", and just recently, he added "moon". He's babbling up a storm, and can now say dada, mom, cat, dog, shoe, food, tree, moon, uh-oh, night-night (only if prompted), hi, bye, fish, nose, eye, ear (we think), yay, grandaddy (only it sounds more like dada with some garble at the front), and his favorite word, "That". It's so amazing how fast he's learning. I showed him the sign for shoe yesterday (he already knew the word), and he went on to talk about shoes all day long, pointing at his shoes, at my shoes, pulling my shoes off, or hauling our shoes across the house. In fact, there are currently 4 pairs of our shoes in the living room that I should probably put away, but... nahhh... :) T
his morning, he woke up in a bright and cheerful mood, asking for food almost right away... which, how do you other moms do it? I feel so lost for ideas of what to feed my son. Usually, I scramble an egg, and then give him some fruit. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut with the whole food thing. Lunchtime is the same problem. I know he'll eat a hot dog (all beef only) and more fruit, but I cannot seem to get him to eat any veggies. Green beans? gross... Peas? perfect for throwing... Carrots? gross... Asparagus? fat chance... About the only veggie I can get him to eat is technically not a veggie... an avocado... and those suckers are pricey!!! Any suggestions on mealtimes to make my life a little easier!?!
I promise I'll get some new pictures uploaded soon, including one of the ever growing belly. I just need the proper motivation...
I'm way behind on Shepherd's monthly letter (he'll be 15 months before I know it). Part of me doesn't know what to say, because, seriously, there is SO MUCH TO SAY! He's into everything, running, climbing, talking, signing... the whole shibang. His favorite signs right now are "outside", "cat", "dog", "shoes", "more", "food", and just recently, he added "moon". He's babbling up a storm, and can now say dada, mom, cat, dog, shoe, food, tree, moon, uh-oh, night-night (only if prompted), hi, bye, fish, nose, eye, ear (we think), yay, grandaddy (only it sounds more like dada with some garble at the front), and his favorite word, "That". It's so amazing how fast he's learning. I showed him the sign for shoe yesterday (he already knew the word), and he went on to talk about shoes all day long, pointing at his shoes, at my shoes, pulling my shoes off, or hauling our shoes across the house. In fact, there are currently 4 pairs of our shoes in the living room that I should probably put away, but... nahhh... :) T
his morning, he woke up in a bright and cheerful mood, asking for food almost right away... which, how do you other moms do it? I feel so lost for ideas of what to feed my son. Usually, I scramble an egg, and then give him some fruit. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut with the whole food thing. Lunchtime is the same problem. I know he'll eat a hot dog (all beef only) and more fruit, but I cannot seem to get him to eat any veggies. Green beans? gross... Peas? perfect for throwing... Carrots? gross... Asparagus? fat chance... About the only veggie I can get him to eat is technically not a veggie... an avocado... and those suckers are pricey!!! Any suggestions on mealtimes to make my life a little easier!?!
I promise I'll get some new pictures uploaded soon, including one of the ever growing belly. I just need the proper motivation...
Monday, April 30, 2007
One Sunday Evening
Last night, after visiting with my parents and some family friends, we headed home. As we pulled into the driveway, and stepped out of the car, there was an eiree feeling about the house. I stepped into our sunroom, and immediately noticed the door to our house standing wide open. Had Forrest simply forgotten to close it, or had someone been in our house.... or worse, was someone in there now? I checked the doors to the sunroom, which normally are locked, and the back door was unlocked. Panic set in, as I turned around, to re-enter the garage where Forrest was sitting in the car chatting on the cell phone. I explained to him what I saw, and he quickly ended the conversation. Armed with a 2x4 (I almost suggested nailing a few nails into it), he checked our house, room by room. After declaring the upstairs all clear, my heart began to settle down, at least until he went to turn on the light in the basement. The light would not work. Weird, I thought, we were just down there before we left, and I thought it was working. I begged Forrest not to go down there alone, so we locked the door, and called my father and his friend to come walk down with Forrest to check.
At this point, my mind is careening with the possibility of a psychopathic murderer hiding out in our basement, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge and torture us while we slept. I steadied myself, and begged my mind to calm down, and to think rationally. As my heart slowed, and my mind laughed at how rediculous we were being, a car drove by our house. Nothing particularly unusual about this car, as it was an old Crown Victoria, and we live in a neighborhood populated mostly by white haired widows and widowers. "Just someone coming home from church," I told myself. I watched as the car drove down past our neighbors, and then turned into a driveway two doors down. "Weird," I thought, "that guy only owns a black lincoln." When the car backed out of the driveway, turned around, and started heading back our way, I first was worried that someone thought we were locked out. Only, at the moment I thought that, a light from inside the car flashed, as the driver attempted to light a cigarette. The light allowed enough clarity to realize that the driver was not an aging widower, but instead, a rough looking young man, with a passenger in the back seat. As they slowly drove by our house, Forrest and I glanced at one another, immediately aware of what we needed to do. Forrest dialed 911, as I sat in our car, waiting on the cops to arrive. I was shaking, and Shepherd sensed my fear and started crying. He was tired, as it was well past his bedtime, so I hushed him and tried to sing him to sleep. My parents arrived shortly afterwards, which helped, and soon after, I began to feel ridiculous for my fears. The police arrived, and checked everything out, moving from room to room carefully.
As they checked the home, my dad reminded me of what had happend to a widow down the street only a few years ago.
She'd come home to a dark house, and as she entered the house, two men held her at gunpoint, robbed her, then drove off with her car. As he relayed the story, I grew more and more convinced that we'd done the right thing calling the police, even if it was something as silly as us forgetting to shut the door on our way out. The police emerged, and stated that they could find nothing, that everything had checked out okay. Either we had scared the thief away, or we'd forgotten to shut the door ourselves. I offered sincere apologies to them for having to come out, but they waved me off, thanking US for calling them. "You can't imagine how many calls we get from people who've walked in on something and ignored their instincts" they told us, reminding us that we'd in fact been correct to call them. I felt better. But learned a valuable lesson in locking up.
As we went to bed last night, locking all the doors, and deadbolting those we could, we went to bed, slipping into a deep sleep, thankful we were safe, and grateful for the men who stepped into our scary, yet silly situation, and helped us feel safe.
At this point, my mind is careening with the possibility of a psychopathic murderer hiding out in our basement, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge and torture us while we slept. I steadied myself, and begged my mind to calm down, and to think rationally. As my heart slowed, and my mind laughed at how rediculous we were being, a car drove by our house. Nothing particularly unusual about this car, as it was an old Crown Victoria, and we live in a neighborhood populated mostly by white haired widows and widowers. "Just someone coming home from church," I told myself. I watched as the car drove down past our neighbors, and then turned into a driveway two doors down. "Weird," I thought, "that guy only owns a black lincoln." When the car backed out of the driveway, turned around, and started heading back our way, I first was worried that someone thought we were locked out. Only, at the moment I thought that, a light from inside the car flashed, as the driver attempted to light a cigarette. The light allowed enough clarity to realize that the driver was not an aging widower, but instead, a rough looking young man, with a passenger in the back seat. As they slowly drove by our house, Forrest and I glanced at one another, immediately aware of what we needed to do. Forrest dialed 911, as I sat in our car, waiting on the cops to arrive. I was shaking, and Shepherd sensed my fear and started crying. He was tired, as it was well past his bedtime, so I hushed him and tried to sing him to sleep. My parents arrived shortly afterwards, which helped, and soon after, I began to feel ridiculous for my fears. The police arrived, and checked everything out, moving from room to room carefully.
As they checked the home, my dad reminded me of what had happend to a widow down the street only a few years ago.
She'd come home to a dark house, and as she entered the house, two men held her at gunpoint, robbed her, then drove off with her car. As he relayed the story, I grew more and more convinced that we'd done the right thing calling the police, even if it was something as silly as us forgetting to shut the door on our way out. The police emerged, and stated that they could find nothing, that everything had checked out okay. Either we had scared the thief away, or we'd forgotten to shut the door ourselves. I offered sincere apologies to them for having to come out, but they waved me off, thanking US for calling them. "You can't imagine how many calls we get from people who've walked in on something and ignored their instincts" they told us, reminding us that we'd in fact been correct to call them. I felt better. But learned a valuable lesson in locking up.
As we went to bed last night, locking all the doors, and deadbolting those we could, we went to bed, slipping into a deep sleep, thankful we were safe, and grateful for the men who stepped into our scary, yet silly situation, and helped us feel safe.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
My Son, the Champion Teether
Shepherd decided recently that cutting teeth one at a time was for sissy's, and in the past 2 weeks has cut 3 teeth (I kid you not). Two of them being molars. The kid went from 7 pearly whites, to 10... and if that wasn't enough for him, there are two more cutting as I type.
This one fact alone has led me to believe that I am actually raising two boys, trapped in one body. There are days where my son is the sweetest, most lovable, agreeable child, taking two beautiful naps, and behaving beautifully, so much so, I almost fully expect him to poop rainbows and smiley faces. On other days, he's an all out terror, willfully defying everything I say, mocking me (yes, he's now mocking me when I say "no"), and screaming bloody murder if he does not get his way. Granted, I'm fully aware that these days are the days that his teeth hurt the most, but man alive! Does he drive me crazy on these days. I've found that my best bet is to distract him as much as possible, playing outside, and letting him run himself ragged, and then doping him up on Motrin before bedtime for the pain. Most nights, he'll sleep fine, but occasionally, he's up at 2 am, screaming about his teeth.
But the reality is that through it all, I actually don't mind the teething so much. You see, ususally, Shepherd wants nothing to do with me during the day. He's too busy climbing on things, pushing and pulling on toys, running, and generally being a boy to care about mommy. Then when daddy gets home, you'd think that the biggest celebrity had walked in, and he wants even less to do with me, pushing me away when I try to get kisses. It's been a hard adjustment, to go from being the one to cuddle and hold him, and be the only one he wanted, to being close to chopped liver. I know that it's a stage, and that it doesn't reflect his true feelings towards me, but it's been kind of hard. That is, until recently, with the teeth. You see, it's those during those 2 am scream-a-thons that he wants none other than Mommy. It's when his teeth hurt really bad during the day that he wants to cuddle and be held. It's when he conks his head after attempting to climb something that he cries out for "Momma" and buries his wet face into my neck. It's those moments that I feel needed once again. Those moments that I feel important. In a way, it sounds awful, as though I'm looking forward to my son hurting, but that's not true. My heart breaks along with him, and at times, I sit there and cry with him as he screams, holding his hand to his mouth, unable to understand the pain, and wishing I would take it away. It's just that these are the only moments he seems to need me right now, and I'll take what I can get.
This one fact alone has led me to believe that I am actually raising two boys, trapped in one body. There are days where my son is the sweetest, most lovable, agreeable child, taking two beautiful naps, and behaving beautifully, so much so, I almost fully expect him to poop rainbows and smiley faces. On other days, he's an all out terror, willfully defying everything I say, mocking me (yes, he's now mocking me when I say "no"), and screaming bloody murder if he does not get his way. Granted, I'm fully aware that these days are the days that his teeth hurt the most, but man alive! Does he drive me crazy on these days. I've found that my best bet is to distract him as much as possible, playing outside, and letting him run himself ragged, and then doping him up on Motrin before bedtime for the pain. Most nights, he'll sleep fine, but occasionally, he's up at 2 am, screaming about his teeth.
But the reality is that through it all, I actually don't mind the teething so much. You see, ususally, Shepherd wants nothing to do with me during the day. He's too busy climbing on things, pushing and pulling on toys, running, and generally being a boy to care about mommy. Then when daddy gets home, you'd think that the biggest celebrity had walked in, and he wants even less to do with me, pushing me away when I try to get kisses. It's been a hard adjustment, to go from being the one to cuddle and hold him, and be the only one he wanted, to being close to chopped liver. I know that it's a stage, and that it doesn't reflect his true feelings towards me, but it's been kind of hard. That is, until recently, with the teeth. You see, it's those during those 2 am scream-a-thons that he wants none other than Mommy. It's when his teeth hurt really bad during the day that he wants to cuddle and be held. It's when he conks his head after attempting to climb something that he cries out for "Momma" and buries his wet face into my neck. It's those moments that I feel needed once again. Those moments that I feel important. In a way, it sounds awful, as though I'm looking forward to my son hurting, but that's not true. My heart breaks along with him, and at times, I sit there and cry with him as he screams, holding his hand to his mouth, unable to understand the pain, and wishing I would take it away. It's just that these are the only moments he seems to need me right now, and I'll take what I can get.
Monday, April 23, 2007
As Promised...
Cute little mouth:
Cute little mouth (with notes):
Precious Face:
Precious Face (with notes):
Little Arms:
Little Arms (with notes):
Cute little mouth (with notes):
Precious Face:
Precious Face (with notes):
Little Arms:
Little Arms (with notes):
Friday, April 20, 2007
We Decided!
Thanks to all of you who chimmed in with your experiences. It was really fascinating to see how other families have done different things. Last night, Forrest and I talked a long time about it, and we finally came to the conclusion that we'd find out. Mostly, I was having a hard time feeling at "peace" with not knowing (I'm so very impatient) and that Forrest could get excited about finding out. So today we had our ultrasound.
We went in, and as the ultrasound tech started looking, she asked if we wanted to find out. We said yes, and she went on looking. She first checked major organs and such, and in the process kept refering to the baby as "he". I asked her, are you using "he" in the general sense. She said, yes, that she was sorry, but she did that with all babies. Our lil' "bump" refused to open it's legs, and it wasn't until the very end of the session that the bump spread it's legs wide open to reveal that.........
It's a girl!!! (pictures to come tonight)
We went in, and as the ultrasound tech started looking, she asked if we wanted to find out. We said yes, and she went on looking. She first checked major organs and such, and in the process kept refering to the baby as "he". I asked her, are you using "he" in the general sense. She said, yes, that she was sorry, but she did that with all babies. Our lil' "bump" refused to open it's legs, and it wasn't until the very end of the session that the bump spread it's legs wide open to reveal that.........
It's a girl!!! (pictures to come tonight)
Thursday, April 19, 2007
To know or not to know...
That is the question. Forrest and are are currently trying to decide whether or not to find out the sex of this baby. We found out with Shepherd, and it made it a lot easier to pick out a name. Not only that, but once we did have a name, I could refer to the "bump" I had by that name. However... there are so few surprises in life, so wanting to experience the joy of knowing when it happens is another consideration. Right now, I'm leaning more towards finding out, since I'm a person who likes to have answers. I couldn't stand for my doctors (or at least the Ultrasound tech) to know the sex, and for me not to know.
What are your experiences with this? Did you find out? Did you not? If you didn't... how did you bear those last 4 months not knowing??? And did you have a "hunch" that was right on?
Inquiring minds want to know
What are your experiences with this? Did you find out? Did you not? If you didn't... how did you bear those last 4 months not knowing??? And did you have a "hunch" that was right on?
Inquiring minds want to know
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Boys
This has to be one of my favorite pictures of Shepherd (photo by Forrest). It's everything he is... ON...THE... GO! I love the tractor in the background too, because Shepherd is fascintated with tractors... with cars.. anything that screams boy. :) I was always terrified to have a boy, but every day, I love my little son so much more.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Almost 20 weeks...
Over the weekend, we attended my cousin's wedding, which involved a long drive in the car, and a sleepless baby refusing to sleep a wink that first night we were there. I woke up Saturday morning, the day of the wedding, feeling awful and grumpy. We ate breakfast and as I got ready, I caught a reflection of myself in the mirror. Imagine my surprise as I gawked into the mirror at my belly that had suddenly sprung out of hiding, announcing to the world that I was most definately pregnant.
All day at the wedding, people congratulated me and touched the bump, patting it ever so gently while commenting on how busy I'm going to be. Granted, I don't normally mind the touching (or at least I didn't with Shepherd), but what irks me is the constant reminding (from strangers) of "just how tired you'll be with two". I'm well aware that I'll be tired. I'm well aware of how hard it will be with two this close in age. It's almost as if these strangers are clicking their tongues at me, saying "tsk tsk, what a foolish woman for getting pregnant so soon". I'm constantly reminding them and myself, that this was a planned event. Forrest and I wanted children close in age... because we both had siblings who were close in age. I don't mind the advice from my mother or my mother-in-law, because they've been there. And... they support us. They know what it's like to want children close in age. They made that decision for themselves. I never feel as though they are looking at us as though we are foolish, as other people do. Oh well...
The wedding went wonderfully. Shepherd had a blast dancing on the dance floor to the music, and flirting with everyone who'd look his way. He is such a ham!! Every time the crowd would clap, he'd clap and yell out "YAYYYYYY!". Too cute! After a long day at the wedding, he finally crashed and fell asleep in my arms (something that hasn't happened in a very long time). It's amazing how much you miss those little moments, and looking back, I could kick myself for wishing he'd sleep in his own crib instead of my arms. How quickly things change. I'm hoping with this second one, I'll pause to appreciate those moments more.
All day at the wedding, people congratulated me and touched the bump, patting it ever so gently while commenting on how busy I'm going to be. Granted, I don't normally mind the touching (or at least I didn't with Shepherd), but what irks me is the constant reminding (from strangers) of "just how tired you'll be with two". I'm well aware that I'll be tired. I'm well aware of how hard it will be with two this close in age. It's almost as if these strangers are clicking their tongues at me, saying "tsk tsk, what a foolish woman for getting pregnant so soon". I'm constantly reminding them and myself, that this was a planned event. Forrest and I wanted children close in age... because we both had siblings who were close in age. I don't mind the advice from my mother or my mother-in-law, because they've been there. And... they support us. They know what it's like to want children close in age. They made that decision for themselves. I never feel as though they are looking at us as though we are foolish, as other people do. Oh well...
The wedding went wonderfully. Shepherd had a blast dancing on the dance floor to the music, and flirting with everyone who'd look his way. He is such a ham!! Every time the crowd would clap, he'd clap and yell out "YAYYYYYY!". Too cute! After a long day at the wedding, he finally crashed and fell asleep in my arms (something that hasn't happened in a very long time). It's amazing how much you miss those little moments, and looking back, I could kick myself for wishing he'd sleep in his own crib instead of my arms. How quickly things change. I'm hoping with this second one, I'll pause to appreciate those moments more.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
13 months
Shepherd,
A few weeks back, you turned 13 months. We were right smack in the middle of our move from Northern Virginia to North Carolina. This past month has been a blur, mostly because so much has happened in such a short period of time. You continue to amaze me with new words and new skills.
You now can point to things you need, but mostly, you point because you're curious as to what things are called. You point and look expectantly at your daddy or me, waiting for the right name of the thing you're pointing at. It's a fun game we play, where we'll point out something to you, then you point out something to us. Every trip in the car is a fascinating adventure for you, with you pointing at everything as we drive by.
This month, it seems you've cranked your charm to eleven, and boy, oh boy, can you turn it on. Everywhere you go, you flirt, wave, and smile at perfect strangers. With your grandparents, you lean in to give huge kisses, even adding the "mmmmmmmmm" sound before a kiss. With daddy and me, you crack us up at every meal, playing peek-a-boo (and yelling "AH!!" when you remove your hands), making silly faces, and just jabbering away about something. Your personality is really starting to shine, and the more it shines, the deeper I fall in love with you. No longer are you just a baby like the other kids, but you are uniquely you. No one else is like you, and I love that!!!
Your daddy took a week off between jobs to help move and unpack, and during that week, you quickly became a daddy's boy. You followed him around the house, banged on things when he hammered nails in for pictures, you studied every move he made, and quickly became very attached to daddy. You wanted nothing to do with mommy during this time. If mommy asked for a kiss, you'd push her away, but if daddy wanted one... you'd pucker right up. It was great having daddy around, because we got to do a lot as a family, something we hadn't had much time for before. We took a trip up to Pilot Mountain, and we all had a blast hiking the short hikes there. We've had more time for family time, and that has made a world of a difference. When daddy gets home, you run to him, and you both play in the backyard while I get dinner ready. I know this, because I watch from the kitchen. I watch as your face radiates with joy as your daddy flies you around the back yard, and throws you high in the air to catch you. I hear your squeels of joy, as you chase one another around the huge oak tree, playing hide and seek from one another around the trunk. I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me to silently watch as you have more time with your daddy than ever before.
I love you little man... and I hope that you continue to blossom into this incredible little man that you already are. I pray that you will continue to be curious, wanting to learn about everything. I hope that I always have the time to stop and point out the little tiny flowers and bugs, and that I'll be patient enough to answer every prodding little pointed finger with an unhurried response. I pray that we will be able to keep this slower life that we have now, and that we won't take it for granted, even when things get a little crazy.
I love you so very much... Happy 13 months...
Love,
Mommy
A few weeks back, you turned 13 months. We were right smack in the middle of our move from Northern Virginia to North Carolina. This past month has been a blur, mostly because so much has happened in such a short period of time. You continue to amaze me with new words and new skills.
You now can point to things you need, but mostly, you point because you're curious as to what things are called. You point and look expectantly at your daddy or me, waiting for the right name of the thing you're pointing at. It's a fun game we play, where we'll point out something to you, then you point out something to us. Every trip in the car is a fascinating adventure for you, with you pointing at everything as we drive by.
This month, it seems you've cranked your charm to eleven, and boy, oh boy, can you turn it on. Everywhere you go, you flirt, wave, and smile at perfect strangers. With your grandparents, you lean in to give huge kisses, even adding the "mmmmmmmmm" sound before a kiss. With daddy and me, you crack us up at every meal, playing peek-a-boo (and yelling "AH!!" when you remove your hands), making silly faces, and just jabbering away about something. Your personality is really starting to shine, and the more it shines, the deeper I fall in love with you. No longer are you just a baby like the other kids, but you are uniquely you. No one else is like you, and I love that!!!
Your daddy took a week off between jobs to help move and unpack, and during that week, you quickly became a daddy's boy. You followed him around the house, banged on things when he hammered nails in for pictures, you studied every move he made, and quickly became very attached to daddy. You wanted nothing to do with mommy during this time. If mommy asked for a kiss, you'd push her away, but if daddy wanted one... you'd pucker right up. It was great having daddy around, because we got to do a lot as a family, something we hadn't had much time for before. We took a trip up to Pilot Mountain, and we all had a blast hiking the short hikes there. We've had more time for family time, and that has made a world of a difference. When daddy gets home, you run to him, and you both play in the backyard while I get dinner ready. I know this, because I watch from the kitchen. I watch as your face radiates with joy as your daddy flies you around the back yard, and throws you high in the air to catch you. I hear your squeels of joy, as you chase one another around the huge oak tree, playing hide and seek from one another around the trunk. I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me to silently watch as you have more time with your daddy than ever before.
I love you little man... and I hope that you continue to blossom into this incredible little man that you already are. I pray that you will continue to be curious, wanting to learn about everything. I hope that I always have the time to stop and point out the little tiny flowers and bugs, and that I'll be patient enough to answer every prodding little pointed finger with an unhurried response. I pray that we will be able to keep this slower life that we have now, and that we won't take it for granted, even when things get a little crazy.
I love you so very much... Happy 13 months...
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
All Moved In
Well, we're here!!! We finally got internet, but since we're so busy unpacking still, I haven't had a chance to update you all. Things went surprisingly well with the move, and we were actually down here earlier than planned. We loaded the truck in an hour and with a lot of help, had the truck unloaded in 20 minutes. You read that right, TWENTY MINUTES!!!!!! :) Amazing. Now the big task is getting everything unpacked and in their proper places.
We discovered something I didn't know about the house, and something I'm way too excited about. I have... and brace yourselves for this... an automatic garage door opener, with a garage I can drive into. Do you know how awesome this is? Really, do you!??! I'm way too pumped about it, and probably need to bring down the excitement one or two notches. Other than that, everything still has exceeded our expectations. We've had dinner with my folks a few nights already, Forrest's parents are coming down tonight, and his dad tomorrow night... So things couldn't be better. Well, they would if I came across a box labled "Friends from VA".
Well, back to the unpacking!!!
I'll update later with pictures!!
We discovered something I didn't know about the house, and something I'm way too excited about. I have... and brace yourselves for this... an automatic garage door opener, with a garage I can drive into. Do you know how awesome this is? Really, do you!??! I'm way too pumped about it, and probably need to bring down the excitement one or two notches. Other than that, everything still has exceeded our expectations. We've had dinner with my folks a few nights already, Forrest's parents are coming down tonight, and his dad tomorrow night... So things couldn't be better. Well, they would if I came across a box labled "Friends from VA".
Well, back to the unpacking!!!
I'll update later with pictures!!
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