Who needs milk when there's food?

Yes, the title says it all. I think you've decided now that food is so much better than milk! But I can't really blame you. Drinking milk for every meal would be pretty boring once you've tasted the goodness of peas and brown rice all mashed together to make a lovely soupy mess!! But really, I can understand how milk would get boring. All of this to say that we have to hide food from you while we're feeding you your bottle or you throw a fit for the real food! And you're really not picky about your food - green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, apricots, bananas, pears, mango - you like it all! We'll see how long that lasts!

Also, I must add that almost a week with your grandparents has shed some light on what I have to look forward to. This week you have refused to hold your own bottle and your sleeping has been all out of whack. I think we've finally gotten the bottle thing working but we're still working on getting you to at least sleep a little while on your own! I love our rocking chair and all, but I'd prefer not to spend my entire night sleeping in it!!! But I have to admit I don't mind snuggling with you at all. I know it won't last long, so I'm definitely taking advantage of it!

You had water day today at school, so I can't wait to hear how it went. I'll fill you in next week. Kiss Kiss from Mommy!

Little Rock Bound

Hello traveling man! We've had quite a busy week! I think where we left off, you were going to have water day at school. Well, the weather didn't cooperate so they ended up not having it. They do it every week, so you'll have a chance this week.

Last Wednesday, you and I packed up (you weren't much help though) and drove to Little Rock. Thankfully, Miss Nicole rode with us to Memphis. You slept most of the way, but it was nice to have someone to talk to on that long stretch. You did fine on the last leg from Memphis to Little Rock. Let me tell you, you were the hit of Little Rock! Of course your Emme and Papa were so glad to see you. And Sarah came by to see you Thursday at lunch. Then you got to go by your granddad's (he still hasn't picked a name yet!) office. He's just about the only man in the office so you were oohed and aahed over by all of the women in his office! You could tell how proud he was of you too by the way he just gushed over you! Then we went over to Meemo and Beepo's so they could gush over you too! They just couldn't get over how big you were. Their dog Riley was not very impressed with you though. You stole all of the attention that he usually gets!

Then on Friday, we had lunch with Miss Lori and Miss Kay (I know, you need to give Daddy a hard time for not taking you on guy lunches - it's always a girls lunch that you get dragged to!). Then I left to go to Hot Springs for the weekend with my college girlfriends. You actually got to come by and visit us Saturday morning (and hang out with the girls again!). You had dinner Saturday night with Uncle Jimmy and Kevin at US Pizza. (If you don't like US Pizza when you get older, we'll have to do some kind of DNA test on you because there's no way my child couldn't love US Pizza!!!) Then Sunday we headed back to Franklin. We met KK and Granddaddy about halfway there and they came to Franklin for Father's Day and to hang out with you. We got to take home your teddy bear quilt that all of your relatives made you. It's the most precious thing I've ever seen!! I hope you treasure it when you get older - a lot of work and love went into it.

We're just waiting for you to crawl now. It's going to happen any minute, I know! You try to reach for things and get over on your stomach but you just haven't quite figured out that you can move to get those things that are out of your reach. We'll keep working on it though! That's all for now. See you in a little while! Kiss Kiss from Mommy!

Fun at school!

Hey Bud! You've had a good week this week. Nothing too crazy - I think we're all trying readjust to getting back into the groove. You've had some exciting days at daycare this week. Wednesday was pajama day! You got to wear your cute pjs all day - I was so jealous! I wish I could wear pjs to work! I think I'd be much more productive! And today is water day. You're supposed to be going outside and playing in the sprinklers today! I'll be interested to see how that went this afternoon when I pick you up. I'm sure you loved it since you loved the water in Florida (well, not the ocean water, but the pool water!). We don't have a busy weekend planned which is good! We're having our usual Mexican tonight with the gang. We may try to take you to the neighborhood pool this weekend, but we'll have to see how that goes! We're headed to Little Rock next Thursday so I can have a girls weekend with my college friends. You're going to get to see lots of family! They're SOOO excited to see you and how you've grown. They're going to amazed at all of your tricks - especially if you start crawling soon! It's just a matter of time before that happens! I'll see you in a little while! Kiss Kiss from Mommy!

Beach Bum

Well, we're back from the beach. What a trip! We had to haul a trailer to fit all of the luggage and baby stuff for the 8 adults and 3 babies! Your dad drove our SUV with the trailer and did a great job! Everything made it there in one piece - including us! You were really good in the car too - I can't complain! I think you really liked being in Florida. We tried to stick your toes in the ocean but you screamed as soon as we did it, so that was it for your ocean encounter! However, Miss Nicole brought a blowup baby pool and you LOVED that! I think you and Abigail would have played in that for days! Ellie seemed to like it too (in the Bumbo)! I had so much fun dressing you in your 5 bathing suits (and of course, matching hats and water shirts!). I think the trip was a success except for the nights. Your room was on the main level, so I think we kept you awake a few nights. I finally figured out to put you in our room in your swing and you slept like a champ! Unfortunately I figured that out on the 2nd to the last night! But other than that, we had a blast. Now you're back home and we're trying to get back into our regular schedule. I forgot to mention that while we were in Florida Mr. Jason found another tooth of yours! He was pretty proud to be the one to find it. You also started saying Mama!!!!!!! Mr. Jason said you really didn't have a choice since I kept repeating it to you 3,000 times. But nonetheless, you said it and you've been saying it a lot (you have no idea what it means, but that's OK!). We're really going to work on this sleeping thing. I've bought a book which will hopefully give me the secret to you sleeping through the night! I'm not holding out a lot of hope, but it's worth a try! Maybe by the time you go off to college, you'll have gotten the hang of it. And speak of the devil, you're crying right now after being asleep for an hour! Better go rock you! Kisses from Mommy!

Are you ready for the beach?!

As the title says, we're headed for the beach tomorrow! This will be your second trip in about 5 weeks, so I'd say you're becoming a regular in Destin! Get ready, I'm sure we'll be going back MANY more times (maybe even in the fall if we can work it out!). This will be an interesting trip though - 4 couples and 3 babies under 9 months old! You guys are going to keep us busy I'm sure, but I can't wait to see you play in the pool and on the beach and with your girlfriends! You got sick halfway into the trip last time, so you didn't get to really enjoy it. But this time will be different because you're ALREADY on antibiotics! Yes, you have another double ear infection - surprise, surprise! But we're getting the antibiotics and all the medicine ready, so hopefully you'll be OK. You seem to be somewhat happy though through this one. You were a little whiny last night, but now we know why!

As for this past week, you've done a lot of socializing. We had our usual Mexican Friday night with the Clarks and the Grugetts. Then Saturday you had your 6-month pictures taken. I was a little worried that you might be fussy since we were going mid-morning, but you were FABULOUS! You smiled and laughed and looked so cute! Of course, I had to pull out that song that Mommy's friend Ms. Lisa taught us - I like 'em big, I like 'em chunky, I like 'em big and plumpy plumpy! Supposedly that's from Madagascar 2, but we haven't watched it yet to see how it's really sung, so we just kind of make it up as we go! Saturday night you went to Uncle Jay and EP's for a cookout. You got to meet EP's mom and dad and brother. They just thought you were the cutest (and you are, of course!). You were so cute watching Daddy and Drew play cornhole. You watched it like you were watching a tennis match - back and forth! Then you had your girlfriends (and their parents) over Sunday night for another cookout. You were SO good at sharing your toys with Abigail (you really didn't have a choice though - you were trapped in your exersaucer, so you couldn't do anything about it!) And you even let Abigail borrow some of your pjs! She looked really cute in them even though they were little boys pjs! Then on Sunday you had lunch with me and my college friend Angie and her daughter Abby. Abby LOVED you. She kept wanting to hold you and hug you! It was really sweet!

This week has been good. We've been strolling every night which I think you really like (and Mommy likes it because hopefully she's losing some weight!!). You've tried all kinds of vegetables and started fruits! I don't think we've found a food you don't like yet! You've even come around to liking peas!

So we'll pack tonight and leave tomorrow morning for Destin! I can't wait to see what this week has in store for us! I'm sure next week's blog will be really long, so get ready! Kisses from Mommy!

Big Week

Happy 1st Memorial weekend, Buddy! It's not here yet, but in a few hours the fun will begin! We'll get to that in a little while. First I'll recap what a big week you've had! You are really talking up a storm. You throw in "mama" every now and then but you have no idea who or what mama is - I can't wait for you to make that association! Last Sunday morning you rolled over 4 times from your stomach. I had said before how much you hated being on your stomach, so for you to actually stay on your stomach long enough to roll over 4 times was a big deal! I was a little sad to take you to day care this week because you're doing so many cute things now. It's something new every day!! You've been trying new vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash) and you seem to like everything. You even liked eating your peas this week! But the biggest news this week is that you've got 2 bottom teeth coming in! I just can't wait to see a big 2-teeth smile when they are totally in! As for the weekend, you've got a busy social schedule. We're having our weekly Mexican outing tonight with the gang. Then you have your 6-month pictures tomorrow (I sure hope we scheduled it at the right time so you'll be happy!!). Saturday night we're going to Uncle Jay and EP's for a cookout. Then Sunday night your KK and Granddaddy are coming back in town just for one night. They're bringing us a trailer for our trip to Destin next week. Did you know that you require so much stuff that we have to pull a trailer just to carry it all!?! (Really, it's because there are 8 of us +3 babies going!) So we're going to have a big weekend! I'm just glad I get 3 days of you this weekend instead of 2!! Get ready!! Kisses from Mommy!

Well here we are on our 2nd blog! So far so good! You've had a great week. You had lots of fun with KK and Granddaddy last weekend. They just can't get over how cute you are! Last Sunday was Mother's Day (my first!). Daycare (and you) made me a card with your picture and your handprints - how precious! Then Sunday you, me, your dad, KK, Granddaddy and Uncle Jay went to eat brunch. You had your first celebrity sighting - Sheryl Crow! You were not nearly as excited as I was!! Your dad was really sweet and made me a DVD (with the help of Mr. Jason) of the best pictures of you and me from the past 6 months. I cried like a baby when he played it on Sunday! You had your 6 months dr. visit on Monday. He said you're doing great in all aspects. You weigh 18 lbs. 14 oz and are 27 1/4" long. You're a big boy - sometimes we have to go to the 9 months (or even 12 months) sizes on your clothes!!! You're eating really well too. You tried green beans and squash and you seem to like both of them (much better than peas!). We'll be moving on to carrots and sweet potatoes next week, so get ready!!! Pretty soon you'll be able to eat quesadillas and cheese dip with us on our weekly outings to eat Mexican! I sure do hope you like Mexican food as much as your mom and dad!! I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend with you and your dad. Weekends are extra special now since that's when we get to spend lots of time together! See you in a little while! Kisses from Mommy