It has been three months since I blogged - for many reasons I suppose. But oh well, onward and upward.
Mardi Gras 2013 was a grand success. Sort of sorry for the people who Mardi Gras into Monday and Tuesday as it is really rainy outside with no sign of slacking up.
Hope to post some pictures of our recent birthdays and trip to Colorado and other adventures soon.
Hope being the key word.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Sunday, November 11, 2012
My sweet six year old
Stephen Jack is now a six year old.
Let THAT sink in a second.
Birthday weekend pictures to come but first.........
Here is a little flashback:
2006
2007
2008
2010
2012
Let THAT sink in a second.
Birthday weekend pictures to come but first.........
Here is a little flashback:
2006
2009
2010
2011
Monday, October 22, 2012
Six Month Post (a little late)
Dear Miss Molly James,
You are six months old!!! You are actually about six months old and three weeks since I am late in writing this post.
Here are your stats - you were 17 pounds 1 ounce on checkup day. Because I forgot to write down your length and head measurements, I can't tell you what they were (oops) but what I do know is that you are perfect just as you are. You babbled to the doctor, grabbed at her stethoscope, did your little pushups on the table, army crawled along the table and stuck out your tongue. The doctor pronounced you fine as a fiddle, and then handed me a prescription for an antibiotic becuase you had a double ear infection! What??? She made a point to tell me they weren't just "a little infected." They were, in fact, "completely full of infection!" I did not see that one coming. Your big brother and sister had the occasional (rare) ear infection when they were small, but I guess this one snuck up on us. You happily sucked down the pink mixture twice daily for ten days and all is seemingly well.
Your Likes:
Nursing!
Nursing two, three, four times a night
your brother and sister
your bath
to go for a walk - not in a stroller - but held up so you can look around "like the queen!" Ansley always says
Your dislikes:
me suggesting that perhaps you should sleep longer stretches at night.
Nanny (my mom) suggesting the same. When Nanny and I were recently discussing this topic, you made sure to scowl fiercely in her direction.
food that comes off a spoon (with the exception of plain oatmeal - that you seem to approve of in small amounts)
getting out of the bath and putting on pajamas with snaps. To protest, you expertly arch your back, curl your toes and attempt to flip yourself around on the bed like a fish.
You are our little Sunshine.
We all four spend more time than I can count trying to get a smile or a babble or a big open mouth kiss. You breathe quickly when get excited. You turn to me in excitement, grab my hair and press your face to my cheek.
And, one of my favorite things, you have learned to lift your little baby arms when I hold mine out to pick you up. Pure sweetness.
You will share the bathtub with Ansley who will wash you gently from head to toe while she sings to you. Stephen will entertain you while you sit in the high chair - making you laugh out loud. Surely the compassion and tenderness and gentleness I see shining in them and out of them is party, mostly, due to you, little angel.
You are, as Ansley has said, the queen of the living room. You go as you please and we move things as we need to. You can pick things up with both hands now, even small things that you shouldn't pick up but I suppose are tempting when you are six months old and that close to the ground.
Your latest words:
BABABABABAB
MMMMMMMMM
We get the occasional "Da" or "Ma." We like to think that you know exactly what you are saying these days.
This is what we are saying to you, Miss Molly James. We were waiting for you, even if we didn't know it at the time. We were waiting for you.
Happy Six Months, Miss Molly James.
You are six months old!!! You are actually about six months old and three weeks since I am late in writing this post.
Here are your stats - you were 17 pounds 1 ounce on checkup day. Because I forgot to write down your length and head measurements, I can't tell you what they were (oops) but what I do know is that you are perfect just as you are. You babbled to the doctor, grabbed at her stethoscope, did your little pushups on the table, army crawled along the table and stuck out your tongue. The doctor pronounced you fine as a fiddle, and then handed me a prescription for an antibiotic becuase you had a double ear infection! What??? She made a point to tell me they weren't just "a little infected." They were, in fact, "completely full of infection!" I did not see that one coming. Your big brother and sister had the occasional (rare) ear infection when they were small, but I guess this one snuck up on us. You happily sucked down the pink mixture twice daily for ten days and all is seemingly well.
Your Likes:
Nursing!
Nursing two, three, four times a night
your brother and sister
your bath
to go for a walk - not in a stroller - but held up so you can look around "like the queen!" Ansley always says
Your dislikes:
me suggesting that perhaps you should sleep longer stretches at night.
Nanny (my mom) suggesting the same. When Nanny and I were recently discussing this topic, you made sure to scowl fiercely in her direction.
food that comes off a spoon (with the exception of plain oatmeal - that you seem to approve of in small amounts)
getting out of the bath and putting on pajamas with snaps. To protest, you expertly arch your back, curl your toes and attempt to flip yourself around on the bed like a fish.
You are our little Sunshine.
We all four spend more time than I can count trying to get a smile or a babble or a big open mouth kiss. You breathe quickly when get excited. You turn to me in excitement, grab my hair and press your face to my cheek.
And, one of my favorite things, you have learned to lift your little baby arms when I hold mine out to pick you up. Pure sweetness.
You will share the bathtub with Ansley who will wash you gently from head to toe while she sings to you. Stephen will entertain you while you sit in the high chair - making you laugh out loud. Surely the compassion and tenderness and gentleness I see shining in them and out of them is party, mostly, due to you, little angel.
You are, as Ansley has said, the queen of the living room. You go as you please and we move things as we need to. You can pick things up with both hands now, even small things that you shouldn't pick up but I suppose are tempting when you are six months old and that close to the ground.
Your latest words:
BABABABABAB
MMMMMMMMM
We get the occasional "Da" or "Ma." We like to think that you know exactly what you are saying these days.
This is what we are saying to you, Miss Molly James. We were waiting for you, even if we didn't know it at the time. We were waiting for you.
Happy Six Months, Miss Molly James.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Gracious.
A month?!?! Yep, a month.
A month since I blogged. I have things to blog about and lots of stuff in my head. Just gotta make the time to sit down and work on that. As I don't scrapbook anymore - this is how I will keep my memories. These pages will be turned into books (there are lots of websites out there to do this.)
Miss Molly James is going for her 6 month appointment tomorrow. She is up to all sorts of things and I will post more about that after we get her stats tomorrow. She is everywhere these days with a smile that everyone loves.
This past weekend Jamey and I escaped to New Orleans. We were there together 24 hours, but it was just what we needed. Or what I needed. I needed to us to have each other's full attention for a period of time longer than the two seconds before we fall asleep. We tend to meet each other coming and going right now. We both work full time. Jamey teaches night school two nights a week. I am still working with my Scentsy. Jamey starts classes at Alabama in January. I also start school again in two weeks. (What!?!?) My bachelor's degree AND my Master's degree were both earned BEFORE I had children. I have three children now. Not sure what I am thinking...but I am registered so I guess I am committed. I will be working toward my Ed.S. degree ( Educational Specialist). I will keep you posted how THAT goes....
But back to the 24 hours that was New Orleans heaven. Hotel? We stayed here. At the Hotel La Pavillion. In a word, FAB-U-LOUS. Just what the doctor ordered for us. We arrived at check-in time Saturday. Spent the evening walking the streets of the French Quarter. There was lots of music and art and stores with awful things in the windows and people dressed in every which way you can imagine. Street performers were everywhere. Tarot card readers, horse and carriage rides, painters. Jackson Square was lovely as ever. For dinner we enjoyed blacked gator, bowls of gumbo, the Chef's special of the evening which was a flounder dish that was excellent. And homemade hush-puppies with a wonderful sauce was also served. And, brace yourselves, I had a glass of WINE. Slowly. We ate and drank and talked and ate and drank and talked some more. We noticed at one point that we had been there long enough for TWO tables of people to come and go (almost.) Wow. Not once did we take anyone to the bathroom, or ask for a bottle of ketchup or tell anyone not to put use their fork as a back-scratcher. We laughed and talked and enjoyed every bite and sip. We then walked around some more before heading back to the hotel. We listened to a lone trumpet player playing as we walked. We passed teenage boys drumming on the bottoms of buckets. The sounds echoing down the alleys of the French Quarter. We stopped for a drink or two in Pat O Brian's. It was loud and full of Saints and Chargers fans. People of all ages. We shared a Hurricane. We decided Hurricane's tasted better when you are 22.
The hotel had a rooftop pool and hot tub. We made our way up to the top of the 10th floor. It was dark, but the lights and sounds of New Orleans floated up to the rooftop as we sat together Blue Moons in hand. A few other people came and went. We chatted with another couple from Baton Rouge for a while. We all four laughed like we were old friends. I don't even know their names. It didn't matter. We were all there for the same reason.
Now this next part is REALLY exciting. Ready?? Jamey and I slept ALL NIGHT LONG. All night. Do you understand the significance of this statement? All night. Heaven. The next day involved Cafe Dumonde, shopping for treats for our three littles, lunch and then the drive home for me while Jamey stayed to attend the Saints game with friends.
Thank you, Lord, for 24 hour getaways. Thankful to friends and family who kept our children from wandering the streets while we were gone. Thankful to spend 24 hours with Jamey and thankful to come home to three sweet children. Almost 12 years of marriage. Well over 16 years since we met. Half of my life, people. And I would give him half my years all over again if I was given the choice.
A month since I blogged. I have things to blog about and lots of stuff in my head. Just gotta make the time to sit down and work on that. As I don't scrapbook anymore - this is how I will keep my memories. These pages will be turned into books (there are lots of websites out there to do this.)
Miss Molly James is going for her 6 month appointment tomorrow. She is up to all sorts of things and I will post more about that after we get her stats tomorrow. She is everywhere these days with a smile that everyone loves.
This past weekend Jamey and I escaped to New Orleans. We were there together 24 hours, but it was just what we needed. Or what I needed. I needed to us to have each other's full attention for a period of time longer than the two seconds before we fall asleep. We tend to meet each other coming and going right now. We both work full time. Jamey teaches night school two nights a week. I am still working with my Scentsy. Jamey starts classes at Alabama in January. I also start school again in two weeks. (What!?!?) My bachelor's degree AND my Master's degree were both earned BEFORE I had children. I have three children now. Not sure what I am thinking...but I am registered so I guess I am committed. I will be working toward my Ed.S. degree ( Educational Specialist). I will keep you posted how THAT goes....
But back to the 24 hours that was New Orleans heaven. Hotel? We stayed here. At the Hotel La Pavillion. In a word, FAB-U-LOUS. Just what the doctor ordered for us. We arrived at check-in time Saturday. Spent the evening walking the streets of the French Quarter. There was lots of music and art and stores with awful things in the windows and people dressed in every which way you can imagine. Street performers were everywhere. Tarot card readers, horse and carriage rides, painters. Jackson Square was lovely as ever. For dinner we enjoyed blacked gator, bowls of gumbo, the Chef's special of the evening which was a flounder dish that was excellent. And homemade hush-puppies with a wonderful sauce was also served. And, brace yourselves, I had a glass of WINE. Slowly. We ate and drank and talked and ate and drank and talked some more. We noticed at one point that we had been there long enough for TWO tables of people to come and go (almost.) Wow. Not once did we take anyone to the bathroom, or ask for a bottle of ketchup or tell anyone not to put use their fork as a back-scratcher. We laughed and talked and enjoyed every bite and sip. We then walked around some more before heading back to the hotel. We listened to a lone trumpet player playing as we walked. We passed teenage boys drumming on the bottoms of buckets. The sounds echoing down the alleys of the French Quarter. We stopped for a drink or two in Pat O Brian's. It was loud and full of Saints and Chargers fans. People of all ages. We shared a Hurricane. We decided Hurricane's tasted better when you are 22.
The hotel had a rooftop pool and hot tub. We made our way up to the top of the 10th floor. It was dark, but the lights and sounds of New Orleans floated up to the rooftop as we sat together Blue Moons in hand. A few other people came and went. We chatted with another couple from Baton Rouge for a while. We all four laughed like we were old friends. I don't even know their names. It didn't matter. We were all there for the same reason.
Now this next part is REALLY exciting. Ready?? Jamey and I slept ALL NIGHT LONG. All night. Do you understand the significance of this statement? All night. Heaven. The next day involved Cafe Dumonde, shopping for treats for our three littles, lunch and then the drive home for me while Jamey stayed to attend the Saints game with friends.
Thank you, Lord, for 24 hour getaways. Thankful to friends and family who kept our children from wandering the streets while we were gone. Thankful to spend 24 hours with Jamey and thankful to come home to three sweet children. Almost 12 years of marriage. Well over 16 years since we met. Half of my life, people. And I would give him half my years all over again if I was given the choice.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Do's and Dont's
Things we do 'round these parts:
Manicures - Ok, well I don't do them. But Ansley and my mom are pretty fantastic at them. They are happy to have a good hour session at a homemade salon here at our kitchen table. Compelte with a selection of colors, nail files, nail buffer thing (I am sure that is the official name) and even a beverage. Ironically, Ansley was introduced to a manicure at the Battlehouse Spa, so the nail salon next to Winn Dixie is not how she envisions her next manicure these days. I am fairly certain I never once played nail salon or spa growing up. If anything, my mom was hollering out the second story window at me to get down from the tops of the magnolia trees that grew around our house. I always climbed too high. I could climb with a book under one arm and be at the top in seconds. How romantic and wonderful does that sound? Reading away my childhood in the top of an Alabama magnolia tree. Now as an adult, I can't think how in the world that was any sort of comfortable. I am pretty sure I would never allow my kids to climb a tree like that these days. Perhaps I should.
Sleep - We sleep when and where we can these days. I don't make my children stay in their beds. Ansley almost always does anyway, but Stephen may venture out a few times a week. I can make a quick bed out of our love seat in the dark in under 15 seconds. I am pretty sure most mamas can. You don't want to sleep in your bed? Not a problem. You can sleep on the couch. Or on this pallet. If you will sleep, I will help you find the right location for the night. That location, however, is NOT in the bed with me and Jamey. Not so much because we don't want you there, but rather there is just no available real estate there at the moment. (See below under things we don't do)
Cartoons in the morning - Yes, we do it. We watch cartoons before school. I let my kids eat ON THE COUCH and watch cartoons. It keeps us happy. It keeps us moving. My kids know that if I see the process of breakfast eating or uniforms is slowing or coming to a halt, goodbye cartoons. I am sure an expert somewhere will tell me to make them come to the table so that we can all have breakfast together. Blah, blah, blah. Who really wants to have family talk time at 6am anyway. Ok, honestly, Ansley gets up as bright eyed and bushy tailed as they come, but must deal with me and Stephen (who are NOT morning people) and she does a fine job of this. Molly James is yet undetermined in the morning person status.
Things we DON'T do 'round these parts:
We don't do baby food yet. Babies are all different. And I am certainly not the mama I was 8 years ago when Ansley arrived. At MJ's four month checkup, the doctor told me to go ahead and start solids. He asked what foods we would like to start with? I told him that we would not be starting foods for a while. He looked at me and blinked. I must have looked pretty serious so he said, "Well, you are the mama and she looks fine to me," and that was that. It is important to me to nurse MJ for as long as I can. This is a decision that I feel is best for me and more importantly for her. (I am not suggesting that it is right for everyone or even anyone else.) She will be five months tomorrow. Gracious.
Put baby down and expect her to stay there: immobile she is not. So we are all on guard for where this baby decides to roll or inchworm next. Also, I am reminded of the condition of the carpet daily as I see her eyeballing teeny tiny peices of whatever is on the carpet. GROSS. So I vacuum. Again and again and again. Let me say again, GROSS.
Finally, nights of uninterrupted sleep - that is something we definitly do NOT do. Molly James does not sleep through the night. Not even close. Not even a little. And you know what? I am ok with that. We do kind of a half modified cosleeping sometimes. Sometimes we don't. She nurses as much as she wants through then night usually. And I am ok with that. She is a night snuggler. She reaches out for me with her eyes closed. She snuggles her body up next to mine. She will put her little hand on my face. And I am ok with that. She is tucked in safe between a daddy who loves her , a mama who loves her and a brother and sister asleep in the other room who believe the sun rises and sets because Molly James says it should. And I am ok with that.
There will be time for sleep again. Someday.
Manicures - Ok, well I don't do them. But Ansley and my mom are pretty fantastic at them. They are happy to have a good hour session at a homemade salon here at our kitchen table. Compelte with a selection of colors, nail files, nail buffer thing (I am sure that is the official name) and even a beverage. Ironically, Ansley was introduced to a manicure at the Battlehouse Spa, so the nail salon next to Winn Dixie is not how she envisions her next manicure these days. I am fairly certain I never once played nail salon or spa growing up. If anything, my mom was hollering out the second story window at me to get down from the tops of the magnolia trees that grew around our house. I always climbed too high. I could climb with a book under one arm and be at the top in seconds. How romantic and wonderful does that sound? Reading away my childhood in the top of an Alabama magnolia tree. Now as an adult, I can't think how in the world that was any sort of comfortable. I am pretty sure I would never allow my kids to climb a tree like that these days. Perhaps I should.
Sleep - We sleep when and where we can these days. I don't make my children stay in their beds. Ansley almost always does anyway, but Stephen may venture out a few times a week. I can make a quick bed out of our love seat in the dark in under 15 seconds. I am pretty sure most mamas can. You don't want to sleep in your bed? Not a problem. You can sleep on the couch. Or on this pallet. If you will sleep, I will help you find the right location for the night. That location, however, is NOT in the bed with me and Jamey. Not so much because we don't want you there, but rather there is just no available real estate there at the moment. (See below under things we don't do)
Cartoons in the morning - Yes, we do it. We watch cartoons before school. I let my kids eat ON THE COUCH and watch cartoons. It keeps us happy. It keeps us moving. My kids know that if I see the process of breakfast eating or uniforms is slowing or coming to a halt, goodbye cartoons. I am sure an expert somewhere will tell me to make them come to the table so that we can all have breakfast together. Blah, blah, blah. Who really wants to have family talk time at 6am anyway. Ok, honestly, Ansley gets up as bright eyed and bushy tailed as they come, but must deal with me and Stephen (who are NOT morning people) and she does a fine job of this. Molly James is yet undetermined in the morning person status.
Things we DON'T do 'round these parts:
We don't do baby food yet. Babies are all different. And I am certainly not the mama I was 8 years ago when Ansley arrived. At MJ's four month checkup, the doctor told me to go ahead and start solids. He asked what foods we would like to start with? I told him that we would not be starting foods for a while. He looked at me and blinked. I must have looked pretty serious so he said, "Well, you are the mama and she looks fine to me," and that was that. It is important to me to nurse MJ for as long as I can. This is a decision that I feel is best for me and more importantly for her. (I am not suggesting that it is right for everyone or even anyone else.) She will be five months tomorrow. Gracious.
Put baby down and expect her to stay there: immobile she is not. So we are all on guard for where this baby decides to roll or inchworm next. Also, I am reminded of the condition of the carpet daily as I see her eyeballing teeny tiny peices of whatever is on the carpet. GROSS. So I vacuum. Again and again and again. Let me say again, GROSS.
Finally, nights of uninterrupted sleep - that is something we definitly do NOT do. Molly James does not sleep through the night. Not even close. Not even a little. And you know what? I am ok with that. We do kind of a half modified cosleeping sometimes. Sometimes we don't. She nurses as much as she wants through then night usually. And I am ok with that. She is a night snuggler. She reaches out for me with her eyes closed. She snuggles her body up next to mine. She will put her little hand on my face. And I am ok with that. She is tucked in safe between a daddy who loves her , a mama who loves her and a brother and sister asleep in the other room who believe the sun rises and sets because Molly James says it should. And I am ok with that.
There will be time for sleep again. Someday.
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