Monday, February 28, 2011

Our little Buttercup

On Thursdays I receive weekly updates that tell me how many weeks old Reese is and what she should be doing at this point in her life. Last weeks update read, "in the coming weeks your baby should begin to sit up unassisted." I am not ashamed to admit that I might have cried a tear or two when I read that. Sitting up? Unassisted? I fully expect next weeks to say, "pack her bags she's off to college." It is just all happening way too fast!! My heart can't take it.

We went ahead and bought a Nap Nanny because, really we feel certain that Reese is going to be a smart girl and get a scholarship. She won't need us for tuition.


Ms. Liz has a Nap Nanny and Reese likes it. Sleeping in this propped up position seems to have helped with all the congestion this weekend. Thankfully she did not have RSV, and we were told there wasn't much we could do about the congestion/stuffy nose.

On Saturday we hung out with the wee little one, took a trip to Oxford, and came home to ponder our upcoming yard project. Ya'll know Adam loves a project. Me- not so much. Mainly because I get stuck doing the stuff he doesn't enjoy such as painting or, in this case, staining the porch during my Spring Break week. I know, I know- you are green with envy at all the excitement known as my life.

All I know is that Spring Break isn't what it used to be with all of its sunshine and sand between my toes.

This little girl loves her leg warmers with fuzzy stuff at the bottom (yes, "fuzzy stuff" is the technical term;))




Just when I got her clothes on her she erupted like a little volcano! It was a rookie mistake on my part. All mothers know never to put clothes on the baby until you are ready to walk out the door.


We had a lovely lunch with MeeMaw at Mellow Mushroom. They have gotten a lot of business out of us lately since they have an outdoor patio.

Since a brush with death was not on Adams To Do list on Saturday he dropped me off at the door at WalMart with the grocery list. He had one request- Great Value Tropical gummy snacks. You know, the essentials.

We strolled through Lowe's for 5 or 90 minutes looking at their shrubs and flowers. One word comes to mind: overwhelmed. Landscaping is not for the light of heart. So we went by my Auntie Kay's house since they had just tackled this very project. We got some good ideas and are thinking of hiring them to come do ours for us.

Then we came home and stared at the front of our house for what seemed like days trying to decide what should be done. I would put up pictures, but I am too embarrassed. There is a lot of dirt/mud, some lovely weeds, and possibly some collard greens growing. You might be a redneck if... you have COLLARD GREENS growing in your front door.

Reese loves being outside and got even more excited when Adam would throw her up in the air. Actually, raise her in the air is a better description.







Don't you love buttercups? (That's probably not the technical term.) I could not be any more in love with this little face!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Introducing THE MINI

Ya'll it is a small, small world. Especially where mini vans are concerned.


Adam took Reese to the doctor this morning to be tested for RSV because I turned into some kind of hypochondriac the moment she was born and have convinced myself that something is wrong with her. She has been congested for 3 straight weeks and I don't think that is normal. Plus I am fearfully that any day now when I go to buy more saline drops for her nose I am going to be put on some sort of list for potential meth manufacturers. And if you think they don't use something as simple as saline drops to cook illegal substances, you my friend, don't deal with current day teenagers. They will use whatever they can get their hands on.

So when he pulled into the parking deck he said it was like a halo from Heaven surrounded his dream car when he saw it again. Actually he did not say that, but he thought it. Trust me, he thought it. And I bet he could hear angels singing too.

Parked in the parking deck was the exact mini van that once held all of his love and adoration. And he knows this is the exact one because a lucky lady named Mimi became the proud owner.


Ya'll, I can't make this stuff up.

By the way, A-Master (which I am so not going to be calling him that because it takes too much time to type that out) swears that I am lying about him taking the mini van over his truck on a fishing trip. But ya'll know what I have to say about that? I would deny it too. Deny it to the grave.

And this is why I love A-Master- he cares enough about this blog to email me the above picture. Oh, and the simple fact that he is a laugh a minute.

I am so glad that ya'll got to meet THE mini van. (When I asked him the model of the mini van yesterday he told me, "don't diss it on the blog." Who says men aren't mind readers?)

I have a confession: today when I read the comments that Leigh and Brittany wrote about my stories being "hilarious" and that I should "write a book"- ya'll I cried tears of joy. Sheer joy. Because that is so sweet that they actually think I am smart enough to compose things that are remotely entertaining. (Or maybe they are laughing at me instead of with me??) I give all the glory to A-Master for giving me blog material on a daily bases. He's a real peach.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Swagger Wagon

The story that I am about to tell might surprise you. To be totally honest it still surprises me, but thankfully the phase has passed. Or at least I hope it has. I have made mention that Adam drove a truck, a nice truck, when we were dating and when we got married. But if you know hubby and/or his family then you know that they will sell a vehicle in a "hot minute."

Vocabulary lesson from C'burg: A "minute" means quiet a while. Example:"Girl, I haven't seen you in a minute." A "hot minute" means, well I am not sure what it means, but it is street talk for seeing someone sooner that a "minute." I feel quiet sure that it means something that happens really quickly, but what do I know? I am only a teacher and they try to keep the real meaning of their language from us.

So anyway, what I am trying to say is that vehicles don't stay around very long. I also feel that I should inform you that hubby and his people are totally and completely against buying a brand new vehicle when they can get one a year old for half the money. Which makes sense and I am not judging them for this, but a few years ago Adam hit an all time low in the used car industry. He took the family name to places that, quiet frankly, should embarrass him, but the joke must be on me seeing as I was the only one embarrassed.

And let me go ahead and say that I am not trying to offend anyone. What you drive is none of my business. However, what my husband drives is a completely different story.

I can't even recall how it all happened. Maybe it was so painful that my memory has blocked it out. Either way hubby came home one day driving a MINI VAN.

In case you weren't paying attention when you read the above statement: MY HUSBAND DRIVING A MINI VAN.

It looked just like this...except it was not red. It was silver. Because a man driving a red mini van would make people talk. Silver is a much more acceptable and manly color.

I wish I was, but I am not exaggerating when I tell you that he LOVED this van- "But LeeLee it is the Warner Brother edition. It has a DVD player. Don't you like it?"

It was one of those marital moments that I wanted to look at him and say, "Hello my name is Elena. I don't believe we have ever met before."

Let me clarify why a mini van was even an option- 1. his mind was clearly not working 2. he needed something big enough to transport cabinets 3. he needed something decent on gas since he drives to far away places on a weekly basis 4. his mind was clearly not working.

Did I mention that his mind had taken a vacation? Because that is the only excuse for such a lapse in judgement coming from a man in his 20's with NO children.

I realized the problem was deeper than I had originally suspected when he got up one morning, forwent driving his truck, and loaded his fishing tackle in the cool and sophisticated mini van and took off for a day of fishing fun. You might disagree with me on this one, but I think there is something unAmerican about a man leaving behind his truck and going fishing in his MINI VAN.

Would you believe that when he drove it he didn't even try to conceal his identity? On the other hand when I rode in it I slid the seat as far back as it would go and tilted it backwards so that people could not see my face. Because, correct me if I am wrong, it is not cool to be a newly married couple with no children sporting a mini van. Not cool.

He wanted to get one of those magnetic footballs to stick on the back with a kids name on it so that people would think he was transporting small children to a highly important ball game and get out of his way. And that was when I openly wept wondering what had happened to the man I married.

This had to be the "worse" that was spoken of during the whole "for better for worse" part of our vows. Because I can tell you one thing with all certainty- this was not the "better." And I stuck with him and that mini van, but only because I had made a promise before God, family and friends that I would.

The lowest of all moments came when I was in town one day and someone I knew fairly well came up to me and asked, "Do ya'll have renters living in your basement?" No. No renters. Why? "I have been seeing a mini van in your driveway and I knew it couldn't be yours." And as I heard myself say these words so fast my head started to spin I silently prayed that God would forgive me for telling a straight out lie, "Oh goodness no! It doesn't belong to us!"

The only regret that he seems to have about the whole mini van thing is that he didn't get a Toyota Sienna and get to star in this video.

I only bring this up now because he sold his truck last week and we are now on the hunt for him another vehicle. Out of love and respect for his daughter I have begged him not to get another one. No little girl needs to grow up with her daddy taxiing her around in a mini van. I'll keep ya'll posted as to what he gets. I know ya'll will be on the edge of your seat waiting to hear.

I feel like this is the best time to tell ya'll that hubby has made a blogging request. After I told him that people with blogs who actually have more than 10 readers sometimes refer to their family by code names like Marlboro Man, for example. Adam requested that for security reasons I start referring to him as A-Master.

Bless his heart.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Swingin' in the Sun

I am trying not to think about the fact that I should be at home napping and doing important things like holding my baby today, but thanks to all that snow we had I am here at the ole school house.

I have one important thing from the weekend that I feel I should discuss with ya'll.

The apple does not fall far from the tree.

I am sure you have heard this quote. And, people, it has never been truer than it was at our house this very weekend. Reese had several serious meltdowns. Actually I use the term "meltdown" loosely. It was a crying episode that I can only compare to the sound of someone repeatedly running their fingernails along a chalkboard.

The problem? She was fighting sleep- to.the.bitter.end.

According to D.D. her daddy did this very thing. And ya'll know how they soothed him? Riding him around in the car.
I would like to point out that back then gas was not $3.14 a gallon. But in the grand scheme of things that is a small price to pay for my sanity. Especially considering the cost of therapy I was going to be faced with to get over the trauma of all of the crying.
So, please, allow me to paint a picture for you. On Saturday Adam and PeePaw had been doing some cleaning up in our yard. We had been outside all day while Reese got pushed in her swing and watched the dogs who she finds utterly hilarious. (Now that I look at this picture it looks like Dixie was nibbling on her toes. Ya'll please don't call DHR. We are doing the best we can.)

She was the picture of babyhood with all of her chubbiness and big gummy grins...







Please note: Jolie had to wear one of Reese's head bands.

And that's when things went south. I took a shower and washed my hair while she layed on a pallet talking and laughing. I could tell her talking was turning angry so I hurried and got out.
And here is where she started with the whining. And who can blame her? She has a rough life with all of the love and adoration.
She proceeded to cry uncontrollably for so long that I was sure I would need therapy to regain composure. With my hair still in a towel hubby decided that something must be done! He couldn't take it any longer!
But what to do? Nothing was working!
And this is where another quote comes to mind...
Never say never. Ever heard that one??
I don't want to start any bad habits, but Lord have mercy. We couldn't take it for one more moment. So we loaded her up in the car and drove around (which I might or might not have said I would never do) for about 15 minutes. And yes, I was looking lovelier than ever with my wet hair that had not even been brushed. Thankfully I retained enough sense in my head to take the towel off as I ran out the door.
She finally nodded off to sleep. Dear Lord, do your blessings ever end?
And in that moment several things were clarified for me. #1- she is going to resemble her daddy more than me (which I am totally fine with) #2- the apple does not fall far from the tree (which I do have a problem with. A big problem. Why should I pay for his wicked ways as a child? Why, oh why?)
This scenario happened once again before the evening was over. Except I didn't have wet hair.
Did I say I had 1 thing to discuss? I meant 2.
That roll we were on with her sleeping all night in her bed...that has stopped. I regret to inform you that for several nights now (the lack of sleep has caused me to lose track of the exact number) she has woke up crying. Mainly because she looses her binky. And bless your heart if you think we left her in her room after getting up the 12th time to put that paci in her mouth.
I totally lack the motherhood gene that allows for walking back and forth to her bedroom at all hours of the night in order to keep her out of our bed. I have NO IDEA where she gets the need to sleep in the bed with her parents. No idea.
So if you have any friendly suggestions as to how this problem can be solved I would like to hear them. But please refrain from telling me to let her cry it out at 3 A.M. If I didn't have to get up for work I might have it in me to try that method, but currently that is not the case.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

5 months!

Reese is 5 months old!!!


































Weight: 13lbs 6 ounces (according to our scales)
Height: 25 inches
Wears 3-6 month old clothes, but most of the pants are long on her.
Has done so good sleeping in her own bed and sleeping all night long until last week when she got sick (and someone tried to steal/kill us). But she is back in her bed now.
Gets rocked to sleep every night which is my favorite time of the day. That is also the only time of day that she will snuggle and lay her head on our shoulder.
Loves to kick her chubby little legs!

I am so in love with this little tutu so I have made her picture several times trying to get a really good one, but she has gotten so good at rolling from her stomach to her back I couldn't get one. All I could get was the rolling over action.







Is there anything cuter than a naked baby????

She eats 4 ounces every 2 to 3 hours
She also loves bananas and any combination of fruits. Pear, strawberry, granola seems to be her favorite. She doesn't eat food every night because it seems to hurt her stomach a little.


This is her favorite toy


She has gotten better at holding her bottle, but she still had to have some help.




Got some teddy bears for her first Valentines Day




And even got some gifts at daycare which made me feel like a real loser since all I sent was cards. But next year I will be more prepared and send candy/goodies with her cards.



I love this picture. She looks like she is taking life real serious.




MeeMaw gave her this outfit and really, isn't it so cute?


She likes to keep her momma and daddy close, but her binky closer!! She always wants it close by.


She is so intrigued with her tutu.


And seems to be tired of all of the "I'm 5 months old" pictures.


I had just gotten this head band in and she kept crossing her eyes looking at the flower on her head.


Loves to chew on her pointer finger, and has started grabbing her feet. And she drools A LOT!

Doesn't she look like she is posing for this one?




Looks more like her daddy everyday!


Is a monster when she gets sleepy!!!!


Loves getting bath




Lays on this blanket and talks and laughsvwhile looking up at the TV



Thursday night Adam had been cleaning up around the house while telling me, "Don't worry about the house. I know you have been busy.....busy holding her and watching the hair on her head grow." Yep, I sure have. Becuase ya'll know what she has been busy doing? Growing up.