a little tease

Details on our trick or treating adventure to come! But until then, here's a little preview of our Halloween costume:

If you've ever seen a more adorable scarecrow I'm going to need photographic evidence!

absence makes the heart grow fonder

We've been MIA in case you haven't noticed. Our return from out of town was rough.

Here's the short version...

Reese woke up early, EARLY Tuesday morning with a super high fever. I missed two days of work. Lofton left us to go to Jacksonville. We had to call in reinforcements {thanks Mimi and Mamie and Paw-Paw}. There were lots and lots of tears. Mine and Reese's. Now he is fever free but has a full body rash. Diagnosis: Roseolla {or something like that}. He is going back to school tomorrow.

Basically our week sucked. We are hoping for better luck this week.

Pardon our progress as we reorganize our life. We'll return shortly with a cheerier outlook.

recharged

I took a much needed personal day on Friday and Reese and I headed to Pensacola. Lofton was working all weekend so it was the perfect getaway for the two of us.

Overly eager to get on the road, Reese awoke early Friday morning. Four to be exact. The plan was to leave early, although not rooster crowing early. We were easily on the road by 6:30. A quick pit stop at Whataburger for breakfast and we were back on the road.

Can I please say that my son traveled amazingly well! I was nervous. We have had many miserable car trips in our short time together, but he was a champ- both going and coming back.

Friday we had a quick visit at my mom's office and then zipped home for some lunch, couch napping, and soap watching. We enjoyed the beautiful outside weather until the family got home to help entertain us.

The point of our trip was to see Jackson play in the football game Friday night. No, he doesn't play football. He plays trombone in the band. It was fun to see him perform, but a wee bit chilly. I was so concerned about Reese being cold {sidenote: good thing I had the foresight to get a him a jacket two weeks ago when it was still 85 degrees}, I totally forgot to bring myself cold weather clothes. Brrr.

Yesterday we indulged in a little retail therapy. Daddy Buck tagged along to push Reese around in his stroller. I use the term pushed loosely. He really limped behind the stroller! {Yes Dad, I'm calling you out on the blog. Go to the doctor!}

I bought myself three fabulous new pairs of shoes to make myself feel better about life and then watched my son destroy his grandmother's cabinets.

Let's breeze past the horrible football game last night and skip straight to the sleeping arrangements.

This child of mine slept WONDERFULLY. Mom and I had a fabulous plan that he could sleep on a chair and a half mattress on the floor in my room. It worked like a charm--- until he rolled off. Clearly he wasn't hurt by the six inch fall, but he did get stuck between the mattress and the wall. It made him a teensy bit mad. Into the bed with me he went. That also was not successful. He slept great, but I was so worried about he rolling out of the bed I didn't sleep at all. Finally, around 2:30, I made him a pallet on the floor. He slept GREAT for the rest of the night and ALL of last night too. Hooray!

{Reese chasing the elusive striped tiger.}

Vegetable soup is simmering on the stove and we are anxiously awaiting our Daddy's arrival. We missed him so. I feel relaxed, recharged and ready to tackle the week ahead. There is definitely no place like home!

coming up for air

I just dug myself out from under an explosion of toys. Seriously, our second living room looks like Hiroshima the day after Pearly Harbor. I contain one mess only to have him detonate another.

Lofton spent the weekend working at the lake. He is doing a full basement remodel on Mamie and Paw Paw's house. We did manage to have a date last night thanks to our fabulous new babysitter, Holland. She is a junior at Opelika High School and the daughter of my teacher neighbor, Janet.

In preparation for Holland's arrival, we took a bath yesterday afternoon. We always like to smell good for the ladies. Check out those top pearls coming through!

Lofton and I went to dinner, and of course, were done in less than an hour. We decided not to go right home and stopped at a bar in downtown Opelika. We were the only patrons, but it was really nice to sit and talk uninterrupted for a little while. This was only our second date since Reese was born. The first was October of last year. We decided last night we needed to recommit to ourselves and do this more often.

With Lofton working, Reese and I got spend LOTS of QT time together. This kid cracks me up. He also makes me want to pull my hair out.


We have shopped, played, cleaned, and baked. It's been grand. I've been lamenting not getting to see him as much as I want, so this weekend has been the perfect fix.



Please swoon over his eyelashes with me. It's totally unfair that he has them. He's a boy, after all. And those Angelina Jolie lips? I got oodles of stolen kisses when he was napping on me. He's a beauty.

dangerous

I just watched Reese carry some of my dirty clothes down the hall and deposit them into a basket in his room. He then carried the basket down the hallway. He was not however headed for the laundry room.

Then he pushed his wagon from the front room into my bedroom doorway, walked into the bedroom, and carried out some shoes to put in.

He played hooky again today {at his Mimi's request}. She laughingly pointed out that he had no interest in playing with HIS toys. He wanted to play with the remotes, her cell phone, our clean laundry. He was also big into the cable hook=up and the hall night lights.

I'm sure this is only a sign of things to come.



He is quickly perfecting his "Who Me?" face. And yes, I found him sitting in his wagon yesterday. Clearly he was trying to communicate something to me.

the birthday boy, II

Happy, happy birthday to my favorite husband.




You take care of us when we're sick, work tirelessly to provide us a good life, and loves us even when we are cranky.

You have been working super hard lately, and I could not be more proud of you. I know you are working toward a better future for us. I complain, but it's only because I miss you so much.

Although year 26 is going to be hard to beat, I hope year 27 is your best yet.


I love you.

lost and found

I lost Reese today. In our house. I'm a little embarrassed by how distressed I got when I couldn't find him, but I'll share with you anyway.

Down the hall I walked, baby on hip, to grab some towels for our bathroom. I couldn't carry a stack of towels and the giant baby, so I set him on the ground. He got up and toddled into his room. I walk the towels down the hall and immediately go back to his room. He is gone.

"Reese," I begin calling. "Come out, Come out wherever you are!", I yell. There is no response.

I walk back down the hall still calling his name. Is he in the bedroom? No. The bathroom? No. The front rooms? Nope.

My heart starts accelerating rapidly. I quickly sweep the kitchen and dining room knowing good and well it is impossible for him to have moved quickly enough to reach either of these places. Could someone have swooped in and kidnapped him that quickly? {I really think these things.}

Retracing my steps, I head back towards his bedroom.

Then I hear him. A little growling mixed with a little grunting. Back into his room I go. Is he in the closet? No. Under the crib? Nope. That little stinker is under the full size bed in his room. Evidently some blocks had gotten stashed under there and he felt inclined to join them.

Another crisis averted.

Don't worry. I gave him a stern lecture about responding immediately when he hears my voice. I'm sure this will NeVeR happen again.

a blessing and a curse

Reese woke up Monday with a yucky, rattly cough. We gave him 24 hours before i called Dr. Greer to make an appointment. {I'm trying to get better about my crazy-first-time-mom reactions!}

Lofton drew the short straw, so he took Reese Wednesday morning. I'm told the visit was not pleasant. It happened to coincide with both lunch and nap time for Reese. I can only imagine how unpleasant things became.

Twenty dollars and two hours later-- strep throat. Fabulous. It's our second course of antibiotics in three weeks. Lord in heaven, please cut us some slack.

My mom is in Mississippi tending to my grandparents {another blog post altogether} so Lofton's mom zipped over very early this morning to help out.

She and Reese hung out today. He loves some undivided Mimi attention. They played in his wagon, ate lots of yummy snacks, and took some long naps.

Did I mention Reese isn't actually exhibiting real signs of sickness? NO fever, NO whining, just a stinky cough to match his stinky diagnosis.

All this to say--

I don't really clean my house for MY parents. I straighten, sometimes I dust, but CLEAN I do not. They know I'm just not that great at keeping a clean house. Lofton does a lot of it and when I was at home Cassie did it.

After three plus years of marriage I've also thrown away cleaning for my MIL. Do you know why? She does it for me! And she's way better than I am.

So today, after a long and stressful week {which they all are lately}, I walked in to a house with CLEAN laundry. Washed, folded, and hung up.

Bless that Mimi!

the bash

We had Reese's birthday party at our house Saturday at 2:00. I have been planning this day for months!

The perfect invitations. Check.

Yummy food. Check.

Adorable cake. Check.

A guest list full of all the people who love Reese. Check.

My favorite friend, Cassie, came into town Friday to help me pull everything together. She was in charge of decorations-- which were fabulous by the way. She made a adorable banner out of scrapbook paper and is a master of balloons.

We enjoyed a late dinner Friday night and caught up on lots of missed time. I don't see her nearly enough, but when we do see each other it's like we've never been apart.

I had a perfectly planned schedule for Reese Saturday. {We know how my perfect plans turn out!} In MY plan Reese was going to take one nap, just like he does at school, and be fresh and ready for the party. In REESE'S plan he was going to sleep for an hour Saturday morning and shun napping for the rest of the day. He was very tired right before the bash but perked up once everyone arrived. Thankfully he loves a crowd!

The party was wonderful. Reese got way more toys than he'll ever be able to play with and we got to see lots of family and friends shower him with love. There was no doubt he was the star of the show! Ms. Maureen, his teacher from school, even came. I was so happy she drove over for the party. She is SO special to us.

He ate so much cake we didn't even feed him dinner.

Today has been full of balloon chasing, more cake eating, and playing. It's hard for Reese to decide what he likes more-- the presents or the boxes.

More to come on the gifts....

say it isn't so

Recently I saw this quote, “Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.” Oh how true it is. My heart is forever exposed to the world and held in the hand of my baby.

How is it that I have a one year old? This bubbly, bouncing, beautiful baby boy-- the one I worked tirelessly to bring into this world-- is one year old, today.

Be still my heart! Time goes too fast.



Reese is such a joy to have as a child. Feisty yes, but I would expect nothing less from a child with my genes. I can’t imagine ever having another baby, because we really hit it out of the park this first time. Perfect? No. But perfect for us.

The older he gets the more fun he becomes. I could spend all day chasing him around the house, listening to his cackle, and watching him explore his toys {and other things better left alone}. He is at such a curious age. Lofton and I wrestle with keeping him safe while not tempering his curiosity. I’m positive his curiosity is a sign of high intelligence.

What is he doing at this age? Walking, he is faster and surer on his feet everyday. Eating, any and everything {except bananas} we give him. Working on giving up the bottle, we are down to a morning bottle and a nighttime bottle—sippy cups in between. By Halloween we will be bottle free. Growling, yelling, and laughing to get our attention; no words yet! Occasionally “Mama” will slip through his pouty lips, but only when he is very tired or very upset. I’m not sure it’s intentional.

Reese has also come to understand the word “No” or “No sir, Reese Beasley.” Like I said, we are really struggling with letting him explore the world and keeping him in one squishy piece.

Intolerable behaviors that are intruding into our daily lives are; chewing on the dining room table like a beaver, pulling Jake and/or Raleigh’s tails and ears, biting my shoulder, spitting in our faces when he is done eating, and standing in the bathtub. If a firm “no” does not curb his actions, a swift smack to his meaty thigh usually does the trick. It also elicits a deep and dramatic, tear-filled wail. Sometimes it lasts for two minutes, sometimes ten—with this kid you never know.

Parenting is a wonderful, wacky adventure I never could have fully prepared myself for. I know we are in for a wild ride with this little man, but I wake up everyday so grateful. Grateful to God for bestowing upon Lofton and I this AWESOME responsibility. I go to sleep at night full of prayer’s for Reese’s future and full of thanks that I am this little man’s mama.



Happy first birthday, boo-boo! I love you to the moon and back.