another year bites the dust

I was just finally getting used to being twenty-six. And now, in the blink of an eye, I've become twenty-seven. Yuck.

However, on this my special day, I've chosen not to focus on impending wrinkles and sporadic grey hairs. Instead I will focus on the joy that is spending my birthday with my beautiful baby boy.

He has been--

A little bit surly.

A little bit sweet.

And very focused on having clean hands.

Side note: I thought it would be a fabulous birthday present if Reese would finally say "Mama" on my birthday. You know last year he rolled over for the first time on my birthday. Oddly though, every time I tell him to "say Mama" he laughs and then licks my face. Yes. You read that correctly. Go on, re-read it. He licks my face. It's a wee bit gross, but also wildly entertaining.

until next year

Whew! My parents cleared out yesterday and after a few errands Lofton and I put an exhausted Boo Boo down for a nap and then started clearing out Christmas.

It's amazing how quickly it all comes down. The tree is gone, the mantles are bare, now we just have to figure out what to do with all these new toys.

Santa was way too generous with Reese this year. Evidently he was a very good boy. He got a basketball goal, talking remote, puzzles, a sleeping bag, two new pairs of kicks, clothes, and more. First on my list for this week is clearing out his "baby" toys to make room for all these new toys.

It's hard to believe this was actually Reese's 2nd Christmas. He was so much more interactive this year. Watching him tear open gifts and pull out tissue paper cracked us up. He definetly preferred the opening of the gifts to the actual gifts themselves!

merry christmas

merry crud-mas

Our pink eye has progressed into a double ear infection. I love how our illnesses are perfectly tied to major holidays. Our last ear infection was around Turkey Day. It makes trying to get in to see the doctor and fighting traffic to get Reese's antibiotic filled all the more enjoyable.

I'm hopeful that when Santa delivers the cotton swabs and solo cups he takes all this snot and phlegm back to the North Pole.

amended letter to santa

Is it too late to get a new letter to the big guy at the North Pole? I hope not. Reese has revised his letter--

Dear Santa,

Forget the toys this year. I don't need a basketball goal or a sleeping bag. No books or puzzles are necessary. Scratch the new shoes and comfy pj's from my list. What I really want this year are:

Q-tips-- you know the one's mama has picked up off the floor at least twenty times in the last two days? Man I love those. You can chew on them, stick them in the air vents, and hide them all over the house.

Solo cups-- My mama likes to keep them stacked in the cabinet next to the dishwasher. She likes them all neatly put in the right place. I, however, could care less. Yesterday I hid a few in the Christmas tree.

Shoes-- Not my own though, shoes that belong to my mom and dad. That way, when they are in a hurry to get out the door they can only find one of each pair of shoes.

Thanks Santa. Give Rudolph a big smooch for me!

Love, Reese

{p.s. I'm going to try super hard not to eat all your cookies!}

pink eye and french fries

Yesterday's anniversary came and went in the blink of an eye. I think that's what happens when you have children.

I had been up most of Wednesday night with either a small virus or a touch of food poisoning, and Reese woke up with a goopy eye and a green nose. Fabulous.

When Lofton got off work last night and we ran Reese to the after hours pediatric clinic. Diagnosis confirmed-- we have pink eye.

After a quick trip to the pharmacy we stopped by Wendy's for a romantic dinner for two. Drive through style.

Yummy. There's nothing like a double stack with cheese, mustard and ketchup plus a small fry. I love it.

We are going to try for the real thing tonight. Reese is still not quite up to par, but sweet Holland is going to give it ago. We'll just be across the railroad tracks in downtown Opelika, so we can quickly scoot home if things start to go sour.

Christmas tomorrow in LaGrange should make for some interesting photo ops. Cousin Brenan has a rash from his bought with roseolla and Reese will, of course, have his swollen leaky eyes. Stayed tuned for that Kodak moment. It should be a classic.

four years

Four years ago today I married my best friend. He is the most amazing man.

We have accomplished many things in our four years together. College graduation, home ownership, careers-- but the best accomplishment of all is that sweet angel {i use that term loosely} who reminds me so much of us.

Reese is the best and worst part of both of us and I love it. It still amazes me to think that he is a part of us-- a living, breathing reminder of our marriage and our love for each other.




I can't wait to see what our life together develops into. These past four years have been such a wonderful gift.

sassy pants

My child now has a new name-- sassy pants. He owns it proudly.

Thursday was a day. It began with a screaming fit over wearing a jacket to school and ended with some WWE moves on the changing table. Neither instance worked out well for him.

Alas, sassy pants was not deterred. Yesterday afternoon I was picking up around the house while he was pretending to play with his toys. Things got eerily quiet so I tiptoed into the living room to survey the damage. I found one of my poinsettias shredded into a million pieces and my fourteen month old standing on the couch. STANDING, y'all! He had moved his chair up against the couch and used it as a stool to help him climb.

When he saw me looking at him he laughed at me.

I'm in for it. And although I jokingly tell people he gets his attitude from his Daddy, I know in my heart that isn't true. I own my sassy pant's name, as well. Wear it like a badge of honor. I am strong willed and stubborn, and I tend to use those things to my advantage. If God is into karmic retribution, than Reese is mine.

He is a dash of Lofton's curiosity and wide open recklessness mixed with my nasty attitude.

Fabulous. Pray for us will you?

music to my ears

Not only does he crack me up--

But he also cracks himself up. There is nothing in the world better than the sound of this child's laughter.

Nothing better at all.

hodgepodge

A few thoughts that don't really deserve their own blog posts--



1. Tis the time of the year for a few of my favorite things. Christmas lights twinkling at night, roomy long sleeved t-shirts, and snuggly babies in footie pajamas. I am especially fond of the last item on my list. Reese in soft warm jammies = cuddly and extra kissable. I wish you were here to enjoy him too!

2. Tiger, oh Tiger. I never really liked you, but I almost feel sorry for you. You messed up BIG time buddy. And truthfully, you deserve to be beat with a golf club. Over and over again. I hope that Swedish wife of yours' takes your tail to the cleaners.

3. Football season is on it's way out. As much as I love college football, bowl games don't really tickle my fancy. It's just not a competition if it isn't head to head SEC action. Last nights game was a heart breaker. I feel for Tebow. I genuinely believe he's a nice kid. And I hope he makes lots of money in the pros cause he's probably going to do very charitable things with it. I also hope Alabama goes down in flames on January 7th. Hook Em' Horns!!!

4. I hate going out in public this time of year. Really hate it. Crowds and strange people just aren't my thing. That's why I grocery shop at 7:30 in the morning. No crowds. No weirdo's to ogle my child. This time of year though the freaks of Lee County come out in droves. Lofton and I got out and did a little shopping this afternoon. Much was accomplished.

While at Target I picked up a few non-gift items. One of those items was Mott's Tots Apple juice. Three bottles. A certain baby and a certain baby's daddy LOVE apple juice. Mott's Tots is already mixed/diluted with water. Better for the boys' teeth. I only buy this item at Target. Why? I'm glad you asked. At Target it costs $2.04 a bottle. At Kroger it costs $3.89. For the EXACT SAME BOTTLE. Unreal to me.

I digress though.

Somehow we made it home from the store with only two of our three bottles. Crap. Lofton headed back to Target to redeem our other bag. Do you know that they made him wait while they reviewed security tapes? Seriously! He even had a receipt. Like we would steal apple juice. I mean I know times are tight, but come on Target.

And last but not least--

5. There are only ten more school days until I am out on Christmas break. To say I need a two week break would be quite the understatement. I have refrained from going into detail on the blog {because this is open to the public}, but this has been a rough year. I'm working through it, doing the best I can, and learning more in the last three months than I did in my first two years. God has a plan for me. And this class, with these kids, is part of it. I'm growing and learning, but I am in desperate need of a break. My batteries are dead and my proverbial gas tank is on empty.

amazing grace

Almost every night about this time I sit down to the computer. I check my email, catch up on people's lives through facebook, and read stranger's blogs.

More importantly, I listen to the love of my life rock my sweet baby boy to sleep. I love to listen as he and Reese say their prayers. And then, when Lofton sings him Amazing Grace, I melt into a little love puddle.

It reminds of the old days. The nights just a year ago, when Lofton would put Reese to bed. Sometimes he'd rock for an hour.

I'm sure they'll come a day {probably sooner than I'd like} when Reese won't need us to rock him to sleep. Until that day though, you can me find at this computer, listening to my sweet husband sing.