he's back

Two nights of sleep have almost rejuvenated the Beasley bunch. Almost.

Little Boo headed back to school today after his full week off. We were blessed to have Monday with Mimi, Tuesday with Aunt Linda, and Wednesday with Mamie and Paw Paw. Thursday {today} meant back to reality.

When he woke up to me this morning, and I started rushing around to get him dressed, he was quite confused. He held his hands up as if to say, "Is there no one here to greet me today but you?"

We are happy he seems to be feeling loads better. As I'm sure you were able to gather, I was at my wit's end. Adenoid removal is a million times harder than tubes. At least for us.

The anesthesia, bad breath {oh the breath}, stuffy nose, and just general yuckies were more than I was prepared for. I knew he might feel bad for a few days, but never did I anticipate a whole week of misery.

Back to school he went today, though. He has a few limitations: no outside play for rest of the week and no rough housing in the big play room. He didn't seem too upset about missing outside time-- instead he got to eat gummy bears in Ms. Maureen's room. Oh the life!

back to work

Now that the hubs is pretty much back full time as my house slave, the honey-do list is slowly being tackled.

We like to separate our projects into two categories: those we can easily afford {and that can be done in a short amount of time} and those that must be saved for/financed {more on that later}.

The projects Lofton accomplished this weekend fell into the first category.

Before I make the big reveal, I’ll remind you of a few things:

1) When we bought our house EVERY room was grey with the exception of our eggplant colored dining room. I quickly picked out paint colors and the rooms were transformed in a span of two weeks. Needless to say the old adage about living in your house before you make design decisions held true. I don’t love all the colors I initially picked out. We are making changes as needed J

2) Our decorating/remodeling budget was slashed tremendously when we introduced little Boo into our house. It is just now starting to re-coup.

And now the reveal!

First, Lofton made a headboard for Reese’s bed. I was inspired by a tutorial I found online. We found the fabric in Montgomery, and with a little help from the staple gun, my dream became a reality.

In keeping with Reese’s room makeover, Lofton also hung a few new pictures on the walls. I have another print on order, as well.

After we took down Reese’s original headboard {which came from the salvation army and has moved with me 4 times}, Lofton cut it down and used the spindles to make legs for our new desk. We trashed the skirted desk because our air vents couldn’t circulate properly.

This crafty move was actually my brain child and I’m pretty darn impressed with myself. We still have to paint the desk and finish the edges with some trim, but all in all I’m very satisfied.

Lastly, Lofton popped up the molding in the dining room. We are “paneling” the walls to make the room a little more visually appealing.

The wall color, rug, and floor were all too similar in tone for me. The paneling will be white, the walls are going to be a lovely shade of creamy green, and the curtains are going to be a dramatic navy silk.

I’m most excited about this room transformation. We actually use our dining room a lot.

After the painting inside is complete, hubs is moving outside to tackle a bigger {more expensive} project: painting the house.

It wasn’t at the top of our “big project” list, but someone got a little overzealous with the chainsaw and hacked off the bushes. Now vast portions of our hundred year old abode are exposed to the neighbors and I just can’t take it. I knew painting the house would happen eventually and Lofton just accelerated the need.

We’ve picked out the color {with some help from our friends and neighbors} and it’s even been purchased. It cost a huge chunk of change but we bought the best, hoping it will last a long while.

And so, on the verge of our third house anniversary, we are still making changes. It’s a labor of love, this house of ours—hard, tedious labor {which I know a little about}, but definitely worth the pain.

the great escape

Saturday morning started out pretty routinely. Mom was stuck here for another day, a result of a nasty bout with Vertigo, and Lofton was here also, loaded down with house chores for the day.

After breakfast Lofton put the dogs outside and then headed to Lowe’s to pick up a few supplies. I was doing some laundry, Reese was moping around, and Mama was getting dressed.

In a short span of ten minutes things went from mundane to manic.

Wendy, our sweet neighbor, knocked on the back door a little after eight. When I opened it, she was standing on the back porch with Raleigh. {Now, this is not the first time Raleigh has gotten out. It has happened once before with the same result—she walks up on the porch and waits for us to find her.}

My heart sank into my stomach and I ran to the laundry room, flew open the door, and started yelling for Jake. Nothing. No barking, no yellow dog bounding across the yard, nothing.

I threw on my shoes, grabbed my phone, and ran outside. Wendy and I ran around the yard, surrounding houses, and the immediate streets before I jumped in my car. At this point I called Lofton.

L: Hello?
Me: Do not panic.
L: Aww *%$@. What’s wrong?
Me: Wendy found Raleigh on the porch, and Jake is nowhere to be found. You need to come home.

At some point Lofton and I crossed paths as we cased the neighborhood. Each of us was yelling for Jake out the car window. I think I yelled, “Load up” at least 1,000 times, and at every turn I was certain Jake was going to be lying dead in the road.

After what seemed like eternity, I headed back toward the house to regroup. I was sick to my stomach, sad, and a little befuddled as to what we should do next.

As I drove in front of our house, something compelled me to keep going—toward the seedy side of our hood. I drove straight, scanning rapidly for signs of our yellow child. There was a truck behind me {riding my tail}.

Close to the railroad tracks, as I rounded the turn, I saw the sweetest sight:: Jake, wet and muddy, running toward my car. I threw it in park, opened the door, and yelled load up. Mud and all, he jumped into the car.

I think he was glad to be found. Life on that side of the tracks was not going to be pleasant for him.

I called Lofton and headed home, all the while cussing Jake in the car.

A transcript of what I said:

“Stupid dog! You smell and you’re getting my car muddy. What in the heck were you thinking? I don’t even like dogs--- if your daddy didn’t already have you before we met we wouldn’t have pets. You are so much trouble. If you ever do this again I’m not coming for you… I swear it. If you want to live in the ghetto go for it. Let the pit bulls use you for cage practice.”


Another side note:

The “hole” the dogs tunneled has been present for awhile. Just last week I pointed it out to Lofton and asked if he thought the dogs could get out. He said no. He also said that our dogs would never run away, that they dig holes to get cooled off, not for means of escape.

Famous last words.

Needless to say the hole has been fixed and our children won’t be digging to China anytime soon.

Also, Reese is still under the weather and we are still not sleeping.

still hanging on

Sleep is still hard to come by around these parts. Lofton and I are being reminded of the good ole days of having an infant. Unfortunately, although Reese is up during the night he isn't napping more during the day. This makes for an exhausted mama and an irritable baby.

Some things I plan on blogging about when I have time/energy:

* House Projects:: Lofton tackles my honey-do list
* The Great Escape 2010:: Jake and Raleigh hit the open road
* Adenoid removal recovery:: Foul breath that could knock you to your knees

Stay tuned!

better days ahead

We're home. Things aren't fabulous here at Casa Beasley, but we are doing the best we can.

Surgery went well on Wednesday. Reese was quite the trooper. Dr. Whatley said his adenoids were very swollen and full of mucus. Lofton and I took that as good news because if he had told us that they were in perfect condition we would have been pissed.

Reese had an iv in his foot for the majority of the day and barely complained at all. Even when the needle got bent backwards and had to be readjusted. He now has a nasty bruise to prove how tough he is!

The anesthesia was the worst part of it all. The experience was totally different than when we had the tubes. He was groggy, combative, and woozy for most of the morning post-surgery. We then transitioned to projectile vomiting all night Wednesday night. It wasn't pleasant. We changed his crib sheets three times in less than three hours. Eventually he feel asleep, wrapped in a bath towel, on me. That was night one of my sleeping sitting up.

{Bringing sexy back.}

Night two was last night. With adenoid removal your sinuses get worse before they get better. Reese and I spent last night hanging out in the rocking chair because he is too congested to sleep. Once again I was reminded of how happy I am I splurged on that chair.

Another side effect of the surgery is sore throat/itching in your throat and ears and bloody discharge from your nose. To help the healing process we have been instructed to keep Reese from running, climbing, or sweating. No problem! Do you know how hard that is with an eighteen month old? His odometer only has two speeds: go and sleep.

That's all I've got for now. I'm going to go rest while he rests, maybe { but probably not} it will help improve my attitude.

lions, tigers, and bears- oh my!

The zoo. What an adventure!

The day didn't start so fabulously. Someone was in a foul mood. Like he pitched a screaming fit on the dining room floor because he didn't want to eat breakfast foul mood.

We got dressed and hit the road anyway with fingers and toes crossed for good behavior.

Our plan was to hit the zoo right when it opened at 9:00. It actually worked out perfectly because the park wasn't crowded and the weather was just perfect. Our little hotbox managed to make it just fine! As we were leaving {a little after eleven} the line was to the parking lot. Whew! Another reason I'm glad we are early risers.

Reese wasn't so sure what to make of the animals. Lofton and I were prepared for him to freak out because about a month ago we went to Red Lobster for dinner and Reese had a meltdown when he saw the lobsters in the tank. He also screamed hysterically when I gave him a stuffed rabbit for Easter.

The first animal we saw was some strange type of South American bear. It was quite friendly and walked right up to the glass. Ooops...

He is saying, "Dear Lord, Please save me from this bear!!!"

After we recovered from that frightening encounter things got much better. Reese was still Mister Serious, but he pointed, waved, and growled at some of the animals.

We let him walk a little...

And when he got tired, Daddy was available for a ride...

Cause Daddy's are sweet like that.

We explored the park and saw lots of cool animals. It has been a loooong time since I have been to a zoo. I was pleasantly surprised by how well maintained the Montgomery Zoo is. The animals looked happy and healthy!

We took a few breaks for photos...

Cause mamas are like that. Everything is a photo op!

Here are a few of my favorite animals:

And here are my two favorite pictures from the visit:

There is nothing comparable to experiencing something like the zoo through the eyes of your child. It was the best day ever.

{Say a little prayer for us if you will. We go in early Wednesday morning for Reese's adenoid surgery and are staying overnight at the hospital. I know he's going to be just fine, but I'm a worrier...}

jam packed

The Beasley Family is gearing up for our big surgery on Wednesday, so we took this weekend as an opportunity to have lots of fun family time.

I'll hit the high points:

Dinner with Bunko friends {plus husbands} Friday night.

Then On the Tracks in Downtown Opelika-- just the two of us.

Saturday we hit the A-Day tailgate at the Sig -Ep house {complete with flashbacks to college} with the Hamrick's.

T-minus five weeks til preggo gives Reese a BFF. We are counting down the days!

After a nap, it was fun times at the firehouse with the Sport Family. Reese was surprisingly under-whelmed. I think maybe he was over stimulated and tired. Still, it was a bummer. Thanks Morgan for letting us come visit {-- and we have our hopes up that we'll be seeing more of you soon}.

And our last stop---- the zoo!!!

We've been eating up this weather and wanted to do something fun with Reese before he has his surgery on Wednesday. The zoo fit the bill. I love the zoo {which is actually quite strange since I'm not such an animal fan}! It deserves a post all of it's own, though, so stay tuned....

all boy

Have I ever mentioned that I think the phrase “he’s all boy” is stupid. I mean obviously Reese is all boy. We got that info way back on week sixteen. However, as dumb as I still think that phrase is I am beginning to understand why people use it.

The past two weeks have brought us gloriously warm weather. Reese’s class at school is finally able to go outside and at home we’ve been spending quite a bit of time outdoors as well. Little Boo loves being outside! He likes to pick up handfuls of dirt, large rocks, sword sized sticks, and the like.

There is no more running errands after work, because when I pick my little boy up from school he is covered head-to-toe in dirt and debris. It’s in his diaper, caked in his little fat rolls, and in streaks down his sweaty face. I, the queen of no-laundry during the week, am now washing clothes all the time.

I picked up the little dirt dobber yesterday and was greeted with not one-- but two-- accident reports from school. He gashed his head on the playground during the morning outing and then busted his lip yesterday afternoon. Let’s just say he has been formally introduced to ice bags and the word boo-boo.

Lofton’s attitude is “hey at least we haven’t had to get stitches yet”, while mine is more “oh my lord is this a glimpse into my future with a son.”

Stayed tuned—it’s going to be a long and dirty summer!

simply charming

Reese is in love—and it’s with someone other than me. Her name is Holland. I don’t think I’ve formally introduced y’all, and I apologize.

Holland is our babysitter. Our go-to girl when family is unavailable {or we don’t feel like imposing on anyone for a quick dinner date}. She is soon to be seventeen, beautiful, uber-responsible, and smart to boot. The perfect teenage girl. Her mom teaches next door to me and she is equally as fantastic. Kind, funny, and a great mom to three great kids.

Friday night was Holland’s prom and I couldn’t let her get all dressed up with out taking Reese to see her. He was smitten. Holland {in all her dress glory} carted him around, let him smell her flowers, and showered him with smooches. He was devastated when she left with her “real” date.

It really melts my heart to see how equally enamored with each other they are. He immediately throws himself into her arms whenever she comes over. I think it’s because she thinks he’s adorable, and therefore she does whatever he wants to do. I never worry when I leave.

Lofton and I felt like old married people Friday night-- talking about past proms, dates gone wrong, and the things we'd worry about if we ever have a daughter like Holland. It was quite funny.

Lucky for us, Holland has another year of high school and then four years at Auburn University. She's not leaving us anytime soon. Which is a good thing, because truthfully, we are pretty enamored with her sweet self too.

my husband and his son

My husband is a good man. He has few flaws; and those which he does have are more annoyances than major issues. He is a really good dad, a fabulous husband, and his mom and grandparents would say a wonderful son.

He is also very neglected by Reese. Reese will not call him by name. Ever. Sometimes, only to me, Reese will say Daddy. But he will not… won’t do it… the words never come out… for Lofton.

Last night Lofton had enough. He’s decided he doesn’t care what Reese calls him, as long as he calls him something. A few suggestions Lofton had for Reese were: Bob, Bubba, Poppa, and Cat.

None were high on my list of names for my son to call his father, but I was willing to go along with the game. I can understand the need to be recognized by your kid. You can also understand that throughout this entire discussion I was laughing. Hysterically.

Imagine if you will our small family, eating dinner at the table, and Lofton pointing to himself and saying, “My name is ___,” and then longingly looking at Reese as if to say “Spit it out son.”

I laughed so hard I almost cried.

In other husband related news, we are looking at painting our house. It’s going to be quite the endeavor. One which Lofton is going to take on as soon as he finishes the work he is doing for other people.

We went on Monday to Sherwin Williams to look at paint and we brought a few samples home. Three to be exact. Garden Sage, Grassland, and Romie Cream.

Lofton painted some squares on the back of the house while I cooked dinner and then we went outside to assess the situation. Wouldn’t you know it? I like the one he hates—garden sage. It’s a lovely mix of green, khaki, and gray. Just what I want.

It should be noted {although i’m sure I have before} that my sweet husband is color blind, which begs the question, “Do you get a full vote if you can’t really see the true color?”

I think not. Garden Sage it is.

did i miss it

In our haste to get rid of the cold, dreary winter, I think we wished away Spring. It has totally felt like Summer this week. Hot and sticky. And have you noticed the yellow cast on everything? I hate pollen.

All I know is the little man who lives at our house sweats like a goat. Or maybe it's a pig...

Either way, we've been stripping down to our skivvies and spending our afternoons like this:

Have a glorious and cool remainder of the week!

egg-celent and the er

Happy Easter! This weekend flew by in a flash.

Yesterday we headed to LG to celebrate Easter with Mimi, Big Daddy, Mamie and Paw Paw. Reese is finally old enough to get on the egg hunting action! We had to make a brief trip to the ER** to have a rash checked out, but once we got the all clear from the doctor, we were ready to roll.

Ready...

Set...

HuNt!

I love these two. They keep me on my toes, but I love them.

**{To make a long story VERY short... Reese had a rash on his face and neck, I thought from some sunscreen I sent to school. Well, yesterday around lunch we noticed it had turned into bumps and had spread all over his legs and arms. Lofton convinced me it was the chicken pox. Big Daddy is well connected, so being the fabulous grandpa he is, he made a few calls. Needless to say we were in and out of the ER in less that thirty minutes. It was fabulous. And we got the all clear that Reese simply has a little virus. Woo- Hoo!}

so in love

Sweet boy is eighteen months old today.

Unbelievable.

On one hand it feels like he’s always been a part of us, and on the other—time is slipping through our fingers like sand.

Each age brings with it new joys and new challenges. This transition from baby to toddler is no different. Some moments we’re smiling, others we are yelling.

Even with his continuing ear problems, Reese is becoming more verbal with each passing day. He says a few words regularly.

Regular words: hay {hey}, buh {pacifier and/or Buck}, ba ohh {balloon}, baa {bath}, bawl {ball}, ma-ma, nuh-nuh {nonna}, jews {juice}, peas {please}, and uh ew {love you}.

Occasional words: paw-paw, mi-mi, tracy, good job, and hush

He can also meow like a cat, roar like a lion, bark like a dog, and rumble like a tractor.

He takes one nap a day at school, usually from 11:00-1:30, but on the weekends we are able to adjust that time to meet our activities. If we have Saturday night plans, he stays up until nine or nine thirty. It’s so nice to finally to have that flexibility.

Now that the weather is warmer we’ve been spending lots of time outside in the sunshine. He still loves his swing and runs to the door when I ask him if he wants to check the mail.

Reese is happy and funny, sweet and loving. He is feisty and strong willed, flirty and curious.

He is the perfect balance of Lofton and I.

His dimples and bright blue eyes will melt your heart. Though I fell in love the instant I met him, I fall more in love with him each day.

quick thinking

I actually wrote this last week, but almost the exact same thing happened again today---

Did you ever watch the television show MacGyver? I did. He was so clever, that guy. Always using his wits and brain to get himself out of sticky situations.

Well, when we were waiting on the ENT yesterday, we had a little MacGyver moment of our own.

While waiting in one our room yesterday, Reese decided to sneak into the corner and do some business. You know… the stinky, unpleasant business. Of course, mom of the year has a diaper but no wipes.

Well, what’s a girl to do?

I couldn’t leave him in that confined space with a smelly bottom, so I started digging through drawers. No wipes BUT I did find some gauze. It felt soft enough.

I stripped Reese down, wet the gauze pads, and went to work changing him. Then I realized—I have a terribly smelly diaper in my hand. Where am I going to put it?

Trash can? Nope— there wasn’t one.

I briefly considered the bio-waste container, but then ruled it out too.

I just so happened to have a pest control bill in my purse, and it just so happens to come in a small plastic sleeve. I stuffed the diaper in the sleeve, tied off the top, and stuck it in my purse to dispose of at home.

So, I wrote that last week, but he stinkied again today at the ENT. I was slightly more prepared, as in I had wipes. But I still had to tie the thing up-- lucky for me there were latex gloves handy!

Health update: Reese's adenoid removal is scheduled for Wednesday, April 21st. We will have to stay the night in the hospital, but I'm perfectly fine with that. The most common complication for children Reese's age {eighteen months tomorrow, yikes!} is dehydration from refusal to eat. Lofton and I both feel that in the hospital he will be much more likely to not have that complication.