this is it

It's over, my friends.

Today is officially my last day as a stay at home mama.  To say I'm not sad would be a big fat lie. 

If you need me, I'll be doing this:

Snuggling, reading books, singing, and just breathing in my sweet baby boy.

when i grow up

When I grow up...

I want to be just like my daddy.

my little pilot

Even though it was a million degrees yesterday...

And even though I HATE to sweat....


I took this little pilot outside to fly.

And he yelled, "high Mama", and I pushed until my arms hurt.  

And then we came inside and collapsed into a stinky heap on the floor.

surly

A certain favorite child of mine woke up on the wring side of the crib this morning.  He has decided today, my last Monday at home, is the day he would like to assert his independence.  Well great, buddy.

It started with an early morning request for juice.  Simple enough, except we don't drink juice in the mornings.  We drink milk.  It's one of those "house rules" I'm sure he'll become more fond of as he ages.  I told him that he could have milk and even let him chose his cup.  I'm sweet like that.  He, however, demanded juice and told me no when he handed him his milk.  Then he threw it-- "No, Mama!"

He ate his entire breakfast without even a glance at his milk cup. He's stubborn like that.  We've made it four plus hours with no milk and I'm not giving in anytime soon.  Water it is.  

And in case you feel like I might be overreacting, case in point number two:

My sweet Daddy {and Reese's BFF} bought a new t-shirt for little man when he came to take care of his tonsil-less daughter.  You may or may not be aware of my dad's affinity for guitars.  It's an obsession.  One that he has lovingly passed on to his grandson. I don't mind because I think that not only do "curls get the girls," but guitar playing boys get girls.  And I also have high expectations that Reese's developing obsession will be funded by said grandparent.

Back to the shirt, though.  Here it is:

We put it on Reese last night after bath time.  He was SO excited.  

"Guitar" "Buck" "Guitar" "Buck"  It was all we heard until bed time.

This morning I made a terrible error in judgement and suggested Reese take off the shirt and put on his clothes for the day.  That small suggestion was met with hysteria.  He yelled, there were tears, and I relented.  If he wants to wear his pajamas to Target who am I to judge?  

I have bigger battles to fight... like the milk.  But it still brings up the bigger issue:  When did my baby become his own person?  

Words like mine, no, and my favorite phrase "back mama" are becoming a little too prevalent in our toddler vocabulary.  And choosing his own food?  His own clothes?

I'm not ready for this...

happy weekend

It's almost the weekend.  


Although that means not much to this home-for-the-summer mama, I'm overjoyed.  It means in a few short hours my favorite husband will be home to hang out with his favorite wife and our favorite son.

Our favorite son, who just minutes ago said, "Bess ew, Mama" when I sneezed.  That would be "bless you" for those who don't speak toddler.

Be still my heart.  And capture these last few fleeting days of summer...and babyhood... and being this boy's favorite person...

He makes my heart hurt I love him so much.

nap nap

There are no words.

Sadly, I've come to the unfortunate realization that Reese's days of three hour naps seem to be over.  I guess it isn't too unfortunate-- school starts back in less than two weeks. But still, the three hour "rest" for Mama was very nice.

After he put back a cheeseburger for lunch, I said "Boo, do you know what time it is?"  His reply?  "No nap nap, Mama." And then he preceded to get in the cozy coupe and try to escape. 


He's unusually clever for such a wee tot.

tales of an exasperated mother

Reese didn't nap yesterday.  He tricked me into thinking he was napping, but alas, no sleep was ever on his afternoon agenda.  Whining was on his agenda.  Hitting me with golf clubs?  Also on the agenda.  Yelling for "nacks" "NACKS, MAMA!!!!" until I cave and give him fruit snacks?  Yep, did that too.

I just can't handle no nap.  Especially when I'm not 100%.  Like by the time Lofton got home from work I was crying.  Real tears. 

I count on naps to rest my aching throat... and shower... and play on the computer...

Today that is NOT going to happen.  We took a little field trip this morning {all part of my wear him out plan} to Earthfare, the new organic grocery store in Auburn.  

Before I go into details it's worth noting that this summer has been a goldmine of exciting grocery store adventures for me.  Publix and now Earthfare?  The grocery gods' have been raining down on me!

So, we went to Earthfare.  It's like a Whole Foods, but smaller, and it was so exciting!  We picked up a few essentials, because I was too lazy to drive to Kroger too, and some delicious chicken salad that I'm going to try and eat for lunch.  Because if i have to eat any more pudding I'm going to slit my wrist. 

I called Lofton when I left {to share my excitement} and he made lots of funny jokes about me buying organic milk and eggs.  Whatever Lofton.  When you live an extra twenty years because I've saved you from pesticides...

AND now, a recipe and a confession.  I have a banana saving problem.  My freezer is stocked full of brown bananas.  

You see, sometimes I buy produce just so it looks pretty on the counter.  

As a result we have lots of bananas we don't eat.  When they start to turn I just throw them in the freezer.  Hence why yesterday there were over a dozen frozen bananas in my freezer.  I thought it was high time I baked some banana bread.  Yummy for snacks and breakfast.  Lucky Ashley even got to take home a loaf.  See?  When you bring cute babies for me to snuggle and smell you are rewarded with baked goods.

Yummy, delicious, and semi-healthy banana bread

{adapted from Cooking Light}

Ingredients:

6 overly-ripe bananas, mashed {and in my case thawed}

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

1 small container of nonfat vanilla yogurt

4 cups all purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two loaf pans with cooking spray.

Cream the butter and sugars together.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.  Add the yogurt and bananas.  Mix until combined.  Set aside.

Sift together four, salt, and baking soda.

Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients.  Do not over mix.  I actually barely mix it with the electric mixer, then finish it by hand.  {At this point you could also stir in chopped walnuts or pecans.}

Divide batter into the two loaf pans and bake for 55- 65 minutes.  

-----------------

Super easy and super delicious. And a super way to use the frozen bananas that sometimes fall out and crush your husband's toes.

chow time

I've had food on the brain lately.  Pretty understandable considering my current diet consists of pudding, yogurt, and oatmeal.  This weekend I ventured back into the food world and tried to eat.  I was semi-successful.  As in, I ate but it was painful.  

{ Side note: Sunday morning I made PW's Monkey Muffins.  Ummm... delicious.  And super easy if you use the quartered biscuits, as she mentioned.  You should make them.}

I think I've told you before that we eat most of our meals at the dining room table.  We're not really traditional people, but I do like the idea of all eating together at the table, even if it's a Wendy's cheeseburger.

Because we all eat together, Reese is our nightly dinnertime entertainment.  Picture one of those dinner theater cruises, minus the boat.  You should note that Lofton eats very fast.  And consequently I also eat fast.  I learned very early in our relationship that if I didn't speed up my food consumption Lofton would eat my food.  No lie.

Reese, however, is the slowest eater in America.  I kid you not.  Dinner for Reese sometimes takes in excess of forty five minutes.   At school he is the first child to be fed and the last child to be cleaned up.  It can be beyond annoying when we have other tasks to accomplish.  

Last night we all had burritos { i know, super healthy} and he had corn.  This presented the perfect opportunity to practice using our spoon.  His dexterity is not quite advanced enough for corn eating, but he tried. And he was so stinking proud of himself it's too funny not to share!

Look!  My spoon...

Raise your hand if you love corn...

Did I really just do this on my own????

So proud! 

And now, I have a mountain of chores to tackle.  How unfair that your house continues to get dirty even while you lay tonsil-less in bed?

flying solo

Happy Friday, faithful readers!

A few thoughts as we head into the weekend:

• Today is the first day since my surgery that Reese and I are all alone.  We've been super lucky to have lots of family {and good friends} volunteer to come and hang with the tiny-tyke or take him out for a little fun.  Unfortunately, our reunion has not be so fabulous this morning, as Reese's evil side has taken over.  Yep, he has one.  He has been quite the pill this morning.  We tried going to Target.  It was a disaster.  I left with a can of soup, a new toothbrush, and a hot wheels car.  Oh, and a screaming child.  Can't forget that. 
• I'm starting to feel like myself again.  I'm still not 100%, but I also can't eat a whole lot.  Since I'm lacking in calorie consumption it makes since I'm also slap worn out.  The mornings and late evening are the worst times for me.  The mornings because I've gone all night without anything to drink and the air dries my throat out, and the evenings because I'm quiet all day and when Lofton gets home I'm so excited to have someone to talk to.  Really.  Last night he said "please stop trying to talk to me." He says it was for my own good but I'm not so sure.
• And lastly, a chipmunk has taken over our front porch.  His name is Alvin.  Reese is obsessed with the pint-sized creature.  Daddy introduced them on Tuesday and I haven't heard the end of it since. All I hear all day is "Alvin?" Do chipmunks carry diseases? It's bad enough they look like squirrels {i am deathly afraid of squirrels}, I don't want them infecting us with any communicable diseases. 

shout out to the hubs

This tonsillectomy has been no walk in the park.  I'm still in pain {both in my ears and my throat}, still not sleeping, and still not able to eat much.   Yesterday I felt better so I ate some bread, went to Target, and chatted it up {well, as much as I can chat}.  

Big mistake! HUGE!  {Gold star to anyone that can tell me what movie that's from}

I digress.

Although Reese seems no worse for the wear from this whole surgery debacle, my sweet husband has not escaped unscathed.  He unfortunately bears the brunt of my bad moods, my emotional outbursts, and my sleepless nights.  Oh, and my breath.  I can't smell it but evidently it is rank.

He has been such a trooper.  Obviously this is what that whole "in sickness and in health" stuff was about.  

He has fetched ice bags, refilled cups, and kept a sitter schedule for Reese and I.  He cooked dinner for he, my dad, and Reese twice in the last three days.  Hamburger helper Sunday night and spaghetti tonight.  Was it a culinary masterpiece?  No.  But my child was fed, real food.  Lofton says I can now sleep easier, knowing that if God forbid I was to die, he could feed Reese something other than Wendy's. 

Laundry?  Done.  Reese bathed?  Check.  Trash, dishes, and groceries all taken care of.  

He's amazing.  And tonight, when he had worked all day {that would be up at 5am and working from 6am to 4pm}, cooked dinner, and cleaned the kitchen?-- I wanted potato soup.  And he went and got it. He didn't even complain.  

I love him so much I could burst.  

too much

Maybe the bread wasn't such a grand idea.  It had a sloughing effect in my throat and I am in a minor amount of burning pain.

I'm a little tired of talking writing about me though, so how about a little man update?

This has been my view for the past week:

Usually this is accompanied by spastic waving and a chorus of hey Mama or hey Boo and then he quickly runs off yelling buh-bye over his shoulder.  Sometimes he joins me in bed and we watch cartoons or page through a magazine. Usually he is too busy.  He is the BEST medicine.  As long as I refrain from laughing.   Too painful.

This whole tonsillectomy has worked out well for Reese. Grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and sitters:: undivided attention galore.  He will be sorely disappointed when the visitors retreat and we are back to our usual boring routine.  {I'll actually be a little disappointed myself.  The extra help has been extra nice.}


Hands down, Daddy Buck has been his favorite visitor.  They eat doughnuts, fruit snacks, and bread all day.  Go for walks in the wagon {outside and up and down the hallway}, swing on the porch, and read books until Buck's throat hurts.  Buck has even brushed up on his diaper changing skills. I have to say, Daddy has impressed me with his skills.


All in all, Reese has been affected NONE by my lack of parental attention.   He is spouting off new words left and right, and everything is new and exciting.  Looking at the world through the eyes of a toddler is unbelievable.

venturing out

I really, truly think I might feel better.  


I even ate some bread today!  Baby steps, people.


This morning was rough-- they all have proven to be that way.  Something about the air drying out my throat during the night, not to mention the hacking cough I've developed.  Ouch.  I even sleep with the smoking penguin on but it doesn't help.


I switched from water to Gatorade at lunch, and I think it's really given me some more energy.  We even took a family trip to Target when Lofton got home.  Might I just say that neither my dad, nor my husband, were on their best behavior.  They are a wee bit silly when they get together.


The main objective of our excursion was to purchase a new planner for me.  You see, this is my most favorite time of year::  school supply time.  Oh the joy it brings me!  I couldn't fully appreciate it, seeing as I was clinging to the buggy with all my strength, but I got a whiff of what's to come.  


Next week {God willing}, I'll be back full throttle.  Then there is nothing to stop me from piling my buggy with 10 cent folders, 25 cent notebooks, and umpteen boxes of crayons. 

small victory

Just finished choking down some oatmeal.  Small victories, right?  It's the first food of substance I've had in five days.  I'm hungry-- just can't find anything that's tolerable on my throat.  

Saturdays are usually my favorite days.  I love running errands, and Saturday always means errands-- and two whole days of husband time.  Not this Saturday.  Today I have napped, re-read a few magazines, watched television {damn you food network}, and finished a book.  

It's official.  I'm bored.  But I'm not supposed to do anything that might elevate my blood pressure.  Not that I'm contemplating exercise anytime soon.  

Lofton did take me for a spin around the block.  Truthfully though, getting dressed to get in the car and then actually getting in the car, wore me out.

For all the jokes I've made in the last few weeks about Lofton's lack of compassion, he actually has been pretty fantastic.  He's johnny on the spot with anything I need and more than willing to take the lead parenting role.  It has been quite a blessing.

Tomorrow, Buck rolls into town for his turn on the "nurse Elizabeth back to health" bandwagon.  I've promised not to hold anything he lets Reese do {or eat} against him.  Just uber-grateful for the help.

day four

Day four has almost come to an end, and well, I still feel pretty lousy.  Obviously the doctor was not exaggerating when he told Lofton and I this would be very painful. 

It is excruciating.

I'm still taking my medicine like clockwork and trying to rest during the day.  Mama went back to her house this morning, so now Lofton is flying solo.  We are going to see how the weekend goes before we call in troops for next week.

I have branched out from pudding and water.  My diet now includes jello {pineapple} and pineapple popsicles.  I tried soup last night, but even lukewarm it burned.  Gatorade doesn't sit well either. 

And so, that's an update from here.  Nothing funny or clever:: just real life today. 

hanging in

I'm alive. Not feeling too swell, but alive.  

The surgery went great {or so I'm told}.  I was uber-anxious about being put to sleep so they gave me a little extra medicine to calm my nerves.

The past few days have been a blur of medicine, vanilla pudding, and sonic ice.  Those are about the only things I'm willing to choke down.  This hurts.  A LOT.  And evidently my breath smells foul.  

Sweet husband took yesterday and Tuesday off work to take care of me.  He has been quite the nurse-- fetching me ice and magazines, setting his alarm to get up in the middle of the night for my meds, and even sitting in the bathroom yesterday so I didn't fall over in the shower.

Both of our moms have also been here helping out and we are so grateful.  

Mama's are the best.

god bless america

Our fourth of July celebration was fun and festive.  Lofton's grandparents graciously hosted us at the lake.

There was a lot of gabbing, eating, and swimming.  The teenagers enjoyed zipping around the lake on the tube and the old man even got in on some action.  

He's hurting today, but for that fleeting moment he felt young again.

Little man enjoyed a relaxing pontoon boat ride.  It was his first boat ride-- ever.  

He thought it was fabulous.  And he would now like a boat.  {Hint, hint Big Daddy.}

We capped off our evening with a boom-tastic fireworks display.  Bright lights, the smell of smoke, and the sounds of people ooohing and aaahing.  Fireworks = 4th of July.

Don't let the hair confuse you.  Nothing says Americana like making your kid look like Elvis. 

Although the preparing for family fun is not always so fun, having them here is always a gut-busting good time.  We laughed til it hurt. It was a perfect distraction from what's coming my way tomorrow.

I'm thankful for our troops, thankful for our freedom, and thankful to share all of it with my sweet Little Boo.

And I'm thankful for these little toes.  I love these feet.

Tomorrow promises to be an eventful {and painful} day.  I'll apologize now for the upcoming blog drought.  Please forgive me as I take a medical leave of absence.

this life

As I type, many family members are preparing to descend upon my house.  Sweet boy is down for an early nap, and the chores are finally done {thanks hubs for vacuuming last night so i could get my nails done}!  Just a few things I want to share before the weekend rolls by---

• I haven't slept in two days.  You see, I've never had surgery before {except for my impromptu C-Section, of course}.  I'm scared.  And I am not at all ashamed to admit that I am glad my mom is on her way.  What is it about needing your mama even when you are a mama yourself?  
• Sweet boy has developed an affinity for spinning around in circles.  He finds himself to be hysterically funny.  I, however, have visions of busted noses and swollen lips.  Yesterday I found him spinning round and round in his bed.  He also enjoys stealing peoples seats when they get up to do something.  This is funny when we are with people we know, not so funny when we are in a jam-packed waiting room at the ENT.  The strangers he tricked were much too kind.
• And finally, this is a little gross but I had to share.  A nurse called to do my pre-op interview today.  She gave me my instructions and {for the second time} I've been told NOT to eat or drink anything red on Monday or post-surgery.   WHY?  Because anything red I consume may be confused with excess blood.  Well, lovely.  Certainly I'l do my part to help the doctor out.

Happy 4th, my friends. I hope your weekend is full of fun. I'm going to try and have a little myself.

chores

My control issues have come screaming to the forefront now that I know I'm going to be out of  commission in a few short days.  

I've stocked up on books and new pajamas for me {duh! cause when you feel like crap cute jammies help} and new cups, diapers, and other essentials for Reese.  Can Lofton buy diapers?  Yes.  But it makes me feel better to already have what I know we might need.

Reese and I have also been cleaning.  Company is coming tomorrow and we wanted to de-dog hair the place.

Reese is oh so helpful when I'm doing my chores.  

Here he is with my bra, underwear {clean}, and a bathing suit top on:

And here he is helping Mama do laundry:

Except he helpfully removed the clean laundry from the basket onto the floor.

And finally, here he is relaxing with the dogs while I straighten up:

What a life!