Our Day

Erin napping with Aunt Liz on the beach

So Sweet!

Anna Loves her baby Erin

Grant only likes the pool

Day One- R.I.P. Tent!

The condo has a poor Internet connection this year. The new router is not as good as the one they had last year so I am down in the atrium updating the blog.

We had a good first day at the beach. After church, we spent the rest of the morning and afternoon down on the sand. Grant was afraid of the ocean and the beach this year. Just as I had suspected. He just wanted to go the pool. Erin, fell asleep and slept a good while for us under Papa's tent. IT WAS A GOOD TENT!

After lunch we put the younger ones to bed and Melissa, Chris, Brian and I went to Publix. We went the night we got here and it was like grocery shopping the day before Christmas when a hurricane is coming! The line to check out wrapped all the way around the store. So I stood in line while Melissa retrieved the items that we needed to get through lunch yesterday. It was crazy and we will never make the mistake of going to that Publix again on Saturday night!

When we returned a thunderstorm was rolling in. Stephen and my sister went down on the beach to get our towels out from under the tent so they wouldn't get wet. When they got to the stairs they could not believe what they saw. Our tent had ripped off of the frame and was floating in the ocean! The wind had been so strong that it even bent the frame. So the tent is no more. My dad is going out today to get purchase a new tent! Hopefully, this one won't meet it's fate anytime soon!

i am having technical difficulties posting pictures. I am getting a full signal down here so I am going to get Stephen to look at it. Check back for pictures later.

What I Should Be Doing...

...is packing. We leave tomorrow for our annual Wakefield family vacation and I can't hardly stand it I am so excited. I am like a little kid on Christmas Eve. (Oh wait! I still get like this on Christmas Eve too!) Anyway, I have started packing, but it has been challenging you see. It all started when Grant thought it would be a good idea to rise and shine about 4 am this morning. Stephen,(who has been on call this week was just leaving for work. I didn't even question why he was leaving that early) put him in bed with me and closed the bedroom door thinking he's drift off to sleep for a few more hours. Grant had other plans and promptly got up, opened the door and occupied himself doing only he knows what until 6:30 am. He would come in and out of the bedroom and get up on the bed from time to time, but he was in a good mood so I let him play. I know some of you reading this probably think I am a bad momma, but you do what you got to do to survive! He crawled back into bed with me at 6:30 am and went back to sleep.

Oh and the problem that pulled Stephen out of bed at 3:30 am this morning sent him straight to a place I despise. It's called "Peak 10". Peak 10 and I do not get along. You see three summers ago when we took our first family vacation to the beach Stephen had to work the weekend we left. So I went on with my parents expecting him to arrive Sunday or Monday at the latest. (Peak 10 is a disaster recovery site for large companies' servers. Basically, it's a huge building with tons of wires and flashing lights and noisy fans because it is hot from all the computer stuff. That's my take on it. I am sure Stephen would describe the place appropriately.) Any way, Stephen never made to the beach and he spent a month practically living at Peak 10. He would work 36-48 hours straight come home and sleep a few hours and leave again. All of this took place right after I had miscarried our first child at 12 weeks. I was not in a good place, and this just put the cherry on top. Little did I know that three years later I would be taking two babies to the beach with us. God has blessed us greatly! So when he had to break the news to me this morning that he was there I was less than thrilled, but I kept my cool. The good news is that the crisis has been adverted and he will still be going on the trip.

I then took my car to the shop because the "Service Engine Soon" Light has been on all week. On my way there the light went off, but I had them check it out anyway. One phone call and a good chunk of change later I am getting new front calipers, rear roters, a serpentine belt and system flush. (By the way, they couldn't figure why the light was on). They had replaced the brakes back in November so some of the brake work is under warranty. (Not the $$$ part!)

I came home and began packing. I have to say I got a good bit accomplished. Of course Grant has helped by unpacking the suitcase, feeding Hunter, and spraying himself in the face with Dreft stain remover. (He's ok, in fact it really didn't faze him.) We have had lunch and both babies are napping. So instead of getting more important things done I am blogging! Stay tuned for pictures and updates from the beach. I am sure that this is going to get interesting!

4 Month Check-up

Erin had her check-up and shots this morning. She has run a pretty good fever all day. It spiked to 102.9 a few hours ago. It's down to 99.9 and she is feeling much better now (so is mommy). She wouldn't even nurse this afternoon! Poor baby! Other than that she is doing great. She weighed in at 15 lbs (She weighs 16 here. That must mean that I am actually a whole pound lighter! Ha ha!) and is 24.5 inches long. She has jumped up to the 75% (from 25%) for weight and 65% for height. I just love baby fat! Although brother was 20 lbs at five months, I don't think she will catch up with his record.

Developmentally she's hitting all those milestones. She pushed up and rolled over for Dr. White. She told me we can begin solid foods too. (I already did! Bad momma I know, but I waited until she was four months old. She has had rice cereal, bananas, and we started apples last night.) I also must shamefully confess that I have not documented any of this with a single picture or video. I think I took a zillion pictures of Grant every time we introduced a new food. Bad momma! I promise to get pictures of her cute little messy face soon.

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

We had a busy fourth of July, but it's been a lot of fun. Stephen and I began the day by planting shrubs along the front of the house for a new hedge. It was hard work, but I am do glad we did it! It's been a long time since I was able to really get out and enjoy working with him in the yard. (I've been pregnant three summers in a row!)

After a morning working in the hot Florida sunshine we enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs at Stephen's parents house. Boy were they good! I was starving after all that work! Grant and Erin had fun playing afterwards and we all sat around and let them entertain us.

There will be no fireworks for us tonight. The kids have already had their baths and we are winding down for bedtime. Our partying is not over yet! We are going to celebrate some more tomorrow night at my parents house with some good food, some more swimming, and maybe even a sparkler or two!

Fourth Of July Part 2

Erin's new toy (well, new to her)

A lesson in sharing

Grant likes to watch out of the window

Erin loves the musical table

Fourth Of July Part 3

Erin and her Grandaddy

Sweet Faces

Independence Day

Ten More Days

We are jumping for joy!!!!
Ahhh! I can feel the sand between my toes already.
Blue Mountain Beach...here we come!

Water Fun

Grant was playing with his water table yesterday evening. He thinks it is hilarious to throw water in the air at Rusty, Stephen's Granny's dog.

He doesn't think it's funny when he gets himself wet!

Erin splashing around in her bath! She is getting chunky! She weighs in at 16 pounds now!

One More Day

One more day until Stephen comes home! Yea! Actually, he won't be home until early Monday morning unless he can get an earlier flight. He has been in school all week and has taken and passed two certification exams. He has one more exam to take tomorrow.

This week has gone by quickly, but we are all ready for his return. The next course for the certification he wants to take lasts fourteen days! Fortunately, he talked with the guys that run these courses and they said he could split the two weeks up if he wants. I told him that was a good idea.

My other exciting news for the night is that Erin can officially roll over! She is growing up so fast!

Erin is Four Months Old

When I was a kid I used to get annoyed with adults when they would talk about how quickly time was passing. I just couldn't understand what they were talking about. The school year seemed to drag on to me, and Christmas would never come. Well, now I completely agree. I can't believe that Erin is four months old already.

She is growing so quickly and has developed quite a little personality. She is so different from Grant already. She seems to want to be more social. She coos and "talks" to me. She really looks at you as to say, "Hey! Pay attention to me!" She's strong too! I thought Grant was a strong baby, but I think she is giving him a run for his money. She is very stubborn in her own way. She hates her car seat with much conviction. Soon as she is placed in it she begins to arch her back and roll around. (I am not looking forward to the five hour drive to Destin in a few weeks. She can't possibly cry the entire way can she?)

She has brought so much happiness to our family. Even though some days are hectic I wouldn't trade it for the world. Being a mom is the most rewarding task I could ever have!

Meet Grant: the puppy dog

Yes, that is a milk bone in my child's mouth. He does this daily. The kid thinks he's a dog. I caught him drinking out of the dog bowl several times yesterday. He sits there and laps it up just like Hunter. It's really disgusting! What I can't figure out is that he will eat dog food, but throws a fit if you try to feed him something normal. He pretends he is a dog and follows Hunter around in the yard doing everything he does. And and do mean EVERYTHING! I promise he plays with other children.

Poor Zack. He wants his treat back!

Erin just had a bad night!

Eating yogurt. Finally, something more edible.

(Grant prefers Yoplait Whipped Key Lime Pie flavor)

After an hour and a half of nonstop crying.

The kids and I went up to my parents house for dinner tonight before church. We had tacos and enchiladas, and boy were they good. I had planned on going to church after dinner, but Erin was inconsolable. So, after much debate, I went on home. She cried the entire way home and it took me a while to calm her down. Both of the babies are sleeping now and there's peace in the house.

Puttin' Up Corn

Today we spent the entire day over at Stephen's parent's house. His mom, grandmother, Aunt Pat and I shucked, cleaned, creamed and bagged three bushels of fresh corn. Yum Yum! I do LOVE corn. Grant helped by dropping a raisin or two into the corn as his Granny was (for lack of the technical term) stripping the corn off the cob. Don't worry, we got all the raisins out of the corn! We worked hard, but I enjoyed doing it. They started about 9:30 this morning and we finished up the last bag about 4 pm. It takes all day, but it's worth it. There's just something good about fresh corn. Hopefully, we will have our own corn to do next year. There's a plan for a garden in the works.

Erin playing in the Jumperoo while we worked

My sweet boy and girl

She loves her big brother!

The Finished Product

Erin likes the new sling. Like I said before, I have two slings like this one. Erin likes the other sling as long as she is sitting up in it. She does not like to recline. I thought that she would like to be carried chest to chest, but needed a ring sling to do it. I found a ring sling tutorial through this blog and decided to try it! I had a small problem with the pleats, but I got it right on the second try. I also shortened the pattern and made the sling 2 yards X 30 inches. I think I am going to make another one out of a more neutral fabric.

It's After Midnight: Why am I Awake?

I promised Stephen I would post pictures of the kids each day. These are from the other day.

I have every reason to be tired, but instead I had a sudden burst of energy tonight. I think it's because Stephen's gone and I always have a hard time falling asleep without him. So ,instead I wear myself out in order to fall asleep. Anyway, I just made a baby sling. It's pretty neat! I really hope Erin likes it. I will take pictures of it tomorrow. It only took my an hour and half from start to finish to complete this project. I would have finished it earlier, but I had some trouble with the pleats and I had to rip them out. I hate ripping out seams. I guess that is what I get for sewing so late at night. At least I was able to sew without interruption.

I did want to update everybody on Erin and the bottle. For the last three days that I have worked she has taken a bottle! Yea!!!!!!!!! We had to work on the combination of what she likes, but we use the Avent bottle with the nipple from the MAM bottle. Apparently, the milk had a strange taste from the MAM bottle. It smelled very much like plastic in this bottle. Let's hope that this problem is solved!

I'm the Mom of "That" Kid

I have to say that tonight I feel truly defeated. As a mom of two kids under two, church can be challenging to say the least. I can't tell you the last service that I actually sat through a sermon, or even a few songs for that matter. Erin does not cut up yet, but she usually has to be fed sometime during the worship service. Grant, on the other hand, is 21 months old! That's all I have to say to most veteran mothers and they understand.

Before I had children of my own I would often become annoyed by the children disrupting the worship service. I thought, "Can't those parents control their children!" I was so naive! I am eating so many of my own words. Grant is the typical "strong-willed" (as they term it) boy. Sitting still for an hour is impossible for him right now. I bring an array of things to entertain/distract him, but let's face it: none of it works for long. His bag includes: juice, a snack, multiple books with flaps,pop ups, magnetics-anything interactive, matchbox cars, and stickers. He even has one of those peg games they have on the tables st Cracker Barrel. He loves this, and on a good day it will entertain him for ten minutes maybe. The problem is when Grant decides he's done, he's done! He throws himself into a screaming fit of rage. This is when Stephen or I quickly make a dash for the door, screaming kid in tow.

I can hear people now. "They need to get a handle on that kid!" People must think we don't discipline him, but Grant received at least 3 spankings just tonight. It's like it doesn't even faze him. I must tell you that Grant can be a wonderful, sweet , enjoyable child to be around. And he is a good portion of the time, as long as we don't make him sit still and quiet in church. It's gotten so bad that he throws himself on the floor in a fit of rage if he even sees the pews in the building. I just hate it, because the people at our church only see this side of Grant. I am sure we are the topic of many a Sunday afternoon lunch. Luckily, Stephen has a very easy going personality and none of this bothers him. He reassures me that "He's two!" He and Grant normally end up watching the sermon on closed circuit TV from the toddler Training room. Which I think they need to rename "Grant's Room." On any given Sunday you can hear Grant through the door screaming and crying.

Tonight was especially rough because Stephen was not there. My mom actually suggested that I should stay home, but I feel guilty missing services. (Of course what did I actually get out of the worship service tonight? I only sang one song.) As I left the building tonight, both of my babies were crying. I had several people stop me and tell me, "Don't worry! It doesn't last forever!" Let's hope they are right!

A Country Wedding

Grant posing for a picture. (Actually, he wanted a hammer he spotted on the back of the stage)

This little girl became fast friends with Grant. He just sat on her lap just like this, but wouldn't look at her. I don't think he knew what to do!

Granny Gay with Erin. This woman has 54 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren! Whew!

This afternoon we attended Stephen's cousin Christyn's wedding. We had a good time.
However, we both missed the wedding ceremony. Erin started fussing right before the ceremony and Grant started crying before the bride even came down the aisle. Oh well, at least we enjoyed the reception. They had BBQ and a blue grass band. They will be living in Tennessee on his family's farm. I believe he is the fourth generation own it.

VBS

This week has been a fun-filled one to say the least. Our congregation had VBS every night. I helped teach Grant and Erin's cradle roll class. It was so neat to sit back and watch Grant learn and interact with his friends. The highlight of the evening for him was getting to put his canned good in the basket on the stage. He was so proud of himself. He's turning into such a little boy. Where did my baby go?

On the other hand, we are all exhausted. I think I was up until midnight almost every night this week. Now my goal is to get the house in order (this might be a lost cause) and all of the laundry done because Stephen is headed to Pennsylvania for the week. His flight leaves early Sunday morning. Oh, and we have a wedding tomorrow afternoon to attend, and a fellowship meal Sunday after church service. Needless to say, I have got a lot to do! I guess I better get off of here and get back to work!

Guess Who Found Her Feet?