Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Reasons I'm Thankful

  • Having that little voice call me "Mommy"
  • His redeployment date got pushed back & I'm okay with it
  • When I make an effort, I have really great hair!
  • Strangers telling me how well-behaved my toddler is
  • Blooms are starting to appear in my garden
  • I've earned those four gray hairs I see!
  • Hearing my son say his nighttime prayers
  • A cup of coffee + my journal = best start to the day
  • Hoodie weather stuck around a little longer this year
  • I have a creative/crafty side
  • To be continued.............................

Monday, March 28, 2011

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

I haven't flown a kite in years! When does an adult without children really find the time to enjoy the simple pastime of flying a kite? Or get past the creepiness of being the only person at the park with no kid? Stranger danger, anyone?

So, I was excited to buy Waylon a kite last year from Lifeway Christian Store for his Easter basket. $1.99. Can't beat that! I recently came across it in his closet and pulled it out. Time to take it for a spin! Spring is in the air here in Tennessee, and the "New Life in Jesus" saying on the kite makes me think of the new blooms in my flowerbed. It doesn't hurt that Waylon has been enthralled with his flashcards lately and "kite" is one of them. He knows what a kite looks like and knows it by name. It was high time to bring out the real thing and let him see it in action. He also loved the "Fifly" (i.e. butterfly) on the kite.

Anyone that's familiar with Tennessee knows that when springtime comes, so do the tornadoes! And they last all summer! Oy vey! Well, usually, I like to spend this time in my closet - I tend to have an anxious side. However, with our latest tornado watch, which lasted 6 hours, I decided this windy day was perfect to fly a kite! Who can spend 6 hours in a closet anyway? Did I mention I take the toddler and all three dogs in there with me when I go? It can get pretty warm in there. Last time, I forgot the turtle. I felt bad, then a friend mentioned his shell would probably keep him fortified. I still had turtle-mom guilt. (Quick side-note: I only go in the closet when the tornado warning is actually upon our area.) Better safe than sorry, I say! And yes, I take my purse with me. And the dog leashes.

Back to kite-flying. Super windy day, led to a super windy evening, so we went out front and had fun. Our neighbors joined us, and we all got a laugh out of the kite string jumbling into a gigantic knot, which ended up almost bigger than the kite. But, it still flew, and Waylon loved it. He would yell "Oh, no!," when it would lose wind and drop to the ground, running over to get it. He had a ball. So simple. A little kite, and he was absolutely amazed. Mission accomplished. And I will admit that before the neighbors came out, I was belting it out Julie Andrews-style in Mary Poppins. It sounded good, well, Waylon liked it at least. And that's all that matters.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Efants, Bish & Mingotes

We saw the "Efants" first.

He was so excited!

The "Jaffes" were next.

He actually called them "Jaffes" & not "Junkies" like he used to.

High-five from Jacob. Perhaps for the proper pronunciation? :)

Then, we saw some "Bish."

And my new favorite word: "Mingotes."

The "Mingotes" were cute.

Yesterday, we went to the Nashville Zoo. We met our friends, Erin and Jacob for a playdate. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing; it was really a perfect day for the zoo. Now, having grown up in Houston, TX, this zoo is not a favorite of mine. It pales in comparison to the zoos in TX, where there are tons of animals to see, like lions, bears, hippos, gorillas, etc. This zoo has some of the main animals - "Elephants, Tigers and Be...whoops - no bears." It does have a lot of beautiful *walking* space in between the animals. It is not an ugly zoo by any means.

You would think for a big city, though, that Nashville would have a big, animal-filled zoo. It's Nashville. They are working on it, though, I will give them that. They just added a flamingo section, which the kids love. So, it's getting there. And they host a lot of fun family events. Nonetheless, we became members, because Waylon loves animals. And we love for him to have fun. I loved going to the zoo, as a child, so this will be a great memory for him - as far as toddler memories go. :) I do scrapbook, so whether he remembers or not, he will see that he had fun.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Back Pain...Schmack Pain

Ugh...I feel old. I was putting Waylon in his car seat after his pediatrician appointment Friday morning, and I guess I somehow twisted wrong, while trying to avoid hitting his head on the door frame. I got this pain, that I can't even describe, shoot from the middle of my back up my spine. It just about knocked me out. Luckily, Waylon was in his seat, so I could lean over and let the...I don't know...ripples of pain stop.

(The only other time I've had such severe pain was in AIT at Ft. Belvoir, when I started to pass a kidney stone in the middle of class. It was a sudden, sharp pain, that made me violently sick. I had never known that such horrific pain could make you throw up - I found that out pretty quick then. **Just a quick thank you to my Drill Sergeants for letting me walk to the Emergency Room, after telling me I looked like hell, since they were too busy to take me. I soldiered on though. I just threw up again in the trashcan at the ER.**)

That was definitely the worst pain I have ever experienced. I never gave birth, so I don't have that as a comparison. (Waylon was a c-section baby. Give me a break - he was half an ounce away from 10 lbs. You birth a 3-month old, and we'll talk. But that's another blog posting.) So, this quick twist of my back was a close second.

I was able to get Waylon buckled in and then headed home to get some meds. Ibuprofen. Tylenol. Something. A call to my Mom was definitely on the agenda. She gave the perfect advice. 800 mg of Ibuprofen followed up by the regular dose every 4 hrs, plus relaxing on a heating pad. Unfortunately, I still had errands that had to get done that day, and now I had to get a heating pad! Argh!

Thankfully, the meds kicked in quickly, and I have not had really bad pain since it happened. I'm still able to lift my toddler and the dog food container, which are the heaviest and most important things in this house. When I lean all the way over, I can pinpoint the exact spot, just a little to the left of my spine, right smack dab in the center of my back, but I'm just thankful that I can lean over, period. All in all, it's not too bad. I have taken it easy this weekend, as much as I can. If Waylon wants up, I appease him as much as possible, trying to remember to lift with my legs. Who does that? Haha. Probably everyone but me. Oh well. Maybe one day I'll learn.

Barbie Baby Wallpaper

Barbie Baby Wallpaper


Iranian Fat Baby Wallpaper

Iranian Fat Baby Wallpaper


Cute Iranian Baby Girl Wallpaper

Cute Iranian Baby Girl Wallpaper


Saturday, March 12, 2011

Just a Couple Tangents...

Well...I was going to add a cute NEW photo of the little man (this adorable one is from December), but my camera is nowhere to be found. For those that know me, this is not a shocker. I tend to be a tiny bit scatterbrained, when it comes to finding things when necessary.

This is why I won the 'Key Rack Next to the Front Door" argument with the hubs. He simply couldn't understand my need for keys at eye-level next to the door and always in the same spot. I don't know why they couldn't always be in my purse, either (shrugs), but that is neither here nor there, people! It also helped my side of the argument, that he was over 7,000 miles away in Afghanistan, when said key rack was purchased for half-off at Hobby Lobby. But, in my defense, it ended up being a great purchase! The keys and sunglasses have not been misplaced to date. They are on that key rack, as I type!

With that being said, the camera has met some other fate. I'm assuming my toddler moved it someplace, because I would never misplace it. Ahem... If I knew where it was, I could photograph that super cute key rack for you, but then again had it not been lost, I probably never would have been writing about this in the first place. So, there you go. Scatterbrained, yes. Tends to go off on a tangent when talking about a subject, yes. Does it bother me? No. It's just a part of my...charm? Ha! :)

While, I'm on a tangent about cuteness, or just deciding to be on a tangent about cuteness - Can I just mention some of the extremely cute things Waylon has been saying recently? The kid loves yogurt...for real. And anytime he wants it, he asks for "urt." Haha, how cute is that? And no matter how many times I tell him that toilet paper is called just that, he calls it "wipes." Keep smiling, you know you want to. And one last bit of cuteness. Whenever he is looking for something, like his juice cup, he will walk around the living room, saying "Juice? Juice?" (It sounds like joosh). As if the cup is going to magically jump up and say, "Here I am, Waylon!," waving it's arms around. Well, that's what I picture he's thinking. Kids...too cute!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A Bit of Cuteness...

Since I haven't kept this blog updated in what I now see is two years...(whoopsie!)...I figured I would upload some videos of Waylon from the past year. Pictures just don't do justice as to how cute and funny he can really be. These videos are from last summer, before he really started talking and coming into his own. A lot more is on its way...I promise.



Just one of the many joys of being a kid...turning in circles...and circles...and circles...until you fall over. Can you hear him say "Uhhh," when he hits the ground? I love that he just can't seem to get back up again, haha. And two of our dogs' personalities so clearly seen in the video - Dixie...the sweet girl, who just loves to be loved. And then there's Shooter...who wants to be in the middle of everything and will do anything for a belly rub.




This video was taken in July 2010, when we went to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville with our friends...well, my friend, Erin, and Waylon's friend, Jacob. Whoever invented squeaky shoes was a genius! They are too cute! And you are guaranteed to never lose your kid, haha! He had so much fun playing with this giant magnetic board - it was like a big refrigerator. Watch out for Jacob's cameo when Waylon heads to the big, cushy blocks - he's wearing the yellow "Cheerios" shirt. They are really good friends and have a blast when they get together. It's so cute.




This video was from April of 2010, but it was soooooooooo cute, I couldn't help but share it. It honestly speaks for itself in the cuteness factor, so watch and enjoy. I love how big he has gotten, and how much he has grown, but seeing this makes me miss when he was little bitty. It just makes my heart go pitter-pat. I love, love, love it! Hope you do, too!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Baby With Big Glasses Uses Laptop Wallpaper

Baby With Big Glasses Uses Laptop Wallpaper


The Sleepy Baby Wallpaper

The Sleepy Baby Wallpaper


Cute Baby In White Hat Wallpaper

Cute Baby In White Hat Wallpaper


Sleeping Baby Listens Phone Call Wallpaper

Sleeping Baby Listens Phone Call Wallpaper


Goodness, Me!

I've been slackin' on this blog like crazy, people. But, I'm getting back into the swing of things. New blog title, new background, trying to find a cute new header - I'm working on it. Work with me. To say there have been a lot of changes in the past year and a half since I last posted would be an understatement, but I will get caught up with everything all in due time. For now, it is time to spend some cuddle time with my favorite toddler.