A Good Laugh!

If you are friends with me on facebook, you saw this as my status the other day:

Quick Bible Lesson - In the Bible, Ruth patiently waited for her mate Boaz. While waiting on YOUR Boaz, don't settle for ANY of his relatives: Brokeaz, Poaz, Lyinaz, Cheatinaz, Dumbaz, Downlowaz, Cheapaz, Lockedupaz, Goodfornothinaz, Lazyaz or Marriedaz! And especially his third cousin, Beatinyoaz. Please...wait on your Boaz & make sure he respects Yoaz!

One of my friends from college posted it.  I died laughing!  So to all you faithful readers, enjoy a laugh on me.  Yoaz deserves it! ;-)

This is the way we...

... suck on our hands (HOPEFULLY he will find a thumb soon).

...go on a walk.

...throw some signs. ;-)

...play on the floor.

...grow double chins.

...flap like a bird.

AND THIS IS THE WAY WE ROLL FROM OUR TUMMY TO OUR BACK!  YAY BABY BOY!!!

Grammie Harris Visits!

I thought this picture of Emory and his Grammie was A.DOR.ABLE!  I mean, look at that face.  He's gotten so great at recognizing people.  He LOVES to have conversations! 

I could eat him!

Thanks for visiting, Grammie and Aunt Diane!  We love ya'll!

Life with Emma

As a refresher, this is Emma Grace.

Ok it was really only three days, so I can't attest to what "life" is like with her, but boy do I have some stories to tell!  This past Sunday Phillip's mom and aunt came up for a visit.  I had asked Linda (Phillip's mom) if she would do me a favor and bring Emma up with them.  Emma had a free week in her schedule with no school, camp, or ballet.  So I figured we could give her mama and step-daddy a big, fat break!  They packed her up and made the trip.  We got so many goodies when they arrived, including more peaches than you could possibly imagine from our most favorite place, McLeod Farms.

Aunt Diane and Linda left that afternoon and Emma was ALL OURS!  Oh my goodness, I love little people.  The things that come out of their mouths: PRICELESS!  I will say that I totally understand why God starts parents out with newborns.  Phillip does not know what to do with a mini-human with that much energy.  Nor does he have any inclination of how to play with little girls (he told Emma's My Little Pony that it had nappy hair after he got the brush stuck).  Now, that's not to say that parents who adopt older children aren't good parents, if anything they are much, much stronger than those that take the conventional route (more on that later). 

Here's a few snippets/conversations/lessons learned during our time with Emma:

1) Do NOT leave reading material on the side of the bath tub.  Even if it is hidden by bathing products and you've had a firm conversation about not touching anything that wasn't already floating in the water, the ONE product that will prove most alluring is the one that is not waterproof.  I filled our garden tub with bubbles, threw all of her toys, some of Emory's, and a loofah or two in there, walked back into our bedroom to grab her pjs.  Within two minutes I returned with all necessary articles of clothing (couldn't do this prior to bathing as this child LOVES some bath and will strip and subsequently jump in to an empty tub).  When I walked back in, I saw my hardback book sitting on the side of the tub sopping wet and these two little eyes peering at me over the side of the tub.  She knew she was in trouble.  Now I will say that this was a perfect excuse for not finishing the book.  My apologies to Michael J. Fox (because I think he is a brilliant actor), but seriously Always Looking Up is dreafully boring during the "Politics" section in the middle (and I don't mind politics).  So, time out it was for Emma and the book was left in one of the double sinks to dry (now I can begin reading again...yippee).

Prior to the sinking of the late ALU.

2) Five year olds are infinitely more curious than George ever dreamed of being.  Emma saw my Medela pump bag and wanted to know what it was.  I totally did not want to have this conversation so I answered with as little elaboration as possible.

Emma: What's that?  It makes noise with you turn it.
(No worries, I didn't pump in front of her, but she danced to the pumping noise when she found the knob and turned it on.)
Me: It's a machine that helps give Baby Emory milk.
Emma: I can give him milk.  It can get it from my tummy.
(She had soy milk with her lunch not long before this conversation.)
Me: Well, Emory says "thank you" but he has to have a different kind of milk than Emma's soy milk.
Emma: Oh ok then!

3) "Bedtime" is a relative term, and Mason is the best babysitter in the world.  Emma didn't have a night light the first night, but was so tired from missing her nap that she passed right out with me in the room.  Her normal wake up time is between 7 and 7:30 AM, but she was up bright and early on her first morning here.  No one in this house likes to see 5:45, but Emma was bright eyed and bushy tailed.  I tried putting her back to bed several times.  The first time went something like this:

Me: Emma, it's not time to get up yet.  Let's go lie back down.
Emma: But it's dark in there.  I need a light.  Can Mason come?
(Normally Mason sleeps under our bed, but I didn't care where he slept as long as it meant she went back down.)
Me: Of course!  (Ushering Mason (who also wasn't thrilled with the morning wake up call) to Emma's room.)
Emma: (VERY perky voice) THE SUN IS NOT OUT YET!
Me:  You don't have to tell me!  I am WELL aware that the sun has yet to rise.  This means we shouldn't rise either.  Lie down.

After an hour of up and down, I digressed and we headed into the living room so at least Phillip could sleep (Mason joined him by retreating under our bed).  Later that day, Phillip got the grand responsibility of putting her down for a nap.  The Mason tactic worked well, so we sent him into the front lines again.  I was in the nursery with Emory when I heard the following exchange:

Emma: BUT Uncle Phillip, the sun IS out right now.
Phillip: (Very dry, very direct) Yeah and it will be out when you wake up after nap.  Go to sleep.
Emma: Oooookay!

I sat in Emory's nursery and died laughing.  Phillip is going to have to grow into caring for a little person because he doesn't have the patience for it yet.  After nap, I went in and found one of my college history books in the bed with Emma.  Apparently, little miss decided my book about the early history of African Americans in the United States was the PERFECT reading material for nap.

4) Our dogs are VERY patient (I'm sure this will bode well for Emory in the future).  Aside from Mason being a security blanket of sorts for Emma, Gracie was subjected to some special treatment all her own.

Emma said she was hugging her, but I'm pretty sure it felt like a headlock to Gracie.

Then she became Emma's baby while she took a phone call from her mama (where she told her mother with complete jubilation about how many times she had been in time out...and she wasn't a bit ashamed).

5) My house will never be clean when Emory gets older.  I thought it was hard keeping up with laundry and a 24/7 spitting-up child.  OH NO!  Emory doesn't hold a candle to Emma.  His toys are put up unless I get them out.  Her toys are out no matter what.  And everything but her toys makes for a better toy, especially our coffee table and my exercise ball.  The coffee table remained covered while she made Mason hide with her underneath.  I wish I had a picture, but in a way I am happy I don't have that kind of self-incriminating proof. 

She was such a good helper.  She loves taking care of the baby.  I got her out of the bathtub one night because she was finished and the baby was crying.  I WISH I had my camera because Emory was lying on his changing table and Emma (still just as naked as a jay bird) was facing the table on her tip toes trying to talk to Emory.  The cutest moment out of her visit BY FAR!  When she got bored with her toys, she would help me do chores.  She did such a good job listening during chore time.

She loved putting up the dishes with me.

On our way to meet Sarah and drop her off, she made the absolute best travel companion for Emory.  She kept popping that paci back in every time it fell out.  If he got fussy, she'd lean over and whisper "shhh shhh shhh" in his ear.  So precious!  She loves her some Baby Emory...and we love us some Emma!

Wordless Wednesday (John Deere Hat)

The Symbolism of Wine

Most everyone knows that wine is referenced in the Bible to symbolize the blood Christ shed to redeem mankind.  Every time I see a glass of red wine, my mind is triggered and I pause to just take in the magnitude of that gift.  

Last week I opened a bottle of wine (sorry, I'm a white wine kinda girl).  This probably sounds so incredibly ridiculous, but this bottle gave me pause for another reason altogether.

I realize that I desperately need to dust.  My apologies.

During our fertility struggles, I would have to take hormones prior to taking the fertility drugs.  Month after month these attempts were unsuccessful.  So each month, when the test came back negative, I'd go try a new bottle of wine since I had two weeks before I had to start another treatment.  I had grown so accustomed to this, that the wine and pregnancy tests purchases went hand in hand.  (I'm POSITIVE that more than one cashier thought I was already the world's worst mother.)

Last August I made my regular purchase, went home, waited a few days for the "test of disappointment" (making sure my bottle of chardonnay was on standby).  I woke up that morning fully expecting to start another round of hormones that night.  I took the test and the reading was invalid.  I shrugged, thought it was a bit odd, but figured I just got a bad test, and went back to bed.  A few hours later when I got up for the day, I thought I'd give it another shot.  Lo and behold, it was positive!

Less than 2 weeks prior to Emory's arrival!

I remember that morning with extreme clarity.  I didn't tell Phillip.  He was in the shower anyway.  I called my OB for a blood test.  The next morning she called and said, "This is, by far, the most well-deserved congratulations I've had to give in a long time.  Your test is positive.  It's real!"  I actually told her to shut up and I probably asked her if she was certain about 50 times.  It took two more days for me to tell Phillip (I had to get him a sercy!), but we were elated.  Want to talk about difficult: try waiting that long to get pregnant and then keeping it to yourself for 3 days.  That's hard!

I put that bottle up and every time I saw it over the next year, I was reminded of how great God is and how He can take my doubting Thomas of a heart and bless me beyond belief.  I opened that bottle last Friday after putting our 3 month old baby boy to bed for the night.  I literally cried tears of happiness.  I sat in bed and read a bit while having my glass, however I just couldn't help but replay over and over how much our lives have changed over the past year.

Our precious little man at 9 days old

I'm pretty sure I'm keeping the empty bottle for flowers or something.  I think everyone could use small reminders of God's faithfulness in their homes and lives.  This is definitely one of mine. 

Our world.

Emory is the greatest reminder.  Obviously.  :-)

God is SO good.

Wordless Wednesday (Great-Grandparents)

Oh Daddy!

Phillip loves him some Emory.  Emory feels the same way.  Although based on the pictures below, you wouldn't think that's the case for our Little Guy.

He looks like such a happy camper.  Daddy gave him a mohawk after his bath.

At least Phillip is happy.

Such a good papa.

Sidenote: Emory is wearing one of the onesies I made to tell Phillip that we were finally expecting.  Only took him 3 months to fit into it.  :-)

Want to know what Emory HATES?

Mama in glasses!

For real, kid looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights.  It's not just me though, it's all glasses on anyone.  This just doesn't bode well for my vision.

Guard Dog

Mason, our rescued from the pound golden, is probably the best dog I've ever seen.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Gracie, but she's rotten.  Mason seems like he knew where he came from and tries every day to make us as happy as possible.  He's the MOST obedient dog. 

He has always been Phillip's dog, but since Emory was born he's kind of taken over as protector of Little Man.  Seriously, if I take our child outside the dog goes to the closest door or window to watch me.  If someone comes to visit Mason will let you hold the baby, but you better like company by your side because he's not leaving that child.  When I'm nursing Emory in his room, Mason has taken up station between us and Emory's crib.  For good measure he will occasionally get up, lick Emory's feet, and lie back down.  Once we put Emory to bed, Mason follows me to our room, climbs under our bed, and begins his nightly patrol. 

Mason's guard post at night...under our bed.

From where he lies, he can see out into our hall, into our master bath, into our guest room, hear the baby over the monitor, and still follow either of us if we get up in the middle of the night.  He's such a good pup!

3 Months Old...Already?!

I can hardly believe it's true, but our little man is 3 months old today.  How that happened, I will never know.  I guess time really does fly when you're having fun!  I snapped a few pictures this evening after his nap, but we'll have more a bit later (I know, you all can hardly wait).

Sadly, the hat no longer fits our not-so-little-anymore guy, but I had to grab one last shot.

Oh Emory!  Your faces crack me up.

He's starting to grow a lot of hair.  I mean he was born with a head full, but wowzers!  I think he's going to be like his daddy.  (Pardon the action shot, he's officially very, very movey.)

AND we've discovered our hands and feet.  They are all over the place.  Getting dressed is quite a task lately.

Let's see, these days Emory LOVES to spend time singing, standing, and splashing around in the bathtub.  He tries to talk back to us quite a bit, but really gets a kick out of us if we just sing (especially the Itsy Bitsy Spider).  He is a big fan of Eric Carle books.  We tend to read a few every night.  Sadly, he's getting frustrated with tummy time (unless he's sleepy and then he wants to knock out during the middle of practicing our ABCs and 123s (thank you Grammie Harris for the books)).

Dare I say that we are blessed?  I don't know that there's anything better than the gift of parenthood.  We love you, Emory!

Lesson in Parenting

I've done enough nannying to know that when you are with a child and need to get something accomplished without said child you will and can use any means necessary to entertain the wee-one until such time as said task is complete.  Emory is becoming a victim to this tactic at a very young age. 

Since I haven't been able to leave him yet, I take him with me to the florist to balance the books.  Usually, we are only there for an hour or so, but I noticed that he loves some funeral arrangements.  It's sad, but casket sprays, urns, standing sprays, ANYTHING FUNERAL RELATED.  I'm not sure what I think of this, but I used it to my advantage today:

Emory staring at a grave urn arrangement.

When he gets bored with one, I just grab another with some different colors.  :-)

Wonderbug!

Emory's Nana and Pop decided he needed a new and improved big boy toy at their house, so they went and bought him the Wonderbug (for real, that's the name).  He has a little more growing to do, but I'm sure he and this little bug will be great pals!

Not quiiiite tall enough yet. 

Oh yeah, Emory decided to join the family ranks by growing himself a double chin.  Welcome to the club, Buck!

Thanks for the new toy, Nana and Pop!  He'll be making more noise than you ever cared to hear in no time.  :-)

Wordless Wednesday

Kisses from Emma