Friendly Debate

So, there has been a little friendly debate around here. Phil has believed for some time that Rush needs a haircut. He often brings it up and has even sworn that he will not get a haircut or shave until Rush does (the haircut part I mean). I feel rather strongly that his curls are VERY cute and must be preserved. Any thoughts?


After his nap today

(OK. Yes, I know. He really does need a haircut. Soon. I'm just not ready. It makes my throat get tight in the same way the insurance commercial does when the little boy hugs his Mama as she gets off the bus from serving in the military and the lady helps her friend with cancer finish the race. Oh lordy!)

Coming soon... outtakes from the Christmas card photo session debacle.

Thanksgiving and Fun Times

We have had lots of fun over the last few days. I was off work on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, so that has given me plenty of free time to hang out with Rush and Sydney Frances. It has been so much fun!

The babies both enjoyed their first "official" Thanksgiving. Last year, they were still quarantined and couldn't take part in any family gatherings during the holiday season. This year, they ATE turkey and dressin'. What a difference a year makes!!!
This year, I am thankful for healthy babies that can eat turkey and throw it in the floor.




They also had some fun tumbling in the leaves in my parents' backyard. Yes, I did let them tumble a few times before I got slightly freaked out by Rush digging underneath the leaves to find all the damp dirty places. :-) I needed his outfit to stay cute.





Aunt Ivy also introduced the babies to the piano at my Mama's house. Although no one but my family would understand this... I believe Rush is playing the same piece Ivy played years ago on Aunt Julia's piano. :-)


Another fun event of this weekend has been.. "I Wanna Sit in a Basket". Please excuse Frantastic's drool. We are also currently living through..."I'm Getting My Molars". That does not fall into the "fun event" category, though.




And finally, my new favorite thing... if you tell Sydney Frances to "love on Rush", she will pat his head and put her head against his. He smiles and seems to love it. I know I love it!!! Sweet, sweet!!



(Michelle.. hope this helps!! Love ya!)

Perfect Fall Day

We had a fun day today! Just one of those lazy days with no particular plans! The babies were snoozy this morning. They don't usually take morning naps, but I guess they could sense the lazy vibe. :-)

I guess she slept so well, her sock fell off!) :-)



I love how he tucks his knees under while he sleeps.

We also had a fun time playing outside in the backyard. The ice cream truck even made a stop by our house. We didn't buy a Push-up this time. Maybe next time. Sydney Frances did enjoy watching our neighbors buy ice cream. She loved running around in the yard. Until today, she has been afraid to walk in the grass, so I think she enjoyed her newly found freedom. Rush enjoyed pushing his train on the patio. He was running and laughing so hard while Phil chased him. Too cute!!!Please excuse the nap head on both babies. We don't focus on hairstyles on Saturdays at home.







Unfortunately, the day did not end as Sydney Frances might have hoped. I had to clip her nails, and apparently this is as close to torture as her sweet baby mind can imagine. She fully turned on the DRAMA tonight! Oh my! It was quite a show. We got it done, though! Rush was not a fan, either, but he only mildly protested with some crying. No wailing involved for him...



P.S. I had to go to Walmart today. I'm only going to say one thing. I hope the H.R. Department is doing their job. At this point, the correct title for the person that stands at the door is no longer "Greeter". This would imply that the employee would be required to, you know, greet someone. As in... be friendly and welcoming. The new job title should be "Person In Charge of Staring at Diapers in Grocery Cart Until the Mama Can Produce Her Receipt." That lady that stands there every week needs to say, "Hello, Laura, we are so flipping glad you are back this week to spend another $200 on groceries, diapers, and baby accessories. Because of you, I have job in this crappy economy. Is there something I can do to make your shopping experience more tolerable because I know you are dangerously close to never setting foot in this place again?" WALMART HATER HERE, Y'ALL. I can't wait for Publix to open. You might be wondering how this fits into my "Perfect Fall Day". It made it perfect because it is over with for this week. I don't have to go tomorrow.

The Monkey and Pink Bunny

We had a fun time tonight on "Halloween". Yes, I know Halloween is in two days, but we live in a town that has an SEC Football Game on Saturday. Can't be trick or treating on a GAME DAY! So, we, along with the other surrounding towns went trick or treating tonight. We dressed up our bunny and monkey and took them for a little stroll around the neighborhood. We didn't actually go to any doors for candy because well.. there was no point in that since they can't really talk or eat candy. But, the stroll was nice and the pictures were priceless. I am so glad we still get to pick their costumes for the next few years. I will be sad when they start having opinions and stuff. :-) Anyway these are some pictures of the festivities!






Rush: "OK... I know I am usually the patient, calm one, but I am about to LOSE IT if you don't get this monkey head off me."

And to end the post.. I just have to share. I know I was born and raised in the south, but I have NEVER seen this. Maybe I am just out of the loop. We went by Phil's parents' house to let them see the babies in their costumes. While we were in the driveway, people pulled up with a flat-bed trailer hooked on a Gator. The parents were sitting in lawn chairs on the flat bed. The kids were wildly and frantically trick or treating. OK. A little funny looking but also a pretty good idea. But then, the next thing that pulled down the street was actually a very large, green John Deere tractor... pulling a flatbed trailer FULL of people. You might be a redneck if... Ha!!! It was classic. So, I took pictures!




Have people been doing this for years and I am just the last to know?

Don't have much to say...

I know it is difficult to believe, but I don't have much to say right now. I know I have some faithful friends that always check in, so I thought the least I could do was put up some recent pictures. Hope you enjoy!


Wearing her Did Dee's (how she says "Daddy")hat


Too thrilled with his little self sitting in the shelves again. He loves to do this! Yes, he has on about 4 bibs. The drool is currently out of control. One year molars???


SuperBoy after his bath!!!


Another new favorite activity is dragging his wagon around the house. It probably weighs twice as much as he does, but he doesn't seem to mind that.



Trying butternut squash for the first time. Yum!


What? I whuttin doin nuffin.


You just wish your hair could do this!


I love Violet and need a nap!

Rush's Homecoming

I told you that I would have another story to tell about a happy day! October 6, 2008 is the day that our sweet Rush came home to be with the rest of the family. I was especially excited to have Rush come home because it was a week overdue. See, he was actually scheduled to come home BEFORE Sydney Frances. I went to the hospital to visit the babies one day, and the doctor told me we could room-in with Rush the next day. Sydney Frances had been pushed back a little because of some tummy trouble she had toward the end of her stay. We had our BAGS PACKED to stay overnight with the little man. I should mention that one of the requirements is that all babies in the NICU go for seven full days without a bradycardia (heart rate drop). Rush was on DAY 7! At 6pm, I got a call from his sweet nurse, Sandy. She didn't want to tell me, but it had happened. The worst thing that I could imagine at that point. My heart was so set on going to pick him up, but that wasn't meant to be. He dropped his heart rate... in his sleep.. and he didn't recover on his own... all things that the powers that be in the NICU feel very strongly about. I immediately burst into tears. Sandy said, "Pleeeeaasse, don't cry!! You will make me cry!" But I cried, so she cried. I was very sad. I called Phil and told him hysterically that we couldn't go. He tried to reassure me that it just meant he wasn't quite ready to come home, but I didn't care. I knew it was true, but I didn't want it to be true. All I could think was that he now had to go 7 MORE days without a drop. Seven more days literally felt like eternity at that point. I had recovered somewhat by the next day, so I went to the hospital to meet with the doctor. Sandy had told me there was a chance that he might let him go. Well, it turns out that Rush's doctor felt pretty strongly that he should stay for another seven days to be SURE he was ready to go home. So, we waited. In the meantime, you know that SF came home. Poor Rush had to stay at the hospital, and he really was just hanging out. It broke my heart leaving him there, but thanks to my Mama coming to stay with little Sydney Frances here at home, we still went to see him every day. He was so sweet (still is) and quiet, so it was hard to leave him. SF was always the loud one. She had a little reputation! Rush was the quiet one, and I always worried he would be forgotten about when I wasn't there. Of course, I am sure now that he wasn't, but I couldn't help but feel that way at the time. So, the day finally arrived. They said they would call us. The doctor would have to do rounds and discharge him. So, we waited.. and waited... and waited. I began to panic. Maybe we wouldn't be able to take him. Day became night...and at that point, if they had told me I had to wait any more time, I don't know how I would have reacted. Finally, the call came. We drove to Montgomery, talked to Rush's nurse, dressed him in the cute blue preemie outfit and bonnet (much to Phil's dismay). We literally brought him home in the dark of the night finally arriving home around 10pm. I remember a friend of mine telling me that when she went to pick up her own child from his lengthy NICU stay, she was so afraid they were going to chase her down in the parking lot and make her bring him back, so she said she didn't look back and just walked really fast. We had the same experience with Rush. It was too good to be true. I was SOOO excited to have that sweet boy home with us at last!! It was another wonderful day!!

Rush being bored in his NICU crib before we brought him home



Rush getting dressed up for going home!


First ride in the car seat... let's get out of here!!


At home with my sister!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

Today is MY Mama's 60th Birthday!!! She, of all people, deserves a blog post that is all her own! She takes care of our whole family (swine flu and all). She is a Mama of many verbs. She loves us, cooks for us, wipes off our counter tops, waters our plants, picks up our children from daycare, folds our laundry, lives with us when two babies are born at one time, shops with us, goes to lunch with us, goes on Girls' Weekends with us, answers the phone over and over to tell me what to do with my sick children, and the list goes on and on. These are just the first few things that popped into my head this morning. I know I speak for my sister when I say that we couldn't survive without her! Even when you are 34 and 31 years old... a girl always needs her Mama. We love you, Mama! Happy Birthday!!!