The Shermans

Alexander Porter Sherman...

2012-01-09T18:37:00.000-08:00

Alex was born at 7:33 a.m., on December 29, 2011. He weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz. and was 21 1/4 " long. He's a little smaller than Sam was, but not too much. Apparently, I'm incapable of having "normal" sized children.

Since I'm a repeat c-section, we checked in at 6:00 that morning. I actually slept okay that night, which is a miracle since I haven't slept the last 3 months of this pregnancy. I just kept having dreams that I overslept, or that I couldn't get to the hospital. Weird, I know.

We got there, went through all of my medical information with the doctors and anaesthesiologists, and pretty soon I was walking into the OR. It was a little surreal to say the least. Last time everything moved so fast. This time, I chatted with the nurses and doctors while we were getting ready.

In what seemed like no time at all, they had started. With Sam, I was so overwhelmed by the fact that we were about to actually have a child that I don't think I truly understood what was happening. This time I heard Alex cry for the first time, and I cried like, well, a baby.

We headed to the recovery room, and we got to love on Alex. I was able to nurse him, and it seems that he's going to be much better at that than his brother was. Our parents and Sam came in to see him, and I think it finally hit Sam that "baby Alex" was not a figment of his imagination. So far, Sam has been very sweet, and it doesn't seem that he's had any major jealousy issues. Fingers crossed that this will continue.

Overall recovery was a little harder this time, but the past few days I've truly felt like myself. I've got to say that there is a special place for labor & delivery nurses and mother/child care nurses. I had some seriously sweet and caring people who worked with us while we were in the hospital. As Anthony put it, "If I ever have to be in the hospital, I'm requesting to be put on the L & D floor."

And now, the obnoxious amount of pictures...

Getting checked out by the nurses

Sam checking out his brother

Sam brought his new camera to the hospital so he could snap some photos.

Proud dad and big brother

The grandparents checking out their new grandson

Snuggling with Alex

Up close and personal with Alex

So far, so good...

First pic as a family of four

As a friend put it, "Sam is so over it."

Sam, Alex, and Papa-Sissy

(Sam refers to his daddy's parents as one hyphenated person. It's like their rap star name.)

Daddy with both of his boys

And another family pic--pardon the puffiness

Meeting his great-grandmother and great-aunt

Sound asleep

Leaving the hospital

Big brother "helping" feed his little brother

It's amazing how much Sam and Alex look alike--not that I'm surprised...

Sam

Alex

As much as I absolutely loathe being pregnant, I am so glad that I'm able to do it and have healthy babies. This 2nd pregnancy has certainly not been easy--9 months of nausea and vomiting, horrible indigestion & acid reflux, back pain, and 3 trips to the hospital (4 if you count delivery.) In the end, it's worth it. I have 2 sweet baby boys.

Christmas 2011...

2012-01-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

I must admit--for the first time I can remember, I found myself looking a little past Christmas day because I knew we had Alex's arrival just around the corner. We still enjoyed ourselves, of course, and we definitely enjoyed one of the most low-key holidays ever. It was nice to be able to really concentrate on the holiday itself and to spend important time with our families. To say that Sam liked Christmas is an understatment. We swore we wouldn't go overboard this year, but I think all of us--grandparents included--wanted to make sure that Sam felt special.

I'm afraid that Sam is going to be a little disappointed next year when he doesn't have 3 separate gift opening sessions. Christmas Eve we went to church then headed over to MP and Joe's to have our Christmas with them. Christmas morning was spent at our house, and Santa certainly decided that Sam had been a good boy. My parents came down on the 28th so that we could have Christmas with them and so that they would be here for Alex's birthday the following morning.

He did have on some cute knee socks with his saddle shoes, but those didn't last long after we got home.

Helping Papa unwrap gifts. Sam is especially good at unwrapping gifts.

And helping Sissy...

This is our new cheesy on demand smile.

Stockings hung by the chimney with care. Alex's stocking was included.

Remember that Sam asked for Santa' sack? Well, Santa delivered.

Christmas morning

Bedhead

Trying to figure out if Santa's sack is never ending. Newsflash--it's not.

Enjoying his firestation that Mimi and Grandy gave him. The fireman obsession continues.

We probably went overboard this year, but I felt that he needed some special attention since his world was about to permanently change. Probably not the best way to transition, but we couldn't help ourselves. Chalk it up to parental guilt.

My favorite ornaments...

2011-12-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

These are a few of my favorite things: (on my tree)

New ornament commemorating Alex's impending arrival

Sam's 2011 ornament

What a surprise...it's a firetruck

And this lovely ornament we received from the Bulldog Club today.

Genius marketing if you ask me.

Sam...

2011-12-13T13:02:00.000-08:00

At this point we're about 2 1/2 wks. from Alex's arrival. As much as we talk about the baby's arrival, I know that Sam doesn't quite get that he will no longer be the only child around here. I've been going through some of his baby pictures lately, and I cannot believe that my baby has gone from this:

to this:

Although he has been known to throw some serious tantrums, I can honestly say that we are so blessed. And I'm about to brag, so feel free to stop reading now. (Unless you just like hearing a mom being obnoxious.)

Things I want to remember:

1. I'm blown away by his vocabulary. Hearing a 3-year-old tell me things like, "Actually, mama, I think I want chicken," is hilarious. He also informed me a few days ago that something wasn't blue; it was indigo.

2. He's still not a great sleeper at night. He'll roll into our room at about 4:00 some nights, but most of the time we're able to escort him right back to his bed. He still takes an enormous nap in the afternoon, and woe be to you if he misses it.

3. He is still obsessed with firetrucks, garbage trucks, and buses. When the bus stops on our street to pick up a kid for school, Sam flies to the window to watch it.

4. The only "baby" word that he still uses is "tether." I don't know where he got it, but when Sam says "tether," it means "pick me up/hold me." I may cry the day he stops saying it.

5. I also may cry when he stops telling me that he "just wants to cuddle, mama." I realize that I won't know when it's the last time that he says it, so I appreciate every time he says it.

6. He thinks every football player who is #14 is Chris Relf, and every player who is #1 is C-bump. Every once in awhile he'll tell me that #28 is Ballard. He has known the words to the fight song since sometime last year.

7. He informed me that for Christmas, he wants Santa's sack. As in the sack that holds all the toys. I had to give him the whole speech about giving rather than receiving, celebration of Christ, etc. I have to give the kid credit for thinking outside the box, though. He also told me he wanted a fire truck. I responded that he had plenty of fire trucks. He then told me, "I want one in our garage"...as in a real fire truck. He's going to be disappointed Christmas morning.

8. He's also obsessed with "worker men," otherwise known as construction workers. He loves his tools and toolbox, and any time you get out a hammer, he has to go get his toolbox to "help."

"Worker Man Sam" with his protective eyewear on his head.

I'm trying my best to remember all these little nuances that I take for granted. I don't want to forget them as he grows. I'd appreciate any prayers for Sam in the next few weeks as we make the transition from 1-2 babies.

Potpourri...

2011-12-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

If any of you are Jeopardy! fans out there, you'll understand my blog post title. If not, oh well...

1. I have about 23 days until this baby gets here. I am officially in freak out mode. Between worrying about the delivery, Christmas, and how Sam is going to handle everything, my mind does not stop.

2. For all two of you who still read my excuse for a blog, we have officially picked out a name for baby boy #2. (If you don't like it, keep it to yourself.) Our 2nd son will be Alexander Porter Sherman. We'll be calling him Alex. My grandfather and my uncle were/are both Zans, and I like that the name contains their names. Porter is my mother's maiden name. So there you have it--I'm sure you've been on tenterhooks.

3. I went to the salon for my last visit before the baby gets here. I haven't been since September, and I was in dire need of some hair help. I tried a new stylist, and....my hair is a little on the red side. For now, I'm just going to roll with it.

4. I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see some colder weather. Having to use your A/C in December is ridiculous--it just doesn't feel like Christmas. In my opinion, it should be cold November-January; after that it can warm back up. At least that's what I would do if I were in charge.

5. We will be watching our Dawgs play in the Music City Bowl at....the hospital. This will be the first bowl game my husband has missed since the 1992 Peach Bowl. Let's hope the post-partum unit has wide-screen tvs. Ha.

6. We have a 6-year-old Boston Terrier who is neutered and has had all of his shots. He needs a lot of attention, and we just don't have the time to devote to him with everything else we have going on. If you or someone you know is interested, please leave me a comment. We just want him to have a good, loving, home.

7. Why can't I ever build a fire, but my dad can do it within 5 minutes? It's cold and damp today, and that's all I wanted, but it just won't catch. Boo.

8. Any suggestions on Christmas presents for in-laws? I'd appreciate it greatly. They don't want anything, but that doesn't fly with me. Again, leave me a comment. I need help.

9. I don't understand people who use twitter and constantly tweet about their driving situation. It's obvious that you're texting and driving. Please stop.

10. I just finished Mindy Kaling's new book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? It's a good, easy, mindless read. It makes me want her to be my best friend. I'm now moving on to the Jack Cristil book that I bought my husband for his birthday. It's okay to use your husband's birthday present before he does, right?

11. I am blown away by the number of former students of mine who do nothing but complain about how they can't wait to get out of college, go home, etc. I think all of those kids should be immediately thrown into a 2-3 wk. trial situation in which their job is awful, they have to pay a mortgage, and a child they're in charge of is sick. I think they'd learn to appreciate each phase of their life rather than rushing through everything. (And don't misinterpret me here--I love my life right now. I also really loved college. Just ask my parents.)

12. I also believe that men should have to be pregnant for 4 wks.--2 wks. at the beginning of pregnancy when you throw up everything all day long, and 2 wks. at the end when you can't get up without a crane, can't sleep because of the pressure on your lungs, have horrible indigestion, and have to get up 3-4 times a night to go to the bathroom because your baby is doing an Irish jig on your bladder. I won't make them go through labor and delivery because let's face it, they couldn't handle it.

Writing a blog post in list form is infinitely easier than trying to make sure my paragraphs flow. Maybe I should quit being so anal and just do it this way all the time.

Panic...

2011-11-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we headed to Starkville for the State/Alabama game. We rented a house and took Sam with us. Our plan was to tailgate all day, and then Anthony would run us back to the house before kick-off.

All was going well. Sam was a sweet boy, he played well with others, and was in a good mood. And then it got dark. And my child disappeared.

Serious, horrible, panic ensued. One minute he was sitting in a chair playing a game, and within seconds he disappeared. We looked around the tailgate thinking that he had gotten up to play, but we could not find him in the immediate area. Our entire tailgate began to look for him. I searched the bathrooms, a friend stopped campus police, but we still couldn't find him. I truly began to freak out. All those episodes of Criminal Minds that I watch didn't help matters.

He was gone for a good 10-15 minutes, which doesn't sound like a lot, but when it's dark and there are tons of people milling around, it's an eternity. A friend of ours went back to the ladies room (for a total of 3 times) when she spotted him and brought him back to the tailgate. By that point, I was in tears.

He received a thorough talking to by his father, and we were able to breathe a sigh of relief. Later that evening, I found out what happened. Sam has a tendency to wait until the very last minute to go the bathroom. Apparently, it hit him that he had to go, and he had to go right then, so he bolted. The bathroom is a good 20 yards from where we tailgate, and I honestly can't believe he remembered where to go. He is only 3 after all.

I asked him what took him so long because I was trying to figure out why I never saw him when I went to check the bathroom myself.

Me: "Sam, where did you go to the bathroom?"
Sam: "I went where all the mommies were."
Me: "What did you do in the bathroom?"
Sam: "I tee-tee and I poo-poo."

At that point I realized why I didn't see him. He was in a stall for an extended period of time. And then I thought...

Me: "Sam, did you wipe your booty?"
Sam: "No, a lady wiped it."
Me: "What!!??
Sam: "A lady wiped it for me."
Me: "Did she say anything to you?"
Sam: "She told me to wash my hands."

In summary, he bolted from the tailgate, cruised past an enormous line of women waiting for the restroom, went to the bathroom, and got a seriously nice lady to wipe his bottom.

Lady, whoever you are, I thank you. I promise to pay it forward.

Wal-mart fan...

2011-10-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

I'm averaging somewhere around a post a month, which is pitiful. This fall has been a circus, and my blogging has definitely suffered. Sigh...

A few weeks ago, I attended one of the only home games I'll be able to go to all season. (Insert frowny face.) It's really hard for someone who used to go to every home game, but that's what happens when you grow up, I guess. (I just wish the Bulldogs could've held on against the Gamecocks, but that's another story for another day.)

I've been sewing and appliqueing--is that even a word?--for almost a year now, and I had Sam's gameday clothes all ready to go. I had myself and Sam packed up, and as soon as Anthony got home, we hit the road.

We stayed with some family in Starkville, and we were having a lovely, laid-back evening when the following happened.

Me: "I need to put Sam to bed. Did you get his bag out of the car?"
Anthony: "I haven't seen his bag.'
Me: "What do you mean you 'haven't seen his bag'? You packed the car."

And panic ensued.

If you all will remember, this has already happened once, and I swore that I would never be rushed out the door without checking for Sam's things again. Wrong.

Mother. Of. The. Year.

If you could've have heard the blue streak of words rolling through my mind at 10:00 on a Friday night, I'm pretty sure you would be shocked. Or not. Depends on how well you know me.

So there we were, in Starkville, at 10:00 p.m., with no clothes or supplies for our 3-year-old. The game was at 11:00 in the morning, and I knew that traffic would be H-E-double hockey sticks the next morning. Our solution was to roll on out to Wal-Mart in our pajamas.

We may have been the best dressed people there. Friday nights at Wal-Marts across the country bring out our nation's finest.

Was I hacked? Yes. After I had made a super-cute outfit for the kid to wear to the game, my child was going to be wearing a run-of-the-mill t-shirt and shorts from Wal-Mart. And believe me, I am not above putting my kid in Wal-Mart clothes--we have plenty of things from there. But having to buy all that after I had spent time making him stuff did not make mama happy.

And you know what they say...If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Tyrannical toddler...

2011-10-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

So Sam had his tonsils and adenoids out last Tuesday. The doctor was fabulous, Blair Batson was great, and the surgery went well. We were told over and over beforehand that we would have the worst end of the deal--recovery. Boy, were they right.

I thought the past week was going to be spent cuddling a tired and sick toddler, feeding him popsicles, and doing whatever I needed to help him feel better. Don't get me wrong--we've done all of those things. What I didn't know was that the recovery was going to turn my sweet, fairly laid back 3-year-old into a mini Moammer Gadhafi.

It's been a little over a week since the surgery, and this mama is ready to oust my tiny tyrant from his position of dictatorship. Fingers crossed that my sweet Sam will rebound sooner rather than later.

Zookeeper...

2011-09-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not very nice in the morning. It's not new behavior for me; my family can attest to that. I've just never been a morning person. As a matter of fact, one of the coaches that I used to work with referred to me as "Sunshine." He was being sarcastic. Very sarcastic.

Pregnancy certainly doesn't help matters. Not sleeping due to some serious round ligament pain is not good, and I still have some occasional morning sickness. It all adds up to a big barrel of fun when the alarm goes off. It doesn't help that I'm married to quite possibly the loudest person on the planet. My husband is what I like to call a "loud walker." He's also a "loud drawer slammer" and a "loud breakfast maker." The other night I was, well, nagging him about how loud he is in the morning. I tried to explain that when I'm in my post-sleep funk I need some peace before I can get going.

He responded by telling me that dealing with me in the morning is like dealing with the bear cage at the zoo.

I laughed.

He's right.

(But he's still really loud.)

Pray for me...

2011-08-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

I'm going to need it. Baby number #2 is a boy! We're thrilled, and I am trying to wrap my head around what it is going to be like to be surrounded by 3 males. (4 if you count our obnoxious dog.) All I know is that I feel certain my house will constantly be filled with dirt, balls, and tools. I'm just glad Anthony doesn't hunt, too. I might lose my mind if I had to deal with that and the sports obsession.

It's a really, really, good thing that I grew up with two brothers, and I enjoy watching ballgames.

Of course, this baby may end up being an Olympic diver. He wasn't very cooperative during the ultrasound; he kept his legs tightly closed, and he was in a full pike the entire time. Something like this:

And I'm not exaggerating. This is the position my child was in the other day, and he wanted no part in moving around. Looks comfortable, right? I've already started looking at the Summer Olympics for 2028 or 2032.

Vacation '11

2011-08-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

As usual, I'm behind on my blogging. I'm really going to have to get on top of things...especially with a new baby on the way.

Anyway, we took our annual trip to The Grand at the beginning of August, and we had a lovely time. I didn't get to enjoy the fruity drinks that I normally do, but I'll make up for it next year.

Sam was a EVERYWHERE this year. We couldn't keep him out of the pool. I'm not going to go into a day by day schedule because it mainly consisted of eating, swimming, napping, repeat. I'm not exaggerating.

Feeding the ducks.

Playing croquet. Fair warning: When Sam "plays" croquet, it's best to stay away.

Feeding the ducks again. They probably put the ducks on a diet every year after we leave.

Pool time with daddy.

Family pic in the August heat. This was the best we could do.

Indulge me...

2011-08-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

I get way more traffic here, so I thought it'd be a good place to let those of you who are interested know that I just added A TON of new stuff to my page at http://www.threadserious.blogspot.com/. If you need any kind of children's clothing for fall, I have a lot of new items, and I'll be adding even more over the next few weeks. If you're interested, be sure to get your order in in time for kickoff! And I have plenty of things for all you Rebel fans, too. Go check it out!

Candyland fun...

2011-07-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

So Sam wanted to play Candyland last night. No problem. If he wants me to go through the gumdrop pass, I'll gladly do it.

You know how little kids repeat everything they hear? Sam's quote after pulling a double-blue card last night:

"Double-blue! Booyah!"

He is a parrot.

Stereotype...

2011-07-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

So I've been wanting pickles...

I know, I know. A pregnant lady wanting pickles? Unheard of! What you're forgetting is that I am a very particular pregnant lady. Particular is a nice way to say high-maintenance and picky.

Anyway, I've been wanting the pickles that they serve at delis. You know the ones--the really good dills that they serve with your sandwich at Beagle Bagel and McAllister's. I have tried to buy pickles at the grocery store, but they just don't cut it.

So I did what anyone else would do in my situation--I called my father-in-law. He loves a challenge, and boy did he come through this time. He called Beagle Bagel and found out that they serve Block and Barrel Kosher Dills. Mystery solved.

The problem is that Block and Barrel only sells through Sysco. Bummer. I e-mailed my FIL back, thanked him for the research, and explained that I still couldn't get them because I can't order from Sysco. I thought I had reached a dead-end.

But then the phone rang.

My father-in-law informed me that he can order from Sysco through his work, and he had already placed an order. They arrived in a HUGE industrial size container.

I now have 2 refrigerators full of gallon-size freezer bags filled with pickles. And they are so, so, good.

A little advice...

2011-06-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Never, ever, ever, ever watch Toy Story 3 when you're pregnant.

I just spent the last 20 minutes bawling like a 2-year-old who just had a toy taken from him. The scene where Andy leaves for college is brutal.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

16 (x 2) and Pregnant...

2011-06-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yep. Now you know how old I am.

And you also know why I have been absent for so long. I just got home from what I thought would be my 10 wk. appointment. After the ultrasound today, we found out we were a little off on our previous calculations, and I'll be 12 wks. tomorrow. I'm praying this means that the all day nausea will begin to dissipate.

Side note #1: Those of you out there who never had awful nausea during pregnancy--the kind where you dry-heave EVERY morning, OR have to sprint to find any available receptacle including plastic bags while on the road, OR throw up in restaurant parking lots and have your 3-year-old pat you on the back saying "That's ok, mama,"--I ENVY YOU. And I know women have been putting up with this for centuries--this malady isn't exclusive to me by any means. However, I am going to go on record that pregnancy is not kind to me. I certainly don't glow. Unless turning a lovely shade of green counts, in which case, I guess I do.

Side note #2: To make things really fun (because we love to keep things exciting around the Sherman household) we have had a total of four family members in and out of the hospital during this time period. One of them was me. Did I mention I had a seizure? Nothing says fun like an early morning ride to the ER in an ambulance. We're all fine, and we're hoping that it was a crazy side effect of hormones and some medication I was previously on. However, I am not allowed to drive until we have an MRI and get the all clear from a neurologist. I was already classified as high risk, but I think I've been able to take it to another level. Like I said, we like to keep things interesting around here.

House arrest is no fun. Maybe I should call Lindsay Lohan and ask her how to deal.

For those of you who've forgotten, I gave birth to a toddler the first time around.. Sam was a 10.3 lb. whopper. We had no idea beforehand, and his enormity caused several complications during and post-birth. We're hoping that this baby is a nice, normal, healthy size. However, I will admit that I'm not sure I even know how to handle a smaller baby. We'll see.

I'll be due sometime in late December/early January. Anthony has already been told that he has tentative permission to attend the Sugar or Cotton Bowl. Everything else will have to be watched on tv. If the Bulldogs actually end up in one of these locations, I deserve "Wife of the Year."

Yes, we have our priorities in order.

Raise your hand if you're insane...

2011-05-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

Hand raised.

So the husband and I had an opportunity to hit the beach with some friends last week. Who wouldn't pass that up? Especially since we had a virtually free place to stay...

The problem was that Sam's birthday was last Saturday--the 21st, and we weren't supposed to come back until Sunday, the 22nd. Our solution--have everything as ready as possible for a party before leaving, recruit grandparents to help with the last minute necessities, and get up super-early Sunday morning to be back in time for a 4:00 birthday party.

Are you tired yet? We were. We rolled out of Destin around 7:30 Sunday morning, drove back to Jackson with friends, and got everything else ready for the party at 4:00.

But it was worth it. Sam had a blast, and he hasn't quit talking about it.

Obviously, it was a fireman themed party. The local fire station was gracious enough to drop by for a few minutes, and it was a big hit. And I had to make him a fireman shirt for the occasion.

Each kid got a fireman's badge

And got to climb all over the firetruck.

This was a huge hit until Sam took a tumble off of the truck. Thankfully, one of the firefighters caught him.

Which is why he looks a little grumpy in this picture.

Our house now looks like a molded-plastic factory blew up. It has taken me days to uncover and get everything back in order. Hopefully, his 4th birthday party won't be so hectic for us!

My mom...

2011-04-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

She truly makes me laugh. Here's an email I got a few days ago.

" I just want to know why Carrie Bradshaw did not stick with Aidan--much better choice. I don't know if I can finish watching, knowing that she is going to dump him for Big!!! Have a good weekend!"

It took me a minute to realize she was talking about Sex and the City. She's watching them in syndication. Hilarious. And I agree--Aidan was much cuter and sweeter.

FYI...

2011-04-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

You know that gorgeous, lush, perfectly manicured grass outside of Dudy Noble? Don't ever sit in it. Not even for 5 minutes while your husband brings the car around. I have chigger bites all over the lower half of my body, and they itch like crazy. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Like Father, like son...

2011-04-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

My husband is an MSU fan. Fan is probably an understatement for someone who almost gets physically ill when we blow a lead. I've long heard stories about his begging to be checked out of school so that he could listen to baseball games. Seriously. And his mother was nice enough to do it for him on one special occasion. He follows football and football recruiting with a (sometimes) ridiculous passion. He can answer pretty much any Bulldog Trivia question, and he loves basketball and all that it entails. One year he had to miss the football season-opener due to fever and strepp throat. I'm not sure which made him more miserable--missing the game or being sick.

It appears that our child is following along the same path. He will be 3 in May, and he knows every word to the fight song. I'm not exaggerating. He can sing it for you but will rarely do it on command. We're trying to figure out how to get around the whole "H-E-L-L" part--I guess we need to spell it "H-E-C-K" instead. I'm not sure if he would buy that, though, because he has a definite need to say things exactly as he hears them.

We took him for a brief visit to the Left Field Lounge last weekend. It was sooooo hot--the first day it's really felt like summer. We lasted to the 5th, and I had to call it a day for my own sake. The kid loved it though. He played in the dirt, threw a football with a friend, and kept asking, "Don't you want to watch baseball with me?"

Yes, Sam. Yes we do.

Holding the ball for his place kicker, Mitchell Holder. He loves to do this.

Petting Bully. Bigtime.

Open for business...

2011-03-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

As I posted earlier, I've been learning to sew, embroider, and monogram, and I'm loving it. I have spent hours reading, practicing, and hovering over my sewing machine. I'm happy to say that I'm now open for business! You can check out what I've been working on at www.thread serious.blogspot.com

I'd love it if you stopped by!

Crescent City Clothing Crisis…

2011-03-19T08:56:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Anthony and I loaded Sam up and drove down to one of my favorite cities—New Orleans. It was our first official trip with just the 3 of us. Every other time we’ve gone on a trip, we’ve had grandparents as back up.

We got up early, packed up the car, grabbed some coffee, and got on the road. At least we thought we had packed up the car…

When we stopped for gas in McComb, I discovered that my sweet, sweet, husband had not put Sam’s bag in the car. The child had nothing but the clothes on his back. I can tell you one thing, I will never leave the house again without insisting that I see all of our bags in the trunk. Geez…

We got to the zoo around 10:30, and spent about 3 hours walking around. Sam had a blast. It’s truly a gorgeous zoo, right smack in the middle of the garden district.

I will own up to the fact that we did buy one of those backpack/leash things that I SWORE I would never use. I must admit, it was a smart purchase. He never would have stayed in a stroller, (nor would I have expected him to,) and I knew he wouldn’t want to hold our hands all day long, either. He was happy with his independence, and I was happy knowing that he couldn’t get very far. Make fun of us all you want, but after seeing miserable parents pleading with their children to stay close and hold hands, we felt justified with our decision.

One of Sambo’s favorite things that day? The map of the zoo. Seriously. He walked around with it as if he really understood it, and referred to it all afternoon long. Loved it.

“I think we should go this way.”

A very rare picture of the two of us. I know I look tired. I was. And I need a tan.

Post zoo, we went to a FABULOUS po'boy place in Mid-City called Parkway Bakery. A dear friend who is from Nola suggested it, and she was right on the money. The debris po'boy was to-die-for as were the sweet potato fries. Sam was a big fan of the outdoor seating.

After Parkway we headed to another suggested joint, Angelo Brocato’s Italian Ice Cream Parlor. Oh. My. God. I don’t think I can ever go to New Orleans again without stopping by. It’s been open since the early 1900’s, and they know what they’re doing. 2 words—Tiramisu gelato.
Sam was a big fan, too. No surprise there.

We spent the rest of the day strolling around the French Quarter and enjoying the gorgeous weather.

A trip to NO wouldn’t be complete without beignets, so we hit up Café Du Monde the next morning. Another big hit.

Pre-beignets. Nice and clean.
Notice Sam’s brand new clothing courtesy of The Children’s Place on Canal. Never bought anything from there until last weekend, but I was thankful for their presence due to our lack of supplies.

We hit up the aquarium Sunday morning, which he loved, and then rode a streetcar, which he really loved. I’m pretty sure we could have just ridden the streetcar all day long, and he would have been perfectly happy.

After a lunch at Slim Goodies on Magazine, we loaded up and headed home. We truly couldn’t have asked for a better weekend.

Shopping with Sam...

2011-03-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

The other day I had a few errands to run, so Sam had to tag along. I only had a few things to pick up at Walgreens, so I thought I'd chance it and not make him ride in the buggy. I gave him a handheld basket and told him that his job was to hold the basket for me. He happily obliged.

As I was checking out the children's vitamins, Sam stood a few feet away with the basket. He then began picking up several boxes from a display and throwing 3 or 4 into our basket. I told him that we only needed the vitamins and that we would have to put those boxes back. Then I looked down and saw what my child had put in our basket.

Condoms.

3 boxes of them.

Yep.

Apparently Sam doesn't want brothers or sisters.

A smattering...

2011-03-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

I am woefully behind on my blogging. Shocker. I've been completely consumed by my new hobby, so my blog has suffered. I'll try to do better--pinky swear.

What has Sam been up to lately? Hmmmmm....he is an extremely ACTIVE almost-3-year-old. Emphasis on "active." He has become a complete parrot--he repeats anything and everything he hears, so we've really had to start watching what we say. And probably the thing that makes me happiest--he is officially pottty-trained. Thank. You. God. Some days I thought I would have a nervous breakdown trying to get that kid to go in the potty. We've had the minor stuff under control for a long time now, but the major deed was posing a problem. No longer.

The following is TMI--you have been warned.

He will sit on the toilet and ask "is it coming?" I don't know how to explain to him that I have no idea what's going on in his digestive system. After finishing his business, his daddy has taught him to say, "I own this potty," which is pretty hysterical.

********

In other news, Sam's great-grandmother sent him some grass seeds to plant and watch grow. He really enjoyed checking on his "plants" every day.

He looks so old. He's really lost all of his baby fat, which makes me sad.

New love...

2011-02-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'd like to discuss my new love--sewing.

I probably didn't own a store-bought dress until I was about 15. Until that point, my grandmother or my aunt made every single "Sunday dress" that I ever wore. There is absolutely no telling how many hours they must have spent sewing flouncy little dresses or simple linen sheaths. I remember how much I loved getting a package in the mail from either of them because it meant that I had something new to wear to church on Sunday. One of my favorites was a Christmas dress that my grandmother sewed for me--it had layers of petticoats underneath to make it full, and she had sewn a jingle bell in it that made noise when I walked. Big stuff to a 6 year-old.

Anyway, I've always wanted to learn how to sew, but I've never had the right equipment or time. This Christmas my parents graciously fronted the money for an extremely nice sewing & embroidering machine. I have already taken a few classes, and I've spent hours online browsing tutorials and applique websites. I've pretty much gotten the applique and monogramming down...I just need to save some money to buy some more fonts. I've already made Sam several t-shirts for upcoming holidays, and I'm about to work on some baby gifts for some friends with a new little one. I do plan on offering my services in the near future when I'm completely confident in my skills--I guess I'll start another blog solely dedicated to that, so be on the lookout if you'd like me to do some things for you. Of course, right now most of my things are boy-oriented, because, well, I only have a boy. I'm going to start to buy girly things soon.

Sam loves dump trucks, so I had to do one of those. The "S" is a St. Patrick's Day font that he'll be sporting at the St. Paddy's Parade.

I love the "Peace, Love, Bulldogs." I think it's super-cute. The other shirts are obviously for V-Day and Mardi Gras.

My model wouldn't cooperate, so I had to settle for taking pictures of the t-shirts without someone wearing them. Maybe next time...

I hate January...

2011-01-24T10:42:00.000-08:00

It's no secret. I've said it before many, many, times. But I'm trying to have a better attitude about it--really, I am. So I present to you...

The 5 Most Underrated Things About January

1. It's one month closer to February...which means it's one month closer to March...which means it's one month closer to April. You get the picture. Anything that gets me closer to spring is a good thing.

2. Plenty of chances for Sam to wear his hat--I love it.

3. My mother and mother-in-law both have January birthdays. I'm definitely happy they were born.

4. Forgiving winter clothing. Bulkier clothes cover up extra Christmas lbs. that have yet to go away.

5. Crackling fires and seriously good hot chocolate. This recipe is absolutely not low-cal, and it does nothing to help with weight loss...but it is delish.

Fluffy Hot Chocolate

8 teaspoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking cocoa

4 cups milk

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until the marshmallows are melted, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Ladle into mugs. Serves 4.

(recipe from allrecipes.com-Jo Ann Schimcek)

Monday was awesome...

2011-01-12T09:23:00.000-08:00

because I did nothing. Since most of the state was shut down due to ice and snow, I decided that I could give myself the day off, too. I got up, showered, and put my pjs back on. Sam stayed in his pjs all day as well. I fixed myself coffee, and Sam had breakfast. And I then proceeded to actually enjoy the day with my two (and 1/2) year-old. We snuggled, we sat by the fire, we colored, and later that night, I fixed hot chocolate. It was wonderful.

I know some of you are probably thinking--"doesn't she do that every day?" Unfortunately, the answer is no. As I'm sure many stay-at-home moms can attest, there's a certain amount of guilt (and a little resentment) when someone asks me what I do, and I say, "I'm a stay-at-home-mom." I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but let's face it--there are a lot of snap judgements made about women who don't "work." So most days I make sure that I am busy. And Sam keeps me busy. However, many times I catch myself running around so much that I don't really get to enjoy being at home with my child.

So Monday I did just that. And I think I should do it more often.

Underrated...

2011-01-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

As stated earlier, I have not been as consistent a blogger this year. I don't know why--maybe I'm busier, or maybe I'm just really, really, boring. I have a feeling it's the latter.

I'm going to try to post at least weekly in hopes that I can get back in my writing groove, so I introduce to you my new "Underrated" posts.

I was talking to a friend of mine this weekend, and I told him that he was "one of my top five most underrated friends." Sounds extremely flattering, right? For whatever reason, he was pleased.
The hubby and I play the "underrated" game a lot. As a matter of fact, we played it on the way to the (absolute skull-busting) stomping of Michigan by MSU. It's a great way to pass a long, long, long, car drive. There's not a whole lot to it...Pick a subject, and name things that are underrated.

So...I give you my top five most underrated things about traveling.

1. Spending concentrated time with friends we don't see that often. So many of our good friends live in Memphis, the Delta, Tupelo, etc. It's so nice to share meals and log face time with people that you love. I just wish we could have hung out with more of our friends whom we didn't see.

2. Gas stations. Seriously. Anthony and use traveling as an excuse to further our enormous appetite for crappy junk food and sweets. Peanut M & Ms--check. Sour Patch Kids--check. Heath Bar--check. (Not all at once, but don't put it past us.)

3. Guilt-free snoozing. No 2 1/2 year-old present = no one to wake you up at the crack of dawn. Unless you're the grandparents keeping said grandchild, in which case you're probably up early anyway.

4. Big breakfasts. We certainly don't cook big breakfasts on a daily basis--most days it's cereal or scrambled eggs with frozen waffles.

5. Coming home with a big win. It certainly makes a long drive more tolerable. And oh yeah, my new friend.

P.S. He is HUGE. There's no way he's just 6'4".

My New Year's Resolution...

2011-01-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

Is to be a be a more consistent blogger. I've really gotten behind, and it's driving me crazy. I'm sure all two of you who read this have been dying for an update on my oh-so-exciting-life.

Congratulations--the wait is over.

How was Christmas 2010? Out of control. I thought that Anthony and I did a pretty good job on not getting carried away. Santa did accidentally buy stuff for Sam's stocking twice because he forgot his elves had already gotten stuff. Guess who's enjoying the extra goodies? Hint: It's not Sam.

I cannot say that our parents showed restraint. Bless them--they cannot stop when it comes to the only grandchild. To say that Sam racked up is an understatement. However, I'm not complaining. We have lots of entertainment for the cold nastiness of January.

And now, for the ridiculous amount of pictures...

Our annual cookie-making night. Sam thoroughly enjoyed the "paints."

I was told this weekend that Sam's hair is "frat-tastic." It's true.

Christmas Eve--not sure what's going on with Sam's eye in this picture.

He lovvveeess Buddy.

Snazzy Christmas outfit.

Christmas morning. The only thing he actually asked for was a guitar. The kid loves music.

New coloring set.

And play-doh. Which will only be used with adult supervision.

Let's not forget the fire truck.

Happy New Year!

Museum fun...

2010-12-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

The Mississippi Children's Museum opened up a few weeks ago, and we took Sam for his first visit this Saturday. I must say, I think they did an unbelievable job with it--it is AWESOME. He had an absolute blast. And for those of you who have girls, they have plenty of exhibits that are girly, which I think is really nice. It always seems like museums usually focus more on masculine things, so it was great to see dress up areas, stages, ballet barres, dance areas, etc. We were there when they opened, and we had no problems with crowds. Sam asked me today when we are going back to the museum--I have a feeling it will be soon.

Washing windows

Pumping gas with Dad

Working on some plumbing

Building his house--we watch a lot of HGTV

Shopping at the Farmer's Market

Painting/Drawing in the Art Area

Working in the stone quarry

Strumming his banjo.

Cooking waffles

Driving the shrimp boat

Racing cars

And yes, I know he needs a haircut. I'm working on it.

Why?

2010-12-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

Why in the world do children have to get sick in the middle of the night? Is it some unwritten cosmic rule?

I was asleep for maybe an hour last night before the puking began. And I am washing A LOT of sheets today. It's not pretty.

Here's hoping that tonight won't find me in the same situation.

Day three of...

2010-11-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

Getting up, passing my child off to my parents, going back to bed, getting back up, showering, putting on clean pj's, eating my mother's food, watching football, and re-reading Harry Potter for the umpteenth time. In short, it's been a glorious Thanksgiving holiday. GLORIOUS. If you're judging me for my laziness, it's just because you're jealous.

I hope that your holiday has been just as fabulous.

The schedule for this afternoon:

1. Sit on couch in pj's
2. Finish my book. Again.
3. Play Words With Friends
4. Watch football.
5. Eat peas, pork tenderloin, okra, macaroni and cheese, and chocolate cake
6. Pray that the bulldogs win.

Since I've been really slacking on my blogging, I'm cheating and posting a bunch of recent pics. I pinky-swear I'll be better about posting this month.

I cheated on Halloween this year, too. I figured that this year might be my last year to dictate what Sam wears for Halloween, so he wore last year's cute hamburger costume again. I'm sure next year he'll want to be something with an ugly mask. Blah.

A rare family pic before a cocktail party.

At a pajama party with Santa. (Santa declined to wear his pj's.) Sam was more interested in the reindeer suspended from the ceiling than in having his picture taken with Santa.

Playing in some leaves at Grandy and Mimi's.

Praying that his daddy is still in a good mood later tonight. Go Dawgs!

All I Do Is Win...

2010-10-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

I never said that winning is pretty, though. It certainly wasn't this past Saturday night. That "W" was ugly. However, 6 wins = bowl eligible no matter how unattractive and sloppy our team played. Christmas came early for Anthony this year, and he has spent some time today researching and booking hotel rooms in possible bowl locations. And yes, he realizes that we still have a nasty schedule remaining. Let him have his fun.

We were fortunate enough to have skybox tickets, and at one point I thought my husband was going to throw himself to the ground. Seriously. My mother-in-law graciously took Sam home after halftime, and that's when Anthony went into "Losing Is Not Fun With Sherm" mode. Anybody remember that guy? He's not cool to be around.

Family pic. Sam was interested in 3 things: The Jumbotron, the band, and his Papa's binoculars. He thought he could change the channel on the Jumbotron by using the tv remote. Good thing he can't because I don't think the student section would be happy with PBS on during the football game.

Sam had NO NAP at all that day, but did surprisingly well.

His nap the day after the game? 4 1/2 hours. He was spent.

Hayride & Pumpkin Patch...

2010-10-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

Last week Sam and I went with his little school on a hayride. Once he saw that he would be pulled behind a tractor, I think his year was made. It was a lot of fun, and he loved getting to pick out his pumpkin.

Not flattering of me for sure, but I have now become the mom who's never in pictures because she's always taking them. So I'm putting it up.

Checking out the goats and the cows.

Picking out his pumpkin. For some reason he thought you had to sit on a pumpkin to determine its suitability. Maybe he knows something I don't.

Running through the hay-maze. It was a big hit.

Cookie Monster...

2010-10-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know us personally are well aware of our fondness for sweets. Fondness is probably too mild of a term, but I'll roll with it anyway. A few weeks ago, I thought I'd get into the Halloween spirit and let Sam try his hand at baking. He had a big time.

And made a big mess.

Oh, well.

He had a ball...

2010-10-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

I know...I'm really, really, behind. I'm trying to rectify this problem, so please excuse my backlog of pictures.

At the Georgia game this year, I was fortunate enough to have my entire family in town, which NEVER happens anymore. Both brothers were in attendance, and the Bulldogs were able to pull off a much needed win against, well, the other bulldogs. I was just glad the guys in maroon won. It was also Bulldog Bash that weekend, so while we sweltered in the sun, Sam enjoyed himself quite thoroughly.

Apparently it's way more fun to throw the balls out of the ball pit while telling everyone within hearing distance what color they are.

"Red, blue, anutta blue, yellow, geen, anutta yellow, geen, arnij..." (Obviously this is Samspeak. I try my best to stay away from heinous spelling errors, but I'm only human.)

He could have done this for hours. I, however, could not. Did I mention how hot it was?

To get him out of the ballpit, I convinced him to get his face painted. He wasn't so sure about it at first, but then he warmed up to the idea.

Post-game. One of the very few adult pictures I have of my brothers (and my dad.) My mom had taken one for the team and had left much earlier with a very hot and tired Sam. I realize I look disgusting here, but have I mentioned how blooming hot is was that day?

Do we look alike? Most people think so. Does Sam look like me? Most people don't think so.

Dear Bulldogs,

2010-10-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you.

Thank you for making my Saturday fabulous even though I never left the comfort of my home. Thank you for showing the nation that we are not an automatic win on everyone else's schedule. Thanks for battling in hostile territory against a team who, in all honesty, has more talent. Thank you for my constant feeling of nausea for approximately 3 hours. Thank you for trying your hardest for 60 minutes. Thank you for making my husband scream, flail, and do strange dances in the living room. Thank you for the great publicity you gave our wonderful university. Thank you for making me feel as if I were in college again. Thank you for getting us just a little closer to making plans for a bowl game. Thank you for letting me be a proud member of the Bulldog Nation. I always love you, Bullies. It's just that tonight I love you a whole lot more.

I won't mention that you may have made my husband tear up with happiness tonight--not that he minded at all.

Much love and Hail State!

Why is it that...

2010-10-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sam is always waaaay more excited to see his daddy than me? Don't get me wrong--the kid loves me, but when I walk in from somewhere, his response is, "Oh,--hey, Mom." As in, "I thought someone was missing, but I wasn't really worried about it."

When Anthony walks in, it's like a ticker-tape parade around here. "It's Dad! It's Dad! Come here, Dad. Let's play basketball."

Maybe I should start shooting hoops.

Sometimes I feel like somebody's watchin' me...

2010-10-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

So I may have mentioned that the house we bought last May had been sitting unoccupied for quite a while. At least it was unoccupied by humans.

Shortly after moving in, we awoke to the sound of bumps and thumps in the attic. Quite unnerving at 3:00 in the a.m., let me tell you. The guy who was working on our house at the time told us that it was probably squirrels or raccoons. He sprayed some fox urine (yes, you read correctly--I don't know who in the world collects or sells fox urine, but it must be an interesting line of work) in the eaves of our house, and we didn't have visitors for about 6 weeks. We thought everything was fine.

Then fall actually decided to flirt with the idea of sticking around. Our furry friend(s?) got cold and decided to move back in. Not cool. They are noisy neighbors, and they never pay rent. We knew there was no choice but to call....The Critter Catcher. Yep, that's his title. Seriously.

He came and set a no-kill trap, and the next morning we met our squatter.

She's awfully cute, isn't she? I was glad to know that The Critter Catcher takes the animals back out into the country and releases them into their natural habitat. It made me feel better about evicting our raccoon friend.

Admit it...

2010-09-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

Pretty much every woman in the world finds it attractive if a man is musically inclined--especially the piano or guitar. (Unless you're the guy who was almost 50, three sheets to the wind, and playing the guitar ALL AFTERNOON LONG before the Georgia game. You, my friend, need to find another way to pick up chicks.) But I digress...

All I know is when I was a freshman, it seemed that a guy could be a little short in the looks/personality department, yet still have plenty of dates because he could strum a tune. My friends, Sam has already figured out that music opens up all kinds of doors in the dating world. However, his instrument of choice is the oh-so-soothing...

Xylophone.

Laugh now, but the kid can kill it. I'll be happy to send him to your house for practice sessions. Just let me know.

Season Opener...

2010-09-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday was eventful to say the least. Where to even start?

My dear, sweet, husband had worked his hardest to secure a place for us to stay as a family after the ballgame. On our way into town, we decided to find it and check it out. Well, let's just say that after seeing it, I was extremely skeptical, and that's an understatement. I think what I actually said was, "I hope nobody's cooking crystal meth next door." Seriously. Not exaggerating. Not even a little.

However...maintaining Anthony's gameday mentality is a must. It's what he lives for, and I didn't want to ruin the day. I can deal with just about anything for one night, right? It's okay if there are stray animals on a gravel road with dirty diapers in the driveway--I can deal. I just kept telling myself that.

Moving on. Sam's performance was pretty darn good. Except for the fact that we've been working on potty-training, and he chose Saturday to have stomach issues. TMI. I know. He really was great. He loves a cowbell, and he loves Bully, so Saturday was a great day for him. He ate an inordinate amount of sweets, but that's no real surprise.

Anthony went into the game and left the 2 of us at our tailgate to watch the game there. I got to see us come out of the tunnel, and then....kids throwing a football knocked over the satellite. I didn't get to see the game at all. Ask me how unhappy I was. Just ask me.

I'll tell you. I was furious. We had warned them multiple times to watch out, but they didn't seem to care. And they were old enough to know better. I was bitter to say the least.

Anthony came out at the half to get some tylenol for a headache, and we decided that we would leave a check for the people whose house we rented, mess up the sheets, and head home after the game. Thank. The. Lord.

It was a long day with some complications, but Sam was great, the Dawgs played well, and I didn't have to stay in a crack-house. Pretty good day.

Gameday Eve Schedule...

2010-09-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

1. Arrive at practice facility in my shiny ride. Check out my rims--8 1/2 inches.

2. Sign some autographs. Go over my playbook one last time with the coaches. Looks like I need to be on my best behavior tomorrow. I don't want any penalty flags thrown, and I certainly don't want to burn all of my timeouts.

3. Pre-game meal. Nothing gets me ready for gameday like PB&J with juice.

4. Watch some game film.

5. Take one last nap---with my pom pom. (and my books, xylophone, blocks, and George sheets.)

We're ready.

Can I Get An Amen...

2010-08-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I complain about this every year. Does anybody else have the trouble that I do finding something appropriate to wear to the first football game of the year? It is such a pain, and it stresses me out every time.

For those of you who live in cool weather climates, this isn't a problem. For the residents of the Dirty South, it's a massive issue. I don't know about you, but I hate buying super summery stuff this late in the fall, especially when Labor Day is this weekend. On top of that, all stores are pushing their fall/winter merchandise, which I won't be able to wear until at least October because of the heat.

My criteria for football wear:

1. In the heat I prefer a dress--nothing binding, lots of breathing room.

2. Something that doesn't require "special" undergarments. Who wants to deal with that all day?

3. An outfit that isn't too short, but not too long. I'm not that tall.

4. Something that I can wear with fairly comfortable shoes, but I'm willing to sacrifice some comfort for some cuteness.

5. And the kicker for this week--they've asked MSU fans to wear white. Since I'm chasing Sam at the tailgate, I can't even go into the game, but I'd like to at least try to be in the spirit. I'm hoping cream will count, because it's all I've got.

Next week they're asking for people to wear maroon, which is a whole 'nother bag of tricks. I wish other schools knew how good they have it when trying to buy something cute in their respective colors.

Blue? Easy. Red? Beyond easy. Purple? Not quite as easy, but doable.

Maroon? Wow. Just wow. I usually end up in something magenta and call it a day.

If anyone out there has some secret football-wear store, fess up. And don't tell me to wear a jersey with jeans. Homegirl doesn't do that.

Hail State!

Ain't Life Grand...

2010-08-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we packed up and headed down for our annual trip to the Grand Hotel. We've gone the past 3 years, and we love it. When I'm down there, I sometimes feel like I'm on a second honeymoon--except that I'm with a 2-year-old. My fabulous in-laws were gracious enough to take us down, babysit a lot, and foot the bill. We booked a ton of pool time and quite a bit of lying around time. I even got a massage courtesy of the husband. Lazy days = happy mom.

We fed the ducks...

...and fed them some more...

...and a little bit more just to make sure they were full.

Like his Elvis face? This was before he broke his grandparents' camera. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Family pic. Excuse my frizziness. It was humid.

One more

Now you know where Sam's curls came from.

2009

2010

Colonel Mustard, in the library, with the candlestick...

2010-08-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that I'm a part of a bookclub. I was invited by a friend a couple of years ago, and through this group I've made some amazing friends. I cannot express how lucky I am to call all of them my friends. We get together once a month, gossip, imbibe, and discuss the pick of the month. Good times.

A few months ago, one of our number mentioned that she had hosted a Murder Mystery Party for some friends, and that it was a lot of fun. It didn't take long for us to decide that we had to have one ourselves, and that it was a mandatory event for all spouses.

It wasn't fun. It was epic--one of the most fun nights I've had in a while, and Anthony enjoyed himself, too. (So much so that he stayed in bed much longer than I did the next day.) I wish I could give a play-by-play of the night, but I would probably get a lot of people in trouble. Let's just say there were some people not exactly on their best behavior.

We chose the Jersey/Mafia Wedding kit. There were gold chains, fedoras, fake earrings, bridesmaids' dresses, terrible suits, and a lot of "bumpits" going on that night. We even had a wedding cake. Everyone had his or her own character and script to follow. It was ridiculously fun. Again, I would post more pictures, but I value my friends, and I need to protect the innocent.

I feel like this pic is safe enough. From left to right:

Stacy Sultry, Grandma Selma, Gina Giovanni, and Darlene Simpson. Yes, I'm wearing black gloves.

It's Dangerous Being a State Fan...

2010-08-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Remember my son's obsession with cowbells? (See below.)

I always knew that they should probably be classified as weapons. I fervently believe that they can do just as much damage as nunchucks. We have several bells in our arsenal, and one of them is an actual bell from a cow--that's a story for another day. Anyway, it's heavy. A couple of weeks ago, Sam got it down from its spot on the bookshelf and promptly dropped it on his toe. Cringe. The toe turned black within an hour or so, and we had the pleasure of heading to the pediatrician's. Our doc informed me that he could relieve the toe pain by making a small hole in Sam's toenail. Double-cringe. I was the lucky lady who got to hold down my child during the process, which actually wasn't that bad. They used a small cauterization tool, and I'm told it doesn't hurt. Let's hope so.

Bottom line--watch out for those cowbells. You can lose a toe.

Communal Cowbell

2010-08-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, my husband is a long-suffering, extremely passionate MSU fan. Some people hunt, some people play music, Anthony follows all things in Maroon and White. I like to read; Anthony likes to tailgate. We've followed our dawgs to a College World Series, a Cotton Bowl, and almost every venue in the SEC, among other things. I've watched him have the time of his life when we win, and I've watched him throw--and break I might add--a cell phone out the window when we lose. (Which, let's face it...the past few years we've lost a lot.) This passion could affect Sam in one of two ways:

1. He'll be just like his father.
2. He'll resent it and attend school somewhere else out of pure spite.

We attend an Episcopal church. Before communion, they chime a bell at certain periods when presenting the Eucharist. When they chimed the bell this past Sunday, Sam very loudly said, "I hear a cowbell."

I'm going with option one.

Seasonal Fatigue Syndrome...

2010-07-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

I love summer, really I do. It's by far one of my favorite seasons. But every year around this time I start yearning for a cool breeze, some football, and a significant drop in temperature. And I hate to "story-top" but if you don't live in LA, MS, AL, TN, FL, or GA, you have no idea what hot is. Don't argue with me, just trust me. I mean, who in the world enjoys 98 degree heat with 110 degree heat index and humidity that smacks you in the face? And I realize that as soon as I enjoy a few weeks of winter, I'll be wanting summer back again. I'm fickle like that.

Right now we're surviving on popsicles, AC, and mosquito repellent that doesn't always work.

Get a move on, fall. I know that you'll drag your feet, and you probably won't show up until November, but I'd appreciate it if you could get us some relief just a tad bit sooner.

We have had a seriously busy couple of months between moving, a trip to the beach, a fabulous wedding in North Carolina, and a quick trip to Memphis. I'm looking forward to the next few weekends--we have nothing going on, and it will be nice to park on the sofa for a few days. If you need me, that's where I'll be--with a popsicle.

Vacation hangover...

2010-07-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

We just returned from our annual beach vacay, and contrary to what most people think, we didn't see any evidence of the mess that BP has left in our Gulf Coast. I know we were lucky, and I'm really glad we were able to truly enjoy the beach. Let's face it; it may be awhile before we can go back and actually get in the water.

This was our first week-long vacation with Sam in tow. I wish you could understand the amount of junk we had in our cars. (We took two vehicles--my parents went with us.) Toys, clothes, food, inflatable swimming accessories, bedrails, a potty chair...we looked like the Clampetts.

I had a list a mile long of things to pack for our trip. Anthony offered to help, but his priorities differ from mine. While I was finding things to keep a child entertained on a 6-hour long drive, Anthony's mind was on other things. The first item he packed? This:

And I'm not kidding. Not one bit. It's the very first thing the man put together. Then he left to go buy cigars. Sheesh.

The week was fabulous, and overall the weather was great. Sam was a HUGE fan of the sand, and he preferred to stay on the beach and play in it. He wasn't too keen on the waves, which is fine by me. I'm a huge chicken when it comes to the ocean. I've seen Jaws waaaaayyy too many times.

Like I said, he loved the sand. It covered every inch of his body most days.

Since my parents came with us, we were able to sneak off a couple days and hang out with some friends of ours who were also down for the week. They had rented a beach house in Grayton, and their house had a private pool. Before leaving for FL, they spent $9.99 on this:

Best. Purchase. Ever. That, my friends, is a pool volleyball net. I'm pretty sure we spent at least 15 hrs. in the water playing volleyball. We had the absolute best time. And it's a pretty good workout, too. Sadly, I am not a good player at all, but I still had a fabulous time. I highly recommend this purchase at your local Walgreens or CVS.

What's going on...

2010-07-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been so boring lately. Actually, I've had tons of stuff to blog about, but then something happens, and I feel guilty that I haven't written about previous happenings. It's a blogjam, really.

To recap the past couple of weeks, Sam has been busy. I know, shocker. We have found out that he is crazy sensitive to mosquitoes. Need proof?

No, that's not Rocky Balboa. That's my child. His right eye was almost completely swollen shut. I'm afraid to take him outside at all for fear of this happening again. It's the 2nd time this summer that he's gotten bitten near his eye, and it's a problem, because the last time I checked, you can't spray "OFF!" around a kid's eyes. He looked pitiful for 4 days.

He got a little bored since he had to stay inside so much, so he decided to entertain himself by getting into the "frigrator" and cooking with some raw eggs...on my floor. Exciting. How sad is it that I went and got the camera before correcting the problem?

That's right. Rub those eggs into all the crevices in mommy's tile.

Notice the eye that's still funky. I think this was day 3.

And what have I been up to? Glad you asked. I was one of those insane people who went to the movie at midnight on Tuesday/Weds. to see the first possible viewing of Eclipse. Go ahead, make fun. I accepted my nerd status a long time ago, and I have no problem with it whatsoever. Did I read the books? Uh, yes. When I was 9 months pregnant with the darling cherub above, I retreated to a town named Forks with a hot vampire named Edward. (And if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you may want to check your pulse. Sidenote--Eddie doesn't have a pulse.) I like to think that the Cullen gang helped me get though the last few weeks of an uncomfortable pregnancy.

Anyway, a group of girls met up for some pre-movie Mexican and adult beverages. We then headed to the theater...at 10 o'clock. You know you're old when you look at your watch and think, "I should have been in bed an hour ago." We powered through though, and I will be seeing it again. Preferably when there's not a disgusting redneck woman talking to the screen as if Edward and Jacob are going to talk back. Seriously. I'm not lying. She had a full-on one-sided conversation at one point. This was also while she was apparently guzzling beers. We kept hearing the tell-tell pop of a can opening, and the way she was acting, I don't think it was a contraband Coca-cola.

Have a happy 4th!

Memo to parents...

2010-06-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

For the handful of people who read my ramblings, you know that my sweet, (once) chunky, baby boy has just turned two. And he has embraced this whole terrible twos thing with relish. I don't know which kid on the playground told him that his head had to start spinning just because of a number, but I really don't appreciate it. I mean, I certainly wasn't thrilled to turn the big 3-0, but I didn't catch an attitude. Anyway, the number 2 is definitely giving us a run for our money around here. A few things of note for all you parents out there.

1. "Mine" becomes the most integral word in their vocabulary. As in, "Give Mommy her nail polish back. It's not paint." Sam's response--"No. Mine. Sam's polish." The kid has gotten as territorial as a mother grizzly bear.

2. Going to the grocery store feels like heading to war. Sam used to be the best "grocery store baby." He would sit contentedly in his little seat, and I would peacefully peruse the goods. Not anymore. First of all, he finally noticed those wretchedly gross grocery cart "cars." You know, the ones that should probably require a commercial license to drive? The ones that look like they are NEVER sanitized? Yes, those. He's also figured out how to unbuckle his little seatbelt and bolt into the oncoming cart traffic. On top of all this, he also thinks he should help me shop, which means I get to the checkout with a random bottle of barbecue sauce, some marshmallows, and a bottle of chocolate syrup.

I try my best to get in and out as quickly as possible. I look like I'm on that tv show, "Super Market Sweep."

3. The transition to the "big boy bed." Wowsers. Never knew how much this would affect me. When Sam was in his crib, he might wake up early, but he went back to sleep because he couldn't get out of the crib. Now, he just rolls right on in to our room...at 5:00. We have now put a gate on his door. Is that a fire hazard?

He wears me out, but he sure is fun.

So there you have it. 3 things you should know about 2-year-olds.

VBS...

2010-06-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

So this past week I volunteered at our church to help with Vacation Bible School. Sam isn't quite old enough, but they had the nursery open for him, and the fab nursery staff did all kinds of fun activities with him. He had a great time. I had a learning experience.

I thought when I said "volunteer" I'd be putting out snacks or helping with arts and crafts. Wrong. I got my assignment last Sunday night--4 year olds. Then I looked at my roster--they weren't quite 4 yet...almost all of them were rising 4 year olds. Big difference, people. Okay, no big deal. I can deal with 4 year olds, right? Until I saw that on Monday we would be short handed and that I would be handling 8 little tots completely on my on. That's when I got a little nervous.

Here's what I found out this week.

1. There are some super cute kids in this world.
2. There are also some super difficult kids in this world.
3. The super difficult child will intentionally ignore you. You will spend the majority of the time chasing this child thereby making it hard to enjoy the others.
4. Keeping 8 4 year olds together is a lot like herding cats.
5. Primary school teachers deserve a WHOLE lot more respect. There's a reason I taught high school.
6. You know farmer tans? There's such a thing as a VBS playground tan.
7. Lisps are pretty endearing.
8. Remember the difficult child? Well, he decided to pour dirt and glitter into my Tory Burch handbag when I wasn't looking. Cleaning that out was not fun.

This Bud's for you...

2010-06-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

Our Memorial Day was spent on the back deck eating ribs and drinking a few adult beverages. Sam thought he'd help his daddy out and play bartender. Do you think this kid has watched his dad open a beer with his t-shirt?

And don't worry, Mom. As soon as I took this hilarious pic, we steered him away from brewskis.

He's going to fit right in at the Sigma Chi house.

Home Sweet Home...

2010-05-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

We're in. Finally. The men are still working on converting an extra bedroom, but for the most part, our new home is finally livable. I'm so happy I could sing, but I'll spare you. The past few weeks have been incredibly chaotic and stressful, but it was definitely worth it. It's soooo nice to have plenty of room, a lovely, old, established yard, and neighbors who continue to drop by with welcomes. I even have some empty cabinets and drawers--seriously shocking.

I've also been asked to "Go to the river" with my worker friend, "Cockeye." While dressed in his signature jorts and shirtless combo, he asked me my Memorial Day plans. When I made the mistake of saying that we didn't have much in the works, he insisted on my coming to the river with him. He even told me he'd pick me up. I'm not exactly sure what river he's talking about--the Pearl? I didn't really pursue this conversation. I guess the whole wedding ring thing doesn't serve as a deterrent for him. Yet another reason why I'll be glad when they're completely through with the house.

I would attempt to write about everything that's gone on, but it would take me forever. So, here's a summation of what has happened in the past few weeks.

Paint, paint, and lots more paint...Sam turned 2--sniff...Curious George birthday party with family...lots and lots of yard work by my brother and my dad--thanks a bunch, guys...furniture rearranging...more trips to Target than I care to remember...a book club gathering in the new place...several awesome summer evenings on the deck...restocking of the pantry and fridge resulting in astronomical grocery bills...no internet for over a week...a couple of illnesses for Sam and me...a serious lack of sleep...decorating anxiety...

Aren't you glad I refrained from posting about the above nonsense? You would have been bored to tears--if you already aren't.

Happy Memorial Day!

Right now....

2010-05-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

there is an interesting snapshot of America in my future home.Yes, they are still working on the new house. And what an interesting "they" indeed.

This morning I walked into my future home to check on the progress. I was greeted by...

2 shirtless men
1 mullet
Several piercings
A plethora of tattoos depicting scantily clad women
1 cockeye
A plumber's crack or two
Lots and lots of cigarettes

I am not making any of this up. I didn't even have to exaggerate. God love them, they're working hard, and I'll give them some serious credit--they're polite as can be.

The move-in date has been moved to at least Monday, which probably means more like next Wednesday. Does anybody out there know if there is a patron saint of carpenters and painters? I need to put in a prayer or two. Lizbeth and Laura, I know Marilyn would know the answer to this question.

Turn out lights, the party's over...

2010-05-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

We have officially been out of our house for 8 days. I spent the last few hours sweeping and mopping, and I really felt like I was holding it together...until I walked by Sam's empty room. The walls were still baby blue, but there were no toys, no books, no crib. I had a small personal crisis, but I managed to pull myself together. We turned off the lights, locked it up, and walked away from our sweet home.

It has been a truly chaotic couple of weeks with no end in sight. I have been told by my husband that I better be happy in this new house because we will live there until we die. Right now, I can't disagree.

Speaking of the new house, we're not in it right now. Our new casa needs quite a bit of love and tenderness before we can actually live there. We are painting every inch of it, changing out some light fixtures, and replacing a ceiling. The paint alone is a pretty big job, but there is no way I'm living with puke peach paint. And I mean peach. Did I mention the country blue paisley wallpaper? No offense if you're into that kind of thing, but it's just not me, so we're getting rid of it.

While we are waiting on the new place to be habitable, we are bunking with my in-laws. They have graciously taken in 2 adults, a 23-month-old, and a stinky Boston Terrier.

The first few nights no one slept. Sam's crib is in their guest room, and sleep doesn't really happen when a soon-to-be-2-year-old rolls over and sees his parents in the same room. He ended up in bed with us several times, which resulted in my getting kicked all night long and Anthony ending up on the couch. We finally retreated to the extra bedroom, which means that we are sleeping in separate twin beds a la June and Ward Cleaver. Let's just hope I don't start turning black and white and vacuuming with pearls on.

Why you should never move...

2010-04-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

1. Because you will put on a Curious George DVD in an attempt to occupy your child long enough to pack some things. Said child will somehow find a Sharpie that was accidentally left around and decide to decorate your quilt that your deceased grandmother made for you. And the Sharpie Company isn't kidding when they advertise that whole permanent thing.

2. Because no matter how much you pack, your things still seem to multiply like mogwais who have gotten wet and/or eaten after midnight.

3. Because after your child marks up your quilt, he will then decide to get into your jewelry and lose one of your diamond earrings...the ones you wore on your wedding day that you planned to pass on to a daughter or granddaughter. Yes, those.

4. Because your husband will be required to go out of town for work the week of the move. He won't be back until the day you sign the closing papers. This means you watch an almost 2-year-old while packing up the rest of the things. It's not pretty. Not at all.

If you're like me, you're reading this and thinking, "Well, if she has so much to do, why is she blogging?" The answer is---I have no idea. I have been informed that we will probably live in the new house until we die thereby avoiding all this hassle a 2nd time. Let's hope we're happy there.

In all seriousness, we're incredibly fortunate and really excited. I'm just a touch overwhelmed, and I needed to whine a little. Wah.

Chaos reigns supreme...

2010-04-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

at our house right now. We move in a week--that's right, a week. I have boxes stacked up in every corner of our home, and it's driving me insane. The really fun aspect of this is that we won't even be able to truly move into the new casa because we're having some work done as soon as the ink on our contract is dry. We will be bunking with my lovely in-laws in the meantime. (And I'm not being sarcastic, they actually are lovely people.) The next few weeks should be interesting, that's for sure.

Patience is not a virtue that I was blessed with, and I'm dying to start arranging furniture, hanging pictures, dressing windows, you name it. And I'm really tired of finding that I need something only to realize that it's already packed up in a box somewhere.

Sam, of course, is somehow blissfully unaware of the stress in our home right now. As long as the world continues to revolve around him, he's fine. It is supposed to revolve around him, right?

I'm alive...

2010-04-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

It's not that I don't have a million pictures--I do. I probably have too many since my blogging has been put on the backburner. We just have a TON going on right now--trips to the zoo, warm afternoons spent outside, my older brother came to visit, and Easter. And did I mention we're moving? My house is in a perpetual state of chaos right now. I have boxes coming out of my ears, and no matter how much I pack, it doesn't seem to make a dent. Highly frustrating.

And before I go on, I apologize for any typos...I'm usually a total grammar snob, and it makes me crazy to see errors 3 days later. However, my eyes are giving me fits. I don't know what's going on, but I'm having a horrible time seeing things up close. My peepers are already in terrible shape--my prescription is
-5.75. Yes, seriously...but they appear to be getting worse. Hooray.

Anywho...Now that Mother Nature has decided to grace us with spring, we have been taking full advantage. Sam had a fun-filled trip to the zoo a few weekends ago, and he was full-throttle the entire time. He'd look at one exhibit for a minute, then turn and ask to see, "Mo, mo, animals," and proceed to take off in his version of a sprint. It was hilarious. I don't know why he has to say "mo" (more) twice. I guess he loves being redundant.

Checking out the monkeys

We were lucky to be there when they were feeding Casper, the giraffe. Sam was able to get up close and personal. Really close.

Overall it was a really good day. They've opened up the new tiger exhibit, and I think they've done a good job considering the very limited financial resources they have.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but Sam has a Carrie Bradshawesque fascination with shoes. He wants them on at all times, and he's not afraid to try on his father's or his mother's kicks. When his Uncle Brent came to visit, he thought he'd walk a mile in his boots. It didn't work out so well for him. The boots came past his knees, so there wasn't a whole lot of walking going on.

To wrap things up, we had a pretty full Easter week--3 egg hunts total. (I can't tell you the number of plastic eggs that are now in the recycling bin.) Sam was a bit tentative at the first egghunt, but once he found out there was "chocit" inside, he was an egg-finding-maniac. He definitely (and unfortunately) has his parents' penchant for sweets.

Figuring it all out

Chowing down on his Easter cookie. Don't even think about trying to take it from him.

My view on the ride home. And no, I didn't take a picture while driving.

2nd egghunt. Same outfit. You can only wear bunnies for so long, so you've got to get it in when you can.

Trying to open the egg.

His loot

Easter Sunday. He wouldn't smile...probably because I had him in knee socks.

3rd egghunt at the church

Loving on his great-grandmother

Toilet trouble...

2010-03-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

I thought I could take 10 minutes to check my e-mail, facebook, etc. without incident. I am stupid. Very, very, stupid.

In the time it took me to sit down and get on the internet, Sam had gotten a cup off the bar, taken it to the back, opened a door that he's not supposed to open, dipped the cup in the toilet water, and, well, he drank it. Disgusting. If you see us today, you may want to refrain from kissing my child.

The good news is I cleaned the toilets yesterday.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig...

2010-03-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, we finally made it home. I have never been so happy to set foot on familiar soil. Of course, the Memphis Airport greeted our 10:40 p.m. flight by taking over an hour to get our luggage off the plane. Sweet, sweet, people--they really know how to serve.

Do you ever take vacations only to get home and feel like you need a vacation after your vacation? That's how we felt. We were tired, our clothes were dirty, and our house was filthy. It was not a fun way to kick off the week. I can't complain too much, though. We had a great time, and I've held off from posting pictures because my brother was supposed to be sending me all of the pictures that he took. He hasn't. (That's right, Blake--I'm calling you out.) My camera is a huge Canon Rebel, (which I love) but its size isn't conducive to taking pictures while skiing. Or attempting to ski. Or falling down--a lot.

Our first day in Aspen, we were pretty tired since Sam had kept us up the night before with his illness. We also got slapped in the face with some serious altitude. An elevation of 7,890 feet takes some serious adjustment. Walking up 6 steps makes you feel like your heart will jump out of your chest. Anyway, we did take a gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain and have some drinks, so that was a beautiful and yummy way to kick off our trip.

The lifts to Aspen Mountain.

Top of the mountain.

On our second day, we ate a delicious breakfast of oatmeal pancakes--yummers. The rest of the day we took advantage of Aspen's awesome, clean, FREE public transit, and tooled around town.

I honestly don't remember where this is, but it's pretty, isn't it?

My brother and me. I know, I know...why is he so tall and I'm so short? I've asked myself that question many, many times.

Blake and Anthony

The Frozen Marshmallow and Anthony

And on the third day, God said, "Let the land produce vegetation." Kidding--wrong third day.

On our third day, I "learned" how to ski. This consisted of falling down--over and over and over again. My brother is primarily a snowboarder, so he helped the best he could, but I was on my rear the majority of the day. I managed to get off the ski lift properly the first time but immediately fell down. Here's what people don't tell you about learning to ski---it's really, really, hard to get up once you fall. At least it was for me. And the snow on the bunny slopes was pretty darn packed, so I have a couple of really nice bruises. I thought my entire backside was going to be 9 shades of purple, but it wasn't as bad as I had predicted.

I did have a small panic attack getting off the lift the 4th go round because my ski got tangled in Anthony's. I did what any sensible person would do...when Anthony got off, I just stayed on. They had to stop the lift to get me off. At that point, I just didn't care that I looked like a complete idiot. I laughed at myself a lot that day--a whole lot.

By my last few runs down the bunny slopes, I had gotten the hang of it enough to stay upright. Given, I made myself go as slowly as possible. I wasn't bending my knees and flying down hills; I was just trying to remain on my feet. It was a victory in my book.

We stayed at a great condo in Snowmass Friday night, and skied there on Saturday. Luckily, Blake's girlfriend is a fabulous skier, and she was there to coach me through that day. Bless her heart--she's used to going much, much, faster on much harder slopes, but she stuck by me throughout the day. I don't think I thanked her enough for her patience with me.

I had a lot of fun on Saturday. Mind you, I still fell down on the ski path, off the ski path, in trees, you name it. My crew convinced me I was ready for a "green," and I decided to go for it. I made it okay except for one hill where I got a little out of control and couldn't stop. Everybody was waiting for me, and I just kept going--I truly ate it in a major way. Head first, snow in my mouth, you name it.

We hung out at the bar at the bottom of the mountain to watch the Dawgs beat Vandy, and it was a great way to cap off a fun day. All in all, it was super fun, and I would definitely like to go again.

But I don't think I'll fly into Aspen Airport. Unless it's summer.

"Look kids. Big Ben, Parliament."

2010-03-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

We've had a great time in Aspen--really, we have. And I'll give full disclosure complete with ridiculous pictures of me in ski gear at a later date. Right now, all I want to do is complain. Forgive me.

We were supposed to have left Aspen yesterday at 5:45. By around 11:00 last night I was suppposed to have seen my child, kissed his fat cheeks, and rejoiced at being back home No such luck.

We got to the airport yesterday around 4:30 only to be greeted by a really long check-in line. At first, I was just worried about the length of the line. Then it hit me--the line wasn't moving. At all. Anthony went to check the departure board. When he came back, the look on his face wasn't reassuring. He then said words that I absolutely didn't want to hear, "Our flight to Denver is delayed. We're going to miss our connection." Let me tell you, it was all I could do not to cry. We continued to wait in an epic line in order to speak with the airline about our options. After waiting about an hour and 1/2, the attendant came over the loud speaker and announced that our flight was now canceled. I thought I would puke. Everyone in line around us was panicking, including me.

Flights couldn't get out due to high winds in the mountains.
Snow was due to move in overnight.
All flights the next day were completely booked because of spring-breakers, and even those flights might not get out.
All shuttles to Denver had already left for the day.

And did I mention there was a huge rock slide last week that blocked part of the highway from Aspen to Denver?

I'm pretty sure I looked completely crazed. Actually, I know I did.

As I continued to stand in a meaningless line, Anthony left to see what else we could do. He returned with rental car keys and the news that we were going to make the supposedly 3 hour drive to Denver so that we could hopefully have more options. As we were leaving, we noticed another desperate-looking woman with a 7-year-old boy. Anthony stopped and offered to give her a ride. As soon as she opened her mouth, we knew she was from the South. Hilarious. Turns out she's from Memphis, TN.

So there we were--4 Southerners heading out in a rented Toyota Corolla trying to drive to Denver. We made it with relative ease through the rockslide area, and we felt like we had made the right decision. Until it started pouring snow and ice. Nothing is more reassuring than seeing signs that say, "Sharp incline ahead," or, "Check your brakes," or, "Trucks must use tire chains," as your husband is driving through mountains on solid sheets of ice. I prayed a lot last night--a whole lot. It went a little something like this--"Dear God, just please let us see our child again. I don't want him to be an orphan."

After driving for almost 2 hours in the ice, we decided to pull over and check into a hotel. It was after 10:00, and we were exhausted. Poor Anthony was spent, and he didn't think we should risk driving in the ice any more even though we were less than 20 miles from Denver. We all agreed.

After checking in, we got on the phone with the airline again and tried to reschedule our flight. We got some pretty good news--they could get us on a 10:45 flight today, which would put us in Memphis at 2:30. Awesome. The lady confirmed the flight and said she would e-mail us the itinerary. There was just one problem--when we got the itinerary we understood why it was so easy for her to reschedule--she booked our flight for January 15, 2011. I am not making this up. We had to call back, AGAIN. We finally got in touch with a lady who understood our situation, and she explained that the only flight available was a 7:30 flight tonight. They couldn't do anything more because flights were already a mess due to storms here and on the East Coast. Everything left was booked because of spring break.

So here I sit, in a hotel in Evergreen, CO, praying that our 7:30 flight tonight actually gets off the ground.

If they make a sequel to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, we may be starring in it.

"Harry, my hands are freezing."

2010-03-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

Salutations from the Rocky Mountain State! While most of you are enjoying the arrival of spring, we are learning that March does not equal warmth in Aspen, CO. It was supposed to be about 76 degrees in Memphis yesterday. Tonight the low here will be 3. Yes...3.

We're out for a brief and much-needed visit with my youngest brother. Boy, talk about a different culture. This place is beautiful, clean, and ski-obsessed. The town is so nice you almost feel like you're on a movie set. We are going for my first attempt at skiing tomorrow morning. It should be comical to say the least. I'm sure I'll have lots of funny anecdotes after that experience.

As for Sam, my parents are keeping him for us. Of course, the night before we left, he decided that he would get sicker than he's ever been in his short life . I was up with him literally all night long--I think I got a total of 1 1/2 hours of sleep that night. High fever, coughing, vomiting...just awful. We tried to push our flight, but since we couldn't, my parents and older brother graciously took control. They took him to the pediatrician and he was diagnosed with a double ear infection AND strep throat. One word--PITIFUL. Say a prayer that he recovers soon.

Home Sweet Home?

2010-03-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

We have exciting news...No, I'm not pregnant--sorry to disappoint. A few weeks ago we sold our house! We've now gone through the inspection, and it looks as if everything is going to go through. We couldn't be more excited or more thankful, especially since the housing market is still in such a quagmire. We had actually decided to take the sign out of our yard during December, and we thought we'd try again as it got warmer. Before we put the sign back out, a realtor called us saying that a young couple had seen our house in the fall, and they were interested in taking a look. We didn't really want to get our hopes up, but they loved it. Fingers crossed, we will close on April 23rd.

Which brings me to my other exciting news--we think we have found our new home. We signed a contract yesterday and are now waiting on an inspection on that house. I am beyond thrilled to (hopefully) have more space. Since Sam's arrival, space has been at a premium, and we have been in serious need of more storage room. It's a tiny bit sad, though. Our current house is where Anthony asked me to marry him, it was our first home, and it's been Sam's only home. I will be a little teary the day we close the doors for the last time. I have been either completely overwhelmed or so excited I feel I will burst.

Have I already picked out paint colors? Yes.

Have I already been looking at new furniture? Yes.

Do I have file folders filled with decorating ideas? Yes.

Am I jumping the gun? Probably. So pray for my sake and my sanity that this process goes well and works out. So far, so good.

Epic hair...

2010-02-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Check out Sam's post-nap afro. I prayed and prayed for his curls--God certainly delivered. I love them so much.

Blah...

2010-02-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

It's not been a fun weekend, folks. I take that back--it started out fun, but ended pretty miserably. Friday night we actually paid for a babysitter and went out to eat with some friends. We had a great time...until about 5:45 Saturday morning. That's when I got sick--really sick. I'm talking 12 hours of not-keeping-anything-down-I-didn't-realize-my-toilet-looked-like-this-please-God-make-it-stop-vomit. I could hardly stand up I was so weak. TMI? Probably...you'll just have to forgive me. I feel better today, mainly thanks to a phenergan I was able to keep down long enough to take effect. I am still tired, and my whole body is sore.

While I was sickly, my sweet husband took care of Sam, me, and the house. He got me anything I needed and was Dr. Dad for the day. However, when I finally emerged from our bedroom this morning, it looked like Geoffrey the Giraffe had gotten sick all over our living room. I give you exhibit A:

No, our house is not in Baghdad, and no, we were not burglarized. This is how much damage an almost-2-year-old can do when everyone is just trying to survive. He had "colored" all over the tile floor, gotten out every ball he owns, broken his chair, and dumped his blocks out in the center of the room. Walking through there was like dodging land mines. Notice the bar stools on their sides...that's because Sam climbs up them and gets on the counter. He thinks it's hilarious to do this over and over. We don't.

Exhibit B:

I thought you might get an even better idea of the destruction if you saw a different angle. Can you believe the mess? I promise my house usually looks better than this. After about an hour and 1/2 of clean-up, it was finally back to normal. Moral of the story--I shouldn't get sick again. Ever.

From the mouths of babes...

2010-02-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

Sam is pretty much a parrot these days, so we're having to watch every word that comes out of our mouths. I'm not sure that we're doing a great job with that, though. Yesterday Sam had some funk on his nose, so I got a wipe to clean up his face. As I was scraping away the nastiness, he pointed to his nose and said, "boogers." Lovely. I'm pretty sure his daddy taught him that one because I know I didn't.

As pretty much everyone knows, we got quite a bit of snow last week, and I have failed to put up our snow pictures. I apologize. I'm sure you've been dying to see Sam in action. Sambo wasn't too thrilled with the cold. It probably has something to do with the "snowball" his daddy threw at him, but that's just my guess. Some tears were shed after that.

Lately he's gotten very particular about his hands being messy, so that probably also jaded his opinion of the white stuff. I don't think that he'll like building sandcastles this summer if this phase continues. Seeing how he deals with the beach ought to be a hoot.

Before his dad threw snow at him. Notice my use of his socks for gloves. Classy.

Post snowball = not happy.

I love this hat--I think it's hilarious. I got it on sale at the Gap a few weeks ago for $5. Best purchase ever.

He wasn't too sure about the snowman. I guess it is kind of creepy if you think about it.

Seriously?

2010-02-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

Not a fun week in the Sherman household. We kicked off Monday with a lovely fever of 102 for the Samster and a nice little ear infection. Needless to say, he did not attend "school" on Tuesday. I had high hopes that he would be able to go on Thursday and attend his Valentine's Party on Friday. No such luck.

Homeboy decided to toss, turn, and scream all night long last night--possibly worse than he ever did as a little-bitty-baby. We chalked it up to heading into the terrible-twos...until we changed his diaper this morning. In case you mothers (and fathers) out there didn't know, you can get hand, foot, and mouth disease more than once. We discovered this lovely bit of info firsthand this morning. Not cool...not cool at all. We will have to essentially quarantine the kid for the next few days, which means I may lose my mind. I may be the only person in America whose kid has gotten this twice. I'm sure I"ll be nominated for Mother of the Year.

On top of all this fun, they are now predicting "White Death '10" to hit sometime tomorrow or Friday. I'm all for a good snow, especially since we don't ever see the fluffy stuff, but it's February. In Mississippi, I think that should count as spring. Don't you think?

I have no fun news to report. Sorry to disappoint. I would appreciate it if anyone has suggestions for keeping my baby comfortable while this stuff runs its course...again.

I'm off to Lysol my house.

Shave and a haircut...

2010-02-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Actually there was no shaving involved--just a haircut. That's right, people. Haircut. After 20 months of sweet, untouched, baby curls, we had to shape things up a tiny bit. To say that I was a little uptight about it is an understatement.

I took Sam to the salon and proceeded to be the over-the-top parent that I always dreaded. I talked to the girl for 10 minutes beforehand to make sure that Sam didn't end up looking like some sort of monk. I did not want monk hair.

I mean, seriously? I don't know anybody that could carry off this look.

I just wanted the tiniest trim so that his curls wouldn't be quite so shagtastic. After conveying that I would go Linda Blair on the stylist if she went too short or gave him monk hair, she started to trim. I must admit, she did a good job.

Sam was pretty good, too. She gave him a sucker, and he was putty in her hands. I have no idea where he gets his penchant for sugar because his father and I are complete health nuts. We certainly don't dig through our pantry and eat baking chocolate chips when there's nothing sweet in the house. Certainly not.

So, I've survived another parenting hurdle. I'm so proud.

Lord, how I want to be in that number...

2010-01-27T07:08:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a few days, but the euphoria hasn't quite died down. Sunday night was spent with friends celebrating a long-awaited win. Post game celebrations included champagne, tequila shots, (I passed) and dancing on a legendary coffee table.

Good times.

"Who Dat!"

Night-night...

2010-01-22T10:21:00.000-08:00

When I put Sam to bed, we read, and sometimes I'll rock him and sing to him. I usually sing "Baby Mine." You know--the song Dumbo's mom sings to him? Anthony says the song is depressing, but I disagree. Sometimes I'll throw in some Beatles--Sam really likes "Michelle."

What does Anthony sing to his son? Well, I didn't know he ever sang to Sam until last night. Anthony's nighttime musical choices include "Hail State" (no surprise there) and the wonderful, lyrically superior, "Friends In Low Places" by Garth Brooks. I guess Sam wants to dream about beer chasing his blues away.

You're a fickle woman, January...

2010-01-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

I mean, really? A few weeks ago, this place was waaaayyyy too cold to qualify as Mississippi. I don't know about the rest of you, but lows in the teens do not make me happy. There's a reason I live here and not in Wisconsin. I can deal with sweltering summer days, horrible literacy rates, and off-the-charts-obesity, but I cannot deal with cold weather. After Christmas is over, all cold weather should end...just my humble opinion. And last night? Hail, thunderstorms, and tornado sirens. No, thank you.

Today? Beautiful. Gorgeous. I have on shorts and a t-shirt for crying out loud, and I am a seriously cold-natured person. It feels like baseball weather. And crawfish weather. Sitting out on a porch having drinks weather. But I'm on to you, January. I know how you operate. You'll lull me into a false sense of spring, then crush my soul with another cold spell. Probably like the one they're predicting next week. Blah.

Speaking of obesity rates, yours truly is working on losing what I like to call my "Christmas weight." I've actually been exercising the past few weeks, and if you know me, you know that it's a huge deal. "Bikini Season" is just around the corner, and I'd like to lounge around the pool with my head held high. We'll see how long it takes me to fall off the wagon. I went to my first spin class last Monday. Um... nobody told me that it would be really uncomfortable. I honestly don't know how men can stand it. I have a whole new respect for those bikes.

As I type, my child is still fighting the nap that he's supposed to take for his well-being and my sanity. He keeps yelling my name hoping that I'll come save him. It's a battle of wills, and I'm still not sure which one of us is going to win. Pray for me.

Your mama's going to bring you uptown...

2010-01-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

I must say, Anthony and I are really fortunate when it comes to having friends. We've got a great group here in the capital city, and they definitely know how to have a good time. Yesterday we loaded up the car with plenty of tailgating food and headed to a friend's house to watch our MSU bulldogs and the New Orleans Saints. Separate games, of course.

I won't act as if I'm some lifelong Saints fan, but my grandfather always pulled for them--he was a sucker for underdogs--and Anthony has always liked them. I think my allegiance truly started post-Katrina. How could you not pull for a team whose hometown needed hope and revitalization as much as New Orleans did? Watching them come out of the tunnel for that first game back was something else, and I was sold. We've been pretty darn loyal ever since. Our posse went down for the Saints vs. Giants game earlier this year, and we had a blast. Anyway, we gathered our small version of the Who Dat Nation, ate lots of food, and pulled the black-and-gold through.

Once the win was clinched, we celebrated. And what better way to celebrate than pushing furniture out of the way and making a dance floor? This is usually our favorite way to spend a weekend night, and it makes me feel like I'm working off some of the calories I've inhaled during the day...a win-win situation. Last night's dance party was kicked off with a selection of some good, old-school country tunes. Good God, I'd forgotten how much I love Reba. When "Fancy" came on, I think every girl there knew the words. The song is pure poetry, I'm telling you. The lady knows how to tell a good white-trash story. Throw in some Brooks and Dunn and Kenny Chesney, and the night was golden.

"And that's the night the lights went out in Georgia."

Really?

2010-01-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Last night I went out to dinner with some friends. Sam stayed home with his daddy, who usually does an excellent job of chasing his son. Usually.

This morning Sam woke up, and Anthony brought him to our room. He had on the same outfit from yesterday, the same diaper from 5:45 yesterday, (which was soaked) and his tennis shoes.

"Anthony, why does Sam have on his shoes?"

"I don't know. I guess I forgot to take them off."

The kid slept in his sneakers.

I guess next time I'll need to remind him to remove the child's shoes before putting Sam to bed. It was a rough night for daddy, that's for sure.

Puff Daddy to P. Diddy...

2010-01-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

Prince, to "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince," then back to Prince.

What am I talking about?

Name changing.

When I first found out I was pregnant with Sam, the grandparents began concentrating on the super-important-life-or-death task of.....deciding what they would be called.

For my father, he decided on "Grandy."
My mother decided to be "Mimi," which is what we called her mother.
My father-in-law picked out "Papa" as his moniker.

My mother-in-law? Well, she wavered. A lot. It's been a running joke for a while now. After many sleepless nights, she settled on "Gammy." We have referred to her as "Gammy" for the past 20 months, but it appears that we will have one final name change. Sam has a pretty big vocabulary, and I realize that sounds like bragging, which I guess it is, but whatever. This is my blog, so I can brag all I want. Anyway, he can say/recognize a ton of different words, but he absolutely refuses to say "Gammy." (He won't say "Mimi," either--we're working on it, Mom.)

This is where some Lebanese background info is needed. The Lebanese word for grandmother is "Siti." I have no idea how it's spelled because I always see different variations. Anthony and I thought it'd be a great grandmother name, but MP wasn't so sure. (She was worried that he might call her something like "Siti" but with the "Sh" sound. You get my drift.) Last week we asked Sam if he could say "Siti." He smiled and said, "Sissy." If you ask him her name, he responds with "Sissy." I am so glad that we have a solidified name after almost 30 months of debate. The entire family can rest easy.

Now we just have to figure out what he wants to call my mother. Sigh.

In other news, Sam hit a bunch of buttons on the remote and almost bought some really dirty movies on pay-per-view. That would have been really fun to explain to the husband.

So I've slacked a little...

2009-12-29T18:01:00.001-08:00

and I have a lot of catching up to do.

First of all, Merry Christmas! We have finally recuperated from our trek all over the state of Mississippi, and I must say that Sam performed rather well. Our holiday started in Jackson where we "had Christmas" in two different locations. We then loaded up and drove north to hang out with my family, and we rounded out our tour by spending a night in the Mississippi Delta with Anthony's grandmother.

We managed to make quite a scene at our Christmas Eve service. They were short an usher, so my FIL was asked to fill in. Everything was going well until Joe walked up front to get the collection plates. Sam went ballistic. He started flying down the aisle screaming, "Papa! Papa! Papa!" He then proceeded to help Joe with the rest of his ushering duties. I was really, really, glad that the service was dominated by families with small children.

Check out his knee socks and saddle oxfords. Love them.

What did Sam get for Christmas? I think the better question is what didn't he get. Our house looks like a molded plastic factory exploded, I have a tee pee in my dining room, and books are everywhere. In short, Sam made out like a bandit.

To kick things off, MP and Joe gave Sam a Thomas the Train set Christmas Eve night. I have a feeling that it will be a long-term winner.

The scene at our house Christmas morning. Where am I going to put all this? Santa and his elves must not have thought about storage problems.

Notice the fire on the television set. Anthony personally worked really hard on chopping firewood and keeping us toasty warm Christmas day. He's such an outdoorsman.

He really digs his new wheels...

and his new tee pee...

and his easel...he loves to "color" now--especially with "lello"

and his basketball goal...
and his computer.

I'm happy to report that although he is his father made over, he does still really love books, so there is hope for me yet. He got a ton of "literature," and several of his favorite--Curious George. He is OBSESSED. It's pretty cute.

Next year he will be a huge help with our cookie decorating. His clothing will be protected, too.

Overall, we had a great holiday, and we're fortunate to have such wonderful family near and far. We send love and lots of kisses, along with our hopes for a wonderful 2010!

My favorite sous chef...

2009-12-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

Every year since we've been married, (and a few before that) I've baked and decorated Christmas cookies with Anthony's dad. We have a great time, and we've perfected our recipe. This year we decided to add to the fun and chaos, so Sam was given a little bit of cookie dough to play with.

Things started out fairly well. Cute Christmas outfit--check. Cookie dough--check. Good time--check. Then he ate the cookie dough...so we tried to take it from him. His reaction?

To make things a little safer/salmonella-free, we gave him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich which he then insisted on icing. I can't say I blame him.

Anthony thought it would be hilarious if Sam had an icing mustache. I didn't really think it was that funny. Sam did. (Notice we transitioned to a much-needed bib.)

By the end our our night, he was practically naked with icing from head to toe. Bath time was interesting.

And now, the score:

Sam--5

Christmas tree--0

Please pick up an angel...

2009-12-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many of you know that there are still hundreds of local "angels" who have not been adopted for Christmas. Money is tight, donations are down, and charities are suffering. I cannot imagine waking up on Christmas day, and not actually having Christmas. I was fortunate enough to be born into a family who was financially stable, full of love, and more than generous. Now that I have a child of my own, it hurts my heart even more to see the list of children who may not receive gifts this year. I encourage you to pick up an angel.

http://www.wapt.com/money/21882562/detail.html

This Saturday is the last day to adopt an angel and next Monday, Dec. 14, is the last day to turn in gifts.

Angels can be picked out at Northpark Mall in Ridgeland or the Salvation Army.

People can also adopt an angel online at angel.jcpenney.com.

I went online, typed in my zip, and picked out my angel. Now all I have to do is shop for her and drop it off at the Salvation Army.

A trolley, some snow, and a little caroling...

2009-12-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

I firmly believe that my husband is one of the hardest people to buy for in the world. He doesn't want anything for Christmas, and he doesn't care if he gets anything. (Although the Egg Bowl win was a nice little happy.) On top of that, his birthday is in December, which means that I have to scrounge up a good birthday gift, too. Despite the herculean efforts it takes to come up with something appropriate, I think I may have finally done it.

With the help of his and my parents, I rented the Fondren Trolley last Friday night. I had him invite his friends, we donned our tackiest Christmas duds, and we had a very "spirited" night. I even conjured up some snow.

Modeling his Christmas finery. He wasn't even close to being the tackiest.

I'm sporting my 3XL men's t-shirt that I wore as a dress. If you would like one of your own, you can pick it up for a meager $4 at Wal-Mart. And yes, that's a Santa Claus necklace around my neck.

This needs an explanation...We decided to give a small prize to whoever wore the tackiest outfit. Some friends showed up in these matching, denim jackets. The jackets were given to them as a wedding present. For real. No lie. They are hideous--and hilarious. I'm glad that they can now honestly say they've worn the jackets.

The trolley did not run us over--it was parked. And I'm wearing running shorts under my shirt/dress. I promise.

We stopped by Belhaven to do a little sledding. It wasn't that easy considering there wasn't a whole lot of snow, but we didn't really care.

Anthony's parents graciously let Sam spend the night with them that night, so we were able to sleep in. (Thank goodness because it was one of the latest nights we've had in awhile.) Joe took Sam out in the snow the next morning. Forgive Sam's motley outfit. I didn't send appropriate clothes for him because I didn't believe it would actually snow. Serves me right.

Saturday night, we headed to the Belhaven Singing Christmas Tree. It was beautiful, but pretty darn cold. We had dinner with friends after the program, and we decided to top off the night with a little bit of Christmas caroling. We didn't leave the house to subject anyone else to our singing, but we had a great time nonetheless. It was so cliche, but it was ridiculously fun!

Yes, that's the lamp from A Christmas Story. Awesome.

If you look closely, you can see our tip jar. If you missed out on tipping us that night, feel free to send us a check in the mail.

I promise I'm alive...

2009-12-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

We've just had a lot going on lately. We had a wonderful, laid-back Thanksgiving holiday--which was capped off by a Bulldog win. Anthony still hasn't come down from his cloud. The Christmas tree is up, and although it hasn't proved to be quite the sticky situation I feared, Sam has still managed to kill an ornament or two.

We have a birthday party for Anthony tonight; I'm not going to divulge his age. I'll be posting pictures from this event ASAP. It ought to be interesting. Two words: Tacky Christmas.

And now, for the score:

Sam 3, Christmas tree 0

Chief Demands-Milk-And-Cackas

2009-11-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a few posts since I inundated the web with pictures of my son, so I figure you're due. His little school had their Thanksgiving feast today, and he had a fine ole time. We have been so happy with his school, and I'm grateful that Sam is comfortable there. He is definitely coming out of his shell. He was an American Indian today, complete with headdress. I didn't ask him what his Indian name was, but I'm sure it's something like, "Chief Demands-Milk-And-Cackas." He and his tribe had big plans for a huge meal, a quick pow-wow, and then a communal nap.

Somebody's got gas...

2009-11-18T06:49:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, it wasn't us. Our sweet little gas company decided to do some maintenance on our gas line, but they apparently forgot to turn it back on. Luckily for us, Tuesday happened to be pretty chilly, and we had no hot water and no heat. I think Anthony's shower lasted all of 20 seconds, and I didn't get to take one at all. While I waited on the gas people to come back and correct the issue, I wrapped myself in quilts and sat on a heating pad. I looked like the scene from Christmas Vacation when Clark accidentally gets trapped in the attic. I'm not exaggerating. I looked ridiculous. Fortunately, Sam was at MMO that day, so he didn't have to freeze with me.

We have now rejoined the 21st century--I have heat, hot water, and I am now clean as a whistle. I even took the turban off my head.

For all you future mothers...

2009-11-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

Yet another thing that they don't tell you in pre-baby classes--how your shopping experiences will change. Let me enlighten you.

You will not be able to leave the house without diapers, a massive, cumbersome stroller, wipes, an extra outfit, goldfish, and juice/milk.

You will attempt to buy a book, and end up buying one for your child too because he/she starts throwing a fit in the super-quiet bookstore and screams "Book! Book! Book!" at the top of his/her lungs.

You will go into your favorite store, Anthropologie, and attempt to find something cute, weather-appropriate, and inexpensive (good luck with that one) to wear to a football game that weekend. You will take the huge, cumbersome stroller into a handicapped changing room and strip down as quickly as possible. Your child will tire of the book you just got him/her, and he/she will demand "cackas.'' Cue the goldfish. While you attempt to wade through the pile of potential outfits, your child will open the door and show everyone in the dressing area what you look like without a top on. Awesome. You will leave a trail of crumbs Hansel and Gretel style all over the store, therefore making it easy for the employees to figure out which person made a fantastic mess. You will turn red with shame.

On the bright side, you will get 3 cute tops and a blazer. Your child will be so exhausted from peeking out under the dressing room door that he/she will fall asleep on the ride home.

I'm just warning you.

Super fun...

2009-11-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

Insert sarcasm...

This weekend we noticed that Sam had a small, seemingly insignificant rash on his face. It turns out we were really wrong about the insignificant part.

By late Sunday afternoon, the rash covered pretty much every inch of his body, and it looked horrendous. Our pediatric group is open every day of the year except Christmas and Thanksgiving, so we took him in Sunday night at 7:30 and a doctor checked him out. Hand, foot, and mouth disease was the diagnosis. If you're not familiar with this particular brand of torture, it's a super-contagious virus that causes a person to run a low-grade fever and break out in a rash all over the body. (Specifically the hands, feet, and mouth.) Poor kid even has sores in his mouth, too. Good news is that it's nothing major. Bad news is, it has to "run its course." No Mother's Morning Out for us this week.

I would post pictures, but let's face it, that'd be gross. Feel free to google it.

What's even more fun is freaking out every time I have an itch...I'm terrified I'm going to get it. I bet you're itching now, too.

The Samburger

2009-11-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

Warning--disgustingly obnoxious amount of pictures to follow.

On Friday Sam had his first "school" party. Talk about organized chaos! Toddlers were everywhere, art projects flew through the air, and all kinds of food ended up on the floor. I really don't know how his teachers handle it every day. They totally won my admiration.

Sam wore his delicious hamburger costume to the party. He had a good time, but he didn't smile for the camera very much. I promise he enjoyed himself.

The cheeseburger cheesin' for the camera

Serious face

Working on his "art project"

Hangin' with his friends Snow White, Ladybug, Angel, and Frog

This pic has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween. I just think it's funny.

Halloween night

Yes, that's me. I have always wanted to be Snow White...

At 30 years of age, I made it happen. When I googled "Snow White Costumes" a ton of trashy versions came up. Who knew that you could make Snow White look promiscuous? I passed on the bows and garters and went with the traditional version.

We took Sam to a few friends' houses and then headed to a Halloween party. He hung out with us for a little while, but we had to call in reinforcements to take him off our hands.

Family portrait

Sookie Stackhouse, Willie Nelson, and S. White

Anthony dressed up as a friend of ours; it's an inside joke that would take way too much explanation, so I'll pass. Anthony's posing with John Gosselin and an Ole Miss fan. That's right...someone dressed up as an Ole Miss fan. He's an Auburn grad, so his costume was particularly timely on Saturday.

Hope your Halloween was full of treats!

Ace of Cookies?

2009-10-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to give a shout-out to my MSU bulldogs, who gave a valiant effort against the #1 ranked Gators. Progress, people...I'm seeing lots of progress from those guys.

We've got a busy week at the Sherman house, so get ready for a lot of posts and pictures over the next few days. I'm sure you're sitting on the edge of your seat.

Anyway, earlier this year, I attended a super-fun Viking Cooking Class with mis amigas. We ate, we drank, we conquered--pasta.

Monday I had the pleasure of attending another class, but this time I was solo. The goal? Decorating cookies in honor of Halloween. I had a blast. I love crafty stuff, so this was right up my alley. (No pun intended.) We worked with rolled fondant and royal icing, and my work turned out pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

Deciding on a plan of attack--this was before I figured out that I needed to pull my hair back.

Hair taken care of--working with some fondant

My witch--isn't she sweet?

Pumpkinhead

The finished product

I have a feeling that my Christmas cookies will be a little more sophisticated this year. My next goal is to round up my husband and some friends for a group cooking class. I can only imagine how that will go.

This weekend...

2009-10-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

I went to the fair for the first time since I was 17. There is a reason for this; the fair kind of gives me the creeps. I guess it's not the fair itself...or even the people who run it. I'm mainly wigged out by the humanity that pays to get into the fair. (Yes, I know that includes me.) I was greatly reminded of why Mississippi is one of the fattest states in the nation. This fact did not stop Anthony from eating a chicken-on-a-stick...

a fried snickers...

and a fried twinkie.

I tasted the twinkie, and it was worth the heart attack it will cause later.

Sam couldn't do a whole lot, but he loved checking out the lights.

Saturday Anthony and I headed to New Orleans for a night out and the Saints game. We had a great time, and the game was fabulous. What wasn't fabulous was having obnoxious Giants fans sitting right behind us. I'm pretty sure I heard some of the most colorful language of my life. And that's saying something. I don't have pictures yet, which is probably a good thing since it was a trip to New Orleans.

On a completely different subject, today was pajama day at Sam's "school." He was pretty pleased to be in his sleeping duds. I, of course, thought he looked ridiculously cute.

My Friday Night Part II...

2009-10-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

The discovery of 2 week old milk wasn't enough excitement for us this weekend. (See previous post.) Sam decided to throw us a real monkey wrench and get sick. Hooray.

While most young people (a category I no longer belong to) were out at 11:45 on Friday night, I was cleaning up vomit. Awesome. No one likes vomit, right? I know I don't, and I became close friends with Captain Puke during the 40 wks. of my pregnancy. I was one of those lucky people who physically threw up the entire 9 months. I've been fortunate to avoid dealing with this oh-so-fun brand of stomach upset since Sam's arrival, but he happily reintroduced me Friday night. I can't complain too much...Anthony had to take a second shower at midnight.

Poor baby Sam was confused, frightened, vomiting, and running fever, and his parents were just trying to hold it together. Now that Sam's nausea free, I can only think about what we must have looked like--Sam in a diaper with puke everywhere, Anthony with upchuck running down his chest, me trying not to slip in it.

Parenthood.

My Friday night...

2009-10-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight we picked up hamburgers and kicked it at home. It should have been a fairly normal night...until the smell.

Anthony sat down in our living room, and sniffed. "What smells so bad?" I responded, 'I don't know--I smelled it earlier, but I never could find anything." We decided that while we were out getting burgers one of our pets decided to use our house as a toilet. We got down on all fours and tried to figure out where the cat/dog had done the deed, but then we found the source of the odor, and it wasn't a pile of poo.

Sam's sippy cups have been disappearing, you see. So much so that I went this week and bought four new ones because I couldn't find the other cups. Well, we found them. One in particular that I haven't seen in weeks. And it still had milk in it. Spoiled milk. That smelled more like rotten cheese. Or cat/dog poo. Disgusting.

Yes, we fought over who would wash it out. I won.

Right now...

2009-10-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

My child is as happy as a pig in slop. He is currently sitting on top of my dining room table, and he is DESTROYING my cute, festive, Halloween centerpiece. (Proof is below.) Right now, he could run around naked while screaming obscenities, and I wouldn't care. The beginning stages of a sinus infection do not equal happiness, so we're just trying to make it until the end of the day.

On a side note, I'm not sure what happened in the last month or so, but the kid has developed a TEMPER. If you walked by our house at certain times, I feel sure you would call the police. When he gets mad, (because I won't let him stick his finger in sockets, for example) he acts as if I'm beating him with a garden hose. It's not pretty. All I know is we're about to implement some discipline tactics, which ought to be hilarious. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to bestow your veteran advice.

P.S. There was a question about safety plugs...We do have them, but Sam still wants to pull out anything that is plugged in-- then he tries to stick his fingers in there. I've also had to stop him from attempting to remove safety plugs. He'll either be a mechanical engineer or a criminal. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Just showing off...

2009-09-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

I warn you now that the following video will only interest our close family. If you've just stumbled across my blog, don't roll your eyes at me--I'm informing you before you click that the lovely piece of film below is nothing but my child showing off some of his skills.

If you did choose to watch the above cuteness, and you're wondering what talking like "that lady" is, well, Sam has learned how to mock people. Especially people who have smoked for years. He does it on cue now, and I think it's hilarious every time. Sue me.

I'm an idiot...

2009-09-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

So, last night I was getting Sam ready for dinner with my in-laws. As I picked him up, I noticed a really strange smell--like rotten eggs. I couldn't figure out what in the world it was. I sniffed the kid's hands, armpits, hair, and still had no idea what I was smelling. I decided it was all in my head, put Sam in his carseat, and went my merry way. After I arrived at the Shermans, I still sniffed "eau de eggs." I got Sam out, took him inside, and asked my FIL if he could smell the stinkiness. He agreed that something was definitely rotten in Denmark, but he couldn't figure out what the funk was either. We chalked it up to the antibiotic Sam's taking and walked out the door. As soon as we got outside, Joe asked me if I had checked Sam's diaper.

Ummm.....nope.

I promise I'm not new to this motherhood game. I'm just an idiot sometimes.

Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun

2009-09-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

What is Sam going to be for Halloween this year? The most delicious hamburger you've ever had.

Seriously...how hilarious is this? I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks on him; I'm praying it fits.

4 1/2 paw print performance...

2009-09-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we packed up early and headed to Starkville to kick off football season in Vegas. All in all, I'd give Sam 4 1/2 paw prints out of 5...stellar performance on his part. (I had to subtract 1/2 a print because he almost got his head stuck in a rolling cooler. Don't ask.) He was especially good considering the heat we endured at the beginning of the day and the rain that poured down on us in the afternoon. We stayed fairly dry under our tent, and he managed to keep out of the mud, which is a small miracle in itself.

I'm trying to decide if Sam will be the MSU fanatic that his dad is. The jury is still out. He was not a big fan of the walkthrough--that's for sure. In his defense, a missed nap combined with thousands of cowbells does not equal happiness.

Pre-walkthrough...getting tired, but hanging in there.

During the walkthrough. Notice the lovely river of snot trickling down his face. He was not a fan of the noise. It was sad.

Post-walkthrough. MUCH happier.

You can't really see his shorts that well, but they're super-cute maroon gingham with "MSU" monogrammed on the leg. I love them.

Despite the small monkey wrench the weather threw in our day, we had a good time. It was a long day for all of us, and we're looking forward to doing a whole lot of nothing today.

You know it's football season when...

2009-09-01T20:00:00.001-07:00

In case you live under a rock, this week marks the official start to the collegiate football season. Long live the pigskin!

I have been more than aware that football begins this week, but it really hit home when I borrowed the husband's car tonight. I cranked it up, began to back out, and...heard the LSU fight song.

Why?

Because he has a cd of all the SEC school fight songs, (except for the university in northeast Mississippi) and was apparently leading a private pep-rally on his way home from work.

Did I eject the cd?

Nope. I do dig a little bit of "Hail State," "Rocky Top," and "Tiger Rag."