Little Boy Haircut...

I took David Scott earlier today to get his "Little Boy Haircut." He did great except for a brief whimper right after the stylist got started. We went to a place here in BR that caters to kids. They have airplane, car, and fire truck seats for the kids getting their hair cut. They also have a regular seat for those lucky parents who get to hold their screaming kids who are adamant against getting a trim. Glad DS was able to sit all by himself in his airplane chair. We went to show off our new 'do at Daddy's office afterwards.  Here are a few pics from the event:

Tonight we're gathering with some friends and their kids at the Devillier's house. We'll cook, visit, the kids will play, wear themselves out (hopefully), go to sleep, and then we'll play board games. A few years ago, we were living it up in NO, eating at nice restaurants, watching fireworks on the river or outside the casino, then maybe going out. My...how times have changed. Here's to a fun, prosperous, healthy, love-filled 2011. Looking forward to EVERYTHING it will bring...what we are expecting and surprises that may pop up along the journey.


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Christmas 2010

Once again, we made the trek to North LA for Christmas. Once again, it was bittersweet. I would say there was definitely more sweet than bitter, though.

We got to Mom's house Thursday evening, ate supper, visited. Jessie, Olivia, and Mrs. Gayla came to visit. Scotty ran on to Monroe to help Mamaw with some errands for her and some of his own that evening and then again Friday morning before heading to Gilbert. Christmas Eve lunch was spent at Sue Sue's like we've done for as long as I can remember. We were glad to have viaited with everyone and are especially excited about our quickly-planned, last-minute ski trip with the McLemores and Sue-Sue next month.

That afternoon, the three of us headed to Mamaw's for the traditional Christmas Eve gathering of Scotty's family. We had shrimp e'touffe and grilled steaks. Delish. I made my "famous chocolate pie," and hashbrown casserole which were plowed through rather quickly. Those are two of Scotty's faves and I know if there's nothing else for him to eat, he'd at least have those -- they were also served at Mom's the next day. After everyone visited and DS entertained us with his dance moves, we popped a few fireworks and then it was time to go to bed and wait for Santa to visit us.

Santa was good to David Scott and didn't go overboard which was my special request. I'd hoped Santa would bring DS a toy box to put all his stuff in but apparently when you're an adult you don't get everything you want. :)

We had our traditional pancake breakfast, cooked by Scotty this year since Papaw wasn't with us, except in spirit. Then it was time to open gifts since we had to get on to Winnsboro for a late lunch with my family. Scotty made me work for my gift and I had to solve clues and literally search for it. However, I'd say it was worth it once I opened up my "Mother's ring" with David Scott's November birthstone surrounded by diamonds. Thanks, Love -- you have great taste. For Scotty I had a "Tiger's Eyes" canvas painting done a few years back, but he'd never had it hung b/c it wasn't framed and he hadn't taken it to get framed. So I had it framed and picked up an LSU-inspired memory-board, and put a few of our favorite pics on it. He loved them. They'll both go in Scotty's office at work. DS got so much stuff that I'm sure I'd leave something out if I tried naming it all. His favorite gift was from Scotty's cousin Ben and his fiancé -- a dump truck that moves and shakes with a driver that says, "Move that dirt!" We headed to Winnsboro soon thereafter.

When we got to Mom and David's, the smell of turkey, ham, and various casseroles was hanging in the air. Yummy. I love the food at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Anyway, Rachel and Dusty didn't get to eat lunch with the rest of us b/c they apparently missed the memo that we were eating at 2 so they ate with Dusty's family at noon. After we ate and Boo and Dusty got there, we exchanged gifts. DS rec'd more toys and clothes, but he also got a table and chairs set that Boo's had for over a year. She painted it white then added a lion on the table top and monkeys on the two seats. Good job, Boo! I'm excited about putting this in DS' room. I think he is too b/c he kept trying to sit in the seats or stand at the table. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough room so we had to leave it at Gran and Papa D's house til next time.

The remainder of our trip consisted of more quality time with both our families. We also spread Papaw's ashes on the bayou as per his request. I think there was a little more closure for everybody.

It's tough b/c we spend a good bit of time going back and forth b/c neither of us are willing to give up on our respective family traditions. However, we'll get to have a little more face time going forward b/c we got both grandmothers and great-grandmother webcams so we'll be able to skype some now. It'll be fun once we're all connected.

After an extended but good trip up, it's nice being back home and in our routine. We're looking forward to another exciting year and can't wait to see everything 2011 has in store.


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13 Months...

Not the official 13-month pic, but it'll have to do...

David Scott,
You were 13 months old on the 18th of this month. I'm a little more behind than usual in posting about it b/c hubub around Christmas and from being in North LA over Christmas. That's a whole post in itself, though. For now, you need to know that you are currently:
• unknown inches in length -- maybe half an inch taller than last month, but I haven't measured you yet and I don't want to delay this post any longer
• 22.5 pounds
• still in a size 3 diaper although technically you could wear a 4, but I'm just not ready to move up yet.
• eating only adult food. Occasionally I'll slip in some baby food fruit or a veggie, but applesauce is the only "baby"-ish food you regularly eat.
• saying SO many words: hey, bye, Mama, Dada, Lola, s'that (what's that), there, duck, dog, cow, look, book, uh oh, Boo, David Scott (Da Cot), bubbles
• doing lots of things: waving bye-bye, blowing kisses, shaking your head "no" and "yes," pointing at things -- especially when you want it (juice, snack, etc.). You love giving us hugs (oh wee) and sugar and will come at us open-mouth and all. It's so precious and we obligingly give you as much sugar back as you'll let us.
• slightly more dependent on the paci than you used to be (ugh!)
• bringing us books when you want to read. I think you're going to enjoy reading like a lot of our family does.
• a dancing machine. You love holding our phones while you dance to a song on our iPods. If it wasn't completely ridiculous for you to have your own iTouch/mp3 player, we would have gotten you one for Christmas.
• taking your medicine and/or vitamins like a pro. Sometimes I think your tastebuds don't work b/c some of that is nasty. This includes foods since we make you try everything and there's very little that you spit back out at us. In fact you ate both chips and salsa and guacamole a few weekends ago. Like mother, like son.
• sleeping from 7:30-ish at night until 6:30-ish in the morning
• walking everywhere -- I'd almost say you're exclusively walking.
• throwing mini-fits when you don't get your way or when we take something away from you --like a pen...or the dog bowl...or the toilet water.

Despite that last milestone, Daddy and I are loving every minute with you. It's so amazing to watch you trying to say something one day and then actually saying it the next. We love the early mornings -- even on weekends, we love your stuffy nose and loud-breathing (thanks, allergies). You make us laugh with your facial expressions, your fake cry, your poked out lip, your smooth dancing moves, your slightly flipped-up Bud-Bud big toenail, your endless, open-mouth sugar. We look forward to loving so much more about you.

Love,
Mama

You have also been feeding yourself (somewhat) the last few days...
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Christmas Card 2010...

Before it gets to be AFTER Christmas, I wanted to share our Christmas card for 2010:

I tried getting these out in a timely manner, but most of them went out in yesterday's mail and I will be hand-delivering them to family on the 23rd and 24th.  Truth be told, I ran out of envelopes and didn't feel like making another trip to the store -- any store.  So, coincidentally, I had just enough for N. LA family, one for our refrigerator at work, and one for us to keep.  Either way, I'm sure that the fam will be much happier to have this guy hand-delivering their mail rather than their normal postal worker.

Special Delivery...

I'm very proud of the fact that a) I even got Christmas cards out at all this year, and b) that I got them out BEFORE Christmas.  Last year, although I had a 5-week old baby, I got them sent out.  Granted it was on December 23rd, but they went out.  Perhaps, since I'm moving up the mail out an average of 3 days/year, I'll get them out at a decent time a few years from now.  Ha!  A girl can dream...I LOVE getting Christmas cards and seeing everybody's families and children-- especially if we only get to see one another once in a blue moon.  Except now with the Facebook revolution, that distance and time are minimized greatly, which is nice...for the most part. 

Randomness

Not alot has been going on these past few weeks. Mainly, we've been passing various colds/viruses back and forth. We're all good at "sharing," apparently. I've been busting it at work, which is always the case at the end of every year as we try to get all the January renewals completed. Scotty has been busy as well -- conducting depositions, attending mediations, etc... (bo-ring). Not really, most of the stuff he works on is very enthralling, I'm sure. He probably thinks the same about my insurance work. See how non-eventful life has been...I've relegated myself to talking shop on my blog.




We've been trying to get our Christmas shopping wrapped up. It's difficult to do anything when a baby's in tow, so I try to get as much done during my lunch breaks as I can every day. However, I finally had to just break down and take DS with me one day after work and then Scotty picked him up after work Thursday and they went home so I could get more accomplished. Needless to say, I can understand why my mom was always so Grinch-like during the holidays. Running here, there, and everywhere every day. I come home exhausted from work and trying to run odds and ends errands and still have domestic stuff to do. I have mountains of laundry that needs my attention, but all I want to do is play and spend time with David Scott. Oh well, the laundry will still be there. The dishes to be unloaded in the diahwaher will still be there. But, DS will never be this age again and we're trying to be more present and in-the-moment when we're with him. He's so much fun and mischevious. AND, today he is 13 months old! I haven't decided if I'll continue to do an official post each month to mark his milestones, but I probably will. Our desktop seems to have some kind of virus so I'm only able to use my phone to post anything which slows me down further and prohibits me from using pics from my camera.

His newest trick: sticking out his tongue.


Anyway, yesterday was DS' Christmas party at daycare. Santa came and brought little toys for each child. He was one of the few who a) would sit on Santa's lap, and b) wouldn't cry and scream. In fact, he seemed to be kind of "into" Santa's beard. I got no pics with my phone, only a few with my camera. David Scott can say, "Ho, ho, ho!" It's so cute. And last night when I was telling Mimi and Mamaw about Santa's visit to daycare, DS just piped up with his, "Ho, ho, ho!" Good timing, little man. Ms. Debbie and Mamaw came in for a quick visit this weekend. They'll be heading back to Monroe this evening, but we're glad we get to spend some quality time with them.

See...not a lot going on. We're looking forward to next week when we get to spend more time with everyone. I'll try to do an official 13-month post for DS later.


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1st Birthday Party

We celebrated David Scott's first birthday on Saturday, November 13th.  Numerous family and friends drove in from North LA (and a few locals) to celebrate with us.  Boo came in on Friday evening to help me get everything ready.  Her real motive for coming in was to get DS to walk more than the one and two steps at a time that he'd been doing.  Scotty and I really hadn't been forcing the issue with him as we knew that he'd eventually put one foot in front of the other and take off -- kind of like he did with crawling -- started off slow, but really progressed when he was ready to. 

Friday night, we did very little other than go eat at Outback (shocker).  So on Saturday morning, there was lots to do.  However, Auntie Boo decided the most important thing was for DS to walk more.  The 4 of us sat down and let the birthday boy walk in between us.  Before she (and Brad) left on Sunday, David Scott was taking up to 7 steps at a time...when he didn't realize it, of course.  Anyway, besides helping DS with walking, we prepped food, jazzed up the cake toppers, (she) decorated the goody bags), and other little errands.  Our guests started arriving around 12:30 when Gran and Papa D (and Brad, who'd met up with a friend but arrived shortly thereafter) got to the house.  Mimi and Mamaw got there next, followed by Sue Sue and her crew (Alicia, Dale, Leslie, Riley, Angel, Lane, and Anna Kaye).  Then I think Lee and our friend Keith (AKA Uncle Salty) arrived.  Pre-party, DS was going to get his first haircut, courtesy of Angel.  Like a pro, he handled it well.  I don't think he was too squirmy and Angel was able to trim his bangs-area and some on the top -- his real first hair.  We kept a little for sentimental purposes. 

DS and his buddha belly getting a trim...

So happy to not have hair in his eyes anymore...

After the haircut, everyone else started arriving and the party officially kicked off.  There were babies/toddlers all over the place -- except for Baby John Devillier who slept quietly in his carseat in DS' room the whole time.  Olivia and her mom (Jessie) came from Ruston; Stella Grace and her mom (Betsey) came from Rayville -- the 4 of them actually rode together with it being the longest distance the moms had taken the babies/kids in their whole lives.  :)  And then Janice, a friend from high school, came with her little boy.  Also, CJ one of my friends from work and her husband Brett who are having a boy in January came as did Racheal (Evans/Bellemin).  I think that was it; hopefully I didn't leave anybody out.  And if I did, hopefully, they don't read my blog and would not be offended by my forgetfulness.  Anyway, after visiting for a while, it was time to open presents.  We are blessed with great friends and family who gave many age-appropriate gifts to DS -- grandparents and great-grandparents especially as Gran and Papa D gave DS a red wagon (with a canopy and cup holders to boot!); Mimi gave DS a rocking horse; and Mamaw and Papaw gave DS a cute, little, red rocker with the name "Rainwater" on it (David Scott had too many letters).  He plays with these and most of his other toys daily (except for the wagon since it's been too cold; but on warmer days, he's been taken out in his wagon and played in his little cozy coupe that we got him).  The spring will be a fun time with all of his outside toys that it'll be warm enough to play with.  By then, David Scott will be able to full on jog since his walking ability has just exploded since borthday party weekend. But I digress...

Riding in his wagon pre-party with Riley

After presents, it was cake time -- always my most favorite time at any party/gathering.  DS got to have his own "smash" cake while the rest of us enjoyed this (I don't think I got a full-on smash-cake pic):

What is this?

The big cake.  Boo and I fixed up the animals. 

One of my coworkers recommended this lady to make the cakes and they turned out awesome!  Not to mention the fact that I only paid $40 for both.  BOTH CAKES = $40!!!  DS seemed to enjoy his cake and got it everywhere.  I was worried the icing stains might not come out of his shirt, but they did.  To wash down his cake, DS also got to have his first taste of real cow's milk.  He took to it okay, but wasn't too impressed.  After cake time, everybody noshed on the finger foods and snacks and visited some more.  Most people didn't leave until 5 or so and a few (Lee, Keith, Melissa, Carroll, Baby John, and of course Rachel and Brad) stayed for the LSU game.  I don't recall the outcome.  Oh wait, yes I do, we played ULM and won.  Anyway, it was a nice weekend and it was funny to see DS around these other kids that he's never spent a lengthy amount of time with playing together.  I was so happy that he wasn't overwhelmed with all the people and he just dug into that cake -- wouldn't we all like to do that sometime...I know I might not pass up an opportunity if I was given it to have my own cake and completely pig out.  My only salvation would be if there was other food there and if I had to save room for something like spinach dip or chips and salsa, I could probably make a sacrifice and not eat a ton of cake.

It really is so hard to believe how fast this last year has flown by.  As has been the case the last few years, so much has changed over the previous 12 months...people...situations.  I continue to look forward to what the future brings even though I know it means that we'll never get back this precious time that we're having with our son.  I'm trying to enjoy every moment with him, especially on the weekends when we're not as rushed to get home, fix dinner, eat, bathtime, bedtime, and fall out with exhaustion.  As a consequence, I'm really behind on laundry, but who cares.  Not me...and Scotty has been known to wash a load or two (of his laundry) before, so we're good on that front.  We celebrated David Scott's actual birthday with cupcakes and cheesy chicken spaghetti -- is there any food that could've made this meal any better?  One word:  No.