Christmas 2011...

Christmas 2011 was wonderful.  We spent a lot of time with family and friends and going back and forth between Monroe and Winnsboro.  Scotty and I each took off a few extra days surrounding Christmas so the holiday wouldn't be as rushed as it usually is.  Well, wouldn't you know we were still picking up a few last-minute things on Christmas Eve as is per our usual M.O.  However, we did have some time for a few extras that we haven't normally been able to squeeze in -- dinner with the Mosses, Merry-go-round rides at the mall, bowling with Scotty's family -- or trying to...DS had not napped at all that day and we were dumb to think that this would be a successful outing.  I got to bowl about half a game before ordering fried pickles and settling down with DS for a snack before we ultimately decided it was time to go.  Needless to say, he slept well that night.  I believe that was Christmas Eve Eve.  On Christmas Eve, we went down to Gilbert to spend a few hours with the Sproles clan as we've been doing since we were kids.  That night, we were back in Monroe for the annual Wright Christmas Eve Dinner which was held at Deb's house.  Sunday morning, Christmas Day, we woke up to see that Santa had come -- and left David Scott way too much, I might add.  We ate the traditional pancake breakfast at Mamaw's before heading back to Winnsboro for Christmas Day Dinner.  As usual, the food throughout the holiday was great -- always a highlight of any holiday for this girl.  Below are a few pictures to commemorate Christmas 2011:

We are very much looking forward to what 2012 has in store for us and our family.  2011 has been a great year for us all.  We've been blessed beyond measure and we're happy to end the year on a high note.

Exciting Events...

Last weekend, I took DS to North LA for Breakfast with Santa. Scotty stayed home so he could catch up on work stuff since he was traveling the week before as well as some this past week. We went to Squire Creek's event with Rachel, Dusty, and Anders, and Mom met us there for the experience as well. I don't have the pictures yet, but I think it's safe to say that DS is a little unsure of the bearded man in the red suit. He was squirmy and would not look at the camera for a picture. However, we were able to get a few shots of the two of us by the Christmas tree afterward.


Both DS and Anders wore their pajamas for the pics. Most other kids were in fancier outfits, but that's not how we roll. :) We had fun hanging out with the fam (in Ruston and Monroe) the rest of the weekend. We came home early on Sunday so we could spend the majority of the day with Scotty before he had to go back out of town on Monday.

This week has passed by in a busy, frantic blur as I/we tried to finish up shopping for Christmas and had a number of exciting things (planned and last-minute) to do.

Scotty returned from his business trip on Wednesday afternoon but had what we thought was a client meeting that evening. It wasn't. All the partners from his law firm were in attendance and gave him the exciting news that they were making him a partner in the law firm! We were stunned as this is something that typically happens once an attorney has been with the firm for 6-7 years; Scotty's been there for only 5. But he'd outlined to them in no uncertain terms that it was his goal to do it in 5 and put in many long hours and such hard work to get to that point. I am so proud of his accomplishments and of everything that he's done to make it happen. The other four partners and he really get along well and I know the firm will be even more successful with Scotty now officially a part of their leadership. To my Baby Daddy-- DS and I love you and are so proud of the sacrifices you've made to create a better life for us and our family.

On Friday, we had David Scott's Christmas party at school. He was slightly more sure of Santa this go-round.



Santa brought him a pair of monster trucks. They're both now broken/not making the monster truck sounds. I hope Santa does a better job with DS' Christmas presents. Or maybe it was the elves' fault at the poor craftsmanship. Either way, I'm hoping other toys hold up better.

Last night, Scotty's family came into BR for an impromptu celebration dinner at Sullivan's Steakhouse. We left DS at home with a baby-sitter as Sullivan's is not really a place for young kids. The food was delish. We had a seafood tower as an appetizer -- that's the bowl of ice originally was before we took this pic:



We are looking forward to spending more time with family this upcoming week and celebrating the reason for the season. Peace. Joy. Love to all.

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Catching up...

Thanksgiving was spent...wait for it...in North LA this year. Scotty and I have already proclaimed it to be at our house next year as heading north for all major (and minor) holidays is taking its toll on this branch of the Rainwater Tribe.

As usual, we enjoyed spending time with our family (immediate and extended). My Aunt Kaye (Mom's sister) and some of her family came in to see everybody and meet both DS and Anders. "Our" two boys plus Aunt Kaye's grandson make up the three great-grandchildren of my Grandmother and Pop Pop, although DS and Anders obviously never met them here on Earth. Anyway, we spent a good amount of time going back and forth between Winnsboro, Monroe, and Ruston.

This past weekend, my generous MIL wanted to keep DS for us so Scotty and I went to the Beau Rivage. We had a great time! I think our batteries have been recharged, and we had a nice time going out to eat, getting massages, gambling in the casino (we broke even-- Win!), and just enjoying each other's company. We missed our little guy, but we were thankful to be able to get away from it all. :)



While we were spending DS' college savings (kidding), Mimi and Lee, who came over to visit, took DS to the park AND the zoo! They apparently had a wonderful time. David Scott is loving all animals ("aminals") these days, so he particularly enjoyed the trip. I don't think he missed us too much, and Ms. Debbie said he was good, but he was pretty happy when we got home earlier today. Our afternoon has been spent lounging around and catching up on our playtime with the little man.

I haven't taken many pics lately for some reason. I need to work on that asap as I've been told that I'm slacking on sending pics of DS. Noted.


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2 Years Old...

David Scott,
You are 2 years old! How is that possible?!? It was just yesterday that you were born. It wasn't too long ago that you started sitting up and crawling around. And wasn't it just last week when you started talking???



Now I watch you run everywhere, say, "Please" and, "Thank you" when appropriate, and have semi-conversations. Where is my baby? I still get glimpses of that baby when you're winding down for the night. You like to snuggle with us (but mostly me) on the couch in the evening. You still like to drink a cup of milk before bed. And you don't mind me carrying you into daycare in the morning-- although, Daddy lets you walk every time he takes you or picks you up. But at the same time, you are almost grown. You are already starting to potty-train. You seem to be able to follow the plot of some movies. And just the other day, you took your shirt off. A grown man.

For record-keeping purposes, here are your stats:
• 33.5 inches tall
• 30 lbs
• size 5 diaper
• clothes sized 18-24 months/2T
• shoes sized 5 or 6

Your teachers feel like we will be in full on potty-training mode by the first of the year. Being in the class with "older" boys (older meaning like 6 months or so) has helped speed this milestone along. You will occasionally ask to potty beforehand, and frequently will tell us you need a diaper change.

Everything seems to have just flown by. My heart would love for things to slow down a bit, but I know that's not going to happen. I have no idea what you're going to be when you grow up, but I have no doubt that you will be great at whatever you set your mind to. You seem to have the best qualities of both Daddy and me and that's more than we could've ever asked for. We are so blessed to be your parents and cherish every minute we have with you.

Love,
Mama


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A Surprise and Halloween...

Early in the morning on Friday, October 28th, my sweet nephew was born. James Anders McGehee was 3 weeks early. Anders was super tiny (4 pounds, 15 oz) and just perfect! Rachel had an awesome and easy labor despite not having an epidural. I may do another post dedicated to my adorable newborn nephew, but I've been waiting on his mama to do her own announcement. But since new moms don't have much extra time for anything other than simply surviving, I decided that I HAD to post about it. I'll let my sister post the whole story when she's ready, but I'll leave it at the fact that we were all surprised with how early, but quick everything was. And Anders was/is just tiny and perfect. DS loves his cousin and frequently asks about Anders (which he says with a slightly German accent). :)



Despite, our trip to North LA for Anders' birth, which we obviously missed, we returned to BR on Sunday. Monday was Halloween. David Scott was a kangaroo. My original plan was Curious George, but no acceptable costume was found. Choice #2 was Nemo, which would've worked out great last year since all the costumes were for kids under a year old. So alas, I remembered the kangaroo costume tucked away in a closet. A costume which was way too big last year despite the tag saying it was a 12m. It fit him perfectly this year.



We went trick-or-treating at a few houses in our neighborhood. And although several people confused our kangaroo with Scooby Doo (really, people?), DS' first trick-or-treating experience was a success.

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23 Months...

My sweet David Scott,
This very minute, you are sleeping in my arms. I know these moments will happen less and less as you get older, so I'm trying to take it all in. Sometimes I just stare at you. And just a few weeks ago, I noticed you no longer smelled like you did for the first year or so (for the record, that would be a mix of baby and cheerios). However, I have to say that it is so awesome watching you grow up. You say new words/phrases and learn new tasks each day. It's so cool! And to think that we all shape and mold you into becoming a grown man, a productive member of society, is mind boggling sometimes. But for right now, you are still my little "Goofaroo" and our little boy. Stat-wise, you are:
• 33 inches tall
• 28 pounds
• wearing a size 5 diaper
• wearing 18-24 month/2T clothing; shoes are size 6-7, depending on the shoes
• learning new words in Spanish at school each week ("Hola!", "Beunos Dias!" (you just say, "Dias!"), "Gracias!"
• counting to 10...kind of. You typically start at 3 and go 3, 5, 6, 8. We're getting there. :)
• starting to say 2 word sentences and phrases. I always ask you if you're the cutest (smartest, funniest, etc.). Today at lunch I asked you who was cute. You said, "Papa cute!" Followed by, "Gran cute!" And finally, "Mama cute!" You'll also see something you like and say, "Oohh, pretty!" You said it yesterday referring to Mamaw's chain link fence when we were visiting her. :)
• eagerly awaiting the arrival of Anders, your very first cousin. We all are. He will be my first nephew and Boo's first child. He's gonna be so cute and so sweet and I hope he loves his Auntie (aka me, unless I figure out a new name for myself) as much as you love your Boo. I know that you and Anders will be great friends even if you don't really "get" it right now.
• starting to be a picky eater and have opinions about numerous things. When you tell us, "Done!" you will not put another morsel of food in your mouth. At night, you know it's bathtime after dinner, and will throw a fit to go bathe just as soon as you're done -- even if Daddy and I are still eating. We need to work on teaching you patience just a little bit.
• creeping into our bedroom at night if you wake up. One night last week, you were apparently so stealth in your arrival that we didn't even know you were in our bed until we woke up the next morning. The alarm went off and there you were in between us, just snug as a bug. You didn't even wake up Lola with your arrival which was a miracle since she has super power-like hearing.

I cannot believe you are one month shy of being 2 years old. The time has flown by and I know it's not slowing down any time soon. Daddy and I have grown so much since you came into our lives. You have taught us so much and we have the best time just being with you. I hope that never changes.

Love,
Mama


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Favorites...

David Scott has several things that he asks about or mentions every day. I've come to consider these things to be his favorite things. In no particular order:

1. Mawnmow (aka Lawnmower). DS wants to mow in the morning before we leave and in the evenings when we return. He also usually asks about mowing when I pick him up in the afternoons.




2. Icee! David Scott's request morning and night-- every time we get within a mile of Ralph's Supermarket. Which, by the way, is the ONLY place that has Icees. Amazing. :)

3. Songs. Specifically, DS' requests the following songs any time we're in the car: "Pow Pow" (aka "Boom, Boom, Pow" by The Blackeyed Peas), "Crunk" (aka "Halftime" by the Ying Yang Twins -- a song partially played at most Saints games), "Low, Low" (aka "Low" by Flo-Rida), and "Imma Be" (aka "Imma Be" by the ever-popular Blackeyed Peas). Yes, I realize I'm not getting any Mother of the Year awards as a result of my child listening to these hip-hop songs, but he's getting "kid" music at daycare and we frequently sing them in the car as well. "Wheels on the Bus," "Row, Row, Row your Boat," and "Itsy, Bitsy Spider."

4. Deuce (aka one of Boo's dogs). DS will occasionally mention another family members' dog (Suzy, Annie, Buddy, Dixie, Dottie, Shadow, or Doodle). We talk about who's dog they are and where they live, and then DS will usually bark.

5. Nemo. His favorite movie. We watch it on the tv and David Scott knows how to get it on the iPad.  He's also into The Lion King.  I'm super excited about the Christmas 2011 for several reasons, not the least of which is that DS might enjoy watching Elf with his parents.

6. Mike. As in Mike the Tiger. The little man usually follows saying Mike's name with a loud roar. And he'll frequently say, "Mike...where are you? At home, DS will also sit on his stuffed animal tiger named what else...Mike.



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A Few DS Stories...

Because David Scott says and does new stuff daily, I feel the need to document a few of his most recent, memorable happenings.

Several weeks ago, DS "blew" on Scotty's stomach. He proclaims, "It pooted!"


Gran, Papa, and Boo came to visit a few weekends ago. DS was wandering around the house looking for Gran, "Gran...are you?".

Last trip to Mom's: Gran was crawling on all fours over to Rachel. DS pulls the back of her pants back and says, "Poo poo!" guess he's heard me checking him for poo poo once or twice and thinks that we all go in our pants.

DS: Got it!
Me: What did you get?
DS holds out his finger to show me a booger. All boy. And yuck!

DS calls croutons "totons."

Just tonight I asked DS, "Do you love Mama?" He replies by nodding his head affirmatively. "Do you love Daddy?" Same response plus he shockingly added, "Nemo." I then asked him, "What else do you love?". "Totons!" I said, "Croutons-- what else?" His reply was, "Pow Pow!" The boy loves Mama, Daddy, Nemo, croutons, and his favorite song "Boom Boom Pow!" What more could he possibly need??? :)





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22 Months...

David Scott,
You have been 22 months old for several days now. To be honest, your Daddy and I didn't even acknowledge your advancement until I got to work on Monday and realized, "Hey, David Scott turned 22 months old yesterday." You have a great set of parents. :) Anyway, I cannot believe you will be 2 years old in a couple of months. Crazy! I cannot keep up with all the new phrases and things you are doing b/c it's literally every day that something new comes into the picture. So, here's what I can tell you. Currently, you are:
• 31.5 pounds. Solid.
• 33 Inches tall
• still in a size 4 diaper, but you wear size 5s at daycare a lot, and could at home too. I think I just don't want you to move up b/c it would be acknowledging the fact that you're practically grown and gone. Lol.
• into movies, specifically, Finding Nemo. You are obsessed with that movie and would watch it in your sleep if you could. Daddy and I never want to watch it again. And P.S., we'd like to resume regular use of the iPad which we bought for US...not YOU. But I guess we let you watch Nemo on it, so it's our own fault.
• such a big helper according to your "teacher" at "school". She says you help pick up toys and such and even help corral the other kids. I'll believe this when I see it b/c your bedroom looks like a disaster.
• taking 30 minutes of Spanish and tumbling each week at school. You can say, "Hola" and you know agua and water are the same thing. You will also repeat the first few numbers -- uno, dos, tres. This is nearly the extent of my Spanish vocabulary, so I'm sure you will know more than me in another few weeks. I guess Daddy and I will have to learn Spanish so that we can keep using some words and help you retain some of what you're learning.
• saying more and more phrases which, many times, will include "please" and "thank you" when requesting something. Your favorite things to ask about are Mike the Tiger and Papaw's Lawnmower. Let's also add the icee to this list as you start asking about an icee when we're still 2 miles from the store. Obsessed merely touches the surface when describing your love for these items. In fact, you might own your own landscaping company one day b/c you literally want to mow every day. It's cute.
• wearing 18-24/2T clothing. However, you can still squeeze into those size 3 month comfy pants sometimes as part of your sleeping ensemble. They look like leggings on you. Your Daddy thinks that's "embarrassing;" I say it's adorable. Who needs labels? Not us. For the record, you're still in a size 6-7 shoe.
• still climbing out of your bed at night. You then come directly to our room where you crawl up into our bed. Daddy has been heading to the couch many times after this exchange. Or rather, he heads to the couch to avoid your incessant crying for juice, which you say like "Seuuuuss". We've just started mocking you for your crazy middle of the night demands for "seuuuss!" You think this exchange is hilarious and then you start making fun of us as we make fun of you. Nifty.
• into the "Clifford" and "Curious George" cartoons. Thank you, Lord. So far we've managed to avoid Sesame Street, Barney, and the like. I hope to continue doing so.
• still loving the song "Boom, Boom, Pow!" which you call, "Pow! Pow!". We listened to it 7 times this morning. No lie. I counted.
• answering questions like, "Did you have a good day?", "Did you have fun?", "Do you love Mama?" -- my favorite. You will also say "Love you" to Daddy and me. It sounds like, "Luhs you." THAT makes my day!

My sweet son, you have no clue how much we are obsessed with you. I hope you turn out normal as a result. :)

Daddy and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary tonight. 5 years ago, we were tearing it up on the dancefloor at our reception. And tonight, I am typing this as I take a relaxing bath and you and Daddy sleep on the couch. Life is good...

And to my Baby Daddy: Thanks for hanging in there with me in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and for richer and poorer. I cannot imagine life without you or the incredible son you've given me. I couldn't have asked for a more generous, thoughtful (when it counts), awesome husband, and father to DS and any future Baby Rains. You are a great provider and friend and one of the best freestyle rappers I know. :)

Love, Mama

P.S. For posterity, David Scott, you ate 2.5 plates of spaghetti for supper the night that picture was taken. Record breaking meal.

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This and that...

What have we been up to? Not a whole lot. We went to North LA for the long, Labor Day holiday weekend. We got in lots of good, quality family time even making the trek to Jackson to pick up the crib for Baby McGehee whom I've decided to call Baby-Mac. While we were at the awesome furniture store (Miskelly's), we rode the carrousel. Yes, they had one in the store. We also met my mom's best friend growing up (aka Aunt Kim) for lunch. We didn't "do" too much other than that little side trip -- yard work, eating out, hanging out---the usual.


This weekend we stayed home (finally!) for the most part. Scotty and I had the brilliant idea that we should take David Scott tailgating and possibly stay for his first LSU game. Dumb idea. We got out there too early (2:15 for the 7:00 game), and rather than being the child who stays close to his parents in this environment of thousands and thousands of people, our little man wanted to go to all of the surrounding tailgates. Yes, he would go see Jack The Ripper if he offered him a Capri Sun and music to listen to.

Notice what's in the stroller and who's NOT in the stroller. He. Was. Heavy. And refused to ride, screaming the entire time if we forced him to. We went to see Mike (who was nowhere to be seen). And after being there for 2 hours, we got back in the truck. Destination: Home. Within 5 minutes, DS was asleep.

Today we've been doing a little Fall cleaning/yardwork and watching more football. Apparently, all this tuckered out our little helper, because he fell asleep during lunch.




I saw the commercial for The Lion King in 3D. We may take DS to see it next weekend. If so, it will be his first theater movie.

Let us never forget September 11th. For those who lost their lives, their loved ones, and our military personnel who have served past and present. God bless America.

Site of the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2006.  Rqachel and I went on a trip to NYC and were actually there on the 5th anniversary.  It was a great trip and seeing the site in person was very moving.
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The Dirty Thirty...

I turned 30 on August 27th. Everyone asked me if I was apprehensive about the big day. Nope. Not one bit. I know that my 30s are going to be great.

2006, 25 (and 26) years old...

My 20s were fine. I graduated from college. Twice. I got a real job (and I still like it!). I got married to my high school sweetheart (finally!). I got pregnant and had David Scott. But also during that time, I lost my dad. Overall, the good outweighed the bad in the number of events. But losing my dad, unexpectedly, knocked me down. Big time. More than I really ever expected it to. Looking back, I can see that now. However, becoming a parent, specifically a mama to my sweet boy, put a new perspective on life events like losing a parent or somebody you love. But it also gives you a new perspective on life in general. And I appreciate life much more. So I'm thankful for 30.

I know that my 30s and the rest of my life will bring lots of good stuff. And some bad stuff, too. That's life. But I know the good will outweigh the bad.

To celebrate the big day, Scotty took me/us to the beach. Most of the family had other commitments, but Mamaw and Mrs. Debbie came with us. They kept DS last night so Scotty and I could go eat (without interruption!!) and do whatever. We ended up going to play putt-putt golf (I only lost by 1...a personal best for me -- or a personal worst for Scotty, however you want to look at it), and then the arcade where we played skee ball, my fave, among other games. We spent about $7 in the arcade and ended up with a ball for DS that probably cost $2. Earlier in the day, we went to Waffle House for breakfast (tacky, but oh so good!). DS had a meltdown while we were there, so my birthday breakfast was spent eating in shifts taking turns sitting with Mr. Mad On in the 4Runner. Then we went to pick up my super cute cake that Scotty and Mrs. Debbie had arranged:

Then we went back to the condo for some beach and pool time. We'd spent Friday in a similar fashion -- beach and pool playing all day but we went to Lulu's for supper. Delish and so much fun for kids. DS entertained the masses with his dancing. He'd done the same thing at The Hangout Thursday night with just the three of us before Deb and Mam arrived. He is just too funny..and cute...good combination!

A backwards recollection of the trip, but I'm fine with that. I was fortunate to get to celebrate turning The Dirty Thirty at one of my favorite spots with some of my favorite people. We had a great time. I prefer making memories than getting "stuff" any day of the week.

21 Months...

David Scott,
You are growing and doing so many new things with every day that passes. I struggle to keep up with you...literally, at times! Right now, you are:
• 33 inches tall
• 28 pounds
• referred to as being "solid" and as having "great leg muscles" by others. You're welcome. You will appreciate both of these features more in the future.
• saying so many words and phrases which include: all gone, George and Breck (as in Curious and the toy dog we got in Breckenridge), song (as in you either recognize something as being sung or you're ready for a new one to be played), uh uh and uh huh (we're working to change this to no and yes with either sir or ma'am), off (as in you're ready to be out of your car seat or some article of clothing is about to come off), not nice or mean (usually this is followed by you pointing to the offender or you saying their name...many times you blame Daddy for something. Frequently when you do this Daddy isn't even nearby.), hush (this is mainly said to Lola in conjunction with, "Sit!"), crying/whining (said in reference to a baby). I'm sure I left something off this list.
• you love the beach and especially the pool. We are just getting back from going (again), where we went to celebrate my birthday this weekend (another post).
• you also are loving anything that moves -- cars, trucks (frucks, as you call them---just like your Boo did when she was little), bugs. You are 100% b-o-y!
• you will still give hugs and kisses and when one person gets one, you'll usually dole them out to any other family member in sight. You also like giving "high fives" to anyone including complete strangers. You are quite social.

You are such a special little boy to Daddy and me (and to everyone else in the family, too). We know that your future holds such greatness. You are so smart, athletically coordinated, have mad dancing skills that would make Justin Timberlake jealous, but most importantly, you are so kind-hearted to others. How did we get so lucky to be your parents? Don't get me wrong, you are also a pro at throwing a fit at the most inopportune times. But most of the time, you are simply the best.

Love,
Mama

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He Climbs...

DS has recently discovered that he can climb in and out of his bed. I guess it's time we start thinking about a big boy bed...

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The Beach...again...

Here begins the journey of our beach trip last weekend...


I am starting this post in the car on our way to the beach. It is raining. DS is asleep and Scotty is driving. I'm hoping we don't get stuck inside for the next 4 days. With 8 adults and 4 kids from 9 months up to 20 months, staying in one condo, patience could be tested. Orange Beach is our destination for what we call Law Vacay. We've been making this trip for several years now with three other couples -- some of Scotty's friends from law school, hence the name of the annual trek -- The Devilliers, The Truxillos, and The McVeas. Year before last, two of us were pregnant. Last summer, we put the trip on hiatus b/c two of us had smaller babies and the other two were in the later stages of their own pregnancies. So, this year we resumed our trip -- cutting back the distance and going to OB rather than our usual Destin...and with all 4 kids in tow.


I love the beach. Hopefully the kids will play well together and DS won't act alike a heathen. Unlike in years past, we will be eating in every night. I love, love, love going out to eat on vacation, but I know how my child has been acting in restaurants lately and I wouldn't wish that on our friends. It is still raining. If it's still raining when we get there, we plan on going to the outlet mall. Yes, it is outside. I have my umbrella just in case. I also have my blue jean jacket and my new shades. I pretty much look awesome/trendy (big change from the usual) during the trip over. By the time we can check in to the condo, I'll prob look like a wet dog. Oh well, we'll all look like wet dogs together....in our one condo...with 4 kids.




I will try to make updates to the end of this post as I am able.


THURSDAY RECAP
As mentioned in the post from our trip over, it rained most of the day Thursday. Luckily, we were able to check into the condo early so we met up with the Devilliers and Truxillos and were unloaded by 1:00; the McVeas arrived a little later. We didn't do much because of the rain, but I took DS to the indoor pool during the afternoon when the guys went to the grocery store. The babies were down for naps so the timing worked out for a little one-on-one time swimming. David Scott continues to amaze me with his fearless jumps and love of the water; he's like a fish kicking and moving his arms in the water. Once we got back up to the room, we/he "played" with the others to get to know them better.  We did get to go down to the beach once the weather eased up.

For dinner, Kevin cooked an amazing pork tenderloin with risotto and salad. He is an amazing cook, and he enjoys it so he usually cooks dinner. We were eating too late for DS to wait, so I went ahead and fed him something else and we put him and the other kiddos down before the adults ate dinner. We did as we always do and split up -- girls in one area and boys in the other so we can eat, talk, etc. It was a relatively early night since the boys had an early tee time in the morning on Friday.


FRIDAY RECAP

Since the guys got up early for golfing, the girls decided to take the kids down to the beach mid-morning on Friday. To say we had a bunch of crap is the understatement of the year. Somehow, we managed to get down with all the kids, but almost all of the beach stuff (save the big ice chest and a couple of chairs) in one trip. Yep...one trip. We were all completely loaded down.

After an hour or so, we went staggered back up to the room for lunch, naps, etc. DS had played very hard at one of the outside pools and at the beach, so he took a good nap. The guys made it back early afternoon, right after DS went down, so I was able to go down for an hour or so of peaceful tanning before the rest of the crew came back down with all the babies and such. "And such" is my nice way of referring to this:

And no, I'm not referring to the shades or the cute kid...

The afternoon was filled with more pool time and playing in the sand. DS had become more comfortable with the ocean that morning, so we were able to show Scotty the progress that had been made. Too bad there were tons of jellyfish in the water-- I mean everywhere-- so we didn't venture out too far past our knees. But hey -- at least we got in the water.

3/4 of our daddies and babies...

Poor Kevin and Kara-- Ava had gotten sick after lunch, like projectile, so we were all concerned, when she got sick another time or two since she is only 9 months old. She never ran fever, so we didn't think she was contagious or anything. Needless to say, they stayed in the remainder of the day. That night, the guys grilled hamburgers and baked fingerling potatoes. Again, yumm-o.

SATURDAY RECAP

Scotty woke up and shaved his face...finally...the pedophile/biker look was not becoming of him, although he begs to differ. Ava was feeling much better, so Kara was able to go as planned with us girls to get our massages. Much needed. The guys stayed at the condo with the kids. After we got back to the condo post-massages, Scotty told me that he and David Scott went to the pool AND the lazy river and had a good morning. My little man was napping but woke up a short while later and was ready to eat lunch Everyone else had already gone down to the beach, so DS and I headed down after he ate.

We had a big afternoon filled with the guys playing Bag-o, multiple trips to the pool, playing with everybody in the sand, playing in the water, getting stung by a jellyfish (DS and me simultaneously, on our foot and ankle, respectively), and a group meltdown towards the end of the afternoon.

The chain reaction of cries...

We ended the day by making a few rounds at the lazy river. Turquoise Place, where we stayed had just about everything you could need/want -- multiple pools inside and out, a lazy river, tennis courts, a playground, each unit has its own grill and hot tub, and our 4 BR/BA condo was a great size for our group. We decided this will be our destination for Law Vaca from now on. Once the kids get older, we'll be able to do more stuff off-premises like the water/amusement park, the Wharf, putt-putt golf. But for now, and even in the future, this was the perfect place to stay.

Our last night was capped off with another awesome meal cooked by Kevin: steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and grilled zucchini and squash. Delish, as per usual. Again, we had the great divide with girls eating on the patio and the guys inside. Then we switched when they came out to get in the hot tub, apparently. I say apparently, b/c I was in our room putting my sweet boy back down since he'd awoken towards the end of the meal. The girls had an earlier evening than the guys and we called it a night around midnight. I don't know how late the guys stayed outside.

SUNDAY RECAP

We headed for home on Sunday, stopping at Waffle House for our traditional vacation trek there. While there, DS told Scotty, "I poo-pooed" as he grabbed his behind. Sure enough, he had -- he's been getting pretty good about notifying us of these body functions after they happen, so we'll see if anything comes of that. We're not putting any pressure on him, though, so our expectations are low. Kind of like this trip. We had low expectations with having all 4 kids in one condo, and we thought it was great! Scotty and I spent a large amount of time trying to keep our son I line, but overall, he was really good. Busy, but good. Kind of like our life.

Amendment to my original post:  On the way home, DS threw up in the car.  Yes, we'd gotten the stomach virus as he was sick again Monday, went back to Daycare on Wednesday, and left early today (Thursday), b/c he got sick again.  Stomach virus relapse confirmed by the pediatrician b/c he was having a few other symptoms that were concerning to me -- complaining that his head hurt and had fallen a couple of times (not totally unusual, but given everything else, concerning).  He had a little fever (below 100 degrees), which is probably why his head was hurting him, and was probably a little dehydrated which contributed to his loss of balance, per the ped.  He's eaten nearly 25 popcicles this week alone and can continue to live off them through the weekend if he wants to said Dr. K.  Our little sick boy seemed to perk up when Daddy arrived home this evening, but was cranky again before he went to bed.  He and Daddy are going to have a relaxing day at home by themselves tomorrow.

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20 Months...

David Scott,
While our last few weekends have been spent playing with friends, visiting with family, and being sick (you had Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease/Virus over July 4th weekend...fun), we have more fun coming up. But first, here's the recap of what's going on with you right now. Currently, you are:
• 32 inches tall
• 27.5 pounds
• wearing size 4 diapers
• wearing 12-24 months size clothes
• wearing shoes size 6-7
• you love books, especially those about animals. You know all of your animal sounds.
• you do not love your power wheels...still...breaking Daddy's heart. :)
• you love music and will start screaming if I turn it off for too long to talk on the phone
• you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE playing outside or just being outside
• you love Lola and love giving her your food. She, in turn, still doesn't like you but will tolerate you only while it benefits her. I still hold out hope that she'll see what good friends you could be an that she really shouldn't bite the hand that feeds her...
• you've watched parts of two movies while it was raining over the weekend -- Despicable Me and Toy Story 3 -- both were cute and held your attention for about an hour each.





• nap-wise, you're sleeping 1.5-2 hours in a mid-day nap. However, you slept for a whopping 3 hours during your nap Saturday.
• starting to carry on very brief conversations. For instance, I'll ask you after I pick you up from daycare if you had a fun day, and you'll nod "yes." Then I'll ask if you bit anybody and you'll say, "bad." Yes, we've had a few issues with you biting us and I want to confirm that you know biting is not nice in the hopes that you won't bite others.
• you are starting to throw more frequent tantrums. To be exact, you threw 5 fits in Target yesterday. You were that kid; and I was the mom who just let you scream while I grabbed the last of my list.

We are really struggling right now with your strong-willed personality and how to discipline you. You've been swatted, spanked (gasp!), given a stern talking to, and been put in time out. Nothing seems to phase you. At all. Perhaps you're too young to "get it," but I'm praying that light bulb goes off soon. We can't just tell you not to so something as that works only 3% of the time. Typically, we have to remove the temptation and redirect you to something else. But you always end up going back to the undesired behavior at least once before you find something else that piques your interest.

You are a non-stop ball of energy and you like to "go go go" as we say when we leave the house every morning. As big of a personality as you are, I cannot wait to see what funny things you will do and say as you get older. I've truly loved every good/bad/frustrating/rewarding day of your life. And although tantrums are not cute, your occasional sweetness makes up for them. With Daddy and me, you will freely give hugs and the sweetest kisses. Oh! Funny story about you, Mr. Congeniality -- we went for ice cream this weekend. You waved at every single person in there, even high-fiving the old man sitting by us. He and his wife just loved the essence of DS. Waving at everyone is something you love doing. And I swear, for some of these people, having you wave at them, specifically, makes their day. And it makes me proud that you're so congenial. One of your teachers told me last week that you were one of the most well-rounded kids she's had in her room. Proud Mama Moment. Keep them coming, kiddo!

Love,
Mama




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19 Months...

David Scott,
You turned 19 months old a week ago. Please stop. Seriously. I never understood why people talked about their kids growing up so quickly. I mean, the kids were getting older at the same rate the parents were, so what was the big deal?




The big deal is #1, there's a difference between growing up and getting older. And #2, you really do grow up too fast! Sometimes I think my heart could just burst with love when I'm watching you sleep or when you come and give me a kiss. And yet there are others when you are trying my patience like never before and I still love you. Part of it is my job, I guess, as your mother, but it's so awesome to think that you were created specifically for your daddy and me. Just us. And that makes my heart want to burst too.




It's hard to believe you will be 2 in less than 6 months. Currently, you are:

• 32 inches tall
• 26.5 pounds
• going at a speed of Mach 3...everywhere...except on your Power Wheels...which you still seem to be scared of/hate
• cutting the first of your four 2-year molars
• eating everything including crayons, but not (collard) greens -- which I don't cook, but they serve them at Brown's Landing where we frequently eat at on trips to North LA.
• identifying animals and saying the sounds they make. When I picked you up at daycare one day this week, I found out you know more animals than we thought you did -- iguana, yak (which I don't think I could even ID), fox -- as Ms. Vanessa illustrated with the flash cards. So smart!
• starting to say compound words -- Rainwater (ra wa wa), outside (but you pronounce it with an "s" at the beginning), lawnmower (mawnmow), and too many "easier" words to list
• you wave at strangers and flirt with females when we go places. Mr. Personality.
• you can name all the members of our family as well as your teachers and classmates at "school"

A couple of recent funny daycare stories about you:
A few weeks ago, Ms. Vanessa was fixing snacks for the class when she noticed you were not visible. A minute or so later, she found you. Under the table. Eating her lunch. And just today, Daddy picked you up from daycare. Ms. Vanessa was relieved to see him as she said you were "lost" again today. Do you know where they found you? In your classroom's bathroom. Standing in the toilet, splashing around. Yes, son, you are That Kid. And we love you!

Love,
Mama