Five New Teeth in the House

You may recall that a while back I mentioned we were in need of dentures and a toupee for Ryder.  Items no longer needed.  Over the past 1 to 2 weeks, we have grown four teeth...

And enough hair that Ryder feels the need to keep it slick for the ladies.

Actually, this is his latest trick.  John Michael or I will say, "See Ryder, mommy/daddy are brushing their hair (while brushing hair), now you brush your hair" and he will grab the brush and put it up to his head like so.  Precious.

If you read the title of this post, it said five new teeth, so you may be confused as to why I said Ryder only had four.  Well, we have another new tooth in our house.  A nasty BLUE TOOTH!  Can you spot the horried growth coming from his ear?

JM's bank swapped to Cellular South a couple weeks ago, so they got him a new phone.  Now if this tooth would have come with the phone package, that would be one thing.  But he went out and BOUGHT it on his own dime.  I asked how much it was, he said $30, but that there was one for $100 he probably should have gotten.  Scuse me?  If he thinks he is wearing this out in public, he'll soon find out he won't be.  He may as well have bought the belt clip to match.  Unfortunately it appears that I am outnumbered in my opinion... somebody else in our house likes it too.

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Hey mom, I can't find my cheerio. Do you see it down there?

Sweetness getting ready for church

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I have noticed this is a pretty popular smile choice for Ryder lately...

Mrs. Connie let Ryder enjoy some yummy cupcakes...

...and I think it's safe to say he liked them!

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In News:  I am such a proud big sis. Kayla is about to begin her career as a first grade teacher!  I can't believe it's already here. I just know all her students will love her to death. We also moved her into her new apartment in Ridgeland last weekend. She is growing up!

Also, Happy anniversary to my daddy and his sweet wife, Becky!

Going on a Jean Spree

ROCK ON!!!

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If you've followed us for a while, you know that Ryder has really bad eczema.  Since it's been so hot out, I've noticed it's gotten worse.  I'm assuming it flares up from the heat.  Here is a picture of what it looks like in cool temperatures, inside the house.  So you can only imagine when the heat gets to him, it's double this.

This is how his skin looks constantly.  I put his prescription cream on him every day, but it's just not doing the trick.  I guess we'll have to make another trip to the dermatologist.  The only thing that makes all this better is that it doesn't bother him.  He rarely scratches at it, so I think it's just more of a mental thing for us.

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Well, I've been cleaning out the closets and have finally broken down and realized none of these babies will ever fit again. 

I've been holding on to them in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to squeeze into them.  It's been 10 months and no such luck.  After the hips widen in pregnancy, I don't think there's any going back.  With that said, I will be making a delivery to the Orange Peel in Fondren on September 3, which is the earliest they could get me an appointment.  In tow, will also be tons of really great tops, but they're just a little too clingy for my liking.  In October, they will be taking winter items.  Got alot of that ready to go as well.  I love cleaning out the closet!

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I helped my friend Johnlyn Evans start a blog yesterday so if you know her, be sure to add her to your page so you can keep up with the journey of her pregnancy: http://www.johnlynplusone.blogspot.com/.

Happy Birthday Mama!

Happy Birthday to the best mother I could possibly imagine.


Let me just start off by saying I was not the easiest teenager to raise, I'm sure. I had an attitude like no other, and I was just plain mean sometimes.  I've told her this plenty of times, but I would take back the way I treated her for anything.  Now, we are closer than you could imagine. She is the first person I call with news, hardships or praise.

Let me tell you a few things I love about my mom and that make her stand out to me:

1. I can count on ONE hand the days I've gone without talking to her.

2. I've never heard her use a single bad word. Not even any of these words: oh crap, heck, butt, booty, shutup, dang  ... These are words that most of us use on a daily basis that we don't think twice about.
3. She raised two girls. That can't be easy. I've heard from many moms who have a boy and girl, that girls are twice as hard. I will say, I could've never imagined her with a son, he's not quite the "outdoors" type if you know her, you know what I mean.  But she is just so smitten with her four grandsons that I guess babies can change anyone!

4. She has 5 brothers and 3 sisters.  And she loves her mama to death, talks to her every single day. Sometimes she asks me, "Are you going to visit me like I visit mama when we get older?"  Well, of course.

5. She is every sense of the words GOODY GOODY!

6. She tries to stay strong for us. One of the very few times I can remember seeing her cry is the day her father died. I was only three years old, but I can remember it clearly. We were sitting on that blue couch with that ugly bird print, and I remember curling up next to her while she cried. There have been very few times since then that I've seen her cry, and I know there have been many times that she could have, but she just stood strong in front of her girls.

7. I have always said I wanted to be just like my mom when I grow up. Well, now I'm grown up, and have a child of my own, but I don't feel like I touch the greatness of my mom. That's okay though, at least I have her to look up to, and hopefully I'll get there.

8. And last, but certainly not least, I think my mom is just beautiful. I have always been proud to show her off and say she is MY MOM!!!!!

Five Fact Friday

I have a few Friday facts to share on this lovely scorcher of a day.

• When I see that scary hairyness growing from a potato, I get chills for days.  Have them right now just thinking about it.  It's like eyes with long stringy hair coming out of them.  How could you eat that?
• When I use a public restroom, I always...ALWAYS... tear off the last sheet of toilet paper and throw it away so that I don't have to use what the last person touched.  One time Kristen and I were in a public restroom together (okay... you know girls go to the restroom together) and I noticed she did the same thing.  Funny.
• Speaking of public restrooms, if I have to use one, I 100% prefer using a fast food joint over a gas station.  I always make JM pull over to the local Wendy's before the Exxon.  I don't see how it could be much cleaner, but I just think it is.
• I have the same routine when it comes to getting ready.  But I have noticed over the years when getting ready with friends, that I do something backwards from all the rest.  I put on my mascara, then I dry my hair, then I put on my powder and the rest of my makeup at the very end right before I walk out the door.
• I am giddy over buying (and using) new cleaning supplies.  Bought a whole new stash at Walmart yesterday.  Cleaned like a woman 8 1/2 months pregnant, in full nesting mode.

Ahhhh, I can smell the clean now.

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This is off the wall, but after watching the bachelorette Monday night and seeing the mom with braces, JM and I got into a conversation about the things.  He asked if I ever had to wear the rubberbands.  I can't help but chuckle at the thought of junior high when people had to wear rubberbands in every which-a-way.  Diagonal, criss cross, side to side, up and down, and probably round and round.  What horrifying times.  But those rubberbands sure were a way to show your school spirit!  I wish I had pictures of my red, black and white rubberbands.  Go Arrows!

The Belt

I guess I forgot to post some 10 month facts about Ryder during all the sickness chaos last week.  After his appointment last Wednesday morning, he was out sick the rest of the week, and even throughout the weekend.  JM had to go to church alone Sunday because he still had fever.  Well, what is Ryder up to these days?

• size 4 diapers
• not taking well to baby food anymore so I've attempted a few more solid choices, such as: black eyed peas, mashed potatoes, cheese slices, strawberries, bananas, graham crackers, scrambled eggs, yogurt, pancakes, chicken spaghetti.  He's had a couple french fries at Connie's, and squash and green beans at his Nanni and Grandaddys.  We're still using the jar food, but only until it's gone.
• takes four 6oz bottles a day
• usually has one sippie cup of juice a day, I still dilute half of it with water
• has the tip of one top tooth and two bottom teeth growing in as we speak, will probably be grown in by the end of the weekend
• has stood in place by himself for about 10 seconds (a couple times)
• answers every question with "da da"
• can give a "5", but only a low five
• starting to wave bye bye with his arm straight out and flops it up and down real wobbly
• of what hair he's got, it looks like it's going to be curly when he gets hot or it's humid outside
• if he can hear you, but can't see you, he whips his head all over the place until you are in his sight
• is mesmerized by "this little piggie went to market" - a great tool while trying to cut nails or take temp
• when he sees you drinking something, he curls his lips into a perfect "o" while you are taking a sip, it's like he is trying to take a sip of the air
• he loves to look out the window, all the time
• and last but not least, he carries his new friend with him everywhere he goes... John Michael's belt

He takes his belt to the kitchen.

He takes his belt to the living room.

He even takes his belt when he goes to share food with Peanut.

Did I mention he loves looking out the window?

Now, this is just a cute face.

I can't take JM to anymore kids shops.  The moment we walked in he was putting Ryder on every toy and zooming him all over the store.  And then he informed me he was buying this for Ryder, and it was time to go home so they could play on it.

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Happy Wedding Anniversary to my mom and George!

Gettin Into the Double D's (double digits)

Today, Ryder is TEN whole months!  1-0!  This picture totally depicts the way he has felt on his first ever double digit birthday. 

We went to the doctor yesterday because when we picked him up out of the crib yesterday morning, the first thing I thought was that he felt like a heating blanket. JM grabbed the thermometer and he was so hot I was too scared to look at the ending number when it beeped. I just knew it would be 104. Well, according to JM, it was 101.8, whew. I called the clinic and got him an appointment for 10 a.m.  When I called to make the appointment, the nurse said the first available would be 9:45, and it would be with a random doctor since ours doesn't work on Wednesdays. If that didn't work, then there was an opening at 10, 10:15, 10:30 and so on. Looking back, that should have been my first clue. He was quite the creeper! After the appointment I called my friend, a nurse there, and asked what was up with this particular doctor. She asked if he did this, and if he did that, and I said YES! She said he runs all his patients off. No wonder he was so available. Before he even took a look at Ryder, he started to tell me what might be wrong.  And boy did he tell me.  I'm telling you the truth, he must have memorized his entire med school book word for word because if I would have actually been listening, I would most likely be able to operate brain surgery after that conversation.  Throughout the entire med school lesson, Ryder was screaming his lungs. I thought, Doctor, are you deaf?  Can you hear?  Please get your ear light and stethoscope out and diagnose my baby.  And lose the med terms upon delivery.  At this point I'm far off in la la land.  The only useful information I had  was what the tech gave me, that he weighed, 21 lb. 11 oz. and that his temp was 102. 

F-i-n-a-l-l-y, we started drawing some conclusions. He has a fever virus. And a summer cold. He is flip flopping Tylenol and Motrin. And also taking Zyrtec and Mucinex. When he woke up this morning his eyes were stuck together with crust and his nose was packed in crust. He’s just pitiful. See below.

I told my mom that in ten months, my arms have not been as sore as they were this morning. I held him just about all day yesterday, which I enjoyed so much of course. I was worried about how he would sleep last night because after putting him down at 7:30 pm, he woke up at 8:30 pm screaming, and then 9:30. At this moment I knew we’d be pulling an all nighter. I woke up sometime around 5:30 this morning in panic mode because why hadn’t he woken up yet? Oh my goodness I ran across the house and put my hand to his body and he gave me a little jerk, and I let out my first breath.

As I wrap things up with the blog tonight (at 9:19 p.m.), he has been fast asleep since 7:45 and before I put him down his temp was 99.9, and that was 5 hours after Tylenol.  His nose is still running like crazy, but hopefully we're making progress and he'll be much better tomorrow.

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Tales from the Ho'Tale'

I have stayed in a hotel room eight of the last seventeen nights, in three different cities.  I do love a good hotel room (and the yummy travel toiletries you get at the better ones), but no matter how nice the place, I am a bit funny about some things:

1) I will not use a hotel hair dryer.  I feel like they will smell like the person's hair who used it last.  That's nasty.

2) At home, when I am finished with my towel, I like to reuse it a time or two more to save, and in hotels I like to do the same.  BUT - I don't like to hang it on the door or bathroom hook in a hotel room.  I feel like it will make my towel really dirty.

3) The hotel room drinking glasses, a no-no.  I only use the plastic cups that are wrapped in plastic.

4) The remote control.  I wish I could remember to bring a glove for flipping channels every time I stayed in a hotel.

5) Using the tub to take a bath - this goes without explanation.  And if I ever forget to bring soap, and I have to use their complimentary bar soap, it's not going to rest on the bathtub soap holder, it will sit nicely on a bathcloth, free from the germs where the last person put their bar of soap.  Because you know the cleaning crew doesn't wash that little spot.

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Today, my sister and I, along with two other girls filmed a commercial for a new boutique here in Clinton.  It will air on the CW, the channel that carries Gossip Girl, America's Next Top Model, 90210, etc.  Be on the watch!

Danielle, Kayla and I getting ready for the shoot

While I was there, I was itching to get home to my sick bubbie.  And I came home to this sweetness:

My friend (and neighbor!) Lindsey is having a...

BOY!!!

Ryder Has Hair!

I got Ryder out of the tub last night and was drying his head off and noticed he had hair sticking up all over the place.  JM got so excited he starting saying to Ryder, "Ryder needs a hair cut!  Ryder needs a hair cut!"  I know I took a risk by putting him on my bed commando to get this picture - but I got caught up in the excitement of hair and gave it a shot.  And lets just say, he gave it a "shot" too.  He teed on my sheets, but it's nothing the ole washer couldn't fix.  His hair looks dark in this picture because, well, it's still wet.  We're still not sure what color it's going to be.

In other news, Kayla got a teaching job!  Mi Groom will be teaching either K or 1st in the Yazoo City Public School system.  Should be interesting.  I'm sure she'll come home with the best stories.  With so many schools on a hiring freeze, and even some letting their teachers go, she is extremely lucky and very blessed for this opportunity.  Kayla - I hope you're giving the Big Man upstairs big thanks for this one!

And some good news in our household as well.  John Michael got a promotion!  He is now Assistant Vice President of Mortgage Lending.  Are you looking to buy a house or refinance to save some money?  Go see him!

We are headed out tonight for the Lone Star State to celebrate the fourth of July.  JM, myself, Will, Brooke, Chris and Hannah will be smooshed in the Tahoe for a good 10 hours one way (I apologize in advance for whoever has to sit on the back row bench with no leg room).  We're going to New Braunfels, TX to tube down the Guadalupe River and see several concerts.  Should be fun, but I promise I wouldn't have signed up for this if I would have known we'd be driving TEN friggin hours.  At the time of paying the non-refundable room reservation, JM conveniently told me this would be about 6 hours.  We're going to drive halfway tonight and get up and drive the rest tomorrow morning.  I reaaaaaally don't want to leave this cutie.  I do love how his eyebrows arch just like his daddy's in this picture, though.

Ryder playing his infamous stare-down game with his Papa.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and SAFE Fourth of July weekend.  As for us, here's a view of where we'll be:

----In the meantime, I'll be looking forward to the 8th - Ryder turns 10 months and my good friend Lindsey finds out if it's a he or she!----