Birthday Wishes!

We'd like to wish Aunt R a Happy Birthday today!!

Not Me Monday

It's Monday folks! Time for those confessions! I'll start...

I did not rewind Baby Einstein right before it ended so that Boo would be entertained a little longer so B-man and I could finish supper together.

I did not fall asleep on the couch listening to the Clemson game on the radio and wake myself up snoring!!

I did not take my baby into a liquor store, stroller and all, to buy a bottle of wine for wine night. Nope, not me! In my defense, they don't sell wine at grocery stores here, you have to go to the liquor store...you just don't have to take your baby. ;)

Ok, your turn!!

Click on the image above to check out MckMama's post...the gal who started "Not Me Monday".

Just some photos today.

Go Tigers! Beat the Terps!

Go Hogs! Beat the Longhorns!
Unfortunately, we already know how the Clemson game turned out. Boo.

And it will be a miracle if the Hogs pull one out over the Longhorns.

Tubby Time!

Talking to Daddy


Playing at infant playgroup. He's getting better! I usually have to hold him the whole time. Yesterday he played for a while, and then I had to hold him the rest of the time. But, he's getting better!

He loved the paper on the table at the doctor's office. Where can we get some for the house??

Up on his hands and two big toes!

Prayers Please

Update:
Well, Boo's ultrasound shows that he still has mild hydronephrosis on the left side. So, that means he will have to prophylactically take antibiotics everyday to prevent infection in his kidney. We're still not sure if the swelling is due to reflux from the bladder or a problem at the kidney/ureter junction. So, Boo will have a voiding cystourethrogram to determine if urine is flowing from the bladder into the ureters. If it is reflux, I think we'll still be taking a wait and see approach to see if he will outgrow the condition. If the x-ray doesn't show reflux, we'll probably be in for further testing to see what is going on at the kidney/ureter juncture.

What does this mean clinically? Not a whole lot. Meaning, Boo has no idea there is something not right with his urinary system. He's just happy being a growing boy! We were praying for total resolution of the problem and although that has not happened yet, we're very hopeful and are totally aware of our blessings with respect to Boo's health. He is not a sickly child by any stretch of the imagination and is thriving on all fronts. Praise God for that!

Thank you for your prayers and we ask that you continue them.
-Carolina Girl



We're off to the urologist this a.m. for Boo's follow up appointment. Prayers that everything is normal are greatly appreciated. Will update later.

Not Me Monday

I've been checking out a blog by a woman who calls herself MckMama. She has 3 beautiful children and one on the way. Stellan, the one on the way, was diagnosed with severe heart problems in utero and wasn't expected to live through the pregnancy, much less life outside of the womb. Well, through miracle, this little guy is thriving in his mama's belly and will make his world wide debut in a few short weeks.

Anyway, MckMama decided to host "Not Me Monday" after therapeutically telling us all one day about all of the things she did not do (read, what she did do but would normally never tell)!

So, here's what I did NOT do recently....

I did not lay beside G-Boo on the floor and nap while he watched Baby Einstein!

I did not eat the rest of G-Boo's baby food sweet peas because I was hungry and he didn't eat them all, and hey, they're not half bad!

I did not eat 3 Krispy Kreme doughnuts on the way home from the grocery store and tell B-man when I got home that it's a good thing we didn't live further from the store, because I would have eaten more.

Nope, not me!!

What have you not done recently??
Come on, I know there's something. And it's fun to see how we're all alike!!!
I'm noticing a food and sleep theme in my confessions.

.

The Kindness of Strangers

Well, if you just looked at the score of the Alabama v. Arkansas game, you might think that yesterday was a horrible day here in Fayetteville. Well, I'm happy to report that it wasn't a total loss for our family, thanks to the kindness of strangers.

We decided to be courageous yesterday and take Boo to his first collegiate football game. As a student, B-man gets a student ticket and a spouse ticket ($1/each) but isn't allowed to buy anymore student tickets. And, as crazy as it sounds, our baby boy, who is going to sit in our lap the whole time, has to have a ticket too! So, off we went to the game with only 2 tickets in hand, hoping to not pay an outrageous price to get all 3 of us into the game.

Near the lot where we parked there was a man selling tickets and he sold us a "single" for less than the value of the ticket!! Super nice! I thought for sure we'd have to pay a high price and this nice man gave us a deal of sorts because it was for the baby. So things were looking up. We had found a good parking spot, bought Boo a ticket, and were on the shuttle bus to take us to the stadium. To make a long story short, we all got into the game and I met B-man and Boo in the student section to watch the game. We were a little late, so we ended up in the upper level student section. Well, Boo was getting a little cranky, so I walked around with him under the bleachers for a while. I then came back to B-man and pulled out Boo's blanket so he could sit on the space in front of us. I was just talking and said, "I wish we had some shade". Well, apparently I said this just as a stadium worker (think red sports coat and tie, not EVENT STAFF t-shirt) walked by and he stopped and looked at me and said, "Do you need shade"? I paused and for a second and almost said no but on second thought, said "yes". His response was, "How long do you need?" Well, now I was starting to think we were about to get a major hookup, so I said, "How long can you give me?" with a big smile on my face and he smiled and said, "Come with me". So, off we went...out of the student section, past the EVENT STAFF t-shirt folks, and down a hall into the Club level lounge! Complete with a/c, big screen TVs and CAKE!!! He lowered his voice and told us to hide our student passes and act like we knew what we're doing! ;) No problem, we were super cool! So, there we were getting the inside look at how the wealthy live it up at the games. Let me say....it was n-i-c-e! Our new found friend kept coming to check on us and we were sure to graciously thank him at each encounter.

We decided to wander around a little bit and found that downstairs, was the club level seating that was open to the field! What a view of the game!! Alas, if only the Hogs had been playing well.

During our last encounter with red sports coat guy, he says to us, "Well, I'm there (pointing to the location where we first met him) for every home game" and walked away. B-man looked at me and said, "Do you think he's trying to tell us something"? I think for sure he is, don't you?

So, the whole thing got me thinking...stay with me folks, I'm going somewhere with this. We greatly benefited from the kindness of this man. He helped make Boo's first football game very memorable for us. He didn't have to do this. He just was walking by and overheard us, and stopped what he was doing to assist. But, it goes further than that. Just think about him and how he feels for having helped. He kept coming to check on us and was so nice. I could see in him how he was rewarded too...because we accepted his offer! Does this make sense? My point is, that when offered help, assistance, or an upgrade, etc. you're probably not putting the other person out. In fact, you're giving them the opportunity to do something good. They gain reward from being the helper. Don't you feel that way when you are able to help someone? Especially a stranger? It just makes you feel good. And isn't it contagious? When someone does something nice for you, it makes you look for opportunities to pass kindness on to others. Also, when others accept your help and are gracious in return, it makes you want to give more.

So, the next time someone offers to help you, don't just say, "No, that's okay". Let them help and you both will be rewarded. And maybe this world would be a better place.

Here are some photos from the day.

Game Day! This is us in the upper student section.

Go Hogs!

Boo Bear asleep in Daddy's arms on a couch in the club lounge. Thank you, red coat man!

The view from the club seats!!

Boo ridin in his baby bjorn. Mode of transportation for the day.

The view of where we were from where we ended up!

(it was packed during the first quarter...not so much during the 4th)

I spy a pearly white! Do you?

Have a great week!!!

Update

Just a quick update...
The root canal was fine. It took 3 hours though because they were slammed at the dentist office.
Mouth is sore, but I was able to drink milk this a.m. without severe pain.

On the agenda for today...
A picnic in the park for Boo and me with the Mom's club.
Studying for B-man. He has a midterm tonight. Study well Hon!

Today is the day...

Today is the dreaded ROOT canal day! I pray it goes smoothly!

Proof!

Thanks for listening yesterday and thanks for your tips, advice, and for sharing your own napping woes. I think it's good to share the good and the bad. It helps to know you're not the only one, whatever the situation may be.

But, today is a NEW day! I'm feeling refreshed and renewed. Maybe it's because it's a beautiful day and the forecast high is 76; maybe it's because I'm showered and dressed and ready to go, maybe it's because I'm so excited to finally be getting my hair cut today (I have high hopes for this new gal I'm going to); or maybe it's because we have the sweetest, cutest, most lovable Lil Boo ever!!! Yes, I think that's it!!

Here's some photographic and video evidence (proof, if you will) of his adorableness, his cuteness, ...his Lil Boo-ness!!

In his camou jammers!

Looking like a BIG boy! (sniff...sniff)

This was his Game Day outfit this week. At the bottom it says,
"Clemson, wait for me!"

Taking a rare moment to be still and snuggle with Daddy after his nap!





"I can do it myself!"

When?

Please excuse me while I vent a little...

Although our Boo is the cutest thing in the whole world (biased comment, I know), I find myself getting very frustrated with his horrible napping practices! He will only sleep for 30 minutes. Then he wakes up all happy and wants to play. We leave him in the crib, knowing that 30 minutes isn't enough sleep for him (not to mention, I can't get much done in 30 minutes). Usually between 20 and 30 minutes later, he starts to get fussy and we go give him his papeyer again. He would normally go back to sleep after that for about an hour. Well, lately he's been fighting that second part of the nap. He just is so fussy but exhausted too. He sleeps for a couple of minutes and then wakes up and cries...ugh. I feel like I've done everything I can short of letting him cry himself to sleep (which I just can't do) to promote good sleep/napping habits, but have yet to see the fruit of our labor. So I ask you...
When is he going to sleep for more than 30 minutes?
When will he bridge those 2 naps together?
When will I be able to start and finish a household chore while he sleeps?
When will our "being consistent" pay off?
When?
When?
When?

Thanks for listening. I feel better now. I know I should be enjoying the moment and not looking forward to "when" this or that happens. And, I do enjoy Boo and this stage of his life, but in terms of napping, I do long for the day it works the way it's "supposed" to . Am I being naive in thinking that it will actually happen? I mean, I know I've heard friends talk about consistent nap times and that their children slept 1-3 hours during these times. Did I imagine it all? Am I kidding myself? I mean, he is over 6 mos old now and we've been doing this dance for a while.

I know I've painted this horrible napping picture for you. But, the truth is, he goes to sleep very well and for that I'm very grateful and do think this is where our being consistent has paid off. We don't have to rock him to sleep and tiptoe out of the room. We read stories, sing him a lullaby on the way to the crib, put him down with his ya-ya and papeyer and he's usually asleep within 5 minutes. And, I'm grateful that he doesn't do this 30 minute thing at night and that he usually only requires some help finding his papeyer when he awakes at night, which is more often that I'd like, but it could be worse.

As you can imagine, I'm writing this as he is swimming in his crib, supposed to be sleeping and it's taken me a lot longer to write because he keeps waking up crying. I even tried to feed him, but he was clearly tired and not hungry. Oh brother!

And then I think, he's the one crying...how does he feel? Does he feel like we're never coming back? That we've banished him to his crib for life?? Boy, mother's guilt is a real emotion, huh?

Please don't get the wrong idea, I just love him to pieces! I just needed to get this off my chest and seek advice. Thanks for listening. Like I said before, I feel better already. Unfortunately, I think I'll be feeling the same way at about 1:30 p.m. when he wakes up this afternoon after sleeping only 30 minutes then...

Wouldn't you know it...he's asleep now! Yay! Yay! Yay!

Someone has a toowf!!

We're excited to announce that after weeks, er months, of us saying, "We think he's teething" in an effort to explain his crankiness...G Boo has his first tooth (bottom left)!!!
We were pretty sure we felt it about to come through on Friday night and he was the crankiest! So, we loaded him up with teething meds and Tylenol for the pain and off to sleep he went...the whole night I might add.
When he awoke on Saturday morning, I could see the tippy top of his little tooth peeking through his gums. Awww! We tried to get a photo, but it's still too small to show up on the camera.
Our little Boo is growing up. Sniff. Sniff.

So, what excuse do we have now for his cranky behavior this morning?? I think he's working on the bottom right one now! hehe! Seriously.

Hodgepodge

Hey! Thanks to all of you "purple rhino" spotters! Some of you were very creative in your descriptions.

There isn't really a theme to this post, just a mixed bag of what we've been up to this week.

I attended my first Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) meeting on Wednesday. MOPS is a Christian based organization devoted to nurturing mothers. I had high hopes for this meeting and it definitely delivered. There were lots of other mothers there my age and the table I sat at happened to have mothers of little boys only a couple of months older than Boo. So, it was great to hear them talk about what was right around the corner for us. I encourage all stay at home moms to see if they can find a MOPS group in their community. Click here to go on the MOPS website. The theme for the curriculum this year is "Adventures in Motherhood". How many adventures have you already had TODAY?

Here are our adventure buddies enjoying some time in the backyard.

Adventures in a metal tub! Fun!

Next, I wanted to share with you our newest favorite baby products for this stage in Boo's life.

1. Baby Bjorn Bib: It's a laundry saver...and who doesn't need that? It's made of a soft rubbery plastic (how's that for technical) material and has an awesome pouch at the bottom that catches everything that misses Boo's mouth, well everything that doesn't end up on his cheeks, hair, ears...you get the point. After he's all done eating, you just run it under the faucet and put it in the dish rack for the next feeding. Yay! Yay! Yay! I highly recommend it. I've even taken it with us to restaurants.

2. The Baby Sit Tight: Speaking of going to restaurants...

Thanks to this product, when we're out at restaurants, Boo isn't confined to his car seat and we're able to eat without having to hold him (well, not the whole time anyway). The high chairs at restaurants are a bit big for him still, but the baby sit tight product straps him in to the high chair and keeps him from leaning over too! I know there are straps are already in the highchairs, but this allows for a custom fit for your little itty bittys and ensures safety because you don't have to worry about broken/busted clasps in restaurants. You can even use it in the buggy when you go shopping.

Thanks to Steve and Lori for this gift! Check it out here.

"I'll have some cheese fries, please!"
(Isn't he adorable in his jeans and shoes?)

We got a bitter fit this time (our 2nd time using it). He looks kind of redneckish without shoes and his hair all crazy. So, this pic is to just show the better fit compared to the one above.

The last bit to share is that we're starting to introduce Boo to some sign language. Here's what we're working on...
all done, eat, more, milk, bath, blanket, dog, mommy, daddy, and of course, I love you.
Check them out here.

Ok, I think that's all for now.

Oh yeah...I think I feel a tooth in Boo's mouth! More to follow...
Aah, I'm remembering more I wanted to post about, but duty calls. It will have to wait for another day.

Have a good night! GO TIGERS!!!

It's Our 100th Post!

Thanks to everyone who checks our blog. It's been a great way for us to keep in touch with everyone. Today is our 100th post. So, we thought we'd tell you 100 things about us.

1. B-man was born in 1975 and
2. Carolina Girl was born in 1977...
3. at the same hospital.
4. We went to the same schools as children
5. but, didn't really know each other until college
6. when we started dating in the summer of 1997.
7. We went to Clemson of course.
8. B-man is a twin and has an older sister.
9. Carolina Girl has an older sister too!
10. We are Christians!
11. We're from South Carolina.
12. Between the two of us we've lived, if even for a short while, in SC, TN, TX, CO, and AR.
13. Places we've traveled (out of the country) are Iraq (deployment), Kuwait (deployment),
14. St Lucia, Mexico (does Juarez City really count?) and
15. Ireland (Carolina Girl went with her mom, aunt, sister, and cousin...and Boo in her belly).
16. We enjoy all things water (lake, beach, pool...)
17. and mountains (thanks to living in CO we were able to go to Breckenridge a lot!)
18. We both have brown hair
19 and brown eyes.
20. Our Boo has blond hair
21. and blue eyes!! (love that)
22. We were married on Feb 15, 2003.
23. Our original wedding date was Feb 22, 2003
24. but, B-man was getting deployed for the war so we had to move it up a week.
25. It changed the entire wedding, but it was PERFECT!
26. We welcomed our Lil Boo in March of this year.
27. We have two lovable labs...
28. Sandy is 8 and
29. Murray is 4.
30. B-man is currently getting his Masters from
31. the University of Arkansas. Woo Pig Sooie!
32. Hmm...this is tough. I'm only on 32...
33. B-man likes SPICY food!
34. Carolina Girl likes DESSERT! :)
35. Carolina Girl participated in the Cooper River Bridge Run the first time it was on the new bridge in Charleston.
36. and has run a half marathon (sort of...)
37. B-man wrestled in high school.
38. Carolina Girl was a nerd!
39. Back to the pups...
40. Murray loves to snuggle!
41. Sandy wants to be near, but doesn't like to snuggle.
42. Growing up, I was afraid of lightning...
43. BIG TIME!
44. Not so much anymore. Sometimes it scares me, but I no longer think that a bolt of lightning is going to come through the window and strike me in my bed.
45. TV shows I like to watch are...
46. LIVE with Regis and Kelly,
47. Oprah,
48. What Not to Wear,
49. The New Adventures of Old Christine, and
50. Army Wives (it's not a true representation, but I still like the show anyway).
51. Whew, we made it halfway. I wonder if anyone is still reading.
52. B-man likes to watch College Football,
53. Fox News, and
54 outdoor and survival shows.
55. Boo likes to watch Baby Einstein and Mrs. Spider's Sunny Patch
56. I wear glasses/contacts.
57. I enjoy being with friends and family.
58. We wished we lived closer to home.
59. Fear of failure often paralyzes me.
60. B-man is a NIGHT OWL!
61. CG and Boo are early birds.
62. Places we'd like to travel are...
63. Greece, Hawaii, Alaska, back to the Caribbean, Germany....
64. Our favorite holiday is Christmas.
65. I like to play board games.
66. B-man enjoys crossword puzzles. I don't have the patience for them. Although, I have gotten better recently.
67. I'm still in my pajamas!
68. Friday night is pizza night!
69. Growing up Friday night was burger night followed by high school football games.
70. I'm too serious.
71. Deep down, B-man is a softy!
72. We enjoy helping others in need.
73. We are DEBT FREE!
74. B-man enjoyed summers at the lake as a child.
75. They also did a lot of traveling to the mountains.
76. We used to own horses...Geronimo and Baby.
77. If you're still reading this...make a comment that says "purple rhinos"
78. I love to get personal mail!
79. My favorite subjects in school were biology and anatomy.
80. I have a masters from MUSC in physical therapy.
81. I no longer practice...I just didn't like it...long story...
82. I love that I have friends all over the country!
83. I'm still best friends with the gal I met in kindergarten (hi Stacy)
84. I went to Venezuela on a mission trip while in PT school.
85. It was tough, but looking back, it was an awesome opportunity.
86. I want to learn how to sew.
87. I'd also like to learn how to take better photographs.
88. I took a cake decorating class once...I really enjoyed it.
89. We're blessed to have such a wonderful family and great friends.
90. The household chore I hate most is cleaning the bathrooms.
91. The one I enjoy most is vacuuming...b/c you can see all the dirt in the can.
92. I know, that's gross, but it's true.
93. I wish I was more adventurous and less worrisome.
94. I'm a rule follower.
95. Only five more...I can do it.
96. It's easier for me to make friends now than when I was younger.
97. I believe in safety in numbers.
98. My favorite sound is when Boo laughs! LOVE IT!
99. I pick up accents easily. Sad, but true! Kind of funny too.
100.I love when people leave a comment on our blog. So...

Just joking! :)

But seriously... ;)

Happy Grandparents Day

Boo wanted to make a special post to honor his Grandparents. So, here's to you BeBe and PawPaw and Granny and Grandpa! We love you so much!
Enjoy your grandson...

Game Day! Thank goodness the Tigers won this week!

Playing outside and sitting up on his own!!

Start to finish: elapsed time was six minutes!

It won't be long now!

He keeps his bottom lip tucked up tight now!


VIDEOS


The song that shakes the Southland...The Tiger Rag!




Jumpy! Jumpy! Jumpy!

I know this isn't the best example, but it's the best I've been able to get recently.

On the move...

"Where's Boo Bear?"

Hope you enjoyed!

One little housekeeping note: So, I was on the phone with my editor in chief this a.m. (BeBe) and she gingerly told me that it is root canal, not route canal! Aaaah! I can't believe I made that mistake not only once, but twice (in original post and then in a comment). I never even noticed it nor did I notice that you all correctly used root in your comments. Oh boy! Now, I'm the first to say that I could use a refresher on basic grammar rules with my misuse of commas and quotation marks, etc. but come on...route canal?? Please forgive me!!

Cardboard Testimonies

I would need a MILLION pieces of cardboard! But, if I had to choose one...the one that is coming to mind now is:
FRONT OF CARDBOARD: WORRIER
BACK OF CARDBOARD: AT PEACE BECAUSE OF GOD'S GRACE AND PROMISES

Would you like to share?

Thanks to Aunt Lori for sending this to us!

Bummer

Well, I found out today that I need a route canal. I have a tooth that's been bothering me since I bit on something in SC and experienced a sharp pain. I was trying the "if you ignore it, it will go away" approach. But, in the words of Dr Phil, "that wasn't working for me" anymore. So, after several trips to the dentist to figure out what was going on, today we decided it was necessary...a route canal would be in my immediate future.

I don't even really know what a route canal is. I only know that everyone HATES them and DREADS them. I'm just hopin' when I come out on the other side, I'll be able to eat happily...one of my favorite things to do! :)

Has anyone been down this road and like to share???

Six Months

Boo went for his six month checkup today. He's happy and healthy (which we already knew).
He weighs in at 19.5 lbs and is 28 inches long. Dr D. says he's doing great!


Some new things he's doing...
1. He's started to creep around backwards on the floor. He ended up in the kitchen yesterday.
2. He managed to turn his mobile on in the crib and was so happy with himself. We could just hear the music and laughter over the monitor (Note to self: lower crib mattress).
3. Still working on the sitting thing...
4. I saw him on his hands and knees this a.m. for about a 1/2 second.

Boo in his 6-9 mos onesie.

Boo in the 12 month onesie! He's fillin' it out pretty good at the 1/2 way mark.


This is how "big" boys sit in bouncy chairs now!!

P.S. BeBe...still working on your request for a "jumpy, jumpy, jumpy" video. Silly me...I recorded it with the camera "long ways" and you can't turn that on the computer. So, he'd be jumping left to right. I'll continue to work on it! :)