Spirit Week!

This past week was Homecoming week at Morgan's school which meant Spirit Week.


Monday was Tacky Day.


Morgan and I went to the Thrift Store to find this lovely little number.




Who would ever carry a purse like this anywhere?




Tuesday was Senior Citizen Day.



Again, we found this lovely themed sweater at the Thrift Store. I forgot to take her picture that morning so this was the modified version when she got home. It is missing the white blouse, the long strand of pearls and all the white powder that had been in her hair had faded.


Wednesday she and her friend Katie were twins.


Thursday was Character Day. She ended up going as an Alabama Cheerleader. Not really a character but it gave her a chance to wear her Halloween costume.




Friday each class had to wear a certain color so that was an easy one.


It was a fun week but I am glad it is over. It was even more of a challenge than usual to get out the door in the mornings when you add costumes to the mix. This is her last week before Fall Break and then we are all heading to see the "Big Rat" as Jeremy puts it - AKA Disney World!

Locks of Love

Morgan has been growing out her hair so that she could donate it to an organization called Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org). Locks of Love collects hair donations at least 10 inches in length in order to create real hair wigs for children who need them due to an illness or condition. We have been measuring since she came to stay with us and it was finally long enough to be cut.


Here is the last picture of her with super long hair right before Ms. Amanda washed it.




And here is the finished product.



Morgan has natural curl in her hair so this is an easy style for her to just wash and go.


For fun, I straightened her hair with my flat iron and we decided we loved it that way too.




I mailed off the hair and the paperwork and Morgan should be receiving a certificate from them in the mail within the next couple of months. She liked being able to donate her hair and thinks she will let it grow out again at some point to donate again. It is a fun and somewhat easy service project for kids and is a great way for them to feel like they are making a difference in someone's life.

Chase Update - 8 Months Old

Baby Chase,


It seems like I just posted the 7 month blog but here we are at 8 months. Here are your basic stats.





You weigh 19.5 pounds and are 27 inches in length.


You are wearing size 12 month clothing.


You wear a size 3 diaper.





You eat 7 ounces every 3 - 4 hours.


You also eat Stage 2 foods for breakfast and dinner. You also are eating the Yo Baby Yogurts. They have a new one with apples and sweet potatoes that you really like.


You are getting better with your pincer grasp and are getting more puffs in your mouth these days. There are still plenty in your lap and stuck to your clothes but you are definitely making progress.


You like drinking out of the sippy cup but I have to hold it for you or it ends up all over the place.





You are still sleeping great. You are going to bed a little earlier these days - usually by 7 and still sleep through the night.


And for whatever reason, I really wish I knew the reason, you still cry through bath time. It is awful. I have tried different ways of sitting, toys, water on, water off, the kitchen sink - but you still have this look on your face like you are terrified.


We have managed to keep up with Sophie and she is one of your favorite toys to chew on. You don't seem to favor any one toy over any other though so we don't have an official "lovey" yet.





And now for the new developments...


Drum roll please...


You have two teeth! Yay Baby Chase! This will open up a whole new world as far as foods go. I am excited for you to be able to try new things as you watch us eat with intense interest and reach for everything we are eating.





You have officially crawled on all fours but you prefer to GI Joe crawl. When you are in your PJ's, you slip on the hardwood floors so it is easier for you to scoot to your destination. But you are really starting to explore your surroundings which is good for you, bad for me. The Baby Condo aka Baby Jail is being ordered this week!

Team Spirit and Patriotism

I found the perfect t-shirt for Chase to wear to Wyatt's soccer games!





I could just eat him up!



Wy is still enjoying 4 year old Kindergarten. Of course I don't get too much narrative out of him about his days but occasionally I will hear him singing a new song and I know there is so much he is learning. The other day he was having a snack up at the bar and I was putting away dishes. Out of the blue he said "Did you know that Jesus lives in my hawt?" I love that he is in a Christian preschool where they learn about God every day. And just because I love his little voice, I asked him to do the Pledge of Allegiance on video for me. I should have asked him to do his prayer too because I love the way he says "God awe Fauder".

We Have Spirit, Yes We Do

And we also have a pretty good little soccer team.

The Wildcats played their first game on Saturday and left the field victorious. This is a great age because you find yourself cheering for the other team too. Most of these kids are 4 years old so you can't help but cheer them all on. I do think we won by several goals but I can't tell you the exact score.

They play four 8 minute quarters, 3 on 3 with no goalie. There are 6 kids on a team so each kid gets to play for 2 quarters a game. Wy started the game on the bench - just happy to be there as usual.




Then the 2nd quarter began and he was on the move. He did great going after the ball and did several "throw ins" from the sideline. Pretty early in the 2nd quarter he took the ball down and scored a goal. I was SO PROUD!

I think he was too, don't you?




Clara YouMei worked on her tan during her bench time.




Poor Chase. It was too hot for him to be out there. Even in the shade of his stroller, you could tell he was miserable. Sweet Papa strolled him around and around to keep him happy. Eventually they ended up in his car with the air conditioning on to cool off. I poured water into my hand and rubbed his head to cool him down hence the crazy hair!




Here is Wyatt hanging out with his cheering section during halftime.



Nothing makes you happier as a parent than to see your child doing something he enjoys and seeing their obvious excitement to participate. His expressions tell me everything I need to know.










Let me know if you want to come to a game and I will pass along his schedule! Once it cools off, it is a nice way to spend an hour watching these little ones learn the game of soccer.

Bluegill Grill - Specializing in Your Baby's Needs

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. We enjoyed the beautiful weather, the fact that we didn't have to spend time on any schoolwork, and had one last hurrah at the pool.

On Monday we went with my IL's to a little place at Tim's Ford Marina called The Bluegill Grill. The food was delish - we ordered shrimp baskets, the seafood platter, some kind of heavenly sandwich that I have no idea what it was called, hush puppies, onion rings - you know, all that good FRIED stuff. I am pretty sure I could feel my arteries clogging up on the way home.




Anyway, it was so nice to just sit outside on the water and relax. Chase was happy being outside and we all took turns passing him around. I brought a half loaf of bread for Wy and Morgan to feed the fish and ducks. Of course this would have lasted longer had I noticed earlier that Wy was throwing whole pieces of bread in because he "wanted the big fish to come." I think Wyatt would have thrown his entire meal into that lake if we would have let him.




The sweet little waitress, who obviously has never had an infant, came by to get our drink orders and saw Chase with his bottle. She told me "Just let me know if he needs more milk and I can bring him some." I looked at my MIL and said "This place is great - you didn't tell me they had Enfamil Gentlease on the menu!"

Not that cow's milk is the worse thing she could have offered. At our store I have seen "mothers" - and I use that term loosely - pop open an Orange Crush soda and pour it directly into their baby's bottle. I. KID. YOU. NOT. Of course these are the same moms that use their welfare checks on cartons of cigarettes and wear t-shirts with classy statements like "Nuttier than a Squirrel Turd." AGAIN - I. KID. YOU. NOT. Have I mentioned that I live in the White Trash capital of the South?

P.S. I had to look up how to spell the "t-word" as I believe that is the first time I have ever used that word in a sentence.

Marvelous Moments

Wyatt had his first official school project due this week. He had to make a poster about himself to share with the class and its theme was "Marvelous Me." Of course this turned into more of a project for Mama but we did work together on it.


Here he is with the finished project.




You can see he added his own artwork - he drew his favorite food which is spaghetti and he also drew a self portrait.




Another marvelous moment captured this week - my two boys snuggling on the floor together in the quilts. Look at that sweet boy holding his little hand.




And look who decided to start sitting up on his own. That belly helps him balance that is for sure.




Finally, a plus of getting up before the sun does - getting to see the sun rise and witnessing one of God's marvelous creations.