Yay!

I made it on the DT for Scrappin' Deals... such a nice surprise of a phone call this morning! :) My term will run from June-December, so come check it out!

Scrappin' Deals

Happy 9 months, Megs!

Just the fact that it's already Memorial Day weekend is baffling to me, let alone that my little babe is now 9 months. Gramma was over last night and was looking through the scrapbook, and to look through my completely un-chronologically albums, you've grown so much so fast- it's amazing and beautiful, yet extremely scary all in the same moment.

You got to take your first road trip this month- we spent some FQT in San Antonio, visiting Sea World and saying hello to Shamu. You were great for the road trip, great during the day at Sea World, and then some crazy baby demon took over you at night in the hotel. I guess 2 out of 3 isn't too bad, eh? Overall though it was a great trip, and you got to go in a swimming pool for the first time, and just like the rest of the family, you are part fish and love it. Cotton candy was also experienced and enjoyed on this trip. :)

You also had your first trip to the zoo to see all the animals. You're a fabulous baby that we can take just about anywhere and you're great for it. I'm sure right now you're really remembering all these experiences and events, right?
I'm not sure how much sand is good for the digestive track, but I think you bordered on the unhealthy side of it with our trip to the beach this month. I promised I packed a lunch and plenty of snacks, but none of them tasted nearly as good to you as the sand did. You loved going out in the water and laughed every time the water would splash you.

We celebrated Mother's Day this month- my first one with you. I had a morning of walking for the Y-Me Mother's Day walk and came home to dressed and bathed children (yay for Daddy!). I just want to thank you for the cool new gadget for Gidget. I love it, and I promise all the pictures I take with it will be worth the loan you have to take out for that chunk of college tuition that went towards it. We spent the day with Gramma & Papa with some take out at their house- it was a really rainy afternoon so it was best just to stay inside. It was still a fun and relaxing day though, and you and your brother made me an adorable card that I will treasure always.

During the span of this month you have picked up speed and have managed to become faster than the three other humans in the house. There must be secret Baby Marathons out there we don't know about that you're training for, because you can pull up, crawl, zoom, pull, grab, eat and get at anything quicker than the blink of an eye. I hope there's a big prize or something for it, because being your personal trainer is giving me a run for my money.

Right after your 8 month birthday you started clapping and sitting up from lying down. Now you can sit up so fast you look like one of those punching bags that bobbles around, and you can flip over quicker than I can flip a pancake when I'm trying to change your diaper.

The Mutual Adoration Society continues with you and your brother- your face lights up as soon as he walks in the room, and you laugh and squeal at him all the time- it's really funny to watch the two of you in the rearview mirror interacting. He will make the silliest faces to get a laugh out of you. You love to hear yourself and squeal as loud as any 5 year old can.

Meanwhile, I'm still in search of finding a food you won't eat- I haven't found one yet (I even tried pickles last night) and although you are still the toothless wonder, I believe I could give you a T-bone and you would find a way to chew it and devour it. I'm not sure where you put all this food you consume, because you're still perfectly proportionate, and now you're in the 30% for height/weight... petite is good for girls (I wouldn't know personally, it's just what I've heard).
You're absolutely beautiful, and a charm to everyone who comes around you. I can't remember life without you!
Love you,
Mama

Beach Bums

Fun in the sun... and the lovely brown ocean of Galveston. My children had a blast; alas Dylan isn't a lover of all things wet. :( Although after he saw my daughter eat handfuls of sand, he was happy to try it out too. All pictures are courtesy of Brandy, because only she would post such terrible pictures of me on the internet- didn't notice any of those of her.

p.s. That last picture is Brandy showing you what it looks like when you don't apply sunscreen....


Galveston pictures

sigh...

This picture isn't the greatest, but I just love the look on Cam's face looking at his sister.... as she was zooming away when I was trying to get a picture of them together. That gal doesn't stay still for anything these days- zoom! And boy, have I become a diaper wrangler- I feel like I'm hog tying her just to get her in position to change her! :)

We were kung foo fighting

My little dude started karate today. Watching 15 3-5 year olds do a karate class has got to be on my list of the most adorable things ever. Cameron was instantly in love as soon as he knew there was a costume. He absolutely loves it. I love the way that the kids are out there having a blast, and yet at the same time, the instructor is commanding respect and self control from them and they're doing it too. Awesome. Pretty hard for my chatty man.... on the way home, he was so excited, and when Cameron's excited he has the tendency to repeat things repeatedly :).

He was telling me in nine different ways that he took karate, and finally totally exhausted from him by the ninth (I'm NOT exaggerating) time I said, "Honey, I know you loved it, and I was there to see it, and how many more times would you like to tell me?"

"45 times Mommy. 45."

That's what my smart mouth gets I guess.

He's Moving up.

Cameron's last day of class was Thursday. They had a little party and a bike rally complete with a 'restuarant', 'bike repair', 'bike wash' & decoration station.... it's hard to believe in a couple of months he'll be four, and in a little over a year he starts kindergarten. I got a lot of cute pics of it all.... when I was looking through the pictures, I had a moment where I realized a lot of why I take so many pictures. When these moments of our lives are happening, we are so caught up in the moment of it all, and getting this and that done, that we rarely have the chance to actually see everything and enjoy it. There's nothing I love more than being able to look back at pictures and remember that exact moment all over again, and laugh or smile. These days will be over before I know it, and I'm so glad to remember these days and keep them close to my heart. Lord knows with my memory I need help with jogging it!

In other news, the little boy trapped inside the body that poses as my husband gave my son some new presents on Tuesday- he had ordered them for his 'birthday' (I knew he was full of crap when he said it) and had been keeping an eye out for the UPS man every day since. As soon as the Playmobil people came, that box was open! Cameron LOVES his Playmobil stuff- he has all of the knights and the castle and also has the pirate ship- most of what he plays with was Brent's when he was little. Anyways, Brent had ordered the whole construction set for him (I think part of him just loves having a jillion little pieces around just to watch me squirm, since I HAVE to keep them all organized!) under the viel of 'his birthday' but really, just because he likes to play. :)

Oh, and keep your fingers crossed- it sounds like we might be getting an offer on the house Monday or Tuesday.... yay!

Aunt Lola rocks.

My great Aunt Lola called me last night- she was calling to thank me for her Mother's Day card (so sweet) and see how we were doing.... she's 82 and about 4 feet tall and spry as ever. Coolest lady I've ever had the joy of knowing. I stayed with her for a while after my divorce from my first husband. Anyways, she's telling me about what she's been up to, and says she went HANG GLIDING a few weeks ago!!! She said her kids were all chicken and wouldn't go with her, just videotaped it. rofl. I told her I had always wanted to do that, and she says, "Well sweetie, you can go when you're 82 like me!" I was cracking up. I can only hope to be in that kind of shape when I'm her age. Heck, I don't think I'm in that kind of shape NOW!

Boys are weird.

Isn't she cute?!? No bias on my part...





Just sharing a few pictures from yesterday- we went and played in the fountains (I say we- I mean Cameron and his friends and Megan & I watched with the other mommies) and shopped. We've had fantabulous weather the last few days and have been trying to do everything we can to enjoy it before we suffocate as soon as we walk outside.
Cameron loved 'sitting' on the water when it would pop up- I couldn't help but crack up every time he did it, because all I could think was that it couldn't possibly feel good- I mean, it's as close to an enema as he'll hopefully ever get! Boys are sooo weird.... :P

Happy Mom's Day!

Check out the newest future scrapper:


I hope everyone has/has had a fabulous day! I want to thank everyone for their support for Walk to Empower- I raised $555 for the cause! Yay! The walk was great- beautiful weather.... and I had a great Mother's Day!

Gidget is my sidekick's new name. As with my children, I needed a two syllable name you could shorten (technically, Cam-er-on is 3 syllable, but it's pronounced as two, so it counts for me.), and it fits. Yay!
I don't know if anyone else does this, but when remembering things- names, locations, events... I can always remember how many syllables, what it sounds like, and usually the letter it starts with. Since everyone who has had the misfortune of driving around with me lost has found that quite bizarre, I feel a little weird confessing it. But it was a large factor in naming my children. I wanted two syllables, and I wanted them to sound good together, and both of them needed to be able to shorten (unlike my own name- no, don't try it. NONE of what you will come up with sounds good, so don't go there except in your head) to a cute, preferrably 3 letter name. My rationale is that everyone throughout your life will shorten your name anyways (or constantly try to in my case), so you might as well make it something workable and easy on them. Now that you've learned enough weird things about me for one day....

ANYways, Gidge (or Gidgie, if you'd prefer) got a new eye today for Mama's Day- one that zooms quite well! :) Totally diggin' it. It's kind of heavy though, and I'm trying to decide if it's a keeper or a trader for more practicality. The f-stop on it only goes down to 3.5, and I think I'd like something a little lower, even if it does have a little less zoom. Any opinions would be great- I think I'm going to head down to Houston Camera Center this week and get some more knowledgable advice (although that's not saying much, because I know little more than nothing on this subject matter).

In other news, I also got a snazzy new purse, and a ring from my MIL that was Brent's grandmother's. VERY cool. Yes, I cried. Lots. Whew. Big moment. It's a pearl ring with two pearls ( for each of the babes of mine) and 4 diamonds around it. Very pretty, and very very sentimental. Very cool to have these kind of things with Brent's family, since my family 'bush' has not much of that sort.
The cookie bouquet was recieved with much love, as was the accordian album I made her. Yay!

I need a name...

for my camera. Any ideas? After it being detached from me for so long, I realized it needs its own identity. My husband has chosen Buela (in case you're wondering, that's our 75 year old neighbor's name).... hopefully someone else has something a little cuter...

Brandy and I made like Betty Crocker today in a bad way. Just a little note, for those of you who have not used Wilton food colorings before, be aware they are intense. Very small smidgens of them need to be used for the colors. I am now the proud owner of flourescent pink hands for the next 10 years. I will change my wardrobe accordingly to match.
We made our cookies on a stick for Mother's Day. I wish I could blame the fabulous cookie decorating on Cam, but alas, the attention span was nil once he got his cowboy boot decorated. For the amount of mess we made, you would think we made enough cookies to open a bakery, but alas, that wasn't the case either. Here is one of the end results- the cookies are MUCH brighter in person.... Brandy has the rest of them and I got no pictures of them, but wow did we make some creative stuff. :)

Brandy was quite disappointing- no humorous pictures on my camera when I got it back. I really thought more of you Brandy....

In other news, my daughter has become a vegetarian...no worries though, I've stocked up on flowers to keep her full!

I am missing a limb...

in the form of my camera. I left it at Brandy's house on Saturday. I have to go until FRIDAY without it. I think I just might die.

oohhhh....

sometimes Cameron just exhausts me. I know that there will come a day when this child has no desire to be in the same room with me, let alone talk to me, but he talks SO SO SO much. I'm really not lying. You can ask anyone who has ever spent a day with us. It's those maddening conversations that have no end.

"Where does the rain come from?"

"The clouds"

"Where do the clouds come from?"

"From God."

"Where's God?"

"All around us."

"Where? I can't seeeee him."

"That's what makes him so special. He's everywhere with us all the time."

"Where do ants live?"

And on. And on. And on. Then repeat all over again. And again. All. Day. Long.

And then, just when he's driving me out of my mind, I get something like this:

"Mommy, is that a new shirt? Because it looks really pretty on you. You're beautiful Mommy."

Keep on talking, little dude. Keep on....

So so sad....

You know you're a scraphead when you buy some new bras and stuff at Victoria's Secret, and when you get home you're trying them on and you think,"Hmm, it looks like they used some Fiskars scissors on the edging of these. Cute."

I can only admit this to those who might understand....

But it really is cute.

10 days to go!

Until the walk! So far I've raised $455- 91% of my goal! Yay! Only $45 to go.... every little bit helps!


Y-Me Breast Cancer Walk

There was a moment...

when Brent and I were lying in bed in our hotel thinking we were the Griswalds. Just one moment, but a moment nonetheless.
I will first and foremost say we had a great time. I will save the blah blah about what we saw and did because it was pretty standard. But I will share the highlights-

1. The first show we saw was Shamu. Let me first say I have never been to SW. Cameron was obsessed with Shamu splashing him. We sit in the splash zone. We do not get splashed (I'm secretly grateful, since the usual freak in me is thinking of what those big fish do in that water). My son is devastated, so I (how it was me, I shall never know. My husband still has it coming to him) took my son down to the very front row for the next round of big fish splash of water. And I turned to run for my life(yes, I was abandoning my child for higher ground) as I saw the big dude coming our way. I made it up two steps before this enormous tidal wave hit the entire back side of me. In my white tank top. (Thankfully, the chick next to me was wearing white shorts, so that saved some humiliation. Not much, but some.) I turned back around to grab Cameron, whom the tidal wave had gone over, and he was hysterical because A) I was wetter than him, and B) I was two feet away. So we go back to our seats and sit next to my dry husband and dry daughter, and wait to get splashed again. Together. So all was right with the world again. Except for the salt lick I had become.

2. There was something wrong with our suite. I'm not sure what it was, but apparently Megan did, because she cried every time we went in it unless I was holding her. And did. not. sleep. This baby is not a crier, and not a troublemaker normally, so we're not sure what was going on except the room was haunted or something. For that reason, we headed home Saturday night instead of Sunday morning, because as fun as Friday night was, we did not want to repeat it. By then we had been to Sea World twice, and seen everything, so it wasn't like we missed out on any of the weekend. Except for the sleep part.

3. The pools at this hotel were fabulous. As was the poolside bar. One of the pools had a beach type side (I'm not sure what you call it) so it was great for us to sit there with Megan. We lounged by the pool for most of Saturday afternoon after getting back from SW. Cameron didn't come out of the water except for food the entire time.

4. One of the times we were going into the hotel, we had a Cam Convo-
C: Do you smell that? I smell something stinky.
B: What is it? (It was fresh mulch, but we love to hear this kid's mind workin' sometimes)
C: I think.....it was the dinosaurs up in heaven. They went poo poo. In God's toilet.

where. does. he. get. this?

5. Megan had cotton candy for the first time. Shockingly, we can add her to the billions of children who like it.

Now, for a few pictures... and yes, I have pictures of fishes and sharks and penguins, but who wants to see those when I have cute family pics?!?

Okay.... one fishie.... I'm just letting this picture serve double duty.... Shamu, and what I looked like in a bathing suit. Except Shamu is smoother. No lumps and bumps.

Lookie what I've been up to...

uh huh.... pulling herself up...although it was pretty funny- once she got there, she didn't know what to think or what to do from there!