Dad, You're Out

It was past Millie's bed time, after 9pm, and I had just come in from helping mulch the front area of our subdivision. Which, by the way, is hard to do when it is dark but we ran out and had to go get more. Anyway, I came in as Millie was getting in bed and she looks at Rick and says "Dad, you're out, Mom, you're in." And basically kicked Rick out. We both thought is was pretty funny.

Millie's New Songs

Millie came home from school today singing 3 new songs. Here are videos of 2 of them. The first one is a rap sort of hip hop version of Singing In the Rain the best I can tell. The other is something about killing a Bumble Bee. If someone can tell me how to rotate them, that would be great.

Birthdays and Baptisms

This has been a crazy weekend but it was a blast. We had Millie's 3rd Birthday Party this weekend followed by Reed's Baptism. The best part was we had 13 family members drive all the way from Indiana to join us on this very special and busy weekend. Saturday morning started off with Millie's party and it was the first big event where we got to use our new deck and screen porch Rick built for us (thanks sweetie). I think the biggest hit of the party was the watermelon that my dad brought down from his farm followed closely by Ann's wonderful ladybug cupcakes she made for Millie. If you are in the Knoxville area you have to try her baking, she's great!

After all the jumping, playing, eating and presents, it was a quick clean up and then to church followed by Reed's Baptism. All three kids (Millie, Reed and my nephew Jacob) did great during church considering 2 of the 3 were high on sugar and had no nap. Reed only whined a little during his first sacrament and all went well. He even practiced a little preaching for when he becomes a Priest?

Then, back to our house to enjoy another one of Ann's wonderful desserts. It was a great weekend and I am so fortunate that so many of our family could share it with us.

A Bunch of Random News

I just have a few little random stories to share today. First, Millie has started sleeping on our bedroom floor. She started coming in our room after Reed was born and wanting us to put her back in bed. I wrote about it a little here. Well, last weekend I had had enough and told her we were not going to take her back to bed, she was a big girl and she could do it herself. Well, she stood by our bed forever and finally I told her she was just going to have to sleep on the floor because I wasn't getting up and she was not coming in our bed. Well, she plopped right down and went to sleep. She has now been coming in our room around 3am every night, asks to sleep on the floor and lays down. I am really not sure how to handle this situation, I guess I will just let it go, I don't have to get up and she seems happy so I guess it is not that big of deal, right?

Next, Millie has the funnest idea in her head that Mammy, my mom, is coming today on a Camel. While my mom is coming today to stay until her birthday party on Saturday, she is NOT riding a camel. It took me a while to figure out why Millie thought she was riding a camel and I finally figured it out. Last week on Millie's birthday, which was a Tuesday, she rode the camel at the zoo, whose name was Tuesday, see here. Well, we told Millie that "Mammy is coming on Tuesday to see you". Well, she took that to mean Mammy is riding on Tuesday, not as we intended it meaning Mammy will be arriving on Tuesday, the day of the week. It was kind of the "Who's on First" routine!

Last, I have to brag on myself a little. I entered one of my cards in a contest and it was chosen as a weekly winner and will be entered in the final contest in a few weeks. Here is a link to the winners for this week, I am pmb1121 and I have some major competition! I am just so excited that it was chosen. Please help me out and vote for my card. I am not sure when voting will start, I will let you all know! Here is the card I entered.

A New Project

I am branching out from my cards and doing a little tile stamping. These were my first 3 attempts. I learned one thing, I really don't like acrylic stamps from a certain company that will remain nameless. I wish I had not purchased 4 sets from them last year but I loved the images so much, I jumped right in, I won't do that again. I would be referring to the Bethlehem image. I just have had no luck with these stamps no matter what kind of ink I use, how much or how little pressure I use and no matter what I am stamping on, they just don't work. My next problem is getting a good image of my projects. I tried photos of my cards when I first started with no luck, so then I got a scanner and that does ok if I make a flat card but when it has raised embellishments on it, the scanner does not do well either. Kelly, if only you lived close to me (check out her blog, she is great). Now, I am back to trying to photograph them. So, when I feel like I finally get a good shot, I will put them on the official Paula's Handmade Memories blog but until then, they will hang out here. Oh, and if you are wondering, I will put felt on the back of these and they will be coasters. I found a process of putting a picture on a coaster so when I do one of those, I will post it so you can see it.

No More Training Wheels

Well, Millie told us when she turned 3, she wanted to take her training wheels off. She got suited up in the protective gear her Uncle Pat got her for her birthday and waited for Rick to take the training wheels off. They tried to start in the yard for a softer fall but the yard was too bumpy so they headed to the circle across the street. I was sure this was not going to turn out well but Rick did great and did not let her fall. She only practiced for about 15 - 20 minutes but she was getting better each time. She wants to try again tomorrow. If she keeps improving like this, she will be zipping down the street in no time.

Reed's One Month Check Up

Reed had his one month check up today. He weighed 11 pounds 6 ounces (90%) he was 21 3/4 inches (50%) and his head was 38 1/2 inches (50%). Everything else checked out just fine. He had to get a shot, he just let out one little yelp and that was it. Millie was with us and she was upset because she wanted a shot too, she is such a hypochondriac.

Other big news, I think Reed slept 7 hours last night. I don't know for sure because I woke up at 5 to hear him crying. The monitor somehow got turned down so there was no sound (I think a 3 year old may have had something to do with that). I know I was awake at 2 and there was no sound and I am a light sleeper so I am sure I heard him as soon as he got loud. So, I hope this is the beginning of some longer night stretches because before this, we were still only getting 3-4 hours out of him.

Happy 3rd Birthday Millie

Millie turned 3 yesterday and we all went to the zoo to celebrate. Rick took the day off and all 4 of us headed out. First, we had to have Millie open some birthday presents. We got her a roundhouse for her train table and uncle Pat got her protective gear for her bike because she told us she was going to take her training wheels off when she turned 3. The zoo was beautiful and the weather was great, Millie and I actually had jackets on while it was still early. The flowers were beautiful and I think Millie was getting annoyed that I kept making her stop so I could take pictures. So, none turned out great because she wouldn't smile, stinker. She got to ride a camel again but this time she rode Tuesday, not Wilbur. She knows them all by name and it is her favorite thing to do when we go there. And, since it was her birthday and she told them this, gave her a bonus lap for free.
She also got to ride the carousal for free too. Maybe we should always tell them it is her birthday. I think Reed enjoyed his first trip to the zoo too, maybe he will open his eyes once next time we go.

After the zoo, we stopped for lunch and then went to the movies. We saw Wall-E, it was NOT a children's movie. I figured since it was rated G and a Pixar movie, it would be fine, it wasn't. It was a political statement about the environment and lazy humans. I guess next time we will find out what the movie is about before we see it. Millie wanted to leave when it was about half over, but we wouldn't.

A little last note, Reeds' umbilical stump finally fell off last night so he got to take a bath for the first time. Unfortunately, I missed it because I had a thing at church but Rick said he really liked it.

UNO and Rolling Over!

Where to start? So, today is Reed's one month birthday and he decided to start it off by rolling over. Yes, all by himself he did. I was getting Millie ready for church and Rick laid Reed on our bed on his belly. When he came back to check on him, he had rolled over on his back. He even rolled over a train in the process that Millie had left there. He almost did it again, see the video, but he gave up and went to sleep instead. In the background, you can hear Millie's favorite request, "I want you to play trains with me?"



Millie has not been sleeping all night anymore, more due to the fact her sleeping has had major disruptions since Reed has been born with visitors and traveling to Indiana. So as a reward for sleeping all night, we found a set of Thomas the Train UNO cards at the store yesterday. We showed them to her and told her if she stayed in her room all night, she could have them today. Well, it worked, she slept all night. When she got up, I was feeding Reed and I said we had to get ready to go to church. She said she needed to tell God she slept all night in her bed, awww... and she loves playing UNO. She is getting pretty good at it, she beat me 4 times but I wasn't enforcing the "UNO" rule. Maybe when she gets a little bigger.

Reed is 4 Weeks Old

The picture on the left was taken when he was one week old, the one on the right was taken today when he is 4 weeks old. I had not realized how much he had grown already. He is starting to get really good control of his head but I don't think he is ever going to shed his umbilical stump. I think this may be a record for how long an infant can hang on to that. Maybe this is an early sign of separation issues, who knows?

He is pretty strong though. Most babies can be placed on a boppy on their stomach and then they raise their head a little. Well, Mr. Reed will push and squirm until he has launched himself over the front of it and lands on his head, see photo. He has done this several times now so I don't think it is just a fluke, the kid is really strong!

Millie went rock climbing tonight at The Climbing Center. Andrew and Laura have been teaching her the ropes. This is the second time she has been. My camera batteries died when I got there so I only got 4 pictures. However, Andrew had a camera and we got some video. I don't know how it turned out but hopefully I can get that on here soon for you to see.

Welcome Back Millie

Millie has been in Indiana all week and we missed her a lot. Rick's parents brought her back yesterday along with Rick's bother, Pat. It was a short trip for them but they got to see Reed for the first time and we got some nice photos. Millie sure loves her Uncle Pat who is also her God Father. It was the first time she has seen him since last Thanksgiving so he had a lot of train playing to make up for, he even built her a new train track.

Let him cry it out

I was told, let him cry it out for 15 minutes and then he will be asleep. Well, that is what he is doing so I had to keep myself busy while he 'cried it out'. So, I played with my photo editor and turned some photos from today in to Black and Whites. I think they are cute. He is sporting his army pants that Aunt Laura got him.

I was not told what to do if he is still crying after 15 minutes which we are now approaching so I guess I will go pick him up...