Memorial Day Weekend

On Saturday, Baby O went to Kilgore to see his Papa Tex. We had lunch at the Circle C Cafe, where Papa Tex has Breakfast and Lunch just about every day! He would probably have dinner there, but they are closed for dinner! We got there about 30 minutes before closing, and were able to take some photographs to capture the East Texas in Baby O. He may be half British; but, man doesn't he look at home in his overalls in the local diner?!?

Hmm..I think I'll have the fist sandwich.

On second thought...

Let me see here....is the chicken fried steak any good?

Papa Tex, what do you recommend? You do eat here every day....you should know.

After lunch with Papa Tex, we went to Kaela's second birthday party! It was fun to see everyone; unreal to see some of us with kiddos!

Kaela and Baby O--look at those cheeks!

Baby O can't believe Addi doesn't want to sit with him for a photo!

Oh well, she wasn't too crazy about posing with Kaela either!

There we go! Addison, Keala, and Owen! I went to church and to elementary through high school with Addison and Kaela's mothers. It was fun to introduce our kiddos to each other. Too bad Baby O lives so far away (2 hours is far considering we all grew up within a 5 mile radius of each other).

O with his new friend, Elephant.




Baby O swimming with Madeline H. We keep spending American holidays with the Hoyles (an English Family). So, I made certain we would again be invited for the 4th of July--then, I will have them over for Guy Fawkes Night.




Baby O loves green beans...yummy.

Little man didn't want to miss grilling out with his folks. Here he is helping daddy prepare dinner.

The Last Grill Before the New Grill---What a Big Event! We are having landscaping done and a new grill installed soon!! This was sianara little grill.

Mini-Man is so excited to be up after bed time!

The whole clan!

Splish Splash!!

Today was a big day for the 3 Amigos. Baby N, Baby O, and Baby P made their first splash at the pool today (well, N & O did--P napped)!

Baby O -- Poolside!

Baby N -- Poolside!

Baby P -- Poolside!

Once he got used to the cool temperature of the water, O loved it!

The water in the Splash Park is 1 ft - 18 inches deep--O can touch! He trolled around the "shallow" end like he was in a walker. It was really cute.


And then N decided it looked like fun. What's even more fun than "trolling" on your own? Getting a boost from a friend?!? N had the most fun pushing O (which he does on land if a baby is in a riding toy, too) and playing with the fountains on the side of the pool--see below).

N couldn't decide if he liked his float or not...the mommies sure did, though! We thought N's was the coolest!

Baby P finally woke up! He was a little sleepy and the water a little cold. So...he chilled with mom!

Baby O is laid back and floating...watch out for the fountain, Little Dude!

Tried to get a poolside shot of all three boys...you can see below which one cooperated! O was ready for a nap and N was glad to be back on land where he can walk fast!

Back home -- the pool-mobile's final stop! Man, you need a lot of stuff to get a baby to the pool. Can't wait until N gets his wagon!

Each Day Brings a Different Baby O

Everyday this baby changes. He is literally growing up before our eyes. He sits more erectly, he can be held on your hip now, he stands up in his bouncy seat when playing, plays with toys while doing tummy time, blows air through pursed lips, and eats like a champ. I cannot believe the changes in my little Punkadoo in these four point five short months!


Last weekend, he found his little feet. Now, if his hands aren't in his mouth, holding a toy, or pulling my hair, they are on his feet. Once Baby O does something; man, he really starts to do it lot! One minute he doesn't know his feet exist, the next, you would think he has never had a moment when he didn't pull on them.

Tobie looks like an angel, but she is driving me mad. A few posts ago, I was talking about how great it is that she plays only with her toys and leaves O's alone. Well...those days are over. O's Gymbo and Stuffed Conductor are one-armed; Ugly Doll as a hole (it is mend-able, Uncle Ben), Aggie Giraffe had liposuction (again...mend-able, Paw Paw Mc), and the Manhattan Toy that I brought O from NYC (which, he loved) is 100% destroyed. We either a) need another dog to keep her company and keep her from being so jealous--she loves other dogs, and/or b) need to put all of O's toys in a safety deposit box ;-)

I will miss you, Baby O!

Look at me! Tomorrow morning I leave on my first "real" business trip since I returned to work in March. {I did go to Corpus Christi for one night in April. But, the trip I go on tomorrow is different/longer.} I will leave early in the morning and not be home until Wednesday late afternoon. I am sad to leave Baby O, but know that I have to take this step and that once I am there, I will probably be fine. But, tonight I am sad about it.

This afternoon I was trying to think about anything I needed to show/tell Daddy Q before I go. I mean, Daddy Q is awesome with Baby O. He is good at putting on the diapers, good at making and feeding bottles, matches Baby O's socks to his outfit, and gets him to bed without too much trouble. But, Daddy Q does not give baths or make cereal... While these are two things that are not going to throw things off too badly if forgotten ...baby needs a bath at least once in three days?!? ...no cereal, and Daddy Q will have to get up for a bottle or two in the night?!?!

Yeah...I am one cool dude.
I decided I would make sure Daddy Q know what to do, and began concentrating on the book I was reading to Baby O...all of this thinking was being done as we sat in the floor of his bedroom reading Jungle Jeep. O was sitting in front of me, where he could lean back on me. We got to the 'surprise sound' at the end and O leaned back on me. It was then that I realized I had not really been supporting him much while he was sitting and I was reading...I mean, I don't know if I was helping him at all.

So, I sat him back up and then moved back. He was sitting on his own!! Oh my goodness! Faithful blogger, and nutty mom that I am, I ran to get the camera!

My crazy mom! If I had known she would be this excited, I would have done this days ago!

Here you are...these are the first photos of the first time that Baby O sat up by himself! In the last one, I think he is laughing at me because I am so excited for him! In fact, just today we were at Learning Express, and I was paying while juggling O on the counter. I told the lady that I didn't want to rush him into growing up, but boy was I ready for him to be able to sit on his own.

I am so glad to have had this moment with him tonight. It will give me some fun pictures to look at while I am in NYC!

Just before bath time...

O loves his bath. Simple as that. If he is having a fussy night...if he needs help getting going in the morning (like mom)..., if he just needs to be able to play...he loves his bath. This shot was taken from an evening when O just wasn't quite himself. He was getting fussy, Daddy Q wasn't home, and O wouldn't succumb to a good night's sleep. So, with nothing else to "try", I got him undressed, put him on his rug, and ran his bathwater. I think just hearing the water run soothed him. I came back to him in his room and he was content. Rolled on his tummy, looking around, and totally content. So...this is our O just before bath time! Love this little boy....

I have been playing with lighting in my editing program. What do you think?

Baby in a Blanket

My favorite "part" of O is the little chub on his upper arm. Don't know why--just love it. I bought him an outfit at Gymboree this weekend during the 30% off sale that is a tank top just so I can see more of those little "muscles"!

Confession...I am not only addicted to blogging about my own child, but to reading blogs of others. Last night, I got carried away and found myself on the blog of a mom that I don't know (I think they live in Florida) that is a photographer and keeps a family blog. Anyway, she has a son that is close to O's age, and did a picture of him under a blanket. I loved it and set out to do something on my own--its not as professionally done as hers; but, I think they turned out pretty dang cute! I love his face in the last one, but the focus is off. Sorry--but, had to put it up anyway!

Grammie and Great-Aunt Julie, these are especially for you. Grammie 'cause I actually thought they were better in color than B&W--and I know how you prefer color! Thought you might like for your wall of babies since it looks like the ones you have of Ben and me in the green room. Great-Aunt Julie 'cause she made the blanket for Baby O. This is the blanket he sleeps with every night. Most of the things I read say no blankets in the bed with baby for fear of "re-breathing". I think this one is a good compromise as it is holey!

First Mother's Day with Baby O

We traveled to Grammie and Paw Paw Mc's house for our first Mother's Day with Baby O. All week, O and I had worked on capturing his little conversations in one of those cards where you can record 10 seconds of message and then it is followed by a song. Daddy Q and I had not yet had so many laughs with O as we did last week trying to accomplish this feat. O "talks" a lot! He makes many sounds and gets pretty tuned up at times. So, I thought that getting some of these early conversations would be a cinch--not so much. Every time I sat with O and held the button to record, he would get quiet and stare at me. I guess the "beep" that tells you to begin your message told O to stop and listed ;-) Daddy Q and I had quite a laugh. O would be talking a lot, so I would run over with the card--then, nothing. It probably took over 100 times to get very little to record. Oh well--Grammie still liked it. Grandma Q, we have one for you, too, but it could be a while before we can make it happen again!

Since O has starting doing so many new, fun things, he showed off this weekend! Here he is in what Grammie calls a "Johnny Jump Up." He would tilt to one side, and then involuntarily spin in a circle. It makes me laugh out loud again just thinking of it!

He rolled over...a lot!

We went for a walk... Daddy Q was taking a much needed nap and woke to an empty house (sorry!). We went to check out the location where playground equipment is going to be installed! Baby O can't wait!

Grammie and I fed O some cereal--yummy! He is getting more practiced at eating with a spoon.

Today, we went to church. Here we are before heading out the door!and at lunch!

...and back home just before getting a bath and going to bed.

O, being your Mom is the best gift that I could ever have been given. You are the light of my life and I love you immensely! Thank you for the laughs, tears of joy, and twinges of love I feel when I am around you each and every day. I love you, Punkadoo!