Chattanooga!!

Pop, NeNa, NoNo, Emery Jai, Guice, and I went to Chattanooga this weekend. It was so very much fun! We had a great time. EJ kept us laughing. She was very wild. She said the funniest things. At breakfast she spilt a little syrup on her dress. She wanted to take it off. When I told her that it was inappropriate to be naked in public she started yelling "I want to be a little naked boy in public! I want to be inappropriate!" It was all I could do not to laugh out loud! Guice had a good time, but wanted to get down and be a big kid. He enjoyed his first night in a hotel. We went and saw the Chattanooga Choo Choo and spent a lot of time at the Tennessee Aquarium. It is amazing!
We had a good time but its wonderful to be home! Just one day away and that is plenty for us. Josh and I had thought about planing a family vacation this fall, that is out! I came home and crashed after just two days, there is noway we could do a week at the beach. That type of getaway is at least a couple of years away:)!
Pop & EJ at the Choo Choo!

NoNo Mommy & Guice! Checking out the caboose!
Emery Jai!

Night Night Guyboo!
First night in a hotel!

Checking out the fish!

EJ loved all the animals!

This was in the ocean exhibit, the fish are all behind her.

G looking at the butterflies. EJ playing in the water.
Playing with NoNo!



Mommy and Guice

EJ petting a stingray!
G petting a shark!
Petting Sturgeon!
Guice petting sturgeon!
Throwing a fit, just keeping it real:)!

Say cheese NoNo!
EJ enjoying NoNo's coke!
Waiting for the Shuttle, Guice catching a quick snack!

NoNo, EJ, & G with the Spider Crabs!
These pics do NOT do the aquarium justice check it out HERE!

Also, EJ was way to busy to be posing for photos. I wish I had gotten more of her but such is life with a vivacious little girl!

Emery Jai is Home!!

Emery Jai is back from Arkansas, as of Tuesday. EJ had so much fun at Pop & NeNa's, whats not to love? She gets every single little thing she wants the second she wants it! She is having a slight issue adjusting to the real world:). It is hard for a girl to go from getting everything her heart desires to just getting most of it! Pop & NeNa stayed with us in Tennessee for a couple of days, it was so much fun. It is always a great time when they are here. The kids have a blast spending time with them.
EJ making dumplings with NeNa! Top Chef!
Playing outside while Pop cooked steaks!

Guice playing with the grass, what fun!

11 Months!

Guice is 11 months today! He keeps us constantly on our toes. His language development has really taken off in this past month he now says: Momma, Dadda, NoNo (as in Erica), No (as in stop), NeNa, back back back, Monday, Uh-oh, and Bye bye. He is taking more steps but is not really walking yet. He can stand up in the middle of the floor by himself and take a couple of steps, so not long now. Anytime Spider Man is mentioned he throws webs like a mad man! He can also do the more conventional tricks like kisses, high fives, and blowing kisses. He can follow directions (when HE is in the mood, Guice is no dancing monkey:) like "put the ball in the box" or "spit that out" and of course "put that down". Guice is a little boy trapped in a baby's body. He wants so bad to be able to do everything EJ does. And that leads to his most impressive talent, fits! He can throw a biting, kicking, pinching, clawing fit to the likes you haven't seen! G's favorite thing in the whole world right now is (still) nursing. He is eating so well (he is weighing in at over 28 lbs) but is not easing up at all on breastfeeding:).

To commemorate his 11 months of being here, a pic of him and his most favorite activity!!

Almost Home!

Miss Emery Jai is well on her way home! We have missed her so very much! The feeling is no where near mutual. She would hardly talk to me on the phone. When she would, EJ would just tell me to bring her Monday and Pirate, and that she was going to stay at NeNa's house forever. She did not ask about us once, that little stinker! So, with that being said, I am not looking for a emotional reuniting:). Unless EJ is mad over being home and that is likely to be the case. It was very nice to spend a ton of time with Guice. I can't believe the difference one kid (especially when that one kid isn't Emery Jai:) makes!

What A Mess!

One of Guice's favorite foods is Cottage Cheese! He loves it, Josh and I can't stand it! It makes such a mess. For the record Cottage Cheese is almost impossible to get out of a kids hair!

Boy: Noun, Noise with dirt on it!

Boy Stuff....

There's a boy in my house –
and Spiderman shoes
And 200 papers in various blues.
There's a fireman coat to wear in the rain.He has cars on his shirts and frogs on hats
There's a glove and a ball and a red plastic bat.
There's dirt on a face and a smudge on a nose;
Grass stains on knees and sand between toes.
There's bath time at night with places to scrub,And when we're all done there is dirt in the tub!
There's band aids and bruises and curious bumps,
There's smiles and laughter and sometimes there's grumps.
There's odors most icky; there's boogers so green
There's more yucky things than I'll ever get clean.
There's piles of laundry; there's stories at night;
There's bedtime and bath time and dinnertime fights.
There's cars and there's trains and there's books about trucks
Sometimes there are bugs, and sometimes there are frogs;
Sometimes they are lions, or dinos, or dogs.
There are cute little vests and darling neckties
Dragged right through the mud – oh what a surprise!
There's running and climbing and jumping and falling
And laughing and crying and hugging and brawling
And rolling and losing and finding and creeping
And whining and stealing and sometimes there's sleeping.
There's tantrums and time outs and extra loud noise
There's love in my house shaped like a sweet little boy.
Author unknown.

Guice is has turned into a little boy, overnight it seems. He is growing up minute by minute. And it is going much too fast!

Guy Boo's New Hangout!

Joshua.....

Nashville Zoo!

Today Guice and I went to the Nashville Zoo with Jenn and her kiddos. It was so nice. I had so much fun! I loved getting out of the house and I had another mom to hangout with, it was great! The weather was good, not too hot at all. Although, towards the end I was starting to wear out a bit:). Guice had fun and had a couple of naps, so a good day for him:). It was great to be able just to focus on him. I love all the quality time I am getting with him, I think he does too:)!
Nashville Zoo!
Guice hanging out in the bird exhibit. Guice on the carousel!
Gabe & Adam checking out the gators!
Alligator exhibit!
Ben & Guice taking a nap. It is hard work being that darn cute!
The boys hanging out with a goat!

Ben and Guice and Billy G:)!


Guice trying to ride a goat!!

First Steps!

Guice took his first steps today! Josh and I saw them. I missed EJ's first, she debut them for Pop;). We are so excited that Guice is well on his way to walking!
I will of course be working diligently to get this on video!

Thankful!!

On the way home from our fabulous zoo trip Lola (my car) had a blow out. I was going about 75 on the interstate heading into Nashville and my tire suddenly blew out, it shredded completely. It happened so fast. Miraculously before I knew it I was safely on the side of the road. My car was never out of control, I heard the sound and then I was pulled over and Guice and I were well off the interstate and safe. Tears of relief and sheer gratitude were streaming down. I looked back and G was laughing, he enjoyed the bumpy ride. I then called Josh at work and preceded to get someone to help, road side assistance. But I could not tell Josh where I was other than on the interstate. I started to panic and G was no longer happy. I had a fear that we would be stuck on the side of the road for hours. No more than 5 min. and two cars stopped to help. I could not believe it. A family heading home from a Fathers Day event and a women by herself. The men started changing my tire only to find my spare was flat. They saw the panic in my face and assured me they were not leaving until they fixed it. I should also mention that my cell phone was fading fast. The lady took my spare up to the next exit and aired it up and also bought me a can of fix a flat. She then stopped on the opposite side of the interstate to walk the spare across! I was in complete shock at the kindness of these strangers. They advised me not to drive home, just to the next exit. I offered to pay them, get their address and send them something. They flat out refused. I was and am overwhelmed with the kindness they showed. I made it to the next exit and called Erica to get me. She had a headache and had happened to just wake up when I called. There just happened to be a tire shop just down from the gas station and it was opened on a Sunday. My car is there awaiting a new tire. What happened was terrifying. Having my tire blow out and to be stuck on the side of the interstate with a baby. But, it could not have worked out better. Guice and I are safe and no worse for the wear. Guice entertained Erica and I on the ride home by acting like he was pooping his pants! What is it with boys? The bathroom humor starts so early! I am so very thankful for the complete strangers who stopped to help. I am now committed to doing the same. I am going more out of my way to help others. I am so grateful, it could have been much worse. It was more like a wake up call. Like God was telling me to take time and help others. Not just to give money or do the scheduled help but help out when it might not be that convenient for me. Anyway, just wanted to put it in writing. If I share it I have to do it:)!

*It took me a day to calm down for the incidence. When I called Erica I started the conversation with "I almost died!" I just felt the need to clarify, I wasn't always this calm about the situation. At first I did not have this particular view:)

Memphis Zoo!!

We spent Fathers Day at the Memphis Zoo with Pop and NeNa. For anyone who has not been to the zoo, you must go! It is a wonderful zoo, the best! The exhibits are super neat. You can get right up close and personal with the animals, super cool! Anyway, on to the details of the trip. We left out at 4a.m., it is about a 31/2 hour drive. It was so worth it. We have a zoo here in Nashville and it is nice but not near as good as this one. I want a family pass. We met the Grandparents for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Emery Jai was so excited to see them she almost cried. She had woken up at 3 and announced she was ready to go. EJ did not want to pack for the trip because she wanted NeNa to buy her all new things:). The zoo was so nice! I did endure my most embarrassing moment as a mom to date. There is panda exhibit that is amazing! It is housed in a huge set up like a Chinese temple, buddhas and all. EJ took one look at the temple and started running around saying, and I quote, "Master where are you Master?!?!" She was clasping her hands and bowing to the buddhas. I wanted to die. She saw this while watching Kung Fu Panda. They were not bowing to buddhas but to a fat raccoon. At any rate I was humiliated to the point of no return. I just walked off and left her with NeNa:).
Other than that we had a blast. It was great to spend Fathers Day with my Dad. It was a little sad because my Grandfathers are not here to spend the day with. I miss them more than words can express. I would love for the kids to have known them. Emery Jai and Guice would have been better for it, I know I am.