Quick update:

More later on the following subjects:

1) Just finished a huge battle with Jack about why you can't nap in your Halloween costume. Also battled myself for a second, "What IS the big deal, really?" Then quickly remembered: kids in superhero costumes don't fall asleep as quickly as kids in pajamas. Right. Went with my instinct.

2) The boys and I got back from our road trip last night. Twenty-something hours in the car in three days. Torn contact. No changing tables. No CD player. No movies. Huge detour thanks to Mapquest. Three diaper blow-outs. All of this... and breastfeeding. Believe it or not, we still had a really great time!

3) Just dyed my fingernails to match the scum in my sink. Yes, I was dying Davis' Halloween costume in my sink and while it did not discolor the sink itself, it dyed all the spots of dirt build-up green. It's kinda like that mouthwash for kids that dyes the plaque on their teeth blue so you can see where they missed. Only grosser. Just put the costume in the washer for a final step. Right now it looks black. I am hoping it will magically look green when it dries.

4) We have uninvited guests in the kitchen. Termites. Exterminator comes Monday. Baby Shower at my house six days later. Stress.

5) Just checked on Jack and he is currently asleep in nothing but undies. Must have taken his pajamas off after I left the room. The apple does not fall far from the tree.

It's camp-out night at Kid's Quest at church at 6:30 pm.

Flashlight: check.
Jacket: check.
Verse memorized: check.
Bible in bag: check.
Alternative to S'mores packed: check.
Mom showered: Oh, better log off now.

Scripture, Week Four - Kid's Quest

"I will give you a wise and understanding mind." 1 Kings 3:12

"Check, please!"

We have recently become good friends with our new neighbors - the Davis' - who live two doors down. They have four kiddos and another one on the way! They think it is so funny that we have a baby with the FIRST name Davis, and Jack thinks it is so funny that their LAST name is Davis. Victor, Tug, Austyn, Will, and Jack Everett enjoyed a picnic Saturday morning after playing play-doh and riding bikes for hours. Here they are in the driveaway:

Clockwise from front left: Victor (5), Austyn (3), Jack (4), Tug (4), Will (1)

I had a very not-proud moment when Jack and Austyn were playing waiter and waitress. Austyn pretended to get me some water when all of a sudden... Jack piped in:

"NO, Austyn! Mommies don't DRINK water... they ONLY drink SODA!!"

That is not good.

Your vote is your voice.

Early voting starts today!

Click here for all Bexar County Early Voting Locations and hours.

I am not one to tell others how to vote, but whatever your position, get out there and make your vote count.

I will tell you that Jack informed me today that he is voting for Vanilla Ice Cream. We had a long talk about it, and in the end, this is what he has decided. So, Jeff and I support him.

Handsome smiles from my handsome boys

The soundtrack to this post is to the tune of "It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want to...."

It goes like this:

"It's my blog and I can brag if I want to... brag if I want to... brag if I want to..."

Handsome - Like father, like son.

In new warm pajamas, size 3-6 months.

Big blue eyes

His hair is getting redder and redder.



Not if I have anything to do with it!

"... You Would Brag Too if it Happened to You..." *

* just kidding. Nothing like a little sarcasm to cut the narcissism.

Happy 6th birthday, Sophia!

We love going to Sophia's parties at Aerial Athletics. Jack Everett vividly remembered it from last year and asked me every day, "Is it time for Sophie's party yet?" This year was going to be extra special because Daddy was going too. (Birthday parties by myself with both kids are a lot harder than they used to be.)

Even Davis got into the act, helping Mommy push Big Brother.

Jeff enjoyed seeing Jack play so hard. He was having a blast.

Last but not least, the famous foam pit. He spent 97% of the time jumping in... crawling out... jumping in... Funny, the pit seemed a lot deeper last year.

Thanks, Sophia, for inviting us!

I've got your Opinion RIGHT HERE! (Part Two)

Continuing from my post a few days ago about my paid research panel on Pull-Ups...

Okay, so I finished my two collages - no lie - fifteen minutes before I left for Galloway Research Wednesday. Here they are:

I gave myself an A- for my efforts.

When I arrived, there was a Mom frantically cutting pictures out of the Glamour Magazine sitting in the waiting area. She even borrowed paper AND tape from the receptionist. Seriously. Turns out she works full-time, has four kids, and is currently potty-training TWO of them. If I had known that, I wouldn't have been so judgmental when I saw her last-minute efforts. I might have helped her cut and paste.

There were four of us on the panel, one with four kids who works full-time, a 21-year-old single Mom who lives with her parents, me, and a Mother of one who works part-time. It was a great mix. If you get a group of Moms together and start talking about baby products or potty training, we could talk for hours - for FREE.

After we signed a strict agreement not to share anything we discussed in front of the one-way mirror into the microphones... we talked about every possible aspect of shopping for training pants at Target. It was really interesting.

The funniest part was the tone of voice of the 60-year-old researcher who OBVIOUSLY trained HER kids without Pull-Ups. Here we are, all in our twenties, talking about them as though they are necessities and that we'd never be able to potty-train without them. The not-so-funny part was how she kept saying things like, "Okay, Melissa... so... THIRTEEN months ago... when you first STARTED potty-training..." Helloooo....Did she have to rub it in? She'd also ask, "So, your son is FIFTY months old..." FIFTY months... wow. I stopped referring to his age in months about twenty-six months ago.

Anyway, it was really fun, and we all actually hugged at the end. Potty-training Moms have a bond, like POWs. As we left, we each received $110.00 CASH. Even the Mom who didn't do her homework. I wanted to give her $10 of mine.

When she got her money, she said, "Awesome, I am going to spend it on clothes!"

I replied, "I am going to spend it on Pull-ups."

Jack of all Trades

Staying home with my kids is such a blessing for which I am so thankful every single day. We are able to do so much these days. The weather is awesome, and the kids are too. In an attempt to catch up on the past couple of weeks' activities...

Here are some pics of Jack Everett playing some of his different roles in the family:


Baseball player: He likes parent-pitch better, but he has two parents who get worn out by his shenanigans and tomfoolery between each pitch. He is such a clown between swings and gets to giggling every time. Here is an example:

As hard as it is not to correct and re-focus him, we don't want him to think sports are more important than they really are. Instead, we just sit back and watch him be silly. As silly as he is, I must say - he has one heck of a swing.


Gymnast: Here we are at Open Gym this week. For $6, we can enjoy one hour of open play, available every Wednesday. He really enjoys it, and has almost mastered the cartwheel. The rope swing is a different story.


Lite Brite Artist: Who knew this $5.00 resale shop find would be such a hit? Mommy did! I loved my Lite Brite as a kid. It's a great way to keep him busy at the kitchen table, and yet another way to practice his letters.


Spelling Bee: He loves to spell and sound out words with his blocks from Aunt Tracy. It's always frustrating when a word contains two of the same letter. I am constantly explaining that we only have one of each letter. We spelled "HDTV" just for Daddy.


Adventurer: We decided to take a walk as a family the other night to our local library. I grossly underestimated how far it was by foot and we didn't get home until 9:30 pm. We were exhausted, Sadie was panting her little head off, Davis was sound asleep in the stroller, and Jack was complaining a little. However, he really liked using his stick to return his Books on Tape all by himself. We love our new library. Next time, however, we will drive.

Davis' Entertainment: Last but not least, I can always count on Jack to entertain his little brother. This one will certainly be one he loves to watch over and over as a teenager. Ha!

Remembering Our Baby

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I consecrated you."
Jeremiah 1:5

Today, October 15th, is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

I think about my little one a lot, especially when I see Moms with three children. Or when I see little girls. It's strange when someone asks about my pregnancies... I don't want to be weird and talk about three pregnancies, but it's kinda sad to act like my second pregnancy never happened. I sometimes think about if I had not had my miscarriage... would I have Davis? Probably not. These thoughts flood my head, especially today. I listened today to two candidates debate about partial-birth abortion and born-alive infants. Why today? To think that these precious babies have become a political "issue."

It's so weird to miss someone you've never met...but I do. Time has healed, but I still think of our little one that is in our Savior's arms. He (or she) was fearfully and wonderfully made. I am his mother, and always will be. God's plan was for this baby to be alive on this Earth for 10 weeks in my womb, and today I remember that and I thank Him for it.

"Try not to fall ooooverrrrrr!"

Jack is so excited when Davis does something new. Here he is lifting his head. In the beginning of the video, he takes a little tumble... oops. Davis pushes up on his arms (for a few seconds) and then quickly wants to return to laying on his back. On a side note, it appears that his blonde hair is starting to turn a little red.

I am pleasantly surprised by how exciting it all is... even the second time around.

I've got your Opinion RIGHT HERE!

I was referred to Galloway Research, a research/opinion/poll company in town who pays you to participate in surveys, trials, and opinion panels. I have never participated, but have several family members who have... and they seem to make good money for their time and are asked to put forth very little effort.

So, after answering about one million questions about myself over the phone, they let me know they'd be contacting me soon if I match any upcoming research studies. About two days later, they call... I AM A MATCH!!!

My obvious assumption was that I was chosen for a study about the latest fashions, good driving habits or time management. However, much to my surprise, I had been chosen for a panel on...

Pull-ups Disposable Training Pants. Poop. I should have known.

Oh, so there IS a bright side to the fact that I am still buying Pull-ups for my 50-month old. Who knew?

Well, good. Pull-ups, the bain of my existence, will now earn me some profit. I'll take it.

Mary, the kind Galloway phone rep, informed me that the panel consists of two hours in a conference room with other Moms and will pay $110.00. Awesome. She says chipperly, "I will e-mail you directions and some instructions on a small homework project" Say what? A homework project? I figure it can't be much, since the panel was just THREE short days away.

I received the homework assignment Saturday:

CELL C HOMEWORK:

We would like you to make two collages and bring them with you to your scheduled Focus Group:

Please use two 8 ½ BY 11” OR LARGER pieces of paper/oak tag, etc for the collages.

The collages must include pictures, words, etc. from magazines.

1) Think back to when your child (referring to Jack Everett) was a newborn/infant. You told us you purchased your diapers at Target when your child was younger and in a smaller sized diaper. The FIRST COLLAGE we'd like you to make is one that captures your feelings and emotions in these earlier shopping experiences for diapers at Target for your newborn/infant.

2) Your SECOND COLLAGE should capture your current shopping experience for Training Pants at Target. This collage should reflect your feelings and emotions when purchasing Training Pants. Focus on how your current shopping experience differs from your shopping experience for your baby when he was a newborn/infant.

Please be as creative as possible and THANK YOU!

Okay, the price-per-hour just decreased. By a lot. That is a lot of work.

...more to come on part two... I've got things to cut and glue while the boys are asleep. *sigh*

Instant Classic

Hook 'em Horns!

Texas 45 - Oklahoma 35

Family in need

We have two young family members whose home was seriously damaged in Hurricane Ike. They attend Texas A&M Galveston, and lost almost everything, including the clothes they left behind after evacuation. When asked for a list of things that will need to be replaced, here is what they sent. If anyone reading this has any of these large items to donate, please let me know by commenting to this post. We can somehow arrange for them to receive them.

• Recliner
• Couch
• Dresser
• Bed Frame and Slats
• Computer chair
• Computer Desk
• Coffee Table
• Curtains
• Computer
• Car (Ryan's was totaled)
• Towels
• Shower Curtains
• King Size head board and foot board
• Clothes

Thanks for your generosity!

Scripture, Week Three - Kid's Quest

Sneaking around the corner this time... as if he is trying to escape the Momarazzi.

"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17

"Am I the ONLY one?" (Part 2)

Okay, again, I want to hear from you...

So, there is something that bothers me, and I want to know if I am the only one.

Picture this: I am in the middle of a voyeuristic hour of network reality television when I am rudely interrupted by a blatant product placement. I feel like I am being taken for a sucker. All I want to do is peek into the behaviors of others when placed in a "realistic" situation... when *BAM* I am all of a sudden in the middle of a commercial. Then *BAM* right back to the show... Am I not supposed to notice?

For example, in the middle of "The Biggest Loser." They are the worst about this. The contestants are having lunch when all of a sudden Trainer Bob goes into a spiel about the advantages of Ziplock Cook n' Steam Bags. The contestants suddenly get all stiff and awkward. The 10-second ad is finished, and they all go back to acting naturally. This is repeated when Jillian recommends packing Nabisco 100-Calorie packs in their suitcases. Not to mention, by the time they leave the Biggest Loser Ranch, their jaws must be painfully tired of incessantly chewing Extra sugar-free gum. It's too much. It's not even subtle or subliminal. Do they think we are fools? I mean, I bought some of those steam bags, and they're just alright.

To be fair, it's not just "The Biggest Loser" that is guilty. "Jon and Kate Plus 8" is right up there with the shameless product plugs. I thought they'd never stop talking about the V-Smile Learning System their 8 children were playing one afternoon. Kate and I are very close (we've never met, but I have watched the show for a long time) and I am pretty sure she would not be letting her three-year-olds play video games if there wasn't something sweet in that deal. Speaking of sweet, I bet she was serving her toddlers water before the Juicy Juice truck rolled into town with sippie cups full of cash.

What's next? The Duggars peddling match.com?

Is this just the price we have to pay to spend hours peeking into strangers' lives? Don't get me wrong... I mean, I'll do it, but it still bothers me.

So, Am I the ONLY one?

Scripture, Week Two - Kid's Quest

A very sleepy Jack, in Spiderman pajamas, recites the verse of the week.

"The Lord who saved me from a lion and a bear will save me from this Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:37

As proud as I am of him as his Earthly mother, I imagine the pride of His heavenly Father. I think of Jesus hearing the scriptures from the mouths of the little children each week, learning about His love.

"...May it be a sweet sweet sound in your ear..."

Has it been 12 weeks already?

Here are a ton of pics of my 12-week-old joy of a boy. I stare at him all the time, marvelling at how much he looks like his Daddy. So handsome.

The probiotic drops appear to be helping. His tummy seems to feel better and he eats less often nowadays. He is a lot less cranky and no longer demands to be held all day.



It is official! Davis has slept through the night for 10 nights. He sleeps from 10 pm to about 7:30 am. No more middle of the night feedings! I have always said, God truly knows what I can handle... He knows that THIS Momma needs her sleep! We are on a bit of a routine, eating at 7:30 am, eleven, two, six, and 10 pm. He naps between each feeding, but his longest is from about 8:30 - 11 am and again from about 2 - 5 pm. Thank you again, Lord, for my two good sleepers!

The nursing is still going amazingly well, which is a major blessing. However, little man does NOT take a bottle very well at all. He hates it. He spits it out, gags, cries, and basically gets MAD. He definitely won't take one from me because he knows I have the real thing. This has caused me much stress this past week as I have attempted to leave the house sans baby and it has been disastrous.

So, I went on a shopping spree and bought all kinds of different bottles and nipples, searching for one that will at least sorta work if I have to leave him. After trying the Avent, Evenflo, Gerber, Playtex, and Soothie... I finally found the 99-cent generic Walmart bottle to be the only one that he will latch onto. No kidding. It's tacky-looking with frogs on it and is loaded with BPA or whatever, but it works! Aunt Mel came over today to help me try (Thanks, Mel!) and Davis took four ounces by bottle and kept it down! Success! I am proud of him.

It's finally cool enough (barely) to wear his footed PJs. So warm and soft!

My new favorite advice to Moms: paint a red stripe on the wall over your changing table. Just like his big brother did, Davis absolutely LOVES his red stripe. He just stares at it and smiles, staying perfectly still through every diaper change. I mean, he actually laughs at it sometimes. So, whether it matches your decor or not... who cares? Red stripe on the wall... that's my advice.

Although his eyes don't always agree on where to focus, his smile always melts Mommy's heart.