"We all scream for R-ICE CREAM!"

Jack Everett's diet contains very few really sweet treats. His desserts usually include watermelon, applesauce, pears, fruit cocktail, etc. So, when I bought him some Rice Dream Vanilla Ice Cream and Strawberry syrup, I knew it would be a hit! I let him serve himself, which is half the fun. Of course, I had the camera on-hand!

This is gonna be YUMMY!

One scoop at a time...

Not too much syrup! (He calls it "cherry sauce.")

(Sheesh... I am not sure how to get a good haircut without it looking like a straight line across the front.)

He likes having a red tongue. He asked for "Ice Ceeam with Cherry Sauce" for every meal for the next week or so. We had to keep explaining that he couldn't have it until AFTER his meal. So, every two bites of his real food he would say, "I'm done."

So glad to see him enjoying his food.

Sandra's Wedding Update

Time has flown, and Sandra's wedding date is fast-approaching. The big day is March 29th and I am thrilled that it will be held here in San Antonio. It has been much different since she has been planning it from Washington D.C., but it's no surprise that she is super organized and has it all under control. The dress is in and fits perfectly, and bridal portraits, catering, music... it's all set. We had the first of several bridal showers and I was so glad I was able to attend. It's hard to believe it was almost nine years ago that Sandra was at MY bridal shower. I still have dishes I have not used.

Sandra, my best friend since the fifth grade - 19 years ago!

Sandra and her Moms.
Trevor's mother, Mrs. Clark on left, and Mrs. Nesrsta on right.

One of the favorite gifts, a personalized wedding frame.

Her bachelorette party is this coming weekend and I look forward to getting to know the other bridesmaids and celebrating with just the girls. It is going to be a blast, and the whole event is a surprise to the bride.

On a separate note, many of you have asked about my bridesmaid dress, so here are some pics of the NEW DRESS as well.

It will be the dark blue shade. It's going to be MUCH easier to fit into THIS dress, lemme tellya.

Baby Griffin's Big Debut!

We introduce... Jack's little brother or sister - at 13 weeks.


There you go, he finally made the blog. I guess it's getting more and more real to me. I have been somewhat protective of the little one thus far, but wanted to go ahead and share the first clear picture.

I just can't believe that our little family of three is about to become a family of four.

Early one Saturday morning we were all piled in our bed. Jack was begging us to get up while Jeff and I were wishing he knew how to pour his own milk and use the remote.

Jack Everett said, "Daddy, I think I hear something!!"
Jeff said, "What is it, Jack?"
He replied softly, "I think it's the baby growing."

It was the sweetest thing and showed us that it's really on his mind. We think he knows his world is about to change in a big way.

"Before I forget..."

If I don't write these things down, I will never remember them...

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Mommy: "Hurry Jack, we have to get in the car! It's raining on Mommy's hair!"

Jack: "Don't worry, Momma, the car will protect us from the rain."

M: "You're right, Jack. Do you know who else protects us?"

J: "Optimus Prime."

OK, I was expecting him to say "JESUS!". So his first thought was a Transformer... at least he feels protected.

"Your Mommy is a WHAT?!"

Okay, so the flyer came home from Jack's preschool about the upcoming "Occupation Weeks" at the school. All parents were encouraged to volunteer to speak to the class about their different careers. There would be two weeks, or ten parent speakers visiting. Since I work part-time, I agreed to do it. After all, how hard could it be, there are only ten to fifteen 3-yr-olds in his little class, right?

So, as Career Week drew near, I decided I would talk for a little bit about different jobs people have, and then I would give out little stuffed dolls from Monster.com. Easy peezy.

They would love the dolls. So, I call the school to make sure to order enough monsters, and the director informs me that I will be speaking to two groups of about SIXTY KIDS! I was like, "What!?" She fills me in on the details: I will be giving a FIFTEEN- to TWENTY-minute presentation to ALL CLASSES in the school, and parents are invited to attend. The kids would range from two years to five years old. As I hung up, I started to panic a little. I thought it was just going to be Jack's little class, sitting in a circle for a few minutes... now it was kind of turning into a big deal - with other parents invited to attend - AND all the teachers from the classes looking at me.

So, suddenly, the stuffed monsters are out of the question - I can't ask for 120 free monsters. Plus, how do you really explain Corporate Recruiting to 2 yr-olds? They don't know what a JOB is. They don't know what GRADES are, or about staying in school.

I explained this new assignment in the next Recruiting meeting and asked my Human Resources colleagues for some ideas. They were oh-so-helpful. Their ideas included starting the presentation with, "Kids, are you tired of eating bologna every night? Does your Mommy keep saying it's time for your Daddy to get a real job?" They added comments like, "I bet the other parents have awesome jobs, like a fireman. He'll probably bring his awesome fire truck. You can show them your '99 Honda. Kids, you can be a recruiter and drive one of these!" Needless to say, they were no help whatsoever.

So, I called the Preschool Director back and asked her NOT to put me next to the awesome parents, like the candymaker or the juggler. She laughed. The schedule was like this: Firefighter, Worship Leader, Construction Worker, Dance Instructor, Nurse, Police man, Military soldier, Recruiter... I thought, "Poor Jack, his mommy has the boring job."

Well, in true Melissa fashion, I did not have a real idea about how to teach an abstract concept like helping people find the right job until two nights before I was scheduled to present. I did what I always do when I hit a creative block - called my neighbor Sarah. She convinced me to just tell the kids a story. She helped me with an outline for my story, and Jeff and I stayed up until the wee hours coloring posters for the next two nights. The rest is history.

Here is a slideshow from Career Day 2007: Corporate Recruiter.

When I came out of my room in my suit that morning, Jack said, "Momma, is that your work costume?"

Afterwards, I asked the kids, "So what do YOU want to be when YOU grow up?" One boy said, "Spiderman!," but one little girl said, "I want to be a Recruiter." I almost got teary-eyed.

I knew right then it was all worth it.

"Once upon a time..."

As parents, we have to fight the desire to try to control what our children will become. We dream about them becoming baseball players, public speakers, singers, etc. Jeff and I know it is our role to help them find their individual passions, whatever those may be, reminding ourselves that these are their dreams, not ours.

However, today, I must be honest. I would be absolutely thrilled if Jack grew up to be a writer. Not Hemingway, just a man who loves to read, and who finds joy in bringing creativity to whatever field he pursues.

Anyway, for this reason, this latest milestone is extra special to me.

Yes, Jack wrote his name on his own for the first time.

He doesn't know it yet, but this is the beginning of a whole new world for him - A brand new avenue for self-expression. It won't be long before this 3 1/2-yr-old is writing stories and essays and letters to Grandma, poems, and songs... bringing his ideas to life on paper.

That is, if he wants to.

Breaking News!!

Well, I guess it's time to put the big news on the blog.

We're having a BABY!

God is good, and another prayer has been answered in His timing. I am 13 1/2 weeks along, and Jack's little brother or sister is due on or around his birthday, August 2nd. (He is hoping for a monster truck but is in for a surprise.)

I am feeling well - thankful for every symptom and grateful for every pain. There have been a few nervous moments and anxious sonograms, but overall the pregnancy is right on track and we are looking forward to what God has in store for our family.

We plan to find out if we are having a boy or a girl, and can tell for sure in about 4 more weeks. We know it can be done, but we still have a hard time imagining leaving the house with two children in tow!

Jeff and I have gone through the usual emotions, "Can we possibly love another child as much as we love Jack Everett? Can we afford two children? Will this baby be allergic to everything too? Will I ever fit into my skinny jeans again?" Okay, so maybe that last one is just me.

The overall emotion is amazement at what a woman's body can do, awe at the trust God has in us to place another little life in our care, and excitement for what the next months will bring.

Feel free to share the news; We have reached the point where we feel comfortable taking a deep breath and enjoying the ride!

We thank you all in advance for your prayers, support, and hand-me-downs.

Random Cute Pics

Okay, I felt like I needed to post something; I have really been slacking on the blog lately. So, here are some random pics from this week:

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The newest addition to our kitchen decor.

It's true what they say: "Having kids really does change everything."

Jack Everett loves his Lightning McQueen hooded towel.

Fun "hiding" under the couch.

He thinks we can't see him when he covers his eyes.

Happy Holidays 2007

Santa Clause, with a little help from his elf Marilyn, sent Jack Everett a letter from the North Pole. He absolutely loved opening it and reading it.

For more pics, click here: Jack gets a letter from Santa Clause!
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On Saturday the 23rd we celebrated Christmas with the Lynch family in Houston. We started some new traditions and enjoyed some old ones. We really missed Pappy this year, but enjoyed being together.

For more pics, click here: The Lynch Christmas in Houston
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On Christmas Eve, we celebrated with the Griffin family here in town. Jack was overwhelmed with all the presents. He is at such a fun age and had a great time.

For more pics, click here: The Griffin Christmas in San Antone
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We ended our whirlwind holiday tour in Marble Falls at Grandmama's house. We had a delicious home-cooked meal, as always, and Jack loved playing with his cousin, Brandon. He loves having a cousin his same age!

For more pics, click here: The Melton Christmas in Marble Falls
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Last but not least, Jack stayed with Mom and Jeffry while Jeff and I got away to celebrate New Year's Eve in style. It was worth the splurge as we brought in the New Year downtown at the Palacio Del Rio on the Riverwalk.

For more pics, click here: Happy New Year!

So, there you have it - every picture from our holidays. Sorry they took so long to organize and post. It took us a while to recoop. Enjoy!

2008 will be a great year!

Movie Night, Part Two

WARNING: Scary Water Horse on the Loose

Okay, so that was a bit of a mistake. The Water Horse was pretty darn scawy for the little guy.

When the movie started, I walked my overprotective self over to the manager and kindly asked him to turn down the volume in Theater 15. There were tender little eardrums in there being damaged within the first few minutes of the movie.

When I came back, Jack was snuggled right up next to Nana, head on her shoulder, looking at the screen with obvious concern. Jeff explained that finding the baby water horse coming out of its egg was really scary. Great.

So, I won't bore with details, but "PG" is "PG" - Parental Guidance. Jack is only 3 years old. He needs "G." End of story. Lesson learned.

Another reminder, "When in doubt.... overprotect." It has been my mothering M.O. thus far, so why change now? No, seriously, I had a feeling this movie might be a bit scary, and should have listened to that maternal voice or at least waited until another Mom in my circle had seen it.

It may sound dramatic but I felt a tiny bit of his innocence slipping away as I witnessed him viewing more intense drama/action than he has ever seen before. Don't get me wrong. He was glued. Timid, but downright fascinated. I felt him being de-sensitized a bit and I didn't like it. Jeff and I looked at each other a few times and I could see that he felt I might be overreacting. I didn't ever feel like leaving the theater... I mean, it wasn't THAT bad, I just felt intermittent pangs of regret that we weren't next door at "Alvin and the Chipmunks."

Before going to bed, Miss Julie asked him over the phone, "Jack, do you think YOU should get a water horse for a pet?" He quickly said, "No! I don't want one!"

Nana, I guess you are off the hook.

Movie Night, Part One

We are taking Jack Everett (and Nana) to the movies tonight to see The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. It's rated PG, but we are a little nervous that it might be scary.

The Water Horse starts off like this (all cute) when a little Scottish boy brings home a mysterious egg. The creature turns out to be the legendary creature of Lochness. It's not long before his cute new pet looks like this:

As always, I researched the movie on my favorite parents' movie rating site: http://www.kidsinmind.com/ and here is what they said: REVIEW

So, I will post my own personal movie review later on this weekend.

We plan to tell J. Everett that if he stops pee-peeing in his bed, we will let him get a Water Horse. He can keep it at Nana's house. It only makes sense - her bathtub is bigger.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

A couple weeks before Christmas, Mom and Jeffry took Jack to pick out his very own tree to decorate and keep up at their house. He picked a solid red tree, red lights, and solid red ornaments. He was absolutely crazy about his "wittle wed twee" and talked about it nonstop... so much so... we decided he needed a little tree in HIS room at home. Meemaw was happy to give him her small Christmas tree and we put it in Jack's window near his bed. He absolutely loved it!

Neither Jeff nor I had a tree in our rooms growing up, so we look forward to getting him a special new ornament each year and seeing him decorate his very own tree as he wishes. Yes, this means a tree for every kiddo in the family, but that's okay!

Speaking of decorating, Jack helped us decorate our big tree this year and did a great job. Here is a single branch that received some extra heavy decoration. Four ornaments on the same branch - no problem! We left it like this because it was so cute.

More Christmas pics to come... eventually.