Boone Mama

Anson's Christmas Program

2011-12-13T18:33:00.001-06:00

Anson closed out his first semester of preschool with the most adorable Christmas program. He isn't known for singing, but with all the months of practicing, he started singing some of the songs around the house. The preview had me so excited for the performance, and these 3 year olds did not disappoint.
The same cannot be said for my cinematography skills. I apologize for the shaky video, but trust me...it's worth it :)

Here they are singing "The Lights on the Tree"

For those of you unfamiliar with the song, here's the basic idea.

The lights on the tree go blink, blink, blink.
The presents under the tree go shake, shake, shake.
The Mommy in the kitchen goes cook, cook, cook.
The Daddy on the couch goes snore, snore, snore.
The Grandpa in the house goes hug, hug, hug.
The Grandma in the house goes kiss, kiss, kiss.
The family in the house says "Thank you God, Thank you God, Thank you God".

This song is "Three Little Christmas Trees"

Three little Christmas trees standing all alone,
Their hearts were very sad 'cause they didn't have a home.
Then "SNAP" went the ax, and down fell the tree,
And off it went with the happy family.

It's such a sweet song, especially when the get the emotion behind each part.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Where There's Smoke There's Fire

2011-09-05T08:37:00.006-05:00

Or is there?

We had been having issues with our upstairs A/C unit that Ryan traced to a faulty thermostat. We bought a fancy touch screen replacement and Ryan and his little helper, Anson, installed it.

After that we attempted to put Anson down for a nap. Sadly, those have become a thing of the past around our house :( He stayed in his room but we could hear him stomping around upstairs. After a few visits himself, Ryan asked me to go check on him and I stopped in my tracks before I ever reached the stairs. I smelled smoke!

Ryan sent Anson and I downstairs. I offered my suggestions - "turn off the unit, check your wiring, is it in the walls?, it's 80 degrees up there...obviously there's something wrong". Clearly I'm a tremendous help and true pillar of strength in these situations.

Ryan raced to the attic to check for a fire, then outside to look for smoke. None was found. I had the phone in my hands ready to dial the fire department, but my level headed husband wanted more time. I didn't want to be the fools who let their house burn down because they couldn't find the fire, but I also didn't want to be the girl that cried wolf to the fire department. So, I waited.

It's a good thing too. As it turns out there was no fire, but rather a curious little 3 year old who decided to get out his little step stool and test out the thermostat by turning on the heater and cranking the temperature up to 85. The smoky smell was just the dust burning off after the long, hot summer of no use.

We learned our lesson and are now using the lock function on our new thermostat. Never a dull moment in our house.

I'm Growing Up

2011-09-02T14:52:00.009-05:00

I heard Anson rifling through the kitchen drawers today which usually means he's after gum or some other treat. Instead, he grabbed Daddy's (aka Bob the Builder) tape measure and started doing this:

What is he doing? He's measuring himself growing up, of course.

Something that sweet just had to be on video. Fair warning...I forgot I was filming when I started chasing him around in circles. :)

Why stop at one when two videos are so much more fun?

For the record, I measured him and he is a whopping 41 inches tall and weighs 41 pounds. Yes Anson, you are definitely growing up.

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-01T10:49:00.010-05:00

Today was Anson's first day of preschool. We woke up early to have some breakfast, get dressed and start the photo shoot :)

Showing off his new fire truck lunch box.

He was a little too ready to head off to school.

Striking a pose.

Proudly showing off his Thomas the train backpack. I learned a valuable lesson while shopping for school supplies - never ask a 3 year old which style he wants unless you're willing to buy it. The picture doesn't show the full effect, but the Thomas part has a black glittery background. He is so proud of that darn thing. Luckily he still lets me pick out his clothes...for now :)

What happened to my baby? He's so grown up!

Showing off his first "homework" assignment. We made a placemat for his lunch. He covered it with Thomas and McQueen stickers.

My sweet 3 year old in his classroom. This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us.
My handsome little boy is all ready for school.

He was cute in the car on the way to school. As I was taking the exit to our church (also our school) he kept shouting, "School. Mommy, there's my school". As I pulled into the parking space he told me, "Mommy, I have to go to school now. I go to school all by myself".

Gotta run pick him up. I can't wait to hear all about his first day.

Anson Singing His ABCs

2011-05-10T11:03:00.002-05:00

I was finally able to catch Anson singing his ABCs on camera. Enjoy! There are a few different versions but this one will have to do for now.

Stay tuned for more.

Things are Progressing Swimmingly

2011-05-06T12:27:00.011-05:00

Anson has been in daily swim lessons for the past 6 weeks and has been struggling with turning over from the float position to his belly to swim. It's the only skill he lacks to move on to the next skill level - dolphin. I spoke with the pool manager earlier this week about the possibility of Anson being left handed and asked if they'd try the turns that way just to see. It seemed more natural to his instructor so we've been testing it out the past few days.

Today, the last day of his 2 week session, he nailed it. The paparazzi were out in full force (read Mimi, Grandpa and Mom) to capture the moment. I'm so proud of my little goldfish. He'll be a dolphin in no time.

From Guppy to Goldfish

2011-04-08T16:13:00.008-05:00

Anson started swim lessons 2 weeks ago with 3 other kids his age. It was a bit unnerving to pass him off to someone else and give them responsibility for his safety in the pool, but I was able to watch the entire lesson from the viewing area. We got to go in today to see them and take videos without the glare from the glass. This, however is not one of those videos. Here Anson is practicing floating the width of the pool and blowing bubbles with his face in the water.

Anson is showing Mr. Cody where your hands go when you float on your back. I love that he does it correctly in the water, but when asked he makes them sprout out the side of his head like antlers.

Ms. Sami really does a good job of keeping them entertained with squirt toys and silliness while they wait their turn with Mr. Cody.

And here's our adorable goldfish after devouring his victory cookie. I'm looking forward to the next two week's worth of lessons to see how my little goldfish progresses.

Prayers

2011-04-03T22:40:00.018-05:00

Anson's nightly prayers have become a bit more like improv night at the comedy club lately. We do our usual run down of all our immediate family members as seen here.

Items to note: There is no Grandpa Kenny. Anson just hasn't learned to say Grandma yet so Ryan's Mom, Kandy, winds up being Grandpa Kandy. The addition of the skateboard is from a new show he likes, Jake and the Neverland Pirates. Captain Hook stole the kid's skateboard and Anson has been obsessed with it ever since.

He was on his best behavior for the camera, but here are a few of the more comical additions.
This one is pretty self explanatory:

Thank you (which sounds more like keek-oo) potty
Thank you tee tee potty
Thank you point it down
Thank you shake it
Thank you flush tee tee potty
Thank you drain (pronounced draim)
Thank you high five
Thank you treat

We just started daily swim lessons. Anson picks up a green poker chip each time we go so they know which teacher he's with.

Thank you green chip
Thank you Mr. Cody
Thank you kick and blow bubbles
Thank you bear slide
Thank you sucker

And a few random ones just for fun:

Thank you monies in piggy bank
Thank you tractor dirt

I am LOVING this stage with Anson and can't wait to see his little personality develop more. I can already tell he'll keep us in stitches with his sense of humor.

The Firemen are Coming...The Firemen are Coming

2010-11-08T10:48:00.004-06:00

I called our local fire department to get a little advice on the smoke detectors we need to buy for our home. After a long and very informative conversation, the fire chief offered to do a home safety inspection. I jumped at the chance to have some assistance in the matter and scheduled an appointment.

To say that Anson is obsessed with firetrucks is an understatement. So many things make him shout firetruck when he sees them.

The motorized grocery cart returns at Target

The new Chick-fila cow advertisements for the spicy chicken sandwich

A siren of any kind (sorry policemen and EMTs...your day in the spotlight will come).

I got Anson dressed in his firetruck shirt and we waited for them to arrive. It felt like Christmas morning when I saw them pull up in the firetruck. I ran to get Anson, and greeted them at the door. Poor guys. I don't think I even acknowledged them at first. I was just waiting to see the expression on my sweet boy's face when he realized what was parked outside.

They couldn't have been nicer. Anson got to sit in the drivers seat. I was shocked when he requested to get down immediately. They offered for Anson and I to sit in the backseat, but again he just wanted out. I guess they're more for looking at right now.

Rub a Dub Dub, Three Ansons and a tub

2010-11-02T10:12:00.012-05:00

Maybe it's the fact that it is 1am and I'm only just getting around to posting this, but sometimes I crack myself up. Just me, huh? Figures.

My sister and her husband, came for a visit Halloween weekend. Among the more memorable moments were the squeals heard coming out of Anson's bathroom when Aunt Laura was giving him his bath. They developed a new game and shared a ton of laughs.

Anson really latched on to his Uncle Neil and would hardly let him out of his sight. I don't think Neil minded one bit. He was such a good sport and read Anson's "choo-choo story" book from cover to cover.

This One's For You, Aunt Laura

2010-03-18T23:15:00.011-05:00

While talking with my sister tonight I mentioned the fun we had at our church's playscape during the kid's pre-Easter egg hunt. I have since learned to only share stories of things I've already blogged about.

The other kids were running circles around Anson while he was content to play in the baby section. It's funny to watch all the joy he gets from going down a slide that he is taller than.

My friend Noelle was sweet enough to show Anson the ropes on the big slide.

He walked through tunnels,

Made his way past a punching bag (without knocking out the ladies behind him),

Waited for the ladies to have their picture taken,

Banged on the netting to let his Momma get one more picture in before...

This.

Is it just me or does it seem like the time he was having the most fun was when he was stuck and trying to wiggle his way down?

Easter Egg Hunt with Friends

2010-03-08T16:04:00.003-06:00

Our MOPs group had an Easter egg hunt planned for today, but it was cancelled due to rain. My friends and I aren't ones to let a little rain ruin our day so we all met at the church and let the kids run around upstairs and hunt eggs there.

Anson started by rolling the eggs on the ground and then started throwing them over his head behind him. In his defense, they were decorated to look like baseballs, basketballs, footballs and soccer balls.

Anson finally got the hang of it and started collecting them two at a time. What a fast learner!

We lined them up to take pictures of our kiddos and their loot. Once seated, they formed and organized assembly line to get all the eggs in Caleb's basket.

Rodeo Traditions

2010-03-03T22:56:00.009-06:00

There were a few things from last year that we decided to make a Rodeo tradition. I've put the pictures side by side for a comparison. It's amazing to see just how much he's changed in the course of a year.

I'm not sure how much longer we'll fit in the tires together. He may have to take next year's photo on his own.

This one isn't so much a tradition as a new thing for Anson this year. There are no pictures for comparison since Anson ate baby food last year and pictures of me eating funnel cake aren't really photo worthy. He loves dipping and once those french fries were in front of him there was no separating them.

Anson and I had to harvest the crops again.

Last year Anson was only able to touch the horse through the pen. This year, he rode one.

Though we have made no real effort to raise our son in the cowboy way, they were nice enough to let us take a picture again. Check out that grin.

This Ain't My First Rodeo...It's My Second

2010-03-03T20:37:00.006-06:00

Ryan came home from work yesterday and announced that he'd be taking the day off and wanted to take us to the Rodeo. Since our most recent flight with our squirmy son was pretty awful, we weren't sure how Anson would do on the shuttle bus. He squirmed around playing with the lights and other buttons while we waited, but when the bus started moving he sat perfectly in his seat. Color me surprised!

We walked into the carnival area and Ryan wanted to take Anson on every ride imaginable. Fortunately, he was too short to ride any of them so I didn't have to exercise my maternal veto power this year. That didn't keep us from having fun though. We saw this display at the entrance to the arena and had to take a picture.

Then we were off to the petting zoo where Anson had a ball. He was so intent in his mission to pet every animal in the pen that he mistook a woman's fur covered purse for an animal and started petting it. Never a dull moment with this kid!

Ryan spotted the sign for pony rides so we decided to give it a try.

Unfortunately my camera battery ran out at the petting zoo so the video and pictures were taken with my iPhone. They're quite grainy, but his joy shines through.

Who knows? Maybe he'll be a cowboy afterall.

Let's Go

2010-02-27T14:40:00.000-06:00

Anson has started saying "let's go" lately. It's probably the first word that wasn't entirely coached. I'm not sure if it's something I say to him when we leave, or if he picked it up from the Handy Manny theme song. Either way, he looks and sounds adorable saying it. I love the way he forms his mouth to say go.

Please excuse all the coaxing on our part. It's annoying, but often necessary to get him to talk with the camera running.

Just Saying Hi

2010-01-11T21:06:00.005-06:00

2010 is starting out to be a busy year for us. We are all finally feeling well and are now playing catch up for all that we let slide over the holidays. I was in the office straightening up when Anson kept running up to the baby gate just to say hi and run away.

I tried to get him to say it with the camera on, but apparently I'm quite the comedian because he just kept laughing.

I finally got him to settle down and sit on my lap. I'm not sure why my camera shy guy decided to turn to the camera before saying hi, but it certainly adds to the cuteness factor. Don't you think?

Did you catch that adorable little lip smack I told you about earlier? That's the sound he makes when he wants a kiss. So sweet!

Thanks, Grandma Kandy

2009-12-26T14:06:00.004-06:00

This post is alternatively titled "Video Overload". Consider yourself warned.

Anson got a few packages this Christmas from Grandma Kandy. She has a real knack for selecting just the right gifts for our little guy.

He loves his shape sorter, and even the box it came in.

I'm still not sure why he decided to put it on his head, but I couldn't resist taking a picture of my little block head.

We opened the ball popper and I set to work putting it together. I was a little disappointed at first because I couldn't figure out how to make it work. The balls simply wouldn't POP. I read the instructions again and couldn't figure it out. In a last ditch effort I checked the batteries and realized that they had a best by date of 2007. Seriously? I guess it's time to organize the battery drawer. Luckily we had another set, and you can see from the videos that Anson loves his new toy.

He loves pushing the balls to keep them from coming out the chute. I guess it's more fun when they all pop out in rapid succession.

It's a hand clapping, foot stomping good time.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T16:21:00.005-06:00

We started with Christmas breakfast. Can you see how enthusiastic Anson is about the food? Sadly, that was a shared reaction. I decided to try a few new recipes and they were both flops. Everyone was a good sport about it though I think we were all eager to open presents and get back to bed.

Anson didn't get into Christmas as much as we had expected. While opening presents he was way more interested in making sure every (and I do mean EVERY) scrap made its way to the trash. He'd peel off a little paper, run to the trash can, come back and peel off some more. Well, you get the picture.

He ran by in such a flash that I couldn't get it all in one video. I'm sure you can fill in the gaps.

Someone should tell this kid to check his fly :)

He had fun sorting out his Mr. Potato Head pieces. They went from floor to the suitcase and back on the floor again. Then they went in his mouth.

Now Mr. Potato Head is just an accessory on the shelf. We'll take him down to talk about the eyes, nose, ears and mouth soon, but the shelf makes a pretty nice - and safe - resting place for him now.

I'm Sure I'll Regret This, But...

2009-12-04T11:33:00.004-06:00

He just looked so darn cute feeding Sasha his Cheerios.

And making a hat out of the Cheerios.

Please don't remind me of this when he misbehaves around you :) I know this will come back to haunt me, but I simply couldn't resist.

Snow Day

2009-12-04T10:45:00.006-06:00

Anson and I have been enjoying the snow today. Ryan has been at work, but is on his way home...YAY! I have been saving the backyard for him to experience with Anson so I can't wait.

I'm so glad I saw this at my favorite thrift store last year. They sell off all their clothing at the end of the season for 50 cents each. I couldn't pass up the snow overalls knowing that we have family in places that actually see 4 distinct seasons. Who knew they'd get their first use in Texas?

If only you could hear the squeals through the picture. He was having a blast.

We were lucky that our neighbor came outside to play so we could get a picture together. Look at that rosy nose!

Anson waiting for Daddy to get home so he can play in the winter wonderland accumulating in our backyard now.

I just got an e-mail from my father-in-law in Atlanta. He seemed rather shocked that we beat them to the snow. That makes two of us :)

A Magical Day - First Kiss

2009-12-04T10:00:00.004-06:00

I hesitate to post this because I'm sure one day Anson will look back at this and cringe, but I want to remember this sweet moment forever. So, here goes...

A few nights ago I was snuggling with Anson and his little Teddy bear in my arms before bed. He kept putting the bear in front of my face for me to kiss. I kissed the bear good night at least 5 times, gave Anson a kiss and put him in bed.

That brings us to today. Anson and I were playing in his room waiting for the snow to start sticking (yes, I'm still in Texas). I was lying on the floor and Anson came over to me, patted my arm sweetly, took out his pacifier and kissed me. He blushed, giggled a little, buried his head in embarrassment and went about his day. I, however, was smitten.

He never really did that open-mouthed kiss where you leave with slobber dripping down your face, but he does like to stick out his tongue a little bit. We were a bit confused until we realized that he thinks the kissy sound you make is formed when you stick your tongue between your teeth and open and close your mouth. It's so cute to hear him running through the house asking for a kiss with his unique little sound.

Another Halloween Party

2009-10-29T23:07:00.008-05:00

Anson and I went to another Halloween party today that was just for the kids. I couldn't let my boy go shirtless to another party so I splurged and got him a cute costume. The only thing I didn't take into consideration was that the stores clearance them out an entire week before Halloween. So, we got the only costume that was available in his size within a 30 mile radius. I think he makes an adorable scarecrow. Don't you?

The costume was missing its hat but I didn't mind. I knew that Anson wouldn't wear it, and I got 20% off just for asking.

Just how many adorable costume-clad kids can you fit on one sofa? Seven.

From left to right: Caleb the fireman, Christian as Tigger, Jude as the recently announced big brother to be, Faridelle as Belle, Bobby the turkey, Lillian the pumpkin, and our little scarecrow.

I had already been to a few stores when I realized the costumes were all but sold out. I found this shirt at Babies R Us and snatched it up just in case. It worked out well because those costumes are simply too hot for our Texas weather and we needed a little wardrobe change.

We're Not in Bedrock Anymore!

2009-10-24T19:49:00.013-05:00

Tonight we attended a family Halloween party. We were initially going to go as the Flinstones, but realized that Bamm-Bamm actually belonged to the Rubbles. Is it sad that I had to google that? I decided to make Ryan and Anson's costumes (Project Runway here I come!) and found a dress at Kohl's for myself. It's not authentic, but it worked.

Don't you like how Bamm-Bamm's club is yellow with Winnie the Pooh characters? Since our son is ALL boy we figured the soft, padded bat was best.

There were so many great costumes: Sarah Palin, Catwoman and Tigger, a Pregnant Housewife, Milkman and Big Brother that turned out to be a real family announcement.

But the best costumes of the night had to be these. Our friends actually made this Blue Bell ice cream carton themselves. She and her husband (Dwight Schrute from The Office) had to drive separate cars just to get her costume to the party. Now that's dedication.

Now That's My Kind of Camping

2009-10-11T15:29:00.009-05:00

After our visit to the church's playscape Ryan asked me to keep my eyes peeled for a little tunnel Anson could crawl through. While I was shopping in one of my favorite stores - Kohl's, of course - I found this adorable tent and tunnel combination set.

Ryan put it together this afternoon and Anson had a ball. I think he enjoyed batting the tunnel around and watching it roll more than anything. Just listen to those sweet squeals!

Anson made it look so fun that Ryan and I couldn't resist joining him.

Check out his unique way to enter the tent. Seeing this makes me thankful for his c-section delivery :)

I love that Ryan will do anything to make our son laugh. I didn't get to the camera quick enough to catch Ryan hopping around like a spring, but this should bring a smile to your face.

A Little Culture

2009-09-17T14:55:00.001-05:00

Houston offered free museum admission for the entire day Saturday, September 12th. Being the adventurous family that we are, we decided to brave the crowds. Unfortunately, the majority of Houstonians are either adventurous or cheap as well. We managed to have fun despite the crowds.

We decided to start at the Children's museum, and unfortunately so did everyone else. We were able to snap this picture of the cow upstairs, but never got to see the toddler area behind it because of the long lines and stroller parking.

After weaving through about a million kids we made our way to the water park portion of the museum. There was a lot more room to play, but Anson was just barely tall enough to reach the water and he couldn't see a thing.

There was a nice butterfly garden to walk through as well. I tried to get Anson's reaction to the butterflies, but he never noticed them. All his concentration went to grabbing the plants and trying to pick off the flowers.

Speaking of flowers...Isn't this one cool?

After striking out at the Children's Museum, we headed off to the Health Museum figuring it would be a nice place to cool off for a bit. As one might expect, there weren't any lines outside. Once we entered the building we knew why...they were all inside. Who would have thought that that many people would have EVER been to a health museum, much less that many in one day?

Our next stop was the Museum of Natural Science. I've been there for nearly every school field trip growing up, and a few times with Ryan. The highlight of this trip was watching Anson share his Cheerios with Ryan.

We decided to take the circuitous route back to our car and checked out the rose gardens.

Dad and Kathy were in town doing a little ring shopping (and buying) and met us for lunch.

Do you notice the change of outfits? When Dad handed Anson back to me, he left a nice wet ring on my shirt. Why does this never seem to happen to Ryan? :)

While changing Anson I narrowly escaped giving an 8 year old girl an anatomy lesson. Our conversation went a little something like this.

Her: Is that a baby?

Me: Yes.
Her: Looking rather curiously at my naked son. Is that a boy?
Me: Yes. Poor Anson was getting a full wardrobe change and was showing it all off. I was so afraid that she would ask the dreaded, "What is that?" but instead she said he was cute and left.

Anson's First Hair Cut

2009-09-11T22:00:00.004-05:00

We took Anson to Snip Its today for his first official haircut because they cater to kids. After this experience I am so glad we did. Each station was setup with a TV, toys, bubbles and animal crackers to entertain and distract.

This was the very first cut. Doesn't he look angelic? This might be easier that I thought.

The bubbles seem to be working, but their charm only lasts so long.

Anson decided he didn't like this lady messing with his hair where he couldn't see her and started to pull away. Then came the water works.

It's official...I am the worst Mother on the face of the planet. My sweet son was going through hair cutting hell and all I could seem to do was take this video.

And this picture. He is not a happy camper!

I tried to get a good picture of our handsome little boy after his first haircut. This is the only expression I could capture. I think that about sums up the experience.

15 Month / Pre-First-Haircut Pictures Take 2

2009-09-10T23:26:00.002-05:00

I wanted to capture the full fuzziness of his wispy blonde locks and figured what better way than to recreate bedtime. I dressed him in my favorite pajamas and brought the bear he snuggles with at night. I'm not sure how I thought this would work out since he had just had his nap and wasn't the least bit sleepy, but I love how the pictures turned out.

I'm not sure what this look is but we have been getting it a lot lately.

Have Osh Kosh overalls ever looked cuter on a kid?

I highly doubt it.

Just look at our little man all ready for a game of catch.

These are quite possibly my favorite pictures. When I told the photographer about the reason for the photo session she made arrangements to get shears and a child's size cape from the salon next door. I think he's more upset about having to sit in the chair than the actual combing of his hair. He was way too squirmy to bring the shears anywhere near his head.

I'm not sure how she got this shot amongst all the chaos but I am looking forward to comparing it to his graduation photos in the very distant future.

15 Month / Pre-First-Haircut Pictures Take 1

2009-09-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

Ryan had been hounding me about getting Anson's hair cut for a while. Truth be told he needed one, but I couldn't bring myself to do it just yet. So I decided that taking official pre-first-haircut pictures would slow the process down a bit. And who doesn't want to see pictures of this adorable guy?!

I knew I wanted these pictures taken professionally so that the living room clutter and dog's tail wouldn't be in every shot. I called and scheduled an appointment with JC Penney portrait studios. They took awesome pictures of him the last time we went in so I knew they'd do a great job. And who doesn't love a free 8x10 and $3.99 portrait sheets?

But because this was such a momentous occasion I couldn't resist scheduling another session with Target. I called the portrait studio to arrange an appointment and the phone call went a little something like this:

Her: Your name?

Me: Sarah

Her: Is that S-H-A-R or S-A-R-H?

Me: Half expecting to see Candid Camera on my doorstep...S-A-R-A-H

Her: How old?

Me: 15 months

Her: Is this for a birthday?

Me: He's 15 months old

Her: I got that, I just wasn't sure if he was having a birthday soon

That should have been warning enough but I scheduled an appointment anyway.

Don't get me wrong.

She took some cute pictures.

But he's one photogenic kid.

Wouldn't you agree?

She kept asking why I wasn't ordering more. Didn't I like the collages she made? You know, the ones with Hanson, Anstion and Aniston in bold letters across the spot usually reserved for the child's actual name.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

2009-08-28T02:12:00.006-05:00

Disclaimer: The following post is not one of my usual cheery ones, but something I just need to get out. Read at your own risk.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

I was in Family Christian Bookstore today and came across a book titled When God Breaks Your Heart and was immediately drawn to it. I decided not to buy it, but after getting Anson up from a nap later in the day, I wish I had.

I've been talking to him all week about our upcoming visit to see Grandpa and all the animals at the farm. When I bent over the crib to pick him up, I heard him say "Nana" as clear as day. He has no clue what he said or the impact that word had on me, but it broke my heart.

I wanted to call my Mom right then and there and exclaim that she had her official grandmother's name. Instead, I told him about the flowers we would buy for his Nana and how much she would love them. We would play in the grass around her grave and show Nana how fast he can run, and how tall he's grown. She would be so proud of him.

I don't even know if my Mom would have liked the name Nana, but I bet she'd respond to just about anything coming from his sweet lips. I'd give anything to see the two of them together, but that will just have to wait.

Oh, and I think I'll be getting that book now.

Why Boone Mama?

2009-08-28T00:58:00.004-05:00

When I created my first blog I had a 3 week old sitting on my lap and the creative juices just weren't flowing. I made the mistake of using our last name in the blog and felt the need for some level of anonymity thus naming my son Baby "last name". After his first birthday someone made a comment to me that I would have to change it from Baby to something else more grown up. I couldn't handle the pressure and changed my blog's address instead.

Two of my favorite blogs to read are My Charming Kids by MckMama and The Big Mama Blog. These ladies are hysterical and wonderfully creative so I decided to become a Mama in the blogging world in hopes that some of their wit would rub off on me. I can hear Dr. Phil now, "And how's that working out for you?". Not so great, but I'm going to give it time.

So that explains the Mama part. Now, what about Boone? I'm a little embarrassed to admit that part, but here goes.

We got our dog Sasha in 2004 and started coming up with all sorts of nicknames for her -Sasha Muffin, Sasha Muffin Head, Sasha Bean... Sasha Bean was the name that eventually stuck. Clever, I know.

Fast forward to 2008 when Anson was born. We called him Squirmy Worm, Monkey, Anson in the Pantson, and various other nicknames. One day after work Ryan asked me how my day with the Bean went. Halfway through my re-enactment of the day I realized he was referring to Anson. Then came the distinction of Furry Bean or Baby Bean. Life is just too complicated, so we arrived at Boone.

Aren't you glad you asked?

Not in the Moooooooood

2009-08-28T00:38:00.005-05:00

We went to Chick-fil-a for dinner tonight so that Anson could play in the playground area. As you can see, he had a blast! I'm not sure why my son feels the need to lick things that are made for public use like grocery carts or mirrors in playgrounds. It used to gross me out, but I started thinking of all the antibodies he's building up and somehow I'm okay with it.

I guess it was one of their big family nights because the cow was making his rounds in the parking lot and crowded restaurant. Anson was mesmerized by the costumed creature.

He couldn't take his eyes off the cow and appeared to be eagerly awaiting his turn to say hello.

Let's just hope that he has a better reaction to Grandpa's real cows this weekend.

I Saw The Sign

2009-08-27T23:35:00.006-05:00

No, not the Ace of Base song. I mean this sign.

Laura and Neil bought us a book on baby signs before Anson was ever born. We learned a few key signs when he was about 6 months old and really tried to incorporate them in our speech. Earlier this week he decided to use the sign for more to tell me to hurry up and keep shoveling in the food. So far he's not interested in discerning what he'd like more of so we just pay attention to the grunts and pointing and go from there.

The S's Have It

2009-08-27T23:20:00.000-05:00

Meet Sasha. She is our Shetland sheepdog that has our son Anson speaking.

He's babbled "Dada" for the longest time, but has yet to really associate it with Ryan. A few weeks ago Ryan coached him to say "Mama" for me. I turned into a blurry-eyed puddle of goo, and the M sound has not left his lips since. I still find it hard to believe that I am a Mom, so it was awesome to hear his tiny voice say the word.

He has definitely associated our dog (and all other canines for that matter) with the name Sasha.

It's kind of sad that Sasha would come before Mama, but how can you compete with that face?

A Week of Doctor Visits

2009-08-17T21:26:00.000-05:00

After our 2 week long bout with croup we try to avoid the doctor's office as much as possible, but a fever of 104.6 was enough to send me back to "germ city" to visit the pediatrician. We were seen pretty quickly, but had to stick around for some tests. I couldn't resist taking this video to show Daddy what our doctor visits are usually like.

I was relieved when I heard the results of the flu test (negative), but freaked out when that was followed by the words, "but our test doesn't pick up swine flu so we can't rule it out". Huh?! All the news reports from May swirled around in my head and it wasn't pretty.

Fortunately he recovered after a few days and was well enough to make his 15 month appointment where he weighed in at 27 pounds 6.5 ounces and measured 32 inches tall. We had to wait in the waiting room for 2 hours for the well visit - definitely long enough for the "well" kid to turn into a "sick" one. During that time I saw a girl with a horrible case of chicken pox and hoped to God that we didn't get the room she had just vacated. So far, so good.

The Full Dining Experience

2009-08-08T22:14:00.011-05:00

Ryan requested spaghetti for dinner so I slaved over the hot stove in the August heat to make a meal for the man I love. Are you impressed yet? I thought not.

I served our plates and cut up some pasta for Anson. After a few unsuccessful attempts at feeding him, I stripped him down and let him have at it. These are the hilarious results.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but these videos are screaming to be shared.

I realize that I am 100% biased, but I'm sure you will agree.

I promise this is the last one.

Life As We Once Knew It...Is Over

2009-06-30T09:45:00.010-05:00

We had had a pretty crazy Saturday morning running all over town to get our Jeep fixed. First it was the AC, then the battery and alternator. Luckily I have a handy Hubby and he installed the alternator on his own. Thanks baby!

Since I have been neglecting my blog lately you may not know this, but Anson IS WALKING! I'll upload some videos soon, but here is is on Father's Day taking a walk in his new sandals.
With his new walking abilities, his latest obsession ismoving furniture. He loves to roll his high chair across the room, and so far the dining chairs are his favorite. But this takes the cake. I was getting stuff ready for our cake decorating class (that's a post for another day) and Hubby called me into the room to see our son pushing a wooden trunk around the living room. I have a video, but have to figure out how to compress it first.

To appease you until then, here's a picture of another new thing Anson has been doing, and the reason for the post title.

Need I say more?

Catching Up

2009-06-21T15:04:00.004-05:00

I started this post way back in April when I realized I was getting behind in my blogging. Two months later I am finally getting around to posting it. My name is Sarah, and I am a procrastinator.

I've realized that although I have plenty of scrapbooking supplies, I am not a scrapbooker. That being said, I am playing catch up with my posts so I don't look back 10 years from now at a computer full of pictures and no memory of what happened. They are scattered around the place since I am trying to keep things in chronological order rather than "when I got around to posting it" order.

If you don't want to miss a single picture or story of our lives...you're in luck. Just follow the links below and you'll be caught up.

You Say It's Your Birthday...It's My Birthday Too

Pool Boy

Millionaire

Grandpa's House

JC Penney Photo Shoot at 9ish Months

Ants in His Pants

Happy Baby

Messy Eater

Picky Eater

High Chair High Jinx

Pool Boy

2009-06-01T00:09:00.001-05:00

We were eagerly awaiting the opening of our neighborhood pool so we could let Anson spash around and play in a place we don't have to clean up. We got him dressed in his swim trunks and swim shirt, slathered sun screen on his creamy skin and readied the wagon for the trek to the pool.

He wasn't sure what he thought of the pool at first, but he warmed up to it quickly. I'm sure he was just wondering what all those people were doing in his giant bath tub.

Our pool has a kids play area that he really loved. The only problem is that the parent gets sprayed in the face while he splashes around. The experience is completely worth the dry blood-shot eyes.

We had thought of enrolling him in swim lessons, but when I read the intention of lessons for children under 2 it just didn't seem worth it. Their main goal is to make the child comfortable in the water. I'd say we've got that one down!

Good Friends

2009-05-20T23:24:00.000-05:00

My friend Jessica drove from Arkansas to meet Anson and share his first birthday with us. She and her daughter stayed with us for a few days which was a real treat. We spent so much time catching up and visiting all her favorite places in town that we forgot to take a single picture together. Unfortunately the only proof I have that she was even here is this photo.

Having two children in the house was an adventure. We both learned that a 2 year old who hasn't transitioned from her crib yet won't fall asleep in a queen bed until her Mom is lying next to her. Neither one of them got much sleep that night, and poor Carlee slept through the entire birthday party.

Anson was mesmerized by this little girl, but she was mesmerized by the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and could not be bothered to play ball with him.

Anson started playing a game where he would throw his pacifier just to watch Carlee pick it up for him. She was so sweet in putting it right back in his mouth.

The highlight of the babysitting experience had to be when they both crawled into my lap. I couldn't resist taking a picture of it even if the squirmy kids didn't exactly make it into the picture.

Anson was walking, but only if he could hold onto something. We were amazed when he started pulling himself up and walking with this toy.

You Say It's Your Birthday...It's My Birthday Too

2009-05-17T14:42:00.010-05:00

Anson is fortunate to share his birthday with my Aunt Linda. There are a few years separating them, but it's something special they will always share. She just posted something neat on her blog about the decades of her life. Go check it out.

Here are some pictures from our birthday celebration this weekend.

Anson loved his wagon. I can't wait to take him for a stroll through the neighborhood.

He did not like his birthday crown, but managed to keep it on for me to snap this picture.

He loved hanging out with his Auntie C. and was excited to meet her kids.

Hubby and I made and decorated his first cake. I don't think we'll be opening a bakery anytime soon, but Anson seemed to enjoy our work. Every last bite of it.

While I opened all his presents and showed off his new toys and adorable clothes, Anson decided that the yellow tissue paper was much more exciting.

Cousin D. even helped out, but he was still mesmerized by the tissue paper.

Anson loved his rocking horse and surprised us all by how quickly he started rocking back and forth in it. I initially thought it was just a neat rocking horse, but later found out that my Dad had made it for my cousin when she was born. What a special gift for Anson to have. Thanks Aunt C.

He wrapped up the party with Grandpa reading him a new book. Then it was off to bed for a nap.

Millionaire

2009-05-13T22:51:00.006-05:00

No, I haven't won the lottery. I'm just letting everyone know that the time has finally come for my friend's stint on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. His show will air Friday, May 15th and carry over to Monday, May 18th. He tells me my picture will be displayed, and that in itself should be enough to make you tune in.

Don't worry if you don't recognize me - I used the most flattering picture of myself I could find in the 30 minutes I took to complete the application. Sadly, it was from 2003.

See how cute I can look when I weigh a LOT less than I do now? Hubby looks good too, don't you think? If only there were a magic pill to get back to that...

Oh, yeah. Tune in Friday AND Monday to see how much my friend Sam won. By the way Sam, I'm still waiting on my NYC t-shirt!

Time Flies

2009-05-13T22:30:00.006-05:00

I still can't believe that my little boy is going to be 1 year old tomorrow.
Not much else to say...I'm just in shock.

I know I've been horrible about posting lately, but I'm trying so hard to catch up on all Anson' new discoveries that I keep falling even further behind. Stay tuned. I promise I'll update with birthday pics soon.

Grandpa's House

2009-04-18T11:25:00.010-05:00

We went to visit my Dad this weekend to catch up with family and go to the Poteet strawberry festival. Sadly, we went the day before the real festivities and missed a lot of the strawberry tasting and auctions. But we made sure to get a picture next to this mammoth fruit.

We got to hang out with my sister and her husband. Seriously you two...come up with a nickname for yourselves :)

We always make time to visit Aunt Gertrude when we're in town. Anson loved playing with the tires on her wheelchair.

We also took a trip to Grandpa's farm. His dogs had puppies, and boy are they cute. Their eyes weren't even open yet.

Anson enjoyed playing with the Momma dog much better. The video quality is pretty awful because of the wind, but his little squeals are quite loud. And no, my voice has not changed. That gruff voice you hear behind the camera is my Dad's farm hand, Charlie.

Anson was a dream on the way home. He played in his carseat and slept most of the way home. It's funny how entertaining your own reflection in a mirror can be to a little one.

You May Think It's Funny...But It Snot

2009-04-09T21:06:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you're wondering what kind of Mother would post such a picture. Me, that's who. I couldn't get over the poor boy's runny nose. He woke up this morning with a stuffy nose and I'd swear I heard that barky seal cough at least once. I was afraid it was croup again, but fortunately that's behind us. In my expert medical opinion, he has allergies just like his Daddy.

Ants in His Pants

2009-03-27T08:17:00.004-05:00

I bought a cute little PJ set for Anson aun recently, but had to return it because it's simply too small. When I went back to swap it out for a bigger size, they informed me that all infant and toddler sizes of this set had been sent back due to some new government mandate. So, I did what all responsible parents do...I went home to take some pictures of him in the outfit before returning it.

I'd say it suits him to a tee!

Wouldn't you?

I know you're probably on photo overload, but I had to include the last photo because I find it hilarious that he is chewing on the nasal aspirator - yes, it's clean - that was the bane of his existence a few weeks prior.

Picky Eater

2009-03-26T23:13:00.002-05:00

There is only one real food Anson refuses to eat. Green beans! I've tried them pureed, from the can, and fresh. I've even tried to sneak some in with bites of his favorite foods. All to no avail.

Notice all the yummy cheese cubes mixed in with the green beans. Now you see them...

...Now you don't. This is the face he made when he discovered the green pieces he had saved until the end weren't like the yummy cheese he had just enjoyed.

My Boys

2009-03-25T01:49:00.009-05:00

Lately a majority of our pictures have featured open mouths or silly faces while we try to get a reaction out of our son. This however, is my new favorite picture of Ryan and Anson. I snapped this just after their game of water bottle tennis had ended.

We had more fun watching Anson play with Hubby's empty water bottle. Yet again I am left wondering why we even buy toys.

Did I mention that Anson likes expensive electronics? The bottle distracted him for a while, but the camera eventually won his attention. Did you catch him saying Dada? He starting babbling dadadadada before he got sick with croup, but stopped during his illness. We're thrilled that he's more vocal again and are eager to hear what he'll say next.

Hey Sports Fans

2009-03-25T00:04:00.004-05:00

Our adult Bible fellowship (ABF) class at church is participating in the yahoo fantasy sports basketball tournament. Being the big sports fanatics we are, Ryan and I decided to join in the fun. I sure hope the sarcasm translates well here! Poor Ryan tried to help me look at the stats for the second round of picks, but quickly realized I was way beyond help.

I had the Aggies winning it all 101 to 97. Why that particular score? I was class of 2001 at A&M and graduated high school in 1997. Yes, that makes me almost 30.

Who did they go up against? The Fighting Illini, of course. In 2005 I spent about 6 months out of the year living in the Champaign, Illinois Drury Inn while working at the university's power plant. They seemed the natural choice.

I think I surprised Ryan when I announced that I was picking Gonzaga. He made some comment about them being the Cinderella story of the tournament. I just like to say the name. It's the same reason I order the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'n Fruity at IHOP.

Texas Bluebonnets

2009-03-22T16:08:00.010-05:00

We had a great idea to go on a road trip this weekend in search of bluebonnets. So, we took a drive to College Station, Texas...Home of the Fighting Texas Aggies. Can I get a WHOOP?!

We stopped along Highway 6 with every other family driving that route. There were little girls in Easter dresses and families decked out in matching clothes. By those standards we were a little under dressed, but I think he looks adorable in his overalls. Especially when he's eating the bluebonnets. Yes, I know it is illegal to pick them, but technically he only took the tops.

Did you notice that while I was straightening his outfit he was still chewing? It wasn't until we arrived on camps 30-45 minutes later that we realized this and fished out the last of his bluebonnet snack.

Anson enjoyed playing with the pennies at the base of the Sul Ross statue on campus.

We went for a walk under the century tree and let Anson sit on the branches. He'd better not get any crazy ideas at home. At 23 pounds, I think he'd snap the limbs right off the oak in our front yard.

We topped off the afternoon with a picnic of Freebird's burritos in Research park. Let me just say that things have definitely changed at Freebird's. When I was in school it seemed the hiring criteria was that you had to have at least 10 visible tattoos and 10 visible piercings, and the ear stretchers (basically a set of grommets in your ear lobe) granted you manager status. The girl making my burrito was normal and looked like someone I would actually hire to babysit my son. And she did this to our burritos when I asked for them to go...

After a relaxing dinner, it was time to head home. But, not before a quick wardrobe change and a few more pictures in the bluebonnets.

High Chair High Jinx

2009-03-20T11:11:00.001-05:00

He loves to feed himself the cereal puffs.

But sometimes the food doesn't make it all the way into his mouth. Those times make for the best photo ops.

He also loves to put both feet in one side on the high chair. I have yet to figure out the fun in that, but whatever floats his boat. Let's just hope he outgrows that when he starts to dress himself.

Channeling My Inner Leprechaun

2009-03-17T18:50:00.006-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I distinctly remember asking Ryan if he was wearing green before he left the house this morning. He claims we never had that conversation, but thankfully wasn't pinched. My dreams are getting way too vivid and realistic if I'm mixing that up. That's probably due to the fact that Anson is teething again with his sixth tooth and has been waking us up at 2:30 each morning for the past few days. Mama needs her sleep!

Anywho. Hubby did say that he was proud of me for dressing Anson and I in green today. The funny thing is that it was completely spontaneous. I may have been smart enough to remind Ryan in my dreams, but apparently I had to rely on my inner leprechaun to get myself dressed appropriately today.

By the way, the original outfit for Anson did include pants. Overalls, to be exact.

Grandpa, Can I Have a Pony Now?

2009-03-12T00:46:00.007-05:00

My Dad has made threats to buy a pony for Anson since we told him I was pregnant. After our recent trip to the Rodeo, he may have to start looking on Craigslist a little harder.

I love how curious my little boy is. Of course it's frustrating when he is pulling up on the coffee table and knocking over a full glass of iced tea, but I love watching him experience new things. I thought he would love the horse because he has a laughing fit whenever our dogs walk in the room. Oddly enough, he seemed more interested in the bars than the large horse behind them.

I felt like a complete fool asking if we could take a picture on this guy's saddle, but it was worth it. His only stipulation was our promise to raise him to be a cowboy. Surely he noticed the jeans and tennis shoes I was wearing and the khaki shorts Ryan had on? It's not exactly "parent of the cowboy" attire.

We will do our part and take him to Grandpa's farm to see the chickens, cows, goats, and eventually...the pony. What he does with that is all up to him.

His First Rodeo

2009-03-08T23:53:00.008-05:00

We decided to take Anson to the Rodeo this weekend. Ryan got him ready and dressed him in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. It was a perfectly good outfit, but I had picture taking on the brain and wanted overalls. For the record, denim overalls are about as western as we get.

I saw the John Deere tractors and had to have our picture taken with one.

They even let us take it for a test drive. Anson and I decided to go harvest some hay. Pretty good for first timers, huh?

We did a lot more than just play on tractors, but they make the most fun pictures. We walked around A LOT, saw a few rounds of the cattle roundup thingamajig (ask Hubby, he'll be more specific) and dodged tween girls until about 3pm when the Jonas Brothers performed. It was so much easier to push a stroller through the crowd after that.

Ryan is so good to me. He knows me well enough to know that (1) I like a bargain, and (2) I love a good foot massage. So, he capped off our whole experience with a 25 cent foot massage in this lovely plastic chair. Yes, this picture will not win me any beauty pageants, but this is just one of those silly moments with Hubby that I don't want to forget. Not only did we get our 25 cents worth out of it, but many people walking by literally had a laugh at our expense.

Don't Fence Me In

2009-03-07T13:42:00.007-06:00

We're still working on getting the house baby proofed and recently installed baby gates to keep Anson out of the office. His favorite thing to do in there is to pull on every cord. He loves to pull up on the baby gate while we're working in the office on the other side, and recently learned how to let himself down safely. For some reason he also really likes to lick the bars.

Temper Tantrum While Licking the Baby Gate from Sarah Braun on Vimeo.

I think he'd had about all he could take of the video taping and laughing and decided it was time for the first official crying, whining, foot-stomping temper tantrum. I'm sure there are many more in store for us, but I felt the need to keep the camera rolling.

Swinging

2009-03-06T20:27:00.006-06:00

We took Anson to one of the parks in our neighborhood to see how he would react to the swing. He didn't seem that enthusiastic at the beginning, but quickly warmed up to the idea. Note at the end of the video, he tried to lick the swing. I'm choosing to believe that he didn't actually make contact because that's just too gross for me right now.

I had to include this video too. I love how he doesn't quite understand where to sit in the swing. We positioned him over and over again, but he somehow found himself back in this position.

This smile says it all. We will definitely be back!

Messy Eater

2009-03-06T18:24:00.001-06:00

For reasons I cannot explain, Anson has decided he now needs to swat the spoon to make lunch time more fun. If I remember correctly, that's whole wheat pasta and tomato sauce all over his exersaucer and face.

It's hard to be mad when he looks so darn cute.

Happy Baby

2009-03-06T15:15:00.003-06:00

Everywhere we go people comment on what a happy baby we have. We are very fortunate that he will sleep anywhere we go. He loves a good car ride, which makes traveling much more enjoyable.

For whatever reason, he loves to sleep with his legs tucked underneath him and his bottom in the air. I couldn't resist taking a picture of him which sadly woke him up.

This is the way I am greeted most mornings. I'm not a morning person, but this makes mornings a lot easier. Did I mention I'm the luckiest Mom in the world?

Being Sick is the Pits

2009-03-02T13:26:00.009-06:00

We went for Anson's 9 month checkup with his new pediatrician February 17th. He checked out perfectly. His current stats are: 21 lbs 13 ozs and 30 inches tall. That's the 93rd percentile for height. At 5'8" I'm the runt of the family, so Anson has a good chance of being a tall guy.

He got a few shots at this checkup, but took it like a champ. I put him to bed at 8pm thinking it would be a normal night. By 9pm that night Hubby had him back downstairs because his breathing wasn't normal and his nose was stopped up. The following morning he had full blown croup. Since I always want my Mom when I'm sick, we decided to put Anson in his special Grandma B. outfit in hopes it would make him feel better.

He's been sick for nearly 2 weeks now, but we are hopeful that we are in the final stages of croup. Lucky for us, he's still a happy baby when he's sick. He's been more cuddly which has had its benefits and drawbacks as well. I put him down for a nap and left him home with Ryan while I went to the grocery store. I was halfway through my shopping when I realized I had a few booger smears on my t-shirt. Without a baby in the cart to blame it on, I hung my head in shame and continued down the aisle. Par for the course I guess.

The one day he was fussy and resisting sleep, I decided to put him in the exersaucer to let him play and hopefully tire out. After a minute or two I realized that it was REALLY quiet. I couldn't resist taking a picture.

Remembering the previous 2 hours of fussiness I hesitated to move him, but reasoned that if he ever had back problems in the future this moment would haunt me forever. So, here he is sound alseep and in a much more comfortable position.

JC Penney Photo Shoot - 9ish months

2009-02-28T14:49:00.006-06:00

I kept complaining that Ryan doesn't take enough pictures of me with Anson and finally decided to have JC Penney take a few. They were taken February 27th so they aren't exactly 9 month photos, but close enough.

I just love his chubby little feet and hands.

One of my favorite pictures of myself growing up is a profile of me sitting in the kitchen chair. I'm so glad she got this shot. It wouldn't have crossed my mind.

The photographer was great. When I called to setup the appointment, she told me to bring a blanket for a "naked baby" photo. I was a bit concerned until she mentioned he still wore a diaper and bloomers. I couldn't have nude photos surfacing when he decided to run for president! :) I took in a few of his homemade blankets, and we finally decided on this one Ryan's coworker made.

9 Months

2009-02-19T15:12:00.009-06:00

Anson is fast approaching the weight limit on the infant carseat. His 9 month checkup was this week and he's already 21 pounds 13 ounces and 30 inches tall. Hubby and I decided that for his sake, and that of our backs, we needed to get him a new big boy carseat. He looks so grown up, doesn't he? I love all his sweet, chubby little rolls (I wish they were still "sweet" when you're 29). I forget where we were, but a little girl thought it was so funny that he didn't have any wrists.

This is one of those milestones that I could have done without for a while. We are blessed with a child that falls asleep in the car before you're even out of the neighborhood. It used to be so easy to transport him from the car to the grocery cart without even waking him. Now I have to get the cart cover installed, unbuckle him and get him settled in the cart. Sadly, none of these steps are conducive to sleep.

I tried to get a picture of my most recent favorite outfit, but he and Daddy were having too much fun goofing off. One look at this picture and I can hear those sweet squeals of delight.

Spend one minute around my son and you'll know why I selected this outfit. 100% Boy is him to a tee.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T22:45:00.002-06:00

Today has real significance for Ryan and I. Valentine's Day of 2002 was the day that he chose to propose. He had called Mom and Dad and asked them to keep it a secret. She remained true to her word and didn't even tell her own Mother. She later said that Hubby was "nervous as a herd of turtles" when he called to get their blessing. That's just one of the many South Texas phrases she's famous for.

I had seen some paintings he had done and made it known that I wanted one. I knew he was working on one for me, but it was his classic mountain scene. He would show me a few pictures of it from time to time, but quit showing it to me as we neared Valentine's Day.

When I went to visit him for Valentine's Day and saw the wrapped canvas I started teasing him that I could see through the paper and was tracing out the mountains and streams. He was so scared I'd peek while he was at work that he took it with him. We had plans to meet for lunch at our favorite spot along the river walk to feed the ducks and eat lunch.

We ate our chinese take out, but he was acting a little strange. He made me sit on the picnic table facing the water with him standing behind me while I opened my gift. I tore off the paper slowly, and when I revealed pink and red I knew something was up. This was definitely not a mountain scene. I then uncovered "Will You", but tried not to get too excited because, given the particular day he chose he could just be asking me to be his Valentine. How silly would I have looked?!

I unwrapped the rest of the painting and turned around to find him down on one knee with a tiny box. Obviously I said yes and we started calling friends and planning.

Now for the funny part. Remember when I said we had chinese food? It always come with fortune cookies. Mine said "Joyfuless will prolong your days". Hubby's said "Now is a good time for a bit of solitude". Thank goodness he ignored the advice!

Happy Valentine's Day - 1 Day Early

2009-02-13T22:00:00.001-06:00

Anson pulled up in his crib yesterday morning (02/13/09). Poor Hubby was trying to capture the last few moments of sleep before heading off to work when I yelled for him to come quickly. There's no telling what was running through his mind as he raced to see what was wrong.

My sweet hubby arranged for a friend to watch Anson so we could have our first post-baby date together. It's sad that our first date alone is when he's 9 months old, but he's a hard guy to leave. We opted for the classic dinner and a movie date. Hubby was being sweet and offered to see a chick-flick but the times were all wrong. Coraline looked cute so we bought our tickets and prepared to be entertained. Boy were we wrong...it was super creepy!

To top off the creepiness aspect of the night, when we got to the car I looked down at the parking lot and noticed a cigarette butt, but right next to it was a large black button eerily similar to the ones Coraline's "other Mother" wanted to sew over her eyes.

Even though it was a rather horrible date, it was fun to reminisce. Hubby and I met while I was a co-op student at Ethicon in San Angelo where he worked. The other co-op students and I had scheduled a lunch and invited some of the young employees to meet more people in town. Hubby and I sat by one another and talked the entire meal. We came back to the office and continued to e-mail each other to make plans for a group outing that night to go to dinner and a movie.

We sat across from each other at dinner, and one of his clueless co-ops kept asking about Hubby's ex-girlfriend. Hubby was embarrassed and tried hard to drive home the point that she was most definitely an EX-girlfriend. My friend and I rode together, but Ryan's friend Sean wouldn't shut up about a song he wanted her to hear and said that Ryan could drive me to the local pool hall in his new Jeep. Apparently he thought I would be impressed because I cannot even begin to tell you how many times Sean mentioned Ryan's new Jeep to me. We arrived after everyone because we sat and talked in the parking lot for a while. When we walked in we got a few stares, and I believe that's when the rest of the group hatched their plan.

Naturally, when we got to the movie theater all the ladies went to the restroom. When we returned the guys had spread out with Sean on the aisle and Hubby 12 seats in. I was the last girl to file in and had to walk past 11 people to finally arrive in the only vacant seat which just happened to be next to Ryan. It was quite obviously setup and I was mortified. I didn't want him to think I had orchestrated this whole thing.
We were about 5 minutes into watching Traffic when we realized it was a horrible movie, so we turned to each other and talked through the whole movie. To this day I can't tell you what that movie was about, but I sure enjoyed the company.

That long and windy walk down memory lane was all to say that while Coraline may not have been the perfect date movie, it's somehow oddly appropriate for our first official post-baby date.
Happy Valentines Day, Hubby and Anson. I will be forever indebted to those who set us up.

Clean-Up on Aisle Seven

2009-02-07T22:49:00.004-06:00

Today I became one of those Moms. The worst kind...the kind that lets her child leave Walmart wearing nothing more than his Pampers and a devilish grin. I used to see those kids and wonder how their Mothers' could allow such things. Now I know.

It was a normal Sunday afternoon. Ryan and I went shopping for a few items for the house and ended up at Walmart for some baby proofing items. Anson was safely nestled in the shopping cart cover looking adorable in his denim overalls.

We had just made it to the baby aisle when we got a wiff of toxic air. Our first thoughts were to blame one another, then to look at the lady at the other end of the aisle. We never imagined a smell that bad could be coming from our adorable son. There's no telling what that poor woman thought of us.

We checked out and went to the restrooms at the front of the store. I took the essentials with me and left the rest of the bag with Ryan. I was about half way in when I realized this was no normal diaper. I stripped him down and held him to me while I cleaned off his back (you heard me...just an inch shy of his neckline).

It felt like about 10 minutes had passed before we finally emerged from the bathroom. Ryan offered to get his change of clothes, but after the ordeal I figured it was best to just leave. He must feel the same way I do about being one of those parents. He bundled Anson up in the shopping cart cover and made a beeline for the car.

Stay tuned for the next installment of "Adventures in Walmart" where Anson will be running barefoot through the store aisles.

Visiting Grandpa

2009-01-14T07:38:00.002-06:00

Anson and I visited Grandpa this week. Of course that meant we had to stop by the farm for a little fun. So far there are longhorn cattle, huge dogs, goats, and some noisy chickens on the farm.
Seriously, how cute is this kid?

Pun totally intended :) I kept trying to take a video of its sweet little cries, but it didn't want to cooperate.

We've got to work on quieting those silly roosters. Otherwise Anson will think that a goat says cock-a-doodle-doo.

Initiate the Crawling Sequence

2009-01-06T15:05:00.001-06:00

We were on vacation when Anson decided to make his crawling debut. My sister-in-law set him on the table for a bit to play and he decided to show off a bit. I'll have to post that picture later. For now, here are some videos for your amusement.

January 6, 2009 was the first time crawling at home (and the first time we captured it on video). It was such a momentous occasion that I was taping with our video camera while Ryan used our digital camera.

I set down the video camera to watch Hubby's video and realized, much to my dismay, that the video camera is much more enticing than just crawling to Mommy.

I feel silly saying this, but my baby's growing up too fast. Sniff, sniff...

Beach Baby

2009-01-05T08:40:00.002-06:00

While on vacation in Alabama we took a side trip to Pensacola Beach, Florida. We walked along the pier and spotted lots of fish and jellyfish in the clear water. I love that kind of water to look at, but when it comes to swimming, ignorance is bliss. I'd rather not see all the ocean dwelling creatures swimming around me.

I realize the next picture is a bit random, but I would hate to leave out such an important part of our little trip. We finished our time on the pier and were headed to the beach when Ryan asked me if I took a picture of the fish some guys had caught. I walked back down the pier and took this beautiful photograph (I'm seriously thinking of having it blown up and framed for the mantle).

Then, for reasons I cannot explain, I decided to run in my flip flop clad feet back to Ryan and Anson. A few seconds into my sprint I lost my balance and was unsuccessful in my attempts to recover. I wish we had a video of that event because I'm sure it was pretty funny.

Seeing as it occurred at the start of the new year, I decided to list all the things I'm thankful for during what I am terming "The Great Fall of 2009" (because seriously, that one hurt and I'd rather not experience it again for at least another 12 months).
- I am thankful that I did not break my wrist or right arm. My elbow was black, blue, green and purple for 2 weeks, but all bones remained intact.
- I am thankful that I did not land on a fish (YUCK!), a stray hook I found just inches from my landing spot, or many of the splinters I saw sticking out of the wooden planks.
- I am thankful that I was not holding Anson at the time, although Ryan quickly pointed out that I am smart enough not to run while holding him. Good point.
- I am thankful my camera did not fall into the ocean because then I wouldn't have taken this adorable video.

Feel free to turn down the volume. The sound of the waves drowns out Ryan's clear, normal voice while my unusually shrill voice shines through. You've got to love technology!

Anson loved playing in the sand with Daddy.

But became SEVERELY disinterested when it was my turn to pose for pictures.

He was much happier with me moments later when I rinsed him off in the sink and changed him into a clean, sand-free diaper.

Christmas at the Beach

2009-01-03T06:46:00.001-06:00

We rarely get to see Ryan's sister since they live in Georgia. To remedy that we found a half-way point, rented a beach house there and spent a week enjoying one another's company. We rented this place based on some pictures online and the fact that there were 3 king beds. Things can get ugly when you take away my big bed!

We all arrived to our beach house on Dauphin Island, Alabama after dark and were surprised to see all the large "boats" out in the water. When we awoke the next morning, we realized they weren't boats at all, but rather oil platforms. I don't know why I didn't get a better shot of the views, but you can see it in the upper left corner. The views were full of them, but falling asleep to the sound of crashing waves made up for it.

Ryan and the boys played Hangman from the balcony.

I braved the frigid Gulf waters, and splashed around with my nephews. And yes, that is an oh-so-flattering maternity swimsuit I'm wearing. There is no news to report besides me not wanting to spend $50 on another huge bathing suit.

The nephews were buried in the sand and forced to dig their way to freedom. Please note the peg leg...nice touch. This was the most fun to watch. They soon realized that there was more than one way to free themselves and began covering the other with more sand. These are two clever kids.

Anson had fun being carried all along the shore in his little papoose.

And here's the picture of the first official crawl that I promised you. Anson decided that being carried was so 2008, and declared 2009 the year of mobility.

His cousins each asked if they could hold Anson. Cousin J held him for a little bit, commented on how squirmy he was, and quickly asked me if I wanted my baby back. Though he is much smaller in overall size, he is just under half their weight at 20 pounds.

It was so much fun being able to spend some time with Hubby's family. The nephews really love their Uncle Rye-Rye, and he loves spending time with them.

This was our parting picture. I'll have to get Ryan's sis to e-mail me the actual one with all of us. She set up her camera to take a picture after 20 seconds and raced through the house and down the steps. It was quite a sight to behold. I would love to see the picture of all of us laughing and cheering her on. Her hubby made an attempt, and it worked. I guess all those early morning runs along the beach paid off.

Bye beach...Until next time.

Santa

2008-12-23T14:56:00.002-06:00

We went to the mall before this trip, but the wait for Santa was 3 hours long. The line was only 3 people deep, but apparently Santa has to eat. Go figure...

We were running errands later that week at a different mall and thought we'd see if the wait was less. It was, but they had what Ryan referred to as "Business Casual Santa". He had a beard and red pants, but was wearing a hideous holiday shirt with suspenders. I decided that if I was going to pay $20 for a picture I'd rather have it taken with a more traditional Santa.

So, here we are just 20 minutes after our sweet little boy got his last installment of flu shots. I'd say it's a pretty good picture, all things considered.

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Baby Braun

2008-12-12T14:53:00.009-06:00

No, my 7 month old son does not have a girlfriend yet (though it's not for lack of trying). My sister got married December 6th and her new last name is my son's first name. We love her husband and all, but that's not how we picked the name. We chose the name because it was Ryan's grandfather's name. I'll have to post the letter Ryan wrote to his family about our decision later. Now, on to the original reason for the post.

I was Matron of Honor so I don't have many pictures of the actual wedding or reception, but I do have some fun shots of her getting ready...

She's going to kill me for that picture, but I think it's important for the men to see what we have to endure to get hair that turns out like this. Who knew?!

My sister in her wedding dress. Isn't she beautiful?

And some beautiful pictures taken by the lake on the church property.

These pictures alone are reason enough to get married at that church.

Congrats Sis! Welcome to the family, Mr. Baby Braun. We'll have to come up with a better name for you when you get back from the honeymoon!

Our Thanksgiving Feast

2008-11-28T06:42:00.007-06:00

We unexpectedly spent Thanksgiving home by ourselves, so this isn't our typical spread. Since it was only the two of us, we decided to do the minimum so that we didn't have a ton of leftovers (and so my bridesmaid's dress will fit next week).

Our feast consisted of turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and biscuits. We had pumpkin and chocolate pies for dessert. The one thing I truly missed was my Mom's cornbread stuffing. The problem is that she was one of those "put" chefs. She'd put a little of this and a little of that, and never really followed (or wrote down) a recipe. Sadly, I may never have HER cornbread stuffing again, but we get pretty close.

Now back to the "put" chef comment. I know I am my Mother's daughter, but I am anything but a "put" chef. I couldn't tell you if a dish needed more sugar or salt if my life depended on it. I am strictly a recipe follower, which makes me embarrassed to admit my foibles this holiday dinner. For the sake of comedy...I will.

Ryan was going to make two pumpkin pies, but I insisted that I try to make a chocolate pie. Afterall, variety is the spice of life. My first mistake was not using jello pie filling. The second was using a family recipe. The problem with most family recipes I have is that the ingredient list is rather ambiguous (a small can of this, and a package of that). I only had a large can of evaporated milk and assumed that a small can was 8 ounces. After stirring my mixture for 40 minutes on low heat, I realized that a small can is in fact 5 ounces. While waiting for the filling to cook the meringue got stiff. I saw no need to waste any more eggs, so I plopped it on top of my chocolate soup and threw it in the oven. The meringue pattern that resulted is oddly reminiscent of the haircut on some of my Mom's antique dolls. It tasted great, but needed to be served with a spoon.

The one "recipe" I did get right is Anson's mashed sweet potatoes. That one is pretty hard to mess up. Bake and puree...my kind of recipe.

After our tummies were filled, we relaxed and settled in for a little Aggie football.

Anson was a trooper and supported our team to the very end. A very tired end, but an end nonetheless.

Give the Tooth Fairy our Address

2008-11-24T15:05:00.005-06:00

Anson's first tooth appeared November 10th. I had been talking with my friend about her son teething and said that I didn't think mine was there yet. Later that afternoon he pulled my finger into his mouth and there was a sharp edge poking back at me.

I had been checking daily for about a week before because he was putting his fist in his mouth and shaking his head back and forth wildly. I guess I just didn't know what to feel for until the tooth made its presence known.

Here are a few pictures of that sweet little tooth.

I'll admit the last one isn't the cleanest picture, but I couldn't resist. Today was the first time we tried something other than pears. He's not sure he likes carrots just yet, so we'll just have to try again tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Baby Dedication

2008-11-16T21:13:00.014-06:00

Today was a special day for our family. Our church does something called baby dedication where parents commit to raise their child according to God's Word and God's ways.

We shared this day with two friends we went through this pregnancy with. Here we are looking quite pregnant. In case you're wondering, the non-pregnant looking one to the right was in fact pregnant, just not near as far along as we were. She brought her 6 week old boy to the dedication of all our 6 month old boys.

And here are our beautiful boys at 6 months.

Our church gives the families a toddler Bible to mark the occasion. I read some of it to my guys on the way home. It has the sweetest illustrations, and is told in such a way that children can understand. For example, the story of Noah and the ark is titled, "Noah Builds a Big Boat". I love it!

Philippians 1:9-10
"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live a pure and blameless life until the day of Christ's return."

Comment Away

2008-11-10T19:11:00.004-06:00

I was recently informed that my blog settings didn't allow for non-bloggers to post a comment. I have changed that feature, so feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

I've listed some ideas to get you started:

1. Comment on how cute you think Anson is
2. Comment on how clever and witty I am
3. Comment on my poor sentence structure and misspellings
4. Comment on whatever you like...just keep it clean

I don't anticipate seeing many comments based on my second idea, but I'm sure the third will overwhelm the comment section of the blog for a while. :)

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

I never made it to the mall to get a costume, and Walmart's infant costumes all looked like they had been worn 10 times before so we made do with what we had.

Anson as a baseball star.

Anson, the rebel baseball player.

Anson and Daddy as Army men/hunters.

I'm waiting for my next costume, Mommy.

I want my Mummy!

He was tuckered after a few Trick-or-Treating visits.

We went to see our neighbors and Mrs. Bonnie. Both asked what kind of treat you give a baby. I had no expectation of a "treat" but only to visit and show off my son :) The funny thing is that we had a few "trick-or-treaters" who wheeled their 6 month old babies around collecting candy for themselves.

Tales From 30,000 Feet

2008-10-28T05:18:00.002-05:00

My sister had another bridal shower in Dallas so I decided to fly to make the most of our time together. Anson and Daddy were suppose to have a boy's weekend, but Ryan woke me up at 4:30 complaining about back pain. So, Anson and I were off for a flying adventure leaving Daddy home to mend. His orders were to relax and rent movies, but instead he did housework and helped me get caught up. What a sweetheart!

On the way there I found out that pre-boarding on Southwest doesn't really mean pre-boarding, but rather boarding after all 60 people in group A. The group A people inevitably take up every aisle and window seat on the plane leaving the families and disabled to fend for themselves. More on this brilliant move later.

Once I got on and realized that Anson and I would be squeezed between two people (because you know I wasn't going to pay $250 for him to have his own seat) I started looking for the skinniest set of people. Let's face it, my hips weren't exactly made for airline seats and I'd rather sit by someone whose hips are airline seat friendly.

I sat next to a woman with a child figuring we'd have something in common. We were ready for takeoff and taxiing to the runway when the flight attendant approached me. I believe her exact words were, "There's something wrong with this picture". The only problem was that she expected me to figure it out. After a few moments of silence and blank stares she informed me that she had 4 oxygen masks and there were 5 people.

So, we had to move. By this time the plane was completely full and we were already running 30 minutes late. The flight attendants started asking the gentlemen (I use this word loosely) in the aisle seats near me if they would be willing to give up their seats and switch with a Mother and child. All said no.

Then they came up with the brilliant idea to ask people in the middle if they would switch. After a few passes, a woman reluctantly said yes. As luck would have it, she was seated next to two of the largest men on the plane; one of whom was also the grumpiest. I got settled in, no thanks to Captain Grumpy, and were in the air just minutes after my seat belt was buckled.

Anson was great on the plane. The only issue was that he was so sleepy that he grew restless. Rather than fight him on it, I stood him on my lap and we played. He was a bit talkative, but I will take that any day over constant crying. Apparently the lady in front of me would have preferred he be silent because she was giving me some pretty evil stares. If only I could make him projectile vomit on command :)

We arrived safely and made it to my sister's house where I unloaded all the baby gear. Her house is on the market right now so we had to be as neat as possible. I put all the diapers and wipes at the top of the closet for easy access. I hadn't thought a thing about it, but while we were at her bridal shower the next day she mentioned that the placement of some items in her closet probably gave prospective buyers an interesting impression of her. There are wedding bubbles and other favors sitting right next to the diapers.

After the shower we had fun taking pictures of Anson in his Uncle's dairy farm memorabilia. Those of you who know my son will appreciate these.

He was really impressed with the box.

The flight back to Houston was looking to be a great one. I had checked in the night before and was in the "A" boarding group. I had pleasant dreams of an aisle seat with plenty of room for Anson's slobbery hands to roam about and play without worrying about damaging any other passenger's clothing. I checked my luggage, proved Anson was under 2 years of age, got through security and had a few minutes to spare before boarding would begin. I checked the monitors, and my flight was cancelled. Cancelled?! There went my A boarding pass!

I grabbed my phone and started dialing 1-800-I-FLY-SWA to get on the next available flight.
Lucky for me it was only an hour later. Fortunately it wasn't a full flight, and the gate personnel were very nice. They let me take Anson on in his carseat as if we had paid full fare for him. Now back to my "brilliant move" comment from before. I mentioned that we would need two seats together and her response was, "Well, they'll just have to move someone". So, I have to board after 60 people have settled into their seats only to kick someone out of theirs because I require two together? That makes sense.

When the flight attendant saw me coming she got on the intercom to request two seats together. There were some left on the back of the plane so I hoisted the diaperbag high on my shoulder and tightened my grip on the carseat. As I took my first step to the back of the plane an angel on the front row said he would move to the other side. I had plenty of leg room, and Baby Braun slept the whole way. I was even able to complete a few Sudoku puzzles. This is definitely the way to fly!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

2008-10-19T23:15:00.001-05:00

Anson has a full schedule this fall, and as such, needed something other than a onesie to wear to all the ocassions. Ryan and I went shopping this weekend just for fun and found this sweet outfit. It's from Janie and Jack, and of course, it was on clearance.

What I really wanted can be found by following the link to the company website. It's an adorable little suit that can be yours for the low, low price of $176, which it totally reasonable for an outfit that will likely be spit-up on or drooled on. Can you believe they also have a suede coat for babies that is dry clean only? Seriously, where do they come up with these things?!

Mood Swings

2008-10-10T00:02:00.001-05:00

I keep wanting to capture a moment of him wrapped up in playtime, but nearly every time Anson hears the camera come on he stops playing and concentrates solely on the camera. It makes for some interesting pictures and videos.

I love the way he switches from laughter to his grumpy whine and then right back again.

Feet, Glorious Feet

2008-10-03T23:51:00.002-05:00

Anson has decided that his feet are the most amazing (and tasty) things in the world. I'm starting to wonder why we even bought toys for this stage when it seems his adorable feet get most of the attention. Can you blame him though? :)

Rolling Over

2008-10-03T23:42:00.002-05:00

Anson rolled over for the first time on September 11th while we were preparing our house for the arrival of hurricane Ike. I was helping Ryan put plywood over the windows and had the baby monitor clipped on my shorts. I could hear him stirring, and then he started howling. When I arrived he was flat on his tummy in his crib and seemed scared. He's not the biggest fan of "tummy time", but I never expected that response.

Since then he has started to enjoy tummy time a little more, but only when he rolls himself over. Imagine that...my son wanting to be in control. It must be something that runs in Ryan's family because I sure don't act that way :)

Daddy is Chewbacca?

2008-09-29T14:08:00.001-05:00

I took this video before we evacuated for Ike, and I think that our son missed this most while being away from his Daddy. Anson has been focusing on the letter G in his babble and coos. Ryan started making some throaty, Chewbacca sound that only he can do to keep our little guy talking.

This is what one of their typical conversations sounds like. I love it!

Next time I'll try to set the tripod up so my laughter won't cause any motion sickness :)

Frugal Mom

2008-09-28T16:45:00.001-05:00

One thing that was difficult for me when we decided to go to one income was how we'd afford everything we needed for ourselves and our new baby. It's a big change adding a new life to the family as well as the family budget. One way we are able to make it happen is by using coupons. I did this before, but have turned up the savings a bit.

Here are my suggestions for getting started.

1. Don't be so picky about brands.
I used to be a Huggies girl just because CVS had been running such good deals. When Walgreens had their jumbo pack of diapers on sale for $5.99 with coupon savings of $4.50 per pack AND a $5 coupon off your next order when you bought three packages, I gave them a try. I used to spend about $0.15 per diaper. I now have 100 packages of diapers in a range of sizes that cost me an average of...Drum Roll, Please...$0.03 per package or $0.000625 per diaper.

The same philosophy goes for food. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a DelMonte girl for my green beans, but there are some places it just doesn't matter.
2. Don't wait until you run out to buy more.
Have you ever run out of something essential like toilet paper and had to run to the store in a hurry? At that very moment, stockboys within a 15 mile radius of your house are marking up the toilet paper in anticipation of your arrival. That's not exactly how it happens, but it sure feels like it. I hate to pay full price for anything I know I could get cheaper. When I find something on sale that we use regularly, I stock up. We could probably eat out of our pantry for months. We'd miss the meat (because there is something oh so wrong about canned meat), but it could be done.
The experts call this stockpiling and it comes in handy. While everyone else was flocking to the grocery stores for toilet paper, water and canned goods we were putting up plywood and preparing in other ways. We were covered.
3. Don't buy something just to use a coupon.
I think this one is self explanatory. :)
4. Plan your shopping trips around store sales.
There are plenty of websites that will help you combine the sales ads with the current coupons if you don't want to put in the time.
http://www.refundcents.com/ Their grocery store forums are free, but there are lots of other cool things on this site (CVS, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, etc.) If you choose to join, please use my referral code DYL2.
http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ I have not personally used this site, but have heard good things.
That's all I have time for now, but I'm sure I'll be writing more about one of my favorite hobbies soon.

Meet in the Middle

2008-09-17T15:51:00.001-05:00

We decided it had been long enough since we'd seen each other last, so we decided to meet in the middle in Halletsville. If you've been there before, you know that there's not much there. We met at Walmart (who knew they had one) and ate at McDonalds there. I figured he'd want an actual sit down meal, but I guess after a while of cold food or pasta, anything warm is alright.

We stocked up on some food at Walmart and then went next door to Brookshire Brothers grocery store. He wanted some dessert before heading back, and you know I obliged :) Here's a picture I took after we ate our sundaes.
I dressed him in that outfit to come see his Daddy. In case you can't read it, it says Daddy's Outdoor Buddy on it. Our neighbors gave him that outfit (Thanks David and Keri). He also wore that to sleep in while Ike was wreaking havoc on the Gulf Coast. I know he's too young to know what's happening, but I figured he could support his Daddy through his clothes while I worried.

Hurricane Ike Update

2008-09-13T10:06:00.001-05:00

Hubby and Sasha are safe in Houston with minimal damage. The power is out, but he has provisions and should be okay...just a little hot.
Anson, Skeeter and I are all in San Antonio with my Dad.
Anson is fussing so I'd better run

Is Piper Palin Cute or What?

2008-09-04T14:26:00.002-05:00

I know I'm not the only one who watched Palin speak at the Republican National Convention last night. She is an excellent speaker, and quite humorous (I love that she put the Governor's private jet on Ebay). It's the first time I've seriously watched and really listened to a political speech.

I have to say though that watching Piper Palin lick her hand and plaster her baby brother's hair to his head had to be the cutest thing I've seen in a while. Just in case you missed it...

via videosift.com

I remember my Mom doing something similar. She'd lick a finger, wipe the peanut butter or other remnants of lunch from my face, and I'd cringe. I caught myself doing it to Anson the other day for some slobbery mess he had on his face. I guess it's just something encoded in our DNA as women.

Anyway, the video made me smile and brought back some fond memories. I hope you enjoy it.

Did I Mention that Hubby is FUN?

2008-09-01T14:02:00.001-05:00

I know I have mentioned his sense of humor before, but he cracks me up when playing with our son. There was the time he covered his hand with a blanket pretending to be a snake, and made up some song about him being eaten by a boa constrictor. My favorite moment, and the one that made me laugh so hard I cried, is this.

Millionaire Continued...

2008-08-29T09:04:00.002-05:00

I got the call that he was in the hot seat, and 15 minutes later the phone was ringing again. I let it ring 3 times as instructed and answered. It was only the production staff calling to say they were done taping for the day. I was so confused (and concerned that he would be going home with $1,000 and another karaoke machine).

Sam called once he got out of taping. He has to go back to New York to finish taping (that date has yet to be determined). Sam, that means there's still time for you to find a history buff to round out the phone-a-friend skill set. Of course, I still expect my T-shirt or other souvenier :)

One fun thing is that he started taping with a guest host and will end up taping with Meredith for the rest of the segment. I'll keep you posted on the air date.

Sam Wants to be a Millionaire

2008-08-26T14:10:00.001-05:00

One of my college friends called me a few weeks ago to catch up. He wanted to let me know he was going to be headed to New York soon to be on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and asked me to be one of his phone-a-friends. You have to be available at a land line from 11am - 7pm. He never mentioned what I was suppose to be an expert of, so I'm pretty sure my new status as a stay at home Mom was a motivating factor in his decision. Luckily his other phone-a-friends seem solid. One is a veterinarian and the other is up on pop culture. I'm praying for an animal husbandry or Brittney Spears related question.

The funny thing is that he was on Jeopardy when we were in college. It wasn't the best experience as far as winnings go. Here are the standings of his show.

Score at the end of the Jeopardy! Round: -$200
Score at the end of the Double Jeopardy! Round: $1,800
And now, for the big finish... $2

Again, here's hoping he will either call me with a question I know the answer to or that it will be something VERY specific to his other phone-a-friends.

I'll keep you posted as much as legal will allow. Wish Sam luck and look for his show airing sometime next year.

A Present from Grandma

2008-08-21T22:57:00.002-05:00

For those of you that don't know, my sweet Mother passed away a little over a year ago. A few months later Dad was preparing to permanently moved to our family's farm in South Texas. We packed up the house in the best, most organized way we could at the time.

On our most recent trip, I helped him clean out a few boxes. These were the ones where papers and items long forgotten were placed in a box to go through later. We ended up throwing out a majority of the box, but found a few precious gems that were worth the effort. Among those items were some family pictures, crayon scribbled love notes to Mom and Dad, and this...

...the outfit, not the baby. It is a red and white striped Gerber onesie with a teddy bear on it. It must have been something Mom bought to have on hand for a baby gift. Little did she know that baby would be her own Grandson.
Thanks Grandma!

Papaw B. Had a Farm E I E I O

2008-08-21T22:25:00.002-05:00

When Anson was 2 months old, we went to visit my Dad in South Texas. They spent a lot of time together in Grandpa's recliner.

We went out to the farm and saw my Dad's longhorn cattle, his goats and chickens that he raised from fuzzy litte chicks.

I've been making up all kinds of silly songs to sing to my son lately. Today I randomly started singing Old MacDonald to him and substituted my Dad's name. It's a much harder song when he only has 3 animals to choose from. I called him today to let him know that Papaw B. needs to get some pigs or else the song just doesn't make sense. Come to think of it, the wild hogs should count :)

And the Gold Goes to...ME!

2008-08-19T20:25:00.001-05:00

My friends and coworkers have always teased me about my typing skills. I'd be in the computer lab in college clacking away on the keys composing e-mails, of course. The papers and other school related typing took a little more thought :)

Now there's a test to prove your speed. Follow the link to try it out and let me know how you do. Good luck!

93 words
Speedtest

Silly Songs

2008-08-02T14:22:00.003-05:00

After having our baby, I realized that I really didn't know a lot of lullabies. I started singing him a lot of hymns because that's what I remember from growing up. After singing Jesus Loves Me and the Jesus Loves the Little Children, I came up with this...

Anson is the sweetest baby
Sweetest baby in the world
His Mommy loves to show
How much she loves him so
Anson is the sweetest baby in the world

Anson is the cutest baby
Funnest baby in the world
Brown, Yellow, Black and Green
His poo is quite a scream
Anson is the funnest baby in the world

(as sung to the tune of Jesus Loves the Little Children)
Yes, I realize that funnest is not a word but the syllables worked!

Here's another goofy one came about simply because my parents called me Pumpkin (but pronounced it Punkin) growing up. I started calling my son that, but decided I had to add something to it. The result was Punkin Doodle. I'm not really sure why I chose Doodle, but I'm guessing lack of sleep had something to do with it.

Punkin Doodle (as sung to Yankee Doodle)

Punkin Doodle came to town

Riding in my tummy
Doctor Mitchell pulled him out
And I became a Mommy

Punkin Doodle you're brand new

And we really love you
We can't wait to take you home
And welcome you to our crew (Sasha and Skeeter).

Punkin Doodle called Grandpa
And asked him for a pony
Mommy said no way lil' boy
You're gonna break your boney

Punkin Doodle you're so cute
Oops, we mean you're handsome
Mind your Mommy and your Dad
And you won't have a problem

I also enjoyed singing his name to the song (if it's really even considered a song) Amen. I think I remember hearing it on the Jefferson's. How sad is that?

And last but not least. He was such a squirmy little guy that I nicknamed him Anson in the Pantson as a play on words for ants in the pants. Let's see how clever you can be on just 3 hours of sleep! I'd sing that over and over again to him...Anson in the Pantson...a..do..do....Anson in the Pantson... I'd rub his back and pat his bottom and somehow ease him to sleep.

Kiddie Kandids Photo Shoot

2008-07-23T20:48:00.001-05:00

They get you in the door with a free 8x10 or, in this case, free birth announcements. Then they take such cute pictures of your child that you HAVE to pay $16.95 per sheet just to get them printed out.

These are probably my favorite pictures so far. He has so many sweet expressions and I think they really captured the full range. I wish they would have been able to get one of those gummy smiles he's always flashing. Perhaps on our next visit...

Home Photo Shoot

2008-07-08T21:22:00.001-05:00

I wanted to have some pictures of our son that didn't include all the baby gear in our living room or the magazines (and clutter) on the coffee table in the background. I decided to use the leather sofa as my backdrop.

I tried most of the poses that I've seen done at studios, but they have props and drapes and an extra set of hands. I had a couch, a camera, and my baby. The results are quite different than the photos taken of him just two weeks later at a professional studio.

We obviously need to improve on his posture and balance.

He was down for the count after being posed for so long. Daddy dressed him and I thought it was cute that he left the collar unbuttoned like one of the cool, preppy kids. It wasn't until this picture that I noticed something was different with his outfit - the onesie is on backwards. I actually think I prefer it this way. I hope the tag doesn't bother him :)

Thanks to the Hospital and All Their Staph

2008-06-10T09:45:00.001-05:00

No folks, that's not a typo. Two weeks after delivering my son I discovered three bumps on the back of my legs. I thought it was just from me lying in bed more than usual after my c-section so I let it go a while. After a few days of that, I was waddling around like a cowboy who'd ridden his horse far too long.

After about a day of this, Hubby told me I had to go to the doctor. We went the next morning and it was then that I experienced the most excruciating pain of the entire pregnancy, labor, birth and recovery process.

We promptly went to CVS to fill my prescription for pain meds and purchased a giant, red inflatable donut. Hubby, ever the jokester, decided to model it for me. Isn't he handsome?!

I'm sure I didn't appreciate the humor at the time, but every time I see that darn donut in our first aid kit I grin a little thinking of these pictures. That's what's great about my hubby. He always knows how to bring humor to a crummy situation.

Grandpa Fell in Love

2008-05-28T21:23:00.001-05:00

My Dad came the morning after I was induced and arrived in town just as I was getting my epidural. It was perfect timing on his part because there was no way I was allowing visitors in the room with the way the contractions were coming on.

Dad left the hospital at 9pm thinking he'd have to wait until the next morning to officially be a Grandpa. We were all surprised when we ended up having him via c-section just a few hours later.

Here is a picture of my Dad meeting his first grandbaby the following morning.

Dad stayed with us for 10 days while I recovered from my c-section and we got used to life with our baby. He cooked for us (he makes a killer meatloaf) and spent a lot of time in the recliner holding and getting to know his grandson.

All Because Two People Fell in Love

2008-05-26T01:47:00.002-05:00

I didn't notice what was right outside the window of room 506 until we were preparing to leave the hospital. I don't know how I could have missed it. I had looked out the window so often as I peered over at Ryan sleeping on the miniscule window seat they refer to as a bed.

This was our view from the hospital room. It's not much to look at, I know, but if you look past the rooftop ugliness there is a building in the distance called Hinton Center.

Here we are standing in front of that very same building on our wedding day, July 6, 2002 nearly six years before our son's birth.

Anson's Arrival

2008-05-20T12:38:00.001-05:00

At each of my baby showers this spring the most popular baby advice I was given was to start a blog. Please forgive any misspellings or grammatical errors as typing with one hand is proving to be a challenge for me.

The plan was for me to start blogging before we came home with baby, but I ran out of time. I'm going to have to play "catch-up" with my posts to bring everyone up to speed so please be patient with me. Here's the biggest news so far...

Our baby boy arrived on May 14, 2008 at 10:44pm. He was 8 pounds 7 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. Since then our lives haven't been the same.

Stay tuned for more updates on our new and exciting life with baby.

It's Really Time

2008-05-13T12:12:00.001-05:00

I got the call today, and we are to be at the hospital tonight at 8pm. It's an odd feeling to know you'll be going to the hospital to have your baby without ever experiencing a single contraction. We took not one, but TWO child birth classes in order to prepare for this event. I had been studying all my class literature to be sure I'd know when to call Hubby and when to leave for the hospital.

I had imagined me waddling down the stairs with Hubby supporting me while I stopped every few steps to breathe through the contractions. He'd help me into the car, load the bags in the trunk and we'd be on our way.

Instead, this is how we left the house.

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9

It's Time...Sort Of

2008-05-12T20:35:00.001-05:00

I had my doctor's appointment today for my 38 week checkup. My doctor has decided to induce me because of a slight risk of me developing preecylampsia. She is on call at the hospital tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, so I should be getting a call soon giving me a time to be at the hospital.

This is definitely not how we planned it, and I have to say that I am a bit disappointed. I figured I would have to call Hubby at work one day to say, "This is it...come home". He'd race home and start timing my contractions. Yes folks, we actually bought a stop watch for this time at home. He'd run around the house frantically searching for all the things I had inevitably forgotten to pack, and then we'd be on our way to the hospital.

Isn't it funny how a first time mother can really romanticize the whole event?