Dog Days Of Summer (albeit a li'l early)

Ahh...summer.  I just love summertime.  Lazy days capped by late nights.  Flower beds bursting with flora and fauna.  My own gardening specialties include the following:

flower beds overflowing with golden lantana

planter's boxes loaded with purple "homestead" verbena

gorgeous pink daylilies

The true "dog days" of summer don't happen until August, but we've been having quite a heat wave lately.  So I really needed to do this:

It's true.  If you look at the grass in the background of that picture, you will see more tan and brown than green.  Even my beautiful blooms above could stand a little moisture.  As I was setting up my sprinkler, it occured to me to introduce Rob to one of summertime's most innocent pleasures.  Thus, with further Ado, please enjoy photos from one late summer evening at the Morris house.

Caroline really wanted no part of the sprinkler play.  However, at the very end of the event, I finally got some smiles out of her with a little wet head.

I hope your summer is turning into something truly beautiful and your happy memories are blooming easily.

Until then,

Back From The Beach (Boo Hoo)...Part 2

I told y'all yesterday Caroline loved, loved the beach.  She loved everything about it.  Rob?  Not so much.  He did make a sand castle or two, and he did enjoy watching the seagulls, but the ocean alarmed him.  He didn't want anyone sitting near it; he didn't want anyone using buckets or shovels near it; he certainly didn't want anyone taking Caroline into it.

Is Rob afraid of water?  No way.  I mentioned in an earlier post that the constant motion of the tide combined with the rough waves (red flag) had him convinced everyone and everything would be swept away.  Water - as in the swimming pool - Rob loved!

It was really nice in the pool, too.  Not too cold and not overly "chemically" smelling.  I know there is a responsibility to keep public pools sanitary, but I hate it when you feel like you are in a test lab rather than in a pool.  All that chlorine hurts my eyes and makes my skin feel gross!  This pool was not like that.  Yay!  Caroline was so happy, too.  (See a trend?  She was really going with the flow this week.) She would kick her legs just like she had been swimming for years.  She may really be the athlete of the family.

By the way, can I just mention how good Kylee is with kids?  She is the best.  If she weren't such the social butterfly, I'd hire her to be my permanent nanny.  But I know that would crimp her style.  Speaking of style, she's always just gorgeously put together, too! (I know you are reading this, Kylee, and you are probably blushing.)

This vacation was about doing what you love.  Rob loved the pool, Caroline loved just about everything, and some people loved just getting away and relaxing.  I'm not naming any names, but...

...golly geez.  How did that picture get in here?  Hahaha.  There is something so tranquilizing about the breeze, the sounds and the smells of being at the shore.  It puts you right to sleep.

Speaking of doing what you love, I love forcing my family into group shots.  And usually they turn into total train wrecks.  But how good are these pictures below?  Check 'em out:

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Time for just a little more play time in the sand before we call this trip a memory:

Okay, so over all, I would rate this trip a great success.  We ate at some great restaurants: The Rib Shak, The Crab Trap, Tacky Jack's, and take-out from The Shrimp Basket.  Oh, and on our way home, we fueled up for the trip at Sea N Suds.  The.weirdest.thing.EVER happened after our meal.  Of course I was trying to take a picture of the kids.  Rob wanted no part of that.  Check out Caroline's photo shoot:

Yes...that is a bee on her eyebrow!  And the craziest things are 1.) it didn't sting her and 2.) I didn't even know I had captured this "wildlife" image until I got home and uploaded my pictures!

That's all for now.  I hope your summer is "BUZZ" worthy!

Back From The Beach (Boo Hoo)...Part 1

Most of the Morrises went to the beach last week to celebrate Memorial Day.  Let me pause on that subject for a second and say thank you, again, to all of our Service men and women.  Both current and former military.  My dear Father-In-Law is a proud Vietnam veteran and I am free because of the brave.

(photo by Bob Morris)

Anyway we had a blast!  R and C, I promise that Mommy and Daddy will take you back to the beach again really soon.  We traveled to Orange Beach, AL for 6 days and 5 nights.  The group consisted of my mom, the kids, and me; and Tam and Kylee.  By the way, it has been way.too.long since I have been to the beach with T and K and it was so good to get back!

Once again, Kylee and I were asked several times if we are sisters.  We need to just start saying "yes" because, honestly, I barely remember a time in my life when I didn't know her and I am fairly certain she cannot remember a time.

We arrived on Saturday and the kids immediately donned swimsuits and jumped into the pool.  Since it was only truly a half-day we didn't do the beach yet.  I should mention that we were staying in the rental my cousins Timberly and Jack own, and I was so excited that I also got to spend time with my Aunt Joyce and cousins Timberly, Jack, and sweet Olivia -- who is 6 and played so wonderfully with Rob -- on this trip.

(photo by Timberly Harris)

Being a Saturday night, the Rib Shak, the restaurant my cousin Jack owns, had live music on their patio.  I know most people don't think of great bar-b-que when they think of eating at the beach, but now you should!  Y'all, the bar-b-que is outstanding, but they also have pulled pork egg rolls that are out of this world! Ohmigosh!!! I'm talking a lightly fried outer shell stuffed with meat, cheese, and a special sauce.  You then dip them in a sweet and sour sauce and you are hooked!  You have to trust me on this one...ah-MAY-zing!

Did I mention live music?  They were playing a variety of great tunes, but Caroline's favorite was definitely the banjo. I guess both my kids will now be musical prodegies.

(photo by Timberly Harris)

(photo by Timberly Harris)

So, with no further ado, it was time to hit the beach the next day!  Our kids were all decked out in their patriotic best.  Caroline loved, loved, loved the sand and the beach.  All except for the time she ate the sand (what toddler doesn't?) and she couldn't get it off her tongue...Rob, on the other hand, was extremely worried about the ocean.  He didn't want any buckets, shovels, etc. to be near the shore because he just knew eveverything would be washed away.  I think the constant motion was a little overwhelming, although in his defense, it was a Red Flag day everyday, so the water was rough.

After our first full day of beach, surf, sand, and pool, we had worked up quite an appetite.  We all gussied up and ventured out to our first seafood dinner at The Crab Trap.  We were lookin' good, too!  Check out the view from our balcony!

Perhaps we were having way too much fun; perhaps one can almost loose all sense of time while at the beach.  However, I can tell you we waited too long to venture out to dinner on a Holiday weekend! Y'all...we didn't get sat at a table until about 8:30 PM.  The kids didn't mind the wait much.  This is how they waited:

Yes, The Crab Trap has a great playground in a giant sand trap.  Fun times.  If you are in sandals.  Or a child.  Anyway, the kids didn't realize how long they were being held away from food.  That is, until we got to the table.  Look at this picture of Caroline that follows.  She looks absolutely worried about whether or not she will get to eat.  Ha!

Rob, on the other hand, said if he didn't get to eat soon, he would use his ferocious skills on the chef and force someone to whip up something edible ASAP.

After being well fed and becoming extremely tired it was time to do it all over again the next day.  So we headed "back" to the beach.  But I'll save that for Part 2...

'Til then, folks, that's all!  I hope you are having a wonderful summer.  Please continue to remember those less fortunate in your daily prayers, especially those affected by the April 27th storms.  Also pray for our Troops!

Caroline is 18 Months Old!

Y'all...like...Ohmigosh!  Where did the time go? I know, I know.  You are first asking "Where did the monthly updates go".  Once you read how active we have been, I hope you will have an understanding and a forgiving heart.

Weight: 23 1/2 lbs

Height: 31"

(very approximate measurements; our 18-month Dr's Appt is next week)

Sleeping Patterns: You go to bed about 7:30 PM.  Finally, after long months filled with long nights, you sleep through the night! Wahoo!  You sleep about 12 hours which is great!  You take one nap; its length varies depending on where you sleep and whether or not I managed to feed you lunch before you sleep.

Eating Habits: You are a great eater, just like your brother was at your age.  Some of your favorites include waffles for breakfast, fruit at any time, BBQ beans, green beans, chick peas as a snack, hot dogs (that I cut up into tiny pieces), etc.  Your guilty pleasure is a brown sugar/cinnamon Pop Tart.  Mommy was raised on them and your brother loves them, so that is no surprise.

New Discoveries & Accomplishments: One word: independence! No, you can't say that word; rather, you display your desire for independence in everything you do.  You like to feed yourself.  You like to brush your own teeth.  You have learned how to climb out of your bed.  You even fiddle with the straps of the car seat when we go somewhere.  You are (finally) talking a lot more.  You say "no" for every question, but I have noticed you also have picked up a sassy "NO" if you don't want to eat, etc.  Ugh, I think the 2's will be...hmm, interesting! Speaking of talking, Rob is "Bubba", you started calling me Mommy instead of mama.  You have a version of "I Love You" that is so sweet.  All drinks are "Dew".  You call your beloved "Pappy" whenever it gets lost.  You have started referring to your blanket as a "Night-Night".  Anytime you want to go anywhere, you whine say "Go".  Also, you are getting good at mimicking.  If someone asks you to say something, your 'babble' will contain the same amount of syllables and voice inflection.  So it won't be long until you are a true blabber mouth like Mommy!

Places You Love: We recently bought a Zoo membership and have taken you three times.  Once was with Pappa Joe which was a great day!  We spent hours at the ballpark this spring watching brother practice and play T-ball.  You loved playing in the dirt by the dugout more than anything else, but at least you were happy.  We have been to the park several times and your favorite thing to do is either swing or climb up the slide from the bottom.  Finally, we just got back from the beach and you loved everything about it.  You had fun in the pool; the beach and sand did not bother you.  The ocean amazed you. I wish we were there right now, but I promise to take you back really soon.

Special Friends: You are an animal lover, but you like the animals to stay at a distance!  It's funny.  You are crazy about your Aunt Kristy and your "Aunt" Laura.  At the beach, you got to play with your cousin Olivia who just adored you like a living doll.  You are surrounded by a multitude of family and friends, but without a doubt, you love your brother unconditionally.

Current Events: On May 7th, Jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby riding Animal Kingdom.  The weather has been crazy around here!  On April 27th terrible storms swept the Southeast and in Alabama around 300 people were killed an incredibly destructive tornado.  In May, heavy rains caused flooding in the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. People in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas were forced to leave their homes.  And last but not least, Oprah Winfrey said goodbye to daytime television.  Her last show aired after 25 years.

What We Did This Day: Your 18-month b'day fell on Wednesday, June 1, 2011.  Today we woke up in beautiful Orange Beach, AL.  We had a blast, although this was Day 5 of our vacation and it had started taking a toll on your little body.  You were exhausted.  We played in the pool and on the beach all day, then that evening we ordered food in from the Shrimp Basket and had an impromptu dinner party/beach party in the condo with Mommy, Nona, brother, Khaki, Kylee, Great Aunt Joyce, Timberly, Jack, and Olivia.  It was a blast.  You stayed up way past your bedtime, but you slept late the next day.

Back To Bed, Sleepyhead! Please?

Where did my precious little baby girl go?  And who is this female monster who terrorizes me at bedtime each...and...every...night? I truly feel like a first-time mom all over again.  Rob and Caroline could not be more different in terms of their temperment if they tried.

Caroline was brought home from the hospital on a cold December day in 2009 and she was so peacefully perfect!  She was a delicate little flower who fit so nicely into our Morris bouquet!  It used to be that she would sleep anytime, anywhere.  If she were sleepy, you just said "night, night" to her.

Well, last night after an hour of rocking, patting, and putting an almost-sleeping baby into her bed only to hear her sit up and cry, I was exhausted and decided to let her just cry it out.  She stopped crying and I felt instant relief!  But then out of nowhere...wait for it...there she was in my bedroom!

Y'all, she has learned how to climb out of her crib.  Life as I know it is over!  She is not a sleeper anymore!  She only takes cat naps; we have to be silent when she is asleep.  I can almost never transfer her into her bed if she has fallen asleep in the car. What a non-sleeping li'l booger she is!

I should tell you a little history.  Rob was so sweet and easy to put to bed.  We had a process that we stuck to each night: rocking while reading a book, rocking and patting his back a little bit more, then put him into bed.  Now we have incorporated nighttime prayers into that routine, but after 4 years bedtime is a breeze! 

Not the story with Caroline.  She will not allow me to read her a book while rocking.  She's waaay to active.  Rocking her to sleep is a challenge, too, because she kicks around and plays with my hair and does everything she can to stay awake.  Now she also climbs out of her bed, too!

Ah, the glory days of the rocking chair!  With Rob, I was a rock-star mamma and it didn't bother me to be a rocker.  Now, with Caroline, I just want some consistency.  Tell me mammas, what method works best with y'all?  I really want my princess back!