(Almost) Wordless Wednesday -- Halloween Edition

Today for Halloween, Rob's school had "Fall on the Farm" Day.  The farm was actually their field, but nevertheless...

The event started with a (not pictured) hay-ride around the track. 

The gang's all here!

 Then the kids got to pick out a pumpkin.

 

And back in the classroom they all got to decorate their pumpkins.  Rob's is in progress but I couldn't resist snapping a picture.

William is 2 Months Old!

Another month has come and passed...You are wear a size 1 diaper and 0-3 months clothes, with some 3 months mixed in.  Your eyes are a dark shade of something beautiful -- there is still a steely grey hint with some brown, but as Dr. McCown said, "They definitely aren't getting any lighter."  You "turned" 2 months old on October 21st, but since your arrival, life has been nonstop.  I hope this isn't a sign of the next 18 years.  So, with no further tardy ado...

Length: 23 3/4" (19" at birth, 20 1/2" at 2 wk check up)

Weight: 11.4 lbs (6.9 lbs at birth, 7.1 lbs at 2 wk check up)

Sleeping Patterns:  I really cannot complain!  In fact, we joke that you sleep better than your 2 1/2-year-old sister most nights!  Your bedtime is around 8:30 PM.  I have to wake you up at 10 PM to give your medicine and sometimes you want a little "snack" of nursing, but usually you don't.  You wake up around 2:30 AM to nurse and then again around 5:30 - 6 AM.

Eating Habits: During the day you still will eat better with no distractions.  When you are hungry, I prefer to go feed you somewhere quiet rather than "whip it out" at your beck and call.  This works to make you eat more / get fuller rather than snack and want to nurse again in less than 2 hours!  You will take a bottle of expressed milk or the occasional formula; we use Tommy Tippee bottles which you seem to like.  That gives mommy a great break!

New Discoveries and Accomplishments:  You continue to grow both mentally and physically at a rapid pace.  Your eyesight seems to be much stronger now.  You love to lock eyes with mommy when you are nursing.  You are starting to mimic sounds.  You will grin and coo at anyone who gives you attention!  In fact, your voice and your gummy grin seem to be your newest discoveries. 

Places You Love: We haven't taken you many places yet.  We go to church and to the occasional shopping run like Publix, Wal-Mart, or Lowe's.  As for your personal space, you have graduated out of the bassinet.  Now we have a Nap Nanny and, I swear, I don't know how I survived Rob and Caroline as babies without one of these gems.  You love your Nap Nanny!  You sleep in your own bed, too.

Special Friends: I hesitate to say that you may have learned Caroline is trouble.  She loves you dearly, but she loves you in a "hands-on" way that makes you whine nervously more often than not.  You are so loving and responsive to anyone who will snuggle you up to his or her neck -- that's your favorite way of being held, against someone's chest and your forehead in the neck crease.

Current Events:  The beloved Crimson Tide Football team is still undefeated at 9-0.  We are ranked #1 in the Nation, but the Florida Gators are close on our heels!  And we play LSU in two weeks; the Tigers surely must have revenge on their minds, knowing that if they defeat us they will knock us off the path to the BCS game for good.  Oh, there are also only a handful of days until the Presidential election and Mommy and Daddy are so ready for this to be over.  It has truly been a nasty campaign on both sides.  The weather is so nice right now; fall is in the air with sunny afternoons and crisp evenings.

What We Did This Day: Today (October 21st) was a Sunday.  I hate to admit that we missed church this morning, but God knows we were absent, so there's no use in hiding it from the world, either.  We had a lovely, much-needed, quiet morning at home.  Then Daddy took Rob golfing while you went with Caroline and Mommy to Lowe's then Nona's house for a quick visit.

And, for comparison's sake, check it out:

 

Your face has definitely rounded out!  Your legs look chubbier, too, but I couldn't get a great shot of them this month.

Wordless Wednesday -- Rob and Will

This little guy turned 8 weeks old yesterday!  (That means a two-month-update post is coming soon.)  After picking Rob up from the bus stop, we went outside for an impromptu photo shoot.  Enjoy!

Irrational

Recently as we were settling all the kids down for bedtime, Rob started crying.  Well wimpering/whining is a better description. He claimed he couldn't sleep and was lonely in his room. This is noteworthy for the simple fact that he is the only kiddo who does go to bed easily; we usually put him to bed first, because he is frequently asking for sleep. Enter psychologist-wanna-be mama trying to figure out what's wrong...

Rob told me with complete sincerity that he feared he has watched Toy Story too many times. "What if all my toys come alive while I'm asleep?" he asked. Score points for me that I didn't burst into guttural laughter at this point--I could tell this kid was serious. So for the next ten minutes or so we discussed the fact that Toy Story is made up for our entertainment, but what if it could be true? Rob's toys -- just like Andy's -- would love him! All of his plastic dinosaurs would roar and scare away any bad guys. His stuffed astronaut would fly him to space if need be. His remote controlled Bigfoot would be hungry for a banana and would call Rob "Buddy". And last but not least, his Fisher Price samurai ninja castle would host the most amazing sword fighting competition ever, which Rob would enter and win.

Rob eventually slept that night after he and I put a new spin on his "fears".  Then the wheels in my head began to spin: Yes, Rob may have watched Toy Story too many times and felt his room was now a scary, dangerous place; but I grew up thinking all the worlds' problems could be solved in 30 minutes like the Huxtables (The Cosby Show), if you were either pretty enough or conniving enough you could have whatever you wanted (Beverly Hills, 90210 -- the original, not the remake) and all you really need in life is a gaggle of best F*R*I*E*N*D*S. Okay, the latter is true.  Nevertheless, I was always keen enough to know these were Hollywood made-for-screen happy endings.  So my seemingly irrational fear has always been that I and the life I live would not add up to some ideal portrayed by actors. 

I have said it before and will continue to admit I am a worrier. Sure, I may be closer to midlife than ever before, but I still have plenty of dreams and goals for the future.  On my list are an array of personal crusades, monetary dreams, hopes and wishes for my kids, materialistic desires, and plans for advancement. The future is scary. What if some unforeseen obstacle or foe comes alive when I least expect it and crushes everything I'm attempting? It's okay to worry or fear the outcome when it motivates you to think outside the box, make a change to your current efforts, or ask for help from a trusted source. 

Have you ever called someone in the middle of a fit "irrational"? I'm pretty sure if yes, you didn't relieve any of their pain.  When you are consumed with such inner turmoil, you likely lose the ability to think clearly in the moment.  Maybe others will think you are losing it. But hopefully you can take a moment -- like I did with Rob -- and entertain your fears. Is the worst case scenario as bad as it was once thought to be? Perhaps going through all of the what ifs will help you sleep better at night, too. Here would be the time to make any changes or preparations for a happier outcome. There is nothing like a calmer heart to relax the soul.

A Weekend Recap...

Happy Fall, Y'all!  I am so in love with the weather right now!  The only problem I have is the need to go through my closet.  I need to do the yearly what-did-I-wear-last-cold-season checklist and discard the things that hung lonely last winter.  Combine that with the fact that I am still only (almost) 7 weeks postnatal, and I really have no idea what to wear right now!  Oh well...

On Friday evening I took Rob to the Fall Festival at the local Intermediate School.  He had a blast; that boy sure loves fairs and festivals.  As I clenched my jaws shut on the scrambler, fighting nausea, I realized two things.  1.) I may very well be too old for amusement rides.  My equilibrium isn't what it used to be.  2.) My life is one big scrambler right now...spinning rapidly into various angles but never quite crashing.  While it should be scary, I still find myself squealing with glee.

Saturday was a beautiful day, despite the lack of Alabama football (off weekend).  We played, Bobby watched football, and I got ready for a very exciting girls' night out with my dear SIL, Laura.  Miranda Lambert was in town for a concert and Laura scored 6th row seats!  What does it look like to sit on the 6th row?

I already knew that I loved Miranda's music, but now I love HER, too!  Girlfriend is one bad mama-jama!  Ten seconds after she took the stage, her belt broke -- not only making her mini-skirt majorly unstable, but also giving her hidden mic pack no where to hide.  So right in the middle of "Fastest Girl In Town" she has one of her band members duct tape the pack to her waist.  She never missed a beat.

She rocked that stage and belted out all her great songs.  She has a very strong, beautiful sound!  The Pistol Annies made a quick cameo for a few songs, too.

I also love that she's a curvy girl, and she's comfortable in her own skin.  You can tell she's healthy, but she loves red meat and margaritas.  Um, hello!  We would so be best friends...except when she goes hunting. During those times I'd just say "See ya later."

Sunday my dad, Uncle Doc and Aunt Barbara came by for a visit.  This was the first time Aunt Barbara met sweet baby William.  I think the two of them hit it off very easily, what do you think?

Caroline had a blast playing doctor and dress up while they were at our house.  Rob was running around acting like a crazy person!  What is it about my children when they have an audience?  I don't know where they get it from (insert heavy sarcasm here).

 

 

Finally, we ended the weekend with a quick few rounds of family game night.  We used to do this a lot more than we do now.  Tonight Rob chose the classic "Guess Who".  I love this game!

Thoughts on a Fine Friday Morning

I have seen the following stream-of-consciousness-inspired blog post in a couple of places, and I felt inspired.  I am not sure who originated the idea, so I'll simply say, this is a "borrowed" format.

Here's a glimpse into Mama Morris's life on this fine Friday Morning:

Needing to finish processing the recurring pile of laundry, mop the kitchen floor, and have newborn photos printed and framed.

Reading Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly.  I was supposed to be reading this with the Young Families Group at my church, but I have missed the past two meetings.  I hope to make it back next Wednesday night, because I am actually enjoying this book on many levels!  Inspiring...

Hoping the next 28 days pass quickly because I get to see Lorie and Shane again!  We are taking our annual pilgrimage to Baton Rouge again for the Bama-LSU game.  Two years ago when we played in Death Valley and lost, I swore I would never go back.  But although times change, old habits don't!  Psst! It's also going to be the first time I'll leave the baby overnight, so I'm still conflicted about this trip in my heart.  Nevertheless, we're going...

Watching this week's episodes of the Morris Family's can't-live-without shows: Grey's Anatomy, Castle, Private Practice, Parenthood, Dancing With The Stars and Glee. Thank goodness for DVR or I'd miss all prime time TV. Our evenings are definitely full of everything but TV!   (And by the way, what's up with The New Normal?  It thumbs its nose at all the political and socioeconomic stereotypes, yet I can't get enough.)

Sleeping whenever I can.  William is doing well most nights; we are usually down to one feeding a night around 2:00 AM.  But then there are nights like last night when he was up at 1 and again at 4.  Couple that with Caroline who all but refuses to sleep a full night and it makes for a sleepy mama!

Wearing crazy clothes right now!  My maternity pants are too big, but my pre-baby jeans are still just a little small.  What's a girl to do?  I have bought just a couple of one-size-bigger pants 'cuz naked is never an option.  But I refuse to settle.  I will get my body back eventually and the healthy way.

Feeling pain just by wiggling my toes.  I'm on Day 5 of Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred, and my legs pretty much feel shredded!  I love feeling sore, though, because I am reminded that I'm changing my body.

Spending time with Bobby and the kids as a family of 5 whenever we can (and that's not often right now).  We are so busy -- life is really hectic right now.  Bobby is out of the house 3 nights a week with his commitment to coach little-league football.  Rob and Caroline are so active and the baby is so needy that we really have to force ourselves to stop and come together.

Listening to Miranda Lambert's Four The Record.  I'm going to her concert on Saturday night and I need to brush up on the lyrics of her newest songs.  I'm notorious for not knowing the lyrics to songs I claim to love!

Enjoying these crisp fall mornings and wishing every. single. one could start with a pumpkin spice latte!

Dining out with Bobby soon--I hope.  He owes me an anniversary dinner!  We celebrated 9 years yesterday at a football field.

Dating my husband when I can.  We had a blast a few weekends ago when just the 2 of us picked up and headed to Tuscaloosa for a non-conference football game.  I love chances to reconnect with him.

Daydreaming about taking the kids to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel during this Christmas season.  I know Disney needs to wait a few more years, so now this has become my next-best-thing.  Are you hearing me, Bobby?

Wondering what the future holds...I have some pretty deep thoughts about my children, my marriage, life, religion, politics and the state of the nation.  Sometimes it is just nice to focus on mindless things like what I've discussed above.  But with faith and perseverance, the deeper subjects will work themselves out.  I have to believe that.

So long for now...

Happy 9th Anniversary to My Husband (and me)...A.K.A. "Then and Now"

Bobby and I are celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary today.  Later this month (on Halloween, to be exact) we will celebrate the 11th anniversary of being a couple.  I have known him for 12 years.  Do the math -- I fought fate for about a year before completely giving in to his charming ways.  So, in honor of the one I love, I decided to do a little "Then and Now" comparison of our life.

Then:  We used to lie awake all night long talking about mindless happy thoughts, smooching, and dreaming of the future.

Now: We lie awake all night long listening to Caroline talk in her sleep and for sleepwalker Rob to come downstairs, smooching on the sleepless infant, and daydreaming (night dreaming?) of a full 8-hours' rest someday in the future.

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Then: We couldn't keep our hands off of each other!  We were so affectionate and passionate in our love for one another.

Now: All that affection and passion has filled our house with three very blessed and busy children.  We are still affectionate and passionate towards each other, but even more so towards our own pillows when we crash into much-desired sleep!

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Then: We used to decide at the last minute if we wanted to vacation somewhere, go out to the nightlife, or stay in and adore each other quietly at home.

Now: We decide at the last minute if we can leave the house depending on if all our children are being babysat.  Nightlife?  See above.  But we adore this family and love our loving home.

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Then: If we heard of a great movie we would go see it at the theatre and enjoy popcorn and Reece's Pieces.

Now: Take children to the movie theatre?  Yeah, right.  Instead, we watch Scooby Doo and Dora The Explorer on DVD and sweep up popcorn kernels from under the sofa.

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Then: We had our favorite restaurants that we frequented.  Bobby would have a beer or two and I would enjoy a nice glass of wine.  We would share bites of each other's entrees and play guess-the-tab for fun.

Now: We have our standby, go-to recipes that ensure a nice dinner without whine.  We accept shared bites of our kids' food and play "Mad, Sad, Glad" to foster family discussion.

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Then:

Our engagement photo...

Doing the "threshold carry" the morning after our wedding...

Now:

Enjoying a rare, kid-free, dinner date (I was pregnant with William in this photo)...

Travelin' with the Tide...on our way to see BAMA play...

Sure, things have changed over the years, but I'd rather call them evolving.  It's been a great journey so far, but nine years is merely the beginning of our lifetime together.  I love you, Bobby!

Thoughts on a Tuesday Evening

Lately there have been plenty of things worth writing about, but very little time to stop and tell my stories.  So today, I want to share a quick few little updates about the Morris madness we call family.

I started a workout regime.  I have been doing the treadmill thing, using the iPhone app Ease Into 5K.  But this week I started challenging myself with Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred.  You can keep up with my progress on this experience by clicking on the page link near the top of my blog.  Or just click here.  Bye-bye, baby weight!

William is 6 weeks old today.  I can't believe it!  He is getting so big, but so bald!  His hair is starting to wear off on the top of his head and it's hilarious! He loves his nightly baths just before bedtime, too.  Check out my li'l bathing buddy:

Caroline is a mess-and-a-half!  Sunday night she was calling my name looking for me, but I was putting William to bed.  When I finally emerged, she said to me with complete sincerity "Oh, I thought you were lost in the jungle!"  Rob got pink eye late last week and had it through the weekend.  Caroline keeps asking "Does Bubba still have a pink eye?"  Being that pink is her favorite color, she will probably be sad it's over.

Lastly, check out my own version of Dino Dan in the video below.  It's no secret that Rob loves dinosaurs.  His latest adventure involves looking up where each dinosaur is believed to have lived and name the corresponding continent.  In the video he is comparing his Dinosaur Encyclopedia to an atlas:

 

That's all for now, folks!  See you really soon,