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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

One

Little Leighton is ONE MONTH old!

I'm afraid I'm going to blink and she'll be in college. Every second with her is divine. Priceless. Wonderful.


Happy birthday to my precious Birdey Girl!

Let's all have a cupcake in her honor. With extra sprinkles.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Little Leighton's BIG Adventure

I went to TLC's casa this past Saturday for an "Emergency Grammy Rescue." Little Leighton had decided to be quite contrary. She'd fussed for hours and hours. I was going Sunday anyway, so when I got the call that afternoon, I threw my bags in my car and off I went. I worked my Grammy Magic and we got her straightened out. Tee Hee Hee. I'm mostly jesting y'all. Although she did have a better Sunday and Monday. Coincidence that I was there? I'll leave that up to y'all to decide. In the meantime, TLC, Her Sweet Hubby, and I said: Thank You, Lord.

My original plan had been to come back home on Tuesday. Afternoon-ish. On Monday night, TLC came into her guest room (aka Grammy's Nest Away From Her Nest) to have a chat with me.

TLC: What would you think about Little Leighton and me coming home with you for a few days?
ELC: YIPPEE!!!

And it was done.

Loading up half of TLC's house took a while on Tuesday morning, but, somehow, we got everything squeezed in. TLC fed Little Leighton and then we literally raced to my car. We knew we'd have three hours before she'd get hungry again. Maybe four. It takes two solid hours (with no gas, lotto ticket or Sonic stops that must be made) to get to my house from TLC's. And if there are no wrecks on any of the highways we must travel. Or the ever-present and always annoying roadwork.

Little Leighton slept. Peacefully. The entire time. It was AWESOME. Now it's Thursday night and I'll be taking them back home tomorrow morning. Little Leighton has her one-month checkup in the afternoon. Wwwhhhhaaaaatttttt? Did I say one month? Yep. I did. Wow. How is that even possible?

This unplanned visit has been more than fun. It's now a special memory. For all six of us. Little Mama. Little Leighton. Grammy. Pa-Dad. Teddy Buddy Boo Bear (who has tried, in vain, for three days, to get Little Leighton's Kitty Wubba Nubba when he thought no one was looking). And Mortimer Cat. We've napped. We've walked. We've talked. We've laughed. We've changed tons o' poopy diapers. We've sung songs. We've danced. We've cried (well, only one of us has done that). We've planned. We've dreamed. Oh, and we made an unsuccessful trip to town yesterday afternoon. When I say unsuccesful, what I really mean is quite unpleasant. Who knew we wouldn't be able to keep Little Leighton asleep like we did on Tuesday? There were too, too many lights as we tried to reach our local Wally World. The milk, orange juice and oatmeal we thought we needed? Cancelled. We learned.

Y'all know, after all of this time, I'm not able to post pictures. TLC is our Official Photo Editor. (Maybe I'll learn that in 2013?) I'll see if I can't get her to share a few of my special ones in the next few days. Until then...imagine me with a sad/melancholy/pathetic look in my eyes. I cannot wait until LL's next Trip to the Country. Sigh.

ta-ta for now...

Saturday, August 18, 2012

A Yummy For Y'all

We can thank Lauren for my Fabulous Weekend Yummy! She sent me a text two weeks ago with a Target snack suggestion: Archer Farms Habanero Pineapple Dip on Wheat Thins!

I promptly requested my Errand Assistant (aka: ELC) make a quick trip to my local Target to pick these up for us. Because I'm all about SNACKS. (Must have them -- for Little Leighton, you know. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.) 

ELC picked up the dip and a box of the Reduced Fat Wheat Thins. I chose to not take that personally. We added a little something else to this divine treat idea: Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese! Who doesn't love love LOVE cream cheese? Seriously.


So my Snack Assistant (yep -- ELC)  fixed each of us 8 little Wheat Thins with a smidge (literally an itty-bitty smidge) of whipped cream cheese topped by a teeny-tiny dollop of the habanero dip. Get ready for the burn -- this dip is spicy, y'all! 

I've made the decision to temporarily put on hold all things super hot in a respectful nod to supplying nourishment to my LL. ELC has vowed to save me some of the dip. OR buy me a new jar in a few weeks. 

Get Thee to the nearest Target and purchase some of this dip! If you DARE. LOL.

Have a Wonderful Weekend, Friends!

Smooches.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Home Away From Home

So I'm back at TLC's casa for three nights/four days. Little Leighton is... wait for it......... still ADORABLE. I feel the shock waves as I type. I'm continuing to learn this Little Family's (LF) home/routine/preferences/tastes. 

My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I helped TLC and Her Sweet Hubby (HSH) move to this new (new to them!) home three years ago in September. (Because TLC apparently believes we just LOVE packing boxes and moving said boxes etc. down three flights of stairs. Yes. Yes, yes she does. We did this four times in five years. She lived in three apartments that were on the third floor before moving here. Sheesh.) Since making this sweet house their home, I've visited mucho. Mostly for the day. In fact, I'd guess, before the arrival of Little Leighton, I'd spent less than ten nights in their Guest Room.

However, since July 17th, I've spent eighteen nights here. 18. In this comfy room:



I have two more nights to go on this week's Grammy-ing Visit. I positively adore every single second with my LF. I learn something new about each one of them every go-round.  

Little Mama? Funnier than ever. Creative. Developing amazing patience each passing minute. A FABULOUS  Mom. Seriously. 

HSH? Funny, too. Very. Willing to change every diaper he's asked to change. Learning to be the BEST DAD Ever.

Little Leighton? Smart. Precious. Feisty -- when necessary. Sometimes when not necessary.

Yesterday TLC and I had to take Little Leighton back to the hospital where she was born for a second PKU blood test. Whatever that is. They "stab" (TLC's word) her heel with a needle and then drain her blood onto a card. Five little dots. Doesn't seem like it would be traumatic. It is. For about three minutes. Little Leighton screamed and had lots of real tears. Broke our hearts. When it was over, she went right back to sleep. Here's what she looked like after her late lunch:


TLC and I are dreading this afternoon when we watch the (DVR-ed) last episode of The Closer. We feel extremely verklemped. Please talk amongst yourselves while we try to compose ourselves. 

Well, it's hopeless. Better scoot.

HUGS and WISHES for a WONDERFUL Week!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Gold Medal Grammy-ing

I (ELC—aka Big Mama—and if I don’t quit eating DQ Mini Blizzards and Braums’ Mixes, that is literally going to be what I am—a very BIG Mama) came home three days ago from my eleven nights of HEAVEN at Little Mama’s Casa. We’d gotten into a comfy routine that I hated to leave. But My Sweet Hubby (MSH)—not to mention Teddy Buddy Boo Bear and Mortimer—needed some attention. Bless their little hearts.

Since I arrived late Friday afternoon, I’ve done eight loads of laundry, cleaned three commodes (MSH doesn’t refuse to do much at our home—he does, however, despise this job. I, on the other hand, would rather clean commodes than dust. Go figure.) and bathrooms, vacuumed, dusted, paid some bills, watched some TV (One of my newest fav shows? Junk Gypsies.), eaten some of MSH's fabulous meals and slept. For more than three hours at a time! (Sorry, Little Mama. I realize you won’t be able to say this for several months. Welcome to The Joys of Parenthood.)

Thought I’d catch y’all up on some of my recent observations. I know how much y’all wait for these. Yes, yes you do.

The Olympics. Is it just me, or do y’all feel like The BIGGEST SLUGS ON EARTH when you watch the Olympics? Not because I could ever have been a gymnast (As a child, I dreaded even having to do somersaults—YUCK), or a rower, or a swimmer or diver (How in the world does one become brave enough to dive from those platforms—twisting and turning the entire time?). Never did I even consider learning any of these sports. (I wasn’t a bad swimmer—but I was scared to death to jump off the “high” dive.) What, then, makes me feel like the laziest person ever? The Olympians' dedication. Commitment. Passion. Determination. Their fantastic attitudes. I must have been at the Sonic getting a Mini Blast when these honorable qualities were passed out. I can’t think of anything that has ever made me so dedicated and committed I would devote hours and hours, days, weeks, months and years to perfect my performance. Well, maybe laying on the couch and watching TV. Or reading. I can get pretty determined to lie on said couch indefinitely. I’m grateful I don’t have to wear a bikini-thingy like those beach/sand volleyball chicks to do this semi/quasi “sport.” Or risk breaking my neck—like the cRaZy peeps on the parallel bars. I’m begging Little Mama and Her Sweet Hubby (HSH) to pinky swear Little Leighton will only be allowed to participate in Spelling Bees and music—like piano or violin playing. These seem acceptable/safe/interesting enough to moi. Right?

Men. In becoming a temporary member of Little Mama’s household for twelve days, I re-discovered that most men watch WEIRD stuff on TV. HSH is no exception. We cracked up constantly as he found the most wacky shows imaginable with which to become enthralled. What is it that makes men so intrigued by bizarre and random entertainment (I use the word “entertainment” very loosely)? Granted, he, like MSH, is also interested in being current on national, world and sports' news and is equally (almost) content watching HGTV. Even some Food Network shows. Still. It’s a mystery.

Babies. No matter how many new-fangled items/objects creative/smart people come up with to make raising babies easier/smoother, babies still require the same amount of love, affection, attention, commitment (Hmmm, yes, exactly like the commitment of an Olympian!), and dedication as they always have. From the beginning of time.

BY THE WAY: Little Mama cannot even imagine how I coped without most of her modern baby innovations/inventions. She has the most amazing products to help her and HSH raise Little Leighton virtually effortlessly. Even the diapers inform you, now, when the baby is wet (by a strip that turns from green to blue!). She’s got a video monitor and two different items that make the noise Little Leighton heard while in Little Mama’s womb. (I kind of think that heartbeat just confuses her.) TLC’s got her iPhone to document every fabulous moment—either by picture or video. She’s got Baby 411—a great book written by several contributors that answers every conceivable question one could ever think of involving infants/babies/toddlers. She’s got blogs and Bing and magazines to refer to with her Inquiry du Jour. Or, more accurately, du Minute. She has sweet friends that can give her advice—almost immediately—through text-messaging. Yet all of these wonderful resources and conveniences can’t do away with Little Mama’s exhaustion. Or her constant worries and fears. These seem to be universal. And timeless. As they should be.

In Texas, we’re trying to stay cool. We’re praying to Almighty God to bless us with the elusive rain we so desperately need. We’re rootin' for The Texas Rangers in these here parts (Come on, Guys—get it together—PLEASE!). As well as for America and our incredible Olympians.

I must scoot…I'll be heading back to Little Mama’s in a couple of hours for several more days of Grammy’s Nanny-ing/Housekeeping/Grocery Shopping/Taxi-Driving/Errand Running Services. My new favourite jobs!

xoxxooxxxooo

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Sigh. . .

I worked for two days (okay -- about 30 minutes each day) on what was a brilliant post. It was bright. Thought-provoking. Important. Then this morning, as Little Mama TLC and Little Leighton slept, I was checking/editing it. Suddenly it was deleted. Gone. Not sure what I hit on this iPhone -- I assume that dadgum trashcan thingy -- but all of my time and hard work? No longer evident. Cruddy-dud. 

Now I simply don't have the energy (okay -- or the brain cells) to attempt to remember and recreate the amazingness of that post. So I'll just say this:

BABIES ROCK!!!


Sleeping Beauty

Grammy and Pa-Dad love their Little Leighton!

Henry isn't quite sure what to think when LL gets the hiccups!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday Wherever in the World you are! (Unless it's already Thursday for you. Is that even possible?) 

ta-ta for now. . .