Lake Fun...almost

Last weekend we went to Smith Lake with our friends Ross & Rev. We enjoyed the airshow that we hung around for over an hour for (thanks Billy for getting the time right on that. not. {kisses}). Anyway, we were having a great time, cruising to Ryan's Creek Marina when the boat dies. After going and dying it wouldn't start going again. Just died. Luckily we were close to the marina. Unfortunately, no close enough and we had to have someone tow us in. Long story short, Rev & I along with all the kids waiting while they ended up going to get our cars. Now you know why it looks like our kids have been in a terrible trauma with all the mosquito bites they have on their legs.

Anyway, onto the pics.
He gets so sleepy on the boat. He loved the water this time, stayed in for a while!

She *loves* Hudson..almost as much as Anna loves to smother, I mean love him.
Yesterday we went to the park. Not 10 minutes after being there, it started pouring rain. I let them play in it, and they really had a great time. I enjoyed watching them. Nothing will relax you more than a baby sleeping in the backseat, the sound of rain on your car, and watching your girls play and have fun with each other.
There was no convincing Anna she didn't have to wear her ear plugs to just play in the water. To her water+Anna=earplugs.
Don't let Tatum fool you, she had a good time.

Just an fyi, if you are ever at a park playing and your younger child stumbles up on my daughters, they will take over being the mama. I didn't get a picture of it, but the girls went over to the slides and play area. I had to tell them over and over to put the smaller kids down.

Weekend...I'm trying to convince Billy to finish the room in the basement. Any bets on if it will or won't happen?

My sweet boy is 8 months

Ok...so technically last Saturday (Adventure day) he turned 8 months old. And virtually over night look what he learned to do:
technically I know this is a bad picture seeing as it's blurry...but I need double a batteries (do you go through as many double a's as we do? I'm thinking we have a double a eating monster at my house) for my flash and I didn't have a lot of light to work with. Even my 50mm 1.4 couldn't save this one.

But man he sure is cute, isnt he?

At 8 months:

• He's rolling all over the place.
• Getting up on his knees and rocking back & forth as if he's going to take off at any minute
• Saying "Da da" although I'm really denying it as he's looking at ME and saying it not Billy. Sometimes he'll throw a "mamamama" out there to hear me squeal. And he does mean that.
• He's smiling and laughing, a lot.
• He squeals and screams every time Anna puts her hands on him.
• He eats 2-3 jars of baby food a day. Sweet Potatoes is his favorite.
• One to two juice bottles, this has helped with the potty problems. Apple is his favorite.
• He still can't cereals without vomitting.
• I tried to give him formula about a week ago. First time was a hit. Second time he vomited for about an hour afterward.
• Loves his baths, pool, and any water warm enough.
• Sleeping good (WOOT) up one time a night, usually around 2:00am.
• Nurses every 3-4 hours.
• Has 5 teeth!
• Wearing a size 3 shoe.
• Wears a 9-12 month clothes (although I do cram him in some really cute 6mo stuff sometimes).
• Sitting up and playing with toys.
  

Adventure Day!

This past Saturday we had Adventure Day! It was actually Member Day and if you were a member of certain organizations you could get into places all over the Birmingham area...for FREE! So we packed up the kids and headed out for what I named Adventure Day. Going to places we'd never been before.

First up, the Southern Museum of Flight. The kids didn't want to go there...I did. I won. After they got there, they really enjoyed it. There was a lot of reading to it so I don't think little kids would enjoy it as much. Actually, Anna & Will wouldn't stop long enough to read anything. We had to tell them what everything was.

Just for Tatum

Second up, Sloss Furnaces. The kids didn't want to go there either. Turned out, this ended up being their favorite! Did you know that Sloss is one of the scariest places earth? I can see why!
Fright Furnace Haunted Places to Go

Third, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. *I* wanted to go there, kids didn't. We didn't stay long seeing as Anna & Will were playing tag around the place.
Bear Bryant's houndstooth hat who wouldn't want to see that.
(One month, one week and 5 days til Alabama's football season starts. Not that I'm keeping up with that or anything)

Fourth, Birmingham Zoo

We had lots of fun


I love these series of pictures of Will...



Next we went to Homewood Park to wait until it got dark. The kids had a great time running around. We felt like doing what Hudson was doing...
Me & Billy were struggling.
Will & Anna however, was not.

Around 8:00 we headed to Vulcan Park to check out the scene of Birmingham from the Vulcan. Absolutely beautiful!
Great shot of Vulcan's butt...what am I going to do with a baby in a sling and no flash?


To top the day off, there was a wedding at the Vulcan. No we didn't crash it. But we did sit off to where you couldn't see us and enjoyed the 80's music and Anna dancing to it.

It was really a wonderful day. To Quote Will, "Adventure Day whooped me" he said while rubbing his eyes on the way home.

Next up..Poker Run @ Smith Lake.

And...Tatum coming home. Yay! She's been at the beach for 2 weeks and I miss her. a lot.

July 4th beach trip

Catch up time... LOTS of photos ahead.

The kids and I spent 10 days at the beach, and it was wonderful! Billy,Will, and my in-laws joined us for the 1st weekend and we had a great 4th together. Watching the fireworks on the beach.... so much fun! Celebrating the 4th! (I think this was Billy's personal hell) Tatum's pink shorts...just know I choose my battles...this wasn't one of them. Everyone looking forward and smiling was... Are we going to end up on Awkward Family Photos?

Our whole family (my parents in the red, Billy's parents in the gray, my sister & fam in white, Will in light blue)

No, they haven't killed Hudson...he fell asleep.

I also got some with the kiddos with a nice beachy backdrop (the matching shirts was enough for Billy...he would have no part in these. boo.)

I know Madelyn is wondering why I didn't post any pics of me & her and her & her family...because I was waiting on your approval. Although I liked them all, my guess, she wouldn't like the ones I posted. During the week. I took Tatum to see My Sister's Keeper. I just have to ask the movie making people...why why why change the book? The book was perfect. The ending was what MADE the book. Why change it? PS, Tatum and I both cried for 2 hours. (she'd kill me if she knew I confessed that, it would ruin her hard, mean image she's trying to uphold). Me & the girls also went and played "Goofy Golf". Anna proclaimed she was the winner, because she had the highest score and all. Have I ever mentioned she ALWAYS wins? We visited Eden Gardens state park. BEAUTIFUL. Tatum swore up and down that Forest Gump was filmed there. The kids on the dock of the bayou

The rest of the time was beach beach beach I told Anna to give me a sassy pose I have no idea what this is...but it was funny. The staple pose: Ever wonder what Billy would look like as a girl? Well, here you go.... My eldest sassy girl

Anna's newest staple pose...

Something tells me that Superman's mom didn't make him wear a sunhat : )

and just an fyi...if you send an entire week holding your son, don't be surprised when you drop him in at daycare (since your mom is staying at the beach for a few weeks)and they call you to tell you he's cried all day. Especially when you go so far to take him to the dr to see if something is wrong with him and she diagnoses him as being "rotten". Gee thanks...I spent $25 for someone to tell me he's spoiled rotten. Hmm...does this face look rotten to you? (btw, the count is 5 teeth now. 2 up top, 2 on the bottom)

Hmmm...maybe I did hold him for a solid week...the sling that he now has taken up residency in. Wait...I wasnt the only one doing the spoiling...that would be grandma who also had a hand in it. Next up....Adventure Day 2009!