Playing with Daddy's hat

William swiped Daddy's hat from his flight suit.

Career Day at Columbus Air Force Base, MS

Career Day continued...

Letter to Santa...

I'm not sure if it's tacky or helpful, but I decided to post William's letter to Santa on the blog.  I've been getting the question of what to get William for Christmas, and we know Santa can't handle such a big list.  Besides, if this Mom ever gets to finish William's photo book, it'll help to have his first letter saved. 

Updates from Mommy:  Dear Santa, I received a call that these things were taken care by your elves..

1. bike

William's First Hair Cut: 16 months, 1 week, & 4 days

Mommy's still trying to get used to this one!  The two of us are still stuck inside with runny noses and ear infections, and Daddy is hoping not to get it.  William is into EVERYTHING and Barney is about to fly out the window.  Here are a few pictures...

...a Mommy and a long haired boy in the house for 3 days straight, one pair of hair scissors found in the drawer, and flu-like symptoms.  Mommy let go of the need for pictures at the barber shop and tried it herself (just a little too short on the bangs).

Big Boy Bedding FOUND...

For about 10 months now, I've been gawking at these two bedding sets, wishing they would go on sale at a low enough price for me to buy one of them.  You may remember the Tea Collection outfit from last Winter/Spring:  The one with blue, brick red, brown, and white that we decided to model William's big boy room after.  Well, I had found these two beauties to complete that inspiration.  Last week, I recieved an email about a private sale, and bought the Nate duvet and euro sham for William's big boy room.  It's a full/queen but it's going on a twin because I don't believe little boys should have bed skirts.  The quality is better than I imagined, and I was so happy, SO HAPPY, to find something that looks "little boy enough to do the toddler years and not too little to last until he's about 12 or so.  Is it bad that I'm ready to move again just so we can set up a big boy room for when he's ready?!?!?

I Am A Military Wife

Author Unknown

I am a military wife - a member of that sisterhood of women who have had the courage to watch their men go into battle, and the strength to survive until their return. Our sorority knows no rank, for we earn our membership with a marriage license, travelling over miles, or over nations to begin a new life with our military husbands. Within days, we turn a barren, echoing building into a home, and though our quarters are inevitably white-walled and unpapered, we decorate with the treasures of our travels, for we shop the markets of the globe.

Using hammer and nail, we tack our pictures to the wall, and our roots to the floor as firmly as if we had lived there for a lifetime. We hold a family together by the bootstraps, and raise the best of ’brats’, instilling in them the motto: "Home is togetherness", whether motel, or guest house, apartment or duplex. As military wives we soon realize that the only good in "Good-bye" is the "Hello again". For as salesmen for freedom, our husbands are often on the road, at sea, or in the sky, leaving us behind for a week, a month, an assignment.


During separations we guard the home front, existing until the homecoming. Unlike our civilian counterparts, we measure time, not by years, but by tours - married at Petawawa, a baby born at Gagetown, a special anniversary at Uplands, a promotion in St Jean. We plant trees, and never see them grow tall, work on projects completed long after our departure, and enhance our community for the betterment of those who come after us.

We leave a part of ourselves at every stop. Through experience, we have learned to pack a suitcase, a car or hold baggage, and live indefinitely from the contents within: and though our fingers are sore from the patches we have sewn, and the silver we have shined, our hands are always ready to help those around us. Women of peace, we pray for a world in harmony, for the flag that leads our men into battle, will also blanket them in death.

Yet we are an optimistic group, thinking of the good, and forgetting the bad, cherishing yesterday, while anticipating tomorrow. Never rich by monetary standards, our hearts are overflowing with a wealth of experiences common only to those united by the special tradition of military life. We pass on this legacy to every military bride, welcoming her with outstretched arms, with love and friendship, from one sister to another, sharing in the bounty of our unique, fulfilling military way of life.

Mommy Meltdown Solution: Just Vacuum it Up!

When you say "I do" to a guy who dream of being a pilot in the military (and in the military in general), I don't think you really know what you're getting yourself into. At least, not until you've lived it! Then, you think, "Let’s have a baby!" Again, how you thought it would go in your brain isn't how it goes at all.  It's a different story for you than for your friend who has her Mom or family to take the baby now then, giving you some time to yourself.  I get a break at nap time or when my husband can spare some time from his busy schedule - usually not until the weekend if he's not studying and rarely no more than a few minutes during the week.  Am I complaining, absolutely, because I don't think others realize what military wives and people in similiar situations go through. For type-A women - yes, I finally consider myself a woman after all that I've lived (no longer a young lady or a girl), it seems realizing that things aren't how we "planned" it a little harder to accept and adjust to accordingly. You see, "this was how it was supposed to go!!! I'm supposed to be able to do this - possibly even it all."
Last night, I had another awakening. I was planning on making stir-fry, so I went to the store to grab a couple of things off of my list, of course. When I got home, I pulled the pot out to make rice, and no rice. Ok. How bad do I need this? Well, no rice, no stir-fry. Decision made: We have to go back to the store for rice. William begins to wine (his new favorite noise when he wants anything). I took my deep breath, thought, if I have him a snack while we go to the store, we can do this. Alright, grab the bag of strawberry wheat-nutons and go: I'm proud of myself for stepping back and assessing the situation then finding a solution. When we got home for the second time, I heated up green beans from the night before and put them on the table for William to eat while I finish dinner. He decided to turn the plate over, so I corrected him and returned them to the plate. After the second time, I thought, "I'm not fighting that battle, no harm in eating them off the table, go ahead." He started putting them in his lap, no problem. He started putting them on the floor, no problem. I can't believe I'm letting him doing this, but again, I'm not picking that battle tonight. Did I mention I have the flu with all the fixin's??? William begins asking for the green beans on the floor (aka wining for them), and I decide they're staying there until Casey gets home. By this point in the day, he's had his serving of fruit, meat, & whole grains. He needs the rest of his vegetables and milk. This one's hard for me because I make sure he gets all of these each day, but I think, other kids don't, it won't hurt you. I put Cheerios on the table for him. I continue cooking and checking on him, and the Cheerios start making their way to the floor in fistfuls & he starts fussing. I walk back into the kitchen with my already running nose and the tears start to fall...When is Casey coming home? Do you think I could call a family member to drive 5.5 hours? When is this flu going to go away? I hate that this makes my back and neck hurt even worse. Why didn't I take the chicken & rice soup and throw the marinated chicken away? William starts to cry.....INHALE, EXHALE, INHALE, EXHALE....I CAN do this! I walked to the back, got out the vacuum, comforted him, and started cleaning the floor. I had a flash of Michael Keaton from an 80's movie vacuuming up after the kids' breakfast. What the heck!?!? It's allover your lap, I'll vacuum that too. And in your seat, and on your butt, and on your leg and hands, and the table too!!! I just vacuumed it all up. I wiped his hands down and mouth and he was happy to be out of his seat. PROBLEM SOLVED and dinner finished.
I never dreamed of being that kind of Mom, but you know what, it worked, and I did what I needed to do. I'm sure I won't make it a habit, but I was invigorated with finding a solution to my meltdown. I had a happy baby and was a happier Mommy.

William's 1st Pumpkin Carving - Mickey Mouse

Daddy started carving the pumpkin, and when he lifted the top to show Will the insides, Will's jaw dropped.  Then, Daddy went to work!  "Mop" and "Da-Da" put a light in the Mickey pumpkin and William smiled.  When we sat him next to it, he was more interested in picking Mommy's flowers.

It's time for William's 1st Hair Cut: We are just having a hard time bringing ourselves to do it.

Book Worm Videos

A Lion at the Pumpkin Patch

We headed to the Pumpkin Patch with our LUNA Mom's group.  It was William and Mommy's third time there, but we had a good time like always.  Daddy didn't go to work until later in the morning, so William had a little time with him before.

Colson Country Farms Pumpkin Patch

Today, our LUNA Mom's play group went to the Pumpkn Patch at Colson Farms in Caldonia, MS.  It was great!  The  kids had so much fun playing with the pumpkins and running around the property.  There were even wagons to pull the little ones.  William immediatley ran up to  the cinderella pumpkins and began hugging them, trying to pick them up like he does my fake pumpkins at home.  He was adorabley straining,
"uh!"  We paid a dollar each to ride the hay ride, which was very relaxing for the moms but apparently a little scary for some of the kids.  Some of the kids held on tho their moommy's pants, and Willliam held my hand.  After a little while, they began to play with the hay.  We finished off, playing with the corn bins.  William wasn't sure about it at first but after he got comfortable in it, he allowed his legs to be burried and even tried to lay in it. I thought it was better than sand.  The little John Deer tractors were great too:  I can't wait till he can fit on them. It was hard to decide how many and which kind of pumpkins to get.  There were so many to eat and ornamental.  The huge pumpkins are really huge and great, and their prices were so inexpensive too! I'm excited to go back an take pictures in our costumes on later in the month.

PUMPKIN LOVE

William LOVES (and that's an understatement) to read. I would have to say his favorite book is, Where Is Baby's Pumpkin? He will literally have us read it over 10 times in a row. He gets excited to flip the pages. His second favorite is another flap book, What Does Baby Do? I am only putting this one second because he doesn't ask us to read it as many times in a row.

The first time William saw a pumpkin was in the grocery store. He grinned ear to ear and asked to hold it. When I took out my decorative pumpkins, he was excited and began carrying them. We bought him a real pumpkin, and he bit into it. Pumpkins simply seem to make him smile.

LSU v MSU

Maw and Paw came to visit, and Daddy and Paw went to see LSU beat MSU. 

Almost 15 Months & Facing Forward

William is 23 pounds and can face forward in his seat. I had planned on leaving him rear facing as long as I could, but he is much happier forward facing - happy baby means happy mommy.

I love being a mommy.

Tonight, I stood in a store and waited in line. I didn't have a chance to fix my hair again, so it was in pony tail. My sweet baby wrapped his little arms around my neck, squeezed tight, and patted me on the back of my shoulder. He moved to the other side, smiling, and did it again. And again. And again... When he would lean into me, my frizzy hair would tickle his cheek and neck, making him giggle. We came home, and I gave him a bath. He smiled as we went through our routine of washing his hair, lying down to wash the rest, rinsing his hair, and turning over to finish the other side. Giggling, he tried to drink the water, so I patted his mouth and told him "no." Of course, he did it again laughing louder and deeper each time. Dressing him, he giggles and sticks his piggies in my nose to sniff them. I tell him they are stinky. He giggles more when I pretend to eat them. He's almost dressed in his pajamas. He takes off as soon as he gets to his feet - smiling when I catch him. Now the footsies are on and zipped. He heads out of his room but turns around to stay with his mommy. We hold hands down the hall as he stumbles and leads with his right foot, left foot following behind. When it is time to go to sleep, I start to rock him, and he little head pops up. He sits on my lap holding my hands as we rock. We make silly faces at each other, and he gives me kisses - biting my lips and slobbering his little lips around mine. Then, he puts his little head on my chest and snuggles up before he lies down in my arms. He babbles at me and then sticks his fingers in my eyes, nose, and mouth before slowly closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. Sometimes singing works, sometimes humming...Noise or no noise, nothing else matters. Tonight, I realized that the things I wish I could change about myself physically gave comfort or joy to William. He can wrap his little arms around my neck because I have it up in a boring pony tail; my frizzy hair tickles his cheek; my cushy arm provides a soft place to rest his head; and when he lays on my chest, I can feel his little heart beating next to mine.

I'm blessed to be a mommy. I never imagined I would have so many happy moments every day.

13.5 months: One year from William's Due Date

Mommy thought it would be neat to weigh William today (and wonderful if he was over 23lbs and could face forward in his car seat). Today, William was 22lbs, so we will have to remain patient. As of today, his vocabulary consists of...

• Da-Da
• Dog
• Book
• Ball
• Blueberry (what he calls both blueberries and grapes; it's not clear but it is what it is)
• Ba-Ba (bottle)
• Uh-Oh
• Up
• Down
• Bear
• I only get a "Mama" when he's upset, but he says, "Mmmm," from when we work on it.
• Of course, he barks because he loves Oliver and Ranger! He also sniffs when we ask what the Puppy Dog says and pokes out his tongue when he sees Ranger panting.

I hope I don't forget anything since I am using this blog to fill in his baby book :-)

Did I mention that he is amazing?!

Walking to Running

As of 8 am this morning, I think I can definitely say William has the running thing down. Now if I can only get to downloading all of the videos off the video camera to tape it.

Walking at Almost 13 Months

William stopped wanting to walk after the 10 steps on Thursday. On Friday, we went to the kiddie pool and toughened his legs. Saturday, the Splash Pad sparked his interest again as he watched the other kids run through the sprinklers.

8 steps & trying it on his own

William is up to 8 steps and is trying on his own to walk. He stands up and tries to walk across the room by his self. He started off trying to walk towards Mommy buy is now attempting to walk to where he wants to go. He just walked from the exersaucer to the desk. It's truly AMAZING, wonderful, cute, and surreal.

12.5 months, walking 5 steps, and eating from a spoon!

William had a BIG day today! He took 5 steps unassisted AND learned to eat from a spoon by himself. Check out the videos of him cruising with his tractor and eating sweat potatoes by himself!

Can I just say even a year later, I still think God should have had Mommies become octopus once they give birth. As I'm posting this, my little monkey has quickly climbed up the rocking chair beside me - just to see out the window at a higher level.

love a proud mommy :-)

Growing Big and Strong

I think Will was happy to be home. After Casey put up his new toy bins, he had something new to climb on. A few days later, he realized he could see in by standing on his toes, but he still tries to climb on it now and then. We also found him an activity table for his birthday gift, but it would only fit in the car if the second row was flat. We'll have to wait until we get a truck or someone visits with one.

William is 1 year old.

Today, William turned one. He had a good day playing with his friends Ethan and Millie and enjoyed his first chocolate pudding. We also did a hand print.

William's 1st Birthday Party

1st Birthday Party continued...

One year old in 5 days...

• 21 pounds
• walking holding one hand
• smiling all of the time
• claps for patty-cake
• gives high five
• sits and stands on command
• gives hugs and pats Mommy and Daddy on the back
• Not so sure about Oliver anymore
• gives sweet eyes
• sings
• gives kisses and eskimo kisses
• loves to jump
• tries to climb out of pack n play
• puts Mommy's hat box down and stands on it to see out the window or on top of the table
• climbs into child recliner and tries to climb on adult furniture
• loves going under Mommy and Daddy
• signs "more" & "hat"
• currently cutting his 6th tooth
• loves helping Mommy make the bed and digging in everything
• understands in & out and up & down
• wants to hold his own bottle or sippy cup

Shake it, William!

I can drink sitting down.

We've been working on drinking from a sippy cup for a while. William could hold it and drink from it if we tilted his body back, and he could drink from it if we held it while he sat. Finally, today, he's able to hold the cup or a bottle and drink while he's sitting in his booster seat. My baby boy is getting big and independent!

Little Frog in his Frog pool

Ouch, Oli!

William received his first bite or scratch from Oliver this morning. He was playing with a shape near the laundry room door (a.k.a. Oliver's room), and before I could catch him, he stuck his little hand under the door and Oliver "got" him. William was heart-broken, but he seems to be enjoying the band-aid around his little finger.

Later this morning, William discovered how to stand on the box to see out the window a little bit better.

Bed Scare

Casey and I woke up this morning to a THUMP and a THUD. William usually ends up in the bed with us by the morning, and this morning, that came to an end. We think he woke up and tried to play with the elastic on the sheet, because we woke up to find him on his back with his head close to the bed. He cried for a little while. We tried comforting him in bed, and he went right to the edge of the bed and began playing with the elastic. There is carpet in our room that padded his fall, but a foot to the side would have provided a carpet and rug pad. Least to say, our entire morning and lunch was spent at the clinic and the ER - no bumps, bruises, abnormal behavior, or differencing in his pupils.

At 10 and a half months, William is 2o pounds, 8 ounces and 28 3/4 inches.

New Car Seat

We finally decided on a car seat: William fits great in it and seems very comfortable. Best of all, there's lots of room to grow! Here is Wi

Mother's Day & Juliet's 1st Birthday Party

...more to come...

4th tooth!

Last week, William's 3rd tooth peeped through, and between yesterday and today, the 4th one did too. Now, it really hurts when he bites! His cheesy smile will be changed for ever :-)

Blah Blah Blah Blah

Stuck in the Shelf

The things parents do to their children...

Daddy cut out a "W" for the wall in William's room and was painting it in the front yard. Since it was chilli, Mommy put on the puppy suit. One thing let to another, and we got this...

...another little blessing in daily life.

Roscoe The Tiger

Baby Boy in a Pirate Bubble

Can I have the camera Mom?

Hey! Hey! William's First Word

This afternoon, William and Mommy were cleaning up our new running stroller. Auntie Kecia sent it to us last weekend, and we are so excited to start using it. Ranger was on the porch, and William told him, "Hey!" I haven't been sleeping and thought it was just my imagination. In the evening, William was very excited to see Oliver in the kitchen: He tuned around in my arms jumping towards Oli. He then blurted out "Hey!" and began waving his hand and arm at Oliver repeating "Hey!" We've been drilling in "Mommy" and "Da-da,"but no, Oliver and Ranger are the main attractions :-)

Cozy Puppy in the Snow (First Snow)

When we opened the windows this morning, we found a wonderful surprise - SNOW! Mommy took a few pictures while it still flurried (last 2 pics). Then, we had breakfast, and after William's morning nap, we went outside to play. The snow had already begun to melt, but it was still lots of fun.

8 Months Old: Daddy Flys Solo & William Laughs

Baby William is 8 months old today. He had a good day giving Mommy kisses this morning, smiling and playing as soon as he woke up, watching Daddy get dunked after his solo, and playing with his friends in the afternoon. Here are videos of William playing with Mommy and Daddy - Zerberts and Hair - two of the world's funniest things. The pictures following are of Daddy getting dunked after his solo flight. Go Daddy!

Daddy Flys Solo

I know we have quite a few updates to make. With baby William needing both arms to comfort him, Mommy has slacked on the blog.

However, guess what???? Casey is scheduled to fly Solo today on the T6. If everything goes alright with the schedule, he should fly later this afternoon. Mommy and Baby William will get to go watch. Of course, I'm bringing my camera :-)

Stay tuned for pictures...

A TOOTH!!!! 7 months & 2 weeks

Today, we noticed William's first tooth peeping through. It's just a speck of white, but it's there. Oh, and there's no way we'll be able to get a picture. He's tightening up his lips when we pull his lip down to see :-)

Proud Mommy & Daddy

William has been battling a runny nose, cough, and congestion since we came back from Louisiana: His mouth is open in almost every photo.

TV Head

A First: William Playing Peek-A-Boo

"Good Morning. Good Morning, Sunshine!" William smiles like he does every day. Sometimes, William plays in his bed while Mommy gets ready for the day, but this morning, William began playing Peek-A-Boo on his own.

Baby Boy - 7 Months Old

If you know William, you know he's a bit bashful. He smiles at you and then hides his face. He has also recently discovered his piggies and feet can go into his mouth.

If you've seen some of our videos, you've seen William kicking Mommy and laughing. It's still entertaining and has gotten even funnier. This is William reaching followed by snapshots of his facial expressions when he tries to "get" Mommy. He reaches, reaches...did he get her? Yes! He got her! Ha...Ha...Ha

William Playing in His Room

This little romper is our color pallet for William's big boy room (which will not be for quite some time but hey, you've got to plan these things, right). We had already decided on a Vintage American Style, but instead of using primary colors, we're going with the colors in his Tea romper - a soft blue, rustic red, white and a touch of kaki.

UPDATE: William's 6 month check up showed he was not gaining enough weight. Since then, we've reduced the amount of cereal he's consuming. Yesterday, we had a follow-up and found he had gained almost 2 pounds. He weighed 16.4 pounds.

William rolling on the floor with Croc the Zoobie, eating Croc, and letting Mommy know that he's tired of playing on the floor.

2009: Becoming more like Daddy

...and growing hair. This is one of Mommy's favorite views - a little round head and scrumptious little ears.

6 Month Check-up

Since Paw PeeWee's funeral is Friday, I moved William's 6 month well baby visit to today. His head has been growing but not the rest of him. His head measured 18 inches, length 25 inches, and weight 14.6 pounds. Apparently, I've been giving him too muchh rice cereal, so after a week of increasing his calories (without so much cereal), we'll go back for a weigh in. William also received his immunizations and hasn't been feeling so well since.

Grandparents

Mommy's Paw Paw PeeWee passed away last night joining Grandmaw. Paw Paw PeeWee - What can you say other than a smile? I hope when William gets older, well, his hand is grabbed and not let go :-)

Daddy never had a chance to meet his grandparents: Mommy's adopted him. We think it's important Baby William knows his Maw, Paw, Me-Maw, Poppa, and Emmy.

William's 1st Christmas

New Things & More Pics

Mommy is backed up on her pictures: William has been teething & the website has been busy. Check out the backlog in January, and in the meantime watch our home video's by selecting the link on the top left of the blog. By the way, please excuse misspellings which usually result from a one-handed typing Mommy (there's a sleeping or eating baby boy in the other) :-)

Horsey Ride & Puppy Sniff

Scooting Tiggervar!!!!

Check out the video by selecting the link on the blog...

At 5 months and 4 weeks, I've learned how to push with my toes.

Brown OOMPA-Loompa

Under the Tree, The Razbaby, & Oliver...

Eating Cereal in his Booster

...Or trying to....

Learning Every Day....And Growing Fast

Pictures with Santa

One great thing in Air Force life is the fact they'll have lots of things for William to do as he gets older. The Youth Center had a Breakfast with Santa. We went to take pictures with Santa and watch the Dance and Karate classes put on shows. Santa gave William a Christmas bear, and best of all, he kind of looks like Paw Paw Calvin.

William's First Time with Cereal & Photos by the Tree

When you get your Christmas card, you'll see that he actually did smile, then cry, then smile, cry again, smile again, and then simply had enough. I can't reveal the good ones just yet... However, we've learned that holding a non-sitting infant in front of a tree for a picture is a 3 person job!

Fun Pants!

Great Auntie Nedra made William some fun pants - LSU, Monkeys, and Puppys! Here's William hanging out in a pair of LSU pants, and for sleepy time, a real Rocket Scientist outfit - a cool shirt and cool monkey pants.

I can roll over, and I'm not stopping there!

Mommy went into William's room for tummy time toys, and when she returned, William had already started. I guess it was exhausting because he kissed on the rooster a bit and fell asleep. (So, my new camera even shows his saliva! It's awesome.

Later that day, we went for William's check-up. He was 24.5 inches long and 14 pounds. The circumference of his head is 16.5 inches, which was his length at birth. He would be 4 months now if he had been carried full term, and he is in the 50th percentile for a 4 month old (he is currently 5.5 months). He caught up!

This afternoon, we bundled up and went to the Wassail Festival in downtown Columbus. Wassail is a mixture of juices and spices.

Still decorating for CHRISTMAS...

Cousin Brittany's Bridal Shower

Cousin Brittany is getting married in January, and we took pictures of her bridal shower at Maw's house. Here, Cousin Noah is 11 1/2 months, Cousin Juliet is 6 1/2 months, and William is 5 months.

William's 1st Thanksgiving - Thibodaux, LA

Flight Suit

Helping Daddy Study for Flight School

5 Months old & Daddy's First day of Flight School

Daddy put on his AF blues this morning, grabbed his flight suit, and headed infor his first day of flight school. Daddy's dream is coming true. As he drove away, two planes flew in the distance in a side by side formation.

Mommy and Daddy found our new family wheels in Birmingham instead of Atlanta: A 2006 Volvo XC90. Mommy always loved the Volvo wagon, but this is better! It seats seven or the seats will fold flat to fit Oli and Ranger. It burns the same amount of gas as our trailblazer; has leather, a sunroof, a center back seat that brings William closer to Mommy, comfortable lumbar seats (one more thing for Mommy's back); and best of all more room than the VW but not a big bus.

A big day for William. Not only did all of this happen on the day William turned 5 months old, but he also has officially grown out of his 0-3 month clothes and moved into his 3-6 month clothes. He is also moving up to the size 2 diapers today and had a new cousin born. He officially has 18 cousins: 11 on Daddy's side and 7 on Mommy's side.

Mommy and Daddy's 9th Anniversary

We spent part of the day together before Daddy went to work and had company over for gumbo (Mommy's getting back into cooking). We're planning to celebrate this weekend: We're planning on driving to Atlanta this Sunday to pick up our new family wheels and go out to eat.

Oompa-Loompa playing with his Piggies

Let me out!

Will & Daddy Laughing

Daddy Cam - Smiles

To the Left, To the Right...

William has been turning to the left in his activity center, and today, he turned to the right.

Daddy Cam - Thumbs

4 months, 3 weeks, & 3 days

Today, William weighed 13.6 pounds and measured 23.75 inches.

Happy Birthday, Poppa!

William tried on his 3-6 month clothes, but they are still big for him. Here, you can see the glow of William's daddy's cow-lick.

Happy Birthday, MeMaw!

William's First Marine Corps Birthday

Playing and Going for a Walk

William is ready for his afternoon walk in the chilli weather.

Snuggling in Mommy's neck while she downloads my pictures.

THIS IS HOW I ROLL...

William playing in his Activity Center. At first he could not touch the bottom.

William is learning how to roll over. He hasn't figured out how to move his arm out of the way. This was the first morning we found him trying this.

Playing in my Baby Einstein Activity Center

William loves his Activity Center! After a few days he was able to turn himself around. He just gets a bit frustrated when he cannot reach some of the toys.

Click the PLAY buttons to watch me :-)

Frustrated I can't roll over...

Sleepy Time

William's First Halloween

Getting ready for Halloween, unpacking, and practicing sucking my thumb...

Playing at my new house and walking in my new neighborhood

When he thought no one was looking, William concentrated on the piggy rattle and kicked it with his foot. We've also been going for walks in the afternoons to explore our new neighborhood.

Paw Joe

Paw passed away last night joining my Grandmother he lost long ago.

Root-Beer and Watermelon on the porch
Raw Sugar Cane
Peppermints
Did you know you can use papertowels everywhere? :-)
Old Glass bottles and the stories that came with them
$5 at Christmas
A box of old pictures: Will anyone else know all of the people in them?
Paw's Herb Garden

1st Move: Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi

Last Wednesday, the movers came to pack up our house. They packed all day and came back on Thursday to finish. Casey came down on Friday to get us, and we left on Sunday morning for our trip. Casey and Ranger rode in the truck with the things the movers could not take, and me, William, and Oliver followed in the car with the things we needed for that weekend. Our 5.5 hour drive lasted 10 hours with all of the stops we had to make to sooth William.
.
We filled up the entire 18-wheeler. We are allowed to move 12,000 pounds in the US. Casey took our weight system, BBQ pit, and files ahead of time, and our "house" weighed in at 11,000 pounds. Least to say, we are making a Garage Sale pile as we unpack the boxes, and we've decided we will not be buying anything for the house until after Casey gets out of the military. This stuff will just have to last for a while: If anything, I hope these things make each place we live feel like "home." I wish I had become a minimalist when we first got married.

Here are pictures of William playing with his Daddy at our new home.

Morning Smiles and an Afternoon Nap

Mommy caught William's smiles by putting the camera on top of her head. If it's easy to see, he just watches the camera. After some play time, William enjoyed a nap, and then a bit more play time with Baby Einstein while Mommy began preparing for their move. The movers are coming tomorrow. (Take note of William's feet.)

Laughing

We couldn't re-create it for a video or photo, but today William laughed out loud whenMeMaw pretended to sneeze. It was too sweet!

...still waiting on a moving date.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Cajun Baby - A Louisiana Tradition

Amazed by Baby Mozart

Baby Einstien has been a great filler for when Mommy needs to get dressed for the day, but I end up spending most of the time watching William watch the video. He gets excited and kicks his legs. Then, he occasionally CATCHES me watching him!

BOO!!!!

Alex, Emily, and Mary Kate BOO-ed Baby William!!! They left monster mix, a pumpkin onsie, and Halloween treats on our door step. Here is Baby William in his pumpkin onsie.

Last week, Mommy, Will, and Daddy spent the week in Mississippi to see where we'll soon be moving. William started talking to his animals, poking out his tongue, and laughing when we laugh at him.

Visiting Paw Joe

A few months before William was born, Great Paw PeeWee went into the nursing home. Ten days before William's birth, Great Grandmaw passed away. Then, shortly after William was born, Great Paw Joe also started having problems and went into the nursing home.

Visiting and Visitors

Poppa, William, Mommy, and Paw PeeWee

Today was Taunt Toot's Baby shower, so I stayed home with Dad while Mommy went visit Taunt Toot and, my friend, Reese (still in utero). Then, we went see Great Paw Pee Wee in the nursing home and took a picture with him and Poppa. I'm the fourth generation on Mommy's side. Cousin Brittany, Mr. Brad, and Cousin Juliet also came to visit. I think Mr. Brad likes to sleep on our couch: He has nap-time almost every visit :-)

Getting nippy outside...

We had a follow up appointment with his pediatritian for William's sinus bug. It turns out he simply has allergies. He was 11 pounds, 4 ounces.

A day in New Orleans...

Daddy finished IFS early and came home to see me. We spent one dayin New Orleans just enjoying the city and had dinner with Auntie Sam.

Playing with Me-Maw

Me-Maw spent the night again and stayed to play with me so Mommy could get some "Mommy things" done. I laughed and stretched and laughed again.

Poopy Diaries

Well, we went to the doctor again yesterday to figure out what is up with this sinus bug, and William's pediatrician gave Mommy a spray steroid to try to open his sinus', allowing all of the fluid to drain. It should start to work in about 3 days. He is still on the second antibiotic, and Mommy is ready for the poppy sprays to end. We are going through too many outfits and diapers to keep track of.

Today, Mommy, William, and Me-Maw met Auntie Kecia and Emily at the Mexican restaurant to eat and then go shopping. William had his first incident with Mexican food and didn't even eat any. He pooped while having his bottle and it went all over! It was up his back, on and in Mommy's shorts, and dripped down to the floor of the restaurant. Of course, Mommy carried him outside to change him in the car, and on the way back, Mommy was graced with lots of spit-up. I guess it's time to start carrying a change of clothes for Mommy too :-)

What's funny is if you knew Mommy before William came around, you would expect her to gag and be discusted at bodily explosions. Mommy laughs at these and doesn't mind: She puts it up to all part of being graced the title "Mommy." Daddy says Mommy looks like she "got hit by bird poo," but no, Daddy, it's just where William spit up on Mommy's shoulder.

Sincerely, Loving Motherhood

Some Day...

Some days I look like Mommy and some days I look like Daddy and some days I look like a Shake-N-Bake of the two.
Daddy had a "some day" today! He always dreamed that some day he'd get to FLY. Today, he flew solo for the first time. YEAH, DADDY! We are so proud of you. Mommy and I are glad to have you back on the ground :-)

Goofy Goofy Goofy

Before I came home from the hospital, my cousins Alexandria, Emily, and Mary Kate brought me a Goofy. Maw washed him for me, and my Uncle Carey had his eye on him (he likes Goofy like me and Mommy). Goofy's my best friend, and we hang out now and then. I've grown bigger than he is. Mommy says I've been growing over night!

Trying on my Halloween costume with Taunt Kassie

Aren't I a great turtle??? :-) I'll be 12 weeks old on Tuesday, yet the size of a 5.5 week old. By Halloween, this should fit pretty good. I'm growing so fast!!!!!

Hurricane IKE

Friday and Saturday Hurricane IKE moved towards Texas and hit near Galveston. We almost went stay at Poppa's again but decided to stay at home because the wind wasn't to bad...Thursday night and Friday. Friday night was another story: Mommy slept with her cell phone in her pocket and her head light wrapped on her arm - ready to grab me and to head to the bathtub for cover! We were under tornado watch, and it was scary. What was most frustrating is that the "local" news stationed didn't report on the local news. Bayou Time on HTV spent their nights complaining about government instead of letting the community know what was going on in the area during the storm. Of course all of the major stations reported on New Orleans and Galveston. Mommy's complaint about the storm is although Bobby Jindal better organized at the state level, the local level wasn't too organized. There is no reason we should still have toxic drinking water two weeks later and no reason people shouldn't know where to go to get food, water, and other supplies. I was thankful that the stations reported to go to such and such a website to get information when we had NO POWER. I sure thought one of the local radio stations would be the source for this information and be in the know from officials.

Cousin Juliet came to visit while the storm passed on Friday. She is 4 months old.

Gustav - Evacuation to Dallas & Germ Exposure

For Gustav, we evacuated to Dallas with Maw, Paw, Uncle Carey, and Cousin Noah. It was my first "vacation" as Daddy put it. Mommy said having two dogs and a baby in a hotel room and not being an octopus was no vacation. This was also my first major exposure to germs. We left Sunday morning and arrived in Dallas 12 hours later. The car ride was tough because I wanted Mommy to hold me. We came back Wednesday night, and Mommy and I headed to Poppa's to stay in his generated air conditioner. At Hurricane central, food was on the agenda as with every crisis or event in Southern Louisiana, and I even got a kiss on my piggy from Cousin Mary Kate. Poppa's power came back on Saturday, and our power came back on Sunday night. Paran and Taunt Toot came by to visit us and help out often throughout the recovery, and we were so thankful! Tuesday, I was at the doctor's office because I had a stuffed up nose and diareah. Doctor P said I caught my first sinus bug and put me on antibiotics. Good news, though, I had grown again! I was 9 pounds, 7.6 ounces. I'm trying to take it easy now and get better, but our area still has contaminated water, so we are all taking sponge baths in bottled water. Wednesday, Mommy tramaztized me by taking me to the grociery store: I cried and cried because I had to sit in my car seat in the buggy. On Thursday, we took Oliver and Ranger to the vet for their annual check up. They're doing great and weighed in at 6.0 pounds and 87.4 pounds, respectively.

Thank you Maw, Paw, Uncle Carey, Paran, Poppa, Emmy, Taunt Toot, Mr Ryan, Mr Josh, and The Buzzards!!!

FLYinG wiTh DaDdy

Daddy had his first flight today - his Dollar Ride. He told Mommy he had a good time. I sat with Maw while the doctor scanned Mommy's back and neck. I'm feeling better having survived my first night with an icky bug. I was cranky yesterday, then my poopy turned green. It hurt. After Mommy got off the phone with my doctor, I threw up all over her and myself. I was soaked, but it made my tummy feel better. Today, during my nap, I was thinking how much I wished I could FLY with DaDdy. Hmmm...smiles.

Paran and Me

Paran and Auntie Sharon came to visit today and help us get ready for Gustav. I laughed at Paran: It was my first laugh that wasn't just a quick smirk of gas.