Pause to Laugh

I laughed so hard I cried.

Please read this little blog and then enjoy the video at the end LOL.

:-) Is it wrong for mothers to breastfeed school-age children?.

Creepy Crawly

Hey all! I wanted to let you know Gs fire ant luck still isn't very good. A few days ago he walked right on top of the biggest mound in our yard, the one I've always warned him about. Telling him he was in danger didn't help. He froze right on top of it. We had treated the mound so I wasn't sure of an emergency. Well anyway I grabbed him and he looked ant free, but one got in his shoe and he got 4 MORE bites. I looked back over at the mound and it was swarming so we were very lucky.

G does not like anything that causes a Bug sensation. He now often insists there is a bug on him when there isn't. I have been trying to talk to him about how dirt can get in your shoe and sometimes our skin tickles like a bug is on it. He gets that creepy crawly feeling in the kitchen and quite understandably wants me to help get the "bugs" off.

"Mommy Bug! Bug!" Very sad.

We are working on treating the mounds, and we finally found the semi-hidden one that got him that first really awful time.

Very recently, a few nights ago G slept for 8 hours straight which I believe might be like the fifth time in his whole life. I actually slept as well which was wonderful. Unfortunately this didn't hearken in a new era of sleep. Though I had hope, I have learned better over the last 22 months.

Now G is ready to be needily autonomous, and Mom and Dad must do as he asks "Now!" (He learned that from a book I think, maybe from us too.) It has been a lovely weekend. I'm pulling out the parenting books and scratching my head, but this is the way I understand it: All new parents believe this will not happen to them, that superior parenting and communications will head off all explosions. Well I was one of those who knew I was kidding myself. Now I am wiser and I know just how out of control angry even my child can get. Now I suppose is a good time to stay calm and hang in there. G wants independence in ways he really isn't ready for. Forecast: Storms ahead.

Stinking Fire Ants!

So a few days after the fire ants got his ankles they got his wrist... here is what 62 fire ant bites look like in their prime!!

Freaking Fire Ants!!!

Each welt you see can contain more than one bite. For example on his foot I found inside one welt 6 different bites!
I gave him Ibuprophen for the discomfort and swelling. (we don't have benedryl on hand).
I have counted a total of 42-43 bites so far!

Pennsylvania Glory

G and I had a wonderful visit to my friends farm in Pennsylvania. free range eggs... super cute picture
giving milky to the baby cows
what a big bottle to manage
GMan was also a hit with the ladies of the human variety, from left to right; Rebecca and her sister Lydia, G and Madelyn.
Madelyn with her dad Mark and Lydia with her dad Sheamus. We were getting ready for a little bonfire and grilling.
Naaay naaay... and a blue sky, whew, really beautiful day!
G's sippy cup really gets around.
And if that weren't enough a sand box for all to enjoy, fabulous!

Here is a link to my friends farm.
Keswick Creamery

Airplanes

FLew to Maryland for Memorial Day weekend.

Visited with Family. Here is G with my dad and myself.

First Purchase

So he dug through my purse and found lollipops the teller at our bank had given me the day before. He had never seen a lollipop to my knowledge, yet he knew what that wrapper really meant, "Candy!". I let him enjoy the discovery for a little while. The unfinished (and forgotten) lollipop sits in our refridgerator.
"Tut-tut wayne". He spotted this umbrella at the Goodwill and had to have it. The image of him patiently waiting in line with a five dollar bill is burned in my brain. I wish I had a camera then. He kept trying to hand the money to the clerk while she was with other customers ahead of us in line. He didn't take his eyes off her, trying to give her the money so he could have it, like mommy said.

The only safe game I know with an umbrella is to walk around saying "tut-tut, it looks like rain." G was escorted out back to practice umbrella safety. (The way he swings this thing someone will lose an eye...). This Blue's Clues umbrella opens with ease, and is surprisingly well made. "Tut-tut wayne..."

Tybee, GA

A Day at TYBEE ISLAND
I took G to Tybee Island for Story Time at the Library. Afterwards we hit the very awesome park that is just behind the building.

This is something G actually climbs all the time now...

Another park pass time, though rather new. I lucky click of the camera caught this attempt to taste his experience.

A purrfect place to catch a picture of a young baby Leo.

Here is where the Island part of the day came in. We went to the beach for about 30 minutes in the middle of the day.

Always good to have lots of sunblock and sand toys at the ready when living down here.

Brave boy warmed up to the surf... eventually

And shortly after this picture he wiped out. He tripped over his own feet and went face first into the sand. I pulled him up just as another wave came. After we calmed down, brave G told the ocean who was boss and went back in one more time.

House in Pooler, GA

These are a few pics of our new home. The kitchen was the first room renovated. Just a cosmetic thing but it had to be done, the wall paper had pictures of bugs all over it.

This is Grady wearing his daddy's do-rag.

Changes Come

Hey Everyone - We signed on our newish house yesterday, it's official! I will try to post some pictures later today. I'm very excited about our sunroom! And kitchen! And Backyard! Anyone wanna come and help with the cosmectic projects? Dad?

G reinjured his foot two days ago or so. He was extremely unhappy and would not put any weight on it. He is improving rapidly again and I have hopes that he is back to using it regularly over the weekend.

Right now the Camera is on the charger but be on the look out!

Chickens!

Here are Mark and G Checking out a field full of REAL free range chickens. The netting protects the birds from preditors and avian diseases.

Super noisy bunch of birds... that make some really great eggs.

Hard Fall

Well - I'm not proud of this one...

On Saturday we went to Home Depot to scout out remodeling costs. I let Grady climb up on one of their step ladders. Up... Down. Then he wanted to go up again... I reluctantly let him and turned to speak to Mark. The next thing I know Grady was a strange little heap on the floor. He was deciding if he could get up, and whether or not to cry.

His head was fine, thank goodness. The crying started soon enough and we were all very distressed. After we had him calmed down mostly, and had wandered to the garden section the store played an anouncement for all the neglegent parents about how you should watch you child and strap them in the cart and never let them climb the ladders. BTW thanks management... that made me feel really, really stupid.

Anyway we went to Urgent Care and Grady had his first Xray. He sprained his ankle and likely bruised up the tissue between all his undeveloped ankle bones really bad. He is getting around crawling and he is a bit extra needy. I still think he is darned coordinated and athletic, a great climber and very brave... I just shouldn't have looked away. Thems the breaks.

Baby Get Money

Smile everybody... Sand pit or Volleyball court, all the kids play in it...
A Suprise last minute visit with Chloe and Chandi. Little Miss Chloe has GROWN. She is sooooo pretty, It was good to see them.
did I mention she has grown...
Easter Egg hunt at  Great Grandma Judy's house. I put coins, bills and about four pieces of candy into these eggs and told G the day before that we would be having a treasure hunt with them. He knew each one had a surprise in it. He swiftly picked them all up, hearing some of them rattle probably peeked his curiosity. No cute picking up and hiding them again, ohhh no. GMan wanted to March straight inside and open these suckers up.
Before I could catch them he dumped out his basket onto the coffee table and started prying them open. At some point he got tired of the contents flying everywhere and he "made" Mark open them all for him.
Mark just loved the chocolate soul-patch our kid got from eating a piece of candy. He ate two pieces and quickly forgot about them... with some deception on my part I guess.
As post script to other parents... He was a bit obsessed about his collection of money from the eggs. I put it all in a zip lock bag and one evening last week I brought it out and showed him for some distraction. BIG mistake. He wouldn't let me put it away. What to you do with a screaming toddler who is afraid you are going to take their money away... I didn't want to rob him if you will. I just wanted to put him to bed. Picture a full on fit, clutching his zip lock and screaming nooooooo mommy (don't take my money!)!

Bad night.

We got through it after 20 or 30 minutes... some hugs and Tylenol were involved.

Savannah Parade

free ride across the river...
March 14th, St Patrick's Day Parade in Savannah, Ga.

Frisbee Golf sans Pants

Frisbee golf at Tom Triplet Park. G's pants are off because he fell into the pond imitating daddy who went in after a Frisbee.