Summer Slumber

Since the beginning of the summer Cade and Grant decided that they were going to be bed buddies and double up on Grant's spacious full size mattress. I didn't mind them sharing just as long as everyone was getting appropriate sleep and not being whine-bags the next day due to exhaustion. After being up late one night feeding Elaina, I decided to hop on over and just check on the boys one more time before I hit the sack. Cade was snug as bug in Grant's bed.

I scanned, looking for Grant but didn't see him immediately......probably because he wasn't there. He had opted for a more unconventional sleep area.
Fast asleep. Snoring in his skivvies.
I picked him up (which, might I add, is much harder these days) and placed him back in the bed. Cade rolled over immediately and gave him the hand of submission. I would have gone out on a limb and said it was a "love pat" or a "glad you're back" caress, but I know these two too well. It was most definitely the hand of submission.
The next morning I questioned Grant about why on earth he was in the floor. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, it was a regular nighttime occurrence. I guess it's just cool to camp somewhere else in your room. I had to break up the party and create some sleep time rules: Cade needs to be in his own bed, and if I catch Grant sleeping in the floor again I'm taking his bed to GoodWill.

The Fever

My Little Tee-Tiny has started throwing out some smiles and I couldn't be more happy about it. I do find it slightly aggravating though that I am with her ALL day, changing her poop diapers, feeding her on a nice, tidy schedule, cuddling her for no reason other than I like the way her little baby body feels in my arms, and did I mention changing her poop diapers? Anyway, and I can talk to her for 10 minutes straight with nothing but this expression:

Then her daddy walks in the door from work and gets the full mouth grin. What's up with that? I've finally found something that works 99.987% of the time to get a great grin out of this baby girl and really has nothing to do with me at all. She's got the fever.......
The Beiber Fever.

It all started after we watched the E Entertainment channel special "Justin Beiber: In My World". It was riveting. What got her hooked though? His "Baby, Baby, Baby" song. Don't act like a thirty-something and pretend you're all, "Who is Justin Beiber?" He's only like the biggest tween phenomenon giving the JoBros a run for their moola.

So, you want a smile and a lot of cooing? Sing a little "Baby, Baby, Baby, OHhhhh" and this is a small sample of the reward:

Yep. My baby girl gots the fever. Looks like Bobby and I will start our 2010 Tour of Concerts with Lanie in her Baby Bjorn rockin' it out with Beiber. That wouldn't be weird. at all.

Extravaganza Celebration Jubilee!

Freedom Celebration Day rolled around again and I LOVED having Tee-Tiny here to celebrate with us! I got our usual patriotic t's at the Tarjay but there was nada for the little one. Luckily, her favorite mocha friend had saved hers and we were able to make use of it! Here's the best we could do for a sibling shot......and as in many of my pictures, someone has gum in their mouth. I've created a gum addiction that runs deeply into this family.

Bobby had worked for nearly a year collecting explosives for his arsenal. The night before the 4th Rhett said, "When I wake up will it be the forf ub July?"..... I responded "yes." Rhett, with fist pump, "Yessssssss. I can't wait to blow up somethin'!"


I had a little fun myself this year pulling out some head gear that I had purchased years ago for a photo op for the day the child we brought home via international adoption became a US citizen. However, being that our babe was born in the good ol' US of A, I whipped them out as celebratory head garb. One of us loved it. One of us didn't. You decide.
A definite small people crowd pleaser is always the little firecrackers Bobby gets. This year it was tanks vs. fire engines vs. helicopters.

Everyone was surprised when the fire engine ended up being the winner.
All eyes were on the street......well, almost all eyes. Some little little people were inside and didn't partake in this set of festivities.
Mostly boys. With a few gals thrown in for good measure.
My fav picture of the entire night is this one. Sista's from a different Mista: Mmmmmm. Couldn't you just eat this up??
The kiddos had a great time running out in the yard and playing a quick pick up game of wiffle ball.
And, as every year, there is always a picture that someone, unbeknownst to you, sneaks into and you don't realize it until the pictures are downloaded. This time it was Ashley stealing my thunder......
usually it's Jon. In the women's picture.
Our night sky was lit up like downtown Nashville. Minus the river front. And the music. And a couple thousand people.

We had a blast eating steaks (and chicken for us white-meaters) and laughing with our friends. We are praising the Lord for another year down without third-degree burns or missing appendages :) And, for the love of all that is good, and right and true, remember how much you love celebrating freedom come November. That's all I'm going to say about that because this here blog doesn't do deep :)

Happy 4th of July, folks!