The Gridiron & the Grass

Yes, I realize that my son is not a toy & I should not dress him up to pose for pictures. But, it is just so much fun & ultimately my amusement is what wins out. The latest stop in my quest for a themed picture was at the Farragut pep rally. I had some of my students/football players pose with him in his "Future Admiral" onesie! If he looks overwhelmed, it is because he spent the last 30 minutes dancing with the dance team, playing with the cheerleaders & being passed around by everyone. It is exhausting being so spirited.

Go Admirals! The whole point of the picture was to see the writing on his outfit, but that didn't really happen so here is another one. I look a little vampirish in this, which might be why Anderson looks nervous. Please notice the random toys everywhere. I am a really clean person, but I have given up on the toys being picked up all of the time. I realized there are some times where you just have to give in to the fact that your best intentions have been viciously defeated.

Another shot of him with the girls. Let's be honest, there will probably be a new one of these after every game. I can't help it.

The cheerleaders were on the news playing a spirit game with the Oak Ridge cheerleaders before the game, so Anderson came to hang out. Too bad he has a mom who dresses him in the other team's colors. It was definitely awkward when the cheerleaders for Oak Ridge showed up in their red uniforms. Also, please check out how the priorities have shifted. My cheerleaders have migrated a little to the background so I can follow Anderson around & let him crawl all over the field.

He did periodically check in on them. It was toga night for the seniors, hence the togas....

Then he remembered he had an entire field to himself & he was off!

He really liked these orange things. I am not going to embarrass myself by even trying to give them a name.
I try to bring Noni with us whenever possible so it was convenient that she sold tickets at the game. Pops was in the front row, giving me updates on the game since I can't really see a lot on the field. It was like I was back in school & my parents were at the game to cheer me on. I really keep retreating further & further back from being a grown up. Anderson was at home with Brandon by this point because he goes to bed about 7. I was so shocked by all the babies that I saw all night! The game didn't even end until 10:30. When it went into overtime, I almost curled up in the poms myself to go to sleep. I was so intrigued by the whole thing. I kept wanting to ask questions about their kids' sleeping habits.

He has also spent a lot of time outside, just in general. He really likes the grass. We usually go outside and crawl around between dinner & bathtime. I really have never just sat in the grass. It is kind of relaxing actually.

Some pics from the pool...I know the multiple layers seem like overkill, but sunburn is scary!

New talents.

Lots of new "talents"/hobbies this week! First, Anderson has figured out that the tongue talent turns him into a pretty cute lizard/snake (I am not sure what the towel is...). Thank you, Morgan, for the towel!!

This has become Anderson's cabinet. He loves it. I let him play with the tupperware & he is very talented at climbing in & pulling everything out-it's hilarious. There was a brief scare when we both spotted the grater at the same time, but everyone survived. Also, I realized who grates anything anyway? We only have one because it was fun to register for stuff when we got married. I probably thought I was going to cook. Precious.

He is also getting pretty talented at charming the ladies. We met Jessica for lunch last week & talked about school & her new classroom!! There are some lucky 7th graders who are going to learn from Ms. Mitchell!!

As for my new talent, I managed to snag a ticket to the football jamboree that allowed entrance into the Press Box, so I took Pops with me. He hung out in the air conditioning, ate & watched the game. I, clearly, was not in air conditioning.

Anderson has also learned how to read! Or, sit there for a teensy bit of a second while I try to teach him to sniff like SkippyJonJones. I'll take what I can get.

Brandon's talent is being hardcore; the SWAT team worked last week during some crazies' protest. You can't see him, but he is inside the car. truck? suv? Not sure, but it's pretty cool. Even more amazing is the fact that he helped arrest a guy (burglar? thief? "bad guy"?) who confessed to 63 crimes!!! Holy Cow. That is insane & I am so proud of him. I find it comical when people talk about their husbands "working" because I think sitting at a desk is kind of just sitting. It makes me so proud of Brandon who is so dedicated to his job & therefore helping people. Granted, I would like to see him a little more, but I guess behind every Superhero is a Superhero's wife waiting for him to come home from saving the world.

GG got him this fun new walking toy & he hasn't mastered the actual "walking" part, but he sure is talented playing with it!

He has definitely outgrown the whale tub. I am very sad about this. Apart from his crib & carseat, I think this is definitely where he spent a big chunk of the last 7 months. He is now big boying it in the tub. Let's be honest, I really probably should have put this up already but I didn't want to have to actually clean the real bathtub. I have also put up the changing pad thing & the bjorn. I really thought I was going to be carrying him to college in the bjorn, so this is big time.

I am pretty sure being addicted to free stuff is not a talent, but if it was I would totally place in the show. Nicole signed me up for Johnsons & Johnsons trial study thing & they sent me a bottle of body wash that I use, fill out a survey & I keep the wash & get $10!! Also, this same day in the mail I got an Ebates check (EBATES, people!!!) & my Publix baby club goodies. No, we don't have a Publix but Bham does & the coupons are basically free stuff!

This is a video of randomness over the last few weeks. It features lots of new talents.

Good Morning!

A snapshot of most mornings:

I know you are absolutely shocked to see Chloe taking over the entire bed, just laying there, contributing nothing to the day. It is so out of character. If you look closely, her eye is about to give the death look since I am interrupting her sleep with the camera. It's either that, or she is looking for her breakfast in bed to arrive. You never can be sure.

He looks so bedhead/confused in this pic. I love it. Usually the morning is spent with constant attempts at entertaining Anderson so we can get ready. I keep toys in the bedroom that he doesn't see the rest of the day with the intention that they will keep his attention longer and he won't get into everything.

Too bad that is a terrible strategy. I have learned to never underestimate the value of a random object to keep a baby entertained.

Gabbi, similar to Chloe, spends the entire morning with obscene amounts of energy. She literally sits by the bed & stares at me from about 4:30 on. Never Brandon, just me. I think she really loved the days when Anderson was still eating in the night because it gave her something to look forward to. The second I breathe loudly or, God forbid, roll over she is pumped! It is like she almost starts giggling with anticipation. The rest of the morning is spent with her jumping around our feet & literally spazzing out if we even walk past the back door. She is OBSESSED with playing catch every second of the day.

Then, it is 6:55 & we are off to NoniBop's where coffee & a waffle await me & a day of fun is in store for Anderson!

4 minutes

As the 3 people who are reading this know, Nicole & I are very close. This tends to happen when you start out as the same person/egg/gross-not getting into a biology lesson- and are born 4 minutes apart. Now, we are on the path to oldness. I see this as a great thing. So many really fun/awesome things happen each year that I wouldn't want to wish any of them away. For example, we are 8 years older than the above picture, and my life is clearly better now as I no longer live in a dorm. Not that I didn't love the 4X4 room that was Massey, but a bathroom is a nice thing.

Happy Birthday, Nicole! This is why people love my sister. While everyone else was skanked out in their costumes for some date party, she went as a bathtub.

We are always shocked that we weren't recruited at an early age by a modeling agency.

Go IC!! Oh, how much simpler life would be if everyone was required to wear a uniform. I know it supposedly stifles creativity and all that mess, but the ease of getting dressed (ie:laziness) trumps that.

If you didn't know, Mom got Nicole a piglet for a present. So sweet. She even had a professional portrait taken of them. Seriously, all jokes aside, mom called me "Piglet Mohair" (a weight & hair joke combined) & Nicole was "Boopsie Bear" (it even sounds delicate). Did we have to wear different sizes as babies? Surely we did. I really just can't get over my giganticness.

Not that great a pic, I just like the outfits.

Mom, what are we watching/stalking?

Proof that Anderson is my kid! Look at my tongue!!

attempts.

In addition to taking a pic with his bear, I take one of Anderson on his blanket each month to see how much he has grown. What seemed like a really cute/calm idea when he was a newborn & sleeping on it has now turned into my workout. (let's be honest, it's really the only one I am getting, so I shouldn't complain...) At first glance, you would think this was still a good idea based on the cuteness of the above pic. Then, I would explain how that was #47 in a series & the only one where I even got a glimpse of a face.

Also, Happy Birthday to Clare! This is a recent (not at all) picture of us acting very professional and grown up. Yay for being together in Knoxville!

7 months!

Anderson is 7 months! This is crazy. He just seems so old. He really is becoming more of a person each day and I love it! I have so many great pics of him thanks to Aunt Manda who set up a photo shoot in GG's yard. 2 truths: she is talented and the boy is cute. (When do I stop saying how cute my son is? I mean, I know I am always going to think it but there is a point where I can't really say it outloud. If my students' parents went around talking about how cute their kids are, I would think they are total freaks. Like a year? 2 years?) Anyway, the above smile happened when Brandon stopped by after work. I guess myself, Aunt Manda & Noni just weren't enough.

He used to be the same size as his bear.

Anderson at 7 months: (it's too much to read, scroll to video)

What he LOVES:

-Crawling.Everywhere. Fast.

-Pulling up on everything He LOVES the dishwasher & the backs of couches & chairs, but his favorite is climbing Brandon on the floor. He is also getting much better at learning to sit from standing. For awhile he just plopped backwards/sideways/forward & would inevitably get hurt. It is fun to watch him figure things out! He is also in the very beginning stages of cruising!

-Sleeping. At night from about 6:45-5:30 or so...thank you, "crying it out"!! We are still working on the scheduled nap thing.

-Watermelon in the net thing, mum mums & yogurt

-Consignment sale toys. Oh wait, that's me.

-The sisters. While Chloe & Gabbi annoy me on a daily basis, Anderson loves to watch them wrestle, play & bark. Right now he is playing with a spoon basically sitting on Gabbi & she is just kind of there, keeping an eye out. Chloe, in true form, just starting barking from the other room (too lazy to actually come in here).

Not his favorites:

-People who are not his mom. Really! That is not just a shout out to myself (maybe). A teensy bit of stranger anxiety has set making him very aware of people.

-Taking time to eat. He is still not super interested in the bottle & sometimes doesn't really care for food either. There is just too much to do to waste time eating. I'm pretty sure he does not get this trait from me.

-Sitting in his exersaucer. Or anywhere really. He still loves to play with the toys on it, he just doesn't want to be in it. I'm pretty sure he does get this trait from me.

This video requires you to turn the volume of your computer off or you might be scarred. Seriously, the extent of my tone deafness is very apparent. But, he is hilarious. He has recently started "dancing" whenever there is music or we sing some terrible song.

hi!

There really is no theme for the pics, just a few random cute ones. I just realized that I have 886 pictures of the last 2 months. Someone has to get another hobby.

Noni got a new haircut! Anderson is very impressed with it. His opinion matters a great deal since he is obviously a fashion guru based on the wife beater sans pants outfit.

Highlight of the week: Anderson voting for the 1st time!! I am a huge believer in the power of a vote & I explained the whole process to him. He is so proud to live in a republic. (America is a republic, not a democracy...common misconception). I love nothing more than an old person who works at a poll & I confused quite a few of them inadvertently in the process of trying to get this pic. They didn't understand at all that I just wanted a picture of his first voting. Parts of the conversation: "I'm a teacher....I don't work for a candidate....I just really like voting....want to capture his 1st time....yes, his shoes are really cute....No, I am not a candidate....He might be president one day, it would be a cute picture... Yes, I know this is not a presidential election....Like I said, I'm a teacher....At FHS....No, I don't think I know your nephew...etc, etc." It took about 10 minutes to get someone to take it. When she did, her first words were how perfect it turned out of the baby! While I do think it is cute, clearly "perfect" is not the side of a face. Anyway, I love voting!

We visited Bop at IHOP & Anderson made sure everyone knew that the balloon man is his grandfather! He was a little concerned about the kid at the table being so close to Bop, so he had to call him out on it. He is getting so selfish.

Jack came by for a visit & Clare brought some basil that turned into delicious pesto! They attempted to play together, which is the start of our future awesome summer adventures!
One of my favorite things about this age is the fact that Anderson is so intrigued by random things. I have figured out that I must keep random objects everywhere to distract him. A bag of pretzels in the car...

a milk jug outside...

and a remote in my purse! This is for the really intense situations when we are in public & he is acting crazy. I actually forgot that most people don't carry a remote with them until one of my cheerleaders was getting something from my purse & was so confused. Honestly, with the luggage size of my purse I could probably fit a toy box. It also looks really shiny here, which is a little disturbing.

Anderson's latest trick/hobby/obsession is to try to move from one thing to another. I guess it is like early stages of cruising? He is really focused on it & is constantly trying to find something else to move to.

He found the water bowls. It was just a matter of time. Yes, I let him splash in it. It's like a little fountain in the kitchen.

Lately he has been bringing his hands together in a kind of champion pose. He moves them across his shoulders too. It is really cute. Speaking of cute, these pjs were only $5 at Wal Mart! Not nearly as cheap as the 4 pair of $1 ones I got at the last consignment sale, but pretty good!