Gimme that!

This is what happens when you give Reese anything now...straight to the chompers. Cutie pie...

Happy Four Months!!

Happy Four Months Reese!! You've changed so much and we're enjoying every second that we have with you. You have Mommy and Daddy wrapped around your little fingers already and we're so in love with you. MMMMMWAAA!

Breaking out the B.O.B.

Tonight, we broke out the B.O.B. and took little bit for a ride.....she threw a bit of a fit when we put her in at first but immediately calmed down once we started moving her around. We put another pic out on the other blog just to highlight the trip but we thought it was going to be a hell ride at first.

Mommy and Daddy came back home and went crazy.....

Poor kid had to get away and chill in a big girl chair for a while....

Suprise retirement party...

So one of the cool things about my job is that I get to occasionally travel and while I hate being away from my girls...I love being out of the office. It's a sacrifice that I have to make and its a burden on Kim but we manage it pretty well since I'm not always gone every week.

Anyway...on this particular trip I drive right through the largest pecan grove that is split by a rural highway. I'm sure there are larger in terms of the number of trees but this one is absolutely amazing. Your probably saying big deal...its just pecan trees. But a true grove like this one is lined up perfectly, it is huge, and is just sort of pretty to look at. And just reminds me of what the old south was probably like many years ago. I don't know the age of the trees and I don't know what kind of yield one could expect from a grove like this, but it goes on for miles like this and I just like it. Perks of the job I suppose. (everyone thinks Adam is a nutjob now...no pun intended.)

So I fly back home, pick up Reese, and we get set to head to Calhoun for Nan's surprise retirement party. She has worked for the City of Calhoun for twenty-something years....(Kim couldn't remember and I don't know but its been a long time.) My aunt works there and my Grandmother's sister in-law works there (I don't know the appropriate title for that relation) and my dad works for the city as well so City Hall has sort of been a family affair for Kim's family and my own. There were some new faces at the party but you could obviously see that they all care for Nan and she will be missed.

Reese looks like she's on a phone. HELLO? HELLO?

Reese did phenomenal at the party....she took a little nap and just hung out with all the ladies. Judith and Melissa fought over holding Reese and she didn't seem to mind a bit. Her little smiley personality is showing more and more everyday and she's even acting halfway decent in the carseat. I don't want to jinx it so that's all I'll say about it.

Thanks go out to the Hollis' for hosting the party. We had a good time and I know that Nan enjoyed the surprise.

Finally...check it out.....this Friday was the first pic so keep a watch on the other blog.

We've got a semi-busy weekend so there will be plenty to post Sunday. (I'm going to try to ride about 30 miles this weekend so I'm sure I'll be a little saddle sore then as well...yeah!....and you wanted to know that, I'm sure.)

Sunday pics

So here in the northern suburbs of Atlanta....it's storming. So this is going to be a short and sweet post because I've got some other little projects to cover tonight as well.

Update...Kim's mom definitely has a kidney stone but she's at home doped up on pain meds. I think she is going to have to pass it with out the benefit of a "busty the kidney stone" thingy so say a prayer. Also, my mom is going to have her knee surgery re-done. The guy that did it this January did a hatchet job and never really offered her any relief other than saying it would just get better so the Grandmothers are a little under the weather right now.

AKR (Adam, Kim, Reese) went to the Canton Olive Garden tonight and it reaffirmed my dislike of chain Italian food other than Carrabba's. Nothing really compares to Ipillito's in my opinion but Carrabba's absolutely wears out the Olive....the place is set up like a Shoney's on the inside....anyway. The chow was ok and it satisfied the craving but we'll head to our standbys next time.

Reese did awesome during dinner and while Mommy and Daddy shopped in Target. We headed back to the homestead and now little bit is on the jungle mat grabbing everything she can. The weekend has been a good one and I'm ready for the next one.

Three pics are from this afternoon and the other one is a regular weekday morning...Reese chills while Mommy and Daddy get ready.

Why is her hair wet?

It finally happened to Kim....

Every time something goofy happens during a diaper change, it happens to me. Never Kim....until this morning. Saturday morning started slow and easy. Reese ate while she was essentially asleep for the early morning feeding....she never woke up completely during the diaper change, the feeding, and the burping. I'm telling you, the girl sleeps good.

She napped in our bed until around 8:45-9:00 and then I needed to get motivated so I could meet Mom and Dad mid-morning. While all of this preparation for me to ride my bike to the office in order to attend said meeting with the folks, Kim was feeding and burping the 9 o'clock chow fest. At the end of the feeding Reese commenced to eating her hand which is the norm here lately and quietly began to drop a deuce. (Number 2, poo poo, caca)

A quiet poop is a rarity. Not that Reese tears the curtains off the walls but she makes a notable "growl" thus the term making a "growler" has stuck as well. (we have tons of them folks....) With Reese in stealth growler mode, Kim laid Reese on the couch to change what she thought was a wet diaper and then to her surprise....BROWN. Remember, we're on the couch. So, Kim did the obligatory growler timeout.

See, Reese is alot like a dog when she poops. Its almost like if you're watching her or waiting on her....she stalls a little. But, if you tie things back up loosely and sort of wait a bit, go back to the wreckage and VOILA....she's done. So Kim did that and went back. Well....Reesie needed to pee a little and with diaper open, Reese turned into a miniature bubbling brook. Kim then moves Reese from the couch and takes her into our Dining room/baby everything room and put her on the changing station for the pack'n'play. Kim walks off for a moment and then comes back ready to try this again. Open the diapy and the spring fed waters of Reesie-pie were still flowing (2nd diaper ruined) we decide at that point we should probably rinse her off a little since she's probably got a little pee pee on her and so Kim brings her to the sink where I have the spray nozzle ready for a wash down. Kim "stands" her in the sink and then I notice it......

"Why is her hair wet?", I ask.

Kim collapsed in laughter/fear and we quickly determined that the little squirt had to pee pretty badly and if you don't catch it with an open diaper...it will run all over the place.

Needless to say she got a bath this morning and I am semi vindicated because to this point, I have been the only one to burn three diapers in the span of 10 minutes.

Reese in her little Polo outfit....hoity toity huh?

And in this pic...she's eating the rug.









In other happenings, we had a small cookout with Kim's parents today, we had cake for Nicole's 22nd birthday, and after dinner Kim's dad had to take Nan to the hospital for what appears to be Kidney stones. ugh. The latest update seems to indicate that stones are indeed the culprit for the pain and nausea that came on pretty suddenly so keep a prayer for Kim's mom.

Behind on the blogging...

We've been a little behind on the blogging this week due to a number of reasons....lazy, tired, sleepy, and just plain too busy....among others.

Tonight is just a pic-fest from a few weeks ago but the updates go like this....I've been really tied up trying to complete our vacation book from Blurb.com. It's a huge book and it has taken alot of my time over the past two weeks so finishing that should free up some bloggy time. I've been coming home later than I should and that puts the whole schedule off a shade and Reese has been staying awake longer in the evenings so she obviously requires every bit of our attention. Reese, Kim, house, yard, exercise, book, work....all of that equals less time for blogging. I can cut one out this next week so that should just make everything better right?.......yeah.....sure.

Enjoy smiling Reesie pics. I think she's trying to say "Go Dawgs?!"

One step at a time....

Thank God it's ALMOST Friday....The first brutal week is almost over and we're so happy. I hate to say that Kim is doing great but between a few tears here and there, I think she is doing better than I had envisioned. Kim is an incredibly strong woman and sometimes she refuses to accept that. We're both pretty emotional but I probably open up easier in most cases than Kim...those that know me will attest that I'll tell you just about anything that you don't really need to know.

Kim....eh, she might hold back a little more. So I've been staying on her about this week and I'm satisfied that she's doing ok. Time will heal the hurt of being away from Reese during the day but I'm pretty sure Kim will have these feelings until Reese is grown....just maybe not as intense as this week.

We're very appreciative of all the thoughts and prayers that have been sent our way this week and could use some next week as well since that will only be the second week of a tough return.

This afternoon Reesie-Pie tried a little Tummy time and played with Mommy for a bit. Then she slung a rod on Daddy while Kim went to town for a minute.....one of those tired fits but she narked out pretty quickly.

How stinking precious!!

Uh oh....she's pissed.

Work week update...

We made it to hump day and our sanity is still intact....imagine that!

This week has sort of worked in stages -
UNREST --Monday, that morning was horrible. Kim worked from the home office and was sort of able to do so without alot of fanfare and we spent good time with our Reesie-Pie that night.
EASING BACK IN --Tuesday, she went to her regional office and now folks realize that "Oh....Kimmy is back!" so things sort of set in more.
A LITTLE LESS UNREST --Wednesday, yeah this was a hard one too because she's now back at work...folks realize it and Reese is within minutes of the home office. I'm hoping that Thursday and Friday get a little easier for Kim just from the standpoint of that overwhelming feeling with everything changing so fast this week.

Why can't we be independently wealthy? I guess our neighbors are because Kim and I seem like the only dummies leaving the house or staying in a home office to work from 8 to 5. Oh well....

In the meantime, check out the new bibs that we got from Tara Nicole. Her blog has some awesome bibs and we decided to order a few for Pumpkin-Doolittle.

And here is a closing pic of Reese!

Coming into the home stretch....

I've sort of been avoiding the subject of Kim going back to work for several reasons...

• She/me/we....are super thankful that she even has a job in this recession. Her company and mine have both reorganized and we've both been able to weather the reductions - Thank you Lord.
• I don't like to think about some level of inadequacy that I place on myself by not holding a position or salary that would allow us to accomplish life on one income. (totally self induced)
• Kim is super emotional anyway and thinking about the past nearly three months with Reese and now turning back to a world of deadlines and stress is not a savory thought right now.
• It makes us both sad....duh.
• Its finally summertime....kids are out, teachers are jogging every morning...going to play tennis....or clogging up my midday run to Publix. It just sucks to think about going back - even for me and I've only had off one full week and part of another thanks to sorry rules for Dads in the workplace that don't seem to think dear old Pop needs anytime with his young family.
• And I/we don't want to complain too much because we're no different that every other working family out there....though we do seem to be the minority in our neighborhood. Damn retirees and stay at home Moms.
  

So you see this subject is filled with emotions from thankful, to stressful, to sadness, to some amount of resentment, all mixed together with humor and worry about the unknown. Nice little cocktail of emotions, huh.

I'll be honest in that I didn't see this coming....my stance was if and when we had a child....he/she HAD to go to daycare. Bar none....unless Nan was coming to live with us. (offer would stand if need be). But now with Kim one week from returning to work, I wish I could sweep away all our debt and that we could make it on one income so she could stay home. Not that we're slammed with debt...thank you sweetie. Kim is conservative and I'm a little more liberal with our income. And not that Kim could stay at home full time....she's a workaholic. She likes to work and prides herself on being a good employee and doing a better than expected job....I tell her all the time that she's good enough but I think she likes to prove it.

So what's our plan?

She's working. Hard. We split the chores around here so the house would function once she went back.....NOTE....we've always split them but now my split got a little bigger - no complaints. I won't say who is doing what because it will make for a pretty good series of posts one day. I'll bet you can't wait to read the one when Adam washed the new red shirt with Kim's white one. But it won't happen folks because I'm halfway indoctrinated to wash anyway...blah!

We're saving money. Just because we need to.

We're working on our house. Because it needs some TLC.

We may eventually try to sell once the market recovers and look for that final house to live in here in Towne Lake.....hahahahaha. HOHOHOHOHO. HEHEHEHEHEHE. But no, seriously...we might. Maybe? Because if we're having another one.......we're going to need a bigger house.

JUST CALM DOWN GRANDPARENTS!!!! This is a minimum of two years out but I can't see us raising just Reese...i don't think. What about a little brother named Reed? Carter? My fav Dayton? Come on...she needs a little brother to pick on, right? (Dear God I hope I can take this back if need be.)

So with that thought in mind, we can't stay too depressed about work because we gotta save up some funds for round two of this deal. In all seriousness though....Kim is my hero. She has literally turned into a mother over night and she's excellent at it. She has a new patience and a new love that I've never seen. She is calming for Reese and this baby girl just loves her Mommy to death. She is stronger than she knows and she is more capable than anyone that I know to balance this work/life/baby house of cards. I love everything about her and I'm glad she's my wife. It is going to be SOOOOOOO ok sweetie......Love, me.

Have you ever seen anything so cute?

Damn - let's laugh a little for a change on these posts for a while!?!?! I promise to lighten it up a little once next week passes. Really....I'm ready to cut up again.

This is everything....

The very first pic is probably my favorite of this set....but who wouldn't love them all? Especially the last one.

All of this...

Yep. This is my new world and man do I love it.

One month check up and a trip to Calhoun....

While I've been on the road this week....Mommy took care of birthday posts and then let the little one stretch her legs a little in Calhoun. We have a pretty decent following at the Calhoun City Hall since my Aunt works there and Kim's Mom does too. The ladies there wanted to check her out...the girls at Kim's old office wanted to check her out...and my Grandmother - newly appointed Great Grandmother - got to meet Reese for the first time as well.

Kim said that all went well and at the end of the day, Reesie Pie was spent.

I got back yesterday and Reese greeted me with a very restful night back at the homestead...she slept almost 9 hours before she woke up looking for some food.....But as we found out at the doctors appointment, that may have been an indicator of something.

We pack up, go to the doctor and check all the vitals. She now weighs 12lbs 7oz and she is 23 1/4 inches long. That's up from 9lbs 10oz and 20 1/2 inches at birth! We got a growing baby!

But...she had a fever of 100.4 on the first check and then another check was something like 99.4....Our doc checked her out pretty well and determined that she has an ear infection in her right ear.

Already? AGGGGHHHH! She also put the fear of God in us about her temperature since babies her age cannot sustain a temperature - low grade or not - without being checked out thoroughly. Meaning blood work, urine, and a possible Spinal tap due to fears of meningitis. Doc said she didn't think that was an issue as her fontanel was not swollen...I guess a typical sign of something serious there.

Kim has checked her temp once and I did when I got home and so far - nothing major. 99.2 with me and around that with Kim. The Doc did give us some meds for the ear infection to knock that down but I'm a little concerned about that because Kim and I both are allergic to penicillin and that's what they gave her.....we're checking with Doc in the morning to see if our allergies may carry over to her. Oh well...I had bad ear issues as a kid so it wouldn't be fair if Reese didn't as well....right?

Enough talk....check out Reese in her Nike outfit and Bubba Gump shirt.