Sweet Baby Girl

Our little girl is growing so fast. What she lacks in hair, she makes up for in attitude. Ever makes her wants very apparent, even to her brother. She loves chatting up the dogs- Boz is an especially good listener. LuLu is never far, at the ready cleaning up a sweet potato face. She loves to be outside. Loves bananas and her Big Daddy.

Gobble Gobble

A very serious little turkey... she gives thumbs up to Big Daddy's bbq'd and deep fried turkeys!

Woog feels silly posing as a Thanksgiving Day Indian, er Native American.

Grandma Squinty-Eye and Woog pre-feast...

Two turkeys, all the trimmings and even Grandma's kraut were all in DELICIOUS attendance. Dessert was even better...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Terrorizing the Dollar Store Customers

It was after 2pm and Woog hadn't napped. It wasn't like we hadn't tried to put him down...instead of nodding of to dreams of dog-dogs and pieces of cheese, he decided, yet again, to remove his diaper and pee all over his sheets, the crib, floor. (Side note: Dear Son, one day you'll be dating (like when you're 37) and I'll be certain to have your beautiful, funny, smart, genetically well-formed, mother-in-law-loving lady read this...not to embarrass, no, no...rather to inform. Allowing her the option to A) duct tape diapers to any would-be, supremely intelligent progeny, B) consider the benefits of living in a tree/barn or other non-carpeted surface or C) send the children to live with their grandmother, she having already had the experience of raising a child that frequently pees onto and out of his crib.) *Sigh*
In a brief moment of seeming sanity, I decided to take the boy with me to the Dollar Store...bad, baaaad idea.
We arrived and battled a single remaining Bubonic Plague victim exiting as we entered- ahhh the Dollar Store. It wreaks of deep discount and Marlboro Reds.
After slathering my child shiny with sanitizer, we started down the ornament aisle. "Ooooh pretty (O...petty)," Woog said, and proceeded to rip an entire bracket do-hickey laden with extra glittery snowflakes right out of the wall. A sparkly smog puffed about us (I'm certain I'll fart fairy dust tonight) and Woog laughed, "Petty."
Further up, I spotted the wrapping paper, shiny and bright. Woog helped pick out a couple and instead of throwing the last tube in the basket, he held tight repeating "Santa, Santa, SANTA." Fine. Hold it.
But hold he did not. I should have known... the words I used to try and explain to the unsuspecting grandma-like figure contemplating birthday cards. "Crash," (Cash) Woog bellowed, the paper tube undulated and dipped, evading my frantic clawing, resting finally atop the poor unsuspecting grandma-like figure's well-quaffed bluish hair. She jumped, Woog jumped, I.... *sighed.*
Many apologies later... Woog made amends too, smiling and giggling and looking so sugar sweet. HA. I tried to back door it down the craft aisle, but it was "let's stand around day," so I had to cruise up and down a few unnecessary sections. Kovi was content for the moment, violently shaking a dozen or so jiggle bells glued to leather strapping. I'm certain we annoyed every single person in the store. Finally, the crafts.
While I perused the selection of coloring books (is he ready for these yet? I mean, he's just now NOT eating the crayons...) Woog stealthily removed his weapon from the basket. He giggled in his I'm-totally-doing-something-I-shouldn't-and-I-know-I'll-get-in-BIG-touble,-but-it's-SO-totally-worth-it way. "Cash...." "Cash..." I am reaching, grasping, clutching at air... and it begins to rain coloring books.
This time he relinquished his sword silently, probably having a good idea of what I intended for his behind. But...we didn't make it that far.
We'd just finished checking out, bags atop the wrapping paper in the basket, weighed down by the boxes of candy canes. I pull the cart over to the side and fish out my keys, which, I am certain, enter into the Witness Protection Program shortly after crossing the zipper threshold. Phone, wallet, glasses, Oooo a mint!, change, receipts, pens, pacifiers...keys...? KEYS!! And we're off! Sort of. Suddenly my feet are river dancing without my say-so, arms flailing like the Sprint Store blow-up tube guy. What the hell? My head narrowly misses the cart handle as I ungracefully bob and weave like a drunk on a 4-day bender. Woog is calling, "Mama?"
Recovering, I glance down and realize he'd removed a tube of "Santa" paper from the boxes of wrapping paper at the front of the store and sticking it through the leg hole of his seat, created a clever mechanism of unexpected humility... awesome. Just what every Mom needs...saggy boobs? Check. Gray hair? Yup. Certain degradation? You betcha!
Dear Dollar Store, though I appreciate your ability to capture and delight me with your over-glazed ceramic cats and your off-brand AAA batteries, I must decline further attempts at shopping whilst the young boy is in tow. Sadly, your aisles are too small, everything within reach of a sticky-fingered toddler. Your shiny tokens memorize, tis true, but alas, dear Dollar Store, my patience, much like your dish towels, wears thin. I promise to revisit one day... one day. Until then, adieu. You'll always be my number 1 store for birthday supplies.

Puppet on the Go

Ever has been mobile for more than 3 weeks now. At just 6 months old, her ability to get from point A to W has been a bit of a shock. Perhaps she's come to realize that her brother is a maniac and if she can't get out of the way, she'll more than likely be trampled by his block feet. (Unlikely since she's established a fairly significant protective fat layer.) So...she scoots along.
Here is Ever, rather lackadaisical in her scooting approach...Woog is no where to be found and she has the room to herself.

Kovi Does Nirvana...Shirtless

While Tyler and Justin were grossly outnumbered during the opening night of New Moon, the kids and I went back to Baker Manor to await the return of the mover-goers.
Kovi was introduced to karaoke... and loved it. He's still working on his overall stage presence, but I think going shirtless was good move...very Till Lindemann (Rammstein)- minus the German accent.

Meaner Turns 11

Yesterday was Tyler's 11th birthday. We surprised him with dinner out and movie tickets to one of his long-awaited favorites, New Moon. While I passed on sparkly vampires and acrimonious, exuberantly palorless teenagers, Tyler and Justin helped add a little testosterone to an abundantly female-laden theater. (Side note: Justin later told me of a particular scene when one of the leading boys removed his shirt in an exaggeratedly slow manner...the decibel level of the shrieking female populous was deafening. Imagine every smoke detector in the world going off at once... my ears inverted upon themselves.)
After the movie, we went back to the Baker compound for chocolate cake and presents. What fun!
Sunday is the family dinner... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEANER. We LOVE you very much!

An Afternoon with the Trees

Arbors at the Bell, S.C. Botanical Gardens, Clemson

The leading men in my life... <3

Rylin on a rock...smiling. A rare moment for the day.

Beautifully littered pathway

A gorgeous little Ruby perfectly perched.

The Woog smelling leaves atop a bridge.

It was a lovely day behind the pines.

Sweet little Puppet.

The professional pictures coming soon...
Thanks Kellly. You are a master of your craft.

Fabulous Fall and a Thank You

Kovi's Great Auntie Cindy sent two very cool books. This one is all about airplanes and airports. It has a track built-in and a wind-up airplane to traverse the pathways. So neat! Thanks Auntie Cindy! We love the books. :) Appropriately, Woog wore his airplane jammies...backwards. He has a penchant for clothing and diaper removal. This is the only way we can keep him clothed.

He gives the best kisses!

A sweet chubby Puppet.

Two little monkeys...

Admiring the view.

He's into bracelets...

On the move.

Babies of love and chubbiness.

A Da-Da inspired outfit. Would Heidi approve?

It gives me pause to think that we're already half way through November. Only 3 months until Woog turns 2... how can that be? While I adjust to the breakneck speed at which time seems to pass, the children flourish (mostly evident in the thigh/ double chin area). :) Our juicy babies grow and change each day. Kovi is speaking in rudimentary sentences. And Ever is already crawling. Other discoveries include a frequent use of her substantial lung capacity. It's really astonishing the decibel levels that child can hit... Big Daddy is working hard and the pups have determined that Kovi is a proverbial cash cow of leftover crumbs and num-num- they have become his ever-present entourage.
Life is good.

Daily Dose of Rylin

Now that Rylin is in k-4, I am lucky enough to be his classroom escort. Most days of the week I get to cart him, his Spiderman backpack and it's typically obscure contents to school. We have deep conversations revolving around Santa, submarines, letters of the day and politics. He is such a delight to converse with- his perspective youthfully refreshing and ultimately hilarious.
His comments included laughable nuggets like this:

Rylin: "So Santa wasn't here for Halloween. Why?"
Me: "Because he was making toys for the good boys and girls."
Rylin: "What the heck for...he's the boss of all those elves. They should be doing the work while Santa goes trick-or-treating. How else is he gonna get candy."
Me: ???

Me: "Aren't the trees pretty. Look at all the colors."
Rylin: "Yeah, cause I made those trees."
Me: "God made the trees Rylin."
Rylin: "Yeah, because I told him to."
Me: ???

Rylin: "I have two footballs in my backpack."
Me: "Cool. Is it show and tell today?"
Rylin: "No."
Me: "Oh. Are you learning about the letter F today?"
Rylin: "No."
Me: "Soooo...why do you have two footballs?"
Rylin: "Because one is red and that means you loose. And one is green and that means you win."
Me: ???

Rylin: "I didn't bring my jacket or backpack today. I only brought my Bi-Lo pencil."
Me: ???

Stay tuned for more of Rylin's hilarity... I'll upload some of his sketches too... He is quite the artist.