11/30/11
Highlights from Maine
I say "highlights" very loosely because clearly there aren't any pictures of Portland OR Davis and his cousin, Lela...so a better title would be "Highlights from Maine as captured on Sam's phone because she has yet to find her camera charger..." Nonetheless, please enjoy these pictures!
Having breakfast in a dining car!
Snow in Freeport.
Winter wonderland at L.L.Bean headquarters.
Happy pizza eaters.
A bad shot of more happy pizza eaters.
Vacuums at Target in Maine. Of course.
Cape Elizabeth lighthouse. Like a postcard.
Davis and Davis.
And more Davis and Davis.
11/29/11
Mini Cow, Claire
Bennett and I picked out this sweet mini cow for our little girl while in Maine. Davis' favorite little animal is his doggie, so I think it will be sweet if she likes her mini cow, Claire.
Also, I love mini horse from Rob & Big...but you're probably asking yourself, who doesn't?
Also, I love mini horse from Rob & Big...but you're probably asking yourself, who doesn't?
Things I Don't Want To Forget
That Davis has a little accent when he says words with "o". For example, the other day, someone rudely laid on the horn behind me, for quite a while. I ignored it, the moment passed, and then Davis said "Hoank." Just like that. Ha.
That he can't stand to see people look sad. Any time I have cried in front of him (real or faking- if he did something naughty), he gets the saddest face and says "mommy sad" and "mommy big hoag". Same thing for other people- not just me. He has such a tender heart.
That sometimes when I look at him with his bowl cut- I see myself. I rocked a bowl cut for a long time- entirely too long in fact.
That when I dropped him off at school today- he and all his little friends had on puffer jackets. Seriously the cutest thing ever.
That sometimes he wakes up singing and sometimes fussing and sometimes just saying "hi mommy" over and over (when i'm not in the room).
That the other day at the grocery store I set a square cut of cheddar cheese on the ledge of the cart and five minutes later, I heard him saying "Rub ye belly" while rubbing the center of the cheese.
That sometimes while in the grocery store- he'll ask me to pull him out of his seat- just for a big hug.
That he can't stand to see people look sad. Any time I have cried in front of him (real or faking- if he did something naughty), he gets the saddest face and says "mommy sad" and "mommy big hoag". Same thing for other people- not just me. He has such a tender heart.
That sometimes when I look at him with his bowl cut- I see myself. I rocked a bowl cut for a long time- entirely too long in fact.
That when I dropped him off at school today- he and all his little friends had on puffer jackets. Seriously the cutest thing ever.
That sometimes he wakes up singing and sometimes fussing and sometimes just saying "hi mommy" over and over (when i'm not in the room).
That the other day at the grocery store I set a square cut of cheddar cheese on the ledge of the cart and five minutes later, I heard him saying "Rub ye belly" while rubbing the center of the cheese.
That sometimes while in the grocery store- he'll ask me to pull him out of his seat- just for a big hug.
11/28/11
30 Week Stats
Blood drawn, one finger prick and one shot in the butt later, I am done with the 30 week check-up. First let me say that everyone in the waiting room was in a merry mood- and those that weren't- I took it upon myself to try and spread the holiday cheer in their direction. Some more succesfully than others. Being in Maine really got us in the holiday spirit- that is for sure.
Anyway- here are the stats:
- I passed the glucose test with flying colors. Even after breaking all the 48 hour prep rules. Oops. I forgot. Seeker's exact words were "you can really handle your sugar...". I wanted to say "tell me something I don't know, I've been eating skittles like vitamins since I was 16."
- I've gained 15 pounds to date
- Baby girl Bennett weighs 4+ lbs and is in the 70th percentile
- She is measuring a week early
In addition, I asked Seeker some questions & found out that:
- if born at 30 weeks, survival rate is 100%
- best guess at due date is based on previous gestation period- so she is likely to be a week early and she is also likely to be around the same weight as Davis
- if your first labor was 14 hours, your second is likely to be 7 or so
- if you pushed for 2.5 hours the first time- you can still expect just 15-30 minutes on your second baby. pushing is all for the first baby. That information was music to my ears!
So- I made all my final appointments, which made things seem very real...AND we put the crib together Sunday- it's so cute! AND the linens for her bedding came in to Red! AND, because of the holidays I really only have about 6 weeks left of work. Holy cow!
Maine pics to come later...when I find my camera charger.
Happy Monday.
Anyway- here are the stats:
- I passed the glucose test with flying colors. Even after breaking all the 48 hour prep rules. Oops. I forgot. Seeker's exact words were "you can really handle your sugar...". I wanted to say "tell me something I don't know, I've been eating skittles like vitamins since I was 16."
- I've gained 15 pounds to date
- Baby girl Bennett weighs 4+ lbs and is in the 70th percentile
- She is measuring a week early
In addition, I asked Seeker some questions & found out that:
- if born at 30 weeks, survival rate is 100%
- best guess at due date is based on previous gestation period- so she is likely to be a week early and she is also likely to be around the same weight as Davis
- if your first labor was 14 hours, your second is likely to be 7 or so
- if you pushed for 2.5 hours the first time- you can still expect just 15-30 minutes on your second baby. pushing is all for the first baby. That information was music to my ears!
So- I made all my final appointments, which made things seem very real...AND we put the crib together Sunday- it's so cute! AND the linens for her bedding came in to Red! AND, because of the holidays I really only have about 6 weeks left of work. Holy cow!
Maine pics to come later...when I find my camera charger.
Happy Monday.
11/25/11
Gift Guides
I love holiday shopping and this year I've really gotten into gift guides. I've checked Lucky, Instyle, Nordstrom.com, but one of my favorites is from a friend and fellow blogger, Meagan at Bluebonnets & Bluebell. Half the reason I love it is because she has picked things you probably wouldn't buy yourself- at least not on a regular occasion. So, anyway, in the spirit of holiday shopping, giving and fabulous finds...here is my effort at a gift guide. Part One.
I've become a real watch lover. I don't know when this happened- but I have three watches- one cheapie, one everyday coach watch that Davis gave me for my 25th birthday, and an amazing fancy watch Davis also gave me for our 6th anniversary. Anyway- I don't plan to have a ton of watches- but I always admire them. Here is a super cute one from Timex. So nice and a great price: $80 at nordstrom.
Another great gift, which is a splurge, in my opinion, is a nice makeup brush, or better yet, a set. This one is from Mac, and is under $50.
Okay, if I lived in Maine, or anywhere north of Kansas, I would need these cute slippers. Steve Madden, Merryy slippers, less than $40.
I am really into rose gold lately- and I am loving these simple bands. I would want them in matte vs. shiny, I think, but they are amazing either way. Found them on etsy- shop is Silverwoods. They are a bit more pricey- $225- but totally worth it, right? If you are my friend and end up buying/receiving them- don't show me. I'll be so jealous. :)
For your sophisticated techie friends- a smart houndstooth ipad case. $75 from Mari Forssell on etsy.
For your buddy, husband, brother or dad with great style...this alligator billfold from trelabela on etsy.
For your home- a pouf! :) Many sizes, shapes and prices on etsy from aletafae.
This scarf is awesome. Don't even ask how much it is- it's absolutely ridiculous. Thanks for nothing, Anthropologie. :(
OOh! This is too pretty. And for $28? How can you not? Free People.
This cubist cuff is perfect for a holiday party- or could be paired with an everyday watch and outfit for a little sparkle. It's $25 from Noonday Collection- which means it is a gift that gives back! (This reminds me of you, Kirsten. And I want one too. Friendship bracelets?)
And another bracelet- simple but certainly eyecatching. $95 from J.Crew.
Also- don't forget all the cute holiday palettes from Mac. Cute names like "Snowglobe" and "Dazzlesphere" shadows. So pretty and definitely things people don't usually buy themselves.
Okay- that's all I got. For now.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
I've become a real watch lover. I don't know when this happened- but I have three watches- one cheapie, one everyday coach watch that Davis gave me for my 25th birthday, and an amazing fancy watch Davis also gave me for our 6th anniversary. Anyway- I don't plan to have a ton of watches- but I always admire them. Here is a super cute one from Timex. So nice and a great price: $80 at nordstrom.
Another great gift, which is a splurge, in my opinion, is a nice makeup brush, or better yet, a set. This one is from Mac, and is under $50.
Okay, if I lived in Maine, or anywhere north of Kansas, I would need these cute slippers. Steve Madden, Merryy slippers, less than $40.
I am really into rose gold lately- and I am loving these simple bands. I would want them in matte vs. shiny, I think, but they are amazing either way. Found them on etsy- shop is Silverwoods. They are a bit more pricey- $225- but totally worth it, right? If you are my friend and end up buying/receiving them- don't show me. I'll be so jealous. :)
For your sophisticated techie friends- a smart houndstooth ipad case. $75 from Mari Forssell on etsy.
For your buddy, husband, brother or dad with great style...this alligator billfold from trelabela on etsy.
For your home- a pouf! :) Many sizes, shapes and prices on etsy from aletafae.
This scarf is awesome. Don't even ask how much it is- it's absolutely ridiculous. Thanks for nothing, Anthropologie. :(
OOh! This is too pretty. And for $28? How can you not? Free People.
This cubist cuff is perfect for a holiday party- or could be paired with an everyday watch and outfit for a little sparkle. It's $25 from Noonday Collection- which means it is a gift that gives back! (This reminds me of you, Kirsten. And I want one too. Friendship bracelets?)
And another bracelet- simple but certainly eyecatching. $95 from J.Crew.
Also- don't forget all the cute holiday palettes from Mac. Cute names like "Snowglobe" and "Dazzlesphere" shadows. So pretty and definitely things people don't usually buy themselves.
Okay- that's all I got. For now.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
11/24/11
Thanksgiving
Today has been a special day- we slept late- then headed over to Polly and Niles' house to have a late Thanksgiving lunch. Davis and I contributed mac n cheese and two pies from a local bakery. Polly handled the bulk of the cooking- and I seriously would have though she had done it before. It was all so great.
Before lunch, I took Davis for a little walk in the neighborhood just to burn some energy. It was cold and gray and I sort of thought it would just be something I had to do...but really, it was such a sweet little time with him. We walked around this cozy little northeastern neighborhood- and stopped to touch the snow, stopped to see kitty cats, pick up walking sticks, wave to the cars that would pass by, and sometimes Davis would just stop to give momma "big hoag". We walked until we saw an old church, a cemetery, and then as luck would have it, a playground! Davis was so pleased.
It was cold and getting darker (seriously- it gets dark around 2 or 3- it's really throwing me off) so I only let him play for a little bit. He could have thrown a fit. He fussed for two seconds and then I said "Davis, we have to say 'bye bye playground...'" He repeated it. Then I said "Thank you playground", again he repeated. "It was fun, playground..." again, he repeated, and then he threw in "see you tomorrow!" If I am thankful for one thing this year- it's Davis' kind spirit. He really is such a sensitive guy, so kind and loving. I prayed for that while I was pregnant with him, and it's amazing to see it come to fruition.
On the way back to the house, I was trying to get him to walk a little faster, so I turned around, sort of running backwards. I could actually SEE a light bulb go off- he was amazed with this...and immediately turned around and started walking backwards. So pleased with himself. So sweet.
Tonight, after stuffing our faces, we drove to Freeport to the LLBean headquarters. They are open 24/7/365 and Freeport is such a cute little town that also happened to be covered in snow. It was really fun- and a great memory with the Bennett 3 and the Cockrills. :)
Now we are watching the UT/A&M game...maybe eating a bunch of snacks from the hotel snack shop since we are without leftovers...and just relaxing. It's weird to think that this will be our last trip as a family of three. I'm excited for her- but if I'm honest- I'm also nervous. It's so nice right now...and my boys have every piece of my heart...I can't imagine what it will be like with one more. And a girl. I know every mom thinks that though, and every mom finds more love to give that they didn't even know existed. So it'll be alright. It will be great.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Before lunch, I took Davis for a little walk in the neighborhood just to burn some energy. It was cold and gray and I sort of thought it would just be something I had to do...but really, it was such a sweet little time with him. We walked around this cozy little northeastern neighborhood- and stopped to touch the snow, stopped to see kitty cats, pick up walking sticks, wave to the cars that would pass by, and sometimes Davis would just stop to give momma "big hoag". We walked until we saw an old church, a cemetery, and then as luck would have it, a playground! Davis was so pleased.
It was cold and getting darker (seriously- it gets dark around 2 or 3- it's really throwing me off) so I only let him play for a little bit. He could have thrown a fit. He fussed for two seconds and then I said "Davis, we have to say 'bye bye playground...'" He repeated it. Then I said "Thank you playground", again he repeated. "It was fun, playground..." again, he repeated, and then he threw in "see you tomorrow!" If I am thankful for one thing this year- it's Davis' kind spirit. He really is such a sensitive guy, so kind and loving. I prayed for that while I was pregnant with him, and it's amazing to see it come to fruition.
On the way back to the house, I was trying to get him to walk a little faster, so I turned around, sort of running backwards. I could actually SEE a light bulb go off- he was amazed with this...and immediately turned around and started walking backwards. So pleased with himself. So sweet.
Tonight, after stuffing our faces, we drove to Freeport to the LLBean headquarters. They are open 24/7/365 and Freeport is such a cute little town that also happened to be covered in snow. It was really fun- and a great memory with the Bennett 3 and the Cockrills. :)
Now we are watching the UT/A&M game...maybe eating a bunch of snacks from the hotel snack shop since we are without leftovers...and just relaxing. It's weird to think that this will be our last trip as a family of three. I'm excited for her- but if I'm honest- I'm also nervous. It's so nice right now...and my boys have every piece of my heart...I can't imagine what it will be like with one more. And a girl. I know every mom thinks that though, and every mom finds more love to give that they didn't even know existed. So it'll be alright. It will be great.
Happy Thanksgiving.
11/22/11
Maine
We're here! And it's dark and cold and cozy. Davis was a champ on the plane and LOVED meeting his little cousin Lela. She is a doll- seriously so cute. And it was great to see Niles and Polly and their new house. It's very cozy and has that northeastern charm.
Oh, P.S. Davis just said to me "hey- peek out the window and see if it's snowing yet." WHERE AM I? MAINE! It's supposed to storm and snow tomorrow. I can't wait, though I do want to meander the cute little cobblestone streets and shops in downtown Portland. So cute here!
Also, my grandfather is going home tomorrow. I am so thankful for that. So happy Thanksgiving week! The holidays are here! Countdown is on until 95.5 is all Christmas songs, all the time. DE-LI-LAH!
Oh, P.S. Davis just said to me "hey- peek out the window and see if it's snowing yet." WHERE AM I? MAINE! It's supposed to storm and snow tomorrow. I can't wait, though I do want to meander the cute little cobblestone streets and shops in downtown Portland. So cute here!
Also, my grandfather is going home tomorrow. I am so thankful for that. So happy Thanksgiving week! The holidays are here! Countdown is on until 95.5 is all Christmas songs, all the time. DE-LI-LAH!
11/21/11
Busy Bees
We were very busy bees this past weekend. So busy, the queen bee, never got a nap. Now that is saying something...
On Friday, the Furls came to stay with us, so of course where did Kirsten and I take the boys? Specs liquor store. Yes, Specs is in fact the most kid-friendly store in the neighborhood, with carts complete with little cars with horns to keep the kids occupied while mommy and daddy peruse the booze. I have some really cute pictures of the boys playing in the little car attached to the cart. We were buying some drinks for a thanksgiving dinner some of our friends have each year. So also on Friday I baked brownies and we made a homemade mac and cheese bake, which was a hit. The party was really fun- I love seeing all my friends in one place like that.
Saturday we took Davis and Andy to the gym- which they LOVED...and then the rest of the weekend was spent getting things done. If you know me, you know that I love two things: 1) getting things done and 2) getting rid of things. We did BOTH this weekend. YES! I mean seriously, I get a little thrill every time I'm able to sell, give or drop things by the local Goodwill. If I think too long about the stuff lingering in our attic it just gives me a sideache. Seriously.
Anyway- my sweet mom took a lot of things back to Fred with her so we could make room for our new couch/bed setup in the office, which meant we could move the guest bed out, which means WE CAN FINALLY START GETTING HER ROOM READY! The room is basically empty, so last night I cleaned the floors, laid out her adorable rug, and now when we get back from Maine we can go ahead and set up her crib. I think that will really make it feel real. I can hardly believe that in two months we'll have a little girl. It has FLOWN by.
Some funny things Davis said or did this weekend:
- claimed "Da-ee bwoke it" over and over while pointing at a bowl he most certainly broke last week.
- the hokey pokey! I had no idea he knew how until the song came on his piano. The music classes are paying off.
- started saying "Okaaayy" as a replacement for: stop, no more, and move. One night he woke up so upset because he couldn't stop coughing. Bennett and I walked in to see what was up- I started rocking him and Bennett walked over to rub his back while I rocked him. Davis looked at him and said "Da-ee, okaaayyy..." We couldn't stop giggling. It was like "okay dad. enough. get out of here. we're doing our thing." I keep reminding Bennett that his little girl will feel the same way about him that Davis feels about me. :)
- held hands with little Andy each time we got in the car.
- played with the little kitchen Honey got him for his birthday. it is made of wood, it's red and vintage looking and we finally set it up in his room. he loves it!
So we're off to Maine tomorrow. I hope the flights are easy, the week is fun and RELAXING, and we don't freeze our patoots off. Yes, this is really the weather forecast. I hope one of my jackets fits!
On Friday, the Furls came to stay with us, so of course where did Kirsten and I take the boys? Specs liquor store. Yes, Specs is in fact the most kid-friendly store in the neighborhood, with carts complete with little cars with horns to keep the kids occupied while mommy and daddy peruse the booze. I have some really cute pictures of the boys playing in the little car attached to the cart. We were buying some drinks for a thanksgiving dinner some of our friends have each year. So also on Friday I baked brownies and we made a homemade mac and cheese bake, which was a hit. The party was really fun- I love seeing all my friends in one place like that.
Saturday we took Davis and Andy to the gym- which they LOVED...and then the rest of the weekend was spent getting things done. If you know me, you know that I love two things: 1) getting things done and 2) getting rid of things. We did BOTH this weekend. YES! I mean seriously, I get a little thrill every time I'm able to sell, give or drop things by the local Goodwill. If I think too long about the stuff lingering in our attic it just gives me a sideache. Seriously.
Anyway- my sweet mom took a lot of things back to Fred with her so we could make room for our new couch/bed setup in the office, which meant we could move the guest bed out, which means WE CAN FINALLY START GETTING HER ROOM READY! The room is basically empty, so last night I cleaned the floors, laid out her adorable rug, and now when we get back from Maine we can go ahead and set up her crib. I think that will really make it feel real. I can hardly believe that in two months we'll have a little girl. It has FLOWN by.
Some funny things Davis said or did this weekend:
- claimed "Da-ee bwoke it" over and over while pointing at a bowl he most certainly broke last week.
- the hokey pokey! I had no idea he knew how until the song came on his piano. The music classes are paying off.
- started saying "Okaaayy" as a replacement for: stop, no more, and move. One night he woke up so upset because he couldn't stop coughing. Bennett and I walked in to see what was up- I started rocking him and Bennett walked over to rub his back while I rocked him. Davis looked at him and said "Da-ee, okaaayyy..." We couldn't stop giggling. It was like "okay dad. enough. get out of here. we're doing our thing." I keep reminding Bennett that his little girl will feel the same way about him that Davis feels about me. :)
- held hands with little Andy each time we got in the car.
- played with the little kitchen Honey got him for his birthday. it is made of wood, it's red and vintage looking and we finally set it up in his room. he loves it!
So we're off to Maine tomorrow. I hope the flights are easy, the week is fun and RELAXING, and we don't freeze our patoots off. Yes, this is really the weather forecast. I hope one of my jackets fits!
11/20/11
Noooo and Nuggle Nuggle
The two most recent things Davis has been saying.
NOOO. To everything. Want to go in your room? NO. Should we take your shoes off so you can get comfy? NOOO. Let's go change your diaper. NOOO. It's already exhausting. We're working on giving him choices so it's either/or.
The other thing Davis has been saying is adorable. He loves to hoag (hug) his momma and recently, he asks to "Nuggle nuggle" all the time. This started by me saying "Want to snuggle?" to which he smiles and responds "nuggle nuggle momma". It's amazing. And he gives me the best hugs lately.
We had a great weekend- so I'll have to catch you up on that tomorrow. Back to watching Goonies and working...
NOOO. To everything. Want to go in your room? NO. Should we take your shoes off so you can get comfy? NOOO. Let's go change your diaper. NOOO. It's already exhausting. We're working on giving him choices so it's either/or.
The other thing Davis has been saying is adorable. He loves to hoag (hug) his momma and recently, he asks to "Nuggle nuggle" all the time. This started by me saying "Want to snuggle?" to which he smiles and responds "nuggle nuggle momma". It's amazing. And he gives me the best hugs lately.
We had a great weekend- so I'll have to catch you up on that tomorrow. Back to watching Goonies and working...
11/17/11
Crazy, Stupid, Love
We finally saw this movie last night- I had been looking forward to seeing it for a while. Anyway- the gist of the movie is that Emily (Julianne Moore) cheats on her husband, Cal (Steve Carrell), of 30+ years, and you see all the drama unfold. It's cute and it's sweet and some parts are cheesy- but I was still crying several times throughout. Now that doesn't mean much because I cry about a lot these days. I'm 29 weeks pregnant.
But, I think the sweetest part was that at one point, when Cal sneaks over to his old house to aerate and take care of his yard for the wife and kids he still loves, Bennett randomly said "You know...I would do that for you..." And I cried. I thought it was so sweet. He was sincere and I could tell. And then we both laughed because the next thing he said was "I was just waiting for you to say 'then why don't you get out there and take care of our sandlot of a backyard now?'" Ha.
Anyway- Cal and Emily met and fell in love when they were 15. And of course it made me think of when Bennett and I met. We were 12. We had both just moved to Texas, we were in 6th grade, both our siblings were in 9th, and they became fast friends too. Thinking back, I realized that I always knew Bennett was different. Even when I was in the 6th grade. He was silly and immature and lankier than you would ever have guessed knowing him now, but I could also tell there was something very serious and very sweet and caring about him. Not to say I could have articulated that then.
But I knew he was different and while I can't say I fully appreciated it- I did recognize the difference between him and the other boys. In the 6th grade, he would carry my trumpet and walk at least a mile with me to my after school choir class, then walk home by himself. I wish I could say I thought then that it was just so sweet- but I was probably more embarassed because it was me, my 3-4 silly girlfriends, and Davis in his hoodie, baggy shorts and shaggy skater hair. He would also call me on the phone. All the time. I've never liked talking on the phone...and I think in the 6th grade, talking on the phone was like the LAST thing on my mind. And he just wanted to chat away...about anything and everything.
And he was always a gentleman. He always jokes about how Nikki and Niles were constantly like "why don't you kiss her? kiss her already..." and how he would be like "SHE WON'T EVEN HOLD MY HAND. HOW AM I GOING TO KISS HER???" And he never tried and it's certainly a good thing for two reasons 1) I probably would have clocked him and 2) it made our first kiss when we were 20 even more exciting. We joke though, about how after I dumped him in the 6th grade, he downgraded by about a thousand to this girl named Kelly, and how he probably did this so they could make out already. Ha. They always come around to the good girls- that's what I'm going to tell our daughter.
Anyway- I love having memories of Bennett when he was younger. I remember after he went to private school in 7th grade, seeing him occasionally, and I told Bennett yesterday that the best way to describe my thoughts back then was that "he hadn't really grown into himself yet..."
Then I remember seeing him around high school occasionally and we would joke and talk even though we ran with completely different crowds. I remember hacky sacking with him in my cheerleading uniform before a basketball game. I wouldn't say I had my eye on him then- but I certainly still thought there was something unique about him.
And then I remember seeing him in about 10th grade after he had gone off to military school. HOLY COW. Lets just say he had certainly grown into himself. And some muscles. And a sharp military haircut. And some clothes that fit a little bit better. It's funny...we hadn't talked in years...but I asked him to go fishing with me. And he did. We went to my grandparents' house to pick up the rods and we drove out to the park and sat on the rocks and fished and talks for a few hours after not really having spent more than 15 minutes together since the 6th grade. We talked about his boarding school and I talked about what was going on with me...and I think we ate sunflower seeds, but we didn't catch anything.
I didn't see him again until the summer before my junior year of college. I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and was flirting with one of Bennett's old friends, thinking it might be a fun summer fling. I randomly went to see this friend at a store on main street I had never been to before...and not more than 5 minutes after I got there, in walked Davis Bennett. And Bennett's friend was instantly forgotten. To say I learned what it meant to be boy crazy that summer is an understatement. I was over the moon for Davis from about the second we started talking...I even remember what he was wearing (and I've kept that shirt till this day). He was with a girl, he introduced as a friend, who clearly had a crush on him as she had come all the way from the northeast to see him that summer.
And I'm sure it ruined her plans that my buddy and I took him up on his offer to go to Enchanted Rock with them that day. I wasn't about to miss that opportunity. I remember that we laughed and talked and rode with the top down on my friend's convertible singing "Tiny Dancer" at the top of our lungs. You would have thought we'd known each other forever. And I guess in some ways, we had.
Watching Crazy, Stupid, Love last night reminded me that soul mates are real and how lucky I am to have gotten to spend so much time with mine. There is never a doubt in my mind that I was made for Bennett and Bennett was made for me.
I couldn't love him more.
But, I think the sweetest part was that at one point, when Cal sneaks over to his old house to aerate and take care of his yard for the wife and kids he still loves, Bennett randomly said "You know...I would do that for you..." And I cried. I thought it was so sweet. He was sincere and I could tell. And then we both laughed because the next thing he said was "I was just waiting for you to say 'then why don't you get out there and take care of our sandlot of a backyard now?'" Ha.
Anyway- Cal and Emily met and fell in love when they were 15. And of course it made me think of when Bennett and I met. We were 12. We had both just moved to Texas, we were in 6th grade, both our siblings were in 9th, and they became fast friends too. Thinking back, I realized that I always knew Bennett was different. Even when I was in the 6th grade. He was silly and immature and lankier than you would ever have guessed knowing him now, but I could also tell there was something very serious and very sweet and caring about him. Not to say I could have articulated that then.
But I knew he was different and while I can't say I fully appreciated it- I did recognize the difference between him and the other boys. In the 6th grade, he would carry my trumpet and walk at least a mile with me to my after school choir class, then walk home by himself. I wish I could say I thought then that it was just so sweet- but I was probably more embarassed because it was me, my 3-4 silly girlfriends, and Davis in his hoodie, baggy shorts and shaggy skater hair. He would also call me on the phone. All the time. I've never liked talking on the phone...and I think in the 6th grade, talking on the phone was like the LAST thing on my mind. And he just wanted to chat away...about anything and everything.
And he was always a gentleman. He always jokes about how Nikki and Niles were constantly like "why don't you kiss her? kiss her already..." and how he would be like "SHE WON'T EVEN HOLD MY HAND. HOW AM I GOING TO KISS HER???" And he never tried and it's certainly a good thing for two reasons 1) I probably would have clocked him and 2) it made our first kiss when we were 20 even more exciting. We joke though, about how after I dumped him in the 6th grade, he downgraded by about a thousand to this girl named Kelly, and how he probably did this so they could make out already. Ha. They always come around to the good girls- that's what I'm going to tell our daughter.
Anyway- I love having memories of Bennett when he was younger. I remember after he went to private school in 7th grade, seeing him occasionally, and I told Bennett yesterday that the best way to describe my thoughts back then was that "he hadn't really grown into himself yet..."
Then I remember seeing him around high school occasionally and we would joke and talk even though we ran with completely different crowds. I remember hacky sacking with him in my cheerleading uniform before a basketball game. I wouldn't say I had my eye on him then- but I certainly still thought there was something unique about him.
And then I remember seeing him in about 10th grade after he had gone off to military school. HOLY COW. Lets just say he had certainly grown into himself. And some muscles. And a sharp military haircut. And some clothes that fit a little bit better. It's funny...we hadn't talked in years...but I asked him to go fishing with me. And he did. We went to my grandparents' house to pick up the rods and we drove out to the park and sat on the rocks and fished and talks for a few hours after not really having spent more than 15 minutes together since the 6th grade. We talked about his boarding school and I talked about what was going on with me...and I think we ate sunflower seeds, but we didn't catch anything.
I didn't see him again until the summer before my junior year of college. I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and was flirting with one of Bennett's old friends, thinking it might be a fun summer fling. I randomly went to see this friend at a store on main street I had never been to before...and not more than 5 minutes after I got there, in walked Davis Bennett. And Bennett's friend was instantly forgotten. To say I learned what it meant to be boy crazy that summer is an understatement. I was over the moon for Davis from about the second we started talking...I even remember what he was wearing (and I've kept that shirt till this day). He was with a girl, he introduced as a friend, who clearly had a crush on him as she had come all the way from the northeast to see him that summer.
And I'm sure it ruined her plans that my buddy and I took him up on his offer to go to Enchanted Rock with them that day. I wasn't about to miss that opportunity. I remember that we laughed and talked and rode with the top down on my friend's convertible singing "Tiny Dancer" at the top of our lungs. You would have thought we'd known each other forever. And I guess in some ways, we had.
Watching Crazy, Stupid, Love last night reminded me that soul mates are real and how lucky I am to have gotten to spend so much time with mine. There is never a doubt in my mind that I was made for Bennett and Bennett was made for me.
I couldn't love him more.
11/16/11
Prayer Request
We went to visit my grandfather today in the hospital, he had some more tests, and as of this afternoon, the doctor decided to try a clotting medicine in hopes that either the problem will stop altogether, or at least it will buy him some days to get a bit rejuvenated until he has surgery again.
Please say a prayer for him.
Thanks.
Also, the sweetest moment of the day was when Davis first walked up to his room, saw him, and immediately said "Hi gampa!" He then went over, high fived him and rubbed noses with him. He also asked for a "hoag" (hug) before we left. So sweet.
Please say a prayer for him.
Thanks.
Also, the sweetest moment of the day was when Davis first walked up to his room, saw him, and immediately said "Hi gampa!" He then went over, high fived him and rubbed noses with him. He also asked for a "hoag" (hug) before we left. So sweet.
11/15/11
Rough Weekend
This is not meant to be a downer post- but well- this is part of life, right? And to be fair, the weekend did have some high points, for sure. In fact, Saturday we had a blast at My Gym. Davis was so pleased to be there- I want to take him again this weekend with Kirsten and Andy.
Then that night we had dinner at Fado with a group of friends from work as part of our ongoing cultural cuisine outings. It was great- fish and chips, corned beef, smoked salmon, these are the things the Irish eat. AND there was a UT rugby team toga party going on at the time, so that was certainly entertaining.
Sunday we had a sort of special day- just hanging around the house- cleaning out the garage, and playing outside.
And there were some naps.
However, on the flip side, my grandfather had surgery this weekend and is still in the hospital. He's doing okay- but I feel bad that he will be there this whole week and I haven't been able to see him because 1) I got super sick Sunday morning. Throwing up, the works. Stayed home yesterday and didn't get out of bed until 4:00. I'm back at work today, but at about half speed. Then last night Bennett got sick. Also throwing up. On top of that, I have sciatica, which is basically a pinched nerve in your lower back that runs all down your leg and pinches every time you walk or bend. Awesome.
It is very common in pregnancy, and I know I can't complain because I've been feeling great until now, and hopefully it will just sort of taper off...but it's no fun. No fun at all.
AND while I'm feeling just a wee bit sorry for myself, I got hit with a 2x4 in the shoulder. Sounds random, I know, but it was a result of cleaning up the garage, and it HURT!
But to end this post, here is what I am thankful for.
That my grandfather is healthy.
That I am pregnant, even if my sciatic nerve is pinched.
That Bennett isn't traveling this week.
That Davis is such a doll and just wants to "snuggle" when I pick him up after school.
That it is RAINING today!
That Davis loves to rub noses with me- just like my grandpa and I did when I was little. So sweet. I'll have to tell that story later.
Then that night we had dinner at Fado with a group of friends from work as part of our ongoing cultural cuisine outings. It was great- fish and chips, corned beef, smoked salmon, these are the things the Irish eat. AND there was a UT rugby team toga party going on at the time, so that was certainly entertaining.
Sunday we had a sort of special day- just hanging around the house- cleaning out the garage, and playing outside.
However, on the flip side, my grandfather had surgery this weekend and is still in the hospital. He's doing okay- but I feel bad that he will be there this whole week and I haven't been able to see him because 1) I got super sick Sunday morning. Throwing up, the works. Stayed home yesterday and didn't get out of bed until 4:00. I'm back at work today, but at about half speed. Then last night Bennett got sick. Also throwing up. On top of that, I have sciatica, which is basically a pinched nerve in your lower back that runs all down your leg and pinches every time you walk or bend. Awesome.
It is very common in pregnancy, and I know I can't complain because I've been feeling great until now, and hopefully it will just sort of taper off...but it's no fun. No fun at all.
AND while I'm feeling just a wee bit sorry for myself, I got hit with a 2x4 in the shoulder. Sounds random, I know, but it was a result of cleaning up the garage, and it HURT!
But to end this post, here is what I am thankful for.
That my grandfather is healthy.
That I am pregnant, even if my sciatic nerve is pinched.
That Bennett isn't traveling this week.
That Davis is such a doll and just wants to "snuggle" when I pick him up after school.
That it is RAINING today!
That Davis loves to rub noses with me- just like my grandpa and I did when I was little. So sweet. I'll have to tell that story later.
11/10/11
Mr. Kebin
Davis' favorite teacher (of the three in his room) is clearly Mr. Kebin...and I can see why. Kevin is tall, loud, super silly, and very often he and I joke and talk about things when I pick Davis up at school. He's quirky and fun- wears turquoise jeans and great hats- and Davis thinks he is the bees knees.
Yesterday Mr. Kebin let Davis wear his Koala hat in the class pictures and that was the first thing Davis wanted to show me when I picked him up. Before we left- he saw Mr. Kebin and shouted "Mr. Kebin!" and ran and gave him a hug. I suggested he say goodbye to the other teachers and he just said "Bye Mr. Kebin..." ha.
Well, I just got a call from the director of the school saying that Kevin is moving out of Davis' koalas class to become the full-time tumbling teacher and that he is being replaced with a girl who graduated from UT in child development, who is very bubbly, fun and excited about working with toddlers. On one hand, I'm super bummed for Davis. On the other hand, I understand that while Kevin enjoyed the Koalas class, he would really like to be involved in tumbling and with older kids...so I can appreciate that.
I hope the new girl is great. :)
Here are some pictures I just got from his teachers...
Painting pumpkins!
Eating muffins with his friends.
Playing outside, that's Mr. Kebin.
On the playground.
The sensory tub.
Carson- this kid cracks me up. Kevin and I joke about how he's always dressed like it's casual friday. Except on halloween, of course.
Smiley man.
Sharing his koala.
Yesterday Mr. Kebin let Davis wear his Koala hat in the class pictures and that was the first thing Davis wanted to show me when I picked him up. Before we left- he saw Mr. Kebin and shouted "Mr. Kebin!" and ran and gave him a hug. I suggested he say goodbye to the other teachers and he just said "Bye Mr. Kebin..." ha.
Well, I just got a call from the director of the school saying that Kevin is moving out of Davis' koalas class to become the full-time tumbling teacher and that he is being replaced with a girl who graduated from UT in child development, who is very bubbly, fun and excited about working with toddlers. On one hand, I'm super bummed for Davis. On the other hand, I understand that while Kevin enjoyed the Koalas class, he would really like to be involved in tumbling and with older kids...so I can appreciate that.
I hope the new girl is great. :)
Here are some pictures I just got from his teachers...
11/7/11
What a Good Day
So if you haven't read Davis' full birthday post- be sure to scroll to the post below. But on top of that- today has just been great. I got promoted. Woohoo. Been talking about it for a while, but didn't know it would be announced today. And my boss sent me flowers, and a bunch of people sent me really nice congratulatory notes, and it's just been fun.
Also, we got a little note (see below) from Mikki and Honey this morning reminding us that for Davis' birthday, they both put some monies into the Davis Bennett travel fund. How great is that? By the time he is in college, he'll have no problem picking up and traveling the world for a bit. What a nice gift. He is a lucky dude.
AND holy cow- Carrie already edited the pictures from Saturday for our christmas card and they are AWESOME! Here is my favorite. She is so good.
Also, we got a little note (see below) from Mikki and Honey this morning reminding us that for Davis' birthday, they both put some monies into the Davis Bennett travel fund. How great is that? By the time he is in college, he'll have no problem picking up and traveling the world for a bit. What a nice gift. He is a lucky dude.
AND holy cow- Carrie already edited the pictures from Saturday for our christmas card and they are AWESOME! Here is my favorite. She is so good.
Two Years Old
It's hard to believe, but today marks Davis' 2nd birthday. I feel both full of joy and a little sad about this...it's just going so fast. We celebrated all day yesterday since today is a work/school day. We started by going for pancakes- Davis said "pancakes?" about 100 times between our house and our final stop. I say that because we started at Kerbey Lane (where the wait was an hour) and ended at Jim's on 290. I now know where all the country folk living in Austin have breakfast on Sundays. Our waitress, Tammy, has worked there 30 years and we also found out that Darryl K. Royal is a regular there. He was at the table next to us. Nice.
After that, we had naps and Bennett made a double layer brownie cake complete with homemade double fudge chocolate icing. YUM. Around 4:00 we met our friends and family at Phil's and it was so much fun. My heart was so full of joy as I watched everyone sing Happy Birthday to our little man. And he was having a hey day. I don't know that he completely understood that it was his birthday, but he certainly understood that it was an awesome day, all about him. What a lucky guy.
I took him to school this morning in a little button down- we'll see if the shirt makes it until picture time. He was very excited to see a picture of himself with a "happy birthday" message on the door of his class. I packed a bunch of sugar cookies for him and his friends. Yay for Davis. I am so thankful for him.
Oh also- maybe his favorite part of the day was riding in our small car to Phil's with 10 balloons in the backseat. So much balloon wrestling.
And p.s. Yes, he is rocking a bowl cut. Took him to Great Clips friday and he acted as though someone was sawing his arm off- so this was the best we could do- though I do sort of love it.
11/3/11
Davis, Cookie?
Davis is saying his name a lot more lately. Everything from associating an item with himself, like "Davis, cookie?" to saying "Davis turn" when it's his turn. His sentences are getting longer and lately I've also noticed his appetite is getting bigger. He says "mo" a lot. "Mo pizza Daddy?" It's pretty cute.
He keeps waking up in the night- which is kind of annoying- but hard to ignore. He is really such a sweet kid that I feel like a jerk ignoring it. But I also kind of hope it's a phase because I don't need to be waking up with TWO kids in the night in a couple months- just one.
He is really into Elmo these days. He likes to have Elmo do the things he's doing. It started with me trying to tell him to put Elmo down one night because Elmo (and Davis) had to go to sleep. We tucked Elmo in, kissed him, and then Davis went to sleep. This is now a ritual. Last night, while changing Davis' diaper he said "Change Elmo diaper?" Elmo does, in fact, have a diaper, so I guess it makes sense.
Also, on the way home from work the other day, I picked up some chicken nuggets for him. They came with a little toy cat. The cat is plastic, so not cuddly in any way, but Davis hugged him, kissed him, and then for the first time I heard him say "Rub ye belly?" And sure enough, he took his little finger and rubbed all one and a half inches of that tiny cat's belly. I often offer to rub Davis' belly at night- so he was just sharing the love. Sweet kid, really.
Little lady is kicking and moving like crazy. Last night while lying on the couch I could see my stomach move. It's gotten to that point, which is crazy. I can't wait to meet her- I think it's going to be great to be a family of four and have a little girl around. Only a couple more months.
I'm feeling great too. Still working out- though the workouts themselves have changed a little bit. Less running- more elliptical- but same weights, repetitions, etc. Have a measurement day on Saturday which stinks because I know all my measurements will be up- but oh well. Ha.
Getting excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas and trying to think of something interesting to do or give to instead of doing crazy gifts this year...
Hope you are all doing well. Peace out.
He keeps waking up in the night- which is kind of annoying- but hard to ignore. He is really such a sweet kid that I feel like a jerk ignoring it. But I also kind of hope it's a phase because I don't need to be waking up with TWO kids in the night in a couple months- just one.
He is really into Elmo these days. He likes to have Elmo do the things he's doing. It started with me trying to tell him to put Elmo down one night because Elmo (and Davis) had to go to sleep. We tucked Elmo in, kissed him, and then Davis went to sleep. This is now a ritual. Last night, while changing Davis' diaper he said "Change Elmo diaper?" Elmo does, in fact, have a diaper, so I guess it makes sense.
Also, on the way home from work the other day, I picked up some chicken nuggets for him. They came with a little toy cat. The cat is plastic, so not cuddly in any way, but Davis hugged him, kissed him, and then for the first time I heard him say "Rub ye belly?" And sure enough, he took his little finger and rubbed all one and a half inches of that tiny cat's belly. I often offer to rub Davis' belly at night- so he was just sharing the love. Sweet kid, really.
Little lady is kicking and moving like crazy. Last night while lying on the couch I could see my stomach move. It's gotten to that point, which is crazy. I can't wait to meet her- I think it's going to be great to be a family of four and have a little girl around. Only a couple more months.
I'm feeling great too. Still working out- though the workouts themselves have changed a little bit. Less running- more elliptical- but same weights, repetitions, etc. Have a measurement day on Saturday which stinks because I know all my measurements will be up- but oh well. Ha.
Getting excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas and trying to think of something interesting to do or give to instead of doing crazy gifts this year...
Hope you are all doing well. Peace out.
11/2/11
Living Right
So God is clearly speaking to Bennett and I this week about how we are living and where we are putting our energy and our assets. We had a GREAT sermon on Sunday about giving- and why you give- and even just writing that sounds boring, but seriously, if you have some time, listen to the sermon here. Turn on your volume and listen to "FAQ". It makes you think about how you live and what you invest in, and why, totally differently.
On top of that, I read this blog post this morning and literally found myself crying at my desk at work. Can you even imagine knowing an orphaned 16 year old who has lived his life on a trash dump? Digging for his meals and even his clothes and anything he could find to get by? Better yet, could you imagine BEING an orphaned 16 year old who has lived his life on a trash dump? Digging for your meals, wearing anything you could find that got tossed out, thinking it is normal, not noticing the smell, realizing that where you go to the bathroom is also where you lay your head, and even still finding joy in life? It breaks my heart.
It breaks my heart because I'm sitting here in clean clothes and patent leather shoes. With earrings that match- and I "had to" choose between which pair to wear to accessorize my outfit. And I had an egg mcmuffin this morning. And drank coffee. And I'm wearing glasses that were perfectly fixed for my vision. And I drove my Volvo to work.
And it breaks my heart even more because that is someone's little boy. Someone who loved him as much as I love Davis. And it seriously hurts my heart. And it hurts because there is so much pain like that in the world. But it stings because I have MORE than enough, and I'm not doing my part.
On top of that, I read this blog post this morning and literally found myself crying at my desk at work. Can you even imagine knowing an orphaned 16 year old who has lived his life on a trash dump? Digging for his meals and even his clothes and anything he could find to get by? Better yet, could you imagine BEING an orphaned 16 year old who has lived his life on a trash dump? Digging for your meals, wearing anything you could find that got tossed out, thinking it is normal, not noticing the smell, realizing that where you go to the bathroom is also where you lay your head, and even still finding joy in life? It breaks my heart.
It breaks my heart because I'm sitting here in clean clothes and patent leather shoes. With earrings that match- and I "had to" choose between which pair to wear to accessorize my outfit. And I had an egg mcmuffin this morning. And drank coffee. And I'm wearing glasses that were perfectly fixed for my vision. And I drove my Volvo to work.
And it breaks my heart even more because that is someone's little boy. Someone who loved him as much as I love Davis. And it seriously hurts my heart. And it hurts because there is so much pain like that in the world. But it stings because I have MORE than enough, and I'm not doing my part.
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