A Little Like Home?

Below is a view of a historical cobblestone street in downtown Paducah that reminded me of downtown Greenville. The entire downtown is filled with restaurants, many antique shops, museums and art studios.
Downtown Paducah is located on the Ohio River.
Look at these old men enjoying life. I mean how long do they plan on sitting there? The one man has his green thermos.
Potential family photographer in Paducah.
Before heading out we had ice cream!

Our GPS lead us out of Paducah a different way and took us over a rickety old bridge (much like the old Cooper River Bridge, but smaller) crossing over the Ohio River. Once you cross over the bridge you are in Illinois. We landed in a tiny town and were driving along when Sheldon noticed a white unmarked police car with flashing lights behind us. Yep, we were getting pulled. I was wondering how this was going to go since we have an Illinois tag, Illinois State Farm Insurance and we both still have SC driver's license. I started to get nervous simply because this was a small town we were techincally lost in, it was an unmarked car, and the officer just had a black "POLICE" t-shirt on with a huge tattoo on his forearm, and he was dipping. Luckily the policeman had lived and worked in Charleston while in the Navy so I guess that is why he let us off without even writing a warning ticket...or maybe it was the friendly "hello" Hayes gave him when he walked up to the car. Or maybe you aren't supposed to be dipping while on duty? Whatever the case we were grateful. By the way, Sheldon was going 46 in a 30.

Nickelodeon Presents Storytime Live!

On Saturday we ventured an hour down to Paducah, Kentucky to attend Nickelodeon's Storytime Live show. The show featured Dora the Explorer, Ni Hao Kia-lan, The Wonderpets and The Backyardigans, as well as hosts Moose and Zee.

More about the show...http://www.nicklivetour.com/

Below is the Carson Four Rivers Center (much like Greenville's Peace Center) where the show was held, and the stage before the show began. (Cameras were not allowed once the show started).


The show was good and the crowd favorite was Dora The Explorer. The funniest part was watching Hayes as Dora was asking the crowd to help spot Swiper the Fox. When Swiper appeared on stage Hayes puts his hand up like he is saying stop, and yells as loud as he can "Swiper NO swiping, Swiper NO swiping!" The ladies in front of us turned around and were laughing at him too. Hayes said he could "stop Swiper with his super hero powers."

Eli's One-Month Stats...

and a little more.

Yesterday was a crazy day. First of all it was cold and rained all day...I mean poured. It was so nasty out. Anyway, I got up at 7am, got myself (shower included) and Hayes ready, feed Eli, got supper going in the crock pot and headed out the door at 8:15am.

First stop was Second Street Baptist Church. Hayes had an 8:30am appt to be screened for a half-day Pre-K program(not for the church, but for the public school system). So I filled out paperwork and a nice lady took Hayes in a classroom for testing while I waited in the parent room filling out more paperwork. After about 30 minutes of waiting I heard a lady ask, "who does this boy belong to?" I turned around and saw that Hayes had been crying. I thought oh no what has happened. The lady said Hayes was crying because he didn't want to stop playing the games (tests). So I told Hayes he was going to Kid's Day Out at church and he could play more games there. I knew what was coming next...a breakdown...and I was somehow going to have to get Hayes and Eli back out to the car in the rain. So we picked up our umbrellas we had left at the door, me with my Vera Bradley and Hayes with his Wonderpets, and I headed out with a crying kid pleading with him to please get in the car. By the way it is not easy holding an umbrella and infant carrier. We all finally made it in the car and then Hayes proceeding to cry because the car seat was too tight. Why is it that children get to a stage where the car seat is always too tight? So I got out in the rain, opened his door and fake loosened it. As usual it worked and we were off...still hearing cries from the back saying he wanted to go home. So we pull into Kid's Day Out and I hear, "hey! this is not home." Nope! It sure isn't is what I was thinking, but this is where you are going until 3pm today. We go in and his class is already lined up to wash hands before snack (we got there an hour late), so the teacher had to pull Hayes from me and I headed out. Well really I eased down the hall and like a good mother listened to make sure he stopped crying...he did.

So Eli and I headed off to his 11:15am 1-month checkup where everything looked good, and we'll go back at 2 months.

One-Month Stats:

- 22.25 inches (up from 20.5 inches at birth) - Gonna have to recheck this one at home.
- Head 37.5 (up from 36.5 at birth)
- 9 lbs 8 oz (up from 7 lbs 8 oz at birth)
- Eli is becoming more alert and staying awake a little longer. Seems like he's been smiling since the day he was born.

So after we left the appointment my plan was to go back home, eat lunch and nap. Just as I laid down Eli decided his stomach was a little upset. By the time it subsided it was time to feed him again, and then leave to pick up Hayes at Kid's Day Out.

A mother's work is never done.

What up with that?

Sheldon and I are big fans of Zach Galifianakis from The Hangover. I noticed that he was hosting SNL a couple of weeks ago so I set the DVR in case we missed it, which we did. When we got around to watching it we saw what we believe is one of the funniest SNL skits ever!

We cannot stop singing this song around the house. We randomly bust out in song and Hayes even chimes in.

Oooh wee....

http://www.examiner.com/x-15166-Dallas-Comedy-Examiner~y2010m3d8-Funny-Video-Zach-Galifianakis-best-sketch-on-this-weeks-SNL-Whats-Up-With-That-with-video

Out with the old...

in with the new...

We have desperately needed a new recliner for 6+ months and were finally able to get one thanks to Uncle Sam. The old one was hanging by a fiber of wood.

Chillin'

A Message From the English Police

Sheldon has been calling me the English Police forever. I do not claim this title and writing this blog feel a little nervous about making a grammatical error. Sheldon says I always correct people (mainly him), and if someone says something incorrect he instinctively knows that I am correcting them in my head.

My top 3 favorite mistakes I often (by the way you can pronounce often with or without the "t") correct in my head:

1) Supposeofly - This is not a word people. I myself used this growing up(probably through high school), and I don't know if it is a southern thing or what. The word you are trying to use is supposedly.

2) Hisself - This also is not a word. People particularly in the south use this as a non-standard of himself. Hisself is never correct to use unless it is separated as in "his self image" or something like that.

3) Salmon - Often times people pronounce the "l" in this word, but in fact it is silent. It should be pronounced as "saa-men" or "sam-uhn"just so you know.

Nevertheless, I have been fretting over a grammatical issue I've seen people using lately (people that I would think should know better). That issue is do you place punctuation within or outside of quotes? I was always taught that you place punctuation within the quotes. Of course exceptions do arise when using parenthetical citations, numbers, etc, but generally speaking you should place the punctuation within the marks according to several grammar sites I've visited.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/quotation.htm
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp

Apparently if you place punctuation outside the quote you are using the British standard.

So if you find backup to dispute my argument please don't bother to tell me. I'm going on what I've learned, and I hate being wrong.

-The English Police (or not)

Potty Day

Yesterday it was cold and rainy so we stayed inside. I put Hayes in his big boy Thomas the Train underwear. This particular kind has Percy on them. He went ALL day wearing big boy underwear without having an accident! I kept prompting him to go to the potty telling him he didn't want to get Percy wet, and it actually seemed to work. I'm really needing this potty thing to kick in since Hayes is 3 years and 3 months.

Let's see how today goes! We won't be in all day today since it is supposed to be sunny and 65, thankfully! We need to run some energy out since Hayes is refusing to take naps...at a time when mama really needs him to lay down.

1 Month Old

Here is Eli at 1 month already! Love this Pooh gown. I believe it belonged to my niece Haley and she is 10 now. It is so soft...like an old t-shirt. Got a little baby acne going on.

Eleanor Roosevelt

"A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."

Eleanor Roosevelt

Colossians 3:12

I saw this verse on Facebook today. I love it and it is fitting for today.

"Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Newborn Pic

Check out Eli's newborn pic taken in the hospital. He's got some crazy monkey hair.

http://www.our365.com/NewbornPortraits/BabyDetail.aspx?birthid=1ca53692-8f73-4098-974d-46775b1b924a

Three Weeks Old

Here are a couple of pics from today at three weeks old.

Below is Eli in the outfit Sheldon wore home from the hospital. That's a blue giraffe on one side and a "Zoo" sign on the other side.

Sheldon's foot...and a really dry leg.

Striking a pose...

Can't believe it's been 3 weeks already!

Two-weeks Old

Are you getting tired of baby pics already?

Thought this was a sweet one. We are starting to get in a routine around here!

While Hayes is doing craft/activity time mid-morning at the table Eli is having his swing time.

Heatwave!

We made it to 50 degrees today so we spent a couple of hours outside this morning letting Hayes burn some energy running around, and playing sidewalk chalk. Apparently he knows hop-scotch so I drew it out on our walkway for him.


And of course blowing bubbles.
It's supposed to be 55 Saturday and 60 on Sunday!!!! WOO HOO!

Warm Baby!

Thanks for the blanket sleeper Amy and Eric!

Eli has worn it several times already. It has been cold here, but we are expecting a upper 50s weekend! Excited so we can take Hayes outside and let him burn off some energy...if the rain holds off!

Love and miss you guys!

Brothers

Super Hayes tah ta duh ta taa!

First Bath and Dr's Appt

From 2/26...

Here is Eli having his first bath at home. He didn't like it too much!

Eli's first trip to the pediatrician. I was going to take Eli by myself, but Hayes decided he wanted to come too. So Sheldon and Hayes met us there. Eli was 7 lbs 8 oz at birth and was 7 lbs 2 oz at this visit. We'll go back on March 25th when he is just over 1 month old.

Pap & Meamie's Visit

Nana and Goodie left on Friday, February 26th and Pap & Meamie arrived early that evening with surprises for Hayes and Eli!

Hayes got a fleece dinosaur blanket, some bath balls and a dinosaur egg. Eli got some outfits and the same kind of blanket with a baby blue and duck design.
Hayes didn't want them to leave Tuesday morning, but the promise of more dinosaur eggs and ballon money for going potty made the departure easier. Thanks so much for all the meals and the much needed date night! I don't think we realized how much we needed it until we got to the restaurant.

DIY with Sheldon Porter