Trying to entice my child to crawl...

Is like trying to get me to post on our blog... I start to, and get sidetracked and then poof, I'm spent. No really, why is my child not into crawling? Porter reminded me it is because my specific prayer was that Rhett would remain immoblie until my last day of work, which happens to be this Thursday- Yay! More to come!

Our First Mother's Day Weekend....

...was filled with our first swim in the pool, a place I frequented this time last year with Rhett in tow...

You'll notice Rhett is really into his tongue these days
Porter lecturing Rhett about pool safety <My cousin Laurel sent us this swim outfit for Rhett when I was pregnant- Such a Florida girl to think of such a cute gift-Thanks Laurel!


We also got to see Porter sing downtown at a wine store. He loves this sort of thing and it makes me happy to see him so happy and in his element!

Check out this sign outside of the venue- aside from my college land-lord's son, and my friend Sarah's cousin, we rarely have a "Rhett" sighting. Too perfect!
The Baylesses and Stockers were some of our friends that came by- Rhett loves the attention!

He even played to some Jack O' Pierce tunes and my very favorite tune that he sings, "Blue Canoe." I was in heaven!

We also got a visit from my Mom and Papa Mike.

Bouncing baby boy

But today I was treated to breakfast in bed, a very special gift from Porter, and an extra hour of sleep (still can't decide which I enjoyed most)! After church, Rhett and I took a very special mommy & me stroll. It was our first improv. stroll down the steep hill from our neighborhood to the park. On our way back home, I took Rhett out of the stroller to give him a better view of the ducks in the pond. We just sat there quietly watching them swim and banter about. It was his first experience with those little ones and a special moment for me, too. It was the first time all weekend that I slowed down and really relished in what a privilege it is to be a mom. I got to see his face and expression when the male duck, with his red head and colorful body, took a little bath in front of us and fluffed his head feathers into a mohawk! I got to watch Rhett become so enthralled with the little ducks swimming in unison behind their mama and the pair of geese standing beside us (at this point in my 'moment' though, I got a little freaked out over being out-numbered by the growing bounty of our new feathery friends, we hopped back in the stroller and headed home!). It was such a sweet experience for the both of us. What a privilege it is to be a mom!

Why you should never turn your head...

...not even for a second.
So despite all efforts to avoid touching ANYTHING at the doctor's office during Rhett's 6 month well-visit appointment on Monday (re: swine flu outbreak), my little munchkin thought it would be funny to roll his little body all around the examining room table. Oh well!

Not bad for a camera phone, eh?

So how many cable guys does it take to install cable?

Apparantly three. And just about three hours to get our "new" house wired for the internet, t.v., and phone is still to come! I'd like to report that I have had a peaceful 2 weeks without being plugged into the world, but I hate to say I have missed my Good Morning America and internet access!

Not to say that I have had time to engage in anything other than our recent happenings. First off, my big brother Tommy got married last weekend! We had a great visit in McAllen- Monica (new sister in law) and Tommy got hitched right down the water from South Padre! Monica and I actually went to Middle School and High school together, and at one point in our little 7th grade gym class- she confided how she had a crush on my brother! So 17 years later (I had to do the math on that one..gee whiz I feel old!) here we are at their beautiful wedding on such a beautiful day. Needless to say, with the closing of our house, packing and moving, I left my camera at home...to a new mom, that is like leaving your right arm behind. But luckily I managed to snag some pics from others:
Tommy and Monica Davis...
Ellie the flower girl...
Kate and Emily
A Mariachi Band serenade!
Los Robinsons...Coleman- the Best Man
Daddy of the night...
Last but not least, it's over. House closed, and we are in our new one. It all happened in a blink of an eye, but maybe it was better that way. Like ripping a bandaid off- the quicker you do it the better.

Porter was the real trooper in this whole moving saga. Since closing came so quickly, after our friends helped us move some furniture, he made countless trips to and from the old house bringing over boxes. I know we should have bit the bullet on movers, but somehow I felt like paying our housekeeper to pack us would do the trick ( $65 got her as far as a few boxes with glassware PILED on eachother and garbage bags full of our belongings. Lovely.).

And throughout all of this, our little pumpkin has encountered two stomach bugs in two weeks. His little sick bouts lasted only a couple hours each time- but it's awful watching you little baby get so sick. To my relief, he just smiled right through it. What would I do without our happy baby boy and our orange flavored pedialite? And what would our pediatrician do without the Robinsons? Sometimes I feel as if we alone support her practice!
Now that we are settled and healthy, the wheels are constantly turning in my head- on how we are going to re-do and update. If I were an artist, a dated house would be my canvas. I LOVE planning for this kinda thing. But I think we are going to enjoy a peaceful summer without anymore changes. Porter made me promise that we would not make a move or lift a hair for a couple of months. And somehow, I have no objections to that one.

Happy Easter!

Proof that I did not act alone on this one...

Just thinking about that first Easter Sunday and what it what is was like for Mary Magdalene and co. ...

Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "

I just can't even imagine!

Matthew 28-10
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Romans 6:8-11
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Happy Easter!

Recent Doings

Began with baby's first food- loves the banana! Thought I would hold out to six-months but I could not resist.

One thing I think I can resist - keeping up with countless jars of baby food. Me and the blender are becoming good friends. This should be interesting. Solids have made the cloth diapering very interesting (I will spare you that pic).

Take-out with my girlfriends Jan and Elenna - and a visit from my brother Coleman



The occasional pre-bath pose...


And some preliminary packing:I know my child well. Place a box underneath him, and within no time all his toys are packed!

Raising money for children's cancer charity:

And alas, one last walk to Huisache grill- while we can: note the cup holder- apparently Porter thought a bottle of Shiner Bock should replace the baby bottle.

And if you think that I didn't spend the majority of tonight taking dozens of pictures of every crook and crevice of our house, you're sorely mistaken. I will post those soon-as the saga of saying goodbye and moving starts this weekend!

March Madness

Spring has sprung- We had such a wonderful weekend, I didn't want it to end! We started out our Friday afternoon taking a long walk to downtown with our new friends/neighbors who have boy Rhett's age and a 2 year old. I even got to test drive a beach cruiser bike-it was as big as what Pee-Wee Herman drove (didn't you just LOVE his big adventure?)but, the price tag was pretty hefty too- so I think I'll keep looking.

And after grilling some fajitas after Rhett was down, Porter and I enjoyed probably our last chilly night by sitting around the fire on our deck.

We ended our Sunday with a family run through the park and lunch outside at a sidewalk cafe. Could I have asked for a more relaxing weekend? It came in due time with the craziness of putting our house on the market and traveling so much- hence the March Madness reference.

Rhett has proven to be such a good traveler-he had a blast on the plane (thank goodness). We spent the first part of the month visiting Porter's family in South Carolina- Rhett was such a sport at the neighborhood Sip-&-See! The latter part of that week was spent with our college friends/family at our buddy Blackwell's farm. We have spent many a weekend at this farm throughout college together with our Clemson crew riding horses, off roading, campfires, and late night chats- so it was fitting that we all reunited there this trip.
After returning from South Carolina, we packed up again and met up with some more of our favorite people- the Haegelins at their family ranch in Hondo, Texas. We had a great time with the Laswells there too- especially since all three of our families having nothing but baby boys--and so this annual weekend has been coined "Weekend de Los Ninos." Very fitting. I think I got the most solid nap in that Saturday afternoon than I have since Rhett was born. So relaxing!

Here is my attempt of creating a slideshow- first half is of our Ranch Weekend, and the second half our trip to South Carolina...

Right now I am working on making Rhett's Easter basket. This is the part of motherhood I truly enjoy! Rhett has been such a delight. Aside from just now getting over a cough he maintained during our travels- he is one happy, talkative, and easy going baby. We plopped him down, for the first time, in this jumpster we received at a baby shower - I scrambled for the camera as the newest river-dancer took center stage (please excuse the commentator, mommmy gets a little excited):



And holy cow- my child is now a sitter! He was concentrating so hard on the Jack-in-the-Box (that I searched high and low for in NYC last summer)- I thought I had enough time to run and get Porter from outside and then get my camera ready... but apparently I wasn't quick enough:
Woops! Here we are at round 2 after drying some of his tears from the first fall and securing some pillows just in case! So proud of my little fella!