It's lonely in our neck of the woods. Mikey has been gone to Macon, GA since Saturday and will not be home until Thursday...I don't like it. So Mikey, if you are reading this, somehow, the boys and I hate this just as much as you do. They miss you at bedtime and in the afternoons when you usually come home from work. They ask are you going to be home tonight and I say not yet. We have been watching basketball at night after yo gabba gabba goes off because that is what they always do with you when you are home. I am so thankful that you are at a job where this is a rare occasion and not the norm. Not that we won't take full advantage of this nice paycheck on our beach vacation...but right now, it just stinks!



It really gives you a new appreciation for parents who do this all by themselves on a regular basis. The boys have been perfect angels...of course...but still, it's just a lot to handle. And I can't imagine this being forever(and God-willing, it never will be). But anyways honey, sugar pie, light of my life, we love you and miss you dearly---and I am seriously counting down the nights alone in my bed until you come back home. When you are gone I realize how lucky we are to have you! I need you back and the boys do too! WE LOVE YOU!!


---side note--- no, Mikey does not drive an 18-wheeler, he works for Alabama Power but if you know Mikey, then you know this song couldn't be more appropriate while he's away! Turn up your volume and enjoy!

I can't even believe I am complaining about this, but it is 80+ degrees outside and I am in a newborn nursery that is approximately 400 square feet with 14 babies, 2 doctors, 3 nurses, a nursing assistant, and a secretary and our air conditioning isn't working!!! It is sweltering and I feel like there should be steam rising off of me! We are on the fourth floor so imagine all the heat that is rising from below. It's all I can think about. I don't actually even mind the heat...that's when I am at home and in shorts and a tank top or even better yet, in the yard, in my bathing suit by the kiddie pool which is where we spent all weekend. But when I am stuck in this sauna, in my scrub pants, tank top, scrub top, socks and tennis shoes (which is the worst part b/c my feet can't breathe) it is almost to the point of unbearable. So all of you sitting at your desks or at home in a wonderful cooling air conditioner think of me... 5 months pregnant, and packed in here with screaming babies and say a little prayer b/c as the temperature rises outside, the trend will follow in here. Even worse, think of my poor husband or dad who works outside all day everyday...maybe I'll stop complaining now.

i believe in you!

With the lazy days of summer fast approaching, I thought this song would put everyone in the right mood to read my blog for the next few weeks. So turn up the volume and enjoy!

--Update--

The reason this song reminds me of summer is because it is so slow and easy. It just makes me want to sit out in the swing and watch the boys play in the sprinkler, or even better, lay out at the pool while they swim.

on a side note, if you have small children, you MUST buy one of these floats for them. Seriously! Best Pool accessory we ever purchased, and trust me we have tried a lot of them. They can be found on Amazon.com, or you can just google them. They are call Stearn's Puddle Jumpers. They don't use any air so you don't have to worry about them popping. They snap in the back and are sizeable. They really do keep the kids from floating face down(if god forbid, that ever happened).

And they are made really well so it should last you a while. Happy Swimming!

Precious

These handsome men just couldn't go without mention.

I think this may be the best picture of Sam that I've ever taken. Or that's been taken period. I just want to squeeze him. Maybe I'll enter this into some kinda contest or something. Anyone know of any good ones?

Huett is equally as handsome, but in a different way. And he's a little harder to catch a good picture of, but I think this is a pretty good one.

These are just some random pictures that I thought were too cute to go unnoticed.

I think this is the sweetest picture of him. His hands are almost as big as his face.

Huett was sneaking a kiss

So Sam had to have one too.

Did I say the other pic was the cutest? This one puts up a good fight!!
Did I mention that my new camera is the best thing I have bought in a long time and totally worth the money.

Sweet tiny little baby hands!

Easter

Happy Easter! These are our family Easter pics.

The boys were handsome little men but Sam had an accident in his khakis before we could take pics. That is why he is in shorts. I think I need to take some lessons in posing a picture because I don't know what in the world made me think I needed to sit my big self next to these 2 tiny boys and let Mikey's big tail hide out behind us. I look like a giant.

Here is a picture of Chad and Jenny and Teagan!

I believe this is the first pic of mom and dad with all of the grandkids since Archer was born. It turned out pretty good.

Sam abandoned the egg hunt to play with this frog.

Ava and Archer. So cute.

By the time we met up with Mikey's family, we were all worn out and in our play clothes. I'm gonna take some pictures with them soon so that you all can see the other side of our family too.

So Mikey and I explained the Easter Bunny to Huett and Sam. Huett didn't like the idea of the Easter Bunny coming into our house. He kept on asking me about it so I told him that I would lock the door and leave a note outside telling the easter bunny to leave their surprises on the porch. He is still asking me a week later if the easter bunny came in our house. For some reason that really freaked him out.

Archer had tons of visitors. First and foremost, his big sister Ava.

She wasn't exactly sure what to think of him at first.

but soon thereafter, she warmed right up. At one point we asked her if she wanted to hold him and she said yes, so she went and washed her hands and climbed up in her chair and said,

"Gimme that sweetheart!" It was so funny and sweet.

Huett and Sam were very hands-on right off the bat. Huett is very gentle and probably pays more attention to Archer than the other kids. He loves babies. Sam is just a little too rough for my comfort level, but he does good. Our baby better watch out!

Huett thought this was really exciting! A few seconds later he was helping to give him his pacifier when Sam stole it and put in his mouth just like it was his paci. Maybe now would be a good time to take away his pacifier.

Sam looks really mischevious in this picture. He does come by it honest, however. For those of you who didn't know, I was voted most mischevious in my nursing class. Try not to be jealous!! haha

Notice the roughness that is about to take place in this picture... oops!

Teagan was another very important visitor. She wasn't the baby for long. She had to come meet her new baby cousin! Look at those big girl teeth!

Ava is loving on what she refers to as The best baby brother in the whole wide world.

Aunt Jenny (who has never graced the pages of my blog until now) came to visit too! She looks natural with a baby boy doesn't she...hmmmm maybe this is a sign from the future!

Archer Blaine's big arrival!

So I know these pictures are long overdue, but here it is, the story of Archer's birthday from start to finish! First of all, mom, Trish, and I had to be at UAB at 5:30 AM. We arrived promptly, shortly after a questionable and possibly dangerous stop at the Pilot Truck Stop on Finley Ave. (This pregnant girl's gotta eat!) Anyway, upon arrival and check-in we find out that all of the pre-op labs Trisha had drawn were going to have to be redrawn and sent. So this leads to our first long wait(of many). They take Trisha back and leave mom and I in a nearby waiting room. About an hour later they tell us we can go visit Trisha one at a time. Mom went first for about 30 minutes. At this point it is around 7:00. I finally go back and poor Trisha is sitting on this ridiculous stretcher whose mattress looks like a puzzle with so many separate pieces that it was impossible not to fall into the cracks. I will not insert a pic b/c I don't think she wants that image surfing around the internet. Anyway, a friend of mine happened through the operating room, and I asked her what the hold up was b/c the admitting nurse gave us the impression that we would be seeing the baby in about 1 hour(now it is approximately 8:00). She told me that Dr Joiner(Trisha's doctor) was in L & D waiting for a patient to deliver and then after that she had to go see a patient in a clinic at the VA hospital and that then she would be back to do Trisha's c-section. GRRRRRRRR! We were already anxious and then all of this waiting. So long story short, 4 and 1/2 hours after we got there, Baby Archer was born at a healthy 8 pounds 9 ounces at exactly 9:52 AM!

I got to go in the operating room and take pictures! This is his first one and boy did he come out screaming! He looks just like Ava in this picture. I got to go into her delivery too and got almost the same shot.

This picture was just seconds later on the bed. He cleaned right up. He also pinked right up too which is a great sign. His apgars were 9 and 9 for all of you medical personnel out there.

This is his first picture after his first bath. I got to give him his first bath! That's just one of the perks of working here! Cool huh?!? These pictures taken during this time were the only ones with eyes open for about the first 3 days.

This is the first picture of mommy and baby when she returned from surgery. So sweet!

Finally, a ragball update!

So, Ragball is in full-swing. For those of you who aren't familiar with that, it is actually a step down from t-ball. Yes they hit off of a tee, but there are no strikes, no outs. The whole team bats around each inning and a parent stands with each player out in the field. We usually play around 3 innings. It's interesting to say the least. The boys aren't really into it this year. They sure do look cute in their uniforms though. They do a lot of filling their gloves up with dirt, etc. The following are a few cute pics of them before their first game.

To all of you who said Mikey and I were crazy for having 2 kids so close together, I have to say, look at these 2 in this picture and tell me that we made a mistake.

Sam's hair just doesn't work in a baseball cap. It's too long, but I thought this was a funny picture of him.

Let's just say that Ava Claire put both of my boys to shame on the ball field, not that I ever had any doubt that she would. And who knew that My Little Pony was a necessary piece of equipment for baseball?

Baby Archer is here!!

Birth Announcements

Silhouette Family

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com