Author: maggie

This was the picture from the first day that we were completing at 8:00 that night because he didn’t want to get his hands dirty at school.

Red Circle week

Painting skills- each week they have a color and shape that they look for

The above 2 are from the “God bless my friends & family” week

This week is “I am special”

As you can see, I think it’s time to get my camera serviced- sorry these are blurry. Guess we’ll be having a field trip to De Ville Camera later!

A few months ago Wilson went into a maternity store dressing room with me. I had several things to try on, one was a dress. I got the dress over my head and shoulders, but that was as far as it was going. When I tried taking it off, it was quite apparent that it was not going the other direction either. After a few tugs and hearing a few threads pop, I called the cashier to come remove me from her merchandise. This was apparently more embarrassing for Wilson that it was for me because several weeks later we were in another store and as I entered the dressing room with an arm load of potential purchases, Wilson stopped. He looked at me and said, “Mom, you not gonna get stuck”!!

Our best pal, Nathan had his birthday party a couple of weeks ago. It was a bug party and everyone had a blast. As a favor he gave out small, plastic magnifying glasses and plastic bugs. Wilson has been attached to these treasures like they were gold since we left the Werne’s house. He momentarily left them on the coffee table and went into another room while we were at my mom’s a few days ago. His daddy picked it up and, being his “curious” self, began to fiddle with it, ending in the glass coming off of the handle (in his own words, Pat Pat & Paw you’ll appreciate this, “it came apart”). He slyly stuck the glass back on the handle and waited for Wilson to return. As soon as Wilson picked it up, the pieces of course “came apart” again. Phil gasped as if in shock and asked what happened. Wilson looked right at him and said “who did it!?”

Wilson is very aware of any and all flags flying right now and lets you know when there is an American flag or a Mississippi one. We were watching a video the other day and he recognized that there was a flag on a ship, but didn’t know which it was. I explained that it was the French flag- it goes with the country France. When I asked him what country we live in he replied “Big Daddy’s country” (my dad’s undeveloped land near Pisgah).

“Where’s my Granna . . . where’s my Granddaddy . . . where’s my Grandjohn?” (that would be my 18 year old brother) I said where’s John? “He’s in Mississippi” (he’s currently a freshman at MS State).

After asking him multiple questions about his day at preschool, “Mama, your driving me peanuts!” I guess a combination of me telling him he’s driving me crazy and making me nuts.

Well, after much debate and a horrific view into the names on my side of the family’s ancestry around the dinner table yesterday, we have settled on a name for little Shu-Shu (assuming we can break the habit of calling her Shu-Shu!). Her name will be

hope you get a minute to read it!

Lori is a friend of mine that I met in my former, pre babies, life when I was working. After years of claiming she and her husband beyond a shadow of doubt, would never, ever have children, they are joyfully expecting their first baby a couple of days after Shu Shu is due! In response to an email I sent her wishing her well and letting her know how excited I was that a wind of change had blown her way, she replied that I was such a GREAT mom, and should offer workshops, and blahba-dee, blah, blah, blah. I have not replied to that email, because quite frankly I am overwhelmed by the praise and find it quite misplaced. So Lori, just in case my greatness is casting to big of a shadow in your general Floridian direction, here goes. . .

I had cheeze-its, brownie bite cookies, and a coke for breakfast. I yelled at my dog and banished him to his crate for scooting his behind across the floor thereby leaving a trail- someone needs to invent doggie toilet paper. Wilson is watching Toy Story 2 for the second time today- it’s only 10:15. I cried this morning because thinking up something to wear was just too overwhelming (I decided on a t-shirt and sweat pants- an outfit worthy of a melt down). So, this my dear friend, is how I respond to the marathon of all parenting challenges- spending the entire night in your child’s bed while he cries out in his sleep every half hour for you (who is RIGHT THERE) due to a high fever.

Here’s how Wilson has greeted his day- no fever, down from 104 less than 12 hours ago. Watching a movie, eating his breakfast, running to me, thrilled to pieces that he “finally” found the picture of the the Radiator Springs sign in his Cars book. It has sound buttons to match certain pictures placed in the story line. He can now push the sign button. I had no idea that he had been on the hunt for this wily Where’s Waldo of illustrations, but he’s in there “reading” right now (which means pushing each button as he comes to it on the page) and he came running in here and in an astonished voice said, “Mamma, I FINALLY found that sign, I found that picture of the sign!”. I, having no idea what he was talking about, of course had to follow him into the den to relish in the discovery with him.

All of this just makes me want to look at him and say, “Were you THERE last night!? How in the name of WHATEVER do you have the clarity to make new discoveries and the energy to RUN to tell anyone about them. How can you be WELL! We were in the same twin sized bed, right? That was you feverishly crying, whining, chattering, and flailing around ALL NIGHT LONG like a crazy person, right?”

Maybe not. Maybe I’m the crazy one. We all know our own mom’s are a little nuts, maybe I’ve just finally turned the corner.

So, Lori, I’m calling off the workshop today and your homework won’t be due until next week- I’ve got hot dogs and cheez-wiz to cook up for lunch. And if I’m not in class on Monday, call Whitfield, I’ll be in the pretty padded cell singing Woody’s Round-Up (Wilson’s new favorite song, that we play on repeat).

What a peaceful little sleeper- on mom’s side of the bed, head on her favorite pillow! Wilson came and got in our bed one morning last week and fell back to sleep. He looked so cuddly and sweet I really couldn’t do anything other than take his picture, even though I would have given anything to be in his exact spot!

Too bad that peaceful sleeping doesn’t happen all night every night. Like last night when his high fever kept him up so he slept on a pallet on our floor. He had a low-grade fever on Monday, but it did not affect him at all. Then Tuesday he woke up asking to go to school. I told him we’d have to take his temperature, but if he still had fever he couldn’t go. To which he replied, “P-leeease let me goooo to my BIIIIG school!”. 97.7. He went to school. Then I spent the better part of yesterday fussing at him to quit whining so much, only to discover at 7:00pm that he had 102 fever. Mom of the year, right here!

I think the official diagnosis is the crud. Thankfully, though, not strep. I have to say he braved the swabbing of the throat much better than I expected. Of course, it was the first time- I’m sure from now on he’ll be much more wary of 10″ Q-tips.

As we were leaving the office one of the nurses gave me a “bless your heart” look as she asked when I was due. When I told her January 16th her jaw about hit the floor. Then, I guess just to double check, she asked how far along I was. When I said 20 weeks she just about passed out. I guess it’s safe to say that Shu Shu (no, we still don’t have a name yet- does anyone know the Chinese meaning of Shu Shu, we may just stick with that!) is going to be a big baby. I’ll round up and say I’ve gained about 2 pounds and at our last appointment she was measuring at 63%. Maybe she’ll take after her great grandmother. My grandmother has a note from a relative congratulating her on a childhood achievement and being a “large girl”. Shu Shu has made her first visible flip- apparently she likes Hello Kitty candy. I was taking a bath last night and had some cherry sours. I looked down to see her making some very big gestures of approval.

Well- those slice and bakes aren’t going to put themselves in the oven. I better go . . .

“My new BIG School”

The new smile

A little better- is he going to preschool or 1st grade!?

Jack wanted to join in the fun

Today was Wilson’s first day in Mrs. Erika’s (“E-ika’s”) room at Trinity Preschool. I think it went quite well from his description (new songs, not old ones, he got to play in the gym and tried to catch the green ball, they read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, and had cheese crackers for snack). He didn’t cry when I dropped him off, which is a HUGE milestone, but when I asked if some of his friends cried he said they did. Then I asked if he cried and he said he did, so maybe the day got more emotional as it went on! Their art project for the day was paint prints of their hands on a piece of paper labeled “My First Day at Trinity”. Wilson’s is blank. He didn’t want to get his hands dirty.

Hand on forehead- “I can’t believe you didn’t bring the video tape or dad or my brother this time!”

Full profile- she has legs!

Well, I know I said that we’d be finding out what flavor this new baby is next week, but I had an unexpected appointment today and we found out that we’re having a girl! Quite honestly, it’s quite an adjustment to think about pink shoes, hair bows, and baby dolls, but the grandmammas and Wilson are thrilled enough for all of us until the news becomes more real. She was quite the little wiggle worm and that was with me having had no breakfast- I think we have a fire ball on our hands!

Most importantly, she looked perfectly healthy and we had a very in depth look at her. Like I said, this was an unexpected appointment. A nurse from my doctor’s office called yesterday morning and said that there was an opening at one of the prenatal specialists in town’s office and that my regular doctor wanted me to go in today and have a targeted sonogram. So we spent about 30 minutes looking at all the bones, vertebrae, and movements she has. I have my regularly scheduled appointment on Tuesday so I’ll find out then why the sudden need to go to a specialist. But as of today, everything looked as perfect as could be. She’s measuring one day behind her due date. So, the fact that I haven’t been able to eat a lot doesn’t seem to be bothering her one bit, which is really the only concern I’ve had.

No names yet, but I expect that will come in a new post very soon. Here are a couple of the pictures we got. She likes to suck her thumb and we also caught a glimpse of her patting herself on the back. Pretty funny!