The future's so bright...

He's gotta wear shades!  Cheesy, I know, but my little vamp baby hates the sun in his eyes so much I had to get him some shades.  Surprisingly, he doesn't mind them at all.  My brother wanted a picture of him in them, so I snapped this with my phone and sent to him.  His response...  "What a baller, I can't  decide what's cockier, the glasses or the bib."  Haha.  Hardin has some attitude today!  He really is such a goof, and I'm so glad it's starting to come across in his pictures.

Bubby.

I was just about to go to bed without posting, because today was pretty un-blog worthy.  Play with baby.  Work.  Play with baby.  Put baby down.  Do laundry.

But then I read my favorite blog of all time, and a story about a photo shoot with a "bubby" aka bunny.  Then I was grinning ear to ear.  I don't know how I have failed to mention it yet, but noodle has long bit the dust as his nick name.  I toyed around with baba (a crummy take on buba), bah-be (that lasted a day or so), and then came along bubby.  It stuck.  Not sure why, but that's what I've been calling him for about 6 weeks now, we'll see how long this one last. 

Jason prefers much longer nick names.  He calls H Little Baby Hardin, the Littlest Baby in the World.  Really, you wouldn't believe how many times a day he says that.  It cracks my mom up.  He does shorten it to Little Baby Hardin quite often, but never upon his first greeting when he gets home from work.  

In honor of today's blog inspiration, and her request for a picture of him looking like a bitty baby again.

Daddy's home!

And I don't have a picture, but Hardin was very excited to see his daddy when we got home from Halle's 1st birthday.  Jason was also very happy to see H. 

Hardin was good this morning and at the party, but he was FUSSY this afternoon.  Nothing was working, not even the fail-safe rocking chair outside move.  I put him down extra early and took a nap myself.  I loved every second of this action packed weekend, but I've already pleaded my no-golf-no-plans case to Jason for next weekend...  and it was an easy win, because he's pooped too.

I hope the girls appreciate me putting this one with me & H looking terrible, and them looking fantastic!

Day one was fun!

Jason is out of town and one of my best friends in the world is spending the night with her sweet two year old Liddie.  Today we went to Shauna's "Sprinkle" and Faith's 30th birthday party pre-game.  Day one of girls weekend was a blast!

It's a love hate relationship!

LOVE this one!

The birthday girl and her little friends.

Need I say more.

Mary E and I playing with pictures.  Love Liddie's lashes!

I'm glad mine knew the secret.

I was at my final photography class tonight* and the instructor, who I have come to adore, shared a few of her personal insights.  She's a wedding photographer, and she was talking about special moments and how it's more important to have a less than perfect picture than no picture at all.  The example she used was not the most obvious one.  It wasn't the first kiss, the walk down the aisle, or even the daddy-daughter dance.  It was a mother daughter moment. These are two of my favorite pictures of all time, and although they are not perfect, I'm sure glad my photographer knew the secret.

Little did my instructor know the week I was having, and that her simple little example would have me in tears.  I think I hid it well though.  On a normal week, I would have felt a little guilty about committing to something from 7-9, because I'd miss that last hour before Hardin goes down, and these days I'd miss old man Jason going down as well.  This was so much worse.

I booked it before I knew Jason was leaving this morning to go out of town for the weekend, and mom was just going to spend the night tonight.  It was also before I knew I'd be sick Monday, and mom would have already taken H home for one night this week.  Jason took off Thursday, so she also "worked" on her "off day" Wednesday because he had to go into the office.  She's been busy!  

I taught a class from 9-12 today, and then came home to spend the afternoon with H, so I wasn't feeling as bad about that.  But I sure am feeling guilty about my mom being a 24-hour-a-day nanny this week.  And of course, that's not because my mom has done anything to make me feel that way, quite the opposite.  She's too nice for her own good!  And I'm lucky she's mine.  So are Hardin, Jason, Lara, Jason R. and B for that matter.  Lucky and blessed. 

I swear, if the woman knew how much respect I'd have for her not only as an AWESOME grandmother, but as a mother as well, she might have rethought all of those wait until the one talks.  The pure joy and simultaneous exhaustion that is motherhood, makes me love her in a whole new light!

*Monica finally landed the plane tonight, so to speak.  I wanted to scream "why didn't you just tell me this three classes ago?!?!"  But I understand that if she would have tried to, I would have looked at her like she had three heads.  There's no way I would have understood the reasoning behind it.  Hopefully, I'll be able to use this information in a good way now.  There was also a reason I couldn't reschedule.  Her husband took a job in Cleveland, and she's leaving soon.  I am SO sad I won't be able to take anymore of her classes.  Not because I'm any better with the camera, I just like her as a person so much!  I can't say enough about Monica B! 

Score!

I had an 8am meeting this morning right across the street from my favorite Goodwill.  The new one on Hamilton Mill.  I will never begin to thank my friend Julie for introducing me to the beauty of Goodwill when you have young ones.  My meeting got out right at 9, which allowed me to stroll into the good store right as the sales men were wheeling the monstrosity* above out front.  The thing looked brand new.  No dirt, no fading.  It looks like it was set up indoors.   And I'm picky. 

I quickly glanced at the $39 price tag, and looked at similar ones online from my phone to learn I was saving myself  $259 off of the $299 price tag.  I pulled the tag off and marched right up to the register.  The poor men who had just put it together looked at me like I was crazy.  They immediately had to disassemble it to get it in my car.  Oh well, job security right.  

I figure we might as well embrace living in the country and join the club with the big plastic yard toys.  We've never denied being a little red.  One day we'll upgrade to wood. 

*I'll post a real picture once we put it together, but that will probably be a while.  I realize this will not be safe for the H man too soon, but we will have fun with the slide until he's climbing, and if he's anything like his cousin Cawley... that won't be long!

Whew... I don't know what was worse.

The 24 hour stomach bug that had me aching so bad I swear my eye lashes hurt, or not touching my baby for almost 48 hours.  That's a lie, I know what was worse, the not holding my baby part.

I put him down Sunday night and then woke up about 1am sick as a dog.  Mom came over baring Gatorade, but no luck keeping that down either.  Early in the afternoon when I was still radiating heat from fever, we decided it would be best if she packed up the H man and headed to her house.  I was scared he wouldn't sleep through the night in his pack-n-play, but waking up a time or two was the much better option over that sweet baby feeling anywhere near as bad as I was.  That thought just about broke my heart.  Turns out the super sleeper slept right through the night 7:15-7:15, even through the terrible storm that passed through.  I hate the way it happened, but I am happy to know my little creature of habit can sleep away from home. 

I woke up this morning feeling like a new person, and could not wait to get home to see him!  Although you can't tell from the picture, he was happy to see me too. 

Every solid surface of this house has been hit with a Lysol wipe.  Literally every light switch, door knob, stair rail, remote, etc., has been wiped.  Every linen and towel in use has been bleached. And every toy that could possibly end up in his mouth is taking a steam bath in the dishwasher. 

I'm currently afraid to go to sleep, for fear he'll wake up sick and I won't hear him.   Please say a prayer this bug spares my boy!  I have no idea where I picked it up, but I'm praying it's not from someone who was hugging on the many kids I was around this weekend.