Showering Baby Scully

I hosted a baby shower for my dear friend, Paige, and the bean in her belly this past weekend. I love that when Paige and I met over eight years ago we were just two Midwestern-transplants that worked at the same bar, enjoyed watching football and shared a deep appreciation for Phish. And now here we are, two married old ladies with mortgages and kids. It’s been a wild and crazy ride, and I couldn’t think of a more wonderful person to grow with and confide in. And that’s why I wanted to make her shower a truly special occasion.

And what better place to hold a baby shower then the French Broad Chocolate Lounge? A fantastic, funky space that is purely dedicated to chocolate and other sinfully-sweet delicacies.

And thanks to my recent obsession with Pinterest, I’ve started to channel my inner-craftiness, which helped inspire me to make a wishing tree that everyone could contribute a special message to the baby on.

It was a great party. And I can’t wait to meet this new little peanut that will eventually become Luke’s partner in crime, and will hopefully be as tight as Taylor and Elliot are.

And thus begins a new, wonderful chapter in the Brooke-and-Paige friendship. And because she delivered Elliot a mere three months before I had Taylor, it is only fair that I give her the same laboring advice that she gave me before it was my turn – It hurts. It hurts really bad. HA!

Grandparent hangover

Chris's parents flew into town for a long weekend visit to give us a hand and spoil their only grandchildren. And we totally took advantage of the free-babysitting, with Chris and I boogying at the Trey Anastasio concert downtown on Thursday night, and me taking numerous long, hot showers and then blowing my hair dry more times in the last four days then I had the previous month. And Taylor and Luke took pretty good advantage of them too, scoring lots of new toys and clothes, and pretty much just not hearing the word, No, for their entire visit. Let's just say that I foresee a few tantrums the next few days as we come off our fabulous Grandparent-high. As well as me reverting back to my standard ponytail.

Falling for Fall

So as much as I am mourning the swimming pool closing and my skin is losing that fabulous summer glow, I am happy that the weather is starting to cool off and we are able to get our kicks at the park again. Happy Autumn!

Through Taylor’s eyes

So sometimes when I’m not trying to win the Mother of the Year award and I just need a break from the world’s most inquisitive three year old, I say the magic words that allow me a few coveted minutes of silence or the chance to take a shower – Hey Taylor, wanna play with my phone? Yep, pretty good parenting skills involved with that one. And while I have downloaded some learning apps onto my iPhone, it turns out her favorite thing to do with it as of late is to take pictures. And after taking my phone back from her after my break is over, I generally flip through the images she’s deemed important enough to capture. And here are some of my favorites.

This one she actually styled, requesting that I remove my glasses, take out my ponytail and hold her stuffed bunny.

Right here she took a picture of a toy she wants in the Fisher Price catalog. So she wouldn’t forget.

Here are some random shots of her toys, the Barbie movie she was watching and such:

She said she wanted to take a picture of her boo-boo.

And, lastly, a self-portrait.

Ah. My little photographer... Already following in her Aunt Beeba’s footsteps.

Mamas day out

A few months ago my friend, Paige, and her husband, Danny, received complimentary tickets and VIP passes for the Carolina-Green Bay football game in Charlotte through their Budweiser rep at their restaurant. But then Danny was invited on a trip up to New York for the same weekend, leaving Paige with an extra ticket. And when she invited me to join her, I felt a slight twinge of guilt being that Chris has been a lifelong Packers fan and I haven’t sat through a full football game since college. But that remorse lasted about ten seconds, because after traveling across the country solo with kids and then coming home to whip everyone into a preschool routine had officially whooped me. Yep, Mama needed a day off.

And we could have been taking a roadtrip to watch paint dry for a day and I would have been happy. But we weren’t. We were going to watch Aaron Rodgers and the boys play some football. Oh, and did I mention that this absolutely fabulous adventure was scheduled for the day after Chris ran the half marathon? So I tried really hard to not act that excited as I kissed my family goodbye and left Chris laying on the couch covered in ice packs with a five-hour energy drink on the table next to him. Be good, kiddos! Mama love you all!

And not only was it wonderful to get a break from being a mom, but it was fantastic to be able to spend some one-on-one time with Paige. We get to see each other about every day, but it always involves policing our kids. So to spend a few uninterrupted hours with my bestie in the car, reminding her about how bad her labor is going to hurt, yet also repeating how fabulous babies are, was the best part of the whole day.

And by the time we actually parked and got to the stadium, we only had about 20 minutes of free beer before the VIP tent closed and the game started. And I became a woman on a mission, plopping down at the bar and forewarning the bartender that I was a stay-at-home-mom on a day off so keep ‘em coming. And she did. And I think everyone was thoroughly impressed by my skills.

VIP Baby Scully:

We’re VIPs. No one look us in the eyes!

And once we actually got into the game, I realized what a sweet set-up we had. Our seats were on the 50-yeard line on the home side, about 14 rows up. We were basically on the field.

When a hot pregnant lady asks for extra jalapenos on her nachos, you better believe they pay attention:

And it was a great game. As much of a Packers fan as I am, I was eager to check out Cam Newton and all of his hype. And just being in the presence of life football is always fun – The players, the crowd, the music. It’s awesome. Especially when your team wins.

It was the best Mamas day out ever. Thanks, Paige!

Family on the run

Last summer I was in the best shape of my life. I was training for the elusive Asheville half-marathon, and was able to run ten-miles at a time up the sides of mountains. I felt like a Nike ad. And then I got pregnant, and for the first ten-weeks Luke was living inside of me, I replaced all vigorous workouts with crippling bouts of morning sickness that would leave me curled around the toilet instead of sweating at the gym. Good thing he turned out to be such a lovely, happy baby. Otherwise I might be a bit resentful that I gave up my goddess-legs for him.

So a few weekends ago the annual JBL Memorial 5k came about, and because Chris works with the organizers of this race, we always pledge to have at least one member of family running in it and helping contribute. And because Chris had been training for the half – because he’s awesome and didn’t push a baby out of his body in April – even though he had promised to run in the 5k he was feeling a bit tired after running his ten-mile warm-up for the following weekend. And so I volunteered to take his place. And when he looked at me and said, Really? You can do it? I shrugged my shoulders and nonchalantly chirped back, Hey, it’s JUST three miles. It’ll be fun.

And so the next morning we got up early and I grabbed my super-wrinkled, bottom-of-the-pile running shorts off the shelf and we made our way to the race. And I’m not gonna lie, I was fidgety and anxious. The electric buzz that surrounds the beginning of a race is intoxicating, and if you’ve ever competed you know what I’m talking about. Your number is safety-pinned on your shirt, your shoes are laced tight and you check everyone else out while half-heartedly stretching out your legs and getting your head wrapped around what you’re about to accomplish. You line up like a herd of livestock, force yourself to take a few deep breaths in and out and then you wait for the bullhorn. It’s amazing. And it just takes one race to be hooked, so imagine taking over a year off from this overwhelming running-high and then be back on the starting line. I was soaring.

But I was only flying emotionally. Because as exciting as it is to run in your first race back, it WAS my first time running more then two miles outside in a year. And while I may work out from time to time, not to mention carry the heaviest five month old in a carrier on my chest every day, I’m not nearly back in running-shape. So while mile one felt great, half-way through mile two I noticed there were old ladies passing me and my side started cramping. And after walking through a water stop near the end, I forced my legs to keep moving until I crossed the finish-line, and eventually ended up getting beat by an eight-year old son of our friends. Oh, and THIS is what I looked like:

Pretty hot, eh? Am I running a race or playing a piano? BUT. I am so lightening fast that Chris couldn’t take a clear picture of me. And I beat those two random other people. Kapow! I’m awesome.

And while I do make fun of myself, I did finish well, just at my thirty-minute goal. And after getting done, I didn’t barf. I actually was ecstatic. And then I got a couple sweet high-fives and hugs from my cheering section.

And you better believe that Taylor and I went straight to the refreshment tent after I was done, loading up on Krispy Kreme donuts and Doritos. Nothing says healthy start to your Sunday like housing a couple glazed donuts and a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos after huffing it on the flattest 3.1 mile-course in Asheville.

And after watching some more people finish, they announced that this year they would be holding a kid’s fun-run on the soccer fields after the 5k was finished. And because Taylor’s little buddy, Rell, was going to run in it, my daughter wanted to run in it too. And since she’d never shown any interest in running before, Chris and I were both like, Um, Sweetheart. Do you really want to run? Because we can just cheer if you want? To which she housed the rest of her pre-game chippies and answered back, I’m running too, Mama! And so we signed the waiver, transferred my race bib onto her shirt and put her on the start line.

How cute is that? It was way more adorable in person, with all the kids squealing and the parent’s cheering.

And when Taylor crossed the finish line, she had the biggest smile on her face and was so proud of herself. And we were so proud of her too. Our little runner.

As we were driving home, she sat back in her seat with a kung-fu grip on her ribbon and kept jabbering to Luke, YUKE! Mama and me run a race. You and Daddy cheer for us. You say, Go, Mama! Go, Taylor!

Well the following weekend Chris was able to get his running-high, but in much stronger dose, as he huffed it on the hardest, hilliest 13.1 mile-course in the Southeast. He had signed up for the half-marathon in February, and trained off and on throughout the spring and summer. And he’ll be the first to tell you that he was in much better shape the previous year, so when we showed up bright and early that morning for the start, you could see a bit of anxiety in his face as he envisioned what the next two hours of his life would be like.

But we saw him off, then I took the kids and we cheered him on at the halfway point, and then met him again at the finish line. And he did so well... Finishing just two minutes longer than his trained-for time last year. I am so proud of him.

Now, if only Luke could step it up and start racing with us, then our fanatical little running family would be complete. Come on, Buddy! You’re already FIVE months old. Don’t be a slacker.

Just kidding. Kind of. Hey, YOU try carrying 20-pounds on your chest everyday. Like I said before, Good thing he’s so cute.

Five months old

My little big man turned a whopping five months old this past week, yet every time I see him smile at me, it’s hard to remember what my life was like without him. He already has my heart completely and totally wrapped around his little chubby fingers. I mean, look at that face! I think it’s safe to say he’s going to make many other hearts skip a few beats before he’s done.

So while it’s already confirmed that Luke is the most beautiful baby boy I’ve ever seen, he’s also the biggest. We had his four month check-up right before we left for the farm and his then-updated stats were 18 pounds, 12 ½ ounces in weight, and 26 ½ inches long, putting him the 99th-percentile for both weight and height. Just like Taylor has always been. It appears that Chris and I produce giant children. What can I say... It’s a talent.

His head measurement, however, was completely off the charts. And when Dr Childers brought up the growth-graph and it was that far above the norm, he got a bit concerned and started feeling his fontanel cautiously and checking his eyes, which, of course, got me super-duper alarmed. And then he looked at me and said, So. Is there a history of big head’s in either your and your husband’s families? And I was like, Well, I think I’ve got kind of a big head. I mean, my hats always leave marks on my forehead. And then he let me know of a condition called Hydrocephalus, which is also knows as water-on-the-brain, where an infant’s head might swell because there is an abnormal amount of cerebral fluid in their brain. And when he was explaining this, all I heard was, Hey. Something’s wrong with your kid’s brain. And, obviously, my reaction was to freak out.

But then he told me the symptoms of Hydrocephalus, which were constant irritability, excessive vomiting and eyes that gaze downwards. And I was all, Um. No, no and no. That’s not Luke at all. And because my son is so giggly, bouncy and just totally on track developmentally, and even though we don’t have giant heads in our gene-pool, Dr Childers said we didn’t even need to do an ultrasound to determine that he is more than likely totally perfect and just has a big melon. Yep, my son has a huge, handsome head full of super-smart brains. And we’re just going to be stretching out his sweatshirts from here on out to fit over it.

And even with that big noggin, he has really started to rock tummy-time this past month, using his super-human neck muscles to lift his gaze up to the world while laying on his stomach. He has turned into such a roly-poly little baby, and whenever you put him down on the carpet upstairs, he coos and shrieks with excitement, rolling over to show off his upward dog pose and then rolling back over and grabbing his feet and trying his hardest to put them in his mouth.

Oh yes, EVERYTHING, goes straight to his mouth these days. And he constantly always soaked in his own drool. And I blame those two itty-bitty bottom front teeth for all of it, as even though they still haven’t popped all the way through, they catch absolutely everything that he manages to cram inside his mouth: His teething-toys, his sister’s artwork, my boobs. Nothing is exempt. Luckily he’s so freaking cute, otherwise it’d be easy to get mad that everything’s tender or covered in spit.

We have also graduated from the bouncy chair to the exersaucer, as we had to put those rock-hard monster thighs to use. He just bounces and bounces and bounces, and drools and drools and drools, and smiles and smiles and smiles.

And, more than once, I’ve had to remind his big sister to STOP SPINNING YOUR BROTHER! But it’s really hard to reprimand her for it, because every time she gets near him, he beams from ear-to-ear and squeals in delight. He just adores her.

And that brotherly-love is something I’m constantly reminding Taylor of when he slobbers all over her stuff and grabs for her hair. Honey, Luke is just a BABY. He doesn’t know any better. And then I turn to my son and whisper, Hey buddy, I don’t know how much longer I can keep covering for you with that excuse. Especially when you're smiling that big while pulling her hair.

He is also becoming super vocal, always cooing and screeching and singing like a bird every time his big, blue eyes catch a glimpse of something he fancies. Whenever I need to set him down in a safe, secure place – read: Away from his sister’s reach - to do a chore or take a shower, I put him in his crib and turn on the mobile. And you can hear him all over the house, shrieking at the tiny, moving objects. I’m almost positive he tries to talk them down from above to get into his mouth. He’s going to be like his father – A constant negotiator.

We’re not sleeping through the night yet, as he is still getting up once to eat. And even though Taylor was totally sleeping straight through at this point, I can’t complain that much because he goes down easily at 7.30 or 8, wakes up around 3 or 4, and then goes back down until 8 or 9 the next morning. That’s good sleeping, for both baby and Mama. We were worried that with him and Taylor now sharing a room we would be up constantly, and while there have been a handful of nights that we have been awake at all hours, for the most part they are cohabitating very well. Thank you, Universe! I am starting to forgive you for abandoning me in the Atlanta airport with two kids.

So here we are, just a few weeks away from Luke’s half-year birthday, and while it pains me how fast the past months have flown by, just watching how much his charming little personality has started to poke through recently makes me so excited to watch him grow and see what kind of person he will become. He is such a precious gift to me, Chris and Taylor, and our family dynamic has improved a hundred-time over since he joined us. And knowing that it’s only going to get better from here makes it easier to watch as my teeny-tiny son grows up before our eyes.