Amy April 29th, 2010
Jackson is learning new words every day and he is starting to communicate in more ways than just shrieks and grunts. But most importantly he can now say “Roll Tide!” Who says our priorities aren’t in order. 
Amy April 29th, 2010
Our humble homestead has been invaded or rather our yard/woods have been invaded… by caterpillars. The first sign of these invaders was the sound. For the past couple of weeks it has sounded like light rain on the leaves of the trees. We couldn’t figure out what was making the sound. I thought maybe something was falling from the trees – pollen being my first guess. But no. The sound was thousands of little critters eating leaves and probably pooping.
These critters are teeny tiny green caterpillars that hang around by thin translucent strings and are growing and growing and growing bigger everyday. At first we noticed a few inchworms around. Then we begin noticing more. Now you cannot go outside without dodging the caterpillar obstacle course and picking small worms off of your clothes. The other day as I drove the boys to town I reached up to scratch my head and as I looked in the rearview mirror I saw a caterpillar crawling down my forehead. And our poor leaves on all of our trees are now more fillagree than full leaves. Thus the growing bigger and bigger part.
Jax tried to help out the problem by eating some of the worms, but I tend to discourage this snacktime meal. But thanks go to him for trying to help.
So for now we have the invasion of the caterpillars. I can’t wait for the next phase…. the invasion of the moths. It will be like Hitchcock’s The Birds. Yea!
The joys of living in the middle of the wilderness. You never know what Mother Nature is going to send your way. The first year we lived here we had acorns the size of golf balls that dented the cars when they fell. And another year we had a random pumpkin grow in the middle of our front yard. So now it is caterpillars. What’s next?
Amy April 25th, 2010
This past Friday Michael took a day off from work and he, Camden, and I ventured forth to Chattanooga and a day out with Thomas. We didn’t tell Cam where we were going instead opting for the surprise factor. We told him that it was going to be a trip with just Mommy and Daddy and that Jackson was staying with Gigi.
About halfway there, when he finally took a breath and stopped talking, he pondered that he had been in the car about 30 minutes and mentioned that his surprise was a long way off. We said Yes, but that he would enjoy it, and then he asked to watch videos until we got there. GLADLY… a small moment of quiet. This child can talk!
Just as we pulled into the station and were getting ready to park, Thomas comes chugging into the station as well. Cam gets so excited and tells me that “Thomas is his BEST friend!” So we, along with about a hundred other preschoolers and their parents or grandparents, line up and get ready to board. Since we told Camden that Jackson was too little to come, he starts to point out all the other babies that weren’t supposed to come, but their parents brought them anyway – maybe they didn’t know they weren’t supposed to come, he states.
We have a great ride in which the conductor tells us that they judge the quality of the trip by the number of nose prints on the windows and he tells Cam to turn his hat around so that he can really get up close and see out.
Once back at the station Cam plays on the Bounce House, pets the baby animals, and even gets in a round of golf. He’s much better at mini golf than his mom.
We then tell Thomas bye bye and head out the gate, but not before stopping and buying a huge Thomas balloon. Lesson learned – Never leave a balloon in a hot car while your family goes inside to eat lunch. Heat = expansion = boom. Thomas died. Cam repeated and repeated and repeated that it was Mommy’s fault that Thomas exploded. I take responsibility. We stop at Wal-mart on the way home to buy a new balloon. No Thomas, but a Lightning McQueen stand-in.
The next day as Cam and I head straight into the tempest (glad we didn’t choose today for our Thomas excursion) on our way to Wal-Mart for last minute supplies, he is ready to visit Thomas again.
Me – “We’re not going to visit Thomas again. He has gone home.”
Cam – “But when Jackson gets up we can go see Thomas. This time Jackson can go.”
Me – “no, Thomas has gone home.”
Cam – “But he’ll be back after his nap and then we can go.”
Me – I give up.
All in all, successful, fun day. Next year we will also bring Jackson who absolutely LOVES trains. He doesn’t know what he missed, but he’ll really enjoy it when it is his turn.
Amy April 23rd, 2010
The other day Cam and I were looking at pictures of when he was a baby and there was one of Paw Paw in an Alabama hat that he has since given to Camden. Camden looked at me and said, “Paw Paw gave me that hat. That’s what Paw Paws are for. They give you hats when they don’t need them anymore.”
Here are some more things that Paw Paws are for…
They take big boys fishing, but not their little brothers. Little brothers stay with Maw Maw.
Caught his first fish with Paw Paw
Paw Paws collect coins for you to put into your BIG piggy bank that he gave you.
Paw Paws teach you the correct stance for golfing. (Cam still spreads his legs in this awkward pose trying to get it right everytime he hits a golf ball)
Paw Paws get you Tootsie Roll pops just because you asked for one the last time you visited.
Thank you Paw Paw, and Maw Maw, for all you do for the boys. Keeping them this past weekend was above and beyond and greatly appreciated!
Amy April 23rd, 2010
Here are a few of Camden’s remarks that I felt were blog worthy. He’s said more, but I’m tired and my brain isn’t working as well as it used to. Hopefully I will remember them and add them later, but if not, I am sure he will come up with some new ones himself.
Dog Tree = Dogwood tree
Tennis Racquet Shoes = Tennis Shoes
Why Birds poop on cars and deck – B/c they don’t have bathrooms to fly into and poop
Describing seats in the van – there is one driving seat and lots of sitting seats
Who is Camden’s best friend? – MOMMY! (and his monkey and dog and other dog and bunny and Daddy and Jackson and Thomas, but those don’t count)
Amy April 14th, 2010
Here you go Paw Paw. Updates! Also for any other loyal viewers and readers, I am sorry that it has been 3 months. I don’t know what happened. I will try harder, I promise!
Amy April 14th, 2010
I feel like we are all holding our breath as we wait on our house to sell. We are located in the middle of nowhere, so it is going to take a certain buyer and we haven’t had much interest so far. I am still confident that it will sell soon (I hope my definition of soon and not some galatic definition of soon) and we just have to be positive. I am not an overly peppy positive person, but I am trying!
Mike is definitely feeling the wear of commuting 3 hours a day and we are ready to sell! I guess this is the good thing about it taking a while is that the nostalgia of our current home is starting to wear and I just want to move. We have found a nice new neighborhood if we decide to build and we are excited about being closer to Daddy and his work. Cam keeps asking me why no one has bought our house yet. Soon, son….
…and then we can breathe
Amy April 14th, 2010
Easter this year was fun. Cam is at a perfect age to enjoy the whole process. He loved dying eggs and was pretty good at it. He then got to put Lightning McQueen stickers on them for which he thanked me profusely.
Then the next morning he was so excited that the Easter Bunny came that before he even got down the stairs he told me that the Easter Bunny needed to come back to his house so that he could thank him. I am so proud of my boy’s manners!
Jax on the other hand also enjoyed everything, but especially the candy which he ate foil paper and all!
Dying Eggs
Checking out the goodies
Family Shot
hunting eggs
stay still Jax
Amy April 14th, 2010
Still hate potty training. We backslid for a while, but Cam is getting better at it. For the most part he wears big boy pants with just a few accidents here and there. Except for #2. #2 is still a problem. He has actually pooped twice in the potty over the past 2 or 3 weeks and this is major progress. Not as major as I would like, but I am learning patience. We even have a program that if he poops 5 times he will get a Monkey Pillow Pet and if he poops 5 more times he will get a Dog Pillow Pet. He has great grasp of the program and we have their pictures on the refrigerator, but so far only 1 mark. I am sure we will get there soon, but I am tired of cleaning poopy pants.
However, the other day I sent him inside to try to poop and pee in the potty. Apparently he either stood in the bathroom and pooped or he had already pooped and I didn’t realize it. Anyway, I went in to check on him and he had already put the poop in the potty and was standing at the sink washing out his underwear with soap and water and he was scrubbing them together like he had seen me do. He was trying to clean up. It was sweet.
Here is the most use we have gotten out of his potty seat.
Mom, a new hat!
Amy April 14th, 2010
I can’t believe that I have neglected this so long. Anyway, let’s just jump into updates.
Cam’s Black Eye
At the end of January, the boys and I surprised Mike in H’ville for lunch. We went to Cracker Barrel and had a great lunch, until… Until, as we were leaving, Camden, excited to see something, took off behind me and tripped on a guy’s feet and flew face first into a ceramic pot holder. Or as he tells it, some girl kicked him and made him fall. Everyone rushed up and were very helpful, probably afraid we would sue, and gave the boys big lollipops, which Cam liked and still talks about. It was a pretty deep gash, and I probably should have gotten a stich or two, but I didn’t. Scars are sexy on guys, right.
More Snow
In February we had even more snow and this time Cam and Mike made a snowman, or a snow blob with a hat…
Washing the Car
In March we finally had nice weather and the boys got out and washed the cars. Jax was very serious about his assignment, although he definitely liked “driving” the car better.
so serious!
still serious
vroom vroom
Trip to LC and Gulf Shores
In March, Mom and I and the boys also ventured down south for an extended weekend visit. We first went to Lake Charles and spent the weekend with our friends at their beautiful lake house and we got to indulge in long missed local fare, both home-cooked, thanks Beth!, and eating out – Casa, Pronia’s, and Tony’s!
Next we spent a night in Orange Beach and the boys got to experience the beach. It was beautiful weather, a bit chilly, but gorgeous nonetheless. Cam got a bit too excited the first day and ran straight into the water where he immediately lost his footing in the uneven sand and the wave knocked him down. He was soaked, I was soaked by the time I got him, and he was a bit overwhelmed. He told me the water was dirty, since he drank some of it, but I told him that was just salt water. The next day both boys stayed away from the water and just played in the sand.
sliding down the hill
sliding down the hill 2
running to the beach
