Happy Birthday to me!!!

Well, I celebrated my 24th birthday yesterday, and I have to say, it was one of the best I have had in a few years. I think that it was mainly because it was the first time in 3 years that I havn't had to work on my birthday, so I was able to spend the day with my family and celebrate another year with my wonderful little boy.



**WARNING** This post in going to contain way too many pictures of myself, but that is a rarity, so I am going to take advantage of the situation and make you all suffer through it :)

Brody and I slept in (well, until about 8) and then we just hung around the house playing ball and running around outside. Then, we met Mom and Brooke at Elm Street Bakery for a yummy lunch. We had delicious chicken sald croissants (not sure I spelled that right) with fruit and a green salad on the side. It was absolutely DELICH'!!! Brooke and Brody had donuts for dessert while Mom and I sipped on cappucinos.

We then strolled around downtown for a bit, mostly window shopping. But we did go in the little pharmacy there on the square to say hello, and we had to stop and play in the razorback gear. We tried to get Brody to join us in this picture, but the Hog snouts freaked him out and he ran the other direction.
We looks NOTHING alike, huh?
Brooke came home with us after lunch while Mom went back to work. So, while Brody took a good long nap, Brooke and I spent the afternoon coloring, watching iCarly (this is supposedly a very popular show with the younguns' that I have never seen before), and painting our toenails. It was great. Not long after Brody woke up (very refreshed, I might add) Amie came to pick us up for a trip the park. Brooke played on the playground while Amie and I (and Brody in his stroller) walked around the little track that goes around the park. (Don't worry, we could see Brooke's hot pink dress the entire time.)

After we came home and cleaned up in record time, we headed out to meet the family for dinner.

I got a really cute purse and CHI holder from Brent's mom and dad...

And this fun razorback diaper bag from Mom!






Mom and Sam


These are only a select few of the gifts that I recieved from my WONDERFUL family, but I am sure you all are tired of looking at me by now. So, I will just say THANK YOU to everyone for everything. It was a great birthday!

Birthday Shout-out

Yesterday was Mamaw Sharon's 65th birthday! Happy Birthday Mamaw!

Mom, Brooke, Brody, and I went over yesterday afternoon bearing cake and gifts. Brooke helped Mom light the candles on the cake, and then her and Brody both helped her blow them out. Well, I guess I should say that Brody watched them blow them out. He is very good at blowing (he always blows his food whether it is hot or not), so we thought he might give it a whirl, but he would say, "No, Hot."

Here is Mamaw showing off a couple of her presents.
Cute purse, huh?!

Recently, Brody has become facinated with the child locks on the kitchen cabinets. He knows that mommy and daddy can do something to make them open, so he will sit for a long time trying to figure it out.

And then this is what happens when he realizes that he can't open them. Poor little guy.

Amie (Mamie, as Brody calls her) and Eli came over Friday night to eat. Brody was looking through this magazine of Halloween costumes with her. It's never too early to start looking is it?
Brody and his Mamie Just a pic of me and Brody. These are few and far between because I am always the one with the camera. He had just gotten his jammies on and was getting ready for bed. I love this time with him. We have really gotten into a good bedtime routine with him, and when we get his jammies on and go pick out a book, he knows it is time to go night-night. We go to his room, read the book in the rocking chair, turn the lights out, and after about 5 minutes of rocking he is OUT.
He doesn't throw these fits much anymore, but I finally had my camera in hand when he decided to try one, so I had to snap a picture. That was probably totally sending him the wrong message about it, but I couldnt resist. This one didn't last too long if I remember correctly. Usually I just ignore him, and after about 25 seconds, he gets up and goes on about his business.

Lake Degray

Two weekends ago, we went to the lake with Dad and Karen for a little R&R. We had a good time - did a little fising, some boating, some kneeboarding, and lots of good eating!

Once Brent, Brody and I got there on Friday night, we went to eat at Cracker Barrell.

Brody loves to drink from a big boy cup with a straw, but he cant get it through his head that you don't have to turn the cup up to drink it, and he usually ends up with his drink in his lap.


By far, his favorite part of Cracker Barrell - the toy department!
Eating at Outback in Hot Springs on Saturday night
After we stuffed ourselves silly, we went for a game of put-put.

Brody (with a little help from Daddy) even hit 2 holes-in-one!!!! And they let him take home his little putter - which he loooooooves.




Funny how this post is titled Lake Degray, yet I have no pictures of us actually at the lake. Sorry 'bout that.....lol.

Starting school already!

We just found out a few weeks ago that Brody got a spot at First United Methodist Preschool for the fall. He has been on the waiting list since last summer! The school is only a few blocks from my office, so he will finally be close to me during the day. He will only be there Mon-Wed (the days that I work), and his Mimi will most likely be coming to get him at noon somedays. Sooo, I guess it really isn't as big of a deal as it seems to me, but then again, my baby is starting school for the very first time! I really do feel like Brody will be sooo happy here. There will only be 6-8 kids in his class (18 months - 2 years) with 2 teachers (who are all awesome, by the way), so he will get plenty of that special attention that he deserves. Anyway, I have started taking Brody for a few hours on a couple days just so that he becomes familiar with it before he starts going there every morning. And so far, he has done wonderfully!!! The teachers all love him and say that he is so happy while he is there - dancing and laughing and being silly. And he is definately good at being silly. He will do anything to get a laugh out of you. The first day that he was there, they took his class on a stroller ride (they have a six seater stroller) to the bakery on the square and bought them a cookie. Doesn't that just sound like fun? I know that Brody enjoyed it!

Here are a few pictures of him before we left for school this morning. It makes me a little sad to see him standing there with his little lunch box. Looks like he should be starting Kindergarten!

Oh, and you can see our new floors in some of the pictures! He is so proud of his new baseball lunchbox!

Brent was on the back porch this evening grilling hamburgers, and I was in the bedroom folding clothes. When we walked back into the living room this is what we found. Sound asleep with his cup still in his mouth. And look how long he looks in these pictures! It must be the angle of the camera - we all know that Brody isn't long by any means.

Playing Catch-Up

It has been waaay to long since my last post. Guess we have just been busy...or I have been too lazy...or maybe a little of both. Anyway, I am just going to post some pics in no particular order to try and catch up. I will comment when necessary.

Brody getting golf lessons from Daddy. Yea, we know the club is bit too long, but Brody just won't have the little plastic ones that we bought him. He is no fool, he wants the "real thing". And this is all we have to work with right now. But don't worry, Brent has already been searching for (and found) some real clubs for toddlers. I am sure it wont be long until they are at our house.....



Helping Daddy pull up the floor. We put down new wood floor a couple weeks ago, and Brody was right in on the action. He didn't miss a beat.

Playing on the furniture dolly
Blowing bubbles on the 4 th of July (I figured this was a little safer than fireworks)

Swimming with Paw at Mamaw Agnes' on the 4th of July

Playing with his cousin Layla



We went to the doctor a few weeks ago just for a check-up for Brody's ears, to make sure the tubes are still in place and all is good. Well, they are...and it is. He was such a big boy in the waiting room, sitting at the table playing with the toys.

Lastly, Brody got a new haircut this weekend!!! I didnt realize how much we cut off until I looked back at pictures of him before. It is actually shorter than I had intended, but I am sure that it will feel great this summer, and he looks adorable as always.

Here he is BEFORE:
And AFTER!!!