Thank You, Thank You, Thank you!!

I'm not even sure how to thank my dearest friends for this quilt. It is so special to Bryant and me to have friends like you, and Reeves is so lucky to have so many wonderful aunts and uncles (not to mention the "cousins" who keep multiplying yearly!) I know he will treasure this quilt forever. It will always be a reminder of how much he is loved, and how much he was loved before he was even born! I pray that when he grows up, Reeves will have such a wonderful extended family of friends as we do. Thank you all!!

The Future's So Bright...

Well, good news. I found a way to get around my self imposed clothes buying moratorium. Sunnies and hats. (The hat counts as protective wear - spf 101 - not clothes. It's like buying bandaids, really.) I had to go to Target for formula, and how could I resist when I saw these? If you could, you are a stronger woman than I, and I salute you!

Stools - Good for Sitting,Not Good for Climbing...

The Offender
Well, I know what it feels like to be a criminal now. Bryant and I are on the run from DSS. Yesterday, we watched, from no more than two feet away, as our son pulled up on, and promptly pulled down on top of him, one of our kitchen stools. It was like watching in slow motion. We both saw it start to topple, and there was nothing we could do to stop it. After the fall, we immediately leapt into action. As Bryant pulled the stool up, Reeves, who had pulled up on the second crossbar, was not letting go. Lifting the stool lifted him. (That was a bit funny, actually.) Anyway, B pulled the stool up, and I picked up Reeves. The poor thing has a bump right in the center of his hairline on his forehead. Thr crying stopped after about a minute and didn't start again until I accidentally bumped his head getting him out of his carseat later. (How bad is that!?!) Anyway, last night, Reeves and I went to the store and bought a plethora of contraptions to use to hold the stools up against the counter so that this never happens again. My mission tonight is to make one of them work. It will take a bit of MacGyvering, but I think I can figure it out. The good news, the bump had not turned black and blue this morning, so we can take off the hat and let the boy go out in public again!

The Bump

There's No Turning Back Now

Well, we did it. We bit the bullet and switched Reeves from his bucket seat to his Britax. Bryant and I installed the Britax in my car on Thursday night. It only took about 30 minutes, but in our defense, it was a bit dark! Anyway, after much sweat and a few cuss words, it was a fete accompli. So Friday morning, Bryant drove Reeves out to the country and gave the bucket and the base back to Julie. (Thanks for letting us borrow them!!) Reeves and I were heading down to Port Royal that night, so when I picked him up, we were ready to go with the new seat. It was wuite strange putting him in - not nearly as easy as just dropping the bucket into the base. And you have to be a contortionist to get him into it in my teeny tiny back seat! But he loves it. He spent the first 30 minutes of the car ride just looking all around. And then he fell sound asleep!

He can see so much more! And I can see him so much better in the mirror. I will admit, I miss the ease and convenience of the bucket, but I think he likes this seat so much more. As a result of this switch, Reeves got his first ride, sans bucket seat, in a shopping cart. He was a bit unsure at first, but he was a natural by the end of the outing.

Tenderness

So, right now, I am driving Bryant's Dodge Ram because his truck is in the shop being mended from the deer attack. Although he tried to convince me otherwise, I have forced him to drive my car since he is the one who takes Reeves out in the morning and usually picks him up. I just couldn't see Reeves riding around in the passenger seat of a non-extended cab pickup, armor plated carseat or not! Anyway, I had to work late tonight, and when I turned the Green Monster into the driveway, the headlights illuminated Bryant getting Reeves out of his carseat. It was such a tender picture. He was talking to him, and once he was out, Reeves gave his daddy one of his sweet nuzzles. I took a mental picture and am now blogging about it because I never want to forget it.

Sullivan's Island Fire Department Oyster Roast

Thumbs in the thumb place, fingers all together. This is the song we sing in mitten weather.





Janine, Reeves, and Deanna





Last Saturday night we took Reeves with us to the SIFD oyster roast. We were meeting some friends from work there. As well as being Reeves' first oyster roast, it was the first for some of the Aussies as well. We had a great time, and the single select oysters from Simmons were the best I have ever had. (Of course, I paid for them on Sunday with swollen fingers and hands, but they were worth it nonetheless.) And, an unexpected benefit of having a child in diapers - wipes for everyone! We had Reeves in his mittens and hat and covered up with blankets. It was cold and windy! Poor Bryant, I even made him take off his sweater and add that to the pile on top of Reeves. Afterwards, everyone went to Poe's. Ah, the life before children! Bryant and Reeves and I went home and went to bed. We waved to them as we drove by!

Shake, shake, shake...

This is my child holding something...



This is my child shaking that same thing...

It is hilarious to watch this. His face transforms. He does not breathe while he is shaking something or trying to tear something. It doesn't matter what it is - a rattle, a spoon, paper, a blanket. The funniest thing is that when he is through with his non-breathing energy exertion, he takes the same kind of breath you or I would when we come up for breath after being under water. There is a major exhalation. I really need to get this on video because I don't know whether this is going to be a life long thing or just a fleeting habit.

Welcome to the world, Mills!

I just received word that Mills Faxon Egleston has finally arrived. 5:00 pm. 8 lbs, 2 oz. 20 inches. Blonde hair. That's all I know. I'm leaving work now to stop by. I'm sure Nancy's blog will be updated soon with many more details! We are so happy for the four of you!!

All's Well

Just to put your minds at ease, I wanted to let you know that the standing up in the crib was not a one time thing. Reeves has been up and ready for me to get him for the last 2 mornings. How sweet of him to let me see it. He really is growing up!! Also, he did a lap in the hall last night. He is thoroughly enjoying his mobility. But he doesn't like to crawl on the carpet on the hall. He prefers to crawl down the side of it, in the three inches of hardwood. I don't understand it. He gets better grip on the rug. I guess he just likes a challenge.

Don't Blink

So here is our morning routine: I get up, shower, begin to get dressed. It is at about this time that Reeves wakes up. At that point, I wake Bryant up for him to go make the bottle, and I go get Reeves. This, of course, involves changing his diaper which, although his attitude towards it is getting better, is still, on principle, an unpleasant matter. But this is what we do - every morning. The only thing that changes is that sometimes Bryant sleeps through the bottle making. Well, this morning, Reeves apparently let loose while I was in the shower. Bryant had to go in and get him. Guess who decided this morning would be the day he pulls up in the crib? What's the go with that? I have been waiting for that for a month! But every morning I go in, he is on all fours, waiting for me to pick him up. So the one morning Daddy goes in to get him, he is standing at the rail! The inhumanity! Oh, and also, I STILL had to change his diaper! It's like waiting to see a meteor, and then blinking as it goes by.

Of course, isn't all of childhood like that? It's gone before you know it.

A Body in Motion...

Batten down the hatches, Tot-Loc the cabinets. Reeves Bair is on the move. This child is now a card carrying crawler. He has been crawling for about a week and a half. Prior to this accomplishment, he had mastered Downward-Facing Dog, Sun Salutation, and the Butterfly swimstroke. (I must give credit to Bryant for coming up with this one. He is the one who coined this analogy. It perfectly described Reeves' first attempts at crawling. He would bring the legs up, then just flop the arms forward!) Anyway, there is no stopping him now - carpet, tile, wood. He can handle any flooring product you throw at him. His favorite thing is to crawl from the den, through the narrow passageway between the sofa and table, and into the kitchen. He also enjoys crawling through chair and stool legs and under tables. It is too precious!

(Sometimes we make him drop and give us 20. Hey, you gotta train them young!)

And for my next trick... He pulled up from crawling on the floor to standing at the sofa on Saturday. Of course, he had seen the phone and wanted to get it. Bryant wasn't there for that, so, when he got home, I went against all our parental training and showed Reeves the phone and put it on the edge of the sofa to tempt him to pull up again so that Bryant could see it. How bad is that!? Oh well, his pulling up is standard practice now, with or without temptations. He is so pleased with himself that he can do it.

How True

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.
-John Burroughs


I stumbled upon this quote last night. It seemed so fitting to me right now. If only there were more hours in the day to not only do all the things I want to do, but at least the things I need to do. There are so many family and friends I do not see nearly enough; so many things I need to do; so many things I want to do with Reeves and Bryant. It is amazing how time flies when you don't take the time to stop and truly enjoy it.