Looks like both of my guys are going to be plenty of help by the time our second child gets here. They've both been practicing for their new roles! Right now the due date for "Deuce" is August 25.
More to come later....
These pictures basically sum up the whole weekend. Other than the times we adults got to spend outside chatting, this entire weekend was about these boys. It has been so much fun watching Davis and Reeves play together and observing how their interaction improves and expands with each visit as the age difference between them becomes less and less noticeable. Of course there is still the not-speaking-an-actual-language thing, but somehow Davis and Reeves communicate just fine. And it will be nice once Davis teaches Reeves how to actually turn the steering wheel in the Lightning McQueen car!
I can't believe with the complete lack of sleep Reeves got, which by default, turned into a lack of sleep for Davis, these pictures were taken the next day. I guess they really are carrying on our tradition, like Jodie said. The most fun is just being together, and we have to make the most of these precious moments we have. Sleep is for the weak.
I was given this, along with two yellow roses, the other day as I left a drop in celebrating someone's 60th birthday. It was so wonderful to see so many women whom I have known nearly all of my life. Most of them are my mother's friends and are the mothers of many of my friends. This is such an interesting time in my life - still a daughter often very much in need of my mother's advice, but also a mother myself, raising my son and learning from my mother, along with these other women. I really enjoyed being included in this special day, celebrating the life of a woman who has been through wonderful highs and terribly painful lows. I just wanted to share with you what she shared with us.
FRIENDSHIP
"Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT…….
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the womenin your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you…Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Everyday, we need each other still. Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful."
So, ever since we took Leeze with us to the circus, and she insisted on wearing one of Bryant's red baseball caps, Reeves has been enchanted. This is the boy who would only wear a hat in the most blazing of suns, and I think that was only because he realized that he could see better with it on. Now, he grabs his baseball cap (yes, this is a child's one that I bought a while ago for him) before we walk out the door. I don't know why this is. Maybe it's because Leeze wore that one that one time, and he thought she looked so cool. Maybe he is encouraged by all the strangers comments on how cute he looks with his cap on and that he is certainly going to be a baseball player. (Because, Lord knows, if you can wear the uniform [or any part thereof] you will certainly excel at that sport!) Or maybe, and although Leeze may have introduced him to the hat, I think this is the real reason, maybe it's because now that it's winter, he sees his father wearing his hat everyday, and he's becoming a little boy now, who wants to be just like his dad. And maybe that fact is one of the sweetest things in the world to this momma. 
(But just in case, I'm bringing Leeze over to show him how much she enjoys picking up ALL the toys!)
Finally, a positive thing about having a child with an egg allergy! Because we use the egg substitute instead of eggs to make the brownies, you can eat the batter without fear of getting salmonella! Oh, this is a child after my own heart! 
We made brownies for the first time on Sunday, and he just loved eating the batter - of course, he loved eating the brownies for his dessert later as well.
The best part was showing him himself in the mirror before I cleaned up his face. It was priceless!
After Reeves' glowing performance at the church nursery this Sunday (I was actually able to sit with Bryant for almost 15 minutes, and Lee said she thinks Reeves may have "turned the corner". We'll see next week), we stopped by Marion Square on the way home. He loved it. Already a pro, thanks to Julie's soft spot for animals, with the goats, 
we made our way through the petting zoo. And I suppose Reeves knows that all that sweet feed isn't necessarily so good fo these poor animals, so he would just pick up the loose grass and feed it to them. Again, I think this is a learned behavior from his time in the country. He was even brave enough to pet the camel, which I found amazing as we had just watched it nearly attack some poor lady. I was also a bit amazed that Bryant let him pet it, and that I allowed it, but we escaped with no bite marks, and, due to my constant "watch outs!", Bryant was on high alert for any dental disorderliness from this beast.
The highlight of the day was when Reeves went on his first pony ride. I had assumed that he wouldn't be doing this as the last time it was around, for the Bud draft horses, the line was a mile long. Sunday, we were able to walk right up and have a go. He LOVED it. He immediately started patting the mane, and he held on the the horn just like a seasoned rider. Bryant told him to squeeze his legs, and he did, almost like he already knows how to get a horse to respond, sans bit and crop.
This was bittersweet for me because, as I watched my son enjoy this fine four legged animal, all I could think about was his great grandfather and how proud he would be at this moment. Whoa, Dad's dad, was truly a horse whisperer. I'll never forget watching him with horses and, sometimes, probably more often than my mother would care to know, being saved from certain injury, by his words and hands in calming a horse and allowing me time to roll away. I wish he could have seen the joy on Reeves' face and heard his laughter.
But, what am I saying, I know that he did, it's just that he couldn't share it with us. And if there's anything he taught me, it's that you always need to thank your horse for giving you a good ride. Just a good pat will do. Horses appreciate being appreciated just as much as we do.
I'm not sure why I encouraged this picture because it kinda disturbs me. "Oh, Honey, let's take a picture of an alligator eating our child! That would be great!" I'm still wondering why it was even an option for us. Perhaps it is to encourage us not to play with alligators? Who knows.
It was pretty crowded, but from what Nancy said, I don't think it was as crowded as it was on Saturday. Still, we weren't able to see the Purina Dog Show as the crowd was at least 5 rows deep. In the exhibition tent, I held one of the birds, and Reeves didn't really even flinch when it pecked at him as he tried to touch it. He also was quite interested in touching the Eastern Indigo snake that was wrapped around some man's neck, but luckily, we were able to divert his attention away from that pretty easily. Not sure Jodie could have forgiven us for that! He was intently looking at the cougar sleeping in its cage and nearly jumped out of Bryant's arms when it moved. He must not have thought it was real.
Granted, the length is coupled with bed head, but that only goes to emphasize just how messy his hair could get. So, we headed to our appointment with Cindy, who has been cutting Bryant's hair for 20 years. We had to wait for a bit when we got there, and I got a little worried that we would miss our happiness window. We came close, he was not to pleased when we first put him on the booster seat in Cindy's chair, 
but then she pulled out the squirt bottle, and whatever was wrong in his world was instantly fixed. As soon as he fired that first squirt, the laughter was nearly uncontrollable, and combined with his father's reactions, this may be the most enjoyable haircut he ever receives. I would hate to think that it is all downhill from here, but I can't believe we started this lifelong process out with such a winner!
Bryant's job was to save the rest of the shop from being drenched by the water bottle, as it wasn't long before Reeves had figured out how to twist down the nozzle in order to make the water shoot further. This may sound like an easy task, but when you consider that Cindy was constantly having to switch side to cut his hair, Bryant was likewise having to manuever around this woman who had scissors milimeters from our child's scalp without knocking her but still getting around in time to stem the tide of water flowing from the squirt bottle. As the documenter of the occasion, it was quite hilarious to watch. I only wish we had had the video camera, which Bryant reminded me to bring but which I forgot (let's not get into the delegation of responsibilities that particular Saturday morning, though.) Reeves was even content to sit when Cindy pulled out the trimmer or BumbleBee, as she called it, which I can only imagine must have confused Reeves a bit as this is what most other children call his father (thank you, Davis).
I can't believe it's finally done. It wasn't emotional - no tears on our part, just another blatant example that our baby is growing up, faster than we ever could have imagined, and now, all that's left of those original feathers that finally started appearing after his first birthday are safely wrapped in a paper towel, awaiting my decision of what their final resting place should be.
Well, Happy Valentine's Day, Boo. You are 20 months old today. I can't believe it. You have been so much fun these past few months - not that you weren't before, but you are truly turning into a little boy now, and the new things you do seems to grow by the day. Trains continue to be your absolute favorite mode of transportation, followed closely by airplanes - not that you have actually ever travelled by either one of these vehicles. Your father and I are looking forward to taking you on your first trip by train or plane, as we know you will warm our hearts with your wide eyed fascination and unrestrained excitement. I'm not sure when it will happen, but we can't wait.
In these two months since my last update, you have celebrated your second Christmas and New Year's. You have welcomed a new cousin and a new friend. You have fallen out of your crib and climbed a ladder all by yourself (with my supervision, of course.) 
You can, with enough time and patience, put on your socks all by yourself. You can also, as we learned Sunday morning, remove all your clothing (pajamas) and your diaper. Luckily for us, everything was clean, and there were no accidents during the time of your unbeknownst-to-us nakedness. I think this may have been your favorite morning ever as you were bouncing up and down and running back and forth in your crib, and once you noticed us watching, the show only increased. I have been surprised that you have not disrobed in the mornings since then, but maybe this is like the climbing out of the crib thing - you are satisfied just knowing you can do it.
Naturally, you wash your hair. You do that in your bath as well. That wasn't the Aha Moment. It was when you picked up a thing of shower gel, in a container shaped similarly to a stick of deodorant, and started rubbing it in your armpits. 
I guess it's time for us to stop flicking matches onto the carpet and running with scissors. You're watching!
We were going to take you to your first basketball game on Monday, but you apparently decided that a nap was not necessary that day, so when you fell asleep in the car on your way home from the country, Daddy and I decided we would have to attempt it another day. We're hoping to be able to watch the Dogs beat Furman on Saturday.
The church nursery continues to be your own personal torture chamber, so Daddy and I have been taking turns going solo to early church. The last time we tried to go to 10:30, they wouldn't even let me out of the nursery. You apparently already have a reputation. However, on the babysitter at home front, I am happy to report that we have had two great Saturday nights in a row. You are loving Janine now, and that is so good, because I was almost convinced that you had scared her off last month. You still are not happy when you see her walk in, but it is not long now before you and she are playing and reading, and you are, if not happy, at least content to see us leave. She is truly a godsend. 
You continue to bewitch your father and me. I can't believe it's possible, but we love you a little more each day. You give us big drooly kisses and love to bump foreheads. You have brought so much joy to our lives. We love you, ReeRee! 
