more curious Neely

So, we just got home from dinner and the magic show. I immediately sat down to nurse Hutch....he was READY! I wasn't really paying attention to Neely, but I heard her say, "Mommy, why does this have a sticker on it". Finally I looked up, and this is what I saw......


Neely had taken my breast pad (the lovely ones you put in your bra so you don't get two huge wet spots when your milk lets down) and stuck it to her forehead...and was handing me the little piece off of the "sticker". Oh my, what will she think of next? Your guess is as good as mine! She keeps me on my toes...and she always keeps me laughing!

Curious Neely

We are going to dinner and a magic show tonight so I decided to pump today. I wanted to have a bottle ready for Hutch in case he decides not to make it through dinner and the show. He has only taken a bottle one time, and he did it very reluctantly, but we need to get him use to it. So, I went to the kitchen and got the pump attachments and quietly went back to my room to pump. Guess who was right on my heels? You got it, Neely! I sat in the glider and she sat down on the floor with her elbows on my knees....totally checking out what I am doing. As I began to pump, so began the questions! Where is the milk coming from? What are those tubes? Where is the milk going? Do you hear that noise? Why does it make that noise? Does that hurt? She at one point told me not to hold onto the suction cups that are attached to me. I told her that I had to so they would stay attached. She politely asked me to move my hand up so she could see better. Then more questions.... How do you make milk? Is that milk for people? Right then the cup slipped off and a little bit of milk rolled down my stomach. She looked at me and I knew the next question! She put her finger up on the drop rolling down me, saved it from going onto my shorts and asked if she could lick her finger. She licked the milk from her finger and made an awful face! She started asking if it was OK for bigger people to drink my milk....I think what she was getting at was..."is this milk going to poison me". She looked up and said "I think I need to go get some water". After she got a drink she was right back, front and center to see the pumping till the end!!!

July

July is a month that I have dreaded like the plague since Cannon & Neely have been babies. That is because in the month of July they have to go spend most of the month with their biological father (BF)....aka their daddy... Luckily this summer I have figured out a way to see them (and have them spend the night) once a week, and we get them one weekend in the month. In the past I go into a deep depression as July nears, but this year it's only a shallow depression. I know that I will get to see them 7 of the 31 days they are gone....and this is GOOD compared to years past. I will also be very busy with a certain newborn! Also in July we have these things planned; a weekend trip to Alabama to introduce Hutch to the rest of the Alabama family, a trip to Tyler to spend a couple of days with Meme and Poppie while we get a new roof, get my hail damaged car repaired, a new crown on my tooth (ugghhh), getting my teeth cleaned, my 4 week postpartum Dr. appointment, lots of morning runs, my Hubby's birthday and 7 glorious days with Cannon and Neely. All of these things should get me through the month pretty quickly! I am by no means ready to see the kids off to superdad's for the month, but being on maternity leave has given me such great quality and quantity time with them this month that I don't think it will be as hard to let them go as it has in the past.

July unfortunately is also a month that the kids don't love either. Cannon starts worrying about July months in advance. I have tried to make deals with their BF to do one week on, one week off, but he has never really been into what is in the best interest of the kids where visitation is concerned. So, weeks before they go we start preparing them. Today we made their posters, these are collages of pictures that they pick out, cut out, glitter, glue and decorate. They enjoy doing them and I think it helps them to have these while they are away. I have also set up an email address for them so family can send them little notes, and I promised to send them a new picture of Hutch every day! They (especially Cannon) are going to miss Hutch like crazy!

Please pray for me, but even more for Cannon and Neely that July goes by quickly, and that they are happy and have a good time. I offered to "babysit" them during the month since I am on ML, but BF insisted that they stay at his house with his wife....aka stepmother. They are two extremely happy and well-adjusted kids that come back from a month away needed a little TLC...and it definitely takes a few weeks for me to get my sweet Cannon and feisty Neely back in the Campbell groove.

Here are some pictures of their collages that we made today. We really focused on pictures of them with Hutch....that is what they wanted, which pleased me! Here is their work.......

Ballet Party and more pics from the week

Neely had a "ballet birthday" to go to this afternoon for a little girl in our neighborhood. I took her yesterday to get her a leotard and tutu to wear for this shin-dig. I promised her we would put on LOTS of purple eyeshadow to match her purple outfit....she was SO excited. The party was at 3pm, but she insisted on being ready 2 hours early. She seriously strutted around here for 2 hours straight, blotting her lips, checking herself out in the mirror and running her fingers through her hair. When we got to the party she was acting very grown up. I took her to the bathroom and she commented on the "beautiful flowers" and the "nice napkins"....she was being such a big girl. Neely had a wonderful time, as we were leaving she said that was the best party ever!! Since the party was in the neighborhood I let Neely ride home in the front seat. As we pulled into the garage she leaned back in her seat and looked over at me, and said "I am totally out of energy, that party was a scream".....these were her exact words. To be honest though she is the one that is a scream....she was totally cute and FULL of energy today...I loved watching her strut, dance, primp, blot, and act so grown up! It was an absolute pleasure to have some time with her today to go to this party.

Saturday Morning

It's 7:30 on Saturday morning and all is well. My husband has gone to play golf, my 3 children are still in bed sleeping, I have already had a wonderful 4-mile power walk (before Les left, of course) and now I am drinking a big mug of coffee and blogging!! In my world this is a pretty successful morning. Hutch slept last night, Hallelujah!! He slept from 11:30 to 2:30, 2:50 till 4:30, and 4:30-?. The times he did wake up during the night he was more interested in being comforted than eating, so I wasn't up for very long with him. After 2:30 he did sleep in the bed with me, but I must say, he is a pretty sweet little co-sleeper! I wouldn't kick him out of bed for spitting up milk.

It looks like another scorcher here in Austin! Not too hot for Les to chase a little white ball across 18 holes (or more if I gave him the green light), but too hot for any sensible person to be outdoors for any extended period of time unless a big body of water is involved! Not sure what we will make of the rest of this day (besides a birthday party Neely is invited to at 3pm), but given "successful" morning I won't feel bad if we just hang out in our jammies for a while this morning (yes, I've put mine back on).....cinnamon rolls, powdered donuts, sausage, milk, cartoons, hugs, sweet little morning breath kisses from my babies, snuggling on the couch.....yes to all of the above. Hope you all have a great Saturday morning....mine already is!

Up all night

Sleep all day! My sweet little gassy boy has got his days and nights confused. He's not really up all night, but he does seem to be very fussy and gassy around 8pm every night....and marathon nursing is the only thing that seems to soothe him. He also doesn't seem to like his little set up in his port-a-crib anymore....he likes my set up in my bed a lot better!! He is still an extremely good baby, but I have got to figure out this sleeping situation. I said I didn't want to co-sleep, but he slept with me most of the night last night. It was the only way that I could get any sleep....and boy do I need it right now! I think I could fall asleep standing up. This to shall pass...I know that, and this is the reason I am not upset. It is a privilege to be Hutch's Mommy, and it is my job to care for this little guy. We will figure it out....this newborn stage lasts such a short period of time. Hutch is just letting me enjoy every aspect of it....day and night!

Alabama Fam

Les' cousin, Keith, and his beautiful family, wife, Connie, and their girl's, Campbell and Caroline came to Texas for a visit (hence me not posting since Sunday morn). We had a wonderful visit, and I am pretty sure the kids had a blast. The kids had a 2 day slumber party, cousin time is so much fun! A wonderful time was had by all. This morning the Sandlin family is on their way to New Braunfels for loads of fun at Schlitterbahn, and a day in Gruene, TX before they head back to Alabama. It was so nice that they wanted to take their time and vacation to come all the way out to Texas to see us! Thanks for a great time Sandlin Family, we love you all!






In case anyone is wondering.....

Hutch is still getting cuter everyday!!!! Here's proof....

On this day we celebrate

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~


When I was a little girl this poem was cross-stitched by my Mom, and hung in my Daddy's downstairs bathroom. I didn't like my Dad's hot rod magazines that he had handy for reading while going potty, so I read this poem over and over, until I had it memorized. At the time I probably didn't realize all the things that went into the "making" of a Daddy, but now that I have children of my own I realize that there are so many ingredients necessary to make a Daddy "just right". I am so thankful that my Dad had all of these things (well, he may lack a little patience sometimes :), and I know that I am a better person because of that. He took care of his family, even when he didn't get all of the glory. Being a Dad a lot of times means being in the shadows of the rest of your family....letting them shine!

I am also incredibly blessed that I married a man that exudes all of these qualities...even the patience one. Les is this poem! He is all of these things...strong (both physically and mentally), majestic (he definitely has power and dignity), he's warm (he's always there for a big bear hug or a shoulder to lean on), he's calm (cool and collected), generous soul (he would do ANYTHING for his family), comforting (he always makes me feel safe and loved), wisdom (he is wise beyond his years), power (he is strong and has inner strength), joy (he is a very happy person that people love to be around), faith (he trusts, he believes), patience (wow, does he have patience, he is married to a "Jasper Girl...you gotta have patience for that), depth (he is a deep as an ocean)! Our kids got the "cream of the crop" when it comes to Daddies! He is all these things, and so many more! Cannon, Neely and Hutch make Les a Father, but Les being the person he is makes him a Daddy. I am in awe of what a wonderful Daddy he is.