Summer Fun with Fat Baby

I've been really making an effort to enjoy this summer with my boys. Last year was a blur, with one family crisis after another. Now things are moving along quite smoothly, and I'm much more able to consistently spend time with the boys. Our church has summer field trips for the children on Wednesdays, so we spent the day at Pump It Up today. (In case you aren't lucky enough to have a Pump It Up in your area...think big empty room full of inflatable jumpy things, obstacle courses, etc. with plenty of staff to supervise. Fabulous.) Since I am the coolest mom ever, I was all up in the bouncy house, and loved the rush of the giant slide. I think times like this are what make great memories for me & for them. I've been concentrating on just slowing down & living in the moment with them. (I'll go back & re-read this post when I'm online researching boarding schools for Fat Baby for K-4!)

While I'm making notes of my infinite blessings, I have to take a few minutes to also record some of my favorite summer Fat Baby moments. His personality is really emerging (the toddler version of Jim Belushi?) and he is always making me laugh...when he is not making me curse or drink.

While we were on the beach a couple of weeks ago, he walked up to a recently vacated beach chair in the middle of a girls' beach trip and proceeded to make himself the center of their universe. Since they were all moms, they completely understood. He was a hit--especially when he declared, "I like boobies!"

Also at the beach, he dipped his toe into the edge of the hot tub where I was sitting. He said, "Ouch! That's too hot!" And then he started blowing the hot tub to cool it off.

He has a very unique way of expressing himself...besides the fact that he has a big, booming voice. I am often asked, "Mom, who dat wittle guy is?" instead of "Who's that little guy?" He also says, "Can I will..." For example, "Can I will go outside?" or "Can I will have a cookie?" I love that one. The remote control is called the r-mote (pronounced are-moat), and he holds up the number three with his index finger, middle finger, and pinky. (Most people hold up index, middle, and ring finger). Oh, and a zebra---it's a BREEZA around here!

A Day Late...

and, well, you know the rest. And actually, if I begin with my overdue thoughts on Father's Day, then it's really two days late and more than a dollar short. Whatever.

Father's Day was quiet and mellow around the Southern Fried House of Fun this year. After dinner, we relaxed on the deck while the kids played in the back yard. I made a strawberry and blueberry shortcake that Pop and My Baby's Daddy were crazy for. Trying to stay on track with my Weight Watchers plan, I opted for a dessert with less points and enjoyed a glass or three of Bug Juice, my new favorite wine. Yes, it really is a real wine. Google it.

Anyway, back to the Day of Dad...The circumstances of the past couple of years have brought me to a place I never imagined I would be. Having my dad come to live with us has been a total blessing. It wasn't a situation any of us chose, but I've learned through this ordeal that blessings rarely come easy! In spite of the emotional breaking down & rebuilding of our family (which I've never really blogged about for a number of reasons)...I have been given a relationship with my dad that I never would have otherwise. And how cool is it that my boys will always remember him as a part of their daily lives. I'm so thankful that on this Father's Day I was with all the men I love. I'm glad that My Baby's Daddy has a caring and loving heart to accept my father unconditionally as his own. I've grown so much personally & spiritually, and am thankful to be taking this journey with my dad.

What is up with me?

So, we are leaving for the beach tomorrow afternoon and I don't have a single thing packed. Sure, I've got my planny mcplan-plan categorized list all together like nobody's business...but it's now time to actually do something. I was even in the house all alone(!) last night (cue crickets) and all I did was pull out the boys' big overnight duffel bag. Tomorrow morning, I will go do all our grocery shopping (yes, I do have my list already done) before we leave, so we can go straight to the condo & unload.

Before Pop came to be a permanent part of our home, I always used the guest room as a "staging area" before a trip. Then, I could put stuff in there on the bed and close the door. When I returned it would still be there just as I left it. Now he lives there & I don't think he would appreciate sleeping under 40 pounds of our crap.

The kids are always in & out of my office, and there's really no place to put things where they wouldn't go in and plunder through it.

So, I'm sitting here at way-to-early a.m., unable to sleep but also unable to really do anything.

Oh, and I get to clean out the van of chaos & have the oil changed today. Joy. It's already about four thousand degrees outside, and have I mentioned I'm not motivated?

In case you're wondering if I've been abducted by aliens...I am so excited and have great things planned for this trip. Homemade pancakes for breakfast! Glow stick bracelets & necklaces for the kids to wear on the beach at night! And the coolest travel games from Target. (They're in the coolest vintage tins--magnetic tic-tac-toe & license plate scavenger hunt). I'm putting together a bag of entertaining items for restaurant waits, too. Ideas?

I know I will get it all done. And it will be fabulous. If you need me I'll be on the beach with a trashy book.

Need to get my Blog on...

So, it's been a while. Again. I can't believe I did not post a single time in May. May is a blur. Beach trip. End of year stuff at school. New summer routine. Memorial Day week-end hogfest. I cooked my ass off that weekend. Fabulous. So, now it's list-making time again as the Southern Fried Family is headed to the beach. I heart the beach. Summer is my all-time favorite time of the year. Is that why my brain is turned to mush, and I can't think of a single entertaining thought to write about? Maybe.

Here are some hot topics I've been meaning to discuss:

Grey's Anatomy season finale. I don't hate them (the characters, because you know they're all real to me) as much as I did at the end of last season. I'm tired of them all being so whiny, wishy-washy, and so bound to screw up every good thing that might ever happen to them. Seems like we might be taking a step forward, which means there will probably be three steps back next season. I love McSteamy. I'm kind of over the DerMer thing...I really don't care if they stay together or not. They do kind of deserve each other.

Sex and the City movie. Loved it. Saw it with some girlfriends at the late show on opening night. Could watch it again, definitely. Would see the sequel. Just like watching the tv show for 2 1/2 hours on the big screen.

On a personal note, I'm getting ready to reunite with some girlfriends from high school at a party in my hometown later this month. I'm beyond excited. I haven't seen some of them in more than 15 years! Thanks to technology, I've connected with many old friends lately...so fun!

Now I have to get my kids out of the house, before they trash the place. Please leave me some love to inspire to get back to my blog!