Latest Fashion Trend....

THE POST-OP SHOE!!!

Many of you have been subject to my complaining about my foot hurting the past 3 weeks after a unfortunate crush injury to the top of my foot! I went to the orthopaedic surgeon today and it seems that my 3rd metatarsal on my left foot is fractured. The course of treatment is this lovely post-op shoe that I have to wear for the next 3 weeks. It will force me to walk flat footed and will put the metatarsal in a better healing position. Good news is that this type of injury takes 6-8 weeks to heal and I already have 3 behind me!!! As hideous as it is, it really has helped to relieve the pressure and has helped with the pain!! I can go about my normal day w/o many restrictions which is great, and the good doctor even gave me a spare shoe to wear in the water for our weekly pool play dates, trips to the beach, and boat rides!

My favorite part the daily restrictions is in the comments section above and reads "will need help with cleaning, cooking, and childcare." Sorry honey.....doctor's orders......be a dear and get me a glass of water.

"Why don't friends with kids have time?"

Here recently I have had a few conversations with friends, both with and without children, and thought this article might explain things much better than I can. I can't take credit for finding the article--my friend Lillian posted this on her blog a good while ago and I thought it hit the nail on the head. It explains perfectly many questions including "what do you do all day?". This comes from Carolyn Hax of the Washington Post. Scroll past the article to read the text so you don't ruin your vision from squinting....



Dear Carolyn:

Best friend has child. Her: exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc. Me (no kids): Wow. Sorry. What'd you do today? Her: Park, play group . . . Okay. I've done Internet searches, I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners . . . I do all those things, too, and I don't do them EVERY DAY. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail? I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events) and I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy -- not a bad thing at all -- but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth? Is this a peeing contest ("My life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and without kids and all us child-free folks get the same story and have the same questions.
Tacoma, Wash.

Dear Tacoma,

Relax and enjoy. You're funny. Or you're lying about having friends with kids. Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them. Internet searches? I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand, while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom-friends are either lying or competing with you, is disingenuous indeed. So, since it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. In list form. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, clean, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces the kind of checkout-line screaming that gets the checkout line shaking its head.
It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.
It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.
It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family and friends, well-meaning and otherwise. It's resisting constant temptation to seek short-term relief at everyone's long-term expense.
It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything -- language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything.
It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy, and then, when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend, a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you to mutual friends, or marvel how much more productively she uses her time. Either make a sincere effort to understand or keep your snit to yourself.

I couldn't have said it any better!

A Balancing Act!

I finally got Anderson a push behind toy. This is something I had been avoiding b/c I am really not a big fan and feel that they are more of a safety hazard than a help. He has been pushing around anything he can including, but not limited to, cardboard boxes, laundry baskets, my small kitchen stool, and his toy basket. So, I broke down for the sake of the hardwood floors! I studied them on the internet for days before finally deciding on the Melissa and Doug Chomp and Clack Alligator push toy. It is sturdy, has some resistance pushing forward and backwards, and has a non-skid strip on the wheels---it is my hope that these features will help with the concerns I had of the toy slipping away from him and the toy falling both backwards & sideways b/c he is still working on his balance---and so far it has. If push toys scare you, I recommend this one! Once he figured it out, it did not take him long at all to get a move on!

He is really cruising the furniture fast now and lets go very frequently and will just stand there several seconds before grabbing for something sturdy! No attempts at any independent steps yet....but I know it won't be long :)

A bit of Waterfestival!

Saturday night, we ventured up to Beaufort to enjoy a little bit of the Waterfestival. It has been several years since we have gone to any Waterfestival events. But, there was a time when there was absolutely no way I would miss it and would go to great lengths to ensure that. The objective back then was to party at the sandbar in the Beaufort River all day long--regardless if the sandbar was up, mind you. In that case, you just tied up and made a huge floating party deck and hopped boat to boat visiting until the tide went out, time permitting, or it got dark! Maybe, and just maybe after that you would rally and make it down to the waterfront--to the bars just outside the gates, really! Those were some fun times. This year, we did not brave the sandbar and were content paying the admission to actually go into the park and sit in front of the stage in our tailgate chairs listening the tunes of General Johnson and the Chairmen of the Board. We have seen them countless times at Alive after Five & Party at the Point in Charleston and they did not disappoint this time and put on a entertaining show! What is not to love....Carolina Girls....Down at the Beach....Give Me Just A Little More Time....One of my all time favorite beach bands, second only to The Tams, of course!!

The waterfront park w/ a sea of tailgate chairs!


Me and Brad

Vacation Destination---Take 2!

Last Friday we had more friends in town that were on vacation down here! Hamp & Kim and Travis & Erica all live in the upstate, but were down here over the past week to enjoy our fine beaches! Hamp was the first person that Brad met at college. They were both on the cross country team and moved in early for pre-season training. Brad, being the wonderful guy he is, had already moved in the dorm earlier that morning and offered to help Hamp when he began moving in the afternoon. They have been friends ever since---even though Hamp transferred after freshman year. During rush, Travis, Hamp, and Brad all ended up in the same pledge class. Fast forward a few years later.....Brad, Hamp, Kim, and myself all end up at MUSC together--although we did not all start at the same time. Brad in healthcare administration, Hamp in dental school, and myself and Kim in OT school! Erica is a good friend of Kim's from college and gets an introduction to Travis and the rest is history!

Enjoying dinner prepared by Brad!


Anderson soaking up attention from Hamp & Kim

Me, Kim--who is expecting twins!!, & Erica

Travis, Brad, & Hamp

Anderson playing w/ his new toys that were gifts from the gang!

We were so glad to see everyone and appreciate it when people take time from their vacation to visit and spend time with us! We will cook you a hot meal and have plenty of sweet tea vodka--although it seems like we might need to get a new bottle :)

Go to Harbourfest!

Since we live south of the broad river in the county I grew up in, we are lucky to have lots of friends and family that still live north of the broad. Consequently, whenever someone ventures this way to enjoy our shopping venues (like Target, Tanger Outlets, and World Market) we get some visitors! It is such a treat to have people swing by b/c they are in the area and it really means a lot when the extra effort is made! THANKS! Some folks have more business over here than others, like my friend Katy. Her husband, Chris, is a talented musician and plays regularly in the summer at places like San Miguel's and the Quarterdeck. This past Wednesday she came with her daughter (minus her son Cooper who is 6 weeks younger than Anderson) and her in-laws to San Miguel's and invited us to tag along! Brad had the hospital board meeting, so Anderson was my date for the evening :) San Miguel's is in the Shelter Cove Harbor and every night in the summer they have a festival like atmosphere and on Tuesday nights there are fireworks! It really was entertaining!

Wearing Anna Kate's silly hat from the children's performer

Anna Kate and Anderson--the point and shoot was not quick enough!

Anna Kate dancing to the beat of her daddy!

Anderson was quite the night owl and made it well over an hour past his bedtime and he was still awake when we got home! I think I might have heard him sigh with relief when I put him in crib!

Slight Change of Plans!

This time last week, I was thinking that I would have lots of fun pictures to post about our trip to Sullivan's Island. Well.......we did have a change of plans and instead of heading up Hwy 17, I (along w/ the mini and sister Paige) was heading up I95 and I26 to our state's capital. I had planned on making this trip maybe closer to the end of the month, but there is no time like the present!

We had lunch w/ my friend Lindsay who is going to have baby girl Caroline late August or early September. I could not attend her baby shower last month so I wanted to deliver her gift personally to her! Her and her husband, Stephen, came down in March to visit (click here to refresh your memory). I brought my camera inside the restaurant w/ the intention to take a picture and I never did :(

After lunch we ran a few errands in the area. Paige wanted to check on her apartment and I wanted to stop at this children's store that Lindsay had talked about. I was looking for an outfit for Anderson to wear for some pictures. I had an outfit that he was going to wear last month for them and the shoot was cancelled (photog was sick) and now he has outgrown the outfit!!! Of course, I can't find the exact same outfit in a larger size, that would be way too easy. No luck on a new fit, but I did get him a birthday bib! It will go w/ his smocked birthday jon-jon! No, I did not smock it b/c it would have never been done in time! I am, however, nearly finished with the dinosaur project that I will post very soon.

Then it was off to visit baby William Heyward! My good friend Kasey from OT school had her first baby at the end of June and I was dying to get my hands on him!

Anderson was that tiny???

Me, Kasey and our boys!

I am hopeful that we might be able to re-schedule our trip to Sullivan's Island for next month maybe. One of my pals in Charleston invited us to come and stay at her parent's beach house for a few days. I jumped at the chance and I had been looking forward to it for about a month. I called to firm up plans and was hit with some heartbreaking news-- --please be in prayer for my friend who is coping with the physical and emotional effects of a failed pregnancy.

Our Future Dentist?

Big Boy has 3 teeth that have popped through the gums--1 on top and 2 on the bottom! They have caused him some grief, but overall it really hasn't hindered him all that much so far and we have not experienced some of the horrifying teething symptoms (yet, at least!!). Since he now has a little more than just teeth nubs, I thought it was time to get this boy to brushing his chompers! It was a hit and he will just sit there and let me brush his teeth and gums. He, of course, wants to hold the toothbrush so I let him "brush" his teeth after I do it! It is so cute to see his little toothbrush and toothpaste sitting on the sink in his bathroom :)

He already has such good brushing form & technique :)

Do you think he might be my child??!!!

Fun at Island Playground!

Yesterday we met up with a couple of Anderson's pals for lunch and then some play time at Island Playground! I just knew that he was going to love crawling in the huge inflatables!

Aiden & Anderson...other buddy Logan was around but he was fast!

He was giggling so much that he had trouble keeping his balance! I think his face might have hurt after leaving b/c he grinned the entire time :)

While in the Sick Bay.

While Anderson was in quarantined in the sick bay (aka: our house) getting over that cruddy summer virus, I had to pull all my tricks out of the bag to keep the kid entertained! I really took extra caution to keep him away from other babies, children, and susceptible adults b/c it was confirmed that every single baby in the nursery during VBS got sick. Not only that, but the sick babies gave the virus to all of their siblings. Yikes! We stuck close to home and gave the stroller and the buggy good workouts over the last week. I am happy to report that he is 100% healthy now and I am positive that he is virus free :) Here are a few things we did to keep ourselves sane..um, busy....

Play with all his toys and things like water bottles & yogurt containers!

Helping with the chores!

Riding his Radio Flyer Pony!

My doll baby!

Riding in the stroller up to the stables to pet the miniature pony!

Taking the buggy to visit the new baby horse--picture is a bit blurry, I had the wrong lens.

Look closely, he appears to be blending into his momma!

Swinging in the new swing that Brad hung!

Swinging at the salt water pond! Again, wrong lens!

Walking on the board walk to explore the hummocks!

The Red, White, and Blue!

I love summer holidays and the 4th of July is no exception! Anderson was feeling better and Brad had off on Friday so we enjoyed a day out on the boat and playing on the sandbar. Going out on the boat is one of my favorite things to do. It does not matter if we just ride around in the creeks, go to the sandbar, or anchor somewhere and swim! It is my hope is that Anderson enjoys it as much as we do, so I am making sure that he gets an early appreciation!

Playing w/ seaweed--he is so curious!

Really liked that seaweed!

The captain and his first mate!

May as well learn how to operate a boat!

On Saturday we did not do all that much. I really wanted Anderson to get both of his naps in so that he would in a good mood for the Annual July 4th Picnic hosted by the Hudson's! Lowcountry Boil (it is Frogmore Stew, people!!) with all the fixins' you would expect for a summer picnic. 40 lbs. of shrimp this year--good thing they have a seafood connection! Anderson did not make it long enough for the fireworks which was disappointing b/c I also love fireworks!! Good thing there is always next year!