Dear Grant,
               Yesterday morning at 8:23 you finally came into this world. It all started Sunday night as you know. They sent your Mom home Monday night because her doctor didn't think the insurance company would pay for admission into the hospital for that night. Your Mom was missing Becca so we went down to Mamaw & Papaw's to visit with the whole family for a little while and then we headed on home. The heating and air people came out Sunday and determined that not only the transformer was blown, as we thought, but also the whole kit and kaboodle that housed the transformer. We would have to wait until the parts came in on Wednesday to get it fixed. The part alone will end up costing $265 and of course there's labor on top of that. So needless to say that when went home Monday night the house was rather stuffy. We watched a little television and then we both laid down. Your big sissy, Becca was spending the night again with Mamaw & Papaw. We tossed and turned and the sweat rolled off of my back as we tried to get to sleep in a house that was nearly 90°. I eventually informed your Mom that I was going to go lie on the living room floor under the ceiling fan. She told me not to sit up which of course I wouldn't have done but your Mom is used to telling me not to sit up. I went into the living room and laid on the hard floor and wondered what my back was going to feel like in the morning. The ceiling fan didn't help as sweat was still rolling down my back. Eventually your Mom came into the living room and asked if I wanted to go rent a room at a hotel because she couldn't sleep either and she absolutely had to have some sleep. I told her that there was no need to waste money doing that when we could simply go down to Mamaw & Papaw's for the night. It was after eleven in the evening when I called Mamaw and told her that we were going to be heading down. We gathered up all that we would be needing for the hospital, the clothes that we would wear, some various toiletries and I grabbed my comfy pillows and we went outside to get into the Explorer to head down to Mamaw & Papaw's. It was ten degrees cooler outside than it was inside. The night air felt so good after being cramped up in our stuffy house. We climbed into the Explorer and headed down to the country. Mamaw was up to meet us and we went straight to bed at midnight in the full size bed that Becca usually sleeps in and probably you will sleep in it as well in years to come. The bed was a far cry from our comfy bed at our house but we were both incredibly tired so as soon as the sweat dried we were asleep.
      Four o'clock comes early, especially if you just went to bed four hours ago. The alarm went off and both your Mother & I were so excited that we hopped right out of bed. I went downstairs for a shower and a shave. Your Mom came downstairs and put some makeup on. We got dressed and headed toward the hospital when it was still pitch dark. We stopped off at Doughdaddy's because your Mom wanted to get a couple of dozen doughnuts for the nurses and staff that would be taking care of us. That was a pretty smart move if you ask me. I bought a few doughnuts for myself and a soda, a couple of cans of Copenhagen, and we got twenty dollars in cash. Then away to the hospital we went.
      We arrived and your Mom had to fill out a ton of paperwork before we went back to get prepped for the c-section. We watched the news on channel 18 in the prep room while they did the stuff that they do when women have c-sections. Mamaw called and said that they wee on their way up. It was getting close to 7:30, the scheduled time for your c-section and I went out to the waiting room to see if Becca was out there yet. She was not so I called Mamaw on her cell phone and they said they were turning into the hospital as we speak. I waited around for her to get upstairs and then I walked Becca back so she could see her Mommy. She was very excited about your arrival. She talked all about how the two of y'all would be helping each other climb trees and about how she was going to have to smell your stinky feet when she helped you up into the tree. Becca got to see her Mom for a few minutes and then it was time to get going. I took you back out to the waiting area and returned to be by your Mom's side when they cut her open and yanked you out of her belly.
      They told us it would take an hour or better because she had had a previous c-section and there would be scar tissue. Your Mom was all drugged up and she was scared and nervous. I put on my mask and sat beside your Mom as they began the surgery. They yanked and pulled and tugged on her. They had to cut into layers of scar tissue and it did seem like it was taking much longer than Rebecca's c-section had lasted. Eventually they informed us that you were about to be here. Both your Mom & I were holding our breathe waiting for you to cry. With Becca it seemed like it took her forever to cry but you started crying even before you were extracted from the womb. There's not a more beautiful sound than the first cry of your newborn child. I was a little braver with you than I was with Becca so I poked my head up over and I got my first site of you. You were still covered in what your sister calls sugar boogies which is the crud that covers newborns. Doctor Youkalis showed her to you and then they took you over to where they clean you up. They worked on you for a little while and then they handed you over to me. I took you to your Mom and she kissed you and shed a tear. Then it was time to take you to the nursery. I was expecting Becca, Mamaw & Papaw to be outside when I came out but they were not around. Apparently the procedure hadn't taken as long as we had all been told. I took you into the nursery and handed you over to the nurses. When I did I realized that you had had a huge poop of mermeconiumconiam in your swaddling blankets. I helped the nurses remove you from your soiled blankets as carefully as I could and put the poopy blankets in a soiled linen container. They weighed you and told me you weighed 8lbs. and 11ozs. and then I dashed off to find your big sissy. I went into the waiting room and everyone was surprised to see that we were already done. I was hoping to get a picture of you and I when we came through the doors from the delivery area. I have one like that of Becca & I and it's the most prized picture I have with her. It's such a dramatic first picture. I wouldn't be getting one like that of you & I. Becca and I rushed back to the nursery so she could see her new baby brother. Mamaw & Papaw followed behind us.
      We looked at you through the window of the nursery and I took your first picture through the glass. Becca was in awe of you. So was Mamaw, Papaw and myself. They brought me out a piece of paper that informed me that you were also twenty inches long. They said I had rushed off before they had gotten a chance to tell me that bit of news. They cleaned you up and ran tests on you, gave you a little bottle and kept you under a heating lamp until your temperature got up to where it was supposed to be. They brought you out and Becca got to stroke your cheek and give you a kiss and then I went with the nurse who was carrying you and we went back to let your Mom hold you. I heard Becca crying for us as we left and it broke my heart that she couldn't come with us. She was chomping at the bit to hold you. Your Mom held you awhile and she was right furious that they had given her a bottle when she plans to breast feed but they told her they did it to stabilize your blood sugar and that seemed to satisfy her. Then I held you awhile and then it was time to take you back to the nursery. Mamaw & Papaw took Rebecca out to eat breakfast at Frische's. Mamaw had a big tale to tell about them trying to add water to old nasty grits and how she was just pleased with that at all. She just had coffee. They said Becca at good though.
      They put your Mom in a new room on the third floor and we waited for you to be brought to us. Eventually Mamaw, Papaw & Becca made there way to the room. We all waited impatiently for you to get here. Your Mom kept calling about what the holdup was. Eventually they brought you to us. You finally got to be held by the greatest friend you will ever have in your life, your big sister, Becca. She absolutely fell in love with you. She smiled so sweetly at you and so very gently stroked your soft downy hair. She kissed your head and told you that she loved you. I was so very proud of the both of you. Auntie Lynn showed up and held you and made over you. When it was time to do some private stuff to your Mom they asked Mamaw, Papaw, Auntie Lynn and Becca to leave the room. They weren't gone no time when I heard Becca scream out in pain. Apparently she had put her hands in her overalls and tried to spin around and when she did she hit the floor chin first. She was very hurt and will have a nasty bruise. A nurse got her and ice pack and an orange popcycle. She like the popcycle much better than the ice pack. Eventually Becca got bored and hungry. I was a little hungry myself so the two of us went to the cafeteria for a late lunch/early supper. I had a hamburger, onion rings and a raspberry white tea and Becca had a corn dog, fritos and a pink lemonade. After we had finished with that we decided it was ice cream time. Becca chose a Scooby Doo orange push up pop and I got a triple chocolate drumstick. We sat down to eat our ice cream when Becca decided that she should have chosen what I had so we traded. Becca made a mess of her face eating that ice cream and everyone laughed to see such a cute site. I don't think she liked people laughing at her because she got this concerned look on her face and asked me why they were looking at her and laughing. I told her it was because her nose was covered in chocolate ice cream. Becca & I had a real nice daughter-daddy time.
      It wasn't long after we returned to the room that Mamaw, Papaw and Becca went home. Auntie Lynn showed up with Uncle Rodney, Jon and Jacob. Allison was working at Kroger. It was her second day. The boys had wanted to skip school to come and see you when you were first born. Jon had been promised that if he was good he would get to come see you. Both Jacob & Jon held you. Uncle Rodney said he would wait to hold you until you got home. Eventually they let and as they were walking out the door in came Aunt Linda. She visited with us awhile. As he visited with Kristie I sat in this chair and dozed off because as you know I only had four hours sleep and all of the excitement of the day had worn me out. Your Mom told me to lay down so I pulled out the chair that turns into a bed and slept for four hours. I woke up around ten o'clock or so. I held you for a good long time while your Mom dozed. She eventually told me to lay you down in your bed beside her because she wants you close to her. I was having a good time with you sleeping in my arm while I played solitaire on this computer. Your Mom didn't think I should be doing both. Eventually she ordered me to put you in your bed beside her and because I know who runs our roost I complied. I sat down and started this blog and here we are now.
      It's been a heck of a day. You never forget the day your children are born. This has been a great day in my life. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Grant,
         We're getting ready to go back and get you out of your Mom's belly in just a few minutes. It's been just as wild a ride with you as it was with your sister. I'm gonna log off right now and concentrate on things that are going on around us right now. See you very soon. Love ya, Grant.

Dear Becca and Grant;
                     Grant, we will be seeing you sooner rather than later. Dr. Youkilis decided to move my surgery up for me because I am in misery. You are riding very low and putting all kinds of stress on my previous fractures. None of the nurses at Central Baptist seem to think that I am only 38 weeks along; They all seem to think I am at least forty, if not forty one. You are a big guy. I am wondering if you will even be able to wear the swaddlers when you are born.
         Dr. Youkilis is a good doctor. He is going to take my other tube out tomorrow. He asked if I was sure today. I almost cut off his jewels as well as Daddy's. If I wasn't sure before now, I am sure now. I enjoyed being pregnant with you to a point; I enjoyed knowing that I was going to get to have a beautiful baby boy. But, the pregnancy was extremely difficult. I am really glad that the C-section is happening tomorrow, as Daddy mentiioned before, he broke our air conditioner. That only adds to my misery, with it being so hot in August. Mommy does not have a very big pain threshold. And Mommy is OK with that; Mine sucks. I sure hope the two of you have bigger ones than I.
            Grant, they did an amnio to make sure your lungs were mature today. They were mature; very mature. Your lungs were 145; they only have to be 55 to be mature. You are just as ready to come out as I am to have you out. I am so excited to see you! I know that everyone will be thrilled that you are finally here. It feels like I have been pregnant forever.
               Well, six fifteen comes early. and that's when we have to be there. Mommy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Your Mom has lost her ever loving mind. We are in the labor hall at Central Baptist right now and she is in so much pain that she's over there singing a Bruce Springsteen song. I don't believe you're going to come tonight, Grant. Your Mom thought her water had broken earlier in the day and she was having good strong contractions every four to five minutes. She had nearly fifteen of them before we decided to head up here to the hospital. We've made a few trips up here just to be sent home again and I think it's kind of embarrassing to your Mom to be sent home like that. She said she wanted to be absolutely sure that you were on your way the next time we made an unscheduled trip up here. We got here and your Mom's water hadn't broken and her cervix was no more dilated that it was last Monday. Like I said earlier, I don't think they are going to take you tonight. Either way, by this time next week you will be here and everyone is so excited.
      I bought a new weed eater blade yesterday and I came home and was going to try it out. I mounted it on the shaft of my weed eater and then went directly to our central air unit because the weeds had gotten out of control around it. I started the weed eater and lowered it towards the unit and I promptly cut a low voltage wire and the unit quit working. I thought that this would be easy enough to fix. I went into the garage and shut off the breaker and went back around back and twisted the broken wires back together, taped them back up for safety and went back to the garage and turned the breaker back on. I was feeling pretty proud of myself by this time. I went into the house and turned on the thermostat and to my surprise nothing happened; nothing at all. I had done something wrong I assumed. I called up Papaw because he is the one who fixes my messes. He said he would be by shortly. He came by and checked my work and said there was no problem with how I took care of it but still something was wrong. He eventually decided he couldn't handle the situation and that I would have to call out a professional.
      A little later that night Papaw called and said he was coming back up and he was bringing Uncle Rodney with him and maybe Uncle Rodney could see a problem we couldn't. Papaw, Uncle Rodney and the boys showed up minutes after Becca had gone to bed. We all climbed under the house and Papaw & Uncle Rodney checked wires and connections and then they checked some more wires and connections while I held the flashlight and the boys crawled around under the house annoying everyone and trying to wake you up. It was eventually decided that the most likely cause of my problem was a blown transformer on the furnace. The signals from the thermostat were not able to be read by the gizmos that were supposed to read them. I still need to call out a professional. Luckily one of your Mom's friends, Alicia Cowing has a father that works for Fayette Heating and Air. Your Mom called him and he said to wait until Monday because if we had it fixed during the weekend we would be charged an outrageous overtime charge. He said to ask for his dispatcher and he would come out and take care of us.
      Long story short; we have been without air conditioning since last night. Luckily it wasn't as hot as it had been the last few weeks but still it was not very comfortable. Your Mom made us spaghetti for lunch today and while I have been wanting some spaghetti I just couldn't sit over a hot plate of food and eat when the temperature in the house was over 80°. I went and sat in my chair but it was hot in there as well. Becca, it was obvious that you were uncomfortable as well. So we all decided to pack up and head down to Mamaw & Papaw's for some pool time. Your Mom suggested that I spend the night at Mamaw & Papaw's so I could get a good nights sleep before I had to go to work on Monday morning. I thought that was a fabulous idea and I packed my clothes for tomorrow. After we were all ready we headed out. I stopped off at a little convenient store called Fast Stop over next to Simmons and our old apartment. I purchased two cans of Copenhagen, a diet Dr. Pepper fountain drink for your Mom, a blue raspberry Bug Juice for you, Becca and a bottle of Big Red for myself.
      We arrived and you and Mom went to visit with Mamaw and I went directly out back and jumped in the pool. Jacob & Jon were in the process of getting out when I sauntered around the corner. They said the water was too cold but they would stay as long as I was there. I checked the water temperature and it was 79°; cooler than it had been in the past few weeks but I was hot and miserable so in I went. I jumped right in and while it felt very cold it was also so very refreshing. I played with the boys for awhile and then you came out and got in the pool. The four of us wrestled and horse played in the pool for a good long while. We had a nice few hours in the pool before we heard thunder and got out of the pool. We had supper with Mamaw & Papaw. We had breakfast for supper. We had home made biscuits with blackberry jelly, eggs over medium, potatoes o'gratin, and country ham. You really like eggs but you had no use whatsoever for the country ham. Country ham is kind of an adult taste. After supper I played ball with you for awhile before your Mom & I headed up here to the hospital. You are spending the night with Mamaw & Papaw right now.
      We put a for sale sign in front of the house yesterday. The plan is to sale our house and to use the funds from the sale to purchase Granny's house from Uncle Mike. Our house has been shrinking ever since we bought it and since we have been getting ready for Grant the pace of shrinkage has accelerated at an astronomical rate. I really hope we get Granny's house but if we don't find a buyer for our house before Uncle Mike finds a buyer for his house we will just stay where we are at. We wouldn't have to move again if we got Granny's house. It is huge. I'm not gonna talk anymore about it here on this blog unless I have something substantive to add. I have a habit of getting excited about stuff and if it doesn't happen the way I want it to happen I get sad so I am going to make a concerted effort to keep my excitement in check.
      Well, it's now after midnight and all of the references to yesterday can now be understood as the day before yesterday. They have decided to give your Mom a sleeping pill, actually two pills and keep her here over night. Maybe it's because your Mom is in so much pain. It's certainly not because they plan on taking Grant tomorrow. I just wish they would send her on home with the sleeping pills; no wait, while it's kinda warm in this hospital room I guarantee it's a whole lot hotter at home so I am actually glad they will be keeping her here for tonight.
      I reckon that's all the news that is news here in at Central Baptist Hospital for now or rather all the news that concerns our happy little family. I suppose I really should be heading on home right now. I really don't know about work tomorrow. I'm gonna close out this post. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca,
               You didn't get into preschool on developmental delays. In fact, for a three year old you excelled. The only things you got wrong on your test were things a three year old would have gotten wrong anyway. I am a little disappointed but in a good way. I am upset you aren't getting to go to school for free but I am very proud of the fact that you are so very smart. They were all rather impressed with you and I don't know why I was lying to myself thinking that they wouldn't be. Oh, well. I got your name put on the list for a pay spot but I don't know whether you will get one or not.
               When we got home I told you that you were laying down, no ifs and or buts about it. You are a little bit exhausted from the testing and I am a little bit exhausted period. Right now you are screaming your head off wanting to get up and wanting me to come there but I've found if I really want you to lay down and rest it's best to just ignore these bouts and let you yell them out. You are rather frustrated with me at this point so maybe eventually you'll drift off. I don't know. All I know is that you really do need to take a nap every now and then but you really hate to. I hate to make you sit in there and holler but that seems to be the only way.
               I reckon Papaw is coming to put our dishwasher in today. Ours finally went kaput. You and I went out with Mamaw, Papaw, and Auntie Lynn yesterday to look at new ones. We were gone ALL day so I am very exhausted to say the least. I really would like to lay down and close my eyes but I have to wait until you are either asleep or Daddy and Papaw are done putting the dishwasher in so Daddy can watch you. You're still screaming so I will assume it will be the latter of the two. I am not going to go in there and let you get up. You just told me you were going to open the door and tell me you were going to get up. I told you you'd better not. Now you are just being pitiful, saying that you want your Mommy.
               Mommy is just going to try to let you cry it out for a while. Mommy really needs to put her feet up and rest. i am very, very tired. Well, I just thought I'd tell you about preschool. Remember, Mommy loves Rebecca!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     We're going to be seeing you exactly one week from today, Grant. We're super excited, all three of us. Although I believe your big sister goes back and forth between being excited and being leery of a new arrival. She's been the center of attention for over three years; I am worried about how she is going to react having to share the spotlight. She really will be a great big sister, though. This I know.
                     Becca, you are testing for preschool today. I don't know if you are going to get in for free or not; you have to have developmental delays. I really do not think you have any. If not, then I am going to sign you up for pay student, three hours a day, four days a week. I don't know if you have to be potty trained or not, but if you don't then you'll be attending preschool this year. I think that's something you would enjoy.
                      Well, we are thinking of trying to get into Granny's old house, because it is much bigger and we will be needing a bigger home for the two of you. all of your friends, and all of your toys. I don't know if we will be able to do it or not. If so, great. If not, that's great, too. We've already got a nice place to live for now.
                      I didn't think I'd make it this far in my pregnancy with you, Grant. This is the absolute longest I have ever been pregnant. My belly (along with the rest of me) is huge and I don't feel good ninety per cent of the time. But I know once you are born and I see your precious little face, it will all be worth it. It wasn't nearly this hard being pregnant with your sister. Of course, I didn't have a toddler to run after either. I can't wait to have the both of you here with me and Daddy; We're really happy to have our little family. I hope we'll always be happy together. Well, at least until you are teenagers. Ha,Ha!
                      Well, I need to pick up the house a little bit before Becca and I have to get dressed for her test. Remember, Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  The time is drawing nigh. Only nine more days until Grant's scheduled c-section. We're both so excited to see you, Grant. Your Mom will be so relieved to have you out of her tummy. Earlier today she couldn't feel you kicking and moving like you should have been doing so she went up to her doctor's office and they did a stress test on you, which you passed with flying colors. She was supposed to go in tomorrow but since she went in today she doesn't have to go back until next Wednesday, which will be her last doctor's appointment until your delivery.
      Your Mom is more than ready for you to come out of her tummy. She can't sleep, she can't eat anything without getting sick, you've descended down into the lower part of her tummy and you are reeking havoc on her previously broken pelvis. She is more or less miserable right now. Today she took Becca to daycare so she could rest. She felt so very guilty for doing this. She says she wants to be able to run and play with her precious daughter for the remaining short time that she will be an only child. I told her that if she needs a break then she needs to take a break. She's a great Mom and sometimes she needs some time to herself,
      Not only is this pregnancy so much more difficult than when she was pregnant with Becca but it's record breaking hot outside right now. The temperature was 101° today which was a record. Our thermometer here at the house said it was 105° outside. Much too hot to be pregnant.
      I went and picked you up from daycare today and then we went to Little Caesars for two five dollar pizzas. We came home and I showed you how to dip your pizza in ranch dressing. You really liked that.
      Well, I'm gonna close this post out. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
               We thought we might have had our newest member of the family arrive Friday night; I mean you, Grant. We are at about the same time in your gestation that we were when Becca arrived and your Mom went into labor on a Friday night after we had gotten back from Wal-Mart and guess where we went Friday night. If you guessed Wal-Mart you would be 100% correct. I had planned on going out there Friday after work by myself but your Mom and Becca decided to join me. We left the Explorer in the G.E. parking lot and headed towards Wal-Mart. On the way there we stopped off at Logan's Roadhouse where I had a grilled chicken salad and a tea, your Mom had an assorted appetizer plate and a tea and Becca had a hot dog and fries. We headed on over to Wal-Mart. Your Mom was having an incredible amount of pain just walking around in the store. I insisted that we go back up to the front of the store where your Mom would be able to get an electric cart to ride around on. I'm sure she wishes she hadn't have came. She was in a lot of pain. While we were there we bought a few items for you, a new battery charger for my electric drill, a cheap compact electric screwdriver for quick jobs, tooth brushes for Becca, a spiral notebook, a potty for Becca to use outside at Mamaw & Papaw's, batteries for your swings, hair bows for Becca, extra smoke alarms and some odds and ends that I can't recall right off the top of my head right now.
      We got home and I was tired and your Mom was tired and in pain and we ended up snapping at each other. We put Becca to bed and then your Mom tried to lay down for the evening. After an hour or so she got up and said she was going to drive herself to the hospital because she was having intense pains. She thought I was still upset with her. I wouldn't hear of her driving herself to Lexington in her condition so I called Mamaw & Papaw and they came up to the house and took Becca Boo Little, my pet name for her, home with them. I was excited because I thought maybe we would be having a baby boy soon. I shaved and ran around like the proverbial headless chicken. We eventually got underway. The pain was extreme for your Mom at the hospital but all they could do was give her an ambien and a percocet and send her home. She was very disgusted with that. She said she could have done that at home. We stopped off at White Castle on the way home because it was about five in the morning and it had been a long time since we had eaten at Logan's. I got double White Castle Burgers, onion rings and a chocolate shake and your Mom got chicken ring sandwiches, a one white castle burger, fries with cheese sauce and a diet soda. We waited in the line at the drive-thru forever because apparently that's when all the drunks and drug heads get the munchies. We got home and your Mom went straight to bed. I sat up awhile because that's what I do.
I eventually went to bed and slept until nearly one in the afternoon while your Mom got her first really good sleep in a long time. Drugs are a wonderful thing if you don't have a problem with them. She slept until after four o'clock that afternoon.
      By the time she got up I was already down at Mamaw & Papaw's with Becca in the pool. Becca and I stayed down there until it was good and dark. Becca swam and played with Papaw's dog, Sadie. Mamaw fed Becca some tuna salad and some fruit and then she went down to Auntie Lynn and Uncle Rodney's for a burger and chips. When it got dark she was ready to come home because she is in an afraid of the dark phase right now.
      So far our weekend has been a rather busy one but not as exciting as it will be when you finally show up. Your Mom is anxious because she is in so much pain and I am anxious because I want to see you. I know for a fact that your Mom wants to see you because she's wanted another little bitty baby since Becca got too big to be considered an infant. You'll be our last one I am sure of that. We had planned on making you our last one anyway and after the murderous pregnancy your Mom has had to endure this time around I am sure those plans are written in stone. I think if you had have been our first child you would have been our only child because Becca was never as difficult in the womb as you have been. We're looking forward to welcoming you into our humble little family.
      Some weeks ago Mom and you, Becca went on a long walk or rather Mom walked and you rode your electric scooter you got for your birthday. When she came back she was in intense pain in her hip. I am afraid that her pelvis that was broken four years ago when she was hit by that car while she was riding her moped is bothering her again. It must be separating because that would explain the pain she has been having. Like I mentioned in the previous paragraph your Mom has had a heck of a pregnancy this time around. Her varicose veins are really bad in her legs and some of them have developed blood clots and she has developed varicose veins in her lower abdomen as well. Not to mention she's at her most uncomfortable right now and it happens to be the hottest time of the year right now.
      As a result of her damaged hip she really can't or rather, shouldn't be exerting herself anymore than she has to right now. I want her to send you, Becca to daycare or down to Mamaw & Papaw's while I am at work until she has your brother but I don't think she will do that. She loves spending time with you even if it puts her in extreme agony. I know that she plans on leaving you with Mamaw & Papaw Sunday night so she can go to the doctor on Monday morning. Papaw took off work this week so they could paint the inside casa de Mamaw & Papaw and they plan on really trying to get things wrapped up on Tuesday so maybe you will go to daycare on Tuesday. I wouldn't bet on it though. Your Mom put you in daycare Friday so she could rest and she felt guilty as sin for it so I don't think you will be doing much daycare. Y'all better appreciate your Momma because she has really went through the fire for y'all and I am sure that you will put us both through a flame or two before you're both grown.
      Thursday night my ftp program would not allow me to upload our blog to the server. I eventually determined that it was Time-Warner's problem and I got on the phone with them for what seemed like hours. They had no idea what I was talking about. I was getting a weird error message and they kept telling me it was a virus or malicious software on my system. I told them that the research I had done indicates that it was not my problem but was instead a problem with their servers. I kept getting the run around from the polite but clueless support person. I decided that I was going to have to shell out some cash if I wanted a decent website because the free space provided with my internet account was unusable. Saturday morning when we got home from our trip to the hospital I set up a new domain name called www.DnKLanham.com and web hosting through a company called GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy had a rather racy advertising campaign a few years back when they had a commercial on during the Super Bowl that made fun of the "wardrobe malfunction" of Janet Jackson's halftime show from the Super Bowl the year before when her booby was exposed to the entire world. Anyway, they had the best prices and they seemed to be the hosting company choice for novices like myself so I went with them. I set up my hosting and got my entire site uploaded and I am almost a day into my three year term and so far I am satisfied. I hated it that my isp provided site quit working on me because I really didn't want to spend money on this right now but this is a big hobby of mine and at least we have an easy to remember website address.
      That's it for now. I'll keep y'all up to date regarding Grant and his grand debut. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca and Grant,
                     Becca, you are in here in the living room floor because you were not wanting to sleep in your room last night. Daddy brought in your mattress, We spoil you a little bit when you are sick, and that is OK, It's four thirty in the morning and I think I've slept a total of two hours now. I was sleeping on the couch to keep a good eye on you and you reallly haven't stirred much all night so hopefully you are feeling a little better. And that will make one of us.
         Grant, you will be here two weeks from today, if not before. I go back and forth between wanting you to be born now and really wanting you to wait until the 24th. I have a lot of stuff I need to do before then, but then I think that I could do most of it after you got here anyway. We'll have to see what God's plan is.
          Daddy said he lost his whole blog last night. I hope he can get it back. Well, I am going to close my eyes and try to get a little more sleep. Mommy loves you two!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Grant, if you were born today you would be a term baby. There's no way you could be a preemie now. Both your Mom & I are glad we don't have to worry about that anymore. We have a c-section scheduled for the 24th of this month which is fifteen days away. I can't wait to see you. It's like waiting for Christmas; of course you may decide you want to come earlier than the 24th and that is not like Christmas at all. This week has been the hottest week of the summer so far and your Mom has been absolutely miserable. The temperature has been pushing 100 degrees with 60% humidity which makes the air feel like it's 114 degrees. Monday we went down to Mamaw & Papaw's so we could swim and we all enjoyed that a whole lot. Gravity isn't as much of a strain on your Mom in the water and the water was 86 degrees. It was heavenly. We've been busy doing stuff all week so we haven't been able to make it back down there. Tuesday Mom had to retake her nursing assistant test.She says she might not have done too great on the test because she didn't get a chance to study much. Wednesday night we took our first inside trip to the new Kentucky Fried Chicken for the buffet and then we did a little grocery shopping. We've been as busy as little bees. We still have lots to do before you come out to join us.
      Becca, you are a sick little girl right now. You had a bad night last night and your Mom took you to the doctor this morning. When you got there you had a temperature of 102.2 degrees. Both your Mom and I were extremely worried about you. It turns out that you had two ear infections, probably as a result of your love of Papaw's pool and a nora virus. It made your head hurt, your body ache, your tummy ache and it makes you all around miserable. I am going to bring your mattress in here in the living room tonight and you and Mom are going to camp out in the living room. You took a nap today for the first time in months and months. We knew you were sick when you took a nap. After your nap you felt better and you helped me clean out the coat closet of about forty pounds of toys. I threw away about seventy percent of your toys. I put a shelf in the closet to use as a baby storage unit for Grant. When it was time for you to go to bed you started feeling much worse.
      Well, it's time for me to go set you up in the living room, Becca and take a shower and go to bed. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
               I go back to work tomorrow. I'm going to hate that because I have had so much fun with you the past two weeks. Like your Mom said, I don't remember all the fun things we have done this past week. I know we went to the Lexington Children's Museum one day this week. You enjoyed that a lot. Mostly we hung out down at Mamaw & Papaw's and swam. Your Mom didn't join us at the pool much this past week because as Grant gets closer and closer to joining us outside of Mommy's tummy she has gotten more and more uncomfortable. We've been staying down there until well after dark and you are going through a phase were you are afraid of the outside after it gets dark. It's very disturbing for your old Daddy. You can really freak out on me. It's weird because as long as you are busy you are okay but if you take the time to notice that it's dark then we have problems. We chased lightening bugs the other night for a long time but once you got bored with that you were sure that the trees were out to get you. Everyone tells you that you have nothing to fear but that just doesn't seem to cut it. I think you have had a dream recently were your Mom takes you to a dark cave where monsters live. You have mentioned it all week. I try to explain to you that it was just a dream and it never happened but you insist that your Mom took you to a monster cave. I ask you if you really think your Mom would do something like that and you say that she did indeed.
      Your little brother is going to be joining us very shortly, of that I am sure. Probably sooner than we are planning on. Well, it's late and I need to get in bed so I will close out this post. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca and Grant,
                  We all had us another big day today. Dad says he's forgotten most of what we've done this week, and honestly so have I. I know that we went to the Aquarium on Monday. I know that you and I spent three hours at Falling Springs Tuesday and nearly twice that at Mamaw's pool. I left you there at Mamaw's for a few more hours and then Daddy went to get you. You and Daddy went to the park yesterday and you rode your scooter around the trail, but it was too hot to play on any of the equipment, so y'all went back down to Mamaw & Papaw's house to swim. From what Daddy tells me, y'all really had a good time. He said that you went down into the woods and looked for fruit to plant on your 'fruit trees' (sticks you stuck in Mamaw's yard) and that you also played "Dog" with Sadie. You informed me, however, that you didn't get to play "SmayStation'" - Playstation with Jakie and Jon. I'll let Daddy tell you more about that since he was there. I stayed here and rested as much as I possibly could yesterday. I missed you all a lot, though. I'm used to having you two knuckleheads around. Right now, though, I need to rest as much as I can.
                  But, there was no rest for the weary today. Today we all got up early so that I could go to the doctor and get an ultrasound on your baby brother. We waited on the doctor to discuss the results but he was busy delivering youngin's so we decided to have him call us with the news. You getting VERY bored. Then we went and got some lunch at Golden Corral but we were sorely disappointed in the food and the service. Not the waitress, however. The cooks were slacking. I had to wait almost the whole time we were there for a hamburger. You fell out of the booster seat in your chair and hurt your little eye. I think we'll avoid Golden Corral for lunch from now on. We should have stuck to Burger King.
                  After Lunch we went to the 'Explorium' - formerly known as The Lexington Children's Museum and let you play with all the exhibits they had in there. You had lots of big fun but you weren't too sure about sitting on top of those really tall model horses. We dressed you up like a jockey and sat you on top of Barbaro to get your picture taken. I think being that high up made you a little bit nervous, especially after your fiasco with the booster seat. We went to the Bubble Room and you REALLY enjoyed that. I think that is one of your favorite exhibits. It's one of mine and Dad's, too. Your old Dad and I are both big kids. That's OK though, because it's NEVER too late to have a happy childhood. I believe the Bubble Room was your favorite exhibit the last time we were at the museum. However, this time it was the pit that sucked marbles down it with gravity. You LOVED watching those marbles go down in that hole. There wasn't a whole lot of balls this time. Dad and I recall there being a ton of balls the last time and a gazillion kids playing near it. You kept getting the balls and holding on to them until all the other kids left so that they wouldn't get your balls. We finally had to get you to take your turn and move on to see something else. You stepped on the feet piano and played music. You hit the xzylophone with the rubber flip flops and also played music. We looked at the beadles, and you said they couldn't move because they were dead. (You were right!) You and I also had a big time playing at the dinosaur table. Then we dressed you up as an African/Indian. You had on an African headdress and a Native American smock. Mommy is such a nut sometimes.
                 We went downstairs and you played in the toddler area for a few minutes but got bored with that easily. Then you went over and saw the teeth and several other things, but you were really interested in doctoring the babies and looking through the microscopes. That was the end of our three hour tour, so to speak, and by that time we were all plowed. We stopped on the way out and got you a souvenir of some fingerpaint and went to the potty. We went to get some gas and something to drink at a filling station downtown and then we got underway to go to Mommy's other doctor. You and Daddy sat in the car while I went in and took care of business. We got home at around five fifteen and shortly thereafter Daddy went to bed and has been in bed ever since. You and I stayed up and you ate some supper of raisins and a PB& J Uncrustable. You also had some white milk and later for your snack a tiny little ice cream cone. You watched some of Ariel in your room but I wanted to be with you and you wanted to be with me so you climbed up in my lap with your nightly chocolate milk and laid back to watch Doodlebops, Go Diego GO!, and Max & Ruby. After Max & Ruby it was five after eight so I took you to potty and get your teeth brushed and flossed and rinsed. Then we got you a new pull up and crawled up in your bed and read a nursery rhyme book together twice. I then sang you a lullaby and I haven't heard a peep from you since. You were really tuckered out.
                  I don't know what we are doing tomorrow. I know that Daddy has to mow tomorrow and we have lots of bills to pay so it will probably be something around the house. Remember, though, no matter what we do, or where we go - MOMMY loves Rebecca. And you, too Grant. I can't wait until we can do all of these fun things with you, TOO!

Dear Becca & Grant,
            We all had another big day yesterday. Your Mom woke me up at around noon and told me that she wanted to take you to Kid's Place right next to the Lexington Athletic Club, one of the few gyms in Lexington that I haven't had a membership to. I got right out of bed and took a shower and then we headed towards Lexington. We forgot to get any cash in Versailles so we stopped at Wal-Mart and your Mom ran inside and got some money from the cash machine there. We then went to Kid's Place. It was like a McDonald's playland with an extremely serious problem with Steroid abuse. This place was huge and the slides had to be forty feet long and just as high. They had bouncing areas, rope bridges, slides designed to be crawled up, fireman polls and tons of other cool stuff. The thing you enjoyed most was the ball pit. You spent probably seventy percent of your time there in the ball pit. We played some games with the tokens your Mom got by going online and finding a coupon and I think we all had fun playing the games. You won enough tickets to get a tiny toy skateboard, some play money and a single purple crayon. You told us you like that place better than the McDonald's playland. You have to pay an admission price to get in to play at Kid's Place though so McDonald's playland will still be our primary destination for indoor fun.
      After you were done playing we went to Cracker Barrel were we had an early supper. Your Mom had the sunrise sampler, I had the country boy breakfast with steak and you had chicken tenders with carrots. You ate your Mom's apples and you and I shared a great big bowl of grits. You & I like grits but Mom doesn't care much for them. As always when we go to Cracker Barrel you had to play with the Jack in the Box before we ate. You always have to play with that Jack in the Box. You also associate Cracker Barrel with Pop Rocks candy. You have to have a bag of Pop Rocks, which you call Tooth Poppers every time we go there. I don't know if they still make Pop Rocks when you read this or not. They first came out when I was a kid and then they quit making it for decades and just in the last five or so years they started putting it back on shelves. Pop Rocks are a carbonated candy that literally explodes in your mouth. The candy is yummy and it's fun to eat.
      After Cracker barrel we went to Babies R Us and bought a few items for Grant and we got you three outfits for when cooler weather hits. We all enjoy browsing around Babies R Us. It's especially fun when we are about to have a baby. I can't wait for you to get here, Grant.
      We then finished off the night by going to Wal-Mart. We bought a few more cool weather clothes for you, Becca and three cans of Barbasol shaving cream for you to play with in the tub. Barbasol is the cheapest shaving cream. We also got a can of good shaving cream for me, a bottle of Listerine, bubble bath, toiletries for your Mom's hospital bag for when she delivers Grant and assorted other sundries. We left Wal-Mart when it was good and dark. You were so tired you asked if we could go home, Becca and you never want to go home.
      We got home and put you straight to bed after you watched a few minutes of a show. Your Mom and I stayed up for awhile watching Mommy's tummy jerk about as Grant kicked her from the inside. We got your diaper bag ready Grant and Mom prepared her hospital bag. Grant, we are ready for you, little boy.
      It's late as it always is when I post a blog. I am going to hit the proverbial hay now. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
            Well, we've all had a pretty good week together. Especially just you & I. Saturday I took Jacob & Jon to see Transformers at the nice new theatre in Jessamine County. You and your Mother joined us at the theatre but y'all saw Ratatouille, a Pixar/Disney movie about a rat who was also a French chef. After the movies we all went to Red Robin for burgers and chicken. After Red Robin Mom went home to rest while you & I along with Jon & Jake went to McDonalds so you could play at their playland. You and Jon had fun but poor Jacob was bored out of his mind.
      Monday your Mom & I decided to have a day to ourselves. We won't have much of that when Grant gets here so we took you to daycare and fixed us some breakfast and watched movies all day long. We watched a horror movie called Dead Silence, a sci-fi type movie called Children of Men and an action movie called Crank. We had a great time. You also had a good time at daycare. I like to take you to daycare occasionally because it develops your socialization skills. We don't know anybody with children your age.
      Tuesday you had to have a cavity filled. Your Mom had a doctor's appointment at around the same time that you did so I took you there by myself. Auntie Lynn was there with her kids at the same time. You did so great at the dentist office. You had been dreading it all along but I was so proud of the way you handled it. After you finished we took Jon to McDonald's with us so you could play at their playland again. We brought Jon home with us and you and Jon watched professional wrestling and he threw you all over the living room in a wrestling match of your own. Your Mom doesn't like you to watch wrestling but you weren't really watching wrestling; you were playing wrestling with Jon. Auntie Lynn wanted me to have a look at a problem she was having with her computer so you & I took Jon home and you got in the pool for a little while but it was cold. You ended up playing with Jon until almost eleven that evening. I fixed Auntie Lynn's problem and we went home and you went straight to bed.
      Wednesday I took you to the playland at McDonalds again. We don't always get something to eat so that's why we can go there so much. Sometimes we just get sodas or an ice cream. You played for quite awhile. We then went to Lowes to look for a spark plug. We browsed awhile and you enjoy looking at the toilets with no water in them. You really seemed to enjoy looking at the large home appliances for some reason. We then went to Home Depot because we couldn't find the spark plug at Lowes. You saw Chick-fil-a and wanted to go to their playplace as well. We went into Home Depot and didn't find the plug there either and then since we didn't have anywhere we needed to be we went to Chick-fil-a for sodas and some play time. We stopped at an ice cream parlor for sundaes and we browsed around in the Dollar General Store for awhile and then we went home.
      I have no idea what we did Thursday but on Friday we went to the Newport Aquarium. You had a really nice time.We saw piranhas, electric eels, poisonous frogs, poisonous snakes, exotic birds, otters, penguins, an alligator you called Aluitious after an alligator on Pinky Dinky Doo, fish of all sorts and of course we saw sharks. They have an exhibit where you can touch a shark and you wanted to touch one but when we got there you spent all of your time getting up your courage to actually do and ended up not even getting close. You put your fingers inside the shark tank a time or two but you would not touch one of those things for love or money. Both your Mom & I touched a shark. We bought you a small stuffed shark in the gift shop that you named Sharky. We then went to eat at a 50s themed restaurant called Johnny Rockets there at the Newport on the Levee shopping and entertainment complex. It had some really great food but the service was terrible and what ticked both your Mother & I off most was that the tip was included in the price of the meal. I don't mind tipping but I like to decide on what I will tip and this waitress who was ironically enough named Patience, did not deserve a tip as large as the one we were forced into giving her. Needless to say, we didn't add anything else on. We will not be returning to that place. After our early supper we came back home.
      You've been doing great on your potty training. You poop in the potty every other day now and you go pee-pee in the potty more and more every day. You're finally getting this potty business down.
      Well, I've been sitting up all night and if I want to spend any time with you today I had better hit the proverbial hay. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca and Grant.
                        Well, today your old Mom turns 30. I know it's been a while since I posted and I apologize. Grant, I've been having to go to the doctor two or three times a week so that they can check on you. You're going to be born less than a month from now. We're very excited. The driving and getting ready and lack of sleep at night has me really worn out. Yesterday I came home from the doctor and slept three hours. Becca, you weren't nearly this hard. And every one I have asked says that boys are harder than girls. I believe them, Grant. It's really not anything major but it's just been how much worse I feel. Of course, that could have something to do with being thirty as well.
                        Grant, you will be our last baby. I'm getting too old and fat to carry any more, haha. Daddy and I always wanted two kids, and that is what we have been blessed with. I am really happy to have you and Becca in my life. I never thought we'd have any kids. I especially didn't think we'd have any more after Becca, and then we got pregnant with a baby before you. We were super excited but very let down when we found out the baby was in the wrong place. My heart was still breaking over that situation when I found out that you were on the way. I was very happy but needless to say also very scared. I was worried that you would be in the wrong place as well. But, you were not. Thank God! We've got us a set now, a boy and a girl. You two are all we ever wanted or needed.
                       Becca, we are going to the Aquarium today. It looks like a good day for it, it is overcast and it is supposed to be rainy. So an indoor activity is just the ticket. We always try to do something with you that allows you to burn your energy out. I imagine we will find somewhere with a playland to eat a late lunch/early supper afterward and then head on our way home. You've been real excited about going to the Aquarium but now that I told you we are going today you are very worried about the sharks. I told you that they were in a big tank and could not get to you. You still remember the man in the scuba gear scaring you by waving at you the last time we were there. I felt terrible about that but you seem to have gotten over it and made it a very fond memory. The last time that we went Granny and Aunt Linda and Mamaw and Papaw went with us. This time, though, it's just going to be the three of us. Jacob and Jon wanted to go but it's gotten to be quite a bit more expensive and we are going to be leaving here very shortly. I'd say they are still in bed. In addition to that we want these last few weeks before Grant gets here to belong all to you. We want to make you feel as special as possible because I know that you are going to be the best big sister in the world. But I want you to remember something, little girl. You are my ONLY little girl and I will love you forever and always, and you will always be precious in my sight. And Grant, you are my ONLY little boy and I will love you forever and always and you will always be precious in my sight.
            Yesterday I had to go to the doctor and get a NST on your heart, Grant. That's just where they hook me up to a monitor and listen to your heart rate. You do NOT like that machine so you scoot away from it as much as you can. You scooted and moved so much they could get NO trace at all and had to send me for a BPP ultrasound. That means a Biophysical Profile. They do four tests, your heart rate, fetal breathing, movement, and amniotic fluid. You passed all four with flying colors. However, they could not see your face anymore because you are so squished up and dropped so far down in my pelvis. You are about all cooked, you little turkey.
             Well. I am gonna let you guys go because it is starting to thunder outside and Becca, you are putting on a big show over being scared of it. We need to get dressed, anyway. Remember, Mommy loves Becca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  I know it's been awhile since I last posted to your blog. I usually try to fill you in all all the news that is news and a lot of stuff that isn't news every weekend but for some reason I just haven't been all that motivated as of late. I still love working on the blog and since I last posted I have done a semi-major overhaul of y'all's online photo album. I added references to you, Grant. I also reversed the order of the pictures. Since I first started the online photo album the first page has always been of the day Rebecca was born. Now when I update the photo album the newer pictures will be on the first pages. I don't know why I haven't done that earlier.
      I have also been working on the hard copy version of y'all's blog. Since Becca just had a birthday recently I had to begin volume five of her hard copy. I really don't know what I am going to do about your hard copy, Grant. You are on volume one right now because you are in your gestational period. When you are born you will begin volume two. That's why even though Becca only just turned three she is on volume five. Anyway Grant, I really don't know where to start your first volume. Should I start it when we found out about the baby we lost very shortly before we were blessed with you or should I begin when we found out about you. If I start when we found out about you I feel like it would be beginning in the middle of the story. We were still grieving over the loss of the previous baby and our nerves were frazzled to no end when we found out about you. So I don't know what I'm going to do about your hard copy. I thought about merging both of y'all's hard copy and starting and stopping it in between your birthdays but then that kind of confuses what I have going on regarding the pictures I include in the hard copy. I need to make a new cover for you, Grant because Becca's is so girly. Maybe I need to revise Becca's cover as well because the cover of her hard copy blog is a picture of the stork with an "It's a Girl" sign and a pink baby bundle. That was great when she was a baby but she's no longer a baby anymore.
      Your Mom put that little video clip of her trying to get you to say that you were good when you were just a few months old on YouTube.com, Becca. I thought that was a fabulous idea so I uploaded 86 more clips to the site and put a link to our YouTube channel page on y'all's online blog. All but two of the clips are with you in them, Becca. There's one of Granny saying the blessing before an Easter dinner and a funny one of your Mom & I fighting over what to name one of your stuffed bears. I embedded the clip of Granny saying grace on the blog above the poem that your Mom wrote in honor of that fabulous woman. I'm sure that soon enough you'll be making your video clip debut on the internet, Grant. I fiddled with the colors and layout of our channel page to make it more in tune with the design of the blog. The blog design will never change. I started designing it before I knew if Becca was going to be Rebecca Lynn or if she was going to be Caleb Marlin. That was going to be Becca's name if she had have been a boy and your name was going to be Rachel Marie if you had have been a girl.
      So these are all the reasons I haven't been posting like I should; that and the fact that it's much too easy to get distracted by the television when you have the laptop laying on your lap trying to do more important stuff.
      As for what has gone on since my last post; well, the very first day back to work after I had a few days off for Granny's funeral, for the first time ever in twenty years I showed up at work and was sent home before I got inside the building because there were power issues inside the plant. I rode in with Papaw and he never gets to go home early so I called your Mom at 6:45 in the morning and was asking her to get out of bed and wake you up so y'all could come and get me. Your Mom wasn't too happy about that. Luckily a nice woman I work with named Lillie Lord offered to drive me home. It was really very nice of her because she wasn't going anywhere near Versailles. She's the same lady that made you the stuffed bear that your Mom & I were trying to name in the above mentioned video clip. Anyway I got to come home and your Mom got to take a nap and then I got to take a nap and then we went and had your third birthday pictures taken eight days after your third birthday. We went to a restaurant with a play place over in Hamburg and then came home and went to bed. I had to work the next day but I got sick and had to take the day after that off so I only worked one day that week.
      I also had a short week this past week. I only had to work four days this week because they did inventory yesterday because the plant is shut down for vacation for the next two weeks. So yesterday was the beginning of two weeks and a day off. I am excited about being off from work. Of course Papaw isn't off for vacation. He works in the shop and the shop uses the down time to work on machines that are usually running. Papaw never catches a break, does he?
      While I'm off I want to put up a gate on the right side of our house so I can get the lawn mower I bought from Uncle Rodney into the back yard without having to take the fence apart. We also plan on going back to the Newport Aquarium because you've been talking about wanting to go back for a few months now, Becca. I can't believe you remember when we went before. You did love it though, all except the diver who was feeding the fish in the giant tank. He waved at you and scared you. I hope to burn to DVD a lot of movies I have downloaded off of the internet. Your Mom is entering her nesting phase right about now so I am sure she will have a few items on her honey-do list for me.
      Yesterday your Mom had an appointment with the Stanley Steemer people to come out to the house and clean the carpets. We figured that it would be better if you were out of their way so you and I went to Lexington. We first went to Goodyear Tire over on Southland Drive to get a new tire for your Mom's dented up Taurus. I think the accident she was in screwed one of her tires up and we had to get a new one. I took your portable DVD player into the waiting area and you watched Dora and drank my coke while I read the paper. You were very good and very patient. I used to hate doing stuff like that when I was a child.
      We then went to CVS drugstore in the same strip mall as the tire place because you had pooped in your pull-up and all we had to put you into was a swimmer pull-up and they do not work at all when you are not in water so we went and bought you some pull-ups and we changed you out of your swimmer and into the regular pull-up in the parking lot of CVS. We also bought some wipes and you got a Ratatouille painting book.
      We then went to the McDonalds in the Wal-Mart parking lot on the corner of Nicholasville Rd. and Man-O-War. They have a very nice play place over there. You played forever. Eventually your Mom came and joined us when the Stanley Steemer people were done with the carpets. You played for almost three hours and you got plumb tuckered out by it. There was one little girl there who was maybe half your size and maybe a little younger than you who was yelling at all of the other kids and pointing her finger. She had most of the other kids cowed down but when she told you to do something you didn't want to do you just said no and when she yelled at you and pointed that finger at you you just returned her loud yelling with a little bit of loud yelling yourself. Your Mom called you away from the situation but we were both very proud of you because you wouldn't allow yourself to be bullied like that. Way to go, Becca!
      We then went over to Wal-Mart where we bought some big rugs for your room, Becca and the living room. We bought a whole bunch of stuff that we needed and I really can't recall what half of it was. We bought shampoo, deodorant, mouth wash, band aids, night time pull-ups, paper towels, toilet paper, vitamins, laundry detergent, dryer sheets and since it's back to school time we got you a dozen pads of paper for twenty cents apiece, three pencil boxes for crayons and forty-eight boxes of twenty-four crayola crayons to put in those pencil boxes. I know that sounds like way too many crayons but I hope it will be a long time until we have to buy you anymore. We only spent ten dollars on all of those crayons. The lady who checked us out had the most sour look on her face. She was making me sad just looking at her. I told her to smile and she cracked the weakest shortest lived smile I have ever seen in my life.
      We got home and you were a super grump. We washed you down real quick and you had a banana and then you went to bed. Your Mom and I paid bills online and then she went to bed. I noticed that my check wasn't credited on the bank website and that made me nervous but we have enough money to get us by until my money comes in. We won't starve or bounce any checks but I really like my money to be there when it is supposed to be there.
      I have to go to bed now because I have to get up early and go down to Uncle Rodney's and help him pour the last bit of his new concrete driveway and after that I am taking the boys to see Transformers and you and Mom are going to see Ratatouille. They are playing at the same theater on Nicholasville Road over the county line in Jessamine County. Well, I had better finish this up. Your Mom called me on the phone from the bedroom a minute ago to tell me to come to bed so I had better listen to what she says because she is the boss, Apple Sauce. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

For Granny It's hard to say all you were to me, I could name so many things, A quiet prayer for my serenity, A breath of hope on Angel's wings. You were a hug on Christmas Eve, And a Christmas morning wish, And you were, I believe, My favorite Christmas Gift. You were the faith I couldn't find, When life would get too tough, Your prayers a comfort to my mind, When just words weren't enough. Of all the things you were to me- And there are so very many, There's one thing you'll always be. You'll always be my Granny. We love and miss you dearly Granny. Thank you for everything you gave to us. We'll see you in Heaven.

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  We buried Granny yesterday. It's been a long time since I've known such sadness. Granny has always been in my life and here we were putting her into the ground. I know she's enjoying her vast rewards that she has laid up in heaven but still I wish she could have always been in all of our lives. The funeral was at eleven o'clock in the morning. I was a pallbearer as was Chris Robinson, Seth Robinson, Clinton Brown, Uncle Rodney and Lucas Tenorio was supposed to be the third but because of some personal problems he is having right now he wasn't in attendance at the funeral; Derrick Darnell, Aunt Louise's grandson and by extension Granny's oldest great-grandchild took his place. I was Granny's oldest grandson and third oldest grandchild. I was real proud of the turn out at the funeral. Granny has touched so many lives through her journey through this life here on earth. The great grandchildren all released balloons in her honor. Becca, we put you in daycare today so you weren't at the funeral and you, Grant, are still safely inside your Mommy's tummy so she released two balloons on your behalf. After the funeral most of the family and friends went to New Hope Baptist Church on Tyrone Pike to celebrate Granny's life with food and fellowship. I hate to see her go.
      When we got home we decided to leave you in daycare so we could relax a bit. We watched a movie on DVD called Ghost Rider with Nicholas Cage. Your Mom & I both enjoyed the movie and the time we got to spend by ourselves. I was worn out by the stress of the past few days so I took a nap while your Mom went to pick you up at daycare. You asked to go to eat somewhere where you could play so she took you to a Chick-fil-a with a play area next to the Turfland Mall. You played for hours and had a ball.
      The day before yesterday was Granny's visitation. We had planned on taking you out there for a little while and then having your Mom taking you back home so we took both vehicles. You found a friend in one of your distant cousins and the two of you were having so much fun that your Mom decided to keep you there. I was glad that you stayed because there were a lot of family members there that had never seen you and I got to show you off. We talked to you about how Granny has gone to be with Jesus and that we won't be able to see her anymore and you got a little sad.
      I've been off of work the past few days because of Granny. I have to go back Wednesday. I need to get in bed so I will close out this post. Becca, I hope you remember your dear Granny. She loved you so much and you gave her so much joy in the last stages of her life. Grant, I really wish you could have known her. I know I've said it before but you really missed out on knowing a great gal. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
            This is the post that I have been dreading for the longest time. Yesterday morning, July 5^th, our beloved Granny, Annetta Robinson went to claim her reward with Jesus. I've known and loved Granny all of my life. I love her like the two of you love your dear Mamaw. It's a truly sad time for all of us. Granny is now enjoying the vast treasures she most assuredly amassed in heaven. Catching up with her Mom & Dad who are my own Mamaw & Papaw, her first husband Harry Bowman, her second husband who was the man named Bambi Dee in the stories I relate to y'all on occasion, and all of her brothers and sisters who have one on ahead of her.
      Becca, we haven't told you yet that Granny has passed. We thought we would do it after you get up later this morning. I don't know if you're really truly going to understand that you will never see your Granny Grunt, as you call her ever again. I know it would break my heart if you was to ask to go see Granny. I truly do hope you are able to remember your dear old Granny. She dearly loved you. I know for a fact that toward the end of her earthly journey you were the light of her life.
      Grant, I really feel sorry for you because you will never know the sweetest woman God ever deemed fit to put upon this earth. I have never heard her mention a negative word about anyone ever. You will no doubt hear wonderful stories about this saint we refer to as Granny and you will wonder if ever a creature so gentle and kind could ever have existed. I want you to know that she was every bit as wonderful as the stories you hear reflect.
      To write about your birthday party seems kind of frivolous in light of Granny passing yesterday but you did indeed have a little party the day before Granny passed so I will fill you in on some of the events of that party. You and I left early for Mamaw & Papaw's to give your Mom a chance to bake a birthday cake for you and one for Jacob. Jacob's birthday is very close to yours so we have been celebrating them together. You and I swam for a little while but you haven't been feeling all that well since you went to the dentist. It seems that while your mouth was numb you ended up chewing on your tongue and it is hurting you something fierce. You crawled out of the pool and played with Jake & Jon for awhile. You helped me shuck some corn for the party and then we watched as Papaw boiled the corn in his big turkey fryer down in his garage. Sissy came up the hill and you asked her to swim with you so she did. You swam awhile longer while I loaded up your piñata with candy. Mom came with the cakes and Papaw began to grill the hot dogs. As he did it began to sprinkle a little. Auntie Lynn and I moved the table with all of the food to the garage in front of the house. We all gathered in there as it began to pour the rain; so much for a pool party. As we were getting ready to eat Mamaw received a phone call from Mike stating that Granny was coughing up blood. Mamaw became very upset and Mamaw & Papaw headed up to Granny's. We all stayed at the party. We ate hot dogs and all of the things that go with it on the 4th of July. You sat right in front of Uncle Rodney and ate. You have such a toddler crush on your Uncle Rodney. All Auntie Lynn has to say about it is that you have great taste in men and I have to agree. If you wind up with a fellow anything like Uncle Rodney I will be happy. Eventually Mamaw & Papaw returned. It was thought that it was an old ulcer bleeding and not life threatening at the moment. I am glad she didn't pass on the 4th because that would have cast a shadow over the holiday for a long long time. Mamaw & Papaw ate while everyone sat around and waited.
      Eventually they finished and it was time to beat the living snot out of your Dora the Explorer piñata. You beat and beat that thing but nothing happened. Eventually you enlisted the aid of Jake & Jon who were all too happy to help you whack away at poor Dora. Papaw had hung Dora from the garage door and as y'all were beating her she decided it was time to get away. The garage door slammed shut and took Dora with it. It was initially kind of scary but funny afterward. Y'all eventually got the piñata open and all of her candy spilled onto the floor. You really enjoyed your piñata.
      Now it was time for presents. Auntie Lynn & Uncle Rodney got you some cute outfits. Sissy got you a christian toddler book. Mamaw & Papaw got you one of those balls with a handle that you jump with, Jon & Jake got you a toy golf set, Auntie Mary sent you some more side walk chalk and your Mom & Dad got you a little pink scooter, a new helmet for when you ride your scooter or your tricycle or whatever, a Disney princess baseball and bat, and an electric scooter. I think you had a pretty great birthday party as far as your presents are concerned. You played golf with the boys for the longest time. We saw a frog hopping along and I picked him up and you touched him. I didn't think you would but you did. I was so proud of my fearless little girl. On the way home I asked you what your favorite part of the party was and you said that playing golf with Jake & Jon was your favorite. Your Mom has noticed that when you are with a bunch of kids you would much rather play with the boys of the group and we attribute that to the fact that your primary playmates since birth have been Jake & Jon. You do love them silly boys.
      When we got home we watched the fireworks as we drove through the neighborhood. When we got home you didn't want to stay outside because all of the noise of the fireworks kind of frightened you and I was so proud of my frightened little girl. You heard a rocket go off and you told us you heard a scary bird. We went inside and Mom opened the shades and the two of you watched fireworks from the safety of the sofa while I went to bed because I had to be at work early the next morning.
      Work was incredibly crappy after I found out about Granny. You and your Mom picked me up because she had a doctor's appointment close to where I work. I walked into the cafeteria and there you were bouncing on the ball Mamaw & Papaw got for you. That was your favorite gift of your birthday I do believe. We went to Mom's doctor and you and I stayed out in the waiting area where you looked at fish in an aquarium and told the office workers all about your birthday party. You informed me you wanted to go back to the aquarium and see a shark. You were referring to the Newport Aquarium and I want to go back as well because I think sharks are cool too.
      We then planned on going to CiCi's but I knew the only reason you wanted to go was to play and I knew you would have more fun at the McDonald's Playland so we went there instead. You did indeed have a wonderful time.
      Well, that's my post for today. By the way, today is your Mom & Dad's 9th Wedding anniversary. Your Mom has another doctor's appointment tomorrow and since I am off work for bereavement leave due to Granny's passing I am going with y'all. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Rebecca,
          Happy birthday. You are the big THREE YEARS OLD today! Yayyyyyyy. Mommy's heart breaks that you are growing so very fast. Just the other day we were watching videos of you as a baby and I must say, you are a big girl now. But, you will ALWAYS be my baby girl.
     We're having your party at Mamaw's tomorrow. Jake is having his with you and I believe that you two will have a grand old time. There's going to be tons of things to do tomorrow and I just know you'll get yourself all worn out. I am up so early because I thought I'd get up, have some coffee, and get a little housework done before anyone started stirring. Plus I want to make you some kind of special breakfast for your birthday (something you wouldn't normally get!) and then I thought we might get dressed and go see Rattatouille. I don't know if that's how you spell it or not. There are all kinds of fun things we can do together today, even if it's just going out in the backyard and swimming, spraying each other down with the waterhose - YOU GOT ME GOOD YESTERDAY! We were playing with the hose outside and I was spraying you and you asked, "Mommy, can you play with me?" Of course I said yes, and of course at that very time you SPRAYED ME! You were laughing and giggling so hard that I let you keep doing it. Then we had Daddy go in and get us a towel and some shampoo and you took your shower outside. You thought it was indeed, big fun.
     You had a dentist appointment yesterday. I must say you did suprisingly well - for not even being three yet. Your dentist and your hygenist were both named Rebecca. You thought that was funny. They gave you laughing gas and you did very well with it, however it did make you a bit fidgety. You kept playing with your feet, rolling from side to side on the tabe, and taking your shoes off. You let them do all the work they had to on your mouth, but when they tried to put the big ring around your tooth with a green rubber blocker to take the taste away, you pitched a bit of a fit. They took it off and you calmed back down and let them finish fixing your tooth. You are one amazing little girl. And because it was so close to your birthday, you got TWO prizes.
     When we got done at the dentist, you stumbled onto the Elevator and were quite disoriented for a bit. It was a little funny but no so much because I knew it would soon wear off and you would be hurting. Sure enough, shortly after we got in the truck you started to fuss. You bit your tongue while it was numb and rubbed the skin off of it, so you really weren't able to eat much of anything yesterday. Except we took you to chinese and let you have all the ice cream you could eat. You also had a bowl of Wanton soup with your ever-requested chopsticks. When we got there you asked me where the Chinese music was. You are SO FUNNY!
     After Chinese we stopped at Kroger and got some things for your birthday party. Hot Dogs, Chips, Corn on the cob, Chili. etc. It's going to shape up to be a big fun day fior you, I hope. I just hope Mamaw can get everything worked out with her brothers and sisters so she can be there for most of the day. Well, little girl, I better utilize my time now that my coffee is gone. Remember, MOIMMY LOVES REBECCA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! (Insert balloons here)