Dear Becca,
               Boy, did we ever spend too much money yesterday. Most of it was on necessary stuff but some of it was stuff we, or rather you and I wanted. I reckon that those kind of days will be over now that your Mom no longer works. Oh, by the way, your Mom no longer works at Taylor Manor. She gave her two weeks notice last week but they told her if she wanted to quit earlier on account of Papaw Lawrence being sick and Aunt Mary about to deliver her new baby, Desirée or Desirae; I really don't know which spelling Aunt Mary and David have decided on.
      Your Mom and you went grocery shopping yesterday morning while I slept. When y'all got home shortly after noon we left for Lexington. We stopped for gasoline and headed to Golden Corral where we had a really nice lunch. We then went to a cheap furniture place called American Freight because they had a twin mattress set for $78. When we got there and looked at it we were shocked at just how wafer thin the set was. We decided to go ahead and buy it and get you a better one later on down the road but they didn't have it in stock and couldn't get it until Thursday. We decided to look elsewhere. I'm glad we decided not to get it because we hated it. We then went to a place called Factory Direct Mattresses and we ended up purchasing a $200 set for you there and it was in stock. We are much happier with this mattress set. We loaded it on the trailer and noticed we wouldn't have room on it for your new bedroom suite.
      We decided to go to see the ducks and fish at Lexington Green, which was one of the things we had really been planning on for that day. You had an absolute ball. I was holding you up and you were throwing food into the water for the ducks and the fish and you looked at me with the biggest smile on your face and told me that you thought this was fun. You had been looking forward to this all day long and I am glad the experience met with your liking. We took you there a long time ago when you were just barely beginning to talk. You enjoyed it then but you had an even bigger time this time. After the ducks we went inside Joseph-Beth Booksellers and you played on a wooden train table they had set up in the children's area. You do love trains fro some unknown reason.
      We then stopped and got something to drink and then headed back home to unload the mattresses and let your puppy, Wal-Mart out to use the bathroom. We were back on the road within twenty minutes. We drove to Value City Furniture where we were supposed to pick up your new bedroom suite. We passed Toys "R" Us and you started talking about how there was toys in there and you could play with them and have fun. We told you that there was toys at Wal-Mart as well and that was where we were going after we picked up the bedroom suite. We pulled around to the loading dock and rang the bell but no one came. You and your Mom went around front and spoke with someone inside the store. It turns out that contrary to what we had been told twice earlier they did not have your bedroom suite and anyway pick-up ends at six on Saturday and it was 6:15 at that time. Your Mom was fit to be tied. She is pregnant and hormonal so she probably got justifiably snitty with them. They agreed to deliver it Wednesday and set it up free of charge and credit our checking account for the price of the rails we had purchased for your bed, $42.
      While your Mom went back into the store to finalize that deal you and I went to Toys "R" Us. You had an absolute ball in there. You saw a dollhouse and you said that you had a dollhouse. I noticed that the dollhouse you had sat next to the one you were looking at so I told you that there was your dollhouse. You informed me that it was not your dollhouse. Your dollhouse was the next one down. The one I had pointed out had an African-American family and you knew that your family was white. I didn't even notice that. You have a quick little mind. You looked at dolls, toy pianos, play kitchens, balls, electric cars, tricycles, a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse play set, toy dinosaurs, a rolling corn popper and a lot of other stuff. We decided to purchase a bubble mower for you because you do so love bubbles. We probably shouldn't have because you are already spoiled rotten. We also bought a pair of pink, purple and white tie-dyed croc type shoes for you. On the way to Wal-Mart out of the blue you said that you loved me because I bought you a bubble mower. My heart just melted. Lately you have taken to saying that Mommy is a woman, you are a little girl and I am a king. When we tuck you in at night we tell you a fairy tail with you as the star princess and if you are a princess that makes me a king. Your Mom says you will always think of me as a king; I hope she is right.
      We got to Wal-Mart and you went with Mom to pick out your comforter set for your new bed and I went off on my own. I needed a few items. I bought a new razor, a new beard trimmer because you destroyed my old beard trimmer, some razor cartridge refills, some allergy medicine, a new set of needle nose pliers, an electric meter so that next time your Papaw says he needs a meter to diagnose an electrical problem I'll have one, some spare tail lights for the Explorer, some treats for Wal-Mart and something I just wanted, a computer magazine about the new Windows operating system, Windows Vista that came on this laptop. You got your comforter set, a set of sheets, a new pair of earrings with safety backs and three new summer outfits.
      We went through the drive-thru at Popeye's Chicken because your Mom's sugar was low. Then we came home. We took the dog out again and set your bed up in your bedroom. I know you don't have your bedroom suite but we had promised you that you could sleep in your new bed last night so we sat up your mattress set on the floor. You snuggled right into your new bed and went straight to sleep.
      We all had a really great day today. You and I enjoyed having your Mom home with us on a Saturday for a change. Well, I'm gonna close out this post. And as always Daddy loves Rebecca and the yet to be named unborn child living in Mommy's tummy!

Dear Becca,
            It's been one heck of a week. As you know from your Mom's previous post your Papaw Lawrence is very sick. There for a while we all thought he wouldn't make it; he is still in very serious condition but he is doing much better. Your Papaw Lawrence has proven to be an extremely resilient man. He was nearly sliced in two as a young man when he jumped into a swimming hole and ran into a car hood that was below the water, he was shot six times almost twenty years ago, the resulting damage has nearly killed him numerous times and he has had lots of other problems that would have killed any normal man. I just think he is too ornery to kick the proverbial bucket. Anyway, as I said before, he is doing better but he remains in very grave danger.
      All of this drama began Monday afternoon when your Aunt Mary called your Mom with the news. Mom was extremely upset and wanted to rush down there to be by his side but she was afraid to make the drive by herself because it was raining throughout the state. She asked me to drive her down there. I came home and went to your Mom's work and picked her up. We packed some items for her and a few things for you because you would be spending the night with Mamaw & Papaw. I had to put air in a low tire, we got some burgers to go from McDonalds and then we hit the road. We got on the interstate around six o'clock. I must have flew down there because we arrived at Coal Ridge Road, where your Aunt Mary lives, a little after 7:30. I stayed and talked to Aunt Mary and your Mom until about 8:20 and then I headed back to Versailles so I could go to work on Tuesday. It took much longer to get back than it did to get down there because it was raining much harder and the mountain roads are pretty tricky after dark. I got home around 10:40; took a shower and got in bed by 10:55. My normal bedtime is between 9:30 and 10:00 so I knew I was going to be in trouble the next day.
      Surprisingly enough I felt really good all day at work Tuesday. I wasn't sleepy at all. I have no idea what that was all about. After work I went down to Mamaw & Papaw's where you were having a flat out ball. We decided that you would spend the night down there again Tuesday night because if you went home with me you would have had to go into daycare early the next morning. I stayed with you all afternoon long. We had beef stew that Mamaw made and then you followed the boys, Jon and Jake down the hill and you attempted to play basketball with them. They are not nearly as good at sharing as you are right now so you ended up getting frustrated and crying. I came down the hill and put you on their trampoline. You had an ever loving ball. You hopped and ran all over that trampoline. When it was finally time for you to head back up the hill to get your bath you threw a fit. I eventually got you back up the hill and I ended up giving you a bath in Mamaw & Papaw's tub. I dried you up and got you ready for bed and then we watched a cartoon on television and then Mamaw, Papaw and I took you into your very own bedroom at Mamaw & Papaw's and put you to bed. Mom called from Hazard and sang you a lullaby over the phone. BY this time it was way past your regular bedtime but you always stay up later when you are down there. That's what visiting with your grandparents is all about I reckon. As soon as I left you hopped right out of bed and snuck down the hall. Papaw saw you peering around the corner and he told you to come to him so you climbed up in his lap and watched a good piece of the Andy Griffith Show until it finally dawned on you that what you were watching wasn't a cartoon so you made him change the channel. I got home and wasn't tired at all so I ended up staying up until a little after 11:00. I knew for a fact that tomorrow was going to be a bear because I had to go back to Hazard to get your Mom.
      I woke up the next morning and climbed into the Explorer and headed to work. While I was driving your Mom called and asked me to blow off work and to come and get her right away. I told her I would leave work at lunch and go get her then. The day wasn't nearly as hard as I had imagined because I knew that I would be leaving at lunch. Eventually my lunch hour came and went and the still hadn't sent anyone to let me go home. I was getting kind of antsy by now. Eventually someone did come to relieve me twenty minutes after they should have. I was thinking of the miles I could have covered on the interstate in twenty minutes but finally I was on my way. It was smooth sailing from here on out, or so I thought. I stopped at Sonic and bought some lunch and headed across Lexington. As I was about to get onto the interstate I heard a funny noise coming from the tire that had been low the other day. I started to pull into a Shell station to check it when it blew out. I limped onto a side road next to the station and noticed that the tire was way beyond salvaging. I climbed out of the truck and went to get my jack and stuff. I had never changed the tire on the Explorer before so I had to read the directions about how to get the spare free. I eventually figured it out and got ready to change the tire. I laid down to put the jack under the truck and quickly noticed I was laying in a mud puddle. I found an old towel in the back of the truck so I laid it over the puddle and it actually worked pretty good. I began jacking up the truck and wouldn't you know it, the jack handle broke. I had to climb under the truck and jack it up using the tire tool. It was extremely slow going. After about thirty minutes of lifting the truck up one millimeter at a time I thought I had the truck high enough to change the tire. I didn't want to jack it up any higher than I absolutely had to. I pulled the shredded tire off and grabbed the spare but it wouldn't go on. It was still too low. I put the old tire back on because I didn't want to crawl under the truck with just the bottle jack protecting me from being crushed by the weight of a falling Explorer. I spent another ten minutes or so jacking up the truck some more and then I got the tire changed and that's when I noticed the spare was half flat as well. I pulled into the Shell station I had been heading for originally and put some air in the tire and finally at around one o'clock I got on the interstate. Mamaw thought it was a bad idea for me to leave work early to go get your Mom but after I had so much trouble changing the tire I am oh so glad that I did.
      I got into Hazard around 2:30 and ended up having to wait for your Mom to get back from the hospital. She eventually arrived at Aunt Mary's, where I was waiting for her and with her she had the cutest little chocolate colored puppy you ever did see. She had finally gotten you your second dog. If you recall, your fist one was killed by our neighbors dogs about three days after we got it. Actually this little puppy was your third dog. Your Mom had gotten you another one this week but it had been stolen out of Aunt Mary's car while she visited with Papaw Lawrence. That's Hazard for you. While she was visiting Papaw Lawrence he woke up a little and saw that your Mom was there for him and that made her feel much better. Your Mom cleaned up the puppy carrier and the puppy because he had pooped all over it and then we started out for home. Your Mom's blood sugar was extremely low as we cam into Jackson so we stopped at Hardees and got us a bite to eat. We finally got down to Mamaw & Papaw's at around 8:00 or so. You were extremely exited to see your puppy. I think your Mom did good with that puppy.
      We got home and you and your Mom took a shower together and you played with your new puppy for a few minutes, watched half an episode of Max & Ruby then we put you to bed. Your Mom & I watched a half hour show, I took a shower and we got in bed ourselves. It was still well after ten o'clock that we settled in for the night.
      I was really feeling the strain of running back and forth to Hazard all week and staying up well past my bedtime for three nights in a row that next morning. I went to work and trudged through it. While I was there your Mom called with the news that Aunt Mary, who had scheduled an appointment for some tests to be run at the UK Medical Center regarding her pregnancy, might deliver that Thursday night or early Friday morning in Lexington. I was kind of excited for some reason. I have no idea why. Later that night we found out that they were going to send Aunt Mary back to Hazard. I think she may have insisted that she go back to Hazard. That little backwards podunk town has some strange draw for her. Your Mom had originally intended to go down to Hazard when she did deliver but since she has been away from us so much this week I think she has decided against that. Your Aunt Mary has gestational diabetes like your Mom had with you and now has again with your unborn sibling. Your Mom was a carb nazi when she was pregnant with you and she is again now that she is pregnant again. She's the only person I know that can lose weight while they are pregnant. Anyway, I don't think Aunt Mary is taking her gestational diabetes as seriously as your Mom takes hers. When we were down there a few weeks ago she was drinking the sweet tea and sugary sodas like they were going out of style, and eating tons of bread on top of all of it. She told us that she quit taking her insulin because it took the skin of of her tongue. Your Mom thinks she is full of crap. Aunt Mary is only thirty-four weeks but is measuring at forty-two and I would have to assume that it's because she has not taken care of her diabetes. Your poor Aunt Mary is as wide as she is tall these days.
      I came home from work Thursday and sat in my chair and relaxed while your Mom fixed us all some spaghetti for supper. I at two plates full and had a big tiff with you because you are truly into your terrible twos finally. You like telling us "NO" and we don't like hearing it so you have bumped heads with your Mom and me a time or two lately. Anyway, I sat down for a few minutes after supper and checked my E-mail and surfed around a little on the internet and then went to bed at eight o'clock. Finally I got a good nights rest.
      I must have been wiped out by the week because I was still worn out all day at work on Friday. While I was trying not to fall asleep at work your Mom was busy taking care of choirs that needed to be done. She paid the taxes on the Explorer, bought a new tire for the Explorer, got the oil changed in the Explorer and shopped for a mattress for you. She had a very busy day. At the oil place they told her our brake lights weren't working. When Papaw & I got home from work he helped me fix the problem and as always when I say he helped me what I really mean is he did it while I stood back in total awe. It seems that when I my tire blew out my brake lights became loosened on one side and broken on the other. He figured all of this out without a meter and he said he couldn't do it without a meter but he did anyway.
      Later Friday evening we met Mamaw & Papaw at Sonny's Bar-B-Q and enjoyed a nice supper with them. Your Papaw really liked the ribs and you really liked the corn on the cob. Your Mom said you ate so much your belly was poking out. Of course my belly is always poking out and now so is your Mom's but she has a baby in her's I have no excuse. After supper we went and got you an ice cream. We came home and I took your puppy, that we ended up naming Wal-Mart out for potty break while you got ready for bed. It was super late for you. You fell asleep in the car on the way home. Mom got you ready for bed and Wal-Mart, your Mom and I tucked you in for the night.
      It's been a rough week but now it's over. I think Papaw Lawrence will be okay and Aunt Mary is still pregnant. You got a puppy who you love dearly and I think he feels the same way about you. You tell everyone you see about your new puppy every time you see them. I hope this dog has a very long and happy life with you. I hope he's still around when you go off to college.
      Well, I've stayed up way too late and if your Mom was to wake up I would get yelled at so I had better close out this post. Daddy loves Rebecca and the yet to be named unborn child living in Mommy's tummy!

Dear Rebecca,
            Hello my little sweetie pie. Right now I am down in Hazard Kentucky without you and without Daddy. It's breaking my heart to be away from the two of you but right now Papaw Lawrence is not doing so well. Hopefully he will be alright, but it really doesn't look all that good. I hope you remember Papaw Lawrence. He sure thought the world of you; after all, you were his first granddaughter.
      I have seen a lot of my family since I've been down here, some I haven't seen in several years. I saw my Uncle Freddy and My Aunt Shirley, My nephew Bobby and his new wife. These are probably people you will never see. But it was nice to see them. Gosh Bobby has grown right up. I remember when he was little bitty. He's real cute now, and he used to be sort of an Ugly Duckling. Unlike you, who have been beautiful since the day you were born.
      Right now you are sleeping down at Mamaw's. She's taking care of you for me while I am down here. I miss you something fierce, bit I know you are having a fantastic time. You really have a wonderful time when you are down there. You love Mamaw and Papaw better than a little hoggie loves slop. I am getting really sleepy and I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow and I want to be really well rested. I think I am going to go and lay down and try to get some sleep. I love you Rebecca!

Dear Becca,
            It's kinda late on a Sunday night. I didn't get the opportunity to post a blog earlier this weekend so this one may not be too long. Right now you are in bed asleep while your Mom & Dad are watching House, a show about a brilliant but incredibly obnoxious doctor.
      Thursday I went down to Mamaw & Papaw's where Mamaw was watching you. I took your kite and started flying it where you could see your kite but not me. You hollered in excited joy about your kite. You rushed outside where you saw me and there was even more excited joy. You wanted to fly it right away but first we had some supper of pigs in a blanket, baked beans and potato wedges. You didn't eat the pigs in a blanket because you told Mamaw you didn't eat pigs. We went outside and flew your kite and we both had lots of fun. On the way home we passed the new middle school where you said you were going to play football,meaning soccer when you "turned into a kid"; I asked you what you are now and you told me that you were just little. I then asked you what I was going to turn into and you said I was going to turn into a grandpa.
      Friday after work I went and picked you up at Granny's where Mamaw was watching both you and Granny. We then went to Value City Furniture and picked up our new chester drawers. You and I then picked up some supper at the Steak & Shake drive-thru. We then came home where Papaw helped me move the chester drawers into the bedroom then I did Mamaw & Papaw's taxes on Turbo Tax. Mamaw always did my taxes until I started using Turbo Tax and for the past two years I have done their taxes using my copy of Turbo Tax. I think next year they plan on buying their own copy of Turbo Tax.
      Saturday was just like any other Saturday. Mom went to work and you and I stayed here at the house. Sunday Mom was here with us and we had a reasonably nice day. The past week or so you have been resisting naps and have been a true terrible two year old. You have more or less stopped listening to your Mom and me. When you get a nap you are as good as gold but not when you skip your nap.
      Well, I'm gonna close out this post. Daddy loves Rebecca and the yet to be named unborn child living in Mommy's tummy!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Right now you are playing outside while I watch you from inside the kitchen door (it's open) because I don't know how to fool with the brightness on this here laptop thingy. Daddy is good with this stuff but I am barely able to type on this tiny little keyboard. My fat fingers are everywhere. I went to the doctor today and heard the heartbeat of your new little sibling. I can't wait to find out what this baby is because i am itching to get busy on whipping this house into shape for the new arrival. There is lots to do. I hope that I am able to make it to my scheduled C-section so that I can go ahead and have plenty of time to get ready. I went into labor at a really inopportune time with you because we had just moved into our apartment.
         I heard from Aunt Mary today. She is in the hospital from complications and discomfort that comes from her pregnancy. If she would watch her blood sugar like she should she may not feel so bad. I tried to tell her that the last time we were down there (this past weekend) but I really don't think Aunt Mary listens to me very much. Papaw Lawrence is still in the hospital from his surgery and he is not doing very well from what I hear. They put him back in ICU because he has a bad infection I would like to go down there to be with the both of them but I have to work tomorrow and I really don't know what I could do for either one of them right now.
           I have an ultrasound scheduled four weeks from now so hopefully I will get to know what your new sibling is. Aunt Mary is having a girl and Alicia just had two boys, big boys. Twins. There are lots and lots of little babies coming into the world. I can't wait til ours makes it here.
            Speaking of work, I don't think I am going to be able to much longer. My belly is getting bigger and bigger and it is getting harder and harder to sit for twleve hours every Saturday. Not to mention the fact that I want to spend the last few months of this pregnancy making you feel extra special, because you are. I have taken you outside the last few days and you have really enjoyed it. Yesterday you literally danced a jig, kicked your foot up and proclaimed that it was "WARM OUTSIDE! WOOHOO!" You are an outside kind of girl. I am getting ready to bring you in because the sky is darkening and it looks like it may rain. I know you will hate that but it is time. Well, Mommy loves Rebecca! And her sibling!

Dear Becca,
            You're beginning to understand what is happening to our family. I think it's beginning to dawn on you that we will soon be joined by a tiny little newborn. Just last week we went out and purchased a new big girl bedroom suite for you. This past weekend, on our way home from Hazard you kept talking about how much you wanted to get back home to your "favorite crib" and just tonight you told me to take the laptop out of my lap so you could climb up with me so I could feed you your sippy cup. Once the baby gets here I believe you will be fine but it will take some adjusting on your part and your Mom & I will absolutely have to pay lots of attention to you and give you lots of hugs and kisses. I love you more than life itself and I can't imagine letting you feel like you're be replaced.
      Your Papaw Lawrence is doing much better according to Aunt Mary. Mom couldn't get any specific information from Aunt Mary so I can't give you specifics.
      Your Mom thought she was going to have to go back to Hazard. Aunt Mary is in the hospital herself. She might be in labor but it's too soon fro her to deliver so they will stop the labor if they have to. Your Mom couldn't get too much information out of Aunt Mary on that front either. All I know is that you will not have a younger first cousin tonight. Your Mom is going to go down there when she does deliver though.
      Today was especially nice outside and when Mom took you outside you spun around, danced and declared that it was finally Spring. Mom played with you outside for a good long while and then took you to McDonald's where you at every bit of a chicken mcnugget happy meal. I came home and found you and Mom outside blowing bubbles. Mom went inside to talk to Aunt Mary on the phone while you & I went out back and played on our swing set, talked to Idgy, the dog that lives next door and played some baseball, which you called football. All sports played with a ball are called football in your two year old world.
      I'm gonna close out this post and get something to drink. Daddy loves Rebecca and the yet to be named unborn child living in Mommy's tummy!

Dear Becca,
               I am sitting in a Super 8 hotel room in Hazard right now. The Super 8 has high speed internet service and I have a laptop. It's so cool that I can post a blog to our website clear down here in Hazard. Your Mom is lying on one of the double beds and you are lying right next to her watching a Pink Panther marathon on a channel called Boomerang. Your Mom and I had Boomerang when we had a satellite dish but we can't get it now that we have cable. Boomerang shows older cartoons with no commercials. This is the first time you have ever seen The Pink Panther and you like it a whole lot. I'm glad we finally found that because we were getting kind of sick of the new fangled cartoons on the Cartoon Network.
      Why are we in Hazard? As you know, Papaw Lawrence is very sick right now. We decided to come down here Friday morning. Your Mom had a doctor's appointment early Friday afternoon so after that we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch and headed on down to Hazard. My head was throbbing so Mom drove us down there. She did a fine job. I even managed to nap on the way for a few minutes. You watched Happy Feet, a movie about a dancing penguin on your DVD player on the way down here. I think we have finally figured out a way to set your DVD player up in the truck so that you aren't able to kick at it.
      Papaw Lawrence had his surgery Friday night and he is still in an artificial coma because of the pain he would endure if they woke him up. I suppose it could go either way with Papaw Lawrence at this point. I know that if something was to happen to your Papaw Lawrence your Mother would be extremely upset. We all hope he is okay.
      We stopped at Aunt Mary's as soon as we got down here and then went and checked into our hotel room. We like staying at the Super 8 when we are down here because it is so much better than the Days Inn and so much cheaper than the Hampton Inn. We won't even consider any other hotels around here because all they are is party spots. We decided to get two double beds because you are big enough to sleep in a regular bed now. We used to get a kingsized bed and put you in a pack and play or we would stay with Aunt Mary but we are never very comfortable at Aunt Mary's. We really like our room. We have a nice desk to set the laptop on, a fridge, a microwave, a nice big television, an ironing board and iron and a coffee pot. It's roomy and clean. I immediately logged onto the internet because I just think this is the neatest thing since sliced bread. Your Aunt Mary showed up shortly after we got here in the hotel room. You, your Mom and Aunt Mary went to the hospital to see Papaw Lawrence while I stayed here and laid down because my head was still splitting. I managed to nap a little and I felt much better when I woke up. Y'all got back to the hotel room and we all visited with Aunt Mary for awhile. She left and we went to bed. You started out lying with Mom in one of the double beds but you decided you wanted to sleep with me in the other bed so you switched and went straight to sleep. During the night you spilled some chocolate milk in the bed and woke up crying because you were trying to sleep in a big wet spot. We switched sides and you went right back to sleep while I tried to figure out how to avoid the big wet spot. Eventually we all got to sleep.
      We all woke up the next morning and had doughnuts and went to the lobby to partake in the continental breakfast offered here at the Super 8. We decided to stay another night so we could wait and see if there was any improvement in Papaw Lawrence. We went and picked up Aunt Mary and went to Ponderosa for lunch. It was absolutely terrible. I think it was terrible the last time we were down here as well but I had forgotten just how bad it was. We won't be eating there again. I have fond memories of Ponderosa from when I was a child. Mamaw, Papaw, Aunt Lynn and myself would go to the Ponderosa that used to be on Southland Drive every Friday night and then we would go grocery shopping. Anyway the Ponderosa here in Hazard doesn't compare to my memories of my childhood.
      We then all went and visited with Papaw Lawrence in the hospital. You didn't go in to see him because they threw you out of his room last night because you are too young to be in the ICU. They are a whole lot more strict about the rules and regulations here than they are in Lexington. There wasn't much improvement at all. One of the nurses told Mom that whether or not he survived would depend on how much he wanted to live.
      After the hospital we all went to the nice Wal-Mart here in Hazard and did some shopping. We bought some toiletries because we came down here with nothing. I got you two new kites; another Spongebob kite and a Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends kite with Blue on it. We also bought you a new pair of canvas sneakers, two pair of summer shorts, three summer shirts, a dress made like a set of overalls, and an outfit that included a pair of shorts, a yellow top and a pair of yellow jelly type sandals. We also got you a new blue rubber duck, some cheap cups that will not be as crappy as the one we borrowed from Papaw Lawrence's girlfriend and some bath crayons. I got a set of headphones for the laptop and iPod, some screen cleaning pads and a cheap mouse pad because my laptop mouse doesn't want to work too well on the surface of this desk. We also bought a bottle of Excedrine Sinus medicine and a bottle of Motrin for the headache that had returned.
      We came back here and visited with Aunt Mary for awhile. Then your Mom went to the Captain D's down the road and bought us all some fish. We ate and your Mom and I watched you and Aunt Mary play with each other. Eventually it was time for Aunt Mary to go back home so you and I took her back to her home while your Mom stayed here in the hotel room and took a bath. We got home and I played solitaire while you and Mom watched Pink Panther. Right now your Mom is sound asleep and you are laid out like you are the most tired little girl in the world but you are still into The Pink Panther.
      The time changes tonight so we all will lose an hour of sleep. Well, you have officially gone to sleep. I just now turned The Pink Panther off. All the lights are out and I am using the glow of the computer screen to see how to type. Oh, by the way, todays name for a boy is Marlin Lawrence Lanham and he would be called Little Marlin by the family and just marlin to all others. Of course that will most definitely change by tomorrow.
      I had better lay down as well because I have to drive back early tomorrow afternoon. So to you, unborn child of mine may I say, Love, Peace, & Chicken Grease and Daddy loves Rebecca and the yet to be named unborn child living in Mommy's tummy!

Dear Becca,
            I have felt like crapola all day long. I think I might have some type of sinus infection. I am okay early in the mornings but as the day wears on I get extremely stopped up and my head begins to hurt and the pain intensifies with every passing minute. I think I might go to the doctor and see if I can get something for it.
      I got home from work this afternoon intending on taking some sinus medication and a few tylenol and laying down for awhile. It didn't work out like that. Your Mom was very upset when I got home. Aunt Mary had called her and Papaw Lawrence was being prepped for emergency surgery. As you may or may not know, I hope you know, Papaw Lawrence has a colostomy bag. A piece of his intestines are outside of his stomach and apparently that piece died. It has been dieing for the past year but he's been afraid to get it taken care of because the last two times he's had to take care of such a problem he has come close to death. Now he has to take care of it. They are doing a five to six hour surgery even as I write this to reroute his entire intestines. It's a very risky surgery and your Mother is very worried about Papaw Lawrence. I certainly hope he comes through this, for your Mother's sake.
      She wanted to go down to Hazard this afternoon when I got home. I told her I couldn't take her because I had work tomorrow but she said she would drive herself down there and I could put you in daycare before I left for work. She decided she didn't want to drive down there by herself so she kind of freaked out when I wouldn't take her. She later apologized for overreacting but there really wasn't any need for her to do that. She cares for her father and she was worried about him. Aunt Mary is going to call us when the surgery is over and let us know how it went.
      Uncle Rodney's Dad, Butch passed away this past week. We went to the visitation yesterday, even you; your second trip to a funeral home. Your first was when Granny's sister Lila passed away. I really didn't want to take you but all of our baby sitting options were also at the visitation so we dressed you up pretty and took you with us. Oddly enough you had a good time. There was doughnuts and sandwiches in the kitchen of the funeral home and Jon, Jacob and Sissy were there and you hadn't had supper yet so you stayed in the kitchen with the boys eating. We only stayed about an hour or so.
      Butch's funeral is in West Virginia where he was born and raised Saturday. Mamaw & Papaw are driving over with Aunt Lynn and Uncle Rodney. Papaw is going to be a pallbearer. It's very sad for everyone concerned. Towards the end Butch was excited about the possibility of seeing his late wife, Carol in heaven and that's the best way to think about things like that. I really didn't know Butch all that well but I don't think he was ever truly happy since Carol passed away.
      Earlier this week you and your Mom came and picked me up from work and we had a nice little day out. We went to buy you a new big girl bed and ended up getting you an entire new bedroom suite. We want to get you into your new bed soon because the new baby will have to have your bed and we have read that it's not a good idea to move you out of your bed and the baby into it all at once because you might feel that the new baby is encroaching on your territory so we are going to get you set up in your new bed early. The bedroom suite includes a headboard but not a footboard, a dresser and mirror and a night stand. It's pink. I wonder if you have enough pink in your room. Your walls are pink, your switch plate is pink, your toy box is pink, your television is pink and just about everything else in there is either pink or trimmed in pink.
      After we bought the furniture you wanted to go to Toys "R" Us so we stopped by there for awhile. You played with a toy train set they had set up. You played for a good long while. You saw some dinosaur toys and now it seems you are into dinosaurs because you told Mom today you wanted a dinosaur for Easter. Alas, you got so heavily into looking at toys that you refused to listen to me when I called for you so you did a time out there in the store and we left. We then went to Wal-Mart and got a few odds and ends. You kept asking for stuff and because you are a spoiled child I kept saying yes. It wasn't big things you wanted though. You wanted some goldfish crackers, some child size ice cream cones and stuff like that. We came home and gave you a bath and put you down for the night.
      Today you and Mom went about some important business. First the two of you went by Taylor Manor and picked up Mom's check then to the bank to deposit it. Then y'all went by the Early Childhood Development Center, which is the Woodford County School District sponsored preschool to see about getting you into preschool. They told your Mom that they don't test a child until they are three and they have a test in August and since you will be three at that time we will have you tested then. They are going to test you for speech impediments and the like. I hate to say this but I hope they think you have one because we would get a break on tuition and I don't know if we could afford preschool at the full price. Your Mom says we will afford it because she wants you to have every opportunity possible to succeed in your education and preschool will give you a big leg up. I also want you to succeed so I reckon we will figure something out when the time comes. It'll be rough though because that's the exact time that we expect your new brother or sister to make their grand entrance onto the stage of life and we'll have us another little mouth to feed and another little but to keep in diapers. I certainly hope that you are potty trained by then though. You're doing very well in your potty training and I see no reason why you can't be nearly there by the time the baby gets here.
      After y'all checked out the school you went to Georgetown where your Mother signed up to retake her skills test to be a CNA. It's a pity she failed the first time. Her teacher in Georgetown couldn't believe she failed. As you know it wasn't your Mom's fault she failed. She was sick that day with stuffy ears and couldn't hear the heartbeat to get a proper blood pressure reading. After that Mom took you out to eat at Wendy's or burger King or somewhere like that. She had promised you that y'all were going to go to the McDonald's Playland. When you passed it you reminded her about it. She told you that you had already eaten and then you suggested that the two of you might get some ice cram. So that is exactly what the two of you did. You got ice cream at McDonald's and had a big time playing with the other kids in the Playland area.
      Your Mom is sixteen weeks pregnant with your new little baby brother or sister. Everyone seems convinced that we are having a boy. I am as well and I am very excited about that but we are having a heck of a time coming up with a boys name. We have decided on any number of names for a boy but after a day or two one of us or the other changes our mind. The last name we had decided on was Elijah and he was to be called Eli but now your Mom has had second thoughts regarding that name. I don't want a name that ends with a "Y" like my own name, Danny. I think those names are childish and no grown man wants a child's name. I don't want an unisexual name like Morgan or Robin because those simply sound gay. I want a name that sounds masculine yet classy and refined.
      Well, that's about it for today. When we first started this blog your Mom used to close out with a silly little saying. Eventually she stopped doing and I don't think that's fair to the newest part of our family so I will have to do it myself. So to you, unborn child of mine may I say, Love, Peace, & Chicken Grease and Daddy loves Rebecca and the yet to be named unborn child living in Mommy's tummy!

Dear Becca & Sibling,
                   Hello my dears how are you both doing? I know how you one of you are, one of you is in my tummy. One of you is taking nap, I think. At least I hope. Daddy is taking a nap, I know. If you are not still sleeping it is untelling what you are doing. Note: Becca, I am on the phone with Daddy. You are still sleeping. I discovered that I really liked name Joseph the other day, if the baby is a boy. I don't known what Daddy will think about it though, he wants to name the baby Ethan if it is a boy. You still want to name the baby Jack. If it is a girl we will of course, name the baby Rachel. Then we will have our Rachel and Rebecca.
      Daddy and I just remembered something we both wanted to mention in the blog last night. You asked Daddy if you could have another ice cream and he told you no. You then proceeded to come into the office where I was and ask me if you could have another ice cream, We had to get us a big laugh out of that because that is just what kids do. I of course, told you No as well. One ice cream is enough. I told Daddy that it would be the first of many times that you would do that.
      I got to see you before I left for work this morning. You woke up shortly after the alarm went off. We are going to have to think of something different with that alarm because it is so loud that it wakes you up every time. By the time the new baby comes it will be waking up the both of you.
      I had to stop this post at work because Mother was getting a little bit agitated. It was a pretty decent day all in all though. However, I missed you and Daddy terribly. I especially missed you, Becca. I was looking through all of your pictures and you were so pretty and it made me long to reach out and hold you. I hate being away from you for that long. When I go back to work after this new baby I don't know that I will signing up for any twelve hour days. That's too much time at one stretch away from Daddy, away from you, and now away from the new baby.
      I mentioned the name Joseph to Daddy and he said he does not like it. He is afraid that everyone will start to call him Joe. He asked me if I liked Tyler and I said No. I am afraid that everyone will call him Ty. We both like the name Issac a lot and I think it would be cute to have our little Rebecca and little Issac.
      I brought a pizza home from Pizza hut for us to eat for supper. You were excited to see me but the first thing you asked me was "Where's our pizza?". You knew that I was going to go out and get it and you were looking forward to it. You ate a good bit of it, too. Then you and I took a shower together and Daddy took a shower by himself in the other bathroom. We all took relatively lukewarm (well, at the end it was downright COLD) showers as Daddy was washing the whites at the same time we were bathing. We really need to get our water turned up. I am really proud of you and Daddy the both have you have been doing laundry all day and been doing a fine job of it. Daddy even picked up the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher for me. He's a good Daddy and a good husband. You're a good daughter and I love you 'to pieces, as we say.
      There were a thousand things I wanted to write to you about and I had them all in my head today, but they just disappeared when I got busy at work. Aunt Mary is coming up for a little baby shower tomorrow. You and I went out and bought her some things for the baby. After the shower I think you and Aunt Mary and I are going to go out to the mall and maybe to Gabriel Brothers. Daddy will like that, it will give him some alone time. I have to pick up shampoo and nightgowns for SIster Agnes tomorrow, so don't let me forget. Remember, Mommy Loves Rebecca! And (Namless) or Rachel!

Dear Becca,
            We had a fabulous day yesterday. I know you weren't feeling too well yesterday. I was told that you were very quiet and lethargic all day long while you were hanging out with Mamaw, Jacob and Jon. According to Mamaw you perked right up when Papaw got home from work. You do love your Papaw. Papaw dropped me off at our house before he came home. It was extremely windy yesterday and March is the month for flying kites so I went to K-Mart and bought two cheap ones and a really nice one. I took them down to Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney's, where everyone was at, so we could all fly kites. I walked in the door and you were very happy to see me but you really got excited about flying kites. You wanted to make them go up in the air. I bought a Barbie kite and a Spongebob kite for you and a really nice six foot kite for the boys.
      We all went out in the big field and you chased the tail of your Spongebob kite, your favorite while I tied to get it launched. Then an amazing thing happened; the kite began to rise into the sky and it kept right on rising. It rose so high that I ran out of string. I have never successfully flown a kite before in my entire life but today was different. Papaw was flying your Barbie kite and Jacob was trying to get their big one up. Jon was bugging me to let him fly the Spongebob kite since I already had it up. All the while you where laughing with glee. I eventually let Jon take the Spongebob kite and I went to see if I could help out Jacob with his kite and then another amazing thing happened. That kite took off too. I kept letting out more and more string while I tried to dodge Jon and the Spongebob kite. I had that kite even higher than the Spongebob kite because there was much more string with the more expensive one. The string reel was much fancier as well but it tended to take on a mind of its own and I ended up getting my fingernail bruised by the thing. I was in the zone though so I still kept feeding out more and more string. I might be exaggerating some but I swear I had that kite a hundred feet or more high. Then the unthinkable happened. A big gust of wind came along and snapped the line and the kite went sailing across the field. I was so disappointed by that. About the same time Jon crashed the Spongebob kite into the barb wire fence. I went to untangle the line from the fence and I asked Jon to help but he got two lines from two different kites so tangled up that both kites were more or less grounded for the day. Papaw came and helped me get the kite untangled from the fence. I had about five to ten yards of line on your kite so I sent it up again. You wanted to fly the kite so I handed it to you and let you fly it all by yourself. You did a fabulous job. You had the most adorable look of total concentration on your sweet little face. You and I had a great day of kite flying.
      I bought the kites mainly for the boys because they are going through a tough time right now. Their Grandpa, Butch, Uncle Rodney's father has cancer and has been very sick for several days. It wasn't too long ago that they lost their Grandma, Carol to the exact same form of cancer. Everyone is really tore up over it. I feel so bad for Uncle Rodney. I thought maybe the kites would be a fun little activity to kind of get their minds on something else for a brief moment. I think they had some fun. I feel bad for Allison too. She is such a good girl and is at and age now that she knows all too well what is happening and I know she must be hurting.
      Well, I have some stuff I want to take care of on the computer in the office, soon to be the nursery, so I will close out this post. And as always, Daddy loves Rebecca!