Dear Rebecca,
                  Papaw & Mamaw, Uncle Rodney & Aunt Lynn, the boys and Allison left today for Denver on a jet plane. None of them had ever flown before and they were all a little nervous but they all seemed to enjoy it. They called from Dallas where they had a layover before heading on to Colorado. We drove out to the airport and watched their plane take off. I'm sure they will have a great time out there. Mamaw practically begged your Mother to let her take you out there with them. Mama would not have any of that. Mamaw was just kidding your Mom anyway.
      After we returned from the airport we had supper here with Aunt Linda and Granny. We had grilled pork chops, squash casserole, french style green beans, macaroni & cheese and corn bread with fruit salad and brownies. We all had a fine meal. I'm talking to Mamaw on the phone right now. She's in Dallas.
      You took a few more steps yesterday. You just might be walking by the time everybody gets back. Your Mom & I are going to watch some television and I am going to take you a juice cup upstairs because you act like you don't want to go to sleep. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                        Hey baby bird. Gosh, today sure has been a very long day. We got up early this morning, you and I. I wasn't smart enough to lay down and take a nap with you this morning. I have been trying all week to nap when you do but for some reason everyone wants to call during that time, especially the people that want to record my address for free issues of the New York Times. Yeah, right, no way Jose'. I was born in the dark but it wasn't last night. If they record my voice stating my address that makes it legal for them to sell it. And if anyone is gonna sell my address, it's gonna be me. I need the money.
   After you woke up from your morning nap we had a nice lunch. You had turkey and rice dinner and I had a roast beef sandwich just before your little eyes popped open. We 'shared' a pudding until you decided that you wanted to feed it to yourself and I gave you the spoon and you proceeded to use every end and angle except the right one. I called Auntie Lynn and told her that I was going to invent a two sided spoon and then she said that you would get food on both ends and then just throw it. I think she is right. We played a good long time in the floor, you & I. We watched your favorite episode of Sesame Street, "American Fruit Stand". It has a black singer named 'Miles' and he sings the praises of fruit, and of course, vegetables. You like fruits and you love vegetables. I like fruits and veggies too. But not as much as I like you!
      Alicia called and said that she still needed us to help her get a few things from her old rental house into her new apartment. Daddy stopped and bought a ball for the trailer hitch on the back of the Explorer and Papaw was nice enough to let us use his trailer to haul it. It was only a washer and a dryer and few other odds and ends and we got it all there in one trip. Alicia and Tony really appreciated it because it saved them from having to rent a U-Haul to put all of their things in. That would have cost them a hundred and fifty some dollars. Right now all they have to do is pay us ten for the ball. Pretty reasonable I think. Especially since gas prices are through the roof! While we did all this good stuff you went with Mamaw and Granny to therapy. Mamaw took you to the grocery store while Granny did her excercises. Mamaw said everyone in the world talked about how pretty you are. I have to agree with everyone in the world. You are VERY VERY beautiful. And so very sweet. You went home with Mamaw and then on to cousin Allison's aka: Sissy's show that she is going to be putting on in Colorado. You enjoyed it very much from what I hear; there was a lot of music and singing and you really love music.
   After that Mamaw took you and the rest of the family brood to McDonald's for dinner. We met them there where I sat and ate and we talked to them for a little while. Daddy had already eaten on the way home. He spends my gas money so freely. I am only kidding, I figured he would eat. He didn't have to eat my apple fritter though. I am still tiffed at him for that. Meanie!
   I am sad to say that I think our fish is finally going to kick the bucket. We've had Spike for a vey long time; six months. That's a record for Daddy for a fish. I had a beta fish named Penelope for two years once. That was before I knew betas were Siamese fighter fish and I put another fish in her tank with her and she proceed to fight the said fish 'til death. Poor Sam. That was my other fish's name. On a happier note, get this; Tonight you took your very first steps out from Daddy's hands and into Mommy's arms. Then you did the same thing in reverse. We are so proud of you! You are so smart. You amaze us more each and every day. And remember, now and forever, that Mommy and Daddy love Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                  Happy Thursday afternoon to you, Rebecca Lynn. It's been extremely hot and humid the past couple of weeks. Thankfully, a cool front moved in last night and the temperatures are much more comfortable. Monday I had planned on the three of us going to the pool at Falling Springs after I had gotten off from work. Your Mother decided to take you early and you got fussy before I got home so I didn't get to go to the pool with y'all. The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. I've been riding to work every morning and afternoon with your Papaw the past few weeks. I got off at eleven in the morning yesterday because a machine went down and I had to call you and your Mama to come and get me from work. I woke both of you up from a nap. I had a nice afternoon at home with the two of you. Your Mother took a nice long nap while you played in the floor. I read a little from the new book your Mom got for me, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It just came out a week or so ago. I can't wait for the seventh and final entry into the series.
      Yesterday evening we all went down to Mamaw & Papaw's for a birthday cook out for your Mother. She turned 28 yesterday. She's still a hot young chick in my book. I met your Mom when she was 18 and I was 28. We all had a real fine time down there. We had chicken breasts, broccoli casserole, Taters covered in cheese and bacon, mac & cheese, salad, summer squash, green beans, cucumbers, yeast rolls, tea, ice cream and birthday cake. We certainly ate big last night. Papaw ended up working until ten o'clock last night so you didn't get to see him. You started saying "Papaw" as plain as day when you were looking for him in the basement. Aunt Lynn gave you a ride on the four wheeler and I had big fun on Jacob's dirt bike. I also gave the boys a few football pointers. They're beginning practice for football now. It seems terribly hot for football but I suppose I did the same thing when I myself played football. I think Jon is going to play fall baseball instead of football. He wants to play football but he can not take a hit to save his life. He excels in baseball so I hope that he ends up playing baseball.
      We had thought that we had all of your insurance problems taken care of but we got a letter today from your pediatrician that says we still owe them $300. We do not owe them $300 and we will not pay them $300. Kristie has been talking about changing pediatricians. I'd hate to do that because the doctor's you go to now are all top notch doctors. I hope we can get everything straightened out but we've been going through this for almost a year now so I wouldn't hold my breath concerning that.
      Mamaw & Papaw, Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney, Jacob, Jon and Allison are leaving for Denver Monday. They are, of course, flying out there on a big old jet plane. We have to take care of the dogs, Ruffy and Sadie and the flowers. I'm going to have Uncle Rodney leave Jacob's dirt bike in Papaw's garage so I can play with it while they are gone. I plan on giving you some rides on Papaw's mower as well.
      Well, I'm gonna let you go for now. Oh, one more thing! You finally gave me a kiss today. I haven't gotten but maybe two or three kisses in the last two months. You so love to tease Daddy. You're about ready to walk any day now. I'm really gonna let you go now. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
               Hello my sweet little baby bird. Right now you are upstairs sleeping. We all just got back from a great big cook out for Mommy down at Mamaw's place. Mamaw was nice enough to have a cookout for Mommy for her birthday. Mommy turned 28 today. Your cousin Allison, aka: Sissy, did a funny thing and turned my candles around. The cake said that I was 82. That is so funny. Little girl you were very lucky to be born into such a wonderful family. They care a lot about you. They care a lot about Mommy, too. I think maybe Mommy must have fallen in love with the greatest guy on earth, your Daddy. Well little one, we are all very tired and I want to drink a soda before I go to sleep. I love you so very, very much, Punkin Butt.

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello there sweetheart. Mommy is up late tonight because Mommy cannot sleep. I have no idea what is wrong; I guess I am overstimulated. Adults get overstimulated too. Anyway, enough about me.
      We've had a pretty good day together. This morning you didn't wake up until almost nine o'clock. Sometimes it worries me when you sleep so late. I do appreciate the extra z's though. When you got up we had a breakfast of pancakes and bananas, with some water to drink. You had a couple of bites of my sausage too. Then you had a cup, that is right a cup, of milk. You are no longer taking bottles. Even though you call your sippy cup a "Ba Ba". We correct you and tell you that it's a cup, and you repeat the fact that it is, indeed, a cup, but the very next time you see it, once again you call it a "Ba Ba." Oh well, that's alright. After that we had a diaper change and you played in the floor and watched Teletubbies just long enough for me to get the kitchen cleaned up. Then you got bored with that and decided it would be a good idea to follow me everywhere I went, so you followed me into the bathroom where you pulled things out of the cabinet and turned the thankfully empty trash can over. Mamaw called and we talked to her a while and after that I sat you on the couch with the phone and I finished cleaning the bathroom up while you played. You were getting sleepy by now so I put you down for a nap but you fought it and I do mean hard. You finally fell asleep just as I finished changing mine and Daddy's sheets on our bed. I finished up most of the other housework while you slept. When you woke up we had a lunch of grilled cheese and applesauce, with juice to drink. After lunch I got you changed into a swimmer diaper and your swimswuit and we went to the swimming pool. It was very hot today and we were going to wait on Daddy to get there but you got tired and the sun was really making you fussy. So we decided to come on home instead. Daddy was a little dissapointed that he did not get to go with us but that is alright because we are going tomorrow. I know we will all have fun together. After Daddy and the two of us got home Daddy had you while I ran to the store to get him some dip which he needs to stop doing and also to McDonald's for dinner. I wanted Subway but they aren't having their two for seven deal and I am not paying a whole bunch of money for sandwiches. It was too hot and I was too tired to cook so Mickey D's it was. Daddy and I had grilled chicken sandwiches and fries and you had pieces of a hamburger and a few fries in a happy meal. We were going to get you apples instead of fries but they were out. It's ok though because you had some fruit and a cup of milk before you laid down. You never cease to amaze me little girl; you are such a wonderful child. I am so proud of you I cannot see straight. We had a gogurt, which is a portable yogurt, for snack tonight before your bath too. You really like those. You played a little while in the floor down here before you got really sleepy and finally had to head to bed around eight thirty. You are sleeping soundly in your little crib right now. You've started sleeping with a blanket and a pillow. You are getting to be such a big girl. Don't grow up too fast, little girl. Mommy doesn't want to miss you so soon. I love you, baby bird!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Today, you and I and your cousin Allison are going to meet your Daddy in Lexington. From there we will head somewhere to eat I am sure and from there on off to the grocery store. Cousin Allison (AKA Sissy) did not want to go to Cousin Jon's baseball game tonight so she decided to come with us. We'e leaving here soon so I am going to keep this post short. We had a good day together so far; you woke up around seven thirty and I got you dressed, got your breakfast ready, & then we played with your new RC car that Mamaw bought for you for your birthday. You really love that car. Then we played a while in the floor and you got sleepy. You had a nap but didn't quite get to finish it because we live in town and it is summer time and a bunch of kids were playing outside and they woke you up. I can't very well chase them off during the day. Then we had a lunch of ham, crackers, cheese and applesauce. We watched an episode of Sesame street and then we played some more in the floor, reading your colors board book. Then Mamaw and Allison showed up. Now you are cranky and it's time to leave. But that's ok, you will nap in the car. Remember, Mommy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
               Apparently you have to have a prescription to get fluoride drops. The pharmacist said that one glass of water a day and moving you up a stage with your toothpaste will take care of our fluoride concerns.
      We got your one year pictures back this afternoon and they turned out great. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                  It's two days into the work week and I am already dead tired. I have been riding to work with Papaw the past few days because gasoline is around $2.20 per gallon and the Explorer is a gas hog and your Mother prefers her Taurus to my Explorer so I leave the car for her. We're gonna add $15 dollars to the check we give Mamaw & Papaw every other week for the rent. Mamaw & Papaw pay our rent for us. They said that if they help us get another house we must prove to them that we can and will pay on time. Mama has done a fabulous job of keeping up the bills and such. Daddy never was very good with our money. Things are so much better since Mama took over.
      You spent last night with Mamaw & Papaw because Mama had to go to work early this morning and Mamaw was going to watch while she worked, but Mama didn't want to get you up too early. You spent the night down there so you could sleep in. You are almost as comfortable at Mamaw & Papaw's as you are here in your own home. That makes all of us very happy.
      Mama is trying to watch Dr. Phil right now and you just won't pipe down. You are such a cutie pie. You are playing "Where's Mommy's Nose" right now. That's a game you seem to enjoy where you point to different parts of ours & your face when we ask where they are. You are having such a good time with your Mommy right now. Mommy is trying to get you to give her a kiss but you are really not much of a kissing baby.
      We need to get you some fluoride drops now that you are no longer on formula. We mixed the formula with baby water or filtered water so you got your floured from the water. You are now on whole milk now so you are not getting as much fluoride as you should get. You do love water as much as I do but you still need extra floured, plus we drink bottled water and there's no fluoride at all in bottled water. We try to give you tap water but that stuff just tastes so nasty that I really don't feel good about letting you drink that slop. We'll get you some fluoride drops. We also purchased you some multivitamin drops called poly-Vi sol. Apparently Mommy has already mentioned your vitamins, because she told me that she's already mentioned and then she asked me if ever read her posts.
      You had some real green beans yesterday. Green beans that adults eat and you just loved them. You didn't care much for the barbequed pork though. Mama also got you some iced oatmeal cookies that you really like. We had supper from Kentucky Fried Chicken tonight. Mama brought it down to Mamaw & Papaw's this afternoon. She thoughtfully decided to treat Mamaw to a night in which she didn't have to cook because she spent the whole day looking after you. Mamaw appreciated it because she loves keeping you but you did kind of wear her out.
      I showed you a picture of my grandfather, Granny's deceased husband, Bambi Dee tonight and you kissed his picture and said "bambi" and then you absolutely positively did not want to give me the picture back.
      Well, I'm gonna watch you play in the floor with your Mother while the television plays in the background. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello there my little baby girl. Right now you are upstairs taking your afternoon nap. At least I hope you are. You aren't crying but you don't really sound asleep either. Perhaps you will nod off soon. I hope so, you really need it.
      We've had a pretty good day together so far, you & I. We have both missed your Daddy like crazy though. He has been home with us for three weeks and we aren't used to being without him. If I had my 'druthers' we'd be rich and Daddy would stay home with us all the time. Of course we'd need a maid. If there's one thing that we three are good at, it's making messes. But, we do have a lot of fun doing it.
      This morning when you woke up at six thirty I gave you a bottle of whole milk which you are now on with your Poly Vi Sol baby vitamin and some rice cereal. Then we had Maple & Brown sugar oatmeal to which I added a few dashes of cinnamon and some toast with strawberry butter. We both enjoyed that breakfast very much. After breakfast I cleaned up while you watched an episode of your favorite show, the Teletubbies. After that we played a while in the floor and looked through your My First Colors Board Book we bought at Sam's Club. You really like that book. It has lots of bright and vibrant colors, with cute little pictures of things that you recognize easily.
      You were getting tired by this time, around eight thirty, so I took you upstairs and put you down for your morning nap. You don't always take a morning nap anymore, but you woke up very early this morning so I figured that you would today. You went back to sleep in no time, without even crying. I laid back down and tried to get a good nap in but Daddy called twice and Mamaw did too and even though I didn't answer the phone when Mamaw called it still woke me up. By this time you were fussing a bit so I thought you might wake up. I laid there a few more minutes and you dozed back off. So did I. We got up around ten thirty and I fixed us some lunch of Beef Ravioli, Apricots with Rice and a Coke Zero for me and some whole milk for you, in a sippy cup. We ate a nice lunch together and after I got you all cleaned up and your diaper changed, we started a game of 'blocks in the bucket'. We stacked blocks in the bucket and then you'd pour them out and we'd start over again. We both had a lot of fun doing this; we did it for nearly an hour. Then you decided you needed a new hairdo and you picked up your brush and proceeded to make yourself look "windblown". Mamaw called just then and asked if I could take Granny to therapy. I said yes indeedy I could. We decided to take a walk through the neighborhood so I emptied out your wagon and strolled you all up and down Blackhawk, Powhatan, and Pocahontas trail. We went around Pochahontas twice. By this time it was time to get ready to take your great Granny to therapy. We got all ready for that and went and got her and dropped her off. We went to see my friend Cassie, who is also about to have a baby. It is also a girl. Maybe soon you'll have a little buddy to hang out with and bully. You are indeed, a bully. But a sweet bully. You had a cookie for a snack in the car and made a mess of yourself and my car. You had big fun playing with Cassie's seven year old son, Brandon. He jumped up and down and ran after you to make you laugh. Everyone thinks you are so cute. Everyone is right. After we picked up your great Granny and dropped her off safe and sound back at home, you were indeed very tired and I changed your diaper and gave you a bottle and at this very moment, you are snoozing. Know how I can tell? I can hear you snoring over the monitor. My cute lil' snoring bird. I am going to go and hunt something for supper. I love you, my sweet little girl!

Dear Rebecca,
Greetings & salutations to you, my pretty little daughter. This afternoon I am all stuffed up from a cold I do believe I got from you. You're much better now but it seems you've passed on the misery to your dear old dad. It's really not bad though. A little tickle in my throat, an annoying cough and a little stuffiness. I just hope it's gone by Monday because my vacation is now over. I have to go back to work Monday. I will miss you something terrible, I know.
It's been a dreary rainy wet week. We all stayed here in our home most of it. Nothing really fabulous to report. Last night you spent the night at Mamaw & Papaw's because your Mom & I went out to see a movie called "Dark Water" that I didn't care much for and your Mother rather enjoyed and we went to Steak & Shake for a late supper after the film. We stopped at Wal-mart on our way home for a few groceries and our lights on the car went out on us. I lifted the hood like I was going to be able to do something. I stared at the headlight housing for a moment and jiggled some wires and that was the end of my expertise in the matter. We called Mamaw & Papaw to come get us and then I closed the hood but lo & behold when I slammed the hood down the lights came back on so we called Mamaw & Papaw back and told them not to come. We drove home and your Mom went straight to bed and I stayed up for awhile.
Well, you are still at Mamaw & Papaw's so I had better get a shower and get dressed and go down there so I can enjoy the country with y'all. Remember that as always and forever, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello , my pretty little baby bird. Tonight you are all stuffed up from a cold I do believe you got from going swimming in the rain. Well, that will be the last of that, now won't it?
      You spent the better part of the late afternoon and all evening with Mamaw and Papaw today. They said they were going to Kohl's to purchase luggage but decided against it due to a coupon reason. So you didn't get to go to Kohl's with them after all. You did. however, get to play on the swing at their house. You also played with blocks. from what I hear. Mamaw called around six and said she wanted to take you to Fazoli's with her. I said that would be just fine. So you got to eat at Fazoli's with your Mamaw and Papaw. You also went to Wal-Mart with them and they bought you a very cute little pink mushroom chair that I do believe you will like very much. You poor thing; I hear you upstairs struggling to breathe right now. It's no fun to be sick. Anyway, you got home around nine thirty or so and we half-watched a Cold Case episode while we played with you in the floor. We all played until well after ten o'clock when I asked Daddy if he would please be the one to give you a bath tonight and give Momma a break. As much as I love doing it I have been up with you since seven o'clock in the morning every day this week and Mommies do get tired. Daddy gave you a bath and I brought you a dose of Dimetapp for your cold and Daddy put you to bed. You are trying very hard right now to rest through your cold.
      I have enjoyed this week immensely with you, however. I wanted you to know that. I enjoy being your Mommy. It's the best job I have ever had or will ever have. You have brought such a light to my life, I can't explain. I know I try with words and poems but the love I feel for you exceeds any form of measurement, it can't be measured in words or rhymes or anything earthly; the only way I can describe it is, it's like God gave me an angel, and I've got a peace of my very own heaven with you and Daddy here on Earth. Gosh. Mommy is sappy.
      We've been working on pointing to our body parts. We use "Cledus The Poor Bear" as Daddy likes to call him, because we bought him at the Goodwill for a dollar, and point to his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. We also use My face and you point to my eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair, when asked to show me one or the others. You're getting pretty good at it. When we get it down pat we will move on to the rest of the parts of the body. You're a very smart baby. Mamaw said you were very good tonight even though you had a cold. You are such a pleasant child. See! It is like having a little peace of Heaven on Earth. I am so very proud of you. Well, little one, I will let you go for now. And remember, The Big Pig Does A Wiggly Jig!!!

Dear Rebecca,
                  We had a decent weekend. You really didn't feel very well because of the shots you had Friday so Mama stayed home with you Saturday morning. We all went down to Mamaw & Papaw's for the day. I unsuccessfully tried to fix Papaw's garage computer but the power source is dead. We all then went to the basement to watch your birthday video and to have a supper of pizza from Little Caesars. We usually don't hang out in the basement down there during the summer but it was so hot and the deck had recently been treated with the first coat weather coating . After we ate and watched the video I went over to Uncle Rodney's and helped him put into his computer the hard drive that used to be in this computer. I didn't really need it for anything. Papaw fixed Mama's cigarette lighter that we use to charge our cell phones and iPod with. Our headlights had not been working but amazingly enough they came back on again of their own accord. I rode Jacob's dirt bike while Mama let Allison drive the Taurus in the field behind Papaw's house and you got a four wheeler ride from Aunt Lynn. We also helped Papaw put on another coat of weather treatment on the deck. Towards the end of the night we set off the left over fireworks from the Fourth of July. Everyone had a great time except for you; you had fallen asleep.
      Sunday we really didn't do much at all. Mama went to a baby shower while we stayed here at the apartment. I took you out back and let you play in your pool for awhile and you enjoyed that but you still didn't feel real spiffy. You slept a lot Sunday.
      Monday we took you and the boys to the pool. It was a dreary overcast day because of the hurricane that just hit Florida, I think it was Hurricane Dennis but I don't know for sure. We ended up swimming inside most of the time we were there. After we finished there we took the boys home and then went to Kohls to purchase some towels. After that we went to the Cracker Barrel where we had our usual. Grilled chicken, fries, fried apples, mac& cheese and biscuits for your Mom and country fried steak, mashed potatoes, a double helping of green beans and corn muffins for myself. We had coffee this time instead of soda and we finished up the meal with a chocolate cobbler. All you had was some apple sauce and a little of your Mom's chicken, a few of my green beans and a drinks of some sort. We went to Wal-Mart and bought a few items and to the video store for a few movies and then we came home. You sat up with us for a little while then we put you to bed. Mom went shortly thereafter and here I set finishing up this post.
      I'm gonna let ya go for now. Daddy loves Rebeccer!

Dear Rebecca,
                  We just got back from the doctor. You are sound asleep in your crib upstairs. Everything went swimmingly except you didn't care much for the two shots you had to have today. As of today you are 30½ inches long, your weight is 22lbs. & 13ozs. and your noggin is 48½ centimeters in circumference. We saw Dr. Sharon Menkus today and she said that you are developing nicely. You are in the ninetieth percentile as far as height goes, the seventy-fifth percentile in weight and you are off the charts as far as your huge noggin goes. As a matter of fact she asked me if my family was big headed; I told her I didn't think that we were big headed at all. Of course your Mom thinks that I can get quite big headed at times and I would probably have to begrudgingly agree with her on that fact. I told the doctor that you soon will be falling down the chart as far as your height goes because your entire family on both sides, with a few minor exceptions, are kinda short. You've thinned out since your last visit but that is because with all of your crawling that you do you have been more active. All in all, a pretty good appointment and the best part of it all was the fact that I didn't have to go to the business office to wrestle with insurance head aches.
      I decided that it would be best for you & I if we didn't ride with Aunt Lynn & Jacob because Aunt Lynn would probably have a full day of shopping planned. We ran into them as we were leaving the office. I bumped into Aunt Lynn real hard and she didn't know it was me. She didn't know what to think. She started to apologize until she saw it was me and she told me that I almost got punched. Your Aunt Lynn is a funny lady. We went out to eat lunch with them at Fazolis; I had a baked spaghetti with meatballs and I ordered you a child's pizza but all you ate was goldfish, bread sticks and my spaghetti. I fixed you a bottle before we left the parking lot. You drank it down and were asleep before we got home.
      Your Mom gets off in an hour or so and I think you might take a long nap this afternoon because of the shots and the fact that you didn't get one this morning. Well, I'll let you go for now. I'm having trouble getting My uploaded TiVo shows to burn to DVD and I want to figure out what the problem might be. Daddy still loves his little Rebeccer!

Dear Rebecca,
                  I think your pictures turned out very good today. Of course, we will not be able to see the finished product until the twentieth of this month but the sitting went really well and the shots the photographer got of you were really cute. We got to see the pictures on their computer monitors but as you know, images on a monitor will not necessarily look the way they will look on photo paper. I think they will all turn out fabulous though.
      Before we got your pictures done we all went to G.E. to pick up my paycheck then we went to the bank and deposited the check. After that we drove across town to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Mi Mexico for lunch. We drove very slowly because you had fallen asleep while I was in the offices at G.E. picking up my check and we wanted you to get as long of a nap as possible. You woke up about the time we pulled into the Mi Mexico parking lot. Your Mother and I had our usual, fried beef tip chimichangas and you had a Mexican dish off of the children's menu. I forget exactly what it was that you had but you especially enjoyed the cheese that came on it. After that we had your pictures done and then we dropped by Walmart for some skim milk for us and some whole milk for you, some diapers and diaper wipes, Ritz crackers, cheese and maybe a few more items that I can't think of right now.
      You were getting fussy by now so Mama fixed you a bottle and handed it to you as we left the parking lot. You had finished off four ounces of formula by the time we had gotten out of the lot. We pulled off the road and she fixed you another bottle and you finished that one just as quickly as the first one. It's nice that you are now able to feed yourself from the bottle now. Used to be we would have to stop the vehicle and take the time to feed you ourselves but now we just hand it to you and let you do it yourself. We give you whole milk at home except for your first bottle of the morning and in the middle of the night. On the road we have been giving you your new formula, Similac Advance 2 with Iron because we really haven't figured out the best way to keep your whole milk cold yet.
      You and I have to take a trip to see your doctor tomorrow and your Mom has to go to work. I am up because you had a hard time getting back to sleep after you woke up for a bottle and I was awake by the time I rocked you back to sleep. I decided to come downstairs and get a piece of your left over birthday cake and a glass of skim milk. I would have loved to have had your whole milk but that stuff is much to fattening and I don't need to be any fatter at all. I had sat down and gotten a dip of Copenhagen and started to watch an episode of Gunsmoke that was tivo'ed on the suggestion list when I decide I would post a quick blog.
      Well, that's all there is. I suppose I will let you go for now so I can finish the episode of Gunsmoke and go back to bed; you get up very early. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                  Yesterday was your Mother & Father's seventh wedding anniversary. We really didn't do anything special. Your Mom was so busy this past weekend with your party and then we had a July 4th picnic here so she wasn't really up to an elaborate evening out. We went to Lexington, the three of us, and ate lunch at a Chinese buffet on Richmond Road and rented some films on DVD. I took a nap and then we watched one of the films, Hide and Seek with Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning. It was a pretty decent movie. You had gone to bed by this time. We grilled some burgers outside really late and we had a nice relaxing evening at home.
      As I said we had a cookout over here for the fourth. It's usually pretty fun to do it around here because most years you can see the fireworks from the county park very well but this year the fireworks were so low that it was kind of disappointing. You swam in your little pool, played with the boys and Allison and ate with us before you went to sleep. You didn't go very easy because you knew the kids were here and you love playing with them so much that you didn't want to go to sleep. We had lots of fun this weekend.
      Later today we are going to go pick up my check from work and go get your one year pictures done. We may go out to eat as well. We think you are going to wear the blue gingham dress that Mamaw & Papaw got you for your birthday. We purchased some white sandals for you to wear in the pictures yesterday.
      Tomorrow I have to take you to the doctor for your one year checkup and your scheduled shots. Mom is going to have to work so I am going to take you. Aunt Lynn has to take one of the kids up there at the same time so I hope we are able to catch a ride with them. That would be fun, at least the ride up there would. You'll be suffering from your shots and you will be cranky and tired. I am going to give you some baby tylenol before we leave so it won't be so bad for you. I hate it when you get shots, not as much as you hate it I am sure, but I hate it all the same.
      I hope that we can all get to the pool a few days next week. I really enjoyed the pool on your birthday. Maybe I'll even get a little sun. I have always been one to burn instead of tan, so has your Mother. You seem to tan very easily. Maybe you got it from Papaw or Aunt Mary. Both of them an get very dark indeed.
      The problem with the blog has been corrected. I kept checking back with the blogger site and I finally found a solution buried deep within the pages. I have been up all night and we all have to be in Lexington by one o'clock tomorrow afternoon so I will let you go for now. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Birthday Girl,
                Happy Birthday from your father! You had such a wonderful day today. You got to eat pizza, open presents, make a mess with your own personal birthday cake, swim in the pool and get a big fuss made over you by everyone involved. Aunt Mary and Pappy were able to make it up from Hazard but no one else was able to make the trip. I was a little disappointed that Arianna wasn't there but we had plenty of people at the your party as it was.
      We bought almost seventy dollars worth of pizzas and cinnamon rolls from Cici's restaurant. I originally thought that we had purchased way to much but we really didn't have all that much pizza left over and we had practically no rolls left over. Everyone loves the cinnamon rolls. We bought a cake that was much too big for the party, of course it doesn't help that everyone had already filled up on cinnamon rolls. We have a whole lot left over for July Fourth which is a nice thing.
      You got lots and lots of great presents. I'll have Mommy run them down for you because I just can't seem to remember what they all were. Mommy told me to mention you and Aunt Mary swimming in the big indoor pool here in my birthday post because she forgot. The both of you had a fabulous time. I just lost what I have been writing for the last twenty minutes. I hate it when that happens.
      I know I will repeat some of the things mentioned in your Mother's post but I suppose that isn't any terrible crime. You had a big time when it came time to eat cake. We had a small cake just for you. We sat it in front of you and you looked at it with some suspicion at first. You tentatively stuck your finger in it and when no one told you no you began to dig into it with both hands. You had cake all over your face. You were certainly a site to see.
      The party was a raging success and there's only one person to credit it with and that is your dear old Mother. She was adamant that she plan and pay for this party all on her own and she exceeded even my own expectations. I am so very proud of her and you are one very lucky little one year old to have such a fabulous Mom.
      After the party was over and everyone had left you, your Mother, the boys and myself stayed in the pool for quite some time. I had never gotten to play with you in the outside pool before because your Mother likes to take you out there in the afternoons while I am at work. I loved it. I still have two weeks off and I intend to spend a good bit of that time at the pool with you and your lovely Mother. I had a blast. I have always loved playing about in water, anyway. I can't swim all that great but I certainly love the water, just as you do.
      You began to show the first small signs of getting fussy so your Mother decided that you had had enough of the pool for the day so she took you into the locker room for a shower while I stayed out in the pool with the boys. A dark cloud floated over so I decided to get the boys and myself squared away for the short trip back to our home. By the way, the weather for your birthday pool party couldn't have been any better if we had ordered it special. We all came back here.
      Your mom put you down for a nap and went out to the store to get you some formula for older babies. She bought Similac 2 Advance because we had used Similac Advance your entire first year so we had planned on keeping you in the Similac family, but they don't make smaller cans of the Similac 2 so your Mother has decided that we are going to use Nestle Good Start 2 instead because you can get smaller cans. We need smaller cans because we are only going to feed you your formula in the mornings and in the middle of the night. All other times you are going to whole milk. We have even considered breaking you from your bottles because you can handle a sippy cup with the best of them now. Sometimes, to your Mother's great disapproval, I even give you a regular plastic cup with water in it while we are in the living room. You know exactly how to use the cup but you still spill better than half of it and what you do get in your mouth you enjoy spitting out in long streams. I say it's just water and will dry and not stain the carpet and it's good for you to practice with a real cup every now and then but your mother says wet spots in the carpet attract dirt.
      I took a nap after your Mother got home from the store. She played dodge ball with the boys inside while we both took well deserved naps. I can't believe that your Mama played dodge ball with the boys inside. That sounds like something I would do. You woke up after a couple of hours because of people setting off fireworks in the neighborhood. She decided to put you in our room because it's in the back where the sound isn't so loud and we have a fan to muffle any outside noises. She brought you into our bedroom to wake me up so I could set up your pack N' play in there and you woke up straight away. We all three had big fun playing on our big bed. You think of Mommy & Daddies bed as a big comfy playground. I suppose that's better than getting you into a bad habit of sleeping all the time in our bed. After awhile we all came downstairs and watched you play with your new toys while your Mom finished her birthday blog post. She was going to go to bed and leave you up with me but you began rubbing your eyes so we gave you two ounces of your new formula which you killed right away so we gave you two more and put you down in the pack n' play for the night. You went to sleep straight away and that was the end of your very special first birthday.
      I'm still up posting this blog. I uploaded the videos from our new video camera and the pictures from the still camera and I intend on editing my blog site a little, working on organizing the still pictures and maybe editing the video if I don't get too tired.
      We were the victims of another crime early this morning on your birthday. I was setting up here playing with some new video programs I have recently downloaded when at three in the morning there was a knock on the door and when I opened it there was a police officer standing there. He said he didn't want to alarm me but he thinks our car may have been burglarized. I went outside and sure enough someone had been in our car. They didn't take anything which was very lucky because the iPod was out there, but for some reason our headlights on the car do not work now. I'll have to have Papaw take a look at what the problem might be. I can't wait to get out of here and into an area that is a little nicer. This used to be a pretty good neighborhood but we have been the victims of crime twice in the last six months and that doubles the occasions where I have been a victim for the previous thirty six and a half years of my life.
      You got Aunt Mary fired last weekend. Shame on you. Remember in a post from last week when I mentioned that we had visited your Aunt Mary at her work right before we headed home from Hazard? Well, while we were there she took you behind the counter where she worked and her boss told her the next morning that that was a place of business and that was unacceptable and she was fired because of it. Well, that's Aunt Mary's tale anyway. She has a new job at Subway and she didn't seem to be too upset over it so I suppose it's no big deal.
      Well, I suppose I'll close out the first blog of your second year and of course this will be the first blog of volume three of your hard copy of this journal. I'm looking forward to a year as special as the last one. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Happy Birthday! Your birthday party went swimmingly (pun intended) if I do say so myself. We had a whole lot of fun at Falling Springs Arts & Recreation Center. Your Great Granny Annetta attended, your cousin Teresa and her boys who are also your cousins Nicholas and I want to say Nathan? I hope that is right. Your Papaw Lawrence or a.k.a. Pappy attended, Aunt Mary, Mamaw and Papaw, Aunt Lynn and Uncle Rodney, Allison Jacob and Jon, Allison's friend Jennifer (I kept calling her Jessica!) Aunt Linda, Cousin Leah, the neighbor boy you love so very much, Brendan, his father Chris, and of course your Dear Old Mom and Dad. We had a whole lot of people but not as many as we thought we would. We had extra arm bands and some extra pizza and a little bit extra cake (YEAH RIGHT!)
      You had a real big time sticking your hands and face all in your very own personal birthday cake. You had chocolate absolutely EVERYWHERE! It was all over your face, hands, body, and all over your little traveling high chair. I had to run us through the shower to get you all cleaned up. You had a wonderful time 'eating' it. The cake we got the guests and you of course at Wal-Mart was decorated like a great big flag with little plastic balloon-type decorations in the corner. It was very beautiful. We lit sparklers all around it. People are setting off fireworks and waking you up so I am going to have to pause this post.
      Indeed I did have to pause this post. You took some of a bottle of whole milk and cereal but didn't really seem to into it. The fireworks were keeping you awake so I decided to wake your daddy up from his nap and tell him that we were going to have to set up your pack and play in our room tonight so that you could sleep. To do that I had to take you with me with your bottle in your mouth. I tried to quietly wake your Daddy and fill him in on the situation while lying down with you in the bed. You did not stay asleep more than two seconds in our bed. Our bed is a playground to you. Now you are wide awake with us downstairs playing with your birthday toys. You are having a ball with your Eeyore and Poe and your big Dora Ball. The boys and I had a ball (literally) while you were napping today. We played with the Winnie The Pooh ball granny bought you. We played 'indoor dodge ball'. Your cousins are good kids. They stayed with us after the party broke up and swam a while and then they came back home with us for a little bit. Mamaw and Auntie Lynn and of course Allison and Jennifer helped clean up the whole party while Daddy and I played with you in the pool. Mommy really appreciated that. We stayed a little while longer after everyone else left and just let you swim. We all had a fabulous time in the shade beneath the big water mushroom, as I like to call it. You especially love walking from one side of the pool to the other and going under it while holding someone's fingers. You are so sweet and you are getting so big. I love you so much. You got all kinds of toys and cards for your birthday and even a little money, so many presents! But I still believe that it is Daddy and I who got the gift. You are the most wonderful gift of all. I love you, my little one year old baby bird!

Dear Rebecca,
                  Hello little one. This is the very last post of your first year out of my tummy with us. I can't tell you how very proud I am of you. My love for you only grows more each day. Just when I think I couldn't love you a smidgen more, my heart opens up and finds room for it to fill wth your smile and your kisses. You are the most wonderful blessing I have ever had.
      A whole one year old Sunday! My time has really flown. I can't believe it. You are getting bigger and bigger but you will always be my baby girl. Always. I don't care if you are eight months, eight, or eigthy. You will ALWAYS be my baby. I love you so much. I just wanted to let you know that. You are the best baby ever! And I wanted you to have this poem in additon to everything else you'll get for your birthday. I hope you like it.

Tiny

Tiny little kisses,
From your tiny little lips,
Tiny little touches,
From your tiny fingertips.

Those tiny little hugs you give,
From those tiny little arms;
They're the reason that I live.
Those and your childish charms.

The tiny little cry I hear,
In the middle of the night,
The way you smile when I near,
To turn on your tiny light.

Your tiny little toys,
That travel 'neath my feet,
They bring you tiny little joys,
And make you smile so sweet.

Your tiny little eyes,
And your tiny little nose,
Your tiny little ears,
And your tiny little toes.

It amazes me how something
So very tiny and so very small,
Is the one thing on this earth,
That I love the most of all.

I love you Rebecca
Love Mommy
6-30-05

      I love you Rebecca. I always have and I always will. You will always be my tiny baby.

Dear Rebecca,
               Greeting, favorite daughter of mine; we all had a whole lot of fun the past few days. On Sunday morning you and your Mother went to church and I slept in. I know I shouldn't have and I would have gone with y'all if your Mother would have gotten me up out of bed but she decided that I needed some more sleep. She finally did wake me up at around eleven that morning, we go to the early service at church, and told me to get a shower and get dressed because we were all going down to Hazard for a few days. This was the first I had heard of such a trip but I didn't have anywhere else to be and I had had a whole lot of sleep so I was more than happy to go see your family on your Mother's side. I got showered and dressed and then we were off. We stopped at McDonalds for a quick burger for the road and we filled up the Taurus at the new Convenient store; it's called the new Convenient even though it's been there for thirty years or so because the old Convenient has been there for thirty-five years; then we hit the road.
      We made pretty decent time and got there relatively early. Your Aunt Mary wasn't expecting us at all and she was so very glad to see us all but especially she was glad to see you. It was so very hot and humid in Aunt Mary's mobile home. We eventually decided to go to Walmart and purchase a small fan for you so you wouldn't be too hot. We also bought a whole lot of stuff to grill out while we were there. I tried to fix the grilled onions I had done such a great job at on Father's Day but we purchased cheap bullion cubes and onions that were much too big for our purpose. We also bought some burger patties, stadium brats, cheddar brats, chips, potato salad and assorted other items one may need to grill out. I started the grill and fixed the onions and then I went outside because it was cooler in the shade on the side of Aunt Mary's Trailer than inside of her Trailer. The temperature has been in the mid-nineties the last few weeks. I sat outside with your Papaw Lawrence who we have all decided will be called Pappy that day hence. We grilled the onions and enjoyed the nice view they have of the mountains rising up on either side of them. The onions didn't turn out because of the faulty materials I had to work with and the fact that it had been so long since I had built a charcoal grill fire that I had forgotten how to do it correctly. It was getting really late and everyone was hungry so I threw the hamburgers on the grill in the dark and tried to grill them up as best as I could. They actually turned out really good. Aunt Mary, your mama and I watched a new film on DVD called Hitch starring Will Smith. Pappy and you both had gone to sleep. The movie was really very good. We all enjoyed it very much. You had a hard time sleeping because you were in the kitchen in your pack N' play and Aunt Mary's kitchen really isn't separated from the living room. Eventually we all turned out the lights and your Mother took you in her arms as you both tried to get some sleep on Aunt Mary's chaise lounger. Meanwhile, I lied down on the sofa. You went to sleep and your Mom put you back in your pack n' play. We all went to sleep.
      The next morning we woke up relatively early for a trip to Carr Fork Lake. We packed up all of our picnic stuff; the grill, all the food, charcoal and everything else one might need for a beautiful day at the lake. We arrived at 10:30 or so that morning. You played in sand for the very first time in your life while your Mom and Aunt Mary waded into the lake to check out the temperature. The water was very warm because it had been so hot recently. We all waded into the water. You had a great time. At the deepest part of the roped in swimming area it was only up to my neck, of course we didn't take you out that far. I was about ready to go get the grill started for lunch when I noticed drops of rain on the water. We all hoped it would blow over so we stayed a few moments more but the intensity of the rain continued to increase. Eventually we decided that we had better call it a very short day at the lake. We had only been in the water for twenty minutes or so. So instead of getting grilled burgers and brats by the lake we had Hardees burgers in Aunt Mary's trailer. Aunt Mary went into her bedroom for a nap before she had to be at work at four. The three of us decided that we were going to go visiting your other Hazard relatives. We went and saw your Aunt Carolyn, your half first cousin Melissa and her girls which would be your half first cousins once removed and we also got to see Arianna who is also your half first cousins once removed. She is the daughter of your half first cousin, Marietta who we didn't get a chance to see while we were down there. You were born in early July of last year and Arianna was born in late July. I like to get pictures of you two together whenever I can so we can watch you two grow up together in pictures. Unfortunately, you and Arianna will probably never get to know each other very well but at least there will be lots of pictures of the two of you together.
      We decided to leave later that evening. We went back to Aunt Mary's place and we grilled out one last time with your Pappy and then we packed up and visited Aunt Mary where she works and we headed home. We arrived home around midnight and you and your Mom went straight to bed. I stayed up and worked on some pictures I took down there and played with some videos I got with our new digital video camera. I edited and burned a DVD of the video and images and if I do say so myself, it turned out quite nice.
      This morning your mother had some chores she needed to attend to so I looked after you until she returned. She had an idea about taking you to Jacobson Park for a picnic. I said sure at first but then decided that I had done all the driving I care to do for awhile while we were in Hazard so we stayed here at the house and had frozen pizza for supper. You went to sleep and your mother and I watched some television until she went to bed.
      The blog problem still isn't fixed but at least I know what the problem is now. It's not my fault or the fault of the program I use to post my blog but the fault of blogger.com, the blog hosting site. I will not go into specifics because I believe I would bore you and everyone else who might be reading this blog. I just hope it's fixed soon.
      This may very well be my last post of your first year. It's been a wild ride. We've had nothing but joy from you since the minute they sliced open your Mommy's belly and pulled you out. You have been an absolute joy of a child. Even from the beginning you never cried unless there was a problem. Mommy and Daddy may not have been able to figure out what that problem was right away but we always knew that there was one. You have never cried to hear your lungs work. You started sleeping through the night very early on and for that I'm sure Mommy is thankful. You have always been such a cheerful baby. A smile for everyone, even when most babies where entering their stranger anxiety stage you still loved to be made over by people who were complete strangers to you. You have not suffered from any great amounts of separation anxiety either. If we leave you with Mamaw & Papaw you remain just as happy as a lark and wave us goodbye with a smile on your face. You've changed our lives in ways that we could only imagine before. I know a love now that is absolutely 100% unselfish. I love your mother with all my heart and soul but it's really another level of love one feels for a creature such as yourself that I had a part in creating. I'm absolutely positive that your Mother would agree with that statement. I want to thank you for the last year and I know that the years to come will only get better. You have no idea how much love I have for you. I have always loved my parents and my sister but my love for you eclipses all other loves I have ever known. I will always be there for you and do what I can to help you succeed in life just as my own parents have been there for me. So I want you to always remember one thing and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
               Hello, Little Girl. Your first birthday is only eight days away. We sure weren't expecting this at this time last year. All we could think about was how you were going to look when you were born. You were a beauty and you get even prettier every day. Your Mom has a real big party planned for you. You also have presents galore. I think you will have a grand time.
      I am off for my vacation now. I have two weeks of vacation and an additional week of lay off. I'm excited about that. I love getting paid for no work. I'll probably post a whole lot while I am off because I will have the time.
      You and your Mother got a brand new digital video camera for me for Father's Day, plus y'all got a huge 400 gig hard drive so we would have room to put all of your movies on the computer. I know you already know about the hard drive because I spent so much time telling you all about it last week.
      I'm gonna go play with the editing program that came with the video camera for a little while. I have to get in bed relatively early this evening because your Mommy has to work tomorrow and I have to get up with you. The two of us might ride up to Sam's Club with Mamaw & Papaw and Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney. We've been having a little trouble out of our blog today so I am going to publish this post and see if that cleans up our problem.
      Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello there my pretty little baby girl. Guess what? Today we got a big box of stuff from your brother, Dylan. Yep, he sent you some presents. You got a Neopet that looks suspiciously like Pokeman, you got a big stuffed white cat with oversized paws, a stuffed beanie seal, a stuffed beanie rabbit that says "My First Bunny" across it's belly, a pair of doggie slippers. three headbands and a pair of furry gloves that will surely fit you this winter. And you know what? Your brother picked it all out himself. He's really happy to have you, just like we are. He also sent us some pictures of himself and his brother and sister. But for now you are his only real blood sister. Until we have another one of course. If we have another one. If we never have another one, we are so very happy to have you. You'll be more than enough.
      I was really happy to hear from your brother. It has been so long since I have seen a picture of him. It was really hard for Mommy to give up your brother, but I was very, very young and it was the best thing I could have ever done for him. Someday I will explain all the particulars to you about why I had your brother so young; for now all you need to know is that my life was not nearly as good as it is now back then and I didn't have caring people in my life like your Daddy. Dylan is very happy with his parents and he's an amazing little boy from what I know. Someday I hope for the two of you to get to know each other very well.
      We took a little video of you opening all of your goodies. I tried to get some pictures of you playing with them but you were so busy playing with them you were highly unconcerned with the camera at that point. You really do like all of the little goodies that your brother sent you. I will print a couple of the pictures and burn the video to send to your brother. I know he will be happy to get it. I am going to try and put the little green headband in your hair in your next professional photo session, if you will leave it be that is. I already have a green outfit bought for your photos and it will match real nicely. In one of your photos you will hold your stuffed kitty cat. I know that will be real cute. Then I will write your brother a letter and send him all that good stuff with some photos of your up and coming birthday party.
      Right now you are sleeping in your crib upstairs. I expect you will wake up from this nap at any time though, because you have been asleep since one o'clock. I had to run off a couple of skaters from our porch and walkway because they were disturbing your sleep. I normally would not care but you need your rest and as much as I love playing with you and chasing you Mommy needs a break every now and then. I know, it's crazy isn't it? I am not the Superwoman you thought I was. Well little one, I am going to let you go for now. I love you, baby bird!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello my pretty little baby bird! Right now you are upstairs napping. You've been asleep for quite a while now; since two o'clock. I expect you will wake up at any time now. I am waiting on Daddy to call me back. He's off work now.
      You woke up last night at five 'til four for a bottle. I finally got you back to sleep around fifteen after, but by then I was wide awake. I decided to utilize the quiet time to get some cleaning done downstairs. I really blew through here; I had the whole downstairs clean by the time you woke up at six thirty.
      I was correct in my assumption that you would wake up at any time; you are now awake and playing in the floor. Anyway, back to today's extremely exciting events. After I got the downstairs cleaned and I got you fed and put in your playpen to watch Elmo's World, I went about cleaning the upstairs. You were pretty serene in your playpen until after I had cleaned the bathroom upstairs thoroughly and dusted Mommy and Daddy's bedroom. I had just started to change our sheets when you started to cry. I picked you up and brought you in the bedroom with me so that you could play with your stuffed animals in there. You didn't seem to be the least bit interested in your stuffed animals, however. All you wanted to do is play with the legs of the fan and try to crawl under the bed. I tried to hurry up and get done but that's a big bed and I had a big bird underneath my feet. Finally you discovered that playing with the handles on the drawers of the dresser made a funny clinky noise and that entertained you and made you laugh until I finished. Then I put you back in your playpen while I changed your bed and cleaned your room. I know, all of this is riveting. We came downstairs after that and you had some fruit and cereal and you played a while in the floor before you got very, very tired. I put you down in your crib for a nap and you hardly cried at all. Unlike now, you are crying. I think you are hungry. I shall have to pause this post yet again. Back soon!
      I was correct in my diagnosis. You were indeed, hungry. You gulped down four ounces in record time. From a Gerber bottle even. I think they are harder to suckle on than a Playtex. But you can hold them really good all by yourself. Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, you slept for only about an hour during that nap and while you did that I worked on the laundry and took a quick shower. My side is still hurting so I layed back on the bed with the heating pad for a bit while you slept. Then I went and made us some lunch because I could hear you stirring. I made myself a turkey sandwich and cheetos; you had peas with rice and a banana cookie for dessert. You love vegetables. Vegetables are very good for you. You especially love peas. Daddy loves peas, too. After you woke up and had lunch we went outside and you got into your baby pool for a while. I layed on the lounge chair and watched you play with one of your teethers, throwing it in the water. You splashed and splashed and had a lot of big fun the way you always do in the water. You kept trying to stand up though and that worries me; I don't want you falling onto the concrete from that pool. That would really hurt. I think I might wash a blanket and put it underneath of it whenever we use it, just in case. You were so sweet though; you'd keep standing up and reaching over to the chair where I was laying and giving me little wet hugs and kisses. You are the best baby ever. I don't care what anyone says. My baby is the best baby. Before I forget to mention it, you also like the taste of ants. You ate one and tried to eat another while we were outside. Ewww little girl. That is gross.
      After our little water wade, we came back in after an hour or so, because it was getting hot and I did not want either of us to get burned by the sun. The sun can do that even though we were both wearing lots and lots of sunblock, you know. I got you all dried up and into a brand new clean onesie and a diaper. You were quite tired from your little water works but none too ready for a nap just yet. You played and played in the floor a while with the phenomenal balloon we bought over a week ago at the Dollar Tree. That sucker is still up. Even after being beaten by our ceiling fan time and time again. Daddy says it must be a female balloon because it is drawn to things that hurt her. He thought that was funny. I however did not. It is sort of true though; most females are. At least initially.
      During your last nap I put the last load of laundry (your clothes) in the dryer and patted out some hamburgers for supper. I also finished watching Miss Congeniality 2, which I had started after our trip out back to the pool but really couldn't pay attention to because you were awake. It was a decent enough movie, but the first one was better. Of course they always are. Daddy is going to be late this evening because he stopped at Kroger to get veggies for our burgers. And he is going to make some yummy grilled onions as well. And you my sweet darling. You will get to go back out in your pool and play a while so we can grill our supper. I know you will love that.
      Well little one, I am going to let you go. I started this post at a little after half past three. Now it is twenty after four. It has taken nearly an hour. But worth every minute of it. I am going to go and fold your clothes now because I heard them buzz. I love you, baby bird!

Dear Rebecca,
               Well, your Mama lit into me in her last post, didn't she? It's just that I posted so much last month that I thought it might be fun for you to hear from your Mother a little more this month. That's why I haven't blogged as much this month as I have in the past.
      You have spent nearly the entire weekend with Mamaw & Papaw. Your Mom got a larger hard drive for the computer for me for fathers Day. She knew that I needed some quiet time to concentrate while I was backing up theold hard drive and installing the new one. So she arranged for Mamaw & Papaw to watch you Friday night. I ended up needing the quiet time too. I got all the stuff from the old hard drive copied over to the new hard drive without a whole lot of trouble. Then I had a bear of a time getting the computer bios to consistently recognize the new hard drive and the DVD burner which I had to put on the same idea cable. I flashed the bios and kept fiddling with settings within the bios. Nothing seemed to work. Finally I decided to swap out the hard drive as the slave and dafter drive as the master for a dafter slave and a hard drive master. That seemed to work after a little more tweaking of the bios. I worked on it for nearly six hours. I love to get into really difficult computer problems and then to successfully solve said problem. It gives me a feeling of triumph and jubilation.
      Anyway, your mom went to work this morning and I slept late because of my epic battle with the computer the night before. I eventually got down to Mamaw & Papaw's to spend the day down there with you. Your Mom called shortly after I arrived; she said she had taken ill and wanted me to come and get her from work. Mamaw let me drive her new van to Lexington to get your Mom. I love how Mamaw's new van drives. We arrived at your Mother's place of employment and she was already in the car. She had regurgitated her breakfast and lunch right outside the car. She was really sick and her tummy hurt in the region where her appendix is located. I had my appendix out when I was a wee lad and I remember being sick at my stomach and being in incredible pain in the same region your Mom was. I decided to take her to the emergency room in case it was her appendix. You went back home with Mamaw.
      Your Mother, thankfully,did not have appendicitis after all; she had colon spasms. It was so late when we got out of the emergency room there at St. Joe's that you were already asleep so we decided to leave you down there for the night. We want to get you pretty early in the morning though because we really have missed you over the last few days. It's nice to know that you have a place like that to go to. You absolutely love it down there and I'm getting a little jealous of Mamaw because you are all about loving up on her. You've begun walking behind your little block munching hippo toy lately. Slow and deliberate steps, that is until Mamaw came through the door here at our place. You flat took off across the living room faster than I had ever seen you move. I am glad that you love Mamaw & Papaw as much as you do. You also love the boys, Allison, the dogs and Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney very much. You always have a ball down there. There's fancy zero turning radius mowers, regular riding mowers, tractors, dirt bikes, motorcycles, ATVs, and go-carts down there and you certainly do love all of them. You get rides on the tamer vehicles and you love to watch the motorcycles zoom by you; you laugh and holler.
      We're going back down there tomorrow evening for a Father's Day cookout. This is my very first Father's Day as a father. I am so excited just to know that you havemade me a full participate in the whole Father's Day thing. I've already gotten a card and my gift but I am going to be happy about the day anyway, My first Father's Day. I had received Fathers Day cards from Allison and the boys as an uncle but it's still absolutely not the same. I've got my own child now.
      We gave Allison her iPod Shuffle last week. Her birthday wasn't until yesterday but she was going to be busy this weekend so we went ahead and gave it to her. She thought we were only getting her rechargeable batteries for her personal CD player. She cried to her Mom, Aunt Lynn, that if that was all we were going to be bringing she just wishedwe wouldn't even come. She literally shed tears about it. She put on a brave face when she opened her gift from us and when she finally realized what it was she was absolutely speechless. It's hard to really tickle Allison like that, being the so-called angst ridden teenager that she tries to be, but we were able to pull it off.
      Your first birthday is around the corner. We bought you a little wagon a long time ago and congratulated ourselves on our decision to get you nothing else for your birthday except some clothes. Well, that plan is out the door and lying on the other side of the road. Your mom has her new job and money of her very own so she has went out and bought you more stuff for your birthday than you got for Christmas. I hope and pray your birthday comes off without a hitch and everyone has a fabulous time. Your mom has put a whole lot of herself into your party and she deserves for you to have a really nice time.
      Well, I'm gonna let ya go for now. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Your Daddy made me feel guilty for not wanting to write out a blog tonight. I have lots of bills to pay and I was really just going to do that and then take myself on to bed. He said he guesses it was just his blog now, but it's funny that his last post was on June 8th and mine was just a couple of days ago. I know he was only kidding but as you will soon learn it is not a good idea to joke around with Mommy when she is tired. In addition to that I am in pain tonight with my side. Also not a good idea to joke around with Mommy when she is in pain.
         I do want to talk to you and let you know how your little life is going. I enjoy posting these blogs and talking to you. Daddy doesn't seem to understand that through the week, though, you are my main focus and I do not have the time to sit here and post in this blog like I'd like to. We are busy living our very full lives and we don't have the time to pause and write about it. Mommy's been working every Saturday for a while now so it is hard to get to it on the weekends too. I get to it when I can, and I love it when I can get to it. Don't think I am writing this just because I feel guilty or I am mad at Daddy; I want to talk to you about your little life. I guess being tired and having things to do is no excuse.
         I took you to the pool yesterday. You had lots of big fun. You were very fussy until we got there and you saw all the pretty water falling down from the mushroom in the middle of the outdoor splash pool. You were very excited and wanted out of your stroller very badly. I had to pause to take off my shorts and you did not like that. You were ready to swim, and I mean right now. We sat a bit in the very low water and you splashed and splashed. I waded you out in the big water a while and took you for a float ride in a tube down the whirlpool lane. You were OK with that for a bit but after a minute or so you wanted out of that tube and back in the water. I don't blame you. We dunked under the mushroom a few times, which you absolutely love, then we'd pull the 'shower' string and stand under it and let the water fall on our heads. People thought you were so cute and funny, dunking your head under the water and kicking your legs so very excitedly. You met a little boy named Cayden at the end of the shallow pool; he showed off big for you 'swimming' around and flexing his muscles. You just clapped and clapped and cheered him on like no tomorrow, which only encouraged him further. The two of you gave each other kisses and were quite lovey-dovey with each other. I thought that was so sweet. He was there with his granny and she asked if you were in the Woodford Co. Baby Pageant. I told her no because we knew it was rigged and your Daddy won't let me because if you don't win he says it would be a serious miscarriage of justice. I agree. That lady said she knew it was rigged too but she and his mother put him in it because it is fun for him to be around the other kids. I think we might put you in it next year. All of the kids get a ribbon and a silver dollar after all and I really do think it would be extremely fun for you. Right now you just aren't patient enough to last through such an event.
         Our visit to the pool went about like that, sitting in the shallow end then ventruing back out under the mushroom and the 'shower'. We waded around in the deep water a while and a little girl let you play with her toy fish. You kept throwing it out in the water though so we had to give it back to her so she would not lose it. She was a very cute little girl and she wore a Nemo bathing suit. Your little suit is purple and it has 'Dora the Explorer' and her pet monkey 'Boots' on it. Lots of people made a big fuss over how sweet and pretty you are. And as always they were exactly right; you are very sweet and pretty.
         This evening we went over to our next door neighbor's house for their grandson's little birthday party. He is a spiderman fantatic so today you and I went to K-Mart and bought him a HUGE spiderman ball. You were quite enthralled with it. You never know, you just might get one of your own... someday soon. Of course it would have to be a much girlier theme than Spiderman mind you. You did get a very cute little alarm clock radio at Kmart today. It says "Girlpower" and it is in the shape of a teacup with a lemon wedge night light on it with a little pink headed girl sticking up in the middle as the snooze button. Daddy says he wishes his snooze button was like that so he did not have to search for it. Daddy says we are going to have to stop spoiling you. Every time he says that I wonder to myself 'Now how do we plan to do that'? I don't know. Spoiling you is so fun. I love you so much little girl. And Daddy too. I'd do anything for either one of you. Anything at all.
         Well I am going to let you go and pay some bills. Remember that I will get to this when I can. I will do it as often as I can. I will try to make a point of doing it at least once a week. I won't make any promises because our lives are indeed very, very busy. Well I am off to go send some money away. That makes me sad. I love you, Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
               Good morning my sweet little baby bird. I just woke up. Last night I went to bed at about six o'clock. I had worked hard on the house all day and I was very tired. I asked Daddy if I could take a nap and he said yes. Daddy did not wake me up though. Instead he took care of giving you your bath and your bottle and putting you to bed all by himself. Mommy is so very appreciative of your Daddy. He is a very good Daddy. Mommy also appreciates all the good sleep she got. I just wish I could have stayed in bed past two thirty. Oh well, when you're a busy Mommy you have to take what you can get when you can get it.
      Last night you stood up halfway on your very own. You did so to clap your hands at an animated teat bear on the Teletubbies, which is your new favorite show. I was very proud of you. Soon you will be walking. You are getting to be so big and strong.
      I had thought you had been saying Tinky Tinky (aka Tinky Winky) from the Teletubbies but I was wrong. Instead you are saying "Tickle Tickle" - which makes sense. You hear more of tickle tickle than you do Tinky Winky. You also say 'Dog' , 'Hi' , 'Bye Bye' , 'Bubba' (Bubbles), 'Good' , 'Pizza' and various other cute little words I haven't been able to make out yet. You are very smart. You even napped in your very own crib yesterday. I think now it's time to throw out the bouncer you have well outgrown. Mommy is so very proud of you.
      Only two more weeks until you are a whole one year old. Sunday Daddy and I went to Wal-Mart to order your birthday cake. It's going to be very pretty. It's has red, white, and blue airbrushing on it, and in each corner there are red white and blue tiny balloons in the shape of stars. It's going to read, 'Happy 1st Birthday Rebecca'. What do you think about that? I think it is just grand. We also got some red white and blue flag decorated plates, cake plates, and napkins. We already have some red and blue solo cups and some red blue and silver star tinsel to decorate the tables with. I even bought a big red white and blue flag bow to hang on the door. What a party this will be! I know you are too little to remember any of it but it's not about that; it's about you having lots of fun on your very special day! I surely hope you do.
      Well little one, I have just made some muffins so I am going to go and enjoy them with some coffee for breakfast. You've stirred a bit so I look for you to wake up for a bottle sometime soon. As always I can't wait to see you. I love you, little girl!

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello my pretty little baby bird. Today has been sort of a long day, and you and Daddy were both very tired, so right now you are upstairs sleeping. Although I am tired as well, I wanted to come downstairs and post you this blog and relax a little bit before bed. In addition to that I had to pick up your toys. I always like to pick up your toys at night; I think I am going to start doing it while you are awake though. Maybe that will teach you how to help out when it is clean-up time.
      I took you and Allison to the pool this week. You both had a very good time. Allison (Sissy) loved carrying you around the pool and in and under the waterfalls and fountains. She is quite fond of you no matter what she says. Allison got tanned up and you my girly girl are quite the brown baby. However, at this point I am quite the Mauve Mamma. I am very sun burned from our aquatic excursion. I am very fair skinned and I was dumb enough to put on tanning oil. Auntie Lynn says I deserve everything I got. I think she is right. I was as red a cherry but now it's more of a dark mauve color. I am very sore from it. I kept you slathered up in sunblock. I should have kept myself slathered as well. I am a dumb Mommy.
      Like Daddy said yesterday I went out with an old friend while Mamaw watched you. Daddy was going to but he was very tired so Mamaw did instead. She is a very good Mamaw and you have also a very good Papaw and you are so very lucky to have them both. I never had a Mamaw and a Papaw at once. My Mamaw on my Mom's side passed away when I was younger than cousin Jon and my Mamaw on my Dad's side passed away when I was around cousin Jacob's age. Both of my Papaws died when I was very young. I think one even died before I was born. You even have a wonderful silly old great granny. And a silly old great Aunt named Louise. You are a very lucky little girly girl. You got to hang out with all three of them yesterday to take Granny to the doctor. And Mamaw bought you another outfit because you positively just had to have some capri pants. You're not even two feet tall but I guess that Capri's are all the rage right now and God forbid Mamaw letting you not be 'in style'. See, you are very lucky.
      I don't know if I told you or not but your very first birthday party is sure to be a bash. I have lots of stuff in lay-away for you even though I swore up and down you were only getting a wagon. I am weak when it comes to you and seeing things I think you want. Very weak. Very Very weak. It's funny how we have all of these here toys for you that we've spent a ton of money on but you'd rather play with a free balloon from Kroger. Heh. Anyway, we are having a pool party at Falling Springs and pizza from CiCi's more than likely. The pizza there is cheap and it is better than Little Ceasar's. I think so anyway. Those are two of your favorite things in the world at this moment; Water and Pizza. You even whisper "Pizza!" whenever you know we are having it. You are so cute.
      Your favorite new show is the Teletubbies. I believe it has superceded Baby Einstein and even Sesame Street. Yes even Sesame Street. You started saying Tinky Tinky ... the main Teletubbie's name is Tinky Winky. Guess ya don't have the Winky part down yet. I don't mind it though because it is educational and it teaches you to count and teaches you your colors and words. It's better than watching my favorite silly old cartoon, Lilo & Stitch.
      Well little one I just wanted to fill you in on some of this week's happenings. I had your boy cousins over here the other day and they sure loved playing with you. You have got lots and lots of people that love you. And I love you too. Very much. Goodnight baby bird!

Dear Rebecca,
               It's been a few days since my last post. I'm back to work now so that does slow me down a little bit. You're probably glad of that fact because when I'm posting nearly every day my posts probably do get a tad boring, or so Mamaw says.
      Saturday you & I went down to Mamaw & Papaw's while your Mother worked. I mowed Papaw's huge yard with his zero turning radius mower while you played with Mamaw, Aunt Lynn, Papaw, Allison and the boys. You had big fun. I'm sure I mentioned this already but Papaw hung a swing for you down at their place and you just love it. You especially like it when Jon or Jacob stands in front of you asyou are swinging and pretend to get knocked down by the swing. You just squeal in delight at the pain you are causing them. Mamaw & Aunt Lynn went to town and purchased a play yard for you to keep down at their place. Your Mother said you would hate it and would not use it at all. You loved it. Mama had to eat her words on that one. You could play with the dogs, Ruffie & Sadie without getting jumped on and mauled.
      We had a nice cookout after I got finished mowing the yard. We had hamburgers; the kids (including you) had hotdogs, beans, pasta salad, corn on the cob, cherry pie and ice cream. Your Mama came along shortly after we began eating. I hadn't eaten anything all day except two small Dove chocolate brand cookies and I was famished. I ate two hamburgers with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, Miracle Whip and mustard, two or three helpings of beans, one regular helping of pasta salad and another huge helping, three ears of corn, a small piece of pie and some ice cream. I thought about having another burger but that probably would have been too much.
      After we ate we took you down and put you in the swing and sat around you and admired your special brand of baby beauty. The boys had been riding their motorized play pretties all day. Jacob was on his dirt bike and Jon was on a four wheeler they are thinking about purchasing for him. Jacob goes way to fast and got in a lot of trouble. I got on Jacob's dirt bike, which is a real motorcycle, and after a brief lesson from Aunt Lynn on how to ride a motorcycleI took off and had the time of my life. Now I want a motorcycle of my own. Papaw & Uncle Rodney both have nice motorcycles and I want one too. I'm sure if I get one it will not be near as nice as theirs but it would be fun to hit the road on a bike. After that we came home and put you to bed.
      I don't remember what happened Sunday. It must not have been earth shatteringly exciting. Monday I went to work and your Mother met me at work with you and Allison. They had taken you to the outside pool at Falling Springs Recreation Center. You were all there for about three hours. I wasn't there so I can't tell you much about it but your Mama said you had a terrific time. Mama got herself a very bad sunburn while she was there. She kept you slathered up in SPF50 sun screen while she only wore SPF4 sun screen. After y'all got finished at the pool you came to Lexington to meet up with me at work. Mama, Allison, you & I all went to CiCi's for a quick and easy supper. Your Mama was going to get milk at the groceryso I took Allison and you on home. Mama decided she was also going to look for a Father's Day present for me at a store on Nicholasville Road during rush hour. You never want to be on Nicholasville Road during rush hour if you do not absolutely have to. Your Mama decided to wait for the traffic to clear a bit before she headed for home.
      I got home with you and Allison. I took a shower while Allison watched over you. After I showered and dressed we went to the little league baseball fields to watch Jon and his team, the Diamondbacks play their last regular season game of the year. If they won this game they would be undefeated for the season. They had to play the White Sox, a team with only one loss, that coming from the Diamondbacks. Jon's team jumpedout on them early. The score was 9 to 2 in the top of the fifth inning; White Sox up to bat and the bases were loaded. A kid hit a grand slam home run and they scored four runs; the score was now 9 to 6. Jon's team came up to bat. Jon hit a hard line drive down the center field line that was caught by the short stop. Jon was not pleased with how that turned out. I was surprised that that kid could catch a ball hit that hard. Jon's team didn't score any runs in the fifth. Top of the sixth; Jon's team has to get three outs before they can get three runs to tie the game. The White Sox score two more runs and are coming on strong. Finally there were two outs; tyingrun on third; winning run on second. The tension was thick. The White Sox kid hit a ground ball that was picked up and thrown to first and the kid was called out. Game over and Jon's team went undefeated for the season. It was actually a pretty good game. I enjoyed watching it. You didn't seem toointerested in it though. We came home and then I forget what we did.
      Tuesday I forget what happened and that brings us to today. You spent a great deal of it with Mamaw. She has you at this very second. That's why this post is so long. She bought you a new outfit; one with capri pants and a matching shirt. Your Mama is going out to dinner with a friend that she used to know when Mama's best friend Nancy Mangione was still alive. So she isn't here right now. I want to watch some television in peace without you or your Mama talking to me. Your Mama is worse than you are when it comes to interruptions during television. You may notice that I am single minded. When I am doing something I hate to be interrupted. So far you are the same way. I consider that an admirable quality. We focus all our attention on asingle task, whether it be working on the computer or playing with blocks. Just leave us alone, Except for you. You can bother me anytime you want to.
      I'm gonna go now. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Dear Rebecca,
                                       HAPPY 11th MONTH BIRTHDAY! I can't believe we've had the great privilege and honor and pleasure of having you for our daughter with us for almost a whole year now. You are a wonderful baby and we kept you alive. YAY for us. Most of all, YAY for you! I am going to write you a longer post later, but I wanted to say have a very happy, happy 11th month. You are almost one! I love you baby bird!

Dear Rebecca,
                  Last night you began pulling yourself up to a standing position on a regular basis. You had done it once or twice before but not with any regularity. Last night you pulled yourself up on the couch when you wanted a bag of animal crackers that were setting at the back of the couch. Later that same night you pulled yourself up on your walker. Your Mother thought you wanted to get in your walker but I thought you wanted your sippy cup of water. We gave you the water and you seemed happy and then we put you in your walker and you still seemed happy so I suppose it could be either one of those things that you wanted.
      You spent the day with Mamaw today. Your Mother had some things to take care of in Lexington. She didn't want to take you along with her because one of the things she had to attend to was looking into getting her cell phone fixed or getting another one. She didn't want to be out with you without her phone so she had Mamaw take you for the day. It turned out that you had slobbered on Mama's cell phone so much that you had gotten the keys stuck. The gentleman at the cell phone store took it apart and cleaned it up for her at no charge and now it seems to be working fine. Your Mother hung out at Wal-Mart for over three hours waiting for me to get off work so I could meet her there. The longer one stays in Wal-Mart the more one is inclined to spend. Your Mother had $200 worth of groceries in her cart when I arrived. After we checked out at Wal-Mart we went over to Chili's and had supper. I had a half rack of ribs and a piece of chicken and your Mother had a philly cheese steak sandwich. It was okay but I really don't care much for the bar & grill type restaurants. We like Cracker Barrel, Mi Mexico, Golden Corral, CiCi's and Outback. Those are our favorite restaurants.
      Today you are eleven months old. This is your last new month. Your Mother has big plans for your birthday party. I hope everyone she asks to attend can make it. She rented the party room at Falling Springs Recreation Center where we are members. Your first birthday party is going to be a pool party. You love water so much that we both think that would be something you will certainly enjoy. I tried to take your picture for your eleventh month photo on my web site but you were so tired when I got you home from Mamaw & Papaw's that you were not in a smiley mood at all. I put one up from a few days ago but I will get a better one tomorrow. All of your monthly pictures are not done exactly on the day you turned whatever month it may be, but it's within a few days anyway.
      I'm gonna let you go for now because your Mother has to go to work tomorrow and I have the privilege of caring for you while she is at work. She has to go in at seven in the morning and work until seven in the evening. Daddy loves Rebecca!