Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                  Hello to my little sick girl. None of us feel very well right now, as your mother mentioned. You & your Mother came to wake me up at noon today and we all laid in bed for a little while playing. I was so excited when you gave me my first kiss but not nearly as excited when you gave me my second kiss unsolicited. I was just so excited about it that I had to do this short blog to tell you about and to thank you for loving your Daddy and of course, as always and forever, Daddy loves Rebecca.
Dear Rebecca,
                  Hey there, little one. Right now you are watching Elmo's world from Sesame Street. Apparently Elmo has gotten an email from Oscar. My, My. I wonder if Jim Henson ever imagined his muppets would be so up on modern technology?
      We are all very sick today. None of us slept very well last night. Especially Daddy. I guess his cold kept him up and made him sweat very badly. If there is one thing you will learn about your father, little girl, it's that he absolutely hates to be hot. He'd rather freeze his behind off in six feet of snow than be hot. I don't like being hot or cold but your daddy really hates being hot. Needless to say, he didn't go to work this morning because he had very, very little sleep. So did I. You are the one who got the most sleep out of the three of us, although that is not saying much because your sleep was fevered and light and you woke up shortly after we did this morning. You woke up at four thirty a.m., if that gives you any indication of what time we got up. You are so sick and stuffy but you are still your usual and happy self. I wish Daddy and I could be happy when we are sick, I guess because we are older we just feel miserable.
      I am sorry I did not post more while Daddy was off, but he was posting quite a bit and I was busy taking care of you and trying to get housework done, although much of the housework attempts were to no avail. Finally on Saturday and Sunday I decided to ignore your father and proceed with my clean up anyway so it wouldn't be so much work on me Monday morning when he went back to work. So, yesterday morning all I had to do was wash our bedcovers and dust and vacuum both of our bedrooms. I finished up very early and got us both dressed. We read a book and played a while then you took a nap and I fixed my hair and put a little make-up on because sometimes I don't really wanna feel like such a slob. After you got up we had lunch of grilled cheese and peas and you watched a movie while I sat here on the computer contemplating something to do but nothing here caught my interest. It was almost ninety degrees outside so I decided a trip to the park for you to swing was in order. First I stopped by Cassie's house to see if she wanted to walk with me, she is pregnant and walking really helps your body before and during labor. She didn't want to go because she was cleaning so you and I set out and when we got there the park was packed with little kiddies and some babies your age. You really enjoyed looking at them and waving at them while I was pushing you in your swing. After you tired of swinging I put you in your stroller and we began to walk around the walking trail they have there. I saw a worm next to the creek and I picked it up on a stick to show it to you. It began to curl around the stick and you got quite tickled with it. A little piece up the walk a butterfly landed right on your nose and that just sent you into a tissy. You yelled "EEEE EEEE! EEEEE!" and shook your arms the way you do when you are very excited. We walked all around the walk a full time and then another half time and I saw an old friend of mine named Sammy and we talked for a minute. He said he is getting married to someone else I know from way back when in June. I told him congrats and we exchanged small talk, said good-byes and I put you back on the swing for a bit. You enjoyed it a little more because all the kiddies were gone and you could really concentrate on your fun. Then I put you in a little rocking toy they had their for babies and you thought that was big fun. You were getting tired and a little fussy though, so I got you out and fixed you your afternoon bottle and fed it to you in the shade of the pavilion (picnic area) there at the park. You took about four ounces of it and then I layed down your changer mat on the picnic table and changed your diaper and then we headed for the truck to go to Kroger.
      At Kroger I needed soda and I wanted some raw chicken so that we could grill it for grilled chicken salad. I got the soda, the chicken, & a few other items. As I made my way through the store, tons of sweet little old ladies and a lot of other people made comments on how beautiful you were. You had two ponytails atop of your head (which I call twiggy tails) and everyone thought they were super cute. I can hardly go anywhere without someone telling me how beautiful a baby you are. They are right! You are beautiful. I knew it just wasn't my imagination. One little old lady said your pony tails were the horns to hold up your halo. I told her "If the shoe fits"... I thought that was so funny.
      We came on home and when we got here you were so tired that you went right to sleep in your bouncy and I started on supper. Daddy came in and said he was going to wax the rest of the Explorer while I had it parked out front (he has been driving the car to work for gas price reasons... it's almost $2.50 a gallon now). I baked the bread and cut up the salad and decided to invite Mamaw and Papaw for supper. They came down to eat with us and we had a grand old time. We all sat out back and you ate spaghettios and half a banana and a few bites of Mamaw's dessert, angel food cake. That angel food cake was super yummy. I iced it with whipped topping and cut up strawberries to go over it. While Mamaw was here you gave her two big kisses and that excited her a lot.You wouldn't kiss Daddy though, and for that he says he is going to shave off his goatee. He thinks maybe you do not like it. Mommy likes it but you are the only one who matters.
      After supper and after Mamaw & Papaw went home, Daddy put the cars up in the garage and I got you started on your bath. We brushed your teeth, what you would let me do of them, because you are getting to where you don't like that now, and then I stuck you in a tub of bubbles and toys and a little bit of vapor bath to help your cold. You enjoyed it as you always do and then I got you out and put your PJ's on you and I gave you your nighttime feeding and you fell fast asleep. I put you in your bouncer again because of your little cold and sat with you a minute to make sure you were really out and then I came downstairs and Daddy posted a blog while I filled out some pages in your hardcover baby book. Then we attempted to go to bed and get some sleep but none of us could so today we are taking turns on that act and right now it's yours and Daddy's turn. You are both asleep. So, on that note, I am going to let you go and clean the kitchen up a little. I love you, Rebecca!

Monday, April 11, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                  It looks as if w.bloggar is back up and running. I wonder what the problem was. I reckon I will never know.
      Sometime around the middle of January you waved for the first time; you were six months old. Today your Mother tells us you said your first word and it was "bye-bye"
      We are all so very proud of you. You gave Mamaw two big kisses today. She was ecstatic over her kisses. You have been kissing Papaw for forever. You've recently began giving kisses to your Mother but poor ole' Daddy hasn't gotten a kiss from his little princess yet. I'm sure I will soon. I know you love me by the way you smile and laugh when I play with you. You just want to be stubborn because you know how much I want sugars. You have also started to reach for people because you want to be picked up. I was changing your diaper this afternoon and when I was finished you reached out, as big as you please for me to pick you up.
      You are getting so big. Saturday while you were at Mamaw & Papaw's we lowered your crib mattress so you won't tip over the railing when you start to pull yourself to a standing position. You'll start standing very soon. We're also going to have to retire your changing table because you want to squirm around so much that we are afraid you'll squirm off of the table and that would not be acceptable in the least.
      We discovered why you have been waking up the last few nights. You have a little summer cold. Saturday you spent the day at Mamaw & Papaw's and your nose was so runny; we thought that maybe you had allergies like your Mother but thankfully it was just a cold. Sunday night we gave you some Little Noses baby cold medicine and you slept better than you have in a few days. You still are very stuffed up and can't rest like we would all like you to. Your Mother & I hate it when you are ill. I am getting a little cold myself; your Mother says I have been getting it for a week and that I gave the cold to you. She says she's coming down with it as well. We'll all get better but being sick is never fun.
      Today was my first day back to work after being off for the past two weeks. You slept late because of the medicine and I didn't get to see you before I left for work this morning. I missed you very much. You & I had lots of fun while I was off. Sunday afternoon your mother took a long nap and we just laid on the floor and played for hours & hours. I would get up to go do something and you would cry so I would have to get back in the floor and play some more. I loved it as much, if not more than you did.
      I am tired from my first day back and your Mother is always tired so I am going to close this post out and go to bed. And as always, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Saturday, April 09, 2005

Dear Rebecca
There seems to be some kind of problem with W.bloggar. I can't log onto my blog using the program. I hope it's not permanent as I would hate to lose that great program. I can't figure out how to make paragraph indentions using blogger.com's website. I'll suppose I'll just skip a line for new paragraphs and hope w.bloggar works later. If I make any egregious spelling errors it's because I have no spell check without w.bloggar. Woe is me, woe is Mommy, woe is us.

My vacation is now officially over. It'll be nice to get back to work if for no other reason than your's and your Mother's lives can get back to normal. I am a big distraction for both of you. She's always complaining that she can never get the house work done when I'm home from work, but I think our apartment still looks fabulous.

You have developed a little problem in the past week. As you may recall from an earlier post, I mentioned that you slept with us in our bed at the hotel when we visited Hazard last week. Apparently you really liked it because you have gotten to the point that you must be cuddled up to someone to really go to sleep. You are in bed with your Mother as I set here typing this. I gave you six ounces of your formula and rocked you back to sleep but the moment I laid you back into your crib you woke up and cried. I rocked you to sleep again and tried to put you down but again you woke up and fussed. I rocked you back to sleep for a third time and on orders from your Mother I took you to her. I am sure that when I return to work your Mother will get you straightened out regarding this problem; and it is a problem. Aunt Lynn says that one of her boys did that and she had a very difficult time breaking him from it. I'm sure that the three of us will be able to fix it, or should I say the two of you. Your Mother is an unbelievable Mother and I have every confidence in her.

We went to Nicholasville yesterday and bought a big heavy concrete flower pot, some potting soil, some flowers and we ate at the Golden Corral. We got back around 3:30 in the afternoon and Aunt Lynn was there with her brood so they could go to Nicholasville themselves. Allison wanted to take a test run at babysitting you, Jonathon wanted to play Sims 2 and Jacob just wanted to be in my presence because I am such a beloved uncle. At least that's what I like to tell myself. Everyone got an ice cream off of the ice cream truck that drives through our neighborhood. We all had a grand old time. Then I took you up to see Granny while your mother mopped the kitchen floor. Mamaw was up there and both her and Granny were excited to see you. You had worn an extremely cute bam bam ponytail in your hair all day but it finally came out over at Granny's. Your hair stuck up in such an amusing fashion after your little hair tie came out. After we all returned from Granny's we bathed you and your Mother put you to bed, where you would not end up staying and your Mother and I watched an episode of Lost from the Tivo. Mommy went to bed then and I went outside to the garage to get the camera and I ended up waxing half of the Explorer and polishing most of the chrome on it at midnight.

Allison did a fabulous job on her test run babysitting you. She fixed your formula, fed you and changed your diaper. Yours is the first diaper that she has ever changed, don't you feel proud? I believe next time she sits for us we will take a real quick trip to the store just to give her a small sample of being alone with you. Your mother and I have every confidence in the world that Allison will be an outstanding babysitter for you. We trust you with a very short list of people and Allison, even though she is inexperienced with little one such as yourself, is on that extremely short list.

Well, I want to watch a little television before I head to bed. I don't want to stay up very late because I have to get my nose back to the grindstone Monday. I also have to lower your mattress tomorrow. You will be pulling yourself up into a standing position soon and we don't want you to go tipping over the railing. I have been meaning to do that all week but just never remembered it when I had the time to do it. I'll let you go for now and as always, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
               I'm still on vacation for a couple of more days. I'm already beginning to dread heading back to work. We have all had a really great time with me being at home. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and later after that you have an appointment to have your pictures done at Sears. We plan on having pizza at Cici's for lunch. It's cheap, fun and the food is pretty good.
      You woke up in the night last night and we really couldn't figure out why you did. I think you were hot. The temperature is climbing fast this spring; I hope we don't have a really hot summer. I got up with you and let your Mother sleep in this morning. We had lots of fun this morning. You have hit a growth spurt today apparently because you have been hungry all day. Babies do that though, they eat more during growth spurts and you are a baby who is eating alot, ergo you are in a growth spurt.
      Aunt Allison brought by Allison today so she could drop by their copy of The Incredibles DVD and so she could pick up the copy of Mom at Sixteen I had burned for her. She has already seen it many times but she wants to watch it a whole lot more. Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney have that film on their Tivo but they wanted to get rid of it. Mamaw & Papaw stopped by this evening on the motorcycle and you had big fun setting on it with Papaw. Granny and Aunt Linda also dropped by to see you. Everyone was glad to see you.
      You have started clapping your hands lately. It's so cute. Papaw Lawrence also thought it was a trick; he said, "Watch it pat it's hands together."
   Your hair is starting to get a big ole' cow lick too. We think that maybe the length is just awkward right now.
      Well, I'm gonna let you go for now, Little Girl. Daddy loves Rebecca!

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                  I'm still off from work. This week is vacation, whereas last week was a temporary lay off. We had some more fun today. We took you back to the indoor swimming pool at Falling Springs. You wore your cute little Dora the Explorer bathing suit and some little swimmer disposable diapers. You had big fun but spring break started today so the pool was positively crawling with children. Your Mother was afraid that there might be a little too much splashing for your taste, so we didn't stay long.
      After the pool we went to the bank for a little money and then to Dairy Mart for some Copenhagen for me, your Daddy. Then we headed for Big Spring Park for a stroll around the walking course, some bubbles from your bubble wand that Mamaw & Papaw bought for you and finally some swing time. We decided that you needed a nap before your park adventures so we kept on driving. We have learned that a drive will put you to sleep easier than anything else in the world so you get lots of drives. That is going to have to stop though because today we paid $2.19 per gallon for gasoline and your Mamaw told us that it had gone up to $2.30 later that afternoon. As I was saying, we took you on a drive. We drove out Tyrone Pike all the way to Lawrenceburg. Once there we decided to keep on driving so we ended up taking you to Old Fort Harrod State Park in Harrodsburg instead of Big Spring Park. It was a long drive but we all enjoyed it immensely, that is until the return ride home along the Bluegrass Parkway.
      The sun was in your face and the baby shade we have on the back window wasn't at the correct angle to block out the sun. You love the outdoors and you love the wind in your face but you don't care much for the sun in your face. Your Mother said she was going to make some calls to see about getting the windows tinted on her car so you will not have to worry about that again.
      Well, I'm gonna let you go. I am tired and I have to burn a movie called "Mom at Sixteen" for Allison onto DVD. As always I want you to know, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Sunday, April 03, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                     Right now you are upstairs sleeping so sweetly. Every now and again I hear you sigh and you just sound so comfy. I wish I was up there in my bed doing the same thing but I am giving Daddy a chance to get to sleep before I head on to bed because if I don't he'll hop up and I highly doubt I will get to sleep in tomorrow. In addition to that I want to play a little bit here on this computer thing. I never get to do that hardly.
   Today you are nine months old exactly. At least for the next fifty minutes it is your nine month old birthday. Happy birthday! On a sadder note, yesterday Pope John Paul the Second died. I am sure you know this by now but the pope is the head of the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul ll was the second longest running Pope in history. He was only superceeded by Peter, a disciple of Jesus, who was the very first Pope centuries ago. That is saying a whole lot, since Peter was the Pope for a very long time.
   I am sure Daddy told you all about our trip to Hazard. Daddy was shocked and amazed at how some people lived down there. I felt inclined to tell him that your very own mother spent quite a lot of time in the very same situation. It is difficult and sad to live that way; I am glad you will never know that kind of life. A lot of very bad things happened when Mommy was little but thankfully when God closed that door to Mommy's life he opened a window and I crawled out of it and started a whole new life for myself. I am so glad I did because now that life includes you. I can't tell you how very much I love you little girl.
  We went to church today and you stayed in the daycare. They said they had a ball with you. You played with another little baby with a toy dinosaur they have there in the nursery. After that, we went to Meijer and Wal-Mart to grocery shop today, but not before we stopped at Captain D's for lunch. You had a couple french fries and some carrots baby food. Daddy said he would mention this to you but I'll go ahead and tell you now; I broke the ends off your french fries so you wouldn't scratch the roof of your mouth with them. They were pointy and very rough and I didn't want you to get scratched. There is nothing worse than a scratch on the inside of your mouth. Daddy thought it was so funny that he called Mamaw to tell her all about it. However, the news seemed fruitless in illiciting the response he expected. Apparently Mamaw dissects your french fries. After Captain D's, it was off to the store. We got our produce at Meijer because it's supposed to be better there. I can't say that I was too impressed. They had a wider selection of items, no doubt, but a lot of the produce I saw was bruised and no good. I don't know if it had been picked through or what; I can't say. I know the Fuji apples were picked through because there were only seven sad lonely beaten and bruised apples left. I don't reckon Sunday is a very good day to grocery shop anyway, especially the Sunday before Spring Break. Everyone and their sister and their sister's best friend and her second cousin once removed on her Daddy's Granny's side was out today. We got all our produce and we headed to Wal-Mart.
   We had planned on getting your picture taken at Wal-Mart, but the woman said that she couldn't squeeze you in until four thirty. That was too long to wait considering it was only almost one o'clock. I had a sailor suit on you that I basically had to paint onto your tiny baby body because it was a six to nine month outfit. I know you are only nine months old right now but you can never go by those things. You must go by the wieght specifications. That is the only accurate way. I wanted to get that photo of you taken in a sailor suit really badly because Daddy has a baby picture of himself in a sailor suit, too. Alas, it did not work out. I am afraid that you will never wear that sailor suit again. Oh well, I tried. Daddy didn't want me to be upset but I couldn't help it then Daddy got mad at Mommy. Mommy apologized but whenever things like that happen well your Dad just doesn't take it too well. The argument pretty much put a damper on our fun and we just finished up the grocery shopping which had now become a chore. You were tired and so was I and your father was still upset so I tried to hurry up and get out of there as fast as I could. We got home though and you were a sight to see playing with your toys in the floor and getting so tickled because you were so VERY tired. You only had one nap today. Dad and I watched America's most wanted after we cleaned out the pantry and out the groceries away and then we got you into your bath and all ready for bed and you took your bottle and in less than three minutes you were out like the proverbial light. Your Dad always uses the word proverbial so I thought I would do that in honor of him. We are going to Sears to get your picture taken in a different outfit on Tuesday I think, but we took a lot of pictures of you in your sailor suit with the digital today and for that I am glad. Mommies and Daddies fight sometimes but we always love each other and we always forgive each other. Remember that little girl; no matter what, Mommy is always going to love Daddy. No matter how we argue or disagree, nothing will change that. I will always love you, too. Sometimes families argue and disagree too. But they never stop loving each other. On that note, I am going to let you go. I love you, my little angel.

Friday, April 01, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
               Happy first April Fool's Day, Rebecca! No one played any practical jokes on you today, little girl. However, we did take a trip yesterday into a surreal place known as Fork's Branch or some such name, in Perry County. I'll tell you more about that in a little bit.
      Thursday morning we all woke up early because we had gone to bed early on account of us all being very tired from detailing your Mother's Taurus. You took a nap shortly after you awoke and your Mother & I finished watching Ladder 49; we were too tired to finish it the night before. Then we kind of hung around and waited until it was time to go get my check from work. We decided to eat first and then go pick up the check. We ate at The Cracker barrel. I had breakfast, your Mother had chicken fingers and you had a grilled cheese sandwich which is what you always have. You got a side order of carrots but you didn't care much for them. I gave you a few bites of my grits and you seemed to love them, of course I dress up my grits with salt, butter and sugar. I have always thought they are yummy and apparently you do too, but your Mother hates them.
      We then picked up my check, filled up with gasoline, got us a few bottles of water and set out on your fifth trip to Hazard. It was a beautiful day for a drive and we all had a splendid time. You slept all the way down and your Mother & I listened to a cassette tape that we made using the Tivo, our stereo and our computer. We arrived but no one was around. We let ourselves in Aunt Mary's trailer and she had a dog inside that she had assured us was an outside dog. His name was Little Bear and he was a very sweet dog and you liked him a whole lot but he was a bit hyper so we decided that we would get a hotel room instead of staying at Mary's. We called the Super 8 where we usually stay but they were booked up so we had to stay at the Day's Inn. We really didn't care much for the Day's Inn. Next time we'll just book ahead with the Super 8. Aunt Mary was at work and Papaw Lawrence hadn't expected us so early so we just watched some television in the hotel room until Aunt Mary got off from work at the vet clinic where she works. Finally she arrived at the hotel.
      She had to take a friend home who is the brother of her teenaged boyfriend. She wanted to show you off to his family. She wanted to drive you there herself; your Mother would have none of that. Aunt Mary is not the best driver in the world. I wanted to keep you and your Mother at the hotel room and wait for Mary to return but I was outvoted so I drove you & your Mother while Aunt Mary drove her friend. We had considered all going in our car but they absolutely had to smoke on the way and we do not allow anyone to smoke around you. We drove and drove along the curviest road I had ever driven in my entire life. It looked as if big chunks of the road had broken off and fell into the creek that ran below the road. As we drove the road became narrower and narrower. Your Mother's heart was in her chest. We began to see houses the likes of which I didn't think still existed in the year 2005. Nothing more but ramshackle shacks with outhouses and satellite dishes. I know that you know what country is, but what you know is country charm. What we experienced yesterday was nothing more than country squalor. I was blown away by what I witnessed yesterday. It looked like a third world country. I half expected the Feed the Children host to walk out and tell me that for the cost of a cup of coffee a day I could help one of these impoverished families get food and decent medical care and that the number was at the bottom of my screen.
      After we got back from the year 1897 we had to have a taste of civilization and what could be more civilized than Wal-mart; so off we went. We bought you your very first swimming suit and some disposable swimming diapers. We found a good deal on pampers so we bought some of those and a few other odds & ends that added up to much more money than I thought it would. We stopped at Taco Bell and got something to eat and went back to the hotel room. You had a bath and we laid you down in the vanity area of the bathroom. Aunt Mary and her teenaged boyfriend came over to the hotel room and we all played Scattergories until midnight. After they left your Mother & I chatted for a few minutes and then we went to bed. Last night was a first for you in the fact that you slept between us for the very first time in your life. Your Mother wasn't very happy with you being in the bathroom so she took you to bed with us. Every time I stirred she told me not to roll over on you. I would never roll over on you. She was just being her silly overprotective Mommy self. I really enjoyed you sleeping with us.
      We all woke up around seven o'clock this morning. Your Mother had purchased some doughnuts and milk for breakfast. You decided you wanted my milk so I ended up giving you most of my milk out of a big persons cup. You can drink very good out of a big persons cup. We then loaded up and left the hotel only to have to go back after we realized that we hadn't checked out. We eventually made it to your Aunt Mary's. Aunt Mary had bought you a whole bunch of toys and you played with those for awhile then you & Aunt Mary took a nap while your Mother unsuccessfully tried to take one. Your Papaw Lawrence & I watched the news. We then all went with Papaw Lawrence to pick up his goverment check. We looked in some shops in the shopping center where Papaw Lawrence does his banking and we had a quick lunch at McDonald's. We returned to your Aunt Mary's for a little while and then we took her to her work so she could show you off to her colleagues. We then took her grocery shopping at Wal-mart and then we went back to the trailer to pick up your Papaw Lawrence because we were going to take them out to eat. We went to Applebee's. I had a glazed orange chicken dish of some kind, your Mother had a steak and you had a grilled cheese sandwich, of course. The waiter was terrible so I didn't tip him at all; your Mother wasn't very happy about me not tipping but what is tipping if not an evaluation of the services rendered and I evaluated his service as very poor, ergo no tip.
      We then headed home just as it was getting dark and rainy. It was a very harrowing trip home. You & your Mother slept most of the way home and it certainly was a good thing your Mother slept because she would have been a nervous wreck. We came upon two accidents along the way home. I knew that if I was careful and didn't go very fast on the unfamiliar roads we would be just fine. The trip usually takes us two hours but it took us two and a half hours tonight. We all made it home safe and that is what is important.
      We gave you a bath because you were a sticky mess from a watermelon-blue rasberry push-up lollipop. We got unpacked from our little trip. Your Mother read a chapter in the book she is reading now, The Purpose Driven Life and drank a diet Dr. Pepper then she went to bed. I sat up and spent an hour writing this blog out. I am going to play around a little bit here on this computer and then go to bed. Remember, little girl, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
               We all had another very busy day today. As you know, I am still on vacation; to be exact this week I am laid off and next week I am on vacation; so we were all able to go to the court house to take care of the registration on the Explorer. We stopped off at the bank next to the court house and cashed a huge check of nine whole dollars that we got as a rebate for some blank DVDs I had purchased from Staples. We used that money to get me a can of Copenhagen and an Ale-8-1 from the little convenience store across the road from the apartment. Your Mother had washed her car today after I got out of bed. She had been cleaning the house all morning so she was already very tired when we left for the court house. After we returned I pulled the Explorer out front and pulled the Taurus into the garage and I waxed it while your Mother cleaned the inside and the windows. You sat in the garage in your walker and your portable swing. You got your socks so dirty that we had to throw them away. The Taurus looked fabulous when we had finished. I am very proud of the job we did on it. I washed my truck out front while your Mother did something in here, laundry I think. After that we cooked steaks out on the grill and you sat out there with us. We ate and then you had your bath and you went to sleep very quickly because you hadn't had your last nap of the day. So here we are all very tired. Your Mother & I are going to watch a movie, Ladder 49 so we can return it tomorrow before we head down to Hazard.
      We have to pick my check up from work and deposit it before we leave. I certainly hope we don't have a repeat of the debacle that happened at Christmas when the checks didn't come in. I'm sure it will be fine. Well, I reckon I will let you go for now. Remember, Daddy loves Rebecca!

P.S. You'll be very sorry to hear that Kentucky got beat Sunday night in the elite eight by Michigan State in double overtime. I am incredibly bummed out over that fact. I just hope Louisville or North Carolina, who both made it into the final four, do not win the national championship. That would really break your Father's heart.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello there my beautiful little girl. We have had such a big day today. Today you went swimming in the swimming pool for the very first time ever at the Falling Springs Arts & Recreation Center. We have a membership there until October. We were going to leave you in the day care facility they have at the gym and go swimming by ourselves but it was closed until four o'clock. We thought maybe Daddy would swim some then I would swim some but at the spur of the moment we decided to strip you down into your onesie and your diaper and get you right in the pool with us. You loved it so much! You splashed and splashed around in that big pool. I wonder what went through your mind while you were in that pool. You really love the water and you love your bath so I was thinking maybe you thought "SCORE! The world's biggest bathtub." It was big fun for all of us and all of the people at Falling Springs thought you were so cute and adorable. They are right, I must agree.
   After we went swimming we stopped off at McDonald's for a happy meal which we ate at the park where you went for a swing. We saw another little baby there, a little black girl they were calling "Ray Ray", her name was Rayshawn, and I let her hold the bubble wand Mamaw and Papaw bought for you and I don't think you were real fond of that idea. However, you did like seeing the baby and interacting with her. After we finished eating and we made a few attempts at the bubble wand which were next to fruitless because of the lack of wind, we let you swing on the swing a little while but you were getting so tired that we took you off and put you in the stroller and walked around the walking trail they have there. On several occasions you threatened to fall asleep but I do believe that nature was keeping you awake. We finally got you into your natural habitat in the car and took a drive to Lawrenceburg and you had a good nap there and back. We spilled some of your bubble solution in the car though so when we got home I had to wet-vac that out. We invited Mamaw & Papaw, Lynn, Rodney & The Kids over the phone to come and cook out brats, hot dogs, and sweet apple sausages with us. Mamaw & Papaw came and so did the kids but Aunt Lynn and Uncle Rodney had to do paperwork at Rodney's dad's house. You had big fun playing with the kids and Mamaw and Papaw and Mamaw and Jacob and Allison took you on a walk up the street and back. After we ate and everyone left Daddy and I tried to clean up the kitchen a bit while you were watching one of your movies but you were so very tired that I came in to get you ready to put you to bed. You had your teeth brushed as usual and your nightly bath and seven ounces of formula with cereal and then you fell fast asleep on my shoulder. Daddy finished cleaning up the kitchen while I tended to you and now we are going to watch a little TV and then I am going to bed because I have to clean up the house tomorrow because we are going on a Hazard trip Thursday. We are so impressed with you little girl and so very, very proud of you. You are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to us and we thank God every day that we have you. WE love you so much. And I love you more than a monkey loves barrels. Goodnight, my pretty one.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                  Happy Easter Morning Rebecca; at least it's still morning as a write this little blog post. We are between churches right now so we were confronted with a small quandary; what church should we attend for Easter services.
      Our first option was the church that we had recently left, Mortonsville Assembly of God. Well, maybe we didn't recently leave but we left all the same. You've only attended one service there, your first ever church service. The congregation only runs maybe a dozen people and most of them are older people. Our next option was to attend a church that your Aunt Lynn & Uncle Rodney go to and the same one that Cousin Allison is really into. She's the one that asked us to come to the one service that we did attend. King's Way Assembly of God is the name of this church. I have a long history with King's Way. That is the church I attended from my birth. I grew up in King's Way Assembly of God. Of course it wasn't always called King's Way; it used to be Versailles Assembly of God until the built a new church on Kingsway Drive near the Merewood subdivision, then they changed the name to Kingsway. After they built an even newer church on Versailles Road across from the castle they changed the name once again to King's Way. Same name different spelling. The one service we attended was nice but Kristie thought that everyone was just a smidge to fancy for her so we decided that we would look elsewhere. Aunt Lynn told us about Woodford Community Christian Church and had mentioned that she had heard great things about that church and that she herself would like to try it out but since Allison is so heavily into the youth group at King's Way she would stay there. For some reason I thought we should find out more about the church before we attended.
      Eventually, we made our final decision; King's Way would be the church we would attend for Easter services. They were having a sunrise service at seven Easter Morning. When we got there we realized that the service was to be outside. We had not prepared for that. You weren't nearly bundled up enough and I didn't even have a jacket or anything so we went home. It was important that we all attend Easter Morning services somewhere. Your Mother & I decided we would just jump in and try Woodford Community Christian Church. They had an early service at nine that morning so we went there.
      You behaved like an angel. You were as good as gold and you enjoyed the music and looking all of the people, of course the people all enjoyed looking at you as well. You had the cutest little Easter dress on. It was a little sleeveless blue dress with a big flower on it. You also wore little white stockings and white sandals. You were such a cutie. Your Mother seemed to enjoy Woodford Community and I liked it a bit better than King's Way. Your Mother is a people person and having lots of friends is important to her, I however really don't care if I get to know anyone or not. I have you and your Mother and our whole extended family and that's all I need. I would prefer that you be more like your Mother than myself. I want you to have lots and lots of friends and you can't do that if you never see anyone. There's lots of other babies at Woodford Community. You love interacting with other babies. I hate it that you don't have any other children to play with. We hope that attending a decent sized church will solve that quandary.
      We're going to try Woodford Community again next Sunday. We should have been in church since you came home. I know this is not an excuse but when you first came home from the hospital your Mother wanted to rest and the only day that I could get up with you and play Mommy was on Sunday mornings so that eventually became her day to sleep in. Granny isn't to happy about our decision to attend a church that isn't pentecostal in nature but I have never really been comfortable with some of the spiritual theatrics that goes on in a pentecostal church. I believe in the dogma and doctrines of the more sensible pentecostal churches such as the Assembly of God denomination. There's some crazy snake handling, no pants or makeup for women, no dancing or movies believing pentecostal churches in the mountains where your Mother comes from. She's even attended such churches in her childhood. As I said, I do believe in pentecostal dogma, I'm just not personally comfortable with it. Maybe that's wrong but I have always felt that way, even as a child. I'm more of a reserved person and pentecostal services are about being very demonstrative in your worship. Nope, that kind of thing just isn't my cup of tea.
      The Easter Bunny came last night. He brought you a Dora the Explorer basket. Your Mom won't let you at it until this afternoon when we go down to Mamaw & Papaw's place for our family Easter celebration. It's raining today, but it always rains on Easter, so the Easter Egg hunt may be a sloppy wet encounter. I'm just glad you are still yet a little too young to get into that kind of muddy mess.
      You went out with Mamaw & Papaw Friday night. We stayed here and watched Ray that I had taped on the Tivo. You had a fine time. They took you to Captain D's and had two french fries from there and you had some ham & apples baby food. Then you all went to Sam's Club and Wal-mart. At Wal-mart your grandparents bought you some pretty summer clothes and a bubble wand that your Mother & I think is real fun. You also enjoy looking at the huge bubbles. This thing makes the biggest bubbles I have ever seen.
      Kentucky defeated Utah Friday night and they will play Michigan State tonight for the regional championship and a trip to the final four. I sure hope we win. Well, I'm gonna let you go for now and relax a little before you wake up from your nap. Maybe I'll get this thing posted on Easter morning after all. Remember, Daddy loves Rebecca!

Friday, March 25, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                  Greetings & salutations, little girl. Well, I'm off from work for the seventeen days. I'm real excited about being able to spend a whole lot more time with you and your mother. Your mother & I had a little spat this afternoon; it was over nothing. She was just very tired from getting up with you in the middle of the night and I have been over sensitive to any little slight for the longest time. Everything is fine now, of course, it never wasn't fine. When people live together there is eventually going to be spats.
      We rented Ray on pay-per-view this evening. I wasn't real sure that we had done it correctly. This makes only the second movie we had ever rented pay-per-view from cable. We did it wrong; we bought the showing before the one we wanted. I really want to see the movie so I purchased it again for the time I wanted. I am going to Tivo it and burn it so we can watch it at our leisure. Ray is the life story of Ray Charles who died shortly after you were born or maybe shortly before, I just can't recall at the moment. He was a very talented musician who had to overcome not only racial prejudice but also blindness. Both your Mother & I enjoy his music very much.
      I am going to burn some westerns to DVD now and watch some television. I really don't want to be up to awfully late but I want to be able to enjoy some alone time as well. And as always, Daddy loves Rebecca.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello my little pretty piggy. Right now you are watching Grover talk about going to Australia and pretending to be a sheep. Grover says he knows that sounds kind of nutty but he has nothing better to do. Boy, Grover must live the life of Riley. You really enjoy your Sesame Street. I just paused this post to put you down for a nap. That was nearly twenty minutes ago. You didn't seem to want to go. Now you are watching Sesame Street again. Elmo is singing the Up and Down Song. It eerily resembles Jingle Bells. Now he's singing Elmo's world with his special guest the yo-yo. Anyway, on with the post.
   So far we have had a pretty good day together. You woke up last night at two fourty five and I got up with you, gave you a bottle, and rocked you back to sleep. Three times I might add. You kept waking up. I finally got desperate around four a.m. and put you in your swing. By that time, however, your dear Mommy was wide awake. So I got up and took a nice long shower while you slept the rest of the night in your swing. I do believe I am going to have to pause this to feed you now. My goodness, you are an eating machine.
   Well, here I am again. It is almost one o'clock now. I started this post a few minutes after noon. But, baby Becca bird always comes first. You just ate a four ounce bottle really quick and then we played for a minute in the chair. You were rubbing your eyes and I could tell you were tired so I took you back upstairs to put you down for a nap. First the bouncy, and you kicked like a mad child. So I switched you to your swing. You fussed and cried and arched your back but I am an insistent Mommy with nothing better to do than write here in this blog thingy and put you down for a nap.
   Anyway, this morning after you woke up we read a book that has a squeaking fish on it. The book is called "Look Around With Little Fish". You really enjoyed it so we read it again. Then I changed your diaper and gave you a morning bottle. Then we commenced to come downstairs, still in our jammies I might add, and have some oatmeal with bananas for breakfast. Well, you did anyway. This morning Mommy fixed Daddy a special breakfast of biscuits and gravy and sausage. I ate some of that with him before you woke up. After your cereal we began to play in the floor a while then you got tired so I put you down for your first nap. You didn't sleep very long but while you did I made the bed and emptied the dishwasher and played my game The Sims 2 for a little bit. When you woke up you were hungry so I gave you a three ounce bottle and then you had spaghettios for lunch. My did you ever make a mess with those spaghettios! It was so fun to watch you eat them that I took a whole bunch of pictures and a movie of you doing it. You really are a sight to see.
   After you "ate" your lunch, I decided to clean you up real good with a quick bath in the sink. I know you are too big for it, but you always seemed to enjoy it and I already had the stuff down here. Besides, it was just a quick clean up. You enjoyed it and I took a couple of pictures but you really are too big for it because you didn't have any room to play. You didn't even have any room to slip and bonk your head. You were all cramped up in that old sink. Not to worry though; you had already had your head bonk for the day. You tried to pull one of your toys off the shelf and it hit you right smack in the noggin. Mommy's poor baby. I could barely console you but when I took you to see yourself in the mirror those tears dried right up and out popped your sunny smile. Speaking of sunny, after your bath I put one of your 'new' outfits on. It's one of the outfits we bought at a store called "Once Upon A Child". They sell gently used baby clothing. Some really nice stuff, too. The little outfit you are wearing is really a Spring/Summer outfit and it's a bit early for it, but I figured since we were not going anywhere today and we were just hanging out at home, it would not hurt for you to wear it. And my, don't you look smashing. It's orange and pink and yellow with a picture of a sun on it. It just screams the fact that you are my sunshine. After I put your outfit on you and took some rather darling photos if I do say so myself, we went back to watching Sesame Street. I told Daddy over the phone that it was Aretha Franklin singing but I do believe I was mistaken. It was Patty Labelle that you were getting so tickled at singing the alphabet song with all those puppets. Patty Labelle is a very famous and a very good, I might add, lady rythym & blues singer. When you are older you won't appreciate her in the least. You'll be fond of whatever music is popular at the time. Which is the way it should be, I reckon. And now we are right back around to the point where you are down for your second to last nap of the day. You are snoring peacefully but I am here to tell you you did not go gently into that good nap. Hee, Hee,.
   Aunt Lynn called earlier and said that she has to change the date of cousin Jon's party because his three very best friends are going to be on vacation in Florida at the time. My, that must be nice. I'd like to jaunt to Florida on any given random day. Really I would. Of course I'd have to take you and Daddy with me. It just wouldn't be any fun without the two of you. Daddy is going to be off for two whole weeks and I am very excited about that. We hardly ever get to spend a whole lot of time with Daddy and now we will. I am sure we will think of some very fun activities for you to do while he is off too. Like taking you to the park. My how you loved swinging on that swing! I know for fact that we are going to Hazard one day and maybe spending the night, depending on how warm it is. Who knows, maybe we will and maybe we won't.
   I keep thinking of things to mention in this post. Two more things and then my rambling will end, I swear. You have a new pet. It's a Betta fish named Spike. He's purple and pink and really pretty with lots of wavy fins. The next thing is - you have a new jig. Seriously. You have this little thing you do when you are propped up on your hands where you rock from side to side real fast. This is your new jig. I hope to get a video of it before you get bored and move on to something else. Well little girl, I will let you go for now. I love you baby bird!

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
               Happy first day of spring, Baby Girl. It was a great day for the start of spring. It's a Sunday, of course, so we all went to Big Spring Park. You swung on the baby swings and loved it. We also all took a walk along the path at the park. There was a bunch of children there and they were picking up little garter snakes that they found along the path. Your Mother didn't like that at all. I am not real fond of snakes either, as you may well know. The kids were real nice about it though. They could tell that your Mommy wasn't a big fan of the snakes so they kept their distance from her. I was quite impressed with the consideration that the boys displayed.
      You are feeling much better after your recent bout with a cold. You still have a stopped up nose and you are still taking your antibiotics for your ear infection but you feel much better. Your Mother & I both have been very worried about you while you were sick. We hated hearing you all stuffed up and miserable as you were trying to get to sleep. You woke yourself up in the night coughing and you never got enough sleep. We are so glad that you are better.
      You spent a large part of yesterday with Mamaw & Papaw. Papaw picked you up on his way home from work. You kissed him as big as the world. You have only kissed Papaw; you won't even kiss your Mother or me. You sure do love Papaw. They say you had a grand time down there yesterday. They both love you very much. I just this moment had to change one of your poopy diapers, ewww, you can be a stinky little girl.
      You still haven't begun crawling yet. I wish you would but I here that sometimes babies sometimes do not even crawl; they just begin walking earlier. That would be fine as well. You get around very well though; you roll over and over to get exactly where you want to be. You also have begun getting into a setting position from lying on your back. You are developing very nicely and I am so very proud of you. You are going to be a very special human no matter how fast you develop. It is said that Albert Einstein didn't even begin talking until he was two years old.
      I have to work four days this week and then I will be off for two weeks and a day. I am excited about spending time with you while I am off. I miss you terribly while I am at work. We are planning on taking our fifth trip down to Hazard with you. We are just taking a day trip down to visit with your Aunt Mary & Papaw Lawrence. They love seeing you. It's a shame they don't live closer so they could see you more often.
      You wore your first Kentucky Wildcat T-shirt again yesterday. Kentucky played Cincinnati in the NCAA tournament. I wasn't very confident in our chances in the game because we had nearly been beaten by Eastern Kentucky in the first round of the tournament. I really wasn't to sure whether or not I wanted you to wear the T-shirt or not because the first time you wore that T-shirt Kentucky lost. I decided to take a chance that it wasn't you and your T-shirt that caused Kentucky to lose and we put it on you with a pair of jeans and a denim jacket. It wasn't your T-shirt that caused Kentucky to lose the first game because we won against Cincinnati. Kentucky next plays Utah in the sweet 16 next week. I'll have your Mother put you back in your T-shirt.
      I know it's been a long time since I posted but I suppose as you get older we will begin to post less and less. It just seems that there is never enough hours in the day to do everything you want to do. I suppose I will let you go for now and remember, Daddy loves Rebecca.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Dear Rebecca
                  Hello there my little baby bird. One year ago today we found out you were a girl. Yep. I remember it well. I was SO excited that day. I woke up early and waited and waited for the time to go to the doctor to come around. They whispered to your cousin Allison what you were. She knew before anyone that you were a girl. When they told me you were a girl I was so very very happy. At first Daddy wanted a boy but he says now he couldn't imagine having anything but a girl - or any girl but you. Your Daddy and I both love you so very much. This was just a short blog to tell you about finding out you were a girl. Right now I have to tend to you because you are rolling away from me! I love you, Rebecca.

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                     Hello there my little sweet baby bird. Right now you are upstairs sleeping in your swing. You are sick so you seem to want some way to recline so that your nose will drain a little better. It was just you and Daddy for your bedtime routine tonight; I went to see a movie called Million Dollar Baby with your great aunt Linda. It was a really good but sad movie and we had a really good time. It was all about a female boxer. I won't tell you anymore because the whole family reads this blog and I don't want to give anything away. It's not that I think you'll watch it someday or anything; just don't want to ruin the movie for the rest of your family. Daddy said you did very well with going to bed for him; of course I did not expect anything less with you. You are such a wonderful baby, even when you are sick. We are so lucky to have you.
         We had a good day together before Daddy got up. He slept in this morning. You seem to be doing a little better with your cold so this morning after your first bottle you had some oatmeal, strawberry yogurt and toast for breakfast. I was so proud of you for eating; you hand't been wanting to do it since you got sick. After your first nap in your bouncer down here where I slept next to you in your love seat, I got your tub seat out and stuck you in it and let the bath fill up enough to where you could reach your toys. I proceeded to take a shower while you were in your tub seat. You thought playing with your toys and watching me shower was big fun. After I was all clean I sat down and cleaned you up real good, then we played with your toys some more. I bought you a new bath scrubbie with a hippo on the end of it; you kept giving me a "bite" of it. I would make a gnawing sound and you laughed and laughed. After that Daddy got up and I got you dressed and put you down for a nap and he was here with you while I went to mail your brother's stuff for his birthday and get my hair cut a little. By the tine I got home you had woken up so I gave you a bottle and put you in your high chair to eat some fruit puffs Daddy bought you while I cooked our lunch/dinner of BLT's and Chips.You fussed the whole time I cooked and the whole time we ate so I put you back down to finish out your nap. When you woke up the second time you seemed to be in a much better mood. Thats when Aunt Linda stopped by and we decided on the spur of the moment to go to a movie. It was a lot of fun and I hope we can do it again real soon. Well little girl, I am tired and I want to do a thing or two on the computer here while Daddy is asleep. I love you, baby bird.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
               You have a cold and the cold has prevented your inner ear from draining so you also have an ear infection. We took you to the doctor today. You were up all night long because you felt so bad. Your Mother stayed up with you the whole time and I was up quite a bit as well. I went on to work this morning but your Mother called and told Me to come on home at lunch so we could take you to the doctor's office. The doctor gave us some antibiotic for you that you were supposed to like because it tastes like bubble gum; you absolutely hated it. We wasted more than we were able to give you. We sure hope you are feeling better real soon. We hate to see you feeling poorly.
      We spent the evening over at Granny's place. You got to see Papaw while you were there. Granny got a new chair that lifts her in and out of it. She has been having a hard time getting up and down, ergo her back has been bothering her. We all hope that the new chair eases some of her discomfort. I sure hope you will be able to remember Granny. She has always been such a very special person to me. It's a shame you didn't know my grandfather, Granny's husband, Bambi Dee. His name was Willie Dee or maybe Willy Dee, but I couldn't say Papaw so I ended up calling him Bambi Dee. I don't know how I came up with that but he was always Bambi Dee to me and he will always be Bambi Dee to me.
      Well, you are asleep for now and I want to set down and relax with your Mother for a little bit so I will let you go. I love you, Rebecca.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
               Hello little girl. I here you upstairs cooing as your Mother rocks you to sleep for the night. You don't feel very well this evening. You had an appointment for the doctor's office but a scheduling snafu prevented you from going; the doctor's snafu. I think you will be fine though. No one really believes you are very sick because you are such a sweet natured child. You always laugh and smile; even when you have a terrible bug. Your mother suctioned out your nostrils tonight and you did not enjoy that experience at all. You didn't smile through that. You screamed for all you are worth. I had to hold your little head steady as your mother suctioned and I hated it so much, as did your Mother.
      You and your Mommy had an adventure last Thursday. I doubt if she was ever going to mention it. As you know, she recently got her drivers license and has been doing a wonderful job about driving around Versailles. She got just a little too brave the other day and decided that she could make it up to General Electric where I work. She started out and got the both of you so lost. She eventually had to stop at a shopping center on South Broadway and borrow a cell phone and call me to come and get the two of you. I was very upset with Mommy but when I saw your smiling face my heart just melted. Your Mother will be a great driver one day.
      What else has happened in the last week? We gave the old Escort station wagon to your Aunt Mary this Friday afternoon. You got to visit with your Papaw Lawrence and Aunt Mary. They were both very excited to see you. We left you down at Mamaw & Papaw's when Aunt Mary left with the car; we had been keeping the old car down there. Your Mother & I came home because we wanted to watch a movie in peace for a change. It was very nice but we missed you something terrible. After the movie, The Notebook, we went down and got you. You are giving kisses now but only to Papaw. You won't even give your Mother or I a kiss. It seems that Papaw is your favorite.
      Well, your Mother is downstairs now and you are quiet so I must assume that you are asleep. Your Mother is pouring herself a diet Pepsi and I am closing out this post. We are gonna watch some television. I love you, little girl.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Dear Rebecca,
                  I know I haven't been posting here as much as I would like but I have a new toy to play with on the computer so I don't get around to everything I need to do. I have been burning children's movies onto DVD that I have recorded and transferred using Tivo. I hope you will like the films. I've burned Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Brave little Toaster, Brother Bear and many others. I think you will enjoy them in years to come.
      You scratched your face today with your fingernail. Your Mother has been trying to trim them for the last few days but you just don't seem to want to let her do that. After you scratched yourself however, she trimmed them no matter what you thought of the situation.
      You will be eight months old tomorrow. I took a few pictures of you today and you were so pretty that I decided to use one of those as your eight month picture on the web blog. You are such a pretty little girl.
      Well, I reckon I'll let you go for now. I'm sure I will post a longer entry this weekend. I hope so anyway. I love you, Rebecca.
Dear Rebecca,
               Hello there, my pretty baby bird. Right now you are upstairs sleeping in your bouncer. You've had a big day today. This morning you & I went to Standish Motors, where Mommy bought the car, so that Mommy could get her car inspected by the Sherriff because it had an out of state title, or some such nonsense. I don't know why; I just know it had to be done. When we first got there, no one was around. So I parked and got your stroller out and we went across the way to Dairy Queen for some lunch. You had a grilled cheese sandwich and I had a double cheeseburger & fries. We both enjoyed our lunch very much. After lunch we shared dessert, a butterscotch sundae with whipped cream. You enjoyed it immensely; you love whipped cream, like ice cream alright, and you absolutely love butterscotch. I like butterscotch too so we were both extremely happy campers while we shared such a yummy treat. Everyone at Dairy Queen made a big fuss over how incredibly pretty you are. I just beam with pride & joy every time someone says that. I am so very very proud of you.
   We were so full that we only finished about half of our ice cream treat. Then I cleaned up the table & floor around you and got you all cleaned up and put you back in your stroller and rolled you over to Standish Motors. They were there this time and we went in and waited for the man who sold us the car to get off the phone. I was unsure of all the rigamoro that I had to go through to get this done but luckily for me it was really easy; I just handed him my keys and he took the car to the sherriff to get inspected. While we waited his son came in and he made a big fuss over how cute you were; He said your hair reminded him of Bam Bam on The Flinstones because it was so blonde and it was sticking straight up. I thought that was cute. You do look a little like Bam Bam. That'd be a cute nickname but for me you'll always be my Baby Bird. Or My Pretty Piggy. Whichever mood I am in at that particular moment. Daddy calls you "Little'un". After the man who sold us the car came back we loaded up and were headed home. I decided that I would drive you a bit and because it was so nice outside and that's when I saw a friend of mine, a nice man named Tommy. He was putting a little boy on the bus to kindergarten. Someday you will go to kindergarten too. I decided to stop, go in and say hello. I really hand't planned on staying that long but Tommy's mother, Bobbie, has a tendency to keep you visiting once you drop in. I know a few people like that. I also saw Roxie, who is also a friend of Mommy's. These are all family members of Mommy's friend Nancy, who passed away a few years before you were born. She was a very good friend of mine, and I am sure you will hear a lot about her in the days to come. Roxie has a little dog named Hope; it's a little poodle that's very old and not very patient with kids. You tried to pet her and play with her like she was Sadie or Ruffy and Hope snapped at you. She's really a very sweet dog but just old and can't see well but when she snapped at you Bobby smacked the fire out of her. I was glad she did too, because I was ready to kill that dog. I'd hate to hit someone else's dog, but if that dog would have bit you I don't think it would have lived another day of it's old tired little life. We were up at Roxie's place when the dog snapped; we went back down to Bobby's place after that when Roxie left for work. Bobbie has a big dog named Poncho. Poncho is very gentle and he let you play with him; I was glad that the little incident with Hope snarling and snapping did not 'scar' you. You still love puppy dogs. One day we will get you one, I promise. Right now I have to devote all of my time to taking care of you, so you'll just have to be pleased with playing with Ruffy and Sadie on visits to Mamaw & Papaw's & of course Aunt Lynn's. As usual everyone that stopped by to visit Bobbie and Tommy and Bobbie and Tommy themselves made a big fuss over just how beautiful you were, and again you were extremely entertained by Roxie's little boy, Cody. He jumps up and down to make you laugh. We really are going to have to find some more kids your age for you to play with. As usual, again. you were your excellent, friendly, happy little self. If I never say it again, Rebecca, I'll say it now; Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, my little baby bird. You are such a pretty piggy.