Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Only Four days and nineteen hours until Christmas. We went shopping like I said in my last post. We got stuff for everyone except Jon, Jacob and Allison. We took Becca over to the family dollar Saturday so she could do her Christmas shopping. She got to pick out a present for everyone that she is close to. Papaw and Papaw Lawrence each got a stick of deodorant, Auntie Lynn and Aunt Mary got some hair ties, Rodney got a noise making toy, her teacher, Ms. Dykes and the teaching assistant, Mrs. Bush each got a little ceramic bell, Sadie got a chew toy and everyone else got a nice gift from Becca as well. I think we all had fun Saturday. Mom and I plan on finishing up Friday.
      Becca and Grant are not going with us Friday because we want to spend some time together, just the two of us. We both feel that in order to maintain a healthy loving relationship we need to make time to be alone with one another from time to time. We need to date like we did before we got married or before we had children. I don't know where they will be yet but they won't be with us. We want to go out to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then see an early showing of a movie called "I am Legend" with Will Smith. We wanted to go see it last weekend but it didn't work out that way. That film made 77 million dollars last weekend and in 2007 that's a lot of money for an opening weekend. It set a record for a December release. It has one of my favorite themes, a post apocalyptic setting and one Mom's favorite themes, zombies so we are both looking forward to seeing this movie. Then we are going to finish up our Christmas shopping. We should be done early but we don't want to be rushed so we have to decide where the best place will be keep Becca & Grant. Maybe they'll go to daycare, maybe they will stay with Mamaw or maybe we will have Alicia watch them. Becca loves visiting Alicia's many kids. Mom and I will decide later today I suppose.
      We went down to Hazard Monday after Becca got out of preschool. We really didn't leave until 1:30 or so. We stopped at Little Caesars and got us one of those cheap to-go pizzas. They used to be five dollars but they went up to five dollars and fifty-five cents. Still it's a great bargain. The pizza is not the best in the world but what do you expect for five dollars. We also bought a two liter of soda and we ate pizza and drank soda in the Explorer as we started our trip to Hazard. We got down there and Auntie Mary wanted us to exchange gifts right away. Becca really got into opening presents. That bodes well for Christmas morning. She got into it so much that when it was my turn to open up my own presents she insisted that she "help" me open mine. I absolutely love opening Christmas presents and if I didn't love Becca as much as I did she would have lost a hand when she started ripping into my packages. Auntie Mary got Becca a purse, a toy make-up kit, some toy jewelry and maybe one or two items that I don't recall. Mom got Auntie Mary a nice make-up kit, hair care products, perfume stuff and a shirt. Auntie Mary doesn't get a big Christmas from anyone except Mom. Papaw Lawrence got a heavy plaid shirt, old spice cologne, and cream drops. We usually get him a carton of cheap cigarettes but your Mom decided that she wasn't going to help Papaw Lawrence kill himself this year.
      The big gift Becca got while we were down there was a new kitty. The cat loved up on her so much and she loved up on the cat so much that Mom & I just couldn't say no. We had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a crate to haul her kitty back and food, litter and other kitty stuff. We believe the cat is male but we haven't taken the time to flip it over and check. He's certainly a friendly and lovable cat and the only cat I've ever known to be like that was my own kitty cat, Samson. I had Samson before the kids were born. We had to move into an apartment the day before Becca was born so we had to get rid of my cat. Anyway, Samson was a friendly cat and Samson was a male cat so that is what leads me to believe that Becca's cat is a male. Becca named her cat Fluffy. I would have chosen a name like Scruffy or maybe even Hazard. Hazard would have been a cool name for that cat. I hope Fluffy works out better than that foul tempered puppy named Wal-Mart. Fluffy has done okay so far. He's not supposed to be on the furniture but he's sleeping on the couch right now. Becca wants him to sleep with her. We are going to get the cat's shots done and have it checked out with a vet and then we might try to coax the cat to sleep with her. Becca gets so excited around that cat though that I am afraid that that will not work out.
      Becca had a singing thing yesterday at preschool. She wore her brand new Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer light up shirt we got at Wal-Mart. She loves her light up shirt. When she moves around Rudloph's nose lights up. Mom stayed at school today to hear the singing and she said that Becca was assaulted by the other children poking her in the chest trying to get the shirt to light up. Mom said that she told them to quit poking her that she would get it to light up on her own. It's a really cute shirt. It also has Clarissa on it as well and Becca loves Clarissa just as much if not more than Rudolph; of course she is blown away that they also have girl elves at the North Pole. I think she's going to be a girl power kind of girl and I am all for it. My daughter can and will do anything she sets her mind to.
      Yesterday after both Mom & I had a little nap we headed out to Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park. We asked Mamaw if she could keep Grant because he wouldn't have had the least bit of interest in anything that went on at Southern Lights. We took him down there and then we went and picked up Alicia Cowing's two oldest boys, Brady and Brycen. Becca loves playing with those boys. Brady is five and Brycen is two. We then headed toward the Horse Park. I finally figured out the best way to mount Becca's portable DVD player in the explorer. I put bungee cords around the front seat head rest and slid the player in between the cord and the head rest. It worked like a charm. Anyway, the kids watched Rudolph on the DVD player as we drove to the park.
      We got there and Becca and Brady were absolutely blown away by the lights. They both had a fabulous time. Brycen falls asleep when riding in a vehicle and we couldn't wake him up so he slept through the drive through the lights. I wish I could have seen the look on my daughter's face as we drove through Southern Lights. After the driving tour it was time for everything else. They have a great Christmas festival type thing at Southern Lights. We first stopped by the petting zoo. We saw kangaroos, donkeys, pygmy goats, regular goats, miniature antelope, a camel, a highland cattle bull, some llamas, a porcupine and some other animals that I can't remember. Becca liked the pygmy goats and the llamas the best. She said the goats were sweet and the llamas reminded her of Linda the llama from Go Diego Go. I like that highland cattle bull. I learned last year that he loves to be scratched under his chin. He'll stretch out when you do that and act like a five hundred pound dog. None of the kids wanted anything to do with the camel because Mom was talking about how they would spit if they got upset and they didn't want to get spit on.
      Then we waited outside in the cold for the little train ride they have there. Becca loves trains. Eventually our turn came and Becca had a pretty fun ride. We then went inside. I found a giant Christmas themed coloring book. Auntie Lynn and I had a giant Christmas Carol coloring book as we were growing up. Every year we would color one page in it on Christmas Eve. I wanted the exact same book for my kids but they quit making that book in the late seventies. The book I found was Twas the Night Before Christmas and not nearly as high quality as the one from my childhood but it was the only one I have been able to locate. We bought it and now Becca and Grant can color a picture in it every year on Christmas Eve just like I did as a wee lad. Maybe I will even help them out.
      We then grabbed us a hot dog and a soda apiece and took a bathroom break. I wish we had time to do the explorium exhibit in the basement of the horse museum building. I think Becca would have had fun with that. We next went to see Santa. We waited in line forever. The Santa at Southern Lights was not anywhere near as good as the one in the Fayette Mall. Brady & Brycen got their pictures made with him and then Becca told him that she wanted a Baby Alive and a monster truck. I keep telling her that Santa has marked the monster truck off of her list because she touched the Christmas tree when she wasn't supposed to but she still says she wants it. She's not going to get it. I took a few digital shots of Becca and the Southern Lights Santa.
      It was then time to leave. On the way out we bought Becca, Brady and Brycen a light up sword thing. We decided to get us a funnel cake and split it five ways. After we had the funnel cake we headed toward the car but as we do every year we stopped and got a bag of real kettle corn for the road. We turned back on Rudolph and headed home. We dropped Brady and Brycen off and then went to Kroger so Mom could pick up a few items. Then I dropped Becca and Mom off at home and I went down to Mamaw & Papaw's to pick up Grant. I got back around 1:30 in the morning. I surfed a bit on the web and then I started this blog post and now I am finishing this blog post.
      I just finished sneezing my head off. We all have colds. I think mine is the worst cold of all but I'm sure if I asked Becca or Mom they would claim to have the worst cold. I'm sure even Grant would claim his cold to be the worst if he could talk. I'm gonna go take some medicine and lay down. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     Only Ten days and 23 hours until Christmas. We're going cheap on everyone this year except the kids. Money seems to be super tight right now and I have no idea why. Mom has a great job making pretty decent money and we haven't had a house payment in quite a few months; we paid ahead so we wouldn't have to worry about it for awhile. I have no idea how we managed to get together that kind of cash. I'm kind of bummed out about the money thing. So as I said before and if you are reading this on the internet and expect to get a gift from us this year you can lower your expectations because while you will get a gift from us it will be cheap and shoddy. Well, maybe not shoddy but it will certainly be cheap.
      There's a huge lay off scheduled for the beginning of the year at work. I'm worried that I might not have much longer at General Electric. I've been out there over twenty years; all my adult life. Looking for a new job is not something I am looking forward to. I have no marketable skills and I am actually kind of frightened right now. Thank God, Mom has her job. Mom says I need to go to CNA school so if I do get laid off I will have something I can do to make some money until I can get a job with pay comparable to what I make now. Mom wants to go to school to become a registered nurse and they get paid great money but it's hard getting into nursing school and that takes three to four years. I would like to go get some kind of training in computers. Maybe become an IT guy or something. Right now I just don't know. There won't be any factory out there that will even come close to paying me what I earn at General Electric. Mom has access to health insurance where she works so that will be a worry off of my back at least. Maybe I can get a job where I can work in a nice office atmosphere instead of in a hot loud smelly dirty factory. I would like that but I still worry about the money.
      As a result of the lay off I am having to change jobs. I thought I was going to get one similar to the one I have now, only easier. I didn't get it. Instead I got stuck doing a job I have never done before. That bummed me out as well. I'm just in a regular bummed out mood right now. I am thankful for my two wonderful children but I want to be able to provide for those two wonderful children like they deserve. I'm sorry if this all sounds like so much of a downer during the holiday season but that's the way I feel right now.
      There are the occasional day when I will be talking to Becca and I will just marvel at how fast she is growing up. Today for instance; we were at KFC enjoying the buffet and we were talking and she seemed to be able to carry on a conversation even better than she did yesterday. I fear she's going to grow up overnight on me. And Grant, he just gets bigger and bigger every day. It won't be long until I can say the same thing about him.
      I know it's been awhile since I last posted but I have been busy on the weekends with Becca and Grant. It's like trying to do two full time jobs at once. I will be feeding Grant and Becca will tell me she wants a drink and of course she wants it right this very second. Just one of then by their self is okay but if you put both of them together it's a real chore. Even more so because I am supposed to be keeping the house in order while Mom is at work and I have failed in that regard. Mom got kind of angry at me the other day regarding this matter. I knew I wasn't doing the best job in the world but I did think that I was making steady, if slow improvement. Oh well, what are you going to do?
      We plan on going to Lexington tomorrow to do a small bit of Christmas shopping. We are going to get stuff for Auntie Mary and Deseray. Becca will be going to the Dollar Tree to do all of her Christmas shopping. Then we have a parent-teacher conference with Becca's teacher. We will be doing everyone else next Friday. That will be quite the challenge.
      I need to get in bed now. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant;
                                 It's been a long week. I worked all weekend like I usually do so the two of you were here with Daddy. I got worried Saturday morning when I called and no one answered after eight a.m. and I called Mamaw and Papaw and had them come up here and check on y'all. Everyone was just fine but we decided that we're not going to Grant sleep in his swing any more at night. We'll save that for his naps.
   Becca, you were up screaming all night last night with your ears. I took you to the doctor today and they are both severely infected. You have really been such a good little girl to have so much going on inside. I am such a wimp that one little ear pain would have had me whining at first sign. You're so very sweet.
   I am enjoying my job at Cardinal Hill but I hate being away from the two of you, Becca and Grant. I look at this blog every time I get a spare minute at work because I can't stand to go two days without seeing your all's faces. I really wish I didn't have to work, that we were independently wealthy and the four of us could go back and forth to Disney World three times a week. Hehe, that's a good thought. There'd be nothing like being in the happiest place on earth with the three people on earth that make me the happiest.
   I forgot to mention in this blog, on an earlier occasion, Grant fell out of a shopping cart in his car seat and banged his head on the door of the Family Dollar. I won't be using the top part of the shopping carts any more. I found out they tell you not to do that for a reason. Grant is just fine though, so thank God for that.
   Becca, you are really getting into the Christmas spirit. I like to threaten you with calls to Santa Claus if you misbehave. Every time I do you beg me not to and tell you will be good. You are a sweetie pie. I could never tattle on you to Santa Claus. But, I won't let you in on that little secret just yet.
   Well, I know this has been a very short blog but I am very tired from running around all day and doing various things with the two of you. Remember, Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     I'm back to work now. I had a pretty good time being off with all of you. Nothing was really accomplished but we had some fun.
      Mom had to work this weekend just like she has to work every weekend. I don't know how Mom can manage two kids all the time and still be sane. One is an infant and one is a preschooler and that amounts to two totally different jobs all together. I'll be feeding one and the other tells me that she wants something to eat or drink and of course she wants it right now. Plus Mom can keep the house looking nice. I am getting better at keeping the house in decent shape. I'm sure Mom would disagree with that statement but I am improving and I will eventually get to a point where Mom is proud of me.
      Mom worked the second and third shifts Saturday and Sunday so she was super tired this morning. After Becca's preschool she dropped the kids off at daycare and went to sleep. I went and picked up the kids right after I got home from work. They checked my identification and the approved list of people who could pick the kids up. I've picked them up two or three times before and this is the first time I've been checked. I didn't mind being checked because I want my kids to be safe and that was a safety routine.
      After I picked them up we went to Lawrenceburg to pick up some icicle lights at Wal-Mart. I found my lights and Becca wanted a sucker so I got one for her. We then went to a playland over in Lawrenceburg. It was a food court type of place with a Long John Silvers, A&W, Arby's, Taco John's and a Hershey Ice Cream place. Becca had a hot dog and fries and I had some stuff from Taco John's. I really didn't like Taco John's all that much. It was much too expensive and it wasn't nearly as nice as Taco Bell. Becca played in the playland forever. She met a little four year old girl named Elizabeth and they played together very well. Becca had a ball.
      Becca told me she had to go pooh-pooh while we were there. She's pooh-poohed in the potty ten out of the past eleven days. We are so proud of her. She went into the bathroom with me and it was nasty. Somebody had spit dip spit on the floor next to the toilet and everything was just kind of nasty. She decided that she really didn't have to use pooh-pooh after all. She went back to playing. Eventually she came back to me and told me she really really had to pooh-pooh. I rushed her to the potty and as I unfastened her bib overalls she told me that it was too late. I told her that it wasn't her fault because the bathroom was so nasty. She would have went in the potty earlier if the bathroom had have been clean.
      Mom eventually called us on the phone as we were leaving at seven this evening. She had woke up and we All were gone and she got nervous. I took the kids out so she could have a restful sleep. Mom has to go back into work in the morning for training. She will have to go to training once a month the whole time she is employed by Cardinal Hill. We got home and Becca got a quick shower and she watched an episode of Wow Wow Wubbzy and an episode of Max & Ruby. Then Becca went to bed. She went pretty easily tonight. She just now called me in there to tell me that her teddy bear she got from Build a Bear, Maggie was stomping around under her blanket.
      Mamaw was here this morning to watch the kids from the time I left until Mom got home. While Mamaw was here Becca asked her if she had heard about Rudolph the Reindeer. She informed Mamaw that the other Reindeer made fun of Rudolph and called him names and he didn't like it. She told Mamaw all of this like it was a breaking news story. I suppose it is a breaking news story to her because this is the first Christmas that she has been able to understand and appreciate the whole Santa mythos. This is so much fun for both her and me. I love Christmas and the whole Santa mythos and I love it that you love it too.
      Well, it's time to put the whites in the drier and go to bed. I am tired. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Thanksgiving really didn't turn out how we originally planned it. Mamaw caught the bug we have all been suffering from the past few weeks from Becca. She really didn't feel like going with us to a restaurant. Auntie Lynn and her small brood went in their direction and me and my even smaller brood went in our own direction. We planned on doing some shopping after we had eaten so we headed on out. The nicer restaurants were absolutely packed so we decided to have our Thanksgiving Meal 2007 at The Waffle House over in Hamburg. Mom had a fiesta cheesesteak omelet and coffee; I had two eggs over medium, grits, hash browns with all of the toppings, grits, toast, sausage and raspberry cola; Becca had a ham and cheese omelet and a soda and Grant had a bottle of Nestle Good Start or as Becca calls it "ewwy milk". We then went to Garden Ridge for Christmas lights and assorted decorations. We had planned on going to Wal-Mart but none of us were really up to it so we went on home.
      The next day I started putting up the outdoor decorations.I hung the icicle lights and came up one string short and laid the light nets over my bushes. One of the nets wouldn't light so I had to get so I had to make a trip to the store for more lights. We had to go to Uncle Mike's for a day after Thanksgiving meal so we made a quick trip to Wal-Mart in Lawrenceburg for lights. We stopped back at the house on our way from Lawrenceburg to Mike's to pick up a pie.
      The meal was actually quite good. It wasn't the same tradition wise because it wasn't on the day it should have been on and Granny wasn't there. I will be glad when people quit trying to hang onto dead traditions. I love tradition but when those traditions have become void of feeling I am ready to move on and make new traditions. I won't go into my views on tradition and the holidays because I've done that time and time again here in this blog so I will let it go.
      We all got home and the kids went on to bed. I stayed up and put the lights on the tree. We had two strings that wouldn't light up so I had to use two strings that I had planned on using for outside. I was cursing all Christmas lights by this point but my lighting problems weren't over yet. I got the tree put up and I think it looked rather nice. We had decided to wait on decorating the tree so Mom could be with us. Luckily Mom got to come home early Saturday and we decorated the tree Saturday night when Becca got home from going with Mamaw & Papaw to pick out their live tree. It took us forever to decorate the tree because Becca was helping us. She had lots of fun but it was still frustrating for her Mom and me. She kept losing the hooks and bunching up the ornaments in one place. Eventually we had the tree looking great and it was time for Becca to place the star on top. I plugged in the star and the cursed thing didn't work. I changed the fuses and all of the bulbs but still no lights. We have to get a new star. Once we get a new star though the tree will look magical. Later that night I looked outside and our icicle lights had quit working so now I have to figure out what the problem is there. I hate Christmas lights. The icicle lights are all new because I decided I didn't want to have to fight none working lights every year. Oh, how I hate Christmas lights.
      Sunday Auntie Lynn and Uncle Rodney went Christmas shopping so Jacob stayed with us for awhile. Becca was excited for him to be visiting. I could tell he was getting bored after awhile and Becca was crawling all over him as he was trying to surf on my laptop. I figured I would go watch a movie with Becca in her room so we went back there and poor sweet Jacob followed us back there and Becca climbed right on top of his head. I made Becca and Jacob a frozen pizza and fed the baby. Eventually Jacob started wrestling with Becca in the floor and I know Becca had an absolute ball and I think Jacob enjoyed it as well.
      Monday Becca went back to school after being out for two weeks due to sickness and Mom adjusting to her new job. After school we went to the Fayette Mall. We ate at the food court there. Mom and Becca had pizza and I had five way chili from Gold Star Chili. We then went to see Santa Claus. Becca had gotten a little nervous but she did great. The over priced picture was nice and Becca told Santa she wanted a Baby Alive. Santa told Mom that he's had an awful lot of requests for Baby Alive this year. I happen to know that Becca will be getting Baby Alive for Christmas this year but not from Santa. Mamaw & Papaw have already gotten it for her.
      This is big news. Becca has pooped in the potty for six straight days. If she can stop peeing in her pull-up she will be completely potty trained. I am so proud of her.
      Well, It's crazy late and I should go to sleep so I will close out this post. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Happy Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving is gonna be a little different than any I have known we have ever known before. For one thing the beloved matriarch, Granny is no longer with us. As a result people are playing a little fast and loose with my beloved Thanksgiving traditions. We still plan on having a big dinner but instead of doing it on Thanksgiving as it should be done we are going to be having it on Friday. We are going to be going out with Mamaw, Papaw, Auntie Lynn, Uncle Rodney and their brood Thursday to Golden Corral. I was ready to let the big Thanksgiving go and have it replaced with a smaller gathering of Mamaw, Papaw and their progeny. I suppose this is a transition year. I've never known a transition year and I don't like it. New Traditions will replace the old ones and for Becca and Grant the new traditions will be the way things were always done. I'm just sad to see the Thanksgiving gatherings I have known since childhood fade away into the past. I'm a very sentimental guy in that regard. After Thanksgiving at Golden Corral our immediate family will be doing a little bit of shopping.
      I think Becca and Grant are finally getting over the bug they've both had for the past week. Things got real bad this past weekend. Mom had to work all weekend and I had come down with the bug as well so none of us felt very good. I was grumpy and tired and the kids just had to suffer through my foul mood. Mom was working second and third shifts this weekend so Becca slept with me Saturday night because I didn't feel like fighting the bedtime battle with her. Becca woke up and told me that she had pooped. She had a bad case of the diarrhea. I cleaned her up and sat her on her potty and I sat down on my potty because I was having the same problem. Becca thought it was funny that we both were having "poo-poo water" as she called it. I really didn't find it all that amusing. The next morning Becca and I both woke up before we were ready to. Mom arrived home about that time and went to bed. I asked Becca if she was hungry and she said she was. She wanted waffles or as she calls them, awfuls with Sausage links and chocolate milk. I fixed her her breakfast as she sprawls out on the kitchen floor. I ask her if she wants to go back to bed after breakfast and she says that she does. Now when Becca tells you she wants to go to bed she has to be feeling terrible. She eats about half of an awful, half of a sausage links and big cup of chocolate milk. I take her to her room and get her snuggled into her bed and as I was giving her a kiss she proceeded to vomit on my face. I have never been able to handle the sight, sound or smell of vomit before but I have realized that when it's your own child in distress I don't give it a second thought. I just held her as she had two more big upchucks and I cleaned her up the best I could with what I had at hand, primarily the parts of her bed sheets that she didn't vomit on. Sheets that have now been trashed. I took her into the bathroom and washed the vomit from her hair and her body, dried her off, put her in a comfy gown and put her in bed with her Mommy with a trash can by her side.
      I felt a little better Sunday but Becca still felt puny. We made it through the day though. Mom got home at around midnight and she and I went to bed. In the night Becca who never leaves her bed once we put her in it stirred us from our sleep by trying to climb in bed with us. She was covered in vomit once again. I took her and washed her off. She was much too jovial to have just vomited all over herself. She gets like that when she gets nervous and scared. The three of us tried to sleep together but Mom couldn't sleep with Becca tossing and turning and chatting us up so she went and slept on the couch while Becca and I slept in the bed. We very seldom allow Becca to sleep in our bed because we both feel that that is a terrible habit to get started but in the case of illness we do make exceptions.
      I felt like crap the next morning so I called in from work. We still all felt terrible but we still had a pretty nice day. Mom had to go to work for some classes for a few hours so it was just the three of us, Becca,Grant and me. Becca's had a few more bouts of diarrhea and so has poor Grant. I on the other hand am still battling the "poo-poo water" bug. But all in all we seem to be on the road to recovery.
      Well, I had better close out this post because we have our Thanksgiving dinner at Golden Corral at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon and then we'll probably be out shopping the rest of the day. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Rebecca and Grant,
                           Today Auntie Mary and Papaw Lawrence came up to see the two of you. Auntie Mary and Papaw Lawrence have never seen Grant in person. They really thought you were the cat's meow, little boy. Becca, they have always thought you were one of the most beautiful kids on earth. Of course, they have always been right.
   We all went to the Flea Mall and walked around a while, after we had hung out here for a bit. We went to KFC and had the buffet for a late lunch/early supper and Becca, you didn't eat half as much as Desaray did. I guess that's why she weighs 30 pounds.
   Daddy told you tonight that he heard Desaray ate more than you did. You informed him that was why Desaray was big. Daddy about laughed his head off, Becca. You really are a funny girl sometimes.
   It had been a long time since we saw Papaw Lawrence. He was doing much better than when we last heard from him. I bought their lunch because I wasn't gonna take Papaw Lawrence's money away from him, he only gets so much a month. He's going to be 54 in four days so I guess we can count that as his Thanksgiving/Birthday present.
   Auntie Mary was glad to see you Becca, and as always you were glad to see her. Auntie Mary sure loves you a whole lot. When she left you threw a fit wanting to go with her, and when I said we couldn't go with her you said we should go sometime soon. I think we are going next Tuesday. You saw that Desaray had left her blanket and it upset you greatly. You informed me that she would be cold without it. We're going to take it to her Tuesday when we go. I'm even going to let you carry it down there.
      Grant you were your usual happy jovial self. Papaw Lawrence got to hold you. He sure thought a lot of you. So did Auntie Mary. Whenever she held you, you could really see just how much you looked like her. You are a dead ringer for Auntie Mary. That's not necessarily a bad thing. She's a pretty girl. Well, she can be when she cleans up. I don't know if you know this, but Daddy and I are very proud of the two of you. You are really beautiful children. Of course we would think so, but we hear that from complete strangers all the time. You kids are really something to behold.
   Everyone is still a little sick, but getting better. Now it's the diarrhea end of the illness. I hate that stuff, because it makes your all's little butts burn like fire because of all the stomach acid in it. Poor Daddy has had it for days. He has issues with it anyway and this has made it no better.
  Daddy is going to be off work for a while and I am really looking forward to spending some time with him and our little family. It's going to be great to have him home with us. I am so excited about the upcoming holiday season, which is unusual for me. I usually contain my excitement quite well but as we speak my left knee is jumping up and down with anticipation. We are so blessed to have each other and I know we'll have a wonderful First Christmas together as a whole family. Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  The kids got sicker as the day went on. Mom woke me up and told me that I was going to call in to work so I could help her with our two vomit machines. We took the both of them to the pediatrician. We stopped at Dairy Queen on the way and got Becca a blue raspberry Mr. Misty which she proceeded to throw up in the truck. Poor Grant vomited right in the examination room in front of the doctor. The doctor told us that they were both mildly dehydrated but to limit their intake of fluids. We were to only give them spoons of pedialyte and gradually increase the amount. Mom also said that she thinks she is coming down with the bug. Mom went into Kroger to get medicine and stuff while the kids and I waited in the Explorer. Becca kept telling me she was thirsty and I have a hard time telling her no. I gave her a tiny sip of soda and made her promise not to tell Mom. She assured me that the soda would be our little secret. When Mom got back out to the truck Becca asked her Mom for a drink. Mom told her she couldn't drink anything just yet and Becca, the little rat, said that I had given her a drink.
      I went on in to work when I got my little family back to the house. I got in a half a day's work. I called the house later that night and Mom informed me that everyone was doing much better. When I got home at one in the morning Becca was up and camped out on the floor of her bedroom because she had vomited all over her bed again. She eventually went to sleep in her room with the big light on. Grant woke up and was able to take five ounces at around 3:30 and it's now 5:30 and he has managed to keep it down so far. He's asleep in his bouncer here in the living room. He's kind of restless but he's not waking up.
      I hope they feel better in the morning. If they don't we are to take them back in to the pediatrician. I do think Grant is doing better. It's kind of hard to tell because neither child has really acted as if they are sick. Becca has been her normal energetic self and Grant has been grinning and hollering up a storm. They both act as if they felt fine except both of them have been puking their heads off.
      Well, that's it for the Lanham health update. Everybody in the house is sick except for me and it may be a matter of hours before I start puking my ample guts out. I don't wanna get sick. I'm gonna close this out and carry Grant into our room so we can keep an eye on him as we all snooze. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Both Grant and Becca are sick this morning. Becca has vomited twice already tonight and Grant has as well. Mom called the pediatrician and they told her there was a stomach virus going around. They told her the kids should shake this in 12 to 24 hours. I hate it when the kids are sick. Neither one of them act as if they were sick but when you are vomiting you are sick. Becca was running all about the house talking a mile a minute about her big girl spit-up and about Grant's boy spit-up. Grant has been his grinning smiley self.
      Becca has been giving us fits ever since the time change. I know I mentioned this last week but it hasn't even gotten a bit better. Every night has become a battle. I don't know if she's really afraid of the dark or if she has just decided to be obstinate. This morning she told me her tummy was hurting but I chalked that up to another excuse not to sleep. I felt like quite the sheep when she came out of her room covered in vomit. Becca will not go to sleep easily at all anymore. She's said she is afraid. We've given her a flashlight, a fiber optic angel that she has named Cheerio Granny because Granny is now an angel and her angel has a halo that looks like a big cheerio, left her door open, and even given her a pacifier. Nothing seems to work. See what fun it is to have a head strong toddler.
      We had our Christmas pictures done last Friday. They turned out very nice. Becca had the most adorable Christmas dress on and Grant had on a snow flake sweater. Before we got our pictures taken Becca had her nails painted at the nail salon next to Portrait Innovations. After pictures we went and had Chinese food. Mom & I wanted Cracker Barrel but Becca absolutely insisted that we have Chinese and since she has become the boss we had Chinese. She just likes eating Chinese dumplings with chop sticks.
      I'm working second shift this week. That's why I am up so early on a Thursday morning. I suppose I would be up anyway what with the kids being sick and all. Something funny has struck me about dear old Mom. When she was younger she lived alone in some of the roughest parts of Lexington and never thought twice about it and now when I'm not at home late at night she becomes frightened here in our little suburban house in our quiet little neighborhood. She had a bad dream the other night and waited up until I got home to go to bed. I fell in love with Mom when she was a head strong teenager with an attitude and now that she has become an over protective mother who gets easily offended by the least little off color remark I love her even more.
      Mom started her new job this past weekend. It was hard on all of us. She left out of here Saturday morning early and didn't get back until almost midnight and she had to be back in again Sunday morning. She didn't see Becca or Grant at all during the weekend and she hated that. She seems to enjoy what she is doing though. We have heard that Cardinal Hill is a difficult place to get hired on at. They seem to be a really great employer. I hope this works out for her. I has Becca and Grant all weekend and they survived. I forgot to give Grant a bath Saturday night and Becca managed to nearly destroy the house but all in all we had a pretty good weekend. I'll get better at managing my two rug rats without their dear old Mother around. Mom has always had a big job staying home and managing the house. I have always respected what she does for our family. I wish it was summer so I could take them down to Mamaw & Papaw's and toss them both in the pool. Grant will be old enough to go in the water when it gets warm again.
      Mom started on her career in medicine for real this past week and it looks like Papaw is calling his career to and end. He signed his retirement papers yesterday. His last day will be in late February. I know I will miss him being out there. I don't think it will be the same at General Electric without my Dad. He's worked hard all of his life though and he deserves to do his own thing now. I am so happy for both Papaw and for Mamaw. I better think about getting a more fuel efficient car though. I'm gonna lose my ride.
      Monday was my fortieth birthday. I'm the big Four-O. I may be getting older but my wife is still ten years younger than I am and that will always be coll. I have to admit it was much cooler when I was 29 and she was still a teenager but still I have myself a young cute woman. She just turned 30 this past July. She's hardly out of her twenties and I am heading into the outskirts of middle age. I may be forty but I don't feel a day over fortyseven. Only nineteen or twenty more years until I can retire myself.
      I'm gonna be off the week after Thanksgiving. Your Mom seemed really pleased when she heard that. She said I could take Becca to preschool and go get her and she could sleep in that week. Mom works hard and I have no trouble doing that. I suppose we will go down to Hazard while I am off as well. Auntie Mary hasn't seen Grant yet.
      I reckon that's all for this morning. I need to go to bed. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  A post in the middle of the week; what do y'all think about that? I'm off for Veteran's Day Monday and we have a one day layoff Friday so I have a long weekend coming up. Next week I have to work second shift for the remaining four days of that week. I get 10% on the hour for working second shift. I guess that's pretty good but I am going to have to drive myself instead of riding with Dad so that just might eat up the extra money. I hope it doesn't. I volunteered for four hours overtime tomorrow night to make up for the Friday I'm getting off without pay. Overtime pays time and a half so that will be a rather nice chunk of change. I don't look forward to twelve hours inside of General Electric but I will appreciate it when pay day rolls around.
      Big news on the Momma job hunt front. Mom got a job working for the Cardinal Hill Unit at Samaritan Hospital as a CNA. She had another job offered to her last week but it was only going to be eight dollars an hour so she decided not to take it. Good for her. Your Mom interviewed at maybe half a dozen places and put in applications at another dozen places and she ended up getting the very first job she interviewed for. I think that this is the one she really wanted. The hours are going to be rough on all of us and especially on dear ole' Mom. She works 16 hours on Saturday and 16 hours on Sunday. The first month she is going to have to do a bunch of extra training sessions during the week but after the first month she will only have to go in to train one day a month. She's going to be making nearly $13 an hour so that's really going to help us out a lot. My new responsibility is laundry. I am to wash, dry, fold and put it away. Of course I am also supposed to step up in helping to keep the house nice and tidy. I am more than willing to do my share. I am so proud of Mom and I think she's proud of herself.
      Becca has been acting afraid of the dark the past few nights. It probably has something to do with the time change we had recently. Becca isn't used to going to bed when it is so dark outside. I'm sure she will get over it in no time.
      This morning around six as I was putting on my jacket to go to work I heard Becca calling out. I went into her room and her blankets were in the floor. I covered her back up and she asked why I had my jacket on and I told her I was going to work and she looked at me with a puzzled look on her face and she asked me why I was going to work when it was still dark. I thought it was kind of cute.
      Well, I'm gonna look at the boob tube for a bit before I lay down. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Greetings children o'mine and other interested parties. It's a little after midnight on Sunday morning. We set the clocks back this morning so everyone gets an extra hour of weekend. I have my wireless television headphones on right now as I have Total Nonstop Action Wrestling playing on the accurately named boob tube.
      This past week was Halloween. Becca went as a pretty purple and pink fairy and little Grant was a tiny giraffe. We got Becca's costume at Cracker Barrel a month or so ago. We paid more for it than we really wanted to but it was such a pretty costume and you did say you wanted to be either a fairy or a butterfly. After we got Becca's we went to Baby's "R" Us and bought a pumpkin suit for Grant. He ended up getting too big for the pumpkin suit. Someone gave a a second hand pea pod suit but that suit was just a little too big so we ended up getting him a giraffe costume. Becca's been very insistent that Grant get a giraffe for Christmas from either Mom & Dad or Santa Claus.
      Becca was awful excited about Halloween. She remembered how much fun she had last year trick or treating. She had a Halloween party at preschool; they actually called it a Fall party because of the controversial nature of the day. Well, at least I assume that is the reason it was a Fall Party and not a Halloween party. Mom loves Halloween but it's never been a big deal for me until I had kids old enough to appreciate the concept of begging for candy from our neighbors. Mom & I got a Halloween outfit for her party at Wal-Mart. It was an orange t-shirt with a black cat and the words purrfectly pretty. Purrfectly; get it? Like a cat. We also got her a pair of black and orange pants with cats on them. It was a really cute outfit. Mom said that it was a good thing we did get you that outfit because all of her other little classmates had Halloween themed outfits on as well. Becca told us she had fun at the party.
      Later that night it was time to go begging for candy. Becca and Grant got all dressed up in their costumes. Mamaw & Papaw came over with Chili and blackberry pie. Mom, Becca and I headed out on our trick or treating adventure. Grant stayed at the house to hand out candy with Mamaw & Papaw. Aunt Louise and Uncle Tommy joined them so they could see all of the kids and their Halloween costumes. Becca got off to a great start. We made our way down South Hill toward Falling Spring Drive. We eventually made it to a house that has a haunted house set up in their garage every year. Becca didn't even make it up the driveway last year. This year she actually made it inside. She was only in their for a split second until she decided she really didn't want to do the haunted house. Becca said that she would go through the haunted house when she gets bigger.
      We made our way back down South Hill going the opposite way. We headed up a side street and then got back on Colony Drive and worked our way all the way back home. We saw Auntie Lynn and the boys twice on our adventure. They were trick or treating with Cathy or Kathy Sanders, Auntie Lynn's friend and her kids. We also saw a classmate of Becca's, Bowen and his Mom & Dad. Becca told us at first that Bowen was mean to her and that's why she didn't wave at him from across the street but later when we ran into them again she informed us that Bowen was her best friend.
      Last year we only made it up and down South Hill but this year we made it up and down South Hill and an equal distance on Colony Drive. Even though we doubled our coverage it seems that she got less candy. Maybe I'm wrong but it just seems that way. She may have gotten less candy but she certainly didn't get any fewer compliments. Every house we stopped at told her that she was the cutest kid they'd seen all night. I assumed that they said that to all the kids but Mom who accompanied Becca to each house said that the various kids in front of them didn't get the same kind of compliments. She was awfully pretty in her fairy costume.
      Becca had a problem with her costume itching her back so we had to make frequent back scratching breaks and the occasional candy break as we progressed through our adventure. The last hundred yards or so Becca got tired and I had to carry her the rest of the way. She had a big day and we all had a whole lot of fun.
      Trick or Treating was great and all but it wasn't a perfect day. Last Sunday it got a little cold outside so we decided to turn on our furnace. When we went to switch it on it wouldn't work. We thought about calling Fayette Heating and Air again but since they charged us $700 to fix our central air this past summer we were afraid they'd try to rip us off again. Papaw said that he could probably fix it himself but he isn't an expert with furnaces so he also could probably blow up our house. Your Mom called an outfit called Budget Heating and Air and they quickly sent out a lady who crawled under the house with Papaw and myself. She tried one thing after the other but eventually said that she didn't have any idea what the problem was, charged us $50 and left. Mom called out Climate Control the next day which was Wednesday. They came right out and told us that Fayette Heating and Air had wired our system wrong. They rewired the heat and it was fixed or so we thought. I was so pleased to have the furnace fixed. Not having heat was really bothering me. It was warm on Halloween so we decided to turn on the air conditioning. We switched on the air but nothing happened. The fan wouldn't even come on. I was incredibly bummed out by that little twist. Mom called out Climate Control again and said that Fayette Heating and Air had so thoroughly screwed up our system that when we went to go from heat to air the transformer blew and wiped out our whole system. It was fixed once again and they told us they would send us a bill. I have no idea what we will have to pay and I am not looking forward to finding out but at least we have both heat and air.
      The other night as Mom and I were putting Becca to bed I tooted while I read a book to her. Becca crinkled up her nose and put her little hand on my arm and asked me if I had to go potty. Mom just about busted a gut laughing. She'd heard her Mom ask her that so many times that the question was just the natural thing to ask. After the story had been read it was time for her lullaby. She's taken a liking to the song You are my Sunshine because Mom will rub her back as she sings it. Well, I decided that I would sing along on this particular night but as soon as I began Becca told me that she only wanted Momma to sing it because I wasn't very good. That time both Mom and I cracked up laughing.
      Thursday night Becca went home with Papaw to spend the night down there. Mom went to bed as soon as I got home. Grant slept awhile and then he woke up so it was just me and him. I was feeding him and when I went to burp him he just turned his little head towards me and grinned from ear to ear. He has grinned at me before but that was always when I was acting a fool for his benefit. This time he turned to me on his own and gave me a big smile. My love for that little boy tripled in that moment. He is such a good baby as well even if he is flat out spoiled for his Mommy. We thought that we would get us a fussy baby because our first child, Becca was such a good baby but Grant is just as good as she was. He eats a whole lot more than she ever did but Mom and the pediatricians say that is perfectly normal.
      Yesterday Becca went to the 5th birthday party for a classmate of hers from preschool, Joshua. The party was at Kid's Zone in the Lexington Athletic Club building. We'd been there once before and Becca really enjoyed it. Becca brought aquadots as a birthday present. We had to buy her a tiny set of aquadots as well. I think she had a nice time at the party. She was following Joshua around for the first part of the party and I didn't care much for that. He just wasn't paying Becca the attention that she deserves. Then I thought that as she gets older I will still be upset when boys don't pay her the attention she deserves but I will be even more upset when they do pay her attention. I have a feeling I am going to be a rather stressed out Dad. Becca was the very last person to leave the party. She stayed at Kid's Zone even after the birthday boy left.
      After the party we went to Rally's for supper from the drive-thru. We then headed home. Mom went straight to bed and slept forever. I put both Becca and Grant to be by myself. No one got baths last night because Grant was demanding so much of my attention and Becca wanted a snack or a drink every time she turned around. It was a pretty good week all in all with the huge exception of the furnace going out and us having such a hard time getting it repaired.
      Well, Halloween is over. My 40th birthday is right around the corner and I consider that the official start of the Danny Lanham Christmas season. Then we have Thanksgiving. Without Granny Thanksgiving is going to be really weird. I think Mamaw, Papaw, Auntie Lynn and her brood and our little family are going to go out to a restaurant Thanksgiving day. Uncle Mike is going to host a larger family Thanksgiving feast the day after Thanksgiving. This is a transition year. Old traditions will finally be laid to rest this year and I'm sure new ones will develop in years to come. It's funny because whatever we decide to do for Thanksgiving will be the way that Becca and Grant will always remember Thanksgiving and I'm sure they will feel the same way about that tradition as I have about the traditions of the first half of my life. That is only if they are as sentimental about the Holidays as I am. Poor Mom doesn't have the deep seeded love for the Holidays as I do because while I always had a warm loving family and joyous consistent traditions she was shuttled in and out of foster homes since she was just a little girl. I think only now that since she has children of her very own does she see that their truly is magic and wonder in the air during the Holidays.
      Time to close out this particular blog post. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     Once again I'm up way too late posting a blog. Actually it's Sunday morning and I need to get in bed soon. I just wanted to check in with y'all this week.
      We got some Halloween books we ordered through Becca's preschool early this week. One was about a skeleton with a case of the hiccups. Mom was reading Becca the story and she asked her Mom why the skeleton had bones. Her Mom told her it was because he didn't have any skin or flesh and that she had bones under her skin and flesh as well. Becca told her Mom that she couldn't see her bones and when her Mom told her that her bones were hiding under her skin Becca wanted to take a big bite out of her arm so she could see her bones. Becca is a funny little gal. Becca is really enjoying this Halloween season. I think she's a lot like her Mom in the fact that both of them enjoy the idea of monsters and ghosts and actually they both like to get a little scare in their entertainment every now and then. Mom loves horror films and we rented an animated movie called Monster House for Becca a few weeks ago and when we asked if it scared her she said it was scary but when we offered to put in another movie she balked. I really don't like being scared. I enjoy a good eery ghost story every now and then or an action packed zombie movie but those really don't scare me at all. I'm more frightened by taxes and bills. Now stuff like that can keep a guy up at night.
      As Mom was saying Becca went to Boyd's Orchard with her preschool Thursday. She had a ball. It rained the day before and the fields were muddy so they didn't get to go out in the field to choose their pumpkin but they got a pumpkin all the same. All the kids and some of the adults were ready to go out in the fields but some of the more hoighty-toighty adults didn't want to get out in muddy fields; bummer.
      Becca spent Thursday night down at Mamaw and Papaw's. She's done that for the past few weeks on Thursdays. I think Mom really appreciates it because Becca can be a hand full especially when so much of our time is taken up by Grant. Two kids are four times the work as one kid. I thought one more kid wouldn't be so much more trouble. Becca never was much trouble until she got old enough to get a mind of her own. I was shocked to find out how much more work two can be. It's fabulous work though. Mom has written in a message board somewhere else on the internet that while her life has become a never ending struggle of diapers, wipes, frozen chicken nuggets and baby formula this is the best time of her life. Anyway, Becca got to roast marshmallows around a big bonfire back in the field on Papaw's land. She had an outstanding fall day.
      Mamaw & Papaw watched both kids while Mom and I went to Lexington for some adult time. We went to Toys "R" Us to scout for Santa, Best Buy so I could look at all of the pretty toys for daddies in there, Olive Garden for supper, the mall for Grant's first Christmas ornament; Becca's big Sister ornament; an ornament for Mamaw with her grandchildren's names on it and an ornament honoring our dearly departed and sorely missed Granny, Wal-Mart for a few odds and ends and then down to Mamaw & Papaw's to get our children. We had fun today. We spent too much money but we are 98% done with Christmas shopping and it isn't even November yet.
      Well, I'm gonna close this out. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca and Grant
               Yesterday was a big day for the both of you. Becca, you and I went on a field trip to Boyd's Orchard with your school while Mamaw came up to sit with Grant. We had a fabulous time. When we got to school, we were the first ones there. We beat the teachers. You were rearin' to go on your field trip, but first you had to eat breakfast. They brought your breakfasts to the classroom and after all your little friends arrived you guys ate and pottied and were ready to load up on the bus. You were fussing with me to stay with you, but when you heard you were going to ride the bus to the Orchard, your eyes lit up something huge. That's all you've talked about since you started school. I snapped many pictures of you on said bus, and the whole time you looked extremely happy.
                  We got to the orchard and you informed me that you saw a dog. You really love dogs. When we first got there we went inside a big barn and listened to a woman talk about all different kinds of pumpkins and squash. The woman kept asking us if we could be quiet. I kept thinking in my mind that No, we couldn't - because we were three. Then we went out to go on a big hay ride. While we waited in line we got a doughnut and some apple cider, which was really good. Then it was off on our hay ride. We saw all the apple trees and the pumpkin patch and a strawberry patch and many different things. We were lucky enough to get to sit next to an Orchard worker who was explaining to us all the fields we were passing. We really had fun on that hay ride. Then it was time to go and see the animals. They don't let you pet them anymore, which is really just as well with everything that's going around. We saw goats, lambs, turkeys, and chickens. You especially liked a chicken with a fuzzy top on her head. You informed me that she was the Mama chicken and her name was Beep Beep. I really thought that was a good name for a Mama chicken. Then it was time to go down the big slide. You really enjoyed that. You went down it twice and then you decided to play on the little playground. You ran all around that playground. I was chasing you around it with the camera and could only catch up with you a few times.
               After the playground, it was time to pick out your pumpkin. You picked out one with lots of green around it. I was allowed to get one too so I told you to pick one out for me as well. You picked a pretty little orange round one. It's sitting on the entertainment center right now.
               After we got back from the field trip, Mamaw took you to her house to play and stay the night. You always love going down there. They spoil you rotten. You are very lucky to have such good and nice grandparents, little girl. Mommy barely remembers her Grandfathers and both of my Grandmothers died when I was very young.
               I had to take Grant to a Dr. appointment. It was his two month checkup and time for his first set of immunizations. He was 14 lbs and 13 oz., was 23 inches long, and had a 44 inch head. He was in the 93rd percentile for weight, 78 for length, and 44 for big headed-ness. He has always had a beautifully shaped head. The doctor said he was in fabulous health, had no objections to his cereal feedings, and told me to start his solid foods with Bananas, Apples, Peaches, Pears, and other cereals. I am going to buy him some oatmeal this weekend, along with some more bananas. He's really doing well, our little Grant man. I am very proud of him. I am also very proud of us for taking such good care of him.
He did not like his shots, but he was already fussy from being tired and hungry so it didn't make me want to hit the nurse as bad as I did with you, Becca. You were happy and laughing when you got your shots.
            I'd love to post a longer blog but I am yawning my head off. I think I'll end this for now and pick up later on when I picked Dad up after work and we went out to eat. Grant is asleep and Becca you are still at Mamaws and I want to take a nap. Mommy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant;
                     I tell you something, Becca, you've been so good that Santa Claus, or Ho-Ho as you call him (this drives your father NUTS), has gotten a ton of things that were on your list and even some that weren't on there at all. You are a really good little girl. Today we went and got you a pumpkin to paint. You really enjoyed that. You spent three hours on that deck painting that pumpkin if you spent one. You told me that you were going to paint it until there wasn't any orange left on it any more. I didn't think that it would look to much like a pumpkin if you did that but I didn't dare discourage you from your artistic endeavors. You're a really good artist. The other day you drew a picture of Dracula to rival Dr. Seuss or whoever it was who illustrated for him. I don't know where you got that because me and your dear old Dad, we can't draw a straight line. I got really tickled at you, however, when you came inside packing the orange paint asking me to open it for you so you could use it. I informed you that you didn't have to use the orange paint to paint the pumpkin; the pumpkin was already orange. You informed me that you liked to paint the pumpkin orange. Well. Duh. Silly me. I helped you paint the pumpkin for a while but apparently I wasn't doing it right so I told you I was going to go in and fix us some coffee and you told me to bring yours out to you. You really are a hoot, little girl. You entertain me to no end.
                  Oh, Grant! You are smiling more and more every day, cooing and making sounds - 'talking' to us and just lighting up your whole face with emotion. Every day there's something new with you. I am so impressed with everything you can do for the first time; be it smile at sissy or whack her in the head. Sissy's not so impressed with the whacking in the head part. She brought you a Dandelion from outside today and showed it to you and you smiled so big that it made her heart swell. She's really good with you and she loves you so very much. Whenever she's eleven and she's fussing at you for knocking over her tween makeup or losing one of her earrings because you tried to use it as a BB just remember that when you were a little baby, she loved you, held you, cared for you, protected you, and above all, she WORSHIPPED you. She loves you like no one else! One of these days you won't believe it and neither will she but it is true.
                  Daddy is astounded with you, too, Grant. All over again we get to experience the things we experienced with Becca and we never thought we'd be so lucky. I thought Becca would be the only child we'd ever have and initially I never thought we'd be lucky enough to have her. I also never thought we'd be lucky enough to be married for nine years and have this wonderful home and all these wonderful things around us and two beautiful, intelligent, wonderful children. Ya'll have a Daddy who'd do anything for you. He's in love with the two of you with his whole heart. I feel like I'm in a big happy (sometimes stressful), bright (sometimes tiring), round (but sometimes bumpy) bubble that no one or nothing can pop because I have this family I never thought I'd have. We're all very lucky people indeed.
              This evening we baked some cookies Becca. They were Halloween shaped cookies. Some were orange pumpkins and some were various shaped cookies that were regular sugar-cookie colored. We had a good time doing it. Mostly you had a good time eating the dough that was left over from plucking the shapes out. That seems to be your favorite pass time when we bake; eating the batter or the dough. It was mine too. I had a real good time doing that with you. We need to make time to do that more often; We can buy the pre-made dough and it won't take but a minute. I want you to know I value the time I have with you; every second of it. Every word that comes out of your mouth is important to me. Even when you tell me I stink, like you did when I was rocking you after I rocked Grant to sleep this evening. You still have the pillow that was in your crib as a baby and it says "You are the sun, the moon, and the stars to me" - Truer words have never been spoken. And Grant, too. He's just one more star in my happy little bubble sky. Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Becca's been real good this week from my point of view; maybe Mom will have a different opinion but she's been as good as gold when I am around. Grant isn't old enough to get in any trouble yet so I guess you could say he's been as good as gold as well.
      I was off Monday for Court Days in Mt. Sterling. I don't know why Court Days is one of General electric's days off but I am not complaining. I broke my regular eye glasses Sunday night so we decided to go to Lexington and have them fixed. We took the glasses by Professional Optical and they said they would have to order the piece I needed. They glued it up real nice and as long as I am careful with them I shouldn't have any trouble. We then went over to Toys "R" Us and let Becca have a little look around. Becca absolutely loves that store. She had a ball in there. She found probably 250 items she wants Santa to bring her. She was especially taken with a Barbie Laptop computer toy. She said it was just like my laptop. We told her before we went in that when we told her to do something in there that we wanted her to listen to us right away and not whine and fuss about it or we would leave. She did everything we asked of her. Even when it was time to go she didn't throw a fit. Mom & I both were so proud of her. After the toy store we went to Mi Mexico for lunch. Mom & I have been going to Mi Mexico together since before we were dating.
      We used to go everywhere together before we were dating and we called each other constantly. I really think that we were actually dating at the time but for some reason Mom didn't want to admit it. Our whole courtship was kind of weird in my opinion. It's a long story and y'all will have to ask us about it sometime. It filled with drama, comedy and heart break but of course it had a happy ending because here we are with two wonderful children.
      Becca didn't have school this week because Woodford County had a Fall break this past week. Mom had an interview with the Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, actually she had an interview to work on the Cardinal Hill floor of Samaritan Hospital. She thinks she may have gotten it. They sent her for a drug test, called her references and did a criminal background check on her. She wants this job and the extra cash would most definitely come in handy. So I hope she gets it.
      Thursday night Becca spent the night with Mamaw & Papaw again. Becca really enjoys being down there. She loves playing football with Jakey and Jon. She told me the other day she wanted to grow up to be a boy so she could play football. I really don't think that's gonna happen.
      Friday after work Mom, Grant and I drove down to Mamaw & Papaw's to pick Becca up. Becca had found a terrapin that she named Peppermint. Sadie got hold of poor Peppermint and tore his shell up a little bit. When I got there Becca, Jakey, Jon and myself all went for a walk. We got up on the old Lillards Ferry Road. It was all downhill and steep too. It wasn't too bad going down hill but we all knew that going back up would be a challenge but we weren't going to go that far so it was no big deal. We went a little farther than I had planned on and then we went a little farther on again and by that time we could see the Kentucky River so we decided to go all the way down to see the river. We all had big fun. The boys and I skipped rocks and Becca tried but hers all kept sinking. She decided she was going to go fishing. She grabbed a stick and put it in the water and she caught a leaf. She was quite proud of that. We stayed down there for quite some time and then it was time to head back up the hill. We stood up to go and Becca asked me to carry her. I told her she would have to walk and she started crying so being the big softy I am I put her on my shoulders and started back up the steep hill. I got maybe a quarter of the way before I had to stop and put her down. I asked if she could walk now and she said that the brambles that she had gotten on her clothes were hurting her and she couldn't walk. The brambles weren't anywhere near her skin but she just hates to get brambles on her. I picked her up again and I didn't make it hardly any distance before I had to put her down and take another rest. I told her that she was going to have to walk because I just could not carry her any further. She started to cry and fuss and said she wanted a sucker. Jon had eaten all of the suckers he had brought so we were out. Jakey found a sucker in the chest pocket of Becca's overalls and she started trudging up the hill sucking on her sucker. Becca and the boys were moving at a much more jaunty pace than I was. I had two sticks I had picked up along the path and were using them as walking sticks. I bet I looked pitiful with my two walking sticks. We finally got home and I didn't think I was going to make it up the hill to Mamaw & Papaw's house but I eventually did. I was so glad that was over.
      Well, I am going to close out this post. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  We had a big day in Kentucky sports yesterday. Yesterday morning we had the kick off of the 2007-2008 Wildcats basketball season with Midnight Madness. I didn't talk too much about basketball last year because it was a depressing topic. Last year was Coach Tubby Smith's last year and this marks Coach Billy Clyde Gillispie's first year as the coach of our beloved Wildcats. I liked Coach Smith but he wasn't much of a recruiter. Coach Gillispie has already landed us a couple of great players for this upcoming season. I can't wait.
      This afternoon the seventeenth ranked team in the nation, Wildcat Football team defeated the number one ranked team, the LSU Tigers. Kentucky hadn't beaten a number one ranked team since 1964; three years before I was born.Wildcat football has never been all that good but it's been fun following them this year. They have a 6-1 record with their only loss coming at the hands of the currently seventh ranked, South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, South Carolina. Kentucky should rocket up the polls again this week. We were ranked seventh until the loss to South Carolina.
      Papaw closed the pool down Monday. It was very warm Monday; in the nineties. He picked the perfect day to close the pool down because the rest of the week the temperature dropped like a rock. By Wednesday Becca was wearing long pants and a jacket. Of course she ended up getting poop on her t-shirt and pants and ended up wearing shorts and just her jacket the rest of the day. I am glad that fall is finally upon us. Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. There's hay rides, bonfires, football, cooler temperatures, Autumn leaves and Christmas is right around the corner.
      Becca got in some huge trouble this Thursday. Apparently she picked up something at school that she really shouldn't have. Momma was looking at the proofs of Becca's school pictures but Becca wouldn't quit batting at the paper. She wouldn't quit when Mom asked her nicely so she told her to stop in a more forceful tone. At that point Becca actually spit in her dear Mother's face. Momma said that she had never been so angry in all of her life. Becca got the worst spanking of her life after that little stunt. I don't think there will be any more face spitting going on from Ms. Becca anymore.
      Mom still allowed Becca to go down and spend the night with Mamaw & Papaw. She played football with Jon and walked the new dirt bike trails that Uncle Rodney & Papaw have been cutting out of the side of the cliffs on Papaw's farm. Becca, Grant and Mom joined Mamaw and Auntie Lynn Friday for a day of shopping at Kohl's, Wal-Mart and assorted other places. Mom spent most of her shopping time feeding Grant. Becca decided she wanted to go back down to Mamaw & Papaw's again. Mom was just beginning to come down with a bug that now has her tail kicked so she let her spend a second night with Mamaw & Papaw.
      Tuesday Grant smiled at me for the first time. Momma says he smiled at me earlier and I commented on it but I swear I don't remember that. I remember when I was changing his diaper and he looked at me and smiled a little smile. It melted my hard hard heart. He's smiling quite a bit now. I have noticed that when he smiles big he kind of looks like Aunt Mary which is not a bad thing at all because when Aunt Mary cleans up she is a very attractive person. It's funny that Grant looks like Aunt Mary because people in Hazard have been telling Aunt Mary that Desiray looks like Momma.
      We have decided to start giving Grant a tiny amount of cereal with his last bottle of the night because he has been eating all night long. It seemed to work the first night but he still wakes up a bunch for food in the middle of the night. I started this post at around 12:30 and had to feed Grant and that took what seemed like forever. It's now 4:36 and I just now got him back to sleep and in his bassinet in our room. Grant has been sleeping in our room in a bassinet that Momma and I bought at a yard sale. Mom was tickled to death to find the bassinet. She had looked at a brand new one identical to the one we bought used and it was more than twice the price.
      I gave Grant a bath a couple of times this past week. It was forever until I had the confidence to give Becca a bath but I reckon I felt like I had given Becca baths without killing her so it wasn't that big a deal to give Grant a bath. It was a big deal of course but I wasn't hesitant about it is what I mean. It's always a joy to give Grant a bath. He loves his baths so much; just like Becca did at that age and she still loves them to this day.
      Becca has been behaving herself at school very well since her week of time outs. I informed her that Santa Claus called me with his concerns over her poor conduct at school. She's been cleaning up like she is supposed to and she informs me that since she is doing such a good job cleaning up at school that Santa can come and see her. She's looking forward to Christmas. She told Mom the other day that when Mom put up the Christmas tree she was going to lay in the floor and watch her. Mom told her that was a good idea and then Becca laid in the floor and waited for her Mom to start putting up the tree. It's still quite a bit early to be decorating for Christmas. It's not even Halloween yet; another big day that Becca is looking forward to.
      Well, I'm gonna close out this particular post now. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Yesterday was Papaw's birthday. I think it was his 59th birthday. Mamaw, Papaw, Mom, Becca, Grant, Uncle Rodney, Auntie Lynn, Jacob, Jon, Allison and myself all went to the Golden Corral in Nicholasville for Papaw's birthday. Mom, Allison, Mamaw and myself all took turns feeding Grant while we were there. We then all went to the Wal-Mart over there in Nicholasville. Becca got a new pink bubble jacket with "Kentucky" written on the chest and "UK" on the hood. Allison used some of her hard earned Kroger cash to purchase both Becca and Grant a really cute outfit. That was really nice of Big Sissy. She's a real good girl. While we were there we heard from Kris Kringle. He said that the elves already have the greatest majority of Becca's Christmas gifts ready to go to the wrapping department. He said he was waiting on any special requests she might have. We asked her if there was anything she might especially want. She informed us that she wanted a tubby-tubby because she couldn't find hers. I didn't tell her this at the time but the last time we cleaned out her toy collection we got rid of it. She told us she wanted a Po tubby-tubby named Po. I hope Santa will be able to locate a Po tubby-tubby. We're gonna help her write a letter to Santa with any more special requests. I heard from Santa earlier last week when Becca had all of her time outs at school. He said she had lost one of your big presents. I believe he said it was a bigger and better doll house. I certainly hope she is good enough next year to earn her Loving Family Doll House. St. Nicholas also told us he had a few items for Grant but he was mostly going to bring him clothes and stuff like that.
      After Wal-Mart we went down to Mamaw & Papaw's for birthday cake. While we were down there Becca played football with the boys while Grant had another bottle. Mamaw really enjoyed feeding him. After we all had cake Becca and I got in the pool. Jon and Jacob joined us and to my great surprise so did Mom. She said she wanted to get in the pool at least one time this year when she wasn't pregnant. That was the very last time we will be getting in the pool this year. I think Papaw is going to be closing up the pool for the winter Monday afternoon.
      After the pool we all sat around and talked about Bambi Dee's Mom, your great-great grandmother who would have been 140 years old this year in 2007 and his grand-mother, Mary Melinda, your great-great-great grandmother who would have been probably 160 years old. I find genealogy fascinating. I wish had the time, resources and knowledge to go back and construct Becca & Grant's family tree. I missed the best chance for learning more about my maternal branch of my own family tree when Granny passed away. I had been meaning to sit down with a pad of paper and just talking to her about her and Bambi Dee's family trees but I just never got around to doing it and I hate that.
      I'm gonna let y'all go for now. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca and Grant,
                                 Becca last night you spent the night with Mamaw like you usually do on Thursdays. You both really enjoy that. At least I know you enjoy it. You wanted to go again tonight but Mommy would have missed you too much. One night at a time is enough. When you got up today Mamaw and Auntie Lynn decided to go to Wal-Mart and they came to pick me and Grant up so we could go with you. We had lunch at Fazolis. You had spaghetti and I had Fetticini Alfredo with chicken. I forgot what Mamaw and Auntie Lynn had. We all had salads. Grant had Nestle Good Start with DHA and ARA. He had to take some of his to go. We went to Kohl's first and Grant fell asleep. No one but Mamaw bought anything and she bought you some bracelets and hair ties. They are very cute. Then it was off to Wal-Mart. Mamaw bought you some dresses and a turtle neck and I bought you a pair of boots. Autnie Lynn bought you a box of strawberry whoppers, Becca. Mamaw bought Grant some bibs. We were at Wal-Mart forever so he had to eat again while we were there. Once again he had to take some of his to go. As far as I know you were good at Wal-Mart. You were with Mamaw most of the time and you rode in her buggy. I bought you a pair of boots and a nice matress topper for your bed. With the mattress cover Daddy bought it has made a world of difference. It feels like a pillowtop mattress now.
                           Grant, you pooped an awful mess at Wal-Mart directly after I got you changed into a clean and dry outfit. Of course, poop got all over that outfit. I just had to put you in a onesie and some socks. I felt terrible but then I saw a woman in the store with an eight month old baby with nothing but a diaper on. It was a wet diaper at that. People are odd.
                  After Wal-Mart Mamaw and Auntie Lynn stopped at the dollar store. We stayed in the car and you fussed the whole time because the windows were rolled down. I don't know why you did that. Then we came home. Dad talked to us for a minute and went to bed. I got Grant to nap in his bouncer and he is still there. You and I played 'Macaroni Monster' in the kitchen. That's where I tickle you and you have to say Macaroni to get me to stop. We also played "This Old Man", "Superman" and various other games that involved me tickling you. I got you a snack and you went into the living room to watch Little Bill before bed. I went into the kitchen to check on something and I heard Grant holler. I asked you if you bothered the baby and you told me that you pinched him on his finger. I was upset but I didn't yell. I don't think you did it to hurt him. Earlier we had been popping each other's toes and fingers. I just told you that we don't pinch babies because it hurts them. I made you softly apologize as he was already going back to sleep. You finished little Bill and I got you ready for bed and put you down.
                   Grant you got a ton of compliments everywhere we went. You are a beautiful baby, and a good one at that. You have finally woken up and are ready to eat. Daddy is getting your bottle ready and he is going to change your diaper and feed you while I finish posting this blog. You've been sleeping so good in your bouncer all this time. You've started smiling and you are SO CUTE when you do it. Daddy hasn't seen you do it yet but I am sure he will soon enough. You are crying wanting to eat. Daddy just shut the door so you wouldn't wake up your sissy. That's a good idea.
                   Well Dad wants me to feed you Grant so I will let the two of you go. Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Once again it's been quite awhile since I have posted here. I usually post on the weekend but I went to bed early both Friday and Saturday night so I didn't get the opportunity to post.
      Last week Becca got a time out three days out of four at preschool last week. She's done really well since then though. That's about all that went on last week.
      Monday Becca and I hung around outside for awhile after I got home. We drew on the porch with her chalk and we played hide & seek. When it was my turn I climbed the good climbing tree in our front yard. She found me easily enough but she was fascinated with me up a tree. She had to climb it as well. She got onto the absolute lowest branch and that was okay with her. She leaned against the branch and told me she was a monkey named Gate and her mommy monkey and poppy monkey lived in the tree. Her mommy monkey was named Tree and her poppy monkey was named stick. Eventually she changed all of the names. Her monkey name became Sunflower; her monkey poppy was named Mrs. Dykes after her preschool teacher and her monkey mommy was named Mrs. Bush after the teaching assistant in her class. Becca loves Mrs. Bush. She informed me that they all sat on the couch in the tree and watched the "wood" tubby-tubbies, which of course translates from toddler speak to teletubbies. They ate pizza as they watched it. She began telling me about the pizza and the pizza became more and more fanciful until when she was finally done with the story she had a pizza named Super Super Chinese pizza with talking pickles and a Spiderman tattoo, not an eating pizza but a flying pizza in a box. I really enjoyed talking to my super smart and sweet daughter that day. She really tickled me with the magical way her tiny mind functions.
      Yesterday after I got home from work we went to Wal-Mart in Lawrenceburg. As we drove over Tyrone Bridge I told a tale I once heard about Granny when she was younger. Granny used to walk across the train trestle there at Tyrone. Becca piped up and informed us that she went across that trestle with Granny. She sat in Granny's lap while Granny made her way across the trestle in her wheelchair. After she told us this tale she sighed real big and in a sad little voice she said that she missed Granny. It brought a tear to my eye because I too miss my wonderful Granny. I just wish poor Grant could have known her. He really missed out on knowing a super special woman.
      Tonight Becca went home with Papaw to spend the night down there. That's why I've had time to post this little bit to our blog. Your Mom used this time to get some extra sleep.
      Well, it's getting late and I got in bed late last night so I suppose I had better call it a night. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Grant,

Tiny little baby,
All wrapped up in blue,
I wonder if just maybe
An angel sent me you.

I love your soft and downy hair,
And your long and curled-up toes,
Your tiny little hands,
And your sweet little button nose.

I love your little chubby cheeks,
And your crinkled, dimpled chin
Your soft little squeaks,
And your soft and fragrant skin.

Every day you're growing bigger,
And soon, no longer a baby will be,
But for right now, I figure
Your favorite person is me.

Someday you'll grow up,
Play and wave to me from afar,
But right now I can enjoy the wonders,
Of the baby boy you are.

Becca,

Little blonde-headed girl,
With a will so strong,
Did you know the world,
Will some day sing your song?

Little blue-eyed angel,
With the pink-lipped crooked smile,
Did you know your sweetness
Would the hardest heart beguile?

Little spinning princess,
With your fancy dancing dress,
Did you ever guess,
That your kisses are the best?

Did you ever wonder,
Why I can't take my eyes off you?
Why I sit and think and ponder
At the fancy dancing blonde-haired princess,
With the eyes of blue?

It's because you are my heart and soul,
My morning sun and my moon at night,
You make my life full and whole,
My little girl so bright.

Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!