Gene Pool

I finally found proof that um hmmm... Ethan could have red hair, and that he indeed gets his good looks from his daddy.

I'll sneak some more of these in. Ah ha! I love em.

I keep thinking that people will tire of my continuous blog on the minutia of our days, but I can't seem to keep pictures updated fast enough for the Momo and the Nana. Hard work being the mama of the best kid on the planet.

We kept on with the front yard project today. We finished the other bed, planted a tree and a rose bush, and we're going to finish the rest of the planing next weekend. Ethan was his usual self today. I went to Rach's for a little bit this afternoon (see upcoming blogs on Muzette's Spring Break trip to Rachel's apartment!!!) and when I came back home Ethan was in his Razorback jersey! You know its time for laundry when that thing comes out. It too is now covered in spit up, but I did capture the moment for eternity. I'm taking so many pictures that Ethan turns cross-eyed every time he sees the red light. These smily pictures are HARD TO COME BY. 90% of my pics are of furled eyebrows and pouty lips. I persevere. I promise more soon!! :) E

St. Planter's Day!

St. Planter's Day is when we invite Cheryl Dawn over for her expertise in flower beds and anything growth related. She's amazing at it. I drew out a plan and she's going to make it come true.
We went to Westwood Gardens this morning and walked about and saw 10 million things we'd love to have... begonias in hangin baskets, 500 dollar trees, etc.. etc... etc.. We decided instead to make this our prep day. We bought afew things for some planters (another CD specialty) and did our manual labor.
Our work looks insignificant in the pictures, but we did shovel all the grass out of the ground and raked until the dirt was a mushy and ready for planting. We made some planters to fufill that instant gratification need I have and we'll do more tomorrow. Shaun got to buy a new wheelbarrow, and Ethan slept through the whole thing. Everyone knows now that my former goal was for people to say "ooh, it smells good in here" when they walked in my house. That goal has been countered with one. smelly. baby as of late, so my NEW goal is for people to walk towards my house, linger a bit in the gardens, and then say "your flowers are beautiful." Now don't just go saying that if it isn't true. I don't like empty compliments. I'm contemplating an azalea wall. It will be grand. It could take me a couple of seasons to get it all together.
LSU is playing... I gotta go.

St. Planter's Day!

WOW

Even though my computer SAID that it lost my previous transmission, it didn't... it posted it anyway... so now there's a double post. I wrote the same stories twice. Oh well. I'll do better next time.

Excuses excuses....

So here's my story, and my handful of excuses why I haven't posted in so long. First, I am a full-time working mother. I shouldn't have to explain myself further, but I will..... Second, the batteries in my camera went out. Lame, yes... but the truth. Third, I wrote a HUGE blog this morning, with 8 pictures, and it. was. halarious. Well written, better read, full of witty reparte... but when it was time to publish, the thing said it had lost its connection. I gave up. Nana and Momo have both made requests, and I can't let them down, so... eh hmmm, I begin again.....
I'm going to try to line up my remarks with the appropriate pictures, for the readers' enjoyment.


Ethan had a beer on Mike Kjccsdjf;oiseroiejlk.jskjfhsky last night. GEAUX TIGERS! We are those people who bring our kid to restaurants and sit him on the table. Rach is going to make him a fake ID so he can get into more places.


Ummm what else... Ethan got a new carseat. It is GINORMOUS, but says that it will fit him until he's 65 pounds. Sounds ridiculous to me, but I'm going with it. It has fancy features like little velcro strips that hold back the straps, and belly pillow so his little weiny isn't crushed by the seat buckle, and the fancy cow print absorbs spit up like nobody's business. You just have to rub it in and it disappears.


We're up to a fat bracelet on each arm and each ankle. When he smiles he can't turn his head because of his extra fat chin. His current loves are crazy face, as seen in car seat, the taggie blanket, as seen in the following swing pics, and chewing on his entire fist. He's almost figured out the cause and effect of the pointer finger and uncomfortable gag reflex. He can; however, fit his entire fist in his mouth.

We have a fan club at Sunbridge Early Learning Center. I suppose they teach the "shh shh he's my favorite don't tell the other moms" to all early ed students, but its working like a charm on me. The young women... they seem like girls... but I know they're not... they are all of college age or above... and I hate it when people men especially, refer to me as the "girl in charge of therapy" so anyway, the young young women in the front room of the school say "Aaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwa! Eeeeeeethan's heeeeere." His teacher, Tonya, has said that she "hasn't loved another child like this since her own were born" GEEEES! They are really laying it on thick if they're just trying to get a christmas present out of me or something. His school persona is the cuddly calm one. Hmpf! I always just agree with them and thank them for taking care of him. I LOVE THAT PLACE!

This program keeps erasing the pictures I post. I can't stand it any longer. I'm just going to shove as many pictures as I can on here and publish before I lose this post.

AND.... GREAT NEWS!!!! I got some pillow shams! I know, I know. It. IS. very. exciting.
THey are just plain, BUT, I found this embroidery place that is RIGHT up the road... so I'm contemplating a monogram. Just the fact that its accessible is comforting. Shaun is prejudiced against pillow shams. I'm counseling him on why we put them on the floor to go to sleep.

Anyway, enjoy the pics, we're enjoying our boy every day. See everyone soon. Love love, E

GEAUX TIGERS! Ethan had a beer on Mike Tkaslfkjlcvhxkjcvneurowiejfcmnxmnvcjsky last night. Yes we do take Ethan to places that serve beer and let him sit on the table. We're those people.
Sorry so long since the last post. We've been hairy busy, and my batteries were dead in my camera, and the thought of going somewhere JUST for camera batteries is crazy... and now I'm back up and running. We didn't miss any developmental milestones.
Lets see... accolades... Sunbridge Early Learning Center is GREAT. I'm sure the "shh shh he's my favorite, don't tell the other moms" psychology is used on everyone, but it sure is working on me. They claim that he loveable and huggable and cute and well behaved and everyone's favorite. I agree.
We just heard that Audrey Elizabeth has been through another rigmarole, but has come out, AGAIN, smiling on the other side. She's always in our thoughts and prayers, as are her amazing parents. We can't wait to see her again.
Ethan got a new carseat. Emily Claire is going to need to sit in Eli's hand-me-down pretty soon so we went ahead and stepped up to the big kahuna. Its HUGE, but can last him until he's 65 pounds, which seems ridiculous, but I'm goin' with it. He seems to like it, doesn't scream when he's in it, and the spit up rubs right into that cow print and doesn't show a bit!
Ethan has fat bracelets on both wrists and ankles now and can't move his neck when he smiles because of the fat roll under his chin. He's still touchy on sleeping through the night, but thats probobly because his parents keep him out until 10 oclock at restaurants. Rach is going to make him a fake ID so he can get into more places.
What else, what else. Ethan Muarray HATES tummy time, loves his taggie blanket and chewing on his entire fist. He has almost figured out the cause and effect between a pointer finger down the throat and that uncomfortable gagging feeling. He can fit his entire fist in his mouth, and prefers it to a pacifier. He still spits up buckets, but doesn't seem to mind.
My computer said that "saving and publishing may fail because of lost connection." That always happens to me. I'll try it. HAPPY FRIDAY!!!! Love, Ethan's mama

IMPORTANT CORRECTION

So even though they both lost, I've been informed that both the Razorbacks and the Tigers do indeed get to play... or dance... in the big dance. Pardon me, sports fans. Why even play the game if everybody gets to go??

I've been busted as an imposter for one who cares about basketball. It's my underlying envy of tall people.

Has everyone seen that picture of the new hairy crustacean they found? Mom is the finder of the find... and it is GAross. If you google "hairy crustacean" you can see a picture. The AP has a blocker on it that prevents me from showing it to you here. SUCKERS! Lets all ponder WHY a lobster would need hair..... Is it to keep him warm? Wet hair is usually colder than no hair at all. Is it to attract other crabs? He is blonde after all. MAYBE he's the spokeslobster for I can't believe its not oceanbutter. Ah ha ha ha. I'm only funny to me, but I don't care. Ethan thinks I'm funny. After our tornado warning last night, I need some zzzzzzzzs. Tootaloo.
Shaun's in Shrevport... I have to attach additional pics for his enjerment. Words are funnier when typed how you wanna sayem.

Let's hear it for amoxycillin!

We got kicked out of daycare on Monday (how ironic!) with a fever. Being the cool, laid back mama I am, I didn't take Ethan in until Wednesday... where we discovered two ear infections. Sorry kiddo. We got some amoxycillin, and he feels better now.
We got to go to Little Rock and FINALLY met our beloved Audrey Elizabeth. They slept through most of their first date, but it was fun.
Ethan and Shaun watched the LSU game, and even though we don't get to go to the big dance, we'll continue to root for them.
And... we finally found some shades for those sunny car rides. WATCH OUT!

One of my favorite games is notice whats behind the picture. In these you'll see... mismatching pillowcases and comforter with distasteful green sheets. Quite a digression from someone who's wanting monogrammed bed clothes. I have no explaination. They're just bad. Picture 2: A pitcher of Tang. Shaun loves Tang. I think this is actually Morning Suprise or Shiny Sun... some off-brand knock-off bev that leaves an equally gritty twang in your throat.
Ethan loves the butter chair... i prefer to pronounce it buddachair.

Off to bed. I changed the ugly sheets.

Lervy dervy derve, E

My guys have started taking lazy Sunday naps together. I have a picture of them both sleeping, but its stuck in my camera, and I'd have to find the cord, and plug it in, and download, and resize, and I'm just too lazy to do it. Maybe next time. Open eyes are better than closed ones... atleast in pictures.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Crappy daycare. What does a mama have to do to find at very least DECENT?! daycare? The following offenses have been noted:

1. A trip to the DMV without permission. Aside from the horrible possibilities that could have occurred, I don't want to let Ethan in on the fact that miserable people work at the DMV. We're done with her.

2. Sleeping babysitter. Now on this one, I think I'm offended on behalf of the OTHER children that weren't being attended to. My little lump was asleep next to the big lump that was SUPPOSED to be caring for otherchildren within her "playhouse"... "my child's home away from home"... malarky. I have a better one: " you pay me lots of cash and i'll let your kids play alone while i sleep." Just tell the truth, ya lump.

3. 14 month old witnessed surfing on an office chair with wheels while, you guessed it, unattended. I'm done with her.

ENTER STAGE LEFT DOING THAT FUNNY TAP DANCE MOVE: Sunbridge Early Learning Center. They're gonna get me in on Monday. They have internet cams in all the rooms and have had to send a flyer out to parents to not stay on them all day long 'cause they're slowing down the system. They may have to ask me more than once. 4 babies per room, consistent teacher... and they don't feed them juice. OH! I forgot to mention offense number 4: " Oh! I forgot if we had talked about that this morning (we had)... I gave him some juice and he LOVED IT!" Gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. My friend Jill talks about her Mama Cat alter ego that comes out when people mess with her kids. I'm there. Hopefully Sunbridge will be our savior. AND, they are connected to a therapy joint that could use speech therapists. AND, if I work full time for them, they give away daycare at half price. Maybe this is our ticket.

THIS JUST IN: Dad, PawPaw, Rooster.. whatever you want to call him was JUST. INTERVIEWED. BY. THE. TOOLBELT. DIVA. ON. SIRIUS. RADIO !!!?? He's FAMOUS! And his tile recipes are going to be as sought after as the spices in KFC extra crispy!

Back to the star of our show... Ethan is, obviously, gaining weight. He's got fatroll bracelets on both wrists and a gobbler that catches milk, fuzz, lint, and much much more. He likes to keep his pacifier behind his right ear instead of in his mouth, which I suppose is fine.

I can't think of anything else to report, and my dinner just walked through the door. Love love! E, E, S