Football...

Two football stories....

First, Isaac's new word is "football". However, he refuses to say it when we want him to and makes us look like we are making it up! He can say it though... and it comes out like "put-ball", with his mouth in an "O"! Upon arriving home Sunday night, he proceeded to say it over and over.... isn't that how it always is with kids?!?!

Second, on Sunday afternoon on our trip home we decided to swing by the Gator Sports Shop at "The Swamp". Well, the road right in front of the stadium was closed, but when we were turning we saw a few of the football players standing in front of the stadium. David was in the car in front of us (too much stuff for one car on the trip home), so he missed it! But, before I could even spot them, Layla screamed like a girl... "TEEEEEEEEEEBOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!" She was trying to get out of her seat belt while declaring that she MUST have her picture with Tim Tebow. Not just Tebow, but TIM TEBOW! LOL I made her stay buckled up until we could stop beside David, which as soon as we did she jumped out of the car begging him to take her to get her picture with him. Unfortunately, her Daddy wouldn't take her to try to see him, or any other player for that matter! I'm not sure it was even Tebow, however I think it was, but you all know my eyes are not the best! Anyways.... the Sports Shop was closed, so she didn't even get a "I LOVE TIM" T-shirt!

I guess David is raising her right............ Gators and football!

Unfortunately, no pictures to go with this blog to Layla's dismay!

We play...

Wii play!

David and Layla are really enjoying the new Wii that Layla got for Christmas.... and Guitar Hero that we got David. Isaac even gets in on the action with his smooth dance moves and using the TV remote as a Wii controller!

Here are some snapshots from tonight!

Best Toy of 2008

Comes from the produce section.... preferably Publix!

Thanks to our cousin Alan for bringing us clementines for Christmas! Isaac has played with them more than anything else, his Tonka trucks are still in the box.

Sometimes the best toys are not actually toys!

Santa Claus came to town...

Santa Claus definitely made an appearance in the Tucker household, or actually at Granny's house this year! We spent our Christmas in Florida, with the hot weather.... with only dreams of chilly nights and frosty weather.

Layla left cookies and milk for Santa, which he must have enjoyed considering the crumby mess he left on the hearth. He filled the stockings and left surprises for the children, much to their delight. Layla woke up "dark" and early around 6:30am and roused us all out of bed for the morning events. Isaac is still a little young to enjoy Santa and the ripping of paper without getting in time-out!

After opening the mounds of presents under the tree, we made breakfast to take to Me'em's house (David's mom). We enjoyed the morning with the kids, and of course more presents. Layla was extremely excited, more than words can emphasize, to find that Me'em had gotten her a Wii.

On side note, Layla went shopping with me before Christmas to get David guitar hero for the Wii. Well, she didn't know that she was getting a Wii. But, I didn't think about that when I took her with me shopping. We proceeded to grab the item off the shelf and go to the checkout. The guy started ringing up our purchase and Layla screams, "Wait!!!!!! You are getting the wrong one!" If you know Layla, you know how dramatic she is. So, I looked at her with a concerned face, probably more concerned about her screaming in the store than what she had figured out. And she proceeds to dramatically point at the box and say "We don't have a WWWiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" At this point the poor checkout guy is looking at me like I have "STUPID" written across my forehead. So I say, like I'm cool and have had the answer in my head all along.... "Layla, I know we do not have a Wii, it is for Daddy to play at Me'em's house." She accepts this answer.... thank goodness.... and the checkout guy just smiles.

And now back to Christmas... it was hot and sunny, very much not like Christmas.... people donned flip flops and shorts.... which I know is common considering I grew up in Florida, but it just seems like it isn't Christmas. So, I ate extra gingerbread men and turkey to make up for it!

We all enjoyed ourselves, ate too much, laughed too hard, slept too long, and had too much fun!

Hope everyone else had a Merry Christmas too!

Merry Christmas...

Our family would like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!

The Mad Shopper!

Isaac is practicing for the day-after
Thanksgiving shopping spree!

Ready, set, go! And he's off....
breaking through the door...
running over old women, pushing down children....
he's on a mission...
a mission to save a whopping $5.00 !

Look at this Mad Shopper go!

Smarter than you think...

Isaac has learned that playing outside is the best! He loves to walk around the yard, picking up a ball and tossing it, then walking after it to do it all over again. He also has learned that when he falls down, his hands get dirty! Layla tried teaching him to brush his hands together to get rid of the dirt, but he came up with his own idea.....

He walked over to the carport, slid his little hands in David's flip flops and started walking back into the yard. My first thoughts were, "Oh great! Now he is going to crawl around the yard with David's flip flops on his hands, like he still does occasionally in the house with my high heels! But, as he started walking around, he started to fall and leaned over to catch himself with his hands. At that point, he looked up at me and grinned! And then I knew what he was thinking...

"Ha ha, Mom! Now my hands won't get sand on them! I know what I'm doing!"

Trick-Or-Treat!

It took me forever to come up with costumes for the kids this year! First, I wanted to make them candy corn costumes, but ran out of time when David needed a Friar costume the week before. So, I finally decided that Layla could wear the Snow White costume that she had in the closet. After dragging it out and making sure it fit, it was passed down from her older cousin, we had to decide on what to make Isaac. Of course, I really enjoy making them "go together" or "match". So, I was determined to make a dwarf costume.

It turned out adorable... everyone knew who they were when they walked together! Although, when Isaac was by himself, he was called an elf and even an Oompa-Loompa! (A lady, whose English was not perfect, exclaimed to her horde of kids, "Look, it's a Oompa-Loompa!" And then started singing the song!)

Happy Halloween 2008!!!

A Day At The Fair!

We spent a wonderful day with Layla at the Georgia State Fair in Perry, GA. The weather was beautiful, the place crowded, and Layla had fun. David was asked to drive a group of kids from school on the bus to the fair, so we enjoyed a bus ride first! We left Isaac with my brother so that Layla could have Mommy and Daddy to herself.

Due to the OUTRAGEOUS prices on ride tickets, which we are scared of anyways because everyone has seen the people that put them together.... Anyways, she had 3 sheets, which didn't last long... but we let her pick out rides, and if we deemed them safe enough, then she got to pick one of us to go with her! She really enjoyed this, and decided to really get Mommy and make her go on the rollercoaster. Well, I'm thinking that it is no big deal, I love rollercoasters, especially the big ones, so this will be nothing! Yeah, right.... Apparently I have either gotten older or have lost my desire to be in a small seat going up in the air and then spinning around while the rollercoaster takes a dive and then a turn! This particular one was a mix of a teacup and a rollercoaster which made it horrible!!!! I screamed... I held my breath... I yelled... I gripped the bar so tight that my knuckles were white... and of course, they snap a picture of you half way through... so after I peel myself out of the seat and grab Layla off the ride, we go down and wait in line to see our picture while I hold my stomach in fear of puking! And there it is... Layla and I on the rollercoaster... and I have my mouth wide open, so much so that you can see my tonsils... and there is Layla, smiling like a little princess with no amount of fear on her little face at all!
And then after we finally used up all the tickets, we walked over to sit down (finally!) and watch the Army Band. Well, the Army Band was late... we never did see them... but we did find a seat under a tent and took a break while we waited.... and Layla passed out! Her lollypop fell into her lap, her head bent backwards over the hard metal chair, but she was snoring! Luckily, the group leader called and said they were all ready to head to the bus about that time. But, I had to snap a picture first!

A lovely day at the fair!!!

Cousins, cousins, cousins!

It is amazing! The birth rate in David's family has spontaneously quadrupled in the last few years! First came Isaac, then along came Willow, then Brayden and two more arriving soon. Our last visit to Florida was so enjoyable because the little ones now have personalities and can play together. Although with the arrival of teeth, we must watch closely! Especially when Willow tries to feed Isaac....
Or when Brayden looks on with envy because he can't eat Cheerios yet....
But, we managed not to loose any fingers or toes, and to have a fun time together! I imagine these three will be buddies for life! I can only imagine 5 years from now when they start kindergarten....

And a definite photo-op for the family... if only we could manage to get them all looking in one direction... or even all smiling!

All I want for Christmas...

This should be Layla's theme song! She finally lost her first tooth... and boy was it eventful. I was at work and got a call from David. I was in the middle of something, so I didn't get the full story. Upon leaving work and calling home to see what was going on, he exclaimed that Layla was hyperventilating and laying down. She begged him to pull out her tooth, claiming that it was very loose. It wasn't! He pulled and it hurt and blood started pouring. Needless to say, she was screaming and having a panic attack. David got concerned because of how she was acting and finally made her go lay down before she passed out. When I got home she showed me the tooth that was dangling in her mouth. After a little while, I took her into our room and asked her if I could dry it off with the paper towel, thinking to myself that I was going to try to see how loose it really was. Let's just say that the root on this thing looked extremely scary! So, upon inspecting it and hearing her lecture me about how it was going to hurt and not to be too rough, I dried and did a little tug to see what would happen. And lo and behold, the tooth just came right out. She didn't know, she was still telling me what to do and what not to do! I showed her the tooth and she let out a scream. And then I hear David in the living room saying "I told you, she won't let you pull it." So of course, I had to reply that it was a scream of shock that it was over and didn't really hurt. He's still mad that he did all the work and I got all the glory!

And the Tooth Fairy came to visit her... and let's just say that the Tooth Fairy that comes to our house must not be the same that visits other little children in our small town. Because last year Layla exclaimed how rich the Tooth Fairy was in Reidsville because she brought Madison $20.00! Yeah, that Tooth Fairy might be rich, but she must not have our address!

Long time... no post!

My blogging skills have vanished, my creativity flew through the window and my energy went down the drain!

So, here is my attempt to recapture my blog!

It has been a busy month in the Tucker household. I will attempt to recreate some of our memories, in separate posts as to not remove the importance of each individual event.

Jenn

Read all about it...

News Flash!

First, Isaac is walking! Really walking, not just taking a few steps and then resorting to his knees. He prefers to walk at this point and after falling (which does still happen often since he looks like a little deer learning to walk) he will get up and try again! Such a big boy, my little one.

Second, Layla is doing well in school and has been having spelling words like evaporation and September. She is growing up too fast. She loves to learn, which makes life easier for us! Last night she read "May I have a cookie please?" all by herself!

Third, I am starting an online only degree program in January and am totally excited about it! I haven't really told anyone yet, well a few, but wanted to wait until I had it figured out. Well, it's figured and I am set on go... to the computer... which will save on gas and will allow me to continue my life at home and work without much adjustment. (If you are wondering, it is through the University System of Georgia, so it is accredited and legit.)

That is the good news in the Tucker household this week... we'll see what next week has in store!

Grandmothers and Rockstars

My mother decided to get her upper earlobe pierced, yes, at "almost 50" as she would say, even though she is barely over 40! And, as shocked as I was, she did it as a "memorable moment" during this time of unsettlment and change in her life (divorce) and I understand her decision. I mean, come on, it could have been a lot worse! (I refuse to think about those options...) Anyways, the funny thing about it all is that a few days after she did it, I was painting Layla's toenails as she was sitting on the bathroom counter. I looked up at her, and realized that I had not told her of Mamaw's new earring. So, I went for it... "Layla, Mamaw got her ear pierced." And she looks at me like I am so behind on times and said, "Mom, Mamaw always wears earrings." Oh, I guess I forgot to specify, so I pointed to the top of my ear and said "No, right here... another earring!" You would have thought that I had just shaved my head or something! Her eyes were big as saucers and her mouth was wide open as she threw her hand across her mouth in shock! And then, after she could speak, she said, "MY MAMAW IS NOT A ROCKSTAR! ONLY ROCKSTARS HAVE THOSE EARRINGS! OH MY GOSH, I HAVE TO TELL MY FRIENDS THAT MY MAMAW GOT ONE OF THOSE EARRINGS AND SHE ISN'T A ROCKSTAR!!!!" I laughed and laughed and laughed.... thinking in my mind that I couldn't wait to tell my Mom that!

Of course, if anyone knows my Mom, knows that she laughed about it, and was not hurt or upset by Layla's witty comments! Thankfully... which makes me think about other things that Layla has said which strike me as funny, especially coming our of my daughter.... so, here are some memories...

When Layla was about 3 years old she was reading a book about Dinosaurs. It was quiet in the living room, I was reading and David was doing schoolwork. And Layla says, "Do dinosaurs have coochies?" Oh my gosh........ what do you say? First of all, she MUST have heard that word from preschool.... Second, why would she even think of that?........ Third, how do you even attempt to answer? I remember looking at David and hoping that he could come up with something that would appease her without getting into anything sticky, and putting an end to questions like that!

Then, last summer she was in the pool floating on a raft with Mamaw and looked up, which happened to be Mom's armpit... and exclaimed, "Mamaw, you have pit fur!" (Sorry Mom... and for everyone else, at Mom's request, she does shave under her arms regularly and must have missed one stray hair... or so the story goes!) Oh my... where does the child come up with this stuff? Yes, she is obsessed with arm pit hair and shaving it! She frequently checks, and requests that I check her armpits for hair and she is only 6! Oh my... She has even requested that her Daddy shave his armpits because she thinks that hair is so gross! (Just for the record, I hide the razors, and quite frequently assure her that she does not have hair growing under her arms!)

The day after I had Isaac, Layla came to visit me at the hospital. That afternoon Isaac started fussing and I told my sister to hand him to me so that I could feed him. Well, Layla hops up on the hospital bed. She was the new big sister and wanted to help with everything. Since it was only Layla, Mom, and Stacey in the room, I proceeded to start to prepare to breastfeed Isaac. Her little eyes popped out and she said "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I looked at her, knowing that I had already talked to her about breastfeeding while I was pregnant to prepare her, and said "I'm going to feed your brother." She said, still with her eyes popping out, "LIKE THAT?" I said, "Yes, remember I told you about feeding Isaac and that Mommy has milk?" (At this point, I am trying not to laugh.) And she says, "MOM!!!!!! YOU ARE LIKE A COW!!!!!!!!" At this point, we were all laughing so hard.... so much for preparing her for nine months as to how her sibling would eat!

For now that is all that I can remember, although I know there are plenty more! The child just comes up with stuff.... she must get it from her Daddy!

Fall in the air....

Fall? The weather seems cooler, a few leaves are yellow, and I'm ready for fall! (Yes Mom, I know you have been saying that fall is here since July...)

Here are a few pictures to prove it!

...so adorable... with his two-toothy grin....

..."clapping" with pine cones....

Moments...

Moments... snapshots of memories... time moving so quickly... "blinks" in life... to cherish forever.

...dancing...

...riding her bike....

...so happy... with so much love for his mommy.... ...exploring the yard together....
...so proud she can ride without training wheels...
(and yes, if you look closely under her arm, you can see her little pink bra... don't tell her!)
...so intent on eating something....
....sibling love....

(and a milk belly sticking out!)

Tiny Steps....

Isaac can walk! No, he will not walk on command, or at times that would be opportune... but he can, in fact, move those two tiny feet and skinny legs in a walking motion. I had to get it on video to prove it!

I know it will not be long and I will scorn myself for wishing he could walk... but I cannot seem to help myself! David even made the comment that it is time that he walk, but he is too lazy. I'm not sure that lazy is a word that would be used to describe Isaac because he is a super active little boy, but so far, walking is just not his forte.

Hope you enjoy the following video, and that you do not get a neck cramp because I cannot figure out how to rotate it! (I'm still trying...)

Picture Perfect!

It was picture day at Layla's school last week, and she was determined to wear her "new" shoes that day. I must explain about the shoes. We were in Beall's Outlet one day and she declared that she found something she had to have. Trying to be patient, I asked her what shoes, at which point she exclaimed how they were so adorable and she HAD to have them. If you know Layla, and her dramatic expressions, it was one for the record! At this point, I'm tired after a long day of work and my patience is wearing thin. She produces a shoe box from around the corner and my eyes bulge. In this box is a pair of ballet slipper type dress shoes, which doesn't sound too bad, except that they were hairy, zebra patterned shoes! My mouth opened to say "NO! What are you thinking?!?!", but I saw the look on her face. I looked closer at them, showing her my interest, as she says "Mom, don't you love them?" Thankfully, on my second glance, after determining that they were in fact her size, I saw the dot. If you shop at Beall's you know that dots mean clearance, and this dot was 95% off! I decided to make a deal, and this is what I said, "Layla, if you PROMISE to NEVER wear these SHOES outside of the HOUSE, you can get them. But, you MUST understand, you CANNOT wear them anywhere!"

After getting home and getting children ready for bed, Layla picked out her clothes for school that day - it was the day before school started when the "shoes" were purchased! David was not home, so I decided that he could go through some of what I did. (snicker) I carefully placed her clothes, two chosen outfits for Daddy to ultimately decide, on my bed with those shoes placed out to the side. Upon arriving home, I asked him to decide which outfit for Layla. His expression was priceless! (And then I explained the deal....)

These shoes have been worn around the house ever since. But, the night before picture day, she wants to wear them! (I secretly think she had this plan all along!) So, still working on my patience, I give in! Of course, my mind is also thinking, school pictures are only from the torso up, so I don't have a problem. We, again, picked out two outfits for David to choose, and he agreed with me to just let her wear the shoes. Well, she was thrilled the next morning when she put them on. She couldn't wait to show them off....

When I got home from work that day, I asked her how her pictures went. She said they were great and that she had a good day. And then, giving me a dramatic look, she exclaims, "My feet were killing me!" I haven't seen those shoes on her little feet since then....

First Birthday!

A year of bottles, diapers, sleepless nights, spit up and pacifiers... 365 days seem so long, but so short. It feels like yesterday we woke up early to drive to the hospital to "get him out" as Layla would say. The day of his birth went great, no drama, no emergencies... oh wait, how could I forget that David had to lay down on the floor because he looked at the epidural needle and almost fell out? How could I forget when the nurse came in to "check" me and told my visitors that they didn't need to leave? I'm laughing as I type this... realizing that it was one of the best days of my life, the joy and wonder of bringing a baby into the world after 9 long months.


Isaac was born at 4:34 pm on September 4, 2007, weighing a healthy 7lbs. 4oz. He was so tiny compared to his big sister who weighed a pound larger when she was born! During the 9 months of carrying him, I constantly rubbed my tummy and said "You are going to be my sweet, cuddly boy... Mommy's boy!" It must have worked! First, we found out he was a boy... and then he was so snuggly.... and now he is "attached" to Mommy! I love it! Every minute of it, even when David complains. Layla loved her Daddy from the first minute she took a breathe of air, I carried her for 9 months, but she loved him!


Overall, Isaac is one of the best babies that I have ever known. I know, I'm biased, but ask someone else! He is on a schedule, he eats anything (sometimes this can be bad), he has slept through the night since about 2 months, he cuddles, he smiles, he giggles at everything and most importantly he is mine.


We had a party for him on Saturday with a Sesame Street theme. He woke up feeling yucky, wanted his Mommy all day and was extremely sleepy and sensitive. But, he enjoyed his party, he got lots of wonderful presents from people who love him, and passed out as soon as everyone left.


A few highlights from the day...

Mr. Birthday Boy's own cake to destroy!

What a cute face... all covered in icing... getting clean!

(and no, if you know me, he didn't last long like this before getting cleaned up)

A tired, sick boy... too tired for presents...

Mommy and his guests had to help him open presents,

and he seemed more interested in cards!

Overall, we had a great day! A wonderful celebration of our son's first year of life! He truly is a special boy.... Happy Birthday, Isaac!

A special thanks to everyone that helped us celebrate... thanks for enjoying the day with us, thanks for the wonderful presents, and thanks for loving our son too!

For pictures of his birthday cakes... check out my cake blog at www.sprinklesoffun.blogspot.com!

"Learnings" from Layla

Layla has decided that it is her job to teach Isaac new things... and I heard her tell him he needed new "learnings"! So, on Sunday she decided he needed to learn to color. I think he is doing quite well, considering Mommy checked the box to make sure they were non-toxic. Picture below shows just how intent he is on his "studies". He actually looked like his Uncle Jody for a minute with that tongue sticking out like that while he was concentrating.

Her first lesson was with the white crayon. Well, that didn't fly for very long because Sissy's crayon showed up on the paper and his did not! He finally grew bored and decided to go find some more shoes to crawl around with. (Yes, he is still doing this, it is getting to where we just accept the fact that we will be buying him shoes for his feet and hands eventually!)

Layla is such a great little teacher though! Very patient, except that they were her new crayons and she was worried that he would break them... Isaac is very lucky to have such a loving big sister as Layla!

Ball, Bubbles and Buns...

Softball is in full swing. Friday and Saturday Tattnall County hosted a tournament (David's school) and the weather turned out great. Saturday morning we got up early and headed to the rec department, the sky was overcast and cool. Layla, Isaac and I worked at the gate while David coached. Unfortunately, the girls just couldn't find their groove, and they lost the first game. Thus, setting them up for a game against SE Bulloch. Let's just say that game went down the same way as the other. On a good note, they did win their first game against Claxton! With two hurt players, I worry about the season which has just opened. David's goal is for at least one more win than last year...

Layla loves to go to the games when they are at the rec fields because they have playgrounds. She enjoyed swinging and sliding all day while we watched the games. Isaac has decided that he is too big for the stroller and he needs to "walk" everywhere. However, he still can't balance just right on those tiny feet and needs to hold your finger. As much as it was a nice day, it wasn't that nice of a day to be bent over walking around with an 11 month old, usually in circles, once the sun came out. It was hot, and the kids and I called it a day after Tattnall's last game.

I can honestly say that I never believed that I would be "into" softball. Anyone who knows me knows that I am clumsy and extremely un-athletic! Yes, I've fractured my leg while bowling... does that explain it? But, I find myself clapping and cheering and getting upset over loses and excited over wins! I admit it... when I was working the gate and the first team that Tattnall was up against came through, they were talking "smack" about how bad they were (granted, last year was their first winning season... ever!). So, what do I do? Text David instantly to tell his girls to get their game on!!

On the other hand, Isaac should be voted best sportsman! He claps for everyone. He proudly claps his tiny hands together, showing off his newly learned skill, whenever anyone claps or cheers at the game. And, unfortunately, the game we were watching, there was not much clapping for our girls... but Isaac clapped for every hit or out!

I have decided that I need to try to take things a little slower in the evening, enjoying time with the kids as much as possible before bedtime. We have a routine, but sometimes just get rushed. So last night, I decided that Isaac could take a bath by himself instead of trying to save time and bathe them both together. Well, it didn't end up happening until after Layla went to bed. But, I stuck my little spaghetti faced boy in the tub and decided to slow down. I poured a capful of bubble bath in there upon realizing that he had never taken a bubble bath. Oh my! What a delight! It was worth it, even though I got to bed late and everything didn't get completed... He thought it was super cool that he had bubbles and was a clown in the tub. He would lift his arms up in the air, then slowly bring them down into the bubbles, then clap them together... laughing the entire time. The funniest part was that he would stand up in the tub - holding onto my hands - and try to get the bubbles off of his feet... Too cute! Anyways, here are a few pictures from the event. Layla was not happy this morning that she missed out on it, so I guess it is her turn tonight!

Okay, so now my title makes sense, right?!? Ball - softball season has started, Bubbles - Isaac's first bubble bath... and buns? I'm sure you've guessed! I couldn't help myself, they were so cute! (By the way, look how much his hair is growing in on the back... I'm so impressed! I thought we would have a hairy bodied, balding baby forever!)

Growing up...

My babies are taking steps into this world, molding themselves into little people with personalities, wishes and dreams. As much as we want to shelter them from the troubled times, the heartbreak, the skinned knees... we watch, clap and enjoy the accomplishments and achievements.

Layla learned to ride her bike without training wheels this weekend. David took them off for her since she got a new bike for her birthday without training wheels. She wanted to learn on the smaller one! She just started riding. It wasn't some big deal like I thought it would be, it wasn't a day of tears, bruises, scrapes and then finally a goal reached. No, she just rode off on her bike, peddling around the yard like she knew what she was doing. The knee pads that she got for her birthday, still in the package inside. It was great! The only slight problem she seems to have is stopping... okay, so not slight! I'm waiting for the back of my car to have a bicycle dent and scratch. We are working on it!!!

On Thursday night we were riding in the car to Swainsboro to drop off Isaac with my sister and have dinner. (Yes, Isaac spent his first night away from his Mommy without any tears on his part, not mentioning the tears on Mommy's part now!) We were talking about something, David and I, and he let a "bad" word slip out. He glanced at me, waiting for Layla to say something. She did, of course. "Daddy, that was a bad word." He apologized, I scolded him with my eyes for her benefit. She smiled. And then, she politely says, as if she is the queen, "Dad, you are supposed to be a PROPER man!" It was very hard to control the laughter. Needless to say, David is working on becoming the "proper" man he should be... she hasn't started on me... yet!

Isaac is still not walking. He hesitates to take that step, knowing he could do it. He holds onto the couch, looking down at his feet, sticking one out, putting it back down, sticking the other one out, back down again... and then he looks up with the cutest grin... I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't running around the room when we aren't looking. I know he will walk soon, and as much as I am not ready for my baby to walk, I know I will be proud of his accomplishment.

Jenn

Laughter!

Laughter, such a joyous sound in our world.

Isaac thinks that his Mommy is hilarious, and we were able to catch it on video. Check it out below!

Every time I watch this video, I end up smiling and laughing. Hope this puts a smile on your face too!

Tucker Happenings...

Just a few things going on in the Tucker household...

• Last night I was giving Layla a bath and we started playing "I spy". After a few rounds, she spyed something brown. I guessed a few times (of course trying not to guess the right thing right away), but I could seem to get it right. I finally admitted defeat! And her reply, "Mother, VISUALIZE!!!!" I looked at her and she said "A band-aid." I then asked her what "visualize" meant and she replied "when you picture something in your head, Mother." (And I thought she wasn't going to know what it meant!) My little girl's growing up...


• Isaac is still trying to walk... however now I think he is reverting to crawling again! See the picture below so you can "visualize"!! (And I will say that he can match because he picked out a matching pair in my unorganized closet! Even Layla was impressed at that!) This has become a habit, so you cannot leave your shoes unattended. He thinks he must have shoes to crawl around everywhere, so in my concern of germs, I've given him a brand new pair of Layla's flip flops for his hands! (Picture coming soon! And if you are wondering, yes, he puts on the flip flops just like you would on your feet!)


• David is in full swing coaching softball and teaching.... so we are all quite busy. Games start next week, so I will post some new pics then. Isaac loves to watch the games, so I'm excited that I will be able to go (only if it isn't too hot for him). And of course, he WILL be a left-handed catcher per his Daddy, so any game watching is good for his future! Layla prefers to play with the other kids than watch the game, but it keeps her busy. (I guess I should be thankful that Isaac isn't walking yet, or I would be chasing him everywhere!)

Well, I guess that is all the "news" in the Tucker household so far this week! Hope everyone is having a good week and staying cool. It is HOT in South Georgia!

The little moments...

The other night we visited our local Dairy Queen with David's Mom and Judy. It was a nice treat, and I can honestly say that we've lived in Reidsville going on two years and had never stepped foot inside (I didn't say that I hadn't driven through the drive-thru)! I grabbed my camera as we went in to get a treat. I wasn't really wanting anything, but I ordered a small vanilla cone so that I could "share" with Isaac. His first ice cream cone!

David brought it to our table and Isaac eyed it with curiosity. Well, when anyone puts something in their mouth, he thinks that he should have something in his mouth! So, I shared. He took a small lick, not sure of what he was about the encounter. And, then, deciding that it must be delicious, he proceeded to open his mouth as wide as possible and really get some ice cream! (Mommy doesn't usually let him eat anything like this... or too sweet for that matter...) I kept having to "fix" it after he took a "lick", which was really a bite! He was very antsy and didn't want to share. At one point, he even dove across the table for some more! David and I took some great pictures... and it was one of those little moments that mean so little at the time, but when looking back is a treasured memory!

Enjoy! (Isaac sure did!)


PS) Layla's first day of school went great! She loves her new teacher, her new friends, and everything about it! She was really excited yesterday because she is learning to jump rope! (Last year it was the hula hoop...)

PPS) Isaac took one small step last night on two occasions... I'm sure he will be running around the house soon! I'll keep you updated!

Layla Grace goes to First Grade

That just sounds so grown! So, yesterday was meet the teacher day. David met us there (actually beat us there), and we met the teacher and visited her kindergarten teacher. She seemed okay, quite shy though. She found her name on the table, her pencil cup, her cubby, her classroom..... she met the new coach (which seemed so important!), she met her para-pro, and her teacher... When we left she seemed great! Then over dinner, she demanded that I read her the entire contents of the folder that her teacher had given us. Granted, I started reading the notes about what to expect, behavior policies, transportation notes... and then we got to the actual "School Policy". I told her that it was just stuff for all the schools, and she didn't need to know all that. She looked at me like I had just lost it and said, "Mother, I'm in first grade, I need to know EVERYTHING!" I finally convinced her, after reading a boring paragraph about absences that indeed she already knew everything, and what she didn't know Mommy would take care of! (Luckily, I did not relish the idea of reading a 50 page manual to a 6-year old... or even reading a 50 page manual myself..... needless to say, I skimmed! But, don't tell Layla!)

This morning she awoke early to kiss David goodbye. He had more stuff to do to get ready for his 6 periods of hoodlums that "know" everything, have better things to do with their time than listen to a social studies teacher, and enjoy making trouble for the teacher! So, Isaac and I woke her up again.... singing and laughing and trying to make her happy! (Mornings are not her favorite time!) After the third time of Isaac leaning up super close to her face, a huge grin on his face because Sissy is home, and laughing loudly... she finally decided to get up and get dressed. Last night, we couldn't decide what to wear, so she left her clothes out for Daddy to choose! She got dressed, pretty uneventful.... but then it was time for breakfast. I went into the kitchen, getting a new box of cereal that I thought she would LOVE, and she says "Mother, I think I lost my appetite!" And then she proceeded to throw herself onto me in a giant hug... my baby girl was nervous!!! We talked about everything again... going over where the class was, that she was to buy her lunch, there was a note in her backpack about riding home on the bus to Daddy's class, and where her desk was.... She finally squeeked out "I think I just need to call my Daddy!" So, we called Daddy and he gave her a pep talk!

Then it was time for drop-off. After passing kindergarten, the school encourages you to let the children walk in on their own and be "big" kids. Well, Layla wanted me to walk her... but I talked her out of it... We went through the circle, she leaned over and kissed Isaac's hand... and hopped out of the car!

Okay, so I cried! I cried all the way to work (a 30-minute drive mind you)! My baby is grown... she is a big girl now... she is a first grader!

I will update on all the news of the first day of school later... since this was just the morning!

Here is a picture of the school girl... ready to go... with brother hanging on her!

Isaac's pictures...

I entered some of Isaac's pictures on the American Baby Cover Photo Contest. (Granted, we will never win - but I had to try! And to me, he would be the cutest cover baby ever!) It was called firsts... so I tried to come up with a few pictures of his "firsts"! There is the belly button picture (featured below), the mad face picture (featured below), his first time in a swing at the park, his first "bite" of watermelon, his first time with his feet on the beach, and his first time "tasting" sand! Here is the link to it... you go there, and on the top you can rate it from 1-5 starts and "Recommend" it! Take a look! Enjoy!

http://www.parents.com/app/sharemy/photoDetails.jsp?photoId=263500157

School....

I can't believe that Layla starts First Grade this year! It is amazing... my little girl.... growing up! It didn't hit me, we've been through Pre-K and Kindergarten, but this is a "Grade"! It hit me... today, sitting in my chair at work... my little girl is a big girl now. And, I started thinking back to her previous years in "school"...

In Pre-K, she adored her teacher, loved her school, and her daddy was right down the hall! She had no fears, she ruled the high school. We still frequently go places and people (not just kids) are waving at her and know her name! She knows all the teachers, they all know her... Her first "parent-teacher conference", which is required for all students, I attended because David was busy. Well, her teacher informed me that she was doing great in everything, and they were studying the family unit in social studies. I said "okay", and her teacher - petite, soft spoken woman - says "She really wants a baby brother!" Then later I found out that on the field trip to the zoo (unfortunately I was at the hospital with my grandfather) she informed her chaperone and teacher that her and her mommy really wanted a brother, but daddy said no. However, she thought that her and her mommy were winning!!! (I guess we did!)

In kindergarten, I nervously walked her to her class on the first day of school! She didn't cry, I did! Then, on the second day of school, parents may not walk in. So, I dropped her off in the circle drive, crying... I dropped her off 15 minutes early so that she had time to find her class and arrive safely if she happened to get lost. That afternoon, I asked her how school went. She said that it was great, but she was late! I, shocked, exclaimed that there was no way she was truly late. So, I asked her... where did you go when I dropped you off? Her reply, to get breakfast! (Which I had told her earlier to go straight to her classroom!) I replied that she had already eaten breakfast at home. Her reply "But MOM, they had donuts and they were GREAT!" Every morning after that I had to remind her that she was to go straight to the classroom and being late because of donuts was not a very good reason.

Who knows what first grade has in store for us... I'll keep you posted!

Photography...

So, I'm trying to capture the small things...

and Layla is in Williston, so I can't try on her (yet!).

Here's what I've done so far!

A belly button...

Two little "Chiclet" teeth... on a sad/mad face!

Okay, let me explain...... I know the above face looks like I'm a horrible mother for taking a picture instead of comforting my child! In reality, when you say "NO" to Isaac, this is the face that he makes. He sticks out his bottom lip, showing his teeth, and squeezes his eyes closed! He doesn't cry, he doesn't whine... just a quick facial expression like this... and then the moment is over! I wanted to capture that forever... not just the smiles and giggles, but the funny things he did too! And this just happened to be one that I loved! I finally captured it at the exact moment he did it... because once he saw the flash, he would grin! (Yes, I like to take a lot of pictures of him, and he knows what a flash is, and that means to smile!!!)

~Jenn~

PS) I wish Layla would hurry home... I'm missing her so much!