A little Tanner love.....

Saturday afternoon we got to spend with Garrett's extended family on his mom's side. We went to his aunt and uncles in Haskell. Their granddaughters were in from Pheonix with their son. We also saw Garrett's mom, stepdad, brother and his other aunt, uncle, and cousin. It was good food and good fellowship.

The little girls are Ashleigh (in the goggles) and Avery (doing the surfer move on the mat). We haven't seen the girls since they were in our wedding in 2005. I think Ashleigh was 6 at the time. She is now 9....she's grown SO much! And of course little diva Avery...who was totally shy when she was 4 and now is just a little ham. She ADORED Reese and was so mothering to him. It was precious to watch. She just loved toting him around and feeding him. Reese is blessed to have them in his life....

Operator, operator would you be so kind......

It's really frustrating to not have phone service. That is one of the things I hate most about cell phone companies. About 2 years ago we decided paying $50 for a home phone that NO ONE was calling was a waste of money. So, we turned it off and everything has been fine since. That is, until we moved to Elmwood. The only place I can get service is standing in front of my bedroom window or standing in front of the screen door. I miss calls, calls don't register until my phone goes into service, I don't get texts....it's so frustrating. I hate to go back to spending $50 a month but I guess we are going to have to.....

Mom and Tot (or Dad and Tot as we did a few nights) ended tonight. I really think Reese had a great time. He did learn to kick and paddle. He's not swimming, but he's only 16 months old, and I think he is a very advanced swimmer! :D

Here are some pictures from one of the nights Garrett got in the pool with him. Tonight at his "graduation" ceremony, he got a T-Shirt, a certificate and 2 pictures, both of which I will post when I can scan them in...one is downright HILARIOUS!

PS. We got Reese's haircut this weekend and these pictures look so funny with his long hair. It's amazing what a haircut will do!

Look Dad, a ball!

No Dad, don't splash the water in my eyes!
Ha! I got the ball and I splashed you!

Kick, kick, kick!

No Daddy, I don't want to go under!But you did it anyways!

Here is Reese going underwater. They do this thing called "bobbing" and you just bob the kids up and down and then you dunk them under......

This video is "Ring Around the Rosies". Every night we played this game and at the end the kids get dunked. Emma is 2 and Garrett is 3 and they were funny because after the 3rd or 4th time they knew what was coming and they would scream that they didn't want to go under...

Random...

Ok, I blog stalk. There. I admit it. I see lots of "lists" on these blogs I stalk, so today, I will write my first list......

1. We took "Sadie" to the animal shelter yesterday. Yes, I know you aren't supposed to name a dog you find because it makes it harder for them to have to leave, but I knew we couldn't keep her, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS PERFECT. I was regretting our decision last night because I realized that she DID have a backyard to run and play in and we even gave her some toys. Now, she is locked in a cage. Makes me sad all over just thinking about it.

2. Summer school isn't as bad as I once thought it would be. I sit, play on the computer, the kids make up 187 days of math in 10 short days. The pay is good and the kids are required to behave or risk staying behind a grade.

3. The bed will finally be here Monday. However, the rest of the bedroom furniture won't be until who knows when? My advice to anyone seeking furniture - STEER CLEAR FROM ASHLEY FURNITURE STORE!

4. I want Jason to win on this season of the Bachelorette. I just love him.....

5. I just watched the TiVo'd episode of Shear Genius. YOU HAVE GOT TO CHECK THIS SHOW OUT!!!!! I love it, along with Design Star 3.

6. We set a date and a rough game plan for our San Antonio trip this summer. We are going to take Reese to Sea World once I get done with Summer School and I can't wait!

7. I just got a mani pedi on Tuesday night....I love to get the light light light almost sheer pink color. I think it just looks so classy. I got some nasty heel damage going on and really needed some foot therapy. I think I will have to go back next week to have them work on my nastiness again.....

8. I love my hair girl Heather. She is sweet, and does a SUPER job. Maybe that's why I've referred 4 people to her and they've all gone and LOVED her. If you need a super haircut and color for a fabulous price, go see Heather - she's your girl.

9. Swim class comes to a close tomorrow. A little sad that my son has moved on past his first swim class, but so proud my little boy is growing up.

10. I love my sunday school class, church, and Bible study group. Enough said.

Mom and Tot....

swim classes are so much fun! I don't want Reese to ever be afraid of the water and so we decided to start him in swim classes. There is a lot of "bobbing" and "kicking" and "splashing" and even a few dunks, but it just gets the kids used to the water. It's fun for us....he really likes to splash and play... Getting ready on the first day

Watching his duck in the water

Thinking about grabbing the green ring underwater

Wanting dad to get him out after his first "dunk"

Blowing bubbles

He thinks Mary Margaret is so funny blowing those bubbles

Pointing at the dogs running in the backyard

Silly boy...if you look close enough you can see the Nutrigrain bar on his forehead

Playing outside

Wearing his bath drum as a hat...

Sweetest little boy...

Life is good....we couldn't be more happy or blessed!

Lazy days of summer, sleeping on the floor, and late nights at the ER!

Lazy days of summer are over! But who am I kidding - I don't get to sleep late this summer... I have a 15 month old!

Last summer - Reese was 4,5, and 6 months. He would wake up around 7:00 and come lay in the bed with me until 9:00 easily...not this summer. At 15 months, he's up and running at 6:00!

Garrett has been great - getting him up and getting him ready and letting me sleep until 7:00! However, tomorrow morning and for the next 20 days I will be leaving the house at 7:00 because I am teaching summer school. The more I think about it, the more I start to second guess my decision to teach, but the money is so good - it was hard not to turn down.

We kept Reese going to Tammie's to keep him in his routine - he's only going from 7:30 to 12:30 and he will continue to go even after summer school is out. He just got over that separation anxiety the last week of school. For those of you who know about seraration anxiety, know that we just overcame a big hurdle and so I hated to get him out of his routine or else when August rolls around this little guy would be going nuts!!! It's been nice to have the mornings to myself, I've almost finished the house, but it is weird not having him here when I'm home.

Garrett called about our furniture which STILL hasn't been delivered. Good news....the couch and tables are here. Bad news...the bed, dresser, and night stands are at least 2 weeks away and they will only make one delivery! Are you kidding me?????

And I guess this blog wouldn't be complete without telling you about the ER visit we had on Friday night. This is a blog, so here's the long version.

Friday Reese stayed home with me because my car was in the shop and Garrett was going to be in Stephenville and wouldn't be home until later in the afternoon. He woke up and was pretty cranky but I just tried to work with him rather than baby him. Around 10:00 I could tell he really wanted to be held, so I picked him up and he immediately went to sleep in my arms. This isn't his normal naptime and I didn't want to ruin his afternoon nap so I woke him up around 11:30 to eat lunch. He didn't take one bite. Instead he really wanted to be held again. So, again, he fell asleep in my arms. Garrett got home around 4:30 to find the both of us asleep in Reese's bed. When I realized what time it was, I was shocked he had slept this long.

We had to go to the shop to get my car and when we got home, Reese wanted to be held again. It was at this point I realized he was WAY HOT. I took his temp and he sat still (he HATES to take his temperature) so I knew he was sick. The thermometer read 102.3. We got some tylenol in him and gave him a cold bath. He felt better and played a little but wasn't himself. We tried to feed him, but nothing. He got sleepy and cranky again and so I decided to call our good friend and Sunday School teacher who works at his Dr's office. She told us some additional stuff to try and so we immediately set out to those things.

Within 45 minutes of us trying all this stuff, his temperature had spiked at 103.5 and we just decided to take him to the ER and let them break the fever. If for anything, our peace of mind, since it was time for everyone to go to bed. By the time we got there, he's fever had gone down some, but he was still very hot and just not himself.

Let me tell you how AMAZING the dr. was. Here we are, in the ER on a Friday night, I was surely expecting some jerk who didn't deal well with kids. He came right in and immediately Reese took to him. He was so great with him - and with me, as I was a basketcase.

Turns out, we just had a severe ear infection - who knew they could cause that high (and even higher) of a fever?! They gave him a shot (a really big one!) and sent us on our merry way with a prescription and some stuff to do. They also told us the fever of over 103 could last 3 days! THREE DAYS?! Luckily - little man was back to himself Saturday night.....

We got home around 1:00...which is far better than waking up every 2 hours to check on him and take his temperature....our peace of mind was well worth the hospital bill that will be sent to us soon!

I of course, cried at the check - in, scared my baby was really sick. Garrett was a champ and was calm through it all. At 15 months, I just wasn't ready to be in the ER. (I can't imagine how my sister felt when she took KJ to the ER at 2 weeks with her husband away on army duty!). Garrett assured me I would become a pro by the 3rd broken arm, and I am sure I will, but I just can't stand to see my baby so sick.

We are back to our normal selves (except his eating) but I am sure once the ear infection is gone, he'll be chewing like a champ!

Amazing how he works...

I was having a hard time yesterday with Dad's birthday and all until a friend emailed me this..... amazing how God knows just what we need at just the right times.

It is 8 minutes long - and the best part starts about 5 minutes into it.....Just watch - you'll be amazed too!

He would be 49...

Today would be my dad's 49th birthday. It's hard to believe its been 3 brithday's since I've seen him. It just doesn't seem real some days. I miss him like crazy.

My dad was the most caring and unselfish person I know. He would give anyone the shirt off his back. He enjoyed helping people. It's one of the things he did best. He loved us girls, that I know for sure. He always wanted the best for us and worked so hard to get it. I remember when he used to race cars. I loved to watch him. I was so proud that he was my dad. He always went out of his way to make us feel special. He always got us special Valentine's gifts - he always made sure we knew we were his Valentines. He would even make us toast in the shape of a heart. I remember all the breakups I had and how he always knew how to pick up the pieces. He always made sure our birthday was our day - and we got to do anything we wanted. He loved to watch us play sports. I can see him now standing at the fence saying "Come on sis, you can do it." He was always so positive - always made sure that win or lose I knew he was proud of me. He would work for hours with me - he would make me pitch in the front yard over and over and over until finally it was too dark to see the ball and we'd have to go in. He'd stand in the driveway and rebound my free-throws until I thought my arm would fall off. And he'd always walk me over to Irons to retrieve my tennis balls. Skill wise, I was way better than my dad at tennis, he'd never even picked up a racket before me - but I never beat that guy on the tennis court. And who can forget the way he walked through the gates of Coronado High School saying "Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Coronado". It was just him - his trademark. Or the time I shot the winning basket in the last 10 seconds of the Irons vs. Frenship game? That night, he announced to the whole church that I was the star of the team.....He was always hard on us, and sometimes I thought he expected too much, but I am so glad he chose to love us the way he did. And now, as a parent, I realize, he wasn't too hard on us, he just loved us and wanted the best for us. I'll never forget the way he called me "sissy", even when I was 25 and getting married. I was and will always be his little girl. He always made sure I had what I wanted - he was the best dad. I was and still am scared of the rain and thunderstorms. He never made me feel like a wuss, but rather was glad I still needed him to feel safe. I remember when he cried and cried the day I moved out to go to college. Even though it was just across town, it was forever away from him. And when I moved to Midland to start my career - I remember him standing by my TV in my apartment just crying. He hugged me so tight that day. He used to call every Sunday at 8. That was our time to talk - without fail, Sunday at 8, my dad would call me. I miss hearing him answer the phone....he would always say "Hellllllllllllllllllllllo Tiffany".

He loved my mom. I know that for sure. He loved her with everything he had in her. She was his world - and she came first. Never have I been witness to such an amazing marriage. They weren't just husband and wife, but best friends. It's amazing that they found and married each other at 17 - so many times they could've given up, because at 17 and on your own, life is hard. But they had so much love....It was neat to see them renew their vows the summer before he died. He loved her and hated to leave her. I think that is what scared him most, leaving my mom.

But above any memory I have of my dad, the thing that stands out the most is how Godly he was. Ever since I can remember, he had a prayer partner that he prayed over the phone with every morning. I used to sit right outside the door when he was praying and listen to him. Every morning they would pray for all of us girls (Wayne had 3 girls of his own). They would pray for us and our safety and pray that God would lead us to the man who would eventually lead our families. He prayed about everything - even after he got sick - he prayed that God's will would be done with his life.

I don't understand why God would choose to take him at 46 years old. I don't understand how my son can say "PawPaw" but never know who his PawPaw was. I don't understand why our family lived watching him suffer to wake up everyday for 2 LONG years. I don't understand and I wish I knew the answers - I wish God could reveal his plan to me. But even if I knew the answer, it wouldn't change the fact that he's not here.

Sometimes the simplest things remind me of him. I still get angry when I think about what I've lost. And the more I think about my dad, I don't miss him for me, I miss him for Reese. My dad would've been an amazing grandfather. He loved those boys even before they were born - even before they existed. I want Reese to understand just how great of a man he was - and I hope and pray Reese is just like him.....

So Happy 49th Birthday Daddy.....I love and miss you more everyday.....

People let me tell you 'bout my beeeessst friends....

Sunday night, the De La Garza's came over for swimming and burgers. It was good to see Yaz and Rhea - I haven't seen them in so long. After dinner we put them all in the pool. They absolutely loved it.......good times with good friends.

And here is my fruity boy.....this kid would eat fruit 24 hours a day if I would let him. He finally seems to be gaining some weight, which for us, is a big relief. He is so skinny despite all that he eats.....

Update of sorts....