Oh My!

This past weekend Wade and I packed up and went to spend a few days in Fayetteville. I wanted to go up there once more before my maternity leave was over and I am so glad we went because it was such a great time.  I always feel like when we take a trip to Arkansas, it is for an event and we end up spending the entire time running at 90 miles an hour to fit everything in.  And while we didn't do a whole lot of sitting around, this was a much more relaxed trip. We got to see all our family and several friends while we were there, eat at some of my favorite restaurants that I have not been to in a while and even got several home-cooked meals, which I NEVER get the chance to enjoy.  

While I was there I saw one of the funniest things ever...

That is my mom's dog.  She may not look that funny to everyone else, but for those of you who know China, it is hilarious.  While this picture makes her look like a young puppy, she is 16 years old and usually covered in an extremely full coat of hair.  I never knew how skinny she was under all that fur.  To add insult to injury, she is almost completely blind and losing her hearing.  She also has never been able to bark beacuse the previous owner had her vocal cords clipped which I think is so cruel.  That means she is literally deaf, dumb and blind and now has no hair!  In my mom's defense, she didn't have this done on purpose, this is how China looked when she picked her up from the groomer.  She was as surprised as the rest of us to see what her dog looks like. 

Oh well, it is just hair and like I woiuld tell any girl who has gotten a bad haircut, it will grow back out.  Regardless, it does not make her any less sweet...

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!

I can't believe it but Wade turned two months old today.  Everyone told me before he was born to cherish every minute because it would go by so fast and even though it saddens me to admit it, they were right.  It feels like just last week, we were checking into the hospital to welcome our little miracle into this world.  However, somehow, the last eight weeks have come and gone in a blink of an eye.  Gone is our cuddly, sleepy newborn and in his place is the most sweet and loving baby that is so active and busy.  He is also showing signs of the most adorable personality.  He smiles and coos all day long which melts my heart every time. 

Wade is also starting to create sounds that resemble more than grunts and his favorite "word" at the moment is "Ah-goo" (To which his dad tells me that he also likes Ragu).  It is so much fun to sit and have our version of a conversation.

One of his favorite past-times is playing on his activity mat and working on his motor skills as he is so determined to grab the toys and rattles that hang from it. It was about a week ago that we noticed he was actually purposefully hitting them instead of just wildly swinging his arms uncontrollably.  While his fingers are still uncooperative and he is unable to grasp anything on his own, his actions seem to be much more deliberate as he reaches for his toys.

 Another thing he is working on at the moment is trying to get his thumb in his mouth.  As for now, Wade is putting his entire fist in  his mouth but you can tell it will only be a matter of days until we will have a thumb-sucker on our hands. He just has to figure out how to separate his thumb from the rest of the fist and stick it out hitch-hiker style.  I can just see the orthodontist bills piling up in the future but for now it is so cute to watch him and his determination.

While I do miss my newborn baby, it has been so much fun to watch Wade grow and change over the last few weeks.  I am so excited to see what the future will bring and the fun that I know I am going to have with my sweet boy.

Am I Cut Out For This?

Parenting, that is. Today has been my hardest day being a parent so far.  Wade had his 2 month checkup at the pediatrician and with that came SIX vaccines.  Yes, you read right.  He had to get six shots to his poor little legs today.  I was so nervous about the appointment that I drug Chris there with us.  I needed as much moral support as Wade and while I was there for my baby, Chris was there for me.  I couldn't tell you what the vaccines were for specifically, I was just nervous for my little man.   However, Wade was a real trooper.  Though he did let out a couple of duck-dying screams and his face turned the brightest shade of red I have ever seen, he is now sitting here on Chris's lap cooing and smiling and being as sweet as ever. 

Now, I am just praying that we will not have to put the infant Tylenol and thermometer we bought into use (or that my sweet baby will remember this traumatic event and hate me for it in the future).  I have to admit it, I spent most of the morning and early afternoon being extra lovey and apologizing to him for what I knew was about to happen.

I guess this can just be chalked up to one of those many "I did this for your own good and it hurts me more than it will hurt you" moments...

Wade's Sip N See

The weekend before my family left for Florida, a couple of my mom's very good friends threw a Sip N See for Wade and me.  Thank you Kathy and Marcia for hosting such a wonderful event for us.  They did such a wonderful  job.  I had such a great time showing of my little man to all our friends.  There was a great turnout to meet him and we were so blessed to receive so many adorable outfits.  Wade is going to be the best dressed kid in town until at least his first birthday.  Thank you to everybody for your generosity.  Our family is so blessed and so appreciative to have such a wonderful group of friends.

Showing off one of many adorable outfits Wade received

The ladies admiring our little man

With some of his favorite "aunts", Christi, Sara and Angela

Checking out all  the wonderful gifts

The man of the hour.  He definitely stole the show.

We're Home!

Well, sadly the vacation is over.  I guess you have to come back to life and reality at some point, but two weeks away is just not enough for me.  I know I am extremely blessed that I was able to take a two week vacation, but I could have spent my whole summer in Seaside.  I truly love that place and look forward to being there every year. 

Not only do I get to spend time on the beach relaxing in the sun, I get to share it with almost my entire family including my in-laws.  I miss my family so much and don't get to see them nearly enough.  My nieces are growing up so fast and every time I am around them I am amazed at how much they have changed since I last saw them.  And now that I have a child of my own, I miss my mom more than ever.  So, this year our vacation was all the more special for me and I hated to have to leave.

Although it wasn't nearly long enough for me, my time in Seaside was wonderful.  The first week there we woke up more than once to a monsoon outside and had to run home during a rainstorm on more than one occasion.

Ava bummed about yet another rainstorm

In year's past this would have been a complete downer, but seeing as my beach time was limited  due to having a one month old baby to look after, I didn't mind so much.  It just meant that the rest of the group got to stay inside with me.  There was a lot of quality family time that took place during those raining days. 

Unfortunately, due to the technological age we live in, our "quality time" looked a lot like this...

Yes, Haley is on her cell phone AND the computer.  This wasn't all we did though.  We also played cards and spent A LOT of time being entertained by the kids.

            Ava and Devin dancing to Justin Beiber

        Reece playing with my makeup brushes

And even though all he can do is lay there, Wade was a great source of joyful entertainment for us as well.  He really learned to smile and engage with us during the two weeks on the trip.

It wasn't all rainy days though.  As soon as the rain would let up we would pack up and RUN to the beach.

Here are some pics of the fun we had after the sun finally came out

Ava and Reece building one of many sandcastles

Devin and Erin, bathing beauties

This is all he did down at the beach

Another sandcastle build, this time Ava got Haley to help

Ava and Scott, up to mischief yet again...

Toppy and Scott, digging to China

The Weaver girls

Ava was a wonderful beachside waitress

Reece playing in the sand

Devin showing off her Boogie Board skills

Reece running from the surf

Ava and I catching some rays

Father and son keeping cool in the shade

Sisters

Rain or shine, we all had such a great time and can't wait for next year!  Until then...

I Am An Award Winning Chef!

Every year in conjunction with our 4th of July celebration in Seaside, my family hosts a cooking competition for all our friends and family that are on vacation.  We have competed with desserts, appetizers and dips in the past.  This year my incredible husband, having been the king of cuisine last year by winning the dessert competition, was put in charge of the cook-off.  He chose the category of cookies.  Now, I have never been one to compete before but Chris thought it only right to step out of the fight this year being he was the one to plan everything.  So in great Wyatt tradition and with a heaping amount of pressure on my back to keep the title of World's Greatest Chef in the family, I decided to throw my hat in the ring.  I knew that I didn't want to prepare anything too difficult or time-consuming as I was on vacation and didn't want my beach time to be affected so I chose to make what I named Peach Cobbler Cookies.   

So, as in year's past, everyone came to the house for a hot dog cookout and our cook-off before the festivities of the 4th.  There were 12 entries this year and 29 people in attendance to share in the fun.  We had every kind of cookie under the sun to taste.  There was everything from ice cream cookie sandwiches to basic chocolate chip cookies. 

A look at a few of the entries

After everyone had eaten, sampled the entries and cast their votes, a winner was announced.  Guess who came out on top this year?

That's right.  I maintained the title for the Wyatt family and came home with the Silver Spoon Award. Now, if I can just find a place of honor in my house for that stunning trophy...

Happy Birthday Haley & America

Every year when we come to Seaside we try to make it around the 4th of July.  This means my baby sister (if at 25 years old I can still call her that) usually gets to celebrate her birthday there as well.  Haley turned 25 on July 1st and we all enjoyed the evening at dinner and then presents with birthday key lime pie.

Me, Haley and my mom at birthday dinner at The Great Southern.

Haley requested a Key Lime Pie as her birthday "cake".  We ordered it from Stinky's Fishcamp in Santa Rosa after reading about it in Southern Living (love that magazine).  It was definitely worth the write up.  The pie was yuuummmmyyyy!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!!

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays and celebrating it in Seaside makes it all that more special to me and my family.  I always feel such a sense of patriotism and pride for my country at the end of the day and Seaside puts on a great show for the 4th.  It starts early in the morning with a parade for all the locals and guests to participate in.  You can decorate your bike, golf cart, car or just dress up and walk along the three mile route if you want to join in the festivities.

Just a few of the many "floats" in the parade.

  

   Even Wade joined in on the fun  

Check out all that loot

Later that evening, there is a concert in the ampetheater and fireworks on the beach.  This year the ceremony was a little different.  The concert was canceled the evening of the 4th because of torrential rains that never seemed to end.  Although the weather was unfortunate, it didn't stop our group or the entire town and surrounding area from rolling out to celebrate.

our fam waiting and hoping the concert would still be on

Ava and Reece sharing a snow cone while we wait

After the concert there is a spectacular fireworks show on the beach.  While this too was different this year because of a lack of a barge to shoot them from (they were all in the gulf helping with the oil cleanup), the show was just as great.  Chris and I watched them from Bud & Alley's upstairs bar and had a great vantage point.  It literally felt like the were going off right over our heads. For anyone who knows me, you know that fireworks are one of my favorite things in the whole world.  Watching them with the ocean as your backdrop is such a spectacular way to see them.  They light up the water at the same time that they are exploding over you.  It is like getting two shows in  one.  Thankfully the rain moved out in time for this portion of the evening to happen as planned.

My family and I are so blessed to all be able to spend such a wonderful day together as we have done so for the past few years.  Even though this year the day was a little bit of a bust without the concert, we were all still able to be with each other and celebrate this wonderful country that we live in together.  I am already looking forward to next year's celebration.