Bedtime Stories

Break on Through

2012-02-01T22:35:00.000-06:00

To the other side. I have experienced the other side the last two days. Drew had his tonsils and adenoids removed yesterday morning due to sleep apnea symptoms and large tonsils. We had a visit to the ENT clinic a couple of months ago where they had decided to do due the surgery based on his symptoms of snoring, poor sleep, and stopping breathing during sleep. He also had the frenulum under his tongue clipped again. He had it done as a tiny baby at only a few days old because he wasn't able to suck well. Now he is unable to fully stick his tongue out and can't make certain sounds because he can't put his tongue on the roof of his mouth. Thus, we ended up at LeBonheur yesterday morning for a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, or a T and A, and a frenectomy.

We arrived to the pre-op desk bright and early at 6:30 yesterday morning. Actually it wasn't all that bright. In fact, Drew asked why we were going while it was still night time. He got to wear his pajamas and house shoes to the hospital, as our friend and fellow resident Stephanie reminded us that it is customary for the pre-op children to do so. The grandparents, Uncle Kyle, and Aunt Sarah all joined us for the activities. Drew was called back to the pre-op area around 7:30 or 8. The first thing he got to do was pick out a toy in the Buddy Tunnel, and he chose a monster truck. Then he was measured and weighed and changed into a gown. We were visited by one of the ENT residents, who I actually ended up knowing from medical school. I was unaware that he was going to be in on the surgery, but it put my mind to ease instantly knowing that he would be there. You could tell Drew was a little apprehensive, but he did great. He did some coloring and got to choose the flavor of the gas that would put him to sleep. He chose bubble gum. Our pre-op nurse was really great and put Drew at ease, as did the child life lady. As it got closer to surgery time Dr. Stocks, the ENT attending, came by and answered our last minute questions. The anesthesiologist came by and it was about time to go. One of us was allowed to go back with Drew and stay until they put him to sleep, so naturally we thought Dad, the doctor, would go. Drew had other ideas, so Mom put on the bunny suit and put on her mask and accompanied Drew to the OR. I gave him a hug and a kiss and said goodbye. A few minutes later Katie joined me in the waiting room with the fam.

It was nerve-wracking. Luckily I was able to spend almost half of the time waiting by going with my dad to get us coffee and breakfast. I had brought a bag full of things to do, but wasn't able to even think about doing any of them. After about 45 minutes the lady who runs the waiting room told us that the doctor would meet us in consultation room 3. My mind immediately was racing. Consultation room? She hadn't said anything about talking to us right afterward. Of course I knew it was common and that it was probably just to tell us that things had gone great, but what if it wasn't. There was about a 2-3 minute period of torture until she showed up with a smile on her face to tell us that things did indeed go great. He did very well and there were no complications. About the same time I was getting a text from another pediatrics resident who happened to be doing an elective in anesthesia this month. She was letting me know that she had seen Drew come back to the OR and that he had done great. We waited a few more minutes and then we were called back to the post-op area to see him.

As bad as the wait had been, the first minute with him in the post-op area was so much worse. He had already started to wake up by the time we made it back there and from the moment we walked in the door we could hear him crying and calling out for his mommy. It took him a minute to finally calm down once Katie and I were by his side. He had some coughing and some pain due to the surgery and the fact that he had been intubated for the procedure. Our post-op nurse was absolutely wonderful. LeBonheur now had an Icee machine in the post-op area. A real Icee machine, complete with real Icee cups and flavors! Only a few minutes after the surgery Drew was awake and letting me feed him little bits of a White Cherry Icee. He took almost half of in it a short time and was awake and watching cartoons. He was an absolute All-Star. Our nurse told us repeatedly how well he was doing and how proud of him she was. The hospital was full, so we were put in a private post-op room for a couple more hours until we got a room. Drew had a popsicle and a Powerade while we waited. Mom and Dad even got Icees! Finally we got a room and we were moved up to the tenth floor.

There we were greeted by another wonderful nurse who really made our stay great. The family also hung out for a little while and spent some time with Drew. He had a late lunch consisting of mashed potatoes, applesauce, and a banana. Our first mission, our most important mission, and really our ongoing mission was to pick movies for our visit. We watched Cars 2, Tangled, Megamind, Despicable Me, Gnomeo and Juliet just to name a few. And yes, we did stay the night, as that's what his ENT prefers when they do the T and A for sleep apnea. I actually preferred it as well, as I had seen too many times where kids had come back to the hospital or even the ICU after a T and A. Drew continued to do well the rest of the night. We were visited by Stephanie who was nice enough to bring Drew some Matchbox cars and a balloon and Mom and Dad some coffee! Drew ate dinner and drank plenty of fluids while also getting IV fluids and pain medicine. We were all amazed that he didn't pass out the rest of the day, only dozing off for a few minutes before finally falling asleep around 10!

He did ok last night, but not as well as the day had gone. He woke up a couple of times complaining of pain and didn't take him medicine as well as he had during the day either. He wanted Katie to sleep with him so she did and I slept on the couch. It was a little bit of a restless night at times, but ultimately it rendered the sweetest part of the entire story. Around 4 AM Drew rolled over and patted Katie and told her "You're the best mommy I could ask for." It was so precious. The resident came to visit us around 6 and told us that as long as Drew could eat and drink at breakfast that we could go home.

Initially the morning went just as planned. Drew ate some grits and drank plenty of water. The doctor put in the discharge orders, wrote the prescriptions, and the nurse came to discharge us. I went to take the things to the car and pull it around to the front entrance. Then I get a call from Katie that Drew threw up three times as they crossed the threshold leaving his room. Great. Between me, the nurse, and the ENT resident we decided to stay until lunch and see how things went. I blame myself. He had his pain medicine before he had anything on his stomach this morning and I believe that is why he threw up. Since I was already in the car I got Katie and me some lunch at Trolley Stop Market. Drew ultimately ate some more mashed potatoes, drank lots of water, and ate a popsicle for lunch so that we could go home. We we got home a present from Drew's Sunday School teacher was there on our front porch to greet us.

Our entire experience at LeBonheur was first class. I was so proud to be a small part of one of the greatest little children's hospitals in the country. It was so different being on the other side of things. You want people to know you're a doctor, not for special treatment, but so that they'll speak to you in your language. But you don't want to be that person who wears their white coat and introduces themselves as Dr. So-and-So to everyone who walks in the room. And although I know it's a relatively minor procedure, it is definitely true that nothing is minor when it comes to your child. It was definitely weird seeing fellow residents, attendings, nurses, and staff around the hospital. I didn't mind explaining to everyone that Drew was having a T and A, but what if what something more serious or something that we didn't want everyone to know about? It would definitely be a lot more difficult. And it was still excruciating waiting on him during surgery. I know my first experience at LeBonheur almost three years ago when Drew had his head injury had influenced the way I do my job and deal with parents. Hopefully this experience will once again reinforce how important it is to also take care of the parents and family and how important something that may seem so simple to me actually means to them when it's their child. I know LeBonheur has great nurses and they really made the difference in making our visit great. Last, our wonderful little boy was an absolute superhero the entire time. We are so proud of what a big, strong boy he was before, during, and after the surgery. I hope the entire recovery process goes this well. We appreciate everyone's concerns and prayers for him.

December Closeout, Almost

2012-01-25T15:52:00.002-06:00

Well, we're almost to the end of January and I still have some catching up to do for the rest of December. So here is your catch all post. At least most of it. I still have some after Christmas activities to edit. There are so many pictures I thought I would break it up though. The first picture is Allie crawling out of one of our end tables at the house, followed by Drew catching a few snowflakes on his tongue. Next is Drew singing in his Christmas program at church. He is messing with his hair if you can see him in the middle there, which is his new thing to do when he gets nervous. The next few are from the Arlington Christmas parade, which was a fun event as always. Our friend Amanda also took a wonderful family picture of all four of us there that I need to get a copy of so I can post. The next few are just family fun and craziness. Then we come up to a group of residents from my class which was taken at our yearly Christmas party. Katie and I had a chance to dress up and have some fun with my friends without the kids. We finish out with Drew at Passport Bethlehem, a Christmas activity program at Bellevue for the kids, then all of us making a gingerbread house at my parent's one night, and finally our trip to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. Although they give you a free copy of you photo with Santa, you are not allowed to take your own pictures there. So I got yelled at by the lady and did not get a picture with my camera. I need to post a picture of the one they took though, because Allie is crying and it's priceless. It was definitely an all around fun month.

A Big Anouncement

2012-01-23T16:40:00.000-06:00

No, we are not expecting another baby. Gotcha! However, my sister and my brother-in-law, Sarah and Brad are expecting one! They told the family around Thanksgiving, but wouldn't let us tell anyone for a while. They finally announced it on their Christmas card and then on Facebook around Christmas, which of course made it official. Their first baby is due sometime in the middle of July. They told Katie and I and my parents at our house by giving them a onesie that says "I Heart My Grandparents." They announced it to the rest of the world with a picture of their dog, Lucy, that shows her wearing a shirt that says "Big Sister." They say that they won't be finding out if it's a boy or a girl, so it's nickname for now is BM for Baby Morris. Drew was very excited as well, although I don't think he knows what he's in for when the baby comes, as Sarah and him are big buddies and he loves to spend time with her and cuddle up with her. The last picture is a book my mom gave Sarah on Thanksgiving called Hot Mama, full of advice on staying hip during pregnancy. We can't wait to meet our new niece or nephew! Congratulations to Brad and Sarah!

Christmas Night

2012-01-20T18:09:00.000-06:00

We continued our Christmas day and into the night by heading to my parent's house with two napping kids in the backseat. Everyone was awake and smiling once again when we got there. We ate an early supper, a traditional meal consisting of ham, turkey, dressing, and the usual. We opened even more presents. Drew got a Tiger pillow pet, a few other things, and then his really big present was outside at the end. He got to rip open a huge playhouse, complete with a school house, chalk board, part fire house, drive thru bank, gas station with pump, soccer goal, and even a basketball goal. It's a happening little city in our backyard now. Allie got her first Cabbage Patch doll, which got Katie excited. It also cheered Allie up, as she was a little fussy before that. Brad and Sarah were nice enough to enroll me in the Jelly of the Month Club. After all, it's the gift that keeps on giving all year long. My dad got a grill and a sound system for his TV, while we gave my mom a coffee pot and my dad got her a bracelet. Drew and I got matching remote control trucks again! One for everywhere we go now. It really has always been my dream to race and wreck remote control cars with him. We left my parents and headed down to my mom's side of the family in Olive Branch to finish out the evening. We definitely had a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Christmas Day

2012-01-19T21:37:00.000-06:00

After looking under the tree, opening presents at our house, and then getting ready for the day, we headed over to Katie's parent's house for Christmas with her family. We have been doing a Christmas brunch over there with delicious breakfast foods for a couple of years now. Drew was excited to be able to hang out with his cousins and Uncle Charlie. We all ate a hearty breakfast and then dug into our presents. Drew was actually buried in presents before it was his turn to open. We went in order from youngest to oldest, so little Allie got to open hers first. She wasn't really interested in tearing the paper or helping out, but she still got a lot of nice things. Mostly clothes and baby toys. Drew waited patiently and then it was finally his turn. He got a remote control monster truck, house shoes, a chef's hat and apron among other things. Katie got a lamp that has a key for it's base and then a big key to put on the wall that holds a candle. Then it was my turn. I got most of the same things Drew did- we got matching house shoes and matching monster trucks to play with, race, and crash. I was pretty excited, and so was Drew. Don't let that look on his face fool you into thinking he wasn't. I think it was getting close to nap time at that point. After spending some time with Katie's family it was time to go to my parent's house for Christmas Evening, which is coming up next.

Christmas Morn

2012-01-18T23:30:00.003-06:00

We've been lucky so far. We have yet to experience the Christmas morning where the kids wake up at 4 in the morning ready to rip into their presents. However, it's always an early morning for Santa's helpers, who have usually stayed up late on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning was all about kitchens at our house. Drew had been wanting a grill for some time now. Then he started asking for a kitchen also after he had played with one at church. We had been prepping him to ask Santa for one and the big man delivered. He brought one for Allie too! Drew ran out from his room, couldn't believe what he saw, and threw himself on the couch. We finally got him up and then he ran over to the kitchen to play. Drew also got a set of "worker men" that he had requested. Allie's other presents included her own doll and stroller, which also acts as a toy that she can learn to walk behind. She loves her dolly, especially taking away it's magnetic pacifier and putting it back in place. Drew got a lot of clothes from Mom and Dad, which he opened and immediately threw over his shoulder. All except his Cardinals championship t-shirt and the coolest Cardinals hat in the world. He loves wearing his new Cardinals hat all the time now. He got some Leapster games, a book for his Tag Reader, and a few other things. Allie's present from Drew was a plush pink dog similar to one Drew has that is blue that Papa and Gigi gave him when he was born. She loves playing with his and now has one of her own. Drew got Katie the flowers seen in the earlier post. He got me a Albert Pujols bobblehead! Katie and I didn't have much under the tree for each other this year. I got her a frame with a space for a picture of Allie, and then a place for a hand print and a foot print. We had already gotten our big presents for this year. We had some landscaping done a couple months ago which was my present. Katie's present was our new hardwood floors in the den and our new kitchen floor, both of which were put in a couple months ago and were necessary after our dishwasher leaked and ruined both of the old floors. We had some special family time together before we headed out to see the rest of the family for the remainder of the day.

Christmas Eve

2012-01-17T22:45:00.000-06:00

I don't even remember what we did during the day on Christmas Eve at this point. I think we just spent the day together around the house.We went to the Bellevue Christmas Eve Service in the late afternoon where we sang songs and listened to a Christmas sermon. Then we were invited by our good friends Jeff and Amanda to join them at their family's Christmas Eve get together. We gladly accepted and got to enjoy some good food with our friends while meeting their family. Santa Claus even made a surprise visit and gave all the kids presents which excited Drew. He got a Nerf gun, which we've had a lot of fun with, but unfortunately have already lost some bullets. Then we came home, turned on the Christmas tree lights, turned on some Christmas music, and began our family Christmas Eve activities. We climbed into mom and dad's bed and read the Christmas story about Jesus' birth from one of Drew's books. Then we tracked Santa with the help of NORAD on the computer. Last, we sat out milk and cookies by the fireside for Santa. Finally, we put the kids to bed and Santa's helpers got to work in the toy workshop. A couple hours later the adults were ready for bed and asleep in anticipation of Christmas morn.

Pre-Christmas Family Gathering

2012-01-16T15:50:00.000-06:00

The Yaun-Hopper Christmas Family Gathering has become the must attend event of the season. The 3rd Annual installment was held once again on the traditional December 23rd date to kick off the Christmas festivities. I was off work and Katie and I spent the day getting the house ready. Drew and I got Katie some flowers for Christmas to decorate the house, while Katie did the rest. The first couple pictures are just around the house. Katie did a great job decorating everything and cooking up some great food as well. Drew and Katie made their traditional sugar cookies with gobs of delicious icing on the top. We had both sides of our family over for coffee, hot chocolate, soups, and desserts. Drew was a great host, spending time with everyone around the house. Allie was in to everything. She and her cousin Mary were dressed in matching outfits, but it was very difficult to get a picture of both of them looking at the camera. It was a great time had by all who attended. More on the rest of our Christmas activities is forthcoming.

30th Birthday Weekend

2012-01-12T21:46:00.000-06:00

The NICU has claimed another month of my life- December 2011. And so I'm behind on blogging once again, including most of the month of December. One milestone event occurred on December 10th when I turned 30. I didn't really want to turn 30, but it turned out that I had no choice. At least I was able to have a great birthday weekend to soften the blow. On Friday the 9th I went to eat with my family at Bosco's, where they served me a cake and gave me presents. The cake was a cookie cake, my favorite, featuring several special pictures from the last 30 years. Brad and Sarah gave me a CD and a fogless mirror to use to shave in the shower, my parents gave me my new Wallabees and a Dukes of Hazard t-shirt, and Katie and the kids gave me a sweater from Vineyard Vines. Brad, Sarah, Katie, and I then took the after party down to Tunica, Mississippi. We hit Harrah's Casino and started out playing some slots. Then I played some roulette and hit number 11 for a big win. I won a few more bucks playing blackjack to cap off a great night. The next night on the 10th Katie and I went out on the town. We ate dinner at Alfred's on Beale and then bought some tickets on the street to see Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band at the FedEx Forum. We had an awesome time being the oldest people in the arena. I am a Seger fan and he did put on an awesome show despite the fact that he is 66 years old. He played all of his hits, making it well worth the money and a great way to finish off my birthday weekend. I think I've handled being 30 pretty well up to this point, although I'm already starting to dread that next milestone birthday.

Drew is 5!

2012-01-05T22:33:00.003-06:00

Katie and I cannot believe that our little baby boy is five years old today. Time has really flown by. It's so hard to believe that at this time five years ago we were feeding him and holding him for the first time and now five years later we were playing rhyming games and Simon Says. It has been so amazing to watch him grow and learn so much over the years. He looks like a little man these days instead of a little boy. He had a big day today also. He got to take cupcakes to school and eat them with his friends. He also got to wear the birthday hat and be the line leader there. This afternoon Katie and I surprised him with our big present to him, a "training wheels bike" as Drew calls it. He was so excited that he couldn't wait to go outside and give it a test ride. Then we went to Huey's for his birthday dinner, which was his choice. Unfortunately my mom wasn't able to come as she was home sick with the stomach bug that has been going around among a few people in the family. Drew got more presents there, including a Memphis football, a bike helmet, and rain boots and a rain coat. He got to drink lemonade, eat ice cream, and we all sang him Happy Birthday. We had some good family time at home before bedtime. He had a really big day and has another party with his friends coming up in a couple days. Pictures from tonight are below.

Out with the Old

2012-01-03T21:49:00.002-06:00

I got new Wallabees for my birthday. Not the animal, that's a wallaby, but the iconic shoe made by Clark's for almost 50 years now and very popular in the Memphis area. Not a big deal to most people, but sort of a big deal for me given the wear and tear I had put my last pair through. I'm not sure how long I had my old pair. I think it was my second pair since I started wearing them in the late 90's, so probably somewhere around 7 or 8 years. You can see in the pictures below the results of such punishment over that time. They haven't even been in suitable condition for daily wear for some time now. The big stain on the front of the old right shoe is something, probably and hopefully blood, that stained it during my time on the delivery halls of The Med during medical school. They have lasted me from college, to studying throughout medical school, from the delivery halls of The Med as a third year student, and now back to the delivery halls of The Med as a a third year Peds resident as I awaited the arrival of new babies. Throughout much of medical school and now residency they have been my go to shoes for overnight calls. Their comfort over a long shift and the ease with which they can be slipped on and off are incomparable. I have often received questions as to why I would wear shoes with holes in them. However, another resident noted that she always liked it when she saw me wearing those shoes because she knew I was ready to work. So it's out with the old and in with the new here at the Yaun house, at least in regards to my shoes. I'm a couple of inches taller now thanks to the new soles and ready to face the world in 2012. More to come on my birthday and Christmas soon, and I promise there will be pictures of the kids instead of nasty old shoes. They're not gone though. I have kept them to wear in the yard and possibly still on overnight calls at some point.

Turkey Trot

2011-12-02T06:13:00.000-06:00

This post is part Thanksgiving and part finishing out the month of November, which is why there are a lot of miscellaneous pictures as well. I was off a couple Friday's ago, an unusual occurrence since that is the day of my weekly clinic. I got to spend some time with the kids, as we took them to the Children's Museum and went to lunch at the Trolley Stop Market. The next morning Drew had a karate tournament, coming in second place this time in his group. He has come such a long way since the first one, with more precise moves and motions. I really thought he had a shot at first this time. After karate we went back to the Children's Museum to visit Santa and make some Christmas crafts. Katie, Drew, and Allie went and celebrated Thanksgiving that night with Katie's family, while Dad had to work that night. The next set of pictures is from that Sunday after church, with Drew and Allie and matching shirts and all of us posing for pictures out on the porch. The funny alien looking picture is Drew dressed up as a football player, complete with a toboggan for a helmet, Green Lantern goggles, football pants, and soccer shin guards.

We kicked off Thanksgiving week at Drew's preschool with a Turkey Trot, where the parents came for games, crafts, music, and lunch. Drew was so excited that both Katie and I were able to come and he had been telling everyone all week that we both would be there. He had a blast making turkeys, playing putt putt and basketball, getting his face painted, making a cookie, singing for us, and eating lunch with us. Thanksgiving morning we watched the Macy's parade and Drew reenacted his own version at our house, complete with plenty of cars, Mickey Mouse, the Chipmunks, and Winnie the Pooh among others. Allie had the stomach bug and Katie woke up with it on Thanksgiving morning as well. So Drew and I went over to my parents house to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family while we left the girls at home. Drew sang the Pledge of Allegiance during the football games and spent his time playing with the Las Vegas Hospital- notice the Las Vegas sign in the picture next to the hospital. We got some nice fall family pictures before we ate a delicious dinner of turkey, ham, dressing, and the usual fixings. Drew and I ended up spending the night there and going to see Arthur Christmas 3-D the next day with my mom before coming home to watch LSU and Arkansas play some football.

Since then I have been nocturnal, as I started working nights in the ER that Friday night. I have still yet to full readjust my sleep schedule, which is the cause of the lack of updates this week. It has been a very busy month in the ER, with one day that I worked actually breaking the record number of patients seen there in one day. I move back to the NICU in a couple of days and will be working there for the last time ever! Hopefully by then I can get back to a regular sleeping pattern and some more updates.

Battle of the Bones

2011-11-25T18:02:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we had our second try at BBQ smokin' and more Memphis Football. It was the Battle of the Bones- The Tigers vs. UAB and Memphis BBQ vs. the Birmingham version. This was actually Brad's third go at it with Dang, She's Swine; we missed one in Bolivar while we were at Disney. Him and Sarah got out there super early to get things smoking on a very windy day. We came out a little later in the morning to help finish things up and provide taste testers prior to the game. Drew and I had fun playing football and baseball and getting ready to cheer on the Tigers. We readied the ribs and turned them in at about 1 PM, and then relaxed and enjoyed everything. We got to be on Tiger Lane because of the BBQ contest and saw the Tigers walk in while hanging out with Pouncer and Tom the Tiger.

The game was a different story though. I had actually let myself think that the Tigers could win this one. It looked like they were going to do it, too, leading 35-17 going into the fourth quarter. Then they did what only the Tigers football team can do. They found a way to lose, letting up 24 unanswered fourth quarter points to lose 41-35. You could just see it happening. It was really upsetting and I think it has even changed my mind about head coach, Larry Porter. I was ready to give him a third season at the helm, but after that debacle I think he has to go now. I don't see how next year is going to be any better. As far as the BBQ, only the top three were announced, with the winners crowned on the field at halftime. We didn't make it, but ours were definitely better than the team who came in second. We were next to their tent and they gave us a taste test, which was not very impressive. There's always next year.

Bat and Mouse Halloween

2011-11-21T13:10:00.000-06:00

Just now getting to Halloween, but it was a fun night for the little kids and the big kids. Drew and Uncle Brad carved our pumpkin as an Angry Bird while Dad was an absent father at work the weekend before Halloween. If you remember back a few months Drew had a superhero birthday party this year and he dressed up as Batman. He loves his Batman costume and uses it often around the house. However, he also got a Mickey Mouse costume to wear to Walt Disney World last month. Batman costume plus Mickey Mouse costume equals conflict. The reason for the conflict is that Drew had already said he wanted to be Batman for Halloween and so we bought Allie a pink Batgirl costume so that they would match. Drew had other plans in mind once Halloween was actually upon us. He insisted on going as Mickey Mouse, leaving Allie all alone as a poor pink Batgirl for her first Halloween. It wasn't that bad of course because she was still the cutest Batgirl ever. I took Allie up to a few houses to get candy, while Drew ended up touring about half the neighborhood. We got some good pictures with them and the pumpkin, and then Drew changed into his Batman costume once we got back for some pictures. We still have plenty of candy available if anyone needs more.

Soccer Cup

2011-11-17T19:31:00.000-06:00

Drew finished up his soccer season a couple weeks ago. He had a great season, scored at least one goal, played great defense, and had a lot of fun. It was great getting to watch him play and getting to know some new parents. Although they don't really keep score, I don't think his team won a whole lot of their games. However, Drew is under the impression that the last game of the season is the championship game no matter how well or how poorly your team has done for the season. Since they won the last game Drew will proudly tell you that his team won the championship game. They finished up with a team party at Cici's Pizza where he got a golden soccer trophy complete with a little soccer ball to fit in it. They have spring soccer, but we'll probably sit that out to avoid any conflicts with t-ball. I'm sure Drew will be lacing it up again next fall for another season though, and I know we'll have plenty of fun out in the backyard in the meantime.

Arlington October

2011-11-15T22:22:00.000-06:00

I'm still catching up due to Disney, a ton of pictures, and general laziness that encompassed October. We had a lot of great fall days and weekends last month in Arlington. This post will cover some of those things and also just get caught up on the rest of the pictures I wanted to share from last month. The first couple are from the Arlington Depot Square from a few Saturdays ago when we went to the Farmer's Market after Drew's soccer game that day. We got some pumpkins and other fall decorations that day. Also, we had the annual Pancake Breakfast Day at the Arlington Fire Station, which was the same weekend as the Arlington BBQ Fest and another day that Drew had soccer. You can see Drew below eating some pancakes and sausage and then Drew and Katie checking out a fire truck. Further down is Drew getting his Disney t-shirt that we gave him to let him know that we were going on our trip. Then him and Katie are opening some shirts that she had gotten him to wear on the trip. We also had a fire in our fire pit one night and Drew sat outside on the computer playing games all night. There's other fall fun, including Drew and I still playing baseball in the backyard, Allie trying to eat grass, a huge spider that had made a huge web on the side of our house which caught a bug that he's preparing for dinner, Drew showing off his schoolwork, Allie being upset, and another belt test at karate. Towards the bottom you can see Drew giving Allie the present we brought her from Disney, a Sully doll that she absolutely loves. Lastly, Drew is finally big enough to wear some scrubs that we got for him before he was even born I think. He has been all about playing doctor lately, keeping his pager close by and taking care of a lot of sick kids, most of which have colds and have eaten socks. It's usually up to Dr. Dad to remove the socks, which involves a very long hospital stay of up to 20 weeks sometimes. If you can believe it I still have two more October posts left, Halloween and one on my mom. Both coming soon.

Disney Day 5: Jedi Knight

2011-11-13T17:05:00.000-06:00

Friday was our last day at WDW. We started out the morning back at Hollywood Studios, and Drew was prepared in his Back to the Future t-shirt. We got there pretty early again that day. Why did we spend so much time at Hollywood Studios? Well, not only do they have the Star Wars ride, they also allow kids the chance to train as Jedi Knights and fight Darth Vader. We had seen this the first day there and tried to sign Drew up, but we didn't realize the extent of the sign up for this thing. We got there before the park even opened on Friday, but we were still only able to secure a spot for Drew at 2:20 in the afternoon. We initially entertained going to Animal Kingdom for the morning, as it was the only park we hadn't been to yet. But by the time we tried to hop on a bus we got worried that we wouldn't be back in time for Drew's training. So we stayed at Hollywood Studios and rode the Star Wars ride again. We also waited in line to meet Buzz and Woody! They had little scenes from the three movies around the waiting area for lots of picture opportunities during the wait. We all got to meet Buzz and Woody. Drew loved it and they loved his Back to the Future shirt too.

Finally, it was time for Drew to fight Darth Vader. He was so excited and it was so great to just watch him. He got to wear a costume and then his teacher showed them all how to use their Lightsaber and instructed them on the moves they would need to fight Darth Vader. At first we were a little worried about Drew even getting his Lightsaber activated, as you had to do it with only one thumb and it was kind of difficult. But not only was he able to do that he got all the moves down too. Darth Vader entered the scene and each kid got a turn to fight him. Drew did great and rocked it out! That's him giving Vader a blow to the leg. Drew was so excited when it was over and he graduated. That's him and Katie showing off his diploma below.

Then we headed over to the Magic Kingdom to finish our time at WDW. It was an absolutely beautiful day by the way. We rode the train around the park and then hopped off in Frontierland. Katie and I took some time to ourselves and rode Splash Mountain where we got thoroughly soaked, a stark contrast to the ride I took with my dad a few days ago. Then we rode the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which was really kind of jerky, but also a lot of fun. We went back and did some things that we hadn't got to do, such as Snow White and a few other things and did some things again that we liked the first time. The only thing we didn't get to do that I really wanted to was Space Mountain. It was shut down when we tried to go Monday and on Friday the wait was just way too long. We had to leave the Magic Kingdom at 7 because they were having another Halloween party that night and we didn't have tickets then.

We went to eat that night at Ohana, in the Polynesian Resort. It was similar to Texas de Brazil, not quite as good or exotic, but delicious all the same. They had chicken, steak, and shrimp and it was all you could eat. We got stuffed. They had a program for the kids where a Hawaiian lady would lead them around the restaurant doing various dances or games. That's Drew trying to stick out his thumb and pinky at this same time. Another time they swept coconuts all around the restaurant with brooms. Drew and my mom danced together before the night was over which made for some really sweet pictures. You can see the two of them smiling so big together.

We drove back home the next day in the van. We had a great time at Walt Disney World and I think we're all just about ready to go back again. Drew has already asked more than a few times when we'll be going back again. I think we'll be planning for a return trip around the time Allie is 4 or 5. It seemed to be a perfect age for Drew. He did a great job walking without the need for a stroller and he was able to enjoy just about everything. Thanks to my parents for allowing us to go. We had a great time with them as well. We have so many great memories and tons of awesome pictures to go back there again and again in our mind!

Disney Day 4: Halloween Party

2011-11-08T21:30:00.001-06:00

We finally took it a little slower on Thursday. We slept in too! It's also light today in Drew's daily "picture on the porch." We have two copies of every picture of Drew from the trip- one with regular face and a smile, and one with a crazy face. This one is his typical crazy face, although they definitely get a lot crazier than this one. We started the day at Downtown Disney, mainly to visit the Lego Store- for Drew and for Dad! We got to pose with Lego Buzz and Woody! They had a lot of fun and interactive things going on there. The first thing we did was make custom Lego people. They actually had what appeared to be Memphis cheerleaders in the numerous supplies consisting of hair, hats, heads, shirts, pants, and accessories. Drew made a Memphis cheerleader, a doctor, and what is supposed to be a Memphis football player, although we kind of had to improvise for that one by using a cheerleader top and some kind of space helmet for the football helmet. He chose a flame for the accessory to go with the football player. They had pictures of coffee cups as an available accessory, but they must have been out because we couldn't find any for the doctor, settling for a huge walkie talkie type device instead. I'm not sure what the cheerleader is holding. We all got to build things with Lego's and Drew even built a race car(with help from Dad) to race on a little race track there. He picked out a spaceship with a launch site and satellite as his one prize. We walked around a few other places, including one store where you could make you own Mr. Potato Head, before going to House of Blues for lunch. It had a pretty cool atmosphere and I had a great burger. Drew and I posed with the Elvis statue on our way out.

We spent the afternoon park hopping between Hollywood Studios to ride the Star Wars ride some more before heading back over to Epcot. After riding the Star Tours a couple times the best part became watching Drew instead of the ride. He would get so excited and laugh so hard that he was a lot more entertaining. At Epcot we rode Soarin' again, had some popsicles, and then I rode Mission: Space. By myself. Which was probably actually a good thing, because my dad and Katie both declined to ride the Orange version with me, which is the more intense version. And it was intense. I felt like my face was melting off. I ended up in line next to three kids, ages probably 7 or 8 up to about 13, who I ended up riding with as well. They had all rode it before and wanted to make sure that I knew what I was doing, as everyone had a job and had to push a couple of buttons during the ride. I think I passed, but I felt sick to my stomach for about half an hour afterwards.

Then we headed back to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, a special ticket event that they have around Halloween. We had gotten Drew a special costume at the Disney Store before we left on our trip- Mickey Mouse! He loved it and he had a blast wearing it. Although we saw a ton of Minnie's, he was the only Mickey we saw. We even had other people tell us how cute he was in it. The best part was that all the Disney employees called him Boss the whole evening. It must have been pretty cool to be four years old and dressed up like Mickey Mouse at the Magic Kingdom. We actually got to the party a little early, which was lucky for us because there was almost no line to wait to see Mickey and Minnie. It was great to see Mickey acting surprised to see Drew dressed as him. We got some awesome pictures of Drew with them, and then the whole family as well. The rest of the night consisted of Trick or Treating, interacting with some of the villains, a parade, and fireworks. We saw the Villains put on a show and then got to meet Cruella de Ville afterwards, although we didn't have time to wait in line to see Captain Hook. The parade was awesome. It was started by a Headless Horseman riding through the route, and then had all the characters on floats or dancing around. Unfortunately, my pictures didn't turn out too great because of the lighting. After the fireworks we had some fun riding the rides, including Pirates of the Caribbean. There were other characters out besides the villains, including Rafiki, Tarzan, and Lotso. It really was a great night and most of all Drew had a ball.

One more day!

Disney Day 3: Hollywood Studios

2011-11-06T23:12:00.002-06:00

Warning! Massive amount of pictures in this update. This is also the reason it has taken so long to get this update on the blog. I really should have split this into two posts. Wednesday definitely felt like two entire days as well. We woke up and found Drew sideways in the bed. If you'll notice this is the first day in Drew's daily "picture on the porch" in which it is dark outside. We were up and moving early that morning because we had a little surprise for Drew. We spent the entire day at Hollywood Studios. The entrance has huge shrubs of Lightning McQueen and Mater, and once you walk in you are greeted by the huge Magic Hat- another obsession for Drew for the day. First we had to go to Hollywood & Vine, a restaurant where the surprise was waiting for Drew- a character breakfast! There weren't any openings for Mickey breakfasts, so we booked the next best thing in Drew world, breakfast with the Disney Jr. character. We had Handy Manny, Leo and June of the Little Einsteins, and Special Agent Oso. Drew loved it. There was someone coming by about every 5 minutes for photos, autographs, and general silliness. They even got the kids up to dance around and put on a little show. Dad even jumped up to do the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog Dance, a favorite around our house for years now.

After breakfast we headed straight for Star Tours, the recently redone Star Wars ride. It was a motion simulator with 3-D effects, giving you the feeling that you are flying in a spacecraft fighting Storm Troopers, firing at other ships, diving in the water and avoiding being eaten, before finally landing in a docking bay. It was pretty awesome and Drew, lover of all things Star Wars, immediately declared it his favorite ride. After that we took Drew to play on the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, where Katie got stuck in a huge spider web. We then watched a Muppet 3-D movie, walked around on the movie set that resembles New York City, and rode the tram and saw the special effects on the Backlot Tour. We were kind of regretting how long the Backlot Tour had lasted when we saw the Monsters, Inc. crew, Mike and Sully, walking out to take their places at their character spot. Because they were close to the exit of the Backlot Tour, we were one of the first ones in line. We all love Monsters, Inc., so even mom and dad had to get their pictures with the monsters.

After that we ran into a Green Army Man from Toy Story. Drew loved him and the Army Man tried to get us into the Toy Story ride in the Fast Pass line even though we didn't have Fast Passes. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, so we had to wait in line for a full hour for Toy Story Midway Mania. It was worth it though. It's like a 3-D arcade game where you shoot targets for points to beat the other people in your car. We also took a lot of pictures while we were in line because it was decorated with a lot of toys, including Drew as a shark, a picture of Dad with the fictional game Dr. Malpractice, and the talking, interactive Mr. Potato Head. I think it was about this time that Drew took Mom and Gigi to a Disney Jr. show while Dad and Papa went and rode the Tower of Terror and the Rockin' Rollercoaster featuring Aerosmith.

We met back up for the parade after that. But first Drew wanted to visit Mickey's Magic Hat. Again there wasn't much actually inside, except wouldn't you know, a gift shop. Drew was very good the whole time about not asking for a lot of stuff. He finally asked for some Mickey ears and found the perfect set- one with Mickey wearing his Magic Hat. Then it was time for the parade. Notice Drew's face. He's not bored, just tired. This was his second straight day without a nap, maybe not the smartest choice. But it was a pretty cool parade, featuring more of the Monsters, Inc. people, including Boo! this time, the old man from Up!, and the Toy Story characters.

We had an early dinner at the Brown Derby, a replica of the old Hollywood restaurant featured in a famous episode of I Love Lucy where Lucy spies on celebrity Bill Holden. Katie and Drew turned around in the booth to see if they could see any celebs, just like Lucy. They even had their famous Cobb Salad, which Katie got, and all the famous caricatures all the walls. That night we stayed at Hollywood Studios for their fireworks and show called Fantasmic, perfect for Drew because it featured Mickey and his Magic Hat again. It was a great show which combined multiple characters and scenes, fireworks, and a laser and waterworks show, which came together at the end with all the characters finishing together. Whew! I'm tired just from typing. Two days left.

Happy Game of the Century Day!

2011-11-05T14:59:00.003-05:00

We interrupt this vacation blogging site to wish everyone a Happy Game of the Century Day! Still not sure who I want to win, although I am wearing purple today. I am also wearing a Tigers hat, although it is the Tigers of Memphis. However, I really only wore purple to celebrate the game itself because I don't think I have any maroon shirts. I haven't been this excited for a football game since the SEC Championship Game that pitted the undefeated teams of Alabama and Florida a couple years ago. I don't care who wins, I'm just glad that I'm off work today to witness it. Go SEC Football!

Bold prediction: University of Alabama Crimson Tide 24, Louisiana State University Tigers 17

Disney Day 2: Epcot

2011-11-01T21:54:00.004-05:00

Day 2 was another packed day, spent entirely at Epcot. Drew's other big obsession since finding out we were going to Walt Disney World has been the big, giant ball. I have always called the ball itself Epcot, too, but really it's name is Spaceship Earth. It was naturally the first thing we rode when we go there. I guess Drew is going to be kind of a different kid, much like I was, because he loved it. The ride is basically a trip through the history of man and communication and how it has always shaped our future. They had redone it since I had been there last and instead of having scenes of the future- because now is the time we were supposed to have been flying and living underwater according to the original ride- there is computer animation about the future. They take your picture at the beginning and then put your head on a funny person and let you know what the future might look like based on things you select on the computer screen.

After successfully completing our mission of riding the giant ball, we came across the most genius thing ever at WDW. Up until a few years ago there were no characters at Epcot. Today, not only are there characters, but they are all set up in one spot so that you wait for about an hour, but get to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, and Goofy all at once. So that is what we did next. Drew had a blast. This was when he really started becoming more comfortable with the characters and talking to them and giving each of them big hugs. He even told Goofy that he had stinky feet because he had seen a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode about it. We took some time to get some family pics as well.

Then we went to the Nemo ride, where afterwards Katie and Drew dared to enter the jaws belonging to Bruce the Shark. The best part about Epcot these days is a relatively new ride call Soarin'. It gives you the feeling that you are hang gliding over different parts of California. Not only are you flying, but they also incorporate the smells of what you are seeing- the forest, orange groves, and the ocean. After that we took a tour around the world in the World Showcase. The International Food and Wine Festival was going on, so there were kiosks all around with samples of food and drink. Unfortunately, we apparently started on the wrong end, because at the end opposite from where we started was all the good stuff. Unfortunately by then it was time for dinner so we had to pass. Drew didn't take too well to world travel for the most part. He did enjoy hula hooping in America, eating some Mickey Mouse ears ice cream somewhere in Asia, playing the drums in Morocco, and posing with a Viking in Scandinavia.

By then it was time for dinner at the Coral Reef, next to the Nemo ride, which has an aquarium inside that we could see while we ate. We finished the night with the fireworks show at Epcot known as IllumiNations. It started to rain right before the fireworks so we ducked into a gift shop where we got a picture of Drew and Papa in some goofy hats. Upon returning to the room at night Drew was the first one in and claimed he saw a tiny frog at the door. None of use could even see what he was talking about and were sure it must have been a bug of some kind. But he was right and we did find the littlest frog we had ever seen who we let out before calling it another night.

Disney Day 1: Magic Kingdom

2011-10-29T12:56:00.004-05:00

Last Monday was our first full day at WDW and we left early to head out to the Magic Kingdom. Our resort had a boat that took us right up to MK. As you can tell Drew was super excited. I'm just not sure if he was excited to be on a boat or to be at Disney World. Ever since we had told him we were going he had been obsessed with Cinderella's castle. So we made a beeline straight to it when we got there. I made us all stop for some pictures first though. I think he may have been a little disappointed that there wasn't really anything to do there, but not much. Then we headed into Fantasyland to start on the rides. I think "It's A Small World" was first, with Peter Pan, Dumbo, and Winnie the Pooh afterwards. Somewhere in there we watched a 3-D movie called Mickey's Philharmagic, where Donald steal Mickey's blue magic hat. From that point on Drew was now obsessed with Mickey's magic hat- more to come on that in a couple days. But then we rode the Tea Cups and happened upon Winnie the Pooh and Tigger for our first character meeting, where we got a great family photo.

Next we headed to Tomorrowland and got some lunch. Then Drew had to do the Speedway, even though he wasn't quite tall enough to drive yet. While in Tomorrowland we also saw the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, an interactive comedy show with the Monsters using computer puppeteering. It was hilarious and Drew loved it. We rode the boat back to the resort and rested for a bit before heading out to dinner. We ate at the California Grill, which is at the top of the Contemporary Hotel, and one of the signature restaurants. The food was good, but the best part was the observation deck where we had a great view of the sunset and the Magic Kingdom. You can actually stay there for the fireworks, but we had to go back to the MK to see Disney's Electrical Parade first. We finished the night with the Wishes fireworks show and Drew fell asleep on the way back to the hotel for a great first day.

Disney Day 0: The Ride

2011-10-26T22:15:00.002-05:00

We went to Walt Disney World last week! Since I have about 500 pictures to edit I'm going to start with just a few from our ride down there. Yes, we drove. And because of that I really should begin with the day before our departure, because that was a day of adventure and frustration as well. We went with my parents, while we took Drew, but left Allie at home. So, in order to be more comfortable, we had planned on renting a mini van. My mother made a reservation for one at Budget. We got there Saturday morning before we left and I felt that I had stepped into a Seinfeld episode. Their computer system had gone down or something and they had made too many reservations, so there were not any mini vans there. "What do you mean you don't have any cars? I had a reservation. Anyone can just take reservations, but the holding the reservation. That's really the most important part," as Jerry said when found himself in the same situation at the rental counter. Well, Budget had called someone and they were bringing a van in soon. However, when it got there the transmission wasn't working. And it's not as if the lady was sympathetic or helpful at all. Meanwhile, I am calling all over town and trying to find anyone with a mini van, of which no one has available. I finally made a reservation in Jackson, TN, but then called the Enterprise down at the Memphis airport and was told they had a mini van and I made a reservation. So...we get down there and of course, no vans. We tried more places down at the airport and still no luck. By now the place in Jackson is closing and is a full hour away. Once I got back home I filed a complaint with Enterprise and got a call back ten minutes later, from Reggie Jackson no less. He says give him ten minutes and he'll find us something. And ten minutes later he called me back telling me they would have me a van...and they did! Fully loaded and leather to boot. We picked it up and went to see the Tigers lose another football game afterwards.

We had only told Drew that we were going to WDW about a week before we left. Katie had a shirt made for him with Mickey ears on it and his name written in the Disney font and we had him open it in order to tell him. His eyes got as big as saucers and he ran around the room waving the shirt above his head for ten minutes. Needless to say he was excited. But at 6 AM last Sunday morning he was only tired. He did the typical kid thing on a trip, asking if we were there yet only an hour after we had left and then again multiple times throughout the day. Of course he had plenty of company napping in the back with Katie. My dad and I split driving duties and made decent time despite the most ridiculous stops ever, including the slowest and worst Wendy's ever just over the Georgia border. They gave us a bunch of extra food for the inconvenience, but they couldn't give me the precious 30 minutes of my life back that they wasted. Anyways, we finally pulled into WDW sometime around 10 PM Eastern time I think. We stayed at the Ft. Wilderness Resort and had a fun time playing checkers while we checked in to the hotel. Our cabin was great, as Drew had his own bed so that everyone rested well. In fact, he had a bunk bed, which he was very excited about, but only ended up using the bottom bunk to sleep on at night. There were also various creatures around the room in the form of towels arranged into an elephant, which Drew is imitating, and Mickey ears. Let the memories begin!

Ribs! Ribs! Ribs!

2011-10-12T21:48:00.000-05:00

I love ribs! Ribs! Ribs! Ribs! This is what Drew said the first time he ever had ribs. It's a good thing, considering this is Memphis. And in that spirit my friend and brother in law, Brad, has started his own Bar-B-Que team, known as Dang! She Swine. He had practiced smoking some ribs tailgating at the last Tigers game and then entered his first contest last weekend at the Arlington BBQ Fall Fest. We set up last Friday and had a practice run, then did the real thing on Saturday. Brad and his brother, Jeff, worked hard perfecting their ribs, their sauce, and the presentation, while I did plenty of taste testing. Drew and I played and then listened to football most of the day. The ribs were excellent, especially Saturday's version. We were disappointed to find out that they didn't come in the top three, which would have gotten a small check and a trophy. However, we found out later that they just missed, coming in 4th, pretty good for the first competition. It was a great weekend of Que, brews, and family fun. The pictures below show Brad and Jeff getting the ribs ready, the team and Drew turning the ribs in to the judges, Drew and Gigi, Drew playing football in his Tigers shirt(they lost again, of course), him eating an Italian ice, and Allie.

We Beat Peay

2011-10-10T23:18:00.003-05:00

The Tigers actually won a game a few weeks back and we were all there to witness it. That's right, the University of Memphis Tigers. Of course it was the Austin Peay State University Governors that we beat, and it was only a 27-6 victory, but none of that matters. A win is a win for these Tigers, even when it's against an FCS foe rather than the big boys. We spent all day out at Tobey Field tailgating before the game. Drew got to go out on the field before the game to take a lap, getting to watch the team run out of the tunnel and to hear the national anthem. Even Allie had fun at this game. We missed the game the week after when they lost to SMU due to one of Drew's soccer games. The last two games have been away, but we'll be back out there this weekend for the match up against East Carolina. Hopefully the Tigers can keep it close, which would be within about 3 touchdowns.

Best Shirt Ever

2011-10-04T21:16:00.001-05:00

Growing up in Memphis in the 80's and 90's I didn't have the luxury of rooting on the St. Louis Cardinals' AAA affiliate or of going to the palatial palace that is AutoZone Park to catch a baseball game. No, we had the Memphis Chicks and the Mac- Tim McCarver Stadium that is, and before that they played at Russwood Park until it burned down. They date back to the early 1900's in Memphis before they left for the greener pastures of Jackson, Tennessee, to become the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx for affiliation with the no account Chicago Cubs. While in Memphis they were affiliated with the Expos and Royals for a long time and enjoyed such notables as Bo Jackson and Tim Raines among their alumni who went on to major league glory. Michael Jordan also came through Memphis to play the Chicks when he had his minor league baseball stint with the Birmingham Barons.

Chicks is short for Chickasaw, the local Native American tribe, which would obviously be politically incorrect in this age. I remember going to Chicks' games about as early as any memories I have. Other than Bo Jackson playing here and winning a league championship in 1990, I don't remember much else about my time watching them other than going to the games. I did go to a game that Jordan played in and even got to be the Little League team that ran out on the field with the starters during that game. There was definitely nothing special about the stadium. The only memorable things were actually eyesores and disasters- the Astroturf infield and grass outfield, and the debacle of the wet outfields that led to a Cardinals exhibition game being cancelled there.

Anyways, at the Redbirds game that Drew and I went to over Labor Day weekend we checked out the gift shop in AutoZone Park. It was there that I stumbled across the best shirt ever- a vintage Memphis Chicks t-shirt. Well, it was new, but made to look vintage. I had to get it. I have worn it several times over the last month. Not only is it awesome looking, it is so soft that it feels awesome too. Almost every time I've worn it I've had a guy about my age or a little bit older than me come up to me and ask me where I got it. If you're not from Memphis you may just think it's some shirt made by Abercrombie to be crude because it has Chicks on it, but really you should know that it's the best shirt ever. Check me out below.

The Rest of September

2011-10-02T22:53:00.002-05:00

Well, most of it. I still have one more football game to post about, but other than that I am all caught up for once. These are just some random pictures that didn't fit in anywhere else or that I never got around to posting about. Most are from a Redbirds game that Drew and I went to Labor Day weekend. It was superhero night, so there were Star Wars characters there, including Darth Vader who threw out the first pitch. Drew didn't want to get his picture taken with Darth, but he was up for having it taken with everyone else. Each player had superhero alter ego for the night that they showed on the screen while they were batting. Drew is showing off his strong muscles as Superman or Batman or someone below while he is also eating a sucker. The first picture is Drew playing football in his jersey and his new cleats he got for soccer. He really tore my feet up with those things because I was out there barefoot and he kept stepping on my toes. The one where he has his backpack on is one day that I was able to take him to preschool. It was a really great month of outpatient life(I had regular hours as I was in outpatient clinic), football, and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

Eight Month Allie

2011-09-30T21:45:00.001-05:00

Allie turned 8 months old earlier this week. I realize I mostly give updates on Drew because he's doing so much these days, but so is Allie. First of all she has become a lot more mobile. She has started crawling and can stand up holding on to something if you get her started. She has taken off with her feedings too. She's gone through rice cereal and then all the vegetables and is currently plowing her way into fruits. She does well with the spoon for the most part. She is still the happiest and calmest baby we have ever known. She hardly ever cries and sleeps through night. She's very vocal too. She's been saying Dada for while and has been throwing in a few Mama's these days too. Her other favorite sound is a "hi." She likes to razz with her tongue and make noise with her lips too. The last couple weeks she has been just fascinated with her tongue, sticking it out as far as she can and moving it all around. She loves football, the Tigers, and watching games with her Daddy. Drew is still a great big brother who loves his little sister. The greatest thing in the world is to hear the two of them laughing at each other. Drew loves to give hugs and get her tickling her to get her laughing. I'll try to start being better about giving Allie her own updates in the future. Here's some recent pictures.

Bend It Like Drew

2011-09-24T22:11:00.001-05:00

T-ball is over and now it's fall. Drew is still too young for football or basketball. That leaves soccer as our fall sport this year. Not that I mind all that much. I grew up playing soccer and of course it has exploded in popularity the last 20 years, especially around here. And I think we may have found Drew's sport. He seems to be a natural. He picks up on things really fast, has a good leg, and really enjoys it too. We've had three games so far, all of which Drew's team has "won" according to him. Actually today is the first one they actually won. Not that there is an actual scorekeeper or anything. They play on pretty small fields with four on a side at a time without goalies. They have line changes every four minutes in a 16 minute half. Drew hasn't scored a goal yet, but he has come very close the last two weeks now. The first game he was a little timid to get in there and go after the ball, but he is starting to warm up now. I think it is just a matter of time before he starts putting a couple in the net. Drew plays on the Sharks. And he has two uniforms for a 4 year old's soccer team. Only every team in the league is the same two colors- teal and black. They just wear alternating jerseys every game. So even though you see Drew with his friend below and they are wearing the same uniform, they are not, in fact, on the same team. That's them showing off their game faces in the second picture. The next week Drew wore his black uniform and was ready for the Tigers game that day too. His third game was today, but I kind of forgot to take any pictures. Hopefully I'll be posting one of his first goal soon.

The Fair Only Comes in September

2011-09-21T22:39:00.003-05:00

This was always my father's go to quote when my sister or me complained to him that something wasn't fair. So, I thought it was only fitting to combine our trip to the fair and his birthday celebration into the same post. Indeed, they do always both come in September. We went to eat at Central BBQ and then played Putt Putt for his birthday. Drew has been so excited to go bowling and Putt Putt lately. We still have some work to do, but he has always been great about playing the right way and keeping the ball on the green. After our round we went inside and had some cookie cake and opened presents, which seemed to consist of a lot of shoes. Drew and Papa had to smell them all too. Papa also had his Grandfather's license renewed for another year- Spoil 'Em Good and Send 'Em Home.

We also went to the Delta Fair a couple weeks ago and introduced Drew to our favorite band, Sister Hazel. First, we rode a couple of the kiddie rides together and then we went to the concert. I was expected it to be very cookie cutter and to hear only their standards. The first half of the concert was exactly that, but during the second half they broke out things we hadn't heard them play live in a long time, including a couple songs I don't think we had ever heard live. It turned out to be a great concert and we had a great time, although Drew was easily distracted for the most part. Towards the end I put him on my shoulders and we went down front where we all had a blast. My mom came with us too and got to enjoy her first taste of Sister Hazel as well. After the music I had a Pronto Pup and Drew rode a couple more rides before we called it a night.

FIrst Day of (Pre)School

2011-09-19T22:12:00.003-05:00

Our lives changed forever about 3 weeks ago. Drew had his first day of preschool.We have waited until now due to a number of reasons- we've had a great babysitter and difficulty finding transportation to and from preschool have been the biggest two. But now that he is 4 we knew it was time for him to go and that he was ready. I was able to go in a little late and Katie took off so that we could both be there to take him. He was so excited. He had gone with Katie to pick out all of his school supplies to get ready. He took some real pictures, but had to throw in the crazy face pictures too. Katie and I held up pretty well I think, much better than we will next year I'm sure. I wanted to stay in the doorway of his class and watch all day if I could. But we met his teacher, hung up his backpack, and he was already busy doing a puzzle. The first day he came home and told us it wasn't real school because he didn't have homework. We've since found him some things to keep him occupied. He still loves it, although he won't tell us much about what he does. At least not when you ask him directly. It comes out in bits and pieces in the things he says and the songs he sings. It's so exciting to get to see how much he is learning and growing.

Arlington Politickin'

2011-09-18T21:57:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to my good friend, Jeff McKee, on his election to Arlington Alderman Position 3. It was a pleasure to get to work on his campaign with him. I had a blast putting out campaign signs with him a few weeks ago, reminding of me of putting out signs for Mayor Hackett with my dad when I was younger. I also put out some door knockers around our neighborhood last week and then I was out there waving at voters on Election Day. I know he will do a great job and represent my interests well. Just kidding. Unfortunately, my choice for mayor didn't win. I'm sure the winner, Mike Wissman, will do a great job, but I do have some of the concerns that have been voiced about him in the paper. He will be Mayor of Arlington and will also keep his seat on the Shelby County School Board. It will be interesting to see how he does representing both parties in light of Arlington hiring a consulting firm to evaluate establishing a municipal school district. I'm just glad that former Kix 106 morning DJ, Brian Elder, didn't win the election.

The results:

Alderman Position 3:
Jeff McKee: 728
Chris Burcky: 406
Steven Bierbrodt: 395
Claudia Horton: 336

The Commercial Appeal article from the next day:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/sep/15/county-school-board-member-mike-wissman-elected-ma/