Friday, November 30, 2012

Relationships in the South

Last night, I read on Facebook that a friend (my BDB!) was at the Georgia Dome to watch the Falcons remind the Saints of their place in the world.  She mentioned that she and her husband's first date had been 5 years ago to watch the same two teams meet on the gridiron.

I laughed, because this weekend, the hubs and I had planned to have a night of chicken wings and Yuengling while we watch the SEC championship game and pull for our #1 team.
Go Dawgs!


It's a special night, because it was almost 3 years ago now - 12/05/09 - that he and I came face to face for the first time after somewhere around 9 years of separation.  We met at an uber classy restaurant to watch Alabama play Florida for the SEC title and began the journey that we've been on ever since.


I love you, Cameron.  Now and always.

I wonder how many other people down South have relationship milestones that revolve around football.  I'd guess a lot.  And that, my friends, explains why the SEC dominates.  Because it's all about heart.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Thanksgiving of Try

This year, I give Thanksgiving 2 A's.  One for "Attempted", and one for "Awesome."

The week leading up to Thanksgiving was full of hustle and bustle as 7 people and one dog coexisted under our tiny roof.  I'm still recovering - and already looking forward to Christmas.  Nothing says holidays like NOPERSONALSPACE and CHAOS. 

I didn't take a lot of photos - so I'm stealing some from Aunt Juliet to give you all an idea of how the weekend went.

Attempt #1 
We tried to make junk food turkeys.
Nailed it.
Notice how the one on the left looks optimistic and happy.  The one on the right, however, appears beaten down and as if he knows he's going to be eaten.  Or that his face is going to melt off.

Oh... yeah.
 The turkeys were then abandoned.  As were the mountains of junk food.  I'm not saying that I've eaten jelly beans for lunch every day this week at work, but...

Attempt #2

We planned to have Thanksgiving dinner at Mom's house at 2:30 on Thursday.  This turned into 4:30-5 when it became obvious that the heating element in the oven was dying a slow, painful, and cold death.  We gorged on appetizers and the outside edges of casseroles and cranberry sauce and cold desserts.  

Attempt #3

While we were waiting to eat, we attempted to take family photos.

Yeah... that worked.

The next day, I recooked the turkey at my house.  I was afraid of drying it out.  So I covered it in (fake) butter.

Paula Deen would be proud, y'all.
Sidenote: Why can't I reference Paula Deen without saying "y'all"?

Sidenote #2: this turkey was buttery and crispy and delicious.  VICTORY!

I also made what I considered to be a pretty awesome turkey fettuccine but where's the fun in taking photos of your successes?

Friday night, the extended family got together for fun and leftovers.  This was probably the most successful part of Thanksgiving as the food was good and the games were AWESOME.  

The kids had "Minute to Win It" type challenges. 




And then the adults played Catchphrase.  It was my first time, but I am positive that it WILL NOT be my last.  I laughed until I cried.

My childhood memories are full of loud, crowded, bustling holidays full of laughter, successes, and failures.  It's been several years since I have felt like a holiday lived up to what it should be, but this year - we nailed it.  Regardless of how many things went completely and totally off-the-rails wrong, we got this holiday right.  Back in the farmhouse that sits at the center of all my childhood memories, my whole family came together with spouses and children and love.  I'm confident that the ones who have gone before us watched it all and celebrated along with us as we reclaimed what it means to be the Bennett clan that we were raised to be.




Monday, November 19, 2012

I've said it before...

I guess I'll say it again.  My husband is my biggest fan. 

Every day, he asks if I'm going to write something here.  Lately, the answer is just no.

I'm tired - but more than that, I'm just overwhelmed.  There is so much to say.  We've had multiple weekend visits from Aunt Juliet and Uncle Jonathan.  Cows have been born.  Babies have found their hands.  There have been birthday parties and sleepovers. 

I get caught up in thinking that I have to "catch up". 

I'm not going to do anything unless I'm doing it right.  Unfortunately, that usually means that I end up doing nothing at all.  Anyone else suffer from this??

So here it is.  Stuff that I didn't write about and probably never will: a couple of pinterest success stories, Bo's first couple of trips to the church nursery, Tyler's birthday party, my return to PreView, the night I fell in love with my Journey group, Ben's birthday party, Bo's first night with a babysitter, and a multitude of gurgles, coos, smiles, kicking things, and hand finding goodness.

So there you go.  I've purged it all.  So let's start fresh, shall we? 

Oh - and here's a video of some of Bo's first giggles.  :)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

An Open Letter to My 2 Month Old

Dear Bo,


Your 2 month photo shoot!
It sounds so cliche, but I can't believe how fast the last two months has gone.  All week at work, I wish for the weekend so we can spend a whole day together.  When Saturday finally rolls around, I can't believe that you're already a whole week older.














The picture makes me squishy still!

Your latest discovery is smiling.  The first night you smiled at me, we were sitting on the bed.  I was talking to you about who-knows-what.  (Honestly, I was probably talking to you about how handsome you are.  You and I talk about that a lot.)  And then you smiled.  It was a huge open mouthed grin.  My insides went squishy.  Obviously, I went for the camera.  













Then I took about 15 videos like this one:




You're smiling more and more now.  It still melts me every time.  You're also learning that when you smile at just about anyone, they'll want to pick you up.  There's a sucker born every minute.  


You still love baths.  Just a couple of nights ago, I swear you figured out how to push the ducks around with your feet.  I'm not sure you really know yet that those feet belong to you, but we'll get there.  


You still sleep with your nose against the side of the bassinet.  I still think it's ridiculously cute.


Car rides and being outside make you a happy boy.  You get still and quiet.  You seem to be a thinker.  You love to be held, but when you're over it, you make that known too.  We put you in the bassinet and you grin and coo at the dangling moon and star and cow.  And you coo!  You gurgle and goo and coo and make all sorts of noises.  I know you want to talk to us.  It's a big change from just a month ago when it was screaming or nothing.


You LOVE your brother and sister.  They LOVE you right back.  They talk to you and dance for you and you smile and giggle and wiggle for them.  Because you are (and will always be!) my first baby, I worry and fuss a lot.  I was very nervous whenever your sister wanted to hold you.  I'm over it now because she can always calm you down.  



They'd probably sit like this all day.
She always wants to be the one to take care of you, and she even bosses Daddy and me around when we're taking care of you!  


This will forever be one of my favorite pictures of all time.

You've slept through the night a couple of times lately.  I'm so proud of you, and as much as I love my sleep, I do miss our times together in the wee hours of the morning.  The pediatrician told me at one of our first visits that if you are sleeping, I should NOT pick you up.  I should let you sleep.  I was good about it for a while, but now that you're getting bigger and it's happening so fast, I just can't help it.  Sometimes I have to scoop you up out of your bassinet when you're sleeping just to snuggle you.  I hope you'll forgive me one day just because you'll know that you were my biggest and best adventure, and I was learning as I went.  I am not perfect by any means, but you have taught me more about love in your first 2 months of life than I ever knew before.  I love you more and more every day.


As the book says, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be."


All my love,

Mommy