My Sleepin' Machine

Or as Chris likes to say.... the "rack beast"!

Greer has always been a great sleeper. From the very beginning, she was very predictable with her naps and nighttime sleeping. She consistently sleeps 18 hours a day (between nighttime sleep and naps), and has been known to sleep up to 21 hours in a day.

I know I shouldn't complain about this....believe me, I'm not complaining...... just concerned. I've asked my pediatrician about it, and my dad (who is also a pediatrician). They both said, "Well, it's not usual", but they didn't seem concerned. She is meeting all her developmental milestones and growing just fine!

I guess I shouldn't be concerned either, but there is always that naggy mom guilt/worry thing floating around in the back of my head (I think that might just be the bad guy trying to creep in) that makes me question all the little things that could be wrong with her.

But, above and beyond everything, I trust my Father in Heaven. I have prayed for peace and comfort for sweet Greer from her very first days. Maybe all this good sleepin' is simply an answer to those prayers. Who am I to question her heavenly Father.....my heavenly Father? I know that she is in His hands no matter what.

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen my tweets about how much food she manages to ingest following a long night (and by long....I mean going down at 7 p.m. and waking up at noon the following day). She is literally shaky when she wakes....I am convinced that her blood sugar level must be close to 30 after all that time!

I have actually started giving her Orange Juice first thing....while I prepare her monster morning meal. Or should I say meals.

Today (these pics were taken this morning), she consumed the following (in a matter of minutes).....

6 ounces of Orange Juice

4 ounces of Whole Milk

A fistful of blueberries

Large container of peach yogurt

2 Strawberry Waffles

3 scrambled eggs

4 large strawberries

1 Cheese stick

I kid you NOT!

2 hours later.....

Chicken noodle soup

Boiled egg (she likes eggs)

Cherries and Strawberries

Oh, and she had her first Cherry Lime Shaved Ice somewhere in between!

So, thanks to all my friends on twitter who offered support and reassurance that it does happen.....and that their babies are just fine (and to all my IRL friends who have given me the same reassurance). I am going to just enjoy all the time it allows me with my older two, and the time it gives me to rest and get things accomplished. I'll just keep counting my blessings!

Hole My My ***Updated***

****UPDATED****

I had to share this funny addition to the story! My sister, Erin (aka Aunt Becca), was at the beach with Reeves and my parents when I posted this story. She showed him the pictures of his "Hole My My," and he had the most precious (albeit unexpected reaction).....

He asked her, in all seriousness, "Aunt Becca, could we take a picture of me and send it to my MY MY?" But, he never got upset about it not being there. I have a feeling he's still gonna be excited to have it back when he gets home!

I Miss You, Reeves-y!

My maternal grandmother, Bubba (yes, we call her Bubba), has a thing for these "waffle weave" security blankets that they used to sell at "The J.C. Pennys" (that's what we southern girls like to call it). Bubba has bought each of my children (and my sister's children) dozens of them through the years. They are a long-standing tradition and the token "lovey" of all the little ones in our family. I still have the yellow one she sent to me in the mail during my first few weeks of college! Yes, I am serious. Lucy will sleep with it as a substitution when we can't find her most favorite pink one.

I think it was my cousin, Matthew, who first started calling his treasured turquoise blanket "My My." My children picked up that term of endearment along the way, and hence forth, all waffle weave blankets that come into our lives have been dubbed "My My." We distinguish most of them by color....

We have "My My"s in every color 'round here! Pink, light pink, blue, green, purple, yellow.

No one loves the "My My" more than sweet Reeves. I am really struggling with how quickly he seems to be growing up and out of the little boy stage. I see him changing so much before my very eyes, and I realize that he is growing into a big kid.....

Just the other day, I took this picture with my phone (and just LOOK at what he is holding). I said something about him "still being my baby" on Facebook, and my friend Amy (meaning well.....she is hilarious!) gave me a hard time for calling him my baby...

"Stop calling him a baby!!! He is seven. Wait until he is twelve, with a cell phone!"

Yes, I know that my time is coming! But for now, he still wants to sleep every night with this.....

Meet "Hole My My"

Like I said, most of the "My My"s around here are known by color. Not this one! Reeves has had this blanket since he was brand new....in fact, it wasn't brand new when it came his way. It was a gift from his second-cousin, Matthew. "Hole My My" was originally "Matthew's turquoise My My"....and he wanted Reeves to have it.

It has been loved to pieces. It started out with a few tiny holes, then it began to shred apart, then we started tying the pieces back together. It is so matted and twisted and stringy....it is barely hangin' on! We find pieces of it everywhere, and my mom even carries a bit of it in her purse.

The best thing about "Hole My My?" It is a clean lovey! Reeves has always let me wash it (even telling me when it was getting ripe and in need of a "bath"), and would sleep with it still damp from the wash if need be. I don't know that he has ever gone a night without it.....

Until Friday.

and Saturday. and Sunday. and Monday.....

Yep, it didn't make it to the beach (he is on vacation with my parents). And he is fine without it. He hasn't even missed it!

Maybe I am the one who needs to let go.

What about you? Are you more attached to your child's lovey more than they are? What are some of the loveys you have around your house? I'd LOVE to know!

And CONGRATULATIONS Megan! You were EXACTLY right! Great job, friend! I have a great book for you! Email me your address and I'll get it in the mail. Thanks for playing, friends!

Any Guesses?

There is a story to go along with this picture, but I'm saving it till tomorrow....

Any of my faithful readers have a clue what it might be (or the story behind it)? I might just have a little prize up my sleeve for the person who comes closest! Check back tomorrow for the answer, the story, and the winner!

Hope your Sunday has been as lovely as mine! Man, has it been incredible.....more on that, too!

Yep!

Couple of crazy days in Labor and Delivery? Yep! A great day ahead at a2 church? Yep! Missing my Reeves (who is having a blast at the beach with my mom and dad)? Yep! Happy that Lucy is enjoying a sleepover at Honey's house? Yep! Looking forward to spending time with Greer tomorrow (since I haven't laid eyes on her since Thursday night.....I don't see her at all on the days I work)? Yep!

Boring you? Probably! Blogger's Block????......

Yep, that's totally it!!!

I actually have a few stories to share (and maybe some pics to go along with them), but after the past 48 hours, I'm doing good to brush my teeth before I hit the hay tonight.

I promise to do better next week! Enjoy your weekend!

Works for Me Wednesday....I almost FORGOT!

I am so bummed that I forgot to join in on "Works for Me Wednesday" this week! It's the "Mom, I'm Bored" addition, and I knew it would be a must see. We are deep in the throws of summer vacation, and I'm already hearing those three infamous little words! How bout you???

A few minutes ago, I headed over to We are THAT Family to read a few of the links that were posted earlier today (I am just getting home from a busy night of haircare, choir practice, and grocery shopping....just so you know). Let me just say.... with a few clicks of my gorgeous new mouse pad on my almost brand new MacBook Pro touch mouse, I am already set for at LEAST the next week or two. I may not have come up with any brilliant ideas of my own, but I am not ashamed to benefit from some other moms in the trenches. Thank you internets!

Click here for some inspiration.

You're welcome!

Pretty Near Perfect

For the most part, I enjoy cooking with fresh ingredients. I don't mind a recipe, but most of the time, I like to create my own meals out of basic, fresh ingredients. I get that from my father, I think (but, if you must know....my mom is an amazing chef, too).

In my quest to discover some simple, really delicious meals, I ran across this little treasure.....and I have to share it with my faithful readers! I realize that some of you don't have a Publix anywhere near you. That is such a shame....

....cause this bottled sauce is pretty near perfection! I honestly don't think I could come up with a recipe that could come close to the goodness of this pre-packaged divinity. You HAVE to try it (and if you do, will you please comment or email me to tell me what you think!)! It is scrum-diddly-umptious!

You're Welcome!

P.S. Oh, and the ingredients are pretty pure and simple (if I do say so myself):

Italian peeled tomatoes, tomato paste, whole cream, fresh onions, imported olive oil, imported pecorino romano cheese, vodka, minced garlic, salt, sugar, basil, parsley flakes, crushed red pepper seeds, citric acid, and spices.

Changing my expectations...

I may have been a bit premature in my especially optimistic post about the coming days of summer. What I mean is, I may have counted my chickens before they hatched.


This summer may not be quite the relaxed, laid back, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants experience that I had mapped out in this post. No, it seems I have my hands full.....

Or should I say my toilets full!

(and no, Daddy wasn't happy when he saw this pic!)

Greer has hit a whole new phase of toddler-hood. It seems I forgot how terribly exhausting busy this stage can be. See, before I'd even had time to take a good swig of my first cup of coffee this gorgeous first day of June, Greer had....

mounted the dining room table, splashed her brother's milk all over the living room carpet, spilled my fresh cup of HOT coffee all over the floor (and couch), and managed to drown one of Reeves' Gameboy games in the remaining contents of said coffee (I'm praying it will work again once it has had time to dry out)

Later, at the pool, I chased her endlessly around the pool deck, attempted to force her to enjoy the very expensive floatation device that she so loved last year, and rescued her from the men's room.....

Yes, I had to chase her out of the occupied men's room! It was a humbling experience for all of us!

So, at the end of a very busy summer day, I am tired. I'm just gonna let you know, up front, that this may be a sparse blogging season for yours truly. I'm doing good to brush my teeth 'round this crazy house! I'm just praying that I can get myself into a good, more relaxing groove. It's a challenge having every child around, all the time....but that's a post for another day!

I'm just too tired to go there yet! Night friends!