Happy Blogiversary #3

Three years ago today and 467 posts later, I started spilling everything out to everyone!  Yep!  It has been three years ago today. 
From sharing stories about Erik, Amy, and Joey, random posts that probably mean absolutely nothing to anyone, to preganancy, the birth of our precious Mills, and the terrible twos.  You've heard it all. 
I have said it before, and will say it again.  This is my way of getting things off my chest.  When my fingers type, I feel a great release flow through my finger tips.  I look forward to more and more posts as we watch our Mills grow.

Boys Playdate

of course Mills had to have his mouth full

We had a small play date this morning with Mills' friends Colton and Nash.  Their mommies, Katy and Stephanie are two of my very best friends.  It was good to see everyone and catch up.  The boys had a blast!

Cheerios for everyone!

Katy got her toenails painted by Aunt Fefe.

CMOM

This morning we headed out for our first visit to the Children's Museum of Memphis.  It was a first for all of us.  Erik and I have never been, because we have never had a reason to go.  We were very impressed, and Mills had a ball.
Mills is still a little too young for most of it, but by next year, he should be ready.  He was a little bit skittish of things, because they were all too unfamiliar.   His fear of the unknown came out today, so we just let him run and do what he wanted.  As long as there was a button to push, Mills was happy.
He liked the FedEx Plane, but was unable to sit in the cockpit.  The older kids seemed to have no consideration for other children that want a turn, but I totally understand their excitement as well.  So, we just moved on to the next exhibit.  Mills enjoyed:

operating the control panels of the plane

Down the slide with Daddy! 

playing with the alphabet

fishing in the Mississippi River

Playing with the fire truck

driving the Escalade

writing on the wall

driving the school bus

organizing shapes

and putting on a puppet show!

Nail Biter

I'm not going to post a picture of my fingernails, but if you are a friend of mine, you know what they look like.  Basically, nothing!  I am too embarrassed to show them.  I am constantly chewing on them, and I don't even know that I'm doing it.  I have bitten my nails since day 1.  Since I have walked this earth, I have let me nails grow out twice.  Once, was when I found this stuff called "No Bite." It worked!  My nails grew out, I got them all manicured and kept them pretty, then all of a sudden, I started biting them again.  I had quit using the No Bite, and thought that I was in the clear, but unfortunately my nails wound up in an awful mess again.

When I was pregnant and taking prenatal vitamins, my nails were growing faster than I could chew.  That was a good thing and it gave me the determination to let them grow.  We were to be getting maternity pictures made, and then last thing I wanted was pictures of my hands on my belly with ugly fingernails.  So, several months before Mills was born, my nails returned to manicure state.  I would go every week and get a manicure.  It was wonderful.  I know I could have gotten acrylic nails, but they are so damaging.  My nails were already damaged and the last thing I wanted was to ruin them even more.

Here I go again.  Try #3.  I am bound and determined to do this!  I want so bad to treat myself to a manicure and get one of those cool Shellac manicures.

Yesterday, I went and bought some prenatal vitamins.  I used to take a multivitamin every day and have gotten out of the habit.  I thought, why not take prenatal vitamins?  They'll make my nails grow!  I also found this..

MORE YUCKY STUFF.  It's called "Kick the Habit, Stop the Bite."  It's not the same as I used before, but I can promise you, I tastes AWFUL!  Just AWFUL!  I think it is worse than the other remedy I used.  Wish me luck!  I will post before and after pics when I get my new nails and new Shellac manicure.

22 Months and Pool Time

This month, has been one of the most amazing months you've had, dear Mills!  In the past 3 weeks, you have started showing us just how much you are learning, and especially how smart you are.  Everyone is always telling me, "Be patient. It will come."  You amaze us, Mills.  It is so amazing to see you turn into a little boy.  Here is what you've been up to lately...

1.  Puzzles:  I am going to mention your love for puzzles again, because you LOVE them.  Just the other day, you took all of your wooden puzzles, dumped the pieces into one big pile, then lined the puzzle boards up.  You then put every piece exactly where it goes, and to show me that you knew where it went, you would intentionally put a few in the wrong place, look at me, and say, "noooooo!"  You would then move to another wrong place, and say, "nooooo!"  Then, you would very quickly run and put it in the correct place.  You are too funny!
2. Your speech is getting much better.  You are beginning to say so much now.  So much that there is no way for me to remember it all and write it down.  Joey, is no longer "Yoey," but "Joey."  You say it perfectly.  Finally, you are calling me "mama,"  I can count on one hand the times you've called me "mama" since you have been talking.  Wow!  I love hearing it.  You are talking in sentences, and saying words out of no where!  I get excited every time I hear you say something new.  Your daddy and I are constantly looking at each other and saying, "Did he say what I thought he said?"  Just this weekend, you reached for daddy's keys in his pocket, said "keys," pointed to the door, said "outside go ride," and then you grabbed your daddy's shoes for him.  You associate keys with "going."
3. You still love a bath.  Just two weeks ago, I ran your bath water before going to church on a Wed. night.  I always undress you while it is running, but as I turned around, you were crawling in.....tennis shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, and all.  Ooops!
4.  You love swimming!  I knew you would do well in the pool this year, since we have to keep you from sticking your head in the bathwater.  Mama bought you a "puddle jumper" vest and you do wonderful with it  You have learned to support yourself, kick in the water, and begged to jump off the diving board at the pool.  
5.  You know most of your animals and the sounds they make.
6.  Bedtimes: Still easy as pie.  We read to you, lay you down, cover you up, say a prayer, and then kiss you night night....ten minutes later, you are still yelling, "NIGH NIGH!!!" every minute or so.  It is so sweet and funny!  Bedtimes are still around 7:30-8:00 on weeknights (when mom has to work), but on weekends we let you stay up a little bit later...until you start rubbing those eyes.  You are very routine, which is a good thing, because one day you will be starting school and early bedtimes are a must.  I think 8:00 is considerably late for your age, but most of the time, you don't make it that long.
7. Shapes:  Mimi June says that you know all of your shapes.  I can tell you to "point to" a certain shape and you will do it, but the only thing that ever comes out of your mouth here, is "circle." ha!
8. You get more and more strong-willed every day.  You are that kid who will run off as soon as I let go of you and you don't meet a stranger.  I see a child leash harness in your future, and I dare some one to comment on how "inhumane" it is. ha! Seriously?  You know no fear, son.  That's a good thing, and a bad thing.  You want to do what you want to do, and if we steer you otherwise, its as simple as lifting your feet and dangling from Mommy's arm and refusing to come with me, when I am deterring you from doing something that you shouldn't be doing.  I can't let go of you for one minute in public, or you will run off in a mad-dash.  Thank heavens for strollers! :)
9. You still love your books.  Every night we sit down before bed and read three books.  You like to get your blanket, cover yourself and my legs, and snuggle.  You help turn the page and name every picture you see. You look up at me, smile, and say, "Oh!" when you get to your favorite parts of a book.  I love it!  Your small board book classics are your favorite right now, and just the other night, you actually sat through ALL of The Cat in the Hat. 
10. Colors:  We are working on those.  You are a "I'll do what you want when you're ready" kind of boy.  For all I know, you probably know them, but could care less about letting us know that you do.

It is hard to believe that we are exactly two months away from celebrating your second birthday, but boy, do we have a surprise for you!  Mommy can't wait!

We headed to the pool just before lunch today.  Mills "jumped" off the diving board, as Erik waited and caught him below.   He can only stand about and hour and half at the pool before he starts getting worn out.  We had a small lunch, then headed home, due to the threat of severe weather...again.  We have had our share of that this spring.  Though, I am very thankful for the rain.  It has been so hot and dry.