Photo Shoot Results!

Wow! Here are some photos (these are just a few of my favorites) from our photo shoot by Sarah B. Gilliam at Smarty Pants recently. I love them, even though I can tell that Sawyer was not feeling well that day (not a single smile the whole time ... aaah, well). I posted earlier about the bad morning we had, but what can you do? I am so glad we went, and I really want to do it again soon. (I really can't resist good photography...) This is going to be regular thing at Smarty Pants. The next ones are June 13 and 14. Check out Sarah's blog or the Smarty Pants site for details. I'll post a few more pics soon. I just love these. I told Parker that next time, I will let him wear anything he wants. He asked if he could wear his Batman costume.

I said absolutely.

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Medieval Madness

We headed to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival today in Arrington. It was our first time ... and what a blast. Seriously. We thought it might be fun, but we didn't expect to have that much fun. It was like a big costume party in the woods ... with beer. People were really light-spirited and friendly to the kids. Parker wore his batman cape and knee pads and elbow pads (armor), and people bowed to him and called him a knight - much to his delight. Overcast skies made it a not-too-hot day, and we met up with our neighbors, the Moores - even better. Lots of silliness and fun things to see.

A wench juggling for Parker

Ethan, Amanda and Parker watching the jousting competition

Sawyer was such a trouper, and he seemed to love watching all the craziness

Parker wielding his new sword and shield

Erin getting konked on the head by the big scary knight guy

Me and Erin

Sawyer and Jerod

Parker with Queen Elizabeth and one of her attendants

Jerod was in heaven ... giant beers!

Amanda and Queen Elizabeth

Jerod carrying a very tired Knight Parker to the car

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Being Nosy

Yesterday, a new word: Nose

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Goodbye, Canned Veggies

Today we picked up our first basket of fresh vegetables from Bramble Hill Farm, the CSA we joined this year. We didn't actually go to the farm this time (but we plan to go soon!) Instead, we picked it up a little closer to home at The Green Wagon, which is a very cool shop that sells environmentally friendly products. In our first basket we had some spinach, lettuce, sugar snap peas, radishes, a turnip and cilantro. I love cilantro, and it came in handy with our Mexican chicken dinner tonight. We also received a newsletter with a couple recipes (I'm definitely trying the creamed spinach popovers tomorrow or Friday...), and we got to meet one of the owners, Stephanie Roberts.

So, yes, the CSA is a little pricey on the front end, but I can already tell that it is so worth it. For one thing, it just feels good to support a local organic farm. This young couple is working on something real and healthy and good for the community and themselves... How can it not be good karma to help with that? Plus, we need a good dose of fresh veggies in our house - something to break us out of the canned green bean rut we're in.

Parker ate raw, fresh sugar snap peas on the way home ("Mommy, let's eat them all!"), and Sawyer took a couple bites of radish (before spitting them out).

I'd say we're off to a good start.

Mmmmm .... radishes.

Sawyer investigating the veggie basket...

Trying the peas...

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Photo Shoot at Smarty Pants

I took the kids to my friend Hazel's new second-hand clothing store, Smarty Pants, today. Mission: to see the store AND to get portraits made of me and the kids by Sarah B. Gilliam, photographer extraordinaire.

It was a crazy circus getting there - Sawyer cried nonstop for awhile while I was getting ready, and he continued despite Jerod's best efforts to calm him down ... those teeth! We're ready for them to come in and give us all a break! Tylenol helped, finally.

Then Parker said he did not want to be in pictures, did not want to wear a red shirt, did not want to wear jeans, etc. Ack. But we made it, and Sarah was just wonderful with the kids. Parker and Sawyer are not really the studio portrait types, so we headed to a little spot outside - just out the side door - which seemed to be more in their comfort zone. I saw a few of the pics on her camera, and I think there are some really good ones. It takes a real pro to work with active kids who are just busy doing their thing, and Sarah is all about catching the real moments - not the staged shots. I bought 20 shots on a CD for $50, which will be shipped to me in the mail soon.

If you're in the market for some awesome photos, check out Sarah's web site, www.sarahbgilliamphotography.blogspot.com.

And be sure to check out Hazel's store, too. It is so nice, and there are lots of great clothes at great prices. Parker found a cool dinosaur T-shirt for $3. Bargains all around!

I'll post pics as soon as I get them. I can't wait....

Thanks, Sarah!

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Sawyer Update

Sawyer had his 15 month checkup last month (yes, I'm behind!). At a little over 25 pounds and 31 ¾ inches tall, he is in the 65th percentile for height and 70th for weight. He did not enjoy the doctor visit, as you can see…

Getting his head measured ...

Getting weighed...

He is walking so well, but he’s not much of a talker – although completely within the norm, according to Dr. M.

Sawyer’s vocabulary includes doggie, belly, bottle (ba-ba), book, mama, dada and bubbles. His first word was hot dog, but we haven’t heard that since the first time (and he doesn’t even like them!) When he hands you something, he’ll often say something that sounds like “thank you,” but I’m not sure about that one.

Sawyer is getting all his molars at once – top and bottom. So things have been a little rough around the house lately, with Sawyer very cranky and needing lots of holding – and who can blame him? He has also been waking up during the night, which hasn’t happened in a while. He just needs some cuddles, and he falls right back to sleep. He usually goes to bed around 7 and wakes up around 6:30, like clockwork.

He is a quiet little guy, but he has a great sense of humor. He makes hilarious faces and loves to flirt and laugh - especially when it's time for bed. :)

A few things our sweet Sawyer loves:
being outside, reading books, taking baths, walks in the jogger, being held, dogs and cats, bubbles, balloons, climbing stairs

His favorite foods include grapes, bananas, cheese, blueberry muffins, bagels, ham and kielbasa

He also recently decided that he is not going to sit in the high chair anymore. A booster seat at the table with everyone else, thank you very much.

And this weekend we are getting rid of the bottle. Thirteen months of breastfeeding, three months of bottle feeding and sippy cups ... Now we're moving to just sippy cups. **Sigh** I am sad about this, but I know it's time.

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A Little Perspective

I'm running behind on my posting ... It's easy to tell when my life is getting crazy. Here's a shot that I meant to post on Mother's Day. It says it all, really. They are worth everything.

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It Takes Two ...

I love having two kids. It's a lot more work, yes - but so much fun to see them growing together and getting to know each other. The dynamics in our house have changed, and Parker has adapted so well. Sure, I still get the occasional, "Can you take Sawyer back to the hospital?" But for the most part, he loves his little brother. And Sawyer watches every move Parker makes. Sawyer loves to be entertained, and Parker is only too happy to oblige.

Here they are sharing some goldfish crackers on the way home from the airport last week ...


And here's what happens if I leave them alone together even for a minute...

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Thank you, Aunt Patti

We had such an awesome time in New York. We were sooo exhausted by the end of each day from all the walking, I was just too tired to update the blog. And once I was home, I was covered up with work and the craziness of daily life. More pics of our trip to come soon, but I wanted to say a gigantic THANK YOU to my wonderful sister Patti, who made our trip possible. She took great care of Sawyer and gave him her undivided attention for four days. She e-mailed us pictures of him having fun - playing on the slide, in the bathtub, in the playroom - and I never had to worry. What a great aunt and sister! Thank you, thank you. We love you.

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