Random Mommy Thought

This morning on the way out the door, Emmy spit up all over me. I was lucky enough to twist her just right so that she didn't get it on herself but only on the carpet and on my skirt. I wiped it off with a burpcloth and headed out. All day, I can smell it and think of her and wish I was home with her right now.

At The Drive In

We went to our first movie with Emmy, The Simpsons. Momma hated the Simpsons and would just about vomit every time Neall and Daddy watched it so it was quite funny to me to take Emmy there for her first movie. A few years ago, John and I dressed up as Marge and Homer for Halloween so I took the wig with us to get some good shots but Lucas was the only one that was an active participant and he (well, you know...) put it on backwards...

Favor

As you all know, Neall and Becca are expecting little Solomon Clark in only five short weeks! I can hardly believe that the time is almost here for him to arrive. We are all so very excited.

I have a very personal favor to ask of you and I completely understand if you can’t or would prefer not to do it, but I thought I would ask anyway. It is so important to me to have Emmy and Sol know about Momma and what kind of person she was and is, and the fun that they would have had with her and the love that she would have given them both. I worry sometimes that when the time comes, I am not going to be able to adequately explain these things to Emmy. So, I am asking for your help. I would like to make a book for them of letters from those that knew mom the best. If you could write one letter to both Sol and Emmy and send it to me, I would greatly appreciate it. It can be anything you want: describing mom, telling a funny story about mom, what mom was like with us, what mom might have been like with them, whatever. It can be handwritten (which will be really neat if I can scan the handwritten note and have that extra personal touch) or typed. Photos would be great—either you with mom or you now or you with your family… just whatever.

When Momma was sick, I heard so many things about her that I might have never known. I want to make sure Sol and Emmy know all those wonderful things and give them a chance to know her, even if they can’t see her. If you can think of anyone that might want to do this, please forward it to them. I look forward to hearing back from you!! My email is taradburton@comcast.net

Keep them in your prayers...

Please keep the Berry family in your prayers. Michelle (Countz) graduated with Neall and the family is at St. Jude's with their son, Garrett. They discovered on Monday that he has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. We are all thinking of them...

Emmy loves LuLu

Has a child ever loved a toy so much?? Emmy loves this stuffed LuLu like there is no tomorrow. Her Aunt Pat got it for her a few months ago and we do not leave home without it. Last night we walked up to Do’s, a great sushi restaurant in our neighborhood, and we brought LuLu along for the ride. John and I were cracking up because Emmy would just start chuckling every now and then. I stuck LuLu in the cup holder of her stroller in hopes that we didn’t lose her along the ride and Emmy kept reaching up and holding her hand. Seeing as LuLu has eight arms, Emmy would occasionally pick a different hand to hold.

I told you we had teeth!

That's it! I am done!

Teresa Haynes Lee is probably one of my oldest friends and she was in town to visit her parents. It was wonderful to see her and her kids again, and of course, meet her youngest daughter, Kennedy. Her oldest, Lawson, is the spitting image of Teresa when we were young and Garrett, well, all he cared about were trains. Teresa is a photographer now and is absolutely amazing. If you ever hear that she is available in your area, I urge you to take advantage of it and book her. Immediately. She did the photos today and already sent me these two photos. I can't believe my sweet Emmy's little precious face. By the way, Teresa told me I could put it on my MySpace page, but I figure that applies to my little blog too....

Five Months Old

Oh the month we have had! Emmy is trying so very hard to crawl. She wants to so very badly and you can see in her eyes that she really knows how to do it , she just can’t quite get the hang of it yet. She will get up on her hands and knees and then her little arms just collapse under the immense weight and pressure of her little tiny body! I immediately sigh a huge sigh of relief and John says, “oh, Baby, you will get it next time” or gets on the floor with her and tries to encourage her to crawl to him. I can’t stand the thought of her growing up so quickly and he can’t wait to see every little miraculous thing she has in store for us.

When I dropped her off at the babysitter this morning, I kissed her fat little belly and told her not to do anything precious or adorable until I got back to pick her up. I am sure she paid me no mind and went on about her day with her absolute adorableness and precious-hood. She is trying to blow little bubbles with her mouth, it cracks me up to see! I bought a thing of bubbles the other day for us to play with together. We went to eat lunch with John’s dad and John pulls out her bubbles and starts blowing them to her at the table! In the restaurant! Of course, she was thrilled. Last night it was really stormy and instead of being frightened by the thunder, she would just laugh every time she heard it. This child is not right, I tell you, just not right! Of course, we have relented on making her sleep in her crib and she has been in our bed almost every night this week. It is just so cozy to wake up with her. Even if she does turn completely sideways and poke us in the ribs. Every day is just amazing. I cannot believe how lucky we are that we have our sweet Emmy.

I Love CY

We live in a little artsy neighborhood called Cooper Young. We love it so much but one of my favorite times to live here is in the summertime. Every now and then, the horse mounted police ride through our neighborhood. This evening we saw them coming down the street and Emmy and I ran out to the curb to meet them. They were so nice and stopped and said hi to us. Emmy got to meet her first horses, white, tan and brown ones, and her first policemen--I told her that police were always there to help her when she needed it. Hopefully we can get a photo with the horses next time!!!

Even Hershey’s Kisses need an update! A coworker always has a dish of kisses in her office so as I was grabbing some the other day, I noticed that the little piece of paper that usually says “Hershey” on it was replaced with little sayings. Mine say “You Rock” and I do and “I hate Mondays” and I do! Not too fond of Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays either.

All the better to eat you with, My Dearie

I am sure this is what Emmy is thinking as we discovered her first tooth last night! It's just the cutest little thing I have ever seen. Little, tiny and white. We called Dr. Jackson to make sure he can pencil us in the next time we are in Wynne. I didn't cry when she rolled over or when she smiled or laughed for the first time but for some reason, this tooth has gotten me all in a flitter. She is growing up so quickly. I wonder if her tooth coming in early is because of all the calcium she got from Mexican food when I was pregnant?

Between the A and the T

This banner is hanging downtown so I had to get a picture of it. When they asked where something was "at", didn't anyone tell them "between the a and the t"?

In unrealted Emmy news, the child is about to crawl--she is already semi crawling backwards. I put her on her pallet and she rolls over to her belly and gets mad then scoots and semi-crawls backwards while fussing. John sat in front of her in her swing today for an hour so that I could get a nap but I ended up just getting up anyway--she wouldn't hush!!! She cackled and giggled and jabbered the entire time. Her laugh is the sweetest, most innocent sound I have ever heard.

E.L.M.O.

Yesterday, I bought an Elmo at a church rummage sale in my neighborhood. I got it home and Emmy's face literally shot sparkles and stars from her eyes and mouth. She has only recently started reaching for toys and until now, Lulu and her dog, RuffRuff, have been the only things she cared for and reached to hold. And then there was Elmo. John was beside himself with delight as he wanted a Tickle me Elmo for years and well, I have to draw the line at something. But Elmo didn't work. We replaced the batteries and tried to get him going, but he didn't do anything. But sit and look cute. Emmy knew no different and would have been just fine. John and I knew. We knew the joy and excitement that Elmo could bestoy on her so we headed out today to get Elmo. I thought there would be fifty or so different Elmo's from which to choose but there was only a giggle ball with Elmo on one side and Cookie Monster on the other side. This wasn't what we had in mind and then John found the last Elmo TMX in the back of the shelf behind all the other toys...marked down to $35.99 from $39.99 for a limited time only. But, it is the best overpriced stuffed red monster that screams and giggles that I have ever seen...