Sand, Sprinklers & Cousins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Geometry to the SEC

It's crazy that our high school geometry teacher, Coach Hugh Freeze, was recently hired as the head football coach at Ole Miss.  I'll never forget him letting us play "Battle of the Sexes" to determine what our test grade would be.  Girls were asked 'boy' questions and guys were asked 'girl' questions.  My question was, "What is the mascot of the Jacksonville NFL team?"  I guessed wrong but the answer is Jaguars.  Can't remember which sex won the game and received A's and who lost and received B's.  For some odd reason after a semester of attempting to teach us geometry, the administration brought in another teacher.  Not sure what he taught after geometry, but Coach Freeze continued to be the girl's basketball and football coach.

It's the same high school that the movie, The Blind Side is based.  Coach Freeze was Michael Oher's high school football coach and when Michael went to Ole Miss, Coach Freeze became an assistant coach at Ole Miss.

He was recently at a Tupelo Ole Miss Alumni event.  He greeted Harris by saying that he never expected to see him in a suit.  Well, Coach Freeze we definitely never expected to see you as a SEC head coach.

 

Many congrats and we certainly wish him well!

New Sand Box

Clayton kept getting on top of her sand/water table.  

 
So I decided to make her a sand box she could get into.  The baby pool she got from the Easter bunny was a perfect solution.

 
She didn't hold back.

 

 

 
It's safe to say she likes it.

 

Big Reader

Clayton loves to sit and read her books.  We have a bowl full of her books (cardboard as the paper-paged books are off limits until she learns the pages belong in tact and in the books) that she grabs all the times and sits on the floor or gets on the couch to read.

 She will sit for a considerable amount of time flipping through each book. 

 Right now her favorite book is Where's Spot?  She loves to open the flaps and say, "noooooo" in response to seeing if spot is in the various locations around the house.  And then claps and says, "yaaaaay" when Spot has been found in the basket at the end of the book.  We have had to tape all of the flaps back together or back in the book as they get ripped out frequently. 

Our Big Baby

Getting Clean is Serious Business

 

 

Sand!

My parents gave Clayton and Ella each a sand/water table for Christmas.  I've filled it with water and Clayton loves playing with it.  In an attempt to begin the preparation for our beach vacation, I decided to finally put sand in it.  I want Clayton to get used to sand on her hands so she isn't freaked out by it when we get to the beach.  She loves it!

 

 

 

 

 

With the amount of sand she's thrown on the deck, we already feel like we are at the beach.

Farm Fun

 

 

 

 

16 Months Old

Clayton is 16 months old.  

• outside is her favorite place to be.  And when it's time for her to come in, she considers it torture.  She is constantly on the move and likes to explore.  If you turn your back for long, she will be gone.  Our yard is difficult to keep track of her.  The backyard is partially fenced in and has steps and ivy.  The front has more steps, a hill, and the street.  We've gated our deck and made it a Clayton playroom packed with toys, a picnic table, sand/water table, and anything else that will attempt to entertain her.  She likes going in and out but she has to be watched because she tries to escape in between the railing or hop on a chair and attempt to climb over it.  We are planning on making a little playground for her very soon.  
• waves her arm held high and flaps her limp wrist.  Likes to wave to almost everyone and yell, "Heeey!" over and over.  This creates awkward moments when we are near someone on the grocery aisle and she is saying, "Heey!"...."Heeey"...."Heeey".  They don't know how many times is appropriate to just say "hey" back to her without being rude to ignore her constant, "heeys."  And if the neighbor across the street, who she loves, is working in her yard, she constantly is yelling, "heey" to her and waving.  I eventually have to take her inside because I'm sure she would like to accomplish something in her yard in peace.
• Her hair is so long.  A bow is required to keep it out of her eyes.  When it's wet it is down her back.  Thankfully the bottom is naturally curly and it dries so cute.  I haven't cut it although everyone thinks we have.  I really dread the day when I have to cut it.
• has rhythm.  She is still a dancing buffoon.  She loves dancing and bobs her head to any music she hears.
• loves go-gurt.  It's her new favorite snack.
• I asked Harris if he had anything to say about her at 16 months:  His response:  "She is the cutest m-fing thing ever.  I thought my life had ended when she got here but it has only gotten better.  I cannot imagine life without her."  (Well, not exactly what I was going for but.....  And why he thought his life would end, is a mystery/news to me as well.
• "mmmmmm"- Anything she puts in her mouth and she likes gets a big "mmmmmmmmmm."  She will shove stuff in our mouth and say, "mmmmmmm!"  And it's not always "mmmmmm!"
• loves Sadie and all things animals.  She is a massive animal lover.  She runs up to any animal she sees, bends down, and starts making her sweet talk noises.  Or she bends down and pats her legs trying to call them.
• has 11 teeth.  We discovered Easter weekend that a bottom right tooth (when looking at her) had finally poked through.  
• wears size 5 diapers.
• loves books.  Loves sitting on the floor and flipping through books- the cardboard ones.  Paper books are off limits as I've had to tape too many pages.  
• Picky eater.  Throws most of her meals on the floor.  Drives me nuts.  I offer her a buffet and she rejects it.  Sadie probably has the best diet of fruits, veggies, and nutrients of any dog around.
• started throwing tantrums of kicking her legs when she doesn't want to do something.  Doesn't last long and she is hugging your neck shortly after.
• was sick for the first time last month.  She got the stomach bug going around.  Actually Clayton and I got it the same night.  It was horrible seeing her throw-up.  Her limp body would just fall over it was so weak.  Harris was super dad and took great care of his sick girls.  Unfortunately, we passed it along to the rest of the fam and Harris picked it up as well.  Thank goodness that's over.  Also, Clayton got her first diaper rash and after it didn't go away I realized it was a yeast infection.  Poor baby.  It looked painful.  It may have been a result of the stomach bug since it was around the same time.  All is well now!
• loves to get any bottle out of the bathroom cabinets and drawers and arrange them along the bathtub side.  This can entertain her for awhile which I love since I quickly bathe while she is being OCD.  She will arrange them all, look at them and then move them around arranging some more.

 

Easter 2012

Last Year: (4.5 months)

This Year: (16 months)

 
 
Checking out the Easter goodies Mimi and PawPaw gave the girls.

 
 
 
 1st Peep:

 

 
 

 
 
1st Ring Pop:
 
1st Flavor-Ice Pop: