card games and baby names

If I haven’t mentioned it before, I was in Alabama for the few days following Christmas.  My maternal & paternal grandparents live there (literally up the street from each other), as well as my birth dad and his whole family.  Since my maternal grandparents had not yet met their three new great-grandchildren, the whole Cain family made the trek from NC to AL.  Jamie, Charlotte, and I stayed with my paternal grandparents, Mama D and Papa D (Dickson).  One night while we were there, Mama D taught us a new card game, “Manipulation”.  Complicated rules, but so much fun.  I won’t bore you with the details, but if you are interested, let me know … I’ll be happy to teach you! Anyway, Jamie and I are hooked.  We love it.  We stayed up until midnight last night playing.  We have started a family Google Doc to keep track of score (currently -5 for me and +15 for him, haha, I’m winning!!).  (Mama D, if you are reading this, I have -5 because with only 2 of us playing we instituted a new rule of card borrowing.  If you give someone a card when they are stuck (like Go Fish), they give you the cards value off your final score)  So yeah, card game night, anyone??

The second part of my post is for “copyright” purposes.  There are so many babies being born, and all the names I like are being taken.  There is Scarlet and Charlotte, for starters. One of the other names I loved was Emily, but now there is Emma Lynne Somerville, so that’s off the table.  Then Jamie and I were talking about what we would name the kid if we ever had another girl (the boy would have to be James 3).  We decided we liked Adelaide, because it means Noble, and call her Adele after one of my childhood mentors.  But now we have 3 babies about to be born (or just born) with names that are close: Adalyn, Anabelle, and Adalay (SP on those??).  Seriously people??  So, in order to have a dated record that I chose this name first, I am letting you in on the name that we are considering for another daughter: Reagan Lynn.  Reagan means Royal, and Lynn is my middle name and my mommie’s middle name.

No, we are not expecting another child yet. I’m not pregnant. We aren’t planning on it for at least a little longer.  So go ahead and stop those rumors now.  I just want to make sure that everyone knows that I chose that name first and I wasn’t copying anyone else’s name!

On a side note, I’m feelin’ icky today.  I’ll spare you the details, but I probably won’t be eating salmon anytime soon.  Even though what I’m fighting probably isn’t food poisoning (Jamie’s mommie has the ickies, and my brother too), I had salmon for dinner last night and the “issues” began this morning. So anywhoo… I’m gonna go suck on another peppermint stick.  Happy New Year!  See you in 2009!

one word

Earlier this year I read a blog that talked about the one word project.  I begin to think about what word I would choose for 2009.  There are so many good things to focus on and the English language is never at a loss for interesting words, so the choice was tough.  But try as I may, I couldn’t decide on a word.  Until I started decorating my Christmas tree.  Inspiration can come from strange places.

Joy. So many things summed up in three small letters.  Joy can make you laugh, it can make you cry, it can inspire song or silence.  In 2009, I want to find the joy in everything.  The small moments, the quiet days, the busy-ness, the huge celebrations.  This goes beyond looking on the bright side of things, this will cause me to really dig deep to discover the often hidden creme filling of life.

I was pretty sure that this was going to be my word for 2009, but something that happened last night confirmed it for me.  As I lay in the quiet moments just before sleep overtakes you, Jamie said something really unexpected.  He had been quiet for a few minutes, but I could tell he wasn’t asleep (perhaps it was the lack of snoring, haha).  Then he said, “my favorite times I spend with you are when you are laughing uncontrollably”.  Then he proceeded to recall a time two nights before when I was about to fall outta my seat from laughing at him but couldn’t laugh out loud because Charlotte was asleep in the room… which induced another round of laughing from me because it was just so funny (aah, shrunken head dogs and itchy throats).

Learning that my joy and laughter causes Jamie’s joy is motivaiton enough to seek to find joy in every moment of every day.

What word do you want to guide your 2009?

special christmas elf

I’m here at Jamie’s moms house (Grandma Cynthia). And she has some super cute pics of Charlotte all decked out in holiday festiveness. Merry Christmas everybody!!

Wearing her stocking on her head. Thanks Uncle Patrick!

The ladies, lookin’ fine

Mmm, Grandpa Jim is yummy

The best gift of all…

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

all by my lonesome

Today I’m all by myself.  Jamie and Charlotte are out today. This is so strange. I can take a long shower.  Dry my hair. Put on makeup, perfume even. Oh, and I can keep me to myself for longer than 3 hours, ifyaknowwhaddamean. This is kinda cool. Its strange though, because every now and then I think I hear Charlotte cooing in the other room. When amputees still feel pain in thier amputated limb they call it “Phantom Limb” … so what is this, “Phantom Baby”?? 

And my camera was kinda funky, so that’s why I haven’t uploaded any new pics of Charlotte.  But don’t you worry your pretty little head, I’ve got some cute pics of her to show you.  All I can say is “santa hat”.  Oh yes. 

Well, I’m gonna go now and enjoy my solitude.  Talk with ya tomorrow … oooooooh, tomorrow is Christmas Eve! So fun!

Do you knit?

I don’t. I’d like to learn, though.  So if you do know how to knit, do you think you could knit me a pair of these for my birthday?  My bday is March 1st, so you should have plenty of time.  I like just about any color but gold colors, and I wear a size 8 1/2.  Thanks!

circle circle dot dot

now I have my cootie shot. Circle circle square square, now I have it everywhere. Circle circle knife knife, now I have it all my life.

Strange that I remember that.  Well, Charlotte seems to be over her little cootie-party.  Her temp went down yesterday around 6pm, her congestion is a lot better, and she’s not quite so snotty.  She’s eating a full meal again and sleeping (mostly) like normal.  I say mostly because while she was fighting the cooties she was pretty much held the entire time.  So she got a little used to it, and as I type this, she’s in her room re-learning the cry-it-out concept.  This morning she took the whole 15 minutes plus another 5 minute check. Well, she just got quiet and its only been 7 minutes = progress! Once we get back on that routine, then things will pretty much be back to normal. Thanks for all your advice and prayers, they were put to good use.

I hear the party last night was absolutely rockin’!  Props to Jon Delgado for dressing like a Newsie, how cool is that?! I can’t wait to see all your pictures!  I will be putting my dress into the back of the closet for next year.  Hopefully I’ll even have to have it altered down more for next year, hehe. Well I hope you had a great time last night.  Charlotte and I hung out at “Grandma” Cynthia’s.  We watched Fred Clause, ate some Bojangles, Charlotte played and I got some much needed work done on unfinished Christmas gifts.  Charlotte even “scooted” on her knees for the first time!  So all in all it was a productive night.  … not quite as glamorous as I had hoped, but fun nonetheless.

maybe next year

No one throws a Christmas party like LWFC.  That’s why its called an Extravaganza!! Every year I look forward to the party, it is just so great.  And this year is going to be no different!  I got my dress altered, my jewelery picked out … but I am not going.  My sweet baby girl needs me at home, so that’s where I’ll be. The dress will just have to wait for next year. So let me know how it goes, and please share pictures!

Shake your groove thang for me, okay??

cooties

Can you guys do me a favor?  Pray for Charlotte.  Monday night she had a fever w/ a temp of 101.4.  We called the doc and was told to give her baby Tylenol.  Her temp went down overnight and she was fine. She had shown no other signs or symptoms of anything beyond a high fever.  Well this morning when she woke up, she was burning hot again, so I checked her temp and it was 101.8 but this time she sounded like she had some chest congestion.  Another call to the doc and they said to give her Tylenol, extra fluids, put a humidifier in her room, and give her some saline drops in her little schnoze. So, that’s what we are doing.

We’ve already prayed and thanked God for His healing power and we’ve spoken to Charlotte’s body in the name of Jesus and commanded it to be healed.  But added faith and prayer always helps!! Thanks y’all.  I’ll report back when she’s feeling better.

i got nothin’

I don’t have anything of my own to say, so here are some things I’ve seen this week that are worth your time…

Here’s  a lot to ponder. Don’t just go with your initial impression, really think about what you believe and why you believe it.

Wow these are amazing. I want one for every party I ever have ever.

Some people just shouldn’t have children.

This is so on my to-do list!

Charlotte and Friends (episode 2)

It’s time again for another edition of “Charlotte and Friends”, brought to you in part by Bloggers Like You, with promotional consideration provided by Daddy’s Paycheck.

In this episode, we join Charlotte at her grandmother’s crib, where she’s hangin’ with some of the Cain crew.

Wat up, wat up, homies.  It’s Charlotte here, I’m just hangin’ with my boy Wilson here at my grandmother’s crib.

Cooper is here with us too, and he’s gonna demonstrate the hottest new moves.  You can’t hear it, but we are jammin to some fresh hits.

He calls this one “worm emerging from cocoon”.  Thanks Cooper, we’ll see you next time.  Now its time for our interview with Mr. Wilson, but first he better get up outta my face.

So, Mr. Wilson, tell us about these ears.  Are they yours? How’d you get ‘em?  Can I have ‘em?

I don’t think he’s listenin’.  He seems to be checkin out somma the other ladies in the room.  But again, he needs to back up outta my space.

Well that’s all the time we have, so lemme snap a couple pics with my new camera phone.  Dang… lemme re-frame that…

Yeah, that one’s good. I’m puttin’ this one up on my FaceBook.  Check y’all later! Holla!!