Hide & Seek

In a 6,000 square foot rental home, this is where the kids decide to spend the afternoon playing!

Sunset at Emerald Isle

Somebody Has a Case of the Mondays

Mondays are usually one of our longer days, but being on vacation with 2 cousins & plenty of family sure made this one fly by! Here are some photos from our adventures today!

I Never Go Anywhere Without My Handbag

Jam on Baby

Familiar Places

I knew that Wyatt & I had a problem when we pulled into the Eastgate Shopping Center the other day in Chapel Hill & from the back seat I heard "Ooooooooooooooooo!!! CONE!!!!"

First , you must understand that my family loves ice cream, and it's a wonder why we don't all weigh more than we do, given the amount we can put back in a week's worth of family vacation - I'm talking several, several half gallons... But lately, we have been letting Wyatt eat soft serve ice cream & especially TCBY. So, naturally I suppose, when we pulled in near TCBY he assumed we were getting ice cream. He was quite disappointed to find out that we were only swinging into Great Outdoor Provision Co to look at gifts for Daddy for Christmas. Last week I think there were 2-3 cones eaten, which I have a feeling my pediatrician might shake her head at, but Wyatt does get plenty of veggies & fruits, as well as exercise. For now, I am enjoying having a new friend who's always up for eating ice cream :)

Can I Have a Hug?

By now, you have all seen & heard what a talker Wyatt has become. Seth & I love to try out new words with him & see which ones he will notice & repeat.

But my new favorite thing is that lately he has come up with words & actions that seem quite caring. Now, whether or not he really knows what all of this means yet - who knows - but for now I have really enjoyed the following moments:

• Someone sneezes, and Wyatt responds with "Bless You" every time. This even happens in public with strangers who are totally taken back by this little person saying it!


• When Seth & I laugh about something together, Wyatt watches both of us, pauses & then roars with laughter himself.


• When Wyatt sees a Band-Aid on me (usually on a leg after shaving) he says "Boo-boo?" If he ever bumps anything or falls, he also says "Ouch! Hurts..."


• If he hits me (which we have been working on lately) whether intentionally or accidentally, he always seems to follow it up with a "Sorry, sorry, sorry"


• Finally, when Wyatt really desires something (usually the first glass of milk in the morning) he says "Please, please, oh nice..." - this is because when we first started learning please, when he would say it, I would say "That's so nice." Now, he just says it all together, possibly thinking that he will get what he wants faster!

We'll see what he comes up with next, but this truly has been the "fun age." Granted it has its daily challenges, I have really enjoyed these past few weeks/months. I have spent all this time waiting for him to do this & do that, and suddenly I wish I could just stop time & enjoy these moments just a bit longer...

Monkey Man

Monkey Man got to wear his costume to school today, which was a real treat! When he got to school, they had decorated everywhere (even the banisters outside had webs & spiders, which got him very excited!) - they had a Halloween parade, followed by a trip to the "pumpkin patch" that had been created in the playground area. Happy Halloween!

The Weather Outside is Frightful

Okay, so it's a crisp Fall day, not quite "frightful" but I'll tell you what is - Waking up in the morning at 7:00 AM with a 15 month old & thinking about being contained to our house all day because it is so cold out!

My challenge to myself this Fall & Winter is going to be to find more fun things to do with Wyatt, that don't cost a lot of money & involve being somewhat indoors. Over the course of the Spring, Summer & even so far the Fall, we have really been doing a lot outdoors. I love this time of year, but in a way I hate it because it starts to get dark a lot earlier, knocking out our after dinner trips to the park, and then colder, making it hard to eat a picnic lunch in Duke Gardens on any given day.

Yes, we will still go to the playground & for walks & will just bundle up (we just bought a new winter coat & hat!), but if anyone has great cold weather ideas, I would love to hear them!

Take Time for a Great Time

After a two year hiatus, our little family decided to make a trip to the North Carolina State Fair this evening. We beat most of the traffic by arriving at a little before 5:00 PM, armed with our B.O.B. jogger & plenty of snacks for the little guy. We had a great time just watching Wyatt take it all in, and were able to leave at a decent hour before all the crazies arrived :) Here are some of my favorite snapshots of the evening:

I knew Wyatt would help me eat one of my favorite fair foods!

When we got into the building with the cows, Wyatt literally took off running towards them yelling "Hi! Hi! MOOO! MOOO!"

Wyatt meets Roo from PBS Kids - he said "eyeball" to him & was wanting to poke his eye - don't think Roo was interested in letting him follow through...

Wyatt (and Mom) mesmerized by all the lights & rides once it started to get dark

The Perpetual Bruise

I am convinced that Wyatt will have a bruise on his forehead from now until the day he turns 3. For some reason, although he seems to have mastered walking, he has gotten increasingly unsteady on his feet. He has been working on turning & because of this is like a little drunk man - constantly falling, knocking into things & bumping his head on everything. During most falls, he can get his hands out in time to catch himself. If not, he will land face first - because of this, he has a bruise on the middle of his forehead that has been there for almost two weeks.

This morning we went to REI to (ugh) try on "winter" coats. Not a fun task for any child, but especially not for a 15 month old, who would rather have me chase him through the racks & racks of coats! Finally we get into a dressing room (the only way I can get him to sit still). After wrestling him into a coat, while I am trying to zip it up, he falls forward - you guessed it - right onto his forehead. Now, not only is there a bruise, but there is rugburn too... Needless to say, we bought the first coat that fit, gave a kiss on the forehead & left the store before people thought I was torturing my child.

Keeping Us Sane

Thanks to Abby for all the great ideas for posts & links! Here are our Top 5 things we couldn't have/can't live(d) without:

1) Miracle Blanket - Hands down the best baby item we ever received. Certainly may not be for everyone, but Wyatt started sleeping through the night (6 hours) at 4 weeks old, and we kept him swaddled in this thing until he was 14 weeks. At that point, he would break out of it, but I would have done it longer if I could have! He has always been an amazing sleeper & we credit the Miracle Blanket!

2) Bouncy Seat - This was how we were able to eat all of our meals, watch TV or simply have a free hand during Wyatt's first few months. Another item that we practically wore out - we used this all the time & Wyatt loved it!!

3) B.O.B. Jogging Stroller - One of our first outings with Wyatt was to Greensboro so we could pick up this stroller. Seth did all the research & selected this one, especially for trail running which we both love to do! At the first possible chance, we stuck his car seat into the infant adapter & took him on the Duke Trail - we have been doing it ever since & he loves the stroller still to this day!

4) Little Giraffe Blankie - This was given to us as a gift, but we had already purchased a similar one. My sister used these blankies for her girls & they LOVE them. I bought one for Wyatt before he was born, but he really became fond of the faux fur one when I gave it to him at 6 months. These are small blankies, so they won't get tangled with baby in the crib, and they are easy to travel with or have in the car seat in a long road trip. As a person who (shamefully) still sleeps with her blankie, I was excited for Wyatt to have one.

5) Summer Video Monitor - I cannot say enough good things about this monitor - we LOVE it, and I can't imagine life without it (except when we are on vacation & we use the regular kind). From day one, Wyatt slept in his crib in his room, and I think it is all thanks to this monitor, which also has night vision. When we were letting him "cry it out" or even when he fussed during the night, it was great to be able to just look at the monitor & see that he was fine. I have also been able to see if he has thrown his blankie out of the crib, if he is in fact sleeping when it's quiet in there or if he's tearing off all his clothes!

In addition to these items, here are a few of the books that we could not have lived without:
The Happiest Baby on the Block - Dr. Harvey Karp, Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems - Dr. Richard Ferber & Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child - Dr. Marc Weissbluth

The Name Game

In response to my friend Abby's post, I had to put out my own post about Wyatt's name & how it came about. Abby had a great story, and mine isn't as exciting, but here goes...

Seth & I had always said that we liked the name Wyatt. I am one of those people that had lists & lists (some of you know I am famous for my "list making") of names, some of which were pretty out there - Axl, Grover, Felix...still all great in their own way, but if you know my husband you know they would never fly. At any rate, from the moment we found out I was pregnant, I just had this really strong feeling it was going to be a boy, and we sort of settled on Wyatt early in the game. Of course we were thrilled when we found out my instincts were correct & Wyatt stuck. We did have a few moments of hesitation though. We wanted to use Jesse as the middle name, after Seth's late maternal grandfather. "Wyatt Jesse Jernigan - is our child destinted to be an outlaw?" I uttered one evening. We kept his name a secret until he was born, and everyone seemed pleased with it when they were introduced for the first time. I can't imagine him going by any other name...

My New Landscaper

He does a great job, and charges a very reasonable rate - I highly recommend him!

Joe Cool

Current Stats

Wyatt had his 15 month doctor's visit today & everything was great! The first thing the doctor noticed was how much talking he does. She said at this point they like to see kid's his age saying at least 5 words, so he is ahead of the curve with his potentially 50 word vocabulary. He is still working on his walking, and can be wobbly at times, but has finally gotten the hang of getting up to standing on his own. I am convinced that he was slower to walk because he is so busy talking!!

15 months
24 lbs, 11 oz
31 1/2 inches long (or do I say tall, now that he is upright all the time)
taking after Papa in the head dept - 90% percentile but don't remember the size :)

One of Those Weeks

It has been "one of those weeks." It started with me uttering these words to my husband: "I need some new clothes for Fall. I am sick of my clothes & would love some nicer things to wear around - I feel like ever since I started staying at home my wardrobe has got to pot." This is how my week then progressed:

Monday - Lunch with Mom & Wyatt at Panera Bread - spill tomato soup down the front of shirt
Tuesday - Wyatt spills grande Starbucks down my white t-shirt before storytime
Wednesday - attempted to make Butternut Squash soup, only to have the blender explode soup all over me & the kitchen
Thursday - try to show Wyatt how to "jump" off the swings at the park & get stuck briefly (yes - complete blow to self-esteem, but thankfully the park was empty at the time) & get rust stains all over khaki shirt
Friday - attempt to shop for the new clothes I "needed" & resign that I will end up staining or ruining them somehow, so buy clothes for Wyatt instead...

One day, I will get back to a somewhat decent sense of style. Until then, I will live vicariously through Wyatt when it comes to "fashion."

All By Myself

Growing up, some of my favorite books were the Mercer Mayer books. In the spirit of my favorite childhood read, I had to let Wyatt try eating his food on his own. We have started dicing things less & less (even though we are still waiting for molars), and just the other morning I decided it was time to make good use of the spoon & fork.

Welcome to My Life

Just a typical day lately...

Make Room for the Little People

It has been WAY too long since I have posted on here. I have meant to just about every day, but have been sidetracked as the Bargain Sale is fast approaching & I am up to my ears in financials (as the Business Manager - what have I gotten myself into!!??)

Lots has been happening lately, but I had to share a few photos from tonight. Seth, Wyatt & I went to the Fall Festival at our church, which was a lot of fun. There were tons of family, even more kids & homemade chili, which was delicious!

Towards the end of the evening, they announced that there would be a balloon guy & a magic show for the kids. Seth & I thought we would check it out, and just see what Wyatt thought. We enter a Sunday School room to find the "clown" (no make-up) making balloon animals for all the kids. Without warning, Wyatt pulled away from our hands & charged right up to the front of the crowd. It was hilarious to watch - he was totally intrigued by the balloon shapes this guy was making. After waiting patiently for 5-10 minutes (without even TOUCHING all the tempting things hanging out of this balloon guy's bag!!) he leaned over to Wyatt & gave him a mouse!

Mom's Morning Out

Wyatt attended his first day of Parent's Morning Out today at McMannen United Methodist Church. It couldn't be more convenient, just about a half mile or so down the street. I managed to keep myself busy for the 3 hours he was there from 9:00 - 12:00 (and will be once a week), but I will admit that it was a little tough saying goodbye to him - harder for me than him. As soon as we got there, he said "DOWN" and ran over to the first colorful plastic toy he could get his grips on! I promised myself that I would get a picture of him on his "first day of school" - not the best shot, but had to snap one before we left the house!

Stepping Out

I wish I had a video camera with me yesterday. Wyatt is slowly starting to become one of those children that people refer to as "wide open." Our day started with storytime at the local library with Wyatt's aunt Carrie & cousin Lily. He gets so excited when we walk in the door & see Lily, and the excitement level only increases from there. Last week, much to my shock, he took off walking across the floor of the library & ever since has been getting better & better about walking. It was while we were singing "Baa, Baa Black Sheep" (a personal fav of his) and the teacher was a holding a puppet - he was just so focused on getting to that puppet to rip it off her hand, that he forgot about crawling I guess... So here we are at the library this week, and it is pretty much a free for all in there anyway. Wyatt is crawling around the room, only to stop every few feet, raise high up on his knees & screech with delight - people were really chuckling, as was I. Then, he would crawl himself over to another unsuspecting tiny tot and begin to try to pull himself up on that child, using them as a way to try & stand. Of course, this resulted in just a pile of toddlers and a little frustration on his part.

Through all this I wondered, will I ever get to hold my sweet little boy again? The closer we get to totally walking, the more he wants to gets down & do things on his own. Although he is inching his way towards 'back breaking' weights for mommy, I do still like to cuddle with him every now & then...

What Little Boys Are Made Of...

Had to post just a sneak peek from the photo shoot my friend Jennifer Haygood did for us the other day in Duke Gardens. I knew she would be the perfect photographer for the job, as I have always been impressed by her work. This was a favorite so far...

Dog Days of Summer

Lately Wyatt has just fallen in love with our almost 9 year old beagle Milo. Many of you know Milo, and know that he can often be anything but a sweet puppy. I will admit - he is spoiled rotten, and he was my "baby" before Wyatt. He only listens to me, and can often become a bit aggressive for a 16 pound dog. Case in point, this is what he looked like after fighting our Lab for a toy in the front yard - he was relentless (and this is NOT the first time this has happened) However, last night I could not resist this shot of Milo & Wyatt. They are buddies because Milo loves to eat, and Wyatt will always throw him scraps. After finishing his PB&J last night, Wyatt was just sharing as usual :)

Altitude 8,500 feet

Day 2 of our recent trip & we are headed to the peak on the left. We actually passed between these two peaks (if you click on the picture to blow up, you can actually see the trail), but someone suggested we make the extra climb to the top, and boy was it worth it! Best view of the entire 35 mile hike.