The Reed Family

Moving on....

2011-06-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

Well its official....I have bit the bullet, gone outside my comfort zone and accepted a job in the private sector. On July 11, 2011 I will begin working at Baptist Medical Center as a floor social worker.

Normally I am ok with change but this terrifies me. I have worked for the state for 7 years and seriously thought I would retire in the state system. Despite their low pay and lack of acceptable insurance there has always been a sense of job security that I have felt that I am not sure I will have working in the "private world." Billy has done his part in advancing in his career and nearly doubling his salary since his first job out of college and now it is my turn. I feel like I owe it to him & Raylee to step outside my comfort zone and at least try it.

I know I will like the work because most of my experience is in medical social work and I LOVE the medical setting. It is the non-state medical setting that I am unsure of....haha! Hopefully everything will work out and we will live happily ever after. If not I know that I can always come back to DHS and work in the county....right?!?!

Stars & Stripes

2011-06-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend we did something that I didn't think we would be doing for a very long time....if ever again! Raylee was in the Bella Rose Stars & Stripes Pageant in Pelahatchie. After several pageants, feeling the need to commit child abuse and nearly the end of my marriage I decided that Raylee would be in another pageant when she was able to say "I want to be in a pageant."

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't the toddler and tiara mom who made her get up there and got pissed when she didn't win. Raylee always had fun and wanted to do them, she just didn't play by the rules per say.

She thought that the stage was her own personal soccer field and she could run, jump and play on it as she saw fit. When she was corrected she would get pissed and fall out on the stage or dive off the front of it. Yes, I said dive off the front of the stage! She did that at the Hattiesburg pageant oh and lets not forget that was the same pageant she acted such a fool in running around that her diaper came loose and was around her ankles. This was pointed out to me by a judge during crowning.

Anyway, I have been thinking about trying her in another pageant just to see how she would do. She has been talking about and showing us her "pageant walk" for some time now but I just didn't have it in me to try it. Well last week I was contacted by the director saying that the numbers were low and asking me to put her in it and she offered me a great discount. I just happen to find the cutest petticoat skirt that was very cheap and the rest was history!

After getting her dress we walked in the auditorium, got a seat and waited for the pageant to start. We weren't even seated yet and Raylee took off to the side of the stage, climbed up on it and away she went! We didn't even practice before the pageant. when she got up on stage she looked for the first x, went and stood on it and did her thing all by herself!

headed to the second x

now on the third. Did she sneeze????

No mam...she was giving sugars!!!! Not sure where she saw this at. This was very Toddlers and Tiaras......

After coming off stage and waiting for the other contestants to go up she would run around and act a straight up FOOL!!! By the time crowing had come around we were all wore out, frustrated, ready to beat her and get a divorce. Saturday was totally different! She sat there the WHOLE time minding her business and watching the other girls. We were all like WHO IS THIS CHILD???

and you know we couldn't leave "Pageant Dad" out! He went up on stage with his baby girl during crowning!

She won prettiest eyes and placed Princess (2nd) in her division!!! She did great!!!!

A Tribute to Billy for Father's Day

2011-06-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

Lyrics to

Family Man

By Craig Campbell

I've been working as a temp
At the local factory
I hope the hire me on full time
I've got shoes to buy
and a mouth to feed

I drive a buy here pay here truck
It aint new but it is to me
it fires right up
and it gets me from A to B

What puts the dirt underneath my nails
What keeps the calluses on my hands
A family man

They are the world my world revolves around

My sacred piece of solid ground

The flesh and bone that gives me strength to stand

The fire in my coming home

The drive behind my coming home

The living breathing reason I am

A family man

There are dirty shirts to wash

Dishes in the sink to do

and there is how many times does 17 go into 52

and there's bed time prayers to pray

There's sleep tights and I love you's

And there's a pair of eyes

I get to loose myself into

What keeps me keeping the faith

What makes me believe I can

A family man

They are the world my world revolves around

My sacred piece of solid ground

The flesh and bone that gives me strength to stand

The fire behind my driving on

The fire behind my coming home

The living, breathing, reason that I am

A family man

There's a fire in my driving on

The drive behind my coming home

The living, breathing, reason that I am

A family man

Happy Father's Day out there to all of the Daddy's Especially Billy! I couldn't ask for a better husband or baby daddy. When I say that this man is Raylee's world I mean just that. She LOVES her daddy!!! This next pic says it all!!!!

Every morning when I go in her room to wake her up the first thing out of her mouth is "Where my daddy?" I'm not going to lie, in the beginning it totally hurt my feelings and still does on some days but I guess I just have to accept that she is a daddys girl!

He works so hard to be able to provide not only for her but for me as well. He truly wants to give her everything in his power and then some.

Happy Fathers Day Billy!!!!

We LOVE you!!!

Raylee's crafts

2011-04-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

I don't think I officially announced that we took Raylee out of the the daycare that she has been going to since she was 8 weeks old and put her in a pre-school in Pearl. This came after much thought, consideration & prayer. Everyone that knows Raylee knows that she is one strong willed little girl. We felt that she needed a structured & educational environment. We researched several different preschools & their curriculum's and finally decided on one. She was not supposed to start until the end of May but due to a series of events we made the decision to go ahead and move her now. There are no hard feelings with the old daycare and they will forever hold a special place in our hearts for caring for our sweet girl for 2 1/2 years! She is slowly but surely adjusting to her new preschool. Every day seems to get a little easier. She still cried some this morning but for the first time this week I didn't! YAY me!!! The mama in me hates leaving her crying but I know that this place is the best place for her and we have made the right choice. I know she has not even been there a week but I am AMAZED at what she has learned and some of the stuff she is doing! Monday when I picked her up there was a "news letter" from her teacher telling us what they will be talking about and learning this week. In the newsletter it gave some tips on how we as parents could help our kids by discussing some of the things with them in car on the way to school or in the tub etc.... This week they are learning about grass. Tuesday while we were riding down the road out of no where I asked Raylee what color is grass. Normally when you ask her things like that she says "blue", everything is always blue. Well this time she said "green"! I was so amazed! I realize that there are probably other kids her age that would have already know this and she is a little behind but I am still so proud of her! She has only been there 2 days (at that time) and she is already learning!!! Here are a few things that she has done this week.......

She made this on Monday! Billy & I are so proud of it.

I think it is very frameable....don't you?

She did this on Tuesday!

She did this on Wednesday. They went outside & picked grass

and taped it to the sheet of paper and they call it a

"grass viewer". It is really cute and she is

really proud of it!

At this point I realize what a goob I sound like getting all excited over this kind of stuff. Her teacher said that she REALLY enjoys the activities that they do and things that they make. Maybe she will be just like her mama and be crafty! Not only have we notice that she is learning but there has also been a change in her behavior. She has been in the best mood when I pick her up in the afternoons. We laugh and talk the whole way home. In the past she would start whining and crying from the time I picked her up until she went to bed. We come home and she plays while I cook dinner. She sits at the table and eats her dinner like a big girl. She still doesn't like bath time very much. She wants to get in, get bathed and get out. When it is time to settle in for the night it doesn't take her long at all to go to sleep. I guess she is just so tired from all of the excitement during the day that she is just pooped! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and we continue to make this transition.

Here we go.....

2011-04-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of Raylee as she is going into her new school Monday morning. I have a few more but for some reason it wont let me upload them. I have been trying since Monday night so I decided to just post what I have.

Would you hurry up! You are embarrassing me!

Oh my!!!! She is still at it!! Yes, notice the tutu. She HAD to wear it! No outfit is complete without one.

Sigh..... tear.....sigh.... my baby is growing up way to fast!!!!

Tears, tears and more tears.....

2011-04-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

September 6, 2008

Raylee's 1st day of daycare

April 4, 2011

Raylee's 1st day of Pre-School

We were all smiles when this picture was taken this morning, however, it was short lived. She did great getting out of the car this morning and walking in. She got really shy as we walked into her classroom. She cried for a little while, Billy cried for a minute and I cried all day and as I am typing this blog...haha! I only called 8,000 times to check on her but all in all she had a really good day! She ate great. She played great and took a great nap. When I walked in to pick her up she ran up to me and shouted "I pee peed in the potty today." She was so proud of herself! Then she started telling me all of the great things that she did today. She was talking so fast and was so excited. We felt all along that we were making the right choice for her and this was conformation. Hopefully tomorrow morning will go smoothly and with less tears.

FINALLY........

2011-03-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't go to far as to day that today is the best day of my life but it is pretty darn close!!! I suffered through 3 long, dreadful, nagging, tough years of graduate school at Jackson State University. In May 2007 I lived to graduate with a Masters of Social Work. For those of you who are not familiar with the social work profession, to get a ok social work job on the bachelors level you have to be licensed, to get a descent job you have to a masters degree, and to get a good job you have to be licensensed with a masters degree in social work (LMSW). Thankfully when I graduated on the bachelors level I took the exam and passed the first time. That was SO not the case on the masters level. Luckily I had my bachelors license to fall back on so I was able to get a job while I worked on passing my masters exam. This time I only told one person I was taking it and I didn't tell her until a few days before! I had to call my mom and tell her I was going over to one of my group homes until after lunch so don't be blowing my phone up, I would call her when I got out! When I finished the test and the result flashed up on the screen I just sat there. This is what I saw..... The times I have taken it before I have missed passing it by a point. A year or so ago they stopped giving number grades like 75, 42, etc... and started saying this test needed 105 right and you got 103. The last two times I have taken it I missed it by 3 questions and the time before that 2 questions. My test today needed to have 97 questions answered correctly and I answered 106 correctly!!!! I was SHOCKED. I wanted to stand up and scream but I knew I couldn't! I just sat there and looked at it! So many times before I had dreamed of seeing the PASS but it was always FAIL!!! I have to keep looking at it! I still cant believe it!!!! March is National Social Work Month. With today being the last day of March passing my test couldn't be a better day to pass it! Happy Social work month to me!!!!

HAPPY SOCIAL WORK MONTH TO ALL OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS OUT THERE!!!!

Where has the time gone?

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, July 21, 2008

the day we brought her home from the hosptial...

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

As we were eating dinner last night and I looked across the table I couldnt help but to be sad. I seriously cant believe that this is my little Raylee! I cant believe that she has gone from eating from a bottle while we rock her, to sitting in a high chair using a spoon for the first time, to sitting in a dining room chair using a real fork, drinking out of a cup without a lid and eating like a grown person! Notice I didnt say using a booster seat. Well, we have one of those and she refuses to use it. I guess she thinks she is just to big. Before we know it she will be headed to kindergarten. Oh how time flies......

Raylee

2011-02-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

Last night Raylee busted out with "I got fever, got cowbell." I think what she was trying to say was that she "has a fever and the only thing to solve it is more cowbell."

Later on this is our conversation:

Me: What's your name
Raylee: Raylee Elizzzabeff
Raylee: What's MiMi's name:
Me: Ayn Elizabeth
Raylee: Nooooo!!!! I Raylee Elizzzabeff.....NOT MIMI!!!!

we could sit and laugh at her all night long. Most of the time we do........

It's cleaning Wednesday!!!

2011-01-26T13:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I cant believe I am actually saying this but a couple of weeks ago we finally broke down and hired a lady to come clean our house. Billy & I refused to do this for a long time. We are only 30 years old and shouldn't have to pay someone to clean for us. After one frustrating weekend of cleaning all weekend and sitting down on Sunday night feeling no more rested than we did Friday night we decided that it was finally time to hire someone. Since we are 30 years old and are very capable of picking up after ourselves and doing some things around the house we decided to hire half a maid. She comes every other week and only does the "deep" cleaning such as base boards, tubs, windows....etc and we do everything else! It is much easier knowing that all we have to do is pick up after ourselves every night, wash our own dishes and clothes. I love walking in the house on Wednesdays after she has come, it feels so refreshing! Speaking of....she came today!!!!!!

Decisions......decisions......

2011-01-26T05:49:00.000-08:00

Did anyone see the news last night? Well, if you did you would have seen that Social Workers finally got some positive publicity! That doesn't come very often! Normally you only hear of us on the news when a child has been abused or on a show like E.R. or Grey's Anatomy where you see the social worker dragging a child away kicking and screaming from their mother due to some form of suspected abuse. If you didnt catch it and you are interested you can read it here.

Contrary to most of the media's belief, there are rewarding areas of social work to work in. I currently work for The Department of Human Services (DHS) in the licensure department. I go out to group homes, shelters, adoption agencies and child placing agencies that we (DHS) place our kids in that are in custody and make sure that they are in compliance with the standards that are in place. This seemed like the perfect job when I took it. Don't get me wrong, it is a great job but at the time I was so burned out with being the "front line social worker" and the less people I had to deal with the better! Little did I know but I would soon miss interacting with the clients.

I have been offered a position within DHS in their Adoption/Resource Unit. I would be doing home studies, which I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to do, working with foster parents, conducting trainings and recruiting foster parents for Scott county. This sounds like the PERFECT job for me and usually I would jump on it but for some reason I am real hesitant.

As most of you know, Billy's job is less than pleasant. He has got several of things in the "works" but no on paper offers. When he was laid off in August he applied with a company. He had several phone interviews and then a couple of in person interviews. About the time the interviewing process was over, their business slowed down and they were able to hire any one. So in the mean time he gets another call from another company he has previously worked for asking him to apply for a position they have. So he does. He heard from them last week and they said that they are currently reviewing all the applications and they would call him back with a interview date. So we are waiting on that call he gets a call back from this other company saying that they are able to hire now and they want him!!!! He is excited but tells them about this other offer and they said ok well if you don't want the design job and you want to stay in quality then we will make you our Quality Manager.....as if the decision wasn't already hard enough! So I said all that to say that Billy has 3 verbal offers and not a clue of which one to take!

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we make our decisions! I think mine would be a lot easier if we weren't both changing jobs at the same time. As you know with a small child and this time of year the odds of her being sick and needing time off are high.

2011-01-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

There is something about a sleeping baby that you have to love. Especially this sleeping baby.....
It scares me to death to know that I wont be able to save her from experiencing this cruel dangerous society that we live in these days. As my friend Amy says, "I just want to put her in a bubble."

Playing with her laptop that her Uncle Bubba & Aunt Emily gave her! She LOVES it and thinks that she is so grown when she plays with it! I have actually played several of the games on there. They make me feel smart...haha!

We had a lot of fun tonight. We played with legos, drew on her easel that Santa brought her and splish splashed in the bath tub. She is growing up way to fast! She even called me "mom" several times instead of mommy :(

Please continue to keep Billy & I in yall's thoughts and prayers. We have some very important decisions to make in the coming weeks and are nervous that we are not going to make the right ones. Thanks!

Signs

2011-01-25T09:33:00.000-08:00

So after talking to many of yall about deleting my page and yall telling me that I was doing the wrong thing yall got me wondering. I receive a text message this morning from a number that I wasn't even sure who it was and when I found out who It was she was not even aware of what is going on. The text message read:

"1 Thessalonians 5:22, Avoid every kind of evil. Have a great day :)"

Those of yall who really know me know that I am a biggie on "signs." Just a small reminder that HE is always with us and steering us in the right direction! This is all the conformation that I need!

Sleepy Head....

2011-01-25T07:45:00.000-08:00

It looks like I was not the only one who was sleepy this morning. I got her out of bed, changed her diaper and clothes with out a fight. She didn't even do her usual calling the roll asking "where's daddy, where's sadie grace, where's mimi, where's gamma and the list goes on and on and usually starts over at the end! This probably isn't a good thing, but she was so sleepy I left her here for about 10 mins while I went and finished getting dressed and she never even moved. She looked so sweet and comfy it made me want to call into work sick and let her sleep in! God love her!!!

Going Private.....

2011-01-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Just want to let everyone know that in a couple of days our blog will be going private. If you would like to follow us and keep in touch send me your name & email to KimberlyIReed@Bellsouth.net and I will add you to the list of people who will be able to view it. Its really sad that people have to go to such great links to keep "haters" & jealous people that have nothing but evil intentions out of their lives.

Also, last night I deleted my facebook page. I have been thinking about it for a while and I finally got fed up and just did it. I have had several people text and ask me not to do it because they love all of my pictures and my comments. I hated to do it but it was what I had to do and what is best for me right now. For those true friends that have nothing but good intentions you can follow our blog and I will update it as if I was updating facebook.

Hope you all understand!

The Reeds

Rolling.......

2010-12-14T12:00:00.001-08:00

I know I am partial but this kid of mine is HILARIOUS!!!!! She was on one last night and kept us laughing all night! She was sitting on the counter, as you can see blow, twirling her hair. I had my back to her and our conversation we something like this: Raylee: Kimerwee, I smart!, Me: Excuse me! What did you say?!, Raylee: with a little attitude and bugged eyes: KIMERWEE! I SMART!!!

I was so appalled she said that so we went outside where Billy was. I told her to repeat herself and she said it again! I asked Billy wonder where in the world she heard that from and he said. "I know, ME!" He went on to explain that on their way home last night the sun was just about to set and Raylee screamed, "Look Daddy, its smoke!" He said, No baby and she cut her off and said "its clouds" and he told her that she was right and was so smart! As if she didn't think she knew it all before now she has confirmation! YAY

After dinner I went out and got the mail to find that a dress that I ordered a couple of weeks ago came. I opened it and showed it to Raylee and expected the same dull response that I always get when I show her new close but didn't get it. She was so excited and had to try it on RIGHT then! I guess she really liked this dress! Of course every dress should be accessorized with a cell phone.......

So after I took her picture I let her twirl around in it for a minute and told her it was time to take it off. You would have thought I killed her best friend in front of her. She did NOT want to take it off! She hooted, hollered, stomped and cried. I ended up having to put it in the very top of her closet so that she couldn't get a chair to get it down. Five mins later she was still standing in her room crying wanting it so I did a little something to distract her from the dress. I climbed up in Billy's lap while he was sitting in the recliner, hugged him & smooching him on his cheeks where she could here me. She flew out of her room and ran over there and said, "you stop kissing MY daddy on his face!" So I did what any mother would do! I continued to "kiss him on his face." She stomped over to the fridge, ripped the flyswatter down off the side of it, stomped back and proceeded to slap me with it while yelling "Stop kissing my daddy on his face." All we could do was laugh until we about cried! when I normally do that she just yells get up! That's my daddy! But this time she knew that I was kissing HER daddy on his face and was able to verbalize it!

She is growing up WAY to fast!

Later that night as she had settled down and had fallen asleep we were talking about how she is in this "bad" stage but we will probably end up missing it because before to long we will be hearing how we ruined her life, or how we don't love her and how she hates us! I wonder if we can some how magically skip those years?????

Dollar General Run.....

2010-11-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

So tonight I hit the Dollar General in Puckett. Don't judge! I have become quiet fond of the Dollar General. So fond that I went there earlier in the week to pick of the few grocery items that we needed for the rest of the week. I cant handle wal-mart anymore. I'm getting to old!

Before I went I checked our inventory to see what we needed & then I looked over my coupons to see what I had. I so felt like my great grandmother. Bless her little ole heart, I have a few childhood memories of going to the grocery store with her. She had this coupon organizer envelop and wouldn't buy an item if she didn't have a coupon for it. Seriously! One day she kept getting her coupons mixed up for items she already had in her buggy versus the coupons for items that she still needed to put in her buggy. She would take a couple of steps & stop, take a couple of steps & stop. With every stop she kept getting more & more frustrated! I finally asked if I took the coupons from her for the items that she already had in her basket and she yelled "NO, I will hold them" and snatched them out of my hand. Yes, she SNATCHED them out of my hand. She was a little pistol! Anyway, I got WAY of course there, but I planned the items out that I was going to get to help save time when I got in the store. It did help that I went ALONE so I didn't have to constantly say "No Raylee, Sit down, Please don't throw that out of the buggy"....etc..... I followed in the steps of my great grandmother and every item that I purchased I had a coupon for. If yall come over to my house and see little things wrapped up in paper towels & rubber bands please stage an intervention and FAST!!!!!

These are the items that I got.

It doesn't look like much until you start adding up what the regular prices are!

I had (2) $5 off a $25 purchase coupons that I had gotten from an earlier purchase in the week. To use both coupons I split the items up into 2 transactions so that each one totaled at leasat $25 .

Transaction #1

Crest Toothpaste $3.25 $1.00 coupon
Huggies Wipes $2.50 .75 coupon
Huggies Diapers $10.00 $3.00 coupon
Angel Soft Toilet Paper $6.50 .50 coupon
Frebreze Fabric Freshener $5.00 .75 coupon

$5.00 off $25 purchase

Total in products: $27.25

Total in coupons: $11.00

Total out of pocket: $16.25

Transaction #2

Clorox Wipes $2.50 .35 coupon
Clorox Toilet Cleaner $2.00 $1.50 coupon
Febreeze Spray $2.75 $1.00 coupon
Glad Trash Bags $5.00 .75 coupon
Tide w/Febreeze $6.00 $2.00 coupon
Cover Girl Eyeliner $3.50 $1.00 coupon
Cover Girl Mascara $4.75 $1.00 coupon

Total in products: $26.50

Total Amount in Coupons: $12.60

Total out of pocket: $13.90

Grand Total out of pocket: $30.15

Grand Total Saved: $23.60 That is a 44% SAVINGS!!!!!!

CVS Deal!

2010-11-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

ok, first of all I made me up a little notebook that I organize and keep all of my coupons in. I cant tell you how many odd looks & stares I get from people in the stores, not to mention the jokes and laughs I get from my brother & husband, when they see me with my book. It is the only way I have found to keep them organized and not look like a fumbling idiot with coupons flying everywhere while in the store.

Billy use to make SO much fun of me until he realized how much money we were actually saving by doing it. He wasn't laughing last time I went grocery shopping & saved $40 off of my grocery bill and he sure wasn't laughing last night when I got TWO packs of pull ups & TWO packs of wipes for FREE!!! It takes time & patience, which most of the time I am short on, but in the end it pays off!!! In a weird kind of way it is like a game to me & finding the best deal & the lower price is like putting a puzzle together. Yeah I know, I'm weird!!!

Anyway, this is my binder

Yes folks, that is a calculator and it quiet handy!!

I went to hobby lobby & bought a huge pack of baseball trading cards to file my coupons in. I separated them & filed them according to different categories such as, frozen stuff, baby stuff, house hold items, hygiene items...etc. It is much easier to flip to the section of my book when I am in that section in the store to see what coupons I have.

This are my transactions that I did in the CVS:

Transaction #1

1 pack of Pull ups, on sale for $9.49

1 tub of wipes, $3.49

1 purchase for a Christmas present $14.99

Total: $29.93 (w/tax)

-$5 off $25 purchase CVS coupon (from scanning my CVS card in the front of the store)

-$3 off Huggies diapers CVS coupon that was mailed to me

-1.50 off Huggies wipes CVS coupon that was mailed to me

-$2.50 off Huggies diapers manufacture coupon I got off of the Internet

-$1.50 off Huggies wipes manufacture coupon I got off of the Internet

New total is: $14.47 + tax = $16.08 out of pocket

Savings of:$13.85

which means that the pull ups & wipes were FREE!!!!! All I had to pay for was the Christmas present, which I was going to have to buy anyway and it was on sale for $5 cheaper than walmart!!!!

I ended up doing the same thing for transaction #2. I got a CVS card in Billy's name so I get double the coupons.... Shhhh don't tell ;)

All in all I had a total savings of $27.70!!!

I wish I could afford to put all of the money that I save by price matching & using coupons in a separate banking account for a full year just to see how much I saved. Who knows, Maybe that will be my "new years resolution" and I can start it in January. We will have to see......

Halloween 2010

2010-11-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween we met Natalie, Steven and Abby in town to trick or treat. In the past couple of years we have been disappointed because a lot of people in neighborhoods do not participate in trick or treating but this year we finally found one that did!!!! I was so excited because as a child I always loved going from house to house and seeing all of the decorations and I was afraid that trick or treating was being faded out.

I was kind of worried about taking Raylee because she had not had a nap and we would be away from home, but she LOVED it!!! She had so much fun! She was telling the people trick or treat & thank you & even yelled "GO STATE" to a few. She really made mama proud!!!! Hopefully next year we will have just as much fun!!!

1st stop....Auntie A & Uncle Kyle's house!!!!!

Look at those pretty girls :)

Daddy's Lamb

Mommy FINALLY gets a picture with the princess

They must have been talking about me......

On the way to eat dinner and oh so tired! So tired that she sat there the ENTIRE meal with NO

meltdowns....... A MIRACLE.......

Leaving out of the neighborhood waving and screaming "HEY" to fellow trick or treaters like she is

Ms America......

Sweet Abby

Sooooo stinking cute!

Abby is normally shy but she and Raylee just clicked and

were instant BFF's

Mommies & their girls......

Barley making it but to independent to be held. She was almost

dragging her pumpkin and I asked several times if I could

hold it and she yelled, "NO"! Then Natalie asked and she let

her. Go figure....

Family picture! Supporting out Maroon & White!

Oh & one of the house we went to the people were watching the

STATE game & Raylee saw it & yelled "GO STATE"!

Getting "canny"

Two peas in a pod

The newest addition to the Reed family....

2010-10-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

Billy & I have been talking for a while about getting Raylee a horse. She LOVES to be outside and LOVES any kind of animal! There are several 4-H programs out here and we want her to be involved in something positive to fill her time when she gets older. I know that she is only 2 yrs old but we wanted to get her a little horse to ride and play with to get her use to them and to learn the dynamics. They have little rodeos in Puckett & Mendenhall that we are going to put her in when she gets comfortable with him. They seem to be a lot like adult rodeos but Billy or I can walk out with her and lead the horse around the arena.

Since we kind of stumbled across him and were not fully prepared to have him at our house yet he is staying at my brothers, hopefully they wont get to attached to him! I cant wait to go out there this weekend and spend some time with him! We will start our fence this week and decide what kind of barn we are going to build. I am so excited and cant wait to get him home!! He is a 3 year old miniature horse and I just LOVE his color!!!!!

Meet Lil' Man

Raylee Meeting Lil Man for the 1st time

She LOVES him!!! I wish I was able to take more pictures than this but this was the one I was able to take because the flash startled him. Oh boy does he have a lot to learn!!!

She got to pet, feed & ride him. She is just smitten with him! She called him Lil' Man a few times but then started calling him "Lucy", not sure why but it has stuck! Now I have started calling him Lucy. The old owner texted me today and she even referred to him as Lucy. Hopefully Raylee will change her mind and call him something else!!!!

Why Raylee is an only child.....

2010-10-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

At least once a week I get the question "when are yall going to have another baby?" I tell people that Raylee will probably be an only child because she is such a handful and they laugh. They cant believe some of the stories that I tell about Raylee, as if I make them up, but by accident I caught proof on camera!

Raylee was showing her brother, Bailey, a little sibling love....RIGHT??????

WRONG!!!!!

These poor dogs are the best dogs that we could ask for! They take a beating....daily.....and still love her to death and come back for more.

For that, we are blessed!!!!

Pumpkin Patch Track Record....

2010-10-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

10/2008

Her 1st Pumpkin Patch Visit

As you can tell things didn't go to well. She was wearing the cuties little Halloween outfit that I had bought her. Right as we were getting ready to get on the hay ride to go get our pumpkins

she pooped and it went EVERYWHERE and she had to be changed. Everything went down hill from there!

10/2009

We went on a Sunday after church. We stopped and got us some lunch on the way & while we were eating she pooped and it was literally DRIPPING from her high chair. TMI, I know. Just my luck I didn't bring her an extra set of clothes so off to the Dollar General we went!!!

10/2010
I was so nervous about taking her to the pumpkin patch this year. On the way out the door I told Billy to make sure that he grab a COUPLE of extra outfits because of her track record! I guess all of my worrying paid off because she did GREAT!!!! She loved it and had such a good time!!!

There will be more pics to come!!!!

Self Determination

2010-09-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am thinking that this should be a motivational poster for Self Determination!!

When she woke up this morning I picked her outfit out and went over to her changing table to get her dressed. When I tried to put the outfit on that I chose she said in her soft, kind little voice, "nnnoooooo!" I tried several more times and got the same result. We were running late, shocker I know, so I put her down on the floor and told her to go pick out what she wanted to wear and she choose this outfit. I put her on the changing table again, dressed her. Then I picked out the shoes she needed to wear and proceeded to put them on her and as I was doing so I heard the sweet, little soft "nnnooooooooo" come out of her mouth again. So, I put her back down and she ran over to where her shoes are kept and she came back with these. At this point I didn't even try to fight her because I knew it was a loosing battle! I also tried to put her hair up in a pony tail and got the same response! So, the end result is that she went to school looking like she fell out of a rag box and for once I DIDN'T care!!!!!

2010 Tadlock Family Reunion

2010-09-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

We had the 2010 Tadlock Family Reunion today. This is the highlight of my grandmothers year. For as far back as I can remember she has always threatened us with our life if we didn't come. Every year everyone from each little group that makes up the Tadlocks get up in front of everyone and introduce their families and she always wanted everyone there so she could have the largest group...haha! Its the little things in life I guess. Here are some of the pics I captured, despite her not wanting to smile!

Morgan, Mamaw, Raylee, Madison, Louis, Bubba & Mama

Mamaw, Bubba, Mama & Louis
Mamaw, Bubba & Mama. It was almost impossible
to get a pic of the 3 of them all smiling &
looking at the camera! It was worse than
working with a group of kids!

Mamaw & Mrs. Beth, who is her caregiver during the day
while my parents work. She is our angel! She also
sat with my grandfather before he died.

Mamaw, Aunt Janice & Mamaw

Mamaw & Raylee

Ok, I know that I am partial, BUT, these next two are the

sweetest pictures I have EVER seen!

SOOOOOO Sweet!

Sassy & Classy

Wonder who they are talking about???

ok, check these two ladies out!!!! They are both 99 years old!

Look at them, they are checking everything out!

Mom & I made them corsages last night for being the oldest of the Tadlocks

still living. They LOVE all of that attention!

Mamaw & Mrs. Alford

So cute!!!

ok, yall didn't think we were gonna make it through the day

without a melt down did ya????

and NO she didn't fall! She flopped down,

started screaming & kicking her feet!

Everyone now knows why she is an only child!!!!

After this I walked away and let her cry. Gamma came to her rescue.

SUCKER!!!!!!

Raylee's 2nd Birthday Party

2010-09-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I know! Raylee's Birthday party was July 10th and I am just now posting pics of her party! Sorry! We have been kinda busy :)

We were supposed to have her party at the splash park in Puckett, however, due to her screaming and acting a fool every time we went I changed it! We ended up having it at our church, Puckett United Methodist Church. Her theme was cupcakes. I bought all of her little friends aprons and let them decorate the cupcakes before eating them! I was really nervous when I changed the party to the church because I had no idea what to do with them but everything worked out just fine! I knew that I would be busy and wouldn't have time to take pics so I hired a photographer to take them for me! It was WELL worth the money and I think she did a great job! She took tons of pictures and it was so hard to decide which ones to post! Enjoy!

In the sanctuary at our church

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one!

I HAD to post this one! She was actually getting on to her.....look a little closer and you can see that she is trying not to bust out laughing......haha!

Raylee's boyfriend & future husband

Thanks Ethan!

She is really into her baby dolls these days

Yeah, she has her fair share of determination.....that's for sure!

another favorite of mine :)

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

My giant cupcakes that I made to match her theme

Helping her decorate her cupcakes

and yes, I made her cupcake stand and YES it matches the material of her outfit. Yall know me :)

All of her little friends & her refusing to sit with them to get a pic

Ethan, Morgan & Marleigh

I took her to get her very first pedicure the day before her party! She LOVED it!

the table at the entrance

Jim, Jackson, Billy & typical Raylee! Maybe she could sense they are Rebel fans???

Raylee & her BFF Braxtyn

Me & Raylee walking into her party

Raylee & her 99 year old great grandmother

Mother Hen Madison

Two years and counting......

2010-07-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, July 18th, was Raylee's 2nd birthday. I can't believe she is already 2 years old. I guess the old saying "time flies when you are having fun" is true. Although she has turned mine and Billy's hair grey, she is definitely a blessing and we can not imagine life without her! She is at the age where she is so much fun and the weekends seem to fly by because we enjoy them so much. Even though she is not on her best behavior in the publics eye, she enjoys getting out and going to events, parties and even a little shopping every now and then, but when she is ready to go home she is ready to go home and she will sure let you and everyone around you know it! Here are a few pictures from the last 2 years. I plan on doing "look back of the last year" soon

Just born

going home

1st birthday

2nd birthday

2010 (0-3) Little Miss Puckett Fest

2010-07-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Raylee was in the Puckett Fest pageant. We were kind of nervous about how she would do being that she doesn't have the best track record when it comes to pageants but she did just fine! She marched up on stage did her little thing and came home with the 2010 (0-3) Little Miss Puckett Fest title!!! Below are some pics!

Getting ready to start the parade
Me & Raylee during the parade

Raylee on stage

Raylee getting crowned!

Her state pageant for her "Teeny Miss Dogwood Festival" title is July 24-25th in Vicksburg. Please say a special prayer that we make it through the weekend. I'm sure it is going to be a long one, but hopefully an enjoyable one!!!!!

Summer Fun....

2010-06-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

We have been so super busy already this summer and it is only going to get worse! From now until the middle of August we have something planned for every weekend. If you know us, you know that this is how we roll! I wouldn't have it any other way! I'm just so glad that we have good true friends that we can kick back, be ourselves and have fun with.

The week before last was a very hard and emotionally week for us. One of our church members, Sam, who was 3 years old died and then a very good friends daddy died. Those events made me realize that life is to short and to live each day to the fullest, so that is just what we are going to do! So far we are off to a good start!!!

I uploaded a few pics but will have to upload more later. It took forever for these to upload!

This is Raylee and sweet Wyatt! He is the best baby! He is ALWAYS smiling!!! Just like his sweet mama!

Memorial day weekend the Ingram clan on our 1st vacation together since all of the grand-kids have been born! I will have to admit that I was REALLY, REALLY nervous but we all made it back home alive and still speaking to each other!!!! These are a couple of my favorite shots from the beach!

Madison 5 yrs old, Louis 4 yrs old, Morgan 3 years old & Raylee 22 months

Hopefully I will be able to write a longer one later this week!

New Start

2010-04-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt like you needed a new start? A new city or state, new job, new friends (in NO way is this referring to or dising my current friends) or a totally new environment?

As long as I have known Billy he has always mentioned moving out of the state of MS. Frequently he talks about all of the wonderful job opportunities and how much more they pay that are out there but there is one thing that always stops him and that thing is ME! Selfishly, I have never wanted to move off and away from everything and everyone I know.

I have constantly been thinking about my situation that occured yesterday and trying to make sense of it. Maybe it was Gods way of opening my eyes up to seeing how hurt I was by others selfishness but yet I'm doing the same thing to Billy when it comes to moving.

When i think about it (w/o the moving away from everyone and everything i know) it kinda seems exciting. New house, new job, i hear that social workers make a lot more in other states, and new environment.

Most of all, it would be a new start with just the three of us! After all, home is where you make it. Right?

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Hurt

2010-04-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

So today was supposed to be a great day that I was SO excited about, however, it did not turn out that way. Part of it was my fault for being mad and hard headed but mostly I was just hurt. Some people won't get that though. They will just think that I was acting like a "you know what."

I'm not going to go into details and "air out my dirty laundry" like some people do. I mainly am writing to say that I have had ENOUGH! I am SO tired of giving and giving and giving and getting ANYTHING in return but the shaft, for the record I'm not referring to material things.

When anyone else needs or wants something, most of the time if I am able, I am there to help them or get them whatever they need without them even having to ask. When I need or want something it's a different story.

Today was the straw that broke the camels back. NO MORE, NO MORE!

While driving around tonight trying to "gather my thoughts" and just spending some time alone I heard a song on the radio. A verse in the song stated, "all you can do is pray for them and leave the rest up to God." I keep repeating and repeating that verse in my head but it is so hard to do. The hurt is still there no matter how hard I try!

I just don't understand people, their line of thinking, and most of all how they can be so self centered and live with the way that they treat people. I'm sure I will never figure it out.

For the mean time, I am going to throw myself into God, my husband and my precious baby girl and push on!

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I need your help!

2010-04-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

ok....the deadline to turn all of Raylee's stuff in for the state pageant is FASTLY approaching! In that information I have to choose ONE picture to turn in for the "Most Photogenic" competetion.

Click HERE to view the pictures that are up for consideration and let me know!

I have narrowed it down to 2. If I have to I will be willing to pay the extra $5 to submit a second photo. Also let me know if I should send in the color or black & white version!

Thanks for your help!!!!

Mommy & Raylee time

2010-04-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

After Raylee's nap Saturday afternoon we had some "Mommy & Raylee time" and this is what we did!

This was an old wagon that was left at our house from the previous owners. It was thrown in the trash pile because two of the wheels were broken off of it and like my father, I pulled it out because I figured somewhere down the road I could use it. That sounds like a hoarding statement doesn't it...haha!!

A couple of weeks ago it occurred to me what I could do! I got Billy to break the other two wheels off of it and Raylee & I planted flowers in it and put in the the flower bed. Well to be honest, I planted the flowers and Raylee threw the potting soil out of the wagon. She didn't quiet get it! Maybe in a couple of years!

I originally wanted it to sit on the front porch but the flowers I bought needed a lot of sun light so I had to find another place for it. I just hope I can keep them a live!

Play date with the future husband......

2010-04-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

Saturday night while Billy was at deer camp Raylee & I went over to April & Brian's house for a visit! They have a precious little boy, Blake, that was born about a month & half before Raylee. We all had such a good time! The kids played and played their little hearts out! We think they might be kinda sweet on each other! April & I have decided that they may grow up and get married! Who knows.....

Silly Girl

loves to swing

Raylee & Blake

Giving each other the "Goo Goo Eyes". They stared at each other like this a lot.

HaHa!

awww.... look at that look Raylee is giving him

sweet hugs & sugar :)

double trouble!

Weeeeee!

That's How Country Girl's Roll.....

Raylee has been asking about Blake all day and April said that Blake has been asking about her! Isn't that sweet! I cant believe our babies are old enough to be playing together! Seems like we were in child birth class only a couple of months ago. Where does the time go?

Letting Go....

2010-04-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

Raylee is 21 months old now BUT she thinks she is about 20 years old! The child has NO fear whats so ever and has become "Ms Independent". Since Billy takes Raylee to school everyday I have developed a habit of calling him every morning and asking how Raylee was. Knock on wood, she LOVES going to daycare. She never cries when you drop her off, instead she struts her stuff on in there like she owns the place. It is really cute but I have this fear that one day he is going to drop her off and she is going to loose it and not want him to leave. This is this reason why Billy started taking her in the first place, I couldn't handle dropping her off and leaving her.

Any way, Billy is saddened by the fact that Raylee wants to walk into daycare instead of being carried. The past couple of mornings I have laughed to myself because when I asked if she strutted her stuff in the door he has said "No, I carried her" and comes up with a excuse...hahaha! It is so cute! We need to brace ourselves because I'm sure this is only the beginning!

Easter Photo Shoot

2010-04-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

My Favorite

Lammie #10

2010-04-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

Since I have to be at work at 7:00 I don't get to wake Raylee up in the morning and see her before I go to work. I don't know why buy I love going into her room in the mornings to wake her up. I guess I enjoy it because as soon as I get her out of her crib I put her on the changing table and change her diaper and when she was a baby she would lay there and look up at me and coo and try so hard to talk. Today things are not much different. Most of the time, she just lays there just as still as she can, which is rare these days, looks up at me and talks. I LOVE to hear her sweet little voice, especially in the mornings. When I went into her room to wake her up this morning this is what I found.......

She is hugging a lamb that the Easter bunny brought her last year. To some this may not have a lot of meaning but to the Tucker grandchildren it does. Billy's nanny called all of her grandchildren "Lammies" and then the number in which they were born. Billy is lammie #3, I am lammie #3 1/2 and Raylee is lammie #10. The lamb that Raylee is hugging has a ladybug on its chest (Raylee's room is decorated in ladybugs) so when the Easter bunny saw it we knew that she HAD to have it! Nanny is no longer with us and most would say that "she never got to meet her nanny." We believe otherwise and tell her all the time that her Nannie hoovers over her bed at night and watches over her. The first thing I thought of this morning when I saw this was, Nannie must have been with her last night.

Photo Shoot with Renee Bynum Photography

2010-04-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

Friday before we left for Gatlinburg I took Raylee to Renee Bynum's studio to do a photo shoot for Raylee's ads for the state pageant. I wasnt really expecting much because when I try to take her picture she will not look at the camera and sometimes hides her face and screams! What happened to my baby that use to pose for the camera?! Anyway, on our way out of the hotel in Birmingham I used their computer in their business center to look at them. I know that I am partial because she is my child but just let me tell you.....I was AMAZED. I did not want to leave the computer! They were breath taking! In fact, I cant stop looking at them! I can not believe that she has gotten so big! It brings tears to my eyes.....seriously!

Ok....I will shut up and let you see for yourself!!!!

So, what did yall think???

Thursday's Happenings

2010-04-09T00:34:00.001-07:00

Today was a nasty day! It was kind of nice until we had to get out in it. We woke up to roaring thunder and hard rain hitting the tin roof of our cabin. It sounded so nice we laid there an extra 30 mins just listening to it!

Since we knew it was going to rain we saved the aquarium for today. Little did we know everyone else had the same idea! We finally made it. A little wet but it was ok!

The aquarium was really nice and we all really enjoyed it. Raylee just starred at everything like...wow!

On the way out we got her a glass sea horse to sit next to her glass puppy we brought back from Italy! We picked this up for Louis

It is an 18 wheeler that is carrying a shark tank! I know, i know, i know, the kid needs another truck like I need another purse, BUT I feel sure that he does NOT have this one! I can't wait to see his little face when he sees it!

We also went to the Apple Barn. It was a really neat place and I wanted to bring home one of everything!

At this point we still had not decided if we were going to come home tonight or not. We didn't know what to do and didn't know what would be easier on Raylee since we were going to drive straight thru. Finally, I confessed to Billy my readiness to come home! So we ran back to the cabin and in between storms we loaded up and headed out!

We stopped in Knoxville, TN ate dinner and got back on the road. Raylee finally gave it up as we were coming into chatanoga and fell asleep!

We are in between Newton and Forest (MS) and by the grace of God she is still asleep! I just hope we can transfer her over to her bed and her stay asleep!

It seems like the closer we get to home the miles get longer!!!! I can't wait to get home and see Sadie Grace and Bailey (our 4 legged babies). Deliah stayed with my parents so I won't see her until the morning :(

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Wednesday's Happenings Cont....

2010-04-08T23:45:00.001-07:00

Raylee LOVED the ski lift! So much that while we were waiting in line for the tram back down the mountain she took time out to make face at people trying to talk to her

We won't get into the next couple of hours of drama. We will skip to the end of the evening! We took Raylee back to the amusement park and let her ride some more rides. I couldn't believe that my baby was on rides by HERSELF! With every day that passes it is more evident that we don't have a "baby" anymore! Moving right along, before the tears start!

We took her to a souvineer shop and immediately see took up with a stuffed bear so we got it and this

We finished the night off with a trip to Baskin Robbins. Yummm! The perfect ending to a hairy, difficult day :)

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Wednesday's Happenings

2010-04-08T22:49:00.001-07:00

Wednesday was a VERY tiring and hard day. Everyone was exhausted and Raylee was homesick. She clung to anything that fit into her "normal" routine. For once she loved her carseat and acted a fool when u got her out of it, which is totally opposite of the norm for her. She loved riding around with the windows down and the wind blowing in her face!

Since she enjoyed riding we decided to ride up in the mountains but not before we stopped and picked up these

Every little girl should have a pair!

We were wanting to ride into Cherokee but was not successful. She was really fussy and all we could figure was her little ears were popping and she didn't understand why. I know mine sure were! We made it to the TN/North Carolina line and got out and looked at the view. It was beautiful.

On the way back down we stopped at a little stream and got out, climbed on the rocks and let Raylee put her feet In the water. All was going well until she slipped on a rock and took a nose dive into the water, but she was enjoying it prior to!

Next we rode the tram to Ober Gatlinburg, but not without drama!

At this point she was just baligerant. She didn't want anyone talking or looking at her! In her defense it was hot and then we were crammed in tight quarters and several people smelled like goats BUT there is a time and place to act like that and that was NOT the place!

Once we got on the tram she was fine. When we got to Ober Gatlinburg we rode the ski lift up several more mountains to see this

Here is some shots coming back down

Location:Gatlinburg,TN

Tuesday's Happenings Cont...

2010-04-08T20:19:00.001-07:00

We ate dinner at The Alamo. While we were waiting on a table we sat out by the river in front of the restuarant and let Raylee feed the ducks. She heard me say it one time and has been saying "daauckkksss" since! It is so cute.

While we were waiting on our food to come out Raylee had a little "pay back" session with daddy to pass the time! She wanted to teach him a lesson about scaring her w/the bears!

After we got back to the cabin she fell asleep but not for long! 30mins later she was back up and stayed up until 2:30 am! Good thing daddy is a night owl!
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Location:Gatlinburg, TN

Tuesdays Happenings

2010-04-07T09:02:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had another great day! We did a lot of shopping! Billy & Raylee were great troopers! I was SO proud of them! We went to the outlet mall and got a couple of great deals. Raylee racked up, as usual, Billy got several things and I got A shirt to wear for pictures when we go to the beach in May!

In between shopping we went to this place "wonderworks." it looks neat from the outside but we weren't real impressed with the inside. The outside looked like this big huge plantation style home but it was upside down. Yeah, you read that right, it was upside down! Inside there were some neat things but about after looking at the fifth spinning object and blinking my eyes to see what else u can see I was a little bored! They had some other neat things but raylee wasn't old enough to do them and the lines were to long for us to stand in to do them. After a while Raylee started acting like raylee and we left! The one time her throw down benefited me!

After we left there we went back into downtown Gatlinburg to walk around and do a little more shopping until dinner. Right as we were parking little miss decided she would take a nap. We took her out of her carseat and put her in the stroller and she never opened an eye!

It didn't take long before she heard all the music and comotion of all the people and woke up. She is the nosiest child I have ever met! She gets it honest from her "mema" (gamma)!

So we did a little more shopping and had to stop for a snack!

She LOVES "suuuuckerrrrsss" not sure why she drags the word out!

I love souvineers! When we went to Italy in 2007 we bought this little glass dog as a souvineer, Although there was not a baby nor had one been planed. Liitle did I know that we would be pregnant in two months! While we have been out and about we have been looking for the perfect souvineer to mark Raylee's 1at vacation! When I saw it I knew it was the one!

Next we did a little more shopping and on the way back to the car we came up on a stuffed bear and thought Raylee would want to pet it!

As you can see, she was not at all interested!

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Mondays Happenings

2010-04-06T13:44:00.001-07:00

We kinda got a late start because we didn't set the alarm 1) bc we are on vacation and have no schedule 2) bc we figured baby would wake us up early but instead we woke baby up at 11:00! Baby was kinda tired!

We went and grabed some lunch at salsaritas! During lunch we looked up and found this

Raylee has always liked chips, salsa and queso but today she just couldn't get enough!

We took Raylee to one of the little theme parks in pigeon forge instead of going to Dollywood bc we weren't sure if there were many rides that she could ride there. She rode the carasel and the train and never cracked a smile. There were a few other older rides so we put her on those and she laughed and giggled so hard. She LOVED it!!!

We rode up into the mountians sight seeing hoping she would take a nap but she wouldn't. But in the mean time we stopped and saw this

So we went back to the cabin and did this

All that playing we worked up an appitiete so we went in, got all cleaned up and went out to dinner. Little did we know Raylee had different plans for us!

We had to wait about 15mins for a table. Once we sat down it was show time! She stood up in her high chair and grabbed her silverware and started screaming! Billy wrestled with her and got the knife away and she threw her forks on the ground. She then snatched the menu out of my hand and yelled "stop" "no"so we scooped her up and high taled it out of the restuarant! We ended up getting a papa johns pizza and wings and went back to the cabin to hang out! It all worked out for the better! She played and played and played. I asked her if she was ready to go to bed and she shook her little head yes and ran into the room where her pack n play was and started climbing in it. I pit her in it, tucked her in and kissed her goodnight and she went to sleep!

Oh Yeah we went to walmart! What's a vacation without a walmart trip?!

Sundays Happenings

2010-04-05T12:17:00.001-07:00

We had a MUCH better night last night than Saturday night!

When we left AL Sunday morning we were going at a snails pace taking our time bc we had until 5:00 p.m to check in our cabin. Everything was great until we got into Georgia and realized that we would loose an hour! Then the stress and fast driving set in! By Gods grace we made it with 30mins to spare!!!!

We went to the cabin and unloaded everything and let Raylee run around before venturing out! We went into downtown Gatlinburg and ate dinner and walked around. Raylee LOVED it! She could not look at everything fast enough! She especially liked all the lights.

We bit the bullet and took her on the sky lift. It was something we had been discussing for a while but wasn't sure about. We could totally see her getting half way up there and throwing one of her little fits and fall off! Anyway, we tried it and she LOVED it! She sat there And didn't move. She was taking it all in! We were stuck on top of the mountain for a while bc she was throwing a fit but little did we know she just wanted to get back on the sky lift! Once we got back on she was fine!

She ended up falling asleep before we got off the main strip in Gatlinburg and slept until 11:00 this morning when we woke her up!

These are a couple of views from our cabin

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On the road again....

2010-04-04T09:49:00.001-07:00

Well, last night was an adventure to say the least! Raylee fell asleep on the way back to the hotel and woke up when we got in the elevator. We took her in the room and put het in her pack n play in hopes that she would roll over and go back to sleep like she does at home. Well, as you can imagine that did NOT happen! Just when we thought we were in the clear she popped her little head up, stood up and it was on like a chicken bone!

We got her out and put her in the bed with us, which is normally a big no no, but that still didn't work!

So we decided to let her do her own thing for a while hoping it would make her tired and she would go on to bed. Well, she started running around the room skipping, jumping, laughing, squealing and clapping her hands. She got herself so worked up that she started coughing real bad which made her throw up! Then she got her wipes and started running around the room wiping down all of the furniture. It was like she was manic! It was crazy! Oh and let's not forget that while she was doing all of this she was in nothing but her diaper bc she got so hot from running around she stripped her clothes off!

By this time Im sure our whole floor of the hotel was awake so in fear of her waking the other three floors Billy took her for a little drive. She finally fell asleep and he was able to bring her back to the room and lay her down!

She woke up to a nice surprise this morning!

The Easter bunny found Raylee!

As we were leaving out of the room for breakfast Billy finds a sheet of paper that was slid under our door. He picks it up and as he is opening it he says "oh no! What is this!" I told him a receipt for our stay and he said "oh good! I thought it was a noise complaint!"

We are back on the road and happy as pie! She is eating froot loops and watching Alvin and the chipmunks!

Happy Easter everyone!

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The greatest invention

2010-04-03T15:20:00.001-07:00

We made it to it to Birmingham! We were VERY fortunate that Raylee slept most of the time. For the other time we were VERY fortunate to have a DVD player in the car!

Now off to go meet the Kirks!

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Away we go!

2010-04-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

We are packed up like the Beverly hillbilly's and headed to Birmingham for the night! We are going to meet up with some friends tonight that we haven't seen in a couple of years and I'm so excited! We will leave for Gatlinburg in the morning!

This is what we found when we got to forest!

Hopefully this is a sign that are trip is going to be great!

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HUGE day in the Reed house hold!

2010-04-02T20:44:00.001-07:00

Today has been a VERY, VERY stressful and busy day, yet at the same time a happy one!

Raylee had two first today!

After MUCH, MUCH nagging from my mom and my dad calling Raylee "cousin it" bc her hair was in her face I went and got her bangs trimmed. I have been scared to do it bc I was afraid she would look like she had a mullet, but it looks really good!

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Thanks April! Maybe now I won't hear " if you don't get that babys hair out of her eyes she's gonna go cros eyed" every other day!

Our second HUGE event of the day was that RayleeTT'ed on the potty for the 1st time today!

We will head out for Gatlinburg tomorrow!

Our ALL time Favorite Pic

2010-03-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

Since we are on bathroom pics this week I wanted to share our ALL time favorite picture of Raylee. Out of the 345 trillion pictures of her that we have, this one is our ALL time favorite!

BTW....we are keeping this one and a few other ones on hand for the ad in her senior yearbook!

Pure Sweetness

2010-03-30T16:08:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my dear sweet friend, Shea, I have discovered this application!

I was getting kind of sad because i called today and our cabin will not have Internet. I wanted to write a short little blog at the end of each day while we are in Gatlinburg instead of one big mama jama one when we get back and now I can! YaY!!!!

Oh I love you shea! You are a life saver!!!

Now I'm just testing it to make sure I can do it!!!

For those of you that don't know, this is my dear sweet Deliah.

Her world stopped turning on July 21,2008 when we brought this home....

Poor D is 13yrs old and is tired! I don't think she will make it through another baby in the house!

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Potty Humor

2010-03-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

I hope I am not violating any law or anything but these are just to cute not to share!

For the last couple of months Raylee has been really interested in what goes on in the bathroom so for Christmas Gamma & Grand-Bob got Raylee a potty chair! We took it out of the box and set it in sight so that when she got ready she could try it out. She has sat on it a couple of times for a second with her clothes on but nothing major. Tonight after dinner she stripped her clothes off, then her diaper and ran to the bathroom yelling...."poo poo." I waited a second and ran and got the camera and peeked around the corner and this is what I captured!

Uh....go away please!

Checking it out....

ok...so nothing was in there. Let's try this again.....uhhhhhhhh!

Looking a little disappointed......Still nothing!!!!!

Uhhhhh.....I asked you to GO AWAY!!!!!

After multiple attempts she did not use the bathroom in the potty! She ended up giving up and went and got her vacuum cleaner and vacuumed her room butt naked.

It's been WAY to long!!

2010-03-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

Ok...so sorry but it has been WAY, WAY, WAY to long! I don't know what happened but some how I fell off of the wagon and stopped updating this thing! It has been almost a year! I got on here tonight to update it and was SHOCKED when I saw the pictures of Raylee! Why, I don't know, but I was! All I could do was cry and all Billy could do was laugh at me and say..."well, did you think she was never going to grow up!"

Time has FLOWN by! We don't have a baby anymore! I'm so sad! A coworker was looking at my pictures that I have in my office of Raylee on Friday. She picked one up that was taken the day she was born and I told her that I still think of her as being that little. I know its crazy but I do!

Because it has been so long since I have updated there is NO way to go back and make up for all that was missed so I will just start at where we are now!

She is currently 20 months old. She weighs about 27lbs. She is still sick ALL of the time! She had a stomach virus this week, and she so graciously past it on to me, she had hand foot and mouth and a horrible nasty cold last week, and she had the flu the week before that! She is VERY, VERY, VERY sassy and a little rough at times! She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to play outside! She recently won Teeny Miss Dogwood Festival and will compete in the state pageant in July

Over the past 20 months Billy & I have learned that being a parent is the most trying yet rewarding thing that we have ever done! She can definitely drive us crazy but we wouldn't give anything in the world for her!

Ok...its time for a look back....

This was last years picture with the Easter Bunny. Her 1st Easter (2009)

This is this years picture (2010)
We have a busy, busy week ahead of us this week! We have a Easter egg hunt at church, Raylee has her Easter party at daycare and a hunt and we have to get packed and ready for our 1st family vacation since Raylee has been born!

We were supposed to go to Gatlinburg last November but the week before we were scheduled to go we all three got a horrible stomach virus that last 4 days so we had to reschedule it! However, when we rescheduled it we did not realize that we scheduled to arrive in Gatlinburg on Easter Sunday. We have to check into out cabin no later than 5:00 Sunday evening so we are going to head out Saturday morning! We are really nervous about riding that far with Raylee because she gets really restless so we are going to drive to Birmingham and spend the night and visit some friends and then get up Sunday morning and drive the rest of the way!

Hopefully the Easter bunny will find Raylee in Alabama in the hotel!

Coming soon.....

2009-05-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

SO....our laptop has been sick and we finally realized that it was going to be cheaper to buy a new one than fix the old one so we did just that. I went today and got a new one! as soon as Billy gets the wireless Internet hooked up I will do some more post. I have lots of pictures and things to catch up on. Se ya soon!

Allergies + Eye Infection =

2009-04-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

2 shots later and a lab draw I can see a little better out of my eye but now I have the case of the sore butt.....it NEVER ends! I finally get Raylee well and now I am going to pot......

Good times......

2009-04-06T19:47:00.000-07:00

We took Raylee to the zoo for the first time on Saturday. She loved it. She just looked around at everything. It was a toss up between what she liked the most....looking at the people or the animals. We cant wait to take her back next year when she is a little older and will know more of what is going on. We really had a good time with her and look forward to taking her new places and seeing her reaction to them.

She has really become a mama's girl here lately. She doesn't even like for me to get out of her sight. Saturday night she would not even go to Gama. I gave her to my mom and when and fixed a bottle and she pitched a fit. Sometimes she even has little to do with Billy. I am sure it is just one of many phases that she will go through.

Overall she has been doing really well. She had to go to the doctor last week for a sinus infection and allergies but she seems to be better.

See....she CAN hold her own sippie cup......she just chooses NOT to most of the time!

Hanging out with Gamma at the doctors office

Ready and waiting to go to school
This is her painting that my sister in law, Emily, did to match Raylee's room. It is SO cute! They pictures do not do it justice. We just love it! Thanks Aunt Emily!

Saturday afternoon we also took Raylee to Bass Pro to see the fish and visit the Easter Bunny for the first time. She really enjoyed it.

This was her reaction to the water fall.....

Her 1st picture with the Easter bunny

Looking up at the big fish tank. we are going to have to get her an aquarium. she loves them!

Hanging out in her stroller at the zoo....

What is that mama?

Look at me....look at me!

Family pic at the zoo

Showing mama some love

riding the train

Mama's girl

Showing mamaw some love....

More....More.....More......More.....

8 months ago

2009-03-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

8 months ago Raylee was born at 12:06 p.m. It is hard to believe that she has gone from this:

to this (the day she was born)

to this

Time goes by so fast. We are having so much fun with her and can not wait for the weather to get warm and stay warm. We are planning on going to New Orleans for a weekend trip real soon. We want to take her to the aquarium and think that she would really enjoy it. She is so nosey she would probably like to just go down there and look around so we are going to stroll around down town New Orleans and let her look around. In the past when we have gone we have stayed on Bourbon Street but this time we are not even concerned with even going that way. Hopefully being in a different environment and getting off her schedule a tad bit will not send her into orbit but you never know with her. I am kinda nervous.

This fall we are planning on taking another trip to Gatlinburg. Hopefully we can arrange it and my parents, brother and sister and their whole crew can go as well. I think it would be fun for all of us to go. We haven't been on a family vacation since everyone started having kids. Our nieces and nephew are to the age where they would have so much fun. My dad says if we do that he and my mom are getting their own cabin....we will see...ha!

Little Leprechaun

2009-03-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patricks Day!!!

We took Raylee to the Puckett park for the first time tonight. We ordered supper from this little place and took it to the park to eat. Raylee loved the swing. It took her a second to get use to it. Billy was really nervous because the swing was a little big for her but she did just fine. She rode on the four-wheeler and went down the slide. We didn't stay to long because it started getting chilly outside. We cant wait to take her back.

A few more.....

2009-03-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

Born a Bulldog

Laid out

Her 1st Easter basket/bucket
Her 1st wooden egg
The back of her egg

Assumptions......

2009-03-13T23:00:00.000-07:00

So yesterday morning around 10:30 I was at work and the back ear started itching so I did what any person would do and I scratched it. Well, when I scratched it I broke the skin and what seems like tons and tons of water started draining. I was a little concerned so I went to the nurses station and asked them to look at it. They look at it and told me that it looked like a blister that ruptured but didn't see anything else so I went about my business.

I went to lunch and came back and was checking my email and my ear started itching again but in a different spot so I felt back there and felt this huge bump and kinda felt like a tick. So, I trotted back up to the nurses station again and they looked and it and started making faces. They said it looked "gross" and needed to have it seen about. So I was like ok, maybe I will be able to leave tomorrow and go to the dr and they said....like you need to leave NOW! There were several blisters forming on the back of my ear and were following a pattern. So I went back to my office and did a few things and took off to the dr in Puckett. Yes, we have a drs office in Puckett and a Dollar General too! We are moving up in the world! Anyway, on the way there I called Dr. Mullins, our doctor on the building who happens to be psychiatrist and internist and told her about the situation. She replied with...yeah....it's shingles.....and I replied with....but I'm not old! I really value her opinion and know that 99.9 percent of the time she is right but was really hoping that this time she was not.

So, I get there and the nurse does the triage thing and looks at it and puts me in a room. I had to wait a little bit bc there was an emergency that came in and no it wasn't someone who fell off their tractor or got run over by there goat, so the nurse came back in there to look at it and she thought it was shingles too. So the dr finally comes and looks, pokes prods, burst them and says its shingles. But she believes since the symptoms had just started that morning that we caught it early and hopefully it wont be as bad. She wrote me some meds and sent me on my way. I get in the car and look down and she prescribed Valtrex. I was like WHAT????

So when I go to pick it up and the pharmacist rings me up and it was $74.00. I was shocked but by this time I was so tired and was hurting I grabbed the debit card and paid it. Then the pharmacist says, next time you have a breakout ask the dr to prescribe you a medicine that has a generic. All I could say was....huh? so she repeated herself. I was floored and replied with.....I have the shingles....not herpes! She looked at me like...uh oh!

So anyway, the medicines must be working because there have been no new blisters today and the others seem to be drying up and scabbing over. It still hurts but is getting better. Well worth every penny! I couldn't go to work today so I used half of the day to catch up on some rest. For some reason I cant get enough sleep. This time change is kicking my butt!

oh and BTW....when they put those little stickers on the side of your medicine bottles that say "may impair to operate machinery" they aren't kidding. I went over to my parents this afternoon and on my way out of the driveway I side swiped a tree in the front yard. My car is ok. It just was scratched and was covered in pine bark from the back wheel to the bumper.

The changes.....

2009-03-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Yall know I have to be different and things have to be just so. These are the Valentines that I made for Raylee to give her classmates at their Valentines party. This was the front....

This was the inside.......

All dressed up for her 1st Valentines party at school.....

Mommy & Daddy's Valentine.....

Madison & Raylee before they went to school.....

Mommy & Daddy gave her a big lady bug and a balloon for Valentines day. She loved it!

She gave her lady bug lots of sugar. She loves how soft it is.

She was kinda grumpy on this particular morning. most of the time she is really happy!

Mommy & Daddy's princess

Me and my mom went to Sam's Saturday to get a few things and Raylee had a blast. This was the first time we didn't use her stroller and we let her sit in the buggy. She thought she was Ms. America. She just looked at everything like she was on a different earth. It was so funny.

Daddy started building Raylee a swing this weekend and we caught him in the action.....

Raylee watched every move he made to make sure he was doing it right.....

Delilah outside sniffing and checking out all of the smells of spring. Her allergies are bothering her too. Her little eyes are all swollen and running.

Mrs. Frances, the daycare owner, thinks that red is her color. I think she just might be right!

She looks SO grown up in this picture. Check out her keds and her little bow. Her hair has finally gotten a little thicker and a bow will stay in there.

She still loves bath time

This is a cake I made for a baby shower at work today. It turn out as good as I had hoped but the blue part the view of a pregnant person from the side.

Gosh! So much has happened since our last post. Rayle isn't crawling just yet. She is very lazy and we are starting to think she will walk before she crawls. She will get up on her hands and knees but wont move forward. She has started drinking out of a sippie cup but doesn't really seem to like it all that well. she prefers her bottle.

She spent the night away from home with out us for the first time last weekend. we had been at my parents printing signs and didn't get don't until 4:30 in the morning. My mom had been watching her and she was already asleep so we decided to leave her there. If I wasn't so tired I probably would have cried.

She has said mama and dad. We didn't really think that she knew what she was talking about but the other night billy was sitting in the recliner with her and she looked up and saw me in the kitchen and said...mama. Last night when Billy got home and walked in the door she looked up at him and saw him and said...dada. So I guess she actually knows what she is talking about and is not rambling.

She is eating some food from the table. Last weekend we were printing signs and she was down there for a while and my dad was eating viennas and she was starring him down. He couldn't take it and made me go up to the house to get her some that were not spicy. So I stopped what I was doing and went and got them. When I came back I gave them to my mom and my dad took them away from her and said..."I want to be the one to give her, her 1st vienna." She ate a whole one and would probably have eaten more if we would have let her. Her teacher told us a couple of weeks ago that she can not hold her and eat anymore bc Raylee took her grilled cheese out of her hand and started eating it. She loves food!

She has started this weird, gross habit of sucking on her toes. I was trying to feed her the other night and she couldn't decide if she wanted the food or her toes. I would take them out of her mouth and tell her No, No and she would laugh out loud at me. I do not think that is a good sign.

We have an appointment to do her spring pictures next Saturday. I can not wait. They are going to have live rabbit and chickens. Poor animals. Hopefully they will turn out great and the animals will survive...ha!

It is hard to believe a week from today she will be 8 months old. Where does the time go?

6month pics.....

2009-02-18T20:09:00.001-08:00

Here are a few of our pic from our photo shoot with Shannon. I think that they turned out great and cant wait to do more! Hope yall enjoy!

Gamma's Request.....

2009-02-10T19:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry we haven't posted in a while. We have been busy and on the go. After much badgering from Gamma I finally took a while to post pictures. It is so hard to believe that Raylee will be 7months old next week. I was looking at her pictures the day she was born and it is hard to believe that she is the same baby. Its like every morning when I go in there to get her out of bed a different child is in her crib. It was like I went in there one morning and she was replaced with the Michelin mans baby. I went in there Sunday to get her and all I saw was polka dots and big eyes. She was up on her hands and knees looking over the rail of her crib. I guess it is time to lower her mattress. Time flies......

Hanging out with Daddy

Happy Girl

Our precious nephew Louis

Admiring cousin Louis

Hanging out at the benefit

Sporting her snazzy jacket that her Me Me & Pops gave her

Her 1st Valentines

Happy Monday!

Raylee showing off her tutu that I made her. She wasn't really sure about it at first. She kept touching it with this awful look on her face, I guess bc the material was rough. Finally it made it to her mouth and she realized that it was OK...ha!
Yay!

She loves banging her cup on her highchair. She gets lazy and doesn't really like to hold it by herself

Her favorite part of the day

Lil mama showing Raylee how it is done

Hanging out with cousin Madison

Tony Stewart's #1 Fan!!!!

Hope everyone has a great week and Happy Valentines Day!

The result of my mistake.....

2009-02-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

I know....I'm a terrible mother :(

Mistakes of the day....

2009-02-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

#1- I left my crackberry (blackberry) on the hood of Billy's car. It fell off in the middle of the road. Some jack a$$ took the cute zebra cover off, threw it in the middle of the road and took the phone. I'm not really that upset about loosing the phone, it can be replaced. I just don't have anyones telephone number bc they were all stored in my phone so please email your telephone numbers (home and cell) to KimberlyIReed@Bellsouth.net.

#2-We have a good friend who is just starting her photography business. We went to the park to take pictures. I was trying to pose raylee in a cute little pose by a tree but she wasn't having it. She was throwing a fit and little did I know that the pine straw I had sat her in had a fire ant bed in it. YES! She was ate up with ants...literally.....she has about 50 ant bites on her fat little legs. SO sad. I am traumatised. Any one know a social worker???? Call DHS! Maybe I need parenting classes. I guess I am out of the running for mother of the year?

That is about all of the excitement I can take for one day......

Frustration.....

2009-01-18T19:58:00.001-08:00

Billy finally got him a new little car this weekend to drive back and forth to work. He still has his F-150 but it drinks gas like you wouldn't believe. Since he drives almost 100 miles a day he needed something that gets good gas mileage.

So far he likes it and it better remain that way. This car caused more heart ache and frustration than my 3 yrs of graduate school at Jackson State.

I wont get into the whole ordeal bc I'm sure you don't have all day. We found the car Wednesday night and went back Thursday to make our final offer and sign papers. We ended up leaving Thursday night with the papers UNSIGNED and irate. The finance man THOUGHT we were some young stupid kids and added the extended warranty in with the price of the car and extended the payments 6 months. When we questioned it he told us that since the economy was so bad that the bank we were financing through was GIVING us the extended warranty for FREE bc they knew if the car broke we would fix the car instead of paying the note that month. B*&^LS%!T nothing is FREE!!!! Anyway we kept questioning him and finally billy said.....I'm not doing this.....something isn't right, so we got up and left.

The Salesman called Billy Friday evening with a great price that we really wanted but we couldn't get past what had happened the night before. So we looked a couple of other places and drove a few more cars but none of them compared to the 1st one we found. So we sucked it up and called the salesman back Saturday morning and asked if the offer still stood. Of course it did so we went back up there. The only finance man that was there was the one that we dealt with
Thursday so the general manager ended up doing the paper work. We were VERY surprised to learn that the manager knocked another $1500 off the price of the car and lowered our interest rate bc of the trouble we had.

Another thing that man lied about was our interest rate....he told us it was a point lower than it actually was.....how does he sleep at night????

I will have to say that all of the frustration was well worth it. I LOVE this car! It drives so good. I drove Natalie's CRV Thursday and I seriously want to trade my trailblazer in for one.

This & That......

2009-01-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple of weeks we have really enjoyed playing with Raylee. She is FINALLY feeling better and loves to play. we put her in the middle of the floor on a blanket and she just rolls from one end to the other. A couple of times she has gotten up on her knees and she scares her self and falls. We haven't really done much. Just hanging out around the house procrastinating putting up all of her toys from Christmas. Ugh.....I think we need a bigger house...ha! Just kidding Billy!!!!

Mommy sure looks tired!!!!! Thats because Raylee woke up at 3:00 a.m. last Monday morning and didn't go back to bed until it was time for Mommy and Daddy to get up and go to work. Not sure what all that was about. She hasn't done that since.

She still loves bath time!!!!
Always on the go....

She loves her toy Daddy gave her for Christmas

I made "Elmo" cupcakes for Morgan to take to daycare for her birthday!

She looks so grown up in these next couple of pics........

This is an example of the big grin I get when I wake her up in the morning

She's looking a little violated here.....

Chillin

Its feeding time at the zoo!

Born a Bulldog......

Billy took his girls (Raylee, Mamaw and myself) out Saturday night for a night out on the town.....to Logans and dogwood! Notice the Budlight sign behind Mamaws head.....priceless.....ha! Don't worry.....she contained herself....it was hard but we kept her in line!

Billy had to work Saturday so me and Raylee hung out with Mamaw. Ralyee LOVES her some Mamaw!!!!

Cute or what?

Raylee's 1st Christmas......

2008-12-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day By the time we made it to my parents Christmas night Raylee was worn slam out. As you can see she snoozed while everyone else opened up presents.

They aren't trying to make a statement are they?

Daddy & Raylee

WOW! Look what daddy got me!

Opening her 1st present

Her reaction to what Santa Claus brought her

Our Stockings

Looks like Santa Claus came to town.....

Christmas Eve 2008. Waiting on Santa....

Napping with Gamma Christmas Eve

Her 1st Christmas Tree

Christmas at the Reed's

Her Leap Frog Learning Table that her MiMi and Pops gave her

Raylee had a great 1st Christmas. We were very thankful that she got so many things but at the same time we feel guilty bc she got SO much and there were some kids who did not get anything. We are still in the process of trying to figure out where to put everything. This could take a while!

Christmas parade......

2008-12-30T19:29:00.000-08:00

Due to the weather the Christmas parade was rescheduled for December 17th. It was really neat. Each class had a Queen and King and they rode in convertible cars in the front of the parade. Raylee was the queen of her class. She was the prettiest queen I have ever seen. The parade interrupted her afternoon nap so she wasn't a real happy queen but we managed to get a few good pics. She wasn't a fan of her tiara and it wouldn't stay on her head but it looks pretty sitting on her chest in her room.

One of the floats

Madison (queen of the 4yr old class), Raylee & Morgan before the parade. Looks like Raylee thinks she is to cool to take a picture with them!

Mama & Daddy with their queen!

Daddy's Queens

Over the last couple of weeks.....

2008-12-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple of weeks we have been really busy but have manage to capture a few things on photos.

We started baby food. We were a little late starting this bc her dr wanted to make sure that we got her gastro problems under control before she started adding new things to her diet. So far she likes green beans, carrots and LOVES pears! She is NOT a fan of squash.....HATES it! This is her look of...where is the rest fool!

This was her 1st bite of baby food. She wasn't quiet sure what to think about it

Our Christmas Card Pic

She was playing so hard in her jumperoo she fell a sleep. She looked so sweet!

Just hanging out and playing

Winter Wonderland.......

2008-12-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

these are a little late...but here they are. we got in between 5 and 6 inches of snow

looking up our street Friday morning after the big snow on Thursday

Raylee's 1st snow

Our house

Our back yard

Note to self.....

2008-12-18T19:13:00.000-08:00

you can NOT put the pop tarts with the foil wrappers in the microwave....especially at work. It causes all kinds of sparks and drama!

Raylee's Christmas Pictures.....

2008-12-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

We went to Photo Innovations today to get Raylee's portraits taken. We went in there to take advantage of the $9.95 special that they have going on. In the past I haven't been overly impressed with the other pictures and places that we have taken her so I thought we would give them a try since they are new to MS. I was aware that they would take several other poses and we would have to choose 1 to make up the big package that they offer. In the past it has never been that hard to do but let me tell you.... today that changed. When we went in there we intended on just getting the $10 package and that was it.....but that isn't how it all played out! The pictures were so great we ended up getting 4 different poses and spending $85....which I didn't think was bad as all. I told Billy before she was even born that he better get ready bc I would be spending some money on pictures. Did we need to spend that much money on pictures now....no.....but I am sure in a couple of years I will be so glad that I did.

Sorry....I couldnt figure out how to turn some of the pictures around

sporting her john deere boots

They were so good with her. They had so many different poses and props to choose from. They actually started the session at the appointment time and everything ran really smoothly. When we were finished we looked at the proofs on a 42 in screen and it was so easy to look at them side by side to narrow them down. Best of all after we made our selection we had our pictures within 15 min as was able to leave with them when we left. There is no ordering them and waiting for them to come back!!!!! I LOVE this place and can not wait to take her back!!!!!

Thursday's Drama......

2008-12-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

Last week was a rather stressful week. I stayed home with Raylee Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because she was sick. I went to work Thursday morning but did not stay long. The weather was terrible. I have never, ever seen or driven in anything like that. All I could think was Good Gosh we live in MS! It doesn't do this in MS! Before I could make it to work it was sleeting so bad I could barely see where I was going. Against my better judgment I went on to work to try to get a few hours in before the daycare decided to close and I had to venture back out in the horrible weather to get her.

The whole way to work I kept calling Billy begging him to stay home from work with Raylee bc she really didn't need to be out in the weather and he didn't either....he has been sick too. But like always he didn't listen to me! Right as I was getting to work my sister called me to tell me that there was a bad wreck near her house. She called 911 but was unable to go out there and check on them bc she was home alone with her kids. In the middle of treatment team I was called and asked to come get Raylee bc the daycare was closing because of the worsening of the weather conditions and the roads. Raylee's teacher told me that there had been several wrecks and one person had died. So I venture back out oh so upset at Billy bc if he would have listened to me earlier and stayed home I could have stayed at work until the weather got better and then come home but NO he didn't. It normally takes me 25-30 mins to get to work. On Thursday it took me almost 2 hrs to get home! When I got to my parents I was a nervous wreck. When I left Brandon there were a lot of cars around me but the closer I got to Puckett I don't know where they went. It was snowing so hard I couldn't not even tell where I was. My car was slipping and sliding all over the road. I have never been that scared in my life! When I got to Johns there was a tree down across hwy 18 and I just lost it. They daycare had lost power and I knew Raylee was going to get cold, I was scared bc I didn't know how to drive in weather like that and I wasn't comfortable driving with her in the car with me. I called the daycare to tell them what had happened and I just started crying. Her teacher probably thinks I am a nut...ha! Thankfully while I was waiting on people to clear the tree from the road my parents went and got Raylee.

As I was leaving work my co-workers told me to be careful. One even told me "Oh you will be ok....you drive that big ole SUV" The whole way home I kept telling myself that and It made me feel safer. When I got home I learned that my neighbor, who drives a Hummer, died in a car accident earlier that morning near my sisters house. I was shocked! The other car was a little Honda accord and our neighbor drove the big tank like hummer. I passed the wrecker carrying the accord off on the way home and I felt sure that it was that lady who died. The front of the car was in the front seat. Last we heard she was not expected to live. The details on the wreck are still unknown but we are all still in shock. We cooked some food and took it over to her husband last night. That was the first time we have met him. He works overseas and is only home 3 times a year. They have several kids....4 or 5 I think. Please keep them, as well as the other lady and her family, in your thoughts and prayers.

After all of the stress from Thursday we ended up getting almost 6 in of snow. I will post pics later. There is still a good bit left in the yard today that hasn't melted yet. The daycare was closed again Friday so I took Raylee to work with me. I don't think she was to happy about that but we both made it through the day.

Christmas Tag

2008-12-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? WRAPPING PAPER
2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL
3. When do you put up the tree? USUALLY THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING
4. When do you take the tree down? AFTER NEW YEARS
5. Do you like eggnog? NO
6. Favorite gift received as a child? MY GLOW WORM...SANTA IS BRINGING RAYLEE ONE THIS YEAR!
7. Hardest person to buy for? MY DAD AND BILLY
8. Easiest person to buy for? MY NIECES AND NEPHEW
9. Do you have a nativity scene? YES
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? MAIL
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? CANT THINK OF ONE
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? THE CHRISTMAS STORY & CHRISTMAS VACATION
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? SOMETIMES BEFORE THANKSGIVING BUT MAINLY THE DAY AFTER OR WHEN EVER I GET THE EXTRA MONEY.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? NO
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? EVERYTHING
16. Lights on the tree? WHITE LIGHTS
17. Favorite Christmas song? I HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? BOTH
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? I THINK
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? ANGEL
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? PEOPLE GETTING ALL WRAPPED UP IN GIFTS INSTEAD OF THE REAL REASON FOR CHRISTMAS.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A THEME. SINCE WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED WE HAVE BOUGHT A NEW ORNAMENT EVERY YEAR FROM PIER ONE WITH THE YR ON THEM. ALL OF THE OTHER ONES ARE MULTICOLORED.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? EVERYTHING
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A BIG PICTURE FRAME COLLAGE THAT I CAN PUT PICTURES OF RAYLEE IN AND HANG ON THE WALL.

****Five names you go by:
1. KIMBERLY
2. KIM
3. KIMBO
4. MRS. REED
5. MAMA....STILL NOT USE TO THIS ONE YET

Three things you are wearing right now…not necessarily in any order
1. SOCKS
2. P.J. PANTS.....WE ARE HAVING A LAZY SATURDAY
3. SHIRT

Two things you want very badly at the moment.
1. TO SNAP MY FINGERS AND MY HOUSE BE CLEAN
2. TO GET WARM

Two things you did last night:
1. COOKED FOOD AND TOOK IT TO OUR NEIGHBOR'S. THEIR MOTHER/WIFE DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT THURSDAY MORNING ON HWY 18. IT IS A REALLY SAD SITUATION. PLEASE KEEP THEM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!
2. WATCHED T.V.

Two things you ate today
1. A COUPLE OF PEANUT M&M'S
2. A PIECE OF PIZZA

Two people you last talked to on the phone
1. MY MOM
2. MY BROTHER

Two things you are going to do tomorrow
1. GO GET OUR CHRISTMAS PICTURES TAKEN
2. MAKE SOME CHRISTMAS GOODIES TO TAKE TO RAYLEE'S TEACHERS AT SCHOOL

Three of your favorite beverages:
1. MOUNTAIN DEW
2. DR. PEPPER
3. SWEET TEA

Now, I tag Emily Stookey, Keith Ann & Mandy

Happy 2nd Birthday Morgan!

2008-12-07T21:27:00.000-08:00

My niece, Morgan, had her 2nd birthday party today. Her party was a little early bc her d-day is Dec 29th. Lindsey wanted to have it early before everyone the Christmas rush got here and before the exhaustion of Christmas set in on her real birth date. As you can tell it was a Elmo theme and she had a princess space jump. Morgans wonderful Aunt Sissy, me, arranged for a special visitor to make an appearance for the kids. I made little bags of of reindeer food and got candy canes for him to hand out. The kids really loved it and had a great time! Happy Birthday Morgan! We love you!!!!!

This is Morgan's cake that I made. I am quite proud of this sucker....It took 5 1/2 hours to decorate! I surprised my mom and sister with my abilities. They could not get over how cute it turned out. Actually I think I surprised my self! Lindsey liked it so much she didn't want to cut it to eat! It must have been that cute.....ha!

Close up

Our special guest

The Birthday Girl!

Her space jump

Good to Worse......

2008-12-07T21:10:00.000-08:00

Raylee started on her breathing treatments Friday. Below is her 1st treatment. She felt so bad she was just laying there.....
This was later Friday night....still sluggish.....not really caring what we are doing to her.....

This is Saturday.......she came a live!!!! It is NOT a good situation!

As you can see......there is no picture for for Sunday.....it takes both of us to hold her down to do the treatment. When we get finished we feel like have been wrestling a alligator.....ha!

she does seem to be feeling better. I am going to stay home with her Monday & Tuesday. We will go back to the dr Wednesday to see what is what!

RSV

2008-12-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

Raylee is sick again with what we thought was a cold. Billy took her into the doctor today. They did a RSV test and it came back positive. She is so pitiful! It's heartbreaking! What will the poor child get next?

$100 Walmart Gift Card Give away

2008-12-02T19:53:00.001-08:00

This blog, The "Cent"sible Sawyer, that I love is giving away a $100 Walmart gift card. Yall should go and check it out! She also post weekly deals at like Target, Walmart, CVS and other stores. You can also get coupons and other sites where you can print them from.

Hope you enjoy and Good Luck!!

Here is the site.....http://www.thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/ It is under the Give Away Round Up under her Tuesday (12/2) post.

Can anyone tell me how to do the thing where all you have to do is click on the word"here" and her page will load???? I'm still trying to figure this blog thing out...ha!

Color Your Holiday

2008-12-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

The crafty b*%#h as struck again.......

Friday is the annual MS State Hospital Christmas parade! Med/Psych is going to have the best float ever! The theme this year is Color Your Holiday. We have decided to do the Dick Clark Rocking New Year's Eve Party that is held in New York (although I don't know that it is still called this). Everyone will be wearing the Happy New Year Hats and tiaras.

My dad is rigging a pole that we are going to hang our count down ball on. I'm sad to report that our ball is not going to be made out of Waterford Crystal. It will consist of a beach ball wrapped in silver cellophane wrapping paper. We will have different size boxes wrapped up in metallic cellophane wrapping paper that will resemble the different sky scrappers in New York.

I, yes I, am going to be dressed up as the Statue of Liberty. I am making my costume. This is going to be interesting....ha!

Our rec therapist, Chris, is going to be dressed up as Santa Clause. It really doesn't match our theme but he really wanted to dress up as and I just happen to have a suite. He is so excited....ha!

Hope everything turns out good. It is always a lot of fun!!

Emily....remember the year when we were on the forensic unit and we did the manger scene? I was Mary and Larry was Joseph and he really thought that baby Jesus was our baby....ha! He went around telling everyone that I had his baby! That parade was Billy's first encounter with the mentally ill. One of the patients walked up to Billy and this was the conversation that took place:

Patient: Hey man....you got my codes?
Billy(very confused): What codes??
Patient: you know the codes???
Billy (still confused) No man I have no clue what you are talking about!
Patient: the codes that the Government used when they put their chip/device in my head
Billy: No man, I wasn't privileged to that information
Then Billy turned around and QUICKLY walked away.....ha!

A day in the life of Whitfield.....never a dull moment!

Puckett Christmas Parade

2008-12-02T18:58:00.001-08:00

Remember this......The Queen Has Arrived!
Well......I got a call from the daycare yesterday around lunch time. I just knew Raylee had puked or pooped all over herself and needed to be pick up....I was wrong. It was Raylee's teacher calling to let me know that she had been chosen to be the Queen of their float in the Christmas parade!!

Before she was born Billy said that she someday she is going to be the Puckett Homecoming Queen. We were doing some last minute shopping before she was born and I found the above sign that we stuck in her bassinet in the hospital. The nurses in the hospital nursery would come to my room to get her and would say....we have come for the queen....ha! I think the title fits her... don't yall????

Santa Baby

2008-12-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

Ready to go shopping with the girls on Sunday!

Her 1st picture with Santa

Isn't SHE cute! We took her out shopping Saturday in this outfit and EVERYONE called her a little BOY.....Despite her being in a car seat and stroller that had PINK all over it!

Ummmmm!

We had a busy weekend. Billy & I were stir crazy from staying at home all day Friday so we took her out shopping Saturday. Me, my mom and sister went back out shopping Sunday and she did so good! Hopefully she is growing out of the throwing a fit and acting a fool when you take her out.

She is still sleeping in her room and bed and doing really good. Hopefully she will continue on this pattern!

She goes to the gastro doctor on Wednesday so hopefully we can get her stomach issues under control. Those issues can cause some embarrassment while out in public as well, especially when you are in a crowd of people....ha! I guess it is cute when babies and kids do it but when adults do it is unacceptable...ha!

Hope everyone has a good week!

Raylee's 1st Thanksgiving.......

2008-11-28T11:58:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2008

Raylee & Morgan hanging out

Her 1st Thanksgiving!

She found her tongue on the way to MiMi & Pops house

Wednesday night was the 1st night she slept in her bed, in her room all night long. We woke up Thursday morning to her talking. We laid there for a while listening to her over the monitor. It was so cute. Billy thinks that she is going to be a talker. He can already tell that we are going to get many phone calls from her teacher bc she wont stop talking.....ha! This is what we found when we went to get her out of her crib.

We are learning fast that Raylee does not like her schedule to be messed with. Yesterday was a difficult day for her because she was out of her routine and missed her naps. She wasn't a happy camper most of the day. She would be OK when she was in a room with just a few people but when she got around a crowd of people she freaked out and cried. I guess this is pay back from when I was a baby. My mom says that I was the same way. I would be really happy and content at home but the minute she would take me out I could cry and throw a fit.

She is having a much better day today. We are lounging and taking advantage of this rainy day! She is catching up on her naps that she missed yesterday!

Funny Hair......

2008-11-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

As you can tell from the picture Raylee's hair has grown. It is in the stage where it wont lay down on top of her head. This morning we were laughing so she started laughing but I dont think she knew that we were laughing at her.....ha!

Little did she know she was fixing to get her 4month shots.....ha!
Another hair shot! She is so bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning!

Our Little Turkey

Yet another deer in the head lights shot!

Raylee was cooing and talking this weekend and it sounded like she said mama. The first time she did it was on Saturday and I was hear by myself and I had no witnesses. She did it again last night but this time my parents and Billy heard her. It really sounded like she said mama but I am sure it was just a freak thing.

And luck have it our power went out on Saturday and was off all day long. We went to turn our big t.v. on in the living room Sunday morning and it wouldn't turn on. The days of going to wal-mart and buying a 32in t.v. for $250 are over......long gone! When it rains in pours.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Results......

2008-11-24T18:54:00.001-08:00

So Delilah went to the vet today. They are almost positive that the tick cause the paralysis. Her vet looked at the x-rays and said that there was something definitely there on her spine but she didn't know what. She wants to send the x-rays to MS State Vet school to have an expert look at them to see if they can tell what it is. We are hopeful that it is something minor and not life threatening. We have decided with her age and all we are not going to put her through a biopsy or any kind of treatment if they do think it is cancer. Please help us pray that this is something minor and she will have a couple more years with us!!!

There is hope!!!!!!

2008-11-23T19:24:00.000-08:00

The Lord works in mysterious ways.

We are having a baby shower at work tomorrow and I volunteered to make the cake. I made my way through the river of tears and mixed it all up and put it in the oven. Well.......I left it in the oven to long and I burned it! Being that we live out in the middle of no where and dollar general and the gas stations close at 8:00 there was no hope of running to the store to get a new one. I called my mom up and luckily she had one. She told me she didn't know how old it was but I was welcome to it. So me and Delilah hopped in the car and headed over there. On the way over there I was talking to my brother on the phone sharing our tragic news. As I was telling him I was petting her near her spine/butt area and I felt something. They had given her a shot at the vet for pain so I thought it was just swollen so I kept rubbing it but it still didn't feel right. After a few seconds I slammed on brakes, remind you we do live in the country and not a busy road, stopped in the middle of the road and turned the interior lights on and looked down and I saw the BIGGEST tick I have ever seen in my life and you could tell it had been there a while. We have a lab and beagle that get them all the time but we have never found one on Delilah. We pulled it off and she has seemed to improve. She is still a little wobbly every no and then.

One of the questions that the vet asked us earlier was if we had found any ticks on her lately but we had not. I have no idea how we all missed this bc he was back there feeling around and checking all of her reflexes and I was holding her constantly petting her. Hopefully this is all it is but it still raises the question of what we saw on the x-ray. We are still going to take her to her regular vet in the morning just to make sure. Keep your fingers crossed!

Oh and for the record.....I brought the cake mix home and it was not good and had to be thrown away. I'm just going to go to Kroger in the morning a buy one.

Please pray for us......

2008-11-23T14:50:00.000-08:00

Today is a sad day in the Reed household. I woke up this morning to let Delilah outside and noticed something different. She was trying to walk but was wobbling everywhere like she was drunk. I didn't think much of it bc she didn't act like she felt bad and was trying her best to get my cinnamon roll. I brought her back in and we layed around for a little longer. When we got back up she still couldn't walk straight. I called my dad to see what we should do. He had the same thoughts we did....that maybe she slept on her leg wrong and it was sore.....but she had been up for a couple of hours and still couldn't walk. We tried calling her regular vets cell phone and couldn't get her so we loaded her up and took her to the pet ER.

He messed around for a little bit and thought maybe it is a disc problem in her back. He took a x-ray and didn't like what he saw. He thinks that she has cancer in her spine. There is a chance it could be an infection in her spine but he didn't sound real hopeful of that. He referred us back to our regular vet and recommended that she do a biopsy tomorrow to see what it is. When we got home we had 2 messages on our answering machines from her vet. We called her back and explained what was going on. She seemed to take interest in Delilah falling of the recliner Thursday night. We are hoping that maybe it is not cancer and maybe it is just an injury from falling off the recliner. We wont know anything until tomorrow.

Please pray for us. Anyone that knows us knows that Delilah is our world. Until Raylee was born our world revolved around her and her needs. I have had her for 10 years and I seriously do not know what I am going to do without her. I cried the whole way to and from the vet and she did what she always does.....licked my tears away.Thank goodness next week is a short week. I am not sure how I am going to make it through it..........

This and That.....

2008-11-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

Raylee has done a couple of new things the last couple of weeks. She has rolled over from back to belly a couple of times but when I try to get it on camera or camcorder she will not do it. Two weeks ago we were over at my parents and my mom was playing with her and she laughed out loud for the first time. Last week she had to go back to see Dr. Rogers and he was tickling her and she laughed out loud again. She LOVES him and is such a flirt when he comes in the room. We have tried to get her to laugh out loud so that Billy can hear her but again she refuses to!

She was so good this weekend and It could not have been a better weekend bc I have been sick. I might be jinxing myself but I have to brag on her! Friday night she slept from 7:00 to 6:00 Saturday morning. Saturday she finally got her 3month pictures taken. They were a little late bc she has been sick so much but we finally got them done. Since I wasn't feeling to good Gamma went with us to help out. Raylee tends to act out when I take her to places alone but of course when Gamma is around she is an angel and makes me out to be a lier. How do they know how to act different with different people this early???? Anyway, she was in the best mood and smiled so much. I cant wait to get them back! Saturday night she slept from 8:00-6:30 Sunday morning. I hope she keeps this up!

The last couple of weeks.....

2008-11-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have posted. We haven't been up to much. Raylee had ANOTHER stomach virus last weekend that was HORRIBLE! She could not get a bottle of pedialyte down before it came out of the other end. I have never seen anything like it. She finally got over it about Tuesday and is doing much better. Her doctor switched her formula to soy so we are going to try that out and see if that helps her out. She finally got well and now I'm sick. I had a lot of the flu symptoms last night but I feel much better today so I guess it is just a cold. Here are the few pictures that I captured over the last couple of weeks.

Her 1st reaction to her jumperoo!

snuggling and napping after a long day at work and daycare!

Check out her Ugg boots!

She isn't jealous is she?

Going to town (Puckett) with daddy Saturday morning

She LOVES her jumperoo. She hasn't quiet figured out how to jump but she can turn herself around and play.

Modeling her 1st Halloween outfit

Her 1st time in the big girl tub! She was scared to death at first but it didn't take her long to figure out how to kick and splash!

Things Change.....

2008-11-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

I was so looking forward to going out tomorrow night and us being able to eat at the same time in peace. Lindsey was going to keep Raylee not only while we went out to eat and to a movie but over night as well. This is the 3rd time we have planned to do this but Raylee always has other plans for us!

She is sick again.

She has had diarrhea since last Saturday. She had apple sauce for the 1st time last Friday mixed in her cereal so I thought it was because of that so I stopped giving her that but it continued. It seemed to get a little better so I didn't think much about it because her doctor said that she is teething. We haven't felt or seen a tooth come in yet but she is constantly drool real bad and chewing on her fist or anything she can get her hands on. I had to leave work at lunch today to go get her bc she had fever, had thrown up and had several bad diapers. I called her doctor and they want a stool sample. Fun, Fun, and more fun! I had to wrap her butt in Saran wrap and I will spare yall the rest of the details. Anyway, we wont find out until Sunday what if anything is wrong with her.

She is off her milk and totally on pedialyte, which has totally pissed her off. It doesn't sound like we are going to have a good weekend!

Game Day Fun!

2008-11-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Even though the Dawgs lost on Saturday Raylee had a good time sporting her Bulldog spirit!

Hanging out watching Daddy and Chris blow up the back yard!

Hanging out watching football with the boys
She loves her cowbell!

Cutest Bulldog EVER!!!!!

Future Bulldog!

3 reasons

2008-11-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

3 reasons why I am nervous when I leave Raylee alone with her daddy......

This was her 1st pumpkin. Guess who carved it???

Guess who started this????
There are no words for this.....

Cutest Strawberry in the patch.......

2008-10-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

We dressed Raylee up in her Halloween costume this weekend and took her picture. She didn't think to much of that! Next time we will have to plan it around nap time. As you will see in a couple of them she fell asleep. We had to take her inside and let her sleep awhile before we finished them.

We finally got a good one with her awake and her eyes open

My favorite picture. I love her little hands!

Is there a curse?

2008-10-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

Is there a curse on the grandchildren of the Ingram clan? Louis was admitted to the hospital on Monday with the rotovirus. Morgan went to the doctor on Monday and has the beginning stages of pneumonia and Raylee puked ALL over me tonight and feels like she has fever. Watch out Madison.....your next!

Surprise!!!!!!

2008-10-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

We had a surprise baby shower for JoBeth tonight. It wasn't your average baby shower. It was held at McAlister's and the theme was John Deere. She wouldn't let me do a regular shower because this is her second baby so I went behind her back I planned this one without her permission! Ha! She was really surprised and we all had a great time!

JoBeth coming through the front door

Me, JoBeth & Adria
The cake I made for the shower
The Bowman Family
JoBeth, Addie & Clay

We are so happy for yall and can not wait for baby Andy to get here!

Tubes.......

2008-10-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Raylee finally got tubes on Friday. Everything went great and she is doing fine! She has found her another boyfriend..... She fell in love with the anaesthesiologist. We have already seen a major change in her. She is a much happier baby!

She was getting a little hungry at this point

Chilling out before they took her back
Look how sweet! Look at how she is looking at him and holding his hand!

She feels SO bad! Little did she know that things were fixing to change!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers!

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

We had a ROUGH, ROUGH, ROUGH weekend. Raylee did not want to cooperate AT ALL! I have never been so glad to go back to work in my life! She worked my nerves good! We took her to her first pumpkin patch on Saturday and it all went down hill from there. I wont get into the details but she did have a good time at the pumpkin patch. She screamed most of the time. It was awful! I'm starting to wonder if we are ever going to be able to take her anywhere. We got home about 5:30 and she screamed from then until 9:30. It was awful. I know she feels bad and all but dang! It is the weirdest thing bc she will be fussy and will not take a nap but will sleep all night anywhere from 8 to 10 hrs. Sunday she cried just about all day. We were in major cleaning mode but one of us had to be holding her all the time. We would rock her and she would be a sleep, snoring but the minute we put her down those big brown eyes would pop open and she would go to crying. We had to go to the grocery store. I hated to but dropped her off at my sisters. She was a perfect angel....go figure. My best friend Adria kept her Monday after her dr's appointment so Billy & I could go back to work and not have to take her all the way back to Puckett for daycare and she was a complete angel for her. We were getting ready to leave Adria's house and she asked Raylee.....Are you ready to go home w/mommy? She busted out crying & screaming. I seriously think the kid hates me!

Anyway, the good news is we have to be at the surgical center on Friday at 6:30 a.m. for Raylee to get tubes! Friday can not get her quick enough.......and that's all I have to say about that! Everyone is telling me that come Friday about 9:00 she will be a totally different child. For the sake of my nerves and my hair color lets just hope yall are right!

Pictures from the Pumpkin Patch

The perfect little pumpkin
This is when it all started going down This was taken before we left for the pumpkin patch. She is all happy. Maybe she thought we were going to the buffet!
She was way to happy this morning.

Even though her dawgs lost this weekend She still sported her team spirit on Sunday!
She's not at all interested in taking pictures
So I'm guessing by now yall can figure out that she didn't really enjoy the pumpkin patch. She was sitting in between the pumpkins and proceeded to throw a fit and fell out on the pumpkins. I think we have a drama queen on our hands folks! I'm not sure if she gets it from her Gamma or i jinxed her by putting the sign "the queen has arrived" in her bassinet in the hospital?
Before we found out she will be getting tubes on Friday I wanted to take her back to the pumpkin patch to try to get some more pics but I think we are going to wait until next year. If she is feeling ok we might try to take our fall pictures this weekend. It will be all up to her and her mood. As we are learning......It's her world and we are just living in it!

Relief is on the way.......

2008-10-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

Raylee has had a rough week. We went Monday for a follow up appointment for her ears. She finished another antibiotic and Dr. Rogers wanted to check to make sure that the infection was gone. We were shocked to find out that the Right ear is still really infected (this is the same ear infection that she has had since she was 3 weeks old but the left ear has healed). He gave her another antibiotic and wanted to check her on the 24th.

We brought her home and she was SO happy. She was cooing, laughing and smiling so much, they most I have ever seen her. We took her in her room and sat in her floor and played with her and her toys. She loved it. All of a sudden she started getting fussy and screaming. I took her in the living room and started rocking her and saw that her right ear was draining a lot. I didn't know if I should be concerned or not so I called the drs office who instructed us to take her UMC ER bc they think her ear drum has ruptured. So we did and you can imagine our experience. We sat and waited and waited to be told that her ear canal was so full of fluid that they could not tell if it had ruptured or not and referred us back to Dr. Rogers. I had a feeling that nothing would be accomplished by our ER visit but would have regretted it if something happened and I went against their advise and not have taken her. So things went from bad to worse.

Yesterday she only ate 12oz in a 24 hr period and was screaming when she was awake. It was so sad bc she would suck two times and then stop and scream. At one point she was sucking on her fist like she was starving to death. She finally gave it up and went to sleep. The daycare called this morning to say that her temp was 101 and she was screaming hysterically and would not stop. Billy left work and went and got her and we went back to the dr and she got a roseffin shot and has to go back tomorrow and Friday morning for another shot. We found out today that we go the the ENT on Monday at 8:45! Hopefully she will get some relief soon. Mommy & Daddy need some relief as well.......

It's been a while......

2008-10-15T17:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. The computer has been broke but is now back up and ready for business! Since it has been awhile since I have posted this is going to be a long one....sorry! Gamma informed me last night that she was tired of looking at the same ole pics and I needed to hurry up and post some new ones. This one is for you Gamma!

Louis taking a break from all of the hard work! Grand-Bob can really work a brother to the bone!

Bubba & Louis. Louis had a blast playing with the boys all day!
Her 1st picture on the tractor
Cutest witch I've ever seen. Thanks Julie for the hat!

Aunt Emily says....It's not all about the kids this year...ha!

That balloon is tilting a little bit don't ya think! Morgan looks like they are fixing to turn over!
Last year she was the baby of the family and was riding around in the car seat. She got a little tired of walking and tried to reclaim that title this year.
Raylee is in her bed looking up and her mobile smiling. She LOVES it! Thanks Gamma!
Look at this picture...Doesn't she look cute and sweet? I bet you would have never guess that 30 minutes prior to taking this picture she pitched the BIGGEST fit that she has ever pitched. She had a COMPLETE meltdown in Hancock Fabrics. It was so bad we had to leave and I took her home and couldn't finish my errands. I cried all the way back to Puckett. I went over to my parents and as you can see when we got over there she was happy as pie! Sometimes I really think she hates me.
Daddy & his little monster
Hanging out before the fair
She looked upset bc everyone else was eating McDonald's and she couldn't have any. To make up for it Gamma bought her a happy meal barbie!
She did NOT enjoy the fair
But Madison & Louis did!
Morgan really doesn't want to take her medicine does she? Maybe she didn't get the memo that laying face down on the floor doesn't make you invisible...ha!

Sacked out after playing hard at Gammas. We played the whole time daddy was out of town.
How does this work? He was out of town all weekend and I had to rassell with her by myself,well I have to admit I spent the night with my parents on Saturday night to get some help with her but I almost made it that whole weekend by myself, but he gets to take the Sunday afternoon nap while I am cleaning. I am learning that mommies never get to rest.
Yep, she is a Reed. She LOVES Billy O'Reilly and Fox News. She can be fussy and you can change it to that channel and she stops fussing and will watch the t.v.
My happy little BOO!

My cousin Lori & Neely at the family reunion

The Ingram Clan
My favorite Halloween outfit
Mommy's under my spell.....so true.....so true
"Little Mama"