Memorial Day

We had several friends and their children over for the Memorial Day holiday. We had LOTS of food. Homemade ice cream, watermelon, ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs...the works!! We set the sprinkler up for the older kids (William, Tyler, and Grace.) Olivia and Walter played outside. Walter decided that watermelon and ketchup were wonderful things. He crawled in Grace's plate, ate the watermelon and ketchup, and then crawled through the dirt. Walter went straight from the outdoors to the kitchen sink, which proceded to turn black with the dirt. He had a great time.

Ocean View Carnival

We went to the Ocean View Carnival with Lindsay and Nana Sue. Grace rode lots of rides and LOVED the big slide. She is so light. She probably would have launched into cyberspace as fast as it was running. Anyway we had fun. Grace and Lindsay rode. Walter ate. It was a typical time for the Hardy Family.

Auntie Lindsay's House

This is Auntie Lindsay. Her mother is my boss at work and the kids "Nana Sue." When Grace, Walter and Lindsay are walking with Lamar, they look like a little family, with me as the odd man out. It is amazing, considering that Lindsay is only 15.

Oreo Cookies

Walter is such a "special needs" baby when it comes to the foods that he can eat. No ice cream, yogurt, milk, cheese...nothing. What a sad existence! Well, considering that he could not have any yummy desserts, I decided to give him oreos. Yes, I know that they have milk in them, but who could resist this face??

Styling in Daddy's Glasses

Here we are waiting for Lamar to get the mulch and pavers for the front yard. Never leave a three year old unattended.

Playing at the Park

Fariss Family Honey

This is my aunt's website.  She and her husband have been harvesting honey from bee hives, since they married years ago.  They make some wonderful stuff!!  In addition to, well, honey, they make candles, lip gloss, and other things.  Greg also volunteers by running a beginners beekeeper class where they live in North Carolina.  It is my understanding that they are always full in rapid time. If you are interested in anything that they make, contact Susan on the information page.  Check them out!!

www.peacefulvalleyhoney.com  

On there you can see my cousins Courtney, Kristen, and Jordan, as well as Courtney's beautiful family:)

First Ear Infection

The title says it all.  Walter has his first ear infection.  We are on pink bubble gum medicine (amoxicillin.)  I am pretty sure that I took a truckload of this stuff when I was little.  I do know that an ear infection is like a rite of passage into childhood.  Grace did not have her first until 11 months old.  Lamar was gone then too:)  At least we are LOVING the flavor of the pink bubble gum.  Nine more days of it to go.  

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy Birthday to Lamar. He is 29 years old today. We are sorry that you are not with us to celebrate. We will have cake when you return. We love you!!!

Date Set!

Dad and Janet have set the date.  More info to follow soon!  

Great Job Brother!!

Walter slept...and slept and slept last night.  8:30 PM-6:15 AM.  OH MY GOODNESS.  Now that I opened my big mouth, that will stop.

He is also officially sitting up on his own.  He is getting so big so fast.  

Special Boy

Walter and I attended his gastric specialist appointment on the Monday after Easter, with the greatly needed help from Lindsay.  After the exam, he determined that Walter is suffering from a milk protein allergy.  We also have to eliminate soy and whey from his diet as well.  Dr. Tuft did say that MOST babies grow out of it by the first year.  Here is hoping right.  He is currently on a prescription only formula...amino acid based.  How scrumptious does that sound??  And how expensive?  Thank goodness for our Tricare insurance.  I thought that I would NEVER say that, but it covered all of the cost.  So, it actually turns out to be the cheapest formula that I can buy.  

On a shocking note, Walter gained almost two pounds in three weeks.  He weighed in at 18 pounds 12 ounces.  He is still 26 inches long.  GOOD GRIEF KIDDO!!

Six Month Appointment

Well, we went to the doctor for our six month appointment for Walter.  Although he is still NOT a sleeper, (he was up every 45 minutes the night before the appointment) he is growing very well. The doctor said that he looks great.  We did get a referral for the Gastroenterologist.  We are hoping to get to the bottom of the screaming at night and waking often.  We did stop nursing when I got the flu about three weeks ago, so that might be part of it, but the sleeping problems did begin before that.  

Six Month Stats

Height  25 inches (35th percentile)

Weight 17 pounds even (50th percentile)  Really!??!  He seems so much heavier

Head 43 centimeters (80th percentile) still a SMART boy

He is rolling over both ways and trying to sit up on his own.  I can't believe how time has flown. Lamar is TAD in Panama City again, so hopefully I will get a chance to update for a while. Grace has gone to SC for an extended visit.  I will either catch up on sleep or get my house clean...only if Walter cooperates.

More Congratulations!

Congratulations to my cousin, Courtney Baldwin, and her husband Steven and their son Nate on the birth of their second child/first brother.

Silas Cole Baldwin was born yesterday, Valentine's Day, at 2:08 PM.  He weighed 6 pounds 8.7 ounces.  

He is beautiful guys.

Congratulations

Congrats to Ashley, Brad, and Grayson Cuttino on the birth of Anna Parker Cuttino.  She is beautiful.  And two...well, it is LOTS of fun!  Good luck guys.

Tooth #2

Tooth #2 came in today!  At this rate, he will need to see the dentist by one year old.

Accident #2

I got the dreaded phone call from school yesterday.  On the other end was Grace's teacher telling me that it was an emergency!!  Grace had been dancing on the rug, fell and busted her chin open. 

"Does it need stitches, Ms. Tiki?"

"Yes, it does."

"How big is the cut, Ms. Tiki?"

"Big!"

So, off I run to school.  When I got there Grace had a steri-strip on it.  It is about an inch long, but since the steri was holding it closed, I really doubt that the doctors would remove it for stitching.  Nana Su met me at school, and it was our determination to leave it alone and covered with the steri's until it heals.  You can't see it unless you look underneath her head.   Poor kid, she went two years with NOTHING, and then we had the eye and the chin in less than a year.  It would figure....Lamar is gone:)

Oh, and she locked herself in her room on Sunday.  I went up to get her and she was shut up tight.  My doorknobs are as old as my house (c. 1953) so there is no way to pop the lock from the outside.  I told her to hold on and I was going to go across the street to get Mr. Kris.  Well, I forgot that Mr. Kris is deployed too!  So Nadine and Tyler came over for Operation Grace Removal.  Tyler was talking to her from the other side of the door while we worked.  I finally just took the knob off.  Of course, now I can't get it back on.  She was fine...not worried at all.  When we took it off and finally got in, she was playing happily in her room.  When I asked her how it happened, she said that her daddy locked her in.  

TOOTH

Walter's first tooth broke through today.  He has pretty much given up sleeping through the night lately.  For the past several weeks, he has been getting up every couple of hours.  It culminated on Thursday night with every five minutes!  We went to the doctor and she upped his Zantac.  Well, the tooth broke through sometime last night, so here's to hoping that was part of the problem!

Sleep Brother Sleep!!

Oh.  And he now weighs 15 lbs 11 oz.  

Big Boy!!

4 month stats

Walter had his four month check up on January 8th.  He received all of his shots, except for the HIB, which is still recalled.  The doctor said that he looks GREAT.  Everything is right on track.  I can't believe how time is flying by.  In no time, he will be walking and talking.

Weight  15 lbs, 2 oz

Length  24 inches

Head     41 centimeters

He is 45th percentile in weight and length and 80th in head circumference.  

Still breastfeeding.  We did start cereal do to the reflux.  He is still loving it.

Ho Ho Ho!!

Here are some photos of Christmas in SC.  This is the time of year that my blogging seems to take a nose dive.  Anyhow, these are some of the shots.  More will be added later.  By this weekend...or as soon as I download them from the camera:)  The ones of Grace are on our camera.  These came from Dad.