Sunday, June 30, 2013

June Iphone Dump

Baby Boy found his foot could reach his mouth.

 My dad has enjoyed more time with Jett Boy.
 Mom and I went to see Hello Dolly at the Ford Center and it was so awesome.
 Dad started his chemo and in a weak moment needed sunglasses more than fashion and sported my pink ones.
This little boy has just grown so much personality.
 And he has grown a lot in girth as well.
 He still lights up when he sees his Sadie.
 And his Daddy.
 He has jumped about a mile in this jumpy.
 We have found his ticklish spots.
 I found Cullen at Mary Gardiner's visitation.  Look at that young boy.
Fear not, my bus driving privileges are secured for the next two years.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Play Date with Lily James



 These two haven't seen each other much at all in the last couple of months.  With me working this summer and Leslie traveling, we haven't gotten the babies together much at all.  
 Of course babies really don't play together, they play alongside one another.  Lily James and Jett, sat and looked at one another.  Jett smiled and Lily James gazed at him.  
 They are both sitting up pretty well and it won't be long before these two are on the move.




Monday, June 24, 2013

Oh M.G.

I mentioned before that my college roommate was slowly slipping from this world and as I talked to my friends and coworkers about it, I found myself prefacing it by saying, well, we really weren't that close. But as I pulled out scrapbooks and photo albums I realized that she played a pretty major role in my college years.
Standing in my dorm room freshman year getting dolled up for a stroll through the Grove, I heard Mary Gardiner's voice outside the door.  Mary Gardiner and I had met on several occasions in high school, but were from two different towns and only had a few mutual friends.  I stuck my head out of the door and asked, "Mary Gardiner? Is that you?"  She turned around and in her very normal way, she began to fawn all over me as if we had never been anything but besties.  She made mention of getting a home the following year, I agreed and thought it would never pan out.   Sure enough around Christmas she came to the room, picked me up, and toured me through the unfinished condo that her mom had bought for the three of us.
Mary Gardiner and I lived together for three years. The third bedroom was occupied by several different people.  Leah lived with us sophomore year, Leslie lived with us junior year, and Roxie moved in second semester of junior year and stayed through senior year.
I use the term roommate loosely as Mary Gardiner and I didn't spend one entire semester together.  She was back and forth between Tupelo and Oxford, and I worked a lot.  But in passing and through messaging we kept in touch.
Looking back not only did Mary Gardiner and her mother provide an awesome place for me to live, they afforded me opportunities I would have otherwise never had.  I traveled to New York, Jamaica, Mexico, and Grand Cayman with them.  From them I learned a lot about generosity and how they freely gave of their resources.  Mary Gardiner inspired in me a love for Broadway musicals, and helped me to understand and want to know more about the Episcopal church.
While monetarily I would never be able to be as generous as the Tims were to me, I hope I gave back in other ways.  I enjoyed being able to be at their major family events.  I held MG's hand as the only non family member as her dad married her step mom.  I held her hand as they planted a rose in honor of her Grandmother's scholarship ceremony.
But what I realized over the last week as I visited her bedside in the critical care unit, and relived our college years, is that while Mary Gardiner and I grew apart after college, she was responsible for bringing the most important people into my life.  She was the one who introduced me to Roxie, at the Mark apartments one spring afternoon.  Roxie was my match maker with Cullen.  Without that introduction there would be no Jett.
So after the family had been told there was no hope, and the last rites had been read and family members had trickled in and out, I was able to thank her for our good times.  I was able to tell her how I had already told Jett so much about her.  I was able to stroke her hand and tell her I would see her really soon, and after holding up pictures from college that I described in detail to her and reminisced about our fun trips, I kissed her forehead and said my goodbyes.
M.G.  passed away yesterday afternoon.  I have no doubt my theatre loving friend in only a few short moments on the other side had assembled a star studded cast and was beginning her next production.




Saturday, June 22, 2013

Working, Waiting, Waving, and Weeping

I'm pretty much over the month of June.  It has been one trying month and to say the least I'm ready for July.  I don't want this post to be a whiney one, but if my few readers would use this as a guide to pray for me, my family, and a better July, that would be great.
I have spent the month of June working.  I know most people do this year round, but this is truly the first summer I have not had several weeks off, or days to sleep late that don't fall on a weekend.  I went into education with the promise of Summers off and I'm learning to adjust to not having them.  It is a bit of an adjustment, but this is the least of my struggles.
When I haven't been at work I have found myself sitting in waiting rooms with my dad.  I'm learning a lot about waiting.  One thing I've learned...I'm not good at it.  You would think pregnancy would help me in that department, but the promise of a newborn makes waiting a bit better than the waiting at the oncologist's office.  I'm learning that how you meet and talk to people in every situation is really important.  You really never know what people are struggling with, how they are struggling, and how the struggles are weighing on those that are waiting alongside them.  By summer's end I might need a sociology degree, because I have been studying people.
Moving past the working my way through summer coupled with the waiting, I have found myself waving goodbye to my brother and his wife and their precious babies.  They are moving from Jackson to Cleveland, Ohio tomorrow and I am just sad about it.  We don't see them monthly now, but at least they were a day trip away and every other month we would most likely see each other, and now that isn't the case.
And finally adding to my junkie June, my college roommate, Mary Gardiner, is slowly slipping from this world.  I spent a good portion of last night weeping.  I'm not sure if my sadness is due to regret for lack of contact in recent years or confusion over the situation of her failing health.  Last night a friend helped me make sense of my sadness, when she said that regardless of time, she played a large part in my very formative years, and she was the other side of all of the memories we made, and losing her shakes up those memories.
I will expand on all of these stories in good time, but for now I ask that you pray for them.

Five Months

 A lot is going on with this cutie.  He has learned he can suck on his toes when he can work and strain to get them to his mouth.  He can sit with out support for a good while. He weighed in at a whopping 19 pounds 9 ounces.  He is in a size three diaper and his clothes are 6 month or 6-9 month.  He has not one care about rolling over anymore.  He has found his voice and if we were wanting to we would count his first word as hey, but I think Cullen and I are waiting for a Da Da or Momma.  He has cried both of these but not over and over, so we don't count them I guess.
He is not into sleeping at all these days.  He doesn't mind a nap, but he loves a nap when you hold him.    Much like his night time sleeping.  We put him down at 9 and usually by 11:30 he wants some reassurance we haven't left him for good.  He wants to be fed again at 12:30, which makes me want to pull my hair out.  Then at about 2:30 he wants to be sure we haven't left him, and at 4:30 he stirs and at 5:30 I usually give up and just feed him again so that he sleeps when Cullen and I are getting ready.  Yes, I am tired.  Yes, I have been at the point of tears in recent weeks. Yes, Cullen and I take "turns" but let's get real...Cullen gives him a bottle during the night and his duty is done on his night.  All of the other stirrings and feedings his mine, so let's just say Jett and I are friends by morning light.  
I could make excuses about why and how he went from being a good sleeper at night to this, but I won't, I will take the blame and I will covet your prayers as I spend the next month figuring out how to make this boy sleep.
Thank the Lord he is cute, or he would be in Cullen's words, "put out with the garbage."

Monday, June 17, 2013

Father's Day

I was so happy to see Cullen this weekend.  He had been gone since Wednesday, to Orlando for work, and when he walked in the door at bath time Saturday night I was more than thrilled.  Jett was super glad he was home, too.



 Sunday, since my brother and his family were in town, we skipped church and just hung around together, soaking up the last bits of weekend togetherness before their move.  We ate a late lunch at my uncle's house and I dressed Jett in one of Cullen's outfits. Cullen of course complained that Jett was too dressed up and might be uncomfortable.  

Jett and I are so blessed to have Cullen in our lives.  Jett LOVES his Daddy.  He lights up when Cullen is in the room and laughs and giggles whenever he is around.  

Cleveland Bound

This past weekend, my brother and his family came to Pontotoc for one final visit before they move from Jackson to Cleveland, Ohio.  It will only be a year they are there but to us Southerners, we are sad bunch.











There was a lot of time spent baking, cooking, painting, swimming, playing, and just loving being together.  I'm sure in a year, I will say that time flew quickly, but for now I'm choosing to be a little sad that this smiling face will be several states away.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Baby Love






Thursday, June 13, 2013

Oh Me

One of two things happened at the Pollard Home yesterday. A rogue state fan entered with the intention of converting Jett to a dawg or the lady who helps me with house work accidentally mistook Jett's burp cloth for a cleaning rag and lopped off the extra she didn't need. Mrs. Betty might be a State fan. Good thing I made this one myself, and was planning to do a new one before football season started. Oh Me!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

20 Weeks

 This big boy weighs in at 18.5 lbs
He has now moved into a size three diaper
He doesn't need much sleep.  This week more nights than not, he woke up at 10, 12, 2, & 4.
He can sit up for a little bit, but really prefers not to exert himself too much.
He has tried green beans and peaches this week and loved both.
Summer is flying by and this little cutie is growing like a weed. 

Monday, June 10, 2013

Jett and Pop



I took Jett to see my dad this past Saturday.   Most of the time they spend together they seem to stare and smile at each other.  Jett discovered my dad's aquarium this visit and he was mesmerized by the bubbles and the fish.  I've spent many hours in the past month with my dad in waiting rooms, doctors' offices, and not so happy places, so I thought a visit from this little man might make him smile.
Daisypath - Personal pictureDaisypath Anniversary tickers