Better than expected weekend

I didn't really have high expectations for this past weekend.  Lonnie was on call for the 3 day weekend so I figured it would basically be like any other day of the week!  Me+B

Fortunately he didn't have a terrible call.  He had to go in each morning but he didn't have to return once he came home.  He had to take a bunch of calls but that is so much better than having to go back up to the hospital for a case!  

So we got to have lots of me+B+Dad-DEEEE time. 

The weather was beautiful and not too hot.  The past few years it has been 100 degrees by Memorial Day.  That is Arkansas for you.  Anyway, the holiday weekend is pretty crazy on the lake here.  I don't like to get out on the boat just because there are so many people and most of them don't know how to operate a boat safely!  Damn...I sound like my mom.  Yikes.  But we did get out yesterday morning before all of the crazies made it out.  It was perfect.  Sunny with the perfect breeze.  Blakely fell asleep after about 5 minutes of riding.  The boat is a wonderful baby sleep machine.  I remember taking the best naps on the boat when I was little.  She slept for about 45 minutes just like this...sitting straight up.  

On Sunday B went to my moms per usual.  I consider that my "day off"...even though it is only a few hours.  I'll take it.  She had a big time swinging, playing cards and just generally entertaining GranDi, Jenni, CiCi, and Grandmama.  Lonnie and I took the opportunity to take a jeep ride.  We packed up a lunch and then took a long drive.  We stopped for lunch at a baseball park and then drove around some more.  I got too much sun but it was a great ride! 

I am looking forward to the short week and then my honey is off all next week.  I really couldn't be more excited about that.  We are planning on taking B to the zoo and I know she will love it!

OH!  One more thing....  Look what we came up on when walking up to the house from our dock!  I knew the geese had eggs because I have been watching them for a while.  While we were in Florida they hatched!  I hadn't seen them so I figured either something got to the eggs or the babies didn't survive.  Then this!  3 BABIES!

How cute are they?  I wish I would have had my good camera but I didn't so phone pics only.  And don't get it twisted.  These geese are mean as hell.  We stayed quite a ways away and they were still all puffy and hissy.  I guess I would be too though...

All in all, this Memorial Day weekend was way better than last year even though Lonnie was on call.  Why?  This was my baby last year.  We were in the middle of salmonella hell... 

I'll spare you all the other pictures of saran wrap diapers and poop in red solo cups and just leave you with a sicky non-smiley babe.  Gosh...she was so itty bitty....AND BALD!  

Blake on the lake 3

We had a beautiful weekend here this past weekend.  This is one of the best "springs" that we have had in many years.  Here in Arkansas it goes from cold to hot balls in like 2 weeks.  This year, however, spring is still holding strong and I could not be happier about it.  (Minus the caterpillars...can't they just turn into butterflies already?)

Unfortunately, Lonnie was on call this weekend and it was a bad one.  He was super busy and we didn't get to see much of him.  This made me very sad because I was determined to take our boat out for the first time this season.  But when he finally made it home late Sunday afternoon he was just too exhausted.  No boat ride.  Sads.  

The good news is that yesterday was just as beautiful.  He called me during his lunch and mentioned taking a ride when he got home.  YES!  PLEASE!  

We still have the life jacket we used for B last year.  It is for kids under 30 pounds.  I bought her one of those puddle jumpers the other day.  It says they need to be over 30 pounds ( she is 24) but I thought I would see if it would work just for the pool and casual boat rides on non-busy lake days.  

It was super cute but WAY too big for her.  She could easily get her arms out.  Oh well..maybe next year!  

My little boat girl did so good in her life jacket.  I was worried because she was not a fan last year.  I think now that she can move around more it isn't as uncomfortable for her.  Let's just say that she LOVED the boat ride.  

When we sit on the deck at our house she always waves to boats as they pass and then says bye bye.  They can't see her on our deck though.  But when we are on the boat the other boaters waved back to her and she just thought that was the coolest.  

We cruised around for a while and then stopped and ate our dinner that I packed.  

My loves just relaxing.  

She wasn't really interested in pictures with mommy.  She just wanted to look around at everything.  BOATS!  GEESE!  BIRDS!  TREES!

Daddy started teaching her how to drive on the way home.  

She did not want to go back up to the house when we got home.  She would take a few steps, turn around and say BOAT!  

We got back right at B's bed time so we immediately put on jammers and drank our milk.  Outside.  Because it was that kind of day.  

It was an evening for the record books.  I loved every second of it.  I grew up on this lake and I remember my dad teaching me how to drive the boat.  He would say "Just aim for that dock WAY over there!"  HA!  There are many pictures of me as a kid asleep on the boat and most of my childhood memories involve the lake in one way or another.  Swimming, boating, skiing or tubing, jet-skiing, cookouts, summer lake parties, laying out...  I can't wait for B to grow up here in my hometown and get those same experiences.  She loved the boat and I think she is going to be a lake girl just like her mommy!  

Blake on the lake 1

Blake on the lake 2

Blake on the lake 2

We've gone out on the boat a few more times recently.  This week it is just too dang hot to even go outside!  100 + every.single.day.  UGH!  Anyway, I thought I would share a few pics of Blake on the lake!  

These were taken right when she was getting over being sick.  We parked in a little cove very close to our house.  And, yes, we did take her life jacket off.  Don't freak out.  We were close to the shore and out of the way of any boats.  

Pretty girl...she just wanted to lay down at first.  

Can we talk about how cute this swim suit is???

Hey mom...I don't smile because my tummy hurts

Yummy toes...

Mama was TIRED

 After a bit she started feeling more like herself.  She wanted to sit up and play around.  I knew she was feeling better then :)

We went out again a few days later.  She was feeling back to her normal smiley self that day.  We went cruising around for a bit and she loved the wind in her hair!  

Hopefully we can get out some more soon.  We definitely won't be going out tomorrow because everyone else will be.  I hate being on the boat when there are hundreds of other boats out too!  But maybe next week.  And maybe we will get in the water :)

Happy Tuesday!

A post by Blakely...

Hi everyone!  I just wanted to let you all know that I am feeling great and my mommy is so happy to have her smiley baby back!

I have been doing lots of fun things this week!

Mommy and Daddy have taken me on a few boat rides.

I've also learned how to hide under the bed.  This is my favorite thing to do.  But I usually get stuck and Mommy has to drag me out!  Thank goodness for mommies...

I figured out a new way to play.  I just pull up on tall things and then BAM! I'm standing!  It's so cool and I try to do it on everything.  Mommy seems concerned when I do this but I don't really know why...it's so fun!  

Mommy and Daddy have been letting me have lots of nakey time.  They told me it was to help my sore booty feel better...  I don't really understand why I can't be nakey all the time.  

I played on the deck a lot this week too.  I really like being outside! 

I also figured out this super neat new toy.  It moves when I move every single time.  Isn't that way awesome???  Mommy called it my shadow...

The best fun this week was when Aunt Sarah came over to play!  We had so much fun scooting around on the floor and she let me climb all over her.  I want her to come over more!  

So see...I've had a great week!  I think this next week will be even better.  Daddy said he doesn't have to go to work until late in the afternoon all week so I get to have more play time with him. EEEK!  And then Mommy said something about a pool...I am so in for that!  Happy weekend everyone!  

Blake on the lake

We took Blakely on her very first boat ride the other day.  It was our first boat ride of the season as well.  We just got it out of storage about a week ago and the weather was so nice we couldn't wait to get out there!  We live on the lake and one of our favorite things to do is go out when Lonnie gets off of work.  It is so quiet and peaceful at that time.  We sometimes take a snack or a glass of wine...awesomeness I tell you.  

So I got B a life jacket.  It is probably the most uncomfortable thing to put on a baby.  Not only that but it is impossible to hold the baby with it on!  It took a little maneuvering but we finally got her comfortable.  There was no way I was taking her out with out a life jacket....no way.  She cried for about 5 minutes until we could figure it out and then she loved it!

This was before we left the dock.  She is smiling super big but it is hidden...

Best thing about the life jacket?  Besides it life saving abilities?  Easy access chew toy...she did this the whole time!

We stayed out for a little over an hour and had a great time!  This will be the first of many boat rides for our little B!  I can't wait to see what she thinks when we put her in the water!