104

Last week Collins had his first high fever. It got up to 104.3! Scary, scary for us. We took him to the doctor and they swabbed him for Strep. It was negative, but his throat was very sore. It was so red and splotchy :( Nurse Beth said it was probably a viral infection and to just treat the fever. So that's what we did. That, plus a lot of extra loving and babying.

He couldn't eat because it hurt too bad. So he didn't have a lot of tee-tee diapers. So we thought he was going to dehydrate. Again with the scary. Beth told us since we couldn't get him to eat or drink anything (at one point) we should get some Pedialite and syringe it in his mouth every five minutes. That worked and made us feel better. The thought of your baby being dehydrated is not pleasant.

He was so pitiful and would pout so big during the night when were up with him. I'm so glad he is feeling better now...he's back to our happy little boy!

Sunday was when Collins started feeling a lot better. Same day Jake started feeling really bad. Late that evening Jake started running fever and I convinced him to go to Med Center. He tested positive for Strep. We caught it early enough that it didn't get too, too bad, but he was achy, feverish, and it hurt to eat.

I am hoping since it's Tuesday night and neither Collins nor I are sick yet, we missed it. Hopefully!

Walking Baby!!

Collins can walk!

I have no pictures of this yet, and only a shaking looking video, so I'll keep working on that. He took three steps yesterday before we left home, then Mrs. Wilda said he did it several times yesterday at her house. He wouldn't do it when I picked him up from her house, I guess because he was too tired by that point and too excited to see me (yay!).

He walked a little last night at home. He is so cute! He gets to me then just falls into a hug and puts his head down. He grins like he's proud of himself but also a little teased :)

Jake told him this morning to keep it under a mile...haha!

We are so proud of our walking baby!

11 Month Butterfly

Somebody is growing up without his mommy's permission! Collins turned 11 months old today. He moved up to the Butterflies I room at church today. Thank goodness. I think he likes that room better than the Caterpillar room. The feng shui is just all off in that room!

My parents were in T'town this weekend to celebrate their anniversary. They spent Saturday getting massages at Nancy Taylor's Day Spa, and went to see a Steely Dan concert at the amphitheater last night. Then they came to church with us this morning and treated us to lunch at Tin Top. Collins was good...a little loud at times, but it didn't get out of hand (this time). MawMaw and PawPaw kept Collins tonight so Jake and I could go to night church. We hadn't been in forever!

Collins learns new stuff every day. He now "brushes" his own hair and will brush other people's hair sometimes. He also loves to do patty cake, the motion to "Roll Tide," and has discovered his and our bellybuttons! Some of his favorite songs we sing are "Wheels on the Bus," "Old McDonald," "Jesus Loves Me," "Six Little Ducks," and "Jesus Loves the Little Children." (Have I already written about those songs recently? Oh well.)

Collins is still a good eater. He is becoming a little picker, but will overall eat whatever we give him. He has started drinking whole milk and likes it! Our doctor told us to start introducing it a little earlier than 12 months to see how he reacts (since he's on hypoallergenic formula due to cow's milk protein). He is almost exclusively on a sippy cup instead of a bottle, except his mama is holding on to that bottle for dear life! I refuse to give up the morning one just yet. I have at least one more month with a baby :)

Welcome, Hudson!

Congratulations to Casey and Bradley on their sweet baby boy, Hudson Graham Barnes!

Hudson was born on Monday, August 15th (my Granny and Granddaddy's anniversary!) at 11:17am. He weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz.

Rebekah and I went to visit the Barnes family in the hospital on Tuesday, and I got to hold this little one. He is so sweet! I can't believe Collins was ever that small...or still! ha!

I also got to meet sweet Garrett Grace Waid on Monday at her house. She is 10 lbs now, which is a whopper for a four week old, but still so tiny to me. She slept the whole time I was there. I have a feeling she didn't do the same that night, but I guess that's just part of newborn-hood :)



Yay for all the babies in our Tuscaloosa circle of friends! Everyone arrived in time for football season :)

Happy Anniversary, Mama and Daddy!

32 years ago today, these two started their voyage to becoming MawMaw and PawPaw! :) haha

Hope y'all have a great day!

Sweet Boy

Tuesday morning, Collins was especially sweet. He woke up looking like he'd done a lot of growing overnight. And that outfit makes him look even more grown up to me.

He took his bottle with his head on my shoulder...it was precious! Found out later he does that all the time for Mrs. Wilda...we usually hold him facing outward (I guess b/c that's how he faced in the nap nanny), but she holds him like this). So, all this time I've been missing out on snuggle time. But not anymore!



Brushing his teeth before we left the house:







Still loves to hold that football in his mouth while crawling. Maybe he's got a new play idea? Perhaps we'll see it this season? Hmmm...



Silly thing!




He hasn't said "naked baby" anymore, despite our shameless attempts to get him to do it. But he's still pretty cute and sweet right after bath time.

"Cheese" Face!

(Maybe it's because I've seen The Smurfs movie twice...and LOVED it...but Collins looks a little like Gargamel here to me!!)

Mississippi Weekend

We went to Mississippi this past weekend and were able to see all three sets of great grandparents and both sets of grandparents. Surprisingly, it wasn't even that difficult to manage!

Granny and Granddaddy bought Collins a hat, tractor, and backhoe from the John Deer place in Meridian :) He is not into hats at the moment, but sure looks cute in it! PawPaw went with Collins and me to visit them Saturday morning. Jake was working in the yard for Mimi, so we had to use MawMaw and PawPaw's car. PawPaw had to go home to get ready for a golf tournament and let MawMaw take food to some people from church (long explanation), so Collins and I hung out with Granny and Granddaddy while they did all that running around. It was a good visit. I don't even remember the last time we'd been to their house.






When MawMaw picked us up, we went over to Mimi's house for lunch. Grammy and Poppa were there so we got to visit with them, too.



Spent both nights at MawMaw and PawPaw's house since Grammy and Poppa spent the previous weekend at our house...


And got to see Maw at church on Sunday! She kept Collins in the nursery for both Sunday School and church. I think she enjoyed it :)


PawPaw was in that golf tournament again on Sunday, so it was just MawMaw, Collins, and I who had Sunday lunch at Granny's. Jake came after he finished helping his Mom and Dad with their cars. Collins was all over the place (again) and we forgot to take along the high chair, so it took all three of us to entertain him (with limited toys...hence the onion keeper below) while the others ate. I sure wish I could have Granny cooking more often!!


We love our family! :)

Hey Poppa!

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Belated Birthday, Aunt Tammy!

We love you and hope you had a WONDERFUL day!!!

Aunt Tammy's birthday was Saturday, August 15th. I drafted this post last Wednesday, but couldn't get to a computer to post it until today b/c we visited my parents' house last weekend and Internet refuses to go that far out ;)

Visit from the Davis Divas

Julie and Kaitlyn came to visit last Friday. Kaitlyn informed her mom that she had never met Collins before and that she'd appreciate it if Julie would change that. Hence, the 'diva' part of this post ;) haha

We love these ladies! Collins acted like they both are over at our house all the time. He went straight to Kaitlyn! He must know she's a future babysitter! :) Poor Julie was stuck with the "other baby."

New Tricks for the Weekend

Grammy and Poppa came to visit last weekend and Collins decided to show out for them. I'll post pics of them soon.

1. When I picked him up from Mrs. Wilda's on Friday, he started pointing and shaking his hand at their phone cord. She said he had just learned it was a "no, no, no!"
2. In the car on the way home, I was singing "The Wheels on the Bus" as I often do. Every time I'd get to "...all over town" Collins would say, "tooown"! So sweet.
   
3. He started clapping during dinner Friday night! Julie and Kaitlyn were there to witness :) (I later learned that he'd been clapping for Mrs. Wilda when she'd play a game with him, but we hadn't seen it yet.) Now he does it to, "Yay for Collins!"
4. Grammy taught him to count when she was dressing him. lol. She says, "one...." and he says "ta!" (two)
5. I'm fairly certain he said "meow" when we were reading a book and looking at a cat. He can also say "cat" sometimes. This particular animal was actually a tiger, but it's the feline family, so we're going with cat. Grammy bought him that book and he loves it! Sat in my lap for about 10 minutes looking at it. That's a long time!
   
6. Collins said "Pa...Pa" a lot!
7. He still loves to show what the fan does (round and round and round) and loves to find and watch the hummingbirds outside the window while he eats.
   

We finally went to Wal-Mart to buy baby gates. Collins thinks they're an awesome toy and tried to climb one last night. Thankfully, we can now get him to understand "no, no, no" by shaking our finger. And popping his behind ;)

"Naked Baby!!" From the Source!

I blogged once about how we always hold Collins up in the air after his bath and say "Naked Baby!!" real enthusiastically.

He said it back to us last night. We said it to him, wrapped him in the towel as usual, he said it back to us, and I almost dropped him I laughed so hard!!

I thought maybe I had made myself hear it, but Jake did too...and then...Collins said it again! Clear as a bell. I am not making this up.

How hilarious that we've taught our 10 month old kid to say "naked baby"?! He just learned "ma-ma"! So random...but hilarious!

Sip and Fit

Collins is getting really good at using a sippy cup! I have to say, "turn it up!" and then he'll actually get some of whatever's in it :)








He also thinks it's fun to throw the sippy cup on occasion. Something he's not allowed to do. And this is what he thinks of our decision:

Pitiful!!!

Here lately, he has been turning on the tears like a champ. He knows what 'no' means, and doesn't care for it. He'll sometimes throw his head back so dramatically when we're holding him that I think his back is gonna snap!

All I can think to do is blame his Aunt Haylee. He's like her in a lot of ways. Don't you think someone who passes down a thing like a temper tantrum ought to at least live close so she can deal with it?! ;) Maybe this is just a stage. (Please Lord!)

And....back to normal. Just pondering life. He's really a VERY sweet baby; just document the whole story!! haha

Haircut

I blogged about Collins getting his ears lowered back in June. I didn't count that as a real hair cut.

I tried not to count the one on Saturday (7.30.11) either, but I don't think I can deny this one. He looks older now.

Goodbye, baby mullet :( That's the only hair he kept from birth! He lost the hair on the top of his head around 4-5 weeks, but that sweet mullet hair has always been there! (Never thought I'd miss a mullet of ANY sort!!)



Jake's stylist lady, Melesa, at Haircutters was the magician. I would never be able to cut an infant's hair...talk about lowering ears!! :/

You can't tell good in this picture, but he does look older AND more handsome :)