How it all got started...

The card that was attached to the flowers that M to the Izz-A sent to my work.





Six years of marriage later, I still like looking at it in its little frame on my dresser.



And he's even spelling my name correctly these days.



Happy anniversary to us, babe. Love you.

4th of July

You know your weekend is starting out right when you stumble across the Oak Ridge Boys' "Elvira" on your radio, while waiting on a big bucket of fried chicken from Quik Chik. Quite the combo. I can't make it through that song (or a bucket of fried chicken) without smiling.





Something else that makes me smile...






Maybe I should've given that dress a once over with the iron. Oh well... when you're that cute, nothin' else matters. Crushed up clothes included.




Speaking of cute...

I bet his first word might be something along the lines of, "Momwhyareyousoobsessedwithplaid?"

After church, we enjoyed lunch at Aunt Ann's (except we prounounce it without the 't' -- it's more like "An Ann's") and spent time with my cousin, Hucks, and his family, who were visiting from Alabama.



Hannah, Anna, and Hamp

Matt and sweet Molly

After lunch, we made ourselves a to-go plate of Lemonade Pie, headed home, made some mashed potatoes that involved just as much butter, cream cheese, and Half & Half as it did potatoes, and headed right back into town for another get together with friends. I wish I would have taken pics during this little gathering, but the camera got left in the car. It lost its spot on the list of important things, right behind diaper bag and mashed buttery goodness.

Our small town sure can put on one big fireworks show! Kate really enjoyed them. Even more than that, she loved watching the smiles on everyone's faces as they watched them. She kept asking her cousin JP, "You like 'em? Do you like 'em?"

A little ink for the occasion

A fuzzy picture of my favorite gals, my two sisters.

The fuzziness gives it a summery night kind of glow, doesn't it? Actually, no it doesn't. It's just how it turned out and I'm choosing to embrace it.

M to the Izz-A was off work on Monday as well, so that evening we went to the park and played, played, played.

Well, not Hamp. But he was loving the outdoors!

My little monkey

After lots of playing, Hamp was still doin' his thing...

...so we kept right on playing.

Update:

Since my last post, I'm happy to say that Hamp has been doing really well. He seems more content, relaxed, and at ease with everything...which in turn, means I'm feeling more on the up and up. He's been sleeping a lot and his colicky symptoms are lessening. He's been one happy little man, which makes me one happy mama.

And this weekend M to the Izz-A and I will be celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary.
I think the Oak Ridge Boys said it best with, "Oom poppa, oom poppa, mow mow."

It seems we're all in need of a little sleep

I'm exhausted, ya'll.


And I've got a lot of 4th of July weekend pics to post, but don't feel up to it tonight and plan on getting to it tomorrow. M to the Izz-A worked some killer overtime last week and that tends to wear us all out.



Plus, if I'm honest, the real reason is that I went for my 6th week post delivery check-up today and ended up crying to my doctor. Still waiting on my hormones to level out? Tired? Maybe a little of both, but we all know that cryin' will wear you out like nothing else. My sweet little Hamp seems to be a big fan of crying his little heart out lately, so I figured I'd just join in, I guess. If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? I told myself I wasn't gonna. But I did. Dang.



As if that wasn't bad enough, we ended my appointment with a good laugh. I started laughing at the fact that I was crying.



Wow. I think I just confirmed to ya'll the fact that I am indeed crazy.




After dinner tonight, I took Kate with me on my run. She skipped her nap today and was in rare form, so I plopped her into the stroller and off we went.




On our last mile, I noticed she wasn't talking to me anymore. When we got back to our house, I saw that she had decided she'd had enough of the day, just like me.





Shoes are optional, when you're just along for the ride.

You know I took her straight to bed, right? That bath will be waitin' for her in the morning. I'm picking my battles these days. And this Mama is gonna watch some TV and relax a bit before bed.

Thank you, Lord, for my sweet babies....



...and the stroller rides that help me out on nights you know I'm needing help.