Hotel Hoodlum

In my post from the other day I had said we had gone to Asheville this past weekend and what a great time we had but what I forgot to mention was what a WILD MAN Ramsey was. He was a great traveler mainly because everything is new, and in need of his expert explorer skills. Once we checked into our room the very first thing he did was run strait for the phone and picked it up and started dialing. We quickly unplugged it as to not make too many room service calls. Next he grabbed the remote to the TV and threw it into the toilet. "UH-OH" is all he had to say for that one. Later when we were headed out for dinner Cope said have you seen my keys and my reply was "yes, I think I say them in the trash can earlier". Sure enough that's where they were. When we got back we wanted to watch a little TV but couldn't find the remote again. Oh, it was in the bath tub this time...of course. He also set our radio alarm clock and worked magic on the little safe in the closet. I didn't even bring toys on this trip simply because a hotel room is so full of adventure for a toddler. He is a mess, but he makes us laugh all the while.

First Hair Cut

Mr. Ramsey got his first hair cut today. It has really started to get a bit nappy and when we went swimming this past weekend his hair hung down in the back like a dozen rat tails. My friend Kim is a hair dresser and gladly came over to our house this afternoon to give Ramsey and Cope new hair-dos. Ramsey hated it at first mostly because his hair was so tangly but once the conditioner was in he was good to go. Even though she trimmed like 2 inches off it looked like our floor was covered in spaghetti o's when she was done from his hair. His hair is still super curly but it looks much fresher and summerish. Yeah!!! I can definitely tell I'm a Mom when my kid is screaming and I'm taking tons of pictures of his first hair cut. Such sweet memories.





Oh gosh, what is about to happen. I just know it isn't good:

I hate all you guys:

Cell phone does the trick every time:Slick:What tha H*%#???:
Loving his new hair cut:Ta Da!!!:

Asheville, NC

We just got back from a fun weekend spent with our friends in Asheville, NC. My friend Katie's husband sells night vision and scopes at gun shows on the weekends and he had a show to do in Asheville. He asked Cope if he'd like to help him out and Cope said "sure". So Katie and I and our 3 kids (Kaden-4, Ramsey-15 months, and Kendall-8 months) tagged along for a fun weekend getaway. While the guys went do their show during the day we shopped, and went on a few adventures at the Biltmore House. We took the kids to a little petting farm there, we hit the winery for a little tasting, and then today toured a little of the house, and hit some more shops. Ramsey loves Kaden and is completely entertained in his presence. We also did some swimming at the hotel and enjoyed dining out with the whole crew in the evenings. Ramsey is a great little traveler and slept great in his pack n play at night. Katie and I came home earlier today since the show did not get over until 4:00pm we wanted to get the kids on home. You should have seen the two of us with 3 kids in the back. Kendall started crying once and as soon as she did Ramsey started to cry out of sympathy. They were both screaming so we had to pull over to calm them down. We made it back in one piece, thank goodness. All in all it was a great weekend with good friends, good food, and lots of fun!

Ramsey excited for a fun weekend!:We had to stop by the Varsity on the way:Taking a little after lunch snooze:Enjoying his hotel room but a bit confused where he was when he woke up:Checking out the barn at the Biltmore:Photo Op with Kaden and Ramsey:Petting Zoo. Ramsey saw a real little calf and even got to pet it. I forgot to snap a pic of that one:Best Buddies:Giving the grounds of the Biltmore a run for their money:

You need to hurry up and take that picture Mom, I'm ready to do some swimming:

Ramsey LOVED the pool and would kick and giggle the whole time:

Katie, Kendall, Kaden and Ramsey in fornt of the Biltmore house:

Fun With Daddy

Ramsey and Cope are the best buddies. Ramsey has taken right to having a full time Daddy around and loves when he and I wake Cope up in the morning and snuggle in bed for a few minutes. Having Cope home has made all the difference in the world to us both.

Eating Update

Mr. Ramsey has made BIG progress in the eating department. His eating lady now comes just every other week for about 30minutes or so and basically we just talk about his progression and things to start implementing. Cope being home and us actually sitting down to the dinner table has made a huge difference. He usually wants what were having and will point and whine until we give him some. We texturize his baby food with rice puffs to get him used to swallowing textures and now he hardly even notices it and rarely gags or spits them out. He is in an eating upswing at the moment and is eating a ton. Yeah! He still loves his milk and prefers it over water and juice any day. I have become much more relaxed about his eating which is probably making a big difference too. Ramsey knows his own mind and me pushing only makes it worse. So I'm more calm and Ramsey is doing great! I am so thankful for this. Our only issue right now is him wanting to stand up in his high chair. If that is our only battle at meal time right now...I'll take it!

Rock Band

Over the weekend we watched my friend Katie's son, Kaden. He is such a fun kid and loves to play the Wii and play the "bitar" on Rock Band. Here is the trio at their finest. Kaden on drums, Ramsey on the mic, and Cope on "bitar". I think they're available for hire if you're interested.

Loving Life

Cope and I took Ramsey over to my Mom and Morgan's this weekend for some outdoor fun. We started off with catfishing but sadly didn't even get a bite. Next it was on to a ride in the peddle boat followed by some riding on Cope's 4-wheeler. Ramsey loves being outdoors and even with a cold and snotty nose he was full force all afternoon. I am so thankful for relaxing, fun days such as this. I can't help but think back to this time last year when being with Cope seemed so far away. It was. I am grateful everyday to God for bringing us back together to enjoy the simple joys of life and watch our little boy enjoy nature at its finest.

Darn Good Dog

Bentley, our little French Bulldog is often quite annoying and literally under my foot ALL day but we love him dearly... snoring, grunting, vomit, and all. He is so good with Ramsey. Our other dog Sage is too but she usually will just avoid him. Bentley would rather take it and stay as close to me as possible. Below is one example of how gentle Bentley is toward Ramsey. Thank Goodness.

Of course no meal would be complete without a little clean up from Ramsey. This kid seriously LOVES his broom:

Mr. Sandman

Ramsey has been enjoying his new sand and water table very much. We actually just put sand in it the other day and all he wants to do is throw it or eat it. Hopefully he'll get the hang of it soon. Either way it keeps him entertained and that is almost always a good thing.

Wordless Wednesday- Lounging

Picture Post

Wearing Mommy's sweatshirt like a toga ( it's a KD sweatshirt...how appropriate):

Seeing what it feels like to walk in Mommy's shoes:

Getting a boost to one of my favorite things...light switches:

Bed head:

I can climb all the way on top of this table by myself, I'm not sure why Mommy isn't impressed???:

Proper hygiene:

Wii Man

Cope got a Wii for Christmas and Ramsey loves to watch us bowl and play tennis. He has recently started to think he is playing too. As you can tell from the video he puts his whole body into it and even makes grunting sounds when needed.

New Shoes

I had been looking everywhere for toddler size Crocs. I finally found them in a little shoe shop in town this past week. Ramsey took right to them and wore them right out of the store. I'm not really an accessory person so I don't have a million pairs of shoes for Ramsey. I like to buy good basics and hope they last through the coming seasons. I also convinced Cope to invest in a pair of Wallabees. I got mine freshman year of college and 9 years later still wear the same trustee ole pair. Again, it pays to buy buy quality. So this same store was having a sale and I got him a pair which he calls his "Indian shoes" but I have seen him wearing them everyday since. They are the most comfortable shoes EVER and he looks very stylish! So my guys are looking good...maybe Momma needs a new pair of shoes???

Outdoor Fun

Ramsey is an outdoor boy. He loves it! All I have to say is "outside" and he comes running even faster then the dogs. He will play on the back porch for hours and loves the independence of being able to go in and out as he pleases (yes, he can open all our doors if they are not locked). I love when it is warm so Ramsey can wear shorts and no socks. That also means bringing out the spring wardrobe soon! Here are a few pictures and videos from the warm weather on Tuesday.

15 Month Check Up and a Fire

Ramsey had his 15 month check up yesterday morning and he got a great bill of health. His weight is 21lbs 4oz which is only the 10th percentile but just right for his growth curve. His height is in the 75th percentile so looks like for now we have a tall, slim boy on our hands. I'm not sure he gets that from me? He is doing just great and we could not be more proud of our little wonder boy.



Now, on to the fire...

My Mom watches Ramsey at her house (20 minutes across town) on Tuesday and Thursday after his nap until dinner time. Mainly she watches him just because she enjoys playing with him but it also helps me out so that I can get some work or errands done. So on this past Tuesday I drop him off and they had a fun filled day planned of peddle boating on the lake, checking out their geese, and just enjoying the great outdoors. I was in Target about 45 minutes later when I got a call fro my mom and she said in a slightly panicked voice "Tara, everything is fine with Ramsey, but our woods just caught on fire and I need you to come get Ramsey because things are getting a little crazy, I've called 911 and the fire dept. is on there way". I raced out of Target and arrived at my Mom's to see billowing smoke and fire trucks. I got to the house to find Mom and Ramsey just fine, thank you GOD! The fire had spread over several acres and it took a forestry team to bulldoze a trench around it to finally get it stopped several house later. As we looked at the charred hillside we were all very thankful everyone was fine including there new dream home what was only about 50 yards away from where it had started. Ramsey didn't seemed phased by all the commotion and thought the trucks and lights were pretty neat. He kept sticking out his hand toward the hillside saying "hot". Understatement buddy. So wild afternoon but a time to be thankful is all ended ok. Oh, it also made the front page of our local paper...now there's a comfort.

Uppercase Living

So I know most of you visit my blog to see pictures of Ramsey and sorry to disappoint today but please take a minute to look over my newest business venture. I have posted before about Uppercase Living and how much I enjoy their products. Well, I've enjoyed them so much I decided to become a demonstrator. I'm the type of person when I find something I think is really great I simply want to share to share it with everyone, sort of like Oprah and her "favorite things". I am really pretty crazy about this stuff as it truly can make your home more inviting and with today's economy who isn't spending more time at home? So why not make your home extra special with a few items to make it more personal? You can check out my website at http://tarar.uppercaseliving.net/AboutMe.m and click on the products tab to veiw the catalog. If you are interested in the products just let me know and I'd be happy to come to your home and help you host a party. It is a fun, creative event and I'm sure you'll be as nuts over this stuff as I am. I'm really not looking at this as big money maker for myself but more chance to show friends how creative they can truly be with the best canvas of all...their home!



Here are some of the latest items I've added to our home:

Thank You Mr. Sunshine

We are LOVING this warm, spring-like weather. We have just been opening up our back porch doors, gating the back porch steps and letting Ramsey go in and out as he pleases. Of course he stayed out 90% of the day. We were also able to let him try out his sand and water table he got for his birthday. He loves it! He enjoys the outdoors so much. He hasn't been fussy much at all and even with the time change is going to bed by 8:00pm and sleeping well past 7:00am. So thank you Mr.Sunshine for a happy, sleepy boy. I'm hoping we'll go hiking or peddle boating today. Oh, FYI if you have a walking toddler try letting them walk somewhere that would normally be a short stroller ride. We let Ramsey walk to our neighborhood playground which is about 1/4 of a mile or so and he walked the whole way to and halfway from. He fell asleep in his high chair at lunch and hour earlier than usual and then took a 2.5 hour nap (in his crib, not in the high chair)!



Sand and water table. Today I caught him standing on top of this leaning over the railing. Jeez, I can't turn my back for a minute. His climbing skills are earily getting better each day:He also enjoys putting his face in the water:So happy to be playing in water, be outside, and be practically naked. Isn't life good!:Wild man hair:Of course he had to do a little sweeping:
What?:

New Fort

Ramsey enjoys helping me with the laundry and usually his favorite part is closing the dryer door but today he just decided to climb right on in as if he'd done it a dozen times. The things that entertain this boy just crack me up. I guess little guys just love forts of all different varieties.

The Helpfulness Never Ends

As I have mentioned before Ramsey loves to help me around the house. He giggles anytime he hears the vacuum and adores this little carpet cleaner. Anytime I use it I just leave it sitting out and it will keep him occupied for at least 20 minutes or so. I mean who needs toys when there are much cooler things like carpet cleaners???

15 Months

Ramsey turned 15 months yesterday! Yes, he is such a little man these day and making us laugh at least 100 times a day. He has such a fun personality. He is eating much better and having Cope home and sitting down to dinners seems to be making a big difference so far. He now prefers milk over juice and he will go the fridge and whine for it. He loves to get into mischief and gives you a certain little grin when he knows he is doing something he shouldn't, as if to say "how could you get on to me when I'm so darn cute". He is running, talking lots, throwing lots, biting occasionally, giving great kisses, and for the most part being sweet and a really good kid. He enjoys helping around the house and can often be caught throwing anything away. I've found the calculator and whole granola bars (in their wrappers) in there. We've yet to cut his hair even tough he probably needs it. I'm wanting to see how wild it will actually get. He has at least 12 teeth now and seemingly sprouting new ones all the time. He LOVES books and prefers them to most toys. He loves being outdoors and enjoys climbing and running everywhere especially at the playground. Overall he doing great and we just stand in awe that we get to be the parents of such a little wonder boy.

NYC Trip

I had a total blast visiting my sister, Paige in New York City this past weekend. She has recently gotten out of a serious relationship and is ready to discover all that life truly has to offer her. I was very happy to join her for the weekend and see how happy she is and how fun life is for her as of lately. Paige is also headed for a 2 month trip on her own to Europe this next week. Go Paige! I'm very proud of you!

Here we are a McSorley's Bar. They only have 2 types of beer, light and dark. Also when you order one you get two. Lucky for us!:

Paige and her friend Alex. I think they're an adorable match but are truly just friends: Cope's friend Alex and his sister met up with us at Tortilla Flats. Alex lives close to the city and it was fun to hang out with a familiar face:
Having LOTS of fun at McSorley's:

We stoped in to this weird bar where we requested Indigo Girls and this lady working the bar was happy to oblige. FYI- Paige and I LOVE the Indigo Girls:

The Miller sisters out on the town:
Paige's friends and I out on Saturday night for a "girls night out": We also did some great shopping and ate lots of good food which consisted mostly of late night pizza. Besides the little hold up with my flight coming home on Sunday it was a fun little get away.

Cope and Ramsey has some Daddy/Son bonding time. Cope said he was great! I truly never worried at all about Ramsey which was super nice. I just missed them both very much. It is good to get away but nice to come home too.

Tallahassee???

So yesterday was sort of crazy for one tired girl coming back from Manhattan. I was woken up yesterday morning at my sisters apt. with message on my phone that my Delta flight for 2:20pm (from NY to ATL) had been cancelled and was rebooked for the next morning (Monday). What? I have a little boy I need to get home to. So I jumped up and got a cab to the airport ASAP only to get to there, wait in line for 1.5 hours and be told there was no way I could get out of NY that day. Not a solution. So I told the lady it was my first trip away from my son and that I desperately wanted to get home to him. She must have had kids too because she then said well, I can put you on standby for 11:00am. I rushed through security and got the next to last seat on the last flight able to get out of NYC yesterday. It was looking all good until we were still flying 20 minutes after we were supposed to have landed. The ground equipment at the ATL airport wasn't working well due to bad weather so after 2 tries to land they decided to take me (plus about 300 other passengers) to Tallahassee, Florida. Crap! We had to get shuttles to local hotels and stayed overnight for a 7:00am flight this morning. Talk about chaos. I hated that I didn't get home until today but I knew Ramsey was in good hands and I might as well make the best of a less then desirable situation. Whatever, I'm home now and am thankful for the vacation and even more thankful to be back with my family. I missed them. Manhattan was LOTS of fun and I'll post more over the next few days.