SummaTime, SummaTime

Like I have said in past blogs, I try to let Suzy spend a lot of time outside. One of our favorite things to do in the afternoons is sit out back and play in her little Wal-Mart special pool. The thing cost like $8 bucks and it was weeeellllll worth it!! Lauren, KK, and I are thoroughly entertained by Suzy and that little pool. She loves it. Suzy is absolutely fearless. She doesn't hesitate to do anything. She is already putting her face under the water to "blow bubbles" (Laurie taught her how to do that). When she comes up from blowing bubbles she has a beard of bubbles. We have taught her to say, "ho ho ho", when she has them on her face. We are morons, I am very aware. She loves when we get really brave and put her slide in the pool for her. She will quickly go down the slide without our help, which scares the dickens out of me and is hilarious all at the same time. She flies down that thing. I try to always be around for "help" when we get that thing out.

"Ho ho ho"

Laurie teaching Suzy to blow bubbles. 

Suzy blowing! 

She loooooves it!! 

On my last day of work for the school year we got out earlier than normal. I think I left around 1:30 or so?! Suzy and I came home, she got a nap, and then we headed outside to clean my filthy car. I am the world's worst about not cleaning my car out. The bigger my cars are the more crap I can fit in it. I had sippy cups, food, receipts, etc. galore that needed to be tossed. I was on a mission to clean it up. I mean, we don't have mildewed cups or rotten food in there, but I can say that I am shocked we don't. I am a car hoarder. The first thing we tackled was the outside. It was a lot easier than the inside. I wanted to wait until Suzy woke up from her nap to clean it, because she loves the water so much. I knew it would be fun to have her help me, and it would wear her down for bedtime. I was squirting the first layer of dirt off my car and turned around to find Suzy IN my bucket of soapy water. She thought it was fantastic. I laughed out loud. It was the cutest thing. Mammie pulled up a few minutes later to witness her cuteness. She had to take photos to send to Pappy. She had a terrific time and bedtime was a breeze! I am a smart mama!!

I think I can fit in there.... 

I'm pretty sure I can. 

I knew it! 

sweet bay bay

This is the picture Mammie sent Pappy.

Yesterday was our first full day of Summer Break together. We woke up around 8:30 and ate breakfast. I text JoJo to see if TaTa could shave Lola for summertime. She said she could, so Suzy and I loaded Lola and the jogging stroller in the car. While we waited on Lola to get trimmed we took a nice little run around Senatobia. I finally ran 2.4 miles without wanting to die or having side stitches that felt like labor pains. I think morning running is the trick! We came back from running and waited on Lola to get all finished up, then went to Colemans to eat with PawPaw for lunch. She loved seeing him and Casey, and loved their french fries just as much.

Our morning stroll! 

Today we met Elizabeth, Rebecca, Jennifer, and Renee at the pool. I have griped a lot about paying for a Country Club membership every month, but I think this summer may change my mind about those membership dues. Suzy had a ball playing in the pool, I enjoyed adult talk, and we both enjoyed the sunshine! My fearless child was very close to jumping in the pool without any assistance. She is scared of nothing, which scares me more and more everyday. We just got home, and Suzy went straight to sleep! The pool wore her out!!

Elizabeth Anne shared her goggles with SZ and Logan shared his football. She was happy camper. 

Talking to the big girls. They were trying to coax her into the pool with them. 

When we got home, I went to check the mail.... When I came back down the driveway she had my Bubba Keg drinking my Diet Coke. She was also making me a little surprise in her swimming diaper... JOY! 

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day is the holiday that always starts my summer. It usually includes the lake, the pool, or a cook out while remembering the fallen soldiers who have lost their lives while serving in the Armed Forces. This year was quite different from the past years. Instead of going to the lake house we stayed in Senatobia. We had planned on going to Smith Lake, but Papaw had a show in Missouri. Casey always goes with dad, so we were down two men by that trip. Memaw and Ricky went to Georgia to see our cousin, Ali, graduate. That left Mimi, Suzy, and I. Laurie had to work Friday and KK went to Pickwick. Scott didn't get home until late Friday night, so Mimi and I decided we would stick around Tate County for the weekend. If we aren't at the lake, we usually are at Mimi's house laying by the swimming pool. That was a no-go this weekend, too. Mimi's pool liner is out of commission. She will have a new one in a couple weeks. We just had no luck on getting to enjoy the sunshine by the water, unless you count Suzy's kiddie pool.....

Scott informed me Sunday that we were playing in a golf tournament with his mom and dad on Memorial Day. I gripe and complain all the time because Scott never includes me in his golfing adventures. I also griped when he informed me that I would be playing in a golf tournament.... I CANNOT PLAY GOLF. I suck at it. I suck royally at it. After the initial shock that I would be participating in this event, I started getting excited. I thought it would be fun to get out and enjoy doing something that Scott loves so much. I text Laurie and KK and asked if they could babysit while we went to BACC. Laurie responded excitedly and said she would love to keep her. KK responded a few minutes later saying she would join in on the fun! Laurie and KK took Suzy to the park and Scott and I played golf.

Scott told me that I needed to use some of his credit at the pro shop to buy a new shirt.... I think my shirt is freaking awesome!! 

Can you tell that this was after like hole 3? He is still smiling. By hole 14 he probably wanted to kill me. 

This is was probably hole 14. 

Of course, Laurie dressed Suzy for the occasion! 

grown up

Laurie said she loved the slide!! 

 I didn't do as awful as I had expected, but I definitely didn't do great. I am decent at "driving". I cannot putt for the life of me though. I want there to be fun clowns spitting water at me, obnoxious music playing in the background, and a bright purple golf ball in order for me to putt well. There were none of those gadgets to interest me, so that didn't help my golf game. I think we all enjoyed our game though. When we finished we had a score of 65. Apparently, that is 7 under PAR for BACC's course. I had nothing to do with that score. Pops, Gigi, and Hubs did all that. We ended up winning 2nd place in our flight. We won $60. Can't beat that!! All in all, it was a great weekend!!

The Joys of Spring

We have been very busy this month. So many fun things are going on in the lovely town of Senatobia. When the weather starts getting warmer things tend to be more fun for me. I don’t really love the cold weather. Spring and Fall are my favorites. I have tried to let Suzy do all that she can outside. I think the fresh air is good for all of us. I don’t want her to be one of those kiddos that is only entertained by technology. Dirt is good for a little girl, in my opinion. 

Suzy had a camouflage birthday party to attend at the beginning of May. Of course, she dressed the part :) Ford and Suzy had t shirts made by SheShe. She always impresses me. This is Suzy having birthday cake at Ford's camo party. 

Ford's party favors were camouflage sunglasses. Suzy loved them!  

An hour later we had a party for Laney Grace... She turned 5! She rocked her camo to Laney's party too! 

I took this picture to prove the point that Suzy is short. Those are supposed to be capri pants! They are pants on her :) Point proven. 

 I was talking to my cousin, Christopher, the other day while he was fishing. We were comparing notes about our babies. He has three. Gunner is the closest to Suzy's age. We were talking about how contrary the little rascals can be, and he said something that I totally agreed with.... "I probably have fifteen thousand dollars invested in toys for my three, and they still play with pots and pans". I laughed and told him Suzy was just like that....  Another point proven :)

 We also had the May Fair in town in May. Suzy had a ball. She danced to the religious music that was being played to the audience, she loved on the animals at the petting zoo, and politic'd with all of Tate County. We say that Suzy is a very good politician, because she waves and says "hi" to anyone and everyone. The little cutie could win an election, I tell ya.

She loved this little fella. 

She couldn't stay away from the pig. 

Suzy's very favorite animals are cats and cows.... This little mini cow made Suzy's day! Pops has taught her how to call the cows. We take her to Uncle Chris and Mama Sharon's house so she can see their cows often. She looooves it. 

I don't have nearly enough pictures of Scott and I with Suzy. We tried to get a decent one , but it didn't work out too well. 

Taking a break for funnel cake and juice. 

"Smell the flowers, Mimi"

 When we go anywhere, the whole entourage has to come. For May Fair, Mimi, Gigi, Memaw, me, and Daddy had to go! It's always a family affair. I love that about our little family. We are all so close, it is so nice to go somewhere with EVERYONE! Suzy loves having everyone around her.

Like I said, we don't have enough family pictures.... This is why we have no good ones :) For your viewing pleasure....

best picture of Suzy... worst of us! 

"put me down Mama, I want to smell the flowers" 

Look at that cheesy grin on Scott's face! 

Way to smile Daddy! 

Mama Had a Come Apart

The past few months I have been fighting with Suzy to eat supper. She refuses to sit in a high chair and eat supper. She throws her food in the floor, gives it to Lola, or demolishes whatever is on her tray. She, then, throws a ROYAL FIT if I make her stay in the chair while I eat. I have spent most of my suppertimes holding her, standing up to eat, or just not eating. It has gotten to the point of just ticking me off. I had a heck of a time with her one night, and woke up the next morning on a mission. My mission was some training for Suzy. Not only did she act like that at home, but we couldn’t go out to eat because she would act like a nut in a restaurant too. I sent Mimi, Memaw, Gigi, Laurie, and KK an email about all the new rules that were fixing to be enforced with little miss “throw a fit”.  Some of them included: she will sit in her high chair until we are ALL finished with supper, she will get in trouble for throwing food, we will ignore her fits of rage, etc…. So far we have been doing pretty good at keeping up the rules for Suzy.

 I have also been trying to take her out to dinner more often. We have been to The Boiling Point, El Charro, and Windy City Grille. That may not sound like much, but I never took her anywhere past 5 PM before this “Coming to Jesus Meeting”.

Papaw and Suzy at The Boiling Point. 

Eating at her "big girl" table... I told you... I've tried everything.

Yummy green beans.

On the patio at Windy City Grille, Como. It took 3 hours to eat there one night, we had to find stuff to do to keep her entertained. 

Marinara sauce from her cheese sticks! She is a condiment lover. 

 She had been to a restaurant twice, she acted like a nut both times, and I vowed to never take her back. She is doing better, but is still not great. I talked to my friends that have children about how her acting so terribly made me feel. They told me that it was normal for those feelings. I was embarrassed, I didn’t want to be “that mom” that couldn’t control her child, I didn’t want to ruin everyone else’s dinner, I didn’t want people to stare at me….. They told me to GET OVER IT. I am trying very hard to follow their advice, but it is hard!! 

While I am off this summer I will try to do more. She goes to bed at 7:00, so it is hard to do much. I hope this summer her bedtime shifts to a later time, so she will sleep later in the mornings! Wish us luck.

I still let her have fun, too! This is a brownie batter bowl. Mimi would never let Casey and I have the bowl... "The raw eggs will give you worms", was her excuse.

She loved it. 

Condiments and chocolate--- Suzy's faves!