Pumpkin Patch

I took advantage of the beautiful day (yet slightly cool day) to go to the pumpkin patch with Scarlett and "hers best friend" Ainsley. We watched the pig races, rode the hayride, and Scarlett used all the small pumpkins in her own personal throwing contest. We are fortunate to have so many cousins nearby that are more like sisters than just extended family. They all take care of each other and would rather be together than apart.

Ainsley feeding the goats. Scarlett wanted NO part of this :)

She never would look at me and say "cheese".... always just looking away

SEE -- ignoring me, yet again

On the other hand, Ainsley was posing for every picture I was taking

This was just a smile caught in the middle of the hayride..... guess she didn't

realize I had a camera pointed at her the whole time, or I am SURE she would

have looked away :)

A little bit of Scarlett

The past 2 1/2 years have flown by. I still think of Scarlett as a baby (I know, I know). BUT, everytime I catch myself glancing over at her, all I see is a big kid, with BIG KID ideas. She says new words and sentences everyday. She has a cute little sense of humor, and a not-so-cute temper :). The latter usually shows its ugly head only when she is hungry and/or tired, but man when it does, it is a sight for the eyes AND the ears. Here is a little bit of what we have been up to...........

At a dorm dedication ceremony at OBU..... it was HOT AND MUGGY.

Scarlett should be thankful for curly hair on those days :)

Getting a little dirty..... except she can not STAND to get
something on her fingertips. A little strange.

Scarlett and Kyla G. She is our TX friend...

Next visit Scarlett needs to teach her to call the HOGS!

Cards vs. Braves.............

We went this past weenkend to St. Louis to see the Cards vs. the Braves. It is technically my 10th anniversary present to him, but I am sure I will come up with something else :). My Mamaw is a huge Braves fan, so we invited her along for the trip. We also took Dillard's mom. My dad laughed and said poor Dillard was going to need some good ear protection to drown out all the talking from 3 women! He was a trooper though...... even found a wheelchair for Mamaw (after she refused our offer earlier) so we could go see the town. We ended up going to two games, both of which the Cards lost. I guess Mamaw's mojo was in St. Louis cuz the Braves just kept on winning and winning.

"Take me out to the ballgame....................."

update: the new, VERY pink cast

SO, we went to Children's Hospital today (for an appt at 11:45..... didn't get called back until 2:00, but we won't talk about that here!). She had another x-ray, and got a new cast! GOODBYE ugly, bulky, plaster crap (sorry mom.......... but it was!). We picked out the pink one, and the more I look at it the brighter it gets!!! They were nice enough to wash her arm/hand before putting the new one on and it looked like it felt SO good. We go back in two weeks to see if it is time to take it off. The ortho guy said that patients Scarlett's age (2) heal very quickly................ that would mean that she could actually go swimming again. We are keeping her out of eyesight of ALL swimming pools, ponds, etc... She does take a bath with a gallon ziplock bag over her arm and one of us holding her arm up and out of the water. She has tolerated all of this like a champ, and actually seems proud of this pink thing. I do think it gets in the way of good sleep, but we can handle it.

Seriously, brighter than the sun.

This is her saying goodbye to our neighbors. She really is intense about it!

A close-up of the cast.............. shield your eyes!

Scarlett is no Superwoman

WELL............. We are starting our week off with a bang, that is for sure! Scarlett and Ainsley thought they would try their hand at superpowers today, and quickly realized they had none (or Scarlett did, at least!). She jumped off the bed onto a beanbag, completely missing the stuffing portion of the bag and landed on her hand on the hardwood floor. It took me a little bit to figure out what in the world was hurting her. I took her (by myself, I might add!) to the ER at ACH... poor baby broke her arm. Here is the bulky TEMPORARY cast......... we go next week to the orthopedic clinic to get the REAL DEAL! Wonder what colors we have to choose from???

Exhibit A: Bulky plaster cast wrapped in ace bandage, signed by Scarlett :)

Posing with the new accessory (sans the sling.. for some reason she hates that thing!)

Pepaw

We just got back from spending 10 days in Arkadelphia. We went down on a Wednesday after Pepaw (Dillard's dad) was put on home hospice care the day before. We were able to spend some time at his bedside before he died that following Saturday. We had some great family time, told some stories, and had a great time looking through pictures. On Friday night we knew it was not going to be long, so we had an old fashioned bunking party at Memaw's house and someone was around Pepaw's bedside from then on out. We loved on him, Dillard shaved him and took good care of him using all his latest nursing skills :). He passed away on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. with all of us around his bedside. We brought Scarlett out on Saturday morning and she showed him her newly painted pink toes and showered him with kisses (unsolicited kisses, I might add. That is rare in the book of Scarlett......). Scarlett did notice the next day that he was not in his room, asked "where Pepaw go?" with a confused look on her face, I told her he moved in with Jesus, and she looked at me for a second, then went about her daily business like a 2 year old should.

Cousins

Scarlett (2), Andrea (10), Justin (17), Anneliesa (19)

Pepaw and Scarlett

By this point he was not very responsive, but he knew she was there

Jeff (Dillard's brother) and Dillard


Michelle, Jeff, Mae Alice, Dillard, and Gina
before the service

June

I completely skipped May, am now posting about June, and it is already July. Wow this year is going by so fast!!! My computer almost crashed, trying to take my pics with it (thanks, James, for saving that!). It still has a mind of its own, so I am trying to get all my pics off of there and save them to other storage devices. I just downloaded my camera card to my new computer and there are 758 pics on there. That is way too many pics --- I am pretty sure there are not even that many pics of me from birth to age 20. Oh well, live and learn..... :). We have learned this summer that Scarlett loves the water, is not afraid of the water (at ALL) and would live IN the water if we would let her. She is NOT going to be stopped by some stupid floaties and will NOT ask for help when sliding down the slide into the pool. After all, she is a BIG girl, right? This scares me to DEATH. She is MY child, and MY child would cling to the side of the pool (or sit on the step) with all their might, right? WRONG. I forget she is part Dillard, too.

Here is a little bit of what we have been up to so far this HOT, HOT summer..........

This kid could blow bubbles all day. I know we have been through 2 gallons so far of bubble solution..... I think we need to stage an intervention :)

PRETTY sure water from the hose is disgusting. Parasites, anyone?

the summer would not be complete without the ice cream truck

Pretty sure she is chewing me out for something here...........

Who doesn't love a gal in pink boots? (or Boo-ITS, as Scarlett calls them)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MISS!!

I CAN'T BELEIVE YOU ARE TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is April REALLY almost over????

I cannot beleive it is almost May!!!!!!! HOW CAN THAT BE? I am glad, however, that the weather is leveling out -- I had my fill of cold weather this past winter. Bring on the SUNSHINE! Here are a few pics of little miss -- growing like a weed, saying a new word every day, and is officially a 2 year old (the 'terrible' part hasn't happened quite yet, but I am on guard!)

Ode to Cracker Barrel

Seriously - this kid loves the C.B.! If we drive by, she screams "I'unt Kicken'!". (translated: I want chicken!). It is a little sad to me that she KNOWS this place so well. We always have to rock on the front porch, find the bubble display (which is why we own about 4 or 5 bubble blowers), color, and play the peg game.

My Big Girl

I had to post this picture of my big girl. When I told her to look at me and say "cheese" it almost made me gasp -- all this time I have seen her as a baby. Today, she is a big girl. They really do grow up fast.

Total Randomness

We have nothing exciting to report lately (guess that is a good thing). Scarlett had tubes put in her ears -- YIPPEE!!! She has battled ear infections since October and finally in late Feb we had the surgery. She is speaking MUCH clearer and says a new word or sentence everyday, so I guess it was a good decision!!!!! AND she doesn't constantly walk around shaking her poor little head and screaming -- DOUBLE yay! I have a few pics of what we have all been up to lately - the first is Kacy Alyn (can't believe she is 16 years old) at the sweetheart ball with Jeremy. I just think she is so beautiful -- you can see for yourself!

Kacy and Jeremy -- wish she still thought I was a cool aunt!!

Scarlett trying on my new boots -- she loves shoes (like her momma!)

I just love that cute little belly (momma's is NOT so cute!)

Is it ever too early in a girl's life to sunbathe?

It has been SO pretty outside lately and we LOVE it!! This girl could live outside. She does NOT understand why she can't go 'wing' (swing) and 'wide' (slide) when it is raining or freezing!! She loves to play in her daddy's jeep. I am pretty sure that thing hasn't been cleaned out in years - no telling the diseases lurking in there!

Scarlett loves aunt B's dog 'co-co-not' (coconut) - poor little dog gets stickers put on her and is chased and tortured, all from the hands of little miss Scarlett. Scarlett just wants to hug her -- coconut doesn't quite get it :) !

Finally - a picture with her mam. A picture of Scarlett smiling is rare, so I had to post it!!

Sam's 2nd Birthday

Scarlett had her first BIG KID birthday party today -- on the downtown trolley of all places! We had a great time. Scarlett didn't really show much excitement, just did her usual walking around and staring at people. I think she was scouting out who she wanted to talk to and she finally settled in with Sam's grandparents and made herself right at home! Here are some pics of the fun.

Her one moment of true joy -- she finally got her hands on the balloons!

Buddies Cole, Ellie, Scarlett, and Miles (or My-poo, as Scarlett calls him)

Sam and Scarlett

(do you like our lovely hair thingys?? she INSISTED on wearing all three - and so it begins!!!!!!!)

A view from the back of the trolley. They really are beautiful!