Bitty man is 17 months

I definitely use to do better of documenting John Brantley’s monthly milestones on the correct day, but it just didn't get done on time.  He turned 17 months on the 13^th of this month.  Our life is action packed to say the least, but we wouldn't have it any other way.  

 Some things I want to remember about John Brantley at 17 months:

Weight: around 20-21 lbs.
Clothes: 12-18 months
Shoes: size 4-5
Diapers: Size 3
Naps:  He still takes two naps a day!!!!!
Bedtime: is around 7:00-7:30  

 John Brantley doesn't talk.  He says very few words: Momma, Da-da, Bye Bye, Deta.  He understands about 95% of what we say to him.  Even though he can’t talk, he communicates his needs and wants very quickly and easily with all his squealing.  He gets that from me!!!

 Ford at the same age, in the same outfit, and both riding Trey’s tractor!

 John Brantley has never had a haircut, as you can tell.  His eyes are blue, and he has about 14 teeth.  He never took a bottle or a pacifier.  He sleeps with his old sleep sack for something to love on.

John Brantley is a BAD eater.  He won’t eat fruit or many vegetables, but he loves meat.  His absolute favorite would be sweets and other not so healthy junk food.

He is a strong willed child.  He can throw a fit at the drop of a hat and make you think he is being beaten.  Spankings don’t always work with him.  Sometimes tough love works the best.

He loves his brother and tries to do whatever Ford does.  John Brantley doesn't have a lot of toys that are “his own” so he upsets Ford when he messes with his stuff.  John Brantley is wild and rough and Ford is much more careful with his things.

He acts goofy….

 He loves bath time, tractors, outside, balls, animals, trains, candy, chips, pretending to drive my car, riding 4-wheelers, dancing to music, playing with toys, the sandbox, hiding under his bed, Capri Suns, milk, sweets, and anything that looks new and exciting.

When John Brantley gets really excited he will squeal, start dancing around kind of in a spin motion on his toes, he will run and swing his right arm while doing so, or make an excited sound and do his tongue in and out (this usually involves food). 

He doesn't like for me to leave him.  I think we are going through the separation anxiety stage.  I don’t like to see him upset, but it’s good for us to have time apart. 

John Brantley is fearless.  He isn't scared of anything.  He has a high tolerance for pain too.

He is never called by the right name.  His name is John Brantley Lamar.  However, he is often referred to as: John, John Branson, John Bradley, James Brantley, John Michael, Brantley, etc.  Since Trey thinks his long hair is MARVELOUS, he is called a girl about 90% of the time. 

 He has a dimple on his right cheek, and a birth mark on the back of his head at his hair line.  He has a dimple on his chin and long eye lashes like Trey.

 He loves: to be held, for his momma to rock him, to be tickled, when Trey comes home from work, and to go places.

If someone takes off their shoes he will pick them up and bring them to you.  He hates sitting still to have his fingernails cut or his hair dried.  

 We love our precious Bitty!!!!!!!!!!!

And not to forget our Fordman….

He had cowboy day at school.  I believe the hat and bandana were gone before he got out of the carpool line!  The child loves school and tells me important things that happened each day.  For example: what helper he got to be (line leader, snack helper, flag holder, helping with the calendar, or telling about the weather).  I also hear who did the bad stuff in his class, that he got 5 squirts of soap in the bathroom, if anyone cried etc.  

 He is SUCH a sensitive child.  The other day I started singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and he CRIED!!!  He was upset the other reindeer were mean to Rudolph.  He requested to never hear that one again.  Mother fail!!!!!  He was riding in the car with a friend last week and they watched a Mickey Mouse episode.  Pluto ran away from Mickey Mouse on the show.  When he got home he started telling me all about the show.  Then he BROKE DOWN!!!  He said, “All Mickey wanted for Christmas was for Pluto to come back home!!!!”

 Ford is such a homebody.  I think he’d stay home and never go anywhere for weeks at a time and be perfectly content.  He likes running around in his underwear and watching shows and playing with his Legos. 

 Ford has a slight lisp when it comes to words with an “L”.  I personally think it’s precious!  He promises to always be my baby and cuddle with me.  I’ll be crushed when he stops wanting my attention 24/7.

 Words can’t describe how much I love being a mom.  I am in awe that God gave me two children to love and raise while they are on this Earth.  There is no greater joy for me than to be a stay at home mom and love on my babies.

I'm a busy little bee

It seems like there are weeks in my life where I am trying to figure out an activity for the boys and I to do, and then there are other weeks that I am trying to keep my head above water.  No, I don’t have a “job” that provides an income, but I tend to keep myself very busy.  This week is one of those busy weeks.

On Saturday, Trey and I decided to go to the Ole Miss vs. Arkansas game.  We both wanted to stay at home and enjoy the day in Mayberry, but the chancellor had sent us tickets to sit in his box so we couldn't miss that opportunity.  One could get use to some VIP treatment. 

Sunday morning I was up bright an early getting ready to head back to Oxford for a baby shower.  One of my childhood friends and college roommates is having a sweet baby boy next month and we showered her and sweet baby K.  He is still unnamed!!!! 

 Not only were Taylor and I roommates in college and in each other’s’ weddings, but so were our mothers. 

Now we are up to Monday.  Today is Veteran’s Day and it was also Grandparents’ Day at Ford’s school.  I decided that I would sign up to be the homeroom mother and the chairman of a lot of parties.  I didn’t realize when doing so that they really decorate for parties at his school.  It’s not like bring a bag of Doritos and a thing of dip kind of parties.  So naturally, in true Jill fashion, I stressed over this party.  When I stress over stuff like this I call Puddin and she always saves the day.  She loaded me up with festive fall décor and I got to work.  I think I did an okay job on my refreshments table.   

 Ford should have won a prize.  He had the most family there.  Here he is with his Great-Grandmother, Bobba.  Bobba is Puddin’s mother.

 Next we have Ford with Puddin and Pops.

 And thankfully, Gran was feeling well enough to come today.  Ford is with his Gran and BoomPa here.

 For some reason Ford kept doing the “land shark” during his Grandparent’s Day program!

 Daddy even made a debut at the program.   

I am sooooooo thankful that I get to attend special things that my children are involved in.  This is precious time for me and I treasure these sweet moments.  I still haven’t gotten over the fact that I missed “Meet the Teacher” when he was in 2K two years ago.  I still disturbs me to this day.  And for that very reason I plan to attend every single thing I possible can!    

After the party I decided we needed to head to our church.  There is a beautiful ginkgo tree right out front that is absolutely gorgeous for about 1 week.  I always go and take pictures and I decided today was the day.  I think my blood pressure went up a good bit trying to get them to cooperate.      

 And here’s the tree!!!  I was just admiring it, and it might only be me, but I think I see something.  Look at the top right… It almost looks like an outline of an angel.  It’s much brighter in one area at the top.  It’s probably just me, but I promise the Lord has been showing me signs left and right since my mom found out she had pancreatic cancer.

 I personally think that John Brantley already has learned how to do things that will tick Ford off.  We have two great sippy cups that don’t leak!  Ford’s favorite colors are green and blue so that’s his cup.  John Brantley is the red headed step child so he gets the leftovers.  Therefore, he has the yellow and orange cup.  Today he ran over to the frig and started going, “Uhhh Uhhh” at the refrigerator door.  I opened it and he climbed up and helped himself to two drinks!

 A few weeks ago we went to Tupelo and had John Brantley’s hands and feet done at a pottery place in Tupelo.  I just got it back this week and it turned out great!!!  I am so glad I have these done for both boys!

 Please pray for their Gran tomorrow as she will have her second chemo treatment.  She is a trooper and is fighting this hardcore.  The treatments are tough so please pray for comfort, peace, strength, an appetite, energy, and complete healing.  I have been wearing a bracelet that says, “Keep the Faith” and I pray for my mom numerous times a day.  I am asking that you pray for complete healing for her too.  She’s such a special woman and I know she CAN and WILL beat this terrible disease.

Ford is 4.5!!!!

Jefferson Hannaford “Ford” Lamar

It seems like I always do a good job of documenting John Brantley’s monthly milestones, yet I completely neglect poor Ford.  On November 1, Ford was 4 ½ years old.  I want to remember some things about my big boy too.

Weight: 35 pounds- 23^rd percentile
Height: 41.5 inches- 45^th percentile
Shoe Size- 10
Clothes size: pants size 4, shirts 4 or 5

Favorite Foods:

For breakfast he loves: cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuits, or sausage muffins.  On special occasions we might get McDonalds and he prefers a sausage biscuit and a hash brown.  If we venture to the Donut Shop he likes a donut with sprinkles and a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit from there.
For lunch he prefers: a lunchable, mac-n-cheese, a sandwich, pizza, Rio Lindo, or chicken nuggets and fries.
For snacking foods he likes: chips, nuts, goldfish, “redsticks” (the club crackers with cheese in the 4 pack), granola bars, Oreos, pistachios, popsicles, cheese, cookies, etc.
For supper he gets whatever we cook!!!
Candy: his ALL time favorite is sweet-tarts.  He also likes gum, Nerds, Smarties, Twix, suckers, Rolos, M&M’s, peppermints, etc.

 Favorite TV Shows: #1 is definitely Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  He also likes Handy Manny, Chuggington, Sesame Street, The Cat in the Hat, Dinosaur Train, Little Einstein’s, etc.  I am pretty strict on the TV.  I like to monitor what he watches and how much TV he watches.  I feel safe leaving the room with the PBS channel on and that’s about it!

Favorite Activities: Ford loves to be outside.  He enjoys riding his toy 4-wheeler and of course pretending to drive the real one too.  He likes riding his bike, scooter, and playing in the sandbox.  He is obsessed with his Legos.  He has the tiny kind that can build different trucks and machines.  He could spend hours at the table “following the directions” and building.  He likes “family fun day” when we all play and wrestle in the bed.  He likes having friends over, going to Jackson, the zoo, the children’s museum, Chuck E Cheese, playing t-ball and soccer, and helping me cook.  He is infatuated with anything to do with rockets, space, planets, etc.  He likes to dress up in his astronaut costume and pretend to “blast off”.  He loves tractors, going to church, seeing family members, and school. 

The other night Ford was asking about piercing ears.  We got into a discussion about earrings and I told him some people wear clip-on earrings.  That intrigued him.  He decided to test some out….

 Personality Type:  Ford is NOT shy and loves to talk, talk, talk.  However, if you put him in a situation with a lot of people in an unfamiliar place he tends to act withdrawn and shy.  He is extremely inquisitive and asks so many questions that I often times want to lose my mind.  I try my best to answer him, but some things are so deep that I don’t even know where to begin.

He is a worrier.  He worries constantly about things.  He worries about being in the dark and is afraid of his room at night.  He worries if people are sick, crying, or hurting.  He worries that if it rains the dirt will turn into mud and we might get stuck.  The child worries in advance about “what COULD happen”.
He is tender hearted.  Ohhhhhh is he ever!  He gets this from his Daddy.  If I were to cry it’s a 100% chance that Ford would cry too.  He loves life and people, but again, he worries.  He cares deeply for others and will say the sweetest prayers for those in need.
He’s smart.  Often times Trey and I have said he is too smart for his own britches.  He figures things out and asks too many questions.  Soon we won’t be able to spell things because he will know what we are talking about.  He desperately wants to learn and know who everyone is, where everything is, and how everything works.  Ford is OCD.  He must have all of his ducks in a row.  Things must be neat and tidy or he can’t seem to function right!!

 He’s sweet.  He loves his Momma.  He constantly wants to be held, hugged, kissed, and cuddled.  He is such a good big brother.  I have been beyond impressed and pleased with how he treats and helps John Brantley.  He hugs and loves on his brother even when he bites him!

 Future Plans:  Ford wants to be a lot of things.  He wants to be a farmer, an astronaut, a lawyer, and last week a teacher.

Sleeping Habits:  Ford rarely naps anymore.  He goes to bed at night anywhere between 7:00-8:00.  He falls asleep in our bed and then we move him to his bed when we go to sleep.  He gets up about 6:30 in the mornings.

Other likes:  The color green.  Watching Mickey Mouse episodes on Trey’s Ipad, pretending to drive my car, playing at the park, painting, dressing up in hunting clothes and “pretending” to hunt in the yard, playing with his cousins, singing about Jesus, reading books, looking at animals, planets, or mud riding  on the computer, and drinking Sprite.

He wants: a sister, a real gas 4-wheeler, to go to Mars, a tractor, a leaf blower of his own, an astronaut helmet, and to meet Mickey Mouse and the gang.

Nicknames:  Willis, Clyde, Fordster, Fordman, and My Precious Angel

He’s been to: The beach 5 times, Park City, Utah, Huntsville, Alabama, Pickwick Lake, and other not so exciting places around the state of MS.

Ford brings so much life and happiness to our home.  It is almost impossible to remember life before our little talker.  The Lord really knows how to choose the right parents and children to match together.  I am so thankful that he chose me to be his mother during his time on Earth.  I pray that he will love the Lord with all of his heart and do great things in his life.  I love you little buddy!!!