Update from the Byrds

Isaac's garden looks great! We just tied herbs to dry in our hall closet. We have a few green cherry tomatoes, which I can't wait to ripen...everything tastes better when you know it's fresh.

In addition to gardening, we spent a few days in Destin with my parents. James was shockingly well behaved on the LONG drive down and back. He ate his weight in applesauce during the drive. The beach was beautiful. James tolerated it for a few minutes each day, but he wasn't a fan of the bright sun, sand in his pants, or the heat. So, we rotated babysitting and beaching. James preferred the comfort of his baby pool. My sweet husband and mother gave me quite a few breaks during the weekend to have alone time and grown up time. It is a different kind of vacation with a 6 month old. 

 I don't like it!!!

reading with Big Daddy in the morning

Speaking of 6 month olds, James had his half birthday on the 30th. For the sake of documentation (for myself) here is a quick summary of his tricks. James would love nothing more than to sit up on his own but not yet...he raises his head off then ground when lying down (like he's doing crunches). He immediately flips from his back to his belly (often in the middle of the night). He sleeps through the night but wakes up EARLY (5-6 a.m.) and ready to GO! He loves to eat. We introduced the sippy cup and he makes a mess with it and cries when it's taken away. Naps are a little inconsistent. No babbling yet but he makes a lot of vowel sounds. We are headed to the pediatrician on Friday for shots and a weigh in (he's a chunk). 


I'm over my self-allotted word count, so I'm going to call it a day!

Grandparent time

I have great memories of time spent at "the farm," as we called my grandparents' house, when my parents went on trips. As much as we loved being with my parents, we loved an excuse to have special treatment by Maw Maw and Paw Paw. Such treats included: ham sandwich with mayo, white bread, and the crust cut off (I don't eat mayo on my sandwiches anywhere but here...somehow, it is just really good); biscuits in the morning with homemade peach preserves; a blanket heated and wrapped around your feet as you go to sleep at night; as much attention as you could ever want...It was fabulous. I was always ready to go home and was glad to see Mom and Dad, but it was quite a treat. 

For the last few days James has experienced the pampering of not one but two sets of grandparents. He has enjoyed a little (or a lot) of TLC from Nana/Big Daddy and Ya Ya/Poppie. They both have oohed and aahed over this little guy and may or may not have lied about how early he woke up each morning. I hope this is the first of many times he enjoys the company of these marvelous people who have loved his parents so well. What a delight to see your parents enjoy your kid!

So you may be wondering, where were you in the midst of all of this grandparent fun....I was probably asleep! Isaac and I have been in Miami for the last few days; Isaac working and Katherine reading or sleeping. I spent a lot of time asleep, and it was marvelous! Unfortunately, we have no pictures to document, but if you are interested, we stayed in a great hotel http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Miami-Beach-Hotel, had wonderful food, and I just relaxed. I highly recommend a lazy adult trip about 6 months after having a baby....I feel rested, relaxed, rejuvenated, and reconnected to my husband (do you like how all of the words started with the letter "r," much like a sermon). 

James looks pretty content with Poppie! (I can't figure out how flip it...)

If you are in Miami anytime soon, I recommend the following:

Casa Tua

Front Porch Cafe- breakfast/brunch

Las Olas Cafe

Who's in charge here?

If someone were to walk into my house right now and ask that question...I would point to James and shrug my shoulders.
 Last night James and I returned from a great weekend in Kosciusko with my family. We decided when you have that many children around, you just have to adjust your expectations and get ready for a little chaos. James was in rare form...we are blaming it on teething. (I guess if no teeth show up in a week or so, we'll know he was just in a bad mood!) We enjoyed the baby pool, playing with cousins, a ballet recital, catching up with siblings and parents. As always my mom outdid herself, cooking on Mother's Day, entertaining the kiddos, and making everyone relax. James and 2 of his cousins (on the Potts side of the family) are just a few months apart. A few months creates big gaps in skills at this point, but it will really be fun when they are able to play together...or at least acknowledge the other one's existence!
 All of this to say, James is a constant reminder that I am not in charge (i.e. I cannot make him nap when I want him to, I cannot always stop his crying, I cannot make his gums not hurt, I cannot make him like to walk in the stroller, I cannot make him be content to play alone on a blanket...you get the idea) and if I just recognize that, we all have a better day! 

 Cousins James and Swinton (5 months and 7 months)

Burton, Rachel, Swinton, Sarah, James

We attempted a group shot and this was the best one. It's a bit of a challenge to keep everyone upright and happy!

they make a handsome pair!

Let the Merry Sunshine In

As a child and even a teenager my mother would wake me up by singing "let the merry sunshine in. Open all the windows, open all the doors and let the merry sunshine in." I don't know if it is really a song or if she just made it up?! I found myself singing that Friday and Saturday to James, as I was almost giddy that the sun FINALLY made its appearance. 


James's attention span is pretty short these days and we rotate through activity centers (or more specifically...plastic, brightly colored baby toys) quite quickly. I swore I would not have a house full of baby clutter. At the moment there is a car seat, swing, bouncy seat, Johnny Jump Up and play mat all on my living room. (eat those words...yep!) So, Saturday James woke up bright and early (gone are the days of sleeping in on the weekends; although, sweet Isaac had baby duty this morning and I stayed in bed until 7:45!).  By 10 a.m. James had rotated through all of his toys, taken a SHORT nap (his new bad habit), gone for a "swim," changed clothes 2x, played outside on his playmat, watched Isaac cut the grass...you get the idea. 


BUT, in spite of our chaos and such, days are much more enjoyable for all of the Byrds when the sun is out. Here are a few pictures of our outdoor activities this weekend. It's cloudy and rainy today BUT we are watching the Grizz which is almost as good as sunshine (especially if they win). More on that later!


See a few pics from our yard, garden, and sunny days. 

 Peonies...the buds are almost as beautiful as the flowers. I think I will plant more of these next year. The only bloom once, but it's well worth it!

 The smallest pool you have ever seen, but perfect for a 5 minute "swim." It only took 2 pitches of warm tap water, and he was ready to go. Don't worry, that white baby skin was coated in sun screen, and he only lasted a few minutes. 

This is Isaac's garden. He seems to have the green thumb of the family. The veggie garden includes: a variety of tomatoes, peppers, okra, and squash. We will invite you over for a "farm to table" dinner soon!

And last but not least, here is James in his Sunday best. He is into short naps (30-40 minutes). So when I walk into the nursery to get him (usually a little frustrated that I don't get a longer break) and lean over the crib...I breaks into this smile. Seriously, how do you stay mad at that?! He is a handful and quite exhausting at times, but boy do we like him!