A Special Visit from Brandi and Merlin....

What a super fun weekend it was for the Wainscott's!  Brandi flew in for a visit.  Boy, did this Momma need to see this lady! Good for the heart and soul.  Little Ledger loved his Auntie Brandi and thoroughly enjoyed their special time together on Friday.  He pretty much wouldn't even look at me when I got home from work on Friday; All eyes and smiles were on Miss B.

 
Brandi is a one of a kind friend.  So loyal and would do anything for you at the drop of a hat.  And funny...  This girl can have me rolling!  Her sense of humor and sometimes snarky/sarcastic ways keep me laughing all.the.time.  And her TEXTS.  The best ever.  Hate that she lives so far away, but our time is oh so sweet we would do see each other.

Love these sweet friends.  And love Lola!

Well, Ledger has officially had his first haircut..... from his MOTHER...  I couldn't take it any longer.

After taking this pic on Sunday afternoon, I thought, "WELL, Good Lord!"  Obviously, L was having a horrendous hair day, but you can't do much with 4 inches sticking up from the top of your head I guess. (Someone has some THIGHS)....

So a Momma's got to do what a Momma's got to do!  I haven't taken an after picture, but trust me....  SO much better.  The mohawk is still there, don't worry....  Just a smidge more tamed!  

AND my my, how Ledger has changed!  Filling out so much and getting bigger by the day.  Love this precious little 3 month face...

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Don't ask and Ledger, I am sorry....

In ALL attempts to get my child to sleep through the night, a mother will do crazy things!  A friend showed me a pic of the Magic Merlin Suit and then sent me the link to it last Saturday night.  I looked at the site (for about 1 minute) and ordered this bad boy off Amazon as soon as my fingers could click "BUY!"  It is supposed to help transition from the swaddle to this between 3-6 months and have your baby sleeping THROUGH the night in no time at all.

I was adamant to try it out Tuesday night...  Even though L had a rash on his face and the beginning stages of an ear infection...  (HELLACIOUS week people)  it probably wasn't the best night to try it, but Heather's stubborn mind was set (and my husband was shaking his head saying..."I told you so.")

He made it in the "Sumo Fat Suit" from 8-midnight, then Brad fed him and back in the sucker until 2:30.  I then fed and stuck him back in the suit and the proceeded to watch him for an HOUR flail his chubby arms and legs all around his crib, all without a peep coming out of him.  He looked like a wounded beetle that had accidentally flipped onto his back with his 6 little legs flailing trying to get flipped back over.  It was sad, pathetic and exhausting to watch.  SOOOOOOO.....  AT 3:35, Ledger went back in the Miracle Blanket and in the Day Dreamer.

Maybe it was too soon for the almighty Magical Merlin Suit...  Well, that is what "Maureen" said when I emailed the company yesterday. Oh, yes I did.....  I am THAT Mom.

So with Maureen's advice, I'll try again in a week or two....

Happy Thursday!

Love,

~H

 

Easter 2015...

What a whirlwind trip to Texas it was....  And travelling with an 11 week old.  I am still tired just thinking about it!  Little guy did pretty well...  But by Sunday, he was OVER.IT...  I think the more we travel with him, the easier it will become.  He better be ready because June 1st, comes a Mommy and Ledger trip ALONE, on a plane, to the Texas Panhandle...  

Just typing that gives me anxiety.....

Well, the Principal's test came and went.  SO Brad drops me off and was going to come back and get me 3 hours later.  Little did we know, he should of NEVER dropped me off.  Long story short, my names did not match up;  SERIOUSLY? -  Can you NOT make a judgement call?

• Driver's License Name:  Heather Shalyn Wainscott
• TEA Name (Texas Educator's Website):  Heather Hodges Wainscott

SO.....  After 10 minutes of begging, pleading and now SOBBING in the lobby of the testing center, I decided that they were not going to budge, and now I had to call for a ride!  Thankful that my girlfriend Stephanie lives close and swung by and got me.  And she got to meet Ledger because of my error...  That was an expensive $120.00 meeting of two people!:) 

The rest of the weekend was a whirlwind full of family and some friends.  We didn't get to see everybody because it was just too quick of trip, and the "get-up-and-go" no longer exists since little Ledger is now with us.  Those days are LONG.GONE....

 "A 7.5 hour road trip? You have to be kidding me!"

 "And a dumb selfie?" 

"But Mommy in the back seat with me, holding my paci for 7 + hours.... SCORE!"

 About 30 minutes after we pulled into Rockwall, MJ and Ledger were down for the count.  Except one sleeps through the night and one doesn't.  Sigh...

Christy told Marlowe to go get in the picture with Uncle Brad and Ledger.  

Arms length people; that is as close as she would get! Haha...

Bebo and Bob made it!  WOOHOO....

Daddy and Daughter Love...

And when in TX....  My husband's favorite breakfast tacos are from Taco C!  We made one quick stop Saturday morning...  AND when in TX you have to have a chicken fried steak...  AND this one had jalapeno gravy.  HELLO?!

 We were able to see some Dallas friends... Glad they all got to meet little Ledger!

IS it time for church YET?

After church and as good as we could get folks...

Ledger loves his Bob! (If you couldn't tell..)

Marlowe's doll...

After a sad goodbye, and 8 hours later, we got stuck on this gem of a bridge... In the pouring rain with an 11 week old...  I have never been SO EXCITED to be back home in Lousisana.  We were all three pretty over it.

Especially this little dude...

What a fast and furious Texas trip it was.  Never long enough...

Momma has now changed her name and it matches her ID.  All for a %^& test...  Grrrr.

Happy Thursday Everyone!  2 more days and a much needed weekend and we have a special visitor flying in this afternoon from Texas.  Can't wait for Ledger to meet one of Momma's BFF's.  Get here quick Brandi!

Love,

~H

Bunny Success...

Bob came and Bob sadly left...  What a great week Ledger had!  I think Bob may just be one of Ledger's first best friends.  (AND I know the feeling was mutual.)   

And bright and early Saturday morning at Louis Armstrong International Airport came, and only one of us hand the usual breakdown.  That would be this chick.  Mom didn't shed one tear.  WHAT?  I think I'll chalk it up to she was exhausted from the week of 24 hour baby duty, had been with 4 grand-kids the past two weeks, or she knew she would see us Friday in Dallas!  Never-the-less, it is always good when you have the next trip planned!  That always softens the blow of the ever-dreadful, ugly snot-slinging airport goodbye...

After Bob's departure, it was time for "Brunch with the Easter Bunny" with our bestie Greta!  What a fun morning it was!  The shrills and screams from all the tikes and toddlers when the Easter Bunny appeared through the glass window were priceless.  G and L could have cared less.  They were more concerned with a thing called "a bottle."

 A little too young to color...

Waiting our turn for the Easter Bunny.  Never in a million years did Brad probably think he would spend his Saturday morning, waiting in a 20 minute line, dodging screaming kids, while feeding a baby, all for a picture with a DARN RABBIT that Ledger will NEVER remember.  My, my how times have changed...:)

Such a little stud!  

The two love birds.  I say that loosely.  Ledger is asleep, looking very innocent I might add and Greta is still not the least bit impressed with L.  Not.one.bit...

Fun morning...

Love these two guys...

And Ledger is done...

About 11 seconds away from an epic meltdown.

And... On a funnier note, this popped up in my email the other day.  See if you can find it!

 I about spit out my water when I saw the top email.  That is hysterical.  It is.  

Planning another pregnancy right now sounds about as much fun as taking two hot pokers to both my eyes. 

Well, we are on our way to Dallas on Thursday.  An 7.5 hour car ride with an 11 week old;  this should be a fun one.  (Well, 7.5 hour WITHOUT a child, so I know it will be longer.  Brad doesn't understand why we have to STOP to feed the kid.  I explained to him that you cannot take him out of the car seat and feed him while the car is RUNNING and CRUISING at a speed of 75 mph down the interstate.)  Men.....

I am taking my Texas Principal's Test on Friday morning.  Woohoo.  I am driving 8 hours to take a 5 hour test you might ask?!?!  Yes I am...  Brad thinks it makes "total" sense that we live in Louisiana and I am taking the "Texas" test.  Well, one day I am praying it will come to good use...  One day...

Spending Easter weekend with the family out at Cody and Christy's house and cannot wait!  It will be a quick trip for sure, but summer is right around the corner and Ledger and I have lots of trips planned.  

Have a great Easter weekend everyone!

Love,

~H

 

 

Impeccable Radar...

One week down, 8 to go until summer vacation!  And there were ZERO TEARS from this Mama on her first week back to work.  I knew Ledger was in the best hands...

No tears, but there was a Venti every.single.day... 

Aunt Christy was here this week helping out on the home front, and I am going to go ahead and say Ledger ate better, napped better (in his crib - not the garage), was all smiles and like the perfect 9 week old baby!  I even got to take an Ambien TWICE because Christy insisted on doing the feedings Tuesday and Wednesday.  I did not even argue with her one bit on that one.  That is MOMMA GOLD!

She is pretty much the baby whisperer...  Brad and I begged her to stay, even putting together a deal that we would pay for Cody and Marlowe's weekend trip here once a month, but she didn't bite:)  She had to return to Rockwall, seeing that she has a life of her own. Darn the luck:)

 Ledger loved his Auntie Christy.  

 She sent me this one during the day this week and I thought..."Good Lord - My child is huge!"  Just a bad angle...  

 When she sent me this on Monday, I about fell out of my chair!  Napping in the crib????  

We don't do that here at 1224 Magnolia Alley!  Or so I thought.  Baby whisperer I tell you...

And I swear Ledger has the most perfect radar...  Anytime I try and lay down for a nap or when Brad and I try to have a somewhat of an adult, relaxed dinner, he needs us (or needs attention).  As soon as the first bite of food hits our lips, the cries, yelps, and pathetic groaning commences telling us that he is due for some kind of attention.  SIGH...

Well, the same thing with church.  Two Sundays in a row, I have heard about 10 words of the sermon.  Brad has to give me the Reader's Digest version on the way home.  We try and plan it all out the last possible minute to feed him, then nap on the way to Starbuck's, and then on to church where he will peacefully sleep through the hour and 15 minute service....  But it never works out that way.  Isn't that LIFE!  Ledger and I just hang out in the foyer.  Maybe I'll be brave and try the nursery next week...  Umm probably not...

SO.....  Ledger 2 Church 0.  Maybe 3rd time's a charm!

Seriously out of control.  It's a good 4 inches on the top of his head.  Awesome...

Last night's dinner...  Baby, beach towel and crab legs on fancy plates all while dining on the floor.  What more could one want?  (And he groaned the entire dinner as if he wasn't close enough to us...)  The groaning came to a complete stop when I picked little guy up.  

He looked at me and I know he was thinking, "SUCKER!"

Off to get Bob at the airport.  Woohoo - He is getting spoiled two weeks in a row.  I am sure he will be as delightful for his Bob as he was for his aunt.

 With all kidding aside, I love this little guy.  And his impeccable radar. 

Happy Monday tomorrow everyone...

Love,

~H

Back to the Grindstone...

Well, the time has come.  Back to work it is.  Gosh, the 9 weeks flew by so so fast.  Even the 3:00 am wake-up hunger calls have flown by.  I have super mixed feelings about going back to work.  I am excited to see my kids at school, but don't really want to leave Ledger.  I wonder if my boss would know if Ledger just sat in his car seat under my desk all day?  He loves a carseat and a dark place (hence, the garage).  And starting Monday is the dreaded LOUISIANA STATE TESTING!  PARCC it is, my Texas STAAR people. 

I went up to school Thursday to see my sweet kids and to introduce them to Ledger!  We talked about him and how ginormous my belly got each passing day for 4 months, so I was dying for the kids to meet him.  You would have thought I brought each one of them a 100 dollar bill.  The screams, shrills, "ooohhhhs" and "aaaahhhhs" were out of control!  It was so sweet to hear them talk to Ledger.  He was asleep when we first got there, but after about 5 minutes of 21 nine yr olds screaming and chomping at the bit to see his eyes, he woke up real fast.  

I have been gone 9 weeks and are some of the first things I heard.....

"I just knew Ledger would have hair like mine, Mrs. Wainscott!"

"I got a dog Mrs. Wainscott."

"My mom had her baby, but didn't name it 'Kitty Kat' like I wanted..."

"Look at my braces Mrs. Wainscott. They are Mardi Gras colors."

And hands down the funniest....

"My mom quit her diet and stopped working out Mrs. Wainscott.  Yeah, she's still got her chubby belly."

Wouldn't parents die if they knew what their lovelies told me.  And on the other end, I don't even want to know what the homefronts hear about me!:)

 Happy Two Months L!

He has grown so so much. Those rolls.....   I cannot tell you how much I love this little bundle of all boy!  He is starting to smile and coo all the time.  We finally have a routine down of eating, napping and sleeping - THANK YOU JESUS!  And what do you know....  right before Mom goes back to work, we have mastered the schedule- Seriously?

Just some random thoughts:

I took a glance at my dishwasher the other night.  Is this sad or what?  No plates in the dishwasher, but there is always a plethora of wine glasses used in this post-baby, non sleeping household.

We are going to miss our daily walks with our gfriend Greta...

Well hello cheeks....We love our Texas Tech onesie and cannot wait for football season!  

Thanks Beverly and Sallie:)

Happy St. Patty's Day (a couple days early)

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Trying to soak up every last minute with this little guy before heading to work bright and early Monday morning.  Well, maybe not every minute...  

Going to try and talk Dad into doing the 2-3 am feeding tonight.  Maybe I could butter him up by cooking an amazing dinner or go the "I don't feel well honey" route!  

I like the sick route better...

Love,

~H

 

Phone Book in 2015? ...

 EVERY.NIGHT... :)

Disclaimer - Sorry for the language, but this was too funny.  This is definitely a pic of my son in 2017-2018.  Yep, sure is, except for the chili bowl hair cut.

Let me go ahead and tell you nothing much has happened here lately.  Just taking care of the bebe and trying to prepare myself mentally to go back to work on the 16th.  

I guess that means that I must start getting dressed in something other than workout clothes, pull out the ol' make-up and actually wash my hair.  Brad is going to think he hit the jack-pot or has two wives.

Last Friday night, Ledger had a rough one.  I mean rough...  Up every hour.  So in efforts to (shut him up) calm him down, Momma loaded him up about 6:00 am and took a drive around our lovely town.  I managed to take off my robe and put on a ratty sweatshirt, but that was about it.  I mean he was unmanageable ALL NIGHT LONG.  I swaddled, fed, changed him, played music, sang to him, you name it!  There was a one-man-show going down in his nursery.  So in last efforts, a drive was a must.  I started the short drive to my home away from home these days; Starbucks.  I knew they opened at 5:30, so Momma was happy, well as chipper as one can be on 1-2 hours of sleep.  I grabbed my coffee and noticed that I heard SILENCE from the back seat.  I turned around in the parking lot and here is what I saw....

 Sigh...

This is my "Are you freaking kidding me?"  Why didn't I load him up at 1:00 am and do this?

I drove straight home, left L in the car in the garage, and climbed back in bed for two hours.  Went and checked on him at 8:15 and yep, still snoozing away.  Rough night for the little fellow, I guess.....

Last Saturday was my Mom's 65th birthday!  Little did she know, my Dad had planned a wonderful surprise party in her honor!  And he planned this puppy in FOUR DAYS...  You name it, he did it; all on his own.  He called all the guests - 14 couples, planned the menu at the Country Club, ordered the flowers for the table centerpieces, had fun birthday banners made, purchased countless gifts and designed a yummy cake.  WHAT a great husband he is!  Mom did not have a clue....  It was so fun being in on the secret and helping Dad when he would call me 5-8 times a day - No lie.  Here is an example of one of our many, many conversations.

D:  "Hey, where do you think I should get Mom a gift card?  Maybe some new clothes or shoes for her, not to spend on you three kids or all the grand kids!"

H: "Hmmm.  Dillard's or the Loft will be great!"

D: "Can you look those numbers up in the phone book for me?"

H: "Dad, I do not have a phone book for Amarillo, TX and do phone books even exist anymore? Just Google it."

D: "I don't have Google on my phone Heather...."

H: "Yes you do Dad.. You have an IPhone."

D: (With complete frustration in his voice....) "Well Heather, I don't know how to Google..."

H: (In less than 7 seconds...) "I got this Dad. Here are the numbers."

God love him...

 Yes, those would be pom-poms on the table in honor of Bob's college cheerleading days...

Glad she found the humor in her birthday banner!:)

Talking with her hands of course...And doesn't look a day over 50!

Love, love this sweet photo of the most amazing couple I know.  What a testament of love and commitment.

Some more firsts:

First mall trip.  He loved it.  Definitely a shopper like his Daddy.

First Wubba...

L's first shot for his modeling portfolio.  (Maybe not with the horizontal stripes... Doesn't do much for his mid-section and waistline.)  

I swear, this child is a POSER!  Hysterical....

Cannot believe it is March!  Time is flying by...  

And I can't wait for Daylight Savings this Saturday/Sunday.  On pins and needles... Should be loads of fun with a 7 week old. 

Love,

~H