Our Yard in Pictures

The boys (my Hubby, Dad and some workers from my company and Andy's company) have been working in the yard here and there ... today they got serious!

Mom and I had pulled all the weeds and planted some "green" along the pool then added some concrete scallops around it. The boys had been working on the sprinkler system and removing of some large plants and such. We (they) added another retain wall to the yard to cut out the SLOPE of it. Now we have a retaining wall and a Sea Wall. Here are the before and afters ...

Whatcha Think?!

Front Yard when we first bought it!

Weeds and over grown bushes

Notice all the grass in the beds and weeds!

After - Weeds all gone - all we need now is MULCH!

Back yard - BEFORE

Back Yard - before - look at the beds

After - Added some plants and cut all the others back & Mulch!

Back Yard with BIG Slope - Before

Back Yard with big slope - Before

During - Building the retaining wall

Bringing in the Sod ... 6 palates

Front yard all done ... from the sprinklers and all the trucks in and out we had to put down new sod!

The light green grass is all new ...

Retaining wall and all sod in place!

No more slope!

Retainer wall and Sea Wall ... with beach!

New Yard with Pool

New Yard with River View!

Pool with deck and yard all cleaned up!

I'm Okay and Thanks to all of YOU!

I am swamped at work, but I really wanted to thank all of you for your kind words, and all of your support! It means so much to know that some/most of you have all questioned your ability or been overwhelmed too! Thanks for sharing and being honest with me!

I am not sure why it has been easier to write about my "bad" emotions than to talk to people around me, but it is ... talking just makes me say it out loud and I feel that it makes me cry even harder ... haha

Anyway I am doing well ... yesterday and today have been good - we are in the end of the house - Andy has been home 2 nights in a row for dinner and bath time with Tatum and that has helped me a lot! We will start to move middle of next week :) I will be posting pictures very very soon!

Weepy

Well the cries are back. The tears turned on today and I can't shut them off.
Tatum Bell has no idea how much her life is getting ready to change, the house is STILL NOT ready, I am fat as a house and it is 100+ degrees outside! Work sucks and my husband is off working his ass of to get us into that house that still is NOT ready. Tatum just left to go to my mom's for the night and I can't stop crying! Not because she left but because no one is here to see me at my worse! No one has even looked at our house (the one for sale) but we did have 1 ... ONE call this past weekend! I want to crawl in a hole and hide until it is all over ... the house, the baby and the stinking heat! I hate that I am down, I hate that here I am crying trying to see the screen trough tears and really what is there to cry about?! Some people don't have an abundance of babies, or 2 houses or too much on their plate - OVERWHELMED ... can I say that again ... I AM OVERWHELMED! At Tatum's 1 year old check up they asked if she knew any body parts?! No ... I cried ... am I already failing her ... we are too stinking busy to teach her ... nose, eyes, ears ... Where am I supposed to find that energy?! It is hard enough to get her home, feed her, bath her, and put her to bed ... never mind the WIFE I am SUPPOSED TO BE~! I can't do this! I can't be all I am supposed to be! I can't be a mommy, a wife and a worker. I can't be a 2 house owner, and a business owner. I can't do it! I need HELP! You know what is bad about all of this ... I have help - it is surrounding me! NO ONE not one of my family members, or friends expects ANYTHING from me ... Sunday I took Tatum to the house ... we swam while everyone worked ... everyone was FINE with it, they were just glad to see us out and about ... but me I cried ... I am the worker, I am the DOER ... and NOTHING I can't do it!
Okay .. enough of this crying ... I am off to take a bath and relax, suck it up and be a big girl! Love to you all and if you have some prayers left ... please think of me!

Baby name and Date set!

We have a name for baby boy Kemp and a C-section date! I am not posting it here ... if you know me and I know you and you wanna know ... just let me know ... I will tell you! But with all the crazies out there don't want to post the name and date together!

Father's Day

Only one thing could have made this Father's Day better ... cooler weather!

I told Andy and my dad that the only thing happening on Sunday was NO WORK ALLOWED!

Those 2 men have been at our River house working every evening after work and EVERY weekend since February 10th. I feel like a girl with no dad and no husband on some days! So you ask how did it go?! It went well! NO ONE worked at the house at all!

We woke up and got ready for the beach, we figured we would hit the beach early to avoid the heat ... being 7 months preggo in 100 degree + weather isn't FUN! ... so we were at the beach by 8:30 and were there until about 11. Tatum ate only a few hands of sand and it was wonderful ... then we came home, Andy opened his presents ... he got new sunglasses and 2 battery operated fish for the pool. Nothing like some pool fun! Tatum took a 2 hour nap and mommy took a 1.5 hour nap! Both much needed. Then it was off to Andy's parents ... his Papa came over, and my parents came over ... we grilled out and opened gifts for Tatum's Birthday! It was wonderful ... now for what you have been waiting for ... the pictures!

First Tatum with Grammpy (My dad) this year first and last year second:

With her Grandpapa (Andy's dad) this year first and last year:

Tatum with both Grandpa's last year ... they forgot their shirts this year!

At the beach ... notice the one of her choking on the sand ... haha silly girl!

Love my Daddy!

Bubbles with Grandmama (Andy's Mom)

Finally Cake!

Look at all the cake on the side of the chair ... haha

Hope you enjoyed all of the pictures! See you guys later this week!

My First Blog Award

Thanks Robin for my very first award, and just after my blogoversary (is that is a word) haha.

I am speechless ... not because it is my first award, but because you are like my sister! I love you - I really can can tell you anything and I don't even think twice about it! I feel like in my worst of days that I could cry on you and you would help wipe my tears and yes even some snot! Sometime I think that is weird, but every time I say it is weird I stomp that out and get over it real quick! I love you and I am so so glad to have met you and I look forward to our real meeting very soon!!!!

Now I have to pass this award on - I don't think I can give it right back to you, but that would be my first choice!

I am going to stick with 2 ...

My other KimmyK you get the first - I think you may have been the first outside comment on my blog! You have helped me in so many emotionally ways and mostly have been honesty with me ... kids, hubbies and life - you have helped me see so so many times that IT IS OKAY to worry, cry, be mad, be scared ... but with all of that you also make me see that it too will be okay! so to you KimmyK ... the Rose award!

My second one is for MelBel - she is MY BEST friend in real life! (Robin you are too) I have known Melanie for about 10 years ... I am not sure the year ... but I can tell you when ... it was Carole and Clint's wedding ... we bonded and it has NEVER stopped! I love you Melanie and even though your blog lacks of updates ... haha I do love you and I know you will be in my life forever!

Well for now that is it ... on blog awards PLEASE stay tuned for Fathers day pictures and Tatum's 2n'd birthday celebration!

My Baby is 1 today ...

Happy Birthday Tatum ...

I am so upset ... the date on the freaking camera is WRONG ... I promise this picture was taken this am by her daddy just before school! Didn't he do a good job dressing her for her Birthday! What a Princess!

My precious Tatum Bug,

You came into our lives just 1 year ago, but it seems just like yesterday. You are such a joy, such a good baby. You started sleeping though the night at 3 months, I was so very proud. You amaze me everyday with your laughter, your smile and your ability to take it all in. I know you are only 1 and I make it sound like you have conquered it all, but anyone you meet says the same. You are so so happy and so easy going. This is amazing, especially considering that I have not been so easy going as your mommy. The first few weeks you were home with us I cried and cried, uncontrollably. Your daddy was wonderful and so were you. You were so patient with me, even though you didn’t have a choice, but together we have DONE IT!!! We have made it … a year! I love you, you are my sunshine, and you are my life! Daddy is my rock, my love and my best friend; you are my reason to make it all work! You are my reason to fight everyday for a better me, a better us and my reason to RUSH home! I love you with all my heart and I could not imagine our lives without you.

Our world is getting ready to change so so much, we are moving, we will have another baby in the house, and things will be harder. I promise I will do my best to put “us” time aside every week, I promise you that we will have our time, our fun together!
I thank God everyday that you are in my life and I can’t wait to see what the next few years will bring us! I look forward to learning with you, growing with you, and all the Birthdays to come. Happy Birthday to you, to me and please know how special you are to me. I never really believed all the mommies that said “you’ve never known love until you are a mommy,” but that is REAL! So very real! One day (a very very long time from now, like 30+ years) you will see what I mean. Having you in my life is amazing, you are my world and I LOVE YOU! Happy Birthday I hope we continue to have so much fun!
Love, Mommy

Several BM's

If any guys are reading or any woman who do not care to talk about bowel movements ... stop reading NOW!!!

You see this is the problem ...
at home Tatum only poops 1 MAYBE 2 times a day
at daycare she is going poopie 4-5 times a day!
I have NEVER had to use diaper ointment on her, but at daycare ...
they have to use it with every change from Tuesday on!

She was home from School last Friday, because Aunt MelBel came to visit. Tatum was with me Friday, Saturday and with her Grandmama on Sunday ... she only went #2 2 times Friday, 1 time Saturday and 2 on Sunday ... no ointment needed!

They are changing her 6-7 times a day at school, so I know she isn't sitting in it ... I get a report card with times and description ... gross I know! I also get description on her time of each bottle (which we pre make and send) her snacks and her lunch ... which I also send! The ONLY difference I know if home and school is this:

1) Her length of nap. At home she takes 2 1.5 hour naps ... one in the am and one in the afternoon, at school she takes 1 nap ... ranging from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Usually after 12.

2) At school she is on more of "eating" schedule. It is a 3 hour cycle. At home we eat the same amount, just not on such a schedule.

So this is where you all come into the picture ... what is the problem?! Is this a bad sign? Are infants like adults ... they get nervous poops?! Is she having nervous problems at school?! Is she okay?! Should I find a new daycare?! Is it daycare at all?! Help ... advise PLEASE!!

Who needs a walker

Tatum is OFFICIALLY walking ... Check her out!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Walking

Well Tatum is starting to walk. She is on her way to becoming a BIG girl, and all right before my eyes! She is taking several unassisted steps - 6 - 7 at a time now ... but check this out - when she is using her push walker she is hauling booty!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

FRUSTRATION

I have tried for a week to post a video of Tatum walking behind her push walker - I freakin' give up! I will try again tomorrow ... I am so mad at this darn thing!
Love to you all!