Any ideas???

We had discovered a small problem. Crosby is so easy to put down for naps and at bedtime. Sure, he may protest every now and then. But for the most part, piece of cake. However, we have noticed a trend of increased difficulty sleeping somewhere other than his bed.

I started to worry a bit after our trip to Louisville. He had a rough time going down in the pack-n-play while we were there. If you recall, he ended up sleeping in the bed with me 2 nights in a row. That hasn't happened since he was a teenie tiny thing.

Anyway, history repeated itself last night and today. We spent last night with my parents so we could visit and get a head start on a trip to Birmingham this morning. Our night went smoothly until it came time to put Crosby to bed. As soon as he hit the pack-n-play, the screams and tears started. We tried crying it out for a few minutes but it was obvious that wasn't going to work. He was out of his element and scared, I suppose. He did the same thing when I tried to put him down for a nap today in Birmingham. He was exhausted both times but couldn't fall asleep. He eventually passed out cuddled in bed with Blake last night. Then I transferred him to the pack-in-play. This afternoon, he just slept in my arms, which I admit, I sort of enjoyed! :)

We need to fix this. Overnights at the grandparents are rapidly approaching. I don't want them to deal with a fussy baby at bedtime. And I don't want him sleeping with the grandparents or us when we are away from home. I tried following the sleep gooroos advice of always putting him to sleep in his bed. But his bed can't go everywhere we do! Hmmmm...

Please share if you have any suggestions!!!!

Just thought I would seek advice on this minor dilemma.

You may remember me talking about Miss Olive. She came into our lives in January of 2008. Blake was playing golf at Montgomery Bell when this tiny beauty came walking up to him and his buddy. Her loving personality caught Blake's attention right off the bat. He commented on her pleasant demeanor when he went into the pro shop. They were quick to say she needed to find a home. She had been dropped off by someone and kept making her way into the pro shop, cuddling up in a ball and sleeping on their merchandise!!! I was shocked when Blake called to tell me about her. He NEVER calls suggesting we get a new pet. Seriously. Being that Blake is a vet and all, we have plenty of opportunities to add four legged friends to Malone clan. He is never even tempted. But there was something about Olive. At the end of our conversation, he said he may consider bring her home as an "outside cat" if she was still there when they finished 18 holes. I was THRILLED. "Please let her be there..."

At the end of their round, they went back to the pro shop. The sweet little kitty was no where to be found. "Oh well, it wasn't meant to be," was his thinking. But before he got out the door, she was found...in the pro shop! Sooooo, that meant she was coming to our house!!!!!! I was so excited to meet her. She slept in our friend's lap the whole way home. As soon as I laid eyes on her, I was in love.

We lost her in less than 24 hours. I was devastated. We spent the day in Columbia watching the Super Bowl. We left her in the garage because we knew we would be gone all day. There was a storm that night. Apparently, the side door did not close completely and the wind blew it open. She got out. As soon as we pulled in the driveway, I saw the door was open and immediately started crying. I was heartbroken and I barely even knew her. To make a long story short, she went to the neighbors. They are animal lovers so they took her to the vet clinic, where Blake works, mind you, to have her scanned for a chip. No chip. No one recognized her because we only had her for less than 24 hours. So they took her to their vet (traitors) and had her vaccinated. $236. They saw the signs we posted as soon as they got back from the vet. They called us and we went to pick her up. And our $236 vet bill!!!!! Yeah...that would have cost us all of $10 had Blake done it. She was the most expensive stray. Not to mention when Blake went to spay her, he saw an incision on her belly! She had already been spayed..AND vaccinated, I am sure!

We lost Caroline a few weeks later. Needless to say, I was a complete wreck. Miss Olive was my saving grace. She would cuddle with me and love on me. She could put a smile on my face when nothing else could. She quickly became more of an "inside cat" than and "outside cat". Not to mention she could care less about the moles Blake was hoping she would kill. She was too prissy for all that!! She was my bed rest buddy. We were the best of friends.

I was admitted to the hospital and was not able to let her in and out like normal. Blake was trying to manage the household, work and come to Baptist everyday. On Monday, she didn't come running up to the house for breakfast. She didn't come the next day. Or the next. Initially, Blake couldn't bring himself to tell me she had not come home. But I asked about her all the time so he finally had to tell me the news. She was nowhere to be found. He put up signs. Friends went from house to house. All the neighbors were on watch. No Olive. I cried and cried, laying in my hospital bed, all alone. My saving grace had left me, too. I just kept thinking, we would find her, just like the first time she went missing.

When I was finally discharged, I can remember driving up the hill to our neighborhood. I was looking left and right, trying to find her. Once we reached our driveway, the flood gates opened. For weeks, I went to the back door, just like I had done every morning before I was hospitalized. I called her name but she never came home. I will admit, I still find myself looking for her on occasion.

Before she left, she came home with a random collar around her neck. I am pretty sure she had friends she would visit when she was out at night. I choose to believe they decided to make her their cat. I keep hoping that she will show up at the clinic one of these days. They will scan her, claim her and bring her back home.

I know lots of people hate cats. That is fine. We kind of like them though. She came into our lives at the perfect time. She could cheer me up on days I could barely get out of bed. It is almost like she was sent to get me through the hardest time of my life. Once her work was done, and she knew that I would be okay, she went on to help the next family.

She has been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe it is the time of year. Maybe it is because my parent's kitten looks as like her. I couldn't bring myself to post anything about her last year. It seemed silly to ask you to pray for my cat when we were struggling to keep Crosby inside. That and I refused to accept another loss in our lives at the time.

I am prety sure most people didn't even remember we had a cat. But, in case you were wondering why she is never mentioned, there's the story. Olive was a gem of a cat. I miss her a ton and choose to believe she is being love by some other family right now! But I will keep holding out hope...

Told you...

He really loves his cow!!

He was supposed to be falling asleep. But, there was a "banging" sound coming from his room. When I cracked the door, I saw him standing there, looking up at his friend while smacking the wall!!! I had to go grab the camera to see if I could catch it on film, or megabytes, or whatever. I mean, I'm used to hearing the sound of the bed shaking as he holds onto the rail and bobs up and down. But this was a new one for me! He's a mess... And he did fall on asleep a few minutes later!

Am I on the ball today or what?!? I can already start thinking about what I will post tomorrow!

Wordless Wednesday

Close call...

I almost forgot to post something today! It is a good thing I remembered because I would hate to let Sarah down in our quest to complete one month of posting daily!!! ;) Thankfully I never posted this video and it will save the day. I'm not sure how it was omitted the week it was recorded because it is hilarious. We see this face on a routine basis...

I am not sure what it means but I am thinking it can't be good!

Mondays With Crosby

At 11:24 am, Crosby Fox turned 45 weeks old. The first time I typed that as "45 years"...then "45 months"... Good thing I caught my mistake...twice. It seems I am off to a bad start!! I guess that is kinda how Crosby's day started off. He woke up as happy as could be. I brought him to the bonus room so he could play while I "took care of business", if you will. More on that later, Jill! :) Anyway, all goes well for the first 10 minutes or so. Then Crosby sees the cord to the laptop. He loves the cord to the laptop. What I can't seem to get him to understand is that the cord to the laptop is not his friend! I try to hide it. I repeatedly say "No, sir." And like I have said before, he stops looks at me and keeps going. I don't think I am giving him too much credit. He knows what "no" means. But he loves the laptop cord so he doesn't seem to care! So, this happens when he is removed from the situation or if his chubby, little hand is popped...

Pitiful thing...

Is it mean to take pictures of your child when he is crying?? I think he will find these funny one day. Maybe not this morning, but in a few years!

Luckily, that little fit was short lived and he was smiling again in no time. After his morning nap, I decided it was now or never for a shot of him in the fall leaves. We marched across the street to the house that was for sale but is now sold and borrowed their leaves. I have met the new owners and I knew they wouldn't mind! :) Oh, and sorry Kristen, that is why the dogs were barking... Anyway, I finally got my pictures in the leaves. Of course, he didn't find me and the camera amusing so I hardly got a look, much less a smile...

But how proud we are to have a prayerful baby at such a young age!!! :)

Watching people who were out for a walk...

Getting warmed up...

Then he spotted Mrs. Audrey...

Oh, how she worked her magic and made him smile!!!

She came with a pumpkin in tow. And had Mr. Glenn behind her...

And they got him to smile a little more...

I thought I would give it another try when I saw a "perfect" spot at Edwin Warner Park.

Thanks to my slow, old lens, there were more duds than anything! The darn thing was SOOO SLOW at focusing. Once it finally focused, Crosby moved and we had to start all over again. I am ordering a replacement before I throw the thing on the ground and break the lens AND the body!!! Hey, there's an idea... Can we keep that information from making it to Blake's ears?? :) At least we have a few decent pictures of the little one wearing my favorite fall outfit in a pile of leaves!

In focus. Out of focus. Happy or sad. Our strong willed little boy is so stinkin cute!!!

Oldie but goodie...

Many moons ago, I noted a few changes had been made to Crosby's room. I think I even promised pictures. Well, 7 months later, I am following through with my promise! I was digging through the photo vault and decide it was about time I show off the AMAZING mural painted on Crosby's wall!!!

One of the many perks of marrying Blake was joining his family. Lots of aunts + lots of uncles + lots of cousins = LOTS of fun! I could not ask for a better group of extended in-laws! (?? totally making up terminology...) One of the awesome extended in-laws is Lisa. Let me just say she is quite possibly one of the coolest people you will ever meet. Yes, the word "cool" is a little dated, but there is no other way to describe her. She just is! And, she happens to be one of the most talented artists I know! She can paint on walls, on canvas, on furniture. You name it. When I realized she would be painting a mural on his wall, I wet my britches! Just being honest folks!! I mean, it was like, "Are you kidding me??? I will have a Lisa Fox original on a wall in my house??? THE Lisa Fox?? Like owner of this gallery, Lisa Fox!!!!"

Soooo, on May 5th, she showed up at more door, ready to work her magic! The plan was to paint a cow jumping over the moon. My mother-in-law had already stenciled the words on the wall. It was up to Lisa to bring the words to life. She brought several children's books to decide which cow would look best on the wall. Once we decided, she got to work, drawing the scene on a large piece of paper. The next thing I know, the sketch was transferred onto the wall and she began to paint...

I was hoping Crosby could watch her at work and learn a thing or two...

The end result was spectacular!!!! Lisa's work blew the original out of the ballpark! We both love how the cow appears to be jumping over the moon, right in to Crosby's bed. Speaking of Crosby, he LOVES his cow!!! I have found him sitting, with his back propped on the bumper farthest from the wall, his feet at the bumper on by the wall, and his eyes staring straight up at his cow, just talking away! It is absolutely adorable!! We cannot thank Lisa enough for sharing her time and talent with us. What an amazing gift!

Of course I had to take a picture of him sleeping for the first time with his new friend overhead...

Would you look at that little baby in his sleep sack...

The completed room...

The new dresser...

If you can't tell, Crosby's room is tiny. But, I think the cow she picked will grow perfectly with him. Not too baby. Not too big boy. I can see a twin bed positioned right under the mural when he gets a little older. But let's not go there right now... I will admit, looking back in the picture vault nearly brought tears to my eyes. It seems like this was a month ago, at best. Oh, how fast my little one is growing. What I would give to slow him down. What I would give...