Beach trip

Last Wednesday (before the 4th), Mimi and Papa came through town on their way to St. Augustine and picked up Miller. That allowed me to welcome Jon home and for us to have a few hours to ourselves. Then on Thursday, we headed down to join them in the RV for a long beach weekend. We did this last year and hope to make it a yearly tradition (although maybe not on the 4th). When we got there, Miller was acting a bit funny and after a trip to the pool to show daddy how well he swims, we realized he had a fever. We got some medicine in him but he spent most of Friday and Saturday not feeling well. We even had to leave dinner on Friday (before we got our table) b/c his fever came back. He threw up twice but both times it was just juice that he had drank. He finally started feeling better on Sunday which was good b/c we had lots of visitors that day for beach, crab legs and low country boil. Nuncle, Memay, Granny Nan and Mr. Jim (Memay's parents), Uncle Bob (my uncle), Kathy, Kate (my cousin), Ryan (her boyfriend) and Lexi (her daughter). It was fun to get everyone together again and enjoy some great food. Sadly it started raining on Monday and we never really got any good beach time after that. All-in-all it was a good trip and nice to relax.

this was on a sick day

and so was this

fireworks in St. Augustine

Papa and Miller trying to catch fish

waiting on the waves

oops!

beautiful Lexi

using karate on the waves

Miller and Memay playing in the mud (as Miller called it)

mud-boy

Jon took Miller boogie boarding but sadly we did not get a picture. MA came to get a picture but Miller got clobbered by a wave and then wouldn't get back on. Him and Jon were riding the waves together on the board though and Miller thought it was so fun. We have a fearless little boy when it comes to the water. We sure have to watch him.

Visit to Greenville

Since daddy was out of town, Miller and I headed to Greenville last Friday. We were able to celebrate dad's birthday, Father's Day and Kris' birthday. We also got to spend some time with Emma, my brother and sister-in-laws niece on the other side. I did not take pictures at all and it was nice. The visit was meant to relax and get away so it was nice to not worry about the camera. I know Emma's grandparents (who visited also) took a ton so when I get those, I'll make sure to post them. Other than family time, we just hung out by the pool. We saw one of my friends on Monday, Miller went to work and Cracker Barrell (cracker berry to Miller) with Papa on Tuesday, we met some of Mimi's work friends for lunch on Wednesday and saw some family friends/neighbors on Thursday before heading home. It was a nice relaxing time. Here is a picture of Miller and Papa ready for work...not sure why neither of them is looking at the camera but oh well.

Fishboy

Miller has always been a waterbug. Since he was a baby, he has never cared about water in his face and has loved the ocean and the pool. To be honest, there have been plenty of times he has scared me b/c he has no fear. Well we were always in the water in Hawaii and then moved to AL just in time for summer. So when I put him in swimmies this year I assumed he'd pick back up where he left off, but he did not. He spent that time clinging to me scared of swimming. It was weird b/c we had been to the water play and he was fine but swimming seemed to scare him. So when I put him in the pool at mom and dad's I didn't have high expectations. By the end of the week though he was fishboy again with absolutely no fear. I'm hoping that by next summer he'll be swimming for real.

as you can see sunshine likes the water too...she is a water dog

no fear just jumping in the water

this is the face he makes when we tell him to close his mouth and eyes

I know this is alot of videos but they're all short....I promise

Happy Father's Day!

I wanted to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there and especially to all the new dad's and soon-to-be dads. Jon is training in New Mexico so he is not home today. I'm trying not to be too frustrated by the situation. We know with the deployment he will miss one of everything (both our 30th birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July in FL with the family, mother's day, father's day and of course Miller's b-day). But b/c of training this year, he has also missed his birthday, mother's day and now father's day. So that's two years in a row of days I find important. I know any day can be Father's Day but that's not really the point.

Anyway, I'm sure this goes without saying (if you know me or have read this blog very long) but I have an amazing father and now Miller is blessed with an equally incredible daddy. I don't think Jon ever questions his impact on Miller b/c that kid thinks his daddy hung the moon. Daily he tells me (unprompted) how much he misses his daddy and how his daddy is his best friend. So Happy Father's Day to the two best daddies around!

Just call him "Mr. Cool"

I'm not sure these pictures even need captions but I'll try. Miller has never been one to wear sunglasses and still isn't. But he got these at a birthday party on Sunday and they look so real. The second is of his spikey hair. Since we buzzed it short, I figured I could do that. The only problem is that his hair is so fine like mine that even with alot of gel, it will only stay for about half a day (any suggestions Nadia or Jess?). I think it looks cool though and makes him look older.

Can you believe that Miller is 3?

Yesterday our sweet miracle turned 3. I cannot believe it. Everyone tells you it goes so fast and they're right. I have no idea where the time has gone....especially the last year. I could go on and on about Miller and how amazing he is, but if you read this blog then I'm sure you already know. So instead, a little walk down memory lane...

Birth

1 year

2 years

3 years

Miller's birthday party

Ok prepare yourself for lots of pictures! We had Miller's birthday party on Saturday afternoon and had a great time. We had a party to go to that morning (our small group has 3 little boys all turning 3 within about a week of each other) and Miller didn't take much of a nap but he did really well. It was a Little Einsteins theme (which btw no one sells. I had to buy the supplies online).

the cake my friend Dana made...she is starting her own business and I think this is AMAZING!

Miller's new pool from Mimi and Papa

Noah, Isabelle and Miller being crazy in the pool

sweet Connor...a neighbor

Isabelle, Miller and Jackson (Jack)

Aunt Kim and Miller building in the sand

Little Jackson...our youngest party-goer

Grant, Miller and Noah

licking the icing off his cake...he did that at Grant's party in the morning too

blowing out his candles

the slip and slide was a hit but the daddies had to kind of throw them down...click on the pic and look at their faces

we let Sunshine out at the end of the party and Jack and Grant fell in love with her

the two lovebirds taking a spin in the wagon

the three amigos....Grant, Jack and Miller

Miller and Papa playing the trumpet

of all the presents....he loved the $5 plastic fishing pole

Miller got alot of cool presents and was able to spend the day with both sides of the family. We're getting him a playground set for our backyard with help from Mimi and Papa, Nana and Aunt Kim but we're just waiting on approval from the neighborhood HOA.

Little drummer boy

I showed you all the pictures of Miller playing the Guitar Hero drums but here are some videos that my SIL took.

Orlando Days 3 & 4- Universal Studios

** Please scroll down until you see "Funny Miller" and start reading from there up**

The hotel we were staying in had a water park (albiet small) in it so we started the day there on day 3. Then we headed out to Universal Studios. We did one park that day and one park the last day (before heading out in the afternoon). We had fun there too. We knew going in that those parks weren't as kid friendly as SeaWorld or say Disney but we still wanted to go. We got such great deals for all of this for being military (if you're active duty, email me and I'll tell you about the AMAZING deals at all three parks down there).

We got stuck in ther rain in this ship and Miller was steering and doing the rudder

Miller loved the dinosaurs

Getting wet on the flyling fish

Finally on the flying fish

This was a good lesson for us in standing in line with an almost 3 year old. We had a few meltdowns before Miller grasped the concept....and the lines really weren't that bad. Miller also road his first real roller coaster at Universal. Alot of the kids rides are pretty tame and boring but there was one ride that was what I would consider a real roller coaster. Miller LOVED it and laughed the whole ride. We've always said he has no fear but I think we're gonna have a roller coaster junkie on our hands (which is good b/c both of his parents are too).

Orlando Day 2- SeaWorld

The next day we headed out to SeaWorld and actually got pretty good weather. We knew Miller would like it and we were right. He hasn't stopped talking about Shampoo (also known as Shamu) and how the guys were standing on his nose. I've tried to only pick out a few pictures here b/c I know you have all seen Shamu before. If you want to see all our pictures, let me know and I'll send them to you.

Miller loved spinning around on this

Mommy and Miller climbing the nets

Gotta love that smile

Up close and personal feeding the dolphins

One got this close and just laid on that ridge

Miller touching the stingrays...I don't think he ever actually touched one

We had a great time at SeaWorld and hope to do it again sometime. It's really kid friendly and especially for the kid that loves animals. He was too short to ride most things which was disappointing to him so maybe we'll go back when he is taller. It's really interesting to do this stuff as a parent. The experience is completely different but it's so much fun to see everything through his eyes. I thought I might be disappointed at not riding the rides and stuff but I wasn't. It was just so much fun watching him have fun.

Orlando-Day 1

We decided that since we are so close to FL and there are some amazing deals for the military, that we would do SeaWorld and Universal Studios over the long Memorial Day weekend (don't worry we're gonna do Disney another time). We headed down on Friday and hit a huge storm as soon as we got there, so we checked into the hotel and waited out the storm. It was over quickly so off to Downtown Disney to have dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. Miller was such a good boy all day despite being disappointed that we weren't going to the playground and waiting until 8:30 to eat dinner (he's normally in bed by 8).

he LOVED the teacup

this is made of of Legos

Crazy Sleeping Positions

Callie seems to have taken over our papasan chair as her own. I often find her sleeping or playing in it. Here are two crazy positions that I often find her in. Tell me w here her head is in the first one and tell me how she doesn't fall off in the second one.

Funny Miller

Miller is a truly funny kid. He makes us laugh all the time...even when he isn't trying to. He is also an obsevant kid. We sees and hears everything...and REMEMBERS it. So you all know that we redid Miller's room. We bought his furniture from Rooms to Go and they delivered and set it up. They were here all of 45 minutes and the truck was parked out front. Yesterday we were driving in the car and Miller said "look mommy it's the truck that delivered my big boy bed". I looked over and going the other way was a Rooms to Go truck. Now how did he remember that? He even knows his Mimi's car and points them out every time we see it. But he doesn't just say it for the color or anything, he only says it when he sees her exact car and exact color. We've never told him the name of her car but he knows the look of it from all other ones (it's a Lexus SUV). Now for funny....we stopped on our way home this weekend to have dinner with Jon's dad. He brought Miller a birthday present that was wrapped with a ribbon. Jon just threw it away after Miller opened it. Well Miller wanted it back later but we didn't know what he was talking about. He said he wanted his red ribbon, so Jon, thinking we were pretending, pretended to give Miller a red ribbon. Miller said "no daddy, those are just your fingers". Needless to say we died laughing. This really is a fun age (most days).