Who is in charge?

This is the Cuddler. I just want to clarify that I am in charge. At least between the Plum and I, I am in charge. Both of us cannot be in charge.

There seems to be some confusion on this particular issue. Mainly, the Plum seems confused. He seems to think that when I say, "No, don't touch" referring to our new fancy pants camera, that I am extending an invitation for him to throw himself in the floor and pitch an all out dammit fit. This is not such an invitation. I tried to reinforce the inappropriateness of this behavior tonight by putting him in his pack and play in our spare bedroom. I mean if he feels the need to throw a fit he can throw it in the other room.

In his defense, I'm pretty sure that he is cutting his bottom left molar. I am giving him all the sympathy that I can muster but I will not allow him to behave like he has no home training.

Never fear, I have bought a book. That is my answer to everything. A book. I also have a recommendation for another book from a mental health expert. I'm not sure if that book is for me or him, but I'll let you know when I get it in.

As proof of a pissy little Plum, I offer the following picture:




He has been pitching these fits since Wednesday so I can't remember what this one was about.

Love, a wiped out Cuddler

some of my favorite things...

(MSU) Santa on my shirt, the Bulldogs, and Oreos,



a Mississippi State win, and being BOWL bound!

I'm still under the weather so I don't look so good in my picture but the Oreos and victory really lifted my spirits.

GO DAWGS!!!

Love, a maroon and white Plum

Day Three of Thankfulness.

1. God
2. Family
3. Country

oh, and children's Motrin.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Day Two of Thankfulness

Today, like so many other days, I am thankful for my mother. She is all around pretty fabulous. She is patient and kind. I mean all her qualities are not positive. Like every time she comes over and keeps the Plum, somehow, apple juice ends up all over the floor. I believe it is a problem with sippy cups but she denies any and all knowledge of apple juice spillage so I am unable to rectify the situation.

In spite of the apple juice, I'm thankful for so many of the things that she does. After Plum was born, she stayed every Wednesday night to help. She is always just a phone call away. On that note, she actually calls every morning to check on the Plum. She keeps the Plum two or three days a week. Today, she took the him to the pediatrician because he is running a little fever. Unfortunately, the allergist wanted to run some test too so my mom had to hold Plum down while they took five vials of blood out of two arms. Bad visit.

Not be out done, my dad is pretty fabulous too. He makes the Plum a bottle and my mom coffee and brings it them in bed so they don't have to get up. Um, yes, the Plum has transitioned to sippy cups. My daddy is working on it.

We love them very much. If it takes a village to raise a baby, they are our village. And my daddy is also cooking our lunch for tomorrow.

The Cuddler

Day One of Thankfulness

I have decided to let the Cuddler borrow my blog for a little while to discuss what she is thankful for this season.

From the Cuddler: I am thankful for my girlfriends. No two are alike. Some came into my life during high school, some college, a couple in law school and others are more recent additions. I have some that are aggressive and some that passive, some that are sweet as pie and some that are, well, a little more like me. Each is supportive in their own unique ways. After my recent post about having it all, two of those special friends sent me these encouraging words.

From Julia:

Song for a Fifth Child
By Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat- a- cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard and there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

. . . .

My friend, Katie, sent me this great article.

At night when I say my prayers, I thank God for meeting my need for girlfriends.

Thank you.

Love, the Cuddler

The latest fall fashion

OK, I did not give the Cuddler permission to use my blog for her whoa-as-me rant. However, due to the OVER WHELMING response through the blog, facebook, and email, I will allow her a brief follow up in the coming days.

The Latest Fall Fashion.

You might think that the latest fall fashion is this fabulous handmade applique that Riley's mom, Mrs. Katie, made me for my birthday. I know. It really is too cute. No, the Cuddler has no sewing talent.







As great as my guitar shirt is, it is not what all the fashionistas are raging for. All of Paris and Vicksburg is going wild for the "self portrait" t-shirt. I got mine at my daycare, but they may be available at some of the other higher end boutiques.





All the cool kids are doing it.

Love, a double take of Plum

Having it all

This a rant by the Cuddler.

I'm going to say what I think most working moms are thinking or feeling. If not, disregard. Whoever said you could have it all, never tried to be good at it all. There. I've said it. The cat is out of the bag. All you bright eyed girls listen up.

Growing up we are told that we can be whatever we want to be. However, when you decide at 18 that what you want to be is a engineer [can also be substituted with accountant, lawyer, public relations guru, doctor whatever] and then at 30 you realize all you REALLY want to be a mom, you have a problem. See by 30, you have accumulated some astronomical student loan debt (um, private law school) or you married for love and not money (JR drove an 88 Tempo with no air or radio when we started dating. He was not, however, old enough to legally drive.) or whatnot, then you know what you have to do. You have to put on your big girl panties and get on with the balancing act and lean on friends because your husband is just not going to get it.

Since when does a mother have to do it all and be perfect at EVERYTHING? It is exhausting. We have to be successful in our careers, have picture perfect children, our homes extravagant and tidy, our marriage happy and romantic, oh, and I forget we are suppose to be skinny and pretty too. How can you be skinny and pretty when you are sleep deprived, your kid keeps hiding your hair straighter, and there is not time to exercise? When you figure it out let me know. You better make some choices and prioritize.

Through all of this, if you are lucky, you have friends that help you get through the day. They listen to your sob stories. They email you back while at work and tell you that they are willing to take a hit out the kid who bit your baby yesterday. You have friends that-even though they are struggling with infertility-love your baby because they love you and you love your baby. Transitive property. You have friends with babies that eat pancakes on Saturday with you in name of play date even though neither kid even looks at the other. So thank you to all of my supportive friends. You know who you are.

In the name of choices, I'm going to make breakfast so some friends can come over. The guys can watch college game day and the boys can ignore each other. There is some dog hair on our floor (I really LOVE my dogs and no John Hinton is not allergic to dogs.), it looks like babiesrus threw up in our living room, there is laundry piled our our bedroom, I didn't make our bed, and I don't care.

Love, an exhausted, happy, and honest Cuddler

Veteran's Day

How did you spend Veteran's Day? Did you remember all of those men and women and their families who have given so much of themselves so we can live free? I did. The Cuddler and I talked about my PapPaw John who served in Cuba assembling bombs as part of the Navy during World War II and my grandfather, James Richard Armstrong, who was an Army mechanic. I never got to know either of them, but I will know that they were willing to make sacrifices for our country. My Aunt Lorrie is in the Army reserves and Uncle Patrick was in the Air Force. We are thankful for them and so many other brave service men and women.

So, the Cuddler had the day off. She and I took a trip to Kroger. I love Kroger. We got lots of goodies for the weekend. We are having a play date with my buddy Nic Lee. Here I am enjoying the ride.




My PawPaw says that he is going to take me to Save-a-Lot soon. He loves a trip to the grocery as much as I do.

Lots of Love, a thankful little Plum

Happy Birthday to my Grannie!

Hope you have a great day, Grannie!

Thanks to Mrs. Anna and Mr. Dan for my great letters! I love them.

Love, the Plum

Happy Fall Y'all!

Can you find the Plum?

me and my ladies.

huggin Izzy



reachin out to Izzy



two peas in a pod



relaxin on izzy



Love a Plum and his ladies