it was a blood bath

here is the crime scene...



here is what I found inside...



The victim's name is Bert. The Cuddler got Bert for me yesterday. Two of his hooves were chewed off and he is now blind. He is in stable but critical condition. The veterinarians are trying to decide whether we should try to reattach his hooves or cut the other two off.

We have named a suspect...



And an accomplice after the fact...



The crime lab is currently analyzing the DNA to determine if it is purely bovine or if there could be some identifying canine DNA in there. We've set up a fund at Trustmark to help offset the expenses of his medical care.

Love, a Plum who will be sleeping with one eye open

my Uncle Chris

We BIG RED PUFFY HEART my Uncle Chris. All three of us.



He is everything that a little boy could want in an uncle. He knows all about hunting and has invited me to stay at his camp with him. He isn't afraid of The Cuddler so he does what he wants with me. He gives me oreos when I have not eaten my dinner. He is appalled at all the girly outfits that The Cuddler puts me in and is putting up a strong opposition against her.



Today is his birthday. We won't say how old he is, but next year he will be over the hill. =)

This picture is everything that is so right with the last year. My family.

We love them and are so thankful for all of them, especially my Uncle Chris.

Happy Birthday!

Love a lucky Plum

Happy Birthday to our Mammaw!

Today is my Mammaw's birthday. Isn't she fabulously pretty? With beautiful ladies like these two as my genetic make up, how could I be anything but good looking?



We love her so very much and hope she has a wonderful birthday and cannot wait to sing her "Happy Birthday" this weekend.

Love, the Plum

two things

First things first, we are flipping January the bird and telling it to go on and get on. It was blah. Not like life and death or anything, but three food poisonings (or viruses or whatever), the flu and bronchitis was more than we bargained for. We are excited to meet February 2011.

Second. Aren't new moms cute? I mean cute like baby bunnies and plentiful here lately. They have no idea what is in store for them. Please don't take this the wrong way. The Cuddler was cute like this too.

When the Cuddler and I came home from the hospital, she was all kind of cute until she was crazy. Not like she was singing spirituals and planning to dismember me or anything. Although her doctor did keep giving Morning Guy pamphlets on postpartum depression. If the Cuddler doesn't get eight solid hours of sleep, she is less than reasonable and no one told her how exhausted I was going to make her.

Not that it would matter if anyone had told her. If they did, it would be like when women share their excruciating birth stories with pregnant people. I mean what is the point of that? Once you are knocked up, the deed is done and that baby has to come out. If you are trying to deter birth, which is the only reason you would share those stories, it should be with the non-pregnant in the name of population control.

The Cuddler followed the cute new mother road map:

1. Get pregnant
2. Gestate baby
3. Have baby
4. Take baby home

It is at this point that things got iffy for us. See, before there was a fleet of nurses at our disposal. But once we got home it was just me, the Cuddler and Morning Guy. For a few days we had help from my Non, but then my Uncle Chris cut his fingers off with a saw and cut in on our help. (Don't worry, they were all reattached.) During this time, I was starving despite the Cuddler's best lactating effort, I cried constantly, the Cuddler cried about our nursing fail, I started formula, I projectile vomited at every feeding, the Cuddler got Epstein-Barr virus, and we all just barely survived my new born baby stage with our sanity.

Good times. She read a dozen books on newborns. Wasn't she cute?

Hug a new mom today and tell her the view is very different in a year.




Love, the Plum

do-gooder fatigue

My rants seem to be popular with other moms. So here is my latest. Do-gooder fatigue. Now, don't get me wrong. I want to be a decent person, I believe in God, I follow Jesus, I want to be a good example for the Plum, but honestly, who can live up to the unrealistic expectations that society is setting for mothers.

I mean the food (must be organic and no high fructose corn syrup), the exercise (fight childhood obesity!), the play dates (you want him to social, don't you?), the scrap booking (you want to remember every excruciating moment of junior's life, don't you?), making these babies siblings within two years (with cute shirts that announce it, no less), the educational toys and video (hell, if he isn't signing by a year, he is behind his peers), build their moral character at every opportunity (you don't want to raise a deviant, do you?), the nursery (it needs to be architectural digest quality).

I mean I don't remember my parents ever discussing my self esteem or my moral character or the fact that I was a fatty. The only thing that is grating on my nerves more than this over programmed, perfect embodiment of moral perfection is this crazy A lady and her self righteous rant.

On days like today, when I am sick and the Plum is teething and irritable and Morning Guy is doing what he can to hold his own, I'm just glad that none of us had a psychotic melt down, we are fed and bathed. We are going to say our prayers, take our drugs, get some sleep, and hope for a better day.

In closing, tiger lady, I don't think that you are so superior and you can kiss-it as far as this lazy, southern-fried mom is concerned.

Here is a pic of my ill-groomed baby who is drinking juice that is filled with sugar and licking pop tart off his lips. The breakfast of champions.



Love, the Cuddler

Sundays with the Plum

Excited Plum with cousin Travis.



Plum giving stank eye.



Sweet Plum giving smiles.



Devious Plum thinking of what to get into.



Love a multi-faceted Little Plum

Something to say

Ok, I think I've mentioned the Cuddler's obsession with orphans and adoptions. If you have an adoption blog, chances are that she is stalking you every step of your long and arduous journey.

After I was born, the Cuddler's heart ached at the thought of any child going through life without a loving parent. Someone to dote on them, caress their cheek, smell their hair, whisper sweet loving words to them in the middle of the night, you know, all the things she does to me. She hears God telling her to help these children. She thought she might be schizophrenic, but she and Mrs. Katie from As You Like It... have decided that while she may not be sane that she is not schizophrenic.

Back to my point, helping those in need with the most basic of needs. Diapers. Cloth diapers specifically. Can you believe that some babies do not have the bare necessities?



I can't. My participation in "Covered in Hope" may seem insignificant, but maybe it will help just one baby. We had some cloth diapers because of my sensitive skin, but there were a few brands that just didn't suite the Cuddler's taste. If you have any laying around, give it some thought!

Love, the Plum