Hanging With Derek - Day Two

Day two with Derek began with me sound asleep in the bed and being awakened by being hit in the face and on my head with oatmeal squares cereal.

Hmmm, who do I supposed might have been doing the cereal tossing?  Let's see...little blue-eyed guy with his red bowl of cereal squares telling me it was time to wake up?

First things first...getting Derek dressed to attend his first "real" birthday party.  Daddy took him to "Calvin's party" which was next door.

Then it was on to one of the malls so Daddy could get him a new pair of Sunday shoes.  First stop though was dropping a penny in the slot and watching it swirl its way down the hole.

There it goes!

Then it was on to lunch at the Pizza Pie Cafe where we had Spudolicious Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Chicken Alfredo Pizza and several kinds of dessert pizza.

Oh, Go Fly A Kite

It was very windy at the kid's house the other afternoon.   So Corey decided to fly a kite with Derek.  A few months ago, I'd bought several kites from the Dollar Tree.  These are the really cheap kind that are actually 2 for $1.00.  I thought it would be fun to fly them with Derek.  Well, I tried all of them and failed miserably and thought they'd all been thrown away.  Apparently not since Corek found one lone remaining orphan kite and he was convinced he could fly it.

He started out in their driveway and the kite wouldn't go much of anywhere except around and around and hit the ground.  Then he decided to go into the field across the street and Derek came to help.  The following two pictures have nothing to do with the kite-flying other than the guys looked so cute standing in the field and I wanted a picture.

Derek trying to help his dad.

Then Derek went and got his tricycle.  I don't know if he thought that would help or maybe he was just tired waiting around for the kite to take flight.

But Corey kept trying.

And he tried...

And he tried, until...

...it got dark and it was time to go inside and he threw the kite into the trash!

Three Year Old Comparisons

Derek at three years of age...
Corey at three years of age...

This is Corey's first "official" daycare class he attended at First Baptist Church. His teacher was Vickie Davis and he loved her. The little girl seated on the far left is Karla Bryan who lived near us in Omega. She and Corey went through their entire school years together.

Two Year Old Comparison

As I was sitting here trying to catch up on some blogging and posting pictures, I realized that I might not have done a comparison picture of Corey and Derek about the same about. This age is two this time.

So here is Corey...

And here is Derek...

Me and The Main Loves of My Life

Our annual family reunion day picture with my favorite husband...

Mom with her favorite daughter...

Aunt Rachel with her favorite niece...

Dad with his favorite daughter...

What a great four-generation picture with my favorite son and grandchild and father...

And my favorite kids with the world's bestest daughter...

And lastly, the best looking family at the reunion...

Here's hoping and praying that we are all together again next year and that we are healthier, happier and have everything that we need - especially love for one another.

My Baby Turned 27 This Week!

27 years old this week, my baby was born and this is where he was born...

Les got to hold Corey before I did. Because I had to have an emergency c-section, I was still loopy on drugs. So, when this picture was taken I wasn't even aware that there was anyone in the room. In fact, I don't even know who took this picture of the happy father and the newest member of the family.

(flash forward about 25 years...Corey and Derek on the day he was born).

A note I put in Corey's baby book...

First pictures of Derek via cell phone...

Corey was a good baby. He was pretty good about sleeping through the night except for his feedings or a diaper change. I do remember those 2:00 a.m. feedings. There was no cable in Omega at the time and the only channel that came through was the CBS and it was nothing more than looking through a snowstorm. He was also ALWayS VERY hungry and wanted to nurse about every two hours. Consequently, I seemed to be tired most of the time. He hATed having a wet or dirty diaper on his bottom and would pitch a fit until he was changed. I learned to nap when he did no matter what needed to be done in the house. I had to have my rest when he rested.

How grateful I am for Corey and the man he's grown into and what a responsible husband and father he is to his family. He is a son I am very proud of and love very much.

Derek (l) and Corey (r)....the rocking chair behind Corey is now the one that Derek is using.

Letting Sleeping Babies Lie

Me sleeping with Corey while visiting Aunt Nancy's family in Jacksonville.

(That brown and black blog by my head is/was "Humpty" - a stuffed Humpty Dumpty which was Nancy's favorite toy. If I remember correctly, it was purchased at a church bazaar when we lived in Japan). Humpty eventually lost his two legs and managed to hang on to his arms.

Grandma sleeping with Derek after church.

Corey sleeping with Derek.