What's your POINT?

Yeah, yeah, I know I've been a blogging slacker but that's not at all what this is about. No, no. This is about my little pointer. Lincoln has always been a pointer. You walk into a room and he points right at you as if to say "YOU, yeah YOU!" He points at things as if to ask "Hey, what's that?" He points to say "LOOK!" Yep, he's a little pointer and I can prove it.

And speaking of pointing, I had put up new photos in Lincoln's room recently and the next morning, I walked in and he was distinctly pointing to THAT picture. He was telling me "Hey, that's new, I haven't seen that in here before today." Perceptive little things, aren't they?

He also learned to play peek a boo recently. We were out at our favorite sushi place for lunch and he would place his fat little hands ON TOP of his head then lift them off and say boo. We laughed and laughed at him with his hands placed anywhere but over his eyes.

We're pretty serious about oral hygiene on those 8 tiny little baby teeth he has. Serious meaning, when we can't find a paci, a tooth brush will do.

Just look at that, are you kidding me?

Here I would like to show you my favorite toy. This is what I like to play with when I'm bored, not sleepy or just in the middle of the night. I can turn it on with my hand OR my foot. It can go really loud too. Mom always hears it in her monitor. I can even turn it on and go back to sleep. I hear it was my brothers first and he did the same thing as I do.

Lincoln Mouse. The hat game resembles the peek a boo game slightly. I don't know which is more adorable.

Jackson calls this "Hodgie baby". Dad sent if from Afghanistan.

This is the house that Lincoln built. No, it's really not. It's not even the house that Jack built. His dad did it but he'd like to take credit. Lincoln is just adding the man back on top. He really likes to play legos. Something about doing anything he's NOT supposed to do.

He's also (as of yesterday) started full on walking everywhere he goes. And so the chase is ON!

While still a good eater, when he's done, he's DONE. He likes to let us know by tossing ALL the leftover food on his tray (the less desirable food no less) down to Roxy. At first, he just drops a piece or two to see if she's interested and pretty soon he's sweeping all that's left off to her when we're not looking. They seem to think it's a good relationship, until it's something like broccoli that she won't eat. Then it's just a mess on the floor.

Yesterday as I was cleaning bathrooms I noticed Lincoln had something in his mouth. When I removed it, I realized it was a tube of glitter and yep, he had a mouthful of it! I rinsed his mouth but figured it couldn't hurt him. Besides, if this plays out as well as it is in my head, I'm counting on having some pretty sparkly diaper changes coming up and anyone that knows me knows just how FITTING that really is. No, photos though, I promise!

One of Lincoln's favorite things to do is to lock himself into a room by going in and shutting the door. Then he goes hysterical because he can't get out alone.

Don't' get me wrong here but with all these adorable faces, it's still not uncommon to see a face like THIS.

When the cat's away....

The little mice do play! 9 days without parents will just about ruin any 4 and 1 year old. The first days of fun consisted of festivals, crawfish and Airplanes...and that is just the beginning.
This is what the kids did while we were in Mexico.

A Grand entrance was made by airplane. Special delivery from Birmingham. The kids rode with Jason's parents to my mom and dads in his dad's company's airplane. It was Lincoln's 1st flight and I was a little surprised when I found out they came in by air!

Paw Paw really knows how to kick off the fun. Last year, Linc rode on this 4wheeler while still in my belly. This year we've had a hard time keeping him off of it.

Roxy met the boys at the airport too! Thanks to Mom and Dad for keeping her during our block leave. I love my baby girl and her big tongue!

Next up is pudding painting. Oh yeah, Nana knows how to have a good time, Toddler style. Mess and Sugar mix well only when at Nana's.

This is our "going away" present for the boys. I got them a slip and slide to use while at Nana's because we can't use them here on our sandy soil. Note: I have tried it here and sand on the slip and slide makes for a really BAD exfoliant. Ouch!

I love this picture. I think it could make the USA Today paper in their summer photos. Life is good when you are 4!

This is the creek at my uncles land on the mountain. It's a retreat about 15 minutes away in the woods. This summer they have constructed a hunting cabin up there with a large front porch. Jackson has decided that since it has a loft for sleeping, that it is actually HIS cabin. They spent lots of time up there. They would bring the 4 wheeler to ride in the creek.

Jackson can catch and HOLD crawfish straight out of the creek.

That's my boy and the essence of Summertime in Alabama.

That's my sleeping little forest baby. They play and play more until sleep in unavoidable, no matter where you are. Again, only in Alabama do babies nap on the Polaris.

Lunch is regularly consumed on the large porch at the cabin. It usually consist of a bag of Krystal burgers and Mt. Dew (which would NEVER happen in NC or with the rents!)

There is even an awesome sand pile at the cabin. They say it has something to do with the construction but as far as the boys know, it was put there just for their enjoyment.

Lincoln getting in on some of the pudding painting action.

Ok, so this is the cat that showed up on Mom's doorstep during their visit. Jackson fell in love with it and named it Batman. They were in the process of trying to send it home with us. Jackson carried it around for several days and even taught it some new tricks, like hanging on his shirt (above) and balancing it on his head (to which he received a few scratches to the face!) But, sadly, the cat ran away before we got back home to meet him. I wonder why in the world he'd ever want to leave this great 4 year old master? Hmmm...

Ok, Nana, get my kid out of the gutter! You can even play in the rain at Nana's house, in your pajamas no less.

In the rain, in his pajamas, with a PINK dora umbrella. Does the fun ever end?

You think he'd be upset about the dirt on his face but he's not. Oh, no, he's mad because no one will put him on the John Deere lawnmower behind him. It's torture if you ask me.

I love my brother...when Nana makes me so that she can make a picture of us during local storytime.

Storytime was a demonstration from a diver on a dive team. Now Jackson can add diver to his list of Doctor, Football player and Astronaut. He better start studying now.

Forget saying "cheese", everybody say "cheetos"! A mom's worst nightmare, bright orange powered cheese.

Another day was filled with the local park and splash pad. Where were these things when I lived there as a kid? I was deprived. Ha!

Lincoln checking out the other kids through the porthole in the tube. We all know that I wouldn't have let him get in there for fear of him getting his outfit wet/dirty. It's good to have a Nana!

My little fish checking out the undiscovered splash pad that just opened in my hometown.

My other little fish, taking his turn.

Rock climbing at the park. Now these were the playthings that WERE there when I was a kid. I guess somethings never change...like boulders.

Jackson was warned right before we got back into town. "You better finish that last chocolate doughnut for breakfast, your mom and dad will be back today and that will be the end of that."

-Nana

It's MY party (Alabama version)

So in Alabama, we party BIG. Especially when it gives our whole family(minus my mom's brother's family-they were stranded AT THE BEACH for 3 days with car trouble, have you ever heard such a thing?) a reason to visit with my boys and EAT. And while we're on the subject of BIG did you see this cake? I mean REALLY?! Our famous cake maker didn't disappoint in making the prettiest cake for a one year old that I have probably ever seen. We were super resourceful and took the top layer off so he could eat it next year. Oh, wait, no that's wedding cake, we actually took it off to use as his "smash" cake for a future photo shoot (Ah the perks of a Nana Photographer!) Nana also made the cute hat for Linc and when Jackson saw it, he wanted to make one for himself.
Ok, so back to the family reunion style party...we held this gala at River Heritage Park in Florence but it's better known as the Marriott Splash Pad. It's a HUGE splash pad/in ground water fountain located right off the riverside cliffs near Wilson Dam. It has stunning views and its quite the hangout in the summer. We carted in tables, chairs, and utensils. We feasted on Pork Loin, BBQ, baked beans, cole slaw, cornbread, cheese dip and if that wasn't enough, we topped it off with cake and homemade ice cream! Lincoln was pretty serious about the cake. Soon he realized that there was plenty to share and he started feeding his brother, paw paw and cousin Logan. After dinner, we walked over to the giant splash pad and Jackson was off having a blast. Lincoln wanted to get in and crawl around but it is concrete and wouldn't be knee friendly. So, we let him get in with his pajamas on. It's really a new concept for the crawler. You'll see later, it can also be carried over to rocky bottom creeks and save little knees from certain injury.

This would be the famed photo shoot with the cake from the party. He was no stranger to cake at this point and smiling wasn't on the menu. He was interested in cake and we all know, nobody (or their camera) comes between a fat boy and his cake!

See some for me, some for Paw Paw.

Even brother got a taste test of cake. No forks needed here.

The birthday hats! They were cute, don't you want one now?

Lincoln in his soaking wet pajamas had to ride home in the buff. From the slumber he was in when we arrived at home, I don't think he cared.