Crying baby? Memaw can help!

I am not feeling guilty about the lack of blogging, but I have entertaining things to blog about today. I thought I should take the time to get it posted before I lose interest.

Finally about 9:45 Friday night we got all three girls and Memaw in the bed sleeping. After being threatened for getting up and changing beds, it was settled. Kennedy and Taylor were on the bunk beds in Kennedy's room. Blake was in her crib and Memaw was on the twin bed in Blake's room. I finished up a book I had been reading and headed to bed.

About 2:30 AM I heard Blake crying. This is not too unusual after days like yesterday. For some reason when we have certain company naps get interrupted and kids get grumpy. Who knows how that happens, right?

Back to Blake. I heard her crying at 2:30 and jumped up and ran down the hall to her room hoping to get there before Memaw tried to handle the situation. When I went into the room, Memaw was standing at the crib. With great irritation in her voice, she said, "This is the second time she woke up. She was up at one seventy-one. I thought she was cold so I wrapped her blanket around her." I asked, "What time did she get up?" Memaw replied, "One seventy-one. I'll just take her to Frankie." Mind you all of this conversation is within seconds as I'm reaching into the crib to get Blake. Memaw continues, "I can just take her to Frankie. If she gets up again that's what I'll have to do".

I briskly snatch up the kid, blanket, and pacifier and head to the kitchen. I've spoiled her and so I typically make her a small cup of milk before I send her back to bed. As I'm rocking and Blake is enjoying her milk, it occurs to me that I can't put her back in the room with Memaw. Normally I would put her in the pack and play, but it is in the room with Memaw. I could put her in my bed, but not with me and Chad because I can't sleep with my kids. I can't just give her my spot because she'll probably fall off the bed. So, I try to wake Chad up for help, but he's oblivious. I finally manage to use one had to hold the sleeping child and one hand to spread put a blanket in the corner of our room. Miraculously, she looks at me, takes her blanket, rolls over, and goes right to sleep on the blanket.

After getting back into the bed, I woke Chad up to make sure he wouldn't step on her in the morning since he managed to sleep through the entire ordeal. I was wired. I guess that my "Mommy instinct" kicked in and adrenaline took over my body. Obviously I knew she couldn't get to Frankie in Longview, but I was very concerned about her trying to walk and stumble with her while she (Memaw) was obviously a little disoriented.

Needless to say, after trying to make myself go back to sleep for about an hour I gave up. I just got out of the bed and moved into the living room to stand guard over my babies!

When Chad got out of the bed at 6:00, I got into the bed. Of course, Blake was awake for the day by 6:30!

Where have I been?

Last week someone mentioned to me that I had not updated the blog lately.  I guess I had not really thought about it.  After all, it is summer.  Those of us who teach take summer very serious.  To think someone actually thought that I would THINK or even WRITE during the summer is ridiculous!  Seriously though, today I looked back and was surprised that it has been over a month.  So, I got out my trusty camera and arranged the pictures by date to see what exactly I've been doing since the last update.  Here's what you've missed out on with the Dickerson Family!

First, I made a whirlwind trip to NYC that went from idea to leave for NYC and return home from NYC in about a week. It was crazy...but memorable and fun. Friday night I met a good friend from high school and we had dinner and saw Billy Elliot on Broadway. Here we are on the big screen in Times Square. Can you find us?

Then, on Saturday I fought my way through Penn Station to find my parents as they made their arrival from New Jersey on the train. Later that evening we were out checking out Rockefeller Center. Aren't they just too cute?

Friday evening we enjoyed the the Brooze Brothers performance in downtown Henderson. The girls and their friends managed to almost take over the stage.

On July 4, we went to Nanny and Pa's house to see the fireworks. Fortunately for us, they have spectacular viewing opportunities from the backyard so we don't have to pay the money or fight the traffic to see the fireworks in the city of Tyler. Pa even provided a stage for the girls for this annual event.

Here, Kennedy sings Taylor Swift...

And then Taylor sings...

And then BADkid follows and repeats EVERYTHING she has ever seen her sisters do...

And of course, the host, hostess, and 2 grandkids. There was a rumble of thunder (or 200) and Kennedy took cover in the house.

Although I've lived here most of my life, I had never been through the Tyler Rose Garden. One day the girls and I had about an hour to kill and took a tour. Here are the oldest 2 checking out the ponds, etc before they were distracted with the roses.

It was H.O.T. I don't remember exactly, but think somewhere in the range of 102 or 103 with 99% humidity. Blake said

And, we had the BIG event of the summer...Kennedy went to overnight camp for the first time. She was amazingly brave. We took her to camp and dropped her off to spend six nights without her knowing a single person there.

While Kennedy was gone to camp, Taylor and I cooked. Here we are with our super cute aprons!

And, we played in the rain...and small pond that our new back porch created. I would never say "I told you so" but I suggested we might need gutters. Bob said we didn't. Would anyone else like to offer up an opinion?

Blake learned to love other people's shoes and boots. This was the night of her surgery (just tubes).

Oh, and it was FINALLY time to go back and get Kennedy from camp. Here's the goofy daddy and Blake sliding down from the giant tree house at Pine Cove Camp.

Last week was Mimi's birthday. I had my 3 and my brother's 2 kids helping prepare for the surprise party. Here you can see everyone getting ready to work hard on the cake.

Blake worked herself up to this...before we even opened the box of cake mix...

We had to have decorations.

I'd never tell the world how old my mom is, but I will say we bought a box of 80 candles and used all of them but 24! (love you mom!)

We are under a burn ban in East Texas. Glad this small forest fire didn't get out of control.

This picture just makes me smile. I vaguely remember my dad being a grouch when I was a kid. Somehow I think that my kids don't see him in the same light.

We have a new artist in the neighborhood. She's one of those "all natural" kind of artists.

Although we've been super busy, it seems that we do spend a lot of time just being at home. The big girls enjoy reading to the BADkid when she'll let them hold the book and turn the pages when they finish reading a page rather than when she gets an itch to turn the page.

And for some reason, none of us can keep up with our shoes!

So, although technically I'm off for the summer, I've been busy every single day. It's been super hot, super busy, super fun, and super challenging!