Gabe Stands Up

What are you doing with that camera? Why is it always pointed at me?

this is what I do every time someone goes outside--Daddy, Mabry, Mommy, the dog, the cat, etc. usually, I am crying though. I have started standing next to anything that will stay still long enough to support me. I am starting to let go once standing, with mixed results.

Yea for new babies!!!

Congrats to Shawna and Joe on the birth of Jack! Congrats to Wallace and Shannon on the birth of Maeve! We can't wait to meet the newest little people around. Anne Marie and Denny--hurry up!

Gabe's first people food breakfast

Gabe ate an entire waffle and piece of bacon. Is the end of expensive baby food near?

Gabe is sick AGAIN!!!

Okay, yesterday Guy and I started our tutoring job (after school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30). we went to pick up Gabe and were told that he had a fever of 102. Of course, we hit a panic. All doctors offices are closed at that time! We stopped at Aunt Joyce's to find the address of the urgent care in Grenada. We get there only to find out that they were closed---two hours early. One option left: ER. Yuck! Long waits, too much money, little service. We waited until 7:30 to go to the back (oh, and it took two hours to get Gabe tylenol to reduce his fever). We waited another forty-five minutes to see the doctor. Gabe's ear infection didn't respond to the amocillin. He also developed a reaction to the antibiotic. He isn't allergic (Thank goodness!), but doesn't need to take any forms of penicillin unless absolutely necessary. the doctor wrote us a prescription for the new antibiotic (hello--it's almost nine o'clock! What pharmacy is open at this time of day?). So we head home. This morning, I am the lucky parent who got to stay home with Gabe. At nine, we go to the local pharmacy to get his prescription filled. guess what? No one in Water Valley carries that antibiotic. They will be happy to order it and the prescription will be available tomorrow, maybe. We decided to come home and I begin to call pharmacies in the Oxford area. NO ONE CARRIES THE DAMN ANTIBIOTIC!!!!!! But wait, a wonderful local pharmacy called Chaney's offers to do the one thing that could make my day. The pharmacist gets the number of the prescribing doctor for me and calls them to see if they can make a substitution. It takes her an hour and a half, but she called me back to say they will have a prescription ready for me today, this afternoon. HALLELUJAH!!!! Thank God for some people who still have service as their primary goal. So now, Gabe and i are just waiting for Guy and Mabry to come home so that I can go to Oxford and pick up said prescription (Our other car has no air conditioning, and I refuse to put Gabe in that for a thirty minute drive.). Wish us luck that they will actually have said prescription and Gabe's ear infection will finally disappear.

Mabryism #2

Scene: In the car on the way to WalMart, Kroger, etc. The radio is playing the Kid Rock song that samples "Sweet Home Alabama."

Mabry: This could be the national anthem of Alabama or something.

Mabrism's of the past two weeks

Scene: doctor's office

Doctor: The baby is too young, but can Mabry have a balloon animal?
Me: Sure.
Doctor: Do you want a chicken, turkey, or fish?
Mabry: chicken strips!
Doctor: Do you want a sad, crazy, or insane chicken?
Mabry: Crispy chicken!!!

Missing some phone numbers

Hey, Joe--Guy had to get a new phone and no longer has your number programmed. Call him and leave him a message with a number to get in touch with you. I hope your whole family is doing well! We look forward to hearing about the baby's arrival.

First Day of First Grade

Gabe is so happy that Mabry is going to school and he gets to see Miss Tina. Of course, this won't last, since later in the day, Gabe will develop an ear infection and we will have to go to the doctor.

Mabry looking so much older in her uniform and bookbag.

She's so excited for the school year. She gets to check out books from the library this year and take Spanish every week. In Spanish, they even watch "Dora, the Explorer." She's hoping this week to also visit the Kidzeum on their campus. Mabry's fondest wish has also come true. Every day, she rides a yellow school bus from her school to the high school with the other faculty kids and gets escorted to my room by a big girl "high schooler." She also gets to order lunch every day in the cafeteria, where they always have a salad!

Meeting Mabry's teacher

I don't think I can rave enough about the Grenada school district. Yesterday, we were given time out of professional development to go to the other schools and meet our children's teachers. Guy and I went to the lower elementary and switched Mabry's class assignment on the advice of the high school teachers and administration (Thanks, Mrs. Howell!!). Mabry is now in a multi-age classroom, which has a mix of kindergarten and first graders. Mabry's new teacher is named Mrs. Chism, and man, is she organized!! We filled out all of the required forms. Mrs. Chism found the bus number that Mabry will ride after school to the high school with the other faculty children everyday, and created her nametag with all of her information to wear during the first two weeks. Mrs. Chism's classroom was well organized, clean, bright, and decorated so well. Mabry fell in love with the class! She even made friends with two of the other girls while we did the paperwork. We look forward to hearing about Mabry's adventures with her new friends, Pressley and Jasmine.
We also walked around the school and found our friend, Jennifer Howell. This way, Mabry will have someone if she needs help outside of her class. The music room was the highlight of Mabry's day. It was huge with built in risers for the students. There were 12 electronic keyboards and tons of rhythm instruments. Mabry also is itching to get into the library, where she has noticed all of the chapter books and a Madeline doll just like the one she has at home.
During our afternoon, the high school was available for our students to come by our rooms and meet us and find out what supplies they would need. I was overwhelmed by how many of our students showed up during their final days of vacation. The students were polite and seemed excited to start another school year. Of course, since my classroom and Guy's are next to each other, we had several students come to the wrong rooms, which we expected.
Today, we have a morning department meeting and then we have the afternoon to finish preparing our classes for the beginning of school on Thursday. Mabry is going to her friend Adele's house to play for the day. Oh, and Gabe loves his daycare and Ms. Tina, and has started pulling up on the furniture. I guess this means he will be walking soon.

Quick Rant about McDonald's

McDonald's in general--okay. McDonald's in Charleston, MS--awful!!! Since the McDonald's in charleston is halfway between Water Valley and Sumner, it is an awfully convenient point to meet Guy's mom. Louise is keeping Mabry for a couple of days intermittently since Guy and I are back to work. Last night, we went to meet Mabry and Louise for the switch up at McDonald's. When we realized it was five thirty, we thought that we should go ahead and get something to eat. guy got in line and after five minutes asked another girl what was taking so long. At that point, everyone in the restaurant (Guy, four people in line, Mabry, Louise, me, Gabe, two toddlers, and three other people (including a grandmother with two toddlers) realized that all the employees were in the back and were shouting. All of the sudden, we hear two people fighting. We all looked at each other in shock. One girl bursts out of the back and tells the grandmother, "Let's go. i'm not putting up with this s****!" and goes to the other side of the McDonald's, which is a Shell station. Another girl comes out of the back with the other employees following. This girl is holding a broom. The grandmother yells, "You are NOT going to hit her with that broom!" and starts swinging while holding one of the babies. I immediately went with Gabe to the back of the restaurant since mabry was with Guy and Louise. Guy grabbed one of the toddlers (whose mother was fighting at this point in the Shell station) to keep him safe. Someone said to call the cops and right at that moment, someone from the wildlife and fisheries department came in and broke it up. The customers stood there in shock for a couple of minutes until we realized that Mabry was crying because she was so scared. We all calmed Mabry down and decided to leave without eating. We explained to Mabry that people fight when they have no manners and that everything was okay. When we got home, I called the national McDonald's headquarters to complain. I explained the situation (oh, the girls who fought--they were the managers!) and have informed them that we will no longer go to that McDonald's. We will find another place. I think this was the most bizarre fast food experience that we have ever had and feel lucky that none of the children were hurt.