Lovin' the Ladies

Yesterday at lunch with mommy, a girl walked by wearing a mini-skirt, fishnet tights, and high-heeled boots. I spied her the second she walked in the door and, thankfully, she lingered near our table while getting her utensils and drink. The whole time she was there, I never took my eyes off of her and just kept laughing and saying, "ho, ho, ho." If only I knew how to say, "Hubba hubba..."

Preparing for Christmas (and Big Changes)

We've been busy readying the house for that joker Santa's arrival. I keep telling mommy and daddy that I don't need Santa when I have grandparents, but they insist on subjecting me to him year after year.


To help decorate, I put up my very own nativity scene in the dining room. You probably didn't realize that John Deere was at the birth of our Lord, but let me assure you that he was. How else do you think the shepherds got all the way from the fields to the stable?




I've also been adjusting the decorations on the tree. Mommy clearly did not have some properly positioned.


To reward all my hard work, mommy and daddy let me open my Christmas present from Nana and Papa. It is a car bed for big boys!!!! Daddy and I put it together last Sunday night and I've been sleeping in it ever since. Mommy bought me some really cool car sheets to go on it, and I even have a magic pillow, underneath which all of my pacifiers seem to magically appear at bedtime. I think it is hilarious and quite possibly the coolest pillow ever.

At Long Last, a Thanksgiving Post

I know, I know, it has been a long time since I have written. Mommy put me through a 12-step detox program after spending nine days at Gran and Papa's over Thanksgiving, so this is really the first chance I've had to blog. So much has happened since I last wrote, that I don't even know where to begin. Granddaddy came to visit me right before Thanksgiving, which was really cool. He arrived on a Thursday, which is when mommy and I have MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at church, and the day started out in a rather bloody mess. Mommy said we needed to leave early for MOPS because it was pouring down rain and traffic would be bad. She started loading things into the Jeep and told me to wait inside for her to come right back to get me. It was just as she said, "Thatcher Davis, don't come down the stairs," that I went head first down the metal stairs in our garage. She caught me on the second (of three) steps, but the damage was already done. I had busted my lip open in three places. There was blood everywhere and I was hysterical. Mommy in a classic "first time parent" move quickly scooped me up...and carried me into the study so she could read in her parenting books how to take care of a busted lip. Geez. After 20 minutes of consolation, counseling, and ice packs, we headed out the door (bloody shirt and all), where we were greeted only seconds later by an eight-point buck sprinting in front of the Jeep! Thankfully, mommy didn't hit it; but I didn't know how much more adventure I could take. All this and a visit from Granddaddy, too...that was a LOT for a little man to take.

Mommy decided to take full advantage of Granddaddy's presence. On Friday morning, we took Winston and W to get a haircut; then the three of us went to breakfast. I finished early--as is my usual habit--so Granddaddy took me for a walk so mommy could finish her meal in peace. Afterwards, we went home and Granddaddy watched me while mommy took a nap. When she finally got up, she showered and got ready for her lunch date while Granddaddy fed and continued to entertain me. While mommy went to lunch, Granddaddy successfully put me down for a nap and even changed my dirty diaper when I woke up. Mommy was amazed, awestruck, and incredibly thankful for the freedom and reclaimed independence she experienced. She thought this was too good to possibly be true. It was only an hour or so after she returned home that she went in my room and found the bottle of "Clorox Disinfecting Wipes" open on my changing table. In a panic, she called out to Granddaddy, "Dad, tell me that you didn't use the Clorox Wipes on Thatcher's bottom" (especially since I was recovering from a SEVERE bout of diaper rash). Granddaddy just started to chuckle because, frankly, there was nothing else he could do. He explained that he thought the "Disinfecting" wipes were especially for me since I had had this infection on my bottom. Clearly, he missed the "Do not use as diaper wipe or for personal cleansing" warning on the label. Thankfully, no harm was done...and Granddaddy now attributes the eventual healing of my rash to Clorox.

The Monday before Thanksgiving, we flew to Atlanta for Thanksgiving. I saw almost all of my family - even Nana and Papa came down from Kentucky to see me - and got to meet Aunt Leslie's kitty cat, Oliver. That was a big hit.

My cousin, Ella Ann, came over to Gran's house and we played together for a couple of days. She even let me kiss her before she left one day. Not even two years old, and I scored my first kiss. How smooth am I? Needless to say, I have a lot to be thankful for...if only I could have added Georgia Tech and Kentucky football wins to that list...

Hanging Out with Ella Ann on the Fireplace

Highlighting my Christmas Must-Haves for Nana

Being Coy with Nanny during the Thanksgiving Madness

My Best Friends

At long last, here is my Halloween update. Needless to say, we had a great Halloween (see here). I dressed up as a duck and really enjoyed trick-or-treating, especially at the houses where doggies live. Actually, there were doggies at every house I went to, so I naturally wanted to go inside and visit with them. Apparently, trick-or-treating is about getting candy, not puppy kisses. Mommy and daddy should have told me that beforehand.

Other than that, I've been busy playing with Winston and W, so I haven't had much time to write lately. I love playing chase with them (although W isn't that thrilled about it), and I've recently added fetch to my repertoire. Sometimes I bribe W to play with me by sneaking into the pantry where mommy and daddy keep his food; I'll reach in and grab a handful and give it to him in hopes that he'll play with me. It usually works! I've also learned how to let Winnie and Tuffy in and out of the back yard, which has been a real help to mommy. Whenever Winston is ready to come inside, I just go to the door and let him in. Then, I'll stick my head out and call for Dudya. He never comes when I call him the first time, so I close the door and wait another minute before calling him again. Mommy and daddy think this is my coolest trick ever. Personally, I think it is far more impressive that I can have managed to find Winston and W's replacement squeakers for their squeaky toys and squeak them (with my teeth) while they're still in the wrapper.

Heaven, Thy Name is Pumpkinville

On Saturday, daddy and mommy took me to Pumpkinville. I chased a rooster - but he was too fast for me to catch him.
I saw a camel, which was a LOT taller than I am.
I thought I saw W there, but it turned out to be a pot-bellied pig.
I was able to pet some sheep. They seemed to like it when I said "Baaa" to them.
Daddy wanted me to feed the animals, but he seemed to be doing fine on his own.
Pregnant mommy and I got in the moon bounce. She can bounce me really high now that she is pregnant!
Daddy and I rode a hay slide.
Then, we talked through some really long pipes.
Best of all, I went on a tractor ride - all by myself!
Afterwards, Daddy and I "drove" a school bus.
Since we were at Pumpkinville, I thought I should hang out with some pumpkins before we went home.

It rocked! It rocked so much that mommy took 49 pictures! If you want to see them, click here.

Water World

They say cleanliness is next to godliness, so I never miss a chance to get clean. On Friday, mommy ran the water for her shower, then went to get her clothes while the water heated up. When she returned to the shower, guess who she found in it...fully clothed in jammies and sock and with a Hot Wheel Rumbler in hand?!?! Knowing better than to fight me on it, she let me stay in - but did manage to strip me down.

That afternoon, mommy's friend Jamie brought her one-month old son, Henry, over for a visit. Mommy took out the bouncer so Henry could hang out in it while Jamie and mommy caught up. Needless to say, she should have known to put it away before I found it. I've been looking for that thing for almost a year! Now, you can't get me out of it.

Lastly, I confess that I was busted Sunday morning; and, no, not for "borrowing" cars from my Sunday School classroom. Mommy walked into the bedroom and found me on all fours, drinking out of Winston and W's water bowl. It was bound to happen, and at least now I don't have to hide it.

Refrigerator Art

At MOPS today, I created my first piece of refrigerator art and thought you'd like to check it out. Mommy and daddy will be auctioning it at Sotheby's when they go to New York in a couple of weeks, but - as a loyal blog follower - you are getting an exclusive preview. In case you were wondering, I have now added meowing to my animal sounds repertoire (baaa, moo, quack, oink), hence the kitty cat magnet.

Mommy took some pictures of me blogging yesterday:

Do You Know the Brownie Man?

Every day, I go into the pantry and pull out a box of Ghiradelli brownie mix. Mommy finally relented and decided to let me make some. Mommy put the KitchenAid on the floor, but I did all of the other heavy lifting. I poured the mix in the bowl and added the egg, water, and oil. It was pretty cool when mommy turned on the machine and I got to see the paddle spin around and mix all of the ingredients together. It was even cooler, still, when mommy handed me the beater to lick once she poured the batter into the pan! I never knew baking could be so much fun!

Finger lickin' good

In other news, we went to Kentucky this weekend to visit Nana and Papa. Mommy and daddy forgot to bring the camera, so it is a good thing Nana and Papa gave me some books and jammies so I can have some souvenirs of the trip! I'm really into "How Do Dinosaurs..." books (thanks to my Aunt Ashley and Uncle Devil), and Nana and Papa gave me two, BIG, new ones. Mommy had to read them to me twice just this morning; after which, I read both of them to Winston and W. They seem to like them almost as much as I do. Hopefully, the little sister I will be getting in a few months will like them as well!

Vacation

Mommy, Daddy, and I went to Sandestin the last week of August for a little getaway before daddy started at his new firm. Gran and Papa met us there with lots of fabulous toys, including Hot Wheels Rumblers which light up and make more noise than mommy and daddy care to discuss. They tried to take me to the beach, but I didn't want to have anything to do with the sand, something daddy wishes he had known before paying $40 to rent beach chairs for the day. Finally, they just gave up on that idea and took me where I really wanted to go - the tiki bar at the pool! Daddy and Papa Cecil would sit at the bar while mommy and Gran sat on the pool steps. I positioned myself squarely in between the two parties and danced to the music that was playing. Every time a pretty girl would walk by I would "accidentally" bump into her, then tell her "bye bye" as she kept walking. Mommy says I really am daddy's son. She really thought that after I discovered pina coladas, which I inhaled every time I came near one. The pina colada has officially replaced milk as my favorite drink!

Sipping Pina Coladas in the Pool
Tasty!
Examining the Lobster at Poppy's Seafood Factory

Top Five Things I Did the First Week of August

5. Learning How to Give Treats to the Dudyas. (Self-explanatory).

4. Stealing Mommy's Brie. Mommy simply adores brie. When daddy was going to be gone all day last week, she thought she would treat herself to a nice wedge and a baguette. Who knows, maybe she thought she'd relive her days in Paris or something. I put a stop to her culinary fantasy with my "ehhhh" (which means, "Um, mommy, I need some of that right now, please."). She gave me some of the baguette; but who wants a plain baguette when you can have a baguette with silky, creamy brie on it? It was delish!

3. Discovering Peanut Butter. My pediatrician told mommy that I shouldn't have peanut butter until I am able to say, "Mommy, my throat feels funny." At the rate I am going, that won't be until I'm 13. Mommy thought she'd have a peanut butter and jam sandwich for lunch while I ate my chicken nuggets. I was having none of it and howled and pointed until she finally gave me a bite of her sandwich (and prayed that I wouldn't go into anaphylactic shock). Thankfully, I didn't; and I'm now a bonafide peanut connoisseur.

2. Going to the Movies. It has been 100 degrees here all week, so our outdoor outings have been severely restricted . The movie theatre by the house has free children's movies on Wednesdays, so mommy thought we should go just to get out of the house for a little while. She said even if we only stayed for 10 minutes, it would be worth it just to get out of the house. We got to the theatre half an hour before "Clifford's Big Adventure" was supposed to come on, and the place was PACKED. Half of Loudoun county was there! Mommy found a movie booster seat for me, so the seat wouldn't fold up with me in it. I loved watching all of the other kids and the movie was pretty good, too. The best part by far, however, was....

1. Discovering Popcorn! Not only was the movie free, but the theatre sold $1 popcorn. Mommy put some in my snack trap cup for me and watched to see how I would take to that buttery goodness. All I have to say is WHY did I have to wait 18 months to try this little slice of heaven!!?!?! I didn't bat an eye at the new, crunchy, yet also soft, texture. I just devoured it all! Unfortunately for mommy, I was ready to leave the theatre once we ran out of popcorn (which was about an hour into the film). Next time, she'll know to get her own box. I'm not up for sharing this stuff.

Heaven

My Nana and Papa came to visit last week. It was such a great time! Nana had a big birthday (her 40th) while she was here, so we did a lot of celebrating. I figured she would like to celebrate her birthday week playing cars and building buildings with blocks. I was right!


It was so cool...almost as cool as the race track train table she bought me! I loved it so much that I refused to come to the table for dinner because I couldn't stop playing. Needless to say, I couldn't be bothered with bath or bedtime either. I love to line up all my cars and trains on the outer track and let them race down the hills. It's a lot like having the Atlanta Motor Speedway right in my own family room.

Cars

Last weekend, daddy let me supervise while he washed the cars. I have never had so much fun!

Speaking of cars, I trashed five of my Hot Wheels today.

July Update

As you can see, I've been spending so much time at the pool that I haven't had time for blogging. Spending even an hour at the pool just wears me out. I can barely keep my eyes open on the five-minute stroll home--even if mommy gives me a snack--as evidenced below:

I've also had company in town. My Auntie X came to visit! She was a lot of fun, just like mommy said she would be. She took me for walks, taught me how to do jumping jacks, and played with me outside. The coolest thing about her, however, is that she let me drive my cars on her bum. She and mommy told me that she was voted "Best Bum" in high school; and I can see why. It is the perfect ramp for Hot Wheels!

Last, but not least, my ghostwriter and typist (aka Mommy) has been feeling a bit under the weather. It kind of stinks for her, but the good thing is it means she is letting me watch an inordinate amount of Blue's Clues and The Wiggles. She says that she'll feel better in a few weeks...and a lot better next February; but that my world will be turned upside down. I'm not sure how I'll like this whole "big brother" thing...especially if all it means is that I have to wear this t-shirt for the next 7 months!

Samson Davis

Daddy took me to get a haircut this week. Mommy about died when she saw it. She said I looked like a marine with virtually no hair in the back and on the sides. I think she may have even shed a tear or two over my lost locks. It's probably because the one thing people say I have that remotely resembles mommy is my hair...not any more. She is devastated and has told daddy that he has lost all barbershop privileges!

Other than that, it's been a pretty slow week. Mommy and I went to the pool yesterday afternoon, which was kind of fun...but really only because I got to be outside. I'd rather spend my days eating frosted rice cakes than lounging in the water anyway. I am totally addicted to those things, by the way. I will open the pantry door, find the box, take out a package and hand it to mommy. She tries to limit my consumption, so I've developed a great trick to get my way. Usually, I call mommy "baba" just to make her mad; but when I want some of my rice cakes, I hand them to her and sweetly say, "mama." It works every time.


Oh, one last thing, in honor of Wimbledon, mommy gave me some strawberries and cream tonight for dessert. Needless to say, it was a hit. I discovered I also like whipped cream on my peas and ravioli, too. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Trampolines and Gorillas in Tennessee

I'm back! Mommy and I have been home for a few days now and are finally getting settled in enough so I can blog a bit. I had a great time visiting my Nana and Papa in Kentucky and then my Aunt Robin and my god-family, the Clarkes, in Franklin, TN. Mommy and I dropped daddy off at the airport on Father's Day morning and then headed to Aunt Robin's. We were a bit (read three hours) early because daddy's 11AM flight was cancelled, so United put him on an 8AM flight instead. Thankfully she was awake. I tried to play with her dog, Tatum, but she wasn't too fond of me. I consoled myself by pushing all of the buttons on her TV and knocking over her lamp.

That afternoon, we headed over to the Clarke house for the rest of the week. It was Jessica's birthday on Tuesday, so our visit was (hopefully) a big surprise for her. Her birthday celebration, was certainly a big surprise for me! We went to the Rainforest Cafe, where Jess has celebrated her last seven birthdays. Jessica apparently is not scared of gorillas that gruffly grunt, shake palm trees, and conjure up tropical rainstorms. I, on the other hand, am terrified of them. Unfortunately, they seated us in only inches away from the gorilla (I still contend that I could smell his breath), which meant I was NOT happy. My godfather, Jay, took me out for about 10 minutes until the major rainstorm passed, but I was still upset. Mommy says the fact that Mr. Jay bought and put me in a bright-orange UT t-shirt didn't help matters. Mommy ended up renting a super-cool stroller in the shape of a car and letting me "drive" around the mall while everyone finished their dinner. I hated to ruin Jessica's birthday, but gorillas and Mr. Ts just don't mix.

Other than that, the trip was awesome. My godmother, Jill, set up Jim's old train set for me to play with, and it rocked! It was almost as cool as the trampoline they have. Philip and I jumped on it the night before we left. Man, I wish I had discovered that thing sooner! I have never laughed so hard in all my life as I did when Philip would do these amazing flips! I laughed so hard that I couldn't even walk - I would just fall right over! No wonder I threw up when I finally got off.

Traveling Man (Updated)

Greetings from the Bluegrass State! I'm in Kentucky visiting my Nana and Papa and figured I'd have a revolt on my hands if I didn't update the blog.

I've been really busy helping mommy set up the new house. We moved last weekend, and it was loads of fun and hard work. Granddaddy flew up to entertain me while mommy and daddy unpacked an obscene amount of boxes. We had a big time. He and I invented a new game: Smackdown! It goes a little something like this: Granddaddy knocks me down on the floor and I laugh hysterically. It is so much fun! By the end of his trip, all he had to do was put up his hand (like he was motioning for someone to stop) and I would run into it and knock myself down. I liked it so much that I even said "Granddaddy" as a token of my appreciation.

Once we finally settled into the new house, we flew out to Kentucky. After landing, I went to my very first Cracker Barrel, where I proved that I am--beyond a shadow of a doubt--that I am a southern boy by devouring my pinto beans! After a short drive, we made it to Nana and Papa's, where they had an entire Hot Wheels City set up for me. Needless to say, I'm in heaven!

The Davis Family

Out Walking with Papa

Watching Cars with my second cousins, Ella Ann and Carter

Happy Father's Day, Daddy.