Myrtle Beach May 21, 22, 23

Our last day was spent wandering around 'Barefoot Landing,' a shopping entertainment complex like the one closer to where we were staying, 'Broadway at the Beach.' I got a few more souvenir pennies (squash a penny with a design on it). Eric got a pirate rubber ducky to add to his collection of ducks. Here he is outside the store (in his pirate outfit I do believe, co-ink-e-dink)...

We took him to the pool after his nap...

We had dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse called "Rioz." Very good! One set price, not cheap, but all you can eat, so if you ever go, go hungry. It had a salad bar with veggies, shrimp and cheeses, besides the green stuff. Sides were brought to the table, I liked the fried polenta and mashed potatoes. But I mostly was a carnivore and pigged out on all the meat. They had lamb, beef, chicken and pork, different cuts and seasonings. Cooked on a large skewer. You have a card that's red on one side and green on the other. When you want some meat have your card with green side up and they will come around with the various meats to try. They'll tell you what it is and you can say yes or no. They slice it off or slide the meat off if it's chucks. Leave the card up and wait for someone else to come around. When you don't want any more turn it over. Want more flip it back to green. This was our anniversary dinner, four days early.

The next day we headed to Virginia for a one night stop at Paul's dad's. Dinner in Tazewell at Hardee's. We met Alex's new puppy, Bruno. He's a "Dorky." Part dachshund, part yorkie. Cute as can be, although a bit hyper. He loved licking my ears, they were clean inside and out! Here he is the following day...

And here is Eric and Bruno...

Here's a video of the wacky puppy. At this point he wasn't sure about Eric. He was only allowed in the kitchen and family room. Eric and Belle were siting in the doorway between the two, so he was trapped!

Myrtle Beach (May 19/20)

I am really bad about keeping up here! Oy!

Anyway, Monday, May 19 we decided to go fishing, so we found a pier, which is right next to one of the other time shares we could have gone to. Think I'd like to try that one sometime. But that's another thing. We slathered ourselves in sunblock, got some bait, ate lunch and fished while the munchkin kept himself entertained in his stroller. He was very good. We took turns pushing him down the pier or taking him out and walking around. As you can see here, he has his "no more pictures please" pose.


The only fish caught that day, Paul had to throw it back because he didn't know what kind it was and hence the size limit. Found out it coulda been a keeper.

After we packed up, we headed down to the beach so we could feed Eric and let him experience the sand and surf for the first time. He did quite well. Liked getting his feet wet. He even crawled around and checked out the squishy sand. With his "texture thing," we weren't sure how he would respond. So, here's Eric's first time with the sand and surf...

While Eric took his nap, we took turns in the pool to cool down. Then we decided on a seafood buffet for dinner. The buffet wasn't very good, except for the mac n' cheese and New England clam chowder. The hushpuppies that were brought to the table were the best I've had. Nice bite size morsals of yummyness! We also shared a half pound of the best crab legs I've ever had. So, it wasn't a total waste.

Tuesday, we again went fishing. This time we took the pack n' play. Which meant we were loaded down, but managed. Paul had Eric in the backpack, stuff stored in the pocket, while he also carried the fishing poles and pack n' play. I had the diaper bag, lunch and fishing bucket, that had the fishing tackle in it. We set Eric up with toys and two beach towel clipped over him to keep the sun off. Boy, was it windy! You can kind of see how Eric's hair is being blown...

He did much better, even though he still didn't like being penned up. Again, we got him out a few times. This time it was my turn to catch a fish. Of course, it was right after the boys left for a walk! I was only able to get it half way up before it got off the hook. It wasn't hooked very well. But, I did catch a nice flounder. Our fishing wasn't very good this trip! Here's a shot from the pier. You can see the rough surf...

Again, we did the pool thing. After his nap, we took Eric for a dip. Dinner was at "Key West." Paul had his shrimp and grits, while I had BBQ'd grilled shrimp. Yummy! Eric liked the taste of the BBQ sauce and grit sauce. This was the beginning of his "tasting." His eating is also a whole other story. That night it did rain, the only bad weather we had.

Here's a video of Eric and the waves...

Myrtle Beach (May 17/18)

Eric was quite happy when we finally got to our time share...freedom! He had plenty of room to crawl around...kitchenette, dining area, living room, bedroom and large bathroom, oh, and the balcony (it was screened in people, SC, bugs and mosquitoes, so he was safe). Of course he had to check out all the doors to make sure they were in proper working order. The bedroom and two bathroom doors got a workout in those five days. He did manage to get himself closed in a dark room a few times. Letting us know that he was not happy about it. When he'd close himself in we'd start to count to see how long it would take him to start fussing.

So, here is Eric as begins to explore his new temporary home...


And making sure all doors are working...

The time share was nice. We weren't on the beach, about five miles away. But on the intracoastal waterway. Pretty. We faced homes on the other side. The one across from us was under construction. About twice the size as the ones around it. We went over to the "big" pool and had a snack and drink. Paul had a smoothie while I had a frozen concoction. The "big" pool had a couple little islands in it where you could take your drink and set them down. We were closer to the other pool, but here we had a small lazy river, which was nice! All we did for the rest of the day was walk around and have dinner, The Crab House. Paul and I shared a dish, different seafood.

Eric woke up crying during the night. Have know idea why. He just would not sleep. I rocked him back to sleep but when I put him down he woke up again. I told Paul it was his turn. He got him to sleep but then he woke up again about ten minutes later. So, Paul did it again. Same thing. My turn. I got up and did what I said I wouldn't do, brought him to bed with us. We had a king size bed. Nobody was getting any sleep, so I did what I had to do. He was so cute. He kept his head kind of on my shoulder but kept moving around, trying to get comfy. He'd stretch out and have his feet on daddy, roll over on his tummy, he must have tried five or six different positions, all the while keeping his head on me, until finally he found a spot he liked. He cuddled up against me. I fell back to sleep eventually. Woke up about an hour and a half later, my arm was beginning to ache and I had make a trip to the potty. Carefully I got out of bed and put a pillow against him so he didn't roll out of bed, but he was dead to the world. When I got back I was able to put him back in the pack n play, where he slept peacefully until about 6:30am. When he woke up crying, so back in bed with us. This time he was all over us. It was cute when he laid on Paul's pillow, butt in the air. He didn't think that was very comfy. Eventually he ended up back against me, but I got feet in the face this time. After an hour I got up. Here are my boys sleeping...

As I said, Eric liked going out on the balcony. I found him just sitting out there taking in the sites and sounds of the morning, it was so cute.

After we went to our owners update meeting and the rug rat had a nap we hit the pool for a while. So here's my little heart breaker in his stylin' swim trunks and taking a ride on the lazy river with daddy...

After the pool we headed north to Little River for the Blue Crab Festival. We got there late in the day so they let us in for free, which was very nice. Most of it was arts and crafts type stuff. I was wondering where all the blue crab food was, because I don't recall seeing any of the food booths with hardly any seafood, much less any type of crab. We spotted a restaurant and checked them out. They blue crab claws as a special so we had that as an appetizer. I ended up with shrimp for dinner. As we were leaving we spotted more places to eat on the water. Oh, well! It was good. All the vendors were packing up, good thing we didn't have to pay!

Where does the time go?

OK, yes I was in Myrtle Beach for almost a week, plus traveling, and I had to have my annual Memorial Day cookout, which was two days after we got home, but other than that there's no excuse for me not keeping up with this. My excuse is that I have a little guy on the verge of walking, so he's been keeping me busy. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Anyway, Eric did pretty good on the trip. We left at 5:30pm Friday, May 16...in hopes that someone would fall asleep shortly after he fed at 7pm. No such luck. Eric cried because he wanted to go to sleep in his own bed. The two of us played a lot of take mama's sunglasses off, give them back so she can put them back, repeat. I started putting them on the bridge of my nose and Eric would push them up, then take them off. He knew where they were supposed to be. Smart boy! And he would take, mainly the right, sock off so I could put it back on. Needless to say that one sock should be twice as long as the other one. He would get cranky off and on and he finally fell asleep about 9:50. We got to the hotel in Ashville, NC about midnight. I put him on the bed, he was awake, and was like "whoa, where am I? But this is pretty neat!" Got his pack n play set up, diaper changed, myself ready for bed and we all hit the hay. He went right back to sleep, thankfully!

Here he is on day one, in his jammers, so far so good...





Day two of captivity in the car seat...




I was up first the next morning. So, while the boys slept I went down and had some cereal, from the very small continental breakfast. Oh well, it's not like I eat much more than cereal anyway. I got Eric changed and fed while Paul out everything back in the van. It only took Eric about half and hour before he fell asleep for his morning nap, he slept about an hour. We stopped at Bojangles for lunch. A must when we head south! Eric flirted with the girl who cleaning the dining area. We stopped at a Wendy's to give him his 2pm feeding. Paul was doing the feeding while I was stretching my legs. I saw smoke and thought somebody was burning the burgers. Eventually workers and customers starting coming out. Some were asking if anyone had called the fire department. Yes, saw someone on the cell phone. A few minutes later firetrucks were showing up. I rinsed out the feeding tube, bottle and feeding syringe and said lets go before we get stuck in the parking lot. So, that was our excitement for the day!

Wendy's is smokin'!

Mothers Day

Paul had been out flying and arrived home earlier than I expected, which was nice. I was still in bed, Eric was awake. Paul got the wee one up when he finished changing and took him downstairs. I waited a few minutes before getting up, really didn't want to but we were going to my parent's for breakfast after Eric was fed at 9am. My boys were waiting for me with flowers, cards and gifts. I got a heart shaped locket from Daddy (need to get pictures for it) and a birthstone baby charm, aquamarine of course, from my baby boy.

Breakfast was good of course, blueberry pancakes and bacon. Mom thought she decided to be funny and told me she didn't get me a Mother's Day card. Let's just say I was pissed, I couldn't believe that she would forget. "After 40 years I just don't think of it." Say what? What does that have anything to do with this being my first Mother's Day. A day I have been waiting years for! She knows what this means to me. I mentioned the fact she didn't get me a card a few times. She finally gave me David's and their card.

So much for the two of us getting the day off, Mom still had to make the salads for dinner, I did help with that. Cook the spaghetti, David helped with that. I buttered and put herbs and garlic on the bread that David sliced. Mom did dishes. I helped clean up. She cooked and cleaned up breakfast. I think Dad owes her. Paul wasn't around, except to eat and feed Eric, both solids and formula. So, I did get a break from the solids feeding.

Here are pictures of my mom, Eric and I...



I do have to mention Mother's Day last year, even though I was not officially a mom, but Eric was born and we were just days away from learning about him and learning we were going to be his parents. When we arrived at the Lodge Alley Inn in Charleston, the man who helped me out of the van, (who was a very nice and pleasant guy every time he was around when we needed the van) wished me a happy mother's day. I just smiled and thanked him. In my head I was thinking, "I wish!" He didn't know I wasn't a mom. It was the next day when we missed the call from Carol about Eric. Then the next day we got the info on him. And the following we talked with his birth mom. Then the next day we learned she chose us to parent him. So, last years mother's day was the beginning for me!

Eric's milestone's and major events of his first year...

OK, I wanted to do this before his birthday, but I have no idea where the time went! So, I've dug out last year's calendar, with what I hope to have written down Eric's milestones and any major events. I'm not including appoinments or when he spit up/pulled out his n-g tube, that would take way too long!

2007

March 30 - born at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH. Tranfered to Cincinnati's Children's Hospital Medical Center. Weighed 4lbs. 7oz. and was 17" long.
April 2 - surgery to repair omphalacele.
April 8 - first Easter.
May 13 - mama's first Mother's Day, although she didn't know she was a mama yet!
May 19 - met his future parents, AKA me and Paul!
May 21 - mama spent the night at hospital.
May 23 - came home! Weighed 7lbs. 3oz. First time out of the hospital. Met grandma and grandpa.
May 25 - mama and daddy's 5th Anniversary. Met mama's cousin, Michele.
May 26 - first party. Lizzy's graduation party. Met many relatives!
May 27 - first cookout at grandma and grandpa's house. Met cousin Hope (Holly and Mark too!)
May 28 - first Memorial Day
June 1 - first time in a restraunt, Garzelli's.
June 15 - met "Grandma and Grandpa" Sellati at LaRosa's.
June 17 - daddy's first Father's Day
June 18 - 8 lbs. 10 oz.
June 22 -25 - first family reunion at Lake Hope.
June 26 - giggled in sleep.
June 28 - 8lbs. 10.5oz.
June 29 - court date for birth father's parental rights termination.
July 4 - first 4th of July. Cookout at grandma andgrandpa's.
July 8 - baby shower at mama's cousin's Karen's house.
July 16 - 10lbs. 5oz.
July 22 - Avery's 1st Birthday Party.
July 26 - noticed a kitty for the first time, Monster.
July 29 - Aunt Kate's 44th birthday.
July 31 - Monster Kitty's 4th birthday.
August 10 - met Pa Paw, Aunt Connie, Aunt BB, Cousin Hailey (and her boyfriend John) and Cousin Alex. They came for a short visit from VA.
August 11 - watched the family play mini-golf.
August 19 - great Uncle Phil's 70th Birthday party.
August 26 - Cousin Nate's 2nd Birthday party.
August 31 - Uncle Mike's 43rd birthday.
September 3 - Kalamazoo Kitty's 8th birthday.
September 4 - first laugh.
September 8 - HOA cookout.
September 9 - APOP picnic. Grandpa's 73rd birthday.
September 11 - surgery for double hernia repair, circumcision, g-tube and nissen placement.
September 28 - Fall-o-ween at Coney Island with mama and Grandma.
October 1 - 13lbs. 4.5oz.
October 4 - Uncle Rick's 45th birthday.
October 8 - 13lbs. 10oz.
October 20 - pumpkin patch. Helped mama and daddy with the Cincinnati Bengal cornmaze.
October 25 - 14lbs. 2oz.
October 31 - first Halloween. Baby Yoda!
November 4 - Baptism
November 13 - 15lbs. 2oz.
November 18 - Uncle David's 47th birthday.
November 22 - first Thanksgiving.
December 1 - 1st tooth, lower left central incisor.
December 2 - daddy's 43rd birthday. Starting to sit, almost.
December 4 - cut down first Christmas tree (grandma's too!)
December 5 - first snow.
December 6 - first visit with Santa Claus.
December 10 - 16lbs. 15oz.
December 11 - rolled over, back to front.
December 14-16 - first long trip, to VA. Christmas with Daddy's family. Met great Aunt Vanasa and Uncle Kelly.
December 17 - 2nd tooth, lower right central incisor.
December 20 - adoption finalized! Officially a Mama and Daddy's boy! Met Uncle Mike and Cousin Pip.
December 28 - 18lbs., 27"
December 25 - first Christmas.
December 31 - first New Year's Eve. Out to eat with family.

2008

January 1 - first New Year's Day
January 4 - surgery for cleft palate repair.
January 18 - 18lbs. 11oz.
January 23 - mama's 39th birthday.
January 27 - birthday party at great Aunt Barb's. Met Baby Cousin Drew.
February 3 - first Super Bowl party.
February 6 - noticed a "little extra arm" while taking a bath. A wee wee!
February 13 - waved "Hi"
February 14 - first Valentine's Day.
February 24 - tooth #3, top right central incisor. First APOP Chili Cookoff. Met former Bengal David Fulcher.
February 28 - tooth #4, top left central incisor.
March 16 - crawled forward about a foot and a half to get apple at grandma's.
March 17 - really starting to crawl.
March 18 - Lucifer Kitty's 6th birthday.
March 23 - 2nd Easter. Not too many people have two Easter's before their 1st birthday!
March 28 - clapped in sleep. Aunt Connie and Pa Paw came for birthday party.
March 29 - 1st Birthday Party. First time clapped (awake).
March 30 - 1st Birthday...Fun to be One!
March 31 - 21lbs. 8.5oz., 29 1/4"

Eric's First Birthday Party...March 29, 2008

I have been terrible! Or just too busy to do this. Maybe both. I had wanted to record Eric's milestones and major events before his birthday...NOT! Since his birthday was 3 days ago. I can't believe my baby is one already! I guess I'll have to come back to that.


Anyway, Eric turned one on Sunday, March 30th. We had a party for him Saturday, mostly family and a couple of friends. Maybe about 30 people total. He did well. By the time we had our LaRosa's pizza and he had opened most of the gifts he had had it. He didn't really take a nap before the party like I had hoped he would. He did have a decent one earlier, but the poor little guy was tired. He did decide to rejoin the party, with the few guests that were left, for a short time about an hour later. Then Uncle David had to get him up right before he left with Grandma. Mama would have left the whinny baby in bed so he could go back to sleep.







It was a Winnie the Pooh theme...plates, napkins, table cloth for the drink table, party hats (only a few of us wore them), candle for his cake, stuffed Baby's First Birthday Classic Pooh, bib and Mama decorated a Pooh cake for her boy. Plus there were other 1st birthday items, balloons and streamers.

Here he is with Cousin Hope...

And now, the birthday cupcake..."Let's see what is this stuff? I'm in my highchair, so it's a good chance that it's food, which means it's something that could go in my mouth, I better be careful!"

He finally decided it wasn't too bad. I did put a bit in his mouth, that's when he gagged, but he put his thumb in his mouth shortly after that. Then he pretty much had enough. It was funny because everyone was watching him and being so quiet. We laughed when he finally pick it up, dumped it and took the paper off. And cheered when he played with the icing and put some in his mouth. One of these days he'll be eating and then loving his birthday cake! We just have to take any food he takes by mouth as a victory and a step toward him eating orally. One day he'll be eating us out of house and home!

And finally, a picture of Eric checking out one of the many toys he received...