The Tooth Hurts

These are the days, right?  The ones we look back on and miss like crazy.  I get it.  I see it.  I already wish I could hit pause multiple times a day and linger in the moments.  The giggles, the cuddles, the new displays of strength and wit!  I believe over the past two months we have noticed we have been living in the honeymoon stage.  His army crawling is cute, not yet destructive.  His schedule is air tight. He does something new everyday (like grabbing his straw cup and taking a sip all on his own causing my heart to stop because he looks like such a big boy.)  He is easily entertainable (a cart ride or some music and life is good.)  He is just plain fun.  And sometimes wakes up from a nap looking like this...

Our first post-nap bed head

The tongue doesn't quit playing with his brand new tooth.  And his poor gums are swollen waiting for it's partner to pop through.  He is growing at warp speed!

Sweet little man

He's filling out rather nicely

Over the past couple months we've had a few vacations.  The annual Dairymen's trip with about 40+ members of Pete's family was in June.  Palmer really got to know the Doyle clan that week.

Would you like to try my chooch?  -Palmer and his cousin May

The newest addition to the family!  Baby Alanna <3

Matt, Palmer, Pete, Kevin & Uncle John

Here are my cousins and I at a winery on our annual girls trip.  We visited Cape Cod and couldn't have squeezed in more activity.  I love the Cape.  P'town was eclectic and fun.  Hyannis was historic and dreamy.  And at the end of the day we could have bagged it all and just lounged around the B&B (The Whalewalk Inn).  It was the quintessential New England Inn.  Perfection.

Best $10 wine tasting ever @ Truro Vineyards

These were the kinds of pictures I was getting from Pete while I was gone.  Torturous.

Life has been buzzing by.  I am so thankful for Facebook and Instagram which are single handedly capturing my baby's first year of life with little effort on my part.  

Our first attempt at a wee-baby-mohawk

Yum! Yogurt!

He takes a venti milk with two puffs on the side

Week 2 of swim lessons.  Chunky = Floaty

Can never have too many puffs

I'm currently waiting on Mr. Palmer to rise from his morning nap so we can make it to his swim lesson on time.  I have a love/hate relationship with swim lessons which is probably rather obvious. Love survival skills. Hate crying.  I beam with pride every time he finishes a lesson and improves.  That is how I know the DAILY effort of slathering on the sunscreen, squeezing on the rash guard and standing in 90 degree weather while you watch your 8 month old go under water is worth it!

The South Meets The Midwest

This post is more for my immediate family of three than for sharing, but, alas, this has become my family journal.  I find myself thinking more and more about who Palmer will become.  What kind of man will he be?  Will he mirror our morals and values?  Will he say "yes, ma'am" and "no sir"?  Will he fall asleep in the middle of his prayers like I do every night?  Then I think the outcome to these questions rests in Pete and my ability to be good parents.  And then I think, "Woah...Palmer has parents who come from two really different places!"  While most people think of Florida as Disney World and Miami Beach, those from the South will admit North Florida is lovingly referred to as South Georgia.  If anyone doubts that, I welcome you to visit my hometown of Bushnell.  And on your way you should take a quick stop in Wakulla, Micanopy, Palatka, and don't forget Ocala where there are more horses than people.  It's about a 20 minute drive from my hometown and where I first went line dancing in high school.  Chicago almost seemed like a fake city to me.  More of a movie set than a place where people actually live.  I remember the first time I left Bushnell and realized that not everyone lives on multiple acres.  People lived on 1/4 acre lots...where on earth did they keep their cows?  Where were the horse stalls?  I was shocked to learn that the majority of people did not have experiences waking at 5:30am to bottle feed baby calves if their momma didn't make it through labor.  It took me many years to realize my childhood was a blessing.  On EVERY family roadtrip I would dreamily look out the window as the city of Atlanta rolled by and I would swear to high heaven that I WOULD live in the city one day.  I would take an elevator to my office and wear high heels that clicked down the sidewalk as I window shopped down some glitzy street.  When freedom was at my fingertips I found myself dipping my toes into city life and then quickly clamoring back to the country.  I never made it far until life pushed me into a new career in corporate America.  There I met Pete (thank you, Life) and learned how to play in the city while keeping my country roots.  I still feel far more comfortable at a bon fire than at a black tie dinner.  And I will still be amazed at every event we attend where there is dancing and NOT ONE song comes on that people know how to line dance to.  I always find myself ambitiously thinking I should try and do a simple one for everyone to catch on to, but then look around at the loafers on the feet instead of cowboy boots and think better of it :)

I love that Palmer will have the best of both worlds.  I like to think he will be comfortable in all settings.  Whether my dad recruits him to bail hay one summer or Pete asks him to be his partner in a member-guest golf tournament, I hope he will enjoy it all.

And just for Palmer, I wanted to highlight the places where his mom and dad come from:

Sumter County Courthouse {best place to sit and watch fireworks} | Dade Battlefield Park {enjoy the annual reenactment of the battle that started the second Seminole War} | Livestock Auction {where you go when you need to sell your mean donkey or annoying goat!} | Webster Flea Market {the only place to be on Monday to scour the miles of vendors and then lunch at the infamous Speckled Butter Bean

Annual Fall Festival Greased Pig Contest | Mossy Oaks

Chicago Sky Line meets Lake Michigan | City of Chicago {art, theatre,culture galore!}

Sunset Ridge {where Pete was a caddy} | Golf {Pete’s love & name of town he lived in} 

The Cubs {emblem that now graces my bank card and checks} | Fenway Park {where Pete took me to my first rooftop Cubbies game}

Can't Beat 6 Months & The Dirty Thirties

Any baby that can sit on his own, smile & laugh at you and play independently while you go to the bathroom is what I would consider the perfect baby.  We have entered a new phase of Palmer's life. This time is a lot more fun than the days of old which included sleeping every 1.5 - 2hrs and not a lot of positive feedback.  I would admit he is still in the zone of "baby as an accessory" phase, but he gives back a lot more than he ever has.  We were at My Gym today which was a complete success as he stayed awake the entire time!! His desire to be mobile has turned into barrel rolls across the floor.  It's fun/slightly scary to leave him in one spot to go make a cup of tea and come back to find him on the other side of the room.  I've added "order gates for playroom" to my to-do list.   

In all his 6 months glory

We had a visit from Palmer's best buddy Parker!  He came all the way from Daytona to hang out for the day.  Miracles of miracles, Palmer woke up from a nap while Parker was there and they had actual awake and play time together.  It is so sweet to watch the boys play together.  Palmer was in awe of his big buddy crawling all over the place.  One day, Palmer, you too shall move.  Until then mommy gets to keep an extra ounce of sanity.

Parker & Palmer

In other news, it was my 30th birthday!  AND Mother's Day!! Double whammy of spoiling!  It never occurred to me how fortuitous it is for my birthday to fall right around Mother's Day and pre-emptive of Pete's annual May fishing trip.  Let me break it down for you...

1) Mom's Birthday = nice dinner(s) with multiple friends/family over the weekend + gift(s) from Husband & Baby Palmer

2) Mother's Day = pampering of Mom + gift(s) from Husband & Baby Palmer

3) Husband's 5 day fishing trip = Hubby feeling guilty for leaving wife & baby thus leading to over the top spoiling

Proof of work below:

Dinner with friends @ Roy's to kick off the coined "Extravaganza!"

A surprise birthday party the next night!

My BHB's welcoming me to the dirty thirties!

 Not pictured here is my bestie Theresa who Pete sneakily flew down as a surprise for me on Saturday.  Saturday was already set up to be jackpot as 4 of my friends and I had an all day pampering session booked at the Ritz.  After about an  hour of pampering I was told the spa director needed to speak to me (more sneaky sneaky!).  I went into the relaxation room where the spa director introduced herself and then from behind a curtain Theresa popped out and offered me a towel!  I was shocked...and then cried.  I was beyond excited and it was by far the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me.  Pete blew waaaay past my expectations for the birthday/Mother's Day extravaganza.  There were so many surprises and treats at every turn of the day.  He took off work Friday so we could golf together, made me two custom Tervis tumblers with Palmer's pictures on them, a custom baby Palmer coffee mug, and of course we can't forget that pretty little lady Tory Burch who graced the party as well:)

I mean...how does he do it?! 

Luckiest girl in the world.

Amidst all the partying and gift giving, there is one thing above all that brings more joy to my heart...

Sweet baby Palmer

Pool time is his fave...even when I put him in dorky outfits like this 

Love.

Baby montage...I can't stop myself.  Facebook & Instagram have been bombarded by my incessant picture taking.

Have never worked so hard at something as when I try and make him laugh...