So the slide-shows stay

Thanks for your feedback, peeps.

I have no pictures for you today. Just info on what's going on.

JR:

After just a few months at the D.O.E., JR has been offered a promotion to Director. I don't have all the details, cuz he's on another Standards Writing trip in Orlando. But I am so proud that he is doing so well, and inspiring such confidence from his superiors at work.

Gideon:

Oh, for the nights when we slept! He's apparently going through another growth spurt. He's growing out of all of his clothes that we just got. I mean, a month ago, he was still comfortably wearing his 0-3 month clothes... NOW the 6 month sleepers are just right. He actually got stuck when I tried to get him out of the Bumbo today. (Actually, he's trying to get out of the seat by himself now. I don't know what I'll put him in to feed him. I'm thinking about lugging the stroller up the stairs and strapping him into that.)

He is so much more expressive and aware now. Everyone has commented on how many faces he makes and how alert he is... but it's at a new level. I have a video (that I can't figure out how to make small enough to post here) that would blow you away.

And the killer of it all is this: The other night he was upset with me because I told him it was time to calm down and get ready to go to sleep. He wanted to play. So he started screaming for no reason. I told him that if he was going to scream, he was going to do it in his crib. And after letting him scream himself calmer in his own room I went to get him. But when I tried to cuddle instead of play, he started screaming again. I told him that behavior wasn't acceptable. So he looks down at JR, who was laying on the floor, and flashing him a smile. JR told him that he needed to mind me. So you know what that kid did?! He looked straight at Debby and reached for her! He was upset with me and was trying to get the other people in the room to trump me. But I'm the momma. And I won.

So it begins... this whole parenting thing. Feeding, diapering, cleaning... that's all well and good. But what really makes you a parent, I'm finding, is the discipline. And it has begun. And all those years that JR and I stocked up on being strong-willed is coming back to bite us. Cuz now we have created a child that gets the strong will from both of us. Double Wammie. (eechaboizers!)

Thanksgiving:

I'm so excited about Thanksgiving! Actually, I think JR's even more excited. He actually said he couldn't wait to get to Searcy. (You know the man needs a break when he's really excited about Searcy.)

But we've got great plans with family. Ryan will be joining us for the first time... so we're setting up some new traditions: Lord of the Rings Risk, Men Make Breakfast, ... well, I can't think of any more right now. And in addition to Ryan being there, my Grandpa Bob and Grandma Betty will be coming to Searcy on Friday to meet Gideon for the first time. They are his only Great-Grandparents he hasn't met yet.

And... there are several friends that I'll get to see over the break as well. Jenni and her new son, Sam will be in Little Rock. Kim and her two kids will be in Searcy. And Ali Justus has coordinated a gathering of people from highschool (Katie--who I get to see fairly often, Lynn, Cara, Hope, Louisa, and I don't know who all else). But I'm most excited about spending time with Hannah. I haven't seen her since we left VA in July. Which means that this is the longest I've gone without hanging out with Hannah ever... I think. My semester in Florence MIGHT have been a few days longer, but I'm not going to take the time to count.

Well, I'd better get crackin' on my to-do list.
I probably won't blog again until we get back from Searcy... but you never know.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Daisha