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Saying Bye For Now

This will be my final post to my Nashville Newcomers blog. Seeing as how we are no longer in Nashville, much less newcomers, it seems only appropriate to move on. I will post a link to the new blog as soon as I actually put something on it.

It seems strange to say good-bye to Nashville. It was harder than I thought to lock our front door for the last time. We made so many great friends there, had some fun adventures, and most significantly we had a child. I suppose the city of your birth will always hold meaning, Parker's birth certificate will always be from Tennessee no matter we end up. Our two years there were great, the city was welcoming, our children changed dramatically, and of course Hailey's twang will hopefully stand the test of time. But it was time for us to move on, more adventures to be had, new friends to make. Thank you Nashville for bringing us in with open arms...we will miss you but we will be sure to visit!

Packing and Playing

So, back to Nashville...

When Mom and Dad came to help us in July, they took the kids to a hotel so Jona and I could pack, pack, pack. It was the most amazingly helpful thing that anyone could do. Packing with Hailey and Parker was not easy. Hailey 'helped' by putting whatever she could find into open boxes- her dirty clothes, sippy cups full of juice, snack wrappers...you get the idea. Parker 'helped' by taking things out of the boxes that I packed and dumping the then empty boxes over onto his head. And of course, he gave us the added extra assistance of learning how to crawl at full speed right before the real packing began. Thanks guys for all that you do, but I think you will have SO MUCH MORE FUN with Gammy and Grampy!

My brother, Chris, and his family came up for 4th of July weekend along with my sister Kim and her kids heading over for the festivities. So along with packing came lots of playing! After Jona left for his first drive to AZ, I moved to the hotel and we concentrated on the fun. Carly and Laney spent the summer with my parents so we were able to spend some extra time with them.

Parker went on his first carousel ride. He didn't like the idea of sitting on his own horse, but the spinning in my arms was GREAT!

Carly and Laney have grown up so much. They are two beautiful young ladies!

They were both HUGE helpers with Hailey and Parker- I miss the extra hands :)

We took them to the Aquarium Restaurant where you can touch and feed stingrays. Everyone talked a big talk before we arrived, but both the girls totally wimped out when it came to feeding time! Grampy was the only brave soul in the bunch.

We also spent our last day on Old Hickory Lake. This place was one of our favorite spots in Nashville and sitting here in 105 degree weather, I MISS IT!

These girls are just too cute.

Its weird to think that I can't just climb in the car and be there in 20 minutes. Such a great spot...see ya later Old Hickory.

She doesn't ever stop...not even for a minute

Me: "Do you remember the little girl at the mall?"

Hailey: (gesturing flamboyantly with her hands) "Oh yeah, she was totally upset and being very unpleasant to her daddy."

Me: "Did you just age a year?"

Hailey: "Mom, I remember things. And it totally bums you out."

She does remember things, a lot of things. Sadly those things rarely include what I have asked her to do or told her not to do.

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While driving to IKEA and listening to a toddler sing a long CD...

Hailey: "Mom, its Bobley Marlin singing."

Perhaps this is Bob Marley's wife, I'm not entirely sure, but there was a lovely woman singing. Stir it up little darlin', stir it up.

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And then there are conversations with Parker...

Me: "Good morning precious little man."

Parker: "Dadadadadadada."

Me: "No P. Diddy, Mamamamama."

Parker: "Dadadadadada."

Me: "Dude, just try it. Mamamamama"

Parker: "That."

Me: "MAMAMAMAMAMAMA!"

Parker: "Hailey."

Me: "Good night."

Not Even A Real Posting

Sorry guys, no internet at the house until next week. And I haven't even downloaded any of the pics I've taken. Get over it, we're busy!

4th of July

It rained on 4th of July in Nashville. And I don't mean a little sprinkle, I mean a downpour. Short lived, but lively. And we were all outside. I should start by mentioning that my brother Chris and his family came up from Mississippi and my sister and her kids came over from North Carolina for the weekend. We all planning to go to Crockett Park for the outdoor concert followed by fireworks, same thing we did last year. As we parked the cars, the automated warning system began announcing that lightening had been detected in the area and everyone should seek shelter. There is no shelter, not an option. And the hundreds of other people didn't seem to be bothered so we wandered to a great viewing spot, settled in, and then decided to move the cars. As I was re-parking, I could see the lightening flashing off in the distance and the thunder started. And although the hundreds of others did not mind it, I decided that in any other circumstance I wouldn't allow my children to be outside so this should be no different. None of the other adults agreed, so I took Hailey & Parker, and Carly & Laney to mom and dad's car (the Johnsons weren't there yet) and my mom joined us just because I think she felt bad for me! And there we sat. In air conditioned luxury, for about 30 minutes. Only a few sprinkles fell, so we hopped out when it looked better and found our blankets.

About 5 minutes later, when all the sandwiches were unwrapped, everyone had drinks in their hands, and the roll of paper towels were being passed around, the heavens opened up. We had 3 umbrellas, one of which was Hailey's Dora umbrella.

I don't have a picture that really captures the moment. I took this when all had settled down. During the real rain, Bryce was holding tight to Dora.
Mom broke her toe about 2 days into being in Nashville. Then Kim stepped on it. I LOVE these faces!

Chris and Sarah after the rain. Ready for the show!

Don't they look festive?? We won't let a little storm get us down.

Hailey adored being with her cousins. Every once in a while, probably once a day, she gets a little sad and says she wishes her cousins were here...me too!

This picture was a total mission on my part! Bryce does not enjoy photos- such a boy. I had to threaten posting a worse shot on facebook to get him to smile at me.

Parker was exhausted well before the fireworks started but he was a total champ about it. He fell asleep on Jona's shoulder about a minute before the first big BOOM but didn't flinch. Just opened his eyes and took in the show.

And proof positive that I AM IN THERE SOMEWHERE!! A little curl action to honor the mamasita.

Hailey's Story

Hailey has been working on her computer skills and getting very proficient with the mouse. While we thought she was entertaining herself with Elmo and Dragon Tales, she was actually conducting a massive internet search for her dream job.

After an extensive search, she found just the right fit, found a place with a view, and moved out...

and never looked back.

Parker is heartbroken.

I know they aren't Arizona pics, but you have to admit, they are pretty cute :)

Holy Heat Waves...

We have arrived in AZ! And good lordy it is HOT. And I don't mean slightly warm, or a tad toasty, I mean melt-your-skin-off-like-you-are-swimming-in-a-pot-of-boiling-oil HOT. It was 114 degrees yesterday. What did you say? I said 114 degrees. I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood you. No, you heard correctly, I did indeed say 114 DEGREES.

And yes, I know that I will need to change the blog name, but I'm just not there yet. I mean in reality, all of our belongings are still in Nashville so this isn't quite home yet. But I have learned a few things since we left Nashville...

1. 10 month olds do not enjoy 4 hour flights in mommy's lap.

2. Mommy doesn't enjoy them either.

3. 3 year olds with explosive diarrhea are not so much fun in airplane bathrooms while holding aforementioned baby.

4. 114 degrees is hot no matter how you slice it. Humid or dry, you're gonna sweat.

5. Black on black was a very poor choice for car colors.

6. Small children don't really enjoy looking at houses. But 3 year olds love the wide open spaces to RUN around in.

7. Just because there is gravel out front does not mean that it is new construction.

8. I feel pretty good about being here. Sort of feels right. The people are very friendly and I think we're going to fit right in...once it cools off.

But I didn't blog before we left, I ran out of time before Jona took the computer. So here is a photo recap....

...or not. The computer won't let me work with pictures so I will do that some other time.

We miss you Nashville and all of our wonderful friends and neighbors. Thank you for being so good to us! Come see the desert some time, we think you'll like it out here :)

More conversing...

Hailey in the car on our way home from an outdoor concert last night...

"Dad, you make me want to pull all my hair out of my head, and mom you make me want to scream."

Seriously, I have to remember that she takes in and repeats EVERYTHING I say!

Conversations with Hailey

Sitting at the table eating lunch...

Hailey: "Mama, I have the perception of animals in trouble and they think I am an animal rescuer but they don't realize that I am only pretending."

Me: "Did you just use the words perception and realize correctly in a sentence?"

Hailey: "Yep, pretty sure I did."

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In the car...

Hailey: "What does operated mean?"

Me: "What?"

Hailey: "What does operated mean?"

Me: "It depends on the context."

Hailey: "What does context mean?"

Me: "They way you use a word in a sentence."

Hailey: "This station is owned and operated by..."

This girl doesn't miss a beat.

Happy Birthday Angel

Introducing....

KILEY FAITH HAJIMIHALIS

Born June 20, 2009 at 4:50 pm

6lb 8oz

19 3/4 inches

....beautiful.

Life changes...everything

There are big things happening here in the Maupin household. Things that have been in the works for months but for some reason I haven't blogged about it. The only reason I can come up with for that is my need for denial as a defense mechanism...I use it to keep me sane- does that make me crazy??

So the big news around here is...we are moving to ARIZONA!! Yep, this Florida girl is headed to the great South West, desert land, scorpions, cactus, a severe lack of grass, adobe houses, etc, etc, etc. Jona's contract with Vanderbilt ends this month so he spent the Fall sending out resumes and interviewing all over the country. He was offered every job he was flown out to interview for- such a smart guy- and Arizona State University made the best offer. This is THE job. The one he has been working towards. The department is very impressive, the potential for research and advancement is ideal, and he can't be more excited...and nervous!


We leave Nashville in the beginning of July. YIKES! That's right around the corner. While I'm not the biggest fan of change, I really am very excited about this move. I very knowingly gave myself the month of May to live in denial and decided that June 1st I would allow the panic to set in. But it hasn't. Not yet. I'm trying very hard to keep myself positive and remember what a great move this is for our family. So, I've started packing. One box a day until my parents arrive July 1st to take the kids and let us pack til we drop.


That's our skinny. Moving on up...or over I guess. Send me great stories about Arizona (the Phoenix/Tempe area to be more specific) and tell me how much you loved the time you spent there :) And if you feel the need to pack a box or two, come on over!

Growing up WAY too fast

Hangin' in the backyard while Hailey swims.

STANDING in his crib.

Gooping herself...thanks Hailey.

Crazy drivers.

Preppy man in his pocket tee.

He loves the water.

Pulling up, such a big boy with such tiny feet!

Mommy is madly in love.

And for his grand finale....

It may not be graceful...but fat boy is mobile!

Rooster Rant

In our yard there lives a rooster. A real rooster. But not just any rooster. We have a mentally challenged rooster that is the spawn of Satan himself. At first it was funny. Strange. Amusing. Now it is horrifying. Terrible. Makes me think evil thoughts.

The rooster first appeared in our neighborhood in February. My Dad and I were driving home from Publix and Dad said "Is that a rooster under that car?" as he pointed to the driveway at the end of our street. And yes, yes indeed, it was a rooster...in South Nashville...nowhere near farmland...under a Range Rover. Since that day we have had more than one nighttime temperature below freezing and multiple severe storms, some that caused major damage in neighboring areas. But Satan's Spawn is strong. He remains. He is not one to be brought down by simple acts of nature.

I fed him once, I think in March. I gave the turd some old bread, I didn't invite him to move in. But I think he misunderstood my intentions. For a few months now he has inhabited the magnolia bush that grows two stories high between our house and the neighbor's. And I hate him. I hate him so much that I am rethinking my anti-hunting, anti-gun outlook.

This brings us to the animal's clearly diminished mental capacity. Maybe its just a story we tell our children, that roosters crow when the sun rises. But my stupid rooster starts his cockle-doodle crap at about 3:30 every morning and then, as though he has a snooze button, 'goes off' every 10-20 minutes for a couple of hours. Seriously. Every morning. Right outside my bedroom window. Could it be possible that I am not sleep deprived enough?!? Are you kidding me?

Animal control has been called but they can't catch him. We've tried to chase him away. I no longer put out bird seed. The neighbors trimmed the bush. We talk smack about him all day long. A crazy dude who lives across the street chased the stupid bird for hours trying to hit him with a snow brush...really??? I even tried to run him over with my car. Satan is strong. His spawn is resilient and not easily defeated. And now he is punishing me by pacing on my back fence crowing until his throat his hoarse and pooping all over the swingset. This is not a normal problem to have. My life is entirely too busy and chaotic to deal with this sort of ridiculousness. Fried chicken anyone?

Seriously...there is a rooster in my yard...and I hate him.

Just for fun...

I'm not feeling all that witty. I hurt my back lifting fat-boy-fluffer-nutter. But I thought you'd enjoy some pictures...

Poor Parker. This lovely pink puffed sleeve with fur jacket is from Hailey's Snow Princess Build A Bear. Next comes the pink toenails.
But darn he's cute...and secure in his masculinity I'm sure.

Sometimes its hard to poop after oatmeal.

And totally exhausting. Yes, this is how he sleeps. Face covered- check. Toys in crib- check. Its always safety first around here. But look at his feet, how cute is that?!?

Moving on to Hailey Beth. These pictures crack me up. This was during an especially silly tub time.

Doesn't even look like her, but I love the hair- looks like mine after a good rain and some serious humidity :)

Hailey's friend Kathleen had a princess b-day party. All the girls had to dress the part.

But when we got home, the real party started!! Ahhh, Flashdance, here she comes.

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I leave with you with a story by Hailey...

And an interpretive dance...

Crying it Out

In honor of my friend Erica, I feel inspired to blog about "Crying it Out"...

Parker was a great sleeper until we moved him into his crib in his own room a few months ago. In his cradle he slept soundly, 7 hours, no waking up. Then he moved into his room, across the house from our room, and there was no more sound sleeping. In its place there was screaming, hollering, restlessness, hunger, kicking, hysteria. Very bad trade. Lots of walking across the house for binking, feeding, snuggling, rocking, tucking in, and frustration. Lots of it. LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF IT! I work the night shift and then sleep the next day, but never for long enough. And I wasn't sleeping at night. So very very tired. And, I will admit, rather grumpy.

Last week Jona decided we needed to let Parker "cry it out." He is old enough to sleep through the night. He isn't really hungry, just spoiled. He doesn't really want to be soothed by anything other than the boob, which brings us back to me being completely exhausted since I am the only one around here with the right equipment. We never let Hailey cry anything out. Everyone said it was because we were first time parents, but really I'm just not the cry it out kind of mama. Its hard for me to commit myself to letting my child be unhappy when I know I can fix the problem. But I was tired. I mean really really tired. The kind of tired that leaves you in a fog and has you waking up in the morning with a yawn. So I agreed.

I work Monday nights, so last Monday was Parker's first night of self soothing. Jona said he did well, I think he turned the monitor off. Either way, he survived the night and was smiling in his crib when I got home in the morning. Tuesday night I had to participate. And no, I was not committed. But I was tired, beat down, and LORD KNOWS I needed some sleep. So I did it, I let him cry. It was not easy. Jona says he needs to "cry is out" all casually like its no big deal. Let me tell you, it is one very big deal to this mamasita. Its an uphill battle. Both ways. In the snow. Barefoot. Seriously. But the Little Man did surprisingly well. Only woke up twice. The first time was 10 minutes, only 5 of which was crying, then he was just pissed off. The second time was only 5 minutes of anger and then joyous sleep.

So its been a week and a half. That is 10 nights of NOT walking across the house to self soothe the baby who can do it himself. 10 nights of sleep, glorious sleep.

So Erica, it works. And it gets better. And its worth it.

Now Hailey wakes us up to sleep in our bed ....@#$%&*!!!

Portrait Innovations

Last weekend we had portraits taken of the kids at Portrait Innovations. They are all TOO cute! And thus, we spent TOO much money :) How could we possibly resist these faces??

(sorry I can't flip this, just turn your computer sideways!)

Things that Hailey says that make Jona VERY nervous...

Conversation at the dinner table...

Hailey: "Gotta go, the boys are requesting me."

Jona: "What?"

Hailey: "The boys are requesting me, they want me to go to work."

Jona: "They want you to go to work?"

Hailey: "Yep, they want me to go to work and spin, and spin, and spin like a bee."

Maybe we shouldn't listen to FloRida anymore, perhaps she understands more of the Apple Bottom Jeans song than I think.

Take me away...

Two weeks ago, Hailey and I took a vacation. We only traveled 10 miles south, but it was a much needed reprieve. Jona had traveled every week for the four weeks prior to our escape, and not having had a real night of sleep since Parker was born, I was on the edge...of reason, of a meltdown, of my sanity. Hailey has been in prime three year old form as of late, (I mean that as both a good and hideously terrible thing) and we were having a tough time getting along with each other. So I decided we needed a vacation. So I found a great deal at a nearby hotel and off we went.

There was a fabulous king size bed covered in a down comforter with a multitude of fluffy, feather filled pillows, but she liked "exercising" on the floor with these. Whatever works.

Jona and Parker drove us down and played for a little bit before we had our girls night out.

We had a little photo shoot on the bed. I mean seriously, do you just love this face??

The main reason I chose this particular hotel was the INDOOR POOL!!! Parker looked mighty fine in his surfer dude attire.

And Hailey is pretty cute herself. Gotta love that face too :)

In the elevators the floors were filled with oily stuff so when you stepped on them you left a print. Totally entertaining for young and old alike.

The pool room had one wall that was solid windows to the great, incredibly freezing, totally nasty outdoors. It was in the 30s I think, and raining and gross. But we were warm and toasty and very humid. They had this awesome half circle chair/couch with this huge wicker back. I took a lot of pictures on it. I love the way Parker is checking out his big sister in this one. He thinks she is the coolest kid ever to walk the planet earth. She doesn't have to do anything but be in the room with him and he laughs hysterically. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in later life. She is a rather cool chick.

Parker's first dip. And he loved it. Kicked his feet, flapped his arms, had a grand ole time. His skin didn't like it very much I'm sad to say, but that is what Aquafor is all about.

Dang we're cute!

Why am I the only one looking at the camera in every picture with my children??

Post swim play time must always involve one's feet. I can't even touch my toes and he can suck on his.

Put a fork in him, he is D-O-N-E! The Little Man slept for 4 hours after his swim. Gotta love the pool.

And Hailey and I were left to our own devices. In her lap is a container of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream, and a strawberry-banana smoothie. Dessert of champions. We munched out and watched The Tale of Despereaux on our flat panel tv hanging on the wall. Adorable movie. When it was over, no nap girl was ready to fall on her face. I tucked her in and snuggled next to her and watched her quickly fade out. She slept like a rock...directly in the middle of the bed.

This is Hailey after a great night of sleep....

and mommy after my first night of uninterrupted slumber in who knows how many months between being pregnant and having to tinkle every 2 hours, to then waking up with Parker. Dear lord it felt good. Hailey took this one, not too shabby. But seriously, what is it going to take to get rid of the circles under my eyes??

We swam again that morning and played a little before Hailey's meltdown over having to check out. If we're being honest, I had a little meltdown too, I just didn't let the people in the lobby see it!
And one of Parker's newest tricks...

TA DAAAAAA!! Goodness gracious this boy is cute.

PS- We went for his 6 month check up this week and he is now 26 1/4 inches and 16 lbs 13.5 oz. Not such a little man anymore.