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.