long over due update

Well, it's been awhile since we updated everyone and life of course has been exciting, fun, unpredictable, and a little scary these past few weeks.

First, Finn, Mackie and I traveled to Jesup, Georgia for the Odum Homecoming and our Odum Family reunion. Yes, I am an Odum and yes, there is a small wonderful town in south Georia named for the Odums. The Odum Homecoming is the stuff that movies are made of -- local paraded complete with all the beauty pageant winner, Shriner clowns, and random political candidates. The parade is followed by carnival. My family then gets together for Bar-B-que and small talk. Finn loved it - all the balloons, trains, and horses he could handle in one day. But this highlight of this trip is seeing my grandmother spend so much time with her great-grandchildren. I am so blessed to have her in my life and even more blessed that my children have the opportunity to get to know and love her as well.

That's Finn with his favorite toy at Mimi's - yes, the dust pan. If only he could use it.

After the Odum Reunion, my parents came down for long weekend at Fripp. We all had a great time. The only negative was figuring out that my perfect little baby Mackie will not for any reason take a bottle. This eye and ear opening experience occurred on the day that Tripp and I had planned to finally go out on a "date". (Yes, my friends, a date consisting of a meal prepared and eaten outside of the confines of my kitchen prepared by someone other than me. We even had decided to get sushi.) We are currently still working on the no bottle baby with no success. I maybe breastfeeding for a lot longer than I intended.

This is where we found Finn one evening -climbing up the baskets in our closet.

Then this past weekend, we made our first of what people tell me will be many trips to the emergency room with Finn. We were getting ready to go to an Octoberfest party. Tripp was watching the end of a great Georgia - LSU game. I was standing at the bathroom sink. Maddie, our lab, was in the closet in our bathroom with Finn when she finally got tired of all the poking and prodding and snapped at him. All I heard was the snap, I looked down to see Finn bleeding and screaming. We jumped in the car (Tripp and I with no shoes on - Finn only in a diaper) and raced to the emergency room. Poor Mackie was just along for the ride once again. Long story short - Finn has a wonderful trip to the OR with our great ENT and we returned home with 20 stitches to his cheek and nose. I'll post a picture of him tomorrow as the swelling goes down a little more. Unfortunately, we now need to find good home for Maddie.

PS - Tripp now wants Finn to be Scarface for Halloween.