The Scotts Stay On The Go . . .

The past couple of weeks have just flown by! And, that can only mean one thing -- we've been keeping incredibly busy. Since my last posting, Charlie has developed a taste for rice cereal, as well as sweet potatoes and carrots, he has rolled over for the first time, he has attended his first St. Patrick's Day block party, he & I attended another funeral, and we all enjoyed a fun weekend in the mountains with our friends (& neighbors) Ellery & Heather Mangas and Alan & Sally Hearn.

In my last posting, I wrote about Charlie's first experience with rice cereal, and how I wasn't sure he was too keen on that new item on his menu. Naturally, we kept trying each morning and he quickly caught on and began enjoying his meal. We continued this routine for a couple of weeks before introducing vegetables, starting out with sweet potatoes. Since this is one of my personal favorites, I was sure Charlie would like it, too. I was right! He gobbled it right up. We stuck with the rice cereal and sweet potatoes for a few days before introducing carrots. He LOVES the carrots. He's just like a little baby bird -- as soon as the spoon leaves his mouth, he opens up, wanting more. It's SO cute!

Yum . . . sweet potatoes are delicious!

Charlie Scott is a big fan of the vegetables.

The week before last, I had the opportunity to pick up one of my old hobbies again when I attended a scrapbooking workshop with my neighbor (& friend) Katie. I hadn't done any scrapbooking in a few years, and it took me a while to get organized and back into the swing of things. I decided to start working on Charlie's book, and in looking at the pictures I have of him, I was amazed at how much he has changed and grown already! While I was gone, Charlie spent the day with his daddy, and I think they had a really good time.

My two favorite fellas!

What a cute little Braves fan!

St. Patrick's Day was lots of fun for us. We walked down to our "town square" with several neighbors and enjoyed a "block party," which was in full swing. The weather was perfect, and we had such a good time chatting with friends, listening to the band, having a beer and some pizza (I know -- it's not your typical Irish fare, but they weren't serving corned beef & cabbage). Charlie got lots of attention from everyone, and seemed to really enjoy himself.

With their strawberry-blonde hair, these two look pretty Irish!

Jane, Tiffany, Mickie, Stacey, Eileen, Heather, Anna, Charlie & Mary

Last week, Hill's "Uncle" Joe passed away after having been ill for a short time. On Wednesday afternoon, Charlie and I made the drive to Charlotte so that we could attend the funeral services with family. My mother-in-law (a.k.a. Peach Pie) flew in from California, and my sister-in-law, Lacy, flew in from Memphis. It was wonderful seeing so many family members, though I hate it was due to such sad circumstances. The service was beautiful, and we all agree that Uncle Joe is now at peace. On Thursday afternoon, Peach Pie rode back to Atlanta with Charlie and me. Then, she was off to Memphis on Friday so that she could spend some time with Margaret and Jack, too.


Lacy, Caroline, Marcy, Peach Pie, Stacey & Amy

Charlie checks to see if Will's fingers taste as good as his own do.

On Friday, Charlie and I drove to Highlands for a weekend in the mountains. Hill, Cowboy and Ruby arrived on Saturday morning. Soon, Heather & Ellery Mangas joined us, followed by Sally & Alan Hearn. We all had a great time relaxing by a big fire that the guys built in the outdoor fireplace. And, they cooked up a fabulous meal for us as well. On Sunday, it was warm enough for us to get out and take a little hike in the mountains. Charlie and I bid everyone a fond farewell on Sunday evening, then relaxed until Monday when we made our way home. We're already looking forward to our next trip there, which I know will be soon. Hill's dad arrived there yesterday, and his mom will be heading there in the next few days. It will be great to have them back on this side of the country again.

Mommy & Charlie get cozy by the fire.

Alan & Sally

Heather & Ellery

Hill gets a shot of Stacey, Charlie, Ellery, Heather, Sally & Alan out on the deck.

Everyone enjoyed the mountain hike -- especially our four-legged friends!

Yesterday evening, after Charlie and I returned from the mountains, I put Charlie down for a nap. Hill and I could hear him chattering away on the monitor, and it became pretty obvious that he was not going to take a nap after all. So, Hill went to get him and discovered that he had rolled himself over! No wonder he wasn't interested in a nap -- he was too excited to sleep! He had rolled himself over for the first time! What a big boy!

That's our last couple of weeks in a nutshell. It's been great spending time with family and friends, and we're looking forward to more fun times like that in the coming weeks. In the meantime, it looks like we're going to have some rainy weather over the next several days, which will surely make everything pretty and green outside. We can't wait to get out there and enjoy that!

What a Difference a Week Makes!

Mr. Cool

It's hard to believe that last week this time there was snow on the ground, especially considering it was 77 degrees this afternoon. As Hill & I were strolling to the park with Charlie, Cowboy & Ruby, we couldn't help but notice that Spring has sprung here in Smyrna, Georgia! The week started off on the chilly side. The snow didn't disappear from some areas in our yard until Wednesday. By Thursday, it was beginning to warm up, and this weekend has been nothing short of spectacular.

Being indoors this week provided Charlie with plenty of opportunities for fun in his exersaucer. He absolutely LOVES bouncing in it and keeps busy by playing with all of the toys that surround him. Here are a couple of cute pictures of him playing in his exersaucer:

Charlie checks out the little duck on his exersaucer.

Something interesting caught his eye!

Yesterday, Charlie got to try rice cereal for the first time. Hill & I weren't too sure how Charlie would react to his new menu item, and it was pretty obvious that Charlie wasn't too sure about the rice cereal. In a word, I'd say he was unimpressed. At first, he seemed kind of gung-ho about it. But, his initial enthusiasm was short-lived and he quickly made it clear that all he was interested in was a bottle. Oh well, we'll just try again this week!

Ready for rice cereal!

Not too sure about this stuff . . .

Maybe it tastes better on my fingers rather than that spoon . . .

I'm over this!!

Today was a super-fun day for our family. Hill has a few cousins that live in Atlanta, and this morning, we attended the christening of cousin Amy's son, Will. It was wonderful seeing Amy, her husband Jonathan, and their boys Jack, Davis and of course, Will. We also had the pleasure of catching up with cousin Marcy, her husband Tom, and their children Thomas, Mary Elizabeth and Caroline, as well as Aunt Mary, Aunt Judy, Uncle Jake, cousin Catherine and boyfriend Kevin. And, we got to meet lots of other very nice folks at the luncheon that Amy & Jonathan hosted after the christening. Charlie and Will had never met each other before today, and they really seemed to hit it off -- it was SO cute. Charlie also got a chance to play in Will's "Johnny Jump-Up", and he enjoyed himself so much that Mommy & Daddy made a stop at Babies R Us to pick one up for him on our way home.

Will's banner at church.

The minister with the Merrill family: Amy, Will, Jack, Jonathan & Davis.

Aunt Mary holds Charlie. Catherine & Kevin sit nearby.

Charlie and Will meet each other for the first time!

Charlie gets a kick out of Will's "Johnny Jump-up"!

Aunt Judy ties Charlie's shoes.

We finished the afternoon off with our stroll in the park and are now winding down the weekend and preparing for the week ahead. Hill is facing another extremely busy week at work -- this is his absolute craziest time of the year as he prepares for the beginning of baseball season. There's less than a month to go before Opening Day! Charlie & I will be taking full advantage of the pretty weather by getting out and strolling every day, and opening up the windows to let the fresh air in. Who knows -- all that fresh air may even inspire me to start on the Spring cleaning!

Charlie looks super-cool & is ready to roll!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let it Snow!

I guess there really is some truth to the old saying about March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb this year! At least, it seems to be coming in like a lion. It has been snowing all day today, which is beautiful and bewildering at the same time -- especially considering it was over 60 degrees outside yesterday! That being said, the roads are warm enough to ward off any ice or accumulation, while the grass and trees and rooftops are covered with a lovely layer of white. We took Charlie outside for a few minutes this afternoon for his first encounter with snow. Right now, he seems a bit unimpressed, but I'm fairly certain that in a few years time, that will change.

This snow has pretty much been the frosting on a fairly uneventful week. Charlie and I spent the majority of the week at home recovering from last week's illness. I would say Charlie is completely back to normal, and I'm about 90% better myself. I did have to take him to the doctor on Wednesday so she could take a look at a strange rash that keeps popping up on him. It turns out that it's the hives! She said that some children (and adults) get the hives when they're recovering from a bad cold or flu and it's no cause for alarm. That's just one way I'll be able to tell that he is fighting off some sort of sickness. Strange! It seems to have all disappeared now, I'm happy to report. While at the doctor's office, Charlie got on the scale and we learned that he had gained half a pound since his last visit the week before. So, now he's up to 15 pounds!

We are constantly reminded of how lucky we are to have ended up in such a great neighborhood, surrounded by folks who have become such wonderful friends. On Friday afternoon, Charlie and I went next door to visit with Heather and Eileen. As afternoon turned into evening, we were joined by all of our husbands and ended up making pizza and a big salad for dinner, then playing pool and darts until after 11:00 p.m.! We had such a terrific time . . . spontaneous gatherings like that are always the best.

Yesterday was a dreary, rainy day -- perfect for lounging around the house and watching TV. And, that's exactly what we did! It was so wonderful relaxing on the sofa, reading magazines, and playing with Charlie. We're totally rested and ready for what the week ahead has in store for us!

Here are some photos I snapped of Charlie earlier this week , as well as some taken in the snow today: