To all of my friends:

I want to apologize to you.

I know that "being a mommy" is a poor defense for the amount of neglect you have been receiving, but it's the best and most honest excuse I have to give. It's amazing that I have had time to juggle all of these amazing friendships throughout the years but one little baby comes along and is more time-consuming than the whole lot of you. I work during the day, which has been surprisingly busy. When I get home in the evening, I bust my chops to get bottles washed, dinner cooked, tomorrows bottles made, baby fed, baby washed, baby loved, honey loved and just when 9 o'clock baby bedtime rolls around and I think i'm done, oops, there's something i've forgotten. There's always something and it seems like no matter how much I do, nothing ever gets done (you know what i'm saying?). By the time I finally rest my bones on the couch, I can't even think about holding a phone up to my ear or typing an email. I'm sure John thinks i've gone mute because my brain is so fried, I can hardly muster a conversation with him at night.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - I love love love my job as a mommy and take it more seriously than I have ever taken anything in my life. This is more my attempt to beg you, my dear and loved friends, not to count me out. Just be patient with me for the next 'er 18 years or so until I find some extra time. Not a day goes by that ALL of my friends are not in my thoughts and sometimes reflecting back on our funny memories is what gets me through those exhausting days. I miss our happy hours, midnight trips to Waffle House, beach days, concerts, Ladies' Dinners, and movie nights - I have traded them for a little fellow who needs all of the love & attention I can give him. But hang tight because we'll get there again.

xoxo,
Courtney

three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for

-- J. Addison

American Idol

I'm just going to be honest and say... i'm totally and completely addicted to this show. It's really quite funny because, at the beginning of the season, when Sully was only days old, John practically had to force me into watching an episode. I've always equated American Idol to the most complete form of cheesiness that could be scooped into one television hour (sometimes two). But little by little I began to get more interested and, much to my dismay, after 3 weeks I was hooked. Now John laughs because I always check to make sure it is set to record. I guess I like it so much because it's our thing - mine and John's. Without fail, every Tuesday and Wednesday, it's us, enjoying this amazing talent TOGETHER, which in a household where there are very few similar television interests, it's nice.

We've been Danny fans from the start. Thinking that he was the obvious winner, we set our stakes on him. Unfortunately, down to the bottom three last week, he was eliminated. :( Leaving Kris & Adam. I know that Adam has this edge and rocker appeal that is driving everyone crazy, but I'm loving me some Kris with his Jason Mraz-y type voice. Lo-ving It! So tonight, in the final competition, John and I are rooting for Kris. And tomorrow, it will all be over.

Time for something new!

a day of firsts

i know that no one will believe me when i say this but.... sully said "da da" today! looking at john, loud and clearly, he said "da da". and on mother's day of all days!!! john and i were the only people that heard and i'm quite sure that we won't hear it again for some time, but regardless, he said it.

may 10th, 2009 - sully greider said his first word!!!

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Along with it being my very first Mother's Day and the day of Sully's first word, there was another big first. Sully was Christened today at Trinity United Methodist Church in Lancaster, SC.

I was so proud of my little fellow. He never made a single peep, not even when they sprinkled him with water. Of course, we've been practicing for that in the bathtub.

After the Christening, we had lunch at Adrienna & Gavin's house and Sully gave me a new Willow figurine for Mother's Day. It was nice to have mine & John's family together, united for such a special reason.

The whole day was sweet and perfect.

plaque leads to poop

In a very educational trip to the dentist the other day, I learned something that I have not been able to get off of my mind.

While getting my bi-annual mouth mutilation, I noticed a sign on the wall that mentioned gum disease so I asked the hygenist to explain it to me. She told me that gum disease occurs when you have severe plaque build-up and that over time the plaque can wear the gums down and cause disease (of course her version was a little more detailed than the one I just wrote, but that's neither here nor there). She went on to say that plaque is a living organism and just like a human, each particle of plaque lives, breathes, eats, poops, and dies.

"Wait just a minute," i'm motioning for her to take that evil metal pick out of my mouth, "You mean to tell me that there are little plaques running around in my mouth, pooping and dying??????" "Sure are", she said.

Sure are? That's all she had to say after dropping a bomb like that on me. Now i'm seriously considering having all of my teeth removed. No wonder my breath stinks in the morning - i've got little critters in my mouth partying it up all night and then come morning light, they're pooping and croaking. I sure hope this isn't how she's explaining it to all the little kids!

GROSS!