Peabody Ducks

The Peabody Hotel is the nicest hotel in Little Rock. And just like in Memphis at the Peabody, they have the marching ducks. It is quite the southern tradition apparently. Every day at 11am they march in to John Phillips Sousa and stay in the fountain all day. And every day at 5pm they march back out lead by the "Duckmaster" (I think that's what he's called anyway)

Here's the Duckmaster - he came out and told us the story of how it all began.

Then we went back into the elevator to go up to the next level to bring them back down in the elevator. It was cute, because it is a glass elevator you can see their little heads as they're coming down to the lobby. (It's hard to see their little heads in this picture but they're there!)

Now the music starts and they come in on their little red carpet.

Up the stairs

And into the fountain

Brady LOVED the ducks and cried when we told him it was time to leave.

But we gave him a ride in the elevator and that cheered him up a bit!

So if you're ever in Little Rock or Memphis (and I think Orlando now too) you have to go to the Peabody and see the ducks! :) But don't blink or you might miss it. I think the little story the Duckmaster told was actually about 5 times longer than the marching of the ducks! Oh well, it was still fun to see.

"On a roll here in Little Rock"

It's been fun getting to see Aaron and spend time with him after him being away from us for almost a month. So here we are in Arkansas.

Well, there is not a whole lot to do here in Little Rock - especially since it has been raining buckets since we got here. I don't mind a little rain but this has been ridiculous!
Anyway, we are staying in the temporary family housing which is like a small little furnished apartment and it has been great. We have room to spread out and it is a way better experience than the last time we were here with Brady as a baby and they put us in these dumpy little dorm-type rooms.
So tonight we went bowling because we didn't have much else to do and we thought it would be fun since Brady had never been before. :)
Brady did pretty good. In fact, the minute we got to our lane, Brady grabbed a ball and threw it down the wrong lane while Aaron and I were trying to get our shoes on. He was so excited.
Aaron and I did not get that great of scores. Even though Brady threw a couple balls on our turns, we still did not do well at all. Wii bowling is a lot easier!!! :) I used to be pretty good but not this time. Oh well!

Brady took these next 2 pictures of me and Aaron. Pretty good!

(The title for this post is from a country song and I thought it was appropriate since this post is about bowling! I just can't help being cheesy!)

Love him to pieces

This morning when Brady got up, he was in a good mood. And I am also happy to report that for the last 2 nights he has slept all night in his bed without getting up and crying for me!
So I was hugging on him and snuggling him and just goofing around.

So I told him "Brady, I just love you to pieces!"

He promptly told me "No Mommy! Just ONE piece!"

He also did this with his finger as he told me:

I have to tell him every day that he can only have "just one" of something so this came back at me for a change. I guess he doesn't want me to love him to pieces-just all in one piece! :)

On a side note, I took this picture a couple minutes after the actual conversation as a re-enactment photo. After he informed me of how I should love him in one piece, he told me he wanted to eat breakfast. You can see his breakfast here in the picture. Am I a bad Mom for feeding my child Goldfish for breakfast? That's all he wanted to eat!

(Please don't look at my messy house! I am cleaning it today!)

Fun Friday

Yesterday Brady was being so good all day for me. He has had some trouble sleeping at night while Aaron has been gone-that is my conclusion anyway. He wakes up at like 3 or 4 am and wants to sleep in my bed with me. He has never done that-even as a baby. So I guess he might just be missing Daddy in another way. I eventually convince him to sleep in his bed and go back to my bed.
So I told him on Thursday night if he went to bed and didn't wake up in the night that he could sleep with me on the air mattress on Friday night (the kid loves the air mattress-what kid doesn't?). Which he did! Yay! Then I sweetened the deal by telling him if he was good all day Friday we could watch a movie and eat popcorn on the air mattress before bed. I knew we would be running all around town, well not running-driving, to get some things for Super Saturday next week and it's so much easier when he is cooperating.

So he was good and we had a little pajama/popcorn/movie/sleepover last night. Just the 2 of us! It was fun. (But I did not sleep that well since we were on an air mattress and Brady rolls around a lot! Oh well!)
I remember back a couple years ago before Brady was born, Aaron and I used to do the same thing. Blow up the air mattress and lay on it for many hours into the early mornings watching episode after episode of all of the seasons of "24" on DVD. Sorry Aaron! I have a new little man to watch TV with on the air mattress with while you are away. You can join us when you get back! We'll make it a new family tradition with Brady now too! :)

Here's Brady watching the movie. He has his little pillow and blanket and everything!

Fun times!

Everyone needs to talk to Daddy

So while Aaron is in Little Rock for some training, Brady and I are here by ourselves. We'll be joining him for 2 weeks later this month but until then we are on our own!
Brady just learned how to do a really good pouty face to get me to give him whatever it is he is pouting for. He also knows this time Daddy is gone, that he is GONE and not just at work.

The other day we were in Michael's and he got really quiet and put his head down on his hands in the cart. I asked him what was wrong. He said in the saddest little pathetic voice (with a pouty face) "I miss Daddy a little."
So when we were done there and got home we called him to talk. It made him happy again. Apparently his dog friend missed Daddy too-that's what he told me and handed the phone to him to talk. Luckily, my camera was right on the counter and I grabbed it before the conversation was over.

What a little ham!

Anyway, I have also had to use the same technique I'm sure most Moms have had to use. The "You better behave or I'm calling your Dad!"

Yep.........I'm in THAT club now. How did I get there? It just came out of my mouth. Fortunately, it works!

Luckily, Aaron is only in Arkansas and I can call him on his cell phone. I've had to use it several times before he left while he was at work too. At least he is not in Afghanistan (yet).

So we will carry on here. Brady (and his dog) can call and talk to Daddy whenever he is sad. I guess I can for that matter too! We'll be seeing you soon Daddy! (And if I need to, I'll be calling you to give our adorable and sometimes defiant child a good talking to!)