Guess who is starting to be a (super messy) self feeder?????
Sunday, September 11, 2011
signs of fall
As you know we have never really had to purchase clothes for Shelby other than the occasional pair of pajamas or special event wear. Well, that has all come to an end and this weekend I had the pleasure of purchasing a few things for her fall wardrobe! Here are the products of my shopping adventure at the outlet mall in Charleston.
Carters
Old Navy
Gymboree-- my favorite ensemble
Children's Place
Oh, and a pair of FABULOUS shoes!
Shelby wears size 12m-18m clothes and size 4 shoes now. Sizes 24 months and 2T swallow her whole so I guess there is a big jump in the size when you move on up. Now, I just need the weather to cool off a little so she can wear these great outfits! Oh- and shocker alert! Aunt Meredith and I have ALREADY purchased the Thanksgiving clothing for the Children! We are SO ahead of the game!
Also- stay tuned as Shelby and Henry are going to a wedding in two weeks and they have precious matching outfits!
Random thoughts about Russell
This week, I lost one of my best friends. He fought a courageous battle with brain cancer, never losing his fighting spirit. Russell was a wonderful friend of ours. He was 38. Here are some random thoughts I would like for share. I know these tidbits do not even begin to paint the picture of what a fabulous person Russell was. If you never met him, I wish you had. I wish you all find a friend like Russell sometime in your life. Everyone deserves one!
In the Summer of 1998 I met Russell. He worked with Mr. D. and one night he scored the invitation to come to dinner. I was 23 at the time and probably not the world’s best cook but it must have been good enough that he kept coming back. From the minute we met- we were laughing. It was almost like we had an instant secret joke between us which was HYSTERICALLY funny even though most of the time we were just laughing to laugh. We knew instantly that we had each found someone who realized we were exactly as funny as we each thought we were. So it would continue, several nights a week what would become known in our house as the Sandy and Russell Comedy Show-- tonight's episode… pick on Mr. D. night. And we did. Not in a malicious way, but in a hysterically funny way. Russell had fodder from the day time, I had fodder at home and Mr. D. just LOVED it. He is always a great sport. He even would zing us sometimes which was even more funny. We would all laugh and laugh and laugh. The menu would vary, but the fun and friendship were always the same. We had a good time no matter what and that trend has continued for the last 13 years. We have laughed. We lived in the same city for 3 years and then a change in job took us away. Over the next decade we would still see each other, just not on a almost daily basis. Of course, as technology progressed we were able to keep even more in touch through email, text, blog and Facebook.
So now, without further adieu... on with the random thoughts I would like to share with you about Russell. For time sake, assume that when I say WE assume I mean all of us. It would take me days to type out, me, Russell and Mr. D. about a half a million times. I have included a few photos that I happen to have on my laptop, I have more ... somewhere....
*When the show Survivor was all the rage I would plan elaborate meals of absolutely nothing except rice, pineapples and a little fish and make us eat out of the hollowed out pineapples. Occasionally we would eat out of a hollowed out coconut. We have always LOVED a theme! Russell never missed an episode.
Russell and Mr. D. being silly circa 1999
* Whenever I would clean my house Russell would always walk in and say “Somewhere there is a closet about to burst open”--- EVERY TIME. It just got funnier and funnier every time he said it. * Speaking of cleaning.. when the Swiffer Duster came out we had a contest to see who had the most dust in their living room. We cleaned mine and then went to his apartment and cleaned his. He of course had the most. It was the only time we ever saw his apartment.
*Russell was KING of the hysterical text. I always knew when something came from him that it would be good. He seems to always have something random and funny to take a picture of.
* Russell and I both have Mother's named Shirley. Whenever we talked one of us would always say--- "So, how's your Shirley".
* We had a super fun game we would randomly play at times when we would not be happy with our jobs etc. It has gone on for years and over time would be kind of the way one of the three of us would indicate to the others that things were getting bad in some area of life. It was a game where we would challenge the others to assess how long it would take us to pack up everything we own and move. Of course, due to some unforeseen circumstances, in the past few years Russell became more nomadic and then the game was always won by him. I, of course always took estimated the most time to pack up and move since I have so much crap that would need moving.
* Another game Russell invented was the how long till I can quit my job game. Reading this I am sure you all think we just hated our jobs. I would say it was more like the movie Office Space where the guy just wanted to be hypnotized to feel like he was on vacation instead of work. I did once grow to hate my job when I worked at the library which was the only time I actually got to play. The premise is when you decide you want to quit your job you have to count how many personal things you have at work and thus if you took one item that belonged to you each day that is how many days until you can quit. Come to think of it, I was TOTALLY the winner of this game since I was the only one of the three of us that ever actually brought home one item a day and then quit my job.
*Russell loved Children. He was a real kid's guy. He loved his nephew Jacob so much and we often talk about how cool he was. I got to meet Jacob this week and Uncle Russell was 100% correct. That kid rocks!
Russell and Shelby December 2010
* There is NOTHING Russell enjoyed more that South Carolina Gamecock Football. We are fans because of his love for the Gamecocks and when Shelby came along he made us promise to raise her with a love of Gamecock Football. He of course has provided her with an ample amount of Gamecock wear! Russell also appreciated my love of a good Gameday face tattoo!
Shelby in the jacket Russell sent her for her first Christmas 2010
*Russell did not attend our wedding. He drove to the city it was held in. Once he got there he stopped to ask for directions and realized he had forgot to bring the invitation. We got married in the mountains so cell service was spotty. He never found us and went back home.
*Russell helped to build Shelby's crib. Upon completion- he said "you probably shouldn't let her jump in it".
Russell and Mr. D. building the crib 2009
* Russell loved to laugh and joke around. He was very quick on the zingers too!
* Whenever we would snap photos at event or whatever the photo taker was required to say "that's a good one" and those in the photo would in unison say- "I will be the judge of that". Then there would always be a review and discussion on if there would or would not be a do-over photo.
* Mr. D. and Russell shared a love of sports. They were right beside each other for several football games, baseball games and Nascar events. Occasionally they would let me tag along- but those occasions were few and far between. Even thought I don't really enjoy sports like they do, I loved to go for the fun and laughter.
Russell and Sandy- Papa Johns.com Bowl 2009
I could go on and on, as time goes on I am sure I will think of a million things I should have added. For now I will leave you with my all time favorite Russell story and the quote that will forever bring a smile to my face.
In December of 2010, Mr. D. and I met Russell in Atlanta for the SEC Championship- South Carolina/Auburn. It was his first time to meet Shelby. I had spent a great deal of time planning her outfit for the event to show him I had not taken lightly my promise to raise her with a love of the Gamecocks. The day was crazy, we got extremely delayed and were rushed for time once we got to him. We just had to get out of the car and go with little time to get organized. Shelby was still in her infant stroller so we just popped out the car seat and put it in the stroller. He grabbed the handles of the stroller and asked "what do I need to know before we go?" I replied- "everyone is going to want to stop and talk to you about this baby". He rolled his eyes and said- "whatever- all Mother's think that- but it is all in your head". Well within 10 minutes we were stopped by no less that a dozen people who wanted to comment on Shelby. Each time I would say "SEE". After about an hour and a half of touring the Fanfest with Shelby and Russell looked at me and said the following---"Have you ever thought about maybe dressing her down a bit". Those words will FOREVER be one of those Russellisms that ring through my head and make me laugh.
Shelby December 2010- SEC Championship
Clearly the answer to that question is NO! I never have thought about dressing this fabulous baby down a bit at all. I didn't know then that would be the last time I would see Russell. I am sure if I did I would have arrived earlier, stayed later, hugged him just a little tighter and told him how much I loved him just a little more that I already did that night. Though looking back I am sure Russell wanted us to have a happy memory of our last adventure together.
Goodbye sweet Russell. Thanks for a million laughs! There will never be another one like you!
Friday, September 2, 2011
It only took a year......
... but Shelby is finally warming up to the idea of bubbles... sort of....
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