Two weeks ago my cousin, Rebekah, and her son, Jackson, came to visit. We had a great time. I think my grandmother, Baba Dee, enjoyed it the most. She was so happy to have some of the grandkids and great-grandkids together. We really did miss having the Philley's, but they were busy having our newest addition to the family. We can't wait until we can all be together.
Rebekah and Jackson
George, Baba Dee, Jackson, and Piggy
Hunter, Natalie, Rebekah, Jackson, Cari Ann, Gretchen, and George
When Gretchen got pregnant we were living in Dutchtown at our first real home, she was teaching in Baton Rouge and I was working offshore for Halliburton. We bought a brand new house of our dreams and were still living in the big city after 10 years of both marriage and graduating from LSU.
We talked about it decided to move back home to Jonesville because the cost of living was much lower, mainly because of child care and this also allowed Gretchen to be a stay at home mom. So as my best friend from college Will Patrick put it "we had flawless logic" even though he didn't want us to leave Baton Rouge for Jonesville. Looking back we should have moved back two years before buying that perfect
house. Oh well that is what they make money for - to spend it. The purpose of this specific post is to catch y'all up on all the stuff that led up to us having George. We really enjoyed our time in South Louisiana and yes it was South Louisiana because we always lived south of I-10. Last August I had already moved a few trailer loads to our new house which is my Mom's house next to the Swayze's in Jonesville. This house just happens to be my childhood home. I won a fishing trip last summer and was gone to Cypremort Point when I got the call for Hurricane Gustave activation and it lasted through the last month of her pregnancy. While I was busy shipping food all over South Louisiana, Gretchen, her Momma and her Aunt Jan were here at the house completely re-doing it so it will be livable for George. Let me say they hooked me up, when I finally got here it was and still is awesome. This house looks nothing like it did growing up. I got to make the Miss State vs. LSU game at the end of last August on Saturday, pack up everything from Dutchtown on Sunday and move it to Jonesville, then back to Dutchtown to make another load. We unpacked everything and set up to live here Monday through Wednesday and we took Thursday of that week off. We checked into St. Francis Cabrini the next 
day and George was born at 12:35 p.m. on October 3rd, 2008. I got to be in the delivery room with Gretchen and watch them pull the calf. We didn't know we were having a George until he showed up. We had a few rough nights because of the C-Section but Gretchen pulled through like a champ. We spent our first Thanksgiving and Christmas here and they were perfect. Those days were mostly spent hoping he would poop and then wishing he would stop pooping. This spring has been the best. Even with his lack of teeth George and progressed steadily. First with the rolling around on the floor, to crawling, to pulling up, to playing patty cake, to jabbering and now to batting his eyes at all the pretty girls ogling over him. Here are a few random pics throughout the days.
This was his first Gap hoodie from his Aunt Shelia. She said every little boy has to have on and she was right.
Gretchen and I have had a pair of bikes that my mom - Theresa - gave us ten years ago. We have always liked to ride but we lived in the country then and the levee just wasn't that fun of a ride. We moved to the nice neighborhood in Dutchtown and we rode a little there. Now we live in Jonesville go often and now we can take the George with us. We have been searching for a cart to pull behind our bikes and we finally found a good and cheap one at Wal-Mart. After we got the cart we were on the look out for a helmet for him. We shopped and shopped on-line and could not find one small 
enough for his head. So we bought one anyway and it was way to big. We sent it back and then bought a smaller one and it was too big. We had pretty much given up on riding in his cart until his head grew enough to fit his helmet until we were looking at Gretchen's cousins Ron and Penny's blog when we saw their two without helmets and that was all the green light we needed. So we strap him in and go for a ride and he just loves it, probably as much as we do. Thanks to Ron and Penny not being too scared to have some fun with their kids cause George's cart would be covered in dust if not for them. 22 MAY 09 TLB.
George went for his first swimming trip. It took a long time to get there. All of about 20 steps next door to the Swayze's. Gretchen's leg is still healing so Terry Lee had to get in the pool with George. He was definitely dressed for the day with his red speedo's on. Well his red swimming bikini bottoms made for babies. But either way he rocked them out. We put him in the little float and that lasted for a little bit but he soon wanted out so he could swim around with his daddy. He liked his float but we are on the look out for a "dynamite vest" as Mr. Robert Lee calls it, so he can float on his own. He had a blast. Mr. Robert Lee, Katie and Molly came out to 
watch the inaugural swim and they took plenty of pictures. Of course George was making eyes at Katie and Molly but that is what he does. The water was just right for him, it was just warm enough to keep him comfortable. We stayed long enough for George to prune his little feet. We kind of figured that he would stay as long as he could because he loves bath time. 17 JUN 09 TLB.
