MLK beach trip

Mom and I took Turner to the beach for MLK weekend.  It was a great chance to get away, and probably the easiest beach trip I will ever have with him!  He slept so much, and traveled around the outlets like a champ.  We went to the actual beach for about 3 and a half minutes - long enough to take a picture of him on the sand.  And Mom laughed at me the whole time because it was FREEZING and he wouldn't open his eyes because of the brightness!

Anyway, it was nice going during off season.  You could get into any restaurant, and it was very empty down there.  Don't get me wrong - I would rather be going in the spring or summer so we could actually see the sun, but it was nice to be able to get around easily.  However, it is a different world down there because of one word - snowbirds!!  These old folks completely take over the town.  When you walk around with a newborn you get 2 reactions.  1.  A look of utter disgust.  I really thought they were going to cover their ears and cuss me out if he made a peep.  And Turner barely cried places (Thank God!!)  Or 2.  Cooing at him and comments like "You got a fresh one" (I heard this more than once).  One man stopped Mom and told her he was the Baby Police and needed to inspect Turner.  Cute, but a little creepy.  At least he wasn't cussing at us!

I have never seen so many bright white tennis shoes.  Or heard so many comments (loudly) about Barack Obama - good and bad.  My grandfather (Grandad Starr) would have been in heaven!!

On a side note, Grandad asked Heath if while we were at the beach I put "the little one" in the water.  Heath said no, and he said "Why?  They are just like dogs.  Throw them in and they will learn."  Wow.  Turner is 6 weeks old.

Also, there were Early Bird specials everywhere.  I witnessed a man get in a fight with a hostess because it was a few minutes after six and she dared to tell him that he and his group of 8 missed the Early Bird special.  He made a point to continue yelling "She won't let us do it.  She said NO" to every single one of the people in his party individually.  I started to feel sorry for the hostess, but she acted like she was used to it!

Oh, and Mom and I were at Doc's and a lady came to tell me how beautiful my daughter was.  (I don't understand - he had blue ALL over).  Then, she proceeded to take the entire basket of crackers and dump it in her purse.  I thought I imagined it, until she walked to the next table and dumped their crackers in her bag, too.  All of them!  A whole basket!  Then, for good measure, she threw in the tobasco sauce, too.  Ridiculous.

This was a lobster game we saw at Doc's.  I thought it was very fascinating.  You pay 2 dollars, and use a claw like the old stuffed animal game.  If you catch it, they cook it!  I had never seen this before, and felt the need to share. 

Oh, and I remember now why I don't like camping.  Why?  Because when we got to the condo late Friday night the heat was broken!!  We didn't realize it until the middle of the night.  Turner and I had frozen noses!  I really felt like I was outside, and a little abusive to the baby, but not on purpose!  (Mom's room was a little bit warmer, thank goodness).   I HATE being that cold.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I couldn't remember what it was like to be cold - seriously.  Well, I remember now!  Luckily, we called maintenance and they had it fixed by 9 a.m.  Another perk of being at the beach with not so many people - quick maintenance service.

A few Turner updates at 6 weeks:

1.  He is following things with his eyes now.  If you look at him and then move from left to right, he follows you. 

2.  He is holding his head up for a few seconds in a row.  Yea for neck control!!

3.  He is starting to smile more often.  It is really cute, but not so much on purpose.  Hopefully soon he will mean to smile!

Oh yeah, another great thing about the weekend was the Jon and Kate Plus 8 marathon.  The DVR has so many saved for those late night feedings!  I shouldn't be this excited!  And, Celine Dion did not disappoint.  AMAZING!!  No baby Celine memorabilia, though.  Too bad.

Random

There are a few things I wanted to discuss in the last month since he has been born, mostly related to pop culture and completely irrelevant to Turner's development.  I am putting a few recent pictures on here, but they are not related to this post at all!

Hanging out at home in the bath and right before bed.

1.  Turner saw his first black albino on December 19, 2008 at the Auburn mall.  We were tired and ready to go home, until I looked up and saw 

him!  The teenage boy was just hanging out with his friends and didn't realize he made my night, but probably heard me as I involuntarily screamed "MOM!" across the mall.  She looked at me like she didn't know me, and then she and Lindsey let me know I was not so discrete about it.  Oh well, I LOVE any kind of albino.  They are very fascinating to me, and my attitude turned right around.  Like magic.

2.  I watched the 20/20 on Extreme motherhood the other night while Heath was watching the Alabama bowl game.  Side note - the Birmingham media seemed to skip right over these last 2 losses Bama has had.  Typical.  Ever since Turner's been alive, Alabama has lost.  Because he is truly his father's son, the Birmingham Auburn club sent Turner an official welcome to the Auburn family, signed by the Alumni Association.  Very cute.  They realize he is helping our luck turn around.  Anyway, the 20/20 discussed extreme labor situations (glad I didn't see much of that), but they also showed these dolls called "Reborns."  It was so sad, because women buy these and pretend they have a newborn.  They dress them and change them and hold them and sleep with them, and some even had nurseries in their house for them.  I would have laughed at this before - and I was quite shocked - but after having a child, I did laugh but it also made me so sad.  There is a mental issue involved with these women I feel sure.  One woman had 38 of her own, and she even had her own real children and grandchildren.  But she wanted "newborns to stay like that forever."  Hello - they are not real!  Also, the show talked about women who breast feed their children until they are 5, 6, 7, 8.  That would be like my second graders still breast feeding. Absolutely not. Inappropriate.  I laughed out loud when one mom said it was hard to hold them because they were so much taller than a newborn baby.  One child was interviewed and said that he goes to his mom when he wants the breast and says "Give me my num nums."  That scarred me for life.  Ridiculous.

 3.  I had a dream last night that I was riding a bicycle through Malibu  (what?!).  Brody Jenner yelled out my name (because we are such good friends) and we talked about how ridiculous his show "Bromance" is.  I love Brody Jenner, but I do not love that show, except to laugh at it.  However, Brody still wins points because he makes fun of himself on the show, and that is so funny to me.  I also love Brody's dad, Bruce, on "Keeping up with the Kardashians".  Can you tell who has been at home so much more lately and has been watching a lot of t.v.?  It helps pass the time as I feed my child all through the day!

4.  "Jon and Kate plus 8" is my new favorite show.  I have watched 2 separate marathons, and now the DVR is set to record it every time it comes on.  Lucky Heath.  Anyway, Kate is hilarious to me.  And Jon handles her well.  Lindsey and I were talking about this - every time we feel overwhelmed (me with 1, her with 2), we think of Kate having 8 children.  Kate is so organized, and seems to really have fun.  I love to watch this!  I laugh out loud when Jon and Kate go back and forth in their recaps in their basement.

5.  Lindsey and I are going to the Celine Dion concert next week.  Brandon gave her this for Christmas, and graciously let me have the other ticket.  He and Heath are opting to stay home with the kids.  We are very excited - she is AMAZING.  We went to her concert about 10 years ago when she came to Birmingham.  I cried through it (pretty sure Lindsey did too), because her voice is unbelievable.  Maybe Turner will get a Celine onesie....