We're home!

At the hospital with Mimi - just a few hours old

My fruit bouquet - yummy, yummy. Thanks everyone!
Ready to leave the hospital

In my going home outfit


Grandpa, Grandma, & Uncle Dalton came down to see me!

Chillin' in my new bouncer - thanks Uncle CF, Aunt Nicole, & family

Rigley is here!

Rigley was born today at 1:14 pm.

He's 21.5 inches and 9 pounds, 10 ounces!

Rigley, Where are you????

I haven't posted any updates for the past week because I've been spending my time waiting for the new baby. I guess I'm not officially due until tomorrow, but I am SO ready for Rigley to come.
Hopefully, there will soon be a post with pictures of the new arrival.

Here is why I'm so ready for him to be born...(Rather reminiscent of Kate Gosselin, isn't it?)

My husband, the Olympian (well, sort of!)

Tonight the USA Softball team was in Springfield for an exhibition game. The coaches of the local universities were invited to be on the coaching staff of the Midwest All-Stars - the team playing the USA Olympic team. So, Donovan got to be on the field with the Olympians.

Here is Donovan coaching first base - Andrea Duran is playing 1B for Team USA.
Here is Jennie Finch in the on deck circle.


After the game, Brighton hung out with Daddy. At autograph time, he took the ball to the players and asked them (all on his own - no coaching from Daddy), "You color on my go-ball, please?" So, Brighton has a softball full of Team USA's autographs. Then, he ran the bases with Tairia Flowers and Vicky Galindo.

I scream for ice cream!

On Wednesday, we made a very quick trip to Branson so Brighton could go to Silver Dollar City one more time before the new baby arrives.
Usually the ball room is his favorite, but today it was the fountains that captured his attention.





Since Mom was with us, we decided that after SDC we would go downtown for a Rainey family vacation tradition - the Fudge Shop and Mr. B's. At Mr. B's, they gave Brighton a kiddie cone... and I actually let him have it! There is a Dora episode about ice cream where they sing (over and over and over) "I scream for ice cream." So, of course, Brighton remembered this and kept singing it the whole time we were in Mr. B's.(He had to eat it in the car because Donovan had to be back in Springfield for work.)

Here he is looking a bit comatose from the sugar rush!

It's been a rough day!

Brighton has had a rough day today. Check out the bruise across the forehead, the bruised and swollen eye and cheek on his right side, and the scrape on his left cheek.
Let me think - which came first... The right side eye/cheek was from him pulling the speaker down on top of his head. Next came the scrape - that was Mommy's fault. I was taking the tray off the highchair and it came off faster than I was expecting and flipped up and hit him. The forehead is from him running straight into an open drawer - weird thing about that is that he knew it was open, he saw it, and for some reason took off running right at it.
We've had a few more tumbles today that have resulted in crying, but thankfully those didn't leave any marks.
I'm glad its time for bed!

TV Rocks!

So, I used to laugh when Beau would do something really smart and Nicole would say that he learned it from watching TV. I now see how true it is! I was talking to Ramona on the phone while Brighton was eating lunch. All of a sudden, he looked at me and smiled and counted to 3 in Chinese! Thanks, Kai Lan!

Just to prove that I don't just sit him in front of the TV all day, here's a few pics of him playing outside!

Jesus loves Brighton!

Brighton & I were talking about church and he started singing "Jesus Loves Me." I grabbed the camera, but he wouldn't start from the beginning once I started shooting. So, here is Brighton's version of Jesus Loves Me.



On another note, (WARNING: TMI coming) as I was typing the above, Brighton stopped what he was doing and started making some grunting noises. I asked if he was going poo-poo and he told me, "I feel much better now, Mommy" ;)

Sprinkler time!

One of our neighbors gave us a little sprinkler that has a crocodile on it and spins the water around. So, we decided to get it out today. Brighton had a really good time playing in it and ended up soaked from head to toe!

Bennett Springs

We went to Bennett Springs State Park today. It is really a nice facility with lots of amenities, I'm sure we will be back. Anyway, we started the afternoon with a picnic by the natural spring. We got a table right by the water and could watch all of the anglers fly-fishing for trout. Then, we went to the fish hatchery and Brighton got to feed the trout.

Brighton thought this was a better way to see the fish!It was really weird, there were gates between all the hatchery pools and the fish would line up against them so that their heads were facing the current. This was at the end of one of the pools. At the front of the pools, they would be lined up with their heads against the gate.

We went to the Nature Center after feeding the fish and also explored a bit.
Then, it was off to the pool! (Even Mommy found a swimsuit to cover the giant baby bump and got in! There will be no pictures of that, though!)

Independence Day!

We went to Willard this evening for their 4th of July parade. (Willard is a small town about 10 miles outside of Springfield.) Brighton watched some of it, but was more content sitting on the ground coloring. Oh well, at least he was having a good time - despite the fact we could have just stayed home and colored!

We went to the big "I Love America" celebration that our church puts on later in the evening. Well, we kind of went. They were expecting 100,000 people and we didn't really want to get in that traffic, so we found a parking lot a mile down the road and sit there and watched the fireworks. They did broadcast the event on GodTV - did any of you with DirecTV see it?

Delicious!

Last night, Brighton had applesauce for dinner. He took a bite, looked at me and said, "Duh-whicous!" I have no idea where he got that, but it was quite funny! I got him to say it again for the camera...

He made it!

Last night, Brighton slept in his new bed all night! Donovan did have to go in a few times and soothe him, but he stayed in his bed and slept until about 8-ish this morning!
(Sorry no pics to post - my camera battery is dead, I've got one charging so hopefully we'll get some fun 4th of July pics later today.)

1,2,3....

Brighton counted to "7" all by himself this morning! He even included "3", which is usually missing from his counting. YEA, BRIGHT!

First Night in his big boy bed

Last night was Brighton's first night in his toddler bed. He did well, he made it until about 2:30am. Donovan had to work last night and I didn't have the energy to kick off our new routine - which includes getting rid of rocking and helping him learn to fall asleep on his own in his bed. (Pray for us!!!) It was cute, about 2:30am I thought I heard him say something, so I started to get up to check on him, but then I heard the pitter-patter of his little feet coming down the hall. He wasn't crying or fussing, just looking around.
Maybe tonight we'll try it without rocking. Hmmm, maybe....

He's getting so big!

Since the closet is done now, we are in the process of putting the room back together and make it ready for the addition of Rigley. Donovan put Brighton's toddler bed together today. Brighton really liked sitting on it and pretending to sleep with all of his stuffed animals. He also slept in it for his afternoon nap!