Shameless Plug

Ok, so this blog is usually about Becca and what's going on at home. I don't talk much about myself or what I'm doing. But today I will make an exception to share something that I'm doing at work that (hopefully) will be HUGE!

I am trying to raise $10,000 for the American Cancer Society. Yes, for real. Can you say job security??

How will I do that, you ask? I have gotten a local family magazine, Peekaboo, to help me out. We are doing a cover kid contest to benefit Relay For Life. It's so easy! Parents just send in a photo of their child and the $10 entry fee to participate. It's not a contest based on looks, it's based on philanthropy! The child that gets the most online "votes" (i.e. donations) will be on the July cover of the magazine. The rest of the top 10 fundraisers will have their pictures inside.

I'm so excited about this! The deadline to enter is next Tuesday, April 7th. Right now, we have 17 kids signed up and I'm hoping to reach 20 by Tuesday. The catch is that the kids must live in the Northwest AR area. If you read this, and meet the criteria, I hope you'll consider getting involved. All the info can be found at http://main.acsevents.org/arcoverkid or www.peekaboonwa.com .

If you cannot participate, or do not qualify, you can still help me out! Since I am not putting Becca in the contest for fear of being accused of not being fair, you can instead donate to my personal Relay For Life team at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/Rhonda.Bramell. I know we're all broke right now, but anything--even 5 bucks will help out.

Thank you everyone!

Little Miss Smartypants

It's been a while since I did an update on what Becca likes and what crazy things Becca does. So, here goes.

• Becca really likes to "help" with chores around the house, especially unloading the dishwasher and dusting.
• Becca would play outside all day, every day if we let her.
• She is finally at the point of giving us hugs and kisses!! YAY!! In fact, our morning routine is to kiss/hug good-bye when we leave. If you kiss her when we're still in the kitchen, she will insist on another hug/kiss at the door just when you are finally walking out. It's so darn cute! I never thought she'd be such a lover.
• Of course, she still loves the Muppets and Ernie.
• In the past couple of weeks we've watched both Madagascar movies. Lately, she has been walking around the house saying, "moo it, moo it!" So cute.
• Becca is starting to talk in sentences a little bit. She has mostly said, "I got it!" and "I did it!"
• She is getting good reports at Mothers Morning Out. The teachers say she tries to take care of the other kids and does not like it when they cry,
• She really, really likes going to MMO twice a week. We can tell because she talks about school all the time, and her teachers Anna and Beth.
• Another way I know that she likes school is because the other day I asked her "What's your name?" and she answered, "ANNA!" very excitedly...haha.
• And probably the funniest thing of all is that she sometimes calls us by our first names. She knows her daddy is Lee and her mommy is "Ronna."

Here's a little video of the kids I took last night. Becca now regularly looks for ways to aggravate poor Fergie. This is one of the games they play--the ball is stuck in the door of the toy fridge and Fergie can't get it out.

How cute!

Becca and I made this picture this morning while looking at Sprout online. So CUTE! Of course, she was upset because they didn't have Ernie's photo, only Elmo.

Just some pics of Becca

Just look at that sweet face (notice Fergie slipped into the picture, as always)

Pictures from the mall a few weeks ago.

My sister Dee was here from Boise for the past seven days and she just loved her some Becca! Of course we didn't get a picture though... We will post some pictures of Becca in her new clothes that Aunt D got her when it warms up again!

With Dee here, of course the other boys had to come over and see their sister too. Mom had a house full for about 4 days and then just Dee until today. As I write this, she is on her way back to Boise. Becca had a good time with all her relatives from the Pugsley side, though she made sure to keep her eye on Rob after he stuck a ball under her shirt that she didn't want there!!

We are planning on having a big family reunion in June; when Mom and all her kids will be together for the first time in about 20 years! I guess that is what happens when your kids are in all corners of the U.S. practically (Boston, Phoenix, Boise, Memphis (Munford), Yellville, and Fayetteville).

Hope you enjoyed the pics and my once a month post from the man side of the family.

Quick Update

I know it's been a while, sorry. Right now, we are all SICK! Becca has an ear infection and Lee and I either have colds or bad allergies going on. I've been home with Becca for 2 days.

We had professional pictures scheduled this morning so Becca could have her pic made with real bunnies. We decided to go ahead, as planned. We did a few of the whole family and some of just Becca with the bunnies. It wasn't a very good session, so I'll be surprised if we have any worth buying. Lee is going to pick up the proofs this afternoon. I probably should have just cancelled the session because of the sickness, but oh well. Becca was a little bit afraid of the bunnies even though we've been talking about it all week long.

I will try to scan some and post them if I can. Lee's sister Dee is coming tonight from Idaho to visit and Bernie and Annette from Tennessee, so we'll have a busy weekend.

Love to all!

Becca's first haircut and other random info...

Friday evening we took Becca for her very first haircut! She did a great job, even though I was worried she would freak out. Lee and I had to pass her back and forth while Heather did the cutting. She wouldn't wear the cape, but that was ok. I only got this one picture, sorry. And I swear her finger is NOT really in her nose, just on it. Like Jerry Seinfeld, you know--"just scratching!" I started not to post it, but I knew some people would fuss about it.

This is after the haircut when she was watching someone else get theirs cut.

She was so funny about it, and very curious.



After the haircut, we treated ourselves to some dinner at the Flying Burrito.
Becca preferred her daddy's giant burrito to her kid's meal.

As you can see, Becca chose her outfit: her jammies, her jacket and her Halloween skirt that she dug out of the dresser. This is the day after the haircut and I

wanted a picture to put on the blog.

I found these pics on the camera; not sure when Lee took them. So cute! Becca and Fergie sitting in the sun reading together.

Drama for your mama...

Here's a quick rundown of our last week. Becca and I went to Wynne last Thursday by ourselves. We left Lee and Fergie at home to fend for themselves. Thankfully, Becca was a great traveler in the car....new books will do the trick! My only complaint: why in Heaven's name don't some restaurants/fast food joints NOT have baby changing tables in the bathrooms??? WHY?? Case in point, the Backyard Burger in Conway. I won't tell you what I did to change that diaper. I've already crossed it off our list of approved diaper changing stops.

Dad's surgery was Friday and went well. He is recovering at home for a few weeks. He'll see the doc again on Monday next week. I am proud that he was so brave and handled it very well. He had the DaVinci procedure done for prostate cancer; google it if you are bored sometime. It's amazing!

Becca cheesing it up with Grammy.

Well, at least she's finally smiling for the camera!

Becca and my Aunt Pam checking out the scrapbook. Becca loves,

loves, loves to look at pictures!

Our other drama (or trauma) is that we (ahem, Lee) decided it's time to get rid of dear old binky. We started yesterday with telling Becca that binky has to stay in the bed and she can only get it when she goes night-night. Lee said he thinks she totally understood, but she did ask for it a couple of times. This morning, however, when I pried it from her gnawing teeth we had an all-out meltdown in the floor!! Lordy, she was never that attached to the bottle.....didn't even miss it once! Wish us luck that it will only take a few days for her to give up the fight.

Also more drama: BECCA PEED IN THE POTTY last night!! I asked her to sit on the potty while I ran her bath water and she did. I turned my back to tend to the tub, and next thing I know she's peeing! I won't tell you what fools we acted like, just use your imagination. Maybe we're on the road to ditching the diapers....stay tuned.