Welcome to Erin Putnam's blog!

My husband, Todd, and I have been married for 5 years. We have a 2 perfect children named Presley and Nate...and Lucy the chihuahua is still around, as well. We live in Memphis on Mud Island and really enjoy it! We have a great group of friends and you'll almost always find us together cooking out in someone's yard or at Movie and a Pizza...leaving the island is a rarity! I hope you enjoy my blog, as I try to keep everyone updated on our lives.

About Me

I like the pool, the beach, and any water - warm weather combo. I like shopping for Presley and Nate...way more fun than shopping for myself. I like cooking when I don't have to, running when the weather is perfect, the day the maid comes and my house is clean (even if for a little while), grocery shopping, minivans, pregnant women (just not me), a bubble bath and a sudoku puzzle, baby pictures of my husband, my hair the day after it was washed, reality TV, Oprah, when Todd takes the trash out without me asking, half-baked ice cream (I could seriously eat the stuff every day!), watching my babies sleep, talking about memories of my mom and grandmom, someone else choosing the restaurant, when the car beside me has spinners, strawberries and melted milk chocolate, and funny songs on your ring tone. I don't like feeling I need to exercise, folding itsy bitsy clothes, computer problems, hot leather seats, bugs, sun glasses that are too tight on your head, alarms, annoying girl drama, paying for daycare when it's closed, long fingernails, hugging people I barely know, people who use the word 'love' too liberally, and tacky children's clothes. All and all, I think I'm pretty normal.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Vacation = Relaxing...not so much.




Since I have been employed by the doings of baby Nate for the past 9 weeks, Todd thought this was the perfect time to take yet another summer vacation. I resisted at first, as my definition of vacation includes the word 'relaxing' and this did not at all sound relaxing. But, after listening to how horrible his work has been lately, I showed a wee bit of sympathy. 10 seconds following this wee bit of sympathy, we had a condo booked. So, last Friday we loaded up the Putnam mini (have I mentioned how much I LOVE my mini) with 4 bags and 4 humans, a pack and play, a double stroller, a bouncy seat, a inflated kick board, a wagon full of beach toys, a cooler, a box of diapers, beach chairs, a beach tent, and much more...and still had room for another average-sized human. We made the trip to Orange Beach in record time (for us)...just under 8 hours...not bad for chauffeuring two kiddos. The weather was PERFECT! Nice, since from what I'm told, it continued to rain constantly in Memphis. We agreed to eat lunch at the condo (to save some $ and our sanity) and dinner out. I think I'll pass on pimento cheese sandwiches for a while...I've had my fill. We went to our 2 favorite places there...Cobalts and the Oyster House...and both did not disappoint. I believe Todd and I consumed close to 100 oysters over the week and Presley consumed probably as many crackers. I even got a "I'm impressed" by a waiter. I was so proud. Anyway, we beached it from 8-11am, then 2:30-5ish. Unfortunately, the warmth of outside made Nate's naps a little longer than the norm...therefore, his nighttime sleeping was a little less than the norm. So...Presley, Nate, and I were usually up and at 'em by 5am. One day he let us sleep until after 6, but another he graced us with a 4am wake up call. Thanks, Nate. But really, I liked getting at the beach early...not too hot and not too crowded. Presley only had one bonafide meltdown when I chose to stay in the condo one afternoon to give Nate some playtime. Gosh forbid I spend any time without her...and even worse...with Nate. Poor deprived child. We were packed up and headed back home on Wednesday at 7:15 (again, thanks to Nate). Presley provided some entertainment singing her 2 new favorite songs...the classic "Roxanne" and the Pitbull's "Hotel Room Service" (soon to be a classic, I'm SURE of it!). The overall trip was great...but, not at all relaxing. I think I'm going to have to change my definition of vacation for few years. Thank goodness I still have 3 more weeks at home to relax after my vacation.

Roxanne...


A lot of time was spent in the Putnam mini over this past week. One of these times, Presley heard this song for the first time...now she's hooked.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

da boy...

Here are some of Nate's professionally taken newborn pics. I was very pleased with how they turned out. I'm starting to get comfortable with life with 2 kiddos, although it is VERY hectic. The kids and I made a trip to the delta last week and visited with a bunch of folks. Presley was WONDERFUL, so that was a nice little surprise. We are going to try to swing a trip to the beach next week...I'll let ya know how that turns out?!? Anyway, here are some tidbits about caring for an infant that I had forgotten:
1) I'm a bit obsessed with the frequency of his BMs.
2) I am very excited when there are coupons for diapers in the Sunday paper.
3) Breastfeeding hurts.
4) Quitting breastfeeding hurts even more...picture 3 sports bras with cabbage leaves sticking
out...it's attractive.
5) Formula is ridiculously expensive. A $2 coupon is not that big of a savings for what it costs. Send me some more samples, please...that may not actually save me more, but it seems like
it does.
5) 1 child can produce a whole load of laundry in one day...and folding itsy bitsy clothes is not
at all fun...and Nate has yet to offer up any help.
6) What's with all this spit up?!? YOU ARE HUNGRY...KEEP IT DOWN!
7) When he is sleeping, then startled, and he sticks his arms out like an enthusiastic preacher
man, i laugh every time.








peace out

FYI - Ashleigh Peak took my pics and I would DEFINITELY recommend her. If interested, go to www.ashleighpeakphotography.com.