HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BOYS

Well, August 15 has rolled around again. That signals the sounds of Happy Birthday to you. The song is getting louder each year as Max, Forrest, and Lily belt out the tune....Meme is trying to coordinate just so, as I have to get The Picture of B & K.




These boys showing what has come to be called "The Dixon Humor". They crack themselves up!!!


They are not 3,935 years old....Brian is 39 and Kevin 35!!! Oh, my, I cannot believe it has been so long ago I welcomed these boys into the world. I so admire both of my boys. The wonderful men they have become. They continue to make my day, and my life....

Summer Days

Summer is quickly coming to a close. Lily has already started back to school and Max and Forrest will be next week.

Yesterday Shannon and I tried to squeeze as much fun into one afternoon as we could with Max and Forrest. We tried to see the Disney Train that was stopping in Memphis, but the lines were too long. So, we did the next best thing. We headed to Smith's Drug Store and stepped back into the 1960's for a chocolate milk shake. We ordered two and we each shared with the boys. We slurped every drop. It was so tasty, too

Next we went to a children's book store that has been in business for 30 something years and I had never been there. Then, on the spur of the moment we went to a movie....G-Force. I really enjoyed being with Shannon, and Max and Forrest....

Max and Forrest spent the night. I got them both to bed, even though neither of them were sleepy. Maybe two minutes later Max comes in my room with droopy eyes and announces he cannot sleep....I smile to myself and send him back reassuring him that he should perhaps close his eyes and sleep will come....I did not hear anymore from him, well, not until 6:50 am....I got him fixed up with cereal and put Forrest in my bed and thought surely I could get a few more winks of sleep in. No, it was not going to happen.But, it is sure wonderful to hear a little boy say, "Meme, I love you"....I said "Forrest, I love you too".

We were up and at em....Breakfast, morning tv, reading, plalying, lunch, snacks, more playing. I had the wonderful idea to make brownies with the boys. Both of their dads like to cook, so we went to work. Forrest emptied the mix (you did not think they were from scratch did you), Max cracked the eggs and each one stirred 20 times....Forrest wanted to lick the bowl, but, Max would not let him because of salmonella.....honest. He did not want him to get sick...

It was a wonderful day and will be repeated as needed......

More Fun with Meme

Since I do not have much more time off with the trio, I arranged for a girlie night with Lily. We played barbie, the pg one. I told her about hospital birth and home birth....getting my two cents in. Then we watched movies, much less controversial. We watched Aqua Marine. It was a cute movie, I would ask her what was going to happen, and she would tell me to keep watching. She is no spoiler....

The next day I went with #2 son and his family to see the baby buffalos and find out if the names they voted on won. They did...Forrest picked Rufus, Lily chose Buckley and Amy got the # 1 name, Mike Byson.

Max then came over. He has a new haircut. I could not get a picture from the front, so while he was watching SpongeBob, I snapped one from the back. It was nice to be with him, we just hung out together. He said, "I sure have spent the night with you a lot lately". I smiled and said I was glad....

I love my trio....

Things Overheard and Goings On

Forrest enjoying a little sugar.....



Lily, silly Lily. Such a fun loving girl. She, Forrest, and Max spent the night last night. It was a three ring circus at bedtime. I would get one to brush teeth, then another would pop out of the bathroom and go bounce on the bed. I would corral that one back in to brush teeth, and the first one slipped out without going potty. Somehow in all of this, Lily forgot to brush teeth. Max and Forrest went to bed, the one minute later Max was at my bedroom door saying he could not go to sleep. Lily told me that I fell asleep before her and talked in my sleep. I asked her if she wore glasses. Where that came from I do not know.



Max spent the night over the weekend. We went to see Ice Age. I discovered he is a bottomless pit. He ate the whole time. Breakfast went straight into snacks, then lunch, then if he had not of gone home, I am certain he would still be eating. As you can see, he is on the thin side. He can literally climb the walls....



Labor and Delivery 101
I overheard Lily explaining to Max how babies are born. She had a pregnant barbie doll and told him how the mama pushes the baby out. He said "Some babies are born at home, and in a bathtub, my friend told me all about it". I could not believe I was hearing this, and thankfully the next sentence out of their mouth was on a totally different subject...whew.....

Max and Meme

Max and I went to see Ice Age 3-D. He had already seen it in Estonia, but, with subtitles and no 3-D. He liked it much better in good ole Memphis. We laughed and laughed. It was good, but, I felt like I was watching Ray Romano and Queen Latifah....I could not get past that. We stuffed ourselves with popcorn and sour gummies. Even though Max was feeling sick to his stomach before we went, he quickly revived and ate his share.

Today was more stuffing with food. I don't think his parents feed him. We try to do every thing he is not allowed to do at home, so we had a busy morning....ice cream, gold fish, strawberries, sponge bob. I slipped sb in there hoping his parents do not notice. We also read the funnies, played bananagram, and of course star wars.

He is growing so fast. He is getting tall and thin. I know one day he will not want to spend the night with Meme, but, we won't think about that for hopefully, many years. I love my Max.....

Letter to Lily

Lily, I remember the day your mama and daddy told me you were going to be a little girl. I was so happy. I always wanted a little girl, but, I did not know I would have to wait so long. I had saved all my dolls for this little girl. They were packed away for a long time. I just knew your daddy was a little girl, but, no, he was the one who would have the little girl....

When you were born Memaw and I heard your first cry. We were just outside the room and it was so exciting to hear your cry as you made your way into the world.

You and I have been buddies ever since. You look like me and part of your personality is like mine...but, you are your own girl.
You have shown me a part of the world that I thought your daddy would have, the world of critters. You love all things living. They are to be treasured. You try to charm a bird. You stop for a worm, to get him out of the sun. We went into a forest to give a snake his freedom. These are the times I cherish. You have gotten to know my frogs in the back yard. You wondered at the feral kittens in my yard.

You and I have had our girlie moments. We love to watch Princess movies, we love to play Barbie, and Polly Pockets. We have tea parties. We put on makeup. You try on my jewelry, you even wear your great-grandmothers earrings. I so enjoy being with you, I think it brings back my childhood. You and I do the things i used to do with my cousin. We tell each other secrets. We talk in the dark before falling asleep. You read the clock, I tease you to go to sleep, you look at the clock again, anything to stay awake. You ask to be tickled, my arm goes to sleep, you talk some more....I have to sound serious....Lily, You Have to Go To Sleep. You are not scared, for I am your Meme. I love you so....

As you grow, I hope you always remember our times...standing in the sunroof....climbing the great trees by the lake....the letters in the post office box, the drawings of Cinderella, the pictures you drew, and the hugs you always have for me....for I am your Meme and I love you so....

Lily's Seventh Birthday

Kids Say the Darn-est Things

Lily and I were playing with a helicopter in the hall outside the 4th bedroom, aka toy room. Daddy and Forrest are playing Star Wars together in the 4th bedroom. All of a sudden, Lily leans up close to my ear and whispers "Isn't it cute the way Daddy and Forrest are playing?" I think yes, and aren't you too cute too...

Lily and the Lady Bugs

Lily and the ladybugs. Lady bugs are very good to have in your yard. That is why I bought 1500 of them. I wanted them to eat all the bad bugs and mosquitos. I recruited Lily to help me dole them out. We had fun. Only thing is they flew the coop. I think they went to Colorado. I saw on the news about a town in Colorado that is being bombarded by ladybugs. I want mine to come home.

Memphis Zoo Loss

All of us who love the zoo were excited about a new African baby elephan born on Monday. I had seen Asali last summer when it seemed like an eternity before she would deliver her baby. She was pregnant for 22 months. She delivered her baby on Monday. Zoo officials were watching her closely in case she rejected the baby. Well, she did not reject her, in fact, she was being very motherly. However, yesterday the baby stumbled and while trying to help her baby, her tusk hurt the baby. She died about an hour later.
I was so sad. All of Memphis zoo lovers are sad. The zoo then showed Asali her dead baby, so she would understand her baby had died and mourn. She might be confused otherwise, and start searching for her baby.