Updates and other randomosities. I think I just made up a word, Webster.

Well, life is pretty busy for the Winburn 3 + a dog these days. Here's what's happening in our neck of the woods.

1. Our house is for sale--and it's hard for me. 

I don't know if we're really capable of loving inanimate objects. People sure do try, though. It's hard for me to use the word "love" so easily. I love God. I love Andrew. I love Josie. And with that in mind....I really, really, really, really like our first home. I have liked it from day one. Andrew didn't think I'd like it. He thought it looked like a trailer on realtor.com.

He was oh-so wrong.We walked in the house, walked around, made an offer...

even though the pool looked like a condemned moat....even though the back bedrooms were painted pepto pink and sunshine yellow...even though it was a short sale...etc.

We have lived in that sweet, precious, memory filled house for right at three years now...and it feels like 3 months. Shortly after Andrew totally brought the pool back to life (which did he ever!), we decided to be all organic and plant a garden. It was so fun having that little garden in our back yard.

Flashback: I remember laying on my back as a kid...picking tomatoes off the vine. I remember shelling peas and snapping beans. If you know what that entails--you grew up gardening. My awesome Grannie and Papa put me on sign patrol for their road side advertisements. My job was to paint signs for attracting 72 bypass "bypassers" to buy produce from their garden. I vividly remember Papa calling me on the phone (although we lived so close he could've yelled and I'd have heard him) to give specific details for his next sign. Life was so good. We sold produce every summer, and I made a cut of the profits. I found out later that my Grannie and Papa gave a lot of that money to their church. I remember the row of zinnias that Grannie planted each summer. I remember my Dad coming home from hard days, changing clothes, and getting out in the garden. What a guy. I pray that I never forget such sweet memories.

Ok, I'm back. Anyway, one day, Andrew discovered Peter Rabbit feasting on something in our garden. I'm pretty sure it's against the law to fire a gun in Wildewood, so he went bow hunting. So imagine my hubs standing on the deck with his bow/arrows (many arrows) to kill bunny foo foo. I was so sad. I couldn't watch. Is it possible to become more sensitive toward animal deaths as you age? If so, that's all me. I love my husband, and he's a great hunter...but not this time. I'm sure the wind was to blame or something, but every time, bunny got away, much to my delight. I'd been saying that the backyard was lonely without a dog, and I got shot down each time. One day, after a few failed kill missions, Andrew gave in.

"I think we need to get a dog."

I tried not to act too excited and play it cool, but I couldn't. I became a 4 year old at Christmas mixed with a first time mom picking out baby names. I went pretty crazy.

In a few weeks, we had our sweet "first born," our Maya. So many of our wonderful Beaver Dam Road memories include that stinker. Some "bad girl" (chewed up) memories as well...

I remember having Maya in our Christmas pictures the following December. Someone warned us that first comes the dog, then comes the baby.

They were right. In October of 2012, the sweetest girl in the world was born into our family and made our home full of love.

So, this is hard. Again, I try not to love things, but I can't help cherishing the memories I see when looking at that house. 

That front porch light fixture Andrew changed out for me.

The hooks where we hung our beautiful hanging baskets.

The monkey grass where Maya fought a snake. Eek.

The mud room we never used.

The chair that I sleeplessly rocked in while missing our new baby who we had to leave in the hospital until she was 8 days old.

The hydrangeas we planted my first mother's day.

The front porch.

The pool where I floated around for hours of my pregnancy. 
Hours.....
...Many of those were spent sleeping.

                                                               The list goes on and on...

But... it is just like with everything else. Just because you're missing the presence of something or someone doesn't mean that the memories go with them. I am thankful for that. I will miss our first home. I'm excited about making new memories here in Charleston.

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2. Ear infections: Please be gone!

Our little angel seems to keep running into ear infections....on average of every 4-6 weeks. Where did this come from? We went 13 months without a single problem. Now, it seems we forgot one for a while, then boom! They're baaaaaaack!

The (or should I say "a") great thing about JoJo is how well she handles being sick. She is rarely fussy, and she hardly runs a fever. That's also what makes it hard. The typical assessment findings don't apply to her. She doesn't pull at her ears. She doesn't scream. She has an awesome appetite, and she is a better sleeper than I was while working nights. That says a lot! She's awesome. I can't wait to use this as encouragement one day when she's in labor. I can hear me now...

"Josie, you don't need drugs to have this baby. You battled double full blown ear infections without a peep."

Haha. I'm weird. 

Needless to say, her pain tolerance has to be high. I think I remember Mom saying the same things about me as a child. Go figure. Anyway, I am praying that these recurrent infections have something to do with this crazy weather. It's high time that this weather get consistently hot and pollen free...if you ask me. Also, I'd love it if every gnat in Charleston could just die. Seriously. They're awful. I'm sure that's in another story somewhere down the road. Stay tuned. 

Yesterday, JoJo woke up from a (4, yes 4, hour nap!) I checked on her multiple times. She normally sleeps like a rock when she's under the weather, so I knew we were heading into something. Her temp was 102. Naturally, being the cool, calm, and collective nurse mommy that I am...I flipped. She was shaking, which I'm now assuming that was the chills. However, I'm paranoid about febrile seizures, so I lost it. I was about to run across the street to the ER, but Andrew calmed me down. I ended up at an urgent care, because we haven't found a pediatrician yet...and no office would see us. It was actually a no hassle easy experience, and of course, she had an ear infection. This one was scary, because it hit her extremely fast. She's doing fine, and we're just happy that they don't seem to throw her too much. We just want them to stop, of course.

3. I'll be 30 on April Fool's Day. How appropriate for me, right?

In honor of my 30th, I'm giving you the Meagan Winburn version of 30 for 30. This is the randomness I spoke of in the title. I saved it for the end, if case you want to check out...in case you haven't already. If you haven't, you deserve a cookie. Congratulations!

And....go!

1. I consistently call my child Puddles McWinburn. I don't know where it came from.

2. My engagement ring belonged to Andrew's paternal grandmother, Mamee. I cherish it.

3. I would've been little Justin Brown had I been born a boy. Andrew's so glad I wasn't.

4. I'm not sure of my actual shoe size since I had Josie.

5. My maternal grandparents and Andrew's maternal grandparents were married on the exact same day and year. 

6. Sometimes, I let things bother me that shouldn't and don't let some things bother me that should.

7. My grandfather prayed for musical grandchildren. All five of his grandchildren sing. 

8. I dread Josie coming home with math homework one day.

9. I hate newspaper. I hate touching it mainly...also the smell.
10. I really want to go to Hawaii. Like....tomorrow!
11. I have always been fascinated by assassinations, catastrophes, etc. My mindset is always thinking, "What could've been done to prevent this??" Strange, I know. A few of my favorites as a child were Lincoln, JFK, MLK Jr, Titanic...
12. I currently have the cabinets under the sink child proofed using a plastic bag. Redneck ingenuity.
13. I loved my first grade teacher, Mrs. Sheets. She had such neat handwriting. Mrs. Sheets and my mom made me prioritize neat penmanship.
14. I wish I could freeze time each moment Josie gives hugs and kisses.
15. Andrew weighed 11 pounds 6 ounces at birth. He was also 24 inches long. Essentially, he was born a toddler.
16. I could watch Pride and Prejudice (Keira Knightley version) every day.
17. I remember the exact moment I listened to my first Coldplay album. I love their music.
18. I think Maisy and Lennon Stella on ABC's "Nashville" are amaaaaazing.
19. Speaking of the name Stella, I love that name.
20. Speaking of a name that I love. I cannot stand when people "claim" names. Yes, I said it...and you've all heard it. "We're naming our FUTURE (son/daughter) ___________." Come on, people.
21. I drank a lot of chocolate milk as a child...with a spoon...like soup. Weird.
22. When telemarketers call my Grannie, she blows a whistle in the phone receiver. She's my hero.
23. If I could do anything, I'd own a children's boutique.
24. The women in my family can flat out cook. My grandmothers could open a restaurant.
25. I'm on a mission to find the perfect pool float.
26. I haven't been able to part with any of Josie's clothes yet. Sentimental pack rat alert!
27. I have sung in front of huge crowds, solo and in groups. I've sung with Barack Obama present. Kinda random...
28. I hope I never have to work night shift again.
29. I don't can't do scary movies. 

30. I misspelled my last (maiden) name (Brown) on a spelling test once. I put an "e" on the end. My logic was that it couldn't be the same word as my last name. Wow. I think my dad wondered about me for a while after that one.


And there you have it. If you made it this far, see me for a prize.