Mother's Day Weekend

Despite having to work this weekend, I had a great first Mother's Day!

On Saturday I spent a majority of my day at the pool for guard orientation and training.  That evening we had my dad's family over to meet the newest member of the James/Doyle clan, baby Athan Thomas Doyle!  My cousin, Casey, has a son!  He was born on February 3 and he is absolutely precious!  Casey is still over in Japan but baby Athan and his mother, Erin, live up in Alexandria, Virginia so she came down to meet all of us and introduce us to little Athan.  Shane grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and we all just hung out at the house.  My parents, brother's family, aunt, uncle and other cousin were all together again and we had such a great time catching up and watching our two newest members meet one another and interact.  This was the first time many of them had met Grayson, too, so it was baby overload for everyone!  Casey and I are only 11 days apart so I am super excited that Grayson and Athan are just a few months apart.  I hope they can grow up together and be good friends.  My cousins are trying to convince me they are future Texas Tech roommates but I keep trying to tell them that we want Grayson to get a quality college education so he will most likely be about 500 miles southwest in College Station!  (Gig'em!)  We really had a great night and can't wait to see them all again.

Grayson (6 months) and Athan (3 months)

My cousin Brandi with her new nephew

My aunt Nancy and uncle Tommy

Erin and Athan

Erin holding both boys

Cousin kisses!

We are trying to each Grayson that "friends are not food".
Here he is wanting to put Athan's head in his mouth.
It looks like he is hoping to get permission to do so from one of us.

Our new favorite face.

Sunday morning Grayson must have wanted to wish me a "Happy Mother's Day" early because he was up at 6am ready to go!  At daycare he made me a tile with his footprint and a quote from Dr Seuss.  He also got me a laptop!  I'm not sure what sort of gambling ring he has going on at daycare that allowed him to buy me such an extravagant gift, but I have to hand it to him for being so resourceful at just 6 months.  :)  

Baby Gray's footprint tile

Me and my bubba

Sunday afternoon I had more training at the pool and then I took my cousin, Brooke, to get her first tattoo!  She has been bugging me to take her for years but she just turned 18 in October and I told her she could only get one with her father's permission. She finally convinced him to say yes so we made an appointment.

Since it was Mother's Day she wanted to get something for her mom to remember her by. Brooke was only 6 when Donna passed away so she has very small memories of her. She knew she always wanted a pink breast cancer ribbon on her foot but also thought it would be neat to get something in her mom's handwriting. We went through cards we had kept from her and I found two that had the words "I love you" on them. Donna had such pretty handwriting. 

The tattoo only took about 10 minutes but she squeezed my hand the entire time. I literally thought some of the fingers on my right hand were broken when she finally let go. :)  She did really well though and it looks so good!  I'm excited Brooke now has something she can look at everyday to remind her of her mom.  She is going to McNeese State in the fall to play soccer so I'm going to miss her!

I don't think he had started yet which is why she is smiling.  

Holding on for dear life!

This is on the outside of her right foot.  

Summer has officially began and my days are long and extremely busy!  I will do my best to post updates, but don't hold it against me if the blog is stagnant for a couple of weeks.  :)