18 month check up

Mak had her 18 month check up on Thursday. New Stats:
Weight: 27 pounds - (95%)
Height- 33 inches - (90 %)

She gained almost 3 pounds in 2 months, but she hasn't grown any in height. I guess her diet of applesauce, yogurt, grits and oatmeal is putting some meat on her bones! She had to have one shot, but it was no big deal. She didn't bat an eye.
Tripp spent last night at my parents' house and we are going to get him in just a little bit. It's been quiet around here without him! Neither of our kids are sleeping well these days. Tripp's started last weekend when he got sick and Mak's started about a week ago when she started cutting two more teeth. She's actually sleeping worse now than she has in months. No fun for momma and daddy. Oh well! This too shall pass....

Stellan

Some of you may have noticed the new icon on my sidebar, so I thought I would explain. Last summer (when I had WAY more free time on my hands), I used to search for new blogs to read. One of the ways I would search was just randomly looking at different women's pictures because I have such a love for photography. You might also remember that I read several different girls' blogs that had lost babies because I met them at the women's conference I went to last June. One of the blogs I somehow stumbled across last summer was "MckMama". I have been reading her blog now since last June and I love it. She has 4 children all under the age of 5 and to protect their identies she has given them "nicknames" for her blog: Big Mac, McNugget, Small Fry, and McMuffin. She calls herself "MckMama" and her husband Prince Charming. Her story is WAY too long to go into on here, but the baby, "McMuffin"'s real name is Stellan. She told her "blogging" friends his real name when she was pregnant with him because she was told while he was still inutero that he had a deadly heart defect and would not make it to the end of the pregnancy. She put it on her blog and she had MILLIONS (literally) of people praying for her and Stellan all over the world. It looked as if God completely healed him of his heart defect and he was born in October (I think). He has been a perfectly healthy little boy since his birth. However, over the weekend, he got really sick and McMama (I think her real name is Jennifer) took him to the hospital. They had to give him a nebulizer treatment (which I have given Mak a ton of times). The first one didn't do enough, so they gave him another one. The second one sent his heart back into the same defect he had when he was still in his mommy's tummy. Things are not looking good. I don't know if my heart has ever been so burdened for a family that I don't even know, but I have been praying constantly for this precious baby. Every time God brings him to my mind, I whisper a prayer. I don't believe God calls us to pray for only those we know, but also for other fellow believers when they are going through a VERY hard time. McMama has an ubelievable faith and she is clinging to the Cross right now in a mighty way. I cannot even fathom what she is feeling as she is watching her son struggle just to keep his heart going. So, I added the button my blog. If you click on it, it will take you directly to McMama's blog. You can see pictures of all of her adorable kids.....3 boys and one girl. Her girl is only 1 month younger than Makinley, so I always LOVE seeing pictures of her! I think the part that is the hardest to understand in all of this is that Stellan was healthy just a week ago and now he is struggling just to stay alive. It is just a constant reminder that we don't ever know what tomorrow holds....but there is One that does. I take great comfort in that. Please, those of you that read this and see fit, add this sweet family to your prayer list. They need as many people standing in the gap for them as possible right now!

A New Routine

Since Tripp was just a baby, we have read to him at bedtime (like 90% of parents, I'm sure). He loves to listen to the same books OVER and OVER and OVER again. Well, for whatever reason, we never started this routine with Makinley. I guess she's always been so easy to put down. For
14 months, I nursed her to sleep each night. Then, once we transitioned her to the bottle, all she wanted was for you to give her the bottle and lay her down. I guess we took advantage of the 5 minute bedtime routine because of Tripp's 30 min- 1 hour bedtime routine! :-) Joey decided tonight that he wants to start reading to her each night as well. It's funny, Makinley has decided that Mommy doesn't put her to bed any more. Daddy does. I'll try to take her and she'll wiggle out of my arms and go find her Daddy. So, I took a picture of the first night of a new routine. Aren't they precious?

This is the face....

of one sick little boy. In my last post, I said that Tripp threw up on Friday night. All day yesterday, he was just really low key. He played a little, ate just a few bites through out the day, and drank just a tad. We were at my parents' house hanging out all day, and on the ride home he

threw up again. I called my pediatrician and they called in some medicine for him. He slept all night, but this morning he was pitiful. I couldn't get him to eat anything, drink anything, or even get up off the couch. All he wanted was for me to hold him. So, I took him to an after hours Dr's office. While we were there, Tripp fell asleep in my arms. I can't remember the last time he fell asleep in my arms in public...it hasn't been since he was just a few months old. That was a HUGE indicator as to how sick he feels. The Dr. decided to treat him as if he has strep throat. Well, I gave him a dose of his medicine as soon as I got it filled, and he threw up AGAIN all over the car on the way home. We gave him some more of his nausea medicine and he slept from 4-6. I just gave him a bath and he asked for some goldfish and Sprite. Right now I am praying that it stays down. It's been a hard weekend, but I've gotten more cuddle time with him than I've had in a LONG time. (My camera is doing something crazy and taking really dark pictures even with the flash; I'm not sure what is going on with it.)

Rejuvenation:

of the Mind: several good devotionals came across my computer screen yesterday. Much needed wisdom from several Godly sources!


of the Body: I went walking yesterday in the BEAUTIFUL weather for about 45 minutes by myself. It was heavenly. It's so nice to live in a town where I feel 100% safe walking alone.


of the Spirit: there is nothing like a little Chris Tomlin praise and worship music to boost my spirits and that's just what I listened to while walking.


Yesterday was a good day. Thanks, Jesus, for Friday, I needed it!


P.S. The day ended with Tripp throwing up and Mak being up for over 3 hours during the night. SO, this momma has had 2 hours of sleep in the last 29 hours. But, it's okay. If that had happened on the day of my last post, I would have fallen apart. But after yesterday, it didn't quite do me in. It wasn't fun, but I didn't have a complete mental breakdown! It's progress!

Yuck

I'm having one of those days. Actually, I might be having one of those weeks. I just feel yuck. Not sick, yuck....just yuck, yuck. It's been one of those weeks where I wish I could just get away somewhere by myself. Or, maybe one of those weeks where I could just use a good vent/cry session with a good friend. I don't know. It's really numerous things that are making me feel this way: work is getting OVERWHELMING with the CRCT coming up in just a few weeks, my house is NEVER clean and I'm so tired of feeling like we live in filth, my son is giving me absolute fits...screaming, hitting, slamming doors...kind of fits (he's doing these things, I just feel like doing them), and I am DISGUSTED with my own body. Like, don't want to look at myself in the mirror when I take a shower, kind of disgusted.

I keep asking myself what I'm going to do about all of this and I'm coming up short on answers. As far as school goes, it will be better in just a few weeks. I just have to truck through the reviewing process of getting my kids ready for the test. I just feel a lot of pressure this year because I work at a more "pressure" filled school. Again, in May, that will be behind me and I can breathe again.

As for my house....I don't know. I have an awesome husband who pulls more than his fair share of the load, but it just feels chaotic and cluttered all the time. I don't get home until close to 5 on most days. By the time I get home, fix supper (which is never anything gourmet), bathe the kids, get the kids to bed, I am WIPED. There is no part of me that wants to do anything chore related. Things pile up and by the time the weekend gets here, I feel like I'm drowning in it. It's no fun to have to spend your whole weekend cleaning. I'm beginning to feel a yard sale coming on though; I can't take the clutter anymore.

Next, my son.....oh, my son. That is too much to even try to get into in this post. God is definitely trying to mold, shape, and challenge me through Tripp. However, I'm beginning to think about calling Super Nanny myself. Something has got to give.

Finally, my body. Before kids, I could eat whatever I wanted to and didn't have to worry about gaining a pound. I was the same weight for years (well, with the exception of a really unhealthy time during high school when I could have blown away with a strong enough wind). Then came Tripp...I gained a whopping 47 pounds with him. I didn't have time to lose it all before I got pregnant with Mak when he was 9 months old. With her, I only gained 25 pounds, BUT my metabolism has done something crazy since pregnancy. I can't seem to get off the last 10 pounds that I desperately want to lose. Ok....let me back up....I have to admit that I haven't actually done much to TRY to get the weight off either. But, let's go back to the working full time and taking care of two kids thing. Again, I'm wiped out and don't have the motivation to go to the gym. I realize that there are thousands of women who work full time, take care of multiple children, and find time to go to the gym. They are super mom's and my hat is off to them. I go through phases of trying to be careful about what I eat. However, when you go the first 26 years of your life not having to worry about what you eat as far as your weight goes, it's really difficult to change your whole mindset. It really is. And, as for the gym, we don't have the money for me to join anyway.

I'm sure I have now depressed everyone that actually takes the time to read this. Honestly, right now, my prayer is that God will change my thoughts and help me to concentrate on positive things. There is plenty to be positive about. Unfortunately, right now, I'm definitely letting myself get sucked in by the negative.

NOT for the faint of heart!

If talks of constipation bother you, then read no further. But that's what we have been dealing with at our house for about the last 9 days or so. Tripp has struggled with constipation for the last year. However, it has gotten way worse since we potty trained him. He has not been to the bathroom since LAST Friday naturally. I gave him a suppository on Wednesday and he went some but the Dr. said that if he didn't go by last night then I had to give him an ENEMA today. Well, last night came and went with Tripp showing no signs of going on his own. This morning he has been complaining of his belly hurting, so I knew it was time to take control. Believe me, this was NOT fun. Putting an enema in your child is no walk in the park. However, it worked. He went to the bathroom within 5 minutes, but it was painful for him....which means it was painful for mommy. I hate seeing him uncomfortable! Now, I have to give him Miralax once a day for up to a month to try to help regulate him. I don't want to have to go through this again any time soon!

18 months and growing

You know what's harder for me to believe? That Tripp was this age when I had her!

(Can you tell this was the end of the party and someone hadn't had a nap! She was exhausted)

Here's how it all went down...

Joey and I began cleaning on Friday morning to get ready for the party on Saturday. At some point during my preparation process, I looked over on the couch and this is what I saw: It's so nice to see them being sweet to each other when most of the time I hear screaming coming from one or the other! Anyway, Joey and I worked like slaves to get the house ready. I worked really hard at trying to be creative. Blue's Clues has been discontinued as a party theme so I had to make everything. All the kids got a "pail and shovel" as their goody bag and I put the characters faces on them. I also colored and cut out the decorations and made puzzles out of Blue's Clues coloring pages. This isn't a great picture, but it kind of shows what the dining room looked like:

At the beginning of the party, Tripp wasn't really "feeling it" and you would have thought the day was about Makinley. She just pranced around and acted like everyone came for her!

I was able to snag a few pictures of the birthday boy before people started arriving.

At about 1:50 (and the party started at 2), Tripp hit a wall. I was really concerned that this might be where he spent his entire party. He hadn't had a nap and his sinuses were really bothering him. He sat on my mom's lap for awhile, but as people started getting to our house, he pepped up. I set up my kids little table as a "art center". I brought dry erase boards and markers from my classroom and the kids loved it. On Blue's Clues, he draws pictures sometimes on dry erase boards, so it went well with the theme and it kept the kids occupied.

The lady that made Tripp's birthday cake used to make all of Joey's birthday cakes when he was growing up. She also made our wedding cake! My original plan wasn't to have a sheet cake, but I couldn't find a good picture of what I wanted and I was getting stressed out about it, so I just went back to the standard. It tasted great, so that's all that really matters!

Tripp was more than ready to blow out his candle. By 2:30, we were singing and eating cake. His friends Karli and Peyton were right in on the action!

The rest of the pictures are out of order! Drives me crazy, but my computer won't let me move them around once they are uploaded. Anyway, after cake, we had a Blue's Clue's Scavenger Hunt and the kids figured out the clues to find the pinata!

After the Scavenger Hunt, we opened presents!

(Out of order: Tripp feeding his sister cake! I had to put it in here though because it was so sweet!)

Me reading Blue's Clues and the big kids trying to figure them out.

Overall, it was a really good party. The worst part was the weather. I wasn't able to set up anything outside and let the kids kind of wander in and out. We had a packed house. There were about 11 kids and both parents for each kid, so it was full. Tripp got some great outside toys...including a soccer goal, baseball net, bubbles, several things for the beach. He also got a GREAT start on his spring/summer wardrobe thans to his grandma's. It's hard for me to believe he is 3. Time is flying by!

Floam

I love it that I have friends that think outside the box when it comes to birthday presents. I've gotten a lot of calls in the last few days asking me what Tripp needs for his birthday, which I REALLY appreciate. However, running the risk of revealing how spoiled my son is, there really is very little that he NEEDS. In fact, I would almost say nothing. He definitely could use some spring/summer clothes and he MOST DEFINITELY needs some new shoes, but those aren't very fun birthday presents. Especially for a little boy that is really beginning to "get" birthdays. So, I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with things to tell people that Tripp would love getting, yet would not clutter up my already cluttered house with more toys. So, I've been telling a lot of people outside toys. Yesterday we got a box in the mail from my UGA roomate, Katie. I could use the word creative to describe Katie, but it wouldn't do her justice. She is way more than that. BUT she sent Tripp a box full of Floam. At first, I wasn't sure what it was. I took Tripp outside when he got up from his nap today to experiment with it and it's really neat stuff. It's basically this gel like putty stuff that has beads in it and he can just shape and mold. He loves it! It's really bright colors and they feel really cool. Thanks Katie! Oh, and can I add that they are really good stress relievers for Mommy? It is therapeutic to rub that stuff in my hands!

3 of the colors before we took them out of the containers

Starting to experiment

blowing a stray bead off the table
such concentration

can't leave any beads in

obviously, you can't tell, but he's naming all the colors

still naming

finally a smile for momma

Oh, the things he says!

While sitting at my mom's house the other day, Tripp climbed up beside me on the couch and said:

"Thanks for my birthday, Mom."
Me: "You're welcome baby."
Tripp: "It was real good."

So sweet! And he hasn't even had his party yet!

Who needs a crib?

When we come stay at my parents house, there is only one place Makinley will sleep: my dad's walk-in closet. It's crazy, but true. Any time we try to put her in any other location in the house, whether it be the crib, or the pack-n-play somewhere else, she refuses to sleep and I'm up ALL night long with her. The last two nights that we have been here, I have laid Mak down in my dad's closet at 8 and I've had to WAKE HER UP at 8:45 the next morning. She has slept through both of my parents getting ready for work....in the bathroom that the closet is in! That is how deeply she goes to sleep! Whatever works, right? It's just too bad that a perfectly good crib isn't being used!

Time Change + No Paci = Tired Tripp

Tripp is tired. So is Mommy. He has done SO good without his paci as far as asking/crying for it. He has not mentioned it since Sunday at naptime. However, it is taking an extremely long time for him to fall asleep without it. Naptime is going decently, but bedtime is a nightmare. I really think the time change has something to do with it as well. It is taking him up to 2 hours to fall asleep without it. And he wants me to lay with him until he's asleep. I'm so proud of him for not begging and pitching a fit for a paci, but I have to admit it's hard for me not to get him one. Just because I know he would fall asleep quickly with it. Don't worry. I'm staying strong. I'm just really tired.

Foot Loose and Paci Free!

Yep. You read the title right. Tripp has not had a paci in 24 hours!!! When he woke up yesterday morning (with his paci in his mouth) and we sang him "Happy Birthday", I asked him how old he was. He told us 3. I said "And 3 year olds don't use what?" and he said "PACI'S"!!! All day long he kept saying that 3 year olds don't use pacis. He never asked for one the whole time he was up playing. At about 2, I could tell that he really needed to lay down for a nap (and so did mommy), so I took him in my room. We had a minor melt down at that point. He asked for his paci several times and got very upset when I told him no. I had to give myself a pep talk to not go get them out of their hiding place! The sweetest thing? He finally reached over and took my hand and rubbed my thumb the way he usually rubs his paci and fell asleep! So, that was accomplishment number 1. He's NEVER napped at our house without a paci. The rest of the afternoon was a breeze. At about 8:30, I took him in his room to try to put him to bed (has the time change messed up anyone else?). When we first walked in his room, he said, "Mommy, do I get to have a paci?" I told him no and we snuggled down to read. He NEVER asked for his paci again. Bless his heart, he had the hardest time going to sleep though. I knew better than to try to leave the room because he would have freaked out. I settled in and got comfortable. I have to admit that there were several times I was tempted to go get him his paci, but I kept reminding myself how big he was being. He was determined he wasn't going to ask for one and I was so proud of him. He finally fell asleep at about 10. At 2:30, he woke up and I thought he would freak out. I got him and put him in bed with us and he went right back to sleep without asking for it at all. Do you understand what a HUGE accomplishment this is in our house? I'm a little nervous because we are spending the next two nights at my parents house. I can't backtrack now, but I pray he does okay!

Feeling Very Nostalgic

Newborn

First Birthday 2nd Birthday


3rd Birthday

Dear Tripp,

Where in the world have the last 3 years gone? To say that it's hard to believe that today is your 3rd birthday is a huge understatement. I keep finding myself looking at the clock and remembering exactly what I was doing this time 3 years ago. In fact, as I'm typing this, 3 years ago at this time I was anxiously awaiting my epidural!

Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a mommy (and a wife :-)), and on March 8, 2006, that dream came true. You came unwillingly into this world and immediately began trying to show us who's boss! In the last 3 years you have challenged, thrilled, and shown us exactly what love really is. I can honestly say I didn't know it was possible to love as much as I love you.

Every night for about 15 months you wanted us to read you a book called "Let Me Hold You Longer". It's a sweet book about cherishing a child's "lasts". I know we have hundreds of "firsts" still ahead of us, but I also realize that I've already experienced some of your "lasts". The last time that I gave you a bottle, the last time that you crawled, the last time you slept in your crib, and the last time you wore a diaper during the day are just a few. As the book says, I want to "hold on to every precious last" because I know time is going to get away from me.

You and your sister are truly God's greatest gifts to me. As He continues to mold you and shape you, I pray that you are drawn closer and closer to Him. I pray that as you get older, you come to understand that the only One who can fill the void you will have in your life will be the Precious Savior that saw fit to give you to us. There will never be a day that I don't lay you at the feet of His throne and pray His protection and blessings on you. I honestly cannot wait to see exactly where life takes you....but I really wish it would slow down some!

I love you, my favorite boy!!!!! I am honored to be the one you call "Mommy"!!!! Happy Birthday!

Bringing the Outside In

It's getting harder and harder to deal with the cold weather. We are all itching for Spring to get here and warmer days to stick around. When the weather is nice, my kids spend 90% of their day outside when they are at Mrs. Barbara's and they couldn't be happier. The days when they have to be cooped up inside all day become very long! Needless to say, it's been long days since Sunday! Most of their outside toys are stored in my garage right now, and every day they see their slide when we get home and park. Today, I let them bring the slide inside and it entertained them for an hour. Up, down, up, down. I figure if we can't go out and enjoy the slide, we'll bring it in and enjoy it. On a side note, I REALLY wish we had our backyard sodded and fenced in for the Spring and Summer. It would be so nice to be able to sit on the deck, read, and let them play free. Oh well...maybe next year.

I'm so hot, I gotta wear shades (that I left on for two solid hours, including playtime at Chick-Fil-A for dinner)

Move out of my way!

I'm sure her brother hit, pushed, or bossed her around!
This face gets me a lot of things I want and I'm learning to perfect it!

Trainin' 'Em Early

One day I will gladly turn over this chore! Teammwork will make it so much easier!

A Minor (no matter how small) Victory

Next weekend, Tripp will turn 3. I've said all along that when he turns 3, the pacifiers will become no more. I have been extremely nervous that I will not be able to stick to my guns. The pacis really are like his crack cocaine! I've decided that this week, I am going to start easing him into it. We've already been talking it up a TON and I think he realizes that something is about to happen. Normally, at night, he has to have about 5 pacis to be able to sleep. One in his mouth, one in each hand, and a couple spares just in case. He rubs the nipples of the pacis like most kids rub the edge of a blanket and it soothes him to sleep. Anyway, last night I decided that he could just have one. I didn't know how it would go, but we tried it. It actually worked! I couldn't believe it. He went right to sleep with just one paci. Now, he woke up at 5:45 this morning screaming because he couldn't find that one (hence the reason he's ALWAYS had more than one, I've been rescuing pacis for him since he was a newborn), but at least he slept until then. Another reason I've been nervous is because Tripp actually still sucks on the paci. It's not like he just holds it in his mouth. When he's asleep you can listen to him and it sounds like he is going to suck a hole straight through it. So, I guess in a way, he still has that need to suck on something. Most people would tell me this is ridiculous, but you are talking to a mommy that sucked her thumb until she was 8, so I can sympathize with him! We'll see how the rest of the week goes. Come Sunday, March 8th, it's bye-bye paci!!!!

One of Many

There are a countless number of reasons why I love having a little girl....just like there are countless numbers of reasons why I love having a little boy. However, one of the reasons I love having a girl is because of the CLOTHES!!!! After having a boy first, and being EXTREMELY limited in what I can buy for him that I think are cute, girl clothes are so much fun! Here are just a few of the outfits that I am dying to get Makinley in this summer!

LeT iT SnOw!!!!!!

My pink snug bug!Watching their daddy make snow balls!

Loving every minute! I thought he would never come inside!
Just taking it all in

Our "Spring Wonderland" house!

SNOW!

Okay, this is a very short post just to say that I CAN'T WAIT for my kids to get up from naptime so we can go play in the snow!!!! Pictures to come!