Baby Layla

This post is to solicit prayers! I have a friend in Henry County who has a little girl named Layla. Layla turned 1 a couple of weeks ago and is PRECIOUS. Anyway, last week, Layla got really sick and started throwing up where she couldn't stop. They took her to the hospital and they admitted her and she ended up staying for a couple of days. She was really dehydrated, and they couldn't get her to stop throwing up. She finally went home on Saturday. Yesterday morning, she started throwing up again and I just found out that she is back in the hospital. I know Holly and Josh have to be scared to death. The Dr's said it was the Rotovirus at first. However, Tripp has had the Rotovirus several times and it never resulted in anything like this. I can't understand why they can't get her to stop. And she is so little! Please pray for this sweet family and their precious little girl!

The Impossible

Any one that knows me, knows that a full night's sleep in my house is rare. Tripp didn't start sleeping through the night until he was 17 months old, but then (for about a year) he became a champion sleeper. I hoped, prayed, and begged that God would allow Mak to be my awesome sleeper. Unfortunately, sometimes God answers "NO"! In fact, I'm beginning to think she is going to do the impossible and be worse than Tripp. We have passed the 17 month mark and we are still getting up during the night. Don't get me wrong, she has her good nights. She even sometimes has her good weeks. However, we are far from consistent nights of sleep. Can I just say that 3 years of inconsistent sleep really begins to take it's toll on a mommy?
Last night as I was rocking her at 12:45, and really praying that she would go back to sleep, God clearly brought it to my mind that as exhausted as I am, and as much as I want her to start sleeping through the night EVERY night, it is my honor and privilege to be the one that gets to hold her and rock her back to sleep. It really is. There are so many women in this world, and several of them are great friends of mine, that would give their right arms to be awake with their babies at 2:30 in the morning. Makinley continues to bring so much joy to our family. Honestly, about the only times she does cry is during the middle of the night. Other than that, she is happy and content and INCREDIBLY loving. With all the issues that some parents face on a daily basis, should I really complain that my child doesn't sleep? I think not.
With that being said, please don't rub it in to me that your child is a great sleeper! Thanks!

Discipline vs. Punishment

We had an awesome service at church today. The topic right now in service is "Better Homes and Families". Today was all about "making the grass greener on your side of the fence". Our pastor talked a lot about dating even after you're married and he gave 10 really good points. However, I didn't have a pen to write them down so I'm hoping he posts them on the church website soon. When he does, I'll share because I think we could all benefit.

We tried a Small Group today for the first time. They are doing a series on parenting. Unfortunately, they are already on Lesson 6 and I would have loved to have heard the first five. Today was all about discipline. This is a BIG issue in our house right now with Tripp. He seems to be getting harder and harder and throwing more and more tantrums. Not to mention his favorite word right now is "No". It is exhausting to start off almost every morning dealing with a tantrum and then going to work. It is exhausting. Joey and I are really struggling with how to break him of this. We use time-out, we spank, we take away "privileges". Right now, none of it is working. It's beginning to take it's toll on us. Small group today was really insightful. The author of the study, Chip Ingram, had a lot of really good points. First, we need to start disciplining Tripp instead of punishing him. There is definitely a difference and right now we punish. In disciplining him, we will teach him instead of just acting out of anger. The teacher told us to remember that Jesus already took the punishment for all of Tripp's sins just like he took the punishment for mine. My job is not to "punish" him, it's to teach him to obey us just like we are supposed to obey God. He is also an advocate of spanking. However, he said that the hands that heal, protect, and love should not be the same hands that spank. He suggests using a little wooden spoon or something like that for the spanking. Also, we need to follow any discipline with love, explanation, and prayer time. This all seems extremely hard to do considering Tripp is only 3, but we have to start trying something different. I also feel like it's super important because I'm already seeing how much Makinley idolizes her big brother and wants to do exactly what he does. Right now, he is not showing her the best habits. Anyway, we'll see how the change goes!

"Not Sissy's Mommy!"

Makinley walks around saying "Momma" about 1,000 times EVERY day. Literally. I think it's beginning to get on her brother's nerves. Lately, every time she says "Momma", he follows right behind with "No, my momma". So, today I tried to have a talk with him about the fact that I'm both of their mommy. Here's how it went:

Makinley: MOMMA!
Tripp: No, my "MomMom" (as he still calls me)
Me: Tripp, I'm both of your momma (not gramatically correct I'm sure)
Tripp: No, you're my mommom
Me: Baby, I'm your mommy and I'm sissy's mommy too.
Tripp: No, you're my mommom and sissy is Daddy's.
Me: I'm just for you and Daddy is just for Sissy?
Tripp: Yep

There you have it. That's a momma's boy if I've ever seen one!

Relaxed and Rejuvenated!

This weekend was absolutely perfect! I really didn't realize just how badly Joey and I needed a weekend to ourselves until we got in the car late Friday afternoon and headed to Myrtle Beach. I was so excited, you would have thought I was going on my honeymoon again. We left here at about 6 on Friday night and made it to the condo at 11. Obviously, we were exhausted from working all day, getting the kids settled and then traveling, so we hit the sack. I don't know if I've posted yet about the place we stayed. One day back in October, I was giving myself a "pity party" on the playground at school about how long it's been since Joey and I have gone anywhere by ourselves...how expensive it is to travel....leaving the kids...blah, blah, blah. One of our parapros spoke up and told me she had a fully furnished one-bedroom condo in Myrtle Beach that Joey and I could use any time. I literally started crying. That's how much it meant to me that she would do that for us. She doesn't know that she really ministered to us by letting us have this time alone together!

Anyway, Saturday morning, we got up and did some sight seeing. I was so proud of myself for everything I remembered from living there 17 years ago! I showed him the Primary School where my brother went, both houses we lived in, the Kroger store my dad ran, the elementary and middle schools I attended, and I was even able to find my best friend from 3rd-6th grade, Kerin's, old house. I couldn't believe I remembered every road to turn down. Joey was having a hard time relating to it all since he lived in the same house his whole life! Little does he know how many other houses I've lived in!

After the sightseeing, we hit a Tanger outlet. The sales were INSANE. I mean that literally. At Anne Taylor loft alone, I got 3 pairs of pants, a shirt and a "little black dress" for a little less than $40....for all of it. Crazy. I got some great deals on stuff for my kids as well. I'm going to add it all up and see just how much I spent, but it will be very little considering everything we got.

We ate dinner at Margarittaville for Valentine's Day and that was a lot of fun. Loud and crazy, but fun.

Sunday we spent the day at the mall, going to the movies, and out to dinner again. We were back at the condo early and just hung out watching TV. We were up all three mornings by 7:30. But getting 9 hours of straight sleep was AMAZING and we were rested and ready to go.

We've made a vow that we aren't going to let 4 years go by again without a weekend away. Joey and I really do have a wonderful marriage...we always have. Of course, we bicker sometimes, but I can honestly say we don't fight. Joey is just not a fighter (I can't really say the same for myself). However, even though I do cherish the marriage we have and the day in, day out, of being parents together, I really realized that it is still SO important to take time to just focus on each other. It's easy to get sucked into the business of taking care of Tripp and Makinley that we let our needs slide to the back burner. I love Joey more than life itself...and the best gift we can give our kids is to dedicate ourselves to each other and loving each other. After the movie we saw, my running joke with Joey has been that I'm so glad he's "just that into me"!!!! In fact, I'm glad we "are just that into" each other....and we always will be!

Hitting the Road!

Joey and I are hitting the road for our weekend away together. I can't believe we are going to be able to spend almost 72 full hours alone! We are so excited and I will post all about it when we get back in town.

Oh, and I can't believe I am 29 today. Only one more year to the big 3-0!!!!

Brotherly Love