Caleb

I'm so stressed and scared and tired and worried - there I think that about does it. I took Caleb to the doctor early last week because he was complaining about his throat. It wasn't our regular doctor because we couldn't get in for four hours there and he wouldn't stop crying. We went to this urgent care place that is new in town and supposed to be excellent. It was actually the same place that I took Jacob when his ear was so swollen and I wasn't that impressed with the staff - should've known and just waited!

So we walk in and he didn't want to go to the doctor to start off with but it was totally new and he had never even stepped foot in there before. They immediately wanted him to step on the scale which he didn't want to do - I finally just told them how much he weighed and we went to the room. Then they wanted to do a temp but they wanted him to put it in his mouth. He's 3 years old and he's NEVER had a thermometer put in his mouth. At our doctors office they have a temporal thermometer so it's always on their head unless their infants. After him getting scared and upset I finally told her he wasn't going to put it in his mouth - so I held it under his arm - and when I say held I mean I literally had to restrain his body and physically hold his arm down. Then they wanted to do a strep swab which I knew wasn't going to happen the way they were going about it. At one point they have 3 nurses in there and me holding him down and they still couldn't get past his teeth. It was one of the most horrible experiences I've ever been a part of. The doctor finally came in and looked at his throat and said it was very swollen and looked like there was a lot of puss there and he wanted to treat it as strep. Well antibiotics aren't that easy in our family as you all know because of the reactions Caleb and Jacob have both had. He said and I quote " I can get every staff member I have in here to hold him down and we still might not get a good swab" Then we decided to treat and left.

He took all of his medicine and was visibly feeling better - he has been running and playing and not complaining that he feels bad at all however He Will Not Eat! It's horrible but he won't eat. His last meal was last Saturday night at my dad's house. I can literally remember each thing he's had since then it's been so minimal. Three days ago he ate 3 yogurt cups and get this he will drink - as much as I'll give him he will drink but only orange juice. Then he had half a yogurt cup and a popsicle. Yesterday he had a container of applesauce and a couple of bites of pudding. My mom was able to get him to drink a little of a nutrition drink last night. I took him back to our doctor and they are saying it's all psychological. He looks good - his throat is all better and his ears are fine. However he is terrified for some reason - and when I say terrified that's putting it lightly. Anything that he has to actually chew he just can't do it. If you're lucky enough to get it in his mouth then he's going to freak as soon as it gets in there and spit it out. I think that doctors office without a doubt traumatized him! It scares me to death because he's not eating enough right now nor is he getting the nutrition he needs. I'm trying to get anything I possibly can into his already tiny and skinny little body. His doctor says to give it time and he will start eating but I can't help asking myself what if he doesn't. What then? Oh it just scares me to death! We're leaving this morning for the mountains and I'm hoping that maybe he'll eat while we're gone - my dad and mom are going so maybe with the different people and settings he will decide it's a good time. If you don't mind would you please say a prayer for him. I just pray that his body and mind will heal and he'll be able to get past the fear in his little head..

Wordless Wednesday - Allie's first week in her big bed

Almost Time

We leave in two days to go to Gatlinburg aka Heaven on earth! There really is no place that I enjoy more than Gatlinburg - I feel like I'm at home there. I remember the first time that we went right after David and I got married and as we were driving up the mountain towards our cabin there was this overwhelming sense of peace. At that moment I had never felt more sure of anything in my entire life and we were in the most perfect place on earth. From that moment on when we need to decompress or anything that is where we head - it's like going home. We've said since we met that one day we will end up there - when all is said and done that is our final goal to live in a cabin in the mountains.

Now is time for all the hoopla around our house though. I have tons and tons and tons to do before we can leave. Not to mention the fact that packing for 6 people period is like packing for a week I have a huge consignment sale that starts right after we get back that I need to have everything ready for before we even leave. I've had stuff stacked up for weeks now - it's like it's taken over our house.

I cleaned all day yesterday but still have a bit to go on that then we have to wash the cars and clean some more :) We leave Thursday morning and I absolutely can not wait! My parents are going to so it's going to be a blast - my dad and David both need a break from work so leaving town is the perfect medicine!!

The Dreaded Day

I'm one of those that dreads getting older - don't get me wrong it's better than the only other possibility but I hate getting older. I am officially one year away from 30 today and it scares me to death. I need to find a fountain of youth somewhere so I can stay right where I'm at forever!!

Aging has always scared me - I am a worrywart! I worry about any and everything that I can find to worry about. Will it do me any good to worry? No but I can't help myself. I'm actually much better than I used to be and that's scary because I'm still pretty bad!

But as for getting older I worry about the things that inevitably usually come with aging. I worry about saggy skin - I worry about wrinkles - I worry about heart problems that it seems like most of America deals with now as they age - I worry about cancer - I worry about being feeble and dying. I am probably worrying myself into an early grave as I type.

So I'm going to try to go through this day and not think about next year - because it's not 29 that upsets me it's 30 and 40 and 50 and 60 and so on.

We celebrated my birthday with my mom last week because she's out of town right now - We haven't been to the beach in a couple of years now - in fact we haven't been since Allie has been born. Things have been so busy and we haven't had the time or the money to go for a long period of time. This year I decided I wanted to get Allie on the beach so badly that we had to find a way. Well worry not because mom took care of it :) She did a combo birthday gift for David and I and purchased our hotel for a long weekend away at the beach. Can't wait and neither can my camera!!!!!!!!!

Saturday we got together with my dad and mom and had a tasty dinner and then one of my favorite cakes ever - Brown Front Cake! If you haven't had it then you must try it!!!! I also got these beautiful beautiful perfect bowls that my Daddy made. I am so lucky to get to benefit from his talents!!!! I'm loving all the stuff in my kitchen he has made for me. Just check them out - they are gorgeous!!!!!! Now I just have to decide what to spend my birthday money on :)

This rustic looking side is one of my FAVORITE things about these bowls. Where the knots were and how it shows through. I got a peppermill right when he started making things and it had a few knots in the wood - he filled them in and I was thinking how cool it would have been to have them left like they were. Then with my salt grinder he left them as they were and I was inlove!!!! Love how he left them on these bowls - seriously my kids wanted to eat cereal out of them and I said - HaHa um......NO!

5 Question Friday

Whoo Hoo - it's Friday!!!!!!! So excited and ready for the weekend! It's been one of those weeks where you're constantly working and yet at the end of the day you feel blah and like you haven't accomplished anything at all. Frustrating! Only thing I dread about this weekned is that after it comes Monday and that's my birthday. I've tried to talk everyone into just skipping it this year - because with this birthday it puts me one year away from 30 and that number terrifies me!!!!!! I wanna stay in my 20s forever and ever Amen!

Enough of me whining for now - there will be plenty of that later on - it's time for 5 Question Friday - Head over to Mama M's at My Little Life and play along to answer 5 of the most random questions on the planet.

1. What were your school colors?

This is bad because I don't completely remember. I know - how could I! They were blue and either white or maybe a little gold. Ugh! I really am nearing 30 because I'm losing my mind!


2. What's the best compliment you ever received?

The best compliment I can ever receive is when I hear someone say I'm a great mother or wife or how strong I am because there are days I highly doubt all three of those things.

3. Do you buy cheap or expensive toilet paper?

There is one thing in this world that I do not skimp on and that's toilet paper, my friend. I don't do it - I can not go to the bathroom and feel like I have sandpaper wiping my katoosh. I have to buy the good stuff - in that I mean Charmin and it has to be ultra soft and then I'm happy!!!!

4. Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? Or have you had one for someone else?

No I have not had one thrown for me and that soooo does not sound like fun! On the other hand I have been a part of throwing one for my mom and dad on their 50th birthdays and that was a blast!

5. What is one material possession that you "can't live without"?

My computer. It's pitiful I know but with me staying home with 4 kiddos and not getting out to socialize much it is my only connection to the outside world. David works long hours most of the time and there are days it's me with 4 kids by myself from the second they get up in the morning until they go to bed at night. If I didn't have the computer and the ability to have that connection I think I'd go insane!

Jacob's Happenings

This kid has come a long way! I remember being so terrified at the beginning of kindergarten and now he's 3.5 weeks from walking through those same doors and into first grade. I'm not sure I'm ready for it but he sure it!

This past week he finally learned to tie his shoes!!!!!! Wahoo!!!! He was supposed to learn while he was in kindergarten but being the bad mama that I am I never got around to teaching him how to do it. All of the sudden it hit me last week that they weren't going to tie his shoes for him in 1st grade so he had to learn. I sat down for what I thought was going to be a long grueling task of teaching him and I showed him twice and the little sucker did it! Reminded me of the first time he got on his bike and just started riding without training wheels like he'd been on there forever. One thing I have learned about Jacob is that he picks up on things very quickly!!! Smart little guy.

He also reminds me of an alien right now :) He finally has a loose tooth and he is soooooooo excited! He can't stop showing me how much looser his tooth is from the previous day. All of his friends had loose teeth last year and his never were. He had to have his top one pulled but he wanted the whole experience of losing his first tooth. So this bottom one is finally loose and he already has the adult one coming in behind it. I can't help it but when there are two teeth in there at the same time it reminds me of an alien or something - it's so weird looking. These pictures are weird but it was a hard angle and I had to document :)

I believe he's ready for the toothfairy. He might even let me pull it today - Yippee - or not so much. I'm not a big fan of that part of it. I'd rather it just fall out on its own rather than me have to pull it out.

Wordless Wednesday

Allie's Big Girl Bed

Allie has never been a very good sleeper. From the time that she came home from the hospital until present day she wakes up night after night. I have rocked and held her while she went to sleep since the day she was born so I know that I haven't helped matters much. However she's a little over 2 now and it has hit me that she needs to learn that she goes to sleep in her own bed. I'm not one for letting them cry it out - I just can't do it regardless of what anyone else says it's just not for me. So yesterday we bit the bullet and I changed her crib to a big girl bed. She loved it!!!! She got on it and played and laid down. I think the coolest part for her was that she could jump on it :)

Last night we had to go and get bedding for her bed because her bumper wouldn't work anymore. She was so excited - I talked it up all day long and by the time we got to the store she was jumping up and down with a huge grin on her face. She picked out what she wanted and got her pillow and then we headed home. We made up her bed and she continued to go in and out of there. In fact she played in there and each time I couldn't find her she was sitting in her bed.

Then it was time to go to sleep - she wasn't such a huge fan of that. I sat beside her (minus the rail we bought) and rubbed her back. She cried and cried and cried - I finally figured that she was used to my direct body contact each and every night so I laid my head down on her pillow and rubbed her head. She put her nose right up against mine and tucked her hands under my head and went right to sleep. It was one of those moments that I will remember in my mind until the day that I die. Such a precious memory! I took her Daddy in there after I got her to sleep and he just stood and stared at her. It was during that as he was kneeling down looking at her that I almost lost it. I've never seen love like that - don't get me wrong he loves his boys and he's a phenomonal dad to them but there's something about a Daddy and his daughter. It was the most raw intimate moment that I've ever been a part of.

She slept in there until 2 and then came into our room - I'm okay with that. I don't mind her coming in during the night as long as she'll go to sleep in her room and stay in there for a while. I just want her to be able eventually to put herself to sleep and then I'm able to read in the bed before I go to bed since she's not in there to start out with.

As for the rail - well the one we got just won't work. Her bottom rail comes up a little bit so it's not even with the bottom of the mattress and the rail has to go down a bit for it to fit. I can't fold it down because of her bed rail therefore it's too high for me to get to her while I'm sitting there and she's going to sleep. She did fine last night without it. We put pillows down in case she rolled off. I went in at one point a little after 11 and she was close to the edge so I moved her over and then at 2 she got out on her own and was calling for her Daddy. I'd say even though she didn't stay in there all night that overall the first night was a huge success!

I Heart Faces - Over Your Head

I'm excited to participate in I Heart Faces again this week!!!! The past few weeks have been about pictures of teenagers and those taken by teens so I didn't have anything to submit. This morning my mind was totally blank as far as posting topics because I SO not ready for this week to begin. I feel like we didn't even have much of a weekend and my brain is not working this morning - therefore I'm happy they helped me out with a picture theme.

I Heart Faces is a photography website that holds weekly contests for professionals and amateurs alike with a set theme. This week the theme is Over Your Head.

This is a picture I took of Allie last summer in the pool. I've always loved when David threw her up in the air while we in the pool and I was able to capture a few that were cute that day. She was giggling the entire time!!! I wish we could go back to those days when she was so small - I miss them so much!

Backyard Baseball

The kids love to play baseball outside - I know, Gasp!!! Baseball at our house? They have a certain spot they used that is home plate EVERY single time and it has to be right in that exact spot too!!!!

They have bases - pool is first base - the used to be tree that was just cut down was 2nd - now I believe a chair is put there and another tree is 3rd. On this particular night I think they were playing a mixture of baseball and kickball.

It's hilarious watching them play. They constantly argue - well Lucas and Jacob constantly argue about whether or not someone was safe or out - if the ball was fair or foul - strike or ball. Constantly yet at the same time they are making fantastic memories that I know they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

I love Caleb's backwards pj's in this picture - trying to be such a big boy like his Daddy and brothers yet still shows how little he is :)

Everytime someone gets up to bat - a hand goes up in the air and the bat (golf club in this instance) gets smacked on the ground several times in order to better prepare to hit the ball :) Metal bats have been put away in our backyard - it's only for the safety of our children's bodies and heads because someone would absolutely be hit several times if they were available for play. The plastic bats that were out there have been broken so for now they have resorted to using plastic golf clubs.