Week in Review ~ 12/15

What a week of highs and lows. I am obviously behind but still want to remember our week.

On Sunday, Ned and Avery went to Sunday School.  I wanted to meet them with Sam for church, but with our busy night, I knew I needed to get to the grocery store.  That night, we had Avery's Bible Zone program at church.  She was a precious sheep!

My parents and Ned's parents were all there to watch "Stranger in the Manger."  We've been listening to the songs over and over in the car, and Avery sang her heart out and knew all her motions.  We were so proud of her.

It took a lot of puffs to keep Sam quiet and entertained at that hour, but he made it.  We passed on the covered dish supper since it was almost 7 p.m. and just got chicken and had the family at our house.  Sam went to bed as soon as we got home.  It was a nice night eating with everyone.

Monday night Avery had her Bible Zone Christmas party.  They had snacks then decorated Christmas cookies and Christmas cards.  Santa visited with the kids, but Avery opted out of that.  Avery went to bed once we got home, and I surprised Ned saying that I had no school work to do and shouldn't have any to do until after we went back from Christmas.

Tuesday morning I received the call at school that my mom had had a stroke.  I left immediately and picked up my dad at the first hospital she was taken to.  When I arrived she had just been transferred to a larger hospital.  Once we had been there awhile, we learned that she would need surgery to hopefully stop the bleeding on her brain.  We had a long wait but received good news that everything looked good and the bone that had been removed did not have to stay off to allow for swelling.  We made sure she was settled in ICU before coming home.  Ned had stayed home the whole time, picking up the kids and still making it to Sam's 9-month check.  The time has come that we have to make arrangements where someone else will be able to pick up the kids if needed.  We obviously could have figured something out but I think that would have just put more stress on me.

I went back to the hospital Wednesday.  It was mainly a day of just sitting, though we were able to see my mom's quick responses each time they reduced her sedation.  I made sure I was home in time to pick Avery and Sam up at regular time.  Although we had told Avery nothing, it seemed like me not being home for bedtime Tuesday night had thrown her off.  I took Avery to dance and tried to get a little work done there.

I went to school Thursday since things were stable and had my aunt go sit with my dad.  They were able to wean my mom off the ventilator that day, so that was a big accomplishment.  I spent my time Thursday getting ready to be out Friday.  It was Grandparents' Lunch that day, so it was a tough day to go back on.  I have a fantastic school community that showed so much love and concern though.  Ned had his party for the fire department that night, and I wanted him to go, so I had a night with the kids.

Ned and I dropped the kids off Friday morning and went to the hospital.  We are about an hour and a half from there, so it is not a quick trip.  I'm thankful though that it's not a further.  On Friday they were able to extubate Mom.  They had told us not to expect speech right away, but the next thing I knew she was asking to use the bathroom.  She knew all of us and asked where Avery and Sam were.  Those were all great things to hear.  Ned and I left mid-afternoon and picked up Krispy Kreme for Avery.  We had dinner at the Mexican restaurant that night then looked at Christmas lights.  I think I was asleep again before 9.  I am not pregnant but the week definitely brought back a tiredness very similar to being pregnant.

Someone was excited to stay home and have a special donut Saturday.

Ned hunted in the morning but was home pretty early.  I went to the grocery store and got home in time for lunch.  Ned went hunting again and I got the kids down for naps.  Avery didn't nap and Sam didn't nap for long, but everyone stayed in the bed 2 hours.  I managed to lay down on the couch on one of Avery's chocolate eye balls from Halloween, which left a greasy spot on the cushion.  We got outside for a bit to enjoy the weather after everyone got up.

We had dinner and Ned got home soon after.  We must have had an uneventful night because I don't remember what we did.

My mom continues to make good strides each day.  I am being bold and asking for a complete, full recovery while praising each new accomplishment that comes along.  We are so thankful for memory and speech and pray that she will slowly regain the use of her left side.  I ask for continued prayer for my mom as she heals and comes to fully understand what has happened.  I also ask prayers for my dad as he travels each day and processes all that's going on.  Any extra prayer that you have for my family will be much appreciated as well.  If you have read my blog for any time, you know what an enormous part my mom plays in our lives.  Adjusting to and creating a new normal is no easy task.  It is one filled with emotions, questions, and worry.  We are thankful, though, that a new normal keeps her here with us.  After the tragedy on Friday, we are again reminded how life can change in the blink of an eye.

From Our Family to Yours

I love everything about Christmas cards: taking the pictures, designing the card, and of course receiving them from others.  Conway Photo Shop did a fantastic job on the pictures and design with very little input from me.  When the proof arrived, it kind of took my breath away that we now have two babies on our card.  Yes, I am loving them and caring for them every day, but it was something about seeing it that made me again remember what a blessing it is.   

Merry Christmas to all my blog friends!  I am so thankful for each of you and wish you all much happiness and love in the coming year.

Week in Review ~ 12/8

I'm starting to think that it's no need to say it was a busy week like that's abnormal.  It seems like the busy is here to stay.

We headed to Richmond to see the Legendary Santa Sunday morning.  My parents came along for the ride as they have each year since Avery was born.  We were pleased to see a short line when we arrived.  I think I have two people watchers on my hands.

I was also very pleased to see Santa Dan on the TV screen instead of his backup, since he's one I saw frequently as a child.  Even though we had had some apprehension at the mall previously, Avery seemed ready to go.  She was jumping and happy to talk to the Snow Queen.  Things where going just fine until Santa called us over and picked her up on his lap before I could put Sam down and lift her up.  And then there was crying.

Despite his deer in the headlights look, Sam was just fine.  You would think the photographer would give the kids a minute to orient themselves after being thrown down.  Luckily we've written Santa a letter to go in the paper, because we got no words out.  We regrouped and got a few pictures together.  Avery is in a very odd picture stage, and an on-command smile ends up like she's looking at the sun.

We went to Panera Bread for lunch, and it was packed at 11:15, making it a poor choice when we all wanted to sit together.  We ended up with 2, 2-person tables with Sam on the floor.  After lunch it was a quick stop at the mall for a few things before we headed home.

Sam was a trooper all day, running on a 30-minute morning nap in the car and about an hour on the way home.  He should have gone to bed much earlier, and I didn't make it happen.  He then had such a hard time getting to sleep and was up every 45 minutes until 10 p.m.  That's so unusual for him and I know it was the day catching up with him.

Monday morning came too early after our busy day.  It was off to Bible Zone that night.  Avery got upset when I left but recovered quickly.  I got her sheep costume for the play, and I'm a little concerned whether or not she'll actually wear it.

I had a hair appointment Tuesday, and my mom picked the kids up.  I picked them up from her house and hurried us all home for dinner.  Sam did not care to be in the car at that time of day and let us all know it.  I had laugh when Avery still wanted to sing Christmas carols over the crying.  I took a night off from school work and addressed the Christmas cards that had been sitting untouched for almost a week.

Wednesday was dance night, and it was nice to have a little time for exploring and relaxation before we had to go.

Avery's teacher was not at dance, so the other teacher tried to do a combined class with girls that are probably 7 or 8.  It was rather comical to listen to.  The poor teacher finally came out and asked if we would mind taking our little girls home.  I worked hard to stay awake for the Duck Dynasty Christmas special after I did my school work.  Ned thought baking cookies would help, and since they were break and bake I agreed.  I was holding up great until I slide down a little too far on the couch, but I only missed the last 10 minutes.

Avery woke up with a cough Thursday.  She and I are both on our second round of congestion and cough, but I wouldn't say it's colds.  I had a "quick" meeting after school which put me leaving at 4 p.m.  When I picked up the kids, Avery was very upset about her hands being cold.  She was whiny on the way home, so I was glad Ned was eating dinner at home instead of the fire house.  We got home and could see progress on our sidewalks and patio that are finally being done. 

Avery awoke to find that Toes had brought her a tree for her room Friday morning.  It was an easy day at school with a Christmas concert in the morning and a carnival in the afternoon.  I was happy to see dismissal time arrive and headed straight to get the kids.  We ordered pizza to be delivered before the parade, and it arrived an hour later.  We ate really quickly then took Avery to see the Christmas parade.  Mimi came to watch Sam since he would be ready for bed.  We parked at church and enjoyed the parade from inside Ned's truck, even though it wasn't too cold outside.

The parade was pretty short but entertained Avery which is a great combination.  I enjoyed You've Got Mail after Avery went to bed, but I think I was asleep on the couch shortly after 9 p.m.

Avery woke up coughing at 5:15 a.m. Saturday morning and then cried because her tree was off.  I took her some water and told her to go back to sleep.  Then Ned got up to go hunting, and then Sam started stirring.  I gave him his pacifier, and I would hear him talk every now and then.  The next thing I knew, Avery was talking, Sam was asleep, and it was almost 7.  She and I got Sam up so he'd stay on schedule, and I found tooth #7, explaining the early mornings.  No Saturday morning is complete without Mickey, and we definitely have our 2nd fan.  I had 2 blog/Instagram friends tell me that their 2nd children had TV much earlier than their firsts, making me feel a little better.  He doesn't actually stare like this once it's been on for a minute. 

After Mickey, we decorated Avery's tree with ornaments that I used to use on my tree when I was younger.  One of my Avon ornaments still played music.  I got Sam down for a nap, and Ned came home from hunting.  Avery and I got ready for a girls' day out.  We headed to Colonial Heights, and in a very short time got our wedding rings picked up, shopped in Michael's, and had lunch at Panera.

Target was on our list too, and I was worried we wouldn't have enough time before our birthday party.  When I texted Ned that he suggested I get what I need and not browse.  Ha!  Avery and I managed a little of both and still arrived at the party with plenty of time.  We celebrated Mason's 3rd birthday at a bounce house/learning station place that was lots of fun.  This was Avery's first time in an inflatable, which is hard to believe since she loves to jump so much.

We were very excited to meet Camden, who moved to our town in September but we had yet to meet.  Camden is four, but she and Avery hit it off so well.  Camden is in need of friends since she's new here, and Avery is in need of girl friends.  We are very thankful that they are in our old neighborhood near Mimi and Grandaddy and look forward to lots of fun with her and her parents.  Mason and his family, who we love to pieces, will be moving into that neighborhood in January, so it will be lots of fun.

Avery and I left the party, and I thought a Coke from Chick-Fil-A would be a great idea.  I got a kid's meal so that Avery could have a small lemonade, and as I was fixing her cup I realized that we had really wasted a lot of time waiting in the drive-thru line.  Avery was still awake when we came by our favorite BBQ place, so we picked up dinner.  She took a short nap in the car and was ready to go once we got home.  Sam had a great day with Ned, and it was nice to have dinner together.  Since the kids have been in bed, I've done laundry, uploaded pictures, and finally put the bells on my tree in the living room.  I picked up a few more things to decorate with today, but I think I'm just going to make myself stop after a few more days and be happy with what is done.  With my helpers it's hard to get much done at one time, but at this rate I'll be decorating until Christmas Eve.  I'm now debating on making my grocery list or getting on the couch, and we all know what will happen if I get on the couch.

9 Months

 Dear Sam,

You are nine months old today!  That's just three months shy of celebrating your first year here with us.  You are at such a fun and sweet age, and even though you are busy and need lots of supervision, we're having a great time watching you get to know the world around you. 

At your check-up, you were 21 pounds 3 ounces and were 29 3/4 inches long.  You will catch your sister quickly at this rate!  You are now in 9-12 month or 12 month sleepers and one-piece outfits.  Shirts, onesies, and pants are 9 months or 6-12 months.  You got your first pair of shoes this month but didn't have to be measured since they were Robeez.  You still wear a size 3 diaper.

You love to eat!  Recently you tried to swipe hot dog off your buddy Aubrie's plate!  You won't have hot dog for awhile, so we've added lunch to your meal plan.  You now have 4 7-ounce bottles and 3 meals a day.  You are still eating Stage  2 foods, but we'll probably try some Stage 3 soon.  As far as table food, you've had puffs and banana and we'll continuing trying new things.  You drink water from a sippy cup as long as it doesn't have the valve.  If you have to work for it, you'd rather just chew on the cup.  You now have 6 teeth, and your eye teeth look like they should be popping through any time.

Sleeping remains basically the same.  You wake around 6 a.m., or earlier if you're teething.  You nap around 9 a.m. for 1.5-2 hours and at 1 p.m. for 1-2 hours.  Bedtime is at 7 or a little before.  There are many days when I think you'd go to bed earlier, so we may try that soon.  You usually start to nod off when I burp you after your bottle, and because you put yourself to sleep just fine, I don't rush to get you down before you fall asleep.  Your sleepy head on my shoulder is so sweet after a long day.  Sometimes you hum yourself to sleep when I'm rocking. 

Sam, you've got the army crawl down pat, and it gets you wherever you need to go.  You scoot with your arms and push with your legs.  You are up rocking on your hands and knees too, so it will be interesting to see if you stick with the army crawl or adopt a more traditional style.  You still like to check out everything, no matter the size or danger level.  I love to watch you investigating your treasures.  You make sure to see if it can be shaken or banged together with something else.  Your determination is a force to be reckoned with when you want something, and you are unbelievably strong.  You have started to fuss if we take something away that you are enjoying.

You are pretty happy to play with whatever you can get into, whether it's a toy or not, but you do have a few things that you really enjoy.  You like your activity table and are really having fun now that you can stand at it.  You also like the alphabet train, Silly Town, and the Learning Home.  Of course you also like Avery's toys, the remote, and anything else that can take your eye out.  You like to swing in the swing at home and at Jen-Jen's, and you also like to sit in the Cozy Coupe.  Avery is a constant source of entertainment and gets very upset when you don't smile and laugh at everything she does.  You love your family and your buddies at Jen-Jen's.  You are usually very happy, especially if you are able to move around and explore.  Duckie is your best buddy, and I love to see how much you love him.

Sam, life with you continues to become sweeter each day.  We are in the middle of Mommy's favorite time of the year, and we are so thankful that you are here to share it with us.  We love you to pieces!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Week in Review ~ 12/1

Thank goodness Thanksgiving provided a little rest leading up to this week, because we needed it.

Avery and I went to Sunday School Sunday morning then Ned and Sam joined us for worship.  Sam did well in the nursery, and we had a covered dish lunch after the service.  That afternoon and evening I worked on getting the ornaments on the tree.  In between the decorating I made chicken and wild rice casserole for dinner and managed to slice my thumb while cutting onions.  Toes the elf rang the doorbell after dinner and appeared in our foyer with Christmas jammies.  He zoomed back to the North Pole quickly after bedtime so that he wouldn't be hanging around of the floor for Felix to tote away.

At school Monday I prepared to be out Tuesday for Avery's tubes procedure.  After school I picked up the kids and then dropped Sam off at my parents'.  They were keeping him overnight since we had an early morning on Tuesday.  Avery and I came home, and I cooked Bow Tie Fiesta.  I was doubling it to take to a friend later in the week and had to have Ned get more tomato sauce before I could finish.  We got Avery to bed and went to bed pretty early ourselves.

We were up at 4 a.m. Tuesday so that we could get to Norfolk at 6:40.  I took Avery from bed to car thinking she would go back to sleep, but she stayed awake the whole time.  The check-in process was quick, and then we waited in a playroom.  I had new books and 2 new apps on the iPad since I've been letting her play that more, but with the playroom we didn't really need anything.  Bitty even had her own hospital gown. 

At 8:10 on the dot the nurses and doctor came for Avery.  She knew something was going on and started to cry.  The doctor scooped her up and I knew it was time for me to go or they'd have 2 criers on their hands.  Ten or 15 minutes later the doctor was back out saying she had done well, and we were allowed back 10-15 minutes after that once she started waking up.  We were prepared for a hard time coming out of anesthesia, but she did just fine.  She and I rocked while she had a popsicle, and she thanked Ned for saving her.  She only cried when they took her blood pressure.  We were on our way home by 9:30 or so.  They had said not to let Avery have solids for awhile longer, but I let her have Cheerios in the car.  Then we stopped at Chick-Fil-A and she ate a huge breakfast. 

Ned went to work once we got home, and Avery and I both took naps.  She took forever to fall asleep though, and I had to wake her to get Sam.  She cried and cried then but perked up soon.  Avery was her normal, happy self that night, and we were glad to have everyone home.  Everyone turned in early that night.

Wednesday was a long day, made longer by a staff meeting.  Ned picked up the kids, and my mom helped a ton by getting Sam's prescription.  I still had to pick up some front door trees before rushing home to get Avery to dance.  I tried to get some work done once we got home then fell asleep watching Duck Dynasty.

Thursday was another rush home day.  Avery left Jen-Jen's with poop all over her shoe, and I didn't realize it, so I had poop all over the back of my front seat.  I dropped the kids off at Ned's office and came home to get dinner together for Lexi and her family.  My sweet friend had a miscarriage before Thanksgiving and had a procedure done Thursday.  Even though their dish of Bow Tie Fiesta had been thawing in the fridge almost 24 hours, it was still frozen.  So, they got Bow Tie Fiesta for Friday night and baked chicken and sides from KFC.  I was so aggravated about that.  Once I got home, Ned and I had a discussion about the cheap garland he had bought and partially hung.  The thought was there but it had to come back down.  The stress of the week definitely hit that night and I had hours of work to do.  I also realized letters to Santa were due to the paper the next day, so I was getting that done after 10 p.m.

I definitely did a happy dance when Friday arrived.  It was a good day at school, and the four of us had dinner at Cracker Barrel.  It was so nice to get the kids in bed and just sit still.  Ned watched a Criminal Minds episode that was so disturbing.

Ned left early Saturday morning to go hunting.  Sam was up at 5:40 a.m., but I took him a pacifier and he went back to sleep until I woke him a little after 7 a.m.  We had a good morning, and I continued decorating and straightening up.  Ned got home early so I ran errands and got groceries.  Both kids took a nap, and I continued decorating and also made Avery a felt tree.  I'm hoping the decorating won't stretch on all season.  Once the kids got up, I got brave and decided to take them to Belk about 20 minutes away.  It was the first time I had taken them both in a store in the stroller.  Everyone did great, and our only problem was that the stroller did not fit in the tightly packed children's section.  We by-passed Chick-Fil-A and came home for dinner.  Ned came in from hunting again while we were finishing.  We played upstairs before doing baths and bed for everyone.  I'm thoroughly enjoying the fact that my toughest decision today has been deciding between Elf or It's a Wonderful Life.

My buddy is looking so big these days.

Avery realized, on her own, that her felt food would stick to the tree.  Pickles, and then mayo, seemed like a great addition.