Can we please have Ground Hog Day back?

After approximately 21 days/nights of a coughing, gagging, sometimes-vomiting little girl, we are ready for normalcy around here. I promise to never complain about Ground Hog Day again.
Hayes doesn't notice a thing. He still rises every morning at 6:15 on the dot, ready to drink his bottle on my lap and then play in the floor wearing only a diaper and a big, goofy grin. I am still baffled that he is turning 1 in 5 days.

I know he is mine, but I think he is so handsome. He is all boy, and he is going to break some little girl hearts. Although, if he is anything like his Daddy, he will be a gentleman in all situations...that's my boy!

And then there's Addie...I was wondering why she was so quiet during naptime, which by the way has become a joke around here. She doesn't nap anymore, but I make her go to her room and be quiet. She was quiet alright. Where did she find nail polish?

Learning from her previous paint job with my make-up, I calmly reminded her that only Mommy paints her nails and that she should not be playing with polish at all. Do you think it clicked? What's next?

Thankful

Today I am feeling very thankful. I am feeling thankful for many things, but mostly just thankful for our health. You may think this is a strange thing to be thankful for since my little girl has been dealing with a terrible sickness lately that has left us exhausted and frustrated to say the least. Yet I am still very thankful that she is doing better and getting healthier each day and that this, the ugly illness that it is, is all that we are battling. She will get better and go back to being her happy, sassy, allergic self. I am thankful this is the card we were dealt. There are many who deal with much more.

I am thankful for my Mom. She is my angel here on earth. While Tim was away and Addie was at her worst, my mom was here. She spent five nights straight snuggled with Addie in her little dollhouse bed, watching and waiting for any episodes to occur. And when they did, she was there...bucket in hand and a soothing voice for our scared little girl. So, I am thankful.

I am also thankful for our sweet, cuddly, allergic little boy. He is standing now in his crib, and since he has no fear, he believes he can fly. I found him on the floor in his room after a loud "thud" the other morning. He tried to fly. It did not work. He was not happy. So, I am thankful he did not break any bones. I am thankful I did not have to pack up my sick little girl and broken 10 month old to the car and head to a hospital only to explain to the medical staff that yes, my infant has already broken something and yes my daughter has Perstussis, so we might be exposing others to this dreadful illness, so...please hand us some masks. I am so thankful for that.

Look what else I can do...

He loves to hold his own bottle. I have a hard time letting him do it because I know it will be the last time I feed my babies a bottle. So... once a day I let him lay in the floor and feed himself. The rest of the feedings I cuddle up with him in my rocking chair and hold it for him. He is getting so big!

She loves her music.

With Addie not feeling well, we have been stuck inside for the last couple of weeks, only leaving for church and an ice cream treat in our car. That meant that we had to get pretty creative to keep ourselves entertained. So...

we had a dance party in the middle of the hallway. Addie put on a show for Hayes and I, who sat on the steps and watched for a good half hour.

She loves the camera, and she loves a good cd of children songs. I think she must know them all!

We finally got some answers this week about Addie's strange cough and scary breathing episodes that were keeping us up all night long. After what seemed like many trips to the specialist and several prescriptions later, I had become very frustrated with her deteriorating condition. I bullied my way back into the allergist with a list of questions and concerns, one of which was planted in my ear by a sorority sister who had recently been reading about Pertussis, or whooping cough as it is commonly called. Even before I could ask about the virus, my allergist mentioned it, and we decided together to perform a nasal swab and test her right then and there. The very next night she called with the results: positive! WHAT? I vaccinate my kids...on time...for everything they tell me to. How can she have this? The poor child already has to deal with terrible food allergies, inhalers, breathing treatments, and eczema. Why this? The worse part about all this is the other little people that we have been around and their possible exposure to this horrible illness. I immediately contacted our circle of friends and anyone we had been around over the last several weeks. Almost everyone, including my family, have been put on antibiotics to prevent any further infection. After 48 hours on the meds, the infected person is no longer contagious. So, little Addie is no longer a threat to her little friends. She is still dealing with a tough cough that sometimes leaves her breathless and gagging, but we do see a small improvement over the last few days. Please say a little prayer for our girl and for the friends and families that have been around us the last few weeks. The last thing we want is for some other little person to have to go through all of this.

On a slightly more positive note: Because we weren't running around all over the place, we had time to work on potty training...and she has been wearing "big girl pants" for two days straight now! Whoooo Hooooo....what a blessing to only have one in diapers!

Time out.

Her hair isn't wet after a routine, nighttime bath. No. She was forced to bathe in the middle of the day after she discovered my liquid make-up while she was suppose to be napping.

Yes. It wasn't very pretty. She painted a very interesting picture on my headboard and wall above my bed with Mary Kay Light Beige.

And she was sent to time out. And I left the premises to cool down. I needed a breather.

When Addie got out of time out, she and her Daddy cleaned up the make-up and decided that there would be no cartoons or computer-play the rest of the night. Addie said "that's okay- we can read books and play games though". She's even cute when she's evil.

Look at what I can do now...

Hayes is trying really hard to stand on those two chubby little legs. He pulls up on most everything now. When he finally does get himself to a standing position, he is so proud of himself. He smiles and claps and looks around to see who is watching! Yesterday I looked up from the dishes and saw him making his way up the stairs towards the playroom. Yikes! I'm so not ready for that! What a big boy he is...and when he stands up, it's even more obvious. He is not going to be a littly guy...that is for sure!

Mornings

Breakfast time around here is serious.

My sweet little girl is definitely not feeling well these days. This darn cold is really taking a toll on her. We all are not sleeping all that much at night, and poor Addie is sore from coughing so much.

I am getting my fair share of throw up this week too. I do believe I have paid my dues and should not have to deal with the nasty stuff for atleast a few years. I just hope she starts to feel better soon.

Hayes is feeling fine. He still has the itchies, and he has several new teeth trying to make their way in, but otherwise, he is happy.

And growing like a little weed.

I just love my mornings with them.

I was very excited about spring/summer with the hope that it would bring sunny picnics in the park and lots of playtime outside. Unfortunately, Hayes' skin has made outdoors time especially difficult since the heat has been so overwhelming where we live this year. So, as autumn approaches and my favorite holiday season of the year comes around again, I am looking forward to our cozy fireplace and snuggly days inside. Maybe we will even get some snow this year?

It goes by so fast.

Hard to believe this is where we were a year ago.

The Beach...

It is very, very tiring.

The Barn

We found some horses to go in the barn at yardsales last weekend. Boy do they love their new home! Addie enjoys setting up the barn yard and telling me how happy her barnyard animals are in the pretty red house.

The little baby doll is a yardsale treasure too. She loves her also. She has a lot of love to share...my little cheesy-smiler.

I have a feeling Hayes will love this barn too.

Meet my date at 5:45 this morning...

Hasn't he grown so much in the last month? And his hair...it's starting to get a little crazy...but we love it!

And his big sister...she's a hoot! She has also decided that she doesn't need a nap anymore. This makes for an earlier bedtime, which isn't too bad.

She will start preschool in less than a month. Two times each week I will drop her off from 9:00 until 1:00. Hayes and I will get to spend part of the day together alone, which we have never really done. I think I will miss her though. She's fun to be around. We like hanging out with her. Where in the world does the time go?

They really do love each other.

Just this week, I have noticed them actually playing together. Hayes will giggle out loud when Addie gives him just the smallest bit of attention. He loves her, and it is so easy to tell. She walks into the room in the morning, and he lights up. She makes a silly face, and he screams and claps his hands. She bumps into the sharp edge of the kitchen table, and he too cries out in agony. Addie is constantly watching out for him. She is always trying to make him smile and is constantly playing "mother hen". It's pretty amazing. It's something I have never known, but always wanted...I hope they are always friends. I hope they are eachother's biggest cheerleader...besides me of course. It is so special to watch.

Beach days are very tiring...Part II

A week or so back, Tim and I packed up our car and headed to the Outer Banks for a couple of nights at the beach with a friend of mine. It was quite a bit of prep work for a very short "vacation", if you can even call it that. Addie enjoyed playing with their two little boys, and Hayes was an angel on the beach. He loves the sand and water much more than his big sister ever has. These three entertained each other for the most part. Addie just followed them around and played mother hen. Having two little people willing to play her version of "Hide-N-Seek" over and over again was very exciting for this little girl. By the end of each day, they were all tuckered out. Sometimes the exhaustion got ugly!

Overall, we had a nice time visiting with friends we rarely get to see. Addie finally did warm up to the beach and even spent some time searching for shells with her Daddy. However, the sand and the sun wore Tim and I slam out, and we came home two days later with absolutely no energy and no plans to visit the beach anytime soon.

The beach just isn't what it used to be. There was no time for a nice book and quick nap...that's for sure..

Hayes the Early Bird

He's always ready to roll by 6:00 AM. He screams his head off until I walk into his room, then he grins from ear to ear! It melts my heart. I'm usually groggy and exhausted from my short night's rest, but it doesn't bother me one bit to grab him up and enjoy some alone time together before Addie rises.

He's a handsome, happy boy. I just love him so much.