My poor baby...

To say the least...our weekend was NOT a fun one. Friday morning, Kendall woke up with a small fever (100.9 degrees). However...she didn't have any other symptoms at all...so I gave her some Tylenol and sent her off to school (Mother's guilt kicking in...). She acted just fine when I picked her up from school...and took her nap great. BUT...when she got up from her nap...her temperature was 103.2. But...again no symptoms. We dosed her up with some more Tylenol and some Motrin and she was fine. Saturday morning she woke up with 102.4 and started to sound raspy and had a bit of a cough. So...we called the doctor and got her in (assuming that it was an ear infection). At the time...the doctor (who wasn't our normal pediatrician...just one of the doctors in the office) said that it was just a virus and had to run its course. Well...by Saturday evening she was coughing a lot more...and was very slightly croupy in her cough. So we put her humidifier in her room...Jeff was a trooper and was in and out of her room a lot that night...because she kept waking herself up coughing. The next day she continued to get even "croupier"...and by the time I posted my blog that day...sounded really rough. Jeff and I were trying to decide when to take her to the doctor - on Monday when she could see her regular pediatrician...or that day at the Peds After Hours clinic (which we have had bad experiences with before). Well...once I actually posted my blog...I went into her room to check on her as she was napping...and I noticed that her whole body was moving and working very hard each breath she took. So...that solved it for me...and I called the clinic at 3pm and we were told to bring her in right away. By 3:45 we were in an examination room with her first of 3 breathing treatments being administered. (Jeff had to run back home after we got there...because on the way she threw up all over herself and the car seat...). Well...after a steroid shot and the 3 breathing treatments...she was still struggling to breathe. So they decided that she needed to be admitted to the hospital for further treatments and monitoring. So at about 6:30pm an ambulance came and whisked Kendall and Mommy away (she was sitting on my lap for the ride) to the hospital and she was admitted to Shands Hospital at UF at about 6:45/7pm.

Here she is getting a "direct" dose of a cool mist humidifier. She also has an IV attached (it is protected by the brown tape and splint so that she couldn't take it off) to give her fluids since she hadn't been eating or drinking hardly anything for a few days. The yellow bear - named "Chelly" by Kendall - is what the paramedics gave her on the ambulance ride.

One of several breathing treatments of rescimic epinephrine (sp?) - which is supposed to last 4 hours between each treatment...but which only lasted 45 minutes to an hour for her.

Up in the Pediatric ICU - they have her hooked up to monitors, and of course, her IV. She is also "wearing" a mask which was giving her HeliOx (a helium and oxygen mixture). Unfortunately - she didn't wear the mask well - because every time she rolled over or half-way woke up - she was pushing at the mask...so Mommy was holding the mask up to her face from 2am when we got to the ICU until 7am...when they determined that since the mask didn't have a good seal - it really wasn't giving her any benefit.

My little baby sleeping somewhat soundly...

Kendall sitting on Daddy's lap on Monday morning - still miserable but feeling tons better!

Kendall sitting on Mommy's lap on Tuesday morning. They had moved her out of ICU and onto a regular floor at about 10:30pm. Here...we are just waiting for them to tell us that we could go home.

So around 11:15am on Tuesday morning - final paperwork signed - Jeff, Kendall and myself were walking out of the hospital and going home. What an exhausting few days... Yesterday we went to see her regular doctor for her follow-up and he said that from now on - the minute she sounds croupy - we need to get her either oral or injection steroids to try to head off her going into the hospital again. And Carson (who had started to sound croupy himself) received a steroid shot to try to keep any problems for him at bay.

Oh - and you probably think all of that is enough right?? Apparently not...because on Tuesday morning as I was letting Rally inside from going potty...I managed to kick the door with my little toe...and broke it! I haven't seen a doctor - because besides taping it...there is really nothing they can do. So...Jeff "taped" it with some band aids Tuesday night...but before he did - I took a picture to show you how beautiful a bruise a broken toe makes:

Yesterday Kendall was feeling pretty much back to her normal self. In fact...she was fun enough that I HAVE to tell this story in this blog (although it would be a good blog in and of itself...). We were outside playing in the yard (me, the kids and the dogs). Kendall had gotten some flowers from her Memo (Jeff's mom) when she was in the hospital. The flowers were the kind where you actually want to plant them in a pot and everything. Anyway - the flowers were on the porch - and Carson and I were out in the yard - with Kendall floating between us...carrying a new flower in her hand each time that she had plucked from her pot. I told her that the flowers would die if she kept plucking them...but oh well...now all that stands is some pitiful looking green stems with no flowers attached... Anyway - during all this...at one point I'm tickling and kissing Carson, not watching Kendall and I hear her say "Poo poo". When I look up...Kendall is ankle deep in pooh...in sandals...with an armful of white flowers in her arms. So I go inside, put Carson in his play-pen, grab the wipes and have Kendall sit on a pooh-free zone, then take off her sandals and clean off her feet and ankles with the wipes. Then I have her stand up and tell her to walk back in the house...when I notice that her bottom is covered in pooh too... She had managed to not only sit in pooh...but stomp in it too... all while holding her pretty white flowers in her arms. My only regret...is that I didn't think to grab my camera to take a picture... it was so funny...such a contrast - flowers and smiles and beautiful girl from the waist up...pooh and stink from the waist down!!!

You should see the OTHER guy!!!

So...learning how to walk does come with its challenges and bumps and bruises...and bright red lines across the center of one's nose...

And...obviously...I shouldn't be too relaxed when it comes to the state of the "relationship" with the boys (Chance & Rally)...

What looks like a vampire bite on Rally's jaw line, is actually where Chance decided to bite him when, heaven forbid, Rally was too close to Carson's high-chair at lunch time. What you don't see are another two bite marks right on the edge of the ear entrance. Luckily - no stitches were needed...and all we are doing (after spending $108 at the vet for this) is giving Rally some antibiotics. However...we are really considering sending the boys (Chance specifically...although it would benefit Rally as well) to a "spa"...intense in-house training at J&K Canine Academy (http://www.pepedogs.com/) for 3 weeks. It is expensive...but it might just help get Chance out of his psycho dog stuff...and it would give both boys some good discipline (and apparently get Rally out of the "puppy mouthing" that is starting to aggravate my human babies...especially when Rally practices it on Carson's pudgy little feet or Kendall's arm...) If we decide to send them both - we have to wait until after May 7 though, because that is when Rally will be done with all his puppy shots (and be 16 weeks old). Basically - we are trying to decide one of three things: 1) both boys go to the in-house training, 2) Chance goes to in-house training and Rally gets basic obedience in a group setting, 3) both boys get basic obedience in a group setting. According to our behaviorist - she recommends the first option...but that is very expensive...and we don't know if we (especially Kendall) can handle 3 weeks away from the boys... But - as we have until the first week of May to really make a decision...I'll keep you posted...



We discovered that Kendall is one of only 1% of the population to have a particular characteristic. She is sick again (high fever - 100.3 degrees even with Tylenol and Motrin in her; raspy, labored breathing, coughing...out and out miserable most of the time) and we brought her to the doctor yesterday morning (but of course..."its a virus...let it take its course"). Anyway - we saw a different doctor than her normal one and he said she has a bifid uvula...you know that little thing that hangs down in the back of your mouth...normally it is one single almost bell shaped thing...but hers looks more like a "w"...so after more attempts than I care to admit...here is a picture:

Cool huh??? The doctor says it is genetic...and that someone down the line in one of our families probably had the same thing (although neither Jeff or I have it)... We always knew Kendall was a unique little girl - but now we have concrete proof!!! :)



And one of my favorite pictures of recent memory:


Aren't I lucky???

Has it really been that long???

I don't think I actually realized how long it had been since I last posted a blog...until I noticed my last one...about when Jeff was off work due to that dreaded illness. And although it seems like just yesterday that he had it...eons have passed and a lot has gone on in the Hogue family.
Most recently - we have brought home an addition to our family. Rally is a 13 week old yellow labrador retriever. Luckily...he isn't your typical puppy...in that he is very gentle and laid back and isn't at all bouncing off the walls like one would expect a puppy to do. We are still working with crate training and housebreaking him...which we know will be a long process. But unfortunately - the worst thing we are having to deal with...is Chance, our 7 1/2 year old german shepard chow mix, is having some aggressive issues in regards to the puppy. He does NOT like the idea of another animal coming into HIS home and loving on HIS parents and loving and playing with HIS kids. So...we are working with Kim at J&K Canine (go to their website - pepedogs.com - this organization is GREAT!!! We have worked with Pepe himself in the past and he is WONDERFUL!!!). After a week and a half...the boys are getting along better...still not wonderfull...but I'm not terrified that Chance is going to eat Rally anymore. However...until I feel 100% comfortable that Chance isn't going to hurt Rally - this means that on top of chasing after my two human children...I have to keep the dogs pretty much separated at all times if I'm not able to moderate their activities. FUN FUN!!!

Kendall and Carson are doing great!!!

Kendall continues to amaze us with how smart she is. She can sing the entire ABC song (some of the letters get "blended"...but otherwise there is no doubt what she is singing)...and she loves to sing all the time. We are constantly singing everything from "Jesus Loves Me" to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Start" to "You are my Sunshine". And I do me WE are singing...because she sings right along with us. She rides her tricycle like a pro...she loves to play pretend. We will be sitting out on the back yard playing with the dogs and she sees the clouds in the sky and starts standing on her tiptoes so that she can "get" them. One day, Jeff and I were both with her, and I said that I was hungry and could she get me a cloud to eat. So...she "pulled" one down and handed it to me and I pretended to eat it. She smiled at me...then got one for herself and for Jeff and for Carson and for Chance and for Rally...it is so fun watching her imagination at work.

Carson just had his 9 month doctor visit last week...30" long and 23lbs 4oz...which although seems HUGE...is actually smaller than Kendall was at 9 months (she was 30.5" long and 23lbs 14oz). Monday he took his first steps...so exciting!!! and so scary!!! He is still more comfortable cruising around furniture and on the walls...but with encouragement he will take a step or two without holding onto anything now. It is only a matter of time before I'm chasing him around the house!!! And when that happens...boy am I in trouble...because he is already into EVERYTHING he can get into...I am scared to think what it will be when he is actually walking on his own. He is such a happy little guy...but boy howdy...when he gets mad...watch out!!! That red hair that seems to still be sticking around sure gets him fired up!!! We have also found the perfect nickname for him - BamBam - because he is CONSTANTLY banging things with his hands...so it fits! Oh...and I almost forgot - he clapped his little pudgy hands for the first time on Saturday at the spring football game (Orange and Blue Game for the Florida Gators)...he didn't do it great...but he did clap them nonetheless.

I promise I will try to be better about keeping the blog updated...afterall...as one of my friends put it "after two kids under 3, an older dog and a puppy, you will have more than enough to write a novel that will crack us all up."

You call THAT a blister???

**WARNING** Some of the pictures on this blog are NOT pretty...

Jeff is taking a vacation from work...but not willingly... He went to see the doctor on Tuesday afternoon because he is having such bad problems with the hand-foot-and-mouth disease (that according to several websites - only children get and if adults do get, it is usually very mild). The doctor (actually nurse practioner) said that she had never seen hand-foot-and-mouth disease in an adult before...boy what a case it is that she got to see...

Here is a picture we found on the internet of what they say your blisters will look like (granted - it is a picture of a child's hand...but I really couldn't find an adults hand when I looked):

Now...here is Jeff's right hand (his left hand doesn't look as bad, although it does have some stuff on it...):

The bad part is that his hand and fingers are so swollen by the blisters that he can't even open his own medicine bottles...his feet are so swollen and tender that he has a hard time walking...his poor throat is so sore that he can't hardly eat...even drinking water stings!!! Even if he was able to go to work...I wonder if he would have since he is so miserable... Oh...and by the way...his shoulder is doing okay (with all of this it is easy to forget he just had surgery last week...)

Meanwhile - most of Kendall's blisters are gone on her hands and feet and her mouth is almost completely healed. And so far neither Carson or I appear to have the virus - I sure hope it stays that way!!!

Well...to end things on a positive note - here are a few pictures of my angels!

Lesson's learned

I was given a big lesson in humility today...

Jeff wakes up this morning...and guess what...he now seems to have the hand-foot-and-mouth disease...blisters on his hands and in his mouth...(so much for adults not really exhibiting any symptoms...). I go to get Kendall from bed...and her diaper leaked so her back is soaking wet. So...I get Jeff to help me as I give her and Carson a bath (giving them both a bath at the same time is a little tricky...it can be done...but Jeff still has one good arm...). Then...I make the silliest of mommy mistakes and I put Jeff's coffee on the nightstand where Carson's little exploring hands can reach...and wouldn't you know it...he does reach it and pulls the coffee down and it spills over the entire nightstand, remote controls, alarm clock... Luckily...only one little spot on Carson (how did he do that???). Oh...and I forgot to mention that my right eye was full of gook this morning...it isn't especially pink...so I think I'm having an allergic reaction to something... Anyway - I was pretty much is a horrible mood from the get-go this morning. I really felt like God was testing me for some reason...that it isn't bad enough to have a semi-incapacitated husband...that he has to give me a sick daughter...a sick husband...and a million things to clean up around the house too when my husband really can't help me. "Thanks a LOT God!!!" I felt like screaming...and probably actually did...

So since Kendall is out of her normal activities this week...we went to Memo's (Jeff's Mom) house and the four of us went to lunch at Olive Garden. The whole time I'm grumpy and feeling sorry for myself and really questioning whether I should be staying home at all... Then...God stepped in and bonked me on my head.

A family came in and sat at a table behind us. Mom. Dad. Approximately 1 1/2 year old little boy (looked perfectly healthy). Approximately 13 year old boy...obviously mentally handicapped...sitting in a wheelchair...which his Mom pushed in...staring at the ceiling...arms, hands, legs somewhat twisted in his chair...being fed by his mom shortly after they arrive. I started crying. Here I was feeling sorry for myself...when I am so incredibly blessed to have 2 healthy (relatively speaking), happy, strong children...

God, thanks a lot!!!

A cold, a slap lesion, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease...oh my!!!

As you can tell from the post...I've had a busy few days. Lets start with the middle item first, shall we??

Two summers ago (summer 2006), Jeff and I thought it would be a good idea to join the church's softball team. We figured it would be something fun and active for us to do together. Neither of us are especially athletically inclined...but we figured that since is was for fun - why not??? Well...about 4 games into the season...during a "warm-up" where we were throwing balls back and forth to each other...Jeff had a career ending injury on his right shoulder (sorry...no professional baseball contracts for him in the future...). However - we didn't realize how badly he had injured himself. Fast forward to about 9 months ago...Jeff's right shoulder started to really bother him. There were certain movements that he couldn't do...sometimes even had problems picking up the kids. So...he went to his doctor...who prescribed rest and anti-inflammatories. We tried that for a while. Finally Jeff went back to his doctor and demanded an MRI to see what was wrong...assuming it was his rotator cuff. Well...something showed up on the MRI...but it had nothing to do with his rotator cuff. He had a "slap lesion"...which is a fancy way of saying that a tendon had torn from his muscle. After some deliberation...about 2 months ago we scheduled his surgery for yesterday (the 28th). So...at 6:45 yesterday morning we were signing him at the surgery desk...and at about 7:30 they rolled him back on his stretcher for his surgery. Around 8:30 the doctor came out to the waiting room and told me that everything was good and showed me some pictures to prove it (now I don't know about you...but the moment the doctor said that the surgery went well and Jeff was okay...I stopped listening because that was about all I cared about...plus...as I'm not very versed in medical terminology...most of what he was saying sounded more like Greek to me...). After sitting in recovery for about 2 hours (he had some nausea coming out of anesthesia), Jeff and I came home to find my mother-in-law (saint of a woman if there ever was one) watching a little boy with a cold...and a little girl complaining that her teeth hurt. So...I called the doctor's office and made an appointment for them.

Here is where it gets fun...so hang in there... So as I'm loading Kendall from the car into the stroller at the doctor's office later that afternoon, I notice what looks like a blister on her hand...and I knew at that moment what was really bothering her. You see...a good friend of mine told me that on Thursday last week her youngest son (who is 19 months old) was recently diagnosed with hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and after a little teasing from me about weird diseases in her family (her oldest son had some weird, but not too dangerous, disease a year ago...), she told me about the blisters on her son's hands and feet. Anyway - the doctor confirmed my worst fears...and basically said that she had a "classic" presentation of the disease in her mouth and had me look for myself. Inside her poor little mouth was full of sores and blisters (kind of what a fire ant bite looks like)...no wonder she had been complaining about her teeth hurting and not wanting to eat or drink anything... For those of you that don't know (like I didn't know prior to this), hand-foot-and-mouth disease is just a virus that is pretty contagious...and normally you don't know you have it when you are contagious and already spreading it to other people. So there is no telling where she got this from... The doctor said she should be over the contagious part by Monday...but to be on the safe side, I'll probably keep her out of all her regular activities next week just to be safe. UGGHHH We are just hoping that Carson doesn't get it too (although...once you get the virus you are immune from it...so part of me almost wants him to get it...).

So instead of just caring for my husband and his shoulder with an arm in a sling...I've got two sick babies on top of that... So basically I have 3 babies to care for...all while trying to catch up on sleep that I am still missing from when Kendall was born...fun fun

Things I've learned being a mother of 2 (Part 2)

So here we are...almost 6 months after my first "Things I've learned..." post...and I think I can come up with a few more things to add to my original list...

6) My list of things to do is ever increasing. Procrastination. I just love that word. It really does explain a lot. Just the mere task of writing on my blog is a way that I am procrastinating. I have Baby books to update, Bible studies to complete, volunteer work to work on, beds to make, laundry to do, dishes to clean...the list never ends. However...somehow the black hole of a computer always sucks me in and I find myself either surfing the web (which really is pretty boring if you ask me...so why oh why do I still do it...ugghhh) or playing stupid computer games. I use the excuse that since I don't get a lot of "down" time like people that have jobs outside of the homes get (talking to a co-worker, going out to lunch and getting away from your job, being able to drive to and from work and listen to whatever you want to, etc.), that my down time is when I sit on the computer and make absolutely no good use of my time. Good excuse right???

7) Laundry magically doubles itself with the addition of just one tiny little being. Pre-Carson, I would do probably about 3 to 4 loads of laundry a week (one load of whites, one load of colors, one to two loads of sheets and towels). I now do no less than 7 loads of laundry a week now (one load of whites, 2 to 3 loads of colors, and 2 to 3 loads of sheets and towels). HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!?! We are talking about adding a very little human being...how can laundry double??? It must be because I have to change his sheets at least 2 times a week...because I guarantee he will spit up all over his sheet the very night I change all the sheets in the house. It could also be because we must go through 2 or 3 shirts a day some days for Carson...I don't remember Kendall ever spitting up this much...it is a boy thing??? I am simply amazed every Thursday when I go to do laundry...I'm scared to death what would happen if Jeff and I actually did have a third child - we would have to rent out a laundry mat once a week just to get the laundry done quickly...

8) Children learn to play together very early on. This is one thing I honestly didn't expect. I knew that eventually Kendall and Carson would play together...but I had no idea it would start this early. It is so fun to watch them crawling all around the house giggling and squealing at each other. Kendall will be sitting on the floor playing quietly with a puzzle or blocks...when little Carson crawls up and starts to play too...which brings up my next point:

9) Children learn to fight with each other very early on. Now granted...this is mainly only on Kendall's side. But when Carson does come up to Kendall while she is playing all we here is "No, Carson, No! Carson! No Sir! No!" Usually this means that he has gotten a hold of a block or whatever toy she was enjoying...and has started to bang it to hear the sounds or has actually put it into his mouth to taste ("mmm...plastic...yummy!!") We have tried to teach her that if she doesn't want him playing with her things, she just needs to go get a toy that she does want him to play with. However...this usually only happens after a few minutes of frustration and tears and whining...then Kendall asks me what is wrong and I eventually stop crying...haha

10) When one child gets sick, they both get sick. I kind of suspected this one long before we even had Kendall...but it is officially confirmed. For those of you that don't already know...someone in our house has been sick almost every single week since Thanksgiving. We actually recently had about 10 days that no one was sick...not even a sniffle. But...lo and behold...Kendall was running a fever of 102.8 this morning...and Carson as a fountain of goo coming out of his nose. I think Kendall has an ear infection...and I suspect that Carson does too...because the last time she had one...so did he. "The family that gets sick together, stays together"....right???

A Divine message?

I have been awake now for a while. A long while. Kendall woke up screaming and crying at about 4:10 (cannot remember why exactly...probably lost nuk)...then I came back to bed, and unlike my husband who can fall asleep mid-sentence, it takes me a while to get back to sleep...so when my son started making noises at 4:35 I heard it with no problem. So...at 4:40 I got up and went to his room hoping that if I changed his diaper (most of the time when he wakes up that early it is because he has a poopie diaper) and rocked him he would go back to sleep (he actually did this once about a week ago). No such luck today. So...then I thought...I'm always praying that I would have more time to myself...more time to do my biblestudy...here is my opportunity. This is God's way of saying - "What is better than waking up with Me?" So - after conceeding that Carson was indeed NOT going back to sleep - we came into the living room. I got out a Baby Einstein video, hoping that would keep his attention (which it didn't), and I sat down with my bible and my Beth Moore study that we are doing and looked at it. For those of you that aren't familiar with Beth Moore - she does very intense studies of certain subjects over an 11 week period. Each week is broken down to 5 daily studies. Currently, we are studying the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience...um...that is all I know because that is how far along we are...), and I sat down to do day 1 of week 6 - patience. Hmmm...anyone catch any coincidences here??? I can tell you this much - I really don't feel like I got a lot out of my bible study...because the video didn't entertain Carson AT ALL...he was still crawling everywhere (I tried him in his exersaucer to contain him for a while - but he wanted nothing to do with that)...getting into everything...fussing about nothing. I feel like I read some paragraphs three and four times...and I still never caught the entire meaning of what she was trying to say. What I did pick up from todays reading...was that part of beng patient is "perserveering" through times that may seem very difficult, with the knowledge that better times are ahead. For example, Job lost his fortune (livestock and servants), his sons, and eventually his health, but through it all - he continued to praise God - knowing that what we are encountering today, what we are struggling with today - is simply the steps necessary to complete God's plan and help us as Christ followers to be more like Him. So when we encounter difficult periods of our life (like lack of sleep because of two children under 3 years old...and specifically a 7 1/2 month old that hasn't figured out that sleeping until even 5:30 would be much appreciated), we must remember that our goal, our target, our focus of our lives isn't the here and now...it is being more like Christ so that not only can we help bring others to Him, but so that we can be "rewarded" in heaven. My plan for today was not to wake up at 4am...but God's plan was...and God has perfect wisdom and perfect vision for my life and I just need to trust that my lack of sleep for the last 7 1/2 months has a purpose. What that purpose is...I don't know and frankly I would LOVE to know right about now when just the act of typing into my blog is a challenge because my coffee doesn't seem to be working this morning...BUT I must be patient and realize that someday all will be revealed. I tell you what - it is sure hard...having faith when you are completely exhausted...it is very hard to know that God has a plan for me and that I must be patient and try to remember that although I may not see the fruits of my labor today - I will someday. My mom reminds me all the time that although it is hard right now (my friends and I affectionately call this period of our lives with young children "boot camp") and although I don't realize what kind of impact I'm making on my children's lives right now - someday I will. Someday they will be able to tell me, like I am able to tell my mom - how much they love me and how much they appreciate everything they've done for me. I know that my mom is probably the most important person in my life. I still call her and ask her stupid questions - because if anyone will know...MOM will know. She has always been such a positive influence in my life - always so strong and smart and funny and beautiful. She has taught me what it means to be a strong, independent woman, and yet still feminine and gentle. She has taught me the value of family and respect for others. And above all else - she has given me my love for Christ. So in my day to day when I struggle with getting up at 4am and I find myself in a bad mood (sorry about that this morning honey...) I need to remember everything I've just typed. It isn't about me anymore. It is about my kids. It is about raising them so that they love not only Jeff and I and each other - but so that they can also know and love Christ...and waking up at 4am is just a part of that journey...

On a completely different note...wow...completely different... We have paused the potty training for now. After putting Kendall on the potty every 2 hours for about 2 weeks...she got a total of 3 M&Ms...which as you will remember - she got on day 1. So...we are hitting the pause button for a few months and then we'll try again. We are keeping her in pull-ups...and if she wants to sit on the potty, she can...but I'm not forcing the issue anymore. All in good time...

It is so neat watching our children grow up. I took a trip back in memory lane and looked at a picture of Kendall when she was about Carson's age...wow...what a difference!!!

This is actually a picture of the two of us exactly one year before Carson was born. She was already a little blondie!!! What a difference 18 months makes!!! Watching her grow up day by day it is so hard to think of her ever being that small. I find myself thinking of Carson as such a little baby - and I don't remember ever thinking like that with Kendall. It must be because with your first child - you have nothing to compare the ages and stages to. Unfortunately - I wasn't good about recording "firsts" for Kendall...and what she was like day by day...so I find myself at a loss when I try to figure out how Carson is doing in comparison to her. I've got the "big" firsts - crawling, pulling up, walking, etc. But not the little ones - vocalizing, playing, etc. What a shame...if only I had started this blog back then...then I'd have my memory recorded for all posterity!

Kendall and Carson are playing together all the time now. I know it sounds impossible...he is only 7 1/2 months old. But...really! They will crawl around on the floor...first him chasing her and then her chasing him. I hear squeals and giggles from both of them as they (especially Kendall) realize what it really means to have a sibling - instant playmate! It is so fun!!! Kendall is also such a little love right now. She is constantly saying "I lub..." (insert whatever is in her arms). For example - at breakfast this morning she was eating waffles, and she says "I lub waples" and "hugs" the waffle close to her face. She'll do that with just about anything. The most precious times are when she runs up to me or Jeff and tells us that she loves us and gives us hugs. I LOVE IT!!! I also know that in 10 years - I will hear the exact opposite of "I love you" on more than one occassion... haha

Saturday we went down to Silver Springs for the day. It is only about an hour's drive...and although it isn't a theme park like Disney - there is plenty to do and see. Unfortunately...I didn't make sure that my camera was fully charged before we went - so I didn't take too many pictures. However - we do plan on going down again (we bought annual passes) soon - so I'll take more pictures. But here are a few.

And Jeff says he can't see that he and his boy look exactly alike...in my mind - there is no doubt!!!

In all the pictures that we did take of me and Kendall - she never once looked at the camera...oh well...

Have a great week!!!

Attention Shoppers!!!

(So you can tell you're a parent when the most exciting thing you do on Valentine's Day is go to the grocery store and write in your blog about it...)

Anyone that lives near a Publix Supermarket - pay close attention!!! I was let in on a little secret from our cashier as we were checking out. I had made a comment about how proud my husband would be at the amount of money in coupons I was able to use (over $8!!!), and the cashier said "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but..." Here is the scoop - they accept competitor's coupons!!! Not just the ones that come in the Sunday paper...the ones that come on Wednesdays (I think...). For example - in your paper you'll get the Winn Dixie and Albertsons circulars (along with a couple more I think...) and sometimes they have coupons for in store use. Well...since I never go anywhere but Publix - I never collect any coupons from anywhere else. BUT...if you take their coupons to Publix - Publix will accept them!!! For example - Winn Dixie apparently often has a "$10 off a $75 purchase". Publix will accept that coupon!!! YIPEE!!!! So I'm sure they'll even accept the coupons from like Wal-Mart & Target (although the cashier didn't say those stores specifically...) I can't wait until Wednesday's paper to see what kind of deals I can get on Thursday!!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

We've resorted to bargaining...

In an effort to try and get our 2 year old to eat her fruits and veggies...bargaining seems to be the trick. This morning as I was eating my oh so healthy honey nut cheerios...my daughter had a plate full of mandarin oranges in front of her that were untouched. Her french toast sticks had been gobbled up the minute the plate was in front of her...but her oranges...not so much (which really...I shouldn't be too surprised...I don't like mandarin oranges myself...). Anyway - she saw me eating my cereal and wanted some. I told her at first that if she ate all her oranges then she could have some. Then, in desperation, I finally told her that for every orange slice she ate - she could have a bite of my cereal. That worked like a charm. Her plate was empty in no time...as was my cereal bowl. So...now I'll have to see if that works with veggies too... What is it about toddlers that they will eat practically any carb in site...but avoid veggies like the plague?? In fact - she used to LOVE french fries...and I can hardly get her to eat those anymore. Her diet pretty much consists of the following foods (none of which are on the food pyramid I think...): apple juice, milk, french toast sticks, grilled cheese sandwich, chicken fingers (sometimes...), hot dogs (sometimes), macaroni and cheese. She will eat those Del Monte food cans - as long as it is peaches or mixed fruit. She used to eat the pineapple and mandarin oranges like a champ...but no more... She loves grapes - but really only red grapes. She'll eat the green ones...but only in desperation it seems like. She does like apples...sometimes...and Grandpa can give her a regular orange and she'll eat it - but I think in her mind anything Grandpa gives her is a cookie...hmm...maybe I ought to try him out on feeding her veggies... :)

Carson is finally pulling himself up to standing!!! Yesterday he did it for the first time as I was sitting on the couch working with Kendall on a puzzle board. I looked up and there he was - smiling from ear to ear, up on his feet. He was just so pleased with himself!!! He's done it like 4 more times since then...so before we know it - he will be cruising around the furniture!!! And...he was up again this morning bright and early - around 4:53am was the first time I heard him. I actually got up about 5:10. But...last night we went to dinner and to pick up a new suit for Jeff that he had altered - so we didn't get the kids in bed until 8 o'clock (which for Kendall isn't a problem...but I'm suspecting that we have to have Carson in bed by 7:15 to 7:30 each night...). So...if my theory is correct - if I put him to bed by 7:30 tonight - then he will sleep till at least 5:30 tomorrow morning. BUT...we are hopefully going to see some dear friends of ours that had a baby on Tuesday when Jeff gets home from work. So...hopefully we can get back early enough to continue testing out my theory...

Speaking of Jeff and Maria and baby Anthony - here is one of his first pictures with his mommy. Congrats guys!!!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Yesterday was a bad day. A very bad day. First...let me explain something...I can't understand my son...I just can't figure him out. We normally try to put him to sleep around 8ish...occasionally he sleeps until 6:30...sometimes only 5...there is no rhyme or reason that I have been able to figure out. We've tried different bedtimes - some early...some later...all we would like is for him to make it to 6am...6:30 would be even better...but the moment we think we've gotten an answer...he wakes up at 5am again... Anyway - on Sunday morning (after being up in the middle of the night with Kendall two times) he woke up at 5am. When he wakes up he is happy...I can hear him over the monitor laughing and talking and playing...for a while...then he starts to get frustrated that no one has come to "rescue" him...and then he starts to cry. The happy time sometimes lasts 15 minutes...sometimes 30 or more. Jeff can sleep through the happy time (although he can sleep through the crying most of the time too...but that is beside the point). I have this "super human hearing" (as Jeff call's it) and can hear my kids the moment they hiccup - no matter how low we have the monitors turned. So even though I know Carson is happy...I can't get back to sleep. I lay there and listen to him and wonder how long I have until he starts getting frustrated. So on Sunday morning...knowing that he was awake for the morning...I only laid there about 10 minutes before I got up and got him out of bed. (I figured that since we were both awake...I might as well go get him.) Well...the rest of the morning was fine. He fell asleep briefly on my shoulder around 6:30am...and I put him down for his official nap around 9am. He napped for all of 30 minutes or so. Anyway - Jeff had to go into the office for a few hours after lunch...and we had just laid both kids down for their afternoon naps when Jeff left. I thought "YES...a few quiet hours to myself!!! Carson hasn't slept much...he'll surely be ready to nap for a long time!!!" Within 10 minutes of Jeff walking out the door (not even enough time for him to even make it to the office), Carson was awake. (Brief note here...when he wakes up from naps - he isn't happy...it is almost always screaming and crying). The rest of the afternoon until Jeff got home at 5, Carson napped all of 30 minutes...the rest of the time if I wasn't holding him or playing with him...he was screaming...not an "I'm in pain" (i.e. tummy/gas problems) scream...it was a tired, frustrated, just overall unhappy scream. I tried rocking him...I tried changing his diaper (multiple times)...I tried feeding him. Nothing made him happy. He fussed and cried and fussed some more. At 4:15 I called Jeff and said "Come home...NOW!!!" (insert voice of demonic being on the word NOW) Of course...by the time Jeff got home...Carson was no longer fussing as much...but my hair was standing completely on end and I was sitting on the couch dazed and wishing I had my own personal masseuse. We also had some friends come over for the game (Super Bowl) that evening...so I knew that I had to put on my happy face and not just go collapse in bed. Luckily I have a saint for a husband and he gave them both baths and put them both to bed when the time was right.

Unfortunately...yesterday came on a day that my hormones were already out of whack...because that morning I was a little depressed. Although (as I said in a previous post) I'm not ready to say that we are definitely done having kids...I know that we are leaning in that direction. So...as exciting as it is that the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter...it is also very daunting because I've never figured out what I want to do with my life. So although I know in a few years I will have tons of free time that I'm sure I'll want to fill with a part-time job of some sort...I also know that when I go back to work I want to do something that I really will enjoy (or why go back to work at all)...and I just don't know what that something is... I've played around with all sorts of ideas...and I know that I don't have to make up my mind right this very moment...or even in the next year for that matter. But sometimes since I don't feel like I've ever found my "calling"...I feel a bit lost. Not to mention the fact that even though I keep myself busy with running the kids (mainly Kendall) to all sorts of activities...my day to day life is essentially the same. I know that we all go through "seasons" of our lives...that right now my "season" is being the best mommy and wife I can be...but when your day to day hardly ever changes...sometimes you almost wonder..."why?"

Anyway...to the good... This afternoon when I got Kendall up from her nap, we sat down on the couch with her "Bippo" (stuffed Hippo - her lovey), a sippy cup of milk and a snack cup of Cheerios and watched some of her "shows" (I just love Noggin!!!). As we are sitting there, her directly on my lap...all the sudden...out of nowhere...she turns around puts her little hand around my neck and says "I lub you Mommy" and kisses me. My heart just melted!!! How wonderful is that???

Well...I was kind of right...

So - Kendall did have a little bit of a croupy cough last night and this morning...but as we were thinking it could happen - we plugged in her cool mist humidifier last night and her cough didn't seem to bother her too much. She woke up around 2:30 crying and coughing - but I think she was having a nightmare (I just hate the fact that she has nightmares already...) and after I calmed her down, she was back to sleep in moments. So depending upon how she does tonight - most likely she will stay home with me tomorrow.

Potty Training - Day 4
Well...so far Kendall has received 3 M&Ms (but why is the bag so empty...hmm...must be gremlins...)...and she received the 3 M&Ms on day 1 of training...So I'm not sure how effective my training technique is... I'm (finally) going to the grocery store today and I'm going to pick her up some pull-ups. I know they make some that she can feel when she is wet (they get cold)...so I think I'll try those and next week (Monday) start putting her on the potty once every hour. Then...if there is still no progression...then the following week I'll put her on the potty once every half hour. Hopefully it starts to warm up a bit outside - because if I get to that, then I'm going to just let her run around in her diaper so I don't have to keep taking pants off of her...

Carson has really gotten the nack of crawling!!! He motors everywhere!!! This morning I set him down in the living room as I walked into the kitchen to get breakfast ready. Then I went to Kendall's room for something (can't remember for the life of me what it was...but it must have been important...) and when I came back - Carson was in our foyer on his way to the playroom/office. Before I know it...we'll have to gate off the stairs like we did for Kendall...

Jeff and I are both almost certain that we are done having kids. When Kendall was this age - we both knew that we wanted more...and two months later - we got pregnant with Carson. Jeff said to me the other day "I'm DONE" after a particularly rough day at the office and equally rough time upon arriving home and finding a screaming Carson (gas problems) and hyperactive Kendall (I swear I don't give her sugar...). I'm not ready to say "I'm Done" yet. Although I really think I am done...I'm ready to get back to being "Amy" again...and discovering myself and having some independence away from kids again...just the thought of not sharing the love I have for my two kids with another child just about breaks my heart. And then I start thinking about not toting a child on a hip at all times and not being interupted 15 times while talking on the phone (or typing a blog) and I realize I really don't want anymore. But I'm just not ready to say it out loud yet...what is it about not having more children that depresses normal women. I have several friends that are in the same situation as me...that think that they are done having kids...but are depressed at the same time at the thought of never being pregnant again...or never having that beautiful, slimly, screaming thing laid down upon your chest the moment after it is born...or never having those tender moments when they are asleep in your arms or on your shoulder. This is the primary reason that Jeff and I haven't made any "permanent" adjustments that would forever inhibit us from having more children. Just because we both think we're done now...doesn't mean we both will think the same thing a year from now... And then...there are some very dear friends of ours that had kids the same distance apart as our two...and then they got pregnant again...with TWINS!!! She is currently 32 weeks along...with a 3 year old and almost 2 year old... She is going to have 4 children under 3 1/2... To be honest - given the high probability of twins in our family - that is one of the reasons that we are leaning against getting pregnant again. I don't know how she does it. Honestly - she really is an inspiration - they are handling everything with such grace and such a good attitude - it is so obvious how much God is involved in their lives. I am normally a very upbeat and positive person...but I really don't think I could be in the same situation - although I also believe that God helps you to rise above who you would normally be to be able to handle the gifts He gives you. If God did decide to bless Jeff and I with more children - I know that we would love them and care for them as God intended us to do - and I would surely be afraid and nervous - but with God's help, as in my friend's case - I would also be excited and look forward to sharing my love with even more dear ones.

Anyway - now I'm just babbling...

Hi ho hi ho...back to potty training I go...

I've got a feeling...

"mmmm....the bubbles taste good!!!"


"I swear Mommy...I can hear the ocean through the bubbles!"


"Come on Mommy...I'm trying to keep a low profile here..."

What a cutie!!!

My happy boy!

Kendall on her "fort" (her Christmas gift from Santa). Makes you wonder what she's thinking doesn't it??

I've got a funny feeling that my darling girl is going to get sick... She woke up with a small cough and sounded a little congested (which isn't surprising as Carson and I are just about over our colds that we had last week and over the weekend). But now after school...her voice is pretty raspy...just like it was right before she got croup around her birthday. So...I have a funny feeling that tonight is going to be a long night...

I've attached a few pictures that I've taken recently. I didn't realize how many pictures I still had on my camera's memory card - some still from Christmas were on there. So...I've attached them for your enjoyment. :)

His smallest fan??

The last time I posted a video - you oculd barely hear Kendall in the background talking about Tim Tebow. Well...in this next video - you can see where the heart of my daughter is. :)

In this next video...she is singing some of her favorite songs... enjoy!! We sure did! :)

Now...before the producers of Ellen DeGeneres or Oprah Winfrey start calling me and asking me and Kendall to come onto their show because Kendall is so cute...I will admit that the Tim Tebow thing is a bit...ahem...coached. But she really does like all those songs...so okay - count us in as long as we get tickets for the four of us to fly out to L.A. or Chicago!!! :)

The light at the end of the tunnel???

DAY 1 of Potty Training!!!

We decided that we were going to start potty training Kendall instead of just letting her initiate it. So...when Kendall woke up this morning - we took off her night-time diaper and then went and sat on the potty for 5 minutes (I have an egg timer in the bathroom now...). Three little drops later...Kendall got a M&M. We will try to sit on the potty every two hours for 5 minutes...and every time she goes tinkle or poopie she gets a M&M. I can already tell, though, that I really need to buy some pull-ups...as it is a little difficult to put a regular diaper on right as your child is standing up... Thank goodness I have Carson who will eventually fit into size 5 diapers...because I just bought a huge box of them for Kendall...and now I see how pull-ups will be very useful. So anyway - please pray that Kendall gets the hang of it relatively quickly (I know she wants more M&Ms...so if nothing else - that might be motivation enough!!!). If she does - not only will her Daddy and I be happy...but so will our garbage man...

That is all for now...but I will be back on to download a video of our little girl singing...she is so incredibly cute!!! The video takes forever to download...and I still need to get stuff together to go to her MusikGarten class this morning...and do another potty sitting...so I'll have to download it when the kids are sleeping...

He's mobile!!!

Uh oh...its all over now...my little guy is a movin' and a grovin'... On Sunday he started to crawl. Not the typical on hands and knees crawl...more of an "army" crawl...but he is definitely moving and getting to wherever he wants to go. So I recorded him crawling for you all to see...isn't he so cute??? Also - Kendall is on there demonstrating her "tiptoing" technique...and telling everyone how great Tim Tebow (2007 Heisman Trophy winner) is. Enjoy!!!

Monday morning the kids and I had to take Jeff to work as his truck was in the shop. On the way - at one point I had to stop quickly... "Wow! Hold on tight!" was what was heard coming from the backseat. Jeff and I couldn't stop laughing. Of course, he made a remark that it was my driving which prompted the comment from our little blondie...

Well...as much as I'd love to continue...my little man won't take his nap and is currently crying for me to get him out of bed... Hopefully more later...

Diaper Wrestling

I know that my memory of Kendall at 6 months old is not very good (which is sad since it was just 19 months ago)...but I swear that she was not nearly as challenging as Carson is at changing diapers - especially poopy ones...

Just getting down to his diaper can sometimes be a challenge in and of itself. Between him constantly kicking, then grabbing your fingers, then bending his legs so that he can get a toe in his mouth...it is normally a miracle if you can get down to the diaper quickly. Removing his dirty diaper is an experiment in calf wrestling. First you have to hold onto both legs at the ankles, then try to grab hold of each wandering hand. (Let me take a moment to say here that I know that Kendall never played with her "junk", as Jeff calls it, as much as Carson does. The minute his diaper is off of his body, either one or both hands is reaching down to tug and pull on that certain area of his body. When we are cleaning it, he has even been known to smile or giggle...is this a sign of things to come in the future??) If you don't grab a hold of each hand, then you risk having a hand dip into the poo, or grab hold of the diaper and swing (this has actually happened to me on one occasion...prior to me learning to old each hand...when he swung his diaper filled hand around, the poo inside of it then proceeded to fly through the air and land on his shirt...no kidding...). If you don't grab a hold of each ankle, then you run the risk of having his ever kicking feet land in the poo as well. So...there you are with two hands and two ankles in ONE hand, as the little body beneath you continues to wiggle and try to kick and break free. As you are struggling holding on with one hand, you must then figure out how to get a wipe (or four or five depending upon the consistency of the poo - which could be a whole other post in and of itself) and wipe away all traces of poo and pull the diaper out of arm's (and foot's) reach, and then try to get a clean diaper at least in the general vicinity of the now clean bottom. If you can make it to this point...you are normally in the clear...and just have to put his new diaper on and wrangle his clothes back on his twisting and turning and kicking little body. Thankfully, Carson is no longer peeing every time his diaper is removed...so most of the time you don't have to worry about being sprinkled on (although he still does occasionally surprise us...).

Let me tell you...I really look forward to when he is not only longer...but stronger... This must be why most women I know that have little boys end up doing most of their diaper changes on the floor by the time their sons are a year old...

Twas the morning before Christmas...

Twas the morning before Christmas
And the only one up and around
Was a sleepy headed Mommy
No one else was to be found


The child that had beckoned her
At a quarter till five
After a diaper change and an hour rocking
Was once again a sleeping child


Her husband was snug sleeping
Safe and sound in their bed
With visions of football bowl games
Being played in his head


The blue eyed blonde sprite
Who filled their days with much chatter
Was sleeping soundly in her bed
Not a pitter or a patter


Chance, the brave protector dog
Of her family of four,
Didn't even twitch a muscle
When earlier she had opened the bedroom door


"Now that my boy child
Is back to sleep with much fuss
What shall I do with this 'free' time?
A question many moms ponder I trust."


"Shall I spend it doing something
I can't do during the day
Because two little children
Demand all my attention away?"


"Shall I go back to bed
for some much needed zzz's?
Just a little more sleep would make me
Much more easy to please."


"No," she thought to herself with a laugh
"Who needs sleep to get through the day?
After a few cups of coffee
I'll be most ready to play."


"So I'll log onto my blog
And send out a cheer
To wish all my family and friends
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Really? A day off??

I realized that one of the reasons I haven't been posting more regularly - is that I feel this pressure (which I put upon myself...I know) to go over anything that happened since the last time I wrote every time I post a blog. Well...all this causes is procrastination...and here we are, 2 weeks have flown by again from the last time I posted. So...if I can get to a computer to write about what happened that day or that week - I will. If I can only jump on for a minute here and there...I will. If not...oh well. One more thing off of my to-do list... :)

My parents are AWESOME!!! (and I'm not just saying that because I know they read my blog...haha) They drove down from Jacksonville today to watch the kids so that Jeff and I could get our Christmas shopping done and go to a movie. So about 10:30 this morning, Jeff and I left and brought a carefully constructed list and several valuable coupons with us. Thankfully we had gotten a lot of our shopping done on-line this year - so we didn't have too many stops to make. Plus - we found ways to combine gifts for people all at just a few stores. Unfortunately...we did have to go to the mall...uggghhhh...but including a stop for lunch around noon - we were done by 3pm. After a quick call home to make sure everything was good...we went to see a movie. ("I am Legend" starring Will Smith - pretty good - worth the price of admission - which, by the way, is ridiculous these days - $8 for a matinee/student ticket!!! I remember when a student ticket only cost $3.50!!!...but then again...I digress). So...we arrived back home around 5:30 to find two incredibly happy children and two happy grandparents...and since we were so relaxed from having the whole afternoon "off"...we all started singing "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands"!!! haha Just kidding...

I can't believe Christmas is only a week and 3 days away. How did that happen??? Christmas this year should be fun for our family this year. Kendall is really starting to understand the whole "presents" idea...and every morning she runs into the living room to see the Christmas tree and a life-size (well...at least to her) Santa Claus. I can't wait to see her face Christmas morning with all the presents under the tree...and one very special present in the back-yard (assuming Jeff and I can figure out how to put it together on Christmas Eve that is...). Next year should be even more fun. Kendall will be 3 and Carson 18 months...I'm sure there will be lots of squeals of excitement a year from now. :)

Well - I need to get to my Christmas cards. If I stay on tract...they should actually be in the mail by Tuesday morning...keep your fingers crossed for me! haha

As I haven't posted any pictures of the kids in a while...here are a few I thought just needed to be posted!

Jeff and I LOVE this picture...Carson just happened to be starting to fuss and I snapped the picture right as he was looking at Kendall. Although this wasn't an intentional look at Kendall this time...we know that someday soon in the future - she'll be getting lots of those looks! haha

Our family on Thanksgiving Day (poor Kendall was sick - with an ear infection and croup...).

My little girl being goofy on the porch.

Our happy little guy!

Daddy and his little girl.