Promises, promises

Life is a bit LOCO right now. I swear I will have time to update the blog on Thursday--so check back then for something more titillating. And for all my fellow bloggers--I promise to hit your blogs and catch up on your lives soon too!!

Eleven Months

Alex is now eleven months old. He is still a smiley, happy baby for the most part. Therapy is going well and each week he has a new emerging skill--although he is still not quite ready to sit up on his own. He does roll over very well and pushes up, but he can't quite figure out how to crawl--instead he just gets mad and starts screaming at you. We have begun introducing bits of solid food--so far he has tried baby Cheetos (Gerber approved), wagon wheels, and puffs. He does fairly well with these and is grasping them better each day, which is helping develop those fine motor skills. We have also given him bits of cheese and yogurt here lately in hopes that we can transition to milk-products at one year of age. Due to his weight issues, we have increase the amount of formula he gets (more powder in less water for a thicker, more concentrated calorie packed meal) and he gulps it up--particularly in the morning...in the afternoon he mostly plays with his bottle. He is back on the Prevacid for his acid reflux.

He is still making lots of strides in the "talking" department--he says "mama" and "dada", but still without real purpose. He also says "baba" which we take to mean bottle, and he has begun squealing and grunting at you a lot. He also makes "ta" sounds frequently.

His favorite things are eating food, playing with Lucas or daddy, and sucking on his finger/paci when he is getting sleepy.

We are still in the cranial helmet and were told probably one more month and we could call it quits with that. His head has grown an amazing amount and you almost can't even tell where the flat spot was anymore. Most weekends we take the helmet off and he just uses it during sleep time.

He is wearing 9-12 month clothes for the most part, although I have begun buying 18 month outfits for summer and he is long enough that they work pretty well.

I can't believe he will be a year old in another month. For the most part, it seems like we still have a small baby, since he is really still at a six month developmental level. At this point Lucas was walking and talking, so I have no other basis to compare it to, but I guess every child is different and he will begin doing all those things some day soon. I'm not really ready for him to be mobile yet, anyway, so maybe it was a blessing in a way!

Three Decades Old

Scott turned thirty this month, so we had to celebrate with some food and fun. I was in Jonesboro for the big day, so we took Scott and Jenn to dinner the following weekend. We hit Copeland's and had an interesting time...I got this great cheesy shot of Scott with his meal--I swear it is his hallmark look because we have the exact same photo of him with a potato at Ernest's in Shreveport for some one's graduation (we weren't sure whose). Anyway--Copeland's has a HUGE selection of drinks and desserts, so I had to give their chocolate martini's a try--they have a dark and a white version of the original. I enjoyed both (so much so that I had several) but the white chocolate was oh so yummy. Once we were all stuffed to the gills we decided to go work off some calories by bowling.

Scott and Jenn took turns winning--although after some tutoring Josh quickly became the sneaky pro and managed to roll his highest score ever. Sadly, I might have broken a hundred points for the first time--I was going to when all of the sudden our game crapped out and they had to reset the computers...it was a conspiracy I tell you! Scott and Josh were total hams--keeping us amused throughout the game. A nice gay shot below of their feet enter twined and then one of Josh showing off his big balls. Are we really surprised?

Congrats Jennifer!!

Jennifer graduated this past weekend and we attended the ceremonies. Lucas and Alex were surprisingly good during the acutal event, which was nice. Of course, I had bribed Lucas with a new toy, so that helped!

A little milk "toast " to congratulate the new grad!

My version of hell

Any visit to a doctors office with small children is my version of hell. Do you feel me here? Every time I have to take my kids for any kind of appointment I just dread it to the point that I don't sleep much the night before. And this week we had a real suck-fest of an appointment: Alex was having his vision tested. I dreaded it on many levels, but my biggest concern was that Alex was going to hate it. Crying would ensue--his and mine. I really LOATHE those appointments.

This visit was at Children's Hospital, and since we practically own stock in ACH now (due to all Alex's expensive medical bills) I am pretty familiar with the hospital layout. Unfortunately, I didn't realize my son had gained about sixty pounds in the last few days, because lugging him in was an aerobic workout (and I don't DO aerobic workouts. EVER). I was literally out of breath by the time I hit the doors of the Eye Clinic. I think the intake nurse thought I was a pack a day smoker because she gave me the eye.
ACH does all there check in through automated computer systems. Which is nice because it eliminates the need for all that pleasant chit-chat, but sucks when you forget and go bug the intake nurse (whose title probably isn't intake nurse now that I think of it). She now thinks I smoke AND I'm mental since there are only about six hundred signs reminding you to check in digitally.
Then the waiting begins. Our appointment was for 8:30 and I didn't take it as a good sign that the electronic boards showed folks still waiting for their 7 o'clock appointments to begin...I am not a patient person. I think that gene just skipped me altogether, so about five minutes into the wait I was getting pissed. And it didn't help that it was hot, I was tired, out of breath, and every parent in there seemed to be in Sound -of-Music mode (basically everyone was chipper and HAPPY that they were sitting around waiting). I just wanted to slap them all. And that made me feel even worse. Am I a crappy mom for not putting on my Betty-Crocker Sunshine face for my child during a doctors appointment?? (please don't answer that question...I already know it's a "hell yes")
My irritation grew as folks who checked in fifteen and twenty minutes after us were called back. I was tapping my foot and grinding my teeth (the lady next to me was actually singing "I'm a little teapot" to her precious "Emmy girl") when they FINALLY called us back.
Only to discover that we went from the big waiting room to a slightly smaller, equally packed step down room. Here, I realized this visit was going to rival the levels of Hell in Dante's Inferno. We were slowly moving from one level to another...
I kid you not--we actually went to FIVE different rooms for this visit. The nurse had to give Alex drops to dilate his eyes, and that was where the crying began. Thankfully, it only lasted moments and then he promptly feel back into blissful sleep. I was insanely jealous.
When we eventually got to see an actual human with an MD attached to his name, it was for TEN seconds. He flashed a light in my sons eyes, made a Donald Duck quacking noise to get his attention and pronounced "I don't see any vision problems." You are kidding me, right? Two hours of my life were sucked from me for THAT???
On the positive side, my child has no visual issues, which is a relief. I don't think I could have watched him have a cranial helmet AND two inch wide glasses.
On the negative side, I now have a healthy aversion to anyone wearing a white coat (which is bad since I am married to said demon) and we still don't know why our child is so delayed, which is frustrating.
But not nearly as frustrating as the check-out nurse saying oh-so-cheerfully "See you in one year."
THE HELL YOU WILL.

For real...

Only my husband could come home from work with a puncture wound. I don't even know why these things shock me any more--after all, this IS the same guy who shot himself in the leg with a three and a half inch roofing nail, cracked three ribs on our honeymoon by wrecking a motorcycle, and insisted he did not break his pinkie finger during a rough bout of rugby in college (despite the apple sized swelling and the odd angle at which it healed!)
Today his story was that he was performing his usual anesthesiologist duties of filling syringes with drugs when somehow he mysteriously dropped one of the needles. It became a "projectile-like dart" at that point and embedded itself in a nice fat target--Josh's leg. Where it vibrated back and forth until he pulled it out. Apparently it caused quite a bit of bleeding and he has an egg size purple bruise surrounding the puncture site, so I don't recommend playing voodoo doll with your body or substituting needles for darts...unless your goal is to seriously maim someone.

Lazy Mother's Day

We had a pretty slow day...Josh was kind enough to get up with the kiddos and keep them fairly quiet for the morning, so I got to sleep in...which is bliss!!! Everyone knows how much I love to get my sleep on, so that was an awesome present right there. Lucas and Josh made me a card and then cooked breakfast for me--creamed eggs, my fav. Then it was so gloomy outside that we were just total bed potatoes all day (as opposed to lounging around on the sofa, we loafed on the bed). The kids took monster naps since it was dreary and dark outside. In the evening it lightened up a little and Josh took a few shots of me with the kids. It is virtually impossible to actually have both children smiling and happy at the same time, so separate shots just worked out better. Finally, for dinner we got take out from PF Changs and stuffed ourselves. Overall, a slow, but nice lazy mother's day.

I dig the kids "little brother/big brother" shirts. And I love that I need to make an appointment with my hair stylist because I seriously have some roots showing in this shot. Sheesh...maybe it's time for me to go brown/black again. I know my mother would love that. (Kidding--she loathes the dark hair.)

Home Sweet Home!!!

Shheeees back!! Yippie!! It feels so good to be home. I missed my family. I missed my own bed, pillows, and linens. I missed my computer. I missed my dvr. And I missed my camera!!! I don't know how many times I thought "I'll check email" or "I need a great shot of that" (Jonesboro had some WEIRD stuff going on...gas stations up there are called the "Kum and Go" station....very high school of me to find that amusing, but alas, I chuckled every time I passed said station.) My housing accommodations were much more pleasant this week, thankfully. And I had a roommate, who ironically hailed from the same company I just resigned from, so we had tons to gossip about and discuss. I was less lonely, but still jonesing for my fam!!

TEETH!!

I'm still stuck in Jonesboro and I have jacked my co-workers labtop for a few seconds to make this post, but Josh texted me tonight and told me Alex FINALLY has a tooth cutting through. I about burst into tears. I am so emotional being away from the kids and feeling like I am missing everything. The training is going really well, though and I only have two more days until I am back home for good...I will not be signing on to leave the kids for a week at a time anytime soon, though!!

Will take pics of our new little chomper as soon as I get home. (I'm sure it's not really exciting to a large portion of you, but I am relieved...I was beginning to worry he didn't have them and would be gumming food forever. Oh the things moms fret over--even when we know our concerns are insane, we still just a worry! =)

Catching Up

I have been out of pocket for the past week since I am training for my new job in Jonesboro. It was a pretty good week--I learned all kinds of new stuff...including I actually LOVE the company that I am going to work for (what a novel feeling!) The only bad aspects of my trip were the weather and my hotel. It rained so much I thought I was going to have to build an ark and start pairing up animals, so that part sucked. And then there was the "Comfort Inn". I use this term loosely, because surely one doesn't think of "comfort" when one sees dead bugs in their hotel room. On the upside--they were DEAD. I guess I will take a bug on its back with its legs in the air over a creepy crawly bug moving in on my turf anyday. I could maybe forgive the critter invasion, but the complimentary hairs on my towels I could certainly live without (seeing as how they were NOT mine). Or the dog that barked thoughtfully all night one evening. I guess his owners weren't concerned with anyone else's "comfort." The last straw was on the day that I came home to my "comfortable" room to find that they were painting my entire floor and it reeked of paint fumes. Wow...boy was I UN-comfortable.
And I think the only other down side was this was the first time I have even been away from my children this long. Every time I went anywhere or ate out I always seemed to be seated next to people with children roughly the same age as mine...I would hear a baby cry and whip my head around looking for my own child. It was a little sad and probably slightly scary to the parents of said children since I looked as though I was stalking their kids! It was good to get home this weekend and spend some family fun time with my buddies. Alex is moving around so much better (pic below of him practicing his push ups), and was in a pretty good mood all weekend. Lucas was a crank--pot most of the time, but I forgive him--he's had a trying week without mommy here.

Being a boy

We had this outing to the park a while back and I haven't had time to post it before now. Lucas had fun playing with the caterpillars and weeds, but ran terrified of the bees (thanks Josh for pointing them out...)

I love his outfit--it was perfect for this setting and he surprised me by actually WANTING the hood on. He was all drama the whole walk through the park--one minute whiny and scared, the next animated and happy. Oh the life of a three and a half year old! You would think it was better than two, but I swear...it's not!! At two you can forgive them their mood swings because you think they are too young to really know better. By three they certainly know they are pushing your buttons...and frequently do it on purpose just to watch the show. Grrrr...But then he is so amazingly sweet and loving it is just hard to know what to do with the little man. Love him, I guess!!

Jackson is growing up...

He's not a puppy anymore. He's a lanky teenager now. And oh-so-pretty. Almost makes me wish I had a shiny new four legged friend. Then I think about the fact that our home already houses 24 legs (4 humans, 2 dogs, and 2 cats) and that is just too much. Maybe someday...meanwhile I enjoy having Jackson as a "nephew."