Monday, May 24, 2010

I'm a BIG girl now!!!!

I think we officially have a BIG girl on our hands...panties for 6 days straight!!!!! YAY!!!!


AK told me Tuesday morning when getting dressed that she wanted "to wear big girl panties today!". She did & went all day in the potty w/ no accidents! One accident Wednesday & one Thursday then dry yesterday & today! She asks everyone "you so proud of me?" It's so cute!!!!


I'm thrilled to say the least that we have finally reached this milestone. Everyone says girls are so much easier than boys & potty-train sooner...NOT true in our case. Shawn was so easy & basically no accidents. Just went to the potty & that was it & just over 2. Well, AK on the other hand, she's 2 1/2 & has been fighting using the potty. I really was beginning to think she might go to kindergarten in a diaper...that's how strong-willed she's been about the potty!


It's been a very long weekend around here so we spent Saturday night hanging out at home & Shawn enjoying him some Wii time. Shawn had 2 games & they won both (even though I wasn't there to cheer him on). Go Yankees & Braves!!!! I've spend Friday & Saturday at church for a ladies scrapbooking & quilting weekend to raise money for the bus we are taking to Children's camp in Siloam Springs. It's so exciting b/c we are taking 40 children to camp...maybe the largest number & had no way to get there! What a great problem to have! We've chartered a big coach bus so the kids think they are as cool as their older siblings!!!

I'm so exciting about exiting the diaper phase but it also reminds me that AK (and Shawn) are growing so so quickly! I'm loving every minute of it though! I had a very sweet friend tell me when AK was born to embrace each phase & think about what I was missing from the past but wonderful things God had for the present time! I've tried to remember that godly wisdom & am just thankful God has blessed our family with healthy children that grow.

Off to the ballpark once again!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

All my ducks in one basket together

After our crazy busy past few days, we were able to sleep in Saturday morning...til 8! In AD (after diapers) time, that's sleeping in!!!! Shawn actually slept til 8:30, I was jealous!

Since Shawn's baseball games had been cancelled in the anticipation of bad weather we decided to go to the River Market Farmers Market for some fresh fruit & veggies. We had a pretty time together, but AK was still not herself (I think the reeling affects of the versad from Friday). The kids played @ Peabody Park for a while & had a blast. It's a great very natural play area of slides, tunnels, climbing holes & rock wall which explains why I have no pictures bc between me & Daniel we were trying to keep eyes on both kids plus I was still worried about AK not being completely steady on her feet.


Then we headed to the market area and found corn on the cob, new potatoes, green beans & cantalope. Only problem is that somewhere in the process we lost the green beans...I was SO mad!!! We had lunch @ The Flying Fish in the River Market @ Shawn's request for gumbo. Daniel was happy too bc he enjoyed some mudbugs (boiled crawfish)...some of his favs!!!! AK enjoyed chicken, fries, crackers & a chocolate cupcake! ;-)


After lunch, we walked to the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks. Shawn has seen them several times, but AK never had. She LOVED it!!!





Shawn started doing duck calls & so AK decided to join in! Haha!





Both were amazed by the 20 floor glass elevators as well. We did go for a short ride before heading out & they loved it!


We had a great morning together & AK seemed to be getting back to normal before bed tonite!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Laurie


Friday, May 14, 2010

Glad It's The Weekend

The past 48 hours have been a whirlwind...literally! This is a long post b/c it's pretty amazing what you can do in a matter of 48 hours when you barely sleep & you have a mom who likes to talk writing about her children.

We got up Thursday before the crack of dawn to meet at church for a staff outing to a St. Louis Cardinals game! It was me, Daniel & Shawn plus twenty other staff & some of their familes. We drove up, enjoyed the game even though they lost, ate dinner @ Lambert's Cafe, Home of Throwed Rolls in Sikeston, MO then begrudgingly began our way home!!!! We pulled in a bit before midnight, but everyone was safe & had a blast!!!!! Boy, we are all exhausted though!

To top it off, Daniel & I were up this morning AGAIN before the crack of dawn to head to Arkansas Children's Hospital for Anna Kate to get her second set of tubes. AK spent the night w/ my parents since we had our day of insane travel so we picked her up about 6:15 & she was WIDE AWAKE playing computer games...working the mouse herself!

We headed to the hospital only following a complete meltdown over a gingerbread man w/ a broken leg that she didn't understand why she couldn't eat!!! So sad, she quickly forgot when we let her play on the playground at the hospital before we checked in.

The hospital check in was a pretty smooth process except AK is apparently too fashionalbly conscious to wear the yellow surgery pants & top so she sported the topless version...it's still G rated!



She found multi-use for the phone by using it a phone to talk w/ Mickey Mouse! She did well with everything & a little before 9 they gave her some Versad and then the real entertainment began. I know it is very sad to have enjoyed the entertainment brought by a 2 1/2 year old on a mind-altering prescription med but after you've only had 5 hours of sleep in 48 hours it doesn't take much!






Once she got the med, every time she moved it was in SLOW motion & became a limp noodle.

This was the sweet face we said good bye to as they wheeled her into the OR suite. We kissed her & said bye then she just looked up at the nurse like oh I'm going with you!


She was back only about 10 minutes most!!! Dr. Ritcher was pleased wih how everything went well. He also drew blood for some lab work to check her immune system since she has literally has a runny nose every day of of her life for the past 2 years despite all kinds of allergy meds & nose sprays. He said we would get hose results @ her post-op appointment in a few weeks.

She came out of surgery pretty well & only cried until they brought her some apple juice & when she saw one of the monitor leads on her chest which she promptly just grabbed then pulled off herself...can you say ouch? Then she downed 2 cups of juice looked at the nurses & said "I need more please." One of our sweet nurses was a friend of ours Shannon. She was amazing & we were so thankful for that surprise blessing of a precious Christian nurse whom we knew! When we asked AK if she was ready to leave she told me twice "No, not yet!!!" Who wouldn't want to stay with all the attention she was getting not to mention the princess service & wonderful meds?!?!?

We made one last stop at the playground before leaving then on our way to the van AK realized that he never received her "pink popsicle" the nurse told her she would get after surgery. She was devastated. We calmed things over with a trip to Purple Cow b/c she had ready asked if we could go there @ 6 this am. She ate chips & ketchup then again realized no "pink popsicle." She will definitely be getting one tonight!

Well, we have all napped & ready for a quite night! I'll post pictures of the ballgame this weekend...plus more of photograph adventure last weekend soon!

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

Laurie

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Weary Wednesday

AK & I are laying on the couch relaxing bc we are both under the weather! I had a very sore throat yesterday & started running fever last night...yuck! And it's not just allergies!!! I'm going to the doctor this afternoon & will be glad to get some good meds to kick this stuff!

As I was laying in bed last night struggling to breathe & pretty much miserable, I hear a soft thumping then have Anna Kate informing me that she "choked" up. Yep, she did all in het bed so I cleaned her & Daniel cleaned the bed! She hasn't had any fever so I really think he did just get gagged...that's actually a fairly common occurance for AK!

We just need to stay well enough to get her tubes put in on Friday & I have to be well enough for a very long day trip to St. Louis tomorrow for a Cardinals game! Our staff is taking the day & traveling to St. Louis for a fun day! I'm so excited!


After we took Shawn to school, I needed a DP so we went to Sonic! I haven't been once this week & it's Wednesday! When we got there, she informed me that she needed chicken & since she didn't eat dinner I decided to indulge her. He joined me in the front seat to eat her chicken & yell at the random man 3 spaces down from us! Yes that is correct, she started yelling "guy, guy!" to some man in a truck who was working very hard to not look her direction which only encouraged her more!

She finished her chicken & cuddled back up in her seat with her giggle baby & "cobers."



Happy Wednesday everyone!!!!

Laurie

Friday, May 7, 2010

New Month...New Post

Well, it's about time I update this blog!  Needless to say April was VERY busy month!  Today was Shawn's spring field trip for school & we went to Little Rock to see the new Disney movie Oceans.  The movie was amazing!!!  I could have done without some of their statements & ideas regarding creation, but it was a great opportunity to remind Shawn of who God is & what He did in creating our amazing earth!  Uncle Grant joined us at the movie then afterwards we headed to the Purple Cow for lunch.  Ashley, Anna Kate & mom met us there.  Yummy, yummy for the hot fudge shake that I enjoyed!

After lunch, Uncle Grant headed to work so we ventured to North Little Rock to The Old Mill for some photo opps.  We got some great ones!  After The Old Mill, we went to a local park & pond for some more fun.  These pictures are from just The Old Mill.  I'll share the park & pond hopefully later this weekend.

I'm so glad we got some great photos of our precious children.  Hope everyone enjoys!

Are we finished yet???