Busy, Busy

That's what's we have been! We have had an amazingly full week since last Sunday. Jeremy's parents arrived on the 21st and we filled our week full of fun stuff. Monday we were able to have lunch with Jeremy's cousin, Holly. Tuesday we went to this local place that was doing horse drawn carriage rides through their lit buildings ... very cool! Wednesday was Christmas eve and we went to an early Christmas eve service and then we went to drive through this town that was all lit up. We came home and did our usual Christmas eve traditions and put the boys to bed. I was quite amazed at how quickly they went to bed!

We then got to play Santa while watching Narnia with Jeremy's parents. It was quite difficult keeping all the toys quiet ... and I would like to know who invented the way toys are packaged today!!! It took a sweet forever to get those toys out of those boxes ... we learned the lesson, the hard way, last year not to do it on Christmas morning :)

Thursday was Christmas and was full of fun as the boys were beyond excited! We had cake for Jesus before they were allowed to see what Santa brought. The only time of the year they can have cake with their cereal :) We then played with new toys the whole day long.

We played right up until Jeremy's parents left Saturday and turned around to welcome my parents, brother and future sister-in-law on Sunday. They left today and we are trying to get back to life as normal around here.

Tonight Kennedy had her first taste of oatmeal cereal ... didn't go over so hot. We may just wait a bit longer on trying that one again. Anytime a baby cries while eating is not a good sign :)

Well, hubby and I have a date with a week old Prison Break. We didn't get to see the fall finale last week and are looking forward to watching it tonight. We might even break out the Wii and see if we can beat our previous scores :)

Hope you all are doing well!

What wii have been up to lately ...

Merry Christmas!

We are adding one more ...

This year to our Elf yourself ....

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My eyes deceive me

I found this sleeper the other night and just had to put it on her today but since it is rather "boyish" I had to put the headband on as well. Jeremy and I think it is kinda freaky!

So Frustrated!!!!

I can't tell you how frustrated I am right now! This precious girl has NOTHING wrong with her except for vaccinations! I had that feeling in my gut when all her problems began right after her 2 month shots. I think it is the new roto virus vaccine that just came out. It's the only vaccine that she has been given that the boys were not given. It wasn't out with them. Anyway, her constipation/bowel issues began right after her 2 month shots. We went through all her issues, 2 gastro doctors, and a barium enema. Right after the enema she began going on her own at least once a day, sometimes twice a day WITHOUT medication or help from us. That was December 2nd. So for 15 days this child had NO issues and we were thinking the worst was behind us .... then we took her in on Wednesday for her 4 month shots and she got the 2nd round of the roto virus vaccine and 2 other shots and today she is squealing like a stuck pig trying to go to the bathroom again!

I can't tell you how frustrated I am that my baby is having to go through this yet again! And on top of the pain she is in ... I had to stop nursing her due to supply loss because of her hunger strikes associated with not being able to go to the bathroom. I wanted SO badly to be able to nurse her ... UGH! I have no more words! I'm just waiting on the doctor to call me back to figure out what we do until this gets out of her system. I jut hope we do not have another 2 months like the past 2 months! And maybe I'm wrong and it's not due to the vaccination ... just another coincidence?

Just For Fun ...

I thought it would be fun to post a pic of each one of the kids at 4 months old ... Which ones do you think look more alike?

Dr.'s visits

Today I took the oldest and the youngest to the DR for their scheduled well child visits. For Ryan it was his 4 year check-up and for Kennedy it was 4 months. They both did great!

Ryan was able to answer all her questions. He weighed in at 39 pounds and was 41 inches tall. His blood pressure was great at 78/48. He got 4 shots today but the good news is that he doesn't need anymore until he is 11! Whoot woot for him!! He was such a brave boy!

Kennedy did awesome as well. She smiled and coo'd. Something neither of the boys would do in the doctors office when they were her age. The boys would scream through each visit ... Kennedy just was happy ... not the norm in the drs office in this family :) She got 2 shots and the roto virus vaccine by mouth. We will see how she does this go round with those. She was a little concerned with the lack of weight gain for her ... but she's been spitting like crazy lately. Also, Ryan was on the same curve at this age so we think she just got her daddy's metabolism ... good news for her!

Here are her stats as well as the boys stats at the same age:

KENNEDY
Height: 24 1/2 inches
Weight: 13 pounds 5 ounces

RYAN (at 4 months)
Height: 25 1/2 inches
Weight: 13 pounds 11 ounces

PACE (at 4 months)
Height: 25 1/2 Inches
Weight: 14 pounds 13 ounces

4 Months old!

My Baby is growing! It is hard to believe that she was 4 months old on Saturday!

Have you noticed?

The snow on my blog? Oh ... if it would just snow on Christmas morning and be a white Christmas! The boys would be so excited .... and we would be as well!

The cake ...

Here is Ryan's birthday cake. It was a lot of fun to make and definitely a labor of love!

He had a blast at his party yesterday. We tried out a new art studio in town and he and his friends had fun. They played games, painted an art project and had a visit from a puppet named Mr. Green.

We ended his birthday by going out with some friends for dinner and then on to a live nativity. It was a fun day and it is sooooo hard to believe that my baby is 4!

Four!

Today my baby is 4! How does that happen? I mean I know HOW it happens but where does the time go? I remember the day like it was yesterday!

It was all so new to me as this was my first pregnancy. Saturday night I started to feel more intense pains that I figured were contractions. We weren't sure if this was "it" or not. We called our parents just to say it could be. We decided to go to bed and if it was really time the contractions would wake me up ... well they did and we waited to see if they would get stronger and closer together. We made our way to the hospital around 9 AM on 12/12 and Ryan was born on 12/13 at 4:08 in the morning ... the exact time of this post! He wanted to give everyone time to arrive :)

Holding my son for the first time is a feeling I just can't describe. This little person that we had prayed so much for was finally here, was in my arms and he was ours. It was surreal to say the least. Leaving the hospital began the journey of learning that I know will never end.

Happy Birthday sweet boy! We love you so much and look forward to celebrating YOU today!

This is a verse that we wrote in Ryan's baby book ...

Proverbs 3: 1-12
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Christmas Program 08

The boys had their Christmas program today at school. They did a great job. We were just hoping that Pace would stay on the "big stage" and he did! He even belted out a couple words here and there! So proud! I had a hard time getting pictures of him as he stood behind another fellow in his class but I did manage to squeeze out a few good ones.

Ryan did wonderful as well singing every word and doing the motions as well! When we got home I let them watch the video and he sang right along with it again.

We are so blessed to be able to send the boys to preschool. They go to a great one with a great staff! I can't say enough good things about it. We looked at several preschools here before putting Ryan in last year and the thing we love, love, love about this one that we didn't see at others is that Christ comes first! It is not an after thought to throw in chapel or Bible verses! It is the first thought and they are growing like weeds. I love having what they are learning at home also reinforced at school!

Advent Conspiracy

Many of you have probably seen this video but I wanted to post it just in case there was one of you who haven't ... I'll pose the question that they have on their website ....

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Christmas Traditions

Every year at this time we do our best to make sure our kids know the TRUE meaning of Christmas. It was a theme of conversation before we ever had kids of how we would make sure that they knew Christmas was about Jesus first and foremost.

Our first Christmas with Ryan was 4 years ago. He was 2 weeks old and it was a crazy time for us. We were just trying to figure this parenting thing out (and we still are on that road) and were amazingly tired! However, it was still a special time as we began our Christmas Traditions with Children.

Here is what we do in our household .... I love the picture to the left of the kneeling Santa. I saw this for the first time last year through our church and fell in love with it! We want to allow the kids to have the fun of Santa as long as they want to believe but also know the true meaning of Christmas. I think this picture is a beautiful example of how we view Santa in our home.

We begin gearing our kids up for Jesus birthday when we put up our Christmas tree as we talk about the birth and sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the tree so long ago. We pray over the Christmas cards that we receive. The kids will pick out one each night and we pray for that family during our prayer time.


The first time we saw this picture to the left was last year at our church. Our pastor explained how he felt the first time he saw this and how the "Giving to Christ at Chrtistmas" got started in his family and at our church. This Year Ryan made a bank to put his BEST and FIRST gift in to Christ. We are talking as a family about what it means to bring Jesus our BEST gifts first. That's not only through financial means but also through serving others. Ryan can't wait to take his gift to Jesus on Christmas eve. It is the only gift sitting under our tree right now and I love that!

On Christmas Eve we will attend the service at our church. We will make cookies and take the to the firemen and make a birthday cake for Jesus to have on Christmas morning ... the only time they can have cake for breakfast! :) The kids have Chrsitmas PJ's that they get to wear on Christmas eve and we will read the Christmas story from the Bible and thank God for the gift of His Son born so long ago before going to bed.

Christmas morning we wake up and the very first thing we do is sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before the kids go downstairs. Our kids get 3 gifts each to represent the 3 gifts given to Jesus by the wisemen. They also get a stocking from "santa".

There are several other traditions that we will add in year to year as the kids grow older. I love that when Ryan sees something on TV or hears something on the Radio about christmas he will tell us that Christmas is all about Jesus birthday! I love how they knows that it's not about them and all about Jesus.

So tell me about your traditions? How are you keeping Christ in Christmas?

Not as easy

Potty training that is! I do not believe that our lovely little Pacer will be as easy to potty train as Ryan was. I don't want to compare my kids but in this area I wish Pace would out do Ryan :) It's not going to happen. Ryan really spoiled us and basically potty trained himself. I realize that this was NOT normal but I wish that it would be. We decided to do "Potty Boot Camp" with Ryan and about 30 mins into it he just took off on his own and never looked back.

Now we brought up the idea to Pace and he keeps telling us "no potty". Ryan will quickly chime in and try to tell him why he needs to potty. We have been trying to gear him up for this task over the Christmas break from school .... Pace doesn't care he will scream "NO POTTY". I think we scared Pace when he did make a deposit about 5 months ago and now he wants nothing to do with it.

This picture is of Ryan trying to "teach" Pace through his potty book. I was cooking and the boys were being very quiet yesterday and I looked in our family room and this is what I found. Too funny! Maybe it will be easy but I've got that sinking feeling that it will not be.

Anyone want to potty train a 2 1/2 year old for me? Anyone?

Got the call ...

Today the doctor's nurse called with the results from Tuesday's barium enema. Everything anatomically is fine and everything looks normal with her colon and intestines! Praise the Lord! I'm glad I waited to post because this is NOT the news that I was told on Tuesday. The nurse told me that's why they ask the radiologist not to share anything at all with you when you are there.

I asked where we go from here and she told me that we would discuss this at our next visit ... which is in Jan. So far the over the counter stuff is working though it is producing a little more watery stool than we would like, at least she is having a BM now. And she is eating fine even though she is on the bottle 100% of the time now. I'm still emotional about that one.

Thanks for all the prayers for our little one. We will update more as we know more. For now we praise God for the good news!

Looking for an Update?

If you are checking in on Kennedy I still don't have any information. I have a stomach bug since last night and have been in bed all day. I put a call into them a little after 4 today, so I assume I'll find something out tomorrow hopefully.

Wordless Wednesday

OK this one needs words ... We went to the mall last night and didn't expect to see Santa. We walked by and the boys wanted to see him. This was the first time they have ever sat in Santa's lap so it deserved a picture. Yes I know Ryan is almost 4 and Pace is 2 but we just never happened to be at the mall when there wasn't a line all the way to the north pole itself before this trip last night. But, couldn't Santa be a little bit more jolly? At least the boys know it's all about Jesus and not about Santa!

It went well ...

Thanks for the prayers today! It went as well as could be expected. Little girl wasn't the most comfortable but she endured it and was a champ!

The radiologist told me a few things after but I'm not sure what they mean so I'll keep it quiet until I know officially what's going on. He said he needed to go back and review the film to be sure of what the test would show. One thing he did say that he could say with confidence is that he doesn't think she has hershsprungs disease and that doing that test would most likely NOT be needed. She was pushing just fine today :)

So as I sit and wait on the Gastro doctor to call and tell me what's going on ... why don't you tell me what's going on in your world today?

Kennedy's Appointment is tomorrow!

Kennedy is getting a barium enema tomorrow morning at 10 AM. I have to be there with her at 9:30 and the procedure is at 10. Please say a prayer that they will be able to figure out what is wrong so we can move on. Thanks!

I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME

I posted last monday about why I need Africa more than Africa needs me. Now hear from one of the guy behind Mocha club ...

When I think of Africa, the following images immediately come to mind: Starvation. AIDS. Child soldiers. Genocide. Sex slaves. Orphans. From there, my thoughts naturally turn to how I can help, how I can make a difference. “I am needed here,” I think. “They have so little, and I have so much.” It’s true, there are great tragedies playing out in Africa everyday. There is often a level of suffering here that is unimaginable until you have seen it, and even then it is difficult to believe. But what is even harder is reconciling the challenges that many Africans face with the joy I see in the people. It’s a joy that comes from somewhere I cannot fathom, not within the framework that has been my life to this day. Read More

Oh what a week!

This has just been a glorious week! This is how it went down ...

Monday: We took Kennedy to the doctor and came home to wash clothes and pack to leave on Tuesday. Put the kids down at 7:30 and at 9 Ryan woke up throwing up. Fun times! We let him sleep in our room and he didn't throw up again.

Tuesday: Ryan woke up happy as a bird on a spring morning and had no signs of being sick. The boys went to school. I had my bi-weekly mom's Bible study at my home. We ended and Jeremy and I rushed to the boys school to have thanksgiving lunch with them. All of us ate yummy food with both classes and then came home and put the final touches on our van. We headed for my parents house. Made it there safely and had dinner with my parents, brother, future sister-in-law and her grandmother.

Wednesday: Everyone woke up and the day started normal. Jeremy began feeling sick and the rest went down hill from there for him. I felt soooo bad for him because the next day was thanksgiving and I can't tell you how much my hubby loves to eat. He can eat a house and loose weight. So being sick on such a wonderful eating holiday was not top on his list. He spent the evening between the couch and the bathroom. The rest of us spent the evening playing hand and foot while the kids were sleeping. My grandfather even played ... great memories were made!

Thursday: Thanksgiving day! My brother shows up and puts new batteries in a 20 year old 4-wheeler that was once his. He presented this to my boys and it was hard to get them off of it. They were having a ball! We had a wonderful lunch while my hubby only nibbled ... he still wasn't feeling well. It was sad! Thursday night my dad begins getting sick ... not the same kind of sick Jeremy was but his throat was sore and he was just in general wasn't feeling well. Could have been the fact that for two nights he was up most of the night in the cold smoking hams and turkeys and got very little sleep. Kennedy did not sleep well ... we forgot the humidifier and she was congested.

Friday: My grandparents took us all out for breakfast before they returned home. My brother and Theresa along with her grandmother headed for Theresa's parents home for thanksgiving with them. We all headed back to my parents. Jeremy worked, the boys napped, I napped with Kennedy. That night I was able to go out with a couple of dear friends from High school .. fun times! Kennedy did not sleep well as she was congested again. I wound up holding her as I sat in bed for most of the night = no sleep for Jeremy and no sleep for me! fun times!

Saturday: We load up and leave my parents house. We get half way home and Pace gets sick in the car. We had to stop and clean him up ... car stinks by the way ... their suitcase was at the bottom of the mountain of stuff we have to take with us on a trip so he sat in his diaper with a blanket the rest of the ride home. He's not sick ... he just gagged himself ... fun times! We tried to leave in time to make it home for the GA/GA Tech game but we didn't do so hot on the timing! We arrived home hoping to be able to finish out the 3rd and 4th quarters of the game only to find a few things ... our smoke detectors were going off LOUDLY and the GA game wasn't even on here! UGH! We tried E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. to get those things to stop going off and even with all the power off to our house they were still going off. FINALLY we got them off ... as we were calling friends looking for an electrician that we can't afford! We shower and decide to go to church so we can sleep in tomorrow morning and rest. We go to church ... great service ... only to come home to chirping smoke detectors! Jeremy had already put new batteries in each and every one. UGH ... we try resetting them only to make them sound the sirens again. Finally got them off once again and we hope they will not sound during the night nor will they chirp.

It's been a crazy week to say the least ... but it has also been a good week. I am so thankful that my parents, grandparents, Aunt, cousin, brother, future sister in law, and her grandmother were able to be around for several days. It was fun being around family since we do not get to be around family that often.

I'm thankful that we have a house to come home to ... even if we are a little annoyed with it right now.

I'm thankful for sleep and hope that we get some tonight! So if by chance you are reading this tonight .... pray for us! :) And pray that we wont need an electrician or hotel tonight :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are here at my parents house and are thankful today for so much! Hope you are having a wonderful day as well!

Home for the holidays!

We are home for the holidays! We were welcomed by my parents, brother, brothers fiance' and fiance's grandmother! Good times with good family! Tomorrow more family arrives ... it's been a while since I was able to spend more than a few minutes with my grandparents and I'm so excited to see them and my Aunt Susan! When we lived in the same city as my grandparents I would have breakfast with them at least once a week. I enjoyed seeing my boys with them and I loved being able to hang out with them. Now that we are no longer living in the same city, I miss that quality time ... especially since they are my only grandparents still living.

So this will be a great thanksgiving. We will miss Jeremy's parents but look forward to seeing them at Christmas!

Dr. Appointment

Today's doctor appointment was full of information but not a lot of answers but we are on a path to get answers finally. This doctor is 100% more efficient than the other one. I left a little peeved that we even went to see the other doctor and wonder where he got his medical licence!

We will call today's Doctor ... P and the other S.

Dr. P and his nurse were VERY thorough in asking tons of questions and letting us talk! Dr. P did an x-ray on Kennedy and found no impaction. We stimulated her yesterday so we got it all out. Maybe we should have left it in but the only way we can get her to eat is to stimulate her when she gets backed up. He checked her and said that he didn't think she has or had rectal stenosis! This is what really got me going. He said if she had this that it was NOT a one and done type procedure. It would be something a surgeon would have to do and then something we would have to dilate on a continual basis at home! UGH ... not the information we received from Dr. S. Dr. P did say that she was small but that could just be because she is small! Go figure!

Dr. P is going to do a barium enema on her in the next week to see if there are any abnormalities with her intestines and colon. Depending on the results of that test will decide whether or not they do the test for Hershsprungs. He said the test for Hershprungs is a bit more invasive and he would like to do the barium test first. If the barium test is normal then the other test may or may not be needed ... he will know more after doing this barium test. If they have to do the other test she will be in the hospital over night and it will require a biopsy.

Dr. P also took her off the medication that Dr. S had put her on and told us to give her good ole milk of magnesium to loosen her bowel movements. We will see how this works over the holidays and go from there next Monday when we call to update them and get the date for the barium test.

Dr. P is going to focus on the bowel problem and try to fix it first. If it doesn't help the eating issue then we will work on that next. Hopefully, they are related and fixing one will fix the other. But, if not we will tackle the eating next. Don't want to change too many things on her at once. She had lost a little bit of weight today since last Tuesday's appointment.

Thanks for all your prayers for Kennedy and us!

I need Africa

I was asked by Mocha Club to write about the concept of why ‘I need Africa more than Africa needs me.’ Mocha Club is a community-based website where members can start a team and invite friends to join them in giving $7 a month – the cost of 2 mocha's – to support a project in Africa. Mocha Club's vision is to provide a way for people who don't have hundreds or thousands of dollars to make a difference in Africa.”

Why Do I need Africa?

I need Africa to show me what heaven will be like with many faces, nations, tribes and tongues who will gather to worship our creator with one voice!

I need Africa to remind me of how much I have to be thankful for.

I need Africa because Africa matters to God!

I need Africa ... do you? Share your thoughts in my comments, and even blog about it yourself. Join in the worthwhile cause of recasting the damaging images that force pity over partnership. Come back Dec 1st to see what Mocha Club is doing about reforming that image.

Today's the big Appointment

Today is the big appointment! I'm taking Kennedy to her 2nd Gastroenterlogist today. Hopefully this new doctor will be able to provide me with more answers than questions and figure out why Kennedy doesn't like to eat and cannot have a BM on her own. Thanks for your prayers!

hypothetically speaking ...

If it gets quiet at your house and you hear footsteps upstairs running between your boys bedroom and your bathroom .... you just might want to check in on them. They might be giving their cars, trucks, blocks and other toys a bath in the toilet ... not that my boys would ever do anything like this ...

I'm just sayin!