Susanigan's

conversations with joshua

2010-06-25T09:34:00.002-05:00

Another catch-up post.

A few weeks back while my mother was on vacation we were borrowing her truck. Her truck is bigger than mine and somewhat easier to use that our "family car", a.k.a. the Camero. Plus the Friday that she left with my sister's family, I had some break problems with my truck.

Now, my truck has been a Trusty Old Lass. She has been good to me, primarily because I have been good to her. She never gives me grief.....well at least not until recently. But then she is about 10 years old. I give her gas, oil, coolant, air for her tires and really anything else she asks for but a bath. And she is okay with that....she claims that because she is a truck she feels she should be dirty and that a clean truck is not a well loved truck. I say whatever and slam the door shut with my hip. I am saddened to think about getting ready of her next year. I worry that she won't go to someone who will care for her as I have.

But anyways.........
I had my mom's truck and we had gone to kinda have dinner with my brother and sister-in-law. Now, my sister-in-law, Mandy, is pregnant (and I am so freakin' excited!) and she had my son were getting in on the passenger side of my mother's truck. The truck has doors that open against each other. They had opened them and were trying to squeeze around them since the vehicle next to us was parked a little close. My son, being 3, squeezed right through, but Mandy's belly would fit without a little squishing and no one wants a squished pregnant belly so she told my son that she needed to close to the door a little to get by. We all got in the truck and my son announced that he fit through the door and that Mandy didn't because she has a baby in her tummy. Fine.

Later that night, we were at my house and I was poking Mandy's belly trying to get a kick out of my soon-to-be niece. My son walked in and looked at me funny for poking at his Aunt Mandy. I told him again that Aunt Mandy had a baby in her tummy. He touched her tummy for a quick second. And again announced that Aunt Mandy had a baby in there. Fine. But I knew he wasn't done with this whole idea.

Saturday, the next morning, we were in Plano for a friend of mine's fitness show. We had watched the show and were back out at the truck ready to leave. I had opened the doors to get him in and he was telling me about how he could fit past the door cause he is little and Aunt Mandy couldn't because she has a baby in her tummy. I agreed and told him that in a couple of more months Aunt Mandy would have her baby. Without missing a beat he said, "Yup, Aunt Mandy's baby is going to come out of her tummy and say 'Surprise'". I laughed so hard.

february snow

2010-06-18T22:37:00.006-05:00

First of my catch-up posts.

We had a "snowstorm" back in February. We got 8 inches of snow at our house. It was a lot of snow. That morning before the people on my street got up, and before I got my son up, I went out and took pictures. It was very pretty and calm on our street. And white. Very, very white.

The day of most of the snowfall, I stayed at work too long because I knew that I would have to miss the next day. Joshua's school was already closed for sure the next day. By the time we got home it was late...really late. My truck couldn't make it up the driveway. I slide back to this spot and left it. Later the next day, we shoveled the snow and ice underneath and got it up out of the street.

This picture was taken with my cellphone which explains the poor quality. Moments after I took this picture, Joshua plucked one of the snowman's eyes out, knocking him down. I set him back up and called him our pirate snowman. I didn't get a good picture of this. Oh yes, it is a real pipe in the snowman's face, I used one of my dad's old pipes. It didn't stay out there long.

Joshua was so excited about the snow. He didn't really understand what it was but knew that it was fun. It had also snowed some on Christmas Eve giving the feel of a White Christmas 2009. Behind Joshua are our bushes. They suffered. It was probably a month before they bounced all the way back up, they still drop in a couple spots but we are fixing that with trimming.

Hope this helps you feel cooler with the 100° weather we are expecting all weekend.

happy birthday

2010-05-18T23:29:00.007-05:00

This past weekend we celebrated my 33rd birthday. As a combined Mother's Day & Happy Birthday gift, I got to go shopping. I scored some great new clothes and new shoes. WhooHoo for me!!

We also went to Adam's Birthday party on Sunday. Adam is 8 days older than Joshua and it is so funny how they can go a month without seeing one another and pick up playing like they just seen each other yesterday.

Wednesday is Joshua's 3rd Birthday. It is hard to believe that he is 3. That means that we have been in our house for 4 years. Wow, where did the time go?!?
Joshua loves SuperWhy. This SuperWhy toy is what got him convinced that he could put more in the potty. He had a fit over not getting this SuperWhy. And once he got the reward of SuperWhy, if he had an accident, he wouldn't touch SuperWhy. It was like he knew that he wasn't supposed to play with him. Joshua is getting more and more into Super Heroes like Batman, Superman, Spiderman, but his favorite is still SuperWhy. And if you ask Joshua what his superpower is, he says, 'my super power is the power to help'. And then he shows you his muscles.

This weekend we are having a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse party at the park. Joshua is getting more and more excited about it. He had to wait through a whole string of birthday's before his got here. The only thing he loves as much as SuperWhy is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
I am proud to report that Joshua is 97% potty trained. It finally clicked with him about a week and half ago. Honestly, you could nearly see the light bulb shining above his head when he suddenly got "it" (the potty). This summer we are moving him to a twin size bed. And he starts swim lessons next month. He never sits still and repeats anything and everything whenever and where ever he feels it is needed. He talks constantly, sometimes I even swear that he talks in his sleep. He likes to help with dinner and setting the table, but does not like to help put his toys away. He likes getting himself dressed but not undressed. He keeps me on my toes 24/7. Joshua eats most everything, I even tricked him into some spinach a couple of weeks ago. He would eat tomatoes with every meal if I'd let him, and, he'd make it a Mac-n-Cheese meal too! Joshua has quite a group of friends at school and he talks about them all the time. He's the peacemaker amoung all the boys, his teacher says he makes sure that all of the toys are fairly shared. Joshua has an imagination that seems to have no limits. I have taught him to draw smiley faces in the last few months. He's a ball of energy and I couldn't imagine my life without him.

potty training adventures

2010-02-03T14:47:00.006-06:00

Potty training. Sounds easy enough. Yea right. It should called it 'THE IMPOSSIBLE formerly known as Potty Training'. That sounds better. He is getting better. But, with training comes lots of conversations.

A couple weeks back, we had been out to dinner and I drank several glasses of tea and by the time we got home, I had to go. Now! I was rushing Joshua along, get out of the truck, c'mon let's go, Mommy's gotta go. We got in the house and I dropped my purse and jacket and ran to the bathroom. In a few seconds I hear, "Mommyeeeee, Mommyeeee" as I hear little feet running towards the bathroom. I am thinking that there was something out of place and he is just wanting to let me know. He gets to the bathroom door and says, "Make sure your pp is in the hole.". I bust out laughing. At least he is getting the concept, right??

Then in the last week, he was arguing about going to bed. He had had a late nap and didn't want to go to sleep. We had argued back and forth and finally left him in his bed to cry it out. Suddenly, he was calling Mommy and it wasn't in a cry it out kinda way. I opened his door and he was laying on his bed with his hand in his pants saying "I think I pp'd on my on my pillow". "No, baby, those are your tears that have gotten your pillow all wet". Again, at least he is getting the concept, right??

better late than never right?

2009-12-24T21:38:00.003-06:00

So way back a couple months ago, it was Halloween. This was Joshua's first real year to go trick-or-treating. We planned to only hit the houses on our street, head to my brother's for a minute and call it a night. Joshua dressed up as a green skeleton and was so cute. He got compliments all up and down our street. One lady told him he was too cute for the regular candy and went and got him a goodie bag full of candy and colors and a coloring book. Hitting only the houses on our street gave him 10-12 houses resulting in a decent amount of candy for a 2 year old. He had fun and was even saying "trick-or-treat" when we would go up to houses.

Trick-or-Treating on our street.

Quick family picture at Uncle J's & Aunt Mandy's.

God is in trouble but not for unlocking doors

2009-11-12T22:11:00.008-06:00

The other day when I picked Joshua up from school it was dark out, thanks to our recent time change. I personally don't like the time change, I like it to be daylight until nearly 8:30...just my personal preference. Anyway, it was dark when I picked Joshua up from school around 6:30 and our conversation went something like this:

"It's dark out here", Joshua said.
"Yes. It is dark", said Mommy.
"Somebody turn the light off"
"Yes, God turned the light off"
"God turn the light off"
"Yes" said Mommy.
"He's is trouble. He need a time out"
"God needs a time out?"
"Yes. We need to go get him and put him in time out. He turn the light off"

I explained that we can't get God and that we can't put God in time out. I don't think he understood. But he was pretty adamant that God needed a time-out for turning off the light.
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Tonight, I am on the phone with Jeff, who is in El Paso. I hear something in the background and it took me what seemed like minutes to figure out what the sound was. It was the front door unlocking. And opening and then shutting. Once I realized what the noise was, I initially thought that Jeff was joking and was home early, but there were no legs/feet to be seen through the window. I jumped up and found my son closing the door. He hadn't gone out, but he had unlocked both locks and opened and then shut the front door. So our newly established rules are:
1. Little boys do not unlock the front door for any reason.
2. Little boys do not open the front door or any door for any reason.

But then, I wonder about fires and have I led Joshua to believe that in case of a fire that he can not open the door. But then he is 2 1/2 years old. I am not sure that he would get the difference. He already knows to not come out of his bedroom until Mommy or Daddy come and get him. So, he will play in his room until we go in there in the mornings.

This weekend we will be exploring options to help with the newly found front door situation.
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Joshua's recent growth spurt has also given him the "I don't know how to shut-up" syndrome. The kid talks constantly. He talks to Mommy. He talks to Daddy. He talks to Mickey Mouse. He talks to himself. He talks to the dog. He talks to my truck. He talks to everything about everything. Constantly. Talking. He never shuts-up. Never.

And along with the "I don't know how to shut-up" syndrome came the "Wiggle 'til I fall out of the chair" syndrome. He is constantly moving. He watches Mickey Mouse while standing on his head on the couch, while laying on the couch, while hanging off the couch, while falling off the couch. Then he wiggles in the floor towards his couch-bed thing. Then he gets up and climbs back on the couch and it starts all over again.

He doesn't be still and he doesn't be quiet. Ever. Well, except for the 25 minutes that he watches Mickey Mouse...then he is quiet, but not still. And when he is sleeping, he doesn't talk, but he doesn't really be still then either.

Welcome to the 2 1/2 years old stage. Welcome. On the right we have wiggle worm and on the left we have talk until your tongue falls out. Welcome. Come on in.

pumpkin patch 2009

2009-11-01T22:50:00.005-06:00

We went to the pumpkin patch in mid October. Up to Flower Mound, TX to the pumpkin patch. We knew it would be a fun year with Joshua - all Holiday's this 2 year old year have been! He kissed or attempted to kiss everything that we took pictures by, Cookie Monster, Sponge Bob, Nemo, 101 Dalmatians, Mickey & Minnie....we kept telling him to stop kissing stuff, but it is hard to explain the flu/H1N1/germs to a 2 1/2 year old. We had a great time!

My favorite picture of the day.

WhooHoo...everyone is looking the same direction!
A corny smile!

Just after this picture, he says, "these my best friends". (They apparently become fast friends.)

With Uncle J & the surfing penguins.

He love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and was beyond excited to see Mickey & Minnie!!

water park from 8-2009

2009-11-01T22:27:00.005-06:00

Back in late August we took a family stay-cation. On the last weekend, we went and checked out a new water park in Hurst. City owned and managed. It had a great toddler water area, 1 ft 6 in, which was just enough water for Joshua. With water slides made for toddlers. And the lifeguards in that area kept kids that were older out so the toddlers didn't get hurt. Parents were allowed with their toddlers. Overall, it was a good experience and we look forward to going again next summer.

Toddler area right. There is a spiral slide on the other side on this area. You can control most all of the water spray areas with kid friendly levers.

Toddler area left & big kid/adult slides in background. This was Joshua's favorite slide!

Playing in the water.

On the stairs with Mommy. That is a fun having face!

Down the slide. I thought we had gotten better pictures, but no such luck.

school pictures are in

2009-10-07T22:49:00.002-05:00

I got Joshua's Fall pictures back from school!! Isn't he a cutie!

Everything has been pretty to him lately. The trees, family, friends, chicken nuggets...everything. The other day my mother, Nana, asked Joshua if he was pretty...his response, "No, I cute!". 2 years 4 months old.

Grazin'

2009-09-17T21:51:00.003-05:00

On the way home today, when we passed by the field of horses.
Joshua says, "Mama, look, they are grazin'".
"What did you say?", I ask.
"They grazin'. They eatin' grass".
I say, "hahahahahahaha. That is a big word".

It was funny. That is a pretty big 'Z' word. And he used it in the right context.

When we were nearly home he started counting in Spanish, then English, then sang his ABC's and then clapped, "yea, we all done".

He was full of himself on our nearly 30 minute trip home today.

Mega Block chair

2009-09-09T20:39:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, while we were on vacation, Jeff & Joshua built a Mega Block chair. Joshua was so proud of this 'breakable' chair. He would fuss at Jeff & I if we tried to sit in "his"Mega Block chair.

A day or two later, we put in a dinosaur movie, Land Before Time...which, by the way, is not a dinosaur movie he is super interested in. (Cars and Happy Feet work much better!) Anyway, we put in the movie so we could work on other things around the house. Joshua got really quiet, the kinda quiet you get when you are up to no good! When I went to check on him, he was sitting in his Mega Block chair watching the movie. The picture is grainy because there was not good light in the living.

Stay tuned for more vacation pictures..........

ducks in a row

2009-08-20T22:13:00.005-05:00

Joshua loves the water. I think the only reason he asks for a bath each day is so he can play in the water. Today was a swim day at school. He class wound up not swimming because it actually wasn't a swim day...if that makes no sense then you are following along.

On the way home we were talking about that he didn't get to swim today. He asked where Nefi was. I told him Nefi (my sister, Stephanie) is at home. To which he stated, very matter of fact, "I go see Nefi, I go swim". He still hasn't forgotten this and asked about it again at bedtime amongst our good nights. We will have to work in some swimming this weekend.

Joshua in the bath the other night.

One of his favorite bath time activities is lining his ducks up in a row on the edge of the bathtub. He always makes sure that all of the ducks are facing the same direction.

He also in the last month or so discovered that all of his ducks had eyes. He had them all facing inside the bathtub, so they were looking at him and suddenly he exclaimed, "Has eyes! All has eyes, mama". The light bulb above his head shone so bright that I was blinded by his silly-ness!!

After he lines the ducks up, he does this....

Speaking of getting ducks in a row, Jeff and I have been waiting on a deal from HUD and it finally came through. It has been nearly a year since the process was started. It is a relief and a huge headache we hope to never again expierence. This next week we are on vacation. Not do much of anything. Just a few things around town and around the house. We are hoping to get the shed in the backyard down and the sunroom emptied so that it can be torn down.

I also start permamnet on Monday at my work. I had been helping out with refunds since February and they finally decided that they needed another full-time refund person. That is me!! A promotion of sorts, more money and awesome benefits.

cheeri-uh-oh

2009-08-12T22:42:00.002-05:00

Today on the way home from school Joshua was finishing off his Cheerios from this morning. We got home and had been home about 10 minutes and he comes to me, with his finger up his nose and our conversation goes like this:

"Mommy get it"
"Get your finger out of your nose."
"Get it, in there"...he sticks his finger back in there.
"Get what, a booger?"
"Snack."
"A snack in your nose? There is a snack in your nose???", I am very confused.
"Yea, in there"...his finger goes back up his nose.

I panicked...I seen an ER trip with long tweezers in my very near future. I called my mom asking what I should do. I got a Kleenex, blocked one nostril and had him blow with the other....sure enough, out came a chunk of Cheerio.

The worst part was that then....he wanted to...eat it.

been busy

2009-08-11T21:31:00.003-05:00

I've been either busy lately or so tired from being so busy lately that I haven't posted. So here goes.

My 60 Mile Mamas 3-Day team has had a few fundraisers. We have one final Pink Bra contest coming up on August 28. It will be at Papa G's in Bedford at 121 & Harwood. You should come out if you can!!! We had a Pink Bra contest at Baxter's in Hurst a couple of weeks back and I am excited to annouce that we raised nearly $1,000.00!!! It was by far our best Pink Bra contest yet with lots of super fun contestants!

My family has a vacation planned in two more weeks. It seems like an incredibly long two more weeks...like it is never going to get here. We are not doing much but are looking forward to what we do have planned.

One day last week when I picked Joshua up from school, he met me in the cafeteria with a backpack on. It was not his backpack so we headed back down to his class. His teacher said it was hanging on his hook and assumed it was his. It was a Cars backpack and she knows he loves Cars stuff. Turns out it belonged to a new kid in his class. Joshua was so heartbroken that he didn't get to keep the backpack. He asked/begged/cried/fussed/grumped about a backpack all the way home. I told him that he needed to talk to his Daddy about. When we got home he couldn't wait to get inside to tell Daddy that he needed a backpack. So this past weekend we got Joshua a backpack. On Sunday, before we went running around, I loaded up his backpack with diapers, wipes, changing pad, Magna Doodle, a book and snacks. He carried his backpack everywhere. He didn't like to have to take it off before he could get in his carseat but after a couple of times, he got the hang of it. Once he was buckled in his carseat, he just sat there holding his backpack waiting for the next stop so he could put it back on. It was really cool. And Mommy didn't have to carry the diaper bag...she could carry just her purse...it was so empowering for both Mommy & Joshua!

reunion and events

2009-07-27T22:36:00.004-05:00

In the past week or so, I haven't really gotten the camera out much, if even at all. Life has been moving fast lately. Seems we have one event after another. This coming week is no different. Tuesday night, I am having a fundraiser at CiCi's in Bedford from 5-9pm. I will get 10% of all receipts placed in the bucket...if you are in the area you should come by. I will be there with balloons for the kids until about 8 (or until I run out of balloons).

On Friday, 7/31, my team is having another Pink Bra contest at Baxter's in Hurst. These are always fun. We have women's categories and men's categories, so you should come by if you can.

This past weekend we traveled to the fine town of Haskell, TX for the annual Lackey Reunion. It is always nice to see everyone and how much kids have grown in the last year. I volunteered my grandfather's branch of the family to handle invitations & entertainment for next year. My siblings and I have had some entertainment ideas brewing for a while now, and we can put them into action. Traveling to Haskell makes me realize that there is more to life than the hustle that tends to consume mine. At one point, I had taken Joshua outside because he was getting a little wild inside and we wondered over to see the horses. There is an arena and youngsters were practicing and qualifying for rodeo events.

conversations with josh

2009-07-22T21:40:00.003-05:00

One night last week Jeff was giving Joshua his bath. The bath was done and Joshua needed to pull his plug. Jeff kept telling him to pull his plug. Finally Joshua says, "Hold on Daddy!". Jeff was speechless.

So today, I get to Joshua's room to pick him up and his teacher, Miss Izela tells me this...Today she was trying to get Joshua for potty time but he was busy playing. She said he finally looked at her and said, "Sela, hold on!". She said after another minute or so, he came over to do potty time.

potty training adventures

2009-07-22T14:53:00.003-05:00

A few people had suggested putting Joshua in his big boy underwear and telling him that he couldn't mess them up. After much contemplating, I decided to give this a try. I cleared a good chunk of time that I knew that we would be at the house. We had been in his room, going through toys. Someone had sent me a text and I walked into the office to look at something else. I sat down at the computer and it had been about 7 minutes since I last asked if he needed to go potty.

From behind me I hear, "Uh-oh, I pee-pee."
I turned around as Joshua was stepping back from the puddle on the floor.
"It's okay. Let's go -".
"I splash Mommy".
"No-".
SPLASH.
"We don't splash in our pee-pee. Go, let's go get a pull-up on.".
"Okay" which sounds more like oh-kaaay.

conversations with josh

2009-07-22T14:16:00.002-05:00

Here is a funny conversation that I had with Joshua recently...

Heading home from school one day Joshua asked, "My daddy at work?"
Mommy: "No, your daddy is at home."
Joshua: "My daddy at home?"
Mommy: "Yes."
Joshua: "My daddy at home fixin' my dinner?"
Mommy: laughing "No."

5 years

2009-07-20T00:02:00.004-05:00

Today my father has been gone for 5 years. So much has happened in 5 years, things that I planned to have happen and many things that I didn't plan. I can remember his last 6 weeks in great detail. I remember him being wheeled from the E.R. room he had been sent to singing "On the road again". They wheeled him everywhere that day doing tests. I remember the E.R. doc that told my Dad exactly what was wrong with him but he needed tests to show it. Those tests showed it all. Cancer. Cancer is a funny thing. It isn't prejudice in anyway, shape or form. It doesn't care what you have done or what you want to do. It doesn't care that you have plans three weekends from now. It doesn't care who you are, who you want to be or you will become. Cancer is horrible.

Looking back, I wish that I would have asked Dad what he wanted to do before he couldn't. I remember asking him once if there was anything I could get him and I can still see his face. Tan with age and steel blue eyes saying, "Time, sweet time". It was the one thing that I couldn't get him. That was the moment that his cancer hit me. It was the single moment in time when I had that 'this is it' feeling. The moment I realized there was no turning back.

I wish I had taken the time to go fishing on the coast with him. We had talked about it many times, but nothing ever came of our talks, there was also tomorrow and next year after all. I wish that I had taken the time to listen more to his stories about his time in the Reserves. I wish that I had taken his advice to heart more often, it was always good advice, but I am very stubborn. Stubborn just like him, probably more so. The advise he gave on the old green swing. In giving advice, especially if he knew I wasn't going to want to hear it, he would look over his glasses at me. I would have to look away because I thought his blue eyes were going to pierce me.

Here is picture dated 11-6-77 with my Mom & Dad, Grandma & Papa (my Dad's parents) & Granny Lackey (my Dad's grandmother). Taken in Haskell at the Lackey Reunion...we will travel out west next weekend for this reunion.
This picture is my dad & I at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. The caption says we are standing in from on the mini train, but it is very hard to see in the picture and it dated 5-28-78. The same mini train that my husband, son & I rode on July 4th of this year.

This picture is at Lake Palestine, I am not sure if it is on the property that we have down there or not. I would say it is, but the area has so many houses nowadays, that you can't just see the lake from the land.

Here are my siblings and I fishing at Sandy Lake in Arkansas. My father taught us the art of catching Perch. The thing about catching Perch is that it is easy. You can pull many out and it keeps impatient people happy cause they are pulling something out of the water. My father took this picture. My arm was in a cast because I broke my elbow rollerskating.

This is at the Texas sign and dated 7-1988. My brother was 5, I had a bad looking perm. But I always remember stopping at the sign for pictures. It is a tradition that I will continue to do with my son. My father was a Texas history buff. I credit him with my love of Texas history and my proud-ness to be a Texan.

This is my father's blue truck. The night before we sold it after his death. My father always drove Ford trucks. The blue-green one would be considered a classic nowadays, the silver one, he crashed into a gas station in and this blue one. I once drove this blue truck to take Dad to a dentist appointment, he didn't want to get into my little car. The truck shimmied and didn't drive like my car. And Dad made me a nervous wreck the entire trip home...a whole 2.5 miles. I miss the old truck and think of him every time I see one like it. The guy that bought the truck, I believe painted it a different color and took the tool box off.

This is the memorial plaque that we got after Dad's funeral. I always thought it was ironic that he died from Lung Cancer and his pipe is in his pocket in this picture.

Taken today at the cemetery. This is the first time I have ever gotten Joshua out of the car/truck at the cemetery. I tried to explain what we were doing, but my words were lost on my 2 year old. Someday he will understand more. I think my father would think that Joshua is a pretty cool kid.

been a long week

2009-07-18T23:13:00.003-05:00

I have tried to have a less busy week. It worked out somewhat well, but this week just seemed to drag by. I made a significant dent in the work that was handed to me in my new position as Refund Analyst.

I scheduled a CiCi's fundraiser for me on July 28th. All people have to do is come in and leave their receipt in the basket and I will get 10% of the evening's sales, will probably be $80-100. I don't feel like I am meeting my goal for the 3-Day. I am working on a couple of other fundraisers for myself, but it is slow going. We do a pink bra contest scheduled for July 31 at Baxter's in Hurst, this will be our third and they are always fun....if we have the right crowd. If you can come out you should.

This morning I went walking with my team, I don't often walk with them. Actually, I have really fallen off the training wagon (see fundraising issue above). The girls are some really nice people. Joshua did good in the stroller for about 2 1/2 hours. He ate a good breakfast when we stopped...fruits & yogurt.

After we got home from the walk, I set out to clean/organize his room. All part of my Mission:Self Organization (more on another blog...coming soon...when I get it organized!). I thought I would try some big boy underwear on him. I stayed on him for about 30 minutes, asking every 5 minutes if he needed/wanted to sit on the potty. Each time the answer was no. Then, I got slightly distracted and missed a 5 minute asking point. At this time we are in the office and I am on the computer. Joshua says, "Uh-oh, I pee-pee". I turned around in my chair and he has taken a step back. I said, "It's okay, let's go sit on the potty now." As I stand up, he says, "I splash" and slams his hands right down into the puddle of pee. Y-U-K!!! "No, we don't play in pee-pee." Potty time and hand washing followed.

We went to my sister's tonight for dinner, dinner lead to pool time. Their pool exploded last weekend at my nephew's party and they have replaced it. Tonight, it was finally ready to be played in. Joshua did so well. He only initially fussed, but was soon kicking his legs and splashing everyone. I am glad he did so well.

Jeff will be home shortly. Tomorrow is semi-planned. Sometimes things just pop up out of nowhere and somethings are planned out.

snapshots....on a sunday

2009-07-12T22:27:00.007-05:00

Been super busy for the last 2 1/2 weeks...maybe longer it seems. Someday, it will all slow down right?? Right??? Oh well, here are some pictures to catch you up.

Joshua got his fourth haircut, but only his second professional haircut in June. My longer wavy haired kid would soon be replaced with a shorter, non wavy haired version.

For July 4th weekend, we went to the cabin in Arkansas. My step-dad, David, wanted to make sure we had enough fireworks....we did. And had lots of fun blowing them up. Joshua was indifferent to them, he just wanted to play and ride the 4-wheelers all weekend. Let me put it this way, he would not have gotten off the 4-wheelers if I hadn't made him.

On July 4th, my family trio went up the mountain to Queen Wilhelmina State Park. We stopped at the sign and took a timed family photo...not the best, but the best we could do in 10 seconds.

The whole purpose in going up to the State Park was to ride the miniature train. Joshua thought it was really cool and actually it was a tiny bit cooler at the top of the mountain.
Here he is at the engine.
Also on July 4, we of course went down to the Cossatot River for a swim. The first day we went, Joshua was all excited about going to the river, then we got down there started the hike to the water and he panicked, "no water, I no want water". On Day 2 he couldn't wait to get in the water.

Here he is sporting his new shirt he got at the Cossatot River visitor center, they do not often have little people shirts. Doesn't he look excited to be waving around that American flag? Yeah, I thought so too.

We stopped at the Texas sign for a family pic. Again in 10 seconds you don't get the best. Jeff stepped in a bed of ants when he got out of the truck. So in my running from the truck to the sign, I was having to leap over huge ant beds. I barely made it there in time for the shutter.

The weekend before July 4, we got a trampoline from my mother's neighbor. They have older triplets and were ready for a larger trampoline. It is a perfect size for our backyard and for Joshua. The shed in the background will be coming down soon, as well as, the sun room (you can't see it in the picture). My brother and his friend Josh and my cousin Daniel came over to help cut down some tree limbs in the backyard to make room for it.

On Friday the 10th, my 3-day team had a fundraiser at Baxter's in Hurst. We will have a Pink Bra Contest there on the 31st. You should come out if you can. They are always a lot of fun. On Saturday the 11th, my 3-day team had a fundraiser at the Grand Prairie Air Hogs game. It is a nice stadium. As we were leaving, the Air Hog was coming back around. He said he could take a picture with Joshua and then offered to hold him. Joshua willing leaped into his arms.

been busy

2009-06-29T09:16:00.003-05:00

Last week was non-stop it seemed. Well, except for Wednesday, but I was so tired.

Monday I had a wisdom tooth pulled. I had chipped it when I was pregnant and the pain was getting really bad and not tolerable or controllable anymore. Monday night, we had a nice Father's Day dinner with my step-dad, David. It was his first Father's Day with us. He is so entwined into our lives now that it is hard to believe. He takes great care of my mother and it seems he really cares about all of us. He claims Joshua to be his grandson and not Mom's. Joshua loves his Pops. Tuesday night held a meeting for Jeff & I. These meetings are going well and we are meeting less often. Wednesday, my mouth hurt, just like the surgeon said it would. I felt like I had taken a good hit to the jaw. Thursday, I finished up my bra for our Pink Bra Contest benefiting Susan G Komen. The contest was Friday night at Pappa G's in Watagua. Our team did awesome....we raised $840!!! Instead of just taking donations at the door, we asked people to buy tickets to vote for the pink bra they liked the best. It worked out great. We have two other Pink Bra Contest that will be scheduled this week. Saturday...it was so freakin' hot outside. We didn't do much...except ran for the nearest A/C. Saturday night, my mother's neighbor asked if they knew anyone who would want a trampoline. My mother called and Jeff and I were interested. We went down to "look' at it Sunday...and then came home with it Sunday. We had to call in help....many thanks to Jeromy, Josh & Daniel....we cut some limbs off a neighbor's tree that were hanging in our yard and attempted to take out a Crape Myrtle. The chainsaw died, not sure what went wrong. Once it is fixed up, we will finish taking out that tree. The trampoline is in the backyard and Joshua loves it. He thinks it is his for some reason - it is really mine. :)

Potty training has temporarily come to a halt. Joshua can home Friday with a bad diaper rash. It has gotten worse over the weekend. He has no interest in sitting down on the potty and is walking funny because it hurts so bad. He is big on Mommy, Daddy or whoever is available kissing owie's/hurts...so the conversation with Daddy goes:
"My butt hurts, Daddy."
"Your butt hurts. I'm sorry. It will get better."
"Kiss it, Daddy." As he pats at this bottom.

Snapshot Sunday is obviously delayed again. Perhaps I should just call it Snapshots and post on any day.

snapshot sunday

2009-06-21T22:43:00.006-05:00

Father's Day Edition of Snapshot Sunday.

Just over two years ago, Jeff became a father. Here he is showing Joshua off. He had just brought Joshua out to the nursery. Can you see his smile behind the mask?
This past week has been Father's Day week for Jeff & Joshua. Last Monday, they mowed the grass together. Joshua got to use his Bubble Mower we got him for his birthday.

This morning, Joshua helped Daddy to shave.

After Joshua's bath tonight, they were posing for a picture. Jeff had put his arm around Joshua and without missing a beat, Joshua did the same to Jeff. He loves his Daddy. And without my prompting today, he has been all about Daddy all day today. I had them dressed alike, blue shirts, jean shorts and flip flops. They have the same feet. They were cute dressed alike all day.

prayers

2009-06-16T22:19:00.003-05:00

Tonight we sat down at dinner and Joshua as usual mumbled something, but tonight, I understood more of it because it was longer than normal. He said, "God s good....food...amen, Jesus name". I was absolutely speechless. I was trying to find the words, but I was so shocked. We had tried for a while saying a prayer at dinner, but he would jibber jabber through it or eat through it. I am sure they say a prayer at school before lunch. Something simple that all the kids can learn. Jeff didn't know what to say either. I will go to bed tonight happier than I have been in a week. It's is funny how things work out sometimes, you never know who will say the words you really need to hear.

snapshot Sunday

2009-06-14T22:52:00.005-05:00

It has been a busy week...

Wednesday night - baked cake

Thursday afternoon/night - turned cake into cake pops and made choco pretzels

Friday night - Pappa G's fundraiser for the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk

Saturday - worked on bras for Sunday

Sunday worked on bras until time for the 8.0's fundraiser for the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk

The 3-Day Breast Cancer fundraisers are taking a lot of my time lately.

Also on Thursday, I went to see my OB-GYN and guess what.....I am not pregnant. Duh!!..I knew I wasn't. He had me start Metformin. It tastes nasty...I hate chalk-y meds.

Now...time for Snapshot Sunday (on a Sunday!!!)

Tonight at 8.0's in downtown Fort Worth, we had a 3-Day Breast Cancer fundraiser that included at Pink Bra Contest.

Here is Joshua dancing to band playing. At the end of the video he has noticed the lights that were hanging from the trees.

Here are the bras that Steph and I got decorated.

And here is Steph and I modeling them at 8.0's.

bruised up bites

2009-06-09T20:39:00.004-05:00

On Monday night, when Jeff put Joshua in the bath he noticed bruising on Joshua's side. Of course, I came to investigate!!!!!!!! Sure enough, Joshua was bruised on his left side up under his arm on his ribs wrapped around to his back. I panicked. I didn't want to think that anyone would have hit him like that at school....or did he get hurt on the boat? He didn't fall on the boat..well, he did, but he caught himself with his face on the seat. Nothing bad and nothing to cause a bruise under his arm. I was getting more ticked that the daycare caused this. I slowly calmed back down. Joshua didn't seem to be in any pain and didn't care if we touched it. He just wanted his jammies on so he could brush his teeth....a highlight of his day, every day. We took some pictures.

This morning, when I got him to school, the bruising looked worse than last night. I showed his teacher and she said she wasn't in his class yesterday, but she would ask the teachers that were. I called mid-day and the school's director still wasn't in. When I got there to pick him up, his afternoon teacher was incredibly apologetic. Apparently, he was climbing on the changing table and had gotten on the middle shelf and it collapsed. His teacher was changing a diaper up top, and when the shelf collapsed, Joshua climbed out and went about playing. The teacher checked him when she was done and he seemed okay, but she never lifted his shirt...after all he got right up and went on playing. She apologized at least 100 times and she feels so bad because of the bruising. Tonight, Joshua still seems just fine. The bruising is more obvious, so it will probably stick around a couple more days.

On another school note...this morning Joshua was bit by his friend Mason. When I got there to get Joshua, Mason came running over and told me, "I bite Josh day". Really?? The kids in his class are always so proud that they bit someone. I am sure it is just an age things. This afternoon though, Joshua bit his girlfriend, Chloe. Mason bit Joshua over a truck and Joshua bit Chloe over a book....isn't that how rabies are spread???

HUGE announcement

2009-06-08T23:48:00.003-05:00

On Saturday morning....Joshua....pooped in the potty!!! This is a major accomplishment in the potty training journey!! I was so excited. And very happy that Jeff was home to share in this event. I didn't over react like I did last time....I didn't want to scare him like I did last time.

Also it was funny this weekend, I was hiding in the house and Joshua was walking around looking for me saying, "mommy, moooommeeee, susan, mommy". It was funny.

snapshot sunday on a monday again

2009-06-08T23:36:00.004-05:00

Here it is Monday again and Snapshot Sunday is late...well...at least you are getting it!!!

We had really nice weather last week. Joshua and I took advantage of one evening and played outside for quite a while. He loves to haul his Cars ball around in his dump truck. On Thursday evening, I left Joshua to wash his hands. He had washed them, I had drained the water out and mopped up the counter and left him to dry his hands. Normally within a few minutes he comes and finds me. Well...this time he didn't.

On Sunday we went out on the my brother-in-laws boat with my sister's family. It was Jeff & Joshua first time out on a boat like this for fun. They both did really well....much better than I who was a nervous wreck about Joshua.

Joshua was like a pro. He had little fear and loved to just stand around on the boat...right in the middle. By the end of the day he was looking over the edge and requesting to "git down" into the water. We didn't get a picture of him in the lake because we were all in the lake then.

This is Jeff tubing for the first time. He had an absolute blast. He held on for quite a long time.

Then my baby went out with his Uncle Brandon. Joshua kept one arm up and extended toward the boat for most of his trip. I will spare you the video...it is pretty hard to video well from a moving boat. When they got back to the boat after the ride, we asked Joshua if he had fun, his response, "no". But he sure did like to watch everyone else tube and ski.

snapshot sunday...

2009-06-07T22:46:00.001-05:00

...will be delayed one day. We just got home from the lake and I am exhausted. Will get pictures and a post done tomorrow.

biting THAT kid

2009-06-01T21:43:00.003-05:00

This morning it was very hard to get up. I am not sure why, but no one in our house wanted to get up and get ready for a Monday....perhaps if it had been Friday, things would have been different.

This morning at school, Joshua bit...again. Again this time he bit Boston. He also bit Boston last week. This morning, according to the report, Boston pushed Joshua out of the way at art time and Joshua got mad and bit him. Last week, Boston came over and took a truck away from Joshua and Joshua got mad and bit him. In the morning, I will be asking his teacher if she came keep them separated for a week or so.

Also, Joshua came home from school today all eaten up. Between Memorial Day weekend and random times outside playing, both at school & at home, he is getting eaten alive. Tonight, after his bath, Jeff and I attacked him with After Bite and counted at least 40 bites on him. From head to the bottom of his feet. Explain to me how he got bites on the bottom of his foot when I sent him to school in socks & shoes. In the morning, I will be asking his teacher if she came keep him inside or seriously limit his time outside. I loaded him up with Zyrtec tonight, but I know it takes a couple of days to actually see the results. I also bought scent free oat bath soap for him tonight, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he will not smell as good as he does with lavender soap. I will also take his bug/sunscreen combo back to the school tomorrow, as I forgot it this morning.

Since everyone else seems to be giving potty training updates, I will update and say that it is going. Joshua requests to go, but seems to be actually going less in the potty. But when he does go, he is so proud. The school & I are going about it differently, which I think has slowed the process. He still goes some for me and some for them, just not consistently.

Tonight we grabbed dinner out before heading to Wal-mart for groceries. At dinner, we had THAT kid. It was horrible and embarrassing. OHMYGOD!! People were looking at us with looks that said, "control your child". Joshua did not want to use his inside voice. Joshua did not want to use a spoon, only a fork. Joshua did not want to eat his eggs and announced to everyone that he "don wan no egg". Joshua wanted more "choco milk" and tried to give his cup to the waitress twice. Joshua squealed with delight the more Mommy & Daddy squirmed. This was our first real experience of having THAT kid. And I swear if the lady with the about 8 year old glared at me one more time, I was going to ask/tell her, "like your child never acted out...I mean...seriously...just look at his hair...he was a punk!, so stop rolling your eyes". He didn't get any better at Wal-mart until I got him out of the buggy so he could help "sop". He was pretty good after that.

Now he is bathed, medicined and in bed and I need to go put in some work out time.

Snapshot Sunday

2009-05-31T23:16:00.009-05:00

Here is a dose two of Double Dose Snapshot Sunday.

Joshua tried out the new jogging stroller. We wound up getting soaked because the rain came before we made it back home. The last 3/4 of a mile was in the rain. One morning this week, I think it was Thursday morning...I went to wake Joshua up and he was asleep with his basketball. He must have gotten out of bed at some point in the night and gotten the ball because he didn't have it the last time I went to check on him before I went to bed.

Last night, we kept my nephew & niece...we went to dinner and then back to there house for some pool time. Joshua didn't want to get in the pool and he waited until Mommy came out. Here is Ethan trying to convince Joshua that the pool isn't a bad place to be.

Eventually, Joshua did get in. He was in his float and we finally agreed to let him "get down" meaning out of his float. Once he was out of his float, he wanted to "get down" onto the deck. So, I jumped out and snapped this picture before he got out.

Snapshot Sunday - Memorial Day weekend update

2009-05-31T23:06:00.005-05:00

Here is a dose one of Double Dose Snapshot Sunday.

I have been super tired/worn out lately and haven't felt like doing much of anything.

Memorial Day weekend we went out of town to the cabin in Arkansas. It was a good weekend despite some rain. Joshua had lots of fun riding the ATV/four wheelers. And a one point decided that he was leaving. He said his good-bye's to everyone and took off with his dump truck. He got pretty far, nearly to the fence....maybe 100 yards....he would stop about every 20 feet or so to wave good-bye again.

Going for a ride with Uncle Brandon.

Speeding by with Nana.

Alseep on the four wheeler with Mommy.

Video of Joshua leaving.

all about the boy

2009-05-22T07:30:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday on the way home from school, Joshua proudly says, "Mama". Then spits on each hand and begins to rub them together. "I wash hands". Ewww...he is such a little boy. I told him that we do not wash our hands with spit and that we will do it the right way when we get home with soap and water. To which he responded, "lean hands". No, your hands are not clean...you can't clean your hands with spit.

He has been spending the evenings on his "couch/bed" that he got from Aunt S & Uncle B. Then he plays with his play and collects all the balls he can find into the living room. I have been exhausted so we haven't done much else this week.

Joshua is also apparently playing with more kids at school. Also on Wednesday he told me he played with Owen & Jacob, his usual friends, but also that he played with Zach & Korren. He seems to be remembering more and more too. It amazes me that we can not go somewhere for a month or so we go back to that place and he remembers where the smallest thing is. I had forgotten that it was there, but he didn't.

Last night we had to run an item to my sister's house because they would be needing it today. When we were leaving Joshua asked, "where nefi go?". I said 'nefi' isn't home, she went bye bye. He had never referred to my sister as Nefi before.

We leave tonight to go out of town. I had planned to blog last night, but it just didn't happen...so here it is.

happy birthday joshua

2009-05-19T22:53:00.004-05:00

Today Joshua went to his doctor for his two year check up. He is 33 1/2 inches tall and 28.8 pounds. And the doctor said he is sized as an average two year old (though I know he is above average :) ) He didn't have to get any shots today because he is current on everything. WhooHoo....but I had been all planned for shots. He is the only two year old I have heard of that didn't have to have shots. (Kudos to me for keeping him up to date).

On Monday evening before my birthday dinner, we took him outside with his new t-ball set he got from Nana & Gampop. Here are some pictures...

He was actually more interested in having possession of all the balls he could hold.

After his bath tonight, I again told him how much I loved him. And I held him like I used to when he was just a colicky baby. My baby is 2. Since his first birthday he has changed so much. He has started walking, going his tubes, his speech has taken off, he sings several songs, he climbs and jumps on anything and everything. He loves animals of any sort...even the ants on the sidewalk outside. He gets down there and says "hi ant" every time he sees one crawling by. And in typical boy fashion, he loves balls, trucks and anything else that moves. I am thankful that he is generally healthy, that he eats good and that he is mine. My life has changed a lot in the last three years...a lot in the last five years for that matter. I can't imagine my life without Joshua. What would I do with my time?

snapshot sunday on a monday - birthday edition

2009-05-18T21:53:00.005-05:00

As promised...Snapshot Sunday on a Monday - Special Birthday Edition.

This is the firetruck couch he got from Buka, Epi, Etan & KD (a.k.a. Uncle Brandon, Aunt Stephanie, Ethan & Kaitlyn.)

He loves this couch and wanted to sleep on it, on his bed last night. Mommy had to say no because it just didn't sound safe.

His birthday cake with smoking candles. After the candles were removed he thought he could just bite the cake.

He had wanted cake all day while it was being decorated. I kept telling him it was too hot and it would have to cool before he could have a bite.

The GeoTrax plane system he got from JJ & Mani (a.k.a. Uncle Jeromy & Aunt Mandy).

It has a remote control and Joshua has been loving making it go...then stop and put the pilot in....then go...then stop and take the pilot out...then go...and so on and so on.

If I can get caught up on some sleep, I will get more pictures up throughout this week.

snapshot sunday

2009-05-17T22:55:00.003-05:00

Snapshot Sunday will appear on "Recovering at work Monday". Joshua's party was this evening and it has been a long day. Between Jeff being sick and my lack of planning for the cake. It has been a very L-O-N-G D-A-Y! Joshua's party ended at 9:30 and I am waiting on laundry to get done and I will go to bed. I will post pictures tomorrow night after I recover at work.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

happy birthday to me

2009-05-16T22:48:00.003-05:00

Joshua did good at school Friday, but didn't eat his lunch. But Friday night, I fixed garlic chicken and he ate it up. I kept giving him more noodles off my plate and he would say, "tank you". It was very sweet sounding and very polite....now if he could just be sweet and polite all the time.

I didn't go to my 3-Day fundraiser today, but the reports back from the ladies is that they raised a great amount of money. All that money will go towards research for Breast Cancer...how awesome is that?!?!?

Today was my birthday and I am thankful to Joshua for letting me sleep in this morning. I have been incredibly stressed lately and I am not sure why. I had made a list of things that I needed to get done today. And right now, I don't even know where that list is. I am so not a list maker. I do know that I only got about 3 things of the 8 things that I can remember I put on the list. That leaves 5 things that go on tomorrow's list which already had about 7 things. Hmmm...I hate list.

I am also thankful to my mother & step-dad who got me these super cool landscaping lights. I (and Jeff) have been wanting some landscaping lights for quite some time. I didn't get to take a picture of them tonight, but I will get to it tomorrow...one more thing to add to the list (that I hate).

I am also thankful to my brother & sister-in-law who got me a jogging stroller. You know...a three wheel bicycle tire having stroller. It will get lots of use during the next several months of training for the 3-day. And now that I have it, I have one less excuse to not be walking. Actually...that was my last excuse...so, I need to get serious about my training. Seriously. I will get a picture of the stroller once it is put together, as some assembly is required...meaning all assembly is required.

I am also thankful to my in-laws in California who sent me a birthday check....I am hoping to get clothes with it, but we will see. In the weight loss that I have had this year, my clothes are just not fitting as well. Most of my pants are large enough that they do not have to be unzipped or unbuttoned to be gotten off. And I feel like my shirts all tend to hang in the wrong places.

I am messed around all day and am finally baking Joshua's cake. I love the smell of cake batter more than just about anything else. I don't know what it is...maybe it's the promise of the product, maybe it's knowing what goes into making a cake or maybe, just maybe it is that is smells so freakin' good!?!?!?!?!!!!!!! Tomorrow is Joshua's 2nd birthday party. I am hoping that the weather is nicer than it was today. I am so excited about Joshua turning 2. I have always wanted a 2 year old. They are lots of fun and lots of pains in the butts. Of course, in my dreams, there was always 2 of them...2 two year old's...because in my dreams, I always had twins.

what a week

2009-05-14T22:44:00.005-05:00

On Sunday, Mother's Day, afternoon...well at lunch, we realized that Joshua was getting sick. Monday we took him to school knowing that the school would call to have him picked up. Sure enough, by 9:30 he had to be picked up. Jeff took him to the doctor who confirmed that he had a viral infection in his eye. He stayed home with Jeff Monday, home with me Tuesday and then Jeff's work routed him back in. I kept Joshua Wednesday morning and Jeff kept him Wednesday afternoon. Today was Joshua's first day back at school. I was late getting him there...we got there at the same time I was to be at work. He gets there about 7 and at 8:35 he bit his 'girl-friend', Chloe. Lovely. After three days at home, he didn't want to share...like he every wants to share. But at least, the rest of his day went well. He didn't eat lunch for them...he hasn't really eaten much of anything since Saturday night. He is drinking...so he is staying hydrated. I think I may have to take him back in on Saturday morning, but I will see how he looks tomorrow night.
Oh yes, he has a snotty nose as well...

So, if are in the D/FW more the FW area on Saturday...my 3-Day team is having another fundraiser...this time at Rahr's Brewery in Fort Worth...

You can find out about other upcoming events for the 60 Mile Mamas by clicking here.

snapshot sunday with a little extra

2009-05-10T21:40:00.004-05:00

Saturday morning, my sister and I walked a Training Walk Kick-Off in Fort Worth. It was a 3 mile walk from the New Balance store through a nice neighborhood and back to Central Market. Again, on this walk, my outer leg muscles tightened up. We slowed down and I stopped and stretched. We slowed down some more and I stopped to stretch again. Finally my entire leg was shaking from the pain and I just kept walking. Another 1/2 mile and my leg pain subsided and we picked up our pace. It was humid but a good experience. I wish that I had brought the camera. My sister scored some new shoes from the New Balance store. I plan to get some in a few more weeks when we walk from The Runner store in Arlington...they carry Saucony's, the brand I prefer. Today, I should have walked, but we have been out running around all day, so I will cross train some tonight. We planned to take my mother for dinner tonight. She wanted Logan's, who of course wasn't taking reservations today. The wait was 1 1/2 hours so we headed down to the Arlington Steakhouse, which turned out to be pretty good. The menu said they had a top voted chicken fried steak in Arlington and judging from my nephew's plate, it must have been pretty good.

Now, for Snapshot Sunday........

We painted with Joshua last weekend. Flowers and hand prints for his Nana and Gamma. Jeff and I had fun doing this project with Joshua and Joshua had fun doing it with us. He loves to color/draw/paint/marker or anything else like this.

happy

2009-05-07T22:02:00.002-05:00

Tuesday night, Jeff & I had a date night. Our first in probably two years. It was great. We did dinner and a movie. We seen X-Men Origins: Wolverine. It was a really cool movie. I am not a big action movie person, nor have I seen any of the other X-Men movies. Afterwards, Jeff headed to work. Thanks to Jeromy & Mandy for the dinner & movie gift cards from Christmas.

Tonight, the 60 Mile Mamas hosted a wine tasting at Tivoli's in Colleyville. It was awesome. I have never been to a wine tasting so it was a very new experience for me. Overall it went great. Our last fundraiser didn't, so we were all glad that this one did. We will be doing another wine tasting at Tivoli's in October.

Jeff and I think we have decided on what to get Joshua for his birthday. This birthday has been a difficult one for us. It seems he is too big for most things, but not big enough for others. And honestly, if a toy gets bad reviews, I won't buy it. I am considering scrapping my cake idea and going for an easier one. I always swore that my kids would not get birthday parties, I never did growing up. It was always something small at home with just my parents, brother and sister. And I almost hate to make this party thing a yearly habit, it just gets bigger and more expensive to do parties as he gets older. I am not saying that I don't want to celebrate his birthday or that I don't want to give him a birthday cake. I don't know, we will have to see how the years go.

I am finally getting around to posting the video I promised on Sunday. Joshua finally learned to peddle his tricycle. After much practice, and I am again so very proud of him. It was more backwards than forwards, but that is normal.

Potty training has been going great. He seems to really be getting the idea of using the potty. I just need to be better about it. I put a pull-up on him last night and he went potty in it. He seemed upset because he had messed it up. I tried to tell him that it is okay and we could fix it. Finally that argument stopped and we got it all taken care of. He is still so proud of making the potty sing and I still feel like he is really only going in the potty to get to flush the toilet.

snapshot sunday

2009-05-03T22:37:00.004-05:00

This has been a crazy week around the our house. With the fire at Mom & David's house on Monday morning they came to stay with us. Monday night they went back down the house to pick up a few more things they would need and their neighbor came out to check on them. He said he had something for their daughter, that would be me. The gave Joshua this Leap Frog desk. They have triplets and had saved the best looking desk for Joshua. It has a LeapPad with it. Joshua thinks it is really cool.
On Tuesday night, during our 'outside' time, Joshua sat down in the grass and said "cheese". So Jeff took his picture.
I also have a video that I tried to upload from Tuesday night. It is not uploading for me, so I will try again tomorrow night.

On Saturday, we went to Adam's 2nd birthday party. It was at Leapin' Lizards in NRH. Here is Adam with our Leapin' Lizard party man...aka Mater. They had finally lit the candles on Adam's cake and he clearly thought that was cool. He even blew out all three candles by himself.
Here is Joshua in one of the tunnels on the playscape.

On Sunday, Joshua, who thinks he can climb anything, climbed up on the window sill in the study to see what Daddy was doing. He knew he was cute and in trouble so he laid on the charm...nice and thick.

More pictures on Flickr soon. Have a great week!

krispy kreme

2009-04-29T22:44:00.003-05:00

After picking Joshua up from school today we headed home and hung out until my mother arrived. Then we went down, picked up David from work and headed down to their house. They had made a short list of things they needed to get. The dogs were excited to see them and were upset when we left. On the way back up we stopped at Waffle House for dinner...well, I had breakfast. And it was true to Waffle House taste. The Krispy Kreme is just down the street so after dinner....you guessed it....at 10 minutes until 9pm....already 20 minutes after bedtime....we went into Krispy Kreme. Joshua had his very first doughnut a few weeks back and has now had his first Krispy Kreme doughnut. He was fascinated at watching the doughnuts being made. As a note...by 10pm, Joshua was bathed and in bed asleep.

Also tonight at dinner he busted out into a semi-new song. We haven't sang this song in a while so I suspect they did at school today. He busted out "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, you, you". It was quite funny. Joshua also added a new word tonight. He will ask, "where go (name)", then say, "i no no" (I don't know). He now says "I no no et-her" (I don't know either). He was a jabber box from the time I picked him up from school until he went to bed.

fire, fire

2009-04-27T21:52:00.005-05:00

This morning I headed off to work, it was raining. By the time I got to work it was pouring. The lightning was so bright sometimes that it seemed fully daylight. I got to work, opened the truck door and popped open my umbrella. I headed towards the building. I had to hold tight to my umbrella because the wind was trying to blow it away. In a moment, it nearly did. My umbrella flipped inside and out. I am getting soaked and cussing all the way to the building. Flippin' great! I got upstairs to my desk, threw down my keys, I am upset because it took so much extra time to get there also. I worked for about 20 minutes and headed off to my class at Northlake and it was barely raining. Not long after my class fully started, my mother called. I sent her call to voicemail and sent her a text that I was in class. She texted back to call her cell when I got a chance. Her cell?...shouldn't she be at work by now? When my class took a break, I stepped into the hallway to call her. She started telling me about how lightning had hit her house and a caused a fire in the attic. They had damage to the living room also. I was at first speechless. I wanted to think she was joking with me, but she was so serious. I told her I would check back in later and went back to class since they had it all under control. I must have looked different when I came back to class because 5 people asked if I was okay. My class resumed and we took another break. I called my husband who said he, my sister & my brother were going to head down...but I wanted to go. I wanted to go see the damage and help get whatever needed to be done done. My supervisor in also in my class so I stepped back in and asked her to step out in the hall. When I told her what was going on, she was like go..go...why are you still here? I really wanted to stay for the last hour of class, but I really wanted to go. When we got back in, we were given our certificates and my supervisor said she was given me a pass to go ahead and leave. Everyone wished me well and I briefly thanked my instructor, he was awesome. I headed down to my mom's.

The damage wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It was still bad though. The fire started in the attic when lightning hit the house. The fire likely came down the chimney and found electrical wires and sparked the fire. Mom said that they lost some electric in the house and could smell smoke. They were trying to flip the switches out when David opened the attic door. In the attic they could see the flames. My grabbed the dogs, her purse and cell phone and headed out of the house calling 911. David went to wake my step-brother to find out that he wasn't home. The firemen showed up and filled the street with trucks. The fire and firemen had broken a gas line in the attic also. So there is no power or gas and these things can't be turned on until both are repaired. The adjuster comes out tomorrow. Today, we pulled up the carpet in the living room and hallways since they were soaked. Mom and David packed up a couple days worth of things and we headed towards my house. They will stay here for a few days until the insurance decides what will happen.

Overall, I am glad that everyone is safe. It is quite interesting that this happened today...a day when my brother woke up with a sinus headache and wasn't going in....a day when my sister decided to take a personal day off work...a day when my husband was at home....a day when I was easily able to get off work...a day when my step-brother didn't have to be at work. Oh, what a day it has been.

Here are some pictures from the day.

You can also see pictures already uploaded onto my brother's Flickr.

snapshot sunday

2009-04-26T22:56:00.009-05:00

Bet you thought, I was skipping Snapshot Sunday again, huh?!?!? Well, I didn't. Here you go.

The weather was so nice out this past week. We did a lot of outside activities after work/school this week. On Wednesday, we played outside not long before the sunset with hot wheels type cars Joshua got from his Uncle J.

On Saturday, I had a Breast Cancer 3-Day fundraiser to attend. Mom & David (Pops) kept Joshua for the day. They were going to stay around home, but instead decided to go out running around. They made a trip into Dallas to the Age of Steam Railroad Museum at Fair Park. Joshua loved the trains. There will be pictures up on Flickr soon.

After the trains, they decided they would head over to see planes at the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum. Joshua didn't have quite as much fun here, but he was needing a nap.

Per request, here is Joshua's size compared to Chanci's size. I haven't done pictures like this in a while. Joshua was fresh outta the bath in his p.j.'s and Chanci...well...she could use a bath.

Joshua also got a haircut Sunday by my mom. This is what he thinks about it. And, despite how it looks in this picture, it is a good haircut/trim up.

waddle waddle

2009-04-23T22:36:00.013-05:00

Wednesday was just another Wednesday. Nothing major happened. Tonight, Thursday night, I went to Bedford Boy's Ranch again for a walk. I didn't do well because after I started walking, I stopped to stretch, like I have been doing, and when I started walking again the muscles in my right leg tightened up. They tightened up so badly that I talked myself out of sitting down. I figured that sitting down would not help. My muscles have not done this before tonight. I did not like it and will eat a banana in the morning to help this situation.

I took the camera to the park tonight in hopes of seeing these baby geese that I seen on Tuesday night. And sure enough, I found them, near where I had seen them on Tuesday. They are just so cute.

And then there were these ducks that waddled on over quacking at us, requesting food.

When they realized we didn't have food, they waddled away, quacking amongst themselves. I am sure they were cursing at us.

no barking

2009-04-21T23:32:00.003-05:00

Monday night, I talked Jeff into walking with me. We walked a mile and half, which wasn't bad. Joshua is loving riding in the stroller for walks. Tonight, Steph & I went and meet with our team the 60 Mile Mamas and walked 2 and a half miles. Which is great. We walked at the Bedford Boys Ranch which is a great place to walk. Jeff kept Joshua at home. Jeff said that when I left, Joshua went and sat in his stroller and cried because Mommy had left him. I thought about Joshua the entire time I was gone because I felt guilty for not bringing him. He really seems to be looking forward to my walking. When we walk our neighborhood, we barks back at the dogs and after spending Sunday evening in my brother, Jeromy's backyard, Joshua now says, "no barking". Joshua seems to not like larger dog barks. They are the ones that are told, "no barking". The little dog barks, he barks at and then tells them "no barking".

I am taking an Excel class at work. It is part of a grant that my company got for continuing education with Northlake. I learned several new things today that I didn't know how to do and was refreshed on things I haven't used in a long while. The class continues Wed, Fri & Mon. Being on the campus really makes me wish I had finished college and perhaps someday things will work out and I can go back.

Two night of eating in now....seems easy enough...especially considering that I got new things that we don't normally eat. I need to get to bed...5:30 is going to come really early.

Snapshot Monday

2009-04-20T22:51:00.007-05:00

So I went to bed last night and completely forgot about Snapshot Sunday. Since I am still a little behind on editing pictures here are a few.

Tornado damage DeQueen, AR.

I will get the larger pictures uploaded onto flickr this week with more detail about them.

Tornado damage Mena, AR.
Joshua Easter egg hunt loot.
Sharing a snack with Monkey...this is a couple months old, but cute all the same.

no walking but a lot of running

2009-04-18T23:09:00.003-05:00

Our training walk with our new team, 60 Mile Mamas, this morning was rained out. Instead we went and had breakfast together. It was great. They filled us in on the fundraising plans for the 3-Day and answered many questions that Steph & I had. After that was done, Steph, Kaitlyn, Joshua & I started running around. First to Target because Joshua exploded and needed not only pants but also a shirt (yes, it was that bad) and I didn't have backup clothes withe me. To Sam Moon where I scored a new purse (that I am not sure I like now that I have used it), earrings and a necklace. Then back to Target to pick up my truck. Headed to my sister's to drop my truck off. Then to Academy, where nothing was found that was needed. Then to Dick's Sporting Goods, again absolutely nothing of use in this over sized store. Off to Wal-mart for grocery shopping, too many dollars later we dropped my grocery's off at home and change Joshua because he again exploded. Then, we decided that we hadn't been to quite enough stores today so we headed to Grapevine to Bass Pro Shops where again nothing was found that was needed. So back home we headed, decided to go to Fuddrucker's for a hamburger, a tasty one at that. After dinner, Joshua learned how to do "hand farts", you can imagine how precious this is. No one really taught him how...I really think he just figured it out. Back to my sisters, where Joshua exploded once again (the third time) and needed to be changed. We came home and I got Joshua in the bath. I am thinking that his explosions are the result of his antibiotic for his ears, which still aren't clearing up. I think he will need to go back to the doctor this week.

I am tired. Joshua was a terrible two year old all day. He wants to do anything and everything except what I want him to do. Which today was a lot of stop moving around and touching things. I swear the kid touches everything that he touchable which only rules out nothing. And he still puts nearly everything he can into his mouth. I would have thought that we would have grown out of this by now, but nooooo.

The tooth I chipped during my pregnancy is really starting to bother me. We have no dental coverage and no extra funds for me to go the the dentist on. It gives me headaches and I know it needs to come out. My heels hurt from all the walking/running around we did today. I will need new shoes soon for training I am doing. My brassiere is bothering me to no end and I hate shopping for new ones nor do I really have the money for a new one. I am not sleeping well and that has resulted in a cranky Susan. And no one likes a cranky Susan. So....since the cat is snoring in the chair next to me, I think I will head to bed (better late than never!).

wooo potty time

2009-04-17T22:18:00.003-05:00

Thursday night one of the shows I watch didn't come on and the other was a rerun. So Joshua and I sat down in the study floor to go through more papers that have piled up. I swear I have been working on this study and piles of paper since before Christmas. The pile never seems to end. It doesn't help that I suck at organizing. I was shredding paper and Joshua was studying the shredder from a distance. He picked up a paper out of the recycle box and wanted me to shred it. As the shredder is "eating" the paper, he's like, "no, my paper", that isn't how it works, we can't get the paper back, the machine eats it, I explain. He seems to understand and I go out shredding. In a minute he brings me several papers and says, "eat it". So we shred those and he seemed to understand that the machine "eats" the paper. It is amazing to me how he figures things out.

Since we got back from Arkansas this past weekend, Chanci keeps wanting to be let out in the middle of the night. I am not liking this at all. I am not going to be getting up and down all night to let her in and out. So, since Jeff went to work Wednesday morning, at 4 a.m. Thursday morning, Chanci wanted out. Not a major problem, I get up at 5:30 anyway. She was only out for about 2 hours...she is out that long on the weekend and some week nights anyway. Well, Friday morning she wanted out at 2 a.m. I am tired and ticked that I am having to get up to let this "stupid-a**" dog out. I didn't know it was about to be raining. When I got up late at nearly 6 a.m., I went to let her in. Well....it had been raining and she was one pi**ed, wet & muddy dog. I had her wait in the sun room, partly to dry off and partly to clear a nice path back to her crate. She came in, refused to go in the kitchen for a drink so it was straight to her crate. Muddy paw prints from the back door to her crate. Good thing the living room is hardwood & the carpet in the bedroom it gross anyway. The mud she brings in normally cleans up pretty well off of it anyway. Perhaps, just perhaps, she learned her lesson and won't be asking to go out in the night tonight. And if she does, I will probably curse her all the way outside where she will again stay until I get up.

Tonight, when we got home from dinner with my sister, Joshua and I were playing in the living room. I kept asking if he was ready for bed and of course "No!" was always the answer. Right at 8:30, I asked if he wanted to do potty-time. He responded, clapping his hands, "yeah, yeah, potty time, yeah, yeah". And as we headed down the hall to his bathroom it was, "woooo potty time, woooo, yeah, potty time". He was so freakin' excited about it, it was hard not to laugh. And I was tired of waiting for him to go, I was trying to get him to get up so we could go put on a diaper...and he was refusing to get up...suddenly, the music started. He peed, but honestly, most of it got on his shirt....yuck! He apparently wasn't sitting just right. After he went, he said, "see pee-pee" and stood up so he could see it. Sounds gross and it was. After his diaper, we went back in to flush it down the toilet. Again, he waved and said bye to the pee. I swear that is his favorite part of using the potty. But secretly, inside, in quiet, I go "wooooo, we pottied, we pottied, woooo, yeah, yeah, we pottied!" and my guts do a happy dance while my heart does backflips!

This is a busy weekend...kinda. Tomorrow morning, provided it doesn't rain, I am meeting my new teammates. My sister, Stephanie, and I have joined an existing team for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. We are now members of the 60 Mile Mamas. These women have done the race before, most of the more than once. And they know the ropes and I am looking forward to meeting them. After that, shopping and a trip to Burleson to (hopefully) see a new baby.

where have all the snapshots gone

2009-04-15T22:22:00.005-05:00

So, I am skipping Snapshot Sunday this week...just look for next Sunday's to be big.

This has been a busy week but I haven't really done much...at least I don't feel that I have.

Monday brought about not much. Dinner with my sister. Oh, on Monday, Joshua had a follow up with his pedi. They had called in drops on Friday to the Wal-mart in Arkansas. The doctor was concerned because after 4 days of ear drops, his ears were not clearing very quickly. He could still see the tubes in both ears. He wanted to put him on an antibiotic. We dropped off the script and when we went to pick it up, the lady asked if we wanted it flavored. I asked what flavors she had and she started listing them. I said, "did you say banana?" "Yes, does he like banana?" "Oh yea, we will take banana flavoring." "That's weird, but okay." She left the window and returned and we headed home. After getting Joshua in his jammies, I offered his banana flavored medicine. I told him it was banana, after all it smells like bananas. He took half of it and said, "no wan it, no wan it, no banana, no wan it, no banana mama". Apparently, the banana flavoring isn't that great....note to self.

Tuesday night, Jeff and I had our appointment. It went well. There are some new things that we will work on in the next month. I actually felt like this appointment was productive. While we were gone, Mom came up and kept Joshua. I called her when we got out of our appointment to let her know we were headed home. She said that she had created a monster for us. I am thinking, "great, what now?". When we got home, she was pulling him along the sidewalk in his dump truck. His Tonka dump truck in all it's yellow glory. And he was just smiling from ear to ear. I wish I had snapped a picture. She had tied a stringy-rope to it and was pulling him along. Then, we all had to come inside. It was getting to be bedtime and Mom needed to go home. Joshua didn't want to get out of his dump truck, much less come inside. He whined at the door for "ouside". He loves to be outside (wonder where he gets that from) and begs to go out constantly. We really need to get the backyard in some sort of shape so we can use it more. Then I don't have to worry about random dogs....

I hate when people put their kids in the front yard with their dog. They expect the kid to play and be a kid and to take care of the dog. Typically the kid has no control or authority over the dog so it is a lose-lose situation. It bothers me to no end. Mom had brought Chanci out in the front on Tuesday night and hooked her up to the tree. We sometimes take her in the front to play around and if we will be outside for an extended period of time we have her cable around the tree. After I got home, this dog comes running up to Chanci with a young girl chasing behind yelling for the dog. She had no control over this dog. I don't like this. Moments later, the people across the street also had their kids and dog out in the front to play...their dog came over to see Chanci. This time she barked at the incoming dog and the dog turned around and headed home before making to our grass. Two thoughts...1. Is Chanci really that intimidating? 2. What are these parents thinking...are they thinking?? I think it is important for a child to learn about responsibility and I think a dog can be a good tool is this lesson. But, a child should never be left as the sole care giver to a dog. A child should not have to keep up with a dog while they are outside to play with their friends. You can't expect an 8-12 year old to do both at once. And you shouldn't leave your kid alone with a dog...no matter how much you trust your child or the dog. You just never know what could happen. I don't think Chanci would ever attack anyone (she is more likely to lick them to death) but she could easily knock someone over, including an adult. She is not small by any means. I also can not stand when a child comes running up to me and Chanci, hands flailing about, screaming 'puppy, puppy'. It is intimidating for the dog and increases the chance the dog will attack. Don't let your child do this. They don't know the dog, and the dog doesn't know them. There is a girl that lives on our street who always ask if she can come pet our dog. She is nice and polite. She always offers the back of her hand to Chanci as she walks up. Obviously, her parents took the time to teach her this. Why then, is she the child who came chasing her dog into my yard on Tuesday? Why? You can't talk to the dog, asking, "how does this child with flailing arms make you feel?" No matter how innocent the dog looks, no matter big or small...you should ask before approaching a dog you don't know. And you should not let your child keep up with your dog while they want to play with friends. You can dog sit for an hour while they play outside. Give the dog a crate...a safe place to hang out in this instances. Please for the love of my sanity.

Jeff didn't go to work Tuesday night. They didn't have a load for him, but asked him to call Wednesday morning. When he called Wednesday morning, they surprisingly had a load for him to Memphis.

Wednesday has been another day. Nothing stand out as happened. I decided this afternoon at work that I would take advantage of another beautiful day and go for a walk when I got home. That is exactly what I did. For the first time since my surgery I walked. I did some light stretching and then walked a mile and a half. My mother called while I was out for my walk and asked about dinner. I had planned chicken & noodles for dinner. But $5.50 fajitas sounded too good to pass up. So off to Grand Prairie for fajitas. They were tasty as usual. After we got home, Joshua found a million things he didn't like and decided to throw a tantrum about every single one of them. Finally it got late enough for bath time. So off for a bath. Bath time with him has gotten interesting. He doesn't want to sit in the tub. But doesn't want to take a shower either. Basically, he wants to play with the water, but not be bathed. He prefers to be dirty and if he had his choice he would sleep in the dirt, eat in the dirt and live in the dirt. Being cleaned is a chore for him; a chore that he absolutely does not like. He stood up for most of this bath today, bending down to play with his bath toys. When I finally rinsed the shampoo out of his hair he decided to sit down. I didn't get very wet tonight during bath time...it has been a while since I stayed this dry. Then, at the end of his bath, he didn't want to get out. He never wants to get out. The water drains out and I know he is getting cold, but still he refuses to get out. Normally I get him out and he tries to escape before being wrapped in the towel. He is a streaker when given the opportunity.

It is nearly an hour after my bedtime. I had a hard time getting up this morning, so I really should have gone to bed early, but oh well.

snapshot sunday delayed again

2009-04-12T22:44:00.003-05:00

Snapshot Sunday will again be late this week. I forgot to take my camera to Arkansas and had to use my mother's. She just left, but I need to get to bed so...Snapshot Sunday will be on Monday again this week.

Thursday dragged at work. The wildfires west of here left the air hazy and smokey. I expected to have problems with my asthma, but surprisingly, I didn't. We hit the road Thursday night and blew a tire in Rockwall. Spent about two hours at a Love's. Good thing we did, as we were sitting around with a blown tire being fixed, tornadoes hit the two largest towns in the area we were headed too. I don't think we would have been in the middle of them, but our delay helped us not be quite so close. Joshua refused dinner Thursday night and I realized that his ear was draining. He had been having goopy eyes all week. When we rolled into the first of these towns, De Queen, we came over the hill and seen flashing lights. At first we thought it was a road block to check drivers out, but once we were in the lights, we could tell it had been a tornado. The damage looked pretty bad even in the dark of night. By the time we reached the cabin in Arkansas after midnight, I knew I would have to call the doctor Friday to see if they would call in meds for him. Friday morning we all got a later start. I called his doctor and played phone tag with the nurse. They did call in eye drops & ear drops for Joshua so we had to venture back to De Queen. The damage in the daylight was bad. A mobile home park had been hit right along the highway. The homes were thrown about and the trees were whacked off in every direction. We got what we needed at Walmart and headed back to the cabin. I took some pretty good pictures and video...part of Snapshot Sunday. Friday night, Mom and David's air mattress sprung a major leak. We attempted to fix it, but that didn't work. Mom nearly scared me to death when she woke me up in the night to take my air mattress. I had a extra with me but it was twin. We aired it up and I slept on it for the night.

Saturday morning we did Easter baskets with the kids. The Easter Bunny hopped right on by and left them for the kids while they were out for a ride. Joshua's reaction was like "oh, this is mine, ok". Then he realized that E & K were taking their candy out of theirs and he joined in....at least until he found this years Easter Car...seems to be becoming a tradition from his Easter Bunny...a cool new car to play with. A short while later, Jeff called for the umpteenth time, I was bothered that he wouldn't stop calling. He said he just wanted to call and tell me how much he was missing Joshua and I. My response was, "yeah, we miss you too, what do you want". (loving aren't I?) He suggested I look over the hill....and low and behold...there he was. I was shocked. Once he got in the cabin, my next response was, "we don't have anywhere for you to sleep". Remember I had given my big air mattress to Mom & David and was now sleeping on a twin. It was decided that Mom and I would drive over to Mena to get another air mattress. The tornado damage in Mena was worse than De Queen. It was devastating. Homes...beautiful homes....old beautiful homes destroyed. There is nothing quite like a home from the early 1900's...the craftsmanship that went into homes back then is amazing. And to see those homes thrown about......it was hard. The people walking the streets....were heartbroken. Cases of water were set out every 5-8 houses. There was a safe haven, where food and water was near the First Baptist Church...which had damage also, as did four churches close by. We didn't venture to far in to the damage, because it was so bad. It made my neck hurt...the stress, the pain, the damage, the faces of the people.

Saturday afternoon, back at the cabin, we did hunt eggs...again while the kids were gone for a ride. Joshua had a good time hunting, but he wanted to stop and open the eggs to see what was inside. He made out with a good loot of candy. Candy that he doesn't need, nor do Mommy or Daddy.

In the night, Sunday...not long after we laid down, it came a storm. Rain falling heavy and hard. At one point it started hailing and I shot up in bed yelling, "oh crap". I woke up Joshua who then had to be comforted back to sleep...or maybe I needed to be comforted by him. After the devastation I had seen in Mena, I had a hard time sleeping with the storm happening outside. Sunday morning, it was still raining. Problem with this is that in order for us to get out to the highway from the cabin we have to get vehicles to the other side of the pond. Not hard to do when the ground is dry. But had 6 inches of water to the bottom and it quickly becomes difficult. The boys loaded 4-wheelers onto one trailer and got it across safely and then came back to take the other trailer of 4-wheelers across. In the meantime, Jeff and I had loaded up the Camero and decided that I would drive it across the dam to the other side. I slipped and slid my way across the dam, got stuck, then unstuck. Then went a different route. And again slipped and slid and got stuck, unstuck, stuck, unstuck, stuck, laid on the horn for help to head my way, unstuck, stuck, unstuck, stuck, unstuck, stuck and finally made it to unstuckable ground. I headed back to camp and my brother-in-law came over to get me. As we were done loading up the final stuff to head out, the sky got a little blue and the sunshine peeked through. Typical....very typical. Nonetheless, we headed home. Stopped and had supper (lunch/dinner) at Applebee's and made it home around 5:30.

Now it is past my bedtime, I will have Snapshot Sunday on a Monday tomorrow.

three years today

2009-04-08T21:39:00.003-05:00

Well, it has been a quick couple of days. Monday night, Jeff and I went out for an early anniversary dinner. We had planned to do this Sunday, but the Fence Raising Party kinda got in the way of that. We went to Red Lobster...I had won my choice of gift cards at work and I picked the Red Lobster one because Jeff likes to go there, but I don't really. We had a good dinner.

I should back up to Saturday. Joshua and I were out most of the day. But that evening, Joshua nearly made me cry. We were playing in the living room...our couch has recliners at both ends. He has learned that he can climb up on the reclined portion and walk his way up to the lap of whoever is sitting there. We had been playing this "fun" game for about 4 or 5 minutes when he climbed up into my lap and sat down. He grabbed my cheeks to look me in the face and said, "love you Mama" and then gave me the biggest hug I have ever gotten. I didn't cry...if I had, he would have thought he had done something wrong. It was one of the sweetest moments in his nearly two years. So fast forward to tonight.....................in the bathtub. He has two "bukets" as he calls them. He loves pouring the water from one to the other. I love using the larger "buket" to rinse him off...hair included. He has gotten in the last month to where he doesn't like this part of the bath. Quick and easy...that it what I always tell him. So tonight, I seized my opportunity and grabbed the larger "buket" and dumped it over his head. He gave me the meanest face I have ever seen on him and reached down with the smaller "buket" filling it with water and threw the water all over me. I was good and wet. And all I could do was laugh. It had happened so fast. It was funny...like "I'll show you, Mommy".

Tuesday night, was uneventful. I went grocery shopping with my sister for the food for Arkansas this weekend. I am excited about this trip. Joshua is really getting big and adventurous outside. The other day he laid down on the sidewalk to say "hi" to an ant that was walking along. It was very cute and I kicked myself for not having the camera in my hand. If only I had a way to permanently attach the camera to my hand then I know I wouldn't miss things like this. I think that was Saturday morning when he said hi to that ant.

So today, is mine and Jeff's 3rd wedding anniversary. Three years married and 6 years together this summer. Six years....that is a long time. Time has flown by. And though we have our issues, I do love him more than just about anything else. He makes me laugh even when I don't want to. He doesn't always help around the house, but when he does, he does an awesome job...especially in the kitchen. He hates doing yard work, but does it anyway. And he takes good care of me and Joshua. So, Happy 3rd Anniversary Sweetheart!

snapshot sunday on a monday

2009-04-06T22:07:00.005-05:00

Turns out our Internet/TV problems were related to the fence raising. Seems we cut an important wire when digging, causing 4 people on our block to be without their cable services. It all got fixed up today!

Here is the fence after the fierce wind storm from Thursday...

Here is the fence after Sunday's Fence Raising Party...

As another note, Joshua used his potty 4 times this weekend....and I am so excited!!! I will blog more tomorrow night. My new shift is telling me that I don't need to be up past 10.

where go snapshot sunday?

2009-04-05T22:08:00.001-05:00

Snapshot Sunday will appear on Monday as our cable (TV & internet) are down.

hooray!

2009-04-04T22:24:00.003-05:00

I had a great Friday and a great Saturday...will Sunday be great also??? I hope so!!!

Friday morning I woke up and while I was getting dressed, I noticed, out of the corner of my eye, that I could see into my neighbor's backyard. I turned my head to get a full head on view and yes...there was my neighbor's backyard....green grass....no weeds....flower bed along the back fence....in all it's glory, my neighbor's backyard. So I asked myself, "Self, why can you see in the neighbor's backyard?". And then I answered myself, "I don't know. Where is the fence?" My conversation continued with myself for a few moments as I moved closer to the window. I looked out and there was my fence, on....the....ground. The winds had blown through ferociously on Thursday and I had gotten home after dark and did not notice this until now...Friday morning when I am getting ready for work. I called Jeff, money is tight right now, and casually asked if we had $200 to spare this weekend. He asked why, so I told him and at first he was speechless and then thought that I was joking. I wasn't. Friday night, I again got home after dark...geez....I really stay out too late! I also called my brother-in-law to find out if he could help me figure out what supplies I would need to fix the fence....he, of course, said yes and that he was available on Sunday. I ain't fixin' the fence if Jeff ain't here to help so it would have to wait until Sunday when I knew he would be home. I then called in an old return-favor from my cousin...see I help him put up his fence years back when they had first bought their house. So, now I had my cheap-labor lined up and just needed the supplies.

I went off to work on Friday...in a great mood....it is amazing what a little planning will do for you! At work, I was pulled away into a one-on-one with my supervisor and offered an earlier shift. Of course...I would love to work earlier. It has been difficult getting to Joshua before his daycare closes. My day sailed along smoothly. I was super productive...but then my phone didn't ring non-stop like it had all week. I left work, picked up Joshua and had a great dinner at an place in Irving I hadn't been to in at least 2 years. It was tasty as always. Funny thing, as a side note. The place was Angelo's and Angelo's used to be over in the Plymouth Park area of Irving...at Irving Blvd and Story. So way back when....like 50+ years ago, my great-grandmother used to work there. In fact, her picture is still hanging on a wall as part of a newspaper article that was done about this booming little Italian restaurant. I am proud of this but not sure why.

Saturday morning, my mother drove up to my house to go running around. I think she was glad to be out of the house again after Thursday. We traveled with my sister up to Sam Moon to look at luggage for a birthday party my sister had to go to this afternoon. She found a cute bag that any 10 year old girl should love. We split with her as she headed to South Irving to the party, Mom and I headed to Sweet Tomatoes. If I am on that side of town, I almost feel obligated to stop for lunch. The buy one get one coupon that Mom had helped too! After that, we stopped in at Wal-mart to pick up a few things for Mom and dinner makings for tomorrow night. We headed back to my house and finally Joshua fell asleep. But woke up a mere 40 minutes later...I don't get it...he takes a two hour nap at school, but regardless of what we do on the weekend...he never sleeps that long for me anymore. We weren't home very much longer, my brother-in-law had gotten off work and stopped by to help access the fence situation. We determined what we needed. I should mention that I went over to my neighbor's house today to let him know that we would be fixing the fence tomorrow, Sunday. He said great, and would split the cost with us (which is great). He said he wanted to help, but after he got home from church. Awesome. Steph's group and Josh & I grabbed dinner and headed to Lowe's. $435.11 later, we have all fence fixing material. So now...just have to wait for tomorrow afternoon to get here for the fence raising party. Wanna help???

Also, today, Saturday, April 4, Joshua pee'd in the potty twice...not just once...twice!!! How freakin' awesome is that??? I was quite giddy after the second time. He loves to help pour the pee into the big potty and flush it away....he always says, "bye-bye peepee". It is funny. Joshua and I have been working on some new songs, one of which I got from another blog I read. It is a song, I know you know...If you're happy and you know it, shout Hooray! Hooray! He loves it...we sing, If you're sad..frown, sleepy..close your eyes, elephant..swing your truck, bird..flap your wings, monkey..wave your arms. Between this new found fun song and Ring Around the Rosie, we are doing a whole lot of singing.

That pretty much wraps it up.

pro-duck-tive

2009-04-02T22:27:00.002-05:00

Today was busy at work. Before I knew it I had missed my first break by an hour, but took it after speaking with an upset provider. Then I went to lunch 30 minutes late....I didn't even realize it was lunch time. When my last break rolled around....well I was an hour and a half late for that. But I was mostly productive all day. The two new girls on our team have been making all of our outbound calls to the providers...only making outbound calls. That leaves me...one person...to take all the return calls from the voice mails they have had to leave. I did get to learn another step in the refund process...only one more step for me to learn.

When I got out of work and into the truck...I hadn't even started the truck and my phone rang. It was my step-dad, David, and at first I panicked thinking something was wrong with Mom. There was nothing wrong with her except she wanted to get out of the house and they were calling to see if Joshua and I wanted to go with them. To Chinese...I don't get Chinese very often. And there is this great place down in Mansfield that we went to meet them at. It was my first time to see Mom since her surgery and she was moving around better than I expected her to be. Joshua, of course, wanted Nana to pick him up, and I don't think he ever understood that Nana couldn't. All in all, it was a good dinner and Joshua played for a bit after we got home and went to bed with little fussing. He hasn't been wanting to go to bed lately....he just wants to be "wake" meaning not "seep".

Tonight after we got home, I was productive. I managed to get two loads of laundry going...one in the washer now and one in the dryer....not bad for my lazy bones. And I also got a load of dishes going. I am going to have to do some hand dish washing this weekend, because that pile is bugging me.

I was super productive today at work and at home....and now....I am going to bed.

ring roun rosie

2009-04-01T22:18:00.002-05:00

Monday was busy at work...most every day has been super busy at work this week. And hectic. And it is only Wednesday.

This morning on the way to school, Joshua surprised me with something new. We had stopped to get gas and were nearly to school when he started singing, "ring roun - pause - ashes ashes we fall down". I looked over shocked because he and I haven't done this song. He was so proud of himself that he then had to sing it again, "mommy, ring roun, ashes ashes we down". I was impressed. So I sang it and he looked at me as surprised as I was looking at him...like wow mom you know that song too? It was great. We sang it some again and again on the way home today, but today at school he picked up another word so now he sings, "ring round rosie, ashes ashes, we fall down". He also clasp his hands together and dances them back and forth.

Then tonight at dinner, he burped and said, "excuse you". It was so hard not to burst out laughing. I know if I had laughed he would have thought is was funny to burp and it would never stop. But I am laughing now as I type this. I am truly amazed everyday with the new phrases he comes up with. This past weekend, we discovered that he will count to 10. He had never counted beyond 5. His ABC's are coming along as well...he can almost sing all of them...it helps if he is in a mood where he wants too. And I have noticed that he seems to know the colors red, blue, brown and green. Though he likes to say purple...probably because it feels funny to say.

I wish tomorrow was Friday, but it is not. Two more days and this week will officially be over and down with.

snapshot sunday

2009-03-29T23:21:00.007-05:00

Quick update....I went shopping with Mandy on Saturday and Joshua got new shoes...pictures to come....Mandy also scored some excellent new shoes. On Sunday, we went to Leapin' Lizard's with Christina's Crew....part of their quest to find a birthday party hot spot for Adam. The boys had a blast playing and Joshua was exhausted when we were done.

Today was also a day of firsts for Joshua....
His first ever doughnut.

And his first FunDip treat.

it's the weekend...finally

2009-03-27T23:52:00.002-05:00

Tuesday...seems uneventful....dinner out, I just don't remember where. Jeff went to work. Blah, blah, blah.

Wednesday...dinner with Mom, David and Steph's crew. Work went like work does. Blah, blah, blah.

Thursday...had a meeting in Plano in the evening after work. It was a business opportunity and it was a good meeting. More to come on this in the coming weeks. Didn't get home until nearly 10pm. My mother had surgery Thursday morning to have her gall bladder taken out. She is doing fine recovering at home for the next three weeks.

Friday...work was a typical Friday at work. I got kudos in a meeting for my work on the refunds. I don't like being singled out for recognition and felt uncomfortable as people above me went on about how well I was doing....and I could tell me teammates didn't really care. No one talks to me anyway....and I really don't care.

Tonight my sister picked Joshua up from school. I went to her house after work for dinner. Once dinner was all over and it was time to go home, things got interesting. You see.....I got Joshua in his seat in the truck. He was all buckled in and I locked his door as usual...I don't want anyone to steal him out of the truck. I had thrown the keys on the dash like I always do. I was talking to my sister about how cold it was and I closed Joshua's door. As the door is shutting I realize that I have just locked my keys and my son in my truck and it is flippin' 30 something degrees outside. I panicked....meaning that tears started flowing. My sister thought I was joking and then went inside to get my brother-in-law, Brandon. Brandon has had other opportunities to break into my truck and has never succeeded. My truck is locked down good. I remembered that Jeff was headed to Dallas so I called him and he had just pulled into the Averitt yard in Grand Prairie. He also thought I was joking, he talked to my sister who confirmed that I wasn't. He dropped his truck and trailer and jumped in the car to head to my sister's. He has a key to my truck. I have an extra key but it was also locked in the truck...in my purse. Maybe 30-40 minutes total Joshua was locked in the truck. I was panicked the entire time. I know I gained at least 80 more gray hairs during this time period. Joshua is fine...my sister and I kept talking to him through the window. He stayed comfy in the truck away from the whippin' cold wind. Thanks to my husband....my hero....my Jeffy. At least I am not as bad a mother as this stupid woman or this idiot girl/woman.

Nothing majorly fun planned for the weekend...except to get Joshua some new shoes. The ones he has must hurt his feet as I hear a lot of "oww mama" when I put them on him. And he pulls them off every chance he gets. At least the weekend is here!

another monday down...40 more to go

2009-03-23T23:15:00.003-05:00

Just another Monday. Work was work. Joshua was his cute but fussable self. He was full of giggles tonight...and I will gladly take those over fussing. He has been so proud of himself lately. We are constantly hearing, "Josha got it" and "I did it". (We are so proud of him too!) He has learned to climb into and out of the car. We can just unbuckle him and he starts climbing down and out. It will be quite some time before he can do this in the truck. He loves to play outside. Don't ask him to go outside unless you are ready to go out and play....a fit will start if you don't follow through.

I am going to take a few more days off before I start walking. I am having one slight issue and once it is gone, I will start walking again. I am bothered that I am not walking.

My mother is having surgery on Thursday to have her gall bladder taken out. I joked with her about that she couldn't even wait a week after mine surgery to get her one. I'm not convinced she took it as a joke. Either way, it will be nice to not have her in pain. She will be down for a couple of weeks afterward....sounds like time for resting to me.

We checked out a new-to-us BBQ place with Mandy for dinner. It was pretty tasty. Better than the chain we normally go to. Mandy seems to really like her new company and job. I am happy for her and hope all works well this year for her and my brother.

Jeff took his glasses back in today and they verified that the lens had been cut wrong. They are going to redo them and have them ready next Monday. Hopefully this time all will go well. He also had to get the brakes and rotors changed on the car today. I have this song for Joshua from this site that I changed to "vroom vroom went the little red car one day....went vroom vroom grrrinnnd".....no more...new brakes and rotors don't grind. YEA!!

That's about it...it has just been another Monday.

snapshot sunday

2009-03-22T22:44:00.005-05:00

We have had a busy weekend. Saturday we headed north up to Lewisville with my cousin, Daniel & his wife, Christina. We took our son and theirs to Going Bonkers....by the way it is called that because....that is how the parents will be after 3 minutes of the noise level!!! Both Joshua & Adam had a blast. They played, they climbed, they slid & they fussed when they would have to stop for a break.

Since Jeff isn't guaranteed home very often for a full weekend. We took advantage Sunday to get some bluebonnet pictures. I had seen online some beautiful pictures of the area down around Ennis, TX, so we headed south down 45 to go check it out. They weren't quite what I had expected, but it is still early in the season. We did manage to get some full family shots.

Other than that, not much else to report. Tonight all my going and going has worn me out. I started having some pains while we were grocery shopping. Have been trying to take it easy since and am now heading to bed.

things to do...surgery...check

2009-03-20T20:42:00.005-05:00

On Thursday at work I tried to get everything wrapped up since I would not be there today. I got nearly everything done or done close enough for someone else to finish up. My doctor's office called twice yesterday, both time to change my surgery time. The first time I panicked. I thought she was telling me we would have to change days, but it was only the time..to 15 minutes earlier. Then, they called back around3:30 to move it up again 45 more minutes...an entire hour earlier than it was originally scheduled. I picked Joshua up and had dinner with Jeromy & Mandy. Joshua loves his Aunt "Mani"...and he is as much a sucker for her as she is for him.

This morning, Friday, we got up early and left the house late....surprise, surprise. We still managed to get to the hospital at 8 a.m. I was prepped and ready for surgery around 9 a.m. Nervous because I would have full anesthesia...I wasn't fully prepared for that. We went back a few minutes after 10 to the holding area...like where they hold cattle before sending them off to slaughter. My doctor came out and talked to us for a few minutes. Then the surgery nurse came out. Then the anesthesiologist came out and said he would give me something to help me start relaxing. I said my good-bye to Jeff and the wheeled me back. When we got to the operating, I slide myself over to the other table and the anesthesiologist said he would give me the other medicines to help me go to sleep....next thing I knew he was telling me that he was putting an oxygen mask on so that I could start waking up. I hated that after feeling when I could hear voices but didn't really seem to know where I was. And my eyes...they didn't want to open. And when they did...I couldn't see much because I had to leave my glasses with Jeff before I went back. By the time they got me back to my room, I had to pee so bad (sorry...TMI probably). They gave me something to drink, I kept that down and we were cleared to go. Now I am polyp free and on antibiotics for the next 7 days (four times a day) and pain meds as needed. I go to the doctor in two weeks for my follow up. No lifting for one week...I already violated that rule. No shower until tomorrow....check...will do. Go home and rest in bed....yea right...like that was really going to happen.

After we left the hospital, we dropped off my scripts, grabbed lunch and then went to pick up Jeff's new glasses. He looks really good in them. They are a much more flattering shape and color. He is having some trouble adjusting to them....I think it is because they are so bright and shiny.

That is my update...I am going back to the couch to rest while I watch a couple of shows I have recorded. I haven't tried to watch any of them so I would have them this weekend. Laters.

two more days down, one more to go

2009-03-18T23:43:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a busy day at work. This is my fourth week to work refunds. I am really enjoying it. Tuesday night was busy. I had to work late to get a project finished. I didn't get home until like 7:15 and Jeff was working on dinner. We had an appointment at 8:30 that night and my brother, Jeromy, and sister-in-law, Mandy, showed up around 8 to keep Joshua. I didn't get home until close to 9:30 and got Joshua in bed...he suckers Aunt "Mani" into letting him stay up. (She is a sucker for him.) Jeromy & Mandy left before 10, I think. I messed around the house and hit the sack before 11.

I think I have many shows in the DVR to catch up on. I missed Dancing with the Stars & The Biggest Loser this week. And I know that I didn't record The Biggest Loser. Oh well...I will get all caught up some day soon.

Tuesday morning I also went for my pre-op and registration at the hospital for my surgery on Friday. Blood work, EKG & a chest x-ray. When the lady was taking my blood she had found a really good vein but wasn't pulling anything out of it. She would re-position the needle and still nothing. She kept feeling it and said she was in the vein but still nothing was coming out. She apologized many times and then had to stick me again.....in the vein I told her to use the first time. It was no big deal. Needles don't bother me....I can't watch them stick me, but can watch the blood flow out or a liquid flow in, like a shot. The EKG was fine and the chest x-ray must have been fine because I haven't heard anything on that. I go in Friday morning at 9 and go back for my surgery at 11. I will be so glad when it is all done.

Today, was more refunds at work. My brain is exhausted by the end of my work day. Then I get to Joshua's school to pick him up and on his daily paper it has a note..."Sat in time out today for biting". What??? It has been a long while since he last bit. There was no accident report and they said his teacher must still have it and they will get it in the morning. The note goes on to say, "He was really fussy today. He has a bad rash on his butt." I think he is fussy because he is getting molars. He keeps grabbing at his mouth saying - owee, owee, owee. Could be a reason for biting too. His poor bottom....his fair skin....he can't seem to catch a break. All it takes it 30 seconds too long in a dirty diaper and his gets a horrible diaper rash. HORRIBLE!!! I was hoping to let him soak in the bath tonight, but we didn't get home until nearly 11pm. Way past his bed time. He was half asleep, so I just got him some jammy bottoms and put him to bed in his shirt he wore all day. No biggie...sometimes....it just works out that way.

Tonight after dinner with my sister, we went for our three mile walk. It was a walk moderate night....the first. I think we actually averaged worse tonight on time than we did our first two nights of walking. Mostly my fault. We all kept stopping to stretch. My leg muscles haven't seen this much workout in a few years...if not longer...probably not since 2002-2003. Oh my...that was a long time ago. In 2002, I gave up red meat and started walking every night. I lost almost 60 pounds that year. It was a good healthy year for me.....then I met Jeff...and now look at me. (Just teasing honey!-love you!!) I need to work on the right stretches before we start walking....and not just stretch for 60 seconds and go walking. I am satisfied with my progress so far. I think I am doing good for living such a sedentary life.

I am needing to get to work early tomorrow since I am missing Friday. So I really need to get to bed.

just another monday

2009-03-16T22:46:00.002-05:00

Worked today...got a lot accomplished. I feel like I am starting to fully get the hang of the refunds. Making sure we have all necessary documentation and is it a refund or an adjustment. I am getting better in my verbiage when I have to call a provider about needing more information. We have two new girls on our team and today they went on the phone for the first time. It was funny listening to them....did I sound like that 3 months ago??

Tonight we tried a new Mexican place...well, new to us anyway. Rio Mambo on 121. It was tasty. A bit expensive, especially when you add two alcoholic drinks to the tab. All the kids meals were $4.99. And since we had never been, we opted to get Joshua one...of course he didn't eat but two french fries....then wanted rice and beans off our plates. He could live on rice and beans. Hmmmm....wonder what he would think of cheese covered rice and beans...he would think he had died and gone to heaven.

An update on my giving up french fries....about a week in, I was craving piping hot, nicely salted Wendy's fries. But now...I don't really crave them at all. I look at them and they are starting to look gross...like I can see the fatty grease on them. I even felt guilty ordering them for Joshua tonight....the second they set them on the table...I thought, oh no what have I ordered for him. Looks like fries are about gone from my diet just like the coke's I gave up over 10 years ago. If I can do it...so can you!! What are you going to give up???

Tonight, my sister and I walked another 3 miles. I had a harder time tonight. I don't think the shoes I am wearing are going to work. They are Reebok walking shoes, but they have a high arch. I don't. And my foot and leg are compensating for the high arch and it hurts. Next walk, I will use my Saucony's. Tomorrow is an off day for training but I will probably get at least 1/2 walk in to make up for Monday. Remember you can always donate to my cause by visiting my site.

Tomorrow morning I go to the hospital for my pre-registration and blood work. I plan to be there super early....about the time I normally start waking up. So for me...it is bedtime.

snapshot sunday

2009-03-15T22:49:00.005-05:00

We grabbed Taco Cabana for lunch today. Joshua ate some of his rice and beans and refused his quesadilla (as usual) but absolutely loved the red chip bowl that Jeff's condiments (guac, sour cream & lettuce) came in. He ate it all down and then it broke into two pieces and he didn't want it anymore because "I boke it".
It was a nice enough afternoon/evening out today. No real need for a jacket but not quite warm enough for shorts. Joshua woke up from his nap incredibly fussy and I decided that we would go outside to play...that lead to bringing out his tricycle. I really wish we had put the money into the one with a handle...the handle can be removed at a later time....instead we are breaking our backs pushing him...soon enough he will be peddling on his own though.
We followed up trike time with some good old fashion yard play time. Joshua is the King of the Sticks. All sticks laying in our yard become his....because of this...we tend to have a pretty stick free yard...with a pile in one area of sticks.

It has been a crummy week weather wise so I got all of the snapshots for this week today.

an update

2009-03-15T11:09:00.004-05:00

I haven't felt much like blogging lately. Seems I am an emotional basket case. I go from happy and friendly to wanting to rip everyone's head off and back again and and again. My surgery is this coming Friday and I am hoping that after that my doctor will help set me in the right path so I can feel normal again.

Wednesday was just another day, I don't really remember anything to major happening. I do remember working my fingers off at work. It seemed like I couldn't get anything right. So Thursday, I took a "me" day off of work. I rested good all day...meaning I hit the bed and was out. Because I slept all day Thursday, I couldn't sleep that night. I remember I tossed and turned all night. Friday was a pretty good day at work, everyone was in a great mood and no one seemed to bother me much. Friday night it was dinner out with family. Saturday was a day of little to do...a trip to the bank, FedEx and that was pretty much it. We stopped into Wal-mart to get dinner makings and Joshua and I had dinner at my sister's.

Friday night, Steph and I registered for the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk in early November. I have a personal goal of $2,300 to raise before the walk. I have a page for donations...please check it out and tell your friends. Susan's Site If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask me! We are beginning our training today with a hopeful three mile walk. We have a schedule to follow and if everything goes as planned by the end of the walk, I will have walked a total of 1000 miles and put in 40 hours of cross training.

Joshua developed a cough Wednesday evening. He coughed through the night and again Thursday night. His paper he brought home from school Friday said he coughed all day. Saturday morning I took him to the doctor and was told it looks like just a cold. I wanted to make sure that there was nothing noticeable brewing, this is going to be a busy week leading up to my surgery. I won't be able to do much Friday or Saturday and really don't want him to be sick. We are going to continue on with our vaporizer, medicine & breathing treatments in hopes that it all goes away.

Snapshot Sunday will be coming up later today.

one two fingers

2009-03-10T22:23:00.003-05:00

Why can't it be Thursday??? I wish it was...no particular reason. My day flew by again today at work, mostly because I was busy all day. We have two new girls that just started on my team. One of them will last, the other won't. I give her but a couple of months and they will have a good reason to get rid of her.

Joshua was in a good mood tonight. It was raining when I got to his school, not bad by any means but raining none the less. He was very curious about it. This spring/summer season will really be his first to be aware of the weather. (All holidays this year are going to be super fun too!) And once it stopped raining he talked to me about Owen & Jacob his buddies from school. I don't always understand what all he tells me about them, but I love that he tells me what they did. And I always know who was bad in his class because during the course of this conversation he will say a kids name and then say, be nice. As in, "Josha, be nice, Josha". Today it must have been Jason who was bad at school. Today on the way home he also changed his ABC song. It now goes, "A-B-C-D-Q-R-S-T-U-V-Now I know my know my A-B-C-D". He seems to always sing the 'know my' twice...I think it is funny. And as a surprise to Mommy today, we were nearly home and he shouted Mommy and said one, two, three and held his fingers up for one and two but not yet three...that will take a little longer. I was so impressed that the guy behind me had to honk to get me to go since the light was green.

That is my update for today. We had dinner with Jeromy & Mandy tonight. I like having dinner with them and Mandy loves getting her Joshua time. (He is helping spread the baby fever in her direction.)

happy birthday jeff

2009-03-09T22:28:00.003-05:00

I had a good day at work though I don't feel I was super productive. This whole day seems to have flown by. Perhaps time is still springing forward for me. Today was my husband Jeff's birthday. He is a whopping 35 years old....actually he is 34 but I have been teasing him all day about being 35. We had dinner out at a great Italian restaurant that he loves. Well, he loves them for their desserts. They do have pretty awesome desserts and when you join their club you get a dessert free on your birthday. He seemed to enjoy it. Several family members came, but I didn't tell him about it. When we got there I told the lady that we had a reservation under Susan and she said for 10 + high chairs....busted....Jeff knew people where coming then. When we got home, Jeff gave Joshua a bath...I am thankful for this. Lately, Joshua hasn't been willing to take a bath. He was doing great and then we had to temporarily move him to our bathroom while we were redoing his and now....he hates taking a bath. He doesn't mind playing in the empty tub, but put water in there and he hates it. I am glad I didn't have to argue with him about it...Jeff did. That is about all that I have, I am turning in early tonight just because I can.

snapshot sunday

2009-03-08T23:13:00.004-05:00

Second installment of Snapshot Sunday brings two pictures and a video.

Finds from the Mid-Cities Just Between Friends Sale

Finds from the Fort Worth Just Between Friends Sale

And in honor of Daddy's birthday...Joshua and I put together this video. It actually took us nearly 4 minutes of videoing to get this clip.....it was well worth it!!

bathroom is done

2009-03-06T22:11:00.002-06:00

No computer problems tonight so I can actually update.

Thursday turned into a long day at work. I left late and was stressing about not getting to Joshua on time. Everyone I called didn't answer...so much for back up. They all called back later. But it all worked out because when I got to Joshua's school there was a note on the door about lice. Yes, lice. When I walked in the convo went like this, "Did you see the note?" "Yes, was it in his class?" "Yes." "Dang-it!". Apparently an after schooler brought it in to the daycare and has a sibling in Joshua's class. Both siblings had it but so far none of the other kids in Joshua's class have turned up with them. Thank God!!! Here I am all glad that we have been three straight weeks with no illness (I know I shouldn't even be typing it much less saying it out loud) and then Bam! this happens. I checked Joshua's head when we got home and seen nothing that looked unusual to me. His hair was full of dirt from playing outside....which is not uncommon for my little monkey. I gave him a bath Thursday night, mostly because he needed one because he was filthy and again checked his head and nothing. I checked again this morning and still nothing. Thank God!!!

Today my brain worked too many numbers...I feel as if I worked a whole day in accounting. I am loving the challenge that is coming with my job and learning new things. But it is leaving me exhausted at the end of the day.

This weekend will be busy. We have consignment sales to hit (there are two in our area this weekend), I need to get my truck to my brother-in-law for an oil change and stuff & we have to get some of the papers for our house redone and more information gathered up to Fedex on Monday. I also need to do a little grocery shopping.

And BIG NEWS!!!!!! ALERT!!!! My surgery has been scheduled for March 20th. Isn't that exciting??? My mother seems to think so as her response was "good, you get the surgery and then we have more babies". Joshua is really to an age where he is needing a sibling. He is old enough and mature enough to understand a baby. And he would love to have someone to rough house with. He rough housed with his cousin, Ethan, tonight for at least 20 minutes.
disaster
Also the bathroom update pictures have been uploaded onto flickr....so check them out

one of those days

2009-03-04T22:06:00.003-06:00

I haven't been sleeping well. I have had a lot on my mind lately and just lay in bed with my mind racing every night. I haven't climbed in bed before midnight in over a week. I am averaging going to bed around 2 which makes it difficult to get up early for work in a few hours. I am irritable and angry and frustrated all at once. I think that my hormones are out of whack again, with me coming off my birth control, there is nothing to regulate them. It frustrates me that without them, I am like this. I will talk to my doctor about it soon. I will call the office again tomorrow to follow up about getting my surgery scheduled. Sadly, I came off my birth control because it was costing a lot of money since it was not covered by insurance. I could have gotten on a daily pill, but that is just not an option for me...not a good one anyway. They tend to not work in controlling my other issues, that is why I have been on the patch for many years. I can't concentrate at work. My lack of concentration is just one of the things I have been stressing about. I am stressing so much that I feel like my blood pressure is way up. It doesn't take much of a rise for me to notice but lately I feel like it is way way up.

I have also been having an issue with my truck this week, an unusual noise. My truck occasionally has an odd issue that will come up. Nothing major has ever been wrong with it and I am thankful for that. I stopped by my brother-in-law's tonight and of course it wouldn't make the flippin' noise...that is what always happens. Joshua was in a great mood over there and played with everyone as much as he could given that they were trying to fix dinner. Joshua and I came home and he turned into this screaming kid. SCREAMING is an understatement for what he morphed into. He wanted a drink and I just couldn't get it fast enough. And apparently, he wanted milk and I gave him juice. I was trying to cook dinner and feeling very rushed with someone SCREAMING in the background. He wanted to be held and I can only do so much cooking holding a whining kid. I finally put him in his chair and got him some snacks...apparently they just weren't good enough for him and back to SCREAMING he went. He pushed the plate across the table, the cracker mix went flying all over. I smacked his hand for this and that went over oh so very well...SCREAMING ensued. He continued SCREAMING for about 10 more minutes and finally starting crying for his monkey. I went and got monkey and instantly it was quiet and good in Joshua's little world. If anything ever happens to monkey....it will be the end of my world. I never wanted him to be quite so attached to a lovey, but sometimes I appreciate monkey....and oddly enough....I tell monkey that I appreciate him often. Anyway...I get dinner done, get Joshua's plate together so it can cool. Set it up in front of him and he picks up a piece of chicken says hot and starts SCREAMING some more. Now, I know that his chicken is not hot...heck mine ain't even hot at this point. He pushed him plate away and instantly started whining to get down. After five minutes, I thought I would save my sanity and get him down. I got him down and he collapsed on the floor SCREAMING. Apparently he wanted to be in my lap. I got him up and sat him on my knee. I continued eating and he picked up his cup and started drinking. He emptied his cup and requested in a very nice tone that he wanted more juice. I got him tea instead and he didn't even know. Then he decided that he wanted his plate so I moved his chair all the way over next too me and he ate...one and half chicken strips...about 3 inches x 1 inch of chicken. That is all he ate for dinner. By the time dinner was finished, it was his bedtime....I stretched it 30 more minutes and then put him to bed. After dinner he and I played in the living room and he was happy as a clam....a clam who didn't eat much for dinner.

I am going to get the trash out and take something to help me hopefully get some sleep.

late update or is it early

2009-03-04T00:44:00.002-06:00

So, there is a house four houses down from us. They have this little brown dog...by little, I mean maybe 5 pounds with all his hair...shaved down...maybe 3. So this little mutt as he will be further referred to has irresponsible parents. His parents let him run around the yard unsupervised and he therefore, runs into the street to chase your vehicle. Yes, 5 pounds vs. 2000....that is what is happening. And it is bound to happen sooner or later this mutt is going to get hit. I don't even slow down anymore when this mutt comes charging out. I am a dog lover, but for this dog, I am losing my patience. One day when Jeff was driving, the dog came running out. It was the first time Jeff had seen this and the mutts owner was standing by his truck laughing. Laughing?!? I told Jeff just to drive on and he was afraid of hitting this mutt. I am no longer afraid. I am concerned on another issue with this same mutt. One day the mutt's mom chased this dog down to my yard as I was getting Joshua out of the truck. She said they adopted this dog and then found out that he is not good with children. This mutt tends to nip/bite at her kids....so in turn....they let mutty run around outside....leash free...so he can chase my truck tires and bark. I am a dog lover but have never been a fan of 5 pound dogs. I like to have a dog...you know...a substantial use of space kinda dog. Dogs that don't yip & yap. I have called Animal Control but of course they come out and mutty isn't out and about. My HOA president says we should send a complaint via the website each day and/or speak with mutty's parents about this. Several complaints on this dog will get a Animal Control Tech out to speak with mutty's parents. Sometimes I wish that I didn't have Joshua in the truck with me and I would pick mutty up and take him to the FW Animal Shelter myself...it isn't that far from my house anyway. And I have a crate that mutty will fit in....hmmmm....to be continued....

And as a follow up to my post from Saturday....this is the story I was referencing...
Accused Pot Mom Denies Endangering Kids Police claim women smoked marijuana beside children

A-B-C-D

2009-03-02T22:28:00.003-06:00

Today at work our portal (our main system which hold every-freakin-thing possible) went down. And then came up for 5 minutes and went down. And came up for two minutes and went down. This is pretty much how it was all day until 5pm when they took it down for good. Seems an update didn't go well. All of this made for an incredibly unproductive day. There will be lots to do the next few days to get caught back up.

Joshua had a great day. He has been singing "A-B-C-D, Now I know my A-B-C-D's" over and over again. He often sings the song and has now changed his version to this. He has gone through periods of singing L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-A-B-C and then for a while it was A-B-C-D-E-W-R-S-L-M-N-O-P. His newest version is very cute. It makes me laugh that he is catching on the last line about knowing his ABC's. He also has his own version of Twinkle Twinkle that he sings. He has been Daddy's buddy the last couple of days and it ain't bothering me one bit. It is nice to get to do a few things without him standing right up under me. And it has been a while since he has taken to Daddy so well.

We had a slight plumbing issue tonight. Jeff did get it fixed and the crisis was resolved. We have this extra faucet in our kitchen that gives you this nasty tasting water...like all the good stuff was taken out. It was leaking and he just bypassed that part of the pipes since we never use it. At least that is my girl version of what happened. We followed this up with pancakes, eggs & sausage for dinner all of which I made....and it was tasty as usual. I make a good pancake if I do have to say so myself.

Been a long day of waiting around and I am heading to bed.

snapshot sunday

2009-03-01T23:45:00.004-06:00

Welcome to my first Snapshot Sunday here at Susanigan's blog.

School of metal fish I got this weekend for the bathroom.

Joshua had cereal with milk in a bowl for the first time this weekend.

He did pretty good overall with it.

I have also uploaded pictures on to flickr for your viewing enjoyment.

the wrinkles

2009-02-28T22:23:00.004-06:00

Friday night I was too tired to stay up late to blog. Joshua and I hung out at the house. We played and played and played. And finally at 9:30 he was ready for bed. I figured that since it was Friday night, he could stay up a little later....I hadn't really planned on a whole hour later, but it worked out just fine. Friday at work was another busy day and another day of learning something new. By Friday afternoon, my brain was on information overload. I am thankful to have a job that challenges me and I am thankful that I have a supervisor and team lead who are giving me opportunities to learn and grow. It is not often that you find a company that can actually let you grow and doesn't mind you learning new things. I think so many people in lead positions and above don't want people under them to over succeed and over take their position in the company. A downside but an upside as well at work right now is that a week or so ago a lady from my team was fired over a PHI issue. And now this week another lady from my team was fired for attendance issues. That leaves my team down to two people and one team lead. I know they are getting ready to bring in someone new because I hear the talk. It will be interesting to see who this new person is.

Joshua was in an exceptionally good mood today. He has been chatty and took naps when he could today. No major outbursts all day. Mom and I stopped into Hobby Lobby today to pick her up some things. I wound up finding some super cute accessories for the bathroom that I went ahead and got.....and pictures will be coming tomorrow!! We also stopped into Lowe's to see if they carried clear switch plate covers....btw...they do not. They used to carry them but can no longer order them. A quick stop at Wal-mart to get milk and picture hanging supplies and a even quicker stop at the dollar store for hangers (for the JBF Fort Worth Sale) and we were back home. Ah, yes....Sweet Tomatoes with my sister's family for lunch before they headed off the a day loaded with fun things to do.

When we got home, my mother and this ingenious idea to put my brand spanking new vinyl shower curtain in the dryer to dewrinkle it. I disagreed and said it wouldn't work but we went ahead with it anyway. 5 minutes later we go in to check it and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.....as my mother pulled out this matted, shriveled, wadded, shrunken piece of what was once my kid friendly, fish themed shower curtain. I had based the entire bathroom redo on this shower curtain and now it is so cooked together that....I just don't know how to describe it. My mother called my husband to explain what happened and that she will find another one for us. My husband immediately got on eBay and found one. It offered a buy it now and he bought it now and Mom paid for it via her PayPal. So by next weekend I should have a brand spanking new vinyl shower curtain that I certainly won't be putting in the dryer. Who cares if it is wrinkled???? Not me!!!....the wrinkles will work themselves out.

Jeff should be home tomorrow around noon. And we will have to go grocery shopping and to Sam's....doesn't that sound fun?

I am tired of seeing stories on the news of people who would rather do things instead of being with their kids. They would rather go for a night of smoking/drinking and wind up losing their kids. And the people that would share these activities with their kids who are barely old enough to complete sentences tick me off even more. There are so many people out there who want children and can't have them and then some people are blessed with multiple children and do such awful things to them and with them...I just don't understand. I know everything happens for a reason. And I know what goes on in my own house....and I know that I would not do anything to hurt Joshua or bring pain to him in anyway. And these mothers and fathers don't care about their kiddos. They care more about themselves and party hardyin until they kill themselves or their kids in the process. Some people just don't deserve to have children. And then there are the mothers and fathers who decide that they can't raise their kids and dump them on grandparents or siblings to take care of. What kind of crappy person must you be to do this? What kind of person walks away from that cute little face that looks up to you and clings to your soul? How does one do this.....a heartless person? A careless person? A horrible person!! I might can see both sides of many things, but this is one topic that I have never and will never see both sides too.

slow

2009-02-26T21:32:00.003-06:00

I have been slow and unmotivated all day. This morning on the way to work, at two different lights, the person behind me honked to make me realize the light was green. I think I am not getting enough sleep. I think that I will go to bed early tonight. I couldn't concentrate on work stuff today and didn't get much done at all. As much as I like my job, and I really do, I just don't seem to fit in with my co-workers. It doesn't really bother me all the time, but today, with my unmotivated, non-focused self, it did. I don't know how to fix it. I am not from the 'hood or even necessarily know how to get to said 'hood.

Joshua was full of energy tonight. He was bouncing off the walls at some points. His fussing episodes are getting somewhat better. He will start fussing and then stop to make sure I am aware of the fussing about to happen. I usually am 10 steps ahead of him on them. He is getting funnier in his fussing episodes and I am finding them more and more cute. I think it is funny that to watch him test his limits. It is amazing to watch him grow up. This morning I finally got a yes answer to a question. He was asking for more at breakfast. I asked if he wanted a banana and he looked at me and said "yea". A yea that you'd hear just before the word duh. But it was a form of yes and I will take it! I was so happy. And tonight he actually took an interest in his potty again for the first time since the night he used it.

I don't necessarily follow mardi gras or lent as some people do. But I have decided to give up french fry's. I figure if I can give them up between now and Easter, then hopefully they won't taste good anymore and I can drop them for good. It worked for soda's...I decided one day that I wasn't going to drink them anymore and now I can stand the taste. It has been over 10 years and I never look back. I don't miss the headaches I used to get from them...or lack of them.

I'm heading to bed so that tomorrow I can be a bit faster than slow.

thirsty hero

2009-02-25T23:02:00.004-06:00

Today was a pretty good day. At work, both of the other girls on my team were out (one sick and the other in off site training all day) and it was just my lead and I in our little area. The supervisor came over and asked my lead to work some refunds, since our refunds guy has made an emergency trip to AR. And my lead taught me the first few steps in processing a refund. And told me in not so many words that she thinks I am better suited to work documentation than handle just calls. She said that this training would be good for me and that people are noticing. I suppose that is a good thing. The refunds gave me a steady headache, much like I had when I first started helping with supporting docs.

Joshua was in a great mood tonight. He is perfecting his pouty lip and the start of his so called fake crying. I have been telling him to "dry it up before it starts" and he does. And then smiles at me as if to say that he was just joking anyway. He is becoming quite the comedian. I have also noticed that he is bossy with his monkeys and cars. He will sit and tell them, "no monkey, monkey be nice". Makes me wonder if I say that too much??? Oh yes, this morning, he woke up at 7....45 minutes early. He was fussing so I got up and headed in his room. When I got in there we chatted for a couple of minutes, changed his diaper and then I brought him back to my room and went to sit on the bed. He didn't want to sit on Mommy's bed. He wanted to 'gitdown'. I helped him get down and then it was "mommy gitdown'. I got up off the bed and told him to show me what he wanted. He lead me all the way back to his room to his wooden train set. The set was Ethan's and is now Joshua's. So from about 7:05 until 7:30 this morning, we sat in his bedroom floor playing with this train. At 7:30, I told him I had to go take a shower and suddenly it was okay to leave the train set. I hope this does not become a morning routine with him.

Late tonight, I had let Chanci in. I knew she was thirsty so I filled her water bowl up and even put in extra water for her. She, being the goofball she is, stood in the kitchen and drank the entire bowl of water. Moments later I hear her starting to yak in the living room so I rushed in there. I barely missed seeing the explosion. Had I seen it, I would have joined her. It was so bad that she didn't even want to step over it to go outside. The smell....was H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E!! I just don't handle puke very well. I messaged Mandy online, who thankfully wasn't busy, and she came over to clean it up for me. It was so nasty....so nasty. I am thankful to Mandy for coming over to be my hero of the night. They are taking off tomorrow and I wish them an awesomely safe trip!

It's late and you know what time it is.

i thought it was friday

2009-02-24T23:11:00.002-06:00

This morning when I got up, I had the TV on as usual watching Fox4, and the morning anchor lady, Megan, is leaving. Friday is her last day. I looked at Jeff and said, "today's her last day"...very matter of fact-ly. Jeff looked at me with a funny look and said, "I thought her last day was Friday." Too which I responded, "it is Friday.". He looked at me for a moment and said "no it ain't, it's only Tuesday. I wouldn't be here if it was Friday.". It was very disappointing. Very. I was all happy cause it was Friday morning....I know I had been dreaming and my dream was taking place on a Friday. Ho hum....it is only Tuesday.

Work was uneventful. I worked all day. My lead attempted to train another girl on our team to do supporting docs and apparently she just wasn't getting it. I am the only one on our team that is doing them. To me, that is a good thing for at least 2 reasons....1. It keeps me busy all day every day....2. I am the only one so I feel more secure in my position. Security doesn't mean squat though in the real world.

Tonight consisted in a lot of running around. We swung by to see my cousin's wife, Christina, so that we could get some paperwork for our house notarized. Thanks again Christina. Then we grabbed a semi-quick bite to eat and headed to Jeff's work. He keeps his pay stubs in his truck and we needed them. We had decided to take Joshua and show him Daddy's truck. The few times Joshua has been to Jeff's work, he always thinks the big rigs are trains. And says, "choo-choo". So tonight, when we actually got out of the truck and walked in where the big trucks are, he was very quiet and very observant (I swear he is going to be the kid who asks thousands of questions.) In Daddy's truck he pushed every button there was to push and twisted every knob. I was a nervous wreck, but Jeff said it was okay because the truck wasn't running. Joshua was barely bigger than the gear shifter. I wish I had grabbed the camera, but we will try again for pictures when the sun is shining. He sat on Daddy's bed and seemed to think that was really cool. Daddy has more knobs back there to turn. Jeff started the truck up and Joshua wasn't such a big fan, but calmed down after a few seconds. After Joshua and I left to come home, he was asleep before 5 minutes of time had passed. I slipped him into bed and haven't heard from him since.

I need to slip into bed because well...I am just plain tired.

monday monkey

2009-02-23T23:53:00.004-06:00

Today, was just another Monday. Joshua was in a good mood this morning. He went right on into his classroom this morning, no fussing. He even carried his own blanket and the toy he brought home Friday in himself. He waved good-bye and went about playing...I felt so wanted. Work was just work. I have gotten nearly all of the documentation they have had me working on done. So much so that this afternoon I had to work on other things. When I got back to Joshua's school to pick him up, he was standing at the front door and got all excited when he seen me coming...see, I knew I was wanted. Joshua has been in a good mood tonight, full of energy and very playful. He has started this thing where he pretends to start crying just to see if we will respond in his favor. We are on to his little game and normally call him on it, which leads to a pouty lip. A pouty lip that says, dangit.

Joshua is really starting to string words together for sentences. I really like the three word sentences, but am happy to get two word sentences. A cute phrase he is saying a lot right now is "I coming". Meaning that he is on his way. And he is all about hide and seek/peek-a-boo type games right now. He loves to hide things and ask "where go?" only to reveal that he hid the item under his legs...in the blanket....under the monkey....behind his back...or where ever else is handy. He has been stringing words together for a while, but lately I have noticed that he is doing it more and more and coming up with phrases on his on...like "I coming".

Tonight, Jeff and I worked some more on the bathroom. Another day and it should be completely done. We realized today that we still need shower hooks, we are probably going to just get a basic clear set for now. We have to find some fishy ones. The border paper went up tonight. Jeromy & Mandy stopped by to see Joshua. Jeromy got suckered into helping with the paper...mainly because I was too short for the job.

Also tonight, Joshua officially climbed all the way up the changing table. ALL-THE-WAY....

So now....we really need to make a decision about what to do about this situation. I get really close to him during the video, because he made me nervous and I moved closer. I didn't really zoom out in my trying to get closer. He tried again later, but did not succeed in making it to the top. At the end of the video he asked to "git down". Thankfully for mommy's nerves, he hasn't figured out how to get down, but I am sure it is coming soon. Not good, not good at all.

what...the weekend is over???

2009-02-22T22:56:00.003-06:00

Saturday, my mother, sister and niece came over and we painted the bathroom walls. At first I wasn't crazy about either color, but after the paint started to dry a little I like the blue (water) but not the brown (sand). This morning Jeff and I went back in the bathroom and the colors didn't look as bad as I had been thinking. We fixed the paint so the brown and the blue colors meet. It looks pretty good. And another coat of the brown really helped its shade. Overall, I like how it turned out. Not bad for a first time re-doer job. We had one slight problem when peeling off the tape....it didn't want to come off. It didn't let the paint bleed through, but at the same time, it didn't want to come off. We have now gotten it all off and Jeff has now got the lights and mirror back up. We bought a frame for the picture that will hang in there. Now we just need a few more accessories. Which is harder than it ought to be given that Jeff and I are disagreeing with what we want....surprise surprise!

Joshua has been extraordinarily fussy this weekend. Pretty much only content when I was either holding him or less than 3 feet from him. Yesterday his ear drained all day and today it hasn't. Tonight I went ahead and put drops in that ear and we will see how it does tomorrow and then he may go to the doctor on Tuesday. Speaking of doctor.....our doctor has left the practice. A lady at my mother's work uses the same pediatrician. She called Friday to get her son in and was told that our doctor resigned last week and that his "office staff chose to stay". Chose to stay??? Exactly why did he leave??? I really like our doctor but Jeff and I will instead choose the another doctor in the practice rather than track our old doctor down. We are choosing the doctor that spent so much time checking Joshua out recently when he was sickly...the one that finally said "Go to Cook's.". Can you see it now? You go to the doctor not knowing that your doctor is gone. And all the doctors are standing there looking their best just hoping that you will pick them? And bummed when they are chosen? The image is probably better in my head. (Do you see the risers they are standing on? How about the giraffe one of them uses as a wooing tool?....yea, I didn't think you seen it that way.)

I can't believe the weekend is over and it is back to work time. Can I have one more day please???? Pretty please....with sugar on top?and a cherry too???

i have the power

2009-02-21T00:02:00.003-06:00

So lately, every time Joshua bumps something, falls down, trips over his own feet or just has something that aches...he comes to me whining and pointing or telling me what hurts. I kiss it and it is all better. I have some serious healing power in these lips of mine. Most of the time, I don't even think he really hurts...he just needs to know that he is okay....but even still...I feel so powerful. If only I could have kissed his recent bouts of illness away.

He actually went to school 5 days this week....all 5 days....all day....every day!! And I in turn worked a full 4 days this week (Monday was a company holiday). All 4 days....the payroll folks are going to wonder what happened and why they are having to pay me so much suddenly. It feels great to have worked a full week. Here's to keeping this streak going!!!

I was ticked at the end of Private Practice Thursday night. I can't believe that I spent three weeks watching this crossover event to have the character who's story brought the two shows together decide that he is just going to up an leave to go back to New York. If it were my brother, I would be hard pressed to help him out again. All in all, it was a good crossover event, except that now I am aware of the goings on for Private Practice and will have to start watching. That is what the producers wanted though isn't it?

Today, I worked my fingers to the bone. I looked at some many lines of information that my brain was in overdrive. I worked a 113 page doc, called the provider back just to get her voicemail and left a message. And this urgent matter she was so irate about this morning, wasn't important enough for her to call back on this afternoon. Oh well...I bet I looked at close to 800 pages of information today. Tonight, I had dinner with my brother and sister-in-law. We went to Candlelight Inn. Mandy wanted to see the bar that my step-dad works at, so we drove down the street to check it out. Not a whole lot of people were there, but as usual Joshua was the life of the party. Everyone always loves him when he goes in there. Jeromy, Mandy & I played two games of pool. Mandy won both games...beginner's luck! Technically she lost the first game because she scratched...but even still....beginner's luck.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I will work on painting the bathroom. My mother is coming over mid-day to help paint and entertain Joshua. I am hoping to have it all painted tomorrow and then the border wallpaper can go up once Jeff gets home Sunday. Jeff won't be home until Sunday morning sometime. He has been from Dallas to Birmingham, AL to Dallas to Lubbock to Dallas and is now headed to New Orleans. 'Tis a great week for miles.

joshua, joshua, joshua

2009-02-18T21:42:00.004-06:00

Nothing bad came of our lunch meeting today. Just lunch and routine work stuff. Stuff everyone should already know and be doing. We are still moving our desks around and it should be happening this week.

I still haven't found my keys. I am convinced that they are in this house somewhere. I am sure they will turn up. It is beginning to feel strange not having my keys. I know I have Jeff's set of keys, but his aren't the same. They don't fit my hand well....even though they are the same keys. And they aren't colorful. My old keys were colorful and all of my store cards were on there. I miss my keys.

Tonight for the second night in a row, I let a pan boil over on the stove. Tonight it was because Joshua had spilled his tea and had slipped and fallen in the aftermath. He was fussing (and I was trying to get him up out of it before he fell again trying to get up) and I turned around and the pan was boiling over. Water/milk/butter mix everywhere. Great...just great.

On the plus side....Joshua was in an awesome mood tonight. He even ate his green beans, something he normally doesn't. He ate the 5 I gave him and even requested more. I gave him 5 more and he gobbled them up. Shocking....and Daddy missed it....I can only hope that Joshua will eat them when Daddy is home. Joshua and I played with his fish puzzle. We took the pieces out and I handed them to him one at a time so he could put them back in. We go over the colors of the fish as we go. He has stopped saying yellow and orange. All the others he says just fine...even purple. After we would put the puzzle together, he would clap his hands saying "yeah!". I asked for a high five and got one. I have taught him the....high five, down low, in the hole....thing. Now, he wants to do it all every time we do a high five...what have I done?

Joshua is not like taking a bath in the big bathtub in our master bath. I think he is overwhelmed by the size. And his head doesn't come above the tub so he can't really see out. A few more days and I will move him back to his newly decorated bathroom and he will be so happy.

Joshua was also convinced that his daddy was at home asleep. When I picked him up from school, he asked "Daddy?". To which I said, "Daddy is at work". Normally Joshua says work and moves on from this subject. Today he responded "Daddy sleep". I told him no, Daddy went to work. After a minute he dropped the subject. When we got in the house, he said "Daddy sleep". I said no. I had to go into the bedroom for something and Joshua of course followed me. He looked up on the bed and didn't see Jeff. He asked "Daddy" and walked around to Jeff's side of the bed. He checked the bed again and still no Daddy. I again told him that Daddy went to work and he again asked if Daddy was asleep. He checked the bed again and again and again. Finally he agreed that Daddy must be at work because he isn't in the bed. I think Joshua is figuring out that Daddy isn't home all the time. We knew this time would come and hope that it is followed quickly with an understanding that Daddy is at work and will be back in a few days.

Joshua also says, "J-O-Josha. J-O-Josha". It is funny. He will be reading something, like his paper from school that says what all he did today and he will read on the paper, "J-O-Josha". It is very cute.

It is Wednesday night, so I need to get the trash out.

have you seen my keys?

2009-02-17T21:59:00.003-06:00

Today was my first day back at work after 6 days off.....I am tired. And I am told that I will need to go back to working my regular hours again starting tomorrow. We also have a big lunch meeting tomorrow....sounds to me like they are buttering us up for something.

I have lost my keys. The last time we had them was Sunday evening. And now....I don't know where they are. We have looked all over the house, checked both the car & the truck and nothing. Jeff left me with his house key, mailbox key & truck key. I will tie them together with string in hopes that I don't lose them too.

Joshua's cough seems to be much better today. Thank goodness. I stressed all day thinking that the daycare was going to call and I would have to go pick him up. I am stressed that it will happen in the next three days too since Jeff will be gone. I really don't want to miss more work. I think the time I have needed off in the last two weeks is why they have put me back on my crappy shift. (It is not a crappy shift...after all, it could be worse.)

Now, I am just looking forward to Thursday night when the final Grey's Anatomy - Private Practice crossover comes on. But in the mean time, I must sleep and work.

spackled and primed

2009-02-16T21:39:00.003-06:00

Jeff and I went had got our taxes done this morning. I was going to try to do them myself this year, but we wound up with so many new tax slips that we agreed to take them in. We should get our refund shortly. Which will be awesome, because I will be able to have my surgery.

Joshua still has a cough. It seems like it is getting worse. And I hate to say it, but I think he is sick....again. Flippin' again!! We will see what another day brings.

I go back to work tomorrow after being off for 6 days. I am looking forward to it. My department moves desks this week. We are moving to sit with our teams. I would think I would be one of the first to move since I am moving to an empty desk. Again, we will have to see what another day brings.

This afternoon Jeff and I worked in the bathroom. We primed the drywall. Then Jeff used the spackle stuff and spackled the wall all up. It looks pretty good. I like it better than the other wall. We went ahead and used up the rest of our primer and got all the walls primed. It is ready for paint.... but we are out of time this weekend. We won't get to work on it again until Saturday. No big deal, we knew it would probably take more than one weekend for us.

We had dinner with Daniel & Christina tonight at Sweet Tomatoes. It was tasty....the veggie of the month in the potato. So lots of potato things. And it was kids night, so there was a walking tomato head going around the restaurant. He kept stopping at our table to play with Adam & Joshua. It was pretty cool.

the walls are falling down

2009-02-15T23:20:00.003-06:00

Today, we prepared for the task of ripping out the wallpaper in our second bathroom. We have purchased (what we thought was) everything we need to re-decorate. Given how well some of the jobs were done by the previous owner, we expected a lot of difficulty removing the existing wallpaper. But surprisingly, the old ugly wallpaper came down pretty easy. The largest wall peeled right off in large strips. The border paper on the painted wall was put on with some heavy duty glue and took some soaking to get off. The larger wall is now down to the drywall and will have to be textured to match the other walls. A quick trip to Lowe's and we have the stuff that should texture the wall similar enough to the other walls. We will work on that part tomorrow as it got too late today.

Since Joshua's bathroom is all torn up, he had to take his bath in our big tub. At first, he didn't want to sit down. But once he did, he played and bathed and then didn't want to get out. He also has started shrugging his shoulders when he doesn't really know what else to do or say. It is pretty cute to see his little shoulders go up and down.

My cousin and his wife stopped by today. I had Valentine's things for Adam and when they got here, I couldn't flippin' find them. I was so frustrated. But of course, 15 minutes after they left, I found them. No big deal, I have to swing over to their house tomorrow afternoon. I am stressing over a shirt that I borrowed from Christina that I can't get a stain out of. I have been trying for months on this stain. I have tried many different things and this afternoon, my mother suggested another one. I will have to see how it comes out of the wash. I don't think she needs this shirt since her works uniforms have changed, but I am still bothered that I can't get it out.

Jeff and I decided that we would go out for a Valentine's dinner since we could. Joshua was asleep when we got to the restaurant and slept all the way through the meal. When I stood up leave he woke up but still was pretty out of it. He slept all the way to Lowe's. We made him wake up since it was so late. I feel bad, he didn't have dinner and didn't eat good all day, except for snacks. We will fix him a good breakfast in the morning. I am worried that he is coming down with yet another cold. This angers me beyond belief. I did a breathing treatment tonight, but he didn't want to sit still for the entire time.....only for about 5 minutes. He could have used another 5, but oh well. I think tomorrow night, if we do one, I will trap him in his high chair and let him color....perhaps that will help ride out the 10 minutes.

Tomorrow Jeff and I are going to have our taxes done. We are just hoping that we don't have to pay....we will have to wait and see.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T23:46:00.004-06:00

The monkey we got Joshua for Valentine's Day. I will update the picture in it soon.

He loved the monkey!!!

That pretty much sums up my day. Oh yea, Jeff got home early to surprise me....sweet!

am i wrong?

2009-02-14T00:44:00.003-06:00

Things that I find to be done in bad etiquette....

1. Inviting someone to a wedding shower but not to a wedding. Especially without making this a known item at the shower.
2. Inviting someone to a baby shower but not notifying them of the babies arrival.
3. Not returning a call to someone who is trying to reach you....unless you have a serious problem with that person.

And I am finding many people who agree and advise to not attending shower/parties for certain people in the future. And assuming that all that is in your possession is now yours and that some people just need some counseling.
____________________________________________________________________

I had a pretty good day today. Joshua went off to school for the entire day. He did great and came home with plenty of Valentine's & candy to go with. My favors were a hit with his class...thank you, thank you. He was in a pretty good mood tonight, just his normal fussing trying to gain his independence. He is back to great health. I am so happy about this. He does have a little cough especially at night, I will probably try to do a breathing treatment tomorrow night at bedtime and see if this helps, I also need to start his allergy medicine again.

And, I swear that his favorite sentence right now is "I color". All he has to do is see a pen, pencil, marker or crayon and it is the first thing out of his mouth...."I color". Sometimes it is "Josha color".

Tomorrow (or is it today already), would have been my parents 34 wedding anniversary. They didn't quite make it to 30 when my father passed away. My sister and I are planning a trip to the cemetery tomorrow. We need to take Dad new flowers. I think my brother may be going with for this trip. I do miss my Dad. I often wonder what he would think of Joshua and of my house and of my current life. I miss him looking at me over his glasses telling me "we need to talk". Those talks were always my father being protective about something. Most of the time, he was right on with his advice.....like when an ex-boyfriend turned out to be no good and Dad was right on when he had "talked" to me a month earlier. I often wish that in my fathers last two months, I had talked to him more rather than just sit in silence like we so often did. We would sit in his hospital room at lunch and watch CNN together. Looking back, I think I didn't ask him certain questions, because I new it was the end.

With Mom remarried now, I guess deep down I still have mixed feelings. But David is great. He takes good care of Mom and I think he genuinely cares about my brother, sister and I. And he loves Joshua.

It is already tomorrow for me so I guess I should go to bed.

all good

2009-02-12T23:12:00.003-06:00

Joshua had his follow up appointment at the doctor this morning. A final diagnosis of tonsillitis. The doctor was glad to see a much better looking Joshua. However, Joshua didn't have a problem with the nurse that let us in (despite the fact that it seemed every time they had to get some bodily fluid from him, she was the mean nurse) but he did have a problem with the doctor (who ordered all the mean tests). He didn't want the doctor near him and definitely wasn't down with any touching from the doctor. Disney's Cars was on in the waiting room, but we didn't even sit out there for 5 minutes. Joshua did get a clean bill of health. His tonsils are still slightly swollen, but should be okay in another couple of days. They no longer have white spots on them. WhooHooo!!!!

After getting back from the doctor, I made a mad dash to get the trash out before the trash trucks came. You see, I didn't get to this last night....instead I sat still for nearly 3 hours editing and posting picture on flickr. But they are done. I still have rodeo pictures but that is it. So again WhooHooo!!!! I also called Joshua's school to see if he could come in for a half a day to start transitioning him back into the daycare. The director at his school said yes they would love to see him back again. I took him in and at first he didn't want to get out of the truck. Then, when we met up with his class who were outside playing and he seen his friends and teachers, he was so excited. He couldn't get down the steps fast enough to them. Three of them came over to say hi. He was so happy. I was talking with his teacher and he said "bye Mommy". I felt so loved. He did great all day. No fussing and no arguing with anyone. So great. Tomorrow he can go for a full day and won't miss his Valentine's Party. I spent the day running around getting the favors for his class party....this was the only thing left for me to sign up for...and I felt bad not bringing something. But I don't mind doing the favors.....they are Valentine tumbler cups with Fun Dip, a necklace, heart stickers, bubbles and a heart shaped sucker in them. Very cute. I also did the favors for his Christmas party.

In the last two days, I have begun picking up the war zone that our house has become. With Joshua being so sick, his bedroom has moved to the living room. The dishes haven't been kept up with. But all that is getting fixed and should be all complete by tomorrow afternoon...hopefully in time for me to go to Joshua's party at school.

Jeff is out on the road. I don't feel like he is making many miles, but I haven't really been focusing on his route this week. He told me tonight he seems to be having issues with this truck and may half to put it in the shop when he gets to his next stop.....Dallas. That could be very bad, it could mean the end of the work week for him.

I am hoping to start on taking down wall-paper on Saturday in the bathroom. I will get the before pictures taken tomorrow. I know you will all agree that the green striped wallpaper must go. Pretty soon, it will be like stepping into an aquarium.

why is it only wednesday?

2009-02-11T20:47:00.003-06:00

Today has been a pretty good day overall. Joshua slept until like 10:15 and I napped from 9-10:15. I just couldn't convince myself to get up and get in the shower. It has been a long time since I have gotten to sleep in until 10:15 a.m. He ate a good breakfast a did fairly decent for lunch. We cleaned up the couch and organized Joshua bedroom. Tomorrow we empty the living room out back into Joshua's bedroom. Because he got up so late, he didn't seem to need a nap all day. He napped 15 minutes on the way to Wal-mart. And fell asleep on the way back home. I got home, brought in all the groceries....and then brought him in and laid him in his bed. He slept for the next hour. And was mighty fussy when I went to wake him up. This fussiness continued on into dinner....where all he wanted was corn-on-the-cob. He had a bath and went to bed. Now, he is fast asleep.

I called today and made an appointment for in the morning for him. Just a follow-up and to get a release to go back to school. He seems just fine. Has not run a temp since Monday morning.

The consignment sale is in like 3 weeks and I really don't have anything put together for it. I guess I should decide if I will participate. I know I will have to buy....it is how we keep him in clothes for the most part. I have a hard time justifying $10 or more on clothes that he will only wear for 6 months max. I know some people spend tons of money on clothes for their little peeps, but perhaps they just have money to throw away.

I need to get the trash out....so that is all I have for today.

day two with no fevers

2009-02-10T21:56:00.005-06:00

Monday night, after being asleep for much of the day, he wasn't really interested in sleeping in the middle of the night. At 1am Jeff fixed some mac-n-cheese and Joshua ate it up. I swear his tummy was grumbling all the way down to his toes (is that even possible?). After a few hours of being awake he finally agreed to go back to bed. Agreed to the point that he took himself in his room and climbed up in his bed, asked for his blanket and laid his head down.

Today he slept in but not as late as yesterday. I will let Jeff explain his getting up this morning. He ate a good breakfast and Jeff worked to keep him awake until a good nap time. After a nap he was back up and moving around. This is day two with no fever. I stopped by his school on the way home to pick up his blanket, I know it needs to be washed. I also picked up the list of kids names from his class. I had already bought valentine's for his class and figured I would at least take them in. I talked to the director for a bit and she said that Joshua should at least come in on Friday for his party since he seems to be feeling better. I will try to get him into the doctor tomorrow after or Thursday to get a release to go back to school.

Tonight we had dinner with my mother & David. They wanted to check on Joshua. Since my arrival home after work Joshua has been all over me. And dinner was no exception. He fussed after he was "all dun" for me to get him out of the highchair. I wasn't "all dun" so I kept telling him no. My mom got out the wipes and started cleaning him up. He didn't want her to do it, he was Mommy to do it...which is what he said, "noooo, Mommy get it". She got him up and took him into the nearby hotel lobby to run around for a minute. The hotel is being remodeled so there isn't much in the lobby. When I was done, he sat in my lap and was good.

We left and had to take Jeff to work, we had already dropped his car off there. Joshua was asleep and the lightening was getting closer. I sped up a bit hoping the cops would not be out like they had been earlier (they are horrible on Trinity). We got home and I put Chanci out and about 10 minutes later it came a storm. A big bad storm that moved through quickly. Thank goodness. I don't even think it is still raining outside, but an hour ago, it was storming. The sirens were going off because of circulation in the clouds in the area, but that quickly moved on...10 minutes later it was 5 towns away.....over by the airport. It takes me 20-30 minutes to get there.....and I drive fast.

Oh yes...I nearly forgot. My niece found out today that she has the flu. Lovely. I could hear the excitement in my sister's voice when she called to tell me. At least Joshua didn't make her sick. He had two flu tests in the past week, both of which where negative...surprise, surprise. I hope it doesn't keep her out for too long.

Joshua is asleep and I am going to get that way too. After not much sleep and a long day and I know a long tomorrow I could use the extra hour.

Not Mono??

2009-02-09T21:58:00.002-06:00

Joshua stayed at home with Jeff today. I told Jeff that Joshua would probably be up between 7:30 & 8:30 if left to his own. At 10:00 Jeff went into Joshua's room to wake him up. Joshua stayed awake for about an hour and a half. By 11:30, Joshua was asleep on the couch. He slept until about 4:30 and woke up hungry. Jeff found every snack he could for Joshua who just kept requesting "more". The good news is that Joshua has not ran a fever since late last night. The bad news is that the blood culture came back today and was negative for mono. What? Two doctor's seemed 99% certain that he had mono. But the test is 100% sure he doesn't. He will probably be making an appearance at the doctor's office tomorrow or Wednesday. I am a bit nervous because if it wasn't mono they were saying meningitis. My exhausted self is having a hard time comprehending all of this. My son doesn't have mono? How can that be? He is everything that mono should be. My frustration has mounted. My top will soon blow if he doesn't get better. My work has agreed to let me be off Wed-Fri. Jeff will go back to work tomorrow night (hopefully).

I am heading to bed, cause I just can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring :)

Mono

2009-02-08T17:30:00.004-06:00

We went back into the doctor this morning and the doctor was super concerned that Joshua didn't look or seem any better. He ran a quick mono test that came back negative. He mentioned meningitis and sent us to Cook's with some paperwork in hand. He faxed the rest over and called to tell them we were coming. I was scared.

When we got to Cook's, it was so busy. I was remembering why I hate E.R.'s. But because the doc had sent over the paperwork, we were taken back within 15 minutes. I could feel the glares from other people who had been waiting a long while. They started monitoring him. The doctor came in and listened to what all had happened and been done this past week. He checked Joshua out and got a good look at his throat. He did a strep test that was negative. He said it looks like mono given how the tonsils look. There is always a chance it could be meningitis but we need the antibiotics out of his system to know for sure. In the meantime he can't go back to school until the fever stops. Which could be today, tomorrow, Wednesday or the next week. That means limited work hours for me and Jeff. We are to call the doctor back in the morning to followup and will probably need to go in on Wednesday.

So 6 days, $375, and 5 doctors later we have a diagnosis of mono.

I am exhausted. My arms ache from 6 days of holding a sick child. My back aches from rocking a sick child. My brain is turning to mush from day time TV. And there is more of it coming in the next week.

Another day with a doctor's visit

2009-02-07T23:25:00.002-06:00

This morning we took Joshua to the doctor at 8:30. It was a good thing he woke up at 7:30 because I didn't have an alarm set. The doctor didn't see pneumonia on the x-ray but said that we would have to wait for the radiologist to read the x-ray. Since Joshua was still running a fever and his lymph nodes are still swollen and he was very fussy and very fever-y at the doctor, he gave him another shot of antibiotics. And then told us that we need to bring in back in tomorrow for another check out because the antibiotics will only last 24 hours. And hopefully the scan will be back tomorrow. Today was appointment number 4 (5 if you count the x-ray). At 35 bucks a pop that brings us too.....$140 spent on doctors appointments since Tuesday. And they still don't seem to be 100% sure what is causing the fevers and diarrhea.

After the exciting (not!) doctor's appointment, my sister and I headed off to Fort Worth to attend a Get Started meeting for the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk in November. We will be signed up by the end of the month. The meeting provided a lot of information. There were women of all sorts there. Some who were survivors, child or parent of someone with breast cancer, friends of people that had breast cancer and some like me were just there wanting to make a difference. It sounds like it will be an awesome experience.....or as Joshua would say....awsumm.

We came home from that grabbed a quick lunch and headed over to the Fort Worth Stockshow & Rodeo. We went in and see the horses. Took a picture with some and watched some others. We walked through the exhibit hall and checked out the goods. And sure enough, there was a guy there hawking the Sham-wows! I told my nephew that I bet the guy from the commercial was there and he didn't think he would be. And he was right, but there was a guy there who gave the exact same show.

The rodeo was pretty good. Tomorrow is the last day and some of the folks competing would be going home after tonight and some would get to try again tomorrow for some big money. We skipped the midway completely, which I am a little bummed about. I wanted to get some shots of Joshua at a couple of places to compare his size from last year to this year.

Joshua is still fussy and still running a temp. Sounds like another long day for tomorrow. Hopefully it will include some much needed rest.

107.1...what?

2009-02-06T22:47:00.003-06:00

Well, today was the worst day so far with Joshua's fevers. When I scanned his head this afternoon because it felt hot, the thermometer read 107.1. What? I scanned again, it said 105.7. What? I scanned again and it read 104.9. What? I quickly found my regular thermometer and did an under arm temp and got 104.5.

I called the doctor's office in a panic....I wanted the test results right then. Instead, they said bring him in at 4:40. It is 3:00 when I called them. I gave Joshua Tylenol and his temp dropped. When he got down to 102.something he got the munchies. That is they way he has been all week. This is the only time I can get him to eat and it is always snacks. So, he ate yogos and a pack of gummy cars. Then, he laid his head down and went to sleep. I took the opportunity to take a quick shower. As I was getting out, he was waking up. I got us both ready and in the truck as my mom arrived at my house.

We were set to see another doctor as our pedi was out this afternoon. Flippin great, I am thinking. Another new doctor name I don't know. When we get there we wound up seeing a nurse practitioner....that I loved. She was great and Joshua acted all shy when she talked to him. A good sign that he liked her too. She agreed to do a urine sample given what I told her. He wouldn't go in the bag so they did a cath to get some. It came back fine. She went out to talk to another doctor I have never seen. He came in and introduced himself. He took a listen to Joshua. When he got to Joshua's back he listened very intently. Very intently. I was beginning to panic because he was obviously listening to something that concerned him. This lasted for what seemed like forever. He said he is hearing what sounds like some fluid in the lung on the diaphragm. And ordered a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia. Finally....something I feel is being productive. He also ordered a shot of antibiotic....finally!!! And now we got back to the doctor for the fourth time tomorrow morning for a follow up to the x-ray we went and had done tonight. At 35 bucks a pop this doctor's visits are adding up quickly.

And Joshua's appointment is just one more thing added to my already packed Saturday. Sunday will have to be a day of rest for me and maybe a margarita....cause this has been a long week.

We also went to my brother's baptism tonight. He has joined my sister-in-law's church. I am very happy for him and proud of him too. Mom and I showed up in jeans and Joshua in shorts because we left the doctor's office and headed straight there. No time to go home to change.

I am exhausted. I am going to bed.

Day 3

2009-02-05T22:45:00.003-06:00

Today Joshua's temperature averaged about 101.8. We went back to the doctor today...to his doctor. Who checked him all out and said there is no obvious sign that he is sick (can I get paid to tell me the obvious too?) I love Joshua pediatrician. He went further and listened to Joshua's stomach and bowels. Both of which sound fine. He ordered blood work and wants me to do poop samples at home. We have done a poop sample before....before Joshua's first birthday if I remember correctly. The initial blood work came back quickly and seems normal. The pedi will call tomorrow with the other results.

In the meantime, Joshua has had one poop and it was so loose that it was pretty much sucked right into the diaper. (sucking poo - there's a good blog title) Joshua has been semi-fussy today. He and I played in the yard for a bit when we got home from the doctor. He refused to take more than the 15 minute nap he had on the way to the doctor. I could tell when his fever was spiking up because he would get clingy and either pale in the face or red in the face. He plays like he is fine. He looks like he is fun but still averaging a 101.8 temp for the day.

I am not sleeping well, in part because of Joshua being sick and in part for many other reasons. I swear I wake up once an hour just listening over the monitor for him. Joshua finally decided at 6 pm to take a nap. So he dosed from 6-7:30, just when I was ready to sit down for dinner. He three bites of pizza (literally) and then I offered yogos. So today he ate, nothing for breakfast, some broth from the chicken & dumplings we had at lunch, 3 bites of pizza and a package of yogos. I have an eating machine.....he has left the house....and has left a sick child behind. After the dinner Joshua ate, he requested a bath. After the bath, we got him into his jammies and he willingly laid his head down when I sat him in his bed. I haven't heard a peep from him since.

I am worried. I am tired. I am still frustrated.

I am hoping that his school will agree to take him for a bit in the morning. I doubt they will. And if they do, I doubt they will keep him all day. I will wind up missing another day of work. I just wish I could kiss him and make it all go away.....it worked when he shut his thumb in the door today. And when he stubbed his toe a few days ago. Mommy kisses it and it instantly feels better. Oh....that always makes me feel so good....like SuperMom! I just wish that SuperMom could make this fever issue go away.

Saturday is going to be a busy day. I really need for this fever to stop. Please.

Awesome Sickness

2009-02-04T23:55:00.003-06:00

So, Jeff's work got him back home in the 9am hour this morning. And Joshua slept in until about 8:45. He was fussy and clingy this morning. This morning his fever was 101. And from there it has bounced all over the place. I left for work around 11 and left Joshua at home with Jeff...who had very little sleep over the last 24 hours. Fortunately Joshua took a 2 1/2 hour nap. He woke up and started filling up his diaper....repeatedly. When I got home for work, Jeff went to bed and Joshua and I left the house. We went to my sister's and hung out. I have given Joshua Tylenol around 6 for a 102 fever. The fever went down to 99 within 45 minutes. But shot back up to 101 an hour later. It is obvious that he is hurting and I just wish he could tell me where it hurts or how it hurts. After getting back to the house around 9:30, I gave his three meds and he willingly jumped out of my arms and into his bed. Still holding the monkey he carried around all evening.

Joshua has learned a new word or eight. The big new word is awesome....or awsumm as he pronounces it. It is so cute....which is the other word he has learned in the last few days...cute. After he says this word he gives us his cheese smile. He is amazing me with everything that he is learning. He also says 'getit'....which is not going to happen when he throws his ball across the way and tells you to go 'getit'.

I am also beginning to think that he is a few weeks away from climbing the changing table. I can see him now. He will either (1) climb up it like the monkey he is and be sitting on top yelling for mommy to come or (2) climb up it like the monkey he is and the whole thing topple over on top of him. I prefer that neither of these happen so perhaps in the coming weeks I should consider losing the changing table. We can do diaper changes on the floor, no biggie...except that I don't really want to have to get up and down off the floor for three diapers in an hour. I suppose I will wait and see about this climbing on the changing table issue.

Jeff has gone back to work tonight. He didn't ask for a turn-around. And I have this concern that Joshua will not be able to go to school tomorrow. I guess I will have to see what the morning brings. Joshua is really making me nervous with his fevers going up and down. All it takes is for the fever to go up or down too fast and he will have a seizure. This whole issue is causing at least 6 gray hairs a day.

It is late...actually it is already tomorrow now. Heading to bed.

Frustrated

2009-02-03T21:58:00.004-06:00

I was working along today. Minding my own business. Working. Thinking about how much I am liking my job. Getting through the day. When my cell phone rings. It is Joshua's school. They have taken his temp and it is 102.1 and I need to come and get him. It is 10 minutes until 4:00 and I am thinking....he couldn't have waited one more hour??? I was in the middle of two projects and had to quickly get to a stopping point on them. They would have been done in another hour! I head to Joshua's school and see that he is drinking ice water and having a snack. He doesn't look sickly until I get up to him and then I realize he looks tired. A sure sign he is getting sick. I knew he was getting sick last night when he wanted to go to bed early, but I didn't want to believe it.

I pick him up and meet Jeff at the doctor. At the last moment, we are switched to another doctor. She checks him out, he is breathing fine, clear ears, no flu (per the test), his throat looks great. That is it. There is nothing wrong with him. He is still on an antibiotic and she suggested we continue to finish it up in case there is something brewing. I did not like this doctor. She was impersonal and didn't give me a chance to finish even one sentence. One more reason that I love our pediatrician. He is awesome. He always talks to Joshua throughout the exam. He listens to what we have to say and gives feedback. I highly recommend him and will give his info to anyone needing a pediatrician in the NE Tarrant County area.

So we bring Joshua home. Jeff and I are frustrated. He seems to be back on a cycle of sicklyness. Every 10-14 days it is something new. We had stopped giving Joshua his vitamins because the last two tries at it, he has had a seizure within a week of starting back on them. Perhaps I should get a different brand and try pumping him up on vitamins. Everyone keeps telling me that it will get better. He will get to the point when he doesn't get sick so often. The magic number is 3. 3?? Another year and half?? My work seems to be understanding, but I see the looks on their faces when I have to abruptly leave to go take care of Joshua. And I have worked for people in the past that seemed understanding on the surface but in actuality were not.

Joshua ate dinner just fine. He didn't want to try the Au Gratin potatoes. He saved them for last. When he finally tried them, he realized they were pretty tasty. I am sure he has eaten them in the past, I know I have fixed them at least once in the last two months.

Because Joshua was sent home sick today, he can not go to school tomorrow. Which sucks! I hate to miss an entire day of work. Jeff actually had a load tonight. They are supposed to be turning him around so that he can be home with Joshua tomorrow. At least for half a day. Jeff will be mighty grumpy tomorrow night, so it has already been decided that Joshua and I will be going out for dinner so Jeff can have peace and quiet in the house. The doctor would not give us a note releasing him back to school tomorrow. So frustrating.

At least he didn't have a seizure. See.....that is the positive side of this.

Yup-Nope

2009-02-02T21:47:00.003-06:00

We have been working with Joshua on saying yes or any version of yes. Anything more than just a head nod. At dinner tonight, we were talking to Joshua and going though roll call of everyone he knows. At some point, Jeff asked Joshua to say "yup" and Joshua clearly said "nope". It was so funny!

Also, we think Joshua was trying to tell us he needed to go poop tonight. He seemed confused on how to communicate this request to us and it turned into a bottom that needed a bath. He never pooped, so we will have to see what tomorrow brings.

Jeff and I watched the last half of the Super Bowl tonight. It was quite a game ending. Glad we went back and watched it. Joshua was in bed before 8:30 because of the whole bottom-poop-bath issue. So, I am blogging early and heading to bed early...at least that is my plan.

Nothing much more to update. My sister-in-law was laid off today. The economy is bad right now and I really hope she can find something she likes sooner rather than later. Today is also my mother's husband's birthday. So Happy Birthday to David! I reckon he is my step-father, it just seems weird to say it like that.

That is my first Monday update for the month of February.

Good Bye January, Hello February

2009-02-01T23:09:00.007-06:00

Saturday, was a pretty good day. My mother and I went running around....well...shopping....but not for fun stuff....just diapers & wipes at Sam's & the grocery shopping. That afternoon we headed over to my sister's to hang out for a bit. A bit turned into late for me. Joshua brought his MagnaDoodle that he got for Christmas over. He now says "magadoodool" It is so cute! We fixed dinner and decided that we wanted ice cream so my sister and I headed to the store to pick some up. When we got back, we dished out ice cream. Joshua seen that E & K got their own bowls. I fixed one bowl for he and I to share. Well, he got all upset. And wanted the whole bowl to himself. So.....we wrapped him up in a towel and gave him his own bowl. One scoop and a spoon. He was so excited. He ate it very well...sometimes with the spoon. When he got down to the melty part at the bottom of the bowl, he was sticking his fingers in and then slurping it off his fingers. It was funny. When the finger slurping no longer worked to get the last bits of ice cream out, he proceeded to try to lick the inside bottom of the bowl. He thought is was good stuff. I didn't get pictures of this because I was too busy monitoring the situation so it didn't become a bigger mess. Next time....I take pictures.

Jeff got home about 3:30 this morning and we slept until about 8:30. Joshua woke up and jabbered to himself until about 8:45. We all got up and had breakfast and then Jeff and I began cleaning. Jeff got the whole kitchen cleaned up. The counters sparkle and you can see your reflection in the floor. I worked in the office and filled our inside recycle bin with paper and filled the shredder with paper also. There is still a lot of work to be done in the office, but it is getting much better.

My mom came by for a little bit. I have been needing to make the pillow and blanket for Joshua's bed. I bought the material back in October but haven't really had the time to be still to do it. More like, I need someone to keep Joshua busy while I work on it. But anyway, Mom came down and helped me get my fabric set up and I stitched them both. He is now the proud owner of a space themed blanket and pillow case. This is his first big boy pillow....well, if 14 inches square can be a big boy pillow. I used all of the remaining material for the blanket and it is a good size blanket, much more than just crib size. (Note we still use the Noah's Ark sheet. We only have three sheets we use.)

This evening, we watched the first half of the Super Bowl. Then headed out to grab a bite to eat and pick up new drip pans for the stove. We got the drip pans at Wal-mart (which was basically empty) and got back home with them only to find that the 8 inch pan does not fit our stove correctly. They are going back to Wal-mart tomorrow. I don't think we can cook on our stove until we get drip pans and we ain't putting the old nasty ones back on! We looked around online and found a website that sells factory drip pans but they would cost us $60. We will try looking somewhere else first.

Ho-Hum Friday

2009-01-30T23:44:00.003-06:00

Nothing much happened today. Just another day. Another Friday. I was glad when 5:00 rolled around. We kept busy at work. Joshua did do anything extraordinary other than being a little cutie. In the last couple of days he has added two more words to his already extensive list, "nak" for snack & "kitchen". It is funny to me how some words he pronounces so clearly like "kitchen" and "patches" but then he can't say "snack" or "mater", but he can say "chip". I am thankful for my sons extensive list of words that he speaks on a daily basis. It makes it much easier to understand him. And I am proud of myself for being patient with him. I think my patience with him is what has lead us to where we are now with his language skills. Instead of getting frustrated with him, we have always worked through the words with him. Way to go, Susan! You did a good job! (thank you, thank you)

I am also proud of myself for not having used a pacifier much. He would suck on it for about 30 seconds and I would feel guilty for him having it and take it away. I have always prided myself on this and probably always will.
I am proud of the fact that he is such a good eater and always has been. I know many people who has eating issues with their kiddos who are around Joshua's age.
I am glad that I am starting to see results from discipline measures.
I am glad that since Joshua's colic stopped at 2 months that he has almost always slept through the night unless he was sickly.
I pride myself on his bedtime. He has a routine and he can get fussy when bedtime doesn't go as planned. I think that this routine helped to stop the colic.
I am glad that Joshua gets along with the other kids at school and that he doesn't pick up all of their bad habits (like standing in the middle of the room yelling because someone thinks it is funny). I am glad that the biting seems to have stopped (I probably shouldn't have put this one).
I am thrilled that my son loves to be outside. I am so not a homebody. And I love that he loves to go outside to play.
I am proud that he loves bath time. He sometimes argues about getting out of the bath, but I would too if I had so many toys to play with in there. He loves to get wrapped up in his towel but then wants to see himself in the mirror all clean and wrapped up. The smile he gives himself is one of the sweetest things.
I am glad that he test his boundaries everyday. I am glad that he wants to become independent, it means that he will someday be able to take good care of himself.

I suppose that is enough.

Not much big planned for the weekend. Grocery shopping with a trip to Sam's. OohAah, huh. I reckon Sunday we will stay home for the Super Bowl.

Like I said, not a whole lot going on. Just been another day.