Good News / Bad News

The good news... I'M DONE PUMPING!!!! WOO HOO!!!!! No one can quite understand just how exciting that is. It was starting to pull me down on many different levels (starting nothing - it just WAS!)

The bad news... I won't be sitting in front of the computer as much, so blogging may take a hit for awhile!

No time to post pictures, but I do have a few funny stories (the ones I can remember anyway)!

• Sam has (re)discovered fruit. All fruit / any fruit! He loves it all and will eat it for every meal! He was eating canelope (sp?), and asked for some watermelon. I told him there wasn't any left, that Daddy had eaten it all. Sam replied, "Daddy's big mouth ate it all?" Nope, no coaching - the kid is just observant!!!
• At night when we say prayers together, I am usually worn out and in that delirious phase. So, I just can't contain my laughter when Sam says, "Bless my nose," or "Bless my boo boo," or "Help Mommy's head," ... you get the picture. So BJ usually has to tell me, "Get it together Laterveer!" (That makes me laugh too, by the way) So, now, Sam - in the middle of a sentence - will say, "Get it together Laterveer" when I start laughing (or snorting, as the case may be). Geez... maybe I should just sit prayer-time out????? But it is such a perfect ending to my perfect days!!!!!!!
• Anytime Sam gets something round (like a 'Live Strong' bracelet, for instance), he pinches the bottom into a point and mashes the top, then holds it up and says, "That Jake's heart?" WHAT???? It's so cute!!!!! Don't know where it came from, but it's cute!!!
• Sam told me something was 'bootiful' today, and I asked him where he heard that. He said, "That frog on Sesmeee Street says that." Ohhhh... ok... what frog? (maybe he's referring to Kermit???) Still amazing he can remember!!!
• Jake has ALMOST cut his bottom two teeth! We should see them ANY DAY now!!!!
• Jake DEFINITELY recognizes me as "Ma-ma" Especially when Sam does 'man work' on him - he calls for "MA-MA!!!!" I think he's already tattling!!!!???? Yeah....... not sure about RECOGNIZING BJ as "Da-da" but he certainly says it! I really think he recognizes "ba-ba" as bottle too!? Maybe not!!! He says "Hey" now too! I love hearing every little babble!!!!! I forgot how much I loved this stage!!!!! Actually, I guess I have been loving every stage, huh? =)
• This past weekend, Jen was trying to get Jake to say, "Hey Jen" and it came out, "ey gi-gi!" New name????? ;) Pretty good, I guess!!!!!
• We got a folder from our insurance company to file insurance paperwork in. BJ looked inside and (very seriously) says, "We're gonna need a few more of these!" We have STACKS of paperwork on Jake alone!!!!! By the way - insurance has been billed ALMOST $500,000 now!!!!!! Thank GOD for insurance! We can find our own folders if they'll just keep paying!!!!!! =)

I'm amazed by my kids!

Sam actually had a conversation with me this weekend. It was different from his typical conversations where he just repeats what I say, because I asked him if he had fun in the nursery at church. He told me Yes! Then I asked what they did, and he said they ate snacks. I asked what they ate, and he told me crackers! Yep... he's only TWO! It's so neat that he's growing up, but sad at the same time!

We went to a picnic on Sunday evening, and he looked up at a tree and said, "That's the tallest tree Sam has ever seen!" BJ was the one he was talking to, and he was just amazed! Sam also saw Logan McElroy - for those of you who don't know him, he's about 6 ft tall with ORANGE (really) hair, and when he talks, the whole state can hear him - he also has a very boisterous personality! Logan scares Sam... he's a little intimidating to a two-yr-old. As soon as Sam sees him, he starts WHALING! To the point that we just have to remove him from Logan's presence. BJ was trying to distract Sam and was spinning him around. Sam grabbed BJ's shoulders and said, "Stop!" It was pretty funny! Sam finally got to where he was OK with Logan being around, and Logan didn't take it too hard!!!!

Today, Sam was eating lunch and he said, "Get on the carpet, Stormie." She did, and Sam thought that was the coolest thing. I think it was just luck that Stormie decided to move at that time, because Sam kept telling her to get back on the carpet and she didn't move. Then he would announce to me, "Stormie got back on carpet!!"

Sam also sings now - like carries a tune sings! He sings his ABC's, and songs I've never heard - I asked him where he heard a song he was singing, and he said, "Kaden's." Guess I wasn't paying attention!?

This morning, Sam informed me that Pop Pop would be sad if he was at the airport without Sam... got that, Pop?????? =)

Sam used the cardboard around Jake's baby food as an armband (like his Daddy's iPod case), then he made it into a runway (a short one that only Pop Pop can take off from)... no joke - he knows this stuff!!!!!! =)

Man - this is just a drop in the bucket... I am utterly amazed by how much he knows and RETAINS (everything), and I laugh A LOT!

Not to leave Jake out - he's babbling all over the place now... it won't be long before he's having a conversation with Sam. I think that will be so fun! He's still just rolling around - no crawling yet, but I am A-OK with that!!! He's still my happy-go-lucky little guy!!!

A Mother's Intuition

Stormie is doing so much better. Thank goodness. I had read about pancreatits, and it's apparently life threatening! NO!!!! She's too young!!!!

When I took her in for her blood work, I asked the Dr. if he could give her anything for the pain. Since Sunday night, she had been drawn up, tight and quivering. Not to mention groaning, grunting and crying. He told me they really didn't have anything b/c it would react with the pancreas and harm her instead of helping her. Then he said, well, there's one that we COULD use. I told him to give it to her! That night (Thurs), she started improving. She even wanted to play with her ball! The kicker would be when the shot wore off in 24 hours or so. GOOD NEWS... she's still doing fine! My thought was that if she could just RELAX and find some comfort that that would help her more than anything. I am SO GLAD I went with my "Mommy's Intuition" on that one! I know my dog and my children better than anyone...

Thank the Lord for Intuition and those 'gut' feelings!!!!!

Whew.........

Jake said it! He said "Ma-ma" today! Whew... we can all breathe a sigh of relief! (BJ says that I am stretching and hearing what I want, but he's just in denial - as was I the first time I heard "Da-da")!!!!!!!

Had to take Stormie back to the Vet again today. She's not much better, and had vomited. They're doing blood tests, and we'll know the results in the morning. Poor baby, I was feeding her food to her with a spoon (making it look more like people food seemed to make it more appealing!?). She also got a shot for pain while we were there, which seems to have really relaxed her some. SOOOO... if they still don't know what's wrong, guess we'll be getting pain shots every 24-48 hours............

Uggg... will I ever have time to upload pictures???

So far this week:

• Jake DEFINITELY says "Da-da" now. I was in denial for a couple of days, but have had to come to the harsh reality that he said, "Ba-ba," then "Da-da" and NO "Ma-ma" yet!!! Now, he doesn't know to what he is referring to, so there's STILL a chance!!!!!!!! Sam has heard me say "Ma-ma" so many times to him that he's helping! He says, "Ma-ma Jake" as if he would just like Jake to say it so I'll shut up!!!!
• Stormie has gotten pancreaitis, which is a glorified tummy ache. Her belly is hard as a rock, and she is so uncomfortable. She grunts and groans when she moves, and even cries out sometimes. The vet said she should feel better in a couple of days... she has medicine and special food right now. SO... I now must be sure she gets her medicine and food too! For the love....... can we catch a break??? Poor little Stormie!
• The past couple of days, I have had to have coffee in the afternoons to make it through! Sam decided to get up at 3 AM Sunday night, and didn't go back to sleep until 5!? I don't know!?
• I cut Sam's nails for the first time EVER. It wasn't so bad... still won't do Jake's, but I guess I can do Sam's some now! Nails have always been BJ's "gig" and Mama would cut them when she had them and they needed it!
• BJ had the best quote last night: "In my mind, I'm still an athlete, but in reality I just want another cookie!"
• When Sam sees our neighbor from across the street outside, he YELLS, "MMMMMAAAAARRRRRRKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of his lungs! It's endearing and incredibly cute! Don't know what the other neighbors inside their homes must think!!!!

Just today:

• We went to Hobby Lobby and I was "That Mom"...... I had to go to the rest room really bad, so I wheeled my enormous double stroller right in. The 'large' stall was not big enough for all of us, so I left the end of the stroller hanging out and the door wide open (when you gotta go, you gotta go). Thankfully, anyone walking in couldn't see into the stall. HOWEVER, the three people that came in (there were only three people in the store - why they all had to go to the bathroom at that time, beats me!) knew exactly what was going on. Sam was sitting there saying, "Mommy go potty!" Me: "Yes, do you want to say your ABC's?" Sam: "Mommy go poopie?" Me: "Why don't we say your ABC's?" Sam: "Mommy go PPPPPOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I do believe the entire store heard. I finished, wheeled the stroller on out of the store with my head pointed at the floor... in utter defeat!!!!!!!
• Stormie has puked twice.
• Sam has fallen backward onto the concrete on his head. He's fine.
• Sam picked up a phone and started talking. I asked him who he was talking to, and he said, "Daddy." Then he said, "Hi Daddy! I love you! Daddy come home?" It was so unbelievably cute!
• Right now, Jake is still crying - fighting sleep in an all-out war! He went down at 8:15, woke back up at 9, and has been crying ever since (it's after 10 now)! What the?

It was a week!!!

Pictures ARE coming... it's just been one of those weeks!

Sam acquired (what I be believe to be) an ear infection. He had a fever starting Tuesday, and it just went away by this morning. No biggie - not contagious - took him to the dr. Tuesday to get the antibiotic. Fever persisted, then he puked around 5 AM Thursday morning. Daddy came and got him that afternoon... JUST IN CASE! Mimi and Pop Pop must have been the magic medicine because he has been fine ever since!

I was on the phone with Mama and Daddy this morning, and I asked Sam if he wanted me to come get him, and he said, "NO! ..... MAAM!" as he dug his head into Pop Pop's shoulder! He WAS telling me, "I love you, Mommy!" so that melts my heart anyway! At least he loves me! I asked him if Mommy could come too, and he said, "NO! MAAM!" again! Then I hear Pop Pop say, "OK, let's go get your syrup!" Hmmm... no wonder!!! ;)

Daddy said Sam was walking down the halls swaggering and just looking around with such contentment... like, "Ahhhh... I'm here!" Probably true because he asks, "Go to Mimi/Pop Pop's?" everyday!!!

This morning, Jake woke up and was giving me the biggest hugs and KISSES! MAN!!! I love this kid too!!!!

The other day, Sam started putting a blanket over his own face and playing Peek-a-boo (Pee-Pie) with Jake... then he started putting it over Jake's face and playing... Jake was smiling and laughing and squealing with such joy! Then Sam started playing with toys and pillows... Mommy had to intervene at that point!!! "We don't put pillows over Jake's face!"

I sat down to feed Jake yesterday, and he LUNGED off of my lap (I caught him) toward the bottle and screamed, "Ba-Ba!" First words??????? I believe he really knows what his "Ba-ba" is!!!!!

Jake has become quite the sleeper! Today (since Sam wasn't here), he slept until almost 9 (with about a 30 min grunting session --- discovered poop when I got him up), then went back to sleep at 11 for a 2-hr nap (yes, you read that correctly). He would have taken a better afternoon nap had I actually been able to put him in his crib, but he rather caught a few zzzzz's in the car and then in the restaurant. YAY!!!

I love my life!

This weekend:

• BJ and I went to the Atlanta Fish Market for dinner... just the two of us! Mama and Daddy came and babysat the boys. We ate slowly and had a leisurely dinner... we honestly didn't know what to do with ourselves!
• We ate at "Chik-a-Way" for lunch. A cow came walking through the store (not a real one, folks), and Sam started crying. BJ took him to the bathroom, the cow returned a bit later... Sam cried again. BJ took Sam outside - they watched the cow through the windows while he played with the other kids, and Sam came back in and was fine. He kept talking about "Chikin" the cow (Sam named him - with BJ's help) like he was his best bud!? When the cow left, Sam was concerned as to where he went. We told him the cow had to go eat lunch too (me, being the blunt, no-nonsense mom said he went to eat grass and cud). Then Sam decided he went to Five Guys for a burger!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!! That's pretty funny - I don't care who you are!!!
• Uncle Brandon gave Sam some small water guns and BJ a big one for their birthdays. Sam hasn't put them down. He woke up this morning and saw them downstairs and WHINED and WHINED to "go down and get guns!" and "Need guns!" Yeah, he know what he NEEDS now too!
• Sam parked his Pooh plane at the couch and informed me it was at the Winder airport. I asked him what he was doing in Winder and he said "Eating lunch." Pop Pop had taken him there on their day of flying to eat lunch A LONG TIME AGO (in toddler time, anyway - it was a month or so ago)! He still remembers what he ate and everything!
• Sam didn't cry when we handed him over to the lady at the nursery at church! This was a first!
• Sam woke up too early from his nap, so BJ went to get him to lay back down. An hour later BJ came back down, CLAIMING he just laid there to make sure Sam was asleep good. Too bad I had peaked at them and they were BOTH out like a light!!!!!
• Jake woke up at 2 AM Saturday night and didn't go back to sleep until 4:30!? Ugggg.....

Today:

• Sam informed me, "Sam's a big boy." Glad he noticed! No, really, I try to tell him that a lot to try and make him feel like my helper, and it has also been a big help with the whole potty training thing too!
• Jake had three poops before 11 this morning!? Such a change from being excited about one poop every three days!!! That was probably karma, because when Mama and Daddy kept them last Friday, I gave Jake prunes. It was just luck of the draw, but it ended up that right after I left he had a poop that went up between his shoulder blades!
• Jake grabbed my water cup when he was on the table in his Bumbo and dumped the whole thing out. I got the table cleaned and the floor mopped up, and Sam pointed out that the table was leaking. I then had to pull it apart and mop up the inside of the table where the leaf goes... and mop the floor AGAIN! Sam was there helping saying, "Sam need screwdriver."

They're finally asleep, and I am tired! But I found myself wanting them to just stay the way they are right now! I'm not ready for them to grow up so fast! I love my 'job'!!!!!!