Happy Birthday Nattie!

Happy Birthday Mom! We love you for many reasons and we hope your day is full of celebration! 

One of the many reasons we love you is that you would give your left arm to get a good picture of all three of your grandkids and it just never happens. You never lose hope that one day it will :)

I Really Am a Big Kid Now

Howdy ladies. And man. I wanted to tell you a few things today:

1. I am going to school (Mother's Day Out) next year and I'm excited.
2. My sister Charlie bugs me and wants to do only what I do all the time. Anybody want a new sister?
3. My other sister that isn't here yet is looking good and the doctor said she was stable, whatever that means.
4. The doctor also told Mommy and Daddy that she weighs about 5 pounds already and that this was good news. To me that sounds puny but maybe because I'm so big. I'm in the 40-45 lb. range myself.
5. Have a good day. I'm going to the park now.

My Boy is Growing Up

Things once spoken while pregnant with Ty:

"I don't care what he does for a living but I hope he has a good time doing it." (Sean)

"I hope he likes spending time with his Daddy and doesn't only like me." (Me)

"I hope that wherever we move there is a Home Depot within walking distance." (Sean)

My prayers were definately answered. On all of the above. His future as a Home Depot do-it-yourself-er , (or employee,) is secure.
See how much he enjoyed it? David too...their joy was palpable. No really, the daddies say that it really was. They just get this look before a parent takes a picture.
A little more fun now...building the ramp for their cars.
You've met Jennie here but here is her husband Jonathan helping David. David and Ty are the best of friends. We have been telling them that since they were born. They might as well get used to the idea.

Sorry didn't get an actual picture of Jonathan's face but I'm guessing Sean had to snap these pictures so fast so Ty wasn't holding the hammer and nails by himself for very long. Isn't this the cutest idea? The Home Depot has a class for kids once a month to do with their parent(s) and it's totally free. Read about it here. Ty came in the door wearing his apron and I couldn't have been more proud!

Y'all go to my cousin Brooke's blog and watch the video of the sleeping/running dog. It is hilarious!

And Then I Went to Disneyland

Charlie getting comfy to watch her video. Her current favorite is still Blues Clues. Dora is Ty's new favorite and he's learning to sing the songs. He mixes Spanish with English and it's stinking hilarious.
This was a few weeks ago at Mimi's house in Denton before the illness.

Yesterday I went to Disneyland, also known as Northpark in Dallas. When Sean walked in the door from work I told him I loved him and got in the car--the garage door never closed :) He got home early enough for me to go meet his mom (Mimi,) and sisters to go Easter shopping. We talked and shopped for hours and it was a great vacation from the week. I was never an anxious person until I had a child and this week my anxiety level was so high I think it rubbed off on the kids. You hear that they can tell when you're edgy and they respond with equal edginess?? It's true. At least for my kids. I finally figured it out yesterday that if I could calm myself down before picking them up they did better. Once Sean got home and I breathed a sigh of relief so did they. And everyone slept all night. A first in a few days.

I'm continuing my vacation today, going to a movie and after that maybe I'll be ready to return to life. Only two Dr appointments this week, one Monday and one Tuesday. The sonogram is on Tuesday and as usual I'll update as soon as I can after it. Sean is on the hunt for a program that will make it easier to update from my phone so soon I can give a play by play. Brace yourself for the fun in that. Ha! 

Happy Sunday

Ty's First Date

Even though we are teaching him to be old-fashioned, his date picked him up but they did take HIS momma's car. 
Forgive me for the size of this picture--I need some tech support y'all. This is my sister, often referred to as Aunt Emmy. She took Ty to the museum a few Saturdays ago for his first visit. He is really proud of himself when he is around Emmy because she is a teacher and somehow he picks up on this and tries to impress her with his knowledge. It's a huge treat for him to spend time by himself with her and I've mentioned before she has taught him almost everything he knows--with the exception of the phrase, "MAX, BACK UP!" He learned that one from me. And he says it just like I do. Not exactly with a nice tone. Thanks Emmy for taking him out on his first date and using some of your precious time off to entertain him. It helps me so much!

Whining Today: Prepare Yourself

Update: Cardiologist appointment went fine. Joy's heart looks good except for one thing that will correct itself once the tumor is gone. The side touching the tumor is a little smaller because of restricted space but the Dr. said she wasn't worried and that it will fix itself. I do have to go again in a month to have her take another look but I know it's better to be safe so it's ok. 

The last few days have been hard. Not hard in the eternal sense but hard in the physical and emotional exhaustion sense...Master Ty would get better then develop new symptoms. On the bright side, I learned you can give a toddler (especially one the size of a four year-old,) Imodium AD for kids. Does that paint a pretty picture for you as far as one of his main symptoms? It was so pitiful watching him walk around in circles and his stomach hurt, he just whined, and it was non stop. I don't know what it would have been like had I been by myself. Well yes I do--It would have been ugly. And I'm not even proud of how it went with both of my parents helping but I'm just glad it's over. Spring, even your storms don't scare me now and I'm ready for you!

On to happier topics, two of my favorite people are going through very exciting things right now that I can't quite share but my heart just overflows for both of them...just to throw you off a little it's two separate people, not a couple. Just know I'll tell as soon as I'm allowed :)

We are back at home now and I'm doing I think about 5 loads of laundry today. I'm about to walk out the door to go to the pediatric cardiologist to have a sonogram. If I haven't mentioned this one before it's because I think it won't reveal any big news...apparently it's normal protocol to check an unborn baby's heart to make sure it could handle surgery after birth. Yippee. A whole new doctor! I'm hoping it's just this one time and I'll never see the lady again. No offense lady. I'll update when I get back!

I Liked Grasshoppers Before They Were Cool

Maybe my brain is still foggy but I think this is hilarious. I did what any self-respecting mother of two 1/2 would do and came to my parents house when we all got the virus. Since Sean had it worse than I did it made sense to leave him home so he could rest and make it to work. He did thank the Lord because we're anticipating him being home once Joy makes her appearance.

Yesterday I traded jobs with my mom and worked at my dad's office and she tended to the kids. I was looking online at JCrew getting ideas for how to put things together this Spring/Summer--I have clothes I've barely worn in three years because I've worn maternity stuff--so I'm so excited to pull it all out. I always look at their jewelry too and I did a double-take when I stumbled upon this necklace.

To think I'm ahead of the fashion curve.