J/F/M 03 Mamas - Come on in and catch up!

[sdauer21]

Come on in and catch up with moms who's toddlers are getting ready to turn 3!! If your child has a birthday in January, February, or March of 2003, even late December 2002, join up!! Feel free to post info - I'll compile a roster, assuming I can stay on top of things! ;) Please post any info in red, as its easier to catch in posts. Pictures will NOT be posted unless the owner specifically requests.

Name
DH's Name
Child/ren's name, birthday
Anything else...


We'll see how I do getting this fancied up. Looking forward to reconnecting with everyone! :D

[sdauer21]

http://www.shutterfly.com/jsp/proceserv.jsp?uid=8AcNGjho3aND&rostate=67b0de21bd669938455a&co=-1&js=1136702591726&rx=304&ry=304
(Late December), January, February, March 2003 Moms and their Families

alliesmomma03
Name: Michelle
DH: David
Children: Alexis (Allie) 1/17/2003, Alyssa, 8/28/06

AusAshMommy
Name: JimmsAugustBride on WC, Real life however, I am Lara, so please call me that!
DH: Jimmy
DS: Austin, 02.03.03!
DD: Ashley, 12.24.04

Connorsmommy
Name: Karen (Connorsmommy on LJ and Kare71401 on WC)
DH: Wade
Children: Connor 3/29/03, Dawson born 6/06

lokahi
Name:Ruth (lokahi on WC/LJ/CC)
DH: Marc
Children: Elton 1/10/2003, Andrew 01/16/2005

lorbo
Name: Lori(lorbo on WC and LJ)
DH: Jimbo or Jim
Children: Brooke 1/22/03, James 1/18/05

NikkiD
Name: Nikki
DH's Name: Stacy
Child/ren's name: Austin 10/1/96, Justin 12/31/02, Kaitlyn 7/5/04, Jaxson 1/4/06

Mommy2ml
Name: Rebecca
DH - Rob
Children: Mackenzie 1/12/03, Logan 9/25/06

sdauer21
Name: Sonya (sdauer21 on WC, spedtchr on LJ)
DH: Will
Children: Tallia 1/14/03, Abigail 7/26/05

sabrespa
Name: Sabre
DH:
Children: Isabella (Bella) 3/17/03, Anthony 9/05

[sdauer21]

space for pictures

[sdauer21]

We'll do a birthday list here, so we can keep track of everyone!

January
4 - Lori
4 - Wyatt (Heather) (2005)
4 - Jaxson (Nikki) (2006)
10 - Elton (Ruth) (2003)
12 - Mackenzie (Rebecca) (2003)
14 - Tallia (Sonya) (2003)
16 - Andrew (Ruth) (2005)
17 - Allie (Michelle) (2003)
18 - James (Lori) (2005)
22 - Brooke (Lori) (2003)
23 - Sonya

Februaruy
3 - Austin (Lara) (2003)

March
17 - Bella (Sabre) (2003)
29 - Connor (Karen) (2003)

April

May

June
- Dawson (Karen) (2006)

July
5 - Kaitlyn (Nikki) (2004)
26 - Abigail (Sonya) (2005)

August

Septmeber
Anthony (Sabre) (2005)
Alyssa (Michelle) (2006 - due)
25 - Logan (Rebecca) (2006)

October
1 - Austin (Nikki) (1996)

November

December
24 - Ashley (Lara) (2004)
31 - Justin (Nikki) (2002)


*I'll finish this later today - have to go do birthday shopping.

[sdauer21]

Ok - jump on in!! Hopefully, old and new members will check in and we can keep up with each other! :D

Since I started the thread, I'll get my info out there...

sdauer21
Name: Sonya (sdauer21 on WC, spedtchr on LJ)
DH: Will
Children: Tallia 1/14/03, Abigail 7/26/05


Tallia's birthday is next weekend, and as is typical of me, I haven't started even planning her party! Of course, she's been anticipating her party for months now, ever since I told her her birthday would happen when it snowed, which it did in November! :eek: Recently, she's turned into the ultimate girly girl, so I need to pull together a foo-foo party, something not really up my alley. I'm sure it will all work out - we're not having her actual party until the following weekend, so I have plenty of time to wing it. I've been holding out hope that once she turns 3, she'll return to the sweet wonderful little girl she was over a year ago. The 2's have been rough, to say the least. She does love school, so I suppose that is a good thing, right?! Actually, if we could do away with the whining and tantrums, we'd really be enjoying her these days - its so amazing to watch these little people emmerge from the tiny infants we brought home from the hospital 3 years ago. Tallia loves to sing, loves to tell stories, and suddenly, everything is "beautiful", "wonderful", and "marvelous"!! The greatest joy with her this year has been watching her become a big sister. Unlike taking naps and eating balanced meals, she fully enjoys Abigail and takes the time to share her toys, give smooches, and play with her baby sister. I can say little brings me more joy then watching their sisterhood develop.

That's about it for an update for now. A few pictures:
Tallie's 2nd birthday
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5cc24b3127cce95e3c85ba4d100000015108AcNGjho3aND
You'd think this was Halloween, but it was actually June!! She decided to wear this (and her coordinating high tops!) to school - and why not?!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d808b3127cce922f527416dc00000015108AcNGjho3aND
With her baby sister
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5cc24b3127cce95e3c837a4bd00000016108AcNGjho3aND
My fashion model
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d603b3127cce93c98eade19d00000015108AcNGjho3aND

[lorbo]

i'm here...don't have time to post a lot though...trying to get to church(so i don't feel guilty and getting three ready is too hard!).
lorbo
Name: Lori(lorbo on WC and LJ)
DH: Jimbo or Jim
Children: Brooke 1/22/03
James 1/18/05

[connorsmommy]

Just thought I'd join here, even though I'm also a member of A/M/J 03! :)

Connor was due May 1/03, but by your definition, he makes the cut for the J/F/M 03 group - He arrived 5 weeks early on March 29/03!


Connorsmommy
Name: Karen (Connorsmommy on LJ and Kare71401 on WC)
DH: Wade
Children: Connor 3/29/03, Baby2 due 06/19/06

[sdauer21]

YEA!!! Hi Karen!! :D I didn't realize Connor's birthday was in March - totally qualifies you to join us!

Lori You are far more organized then I! I keep thinking I'll get going back to church, but then come Sunday morning...it just isn't happening.

Off to feed whiney dogs and kids.

[lokahi]

May I join ;)

lokahi
Name:Ruth (lokahi on WC/LJ/CC)
DH: Marc
Children: Elton 1/10/2003
Andrew 01/16/2005

*sigh* Elton's turning 3 on Tuesday =/

[lorbo]

hee hee hee, didn't quite make it to church-Brooke didn't wake up until i woke her up...her uncle is in trouble for playing boogeyman with her and her cousins-i warned him at christmas not to play this with her...now DH says we'll be calling him when she wakes up screaming in the night. i hope i am done birthday shopping-these kids have got too much...Brooke is getting a tricycle as her big present, clothes, a puzzle clock and some other stuff buried in my closet-forgot about the ballerina bedding set! Brooke is also a girlie girl-when she's not running around the house naked-that would be currently. the best look is the orange tutu/bodysuit i got her to play with...or when she wears a tshirt and the shell of a tutu with no undies on...she did that when her grandparents visited.

i'm getting more disgusted with my in-laws as the years pass...DH told me yesterday that his dad has a bus trip the day of the party, so his mom and dad won't come, being that his mom won't drive anywhere far-she's about 30-40 minutes from us. my disgust was quite evident on the phone when he told me. this is not how i remember my grandparents being, nor would my parents miss their grandchildren's birthday party-much less James' first birthday party. when we visited with his family and his great aunt and grandmother, it's quite apparent that my relationship with his grandmother and great aunt are so much better-they're so much warmer and easier to talk to...his great aunt told his parents that i do a good job of keeping her aware of how the kids are doing and what they look like, because i send so many pictures-something that i don't do with his parents-don't know their email and nobody wants to go out of their way to give it to me, so i'm not bothering...and his sister was cut off because of all the drama she provided at James' christening. i'll copy and paste what i wrote in the other thread!

[lorbo]

talking about the oldest child...Brooke will be 3 in less than 2 and a half weeks-kind of scary! i'm hoping that the temper tantrums taper off. i personally can't stand the stores with gumball machines as a temper tantrum almost always happens in front of them. DH measured Brooke at 36 inches and she weighed herself in the store and was 32 lb. i can see she's gotten quite a bit taller-most of her pants look like floods now, so we did a bit of drawer cleaning. she's been potty-trained for a good while now(i almost said house-:eek: bad me!!!). she's in love with her brother-who will be 1 in 11 days and he's doing very well! she's had a problem lately with her appetite-she's hungry, but refuses a lot of stuff-she talks too much about candy! we're supposed to start looking at nursery schools for the fall-her doc suggested we start her then, being that she's a "spitfire."-his words, not mine! she's been pretty healthy-she did have a stomach virus for a week-it was odd, she vomited mon, wed, and sat, and she had a high fever for all of twelve hours two weeks ago. that's about it...

[lorbo]

pics of James

[AusAshMommy]

AHHHH Has it been three years since we were all looking at our 1st born babies wondering what to do with them???

Hee Hee...

Popping in to join! So excited to see this thread!!! I was PG w/some of ya'll on WC! here's our stats:

Me: AusAshMommy, aka JimmsAugustBride on WC, Real life however, I am Lara, so please call me that!
DH: Jimmy
DS: Austin, 02.03.03...gonna be three in less than 1 mos!
DD: Ashley, 12.24.04...just had her B-Day party yesterday!

Some Pics then an update:


My babies!


My whole reason for being here...Austin at almost 3!

[PICS REMOVED]

Update:

We'll back track a bit, on X-Mas Eve 2004 Austin welcomed baby sister Ashley Jordan, weighing in at 7lbs 5ozs, 21" We brought her home and he was unsure how to handle her and not sure what this crying screaming thing was that was taking all of Mommy's attention and time. Then he moved into a new house in Mar 2005 with his Godfather Michael and Mike's son Aiden. So we're all living together. During this time Ashley learned how to crawl and is now fully mobile. And, as if things weren't busy enough I am going to school for my MBA. UoP Online...so I go to 'class' between 9&11 pm at night...OY!! In Sept '05 he became POTTY TRAINED!!! WIHOO!!! No more diapers for Austin!! We still need them at night, but during the day we are diaper free! Ashley celebrated her B-Day in December along w/X-Mas and that brings us here...I went all out for Ashley's B-Day as sort of an 'audition' for my career as an event planner. So I am going to do the same for Austin...sports theme...so we'll see what i come up with!

But that's where we are right now!

Oh BTW, did I mention we're moving in April again?!?! This time we're taking the big plunge and moving to Wilmington, NC!!! Jimmy puts in his transfer papers this week!!!

[sdauer21]

Hi Ruth and Lara!!! So much catching up to do, but it sure is great to see you both in here!! :) Must go to bed now, but will be back in the morning for more!

Sonya

[AusAshMommy]

Sonya ~ I can't tell you how excited I am to see you again!!! You disappeared after you found out you were PG w/Abby! I've been wondering about ya!

I know I know!!!

[Nikkid]

I have to post quick, I have a crying baby.

NikkiD
Name: Nikki
DH's Name: Stacy
Child/ren's name: Austin 10/1/96, Justin 12/31/02, Kaitlyn 7/5/04, Jaxson 1/4/06

[lorbo]

congrats Nikki...nothing like a January 4th birthday:D :D :D but then I'm biased.

[AusAshMommy]

Nikki ~ Welcome!!!

Love the name Austin ;-)

Welcome to our crew!

[Nikkid]

Thanks Lorbo, I didn't realize we had so many Jan 4th birthdays here! It's funny because I know three people IRL who have a birthday that day too.

Lara I remember when you had Austin and I thought the same thing too! ;)

I will have to post some pics of Justin when I get a chance. I can't believe how big they all are now. I'm trying to remember what they looked like as babies. Seems so long ago!

[Nikkid]

Here he is blowing out his candles for his 3rd birthday. We haven't had a party for him yet since we had been waiting hsi brothers arrival so now we need to plan that.

http://www.stacydruse.com/pics/justin/assets/images/db_images/db_Picture_0031.jpg

http://www.stacydruse.com/pics/justin/assets/images/db_images/db_Picture_0131.jpg

Sharing his cereal with his sister
http://www.stacydruse.com/pics/justin/assets/images/db_images/db_Picture_0311.jpg

Here he is with big brother Austin
http://www.stacydruse.com/pics/austin/assets/images/db_images/db_Picture_0121.jpg

[Nikkid]

Another of him with little sister
http://www.stacydruse.com/pics/kaitlyn/assets/images/db_images/db_Picture_0791.jpg

And our newest arrival, his little brother
http://www.stacydruse.com/pics/jaxson/assets/images/db_images/db_Picture_0061.jpg

OK, I'll quit hogging the thread with my pics!

[Nikkid]

AHHHH Has it been three years since we were all looking at our 1st born babies wondering what to do with them???

It has been and here I am doing it again! LOL :eek:

ETA:HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELTON!

[AusAshMommy]

Nikki ~ Really? No offense...but I sort of remember you from WC...

Your boys are very handsome! Love the B-Day cake pics and others! Kids are soo much fun!!!

[lorbo]

hey, i'm still wondering what to do with the almost 3 year old:D

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ No clue...still trying to figure that one out myself!

[sdauer21]

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm locking my 3 year old in the closet!! I'm considering letting her out in a year - I've heard 4's are much easier then 3's - but I'm still undecided. She might just stay in there until she's 18! Especially if she doesn't start sleeping at night!!! :p

[lokahi]

Thanks Nikki!

Great pictures :)

Happy Birthday Justin!!!

- - - - -

{delete pictures}



Follow-up:
I'm not sure if you guys remember that E had hearing/speech issues. He failed his newborn hearing test. Then had several audiology test at 3 months, 7 months, 12 months, and 18 months, which concluded he had mild/moderate hearing loss. The Ped referred us to the Early Intervention Services where E received speech and group therapy(it was all FREE!). He also got ear tube inserts which helped. The therapy and tubes were great!!! He's a chatterbox but sometimes mispronounce his words. The ear tubes have been removed and we're just monitoring it. We're currently on the wait list for private speech therapy.

[sdauer21]

Happy Birthday Elton!!!

Ruth - isn't it amazing to see how far they've come?!! Well, and it sounds like you've had quite a road with Elton's hearing. For some reason, I don't remember that he didn't pass his hearing test...so glad to hear you were able to get early intervention for him. Sounds like it has really paid off!! That's the great thing about early intervention- it can make all the difference in the world. My nephew, who's just a year older then our kids, has severe hearing loss in both ears. They diagnosed him 10 days after Tallia was born. He now has a cochlear implant, but thanks to my sister's persistance and the early therapy and intervention she got for him, he is fully caught up, developmentally, as far as speech and language is concerned. It is a real credit to you, as his mom, that Elton has done so well thus far! Way to go!!! :D

[lorbo]

Happy birthday Elton-sorry it's late! i just can't seem to get birthdays on time.

i seem to have the girliest girl on the face of this earth-right now, she's running around the living room with an orange tutu(i bought it at target for 5 bucks, thinking she could play with it-now it's her "beautiful dress"-and a pair of high heels! i have to keep her closet childproofed because all of the dresses would be pulled out and she's just started getting in to the drawer where her skirts are living.

i can't believe James will be one in less than a week and i've got a week and a half until Brooke is 3-where'd the time go?

Sonya, please don't say that 3 is just as bad as 2!!!!! i'm saying a prayer that 3 will be the year of no more tantrums-last night had 3 or four-because i corrected her about eating candy off the floor at the mall, warned her not to do it again, found her with stuff in her mouth, asked about it, she said she had nothing in there, then saw the blue tongue, said no hot chocolate, got the temper tantrum, warned her yet again of eating food/candy off the floor, she picked up more candy off the floor, said no to playing shrek operation, got another tantrum-this one lasted thru the mall-i feel like i say the same thing over and over, and it's just not getting thru!!!! Please GOD!!!!!!! let 3 be the year of good behavior-i've gotten tooooo many white hairs and my blood pressure is rising!!!!

[AusAshMommy]

HAPPY B-DAY ELTON!!!! Sorry this is late!

Lorbo ~ I hear...and this is rumor...that they get better between 3 & 4...so only time will truly tell right?!?!?! LOL!!!

I feel your pain...Austin's a hellion when we take him somewhere and he can't get into everything and anything he wants to! It truly does wreak havok on your patience...

Lastnight and the night befores battle was bedtime...he DID NOT want to go to bed...kept going back to the TV trying to turn it back on (cable box was off) and couldn't for the life of him figure out why Sprout wouldn't come back on...

This morning he DID NOT want to go to Ante's...?!?!?! Go figure...

So yeah we feel your pain!

Sonya ~ Have you noticed any big changes?? PLEASE say Yes!

[lorbo]

Tallie's still got 2 days before she's three, so let's hope so...and let's hope I don't have the biggest drama queen ever!

[sdauer21]

Changes? Let's see... there was the tantrum last night because she didn't want to go out for her birthday dinner. The one after that because she DID want to go out for her birthday dinner. The one after dinner because she didn't want to go home. The one in the bath because we told her to quite pouring water on her sister's head. The one before bed because she didn't want to wear pj's to bed. The one after we put her to bed when Will found her running in circles in the living room (:confused: so not sure what that was about!!). The one this morning because she woke up and it was cold, but she didn't want to stay under her blankets and be warm. The one when we tried to get her in the car and she couldn't decide who she wanted to go to school with.


Hmmm - not holding out much hope that she'll be miraculously better in 2 days. :( At least she only got up once last night, screaming for me, only to have me come in, tuck her back in, rub her back for a minute, and fall sound asleep in .3 seconds. I thought they grew out of the night waking around 1 year??!!

What are ya'll doing for parties? Last year, we did a Nemo theme and the kids' nanny did a lot of the actual party. We had a friend bring over her 3 boys, and with my neice and nephew, we called it a full party. The highlight was letting the kids frost their own cupcakes. It was easy to pull together and easy to plan. This year, Her Highness wants a full on girly party, so we compromised. We've invited 3 of her friends from school, my neice and nephew, and were taking the kids to a local paint-your-own-pottery place. They also have a mixed media center where the kids can cut, paste, glue, paint, etc. to their hearts content. We won't have to set up, clean up, or gather materials - does it get any easier??!! :) There's also a room where we can do cake and ice cream. I'm just not in the mentality to do toddler parties. They're hard!! :P I prefer parties where people just sit around and vist with each other...do you think 3 year olds are up for that?! ;)

[lorbo]

i'm on my way out-gorgeous day and we need some lunch...just had to say...hee hee hee...full out laughing for ya, Sonya...Brookie just asked why are you laughing mommy. so there, with ya girl!!!

[AusAshMommy]

LOL!! This year I am working on coordinating the kids parties and going full on OUT! I am hoping to break into Event Coordinating and am having some practice runs w/the kids parties...

Austin's this year will be a Sports Themed party and we're going to be getting creative...

LAst year it was Shrek (twas an obsession...go figure!)

Still working on the creatives for this year...I'll keep ya posted on how it goes!

[lokahi]

THANK YOU Sonya, lorbo, & Lara for the b-day wishes for Elton!

The 4 of us had dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory that day. Yummy!

- - - - -
Party
Elton and Andrew's BIG party is on Sunday! We are cateering the food- toss salad, macaroni salad, crispy gau gee, spring rolls, stuffed crab claw, garlic shrimp, chicken katsu, teriyaki beef, pineapple ham, chow mein, and white rice. My mom has the b-day cake courtesy of Baskin Robbins.

We still need to buy more drinks, balloon & hellium tank, and pick up the chairs tomorrow.

Changes
DH's Grandmother passed away in December. We released balloons to say our goodbyes. While in the hospital, Grandmother received a small Christmas tree gift from a relative. MIL saved the tree and gave it to Elton and ask to take care of it for Great Grandmother.

E has been sleeping in his own bedroom since he was 2 yrs. Since Great Grandmother's passing, he request to have the lamp on and door open. And occasionally he will have a bad dream. He sometimes ask about Great Grandmother. He thinks that she has gone to China Town to buy fish and veggies or to Ala Moana Center to buy a new dress. When you ask Elton, what's his favorite memory of Great Grandmother...."Playing cards with Great Grandma. Jumping on Great Grandma's bed. Picking up long green beans for Great Grandma." :)

[lorbo]

i'm gonna give an early HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Miss Tallia!!!!! and a good job to her mom-i need someone to say that to me occasionally.

i've been having a rough time lately. very snarky to the husband and well, sleep deprived, hormonal, cranky, moody, vicious at times. i am so tired of all the crap that's being flung at me. Brooke is always at me-today, she took the gate down(though she's been told 101 times not to, when her brother is awake), and i'm downstairs doing something, hear something and walk up the steps to see water all over the kitchen floor-James dumped a gallon of water on the kitchen floor-it was to fill my fishtank, which is seriously low-didn't think i'd have a problem, being that the gate was up:rolleyes: ), then she told me she ate the toothpaste. then the topper was her pooping-she asks us to go away and not look at her while she's pooping, i wait for the obligatory mom, come wipe me...it's quite a while and there's the mom, come use one of those new wipes on me....i looked in the toilet and she's used 1/2 to 3/4 of a whole roll of toilet paper. in the past week...she woke up screaming last week, telling DH her teeth hurt, so he gets her some motrin and a drink, when i go to open her bedroom door later that morning, the first thing i see is the motrin bottle on the floor and the bottle sitting askew. i knew the bottle wasn't full,but it was empty either. she knows how to get the childproof cap off and let's just say, i should speed dial the poison control number by now! of course, DH yells at me and her ability to get the cap off, when he knows it was his fault for leaving it in the room with her. my sister, who just turned 38, is going deaf in one ear-an inherited condition in which she'll need surgery to place a hinge device-the bones are hardening, I think...my sister and i were commenting on how our familial lines suck and how i better not have this...my feet and my eyes cancel out her spongy kidneys and her deaf ear. what else...no work on the home front-i just want the one picture in the living room put up and i will be content for awhile-DH just doesn't understand that! James has at least four teeth coming in...um, the two birthdays coming up, my SIL's probable upcoming baby shower, which i have no desire to go to..., my cousin, who i haven't seen in ages, nor did she call, write or anything to check on my son at any time, is getting married in NC on a friday night and it's looking more and more like we won't be going-sad, because she's my only first cousin and sad, because she's practically a stranger to me. that and a variety of other things leave me boiling over-i was ready to jump over the counter at a store because of this cashier's crap, i reported her and the manager to the company today. all this negative energy is killing me, so last night before i went to bed, i begged God to take some of this load off of me...surprisingly, i felt like some of it was gone-corny? maybe, but i feel better today and could tolerate a lot more than i would've yesterday. i'm also begging my dear friend for a deep tissue massage and my other dear friend listened to me go on and on...and she asked me what she could do to help-sweet dear woman!!! oh, this should be considered a vent...it helps to get it out there and maybe with the massage, and our little family getaway to great wolf lodge in the next couple of weeks will definately make me feel better.

[lorbo]

so it seems that we have upwards of 30 people coming to the party-seems the cake/ice cream did nothing to discourage people! DH is not happy, he keeps saying we can't fit that many people in our house/we don't have that many seats, etc. the only thing i'm thinking of is toys. DH's cousins' kids are coming-the one closest to Brooke's age, came to her first party and he tried to take her toys-her cousin Brian kept telling this little boy that he couldn't play with these toys, "they're Brookie's toys". DH has visions of kids playing in Brooke's room. DH's immediate family wasn't going to attend-due to his dad working and SIL is working, so MIL couldn't drive all the way here-oh, about 20 miles. her sister is coming, so DH called MIL tonight and said he'd pick her up in the morning and she seemed really happy about being here. should be quite a party to talk about...probably people saying, yeah, they crammed us in their house. had to believe that this time last year, Sweet Baby James was just about to be born!

[lokahi]

ELTON & ANDREW'S B-DAY PICTURES!!!

"Place the Rock" Game

Cement Truck Pinyata

Cookies & cream and strawberry ice-cream cake from Baskin Robbins

Happy Family


[Removed pictures]

[lorbo]

great pics Lokahi! Happy birthday Elton and Andrew!

Well, James is one today and i have mixed emotions about that. i'm sad that's he's growing to be a big boy, soon he'll be walking and talking-let's skip the tantrums-Brooke throws enough for more than two children. i'm thrilled that he's healthy and he's come from such a hard start...looking back on the year, i don't know how he did it. i'm sure his doctor will point out that i had a lot to do with it, but i don't think i did that much. i'm also sad that he may be my last baby. i'm just so unsure of what to do... i want another one, DH keeps saying we can't afford another, especially since we're still fighting the insurance company for close to 1000 bucks in hospital/doctor bills. i have my annual gyno appt at the end of next month, so i'm sure we'll discuss this issue. i should go, i need to look for picture people coupons and get the kids ready-James has to have his birthday picture.

[sdauer21]

No time for a proper post, but had to come in to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY JAMES!!! Lori - you've come so far with him in a year! I can't believe you are already celebrating his birthday - I feel like it was yesterday when I was getting your announcement that James was here early. I hope you have enjoyed today with him!! What a celebration for you both!!! :D I've been listening to James Taylor in his honor today! ;)

[lokahi]

Happy Birthday James!!!

[lorbo]

thanks guys!

Sonya, i lost it when i read what you wrote...today's been a tough day...all the reliving of his birth and subsequent health just brings me to my knees, and THEN I CRY! he's an amazing little boy-still quite a baby-nothing at all like big sister. his smile is still killer and his eyes always get comments. he's so serious-i'm surprised photographers get him to crack a smile. we took him to get his birthday picture tonight and we got little smiles, but no big toothy grins. oh, while we were waiting, Brooke started playing with two little girls-one younger, one a little bit older. i said to my mom, she's so much older than children her own age, isn't she? my mom agrees...i hate that i know she'll do well in preschool...i asked her if i can go with her and she'll say yes. then daddy will ask if he can go with her and she'll say no. then she'll tell me, mommy you can't go to school with me, i have to ride the bus by myself and go to school by myself-i'm going to be a big sobbing heap when she does go to preschool...i don't even want to think how'll i'll be when she goes to kindergarten!

[lorbo]

so today my oldest baby is 3!!! the combined party was yesterday and we're exhausted! i have to work tonight-not looking forward to that! i'll recap the highlights later tonight if i can't sleep or tomorrow! i do have to say, i bought Brooke this book called you'll still be my baby when-just looking thru it chokes me up and i don't know how i'll ever read it!

[sdauer21]

Happy Birthday, Sweet Brooke!!! Lori - I'd swear it was just yesterday we were impatiently waiting our girls' arrivals - now they are 3, and time just refuses to slow down!! I know what you mean about being choked up. Its been a tough week, adjusting to the idea that I'm now the mother of a 3 year old! I hope you enjoy Brookie's day!! :D



We had Tallia's 3rd party yesterday (whew! we're done with the parties this year!!). We took her and a few of her friends to a local paint-your-own-pottery place, where they also have a "mixed media" center. They gave us our own room, put out every art supply you could think of, and let the kids just go to town creating. It was a blast!!! They painted, cut, glued to their heart's content. The artwork was fantastic, and we didn't have to set up or clean up - definately the best part!! I think the kids all had fun, and even the parents seemed to have a good time. But, I'm very glad to be done with the parties! Now if I could just get used to the idea of Tallia getting so old! ;)

Have to go watch Seattle whoop up on Carolina. My little brother goes to school in Pennsylvania, so it would be a fun Superbowl if the Steelers would get to play the Seahawks. I'll find some birthday pics and be back later to show off the girls.

[lorbo]

today was the doctor appointments...

Brooke's stats-37 inches
29lb 4oz

James' stats-28 inches
19lb 6oz

pretty nonremarkable visit-Brooke is a normal, healthy 3 year old and she doesn't need to be seen until next year. James will be seen in 3 months and he's a healthy, bouncing baby boy! the dr did say i did an amazing job with him, to that i said i did very little-James was the fighter in this-he went thru the hospitalizations, the drugs, the drug reactions, the multiple transfusions, enormous amounts of blood draws and heel sticks and catheters. what i did was very little-just gave him his meds, stayed when i was able and visited every day during his early early days...and i loved him like crazy! too emotional here. we have to start looking in to preschools-we start with an open house this sunday at our church. the dr loves the school that Brooke will attend in sept 08-it's been demolished and will be rebuilt.

i'm having a rough spell-i think i'm nearing panic attacks and major anxiety. i haven't felt right for a bit and feel like my heart is being squeezed and i'm just miserable and emotional and yuck. i know what the major problem is...my husband. he is a constant worrier and horrible pessimist. he's always complaining...you name it and he's got a sad sob story about something for him. a black cloud follows him. the only time i've seen him excited is when he talks about vacation. a vacation that we shouldn't take, i know we need to get away from the area-it'll do all of us a lot of good and we haven't done much traveling since i had Brooke. i'm tired of hearing about the electric bill, how we'll have to replace our windows because they're rotting, the car's problems and how much it'll be to fix them all, people trying to cut him off(must be because his integra is red:rolleyes: ) , the problems he has when he's got the kids and i'm at work, how he never sleeps(on sun, i told him i wanted to lay down for a bit and he came back with-well, maybe i want to nap, i said you napped on friday-he said i laid down, but i didn't sleep-i went off on him and said it still counts as a nap or a rest, because you had down time). i feel like he's draining me and i'm turning in to a different person-life is so much like a chore and i hate that i'm not enjoying it and my partner in life is an energy drainer. i have warned him if he doesn't start doing stuff in the house, i'll start to do it, whether it's right or wrong. i'm ready to call handymen for estimates because i'm tired of all the excuses. spring is just around the corner and i know what he'll do...he'll say he has to study for his professional engineer exam-which is fine, then he'll say he's got to do yard work...we're not living in the yard, are we? it's okay for him to let his son live in a room that embarrasses me! i hate my kitchen, my dining room light, the space in my living room's ceiling where the ceiling fan used to be, my bathroom has no storage and is a pit where it feels damp and mildewy, my own room which is cold and we have furniture, but i don't have enough to put my foldable clothes...oh lord, i could go on and on...i'm just so disenchanted with the men of my generation...as well as my own dad. they talk a good game, but there's always an excuse why they can't do it. i have to stop talking about this-it'll stress me out again! i need a long vacation for my husband, though we travel well together. if we get some extra money, which i doubt, maybe i'll try for a weekend getaway-i'm longing to go to the hershey hotel and spa. i should go, will try to post some birthday pics in the next couple of days, update about James' eye appointment tomorrow, etc...i took something to help me sleep and it's kicking in...

one last thing...my dear dear daughter is quite the character...she knows the names of genitals-being that my DH using the term yukie for the girl and a variety of terms for the male anatomy. i told him we needed to use the appropriate names, being that James was different from her, etc. she's been saying penis lately. at the dr's office, there was a 4 month old and she said mommy look at the baby, i said yes, do you remember when James was that small, then a question, mommy was does that baby have a penis in its mouth? my mouth dropped and i stuttered what? she very calmly said pacifier, why does that baby have a pacifier in its mouth? crazy kid!!!

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ Sorry you've hit such a rough patch w/the DH...I am sure we all can relate on some level! Hang in there, I hope with time it gets better!

[lorbo]

i'm a bit better-still feel my heart tightening up now and then...it has to be anxiety-my heart isn't racing, so...the husband has been told how i feel about most things-the home repairs go in one ear and out the other, he's agreed to lay off the financial woes speeches, because he's completely aware of how i'm reacting to his negativity. i brought home an article(swiped it from my parents) that talked about toxic people-maybe he saw himself in it-i know he read that part of the paper-saw it in the bathroom:rolleyes:

p.s. Sonya...his cake said Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Baby James-you've put that in my head:D

[lorbo]

deleting pics

[lokahi]

Happy belated birthday, Brooke! Hope you had a fun day :)

lorbo-Brooke & James are adorable! I *love* the cake pic of James ;)

- - - -
ELTON's stats:
weight: 24 lbs
height: 35 inches

ANDREW's stats:
weight: 21 lbs & 12 oz.
height: 29 1/4 inches

OMG!!! I can't believe my 3 yr and 1 yr are overlapping with their clothes!

I'm going to be an Aunty! My sister is 11 weeks preggo! EDD is Aug 11.
I'm *hoping* it's a girl b/c my niece Shae (my brother's daughter) is outnumbered by boys: Andrew, Elton and big brother Skyelar.

[AusAshMommy]

We had a moment today...

Ashley is officially a BIG GIRL today...her carseat is no longer rear facing! She crept over the 20lb limit at her sick visit two weeks ago...OMG!!!

[lorbo]

is anybody else having problems with rooting? Brooke just roots all the time. she's always helping herself to things in the kitchen, even though i've told her ten million times, she's to ask if she wants something. i have a fear that my kids will be like my nieces/nephew, they go to my parents' house and help themselves-my sibs and i never did that, i just don't think that's right. i'm so discouraged with the whole discipline aspect of parenting and i don't have any patience, and i have a quick temper-the husband is also guilty of this...i've stocked up on discipline books and i'm on a waiting list for "how to talk so your kids listen, and how to listen so your kids talk"-one night i was really frustrated by the whole repeating myself over and over-get your socks and shoes on, get your socks on, get your shoes on...get your socks and shoes on...i actually asked Brooke what i could do for her to listen to me just once. i'm also in the mindset that she needs to start cleaning up before bed and keeping her room neater. i'm so disgusted(like last night) when i walk in the door in the wee hours of the morning to see the day's clothes, toys, dishes, cups strewn all over the floor, the table etc. the husband doesn't seem to be equipped with the clean up switch in his head, until the house just looks a wreck. then he wonders why i'm up until 3-4am, cleaning up the house...or i could just wait till he starts calling the house a pigsty-that always gets my anger ready to lash out! we're leaving tomorrow for the lodge with the water park. it'll be nice to get away and i know Brooke and James will have a lot of fun-so will the parents! gotta get a waterproof disposable and a regular disposable today. we've started the search for preschool-at our church, 3 half days would be 180 a month-does that seem inexpensive? i'm so not sure about the costs and need to check with that preschool about 2 days a week-the only problem is she'd have to wear a uniform-the child has so many clothes!!!! should go, need to get out of the house...the husband has to study and i need to hunt down some necessities for tomorrow.

Sonya? where are you?

[AusAshMommy]

Good Morning Everyone ~ Just dropping in quickly to say Hi!

And...

Austin is 3 Today!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!

I've been thinking all morning of where I was 3 years ago today...at the hospital laboring with Austin...Gosh has the time gone by so fast! This past year has been a HUGE one for him, he's welcomed a baby sister, moved into a new house, and learned how to use the potty! My goodness I can't believe it!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dd36b3127cce9c263046708400000025108CbNW7lsyaY

3 Years Ago Today... :(

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6df26b3127cce96f887635ebe00000015108CbNW7lsyaY

Last month...My Baby is a Big Boy! And he'll tell ya so!

[sdauer21]

Hi - I'm here, Lori, just not posting much. We've all been sick for going on 2 weeks now, so I'm trying to read along, but am behind on replies!

Happy Birthday, Austin!!! I hope you have a wonderful day turning 3! :D It is amazing how time flies, isn't it, Lara?!!

We are slogging along. The girls both had ear infections last week, then Will and I got sick. I ended up missing a day and a half of work, which totally sucked because I had to actually pay to be gone, since I used all my sick leave for maternity. We are supposed to take the girls for swimming lessons tomorrow, but I'm really hopeing everyone is totally feeling better. I hate thinking we'd spread the "love" in the pool! Will's full time in school right now, and while he loves it, it sure does take up a lot of his time. If he's not at school working on projects, he's got everything spread out all over the family room, and we're trying to keep Tallia out of everything. I'm definately ready for better weather so we can move her, and her energy, outside. Yes, Lori I know exactly what you mean about rooting! Tallia does that all the time, and it makes me crazy! She doesn't do it much here at home, but mostly because there isn't much she can get at, at her level. But any time we are out now, she is constantly touching and getting in to anything within reach. It makes trips to the grocery store, or any store, really, a royal pain! I know she's just curious about stuff, but yeeshhh... we're trying to teach her to just look, not touch. That's not working so well for us! :P How about the interrupting? Anyone else dealing with that? That is our new project - getting her to recognize that there are other people talking, and she doesn't need to just talk over every one. This is proving to be difficult because I think she really doesn't hear other people - not that I think her hearing is bad, I think she just doesn't attend to other things going on around her. We are getting her screened for speech, though. Her ped raised some concerns, so I'll take her to the developmental preschool in my district, where my nephew attends, and have the speech therapist watch her and do an informal assessment first. Now that I've been listening to her more carefully, I'm more concerned then I was - she just doesn't seem to be getting sounds that she should have by now. Its not a major stress - better to catch it now then later!

Lori Are you feeling any better? You mentioned a few posts ago that you were having a rough go of things. I can empathize with feeling overwhelmed. I seem to be hitting that more often then not lately. It's definately worse when I feel like Will and I are on seperate playing fields. Last night, I was trying to put Tallia down, after putting Abigail down. He had gone back downstairs to work on homework, though he had the monitor on, so he could clearly hear what was going on upstairs. Tallia was horribly cranky because she had refused to nap again. I kept trying to get her into bed, and she'd come screaming out of bed, throwing a huge fit right outside her door, which is right outside of Abigail's door. Abby would wake up, start screaming, then I'd have both girls going. This went on for a good 15 minutes - me going back and forth. I finally got Abigail settled, and Tallia in her room (screaming, but at least in her room), and I stormed downstairs and growled at Will. He got all mad at me, claiming he couldn't hear that both of them were screaming. :rolleyes: Whatever! I stomped off to bed and he retreated downstairs to pout. It was frustrating all around! So...long ramble to say - I hope things are smoothing out with Jim! You've been through such a rough year, I'm sure you are both ready for some peace and quiet!! I hope you are able to get that!!
And BTW - your kids are absolutely adorable!!! Is it just me or does Brooke look just like you?! Baby James - well, he's quite the charmer!! Those eyes, on both of them! Gorgeous gorgeous kids!!

Lara Yea for Ashley moving out of her infant seat!! I can't believe she is just now hitting 20 pounds - she sounds petite like Tallia. Abigail is the opposite - she's already 17 1/2 pounds, so she'll be hitting 20 in the next few months. We're already working on getting a second convertible seat for our other car. You're kids look a lot a like! They are adorable, with their red hair!!

Ruth I loved the pictures of the boys! Looks like you had a busy time with their dual party! :) We'll be doing that in the summer - Abigail's birthday is 2 days after my sister's, which is 2 days after my neice's. I'm sure we'll just do one big shebang for all 3.

Nikki How are you holding up, girl?! Thinking about you, with your full house!! Hope things are settling in to some sort of routine!!

I know there are still some other J/F/M mamas out there - Kassie, Heather, Lan.... come out, come out where ever you are!! Its fun to touch base with everyone - nice to know mine isn't the only holy 3 year old terror at the moment! ;)

[AusAshMommy]

Sonya ~ I know I can't believe it either...she responded ok to the change in her seat and she's still adjusting, but it's going ok...

The rooting...OMG Austin is into EVERYTHING when we're out...we can't keep him out of anything unless we're holding his hands...I know it's frustrating isn't it. Here at home though he's had his fill and doesn't try to get into our stuff anymore, but isn't that what Ashley is for these days?? LOL!!!!

Lori ~ I feel your pain...thankfully for Jimmy however, he's not here on those nights...so it's just me and I have to find my own ways to destress instead of taking it out on him...Oy! Otherwise he'd be in a world of trouble! LOL!!! Sorry it's been so rough, hang in there...

I am still amazed at the transitions kids make from dependant infants/newborns to walking/talking/independant thinking kids...I have the best of both worlds and am still amazed.

Ashley is walking about 10% of the time still, she actually walked 1/2 way across Ante's living room lastnight chasing after Jade. It was soo cute! She'll walk when she's not thinking about it, but prefers to crawl.

Austin's B-Day was uneventful, we had all of the Grandparent's over for dinner lastnight, KFC nothing spectacular. And, his party is next Saturday afternoon. We're doing a truck/car themed party...so should be fun! We're having all of his little friends from daycare here and family and that's it...

No major transitions for him, he's talks constantly and there's always a story to be told, something to be said and a book to be read. We're still working on nighttime potty training, though we've begun cutting drinks off an hour and a half before bed and he goes potty several times before bed. So we're getting there, slowly but surely...

Update on my buddy: he's back in class and getting up to speed with everything slowly. We're back to our regular back and forth all day on email...so he's back to normal, sort of, still gets tired easily, but he's there.

The move is coming along nicely, I am heading down to Wilmington with my Mom on Mar 1st and coming home on the 4th. During the time I am down there we'll be looking at apartment/townhome communities and I'll be going on interviews as needed. I am also going to check-out the preschool I was thinking about putting the kids in, here's their website: http://www.speckids.com. I did their online virtual tour, but I want to see the real deal for myself and meet their teachers. I am also going to schedule something with the gentleman who's interested in me, the furniture dealership, not sure if I mentioned it or not...but I sent my resume to another dealer in Wilmington, and he called me the next morning saying my resume was SCREAMING (he used this word, not me) the experience he wants and that I had key industry buzz words on there, Snaptracker and Hedberg, that he really likes to see. He wants to create a position for his organization for someone to coordinate his business, taking a project from him once he's been awarded it and running with it. Something he thinks would be ideal for me because I am looking to get into more of a project management role. So we'll see...56 days and counting!

[lorbo]

Sonya...did i read that right? you actually understand my state of chaos?? i'm never on the same page with DH...he hears me struggling to put one in bed, while the other one is wailing away...could he maybe go attend to the other one...no, let me handle it. it's like that in the house too, let me do it and he'll inspect it and tell me how it should've been done and i should've waited for him:rolleyes: i think some of it is hormonal-hate hate hate that AF is back...but a lot of it is growing frustration and if i don't bark at him, i'll go off on somebody else, re: worthless cashiers who are a PITA and my ears will be smoking. the showers are coming up and i look forward to putting that behind me. SIL will probably have the nephew sometime in march and i'm not trying to stress about that...already told DH that when she does have the boy, that he can go visit by himself, because i'm not taking two kids to the hospital in RSV season-i'm just too considerate:D we're not attending the wedding...so no stress there.

we returned from the great wolf lodge-it's amazing! wait till i get some of the pics of this place up!!! we spent about 9 hours there thur/fri. lots of hot tub time, tubing down slides, regular slides, a wave pool, a kiddie pool, etc. it was a good time...we'll try to go back maybe next year...it's 250/night...but that does include 2 days at the waterpark. next time, we're taking my mom and DH wants to ask my sister if she wants to go and we'll get a big room to fit 12 people and everybody will be able to do different stuff. our biggest problem was with the mascot beaver...Brooke was shaking and shivering behind me and screaming bloody murder...meanwhile, a diaperless James(my fault, completely forgot to put a diaper in our bookbags that we carried in) peed on my jeans:rolleyes: .

i'm playing phone tag with another preschool and still have to call our church's preschool back for answers. DH keeps saying we have plenty of time-um, no...you can't just wait till the last minute. on news front, i just got my hair cut...the stylist erred on the side of caution and didn't take it too short-i gave him permission to take it to my chin...but he didn't. it's definately shorter...but i hope it's not going to annoy me.

Sonya, just a question for your professional side, would you be concerned about a child of 7 1/2 using the sentence "why does him do that?" i only ask that because my nephew said it, and i know Brooke says that all the time and it's common at her age. my nephew's had a tough year, repeating 1st grade, just had tubes placed again...and he's a bit out of control! let me know...i'm just curious and wouldn't say anything to my sister about this.


before i go...a belated happy birthday to Austin!

[lorbo]

Sonya, i was deleting old pics and happened upon the birthday list...is that you on january 23rd? if so, BAD ME!!! happy belated belated birthday girl!!!!!a hope it was a happy one!!!

[AusAshMommy]

Austin's 3 Yr Check-Up Stats

Height: 37 1/4"
Weight: 30 lbs

Don't ask the percentages...I don't remember

But...he's healthy and doing well. Dr. Dan wants him to eat more meat and get more protein (easier said than done, the child WON'T eat meat no matter how much we offer). Otherwise, he looks good!

[sdauer21]

Sonya, just a question for your professional side, would you be concerned about a child of 7 1/2 using the sentence "why does him do that?" i only ask that because my nephew said it, and i know Brooke says that all the time and it's common at her age. my nephew's had a tough year, repeating 1st grade, just had tubes placed again...and he's a bit out of control! let me know...i'm just curious and wouldn't say anything to my sister about this.

Lori Yea, I'd probably be concerned about it, particularly if that's common in his speech. At 7 1/2, he should be pretty articulate, and shouldn't be mixing up his language so much. However, it sounds like he's had a lot going on. Especially if there have been any issues with his hearing (needing tubes?), that can have a pretty big impact on speech development. Since he's just getting tubes, I'd hope there would be some intervention at the school level. He can get lots of screenings done, for free, through the school, and its a pretty simple process to start. The thing about speech is recovery can be pretty quick. But, intervention really needs to happen if there are any sort of delays, and the sooner that happens, the better. If you are really concerned, you might think about fishing around with your sister - not saying "I think Nephew has a speech problem", obviously. But ask her some question...how are the tubes working? is she noticing any changes in his behavior since he got them? how is school going for him? IF he's been held back, there are certainally concerns there - I'd really hope the teachers and staff working with him are taking in to consideration his hearing issues. If not, your sister will need to get proactive about it! I think what really confirmed that I needed to have Tallie's speech assessed was having the hearing teacher here (Teacher Joy) remind me how much of an impact hearing and language development has on reading acquisition. While I highly doubt Tallia has any serious issues, hearing that even mild issues could delay or make reading difficult for her was enough to kick me in the direction of testing. I totally appreciate the fine line with family - you'd never want to point out something "wrong" with your sister's child. On the other hand, keep an eye on him, because not getting services if he needs them can really snowball and cause bigger problems down the road.
Hope that made some sense... :)

Oh, and yes, it was my birthday. Thanks for the wishes. :) I had a great morning - still working on training Will for better evenings!

Lara Yea for healthy Austin!! I hear ya on trying to get them to eat things that are good for them. Tallie's a terrible eater - some days, she'll hoover. Other days, she won't eat anything practically all day. Its always a crap shoot. we just keep offering it. Fortunately, I don't think we'll ever have any worries about Abigail not eating enough...she definately loves her food!! ;)

[lorbo]

thanks Sonya. the problem is approaching it...my sister is already hypersensitive about anything involving her kids...BIL isn't the greatest or most supportive(the things i could tell you-he comes off as quite a jerk!) and she's busting her butt as a post anesthetic care unit manager-new position and she's quite stressed. my nephew has been having some difficulties in school-very upset about being held back-he did ask his mom a few times why he was held back-even though his father, teacher and principal were involved in the decision-it always comes back as her fault. he was diagnosed kind of late with the ear problems and his speech has suffered...but he's knowlegable(sp?), loves to read and be read to...he's so hard to understand and the school district tends to be proactive in dealing with this...i don't know whether or not to say anything...i did mention it to my mom though.

my daughter is constantly taking our change...i went to work last night and checked my wallet, to find out she cleaned out about 3 bucks in change...was i pissed!!!! i asked her today what happened to it and she told me she took it. both of them are miserable-James may have some teeth really bothering him and Brooke took a really nasty bathroom trip-sorry if that's TMI. my last night of work and i can't wait to be done with it until sunday. maybe i can do some work in the house.

[AusAshMommy]

Nothing new going here, we're all getting over the same cold and have a horrendous cough to boot, it's no fun! But Jimmy's finally back at work today after being out for 4 days, GREAT loss in pay! Austin came home early on Tuesday because he spiked a fever of 103.5 at daycare. So 1/2 day gone there for me! Then he stayed home yesterday with Jimmy. Back to normal today. I swear I need to quarantine all of us for a week to get us all better!

School is going good...almost done w/class #3...will be done next Mon then I start my Stat class on Tues (yes V-Day!)...not looking forward to that one!

[lorbo]

I HAVE NEWS!!!

aside from the fact that i fell last night while getting off a dining room chair and thought i broke my ankle(i think my ankle locked and all i remember was stepping down and then being on the floor, screaming bloody murder and screaming that nobody should touch me). it's not broken, just a bad sprain and i've been prescribed Vicodin-so it must be a bad sprain. anyways, my news is that we won our first appeal with the insurance company. it only took a year of arguing, going thru the insurance company's appeal process, and ultimately the Insurance Department's long awaited decision from early december. the "judge" agreed with all of my points and said that the insurance company had failed to comply with their policy. i gave myself the biggest pat on the back, as i sat on the sofa trying not to cry and saying over and over...i was right. DH said of course i was right, and i did mention that it was worth all the aggrevation and time...because it was a matter of principle to ME! I'm overjoyed.

ETA...so we may consider another go at another child-it makes my husband a lot less stressed about the insurance and doctor visits.

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ So awesome!! Good for ya'll!! I didn't follow the saga, but I can only imagine the h*ll ya'll went through with them!!!

Another child huh...??? And...here I thought we were the only crazies considering that...

[lorbo]

thought i'd bump this up...i'm still kinda light on my feet after that news about our fight and thank you for the congrats Lara...Sonya, your email was much appreciated!!!
i didn't elaborate on the whole child issue. i still want another. i still think of all the what ifs with another pregnancy-there's the 50/50 chance of having a healthy pregnancy/rh diseased pregnancy. DH knows i really want 3 kids-i think it would work out better for them-i'm close to my sister and younger brother-the older brother is a whole other story! so when something does happen to my parents, i have 2 people to turn to for support. my younger brother has such a special place in my heart-after the m/c, i had people saying stupid things-my older brother said i had so much to be happy about-a beautiful daughter, a house, etc-well, i got pissed off, because he's the most pessimistic person on this earth...my little brother sent me a text message and all it said was i love ya, lor-that's what made me feel better! my little bro was an accident-6 years difference...but he was the greatest accident. so that's my reasoning behind having 3. DH, after i stopped with all the i was right, i was right said maybe we'll think about having another baby. i know people will think i'm selfish-and maybe i am, but i'm selfish for my kids to have another sibling!
things are same old same old. not much doing, i have to go to my cousin's bridal shower on sunday and end the week with SIL's baby shower-hmm, lots of fun here! I should post some pics...but i have to go back and see what i did post.

[lorbo]

this is from the Lodge
i wish i had more pics of Brooke, but they all came out really dark-the lighting there sucked!

[lorbo]

this is such a lonely thread!! well, maybe it's just me being lonely:rolleyes:
one shower down and the wonderful baby shower for my soon to be nephew. saturday is going to be such a drain for me-i feel like visiting with DH's family sucks my energy and will to be, right out of me!

we've not done much with the whole preschool thing...being that the church one that my nieces/nephew went to, hasn't sent any information and i requested it two weeks ago. i can't wait for some warmer weather-we need to get out of the house. i bought DH a backpack carrier for Brooke that first christmas with her...he's never used it. i used it twice and now it sits in the basement. i just told him to put it on ebay and i'll use the money from the sale to buy a bike trailer. i'm a bit down about my weight-who isn't? but i have such a lack of energy and feel like if i don't start doing something soon, i'm just going to be that much bigger-James is only really nursing maybe 3-4 times a day-sleeping around 12 hours a night, i can see my boob size starting to come down, but they're still enormous-can't see them recovering anytime soon. i can see myself having a lift in the future. DH is a bit discouraged with me...seems he can't get any loving...we discussed all the things going on in my mind and why i can't seem to get in the spirit. he did clean up the house last night and i was pleasantly surprised! i think my problems in the past couple of months have been coupled with major hormonal swings-this month i was completely fine-no rage, no threatening to kill or wound somebody! :D i have my annual gyn visit next week with my wonderful doc...guess we'll be discussing another pregnancy and his thoughts on that...i did get a letter from the insurance company, stating that they still believe they were right on the radiology charges...but that they're abiding by the insurance department's decision...that said, DH said they're putting this letter out to say that we're aware of their policy now! gotta run, baby crying, not sure why!

[lokahi]

Happy belated b-day Austin!!!

lorbo-
Your family is beautiful! I'm glad you had fun at the Lodge.

- - - -
What's new with us?

MILESTONE ALERT: My 13 month old Andrew is walking!!!

I subbed at the preschool the past 2 Thursday & Fridays.

DH had food poisioning. Andrew & Elton both were sick (running nose & coughing).

We celebrated Valentine's at Assagio.

We took the boys to the museum to see "Sesame Street Presents: THE BODY".

Next week Saturday, my neice is celebrating her first b-day at the beach :)

[AusAshMommy]

Lokahi ~ Thanks!

YAY Andrew!!! :D Good for him! Ashley is getting braver everyday w/walking...nothing consistent, but she tries a little more everyday!

[lorbo]

we had SIL's baby shower yesterday. i was civil. found out my nephew to be will probably be called Gavin-how odd! my former coworker/friend named her baby Gavin. told SIL that Brooke already asks about that baby Gavin-guess her cousin will have to be baby Gavin #2. the shower-everybody loved James-he was in a fantastic mood and everyone gushed over him. i got to tell the story of his beginning to SIL's best friend and two other friends-i still think that that family downplayed or never understood how delicate his condition was and how sick he really was. her shower-she was surprised...i heard her best friend saying that SIL kept asking her when the shower was going to be. the gifts-she got very little in the way of gear-shocks me! her big ticket items were a pack n play from MIL(MIL is expecting to keep it at her house for when she watches the baby...being that she can't really watch her other grandkids:D ), her bedding set with the dust ruffle and one convertible car seat with a camouflage pattern. she got way too many blankets(if she had a better relationship with me(re: not gotten me angry and distrustful of her), i would've told her to skip registering for blankets...lots of clothing, a silver utensil set, brush set, bottle brush, a few packs of diapers and the moniter from us. i don't think she got a lot in the way of gift cards from target or bru. i told DH she really didn't get anything-she registered for an infant seat, 2 other convertible carseats, a bouncer, a carrier, humidifier, stroller, two older toys(ride to walk things), a tub, a highchair, etc. her inlaws were there, as well as her side of the family-DH said we could've gotten her the bouncer and then i said the monitor was enough. i said i was very lucky to have the friends and family i have/had when i had my baby shower!

Brooke has bouts of bad breath...i don't see cavities and i'm perplexed that it happens occasionally. she's going to the dentist with daddy in a few weeks-being that mommy hates the dentist-gotta make an appointment in a few months-hate the anticipation and the fact that a comment will be made that they haven't seen me in two years.

not much else new...our temps here are supposed to start dropping. i'm looking in to an at home position to help earn a little more money. i wish i could quit my job...being that i'm having some evil thoughts towards one of my coworkers-she's such a wench!

hope everybody is okay!

[lorbo]

i had my annual gyn appt today. i cannot say how much i love my doc. he's such a goofball. we talked about everything regarding James and his health afterwards, my insurance issues, another child. then he made me feel really good...he told me between 35 and 40, i need a mammogram:eek: talk about making me feel old. i'm balancing that with the comment from a client at work yesterday-i mentioned to him that i used to work for his regular vet 20 years ago, and he said were you in kindergarten? so back to the gyn...he feels if we want to...we're aware of the amount of intervention and doctor care and risk, etc. i'd be a candidate to try for a VBAC or just go vaginally(if it was emergent, i'd do a c/s obviously. he recommended visiting with my perinatal docs to talk things thru with them, and it looked like a 50/50 shot of having a repeat rh diseased baby. if we do try, i think we'll be trying for a spring baby...to try to avoid RSV season.

Brooke is constantly asking DH and me about "penises and gynas." the girl is obsessed. we tell her yes, daddy has one and baby jimmy has one. mommy and Brookie don't, we have...etc. gotta run, Brooke is messing with the keyboard. anybody else have this going on?

[lokahi]

speech
E had an appointment with a Develompental Behavioral Pediatrician on 02/08. We wanted a referral to a specialist that would correct his tongue -tie. It seems genetics since myself, my siblings (brother & sister) and father had the similar condition.

They did an assessment. E scored an age equivalent: 3 yr and 7 mos.
We're SO proud of him :) because he's caught up.

After the session, we learned that our ENT (ear/nose/throat) specialist, Dr M could do the procedure. Dr M inserted E's ear tubes.

hearing
E had his ear tubes removed in December. During the session, Develompental Behavioral Pediatrician noticed fluid in E's ears. He has a follow-up audiology test on 3/11. *Hopefully* everything goes well.

[lorbo]

hoping everything goes wonderfully with E!

thought i'd bump this up. i don't really have much to say...i'm tired and a bit cranky...i don't want to go to work tonight! i need to get my bod working out more so i have more energy. today doesn't help because it's miserable out. we actually made it to church today-is it me? i don't like to hear my priest poormouth the parish and beg for money! i have to ask the church for a member in good standing note-my godchild/niece asked me to be her sponser-and i'm ready for some comments about us not contributing 10% of our income. i could probably give them more...but i'd rather clothe and feed my children!

James is quite the little engineer-he's putting stuff in and taking stuff out, he's figured out zippers and how to unscrew the cup lids. Brooke...well, she's got a smartmouth-with her "FINE!" she actually made this comment in the store the other night, "mommy, you're not gonna kill the easter bunny!" i was mortified and had to give her a firm talking to and daddy talked to her that it wasn't nice to say that and mommy would never do that because i take care of animals. i don't know where she got that!!!!!! does anybody have any quick solutions for warts? Brooke has a wart on the upper part of her foot(not the top, but above the heel and more towards the arch? her doctor told me to put duct tape on it-she won't leave it alone, i've tried the little dots-won't leave them on, filing the wart and applying commercial stuff-she screams bloody murder and my ears are killing me-it's frustrating! hope everybody is okay!!!

[lorbo]

so lonely in here!

my latest trial with Brooke...she has a planter's wart on the side of her heel. her doctor asked me at her 3 yr wbv how she got it...like i know! anyway, he told me to put duct tape on it and it would go away. meanwhile, i've been trying commercial remedies-the spot treatments(she removes them) and the freezing compound-lord, the screaming that goes on during that:rolleyes: i happened to look at it last night...there's another one growing right next to it-so i kind of flipped out-i took a heel file and started trying to remove the callous and put on the freezing compound-my ears were ringing because of the crying. then i put the duct tape on...then i went on line and looked it up and it is an actual treatment-it signals the body to mount an immune response to kill off the virus. weird!

in future baby news...still mulling it over. DH said last night, that we'd have to get rid of the honda as well as the acura if we had another child. i don't think so...my sister drove a saturn SL2 with 3 kids. i'm not in the minivan state of mind yet! gotta start working on this house...

[lokahi]

lorbo,
Thanks for the wishes!

E had his hearing test on Saturday. And everything's A-OK :)

I'm sorry about the warts. Hopefully they'll go away!

BTW, do you have a journal on CC/LJ?

. . .

We got a new car!

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
http://www.toyota.com/toyotaConfigApp/image?id=4598745&ts=1064342506000

[lorbo]

Hi Ruth! sorry i've been in communicado...we've been fighting a nasty cold for the past week and a half...almost 2 weeks. it's one of the worst colds of the past few years! congrats on the new car...i'm jealous! no, i don't have a journal...never got around to it and i don't think i'd keep up with it...keeping this thread up is hard enough...no?

SIL finally had her child. we have a new nephew as of 5am this morning. we just found out about an hour ago. i'm not excited and i'm not rushing up to see them anytime soon...still a lot of bitter feelings from the last year-i'm tired of feeling like a doormat with DH's family!

the rest of my family has gone to north carolina for my cousin's wedding tomorrow night...so i'm stuck watching my aunt's dog and my mom's crazy puppy! my aunt's dog is wonderful-big, but hairy. my mom's pup-what a PITA! she's currently caged-she's not at all happy with the other dog and she's constantly running up the steps and she pooped on the floor and she's only been here for a few hours!

i met up with a former coworker and we went to the zoo...so here are some pics from today...that i will delete shortly! excuse the completely unflattering picture of me!!! isn't the polar bear picture the greatest??? i love it!

[lorbo]

deleting pics

[sabrespa]

hello everyone. I was in the orginial J/F/M '03 thread on WC. Isabella was born on March 17th, so she just turned 3! We had a pretty rough patch from about 15 months old to 2.5. I think that was her terrible twos, she was just such a handful! But right around the time she turned 2.5, all the tantrums and defiance seemed to stop. Not completely, of course, but things are much better than they were before. This I can handle.

Bella's baby brother, Anthony, was born in September and he just started crawling. She hates the fact that he can now get into her toys and trys so hard to move stuff out of his reach, which is getting harder now that he is trying to pull up!

Here she is on her birthday
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f393/sabre_01/100_2344.jpg

[lorbo]

Hi Sabre! i knew you had a son just recently! Bella's beautiful. seems like Sonya and i are still dealing with terrible 2s and 3s...hopefully not 4s!!!

So, SIL is still in the hospital with nephew. something respiratory...DH doesn't know what! the news he brought back:rolleyes: first off...when i heard her son was in the NICU, my first thought was maybe she'll understand a fourth of what we lived thru last year and realize she should've been more compassionate to our situation. DH did say she mentioned that she can't believe what we went thru for all those weeks...when she's only dealt with it for the past two days. the hospital where she delivered sucks. they're giving the baby formula, though she's supposed to be BF...so the baby is vomiting and they can't understand why. also, they mentioned the baby has an undescended testicle...oops, wrong baby so sorry pretty much. they've left the baby in the same outfit from yesterday-she said the vomit stain is from yesterday-um, why isn't she saying anything or why doesn't she do something about it...like change him herself-he's 8lb 5oz-not teeny tiny, though i don't think he's on oxygen. then she dropped the bombshell...they have yet another new member to their family...they bought an english bulldog puppy before the baby-we don't know how long or how old...what was she thinking? she has another hyperactive puppy less than a year and now a baby! she mentioned to DH-those who know the drama from last year involving her ability to drop big bucks on mixed breed dogs and how her brother isn't supposed to comment on 600 dollar mutts-this was an impulsive buy-that's what pet stores are hoping for...suckers that can't say no...i should know, i worked in one for 5 years! bulldogs in pet stores go for over 1500-closer to 2000. and the health problems they have...can't say we don't have a month go by where we don't have a bulldog puppy in the hospital with pneumonia, not to mention bulldogs having tracheotomies! i was astounded and dropped the word stupid around in letters-can't have Brooke repeating me! SIL doesn't seem to have a brain in her head...couple this on top of her asking DH if he wants to travel to Germany this summer...money is no object with her, yet her brother isn't allowed to talk about money with her...she drives me batty!!!!! needless to say, i won't be dispensing any advice, knowledge or disbelief to her...we don't need a hissy fit or nasty email...DH has learned his lesson from her last email. i'm looking forward to sending my parents' puppy home with them tomorrow and my aunt's dog leaves tomorrow or monday at the latest. they've been good for each other...but my aunt's dog smells a bit(he's a white shepherd) and Gracie is a barker and jumper!

Brooke also got a much needed haircut...we'll have to post a pic when i get a good one!

[lorbo]

deleting pics

[lorbo]

just in case anybody forgot!!!!

[lokahi]

lorbo,
Hope you're feeling better!

We actually had a Honda Accord. Then gave it to the in-laws b/c their van kept breaking down. *Love* the Highlander! It's perfect for the boys!

Fun zoo pics! LOL! The 'names' on the forehead cracks me up! Maybe I should try it on the boys ;)

Your SIL has major issues! Hope your nephew is feeling better!

BTW...I have a LJ journal. Let me know and I can add you.

sabre,
Happy belated Birthday, Bella!

Congrats on baby brother Anthony!

Elton's middle name is Anthony, after my Grandfather.

[lorbo]

so with easter almost upon us...i've gone overboard on the easter baskets...particularly Brooke's. i have so many clothes for her and i know DH will have a fit if i put them all in her basket...so i have to choose. she's getting some dollar items from target, an outfit or two, her bikini for this summer, cinderella doll and a book. James is getting a little tykes truck for his age, an outfit or two, refrigerator magnet toy...being that he's always playing with the leapfrog refrigerator magnet toys-probably some other stuff too. i still have to take them for easter pics...maybe tomorrow!

Brooke has turned in to a bossy, demanding, mess of emotions. she's no longer polite with please and thank you. she's being telling DH and me she wants something NOW! not a fun stage! though she says something cute and i have to kiss and love on her. yesterday, i tried to dig up a bush stump even more, got frustrated and said to her, daddy will have to dig this up tonight. he came home and said we're going to the park after dinner and after mommy leaves for work. i quietly said to Brooke, did you mention to daddy what i said he could do tonight? she looked at me and i whispered the stump and she did a loud whisper of TOMORROW, mommy!

the latest in-law news is that DH's uncle has been declared terminal-he's been fighting leukemia for a few years now. DH thinks he'll be buried in Massachusettes-if so, DH will be attending the funeral to represent us. at Easter dinner, his dad and grandmom will be visiting with DH's uncle...so it'll be us, MIL, SIL and her husband and son-can't wait to see how this turns out! in SIL news...she took the older puppy(one of the causes of the drama before James' christening last year) to the SPCA because it was pooping and peeing all over the house. i was shocked and not so much. when it processed, i went to DH and said that was an excuse because she's certainly cleaning up poop/piss from the english bulldog puppy. i said she considers pets disposable...being this is the umpteenth animal she's surrendered. i'm thinking of calling the spca and asking if they keep records on people like this...so they won't adopt to her if she has the inclination...not that pet stores won't sell to her! i asked DH if the puppy is there on Easter, can i walk in, look at it and then shake my head no? he said no. then i thought of saying i don't think they're cute...coworkers fawn over bulldog puppies and dogs, especially when they're sitting in oxygen cages for weeks or when they have to have tracheotomies because of their respiratory problems...anything to get a dig in...i know i'm evil...we'll see what happens!

[AusAshMommy]

Bringing us out of the depths of never-neverland...to report...

Breaking News!

Austin's on his 3rd night w/out diapers, and has woken up dry three times!!! WIHOO!!!!!

[lorbo]

yea for no more diapers! it's a double edged sword though-Brooke was screaming at us yesterday at 2am for pee and at 6am that she had to poop:rolleyes: not much new going on, aside from James being 30 1/2 inches-that's 2 1/2 inch growth since January-and 20lb 11oz. i could turn the carseat around, but i'm a bit reluctant and i don't know why. Brooke, well, she's a handful. i'm worn out from the backtalk, screaming, attitudes, impoliteness, etc. i love her to death...but i look forward to the fall when i get some time alone without her. that said, she has a nursery school to go to...twice a week-financially it's what we wanted and i think it's enough for her for now. i want to get her enrolled in an activity at the Y, i'm thinking jungle yoga to help her calm herself down. we go to the circus next week, i think. DH has already booked a place in South Carolina in august. i should be cleaning...i'm so disgusted with how this place looks and i need to better pack the clothes in the attic-i'm on the hunt for the vacuum storage bags. i should see if i have any pics to post.

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ Thankfully he didn't wake up lastnight to potty...I think we all were exhausted from two nights of waking several times...

Yeah we got the back talking, impoliteness, and everything going here as well...Austin is just as bad, and like you I look forward to when he's sleeping/napping and at school...terrible I know. Oh and his new thing is that he ALWAYS wants to be with Jimmy...I am only good for comfort when we hurt ourselves or being a maid...I LOVE it...

I goofed today though...left work @ 4 thinking it was 5 until I was over 1/2 to the daycare center...SHAT!

[Mommy2ml]

Name - Rebecca
DH's Name - Rob
Child/ren's name, birthday - Mackenzie, 1/12/2003
Anything else...
currently pg with #2, Logan EDD 10/5/2006

Hi everyone! :)

[lorbo]

Hi Rebecca...how is MacKenzie? this thread goes long periods of time without info...don't know why...threadmistress is MIA...hope all is well with Sonya!

I've started my new job...i don't know how i'll do it...it was rather mundane...completely different from my emergency employment-they kept telling me how busy it was going to be...um, no. Brooke and James were happy to see me before they went to bed...actually Brookie was, James was rather cranky. James is now walking, not all the time...but more than a few steps, until he falls and decides it's easier to crawl. Brooke is bossy as ever, currently she's yelling at her little brother...gotta run and check that...don't know what that was about. she's so girlie...her mom mom had to paint her nails this morning, she's always wanting to wear dresses or skirts. she's scared of bugs and big furry animals...like the easter bunny. we are planning a vacation to south carolina for august and i actually notified my new job today.(hopefully i'll manage to make it...if not, emergency here i come). we're thinking of the next family car...DH mentioned either a highlander or a pilot...i'd like the pilot...but that won't happen for quite some time...so his gears are going about having another baby. that's it on my end...i'll try to put up some new pictures...we visited the circus this past weekend...had to listen to PETA...but Brooke and James liked most of it...Brooke hated the clowns...just like her daddy!

[Mommy2ml]

Hi! It's good to see you :)

Mackie is afraid of most animals that get anywhere near her... Last niight we were at friends' house and she made it outside beofre me... she ran in screaming and crying... because she saw a cat. She "loves" cats and dogs, but "only little ones" LOL Poor thing is still so little comparatively, she freaks over anything big that comes near her sometimes!

[Nikkid]

Hi Rebecca, it's nice to "see" you again. Don't know if you remember me or not but I remember you and Mackie. Congrats on your little boy!

I've been lurking but barely get anytime to post. I'm at work now but I will have to post some recent pics of Justin. He's doing pretty well. He's behaving much better now that we are 3 but maybe it's because he has a little sister that's been in the terrible two's forever now and isn't even two yet. I think she just makes him look better. :p Even though we are potty trained he still has to wear pull ups at bedtime and sometimes even nap time. His oldest brother had issues with bedwetting and at the age of 9 finally overcame them. We have a history of bedwetting in our family so I'm wondering if the other kids will go through that or not. I hope not.

I will try and keep up more often but I have been reading along.

[Mommy2ml]

Hi Nikki :) It's good to see you too! Thanks! We're looking forward to having "1 of each", have not decided completely if we're done after this, but I think probably we are.

We're potty trained f/t now... one day she just decided to stay dry and she wanted no part of dipes or pullups anymore and just took off from there... not long past 2yo at the time. Still the ocassional accident, but no worries :)

They have devices that can help stop bedwetting - have you tried those? 3 years is still early yet to call it bedwetting, but maybe if he does continue they have something he can use that'll help?

I look forward to keeping in touch and talking more! :)

[lorbo]

Rebecca, i saw your post about the strollers...we have the sit n stand. it was a gift...one that i waited for for months. when we initially looked at doubles, Brookie refused to sit in the duo or the sbs. she kept saying she wasn't a baby. the sns solved that...she loves it and loves to be able to get off and on so quickly and no complaining-i really haven't belted her in. it's a great stroller and pretty much the one we use most now.


so i've had three days at the new job and i'm not liking it. it doesn't seem like very good medicine and it's all about the money. and that bugs the crap out of my husband that i feel this way. we had a distressed-well, almost dead-dog come in and they didn't intubate him...only put an oxygen mask on and i had to put a catheter in it. it was obviously really sick-very anemic and i felt the dog should've gone to emergency-it should've gotten a catheter and stabilized as much as possible and sent to my other workplace. instead they sat on it, ran some inconclusive bloodwork and ultimately euthanized it. this is making me reevaluate my move from emergency/critical care to general practice. lots of thinking to do.

Brooke made me cry the other day. we'll talk about my grandparents every so often and she'll say she wishes they were still here. i say that i do too, but that they're in heaven, not sick, not hurting, watching over us and keeping us safe. she made a comment about them knowing her...which they did get to spend some time with Brooke-my grandfather died when she was 9months old-but he also had alzheimers, and my grandmother died when she was about 20 months. i said yep, they knew you...and she said yeah, but they never got to meet James-and then i started crying-and she caught me and i had to say it was okay, that i was just a little sad. this child comes out with some things! gotta get going...i hear somebody is hitting somebody!

[Mommy2ml]

lorbogood point. i should see how she does with what we have before investing any more :)

Sounds like you're in a tight spot with work. Do you just not like it in general? Or is it just a few cases here and there that you think should have been handled differently? Was it an individual calling the shots that made the calls or was it the dept polocy? MAybe the doc you were working with was just not a good doc as opposed to others that might have handled the case(s) better?

They do just say it like it is, don't they? they don't even realize it if they are hitting a nerve or sore spot or sensitive topic. But I suppose that is good as well, as at this age they can really talk to us about anything :)

[lorbo]

so after much soul searching and crying...i am not returning to the new job! i cannot risk my license to participate in such a workplace where there's quackery and shoddy medicine. i'll allude to watching a cat die...actually suffocate...as i'm almost sure it was in heart failure...the doctor didn't give it any pain meds, nor any oxygen...just stated we're probably going to lose him...ordered some abdominal xrays...ummm, the problem was obviously upper-meaning heart or lungs...why look at the abdomen? it was horrible and i bawled my eyes out after leaving that place...i called everybody i know in my profession-friends, former employees, and my sister who is an RN...all felt that i'm justified in leaving now...that it would be unhealthy for me to remain there...my friend said she had never heard me so upset about my job situation. so it's done...i have to call the coordinator on tuesday and tell her i don't feel that i fit in to their group...i don't know whether i should say my emergency experience may have moved me beyond general practice. people are urging me to consider reporting this hospital...but i could be viewed as a troublemaker with other doctors...and i don't feel that this would change anything in the way they practice. i have to talk to my supervisor at the emergency place and see about coming back...it shouldn't be a problem...i hope. that's my week in a nutshell.

James is growing teeth left and right...his lower incisors(beside the first two) are sprouting up...his lower molars are about to cut...i'm not sure if i'm seeing his eye teeth peeking up-this kid gets tons of teeth at one time.

Brookie is brookie...loving today because she got to play in her pool. we've gotten along wonderfully lately...not so much yelling and going to her room. she got sunburn today while helping daddy wash the cars. we'll be spending the afternoon with my parents tomorrow.

DH's uncle died today. a long battle with lymphoma. his sons contacted DH's grandmother and told her...she called FIL with the news and then when they called back, she wouldn't answer the phone. DH told me while i was driving to work, i said i thought somebody should go check on her. DH said his dad would keep trying to get her on the phone and if he couldn't tonight, he'd ride over there tomorrow to check on her...i said somebody should go check on her tonight-she just lost her son...i think it's the right thing to do...but who am i???? i should go...need to sleep!

[lorbo]

the husband is gone...time to party:D

i noticed Brookie had this very light rash yesterday...i had to really look to see it. she doesn't seem bothered by it...but it's all over her arms, chest, back, bikini area, belly and thighs. i took her to the dr today and it's fifth's disease and/or hand, foot and mouth disease. the ped is leaning more towards fifths. she does't have a lacy appearance to her skin on her upper arms and thighs...but it doesn't look like those i've seen online...i wonder if James is going to have it and where, oh where did she pick that up? can't wait for Brooke to start preschool and see what she picks up!

i thought i'd update on my job situation...i spoke with the administrator about not coming back on tuesday...i was pretty ambiguous about why...i said there were three specific incidents that i couldn't talk about at that time. she called back wednesday, saying she needed to do an exit interview with me and i came out with everything...specifics and all. she completely understood and said she'll mail my check and that she was sorry that i wasn't coming back-that i'm a very capable nurse and it's a shame we didn't work out. i have a feeling that the owner will hear what i said and maybe things will improve...but i still get a shiver when i pass that building. i just spoke with my supervisor at my old job and have been given the "hire back" and i'll be getting my substantial raise as well!!! so no worries...aside from the christening of my husband's new godson/nephew...can't wait for the drama of that!

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ Fifths disease isn't contagious and if she was going to share it with James, he'd have it by now...the ped told us when Austin had it that the rash is the end stages of it...nothing to worry about...

Good gracious preschool has brought everything under the sun...colds/tummy viruses, hand/foot/mouth disease you name it Austin's had it and Ashley is working her way through it...not fun!

Right now Austin is on his 2nd ear infection since we moved here, so we have an appt next week w/an ENT to discuss having the tubed put back in...oy!

[lorbo]

i'm not sure if James has it or not...he's also teething tons...i've been warned that it's not contagious anymore...all the websites and the handout given to me say when the rash appears they're not contagious...with adults, joint pain is how it presents...the problem is there's no a definate diagnosis of fifth's...the doc was just leaning towards it...since it could also be hand foot and mouth disease...oh well...thank god i'm not pregnant!

[alliesmomma03]

Just wanted to subscribe to this thread since I don't think I am a member

Name - Michelle
DH's Name - David
Child/ren's name, birthday - Alexis "Allie", 1/17/2003
Anything else...
currently pg with #2, Alyssa EDD 09/11/06

[AusAshMommy]

Michelle ~ Welcome to our world!!!

Congrats on your new little girl!!!

*********
Our Updates:

Austin's been dry every morning for the past 6 days or so...and he even spent one night in his underwear and woke up dry!!! YAHOO!!!

Ashley is now in her toddler bed! YAY!!!!!! Jimmy was supposed to dismantle the crib today, alas that didn't happen... :( Oh well!

[alliesmomma03]

DD does so good all day long but wets the bed at night still. I don't get it. We will stop her from having anything to drink after 730 and she will wake up soaked. Could it be because she is such a sound sleeper???

[lorbo]

Hello Michelle...sorry i'm a bit late in the welcoming part...seems like there's a lot of lapse time for this thread.


i hope some other members come to visit...like Sonya, Ruth...i know Heather might be a little busy at this point-meaning in labor...or with a newborn. oh, i'm also forgetting Kassie i think.

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ Wonderin' what upset James soo much in pic#1?? But he looks like he's getting into something in #2...

Goodness is your little girl getting soo big!!! WOW!!

[lorbo]

too much smacking around...just kidding. he didn't like that i told him not to eat the paint and i took the bottle away...thus the pink driveway paint on his mouth.
yep, she's getting big...you should hear her mouth too:rolleyes:

[alliesmomma03]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am finally figuring out how to journal in all these places. HOpe all is well with everyone

[lorbo]

new pics of James...

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ If she's anything like Austin...I am sympathetic, really! LOL!!!

Cute pics of James!

AlliesMomma ~ Welcome!!

[lorbo]

so quiet in here...i can hear the crickets

Brooke started her ballet class on saturday morning...what a nightmare. this child is so gungho for this class....has to put on my one ballet slipper from when i was 7 and dance around the living room...then at class, she won't do anything. she was attached to the teacher the whole class and i think at the end, she started to do a little bit. can't wait to see what this saturday brings.

James is pretty much full-time walker now, he gets frustrated with his shoes sometimes and will crawl then. lots of smacking his head on the table. now he's pulling stuff off the table all the time. we're gearing up for our week away in south carolina in august...and that's about all that's new for us.

[alliesmomma03]

Hey girls. Just in here to let you guys know somethings going one. I am in my 28th week of pregnancy and this is what is going on with my DH.

Brought from my live journal. Lets see where to start. Things are going really well. We are on the downhill slide just have no baby bedding yet or anything but we will make it through that. Whats our latest news. Saturday David called me at work to ask me a question and he said can you ask one of the drs there what he thinks I should do. And as soon as he starts talking I knew exactly what he was going to tell me. He had been out rock climbing with the church and there were on this thing called the Devils slide and he was coming down the slide and his feet started slipping. All of his weight ended up on one foot and he heard a pop. We took him to the Er when he got home that night and the Dr said I am fairly confident that it is a torn ligament but follow up with your ortho on Monday. We called his ortho this morning and they got us him. It turns out he has torn his ACL. We have an MRI on Thursday morning. And appointment next Wednesday and then most likely we will be scheduling surgery for the next day or the following week. So he will most likely be off work for at least four weeks. He has time off to take off but it is going to wipe out his Time off for when the baby comes he was going to take two weeks off but now he won't be able to do that. I know God will help us through this but it is so frustrating this is all going on. I know other people have worse things but this is the last thing we needed right now. We finally got all of our bills paid off and here we go adding more. Hope everyone is well.

DD is into everything but really is being a big girl despite it all. Since Daddy can't play with her much. I will make it through this

Anyone ever had this happen before. What can we expect?

[AusAshMommy]

AlliesMomma ~ OUCH!!! Hope he gets better soon! All I can say is take it one day at a time...one day at a time.

We'll be thinking about you!

[lokahi]

Aloha! I'm still here ;)

AlliesMomma- Welcome! Congrats on your baby #2!

I'm sorry about your DH. Keeping you & your family in prayers!!!

BTW...I'm also on LiveJournal.


**UPDATE**
I'm still subbing at the preschool. They call me at least 1-2 times a week.

Andrew's a "monkey". He loves to climb on the kitchen table, bathroom sink, and computer desk. =/

Elton started speech therapy again. The therapist comes to our home once a week. And the best thing is, there's NO cost!

I LOVE watching my boys play. They are really into trucks, digging dirt, and playing in their pool.


{delete pics}

[lorbo]

since nobody's here...thought i'd post pictures...James had his first stitch episode on July 4th. he fell in to the drum and probably bit through his bottom lip...required 3 stitches and he was none too happy about them...he actually chewed out one of them. Brooke is as big and bad as ever :D :D
she's loving her ballet class...though she's quiet as a mouse whenever i peek in on her. we'll be traveling to a zoo tomorrow where they have a creek safe for the kids to play in...i'm sure Brooke is going to love that...when we visited Seaside, another mom asked me how old she was and was surprised at my response and said wow, she really loves the water...could it be that she was dunking her whole head under water?:rolleyes: i'll post pics then i'm off as i hear the older one yelling at the younger one

[lorbo]

damn...forgot about shutterfly!

[lorbo]

so i got this comment at work last night and it bothers me. i was handed the job of dealing with a c/section pug momma and her 6 babies. she had to receive blood because she lost a lot and she had so many babies and it was a pretty quick procedure-she actually had 7, but one was dead and they couldn't resusitate. so i'm feeding the puppies with a nursing bottle and somebody has to say momma lori, etc. i said yeah, i'd like another...and two people-TWO people had to comment-the same exact comment-yeah, like you didn't have enough problems to deal with with the last one...um, like who's business is that, but mine and my husband's? and if we try for another, there's a possibility that we won't have the problems we had with James...Brooke was a normal pregnancy. just needed to vent because i wish people would keep comments like that to themselves.

[lorbo]

i'm having a 3 1/2 year old problem...just in case anybody ventures in here. so, we're not successfully disciplining Brooke. she's completely out of control. she's got my wonderful temper and when i send her to her room, she says no, refuses to go, when put in her room...her comments today were you're an idiot and i hate you. all this in front of James. hopefully, one of his first words isn't idiot. i take the brunt of all this abuse and i'm so tired of yelling and so tired of being yelled at...the prospect of a 12 hour car ride with Brooke is not looking so good. she's still in to everything...she managed to dump most of her betta's food...though she's been told multiple times to not feed the fish...it's all over her floor and her bureau. i just want to slink to bed...i'm done with all the fighting...i just need some help.

[AusAshMommy]

Lorbo ~ I am so there with you, Austin's the same way. He'll yell at us, and he'll tell me 'NO' and 'Shut-Up' and 'You Don't Love Me' just to get a rise out of us...he's into EVERYTHING, gets bored really easily...

Time-Outs are spent in his room...on his bed...he gets up...timeout starts over again...

Any name-calling, back-talking, or other rudeness lands him in time-out as well...

Any hitting, kicking, biting, spitting and what not lands him in time-out...

Thus far, yeah nothings working...the only thing that gets across to him is the threat of a spanking (yes I know it's not looked upon as favorable these days...but hey it works...)...

We're there with ya...wish I had suggestions...

[alliesmomma03]

We are going through the same things. we have taken away all of her dvds because she would take them out and strewn them in her room and I was tired of arguing with her. She doesn't want to pick up after herself and seems like she doesn't understnad when we tell her to do something. My mother in law suggested I get hte book Strong willed child just to help me through with this. She used with with my BIL and it helped her. As for the betta fish we had two different times did we find things in there we shouldn't have one time I found raisins another panty hose. I think this is just a stage but I like you ladies need to crawl back in bed.

[lorbo]

cut and pasted from Jan 2005-sorry kind of lazy and DH will be home soon...he's been pissing and moaning about my computer time lately:rolleyes:
Hello all...i've been reading along for the past few days...we were out of town all last week, vacationing in South Carolina. let me just say...palmetto bugs just freak me out...and unfortunately, we unknowingly brought one all the way home to PA and it's in our yard...i so hope not the house-DH has been told he better spray the perimeter of our house...the thought of it coming in my house and possibly laying eggs makes me shudder. so, we did lots of swimming-the ocean and the pool at the development. Brooke is now swimming by herself under water...not long distances, but she's kicking herself along...and she started jumping in the pool...she's actually decided she wants to forgo swim lessons and take jumping lessons:rolleyes: James was not that much in to swimming...he ate lots, smacked his face on lots of things, played at the playground, etc. we also visited Charleston and Savannah on day trips from the island...i prefer Charleston...think DH does too, he was surprised that Savannah is not as old(historical) as Charleston. in Charleston, we had lunch in a haunted establishment...i was fine thru lunch and then James had to have a smelly diaper. i was told to take him upstairs to a single bathroom and my hair on my neck was up the whole time...i asked Brooke when we left if she saw an old lady in a black dress(DH and i did the ghost walk almost 10 years ago) and she told me yeah:eek: we stopped in myrtle beach before starting the massive trek back to PA-so much traffic on a sunday...before we hit DC, we had probably over 150 miles of crawling traffic...surprisingly DC and Baltimore were fine:confused: Brooke starts preschool in 3 weeks and i'm considering a swim class or something for James. he seems to have gotten bigger to me since we left for vacation...looking at him sleeping in the playpen at the vacation house, i called DH over and said look at how big he is.

[lorbo]

deleted

[lorbo]

thought i'd post...since it's been a month...

so Brooke has started preschool now...tuesday and thursday...so we're on our third day. the first day was rushed as i overslept, didn't get to get her before school picture. when i picked her up, the teacher remarked that she had a pretty good day-there was one instance where she didn't want to do something, she wanted to read her book...but it was over quickly. so, i take that to mean that she threw a fit-i asked a bunch of people if that's what they thought about that comment and everybody agreed. thursday-i pick her up and the teacher tells me she's out of it-seems really tired, wouldn't sing along with the class. i tried to make her take a nap that day...and we had a very large disagreement which ended with her playing quietly and no nap. today she was the star of the day-she got to lead the kids out to the playground, help with giving out the snacks and something else. her teacher tells me she had a great day-much different than thursday. i don't know what else to do...she goes to bed by 8:30...i don't know if James is bothering her...he goes to sleep pretty quickly and he's only in there temporarily until his room is painted. Brooke is growing by leaps and bounds...a lot of the 3t pants are looking short to me...they still fit in the waist and 4t pants are good on length, but real loose in the waist. we're on the hunt for a good pair of sneakers and i have to go thru her closet to see if she needs a new winter coat. Brooke is going to be a butterfly-a monarch butterfly-we've been watching them out the window on our butterfly bush all summer. we received the wings/antennae in the mail yesterday-she should look cute-too bad i'll be working that night. James is going to be the alley cat that Brooke was 2 years ago. we just had our front windows replaced-4000 dollars later...but i can tell a huge difference, especially in the bedroom-much less noisy and no wind blowing thru...our living room now has a bay window and it opens the room up so much-i'm very happy with it. having some issues with the husband again...he's so miserable at times and he's such a nag...especially on things that there's no need to nag about. he's a pessimist and always on the search for things that are wrong with the house/the car/etc. i'm almost to the point where i'm going to tell him to spend the weekend with his parents. James' room is nearing completion...still need to paint-the walls/woodwork are sanded...the ceiling is a big PITA...but i'm working on it today. home ownership is just wonderful at times! hope all is well since i really don't hear from anybody anymore!

[lorbo]

thought i'd post some Halloween pics

[lorbo]

deleted

[Nikkid]

OMG Lorbo, Congratulations!

[AusAshMommy]

Congrats Lorbo!!!

Brooke & James are soo adorable!

[lorbo]

thanks!

[lorbo]

so i thought i'd update what's been going on for anybody who's reading along...so i got pregnant:o we've been "trying" but our timing was all off and i was so sure that we were so bad at our timing in september...i was convinced that AF was coming, i had cramps etc. i had actually resigned myself to okay...i'll take some time to get back in to shape and maybe we'll try again in the spring. then i started with the supersensitive smells making me nauseous. i've had massive e