First Steps

Dearest Angels~

This was the morning of no sleep.  :-P  Joshua, you woke up at 3am.  You came whimpering into our room so daddy put you back to bed and then fell asleep next to you.  Grace, you had noodled into our bed and started to kick around.  By 4am I was up and nursing you.  I laid back down to rest at 5am.  By 6am, I was up from my work alarm.  I was exhausted.  :-P

You two had fun with Penny today.  For your art time, Joshua colored some paper and then Penny cut the paper into strips.  She rolled them and then you two decorated the Christmas tree!  How cute!  

At work today I saw a disabled 11 year old girl.  She had rods removed from her back a few months prior.  She has never walked independently.  Her grandfather lifted her in and out of the operatory chair and into her wheelchair.  I am so thankful for you two and so blessed!  We think we have hard days when something goes wrong, but we can at least walk independently.  You two are so precious and I thank God each and every day for you both!

Grace took her first steps today!!  We were playing in the bonus room and she started with walk!  I got a little video!!  She ended up taking several steps.  And, she can stand by herself for at least ten seconds!  Woo hoo!  I'm so proud of you little lady.  Joshua, you also tried to get some attention .... you were standing on your table at the end of the video!  :-P  Please get down from there .... you're going to hurt yourself!  :-P

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Bleeding

Dearest Blessings~

Whoa!  Joshua didn't wake up until 5am this morning!  That's much better than the usual 3-3:30am whimperings.  :-P  Daddy went to lay down with him.  I was nursing Grace by 5:40am.

Joshua had his occupational and speech therapy appointments this morning.  You did well with Mary Beth.  You went on the platform swing and through the tunnel.  You wouldn't go through the tunnel a few months prior little man!  You had 'messy play' with shaving cream on the mirror.  This was the first time you've done that by yourself .... you actually wanted to touch the cream yourself!  Good job little man!  You did pretty well with Kim too.  You signed for her but you didn't make a lot of sounds/noises.  We'll keep trying at home.

We were home by lunch.  I organized the kitchen a little more as you two played.  I brought down a comforter and put it in the study area and then put toys on it (since we don't have a rug in there yet).  It's a temporary fix, but you two didn't seem to mind.  :-)

We stayed downstairs for a while.  I swept the downstairs as you two played.  I also put a child lock on the pantry door.  Joshua keeps trying to pull things down from the shelves.  I'll likely need to place one on the closet in the study now that the area is open.  When you two get excited you almost close doors on your fingers!  :-P

While we were playing downstairs, Grace fell and her lip started to bleed a little.  Once she calmed down (I rocked and held her) we went upstairs and I nursed her to sleep.  Later, Joshua fell while trying to stand on a ball!  His lip also bled a little.  :-P  I hugged and rocked him .... my oh my!  What's up the bleeding today?

We had lots of music time today.  We listened to my CDs from you two for my birthday all afternoon!  I love them! 

Joshua ate ok for dinner .... it was mostly snack foods though.  Oh, Grace, you're beginning to take little steps!  Woo hoo!

Tomorrow Penny will be here since daddy and I will be at work.  I'll rush home as fast as I can!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so much!

~Mommy

Lots Of Meds

Dearest Miracles~

Little man, you didn't even make it to the next day before you started whimpering.  :-P  You woke up and wandering into our room at 11:30pm last night.  I got up and put you back to bed.  I ended up sleeping next to you all night on the mattress on the floor.  You woke up a few times and sat up, but then went back to bed when I rubbed your back and kissed you.  I went back into our room at 6:30am to nurse Grace. 

We had a busy morning.  We had to be at Rex Hospital for Joshua's feeding team appointment by 9am this morning.  Joshua, you are now on three medications.  You're taking prevacid for the reflux twice a day, cyproheptadine for the appetite stimulant once a day, but about to go to twice a day, and then erythromycin (an antibiotic) to ease your digestive track three times a day.  :-P  I honestly hate giving you all these medications, and I don't even know if anything is working.  You didn't eat very well over the weekend at all. 

Krista is still concerned as well.  She's going to talk to Nannette later in the day.  She would like to do scope you earlier than later.  You appear to have something more going on internally that's giving you pain when eating.  I'm in agreement.  You should be eating more than this at 2 years old.  I wish we could finally find a diagnosis so that we can start treatment!

Oh, did I tell you both that we put a tree up for Christmas?  Gigi brought it over on my birthday and we put it up for you two.  It's 4 feet, so we ended up putting it on a table.  You two love to look at it.  :-)

We got home by lunch.  We made a quick stop at Target for a few supplies.  You all were about to run out of diapers and wipes.  You probably would have lasted until the end of the week, but the cat also needed food and litter.

This afternoon we played in Joshua's room.  I read a book and then we all played around the bed with the stuffed animals.  I tried to get Joshua to take a nap, but that didn't work.  :-P  So, we went and played in the bonus room.  I ended up rocking Joshua to sleep at 2:30pm.  I put him on a blanket and pillow in the play room.  I put a second little blanket on top.  Then, I nursed Grace to sleep and read.  :-)

I kept calling Grace 'nay nay' today since she says that all the time now.  I one point I asked Joshua, 'where's nay nay' and he pointed at her!  Ha!  Too cute!  :-)

Daddy brought home some dinner for fun!  We had chicken sandwiches.  Joshua, you ate a little of a nugget.  Grace, you ate a lot of the 'crunchie' crackers!

This evening we played in the bonus room.  It was a pretty relaxing afternoon and evening.  Daddy played us some banjo music too.  Tomorrow Joshua has his occupational therapy and speech therapy appointments.  So, rest up!

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both so much!  :-)

~Mommy

Tackle

Dearest Gifts~

At 3:30am, like clockwork, Joshua came whimpering into our room!  I went to sleep with Joshua in his bed.  I didn't sleep well though.  It was hard to go back to sleep.  I was nursing Grace by 6:15am.  Busy morning! 

Daddy and I worked on putting some pictures back on the walls downstairs this morning.  We're slowly putting the house back together, and it's looking pretty good!  :-)

Grace, you climbed up three steps this morning with no help!  Whoa!  Later in the day, you climbed up the entire staircase!  I was behind you helping you!  You're growing up way too fast little lady! 

We cleaned and did laundry this morning as daddy did some work on the computer. 

This afternoon we went out.  It was chilly so we bundled you all in little jackets.  We stretched our legs at some local stores and bought Penny a Christmas gift.  We're almost done with our shopping.  :-)  We did most of our shopping online, so we should be getting some packages in the mail soon.  :-)  You two can help wrap everything once the gifts come in. 

Grace fell asleep on me this afternoon.  I pulled her little lip out and daddy got a picture of her first tooth .... tooth #P!  I sent it to my coworkers since they're so excited about her tooth!  

Oh, I almost forgot, you two were so funny this afternoon playing together.  Grace crawled right up to Joshua as he was playing and pretty much 'tackled' him to the ground.  I think she was trying to give him a hug.  It was so funny and cute.  Joshua, you giggled at her!  :-)

This afternoon we watched the UNC men's soccer team on television.  It was the National Championship game.  We won!  Woo hoo!

We made eggs, veggies, bacon, and toast for dinner.  Joshua, you have not eaten well the last two days.  Literally, I think you're almost on a liquid diet at this point.  We'll see what they say tomorrow.  We have another feeding team appointment at Rex at 9am.

Oh, we made a chocolate pie afterwards!  Yummm!  Hummm .... my diet will start in 2012!  ;-)

Daddy helped us move a few more things into the house from the garage this evening.  We'll continue to organize some things tomorrow and the next day.  The house is looking so much better!  :-)

This evening we watched some Christmas things on television .... I  hope you two are getting excited!  This will be Joshua's third Christmas and Grace's first Christmas!  :-)

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Birthday Lunch

Dearest Angels~

Well people, we had a little bit of a sleepless night.  :-P  At 3:30am Joshua came whimpering into our room.  I went into his room, put him back to bed, and then fell asleep next to him.  By 5:45am I was up nursing Grace.  :-P

This morning you two helped daddy and I clean the downstairs.  Daddy made a lasagna for my birthday lunch party.  Everyone came over by noon.  We saw Gigi, Grandpa Jim, Uncle James, Uncle Brennan, Aunt Katie, Mimi, and Grandpa Mike.  The lasagna was so good .... daddy did a great job!  We also had salad, bread, and a big cookie for dessert.  :-)  Yummm!

I got some wonderful birthday gifts!  I got another charm for my bracelet, another bracelet, a gift card (hummm .... I wonder what I should get), and a crock pot trio station!  ;-)

While everyone was here, they helped us move some furniture back in the house.  The big bookcase was moved back inside and we now have two 'loveseat' sized couches in the living room.  Our house is looking more like a home!  :-)

Once people left, we tried to wind people down.  Joshua, you took a late nap.  You were snoring by 3:20pm.  I nursed Grace to sleep at the same time and then just held her. 

We had leftovers for dinner.  Then, we played downstairs until 7pm.  By then we were watching the UNC basketball game.  We won! 

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both so much!  :-)

~Mommy

Birthday Wishes

Dearest Gifts~

Today's my birthday!  Woo hoo!  I love birthdays!  What a blessing and celebration of the miracle of birth!

Everyone jumped into bed to wish me a happy birthday this morning!  Such a wonderful way to start my day!  I couldn't help thinking how blessed I am!  

What a great morning .... daddy made pancakes for breakfast and I made myself a little hot chocolate!  Yummm!  :-)

You two gave me your birthday gifts before breakfast.  I got two CD's.  You two had wrapped them .... so cute!  They were two CD's that I wanted.  Both folk and bluegrass.  We listened to them downstairs as we ate and cooked.  :-)  Thanks! 

As daddy was cooking the pancakes, you two helped me roll out our new rug for the kitchen area (Grandpa Jim picked it up for us yesterday).  Daddy moved our table and chairs onto it.  Now, we won't scratch up the new floors.  :-) 

We played upstairs this morning.  I did some laundry and then took photos of you two .... we're still working in Av mode.  And, we had some Christmas music on.  :-)  Daddy worked a half day from home, so we tried to stay out of his way in the morning.  Joshua, you had art time with him by mid morning.  :-)

Today was a little chilly .... it stayed in the 50's. 

As I cooked lunch, you two played downstairs and also helped me prepare a potato puff casserole for my birthday dinner.  Daddy gave me his birthday gift .... it was a book that I wanted!  I got three thoughtful gifts from three thoughtful people!  Thank you so much!

I gave Grace a bath after lunch and then cut her nails.  Then, we headed over to Pam's this afternoon.  Joshua and I got haircuts.  We look so much better!  ;-)  Well, Joshua's always cute .... but she helped trim and clean up what daddy and I tried to do.  :-P  Joshua, you slept on daddy throughout the appointment! 

We're having a birthday lunch at our house tomorrow, so we went to pick up some groceries for that afterward.  We were home in time to cook our casserole for dinner.  :-)

Guess what .... I got a little check in the mail from the State of NC .... it was my 'prize' money from my photograph at the State Fair!  I'm now a 'paid' award winning photographer.  Ha!  ;-)

This evening we all relaxed and just had fun.  We ordered some Christmas gifts online and then watched some television.  :-)

What a wonderful birthday .... I got to spend the day with a wonderful husband and two precious children .... what other gifts could a girl ask for?  ;-)

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you two so very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Party At Work

Dearest Blessings~

Today is one of my coworker's birthday!  Woo hoo!  Since tomorrow is my birthday, and one more employee, we had a nice party at work during lunch.  :-)  We're always looking for an excuse to have a party!  ;-)  

Plus, in dentistry, we generally don't work on fridays.  So, thursday is our friday.  Which means, today can be considered friday for us at work .... therefore, today is also my birthday!  Ha!  ;-)

Both of you two woke up at 4:30am.  Daddy went to sleep with Joshua and I nursed Grace back to sleep.  I ended up holding Grace afterward, but didn't really go back to sleep.  When my alarm went off, I got ready for work.  Joshua eventually curled up in our bed too.  You two were so cute sleeping together.

You two had fun with Penny today!  You had art time and made me pictures with your hand prints on them!  So precious!  Joshua, you also colored yours.  :-)  

I just got news that one of my friends from college just had her third child.  She had a little girl and she was 6 weeks early and now in the NICU.  I saw photos this morning .... that really brings back memories from when Joshua was in there!  She'll come home pretty soon though .... she's in an open crib and over 5 pounds.  But, I know it's still scary for my friend.  Joshua, I still keep your NICU photograph on my nightstand.

Grace, you really want to stand a lot more now.  If you pull up on something and we take your hands away, you'll stay standing for a few seconds!  I wonder when you'll start to take a step.  :-)

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both so much!

~Mommy