Whale

Dearest Miracles~

I woke up at 6am to hear Grace noodling around in her bassinet.  I was in some pain so I changed her as fast as I could and then started to nurse her.  :-)

Joshua, you didn't eat well for Penny today.  Maybe you'll eat better tomorrow?  Penny did note something really cute that you did.  She asked you to get your whale.  She meant your stuffed animal whale, but you ran over and picked up your ABC book.  You brought it to her, opened the pages, found the whale, and then pointed at it!  She was amazed!  I bet a lot of older children your age can't do that!  You never cease to amaze me!  :-)

You all had porch and sandbox time with Penny.  Grace, you did some tummy time and Joshua, you had some art and story time.  We let the cat in this morning when Penny got here.  We blocked off the carpet in the study with a plastic drop cloth.  The cat didn't poop in there but he did throw up.  :-P

I got to use my 'mommy voice' at work today.  I had an uncooperative child patient at 5pm and I had to talk very 'stern' to her to get the restoration completed.  She eventually paid attention, but it was a struggle to get it done.  :-P

You two giggled at my hair this evening.  I danced it across you all's faces for fun and you two tried to catch it, smiled, and laughed!  It was so cute!

Daddy read some 'Curious George' to us this evening before bed time.  Tomorrow I have a late Provider's Meeting after work.  We have them quarterly in the organization.  I was able to miss the last one since I was on maternity leave.  :-)  I thawed some extra mommy milk for tomorrow evening in case I can't get out of the meeting.  I would much rather be home with you two and daddy!  

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Curled Up

Dearest Angels~

So, I woke up at 5:45am to use the restroom and Grace, you were still sleeping!  I saw and heard you twitch around a few times so I thought maybe you would wake up.  I laid down on the bed to wait for you.  We both ended up falling back asleep and I didn't nurse you until 7am!  Whoa!  Joshua, you on the other hand, only lasted in your toddler bed for about an hour.  :-P

You didn't do that great today at your therapy appointments Joshua.  You did ok with Mary Beth.  You're learning to 'play appropriately' with toys and not throw them all around.  You stacked blocks for her and did well on the balance ball.  You were also adventurous in the rice and bean bucket.  However, you didn't eat anything for Kim and I.  I made oatmeal (the baby gerber kind) with some whole milk and apple sauce in it.  Nothing.  No bites at all.  So, we're back pedaling again to stage one baby foods and being referred to UNC for more specialists (the 'feeding team') with food aversion and nutritionists.  I pray they can help us out.  Kim is contacting UNC and our pediatrician.  UNC should be calling me soon so we can set up an appointment.  In the mean time, we'll continue with our three weekly appointments with Mary Beth and Kim.

An appraisal guy came this afternoon.  We need our house appraised since we're refinancing (even though it was appraised last year).  We're hoping it didn't lose too much value over the last year.  This market has been so bad.  He had to take some pictures of the house, inside and out!  Our downstairs is a mess right now since the furniture in the study is in the dining room!  But, the two guys that came over didn't seem to mind.  They stayed for about 2 minutes total!  They wrote down a quick sketch of the floor plan, took some pictures, and then left.

Right after, I baked some potatoes and started some laundry.  :-)  Joshua, you took a late nap.  It was around 3pm when you started to snore.  It was slightly warm in the play room, so I had you nap in the nursery under the fan on a pillow.  I sat on the loveseat and read and nursed Grace.  Before he fell asleep, I did Joshua's brush exercises and joint compressions.

Grace snuggled with me as Joshua slept.  I LOVE when you two snuggle with me!  I'm going to miss this when you two are old!  Do me a favor please, stay cute and cuddly!   ;-)

When daddy got home, he grilled steaks as we made a potato veggie side on the stove.  Joshua ate some hotdog.

We all played upstairs this evening after dinner.  I like to play with Grace's feet and toes when I nurse her.  Oh, Joshua, you're getting another tooth in .... the upper left primary canine .... tooth #H!  Woo hoo!

You two did the cutest thing I've ever seen this evening .... you two giggled together in our bed.  Joshua was playing with Grace and she was giggling back at him!  It was adorable! 

Joshua, you noodled into our bed and stayed there to sleep.  After nursing Grace, I put her down in the bassinet and curled up next to Joshua.  I put my arm around him as he slept.  I know he should be in his own bed but I cherished curling up next to him.  When you two are teenagers, you'll probably not even want to talk to us, and here you two are curled up next to us sleeping.  I didn't want that little moment to end, but I eventually drifted off to sleep.  I love you two so much I can't even express it with words!  

Tomorrow I head to work so Penny will be here! I'll rush home as fast as I can!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy

Speech Therapy

Dearest Joshua David and Grace Elizabeth~

I woke up to use restroom this morning and when I leaned over to see what Grace was up to, she was still sleeping away .... it was 6:30am!  I started to feel some pain as I walked around so I changed her diaper to wake her on purpose.  It was either that or pump.  :-P   

We had a busy morning trying to get things done before Joshua's speech therapy appointment.  I got a quick pump in to build up mommy milk for Grace for wednesday.  Tried to organize some things around the house.  Surprisingly, Joshua did not fight me this morning when I brushed his teeth.  Yippie!  :-) Joshua ate some cheerios with me this morning at breakfast.  It wasn't much, but it was a start.  

We did some other quick morning chores around the house and then left for Joshua's speech therapy appointment with Kim.  We practiced our sign language and expressive speech skills.  Joshua, you get frustrated with the sign language and don't like us moving your hands.  I told Kim that over this past week, Joshua did make the 'more' sign for daddy and I one time on saturday (I believe it was saturday).  I don't know if he actually knew what he was doing, or just did it and smiled because we were doing it so many times.  I never saw him do it again, or any other signs, all week.  She was encouraged that he did the 'more' sign even if it was just once.  We have a few more signs to learn and she gave me a sheet with the motions.  We'll continue to practice.  

Joshua, for lunch you ate some hotdog pieces .... not many .... and then drank a boost.  While downstairs, we had lots of music time and then I did some chores as you two were playing.  I steamed the downstairs study carpet three times and sprayed disinfectant twice.  I hope this is helping!  It still smells in there.

Grace, you had lots of tummy time as Joshua helped me sweep and vacuum the kitchen.  I swear, I think I'm constantly cleaning this house.  ;-)

I wrote down our potato tot recipe from yesterday since it turned out great!  We've named it the 'Famous Watson Potato Puff Casserole' .... we can continue to tweak the recipe as you two get older.  ;-)

I checked on cat on the porch.  I cleaned out his litter box .... which did have pee and poop in there .... and gave him fresh water.  I don't know if he's 'learning' or is just trying to be 'good' to come back inside.  If I bring him inside after doing all this on the carpet and he goes back in there .... I'll be very tempted to just put him right back outside again.  

Grace, you like to try to talk.  I keep saying 'mama' to you over and over again.  ;-)  I do that for Joshua too since he doesn't yet.  ;-)

Joshua, you never took nap today.  I hope you sleep tonight.  Our new ceiling fan for the play room came today.  We didn't have time to put it up today, so we'll probably work on it in the next few days.

We played this evening in the bonus room.  Then, daddy read more Bible stories before bed.  Tomorrow we have two more therapy appointments.  I hope everything goes well.

Sleep tight little one!

I love you both!

~Mommy

Fun At The Park

Dearest Gifts~

Grace, I had to keep holding you last night and I was so exhausted.  :-P  I put you in the bassinet around 2:30am this morning.  I love holding you, I was just so tired at the time that I needed to rest.  I love seeing your smiles and hearing you talk .... Joshua, too .... you two are so adorable .... I just need some rest some times.  ;-)

Joshua, you made it in your bed for about 30 minutes last night!  I don't know why you wake up and start crying.  Daddy and I are right there since your bed is now in our room.  

We made another Target run this morning after everyone had their breakfast.  We're going to try to clean that carpet as best we can in the study since the cat has peed and pooped in there countless times. It smells so bad.  Right now, the cat is still on the screened in porch and he used his litter box last night!  He whines while out there, but to be completely honest, I like him out there.  There's a little bit of peace in the house and no litter box to worry about .... when it's in the house, Joshua runs up to it and toys end up in it.  Also, it's nice not hearing a meow every morning when daddy's in the shower and it's also nice not to have a cat jump on the bed and bite my feet in the middle of the night!  I could have him live out there indefinitely.  

Once we were back from Target, Gigi, Uncle James, and Grandpa Jim came over to help us.  Gigi has a steamer.  We moved one of the loveseats upstairs into the nursery (there's room in there since Joshua's bed is in our room).  Then, we moved all the furniture from the study to the dining room.  We steam cleaned the carpet several time and then sprayed a disinfectant numerous times along the carpet.  We continued this process throughout the day all afternoon and evening.  We'll continue it tomorrow as well.  It still smells in there.  We'll eventually have to tear up the carpet since it's ruined.  Perhaps next year we can do that.

While here, Gigi gave Grace a bottle as Joshua napped.  Gigi had to rock Joshua to sleep.  I visited with Gigi as the boys watched some television upstairs.

Once people left, I made a tater tot casserole for dinner.  It was really good!  Of course, Joshua didn't eat any.  I don't know if I see any improvement with his eating.  He really fusses with the spoon now.  We'll see what Kim says this week at his food aversion session on tuesday.

After dinner we walked to the park.  Joshua, you walked all around and then went on the swing.  Grace, you stayed in the stroller.  I took pictures of you all and daddy.  When we got back, we relaxed in the play room.  Once Joshua fell asleep, daddy cut his nails.

Tomorrow we have our first true speech therapy appointment with Kim, since all our other appointments have been more 'food aversion' sessions.  We've been practicing our sign language, but Joshua resists it.  

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy

Cookies

Dearest Miracles~

I woke up to thunderstorms early this morning.  It was hard for me to go back to sleep, so I stayed awake and listened to them.  I could see lightening through windows.  Grace, I don't know if you've ever really seen rain before since it's been to hot out.  These might be your first storms.  :-)

I eventually fell back asleep and woke back up again at 6:30am to use the restroom.  Grace, you were still sleeping!  I started leaking and having pain so I quickly changed your diaper to wake you.  Sorry!  Then, I nursed you!  :-)

Once people were awake, you two helped me prepare the crock pot for a pot roast.  We also cleaned up the kitchen.  Daddy read to you two as I was organizing.  :-)

Grace, you tried some more rice cereal this morning.  Again, I'm not sure how much actually went into our mouth, but as least you're trying!  And, you open your mouth wide for me .... perhaps you can teach Joshua to open that big to eat!  :-P

Joshua, you did eat some cheerios with me this morning at breakfast though!  I was so happy you were eating something!  We each had a little bowl and sat on the floor in the living room as Grace was doing some tummy time.  :-)

Daddy went to get his oil changed this morning and was back by lunch time.  After lunch, we all went to Lowes .... yes, we've been to this store several times of the past week!  We ended up ordering a big fan for the play room online last night since they didn't have any in stock, but they do have some door hardware on sale.  We bought nine door handles and we switched out all the remaining ones in the house.  Now, all the handles match .... and they're pretty, decorative nickel (not the ugly brass we had before).  We only need to change the two 'dummy' handles on the linen closet.  

This afternoon we made chocolate chip cookies!  Joshua eats the free ones in the bakery at Target, so we decided to just make some here to see if he'd eat them.  Yep!  You like cookies little man .... just like your mommy!  ;-)

After dinner we all went outside to stretch our legs.  I walked you two up to the park as daddy took care of some weeds around the house.  Joshua, I think you picked up every piece of trash at the park.  You managed to find one plastic piece and two rubber pieces.  When I took them from you to throw them out, you yelled.  :-P

We all got eaten by the bugs, and it was about 88 degrees out, so all four of us needed a bath when we got back home!  I gave Grace a bath as daddy took a shower.  Then, daddy gave Joshua a bath as I took a shower.  :-)  All four of us had fluffy hair!

Afterward, we relaxed in the bonus room.  :-)  Oh, almost forgot, we moved the cat into the screened in porch area.  He continues to poop in the study .... no where near the litter box .... and the room also smells of cat pee.  So, he's out there now so we can try to clean the carpet better.  We'll eventually tear out the carpet, since it's ruined, but we don't have the finances now.  We'll see what happens.  If we can at least get that smell out I'll be happier.  

Sleep tight little ones!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy

Half Day

Dearest Blessings~

Remember from yesterday's letter that Grace fell asleep at 1am this morning?  Well, you didn't start noodling around in your bassinet until 6:40am!  Woo hoo!  It took you a long time to get to sleep, but when you did fall asleep, you at least slept for a long time!  Thanks!  :-)  I quickly changed you and then I nursed you when you woke.

I stayed up and read ad you two slept (Grace, you fell back asleep after I nursed you).  I finished another book .... 'The Island of Dr. Moreau.'  It was good, but kind of creepy.  :-P

Once you two were awake, we did our downstairs chores.  You two helped me:

-sweep the kitchen
-steam sterilize the pump pieces
-organize the living room and kitchen

-started a grocery list

Once we finished, we went upstairs and started laundry.  Then, I nursed Grace some more.  :-)  Our upstairs chores included vacuuming and organizing the bonus room.  I had a CD on as we were working.

Daddy only had to work a half day today!  When he got home, we went out to enjoy the weather and stretch our legs.  We walked all around the mall a few times and then got some groceries at Target (do they still have this store by the time you read this?  We go there so often you all should own stock there!). 

Joshua, you were hyper all evening.  And, you ended up biting me twice!  I'm a dentist, and I don't get bit that often at work!  :-P 

We added a second litter box upstairs to see if the cat will use it.  We didn't have a great place to put it that would be away from Joshua, so we put it in our tub.  :-P  I also swept the front porch since I made a mess cleaning out the other litter box. 

Daddy made some tacos for dinner and they were good!  :-)  Joshua, you didn't eat any of it, but at least you ate some hot dogs!

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy

Turtle

Dearest Angels~

Grace, you really fought sleep last night.  You cried the first time I put you down in your bassinet.  Finally, you stayed sleeping by 11pm last night.  You woke up again at 5:30am.  Daddy changed you and then I nursed you.  I stayed awake afterward since my work alarm goes off at 6am.

We had some excitement before we left for work .... there was a turtle in our garage!  I move my car in the morning so that Penny can pull up into the driveway while she's here.  She spotted the turtle as she was walking in the house.  It was a good size turtle too!  

You two had fun with Penny today .... as usual.  :-)  Joshua had fun playing on the porch in the sand box and water table.  Grace took a nap as he was playing.  :-)

When I got home I had lots of mommy milk to put in freezer!  Woo hoo!  I saved some so we can practice with the rice cereal some this weekend.  I was able to nurse Grace as soon as I got home.  Joshua was playing, but he ate a little bit of pizza with daddy for dinner.  Daddy had the pizza waiting for dinner as I walked in the door.  He made it!  :-)

I was able to cut Grace's nails this evening.  Boy where they getting long!  Joshua, I'll have to wait until your sleeping to cut yours.  Your nails are getting long too.  :-P
 

I accidentally fell asleep holding Grace after nursing her .... I was so exhausted!  I woke up at midnight and nursed her some more.  We were finally in bed at 1am!   

Sleep tight you two!

I love you both so very much!  :-)

~Mommy