Our Big Boy!!!!

I've always heard stories from other moms about kids "flipping on the potty switch", but didn't really quite understand what they were talking about. I do now, though! For months, we tried to get Buddy to be a "big boy" like his friends and start using the potty. We've tried to bribe him with chocolate (he's a chocoholic like his daddy), a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, and special underpants. He's always been very excited about these offers, but refused to sit on the potty.

Then, last Thursday morning, when I asked if he wanted to sit on the potty, he excitedly responded - YES!!! And he went!! He went at school the rest of the day and has continued to go on the potty ever since!!! He's been super good about letting us know if he has to go. We're soooo proud of him!

We got him the Scooby-Doo underwear that we promised him and put it on him for school today. He was so excited to show his friends. But, then he was sent home sick. I felt so bad for the little guy! Keep up the good work, Buddy!

You've got to be kidding me!!!

I always look forward to Mondays now that I'm on maternity leave. After weekends with the whole family at home, it's kind of nice to have some quiet time on Mondays with just the Baby. So, now that Sugie was over her strep throat, it was time to send the family out the door and start a peaceful day.

That ended at 7:28 am, when the hubby called and said that he was returning Buddy to home. Buddy has hand, foot, and mouth disease. He had this same thing exactly one year ago. It was probably the worst illnesses that the kids have had.

We noticed that he complained when he ate ketchup and pizza over the weekend, but just thought that he had a sore from biting his tongue. Hopefully, this time the disease will be lighter. I do see several bumps on his hands and a few on his tongue.

Poor Buddy, he was so excited to go to school today - he had big news to share!

Sick Sugie

I mentioned that last week was a little rough for the Baby. Well, Sugie had problems of her own. She woke up on Thursday morning complaining of a headache and sore throat and she had a low grade fever. So, she stayed home with me, although she really wanted to go to summer camp.

She kept saying that she was feeling better, but I could tell that she really wasn't any better. She just didn't want to go to the doctor b/c she has bad memories from her shots last summer. We went in for a strep test and it came back positive. She really didn't like it when they swabbed her throat, but handled it pretty well.

They nurses said that it was highly unlikely that the Baby could get strep. That's good - he has enough problems as it is!

After a few doses of medicine, Sugie was feeling better in no time. She was so disappointed that she couldn't go to summer camp on Friday. She really wanted to go swimming at the YMCA with them. At least she is feeling better!!

Baby's 2nd Week

Our orange baby

The Baby's second week of life started off great! He and I ventured out somewhere each day. On Monday, we all went out to eat and then he and I took Sugie to cheerleading class. He was an angel, of course. The next day, he and I went to Target where he was the perfect little shopping buddy.

Things started to go wrong on Wednesday - the day of his 2 week checkup. My little guy has a few problems. First, he's only gained 2 oz since leaving the hospital. The doctor was a little concerned, so now we get to start going in regularly for weight checks.

The Baby's nasty umbilical cord fell off over the weekend. I think those things are disgusting, so I was glad it was gone. However, it started bleeding and looking nasty again. The doctor said that we just need to watch it for a granuloma, but that it looks ok.

The next problem was his jaundice. The doctor wanted to get Baby's blood tested to check his bilirubin level. So, we had to go to the hospital to get lab work done. We had to register the Baby at the hospital like he was a new patient. Some of the questions were funny that they had to ask of my 2 week old - marital status, allergies, place of employment, etc.

The blood test was AWFUL!! I wanted to take my baby from that place and run. They call it a "heel prick" test, but it should be a "heel slice" test b/c it was a pretty big cut on his foot. They didn't get enough blood from the first prick, so they had to do it over again. After 2 pricks, 4 lab techs, and 20 minutes, they finally got enough blood to run the test. But, they decided to get a little extra blood, just in case. The Baby screamed during this entire ordeal, which broke my heart. His bili levels were too high, so the doctor had us put the Baby on formula for 24 hours and ordered another blood for Friday. I cried when they told me this!! What a terrible Wednesday!

On Thursday, we were back at the doctor and pharmacy. More to come on this....

Friday's hospital trip was much better. I was scared b/c a new girl wanted to draw the Baby's blood. Luckily, a very skilled lab tech was helping her, so there was just one prick and about 5 minutes of drawing blood. His bili levels had dropped, so the Baby is just fine. Whew. Now we just need to get his weight problem under control.

Future Cover Girl?

The hubby's mom came over for dinner last week and to visit with the kids. Of course, Sugie and Buddy were wild!! Sugie did her usual by changing outfits several times. She even changed Buddy's outfit - into one of her swimsuits!!! He thought it was hilarious and entertained us by posing. It's always great to have these blackmail photos for future use!!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!!! With a new baby, our schedules have gone from busy-busy-busy to not much at all - and it's so nice!!! We had such a nice, relaxing weekend.

On Father's Day, we headed to church, where everyone oohed and aahed over the Baby. Then, we took the hubby out to eat. It felt weird asking for a table for 5! The kids were great and we had a really nice time.

We came home and surprised the hubby and my Grandpa with an ice cream cake and presents. The kids made their daddy several different cards at school. Sugie even made a coupon book. My favorite coupon was that she was going to buy her daddy an iced coffee. She knows her daddy!!

After naptime, the kids and the hubby headed out to the pool for some fun. The water felt fabulous. The kids love jumping off of the ladder, throwing water bombs, playing in the dolphin boat, and having daddy throw them in the air. (I can't get in the water yet, but they thoroughly soaked me the day before while the Baby slept.)

Friends of ours brought us dinner - salad w/ dressing, lasagna, Italian bread, and treats for the kids. It was delicious and the perfect ending to the great weekend!

Family of Four No More...

Here's one last picture of the family as a foursome! We took it before we dropped the kids off at P&E's to spend the night. I was being induced early the next morning!!

After the hubby and I dropped off the kiddos, we headed to our favorite sno-cone stand! It was

weird thinking that we'd have a baby soon. After talking with some nice people (we seem to meet such nice people there each time!), we headed home. There were fireworks at the 4H Center, so we stopped to watch for awhile. I was convinced that the hubby put on the fireworks show for our last outing together. Thanks, sweetie!! It was the perfect ending to this pregnancy.

The Pool is Ready!!!

We were all so anxious to jump in the pool, but the air temp and water temp have just been too cool. Well, we got tired of waiting and went swimming anyway! It took me awhile to get in the water b/c it was so chilly. Of course, the kids jumped right in. They didn't care that they were freezing!!

I think Buddy is going to be a future Michael Phleps. He jumped in the water and took off swimming - no fear at all. Sugie, who has taken several years of swim lessons, still wanted to swim in her swim ring. She can't touch the bottom, so I was fine with that decision! It was so nice being in the pool! It's going to be a great summer!

Happy 6th Birthday, Sugie!

Sugie's fourth and final birthday celebration came on her actual birthday. I was so thankful that I didn't have the baby on her birthday. It was the only day I wanted to avoid. We wanted to do something special for Sugie on her actual birthday, so we took her to Chuck E. Cheeses for some fun.

The kids had so much playing the games. Sugie danced her little heart out in front of the cameras until someone shouted, "You go girl!", which embarassed her! She opened presents when we came home. Her daddy even got her flowers, one of her new favorite gifts. Happy Birthday, Sugie!!

Another birthday celebration

It's time for Sugie's third celebration of her 6th birthday. The first one was during the last week of school where they celebrated all summer birthdays. Sugie came home with a treat bag and very large birthday crown. We went out to dinner that night and Sugie insisted on wearing her crown. Everyone thought is was her birthday - and she ate it up!! She even got a sucker from Sam's employees when we were shopping. Now she wants to wear it everywhere!

Sugie's third birthday celebration was with the family at our house. Sugie had only 3 outfit changes (a few less than normal) and ended up in a tankini. It was a fun time with the family!

Buddy and the Scissors

Last month, Buddy got to practice using scissors at school. Well, the boy doesn't need anymore practice! He definitely caught on to using them.

He came home from school with 2 holes in his shirt!! One hole was pretty large - he actually cut out some of his shirt. The 2nd hole was smaller and just slit his shirt. Leave it to Buddy! At least he didn't cut anyone's hair!

Filling the Pool

Wow, we bought a huge pool this year. I had wanted a bigger pool, but couldn't find one that I liked. So, I "settled" for a little bit smaller version. I'm thankful I didn't find that bigger pool. The one we got is perfect!! Our pool from last year got a hole in the inflatable ring around the top, so we new that it was time for a bigger, better pool.

Of course, it took ages to fill up this super-sized pool! The kids wanted to help out, so I let them get in the chilly water while we filling it up. (Ok, I even got in, too!) At first, I just wanted their feet wet, but we know how kids are. They came out of the pool drenched and with blue lips and chattering teeth. Who knew that they'd have so much fun in 1 foot of water?!?

Memorial Day

Despite the on and off rain showers, we had a super great Memorial Day. We finished filling the pool, thanks to 2 inches of rain in the afternoon. We also visited the cemetary to pay our respects to the hubby's dad. Each kid put flowers on his grave. As we do each year after the cemetary, we visited our favorite pizza place in Fort Branch. The kids really liked the root beer and the decor of the restaurant. It was a nice holiday!

Sugie's Birthday Party

When we asked Sugie where she wanted her birthday party this year, she said she wanted it at our house again. With my due date on the horizon, I knew that I wouldn't be up to throwing a party together this year. Her next suggestion was Holiday World. Nice idea, but let's try again. She finally decided on Lloyd Pool, after having been there a few weeks earlier with us.


We invited a few select kids from her class and a few other friends. She had a fabulous time!! Even though the kid has a million swimsuits, I let her pick out a new one for her party. She was thrilled that Brennan and Jalen were there. The kids had fun swimming for an hour and then making ice cream sundaes. As was the case with last year, the kids' sundaes were loaded down with every topping available and made my stomach turn.


Buddy had so much, too, and swam with his friend and the hubby for most of the party. Sugie didn't mind at all that her little brother was there.

Last Day of Kindergarten

It's hard to believe that my little girl is going to be a First Grader! Her first year of school raced by!! She did such a great job in Kindergarten! We're so proud of everything she's accomplished. She's already reading at a middle first grade level! It's amazing how much they grow up in just one year. Keep up the good work, Sugs!

First Day of Kindergarten 08/08

Last Day of Kindergarten 05/09

Bob the Builder

Last month, the hubby treated Buddy to a "Man's Night" and took him to see Bob the Builder. By the time Sugie was 2 1/2, she had already seen Barney, The Wiggles, Doodlebops, and Playhouse Disney. Poor little Buddy hadn't been to any shows yet! Nothing of his interest had been to town yet, but we knew that he'd enjoy watching Bob.

My boys had a great evening together! The hubby even bought Buddy a toy, which is something I probably wouldn't have done. My feelings did get a little hurt - Buddy got to choose which parent he wanted to go with and he chose his Daddy!! Turns out, it was the right decision for little Bud!

Big Boy Bed

We did it! We finally got the kids moved out of the baby's room into Sugie's room with the new bunk beds. My goal was to have them moved by Memorial Day and we did it!!

I was scared that Buddy would not want to move out of the crib. But, he was so excited to sleep in his big boy bed! Sugie was just as excited to sleep on the top bunk.

Of course, there's talking and other fun antics (which I hope to capture on camera soon!) that go on after we tuck them in each night, but that's just part of being a kid, right?

Tap Dancer or Casino Waitress?

Sugie's big dance recital was last month. She was in two routines - tap and ballet. Sugie loves costumes and dressing up, so she was thrilled when her outfits came in. Of course, Sugie favored the shiny, gold lame outfit over the pretty, princess outfit. Sugie wears the tap outfit all of the time.

Ballet Costume

For anyone who has been to our casino, doesn't she look like she could be a cocktail waitress at Aztar???

Tap Costume

You're doing what to my son's head????

Every parent dreads this phone call. But, with having an adventureous little boy, we all knew this day would come. Last month, I received a call from daycare saying that I needed to pick up Buddy right away and take him to the emergency room.

Of course, I flew out of work to get my precious. The hubby arrived at school before I did and was holding him on his lap. Buddy was not crying, didn't even look like he had been crying, and seemed like everything was ok. He was preoccupied with the spiders he had just gotten out of the treasure box.

Buddy and a friend had been playing downstairs and got their feet tangled up. The friend landed on the floor. Buddy landed on the corner of a wall and split his head open. I wanted to throw up after seeing the deep gash on the back of his head.

Luckily, Buddy's pediatrician offered to look at his head instead of making us go to the emergency room. We had two choices - some stitches, which he said would be painful, or one staple. We opted for the one staple, so the doctor left to find a staple gun. I didn't like the sound of a that!! But, he returned with a little staple gun and stapled Buddy's head shut. Buddy flinched, but never cried. He just wanted to feel what the doctor had just put on his head.

Five days later, we had the staple removed. It seemed easier than putting it in. Buddy did such a great job!!

Ma-Moo

In March, Buddy started calling me by a different name. I was no longer Mama or Mommy - I was Ma-Moo. Ma-Moo rhymes with Shamu, the whale. This is about the time I started to get big with my pregnancy and was also feeling like a whale.

I've always wondered if the hubby put him up to calling me this, but I believe that Buddy came up with it by himself. Little stinker! BTW, the hubby does think it's incredibly funny.

Backyard Surprise!

Last month, I saw something moving across our basketball court in the backyard one morning before school. I told the kids to quickly get their shoes on, so that we could go outside. It was a box turtle! I remember finding these all of the time as a little girl.

The kids loved it! Of course, it stopped in its tracks when we got close to it and eventually hid in it's shell. The kids touched the shell and asked a ton of questions about turtle life. They wanted to keep it, but we let it venture on to the woods.

The kids have had quite a lesson in nature at our current house. We regularly have deer, rabbits, every kind of bird, frogs, and lizards somewhere in our yard. We've even had a snake (yuck!!) and a skunk!

Catching up...

I know that I have a lot of catching up to do, so here are a few fun things we've done lately.

Last month, Matt had the guys over for a cookout and cards. One friend brought his 2 kids over to play with Sugie and Buddy. They had fun riding around all over the yard on the truck & motorcycle. Buddy seemed to have more fun playing with 5 year old D rather than M, who is his age. The kids were filthy and exhausted at the end of playtime. It was a fun night for everyone!

Baby's First Week

So far, everything is going great with the new addition to the family. The kids still think that he's pretty amazing & we've grown quite fond of the little guy!! Here are a few highlights from the Baby's first week of life:

• He got to meet his Mims & Papa, who live VERY far away, but happened to schedule vacation time here in June before they even knew about the little guy!

• He got his first sponge bath at home. He looks so handsome when his hair is clean & brushed!
• He went on his first family outing to our favorite sno-cone stand!!
• He was a perfect angel on a rather long grocery shopping adventure with me.
• He went to church with us, where he quietly snuggled with Mimi the whole time.

I had forgotten how much people love to look at babies. We get stopped so much whenever we're out with him. He is quite precious to look at!!

He's Here!

We are proud to announce that our little baby boy, Eli Matthew, arrived on June 10 at 12:51 pm!!! He weighed a whopping 9 lb 1oz!! What a chunk!

He had a rough start into the world b/c his blood sugar was low. The nurses had to keep pricking his heel and drawing blood to check his levels. This happened with Sugie, too, and she still has little dots on her heel where she was pricked.

The kids love the little guy! Buddy was scared/timid at first - I think seeing me and the baby in the hospital upset him. But, now he can't keep his head off of him. Yes, head - Buddy likes to nuzzle the baby's head with his own. It's pretty sweet to see!

Sugie absolutely adores her new brother & wants to hold him all of the time. If he starts crying, she's the first one to rush over to check on him. She calmed him down the other day and told us that she knows the new baby loves his big sister.