Utah - 2012

I'm a little behind, but back in March the boys and I got the chance to go to Utah with the Creels and the Andersons. It was incredible. I have never really skied too much, so I was a little nervous about it, but by the end of the trip we were going down Blacks. It was insane. We would start to go down a slope, and then half way down Teal and Ryan would talk us in to going off in to the woods and jumping over things and flying past the beautiful trees. I loved every second of it. Well, I actually hated looking down the steep hills from the top of the mountain and was about to vomit every time I saw what I was about to do, but the adrenaline was awesome so that made up for the fear. It was so fun, and a great workout.

Knox had an awesome time, too. It was his first time to fly in a plane and he absolutely loved it. We traveled with 6 kids, 3 of them being 2 years old. All of them being under 7 years old. We were actually surprised at how well they all did. Knox and Trotter even napped on the plane, so that helped out a ton. We took Teal and Hagan's cousin with us as a babysitter, so she was a huge help, and that allowed us to ski all day long and and also freed us up to have a kid-free dinner. The other nights we all cooked and hung out at the cabin and played games. The ski lift was like 100 yards from our front door, so that was extremely convenient. The little kids even got to ski for about an hour...and then we took them snow tubing 1 night. We all tied up to each other with our tubes and got flung down the huge hill. SO fun!

We had a blast and laughed A LOT the entire trip. I am so grateful for the invite, and for Teal and Ryan planning this trip and working out all the details. It was such a beautiful place and I was overwhelmed by the beauty of all the snow and mountains. So thankful that we were able to experience a trip like this...it was such a blessing. I never really got to take trips like this when I was younger, so I am more than thankful that we are able to take some now. 

Here are the pics - They are all from my phone. No way I was toting that huge camera around while we were on the slopes!

  

We MIGHT have had some heated friendly girls vs. boys competition of Catch Phrase. Do I even have to tell you who team 1 was? Girls rule, boys drool.

Greer - 15 Months

Greer turned 15 months old on April 7th, and she had her check up this morning. Everything went well, and she is a healthy little girl! She weighed in at 25 pounds: 70th percentile, and she is 32 inches tall: 95-100 percentile. She is cutting 4 teeth at the moment, and she is not loving that AT ALL. 

Every since little Miss turned a year old and started running around everywhere, she has become super independent and super, super strong willed. I'm like, where did my sweet, calm baby go?? She has to do everything that Knox does. She will shrug you off if she is playing full force and is MAD if you try to pick her up and take her away. She is absolutely a climber and I caught her up on my kitchen counter the other day trying to write on my chalkboard calendar. I am trying to consider myself very blessed and lucky for the year of calmness I had with her. Looking ahead, I'm not so sure that "calm" will be a word that describes her. Makes sense, though, considering who her mother is...

She eats and sleeps like a champ. I mean, champ. We put her down between 7 and 7:30, and will wake anywhere between 8 and and 8:30. I had to wake her the other day at 8:45 so that we could get moving. She goes down for her nap when Knox does, usually around 1:00, and wakes around 4:45-5:00. And yes, she literally goes back down a couple hours later for the night. I am a person that needs good sleep to function well, so I am so very thankful for her strong sleeping patterns. 

She seems to be growing in to quite the Daddy's girl. Of course, Lee loves that. She is a BIG dancer (praise the Lord! :)), and we sat and watched her straight up do some old school body rolls at Wawa's house yesterday. We we laughing so hard, and it was just pumping her up to keep doing it. I know they are young, but I really do feel like she and Knox have a special relationship. No, they are not perfect and they have their moments of not wanting to share, but for the most part they play very well together and get very sad when they have to leave each other. Oh how I pray that this would continue. I am not naive, and I very much remember fighting with my siblings, but we continue to pray for a a special bond between the 2 of them that would last a lifetime. As you can see, this child has minimal hair. I'm talking, I don't know if I will ever be able to put a bow in that baby's hair. She is staring to form a little curl mullet, and Lee is DYING. He wants me to cut it off so badly, but I just cant bring myself to do it. At this point, I can't imagine what she will look like when she actually gets some hair... I've gotten so use to kissing that baldie little head :). She laughs A LOT. Says "Cheeeeeeese" whenever you take her picture. Tries to shoot the basketball when Knox is playing. Loves being outside. Could care less about television, and loves any type of music. 

Days can definitely feel a little long, especially when Lee is traveling, but I am so happy and thankful for these 2 babies. I know that God is really teaching me so much about myself through parenting them, and it's so humbling. I can't imagine how much MORE humbling it will be in the future as they grow older. The Lord is really showing me daily that He alone is my rock and my strength, and I'm so so so glad that I don't have to rely on myself to muster up the strength to be a wife and mother!

Happy 15 months, sweet baby girl! We love you more than you will ever know. 

Rainy Saturday

Since it has been so rainy and dreary here lately, we decided to pack up Knox 2 Saturdays ago and take him to Tuscaloosa for a day trip and a basketball game. Teal offered to keep Greer for the entire day, so I took her up on it and it was so so so awesome to get some one on one time with Knox. Awesome.  I love that we got to do something that he LOVES-watching basketball. It was definitely a long trip in the car for 1 day, but it was well worth it. He is a great traveler. Greer...not so much. So, it was the best thing that she didn't accompany us (sorry, sweet girl). She got to stay behind and play with all of Teal's sweet kids and get loved on, so that was nice to know that she was in good hands.

We had a great time, and the Tide was able to pull off a W! Besides the game,  Knox enjoyed all the food, snacks, people, and cheerleaders and dancers. He couldn't take his eyes off of them. I couldn't either, so I don't blame him. They are always so cute and packaged so teeny and tight, and not to mention they dance and cheer a lot, so it's always very entertaining to watch. And then there's Big Al. Woosh. We talk about him and read about him almost daily, and Knox LOVES LOVES it...until we get face to face with him. Not so good. It's like a Santa experience all over again. When Big Al walked over to us I thought Knox's heart was going to stop, and he was visibly shaking. Poor guy. Hopefully he will change his mind soon!

He requested a hot dog and okra. He could eat his weight in okra.

Look closely...you can see my husband and son getting a good view of the dance team!

 See what I mean? Teeny and tight. So cute and smiley. I almost fed her some hot dog and okra :).

 Roll Tide!

 Ice cream and basketball?? Could it get any better?

 Cheering on his team:

We hit up a few places after the game, but it was nasty nasty outside. We had a great time, and I am so thankful for a spontaneous husband who likes to do fun things last minute. Speaking of fun things, once Knox fell asleep on the way home, I MIGHT have played with Lee's camera thingy for a long time on the way back...and we were dying laughing. It was so cheesy, but we kept on laughing. It never got old!

If that's not funny, I don't know what is. Sad part? My forehead really is that size...

Just A Typical Sunday Morning...

That went awry quickly!

Let me preface you with this...Knox went to bed Saturday night completely healthy and happy. No signs of sickness what-so-ever. Lee and I took him to Tuscaloosa Saturday and watch the Tide play basketball, and it was awesome! I love being able to have one on one time with the kids. He had a blast and has talked about last Saturday ever since. Anyways, we put him to bed Saturday night and were awoken a few times due to a relentless cough he was struggling with. When we all got up Sunday morning, we ate breakfast and started getting ready for church. I started noticing that Knox's color was looking a little "off", and his seemed to be struggling to breathe just a little bit. Lee and I teach the 3 year olds at church, so one of us had to go and I told him I would do it and he could just stay back with Knox. Before I walked out the door, I hugged Knox goodbye and could see his veins in his neck really working to help him breathe. I told Lee that something didn't seem right, and that I wanted to take him to Urgent Care as soon as I got back from church. Well, as I was teaching I heard my phone alert me with a text-it was Lee saying that they were headed to Urgent Care because he seemed to be getting worse. Long story short, they gave Knox a steroid and breathing treatment and it seemed to do nothing for him. They recommended that we take him to the E.R. So - off to Thomas Hospital we went. We stayed in an ER room from about 12 to 4:30 pm. Knox was retracting when we got there, meaning that his chest and rib cage was caving in a little from working overtime. His oxygen levels varied from upper 80's to lower/mid 90's. These are not terrible numbers. However, the doctor told us that a healthy breather is anywhere from 100% to 97%, so it was obvious that something was going on. We received more breathing treatments and steroids, and let me tell you something...that stuff makes kiddos HYPER. I mean, HYPER. Knox's eyes get HUGE while he is receiving the treatment, and as soon as that mask is off he is climbing the walls. They decided to admit him and keep him overnight to keep a close eye on him and try to regulate his breathing. No one wants to stay in the hospital. No one. Especially with a 2 year old. However, his numbers got pretty low a few times throughout the night, so I was so thankful to be there with nurses that knew exactly what to do and exactly how to handle it. After they ran a few tests, we were diagnosed with a virus in his lungs. He is still wheezing and coughing a pretty good bit, but that's to be expected. We almost had to stay a 2nd night in the hospital, but thankfully we were sent home with a nebulizer and are able to administer the breathing treatments every 4 hours. He seems to be on the mend. Nothing is slowing this boy down right now...nothing.

I need to say a little something here real quick. I never know how I will react to things, but I have a tendency to get a little panicky about the kids. Especially when it's something serious. When Knox had RSV last year, I literally almost lost my mind. This time, however, was totally different. I can't explain why. As soon as I heard the news about needing to go to the E.R., I was naturally nervous, but I never once flipped out or cried or anything like that. In fact, I think it is safe to say that I remained more calm than Lee did which is HUGE. He never panics. I kept repeating that verse "Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. I give not as the world gives" and the strange thing is that I haven't spent too much time focusing on that verse. It just immediately popped in to my mind, and I honestly just knew that everything was going to be fine. But don't misunderstand me...I was definitely nervous and concerned. It's just that I didn't go overboard like I know I can. I talked to my friend Teal on the way to the hospital. She is one of the calmest people I know, and really doesn't panic. I told her I needed her to speak truth to me and assure me that panicking wasn't a good option. Very unlike me, people. Very unlike me. I know that our small group and our church was covering us in prayer, and it was almost a surreal feeling...like I could feel our family being being prayed over. I know that sounds so strange to hear that I was somewhat calm in the middle of my 2 yr old son's E.R. visit, but this was something so huge for me that I feel like it was just God trying to teach me to lay it all in His hands. And you know what?? It felt good.

Everything happened so fast and it has been a crazy few days. I will say this, also. When they put that little gown on Knox and he laid in that hospital bed, it almost broke my heart. I just kept staring at him and thinking about so many things: When I gave birth to him, and what it was like to hold him in my arms for the first time...How I don't think I really learned what self-less love was until he was born...How I couldn't possible imagine my life without him. Not that it ever got to a point that I thought something that drastic was going to happen, but seeing your toddler lay in hospital bed will make you think about all sorts of things. The biggest thing I realized was when we were walking down the hallway to the playroom: I take his health, and Greer's for that matter, completely for granted. Completely. I could not imagine having to live in a hospital and watch my child suffer from a more serious illness or disease and wear a little blue hospital gown like that on a daily basis. And in the middle of all that was going on, I felt overwhelmed with praise. Praise for his health and praise for his life. It was revolutionary to me. So strange, I know. But I'm thankful for the Lord showing me that. So thankful. I honestly felt His presence all around me and I am so grateful.

SO...the little rascal has been home and healing...and back to the same ole same ole. I can say that I honestly have been looking at him a little differently since we've been home. I am a little more patient with him. I hold him a little longer. Show him a little extra grace. Read 1 or 2 more books at bedtime. Kiss his face a zillion times a day, rather than a million. Let him play outside a few more minutes than the usual. And I have certainly been telling him how thankful I am that Jesus protected him and kept him healthy, and that must mean He has some big plans for his life :).

Here are some pics from out first ever hospital stay at 2.5 years old! So thankful for our amazing church and small group and family that came and visited us and brought us goodies and prayed for us. The power of prayer is a STRONG thing!

Our small group leader, Fred, hanging out with Foxie in the E.R. 

 Teaching him the "Running Man" after a breathing treatment

 Fred even made him a fancy balloon

Moving to our room and taking our stats

Getting a little worn out

Watching a slew of Disney movies the next day

Playing in the awesome playroom!

Got a visit from one of his favorite people - little Miss Campbell :). She even picked out that Thomas the Train balloon, and boy-oh-boy was that puppy a hit!

 See what his little hand is holding?

Yes...he slept with it. 

 Watching Buzz Lightyear with Papa

Looking back, I wish I would have snapped some more pictures of sweet visitors, but I wasn't too much in to photography during our little hospital stay. I HOPE our next stay is when I deliver another baby...whenever my husband will allow that to happen. I told him tonight that I was suffering from "aching womb" syndrome. I cannot even explain the look that he gave me! But for now, I am OH so thankful to be home with an amazing husband and 2 healthy and precious kiddos. Thank you, Lord, for your protection!

First Day of "School"

Since my last post was a little heavy, I thought I'd lighten it up a little and post about sweet Greer's first day of "school". It's actually not school at all...more like a nursery drop in. I didn't really need her to go to school on a weekly basis, but I did think it would be good for her to socialize with other babies and let mommy have a minute or 2 to herself to go to the grocery store, get her teeth cleaned or haircut, sit and stare at a blank wall and listen to silence, etc. SO...this sweet baby girl is now going to Fairhope Methodist Church 2 Fridays a month from 9 - 1. Today was her first day going and of course I was a little sad about it, but I was fine 10 minutes after I dropped her off.

Feeding herself oatmeal on her first day of school:




It was a little chaotic this morning trying to get 2 kids dressed and lunches packed, so I had about 30 seconds for a photo session. Tried to get one with brother, and that just wasn't happening.




She loved her purple lunchbox and kept tapping the top of it.




Watching brother do a crazy dance while she drummed on the lunchbox.



When I went to pick her up, the ladies said that she did awesome and they were surprised at how sweet she was for her first time going and not knowing anyone. Yay for Greer!

It was a very different feeling running errands and grocery shopping without my sidekick, but I won't lie when I say it was nice to pop in and out of places and not have to drag a baby in and out of a car seat. I'm glad she had a great first day, and we are already looking forward to her next one in 2 weeks!