sam says

The other day Sam was telling me something and (positive that I wasn't listening to him) he kept repeating himself...over and over and over. Finally I looked him in the eye and said,

"Yes Sam, I heard you the first twelve times!"

Always the literalist, he responded,

"But mom, I only said it three times."

One of things that makes me laugh most often, is when Sam gets his words mixed up.

The other day, worn out, he exclaimed,
"I'm sooo white!"
(wiped)


And then, I heard him singing at the top of his lungs,
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, meat, patience, kindness, goodness."

What do your kids say that tickle your funny bone?

raw(e) yellow

Rubber ducky,  you're the one...

This week's theme for the RAW(e) challenge is

yellow.

Float on over to Sailor & Co. to see the rest of the yummy yellow-ness.

rice krispie treats (not a recipe)

Rice Krispie treats are evil.

In a good way though.

This is the one treat that I can't get enough of.

This ooey-gooey, sweet and crunchy yumminess.

I could easily eat the whole pan by myself (but I didn't!).

This time, I had a little help.

raw(e) pink

Ok, so this week's theme for RAW(e) is

PINK.

Yes, pink.

The color that I avoided like the plague.  

Until recently, that is.

Because now that I have a daughter, pink is popping up all over my house.

Pink clothes,

pink sippy cups,

pink towels,

pink shoes,

and yes, even pink toys.

It's a losing battle.

And I, the reluctant prisoner, am coming to terms with the fact

that pink will forevermore be a part of my world.

If you are a lover of pink, hop on over to Sailor & Company to get your fill of pink-ness.

houston, we have a problem

Ok, I'm taking a poll here.

How many of you have named your offspring a name that their siblings were opposed to?

Anyone?

We are having that little dilemma here.

A couple of weeks ago we were talking to Sam about his new brother/sister and threw out our favorite boy name.

He was beside himself!

Thisclose to tears, he proclaimed that he wanted to name the baby...

Gator.

And he was totally serious.

He was devestated that we were thinking of naming the baby anything else.

Well, now that it has been firmly established that the baby (should it be a boy)

 will not be named Gator, he is still completely opposed to our chosen name.

Hmm...what to do?

home again, home again, jiggety-jig

Last night we (and our piggies) arrived safely home.

It is so nice to be back in our own beds,

eating our own food,

walking barefoot on our own floors,

and relaxing on our own couches.

Ahhhhh!

Sam is only relieved that the needle part is over.

Because when he wasn't doing this...

He was playing games

and doing crafts

and tormenting the hospital staff with fake rubber snakes.

And he was doing this...

hanging out on the window ledge (we were on the 8th floor)

and watching all the vehicles and people below.

Or, watching the helicopters land on the helipad of the hospital across the street.

He was fascinated with both!

And this..

opening presents (Tuesday was his birthday) from us and the hospital staff.

We already had a party for him before he was admitted to the hospital, so we just had a few small gifts that we brought to the hospital for him to open.

But the hospital!

Everytime someone new arrived, they came bearing gifts. 

He received a book

and a puzzle

and a couple of stuffed animals

and a craft paint kit

and  a $50 gift card to Toys R Us!

And, they gave us a free birthday cake.

And, all the nurses came in and sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

I think he's going to want to have his birthday at the hospital every year now!

isolated

Well...

there's good news

and bad news.

The good news is, that Sam didn't have to have the bronchoscopy (which means he wasn't put under general anesthesia and didn't have any invasive procedures).

The bad news is, that he has a bacteria that is highly resistant to common antibiotics. And, although it doesn't seem to be resistant to the antibiotic that Sam is on, it could cause serious problems for other patients with weak immune systems.

So,

Sam is in isolation.

He cannot leave his room.

No play rooms,

no air hockey, 

no walking around to get rid of all his pent up energy.

He is literally bouncing off the walls!

Bouncing on  the bed,

bouncing on the couch,

and bouncing off the huge window ledge that looks out of his room.

The physical therapist was concerned that he wouldn't get enough activity.

Her fears have been laid to rest.
The kid has been circling the room non-stop!

Fortunately, it looks like we may be able to go home Thursday.
So, hopefully only one more day of this.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

a necessary trip (and the winner)

The winner of the Charlie Church Mouse software is Lindsay!


Please email me with your info and I'll get the program mailed off to you ASAP!
Congratulations! I hope your little ones enjoy the program as much as Sam does.

In other news...
Monday we will be heading to All Children's Hospital to admit Sam for I.V. antibiotics and a possible bronchonscopy.
A few weeks ago he had a constant cough and an x-ray showed inflammation of his lungs.
The doctor also heard significant crackles (crackles=infection).
After a triple course of oral antibiotics, he still has evidence of an infection in his lungs.
The doctor is not sure what is causing the infection (all cultures have come back negative) so, off to the hospital we go to get a better idea of what's going on.
Our prayer is that they will be able to identify the infection and knock it out with a common I.V. antibiotic.
If all goes well we will be in the hospital for 3-4 days and then come back home to finish the I.V. here.

Sam is actually really excited about going.
Last year when we went, he was in heaven.
Aside from the I.V. insertion, he had the time of his life!
There are video games and movies,
air hockey and board games,
crafts and musical instruments to play with.
This year we will be going to the newly built hospital, so I'm sure it will be even more fabulous!

And, he gets to order whatever he wants to eat, whenever he wants to eat it!
Pizza for breakfast,
pancakes for dinner,
slurpees and nachos and ice cream, oh my!
Last time, he got so used to ordering off the menu, that when we came home and he asked for pizza (I told him we didn't have any) - he asked to see what else was on the menu!
Gotta love him.

Anyways, please keep us in your prayers as we head out.
We will be bringing Ava with us too.
And, although Marko will be able to come up Monday and Tuesday,
it may get a little challenging to keep a 10 month old off the floor and occupied for the whole stay!
Once Marko is gone I'll definitely need your prayers.

I'll keep you posted on our progress.
And hopefully this will end up being a very short, uneventful visit!

a little sad

Being pregnant again has landed me in new territory...
the "I have kids close together in age" group of moms.

I mean, Sam was 4 when Ava was born. We had 4 uniterrupted years to experience all things "Sam."
 All the snuggles and cuddles and rocking to sleep,
all the book reading and bath times,
all the outside discoveries on our walks...
my focus was concentrated solely on him.

By the time I got pregnant with Ava, I was ready to experience the whole cycle all over again.
I was looking forward to the extended nursing,
the baby cuddles,
and watching her experience her world of firsts.

But now, in this new territory, I'm feeling a little jilted for her.
By the time Ava is 18 months the new babe will be here.
And there will be very little exclusive "Ava time." 
Already, due to pregnancy hormones, nursing her has almost come to an end.
It makes me sad.
I am cherishing every quiet moment I have with her,
 knowing that all too soon my attention will be divided.

I used to wonder why my sister-in-law (who has 6 munchkins ages 7 and under) tended to baby her little ones for so long.
Now I know.
I kind of feel like I need to make it up to Ava for taking away my undivided attention so soon.

Has anyone else felt like this?

I mean, it's not that I wish I wasn't pregnant.
I am excited for this new life and looking forward to adding a new little one to our family.
I have just been caught off guard by the melancholy feelings that have surfaced in this area.

I guess I should just blame it on the hormones!
What do you think?

5479

Are the number of days that...

...I have felt safe and secure in your embrace.

...you have challenged, encouraged and accepted me.

...I have enjoyed looking at the most perfect back-side ever created.

...we have worked on our differences and have a stronger relationship because of it.

...I have looked forward to seeing you walk in the door.

...we have experienced laughter and tears.

...you have tried unsuccessfully to beat me at Scrabble. ;P

...I've said "I do" to the love of my life.

...you make me laugh so hard that I snort.

...I love to hear you say my name.

...you love the Lord and your family.

...I am blessed to call you Lover, Friend and Husband.

Happy 15th Anniversary, Marko!

I am so thankful to the Lord for you, and the life that we've built together so far.
I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us in the next 15 years...and beyond!

raw(e) vintage

Vintage

is the theme for this week's RAW(e) photo challenge.

The word "vintage" brings to mind family for me.

I have been fortunate enough to inherit vintage toys, dishes, clothing and more.

I'm known around here for pitching anything that sits around for too long, but I do have a sentimental side that keeps me holding onto these things.

It was a tough decision for me to decide which item to photograph, but in the end I settled on my grandmother's wedding dress. It was part of the inspiration for my own wedding dress and I think it's one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen.

If you'd like, go take a look at the other vintage inspired photos at Sailor & Company.

just because...

...I love you.

I'm giving away this really great kids software!

No strings attached, no company endorsements...

I just really love this program and decided to give one away!

If you have a 4-8 yr old that loves computer games, this will be a super addition to your home.

 Charlie Church Mouse Bible Adventures is a biblically based educational program for early elementary-aged kids. There are six diferent bible adventures (each with three skill levels) that teach:

Greater/Less Than

Addition/Subtraction

Spelling

Synonyms/Antonyms

Telling Time

Counting Money

Sequencing

Rhyming Words

Problem Solving

Critical Thinking

AND they learn about the bible in a fun way.  

Sam loves these games (we have the preschool and the kindergarten versions as well) and has learned so much! Plus, I don't have to worry about the content of the games because every adventure centers on stories from the bible.

Disclaimer: the graphics are, uh, shall we say...basic. But every kid that I know that has played the games thinks they are fantastic.

SO.

Leave a comment by 5pm Friday and I'll pick a winner!

back where i started

The answer to this:

is this:

Yep, baby #3 is on the way!

It has been almost a year since I started my blog, and what a year it has been!

I started blogging because I was pregnant,
unable to sleep,
and bored!

Fast forward...

I am pregnant again,
just getting back to a good night's sleep,
and now trying desperately to find the time to blog!

any guesses?

Give it a shot.

I'll have the answer (and the full photo) tomorrow.

moms don't get a day off

Today is my birthday.
Today has also been one of the craziest, busiest (is that a word?) days I've had in a while.

I woke up to see Marko and Sam off to a dr. appt (thanks for letting me sleep in a little, honey!) then got Ava up and ready to go to Preschool Co-op.
But, before heading there I had to run by the store and pick up a few things for the class.
Co-op was a zoo today (read: lots of hyper 3-5 yr olds!) and I was short on patience (for reasons I'll disclose later) making it all the sweeter when I was done. After Co-op I dropped the kids off at home with Marko and ran some more errands that needed to get done today.

On the way to my last stop I got a frantic text from Marko
"Help! Ava has poop all up her back and in her hair!"
Nice.

So home I sped (not literally) to clean up the pooped on floor, while Marko bathed Ava. Marko left and I attempted to take a little time for myself (it is my birthday after all!) but, Sam asked me to read him a book...or 10.
Sigh.

Sure, Buddy. Let's read some books.

And then it hit me.

Mom's don't get a day off.

I mean sure, we can physically leave for a little while and get a much needed break.
But by virtue of being a mom, we are always on call.
Birthdays,
Mother's Day,
Christmas,
Thanksgiving...
on call.

Not that I'm complaining.
I willingly surrendered my "me time" when I signed up to be a mom.
I believe that fulfilling the call as a mom is the greatest thing I can do. Training up little people to love the Lord and become productive members of society is a HUGE task.
And I love a challenge. 

It was just a gentle reminder from the Lord that "there is no greater love than to lay your life down for a brother"...or munchkin.

So, Happy Birthday to me.
And thank you, Lord for all the blessings that this life offers me.
Even the little ones that interrupt "me time." 
And chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside.

because i don't have anything to say

raw(e) lamps

This week's RAW(e) photo challenge theme is

LAMPS

This has got to be one of my favorite items in my house.

I'm usually not very girly, but I love this lamp.

It reminds me of romance and distant lands,

fabulous jewels and exotic meals.

Anyways....back to lamps.

Here are the rules.

Take a picture of any kind of lamp and don't do anything to it.

No editing, no cropping, just SOOC.

Then, follow the lights over to Sailor & Company and check out all the other great photos.