Still More Changes

You all remember the story of how James was potty trained, I'm sure, so we wont go over that again! About 3 weeks ago, James woke me up in the middle of the night having to go potty so Jon put up his big boy bed the next day. James was so over the top excited!!! (I was a tad bit weepy) My son, the boy who never wants to go to sleep, was begging to go to sleep that day. At supper he said he wanted to skip his bath and go straight to bed; it was like 6:00 in the evening, too! Like the mean parents we are, we made him wait until 7:30, his normal bed time. He jumped around in there for a while, had to go to the bathroom 4 or 5 times (it's amazing how quickly children learn to use the bathroom as an excuse) and finally Jon threatened to put his baby bed back up if he didn't calm down and go to sleep. That did it, we didn't hear one more peep from him for the rest of the night! But, bless his heart, that only worked the first night!

He can dress him self now. All I have to do most of the time is tell him what to put on and he goes to his room and puts it on! 2 weeks ago we went back to the pediatrician for a check up on how he was doing on Pulmicort and I told her we really hadn't seen a difference and the poor guy hated to take a breathing treatment every day. So she switched us to Singulair once a day which is a chewable tablet that he takes at bed time. James hasn't had an asthma attack since that night more than a year ago when I had to take him to the ER in the middle of the night. But, when ever he gets the slightest upper respiratory infection, 9 out of 10 times he has to start taking albuterol treatments every few hours and I have to take him to the doctor for steroids to clear his lungs. He also tends to wheeze and retract a bit when ever he gets really active like running and wrestling. I think I can see a little bit of improvement with the Singulair so I am hopeful that this will work for him!

I've noticed that he has become quite clumsy lately. He has started tripping and falling constantly, his left ankle giving way like it snaps in half, and when he falls, he falls HARD. It's difficult to get him to wear shoes for any length of time during the day (especially when we are inside all day because it is 150 degrees outside) but when he does put his boots on, he has a bit more balance. I attribute it to a growth spurt. He has been eating like a hawg these last few weeks and I think he's gotten a bit taller. Just in the last day or so, his appetite has leveled off and he is a little more steady on his feet! I've noticed this in him the last few times he's had a little growth spurt. James is still in the Babies Can't Wait program and will be until he is 3 which, sniff sniff, is only 2 months away. Every 6 months, he is evaluated on his progress and this last time for: auditory comprehension he scored in 90th percentile and the age equivalency of 3-9 which is almost 4 years old! On his expressive communication he scored in the 90th percentile and the age equivalency of 3-10, which, again, is almost 4 years old. His total language was the 93rd percentile and age equivalency of 3-10, which basically means his mind is functioning as a 4 year old! What a wonderful blessing the Lord has blessed him with! We are very thankful and give all the praise and honor to our Lord. But I must say, I am one proud mama of the strides our son has made!!

A little bit of everything

On Thursday morning we got up early, went to the beach and played for a couple hours. When they got tired of that we went in search of the water park we had seen signs for. We found it but it wasn't a big hit. James HATES to be sprayed by water. He wont run thru sprinklers, he freaks out if you spray him with a water hose and he wont hardly play on the slip n slide, I have to turn the water on "little" for him to get on it! Needless to say, we didn't stay long at the "water park"!! We ate lunch instead.

After naps, back at the rotel, we went into Jacksonville just cruising around and decided to eat an early supper at Mellow Mushroom since Jon had to leave for church and I wouldn't have a car. That was a mistake. They weren't hungry and were incredibly hyper! They were the loudest, worst behaved children I honestly think they have EVER been. Don't let their cute little faces fool you.

I took the kids down to the pool for a bit before and after Jon left for church so that I wouldn't be stuck in the room with those hoodlums for very long before it was bed time. That was a huge success. First time I ever was in the pool by my self with them and they did great. The swimmies they had on were the key though. Much better than just the ones you put on their arms. They even swam around "by themselves" a little!

Hanna Park

This past weekend, Jon had an appointment to preach over in Macclenny, FL and we decided to head over a few days early and spend some time at Hanna Park/Atlantic Beach, close to Jacksonville. Oh are we ever glad we did this! We had soooooo much fun and I think the kids did too!

From the moment we arrived Audrey was chasing seagulls trying desperately to catch one. Her little self was so dejected when she would talk about how she couldn't catch one.  I have never seen her run quite so fast and she wanted me to run with her a few times. Wow, lets just say it's a good thing I've been gyming it up lately, almost 3 year olds can scat!

I have lots more pictures to come, I promise, so stay tuned!

Could you sleep at the circus?

A few weeks ago, during our last trek out to the Big Easy, Susu and Pawpaw treated their granchirrin to a trip to the circus and us parents tagged along for the fun of it! We started out on Friday morning thinking we were going but when we got down to the arena and had the parking lady tell us not to "worry about where to park 'cause there ain't no circus this morning" Emily checked the tickets and sure enough they were for Saturday morning! Well, needless to say, there were a few tears shed by some certain little things that I wont name. But by the time we decided we would go see Toy Story 3 for a little distracting entertainment, those things had fallen asleep! We had an hour or so to kill before the movie started so we went to McDonald's and while the big kids ate, the little kids slept! Worked out perfect. It was James and Audrey's first movie in a theater and they enjoyed it. Little Miss Ants In Her Pants eventually ended up watching the movie on the steps and James ate a ridiculously large amount of popcorn! Good times.

The next day we really did go to the circus and that really worked out better since Jon and Mr. Ronnie had had things they had to do Friday and weren't with us for the first attempt!!

It had been years since I'd been to the circus so I was a little excited myself! Some of the things those circus people do.......it's just amazing!!! J and A started out in Ms. Susan's lap and about 30 minutes into it, Audrey fell asleep. The poor baby was so tired. She slept until intermission which was just enough to get her going again! She enjoyed seeing the elephants and tigers! About 10 minutes before intermission James got in my lap and started whining. So, I told him to lay his head down and close his eyes and to my shock and disbelief, he did just that. And actually went to sleep. He slept all thru the break thru the entire last half and didn't wake up till we were outside walking to the car. He slept thru 3 canons going off. My child, who can't even sleep in church, slept at the circus!!!

The funniest part about it is that James thinks he saw all the stuff that he didn't see. Like the lions and canons and such. He gets so excited talking about those lions, that he didn't even see!!!

Special friendships

Ever have one of those friends that you have been friends with your entire life? One that you could literally tell ANYTHING to and never have the fear of being judged or laughed at? (Well, laughed at in a mean way!!) I do. When I was born my daddy was pastoring a church in Statesboro, GA. There was a super sweet, super special family that were members of that church at the time, the Tyson's, and they just happened to have a little girl named Emily that was my age. I don't remember a whole lot about our time in Statesboro (I don't have as good a memory has my sister!) but I do remember playing with Emily after church! Right after I turned 4, Cool Springs PB Church called my dad and we moved a couple hours away. But Emily and I stayed friends. Thru the years we became pen pals (yes, people did actually use to use the hand written word to communicate) and visited each other during the Holidays and Summertime's. Okay, she mostly visited me because I would get a slight case of homesickness when I had to spend the night away from home! Emily on the other hand WANTED to be away from home; she had 3 brothers to contend with and they knew the meaning of being good brothers, hehe!!

Thru out high school it was so great to have a friend that lived 100 or so miles away so that you could tell secrets to someone with out fear of it getting back to the person you told on! We know things about each other that, well, lets just say I hope I'm always on her good side and I'm sure she feels the same way about me! We saw each other thru the awkward years, the rough college years, and a stream of ridiculously bad relationships mixed in between! She was a bridesmaid in my wedding 7 years ago and I was the worlds largest bridesmaid in her wedding 3 years ago!! (My husband was the officiator in her wedding which made it extra special!) She and her husband, Eric, moved to Brasil 2 days after James and Audrey were born and they had their first child, Gabriela, 13 months ago while they were in Brasil but we kept in touch thru blogs and emails. They moved back to the states in December of '09 but, back to Iowa so she may as well still be in Brasil!!

But, last Thursday Emily, Eric and Gabriela came for a visit and to spend the night! They had been visiting Em's brother in Tifton and came on over our way. I was SO excited to get to finally see Gabriella in person. I had seen quite enough pictures of that little doll face; it was high time I got some in person smiles from her!

She's just as adorable in person, if not more. And she is such a happy, content child! She's just started walking but that didn't stop her from following James and Audrey every where they went. It was so much fun to watch our children play together. I just wish we were closer so they could play together all the time. But maybe Audrey and Gabriela will become pen pals one day.......if pens and stamps still exist by the time they are old enough!

Emily and Eric are expecting another little girl in just about 2 months. God bless their souls, it's gonna be a different ball game with two around so close in age (like I would know or anything!) but hopefully the 2nd will be just as compliant as the first! It was such a special treat to have the Zieser's here in our home and I wish it could of lasted longer and I wish they lived closer but at least her entire family lives in Georgia so she will be coming with in reasonable driving distance of me a few times a year!!

Making more memories

Last weekend we had the pleasure of hosting our 2nd annual Summer get together with two of the sweetest families that we have the pleasure to call our friends: the Hataway's and the Ferrell's. As expected, we had a BLAST. Kids and adults! On Saturday our husbands were sweet enough to watch the kids while they napped (hehe) so that we mother's could go eat lunch at a local deli here in town. The soup and sandwiches were delicious and the uninterrupted girl talk was marvelous!

Except for the occasional "He's playing with my toy" or "I had that first" little upsets, all the kids got along wonderfully. I think it's great that kids who only see each other a couple times a year can play so well together when they are together!

Upon arrival, Emma and James (for some hilarious unknown reason!) bonded and were pretty much attached at the hip the whole weekend. They were calling each other "my girlie" and "my boy", it was pretty funny!

Saturday night, James, Emma, Audrey and Nathan were the only kiddos that were left since Allie and Joshua had to go home and Abby went to spend the night with Claire, a little girl who goes to our church who Amber has known her mother for years. They piled up on Audrey's yellow big duckie and had a Dora the Explorer marathon! We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and I hope we have many more annual weekend get together. Love you guys!

Playing catch up

We've been so super busy lately that I have not had time to update on the happenings in our kiddos lives. Last post I told you all how Audrey dresses her self these days (well, she puts clothes on about 10 times a day. she has yet to "match" any outfits yet!) and this post is to tell all of you that my son, my darling baby boy, is finally potty trained!!!!!!!! It makes me a teeny tiny bit weepy to think about that before Jon has to start back to school, James will be in a big boy bed. That's not that long people! Any way, back to James and the potty. During our annul meeting at Tired Creek, I left the house one time with out any pull ups (or underwear) and of course didn't realize this until we had gotten to the church. So, I told James we didn't have any more pull ups and he better not poop in the one he had on or he would have to be naked under his pants. Apparently he didn't like the prospect of having to go commando at church because half way thru preaching he shouts "I GOT TO GO POOPOO MOMMY" something he has never done before! We rushed to the bathroom, he controlled his bowels till we got there and we had our first successful poop in the pot. Exhilarating, I know!

For the next couple weeks he would only tell me when he had to go at church but he soon started telling me at home off and on. He came down with a stomach virus the day we left for New Orleans which caused him to have diarreah for about 6 days and, oddly enough, that is what ultimately potty trained my son. Ha!! What a great story, huh?!

Why change isn't always a good thing

Yours truly thought that it was time (and would be a good idea) to move Audrey's clothes out of the chest of drawers that her and James have shared since they were babies, and into her room in her own dresser. So, my sister graciously passed down Hannah's old bed room set which includes a twin bed (which will be set up at a much later date!) and a dresser with 6 drawers. I was so excited to finally get it and get all of Audrey's clothes moved into it (I'm weird like that) and it was a nice addition to her room. Until she figured out that she can now change her clothes AND panties just as often as her little heart desires......