Wish Me Luck

I'll be heading for Orlando to take this Godforsaken certification exam tomorrow. The exam is on Saturday. Papa and Gaga are AWESOME and will be traveling with Chase and I...for 8ish hours...in the car...only to take the test for 6 hours...and turn around to come back.

Eeps. I am SO not looking forward to this.

Test is Saturday...crossing my fingers that I won't have to do this again...

See you all when I get back.

**Also, I'll write about Chase's ST Eval...still thinking on it right now.

Basket Heads

I remember when Basket Head was Ian's favorite game.

But a few days ago, Ian introduced the game to Chase- and he loved it :)






Of course, after digging for Ian's Basket Head picture, I realized that he was 6 1/2 months old in it. And Chase is 10 months. And that's kind of depressing. And Chase is such a peanut compared to Ian who was, obviously, a monstrously large baby, and got all of his teeth very very early. But, whatever. I'm almost past it. They are both unbelievably cute.

Cardiologist Report

Went to another follow-up at the cardiologist for Chase today.

...and we never have to go back again! Well, barring any unforeseen circumstances. I guess you could argue that everything is an unforeseen circumstance...but, whatever.

There is no trace of the thrombosis, even after Chase went off the daily baby aspirin a few months ago. All blood flow looks good :)

I had figured that everything was probably all right. I haven't noticed any behavioral changes or anything. But, still, I can't help that foreboding feeling every time I set foot in a doctor's office anymore. So, it's nice to have official confirmation that nothing is wrong.

Oh- and Chase is up to 19lbs 9 oz.

Polite

Ian, sitting at the table, let out a *noise*. He immediately says, "Excuse me!"

I say, "Thank you for being so polite, Ian."

He says, "Nooooooo! I wasn't saying that to YOU! I was saying that to MY OWN SELF!"

People Watching

I spent a good 6 hours this weekend studying at a back table in Starbucks at Target. I had a view of the parking lot.

There are a lot of, um, different people shopping at Target.

My favorite:

A lady, probably 30s, in gray sweatpants, ratty fuzzy slippers, athletic socks, huge gold hoop earrings, and a t-shirt 3 sizes too small that said, "I'm a hard habit to break."

Riiiiiiight.

Farm Friends

The cutest thing:

Chase has a little board book, "Farm Friends," that is in our repertoire for before-bedtime reading. Last night, we were on the page that said, "How do the chicks say we're ready for sleep? Peep, peep, peep!" He BURST out laughing!

So I read it again. As soon as I got to the Peep Peep Peep part, he started giggling again! I made Bryan run upstairs and take a video. Of course, I haven't downloaded it yet, but I will put it up here eventually.

Tonight, I read the book to him again- like 5 times. He laughed at every page and anticipated the animal sounds each time! Sooooo cute!

Usually it takes a lot of cajoling to get a giggle- tickling, nuzzling, raspberry blowing, me laughing directly in his little round face. But it seems like tonight he just found his sense of humor...there it was. Nestled in a barn :)

Down Syndrome Belongs

This has been posted on a slew of other blogs that I read...but I thought I'd post it here in case someone hasn't caught it yet.



My feelings on abortion are mixed...I know that I would never be able to do it, but to each his own. However, Chase has taught me that there are a lot of things in life that I cannot control, nor should they be controlled. And life, with it's ups and downs, is life all the same.

And watching Chase, and how he lights up a room...it bothers me that he is some people's worst nightmare. So I feel the need to speak up about it.

Chase on 4

We've been working in PT for a LONG time to get Chase to unlock his little hips and get into 4-point position for crawling.

He is very stubborn. Usually he looks like this:


But guess what he's been doing all by himself this morning????

Ian shows him how to do it:


I can't wait to see him crawl. Of course, then I'll have to make sure all the Hungry Hippo marbles are safely in their home. And the thousand quarters that Ian has spread around the family room. And maybe I'll have to start mopping my kitchen floor with more regularity...

Mood Enhancer

My boys must have sensed that Mommy needed a break.

Last night I slept from 11:30 straight through to 6am. *cue: Hallelujia Chorus*

I feel amazing. It didn't hurt to get out of bed.

I've already started dinner (brining a chicken- yum!) and have started a cup of tea. Wonder what other amazing things I will accomplish today??

On the Up Side...

My awesome husband made Chairman's Club at the bank, which means we will be going on an all-expenses paid trip here in April!!!

...WITHOUT KIDS! (Thanks Papa and Gaga!!)

I love my guys...but I am totally looking forward to a night or two of completely uninterrupted sleep. Oh, and all the luxurious amenities and interesting historical things...yadda yadda yadda. Real Sleep.

I know, I know.

I promised pictures from HH. I have a good excuse- Bryan stole them and is holding them hostage on his computer. I will get them soon.

I feel like I've been a day late and a dollar short this week. Maybe it was the holiday. I'm just scatterbrained (sorry, Tiff!) and tired.

Now I'm going to make a list of random things that are bothering me because it seems like an organized thing to do. Of course, I could be doing something about this stuff instead of writing about it, but please. That is so not me.

*I have this huge test coming up in TEN DAYS, in addition to the coursework I have, so I'm stressing about that.

*Chase's 3 therapies a week. I appreciate them, I really do. And I don't want to NOT have them. But the scheduling of everything around everything else. I just feel like every minute of every day is planned. And it's not just the therapies. It's the speech evaluation tomorrow, the cardiologist next Wednesday, the Synagis shot today...the surgeon next month...blah blah blah. I know that we don't have it nearly as bad as some other families do...I know we're lucky that Chase is as healthy as he is...I'm just whiny now.

*My house needs to be cleaned.

*My bills need to be paid.

*I had a migraine today.

*My face is breaking out.

I think that is it. I needed to get that out of my system.

MIA

Not really. We were in Hilton Head for the long weekend. Lots of pictures to come...but for now, I'm going to unpack and get to bed.

Missed you all!

An Evening of Romance

We didn't really have any big plans tonight, so we met up with Christeeny's family and headed out to Monterrey's for Mexican...except they were super busy. And the kids were restless.

So we took a vote, and ended up at McDonald's.

The kids ate, then had about 5 minutes on the playplace. I was just about to enjoy my $1 Hot Fudge Sundae when...a little girl threw up in the tunnel.

No more playing. And I had to share my ice cream with Ian.

:) It's all good. We had fun AND I didn't have to do any dishes.
Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Stamping

Ian got a Valentine's stamp from school today.

He likes to stamp lots of places.


Like on his brother's head while my back is turned for TWO SECONDS!

Love Tag

Gushy Tag from Tiffany:

14 Things that I love:

1. My husband. He puts up with me like no one else would.

2. Ian. My little man. Twerp. Prankster. Wild Child. Boy.

3. Chase. My marshmallow baby. Sweetheart. Observer. Miracle.

4. Gaga and Papa. I love that they are such a big part in my boys' lives.

5. My brother Scott. I'm so proud of him and all he has accomplished.

6. Extended family...I love keeping in touch with everyone and wish I could see you all more often.

7. My girlfriends. Some of you have been with me since middle school, some I've known only this past year...but you are all my sisters:)

8. My guy friends. You all rock.

9. My blog friends. You've helped me learn so much about life with T21.

10. A steaming mug of tea and a quiet house.

11. New clothes that fit.

12. Vacations with my family.

13. Weekends.

14. A good book and the time to read it.

I tag Melanie, Grace and Rhi.

Then and Now

Kacey tagged me forever ago for this Then & Now meme. I kind of went overboard, but it was fun going back in time this evening...

Ian (6 days old)
Ian (9 mos old)
Ian (16 mos)
Ian (2yrs)
Ian today(3 yrs)

Chase (36 weeks in utero)
Chase (3 days old)
Chase (2 1/2 mos)
Chase (6 mos)
Chase today (9 mos)

Cupcake Disaster

I meant to post this back on Ian's birthday. I consider myself decent in the kitchen...but this batch of cupcakes really bit.

I took pictures because they were so sorry looking.




I ended up making another batch the morning of the party. They turned out right :)

Overheard from the bathroom...

Oh my heavens! I peepeed all over myself! It was because my worm was too big to push down.

Ian is so going to hate me when he reads this blog someday...

My Funny Valentines

Ian's trying to make Chase smile, not fold his face in half.
It kind of looks like Chase is flipping me off, doesn't it? That's not a happy Valentine's message!
Fingers. They're not just for dinner anymore.
ACK!! ENOUGH WITH THE PICTURES, LADY!

Wiped.

After Ian's nighttime peepee escapades, and with my self-diagnosed flu...I was in no form to do much of anything today. So here's what we did:

1- Bathed Ian before going to school (hello? who wants to have the smelly kid??)
2- Came home, caught a cup of tea while Chase napped, vegged in front of Iron Chef America.
3- Play therapy canceled- woo-hoo! Another hour to myself! Washed all the peepee laundry (BlueDog had a MAJOR bath.)
4- Treadmill with Chase
5- Picked up Ian. Decided that instead of coming home for an hour and most definitely being late to Ian's 3 yr Dr appt, we would just get lunch on the way and drive around hoping that the boys would fall asleep. Ian does not want to sleep. I gently suggest it. He refuses. I bribe him. Nothing. I tell him that Blue Dog is very tired since he was up all night, too. No dice.

6- Chase falls asleep, Ian and I eat Sonic in the car.
7- Stop at Harris Teeter. Buy all non-perishable groceries that we need. Ian needs to poopy in the potty there. Juggle both children in the bathroom. Ian sprays all over his pants because he's not pointed down while he's sitting and 'trying'. I clean him up with a baby wipe the best I can. It's raining outside now.
8- Make it to the Dr in record time...1/2 hour early.
9- Ian gets a check-up, Chase gets a sick visit (nurse's suggestion because he sounds "croupy" (he does not, it's just a cold. But fine. I'm not going to be reported to DCF for neglect.)
10- Ian is great. Chase has an ear infection. Oops. She said it's still early, though. He hasn't had it long. *sigh of relief*
11- Go to Target for Chase's prescription. Decide to nurse him in the car before we go in. Ian is drinking his apple juice from Sonic in his car seat. Then he's playing with the straw. And then he's crying because he's poked a hole in the bottom of the styrofoam cup and apple juice slush has poured out of it and is now pooled in his lap and the bottom of the seat. Nice.
12- I change Ian's pants (though his shoes are still squishy)- yay for extra clothes in the car! Oh yeah, it's still raining.
13- Drop off prescription and shop around while waiting. As soon as the cart is relatively full and we are at the farthest point away from the bathrooms, Ian needs to go potty again. Oh, and he needs to try to poo again. Of course.
14- I disobey the sign on the bathroom that reads, "No unpaid merchandise beyond this point." I drive the entire cart into the bathroom so that Chase can sit in it and I can help Ian. No poop. No spray this time either, though. Small victories.
15- Chase is crying now...tired...hungry...ear infection. People are staring.
16- Make it home. Chase is asleep.
17- Make dinner. Ian eats.
18- Chase wakes up crying (I've never seen him so cranky! It's like the ear diagnosis has made the actual infection a hundred times worse than it was.)
18- Tiffany brings Porter over.
19- I give Chase his antibiotics--- he is NOT a fan. He throws up 1/2 of the dose. Do I give him more???
20- General playing. Brandon picks up Porter. Bryan makes it home...I've never been so happy.
21- Collapse on couch after putting Chase to bed and getting Ian's bed made up again. Please Lord let everyone sleep through the night.

So, in other words, we just took it easy.

And the Cat Came Back...

I guess I spoke too soon.

Last night:

2 bedwetting accidents (Ian, not me!)

0 hours of sleep

1 really cranky Mommy


Oy.

Goodbye 2s...

2 Days
2 Poopies in the potty
2 Dry Nights without Pull-ups

0 Accidents

1 Happy boy
1 Happier Mommy

Hot Wheels

Ian and I are playing cars today (birthday presents!) and I'm so proud of myself for participating in little boy activities.

We race them. We make car noises. We crash each other.

And then he points to each one, saying, "This one is the Mommy, this is the Daddy. This is the little boy. This one is the Grandma. This is the Grandpa..."

My little dude :)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ian!

Typical Ian.


Wow. I can't believe I've been a Mommy for 3 years now! In some ways it feels like Ian has always been a part of our lives, and in other ways it feels like it hasn't been all that long since the hospital let us take home the wriggling bundle and we had no idea what to do with him.

**Warning: Mushy Mom Ramblings**

So happy birthday, Ian. You make every day an adventure. Even when you are completely and totally exasperating, you make me laugh. I love that you are a spitfire. I love that sometimes you stand back and observe others before jumping into the fray. I love how you hold your friends' hands. I love how you sometimes kiss me on the lips, and other times hug and kiss my leg. I love that you ask questions about everything. I love how you yell at the top of your lungs, "I LAHVVVVVVVVVVV YAAAAAAA!" I love reading stories with you at night before bed. I love it when you surprise me in the morning when you come running down the hall into my bedroom (although it's not really that charming when it is before 5am). I love your independence, but hope that someday you will let me help you just a little bit when you need it. I love your enthusiasm for sports and the outdoors. I love watching you pedal your trike down the street (and how you are not afraid to ride it down hills anymore!). I love the (mostly) gentle touch you have with your brother, and am thankful that he has such an incredible big brother to look up to. I love your curiosity and your ability to see the amazing in the ordinary.

And today, I really, really, really love that you....POOPIED IN THE POTTY ALL BY YOURSELF!!! Hooray! No more pull-ups!!

Here are some pics from Ian's bowling birthday party today. Bowling with 12 children ranging in age from 2-12 really makes you slow down and well, just slow down. My, it takes a long time to bowl 10 frames with a group like that! Really, though, the kids were great, and we had lots of fun :) Afterwards, we had a pinata at the house, so everyone is sufficiently sugared up just in time for an early bedtime.




Those cupcakes are actually supposed to look like bowling balls...I tried! Flipping the pages on the jukebox was almost as fun as the actual bowling. Mike suggested that next year we just rent the jukebox instead of lane time.
Chase and his BFF Lindsay had time to chat and laugh while the big kids bowled. Ian was beside himself with anticipation for the pinata...we've never had one before, and he's been to several parties with them. We made him wait until the Larsens came home from church, and while everyone was preoccupied playing in the culdesac, Ian started "whacking the pinata" all by himself! Luckily, it wasn't too mangled to hang up later.

Thanks to all our wonderful friends who celebrated with us! We love you!!

Today

Had an awesome day today. (Nothing huge happened, so don't get your hopes up.)

After Chase's PT, we went to Concord Mills Mall with Angelle and and their various children. We hit up the Old Navy 40% off children's clothing sale (YAY!) and let the kids run wild on the Healthy Eating indoor playground.

When we got home, Chase ate a record amount of food (TWO 1/2 jars of Stage 3!!) and we all headed up to Kim's house, where there was a gathering of neighborhood kids outside. The kids played, the grown-ups chatted and enjoyed this awesome warm-ish weather that we've had for a few days, and Kim snuggled Chase to pieces.

Bryan is off at a Bobcats game with my dad, so the boys and I had a quiet dinner (well, as quiet as one can expect, but all the noises were happy ones!) where Ian discovered that he LOVES fried eggs, and Chase ate another record amount of Stage 3 food. Bathtime was next for two dirty boys, where lots of splashing and sudsing took place. They are so cute in the tub together...but I have yet to remember to bring my camera upstairs with me, so you'll have to imagine.

Chase fell right to sleep, and Ian was not far behind. He listened quietly to one book, was moderately indecisive about which song he wanted me to sing, but finally settled on the old standby "BlueDog Song", asked for Chapstick, and said goodnight to his shadow-monster friend on the wall. Haven't heard from him since.

It was just one of those uneventful but fulfilling days.

Now I sit, studying and finding every opportunity to be pulled away from it...

Here are some pictures of the boys I took the other day. I thought their spring-y shirts made them look like early Easter Eggs.

Walk in the Wild

While I was at Ian's school today, they had their monthly science lesson. Today was all about reptiles. They got to touch a snake!! (I just typed 'snack' instead of 'snake'- that changes the whole meaning, doesn't it?

I asked Ian was the snake felt like. He said, "Um, it feeled like a rainbow of snake spots."

Ian's School Birthday

Or, as he told his teacher, "Today is my pretend birthday, but my real birthday is February ten." And whenever anyone asked him how old he was now, he told them 2. Because, duh! He doesn't turn three until Sunday!

Here are some pics from school. He is so cute there. He holds hands with his BFF Ava (who is adorable, and they have my full blessings!). He sits at the head of the table for snack, Leah on his right, and Ava on his left. What a little player! Miss Linda told me that on Leah's first day, she got MAD that Ian and Ava were playing so much together, and they had to have a talk about how you can have more than one friend. (Did you hear about that, Angelle??)

He tells Leah and Ava that he will be THREE:
Chase likes it at the Big Boy School!
Enjoying a birthday Rice Krispy treat that he helped me make yesterday (and wearing the WAY COOL birthday crown that Miss Julie made for him):
Miss Sharon let him put three candles on the felt birthday cake during circle time:
Ian and Ava:

It was fun to be in the classroom with him today. I liked being able to see what actually goes on there since I get so little information from him. And guess what? Remember how he was friends with Jack, the big kid?? There is no Jack. Huh.

Wake Up Call

Ian crawled into bed with us this morning at 6. He cuddled up between us and I went back to sleep.

Until I felt something on my mouth and heard Ian say very quietly, "Now let's see if you have dry lips..." while he smeared chapstick on me.

Spare Time

Thanks to Christeeny for giving me another site with more funny t-shirts. I need to go back to work so I can wear these instead of laughing at them by myself on the laptop...


and my personal favorite:


*and just so you know, both boys are sleeping and I already studied today. Ian is taking a marathon nap today. I'm not on the computer and ignoring everyone!

Please...

someone buy me these shirts!



I could waste a lot of time browsing Snorg Tees.

*raise your hand if you are now singing Ice Ice Baby*