Disney Jr Live

Two weekends ago we took Aaron to see Disney Jr. Live - A Pirate and Princess Adventure.  He really enjoyed it.  Well - he really enjoyed Jake.  Sorry for the crummy pictures - indoors, bad lighting, etc.

Getting ready to start

He knelt down like this for most of the show, and refused to take off his coat the entire time

Really excited about his $12 Jake hat his dad bought him - everything there was such a good deal (insert sarcasm here)

After the show we went to the Burger Barge - where we waited way too long for our food.  This poor boy was very tuckered out and fell asleep immediately on the ride home.  

Regardless of the long wait at lunch, it was a fun adventure with Aaron.  Looking forward to more of these outings. 

Art time

Aaron likes to color currently.  Which is very exciting.  I love a good arts and crafts session.  And coloring is so soothing.  However, coloring with your toddler is something I would put under the category "Things that are hard to do when you have a self-diagnosed case of OCD."

I was minding my business drawing my hand turkey and beautiful Christmas scene when Aaron wanted to help me.  Of course I let him, because that's what good mothers do.  But I couldn't help but cringe a little when he was drawing his version of Santa on top of my Christmas tree.  But....I have to look at this as free therapy for myself.  I made a big step tonight, and am one drawing closer to overcoming my issues!

Sorry, Santa, for making you look very girlie - and pretty terrible for that matter.
Maybe Aaron will actually teach me a thing or two.  

We're adding on

As most of you already know, baby #2 is on the way!  We're due 4/10.

Baby's first portrait
(12 weeks)

And let me just say, Aaron is taking this whole Big Bro thing very seriously. 

He never misses an opportunity to be in a picture with his baby brother or sister
(this was 3 weeks ago at 15 weeks)

He is also reading up on all the pregnancy literature out there so he can keep me  and baby healthy

I'll be 18 weeks tomorrow.   I do feel differently this pregnancy.  I was very sick the entire first trimester.  With Aaron I just felt nauseous in the mornings, and if I didn't eat soon enough.  With this little nugget I was nauseous ALL day, and actually getting sick often during the first trimester.  

Everything, and I mean everything, smelled like death - but I also had that with Aaron.  My house smelled of bleach pretty much every day for 3 months.  I was even washing my sheets in bleach.  Bryan was not amused.  I actually cleaned out all of the bleach at Walgreens one day.  I'm not ashamed.  I am now prepared for cold and flu season, as well.  

I'm not as tired as I remember being with Aaron.  I would fall asleep on the couch before 7pm with him.  Now I can stay awake until at least 8pm.  Or maybe it's just that I'm always tired so my body is used to it? 

I haven't had much of an appetite with this pregnancy, either, but that is slowly coming back.  So what if all I want to eat are apples and Mexican food.  Mexican meals for dinner 2 nights in a row is fine by me!

So far things are going well, and going by pretty pretty fast.  I still haven't felt baby move, well at least not to where I can difinitevly say that's what it was.  I've felt a couple of flutters that probably are baby, but I can't be 100% sure.  I'm looking forward to that part of pregnancy again.  That was one thing I really missed once Aaron was born.  It's such a special thing only shared between you and your baby.      

Stay tuned for more baby updates!

It's the playoffs...

If you didn't know by your Facebook news feed that the Cardinals are in the playoffs, why don't you just come stand outside my front door on game day.  Since you're not actually going to do that, why don't I share with you some of our recent conversations.

Bryan: (bad words uttered)
Me: He's repeating everything you say, so watch your mouth.
Bryan: Well, that's going to be pretty hard to do.
Me: Well, you don't have an option.

Bryan: (pacing)
Me: It's only the 2nd inning, calm down.
Bryan: Baby, you ain't seen nothing yet.  This is what I do.
Me: Gross.

Bryan: (bad words uttered)
Me: Why don't you try saying words like "shoot", and "mother dog" and "frick"
Bryan: Those aren't fun.
Me: Well you're a father now, so there goes your fun.

Text Message Conversation
Me: Will you chop the onion that's in the fridge, I'm sure you're pacing anyway.
Bryan: Oh, I'm furious.
Me: Good, take it out on the onion.

Bryan: (yelling and screaming suddenly, scaring Aaron and I while we eat dinner)
Me: KNOCK IT OFF, YOU'RE RUINING OUR DINNER!
Bryan: QUIT TALKING TO ME!
Me: Then go to the basement!
Bryan: (more muttering and frustrations)
Me: It's not the end of the world, there are still more games to be played.  It wouldn't be fun if they just won all 4 in a row.  My teams don't win anything, so cry me a river.
Aaron: Daddy scary, Daddy no eat it.
Me: Yes, daddy is scary, and no he's not eating his dinner.

Me while typing this blog: Hahahaha
Aaron: What happened?
Me: I just make myself laugh.
Aaron: Ok.

There hasn't been a dull moment.  I find myself snickering often at the things I'm witnessing.  But seriously, calm down.  You've seen your team win the World Series 2 times in the past 8 years. You're good.


GO ROYALS!!

 

Aaron's Feeling Much Better

It sure has been a long week, but Aaron is doing a lot better.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  He's breathing great, just has a little bit of a mucousy cough now.  But he's back to his ornery self, and we've all finally started catching up on sleep.  Overall, he was in pretty good spirits this whole time, even though he was sick.

He hated his breathing treatments, though.  It took about 3 days until he got the hang of it.  Picture 2 grown adults pinning a 2 year old down while trying to hold a contraption that blows medicated air in his face, and those adults still struggled.  It was a hot mess for a few days.  But the breathing treatments are over, and hopefully we'll never have to use that machine again, or at least not for a while.

We laid around in our jammies, read of books, colored, and watched lots of Curious George.  Do any other parents out there hate George, or is it just me?  He always messes everything up!  It's very annoying.  

We sat in the steamy bathroom every day; sometimes twice a day.  This helped open up his airways and break up the mucous.  It also forced me to realize how gross my bathroom had become and proceed to do a thorough cleaning. 

My grandma came over one morning so I could get some work done.  He taught GG how to do puzzles.  I love this picture.  

We had a lot of slumber parties in mommy and daddy's bed those first few nights.  Bryan and I rotated so we could keep an eye, or ear, on his breathing.  Aaron fell out of the bed on my watch one night.  Whoopsies!  That was a scare.  I had to kiss his face, hand and foot before he fell back asleep.  He ended up with some rug burn on his face, but he was fine.  I'm sure it will happen plenty of times in his life.  I remember falling out of the bed all the time.  I didn't have soft carpet to fall onto, though.  

I'm going to box up the nebulizer tomorrow and pray I don't have to get it out anytime soon.  Again, thank you for the prayers.  I'll keep praying for a virus free winter - for everyone!

  

First Trip to ER

No parent ever wants to take their child to the ER.  It's VERY scary when you've gotten to that point. We came home from a wedding in STL to a sick boy.  I didn't like the sound of his breathing, and with all the crap that's out there today I didn't want to take any chances.  Better safe than sorry.  So we went to the ER.  He has Croup and Reactive Airways Disease.

Croup, which you may or may not know, is a condition that causes inflammation of the upper airways.  It often leads to a barking cough and hoarseness.  Coup is usually caused by a virus, but can be treated at home.  We'll be doing a daily steroid, and nebulizer treatments every 4 hours as needed.  I didn't know about the Restrictive/Reactive Airways Disease so I have done some research.  Basically, it could be asthma, but they're not sure.  He's kind of young to be diagnosed with asthma, so that's what leads to this diagnosis.  He's experiencing asthma like symptoms - shortness of breath and wheezing.  The nurse really doesn't think he has asthma, though.  But with his history of allergies - eczema/egg/peanut, he's a good candidate.  Poor guy.

I applaud all parents of children with allergies.  It's not fun.  It can be pretty stressful.  But I am counting my blessings that it's nothing worse.  If this is all we have to deal with in his lifetime, I'll gladly deal with it.

Hopefully he'll start feeling better in a couple days.  I think this momma is going to be very tired for the next few days, though.

In case you are wondering what our ER experience was like, it was traumatic.  Aaron didn't calm down until he got to put his clothes back on and knew we were getting ready to leave.  Not a fan.  I really didn't take many pictures because I was too stressed and holding a screaming child most of the time.  But I did want to get a couple to document this first in our lives.

Hated the gown.

Hated the nurse.

Better now that we were going home.

Alright, back to my research on all of this stuff and how to use a nebulizer.  Send up some prayers for a healthy boy.  He seems to be in good spirits.

Aaron's 2nd Birthday

Kind of late, but posting some pictures from Aaron's 2nd tailgate birthday party.  He had a great time.  We all had a lot of fun with our family and friends.  Thank you to everyone that came to help Aaron celebrate!!

On his actual birthday, Bryan and I took him to Dunkin Donuts for a breakfast donut, the zoo (daddy's choice) and Cracker Barrel (mommy's choice).  After his nap, he opened up more presents, got pizza for dinner and had an Oreo cheesecake dessert.  I'd say he had some pretty good birthday celebrations.