Life with the Lackeys

Christmas and New Years in pictures

2012-01-06T20:57:00.011-06:00

I am really struggling to keep this blog thing going. In a nutshell: Christmas was fun, kids got way too much, Myla got ear tubes, spent New Years at the cabin and now we're almost back to normal life. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Martin Luther King day..oh wait- I guess I'm not that far behind.

Myla- 8 months

2011-12-16T15:55:00.004-06:00

Myla is over 8 months and growing steady. She babbles a lot and has started to wave hi which is the cutest_thing_ever. Her personality is growing as fast as she is! The two front teeth are in and I have the bite marks on my shoulder to prove it. She hasn't decided to take off and crawl yet but she is working on it. I decided to see if she likes the puffs tonight. They now make organic "green" puffs that have kale, collard greens, and spinach. She loved them! Eat up girl!

Lately

2011-12-11T20:00:00.005-06:00

We sold our old 4 Runner and got a new (to us) Honda Pilot. Merry Chrismas to me!

Eric and Mason made a gingerbread house. Pretty sure Mason's mouth is full of candy.

The sugar high is about to hit.

Myla learned to stand on the couch and she's cutting her two front teeth.

I put on heels and we went out without children to Eric's company Christmas party!

Mason's Preschool Choir

2011-11-22T08:43:00.002-06:00

Mason has been going to preschool choir practice for the last few months on Wednesday nights. Here was his BIG performance last week. In his defense he knew all the words because he was singing them at home all week. The video is long so if you just want to see the funny part start watching at 1:15-1:45.

Myla- 7 months

2011-11-16T16:41:00.007-06:00

Myla turned 7 months last week. She is growing so fast and this girl is haaaappy! She is sitting up great and is reaching and lunging for items in front of her so I know before long she will be on the move.
We started solids and she loves almost everything we give her. The best thing she does is when Mason has a temper tantrum and throws himself on the floor, she thinks it's hilarious and belly laughs at him. Then I can't help but laugh too and it tears Mason up even more.
We are working on getting her to drink water from a sippy cup but she doesn't have much interest in it. I am not getting my hopes up since she won't take a bottle either. We are gonna work on that soon though cause I need a night out!
She still has those two teeth on the bottom and has been working on cutting the top tooth for a couple of weeks now.

This face is hilarious. I think this is her sassy face.

And here are a few videos..

Beach Photos

2011-11-15T22:40:00.009-06:00

I posted most of these on Facebook but for those not on Facebook (MOM)..here they are :).

We got our pics back from our photo session at the beach. Audrey did a great job. We scheduled the pictures on one of the cooler days. Mason was in a grumpy mood, Myla had a snotty nose, and the beach was freezing and out of control windy. From these pictures you would never know that. That's when you know you have a great photographer. I can't say enough great things about her. Despite the circumstances out of our control, our time with her was very laid back and fun. Thank you, Audrey!!

Bragging on my husband

2011-11-07T21:28:00.007-06:00

I just want to take a minute to brag on Eric because he accomplished something awesomely hard this past weekend. He completed the Ragnar Relay. What's this you ask? It's a relay race from Chattanooga to Nashville all on foot. . He was on a team of 12 and they take turns running 196 miles. Eric had 3 legs of the trip totaling just under 17 miles. Sure people run marathons all the time which is about 10 more miles than he did but when you rest for several hours in between runs and then start back up again it's much more difficult that doing a consecutive run.

He did great and during training he got way too skinny. I told him he needs to eat a cheeseburger..or 10 to put some weight back on.

Here he is at mile 16, running his last mile of his 3rd run. About 6am on Saturday morning.

The entire team crosses the finish line together. Eric had completed his last run several hours prior and changed into jeans. I had to clarify that so you didn't think he was one of those people that ran in jeans.

Mason was so proud of his daddy and begged to run with him to the finish line.

Never too tired to carry his boy.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T20:56:00.012-05:00

I think it's safe to say that this holiday is filled with more festivities and events than Christmas. After much deliberation and uncertainty, Mason decided to be Elmo instead of Woody. I kind of think this will be one of the last year he wants to be something so cute, cuddly and sweet so I was fine with the Elmo selection. Our Halloween Events started on Thursday with his Pre-school halloween party.

This is one of his BF's Kennedy..A.K.A. Dora

Ms. Pam and Ms. Tricia's Preschool class

I had two costumes for Myla which both ended up being too little but we stuffed her in them for a picture.

We visited Mammaw at the Legacy and they got lots of good treats from her.

On Friday we got to trick or treat at Daddy's office. Here are the two sweetest ladybugs ever!

Look at that leg position. I think she's gonna be a dancer.

Saturday was Pumpkinfest in Downtown Franklin. We went early and beat the crowd. I think this was the first year ever that Eric didn't complain.

Mason ran into his buddy Kingston, who was also Elmo!

And our other friend, Molly Cate!

And our cousins!

Saturday night we had a soup dinner and bonfire at the farm.

Finally, the real deal. Trick or Treating! He was a natural at it last year and only improved his techniques this year. He knew that he could cover more ground and get more candy if he ran from house to house... and that he did!

One streets worth of candy.

Myla really wanted some but Mason made sure she did not get his candy.

See how far she is from the candy now?

I've had a major sugar crash and am so tired after all that fun. Til next year..Happy Halloween!

Family Beach Trip to 30A

2011-10-22T22:14:00.003-05:00

We are back from the beach and I already can't wait to return to our NEW yearly tradition of staying in this adorable house on 30A. We had a great time and were sad to leave. Here are a few pictures of our trip.

Alys Beach. LOVE

We had some family photos done in Seaside so I will post those pics soon.

Anniversary, Half birthday and More

2011-10-09T22:06:00.010-05:00

This week we celebrated Myla turning 6 months old AND our 8th wedding anniversary. I can't believe both of these things have happened so fast. Eric and I celebrated our anniversary last weekend by going to our all time favorite restaurant Suzy Wongs House of Yum. Tomorrow morning we are heading to the beach for our first trip as a family of four. Can't wait for 8 hours in the car with these kids. It will definitely be an adventure.

Eric gave me two dozen roses for our anniversary. I failed miserably in the gift giving department this year and didn't get him anything. Can I still use baby brain as an excuse?

Myla is growing up so fast and her little personality has blossomed over the last month. She still loves her exersaucer and spends quite a bit of time there. She seems to be a busy body because she doesn't want to be left alone to just sit there. She needs to be interacting or exploring her surroundings. She loves to fly like a plane and raspberries on her tummy. She also likes it when Mason pats her tummy and her booty after I change her diaper. About three weeks ago so cut her bottom two teeth and she was miserable. This last week she's had the runny nose/congestion/coughing crud that is going around which turned into her first ear infection. Even though she sounds awful her temperament is still happy and easygoing. She is sitting up great now and has started on rice cereal about once a day. We'll move along to the bigger foods soon. I'm in no rush because I detest the baby food stage. It's messy, expensive, and a pain in the butt.

Check out her bottom teeth!

I hate reading long blog post so I generally try not to write too much but if your still hanging with me, I will update you on Mason too. He loves going to preschool and is learning a letter of the alphabet each week. He gets to bring in one item for show and tell that begins with the letter they are learning that week. He is really interested in learning his left from his right. Every time we turn in the car, he asked me "Is this left or right" He guesses correctly about 95% of the time. Mason is very interested in the days of the week (another thing they are learning at preschool). He is always asking me what day is today and then he asks, "when we eat dinner tonight, what day will it be then?" Ha!

His new obsession is Annie. It is so cute to hear him sing the soundtrack and he loves to imitate Ms. Hannigan in a whiny voice. He still loves Toy Story but I asked him yesterday which he liked better and he said Annie. We might be moving on from the Toy Story world.

Mason is a bundle of energy and desires structured activities so in efforts to channel that extra energy, he is going to be going to Let it Shine once a week for the Little Shiners Club. It's a small group of kids that get to play in the gym from 9-3. They get to jump on the trampolines, play in the foam pit, play games, and do some structured learning. He went today and loved it.

That's all for now. I post the beach pics when we get back.

Lately

2011-09-19T21:49:00.008-05:00

Myla adores her big brother. She could be crying her eyes out and as soon as Mason comes around she's all smiles. He can be a little rough with her at times but she still smiles at him because she is so happy he's near her.

I feel overwhelmed with blessings when I look at this picture. I love my sweet family.

Eyes.

Being Silly. I probably shouldn't let my kids hang out on the kitchen counter.

Mason wanted in on the picture-taking action.

Sitting up like a big girl.

Ehlers-Danlos

2011-09-19T21:07:00.005-05:00

I've been having some foot and knee pain in the last year and as I have become more active at the gym with running and classes the pain has intensified. Since we have fully met our deductible with our insurance company and pay nothing out of pocket I decided to go to the ~~most expensive~~ best orthopedic surgeons around. After a couple of visits, XRays, an MRI, and ruling out problems, a conclusion was drawn. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In my case, it's basically extremely loose joints and hypermobility. So hypermobile that my toes bend back so far that when I run, the impact of my weight comes right down on the bone. Yeah.. no wonder it hurt! The Solution: Steel plated insoles in my shoes that prevent my foot from hyperextending.

I've always wondered why I could do this

And This

And this.

Mystery solved!
By the way, I was watching this great documentary on Netflix, called Stan Lee's superhumans. One episode they featured, "Rubberband Man". He had the stretchiest skin on earth. When they took him in for diagnostic testing it was determined he had this same thing. I think I'll start telling people that I'm just superhuman. :)

August and everything after

2011-09-11T21:28:00.006-05:00

I happen to be listening to this "vintage" Counting Crows as I type so the title seemed kind of appropriate.

August was a busy month but the only event I documented with pictures was Eric's company night at the sounds game. Mason's best buddy Brennan was there and they had so much fun being silly together and NOT watching the game.

Myla is thoroughly enjoying "tummy time." A little vanity never hurt anyone.

She is really trying to sit up on her own and has mastered the tripod.

Mason started his 3rd year at Franklin Christian Church and is in the pre-school class this year. He doesn't even take a nap at school anymore, which is A-okay with me because he marches up to bed as soon as we walk in the door.

I finally got up to the attic to get the exersaucer. She LOVES it. I can finally unload the dishwasher with two hands!!

She's a toe-sucker.

Anyone take yoga? She has mastered the "happy baby" pose.

And today my sweet baby girl is 5 months old.

4 months- Myla

2011-08-11T11:28:00.008-05:00

I can't believe my sweet baby girl is 4 months already. Month 4 is a magical month. This is when it starts getting fun. She has definitely found her little voice (which resembles a dying cat) and loves to hear herself "talk". She is reaching, grabbing, and holding objects. When she is tired she will crane her neck back and to the side to go to sleep. We don't have her 4 month check-up at the doctor until next week but she is close to 13lbs.

She absolutely REFUSES to take any bottles..which is weird because she has taken one before but all of a sudden she got stubborn (showing her personality early, I guess). She and I have had many fights with blood, sweat, and tears (well maybe just sweat and tears) and she always wins. I don't want her taking a bottle all the time, just when I need to leave her for a longer than 3 hours. Anyone have suggestions? I'll take them.

Besides the bottle issue she is still an easy-going baby. She sleeps from about 8:30-6:15 every night and still loves her swing.

Holding her Dolly's hand.

Sibling Snafu

2011-08-02T14:25:00.009-05:00

Mason adores his baby sister. He loves to give her hugs and kisses. He reads and sings to her and even brings her a paci when she is crying. He shows no anger or malice towards her and completely "gets it" when I have to divide my time between them. However, Mason doesn't fully understand that he isn't able to do everything that Mommy and Daddy do with Myla.

Last week, I put Myla in her swing so I could go get dressed. I told Mason to go check and see if she was crying and specifically instructed him not to touch her. He was gone a bit too long and by the time I reached the living room I found Myla about 10 feet from her swing laying on her back screaming on the hardwood floor. To say, I flipped out would be putting it gently. We are still unsure if he dropped her or set her down gently. He says he did both. My guess is she slowly slipped out of his arms and firmly slid to the floor. I guess I'm glad I didn't see it happen.

Below is another video taken when Myla was just 9 days old. I have been scared to post it but after Mason carried her across the room, this one doesn't seem so bad. Poor Myla. They say kids are resilient. Let's just hope that is true.

Myla- 3 Months

2011-07-15T14:28:00.005-05:00

Myla you are now 3 months old and getting cuter everyday. You only cry when you are hungry, dirty, or tired. You are getting good at talking and cooing to us and your smile is contagious. You still love your swing and will take little naps there every so often. You can now fit in your bumbo seat for short periods of time and seem to enjoy it. We are on-the-go every morning and you are a champ at power-napping in your car seat. Once we get home you and Mason take a good long nap at the same time and Mommy gets a shower and lunch in silence.

You are in 3 month clothes and quickly growing out of them. You are also growing out of your size 1/2 diapers and are ready for size 2. You take the paci when you are really mad but recently have found your fingers to suck on and seem more content with those. You still fight me when we (rarely) give you a bottle but finally give in when you are hungry enough. You go to bed around 8:00 and sleep until about 6. In the last week you've been waking up wanting to eat at 2am. I have reluctantly fed you but we are going to start CIO. Sorry baby, you won't remember it later in life. Mason doesn't.

If I am being honest here, I have failed miserably at incorporating "tummy time" into your day. It's a combination of me not wanting to hear you scream and forgetting that I am supposed to do that. However, I've never heard of a baby that didn't learn to crawl eventually due to lack of tummy time.. so we'll just pretend and say we did.

Myla, I have repeatedly stated I am not a fan of the newborn phase, however, you have set the bar for good babies. For the stage I dislike so much, you have made it enjoyable for me. You are such a blessing to our family and now can't imagine life without you.

Mason turns 3!

2011-07-06T21:04:00.010-05:00

Yesterday, Mason turned 3 years old. To celebrate, Eric extended his long weekend and took off work so we could spend the day together as a family. We took him to the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro and he loved it. It was a great place to spend the morning and let him expend some energy.

This is what Myla did all morning. She was an angel in her stroller.

After Mason's nap, he got dressed for his party. Our good friend, Melissa, made Mason this shirt to wear. How cute is that? I may have to get her to make one for him EVERY year!

We had 18 people coming to his party and that was immediate family only. It was a zoo but so much fun to just be layed back.

Aunt Amy and Uncle Lorin

Mason's cousins loved to help him open gifts.

Check out his REAL cowboy hat and REAL cowboy boots.

Since we didn't get our cowboy a horse, we figured a bike would do.

Mammaw and Myla in matching outfits.

Grandma Lackey got Mason a whistle. My Dad taught Mason how to blow it really loud. I'm not sure who I should thank more.

Daddy teaching Mason to ride.

Titi and Myla

Mason disappeared at one point and we found him at the table alone scarfing down cake.

Happy Birthday sweet Mason! I can't believe you are 3 years old! What a blessing you are to our family. We love you so much!

____________________________________________________________________

Here are a few more pics of our other precious Angel.

I think I will name this the "princess pose."

Daddy catching some grins

She went from hating her baths to throwing a screaming fit the second I take her out of the bath.

Photo catch up

2011-06-16T16:24:00.004-05:00

Myla at 2 months. Snoozing in the chair.

So peaceful... I am jealous of all her naps.

Streeeeeetch!

We've spent the last few Saturdays at the pool teaching Mason how to swim. He's done great floating with just his life jacket and this past weekend he graduated to water wings.

This is what you get to do when your kid can float on their own. Don't worry I was watching him!

Mason started jumping in, going under water, and swimming to us just wearing the water wings.

Myla at 2 months old.

There's her little smiley face.

I love coffee, I love tea..

2011-06-10T23:00:00.004-05:00

I love the java jive and it loves me..

Eric has frequently used the term "filtered bean water" to describe coffee. He loathes the Starbucks brand as well as the coffee industry in general.. until now. I used my birthday money to buy a Keurig. Eric rolled his eyes when I showed it to him. Then I showed him how it makes hot chocolate too. I think he might be "warming up" to it.

Mason and Myla

2011-06-07T14:36:00.004-05:00

Myla,
You are 8 weeks old today and you get easier everyday. You are currently going through a little growth spurt so you are eating about every hour and a half but typically you eat about every two hours. You sleep great at night. Since you were about 3 weeks old, you sleep from about 9:30-4:00. You only wake me up once a night to feed you. You haven't quite figured out naps but this week we are are going to work at getting you on a schedule. At about 6 weeks, you started to smile at us and have also recently started coo-ing a little bit. You really like your baths now and would stay there all day if I let you. You are in 0-3 month clothes and still in size 1 diapers although they are starting to get a little snug. We still swaddle you for naps and at night. Your big brother loves to kiss your head and when you cry he strokes your face and says, "it's alwight baby Mywa, don't cwy." We can't wait to see how big you get over the next few weeks. You are definitely a momma's girl but we are hoping you warm up to your daddy soon.

Mason,
You are a month away from turning 3 and it makes my heart ache to realize how fast you've grown. You constantly keep us laughing with the things that come out of your mouth. You are well on your way to being fully potty trained, but not quite there yet. You get up every morning at about 6:30, which is about 30 minutes earlier than the rest of the family. You go potty, get yourself dressed from baseball hat to shoes, and peel and eat the banana I set out for your breakfast. Then you play in your playroom until we get up. If you decide not to do the previous tasks, then you just come and snuggle in bed with us, which is great too. In my opinion your vocabulary is amazing. You love to talk and never stop which makes you even more lovable. This weekend you learned how to swim/float in the pool with your life jacket on. No more clinging to Mommy and Daddy in the pool. You are Mr. independent floating in the deep end by yourself. We're so proud!

Me and my crazy kids. Myla we don't keep you in your straight jacket all the time..just happened to be in this photo. Mason you are simply hilarious.

Boys will be Boys

2011-05-31T21:22:00.003-05:00

It turns out Mason has 2 left feet. These were from the falls and accidents that actually left marks. This kids has tripped over his own feet more times than I can count. Bless his heart...and face.

It's the little things

2011-05-15T11:34:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I turned the big 3-0. Mason went with his grandparents to the cabin so we had a nice quiet weekend with Myla and we even carefully ventured out of the house for a bit. Having a one month old really helps you appreciate the little things. It was a great day! I stayed in bed til 8:30 while Eric watched Myla. Once we got out of the house, Eric took me to Starbucks and didn't even complain about my complicated order and how much a cup of coffee cost there. Our big outting of the day was the grocery store and Myla did great strapped to me in the Moby wrap. She slept the whole time. Success!

For my birthday lunch, I was seriously wanting some sushi but I felt weird taking a newborn to the swanky places like Virago and Wild Ginger. We found a somewhat new place that opened close to our house called Wokano and it was a combo Chinese and sushi place. It was surprisingly good and it satisfied my sushi craving. When we got home I fed Myla and Eric stayed home with her while I did a little shopping on my own. Bliss! Mason came home this morning and our house is crazy and loud again but I enjoyed my birthday and 30 doesn't feel so bad.

Myla's Newborn pics

2011-05-06T12:57:00.002-05:00

I already posted some sneak peaks of Myla's newborn session but here are a few of my other favorites. Jennie Pyffereon, newborn baby photographer, did such an amazing job. She has so much patience to get these little newbies placed just right to get the best shot....and my little newbie was particularly difficult. You can check out her other work here.

I have one photo that I am holding out that's going on her birth announcement. I'll post that soon.

Bathtime

2011-04-29T17:40:00.004-05:00

She hates it.

...but loves the post bath snuggle.

Myla update and Easter

2011-04-29T13:36:00.013-05:00

I had plenty of time to blog when it was just Mason but adding the second child leaves me barely enough time to get showered and dressed. Last night I cut my toenails and today I plucked my eyebrows and that was a HUGE accomplishment. Here is a catch up of the last couple weeks.

Myla was 11 days old and got her first cold. It started out as congestion and her eyes being matted shut with a low fever. (99.5-99.9). Upon leaving the hospital after birth, they tell you if her fever gets to 100.4 to bring her back the hospital. Saturday night it reached 100.5 so off to Vandy I went. I wasn't completely aware of the protocol for infants with fevers, but in case you want to know, it's blood and urine test along with a spinal tap. YES, both my children have now had a spinal tap this year. Ugh. They let those cultures grow for 48 hours to see if anything develops. During those 48 hours they loaded her up on antibiotics just in case they find anything, they will be "ahead of the game" If no infection shows up in any of the samples they send you home with the diagnosis of a virus. It's kind of embarrassing how many times our family has seen the inside of an ER in one year. I counted 5 ER visits since last July.

We got home Tuesday and Myla is doing great. Her fever hasn't returned at all however, she is still a little congested and her eyes are still a little gross and crusty. We are so thankful that it was just a virus and nothing more. Until she gets a little older we are being kind of psycho about keeping her away from masses of people especially other kids and washing our hands like crazy. Thanks to everyone who said a prayer for our sweet girl.

Mason loves to put Woody's hat on her. She doesn't care for that much.

Myla and I totally missed all the Easter celebrations but Eric took Mason to his parents house Sunday night for an egg hunt. I put away his Easter basket until this morning when we had a minute to sit down and open them as a family.

Newborn photos

2011-04-19T21:27:00.005-05:00

This past Saturday we took Myla to her newborn photoshoot. I waited seven weeks to do this with Mason and they still turned out great but there is something so different and sweet about the newborn photos. The session lasted 5 hours and we still aren't done. To do this type of shoot the baby has to be in a deep sleep the entire time. The house was hot which makes them sleep and I nursed her about every hour and she still wouldn't sleep like we needed her to. We go back Friday to finish the shoot so hopefully she will cooperate. Here are a couple of sneak peaks that Jennie Pyferroen posted

She also had another photographer friend that was helping her with some of the shots. Click on the link below for some "behind the scenes" of our photo shoot. http://jenniepyfferoen.com/blog/2011/04/16/behind-the-scenes-photos-collaboration-with-krista-albright-of-twine-twig-studios-nashvilleclarksville-tn-newborn-photographers/

Myla- The first week.

2011-04-17T12:48:00.005-05:00

Myla Katheryn was born on April 11th at 8:22am, weighing in at 6lbs 13oz and 19 3/4 inches long. We came home from the hospital this past Thursday.

Sleep: The first night was as rough as expected. She wouldn't sleep in her bassinet without screaming her head off. She just wanted to be held, so I succumbed to her way and let her sleep on me and snuggled in between us the first couple nights. I don't know how people co-sleep with their kids for months/years on end because it was the worst sleep ever and I was so paranoid I was going to suffocate her. Kuddos to you "attachment parents" because that is hard! Last night we got her to sleep in the bassinet and she did great. She pretty much slept 2.5-3 hours at a time and that felt heavenly.

Eating: This girl likes to eat. I was told in the hospital that once a baby hits 48 hours old they feel hunger and will cluster feed. Meaning: She may get a full feeding and then as soon as she's done, want to eat again. This has been exhausting but I am just marking each day off the calendar as one day closer to it getting easier.

Props: She likes to sleep in the swing and her carseat. She hates getting in the carseat but once we are moving she does great and usually falls asleep. (this has happened 3 out of 3 times, so I am that doesn't change). She doesn't like the bouncy seat yet, but I'm not giving up because Mason loved it and many day was the only reason I got a shower. She sometimes likes the paci but I am not giving up on that either because I know later on life will be easier if I can "plug her up" when she cries.

Overall: I won't say it's been a walk in the park but definitely easier than being a first time parent. We are calmer and less frazzled when trying to figure out what's wrong with her. We know more options to try and aren't as uptight about eating/schedules etc. It's easier to get through the hard times because now we know they are limited and that each day will get better. (hopefully) When you're a first time parent you just can't see an end in sight.

Mason: Mason just came home from grandparents house yesterday afternoon so I haven't gotten a good taste yet of having two children, but I can already tell that's going to be a challenge. So far, he really likes Myla and asks to see and kiss her all the time. I don't feel like he is threatened by her. I am trying my best to give him extra attention as much as possible to make sure he knows that he hasn't been forgotten/replaced. I know it sounds cliche, but I am amazed at how much I love these two kids. You never think you could love the second one as much as the first but somehow, God just makes your heart big enough for both of them. It's pretty freakin awesome.

I am still not a huge fan of the "newborn" stage and would birth a child at 6 months if I could but I will admit that I am able to enjoy it a lot more this time around.

Creating a new "normal" and baby countdown

2011-04-06T13:38:00.005-05:00

It's been a week since my grandfather's funeral and my parents are sorting through the "aftermath" of getting the properties sold. It is truly apparent that God's hand is in all of this. One week after the rental property went on the market they had three offers in one day. Depressed market..what? And get this: The first offer was a full price, cash offer. Done! Well almost.

The house my grandparents lived in isn't even on the market yet but they have already showed it to some interested buyers. My Grandmother took pride in her home and kept it in great condition all these years so I have a feeling it will be an easy sell too! They've had a lot to get done since last week and I think we are all still grieving but not sure how to process it with so much going on. My grandmother is really quiet and not as talkative which is to be expected but otherwise seems to be doing okay. It's a hard thought to process of trying to get back to normal because I don't think you can. All you can do is create a new normal.

On another note, I have five days left until Myla arrives unless she has other plans and decides to make her entrance earlier. After the wicked contractions I had last night I thought that might happen, but of course, they went away so I am still just waiting uncomfortably but patiently.
Here's one last pregnancy update:
How far along? 39 weeks and some change.
Total weight gain/loss: Do people really lose weight in pregnancy? Let's just say "enough". I've done better this time than the last and that's an accomplishment in my book.
Maternity clothes? I have one pair of jeans left that fit and those are on the fence.
Stretch marks? Would a zebra notice if he got a couple of new stripes? I doubt it.
Sleep: With one week to go, I am still sleeping okay as long as contractions don't wake me. It's hard to get comfortable and fall asleep though.
Movement: She's not very active since she's totally out of room but I still feel her in there pushing and trying to claw her way out.
Food cravings: Juice.
Labor Signs: Contractions, head down, barely dilated, I can feel my hips moving and stretching, swelling.
Belly button in or out? Way out. I'm just learning to deal with it.
What I miss: Clothes that don't cut off my circulation.
What I am looking forward to: Meeting my baby girl, getting to see Mason meet her for the first time, losing 5lbs overnight from sweating out hormones, working out, having a corona with two limes.
What I am NOT looking forward to:C-section pain and the 13 year cicadas. Is anyone else freaked out by this? At least I plan to be inside quite a bit during the month of May.

Grandaddy

2011-03-30T21:17:00.004-05:00

Albert Augustus Woodul "Gus"
May 14, 1921- March 27, 2011

My Grandfather went to be with his heavenly father and I am relieved he is no longer in pain or suffering anymore. I am sure his mind has been completely restored and he is telling his stories to all his old friends that are already in heaven. Grandaddy was a man of perfection. He took pride in his work, appearance, and his family that he loved so much. He was married to my grandmother for 69 years and bragged on her every chance he could. He would say, "I married a fine lady and she takes great care of me." My Grandaddy loved to talk and tell stories and what he was most know for, were his "one-liners"

When my brother or I would do something wrong: He'd say, "You'd mess up a one car funeral" or
"We buy you books and send you to school and all you do is eat the covers off"
To the question, "What are you doing?" : "Just trying to put the big pot in the little one"
"You wouldn't be happy if you were hung with a new rope"
About my Grandmother: "It's her world. I'm just trying to live in it."
To anyone yawing: "You look like that black man on the oyster can" or "Are we keeping you up?"
To anyone who sneezed/coughed" "Get a stick and kill that thing."
To the question, "How are you?": "I'm just able to eat and not able to work."

Granddaddy wasn't the only one with a sense of humor. Tonight, while spending time with my grandmother, Eric asked her if she was going to be able to come over and rock Myla so I could get some rest. Her reply, "oh yes, I'm free, white, and 21".

It goes without saying that I am going to miss my grandfather so much. My birthday won't be the same this year without him by my side blowing out his candles too and family gatherings won't be the same not hearing a war story. Thanks to everyone for your prayers. March has been a rough month but I know April showers will bring healing, health, and Myla!

Good ole fashioned family update

2011-03-23T15:35:00.007-05:00

I just don't know what I would do without our family and friends. They have been helping us with all the little things we can't do and I am so grateful to have them close by and able to help. From taking out our trash to helping with Mason and meals they have been such a huge blessing to us. Thank you!!

Here is an update on the details...
Eric: His foot is healing nicely and I think he has been enjoying all his extra TV watching time. His rolling walker that he uses at home has been such a blessing. He can be more independent and do things like carry his dishes to the sink, pick up things off the floor, and in general carry items from room to room. One day, he even took all the dishes out of the dishwasher for me and put them on the cabinet so I didn't have to lean over to pick them up. We've made a good team during this crazy and difficult time. He also got the stitches out of his foot on Monday, which he was really happy about.

Rachel: I am 37.5 weeks and I have 18 days left..but who's counting? Other than the obvious uncomfortableness, I am feeling pretty good. I am sleeping great and trying to take as many naps as possible. My ankles are still normal size and I am thankful for the cold front coming through this week. I have back pain and heartburn and from hell, but that's what doctors and drugs are for. I quit the YMCA and so did Eric. My braxton hicks have been too intense to work out lately and Eric obviously can't run so there is no use in paying that bill.

Mason: He is so much fun but has definitely entered a difficult stage with his listening and obeying skills. It's been a test of my patience in which I have failed miserably. Discipline in our house is lacking due to the fact that if he runs away from us in defiance, neither Eric nor I can't catch him. We are quite the disabled pair. He's got the upper hand under these circumstances and I think he knows it. This too shall pass! Deeeeep breaths!

On a more positive note, we are well on our way to being potty trained. I really didn't enjoy the process of it, but I swore to myself that I wouldn't even think about pushing it until I knew for sure that Mason was ready. I would never in a million years have picked this time in our lives to start this (my original plan was after he turned three) but he started showing major interest in going so we took the risk. I have observed and talked to way too many parents who are trained to ask their kids to go potty instead of their kids being trained to tell them. I was determined not to start too soon. Diapers are actually so much easier but thankfully he's caught on and is doing great. Let's just hope he doesn't regress once Myla gets here, which I totally anticipate.
Mason is still obsessed with his Woody doll and takes him in the car whereever he goes. He loves to wear his cowboy boots and hat regardless if it matches what he's wearing. He's a rootin-tootin cowboy 24/7.

My Grandaddy: He is still in the Green Hills Rehab center and not doing any better. I went to see him last week and it was a difficult visit to digest. A month ago he was standing upright and telling us stories of how he stole a gun off a German soldier in the war...now he really isn't able to talk and rarely responds when spoken to. It's so hard to see him go downhill so fast and go from a (almost) fully functioning adult to fully dependant in every way. My parents are in the process of trying to get him moved closer to Franklin because the place he is in is a crap hole (just being honest here). There is talks of openings at a couple of nicer places in Franklin but dealing with insurance companies is a nightmare and the process is moving so slowly. Please pray he can get moved quickly so he can get better care and rehab.

My First Ambulance Ride

2011-03-22T20:29:00.005-05:00

You never forget your first ambulance ride. I always wondered what it would be like riding in the back looking out the window. I think it's interesting that they don't put up a curtain in the back. When I was back there, I remembered all the times I've slowed down to try to look through the ambulance window to see the poor guy in there. It's similar to slowing down and looking when someone gets pulled over by a cop. For some reason, you just want to see their face to confirm they are as ticked off as you would be.

The day of my first ambulance ride started out great. It was a beautiful day. My brothers and I threw the frisbee for awhile and eventually created a new game named golf cart frisbee where one of us would throw a frisbee to someone else driving a golf cart. Eventually, one of us was hanging out the back off the golf cart catching frisbees while someone else was driving. Looking back, this could have easily been the cause of the ambulance ride, but golf cart frisbee turned out to be fairly safe.

Next, we decided to do some off-roading. We took off on a 4 seat ATV. I started driving since I was the professional having spent several years driving a Jeep Wrangler. My skills had not diminished as I took us up and down some hills and back roads. Next, my brother Adam took over and the first thing he did was tell us to put on our seat belts. This was probably the best thing he did all day. He then proceeded to drive like nothing I have experienced since he passed an 18 wheeler on the shoulder while going 105mph down to Panama City for spring break. After several donuts, my other brother Ryan predicted danger when he said that it felt like we were on an intro for Rescue 911. As we went into the next donut, the ATV began to tip over. I instinctively stuck my foot out to try to hold it up. I temporarily forgot that I hadn't worked up to 1500 lbs on the squat machine yet. The ATV fell onto my foot and broke the 3rd metatarsal and blew a hole between my 2nd and 3rd toe. I immediately knew something was wrong, but I yanked my foot out and tried to walk it off.

The next 45 minutes consisted of a lot of uncontrollable shaking and pain level 10 (the big frowny face one). Fortunately, there was a world class hospital nearby, DeKalb County. It might have been small, but they had the most important thing: Morphine. I could have kissed the old woman who gave me the injection. The goodness flowed fast and I was soon feeling down to a level 3 pain. The doctor, who reminded me of Jabba the Hutt (because he was big, always seated, and gave orders), ordered the x-rays and let me know the bad news. Because there was an open wound and bleeding, he said that I would need to stay overnight to watch for infection. He also let me know that I needed to go somewhere that an orthopedic doctor could look at it, so we decided to head to Williamson. It is procedure for an ambulance to take patients to another hospital, so they called up the DeKalb County EMTs.

I thought the fun part of the day was over and I would just be taking a quiet hour and a half trip West in an ambulance. We would pass Murfreesboro and head towards Franklin via 840. My ambulance crew had never been to Franklin before, so they asked me for directions. One of the nurses also gave them her personal GPS. It seems like a GPS should be standard device in all ambulances, but apparently it's not. I did the best I could to navigate from the back, but that is not the best seat for navigation, especially on morphine. I thought we were doing good when we got to Murfreesboro. The problem started when we arrived in Lebabon 30 minutes later. The trip went about an hour over schedule, which gave us plenty of time to talk. I have to say that these guys were fun and I appreciated them for driving me so far from home. Below are some quotes from my trip.

Guy in Back: Turn that hussy off. She got us lost. - he was referring to the GPS that the driver had no idea how to use. He must have said "she keeps telling me to turn left at every street!" at least 10 times.

Driver: Did you say take 65N? Guy in Back: Yep Driver: Ok, that's what the Mexican lady said too. - again referring to the GPS.

Driver: Oh, there's the Speedway. I know where we are now. - this was the driver referring to the Nashville SuperSpeedway. He was correct that he was near the Speedway, but he was not correct that he knew where he was. This was said on the way from Murfreesboro to Lebanon.

Driver: Oh hell, I think we're in Lebanon. - no explanation needed.

Driver : Hey Boy, you've been such a good patient. Next time you're up in Smithville, I'll buy you a steak. - Hopefully, it won't be in the ambulance.

Driver: Ahh hell, I think the boot is falling off. It's like a tornado up here. This comment was made when the large rubber boot that connects the ambulance cab to the box (where I was sitting) started falling off. It started with a nice light breeze and ended with tornadic-like winds. The EMTs had to yell over the intercom to hear each other and the one in the back attempted to repair it while we were moving, but he was not successful.

Driver: I think you could have driven yourself faster. - Obvious statement of the night. This was close to the end of the trip and right before he got lost in the hospital parking lot for about 5 minutes while trying to get to the Williamson ER door. To his credit, it is messed up and we all had a good laugh as we watched another ambulance driving in circles too. Hopefully, it wasn't serious.

Driver: I have a friend that lives in Franklin County. I'm going to call him up when we get there and have him meet us for dinner. - I wonder how this turned out.

Driver: You can't take a country boy out of the country and you can't take a country ambulance out either. - This was my personal favorite.

Anyways, these were good guys and they took care of me like I was their own son. The guy in the back told me all about his 3 boys and what they were doing in life. He even took a few phone calls from his youngest son to give him some fatherly advice. We ended up getting to Williamson about 2 1/2 hours or 10 blood pressure tests later. They took me inside all the way up to my room on the 4th floor and then headed out to get something to eat and to fix the boot. It wasn't what I anticipated for my first ambulance ride, but those guys sure made it interesting and gave me some good laughs on a bad day.

- Eric

Eric's New Ride

2011-03-17T20:52:00.002-05:00

Murphy's moving in...

2011-03-11T15:03:00.008-06:00

Well maybe I am being a little dramatic because I know things can be so much worse but my week's been kind of rough so far so I am gonna vent..

I was born on my grandfather's 60th birthday and this May we will celebrate our 30th and 90th together. His health has been deteriorating over the last few years but he's really taken a turn for the worse this last week. He suffers from Alzheimer's as well as other physical ailments due to ageing. In a span of 4 days he fell three times. The last fall was down 13 stairs in his home where he lives (lived) independently with my Grandmother. She does all of his care taking, cooking, and cleaning. Did I mention she is 89?

The last fall left him with a fractured hip, a possible stroke, and in the hospital where he had surgery and then moved to a rehab facility in Green Hills. This isn't ideal for my grandmother because really doesn't like to leave his side and has forced her to sleep at my parents house. Every day my parents drive to Green Hills and back twice a day for her to keep him company and feed him. Grandaddy is having a rough time in rehab and many times not responding to the therapy and sometimes not responding to anyone at all. A couple days ago, he didn't know who his own wife was and got her confused with another long ago deceased relative of his.

My parents are dealing with their two properties in Antioch one of them was a rental (yes, my grandparents were landlords until about a month ago.) Now both properties will be on the market soon. If that isn't enough, my parents are trying to sort through their finances, long term care insurance, and trying to figure out where my grandmother will live once my grandfather gets out of rehab... All while trying to live their own lives.

So now I kind of realize what my grandmother has been going through.. I have become full time caretaker for Eric who broke his foot this past weekend in an ATV accident. (He is so lucky that it was only a broken foot and we are very thankful for that.) At less than a month from delivery, I imagine the exhaustion I feel is about the same as my grandmothers at her age. Typically, at 6:00pm I get a break and let Eric take over so I can rest a little bit. Unfortunately, now the hardest part of pregnancy has become even harder. My motto for the next month: "This too shall pass." I am very lucky to have a husband that helps around the house after a full day of work so I am not used to doing everything on my own. I know Eric feels bad he can't help me and our families have been amazing at helping us do the things we can't. I don't know what I would do without them.

If you asked me four days ago, I would have loved Myla to come early but now I am PRAYING for her to stay in there as long as she can. I really need my husband to be off his crutches when she makes her arrival.

My apologies for the long post, but I could really use some prayers right now to make the next month as UNeventful as possible.

34 weeks

2011-02-28T15:14:00.006-06:00

I haven't done a pregnancy update in a while so here it is. We can call this a gripe session if you'd like.

My carpal tunnel never went away after I had Mason but it did get better. Now it's back with a vengeance. My hands go numb all_the_time.

My back pain is still present but now I have been seeing a spine and joint doctor and he told me I have a disc injury (news to me!) has been using Active Release technique to ease the pain. It has given me much more relief than chiropractic adjustments and I am still able to be active and go to the gym.

I have officially given up my cardio classes. I did one spin class last week but it about killed me so I have been enjoying my time on the elliptical. I hit my goal though. I wanted to make it to month 7 doing classes and I did!

My fingers, face, and feet have started to swell and I'm not happy about it. It's hard enough to bend over and put on boots when my feet are their normal size.

My belly button is an outie now and bandaids do not work. ick.

I can feel a finger-NAIL like scratch from the inside. It feels like she is trying to claw her way out.

My heartburn is back too. Tums are my BFF.

I am still sleeping really great thanks to this little contraption. It is a pregnancy pillow wedge I found at my favorite store Essex for 5 bucks. Hands down, the best 5 bucks I've ever spent. I just sleep on my side and put the wedge at stomach level for support. It's amazing. My first pregnancy, I used a gigantic body pillow but this pillow is so small and easy for changing positions. I can turn from one side to the other with ease.

I have gone back to taking naps again which is were I am headed right now. Night Night everyone!

A few more details..

2011-02-26T09:39:00.001-06:00

A few more details have been updated to Melissa's blog so check them out here

In case you missed the first post you can check it out here

The nursery is done!

2011-02-25T10:18:00.012-06:00

Myla's nursery is finally done and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! As soon as I found out I was having a girl, I had all these ideas and plans in my head of what I wanted the room to look like but felt I didn't have the money or motivation to execute my plans. That is where my friend, Melissa came into the picture. We bounced ideas back and forth and then I set her free to let her creativity flow. I trusted her so much I ended up giving her a pre-loaded Visa gift card to pick out the items she felt essential to completing the nursery. Since she is well trained on Dave Ramsey's teaching I knew my money would not be frivolously spent. Melissa was always on the lookout for items on sale and was great at using what I already had to create the look I wanted.

So now that I am done hogging Melissa talents, she is available to you to help you achieve your own design dreams, regardless of your style or budget. She can help fill blank walls, create a vision and help narrow your focus for a room. She can assist you in choosing where to spend your money for the biggest impact, give suggestions for shopping and DIY projects, painting, accessory staging, and more. She could be as involved - or uninvolved - as you would want or need her to be. She also provides services of a shopping assistant and stager for an additional cost, which would be negotiated for each client depending on what tasks needed to be done, the location of the home (driving distance), etc.

I know without a doubt, I could not have dreamed up all the creative projects that she incorporated into the nursery.

So now is the time to give credit where credit is due... hop on over to Melissa's Blog and check out the rest of the pictures. She will be posting another blog soon with some more details so I will link to that as soon as it's available.

Baby Shower

2011-02-19T15:56:00.019-06:00

I have the most creative, fun, and thoughtful friends. I have been friends with these girls since middle and high school. We went to colleges spanning the states from California to Florida and now we are all back in TN. These girls hosted the most adorable shower for me today. I told them don't go to a lot of trouble and keep it casual and low key. They just can't help themselves. Gotta love em! Thank you Elisa, Angie, Whitney, and Tara!

Katie made this for me along with a personalized pillow (in last photo) that was just pure awesomeness. It is perfectly coordinated with the nursery colors. You can have one of your own here!

I may have liked this gift a little bit too.

This is Dara my almost-cousin. She happened to be in town from Dallas. Well I'm not related to her at all but I should be. She is pregnant with her third and due May 19. Thanks Dara for being the unofficial photographer.

Milk..It does a baby good.

I never got a sister growing up but I am lucky to have two of them now.

All the goodies. :)

My walls got a facelift!

2011-02-10T09:17:00.009-06:00

We've lived in our house for about 4 years and there were some unfinished projects that had been on my to-do list for a while. I realized with baby #2 coming it was now or never. We had several blank walls and spaces that I had no clue what to do with. Since I am furnishing and decorating a baby room at the same time, I was definitely on a budget. My friend Melissa, gave me some great ideas for the spaces and helped me implement them on the cheap!

The picture below is our foyer.. This is the beautiful blank wall that you see when you walk in our house. So welcoming isn't it?

BEFORE...

Table: Avington Console Table from Target ($119). While I don't like buying furniture from Target because it's not solid wood and I always feel like it's so cheap, this piece proved me wrong. It is a solid wood/veneered mix and is very sturdy.

Wall Decal: Etsy (homesweetwalls- $24)

Decor: Things around the house. I still need to get some lamps or something with height for the table but right now the baby room is priority so it will stay like this for a while.

AFTER

Our staircase which you also see when you first walk in the front door has been an eyesore for a while. I had a couple of frames there but they weren't quite large enough to fill the massive space. We forgot to take a before picture so this is mid-placement of the frames.

I couldn't be more happy with the final result! Finally! It looks like a real family lives here.
AFTER

Recognize this tree? It worked so great on the staircase and was so lonely in it's original home. This is a wall in our living room and it obviously needed something larger to fill the space. (My walls aren't really pea-green.) The lighting in my living room is horrible.

BEFORE

Since I was on a budget this was super cheap way to fill the space on the wall. The fabric was about $50 and Melissa already had a canvas. I think I bought the other two for about $15. I would eventually love to find 3 or 4 great mirrors to hang on this wall. It would help with the poor lighting in this room.

AFTER

I don't have a before for this picture but it was just a blank space in our bedroom between two windows.

Table: Free from my in-laws. The hardware on it was brass so I took it off and spray painted it nickel to match our dresser knobs. I already had everything else around the house..except the floral vase which I got at Homegoods for $12.

AFTER
I have to give Melissa credit for all this. I get very overwhelmed at the thought of hanging anything and just shut down and get lazy. She went through my house room by room and we made a list of things to do. I like list and could handle that so I got to work on making the purchases from her suggestions. She did all the leg work. Thank you Melissa! You are such a blessing to my non-crafty personality.

Ch-ch-Changes

2011-02-02T22:30:00.004-06:00

This last weeks theme has seemed to be focused around change. Other than the obvious physical change I am going through, I have had a couple of environmental changes as well.

As of last week, I officially "retired" from Keller Williams and now have my Tuesdays and Thursdays open to run errands, clean, socialize, and relax until Myla arrives. This past Tuesday was glorious and I am looking forward to accomplishing more tomorrow. During this new free time that I have, I plan to make another change: My name. No, I am not divorcing Eric or going through an identity crisis, I have decided to officially become a Lackey. According to the Social Security office I am still Rachel Kee so for the last 7 years, Eric has had to file our taxes separately. He told me that since we would soon have two children with the last name Lackey, it was time for me to share the name with the rest of my family. He's also bribed me with a party and nice dinner out. I am hoping I find the motivation to make it to the social security office soon.

The other change we have made this week is our gym. We left our current gym due to a security issue in the nursery. Long story short: Mason escaped from the nursery, walked past two swimming pools and pressed his little nose up against the glass of the room I was in during a class. By the time he was taken back to the nursery, they had no idea he was even missing. The good news is they are currently taking actions to improve this problem and when they do, we may consider returning our membership there. For now, I am loving the YMCA and the classes they have to offer and most importantly, their nursery is totally secure. If anyone needs a workout buddy, I have five days a week available to accompany you. :) Just give me a shout!

The final change is some home redecorating that my friend Melissa has helped me with. I had mentioned in a previous post some blank walls I needed to fill so I will soon post pics of before and after shots of my wall's little facelift.

3rd Trimester

2011-01-20T11:39:00.010-06:00

I just started my 29th week and I am officially in my 3rd Trimester.

This being pregnant thing while taking care of a toddler is tough. Mason is such a good boy for the most part but he is entering into this stage where he likes to test me and talk back. He really enjoys telling me, "No, I'm not gonna do that" to see what my reaction is. My patience wears very thin by the end of the day. I think I need to pray more.

Myla is going to be a karate kid. She moves all day long and never stops. I don't mind it though. I am thankful that she is happy and healthy in there. Kick away, little one.

I am still kind of able to sleep on my stomach as long as I bring my left knee up and dig it into Eric's side. He loves that I sleep like this. I am hoping this might persuade him that we "need" a king sized bed.

Eric is most definitely having pregnancy side effects. According to babycenter.com, one common thing that happens in the 3rd trimester is Restless Leg Syndrome. While I do not suffer with this, Eric runs marathons all night long...another reason we need a King-sized bed.

After a week and a half of vacation, I almost died while doing a step class yesterday. I was dripping sweat by the first 15 minutes. I made it through the whole class but my calves are on fire today. I think my days of classes are coming to an end in the next couple weeks. Unfortunately, I think the treadmill and I are about to become good friends.

Myla is almost 15 inches long and weighs a little over 2lbs.

My glucose test results came back and I do NOT have gestational diabetes. Hooray!

Where to begin?

2011-01-16T17:35:00.009-06:00

The further behind I get on posting, the less and less motivation I have to catch up. I hate reading long blogs because I do not have the time or attention span for them, so here is the last two weeks in a nut shell.

We spent New Years at the cabin with our good friends Mitch, Blair, and their little girl Annie. We had a great time! Annie celebrated her 3rd birthday on New Years Eve. Isn't she adorable?!?! She and Mason had such a good time together.

On January 8th, we headed south for one last baby moon before Myla arrives. The weather was great most of the time. We had a few cold days in the 60's, but that's nothing compared to the snow storm Nashville was getting. We thoroughly enjoyed the almost 80 degree weather for the other days.

We have been home a little over 24 hours and Eric has the flu and Mason has double ear infections. Welcome home right? Despite the fact that I have accidentally shared a glass with Eric twice now, I still have not gotten the bug. Fingers crossed. Both boys are on the mend and I am looking forward to getting back on a regular schedule this week.

Decoration of Myla's nursery is underway but not quite done. Here is a sneak peak of my friend Melissa's creative talent.

Christmas Eve and Morning

2010-12-29T20:19:00.017-06:00

Here we go.. I am finally getting Christmas video and pics posted. Christmas Eve was spent with Eric's family and was so fun and without a doubt mad chaos. With Harper (4), Saylor (almost 3) and Mason (2) there was no way it couldn't have been crazy but we loved every minute of it. We had planned on spending Christmas Day with my family but my dad came down with the flu and now my mom has it so we hope to celebrate with them sometime next week. My apologies for the picture overload.

Christmas Eve morning we celebrated with a HUGE breakfast. The kids LOVE the piano at Mimi and Big Daddy's house.

Playing with Mason's Tag Jr. we let him open early.

This is Eric's Grandma and her semi-new boyfriend Dennis. After decades living alone on her own, she was moved to an assisted living facility in the last year and met Dennis. So sweet! Christmas Eve after Church and a yummy mexican meal the kids listen to the Christmas story.

Ryan reading the Christmas Story and Brooke supplying the background music.

Finally onto the presents! Mason's a fireman.

Can you see the excitement in Harper's face? She LOVED her Belle outfit.

When Mason opened these shoes he put them on and said, "these are my dancin shoes!"

He hugged each gift and before he opened it exclaimed, "I just don't know what it is!!!!

Each present was like a magnificent prize that he just won. It was all very dramatic. I have no idea where he gets that from!

I had nothing to do with these gifts but he hugged me like I did. I gladly accepted his hugs.

Finally he got a piano of his own. He loves it!

Uncle Adam who he now calls "his bubba" got him a Handy Manny guitar. Now Mason can play his own version of the "Ants in your Pants" song.

Right after Mason went to bed (11pm) the snow started to fall.

He woke up and loved seeing his first White Christmas.

We saved a couple of gifts and his stocking for Christmas morning.
Thank goodness Bubba and Big Daddy were around to give Mason some money to fill his new piggy bank.

And now for the live action.

Pre- Christmas Video

2010-12-28T21:41:00.003-06:00

Since we got our new camera I have neglected taking video of Mason. I tried to make a conscious effort this last week to take lots of video of him because I just feel like he has grown so much recently. I know I have said this at different stages of his life but right now, I really mean it: I just want to freeze time and keep him at this age forever. He and I carry on great conversations throughout each day and the things he says are just so cute and innocent. He keeps us laughing all the time. I am sad for him to keep growing but excited that I will get to go through this stage again with Myla. Hope to post some Christmas pics and video soon. Enjoy!

Garth

2010-12-24T07:51:00.005-06:00

Along with the hundreds of thousands of others, Eric and I had tickets to the Garth Brooks concert. We actually ended up going twice. The opening night and the final night. Both concerts were amazing but the last night was slightly better because they worked out some kinks in the sound, he was definitely more comfortable on stage, and we had better seats. If you ever went to a Garth Brooks concert back in the day, you know Garth expects you to know the words to all the songs and sing along.

Here is some video of the guys warming up their voices before the concert.

This video is from the first night when our seats were in the nosebleed section.

Thank you Garth for 9 shows and $3.5 million you donated to the Nashville Flood Relief!

Christmas fun

2010-12-21T20:35:00.011-06:00

The last week has been full of fun Christmas events and parties. Here are some pictures of the fun we've had.

My mom has started a Christmas tradition with her grandsons of making gingerbread men. She lets them cut out the dough and decorate them anyway they want. They have so much fun doing this each year. I think they enjoy the process of decorating more than eating them.

into the oven they go!

Mason had his Christmas performance at Mother's Day Out last Thursday. As much as he loves to sing, that morning he was in rare form and really clammed up on stage. This picture sums up what he did the entire time.. Stood there with his finger in his mouth. Hey, at least I got him smiling!

On Friday, my brother and I took our boys to the Adventure Science Center. I literally haven't stepped foot in this place since my 2nd grade class took a field trip here. A lot has changed and the boys loved it. They had a train exhibit on this day and they loved watching and controlling the trains on the track.

Learning how an engine works.

Playing in the ambulance

Out to dinner on Friday night with my friends Emily (middle) and Melissa (right). Emily moved very suddenly to Ohio for her husband's quick job transfer at the end of October. She came back in town this past weekend to do a little "housekeeping" since she still has a house here on the market. We took advantage of her time here with a fun night out- without the kids.

And the husbands- (L to R- Scott, Kevin and Eric)

This is just our Lazy Sunday afternoon. We didn't leave the house all day on Sunday and Mason even told Eric and I to take a nap on the couch. He really let us sleep for about an hour while he played quietly in his playroom. Thanks Mase! I just couldn't resist posting this sweet smile.

Tonight we went to Chick-fil-a to see the Santa Cow. I mean what could be better than Mason's favorite animal on earth dressed up as Santa? Pretty much nothing! He cried every time the cow left his sight. Pretty sure he loved the seeing the cow more than the Santa at the mall. Note to self: Skip the creepy mall Santa in 2011 and just go see the cow.

"Bye Cow!"

My Lazy Attempt

2010-12-20T15:11:00.001-06:00

I'll admit it.. I am lazy. I didn't do Christmas cards this year so here is my lazy and somewhat cheesy attempt at a Christmas card. I know for some it's not the same as opening up your mailbox and looking at sweet pictures however, my message is the same. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and finds much in their lives to be thankful for!

23 Weeks

2010-12-08T22:58:00.008-06:00

So I got tired of those same questions so here is my pregnancy update for this week. I am almost 23 weeks along and definitely showing.

I got my first stranger belly touch and I didn't like it...at_all. I just freeze up and don't know what to do. I just stared and her hand placed on my stomach and couldn't even respond to whatever she was saying to me. If you know me it's okay but if you barely know me or don't know me at all, please don't touch me. Thanks.

I am still sleeping on my stomach and will cry of sleep deprivation when I can't do so anymore.

Myla is kicking around like crazy and I love feeling her move. The kicks at this points are sweet little taps and nudges. Not jabs into the bladder or ribs like they will be towards the end.

I have gotten a small start on the nursery but have a lot to do. Thanks to my good friend Melissa, she has offered to lend her interior design expertise to creating an adorable nursery. She has all kinds of amazing ideas and I can't wait to see the end result. I have so many decisions to make on bedding, curtains, decor etc. I really need to muster up some motivation to get that done.

I haven't had that many cravings recently and my soda craving has subsided..Thank goodness! I have gained a total of about 9 lbs and according to babycenter Myla is about 1 lb. hmmm.. not sure where those other 8 crept in from...maybe all that rootbeer. I am still going to the gym and doing cardio about 3 times a week and it's making me feel great! I hope I can continue my regular workouts for a couple more months at least before I have to switch to treadmill walking and pilates.

I still hate maternity clothes.

Christmas is coming, the Goose is getting fat

2010-12-08T21:57:00.006-06:00

We are slowly but surely getting ready for Christmas. We finally decorated our tree this past weekend but I have yet to make the long and cold trip to the attic to fetch the tree skirt and other misc. Christmas decoration that are missing. I hope to get that done one day in the next couple weeks. Below are some photos of the last week or so and some lost video that never got removed from our video camera.

So check out my super thifty Christmas decor that cost $2.50. I already had the vases and the crystals. I bought the cranberries at publix and picked the holly from our tree out back. Just call me Martha!

Mason was excited to decorate the tree. We sometimes put clothes on him when he's at home. :) He really enjoyed placing the "o-ments" on the tree.

Daddy played his final game of flag football this past weekend. Mason learned the importance of stretching before the big game.

This is how excited Mason was to see Santa tonight. He waited in line so patiently and ate his snack. The excitement wore off slightly after waiting in line for 45 minutes. Still cute!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T21:35:00.008-06:00

Thanksgiving with the Kee's

There were 3 camera's and probably about 20 pictures taken of these cousins and this is the best one we got.

It's weird to think there is only a year and a half age difference between them. Alex is vertically gifted and Mason is vertically challenged.

The play so well together.

Thanksgiving with the Lackey's

Week before Thanksgiving.

2010-11-25T21:19:00.012-06:00

The card on my camera is full. Time to clean up. Last weekend we made a short trip to the cabin with our friends, Josh and Katie. The pregnancy has put me in a rare and weird mood to cook so we had plenty of yummy things to eat. In addition to the homemade salsa, I made puppy chow, chex mix, beer cheese soup, and a mexican taco roll.

I think after this picture was taken, Josh told Mason to "watch it!"

On our way home. I just love the tongue sticking out.

Since Eric had the week off work, we took the opportunity to check out the newly renovated Opryland hotel. It reopened last week and Mason was watching a news report in awe of all the waterfalls they were showing on TV. I knew he would love to see the real thing.

He ran so fast along the pathways there were times I couldn't keep up with him. Also, this picture captures why I love his crazy hair so much. I never bother to fix it because I love it when it stands straight up in the back.

He was singing Jesus loves me (the third verse of course) while drumming on the whiskey barrels. I bet Jesus was so proud.

Daddy stopped and got us a snack of pumpkin gelato....

And Christie Cookies...

and for dessert: Goldfish.

Thanksgiving pics coming soon.

Songs and things..

2010-11-25T20:16:00.006-06:00

I have so many pictures from recent weeks but I will save those for the next post. Mason has hit this awesome new stage where he just goes off for HOURS and plays by himself. Eric has had this week off work so with Mason's new independent self we have gotten a lot done around the house. GLORIOUS!!!

In other Mason news, he has just learned the 3rd verse to "Jesus Loves Me." Did you know there was a 2nd and 3rd verse? I am listening to him sing himself to sleep with it right now.
The 3rd verse goes like this:
Jesus loves me this I know
As he loved so long ago
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and Love to all who live.

He also loves to sing Jingle Bells. Recently, he has started commanding the attention of a room to sing a song. He will say "hey guys!" or "hey everybody".. "let's sing jingle bells!" The first time he did this, I was the only one besides him in the room.

Mason is not potty trained yet, nor is he interested in it but he is very aware about the actions of going potty. He understands that Cousin Alex is a big boy and he goes on the potty. One recent trip to the mall, I had to go so bad and couldn't wait til I got home. Mason was in his stroller and it was a semi full bathroom but thankfully the handicap stall was open so his stroller would fit. When I had finished using the restroom, Mason proceeded to tell me in his loudest voice possible that I was such a big girl for going potty. We also have a little song that we sing when he goes potty and he also sang that song for the other potty goers.
Mason's version went like this:
Mommy rode the potty train
Mommy rode the potty train
Mommy rode the potty train
Potty train Potty Train
CHOO CHOO!!!
Awesome. Thanks Mason.

Tickled Pink!

2010-11-15T22:24:00.007-06:00

We found out this morning that baby #2 is a girl. We didn't talk a whole lot about names and if we did talk about names we pretty much only talked about girls names. Conveniently that worked out well for us. I liked the name Miller and Eric liked the name Layla so we kind of combined the two into a name we both liked. Her name will be....

Myla Kathryn Lackey.

Kathryn is my grandmother's name and the spelling is a little different. On my grandmother's birth certificate her name is spelled Katherine. When she was younger (she couldn't remember how old) she saw the spelling with a "y" somewhere, so she just added the "y" and dropped the "ine". I am keeping the spelling as my Grandmother prefers it. Here is a picture of my grandmother, Katheryn Woodul.

So here is another fun family fact. Myla will be the 4th generation born exactly 30 years apart.

My Grandfather, Gus Woodul was born May 14, 1921.

His daughter (my mom) was born Feb 8, 1951

I was born May 14th, 1981 (on my grandfather's 60th birthday)

and Myla will be born April 2011.

All exactly 30 years apart AND all of these births are 2nd child in birth order. Cool huh?

And here are pics of Myla

Profile and right arm

Profile pic Proof that she's a girl. :)

Week 17/18

2010-11-01T21:41:00.009-05:00

How far along? almost 18 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: about 4 lbs..but I think most of that is residual Halloween candy.
Maternity clothes? I HATE them...like really hate them. Last time, I loved the big panels on pants that came all the way up to my neck. This time, I opt for the under belly style which really limits me because all the stores just love to add that big panel. Yuck!
Stretch marks? no new ones yet.
Sleep: Still sleeping great. I think I could go back to taking my daily naps but I fight it off and am trying to actually be productive during Mason's naps. Productivity= shower, makeup, hair, email, and a little facebook.
Best moment this week: hearing the heartbeat again. Last time is was 155. My recent visit on Monday was 150. Still a little high to be a boy says the old wives tale.
Movement: Feeling a few little flutters and light taps every now and then. Started feeling those about the end of week 15.
Food cravings: I crave soda. Probably the WORST thing for me to crave but when it's available I will treat myself to something caffeine free. I hate drinking my calories but it's so good, I don't even care. Gonna go drink some water now cause I'm feeling VERY guilty.
Labor Signs: None.
Belly button in or out? Still in
What I miss: My clothes. I bought so many cute fall clothes last year and I am sad they are being neglected this year. ..oh and red wine.
What I am looking forward to: Find out the sex. 9 days away!
What I am NOT looking forward to: badgering Eric to talk with me about picking a name. Whenever I ask him to have that conversation he tells me he's gonna start thinking about it (while he looks at his fantasy football line-up).

Weekly Wisdom: People are giving birth underwater now. They say it's less traumatic for the baby because it's in water. But certainly more traumatic for the other people in the pool. ~Elayne Boosle

Similarity?

2010-11-01T21:17:00.005-05:00

I never realized how much Mason resembled me as a child until we pulled out these old photos. I love that he's my little clone. :)

"twick or tweet"

2010-11-01T20:10:00.007-05:00

I know this picture has nothing to do with Halloween but it happened right before we left to trick or treat. Brooke moved into a new development and there are several empty lots right across the street where the hot air balloon decided to land. The kids loved watching it come down, and the whole process of them folding it up and driving away. Can't you see the excitement in their faces?

Normally Mason and Saylor are cousin "frienemies" but they couldn't stop sharing the love due to the excitement of all the candy they were about to get.

I think Harper feels slight annoyed by their cousinly love.

Just a good ole fashion game of belly-button poking.

All dressed up and ready to go! The frog, flower, and mermaid.

They loved every part of the trick or treating process. Every time someone gave Mason candy he screamed, "I got one!".. like there was a chance that they weren't going to give him any. He would then say, "Let's go to another house"

We decided Mason really should have been a turtle instead of a frog. As much as he wanted the candy he took for_ev_er to get up and down the stairs each time. The girls did laps past him on every house. It's okay Mason. Slow and steady wins the race.

Post full of pics.

2010-10-23T21:38:00.014-05:00

I finally have a new reason and motivation to blog again. Eric and I finally got a new camera. According to Eric, I "mistreated" our old one which kept it from turning on about 40% of the time. It was time for an upgrade. I have NO IDEA how to use the thing and don't have a clue what any of the settings mean so in January we are going to take some classes so we know what we're doing. Until then, it's on automatic mode which still takes really good pics.

The girls came over for dinner and bathtime on Thursday night. Brooke gave them horns.

Friday night we ventured out to downtown Franklin for dinner and ice cream with friends. I couldn't help but snap a few shots while we were waiting to get a table for dinner.

"Jumpin in the weaves"

Mason's Papa taught him how to play the guitar on his shirt.

Mason and Godfather Josh.

Did you know if you're pregnant you get buy one get one free ice cream at Sweet CeCe's? I really need to try to stay away from there but it's such and enticing deal!

This morning we went to Gentry's Farm because Mason has been pointing out all of our neighbors pumpkins. I promised him we'd go to the pumpkin patch to pick out his very own pumpkin.

THIS is the pumpkin he chose. Just his size! We got a big one to carve too.

Tonight we went to my friend Rachel's 30th birthday party... I met these girls in 5th grade. We all went to Elementary, Middle, and High school together. I can't believe we are really getting that old!

So long first trimester!

2010-10-14T10:52:00.002-05:00

I am officially in my second trimester and I am feeling pretty good. At 14 weeks my baby can squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his/her thumb!

Since I can't remember much from the milestones of being pregnant with Mason, I have decided to borrow an idea from some of my other mommy friends to keep track on the blog.

How far along? 14 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: a pound or two.. but several inches have been added according to my jeans. I am pretty sure this answer will soon say, "none of your business"
Maternity clothes? I hate them but yes I am wearing them. There are still a few pairs of my "fat pants" and blousy shirts that aren't maternity that I can get away with wearing..overall maternity pants are so much more comfortable.
Stretch marks? no new ones yet.
Sleep: Sleeping GREAT except waking up once a night to pee. Apparently, I don't remember waking up to pee because yesterday morning I yelled at Eric for not flushing the toilet. Most smells have not been magnified except one: The smell of urine. I can tell 3 rooms away if someone hasn't flushed the toilet.
Best moment this week: Telling everyone my news!
Movement: none yet
Food cravings: Don't have cravings necessarily but I have been eating PBJ's because nothing else sounds appealing.
Labor Signs: Not this early..Thank goodness!
Belly button in or out? still in. hopefully for a while.
What I miss: red wine and feeling cute.
What I am looking forward to: Finding out the sex (only 1 more month!)
What I am NOT looking forward to: picking out a name. Too big of a task for me right now.
Weekly Wisdom: You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment. ~Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"
Milestones: Hit the 2nd trimester!!

14 Weeks Pregnant

Productivity and Fun

2010-10-13T16:03:00.004-05:00

First let's start with the productive part..

Mimi and Big Daddy took Mason and his cousins for "camp" so Eric and I made a legal pad size list of things we needed to do. The largest "to-do" item was to get Mason's big boy bed set up and the crib moved into the baby room. Mason loves his new bed and won't get out for anything. He just stays put until we come up and get him. I couldn't be more proud!

After completing the huge list of other chores we went to celebrate my friend Jennifer's 30th birthday. Her sweet husband surprised her with a limo and drove us around Nashville and then dropped up off at Maggiano's. I felt like we were going to prom since I think that was the last time I was in a Limo.

At Maggiano's we PIGGED OUT. It was borderline gluttony but ohhh soooo gooood. Jennifer was super excited about the chocolate cake.

While Mason was at camp we also met friends for ice cream, saw the social network (good movie) and celebrated our 7 year anniversary at J. Alexanders.

We get another couple of days this weekend while Mason goes back to camp so I am looking forward to some more productive alone time.

Mason wants to show you something..

2010-10-02T21:03:00.013-05:00

Mason's going to be a "big Broda" in April and couldn't be more excited! He has repeatedly requested a "baby sista" so we'll find out if his wish is granted right before Thanksgiving.

I am just about done with my first trimester and finally feeling good which is such a relief because the little booger has been sucking the life out of me...not to mention the 2 year old who thinks it's his full time job to whine and cry ALL. THE. TIME. I can't believe in about 6 short months there will be two of them. I am taking therapists recommendations now. :)

In all seriousness, we are extremely excited and thankful that God has blessed us with another child. We appreciate your prayers as we begin this wild ride again.

Bored with Blogging

2010-09-25T22:47:00.007-05:00

Wow, September is nearly over and I haven't bothered to post a blog yet! Well here is my one blog for September. Lately, I've become bored with blogging and just haven't had the motivation to make myself do it.

We went to New York earlier this month (Sept 10-13th). We were there on the 9th anniversary of 9/11...pretty cool. It was my first time there and I was blown away at how huge it was. Nashville just seems so tiny now. We didn't have a chance to do a lot of shopping because our days were filled with sightseeing, museums, visiting Ground zero, seeing The Addams Family on Broadway, and LOTS of eating. In case you missed them, you can check out my photo album on Facebook. Thanks to my parents for keeping Mason while we were gone. I couldn't imagine having to haul a kid around the city.

Happy Belated Birthday to my niece Harper. She turned 4 on the 17th!

We went to two weddings in one weekend and I did not take a single picture but my Dad did.

I have been staying busy doing trunk shows for Stella and Dot ...and I have a team now!! There are three people on my team and possibly one more will be joining next month. Go me! I am booking holiday shows for October - December so book one and get all your shopping done for FREE.

I am excited for October to get here with it's cooler weather. Lots to look forward to next month: Our 7th wedding anniversary (this is Eric's one and only reminder), Race for the cure, My friend Melissa's wedding, Pumpkin pickin at Gentry's farm, and of course Halloween. Last year I bought two costumes because I couldn't decide so Mason is wearing the "other" costume which is a cute little frog.. that is if I can get him to put it on. :)

As for our anniversary, the 7th year suggest gifts made of wool or copper. I am pretty sure I don't want either unless the wool comes in the bottom of a pair of UGGS. I told Eric tonight I thought we should buy a nice camera for each other for our anniversary gift. (something we need and I've been wanting for a long time) His reply, "I thought we were getting Mason swim lessons" He's such a romantic.

I got nothing...

2010-08-31T13:35:00.010-05:00

My blog fan...a.k.a. Uncle Adam has requested a blog post. I don't really feel like I have anything super interesting to blog about but I do have some pictures to I could post so I will do a random numbered blog with to play catch up.

1) The main reason I haven't been blogging is because I can't put this book down. It's fascinating and so disturbing at the same time. This beloved icon is not at all what you think she is. I've always enjoyed watching Oprah over the years but after reading this book, I seriously doubt I will ever be able to turn on her show again. At first I felt a little guilty reading 500 pages of her deepest darkest secrets..especially because it's an unapproved biography..then I got over it. If you love Oprah and think her new age spirituality is refreshing you NEED to read this book.

2) We've made a couple of trips to the cabin last month and saw a double rainbow. It was really cool and I honestly don't think I have ever seen one that big before. Thankfully, we didn't react like this guy.

3). Mason was really cute in the car on the way back from the cabin so I just kept taking pictures.

I don't know why but the picture below reminds me of Uncle Adam. Maybe I have seen a picture of him doing the same thing? It seems like something Adam would do.

The "finger dance"

Cheesin

This picture was cropped because I was instructed to do so. If I hadn't cropped it, you would also see Mason's Daddy eating eggs in pretty much the same outfit. :)

4.) We made cookies a couple nights ago.

5.) We have been spending much more time in the playroom because of this yummy comfy chair from our in-laws. It's a result of too much furniture and no place to put it during their moving process. Score!

6). For the people that have requested a Big Bobby update (Samuel) he is doing great. Today he moved back downstairs and loves his new home.

This is Lilly (or wee-wee as Mason calls her). Her new bed has become Big Bobby.

Williamson County Fair

2010-08-12T21:02:00.009-05:00

I've lived in Williamson County for almost 20 years now and I can't believe that I have never been to the fair. Mom and Dad- Why didn't you ever take us??

Mason loved it...so much that this was our second time to go. This time we brought our cameras.

All the kids loved the Little 1's farming exhibit. It taught them to be farmers for a bit. They put on aprons and filled their baskets with..

Apples that they picked from the tree.

...Wool that they brushed from the sheep

...Peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes that they grew from their garden.

...Milk that they milked from the cows. Then they "sold" their goods to the farmers market and got "paid" so they could buy a little snack from the general store. So cute!!!

After the farm experience, we went to see the real animals.

Mason was in cow heaven. He couldn't believe he was that close to real live cows.

I just know he wanted to climb through the gate and give that cow a hug.

Since he couldn't hug a cow, he rode in a corvette..and loved that just as much.

And then he danced the night away with Daddy and the Bluegrass band.

Seaside 2010

2010-08-08T14:40:00.017-05:00

We are back from the beach and this year was definitely different than last year. We drove down on Friday with Mason, Tripp (who will be 1 in a couple of weeks), and my best friends, Elisa and Rachel (Robbins). The car ride was bearable but it could have been better. We all arrived in one piece and that is all that matters. We really had our hands full with both boys but it was great spending time with friends. Elisa and I joked that Robbins didn't know what she had gotten herself into. Boy, were we right!

Once arriving in Seagrove we headed straight for the beach since that is all Mason could talk about. I was surprised at how much he liked it. Last year he was only 10 months old and didn't really know what to think about it.

He had a great time playing in the sand and getting his toes wet until...

The sand got in his eyes and mouth. THIS is the "aftermath"

Sunday night we went to Redbar for dinner..our favorite place!

Then we played on the grassy hill in the seaside square

We tried some A-Mazing Snowcones!

Mason AND Mommy loved Strawberry shortcake snowcones.

We played on the beach one more time before going home.

He hated it a little less this time. :)

"Robbins" left us on Tuesday to go back to NY (stupid job!) so we didn't have her company the second half of the week or on the way home. We were about 30 minutes from home and I looked back to see this. Elisa and I just looked at each other and breathed a smiling sigh of relief.

Here is some video from the trip.

Good to be home!

Time

2010-07-29T15:18:00.004-05:00

This article was written by Carolyn Hax, columnist for the Washington Post. I really think we could be good friends, me and Carolyn. It's an older article but I couldn't help but pass it along when my friend Jennifer shared it on her blog. Thanks Jen!

Carolyn:
Best friend has child.

Her: exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc.

Me (no kids): Wow. Sorry. What'd you do today?

Her: Park, play group . . .
Okay. I've done Internet searches, I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners . . . I do all those things, too, and I don't do them EVERY DAY. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail? I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events) and I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy -- not a bad thing at all -- but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth? Is this a peeing contest ("My life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and without kids and all us child-free folks get the same story and have the same questions. Tacoma, Wash.

Dear Tacoma, Wash.
Relax and enjoy. You're funny.
Or you're lying about having friends with kids.
Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them.
Internet searches?
I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand, while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom-friends are either lying or competing with you, is disingenuous indeed.

So, since it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. In list form. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, clean, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries, questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys, and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces the kind of checkout-line screaming that gets the checkout line shaking its head.
It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.
It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.
It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family and friends, well-meaning and otherwise. It's resisting constant temptation to seek short-term relief at everyone's long-term expense.
It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything -- language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity. Empathy. Everything.
It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy, and then, when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend, a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you to mutual friends, or marvel how much more productively she uses her time. Either make a sincere effort to understand or keep your snit to yourself.

Being a stay at home mom has it's challenges but thankfully I get to put on makeup and get dressed up two days a week for my very part-time job. Despite the daily challenges, staying at home has it's perks too. I am driving to the beach tomorrow with my B.F.F's Elisa and Rachel to meet up with more good friends for some much needed girl time. Of course the children are coming with us but see?.... I make time for my friends!

Potty like a rockstar

2010-07-22T21:57:00.004-05:00

I have decided to print my blog very soon and I feel the need to document such a momentous occasion.. in MY opinion, of course...Mason peed on the potty!!

I do feel like I need to disclose that in no way, do I feel like Mason is even close to being potty trained. In fact, I think we just got lucky and set him on the potty when the water was running and he felt the urge. I really don't plan to push the issue either..at least until I get back from my vacation in a couple of weeks. Who wants to be traveling while potty training....NOT ME!!! In case your wondering, Mason got a Caramel filled Godiva chocolate for his potty treat. I think Eric about cried when I told him there was only enough for Mason. He was green with envy.

I included some other recent video as well in case you care.

Mason's 2nd Birthday

2010-07-17T21:58:00.001-05:00

Since Mason spent his entire birthday in the emergency room, I am so thankful we decided to have his party early when family was in town visiting. The theme was "cows" since he adores them so much. When we are driving down a country road and he sees cows, he gets so excited that sometimes I think he's going to cry tears of joy. How could I not do a cow theme?

My good friend and almost relative, Audrey, who has a growing photography business, came to capture the party. Didn't she do an amazing job?

Official 2010 Post by Eric

2010-07-16T22:04:00.000-05:00

Rachel says that I haven't blogged in a long time and we've lost readers, so I have to say something. I can't think of anything to write about, so I'll just talk about some random thoughts.

I'm convinced no one in my generation knows how to grow grass. I need to wear a mask at this time of year so that I don't pass out from the dirt storm. My dad and father-in-law know how to grow very nice yards, but they haven't shared it with me yet.
Speaking of grass, I hate yard work. Every year, I think I like it until I start hating it again. I think I would like it if my grass was thick and green and free of weeds. When it's like that, I feel like I'm vacuuming it rather than mowing and it's more fun. That grass at the top of the blog looks good. I'd like to mow that.
A couple of years ago, I paid to get sod in my yard. Wow, it looked awesome for about 2 months. It's embarrassing to have all of your sod die right in front of your neighbors. It's like cheating on the test, but still failing.
Is the title of our blog supposed to have an apostrophe on the end of our last name? It just doesn't feel right.
Literally, why can't I stop saying 'literally' when it's not needed? It's like 'like' for teenage girls.
We went to Costco tonight. As a treat for going shopping, I got a hot dog, slice of pizza, and a huge container of pub mix. I was just going to get a hot dog, but for some reason it's hard for me to reason that $1.50 is enough food to get full. Well, it's more than enough and I feel gross now.
The only time I've ever thought Whoopi Goldberg was funny was when I saw a clip of her talking about how she threw her IPhone out the window.
I think that all bills that pass through congress should be required to be 10 pages or less with 14pt font. Anything longer than that will always be filled with pork because they know most people won't read it.
Last week, I had my yearly viewing of Sneakers. Love that movie. I still laugh watching the blind guy driving the fan down the hill and then running into the side of the building.
USA, I'd like to introduce you to Greece. You both have a lot in common.
Mel Gibson, if I didn't have this plank in my own eye, I'd smack you across the head with it.
I'm in the middle of reading about 6 books right now. I just can't get into anything lately. I think I just need to start looking for very short books.
The NAACP decided this week to condemn "racist" elements of the Tea Party, while failing to show any actual evidence. What a silly attempt to shade a negative light on a national movement that has nothing to do with race.
Last weekend, I went to see the movie Grown Ups with a couple of friends. But, for some reason, we ended up watching Eclipse. That was one of the worst decisions of my life. When it was over, we ran out quickly before the lights came on. Please don't ask me any questions about it. I'm going to deny it from now on.

Have a good weekend - Eric

Hopefully the final update!

2010-07-15T21:13:00.003-05:00

The last couple of days have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. On Tuesday, I sent Mason to Mother's Day Out so I could get back to work and catch up on things. When I picked him up they said he didn't have a good day and actually tripped and fell and was crying about his neck. Eric and I went into a little bit of panic mode since he just wasn't seeming to get any better. I called the doctor on Wednesday morning and requested that we go ahead and start physical therapy as soon as possible. That way, after a few days, if PT wasn't helping at all we could move onto the next thing to try to figure this out. When the Dr. called back he actually recommended that we go back to Vanderbilt for a Bone Scan.

It was at the end of the day on Wednesday when I was speaking to the nurse about preparation for the scan the next day. Mason and I happened to be in the mall, so I stopped at the indoor play area to let him play while I took down some notes from the nurse. As she is telling me that he will be sedated..again.. and will have to get an IV...again.. I am watching Mason tear up the playground. He was going down the slide, under tunnels, climbing up and down off the bridge. While still a little stiff, his neck movement had definitely improved. His appointment for the scan wasn't until 4:00pm today (Thursday) so I decided to observe him and make my decision this morning. I really made it earlier than that.

Last night Eric took Mason's head and moved it in the down motion and he didn't cry at all..in fact he kept a smile on his face the whole time. I called this morning and cancelled the scan with a confident feeling that he is finally improving!! I sent him to school today and they said he did much better. His neck is slightly stiff but his personality is back to normal and it's not even really all that noticeable anymore. No diagnosis was ever made but most of the specialist we talked to in the end say it was most likely a pretty nasty musculoskeletal spasm. A diagnosis doesn't really seem important anymore now that my baby is better. However, I do believe it definitely could have been more serious than that had we not had the unbelievable amount of prayers being lifted up for Mason. This has been a very scary 2 weeks for us but your prayers and encouragement have meant the world to us. Thank you!

Back to normal...almost

2010-07-12T13:03:00.006-05:00

Life is starting to feel back to normal around here. Yesterday, we went to the pool and I even took Mason to the gym nursery while I worked out. Today we went back to the gym and he did wonderfully with no complaining of his neck hurting. Mason still will not moved his head to the down position....at all. He is adapting great though. Instead of playing with a toy on the floor he will put it on the table or couch to play with it so it is at his eye level. The massage therapist came out last night and I felt like it was a complete waste. He would barely let her touch him. I can't blame him after all he's been through with doctors, I wouldn't have let her touch me either. We have a chiropractic appointment on Wednesday so hopefully he will be loose enough for an adjustment. If he shows no improvement by then, our pediatrician has suggested Physical Therapy.

He still has a slight fever which tells me there is still some type of infection in the body trying to be fought off. It feels good to be back to normal activities but we are still hoping he moves his neck soon.

I will leave you with some pics of some of Mason's better moments of his stay at VCH.

Starting to feel a little full from the cupcake.

Weekend

2010-07-10T22:09:00.004-05:00

Today has been a great day for Mason. He slept until 8:00 and layed in bed with Lazy ME until 10:00am. While I went to the gym, Mason and Eric went to hang out on the farm with Mimi and Big Daddy. I didn't want to him to play too hard so they pretended to ride the mule and according to Eric, he had a pretty good time. Mason played outside for a little bit while I got the weeds in my yard under control and then he took a three hour nap, thanks to our good friend, "Benadryl".

Most of the day he had been in a great mood and only when we moved him the wrong direction or when he trys to play a little too hard does he grab his neck in pain. We have kept him on Motrin/Tylenol most of the day and he had a slight fever tonight before bed. I can definitely see lots of improvement in today compared to the previous days.

Tomorrow we are planning on taking him to the pool in the morning and then tomorrow night, he has a massage therapist making a house call to hopefully loosen his muscles up so his neck can relax. Mason is still having decent range of motion moving his head from side to side but has made no improvement looking down. I will try to take some video tomorrow because it's interesting watching him play. If he drops something, he will squat down and keep his head tilted back and feel with his hands on the ground until he finds the item he is looking for (Similar to someone that is blind). Walking has been a challenge too and we have to try to keep the floor picked up since he isn't able to really see if he is about to trip over something.

Today is Brooke's birthday and since Ryan had to work we went to her out to her favorite restaurant: Suzy Wongs House of Yum. We didn't tell Eric until we got there that he had to walk through the gay bar "Tribe" to get to it. He was a little weirded out by that but the food made up for it. The name is correct. It is YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Happy Birthday Brookie Poo! We love you!!
BTW- These next two pics are Harper's photography debut! Great pics Harper- doodle!

Follow up with Doctors

2010-07-09T12:46:00.003-05:00

We all had a great night sleep last night. Mason and I had a full nights sleep for the first time in about 10 days. I woke up this morning and still felt like I could have slept for another day.

This morning, Eric headed back to VCH to pick up our records and images of Mason's MRI and CT scans. We headed over to Franklin Orthopedic to have Dr. Cook take a look at the images. We don't doubt that Vandy couldn't find anything but we felt like a fresh set of eyes and someone that specializes in musculoskeltal system couldn't hurt. As we kind of expected, he didn't find anything new but he did think whatever pain Mason is feeling is muscular and would hopefully work itself out in the next week or so. We left that doctor with another reassuring yet frustrated feeling.

From there, I decided as a last-ditch effort I would call my chiropractor, Dr. Berger, and see if he could take a look at him. When I got there Mason was whining and in some pain but tolerated Dr. Berger pushing on him a little bit. Dr. Berger felt around on Mason's neck and back (way more than any Dr. at VCH did) and told me he could definitely feel one particular muscle that was tight. He worked on it a little bit but told me that no real adjustments should be made until that muscle has relaxed a little bit. He is referring me to an infant massage therapist in the meantime to help Mason relax his muscles a little bit. In addition, I am giving Mason benadryl which is the closest thing to a muscle relaxer that a child his age can have.

All in all, if we go back and look at Williamson Medical Center's diagnosis of Torticollis, I think they came the closest. So.... two CT scans, an MRI, spinal tap, 4 IV's, and multiple blood draws later we are back where we started....HOWEVER, I am SO relieved to know that my child is perfectly healthy otherwise. I just wish he didn't have to endure all that to find that out.

Where we are right now...
Mason seems to be in a moderate amount of pain today. Running from Doctor to Doctor today has exhausted him and probably not helped his pain at all. He is happy laying on the couch watching TV. As much as I hate the amount of TV he has consumed this week, I am letting it go and will break him of this once he feels better. In the last few hours he is really grabbing and complaining of his lower back..right about the spot of the spinal tap. I am just going to assume he is still sore from that. Since he is on Benadryl he is getting great sleep, it just takes him a while to get comfortable and settle down. We saw Mason's pediatrician today (yep that makes three doctors in one day) and he has ordered Mason to get as much rest as possible so I think we are in for a low-key weekend hanging around the house.

I just want to say thank you once again to everyone that has been praying for Mason. I wish I could have responded to each message individually but we are so blessed to have so many great friends and family checking on us and letting us know they were praying. I am so humbled by your response. THANK YOU!

At Home

2010-07-08T18:33:00.002-05:00

We're at home now. The drive home was not pleasant. As soon as we left the hospital, Mason started having a lot of pain again and we considered turning around. We were both just very frustrated and felt like the last three days were a waste. We decided to get home and see if he would do any better at home. About 2 miles from home, he threw up twice all over himself in his car seat. We had a freak out moment and then decided to go home first and get him cleaned up before deciding if we should go back to the hospital.

As soon as we got him home and in the bathtub he was his old self again playing and splashing in the water. So, now we're left to wonder if he was just nauseous from the sedation medicine from the CT scan this morning and the car ride home and the heat just made him sick. We're going to assume it was unless it happens again. He has an appointment with his pediatrician in the morning and we're thinking about taking his imaging to an orthopedic specialist in Franklin. He still won't look down and side to side only very carefully. As long as he's not in obvious pain and the fever is gone, we're fine with being patient about his flexibility returning.

Final Update from VCH..hopefully

2010-07-08T13:56:00.003-05:00

We just got the report back, once again the CT scan is clear and no abscesses or infections were present. Mason has been off all pain meds since 4am and seems to be doing fine. His neck is has started be be more aligned and has not full but better range of motion than he did when he got here. He still occasionally grabs his neck like it hurts but nothing like the pain he was in upon admission.

They've started to work on the discharge papers, so it looks like we'll be leaving today. Glad we are leaving, but it's scary to not know what caused this and not knowing if it will happen again down the road.

Update

2010-07-08T11:07:00.002-05:00

Mason just got done with his CT scan and is starting to wake up. Everything went well except that he knocked his IV out at some point, so they had to put a new one in - his third. Fortunately, he was asleep for this one. The doctors just came in on their rounds and were about to head down to look at the scans. Someone down in the imaging department said it would probably be tomorrow before anyone looked at them, so we were thinking we were definitely in for another night. Hopefully, it will all be clear and they can send us home. If they do find anything, they'll probably start him on some antibiotics, but I'm not sure if we would stay or go. He's still in some pain when the Tylenol runs out but not as severe as he was a couple of days ago. I'm feeling like we'll get to go home today, but we'll see.

Eric

Roles Reversed

2010-07-07T22:54:00.000-05:00

It really is strange being back in this hospital roaming the halls, but this time with my child as the patient. I worked here for two years and never fully grasped how foreign this place is to these families and how my tiny role impacted them. If you are one of my friends that still works here and happens to read this, please know you make a huge difference. Thank you.

Mason had a really great afternoon and evening. They moved his IV from his foot to his arm so he was finally able to get out of bed and walk for the first time in 3 days. We got a wagon rolled him down to the playroom a couple times and ventured out into other areas of the hospital. It was really nice to get out of the room with him because I think we were all starting to get a little depressed in there.

He has been in great spirits this afternoon and evening and still totally addicted to the TV. I made him turn it off for about 20 minutes and read some books with me. Hopefully he learned something today. They will come and get him at 7:30am for his CT Scan. We should know the results by about 9 or 9:30 and I will update as soon as we know something.

Once again, I want to thank everyone for your outreach of texts, calls, FB messages, visits, food, and gifts. While the last couple of days have been without a doubt, stressful, I have felt a definite sense of peace about the situation and I know that is a result of your prayers surrounding us. "Thank you" just doesn't seem like enough.

Tomorrow

2010-07-07T12:28:00.002-05:00

2nd CT scan has been ordered but not until tomorrow. Hopefully it will be first thing in the morning because he can't eat 8 hrs prior. Mason has Tylenol in his system and is running a low grade fever but still appears to be "unhappy". We are waiting on an IV specialist to come and collect more blood from him. I am not sure what they are testing for now.

Eric and I are doing fine. Thanks to Brooke for fattening us up last night with pizza, wings, and Gigi's cupcakes. The guys from Eric's work dropped off about 10 bags of groceries, and our friends Jim and Melissa brought tons of books and activities to keep him busy. Brooke also brought Mason a Yo Gabba Gabba video and he's been requesting that over and over. He's also watched Elmo's potty time about 47 times this morning. I am pretty sure he will potty trained by the time we leave here.

More Scans

2010-07-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

So here's another correction...His last pain meds were at 4am this morning (i guess I was sleeping) so it would make sense that they are starting to wear off and he is in pain again. The group of 8 doctors came in for rounds and decided that they wanted to do another CT scan to make sure that no pocket of inflammation has developed in the last two days. They also talked about doing some more blood work to compare numbers to see what may have changed in his blood counts. They have ordered the CT scan now so hopefully we will know more in the next few hours and will update you then. Thanks for your continued prayers.

Day 3

2010-07-07T10:03:00.002-05:00

The Dr. came in this morning about 7am and tried to get him to move his neck a little bit and he had a little more range of motion from side to side and he even looked down which yesterday he couldn't do at all. Even better news, he hasn't had pain medicine since 10pm last night. However, in the last 10 minutes he's been grabbing his neck again and crying. He's also started grabbing his lower back but I think that might be related to him feeling the soreness from his spinal tap. They have ordered him some more medicine so hopefully he will be more comfortable soon.

There are talks of sending us home today. As much as I would love to have the comforts of home, I still feel very uneasy since he is not a whole lot is different from when we got here other than we have ruled out some very scary possibilities. His neck still hurts and he still has fever. I feel like the doctors are at the end of their rope and don't know what else to test him for so all they know to do is send him home and hope that it clears up on it's own. That's a very scary thought for me to have to see him in pain at home and not have immediate access to the the staff and drugs. I am so thankful they have not found anything serious but please pray the doctors press on to figure out the cause of his symptoms.

Patiently Waiting,

Wake up. I'm the doctor and I'm talking.

2010-07-06T15:35:00.005-05:00

One of the strangest things is when you're asleep in the hospital on half of a couch and a doctor appears out of nowhere and starts talking to you like you're awake. Do they teach that in medical school? Just start talking to them and they'll eventually come around. That happened twice this morning and I didn't have my glasses on either time, so they were just a blur. It could have been the janitor for all I knew. I had no idea what they said for the first few minutes. I remember thinking the second guy sounded a lot like Mason's pediatrician, but I couldn't figure out why he would be at the hospital. But sure enough, it was him. Dr. Chambers was here very early to check on Mason.

As for Mason, all of the tests are still coming back negative. The best sign is that his fever hasn't come back and he's off any fever reducing meds now. He's still on pain meds, so it's hard to know whether or not the pain in his back and neck is still as bad. We don't want him pain, but we want to know if it's improving too. The pain medication makes him much more mobile and allows him to slowly move his head left and right. But, he still won't look down at all. The doctors are starting to consider that the fever and neck/back pain could be coincidental and this could still be all skeletal/muscular related. That still doesn't explain why he would have those symptoms though. They've said a few different times that it's just not normal for kids his age. Hopefully, they can figure it out soon.

He's taking an afternoon nap right now and he's been pretty happy all day. Rachel's making me go home tonight because the couch-bed isn't big enough for the both of us. Apparently, they put us in a single parent room. We'll update again soon.

Correction

2010-07-06T12:39:00.004-05:00

Early this morning I woke up to Mason's pediatrician standing over my cot saying good morning... I was totally confused and it was all a little weird seeing him at the hospital. I guess in my sleepy hazy state, I miss understood and thought he was starting Mason on antibiotics. Turns out they decided not to. Instead, they are running more test and taking shots in the dark at what this is. They just came in and took three vials of blood to test for Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, and Ehrlichiosis.

Mason is finally awake and has requested jello, banana, oatmeal, and an "eggy". He is thoroughly enjoying his Boz movies and currently is watching Nemo and is in GREAT spirits. We hope to get out of the room and go on a wagon ride if he continues to improve. Praise God for improvements!

Giving Thanks

2010-07-06T09:13:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone, it's Rachel. First of all, I want to say how much your calls, texts, and Facebook messages mean to us. This by far, has been the most stressful and trying time in my entire life and your kind words kept us going when we were physically and emotionally drained. So thank you for everything. There is nothing new to report since Brooke's last post. We have finally gotten comfortable in room 7309 at VCH and have about 2 hours of sleep in us and that feels wonderful. I'm not being picky with my sleep at this point..I'll take what I can get. The antibiotics are running through Mason's IV and they are staying ahead of his pain with meds so he is resting comfortably. A team is working on his case trying to figure out what in the world is wrong with my child. They have been upfront and flat out told us they are just as stumped as we are. I guess I will go with the old adage that no news is good news. We continue to trust that God's hand is on the situation and he will heal Mason completely. We will update you if we hear anything else. Thanks again for your concerns, words, and most importantly your prayers.

Spinal Tap Clear!

2010-07-06T08:18:00.002-05:00

Great news! Mason's spinal fluid was clear, he does not have meningitis. They are starting him on antibiotics to treat what they can't see.

MRI Results

2010-07-06T07:43:00.003-05:00

I received a text from Eric at 6 o'clock this morning. The MRI showed no issues last night but they still didn't know the cause of Mason's symptoms. After much debate, the physicians decided to perform a spinal tap to rule out meningitis. From the start, his neck stiffness was a sign of meningitis but he had none of the other dramatic symptoms that typically are associated with it. Hopefully the spinal tap results will finally lay those concerns to rest.

Mason has been admitted to a room at VCH and Eric has asked me not to release the room number as of yet. They have turned off their phones and are trying to get some sleep right now. After what I can imagine was an awful, sleepless night, they have asked for privacy and rest for now. Your E-mails, texts, & Facebook messages mean a lot to them so keep them coming with words of encouragement. They just ask that you hold off on phone calls and visits for now.

Hopefully they will have some more answers soon. I will update this blog when I hear from them!

Thank you everyone for being prayer warriors.

Brooke

Settling in the ER for the night

2010-07-05T23:03:00.002-05:00

There is a long wait for sedation at VCH tonight and Mason is somewhere down the line. Once he gets sedation, they will do the MRI but it will probably be a while. For now, the morphine has eased his pain and he is sleeping. Hopefully he won't wake up before his turn comes.

Rachel & Eric will most likely be in the hospital all night waiting their turn. They don't have beds to sleep on so pray for their strength! Luckily, they both had good naps this afternoon.

I'll post more if I hear anything.

Brooke

CT Scan Results are clear!

2010-07-05T21:48:00.002-05:00

Good news! The CT scan showed no tumor in Mason's brain and no mass in his neck.

Unfortunately, they still don't know what is wrong with him and he is writhing in pain. They have ordered morphine for him now to relieve him. They have also ordered an MRI to see if there is a disc infection.

They are all exhausted. They've been at Vandy for 6 hours now and were at the pediatrician for at least an hour earlier today and Williamson Medical ER all afternoon yesterday.

Hopefully the MRI will come and go quickly.

Brooke

Another Update

2010-07-05T20:41:00.003-05:00

EDIT! Eric said the Dr. didn't sound confident that they would have results in 45 minutes....not results ever....hang in there with me....it's hard to decipher "eric text" sometimes. :-) So, they should have results tonight....

Mason has had a long, long birthday today. It took forever for them to get blood because he was crying so bad. Eric said he kept screaming and saying "sorry mommy" while they tried to take his blood. I can't even imagine how that made Rachel feel, since it made me want to cry and I'm not his mommy. It's so heartbreaking. Then, they tried to get him some sedatives via IV but had problems getting the IV in. After all of that, he fell asleep on his own.

I guess they finally got him some sedatives because he's done with his CT scan now. Last I talked to Eric, they were waiting on results that should have taken 45 minutes. That was 30-45 minutes ago so hopefully we'll hear something soon. Eric said the Dr. didn't sound confident that they would find answers through the results.

Keep praying and sending them encouragement. I know it means so much to know that you love them. I don't think they are in need of anything at the moment except prayers. Lucy is taken care of and Rachel's parents are at the hospital with them so that they can get food and breaks.

I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything else.

Brooke

Update #2

2010-07-05T17:47:00.003-05:00

Eric sent a quick text. He's amazed that they have seen 6 doctors at VCH in the same time they saw 1 at Williamson Medical.

All I know now is that Mason is on an IV and waiting to get a CAT scan. He has eaten too recently to do the CAT scan now so they are waiting a little bit for better results.

Mason really wants his milk :-(

Keep praying!!

Mason Update

2010-07-05T16:51:00.003-05:00

Mason is checked into the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital ER. His fever upon arrival was 102.2. They haven't seen the doctor yet.

Their pediatrician told them this morning that he would let them know how the blood work came back but in the meantime, take him off Tylenol. He said that if Mason is taken off Tylenol and then develops a fever, that he needs to go to the ER at Vandy.

Please pray for Mason's immediate healing and peace for Eric & Rachel while they wait. I will add any updates as I get them.

Brooke

Back to the Doctor we go...

2010-07-05T12:02:00.003-05:00

Mason was up in the middle of the night last night in a lot of pain so this morning I called his pediatrician for a follow up appointment and for some reassurance of a second opinion. This should be getting better not worse. They took some blood samples (note to self: Mason has microscopic veins and is freakishly strong.) It took three nurses, a daddy and two sticks in his arm to get the blood they needed. Happy Birthday, Mason. They also did a strep test which came back negative. Doc said to take him off of the pain meds so we can see if other symptoms (fever) surface. If he doesn't improve today our next step is Vanderbilt Children's for a catscan and more test. We are playing the waiting game right now (insert Mommy meltdowns here). Please keep us in your prayers.

Fourth of July Fail

2010-07-04T18:11:00.007-05:00

This 4th was a bust as we spent it in the Williamson Medical Emergency Room but right now as I watch my sweet boy cuddling on the couch, I am so grateful he is healthy after the emotional roller coaster ride we endured today. There is nothing worse than watching your child cry and wince in pain and have no idea what is wrong with them. As a mother, I have never felt more frustrated and helpless.

A couple of days ago we noticed Mason was holding his head and neck kind of funny. We didn't think much about it because he was still playing normally and not really complaining. Yesterday, he was a little more irritable than normal but we attributed that to extended time on the boat without a good nap. About 3am last night/today he woke up screaming and holding the back of his neck. He was inconsolable to a point and then he was all of a sudden fine. He slept an hour or two in our bed but not before repeatedly kicking the crap out of me. Mason is the worst bedmate ever.. I am so glad I am not one of those parents let my child sleep in bed with me from the beginning. I can't imagine ever getting a good nights sleep with that little terror in my bed. So when we finally woke up this morning, he couldn't even transition himself from laying down to sitting up position and once I helped him sit up he couldn't move his neck in any direction and was screaming in pain. So many thoughts ran through my head but the only thing I could think about was packing my stuff (we were in Smithville) and getting the heck back home to take him to the doctor. We were packed and on the road by 8:15am. After finding out that our pediatricians office and the local walk in clinic were closed for the holiday we headed to the E.R. After waiting quite a while his conditioned worsened and I about had a nervous breakdown in the waiting room. It took everything I had in me to 1) not fall apart in tears along with Mason and 2) not bypass all these other people and demand to see a doctor immediately. When we were finally called back (sigh of relief) when the nurse realized his condition worsened and they said the doctor was on his way. I immediately asked him if he thought it was Meningitis- the word that caused my emotional meltdown. Thankfully his symptoms were similar but didn't exactly coincide with those of meningitis (second sigh of relief).

Mason was diagnosed with Torticollis, a tilting or turning of the head as a result of muscle spasms. The nurse described it as a charlie horse in his neck. They gave him some pain meds, took some X-rays and all that only took about 4 hours. He is doing better but still in pain so we are definitely having a low key 4th of July.

And here's some irony for you: It was exactly 2 years ago today, that I was in the very same E.R waiting room in labor with Mason. I can't believe he is going to be 2 years old tomorrow. We are so thankful and fortunate to have a healthy little boy. Please continue to pray for Mason and complete healing.

Happy 4th everyone. Hope yours is a little less eventful!

Random Ramblings

2010-06-25T21:43:00.006-05:00

Just thought I'd post some random pics from the last few weeks. Mason has been making some pretty bold fashion statements lately. Christian Siriano better watch out.

Mason is modeling a lovely hot-pink retro flower headpiece.

His fashion-forward trends are sweeping across playrooms everywhere.

He loves wearing neck ties with T-shirts, however, this is him screaming at me to "take it offfff!!!!"
The one shoulder dress has become a popular trend among the A-listers.

Coming soon to the runway, one shoulder P.J's.

Mason graduated from his highchair with a tray, to the dining room table. That's right everyone, We all eat dinner as a family in the dining room!! How dignified...right?

WRONG!

This is yogurt gone wrong.
Squishy.

There a picture of Eric (somewhere) just like this. Of course the computer is as large as the wall and he is a bit older since home PC's weren't even around WAY back when Eric was born.

Speaking of Eric's birth...here's a birthday shout out to Eric who just celebrated his 21st on the 29th.....or was it the 29th on the 21st?

We celebrated his birthday on Father's day since both of our father's were busy. We saw Toy Story 3 in 3-D and then went to one of our favorite places, Wild Ginger for dinner.

YUM.

And here's my brain fart for the month.

This was our souvenir from Disney World from our trip we took last month. Thanks Bryan for the gift card! I unwrapped what I had ordered and couldn't stop laughing. How did I make two mistakes on one mug??.. and yes, I proofed it before ordering.

Catching up...

2010-06-16T22:00:00.000-05:00

Okay- last post at the pool for a while. I am sure you're getting sick of seeing Mason in the pool but that is all we do these days. This is him with his best friend Camden a.k.a "Camin". Mason loves hangin with Camden which works out great because I love hangin with Camden's Mommy.

B.F.F.'s

_____________________________________________________________________

This past weekend we went to our friend Dave's 30th birthday party. It was the hottest day of the summer to date and it was an outdoor party with a live band, Mcdougal's chicken, a slip-n-slide, and a keg. I couldn't think of anything more fun..can you??

Eric's parents made an appearance.

The Lackey ladies...we were a hot mess.

My lil' rocker.

Going Under

2010-06-16T21:03:00.003-05:00

Wow.. I have been slackin' on my blog lately. Lots of summer activities happening and it's hard to find time to sit still and document. The temp has been close to 100 degrees this past week so we've been pool bums lately. As promised, I took the camera underwater. I think Eric about peed in the pool when I did this but the darn thing says in black and white "underwater camera"...why wouldn't you want to put it underwater??? Plus, I still had the receipt so if anything happened I would march back into Best Buy for a full refund. Needless to say, nothing happened and it worked great. I think I want to go snorkeling soon.

Pooltime Play Date

2010-06-05T10:18:00.002-05:00

My best friend, Elisa, just moved into a new house in Green Hills with a pool so Mason and I went over yesterday to check it out. The pool is surrounded by stone complete with a waterfall and outdoor speakers for mood music. Her son Tripp is about 9 months and sooo adorable.
I tried my new camera in the pool and even went underwater with it. I didn't post that video because it really didn't turn out good. We are heading to the pool this afternoon so I am going to get some video of Eric waving at ya'll underwater. :)

Shout out to Terri..I added music to this movie and added pics. I am getting better!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T22:53:00.005-05:00

Aside from getting the stomach virus that had me bedridden during prime boating time, we had a GREAT Memorial day weekend. We grilled, we sang, we danced, watched movies, played outside, and ventured into the hoppin' town of Smithville to visit the newly renovated DQ. In case you didn't hear the big news, a year ago, a semi crashed into the beloved Dairy Queen. No worries people, the Dilly bars are back and selling like hotcakes.

May 2010

2010-05-31T22:52:00.002-05:00

I am still trying to figure out the editing software on this new camera. It definitely isn't as easy as my trusty old flip so the transitions between videos suck. I sure wish I had a "techy" husband that would sit down and show me how to use it. ;) I really just don't have the time or patience to do it.

With all the rainy weekends we've had recently, we've had a few dance parties at the house. Mason can be in the crabbiest, whiniest mood but once we turn on the music he is a new child. We are hoping he takes after his Poppa and has a natural talent for music.

Dumping Debt at an Early Age

2010-05-31T21:53:00.003-05:00