Sickies

Last Valentine's Day, we found out this lovely lady had RSV and he had to get a breathing treatment and an inhaler. Well, almost exactly a year later we got a breathing treatment again!

Resting - very, very rare. Clued me in something was up.

After this sight, I took the boys to the doctor to get checked out. Sicky had to get a chest x-ray, bloodwork and this breathing treatment.

And look who was playing sweetly in the background. I said sweetly - not neatly. I hope I am not the only person who has to get on all fours at least twice to clean up the room before we leave.

Luckily, everything was clear - his coughing was just giving him fits. It hasn't been called asthma yet, and I am hoping it won't, but right now he is Sir Wheezy.

And, just for the heck of it, we checked this little animal's ears. They were both pretty infected - one she described as 70% bad, and one as about 60%. Who would have known? My only clue was that he wasn't eating as much - and if you look at him, that is unusual. So, we have been on the mend this February. And PRAISE GOD for this spring weather. Just when I thought I couldn't hate January and February more.

Playing with Pap and Ellie

Playing with Pap and Ellie almost exactly a year ago

Anyway, fast forward a much healthier week. We are in Andalusia for Heath's work and some family time. Turner was so excited that he couldn't even take a nap (except about 20 minutes) because he was too busy saying "Pap? Where's Pap? At work? MeMe at work? MeMe at the house?" The whole. way. down.

We have only been down here a few hours, but we have been living it up! Playing outside, watching the big "fruck" working on the septic tank, pulling out containers, running around everywhere. Loving the wide open space for sure! Ellie is either going to leave loving these boys like brothers or dreading being around them. The jury is still out!

Shameless Snuggler

Oh, and P.S. I just figured out how to hook my phone to the computer to get pictures off. And Kate even let me in on the fact that my phone was charging while plugged in. Hmmm. Exciting to me! So, I wanted to show this for all of you who know how organized I am :). But seriously, check out this earring organizer I copied from Pioneer Woman's and Susan Carothers' blogs.

Ignore the dust and Cheerios box. That's how we roll.

Gangsta in monogram. Peace.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Check out this Valentine's surprise that MeMe and Pap sent us! Thank you, and Happy Late Birthday MeMe! We had some of the best brownies ever from here - both boys helped us eat the whole package in 2 days.

Well, this is the first Valentine's Day where Turner traded valentines in class. He didn't really grasp it, but he did memorize who gave him which card, and he held on to them while saying his friends' names. On a side note, Heath asked him what he did at school today and who he played with. He said "Dee" - his teacher, and standard answer. He said "Dee pooted." I was in the other room, and I couldn't stop laughing. More because he is starting to catch me so off guard with what all he is saying. So random.

He is asking what everything is - all the time. Today he had a red shirt on (for V-day of course!) and it had a truck on it. But, we have to be careful with the word 'truck' and the word 'sock' - he says them both 'fruck.' And, I am pretty sure 10 different people asked him to say what he had on his shirt, and we laughed and laughed. Because he screams out 'fruck!'

He fell in love with the snow last week. I was hesitating taking him out. I didn't want to get cold, and dress him up, etc. But, I was on the phone with my mom and she reminded me how rarely this much snow comes to Alabama (though it seems more often lately, here in the season). She convinced me to let him explore in the snow.

He kept saying "I want snow." I was going to try to make a snowman, but I couldn't find my gloves, mean old Mom made him come back inside and get warm.

His snow boots

Just days later, it has finally gotten warmer outside. Yay! We played outside yesterday, and the boys remembered how much fun it was. Even John Burke got a turn on a bike.

Speaking of John Burke - he is a WILD man. I laugh at him, because he is so curious. And when he sets his mind on something, he will go full force after it. This could be really good or really bad later in life.

He is so spastic (I am not sure where he gets that), and loves to just flip around and worm his way across our floor from room to room. He has been waving more, and clapping (but it is impossible to get a good picture of that), and he loves to get so close to my face and just grab anything - hair, lips, nose and hold on and laugh and laugh. It is sort of cute, but it hurts!

And he is pulling up on EVERYTHING. Just in the last 2 weeks. He will try on anything - and today I watched him pull up (and fall over and over) on some pillows from our bed. Hilarious. And he got so frustrated!

Look at that thin face

Aha! Hard surfaces work so much better!

And who knows what that bruise is? It just appeared one day

And, he even graduated up to a big boy carseat. This summer, FAO Schwarz had a sale on Britax car seats (thank you, Volree) - and we are just now putting it to use. Kind of sad, but he is WAY too big - he needs it! Here he is trying it out...it was driving Turner crazy trying to figure out what it was, why he needed it, and how it worked.

Here we were celebrating GiGi's birthday last week - Burke Burke in his baby chair for the last time

We love you, GiGi!

And, finally - we celebrated Valentine's Day this Friday night. Without children:) (Made tonight more fun to enjoy it with them. Outback to Go, TCBY, babies in pajamas - what else do you need?)

For Christmas, Evan and I gave Wes and Heath tickets to the Brad Paisley/Darius Rucker concert. We ate dinner at Bottega beforehand (is it bad that we ate on the fancy side, and I was really missing the cafe side? Lame? Oh well - it was so nice, especially without high chairs.)

This is not my favorite picture (of me - Evan looks cute, of course), but we had to document it. And our seats were great. We were at the bottom of the upper level, dead center, on the aisle. And we were able to sit down for the most part, which was great. I know this makes me older - but I was so glad we could sit and that it wasn't too too loud. Very entertaining!

Some hard-core fans in front of us

These people weren't sitting down. They stayed standing - I felt the need to document it. From my seat.

Evan was a trooper, because she is not a big country fan. But, this guy decided to bust out some Hootie old-school songs. Oh, all the words came right back! He was awesome!

Brad Paisley was such a great performer! He walked around the crowd, and seemed so casual and funny while he did it. Such a fun night with great friends! (And a great babysitter at home:))

Happy Valentine's Day! I am blessed to have 3 precious Valentine boys! Thank you, Lord!

Say What??

It is just noon and my weasels are both napping. Ahh! We have had a busy morning!

It all started at 4:45 a.m. when I heard John Burke talking in his bed. I have been letting him play in his bed and sleep through this when it happens, because we all prefer him to sleep 12 hours! He has been falling asleep until 6:45 or 7. Well, today I rolled back over in bed after I heard him babbling. Then I heard a blood-curdling scream. I knew what had happened, and woke up Heath in my running to the nursery.

He jumped out of his bed!! He was laying on his back in the middle of the room. And he was almost halfway to the door, so he got some air in his mighty leap. Praise the Lord he landed okay. Don't worry - Turner has never done this, and John Burke managed to accomplish it at 9 months. Wild thing.

Then at 5 a.m., Mom called me to tell me the doctors were calling in the family to see Nanny. Her heart rate was erratic all through the night last night, so we rushed in to check on her. I think we freaked her out because she looked very scared and overwhelmed when she looked up to see Mom, me, my aunt and uncle (followed shortly by Derek, our pastor, cousin Holder and 2 other aunts). She knew something was going on, and with her froggy voice (from a feeding tube) asked if she was okay.

We assured her that she was better now (?!), and she even called my mom and Barbara by name. Then Derek and I said "We love you" and she said (mouthed/froggy) "I love you, too." They found that she was bleeding somewhere and gave her some blood. I asked the nurses when I was leaving what was going on. They said this could go either way - she has been a different patient every day. They have told us twice she wasn't going to make it, but then she was stabilized (heart rate and blood pressure) while we were there today. We know it is in God's hands, but I sure was thankful to be able to talk to her today in somewhat of a conversation. That is definite progress, even if her little body is about to leave us. I even told her that John Burke had jumped out of the bed and she laughed!

Sweet Nanny with me when I was VERY pregnant with Turner. I tried to crop my belly out, but Nanny is so little - it wouldn't work:)

Then we had a doctor's appointment this morning. Turner (at 2 and almost 2 months) was 39 inches tall. That was off the charts for height - even for a 3 year old. Great - a giant. His weight was in the 75th percentile and his head was in the 75th (surprise). The doctor and I were talking about how people correct me all the time when I say he is 2. They like to say, "No, 3." I tend to say, "No, I was there. He just turned 2." Killin me. Anyway, we were talking about how he was going to be tall and how he has a big head (though she said it was somewhat proportional). She said something about that being a concern. She was still talking about him being compared to 3 year olds, though he is and acts like a 2 year old. I thought she meant his head. My mind started racing at what she meant - was it going to get bigger and bigger? I was relieved when I realized she just meant the poor guy was just going to be considered a very dopey 3 year old.

Sitting on the doctor's table

John Burke weighed 21 pounds and was 31 inches. He was in the 90th percentile as well, and weight in 50th. But, Melon was in the 75th for head as well. I think that is a Henderson thing.:)

The doctor asked me how many words Turner said, and I guessed 30-50. I have been writing them down since we got home from the store. I am sure I will want to compare John Burke's words in about a year or so. He can say (without prompting): "Eeet stuck (it's stuck)" - this is what everything is that he can't figure out, book, ook (look), night night, tie shoes, off, Mommy, Daddy, car, please, Burke Burke, eat, get out, uh huh, uh oh, thank you, hey, bye, cheese, Oh Boy, cackers (crackers), GiGi, Pop Pop, MeMe, Pap (he likes to ask for these at random), chips, whoa, urt urt (yogurt), ice cream (every time we pass TCBY), what's that? (I think this is 48,000 times a day), I want, etmo (oatmeal...like 4 packs a day), cup, water, at work ("Where's Daddy? Oh, Daddy's at work. Daddy car" - this is a common phrase), Auburn, nap (Burke Burke takin a nap), wipes, diapers, stink, balk (ball), duck, paci.

This was closer to 60 words. Don't tell me if you have a new 2 year old that is quoting Shakespeare. I am not saying we are a chart topper here, just glad to be verbal. I remember my niece Kate speaking in paragraphs at this age. I am gonna call that a girl thing.

Also, he likes to point at Chick-fil-A and request it. Today the girl at the window gave us our food, and I told her how nice her teeth looked now that her braces were off. Then, another lady working leaned out the window to yell at Turner and "Burke Burke" and I noticed she got her hair cut off by several inches and we had a conversation about it. Driving away, I realized we go there way too much!

This picture of Turner scares me. Really.

Finally, we went to Publix (I love that place) this morning. It was not smart for me to take them there right after shots, but it had to happen. And I meant to take a picture of John Burke helping Turner drive the buggy. We had people help us unload the cart, entertain my wild ones, give them cookies and then help me to the car. Worth. It. And I saved 40 dollars on our normal purchases with some great deals and unique coupons! The only bad thing there was when sweet Mr. Larry was taking us to the car, I had to pop my hood in the back open with a golf club. Gotta love that - but it is too expensive to fix the shocks. Anyway, I freaked out and started sweating because there was a People magazine in the back of my car, but the back cover was facing out. It was 2 people in a very racey pose, in tiny bathing suits. I am praying that sweet Mr. Larry in his seventies doesn't think I keep pornography in my Jeep. Oh, well.

McWane Center

This is the scene as I am typing. There is something about babies, just out of the bath and in their pajamas that is so sweet to me. They smell so good!!

John Burke almost has 4 teeth on top! And he is growing hair! Wow - getting bigger. Somebody just asked me the other day if he is pulling up on things yet. I said no, and that night I noticed him pulling up on the coffee table. That stinker. He shows no interest in walking yet (no rush here, much easier without the walking!), but he crawls all over the place. More like a lizard slide than a crawl, but he can move!

Yesterday, Turner was napping and I was playing Angry Birds (my new favorite game), and I heard a rustling sound behind me. I noticed Burke Burke had been very quiet. He had found a bag with a donut in it (I was saving it for Turner after he woke up) - and he devoured it. It made me laugh, and he was NOT letting go! And he attacked a Pop-Tart like a dog the other day. I realized it was because he hasn't really had sweet things before, I am sure it tasted delicious!

A few weeks ago, we went to the McWane Center with friends. It was so fun! I didn't know how it would go - I haven't been there since having children of my own - but we had a ball! Turner loved everything, especially the water. I had to drag him away from it!

Our friend, Read, playing at the water table the correct way.

And Turner's way of playing in the water table. I caught this picture because I had my camera out, then I had to yank him out with one hand after I snapped this. Of course he dove in headfirst. He LOVES water. He also kept taking cups and walking a few steps AWAY from the table and dumping them on the floor. Good thing several people from our church was there, so he wasn't attacking strangers. But still!

The babies even had a place to lounge around in

Making imprints on the plastic "needles"

And dancing with friends

And our trip would not be complete without an all-call over McWane Center. My little angel was about to get on the elevator with his other 2 friends. Their moms and I had our babies in strollers. Well, Pearson and Brooks got on the elevator with him, but then got off to wait with their moms. Don't worry - Fearless didn't get off the elevator. And it shut very quickly. So, I hopped on the one next to it and tried to find my little scavenger. I wasn't too panicked because it didn't open up to the outside, but I did want to find him - fast. I went to the third floor, no sign of him. So, I went back to the first floor and got off. I looked across the way and he was playing in the little house of mirrors exhibit, like "What's the big deal?" The McWane people were very helpful - they said this happens all the time. Then I heard "The toddler has been reunited with his mother" over the walkie-talkies. I grabbed my toddler and we headed on our way. He keeps me on my toes! This was my revenge...:)

Fun...wind blowing on them

Still fun...

SCARY!