Maggie's surgery

I guess she thought that baby should be sharing her pacifier!

She couldn't have anything to eat or drink before the surgery, and for Maggie, two hours awake with no milk or oatmeal is WAY too long! I was worried when she started pulling out plates and cups.

I just thought this picture was cute. Look at that sad little sock that was too small! She was more upset that they wouldn't let her wear her sandals!

She carried this baby and carseat all morning. She actually took her own baby doll with her and the nurse put a little hospital tag on her ankle too.


Maggie had tubes put in her ears this past Saturday. I know ear tubes are not major surgery, but anytime your baby is taken away and put under anesthesia, it can be traumatizing. It really made me thankful that we were only there for such a minor procedure. We had to leave the house around 5 that morning and that was a little early for all of us! They called us back to start the meds around 7:15, and the first thing they do is some kind of "happy juice" to relax them. I remember with Will that after just a couple of minutes he was VERY relaxed and when the nurse came to take him from me, he just went without any fuss at all. Now Maggie is a tad attached to her mama (slight understatement maybe), but I wasn't really worried because Will was pretty attached at this age too. When the nurse came to get her, she was still clinging onto me, and although she initially went to him, she quickly changed her mind. They ushered Eric and I out of this room and into a hallway, where I can hear her crying "MOMMY" and then see her wheeled out on a giant hospital bed. She was sitting up in the middle of it crying for me. I knew they should have given her two squirts of that happy juice! Eric and I made it down the hallway, got a diet coke, sat down on a couch in the waiting room, and the surgeon was out to tell us she was finished. He said there was lots of fluid in both ears. Poor thing. After a few more minutes, they brought us to recovery where I immediately saw Maggie with a different nurse across the room and could tell she was still asleep. But yes, she was still crying for her mommy. It was really sad. I held her and tried to get her to drink something, but the poor little girl's head was bobbing up and down and she couldn't get her eyes to stay open. I always have pretty strong reactions to medicine, so I guess she gets that from me. They let us go after about 15 more minutes and we were back home by 8:30. She slept from then until 2, then back down about 7:30 that evening until this morning. She still has a slight fever that comes and goes, but they told us to expect that. Other than that, she should be good as new (or better) by tomorrow.


Okay, other than that we've been keeping busy with swimming lessons for both kids. Will is doing pretty well; he can swim with a life jacket on by himself if you don't tell him you're not holding on. Once he figures out he's on his own, he panicks. Maggie did not like swim lessons, which surprised me, but we'll try again tomorrow. Eric's been out of town for a week so I think I'll give him a shot at it now! We also went back to Six Flags. I've been promising Will forever that I'd take him and his friend Allie Grace. Usually Eric or some other adult is with me, but I thought I could do it on my own this time. The only problem we ran into is that little legs have a hard time making it all the way around and through the park. Both the kids were about to pass out by the time we made it back to the truck! But we had a great time anyway and maybe that will tide them over until it gets a little cooler.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Beating the Heat

At Pump it Up last week. As usual, Maggie had a blast doing everything the boys do.

Because their moms forgot to communicate that morning, the boys ended up in matching shirts. They loved it!

And matching swim suits/shirts at the water park...I didn't get a picture of their matching outfits at church on Sunday!

Maggie on her way down from being thrown for about the 100th time that day!

Poor baby played so hard at the water park-this is leaving the parking lot.

It's next to impossible to beat the heat here this summer, but so far our favorite options are Pump It Up and the water park. There's only so much playing in a plastic pool or running through sprinklers one can do! We've also just started swim lessons with both the kids and their friends Ethan and Tyler, so hopefully I'll be able to take them swimming more by myself once that's over. For now they're too much for me to handle without another set of hands (and eyes!).

We also celebrated my Dad's birthday last Saturday. Happy Birthday Chief! I didn't grow up close to my grandfather, so it makes it even more special watching my kids with theirs. I was working on a project for his birthday and I was looking back through a bunch of old pictures from when Will was a baby. I thought I'd post a few since he didn't get his first two years captured on a blog!

Will at 5 days old. This was the picture for his birth announcement

He still makes this face when he's either deep in thought or trying not to cry. How sweet is that little face?

This was the picture on his first birthday invite. I know, he needed a haircut, but I had always heard it was bad luck to cut it before the first birthday! Is it fair that he had all that hair so early and his poor little sister still doesn't?

Swimming at the old house. I think he was about three months old here.

At 9 months. It wasn't enough to play with the toys, he had to sit in the toy basket. I think we were in Shreveport here.

He looks thrilled, doesn't he?

As promised, the day of his first birthday we took him for his first haircut

I just like this picture. I think he was about 5 months old.

At our old house, Will would sit at the tupperware cabinet and empty it all out onto the floor. I got so tired of washing it everyday that I decided to give him a whole drawer in the kitchen with balls to empty out and play with. This is the exact moment he discovered the drawer.

On a trip to the cabin in Oklahoma for New Years with Shayla and her fam.

His first Easter. Oh how I miss dressing my baby in shortalls and knee socks.

I think this was one of our first trips to the zoo. Pretty sure he's zonked out here.



He's always had a special bond with Payton. He still calls her his dog.

I think he was about 6 months here. He was just starting to use those push walkers to get around.

One of his first year portraits

Adventures of a Three Year Old

Sorry for all the "candids." I'm learning that getting two children to look at the camera and smile while enjoying whatever activity it is, for me, is next to impossible!

Maggie and Will in the exam chair at the ENT

Will having his teeth examined for the first time!

Will, Tyler, and Carter at VBS. They were supposed to be at a Jewish Marketplace-thus the yamakas!

They were supposed to be writing their names in Hebrew. I'm no expert, but...

By the time the petting zoo got there, most of the kids were heading out, so Will had lots of one on one with the goats. Unfortunately they were pretty picky eaters and didn't want what he had to offer!

Will has had quite a busy week! Along with the normal playdates and trips to the park and friends' houses, we threw in his very first trip to the dentist, his first official VBS (last year was a special one for 2 year olds), and a trip to the ENT. He did a great job at the dentist-I have to admit I was a little surprised. You never know what you're going to get with a three year old! VBS was lots of fun too-he loves to do anything with his friends and there were several "building" crafts that he enjoyed, not to mention the candy shop!

This part is kind of boring, I just want to write it down so I don't forget and for those who may actually be interested in the details---the ENT said that his tubes have detached, probably a few months ago, and that is why he started having ear infections again around that time. He also said that the tube in his right ear kind of stuck to his eardrum, even though it's not functioning anymore, and that it is causing some localized irritation that could mimic an ear infection to a "non specialist." Have I mentioned our ENT is very high on his specialty? He's supposed to be one of the best, and he'll tell you that if you have any questions! Anyway, he said to do ear drops for several weeks and come back. If he has more trouble with ear infections or if this tube won't detach, he may need surgery again. Honestly I wish they would have just done another set of tubes when Maggie is getting hers, which BTW is next weekend. Her pre-op appt. is Friday and the surgery will be sometime Saturday.

The kids are doing really well. Maggie is starting to really talk and her little personality is just so cute (I know, I'm biased). We are really having fun with her at this age and she always has us laughing at something she's come up with. She still follows Will around everywhere and wants to do everything he's doing. Some of the time he likes it, sometimes he runs to his room and asks for his "privacy." He's turning into such a big boy now-hardly any "baby" left in him at all! His favorite things these days are painting, playing "I Spy", using his scissors, playing hide and seek (does this ever get old???), and being with his friends. He wakes up everyday asking who's coming over or where are we going today? We actually spent the whole day today just Will, Maggie, and me at home for the first time in forever and all day long he kept asking why. Guess I'm not as fun as I used to be!

Hope all is well with everyone!

Happy Fourth!

Just had to add this one in-how sweet is that? I was getting ready to rock her for her nap today and Will said he wanted to, so he climbed up in the chair and held his arms out. I wasn't sure what she was going to think about letting go of me, but she just reached out to him and laid her head on his shoulder. He gently sang "Jesus Loves Me" and rocked her and just as she was almost asleep and his song was done, he pushed her off and said "I'm all done Mom."

Daddy and Will at the ballpark. They are having such a great time with all the father-son things they're getting to do!

Tyler and Will driving down the street in Tyler's golf cart.

I know it seems like she's always got something to eat, but I'm not sure any of it actually makes it INTO her mouth!

Last time Maggie didn't get to go to the Airhogs game and this time she made sure she didn't miss out on anything!

Will with a "real" ball player! All these guys were so nice, staying out on the field and playing with the kids, signing autographs, etc.

She literally ran around the entire ballpark when we got there, checking it all out.

Uncle Scotty helping Will catch a fly ball in the outfield

Maggie and Will both LOVED the fireworks this year

At the end of a VERY long and VERY fun Fourth of July holiday!

We've had another fun few weeks since I last blogged; unfortunately I've been HORRIBLE about taking pictures. It's very unlike me, I know! We've been back to the zoo, this time with some friends for Will and some little girlfriends for Maggie too. We had great weather and a great time visiting! We've been swimming a lot, both in the play pools in our own backyard and some good friends and family's "real" pools. Both the kids are loving the water, but Maggie is getting a little daring for her mama's taste.

Our holiday weekend has been so much fun, and I have to say I am EXHAUSTED! Thursday night, we went with some friends to catch the first of the fireworks displays at the horse track. I thought Maggie would sleep through it, but I didn't want to miss out on seeing Will watch them, so I went ahead and took her. Not only did she stay awake until the show, I think she liked them the most! She was saying "pop" and "bang" and grinning ear to ear. After our late night, we slept in Friday, then headed to my brother's house for swimming and lunch with my family. A three hour nap later, and all 10 of us headed out to the Airhogs game. There were SO many more people out there than I think they expected, so after the game, the fireworks, playing on the field, and the traffic getting out of there, the kids got to bed around midnight. No mother of the year awards coming my way this year! But they had such a great time. Will loved being out there and playing, and Maggie just loved all the wide open space to run. We had plans to spend this evening with more friends and catching one more fireworks show, but we just didn't have it in us. After a cookout with friends, both the kids crashed by 9:00! Will was asking where the fireworks were as he drifted to sleep. It seems like so long ago that Maggie's bedtime was 7:30 or 8---not just Wednesday!

Sorry I don't have more pictures of other fun things, and again for the delay in between blogs. Time seems to be going so fast this summer-I can't believe it's already July! Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend!