Why Is It?

Why is it when I do a really fun activity with the boys, we can't make the fun last through lunch? 

And, why is it that it isn't entirely their fault, but sometimes mine as well?

Like today.  Sage started tennis again.  Our neighbor is teaching him.  (For free!)  And he's the number one player in Texas.  For his age group.  Which might be 80 -85. 

That's not what I was writing about.

So, Levi, Kolby and I headed on a "walk" around the neighborhood.  I had the camara. 

We camped out by our neighborhood pond.  We watched the turtles and ducks.  We blew bubbles.  Levi picked up duck poop.  I got to take a lot of pictures.  And wished I had read the book about how to take better pictures. 

It was lovely.

We walk to get Sage.  We play with some tennis balls.  We walk back towards our place with Coach.  Sage blows bubbles while we walk, it was lovely.

We get home.  Sage asks to blow bubbles on the deck.  I agree.  He and Kolby hed out, I wash the duck poop off Levi's hands officially.  (I poured bubbles on his hand when we were outside and then wiped it off with a leaf.  And hoped he didn't stick his hand in his mouth.  I'm pretty sure he didn't.  Mostly sure.)

Sage and Kolby are on the deck, the door is open, the breeze is breezy, it's lovely.

And then, Sage blows bubbles directly onto Kolby's neck.

Kolby screams. 

Sage does it again.

I yell.

Kolby cries more.

I yell some more. 

And make them all come inside and sit in their chairs while I make lunch. 

I could have handled it better.  Sage could have handled it better.  In the end, we all lose.  Bubble fun is over.  And my lovely morning came to a screeching halt. 

Here's praying nap time does us all some good! 

Funny Things (To Me)

I brought home a pack of bows the other day and was showing them to Drew at dinner. I said, "Let's try one on Levi, just to see what it will look like!"

Drew adamantly protested.

I giggled.

I put it on him.

Kolby burst into tears. He was so upset.

I took it out.

I could not stop laughing.

Drew just shook his head at me.

I apologized to Kolby for putting a bow on Levi's head.

I guess I'll only do that when Kolby isn't around. Just kidding, Drew! I won't do it again.

******************************************************************************

The morning after we found out we're having a girl, we're eating breakfast.

All of the sudden, Sage looks up and says "We have to get some girl movies!"

*******************************************************************************

After we got our dessert and found out it was a girl, Drew mentioned that she might need a sister. (This has not been Drew's position.)

Then we got home and I said, you can get the baby boy clothes out and we can start getting rid of them!

"What if we have another boy? We are not getting rid of those clothes yet."

More on the Name

Annika Karoline

Anika Karoline

Both pronounced AH nee kah

Origin meaning: Hebrew or Latin- grace; favour

Do you like one n or two better?

Anyway, I digress.

Drew and I have loved this name for years, before we were married actually.

He was working at a camp for a summer and I went to visit him. We had been dating all of 3 or 4 months. We had known each other for all of 6. Anyway.

One of the ladies on permanent staff, had an adorable 6 month old, blonde (well, bald), blue eyed, chubby cheeked baby girl, named Annika. She was so cute and adorable. We declared that the prettiest girl name we had ever heard and if we were ever to have a baby girl, she would be named Annika.

We went back to that same camp last summer, her mom still works there and Annika happened to help with the babies in the nursery. (Levi) She was now 10. Still blonde, blue eyed and beautiful. She was so sweet and kind. We decided she did not ruin the name 9 years later and possibly made it a little better.

Sage would have been Annika. Kolby would have been Annika. Levi would have been Annika.

In fact, while carrying Levi, we decided on Annika Karoline. I had alway said Annika Louise. Which I still love and Drew kind of, maybe didn't love it. The middle name is after the same person, Karoline, Loopty or Lions. She's been my best friend since third grade. Her middle name is Louise, the same as her two older sisters. Often, you will hear her dad call me Kristy Lou, because I was like the fourth daughter. Always there. Her whole family holds such a special place in my heart. I loved every minute that I spent at her house.

I wanted my daughter to be a little Ani Lou. Just like the grand daughters. But, Drew didn't love it. So, we agreed on Annika Karoline. And now, I love it.

Although, after writing this, I've almost convinced myself to change it!

Whoa, Drew just said I own the middle name. Now, I have some serious thinking to do! Lions, any thoughts?! Suddenly, I feel nervous.

Suspense Suspended!

But first, the story.

This morning was the first morning, I declared. It's a girl. I couldn't decide so this morning, I just decided to decide.

Drew got home at 6:40. Which is late for him. He's always home around 5:30/6:00 at the latest. Dern late meeting.

We all headed to Papasitos with the envelope tucked safely in my purse.

We ordered our drinks and queso. We waited forever for them.

Then we finally got to order our food. It didn't take forever but it seemed like a long time!

Drew ate one fajita and declared he was ready for dessert. We decided that with as long as it was taking for everything we better just order the dessert. {grin}

The boys wavered until the last minute. Sage declared it was a girl right before we ordered, and of course, Kolby declared girl too.

When he finally came back, Drew explained how important this envelope was and we ordered chocolate for a girl and cheesecake for a boy.

Waiting for the dessert to be brought out? Torture.

At one point, he came over with his tray lifted high and then set it down with a flourish and asked if he could take our dirty plates.

I told him that was cruel and unusual.

But the next time, he came with his tray high and had quite a few drinks around the edge (for the table next to us). As he set it down, I couldn't look.

I stared at Drew.

He whispered. "It's a girl!"

Then I looked:

Maybe we didn't totally trust him, we asked for the envelope back. Here's the proof. The ultra-sound tech wrote It's a Girl!!!! And the back of the envelope where I wrote girl dessert and boy dessert and he wrote our choices underneath.

Kolby may have cried right before he was going to bed saying he wanted it to be a boy. But, maybe we should leave that part out.

It is with great joy that we announce Annika Karoline will be welcomed by three big brothers in August!

More Suspense

We all went to the Big Appointment today.

The first plan was for me, Drew and Kolby to go (he would be out of preschool and the other two would be at Mothers Day Out). Then, a meeting got scheduled for Drew, so we changed the plans, everyone would come and we'd go out to lunch for the Big Reveal.

But, the appointment ran late, Drew had to get back to work for a different meeting. So, we're back to the first plan. Dinner tonight as a family at Papasitos.

The great news is that the baby looks great. Everything looks as perfect as it can look at the 19 week ultra sound.

That news isn't lost on me. As excited as I am to find out if we're having a girl or boy, I am so ecstatic to find out that the feet look beautiful and there is nothing to raise a flag. Everything measured on time, and looks normal.

The baby was curled up and she was having a hard time getting measurements. She even had me drink some water and finally she was able to get the measurements.

At the end, I didn't think she got a peek between the legs. I thought our decision had been made for us, it was just going to be a big surprise. But, she saw at some point, somewhere, something. And she knew. She is the one person who knows what we're having. Drew is carrying the envelope, he didn't trust me. I returned the trust when I wrote on the sealed flap Do Not Open.

Right now, I'm praising Jesus for a happy, healthy ultra sound. And that I was so excited going into it, no fear.

Oh, and Kolby asked me if my baby was yucky inside my tummy.

Kolby's Birthday Pictures

Before Breakfast

After Dinner
Don't you wish his mom had wiped the pizza off his face?

These cupcakes were gross. I didn't even finish mine. I blame the can of frosting. I usually make the frosting. I remembered why.

Chuck E. Cheese Party
Check out the naughty in the background.*

Getting Crowned

Hi-Five!

'Sup Dawg, I mean Rat.

The party at Chuck E. Cheese was great. (We paid for the whole thing by ourselves) My only job was to show up with the birthday boy, provide the numbers of the guests, bring cupcakes and ice-cream and enjoy. The hostess passed out pizza, drinks, cupcakes and ice-cream. And I totally redeemed the cupcakes that day.

I didn't want to post pics of the party goers, since they aren't my kids. But they all had a really great time! *The naughty was not one of our party goers.

Saturday the 20th

In 3 days, we get our peek. Our peek inside to see this baby of ours.

I've gone through a mixture of emotions.

Excitement, nervousness, excitement, anxiousness, calmness, and a little fear.

Mainly excitement and calmness.

One day, I'm convinced it's a girl.

The next, it's a boy.

Back and forth.

What are the odds we would have another boy?

50%

Drew claims 12%.

We're excited to see who God is growing inside me. I've been feeling little flutters for about a week now. Cute, sweet flutters.

We're going to find out as a family, that night. Don't expect a post Tuesday!

I'm nervous and excited all over again.

19 weeks tomorrow.

Kolby, You're 4!

Kolby,

You turned 4 more than a week ago. We had such a fun time celebrating you!

We threw a party for you, your first! Chuck E. Cheese. It was a great success. Your dad and I were celebrating more than your birth, Bo. We were celebrating a big year for you! Last summer, you outgrew the bar and shoes that you have worn since you were 6 months old for your clubfeet. We had always talked about what a big deal it would be when you didn't have to wear them at night anymore. And then, it just came. You were done. No leading up to it, no countdown, the doctor just said discontinue, we don't need to order the next size.

Your birthday seemed like the perfect opportunity. It was anti-climatic since no one there knew you when you were born. But we knew. We know what we've been through with you. And in a way, it was fitting. Since you were born with the clubfeet and we didn't know about it until your birth, we have just rolled with the punches. From the beginning, we just did what we had to do in order to correct your feet. And that is how treatment ended, just rolling with the punches.

At 4, you write your name, Bo. You recognize Bo and Kolby when written as your name. You randomly point those letters out when you see them and declare whatever word it is to be your name. You recognize most colors. You play with cars a lot, laying on your side. You draw smiley faces. You love to play with both your brothers.

Your dad and I were talking last night about how you can pronounce so many sounds now. But, you still struggle to use them on your own. You talk so much! We know 80% of the time what you're saying. Your favorite thing to say right as Drew is walking out of your room at night time is, "Dew, me tell you somefing. Um, Shage my broder?" The other night, Drew answered before you could ask and totally stumped you. It was funny.

You still call your dad, Drew. We have gotten used to it and Drew has even stopped correcting you.

You sing! Jesus Loves Me. Jingle Bells. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. You don't get all the words or the right tune but we recognize what your singing. You sing along to some of the kids cd's we have in the car too.

You are a sweet boy. So many parents of kids in your Sunday School class tell me how much their little boy or girl talks about you at home. I look forward to the day you tell me about your friends!

I love you so much.

Love,

Mama

Since this is longer than I intended, I'm going to post pictures from your birthday and party on a different day.

Spring Break

Kolby has spring break this week so I decided to keep Sage home from Mothers Day Out. I mentioned that it was spring break and I would plan some play dates.

On Sunday, Sage said "Mom, I'm so excited for all our play dates this week!"

I started texting and emailing my friends to see what I could set up.

So, Monday and Tuesday were groceries and house cleaning days.

Yesterday, we met a new family at church with 4 boys(!) at Chuck E. Cheese. Between the 7 boys, we finished off the 150 tokens we had leftover from Kolby's part on Sunday. (Post coming soonish on that party, I know your lives won't be complete without it!) I took our boys to Burger King for lunch. I put a tired Levi down for a nap and Kolby claimed to be tired. During his nap time, he pooped in his pull up and pulled out all the toys from 2 big storage things.

After naps, we went to Target. It was one of those days that mom wanted to look but the boys were wild. And mom was at the end of the patience pot.

Drew took Sage out for a special night. Sage chose McDonalds.

And now it's Thursday. We're going to the park today and having a picnic lunch.

And tomorrow. I have no ideas.

I'm going to have to get more creative before summer.

I bet there's an app for that!

As I said on Wednesday, Sage was sick a lot this week. Thursday morning, I called his fever over at 98.9.

Today, I was thinking back through his fever (Saturday night - Wednesday night) and wished I had kept a log of what his temperature was when I took it.

Then, I thought, I bet there's an app for that!

Drew, is that my one millionth reason for needing an iphone?

I bet that if I had an iphone, I could scan it over his forehead and it would read his temperature and then record it for me, it would also recognize which child's forehead I was scanning.

I don't think that's too much to ask from a phone. Do you?

A List of Thoughts

1. Kolby's birthday was a success. He woke up to presents and pancakes. He requested pizza and pancakes for his birthday dinner. I took the liberty of serving the Swedish pancakes for breakfast. He wanted the pizza ordered. He got a mini trampoline which now sits in our living room. Kind of tacky.
2. Sage has been sick since Saturday night. Drew and I went on a date and our friends watched the boys. When we picked them up, they said Sage was acting sluggish. He had said he had a headache right when we got there and when we picked him up, he had a fever and was coughing. I'm hopeful that his fever broke tonight. He took a 3.5 hour nap today! And he seems back to more normal tonight, playing and such. (It didn't, still 99.2 - The high has been 102)
   
3. I'm going a little stir crazy. I've driven Kolby to speech class and went to the grocery store Monday night and Target on Tuesday morning (with the sickie) because we really needed more cough medicene for him.
   
4. I'm planning on getting out on Saturday. But that is still two whole days away!
5. Sage missed singing in big church on Sunday with his choir.
   
6. We are trying to get our house ready to host Bunco in April. I think it will get done.
7. A picture fell in our downstairs powder room tonight and shattered. It caused me to think about redecorating. This is the powder room that I painted the palest shade of pink. It also has the black sink and toilet. I'm not going to do anything drastic, just hang some different stuff. That I need to find. I'm thinking Paris as my inspiration.
   
8. We have our big ultrasound in a couple weeks. I'm equal parts nervous and excited.
   
9. I'm nervous thinking about the curveballs that could get thrown our way. I keep trusting God and giving it to Him.
10. I have nothing left to say, I just couldn't leave number 10 blank.
    

Kolby's Club Feet Part 1

I started writing this post last August. I want to finish it. Someday. Even as I read through it today, I cried. Not out of sorrow. But out of the reminder that God is good. He has brought Kolby through so much in such a short 4 years.

Tomorrow is Kolby's birthday.

************************************************************************



Here I am checking out my sweet babe for the first time. I'm pretty sure at this point, I was saying his feet look clubbed. I was right.

Our little Bo at home within the first week. We used this picture as one for his birth announcement and took the opportunity to tell friends and family about Kolby's club feet. We also thought that this was probably the way he sat in the womb. Which also explained why I didn't feel kicks but more pushes.

Kolby is 6 days old getting his first set of casts. We went to Yale New Haven Hospital expecting the best, top of the line care. I believe, had we stayed with that doctor and his care, Kolby would not be the same little boy as today. This doctor claimed to practice the Ponseti method. We had researched the Ponseti method and knew it is the best, most non-invasive treatment of club foot. And it is proven. This doctor assured us that he practiced Ponseti's method. He told us he still treats the same patients, 18 years later. (Um, yikes) Then he started manipulating Kolby's feet. Kolby screamed. He applied casts up to Kolby's knee. The Ponseti method talks about applying the cast to the thigh to ensure that it doesn't slip and cause further damage. As we questioned him and I cried as my 6 day old screamed and had casts applied, he looked at me, looked at Drew and said "See why we don't put casts all the way up the thigh?" As if to say, the mothers can't handle it. We spent time talking to the resident. When asked the question, "Would you bring your own child here for treatment?" He said "No." (Um, huge yikes!) Most likely, Kolby would have seen a different resident and a different doctor every visit resulting in inconsistent care and probably surgery with a lifetime of pain and problems.

Here is Dr. Thomson our beloved doctor at Connecticut Children's Hospital in Harford, CT. This is the first time that Dr. Thomson applied Kolby's casts. He was so good with Kolby and with me. So much more gentle. Each and every time they gave me sugar water to dip Kolby's passy into. It helped sometimes and others not so much but at least I could do something besides watch my babe scream. They kept his diaper off so they could get the cast nice and high. As a side not, we drove 45 minutes each way to see him. Most of the visits were me, Sage and Kolby. It was hard, it took our whole day, it caused us to eat out for lunch and pay for parking. I would do it all over again in an instant.

First set of correct casts.

What a difference one week makes in the right kind of correction. After taking off the casts, which they did by soaking them, Kolby's feet and legs were so tender. We were extra careful holding him while we waited for Dr. Thomson. And he was extra careful as he applied the new casts. I remember one time a resident coming to look at how Kolby's feet and he grabbed it normally and twisted it around. As Kolby immediatly began screaming. And Dr. Thomson calmly explained the amount of pain that he had just caused my little one. The resident quickly apologized. I don't think we saw him again.

Embarrassed, Ashamed and In Need of a Good Cry

I feel like I should be at a support group meeting.

For mothers who fail at potty training.

Hi, my name is Kristy. My son will turn 4 in a week and he poops in his pants.

"Hi, Kristy."

See, he can poop in the potty. He has! Many times! On his own! Without me telling him to go!

But. More often than not, he poops in his night time pull up or his nap pull up. Or even his underwear. My mother in law was here last week and witnessed a very unfortunate event. We were at Monkey Joes, escaping the house in the midst of the remodel and the boys were having a blast. I got the camera out of the car to try to capture the fun. I took four blurred picture of Kolby and then got a whiff. It was not a good whiff. It resulted in Kolby and I going out to the van and changing him into an overnight pull up which had been purchased that morning, driving across the street to Marshalls and doing the walk of shame through the store in a pull up.

Did I mention it was 40 degrees and raining?

That incident was the icing on the cake. The straw that broke the camels back.

She, my mother in law, who is a pediatric triage nurse, said that the doctors in her office would say to put him back in a pull up. He'll poop on the potty when he is ready.

So he is back in a pull up. Kind of embarrassing for a big kid who is about to turn 4.

But, he's not embarrassed at all.

His mom is mortified. A pull up screams failure to all who see it peeking out of his size 4 or 5 pants.

Yes, we've tried the naked time. He poops on the floor. He may or may not tell us. He leans heavily toward the may not.

I'm looking for support here. Not advice.

I know, I know, someday, I won't have to buy him pull ups. He could possibly be in college, except that preschool only takes kids who are fully potty trained. And he is supposed to start preschool in September. I fully expect to lose that $250 deposit and pull him out because he still poops in his pants. I guess homeschooling might be our only option.

We've promised the world. A fishing pole. A trip to Disney World (only a slight joke).

I'm at the end of my rope. And it wasn't a long rope. I thought no child could be harder than Sage who took a month exactly of pooping in his underwear every other day. It's been a year since we started potty training.

I think I just heard God chuckle.

And oh, yes, he needs to read this when he is older. His future wife needs to know the potty training heritage of which he comes.