Royal Family

For Dallas

2009-12-01T23:41:00.003-05:00

The Pink Pig

2009-11-23T20:07:00.001-05:00

For the past two years, I've been trying to get David, my train loving son, to the pink pig train. Illness kept us away pretty much every other time we had the opportunity to go. But this was finally going to be the year! Nothing was going to stop us...or was it?

David and I arrived an hour late. It was pouring down rain that morning. It was a Tuesday so I kept David out of school and I was able to arrange for Grandma to watch Wesley (soo glad I had the foresight to do that). It also took me a while to figure out where I needed to go (I turned into Phipps first?!? Then I got lost inside Lenox mall...so not used to big city life). After we finally get to where we need to be, I try to buy train tickets only to find that Priscilla (that's the train's name) was "sick" and they had called the "vet" to fix her. They couldn't tell us how long it would take to fix her or even promise us she would be fixed that day! I was devastated! I knew David would be so disappointed if he didn't get to ride the train. We were hopeful that if we hung around long enough they might have time to fix her, so we headed off to get pictures with Santa and have lunch. Definitely shenanigans with seven kids! David didn't want his picture taken with Santa and I am pretty understanding about that since I was scared of him as a child and I have not had a single picture made with St. Nick. After lunch we checked on Priscilla but she was still not working. I couldn't believe my luck! Of all the days for this to happen!!! Have I mentioned it takes me around two hours to get there? Its not like I could just go home and try again another day. We were told she might be fixed within the hour though so we decided to stick it out. The kids were pretty entertained by a projection screen game on the floor. They would stomp and jump on all the moving objects. More time passed and we checked on the pink pig a third time. We were told it could possibly be another hour (they were beginning to sound like a broken record at this point). There was talk about leaving but we decided to wait it out just a little longer.

We changed the scenery with coffee for the adults and cookies for the kids which helped the time pass a little quicker. The kids were pretty much done at this point. We had been waiting about three hours. We decided to check one last time on the way out...

...and lo and behold she was working again! Whew! The tickets were two for one so the kids got to ride twice.
David held a firm grip on and of course wanted to save his ticket. We also bought a Christmas ornament that is replica of the train. He was so proud to show it to Grandma when we picked up Wesley and Daddy when we got home.

Moral of the story is good things come to those who wait!

Team Diamond Dan

2009-11-02T07:24:00.004-05:00

L-R: Elisa, Julie, Andrea, Jason and Charlie Dawg

Thanks to all to supported team Diamond Dan with your donations to the multiple myeloma research foundation. Also thanks to my teammates for getting up so early in the bitter cold to run with me. It means more than you'll ever know. I must have been the 61st participant to sign up online to run the 5K race for research in memory of Dan. Upon signing in I was handed the number 61. Dan was 61 years old when he died. Coincidence? I think not.

Wesley's Woes

2009-10-20T15:07:00.008-04:00

Well we ended up having to take Wesley back to the doctor as the first round of antibiotics obviously wasn't helping. Turns out both ears are infected, not just one. A few days ago we started him on a stronger antibiotic and I'm not really sure this one is working either.

Last week David had pictures at school and today siblings could have their pictures taken too. I was going to try to get a few of David and Wesley together and some of just Wesley. Would you believe Wesley is 16 months old now and still hasn't had a professional picture taken yet? I know, that's terrible, right? Well it really doesn't have anything to do with him being the second child. In David's four years he's only had professional pictures taken twice! I guess its just not in my personality to get them done that often. Anyway...poor little Wesley was not in the mood to have his picture taken this morning. It took all of two minutes for the photographer and I to figure out it just wasn't going to happen. He was in too much pain. On the drive home I realized that in his short life (due to his many, many, many ear infections) he has probably spent more days in pain than he has feeling well. Ugh. That is hard for me to digest. Jason and I have even come to the conclusion that his ears are probably the reason he's not walking yet. His sense of balance is way off. At any rate I still really want some good pictures so I have decided I want Caron to come back and photograph my family and any prints I buy can be my Christmas gift this year. But...to keep me happy until then I worked really hard to get these two really good ones today!

Camping Out At Camp Lejeune*

2009-10-13T11:07:00.014-04:00

This past weekend David I got to go see my high school friend Dallas and her daughter Sutton. Husband/Father Jay is a marine and currently in Afghanistan. We left Friday morning and got to North Carolina around supper time that evening. David and Sutton didn't miss a beat from their visit to us in June. In fact, David ended up "camping out" for a sleep over in Sutton's room for two nights! I bought him his first sleeping bag before we left and he was really excited to use it. Instead of sleeping in her bed Sutton slept on the floor right next to him.

They were so cute together the next morning. Just laughing, talking, and playing...

...and KISSING??? Yes, this was David's first kiss. Hum...will he be scared for life that his mama got a picture of it? We had a leisurely morning at their home *(okay so technically they live in officer housing at New River airfield, but its still on base just down the street from Camp Lejeune). After lunch we headed to the children's museum in Wilmington.

We spent most of the day there just watching the kids be kids! Here they are performing on stage. Sutton definitely had her act down!

I enjoyed watching them pretend camp the most. As soon as we walked in the room, David said "hey look its a kayak!" and he jumped right in.

Then Sutton joined him and they pretended to catch some fish.And then cook them...

...and eat them!

Upon leaving the museum we had planned on shopping and eating dinner in downtown Wilmington. However, shortly after we exited the building the heavens opened and in a matter of minutes we were all soaked! How is that for no rain in the forecast? We decided just to just pick up some fast food and go home for the evening so we could all get in some dry clothes.

The next day the bowling alley on base was open so we took the kids. That was David's first time bowling and he had a blast! I can't wait to take him again.

Monday morning it was time for us to pack up and go home. The weekend went by too fast. Thanks sooo much for having us Dallas and Sutton. We look forward to our next visit together! I just have to share this story of an event that happened Sunday night. David has had a dry cough for about a week. Before we left I kept asking him if his throat was sore and he kept saying "no". Sunday evening he starts coughing up a storm and then he points to his throat and says his "neck" hurts. He kept coughing so much he almost lost his voice. Then I start poking around his ears asking if that hurt and he said "yes". With that I decided to take him to an after hours clinic. At 7:30 pm we called to make sure they were still open and we were told that as long as I got there by 8 pm we would be seen. When we arrived I was surprised to find the doors locked. I knock at the door. The receptionist sees me, looks at the clock on their wall which reads 7:50 pm and then continues to file paperwork. I continue knocking and she never leaves her desk. I call Dallas and have her call their office to let them know I am waiting outside. They won't answer their phone. At this point I am pretty upset. I'm out of town, my child is sick, its late at night and this lady doesn't even have the decency to come to the door to talk to me?!?!?!? Frustrated I decide to leave and wait until I get home the next day to take David to our doctor. Once in the car David asks why I am so sad and I respond with "I'm just upset that those people weren't very nice". David says "Its okay mommy. I won't let anything bad happen to you." How about that? David went into "I'm the man and I'll protect you" mode instinctively! I was so proud of him I couldn't help but smile at the gift of my son. Turns out his throat and ears are red and inflamed but since he hasn't had a fever they don't know if its bacterial or viral. They prescribed some antibiotics just in case.

Also a special thanks to Grandma who watched Wesley for me the driving days, Friday and Monday. I knew that Jason and Wesley would get some good father/son bonding time this weekend, I just didn't know it would be at the doctor's office. Poor little Wesley has yet another ear infection. His tubes have been clogged ever since they put them in his ears. Ugh. Back to the ENT we go. Two sick kids=no fun.

Wesley's Favorite Pastime

2009-10-08T09:16:00.002-04:00

For about a week now, I've been trying unsuccessfully to upload some video of David putting together a puzzle of a map of the United States. I've just about given up, but its so darn impressive to me that at age four he knows almost all of his states and where they go that I keep trying just one more time. Hopefully one day I'll get it posted...until then, enjoy these pictures of Wesley during his favorite pastime; taking a bath!

A Cause That's Close to My Heart

2009-09-08T20:59:00.006-04:00

Once again I humbly ask for donations for a good cause. However, this one is different as it is near and dear to my heart. On November 1st I will be running the multiple myeloma research foundation's race for research in honor of my late father-in-law Dan. I know that during Dan's battle with this disease he most certainly benefited from the research MMRF has done and continues to do for so many others. Despite this being a "rare" form of cancer, we know three other family friends who have also battled this disease, two of whom have already passed as well.

Click here and here to learn more about Dan.

MMRF gives 93% of every donation towards research so be confident that your money is going towards a cure. Click here to view my team page. Feel free to sign up for my team and join me in running and or walking. Thanks so much and God Bless!

Brett Favre System - This Is SportsCenter

2009-08-31T21:47:00.001-04:00

Goodbye Summer...Hello Football Season!

2009-08-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

Here are a few good pictures from this summer that never made it to the blog...

David had his first day back to "school" today. So summer is officially over for us. But...fall is my favorite time of the year, not only weather wise but its also Football Season!

GO DAWGS!

The Dirty Thirty

2009-08-24T18:04:00.005-04:00

This past Friday was my 30th birthday. Earlier this year I wasn't sure I would even make it to my birthday (after my hospital stay due to kidney failure). Anyway...I was in the mood to really celebrate this one! We planned a kid-free weekend with some friends at Lake Chatuge.

Jason and I on Deacon Bob and family's pontoon boat-thanks for letting us use it for the weekend. It really made the trip soo much more enjoyable.

Jason brought his bass boat too and did some fishing on Saturday morning. Matt is on the family Jet Ski which we also got to use for the weekend!Christy catching up on some important reading-gotta be on her toes to keep "schooling" those students of hers about Georiga football ; )

Ryan and Kristin
Joel and Julie
Matt and Jason

Christy and Becky

Enjoying the upper deck of the dock.

Jason and I lounging on his boat.

A special thanks to the babysitters (aka grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles) of all our kids. We soo appreciate you letting us have some much needed R & R!

Our Beach Vacation

2009-08-11T23:00:00.002-04:00

Well, its been awhile, huh? Sorry about that. I do have an excuse for one week of my absence...our beach vacation to Panama City! First we stopped to see Mr. Wesley and Miss Kriss in Bainbridge for a few days.

David felt right at home with Charlie's Dawg's daddy Chip!

While there, David caught his first Striper Bass. Oh how his grandaddy would have loved this picture. His best friend and his grandson together holding up the latter's prize catch ; ) Trip-thanks so much for taking David fishing. Please come visit/stay with us if you make it to a UGA game anytime soon.

Then we were given the keys to their beach condo and told to enjoy our week. How generous they are! We are so blessed to have them as friends.

We visited the beach and the pool 2x a day every day for a week. In between naps and feedings of course ; ) We lathered the kids up with sunscreen so many times that I grew tiresome of it. David must have too though because he asked "why don't we just put sunscreen on the sun?". I like his logic!

Little Wesley much preferred the pool to the crashing salty waves of the ocean!
His future's so bright...
We had many a morning coffee and an evening drink out on the balcony.
When at home on the lake David likes to play this game called "Daddy can your boat pass that boat"? Well, David got to ride jet ski's twice on the trip. Once with Mr. Wesley in the flint river and once in the gulf. When he was riding with Jason in the ocean he wanted daddy to try to catch up and pass the "Sea Screamer" boat (this kid is destined to get speeding tickets in twelve years) Unfortunately the jet ski's just weren't fast enough.

A few days later Jason decided to take him on that infamously fast Sea Screamer boat. He said it was money well spent.
I'LL SAY! They got to see Dolphins up close!

These next two pictures are for you Grandma...
David had no fear going to the "tip top top" twenty third floor and peering over the balcony. I'll admit even my knees were a little weak!

The last night just before sunset I decided to try out the timer on my camera. We were able to get two decent family pictures.

What a relaxing vacation it was. Thanks sooo much Mr. Wesley and Ms. Kriss. Hard to believe it topped our last trip there, but it most certainly did! That is the longest vacation Jason and I have ever had! Jason anxiously awaits his next quail hunting trip to Bainbridge.

Happy Semi-Retirement, Mom!

2009-07-12T18:30:00.003-04:00

After years of working 50+ hours a week, nights, weekends, holidays etc. my mom is now semi-retired! She has a PRN (as needed) position and only has to work two shifts a month! I am sooo happy for you Mom aka Oma, the best nurse in the world!

Finally The Day Has Come...

2009-07-09T11:01:00.004-04:00

that David has been waiting soooo long for...

Wesley is old enough to play trains with him now!

I on the other hand, will be waiting for the day that they both can help with chores around the house ; )

the hand song 0001

2009-07-03T08:47:00.001-04:00

Bulldawg Dreams

2009-06-29T19:14:00.003-04:00

Future Center?Or Future Center!

UGA National Championship Class of 2027

Wesley's 1st Birthday!

2009-06-19T23:18:00.001-04:00

Summer Nights

2009-06-17T12:12:00.000-04:00

Thanks For The Memories

2009-06-09T18:39:00.012-04:00

Last weekend we were fortunate to have a visit from my high school friend Dallas and her daughter Sutton. Husband/Father Jay is a marine and currently overseas in Afghanistan. David and Sutton hit it off right away. We got out the pool not too long after they got here last Friday.
Jason and the kids putting some corn out for the deer.

Dallas and I had a fabulous time telling old stories and looking through our high school year book together.
The kids enjoyed playing at the park after we ate at our favorite restuarant.

Wesley enjoyed having company too!

The day before they left Dallas came up with a great idea to have our kids be pen pals! How cool is that? We sooo enjoyed our visit with y'all Dallas and Sutton. Thanks for driving so far to come see us. We plan on returing the favor this fall (or when Jay comes home). Until then we will continue to enjoy watching this video of Sutton pretending to be Ariel!

History Repeats Itself

2009-06-01T18:58:00.003-04:00

Those of you who have been following this blog from the very beginning may remember David doing the exact same thing. Here's hoping it doesn't take Wesley as long to say Mama, or at the very least he learns to say Mama before he says Pablo!

A Sign of the Times

2009-05-26T15:30:00.007-04:00

This morning Grandma (Jason's mom) came over to watch David while I took Wesley to the ENT. David hadn't seen her in a while and he began to tell her all the new things that have happened since he last saw her. Then he said "Come here Grandma I gotta show you something"...

...he took her to the window pictured above pointed to the spider web and said "Look Grandma, a website!".

I had a good laugh over that one. Kids sure are tech savvy these days, huh? Just so you know, said "website" is no longer up. It has been "de-bugged" and shut down ; )

A Rare Occasion

2009-05-19T17:31:00.005-04:00

David actually smiled and stood/sat still long enough for me to get some really good pictures of him today!

Well, as you see it didn't last long. Two will satisfy me for now though!

Another Successful CF Walk!

2009-05-17T12:40:00.017-04:00

Great Strides Walk 2009

"This team brought to you by the letter E"T-shirts: Front
and Back.

SJN Friends

Elena, whom we were all walking for!

David, Bobby, and Drew-the three amigos doing what they do best!

The "Royal Family"
The Goodrow Gang-Joel, Julie, Elena, Ethan, and newest family member baby Emily! Another fast and blessed adoption-Elena is so happy to finally have the sister she's been praying for!

A special thanks to all of you who supported me with a monetary donation. I am very grateful. Y'all are MY HEROES!!!

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart" Celia Thaxter

Reasons Why

2009-05-11T08:31:00.001-04:00

Last Call

2009-05-06T10:06:00.004-04:00

The CF walk is quickly approaching. I know times are tight for many of you, but if you can spare $1, $5, or even $10 it would be so helpful! If you have healthy children please consider making a donation in thanksgiving for the gift of their life. You'll be a hero to Elena and so many others battling this disease. Thank you and please watch these inspirational videos.

Best Friends

2009-05-02T11:16:00.005-04:00

+
=

Which is bigger - the fish or the smile?

2009-04-27T19:49:00.000-04:00

David spends Saturday morning's like any normal 3 yr old ... watching fishing shows with his Daddy. He get's so into them he even asks Daddy to rewind parts so he can watch them catch the fish again. This naturally progressed into wanting to do this himself so a few weekends ago David and Daddy went fishing on a local farm pond.

David's first Fish ....

The next weekend David asked to go again, so they went to a new pond and David landed his MPB (My Personal Best). ....

After several hours of fishing, and after all the worms were gone, David was found on the bank refusing to go home and casting the rod out all by himself with an empty hook - saying just one more cast Daddy. It was only after his Daddy told him that all the fish had gone to sleep that he finally conceded, and went home.

Given the last few weekends, his Daddy is convinced there will be life after his prosperous NFL career, as a professional fisherman on the Bassmaster's tour....

(Guest writer - Jason)

Put Me In Coach

2009-04-15T23:09:00.009-04:00

I'm ready to play...

today!

David has really been into playing baseball lately. He prefers for me to pitch to him as opposed to hitting the ball off of a tee. Seeing how I used to play softball and I was a pitcher too, I don't mind one bit. David isn't old enough to play on a team yet, but his cousin Ben is and he had his first practice the other day. Georgia played Georgia Tech in college baseball the other night so we thought it would be another cheap fun family outing. Y'all know Jason is a Georgia alumni, and our brother-in-law Drew is a Georgia Tech alumni so it makes for some interesting banter throughout the year.

Buy me some peanuts and...

My sister sure does have one good looking family *sigh* except for that Tech gear they are wearing ; )

The kids only made it eight innings, but that's okay since Georgia ended up losing the game. Better luck next time Diamond Dawgs!

G-Day

2009-04-13T16:15:00.006-04:00

This weekend Matt, Christy, Drew, and Natalie came for a visit. David and Drew had a great time playing together. Here is David's "You wanna ride in my jeep? Then what are you waiting for?" stance.
Christy decided this will be the picture ESPN will show of our boys when they grow up to play Georgia football together. I agree ; ) Saturday we went to Georgia's spring practice game known as "G-Day". Its usually free admission so its great family fun!Here is Jason showing David his name on the class of 2000 alumni plaque.

Wesley and I at Sanford Stadium.
David enjoying some m&m's.

Drew with his cousin Bobby. Bobby came with his daddy Jason. Missed you Becky!

Elena and some of her family came too. Missed you Julie!

Daddy takes a turn entertaining our youngest. Upon leaving the game we ran into...

Vince Dooley!
I could kick myself for not getting Wesley and I in this picture!

Before leaving that day Matt asked Jason to be his daughter Natalie's Godfather! It just doesn't get any better than that.

Walk With Me

2009-04-04T08:57:00.002-04:00

Please consider joining me to raise money for the cure of Cystic Fibrosis. Most of you know, David's good friend Elena battles this disease. Her parents Joel and Julie are Wesley's Godparents. During my recent hospital visits they took Wesley into their home and loved and cared for him as one of their own. I was so relaxed knowing he was with them. This family has done so much for me and my family that I feel the need to call on the rest of my support group to help them. Elena is now 5 years old and has avoided any hospital stays this year. Praise God! Also, there have recently been some new developments that pave the way for a cure of CF. (Click here to read more about it.) So...won't you walk with me in Atlanta on May 16th, or consider supporting me with a donation? Click on the Great Strides Logo to the right and thanks in advace for your support!

Wesley's Namesake

2009-03-22T16:50:00.005-04:00

We had a surprise visit today by Dan's best friend/Wesley's namesake. This was the first time he got to meet/hold our second son!

I just love it when something unexpected happens and that something is so good! Thanks for stopping in Wesley and Kriss! See you again at the beach this summer ; )

You Never Know Where One Might Be...

2009-03-17T21:05:00.005-04:00

Last week we took full advantage of the good weather and spent a lot of time outside. Good thing we did since we just had three days straight of rain! Amanda and Lana even joined us for a play date one day. We took the kids to the river park in our neighborhood.

We walked the nature trail. There was a lot to see too! Amanda pointed out where she could tell a mole had come through by some disturbed dirt. There were lots of down trees from the recent snow storm so it was a bit of an obstacle course at times. We saw some deer and two king fisher's.
Charlie of course had a grand ole time swimming, and...

David showed Lana the art of throwing rocks into the river. The temperature was perfect so we spent a few good hours there just letting the kids be kids. Shortly after we got home though, Amanda spotted a tick on Lana, so I did a once over on David but I didn't find anything. Later that evening after his bath, I found a tick behind his ear! It must have been in his hair (even though I looked there as best as I could) and then it crawled down to his ear. It sure does remind me of that Brad Paisley song ; )

I couldn't resist posting this picture of Wesley on St. Patrick's Day. We took him to the ENT last week and he does in fact need tubes. His surgery/procedure is later this month. Continue to keep us in your prayers!

Reflection

2009-03-12T21:15:00.009-04:00

A teacher from David's school passed away suddenly this week. From what I understand, she had the flu which very quickly developed into pneumonia and for reasons unknown to me, her immune system was already compromised, and she was unable to fight off the virus/infection. It started over the weekend. She went to the doctor on Tuesday and was immediately rushed to the hospital where she died that night. She is survived by her husband, Andy, and two elementary school aged children, Luke and Isabella, whom I am asking for prayers for.

Sandy was not one of David's teachers, but I did meet her last year when I observed her class with David one day. I came to check it out and relieve my concerns about germs and discipline. Unfortunately while I was there, one little boy bit another little boy. Neither the teachers, nor I saw what happened, but Sandy was the first one to get to the little boy who was crying. He lifted up his finger and Sandy could see bite marks. Next she went to the boy who did the biting and explained to him that what he did was wrong that it hurt and he needed to apologize. When the little boy refused to cooperate, she took his hand and made him say "I'm sorry" in sign language. (He also went to a "time out" with the school's director as that is their policy on such behavior.) Sandy taught me a great technique that day which I have used on David recently. Sometimes David is so shy he won't say "thank you" when things are given to him. I have taught him how to say it in sign language and I have tried to explain to him that its okay to be shy, but manners always come first. Thank you for that lesson Sandy.

I'm in Remission!

2009-03-10T21:37:00.001-04:00

I am happy to report that I am finally in remission from minimal change disease! Thank You God! I am very excited about the notion of being done with taking steroids in as little as two weeks! That is when my next doctor's appointment is. I will still be following my low sodium diet for a while as well as taking cyclosporine for six months to a year to keep the disease in remission. Thanks again for all of your prayers.

Six Inches, Snow-kidding!

2009-03-02T21:05:00.002-05:00

There had been hype for days that we would be getting snow yesterday. I guess I've heard it so many times over the years only to be disappointed, that I seriously doubted the weather reports. We left for our prayer group yesterday around noon. It was raining and starting to sleet a little as we were pulling out of the driveway. As we got closer to our destination it started snowing. Then it started sticking to the road. We made it there, had a nice time praying and good fellowship while enjoying the scenery. Around 4 pm, Jason went outside and quickly came back in to announce it was time for us to leave. We packed up and headed out unaware that our trip home would be so eventful! We were only halfway home when we were left with only one driveable lane. Then we saw a slow plow!?! I didn't know there were snow plows in Georgia! Shortly thereafter Jason had to put it in four wheel drive. We were only a few miles from home when we encountered a tree that had fallen down blocking the road. We had to turn around and take a dirt road. We arrived home safely but first we had to dodge a few power lines that had been knocked down and were hanging low. We weren't surprised to find our power out when we got home. We started a fire and David and Jason headed outside to play. These first three pictures and video were taken last night.

After having been without power for a few hours we had just taken some things out of the refrigerator and put them outside for the night. I lit some candles and was working up a plan on how to keep the kids warm through the night. Thankfully, shortly after that the power came back on! From what I hear, we were lucky though. We know some people who still didn't have power this morning. It was announced last night that our county's schools would be closed today. Jason got to stay home from work too and what a treat it was! The pictures below were taken today after the snow had melted a good bit.

That was our street. Since I'm on immuno-suppresive medication I decided to stay inside with Wesley. We watched through the window and occasionally opened the door to take a better look. Here he is playing inside...

Wesley so hungry...

...he could eat a pig ; )

So Much To Post, So Little Time!

2009-03-01T11:53:00.004-05:00

I usually only like to post about one event/subject at a time, but I don't want to fall too behind on blogging so this post is a review of our busy week! I still have lots of help from my two moms. I soo appreciate it and soo need it too. Also, David is really enjoying the time bonding with his two Grandmas. He flew a kite with my mom on one of the recent cold, windy days we've had. He still talks about it and asks to fly a kite again daily. This week Pat and David decorated Easter eggs...

The finished product, minus one that I ate ; ) Below are some great pictures of Wesley playing ball with Charlie Dawg outside.

Wesley can sit up on his own now!

On Thursday night we packed up the family and headed to the hospital to visit Miss Natalie Jean. I spent most of the time talking to Matt, Christy, and Drew, and holding/feeding Natalie so I didn't get an opportunity to take many pictures with my camera. Wouldn't change it though! Those were precious moments. I also couldn't resist buying this onesie for the new baby girl...
I thought I would share another art project David did at school this week. I am sooo appreciative his teachers are so crafty because I'm certainly not!
It was dinosaur week so they made these "fossils" out of play dough. So simple, but I never would have thought of it!

Yesterday was my nephew Ben's 5th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Once again, life got in the way of me taking pictures. However, my sister is on facebook and will probably post some pictures there so feel free to go check it out. Elena came to the party too and afterwards she came to the mall with us. David and Elena had a grand ole time pretend camping in tents, jumping on a trampoline...

...and riding on a kid train!

I'll leave you with a short update on my health. I am still doing much better, but having to go to Emory for weekly blood draws. My doctor is trying to wean me off steroids and it is a delicate process to ensure my kidneys keep working properly. I have really bad headaches daily which are a side effect of some of my medicines. I am hoping to be in remission soon though!

If You Can't Beat 'em...Join 'em!

2009-02-22T20:50:00.009-05:00

I think the toy David missed the most when he was away from home was the Jeep. One of the first days we came home, David asked Jason to ride with him in the Jeep around our property. Jason of course explained that he was too big to fit in it so David thought for a minute and then asked if Jason could follow him in his tricycle. Once again daddy explained he is too big for that. Then David said "you can follow me in your truck!" And Jason replied "Yes, yes I can." To Jason that somehow seemed like a perfectly acceptable thing to do. They have been doing it daily and have decided its called "jeeps n trucks". Ever since, David has been asking me to do the same. For a week I kept telling him that it was a daddy thing to do, not a mommy thing to do. Since they go in one big circle around the house, it just reminded me too much of NASCAR, which is the one sport I just cannot get in to! Alas, I think it is a lost cause. Last weekend Jason had the race on TV and David got all into it. He spotted the m & m car, decided he liked that one and started cheering for it. Jason said he almost cried real tears when it wrecked! David wanted it to win sooooo bad. Anyway...yesterday I decided, if you can't beat 'em, might as well join 'em! I really enjoyed driving Jason's truck and listening to his XM radio... I must admit, its not too bad of a game!

Can I Get A Break Already?

2009-02-17T20:08:00.007-05:00

Wesley has another ear infection. This makes number 6 and he isn't even eight months old yet! Ugh. Back to the ENT we go. Can I get a break already, especially regarding health issues? Let's focus on the positives...I was really impressed with the ENT when we took David, and Wesley will see the same doctor. If Wesley does need tubes, we've already met our deductible, and hopefully he will be too young to remember it...However, he did start crying the minute the pediatrician walked in the exam room today. Wesley knows who puts the otoscope in his ears-it really hurts him-my poor baby!

Speaking of health...I thought I would share what David did in school today. He made a set of teeth with "smarshmallows" (as David calls them) and learned how to brush properly. He even got a toothbrush and some toothpaste to take home! This got David all excited about brushing his teeth tonight. I just love it when something he learns at school makes my life easier ; )

A Mother's Love

2009-02-14T19:33:00.008-05:00

This week was full of highs and lows. I'm living in "survival mode" just doing what is necessary to get by because I'm still in a little bit of shock about everything that has happened to me. I keep telling people that "my brain has turned to mush!" But...with each new day I am getting better and stronger. I overdid it one day this week and paid for it the next day. Lesson learned.

Jason had to go out of town for work a few days this week, but my mom and Jason's mom took turns staying out here with me. I have seen the depths of these two mother's love for me and its awe inspiring! They continue to push themselves to the limit by helping me cook, clean, and take care of the kids all the while sacrificing their own chores at home (not to mention some much needed rest). I have a lot to live up to in these two great women.

David had a definite rough patch this week. He's not able to express his feelings about how all of this has affected him (i.e. I was scared, I didn't like being away from home and my own bed, etc.) and so his emotions have built up and unfortunately he takes it out on me. I think we have made some progress though. "Fixing" these behavioral problems is my top priority right now, and I know firsthand the healing a mother's love can do!

Here are my two favorite highs from this week. A picture of a gift David made for me at school for Valentine's (aka "Valentimes") Day, and a new video of Wesley. Enjoy!

Back To Reality

2009-02-07T20:59:00.005-05:00

Friday I had a follow-up appointment with my nephrologist. It was quite a sobering experience. I'm not sure I fully understood how bad it had gotten when I was in the hospital. The doctor said I actually went into acute renal failure and two other major organs-my liver and heart were starting to stress as well. I mean, I knew I was in bad shape and had a pretty good idea of what was going on, but I think I just finally realized how bad it really was! I have lost 20+ lbs of fluid since leaving the hospital. It is so strange to me that I could fluctuate that much in weight so quickly. What a disease! Like I said before...minimal change? What is with that name?

We finally made it home yesterday. I am happy to be alive and at home with my family. I'm trying hard not to get too overwhelmed too quickly. My body physically won't let me overdo it (just taking a shower is so very tiring right now) but my mind is all over the place. Jason has me trained to only plan the next 12 hrs of each day and that really helps me to not get too stressed out. Jason and my mom have been amazing. They still work tirelessly to ensure my every need is met. My mom has been trying to recover from surgery herself since December and finally had to go back to work on Friday. She came out here today though and took me grocery shopping since my diet is so restricted. Most of my all time favorite meals are no good for me now, but it helps that I do like a variety of foods. Jason is so tired from commuting from work, home, hospital, kids drop-off, kids pick-up, the never-ending list of store errands, bills, dogs, etc. etc. etc. He keeps pushing through it though. Boy did I do something right when I married him.

Wesley has actually been a real trooper through all of this. He now takes a bottle with ease. He is quite a socialized little boy. When David was this age, he was already very wary of anyone new holding him. Wesley doesn't care who holds him as long as he gets some attention! David probably needs the most prayers of all of us. He is such a sensitive little boy. His security blanket was ripped out from under him this past month. Any change in schedule really affects him and there has been no regularity to his days as of late. I am hoping a little extra TLC at home will help him get back to his usual self.

I'll leave you with two pictures of the kids that were hanging up in my hospital room which were my constant motivation to get better!

Sionara To Salt

2009-02-03T14:15:00.012-05:00

Well, I am finally out of the hospital, and in the words of my nephrologist "You don't mess around. When you get sick, you get sick!" After 12 days, 2 X-RAY's, 2 EKG's, 2 ultrasounds, one biopsy (not to mention all sorts of other fun small tests and lots and lots of medication) later...I'd have to agree with him!

I am nowhere near back to 100% yet, but I think I have finally "turned the corner" on the road to recovery. I still have 15-20lbs extra fluid from swelling on my body right now. Its crazy to be "blown up" and yet dehydrated at the same time. My fluid intake and outtake is strictly monitored. I am currently only allotted 2000 mg of sodium-that's only one teaspoon of salt per day!!!!! So it is only freshly prepared meals at home for me for a while. Fortunate am I that my parents are both wonderful cooks who have already been so creative to add variety and some taste to my diet! I have a follow-up appointment on Friday with my nephrologist and I am hoping to learn a lot more about adult minimal change disease and how this will affect my life from here on out. Although I have my theories about how I actually contracted this disease, I will truly never know for the sure. What I do know is that I will be on a combination of steroids/immuno-suppressive medications for at least six months.

But, Enough about me...I have some serious thank-yous in order. First off to Jason and my mom who have been by my side every moment possible. I'm absolutely positive I wouldn't be here right now if it hadn't been for their foresight and intervention into my medical care. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Goodrow Gang for taking in their Godson Wesley and making sure his every need was met. Julie even accomplished the impossible task of getting Wesley to take a bottle! To my personal "maid brigade" who came in between my two hospital stays to clean my house! I'll never forget waking up and asking my mom who was there and her telling me "Julie, Becky, and Amanda. They came to clean the house. They wanted to help so we let them." What amazing friends I have! Becky also brought us a meal that day which not only tasted delicious it was made with her special brand of love. We also had two meals brought over from our friends the Simmon's which were sooo appreciated. Amanda, my dad, and Jason's mom have taken turns watching David. This is no small feet for any of them, especially Amanda who not only has her two year old Lana to watch-she is pregnant with her second daughter and due in May! For Matt and Christy, Clint and Mandy, Joel and Julie, Becky and Jason, Priscilla and Steve for visiting me at Emory. I said it before, and I'll say it again-"it was truly chicken soup, er, em bulldog brew for the soul". For Becky's dad affectionately named "Papa" by his grandchildren who brought me communion on Sunday-what a gift! To my sister who has been watching Charlie Dawg for us. To my friends/blog buddies who sent an edible arrangement to me-I felt so loved! And last but not least all those who have been calling, texting, and praying for me and my family continually! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Words truly can't express how humbled and grateful I am. Once again, continued prayers are appreciated for my quick and full recovery!

What's In A Name ???

2009-01-31T14:20:00.008-05:00

I finally have a definitive diagnosis to my ongoing health issues: Minimal Change Disease. Which, my family and friends have all decided is a totally lame name! The name comes from the fact that there is "minimal change" between the biopsied tissue of a regular functioning kidney and the biopsied tissue of a kidney with MCD under a regular microscope. It takes a high powered electron microscope to see the disease. However, the name is very misleading because the disease does MAXIMAL change to one's body! Thanks for continued prayers. I Should be out of the hospital in a few days...

Not Much Of An Update, Update.

2009-01-16T15:36:00.009-05:00

I finally received the results of all of my tests today. (I actually had to repeat one of them a third time because it was processed incorrectly!) The nephrologist has ordered a kidney biopsy which he will ~~hopefully~~ probably perform on me next week. Soo, its not much of an update...just more tests and more waiting!

Testing 1, 2, 3

2009-01-09T20:01:00.011-05:00

I'll explain my recent absence on the blog in a minute but first some good news. David had his ENT appointment this week. The Doctor's recommendation: NO TUBES! Whoohoo!

Above is a picture I took from our driveway on Wednesday afternoon. I couldn't help but think that if there was ever a visual image of what my week has been, this would be it! I've been lamenting over this post for a few days now trying to figure out exactly what to say. Forgive me if is a bit broken up or hard to understand...

In my sick kids post, remember me mentioning that I didn't feel that great myself? About the time Wesley was diagnosed with RSV, I also had a bad cough/chest congestion as well as a sore throat. I went to my regular doctor who told me I had a sinus infection (no big surprise there-I've betting getting them about every two months). She told me to take an OTC decongestant, drink plenty of fluids, and get lots of rest (that's almost laughable to me as a stay at home mom).

Later that week I called back to tell her it had moved into my chest and I was wheezing a good bit. With that she prescribed an inhaler and an antibiotic. I felt like I was getting better but I still had a lingering cough as well as bad headaches and some flu like aches and chills.

Another week passed and my right knee started bothering me. At first it felt like I "tweaked" it the wrong way, but then it started swelling and causing me a great deal of pain. I finally decided I needed to see an orthopedist about it. I was going to call the next day until I noticed my forehead was swollen. I thought maybe both areas of swelling could be related. It was a Sunday evening and Jason was home from work so I figured I would try to take care of it that night so he wouldn't have to take any time off of work. The closest walk-in clinic was already closed for the evening so I went to the ER. The doctor did not think the swelling in my head and knee were related. Instead he focused on my head and ordered a CT scan. I was informed that I had sinusitis in my head and I was told to see an orthopedist about my knee. I was sent home with an antibiotic.

A few days later I finally went to see an orthopedist about my knee. He told me I had probably just overused my right knee (carrying kids up and down stairs etc.) and overcompensated for my left knee (which I have had two previous surgeries on and tend to favor). It was at that appointment that I noticed my right ankle was also swollen.

Then next day I noticed both my feet, ankles, and hands were swollen. On New Year's day I tried to go to the walk-in clinic once again, only to find them closed. This time instead of going to the ER I decided to wait until the next day to go back to my regular doctor's office. By chance I saw a different doctor this time who ordered some tests. The problem pointed to my kidneys but further testing needed to be done. Over this past week I performed a myriad of tests and waited for the results to come back.

With my files and test results in hand, I saw a nephrologist today only to find out he wanted to repeat all of the testing done by my primary care physician! Its very frustrating waiting for all of this to pan out, but I know I am finally in the right hands and exactly where I need to be. Hopefully I will finally get some answers next week.

Anyway...this is all the reason for my absence on the blog lately. I hope my blogger buds will understand my lack of commenting as well. Earlier this week while filling out paperwork at a doctor's office I had to laugh at one of questions I was to answer- "What are your hobbies/favorite activities?" Jason said I should put down, going to the doctor, but I decided just to leave it blank ; )

Another Milestone

2008-12-31T14:35:00.003-05:00

Wesley began eating rice cereal a few days ago and he was a pro from the start! I guess he was very ready for it, but I'm still glad I waited so long. Hopefully he will avoid getting mommy's awful allergies!

Christmas Morning Excitement!

2008-12-25T10:27:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas from Prince Charles and the rest of the

Royal Family ; )

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

2008-12-18T17:58:00.007-05:00

Here is Charlie Brown, Er, David in front of our Christmas Tree. Since Jason is a registered forester, there is no question that we have to get a real tree every year. This year's tree is actually kinda like the one Charlie Brown picked out. Its pretty skinny and it leans to one side. Jason wanted to go to the tree farm near our house, but I told him we should wait until next year when Wesley can join in the fun too.
These stockings are new this year. I cashed in some of my pampers rewards points for a gift card to L.L. Bean so I only paid half price for these!

Actually, all of my Christmas decorations were bought at 50% off one year or another! I just refuse to pay full price for much of anything.

I love nutcrackers. I would really like to expand my collection.

A friend of ours gave us this musical carousel. It plays lots of different Christmas songs. Both boys are just mesmerized by this when its on. The only thing I haven't been able to buy at half price after Christmas is outdoor decorative lighting. One of these years I am just gonna have to splurge on that!

SICK and TIRED of being SICK and TIRED

2008-12-15T20:51:00.011-05:00

Well, both boys are sick again. We found out Friday that the nasty cold David has is actually RSV which, he so kindly decided to share with his baby brother. Wesley was given a breathing treatment immediately at the doctors office and we were sent home with a prescription for a machine/medicine to administer them to him at home 3x a day. We spent all weekend inside the house trying to nurse them back to health. Saturday, both boys spiked a fever. We treated them both with repeated doses of Tylenol only to have the fever come back again and again. This morning it became obvious that our follow-up appointment originally scheduled for Tuesday couldn't wait even one more day. So, here is the latest. Wesley is no worse nor any better than he was on Friday. We are to continue his breathing treatments and he has another appointment this coming Friday. David has another DOUBLE EAR INFECTION! This can only mean one thing in our future-Tubes. We were given a prescription for another antibiotic (this makes the fourth one he has been on in six weeks) and a referral to an ENT specialist. We probably won't get an appointment until next year. Oh yeah, and did I mention I've been sick too? Fun stuff.

Anyway here is my personal conflict with all of this. I feel a tremendous sense of sadness and guilt for Wesley. When David was Wesley's age, he hadn't even been sick once yet! Wesley has had a sinus infection, two ear infections, and now RSV. He has been on three rounds of antibiotics in his short six months of life! That's Ridiculous!!! I am okay with David getting tubes. I mean, something has to be done-he's been fighting these same ear infection(s) since Halloween! What bothers me though is that he is old enough to understand what is going on and the whole process about being put to sleep will have to be explained to him. Given his nature and personality its not going to go very well. (He still vividly remembers when Wesley was born and is very wary anytime we mention hospitals. He automatically associates a hospital with mommy and daddy leaving for a few days.) I know most of this has come about due to the exposure the boys have had (either directly as in David's case or indirectly as in Wesley's case) to everything at mother's morning out. Honestly, the "time off" was nice, but I really just wanted David socialized since he is naturally such a shy, introverted kid. I am seriously going to have to re-think the benefits versus costs of having David involved in mother's morning out. Sorry if this is sounds more like a vent-I was really just trying to post an update. Please, please pray that my kids get better soon!

Outtakes

2008-12-10T09:35:00.001-05:00

I was looking at some old videos the other day, and I decided to put together some cute outtakes that never made it to the blog...

David is no longer complaining that his ear hurts, but we won't know for sure if his ear infection is gone until his doctors visit next week. In the meantime he has managed to catch a nasty cold. Poor kid just can't get better!

I also wanted to share these pictures I took yesterday. I had the camera in my hand ready to get Wesley's reaction as Jason walked in the door coming home from work. As you can see, he was very excited to see his daddy again!

Gee, I Wonder Where He Gets It From

2008-12-03T19:42:00.009-05:00

In going through my baby book looking for another picture (still searching for it Julie), I came across this one taken of me when I was little.
Its no surprise where David got his dislike for having his picture made! I guess I don't have room to complain anymore-sorry mom!

I also wanted to share a conversation that took place yesterday morning while Jason was putting on his shoes...

David: "Daddy, are you going to work?"

Jason: "Yes"

David: "Why you got to go to work?"

Jason: "So I can earn money"

David: "Why you got to earn money?"

Jason: "So we can buy you sticker books."

David: "But Daddy I have stickers right here!"

Jason: "Okay, then I have to go to work to earn money so we can buy some cars."

David: "But Daddy I have cars in my room!"

Jason: "Well, how about I go earn us money to buy a Christmas Tree?"

David: "Okay. Bye Daddy!"

*Please say a littler prayer for David. One of his ears is still infected! It just won't go away! We are on our third round of antibiotics and he is still in pain. If this doesn't work, we will be referred to an ENT specialist.

Tagged

2008-12-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

I was tagged by Lori to post the fourth picture in my fourth folder. Here it is...

...a picture of the park in our neighborhood. Boring, I know. So I will put up another post ASAP. In the meantime, I am tagging Becky, Julie, and Kelly.

My Favorite Holiday

2008-11-29T18:35:00.008-05:00

Here are a few pictures I took on Thanksgiving (my favorite meal and favorite holiday) at my parents house...

What is Thanksgiving without football? This reminded that one year(when the boys are of age) I want Becky's son's and nephew's to join my sons and nephews for a scrimmage game.

Visiting with Oma during "halftime".
My nephew Will wanting to play football with the big boys.

Isn't he the cutest?

Papa John reading Wesley a book...

...and cuddling, cooing, and just enjoying his youngest grandson.

Hope Everyone had an enjoyable holiday!

"We can always find something to be thankful for, no matter what may be the burden of our wants, or the special subject of our petitions."Albert Barnes

Can We Fix it? Yes We Can!

2008-11-27T20:05:00.007-05:00

Yesterday Becky, Christy and I took, Bobby, Drew, and David to the children's museum of Atlanta. David and I almost didn't make it as we have had a rough couple of days. He still isn't feeling all that well which hasn't allowed him a restful night in a while. This is not a good combination of things to throw at a three year old! When I called Christy yesterday morning to tell her we were coming but that I couldn't promise David would behave she responded with "Can we ever promise that about our kids, even when they aren't sick?" Well Said Christy! I also told her, it would have been more of a punishment for me than it would have been for David if I chose to stay at home. I was so looking forward to a day out with mine and my son's friends.If you couldn't guess from the title of this post, Bob the Builder is there right now. This Bob statue only has four fingers but that's nothing compared to the person in the actual Bob costume-David was afraid of him/her and rightly so-it even scared me a little bit!

David and Bobby on a John Deere.
Loading Groceries.

Drew and Bobby in the kitchen...
...and David in the laundry room.
This ball machine was probably David's favorite activity. I think he even liked it better than playing at the train table!

Fishin'

Thanks Becky and Christy for a fun day. I truly need time away from the house this week and I'm so happy I got to spend it with good friends and their great kids!

Bicycle Airplane

2008-11-24T20:09:00.004-05:00

I have a funny story to share...well, the funny part doesn't happen until the end so bear with me. First some background information. A few weeks ago Wesley had an ear infection and David had a double ear infection. Both went on antibiotics and both boys infections went away. This past Friday David started complaining of an ear ache but later in the afternoon he said he felt better. Saturday it was apparent neither he nor Wesley felt well. The pain escalated that night as Tylenol wasn't working for Wesley nor was Motrin working for David. Yesterday we called their pediatrician who suggested we meet him at a local hospital so he could see us in between his rounds. (I am so glad we switched doctors when Wesley was born. David's previous pediatrician never would have done that!) Once again Wesley has an ear infection and David has a double ear infection! So...let's do the math. That's two boys, four ears, and six ear infections in less than one month! Anyway...on our ride home from the hospital, several cars in front of us, there was a bicycle attached to the roof. David said "Look! I see a bicycle airplane!" I burst out laughing because from his vantage point, what he saw looked something like this...

Both boys have been in A LOT of pain with David's being exceptionally bad. One show will keep his mind off of it though, and that's Imagination Movers.
Its one that Jason and I don't mind watching with him either! I have actually done some research on these guys and I have a lot of respect for them. David likes them so much he asked for a stuffed warehouse mouse for Christmas. Too bad they don't make one yet!

In other news, David was serious when he said he didn't smile for his school pictures. Can this kid frown or what?!?!
I know they were probably pressed for time, but I honestly think they could have tried a little harder...

All you have to do is distract him, make him laugh, and then snap the picture before he figures out what you are going to do! Oh Well. The bright side is I will save some money by not placing an order!

Five Months

2008-11-19T20:48:00.010-05:00

Wesley is now five months old. My doctor told me that if a baby is breastfed exclusively for six months it will almost eliminate the chance he will develop allergies. I have pretty bad allergies myself and so its worth it to me if I can prevent my children from getting allergy shots like I have to do. Soo...we will wait one more month before we start rice cereal! From the looks of it though, he's doing just fine, even with his hunger strikes!

Playing Is Hard Work

2008-11-11T16:53:00.002-05:00

David Meets Hairy Dawg

2008-11-08T09:15:00.013-05:00

We had so much fun at last year's UGA basketball exhibition game, we decided to go again this year. This year Joel and Elena decided to join us. David wasn't quite as overwhelmed this time so he was able to really get into it!

David was very intent on the game. If people would stand up and cheer in front of him, he would look at us and say "I can't see!"
He would even clap when Georgia would score! He sat on the edge of his seat because he is still not big enough/heavy enough to keep the seat from folding in on him.Once again, he enjoyed watching the cheerleaders/dance team and he would often tell us he wanted them to come back out and do another routine.The Pep Band.

Last year David met Spike, and this year he got to have his picture taken with Hairy Dawg. He could have had one taken with the cheerleaders too, but he was too shy. As you can see, we barely got this one!

Or, it could be the fact that lately he HATES getting his picture taken as evidenced above. He had his picture taken at school this week and his teachers told me he was not too thrilled about it. I asked him if he smiled and he said "No, I made a frowny face." Oh how he reminds me of myself when I was a kid!
I did manage to capture one without him knowing though-sneaky mommy ;)

Wesley did really good too! It was really bright and loud in there but he was a trooper. I tried to cover his ears when the announcer came over the loud speaker or the band played.

And it must have worked too because despite all the noise, he fell asleep! We missed you Julie and Ethan, but it looks like this has become a tradition for us so there's always next year!

Yogurt Mustache

2008-11-05T17:50:00.007-05:00

December 2006

November 2008

I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same!

Another Mountain Weekend

2008-11-02T12:48:00.005-05:00

We went to the Goodrow's mountain home again last weekend and I am just now getting around to posting it-sorry! I spent most of the week playing catch-up on all the household chores! The Beckman's joined us this trip, and Joel's parents were also there this time for a total of 8 adults and 6 kids!

David, Joel's dad, holding Leslie.

Susie, Joel's Mom, reading to Elena and David.

Don't let this picture fool you. Elena and David have ended their love affair (we think.) Elena grew up and David decided he likes to play with boys better than girls. They pushed each other's buttons the whole weekend...

...but managed to cooperate long enough to decorate this ginger bread house Susie bought for the kids. Meanwhile, David's cousin, Ben has decided to step in and take over the role of Elena's boyfriend.

We had beautiful weather most of the weekend.

Once again, we roasted s'mores in the outdoor fireplace.
Leslie enjoying an adirondack chair.

Wesley enjoying the mountain air. Bobby and David were attached at the hip all weekend. They had a great time playing together......and getting into trouble. Bobby's daddy called them the "Tornado Brothers".

Elena playing the role of mommy...
...and big sister.

The kids enjoyed watching "Polar Express" at night.

So cute in their jammies!

All 6 kids of our kids;Ethan and Elena, Wesley and David, Leslie and Bobby. Whew!

Thanks David and Susie for opening your home to us! We had a wonderful time.

Just Tell Us The Truth...

2008-11-01T20:44:00.001-04:00

For My AGD Sisters*

2008-10-24T09:56:00.006-04:00

*AGD stands for Alpha Gamma Delta, the women's fraternity I was in at NGCSU. Our mascot is the squirrel, so I just had to get this outfit for Wesley!

# 1 Babysitter

2008-10-20T18:54:00.010-04:00

Our # 1 babysitter hasn't had much exposure on the blog lately. Sorry Charlie!

David is scared to play in our basement by himself, but he is fine as long as Charlie is there. Jason or I walk them both down and put Charlie on a stay command and he will keep David's company. Good Boy Charlie! He is paid with lots of love, table scraps, and frequent walks. However, he is still in need of a girlfriend...

Peek-A-Boo

2008-10-15T18:06:00.000-04:00

What Can I Say Except I'm One Proud Mama!

2008-10-09T16:37:00.001-04:00

"Of Mice And Men" Part II

2008-10-01T15:26:00.012-04:00

Saturday we went to the UGA vs. Alabama game. Given the already known and disappointing outcome of the game, its safe to say the best party of the day was tailgating.

Julie and I in our blackout attire. Even Jason's beer was blacked out!
Cornhole-a new experience for me-pretty fun!

And then we arrive at the stadium with our hopes up-after all Lee Corso picked Alabama ; )The dawgs warming up.
The student section blacked out and so were the letters on the field-that didn't happen last year!

The crowd did its part that's for sure. It truly was a tale of two halves. The team didn't show up for the first half, but gave it all they had during the second. It was 0-31 at halftime, but most fans didn't give up until late in the fourth quarter. It sure was hard to watch. We went home with broken hearts but sooo looking forward to Elena's 40 pound party the next day. Visit the Goodrow Gang for pictures from this event. Unfortunately I didn't get any as we arrived late and had to leave early. Wesley went on another hunger strike during the game and still wasn't eating that great on Sunday. I'll Say it again, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry".

Train Museum Trip

2008-09-30T15:00:00.000-04:00

We had another very busy but fun weekend. Friday, we finally gave David his birthday gift. We were supposed to do this a few weeks ago, but David ended up catching his first stomach virus. Jason took the day off of work, so we dropped Wesley off with Grandma, and took David to the southeastern railway museum for a day out alone with mom and dad. We thought he would appreciate not being told "we can't do that right now because I am feeding your brother" or "shh Wesley is sleeping" just for one special day. Also, we thought an experience would be better than any toy.

The museum was pretty neat to Jason and I. Lots of very old restored trains that you are able to walk through and see what they looked like in their heyday. The train above is almost 100 years old and has made appearances in Biloxi Blues and Fried Green Tomatoes.
This train used to be at Stone Mountain and was David's absolute favorite. I'm not sure if its because it is the very first one he climbed up into or the fact that it is red and black ; ) Jason and I took turns sitting up there with David because he did not want to get out.

And here is a picture of us in front of the train we got to ride in. The trip itself was very anti-climatic. We literally went forward backed up and went forward again. Seriously. That was it. I guess the kids don't know any better...

...but I sure am glad we paid extra for David to ride with the engineer. He even got to blow the whistle! There was so much for him to take in that he was on sensory overload most of the time.

Both boys fell asleep before we got out of Grandma's neighborhood. More to come from the weekend...

Adults Say The Darndest Things

2008-09-25T17:17:00.008-04:00

I had an experience just the oppostie of Caron today. I was at a store today when this conversation took place...

Random Lady:*Looking at Wesley* "How old is your baby?"
Me: "Three months"
Random Lady:"Oh, is it a girl?"
Me:*Thinking to myself, can't you see he is wearing blue?* "No, its a boy."
Random Lady: "Oh! I bet people come up to you all the time and tell you what a beautiful girl that is!"

Say What?!?! Didn't her mother teach her that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all?!?! My only thought is that she said that because my son has a lot of hair? And no, I don't hear that all the time thank you very much!

School Update

2008-09-19T14:36:00.012-04:00

David is still doing really well at school. He doesn't cry anymore when I drop him off, and at home he is a more confident/independent child! He has even been rewarded with candy for good behavior! His teachers tell me that he is not that into art and crafts as showcased below...

...but that he loves music and songs. In fact he often sings the songs he learned at school when playing at home. At first I thought "criss cross applesauce" was part of a song, but my teacher friends told me that is how they get the kids to sit down on the floor (I guess saying Indian style isn't politically correct anymore ; ) The other day he was singing "and that's what its all about" and I could tell they did the hokey pokey that day. I'm guessing his favorite thing about mothers morning out is playing outside, which they do at the end of the day as long as the weather permits. Thursday when I picked him up I noticed his hands were dirty so we washed them before leaving. Then when I was buckling him in his car seat I noticed his knees were dirty too. I asked him how he got so dirty and he said "Mommy, I don't like Emma L. She pushed me on the playground." And so the life lessons begin...

Hunger Strike

2008-09-17T21:05:00.018-04:00

Wednesday we had a play date scheduled with Amanda, Davis, and Marleigh. It didn't quite go as I had expected. Wesley decided to go on a hunger strike which worried me sick! This is the second bout we've had with him resisting eating. He fed at 2 am and didn't eat again until 2 pm-that's 12 hours without a feeding! He's never gone that long between feedings (and certainly never during the day when he is awake) I tried everything and I was in constant communication with Jason and the doctors office. All the while Amanda was watching David along with her own two kids as I tried, tried, and tried again to feed Wesley. Poor girl thought we were going to have a play date but instead she ended up being my babysitter! I snapped these quick photos of the kids when we were walking them out to the car. David and Davis loved running through the grass barefoot! I can't say I blame them, that is one of my favorite things to do too.

I finally got to meet miss Marleigh too although I didn't get to hold her as much as I would have liked. She loves to smile and has the sweetest disposition. What a cutie!

Here is a recent pic of Wesley who is giving me a lot of premature grey hairs lately! He's been seen twice now about his lack of appetite and both times he checked out fine. They have told me both times they think it is probably just a stomach bug. It is possible since David had one last week too...

Happy 3rd Birthday David!

2008-09-10T11:14:00.000-04:00

Labor Day Visit

2008-09-07T13:40:00.006-04:00

On labor day Jason's uncle Don and Aunt Julia came for a visit. Before they came Jason and David had this conversation...

Jason: "David, you know how you are Wesley's big brother?"

David: "Uh huh."

Jason: "Well, Grandaddy's big brother, Uncle Don is coming to visit us today!"

David: "Is Grandaddy coming too?"

Jason: "No, remember he's with Jesus."

David: "Oh, at church? Let's go get him!"

...it sure is hard to explain heaven to an almost three year old.

David loved his great uncle. He didn't want to leave Uncle Don's side all day! They may have left Louisiana in time to miss Hurricane Gustav, but they did experience the bundle of energy that is "Hurricane David"!

They got to meet Wesley for the first time too. Thanks for visiting Don and Julia. We had a wonderful time and miss you already!

For Becky

2008-09-04T23:15:00.003-04:00

Jason says David has a future in Nascar. Let's hope not, because I sooo agree with Becky on this one.

"Its Saturday in Athens!"

2008-09-02T15:03:00.009-04:00

Football season is here again! Saturday was opening day and of course we were there to cheer on the Pre-season #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs.

Julie and I saying "Moreno for Heisman" ; )
Matt and Christy cute as always. Wish I had taken more pictures while tailgating. The early games leave little time for that!Memorial to UGA VI and...
...the unveiling of UGA VII, "Loran's Best". He's a cutie!

"Its time to tee it up between the hedges!"
In the blazing heat, the Bulldogs defeated the Georgia Southern Eagles 45-21. Will UGA have a championship year? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure...we will be at every home game to cheer them on!

Totally Blog Worthy

2008-08-29T23:14:00.001-04:00

If you've ever met David, you know that the word shy doesn't even begin to cut it when describing this kid. He clings to Jason or I for dear life anytime we go somewhere, even if he's been there many, many times. It takes him a good 20-30 minutes to warm up at places he's been before, and probably about an hour or more at new places. He won't talk to anyone new (especially people at check-out counters) and will barely speak to people he knows really well! This week was David's first time at mother's morning out. Tuesday was open house and he sat in my lap the entire time and didn't say a word. To say I was nervous about his first day on Thursday was an understatement! I knew it wasn't going to be pretty. Jason really wanted to take him to "school" on his first day so I gladly let him take over that responsibility as I knew he'd do much better than me! The school's policy on inconsolable children is that they will give them 30 minutes to calm down and after that they will call the parents to come pick them up. I fully expected to get a call, but to my surprise he made it the entire day!!!! Jason said the drop-off went about like I expected but he waited at the end of the hall for a few minutes and when he couldn't hear him crying anymore he left for work. 3 hours later it was time for me to pick him up. David didn't see me or hear me call his name at first when I got there so I was able to watch him in action. He was helping pick up by scooting chairs back into place-SO CUTE! He was excited to see me and I was beyond thrilled that he made it all day and that he did so well! David even brought home what is now our first piece of refrigerator artwork. From the looks of it though, the teachers did most of the work ; )

Here's what I did with my "free time". I got to blog the previous post, do a load of laundry, hold Wesley for a long time talking/cooing/reading to him, and play ball with Charlie! I know Wesley was especially appreciative to have his mommy all to himself and a quiet house for just a few hours ; ) Now, I'm praying it goes just as well on Tuesday!

*A special thanks to Jason's mom aka Grandma for David's backpack. She wanted David to have a UGA backpack and she looked all over Athens and the Internet and would you believe there just isn't a UGA toddler backpack? She decided to get innovative and buy a toddler backpack and turn it UGA herself. I must say she did a pretty good job!

What We've Been Up To

2008-08-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

Things have been pretty busy around here lately thus my lack of updates. Earlier this week, Jason went to Arizona on business...

...and got to ride in a helicopter!

While Jason was away his cousin Justin came for a visit. David had the best time visiting/playing with him.

Wesley is all smiles these days and will even throw in a good laugh now and then...

...and me? I'm just happy to be their servant!

Its my 29th Birthday! No, really it is.

2008-08-21T00:00:00.003-04:00

But, I do stop aging this year ; )

Because My Sister Doesn't Have A Blog

2008-08-20T14:17:00.007-04:00

I thought I would share these super cute pictures of my nephews. We went to Kidsignments yesterday and my sister Lara bought these costumes for her boys. She sent these pictures in an e-mail to me this morning along with the quoted text below... "The new law in town! Here is Police Ben (instead of Policeman), as he dubbed himself, and Sheriff Will."

Weekend In The Mountains

2008-08-11T18:15:00.009-04:00

The Royal Family went on a fun weekend excursion with the Goodrow Gang. This is Joel's parents mountain home...

Gorgeous inside and out

Breathtaking views and highs in the 70's!

The Royal Family minus Charlie Dawg and me ; )

The Goodrow Gang

Path to the...
...amazing outdoor fireplace!
David LOVED riding in the jeep. This was just one of many firsts for him this weekend. He would jump up and down in excitement before he got to ride in it......and cry when he had to get out. David and Elena while visiting a nearby waterfall. These two act more like brother and sister right now, but if you ask David who is girlfriend is he says "Nena" (photo courtesy of the Goodrow Gang)
Elena enjoying the horse swing.

Charlie Dawg enjoying the fresh mountain air.

David roasting his first marshmallow.

This was actually his first taste of one too! I guess he likes them because he kept shoveling them in his mouth one after another! (photo courtsey of the Goodrow Gang)

On the way home yesterday, we stopped in a nearby town and went to evening mass. David asked why we were stopping and Jason told him we needed to thank Jesus for our weekend in the mountains. During the Gospel reading David spontaneously blurts out "Thank you Jesus for the mountains!" Upon entering Jason's truck this conversation ensued...

Jason: "You made Jesus so happy when you thanked him for the mountains."

David: "He's sad."

Jason: "Who's sad?"

David: "Jesus."

Jason: "Why?"

David: "Because he wants you to take me to the mountains again...and again and again and again and again!"

Visit the Goodrow Gang for more pictures and two super cute videos of David and Charlie Dawg.

A Look Back: Georgia Bulldogs 2007

2008-08-04T21:14:00.002-04:00

Wesley's Baptism

2008-08-03T19:50:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was an absolutely glorious day as Wesley was baptized! We appreciate all who came and celebrated with us. A special thanks to Joel and Julie for being Wesley's Godparents.

Baby Calisthenics

2008-08-01T22:37:00.001-04:00

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

2008-07-28T19:19:00.007-04:00

We've been so blessed to have so much help lately. On Friday Julie and Amanda came over for a visit and brought the kiddos for a play date. They prepared a delicious lunch and even did the dishes. I was really happy to have some time to socialize, and especially appreciative that David to have someone to play with. The kids spent a lot of time playing in the backyard and the basement. (You'll have to visit Julie and Amanda's blogs for pictures of that. I was feeding Wesley a lot of the time.) I did get some great pictures of the kids at one of our favorite hang outs; the local peach orchard. We bought fresh peaches and as always homemade peach ice cream.

Elena and David just love to hold hands when they walk. Poor Lana seems to be saying "Hey, wait for me!"

All saying "cheese", but none looking at the camera!

Jason says that Ethan needs to teach Wesley how to smile. Its difficult to not get a picture of that kid smiling!

Saturday Matt and Christy came over with their son Drew. They stayed until Monday evening and were truly a huge help! Matt fixed us supper and did some chores around the house. Christy was awesome at helping me take care of the kids. She is a natural with Wesley and he really enjoyed all of her attention. I could see the exhaustion in their faces as they were leaving and I told them it was a good thing they are already expecting baby number 2 (who is affectionately named "deuce" for the time being). They might have changed their minds after all the work they did this weekend! Luckily we did squeeze some fun time in too. Christy and I went shopping for a little while on Saturday and Jason and Matt went fishing on Sunday. Here's two cute pictures of Drew and David...

How dirty boys get clean!

Thanks for your help everyone! I am absolutely humbled by your kindness and generosity.

Beach Trip

2008-07-17T21:52:00.007-04:00

Jason had a company trip to Amelia Island, FL for a few days so David, Wesley, my mom, and I decided to tag along and make a "vacation" out of it. A vacation it was not! We couldn't keep both boys happy at the same time, but it was not for lack of trying! I will say this...the change of scenery was nice and it was definitely a "learning experience". Now we know what to do to improve any future family trips.The second to last day of the trip the air conditioning to the condo went out and we were forced to move units. It was soo not fun but it ended up being soo worth it as it was a much nicer place with a much nicer view so we soaked it in as much as we could be before it was time to leave...

Wesley will actually take a pacifier now (with a lot of persuasion ; )
David really enjoyed going to a "big pool" for the first time. Like most kids, the best part about it was jumping off the side into daddy's arms.

Sorry I've been MIA for two weeks-I'm still adjusting to my new life as a mother of two. I am in serious need of a maid! Alas a quote my friend Dallas put on her blog brings me comfort;

"The cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my babies, and babies don't keep."
- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Gotta Start 'Em Out Right!

2008-07-01T21:47:00.002-04:00

For Amanda who asked, "About the boys wearing the same UGA sleeper home... did you read something about the importance of development for sports fans and how the earlier you get a kid in fan-gear, the more likely they are to become a fan themselves?"

Wesley is off to a good start too...

Now, let the countdown until football season begin!

Whoohoo!

Can't Help But Compare Them Already

2008-06-26T22:20:00.001-04:00

For those of you who commented that you thought Wesley looks like David...you were right!

Above is a picture of David just before we left the hospital.
This is a picture of Wesley (in the same UGA sleeper no less) before we left the hospital. Pretty close, huh? Actually, David was born with about two times the amount of hair Wesley has. No kidding! To be fair, I should state that David spent three weeks longer in utero. So...I guess Wesley will look pretty similar to this in two and a half years... David has been one awesome big brother so Jason decided to reward his good behavior with a CAT construction electric train complete with diggers, bulldozers, and dump trucks which ride on top of railway cars. (Of course engine, tender car, and caboose were also included.) David's two loves trains and construction combined together for only $12! Does it get any better????
The above picture showcases one of the smartest parenting decisions Jason and I have made thus far (and may be why David has transitioned from only child to big brother so well). Most people buy the older sibling a gift when a younger sibling is born. We did that, but decided to tell him the gift was from Wesley! David has been asking for "Mack" for about a month now. We bought it and saved it to give him the day he met his younger brother. He loves it and will be the first to tell you who gave it to him!

New Family Pictures

2008-06-25T15:03:00.002-04:00

The Godparents

The Grandparents

The Daddy

The Big Brother

The Cousins

Birth Pictures

2008-06-23T17:32:00.005-04:00

Wesley James

7lbs 12 oz

20 1/2 in

Wesley's Nursery

2008-06-14T14:01:00.006-04:00

Nothing like waiting until the last minute to finish the nursery! Here are a few pictures of the finished product...

This is the same rocker that Jason's mom rocked him in when he was a baby. She gave it to us when we got married. We had it re-covered as it used to be a seventies yellow/orange color. David was rocked in this chair and Wesley will soon have his turn.

David has really enjoyed being Daddy's little helper lately. He was a big help putting together Wesley's bookcase and dresser/changing table. We've moved many things from David's room to Wesley's and it has been very encouraging to us that he hasn't seemed jealous at all!

This sign is in the hallway between the boys rooms.

Appropriate, no?

You Know The Drill (Pun Intended)

2008-06-09T15:27:00.004-04:00

Well folks, another one of my friends started blogging. I met Stacey while working for the Statesboro Herald-she was a graphic designer (and a darn good one at that) and I was an account executive. She currently lives in Alaska but you can probably guess that won't be permanent from the title of her blog "Being a work at mommy & army wife". You know the drill...stop on over for a visit, introduce yourself, and leave a comment ; )

New Blogger

2008-06-03T08:53:00.004-04:00

I had the privilege of adding another link to my blog roll the other day. My friend Lauren started a blog-Yay! I've known her since the first grade (I've blogged about that before). We've been through every major milestone in life together and have still remained friends. Lauren just finished up her nursing degree and I am so proud of her for doing that while juggling the responsibilities of a wife and mother of two. Go on over to go to Married...With Children introduce yourself and don't forget to leave her some comments ; )

Dawgs Love Trucks!

2008-05-30T20:45:00.006-04:00

Jason picked up his brand new company truck on Tuesday. This is the first time he has ever had a brand new vehicle! Just in case you can't tell, its a 2008 black Chevrolet Silverado crew cab.
When David first got in it he said. "This truck is higher than the other one. I like it." Jason was driving a hand me down company car-a beat up Ford Explorer. It became so unreliable the office staff called it "the exploder". We had to get a bed mat before Charlie could take a ride.

Happy Trails!

Memorial Day

2008-05-28T11:11:00.008-04:00

Just like memorial day last year, we decided it would be a good day to spend at the house in the pool. I'm sorry to say that last year's pool didn't make it over the winter. Charlie found it in the garage and chewed a hole in it. Its just as well though as I grew frustrated with it last summer as it took forever to get all of the pieces blown up-even with an air pump! Plus, it was hard to store as it would still be wet and have grass clippings on it once we were finished using it for the day and all of the air was out of it.

David trying to smile with the sun in his eyes while sporting his crab swim trunks.

The new pool!

Waiting for the water to warm up.

Charlie thinking about getting in...

...but deciding its better as a giant water dish.
Trying out the slide...
...and making some wake!

We sure did have a fun weekend, but it ended abruptly. Monday night David woke up about an hour into his sleep hysterically crying and coughing at the same time. It took us a while to calm him down but eventually he climbed back in his bed and went to sleep. He was restless the rest of the night and with each breath in and out it sounded like a combination moan/wheeze. Needless to say I was worried sick about him and didn't get much rest. Jason ended up sleeping in his room on the floor so I could relax enough to fall asleep. David woke up yesterday morning saying he felt fine but he had a barking cough. Then he spiked a fever and seemed to grow more and more lethargic as the day went on. I took him to the doctor and found out he has the croup and an ear infection! My Poor Baby!

Fathers/Uncles of Boys...

2008-05-26T11:30:00.003-04:00

...get tackled! We were determined to see the laser show at Stone Mountain this weekend. Friday, the rain kept us from going, but we were able to make it on Saturday. This was actually one of the things on my "to do" list before Wesley arrives. David loves fireworks and it was a great weekend to go as they set off more than usual to celebrate memorial day.

"Why?"

2008-05-23T15:28:00.003-04:00

Its a simple question, really. When asked over, and over, and over again, it can drive anyone batty. This is David's most favorite thing to ask all day long. I usually go through a series of three "why's?" before I just don't have any more answers. For a while he would stop when we would just answer with "the end". Now he says "No mommy, a book says the end". Jason has even resorted to using the phrase he promised himself he would never say; "because I said so!". But by the time Jason comes home from work I have answered this question for ten hours straight! I pray this phase ends relatively soon...

Weekend Events

2008-05-19T09:23:00.009-04:00

Friday Jason worked a half-day and then we packed up and headed to Augusta for his cousin's wedding. I can't believe how quickly time flew between the time we were asked to be in the wedding, until the actual day. (I love how in that post that I linked to, I talked about losing weight to fit in a decent sized bridesmaids dress and instead I ended up being 8 and 1/2 months pregnant ; )

The rehearsal/rehearsal dinner was so much fun there was even an after party! I opted to turn in early as I don't have too much energy these days. Saturday morning we slept in as long as possible since David stayed home with Oma and Pop. Thanks sooo much mom and dad!

Here is the bride, finding her "happy place" while listening to Margaritaville. Amanda and Beau (or as Jason likes to call them, The Cosby's-she is a lawyer he is a doctor).
Dr. and Mrs Yawn. Pat (Jason's mom aka Grandma) and her sister Marilyn.
Be sure to visit them at their blog. Give them a few weeks though-they are currently honeymooning and shortly after they return, they will be moving to Pittsburgh, PA...should make for some interesting blog material! (Sorry there are no pictures of Jason in his tux and me in the bridesmaids dress-I pretty much run and hide from any camera these days ; )

Sunday just before mass I felt a tap on my shoulder. To my surprise David's girlfriend Elena was standing right next to me! Joel, Julie, Elena, and Ethan came to our church because they were in the area on business and wouldn't be able to make it home in time to go to their service. After mass we decided to go out to breakfast, and then they came over to our house for a visit. David got out the jeep and decided to take Elena for a ride. We joked that they were leaving for their first date. Check out Elena on her "cell phone". Its just like a girl to be talking on the phone while her man is driving ; )

In this picture it appears David might be driving over the speed limit ; )

Thanks so much for coming to visit us Goodrow Gang-we were sad we missed the CF walk on Saturday, but we really enjoyed spending time with you on Sunday!

Yet Another Video...

2008-05-14T14:46:00.001-04:00

I think David is ready to have a little brother to play with...

...although Charlie certainly is a good sport!

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T23:59:00.009-04:00

Mother's of sons...

...get matchbox cars for Mother's day! Jason asked David what he wanted to get me for Mother's day and he quickly came back with "a car!". The one pictured above is the one he picked out all by himself! Yesterday I asked David if he wanted to play with it as I would be happy to share my car with him, but he wanted me to have it-its the little things that mean so much ; )

In other Mother's day news, my Godson Ethan was Baptized! Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from the event, but I will post some (or link to some) as soon as I can. Happy Mother's day to all you Mom's out there, especially to Jason's Mom and My Mom!

Cue The Mexican Hat Dance

2008-05-05T11:10:00.006-04:00

The Three Musketeers?

The Three Stooges?

Nah. Los Tres Amgios!

Happy El Cinco De Mayo ; )

We Need Your Help

2008-04-28T15:29:00.004-04:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Every year we participate in "Great Strides" a walk raising money for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. David's good friend Elena battles this disease. Unfortunately we won't be able to attend the walk this year, so we need your help. Please watch this inspirational video below and consider making a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Elena 2008

Click here to make a donation, and thanks in advance for your support.

Love always,

Jason, Andrea, and David

Kids Love Chocolate

2008-04-22T18:42:00.004-04:00

This weekend a group of our high school youth group friends went camping at Stone Mountain Park. We were celebrating our friend Ryan's 30th birthday. Julie and Becky already posted pictures of the event, so I thought I would share some video I took of the kids...

...ahh Charlie Dawg. He's better than s'mores!

Adventures in Potty Training

2008-04-15T10:45:00.010-04:00

David woke up bright and early at 6 am this morning and wouldn't you know today our coffee maker quit working too. I decided it would be a good day to go out to breakfast. So off we went to McDonald's. We got our food and sat down to eat. The only table available was right near the restroom. David watched men and women go in and out while he was eating. Halfway through the meal, he decided he needed to go too...

David: "Mommy, I need to go potty."
Me:*Getting up* "Okay, let's go." *Heading towards the women's restroom*
David: *Pulling me towards the men's restroom* "No mommy, that's the ladies room."

Say what?!?! This kid is too smart for his own good! I thought it would be at least another year or so before we had this conversation!