February Snow!

We had some crazy snow in Texas! We tried to take advantage of the amount of snow we received. The kids were dying to go out and play. We had attempted to go out Thursday, as the snow was falling, to build a snowman. When we came inside, our feet were soaking wet. Friday morning, school was cancelled and Gracie was super excited, she was ready to play. So, I got some trashbags and taped them around the kids legs...it worked!
Gracie was lovin' the snow...she just kept throwing herself on the ground.

Cameron loved eating the snow. Everytime I turned around, he had a handful of snow in his mouth. We did try to make homeade ice cream but neither was a fan. I ended up eating it myself.
Gracie shaking the snow out of the trees...

Kenny shaking snow out of our trees....

This is a picture of the snow falling Thursday night...it really was beautiful.

Are You Ready for The Summer?

We ARE! I have always been a big fan of the winter but not so much this season. Taking two kids to two different schools, in and out of the car, in the cold and in the rain and the TRAFFIC. This morning, it was raining buckets so I already knew it was going to be a long morning. We waited forever in the drop off Kindergarten lane. I handed Gracie her umbrella and coached her on how to open it up, open the door and hop out. Got it? NOOOOOOO. My poor little baby did everything she possibly good but the darn umbrella wouldn't open. She looks at me and says "Mommy, I'm getting wet". Gracie has rarely called me Mommy, I've always been "Mom" so my heart melted and I just wanted to rescue her. I hop out of the car, run around to her, pop her umbrella open and carry her across the little sidewalk, which was flooded, and hopped back into my car. So now, I'm wet and freezing. Not to mention my hair is NOT water proof. Oh well, on the way to school #2. Of course, it's Monday, so I have a nap pak, blanket, pillow, back pack and a 2 year old I'm trying to carry. So, on my drive to work I just thought about the warm sun and how much brighter the day is even if it's cold! Not to mention keeping everyone healthy. Kenny has a sinus infection and both kids have a cold. I did learn most kids spend about 20 weeks of the winter with snoughty noses, cough, congestion, etc. After this season, we are so looking forward to summer.

Last night, Ms. Gracie lost another tooth...tooth #5. This tooth has been dangling in her mouth for about a week and she would just refuse to let us pull it out. Last night, she was a big girl and pulled it out herself.

Cameron has done wonderful wearing his big boy undies. We have not had any accidents (knocking on wood). Last night, he actually ran to the restroom and went all by himself. I was in utter amazement. He looks so cute standing on the step stool going potty. Such a big big boy!

We have been struggling with both kids getting along. They seem to fight most every second of the day. We created a chart for both kids, Gracie has to practice piano, try to foods to eat, no attitude, clean her room and play with Cameron. Let me tell you she kept trying to erase that one. Here is one night where they got along, they even let me bathe them together which was a huge help.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this little boy.

I finally gave in and bought Gracie her first pair of skinny jeans. She looks like SUCH a big girl in this picture.

Attitude Anyone?

This week has been a very good week. We have been busy, as usual, but it's been good. Cameron had a very successful week with potty training. We only had one accident away from the one on Monday. I made the mistake of putting undies on Cameron Tuesday morning when I got him dressed. Traffic was a little heavier that morning so we were in the car a little longer. Cameron had to go and we couldn't pull over quick enough to find a restroom so he just had to go in the car! Either he wears a pull-up to school and I change him there or I start carrying a potty seat in the car. I think we'll stick with the pull-ups for now. I think him wearing big boy undies has made him feel empowered because along came big boy attitude. I was loading the car Thursday morning and Cameron was riding his bike (aka motorcycle) around the house. It was time for him to put his coat on so I asked him to get off his bike. He completely ignored me. We went through this several times before I stopped and told him he needed to get off the bike quickly so Gracie wouldn't be late for school. He looked straight into my eyes and said "just hush already mom". WHAT? I didn't know what to do for a minute because a part of me wanted to start laughing. I scolded him and told him he was not allowed to talk to mommy that way. He shrugged his shoulders, raised one eyebrow and said "I didn't mean it, I was just kidding". WHAT is happening? I had to call Kenny and tell him right away. Yesterday, we had a plumber come to the house to fix the water heater, so he and Gracie were watching TV while I talked to the plumber. All of a sudden I hear Gracie screaming at Cameron so I come to check on them. Gracie said Cameron was just standing in front of the TV and he wouldn't move even though she said please. Cameron walked right up to her, pointed his index finger at her and said "I not tell you again Gracie". Not sure what that was all about, but it was obvious he'd had enough of Gracie too. The kids usually sleep on the floor of our room on their air mattresses on the weekends as a treat. It was about 10 when I put them to bed last night. Gracie was out in a second, Cameron on the other hand would not go to sleep. After numerous times of taking him back to bed, I finally took him up to his room.


Tonight, instead of eating his dinner, Cameron decided he was going to ride his bike. I told him I was going to take his bike away if he didn't go back and eat his dinner. He looked up at me and said "just leave me alone". I'm not sure where this is all coming from but I don't think I like it very much.


We never experienced the Terrible Two's with Gracie. We dealt with the "terrible" when she turned 3. I suspect Cameron will be the same. Lord help us!

Where Did January Go?

I can't believe January is almost gone. It seems like only yesterday we were getting ready for the holidays. Things around here have been moving at a very rapid pace and we've had a sick little boy. I have wondered many times if there is a way I can send him to school in a bubble. On January 13th, we made a trip the Dr.'s office. (Seems like we are there pretty much on a monthly basis) Cameron had been having quite a bit of drainage and cough that wouldn't go away. We left his office with a diagnosis of Croup and RSV. We picked up his steroids and cough medicine. Wed and Thursday were rough, no sleep whatsoever. His fever was all over the place and he just didn't feel good. We headed back to the Dr. on Friday. As we were driving to the Dr. Cameron screamed the entire time saying he was "itchy". Since he was bundled up I thought his hat was irritating his skin. In the waiting room, I start noticing he is covered in hives...YIKES. They swabbed his nose to check for flu, check his ears (which had to be cleaned), swabbed his throat...nothing. He was not a happy camper especially when they came back into the room to draw blood. Diagnosis #2, Mycoplasma pneumoniae! What??? That's what kept running through my head. Turns out it is a bacterial type of pneumonia. He gives us a pretty powerful antibiotic and puts Cameron on Benadryl every six hours for the hives. Let me just say there was NO sleep for us because Benadryl to Cameron is like giving him speed. This kid was bouncing off the walls. We just continued to pray all weekend hoping he would begin feeling better. Sunday morning, we are awakened by screams. He is covered in a red rash and his face is beginning to swell. He and I pack up and drive to the ER asap! Immediately, they give him a Benadryl injection and steriods in each leg. The Dr. arrives 15 minutes later to order an Epi injection stat! SCARY SCARY SCARY. Our poor baby was having a severe anaphylactic reaction. we were not allowed to leave the hospital until most of the rash had subsided and after his breathing cleared with the Dr. We don't know which medicine it was that caused this but I did write them down so I know what to be cautious of. He finally started going to back to school last week. By Friday, his little body was pooped.

We have spent most of the week trying to get back into our routine and continue potty training. Today, Cameron went to school in big boy chones, Spanish nickname for undies. He made it ALL day with only 1 accident. That accident was not really his fault. Ms Nikki forgot to change him into his pull-up at nap time soooooooo he had an accident. We are so proud of him. He has grown so quickly.

Gracie is doing well in school. Since August, Cameron & I always walk Gracie to the front door of the school. These past 3 weeks, I have been dropping her off in the Kindergarten drop off line. The first week I was excited but the second week I cried each morning. I'm not sure why really, I would just cry. Maybe tears of being a proud momma, tears of sadness because my little girl is growing up, tears of not being able to baby her anymore - who knows. This year Gracie will be 7 and Cameron will be 3. I still remember the day each of them was born.

I'll post some pictures soon...we got a new camera for Christmas!

Beautiful Girl...

I know I am always going to think that Gracie is the most beautiful little girl ever but what do you think???

This is her Rogers Elementary Kinder photo. My sweet sweet baby girl.