Locks of Love

I gleefully donated 12 inches of my hair to Locks of Love today. It was such a joy to simply be able to finally get my hair cut and also donate it to such a wonderful group.

Here is a picture from last night. I actually had 14 inches, but the stylist was a little conservative when she cut off the ponytails.

Here I am with one ponytail cut off.

Here is an after shot.

I am still trying to figure out how to style this new cut. I haven't had short hair in five years! The stylist cut it a little shorter than I requested plus she gave me gigantic layers in the back when I asked for "just a little layering." I'm not sure if I don't know how to explain what I need, I have difficult hair, or I am just exceedingly picky, but I swear that I have no memory of a hair cut where I said, "Yes, that it is exactly what I wanted!" No matter because I am just so excited to finally get a hair cut.

Mama Kitty joined me for the cut to take pictures then she treated me by watching Rebecca while I shopped for a couple of hours. I was truly footloose and kid free for almost three hours. Total bliss!!

If you would like more information on Locks of Love, visit them at http://www.locksoflove.org/.

On the mend and off to Austin

We are finally on the mend around here. After a week of eye drops in both eyes three times a day for two screaming kids, I am relieved to say that pink eye has passed. Zach takes his last dose of medication for his ear infection tomorrow. Chad went to the doctor yesterday and is finally getting his voice back. Rebecca has been a bit fussy but did not contract anything. I have a barking cough and a little congestion left. In the end, it all passed quickly. Thank you Jesus!!

So here are some updated pictures of our little Rebecca. I took this photo just this morning. She is definitely a little Smith!!



Here she is on tummy time smiling for Daddy.



And this is how you handle three kids who all want Mommy.



And just to make the morning exciting, Hannah stuck a YoGo up her nose. If you unfamiliar with the snack, it's about the size of a green pea. What possessed her to do such a thing is beyond me. I thought I was going to have to take her to the ER, but it finally started to dissolve and she was able to blow it into a tissue. Never a dull moment around here.

Chad is staying busy busy busy. He got through to the SBOE this morning and he will be testifying before the school board in Austin next Wednesday regarding the evolution and public schools issue. You can read more about it at
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=29374. I am so incredibly proud of him. Please keep him in your prayers as he will most likely be in the minority of those speaking.

Hope everyone is staying warm. It was 18 degrees this morning. Brrrrr!!

Happy Ending to a Long Week

Regretfully, there are some weeks that I really wish I could erase from my memory. Until 8:00 tonight, this was one of those weeks. It has been such a long week that I may have some details wrong, but you'll get the gist. Beware this blog - lots of gross details included!

Tuesday morning, Zachary woke up with lots of eye goop and a super high fever. Since we've had yucky allergies around here, I figured his tear duct had clogged again. I cleaned him up, the fever disappeared, and he was just fine. After naptime, he had some more eye goop and a low grade fever so I figured it was one of those mysterious illnesses that come and go so frequently with kids. All appeared normal . . . except for the poop incident. I was downstairs talking on the phone and looked up to see Zach at the top of the steps frantically calling for Daddy (yes, that's me right now). As I ascend the steps, Zach paces back and forth and I see that he is leaving little brown footprints all over the lovely cream carpet. Much to my chagrin, I discover that it is poop which has escaped his diaper and run down his left leg. So he gets a quick bath and I frantically called for Daddy (the real one this time) who swoops in with the Bissel to spiffy up the place. Have I mentioned how awesome it is to have him working from home four days a week now?

By the time Wednesday arrived, I pretty much figured that Zach was going with me and Rebecca while Hannah went to Mothers Day Out on Thursday. He just seemed a little puny and now his eyes were puffy. He looked like he needed a major dose of Benedryl. I was stumped on what was happening. And I was very distracted by Hannah's goopy eyes. I had a nagging fear that my MDO was slipping away from me. Hannah went to Awana and all seemed just fine. She had not been my favorite person all day, so I must admit that I did not take note of the condition of her eyes or she never would have left the house. Around bedtime, Chad said something about her eyes being bloodshot. A bell went off in my head and I immediately inspected her. My fears were confirmed. Pink eye. This is her third case. I suspected Zach also had pink eye, though his symptoms were different and this would be his first case.

So Thursday dawned and I cancelled my hair appointment and set an appointment with the pediatrician. As we drove past MDO at 10:30, I longingly looked at all the happy children on the playground. Did they have to be out there just as I was driving by?? So after sitting in a room with the kids for 30 minutes telling them not to touch everything or destroy the blinds or leave the room or fight over the doctor's cool swivel chair or remove anything from the drawers or lick the furniture or lay on the floor . . . the doctor arrived. He confirmed that both of them had pink eye plus Zach had an ear infection. He also checked me and Rebecca and we were fine.

So off we went to McDonald's for the kids and Taco Bell for me. Then we went by the pharmacy only to learn that they had not yet received the fax from the doctor. Later in the afternoon, I learned that the doctor faxed to the wrong pharmacy. So we got it all worked out and Chad picked it up on his way home from work. But about 10 minutes after he left Brookshire's, the pharmicist called to apologize profusely because he chatted with Chad about Zach's ear medication and left the eye drops out of the bag. We had a mechanic at the house peeking at Lacey's Doodle Bug and he needed to talk with Chad, so I had to go back out and pick up the medication. Did you know that the nearest grocery store is 15 minutes away? And woe to the drivers who were on the road while I was out there because my night vision is just about gone.

After I returned from the pharmacy, I had horrible chills. To better explain, let me say that I have had massive chill attacks, if you will, after the birth of all my babies plus major surgeries. I also have them when I have super high fevers. Since the first two are a big giant "NO" then it must be a fever. Chad checked me and sure enough it was 101.1. I was so cold that I got in bed with my PJ's, robe and socks, then covered up with a sheet, quilt, blanket, AND my heating blanket. As the night progressed, I removed layers. The fever finally broke around 4:00 AM.

So Friday arrives and I am finally feeling better though a little tired. Somehow I have managed to keep diapers changed and feed everyone. We did have a challenging time at lunch. Rebecca had another blow out in the bouncy seat. She is five for five this week. I took her upstairs to clean her up and she puked all over herself. So I gave her a quick bath. In the 15 minutes that I was gone, the kids managed to get their candy basket down and eat every last piece of candy in it. I know because I found all the wrappers in the trash can. Sweet of them to clean up their mess. I wouldn't have noticed right away except Zach proudly handed me the empty basket and I looked over at Hannah to see her tipping an M&M container back like she was downing a shot of chocolate. There are no words to describe how I felt at that moment. Suffice it to say that naptime was not long after the incident.

Sadly, Chad announced this afternoon that he was not feeling well and it looks like he has the virus now. But there was one bright spot in the week. I started potty training with Hannah again on Tuesday. Tonight at 8:00 she finally peed in the potty. A real pee. Not just some tinkles. I was positively giddy. I can only shake my head in amazement as I think about how different my life is now that I have kids. Five years ago, I never would have thought I would be doing a potty dance with my daughter. But now I say, bring it on!

Old and New

There's just something really neat about seeing your kids playing with the toys you had as a child. It's so wonderful to watch Hannah as she creates her own story lines with the same toys that brought me and my sister hours of fun. Here the kids are playing with the Fisher Price Little People, some old (okay, only three decades) and some new. Hannah is actually playing with them, Zach is just using the ramp on the garage to drive all his cool cars on!

Happy New Year

As we close the last few hours of 2008, I reflect on the past 365 days and am so amazed at how blessed I am. During our Bible story with the kids tonight, I looked over my beautiful family and thought, "Wow! I have three adorable kids and one amazingly handsome husband." God just continues to shower our family in spite of the dorky things I do at times!

As I type this, I can hear the pops of nearby fireworks. Like the excitement a child exudes while watching bursting fireworks, so am I as I look at the coming year. Some new and exciting adventure has awaited our family with each passing year. Five years of marriage have been jam packed with so many happy memories that I can't even count them. So I sit on the edge of my seat in anticipation. Where will my family join God this year? What lessons will I learn? What new friends will I meet? What new memories will I make? Will Hannah finally be potty trained? :) I guess time will tell!

Happy New Year and may God shower you with blessings in 2009!

2 month appointment

I took Rebecca in for her 2 month appointment this morning. Our little Bec Speck has turned into a chunk of lead. Chad has repeatedly referenced my "super milk" for all three of our kids as they sprouted through their first years.

The youngest is no exception. Her weight today was a whopping 13 pounds 8 ounces (94%) with a length of 23-3/4 inches (88%). Even her tiny little head has grown to 15-1/2 inches (62%). She is already in size 2 diapers and some 6 month outfits.

Here are some pictures we took over the weekend. I was fixing the bow on her dress and she just snoozed away on the couch.




After church, she gave us some dazzling smiles. Please ignore the spit up that occurred just before Daddy took the picture. :) And don't you just love the hair that stands up on top of her head? It has done it since the day she was born. I learned from a friend that I can take that section of hair and just clip a bow to it. Amazing how such a hideous style on an adult can look absolutely darling on a newborn!!

Emerging Personalities

In spite of the difficulties that come with having two toddlers in the house, they can also be such a joy to observe. It is during these early years that their personalities start emerging and some cute little quirks appear.

Hannah has begun to develop strong relationships with all her "friends," which include Piglet, Penny, Mickey, and about a dozen other stuffed animals. Don't even try to tell her that they aren't real because she simply won't believe you. This morning, Chad and I heard her through her monitor calling out to Piglet when she woke up. Upon obviously finding him, she then sang to him. It was so incredibly sweet.

Here are Penny and Piglet. They may appear to be the same doll, but only to the untrained eye.

Next, we have Zachary. My energetic sweetie who loves cars and trains and won't listen to you even if the house is burning down. Did I mention that we are having his hearing tested in January? Seriously. He is getting better, but the boy will drive you nuts with his amazingly selective hearing and his unusual language that resembles Ewoks.

Here is his newest trick. He laughs over and over upon doing this. If Hannah wouldn't interfere, it would be hours of fun.

I try to treasure these moments because they can be so fleeting. It is hard to believe that my oldest will be four before long and that my youngest is already two months old. What a joy and a privilege it is to be a mother!

Live for Christ

I am constantly amazed, outraged, and sickened by the news reports regarding children. I believe such horrible reports are not exactly new, but are easier to spread with the expansion of the Internet. And perhaps these reports did not bother me so much before I became a mother and before I sought to deepen my walk with the Lord. I am so saddened that our world has methodically removed God leaving behind a chaotic mess with no morals in sight.

Just yesterday, we were studying Proverbs 6 which talks about some things that God hates. Yes, you heard correctly. God does hate some things. This passage is contrasted with Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells us things that God loves. Time and again, our Lord commands us to preserve life, among other things.

If you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, be bold for Him! Be in the world, but not of it. Allow God to shine through you. As Paul says in the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, be imitators of the Lord and let your faith in God be known everywhere!

Rejoice in the Lord and do not be afraid to live for Him!

Hannah's New Room

Hannah spent the night with Mamaw and Paw Paw Friday night so Daddy got busy and painted her room. I gave Hannah a few color choices, but I rejected her first choice of green and accepted the second choice of purple (to match the Dora lamp!). Since this room will eventually be for both of the girls, I chose a light purple to match the curtains and the few decorations that are already in place.

Here is Daddy after painting the last stroke.


The room turned out pretty good!



We moved her furniture to make more play room until the crib joins the room some time next year.

I find that I keep going into the room and staring at the walls with envy. Hannah's room was the first we decided to tackle in our bland white-walled home. Our hope is to paint a room every two or three months. With three small kids, I think that's a pretty lofty goal!!

Sick Kids and Trips

I have learned so much in the last week. First and foremost, I have learned that if a child throws up in the least amount and you were planning on a trip out of town, just go ahead and cancel the trip. If I had heeded my own advice, we could have avoided the troubling Thanksgiving that dropped in our laps.

It started the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I heard of some illnesses going around in the schools, but since our kids are not in the school system yet and don't have much contact with other children, I really didn't think about it. Plus I am just trying to keep up with my busy household so I don't have a lot of room right now to think about, well, anything! When Hannah threw up a little at lunch that day, I thought she probably ate something that disagreed with her. Both Hannah & Zach are prone to doing that, so no big deal in my book.

So then we move on to Tuesday. Packing arrangements have been going very smoothly for me and I ask Chad if he would like to leave for Mississippi on Wednesday instead of Thursday so we can be with his family there before the holiday. He was getting off early and has some extra time off so it's a go. Great! So I get busy packing for three kids.

Wednesday morning dawns and I go up to get Zach from his bed only to find him covered in vomit. It was all over him, his pillow, fitted sheet, cover, blanket, and one doll. Nice. Does that deter me? No. When I get set on a mission, I don't always recognize all the symptoms of that message that says, "Hello, dummy, will you just notice me?" I kept packing and watched Zachary through the morning. He would throw up and then just run around playing and laughing. He never had a fever and he simply didn't look sick to me!

After lengthy discussions, Chad and I decided to go ahead and leave at naptime after Zach had gone a couple of hours and kept some food down. We drove for just over an hour and Zach threw up everywhere. He and his car seat were completely covered. I had some spare clothes and changed him and we drove back home in holiday traffic, taking a lot longer to get home that it had taken to get to that spot! So now we have needlessly used up the few hours left of Chad's PTO plus I had to get out the car seat instructions so I could figure out how to remove the seat cover and clean it. We called it a day and decided to try it again the on Thursday.

Thursday dawned beautifully with no fevers (still) and no vomitting. Yippee! Off we went, meeting some family in Tyler for lunch and getting to Papaw's a little before bed time. All was great until Chad told me around 1:00 that Zach had thrown up again. Ugh.

And so the weekend went. Hannah got the virus next. Then me. Then Chad. Mercifully, Rebecca and Papaw never got it. But poor Pop Pop and Nana did.

So we traveled and descended upon the relatives with sick kids, crashed the party, and then spread our germs all around. We have become the relatives that everyone dreads. My absolute worst nightmare!!! So this will be the Thanksgiving I am choosing to forget. The only thing I am going to vouch to remember is my hard lesson on sick kids and trips.