The Scream Heard Round the Mall

Imagine if you will the sound of a dying animal that is in horrible agony or perhaps a hyena out on the Savannah or one of those really loud monkeys.....triple that and you have the sound that was coming from the bathroom in JCPenny earlier today when Emma locked herself in the bathroom stall. She had just been warned by her mother that was about to happen if she didn't wait on me, but NO! Little Miss Stubborn went right in the stall while mom attempted to maneuver the stroller, bags, purse and I heard it when she locked it. All she had to do was push the handle and it would have been fine, (it's not like she doesn't do it all the time when mom's in there with her) but she was in panic mode and wasn't able to do it. I finally managed to get her to crawl under the door, but the simpering, whining, and pitiful cry that remained just about drove me over the edge. Of course I hear people saying, "what's wrong?" I also hear an employee say "how are we going to get that door open?" Well, I didn't stick around to find out. We headed for the EXIT and never looked back.




So we are home from an exciting morning of shopping - that's a complete lie. I am attempting to find a dress for my nephew's wedding and there is nothing pleasant about that so far. Especially while shopping with my little helper:) She was too fascinated with the mannequins and trying to put her hands in their pockets and look at their feet. So we are home and she is down for a nap while wearing her bikini and that's alright with me.

I Am Back Among the Living

For the first time in approximately 10 days I actually didn't cough up a lung while I attempted to sleep last night. I still coughed, but nothing like I have been. I am hopeful that I am on the mend because I have been rather worthless the last week or so. So far everyone else is okay and I pray that I didn't spread my germs to my family.




Brady had another band competition Saturday night and it was a late night. The picture below is okay....the boy on the ground is supposed to be there, it's part of the show.

Ashton tried to hard to contain his excitement about being at a band competition (again). Not a smile to be had. A smirk perhaps, but NO smile.

I don't even want to know what he was probably thinking.

Homecoming parade, 2010. Emma enjoyed that whole concept of having candy thrown to her.
Giggee helped her pick it up, but I didn't get a good picture of that.

Nothing says love like a sucker.

Why, yes my son (in the shades) is very handsome, thanks for saying so.

When the bowl is empty it makes the perfect hat.

I Don't Do Sick Well

I am pretty sure that I have TB, or Pneumonia (not the rockin kind), or Whooping Cough or SARS or H1N1 or the Bubonic Plague, or worse.......This cannot be my self diagnosed bronchitis, laryngitis, sinusitis. But alas I suspect that is what it is. I'm not a big antibiotic person because as a nurse I always suspect viral over bacterial and I think that we are so guilty of overusing antibiotics, but I finally broke down and called my doctor today to beg him to call me in some medication. I spent the entire night in a stupor, jacked up on NyQuil and Robitussin and yet I continued to cough the entire night. I sound like a 3 pack a day smoker! How my husband slept through that is beyond me. When I was a kid my dad made us take a mixture of whiskey, honey, and lemon juice when we had a cough. What I wouldn't have given for a bottle of Jack Daniels around midnight last night. The honey and lemon juice didn't really matter at that point. On, and a side note, I couldn't believe that I had to show my ID to buy Robitussin. It's not behind the counter but yet I was carded for it. I guess I have that meth addict look about me and you can never be to careful these days........I wonder if they would card me if I bought Jack Daniels.



Emma is better. She still has a bit of a stuffy nose but it's much improved and she is so stinking cute right now that I could just eat her up. She is so funny watching Cinderella (she calls it Rella) and the 101 Datamations. She has to pretend to be doing everything they are doing in the movies. She spent several minutes yesterday acting like she was putting her foot in an imaginary slipper. This kiddo just cracks me up.



Her other adorable thing right now is telling me that she will "be right back" and holding up her little finger. It doesn't matter if she is walking into the other room or going from one end of the bath tub to the other, she tells me she will be right back. She is very serious about it.



She continues to like school but is always so excited when I walk in the door. She is usually eating her lunch and when she looks up and and sees me, she just beams and and the teachers just crack up.



So, not a lot of excitement to offer today. I just want to be felt sorry for since I have the plague and it's cutting into my plans of house cleaning. Sad isn't it?

A Hodgepodge of Information

So my son had a band competition this weekend and may I just say he looked so handsome and they performed so well. I am totally not a band person. I don't know what most of the instruments are and never thought my kids would be music people at all. But I know when something sounds good and they sounded good. Brady is playing percussion (think snare drum) and he is totally loving it. He is much happier with that than he ever was playing trombone. He has become very serious about it and his maturity level since turning 16 and starting to drive has really impressed me. Now Ashton on the other hand............

I have the unique privilege and challenge of parenting teenagers and a toddler. Let me just say, the toddler years are a breeze in comparison. I know that people who have little kids think that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. The sleepless nights, potty training, temper tantrums, etc. Those are just ripples in the pond compared to parenting teens. Oh my the drama and the challenges and the frustrations and the fear that goes along with it. I see it all around me with my friends and their kids and the various challenges that we are all facing. Suffice it to say, each stage in a child's life has its challenges, but the teen years are certainly the hardest, at least for us. I noticed that I have used the word challenge several times in this post already..........

Emma had gotten her first cold from preschool. I choose cold over head lice, so it's really not a problem. She just has a runny nose and has been a little grumpy. Ever the unselfish child, she has passed it along to me. I have the classic sore throat, cough, yuck thing going on as well. Ashton has the whole irritated eye thing going on and missed school today for any eye apt. I don't like for my kids to miss school and we certainly don't make a habit of it, but I was concerned about his eyes and I think he was in need of a few hours with mom. Granted, that was spent in the car and at the grocery store, but at least we were together.

So our week consists of gymnastics tonight, school, preschool, homecoming parades and games, another band competition on Saturday, work, attempting to clean this messy house, and the constant attempt to keep our heads above water. Life, a funny thing isn't it?

Wordless Wednesday

Grandparents Day at Preschool

Well, take one grandmother and put her in a room with a bunch of little ones while she sits in a rocking chair and she becomes the current day version of Mother Goose. That was what we had at grandparents day on Thursday at school. Bo's parents were not able to attend but my mother made up for it by holding all of the kids at some point. Well, all but Emma. She wasn't so sure about it and was just too busy.


Emma and her friend Ellie.

Emma and Mrs. Lena, one of the teacher's assistants.

Mother Goose and Colton.

Look at that expression. Isn't her hand print flower the most adorable thing you have ever seen. It looks like a tulip and hers will always be easy to spot!

Giving Nanny her special picture.

Emma and her friend Colton.

It's a good thing my mom has a big lap. It was constantly full.

What a great group of kiddos!

Emma and her tractor

Just Some Cute Pics of Our Girl

Today's weather couldn't be more perfect and Emma has enjoyed playing outside.

Loving her new Melissa and Doug shopping cart. Don't you think she has on the appropriate shopping attire?

No, she is not going to a Klan rally, she just wanted to wear her hooded towel for the day. Who knows why she chooses the outfits that she does?

Future Olympian.

Gotcha Party Pics

Well our family celebration was a lot of fun and Emma loved being the center of attention. Imagine that?




Emma and Giggee. Is that not a sweet picture?

Loving on my Bop.

Emma and Aunt Pam. Please know that Emma does have clothes and she started the party with all of them on. You know what they say, it's not a party until someone loses some clothes. Well, the shirt came off! This girl has a strong will and hated the shirt that I put on her from the very beginning. She was thrilled to finally take it off.

Emma is totally loving her new shopping cart. This was a big hit!

Emma and her Uncle Johnny. She calls him Uncle Lolly and worships him.

I think Christmas will be fun this year. She has mastered this whole opening presents thing.

A tractor from Bop. Yes, our girl loves tractors. She is just fascinated with them.

A John Deere tractor from Aunt Sue and Uncle Johnny. This was the first present that she opened and I didn't think she was ever going to make it to any of the others. Look at those hands on the hips. I'm getting a lot of that these days.

It's hard to believe that it's been two years since Emma came on the scene. Oh how she has changed and grown and the personality that has evolved. It's amazing to reflect back.

Gotcha day was a day that I will never forget. It was a hard day for all of us. When I think about poor Emma and how she was handed to total strangers and had to be wondering what in the world was going on and who are these people and why do they sound so strange. I can only imagine the thoughts that went through her little head. She was so little and frail and sad. That first night will always be hard to think about. The first few days were difficult and I remember someone leaving me a comment that encouraged me and told me to hang on and the third day would make a difference and it did.

There are times when she looks into my face and I just know that she feels so secure and she knows that I'm her mom and I will never leave her. While I changed a diaper at nap time yesterday she looked up at me and without me saying a word she said "I love you" and signed it as well. Totally unsolicited. Needless to say I was beaming. She is a treasure and I am so thankful.

Happy Gotcha Day Emma!