What We've Been Up To

First of all, yes Emma had her ear appointment last week. UNSUCCESSFUL. Our first attempt was just a regular hearing exam but she wouldn't cooperate and the audiologist determined that maybe we should have a different type of exam that was offered at another office. Sooooooo, we left there and had lunch at the park until our next appointment. This test required that Emma sit still for approximately 10 minutes with foam ear plug type things in her ears while connected to the machine that recorded her response to sound waves (something like that). This too didn't go so well and the results that we got were not good. If in fact it was accurate, Emma is certainly not hearing like she should. HELLO...that's what I have been saying all along. So now we are waiting to hear from yet another hospital and we are going to have a sedated ABR test. As much as I don't like having my girl sedated, if we can get to the bottom of this, I am all in. I will keep you posted.



Might I add, that after surviving that day, I found myself driving the wrong way on a one way street and luckily was not stopped by a cop or hit head on. It was a very stressful day and the irony of being headed in the wrong direction was not lost on me.




What else is happening around here:

• Emma has started calling Bo....Bo. She yells his name all the time and he keeps saying "it's daddy to you". Pretty funny.
• Emma got a kindness award last week at school for getting a Kleenex and offering to wipe her friend's nose while on the playground. Luckily the teacher intervened and did the actual wiping.
• Emma ate sour cream straight from the bowl last night. Not only does she love butter, she now has discovered sour cream.
• Her new favorite thing to watch is Tom and Jerry. Classic.
• I was yelling for Ashton to come to dinner last night and she proceeded to stand at the top of the stairs and yell "Now Boy"
• We continue to struggle with pooping. She will not go on the potty. While I was rocking her last night she was a total gas bag and when I suggested we go on the potty she quickly told me "No". We normally have a routine of reading, rocking, getting into bed and dancing, kissing and giving fives. She wanted nothing to do with that last night and was anxious to get in bed and told me "goodnight" and wanted me to leave so she could do her business in private. When I returned to change her diaper, she was peeking over the railing of her bed and grinning at me to let me know she was done and needed to be cleaned up. I refuse to worry with it right now and will wait until Summer to really pressure her into using the potty. She has some type of hang up and I don't want to make it worse.
• I have found a way to get Ashton out of the house and to the bus stop on time! I am letting him drive to the bus stop and he thinks he is all that and a pack of crackers. Why didn't I think of that sooner.
• Basketball in over and tennis has started.
• Brady informed me that he thinks we should adopt again. He wasn't really sure why, but he just thought we should. Of course he presented this suggestion on a day that mothering was not my favorite thing to be doing and he had found himself grounded and I had found myself checking one way flight plans to parts unknown. I explained to him that I would take his suggestion under advisement but it wasn't about to happen. These sweet little ones grow up to become teenagers and cause parents to ponder the reasons why some animals eat their young.

So that about wraps it up. Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Brady

My baby boy turned 17 yesterday and I was a bit teary all day. Where did 17 years go? And next year.....he will be 18 and I can't even think about it. The pictures at the bottom seem like only yesterday. I apologize for the poor quality, but Bo is responsible. Check out my hair after being in labor for 12 hours.



We spent the day at home and had his favorite foods for dinner. Bo grilled steak and salmon and I made him a cheesecake. I think he had a nice day and after having a particularly trying week, I was hoping he would. It's hard being a teenager and it's really hard being a teenager's mother. As Beth Moore says "you are only as happy as your saddest child".




His birthday present was tickets to a concert with his dad. Dad does rock concert duty, unless it just happens to be someone I like. They are going to see RUSH in April.



I realized that I had no candles after the fact, so we improvised with what we did have. He chose 4o4.
My other son Cory.

What We've Been Doing

We attended the Chinese New Year festivities on Saturday night and had a great time. The different performances were great. We especially loved the drummers.
The Lion Dance

Emma HATED this guy. HATED.

Just hanging out watching television and eating bacon.

This is the face I see every day that is cold. She thinks she is a house dog. She climbs up in the rocking chair and begs at the window. Why yes, that would be a hole in the screen. Thanks Gypsy. She forgets that I am the one who loves her most and I am having to listen to a certain someone complain about that hole......

Say a prayer. Today is the day we head back to the ENT office and try AGAIN for a hearing test. Please, Please, Please make it a successful day.

Happy Valentines Day

I am not a flower person. I think it is a complete waste of money and that it is ridiculous for florists to up the ante during the Valentine season. BUT.....my husband is a sweet romantic who just thinks I am the best wife ever and I deserve to be spoiled with roses on Valentines. Who am I to argue?
My Ashton has the sweetest look on his face. He loves his sister and he is a great big brother....most of the time.

We celebrated an early Valentines Day with pap and Sophie a couple of weeks ago. Let's just say, trying to take pictures of Emma that day was a challenge and one that I did not win.

Happy Birthday Emma

Today our girl turns 4. She is amazing and feisty and silly and fun and precious. Most of all, she is ours and we are so thankful.

I AM "SNOW" OVER IT

Why yes, I do realize that is a lame title, but what can I say? I am about tired of snow and cold and more importantly, SNOW DAYS. These kids need to be in school already!!



So today marks the last official snow day for our school system. Now it's time to get serious and start taking away spring break days. As I said, enough already.




Well, it's been a week and you would think that I had some major Earth shattering news to talk about, but considering my life......nothing too Earth shattering here.




Emma has started singing - a lot. Her favorite songs are "Hinkle Hinkle" (better known as Twinkle, Twinkle" and "Round Bus". You guessed it, "The Wheels on the Bus". She is so funny and animated and just loves to sing at the top of her lungs. I love it.


Other News:

• she touched Gypsy (our Bassett Hound). As most of you know, she is terrified of dogs and screams when they look at her. She actually sat down next to me and rubbed Gypsy's ears and touched her nose and then proceeded to tell me "Dirty - wash it" and got up and washed her hands. Germ freak - but progress nonetheless.
• Upon being disciplined by her father for throwing her cup in the floor and refusing to pick it up and demanding that he do it, she screamed and cried and immediately came to me to tell on Daddy for disciplining her. She was out of luck as her cold hearted mom didn't fall for her scam, I mean tears.
• Ashton found cotton candy underneath his old bed that was approximately 2 years old and could have been used to hammer with. Just thought I would throw that one in so you get an idea of how tidy my children are. Refer back to the mice and year old Christmas candy if you have any doubts.
• We signed Emma up to play soccer. Yes, our girl is going to be the new queen of the soccer field. Just wait. And there are some of the cutest pink shin guards at Target. Did I mention she is going to be queen?
• After much review and consideration, I just ordered a new car seat for our girl. I realize that isn't exactly Earth shattering news, but considering it means she is getting too big for her old one and I can't believe how tall she is getting, I knew everyone would want to know that.
• I drove to work last night in the snow and ice and didn't have any problems. Of course I was driving my mother's 4WD truck and felt like such a redneck renegade. Loved it.
• Emma has a birthday this weekend and we are attending a CNY celebration Saturday night. We are looking so forward to it and enjoy seeing those adorable girls and boys running around and having fun.
• check out the Markmiller blog on my list of favorites. Her latest post is so precious and I can relate to it so well.
• The End
  

Pre Birthday Festivities

Our girl saw the doctor on Thursday and he removed the left ear tube which was covered in blood and yuck. I'm actually surprised that you did not hear the screaming......We were still unable to do the hearing test and have rescheduled it AGAIN. Lord help us.



So here are a few pictures from our pre birthday festivities at Giggee and Pop's house.
I'm getting Brady a haircut for his birthday.

Isn't this a face that you can just eat up?

Fall Back and Punt

Change of plans. They decided to reschedule Emma's hearing test until Thursday due to our little bleeding episode. GREAT. They want her to see the ENT first and then have the hearing test. Can you say "this ain't no happy child". I'm afraid she will be too upset to make it through the hearing test after having the doc mess with her ears. We shall see..........

Can You Hear Me?

So yesterday was one of those days and today isn't starting out a lot better.




I had a meeting at work and while I was there I got a call (or 2) about Emma having some blood coming from her ear at preschool. I went to get her and sure enough, she had some bleeding from her left ear. That is the ear that still has a tube in it so I gave the doctor a call and got an appointment to check it out. Of course we had to see a different doc, but she was great and Emma did well. The doctor seemed to think that Emma may have put something in her ear and scratched it. I'm not so sure what happened, but the doc didn't think it was infected and gave us some drops to use. Hopefully that will do the trick. Emma doesn't act like it hurts at all, but is very fascinated with the whole bloody ear and cotton ball thing.



We have an appointment today (scheduled weeks ago) to have her hearing checked - AGAIN. I am very hopeful that this will be the time that it actually works out. I have 2 bags of chocolate Kisses ready and waiting for her treat. Please say a prayer that today will be successful. Obviously her speech is directly related to her hearing and I so hope we can determine for sure if she is hearing like she should.