It's safe to say...

After another long night...

I think it's safe to say, we've turned the REAL corner.

I'm pretty sure he just wanted to sleep with me last night.

So, at 12:30 The Boy got in the bed.

And I rocked.  Rocked my toddler just like I used to when he was a baby. 

In the dark.  It was quiet.  Lance had moved to the couch. 

And I took those few moments in the middle of the night to do something I rarely get to do.

And yes.  I documented it.  So what. 

The boys spent the day together today while I got some me time with Honey & Jamey.

We did us a little thrifting and a yummy lunch.

I feel rejuvinated.

But definitely praying for sleep. 

Turning the corner

I think we may have turned the corner back to health. At least headed in that direction. The last two nights have gotten better than the first and I'm feeling good about tonight's chance of a full nights sleep.

Yesterday his temp reached 103.7 at its highest. I felt completely out of control. All I could do was keep Motrin around the clock and lots of ice water. Luckily he did eat fairly well so I didn't have to worry about dehydration. Thank the Lord. Thats a whole issue on its own. Per the nurse 103.7 (really 102.7) is a mild or low fever and is good for the body to fight off infection. So. Fight we did. He slept for the most part and woke up fever free.

He was fever free all day but had a little jump tonight though he is happy as a lark and you'd never know. I'm saying it was a bad read. Hey. A mom can hope right. No harm in positive thinking.

I am so tired I can't see straight but I have a renewed peace and patience in my heart. There was a recent local tragedy where an infant died. It consumes my mind.  It's a shame it takes things like that to make you treasure the small things. Even a sick child. Because really. He's healthy. Just a minor sickness that will pass. So. For that I'm thankful. Thrilled even. He's in the next room humming himself to sleep and I couldn't be more content. More peaceful. More thankful. May we always choose to live in this state of thankfulness.

Sleepless Night

Last night we decided to put Easton in the bed with us.

He's had a bad cough for almost a week now, getting a little worse each day. 
Happy otherwise, but a miserable cough.

We got a note from school yesterday saying a child in his class has RSV.
I'm thankful for those notes, but I immediately diagnose Easton with whatever illness has been posted.

And...most of the times I'm right.

We all piled in the bed around 8.  Lance built a fort around the bed so Easton wouldn't roll off.  Thus the kitchen chair in the picture.  I sent Lance to the couch around 9.  No sense in us both being awake.  Easton slept like a log until 10.  He would cough about every 10 minutes.  Sometimes he'd stay asleep, others he'd wake up.  His head would pop up and he'd say 'hi mommy'.  From about 10-12 I patted, rocked, held, rubbed, loved, etc.  About 12 we got up and got some water and I put him on the couch with Lance.  I slept from 12-1.  Rather...I tried to sleep.  Sometime around 2 I gave him Motrin to either a) ease whatever pains he might have had and/or b) knock him out so we could all get some sleep.  It did both.  He slept pretty good till about 8. 

I put a call in to the dr and they seem to think its just a bad cough since he has no other symptoms that would be associated with RSV.  With a stop at Walgreens for some Delsym and another dose of Motrin he was on his way.

But as I was laying there wide awake last night listening to the ins and outs of his breath, watching the rise and fall of his chest, my worry lessened.  For whatever reason I felt a peace.  And the urge to pray.  Probably where the peace came from.  I prayed For Easton.  And for the little child that does have RSV.  And for others.  For blogs I read where people are sick.  For those who don't have babies to care for.  For my family.  For my friends.  I really had no desire to go to sleep, but just to pray.  It was an overwhelming comfort knowing that he was in bigger hands than mine.  More capable hands for sure. 

At some point in my sleepless nigth I also thought about how less than 2 years ago I was up every 3-4 hours with a newborn.  How he was so tiny and his very being depended on me.  And how I second guessed everything I did for him.  I wondered if what I was doing was right.  And last night, we were back in that same boat.  He needed me.  And I was ok with that.  But, last nigth, I had confidence.  I knew I was doing all I could for him.  And I knew I was doing the right thing for him. 

Now, as he was flopping around and throwing Charlie back and forth and calling out for 'meeeuuulT' (his most country version of the word milk) every 5 minutes, I did get aggrivated, but I just reminded myself 'he's little, he can't help it, he feels worse than I do.' 

So I just snugged him a little closer and rubbed him a little longer.  It's not often I get to do those things with my rambunctious toddler. 

And look, we all survived.  On little to no sleep.  I'd prefer that we don't do that again tonight, but if we do...I'll be right there. 

PW's Meat Balls are on the menu for tonight- they're a crowd pleaser for sure! 

Here's hoping tonight we have a quiet, cough free night!

Conversations with the Toddler

Some mornings, we ride quietly. 
Some mornings, we pass books back and forth.
Some mornings, we have breakfast in the car.


Some mornings, like this one, we have conversations (and breakfast).

This morning, since he was eating his breakfast in the car (quaker squares and blueberries) he didn't have his 'ra ra' in his mouth.  I particularly love these types of mornings.  We talk all the way to school.  And, he's quite entertaining. 

This morning, Lance left before Easton was up. He woke up singing his name. He LOVES his daddy! So as I was getting him ready I told him 'daddy left early, while you were still sleeping. He had to go to work.' He knows what this means. This happens maybe once a week. So as we're in the car, solving the worlds problems, he says 'Daddy??? Work. Errryee' Yes, Easton, that's right. Daddy had to go to work early. About this time we're passing Honey's house and he says 'honey? work?' 'Yes, Easton honey has to go to work today too.' We then go through the work list...daddy work, mommy work, gg work, papa work, honey work, etc. We get to Ali. He said Ayee work? I said 'no Ali has to go to school like you.'  I think this confused him beacuse he knew Ali wasn't at his school...so I said 'Ali goes to a big girl school'. After much thought, and a few blueberries, he said 'ayee, bi gul kuul' Yep, Easton, that's right! Ali is going to a big girl school.


Next, I was looking in my rearview mirror at him, sitting back there eating his breakfast and smiling, looking out the window, being happy and so stinking cute, and I said 'awwww, Easton, I love you'.  In his little sweet voice, he smiled real big and said 'uh huh!'  I said 'do you love Mommy?' He said 'yesh!'  Lance has been trying so hard to get him to say YES instead of Uh Huh and this morning it clicked.  Then I said "Yaaaaaay!' Then....melt my heart into a puddle of mush... he said 'kish' and leaned his head forward...  he wanted to give me a kiss.  He knew in that moment that we were having a sweet conversation...and he felt exactly the same as I did.  I.LOVE.THIS.KID.

Lastly, we were having a deep conversation about milk.  I had just handed him his milk to drink.  He said 'GG?'  I said 'yes, gg likes milk'...well then we proceed to go through Ronnie and Ayee and dediced they like milk too.  And somehow we made it to Duuuuude, Kappy, Peege & Bet...and low and behold, they are all fans of milk as well.   

I love how he knows who goes together.  Dude is never mentioned without the other 3 and mom is rarely ever mentioned without Ronnie & Ali being brought up. 

Deep conversations folks.  Deep

I absolutely love having these conversations with my son. 

Self Portraits

About the only way I can get more than 1 decent picture from Easton is to turn the phone around so he can see what I'm taking a picture of.  I love my iPhone so much.  I can snap away and capture so many sweet faces.  Here's a few of my favorites.

Give him a Rice Krispie Treat and you've got a good 10 minutes to capture funny faces.

10 Year Anniversary

We exchanged cards the night before our anniversary.

I was all in a tizzy because we were supposed to have a day together on Thursday but Easton came home with what I thought to be pink eye.  

So our day together, just the 2 of us, was going to be all 3 of us.

Not a bad thing...but not 'as planned' 

{when will I ever learn???}

Anyways...back to the cards.

I opened mine to find a note that said 'pack your bags, we're going to Atlanta!'

SAY WHA?!?!!?!?!?!?

All of us! 

It didn't matter that Easton had pink eye...he was going with us anyways.

{And...he didn't have pink eye...just a cold in his eyes...double PTL!}

So, we left Thursday morning and headed South.

We stopped for breakfast about an hour into our trip.

Hardees.

Easton got a full belly and was out like a light.

One we got to Atlanta, we unloaded the truck, stretched our legs, jumped on the bed, and headed to the mall.

Lenox Square DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!

We had some lunch.

We shopped and shopped and shopped some more.

We had a snack.

Then we shopped some more.

It's a good thing Lenox is not in Nashville.

I'd be in trouble.

We went to The Buckhead Diner for dinner.

Not your traditional diner that's for sure.

Easton was entertained by the coke bottle, empty of course.

And we had a yummy dessert to top off our anniversary night.

We were supposed to only stay one night...but...

we decided to stay for 2 nights. 

Just too much to do.

So Friday morning, we got up and had some breakfast then headed to Piedmont Park to let Easton run.

We played on the playground and fed the ducks.

Easton and I headed back to the room for a nap while Daddy did some shopping.

We had to get our strength back for more shopping!

We headed back to Lenox Square for some returns {big shock} and some more shopping.

After we went to H&M and ate at the ESPN Sports Bar.

This is where Easton learned to say 'go guuuuyyyylll!"

After a long day of shopping and playing we headed back to the hotel.

We all slept, or attempted to sleep, in the King bed.

Easton slept.  We did not.  

Memories, nonetheless.

We headed home on Saturday afternoon.

After another trip to H&M {returns- ha!} and a visit to IKEA.

Seriously, IKEA is the greatest home store.  Ever.

To me, a road trip isn't complete until I have a Dr. Pepper and a PayDay.

Easton slept all but about 45 minutes on either side of his nap.

We couldn't ask for better.

I really can't believe that 10 years ago, Lance and I said "I DO"

19 years young.

No idea what we were doing.

But we did it.  And we're still doing it.

And I love him more today than I ever thought possible. 

Happy Anniversary Boo!

I look forward to many more years with you.  

Does it get any cuter than this?

No, no it doesn't.

This is as cute as it gets.

Camping...inside

As if we didn't have enough going on in our living room...

Daddy decide to set up the big tent.

Easton thought it was fantastic!

Lance thinks outside the box.

He doesn't see mess. 

He doesn't see clean-up.

He see's fun.

I'm determined to learn how to do that.

Beth's 30th- New Years Eve a day early

Our group of friends got together a night early for a surprise birthday party for our friend Beth.

We met at Brandon & Lindy's and then the next surprise came- a Party Bus.

I had my reservations but the party bus was so much fun!

It was fun to be with friends!

Always is.

It's also nice knowing we can stay in on New Years Eve and not fight the crazies.

Speaking of NYE, we were in bed before 10.

We lead an exciting life.  

I did however, have my black eyed peas...Lance had 1.  

Happy 2012 Everyone!