Landon's Birthday Party

Poor Landon had just opened his present before it was taken over by a girl

Big boy! (who has slept till 5:00 am all week!!!!)



Precious friends

At the zoo

In the meerkat cave with her ponytail falling out
This says to stand here for a great picture. I think she's a little short!

My own monkey



Preston was a good boy



We spent 3 hours at the zoo talking about the animals and their colors and what they eat. Maddie really enjoyed herself. On our way home, we called Mamaw and Papaw to tell them about our day. I asked Maddie to tell them what she liked best...her response..."The giraffe go poopy. It was yucky." haha You have to love the mind of a two year old.

Against my better judgement...

Just like her mama...not a bite left!

We put Maddie down for a nap this weekend, and she decided to take her pillow and herself and lay down in the hallway. She was fast asleep when we found her!

My chunky monkey scratched his face!

Sleeping woes and a potty contract

I have not been able to post as often since I went back to work. Things are so busy with two kids, and frankly, at the end of the day, I am tired. Preston slept through the night (11 hours!) for the entire month of August. Since the beginning of September, he has decided that he likes a 2:00 am feeding and sometimes a 5:00 am feeding every night! Maddie likes to rise and shine between 5:30 and 6:00. No, I'm not joking. This morning, I climbed back in bed after feeding P at 5:30. At 5:32, M yells out her door "Mom, I have to potty". I throw the covers off and go to get her. That stinking potty contract! (see below) We go to the potty and I decide to let her in bed with us hoping we will all get a little sleep. Now let me say that Marty and I are very strict that our children do not sleep in our bed. Ever. Not up for discussion. But this morning, I would have done anything for sleep. She lays next to me and says "Mommy, I need milk; Daddy, turn on the TV please." I explain to her that it's the middle of the night and she will not get milk or the TV. She gets upset. Back to her bed she goes. She laid in her bed yelling "Mommy, Daddy" followed by something we couldn't understand for an hour. Finally 7:00 rolls around, and Marty goes to get her. I can't believe she actually stayed in her room that long. She is sitting at the door and all he can see is her face. She is frowning at him and says "Daddy, I'm frustrated!"

Back to P...we have tried letting him cry it out. He is a little young for that but I know he can sleep through the night. The first time we tried, he screamed for 25 minutes and I gave in and fed him. He immediately went back to sleep. We have tried cereal, but he isn't ready for it. He smiles real big when I give him a spoonful and it runs all down his chin. The pediatrician told me to feed him when he wakes up. If anyone has another idea (other than putting cereal in a bottle or giving Benadryl) please feel free to share.

Maddie has done great with potty training. She started wearing big girl panties a few weeks ago. We actually had to sign a potty contract with her preschool. No joke. We had to agree to put panties on her from the time she wakes until she goes to bed. No pullups for car rides or naps!! Are they out of their minds?? We have to keep 5 full outfits in her cubby every day just in case she has an accident. We agreed to drop everything and take her to the potty if she says she needs to go (hence the grumbling this morning). She has already figured this out and tried to use it at the dinner table to avoid eating something that she doesn't like. We are constantly telling her "Maddie, don't pee-pee on Tinkerbell (or Dora, Hello Kitty, or Elmo depending on the panty of the day). It's not nice to pee-pee on your friends." She is doing great, but I must confess to sneaking a pullup on her for naps.

We have discovered that Preston has a milk protein allergy, which he should outgrow around 6 months. Since I am breastfeeding, I have had to eliminate all dairy and soy from my diet! That wipes out the whole cookie isle at the store. I am eating fruit, veggies, and meat. And I'm starving!! The good news is I have lost all of the baby weight. That's the trick people...if you want to lose weight, don't eat dairy or bread or pasta. You'll be in a bad mood, but you'll look good. When I wean him, I am going out for Mexican and a banana split. Marty has been very gracious through all of my complaining...except when he came home with a Reese's blast from Sonic the other night and laughed when he offered me a bite. Speaking of Reese's, Maddie passed the 2nd peanut butter test. Yay!! We will face the other allergy tests down the road.

So that's what we have been up to. Marty would like me to point out that he gets up with Preston during the night, too. We take a very scientific aproach to see who gets up each night...it's called rock, paper, scissors.

So much fun at the park!



In the big kid swing
Climbing up to the slide.

Best friends (who fight like sisters!)

Oli's turn on the slide

Doesn't everyone take an ice water sippie with them in the bath tub?

1st ice cream

Ok, so it's just a toy. Maddie handed Preston a fake dilly bar from Dairy Queen.

Bryson's 1st Birthday

The birthday boy posing for a picture

Guess who likes cupcakes!!
Balloons

Playing football with daddy

Back at Chuck E Cheese (or Chucky Chucky as Maddie calls it). Still wearing the rainboots!

Say it ain't so!! Am I really going to have 2 thumbsuckers?

Reading...she wears her rain boots rain or shine!

She likes to clean like her Mommy...haha

Watching TV in Mommy and Daddy's bed

Guess who's sucking her thumb again...it drives me crazy!!
Ready for school

Eating breakfast before school

I'm almost 4 months old! Can you believe it? I like to sit up and look around. My sissy makes me smile real big, and she laughs when I smile at her.

Preston had his 1st taste of cereal on Wednesday. I know he isn't quite 4 months old, but this boy wants to eat all the time. He has been sleeping through the night for at least a month now, then he started waking up to eat at 1:00 am and 4:00 am last week. I think he hit a growth spurt, and I figure starting cereal a week early won't hurt. He did really well. He even opened his mouth when he saw the spoon coming at him. Maddie wanted a turn to feed him, too.

Yummm!!

More, please!!

Big kiss from Maddie

1st Reese's Cup

Most of you know that I have life threatening food allergies. From my own research, I have learned that my kids each have a 30% chance of getting these. I can't tell you how much I have prayed over my children for their protection from this burden. I remember going to weddings when I was small and ending up in the ER barely breathing because they served nuts at the reception. All I had to do was breathe them, and my throat would start swelling. My sweet family does not get to enjoy pecan pie during the Holidays. In Kindergarden, I had to sit in the hallway as my class enjoyed the Christmas party because someone's mom forgot about me and sent brownies with nuts. I don't tell you this for sympathy. haha I am just sharing my fears for my sweet babies. When I was pregnant with Maddie, Marty and I went to Peurto Rico. I had a massage, and the girl did not read the labels on her lotion even though I asked her to. She used 3 products with almond oil and I spent the rest of the trip in bed covered in hives. I ate at a local restaurant (pregnant with Preston this time), and they served me a dish with walnuts and assured me it didn't have nuts. Off to the ER again. Two weeks ago, my pediatrician talked to me about checking Maddie for peanut allergies. You can imagine my hesitation. I told him I planned on waiting until she was at least 4. (Did you know that Planter's Nuts recommends waiting until kids are 6 before they try any nuts?) Anyway, the doctor talked me into bringing Maddie in yesterday to feed her a peanut butter sandwich. You may wonder why I wouldn't just do it at home. If Maddie had a reaction, we might not make it to the hospital in time. So...we did it in a controlled environment with Epi nearby. I had the biggest knot in my stomach all day. I called my mom for reassurance (twice), and so...Maddie had her 1st PB sandwich. And a Reese's cup. Then we waited. The doctor, his nurse, and I stared at her for 30 minutes. She was happy to entertain with all eyes on her. Thankfully she did not have a reaction, but most kids don't the first time they are introduced to nuts. We have to go back in two weeks, and repeat. In a few months, Marty will take her to test for tree nut allergies and possibly shellfish. I will be asking for lots of prayers during this time. In a few years we will do it all again with Preston. I'll let you know how it goes!!

1st Day of School

Today was a big day. Maddie went back to preschool full time in the 2 year old class, and my big boy went for the first time. Marty took them this morning...he told the teacher all of Preston's likes and dislikes. I couldn't go. I would have never been able to leave. Preston gave me a big smile on the way out the door as if telling me he would be okay. I cried and cried. He had a wonderful day! Maddie is doing great in her new class. They have their own potty, so I think we will finally be out of diapers with her soon. Preston was all smiles when I picked him up. He only napped for 2 hours today, so he was ready for bed a little early. Oh...we had gymnastics again tonight and Maddie made it the whole 45 minutes!