Potty Success!

CR went to the potty twice at school today! Yipee! I was so proud! We are getting there in this slow process!

End of Year Program

Today was CR's last day of the "school year". They had a singing session planned that CR has been anticipating for a while, because they have been doing some serious practice at school. I mean, even a week or so ago, as we are standing in Belk's getting a gift wrapped, CR gets on the luggage stand that he called "his stage" and begins wailing the words of each of the songs he was to sing today. We have practiced at home and even in the Dr. office while we waited yesterday.

I was totally convinced that either one of 2 things would happen: he would either run off the stage once he saw us or either sing great. Neither really happened! He sat on the stage and barely moved his mouth! He was too busy looking at everyone in the audience and all the things on the stage. Oh wait, he did decide that at the end of the program he wanted to return to the stage with some other kids and the MMO director to sing :Toot-e-ta. He did sing then...just no movements that go with it. Almost at the end of the song, he decided he was done all together and made his way back down the stairs to us.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of this event since my memory card was full! Sorry Grandma and Grandda (who are in Alaska)...I do have video of him sitting up there though.

You never know what a 2 year old is going to do....better luck next year. I am just glad he wasn't a 4 year old up there in his cap and gown...I don't think I would have made it (I wanted to tear up watching them and I don't even know them). I will take him being 2 just sitting up there as long as I can!

What A Time!

This week I am so confused about my days, due to Monday being a holiday. I have been reminding myself all week that CR had a Dr. appt. yesterday at 2 PM, in hopes that I would not forget. But guess what...I forgot!

I came home after work and picking up CR at MMO, changed clothes, ate lunch, and sent CR out on the patio to play (a normal daily activity after we come home). For some reason, I happened to remember the appt. all of a sudden as I was sitting at the table finishing my lunch. It was 1:52! I jumped up quickly, pulled off my old junk mismatched clothes, grabbed CR off the patio as is (sweaty, dirty hands, and little did I know dirty diaper) and headed out the door. Thank goodness the Dr. office was just right down the street. I quickly wiped CR's dirty face and hands with a hand wipe and hurried in.

Once we got checked in, I thought I smelled something...yeah, isn't it sad it took me this long to notice...he had it on all along. For some reason he gets relaxed playing outside. I then checked and he had made a surprise for me despite the fact that he said he didn't. I explained to the ladies in the check-in area and we headed back out the door to return home to get his bag that I left. Again, thank goodness the Dr. office was just up the rode. Yeah...I will not get mommy of the year for this stunt! I hurried back to the Dr. office, changed CR's diaper in the back of the van, and returned for our appt. Of course CR is all out of sorts in confusion as we have went to a Dr. appt. that he didn't know we were going to/or why (he kept saying, "mommy I not sick"). I had to explain to him I know he wasn't sick, but we had to go check on his ears and throat (ENT Dr. to determine if he needs his tonsils out). Finally...we were there ready for the appointment.

CR was an angel for the waiting time. We waited and waited and waited some more. Finally, a lady came out and said that the Dr. that CR was supposed to see was stuck in sugery at the hospital (no wonder the lady acted as if it were not a big deal that we returned home and changed the diaper). I was in a rush for nothing! We were told, we could either reschedule or the Dr. should be there in 20 minutes, but we would be at least behind the other 3 patients in the rooms already waiting. I decided we couldn't sit any longer...I knew CR's goodness had to be about gone.

Just as we were literally getting up to walk out, the same lady came back out to tell us that another Dr. (actually the same one I saw when I was referred to him back in Aug. thinking that all my tumor symptoms were allergies) could see us. I agreed, so we got taken back to the room. After answering tons of questions for the nurse, she left and told us the Dr. would be in shortly. After another 45 minutes (at least) of waiting, singing songs, playing with every toy I brought, playing in the Dr. examining chair, and anything else I could come up with...I decided we had sat long enough! We headed out the door to tell the ladies at the front that we couldn't wait any longer...but was interrupted midsentence by the Dr. stating that he was there and ready for us (note this is not the Dr. that we had orginally supposed to see...that one was still at the hospital). I should have proceeded to leave, but didn't.

We returned to the room were CR was still an angel while the Dr. talked to us and looked in his ears. Then the Dr. pulled out a tongue depressor (or stick CR calls it). CR FLIPPED OUT! The Dr. had to call a nurse in to help hold CR down while he looked at his tonsils. TOTAL NIGHTMARE...CR was beyond ready to go and would not return to calmness! i could not even hear what the Dr. was telling me. The Dr. wanted to do one more test, so he told CR that he had a game for him to play. But, we would have to return to the waiting room until the lady in charge (I am assuming she is an audiologist) was ready. So, we proceed back to the waiting room where CR is done and doesn't understand why we must wait to play the game. After another 15 minutes or so we got to "play the game" to determine if CR has fluid in ears. He did great with the "game" and "drew great pictures with his ears" to determine that he didn't have any fluid.

We were returned to see the Dr. to hear the news...the best thing would be for CR to get his tonsils and adnoids out. I explained my reservations of his age/weight and the Dr. assured me it would not be a big deal...stating he has done many little ones before. The bad news (well bad news for me) is, we would have to have it done at the RH hospital that K and I always say we would not take our dog to (if we had one) just from its reputation. No offense...hope anyone reading this doesn't work there. I explained my reservations of this with the Dr. and he attempts to reassure me that he would be fine...again, he says he has done many there with no problems. Because CR's age/weight though, he may have to stay overnight. This is a major concern to K and I!

So after a 2 hour (literally) Dr. visit, I am left confused (which I seem to stay a lot). I don't know whether we should have them taken out right now, if so, should we have it done here, or seek another Dr. that could do it in our hospital of preference (in Charlotte). Anyone have any suggestions or advice?!

Gotta love Dr. appointments!

Potty Training?

I need some help from you experts that have been through potty training before or any of you that have information. As many of you know, I am not a pusher for potty training...I believe when he is ready, he will do it. I just hope it is soon.
However, I believe CR is showing strong signs, and I don't know what to do next to help him with the process without being pushy.

Yesterday, CR went to the pool and decided he didn't like the feeling of the wet swim diaper on him, so I told him that he could take it off only if he would go to the potty and tell me when he needed to go. So, he decided he needed to go then.

I proceeded to take him, where he used it and was so proud of himself. He also loved the idea of being allowed to flush when he used it. We then headed back out to the pool for him just to start pulling his pants down again and telling me he needed to go...so I took him back. He tried to do it again so hard...but of course nothing but a dribble and sounds from the other end came out from his strained attempts. I reassured him it was okay and tried to explain to him that we would come back in a little while and try again. Yet, every few minutes he wanted to try...to the point that we ended up having to come home because he streaked in his swim shorts from trying so hard.

Once we were back home, he didn't want to put big boy pants on, so I put on a diaper (he refuses to wear pull ups). Then, it was over...no more thoughts from him or wishes to try. Until last night at bath time, when I was getting ready to put him in the tub, he wanted to go again. He was successful! I praised him for this, and his great attempts of the day.

Now, I don't know what else to do to get him along in the process. I feel like he is ready...any suggestions or should I continue to wait on his lead? Wish me luck and please offer some suggestions...I think we are too far along to brush off these attempts.

Lazy Days of Summer

Even though summer is not officially here, it is at our house...the pool is open! We can be found outdoors on most days at the pool. CR is already turning into a brown bear and hair turning white again.

This is CR's first visit to the pool this year. It is taking some time for him to warm back up to really getting into it, but it will not long.

The water is still a little cool for me, but CR and Daddy enjoy playing in it. CR is more adventurous with Dada in the water.
We hope that many of you friends will join us this summer for one of pool days!
We are enjoying the more laid back schedule of summer, and looking forward to the best things of summer...late days, watermelon, homemade ice cream, fun water activities, and hopefully a trip to the beach!

HAPPY SUMMER!!!!

Day of Thankfulness!

So sorry this is so late...it has been in draft form since the day after Mother's Day I think. I am having a hard time finding the time to blog with my child deciding he is done with naps. Sorry again!

Despite CR waking on the wrong side of the bed, acting horrible at lunch out with K, my parents and grandma, fighting a nap, and acting out all day...
Mother's Day was a day of thankfulness and reflection for me, perhaps due to all that I have been through.

My healthy and full of energy boy: I am blessed that I have a healthy child that 2 1/2 years ago decided to come out into the world six weeks early. I thought back to how scared I was during this time not knowing what would happen. But God was so good...you would never know that my smart two year old was so early. I am also so blessed to be alive and healthy after my scare with a brain tumor.

CR told me Happy Mother's Day all day long and still continues to do so. He gave me a card and made me something at school. K and CR also gave me a gift card to get some relaxation.

I am so blessed to be a Mother!

Joys of Childcare

One of the joys of childcare is having to become immune to every germ that comes through! Although I love CR's "school" and think it has been great for him, all the germs are a hard pill to swallow (for all of you know I am a germ freak). They all seem to enter our household at the most inopportune times. We have been graced with the runny nose, sore throats, stomach flu at Christmas, and then this past week...the dreaded hands, foot, and mouth disease. As a former 4th and 5th grade teacher, I have heard of this before, but thankfully have had no run-ins with it...well until now.



CR spent the night with Auntie Kim last Saturday night and was very clingy Sunday AM when we picked him up, so we let him stay in "big church" with us as he wished (instead of going to the nursery). Thank goodness we did! He was an angel, but we just assumed he was tired and missed us. Little did we know he had the onsets of this sickness. Even Sunday afternoon, I noticed bumps on his bottom (a heat rash I thought), so I let him run nude outside (noted in a previous post). Then while we were outside I even noticed some bumps on his feet (I just thought was there from playing in the grass). He had no signs of bumps anywhere else, so it never crossed my mind it may be this. I wish his teachers would have warned me that this was going around the classroom for almost a month now. Evidently, they are unaware of the severity of this sickness and how easily it is spread. I do feel better though knowing where it came from (after talking to his teacher and a friend). I was feeling guilty thinking that he caught it by taking him to Carowinds.



Monday, he didn't eat very much and I could tell with his behavior something was not right, so I scheduled a Dr. appt. for him for Monday. He was diagnosed with an ear infection and she noticed a bump on his tongue and said it looked like he bit it. After not eating the rest of the day Monday or barely drinking, I had a hard time believing that his throat wasn't hurting, so we return to the Dr. again Tuesday morning (to pay again...yipee!) When she looked in his mouth, blisters were everywhere. The poor thing had them all over his gums, tongue, and throat. No wonder he couldn't eat or drink! We spent the better part of the week attempting to make him drink (forget eating). Thankfully, we succeeded in getting enough in him to keep him from getting dehydrated.

He is back to his old self now and making up for the lost time of no eating! Now we just have to see an ENT Dr. for his snoring and constant ear infections.
Thankfully we were not around any of our pregnant friends during this time, as they could have been exposed and very dangerous.

Rainy Days...No problem!

I have found a new outing with CR for rainy days or days that will be too hot to go outside this summer! Yipee...I am not going to be stuck indoors!. It is Plaza Fiesta near Carowinds where they have the biggest play set that I have ever seen. This place is such a blast and cheap (only $1) to get in! It is very nice and surprisingly clean so far (have to wear socks in it). Since CR is so small, I have enjoyed going up with him each time. This will entertain him until he is exhausted...and me too! Dada even likes it!

Potty Training Attempts Turns into Outdoor Fun!

I once (or more than once) had someone tell me that if I could, I should let CR run nude outside to help with potty training. These days I am getting pretty desparate, so Sunday, I decided to give it a try (also due to the fact that CR had a bad rash on his bottom that could use some fresh air). Since it was a beautiful day, and of course he had to be outside to enjoy it, I thought (with K's help), let's turn this into a game. K sprayed CR with the water hose and then I tried to get him to "water the tree". He loved the idea of both, but didn't have much luck with the "watering the tree". He loved trying though. It was so funny...he was trying to so hard, but it just wouldn't happen. In fact he was straining so hard that sounds came from the other end. It was so funny! Thankfully, the neighbors were not home, and DSS was not called, since you all know that I can spit on my neighbors house from mine (and live in a very "close" neighborhood in town). CR thinks this should be a game we play daily...we did the same thing today. I hope I haven't started something...he will not be able to get away with this much longer!

Happy Anniversary, Valentines Day...Finally!

Way after the original dates, K and I finally got to celebrate our anniversary and Valentine's Day in a much needed way. We had the night to ourselves Saturday night while CR enjoyed spending the night with Auntie Kim and his cousins P&M. The best part is that we really didn't have to spend much money!
We started the evening off with a trip to Ballentyne Spa, where we enjoyed a couples massage with a gift card that I had from last Mother's Day. This place is so awesome...it feels like you are somewhere so far away from home. I was totally rejuvenated after my massage. I told K that insurance should pay for people to have a massage every 6 months (life teeth cleaning) for better health. I truly think it would make all the difference in someone's health to have one regulary...sounds like a good plan to me!
Then we went to Michael's to eat. This restaurant is so cool in that it has a veranda to eat on with Reggae/Carribean style music and awesome food! It was a very relaxing evening that was much needed after the last year we have had!
Isn't it amazing how things change in 5 years...we just now got to celebrate these moments in our life, didn't do gifts for either occasion, and didn't take it personally about either. Life is just so crazy these days! However, it has been a great 5 years, even with our extreme mountains we have had to climb. K and I say all the time, that we have had to face so many things in the past 5 years that most couples don't have to face in a lifetime. So hopefully we are headed to some brighter times ahead in our future together!