Spring Glorious Spring

The weather has been WONDERFUL the past several days and we have taken full advantage of it! Cole and I have had park play dates for the past 3 days with different sets of friends and it has been heavenly. I knew we had cabin fever I just did not realize how bad it was until we were able to get outside. It has been so nice to let Cole get out and run and play as much as he wants. I know he loves it so much too. In fact, he woke up at 5:20 this morning and said "I go to the park. I see Katie and Jacob." I had made the mistake of telling him before bed that we would be seeing them at the park today...I won't do that again! The first day we were able to get out Cole ran around the park yelling "I so happy Mama!" and I wanted to join him....I was so happy too! I have loved playing with him outside even more this year than last year. I was amazed to see him do things at the park this week that he could not, or would not, do last year. He has grown up so much. He loves to throw a football and kick a soccer ball. He still loves the sand and swings and slides but this year he can go down all of the slides by himself. Wow - what a difference a year makes! I pray this weather sticks around...I think we could really get used to being outside every day again.

What a Day!

Waiting for Dr. Manning in the clinic

Waiting to be taken to surgery

Cole has been struggling with what seems like a never ending ear infection since Halloween. I mean, seriously, this kid was hardly ever sick until Halloween and then boom - ear infection after ear infection! We were finally able to take Cole to see an ENT doctor on Monday and he insisted that Cole have tubes placed in his ears (something we both figured he needed and we wanted). I assumed we would have to wait several weeks to have the procedure done so you can imagine how shocked I was when Dr. Manning said he wanted to do the surgery tomorrow! He said he was really worried about Cole's right ear drum rupturing since it was the most infected and had been that way the longest. So...we ran home to get last minute things done and get to bed early (we had to be up by 5 am). Rhonald was able to get some of his morning covered and I was able to get insurance stuff squared away in a very short amount of time. This morning we headed up to the hospital which was not as big of an ordeal as I imagined it would be. Cole had fun waiting and playing. There were only 2 things that he really did not like at all...his hospital ID band and putting on the hospital gown. Once we tackled those things it was smooth sailing. They took Cole back to surgery around 8 am and he was back in my arms by 8:25 am. Handing him over to the OR nurse was a horrible feeling but I know he needed this done so badly. He recovered well and we were able to take him home around 9:30. After a morning of sleeping in mom and dad's bed he is up, talking, playing and eating like normal! What a relief!!!! We are so thankful things went so well and that, hopefully, our little guy will not have any more trouble with his silly little ears!

An Amazing Blessing

Well folks - it is official! On January 26th we found out that we are expecting our second sweet baby! My due date is October 6, 2010 and we couldn't be happier! I had my first doctors appointment on Monday where I met with a nurse to learn (or relearn) about what I can eat and what I can do, had my blood drawn and, of course, got on the dreaded scale. I am using a new doctor with this baby because our insurance has changed since Cole was born so things are a little different. With Cole I received an ultrasound at 8 weeks to check his heart beat. That was not the case on Monday and I was so disappointed. Luckily we have many connections and one of my dear friends who I used to work with (and who helped take care of me when Cole was born) let me come to the hospital and she did an ultrasound for me. Unfortunately Rhonald was working but I did get to see that sweet little heart beat and a rolling little 8 week old baby! I have been feeling great - although I am very tired, much more so than when I was pregnant with Cole. I attribute that to having to keep up with a toddler all day long. I also have a lot of opinions about what we eat and don't eat which, I think, is driving Rhonald a little bit crazy! Other than that things are going so very well. Cole is excited about being a big brother and kisses my belly every day. He loves babies and I pray that continues when we bring his brother or sister home with us! We ask for your prayers for all of us during this time of change but especially for our new little wonder...that he/she arrives safely and is 100% healthy!

Passing Time...

This is what we spent about 30 minutes doing this Saturday morning...still in our jammies...before breakfast! Oh the joys of parenthood! We wouldn't trade it for anything!

A Gymboree Valentine

Last Thursday Gymboree Play and Music hosted a Valentine's Day party complete with games, crafts and cupcakes! I love Valentine's Day...I know it is a silly holiday but I love it all the same...so I had to sign us up. It worked out perfectly because Rhonald was on call that night so we would not have been able to see him very much anyway. The party was for ages 2-5 so we knew we had to invite our sweet friend, Audrie, to join us. The kids had a blast running around and playing games with one another. Everyone was dressed in their Valentine's best and looked so stinkin' cute. The kids got to be in a parade and pretend to drive trains (which Cole loved)...they had bubbles and lots of other fun things to do. My camera battery died about 4 minutes into the evening so thankfully Audrie's mom, Rachel, was there taking pictures too. After about an hour of playing the kids went into another room for the yummiest cupcakes I have ever tasted and a cute little craft. It was such a fun and different way to celebrate the holiday and spend time with Rachel and Audrie who we don't get to see very often. Cole had so much fun! When I asked him what his favorite thing about the party was he said the cupcakes, of course. He was so cute when we got home. Rhonald was actually here and Cole ran in and told him all about the party - he was talking so fast Rhonald had to keep asking me what he was talking about! I love seeing him get so excited about things...and finally be able to tell us all about them when they happen! I am already looking forward to next year when we can do it again!

Precious Memories

Superbowl Sunday we spent the evening with several friends enjoying lots of food and talking and some football. Our friends, Kellie and Joe, were there with their 4 month old baby, Claire. Cole loves Claire. I mean, really he does. That night Cole helped me feed Claire a bottle and he kissed her head and gave her toys to play with. The evening ended and we went home and went straight to bed. Well, the next morning Cole woke up asking where Claire was and then he got very upset when I said she was at her house. I was trying to think of something to calm him down and I remembered Peggy. My sweet doll, Peggy, was given to me on my first birthday by my Aunt Peggy. She was my best buddy growing up and I still have her sitting on a shelf in my closet. I ran and got her and showed her to Cole. That sweet boy of mine instantly fell in love with Peggy as well. Cole has to share his milk in the morning with her, he reads to her, he rocks her, he sleeps with her. It is so sweet to watch him love her and take care of her. I will admit that I always thought I would pass Peggy down to a daughter but hey - maybe all of my kids will love on her at some point. It is just nice to know that Cole has a place in his heart for babies and for taking care of others.

The Sweetest Night

No pictures to share but I do have 2 stories that I wanted to tell you about.

1. Rhonald and I always put Cole to bed together if he is home. We have a system...Rhonald reads, Cole chooses who gets to say prayers and then I sing with him. Tonight after stories we asked him who he would like to say his prayer and he said "Cole." So we smiled and said "ok, go ahead." thinking the whole time that he would not say anything. Well, we were wrong and I swear I was almost brought to tears with his little prayer. I could tell Rhonald was so proud too. It went like this, "Dear God, Jesus, God, God, God, Jesus Amen." It is awesome to see him grow in his little faith and to know that even at this young age he has a love for God that is so amazing!

2. We have been going back and forth on when to get rid of Cole's pacifiers. I mean, he is addicted and, really, so are we. We have been dreading this day for 2 years now. When I say Cole is addicted I really mean it. I have never seen Cole fall asleep without his pacifier ever. While Cole was at Mother's Day Out today I cut the ends off of all of his pacifiers. I'll be honest that I did leave 1 intact just in case. When I picked him up he asked for one so I gave it to him and he was upset. He asked for another and I gave it to him and he was even more upset. My heart was breaking but I knew in that same heart that this was the right thing to do. It took much longer to get him down for his nap than usual but he did go to sleep. Problem was he was even more mad when he woke up and had some energy! After about 40 mins he calmed down and was ok. Around dinner time he found the pacifiers I had given him and said he was throwing them away because they were broken. At bedtime, oh the dreaded bedtime, he asked for one again. I gave him another "broken" one and he looked at it and then threw it away without saying anything. After that we did our normal bedtime routine and he never mentioned his pacifiers or cried one little tear. I am so proud of him and I pray this continues!!!!!