AC's 1st Day of School

AC's 1st Day of School

For those of you who don't know AC's 1st day of school was post poned due to pneumonia. He was really sick. Well the time has come!! My baby is off to his first day of school.

Here he his heading down stairs for his first day of school. He looks so small from this angle and quite frankly I wish he was still that small!

His Daddy laughed about how big his backpack looks on him. My little man is growing up! Wow for the mothers out there you can know how my heart is breaking to see what a big man I have. I came across pictures of him as a baby and think he should still be that small!

Mommy and AC (Yes there are tears in my eyes!

AC getting in the car. He said he was nervous and excited and a little scared all at the same time. He asked me is that normal Mommy? Yes baby thats exactly how Mommy is feeling right now too!

The really cool thing that I found out when I dropped him off is that the 3 days he missed due to the pneumonia doesn't count against him. They counted today as his first day of school!

AC loved his first day of school. When I picked him up the teacher told me he had a super first day! They have a falling star chart that monitors behavior. Everyday the children start with their name high in the sky. The first time they get in trouble they get a verbal warning. The second time they get in trouble they have to move their star down and lose 10 minutes of center time. The third time they have to move their star down another level and lose center time all together. The fourth they move it down to the last level, lose center time and get a note or phone call home. Well I am happy to say the biggest excitment AC talked about today was he didn't have to move his star at all!!! Yeah AC I'm so excited for you! He is excited about going back to school tomorrow!

Stresses vs. positives

Okay so I have decided that I have to put this somewhere! I am not super woman!!! I cannot stop two speeding trains from crashing into one another. I actually feel like the trains have crashed and I was in between them when they hit! I am exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. When asked last night if I am hanging in there, I just started crying and said no. I am challenging myself that for every negative or stress I put on here I will try to match it with a positive.

Okay my stresses…
A) AC has been sick with pneumonia
B) We had to take him to the hospital
C) We have no insurance for the kids because I keep getting pushed around by Florida Kidcare
D) Trace is beginning to cough and run a low fever
E) Andrew is coughing
F) How are we going to pay for the dentist for AC?
G) How are we going to pay for the hospital bill, which I’m sure is going to be very expensive?
H) Is my pregnancy really going okay? (They had to take my blood pressure twice at my last doctors appointment)
I) I am having nightmares
J) I am not sleeping (between sick kids, nightmares, and being a mom)
K) AC started Kindergarten today.
L) I want out of the apartment and into a house (a two bedroom apartment is really too small for a soon to be family of six)
M) Am I really going to be able to handle 4 children?
N) I have to deal with the drama going on with others.

Okay Okay I have to quit there or I am going to spiral into tears again.

The positives…
A) I have God on my side.
B) AC is feeling better
C) We know what is wrong and can treat the problem.
D) We caught Trace’s right on the onset so we can treat it.
E) Andrew is only coughing no fever, hopefully we can treat it without him getting any fever.
F) So far RC and I haven’t come down with anything.
G) God is the provider. He will provide a way to get AC’s dentist bill taken care of as well as the ER bill.
H) I have family willing to take the kids so I can get some rest.
I) AC started kindergarten today! ( Yes I know this is on both lists, that’s because it is both a stress and a positive)
J) I have a roof over my head and my family is fed.
K) I have a loving husband that provides for my family and even though he doesn’t always get it he tries so hard to be supportive of my fears and stresses.
L) Children are a blessing from God and I know that God must think I’m doing something right or he wouldn’t have given me another blessing.
M) I have 3 beautiful well behaved (atleast most of the time) little boys.
N) I have a girl on the way!
O) I have friends and family that I can deal with their drama. Cause the only way to get rid of the drama would be to get rid of the friends and family.
P) I have a church family, that loves and cares for me and my family.
Q) I am breathing!
R) God loves me!
S) The sun rose again today!
T) There is God’s beauty all around me.
U) I have an amazing support system.
V) Even when I have my nightmares my husband holds me. (Even if I do wake him up at 4:30am)
W) I am healthy and the doctor says my pregnancy is going well.
X) My children love to sing!
Y) My kids smile each and every day!
Z) God is on my side!!!

Wow! I came up with more positives than negatives. Isn’t God good!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Giveaway: Redecorate with Olive Kids

Tired of seeing the same old television characters in your child's room?
The founders of Olive Kids were and decided to come up with their own line of kids room decor with bright and colorful designs. "We feel kids should be able to surround themselves with art, design and decoration that encourages creativity and fun without all the hype and sales pressure of TV and movies. "What a great concept! And boy, do they have the cutest things!

This is really a cool giveaway thing I would love to try and win. I am going to need help decorating for my kids room.

They have personalized clocks, bedding and personalized place mats. They have alot of cool things check it out. Olive Kids is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner. How cool is that?

http://islandreview.blogspot.com/2007/08/giveaway-redecorate-with-olive-kids.html

Darn it didn't win this either!

Free Stuff!!

I know I know I am posting again but I thought I would double the odds of trying to win some free items for Kailey Ashlyn. I know I don't have to remind y'all that with me being a stay at home mom with 3 little boys and a girl on the way that I could use free items!!!! I can vouch for what a life saver these cups are and how nice it is knowing that if you do leave them somewhere it doesn't matter because they are inexpensive.






The 2nd cups featured are the "Take or Toss" Cups. While at home we mostly use Take or Toss cups. Their the easiest to use because you don't have stoppers involved... yet their pretty affective with very few leaks. After they begin to leak we simply "Toss" them. Travis and I both use the bottoms of the cups for ourselves throughout the day :-). So it works well for a sippy as well as a "big boy/girl" cup.

So if you want to see the web page hosting this give away click below!!! Hopefully my mom or I win!!!

http://dreawd.blogspot.com/2007/08/playskool-review-giveaway.html

DARN IT DIDN'T WIN!!!!

AC has pneumonia!

Okay so here's the update on my little man. His temperature returned yesterday and spiked at 104.5. We took him to the emergency room. We got to the ER at 6:10 p.m. My dad met us (my Mom, the kids, and myself) there and went in with us then left with the younger two - to go home feed them supper and let them play. We were called up to the triage and they gave him some Motrin which as you can see in a couple of the pictures made him feel lots better. We finally got called into the back at 9:30 - the doctor came in to see him at 10:20 and hooked him up to an IV for dehydration. The doctor ordered blood work which came back normal. The doctor came back in and while talking to us heard AC cough. He commented on how wet it sounded and ordered a chest x-ray. He told us that after being rehydrated it could flare enough junk up to be seen in the chest x-ray that is why he doesn't order them right off. Well the doctor came back and told us that he has LLL (Lower Left Lung) Pneumonia. They would have missed it if done prior to the rehydration. AC was such a trooper when they put the IV in and took 4 viles of blood - he looked at his mom once and pinch the bridge of his nose to keep from crying but never did really cry in fact he watch what they were doing the majority of the time. He did grumble a little when we woke him up and took him to x-rays, he asked will it hurt? After being assured it didn't he was so so so good. He reacted more when they took the tape off from the IV than he did any other time - because the tape was pulling the hair off his little hand.

My weekend....

Okay so lets see....

A little update about AC. He was suppose to start kindergarten today but the poor guy couldn't go. He woke up Saturday morning complaining about a headache. He lounged around all morning, I mean literally layed on the couch doing nothing. He started to fall asleep on the couch so I sent him to lay down on my bed hoping a little nap would get rid of his headache because the Tylenol hadn't helped. Well his daddy got home about 2:00 and went in to see how his head was feeling (we were going to go school supply shopping). Anyway RC called me in because he felt really warm. We took his temp. and it was 103. I ran to the store bought some more medicine and Gatorade. We had an evening at home with a little guy not feeling good at all. I think he maybe moved twice on his own. Trace and I did get to go out on a little shopping trip just Mommy and Trace, and that was a lot of fun. Got a new maternity outfit for me and some new school clothes for AC. Yes Trace did get a new shirt too. Well I got home and began to move AC to his bed and he threw up down my back. RC offered to sleep on the couch and let AC sleep in bed with me. Well about an hour later I went to bed and had a very interesting conversation with AC.

AC was staring at me and I asked him "What's up baby?" "I gave them the money." "You gave who the money?" "Them" "Who's them?" "I don't know" "Okay honey just go back to sleep." "I'm not in my bed" "No honey you're in Mommy's bed. Do you want to go to your bed?" "Yes!" (and for those of you who really know AC that last yes was basically a "DUH!".

The next morning morning my alarm went off for church and I went in to check on him. He was sitting straight up in his bed and looked at me and asked "What are you doing awake?" I told him I came to check on him. He laid down and was back sound asleep.

Well he was still running a fever so RC stayed home from church with him. I went to get McDonald's for breakfast and also to Walgreens to get some cough medicine because now there was a yucky little cough with it. I get home and pick up the bag of food and it rips. The only food to actually hit the ground was my McGriddle. I go upstairs and end up stubbing my toe. Needless to say it was a rough morning! Oh I forgot to mention the part of while I was gone AC threw up all over my side of the bed. Well Trace, Andrew and I went to church because I was teaching my Sunday school class. No giving me a hard time about not being the one that stayed home with him because I left home actually crying feeling like a bad mom because I should be at home taking care of my baby. I got to church in time to hear the invitation of the first service. But hey at least I was on time for my SS class. Well I get home and AC is feeling a little bit better so we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to get him a little change in pace. He still just lounged at their house. It was really sad sight. I have to tell you about another conversation this one between AC and Grandma.

My dad and RC had to run to Home Depot to get something to install the new stove (the old stove was shot because of the lightning strike details on my moms blog). Well Grandma asked AC, "Do you want to try and go school supply shopping or stay home while Mommy and Grandma go?" He looked blankly at grandma for a few minutes and then said in his duh voice "You have to wait until Grandpa and Daddy get home!" My mom jokingly replied "No you're going to watch your brothers while we go." "Uhh NOOO!" was all he said before closing his eyes again.

Well when the guys got home Mom and I did set out shopping. We headed to Target because the only thing that AC has been specific about is what lunchbox he wanted. That is a Transformer lunch box he saw at Target a week ago. Well we head to the first Target, nope no lunch box. So we head to the second Target, nope no lunch box there. The poor kid is sick so we really want to get the only thing he specifically wanted! Third Target, nope. Fourth, nope. Finally at the fifth Target we get lucky and there it is. Let me clarify we did buy some school supplies at each stop that the previous Target did not have. We then had to stop by Walmart because none of the Targets had the Kinder-Mats that he needs for school. Finally we get everything bought! Go home and the poor guys still looks terrible. He was very excited to see his school supplies especially his lunch box!!

Well all last night I didn't sleep well at all. Every cough and move he made I knew because I was just very restless. I checked him at 3:00 am no fever Yeah! Got him up this morning and still no fever yeah! We decided to keep him home because we wanted to make sure that the fever was really gone plus he still had a cough. Well no luck the fever is back and the poor guy is laying on the couch just barely watching cartoons. Due to still fighting the insurance if he is still sick tomorrow we will go to the walk in clinic. So I ask all to pray for the little man and also that none of the rest of us come down with whatever this junk is!

On another note I wanted to all share with all of you the poem that AC's teacher shared with us at the open house Friday. Fare warning it might make you cry...

The First Day

I gave you a little wink and smile

As you entered my room today.

For I know how hard it is to leave

And know your child must stay.

You've been with him for five years now

And have been a loving guide,

But now, alas, the time has come

To leave him at my side.

Just know that as you drive away

And tears down your cheeks my flow

I'll love him as I would my own

And help him learn and grow.

For as a parent, I too know

How quickly the years do pass

And that one day soon it will be my turn

To take my child to class.

So please put your mind at ease

And cry those tears no more

For I will love him and take him in

When you leave him at my door.

THIS POST REQUIRES COMMENTS....

Okay so as you can see in the title of this post it does require comments. I am going to be putting a due date guess calendar together here real soon. My mom said the Tuesday before Thanksgiving which would be November 20th I think. My dad has guessed December 2nd. I think November 18th. (Yes Shawn I think your birthday!!!) Okay so now it is your turn. Comment on this and take your guess. According to the due date calculator it is November 26th and my measurements say December 3rd. I will have my wonderful s-i-l help me create a calendar to let everyone see and keep track of the their guesses. Fill out the following form and if you do not wish to leave your email address then I will enter it under management but you will not be able to access it. Or if you wish just email me the answers that way not everyone sees your email address.

GuessYourBaby.com
Baby Pool!
Guess on the baby’s gender, birthdate, length and
weight! Scoring: 5 points per day off, 5 points per
ounce off, 10 points per inch off, 400 points if the
gender is wrong. Lowest score wins!
Your Guess

Your email address

Email Address: _____________________

Boy or Girl?

Gender: ____________________

What day will the baby be born?

Birthdate: _____________________

Weight: ____ lbs ____ ozs
Weight in lbs in ozs

Length: ____ _ inches
Length in Inches

The manager of this baby pool will enter your guesses for you on the website. You will receive an email once it’s
entered and once the baby is born! You will also be able to visit the baby pool page and change your guess later if you
like.
Visit http://www.guessyourbaby.com

Doctors Appt. Today

Hey all just a quick update. I went to the doctor today. They had to take my blood pressure twice. The first time the top number came in at 130, which it is normally 118 for me. The second time it came in at 126. The nurse said that's better but they are going to keep an eye on it from now on. They said everything looks and sounds good. My measurements according to the doctor say I am due December 3rd and they have my due date as November 26th. Which is only a weeks difference so they are not changing my due dates in the records. To me this just means instead of going early November I will probably go mid November. Mom keeps saying the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I think its just because she wants more time off to hold the baby, but she claims its to help me... Yeah sure mom, we all know the truth!!! The boys are getting more and more excited about "Kailey". Actually I should clarify, AC and Trace are getting more excited but Andrew isn't so sure about it.

On a different note... Progress is being made with my little man. He is taking more steps and is actually standing on his own. His daddy says that its about time the lazy bum started!! Like I pointed out to him... Would you walk if you could be carried?!? (Come on be honest now... I know I wouldn't!) I think the progress is being made because his little sister is riding so low and causing severe back pain, so he has to walk more holding my hand because I can't carry the extra weight!!!

AC and Trace can't stop talking about starting school. They play school with each other in their bedroom. They also got some last hoorays before school starts. Yesterday they went to the beach with their Nana, and then all three boys spent the night with her so I could go to my doctors appointment. Tomorrow they get to go to the museum with a cousin and Nana. Fun Fun!

Well anyways TTFN!

Hello all long time since I've posted. I actually didn't realize how long it had been until my friend Donna informed me that it had been since January 18Th. Well lets see whats going on....

RC is doing great. He no longer works for Signs By Tomorrow. He left there the end of February. He is still doing incredible with his weight loss and exercising. He plans on doing the ride across the state with my dad this year. They are both really excited about it. This will be Dad's first time. RC is still working in the sign business just as a contractor. God is really blessing us. He definitely has us walking by faith, one step at a time.

AC will start kindergarten this year!!! Mommy is having a little bit of a difficult time with this!!! He seems to be really excited about it and yet nervous at the same time. He is so smart and is getting really good at sounding out what words are. He loves math which reminds me of his Uncle Shawn so much. He enjoys playing dominoes with me, which I remember many games of dominoes with his uncle!

Trace starts preschool this year. He will be in the same program his brother was in last year. He will actually get to be a part of the Little Wrangler program for 2 years. He is really excited about it because that means he is a big boy! I was actually playing a game at my parents house and looked over at Trace and told him to stop!! My parents looked at my like I was nuts and I explained that Trace has just stopped looking like my little boy and has turned into a big boy!! I am really struggling with the fact that he and his brother are in school!

Andrew is now 16 months and the little turkey isn't interested in walking. He takes steps from here to there but is not interested in walking. He will seriously start to take a step, look at you and then say uh-uh! Like I said a little turkey! He is more interested in walking while holding your hand now so there is hope! He is talking though. He will suddennly turn around and say something that you didn't realize he could say. He will lay his head on my belly and pat his chest and say baby!

Okay for me .....

For those who don't know I am expecting again!!!! That's right baby number 4. Yes, RC and I do know what causes it and Yes we really like it :) Oh yeah did I mention its a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RC finally figured out the trick to creating a girl! We are really excited. We do not have an official name picked out but right now we like Kailey Ashlyn Crosby. I am due in November. Things are going well. I am six months and I just started showing. Which I am excited about. I have another doctors appointment this week.

Well okay I will keep you updated as we go. I will try to make it sooner that 8 months from now. Hope all is well with you!