I am so glad this is a new week. Last week was not a very good one at all. Took Mikayla back to the doctor, last Monday, for follow up on ear infection. Well, she still had fluid on left ear but now she has infection in right ear. The next step of course is tubes... in both ears. I knew it would probably happen but I was hoping not. In order to get rid of the infection she has, we have to do shots this time... one a day for three days. So we went to the doctor every day for our shots, in the meantime Mikayla is getting sick. Found out that we had some cases of RSV at church so we have to be careful with Mikayla because she is still so tiny. The bad thing is RSV looks like a cold and guess what... Mikayla has a cold. She had a cough since Sunday afternoon but she now had rattling in her chest so the doc checked her out while we were there for her shot. The doctor was not concerned but said to watch for wheezing... well guess what she woke up Thursday doing... exactly that. Because we were watching her for RSV, we had to go back to the doctor. After examining her, he determined everything was ok but we still had to watch to make sure nothing got worse. Luckily nothing changed so we stayed out of the doctor's office on Friday. Thank God!

Thursday was my birthday so my sweet hubby stayed with Mikayla and I went for a massage and manicure. I needed it for sure after my week. The massage was the BEST I had ever had- I so enjoyed myself!!! Saturday, Mikayla spent the night with Mamaw and Papa. I was not ready to take her back to the nursery with her immune system down. Mike and I went and ate at Chilis on Saturday night. Then got up and went to church on Sunday then to the grocery store afterward. Sunday afternoon we went to Mike's parents for Sunday to dinner and to pick up our little baby.

Monday, Mike was off work. We woke up that morning to SNOW!! I was so excited! We took Mikayla out in it for a few minutes. We spent more time getting her dressed to go out than actual time out in it. She liked looking out the window at the snow (it was "pretty") but when Mike sat her down in it she flung her head back and started crying. Maybe she had too many clothes on and she did not like it... who knows. We actually still have a little snow in our front yard where the sun doesn't shine.

Just wanted to let everyone know that we have come into the "terrible twos". We have started battling at mealtime. She wants her select few things that she likes and nothing else. I actually put her in time out last night for throwing food off her tray at dinner. Nothing seems to work with her. I think we are in for war... she is very headstrong and so are we... it could be very interesting. I forget at times how old she is because she is so small.

Oh yea- I almost forgot her new favorite thing to do... play on the computer. I introduced her to the website kneebouncers. com and she loves it. It is just for little ones - they can play different games just by banging and typing on the keyboard. She is constantly wanting the "puter". You have sit close by and watch her for the times when she might push the wrong button.

I am not sure I typed this before but Mikayla is feeling better but for some reason she has still been whinny and a little clingy. Not sure about this. She did give Mommy her cold.

Ok- I was getting ready to post this and realized... I don't remember what we did last weekend! That is horrible- I guess now that I am 31 it is starting to affect my memory. First- I start finding gray hairs and now my memory is going! I think I need to dim the lights in my bathroom because every time I am brushing my teeth - I find more gray hairs. I always thought having blonde hair they would be hidden... well not on my head!!!

I do remember what we did - Friday, Mikayla and I went to story time at the library then we met Mamaw at Chuck e Cheese. Last time we were there Mikayla was afraid of the characters but she loved them this time- she did not want to leave. Saturday- I went to the grocery store- all by myself. Saturday afternoon we went to Mike's parents. Sunday - we went to church and then to Mamaw and Papa's. Philip and I both have birthdays today and Bonnie surprised us with birthday cake on Sunday night! Speaking of birthday - my wonderful hubby surprised me with a Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip ice cream cake on Tuesday night!! I got my presents early too and this morning he left cards for me from him and Mikayla. Props to my honey!!! Thanks to everyone who sent me cards also- thank you for thinking of me!! Love you all!!

She wanted to get in the basket then wanted to do raspberries in this picture!

She was really into the show at Chuck E Cheese





My YUMMY b-day cake!!!

Invisible Mother

A friend sent this email to me today. I have read it before but for some reason it meant more to me this time. There are times I am sure all us mothers wonder what it is all for... all the doctors appointments, being up all night, fussy days, ear infections, cutting teeth, etc. With Mikayla being in a chair sometimes I wonder what that is for then I remember the reasons I cannot see but they are far greater than I can EVER imagine. Just like all the not fun stuff about being a mom- we are doing something far greater than we know... we are shaping lives. Hope you all enjoy - it may bring a tear to your eye- it did mine.

Invisible Mother.....

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking,'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this ? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being.I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order,'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!? One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip,and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.' In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths,after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into abeam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Be cause God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you,Charlotte . I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong,stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.' As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Comparison

I love doing comparisons from one year to the next- here is mine for Christmas. Amazing how different she looks and how much she has changed and learned! Just wanted to share!

6 random things

I have been tagged again... I have to list 6 random things about myself and then tag others to do the same- before my list I tag Jessica, Heather, Julie, Anna, Laura, and Jennifer. Here goes...

1) I LOVE Pf Changs! I could go there every other week. LETTUCE WRAPS!!!!!

2) I am TERRIFIED of storms!

3) I am terribly addicted to fruity candy- tropical starburst are my FAVE! I can sit and eat the whole bag in a matter of about an hour! Sad but true!

4) I LOVEEEEEE driving with the windows down and the radio cranked up(when I am alone) on sunny days during the spring and fall.

5) I am very insecure about meeting new people.

6) I make lists for EVERYTHING - from my daily to do list, grocery lists, Christmas shopping list(who is getting what and from what store), food prep order for Thanksgiving Day(what and what time to put in the oven), and Mikayla's packing list for Mamaw's house - just to name the few that come to mind!

I am waiting so long after the weekend to post this I don't even remember what we did- I should keep up a little better I guess. Let's see... New Years Day we had Christmas with my Dad's family at my Grandparents' house. My grandfather was in the hospital around Christmas so this was the first opportunity. Mikayla got lots of good stuff as did Mike and I. That evening we went to Mamaw and Papa's for dinner which consisted of pork and sauerkraut. We had a special guest for dinner. Uncle Aj has a girlfriend now- Kara- who lives outside of Detroit. They have been commuting back and forth for months- finally we all got to meet her. After meeting her we wished she lived closer! Can't wait for her to come visit again. Mikayla seemed to really like her- she went to her without hesitation (mommy was even holding her at the time)! That is BIG!
Friday - I had to take Mikayla's chair in for some adjustments. Saturday evening - I had a candle party at the house and after that went to Mamaw and Papa's for dinner. Sunday - went to church and that evening had a meeting/training at church. Mrs. Shannon and Mr. Alan (and Seth) watched Mikayla for us. Mikayla loves Shannon - every time we pull up at church Mikayla says "Shannon". I never have to worry about Mikayla in the nursery because I know that Shannon does such a great job with that area! We love Mrs. Shannon!
Monday - we had a visitor with us - Seth came to play with us while Shannon was working. We had fun playing on the wii - Seth had to show me how it is really done!
Tuesday - we had another meeting at church so Mamaw came to stay with Mikayla while we went. Wednesday - we had church and Mikayla & Mommy went shopping. Thursday (today) we had physical therapy and played. And that brings everyone up to date!
Just to update everyone on Mikayla's ear... it seems to be getting better. She has stopped putting her fingers in there! She gets her last dose of antibiotics on Saturday, then we will go back to the doctor next week and we will see what is going on. If it is not one thing it is another- she is now getting more teeth!! I guess that is the way it is with kids!


Picture with her cousins on New Years Day- Ian, Mikayla, and Trent

Mikayla coloring with Aunt Renee

All the grand and great-grand kids

Uncle Aj letting Mikayla drink out of his glass

Kara, Aj, Mikayla, Mamaw, and Papa- teaching Mikayla to use the camera

Kara and Aj

Happy 2009

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! I am excited for things to come in the new year! Wish everyone much happiness- love you all! These are just a couple of pictures from last night at our celebration at church. The first one is Mike and I right before midnight. The second one is me, Tammy Reid, and Andrea Johnson- love you girls!!