P*tite B*ys???

Well, Henderson had his 4 month check up yesterday. It went well, he was a sweetie - never cried until the Dr. held his head down to look in his ears - he does have a slight ear infection in one ear and is now on Amoxicillin - what is it with my boys??? Wilson had many ear infections and finally tubes at 9 months. None since then thank goodness. Emma Claire has never had an ear infection. Henderson got 4 shots and the rotavirus vaccine and slept much of the afternoon. He woke up with a fever (the first one he's ever had) and he was so pitiful - all he would do was lay on my chest - never even picked his head up. He would whimper if I tried to move him. He finally went to sleep after some Tylenol and did wake up at 3:30 am to eat (which is not usual).

Here are his stats:

Height: 24 inches (20%)

Head: 16 1/2 (40%)

Weight: 12 lb 7 oz (10%)

Here's why I am concerned - his height and head have remained at the same %. His weight has gone from 25% to 10% - you ask, so what?? Well, it was about this time that Wilson began dropping off the chart - Wilson dropped off in everything (not just weight), so maybe we have hope. Wilson weighed 11 lb 12 oz at 4 months. Emma Claire weighed 12 lb 7 oz also, (but remember, she was born 8 weeks premature). So, where do we go from here? If his weight continues to drop off, do we go through the dozens of procedures and tests that we went through with Wilson, only to find nothing, or do we just accept that I have very petite boys and an average girl??? Oh, why can't it be reversed - girls are cute and "dainty" when they're skinny and petite - but I bet no one looks at a 5 ft tall 100# man and says "oh, he's so dainty and cute" Seriously.... But Henderson is a good eater - he drinks 24-30 ounces of milk a day and we have now begun the dreaded RICE CEREAL!!!! He seemed to like it last night (what stayed in his mouth). He still has the tongue thrust that causes most of it to come back out, but he was begging for more, so he must have liked the taste. We are putting Rice Cereal in his bottles also, to help with the spitting up (which has gotten right crazy) and to add extra calories. I absolutely love my pediatrician and gladly put my childrens' lives in his hands, but I am open to any suggestions you experienced moms out there might have. Yes, I am a registered dietitian, but when it's your own children and you're in the thick of it, sometimes you just need others' advice.!!!! Wilson has gotten OKAY with eating, but he will eat something one day and flat out refuse it the next - I think we've wasted enough food on him to feed all the children in Ethiopia. I hate wasting food, and it's so frustrating to not know what he likes. I just don't want Henderson to go down that same road.

All in all my children are doing great. God has blessed us with happy, healthy children who are growing bigger everyday (although a little slower than the world thinks they should be). God is so good to us and I am thankful for every day I have with these precious gifts. I love being a mom above all else and they bring such joy to my life!

Emma Claire started ballet yesterday and loved it - she is so sweet and such a big help at home. We are getting excited for the first home football game Saturday - we'll be out at the Quad tailgating in the hot September sun!

ROLL TIDE ROLL

ROLL TIDE everyone! We've had a great day at my parents' house so far - the children have played outside, rode bikes, skated, played in the little pool, washed my car, and then my dad took my car to get the oil changed - it's been good for me folks! Lots of extra hands. My sister and her boyfriend came out last night and we had dinner and cake for her birthday. They brought their cute little boxer named Tyson and Emma Claire and Wilson had a blast with him - he did tackle Wilson once though, and that was the end of that. After getting eaten alive by mosquitos, we had to come inside and play. Emma Claire whispered to Katie -"can I take him home"? It was so cute! Now, it's rest time and then we'll get ready to watch the Tide! I hope everyone is having a super weekend!

There's a Hur'cane a'comin folks!

Just in case you don't have a television or radio or Internet (though you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't have Internet, now would you?) There's a hurricane a comin!!! My prayer is that it will just die down and do minimal damage, but it sure doesn't look that way!

Enjoy the hot sunshiny weather this weekend, b/c I'm sure it will rain ALL next week. My flowers sure do look good though - thanks to Fay.

Can New Orleans take any more? How sad to have to go through this again. I'm thankful I don't live there, but I have lots of friends in Dothan and I know how bad it can get there during a hurricane and it's 90 miles north of the ocean (gulf). I do have family in Florida, so I hope they're prepared.

It's bad enough here with all the rain and tornadoes - we sure do get a lot of tornadoes here. Don't plan on watching any tv next week, b/c all that will be on is weather. That's okay with me - I've always been fascinated with severe weather (no I'm not sick, it's just something that amazes me!)

The children and the dog will be going crazy before too long again - just gazing outside wanting to know when they can go "sing" (swing in Wilson's language) I can't tell you how many times he asked me to swing last week - and all I could say was it's raining honey - all wet!!! He doesn't understand - he would have loved to swing in the rain - me, not so much!

I'm really not pessimistic at all, actually I'm very much an optimist! I love a rainy day, I just hope there's not much damage from Gustav - that just breaks my heart! Enjoy this hot summer weather for the next 3 days, because he's a comin! Go away Gustav, and don't even think about it Hannah! Let's start prayin!

Roll Tide!

Happy Birthday Emma Claire - officially!!!

The date on this post should be August 27th, 2008 - I began a draft yesterday, so I guess that's when it dated it - sorry Emma Claire!

Happy 4th Birthday to my first born. After a months' worth of birthday parties and celebrations - it is now your official birthday - I know you are confused, I could tell by the look of astonishment on your face when I told you you were FINALLY 4!!! Happy Birthday to my one daughter whom I love with all my life. You have come so far from that incubator you stayed in for a full month! God knew what he was doing when he brought you here 2 months early - what great godly friends you will be surrounded with the rest of your life, simply b/c you were born before Sept. 1st. You are what drives me to be a better mom - you make me laugh, make me smile, make me strive harder to be a better person, because you are a sweet sweet soul who loves life! You are my compliant one who wants to please, who loves scary movies just like her daddy and nana, who is neat and hates to be dirty like her mommy, who loves her brothers and has never complained that I often have to spend more time focusing on them because you just tend to "take care of yourself". I love you sweetie and one day very soon, when you can read this I want you to know how much I love you. You are the predictable one, the independent one who can play for hours by yourself and be so happy doing it. You love others and are sensitive to their needs - you and your "bestest" friend and cousin Patton will forever be best buddies, is my prayer. I pray that God will continue to grow you up with a love for Him and His Word, with a love for others and with a love for life! I love you!



Now, I need everyone's help. Of course everyone has their opinion about who Henderson looks like and I, as his mother, cannot tell. From first look, I would say he resembles Emma Claire's baby pictures, but I think it's just because their heads (hair) are exactly alike. What do you think - please tell me!

The next 2 pictures are of Henderson

The next 2 pictures are of Emma Claire

This next one is Emma Claire and Wilson

They are all between 3 1/2 and 5 months (Emma Claire is older in all of them, but she was born 2 months early, so it should make it even.)

Dress up days!

Emma Claire and her best buddy and cousin Patton!

As I have mentioned before, we dress up alot at our house - I am always on the lookout for inexpensive dress up clothes for girls AND boys at consignment shops, sales, etc. I found this cute dragon costume at a local consignment shop- it's much better for the boys than the PRINCESS dresses he usually gets put in.

This is my 10th grade prom dress from when I went to prom with Tommy T!!! - Wow that was a long time ago! - No, I wasn't 3 ft tall in the 10th grade - the dress is supposed to hit right above the knee! Wilson couldn't resist being able to climb up on furniture!

Henderson doesn't get dressed up in costumes YET, but I couldn't resist this SMILE picture (sorry Katie)!

Happy Birthday Emma Claire!

A Quick note: My sister Katie is telling me that the pictures in this blog are "cut off" and somehow distorted. I am seeing them just fine on my computer, so please leave a comment letting me know what you see. I'm hoping it's just HER computer, but with my luck, Probably not. Let me know!

We had a fabulous time at Emma Claire and Patton's 4th Birthday Party! All 30 children enjoyed the gymnastics apparatus, especially the foam pit and trampolines! Wilson surprised us all by being "afraid" at first to jump in. I think seeing the gigantic moonwalk right when he walked in the door did him in - he is terrified of those and anything in big costume (i.e., Big Al, Chuck E Cheese, etc.) They freak him out! You can see by the picture below that he was very "cautious", just watching everybody else jump in the foam pit. It is so funny to see him scared of something b/c usually he is fearless. Emma Claire had a great time, I can't believe she is turning 4!!??? My how time has flown by - God has been so good to us to bless us with 3 healthy, beautiful children in such a short time! Emma Claire is such a good, responsible child and I thank God everyday for what a blessing she is in my life!

I finally caught Henderson's smile on camera - he smiles all the time, but by the time my SLOW digital camera gets around to taking the picture, he's not smiling anymore - he's such a joy!!!

I could just eat that face off of him!!!

A random shot of Emma Claire, Henderson and myself on a Sunday afternoon - Wilson is taking a much needed nap!

Emma Claire's newest thing is feeding Henderson a bottle- which is VERY helpful in the mornings when it is RUSH RUSH!!!!

A Great Visit and The Little Rascal

Thanks Aunt Katie for a fun visit last weekend - we went to the pool, made brownies and had lots of fun at home!

Now to the Little Rascal aka Wilson!!!!

This morning as we were getting ready for work/school, Wilson came into the bathroon with a large ziplock bag saying "Dat Dat" (meaning I want that - food). I knew he had been in the kitchen by himself (which is never good) so I immediately followed him in there to see what damage he had done. I don't have a picture, but he had emptied the drawer with all the ziplock bags all over the kitchen, emptied out my pump with all the accessories and emptied out the mini cooler (which held my drinks for the day) - but the drinks could not be found anywhere???? I asked Wilson "Where are mommy's drinks?" He said "Mommy's juice dat" and pointed to the lower oven - low and behold, there they were - in the oven. I guess since he can't open the refrigerator (Thank God!!!) he thought they would fit nicely in the oven. I'm just glad I found them before i turned the oven on - what would canned soda do in a 350 degree oven??? Hmmm??? I don't want to find out!

Last weekend while my sister Katie was here for a visit and at some point Wilson came up missing. I found him in my bathroom covered in lipstick. Back up 30 minutes, I had painted my toenails while Wilson looked on eagerly - but being a boy, I did not paint his - though he wanted me to badly. Well, little Wilson decided he would do it on his own. He couldn't get the fingernail polish open (again, Thank God!), so he decided lipstick would do just fine - every toe nail and fingernail and mouth and stomach and legs (floor)- everywhere was covered in lipstick. How he got it I can't imagine, I keep my makeup bag way to the bag of the counter at all times just so this kind of thing won't happen - maeup cost way too much for little hands to destroy it! He must have used his monkey hands and feet to pull himself up just high enough to reach it and pull it down! The bittersweet part was, he had just gotten out of the bath - good b/c he only had a diaper on, bad b/c back in the bath he went!!! Two tubes of lipstick gone and this is how he looked!

Henderson is growing fast - he is such a good baby - he loves his fingers and thumbs and he has found his feet!

We've been doing a lot of exersaucer time and tummy time - he's not so crazy about tummy time!

Wilson is getting ready for Emma Claire's Princess/Power Ranger party tomorrow - which will he be - a Power Ranger I hope!! :)??? I'll try to get lots of great pictures and post Monday!