Friday, December 30, 2011

Just Thankful

Today Kel came home with some great news. At least to me it's great, and there could be other, more great news that he hasn't shared, but tonight I'm happy. You see, C and D's Grandpa could use a prayer or two right now. It's not my place to post anything specific, but I know that we would appreciate any prayers coming our way. D really wants his Grandpa to get better soon so that "he doesn't have to see the doctor's anymore because they only like to give shots and when he's all better then they can go back to the shop together." Tonight's news stated that Grandpa has shown a small improvement over the past few days that is finally bringing some hope. It may be premature, but any hope with this situation is better than none.



C and D lucked out in the grandparent department. They have three sets who adore them, who at anytime will do anything for them. You ask D to list his grandparents and he'll tell you that he likes to go see Grandpa at Grandpa's shop and drive the tractor (forklift), he likes to go visit Nana and Papa because he can drive Nana's red car, and Poppy and Gigi are the best because they are fun and take him places in their big car (can you tell he's a car guy?) and have dogs. Even though D is a little afraid of dogs. But that's beside the point. The point is, my boys are very lucky to have six special people in their lives that they could turn to for anything.






Friday, December 23, 2011

{Flashback Friday}

In keeping with the Christmas theme for December, these pictures are of C's first Christmas in 2009. He was two months old, and slept through most of the present opening. Which was fine, as D liked opening all of the presents. C's favorite present for that year was the play gym. Whenever he would fuss because I wasn't holding him, I could place him on his play mat and he would be happy and content long enough for me to clean the kitchen or make dinner. We had a happy Christmas that year, with our new family of four.







A couple of weeks before Christmas, I tried to take C to get his pictures taken. That didn't work out so well, as the place was packed, so I had someone I knew take a few pictures at their home. I think these turned out better than they would have at the picture place I had gone too.








A few days later I brought D over as well in an attempt to get a Christmas card shot. Luckily there was one good shot, even though I didn't send out Christmas cards that year.







We only tried to get a good photo for about ten or fifteen minutes, but with the way it ended you'd think that we held them hostage for hours.



Happy Holidays from the Clark-Walker family! Tomorrow will be busy with a park date with my boys, baking cookies for Santa, visiting Kel's aunt and dad, and ending the night with a trip through Candy Cane Lane. Sunday will be spent with breakfast and presents with the boys and Kel followed by a day with Poppy and Gigi (and hopefully poker) for the boys and I while Kel spends the day with his dad.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Thankful Thursday

I forgot to blog this week which is why you got two posts yesterday, a make up today, and our regularly scheduled post already drafted for tomorrow. I can't even say that this week was too busy, I just haven't picked up my camera this week (needs batteries) and the camera on my phone doesn't have the best quality.

So for today I am thankful for an awesome friend who brings me coffee. Not just a cup from Starbucks, that while it would be enjoyable, would not last longer than the five or so minutes it would take me to drink it. No, my favorite friend brought me a box of instant coffee (I don't have a coffee maker) and Coffee-Mate French Vanilla creamer. After a night like last night (or tonight depending on how you look at it) when my insomnia is out in full force, I will be very happy to have a cup (or two) of coffee in the morning.


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Wordless Wednesday




A Break for the Boys

The boys and I have been pretty limited lately with the things that we can do. If it's not within the walking distance of a four and a half and two year old then we aren't doing it. Kel's dad isn't doing to well, health wise, so he's been visiting him almost every day.

So on Sunday, when we had an hour with the car, we drove to a new park that Kel had found. It has a three story playground that the boys just love. Of course C had to climb all of the ladders that would give me a heart attack.



But he got to the top every time without my help.



He loved running across the bridge.



While D had a hard time. He didn't like that it would move when he'd walk on it, so he sat down and scooted across. I offered to help, but he told me no. He is a big boy and he could do it himself. And he did ten minutes later.



Of course the slide was a big hit with them both.




As was the non-moving bridge on the third story.



To top off a nice day at the park, C had fun flying in the swings while D looked on (you will not catch D in a swing willingly).



It was a nice break from routine for us and we will be back there this weekend. With my good camera.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Thankful Tuesday

It's 12:41 AM and I should be asleep. Bedtime was over two hours ago, as tomorrow (today?) we have things to do. Places to go, people to see, and hopefully a trip to the park if the weather cooperates.

But I'm still awake because one certain little sick boy has been crying off and on in his sleep. Each time I think he's actually awake, I find him under his favorite blanket, clutching Mickey in one hand and an extra binky in the other like they are his life lines. C is sick, and has been over the weekend. Fevers and side affects to the antibiotics have made him a grouchy boy when it comes to sleep and resting. During the day he's bouncing off the walls one minute, screaming at whomever did something wrong the next. For the most part, C is happy during the day playing with his cars. But once night falls, all bets are off.

So today I am thankful for this


and the relief that it gives him during the night so that he can try and sleep comfortably.

Tomorrow (Today?) we go back to the doctors for a follow up. Hopefully she'll be able to make C more comfortable and tell me where my ENT referral is.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

{Flashback Friday}

This post was supposed to be up yesterday, but then life happened. C got his EIGHTH ear infection of the year and we spent all of yesterday snuggling and last night in the emergency room. As the doctor put it, I brought in one child and took home a completely different one. C was lethargic (from hardly sleeping in twenty fours hours), irritable (God help us if I put him down), and had a fever (he was not happy with the nurse who took his temperature).



See those pink cheeks? My poor baby.

The doctor took a look into one ear, declared it extremely red with fluid behind the ear drum and then looked in the other, and gave it the same diagnosis, and C barely even moved. In the two and a half hours that we were there, C slept for ninety five percent of the time. With his temperature and the state of both ears, for the first time ever we got the antibiotic shot. I was nervous, because C has never had anything with penicillin (that I'm aware of) so I didn't know how he'd react. Thankfully, I knew the nurse who gave him the shot and he made sure that C was as comfortable as he could be before he injected him.

Since the Tylenol didn't touch his fever, and he got a small rash around the injection site, they kept us for awhile so that they can observe C and give him some Motrin. The rash went away after about twenty minutes and the Motrin brought the fever down by .2 degrees so they said we could go home and just watch him to make sure the fever continued to go down. Which it has, although it hasn't gone away completely.

Today he has a little more energy but he still has a fever. And the shot last night made him have diarrhea this morning. At least that's what I'm blaming it on. Either way, not fun. I just want my littlest better. Kel and I have been discussing tubes since November, when C's doctor said that she would send me a referral for both an Audiologist and an ENT. I think last night has put us on the same page in that we want C seen as quickly as possible. I've been waiting almost a month now for the referrals to come in the mail so when we are back at the doctor's office this week for C's follow up I will bug them again about it. 

Anyway...

This was Christmas 2008.  Our first Christmas in our new apartment, D's second Christmas, and his last Christmas as an only child. It was a quiet one, spent with family on both sides. But D loved it. He loved his Elmo DVDs and his Elmo cars. The lights were a hit, he had fun putting on his ornaments, and he actually tried to open his presents. We spent most of the day at home with Aunt B, and had dinner with Poppy, Gigi, and my family at their first Annual Clark Ugly Christmas Sweater Party.









It was a simple Christmas, just how we like it.