This is so scary to me!!

October 28th...

I hate Hate HATE that my daughter doesn't feel well. There is nothing I wouldn't do to bring her back to her happy little self. We've spent countless hours these past few weeks in the pediatricians office and emergency room and nothing has been helping. We had another appointment today and the Dr decided to get Av in for a CT scan, just to make sure her headaches aren't due to something serious. Thank Heaven, the scan came back normal! That led our Dr to believe she has a sinus infection, and told me to get some nasal decongestant. For some reason that is terrifying to me! With all the recalls on medicines lately due to parents accidentally overdosing their kids, giving her "big girl" medicine really makes me nervous. We are doing a test run tonight, with the OK from the Dr and advice from the pharmacist...so I might be whistling a different tune tomorrow when she wakes up as happy little Averi...but that doesn't mean I'm not scared tonight!

Playing Cars

October 27th...

2 year olds are so funny to me. He will have some random "favorite" toy, or group of toys, that he plays with nonstop for a week. The next day he will forget they exist and move on to something else. Today, out of nowhere he got all his little cars back out and drove them around constantly. These cars were glued to him a month ago, he didn't do a single thing without them! And that's not to say it was "all" his cars, he had like 15 or 20 that were for some reason very special. If I tossed a random car into the bucket when he wasn't looking, he would sense it and toss it out. But then, as if someone flipped a switch, he dropped them one day and didn't look back....until today. Who knows how long they will stick around this time!

We are getting ANTSY!

October 26th...

The waiting is killing me! My husband is officially on his way home for R&R and I keep telling myself it's only like a 45 minutes flight. So many things to do! Do I do them? No....coloring his welcome home signs is a lot more fun! Cael's is pretty special, if I do say so myself.

Christmas Already??

October 25th...

I realize it isn't even Halloween yet, but when the urge to make Christmas cards hits, it hits hard! And what are you gonna do? Deny it? Not me. Now...no judging, this is only a rough draft, and done in pen. I might give it a complete makeover with a new idea, or I might just work on this one...I have a month or two to figure it out. And just because I STARTED these so early doesn't mean I will FINISH them...ever. If you don't get a card this year, it's not because we don't love you, it's because I got a tad lazy and I'll try to remember to send 2 next year :)

OH, by the way, for those of you who are new to me, I draw our Christmas Cards every year. Just a tid bit, now this blog might make more sense!

Eewwwww!

October 24th...

I was on the phone with my mom today and had one of those moments where you stop and go "Wait!! Why are my kids so quiet?!?!?" I had forgotten that I had given Cael a pudding cup, so he was sitting quietly in his bear chair in pure pudding blissfulness. When I said his name and he looked up at me I just about died. How does one actually manage to get pudding on his cheek bones like that?

Poor Jo

October 23rd...

It's tough to be a dog when there are young kids in the house, and Jo is without a doubt the best dog I could have ever asked for in terms of patience. They climb on her, constantly give her kisses, hugs, take her for pretend walks around the house. She loves the attention of course (unless she's trying to sleep) but accidents happen and somehow one of her eyes got scratched. My heart goes out to her, she doesn't getting medicine put in it, and her pupil is constantly dilated (thanks to the antibiotic) so the light bugs her too. I hope it heals fast baby girl.

aawww.....

October 22nd...

Alright, fine! I may have posed him a little...but I only did it because his daddy doll was face down and on the pillow above his head. I thought it was sooo cute that he was sleeping with it, but you couldn't tell what it was. So I flipped it around and lay it on Cael's shoulder. Sue me! He shifted in his sleep and gave it a hug though :)

Getting ready for daddy!

October 21st...

WE ARE EXCITED!!! I CANNOT believe it's almost time for R&R! This year has really flown (I can say that now that it's almost over...) I am starting to get all our little "welcome home" preperations in order, which goes hand in hand with being so antsy I can hardly sit still! Cael is going to be so excited to see Derrick, and I can't even pretend to imagine how Averi will react. She could be scared, she could be shy...she could WALK! Who knows...it's all a big question mark, but an exciting one! We went and got Cael's hair cut today so he can look sharp :) I wouldn't want Derrick to not be able to recognize him... :) Nah...he's always had a head of hair. And with that face? Not a chance!

Neighbors

October 20th...

This is our neighbor, Christopher. He and his brother Kristian are Cael's buds and we hang out with them just about everyday! I was talking with there mom today and she mentioned that there school pictures didn't turn out so hot, so while we were playing in the backyard, I decided to give it a shot. Kristian was busy mowing my grass with Cael's lawn mower...but I least I got Christopher to pose for me for a few minutes. :)

Are we really to this point?

October 19th...

I can't believe how big my baby girl is. Has it really been almost a year? It seems like yesterday she had to be napping before Cael and I could play outside...and now she is right out there with us! Climbing (with a little help from mom) and sliding all on her own!

i HEART this picture!

October 18th...

This might be my very favorite picture in the world. Averi is getting some seriously big teeth in and my poor baby girl could not be any more uncomfortable. She has had a fever that won't quit, and she wants nothing more than to sleep (un-interrupted by pain, i'm sure) all day long. I had been cuddling her on the couch all afternoon and she would only sleep maybe 10-20 minutes at a time, so I decided to lay her in her crib for a while. When I walked into her room to check on her I had to go get my camera! All curled up on her daddy pillow and finally getting some good quality sleep. I guess there really are times when a girl just needs her daddy.

An Accomplishment!

October 17th...

I know it's normally very hard to rearrange a kitchen...honestly, there is only so much you can change. But that doesn't mean I didn't try! The kitchen was my pet project today and I switched as much as I possibly could. No real reason I guess...just for something new to look at. And with the final result, I was actually left with some counter space! Hooray!

Who's Who???

October 16th...

Cael did not want to try on his spiderman mask that is part of his Halloween costume, and I knew I needed to try and get him used to it before the big day, so I stuck it on Averi. That did it! (Luckily...) she thought it was fun, so of course Cael had to think it was fun too. Once I put it on him he thought it was pretty awesome, he could probably wear that mask and stand in front of the mirror all day if I let him. Can't wait for Halloween!!! My fingers are crossed that Derrick will be home to spend it with us!

Prayer Time...attempt 4!

October 15th...

Faith and I have been searching for this stupid cache since the very first day we started our hobby. I thought after she moved home, I would have to wait for Derrick to come home and help me look, but she came back to visit this weekend and we searched again! To no avail...of course, but at least we got to look one more time! I miss having you around Faith! If I ever find this one (doubtful) you will be the first to know!

Fun on the Farm

October 14th...

The kids and I spent some much needed time with a good friend today at a fun pumpkin patch! The place was very hidden, tucked WAY back into an area of Clarksville I'm sure most people (myself included as of yesterday) don't even know exists. It was a very pretty drive to get to, though. It's funny, I'm not a huge fan of "pumpkin orange" at any other time of year...but once October/November is upon us...I love it! I think it's an awesome color, and driving through an ocean of orange and red trees, is very cool.

Go Averi Go!

October 13th...

This is so amazing to me, I have pictures just like this of Cael, and I think he was pretty darn close to the same age! We were picking up toys tonight and Averi decided she would rather play and learn something new, than help us. She's still little so I guess she can get away it, plus it was so cool to watch her figure out how to stack these block that she just melted my heart! Man...my baby girl really is going to grow up, huh? Doesn't really seem fair.

Already looking the part

October 12th...

Everyone tells me Cael is going to be a football player. He's just got that look. I'm not crazy about it...to be perfectly honest. I can only imagine the sound of my heart hitting the grass beneath the bleachers when I hear the crunch of football helmets crashing together, knowing that my baby boy is inside the wreckage. Ugh...BUT I know we are all human and he could get hurt just by walking down the street so I'm not about to stand in between anything he says he wants to do. That doesn't mean I have to like it :)

There is a clothes fairy?

October 11th...

I asked my neighbor to come over tonight and help me (and by help me, I mean do it for me...) look in my shed for my Halloween decorations. The spiders in that shed are MASSIVE and yes, the bug sprayer guy was here just a few weeks ago...but I don't think he sprayed inside. For all I know, there is a momma queen bee spider in there who is bigger than me and opening those doors of doom will set all her mane eating babies free. No thank you. Lucky for me, Christy is not nearly as afraid as I am, she just walked right in there and started moving boxes around! As it turns out...we tossed the Halloween decorations when we moved because they were cheap and old and there was no sense keeping them...oops. The things we remember AFTER we are knee deep in spiderwebs! BUT, there was a plus side to tonights horrific plot, 2 huge boxes of clothes I didn't know I had! Written across both boxes was "CLOTHES FOR AVERI 6-12 MONTHS" Ooops again! She is 11 months! Whew, almost missed that window! Her dresser is PACKED now! It was like Christmas morning (or evening) for me, she has shoes galore, and lots and lots of fall/winter clothes! Now we just need the weather to cool down a smidge so she can wear them.

Ummm, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be Fall...

October 10th...

92 today? Seriously? Tennessee just keeps surprising me! Had I been back home, I would have been ecstatic to have 90 degree weather in October...but, it's been this hot since June and I am very ready for some cool breezes. Before we left for the park today I had both kids in pants and the sweatshirts packed in the diaper bag....wishful thinking on my part I guess. Never thought I would wish for cold, but I guess a lot about me in changing! (Unlike the seasons...)

Pumpkin Patch

October 9th...

It was Family Fun Day today, and the kids and I definitely had fun! Cael got to pick out a free pumpkin, it was just his size, and he is very proud of it! He decorated it like a vampire with foam stickers, and carried it around all day. Averi thought the pumpkins were great too! Lots of fun to play with. Next week we will be headed to a bigger (I think) pumpkin patch and we'll pick out a few more to carve up for Halloween! I really love this time of year! Now if only the weather would cool off just a tad, so it actually feels like fall. That would be great!

Quincy Raquel

October 8th...

WELCOME TO THE WORLD BABY GIRL!!!!

Say Hello to my new niece! Quincy Raquel Lehn, 7lbs 11oz, 19.5 inches long. Born at 12:25 this morning, 10-8-10! Such a beautiful little girl. Yes...most of us were thinking boy while you were still in your mommy's tummy, I personally, apologize. I was shouting it from the rooftops to be honest. But, you're Aunt Darci is grown up enough to admit when she is wrong :) And, between you and me, had you been a boy...you probably would have spent the majority of your childhood being dressed up, and chased around by your big sisters. You little girlie, are going to fit right in! You could not have a better family, be proud! Love you, I can't wait to meet you.

Oh Cael...

October 7th...

Oh buddy. There is nothing like self expression, is there? In his defense, he loves ALL hats! He wears my old softball visor, daddy's army hat, his own hats...why shouldn't Averi's get a turn too? Personally, I think he wears it well! Haha, gotta love a goofball. He's been known to rock the headband too, but I don't want him to completely hate me when he's older.

It's off!

October 6th...

Wow...I can't even believe my eyes. Averi got the OK to take her helmet off today! Appointment could not have gone any better! The doc said she looked perfect (I already knew that part :)) and sees no reason for her to keep it on any longer! YES! We did it baby girl! It was hot, and sweaty, and stinky...but in the end, it was so worth it! She wore it like a champ (and made it look darn cute, I might add) and now her head looks perfect! Over 5 months, and she didn't complain at all. I might have... :) I can't even count how many people stopped me and asked me where I had it made, or where they could get one! You know you're daughter is a cutie when she can make a corrective helmet look like an accessory to her outfit :)

WooHoo, Homer!

October 5th...

Spent the day caching with my friend, and found my first trackable! It's a "travel bug" that has a specific code and can be tracked online. My job now is to put him in a new cache, so someone else can pluck him from there and he can continue his journey. This one (being Homer Simpson, of course) is on a mission to "See all the Springfield's in the US"...since he doesn't know which one he lives in! It definitely was fun to find it and I am thinking about creating my own! Maybe my "travel bug" could make it back home to visit my family before I can again :)

Oh man...Derrick, please don't be upset!!

October 4th...

Wow...she did it! She walked this bad boy all the way across the living room today! And she was pretty darn proud of her self too, with good reason. I video taped her, so daddy will be the first to see (hence, why she isn't in the picture) and low and behold, my computer magically doesn't play my videos anymore. It says quicktime can't...something something something. Who knows. I never read those things that pop up, they are jibberish to me. So, Derrick, I have the video! You just might not get to see it until you get home...I'm working on it! I figure, more power to her, until she tries to walk without it. That just cannot happen yet. She HAS to wait for her dad, no if's, and's or but's about it!

Drill

October 3rd...

Drill again. Not much to say about it. I'm glad I joined, it was the path I needed to take to find my husband. I will never regret that for one instant. I can say with all honesty though, that I am ready to be done. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. By August I will have done my 8 years, and that's a lot more than a lot of people can say. Maybe if Derrick weren't in, I would be seeing things differently, but I don't think dual military is best for our family. More power to the families that can handle it! I wish I was one of them...but I'm going to keep smiling for 10 more months, and then take a BIG breath of fresh air!

Hey Bud, wake up...it's time for bed

October 2nd...

I started my first Tennessee Reserve weekend today...felt weird. I miss my old unit already! It was alright though, it was kind of nice in a way. Man...I sure missed the kids though! They stayed with a friend and all day I had to worry about whether or not they were being good for her. I picked them up around 5 and they were happy as clams! They had a great day, which I was very very excited to see. I assumed Cael must have had a really good time because he fell asleep in the car on the way home. I brought him inside, woke him up, and set him on the couch...but before I could turn around, he was out again! Averi and I played, she screamed in his face a few times trying to get a reaction out of him, we watched a movie...he slept. I gave her a bath, got her ready for bed...he slept. He finally woke up when I started changing him into his pajamas! Talk about bad timing! He cuddled with me on the couch for a while and then was back to lala land, so I tucked him in to bed. 5 oclock bedtime for Cael...I am afraid to even guess how early we will be awake in the morning :)

He's a Salesman alright...

October 1st...

OCTOBER????? Really??? YES! October means Halloween...October means birthday shopping for my niece and nephew back home...October means playing in the leaves...October means R&R! I cannot wait until later on in this month when I get to see my HUSBAND! How exiting!!! Technically...it will probably be early November when he actually sets foot in the house..but I don't care! October is closer, so I'm going with that! Another totally handy thing about October? My son is apparently a candle salesman now. Who doesn't need a few nice smelling accesories to really say "It's Fall" this time of year? I know I do! He drove his tricycle (I know, I know, they've been recalled...but you try taking a tricycle away from a little boy...it's heartbreaking) around all day with these two (awesome smelling, by the way) candles in the seat, offering them to myself, the dog, and the baby. Lucky for me he didn't want any money for them, because as soon as I would except one, he would take it back, put it back in the compartment, and ride off to find another schmuck to fake a sale too...

Ahhhh....Sanity :)

September 30th...

FINALLY! It took me 10 months of putting it off and putting it off...but Averi now has a playpen! I guess I just assumed she was going to hate it (she is definitely a momma's girl, this one!) so I contemplated it for quite some time. The wait is over though! The dog food is at a much lower risk of being eaten by her, and I don't have to worry about breaking that tiny little heart every time I step over her to walk to different room. She loves it in there! I think it's her safe place now...the one area where she knows big brother isn't going to take her toys away :)

New Tradition

September 29th...

Whenever we play at our friends' house across the street, the walk back home is usually spent yelling "BYE" back and forth between Cael, and the boys at their bedroom window. Tonight, after we got home, my friend texted me and said the boys were still yelling to him, and wondering where he went, so I opened our window. Yes...I bet the rest of our neighbors LOVE us! :) I don't know how long they yelled back and forth...eventually it got old and everybody went about their business, but I have a feeling this may turn into a new nightly tradition.