Big changes today...

April 30th...

Another month down! YES! We are finally getting somewhere now when it comes to this deployment! I know there are still hard time to come, but Derrick and I get to talk to each other a lot and he constantly is getting to be updated on how we are doing...on days like today, I feel like I am going to be alright! Go for 20 honey! I'm right here with ya!

Our big news today is Averi getting her helmet. I am a little surprised at myself for putting pictures on here so soon, but you know what? If I don't stand up for my daughter, who will? I will never be embarrassed or ashamed because my little girl has to wear a helmet for a while. And for those of you are big meanies, please don't make any comments toward her...I WILL publish them and then you will have my friends and sisters to deal with. Believe me, they will make you hate the day you were born.

She seems to like it just fine, I can't imagine she LOVES it...but she tolerates it just the same. She gets to sleep without it tonight because we haven't had a whole day to check the pressure spots and make sure they aren't pushing too hard on her cheeks. Tomorrow we will follow a strict 2 hours on, 30 minutes off schedule and then we are on to 24/7 minus checking at bedtime and once in the middle of the day. The doctor said hair seems to grow like crazy inside these helmets, and before long it will all be poking out the little air holes on top. I hope he's right, I can't wait for her hair to grow...but on the other hand, it is going to be HOT HOT HOT this summer and the balder she is, the cooler she will feel. We will just have to see how it goes. I definitely see a little swimming pool in our backyard's future.

That was pretty much the extent of my day, I saw a nasty car crash on the way home from Nashville. No update on the news yet as to whether or not everyone was alright, but the car is nothing but ashes on the side of the road. And,Faith, you are a life saver. Thank you a million times over for today!

Game Day

April 29th...

UGH! What a long day this has been! Who knew I couldn't function without the internet??? Well...I did. But who else? haha. Took forever to get it back on, but I am back now! Of course I missed talking to my awesome husband this morning, but I know he will forgive me...and hopefully get back on tonight! Amber called me at 2:30 wondering why I wasn't at her house at 2 for game day...uhhh oops! Without facebook I have no idea what is going on, even in my own life! We made it though and had a lot of fun! Amber, Faith, Amber 2, and Katie all played Boxers or Briefs, that came is hilarious! It's like Apples to Apples meets Who Knu...(both are games I have played a million times with my nieces!) It was a lot of fun. Poor Brayden was a little under the weather, and Cael got a black eye from a mop...but it was a lot of fun for us adults! haha! I am looking forward to doing it again, socializing is a good thing for a stressed out momma like me!

Picnic

April 28th...

The sun finally remembered Tennessee was here, waiting for it, and paid us a visit today! Since we have no groceries at the moment and I am not feeling the adequate "super-mom" powers I need to take them both to the store...McDonald's was lunch! When we got home (finally, we had to go twice since they forgot his happy meal...how did I not realize they didn't hand me a brightly colored bag? stupid...) we took our lunch outside and had a little picnic in the yard. Cael thought it was awesome! Since I had had such an issue with actually getting our lunch from the resturaunt, I didn't bother to correct them when they gave Cael a coke instead of a juice, he was in heaven! He LOVED it! I don't normally let him drink pop so it was a huge treat and he was on cloud nine for quite a while! We sat out there for a long time, playing in the grass and watching the helicopters go by. It was a nice lunch.

Tuesdays = Sanity!

April 27th...

There are a lot of women who move around with their military husbands from place to place and are never able to stay in one spot long enough to make many friends. I don't have a statistic or anything to verify that, but it's my assumption and I feel comfortable saying it considering all the women I have talked to and stories I have heard since I have been down here in Tennessee. Some have been here for a year or more and haven't really met anyone yet, and the lonliness is almost unbearable. Because of this I consider myself very very lucky. I was determined to come out of my shell when I moved down here, at least a little bit, and I feel like I have. I reached out to different websites and group gatherings (trial and error, of course lol) but because of it, I have made some really good friends! 2 of whom came over tonight to watch Glee with me, and I can't even describe how nice it is to, not only have time to talk to other adults and watch a great show uninterrupted (until we start talking of course) but also to have friends who are willing to come to me while Derrick is away! I was sure I wasn't going to be able to do ANYTHING while he was gone, just because of me being new here and not really having anyone to watch them if I wanted to go hang out or watch a movie somewhere. So I just wanted to thank you guys for letting my house be the Glee house...at least for now!

On a side note: Derrick gets the credit for this picture, he sent it to me from Afghanistan. I miss him.

At the movies

April 26th...

I realize I didn't write this last night, but I just wasn't feeling up to it. Stress may be getting to me just a tad and I needed to relax. The computer screen was WAY too bright last night and was hurting my head, so...a morning blog to make up for it!

I took Cael to see Disney's Oceans yesterday at the movie theater. I was nervous of course, his first time at a theater and the movie is still really new so I was afraid it might be jam packed in there. HA! We went to the earliest showing (noon) and there was only one other person and her daughter in the entire theater! It was a nice test run because there wasn't very many people for him to annoy if things got out of control. They didn't though, he was awesome! Glued to it for about half an hour, then he very patiently wondered the isles for awhile (telling me that were NOT ready for a crowded theater) We left a little early and played in the arcade for a while, then headed back to pick up Averi at our friend Brayden's house. Cael was not so sure about leaving her there, he kept saying "baby? baby?" All in all it was a really fun experience for the two of us. I like having this one on one time with each of them...even if Averi's does consist of constant Dr's appointments!

Pee, poop and stepping on the dog!

April 25th...

Nothing really happened today, so I don't have much to blog about. Cael was un undies for a good majority of the day...he peed my bed. Awesome. Averi pooped so much that it completely covered her jumperoo and I had to take it into the kitchen and scrub it down. Of course the seat doesn't come out to be washed, that would be too convenient. Jo is giving me the silent treatment because she insists on laying at my feet all day causing her to get stepped on constantly. She layed down on the floor in front of the couch and I stepped right on her head. Apparently, that was the last straw because now she is sleeping in Cael's room and won't come out. I took the garbage out...that was overdue. I washed the dishes (also overdue.) Now I am eating pineapple that's nice and cold and getting ready to watch Army Wives, already watched the Amazing Race (Hooray to the cowboys for being awesome.) My neighbor Jenny is on her way over to chit chat so that will be nice...it's been a day!

I was looking around at something (anything!) to take a picture of for tonight's blog and I saw this picture hanging on the wall. My oldest sister, Nikki, made this for us 2 Christmases ago and I love it so much. Everytime I look at that cute little face, 2 thoughts run through my mind. 1) My goodness, how I love that little boy! and 2) When did Cael grow out of the baby stage? I think about it all the time, and I think the answer is: When Averi was born. I think he would still be in the baby stage, at least in mine and Derrick's eyes, had we not had little Averi to compare him to. It's a little frustrating and sad seeing old pictures of him and realizing that no matter how much he looks the same in front of me everyday...he really is growing up, and there is nothing I can do about it. Thanks Nikki, I love this picture.

Scary Weather!

April 24th...

I got the "privelage" to experience my first tornado warning today. Not what I call fun! Of course, had Derrick been home...I probably would have thought it was pretty awesome! Weather phenomenons, as scary as they may be, are actually really beautiful in all their intensity and I love feeling like I was a part of something that awesome...but at the same time they can be very dangerous and I just didn't feel safe without Derrick here.

I asked friends' advice, and researched online and I know feel semi-comfortable on what to do if those sirens go off again! I have the closet in Cael's room all decked out with water bottles and blankets...hopefully we won't have to use it, but just in case.

Since I knew today would be a little scary, we took advantage of our friend Brayden's birthday party! He turned 3 and he and Cael have been buds for quite a while, so it was nice to be with friends today when the sirens went off. The wind picked up and it rained like crazy, but that was about it...not too scary! So I think I am alright now. On a completely different note, tonight marks night 3 of Cael not being able to sleep. I don't know what is wrong with my little guy, he's fine during the day, but these past few nights he is just restless and hot. He's up again, so wish me luck. Goodnight!

Love

April 23...

I can't begin to describe how much this picture moves me. At 5 months old, I didn't know she was capable of loving someone THIS much. I know she loves us of course, we are her family and I am her mommy, but the way she looks at her brother takes my breath away. She watches his every single move and she's so interested. She doesn't judge him when he's being a butt, she doesn't think it's funny when he falls down or bonks his head...she just loves him unconditionally. When he is in trouble, or even a little cranky I tell him to look at sister and sure enough, she is showing him a smile from ear to ear and he can't help but smile himself. He looks at her, and she laughs. When she sits in her bumbo seat, he drives his cars along the tray and doesn't even get frustrated when she picks them up, or pushes them off. I think he is the luckiest little boy in the world to have her undivided attention, and I hope they stay like this forever.

Here we go...

April 22...

Today finally got the ball rolling on little Averi's helmet. No help with the insurance yet, that is still getting appealed, but at least we are getting some where. If I don't get this thing covered than so be it, but I can't make her wait anymore! The dr. said we should start to see progress after about 2 weeks of wearing it, so that's a good thing. She will probably have to wear it a full 6 months, because of her age...they don't want to take it off too soon and have her skull revert back, and I am perfectly OK with that. For now anyways. I am nervous/excited for her to actually have it put on, I want her to be OK with it, and I want it to do it's job and I'm afraid those may not go hand in hand. I will keep everyone posted, and a thank you to everyone's well wishes for her!

Wiggle Worm!

April 21...

Now that Averi Annabelle is semi-mobile, she does not want to stay on her mat! She rolled and wiggled her way to the side of the couch (I think she MAY have been trying to get to her big brother who was on the couch) then she turned her self around and stared at her mat. I am not going to be surprised when one day she just pops up to her knees and starts to crawl. Take your time Averi!!!

Making Cookies

April 20th...

Alright fine, this picture is from yesterday! Today I was on the phone constantly about Averi's helmet and Dr appointments that aren't going to be covered, and I wasn't really in the mood to take pictures. I did get the living room re-arranged though and it looks pretty good. I could have taken a picture of the new look, but to the absolute best of Cael's abilities...it was never truly clean. He is in bed now, and cleaning is after blogging. Oh well. Cookie picture it is! He was helping me at first, but apparently it's no fun pouring ingredients into the bowl (I'm sure every other kid on earth would disagree with him) so he went and watched Toy Story for the 500th time since we bought it. When it was time for the mixing I called him back into the kitchen, and that part was entertaining enough for him to want to stay! It was nice making cookies with Cael, and I can't wait until Daddy and Averi can join us. I can just see the 4 of us in the kitchen, Cael would probably be the one to start a food fight, but Derrick would be quick to join him instead of being mad, I would be huddled in the corner trying to remain clean while the 3 of them make a huge disaster and get flour all over the counters, floor and ceiling. Then, no doubt, I would be fuming mad with egg in my hair cleaning the kitchen while they all go outside and play, or take a nap on the couch...oddly enough, I can't wait for those days! :)

For now though, we will just package these up for Daddy (he will be able to work them off WAY faster than I will, or so I tell myself) and send them on their way. Hang on Derrick, cookies are coming!

Tumble Tots

April 19th...

I took Cael and Averi to Tumble Tots today so we could get out of the house and get some excercise. He liked it, he got to run around and play with a bunch of kids! We are definitely going to go again, it will be good for us to get out of the house more, and because it's early in the morning, we are then motivated to spend more time outside in the sun! Yay!

I thought it might be a bit of a struggle to help him when he needed it, keep Averi happy AND get some pictures taken, but he did pretty good! He wanted to lay underneath the parachute more than he wanted to shake it...but what kid doesn't? haha, and the jumping like a frog was a little hard for him too, it was so cute watching him try.

Not too much else went on today, but days like this are bound to happen. Goodnight!

I got to take pictures today!

April 18th...

I had my first photo shoot today, and it was a lot of fun! It felt so good to get out in the sunshine and take pictures of someone new! Don't get me wrong, I love my kids to death and I could photograph them until my camera broke, but it's always an interesting challenge to take pictures of other people. My kids don't care if they come out looking a little crazy, but when someone is paying me...I finally got to put my game face on!

Amanda's husband is deploying soon, so as soon as everything turned green on the trails she wanted some pictures taken. I am just glad they liked them as much as I liked taking them!

On another note, I totally got kicked off of a website today! That's kinda cool in my book, because if you know me at all, you know I am NOT a fighter. But, now I get to add one more notch into my belt, because damnit! I was a fighter today! I stood up for a friend on Fort Campbell Wives today (and no, I don't care if I let everyone know which site it was, because I feel it was very WRONG, and sometimes dirty laundry should be aired!) My opinion offended someone, which I didn't intend at all, and in telling me off, she told me that she has the power to read all of our personal messages to each other, and did not like some of the things I have said in private conversations. Ummm, that's not OK! I was so mad, and I told her so. She said it was my fault and that I was accidentally sending them to her, but we tested that theory out and it proved false. Oh well, I made some really good friends on that site and I will keep them regardless, that's what facebook is for right?

It's in the past now, so I can't dwell...and I don't take back anything I said. It's about time I buck up and defend myself, no one else is going to do it for me!

Post 100! go me!

April 17th...

I don't even have adequate words that could describe the awesomeness I feel watching my son (and daughter too, for that matter) grow and learn every single day. Babies (literally) start from scratch, a blank canvas and they are just ready to be painted by anything and everything this world can throw at them. I don't even know where it all gets picked up from. Averi saw her toes and KNEW that if she tried hard enough, she could get them in her mouth. How? I don't think that when I see my feet...What made her even try it?

This morning Cael was playing with his cars and I heard him repeating over and over "Momma, Me, Dadda!" I looked at him, and he had lined up these three cars like a little vehicular family and was pointing at each of us and saying who we were. I could not stop smiling, who would have thought that he could look at cars, a toy that doesn't even resemble a human being, and see a family? I asked him where Averi was, and he looked at me like I was crazy and pointed to her room. I guess she is still too young to have her own car. Cael is in for a shock, because he is too!

Kisses for Daddy

April 16th...

Awesome day. Got the lawn mowed by "Classy Grass", it was cheaper than trying to buy my own lawn mower. Eventually we will get one, but I would hate to pick one out and have Derrick hate it when he got home...that's a man's toy, I can't rob him of that!

After the grass was mowed, Cael and I couldn't have been dragged back in the house (unless of course Av woke up from her nap, the dishes needed to be washed, dinner started, or something good was on tv...) It's nice to have a yard again, I am no longer the shame of our street.

I was taking pictures of the beautiful Tennessee spring weather today and this cloud one looked like a kiss, so Cael, Averi and I are sending it to Daddy! It was pretty breezy today, so it should be there soon.

We love you hon. I could go on and on, talking about how much I miss him and let this get all mushy...but there is a REALLY good criminal minds on! Finally, one that I haven't seen! Night everyone!

Finally!

April 15th...

Today was grocery shopping day (in other words: pay day) and we really didn't need too much so I decided to get Cael Toy Story. He is madly in love with Buzz, he's got the pj's, the blanket...and he would have a TON more if Derrick and I could afford to spoil him :) Anyway, I knew he would love the movie, we have watched it twice tonight, back to back and he hardly moved. During dinner, it was still on in the background and he kept saying "oh no!" even though he had NO CLUE what was happening...he must have known buzz was in trouble! Next payday I will get him Toy Story 2, and if he does good at Oceans next week in the theater, I might even take him to see #3. We shall see.

Grocery shopping was actually fun tonight (polar opposite of most shopping trips) because I met a new friend. She only had a few things to get, so I felt bad as we slowly walked down every single isle, me holding on to the tail of Cael's monkey backpack and simultaniously tripping people, getting run over and getting stuck a few times. But she was very nice and her kids were too, we will probably set up a play date soon for her son and Cael.

In other news, I cleaned Averi's closet out the other day and found this shirt that her Aunt Nikki made her! I would have been really bummed if I had found it too late and it didn't fit, but it is just perfect and I don't think she has ever looked cuter! I'm sorry Delani, but the heart one you made her is now too small...but don't worry, she wore the heck out of it! :)

Little Reader

April 14th...

Cael is a such a little bookworm, he absolutely loves them, and even though he was perfectly content with the million we already had...our neighbor was cleaning her kids' rooms and found about 50 more to bring over to him! He has been in absolute heaven these past few days, his favorite is a big book about Dora's adventures. It's the open one on the floor, it's full of flaps, and counting and shapes...he just had me read that one as his bedtime story instead of the fairy tales we have been reading every night. I haven't been keeping you all posted on how creepy those stories are as I have been reading them, and I can't think of any right now except for the 3 little pigs. Did you know that the first 2 pigs never made it to the brick house? Nope, after the wolf blew their houses down he ate them. I never knew.

The 'NPT parenting tips' that play every morning during his cartoons always say that it's best to read to your kids for 20 minutes a day to instill a lifetime love of reading...I am lucky if I can get through half of a story with out him up and leaving, or closing the book! It's a good thing he likes to read to himself, that 20 minutes a day thing is going to have to come later!

sliced bread vs rattly socks...

April 13th...

Today was not as bad as I had presumed it to be! I woke up with a pounding headache, but that's about it, and if I were being totally honest I would say waking with a headache is my own darn fault because I go to bed way later than I should be...but I'm not going to go there. This morning, I say it was nature's fault and that's that.

Nothing too crazy today, we went on a walk, got out into the sunshine. Cael went down one of those slides that has like a 5 foot fall (OK not really 5 feet) to the ground, he landed on his back and the poor guy was COVERED in bark. It would have been a lot harder to wash out of his hair had I not cut it all off.

Averi is obsessed with her feet lately, she will get them in her mouth eventually! She tries all day long, on her play mat, changing table, in my lap...doesn't matter! I put socks on her today that had little rattles sown on to them and she thought that was pretty much the coolest thing since sliced bread. Which is pretty cool...I guess. Who came up with that saying anyway? Was there honestly nothing cooler than that at the time? It's all a matter of opinion I guess, and honestly, I can see where they are coming from, if I had to slice a loaf of bread myself every time...we wouldn't have sandwiches very often. But that's more of a convenience than something "cool", it should have been "That's the most convenient thing since sliced bread"

Oh well, what's done is done, there's no changing it now! Goodnight everyone, my friend Amber and I are going to watch Glee which premieres tonight!!!

Monday...Blah...

April 12th...

Well, for one, I went the whole day thinking it was the 13th...not that is really matters, nothing special was going on, it was just one more day down. Now I feel like I have been sucked backwards through time and space and I'm afraid I am going to have to live 'today' all over again tomorrow. I guess that's what life is all about though right? Trying to make tiny changes everyday (or big ones if you're feeling up to it) to keep from living the same day over and over? We went for another walk today, I really didn't want to go. I had one of those headaches that you get when you know you should nap but you don't want to. I thought if I stayed awake during the kids' naptime, I wouldn't feel crappy afterward. I am one of those people who naps during the day and feels like poo because of it, it's like my body punishes me for trying to revert back to kindergarden and have required nap time. Anyway, I made myself stay awake because of that reason alone and watched the Celebrity Apprentice and then some Criminal Minds...but when the kids woke up, I had a whopping headache! I know what you're thinking...not fair! I can't win I guess. I really just wanted to get "buried" into Criminal Minds and have the kids play quietly and then poof! it would be bedtime. But I had already promised my friend I would go to the Greenway again, so we packed up, bathed in sunblock and out the door we went. After all is said and done, I am so glad I got myself out of the house. I need to remember when I feel like crap and don't want to do anything...those are the times I NEED to do something, or else I am just going to go crazy!

I also braved the grocery store...we have been milk-less for 5 stinkin days! All because I am afraid usually to go out into public with my potential monster! I went today though on our way home and he was a little angel. That's more than I can say for the grouchy cashier...but whatever, I pick my battles.

Anyway, to recap, today is finally over, I lost a day somehow and will probably have de ja vu' tomorrow, I didn't nap and still felt gross, went for a walk, and now we have milk. My day in a nutshell.

The Clarksville Museum

April 11th...

Eryn and I decided to meet Stephanie (from the walking trail yesterday) at the Clarksville museum today. The museum is very cool, lots of interesting things, and the bottom floor is nothing but a huge playroom for the kids! Fully functioning model trains, a bubble cave, a huge kitchen full of mini shopping carts and plastic food, a piano...you name it. They had one of those wooden train sets with the magnetic train cars and Cael was pretty much there for the duration. He didn't even realize his new friend Bradley was there for a long time! Once we were done playing and ready to head out to the main kid's room, we noticed that the "conductor" had arrived and set all the model trains in motion! Cael was in heaven, he thought that was the coolest thing he had ever seen. I can't wait to go back, that is definitely the place to spend a rainy afternoon. Not that today was rainy...

Cael will soon have an army of friends...

April 10th...

Today was a very quiet, snoozy day for the most part. Both kids took really heavy duty naps today and I got to lay out on the couch and watch forensic files! I love it when that show is on over and over again...I can't turn it off! They both finally awoke around 3:30 and I decided it was so nice outside, we should probably take advantage of it. I feel bad when we don't do anything all day, Cael is a growing boy and he needs his exercise. So we headed back to the greenway trails to see if it looked different now that spring has sprung, and it does! it's beautiful!

There was another family pulling up just as we did, we were about 30 seconds ahead of them as we started down the trail. Cael wanted to walk and I laughed as I was telling him to "stay with me, or get back in the stroller" because the lady behind us was saying the exact same thing to her son! Sure enough, they caught up to us in no time and we had no choice but to walk together! They had a big german shepard, a puppy of the same, and a little boy exactly his size...there was no way Cael was letting them go! So we walked together, had a few scares with the boys trying to walk down the mountain instead of on the trail, a few scraped knees from them running ahead and tripping over each other...but isn't that what little boys are supposed to do? That's exactly why I wanted to get out today, so Cael could run around! I didn't plan on making new friends, but that was an added bonus. The mom, Stephanie, and I had a great talk and we are probably going to take the kids to the museum tomorrow so we can see what that is all about! I am really liking it down here. The scary part is...how long until the friends I make start leaving? I am not going to kid myself, this is a military post and nobody stays forever. I am sure harder times are coming, but right now, I think I am doing pretty good.

We love you Derrick and can't wait to show you all of our discoveries!!!

Wowza!

April 9th...

Well you know it was a busy day when your room looks like this...

Both kids are completely zonked. We had Ashton over this morning, Cael chose to play instead of nap (hence the look of his room), then we met a new friend today who brought over her 2 year old son (the living room was too bad to photograph...) and then we topped the day off with a long walk with Eryn! Sheesh! Now I have two tired kids, and I (surprisingly) am full of energy! Kids are asleep, house is cleaned up again...time to start MY day! :)

When we all got together today we watched New Moon...I have never been into Twilight (don't hurt me!) but I had to watch the first movie with my niece and her giddy little friends...probably why I didn't love it lol, but today I gave the second one a chance and it was REALLY good! I take back any judgements I may have made prematurely, and I MAY (don't know when...) read the books. Not sure yet on that one. But all in all, it was a good movie. Sorry Dawn...don't kill me!

Buzz!

April 8th...

Well, Cael finally got his much needed haircut today! I was terrified (I did it myself...Eeeek!) but it needed to be done. It has been so warm here and he get's so uncomfortable really fast with that big mop on top of his head. He has always been a long-haired boy, so I keep staring at him trying to soak in the new look. But it was the same story last summer, and I got used to it eventually. I am so proud of him for letting me cut it! I put him in his booster seat in front of 'Yo Gabba Gabba' I had to bribe him with a sucker to get in, BAD IDEA! In no time flat that thing was COVERED in hair, as well as his mouth. He hates the feeling of hair all over his neck and in his face (who doesn't?) but he stayed calm while I constantly wiped him down and he was patient for the whole thing! It was my first time cutting his hair and it felt so good to have him trust me the way he did! By the time Derrick gets home, I will be a whiz! Who needs a barber shop? Not me!

Big Brother

April 7th...

I knew days like this would come. I didn't want to take pictures, I don't really want to blog. All I want is for phone to ring so I can talk to my husband again. It has only been a month and a half but boy, I am really feeling this deployment today! Oh well, it will pass and I will be positive and strong like I have been so far.

Not the best picture quality today, but Cael is so stinkin cute I can't help it! He HAS to hold her bottle for her...and he HAS to put her socks on her (or try to)...he HAS to give her every toy of hers he sees lying around. He loves her so much and he wants the best for her. And I love him for that. He made her laugh today and it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. My kids are awesome and they are seriously the sole reason I am still making myself wake up in the mornings, and believe me...that's saying a lot!

Hooray for campbellyardsales!!

April 6th...

Ever since the day we moved down here I have seen cars (minivans mostly, if I am being specific) with stickers on there back windows that say "I heart CampellYardSales!" It's an actual heart by the way, not the word heart, but that's beside the point. It didn't take me long to hear through the grapevine that campbellyardsales was a website, kind of like a local craigslist. I don't ever think about checking those types of sites and for the life of me I don't know why! My sister reminded me this morning when I told her I was going to Target to try and find a toy shelf and a dresser for Cael's room. I am so glad she did! I hit the jackpot today with this dresser from Ikea!! Someone was selling it for pretty darn cheap and there is barely a scratch on it! I think I actually dinged it up more, carrying it from the car to the house, than it was already!

I still went to Target to get the toy shelf because I couldn't find any others I liked online, but all in all I love how is room looks now! No more cardboard box as a play area! No more clothes piled up and falling over on the tiny shelf in his closet! I love it, and he does too, he actually told ME when it was time for bed tonight. Next month...Averi's room get's a makeover!

I think there really is a 'Toy Monster'!

April 5th...

When I was a kid, my mom used to threaten me with the Toy Monster. If I didn't clean my room, then the Toy Monster would sneak in while I was sleeping and take toys off of my floor. Apparently he couldn't reach them if they were put away...maybe he has really short legs, I'm not sure. Regardless, he would steal my things. I definitely feared him as kid, especially after he took my beloved Bichelle, but I didn't truly believe in him until I had a toddler. I understand now that the Toy Monster does exist, and I don't know how he found me, but there is not a single hiding place in this house that I haven't looked in, not a cupboard un-emptied, not a crevice unswept...the 'I' in this puzzle is gone! As well as the 'E' from his refrigerator magnets, a few foam letters and numbers from the bathtub toys and various cars, tools and farm animals. NOTHING is a complete set for more than a day in this house and I think that meany Toy Monster is to blame completely. The one thing I didn't know until now, was that the Toy Monster and my mother were not in contact with each other, I assumed they knew each other and she would let him know when to come in and take my stuff...but no contact with me has been made whatsoever, so either my mom is still behind this, or this guy is running solo. I know I didn't give him a key that's for darn sure. All I want is for my son to learn the whole alphabet, is that really too much?

On a more serious note, Averi is for sure getting a helmet to fix that silly head of hers. We met with the plastic surgeon today and even though it took me like 5 hours of walking through that maze of a hospital, I did eventually find his office and he is VERY nice. He suggested about 6 months of wearing it, but everything is negotiable it just depends on how quickly it does it's job. It's looking like about a month more before we get the insurance figured out and the helmet made for her, than we are off and running. Cael you better watch out! Sis is going to be invincible!

Easter Sunday

April 4th...

We spent Easter with my good friend Eryn and her family today. It was really nice, good food, good conversations, good everything. I had fun and the kids had fun, (or at least Cael did...Av doesn't care where she sleeps!) but I almost feel guilty. I'm sure part of Derrick (even though he might never admit it, and I wouldn't either) wasn't expecting us to "have fun" without him. And I understand that completely. I am doing my absolute best to keep myself busy and the kids entertained, for all of our sakes, but hon, if you are reading this, that doesn't mean we don't wish you were here. All I could think about today was how you would have been in heaven playing WoW with Leo, and Eryn and I would have been so pissed at you guys for spending Easter on the computer! I would have loved seeing you help the kids open their Easter baskets and rocking Averi to sleep so she didn't have to steal Sonia's swing...I just wish you had been there. And nothing is going to change, no matter how "used to it" I get, we are going to wish you were here for every single day that goes by. I know you are wishing the same things so I am going to try not to bring it up anymore...but I just want you to know that in no way, shape, or form, are we "moving on." I am just trying to make it so that all of the pictures you see have smiling faces!

We love you Derrick and we CAN'T WAIT for these next few months to fly past us!!

Easter Saturday

April 3rd...

Well, the plan was to get up this morning and take Cael to the Nashville zoo for this bug Easter shindig, but we woke up to an insane thunder and rain storm, so I threw that idea out. Of course as soon as I decided not to go, it turned into an absolutely gorgeous day! That's OK though we ended up going to the egg hunt that the city of Clarksville was putting on. Cael had fun either way! Next year I will be more prepared and make sure we have time for the inflatable jumpers, animal toss and face painting...I didn't know any of that was going to be there. But standing in line for the hunt and then the hunt itself was enough to make Cael uncomfortably hot...poor guy definitely needs a hair cut! Today was still a super fun day! We came home and colored eggs, then went across the street for a few minutes to say hello to the birthday girl, Arianna. Then it was back home for dinner (which he ate most of!) baths and bed time. Now it's relax time for me and I doubt it's going to happen because I feel like I have been punched in the mouth. I hate the dentist....but they are going to be seeing me very soon I am afraid. Just knock me out, pull them all, put in beautiful fake ones and hire me a babysitter so I can sleep it off! We'll be good to go! I hate teeth and the yucky smell of the dentist office...UGH!

Time to get in shape!

April 2nd...

I guess it's time for me to start getting my butt into shape. It's getting warm and I know I am going to have to wear my swimming suit eventually because my kids need me! I made a rule to myself that I am not going to wear the one my sister gave me while I was pregnant. It's adorable and it looks like a little green dress...but I also have a bikini that I slipped right back into after Cael was born with no problems. After Averi...big problems!! I sat down and had a serious with myself and thought about how committed I really want to be to this. I could go gung-ho right now. Today was grocery shopping day so it was either choice one - get only healthy food, no sweets, no snacks except fruits and carrot sticks, no more pop...all that kind of stuff, add that to my new WAVE workout plan (40 minutes M/W/F and 50 minutes T/TH) and I could be so healthy and lookin good in no time! Or I could go to choice 2 - Still workout everyday like I am planning, same as choice 1, but eat whatever I want and still snack all the way up until I go to bed. I bet you can all guess which one I chose! :) I'll let you think about it while I sit here and eat my spicy doritos!

For my workouts, I bought the WAVE system yesterday, it's the half-moon looking thing that Cael is laying on in the top picture...crunching his abs his own way while he watched Diego! It came with DVD's and a booklet and I am loving it! Standing on the board and trying to balance it really does work your legs and abs!

In other news, my stinkin bathroom door broke today. The door knob decided to quit working completely. I had seen it coming for a few days so I taped the latch down...but apparently it got loose today as Cael was shutting the door. I thank heaven he wasn't closing it from the inside because it is not opening!! The doorknob won't even come off of the door, I tried. I got locked in for about 20 minutes the day I taped it (before I taped it...obviously) and it was terrifying! All I could think about was that no one would come looking for me and feed the kids. Scary stuff. But now I am without all my shower stuff, deoderant, toothbrush...the things that are in a bathroom. I might have to kick it down tomorrow, I haven't decided yet.

Well...that's my day in a nutshell! I think this blog is getting a little boring, but I vowed to do it for a whole year! So sorry, you guys are kinda stuck with me! haha. I'll try to spice it up...

Pictures from inside the Skyline

April 1st...

Today was Averi's CT scan at the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville. I was nervous about the scan itself, I was nervous about how long it was going to take, I was nervous about how Cael was going to be, heck, I was nervous about finding the hospital!! I amaze myself sometimes though, and today was very smooth. With the exception of going into the wrong parking garage at first, the nice man a the booth saved me a LOT of walking by telling me I could go to the one down the street. The scan was fairly quick, one of the nurses came in and played cars with Cael because he couldn't go back with Averi and me, and he was really OK with that! I asked the nurses not to sedate Averi for the process because I was fairly confident she would fall asleep on her own. They said that was just fine, but just as long as I knew that if I was wrong, and she woke up...we would be there that much longer waiting for the sedative to kick in. But I had faith in her and in the end I was right. She slept through the whole thing like a champ! We get those results back on Monday when we meet with the 'big' doctor. The serious one. The scary and intimidating one!

Things got a little rocky on the way OUT of Nashville however! I always forget to mapquest my way back. The receptionist gave me a map that made it look like a piece of cake. The only roads on the map were the ones I needed in big bold black lines. Well guess what? THERE ARE MORE THAN JUST 2 ROADS IN THAT CITY! There were about a bajillion roads that didn't happen to be listen on said map and they change names like you and I change underwear. (I hope.) No harm done though, I kept my cool and we just went sight seeing for about half an hour...I finally made my way back around and found a street that went straight instead of pretending to go straight and then veering to one side...making it to where you can see the road you want to be on, but you just can't get there! I found an interstate and just took whatever road I had to take to get there, and lucky me, it was the right one! So, there is the explanation for all the pictures today. Yes I took them while I was driving. Yes people were shaking there heads at me. Yes my windshield is a tad dirty. And No, I didn't even almost crash!