So this blogging from the iPhone is just not as easy. I just don't think I'm patient enough for it, and I don't know how to make it all cutsie and whatnot. But, I will update with a few pictures, then maybe when we go to Columbus I can try to update the whole look.
Grace is gearing up to start first grade. Scary, I know. She's not really sure that she wants to go. We're hoping and praying for another wonderful year, for a teacher we love half as much as we loved Mr. Shivers, and for Erin to be in our class again. We went and got our bookbag yesterday. Hot pink cheetah print. She will not be lost in a crowd. She & KK are going tennis shoe shopping this weekend, so I'll update with pictures.KK also got Grace a real desk out of one of their old classrooms. It is in Grace's room, and ready for her to do her homework in!
Jack Jack is a wild man (if there was ever any doubt that he would be!) He's a crawling machine! He really wants to climb the stairs. It's time to REALLY start babyproofing the house. Still only has two teeth, but one of his new favorites is to bite mommy on the shoulder, so we're thinking more teeth ate on there way. At his 9 month check up he was 24lbs 10oz and 30.5 inches long. He's huge!!
Ok, my moment of peace is up. Enjoy some pictures, and I'll try to do better updating. No promises though.
Today has been fabulous! First off, I was "on call" last night & didn't have to go to work. It stressed me out at first (bc I really don't want to use vacation time when I've gotten myself all psyched up to work), but being able to. E women up this morning to beautiful homemade cards ( yes.....multiple), presents, AND breakfast made by Grace (with a little help). Then we went to a beautiful service at church. The music was amazing this morning, and the message even more so. I was then treated to an afternoon nap. (wonderful gift!!!!) now we're playing outside and getting ready to grill some porkchops.
My family has been so wonderful to me, not just today, but everyday. They ha e made it a point to treat me Extra special today.
Today I am thankful for my mother. She encompasses all that I want to be as a mother. I have been so fortunate this past week to spend soMe extra time with my mom. She drove over for Grace's musical (which deserves it's own post), we then found her a dress for Meagan's wedding. I had so much fun doing g this with her, to be her friend. And y'all better be ready....mom looks GOOD in her dress!
Happy Mother's Day to all the other mommies in my life. My wonderful mother in law. I am very , very blessed to have her in my life, and my babies life. She deserves a big celebration for raising those kids of hers :). And for making my husband the loving man he is....she gets all the credit for that one. To my sister and sister in law, I am goD that you are moms because you have given me the wonderful gift of being an aunt to two adorable little guys! Love you all.
I have learned so much about who I want to bs as a mommy from these, and many other moms in my life.
We've gotten rid of the Internet at our house (since we have access on our phones), but it has made blogging a challenge. The keyboard on this thing is taking some getting used to. I don't know how to download photos on here, but promise to figure out how. Everyone here is good.... Will update soon on all the going ons at our home. Happy mothers day!!!!!!
So, for some reason my photos don't want to load onto here. Not sure what's going on. I think it's because I have a million, Wes thinks it has something to do with the operator (however, he hasn't tried to help me yet).
So, here's an update. With no pictures. You are probably all going to stop reading now. I will post pictures as soon as I can get them to upload.
Disney World was a blast! We loved every moment, except maybe leaving. WE got to go to every park, and we rode all our favorite rides, met all our favorite characters. Wes & I also decided that 5-6 years old is the PERFECT time to take a kiddo. Everything was so real & exciting to her. The characters were REAL, so REAL. She couldn't believe that she got to meet real princesses and Mickey and his gang. When we rode Space Mountain she was convinced we were on a space ship going to space. We rode the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom....she told us "Mr. Shivers told me that dinosaurs were extinct, I can't wait to tell him about the ones I saw".At the end of IT's a Small World, when they're all dressed in white, she leaned over and said....."this looks like heaven". She nearly cried when tinker bell flew out of the castle. We can't wait to take her back. I promise to share more sweet stories once I can upload the pictures.
Soccer season officially started last night. She is having so much fun this season. We don;t want to have to move up to the all girls league next season, we love our team.
Jack is growing like crazy. While we were in Disney World he started rolling like crazy (maybe he was trying to run from Jake, who knows!?).He still has such a sweet disposition. He adores Grace (as he should). She adores him as well.
Ok...my children were occupied for all of thirty seconds...no longer. I'll try to update more soon!
February 7th: WES running 102 degree temp....diagnosed with bronchitis. Given a steroid shot, antibiotics, and couch syrup that made him crazy.
February 16th: KERRY goes to doctor (shocker!) not given a diagnosis...doc said it was "probably" something viral. Given a steroid shot and a z-pack. Refused the crazy cough syrup. Thanks but no thanks.
February 17th: GRACE turns 6!!!! Pop and KK surprise her by picking her up from school. (Lucky girl!!!)JACK runs a 103 temp. Taken to the doctor (after hours clinic) and diagnosed with fever (you're kidding, right?!?)
February 20th: JACK STILL running fever, now GRACE begins running 102 temp also. I call after hours clinic (because no child ever gets sick when the doctors office is actually open!) and they say to keep giving tylenol and motrin. They tell us to take them immediately to the ER if their temp gets to 105 (Uh, scary.) and to call the doctor if the fever doesn't go away. I ask at what point does it count as not going away since JACK has had one off and on since TUESDAY. Don't really get a straight answer.
February 21st: GRANNY ANNIE, IVYE, LIZ, ZACH (FROM nASHVILLE), KRISTY (FROM TEXAS), MOM, MEAGAN, JAKE, SARAH, AND ANDREW are all at our house. GRACE begins running fever again, and is MISERABLE. Meanwhile, she is still getting Tylenol and Motrin around the clock.
February 22nd: POP,BEN, DAVIE ANN, AUNT DANA, AND MR. FARMER (in addition to all of the other folks previously mentioned) come to JACK'S dedication at church. What a special moment!! To have all of those people there and to promise with us, to raise JACK to know and love the Lord. A sweet couple from our Sunday School class, Tim and Amanda, were also there. It meant so much to Wes and I that they were there. We love our new church home. We love the preacher, the children's department, and the Sunday School class that we have become involved in.
Later that same day we PARTY for GRACE'S birthday at the gym she takes gymnastics from. It was a ton of fun, I will have to upload video and photo later...because I'm not sure if the kiddos or the grown folks had more fun. Grace got lots of fun gifts, and we got to eat Edgar's cake. Yummy.
After we take KRISTY back to the airport (nearly everyone had gone by this point) Grace's temp soared back to 102, and I cried the whole way back from the airport. I was so overwhelmed by the love that surrounds my family. We are blessed, blessed, blessed.
February 23rd: my sweet babes FINALLY get to see a doctor!!!!We had a scheduled visit for JACK's four month check-up, and they squeezed GRACE in. Let me tell you...the whole visit was traumatic! JACK is 18 pounds 11 ounces and 27 inches long!!! He is off the charts for length (which is hilarious). We get to start him on foods and juices. He got four shots, and screamed the rest of the time we were at the office. Then GRACE gets swabbed for the flu and strep and has to have her finger pricked. The other lab tech is having to hold JACK so that I can hold GRACE down. SHe cries the rest of the time we are there also. We then have to wait in the waiting room for 20 minutes before we find out that GRACE has the FLU. The stinking FLU!!! So, we finally get a script for her and one for JACK (he has eczema).
We have spent the rest of the day at home in front of the TV. Where we plan on staying until she can go back to school on Thursday.
This past three weeks made me appreciate Pam Sykes even more. She was our pediatrician in Columbus, but she was also her friend. SHe often says that my dad is her oldest patient! We love our doctor here, Dr. Blair, but we LOVE Pam!!
I really hate to complain, because we are so fortunate. I work with people who spend at least a minimum of 3 weeks to a month IN THE HOSPITAL. Some of them are there much longer, and some never go home again. So, as awful as the past three months have been, in the scheme of tings, we are very fortunate. And, we have the best support system.
We love all of you that were here to make this weekend so special. We really hope you don't all end up with the flu!!!
Sweet baby Grace will be SIX YEARS OLD on Tuesday. Crazy. We're going to party at her gymnastics gym the following Sunday. She's very excited, and think we should start celebrating NOW!
Other cute news....she told me this morning that "Me & Jack are STARVING to see Pop & KK!" Funny girl.
JAck is being dedicated at church on the 22nd. If you're in the Birmingham area....or not...please join us for this special day. Later that day we will be having cake and ice cream to celebrate Grace's birth! Big Day!
My husband is still better than yours. He's amazing. He keeps our house functioning smoothly.
Hope everyone has had a good of a week as I have. I promise to post more pictures soon.
Hope you all enjoyed the sweet video of Jack. He gets so tickled with himself!
In other news....... My sweet girl has turned into a delinquent. Sad, but true. I picked her up from school the other day, and as soon as she got into the car she burst into tears. When I asked her what was wrong she told me that she had a REALLY bad day and handed me her take home folder. There was a note form her teacher that said "check your email". Uh-oh. I asked Grace what happened, but she was so upset, most of what she told me was not comprehensible. When we got home I sent her to her room until I checked my email. Well, a police officer had come to read to Grace's class and had to get onto one of Grace's classmates. Grace told the officer that she could not tell her friend what to do. OOps. After I read the email, I went to go talk to Grace, and she had fallen asleep. She had worked herself up so much. Poor girl.
WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD FOR SPRING BREAK!!!!!!
My parents called the other night and asked if they could give Grace a trip to Disney for her 6th birthday. Of course we said YES!! Grace is so pumped (maybe not as much as Wes and I :) ) but I honestly don't think she has a clue what Disney is and what all it encompasses. We are so excited! Any advice for taking a six year old to Disney is welcome.
In other news, Jack started Mother's Day Out. He goes for a couple of hours two days a week. He seems to be tolerating it well. He's smiling when I drop him off, and smiling when I pick him up. I don't think the little man could get much cuter!
We're trying to plan a birthday party for our almost 6 year old, and everything is so freaking expensive. I need you creative people to help me out on this one. We thought we could rent out the indoor pool at the Y for a reasonable price and have a pool party, but they informed us that would cost us major $$$$. And the jumper places around here are ridiculous. We've talked about having a spend the night party, but I don't know enough mama's. I know I wouldn't be comfortable with Grace spending the night with some stranger. So, I need help. Suggestions please, and in a hurry....her birthday is in 4 weeks!
Night shift is going ok. Actually, work is going really well, it's the trying to rest and eat and all that I can't figure out. I can only sleep for a couple of hours at a time, so I am never really rested. Then, I can't figure out when to eat, and what I'm supposed to eat. But, I feel like I get to see the kiddos more. It's cutting in to mine and Wes's time, so we are working on spending "quality" time together since we don't have the "quantity". Wes has been amazing. He has tried to make it so that I get as much sleep as possible. He has really taken over so many of the household responsibilities. I hope once I can figure out a routine, I can be a better wife to him, you know dinner on the table every night....haha. Seriously though, he is the best. I don't think many dads would be willing to take on the responsibilities that he has in order for me to be able to be home with my babies more often.
Hope everyone is staying warm. We've pulled out all of our fleece. Have a wonderful remainder of the week!
We brag on Grace, we really do......A Lot!! Some times it is just because we love her, and other times its because she really is the most amazing 5 year old person to ever walk the face of the earth.
In November, soon after the Thanksgiving holiday's came to an end, the Farmer family decided it was time to break out the Christmas decorations, well, Kerry decided and Grace and I knew better than to argue. I broke out our puny little pre-lit Christmas tree and stacked it, section on section. To our delight, it lit right up. Kerry unloaded our chest full of Christmas decorations and Grace and I spent the evening deciding exactly where each hand print, gingerbread man, and snowglobe would go. Kerry found an XM station on the television blaring Christmas Carols, so in our best Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey impersonations, we filled our home with joy and Jack's face with fear. When all was said and done, we had done a pretty darn good job decorating our living room with our modest decorations, complete with Granny Annie's nutcrackers. It was a great night, Kay would have been proud.
The next day Grace and I woke up, we had to return to work and school. Kerry and Jack played all day. It was business as usual at the Farmer house hold. But later that night, something magical happened. A present had appeared under our tree. It was small, white, and on it was written, To: Mom From: Grace. I asked mom, she said it had just appeared.
Over the next 3-4 weeks, more and more of these presents appeared under the tree as well as some other more intricately wrapped packages. But none as fancy as those Grace fashioned. Kerry and I never knew where they came from, we never asked.
One Thursday night, the night before Grace was getting out for Christmas break, Kerry and Grace were making plans for the next day. It was a big day because not only was Grace only going to school for a half day, but she was also going to get to attend mommy's Christmas party at work. Kerry was explaining to Grace the things that she might encounter while at this party. "Grace, tomorrow you will have to be on your very best behavior, everyone will be very excited that you are there, but some of the people are very sick, some of the people will be very old, some of the people will be very weak, and some of the people may not have much or any hair."
The next day, Kerry showed up to Mr. Mike's class to pick up a very excited Grace, she was quickly informed by Mr. Mike that Grace had spent the morning with her friends, not watching the movie the Polar Express. Instead Grace and her friends had been making heart shaped cards to give to all of mommy's patients for Christmas. Grace behaved at the Christmas party, she had a great time.
When the time came for Kerry, Grace, and Jack to head to Columbus for Christmas, I spent the evening packing 5 suitcases, a pack and play crib for Jack, a bag full of bottles, a stroller, movies, a bag of barbies, and all of the presents under the tree including one bag full of presents marked from Graces. It was a Glad lock garbage bag full of Grace's treasures, she was so proud.
I finally got to join the rest of the Farmer family on Christmas eve. Grace had spent the week playing with her Pop and KK, Jacob, Meagan, Johnathan, and Uncle Ben. She was very well taken care of, you could tell that she was not lost in all that is KK's house during the Holidays.
Christmas eve was spent tracking Santa on the computer, watching for him as he crossed the oceans and continents on his way to KK's house. We all got dressed up and went to First United Methodist for Christmas eve service, and returned home ready to hit the hay, so Santa could come to see us all. Grace was very, very excited.
We had a wonderful Christmas morning. Not too early, hot coffee brewing, packages everywhere. Grace and Jacob made out like bandits, Jack faired pretty well also. Kerry and I got all we could ever ask for. It was perfect. There were smiles and hugs and wrapping paper everywhere. Take another look at the picture, it doesn't get much better. All the presents were opened, all the presents but the ones in a little Glad lock garbage bag marked, From: Grace.
She almost forgot, she almost was so overwhelmed by all that she had, but when she finally remembered her treasures, the world stopped, her mind kicked into gear, and Christmas finally started.
She threw the bag on her shoulder, in her best Santa stance she marched. She pulled out present after present, there was one for each of us. They were perfect. Everyone in the room received one, they were notes, pictures, drawings, each one done with love, each one unique, drawn perfectly for it's recipient, wrapped in the same computer paper that they were drawn on, and labeled in black cursive writing, so fancy for a 5 year old. You couldn't imagined a more excited 5 year old, but something was wrong. She looked into the bottom of her bag and there was one present left. It didn't have a name on it. Who's was it? Kk and pop had thiers, Ben, Meagan, Johnathan were all taken care of. Mom and Dad's were delivered, of course mom got two. Who's was this last present?
Then right on cue, Uncle Bud wheeled himself through the living room, he had been getting ready to head to his apartment with Penny. Grace's eyes lit up. She knew where that present belonged and she marched over, dragging her Christmas bag over to Bud, smiling from ear to ear. It was time.
Now Bud doesn't hear well, and didn't really know what was going on, but it didn't take long for him to realize that he was being sought out. Grace presented Bud with her gift, "Merry Christmas Bud!!" He looked around, as he held the present. He moved it around in his hands. He looked at the marks on the paper, then he realized what it was, and what was going on. He smiled. He carefully opened it and analyzed it. Grace's cursive was a little much for Uncle Bud so he asked Grace to read it. "Bud, I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU, You are funny, I love you, I love you, Love Grace!!" Bud didn't take his eyes off of the paper. He just sat there. Grace reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed his cheek, and said, I love you Bud, Merry Christmas.
It was over, I was done. Ben and I were crying already, it was more than any father or mother could take. None of this was prompted. Like i said, Grace simply noticed we had a Christmas tree and no presents, she took it on herself to fix that problem. And she thought of everyone.
Bud looked up, said thank you, and then informed Grace, with a proud smile that this, he raised the paper, was the best present he got.
I can assure you, I will never forget Christmas 2008. It was a great Christmas, it was Jack's first Christmas. Kerry got a new truck, I got a saw. But Grace made sure that everyone at KK and Pop's house remembered that it was better to give than to receive, that Christmas isn't about presents, but about family, about love, and about relationships. She put everyone else on a pedastol, she made sure everyone in that house knew how she felt about them.
I have the best little girl a dad could ever want! I don't need to tell you why, i just do. And nobody, nobody, had a better Christmas than i did.
Of course. I have started back to work, so I don't have ALL day to play on the computer...just part of the day! I will have to back track later and share with all about our WONDERFUL Christmas, but I wanted to wait until I had pictures to post also. And, you all need to see how big my baby boy is now, here's a preview.......at 9 weeks he was 14lb 12 oz, 24 3/4 inches long. 97% percentile for both! So big and so sweet. But, instead of enjoying my beautiful pictures of my kiddos, or read sweet stories about them...I'm going to write about myself. If that seems boring, it probably is, you can quit reading now.
I need to write down my New Year's resolutions. I keep forgetting what they are, so I need to have a place that I will remember what they are. THey aren't that exciting, but they are important to me. I've not ever really made a New Years resolution before, but I have thought long and hard...and I have a few for 2009.
#1: I want to become more active. No, not lose 20 pounds (although I would be ok with that). Just become more active. Walk everyday, swim at the Y, take a class or two at the Y, ride bikes (even though I don't have one). I want to find something that all of us can do together. It is so important, and I don't think I have ever really realized the importance. I'm kind of a couch potato.
#2: I want to be that person that people enjoy being around. You know, the one you have a 2 second or 2 hour converstaion with and you leave feeling better about yourself. I want people to know how much I genuinely care about them, because I do, all of you (ask Wes...I keep him up lots at nigth telling him).
#3: I want to become involved in a church/ SS class/ bible study. I want to grow.
