200 Have and Have nots: The bold ones are the ones I have done. Thanks, Rebecca. I had fun reading your list. Now I have a few more things to add to my list of things to do before I die, too!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper (try five before noon today.)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (4th of July on the Boston Whaler. Bring back any memories, anyone?)
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game (well, maybe BYU games aren't HUGE but I think that Cubs baseball games are huge. A matter of perspective, perhaps?)
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty (You can't even do that anymore, post 9/11, can you?)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (at the dentist...for some reason pain makes me laugh. Weird, right? Child birth was hilarious!)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (those are the best ones. Then you can really enjoy your day!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath (Russia...)
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster (Have I ever turned down a ride on a roller coaster? I don't think so!)
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (Always!)
33. Adopted an accent for fun (Stewart didn't think it was funny...)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (truly amazing, life-changing, even)
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach (to watch the sea turtles lay their eggs.)
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume (wonderwoman underoos...does that count?)
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason (Thanks, Scott. Hehe.)
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone (not a fist fight, though. I've never been in one of those.)
67. Bounced a check (oops.)
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (fish are animals, right?)
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
(and lizards, too! The benefit of a Florida flat roof!)
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket (but probably only once!)
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away (I still want to sometimes.)
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR (Infant, of course. I have had that darn class twice.)
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter
*If you want to join the fun, simply copy and paste this list to your post. Bold the ones that apply to you. Have fun!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Oh...they really DO love each other!
Do anybody else's kids start fighting the minute they wake up? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'm a bit of a fighter myself. But, really, can't they just finish their breakfast before they start crying about someone (Maddox) who hit someone else (Hadley) because someone (Hadley) is sitting in someone else's (Maddox's) chair? Or someone (Maddox) who spit at someone else (Hadley) because someone (Hadley) told him it was HER turn to say the prayer? Seriously, you guys, you are fighting about a prayer. KNOCK IT OFF!
So...is there evidence that they are good people who really love each other but are just trying to exercise a little bit of independence? I think so!
Whenever Lincoln is crying, one of his siblings comes running to his rescue to coo at him, hold him, put a toy in his chubby hands or do a silly dance for him. He is the lucky one. Nobody is fighting with him yet!
Hadley has recently discovered that she can use the microwave. I never used to let her touch things in the kitchen but she has blossomed into a child who loves to read and follow instructions. Of course, that carries over to preparing food and I am now allowing her to do some things for herself. It's great, by the way! But on subject, this morning, she fixed oatmeal for herself and for her brother. She knows just how Maddox likes it and was so sweet to him. This is just one example of how well she takes care of her brother. I have had moments of feeling proud of her and moments of feeling guilty about it. I'm so proud that she can be so helpful, is so grown up and is so thoughtful. I feel guilty because before I had Lincoln, she never had to take care of Maddox. I always did it. I know, I know... it's part of growing up. Do I have to let them grow up, though?
How about Maddox...? Well, the evidence that he loves his sister with him is always and never there. I say always because he has such wonderful intentions and I say never because the reality is that he's a boy who is rough, crazy and forgets all about his intentions. I don't think he means to spit at her or hit her quite as often as he does. I think (hope?) he knows it's wrong. I interpret it as his way of telling her to quit bossing him around, to quit mothering him, to quit being the "big sister". But when it really comes down to it, his entire face lights up when Hadley is around. When he woke up from his nap today to find that his sister had gone to play with a friend, he was devastated.
In my reflections on my kids and how they relate with one another, I am reminded of my own childhood and my relationships with my siblings. I know we had our ups and our downs, our times of being close to one another and our times of hating one another. The interesting thing is that even now, as adults, we have those times. There are some of my siblings that I have much more in common with and others that can STILL push my buttons and make me want to clobber them. Does that mean I don't love them all? No! Of course not! So I guess when my kids are fighting over the breakfast that one of them (Hadley) so lovingly prepared for the other one (Maddox), I can count my blessings that they have each other and hold my breath and wait until one more (Lincoln) adds his bowl of oatmeal to the kitchen bar and joins in the morning squabble.
Friday, June 20, 2008
"IT" IS BA-A-A-A-ACK....
Okay all of you moms out there, I need help with this one. Maddox has the "It" again. That is how we have oh-so fondly named this horrible stomach ailment that he keeps coming down with. "It" is the very same illness that ruined our family trip to California. Here's the deal:
"It" began in April and lasted for almost 3 weeks until our doctor finally treated Maddox for giardia. We assumed he picked up something at the petting zoo, one of his favorite places, and ate it. He does that. Weird, I know. Anyhow, "It" gave him almost constant diarrhea and then nighttime vomiting. The Dr. treated "It" and "It" left. Three weeks to the day of the giardia treatment, "It" returned and lasted only for one day. Exactly three weeks after that, another appearance of the "It". And now, exactly 2 weeks after that, well, we are sitting home washing his sheets, comforter, towels, and Maddox is finally sleeping. Maddox, "It" and I were up all night long and I had to cancel my trip to Boston for today to attend my grandfather's wedding. We have taken cute little cups of poop to the hospital lab for analysis and they have tested for all types of bacteria, parasites, etc. No luck. All negative. "It" is a squirrelly, slippery problem, apparently. Ew. No pun intended on the slippery part. But seriously, my pediatrician has no clue what to do for "It" at this point.
So has anyone ever seen or heard of something like this? I know my kids tend to have health issues that border on bizarre but this one is just really puzzling. We can't get in to see the pediatric GI specialist until September. That means, on the current schedule, at least 4 more rounds of "It". I can't handle "It". I would post pictures of "It" but I think that would be a little overboard. Suffice it to say that whatever "It" is, you don't want "It", you don't want to be in the same room as "It" and, as a smell sensitive person, I can attest to the fact that I have never in my life smelled anything else like "It." HELP! "It" stinks!
"It" began in April and lasted for almost 3 weeks until our doctor finally treated Maddox for giardia. We assumed he picked up something at the petting zoo, one of his favorite places, and ate it. He does that. Weird, I know. Anyhow, "It" gave him almost constant diarrhea and then nighttime vomiting. The Dr. treated "It" and "It" left. Three weeks to the day of the giardia treatment, "It" returned and lasted only for one day. Exactly three weeks after that, another appearance of the "It". And now, exactly 2 weeks after that, well, we are sitting home washing his sheets, comforter, towels, and Maddox is finally sleeping. Maddox, "It" and I were up all night long and I had to cancel my trip to Boston for today to attend my grandfather's wedding. We have taken cute little cups of poop to the hospital lab for analysis and they have tested for all types of bacteria, parasites, etc. No luck. All negative. "It" is a squirrelly, slippery problem, apparently. Ew. No pun intended on the slippery part. But seriously, my pediatrician has no clue what to do for "It" at this point.
So has anyone ever seen or heard of something like this? I know my kids tend to have health issues that border on bizarre but this one is just really puzzling. We can't get in to see the pediatric GI specialist until September. That means, on the current schedule, at least 4 more rounds of "It". I can't handle "It". I would post pictures of "It" but I think that would be a little overboard. Suffice it to say that whatever "It" is, you don't want "It", you don't want to be in the same room as "It" and, as a smell sensitive person, I can attest to the fact that I have never in my life smelled anything else like "It." HELP! "It" stinks!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
I'm IT
I've been tagged twice now and I guess it's bad manners to pretend that I didn't see those tags. So, Rachel and Mara, here you go! I am supposed to give you 6 random things about myself. And by the way, I KNOW random. That was one of my favorite words, thanks to Lauren, for a good chunk of my life.
1. I love a good fight, but only with certain people. There is one special person who I consider to be a truly worthy opponent, so I married him. We are well-known for our verbal sparring. That is our main form of communication. In fact, if we seem too civil to one another, that probably means we are not getting along very well. Did you know we got in a fight while driving from the temple to our luncheon after we were married? As the former high school state debate champion (oh yeah, I can fight!)it is mostly just sport to me. I do not like to verbally spar with my family, though. They don't get it. We Davies like to avoid conflict and anytime problems arise, we prefer to ignore them and hope they go away. Now that I am a Peay, though, I get to acknowledge those problems and fight, fight, fight!
2. I am the most smell-sensitive person I have ever met. Stewart tells me I am part bloodhound and I agree. Most people don't take kindly to being called a dog but it's true. If my kids ever grow up and try to come home drunk or smelling like smoke, they are in big trouble. Not only will I catch them, I will also be able to identify the brand of alcohol consumed and maybe even follow the scent to its source and get their friends in trouble as well. One thing that drives me crazy is the smell of yesterday's dinner. I leave the fan on my furnace circulating all the time to rid my house of food smells. Surprisingly, though, the smell of a little baby's diapers don't bother me. Maddox's big, grown-up poops are horrendous but that special baby smell is almsot (I know, this is disgusting) a comfort. It's not as nice as the smell of a freshly bathed baby, all lotioned up. That's why I make all of my kids bathe every night, no matter what. I love them more when they smell fresh! I love the smells of rain, the ocean, freshly-baked cookies, gardenias, orange groves, horses, campfires, and bread baking. I hate the smells of golf (or a husband who just played), strong perfume, especially when you can taste it, cigarette smoke, fried food on clothes (you know what I mean?), cats, public restrooms, feet, mothballs, any leftover food, okay...this list is endless. The important part, I guess, is that smell is very important to me. It can take me back to a good memory or a bad one. If I smell white wine, I get tears in my eyes because it reminds me of my grandma. If I smell vodka, cigarettes and urine, I think I am in Russia. If I smell baby lotion and laundry soap, I know I must be in heaven with a clean baby in my arms.
3. When I was younger, my older brother and sisters used to tell me I was adopted and I believed them. Sometimes, I still do! I was the only one of us at that time with green eyes. Ryan's have sinced turned a little green but I used to be the odd one, or as I thought, the ugly duckling. They were all born in odd years and I was born in an even year. They were all relatively normal and I was an overly emotional spaz. I still don't have all that much in common with some of my siblings and I still have moments of wondering if they didn't just find me abandoned in some ditch and keep me, figuring that since they had so many kids, nobody would notice one more. Whether it's nature or nurture, though, I guess there are some family lines that run deep. Yeah, maybe I don't sing like the rest of them, but I can make great bubble letters. Is that a family trait?
4.I did not always want to be a mom. I had plans for my life that did not include children, or at least not for a long time. When I was younger, I started a Future Educators club in my middle school. I wanted to be either a teacher or a lawyer (two professions that allow you to talk a lot and force others to listen). So I became a teacher and married a lawyer with hopes of attending law school myself some day, when I get around to it. I was much more interested in reading Stewart's law school outlines than parenting magazines, even when I was pregnant with Hadley. I hear about people and know people (Mara!) who just wanted to grow up and have babies. I did not feel that way. My first pregnancy was not planned and I cried for a few weeks about it. Once I had Hadley, though, it felt very natural and instinctive. Other friends have asked me questions about teaching their children to read, discipline, or breastfeeding and I don't know how to answer because I didn't have to think about those things. I just do what feels right. And, for the record, if I only had the children that I intentionally got pregnant with, I would not have any children. My only planned pregnancy was the one that I miscarried. How's that for irony?
5. I am slow. I am really, really slow. I am not talking about my mental capacity, although I used to believe that I was retarded. First I'll explain that and then I'll move on to my speed. When I moved to Florida in first grade, they had me tested and put me into the gifted program. I got pulled out of my class every day and I went to this special class. They called it resource or gifted and I was convinced that I was mentally disabled and that no one would tell me the truth. The resource program at my elementary school was divided into two parts. There was the special education group and the gifted group, all lumped under the resource umbrella. I figured since those kids were called special and I was gifted, they must both be terms used to make us feel better about ourselves. It took me a long time to believe that I was okay. My speed, on the other hand, is neither gifted nor special. It is just plain embarrassing. I once lost a race to Stewart. No big deal, right? Yeah, well he was running backwards. I'm slow. I'm really, really slow.
6. I used to joke that life was trying to make a pessimist out of me. If there is a less then one percent chance of some bizarre medical malfunction, it seems to happen to me or my family. But I am still an optimist. When the phone rings, I usually think it's going to be some exciting news. When I wake up in the morning, I wonder what great thing is going to happen that day. When I am going to a football game, I am sure my team will win. When I am going to a presidential primary, I am sure my candidate will win. When I am watching American Idol, I am sure my favorite singer will win. Does it always turn out? No, not really. Does that mean I don't still hope? NOPE! I also do have a little bit of psychic in me. And a lot of psycho but we'll save that for another post. Before all of my major life events, I've known something was coming. I was telling Stewart before Hadley's implant failed that I knew something bad was coming and he told me that wasn't being psychic. He said that you could just plan for a major trial in our lives every few months. I think, seriously, that Heavenly Father gives me little warning feelings to help me prepare for disaster. Or maybe I could start a psychic hotline and earn a few extra dollars! Either way, I feel optimistic about the outcome. Ha!
WHEW. I did it. I told you six random things that you may not have known about me. Now it's my turn to spread the love. I tag Lauren, Susan, Joelle, Rachel (my cousin, not my sister-in-law), Hailey and Sarah. Sister-in-law Rachel, it's not personal. I don't think I can tag you right back since you just tagged me. If I recall, the playground rules clearly dictate, "No Tag Backs!" That goes for all of you that I just tagged as well!
1. I love a good fight, but only with certain people. There is one special person who I consider to be a truly worthy opponent, so I married him. We are well-known for our verbal sparring. That is our main form of communication. In fact, if we seem too civil to one another, that probably means we are not getting along very well. Did you know we got in a fight while driving from the temple to our luncheon after we were married? As the former high school state debate champion (oh yeah, I can fight!)it is mostly just sport to me. I do not like to verbally spar with my family, though. They don't get it. We Davies like to avoid conflict and anytime problems arise, we prefer to ignore them and hope they go away. Now that I am a Peay, though, I get to acknowledge those problems and fight, fight, fight!
2. I am the most smell-sensitive person I have ever met. Stewart tells me I am part bloodhound and I agree. Most people don't take kindly to being called a dog but it's true. If my kids ever grow up and try to come home drunk or smelling like smoke, they are in big trouble. Not only will I catch them, I will also be able to identify the brand of alcohol consumed and maybe even follow the scent to its source and get their friends in trouble as well. One thing that drives me crazy is the smell of yesterday's dinner. I leave the fan on my furnace circulating all the time to rid my house of food smells. Surprisingly, though, the smell of a little baby's diapers don't bother me. Maddox's big, grown-up poops are horrendous but that special baby smell is almsot (I know, this is disgusting) a comfort. It's not as nice as the smell of a freshly bathed baby, all lotioned up. That's why I make all of my kids bathe every night, no matter what. I love them more when they smell fresh! I love the smells of rain, the ocean, freshly-baked cookies, gardenias, orange groves, horses, campfires, and bread baking. I hate the smells of golf (or a husband who just played), strong perfume, especially when you can taste it, cigarette smoke, fried food on clothes (you know what I mean?), cats, public restrooms, feet, mothballs, any leftover food, okay...this list is endless. The important part, I guess, is that smell is very important to me. It can take me back to a good memory or a bad one. If I smell white wine, I get tears in my eyes because it reminds me of my grandma. If I smell vodka, cigarettes and urine, I think I am in Russia. If I smell baby lotion and laundry soap, I know I must be in heaven with a clean baby in my arms.
3. When I was younger, my older brother and sisters used to tell me I was adopted and I believed them. Sometimes, I still do! I was the only one of us at that time with green eyes. Ryan's have sinced turned a little green but I used to be the odd one, or as I thought, the ugly duckling. They were all born in odd years and I was born in an even year. They were all relatively normal and I was an overly emotional spaz. I still don't have all that much in common with some of my siblings and I still have moments of wondering if they didn't just find me abandoned in some ditch and keep me, figuring that since they had so many kids, nobody would notice one more. Whether it's nature or nurture, though, I guess there are some family lines that run deep. Yeah, maybe I don't sing like the rest of them, but I can make great bubble letters. Is that a family trait?
4.I did not always want to be a mom. I had plans for my life that did not include children, or at least not for a long time. When I was younger, I started a Future Educators club in my middle school. I wanted to be either a teacher or a lawyer (two professions that allow you to talk a lot and force others to listen). So I became a teacher and married a lawyer with hopes of attending law school myself some day, when I get around to it. I was much more interested in reading Stewart's law school outlines than parenting magazines, even when I was pregnant with Hadley. I hear about people and know people (Mara!) who just wanted to grow up and have babies. I did not feel that way. My first pregnancy was not planned and I cried for a few weeks about it. Once I had Hadley, though, it felt very natural and instinctive. Other friends have asked me questions about teaching their children to read, discipline, or breastfeeding and I don't know how to answer because I didn't have to think about those things. I just do what feels right. And, for the record, if I only had the children that I intentionally got pregnant with, I would not have any children. My only planned pregnancy was the one that I miscarried. How's that for irony?
5. I am slow. I am really, really slow. I am not talking about my mental capacity, although I used to believe that I was retarded. First I'll explain that and then I'll move on to my speed. When I moved to Florida in first grade, they had me tested and put me into the gifted program. I got pulled out of my class every day and I went to this special class. They called it resource or gifted and I was convinced that I was mentally disabled and that no one would tell me the truth. The resource program at my elementary school was divided into two parts. There was the special education group and the gifted group, all lumped under the resource umbrella. I figured since those kids were called special and I was gifted, they must both be terms used to make us feel better about ourselves. It took me a long time to believe that I was okay. My speed, on the other hand, is neither gifted nor special. It is just plain embarrassing. I once lost a race to Stewart. No big deal, right? Yeah, well he was running backwards. I'm slow. I'm really, really slow.
6. I used to joke that life was trying to make a pessimist out of me. If there is a less then one percent chance of some bizarre medical malfunction, it seems to happen to me or my family. But I am still an optimist. When the phone rings, I usually think it's going to be some exciting news. When I wake up in the morning, I wonder what great thing is going to happen that day. When I am going to a football game, I am sure my team will win. When I am going to a presidential primary, I am sure my candidate will win. When I am watching American Idol, I am sure my favorite singer will win. Does it always turn out? No, not really. Does that mean I don't still hope? NOPE! I also do have a little bit of psychic in me. And a lot of psycho but we'll save that for another post. Before all of my major life events, I've known something was coming. I was telling Stewart before Hadley's implant failed that I knew something bad was coming and he told me that wasn't being psychic. He said that you could just plan for a major trial in our lives every few months. I think, seriously, that Heavenly Father gives me little warning feelings to help me prepare for disaster. Or maybe I could start a psychic hotline and earn a few extra dollars! Either way, I feel optimistic about the outcome. Ha!
WHEW. I did it. I told you six random things that you may not have known about me. Now it's my turn to spread the love. I tag Lauren, Susan, Joelle, Rachel (my cousin, not my sister-in-law), Hailey and Sarah. Sister-in-law Rachel, it's not personal. I don't think I can tag you right back since you just tagged me. If I recall, the playground rules clearly dictate, "No Tag Backs!" That goes for all of you that I just tagged as well!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Lazy River, Lazy Days, Lazy Eye....
This is how I spent my weekend....Sort of!
The picture doesn't show anyone laying by the pool bouncing a 6 month old baby on her sunburned knees. Even so, it was blissful. Lincoln and I got to float around in the lazy river, go to a fantastic cooking class, eat plenty of seafood (just me, not Lincoln), have a manicure and pedicure, drink pina coladas, and enjoy the plentiful shopping in Scottsdale, Arizona. Stewart was busy in meetings and on the golf course but he managed to spend some time floating around the lazy river with Lincoln as well.
When you have your first baby, you can't believe how busy you are and how much time it takes up of your life. When you have three and you get to leave 2 at home, one is amazingly easy. I really enjoyed the break. Lincoln is a great traveller; he still sleeps in his car seat so he felt right at home. He wasn't a huge fan of the Arizona heat but as long as we found him some shade or kept his little toes in the pool, he was very happy. He loved not wearing socks. I think he discovered his toes this weekend. He would sit in his stroller with his legs stretched out gazing admiringly at his feet and then he would grin and coo at them. I'm with you, Lincoln. Being barefoot is great!
Enough about my lazy days and the lazy river and on to the lazy eye. We found out in January that Hadley has a lazy eye. At first it wasn't that big of a deal. She just had to get glasses. I was definitely more upset than she was about the glasses. I feel like it's not fair. She's had to deal with so much in her life already. Last Monday we went to the eye doctor to see how we are progressing with the glasses and she hasn't made any progress so now she has to wear an eye patch. Poor little kid. We are now wondering if we should just go ahead and put braces, head gear and a helmet on her and send her off to school each morning. She is a metal detector's worst nightmare with all of the gear on and in her head! She's a pretty good sport but it's hard because she still relies so much on visual cues to figure out what's going on around her. Her cochlear implants are amazing but she misses some things and still lip reads a lot. When she is wearing her patch, she's sort of withdrawn. She likes to just go read or watch a movie and doesn't like to interact. I guess it's frustrating for her to follow conversation with her good eye patched.
Maddox and Lincoln are going to be tested in July. Stewart had a lazy eye as a little boy and it is hereditary. So far, though, Hadley seems to be the only one that has inherited all of those random annoying genes. The deaf gene that we never knew we had, the allergy gene, the lazy eye...any other family defects out there that I should know about? 'Cause I'm sure she will end up with them! Luckily, she also got Stewart's gorgeous eyelashes and my quick wit so she will be okay.
One of the hardest lessons as a parent is that you can't take away your children's pain. I know it builds character for her to have these experiences but how much character does one little girl need? Don't misunderstand me. I recognize how blessed she is and how blessed our family has been to know and raise Hadley. I just wish I could make her path in life a little bit easier. I am afraid sometimes that I spoil her too much because I try to make up for some of the harder things she has had to deal with. I have to keep reminding myself that she is such a happy person and that she's going to make it through this with flying colors, just like everything else in her life.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Beautiful boy
Out of respect for Maddox's birthday, I held off on posting about Lincoln's blessing day for a few days. Yes, it is May! We are finally allowed to take Lincoln to church. RSV season is windong down and we can leave our house. I am finding, though, that going anywhere with two little boys isn't much fun and we still mostly stay home.
However, we were able to bless Lincoln on Sunday. All of my children have been blessed on a special day. Hadley was blessed on Mother's Day, Maddox on the 4th of July and Lincoln on Maddox's birthday. It was a really sweet blessing for my really sweet boy. I don't think Stewart was any less nervous the third time around but he did well, as always.
We broke with the family tradition of using the antique blessing gown when Maddox was blessed. We started our own tradition and blessed both of our boys in the same outfit that Stewart wore when he was blessed. Since Stewart was quite a bit bigger than both of our boys have been, it still worked for Lincoln, even at 5 months old.
So, my beautiful baby boy, you are now officially known as Lincoln Stewart Peay on the records of the church. Thank you for falling asleep during your blessing and being a little angel for us afterwards during the chaos of the birthday party. You are finally making up for all of the stress you put us through for the first few months of your life. I think you may turn out all right, after all, Lincoln!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Happy Birthday, M-Dog!
My little man turned 3 today. It is amazing how quickly these years have gone by and how much I have learned. I had no idea that there were so many different kinds of fire trucks, for example. But now I know the difference between a brush rig and an aerial ladder truck. I didn't know how easy it would be to teach someone how to talk when they can hear. Apparently you do not even have to try to teach them. They pick up and repeat everything they hear, whether or not you want them to. I also didn't know that there were so many types of tractors in the world. I now know the difference between a skid steer and a combine harvester or a giant excavator and a backhoe loader. I used to just call them all tractors but not anymore. I didn't know that the most exciting part of going to the zoo could be watching the giraffe go to the bathroom. You really can learn so much from a little boy.
I love being with Maddox. I love the great things he says and the views he has on the world. I love his imagination and his smile. I love his attitude and his spunk, even when it manifests as a temper tantrum. He is a great guy.
Happy birthday to you, Maddox. We sure do love you!
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