Casen's School Birthday Celebration

Since Casen, along with several of his classmates, has a birthday during the summer, they picked today to celebrate the summer birthdays. I brought mini iced sugar cookies for them to celebrate. As I assumed, Casen loved his cookies.

Bath Time

I finally got brave enough to let the boys bathe together tonight. And, as usual, I questioned myself as to why I waited so long. Honestly, I know how much Camden loves bath time and was concerned that he might be too rough with Casen, but it was not the case at all. They had a great time splashing in the tub and playing with the toys.

Riding Big Boy Style and Memorial Day Fun

It is so hard to believe that Casen has moved on up in the world and is now riding big boy style in the car! His head had just about reached the top of his carried, so I decided it was time for him to make the switch.

Riding Big Boy Style

Today in Tomball they had the Oil Field Festival to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first gusher in Tomball. It was down by the train station in downtown Tomball and they had 5 cent hot dogs and drinks, pie eating contests, greased pig contests and other fun things. We took the boys and they had a good time. Camden loved seeing the caboose and walking through the train station.

After we left there we took the kids to a local park to let Camden run around and get rid of some energy. Since they both love being outdoors, they had a great time at the park. As for me, I just enjoyed having some family time making good memories.

Pool Time

Since mid May, Camden has been asking almost daily when the neighborhood pool was opening up. He has been so excited to get in that water! Well, it opened yesterday, but we had other plans, so today after his nap I decided he and I would go to the pool. He was so excited and had a great time playing in the water. I put his floaties on him and even though he was unaware, I let him hang around in the deeper water without holding on to him! He did great, until he realized I wasn't holding him and then he would get a little scared. We are definitely going to work on his swimming skills this summer!

Headed to the pool

He's Mobile!!!!

I arrived at the boy's school yesterday to receive some wonderful news - Casen was scooting around the room! Ms. Caroline even caught it on video for me to see. (Love her!!!) He was so excited with his new found mobility that he did not even take his second nap so he could scoot around the room. Of course, he would not show us in person yesterday, or this morning. Today, Mrs. Caroline posted this picture on Facebook - prior to today, he would have still been sitting on the mats, however today he was getting into trouble!

Let me just say, I am not certain what we have done to our boys that they do not crawl normally!!! As you recall, Camden would scoot with one leg in front of him and the other to his side. Well Casen scoots with both of his legs in front of him, mainly using his right one to help him scoot. Regardless of his technique, he is much happier now that he is mobile!

Finally Feeling Better

Due to Camden continuing to have fever, I took him into the doctor Monday morning just to make sure he was OK. I was fine if it truly was viral like the doctor said on Friday, but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything since he was still having such high fevers, up to 103.9.

How about this outfit he wore to the doctor?

The doctor did another strep test, which was negative and pricked his little finger to check his white blood count. Sure enough, his blood was normal, so viral it was! Camden was awesome at the doctor and did not even flinch when they pricked his finger.

Since I stayed with him on Monday, Shane stayed with him Tuesday and finally the last time he had fever was Tuesday afternoon - thank goodness!!! But, since he has to be fever free for 24 hours, I stayed with him today. We went to my old school and visited with some of my friends and then I told Camden we could go eat wherever he wanted. He said he wanted to eat a hot dog at a restaurant - he LOVES to eat at restaurants. So I took advantage of that and headed to Steak N' Shake - yummy!!! We enjoyed some good food and shakes. I am sooooo glad he is feeling better!

My 40th Birthday Weekend

All I can say is thank goodness for two wonderful girlfriends and a wonderful husband - otherwise I may have lost my sanity! Friday was my 40th birthday and honestly, I was not looking forward to it. I know 40 is a number, but it is not a number I would choose to be. Luckily, with the help of some great co-workers, my morning started off pretty darn good. I opened my clinic to find it decorated with balloons, cupcakes, and chocolate. I received more cupcakes, cookies, and other goodies.

The majority of my coworkers that came by to tell me Happy Birthday had on either all black or orange, my favorite color. One of my wonderful coworkers had emailed the whole staff the day prior telling them to wear orange or black in my honor - it was really nice to see all the people that did dress accordingly - I was just so glad everyone was not in black! The morning was very pleasant and seemed to be going well, until I got an email from Camden's school at 11:15 telling me he had a fever of 102.2 and was complaining of a sore throat and stomach ache. My first thought was strep. I generally do not take my boys to the doctor unless they have been sick for several days, however since this was Friday and his symptoms sounded like strep, I decided to take him. They performed a strep test which was negative and said that it was probably viral and should be gone in 3 to 5 days. So needless to say, my day was going down hill. We went and picked up Casen from school after the doctor and headed home. So, the thoughts of going out for dinner as a family went by the way side. Honestly, we didn't even celebrate my birthday since Camden did not feel good and Casen was not up to par either.

Now, on a side note, I knew that my friend Lisa was coming in town for the weekend and that she and Lorrie and I were all to get together to celebrate my birthday, however we had not made any certain plans. I did not know how this was going to affect the weekend, but after talking with Shane, he told me to go ahead and go out to eat with the girls! Woo Hoo! So I met them at Pappacitos and had a great time socializing and bless their hearts, they had to listen to me vent for awhile about the lovely day of turning 40!

Saturday morning Camden woke up with high fever, 103.4 and had a high pitched cough, the 'barking seal' cough. He looked and sounded miserable and he was not breathing very easy. So I pulled out the nebulizer and decided to give him Pulmicort and Albuterol mixed to get him on the right track. Casen slept in until 8:30, which is unheard for him, but he wasn't up too long before he started being a fuss bucket. Luckily no temp, just fussiness. He really hadn't been drooling, but when I looked in his mouth, I found he was cutting his right upper front tooth. Fun, fun! When Shane woke up I headed to CVS for more Ibuprofen as well as some cough syrup for Camden. After I got home, Shane asked me what my plan for the day was and I told him he was looking at it - taking care of the boys. He told me to go spend the day with Lisa and Lorrie - once again, Woo Hoo!!!! So I got myself together and headed to the Woodlands for a pedicure and dinner again. Once again, so nice to be with the girls.

Today, Camden still had fever this morning and has still been getting breathing treatments. His cough does sound  a little better, however his fever spikes every time it is time for medicine! If tomorrow he is not improved, I guess we will head back to the doctor. This afternoon after Shane got home from church and we had eaten lunch, he got out my birthday cake, which was in ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins - YUM!!!! So sad that our weekend has been such that we haven't had cake until today, however that is the life of being a mom, right?

Tooth #3

Casen has been extremely fussy and not really wanting to eat or drink since yesterday, so I finally decided to check his mouth, and what do you think I found???

Tooth #3

Drinking Big Boy Style

Casen has been using a sippy cup a school during snack time and occasionally uses one here at home. Over the past several days, I have been incorporating it into our routine a bit more and since he has taken it like a champ, today I decided we would go to the sippy cup full time. Now he is drinking big boy style!

How Will They Look Today?

It has been awhile since I have posted just fun pictures of the boys. Camden constantly is putting different things on his head and you never know what combination of things he will be wearing.

Curious George party hat and monkey mask as well as sweat band

Casen likes to put things on his head too

Just a sweet picture face!

The way Camden wears a tiara



And just a funny, the other day I was talking to Shane and referred to him as 'Honey'. Camden looked at me and said, "He is not a honey, he is a dear!"  I tell you that boy listens even when I think he is not paying attention!

Mother's Day

Today was Mother's Day and I don't think I could have asked for a better day. We woke up this morning and Shane went and picked us up breakfast before we went to church. Camden wanted me to open the gifts that they made for me at school, which I loved! In the pink package was bath salts which he made and then the flower picture is made out of his fingerprints and the paper with the colored car on it says 'My Mommy is special because she puts me in the car.'  Don't you just love how the little things in your child's life make you special! I can only pray that he always thinks like that! The potted plant is from Casen, which his little fingers painted the pot. I love my gifts. Shane and the boys also gave me a book entitled 'The Story' which is a book that puts the bible more in story form.

After breakfast and gifts, we then went to church and after church we went out to eat. Once we got home, the boys went down for their naps at the same time and both had about and hour and a half nap (which it doesn't seem to happen often that they nap at the same time). While they napped, I took at 30 minute nap (which I am NOT a napper) and then when they woke up from their nap I took them to the park for awhile.



It was a great day and I enjoyed the day being a mom, spending time with the boys, and getting a little spoiled!

11 Months

Oh my goodness, just one more month and I will have a one year old. I just can't even believe it - it really saddens me. Casen is something - he makes us laugh and sometimes makes us want to pull our hair out, but honestly I wouldn't change him for a thing. He still is not crawling. He just sits on his hiney and scoots around in a circle. He has no desire to crawl and will stand, but has no desire to walk. I keep wondering what I have done to my children that has made them both not crawl on time or like they should. He is eating like you would not even believe and is drinking 8 ounces every 4 hours. He likes to be picky sometimes, but generally will end up eating pretty much anything and a lot of it. At school they teach him sign language so he will tell us when he is done eating by waving both of his hands and will let us know if he wants more food by pointing to what he wants and then signing the word 'more'. It makes it easier to communicate with him until the time comes when he can actually speak - which I know is right around the corner. He loves to wave hello and good bye and if he is tired and you ask him if he is ready to go night night, he will start waving good night to his daddy and his brother. I love it! He loves to play with his brother's cars and will even clean up after himself and put the cars back in the bucket they go in. 

 He really is a happy baby and his teachers and other parents at school always tell me how happy he is. As a mother, nothing makes me happier then knowing he is happy!

Bye Bye Perfect Attendance

I have been so proud that Camden has had perfect attendance at school this year. No one is probably even aware of that, but I am and have been so excited about it! With less than 6 weeks of school left, I was hoping that he would make it the whole school year with out missing a day. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Yesterday I received an email asking me to come and pick Camden up due to pink eye. He apparently woke up from his nap with both eyes gunky. When I arrived, it was quite obvious that he definitely had conjunctivitis.

 I was not a happy camper mainly because they implemented a new rule several months ago that if your child has conjunctivitis, you have to have a note from a doctor releasing the child to return to school. What a waste of money for me when I already have drops at home!!!! I called the doctor's office and of course since it has been forever since Camden had pink eye, they wanted to see him. Problem with that was, he would have to go to the after hours clinic which was an extra $35 on top of the $85 or $90 office visit. So I decided to just take him to the local Walgreens clinic where after waiting 2 hours, we were seen, prescribed eye drops and given a note for him to return to school today.

Eating Teddy Grahams while
waiting our turn at Walgreens

I was thrilled the nurse practitioner gave us a note for Camden to return today, however when he woke up this morning, his eyes were matted shut, he still had a lot of discharge, and his eyes had allergy shiners so there was no way I could send him.

When I arrived at school with Casen, they asked about Camden and when I gave her the note stating he could return today she asked where he was. I told her how he looked and she said that regardless, he could have come since the doctor released him. Oh well, even though I would have like for him to have perfect attendance, I didn't want him spreading it to others at school.