Henry James

Hey everyone. I just wanted to check in and let everyone know that we are doing okay---not any better than that really. We had Henry's memorial service yesterday, and while beautiful, it was also heart-wrenching!! I am posting a poem that I found online last night that took my breath away it was so beautiful....
Since heaven has become your home
I sometimes feel that I'm alone;
And though we now are far apart
You hold a big piece of my heart
I never knew how much I'd grieve
When it was time for you to leave
Or just how much my heart would ache
From that one fragment you would take
God let this tiny hole remain,
Reminding me we'd meet again
And one day all the pain will cease
When He restores this missing piece
For Jesus heals each tiny part
That holds your memory in my heart

We have received numerous plants and things that will bloom forever if my black thumb doesn't take over. 2 of our neighbors bought us an azalea bush in henry's honor, and our dear friends Eric and Kendra sent us a beautiful rose bush as well. My aunt will be buying us whatever we wish in his honor as well, and I think I want a white Natchez Crepe myrtle. They bloom full and beautiful and have a wonderful sweet smell to them. I have also found a beautiful garden monument to put in that garden that is a baby laying on angel's wings. It will be Henry's memorial garden! I just hope I don't kill everything in it---I'm not the best at growing plants, etc.

I want to take a second to thank everyone for the care, thought, prayers and food everyone has provided to us. We really feel as though we have been lifted up and taken care of in the last week. I am on the ment physically---just not mentally yet.

I want to wish every single person a wonderful Christmas holiday with family, and a happy new year!!

KRista

Arrangements

I will be sending out an e-mail shortly, however, we will be having a memorial service for Henry at 1:00 on Saturday at our church, Fuquay Varina UMC. That's really all I know for now....I'll keep everyone posted as time goes on.

Krista

The saddest day of my life...

I believe that by now, most everyone knows what has happened in the last 60 hours or so, but just in case you haven't.

I went to the doctor on Thursday morning because I was having contractions, and the doctor thought I had a UTI and my uterus was irritated, and thus contracting. Well, the doctor used the doppler to try to find the baby's heartbeat, and was unsuccessful. We then had an external ultrasound, still no heartbeat....so we had an internal ultrasound, still nothing. The doctor sent me to see a perinatologist who had a better ultrasound machine, but they couldn't get me in until 3:00, about 4 hours later. We got there, and after both an external and internal ultrasound, still no heartbeat, our baby was gone.

My water broke at about 6:00 Thursday night, and I was then admitted to Duke University Medical Center at 9:00 on thursday. I delivered our son, Henry James, at 6:18 on Friday morning, December 14. Sadly, yesterday was also Barney's birthday. He has said that each year from now on, he will have an extra candle on his cake for Henry. We are going to have Henry cremated, so that we can keep him with us, and somedy, when something happens to me, he will be buried with his mommy. I'm still going to finish his stocking, and we will hang it each year as well. We did decide to go ahead and have an autopsy done, as well as chromosomal and genetic abnormalities. I'm not all that sure how long this will all take, but I am sure that it won't take nearly as long as it will for me to accept and deal witht his.

We will be having a service for Henry next Friday evening or Saturday. Right now that all depends on Church availability and the schedule of the minister who will be doing the service. I also want to say that every person we encountered while at Duke couldn't have been any better. The doctors and nurses who took care of me truly were Angels on earth.

Please continue to keep Barney and I in your prayers.

Disney World

Well--we had a BLAST!!! We rode the Winnie the Pooh ride 3 times, and Its a Small World twice. Justin loved it!! We got the privlige of meeting Minnie and Mickey together--according to their "handlers" that is a very rare occasion. We were there from 4 to 9:30 and by the time we got home Justin was asking for Barney to put his diaper on him so he could go night-night. He was tired!!!

Enjoy the pictures!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AcOGbdw3bNmLqw&notag=1

Sea World

Well--today was a bit started out a bit more dramatic than I had hoped, but ended up very good! The first thing we tried to do was watch the show for Sea Lions and Otters being fed---problem was, the show started with a mime dressed up as a pirate and for some reason, that scared the crap out of Justin and he turned into an absolute basket-case. Barney took him out, but Ada Grace was pleased as punch, I think primarily because she was sitting up on the bleachers like a big girl, clapping whenever the rest of the crowd clapped. She eventually lost patience and I took her out because the last thing that I wanted to do was to interrupt anyone else's enjoyment of the show. At some point, apparently, my camera came out of the diaper bag and I didn't realize it until we were at the seal exhibit and I wanted to take a picture of the baby seals, only to find that my camera was gone. Panic mode set in in a big way!! Barney went back to the stadium and couldn't find the camera----so I went back and couldn't find it either. I went to guest services, my heart racing and praying that someone around me was an honest person and had turned the camera in. I got to guest services, waited about 25-30 minutes for my turn and finally got to ask if anyone had turned in my camera. There were 2 men working behind the counter, and 1 pointed to something on the counter. The other guy wanted to play 20 questions...what kind of camera was it? what does it look like? what have you been taking pictures of this morning? WEll---my pregnesia kicked in in a big way and I couldn't remember the word "flamingo". There were tears rolling down my face out of hormonal excitement and I couldn't even tell the guy. He finally gave in and decided that I was just stupid, I think, and let me fill out a claim ticket to claim my camera. This is one of the reasons that there are a lot fewer pictures of today than there were from yesterday.

Enjoy---Tomorrow is the big day----Disney World!!!

Krista

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AcOGbdw3bNmLo4&notag=1

Today's adventures

Today we went to have breakfast with Goofy and pals. It ended up being Goofy, Minnie, Chip and Dale. Justin had a blast, and Ada Grace was Terified!!!! Minnie patted her back and gave her a kiss and I thought she might have a heart attack right there in my arms. Also---check out the gingerbread carousel--pretty amazing!!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AcOGbdw3bNmLmA&notag=1

We're Here

Well--we made it. I either have food poisoning or a stomach bug---Ada Grace is getting her canines and struggling, but tomorrow is when all the fun starts. We are having breakfast with Goofy in hte morning, and the afternoon is up in the air after that.

I'll be posting pics in the evenings of our daily adventures.....stick around!!

Krista

So much to be thankful for!

Well--yesterday was WONDERFUL!! Barney an I hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year because, quite frankly, we have the most room to do so. Mom and Dad cooked the turkey, Kara made Nanny's noodles, and I did the corn, green beans, mashed potatoes and stuffing, and of course, Nana made the pumpkin pies!! It'll probably be the last time we do this for a while as it would be pretty tough to handle with 3 little ones running around!! I have been so blessed with a wonderful and supportive family that I can't even imagine my life without all of them.

I'm also very happy to report that my dad hasn't had a cigarette in 2 weeks!!! Most of you know that I have been extremely concerned for a very long time about Dad's smoking, but he's never quite been able to kick the habit until now! I believe he's been taking the new medication Chantix that came out not too long ago.

I'm going to say that even though everyone I know who claims to be able to predict the sex of this baby says its a girl. I've gone along with that prediction up until Wednesday---now I'm having my doubts. Justin's heart-rate all through my pregnancy was usually in the 140's or 150's. Ada Grace's was always in the 170's and 180's. I went for my check-up on WEdnesday and when the doctor found the baby's heartbeat I was concerned because it sounded very slow to me. His response, "nope--its perfect...in the 150s." I was kind of in shock. The big ultrasound to find out the sex is December 18, so we should know something then if the baby decides to co-operate.

Finally--I'm probably going to be a little out of touch over the next week or so. We are leaving after lunch on Sunday for Orlando! We are taking the kids to breakfast with goofy on Tuesday, then Sea World the same day. I think we are going to take them to Gatorland Zoo on Wednesday, and on Thursday night, we are taking them to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I understand that this is an AMAZING Christmas celebration, that even includes snow on main street. I think Barney and I might be more excited about this trip than the kids are---but I know they will LOVE it! I'm hoping to get a picture of all of us with Mickey ears for Christmas cards. I'll also try to post some pics on here throughout the week!

Krista

Husbands--gotta love 'em

Well--My husband decided to pull the ultimate prank on me and my entire family last weekend. As most of you know, we are HUGE Ohio State Buckeye fans, and the big game was last weekend. We were facing Michigan for the Big 10 title and a trip to the Rose BOwl. I have always felt like Barney just didn't get the rivalry--Now I know he doesn't:

baby names, and pointless ramblings...

A number of people have asked me if we have names picked out yet for this new munchkin and the simplest answer is, kind of. The boy's name is down to 2 or 3different options, both of which honor our deceased Grandfathers---they are:
Donald James (my maternal and paternal grandfathers names)
Donald Judd (okay that one is really obvious)
Henry Donald (Barney's paternal grandfather who passed last year, and my maternal grandfather)

Girls names?!?! That is a whole different can of worms. I'm really not quite sure where it came from, but the name Evelyn Susanne is the latest girl's name that we like. I hope no one grows to attached to it, because if history repeats itself--every girl's name we have agreed on thus far in this pregnancy has been vetoed w/in about a week or 2 of its original acceptance.

I think the thing that I am most excited about with this pregnancy is that I will most-likely not be returning to work after the baby is born. It just doesn't seem to make sense financially at this point for us to do that-----but we'll see what happens when the baby is 10/12 weeks old. I am absolutely ecstatic about the possibility of being home to raise this baby, and continue to raise Justin and Ada Grace. I know that my aunt Donna loves them immensely, and I could not begin to ask for them to receive more love and better care than they have gotten from her---its just that I want to be the first one to see this baby crawl, walk, sit up, roll over. I want to hear his/her first words. I have wanted that with all of our children, it just wasn't possible financially until now.

I am officially out of the 1st trimester now, and starting to get some energy back now. THe only real symptom I'm having now is HORRIBLE sciatic nerve pain. I'm going to try something tomorrow that I never thought I would-----Acupuncture. I have known numerous people who have had great success with it, and quite frankly, the pain has been bad enough that I really believe if someone told me at this point that the only cure was standing on my head for the next 6 months, I'd try it.

Sometimes I look around at my life and have to pinch myself. I have been so blessed by God with a wonderful husband, and beautiful, healthy, happy children. Every now and then I catch myself asking God if I really deserve all of this? I mean, who grows up and gets everything they ever wished for---down to the right type of house. I always wanted a "cape cod" style house with a porch I could hang ferns from--guess I should have figured out how to keep them alive first, huh?!?!

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and concerns. This pregnancy is flying by, and in no time, I'm sure we'll be bringing home Baby #3. At that point, you may need to visit Barney and I in Dorothea Dix, but he or she will be TOTALLY worth it!!!

Thanks again for all of your love and concern!

Krista

And now.....

The pictures of Munckin #3. I had an ultrasound today and everything looks GREAT!

Ada---being just like her name sake

For those of you who don't know, Ada Grace is named after my great-grandmother. "great" though is the understatement of the century. She was a wonderful woman who I was fortunate enough to know well since she lived until I was in my 2nd year of college. Anyone who knew nanny knew, that she hadn't been in the house more than about 5 minutes if she didn't have a dish towel thrown over her shoulder.....well, the dish towel is all that was missing for Ada in this little video--she definitely takes after her great-great grandmother! Nanny would be proud.

Ada and Justin, pics and videos

all that needs to be said.

Preschool

Well--its official--Justin is attending preschool. It is definitely a good thing, but one that we are really starting to work through. Justin has started to settle in now and thus is trying to test his limits and see just how far Miss Ann and Miss Kris will let him go. He is all of a sudden looking so grown up to me that it is almost frightening. He can usually spell his name, except for some reason he wants to call the "J" a "G".

As for my last announcement--we are expecting Blackburn Baby #3. I am due on May 16 but get to pick a birthday for this baby and I'm leaning towards May 6. (Tony Blair and Sigmund Freud were both born on this day.) I will be 10 weeks pregnant on Saturday and have been doing fairly well, except that I have been absolutely exhausted to the point of barely being functional. Thankfully I have only been sic 2x so far--which is GREAT, seeing as how I have a personal policy against vomitting!!

I'm going to try to do better about keeping up with posts and adding pictures more regularly. In the mean-time, here are some of the pictures from Justins 1st week of pre-school. Also--the first rumors of childhood crushes are floating around the blackburn house. Justin appears to be very fond of a girl in his class named Caroline. He tells us about her regularly, and has even told Auntie Donna about her.

Hope everyone is doing well!!
Krista

Cute Stories and a little news!!

Justin said the cutest thing ever last night. I think every parent that has multiple children hopes that the older ones will be protective of the smaller ones. WEll, Ada Grace is definitely our little climber and we've been having issues w/her trying to stand up on the coffee table, couch etc. Last night she climbed up on the coffee table and was trying to stand up. I took her down, popped her diaper and told her, "NO!" So Justin turns to her and says "Ada, you don't stand on the table." I intervened and told Justin that I was taking care of it...and it wasn't his job to say anything to Ada Grace. He looked at me with the most serious look ever on his face and said, "mommy, it is my job, I'm supposed to take care of Ada Grace." I just melted!!

Also--I think most of you know this already, but for those of you that don't, we just found out this week that we are expecting baby #3. If my figures are correct this baby would be due May 19, but delivered between the 5th and 12th. My first appointment isn't until October 4, so I'll keep everyone posted as we find things out.


I know its been forever since I've updated the blog, and I'm sorry for that. I'll try to do a better job in the future!!

Krista

Birthday Party Madness

Well--here are the pictures from the b'day party
http://theblackburnbunch.shutterfly.com/action/?a%3d0AcOGbdw3bNmLkI

Also--we had check-ups today. Justin is 3, and the size of an average 4 year old. The doc says he is also ahead developmentally for 3, including his socialization skills, which kind of suprised me. At any rate, he is 38 3/4 inches tall, and 38 1/2 pounds. He is in the 90%

Ada Grace on the other hand has put the brakes on as it pertains to growing. Apparently my short genes have kicked in for her. She is 28 1/2 inches tall, and weighs in at a mere 20 pounds and 14 oz. She is nearly 10 pounds smaller than Justin was at this age....she is in the 25-50% for her age.

Hope you are all well--enjoy the pics!!

Well--for Justin's 3rd birthday, he got a John Deere, battery-operated tractor. He was so excited when we gave it to him on Friday night that he almost ran over both me and poppi. Barney caught it all on video tape, and when I get a chance I'll try to upload it to the blog.

In other news about the kids--Ada grace is trying really hard to both walk and talk, but hasn't had much success with either. She has said "bubba" and "dada" fairly frequently, but "mama" and "ada" are coming in a very distant 3rd and 4th. She's also feeling kind of puny the last couple of days--her preferred activities have been sleeping, crying and being held since Sunday.

Oh--and hopefully, Justin won't be sharing his new vocabulary words with you all on Saturday. He has started to sing along w/the radio, and since both Barney and I listen to country, that has included the Rodney Atkins song, "if you're going through hell". Well--Barney heard him sining along to that song today. My personal favorite is his rendition of "Before He Cheats" by Carrie underwood.

Hope to see you all on Saturday!!

Krista

Justin's 3rd Birthday

Where does the time go? It is hard for me to believe that Justin turned 3 yesterday. We were going to go to Bullwinkles for dinner last night, but contrary to what their website says, they aren't open on Tuesdays...so we went to Amedeo's instead. (Barney's favorite pizza place, on NC State's campus).

I can't believe that in just over 2 weeks, Ada Grace will be 1. She is pulling up and walking around everything, but she just won't let go and walk yet. I'm sure it'll happen before we know it, but right now, I'm perfectly content with her not walking yet. Once she does, she truly will not be a baby anymore!!

We went to Wilmington this past weekend and had a WONDERFUL time. We took the kids to the aquarium, which Justin was completely entralled w/the Striped Bass, the snakes, the Alligators and especially the sharks. We also went out on Aunt Sarah's boat on Saturday which both kids enjoyed. I have quite a few pictures that I will post tonight after the kids are in bed. Ada Grace loves the beach, and particularly the taste of the sand and the shells. It was awful trying to keep her from eating them.

For those of you in the area--the birthday party is on for June 30 at 6:30 at our house. Please e-mail me and let me know if you're coming, so we can be sure to have enough drinks and pizza.

Krista

Justin Stories

Okay--so it appears as though my blog is becoming little more and cute stories about the kids and what they have done lately--but I just LOVE to share the cute things they do.

Ada Grace was standing up last night in Donna's front yard, but only briefly. She likes to hold on quite a bit still, but I'm sure she'll be running around before we know it!

Last night, when putting Justin to bed, he asked me to rub his back. I agreed, got his diaper changed, tucked him in and was laying there rubbing his back. This is the conversation we had:
He felt both of my hands and said, "Mommy, you have 2 rings?"
"Yes, baby." (My wedding rings and my college ring which I wear on my right hand.)
"What is this one, Mommy"
"That's my wedding ring. Daddy gave that to Mommy because he loves her very much."

Okay--so here's the funny part---brace yourself:

"Its too big mommy, you need to get a new one."

How funny--my wedding ring is too big. I laughed so hard....he is too funny!

3 year old logic--gotta love it!

Hey--I had to post this story, too priceless not to.

Barney had put Justin to bed, and Justin has started through the myriad of reasons each night that he can't go to bed. He's thirsty, he doesn't feel good, etc. Well, tonight he started yelling for me and I went in to keep him from waking Ada Grace up. I went in and he wanted me to lay down, but I told him I needed to go potty. He asked me if I had a diaper on, I told him no, that mommy doesn't wear diapers, I go to the big girl potty. He looked at me with a dead serious look on his face and said, "mommy---you go in my diaper." I about peed myself laughing at him. How cute is that? He is too funny!!!

Just thought I'd share that story before I forgot

I'm back!

Okay--so its been over a month since I've posted, and I'm completely recovered from my surgery. I've also made the decision to start selling Mary Kay. It was a decision that was a long time coming---but it may eventually allow me to stay at home w/the kids. I would LOVE that!!
We'll have to see though.

Thanks again for your prayers while I was recovering!! I'll try to be better about posting!

Prayer Request

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that I will be having Gall Bladder surgery tomorrow at 10:00. I have had 2 gall bladder attacks in the last 2 weeks, and the doc said I needed to get it out before my body tried to pass one of the gall stones I have and effected my liver function.

I have to be a the hospital at 7--surgery at 10--and then home tomorrow afternoon. I'm really not looking forward to surgery, but I look at it like this:

Gall bladder--expendable
Liver---not so much

Please keep me in your prayers through my surgery and recovery period.

On a lighter not--we got the electronic prints of our pictures that were done at JC Penneys last week--They are okay, but definitely not as good as I had hoped. Click the link below, then enter:

Customer Name: Krista Blackburn
Access Code: LTP36401017028JCP


https://www.smilesbywire.com/home.asp?AC=LTP36401017028JCP

Pictures from Saturday night at the Matt Cossa memorial game.

Happy Tax Day!!

Just Kidding....

I thought I would post a note here to let you all know about the teacher job fair I went to on Saturday. It was overwhelming, scary and WONDERFUL all at the same time. Most of you know that I took the test to get my elementary certification last fall and was successful in doing so. Unfortunately, thus far, no school that I have applied to has shown any interest in hiring me, so at 5:30 on Saturday morning ( after 3 1/2 hours of sleep) I got up and headed to the Wake County Public Schools spring teacher job fair, along with about 1300 other teaching hopefuls of all ages. I was surprised when I got there and saw on the list of schools and what they were looking for that there were 2 music positions in the target area I was looking for. I didn't go intending to apply for a music job, but something just told me to "go for it!" (I can hear the Westland band parents screaming it now!!!) So I went to the 1st school and they explained that there must have been a typo, because they didn't have a teaching position available. I was sad, but moved on to the 2nd school's table and they explained that they had already filled that position. I was shocked and asked if I had missed it when it was posted on the WCPSS website and they said no, that they had hired one of their part time teachers for the full-time position. The principal did tell me though, that they had hired their new music teacher away from Smith Elementary School and directed me to go and speak with them. I did, and as if some demon had taken over my body, I walked up to the principal introduced myself and then said, "I'm your new music teacher." What in the world was I thinking?!?!?!

he did give me an interview, which I felt went very well, and then he told me that he was "very interested" and would be calling me w/in 2-3 weeks to set up a formal interview. (the interviews at the job fair are 25 minutes long in a gym full of other people being interviewed, so its really not the best environment to reach a decision and make a job offer.

So--please say a prayer for me that I will be teaching come mid-August, as this is a traditional calendar year job.

I'll keep you all posted.

Happy Birthday, Popi

Well--Dad's b'day was Friday night and he wanted a picture w/all of the kids. We decided to re-arrange them and put Justin next to Popi instead of next to Mae-Lei so he started crying for Daddy----then Mae Lei started--and finally Ada Grace---gotta love the crying chorus!

Mini-Monk

Justin is turningin to a miniature Monk! He notices things that most 2 1/2 year olds wouldn't even realize. This morning, he came in the office to give me a kiss goodbye since I am working from home today. Yesterday, while working, I realized that the overhead light was causing my head to put a shadow on my paperwork which made it more difficult to read, so I moved the desk lamp from our formal desk to the computer desk to alleviate the problem. When Justin came in to kiss me this morning, he asked me, "mommy, why light over there?" I told him I needed it to work, and he said, "no mommy, put it back over there," and point to where it used to be. This is totally not normal for a 2 1/2 year old, is it?!?!

Then, my aunt took him to the mall today to run off some steam since it is too chilly and wet to be outside, and on the way out of JC Penney he had to touch every T thingy (I forget what she called them). He is only 2 and already anal retentive about stuff! What does this mean for our future?

Some Ada Grace Pictures

Check out the rolls on those legs!!!

more cupcake pics

New Pictures

Okay, so I've been a bit slack about posting pictures, so we're going to OD on pictures tonight--first, Justin eating a chocolate cupcake








Okay, so I've been a bit slack about gettting pictures uploaded....so we are going to be on picture overload tonight. too many cute ones to not post them all



First, I present Justin and his cupcake

Boys!!

I never knew the wonderful things I had to look forward to being the mommy to a little boy. I fully expect Ada Grace to ruin my make-up, etc...but I didn't know what to expect w/Justin.

So--on Saturday morning, mom and dad sent justin home in big boy pants. Mom had run out of diapers, so she put "underwears" on him (that's what he calls them anyway). He assured her that he would let us know when he had to push the poop out. well..he wanted to sit on the potty before he went down for his nap, and who amd I to complain if he's goin to ask....so, we went to the bathroom and sat on his potty. He then proceeded to pull the skin on his pee-pee out past the end and whispered to me, "mommy, its hiding." It took all I had to stay composed and not fall in the floor laughing....where did he learn this stuff? i mean, really, who knew that at 2 he would be playing with it already.

anyway--no such luck on using the potty, right now I think its just a novelty. When he decided he was done he stood up and said to me, "mommy, I want my diaper". I said okay, put the idaper on him and he went to take his nap.

If we're making discoveries like this now--what is he going to be doign when he's 5? I think I'm a little bit scared!!!!

Or NOT!!

Well--we tried the potty thing yesterday morning. I had bought Justin his potty seat and he was very excited about it and his new lightening mcqueen boxers. Yesterday morning the first thing he said was, "that's my potty seat". I was pretty excited--maybe this will work...NOT!!!

After 2 pairs of "underwears" as he called them, and 2 accidents and no attempt what-so-ever to let us know he needed to go potty, he told us he wanted his diaper. So--we're back to diapers for a while longer--maybe he'll be potty trained before he's 5.

I was wanting to sign him up for pre-school this fall, but they won't allow 3 year olds unless they are potty trained, and I don't want to sign him up until I know he is, that's a lot of money to lose if he isn't potty trained by the time it starts.

So--more diapers to change, for however long we have to....Justin will let us know when he's ready I guess!!

Potty Training

Where to begin.....

As you all know, Justin will be 3 in June and we haven't really even begun potty training to speak of. I was first told to wait until he had words for both functions...which he now does.
Then I was told he had to know when he had done them, he does 90% of the time

I'm at a point where I'm sick of chaning diapers for him--call me crazy, but 3 yo poops, might as well be 6yo poops. and when a kid can say to you, "mommy, need clean diaper." and you tell them to finish dinner, and their response is, "no, mommy, can't, I pooped, I need a clean diaper"...its high time to potty train.

I decided when I had kids I wouldn't try to pressure them before they were ready, and my pediatrician who I love told me that kids don't go to kindergarten wearing diapers, but I'm starting to have my doubts.

So--this Friday, after work, I'm headed to babies-r-us to buy an elmo potty chair. I'm also going to buy some big boy pants and have decided I'm going to tell him that we are out of diapers and he's such a big boy that they don't make diapers big enough for him anymore. I figure that at 2 1/2 he doesn't have the power of reason to be able to say, "but mom, if that were true, why does the one you took off of me just now still fit?

If anyone has any advice, please feel free to share--I am more than open to advice!!!!!

What a relief!!!

Most of you know that I have been going through quite a bit of testing because of being very clumsy. I had a follow up appointment with the doctor today and found out that there is no neurological explanation for me falling down and my left foot flopping. It occurred to mom while we were sitting there that my left foot is the one that I wore a corrective shoe on when I was a baby because it turned in. As it turns out, my left ankle and foot have always been weaker than my right. as I get tired, my ability to compensate for this weakness goes away and that is typically when I do things like fall down and get hurt.

Huge relief--that I am normal--of course, mom and Kara say normal is all relative, to which I say, with relatives like them, I might be SOL!

The joys of 2 sick children

Wow--what a weekend---

It all started Friday. We hve been having a problem with Justin not wanting to eat dinner--at all. So on Friday night when he asked for yogurt, "the blue kind", Barney and I cheerfully agreed----not even thinking about the fact that he had been running a low-grade temp since Thursday evening. Well, he got to the bottom of the yogurt cup, opened his mouth, and lets just say, "the blue kind" was no longer in his tummy. Most kids get upset about being sick--not justin, once he threw up, he was fine and said, "let's go play in bonus room". I've never seen anything like it.

Well, Saturday, I was supposed to work for 6 hours--but I was starting to feel a bit under the weather, and then I heard screaming and crying upstairs, and water running in the bath tub. I went up the stairs and the smell was overwhelming. Justin had blown out his diaper, out the sides, and into the bonus room carpet. WOW!!! When will he be potty-trained?!?!

Then, last night, Ada Grace was coughing in her sleep, then she would start crying. So, I ended up taking her downstairs and giving her a bottle with a splash of juice and mostly water. It seemed to make her throat feel better, because she quit coughing and fell asleep. She still wasn't breathing quite right, in my opinion, so I sat up and held her until she was breathing right, which was about 2:00 this morning. So--after about 3-4 hours of sleep, I'm here at work, with toothpicks in my eyes, and ready to fall asleep sitting up....

I always heard that having 2 kids was great until they both were sick at the same time--I now know why that is the case---this weekend was tough. There is nothing worse than your kids not feeling well and not being able to do anything to make it better!!!

Justin's first cuss word

Well--its official, Justin has said his first cuss word.
Here's what I know, yesterday, while at my aunt Donna's house, he blurted out, "damn it" for no apparent reason. She asked him where he learned that and he said that he had learned it from Pablo, his favorite Backyardigans character. Now--I highly doubt that is the case, and in fact think it is much more likely that he heard it slip out of my mouth the other night when I said it.

Fact remains, I am counting my lucky stars that we got to nearly 3 before we uttered a cuss word, and I hope its a LONG time before we utter another one. If I hear it and he tells me Pable said it I'm going to stand both him an Pablo in the corner, then excuse myself to the other room to laugh a little.

Have a good Friday!
Krista

new camera--lots of pics

FYI--Justin loves his little sister, and she loves him--this is a regular occurance.


For those of you who haven't seen this one before--I came home from work a few weeks ago, Justin was sitting quietly on the couch watching his favorite Mickey Mouse movie, and I was wondering where Barney and Ada Grace were. When I walked into the living room to give Justin a kiss, this is what I found.

Just out of curiousity---how does an 8 month old learn how to flirt with her eyes like this?!?!?! I'm going to have to lock her up before she's 1

OKay--so I decided to play with my new camera the other night and took a TON of pictures...Here are a few. Justin wasn't all that interested in being a cooperative "subject". Enjoy

both monkeys together

By the way--this is Ada Grace's first mini-skirt---much to her daddy's dismay

Brown-eyed girl

a more up-to-date pic of my monkeys--I loved this t-shirt too much to leave it hanging in target!!

I can't believe I've become a blogger

Well, here we go--I've officially entered the world of blogs. I have a number of folks I keep up with via blog, and have decided that with the number of people that I have to e-mail every time I get new pictures of the kids, that this might be the best way to keep everyone up to date. Plus, this will be something I can download to a disc (I think) and keep for posterity for my munchkins.

So--here we go, on the way to internet journalling. If you are reading this, I've already sent you the access info to be able to log in...I am password protecting the site because I have become that paranoid, over-protective, freaked out mom who doesn't want just any old stranger looking at pictures of my kids. If there is anyone that you know I have forgotten, please let me know and I'll be happy for ward the info on to those people.

thanks for visiting, y'all come back now, ya hear!!!