Stitches Out!

that's right. they are out. we were supposed to go to the peds office to get them out. however, garran told me that his dad used to take his stitches out all the time as a kid and that he felt confident that he could do it too. he said it was a very easy thing. so i thought if he felt confident, so did i. cullan laid on the couch and garran just snipped and pulled. out they came. he did so much better this time around and did not freak out at all. i think it really helped that Garran was the one doing it. Cullan feels so much more comfortable with him. 

ps. i love when i get close ups of this kid. those freckles are just to die for. they just melt my heart!

caught

last night garran and the kids made brownies while i was doing some grocery shopping. this morning while i was talking care of some stuff on the computer, i noticed kael was hiding under the table. i was wondering what he was doing, so i called his name. once, twice, by the third time i said "Kael, I know you can hear me...what are you doing under there?" He jumps up from under the table, still chewing and says..."Nothing, I think I need to go to the bathroom and wash my face." I asked why he needed to wash his face, he replied "OH NOTHING!"

ya i think i caught him in the act. this is his "I am not happy I got caught" face!

playing in the rain

today the kids were outside playing. it started to pour down rain, however since there was no lighting i just let them play and get soaked. Joanna...their "girlfriend" was out there running around too. They were laughing and playing. I tried to get some shots of them, but at one point it was really coming down. this first one was through our back door.

 finally the rain slowed down long enough to get a picture of the kids! Joanna did not want to sit next to the boys, because the bench was all wet. (go figure, she was soaked already!) i thought it was funny. i used to love playing in the rain and still do!! i have been known to run around with my kids when it pours.

Cullan-Kael-Joanna

looks.

whenever there is a new baby, we start discussing who the kids look like and what side of the family they get what from. i think it is a natural thing that happens. i think all of our kids have both traits of Garran and myself. The boys favor us individually a little more (i think). However I think B is a pretty good mix! You can judge for yourself. I tried to find pics of all of us around the same time. 

Cullan

Kael

Briea

Meghan

Garran

I think we were all pretty cute babies, if i do say so myself.

seriously not our week!

this little miss is STRESSING ME OUT! i mean not necessarily her, but all her weird reactions to things. we are still working on her allergies to who knows what. she was supposed to have her 18 month checkup yesterday, but we ended up having to reschedule. i was really looking forward to it because i really wanted to talk to the doctor about some of the things i have noticed her having a reaction too. anyways, yesterday morning i noticed she had a bug bite on her side. it did not look like a mosquito bite, but it was a bug bite none the less. by dinner time it was horrible.

it looked like this. swollen, very hard, hot to the touch. she was miserable. we kept putting triple anti-biotic ointment on it and watching it. we tried to call her peds without any luck. i feel so horrible for her. i know she is uncomfortable. this morning there is not much change, so we are trying to decided what to do next. our town is so small the only real option is to take her into the ER. ( i am not really wanting to do that, but i also don't want this to get worse) since it looks infected. i know it is hard to tell from the picture, but this is the size of a decent pancake!

i really hope next week is not so complicated!!

not exactly our week!

so on Wednesday, this kid got stitches in his head. Thursday i had to go to the store or was at a doctors appointment, there have been so many, i can't remember, anyways when I came home, i heard crying. this poor kid was sitting in a folding chair and somehow managed to get his finger stuck in it. it was all swollen and we had some nice cuddle time together with an ice pack.

the front of his nail

the back side of his finger

in the bottom picture he looks so happy. this was a while after it happened. who can blame him though really. pinching your finger is never fun. i hate how it throbs forever! i am hoping next week things calm down a little. we shall see.

love.

true love. cullan has been bitten. this is a picture he drew of himself and joanna. they are holding hands. i wish you could hear me say that last sentence. i think it is kind of silly. oh well. he really likes her. so this is for him, down the road. someday he will look back and smile at his cute little drawing of him and his "girlfriend!"
ps. he told me to look at his head... he drew his recent stitches in the picture!

sun kissed!

i am loving this weather and so are they!

our day

here is our day and its only 12:30!

woke up at 7:00, got in the shower.

came downstairs did my injections.

got kids breakfast and printed out directions to the school for preschool screening.

got cullan and kael dressed.

8:45 got briea's clothes and a new diaper. 

8:50 layed b on the floor to change her diaper and while doing so, hear a crack.

8:52 cullan falls forward, cracks his head on the side of the entertainment center...blood gushing...cullan laying on floor crying.

9:00 in the car on our way to the ER

9:07 walking in ER. cullan  has towel over his head. he is holding my hand so that i can kind of guide him. I thought that he could see. he could not. so as we walk in, he hits his head on the door, to which the entire staff at the desk gasp. i grab cullan to make sure he is ok, then look at them and say "well there goes my mother of the year award!" the response "crickets chirping!!".

9:10 at ER. call Garran at work, asked him to come meet me. all three kids in ER with one bleeding. NOT HAPPINESS!

10:15 ER doc comes in says cullan needs stitches and to take the other kids out. 

11:30 cullan is done, puffy eyed from crying. i left with the kids. garran said it was miserable. they tied him down to a papoose board, did an injection in the cut, and stitched him up.

11:45 at the elementary school where we were supposed to be at 10:00 for the boys screening. of course we have missed our slot. there are no makeups. so we have missed even the slightest chance at preschool.

11:47 walking out of school upset. i knew there was a chance they might not get in, but to not have any make up times. ARGG it is not like we over slept. 

11:48 me...realizing it is going to be a long year.

on the other side of things i am so grateful that cullan is ok and that it was not more serious. it is always horrible to see your babies hurt and crying. he is a trooper though. once we left the hospital he was just fine. we have to leave the stitches in for 5 days. taking them out is not on my list of things i am looking forward too.

screening.

well tomorrow is the big day. we are heading out tomorrow morning to go to have the boys screened for preschool. because we live in such a small town, preschool is offered through the school systems and thus there are limited spaces. we missed the first screening and sign up by a week of moving here. BUMMER!

so we are on this late comers list tomorrow. i do not really have very high hopes of getting in. the lady at the school said that the slots are filled on a need based evaluation. so they look for kids that are behind or might have a hard time adjusting to school. so pretty much my kids are out. i am not trying to sound cocky, but both of them know all their colors, numbers, address. Cullan can write his name and Kael can do the K and the L. the a and e are still a little shaky. anyways, so tomorrow we are just going really to see what happens. the main reason i want them to go is because cullan went last year and loved it. i know he is bored at home and Kael is about the same. so i am a little torn. 

i don't know if i should hope that they have enough open spots for the boys to go or if i should hope that the spots go to the kids that really need what this has to offer. 

guess we will just have to wait and see. the good news is that we will know soon. they screen Wednesday and Thursday and let you know Friday...all because school starts MONDAY!! ya i know, not a whole lot of prep time for me. oh well. i will keep everyone updated on the big preschool happenings!!

to fast.

some days i look at briea and still see her like this. the sweet little baby that just would sit in her bouncy seat and smile and coo at me...

 however that is not the case...

she is still sweet, but she is so big now and into everything. 

she is a wild woman, climbing on everything and fearless. i guess you would have to be with two big brothers. she is full of energy and character and refuses to let me do anything girlie to her hair. I had to fight just to get this little pony tail in her hair. that is why in most pictures, her bangs are in her face. i am hoping her hair grows quickly so we can get out of this stage of hair in her face!!

wild or not we love her. she is just growing up to fast for me. i still think of her as our little baby and in 6-8 weeks she will be the big sister and there will be another new baby in the house.

not the only master!

well today i got a little surprise phone call. a friend of mine from NC, that I have known since high school, called to give me a little surprise. she reads my blog and is familiar with the "master" in our neighborhood. she said that she was at Sams Club today with her kids and as they were checking out, the guy that checks your receipt had a name tag on. Want to guess what his name tag said?? Yep "Master!". I thought it was so funny. I could not believe it. Who would of thought that there were two "Masters" in the world, and that one of them worked at Sams in NC. Anyways, I had a good laugh about it and it was really fun to get to talk to my friend. I rarely get to see or chat with people that I grew up with, so I always get excited at the chance to catch up!!

this made me laugh!

liked it. sharing it.

- - - - - - -

FAMILY

- - - - - - -

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,

'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.

He said, 'Please excuse me too;

I wasn't watching for you.'

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,

How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking an evening meal,

My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,

God's still small voice came to me and said,

'While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,

But the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go look on the kitchen floor,

You'll find some flowers there by the door...

Those are the flowers he brought for you.

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,

You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.

'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'

He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'

I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'

He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.

I love you anyway.'

I said, 'Son I love you too,

And I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

|author unknown|

jumping beans!

the boys have recently discovered the joys of jumping off the stairs. they like to see how many stairs up they can go with out completely wiping out when they land. Kael is definitely our dare devil. the boys were so funny to watch. they jumped by themselves and then together!

ok this picture just melts my heart. these boys are so dang cute. I can just see them in 10 years. my handsome fellas.

i told kael he looked like a flying squirrel after one of his jumps. he thought that was hilarious!!

the most painful cheese

isn't this the most painful cheese face you have ever seen? she really wanted me to take her picture, but for some reason when i looked at it later, it just looked like she was in pain. it almost looks a little silly. anyways, i am sure you can see all her reactions to bug bites. we are starting to wonder if there is something in addition to mosquito's that she is allergic to. her poor arms and face look miserable. she however seems happy and is just as sweet as ever.

Cullan

I love when my kids say cute things. As Garran was heading out the door to go to school, Cullan says, "Dad be a good friend and be nice in class!". Hmm wonder what he hears all the time.

camera fairy

i am starting to wonder if your camera lenses can wear out. I know that i use mine like everyday and twice most days. however, my lens (the one i use the most) has been cleaned and everything and it is just not working like it used to. it does not seem to have the same picture quality. since my hobby comes at a pretty price, i would like my stuff to last. i was just wondering if anyone new the number to the camera fairy, maybe i could start putting stuff under my pillow or however it works and then wake up with a great lens in the morning!!

what is the point

some days, this is how i feel. 

i don't know if any of you other mothers out there feel this way, but i feel like i clean and try and keep things tidy only to do something like go to the bathroom and come out to toys everywhere and popcorn on the floor. (you get the idea)

so some days, like today, i feel frustrated. i just think what is the point. however on days like this, inevitably someone knocks on my door and they get to see the disaster that is my living room.

today i was looking at a blog online and found this saying or poem. the lady had done it in vinyl letters and it was by her front door. it was adorable. i am thinking of doing something with it, i just have not decided what. i am however going to post it here, so i won't forget it. plus it makes me feel better!

~Excuse this Home~

Some homes try to hide the fact 

that children shelter there.

Ours boast of it quite openly, 

the signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows, 

little smudges on the door.

I should apologize I guess, 

for the toys strewn on the floor.

But, I sat down with my children, 

we played and laughed and read.

And if my home doesn't shine, 

then their eyes will instead.

For when at times I am forced to choose, 

the one job or the other,
I want to be a homemaker, 

But first I'll be a Mother.

See so if you are like me, don't you feel better after reading that. I don't think it means I don't want a clean house. It just means that sometimes there are more important things in life. Toys and fingerprints can just wait!

twinges of age

so i joke all the time about getting old...i mean come on people, I will be 30 in November! I have problems with being able to remember things unless i make a list. I know it makes me sound a lot older than I really am. Anyways, here is another thing that happens and when it does, i feel a twinge of old age!

as most of you know, we live  in a college town, as my husband is a graduate student. yes, so i try each time this happens and fail to not be annoyed when school starts and all of the college kids invade our little town. all of a sudden it went from quiet and peaceful to loud stereos, crowded streets, crazy driving. Garran and I both grumble under our breaths about things like hating to go to the store, because now it is packed with college students. Do i not remember that just ten years ago that was me??

I worry sometimes that I am turning into that Old Lady Cartoon...what's her name? 

I think it is Maxine or something like that!

finally some photos

profile

profile

finally, some pictures. anyways the ultrasound went well. the baby is in a crazy position. so it was hard to see things. including the whole cleft palate thing. so that is still a mystery. we will just have to wait and see. right now the baby is weighing in at 3 lb 13oz and also has hair, already. this little one kept doing these crazy yoga position, hand and feet in face the whole time. so anyways, we are hoping that this little one moves by next week. they really need a new position to see everything. come on baby...move!!
that white bar looking thing wrapped around the side of the baby's face is an arm. stubborn little thing!

ba-chines

for some reason cullan says ba-chines instead of machines. so this is his ba-chine. he has really entered a fun stage. he is such an inquisitive kids. he has started taking his toys apart to build new ones. for example he took the wheels and under body of this truck off and attached wings and has some other plans for it. i think it is fun to see what he will come up with.

eating in style

who knew eating a carrot could look so cool!

introducing best friend cullan!

the look on his face says it all!

oh this little boy...ok prepare yourself for a laugh.

this morning.....

this morning i had got the boys ready for church. cullan's hair was a little wild so i decided to put some gel in it and make it kind of spiky. afterwards, i told him to go and look in the mirror to see what he thought. he came back into my room and had this little hand held mirror. he was seriously looking at himself for a good 20 minutes and then says to me..."mom, this kid looks good". he proceeded to lay on my bed, talking into the mirror to the "good looking kid" and telling him that he looked cool and that he liked his hair. i was cracking up.

fast forward to this afternoon....

we got home from church and the kids were playing. well go figure cullan found the mirror again and started carrying it around, bringing it up to us, saying things like, "mom, say hello to my best friend Cullan!". He would also tell us that best friend cullan wanted to play video games right now, or watch something on TV. 

no one will ever say this kid is short on self confidence or personality!!!

for posterity

i HATE posting these pictures. i have never been one of those super cute pregnant ladies. however, i am doing this for this baby. i know how much the boys enjoy seeing pictures of when i was pregnant with them and when they were little. they go and get there specific photo albums (yes they each have there own, i know i have a problem) and ask me or garran to tell them stories about when they were little. so anyways, i was going through old blogs and found a picture of myself at the exact same point in Briea's pregnancy. So i thought, well it is time. the only other picture i post is the morning of, right before we leave for the hospital. So here we are, 30 weeks and counting. my doctor is concerned about size as always, so i have to start getting regular ultrasounds to check on this little chunk. we will see. i will post updates as we go!

up close

look at my poor B. i hate that she reacts so badly to bug bites. I think she is beautiful no matter what, but I hate to see her poor face with all those bites and know they are painful and that they itch. bug repellent seems useless. it is so frustrating!!

rough and tumble!

Kael and Briea are my two wrestle monsters. they are always tackling each other and growling pretending to be dinosaurs. it is very funny. so on an average day this is what i see.

 the beginnings of a stand off...

 the attack is on....

 i just posted this because it is cute.

 this is common..the head to head  hold. who will give first?

 in the end they still love each other...and that is all that is important..right?

look at that love! could i ask for more. even after all the rough housing and fighting they still want to be close to each other !

(i love Briea's grip on Cullan's neck)

sayings

I used to have these down at the bottom of my blog. However when I went to turn my blog into a book, they were not included for some reason. So i am just going to start adding them in as random posts so that they will make it in the book. 

• so today at Walmart, we were pretty close to being done shopping. My hips were really starting to hurt, just due to pregnancy, so I was walking a little differently. However, my wonderful son Kael, practically yells at me, "Mom, why are you shaking your booty when you walk?" Ya that got a few looks!!
• I was watching a show where a lady had Quads. My son Kael said, "Mom, 4 babies would make you crazy!!" Oh the wisdom of a three year old ;0)
• Cullan (after watching napolean dynamite) "mom, do i have any sweet skills?"
• Tonight Cullan walked up to me and said "Mom, you are the most beautiful mom in the world" I resoponded, "Thanks Cullan". He then said without missing a beat.." Your Welcome....Can I get some juice?
• A few days ago, Cullan was laying on the bed next to Garran. I was sitting on the edge and Cullan says very seriously, "Mom, Dad, We need to talk." We both looked at each other, kind of giggled at how serious he was and continued. Then he just said that he wanted a certain Thomas the tank Engine toy!
• For some reason Kael calls my friend Krista "Modar" like mother but with a very hard d and an r on the end. Why he calls her this, I have no clue. But it cracks me up.
• I love the fact that Kael refers to every girl (child that is) as girl. He will say "Hey Girl". My favorite is his little friend Carley because he refers to her as "MY Girl"!!
• Yesterday Cullan said to me, "Mom why does God love you?". I said, "Maybe because I am so cool!". Then he smiles at me and says "Oh yeah BABY!!"
• The other night Kael had one of those candy necklaces. He was pulling it to the point of breaking. I was just about to tell him not to do that, when it snapped and candy flew all over the sofa and floor. I was just about to let out an exhausted sigh and explain how i wish he would not do things like that, when he looked at me and with big eyes simply said "YIKES!!" I just started laughing.
• Cullan wanted to put on a new pair of underware and I asked him why. His response "because this one has crispy and beef in it" Yeah that is so gross!
• Today i was driving home from church with Cullan. I asked him what he learned about in Primary. He said Jesus. Then we started talking about Jesus. I said "do you know one of the reasons mommy loves Jesus?" Cullan said why. I said "because he made it possible for us to be together forever, aren't you glad you can be with your family forever?" cullan responds..."Well I would like to be wtih Thomas (the train) forever!". Guess I know where I stack up!
• I was driving Kael to mom school the other day. He wanted me to turn right which was the way were were going anyway. When I did he said.."Good Job Mom! You are so Smart!"
• Garran is changing Briea's diaper- Kael walks over, looks down. "No Neenie, It's a Girl!!"
• Kael- "it's my birf-day. i get my chocolate, my sprinkles, my candles!! YEAH!!"
• When Cullan thinks that I am upset he says, "mom i will sing you a happy song. her is mom's happy song! Twinkle Twinkle little star!" So cute.
• Kael calls taking a bath - waterfall and a shower - rain. Random but so cute!

fhe book

 so recently i have been trying very hard to work on cutting down the clutter. i have all these great things, but they are just shoved here and there. it drives me nuts. anyways today i made some small progress. i used to go to fhe swap all the time when i lived in Waterloo. so i have all these fun lessons and games. however i had them shoved in folders like this.

they were just shoved on a book shelf and they were getting all bent up and honestly forgotten about sometimes. when it is work to just dig them out, sometimes i just do something different!

so today i got motivated. i had an idea. i decided to take all of these lessons out of the folders and put them in clear sleeves and put those in a binder. WONDERFUL!! so much easier to flip through, pick a lesson and just pull it out. I LOVE IT!! plus it looks nicer on my bookshelf, which is always important! ;0)

 

grumps

they were practicing their grumpy faces.