Everyday Stuff...

I am really trying to get back into the habit of posting I have decided I just need to make the time for it. There are so many days where the post I want to put up runs through my head and I just do not find the time to get there. So I guess this is my July resolution, LOL.

Today Tatum started with a new OT they were supposed to be at daycare at 8:30, her old OT Ingrid had a baby boy a few weeks ago man well we miss her she was AWESOME!! At this point with Tatum my biggest concern is her speech. I was really noticing acceleration in her speech development but now it seems to have leveled off again. I do not think that is a very good thing it is certainly the area that makes her way behind other kids her age. She pretty much has a 5 word vocabulary she has her staple words “Hi”, “Mama”, “Emma”, “Eat”, and “I Love You” and I am counting I love you because we all know that is what she is trying to say. Lately she has started to blow kisses and if she sneezes and you tell her “God Bless You” she’ll continues to fake sneeze. Oh yes her other big word trick is if you say Zo to her she’ll finish the word with eeeeeeee…this is how she say’s Zoe.

I think the biggest problem with the speech is that I do not feel she clicks with her ST and I am learning that this is an important thing. A friend of mine was working with her privately towards the end of the school year and that was when we noticed a big change but since she has stopped nothing. I am thinking about finding private speech, once a week for 30-40 mins is not cutting it especially when my perfectly normal niece that lives in Baltimore receives more ST then Tatum does, I am not bitter at all, LOL.

News on the Emma front:

I was wondering do 5 year olds every stop being dramatic Emma is driving us nuts! Everything is a argument with that child, the craziest thing is she’ll cry over nothing get all privilege’s and toys taken from her and still have a fit as if we are going to give in. I have never met such a hardheaded child in my life, I guess I can be thankful that she is not disrespectful and when we are not around she is very well behaved. I do need to give her some credit she is getting better but god forbid she is tired…crabbbby…maybe she well finally start going to bed for us.

She did ask for a pet this morning I was preparing myself to tell her no way but she only wants a fish since her old fish died. This is the best part she wants to name her new fish Sneaker…she does make me laugh I have to give that to her.

Day Care Take Two

The last week of June was the kids first time in Daycare for quite a while. I actually think that the bigger shock was to me considering I was the one that had to get them there. We showed up on Monday only to find out that I was supposed to bring them lunch, OK bad me for assuming but back when the kids were in daycare before lunch was included. I had to run next door to the 7-11 and thank goodness they had lunchables. That was day 1 the next day I got there and realized that I had forgotten Tatum's shoe's so back home I went. I swearer by the time I got to work it was like 10am compiled with the end of the month it made for an exhausting week.

The one good thing that came out of all of it was the decision to find a new daycare center for the fall. We actually just came back from checking out the new facility. The girls are going to be attending a brand new center that is being built less then a mile from our house. It is going to be beautiful I can not wait to see the finished product, another plus to all this is alot of the neighborhood kids are going and they have before and after school care for Emma. I have a very good feeling about this place I think it is going to be great for both Tatum and Emma.

27lbs WOW

That is Tatum's current weight, I guess someone likes the food I make LOL...ANYWAY...

Well it has been a while the last week of the month work this was a killer. It is so nutty to me how the market can suck the way it does and work has not slowed down. One major contributor to this is we have the same less people now and with all the program changes it is almost like doing something new everyday, not to mention the new thinking outside the box thing ahhhh thanks goodness I ended the week with vacation.
Friday night after I got home we headed up to some friends I have from college that live outside Charlottesville. We got there pretty late on Friday night and stayed until Sunday morning. On Saturday Kee and I took the kids to the pool and her Husband who I also went to college with, and Chris went fishing. If I had to guess the boys had a great time since Chris mentioned that it was better then Disneyland, LOL .
Sunday we headed up to Massanutten to meet my Dad and Bonnie. We stayed up there with them until late Tuesday afternoon then headed home. Tatum had a sedated echo at Hopkins this morning. Massanutten was a lot of fun the weather was not all that great but that did not bother Emma at all she was purely interested in the water park and lucky for her my Dad is a water park fanatic. I could not believe the slides that she was riding the child is fearless. Tatum and I stuck to the lazy river, but I have to admit she is fearless to and falling in pools does not seem to phase her at all...

OK so news from Hopkins:
Dr. Brenner told me that Tatum’s blood pressure is not nearly as worrisome as it was this time last yr but defiantly not normal, I figure I’ll take that news any day. Her sleeping BP was 119/64 in her arm and 98/53 in her leg....her top numbers are our major concern a typical BP for her age weight should be around 80/50-60...her active BP ( I was actually amazed the nurse got it, she was AWESOME) when we arrived was 129/62. This was a bit more concerning but the Dr. feels that meds are not going to solve the issue so we are still not going to bother with them. Her ventricle walls are becoming a little thick but still functioning normal so again we are leaving well enough alone. Her aortic valve is functioning normal and she has a mild SVSD that is a "none issue but a bit interesting"... This is the first time that the Doc had actually gotten to see her calm an not moving a mile a min so he was attributing that to the pheneral pluses sounding normal for once...Wow nothing like a little versed to knock a kid out. I wonder if they sell that stuff over the counter HAHA....
I was please d in all with the visit but I have to tell you I am exhausted, I think I need a Lisa day soon to bad I do not see that happening :) Oh well tomorrow I am hitting the pool with the kids and I can not wait!!!
Happy Fourth .....I have a ton of pics to downloand soon I promise :)

Life Changes :(

I am happy to be slammed at work but I have to tell you I really miss my kids during the day. I just feel like they are growing up to fast. Tatum has picked about 5 new words in the last few weeks and Emma is just no longer a baby at all.

We stopped by the graveyard to visit Chris’ Dad’s grave with the girls the other night, when we arrived I explained to Em that this is where Granddad is, as innocent as could be she simply asked “ Is this heaven” I thought I was going to cry it amazes me the things she actually pay attention to when we are talking to her.

On a much sadder note, today is Pim’s last day with us. Boy we are going to miss her. I cried the entire way to work. I know well still see her but it just isn’t going to be the same. It is like losing a family member. We certainly wish her the best in all she does. I hope she knows how grateful we are for her dedication and everything she has done for our family over the past year and a half, Tatum and Emma have both come so far. I know you are reading this Pim so I hope you know we love you and you well be missed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA

WE LOVE YOU EM CHUNK!!!

I can not believe that my baby turns 5 today, I guess she is not my Baby anymore but my big girl, WOW! She has turned into a helpful, wonderful big sister right before our eyes....

Railroad and Farm Pictures/ Cabin John Park pics coming...

HOT ! HOT ! HOT !

I managed to get home from work by 5 on Thursday and it was a good thing. As soon as I pulled up I got a call from Laura that they were like 10 mins away, I was so excited. The girls hit it off so quickly, it was great Emma actually slept with Michaela in her own room without Chris or me. Friday Laura and I got to check out town and have a yummy Mom lunch.

When we got home from our no kid outing we were pool bound. I am sure the girls must have bothered Pim all morning about the pool...when we left the house around 10 they already had their suits on. We did eventually get to the pool and I think we were there for about 4 hours. It was nice because we got to hang out with the older girls for a while and them Pim brought Tatum to the pool after her nap. I just love this picture of Tatum and Michaela they were so cute playing together, Tatum just loved her.

By the time we left the kids were ready for Dinner and bed and that was exactly what we did grabbed a pizza feed kids and put them in bed....Laura and I got to go out for a bit on Friday night but I think we were all beat by the sun and knew we had a big day ahead of us...

Life never slows down...

I am so sorry that I have not had a chance to blog… We went to the WS picnic at Cabin John Park on Sunday and had a blast! I have pictures to Download but have blown all the USB ports on my work computer and trying to get anything done at home these days is a lost cause. I saw a ton of familiar faces and some new one’s. We meet the cutest little boy named Nicholas he is about Tatum’s age and he and is family live very close to us. I am really looking forward to hanging with them this summer.

Monday I had a Doctor apt for me, nothing to worry about just a check up and I had to get up early and register Emma for before and after school care. Good thing I got in line so early it was totally filled up by noon. By the time I got to work I just had to hit the ground running.

Tuesday I took the girls to their new pediatrician, she was great! We were running late so instead of seeing both girls they could only see Emma, they rescheduled Tate for the 24. Any who it was more important for them to see Emma since I have to register her for kindergarten on Friday morning, I can not believe my baby is going to school. Emma was in the 50% for height and weight can hear perfect and somehow managed to get a Hannah Montana Barbie for be good while getting her shots. Glad to see she has not lost her ability to sucker Mom. Tatum is also scheduled for a sedated echo on July 2, lucky for me I am on vacation that day so I do not have to miss any work.

Yesterday was CRAZY we had one of those Crazy storms from CO blow up our way knocking out power and tree’s, some places still do not have power. Our office building lost power around 3pm then at about 4:30 when we were all trying to leave the generator in the parking garage caught fire…That was just great we all had to wait around in order to get our cars. Once I had my car I must have stopped at 3 times looking for a working gas station so I could get home. Finally I found one made it home only to get a call from Autumn, she was stuck apparently the trains had gone haywire with the power outage so she was a little stuck. Autumn caught a bus as far north as she could and I went down and picked her up. Lucky for us there was an open bar right at the bus stop LOL…Anyway I would say by about 9pm everyone was home safe and sound…

Well that brings us to today I have a ton to do to prepare to not be at work tomorrow.
Laura and Michaela are arriving later this evening, we are all pretty excited and I took off tomorrow so we can enjoy a nice Mom only morning/lunch then hit the pool with the kids. Should be a fun packed weekend. I promise to fill everyone in with details and pictures in a realistic time frame… Sorry for the blogging slack but we are alive and well just super busy. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

A great break in the rain...

This was a great weekend we could not have asked for better weather, a great way to kick off the pool season.

Although I managed to stay out of the gated baby pool area I was pretty much confined to the shallow end. Emma is on the verge of being all over the pool, she did great in the water and really had fun playing with other kids. I was impressed with her interaction's with others she is just growing up so fast, she has even learned how to use the snack bar alone, lucky me. Thank goodness all my friends have the greatest kids, They totally keep an extra look out when Em is doing everything "by myself Mom", lol... She even sun bath's I can not believe it!!

Tatum LOVED the water and seeing all her lifeguard friends again. Emma (the LG) played with her in the water during adult swim and Zoe hung with her in the pool too. I think Tatum was in heaven with all the attention she was just hugs and smiles all day, even without a nap. I think that Tatum's favorite thing at the pool is the bucket's...Tatum loved to sit on the edge with her feet in the pool watching the buckets dump water...I am sure I'll have a picture soon enough if I do not have one from last summer...

Anyway.... We are going to a WS picnic on Sunday, I am excited it is only like 25 mins away! oh yeah and Sat. is another Softball game in the evening...I am predicting evening thunder storms, it seems to be the team's luck :( I would actually like to have the game it sounds like a great time so keep your fingers crossed for another awesome weekend...

somehow I lost a week ;)

So I guess my poor blog is becoming weekly for the time being, at least until my life slows down, does that happen before the kids grow up and move out??… Anyway Mother’s Day was nice, we hiked around Sugarloaf MT and got to spend time together as a family. Last weeks appointments went great, well sort of great. Emma does not need glasses and Tatum does not need a doctor that is what she thinks anyway.

Yep you guessed it the apt for Tatum on Thursday did not go well, she blew her last chance at the satellite office. From now on we have to go to Hopkins to get sedated for her echoes she would not let anyone touch her. Since Chris took her to the appointment I am not exactly sure how it went down just the end result. What I do know is that they did not try to do the echo first like I asked because Chris did not remind them so who knows if my plan would work or not. They both have a mind of their own. What a good birthday gift she gave me…future stress, LOVE IT!

On Saturday Yvonne and I took the girls to Deep Creek for the weekend. We arrived in the afternoon had lunch and played at the “Honi Honi” the rest of the afternoon, had a blast hanging out there the rest of the day then went back to our cabin. There were so many kids on the playground tons of 2 year olds it seemed like and although they were climbing better then Tate and talking better then Tate I can honestly say no one had hair or smile as great. I'll take cute hair and a great smile over talking any day LOL.

Sunday turned out to be a total washout so we headed back mid morning. It was nice to get away but a little disappointing because we did not get to do any of the fun stuff we had planned for Sunday.

At least the rain cleared up at home late afternoon so we could enjoy some of the day and the girls did get new Crocs, even Tatum. I love watching the girls play together, it is very sweet. Emma certainly does love her little sister she is awesome with her. Tatum is finally getting to the point where she can actually play.

Now I just have to get through this crazy almost last week of the month…. Holiday’s make it even worse since we miss a day, errrrr. Wow can you believe June is right around the corner…The pool opens this weekend yippee, I wonder if I can swim in my jeans and a long sleeve tee-shirt, it is going to be a scary bathing suit season!!!

Spring has Sprung

Well I guess with the weather comes a major lack of time for posting. I am exhausted by the time I get home from work eat dinner and play with the kids outside. It seems as the days get nicer we somehow end up outside later and later. My goal is to have everyone in by 8:45 so we can maintain somewhat of a bed time and bath schedule. We'll see how that goes.

On Sunday we went to Dover to visit we got to meet Bonnie's family and we all had our pictures done at my Dad and Bonnie's house. It was alot of fun, Usually there is just my kids and Molly this time there were 6 kids under 5 and 1 that was 9ish give or take. Emma had a blast playing with her.

Yesterday was Chris' b-day the big 38 for him ha ha and next Thursday is mine only 33 for me hehehe. We really do not have any plans. We were planning to go out of town but Chris has decided that he wants to stay home, so I guess that is out the window...I do not feel like going alone and everyone I know seems busy. I guess I can go bet on Big brown again and hope for the best. I actually won 59 dollars from the Kentucky Derby....Gas money for the civic!!

Monday I stayed home with the kids since Pim was out of town. We had a great time the weather was beautiful and the girls could not have been any better behaved we had a great time playing outside cooking out for dinner and i even got to play with my camera taking pictures of Emma while Tatum was napping. Emma is really something she just posed away, I think Americana's Next top model is training my kid. What a Ham, we are in trouble I know... I did manage to get a few of Tatum when she woke up but not nearly as many. The photographer on Sunday actually took one of my all time fav pictures of Tatum and good pictures of the rest of us too.

Is it just my kids or are every ones kids most happy with a phone in there hand???

This weekend we are having B-day/ Mothers Day dinner on Saturday and we have a softball game on Sunday. Hopefully we have a much better game then the last one. That one was bad 47-1 hey at least it was not a shutout right???

Next week should be a bit busier since my organization skills faltered big time. Emma has an eye Doctor appointment, her very first one, at 11:15 in Rockville then Tatum has a cardiologist appointment 1:45. All on my B-day, sounds like fun huh. At least Tatum's is at the Hopkins satellite office, they are giving us one more chance before we have to have them all at the actual hospital. I convinced them that if we did the echo first before they started messing with her she would cooperate. Usually by the time we get to the echo she is so ticked off from the BP and the EKG that we really get nothing done. Keep your fingers crossed that she goes with the flow. On top of all that Pim has an appointment so I can not get her to help me...As of Now I am planning to take Emma to work with me in the morning then to her appointment hopefully Chris can get to Tatum's and I can show up a bit late, it should be quite interesting. I have had both appointments forever so cancelling one is totally out of the question. Guess I am learning a big lesson on organization.

I'll let you all know how the appointments turn out and Happy Mothers Day to all the Mom's reading this...Have a great weekend!

End of april ALREADY!!!

I cannot believe it is the end of the month already, they just keep flying by… The monsoon has finally stopped and it appears that the sun is finally going to make an appearance today, but what does that mean it is just supposed to start raining again. Saturday was beautiful we played our first softball game got our butts kicked but still fun. I am not actually playing Chris is but we went and cheered, it is a co-ed league so we have friends all playing.

With the weather so nice the last two Saturdays I have been able to get stuff done around the house. We planted flowers out front ,but it still looks lame, and we were able to clean the roof terrace and the back yard. All we need is a new outdoor rug for the terrace and we are set. The shelf life on the outdoor rugs is about three years. I was good the first yr and put it in the garage for the summer but slack the last two and now it is just falling apart at the touch. What can you do it is pretty faded anyway.

The girls are doing great! Emma’s new thing is to ask how to spell just about everything you say. It is sort of a pain in the butt as well as very cute. We have recently had to start labeling everything in the house so she knows how to spell the words. Whatever works right… Tatum is still not really talking but the babble is loud and out of hand. She has some words that I think only we can understand them. For example if you say I love you to her she babbles the same thing back every time, if you ask for a kiss she turns her head and leans her cheek toward you with a big smile. Her hair is simply out of hand but I love it. She is doing much better walking around inside and out especially on different textures. She really loves it outside although her allegories are killing her, I feel so bad poor kid, and I think she gets them from me. I did find a natural allegory suppressant at the organic market on Sunday so hopefully that’ll help….

I guess I better stop slacking….I am glad everyone had great weather and turn out for the WS walks last weekend ;) Oh yeah here is one more picture of Tatum and Peyton from the weekend we were in VA. When the two little ones did play together they were super cute!!!

Whoah...

That has pretty much sums up my past week...I am just wondering when it is going to stop...

If I do not have Emma in my bed it is Tatum on top of last week in month and my Anniversary (yeah an excuse to go out with just Chris)I need a good 5 extra hours a day.
So far this week we have knocked them all out. Emma in our bed on Monday night Tate in the bed last night, well early this morning, don't worry it was way after we got home from our anniversary date ;).
This evening I even came home from work and went on a walk with the girls. I figured since I was so sore from gardening on Saturday STILL I may as well keep exercising...right, makes sense...:) The older the kids get the busier I get....trying to blog at 11:20 is sad....I started this like an hour ago but I had to go give Em "snuggles", again. At least she is in her bed for now anyway. So now I have totally lost whatever it was I started blogging about...I'll have to finish in the morning, hopefully I should have time since I am planing on waking up early to run ( walk fast and run a little) Whatever get you up and moving right.....

Well I have been awake since 5 but did not get to run :( Tatum has been awake with me yippee, actually she has been pretty pleasant and very cute. I am going to have to get my jog stroller down so next time I can just take her with me. Well I have some extra time this morning so I think I'll make Tate and I some eggs for breakfast :) Have a good day.

Everyone loves Adam Sandler...or DanaCarvey lol

I am starting to realize that I am never going to catch a break in my house. Between Emma and Chris I do not know what I am going to do except maybe die laughing. The two of them are just two peas in a pod right down to the TV shows they watch. Thank god Tatum and I just go with the flow or we would really be in trouble.

The other day I overheard Emma singing....cute I know.... I asked her to repeat her song because surly my ears were mistaken me.... nope they were right my almost 5 yr old was sitting at her table in the kitchen singing Adam Sandlers song "chopping broccoli". She was doing this with all the bells and whistles..."I'm chopping it chopping it chopping it ". I was dying it was just to funny. I guess we do not watch reruns in our house. Apparently her and Chris sign this together. Oh what am I going to do with those two.

There's a lady I know
If I didn't know her
She'd be the lady I didn't know.

And my lady, she went downtown
She bought some broccoli
She brought it home.

She's chopping broccoli
Chopping broccoli
Chopping broccoli
Chopping broccoli

She's chopping broccoli
She's chopping broccoli
She's chop.. ooh!
She's chopping broccola-ah-ie!


So happy for spring we have our first softball game this weekend and I love playing with the kids outside!!!!!

Happy Birthday Taylor

This weekend we all headed to VA Beach to visit my friend Heather and her family. Heather is also a dentist so I was lucky enough to get her to fix my tooth that I broke in December. This particular weekend was picked so we could also enjoy Taylor's 3 birthday . It was also a long over due visit to check out there not so new anymore house but still new to me, it is AWESOME, I think we may have to vacation there this summer LOL.

I would imagine we'll be enjoying many more with him since Emma proposed to him last night. I guess after playing all weekend going swimming and taking a bath and nap together she was hooked. Not to mention that he and his baby brother are two of the most beautiful boys ever. Tatum was her happy little self but seemed to enjoy the dog and eating then anything else, she did hang with Payton some but only when the big kids were away...Who knows we may have a budding romance there too LOL. I'll have to get the pictures of the babies playing together from Heather, I downloaded them to her computer and then forgot to save them :(

Life Changing...

I was ready to leave for my friends house on Sat. morning when I got a call from her. Heather was calling to tell me that Benny, a High School friend of ours passed away. News like this certainly puts the problems and issues you have in perspective.
My friend Jen was married to Benny, Chris and I attended their wedding when I was preg. with Tatum. Last Saturday I was unable to attend her baby shower but sent a gift with my Mom. Jen and Benny's first baby is due on my birthday, I am so sad for her and her family. I have no idea what she must be going through. I know that my friend Jen is a very strong woman but no one should ever have to go through something like this and at 8m preg I have no clue how she is holding it together, Most definitely a life suck big time moment.
This is my 5 funeral since I became preg with Tatum and only Nana was an older person. I have attended more funerals in the last 2.5 yrs then some in a lifetime.

A Poem From The List Serve

I do not read many list serve email because there is just not enough time in the day but yesterday someone posted a poem they wrote and i wanted to share it:

Angelic faces with upturned smiles
Voices that carry through to every ear
You might not see their beautiful Wings
Although invisible, they are always there.

Hearts of gold and eyes so bright
The most Loving of the earthly plane
Most blessed are we with their empathy
And their truthful tears that fall like rain.

These Children of God who are treasured by some
And by others cast away
If you could take one look inside their souls
You would see innocence beaming in rays.

They may seem slow upon the earth
Or fumble, stumble and fall
But you see, their wings are for higher places
Where difference is not different at all.

If you happen upon a little pixie
Or a one who has grown into their wings
Remember to hold them as tight as you can
And lovingly let them sing.

This is for all of you on the board. I wrote this regardless if I have
William's or not because I know what it is like to be different and
also to love those who are "Special"

Another week down...Almost

Well Today is My sisters Birthday my friend Dana's b-day Tyler's B-day (I think). On top of all the birthdays my friend Michelle is have a heart cath and maybe a patch put on. She is participating in a blind research study. The Doctors that are doing the cath are actually Tatum's old group from Fairfax. Thank god she got he one we like there:)
I have to tell ya I hate caths no matter who is having them just talking about it freaks me out. I am sure she is fine I just can not wait to hear from her or someone just so I know all went well....

This weekend we are going to Tyler's b-day party yeah I am very psyched I have not seen Heather's not so new anymore house, it should be fun I think the kids well have a blast. On Monday I am getting my tooth fixed oh so glad this thing is killing me. I have never had anything wrong with my teeth so the though of a possible root canal kinda wigs me out. At this point whatever stops the pain is good for me.

Well I am sure well have some fun pictures to share after the weekend. I just love taking pictures in the spring!!!

OH yeah one more thing...I sent my money in for the Strasburg Railroad trip so its official we are going, keep your fingers crossed no sick kids this yr.!

PANIC ROCKED

I Think Chris is gonna try and make it down there tonight, I hope he does anyway. Nothing like a good WSP show to put you in a great mood!!!

4/1/08
Warner Theatre
Washington, DC

SET 1:
WALK ON THE FLOOD
ANGELS ON HIGH
DRIVING SONG>
THREE CANDLES >
A OF D >
DRIVING SONG
MACHINE
BARSTOOLS>
DRIVING SONG
DARK DAY PROGRAM
ALL TIME LOW

SET 2:
BOOM BOOM BOOM
PUSHERMAN>
DRUMS>
HER DANCE NEEDS NOBODY>
PIGEONS
FREE SOMEHOW
ALREADY FRIED
GRETA>
UP ALL NIGHT
FLICKER
FISHWATER

ENCORE:
TICKLE THE TRUTH
AINT LIFE GRAND

April Showers bring May Flowers

But really the rain could stop at anytime.....

Sorry I have been big time MIA but the trusty end of the month always gets me with work.....

Anyway today is supposed to be Tatum's Annual review with Infant and toddlers but I cancelled, I have a terrible tooth ached and do not think that I can actually pay attention to anything important while messing with my tooth at he same time. Does that make any kind of sense? Not to mention I am going to see Widespread Panic with my friends at 7 this evening....So between both excuses I just can not make it to the IFSP meeting or whatever they call it. I think we'll make it another month.....

I have finally decided on daycare for the kids, they are YMCA bound. It seems like a good deal I can use flex spending and the summer camps for Emma look fun. Best of all I can send her to VBS without have to pay for two daycare's that week. I know we are really going to miss Pim but it is just time she has to start back to school and medically with Tatum we are in a much better place. Anyway I am about done answering the phones and now back to my desk. Hope everyone has a great day.