Superhero Ronnie & Amazing Grace

Summer Update

2009-06-26T13:25:00.002-04:00

Here I go again - more than a month between blogs. So much going on this summer. Gracie started daycare June 1st. It was traumatic for her (and momma) for a couple of weeks. She does really well now, but comes home in a very cranky mood every evening. I will be glad when she is fully adjusted. Ron says I'm much calmer now. It's better for everyone because I can focus on work & then be done in the evenings & spend time with my kids.

Ronnie finished baseball on Wednesday. It was kind of a sad ending. His team was tied for 2nd place for the season. They played their hearts out & I was hoping to see them play in the championship game. The kids had fun & seemed okay with their loss. They did their best. Ronnie continues to improve in baseball & I think it will be his best sport, but he says he likes basketball the most. He struggled a little at the end with his batting, but he was starting to tag people out & getting very good defensively. He was selected to be on the All Star team (which just means he plays one game on Saturday).

On another note, I asked Tiffany to teach Ronnie how to swim underwater without plugging his nose. She showed him one time how to breate & my little fish took to it immediately! I am so proud. I can't even do it. Then he spent the next half hour trying to teach Momma how to swim. He is doing strokes in the pool & can do hand stands & flips. Amazing to see!

Gracie turned 2 on June 12th. She is getting so big. She no longer receives therapy through First Steps. She still doesn't talk as much as her peers, but she is improving every day. She loves to play dress up, play with her kitchen & be outside. She's not a fan of swimming. She'll swim for a few minutes & then be done. We have started on potty training. She likes to run around naked with flip flops. I would take a picture, but it's probably not something I could post... :) Yesterday, she peed in the dog crate & the laundry room. She moves to a new room in daycare on Monday & will start the potty training regime. She's interested in the potty, but doesn't really get the concept. So, stay tuned...

The dogs... What can I say? I want to get rid of them. They are destructive & annoying for me, but the kids are so attached to them. I talked to Ron about finding them a nice farm to go to, but Ronnie said he wouldn't be able to go on without them. He would just die. My dear husband said we will keep them for now & hope that they calm down once our fence is up & they can run around & get their energy out! I have a hole in my wall & my screen, there is pee on the carpet, puke on the carpet, & a chewed up deck & tree dug up in my back yard. So, once again, I lose the battle with the dogs & will tolerate them to keep the peace. That's it for now. See you in a month!

Pottys, baseballs, and whatever else!

2009-05-15T17:52:00.004-04:00

Gracie received a potty chair for Easter from Aunt Shell. She LOVES to strip naked & sit on the potty, but will absolutely not pee in it. She peed in my chair instead. Nice. Now I can't keep her diaper on. She can be a bit of a stinker. Her speech is taking off in leaps & bounds! I'm so excited to hear her ask for things using words. She says phone very clearly & has called many people on my contact list without my knowledge. She has learned to jump & does it whenever she can. If you see her, ask her to jump for you. It makes her very happy to do this! She still loves her doggies & they have learned to be patient with her. She hugs them very tight around the neck & they just lick her face & tolerate her.

Ronnie is playing baseball & is tremendous! He hit an in-the-park home run yesterday & was named player of the game. He rarely strikes out. I love to watch him play, though I find myself getting a tad competitive. Quite sad to be "that" mom. I love our parents of the kids. We hang out & talk & have a good time. It's hectic, but fun. Not much else to report. Gracie starts daycare on June 1st & it will be the first time she is away from me everyday. I think it will be good for both of us, but I know I will miss having so much time with her.

I get to go to Shipshewana with my Mom on Monday. Can't wait to go & have fun & relax! We get to eat a meal cooked by an Amish family & go to the shops & flea markets. Then in a couple of weeks, I get to go with my sisters to West Virginia to celebrate my Nannie's high school graduation. Yes, she is 91 & graduating from high school! Isn't she amazing?!?! What an inspiration she is!

2009-04-10T18:45:00.006-04:00

I've been on facebook a lot more now & have stopped blogging as often. Things are plugging along. Ronnie is starting to read books now & it amazes me that he can do that at the tender age of 6. Gracie is starting to say some words clearly now, but she likes to drop the first or last sound from each word. She has a great new speech therapist who is really teaching me how to work with Gracie.

Gracie likes to "cook" for me with her toy plates & food. It's probably her very favorite thing right now. She still loves her babies. When she gives me food, I must ask for More. The other day after I asked for more, she stared at me until I said please! Too funny. She starts daycare on June 1st. I'm feeling a bit guilty to know that she will be in daycare while I'm home with Ronnie during the summer, but I know it's what is best for all. Working from home is challenging & she's not getting the attention she needs or demands! Grandma got Gracie a toy cabinet that works well with her kitchen. That thing can keep her occupied for hours. I'm still trying to decide what color I will paint it.

The dogs are getting so big & still chew up everything in sight. They are chewing the bark off of our tree & have almost dug it up. We will be putting in an electric fence soon, but are waiting for money to fall from the sky so we can do it! That's all for now, so onto the pics...

She likes to take the food back & forth from her table to the cabinet...

Gracie LOVES to sword fight with Ronnie. No injuries yet, but stay tuned...

Dr. Ronnie!

Spring - Great times!

2009-03-22T17:50:00.005-04:00

I love this weather we are having today! It is amazing how great weather can make everyone's moods brighter! We have been playing in the back yard a lot. I hope we will be putting up a fence in the next few weeks so the doggies can run & Gracie can be kept in the yard... Gracie's fits are becoming fewer. I am learning to be more patient with her. Today, she didn't want to take a nap for me. I finally gave up since the rest of us were in the back yard enjoying the day. Then I went to Walmart for my weekly grocery trip. She cried herself to sleep in the cart. It was the most adorable thing to see her sleeping in the cart & I wish I would have had my camera with me! I will start putting that thing in my purse when I leave home!

I'm super excited that I am going to become an aunt again! Sarah is expecting & I am so excited!!! I know Gracie will love having a baby close to her age on my family's side to play with. Of course, she has Neva on Ron's side. Send prayers Sarah's way. After what I went through twice, I'm sure she can't help but be a little nervous. I know she will be fine & will have a wonderful, healthy baby, but pregnancy is hard & she's at the beginning. Other than that, things have been about the same.

Gracie has a new speech therapist. She is wonderful! She is teaching me how to sign to Gracie by using hand-over-hand techniques. It's been noted that the words she learns to sign are the words she eventually verbalizes. Tiffy is teaching her to count. She can count 1-2-3! She's getting so big & will be 2 in June. She starts to daycare June 1st. I think that will be a tremendous help for her to be around kids her age. On to the pics...

Midnight is coming to get me!

Carley is licking her lips!

Chillin' (What they do best!)

Ronnie smiling - the only smile of the day. He was trying to be pouty today!

Gracie saying "Wee!"

Stop taking pictures!

I mean it Momma!

I'm gonna getcha Momma!

Gracie LOVES her big girl swing. She wouldn't sit in a baby swing this year!

The neighbor boy, Trystan with Gracie.

Relaxed & full of Patience

2009-03-15T21:23:00.005-04:00

This blog is to thank Becky for her wonderful advice! Perhaps others have given me similar advice before, but I wasn't ready to hear it or heed it. Gracie's tantrums have been increasing to the point that I have become too frustrated to deal with it. Saturday was Ronnie's last Upward Basketball game. I was excited to watch him play, but as usual, Gracie didn't have any interest in sitting still. At one point in the game, in a fit of frustration, she flung her head back & hit her head into my mouth & made me bleed. I took her to the bathroom where I proceeded to cry. I wasn't crying from the pain, but from the frustration that I have when I cannot "control" her! I am constantly being stared at in public with some frustrating glances. That is embarrassing to me. I never see other kids being as loud, disruptive, or as bad as I seem to think Gracie is behaving. She can be extremely mouthy & despite her lack of vocabulary, she can talk back with grunts & gestures. Fortunately for my sanity, Grammy offered to watch Gracie & Ronnie for the weekend. I didn't realize how much I needed some space & time away from the kids. Crying on the phone to Becky, she gave me the perfect advice at the perfect time. I have been praying for help. Becky reminded me that Gracie can understand more than I realize. Before I take her somewhere, I need to tell her gently what my expectations are. Then I can tell her that if she is good, she can get a reward. Rewarding positive behavior is something I have tried to do, but have failed greatly.

Tonight when Gracie came home, we went to Burger King. I sat Gracie down & told her we were going to Burger King & that Mommy expected her to sit in her seat & eat her dinner. I told her I expected her to eat without screaming. If she did this, she could have a cookie after dinner. It worked! She was wonderful! And she ate dinner. Tonight she has already gotten out of bed 5 times. (It's 9:30 pm). The last time she got up, I told her that I expected her to stay in bed. I told her that if she got up again, Mommy would have to spank her. I told her this very gently while holding her & giving her a kiss. I asked her if she understood & she said "S". She stayed in bed. I didn't have to yell at her & she listened. I pray that I can continue to lovingly reward her & see positive results. I'm staying positive for now. I was born without the patience gene. God granted me the privilege of having a beautiful daughter - one who is a lot like her Mommy. Maybe that's my frustration??? She's too much like me!

Midnight & Carley got neutered & spayed. They had to wear the collars to stay away from their stitches!

I've become a redhead. I look like Gracie now!

Gracie pulled something heavy down onto her head. Ouch!

Poor Carley looks so sad in her collar.

Gracie loves her Mr. Potato head & likes to wear the glasses!

Ronnie playing basketball...

Gracie loves her puppies!!!

2009-02-25T14:21:00.006-05:00

Click on the picture to start the video. Please forgive my daughter for choking her little puppy. She knows not what she does!!!

Stupid Question - Save it for another day!

2009-02-23T11:04:00.002-05:00

I have been having a frustrating few days lately & I just really need to vent. I'm using my blog for this & if someone gets offended, I may be terribly sorry. Then again, I may not. Some stupid thoughts that I must share: "Did you know the dogs pooped on the carpet?" My response: "Why yes I did know that, as a matter of fact. I quite like the smell. I am fresh out of candles, so I thought I would leave it." Of course I didn't know that! Duh! Be a doll & clean it up!

"Is Gracie allowed to play with that?" (insert inappropriate item here such as laptop, hand mixer, outlet, etc). My response: "Of course she can play with that. She is my child prodigy & knows how to use anything safely." No! Grab the item or move her away from the outlet. Divert her attention. Stop pointing out things that are insanely obvious & not okay to play with. I may not follow her every move every minute of the day, so if I miss something, I apologize!

Another one: "The remote is on the floor. The dogs may chew on it." My response: "I know it's on the floor. That's where we like to keep it. It helps us find it faster when we need it." Let me walk all the way over from the other room to pick it up. Please don't strain yourself to move 2 feet over to actually just pick it up. Please don't worry about it. I wasn't doing anything anyway.

"I think you should get a second opinion on why your child is so sickly." My response: "Yes. Her runny nose & cough are insanely rare. I should seek out a specialist right away." She chews on everything. She drops stuff on the floor, picks it up & puts it in her mouth. She shares toys with the dogs. She goes out in public & (gasp) catches germs. It's called the common cold. It happens. I wanted to put her in a bubble, but it was just not practical.

I'm feeling like I'm not doing anything well. I am doing too much & can't do anything to perfection & it is bugging me. I am feeling like everyone expects me to do more & do things better & are disappointed when things aren't perfect. I get tired of the messy house. I get tired of the whiny kids. I get tired of not getting enough sleep. Gracie has been sick & I have had little to no sleep & am tad cranky. So, if you have a stupid question, please do me a favor. Save it for another day!

Kids, dogs, What else???

2009-02-21T10:30:00.006-05:00

What's been going on, you may ask. It's been awhile since my last blog. Same thing everyday. Work, watch the kids, yell at the dogs - don't pee inside! The dogs are learning to scratch on the door when they need to go potty. Ronnie still loves them & I figured he would be bored with them already! Gracie loves to pet the dogs & pull their tails. The doggies are very patient with her.

Ronnie has started Upward Basketball. He's actually very good this year. He is hustling & shooting & guarding. I'm very impressed. He gets better at each game. I have been having trouble getting any good pictures of him because it's dark in the gym & my camera doesn't do well with action shots. I did happen to get a good one of him playing with his friends while on the bench...

We had a day or so of good weather & made the most of it. Gracie would much rather be outdoors. We bought a new Wii game - Outdoor Challenge - & I HIGHLY recommend it. It's a bit pricey ($60), but it has been well worth the money. It gets Ronnie off the couch & jumping around. That's all for now. Enjoy the pics...

Gracie found Tiffy's lip gloss!

It's been a couple of weeks & Ronnie still loves his puppies!

Midnight

Gracie & her Developmental Therapist - Candy. We LOVE Candy!!!

Gracie emptied her toybox & climbed in!

Ronnie in Upward. Playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" on the bench

I love this!

Gracie stripped of all of her clothes & then wanted to play the Wii!

Dog times Two... Craziness!

2009-02-04T16:07:00.003-05:00

Well, Ronnie finally convinced me of something that I never thought I would do. We got 2 dogs. Not one, but 2! What the heck was I thinking? They are adorable & very good for puppies. They rarely bark & lounge around for the most part. That is, when they take a break from peeing & pooping. I just wish the snow would melt. We went to the shelter to pick up a puppy. The kids were begging for 2 dogs, but I had my limits. I filled out the paperwork & paid for our new dog. The $100 included all his shots, neutering, & deworming. Seemed like a bargain for such an adorable puppy. As we were walking out the door, the shelter begged me to take his sister. She was crying & they didn't want to separate the two dogs. She said she would give me the girl for free. Ugh. I gave in & now I have 2. Their names were Mickey & Minnie & my mom would have loved the kids forever if they would have left the names unchanged. However, the kids had a different idea. They are now called Midnight Moon Roberts & Carley Marie Roberts. I have tried to give these puppies away, but my dear little kids have cried & made me feel like a monster. Even my husband wants to keep them. So, the puppies will stay unless we find out if they happen to be allergic. They have been sick since we got them & I took the kids Monday to get tested for allergies.

On another note, the ironic thing about the puppies are that Carley is a mini Gracie. She's more active, likes to chew on things, & just has more energy. She doesn't like to be told no. The boy dog is a mini-Ronnie. Midnight gets his feelings hurt if you tell him no. He's very laid back & likes to chill most of the time. Maybe he'll take up video games! I think I'm softening a little in my old age...

Pictures - I'm behind on blogging... What else is new?

2009-01-24T14:24:00.003-05:00

Ronnie played his first Upward Basketball game today & he made a basket! He is doing a lot better than he did last year. He's got experience & knowledge & is one of the leaders of his team. What a difference one year makes! If he has a passion for it, he could be really good. I just can't tell if he has the passion for it yet! FYI - bad mommy didn't bother to take a camera. I promise to get pictures of the next game. Gracie was overwhelmed by the crowds & noise & sat there beautifully with her Pops & watched the game (or should I say cowered in fear on Pop's lap.)

Becky suggested to me that we put our rental house on Craig's list after 3 months of nothing from our Realtor. She posted it for me on Monday & on Thursday night, I had a call from a very interested prospect who may even wish to buy it. The Realtor was too busy to make arrangements to show the house, so I took them there today & they were very excited about it. I am praying this works out for both them & us. I would love someone with their enthusiasm to live in the house. It is very sentimental for me since it was Ron & my first home & Ronnie was born 1 month after we moved in. We have a lot of great memories of the house, but I am ready to move on! They have 2 young children who loved the backyard & enjoyed the big room downstairs to run their energy out! I owe Becky bigtime!!! Becky, you should become a realtor. You've done more in a week than our Realtor did in 3 months. We need prayers that this could go through so we can get back on track with our finances & alleviate the extra stress of figuring out where the mortgage payment is going to come from.

Gracie is receiving Speech, developmental, & behavioral therapy through First Steps. She's starting to lessen on her behaviors & I have started putting her on time-outs as needed. Surprisingly, she will sit down without getting off the couch & will calm down quickly. I never would have imagined that! She's still not really trying to talk, but that will come eventually. She has some strange sensory issues that will take some time for her to get used to, but it's kind of funny. The therapist brought play doh & she didn't like it at first, but finally played with it. The 2nd time she brought it, she put it on a vinyl mat on the floor. Gracie was afraid of the mat, so she wouldn't touch the mat. She reached over the mat to get the play doh & ran away from the mat to play. If I don't laugh, I suppose I would cry, so I do see the humor in it. A behavioral therapist comes on Sunday to make some suggestions for us on how to work with her tantrums & screaming - both which are probably a result of her being unable to talk. I'm open for suggestions from anyone because I haven't found something that works. Anyway, long-winded blog here, so on to the pics...

Ronnie used to think Gracie didn't like him, but she adores big brother!

Ronnie put on Tiffy's boots & did a dance

Gracie loves my laptop, so this is the next best thing for her!

Hulk hands to match the hulk shirt...

Cousin Courtney's old chair. Gracie loves to recline in it!

Really not much to say here... Ronnie - do you love those boots???

Gracie, Toots, & a bunch of Laughter

2009-01-12T11:09:00.002-05:00

Okay, so Gracie has a couple of new things that just make me laugh out loud. She has discovered her farts. She finds them to be hilarious. Everytime she toots, she laughs hysterically. Of course, the rest of us are laughing at her because she's laughing, so it just makes for a funny time! Gracie is also really into tickling people on their belly. She has to lift their shirts to do it, which can be a bit awkward. This morning, Gracie lifted her shirt & took her baby doll's hand & had her baby tickle her belly. Gracie then laughed as if it actually tickled! That just really made me laugh. That makes up for the new thing she learned recently - climbing out of her crib! I swear she is giving me gray hair (underneath all of that blond hair dye). Anyway, I do have new pictures to post, but haven't downloaded them yet. I'll add pictures soon. I was just watching Gracie's baby tickle Gracie's belly & had to share. Too funny!

Christmas updates

2009-01-03T10:40:00.007-05:00

We had such a nice Christmas holiday & it's sad that our holidays are ending. I enjoyed having the kids home with me, but it's back to school on Monday. Gracie had her tubes, & she's having some difficulties adjusting to the sound now that she hears better. She continues to tug on her ears & has an ear infection again. Ronnie has the flu, but the good news is that it didn't turn into strep throat. That's great since he had his tonsils out. Ron & I have been recovering from the flu as well & were fortunate to have time off to recuperate. I'm off to join the kids playing on the Wii. Such an exciting day for me...

I LOVE my babies!

Gracie's new ball pit

Gracie & Auntie

Ronnie left a note for Santa, "Santa, do you know Jesus?" He was thrilled to learn that Santa did, in fact, know Jesus!

Santa, I've been GOOD!

Making Cookies

Gracie really gets into her cookie making!

Yea Gracie!

2008-12-20T14:07:00.004-05:00

Gracie got tubes on Friday & is doing great. I dreamt last night that she was talking so clearly & said the pledge of allegiance to me! When I got up with her this morning, I tried to get her to say her name & realized it was just a dream. Oh well. A funny thing happened at the surgery center. If you understand my competitive & sarcastic nature, you will appreciate this. There was a mother there with her very young child & she taught him how to say "Anesthesiologist." We heard this tiny little voice say that big word. Seriously! Ron & I looked at Gracie & I said, "Say it Gracie." Nothing! Then I lowered my standards a bit & said, "Say Momma." Nothing. "Okay, how about Dada???" Nothing! Oh well.

Gracie was so wonderful when we went to get her tubes. She had to wait for over an hour & she did fine & didn't cry or whine at all. She didn't like being awakened from her wonderful, gas-induced nap though. She was a bit grouchy afterwards, but has been doing great since then.

In other wonderful news, I have wrapped most of my Christmas presents & am feeling ready for the holidays now! Woo Hoo! Merry Christmas Everybody!!!

Tiffany was in heaven with all those babies to play with!

Countdown to Christmas break & Tubes...

2008-12-16T19:49:00.006-05:00

Tiffany gives me the countdown every day. "Two & 1/2 days & there may be a 2 hour delay tomorrow!" She is so excited for Christmas. I haven't wrapped a single gift & Christmas is in a week! Where did the time go??? Gracie is getting tubes in her ears this Friday. Ronnie had it done twice & I know it's very minor. That doesn't stop me from the worry & fear that something could go wrong. Anytime a baby goes under anesthesia, it's scary. I just hope & pray it helps her feel & hear better than before. She's trying so hard to talk now & said "Yes" today. Every word is a milestone for her & I love hearing her talk. She has been laughing all day & just has the sweetest personality. When she gets in trouble, she will kiss you & that is supposed to get her off the hook! Sadly, it works most of the time with Mommy. Ronnie & Tiffany love to play the Wii every night. We play Wii fit & Mario Kart. Gracie thinks she's a big kid & she wants to do everything they do. So, she's now hooked on the Wii. I tried several times to upload a video of Gracie doing step aerobics, but I'm having technical difficulties, so I may try again in a later post. Pray for Gracie on Friday morning at 6:30am. Ronnie will be happily missing his last day of school before Christmas break & will be staying with Grandma & Grandpa!

Kind of blurry, but aren't they cute playing Mario Kart together?

Screaming times 2.5 hours! Yikes!

2008-12-04T08:49:00.006-05:00

Well, I took Ronnie & Gracie to the ENT on Tuesday. Gracie wasn't thrilled to be there. That is actually putting it mildly. She screamed (the kind where she throws herself on the ground) for 2.5 hours. Yes, that's correct - 2.5 hours while we WAITED for a hearing eval. The regular person who does the hearing tests called in sick. They had someone else who came from another office, but they were so backed up that we had to wait for an eternity. By the time we left, I was in tears with her. The nurses suggested that I walk her up & down the halls to get her energy out. We tried that, but all it accomplished was to allow the other offices to hear her cries. I guess it was a smart suggestion for our doctor, because they couldn't hear her screaming from down the hall. By the time we arrived home, it was almost 6pm. Our appointment was at 3:10. She was so exhausted that she fell asleep in my arms & all of my frustrations melted away. (Until she awoke at 10pm & wouldn't go back to sleep, but that is another story...)

The hearing test showed that she had some hearing loss, but they attributed it to fluid in her ear & they think it can be corrected with ear tubes. Initially the doctor suggested more antibiotics. I calmly (but loudly to be heard over the screaming) stated that I could have received antibiotics from the pediatrician. I was here for something else because 4 rounds of antiobiotics couldn't clear her ears, so I wasn't interested in a 5th round. Yes! He agreed & we have our appointment scheduled for 12/19 at 6:30am. If all goes well, this could potentially help her with her speech. She has her first speech therapy appointment on 12/9 & we will see how that goes. Well, that's about all that's new for now. On to the pictures...

Gracie was pointing at the laptop, so we all did it. It was funny at the time...

Tiffany & Ronnie are so fun together!

Ronnie & Daddy on his birthday! Ronnie got Daddy a Wii game (that was on Ronnie's Christmas list!)

Silly boy!

Ronnie & his webkinz eating dinner

Gracie loves to play on her computer. She sees me on my laptop & imitates me!

They took this. Aren't they cute?

Elfin Roberts' clan

2008-11-25T18:01:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thankful

2008-11-25T09:50:00.006-05:00

I have so much to be thankful for & I love this time of year. Everyone gathers together to spend time as a family. This year has been especially special since Linda & Tiffany came to live with us. We have really enjoyed expanding our family, and Ronnie & Gracie love having a big sister. Linda is teaching me how to cook & helping me prepare for Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. She is hosting her family here on Thanksgiving Day while I am going to Ron's family's for the holiday. Then we have Black Friday where I tear up the stores & rush back home to make dinner for my family. Cameron's birthday party is on Saturday & we will have another Thanksgiving dinner with Ron's grandparents on Sunday. Somewhere in there, we will try to squeeze in putting up the Christmas tree & chasing Gracie away from it until Christmas. It's our first year with Linda & Tiffany in our family and we can enjoy Christmas with them this year.

I officially enrolled Gracie in First Steps yesterday. She will begin Speech & Occupational therapy this month. They are more concerned with her balance & falling than her speech. It is something I have noticed, but not realized was a concern. They discussed having her wear leg braces (potentially) to help with her gait. She walks with a very wide stance, has too much flexion in her hips & ankles, & this may be leading to her balance issues. We are still going forward with the ENT & she has an appointment in a week. But because she has learned to walk in such a wide stance, the braces could help re-teach her to walk with her legs straight & help tighten up her ankle muscles so she doesn't keep falling. It's all still up in the air & I'm willing to do what the experts suggest. Anything to help my baby girl. They also noted that she has an amazingly high pain tolerance. I would say so since she falls all the time. She's used to it!

Ronnie has been dealing with allergies lately & I guess I was under some sort of cloud of hope that he would miraculously never get sick again. He went through surgery to make him better & he is sick yet again. So he's back on multiple allergy medicines & I'm praying that he will eventually outgrow his allergies. We went to the doctor the other day for Gracie's sick visit & the doctor suggested we get flu shots for the kids. Ronnie started bawling hysterically. He said, "You said we were here for Gracie." Gracie started stroking Ronnie's hair, and hugging & kissing him - trying to calm him down. The doctor came back later & noticed Ronnie was crying. She immediately suggested the flu mist for him & all was well again. Gracie got the shot & shed only a small tear & then went on her way. She's one tough cookie! On to the pictures...

Tiffany's costume scared Gracie!

Grammy's girls. Don't ya like Neva's hair? Aunt Ruth fixed it!

Tiffany has 2 babies to play with!

Hot mama!

Santa found out Gracie wasn't good this year!

Santa's laughing as Ronnie's wish list goes on & on & on & ...

Playing Webkinz

Aren't they cute together? They sit like this every night & play Webkinz

Big Brother teaches Gracie great things! (Sword fighting???)

One Step, Two Steps, First Steps

2008-11-19T14:02:00.006-05:00

Gracie had her First Steps Evaluation on Monday. It went really well. They were here for 2 hours and sat on the floor with her & observed her through play. It amazed me how they could capture her attention for so long & also what they looked at. Throughout the entire 2 hours, she fell countless times. I have always just attributed this to her being clumsy. They also noted that she rarely tried to talk or babble (though she does sometimes, it's not often). Their first recommendation was that she should be seen by an ENT to see if she has fluid in her inner ear. They were concerned that her hearing may be muffled & this could be her reason for slow speech & inner ear fluid could cause poor balance. It also may not be & if not, we will tackle that with speech therapy. I'm just excited to move forward & see if she may have some issues with her hearing that can be alleviated. She has always been somewhat fussy & this is becoming more of a concern now that she is trying to communicate. I can't wait for my baby to say "Mommy".

I'm posting pictures that we took at the pumpkin patch before Halloween. Enjoy...

More Birthday Pics...

2008-11-12T07:14:00.006-05:00

My boy turned 6 on October 23rd. I'm attaching some pictures of his costume birthday party...

Baby Neva

Cousin Kacie

Grandma made this cake! Isn't is cute???

Pictures - Finally!

2008-11-10T07:03:00.005-05:00

I finally have my computer back & it seems to be working much better. Thank goodness for that! SO much has happened since I last posted pictures. I had almost 300 pictures on my camera. Some of these are random pics & some are from Ronnie's actual birthday. We woke him early on his birthday before I went to a training, so he looked very tired in his pictures! Ronnie got a Nintendo DS for his birthday & that has been well used thus far! On to the pictures...

Happy 6th Birthday!

Enjoying the batter from his birthday brownies...

Ronnie held the camera & took this himself

Gracie ate butter from the trash can!

Why does he always shake his booty when the camera comes out???

Daddy reading to his girl!

Her hair is getting long - finally!

Gracie borrowed brother's costume...

Too sweet

Conversations with a 6 Year Old

2008-11-04T09:29:00.004-05:00

Last night, we were driving home after dark. I couldn't see well & said, "I'm as blind as a bat." Ronnie replied, "Mommy, bats can see at night. I heard that on TV." I told him, " Yeah, that is correct. They can see in the dark." Ronnie had a puzzled look on his face, "If they can see at night then they aren't blind." I got a good chuckle out of his logic on that one!

Earlier in the day, Ronnie told me, "Mommy, I want to get off the bus by myself." I was a little sad, but said, "Okay Ronnie, I'll wait inside today for you." Ronnie said, "No Mommy. Not just today. Wait inside everyday. I want to get off the bus without you every day. I can cross the street by myself now."

My boy is starting to get along without me. He's growing up regardless of how hard I try to stop him!

Still waiting on my laptop. Patiently waiting. Patiently. Where the HECK IS MY LAPTOP, GATEWAY???

The great computer crash

2008-10-30T07:28:00.002-04:00

My computer crashed & has been sent into Gateway to be fixed. I won't be able to download pictures until then because I don't want to have to put them on Ron's computer & then remember later to move them to mine. So, I am going to take a break from blogging for 1-2 weeks while I wait patiently for the worst customer service I've ever seen to fix my freakin' laptop! So many pictures on my camera that I want to share. We have had Ronnie's birthday, pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, & just being plain silly. Forgot the camera for our Chuck E Cheese adventure, but it was a ton of fun. I'll catch up soon. Until then, try desperately not to miss me! :)

Congratulations Walmart!

2008-10-24T13:17:00.001-04:00

I'm so proud of Walmart. They FINALLY figured out that they misspelled "yield" on the pavement in their parking lot & repainted the other day. I must say, it made me proud. Way to go!!!

Missing My Girl!

2008-10-19T19:37:00.002-04:00

Gracie is staying with Grandma & Grandpa this weekend & we are all missing her dearly. Gracie has been going on walks with them, to the AU Homecoming fair, & playing in the leaves. Well, according to Grandma, she preferred raking the leaves instead of playing in them. She was good at church & was described as "busy!" That made me laugh. It sounds like she is having so much fun on her visit, & I'm getting so much done around the house. Ronnie's party is next weekend. My baby will be 6! He is so excited to get his presents & have his friends & cousins over to play. Ugh, my house is such a mess! Ron & I went to Ikea in Cincinnati Saturday. It was a ton of fun & we bought a lot of organizational stuff for the kids' playroom. Today I have moved all of the kids toys upstairs. I now have my grown up living area downstairs. Ronnie was not thrilled. I miss my girl & will get to see her tomorrow. She will be coming home to a completely organized & clean home! Ahh what a feeling. Now why can't I keep it that way!!!???

Gracie loves going to Jennifer's during the day & playing with her new friends, Layla (2) and Addison, (9 months?). She is learning to talk now & really enjoys going over there. It has been wonderful. I'm posting pictures that Jennifer took of the 3 playing together. Enjoy!

Ronnie - minus tonsils, adenoids, etc...

2008-10-13T12:10:00.002-04:00

Most people know by now that Ronnie's surgery went well. We were released from the surgery center on Friday at 3pm. It was a long day & very emotional for me. It's a horrible feeling to see your baby laying there in pain & there is absolutely nothing to do except love on him as much as possible. He had trouble coming out of the anesthesia & was so disoriented & in tremendous pain. He later asked me when he was getting his tonsils back. I imagine he figured that would cure his pain. The nurses at the surgery center were fantastic! They said Ronnie was one of the best patients they have ever had. He was extremely polite & never complained a bit.

Ron & I never let our kids sleep with us unless they are sick. So, night #1, Ronnie was in my bed & Ron got the couch! Turned out to be a wise move for Ron who got the most sleep. We went to bed at 9pm. I was exhausted & wanted to go to sleep, but poor Ronnie was not tired. He had slept most of the day. I asked him if I could get him anything. Downstairs I went to get him some ice water. Back up I came & then told him I would be turning off the lights. He could stay up & watch TV, but Mommy was going to sleep. He informed me that he had to rest his "froat". No problem. I told him to tap me if he needed anything. Slowly, I began to drift to sleep. Tap, tap, tap. Ronnie needed some more ice water. It HAD to be completely frozen. I informed him that there were still a ton of ice cubes in his cup, but alas, they were beginning to thaw, so downstairs I went for more water. Back upstairs & to sleep I started. Tap, tap, tap. Poor Ronnie needed ice cream for his sore "froat". Another trip downstairs. Back upstairs I came & now the light had to be on so he could see to eat. He had to eat VERY slowly because of his poor sore "froat". Finally, 10:30, I'm off to sleep. Tap, tap, tap. Now he needed pain meds. Back downstairs to get the meds & back upstairs to give them to my poor baby. (Boy, there are times I wish for a smaller house!) This went on several times throughout the night. At 5:30am, Ronnie woke me up to ask when morning was coming. He was not tired anymore. I told him he could go ahead & get up & go visit Daddy!

Night number 2 was a repeat of the same. Last night, he moaned all night long, but only asked us for water & meds once. However, I got up this morning & let him sleep in. Since he had such a restless night, I figured he could use more sleep. Wrong choice on my part. He cried so hard because I "left him" & he hurt his "froat" from all the crying. I calmly explained that I wanted him to get rest & he could come downstairs when he awoke. He told me that he couldn't walk because his "froat" hurt so much.

After writing all of this, I do have to admit that for the most part, he has not complained at all. Nights are the worst for him & I imagine laying down makes things worse. During the day, he is up & playing playstation & seems to feel okay. I just want him to feel better & I know that he will by the 10th day & that this will help him feel better in the long run. I just don't cope well with my children feeling bad. So keep Ronnie in your prayers as he still has a long road ahead before this is all over. He is not eating & is barely drinking & yesterday was a puke fest for him. I worry about dehydration. We are going to get some nausea meds & different pain meds for him since he can't take them on an empty stomach.

On a quick side note, Gracie has learned to climb up on our tall bar stool chairs. I was on the phone this morning & I glanced in the kitchen to check on her. She was sitting atop the kitchen island playing with a bottle of lotion! I need to chain her up so she will stay safe. Another mother-of-the-year moment for me!!!

Update on Ronnie

2008-10-02T11:09:00.002-04:00

I took Ronnie to an ENT today for a checkup. He has had strep throat 3 times this year as well as many ear infections. It's so sad to see him sick all of the time. He has been complaining that he can't hear. The ENT did a hearing test & the good news is that he is not showing any permanent hearing loss, but he did show hearing deficits due to a large amount of fluid in his ears. The news: he has to have his tonsils & adenoids removed, new tubes put back in his ears, & something with his nasal passageway to open up his nose so he can breathe better. It is 4 different procedures in all (however it only takes 45 minutes to complete these procedures). Ronnie will have a 7-10 day recuperation & will have to miss school. They scheduled this for October 10th (Next Friday!!!) That was much quicker than I anticipated & I'm a little scared for him. It's tough to see my son feeling sick. As if that isn't enough, Gracie woke up at 3:30am this morning with a pretty high fever & she had some minor shaking (maybe more febrile seizures). Boy, I need to purchase a BIG thermometer because at 3:30 in the morning, those things are hard to find. I have to take her to the doctor today. Pray she gets better quickly so I only have 1 sick kid next week! :) Oh the joys of having more than one child!!! Any prayers would be appreciated. Thanks all!

Here Comes Fall!

2008-09-30T15:38:00.007-04:00

School is in full swing & football is going well. All of this means one thing - Fall has arrived. The weather has been so perfect today. Halloween is approaching & so is Ronnie's birthday. I have been snapping a lot of pictures lately, so this is a random post of random pics. Not much new to report. Gracie is getting so smart! The other day, she was carrying around a hand mixer (I was not watching her as closely as I should have). She was taking the cord over to an outlet to plug it in. She never ceases to amaze & scare the heck out of me! Ronnie is loving football & is also doing well in school. He got all smiles on his first report card. She isn't talking yet, but she babbles all the time. I imagine that once she starts, she will never quit! Gracie LOVES her "big sis" Tiffany & tries to mimic everything Tiffany does. The pictures below are proof of that!

Ronnie actually got to carry the ball in the last game (I didn't get that on film...)

Ronnie's favortie part of the game is shoving people! (He's #6 in the yellow)
Too sweet for words!

Gracie LOVES swinging!

Ronnie is doing his Spiderman pose
Ronnie LOVES to act goofy when the camera is rolling
Look how high he can swing!
Gracie is trying to imitate Tiffy

Being Silly!

Gracie must do what big brother does! Hilarious!

Wee! Daddy dressed me. Don't I match well?

Isn't this funny? Gracie is such a copy cat!!!

Student of the Week!

2008-09-24T08:20:00.004-04:00

Ronnie was picked first in his class to be student of the week! Of course, it's probably a random drawing, but if you ask Ronnie, he was CHOSEN! He feels extremely special this week. Mommy thinks it's fun, but boy is it a lot more work. Monday he got to take in Show-N-Tell & he chose to take the Wii remote, Nun-chuk, & Mario Kart steering wheel! Tuesday he got to take in his favorite book! This was a challenge because we go to the library & get new books quite often, so he has many favorites, but we were able to narrow it down. He has the class mascot for the week (a white teddy bear named Snowball). Ronnie has been very into this! For today, we get to make a poster board of Ronnie & things that are important to him. He chose - his Webkinz & playstation. I had to encourage him to add Gracie to the board. Man, toys are extremely important to him. That reminds me of a story at Holiday World. We sat down for lunch & Ronnie said prayer. He thanked God for his Daddy, Tiffany, & "this table!" Umm, what about Mommy? I felt so very special to be ranked below a table - or not even ranked for that matter (since I was left out of his very important prayer!)

Gracie is doing okay at the sitter's. I guess she whines & follows my friend around everywhere. She does that here too, which is why I so desperately wanted a sitter! Sorry Jennifer! Hopefully, she will adjust & enjoy playing with her new friends. Onto the pics...

Ronnie, Snowball, & his 65 Webkinz. We need addiction counseling!

Ronnie & Snowball
Snowball needed his own picture!
Ronnie & Snowball playing Ronnie's NEW Lego Batman Game!
Tiffy & Gracie being goofy!

Gracie's new game on the Wii - Running!

Help for Gracie!

2008-09-18T14:14:00.004-04:00

I have found a sitter for Gracie & it's a breath of fresh air! My great friend & super hair sylist, Jennifer, is going to watch Gracie 4 days a week in the mornings. She has watched her for 2 days, & Gracie seems to be handling it well. She cried when I left her today, but that's just her way of making Mommy feel bad because she crying stopped shortly after I left. It is so refreshing to be able to work uninterrupted. I'm more productive & am actually already getting caught up with work. Now I won't have to work at night & will have more time to spend with my kids. Life is good and I'm hoping my stress levels will decrease.

My mom will be pleased to see pictures posted of Gracie feeding herself! Yes, Mom, I am giving up on keeping her clean & am letting her do it now! Check out the picture with the spoon in her hair! It is disgusting. Gracie is also into hugging & giving kisses now. I have pictures of Ronnie & Gracie loving each other. It's so precious. He's the greatest big brother.
By the way, my dizziness & nausea has subsided. Dr. Dad thinks I may have overdone things by going to Holiday World so soon after my surgery. He may be right... :) Well, I'm off to meet my boy at the bus stop.

Is this sweet or concerning? :)My sweet boy is getting a new tooth!
Gracie is full of hugs
Look Grandma! Mommy's letting me get messy
See! I put the spoon right in my hair. Isn't that lovely?
Mommy wishes you could talk & tell me what you want!
Mommy really can't figure out what you want!
Ohhhhh. You want a juice bag. I'll be glad when you can tell me that!

Update

2008-09-15T20:27:00.002-04:00

Well, as I mentioned in my last blog, I came through my surgery without any of the side effects that they mentioned - no bleeding, no pain - what a miracle. However, I have been very dizzy & nauseaus since then. Ugh! It is difficult to work, sit up for long periods of time, or do much of anything because of the dizziness. I finally called the doctor & he said it was probably unrelated to the surgery. So, I haven't a clue what is causing this, but I keep praying it will pass. I'm functioning, barely. Anyway, we went to Holiday World on Saturday. It wasn't very crowded & Ronnie & Tiffany had a great time. I wish I had been feeling better, but we all still had a lot of fun. We rode a water slide that was the highest point in the park. The worst part - 10,000 steps (give or take...) to the top. With no line at all, we walked all the way to the top! I had to stop for air & really wanted to get some Oxygen before I climbed the rest of the stairs. I believe I mentioned to Ron that it would have been nice to have benches here & there as well as pop stands for beverages along the way. That was the most ridiculous climb for a water slide that I have ever experienced. We rode that slide later in the day, & fortunately for me, there was a line, so we inched our way up the steps slowly. I don't have any new pictures yet since I didn't want to take my camera into the water park. I think I'm getting too old for amusement parks, but I love watching the kids having such a wonderful time. Aunt Robin & cousin Kacie watched Gracie for us so we could go. Thanks Aunt Robin & Kacie! That gave us the last chance to use our tickets before they closed for the summer. I'm off to lay down & stop the spinning for now! Hopefully I will get new pictures uploaded soon.

Power Nap

2008-09-10T18:38:00.004-04:00

For those who know, I had surgery today & came through just fine. I have been under anesthesia before & have had both great & not so great experiences. Today was not so great. I was so nervous that I let my anxiety get the best of me. They had to give me Phernergan in the IV which made me so drowsy. I was supposed to be on my way home by 11:30 this morning & didn't make it out until close to 2pm. I finally forced myself to get out of bed at 6pm so I could help get Ronnie ready for football practice. I could have slept until morning. Anyhoo, just wanted to let everyone who reads my blog to know that I'm okay & I really enjoyed my power nap. Is it sad to say that I look forward to surgery so I can get lots of sleep? I need a life!

Please God, Grant Me Some PATIENCE!!!

2008-09-09T18:10:00.004-04:00

Anyone who knows me, really knows me, knows that I don't have ANY patience. If you think that I am patient, then I have successfully fooled you. I sold Ronnie's bike in the Spring because he outgrew it. We kept meaning to get him a new bike, but we never remembered & he never asked. I was elated the other day when he actually asked me for a bike. We got him a bigger sized Spiderman bike. Yesterday, he fell on his bike (yes it has training wheels) and said he wanted to either sell his bike or leave it in the street so it would "get rolled over". I was not happy. Fortunately, he has been able to get back on, but oh my word, he is SLOW. His right training wheel is getting a lot of use. He stops constantly & then can't get restarted & he falls, yes falls, all the time. What the heck are the training wheels for??? When he falls, there are many tears shed. These are not high speed falls by any means. I don't even get wind in my hair. In fact, I don't even think that I peddle often at all. Please keep in mind that I am merely venting. I love my son, but I sure hope he is smart. I don't think he will be getting an athletic scholarship for anything.

He started football & had his first game on Saturday. It was cute to watch. He had no clue what to do and fell & cried because someone pushed him down. Isn't that the point? Anyway, I really just needed to vent because my nerves can't take anymore whining today. I'm going to post his football pictures. Thanks to Pops for taking these for us!!!

Ronnie is #6

Family time on the Wii

2008-09-05T20:10:00.010-04:00

We love our new Wii, but especially the Wii fit. Gracie is hilarious to watch. There is a game where we can do a ski jump. She has watched us all do it so much that she likes to get on the board & imitate us. I have caught it on tape & find it to be quite hilarious! I took Gracie to my friend Jennifer's house & got her haircut. She has bangs now & looks so cute. I just love how different it makes her look. Ronnie got his haircut too. He always gets the same cut. Today he told me that someone teased him about his new haircut & he cried in school. I felt bad for him. We had to talk to him about feeling good about himself & not worrying about what other kids said. The ironic thing is that the social worker has been talking to his class about bullies and being respectful. I guess that girl missed a lesson. I'm learning that I cannot protect my kids from every hurtful thing that comes their way. Ronnie told the girl that he would call the police on her & then he told her that he was going to tell his Mommy. I just love how kids defend themselves!

Ronnie had his first football game today. It was a lot of fun to watch in between chasing Gracie! I will post pictures of those in a few days. On to other random pictures...

Cameron & Ronnie playing soccer

Look at Gracie - she has bangs!

Gracie & Tiffany having fun!

Mother of the Year? Maybe next year...

2008-08-27T20:06:00.006-04:00

Well, I don't think I will be awarded Mother of the Year anytime soon. Working from home, I can get pretty focused on my work. That's not a good thing when Gracie is being mischievous. The other day, she was being very quiet. I enjoy that, but that is actually not a good thing. The only time she is quiet is when she is into things she shouldn't be. I looked out of the corner of my eye, & there was Gracie, climbing the stairs -- with SCISSORS in her hand!!! She turned, smiled at me & said, "hi".

Then on the same day, she got into the cabinets in the kitchen. Why is Walmart ALWAYS out of the cabinet locks when I try to purchase them??? Gracie came walking over to me and generously offered me a can of Raid ant spray. Gotta love her, even though she's trying to kill me with heart failure!

Our family finally joined the world of Wii users! We now have a Wii & a Wii fit. It is the most fun we have had in so long. We play it together every evening & it helps us get active as well as laugh & enjoy the time together. Doesn't that sound silly? It may, but it has brought us together every day for a fun time. I highly recommend the Wii fit! It is definitely a wonderful & fun thing to do!!! Ronnie amazes me with how good he is at the yoga exercises. That is the part that I am the worst at.

Mom & Dad took a ton of pictures of the kiddos, & I wanted to share. Thanks to Mom, Dad, & Sarah for the pictures on this blog...

A Day at the Park

2008-08-23T20:06:00.005-04:00

We spent the day with Grandma & Grandpa & Aunt Sarah 2 weeks ago and had fun at the park & water park. I'm a little behind on posting! I have said this before, but Gracie is so much fun to watch when I am not constantly telling her no. I love to watch her little eyes explore things & take off running to get into mischief. Tonight Ronnie & Gracie were playing together very well & she likes to snuggle brother & tickle him. He can antagonize her at times, but she certainly defends herself & often instigates trouble by hitting him in the face. We are trying to teach her not to hit, but she really enjoys pushing the envelope! I have lots of pictures to post & will try to start blogging more frequently. Enjoy the pictures!

I love this picture of Ronnie pushing his sister in the swing!

I should have been a doctor!

2008-08-17T21:21:00.007-04:00

I just got a call from the Prime Time Urgent Care Center. Ronnie does have strep even though the original test was negative. They sent his test out to a lab & the results came back positive. Poor guy. He's in the moaning phase of his sickness. He slept on the bottom bed of his bunk bed tonight because he couldn't climb up the ladder. He's pitiful. Pray this goes quick. Gracie has screamed ALL day. I'm trying to hard to remember that she's sick, but she cannot be consoled. If I'm holding her, she wants down. When I put her down, she flails on the floor & screams. The only thing I can do is walk around with her. It's so tiring & I'm totally exhausted. She usually sleeps well at night, but she it's 9:30pm & she has already been awake once. Not a good sign...

I had family in last week & we were on the go the entire week. So, I'm glad to be getting back to normal so we can all rest & get better. Onto to cheerier subjects, I want to put in some pictures of our activities with my cousin & her daughters...

Ronnie at an Indians baseball game!

Cousin Kim (middle) and her girls Kayla (left) & Yvonne (right)

Gracie smiling for LeeAnn

Grandma & Ronnie looking into the sun!

Cousin Kim trying to get Gracie to go to sleep

Off to School & Strep Throat???

2008-08-16T20:18:00.005-04:00

Ronnie has had his first week of kindergarten. He was extremely nervous because there would be "big" kids around. Turns out he made 5 new friends on his first day & 6 on the 2nd day. Quite the social butterfly, I must say. He seems to like it, but isn't overly eager to go each day & really looks forward to the weekend. I hope he starts to enjoy it soon. When the bus driver came to his stop, I was standing there patiently, waiting for my little bugger to get off the bus. After 3 kids got off, the bus started to pull away. Then the bus driver stopped again & motioned me to come up to the bus. He asked me, "Are any of these yours?" He was pointing to 3 little boys in the front seat. I quickly claimed Ronnie & off the bus he came. It was comical.

Friday night at 1:30 am Gracie woke up with a fever. I gave her some Tylenol & she seemed okay. At 4:30 in the morning, she woke up screaming. She felt extremely hot & I went to get her some juice & put her in bed with me. She began shaking uncontrollably & then when she would stop, she would scream as if she was afraid. This went on multiple times and really freaked me out. I took her to the ER & was told she had an ear infection & strep throat & probably suffered febrile seizures which are caused by a really high fever. It was probably one of the most frightening experiences I have ever been through. She was so helpless and sick. So, poor little Gracie is having her first illness. Ronnie woke up with the same symptoms (no seizures thankfully). I took him to the urgent care center & he tested negative for strep, but they told me that the test is often negative until 48-72 hours after symptoms begin. I never wait that long because he has had strep more times than I can count, so I usually know right away if he is getting strep. Fortunately, they think it's strep anyway & gave me some medicine for him too. I guess this is another fun part of having 2 children. I have their medicine labeled in the fridge so I can make sure not to mix them up! :) Pray for a quick recovery so I don't strangle myself due to sleep deprivation and anxiety.

Ronnie picked his Big Brother shirt for day 1 of school.

Off to school
Off the bus!Brother & Sister with Strep Throat

Kindergarten Bound

2008-08-07T14:10:00.002-04:00

Ronnie starts school in less than a week! I still cannot believe he will be in kindergarten. He's not very excited about it & is nervous because there are "big" kids in the same school. We registered yesterday & we will get to meet his teacher on Monday. I bought his school supplies & back to school clothes (superhero t-shirts were a must!).

I took him to the dentist yesterday. The dentist told me that because he had a high fever as a baby & was on antibiotics for extensive amounts of time, his teeth are graying & causing decay. He said it couldn't be prevented with good brushing. Poor kid. He suffered through so many sicknesses & now his poor teeth have to be sealed & he has to go under gas & everything. I just felt so sorry for him, but he was brave & didn't seem to mind visiting the dentist.

Gracie is starting to talk. She picks up the phone (my old cell phone) & whispers, "Hi". She gives me a big toothy grin when she is on the phone. She's such a girly girl already! She's starting to eat better now & is finally taking a sippy cup, but she still totally prefers the bottle. Any advice on how I can get rid of the bottle would be greatly appreciated! I haven't downloaded pictures in awhile & I'm having problems getting them to load today. I'll try to upload some soon...

We have a real pool now!

2008-07-31T12:07:00.010-04:00

I promised to blog about our pool saga, so here goes. We started with a baby pool. Ronnie was a good sport, but the water barely came up to the top of his feet. So, I splurged & got a $15 pool that was about a foot or 2 deep. He loved it, but it deflated within 4 days. I was so disappointed & Ron suggested that we get a "real" pool. I found one for $200 at Walmart that was 18' wide & 4' deep. It was marked down from $600, so we quickly snapped that up. Putting it up was supposed to be "easy" according to the box. However, if you have any slope whatsoever in your yard, this pool will not work. We found that out the hard way that our yard was too uneven. We filled up the pool & the next morning I watched as it completely collapsed & flooded the entire neighborhood! I was extremely upset & convinced my husband to find a way to fix it. Friday night, our neighborhood landscaping business was closed & I so desperately wanted it fixed NOW. Since we couldn't buy a truckload of sand, he bought bags & bags of the expensive sand ($300 to be specific) from Home Depot. He was a good sport. We spent an hour leveling our yard & back up went the pool. This time, it quickly collapsed again. So, $500 worth of money & no pool. We went out & bought a different kind of pool & put it up. It works great & Walmart graciously took back other our pool & gave us store credit. Ronnie has been very happy & has enjoyed this new pool. I couldn't be happier & more broke! I have pictures to share (that's what you are really here for anyway!) Ronnie swims every second of every day & has even started learning to do strokes, flips, & hand stands. I can't believe how good he swims (better than me!).

One more thing - Ronnie lost ANOTHER tooth. He's missing all 4 front teeth. It's so cute & he has such a hard time talking. He's striking it rich from the tooth fairy!

Ronnie's "tatoo" from Summer Camp
Why do big kids always want to play with baby toys???
Now it's Gracie's turn! (Those are not her feet underneath, but it looks like it!)
(Brother, give me back my floatie)

I LOVE my pool

Gracie doesn't like it quite as much

Gracie doing her new dance

Ronnie swims like a fish!

Too cute

2008-07-28T21:48:00.002-04:00

I love this picture that Sarah sent me on My Space. Today is my wedding anniversary (7 years!) My parents & sister Sarah (and I understand a lot of credit goes to LeeAnn) watched my kiddos while Ron & I went away for a couple of days. It was very nice. We went to Edinburgh to the outlet mall & to Little Nashville to shop. (And boy did we shop til we dropped!) Then off to Bloomington to our favorite restaurant & a night away. Too bad Ronnie ended up getting sick the next day, but that's typical for him during allergy season. I have so much more to blog about with the new pool saga, but for now, I just wanted to put up a picture that Sarah sent me. Thanks for the picture Sarah! I'll share updates about our pool when I have the energy. This weekend tired me out!!!

Jason spends the Night

2008-07-24T09:51:00.003-04:00

I was looking through my pictures & how on earth could I forget to blog about Jason spending the night! It was such a fun night. Ronnie & Jason get along very well & Jason laughs at everything Ronnie says. So, of course Ronnie likes that! We went to Blockbuster to let them each pick out a movie & Jason picked something he has seen a million times - Home Alone! They crack me up sometimes. I have some fun pictures of their sleepover...

Swimming in our huge pool! :)

Ron gave Jason 5 "love pats" for his 5th birthday!

Ronnie was jealous & asked for his love pats!
Jason was chillin' out on the deck!
Gracie is "drinking" diet coke. She has an obsession with coke cans.
Shake your booty!

My sister's blog

2008-07-17T12:50:00.000-04:00

My sister, Sarah, posted a ton of pictures of Gracie, Ronnie, & cousin LeeAnn on her blog. The pictures are adorable & I love seeing my kids having so much fun with their family. I had to share the link so anyone who reads this blog can see the cute pictures!

http://eddiesarahandleeann.blogspot.com/2008/07/taking-kids-to-park.html

Enjoy! Thanks Sarah for the pictures & for helping to watch my kids. Ronnie loved the wooden puzzles he got from your rummage! :)

More Summertime Fun!

2008-07-14T12:39:00.004-04:00

Summer is definitely more fun with my kids. Gracie likes water, but she seems to prefer to be in control. She likes the baby pool & the sprinkler, but she doesn't like to be in a pool where she cannot reach the bottom. Ronnie loved to be in the baby floats & he has always enjoyed swimming. Gracie has no desire for this. What's funny is that she tends to be the daredevil & she has very few fears, but water seems to scare her. Ronnie, on the other hand, has fears of EVERYTHING, but he can dive in & swim around without a care in the world. They truly are night & day, but that's what keeps things interesting. The neighbor girl & her friend have been coming over daily to play with the kids (mainly to play with Gracie since she's like their "doll").

Also, Happy Birthday to Grandma Roberts (in the BIG hat!) and happy 30th Birthday to "Auntie" Sarah. Welcome to the 30's! It's not so bad afterall!!!

I love summer time!

2008-07-06T18:34:00.002-04:00

We have a pool now! Okay, it's a baby pool, but my kids love it. Gracie got it from Aunt Shell for her birthday & they play in it every day. Ronnie needs something a little bigger, but we just go visit Aunt Debbie when we need a real pool for swimming! Ronnie lost 2 more teeth. It's funny to hear him try to talk without his front teeth. He got a visit from the tooth fairy & was very pleased!

Cheese! I'm missing 3 teeth!

I just had to throw this in. I forgot last time. The aftermath of the birthday cake!

Gracie - Party #3!

2008-07-04T11:54:00.007-04:00

I guess you only turn 1 once. But for Gracie, she got to celebrate 3 times. I have so many cute pictures of her & cousin Neva playing in the cake. They were too cute. Neither were too interested in opening presents, but both were highly interested in playing in the cake. Aunt Michelle got Gracie a little pool & she & Ronnie play in it daily & really enjoy it! I had to share some of the cute pics & videos. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my new camera. Best birthday present ever!!!

Jason's birthday party

2008-07-02T10:19:00.005-04:00

Cousin Jason had his 5th birthday party on Saturday. I can't believe he & Ronnie will be in kindergarten this fall! He had a Star Wars theme which Ronnie absolutely LOVED! He wears his darth vader bracelet everywhere. The goody bags were awesome! I have pictures of the kids at the party. Gracie really enjoyed the bounce house. She has no fear. The kids were jumping all around her & she thoroughly enjoyed that! Happy Birthday Jason & Becky!

This post is just for Daddy!

2008-06-29T10:12:00.003-04:00

After Ronnie won the championship game, Ron & I were talking about what a great bunch of parents we had on the team. They helped with practices & games! They weren't rude & seemed very supportive. Ron's only complaint - parents who talked to their kids during the game. It was too distracting. I can't imagine who he must be referring to. During the game, Ronnie hit a double. When he got to base, he was giving us the thumbs up sign. However, I didn't have my camera ready. My sister-in-law, Sarah, said, "I can get him to do it again so you can get a picture." So we instantly started calling his name & giving him the thumbs up sign. Sure enough, he responded back just for the camera. Now see Ron! If we hadn't yelled at him, I wouldn't have this adorable picture of our son on base!!! :) Well worth a little distraction...

Gracie Walking

2008-06-29T09:56:00.003-04:00

I got a new camera for my birthday. I am having a fun time playing, but bear with me while I try to figure out how to download this!!!

We are the Champions!

2008-06-27T14:02:00.003-04:00

I'm singing to the tune of Queen, "We are the Champions". Ronnie's team won the championship game last night. I have never been so proud. Poor kids. They are ages 4-6 & I have never seen such a competitive nature come out from all of the parents. I think we were just so surprised & thrilled that they were in the final game. We won 25-18 or something close to that. Ronnie did an awesome job. He fielded a couple of balls, hit several times & made a run. All of the kids hit the ball & did really well. It was a nice ending to a LONG & rainy season. Many of the parents asked if they could have Ron coach their kids next year. That as such a nice thing to hear. I love seeing Daddy & son doing fun things together. I know Ronnie will miss baseball. Next stop - football. Ronnie can't wait to shove kids down. If only he knew it was touch football... On to the pics.

It's a little blurry, but look closely. That's Ronnie catching the ball in his mitt!

It's so cool to see Daddy pitching to son!

Another far away shot. Ronnie is standing on 2nd base with his arms in the air. Daddy doesn't appreciate Mommy waving to him & talking to him while he's playing. Ronnie should be concentrating! :)

Look at our amazingly athletic team! Ronnie's on the end closest to Ron. :)

Isn't that so cool & precious! I'm a proud Mama!

She's walking! He's Sick!

2008-06-24T15:08:00.002-04:00

Ugh. Ronnie came down with a bad case of strep throat yesterday. He has been moaning ALL day. I feel sorry for him, but after an entire day of moaning, I'm starting to get short on patience. I think he's starting to feel a little better, but he had to miss his first day at summer camp & he'll have to miss his baseball game tonight. But, he's enjoyed laying around, watching TV & playing playstation.

On the other hand, Gracie has discovered that walking is FUN. She puts her arms out in front of her & walks like a zombie. It's hysterical. She is very unsteady, but keeps walking all around the house. Her poor little legs are getting bruised from the constant falls, but I would say that she is now officially walking. If she's in a hurry, she will crawl. If she falls, she will crawl over to something to pull back up. Otherwise, she's walking everywhere. I'm so excited for her!!! Thanks to everyone for the fun birthday presents. She is really enjoying playing with everything. She goes from toy to toy & can't decide what to play with. Right now she's playing with the vacuum cleaner that Aunt Becky thought she would hate. She LOVES it! Maybe she will grow up to enjoy vacuuming my house. One can only dream... No new pictures yet. I'll post again soon.

Better late than Never

2008-06-21T19:45:00.007-04:00

Gracie had her first birthday party last Saturday. Since that time, Ron has been out of town & I haven't had time to post. I wanted to post pictures of her party. She LOVED the cake! She has had so much fun with her presents. Thanks to everyone who came to her party! I couldn't decide which pictures to post. I had taken some from her actual birthday & from her party, so they are all mixed together.

Yesterday we were driving over to my sisters & she was extremely fussy. Ronnie's favorite song came on (can't tell you what it's called, but it's by Miley Cyrus). I turned up the volume to drown out the sounds of Gracie crying. The next thing I know, she's head banging to the song & dancing like crazy in her car seat! Ronnie & I could not stop laughing. She's really starting to show her love of music!

Ronnie had his first baseball tourney game today. He had the best game of the season. He hit 3 doubles & scored a run, but the best part was that he was playing really good defense. He stopped the ball several times & prevented several runs! He has another game on Monday. Should they win that game, they will be in the final game. Ronnie really enjoys playing. He was on third base & kept having conversations with the kids who were waiting on base. He's quite the social player. On to the pics...

Grandma made her a yummy Raggedy Ann Cake! Gracie loved it!

My Baby is 1 Today!

2008-06-12T14:14:00.009-04:00

A year ago, I was meeting my daughter, Gracie, for the first time. What a wonderful blessing & addition she has made to our family. I can't remember life without her. Ronnie loves his little sister so much! We ran into her room & sang Happy Birthday to her & she opened presents (with Ronnie's help) and enjoyed some yummy cake. I will have pictures of that to post soon. It's late & I wanted to post something today in honor of my baby girl.

Bringin' Back the Memories

2008-06-11T13:05:00.003-04:00

I was talking to my parents one day about wanting to get a bunk bed for Ronnie. That's when they told me that they still had the bunk bed that my dad built for me as a kid! I was so excited. Mom & I dragged it down from the attic, piece by piece (while Gracie screamed!). Then we dragged it into the van. I then dragged it upstairs into my house & then back downstairs to paint it. This bed has tired me out, literally, but it is so worth the effort. Ronnie slept in it last night for the first time & could not stop talking about how much he LOVED it. I told him Grandpa built it & he was so impressed. As for me, I'm just nostaligic about how he is sleeping in my childhood bed. A bed my dad made me for Christmas. What a neat thing to hand down to my son. I took pictures of the bed! Ronnie was disappointed that I didn't paint it blue & red for Spiderman. If only he had asked me BEFORE I painted it. I am not dragging it back outside to paint it again. :) Ronnie spent about 1/2 hour last night arranging his Webkinz on the bottom bunk. That is their bed & he sleeps in the "Spiderman" bed on top. He was excited that he could touch the ceiling.

Had to put this in. The neighbor girls dressed Gracie up to match them. Gracie turns 1 TOMORROW!

Watch Out World, Here She Comes!

2008-06-02T22:19:00.002-04:00

Watch out, I'm coming...

Gracie is starting to walk. Not far & not without support nearby, but last night she took five steps & walked back & forth between me and the neighbor repeatedly. She would get five steps in & then lunge toward us. She's now able to stand on her own. It's just a matter of time before she's going to take off! Watch out world!!!

Preschool Graduation and other stuff

2008-05-31T22:38:00.007-04:00

Ronnie, my oldest child, has just graduated from preschool & will be heading to Kindergarten in the fall. It has been emotional because I can't believe he's going to school next year. He'll be boarding the bus and will be so grown up. The graduation ceremony was very sweet. They sang songs & each received a diploma. Before the ceremony, Gracie crawled to the alter in the sanctuary and played on it, danced on it, etc (is that sacrilegious?)

Cousin LeeAnn spent the night with Ronnie last weekend and had so much fun. I made brownies & they enjoyed licking the bowl. What a mess, but oh so cute. LeeAnn was reading a book & Ronnie asked her to read it aloud. She did such a great job reading & it was fun to listen to her.

For Memorial Day, we headed down to Jenny & Chris's house. Cousin Neva is just a week younger than Gracie. It was so fun to watch them play together. They even enjoyed chewing on Uncle Chris's dirty shoes. Too cute. Enjoy the pics...

Proud Momma!

2008-05-28T10:50:00.002-04:00

Ronnie had a baseball game last night, in the cold rain. Why oh why does it ALWAYS rain on game days? I had Gracie all bundled up & sitting under my big golf umbrella, trying to keep us both dry. She screamed for 2 innings straight as she wanted to be down. Our team was being slaughtered by the other team 8-2, so I figured I would go ahead & go home. It's too hard to hold her for that long when she is trying to get down & it's raining.

Ronnie came home in the BEST mood I have ever witnessed from him. He was carrying the game ball. He told me that he got a single, double, & triple, scored 2 runs, had 3 RBI's & was player of the game. To top it off, they WON the game 10-8!!! I couldn't believe it. The one time I missed his game & all of this happened. He was so sweet & told me not to worry. He would have to hit it again so Momma could see. It was his turn to be picked for player of the game since the team rotates this honor (the kids are unaware). Ronnie was the last to be picked because until now, he hadn't really accomplished anything to be selected. Ron & I were worried that he wouldn't do much this game since it was a given that he would be picked due to the nature of rotation. Wow were we pleasantly surprised. I've never seen my 2 men so happy. Ronnie went to bed snuggling the game ball. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen!

Big smiles from my little girl

2008-05-21T15:31:00.004-04:00

Gracie was in such a good mood today (despite not taking more than a 1/2 hour nap!) I had to get some pictures of her big, toothy grin. I also have a few pics from Mother's Day since I'm a slacker & haven't posted in awhile. We had Mother's Day at my house & the kids had a great time playing.

On another note, I am down 18.2 pounds now. Slow, very slow, progress, but enough to keep me going. Gracie keeps me on the go, so that helps me stay active.

Ronnie has pre-school graduation tonight. I can't believe he will be in kindergarten next year. He's getting so big & growing up so fast. He is a great big brother to Gracie & a good boy overall. I'll be sure to post pics of his graduation. He's still enjoying baseball & will occasionally get a hit & make it to first base. He's never made it past 1st. There are still a few more games left!

Please note on the first picture that practically every toy we own went into the play area. Gracie loved it! Ronnie & the neighbor girl, Emily, loaded up the area with toys to entertain Gracie, but I think they had just as much fun playing. Thank you Grandma & Grandpa for loaning us this playpen. It's a great way to keep her safe.

Gracie was napping & missed the cousins picture!
Cheese!

Gracie - Another milestone!

2008-05-16T09:44:00.001-04:00

Gracie stood by herself for about 10 seconds yesterday! Then she walked one step & I screamed for joy! It scared her & she immediately fell to the ground. But hey, she stood & took her very first step! I'm so excited for her.

Found this picture - Love it!

2008-05-12T08:15:00.002-04:00

I was looking back at old pictures & don't know how I missed such a sweet picture. I just wanted to add it to my blog. Mother's Day was yesterday & we celebrated with a meal at my house. The kids always get along so well & had a great time. It's nice to get together with the entire family & all 6 cousins. I will post pictures of that after I have a chance to download them. Becky - don't forget to send me some pics! :)

Had to add this...

2008-05-10T08:50:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I know I should be stopping her, but I have to sit back & watch Gracie as she learns. Even when I know I won't like the end result! She learned how to move the baby gate & get around it to crawl up the stairs. And she knew I would be mad, so she booked up as many stairs as she could before I stopped her. Yikes. I'm really in for it with her!

Little Gracie - Another milestone

2008-05-09T22:24:00.004-04:00

She said Mommy! It's really "me me", but hey, it's close. She's been saying it all day, but she only says it when she's whiny. When she's really happy, she says dadadadadada! Annoying!

I have to share an oops story about a recent event that involved the near death of my wonderful daughter. Ronnie went on a bike ride & I was pushing Gracie in the stroller to the park. When we got back home, I couldn't get the stroller into the garage because my dear husband had once again claimed all of the space in our horribly cluttered garage. I stopped the stroller at the top of the driveway & proceeded to try & make a space for the stroller to fit into. I had to move the lawn mower, ladders, & a bunch of junk. All of a sudden, Ronnie asked where Gracie went. I looked all over for her & she was no where to be found. Then I looked across the street & there she was - sitting in her stroller in the grassy area. The stroller had rolled down the driveway & across the street & partially into the grass. There were 2 older people on mopeds who had stopped to make sure she was okay. I'm just glad they didn't call CPS! Poor Gracie was just so cute with no expression either way. She just went for a ride & didn't have a care in the world.

As if that wasn't enough, I was meeting my friend for pizza & drove our borrowed mini-van to the pizza place. We arrived a little early & Gracie was hungry. So I hopped in the back seat to feed her, but I forgot to put the van in park. I jumped back to the front seat & put my foot on the pedal to stop the van & accidentally hit the gas pedal! Somehow, luckily, I didn't drive through the window of the pizza place, nor did I hurt the van in anyway. I just had a very pathetic day!

Today, Ronnie had a baseball game & they went ahead & had the kids play even though it was raining. I am a rookie to these outdoor sports. All of the other mothers had golf umbrellas & here I come with baby in tow & no jacket, umbrella or anything. One of the mothers kindly shared her umbrella, but try holding a very active child in a very cold environment & enjoy the screams! She did not want to sit still & screamed for the 2 innings that they played until someone wised up & cancelled the game. I just sat there thinking that this will be my life as a mother for the next 15 years! I need to purchase a golf umbrella! Not any new pictures, so I'm throwing in some random pictures that I don't think I've posted before...

Where do I start?

2008-05-02T22:10:00.007-04:00

I am a slacker. I haven't posted pictures in awhile. Spring is such a wonderful time of year. It's been fun getting the kids outside to play. We even had a day that was warm enough for the sprinklers! (According to Ronnie who doesn't mind being cold.) Gracie is becoming quite the climber. She loves to play outside, though she's still a little unsure of crawling in the grass. I took tons of outdoor pics including sprinkler pics. Too cute. Ron wasn't fond of her bathing suit. I guess it was too revealing for a 10 month old! Whatever. Unfortunately, I think poor Gracie has her Mommy's thighs. I haven't been posting about this, but I have been on my "farewell to fat" diet for 6 weeks now & have lost 14 pounds. I'm quite proud of myself, but I still have a gazillion to go! Wahoo! Just watch the fat melt away. :)

Ronnie has played in 3 baseball games now & has another one Saturday afternoon. It's so much fun to watch! He is doing okay & is so proud of himself. He likes to play in the dirt & sometimes he doesn't quite pay attention to what's going on. On to the pics...

Pull me through Big Brother!
I made it to the top!

Uncle Charles

2008-04-22T12:18:00.005-04:00

I just found out that my Great-Uncle Charles passed away in his sleep. I was saddened by the news. He was such a fun, entertaining person & I truly loved being around him. (Even if he could say mean things & frustrate me at times.) He always had a way to liven the room & make everyone laugh! I just wanted to post a few pictures I took of him the last time I visited. He gave my Mom away at her wedding & he called Nannie everyday to make sure she was okay. He will be greatly missed!

Gracie may not miss him as much as the rest of us! :)

WAHOO!

2008-04-21T20:13:00.003-04:00

WAHOO! I did it. I went 2 laps on my bike around the neighborhood!!! I feel exhilarated, tired, & my butt still hurts, but hey, I did it!!!!!

Spoiled?

2008-04-20T10:31:00.005-04:00

My Mom & Dad gave me some cute pictures of the kiddos. Not at all spoiled by their grandparents??? Mom said that Gracie won't let Grandpa hold her, but she will grin from ear to ear when he talks to her. She prefers Grandma to hold her though & Grandpa suggested that maybe Grandma spoils her. No way! I can't imagine Mom spoiling the grandbabies. I just had to share the pictures. By the way, Ronnie played his first softball game yesterday & he was amazingly good. We actually think we finally found a sport that he will thrive at! Once I download the pictures, I will share.

Thanks to Mom & Dad for the pictures on this blog...

A Much Needed Break

2008-04-11T11:25:00.006-04:00

My friend Beth watched Gracie for me so I could have time to myself. Guess what I did??? Cleaned up my house. We have ants everywhere & I have discovered that Gracie drops her little cookies all over the house & the ants must really enjoy those! So, once I started deep cleaning, it led to pulling out the stove & refrigerator & cleaning behind there, cleaning out the fireplace, & deep cleaning whatever I could find. What a fun way to spend the time I had to myself.
Tonight is the baby sale! It's my favorite day of the year. Can't wait to get lots of stuff for the kiddos. The pictures below are from my friend Beth. She got some adorable shots of Gracie...

By the way, poor little Ronnie has been so sick this past week. His allergies are just terrible. He is now on 3 medicines & has been prancing around the house all day today. I think the meds are not only working, but giving him extra energy!!! I wanted to take a picture of him because his face was so swollen, but Ron took the camera away & Ronnie didn't want to have his picture taken. He finally saw his face in the mirror & panic set in. That's when he realized just how sick he was. Fortunately, the medicine worked fast! I just thought it would make for an interesting blog if I could post that. So, I have no new pictures of Ronnie because of the sad little swollen face...

How out of shape am I???

2008-04-08T09:36:00.005-04:00

So I decided to start my farewell to fat life change. Ronnie has been begging me to get out the bike trailer & pull him & Gracie around the neighborhood. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, for someone who has avoided any physical activity for the past year or 2, I had pretty high expectations for myself. Ron pumped up the tires, we buckled in the kiddos, & I set out for a long, leisurely stroll around the neighborhood. Five minutes later, after almost pushing the bike back, I pulled into the driveway, feeling like I was dying. I actually don't know if I was even gone 5 minutes, but it felt like an eternity! I calculated that with Gracie & Ronnie's weight & the weight of the trailer, I was pulling 100 pounds. I guess that's my excuse.

Day 2 of my life change, I decided to raise the seat on the bike because I thought that would help. Ron wasn't home & I spent an hour trying to figure out how to use his tools to raise the seat. I got the bolt loosened half way & then decided to wait for Ron to help me. The seat felt tight & the bolt was rusted on. So, we set out for another trek around the neighborhood. I must add that my hind end was quite sore from the previous bike ride. This time, not only did I feel like I was dying, but the seat started swiveling while I was riding. Quite an experience!

So, today we shall see what happens. I want to keep this up so that eventually I will be able to be gone for 10 minutes instead of 5. Time will tell! And to add, you should see a 5 year old & a 9 month old squeezed into a tiny little bike trailer. They say it's built for 2, but that's a stretch!

On another note, Jason spent the night with Ronnie a week ago & they had such fun! I had to put in a picture of Jason who was all smiles!!!

Ronnie takes such good care of his sissy!

Screaming! Oh the joys of the shrill sound...

2008-04-06T20:35:00.005-04:00

Gracie has picked up a new talent. She screams to the top of her lungs - happy or sad - it all sounds the same. I can tell you that I am not a fan of this noise, but she likes to explore new sounds. We went to the library & I put her in a stroller. She let me & the entire library know that she wanted out of that stroller. So, in order to keep her quiet, I put her on the floor. She very quickly pulled off all of the books on the bottom shelf before I could catch her. Never again will I take her to the library!!! She has also mastered climbing stairs, though we try to discourage this. I had to get pictures because I'm very impressed with this skill. She will be 10 months old next Saturday.

Ronnie has signed up for baseball. He tends to hate things before he tries them & often decides he doesn't like something without ever giving it a try. He told Daddy that he hated baseball & didn't want to play. We told him that he already committed to it & we paid for the season. He had to play this year & then we wouldn't make him play next year. He thought it wouldn't be fun because he likes to wrestle & football seemed more interesting. He had his first practice last Thursday & he LOVED it! We are figuring him out & learning that we need to have him try things before he decides he doesn't like it.

On the pictures, I took some of Gracie screaming. I wanted to capture the essence of this most annoying noise. However, I think it looks cute & she appears as though she is smiling. It didn't work. If only I had a digital camcorder to record the noise for all to enjoy... Also, note the scratch on her nose. Mommy's thumbnail met her nose. Let's just say that she was very unhappy with me!

By the way, my Dad wrote an article about Gracie. Click on the link if you are interested in reading it. It's quite comical!

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/archivesearch/local_story_096163116.html

Here is a picture of Gracie SCREAMING!

Another one of Gracie screaming & Ronnie laughing at her!
They LOVE to wrestle...
Isn't that too sweet! He's ready to play ball.

Daddy, aren't you going to stop me?

Look at that scratch! Ouch Mommy!

Easter & time with the kids

2008-03-31T11:26:00.004-04:00

We had a nice Easter with our family this year. We had an Easter Egg hunt at Aunt Sarah's & Ronnie really loved it. I figured that Gracie would really love it since she's so adventurous, but she didn't like the feel of the grass, so she didn't appreciate the egg hunt. Ronnie & Gracie received Easter "bowls" this year instead of baskets as Ronnie put it. I couldn't get everything into a basket. I didn't think he would notice or care, but I have learned my lesson & will never get a bowl again! Gracie is standing now & trying to walk around furniture. She is very mobile & I am very tired! Spring is right around the corner & we have had some nice weather on a few occasions. They love to swing & be outdoors, but Gracie HATES the feel of grass. When we go outside, I have to hold her, so we don't go out too often. I have taken her for rides in her little car & she seems to enjoy that as long as the car is in motion. Ronnie wants me to get my bike out with the trailer & pull them around the neighborhood. Maybe when the weather is a little nicer. Sounds like a good way to start getting in shape again.

Gracie loves to bang on the patio doors. Ronnie thought it would be fun to bang on them with her. It was loud, but I did find it cute to see them both standing there together, so I had to get some pictures. Also, if you can't beat them, join 'em! Every year for Ronnie's birthday, we have a pumpkin hunt. Gracie has become obsessed with dragging them out if we forget to close the pantry door. It's getting a little tiring to pick them up constantly. Trust me when I say that she drags them everywhere. So I decided to drag them out to the living room & let her play with them. Ronnie enjoyed them as much as her. I have pictures to prove it!

Going for the egg?

Nope. I want my Mommy!

She's not that tall! Ronnie is on his knees...

My friend Annie!!!

2008-03-13T21:03:00.004-04:00

My bestest Minnesota friend, Ann, came to visit me over President's day. It was the most wonderful surprise when I found out she was able to come. It's the first time she's been here & we were all so excited. I haven't seen her in about a 1 1/2 years or longer! Too bad the flu hit on the day she arrived. We all got sick & were very gracious to share it with them! Emily has grown up so much & is so bright & funny. Gracie fell in love with her. Ann's boyfriend, Ron, is the most wonderful man & I am so glad she has finally found a guy who is decent & will treat her like a queen. I miss them already! Maybe we can go back to New Ulm to visit this summer. Ronnie keeps talking about his "best friend" Emily. Very cute!

The 3 Musketeers

Ann & clan!
Emily & Gracie
Ann got to meet Gracie!

Every time the camera came out they got crazy!

Ronnie & Emily
Ahhh! Such good friends!
Ann & Ron - Love his name Ann!
Bestest friends

My little Gracie

2008-03-12T21:36:00.006-04:00

She absolutely amazes me with her curiosity. She learned to pull herself to stand & within a day of mastering that skill, she started climbing, stairs, the hearth of the fireplace, anything & everything that she can... She learned how to open cabinet doors & pull out all of the tupperware dishes. She learned about toilet paper & oh yeah, she's even taking up golf! She's very inquisitive! We definitely have our hands full. I came home today from taking Ronnie to school & she had gone into Ron's office & found Ron's paper supply & emptied an entire pack of unused printer paper, & then she proceeded to drag it all over the room. When I came in to the room (Ron was "watching" her), she was chewing on a cord from the fish tank. She has dumped our trash can numerous times & then played in it. She requires a constant eye. If it's too quiet, there's something wrong!

On another note, Ronnie made 2 baskets last Saturday at his last basketball game! We are all so proud of him. He really enjoyed it, but now he's moved on to baseball. Daddy will again be his coach! Can't wait...

Isn't this the cutest? LeeAnn & Gracie

Update on Dad

2008-03-09T21:54:00.002-04:00

My Dad came home from the hospital on Thursday in much better shape! He's still experiencing soreness in his leg/groin area from all of the procedures he has had to endure. I am a little worried since he told me today he is experiencing swelling in that area. It just seems like his recuperation keeps getting complicated. I'm praying for a positive outcome. Before he left the hospital, he had another setback with a hematoma (I think that was what it was called...). I guess it will just be a lifelong thing to get his blood levels checked & his Coumadin forever adjusted. For those interested in reading his perspective on what happened, he wrote a column for the paper. I might add that he wrote this while in the hospital because a deadline is a deadline! Plus I believe he may have been bored out of his mind! To be honest, I'm sure he was thrilled when he learned he had internet in his room!

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/archivesearch/local_story_068205254.html

Love ya Dad & I know we don't say it often enough, but I'm so glad you are my Dad & that you are okay. I know my little boy tries to teach me that heaven is something to look forward to, but it's hard for those left behind to comprehend losing you! It's funny how a 5 year old's perspective can be clearer than an adult's!

Dad

2008-03-01T12:24:00.003-05:00

I have been a little preoccupied lately. My Dad has been having trouble breathing. To make a long story short, he ended up at St. John's Hospital in Anderson & they sent him via ambulance to St. Vincent Carmel Heart Center in Carmel. It took them 2 days to figure out what was wrong & it turns out he had a pulmonary embolism (basically a blood clot that started in his leg & went up to the passageway to his lungs.) It was blocking the airway to his lungs & causing him to have severe breathing problems. They said the clot was so large that it had been there for awhile. Once they found it, they rushed him to surgery to put in a filter. That will stop any blood clots from entering his lungs & they are giving him shots to thin his clots & prevent future blood clots. It was quite scary seeing Dad unable to breathe or get up to even walk to the bathroom. I was so scared he wasn't going to make it through this. I am so thankful to God that they found the blood clot when they did because it was so close to cutting off all of the passageway to his lungs. He is feeling much better & is getting his sense of humor back now! It's good to see him smiling (and breathing!) again!!!

The lung doctor asked Dad if anyone in the family had problems with blood clots. My Dad's uncle died from a pulmonary embolism. I told him that I was on blood thinners for a short time & he asked me if I had ever had any miscarriages. It was so unreal that he knew that. I guess whatever is wrong with Dad could be the cause of why I miscarried twice. The doctor told me that if Dad tests positive for a protein deficiency, then we all need to be tested & if we are positive, our kids should be tested. I don't really know what this means, but his advice could save us from future problems. I am even more grateful for being able to have Gracie than ever before! Thank goodness the doctors had the suggestion for me to take blood thinners. So, I haven't blogged in awhile & will try to get to add more pictures soon. I have a ton from when my friend Ann came to visit. My mind has been on my Dad & I haven't thought of much else. Thanks to all of those who prayed for Dad & came to the hospital to visit. I know the emails from his friends greatly cheered him up!

West Virginia

2008-02-18T20:29:00.008-05:00

I have been so busy lately. I went to West Virginia for my Nannie's 90th birthday party. Then I came back & the next day, I threw a baby shower for my friend. Two days later, my bestest Minnesota friend came to visit me, so I haven't had any downtime to sit & blog. I certainly have plenty of pictures to post & will try to do so this week. To top everything off, I have been fighting the flu & it keeps coming back. Ugh! It's hard to be sick when you have company in town & when you have to care for 2 little ones. Poor Ronnie got sick too. It's been a long weekend!

My Nannie's 90th birthday party was a success! My Mom & Aunt Pat really worked hard to get the food prepared & to decorate. Rachel & I helped were we could & baby Gracie whined the entire weekend. What a surprise! Someday she will get past this stage, but I keep praying that happens sooner rather than later.

It was nice to see my Nannie. Her sister, "Aunt Nancy", was there. They were a total hoot to watch. Neither one of them can hear. They would talk to each other & every other word was "What?" Plus, they fought over attention & Aunt Nancy ended up in the ER due to being sick. Amazingly, she was fine just in time for Nannie's party. She also brushed her teeth with Ben Gay by mistake & thought she was going to die. I imagine that was pretty painful! Aunt Nancy is 88 years old. They were like big kids fighting all weekend. What an exhausting weekend!

Yvonne, Kayla, Kim, Nannie, & Aunt Pat

Aunt Pat, Cousin Ray, & Mom
Nannie & the great grand kids
Four generations!
Uncle Rob pretends to sleep!
Cousin Kim & Gracie
Love ya Uncle Charles!
Rob being crazy as usual!
Rachel's brood in 4 generations
Aunt Nancy & her son Ray & daughter-in-law Maggie & her "baby" Cookie

Ain't that sweet!

These 2 wrestled all weekend long!
Sisters!
Gracie just loves her Uncle Charles
Nannie & her kids

Precious memories

Gracie's first taste of ice cream
Yummy!

Just Hanging Out!

2008-02-07T20:51:00.000-05:00

Not much new here except work, work & more work. I am still absolutely loving my job, but I have had some frustrating days where the state sends back requests on all of my work. That makes me feel like I didn't do the job correctly the first time & it causes delays to our clients. I'm leaving for West Virginia tomorrow for my Nannie's 90th birthday. I definitely need the break so I can relax. Gracie is cutting teeth again & has been super fussy. I hope & pray that tomorrow isn't torture for us all when we drive 8 hours in a vehicle with fussy girl! I'll share pictures of my trip when I get back.

Babies & Pens? Not a Good Combination...

2008-02-01T21:32:00.000-05:00

Well, I guess I should have been paying attention. Gracie will get into anything & everything. I was updating my "Gracie Calendar" to document that she started crawling on her knees (something she will not do when I want to show everyone.) I put down the calendar & pen & Ronnie & I played on his playstation. All of a sudden I heard Gracie screaming. I looked over & she had pen marks all over her face. If you can't see it well, click on the picture to maximize it. Instead of cleaning her face, I went for the camera. How's that for Mom of the Year!

On another note, Becky let me know that she is working with Jason to get him to tie his shoes. Not to be outdone by my sister, I started working on it with Ronnie. He immediately threw up his hands & said he quit. So, I bribed him! "Please Ronnie. Mommy will buy you a gorilla Webkinz if you can do it!" I think I'm a tad overly competitive. At least he's trying now. By the time he gets it, he will probably be over the Webkinz phase! When he quit today, I had to remind him of the bribe. How's Jason doing Becky?

This is a look of pure evil!

Gracie looks like she's trying too!

A little bit of this & that

2008-01-29T20:49:00.000-05:00

Up to something...

I have been so busy lately. My job is "part time" but I have been working full time hours. It's challenging, but I really love it. I haven't been able to say that about a job since I lived in Minnesota. Gracie gives me some challenges with trying to get work done & keeping an eye on her. She likes to be underfoot & into everything. Ronnie loves to play with her & be the best big brother. I have pictures from his last basketball game. I just love to watch him play. We were playing catch the other day & he told me that I wasn't doing it right. He showed me how because he's the expert now that he can play basketball. He's very self assured! He told me that his favorite thing in the world right now is basketball. This past week, Ronnie's cousin Kacie, Aunt Robin, & Auntie came to watch him play.

We have been watching my friend's daughter one afternoon a week so my friend can have some time with her new baby girl. Ronnie really loves playing with Layla. She's about 18 months & Ronnie told me he wishes Gracie could do things like Layla. I keep reminding him that she will eventually. He takes great care of Layla - almost too good of care. She doesn't really care for all of the hugs & kisses. There's really not much new here except work, work & more work. Gracie is saying Da da some, but not consistently. She mostly screams with joy or anger. They are very close in sound!

I started my diet AGAIN. I have lost 6 pounds & am motivated to continue. I hope I stay motivated. Time will tell. On to the pics...

Gracie & Cousin Kacie!

Cutie Pie Layla

Uh Oh!

The ball is bigger than Gracie!

Gracie's first haircut

2008-01-23T21:52:00.000-05:00

The mullet is gone! Now she slightly resembles a boy! My cute little Gracie endured her first haircut! She didn't cry, but she was very into everything she could get her mouth on. She sat in a firetruck chair & tried to eat the steering wheel. She kept turning around to look at the hairstylist too! It was fun to watch. They put Big Bird on the TV & she actually really enjoyed that! I need to try that at home!

Before (It's the mullet!)

I Really just want to eat this steering wheel!

No more mullet!

I LOVE it Mommy!

Gracie's clapping!!!

2008-01-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/v/P_BsfEDVrDU

Thanks to my friend Beth for recording this. We captured Gracie clapping on film! Oh the small milestones that make a momma happy! Click on the link above & then click on the triangle to play the video.

Proud Mama!

2008-01-22T13:11:00.001-05:00

Ronnie had his first basketball game. It was entertaining to say the least. He's a very polite player & will step back if someone else wants the ball. He enjoys skipping down the court at his own pace & really had a fun time. It was absolutely adorable to watch all of the kids having a great time. There were a few kids who really knew how to play, but the majority were at the same level as Ronnie. He had a little cheering section with Mommy, Auntie, Zack & Gracie cheering him on! The pictures didn't turn out very clear because of the lighting, but I still think he looks adorable! Go Ronnie...

Ronnie is right under the goal waiting for a rebound. We were waiting for him to get hit!

Basketball

2008-01-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I keep forgetting to take my camera to Ronnie's practices, but he has started basketball & it is adorable. He gets so excited when he makes a basket. He is in a Christian program called Upward Basketball. They don't keep score & it is a way to bring in children to the church through sports. Ronnie keeps score anyway. I see a competitive side to him! Although when they played a scrimmage with another team, he was happy to trot down the court & watch the action. It is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I will try to get pictures at his first game & definitely will get video footage! In the meantime, I'm posting pictures of Ronnie & Gracie, because that is what I do!!!!! :)

We had to take out the batteries so she could have the remote!I'm obsessed with remotes!

What is the deal with my obsession with feet???
Acting silly!
Acting cool!

YIKES!!!

2008-01-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

Gracie has perfected the army crawl & is seriously keeping me on my toes. My dad warned me I would have my hands full & he was 100% correct! The other day I asked Ronnie to keep an eye on her while I checked my email. He left his chocolate milk cup on the floor (quite a ways away from her) and he went to "booby trap" the stairs. He puts up a lot of toys in front of the stairs so she won't roll down them, something we almost learned the hard way a few days ago. Gracie crawled over to his milk & proceeded to knock the cup over & roll all around in the milk! She had to make sure it would get nice & deep into the carpet.

Gracie is also fascinated with Ronnie's computer. When he's playing computer games, she likes to come over & try to turn off the computer. She likes anything & everything that is not a toy. Ronnie is becoming slightly frustrated with her because she will crawl over to his toys & try to play. However, his toys are too small for her, so he keeps having to move his toys. He asked me today if I would play with her away from him because he was "tired of moving my toys!"

Right now Gracie is chasing a ball all over my office. Everytime she gets close enough, she reaches for it & knocks it further away. It's entertaining to watch. I watched her eye a pen from across the room. She immediately took off for it when mean ol' Mommy took it away. And to think, she's not even using her knees to crawl yet. Once she figures that out, she will probably be much faster than me! YIKES!

Gracie's got a Gun!

2008-01-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Aunt Becky for this picture. "Gracie's gotta gun (sing to the tune of Aerosmith's Janie's got a gun...)" Thanks Aunt Becky and Jason for letting me play with this age appropriate toy! :) Gracie's taking NO prisoners...

A little bored

2008-01-10T12:32:00.001-05:00

So, I went to my in-laws the other night and was a little bored while they played cards and I played with Gracie's hair & tried new styles. I need a life! It's so much fun having a little girl to torture with weird & sometimes adorable hairstyles. I can tell you that she doesn't like having her hair fixed. I just wanted to share the torture pictures! Enjoy!

My attempt at a french braid!Cute pig tails. Kimmie, give me my keys!
Like the hat???

A family member gave this to Ronnie. Isn't it creepy?
I'm adorable!

I love my Auntie
A back ponytail with the pigtails removed! Very sheek!
You have to see it from the front!

New Years with friends & family

2008-01-09T16:47:00.001-05:00

We had such a wonderful New Years, but poor little Ronnie had strep throat & had to miss the fun festivities. We had our small group over to play games. Ronnie was very good & stayed in my bedroom with a ton of toys & DVD's. He didn't feel well, so he didn't seem to mind missing out on playing with the other kids. I had a great time playing games & just hanging out. I think I ate way too much, but isn't that the point? I made the resolution to lose weight. Unfortunately, that seems to be my yearly resolution & I'm not doing so well right now. I best get it together!

My job is still going well & I love being at home with the kids. It's a true blessing.
In other news, Gracie is now doing the army crawl for a little bit each day. If a toy is slightly out of her reach, she will scoot herself forward with her arms to get the toy. If the toy is too far away, she gives up & cries. She will be 7 months on January 12th. I can't believe how big she is! Ronnie really enjoys her & to be secretly honest, she prefers Ronnie over anyone else.

Hey Beth! Are you hungry???

Amazing amounts of food!!!

Poor Jodi got injured on our stairs. Walk much Jodi? :)
Our mascot, Scott
Jennifer had the baby! Congrats! Sorry you missed that tax break!

Just a little fun!

2008-01-07T21:22:00.000-05:00

Ronnie was taunting Gracie with crackers. I loved these pictures. I have a ton more & will post tomorrow, but I'm tired now & want to get to bed. Gracie has been wearing us out with these teeth coming in. She's finally asleep!

Gimme some crackers!

I WANT some crackers!
I'm really not kidding!
I'm just gonna have to take it!
I can almost taste it!
You didn't share! Now I'm really sad. (And you got some on my nose) I'm going to get you big brother!

I guess this is an alternative to the crackers!

Hey, not bad!

My little one has teeth!

2008-01-07T12:37:00.000-05:00

Gracie has 2 teeth coming in now! Maybe that's why she's been soooooooo fussy & I've been sooooo irritable. She has been the happiest thing today! I can't see the little teeth yet, but they are very sharp & clearly are through the gums. It's funny what little things amaze me. When she cries, she has been saying what sounds like "ma" as if she's trying to say Mommy. I have been swearing that she says this & have been told I'm crazy. Ron told me today that he heard her try to say Mommy. Ha! I win! I have a ton of pictures to post, but I haven't taken the time to download, so here's a flash from the past. Can you believe how little she was???

Look! She's trying to say "ma"!

Christmas at Grandma & Grandpa's!

2007-12-26T20:50:00.001-05:00

Ronnie performed in his church Christmas play & is doing motions for "O Christmas Tree" in the pictures below. He has a huge fear of getting on stage, so we were very proud of him! He did a great job. I also have Christmas pictures of my family's Christmas celebration and a Santa picture. We had such a wonderful Christmas. This is the first year that we really got into the whole Santa thing. Ronnie got just what he wanted from Santa - a Spiderman tower! We made cookies & left them for Santa. It was just so much fun to watch him help Gracie unwrap her presents. He picked out 2 dolls for her & was very excited when she started chewing on them. On to the pictures...

Grandpa read the Christmas Story.
I love you Uncle Rob.
Uncle Rob, cousin Cameron & Gracie

"I want to sit where I want to sit Mommy!"

Cool! I'm buried in the presents!

Give me that Daddy.

Bathtime fun!

2007-12-20T20:49:00.000-05:00

Now that Gracie can sit up on her own, I put her in the big tub. She was just splashing & Ronnie had a ball laughing at her. I had to capture the moment. I tried to make sure their certain parts weren't showing so no one would call CPS on me!

I stole this picture from Beth's blog!

2007-12-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

I just had to post this! This is a picture of a happy Gracie with a full belly & formula all over her face. She went to the doctor yesterday for her 6 month checkup & her height is off the chart. She is a big girl who enjoys to eat!!! :)

Photo copyrights go to my crazy friend Beth Hofmann!!!!

This & that & picture Overload!

2007-12-19T18:37:00.000-05:00

So many things happening for Gracie's first Christmas! We had our Roberts family Christmas in Brown County. We stayed in a cabin in the park & had a wonderful weekend together. It snowed several inches & was absolutely gorgeous. We went shopping in little Nashville. Gracie opened her own presents. She ripped into the paper like a pro. Of course, it went right to her mouth. Ronnie was the helper & passed out all of the gifts. He is old enough to really enjoy the spirit of Christmas. We had a birthday cake for Jesus & sang happy birthday to him. Also, Ronnie had his preschool Christmas play and it was so entertaining. Ronnie was a wise man. There were very few boys, so he was destined for a great part! He told me later that he hated his purple costume, but he didn't complain. Enjoy the pictures.

My cute Christmas dress!

Yummy carrots! Need I say more?

Oh, wait! Yummy green beans too!

Big brother helps Gracie with swinging!

And sliding...Do ya like Mommy's headband in my hair?
Baby Neva & Gracie. They are only 1 week apart in age! My kid is a giant!
Happy Birthday Jesus!

Daddy, save me from the snow.

Ronnie is a Wiseman! (In the purple)

Happy 6th Months Gracie!

2007-12-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe my little girl is 6 months old today! Time has gone by so fast. She's rolling everywhere & is sitting up now (with some pillows for support). She is even trying to crawl & has managed to do the army crawl several times. Ronnie took his time to do these things, but she's in a hurry to get around. I think I'll have my hands full. She manages to find any hazard in the house -- cords, crumbs on the floor, outlets, etc. She's a very curious child. So much has changed since she was born. I have a great new job working from home. Ronnie goes to preschool now instead of full time daycare. I love spending more time with my kids. Gracie is my alarm clock now. No more getting up at 5am & dealing with rush hour traffic. I am truly blessed and just wanted to thank God for all of my new blessings! Here's some 6th month pics of Gracie...

I love Aunt Rachel

On another note, today is the day my Grandma died when I was 10 years old. I always remember this day because it happened the day before Mom's birthday. I have been thinking a lot about her lately because my dad is writing an autobiography & I have been lucky enough to read some of the chapters. It has been really neat to read about Grandma from my dad's perspective. Love ya Grandma!

Yea Snow & Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-12-10T20:53:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Mom's birthday & the first snowfall this week! I have pictures to prove it... Mom is one year away from that wonderful Medicare! It is always fun to get the family together. The kids were playing Hide N Seek & it was hilarious to watch them hide in the same spots over & over again, only to be surprised that they were found at all! On to the pictures...

Happy Birthday Mom!

Do ya like Gracie's ponytail?

Yum! These brownies ROCK!

Yummy snow!