Eli is born!

Our 3rd son is here! Samuel Elliott. We'll call him Eli. He was our smallest at 6 pounds, 14 oz. even at 39 weeks. He also had the most hair at birth, and cried the loudest. He is a great baby & only cries when hungry. He sleeps through the night just like both his big brothers. Eli was my first C-section so the whole birth experience was very different for us. Spenser loves him, Lane could care less, but he is starting to want to hold him now. I've always wanted 3 boys & I'm so thrilled & grateful to God for giving them to me (& Jon too)!

New puppy

Meet Frankenpup  Lucy. Jon insisted on getting her even though I am 3 weeks away from having a baby.  I thought she was the ugliest dog I'd ever seen! My coworker said she looks like a burn victim!  She has since grown on me & maybe even more when she gets house trained. Spenser named her Lucy. I call her Lucy Lu & Jon calls her Lulu.

He's an ar- tist!

Lane had somehow gotten a hold of a green sharpie & colored the wall as well as himself. Since then, there have been many other wall drawings by our little artist.  The walls need repainted & we need new carpet in the house as well (due to kids & dogs) but I refuse to do it until all the kids are at least 10 as there is just no point to do it any sooner as we'll only have to redo it.

1st lost tooth!

Today, Spenser's first loose tooth came out. He wiggled it out himself. He didn't scream or cry either, he had been waiting for 10 days for it to fall out. When I was a kid, we got a quarter per tooth. I know nowadays kids are getting either $5 or $20 a tooth!  We're too poor (frugal) for that so our kids get small toys or goodies (stickers, smal lego's, playdoh, etc) from the Tooth Fairy.

It's a sceam

I found this seashell at the beach this month at Wrightsville. It looks just like the Scream movie mask doesn't it!

Trip to zoo

Today we went to the NC zoo. We went with Gabby of course, and my brother Jordy. Since I was pregnant & it was hot, my 2 favorite things were a geyser that sprayed water (although it smelled like a sewer), and a spray tent. You'll see the greatest photo ever below, when Spenser made friends with a gorilla.

Spenser's 6th birthday

Spenser's birthday party was today which is also his actual birthday June 28! This year's theme was dinosaurs!  He's been really into them this year since learning about them in school. For the "signature" favors I had a dinosaur sticker, a plastic dino, a dino crayon & a dino egg with a baby dino inside.  We also had a pinata this year (first one for us) that was a dino & the kids got candy from it to fill their dino goody bags!  Spenser got everything he asked for so it was a wonderful party. Happy 6th birthday my most precious first born. We love you so much!

Sparkler candle on top of volcano so it's like lava.

 

Dino nuggets

 

 

 

Spenser's last tee ball game

Today was Spenser's last tee ball game. He has come a long way & we're so proud of him. After the game, they got their trophies. We also gave the coaches thank you gifts. When we got home though, Spenser was carrying his things into the house, trophy included & he dropped the trophy on the kitchen floor breaking it in half!  Of course!  I can get him another one but out of my pocket. Jon thinks it can be glued but will have to be put on a high shelf afterwards so it won't come undone.  Anyhow, a great season for Spenser's very first sport!

Dexter dies

Dexter is my beagle, my very first pet (if you don't count the goldfish Marcie & I shared when I was 5ish) and my furry baby.  I got him in July 1999 when he was about 5 weeks old. That dog. The stories I have on the things he's done or that have happened to him are so funny and something that never happens to other dogs apparently!  In fact, when I went to see the Marley & Me movie, I kept thinking "this is nothing compared to Dexter"!  Anyone that's ever met him or spent time with him seem to have their own stories too & no one has ever forgotten him! I'm glad he's memorable!  This dog has outlived everyone it seems. He just wouldn't ever die every time we took him to the vet I would think, this is it, but he always came home. Today he didn't. He turned 15 on May 30 and for about a month he has had a cough. This past Sunday I said to Jon, I don't think Dexy's doing to well & Jon agreed. We took him to vet today &the  main reason was his cough was CONSTANT, the only time he wasn't coughing was when he was sleeping. It's only getting hotter out & he needed some relief. His regular doctor was on vacation & I didn't want Dex to suffer needlessly for another week until she got back so I had vet on staff see him. We knew it wasn't canine cough, that he had tumors all over him. Vet tried to listen to his lungs, but she couldn't hear them because he was coughing so much.  She said it was either a tumor pressing on his throat or fluid, etc. Vet said they could give him medicine, but it wouldn't take effect for another week. Or we could put him down as this wouldn't get better. I couldn't put Dexy through this another week or longer. So through my tears, I said yes, let's put him down. Lordy did I cry!  My very first baby. For some reason with Jon's dog Sebastian I just remember 1 shot that turned his brain off & then the heart stopped later, but with Dex, they gave him a shot that made him sleepy. It took about 15 min for him to completely fall asleep & even through his sleeping, he was coughing. Then when Dex was in la la land, they gave him a 2nd shot that stopped his heart. His little tongue stuck out & that bothered me as I knew it was over, as his tongue NEVER stuck out, even when he was sleeping. They brought us a black garbage bag just like with Sebastian, except that Dexter is bigger & didn't totally fit in it. I drove home while Jon held him for me. Jon dug a hole in the backyard same as Sebastian. When Jon picked up the bag with Dex in it, because he didn't fit in it all the way, Dexy's head flung out backwards making me moan. Jon buried my furry baby & that was it. I hope I gave him a good doggy life.  I'm so glad he's in Heaven with Jesus & everyone now. He'll be on my welcoming committee when I get there & I love that thought!  Mommy loves you so much Dex!

Ear tubes for Lane

Today, sweet baby Lane had ear tubes placed in both ears. Spenser never had ear infections so this is the first time any of our kids had surgery or was put under anesthesia. Since the 2nd week of April, Lane has had boogies & gunk including in the eye so I assumed he had allergies & then he started to pull at his ears so I took him into the doctor. They gave him liquid antibiotics & after 2 days he seemed to be worse. His temp was going up too. He was one sick puppy. So I called the nurse line to see what she thought & she said to bring him in. We went in & decided to do antibiotic injections of a stronger medicine. It was 3 days in a row that he had to get the shots. But they worked, temp was down & he was better. Then about 1-2 weeks later, I could tell his was sick again, so I took him in (again) & the doctor said yep full blown infections in both ears (again) so we did another round of triple day shots (again)!  Doctor said since this is round 2, it's time to see a specialist. Lane's follow up was therefore with a specialist who said yes, since this is a strong drug & he's been on it twice in a month, it's time for tubes because he will only keep getting infections. His appointment was early morning & then we went back & he was fussy. I took a photo of him in his scrubs with my phone, but you'll never see it since Lane put my phone in a glass of water a few weeks later & I lost everything on it & had to get a new phone!  Anyhow- the doctor came & personally carried him back to surgery. Oh the lump in my throat! While being carried back, sweet cuddle bug Lane put his head on te doctors shoulder. Jon & I went to the waiting room & I didn't know if I was going to need to step outside to cry or not but I was ok. Doctor said surgery would be about 10 min. After about 2 min, he came out to waiting woom & I said " what is it, what's wrong"?  & he said "nothing we're done & he did great"!.  Whew!  We went back to see him & he was out of the bed & sitting in a nurse's lap. When he saw us though, he started to fuss & cry. We took him home & all has been well!  Totally worth it. There have been times since the tubes that Lane has had boogies & I could tell if he hadn't had the surgery, he would have had another full blown double ear infection. We also think he can hear better too!

Tee ball for Spenser!

Spenser said he would like to play Tee ball so I told him that was fine but once I paid for it, he would finish out the season. His first practice was on Apr 24 & he has practice every Thurs from 7-8pm until June 19!  His first game was today & his last is scheduled for June 21. Games are every Sat. His team is called the Hooks & I have no idea what a hook has to do with baseball but no matter. It is done through the YMCA here. It is so cute & sometimes comical. He has gotten better at throwing, but still needs work on catching (he stands in one place as opposed to running with the glove out wherever the ball is going) & hitting. He hits good but not very hard & he's a lefty so I think the standing positions up to bat are uncomfortable for him. At his first game, when he did hit the ball, he'd stand there & then they would tell him to run & then he would run to first with helmet flying off!  Then once at first & the other person hit the ball, he would stand there too until they told him to run to 2nd base!

Some photos & video of his season:

Bored- so he digs in the dirt!

 

 

Up to bat

 

Got it!

 

Running home!

First time at bat

Far hit



 

Spenser's first school performance

Tonight was Spenser's first school performance. All the Kindergarteners were doing natice dances to different countries & Spenser's class was Russia. All the classes in the end did a Japanese one all together. When all the classes came out, they were singing "It's a small world" & I creid when I saw Spenser! Just a little but I still won't make it to high school! I had taken video of the dance, but have since lost the cord to download them, so until I can find it, here are photos instead. It was so cute & they did a great job!

 

 

Lockdown

I was being released from Duke today after my surgery & Jon got a news flash on his phone (I get the weather ones) that our son's elemnetary school was un lockdown by order of police for an unknown reason. I wanted to burst into tears but knew I had to handle it & find out info. Of course I immediately thought of Sandy Hook & I can't imagine how they are holding up. There was nothing being portrayed on the news & finally my wheelchair came which was great because I needed to get out of there & see about my kid. I called my best friend Kristie & my Dad & told them to tell me anything. It was right about noon so the noon news was on. I posted on facebook too & one of my friends posted a pic of the entrance to Spenser's school that was on the news & I could have just died. What is going on?  My baby is in that building! The lockdown was lifted after a half hour & we still don't really know exactally what it was except that it was some type of hoax. Cops said they know who did it, but nothing more was ever said. Spenser took a few days to talk about it & he said that the Principal made some kind of an announcement over the loud speaker & his teacher took all the kids either into a samller room or a closet & they had snacks & played games. he said mostly noone cried. Everyone did a great job at his school & holy cow was I scared!!!  Thank you lord that all was well & my babycame home from school that day. Our kids coming home from school should NEVER be an issue but unfortunately it is.

TAC surgery

We found out a week before Lane's first birthdaythat I am pregnant with baby #3!  Total shocker as I usually like to plan these things out & wanted Lane to be 2 before #3 came. But anyhow due to my precancerous cervical celss & having had a leap & a cone surgery, my doctors told me that when ever I discover I'm pregnant- that I need to have a Trans Abdominal Cerclage. Without it, baby would just fall out during 2nd trimester as there is noting to hold it in. So today I had that surgery. We had a terrible ice storm & the morning we had to leave at 5am, it was dark, freezing & ice covered. Jon was vomit sick that morning & said he was fine to drive. We stopped at the store for him to get a Gatorade & when he came out, he leaned over by te driver door to be sick. He still hadn't vomitted yet but the nausea was bad. I told him then that I would drive since he could not. Once we got there & into a triage room, he asked the nurse checking me in for the silver bucket thing to be sick in. From then on, every doctor or nurse that came in knew he was sick too. When my doctor got there, he gave Jon a prescription for Zofran & had the nurse get it. After about a half hour, Jon finally got it up & we could ear them paging some code in our room because thye could hear poor Jon! When I was wheeled back for surgery, they gave Jon my bed & took care of him so we were both patients!
 I was awake for it & thye said it would be alot like a C-section. Since I had never had a C-section before, this was new for me. They did a local & then doctor would say when he was cutting & then he started saying things like, "ok there's the bladder, let's move it, oh there's the uterus, ok tie right there" & I kept thinking "if you keep giving a play by play, I'm going to barf". Then the nurse guy kept asking me questions & I was thinking "if you don't stop talking to me I'm going to be sick". So then I barfed- well technically heaved as there was nothing in my stomach but anesthesia seems to do that to me. Anyhow, it was quick & I was in Duke for 2 days. All is good. They keep checking me about every 2-3 weeks & all is well!

Lane's first birthday!

Sweet baby Lane turned 1 on Jan 10. We had his party on Jan 12. It was at our house with family & a friend. Low scale. He enjoyed the ckae & whatever he dropped, Max the dog was more than happy to help clean up! We love you little Lane boy!

Max loved any cake that Lane dropped on the floor!