Christmas 2011!

Christmas for us was CRAZY!! Always is. We have so many parties to attend, shopping to do, and places to be it's just ridiculous. We have Christmas at our house that morning with us the kids and momma, then with my mom's family that day at lunch, then we drive to his family's house and do Christmas with his dad's side usually.

This year was a little different. I had to work Christmas day and was not planning on being able to attend the festivities. I ended up getting off work early though and was able to spend some time with my family and then go to his family's house. We did Santa and opened our gifts on Christmas Eve morning. The boys were spoiled by Santa this year, as in the years before. We spoiled them a little too. MiMi and Paw always have lots of toys for the boys and KK always has very practical and useful gifts. We enjoyed everything. Here are a few pics from the opening festivities.

December 2011!!!

So a quick update on the boys.


Bryce........
Bryce is almost 4! It's so hard to believe he has grown up this fast! I miss my lil baby who I could hold in my arms and rock the day away! Anyway, he is sooo active. Into everything. He loves trucks and tractors and he is asking for a " big jeep for in the mud" from Santa. Yes, it is that time of year, and yes he is all about Santa this year, and yes we are doing Elf on the Shelf. Our elf's name is Sid. We got him on Thanksgiving day this year when K.K. brought him to meet the boys. When I asked Bryce why he wanted to name him Sid he told me "off IceAge momma." Then I finally figured out that he named our elf after the sloth on Ice Age. LOL!! Anyway, finding a new place to put Sid every morning before they wake up is pretty much a pain since we don't have very many places up high where the boys can't reach him. Yesterday he ended up in our ceiling fan.
Anyway, back to Bryce. He is 40 pounds and up to my hip. He is soooo sweet at times and then other times he is capital B-A-D, but so is his brother, LOL. He is loving "play school" as he calls it or mother's day out at north monroe baptist church. He and Jace go there every Tuesday and Thursday and love it. They are also at Mrs. Stephanie's just around the corner on other days and we are so blessed to have her and Jessica. They have truly been a God send this year. Bryce now knows his ABC's and can sing them for anyone who asks. He can count to twenty most days, he is fully potty trained with only a few accidents here and there, and he is working on yes and no maam and sir. He is really growing!!

Jace.....
Jace is now 22 months old, my how time flies! He is above my knees in height and he weighs 29 pounds. Jace is my sweet lil man. But remember he is BAD too!! He likes to cuddle, but only when HE wants too. He is funny, lord, he is a clown!! He loves balls, and right now the Christmas tree is covered in balls. Thank God they are all plastic on the bottom or I would have lots of broken glass around my house. He is a busy body, always doing something and he loves to clean. He likes to help out around the house and if you ask him he will pick up toys, throw things away, and he especially LOVES to help unload the dishwasher. He still loves shoes, and tractors like his brother, but he's starting to like cars. I think a ball will always be his number one toy though, LOL! He can now say Momma, DaDa ( even though he calls Shaun Momma), Bryce which sounds like Bice, K.K. Which is "Tay Tay", Paw, ball of course, and many other words. He still meows at the cat for her name.


My boys are growing so rapidly everyday it's sometimes hard to keep track. SLOW DOWN TIME!!!

The Boys Today

     So.. My friend Lindsay tells me I don't blog enough and in truth she is right. I want to keep up but it's so hard to do right now with all I have going on. School is kicking my bootie!! But I wanted to update you on the boys.
     Bryce is all boy as always. He has picked out EVERY toy in the Toys R Us big toy book this year and he drags it around everywhere! He is completely potty trained and has slept in his "big boy bed" in his room with Jace for the last three nights in a row. YEAH!!! Mommy and daddy have their bed back after 3 almost 4 years!! We have started a new routine where we have baths at 7:30 and in the bed by 8:30. If theres a movie they want to watch great, but bed by 8:30 it is. So far it has worked!! Bryce is almost four and it breaks my heart to think he's growing up soo fast. He is 39 pounds now and he's up to my hip in height, however tall that is!! LOL!
     Jace is almost two and yet again my heart breaks when I think about how fast he has grown. Before long I'll be writing about how he will be driving it seems. Anyway, he is 28 pounds now and he is up to Bryce's shoulder in his height. Shaun keeps saying how he thinks he's small for his age but I think he's probably just right. ;) He has become more active over the last few months and he's getting where he is all about tractors. Who would have thunk it? Wonder where that came from? He is still a little sweetheart, kisses all the time. Last night after bath time he had to play with daddy and everytime Shaun would blow in his face he would grab Shaun's cheeks and pull him to him for a big 'ole smack!! He is too funny and sweet!
     Just a quick update on the boys and how they are growing so fast!! A glimpse into my beautiful life!
~Luv

Bryce's Checkup

So today was the day to see if Bryce's ears had improved since we started Augmentin and ear drops for the MOLD growing in his ear. We saw the nurse practitioner again who informed us that there is no more mold, however his tube is still occluded and there is still lots of fluid on his left ear. When she did her exam she also informed us that more than likely we will be removing both tubes and replacing them before the end of the year if we can get him well enough for surgery. OMG!! I can not believe we are considering this again. Has anyone had this trouble before? Am I alone with this struggle with ear tubes? Out of everything that could go wrong, ear tubes? Really? Anyway, please keep us in your thoughts while we make these decisions. Much appreciated.
~Luv

Jace's Ears!

Today I had to take Jace for a checkup with our new ENT!! I love him he is GREAT!! Anyway, we got there and saw his nurse practitioner today who informed me that Jace's hearing is excellent and his tubes were in good position and open when we had his hearing test done a week ago. She proceeded to do her exam and when she got to his right ear she gave me so news that I am sooo not happy about. In one week since his hearing test his right tube has stopped up!! So now we have ear drops and peroxide solution to try and unstop this tube. I almost CRIED!! I told her I am sooooo frustrated with this whole tube situation with both boys always having something wrong!! Anyway, we now will have a return visit sometime in late November for another check up! Please keep us in your prayers!
~Luv

Bryce's Ear's

Today is Halloween, and what are we doing? Well, not the usual activities that most people would be. No, we are at the ENT!! AGAIN!! But we chose to use a different doctor from the one who put their tubes in. If you have read my previous post then you know we had tubes placed in both boys ears in April and have been having trouble. Well Bryce woke up from his nap at MiMi's house yesterday late SCREAMING!! This is not his usual behavior so I was a little concerned when I couldn't get him to stop crying. He kept telling us his ear hurt and pointing to his left ear. Well that's the ear that the tube has been stopped up in and he has had an infection in it so I thought it was just regular pain. Apparently not. I ended up taking him in to the ENT today where I was informed that my sweet boy has MOLD yes MOLD growing in his ear. WHAT?! I know, gross isn't it? The tube is still stopped up and there is still fluid behind it, oh and his other tube in his right ear, well it's come out completely. Sitting in his ear canal. So we start a different antibiotic and different ear drops today. Jace will be coming to the ENT on Thursday for his check up and to get the results of hid hearing test we had done about a week ago, both boys did. Bryce's hearing seems to be fine but he has so much fluid on his left ear his hearing is diminished by 20-35% says the doc. I'm so frustrated with the tubes I could just SCREAM!! Anyway, we also ended up doing xrays of his sinuses and we will see where we go from there. Please keep my lil men in your prayers!!
~Luv

Ears, UGH!!!

So back in April of this year both boys had tubes placed by a doctor I won't name here. We were told that tonsils and adenoids should be removed for Bryce and tubes placed in both ears and Jace should have his adenoids removed and tubes placed in both ears as well due to the number of infections we had been having. So we decided to go ahead and do it even though we had our reservations about it. Both boys did fine although Bryce had to stay overnight in the hospital for his tonsils we left the next afternoon after a long sleepless night. So now here we are six months later and we have EAR INFECTIONS!!! Really? With tubes? Yes with tubes. We are starting ear drops on both boys and antibiotics. I thought when we did all this they would be better for a while but I guess six months is as good as it gets. Who knew?? I will update later on on their condition and how it's all going.
~Luv

Pinterest

So....... my sweet and very crafty friend Lindsey introduced me to one of my new favorite sites, Pinterest. I am loving this place. I think I've probably found way too much stuff that I LOVE!!! Anyway thought I might share this fascinating little site.

Jace @ 17months

So my "baby" is 17 months old now and it seems like he is growing inches everyday. I can't believe how fast time flies. It seems like he was just born and then we just had his 1st birthday and now he's almost 1 1/2 years old. He is such a happy boy, he's always laughing. He LOVES to play with a ball, anytime and all day. He can entertain himself for hours just throwing it around. He is sooo cute. He'll hold the ball over his head and wait for you to count. One....Two.... and then he screams TREEE and throws the ball at you. You had better be ready to, for such a little guy he certainly has a big arm. There have been many times when he's caught me off guard and hit me in the head, HARD!

He loves to laugh too. Anything will get him started. He especially likes to play "Where's Jace?". If you ask him where's Jace he'll put his hands over his eyes and stand completely still for a few seconds and then throw his arms out and holler "Eyyyyyyy". Then he's all laughs and giggles and then it's time to repeat. He now says Momma, Dada, thank you, welcome, and meows like a cat while he's chasing the cat around the house.

He's growing so much and changing everyday. I love my little men with all my heart.

~This is my Beautiful Life~

My favorites right now.....MUSIC!

So if you know me then you know that I like all kinds of music. Country being the one I listen to mostly, but others as well. I found it surprising that I was told by one of my coworkers that he NEVER would have expected me to like country. He took me for a "goth" chick and figured I'd be listening to something off the wall. So just for those who don't know, here you go........

There are many more, but these are just a few of my favorites.

Father's Day!

     Well, today is Father's Day and it has been wonderful. I was supposed to be working today but since the units census is so low I got to be off. I actually left early yesterday because we were discharging patients. It's been a nice weekend for me.

     Friday, Shaun and I and the boys went to spray sunflowers in Arkansas for a guy Shaun works for and Bryce and Jace got to ride the tractor with daddy. They really loved it, it was lots of fun. Then we left and went to meet Shaun's parents, brother and sister and brother-in-law at Cheminahaut State Park where they had rented a cabin for the weekend. Bryce decided he would stay the night so Shaun, Jace and I came home so I could head to bed and be ready to work on Saturday.

     Saturday found me at work and Shaun and Jace headed back to the park to hang out with the family. I got off work at 2:30 and went to the park to spend some time with the family as well. We played outside, Bryce and Jace loved to big playgrounds in the park. We grilled pork chops, sausage, and duck stuffed with cream cheese and some HOT Bordenaro jalapenos and wrapped in bacon. The duck was awesome! After supper some played dominoes or UNO while Shaun and I bathed both boys in the sink in the bathroom since there was only a shower and we forgot their earplugs! LOL!

     Both boys stayed the night Saturday night. I was lucky enough to be called off work today so I got to eat lunch with Shaun's family for Father's Day. I'm glad to have someone to spend the day with since today is usually hard for me. I miss daddy everyday. Fried Fish and 100 degree weather now finds both boys passed out at home in their beds. Hopefully we won't be up at 11:00 tonight trying to get them back to sleep.

     I'm so lucky to be married to someone who is so dedicated to our two lil men, Shaun is the best with them and I could not ask for more. He has been so good with them and I feel I am truly a lucky woman!

                                 HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

Bryce's Adventures in Potty Training!

So we have been trying it seems forever to get Bryce to use the potty. That effort hasn't been going to well. For the longest time he was soooo scared of the potty. Even his little potty we bought, just his size. It was like trying to get him to sit down on a seat full of glass. He would literally SCREAM and cry. I couldn't understand it. So for a while we just gave up.
Everyone kept saying he'll do it when he's ready, and I kept thinking well what about when I'm ready, doesn't that count? Apparently not! This week, on Tuesday I think, he decided that was the day! I'd been putting him on "big boy undies" for a couple of weeks and today was no different, big boy undies it was.
All of a sudden I hear feet running down the hall, the bathrooom door fly open, his stepping stool being moved, and then............ NOTHING! I thought, O man what is going on? So I jump up, take off for the bathroom, and there he is standing on his stepping stool in front of the potty spraying everything I think EXCEPT in the potty! LOL! But I was so excited that he had tried I rewarded him with a KitKat and a big hug. Next time I had to direct him a little to shoot for the potty which he did without problems!
Now he thinks everytime he heads for the bathrrom there's gonna be a KitKat reward after he leaves. I think I'd probably give him a whole bag of 'em if he'd poo there too LOL!
Anyway, speak of the devil he's come in here and now he's showing me a video of a combine cutting corn on the Ipod that he thinks is "pretty cooool". He is such a BOY, and this is MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE!
~Luv~

Business!

So I have been sooooo busy this week! I was off Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and then worked Thursday and Friday. I started my new patho class Mon. and still can not figure out how to turn in assignments on this certain system our instructor prefers, and of course she was of NO help when I emailed her asking for directions. How do people expect you to do your work if they won't help at all. Any way...
Tuesday and Wednesday were dedicated to cleaning this NASTY house but after I busted my booty in the hall - I literally think I broke my tailbone - I limped around most of the day there after. I decided after falling in the hall, and having my 3 year old telling me "That's why you have to watch where your going", which I tell him ALL the time, I needed to get to cleaning. My house is now clean, well most of it. Lindsey M. would be ready to get on hands and knees and start scrubbing I'm sure, LOL, but for us it's pretty clean!
Thursday and Friday @ work were AWFUL! I worked the big ICU unit Thursday and was ready to run away half way through the day. And then Friday was CRAZY, literally! But now today is Saturday and Family Reunion day for my mom's moms family. Not really thrilled about it since I will probably be the only younger person there, with two children! But I promised MaMaw I'd be there and I'm going.
Oh, and I started Atkins on Thursday so cheer me on as I try to loose around 65lbs. It's gonna be hard but I'm ready to get it off. So far so good. I've eaten more salad the last three days than probably the last 6 months, but I'm not really minding it. Oh and the Atkins bars and shakes are pretty good too. Overall, not a bad diet. I'll keep you posted, but I don't plan to step on ANY scales until next week sometime, and then I'm only gonna tell ya how much I've lost. Too embarrassed to tell the actual number! LOL!
Well, this is MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE, feel free to join in!
~Luv~

Today

So... today I'm working. UGH! Kinda sux since my hubby is off and the boys are home, but what ya gonna do. It has however been a good day, sorta slow, but good. I found out I finished my technical writing course with an A today! YAY!!! So glad that one's over with. Now on to Pathophysiology which starts tomorrow, not so thrilled about that. Hoping I don't struggle. Maybe the boys will stay occupied enough this summer so I can pass these next two courses. But with a fifteen month old and a three year old that might be a little difficult.
Jace, my sweet little 15 month old, is sooo on the go. Always into something, always doing something, never still. And he LOVES sunglasses, shoes, and hats. If there are a pair of shoes on the floor, even if they are five times too big, he wants them on his feet! He'll bring 'em to you hold 'em up and say " uhhhhh", like hello I need these on my feet, NOW! It's too funny. And Bryce, well he's into everything outside and he's all boy! Loves the dirt and loves to help! He has to help his daddy with everything! And he loves to mow! He is truly a boy to the core!! As you can probably tell, I'm at work missing my sweet family. Can't wait for 7:00 pm so I can get home and see them.
This is my beautiful life!
~Luv~

New to This!

So, this is my first entry and I'm pretty much completely lost! I'm starting this to be able to keep a record of the boys, family life, and of course my life. At this moment I have two wonderful little boys, Bryce who is now 3 and Jace who's 15 months. They are my life!!! And of course my hubby, Shaun, who I could not do anything without. Currently I'm enrolled at Northwestern State University pursuing my BSN and then I plan to apply for the Nurse Practitioner school there as well. I'm working at Glenwood in the ICU 3 days a week and enjoy my home life with the boys the rest of the time. I finished up my first class yesterday. A technical writing class, and boy am I glad it's OVER! Next is pathophysiology for RN's that starts on Monday and I'm not so overjoyed about it, but it's one step closer.
The boys are crazy active. Jace is nonstop, on the run, literally! And Bryce, well Bryce is never still either. I love my little men!! This is my beautiful life, feel free to join in!
~Luv~

Surgery Day!

So today was the day for both boys to have surgery! Bryce had his tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes placed in both ears, and Jace had adenoids removed and tubes put in both ears. I am really hoping that this solves most of our problems with ear infections and sinus problems. We arrived at 6:00 am and signed in both boys. They had a little time to play but as you well know Jace is not a morning person and was not in the mood. Bryce was a different story. He was all wide eyed and bushy tailed and he was ready to get in the floor of the waiting room and play with his tractors. KK, MiMi, Paw, Angela, Shaun and I all waited for the moment they would call us to the back. Well it came quicker than was expected. We took both boys to the back where we put them in gowns, got their armbands, weighed them and checked temps. Bryce was really wary of all of this that was happening so fast, Jace couldn't care less. Then came the fun part. Both boys were given some medication to make them a little drowsy and they were all over the place. Bryce kept telling us he wasn't sleepy even though he couldn't keep his little eyes open and he was wobbling all over the place. LOL. Jace wasn't trying to hide how sleepy he was, he laid down in my lap and was just staring off in space. When it was time, they came for Jace and took him back. It took them only about 20 minutes to complete Jace's surgery and then it was Bryce's turn. Well, he wasn't to sure about going back with the nurse and he didn't want to keep his gown on either so he was running around the room gown less in only his diaper talking about how he didn't want to go. When we finally got him to go with her it only took about 45 minutes for them to complete his surgery. Both boys ended up in the same room both with tears running down their faces and my heart breaking. Bryce only wanted me or daddy to hold him and he was still so drowsy from the medication. Jace cried and cried until the medicine wore off and then we had to send him home he was running around the room and screaming and playing so loud the neighbors asked if he was gonna be spending the night. LOL!! We sent Jace home with my mom and we stayed overnight with Bryce. By eight o'clock he wanted to go outside to see the cat the night shift nurse had told him about so we packed up the IV pump and outside we went for a walk. He finally fell asleep about 11 that night and woke up only once for pain medicine. He ate most of his breakfast the next morning and we were on our way home by lunch. It hasn't been easy to keep them both inside and still for long but we have managed. Things look good so far and we go back to the ENT in two weeks for a checkup. I am so proud and happy that they did so well. I need to send a special thanks to our family for being there and helping out and all the gifts that were brought for the boys.
~Luv