Thankfulness Tree

Traditionally in the month of November we share things that we are thankful for, so this year I wanted to get Everett involved. My friend Tiphany and I were discussing this and she was sharing with me some ideas that she had and some she found on Pinterest. Everett and I had just finished a painting of a fall tree and I thought it would be great to use cut out tracings of his hand prints as leaves that he could write some things he is thankful for on.   

He has been enjoying sticking up his leaves and I am loving the different things that he is coming up with! Here are a few that he's said so far: bread and the food we eat; trees, they grow in the ground; my friends at AWANA; candy from trick or treating; and my personal favorite, Marines for protecting me! 

What are y'all doing to celebrate this November? I am already planning how we can incorporate this same idea into an advent Christmas tree! Stay tuned! 

Birthday Questions: Everett turns 4

1. What is your favorite color?

- Purple, I mean blue

2. What is your favorite toy?

- Big Iron Man

3. What is your favorite fruit?

-  Cows

4. What is your favorite tv show?

- Optimus Prime, Nature shows, and all the shows that daddy likes 

5. What is your favorite movie?

- Big Iron Man movie (Avengers)

6. What is your favorite thing to wear?

-  Red t-shirts 

7. What is your favorite animal?

- Lion, I mean a tiger 

8. What is your favorite song?

- Iron Man

9. What is your favorite book?

- Just for Fun by Richard Scary

10. Who is your best friend?

- Daddy

11. What is your favorite snack?

- M&Ms and craisins 

12. What is your favorite drink?

- Soda even though I not supposed to

13. What is your favorite breakfast?

- Cinnamon rolls

14. What is your favorite lunch?

- Cheese

15. What is your favorite dinner?

- Mac-n-Cheese

16. What is your favorite game?

- Mousetrap

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside?

- Go see my dog and pet my dog 

18. What is your favorite holiday?

- Halloween to dress up like a robot

19. Who do you sleep with at night?

- Mommy, daddy, and Nolan

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?

- Megazord 

Chatting with Everett (3 years old)

Everett: I love you. 

Me: I love you too.

Everett: Aw, you a weally (really) good friend. 

Everett: Where we are we? We there yet?

Everett: Daddy you need to eat your food so you get big and strong like Jimbo, him getting bigger.

Everett: (Yawns) I tire-erd

Me: Why did you get up so early?

Everett: To go to work. 

Me: Oh ya? What kind of work?

Everett: With my guys and Ba-wee (Bailey, the neighbors dog)

Me: Fun! What will y'all do?

Everett: We building a green house.. and paint it red!

Everett: Oh look the moon is out again. It is my home and then it went crash and boom and smooshed me.

Everett: (Playing in his kitchen) JoJo, you want lemonade or apple juice?

Jordan: Lemonade please

Everett: We don't have that 

Jordan: Okay, apple juice

Everett: Ummmm we have water

Jordan: That will be fine

Everett: That is a spiderman bum-futter-why (butterfly)

Me: (Talking to Nolan) You're hilarious

Everett: No you're hair less

Tyler: You have been laying around since 2 o'clock

Everett: No, its fun o'clock

Me: (While watching TV) What is she wearing?

Everett: Um a coat.

Everett: I am Thorn! (Thor)  Wait, where is my hammer?

Me: I'm not sure, where was it last?

Everett: Oh here it is! (Picks up a toy cell phone)

Me: Well, that's the phoniest hammer I've ever seen!

Everett: What church we going?

Me: To Colt's church. 

Everett: Oh. I love him. Him my best friend.

Me: Who wants donuts?

Everett: Captain America do's (sounded like dooze) 

Everett: Ms. Darween (Darlene) we went to the Mad Dinner!

Me: Breakfast with the Mad Hatter?

Everett: Ya, there was the Mad Hatter and Awlice and Penna the Boo (Winnie the Poo) and Tigger and Mary Poppins and the Mad Hatter

Everett: You like my new guy? My nutcracker guy.

Me: I love him. What's his name?

Everett: Let's name him Sanna Claus... and the nother guys (the other nutcrackers we have) named Rudolph, Tonio, and Be-ba-bee. The blue guy is just a nutcracker. 

Me: No name?

Everett: No wets cawl him Steve Rogers, the first avenger! The nother blue guy, him Tony Stork (Stark) and he's Iron Man! 

Me: What about the rest?

Everett: Just nutcrackers. They all nutcrackers.

Everett: Can you enlock (unlock) the gate?

Everett: I want to watch Starwerrs (Star Wars)

Everett: (Out of breath) Gaga, guess what I just ate?

Gaga: What?

Everett: Two!

Everett: What's a prianna (piranha)?

Everett's list of acceptable baby names:

- Steve

- Steve Moto-Jack

- Superman 

- Steve PigPaw

- Batman

- Goobywandy

While going through a list of movies to pick from to each Everett stops me... 

Everett: Wait. Ma-ass-car? What's that?

Me: Its got King Julian and a bunch of animals in it. 

Everett: Do they talk?

Me: Yes

Everett: Oh ya! Let's watch Ma-ass-car!

Me: What did you do during church class?

Everett: We played doctorseuss.

Me: What's that?

Everett: You know you sit and the pat your head and then you run and then you sit.

Me: Oh! Duck, duck, goose!

Me: Let's go to the store. 

Everett: Are we going to Lion King? 

Me: No, not to Food Lion. 

Everett: Aw man.

Me: Do you know why we celebrate Easter?

Everett: Where?

Me: Do you want me to roll your sleeves up?

Everett: No because I'm hungry. 

Everett: (Telling Nolan a story to console him) One night there was a beautiful girl who was mommy and a beautiful boy who was you. Then Batman and Joker was... Umm now a dog story- him name was Red and him family was Everett and Nolan and mommy and daddy and everybody in the city has dogs and my name is Everett and I live with my mommy. My mommys mommy is Rae Rae. 

Balance bike = balentines bike 

Everett: Daddy, you wanna play basketball?!

Tyler: Uhhhhh

Everett: Yeah, you be the blue team and I'll be the crocodile. 

Letters to Everett: 5/22/15

Dear Everett,

How are you already four years old!?  These past four years have gone by in a flash and I am so thankful for every single moment.  We have certainly had our share of ups and downs but every second that you are in our lives is a blessing!  You are such an inquisitive young boy and you want to know every detail of how things work and why things happen.  Daddy and I might get a wee bit frustrated with all of the questions but we know that it is helping to develop your growing mind so we try to not mind too much! 

You are still as sweet as you can be and love to share hugs and kisses with us.  Overall you have a great disposition and are pleasant most of the time- but you are four, so from time to time we do have some tantrums here are there.  Sometimes we don't understand exactly what it is you want or why you are upset about things and we aren't exactly sure how to move forward but we are doing the best that we can.  We are praying that God will guide us in the right direction. 

You were excited to learn that you will be a big brother again and you are looking forward to the baby coming! You can't wait to hold him and show him all the cool things that you do. You enjoy all things superhero, to include the Avengers, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Power Rangers. I think that if you had your way, we would watch nothing but superhero shows all day!  You like to play outside, especially when we go to the farm with friends or go to the pool.  

I am so excited to be your mom and I cherish every day that we have together.  I pray every day that God will continue to watch over and protect our family so that we can be together for many many years to come.  I love you so much and am so happy to watch you learn and grow more each day.  You are such a joy my sweet boy.  

Momma and daddy love you to the moon and all the way back! 

xoxoxox,

Momma

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For more Letters to Nolan, click here! 

For Letters to Everett, click here!

Letters to Everett: 11/22/14

Everett,

You are growing and growing and growing! I am so proud of the little dude that you are and how awesome you are with your brother.  You are a loving and kind spirited big brother and love to play with Nolan more than almost anything.  The two of you are getting along more and more these days and it is so fun to see the two of you playing together and having fun! 

Now that you are getting older, you really are getting into doing things for yourself which is bittersweet because you really aren't a baby anymore! Every day you are learning how things work and learning more about the world around you and it is such a blessing to watch you grow. 

Your imagination is at work within you! The drawings that you come up with are so cute and the stories that you tell are so fun to listen to- you are quite creative.  This year for Halloween mommy made you a Peter Pan costume, just like mommy was when she was your age! You had a whole entourage: RaeRae went as Tinkerbell, PigPaw was a Pirate, Mommy was Tiger Lilly, and Nolan and Daddy were Lost Boys!  We had a lot of fun and you really (really) really liked the candy part the best! 

Time is going by so fast and I know that I say that almost every day, but its true.  Every single day with you is a blessing and I am so proud and happy to be your mother.  You give me a joy that is unexplained and I cannot imagine life without you, your brother, and daddy!  You are the best! :) 

Momma and daddy love you to the moon and all the way back! 

xoxoxox,

Momma

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For more Letters to Nolan, click here! 

For Letters to Everett, click here!

Pumpkin Patch Fun

For the past few years we have been going up to Graves Mountain for the Apple Festival with our cousins/best friends to kick off the fall but this year we decided to change things up and go to the Pumpkin Patch instead!  Some people think change is a bad thing but in this case, it definitely was not! The kids had a blast because there was so much more to do at the Pumpkin Patch and I am pretty sure that the adults had just as much fun as the kids did!  I brought my camera along with me and couldn't decide what photos to share, so here's a photo overload from our adventure! 

So serious! 

He was not interested in smiling for the camera...

Pumpkins!

The farm that the Pumpkin Patch was at had a CORN BOX!  It. Was. Amazing!  The kids Everyone loved it and had a blast playing, swimming, and being covered up in the corn. Colt and Everett really liked to jump from the side into the corn!

 

Since the farm had some great scenery and props we had to try to get some family photos and shots of the boys... we may or may not have been too successful...

As you can see... they didn't want to sit still for photos!

Happy fall y'all! :) 

Chatting with Everett (2 years old)

Since kids really do say the cutest things I have been keeping a note on my phone all of the cute things Everett has been saying. Here's a list of the most memorable and things (that I remembered to write down at the time) he said when he was 2!  Hope you enjoy this little compilation as much as I do! 

Me: Everett, who is your best friend?
Everett: Ummmm Toke-Oh (Tyler's friend)

Me: What are you gonna do tomorrow?
Everett: Me play with my friends. Micah, Tee Tee, Pig Paw, Rae Rae, Colt.
Me: What are yall going to do?
Everett: We play trains.

Everett: Me go to PigPaw's house.
Tyler: How are you gonna get there?
Everett: Me ride my bike.
Tyler: Oh, well we are about to go there- you wanna hitch a ride?
Everett: Uhhhh ok.

Everett: PigPaw has a little lamb.

Everett: Daddy, we go in dere.
Tyler: Sorry buddy, we can't go in there.
Everett: Yes me do!

Everett: Me call mommy.
Me: What are you gonna call me?
Everett: Ummm Woah-wa (Laura)
Me: How about mommy?
Everett: No. Woah-wa

Rebecca: Will you be in Patty and I's wedding?
Everett: Ummm sure.
Rebecca: oh great! Will you wear a cute little tuxedo?
Everett: No CaCa, me a Viking. Me Hiccup. (From How to Train Your Dragon)

Everett: There a monster in the closet.
Me: Oh no! What are we gonna do?

Everett: I get my gun, it on the porch.
Me: Your gun?
Everett: Ya! It go "pow pow!"

Everett: (After over hearing Ty and I talking) Mommy what's the issue?
Me: What's the issue?
Everett: Ya, what the issue?
Me: Oh, well daddy I were saying we weren't going to order you your own meal because you won't eat it.
Everett: Oh, that be fine.

Everett: Where's Reo? (A car he named Reo)
Me: Your car? Why do you call him Reo?
Everett: Weeee ohhhhh weeee ohhhhh!

Everett: Guess what?!
Me: What buddy?
Everett: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! (It was not his birthday!)

Grandpa: How old are you?
Everett: I be 17, its not my birthday!

Everett: That man and me, he my best friend.
Me: Who is that man?
Everett: Jimbo! He my friend.

Everett: I love you and mommy and Nolan and you and mommy and Nolan. You my family.

Me: What do you want to name our new puppy?
Everett: Pink
Me: Pink?
Everett: Oh, I fuh-got. Jon.
Me: You want to name the puppy Jon?

Everett: YA!

Everett: I want to watch bwee-dos (videos) on your pweeder (computer).

While watching Spiderman Everett saw Martin Sheen and who plays Uncle Ben and repeatedly asked who it was. Tyler and I kept telling him it was POTUS or the President (because he also plays President Bartlet in the West Wing).  Then about ten minutes later Everett says "Oh! That West Wing guy!"

Fhing-en = Anything that he doesn't know the name of

Everett: That girl, she text me.
Me: A girl sent you a text?
Everett: Ya, she say "yaaaaa baby!"
Me: What?! Who is that girl?
Everett: Oh, it Lilly Bean.

Everett: That man, he told me the car go fast!

Me: Where are you driving to?
Everett: Oh, I here. I in Jean-na.
Me: What?
Everett: I live here. You know, Jean-na.
Me: Oh! Virginia!

Me: Hey Everett, wanna help me unload the dishwasher?
Everett: Um actually, no.

Everett: (While wearing sunglasses and walking outside at 8pm) It sure is dark out here.

Me: Do you want fries or rice?
Everett: BEANS! No beans!

Everett: Hey daddy
Tyler: Hey Everett
Everett: What?!

Birthday Questions: Everett turns 3

1. What is your favorite color? 

- Blue no purple

2. What is your favorite toy? 

- All my cars

3. What is your favorite fruit?

-  Apple

4. What is your favorite tv show?

- Daniel Tigers Neighborhood

5. What is your favorite movie? 

- Monsters Inc, Cars/Nyween (Lightening McQueen), Frozen

6. What is your favorite thing to wear?

-  No pants 

7. What is your favorite animal?

- Lion, elephante (said in Spanish) 

8. What is your favorite song?

- Let It Go (Frozen)

9. What is your favorite book? 

- Pirates book

10. Who is your best friend? 

- Caca, PigPaw, RaeRae

11. What is your favorite snack? 

- Fruit snacks

12. What is your favorite drink?

- Soda (we don't really give him soda)

13. What is your favorite breakfast?

- Marshmallow cereal (just the marshmallows in Lucky Charms)

14. What is your favorite lunch? 

- Raviolis and noo-nooles (noodles) 

15. What is your favorite dinner? 

- ChickFilA, sausage, pasta, Wesmans (Wegmans)

16. What is your favorite game? 

- Monsters (the Monsters Inc game on his LeapPad)

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside?

- Jeep and tramperween (trampoline)

18. What is your favorite holiday?

- Horses... no Christmas, I like Santa 

19. Who do you sleep with at night? 

- Mom, daddy, Nolan, blankets

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?

- A monster

An Update on E

A response to Your beloved needs you now... and THANK YOU & an Update. 

Today I took Everett back to the pediatric pulmonologist for a recheck on his progress.  I had both the boys dressed and in the car by 9am and it took us a little shy of 2 hours to get there, we got out and were in the doctor's office for about 45 minutes and then back in the car for the ride home. Although we logged a lot of miles today it was well worth it- we love our doctor and how much he really seems to care about Everett's well being. The doctor asked how Everett was feeling, if he'd had any issues in the past 3 weeks, had he been having trouble using his new inhaler, had there been any need for his rescue inhaler at all, etc. Even though we were there for a shorter period of time for this appointment he was still very thorough. The doctor was very glad to hear that Everett has been doing much better since he has been on the new treatment plan.  Everett has been back to his "old self" since his last cough subsided and the new inhaler has been added.  In the past he would have been sick by this time again so to have him not be sick was a great step in the right direction.  The doctor asked that we keep him on his daily inhaler for another few months (through the spring) and then we will reevaluate his dose.  I am so happy that we finally have a diagnosis and aren't floundering around anymore just treating the symptoms and in turn not actually providing him any long lasting relief.  Thank you again for all of your kind words, thoughts, and prayers.  We truly appreciate everyone of you. 

THANK YOU & an Update

I am so grateful for all of the kind words that you all have shared here, on facebook, through texts, emails, etc.  (If I haven't gotten back to you yet I apologize- it has been one of the busiest days of my life!)  We are so appreciative of the prayers, the suggestions, and the love that each and everyone of you sent our way. Several of you shared my post and asked for prayers from your friends and family as well and for that I am so thankful.  The fact that you took the time out of your day to say a prayer for my child and to spread the request like wildfire via social media warms my heart and proves how great God's people are!  

At the pulmonologist appointment!

I figured that this would be the easiest way to provide an update, so here goes...

This morning I called the various urgent care and emergency room facilities that Everett has been seen in over these past few months in order to get his records because I was determined to get him into a specialist today.  I did a prayer-filled google search for a pediatric pulmonologist, found a reputable practice and dialed the number as soon as they opened.  It took a few tries to get through to the receptionist but when I finally did she was very helpful.  I briefly explained our situation and told her that we would be coming in and would sit in the waiting room all day if that is what it would take to be worked in.  She understood my urgency and was not only able to get us in, she scheduled us to see the doctor that I originally hoped we would see. God is so amazing! Our appointment was in the middle of the afternoon and the office was about an hour and a half away from our house.  After I hung up with them I called our allergist to see if we needed to go in to be seen beforehand and they asked that we bring him in around 11am.  

When we saw the allergist he was very supportive of our decision to pursue a second opinion and was happy that I was able to get Everett in so quickly.  He gave me a few notes on what he would do with the various medicines that Everett was on and asked that if the pulmonologist changed anything to have him send a note over to their office.  The timing of the appointments was perfect because we had enough time after the allergist to pick up the CD of Everett's chest x-ray from last night's urgent care visit and then head to the pulmonologist appointment.  Nolan was able to take a few really good naps in the car on the way to the next appointment and although Everett didn't sleep I am sure he enjoyed the time to relax and watch a movie on his DVD player. 

This is happening right now!

Tyler met me at the pulmonologist appointment which was great because I wanted us to both be there so that we wouldn't miss anything.  When we were called back we gave a short synopsis of what had been going on to the nurse and then waited for the doctor.  The whole time that we were there it just felt comforting, almost like I knew that we were finally on the right track and not going down another rabbit hole.  The doctor came in a few minutes later; he was very friendly and very knowledgeable.  He spent over thirty minutes going over Everett's symptoms and past medical history with us and asked us all sorts of questions, some we hadn't even thought of ourselves.  He took almost fifteen minutes to listen to Everett and do the once over of his ears, nose, and throat. We discussed the issues that we have had in the past and the concerns going forward with him and he genuinely seemed interested and concerned.  

After we had thoroughly discussed everything and he reviewed the medical records that we brought/had been sent over he told us that Everett has asthma.  Tyler and I (and pretty much everyone else) have known for quite some time that this was probably the case but we had been getting the run around on a diagnosis.  There seems to be some sort of insurance issue with diagnosis a child as young as Everett with asthma even if it is clear that is the case.  So after months of various different temporary symptom fixes we are so thankful that he finally has a diagnosis.  Obviously we are not happy that he has asthma but a diagnosis means that we can finally begin to manage his illness properly and not just treat the symptoms.  The doctor did note that he would like to do a few additional tests to completely rule out the scary things that I said you shouldn't google any other medical issues however he said he was confident that we have the correct diagnosis.  So now we have an aggressive treatment plan for his current cough/symptoms and a daily preventative plan to (fingers crossed) prevent flare ups like this from happening. 

So this is where we are now; a diagnosis and a plan! Hallelujah, thank you Father! And I want to thank you guys again for the prayers last night and today.  Our family truly appreciates the outpouring of love and support that we have received- this answered prayer is truly a testament to how great our God is. 

Your beloved needs you now...

My kid is sick.  He has been sick pretty much non stop since last October and probably even longer than that.  My kid has been sick pretty much non stop since October and it seems like there is nothing that I, nor any of his doctors can do about it. We have been to the emergency room and urgent care more times than I can count, we've seen his pediatrician and his allergist.  We have had tests, x-rays, and cultures done and they all come back fine.  His lungs sound clear, his puls-ox is great, but he continues to cough and produce extraordinary amounts of mucus for no known reason. If you ever find yourself in this situation, please for your own sanity DO NOT GOOGLE SYMPTOMS. You will end up in sitting on your couch in the middle of the night in tears.

He gets a little better for a day or two- sometimes even a handful of days but without fail he ends up snotty, coughing, and having trouble breathing again.  He is on so many different medications right now just to help his tiny two almost three year old body be able to breathe and it is not fair.  It's not fair that he has to be stuck inside doing nebulizer treatments one two three four times a day.  It's not fair that he is constantly being poked and prodded by every doctor in the county.  It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair.  He can't breathe. It breaks my heart to see him so sick all the time, to know that he knows nothing else but the life filled with sickness.  Despite all the tears he has cried, all the tantrums, and all the sleepless nights he is a trooper.  He is my world and I am incredibly blessed.  

So this is it.  This is the breaking point. Something is going to happen and answers are going to be found.  I am not going to make him go day after day being sick and not knowing why or how we can fix it.  We are going to walk through this and figure out what it is going to take to get answers and a plan.  God knows the answers and I fully trust that He will lead us to where they are.  I am done trying to control this and I am putting it in His hands. Lord, please hear my prayer.   

I Will Lift My Eyes

By Bebo Norman

God, my God, I cry out

Your beloved needs You now

God, be near calm my fear and take my doubt

Your kindness is what pulls me up

Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker

of the mountains I can't climb

I will lift my eyes to the Calmer

of the oceans raging wild

I will lift my eyes to the Healer

of the hurt I hold inside

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let mercy sing

her melody over me

and God, right here all I bring

is all of me

Your kindness is what pulls me up

Your love is all that draws me in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker

of the mountains I can't climb

I will lift my eyes to the Calmer

of the oceans raging wild

I will lift my eyes to the Healer

of the hurt I hold inside

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever

the Lover I need to save me

'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God

so hold me now

I will lift my eyes to the Maker

of the mountains I can't climb

I will lift my eyes to the Calmer

of the oceans raging wild

I will lift my eyes to the Healer

of the hurt I hold inside

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, I cry out

Your beloved needs You now

FBP: Resolved (January)

This year I resolved to creating monthly goals rather than yearly resolutions in hopes that I will stick to them and create better habits.  This month's goal was to take some time each week to spend with just Everett.  Having an eight month at home who refuses to take the bottle except when he absolutely has to makes spending one-on-one time with Everett hard and it is often something that is neglected.  

For Christmas, Everett got a trampoline and he LOVES it! So for one of our "dates" we headed outside to the trampoline and got to bouncing.  I could instantly tell that Everett loved the personal attention that I was able to give him and that he was having a great time.  He loves to jump and bounce and had fun playing outside with me.  I like to incorporate learning into what we are doing so we tooks some time to listen to the sounds outside, talked about the trees in the backyard, and even counted the number of times he was bouncing.  

We have had some issues with Everett acting out in the past (see here and here) and I think that a lot of it has to do with us not giving him enough attention so I am hopeful that this monthly goal will be beneficial in helping us to reconnect with him.

So have any of y'all set monthly goals or yearly resolutions? Have you been sticking to them?  I'd love to hear about it!

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This post originally appeared on Not So Average Momma on Fredericksburg Parent.net!