Did I say that?

Well, looking over my last post, I realized I lied. Alex is sick again. Yep, it took just one week back at daycare for him to start coughing, sneezing and getting snotty. Isn't that just my life? I am so used to having him sick, it doesn't even shock me anymore. I just wish he could have lasted a little longer so we could visit the fam this weekend.

He goes to the ENT for his eartubes this wednesday. (well the preliminary appointment at least.) With the new snot in his nose and chest, I wonder if he has another ear infection. Just my luck if he did.

Can you hear the frustration in my typing? ARGH!

By George, I think he's got it!!!

Alex has decided that he now likes to eat from a spoon!!! My little man can now wolf down an entire baby food jar (the littlest ones) of food. Of course, I am not feeding him, daycare is. But he is eating! They are feeding him twice, along with his bottles. I don't know how they do it without giving him a full bath afterwards like I feel I need to do sometimes. The are good. So far, he has eaten everything I sent-even the vegetables. (A football player in the making, Mom!)

Speaking of daycare, Alex has decided that he no longer needs to nap longer than one hour a day and wants to crash as soon as I get him home. Monday and Tuesday he slept in his day clothes because his evening nap ran into bedtime. Now I know better and put him in his jammies as soon as we get home, feed him a bottle (because a spoon is too hard to use when that cranky) and put him right to bed around 5 o'clock. Will this ever stop?

At least now he is over his ailments. But, all it takes is one sneeze from another kid, and we will have some majorly frustrated Franklins.

Well, hope you enjoy these new pictures. I will try to get more on soon.

Sick for Christmas

Well, it is official. Alex is sick again. He got RSV that led to bronchiolitis that led to two ear infections. He was okay until the 23rd when he started coughing a whole bunch. On Christmas Eve, he coughed so much, he threw up his breakfast. I took him to the doctor (they were open for walk-ins) and that is when I learned of the illnesses. He got a shot to jump-start the ear infection antibiotics and then medicine for ten days.

Well, today I ended up taking him back to the doctor. He had a fever of 102 last night and 103 this morning. After Tylenol and half a bottle, he threw up and cried. The doctor said that we have to stop the meds. He got another Rocefin shot today and will get another tomorrow. The worst part-or maybe the good part-he has to see an ENT for ear tubes. Tubes in my baby's ears!!

I don't know if I am more afraid of him getting this done, or the amount of money it is going to cost us. I feel like a terrible mother saying that. We are so tight right now and him going in to the doctor every other week is really running us dry. Maybe next year will be better.

Found this hat at Baby's R Us. Reminded me of Grandpa. Isn't he adorable?

How blessed we truly are.

As many of you already know, we are not buying gifts this Christmas. I was pretty bummed about this, until we went to Walmart tonight and I noticed just how few toys there are for babies under one year old. The cool ones were pretty expensive and the others were just blah. I bought some yogurt and asked if Alex wanted to get yogurt in his stocking and he started laughing! He is so easily amused. I guess that just proves that the Christmas I had imagined was more about me than Alex, Patrick or Jesus. Maybe God is working on me with this.

I love giving things to people and was limited in my gifting, so I gave one big gift. With some of my Christmas money from my father-in-law, I decided to buy a goat. Yes, I said goat. World Concern is an organization that provides sustainable gifts to people in 3rd world countries. They teach the recievers how to feed, milk, and care for the animals they are given. I could have bought a pen and vaccines for the goat, but that was over my budget. I was so excited to get this goat!! Everyone knows just how practical I am. What is a more practical gift than a goat for a starving family? That really made me second guess the extra goodies we typically buy each other with little thought and a lot of money that will eventually break, get lost, or even regifted.

How blessed we are to have what we do! Yeah, maybe the bills wont all get paid this month, or there might not be as much money in the "MISC" fund, but when all is said and done, God has already provided everything we need. The rest is just frivolity. It is easy to get swept into the American trap of having to have things-lots of things-just so we can appear up-to-par with the crowd. As I sit in my living room typing on my laptop computer, I am realizing just how much of this stuff is for show and to help me be lazy. What would my life be like if I got rid of all this stuff and lived with just the necessities God has already provided? Many would say it would be miserable. But do those things really bring us the happiness, or is it the peace and security we think they provide?

This Christmas, I want to focus on God. The real reason all this got started. I will remember the many blessings (even the ones that brought tears of sadness at the time)that He has gifted me with. I want to start redirecting my thought patterns to focus on God and His will for me and my life. He didn't promise an easy life, but He did promise one with Him. That is enough for me.

--The pictures below are a few weeks old, but still worth posting. Gianna loves her cousin and was willing to pose for the kiss. She is so sweet.

Sittin' Pretty

My little boy got to sit in the grocery cart today for the first time. I got one of those cart covers for my baby shower and, though the back was made for a skinnier seat, it worked. Alex was very cautious and amazed at his new view He barely moved at all, just his eyes darting every which way. I think he liked it (in a quiet sort of way.)

Since he got his shots yesterday, he got a fever last night of 102.5. I stayed home with him and called the doctor, but she said not to really worry just yet. He is much better now after a few long naps. He didn't smile or play a lot today, but I still loved being here with him. He wanted to be held a lot--and I didn't mind a bit.

Pop Goes the Weasel!

As I was sitting in church today with my little man gnawing on my finger, I felt something peculiar. It felt as if he had something other than just his soft gums in there. What was that thing popping out?

He has shiny, thin, white tooth!

It is barely noticeable, but very much there. I wanted to show a picture, but he keeps sticking out his tongue every time I try to see it.

My baby has a tooth!

Santa!!

His first Christmas tree!

Santa Clause is Coming to Town!

video bummer

Well, I was going to post the adorable video we took of our little man playing with his feet while sleeping and then kicking like a dog having a hunting dream.  This blog won't let me add video anymore, so I emailed them to several of you.  If you didn't get it and want to see it, leave me a comment and I will send it to you.

He's Free Indeed!

After much agonizing debate, Alex has been weaned from the burritto-style swaddle blankets.  He has had quite a time trying to control his arms enough to let him sleep.  He will rub his eyes when sleepy, and doesn't seem to know how to make it stop.  It is quite funny. 

This also means that he needs a blanket to keep him warm.  When using a regular blanket, he kicks it off at night and pulls it up over his face to chew on.

Ready or not

Well, the doctor okayed forAlex to start solids at 4 months, so we tried.  and tried, and tried again.  He hates everything!  He will cry when the spoon comes close to his mouth.  I guess he is not ready yet.  I know it is still early, he is only 5 months and we still have plenty of time.

What he is ready for is sitting!  Look at these pictures.  I tried sitting him up and not holding him, and he stayed for three whole seconds!  Since then, about a week, daycare and I have been working on this new found talent.  I am so excited to see all the new things he can do.

Anyone else love me enough to follow?

Please help me feel special.  I will follow on yours.

Look-alike

Guess Who?

Look-Alike-Meter

First Follower!

Thanks Candace!  I feel special now to have someone following my blog.

so very tired

Alex was feeling a bit under the weather this last weekend.  He had a fever and diarrhea.  Instead of eating his normal of 4 meals a day of 6 ounces each, he decided he wanted only 4 ounces-or less.  We were worried, of course, and took him to the doctor on Monday.  She said she wasn't worried that our little one (who is now 14 pounds 4 ounces) fell from being in the 75% to the 25% for his weight.  She reminded us how many times he was on antibiotics in the last couple of months and that when he felt better, he would eat normally again and gain weight.  This made me feel better, but not good.  At least his ears finally look completely healed!

Last night he decided to wake up several times between 2 and 6 a.m.  He completely woke up at 2:45 ready for a party.  I fed him a little and turned on the turtle that shows the constellations on the ceiling.  He liked that and settled down.  But, about 45 minutes later, he wanted his pacifier.  Then he was lonely.  Then he decided he didn't want his swaddler and filled his diaper with so much pee it weighed nearly 5 pounds!  Then he wanted to be patted and given his pacifier again. 

My goodness!  I hope this isn't one of those times when a baby who slept so wonderfully all of a sudden decides to revert back to his first week schedule.  I had three cups of coffee this morning and still about lost it with my kids at school.  Please pray I can get some sleep tonight.  Even five hours straight would be welcomed.

Rice Cereal

This weekend Alex got to taste his first rice cereal on a spoon! He did very well.

New Pictures for Gianna!!!

I now have some of my pictures listed on Picasa!http://picasaweb.google.com/home

Taking a few days off.

Alex apparently has come down with Bronchiolitis and is contagious. The daycare said they would take him since he has no fever, but would prefer we keep him home. No problem for me!! I am taking off three days and then getting off early on Thursday to take him to his well-baby appointment. (I hope he is well enough by Thursday.)

I did not complain at all about having to stay home with him. I am enjoying getting my house cleaned, making dinner and just being with Alex.

We even took Roman for a walk today! These are getting fewer and farther between since his arthritis is getting worse. As soon as we stepped out the door a hyper sled-type dog (still a puppy) bolts up to us and startles the cackles up on Roman. The dog had only a Rabies tag, so I let her walk with us around the block. Roman eventually realized this dog was harmless to us and calmed down. I tried to look for open gates where she might have run out, but found only one, and the owner had never seen her. She was so sweet. I tried calling the Banfield number on the tag, but no one answered. I figured the only way to find out whose she was was to take her in to get scanned at the vet. Well, by the time I decided to try, she had run off. I guess that was a good thing. Maybe she will find her way back home.

On a side note. . . our pediatrician is starting Chemo this week for breast cancer. Please keep her in your prayers. I couldn't even begin to think about what she is going through-or how she is still working during this terribly emotional time.

I know I need to post more current pictures, so will try to get some up soon.