Independence Day

A rare photo-op with mommy

at least I could muster up the energy to wear a festive shirt! ;)

oh yea, I'm going up there

look at me!

inspired by Wipeout, Sophia and Leo play with the Big Red Ball

Charlie read me an article the other day that basically said a lot of Veterans were disgruntled by the fact that many people refer to said holiday as "the fourth of July", when it really has to do with independence, so from now on I will try and change my ways. ;)

Anywho...my darling husband packed up both festively clad children and took them to the lake for some fun in the sun (or clouds as it may have been). Luckily Shelby wanted to go too so that made things a tad easier for Charlie and I think she had a great time! I was just as happy to lay in bed and watch a Bridezilla marathon. Sadly, they left the camera in the car and didn't get any pics of the kids playing in the lake and enjoying the pig roast, but I know they did! Charlie said Sophia did a positively awesome job of swimming to the ladder (with her life jacket on) all by herself, climbing up and jumping in to start the whole process again. Leo floated in the hippo raft and I think Shelby got some energy out too with doing some swimming of her own. I was sad to have missed it, but they decided to forgo fireworks and come home a little early. The kids got to bed mostly on time and our neighborhood display got rained out anyway! I try and give both my kids lots of opportunities and fun activities, but fireworks has always been one of those things I just don't feel like doing with them. It's so late and so loud and she'll have many more years to appreciate that art form that now, I'm not in the mood to ruin her bedtime over it! Next year will most likely be Sophia's first year for them, and maybe Leo's too since it's not as easy to control the second one's schedule, but I'm happy to wait until then!

Hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day!

Glimpses

Oh, hi, Mommy!!!!...

...bye, bye, Mommy!

This post about captures how much I've seen my children this week! Mostly I am ever so thankful, more than words can express really, for their absence around my house, but I do miss them!!! Our family and friends have really stepped up this week and made things easy for both me and Charlie. The kids have been entertained and fed all week by gracious hosts and hostesses and it truly does help. When they're home, Charlie tries to keep them occupied, but it doesn't really work. Sophia has been fairly understanding of my recovery but still wants to snuggle, which is great, and for me to read to her, which is maybe not as great! They left again just a few minutes ago to have a sleepover with Grandma Sue and tomorrow Charlie is scheduled to take them to Neil's for his annual 4th of July at the Lake Extravaganza. I'm sad to be missing it, but I just don't think it's in the cards for me this year!

I'm beginning to think I should be coping better, but honestly, I'm in a lot of pain and I think I'm coping the best I can. I think the worst part is that the pain gets progressively worse, instead of better...that really plays a mind game on a girl! Plus, because it has to do with my mouth, it's that much more uncomfortable to talk, eat, drink, etc. At least with my c-sections, I could still eat!!! ;) Just for the record, I am hungry, I just can't eat anything. It's better to not eat than to try to choke it down, except for ice cream of course!

I know it's bad when I'm perfectly content to still be lying in bed. I've been in that bed around the clock since Tuesday afternoon. Yes, I do get dressed every day and I try and make at least 2 trips downstairs, but it just wears me out and back I go. It's really amazing how miserable two little tonsils have made my life so far this year! I'm hoping that by Tuesday I'll feel a lot better as the surgeon mentioned that days 5-7 were really the worst of it. Thank goodness I'm mostly alone tomorrow!

Oh, and sorry for 3 posts on this depressing subject, but not talking is hard enough, I can't be silenced from my computer too!!!

Just a Little Update

They really weren't kidding about this pain getting worse thing. Today is definitely worse than Tuesday or Wednesday. In fact yesterday I was starting to feel down right giddy about the prospect of coming out of this without much whining, but today, my tune has changed. I'm in pain. My whole face hurts. I try and chew gum, which they suggested to do to work out the muscle cramps, but it just hurts. Swallowing hurts, laughing hurts, and coughing is just awful. Talking isn't too bad, but I haven't done much of that either. I've downed at least 3 servings of ice cream today and that may just be about all I can handle. I did eat some soup, which was good, but I'm just hurting....like I said, my tune has definitely changed!



Anyway, I can only hope that the pain medicine continues to help me cope! Tomorrow I'm left to my own devices as Nurse Maid has to go back to work and thankfully, Stacy is watching the kiddos, because I don't think I could do it on my own! Feel free to call or text me to take my mind away from the pain! ;) I have some excellent reading material thanks to Jill, but due to pain medication fuzziness I haven't had the concentration level to get started yet! So, it's more Judge Judy, the View, and Family Feud in my future!

I Survived!

We all know I'm a worrier and this situation was no different! Things went smoothly this morning and I've been back home since 11am and doing my best to recover. In fact, I'm in less pain than I thought I would be and just finished a small bowl of mashed potatoes, the first food I've eaten all day. Drinking has been about all I can handle. The bad news, however, is that apparently the pain gets worse as the week goes on. Seems counter intuitive to me, but such is life. The nurse described it as a sort of charlie-horse in the back of your throat because the muscles that held the tonsils (and in my case they had a heavy load) try to hold them up but don't know they aren't there and that's was causes the pain. Just before surgery the doctor stopped by to talk to me and said to expect the worst to come between the 3rd-7th day. Super.


My mom is a rockstar and has had both kiddos there last night, all day today, tonight and tomorrow during the day as well. We are so incredibly thankful for her and everyone else who has been so willing to volunteer their time this week. The kids are going to get lots of family time, just maybe not with me! I miss them, but it's hard to talk and the thought of being climbed on right now doesn't make me feel too swell, and I'm still pretty hopped up on pain meds, so in the end, I think this is more enjoyable for all of us! ;)


I have to take liquid pain medication which is super icky, but at least it works fast. Charlie is being a good little nurse and has been bringing me drinks all day and cuddling me to sleep. I'm concentrating really hard, so hopefully this post shows no evidence of my drug-induced state, but it's about all I can handle, so I'm back off to my cocoon of pillows! Thanks for all the phone calls and positive thoughts! You all know me so well!

Blueberry Time Again!

This year's crowd...

Lisa, Isaac, Isabelle, Sophia, Jodie, Emma, me, Leo
I knew Leo wouldn't stand for these close quarters for long so I had to get to work!

Sophia's first blueberry experience...she was much more content to sit on my hip and pick than her brother was!

He was more into picking leaves off the bushes and trying to eat those. I tried to feed him blueberries and no, not so much into those!

Emma was a diligent picker this year!

Jenn and Trevor showed up to pick along with Cayden and a friend

okay, Mom, I'll pick 1 blueberry but I'm too sweaty to do more.

Lisa was hard at work while Isaac assisted

Sophia found this to be a much better use for her bucket

The girls insisted on cramming all in one car. Sophia was attempting a smile, although it doesn't look like it in this picture, she insisted on riding there!

Isaac was smart enough to wait for the next train and claim a car for himself!

Leo enjoyed playing in the grass and petting the farm dog

Sophia walked the balance beam and climbed the cargo rope before we left

Blueberry picking really wore me out this year! Sophia although excited before we got to the patch, quickly lost her interest in the heat. She basically refused to pick berries and I think maybe picked a few that she immediately ate and that was it. Leo was content, but he was pretty warm and just didn't want to stay on my side. He is FAR, far too busy for such things! He would have been happy crawling through the patches at his leisure, but I feared he would put too many things in his mouth to let him roam free.

Our crowd was a bit smaller this year than last year and mom wasn't able to make it, which makes a difference. I missed her but I also missed how great she is with all the kids! Last year, whenever someone would get tired she selflessly volunteered (okay, maybe she wasn't so into picking the berries either! ;) to play ring around the rosy and other favorite games. In the end, I still did get a good crop of berries to bring home, 3.3 lbs to be exact! Plus, all the kids really loved riding the train which they were too young to do last year and the Berry Patch makes delicious muffins that were also a hot commodity among the little ones. All in all, still a good trip and we'll definitely try again next year!

On a side note, I'm really not sure when I'm going to have time to process all those delicious berries into tasty treats as I'm going under the knife tomorrow! YIKES! I'm cleaning and freezing those berries for a later date! Although, I'm happy to leave out a few so that my darling husband can whip up some blueberry smoothies for my ailing throat! ;) Keep your fingers crossed! I know things will go fine, it's only tonsils for crying out loud, but I'm anxious to say the least! I'll keep everyone posted on my recovery!

9 Months Old!

Big Sister and I love to play and laugh together

I'm not sure how many times I'm going to say 'time flies' before I start believing it! ;) Our little man is 9 months old today. He's come so far and still has so far yet to go. We had his doctor's appointment on Monday and things are looking great. As suspected, Leo was in the 95% for height (30 inches) and 100% for weight (25lbs 4oz)...translation=not on the chart!

Our doctor was impressed however, with how strong he is. Actually, he was just amazed at both our children (Sophia had to accompany Leo to the doctor) and how smart and strong they are! Gotta love that! He hasn't seen Sophia in a number of months as usually she stays with someone else during Leo's appointments and boy, did she have him laughing! He finally looked at me and said, Yeah, she's cute, huh?! Of course I agreed!

Anyway, I digress...he was pleased with Leo's strong legs and determination to walk. He also said to keep giving him as much table/finger foods as he'll eat as he'd like to see more of that to make the transition easier at 1 year. Mostly, Leo still prefers the purees to cut-up food, but that's okay, we'll get there. I've been trying to offer both options at feeding time and that seems to help and he has gotten much better with finger foods in the last weeks, he's even tried hot dogs, breakfast sausage, cheese, Goldfish, and dried fruits. He really loves the dried peaches the most! He is still utterly uninterested in the sippy cup. He will sometimes drink water out of it, but formula, no way man. Grrrr. I'm ready to make that transition for sure!

He said to go ahead and reintroduce some dairy (as I mentioned, cheese) and see what happens. So far so good, but honestly, he hasn't had that much, so I'm still wary. He's eaten maybe the equivalent of an entire cheese stick over the course of a week and ate his first cup of yogurt yesterday and one today. He likes the yogurt a lot and is only mildly interested in the cheese. Our doc said that even if he develops a rash to continue on the dairy for at least 2 weeks. Of course that becomes null and void if the rash is extreme, but I'm really wishing and hoping that we're out of the woods with the dairy stuff. Even if he can eat the dairy, I don't know if I'll switch him off the soy formula, just for consistency, but we'll see. Oh and exciting news...he had his very first tooth pop through yesterday! Hoorah! It's so cute to look in there and see that little chomper poking through...c'mon teeth!

His sleep routine continues to be a loose schedule with anywhere from 1-3 naps per day, but he does sleep through the night, technically. He wakes up early, but will usually go back to bed after a bottle. The past week he's been sleeping until between 6-7:30 and I'm loving that! Of course, that was until last night when he woke me up at 4:30! Uh, that's going to have to stop. I'm hoping it was just a fluke, but I may have to get tough if that continues!

He is a true source of joy in all our lives. I so enjoy seeing him interact with Sophia and her with him, it's truly precious. I feel so complete with my little girl and my little boy and I love being a little nuclear family. While at the doctor I had to make his next appointment...for when he turns 1 year old! ACK!!! I'm excited and sad, but mostly excited. The really good part of having him so close to Sophia's birthday is that I can take them to the doctor together for their yearly check-ups! Yay! I must say, that is a nice perk!

Road Trippin'

Hey! There's a man talking in here!

You expect me to sleep?!

cuddle time

congrats to Mary and Dustin

the girls really had fun with the wedding bubbles!

Aunt Annie was a dancing queen!

This is the circle of women that literally surrounded Leo all weekend

Cathy and Charlie

Leo and his cousin Isaac

Grandma Hirner got to meet Little Leo!

pictured with Pat, Mary, and Anne

We took a road trip this weekend to good old Palmyra, Missouri, a small town where Charlie's Dad is from. Charlie's cousin, Mary, got married and it was a really great way to reconnect with the family we don't see as often. The car ride was difficult at times and it didn't really excite me to get geared up for our big, long road trip next month, but alas, its time will come as well. Sophia did better in the car than I expected and actually better than Leo did. Although, on the ride home, he did sleep almost the entire way, so that rocked! Leo was surrounded by doting women the entire weekend! He did not have to crawl or want for anything! He met his little cousin Isaac who is 6 months and they enjoyed staring each other down. Leo kept grabbing his head and kissing him...it was way cute, and quite reminiscent of what Sophia does to him! We don't make it there too often, so it was nice to go for a happy occasion such as this!