Vacation....NOT!!!

I feel as though my summer/maternity leave is slipping away very quickly! In a little over a month, I will go back to school.  It's a good thing that I love what I do because it is the only way I can leave my precious angels.  I have truly enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom this summer.  It's the first time since high school that I haven't worked outside of the home during the summer and I am loving every minute of it!  Too bad we are not independently wealthy or I would be staying home in the fall too.

We spent last week at Ocracoke Island, NC.  It is an annual vacation spot for us.  It has always been a fairly relaxing and enjoyable vacation....until this year.  Our vacation started out with our first day on the beach...Jackson was VERY fussy and clingy and HATED the beach. The biting flies were out in force so I couldn't put Grayson down so I sat in my beach chair, under an umbrella, down by the water (where the flies were not so bad), with two kids in my arms.  By the time we left that afternoon I swore I was done with the beach!  Dinner that evening did not go much better.  On the walk to the restaurant, my flip flop broke so I had to go quickly to a nearby store to get a new pair (actually I got a pair of yoga mat flip flops so this really wasn't a bad thing).  Then Grayson had an explosive diaper! After changing his diaper and outfit our food came...YEAH...not so much!  I gave Jackson a bite of my rice and when I was about to give him a second bite, he started throwing up...UGH!  At least the restaurant was outside.  We quickly paid for our dinner and then walked home.  That night Jackson woke up with a fever.  We gave up going back to the beach the next day (I wasn't going back even if Jackson was feeling better).  About mid-morning Jackson began throwing up again.  At this point we knew that it was more than just something that he ate.  We decided to quarantine Jackson to the bedroom because we didn't want anyone else in the house to catch it, especially Grayson.  The next morning we took him to the local clinic on the island.  We found out he had an ear infection...I had suspected as much since I knew he was teething.  By that evening he was feeling so much better!  The rest of the vacation did not get much better though.  Jackson did develop a love for the beach which I was happy about (I gave in and gave it another shot...so glad I did) but mealtimes out were so stressful!  I think it was because my children (especially Jackson) is so routine and not being able to take a good nap and then a late dinner did not create the best of situations for dinner time.  We were never able to stay at the restaurant for the entire meal.  By the last day I told Kevin that I was done with going out...we brought dinner to us at the house. That worked out much better.

I am hopeful that we do not have a repeat vacation.  Perhaps next year, with our children being a year older it will be better....OR IT JUST MAY BE WORSE!!!  Either way, we did get to have some family time together.  If there was a silver lining to Jackson getting sick on vacation it was that Kevin was there to help me through Jackson's first time throwing up.  Had we been home, Kevin would probably have been at work.

This week has been much better...being back home and back on a routine!  Maybe it's me that has the problem, not Jackson, when it comes to changes in the routine! LOL.

Being a Mom is the hardest job on Earth

Being a mom has always been a dream of mine.  Ever since I was a little girl playing with dolls, I always knew that I was placed on this earth to be a mom.  Going through infertility and a miscarriage was devastating because I thought that my destinity may not come true.  Then miraculously God saw fit to not only bless us once but twice with two special angels.  I feel so blessed that I am their mother.  That being said...this "occupation" is the hardest job on Earth.  Someone once told me that you aren't truly a parent until you have two...I don't know if that's true, but two makes you VERY busy!  Having two, especially so close in age, is definitely keeping me on my toes.  There is never a dull moment...never a moment of "down time." Today for example...wake up call came at 5:30AM...not bad since Grayson had been put down to bed at 1 AM.  Maybe sleeping through the night is in our future!  Anyways, as I got ready to feed him, Jackson woke up. Luckily Kevin was still home (he was getting ready to leave for the station) so he went and brought Jackson down.  After a bottle, Jackson went back to sleep.  I was even able to fit in a 30 minute snooze.  Then it was feeding time again.  I forgot to close the gate to the living room, which gave Jackson free reign of the downstairs.  Jackson must have woke up the second time with the "I'm going to test Mom today" attitude because TEST he did!  He always seems to act out while I'm in a situation that I can't immidiately get to him.  Today was no different.  He has been in a phase of going through the kitchen drawers and grabbing whatever items that are in them.  He knows he's not suppose to so he only does this when my attention is being directed elsewhere (cooking or on Grayson).  Today he found the drawer with the knives!  Luckily the knife he pulled out had the cover on the blade.  I got up to go get him and he knew he was in trouble so he turned around and started to run from me.  Unfortunately his forehead and the bottom edge of the drawer met.  No blood...so we brushed it off and then went into the living room and closed the gate behind us.  I resumed feeding Grayson.  Next thing I know, Jackson is emptying the DVD cabinets, all the while saying "NO" or "Uh Oh" and looking directly at me.  I waited until I was done feeding Grayson to calm down before I went over and gave Jackson my "undivided attention."
By this time, our pediatrician's office had opened so I placed a call in requesting to be seen.  On Sunday, I noticed that Grayson had some sort of growth protruding from the bottom of his belly button.  I called on Monday and the nurse told me to just keep an eye on it since he didn't seem to be bothered by it.  She did offer to make an appointment for me then but I choose not to.  My gut told me to but since the nurse didn't seem to concerned I tried not to be.  Over the last few days, the growth did not go away and did seem to get a little bigger so I called again and requested to be seen.  Taking the kids to the doctor is never fun...going alone is worse but you gotta do what you gotta do.  After looking at Grayson, she decided that he needed to have an ultrasound done to see if his umbilical cord had formed incorrectly and had attached to his bladder.  If that was the case, then we would need to go see a urologist.  If everything is ok, then we go to plastics.  Either way it wasn't news I wanted to hear.  I'm not sure what non-praying mommas do, but this momma immediately started praying.  Even as I sit and type this entry, God has given me peace about today's test.  No matter what the results are, I am still blessed to have a child that is relatively healthy, not something that I've ever taken for granted since the day that he was born.  I am still a little corcerned/worried about my little man...I wish my little guy didn't have to go through this...but I know that he is in good hands! 
Prayer is Powerful and God will never give you more than you can't handle...two beliefs that I'm standing firm on today!

Making Memories

It's been a CRAZY couple of weeks!
 Kevin has started back at the fire station working 24 hour shifts.  It's been an adjustment to our new schedule.  I think the one difference that I've found with our new schedule is the lack of adult conversation/interaction that I have. I find myself starting up random conversations with anyone...lol. 
Over the last few weeks, I have checked off a few items on the "Mother of Two" Accomplishment List.  I have conquered the outlet mall and the grocery store with two children.  The grocery store went a little better than the outlet mall but I would consider both successful outings...I still accomplished what I set out to do.  My next "check-off" will be going to church by myself with two.  I will attempt that this Sunday since Kevin is working 24.  Please pray for me...that we are all dressed, on time, and still have positive attitudes when we get to church!
Aside from doing solo outings, we have also made a few family memories.  A trip to the Norfolk Zoo, a birthday pool party, a trip to Charlottesville to see Great Grandma and Grandma, and a Fourth of July get together with family have created many memorable moments for our family.  This really is what life is all about...creating memories to strengthen us as people and as a family.  It really is what keeps me going...striving to make many memories for my children, whether it's something as simple as finger painting at home, going to the library, or an outing to the Zoo.





                                                  Jackson playing in his fort!

 

Not fond of fingerpainting!



                                            Jackson at the zoo!                                           At the playplace in the mall!

                    My new school supply organizer for my classroom!
                                                                                A sweet gift from my loves!