It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...

...a tooth!

Luke's first tooth finally broke through today. Daddy noticed it while Luke Man was eating his supper. I'm glad to know what all that gnawing, drooling, sucking, and chewing has been about. I can't believe how fast our sweet baby boy is growing up! I tried really hard to get a picture of his new tooth, but my photography skills are lacking. I did get a few pictures of the sweet, one-toothed boy!

Apparently his drool is very acidic...his poor chin broke out into a rash tonight!

Not to worry though...a little cortisone cream cleared it right up! :)

Thursday Rant

No pictures...just a rant. Read at your own risk! :)

Thursdays...the day Justin leaves before the roosters crow...the day he has driven over 100 miles before the sleep is good and out of my eyes...the day disaster tends to strike at my house.

Last Thursday I got up extra early, as usual, to get myself ready before the kids woke up. Things ran rather smoothly, and we left home around 6:40. I knew Luke's cough/congestion was bad, but I didn't have anybody to keep him so we headed on. As I was driving, he was coughing continuously. He sounded awful...then the "mommy guilt" kicked in. I grabbed my cell phone and called for help...in the form of my grandmother! "Maz" said she could come keep him, but it would be an hour or so. Next call for help...MawMaw Wanda! She said she would meet me at the house and keep him until Maz could get there. However, at this point I was going to be incredibly late for work if I went back home. So off I went...baby in tow...to work. Luckily my great co-workers were more than happy to pull baby duty until I could get things going in my classroom. Then they watched my class while I carried Luke home. By Friday he was worse, and I ended up having to take one of my endless supply of sick days so I could take him to the doctor. Luckily the breathing treatments have made a tremendous difference in our little guy!

Fast forward seven days to today...Thursday. I will spare you all the lovely details, but let's just say E woke up around 4:30 with a tummy ache. I gave her some pepto bismol, she used the potty, and she went back to bed...my bed to be exact. I got up at 5:30, got myself completely ready, and went into Luke's room to give him a breathing treatment. At 6:20 I started calling for E to wake up. She wandered into Luke's room around 6:25, gave him a kiss, laid her head down on the rocker (in a sleepy sort of way), lifted her head, looked at me, and THREW UP EVERYWHERE! When I say everywhere I mean everywhere...all over me, Luke, the rocker, the floor...EVERYWHERE! Here we go again...I called for help. MawMaw Wanda came to sit with her until Maz could get there. Luckily, I don't think it was a virus. She hasn't thrown up again today, and she is playing like her usual self. When I got to work...late, of course...one of my lovelies asked me, "Mrs. McCollum, are your kids always sick?" Yes, Johnny (name has been changed to protect the guilty), it seems that way, doesn't it?

Better, Birthdays, Naps & Big News

I am happy to report that Luke is doing so much better. He's still not 100%, but he is moving in the right direction. We go back for a re-check Tuesday afternoon, so please say a prayer that we get the all clear! :)

Our weekend was busy, as usual. Since Luke was making improvement Daddy and Nana were kind enough to send Ashley and me on our shopping excursion to Birmingham. We stopped back through Anniston for Cheyenne's birthday party. I cannot believe she is already six years old...it seems like just yesterday we were in the hallway at RMC listening for the sound of a baby crying and waiting impatiently to get our hands on that sweet baby girl!

The Birthday Girl!

Emma hung out with her "boyfriend" at the party.

Cheyenne's was the sixth party E has been to in five weeks!

We won't know what to do with ourselves for a while! :)

Cheyenne's cousin, Morgan, was the flower girl in my wedding.

My, how things have changed in a little over 5 years!

Sunday afternoons are usually spent with the kids napping, Daddy working, and Mommy running around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to get things ready for the week to come. This afternoon I decided to lay down with Emma for a minute so she would get to sleep quicker...a minute turned into 3 hours! I could not believe it! Even Luke took a 3 hour nap...after which Justin said HE would purchase a Nap Nanny!

This is what a boy looks like after a LONG Sunday afternoon nap.

And finally...the big news! It's not my news, so I won't share it...but

let's just say thanks to Jana and April we will have a very exciting fall! =)

(Click on their names to see what all the excitement is about:)

Where's the manual?

Raising my babies has been the absolute most rewarding job I have ever had. It is also the hardest job I have ever had. Emma hasn't been sick over five times her whole life, but I just can't seem to get Luke better. I have tried everything including sitting in his bedroom floor, squalling, and begging God to please just knock me in the head and tell me how to fix him. No luck with that yet.

Apparently I misplaced the manual that tells mamas what we really need to know about raising our babies. It must have gotten filed with the really important pamphlets they send home from the hospital with you that say something like "feed baby when hungry"...Really?

Here's a look at what we've tried this week...

Hudson was sweet enough to let us borrow his

Nap Nanny, and it seems to be helping with the congestion.

We went back to see Dr. Ray today. He did an x-ray to make sure

pneumonia wasn't setting up in his lungs. Thankfully it wasn't, but

 Luke does have bronchitis. So...we came home with a nebulizer

machine. Please pray that these breathing treatments help our little guy!

We have also spent several days this week at the chiropractor's office. It seems to have helped break up the congestion, and Luke DID NOT have an ear infection when Dr. Ray checked him today! (I would have sworn earlier in the week that he did.) So...we will continue to let Dr. Steele work with him in an attempt to keep this baby well!

Luke just lays there and grins while Dr. Steele does his magic!

In other news...Nana's home! :)

Flowers for Emma

In case you didn't know...

Emma's Nana has gone back to work in Texas, and Emma misses her terribly! She doesn't understand why she can't go to Nana's and spend the night like usual. Nana will be flying home for the weekend, and E is so excited. She got these flowers at Mrs. Elizabeth's Tuesday to remind her it would only be a few more days before they were reunited, ha!

Really?!...How many 3-year-olds do you know

who have had flower deliveries at 'school'? ;)

Luke: 5 Months

Luke, you are five months old!

(Sort of...I couldn't decide if I should do this post on 02.28 or 03.02,

but since you will definitely be six months old on 03.30 I decided to go

with 02.28. It's just not right to have two "birthdays" in the same month;)

Here's what you're up to these days:

• You weigh 18 lbs. 3oz. and are 27 inches long...up 10lbs. 13oz. and 7 inches from birth!
• You wear size 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers.
• You take four 7oz. bottles each day. You eat two tablespoons of cereal with an ounce of milk around 5:30 each evening. If I'm not paying attention you quickly let me know it's time to eat...and I love it! :)

• You take a bath right after you eat, although you are much less messier than you were when you first started eating cereal with a spoon!
• You love bath time...and you are already trying to sit up in there!


• You are still a great sleeper. I lay you down around 7:45 each night, and you get yourself to sleep. Occasionally I try to rock you, but you don't like it. It makes me a little sad, but I am glad you are independent...and if you ever do let me rock you I take full advantage! =)
• You have been waking up earlier, but you don't demand to get out of the bed. You just talk and jabber while I get ready for work. I come and get you when I'm ready, and you always have the biggest smile on your face. You are definitely going to be a little heartbreaker!
• The previous statements lead me to the biggest news of your 5 month post...you are sleeping in your big boy bed in your own room!
• You are a mover! I lay you down in the bed with your head to the left of the bed (if you're looking at it), but there is no telling where we will find you in the morning! You are constantly rolling from your back to your tummy, but you haven't yet mastered getting back to your back...although you have done it a few times.

• You have the sweetest laugh. It's one of my favorite sounds!

• You still haven't cut any teeth, but you drool a ton and constantly chew/suck on your hands.
• You have had an awful rash on your cheeks recently, and I have tried everything I know to clear it up. Your face stays wet, because you constantly keep your hands in your mouth. Hopefully it will go away once you cut some teeth and aren't gnawing on those hands all the time! :)

• You are absolutely amazing! You are the most friendly, easy-going, laid back baby I've ever known. I am totally in awe every time I look at you...it's still hard for me to fathom that you are mine! I pray that you will always know how much you are wanted and loved. Happy 5 months precious one!

You Gotta Fight . . . For Your Right . . .

to Paaar-ty!

Not really...you just have to be invited to multiple parties in one day. We had a weekend full of friends and parties! =)

Friday night Ashley and Sarah came over for a visit, and we ended up eating at Partners. It was fun, but I am really looking forward to our trip next weekend! We are going to Cottontail's, where we will probably spend way too much money on our sweet babies, and The Cheesecake Factory, where we will most definitely might indulge in a small piece of Heaven in the form of cheesecake!

Sweet girls...who are growing up way too fast!

Sarah decided she needed to play in the jumparoo, ha! :)

Ashley got in some baby time!

Saturday was party day!

Happy Birthday Hudson! We love you! :)

I'm really thinking Sarah needs a sibling...

Next up was Ensleigh's party...

she adores Luke and she's such a good little mommy!

Emma had a blast too...and she made a new friend!

After a long nap we headed to Oxford with Aunt Jana to do a little shopping. On Sunday we had a Bible study from the book of First John...it was really good. I was reminded of a powerful statement that comes from a children's song...Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so! I am so blessed!

When we got home E told me she wanted to sing a song for me...I

I've got peace like a river

I've got peace like a river

I've got peace like a river in my soul!