*A* Made Top 5 & Still Needs Your Votes!!!

If you voted for my daughter to help her get to the Top 5 (or even if you didn't), she's now in the Top 5. So, I need your help to make her #1!! This is for all the marbles. Just click the link below if you have an FACEBOOK account (you don't have to tell me that you did it, especially if you blog annonymously) and then "LIKE" her picture to earn her a vote. Voting ends Friday (9/30/11) at 9pm CST. Thanks for all your help.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR *A* TO MAKE HER #1!!

Please Vote For The Little Miss!!

*A* was entered in a photo contest for her adorable headbands that I'm always putting on her. Right now I'm trying to get her into the Top 5 in the contest, so... If you have a Facebook account could you please click on the link below and vote for *A* for me? All you have to do is "Like" her photo and then leave a comment to seal the deal. Thank ya'll so much!!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR *A*!!

Allergies & Post-partum Visit

I can't hardly believe that today Little Miss *A* is 6wks old. It doesn't hardly seem possible that she could be this old already. She's getting more consistant about her sleeping schedule at night. She'll take a bottle around 10pm, then one around 2-3am, and then 6am. After each feeding she goes straight back to sleep until the 6am feeding then she wants to be awake. Usually throughout the day after each feeding she is awake for anywhere from 1-3hrs and then just catnaps for 30min-1hr when she does sleep. At each feeding she is now eating 2.5oz (75ml's).

She had to go to the Dr. today to be seen for a rash that is all over her head and neck. While we were there she was weighed and measured. She now weighs 7lbs12oz and is 19in. This still puts her in the 5th percentile on preemie growth charts. Any way, we were there for her rash. As it turns out she has a severe allergy to something. Her pediatrician asked if we did anything different (which we hadn't), and said it could be anything from our body soap, to lotion, to perfume/cologne, to laundry detergents. He told us to change each thing one at a time to something that was scent-free and dye-free if we thought it was something we were using. After thinking about if we had changed anything different I remember that the Pu*rex scent crystals scent I had been using I had changed to another scent. So I'm going to quit using that and see if it helps. In the meantime we have to use hydrocortisone .5% cream on her affected areas.

I also had my 6wk post-partum visit today. Everything is looking good, and I was advised against unprotected intercourse for the next year. The OB asked if there was a type of birth control that I had used before for prevention, and there hasn't been. There has only been BCPs I've used to reduce cysts. He asked what we planned on using for birth control, and honestly other than condoms and DH getting the big V after the first of the year I hadn't thought about it. We are definitely done with our one boy and one girl... but I don't think that preventing is something that we should have to worry about with all the IF issues we have faced. I know that we've conceived both of our babies naturally without the help of medical intervention when we had given up trying so it can and could happen again, but preventing just isn't for me or us. I feel that even though I've went through 2 rough pregnancy & deliveries, and had 1 preemie that if God (or devine intervention at this point) intends for us to conceive another child before the big V, then that is what will happen. In the meantime condoms it is... when we're not to tired to do all that and when we remember.

Quality Time

Today I spent quality time with the Little Miss, while DH and The Monster spent time together. The Monster has really been feeling left out since *A* arrived, but not so much today. Him and DH went to what us country folk call fun... the mud runs. It's this huge mud pit that trucks, jeeps, SUVs, and 4-wheelers drive threw trying to get the fastest time to win money. The Monster got to play in the mud and get down & dirty. He came home and couldn't quit talking about it... him or DH. I wish I could of went, but instead I stayed home, caught up on sleep with the Little Miss, and was kept updated via text messages. Here are some pictures of my baby boy having fun.

Starting to play in the mud

With his Uncle getting ready to ride in a truck

Going on his mud run

Playing in the mud



More mud play



Showing off his muddy self

His cute chubby & muddy self all done playing and ready to go home

Pre-School Woes

I'm so furious with *B*'s pre-school teacher right now I could spit nails.

In *B*'s class there is a folder that is sent to and from school everyday, it's a communication folder so that the teacher and parent can communicate between one another about the child. Last week on his first day of pre-school she sent home the folder and had wrote in there that *B* had wiped his own butt when he had pooped earlier that day & she had spot checked him. For most this isn't a huge thing, but for *B* it was his first time doing this all by himself without assistance. Well, that evening when it was bath time and he took aff his underwear he had poop marks in them. I was upset about this and had asked *B* about his teacher's so-called "spot checking." He then told me that when he wiped and the TP was clean that the teacher said he was clean and to get off the toilet and pull up his pants.

So, all last weekend I observed him wiping his own butt. He would get the TP up to his crack on his buttcheek only grazing the poop and not up in there where it needed to be. Therefore he wasn't getting himself clean. So, when he went back to school on Tuesday I wrote in his communication folder what I had observed, what he had told me, and that I would appreciate her help in the matter of making sure he's clean so that he doesn't end up with a sore bottom. She wrote me back and asked me to send flushable wet wipes to school with him which I did, and we haven't had a problem with that since.

That combined with what happened yesterday and the phone call I got today is what has sent me over the edge. On Tuesday when she sent the communication folder home she had wrote in there that with lunch *B* had complained about a belly ache after drinking milk and asked if he had problems with it. She said that if he wanted to get cafeteria lunch again that maybe it would be best for me to sent a drink with him instead of him getting a milk. Being that when he was younger he was lactose intolerant reading this bothered me. So, yesterday when he wanted a cafeteria lunch again I packed in his lunchbox with an ice pack a capri sun, a fruit cup of pears (b/c listed on the lunch menu was peaches & he's allergic to peaches), and a packet of fruit snack... that's it. I sent in his communication folder his envelope with his lunch money for a tray lunch just as he had asked for. When they did lunch count that morning the teacher & aide never asked him about a cafeteria lunch they just took for granted that b/c he had a lunchbox that he had a fully packed lunch.

He went to lunch yesterday and opened his lunchbox. The teacher observed what he had in his lunchbox and asked him where his sandwich was. His reply to her was I guess Mommy forgot b/c sissy had her up early this morning (4:30am she got me up, 5:45am she woke him up with her crying). The teacher let him go at that. She never bothered to get him a tray lunch to make up for his lack of a lunch or even go to the office to give me a quick call at home to see what was going on. She let him eat that & only that. So then, at 2pm yesterday I recieve a phone call from her b/c she is just now getting to his communication folder and seeing that he was supposed to have a tray lunch along with what was in his lunchbox. Her call wakes me from a nap I was taking with *A* so I wasn't on my game when she called. She apologizes for the mix up. Says that he's at rest time but he's tossing and turning not falling asleep. I tell her that he's not going to if his belly is empty. She says snack time is in 10min, and she'll fix him up. I'm not reassured at all, and I get off the phone and bawl like a baby for him.

After picking him up from school yesterday and bringing him home he proceeds to eat two and a half slices of pizza and starts falling asleep sitting at the table while trying to finish the third slice. I have him to go lay in his bed. He then sleeps from 4pm yesterday evening until 7am this morning. He even slept through me changing him into his pjs. After him doing this and getting my head on straight about the situation I realize that what happened to him was unacceptable. So, I write in the communication folder in as polite of manner as I could that all I was doing was following what she had instructed earlier in the week about a juice. That it wasn't acceptable to me, and that I wish she would of called right at lunchtime (11am) when she noticed there was no sandwich instead of 3hrs later when she read his folder and instead of letting it go thinking that what he had said was the accurate & acceptable.

After she read my letter to her in the folder she called me and told me that I as a parent was belittling her as a teacher. That she couldn't handle the verbal beatdown I was giving her for the two mistakes, and she is only one teacher with 15 students. She asked if I wanted to switch him teachers or unenroll him from school. I told her that that was like punishing him for something that wasn't his fault, but her's and that I was not doing that. I know that he likes school (up until today when I took him and went to leave him this morning and he cried so hard he puked in his mouth, so I had to take him to the bathroom to get him cleaned up to which he threw sobs says to me Mommy don't leave me they don't take good care of me, they don't feed me) and her as a teacher. I know that mistakes happen, I just don't want these type of mistakes happening to my child or any child for that matter, and that she needed to make things right to him and for him. She told me she would, and I hope to God that she does or the end of his pre-school days will be over before they ever truly begin... simply b/c I don't want to have to worry about him for those 6hrs a day.

One Month Old

Little Miss *A*,

Today you are one month old. It hardly seems that you can be this old already. Maybe it's b/c you have only been home from the hospital for 2wks, so to me it feels as though you're only 2wks old. Earlier this week you had your 2wk home from the hospital post-partum check up for growth and development to make sure that you are staying on track. You weighed 6lbs15oz and was 18.75in at this appt. You are still my petite little preemie, and even on the preemie charts this only puts you in the 5th precentile for growth & development. I guess that would be why you are still in preemie sized clothing and why they are still a little big on you.

Since you have been home we have been allowed to let you sleep as long as you will sleep at night before waking and wanting a bottle. The longest that you have went has been 4hr15min straight. However, you have your days and nights super confused and when you wake for a bottle between 3-4am you want to stay awake until the sun rises. I blame this on you being in the NICU since they always would weigh, measure, bathe, and do your other vitals on night shift at the start of a new day (usually early morning hours)... thus you are confused. I'm hoping that as you get older we can change this.

You are still wanting to eat every 3hrs usually, except for your stretch at night but that is pretty close to 3hrs too. The amount that you take is still a struggle too. I know that as long as you take an 1 1/2 ounces (45ml's) per feeding right now that you will be alright your pediatrician says but that is the least amount that you should be taking. There are some feeding that you will take 2oz (60ml's) but that is a stretch. You are still on Simi*lac Neo*sure as you need the extra calories, but your pediatrician says that eventually you'll catch up and then you'll come off of that type of formula. Either way it doesn't bother me as long as you're staying on track and you don't end up back in the hospital for anything.

The past couple of days you have figured out what and where your hair is. I will catch you several times a day with your hand in the back of your head wide open feeling your hair. You get wide eyed with amazment when you do this, but I'm glad that you are learning and exploring already. Speaking of your hands (actually your thumbs), I think that if we would let you that you would be a thumb sucker. This is follwing in true fashion of your Aunt Blu who was a thumb sucker. I think that it is adorable that you are doing this, but I'm not sure how adorable it'll be in a year if you keep it up and we can't break you of the habit. So, we've been covering your hands with the flaps on your sleepers and listening to you whine while we rock you to sleep, b/c we refuse to give in to giving you back the pacifier.

Otherwise my sweet girl you are growing and developing and perfect in every way. You have cam into our crazy chaotic family and made it even crazier and more chaotic, but we wouldn't know what we would do without you, b/c you've made our lives complete! We love you more and more each day, and you are truly one of our greatest blessings.

Love-

Mama

1st Day of Pre-School

I can not believe that I now have a pre-schooler. Today was *B*'s 1st day of pre-school. He was so very excited to go. I know I hardly slept last night with all the anxiety for him for his first day. I felt like I was going to my first day of a new school year all over again like I did when I was school aged. He doesn't ride the bus, which is a curse (with a new baby and throwing off our schedules) and a blessing (I can monitor who he's in contact with and control things better in this out of my control situation), so I will be taking him back and forth to school.

Before leaving this morning I packed his lunch for school. It was such a surreal feeling. I asked him what he wanted and the night before we went grocery shopping and he had picked out something things for his lunch. For his lunch he chose a chicken nugget lunchable meal. I packed an extra drink (cap*ri sun juice) and a package of fruit snacks to go with it. After we were all already and breakfast (chocolate chip waffle) was ate, we headed out the door. But not before stopping to snap a couple photos to remember the big day.We pulled out and arrived at school at 8:45am. School starts at 9:00am, so we had plenty of time for him to settle into what was going to happen once we got there. Instantly he was hypered up about school, but slowly started to settle down once more and more kids started arriving and were upset. Once it was 9:00am the teacher had all the students line up single file and walk down to their classroom from the gym where they were waiting. He followed the directions so well, and I couldn't of been more proud. When we got down to the classroom the teacher had all the students sit and they started to work on their first art project of the class year. She had their names written on construction paper to which she outlined each letter with glue, and then they were to put different craft materials on the glue. He went straight to work.

I stayed with him for a little over an hour during which time he put together a puzzle, played with legos and a train, and got in trouble and sat in time out for throwing stuffed food toys in the classroom. After that the class was headed to the gym to burn off some steam, so I figured that was my time to make my grand exit. I told him "Good-bye" quickly with a kiss and a hug and out the door I went. He never cried, but once the school doors closed behind me I bawled like a baby. My first born, my baby... he's growing so fast and is now a BIG boy AND a pre-schooler... sniff, sniff... *sigh* time flies. Thank goodness school is over at 3pm today and he'll be home with me again. :)