Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Football and tutus

When I was 3 years old, my older sister was 8. (My little sister wasn’t born yet) Courtney (older sis) and I were pretty much inseparable. We played together. We fought together. I followed her around like a lost puppy. She hated it and she loved it. Mostly, though, I think we loved having each other. We had a huge bonus room that was painted bubble gum pink, just for us. In my memories (at 3) of this room, it was massive. I’m talking HUGE. It probably wasn’t THAT big, but to me it was. Inside this room, our stepdad built us this huge playhouse that was 2 stories and had windows and stairs and it was awesome. I’d pay good money to still live in that house with that awesome playhouse built on the inside!! Anyway, I remember playing for hours in the pink room. It was fun. I also remember that Courtney’s best friend, Adrienne, lived across the street. They would go and ride their bikes all around the neighborhood. I couldn’t go because my bike had training wheels and I couldn’t keep up or go up and down the big hills. Well, at 3, I’d had enough! I wanted to ride with the big girls. So, I told my stepdad to take the training wheels off and he said he would, but that if he took them off he wasn’t putting them back on. I would just have to learn to ride. So I did. I also learned to swim at 3 because my sister was and I wanted to.
This post…is about siblings. I loved and still love having siblings. There were 3 of us so it was always 2 against 1 or 3 against our mom. But, we still love each other very much and now that we’re all grown up, we’re all pretty close. I want Dawson to have a sibling. I can’t wait for Dawson to have a sibling. Unfortunately, Daniel can wait. He could probably wait a couple of years or more. I can’t wait that long. I have this deep-seeded yearning in my heart for another baby. I don’t want to get too far away from the newborn days and then have to go back. I may never go back. Also, I keep going back and forth on what gender I would prefer the second time around. My heart is obviously my son. I would SO take another little boy in a heartbeat…but wouldn’t it be a perfect world if I could have one of each? Maybe, maybe not. I know that the disappointment I felt when I found out definitively that Dawson was a boy was a lot to handle. I wanted that girl so badly. I knew in my heart Dawson was a boy, and when he was born you couldn’t have given me 20 girls for my one boy. I was meant to be a boy mom. Like I said, I would SO take another little boy. Being a boy mom and the queen of the house is pretty damn fun. I can’t wait for football and tee ball and soccer…and honestly, I have no heartache over not having ballet class or gymnastics coming up in the not so distant future…but hair bows and tutus would be pretty awesome too. I mean I’m a little old for tutus and people kind of look at me funny when I wear a big flower in my hair.

Friday, August 27, 2010

My memories (could be boring to you, but very important to me)

Isn’t it funny what we remember? What sticks in our heads. The sights, the smells, the tastes, the things that make up our most precious commodities.
I don’t remember when my little sister was born. I don’t remember when she came home from the hospital. I have very few memories of her as a small child. She’s five years younger than me. I should certainly have some memories of these things. I do, however remember the day my sick from the start little brother died. I was three. I remember Christmas when I was three. I remember roller skating at three with a glass orange juice bottle and falling and cutting my hand. (WHO thought it was a good idea to give the girl on roller skates a glass bottle???) I remember moving when I was five. I remember visiting my grandparents and coming home on Christmas Eve and “Elves” had decorated my room. I can’t remember the color of the bathroom that I used for 9 years. I can’t remember ever bathing in that bathroom. I remember lying in front of the clothes dryer in the mornings to get warm after waking up and getting ready for school. I remember first grade math games with goldfish. I barely remember 2nd grade. I remember how profoundly the civil rights movement affected me in third grade when I was first exposed to that type of history. I remember when Susan Smith killed her kids. I remember when OJ Simpson was found not guilty. I remember the Oklahoma City Bombings. I remember the Columbine Shootings. I remember exactly what I was doing my 10th grade year when the first bits of news came out about the September 11th plane crashes. I remember exactly what I and Daniel were wearing when we went to the movies with our friends and discovered our large crushes on each other. I remember falling in love for the first time and I remember how badly it hurt when that ended. I remember my 2nd love and being sure I would be with him forever even though he’s turned out to be a giant asshole. I remember bits and pieces of Christmas’ past. I remember how the house always smelled of delicious turkey, mac and cheese, green beans, ham, and various other Thanksgiving items. I remember my Kindergarten graduation and the smells and visions of my elementary school creaky wood floors. I remember the elementary school carnivals and local fairs. I remember being inseparable from my big sister for years and then hating each other for days and then being inseparable again. I remember my first day of my first real job and how much I hated the day time manager, but I can’t remember her name to save my life. I remember the guy who worked at the go kart park that I had a huge crush on, but again, no names. I remember spending many nights at the local skating rink when I was 12 and 13 with my friends and various crushes. I remember the guy who was crazy about me, but I just didn’t like him that way. I remember the first time I felt not pretty enough or smart enough. I remember the first time I realize that sometimes adult suck too. I remember my first gymnastics class at 4 and the pink leotard with various color hearts on the front and the ruffles on the butt. I remember the moment my niece was born and the first time she fell asleep in my arms. I remember when my nephew was born. I remember the first positive pregnancy test. I remember the pain I felt when I lost that baby. I remember the first ultrasound with Dawson and the first kicks I knew for certain were kicks. I remember how fast those 9 months flew by. I remember the 3.5 hours of labor and the 2 hours of pushing and I remember his cries. I remember when they placed him on my chest and I looked at my husband with tears streaming down his face. I remember the look on my mother in law’s face when she saw her grandbaby for the first time. I remember the pride in my grandparent’s eyes as they realized they were now great grandparents. I remember the fear in my mom’s eyes when I was in labor and she came in. She was worried about her baby. I remember the pain from the stitches after my epidural wore off. I remember I wanted waffles for dinner the night D was born. I remember being awake all night just wanting to go home and sleep in my own bed. I remember asking the OB first thing on 12/24/08 if we could go home. I remember going home with my son. Introducing him to his house and laying him in his own bed the first time. I remember how small he looked in the crib. How big the crib looked. I remember being so tired I couldn’t function. I remember living like a zombie for months and months. I remember praying and crying for sleep. I remember not sleeping for 16 months. I remember first rolls, crawls, and steps. I remember first words…and how much my heart grew the moment my son called me “mama”. I remember the first bath and the first bite of real food. I remember the first camping trip and the first beach trip and how he hated the ocean and drew his little feet up and screamed when we put him in the water. I remember the first pool dip. I remember picking out his Halloween costume for his first Halloween when I was still pregnant with him. I remember his first Halloween as a spider. I remember his first hair cut and his 2nd and 3rd. I remember the first time he told me no. I remember how still sometimes in the middle of the night I’ll hear a little voice asking for his mama. I remember our first zoo trip, first children’s museum trip, and first public meltdown. I remember his first day of real school and crying like my heart had been ripped from my chest. I remember the first time he didn’t cry when I dropped him off at school. I remember how every afternoon when I pick him up he runs to me, screams “mama” and throws his arms around my neck. I remember his first pair of shoes. I remember his first Santa Claus visit. His first Christmas. His Second Christmas. I remember pinching his little leg in the car seat and being so mad at myself. I remember popping his hand for the first time b/c he was playing with an electrical outlet. I remember that hurting me more than him. I remember his first fall off the bed. I remember thinking it was the most horrific scream I’ve ever heard. I remember his first ear infection and his first ER visit. I remember his first little surgery and being so worried. I remember his ear tube surgery.
I know this isn’t all of it. I know this doesn’t even touch of my 24 years of memories, but it certainly is a start. I want to get this all down before one day I can’t. I have this huge fear that in my old age, I’ll lose my memories and that terrifies me. I want my son and future children to know my memories of my life and theirs. I want to never forget and always remember.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

So very tired.

Dawson woke up last night from a great sleep into a sudden screaming, crying, only wanting to be held mess. This lasted for 2 hours. I’m talking only wanted to be held while I was standing up, no sitting down, no laying down in bed, no nothing but holding him and swaying back and forth. When he finally let me lay down in the bed at 2:30 this morning, he literally laid on top of me until he fell back asleep and then I gently rolled him off of me to sleep beside me, making sure I was still touching him so he would feel comforted. It’s so hard to know what’s wrong when they are this little. At first I thought it was his ears, but he wasn’t messing with them and when I asked him if they hurt he said no…and he’s just finishing up ten days worth of antibiotics for an ear infection…he did keep rubbing the side of the back of his head (does that make sense, like behind his ear). At first I thought it was itchy and he was scratching it, but now I’m wondering if he had a headache? I don’t know if he did or didn’t, but I stayed home with him a couple of hours this morning and he seemed okay. If he does this again, it’s off to the doctor we’ll go. Oh, and to top it all off, he’s decided he no longer wants to take meds…I mean no meds. He spits them all out even with the tricks of blowing in his face right after giving him the meds, giving tiny doses in the side and back of his cheek….the only thing that works is sneaking it into some sort of liquid which is okay for antibiotics or Zyrtec, but I can’t do that with Tylenol or motrin b/c I need him to drink all of the liquid to make sure he took it all. Frustrating. Super Frustrating.
What else is frustrating me these days…a lot of family drama. Not my family (as in Daniel, Dawson, and me) but as in my mom, step dad and sisters. Oh well, you certainly don’t have the option to pick your family.
On a brighter note, we’re going camping labor day weekend and I CAN’T WAIT!! I’m so excited! It’s amazing how much I’ve changed in the last couple of years. I used to DREAD camping trips with the bugs, shower houses, etc….now I love them. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. And I have a feeling I will only love them more as my child(ren) grow up.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Today is a day to remember


Today is a day of rememberance A chance for those who have suffered a loss to grieve and hope.

Miscarriages are such a taboo subject. Many women we know have suffered them. Many of us have suffered one or two (or more) and yet it’s not something we talk about. It’s like a silent secret bond that women share. That’s so wrong.
The moment I became pregnant for the first time, all of my dreams changed. Literally, I saw two lines and the word pregnant and my heart skipped a beat and I started planning this new life for myself. My new life was complete with this wonderful happy baby and a mommy who couldn’t imagine loving anyone or anything any more. I did get my baby, but it wasn’t a result from my first pregnancy.
Before I was pregnant with Dawson (found out in April of 2008) I experienced an incredibly painful (emotionally) day in February. One that started with a lot of blood, some blood clots, a trip to the OBGYN and an Ultrasound that revealed an empty uterus. I was pregnant and now I wasn’t. It was that simple and yet that complex. It hurt. God, it hurt. I longed for this baby. I wanted this baby. And now I was empty. I was sobbing and yet I was all cried out. I stayed in bed all day. I longed to go back to the day before when everything was okay.
I immediately started trying again…and fortunately we got pregnant in March with Dawson, but I never fully let myself enjoy my pregnancy. I was terrified that I would lose this baby too. And even though I only spent a few short days with the first pregnancy baby, I still loved and wanted that baby. I love Dawson. I love Dawson with my whole heart and no one or nothing could replace him, but sometimes I wonder what that first pregnancy would have yielded. A boy? A girl? Green Eyes? Blue Eyes?
I’ve coped and certainly don’t feel that pain anymore and I’ll even dare to say that I’ve moved on, but I certainly haven’t forgotten how much it hurt to lose that little baby. Today is a day to remember.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Profoundness

I’ve been wanting to write something profound…and well, I’ve got nothing. So I’m going to give you a list of things that I’ve realized and hopefully I can help make your life a little easier!


1. When you’re out of bandaids a new pair of shoes is giving you blisters, masking tape works just as well!

2. Crest White strips are MUCH easier to put on when looking in a mirror.

3. It sucks, like really bad, when you run out of dog food and don’t realize til 9PM. I suggest not doing this and replacing your dog food when it gets low.

4. Children will throw whatever they can in the dog’s water bowl. Be prepared for a mess.

5. When scabs are picked they bleed. Usually the bigger the scab is, the more it bleeds…but not always. Pick cautiously!

6. Strawberries are DELCIOUS especially for desert following a meal of also delicious cauliflower, carrots, mac and cheese, and broccoli.

7. There is very little that is as exciting as picking your child up when you’ve been away from them all day.

8. Men are more likely to do what you want when you refuse to give them any and give them the silent treatment.

9. If your husband has his eye on an older restored camaro, chances are when he goes to the credit union, he’s not just checking his balance, he may be taking out another loan…and he may not have discussed it with you.

10. You may have to throw a freaking fit to remind your husband that we don’t make large purchases without discussing it first and he’s NOT getting the camaro until I say it’s okay.

11. Your older sister may REALLY REALLY get on your nerves, but your sister is your sister and you should just love them despite all their flaws.

12. Camping is WAY more fun when you have kids. I can’t wait to go in a couple of weekends.

13. Lastly, if you drink a gazillion tall cold glasses of water, you will have to pee a gazillion times a day. Like at least 4 times an hour.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

One of those nights

Last night, was one of those nights. You know the kind. The kind where you're in the "just before a deep sleep, sleep state" most of the night. It's like I was sleeping, but still aware of everything going on around me. The dog licking his paws, Daniel's heavy breathing, Dawson's light snores, and my mind just wouldn't shut off. Finally at 4 I went and climbed into bed with Dawson thinking that maybe I'd sleep better if I were in a different bed.

Let me back up. When D climbed out of the crib  at 16 months we tried the toddler bed for 2 nights. It was NOT successful, and if you know anything about D's sleep habits before 16 months, you know that we were still getting 3 or 4 times a night and I was getting maybe 5 hours of interrupted sleep each night. It was not good. So I said, fine, no toddler bed, I'll go ahead and bring his double mattress and box springs in his room. So we went and got his mattress and box springs, set them up on the floor in his room. Bought him some Mater (from Cars, his FAVORITE) pillow cases and blanket and we've had sleep success ever since. He was still getting up once a night in most cases, but he pretty much sleeps a solid 11 or 12 hours a night now. 8PM-8AM on the weekends 8-7 on the weekdays. I have my sanity back and it's amazing.

Anyway, instead of bringing Dawson into my bed, anytime he cries out or needs something, I'll lay down with him in his bed and comfort him or fall asleep with him in his room. I must admit this now, my "I'll never" moment when I was pregnant was that "I'll never put the baby in my bed or sleep with him" well that went out the window as soon as I realized that D being in the bed with me gave me a little bit of extra sleep. Now I miss him. I know he needs his own space, but I honestly miss cosleeping with him and sometimes I'll climb in his bed just to be close to him. And, I will most definitely 100% co sleep with our next baby from day one. Safely, of course with baby in the assigned co sleeper and me in the bed. Isn't it amazing how we, as parents, can go from one extreme to the next? Something I swore up and down I'd never do is the one thing that I absolutely LOVE.

What was the one thing you swore you'd never do as a parent and you've actually ended up doing?

Friday, August 6, 2010

They just grow up too fast.

My kid loves the outdoors. The mud, the heat, the grass, all of it. This smile proves it!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

We all have one. Right?

When Dawson was born I became this sappy, love song singing, love movie crying, disney movie sobbing mommy. I love that about me. I've always been emotional, but now, those things that once didn't affect me, have now become some of the sweetest, saddest, most amazing moments. You know what I'm talking about. Little Foot's mom dies in the Land Before Time and I used to cry, but now I lose it, like full blown sobs. Same with Bambi's mom. Songs, make me cry rivers. And I have one song, that is so special to me because it's exactly how I feel about my son. I sing it to Dawson ALL THE TIME and he looks at my like I'm crazy, but whatever :)

If you didn't know, Edwin McCain is from Greenville, SC. Greenville is where I work and I live just outside of Greenville. I was raised in Greenville County. And I think he's pretty amazing, but this song is even more amazing.

And I've got to tell you, Sara Evan's version doesn't do it for me. It's gotta be this version. I can't wait to dance with my son at his wedding to this song. (yes, I know he's only 19 months old.)

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Picture Heavy Post-Vacation 2010

We went to Tybee Island, GA for our week long vacation this year and we had a blast! Lots of relaxing and even a dolphin tour! It was tons of fun and D LOVED the beach. Clearly I can't post all 200 pictures I took, but here's some!
Daddy is the one with the tattoos and "LUNCLE" is Uncle Adam, Dada's brother.