Happy New Year

To all of you, Happy New Year.  I hope that 2013 brings all of us great things. 

It’s not what you say…

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. 

I’ve herd this a million times since I was knee high to a grasshopper.  (That and you cannot really listen to someone if your arms are crossed in front of you.)

Bubba says some of the cutest things.  (ok and yes, sometimes some things he shouldn’t say – but hey, he’s got the big 3 chatting around him all the time.)

This morning Bubba woke up all bright eye’s and bushy tailed.  Kid is killing me.  Doesn’t he know it’s VACATION?  And when he wakes up he wants to eat RIGHT AWAY.  Then he wants to do one of two things (1) go flop on his Mickey Mouse couch and watch some NickJr. or (2) take his hot bath.

Today – after eating his oatmeal he crawled back in the bed next to me (I was having my Friday morning Project Runway time). He has a game on my phone, Subway Surfer, and he is a beast on it, let me tell ya.

So he’s playing SS and flops his ‘ittle bitty footsies over on me and here is the conversation:

Bubba:  Mom, rub my feet.  (he is MY kid – loves to have his feet rubbed and scratched)

Me: Of course, but could you ask nicely please.

Bubba: Mommy will you pawease rub my feet?

So I start rubbing his cute little feet.  Of course, anytime I (we) can get our hands on his feet to stretch out the heel cords – I do.  So I gently rub and stretch….and then ..

Bubba:  Mom, will you STOP stretching my feet.  They are just finnnne.

Smarty pants kid.

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A couple of weeks ago we had his yearly visit with his neurologist.  He was NOT happy about going at all.

Bubba:  WHHHY do I have to go to the doctor if I am NOT sick?

Me:  Because she wants to see you and how you are walking.

Bubba:  WHHHYYYY, I walk just fine, see?

And he proceeds to walk “the right way”

Yes you do baby, yes you do.

At the neuro doc’s office he was an absolute stinker. He was ticked off just walking thru the doors.  He said he was NOT going to walk “the right way” and I couldn’t make him.

He was right.  He walked so jacked up on his toes he looked like a dang ballerina.  Seriously.  He told the doctor that he was NOT going to do what she asked.  And he didn’t.

She wanted to watch him run so we headed out of the examine room (which is a STUPID place to try to evaluate him by the way) and she threw a ball down the hall.

Dr. H:  Bubba, can you run get that ball for me?

Bubba:  NO, you can get it yourself.

That’s my boy.  Our house rule is “you whack it, you track it”.  (That’s what the big boys' soccer coach says)

During the stupid evaluation in the stupid examine room Bubba is sitting on the stupid examine table and the doctor pulls 3 little square wood blocks out of her pocket.  She builds a pyramid with one hand, stacking the 3 blocks on a file folder she was holding with the other hand (a manila file folder).  She puts two on the bottom and one on the top and says..

Dr. H:  Bubba, can you build a house like this?

Bubba, taking the blocks from her:  NO.  He stacks the 3 blocks, one on top of each other.  I can build a castle, it’s bigger.

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow.  All I could say is “well it is bigger”

Somewhere at this point in the visit she says to me “his cognitive skills are off the charts”. 

I swear I just looked at her and said “YA THINK?”

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Bubba has mild mild mild (neuro docs words, not mine) gross motor skill delays.  He has tight heel cords.  (Courtesy of that Grade 3 Brain Bleed)

He does everything that he is supposed and WANTS to do age wise, he just might not do it “right”.  But he does it.  (Right way of walking is heel toe, heel toe.  Bubba will tip toe walk)

He sits at a desk when he draws his circles and lines.  He sits at our dinner table when he eats.  He sits at his little table to paint.  He stands at his little table and plays with his playdough.  He is in the floor with his trains and blocks.  He DOES NOT sit on an examine table and try to draw circles with me holding a piece of paper on a manila folder.  Heck – what adult can?  (She drew a circle on the folder than asked him what it was, he told her, then she wanted him to draw a circle.  He did, but lots of them and they were very faint….he had nothing to bear down on – duh?!)

If you want him to play – give him a venue to play as a child would. 

This particular practice has FABULOUS waiting rooms for kids.  TV’s interactive games, tables with those loopy balls AND a Wii. 

Take him out to the waiting area.  Go watch him play.  Then you’ll see what he can actually do.

I want to scream STEP OUT OF THE LITTLE BOX you are trying to put him in please!!!!

If you want to truly evaluate kids why would you put them in a standard ol’ examine room?

As he said “I’m NOT SICK!!!”

(FYI – we still need to go to the neuro doc so we can get his braces, and PT services as needed.)

January 15th we are going to see a pediatric orthopedist.  Neuro doc would like his opinion on botox (not for me, although I do plan on asking for a two-fer)  and series casting.  Neuro doc thinks that he might be a great candidate for it and get some really good range of motion going with his right foot. (That’s his problem foot).  We shall see what is said. I am still wanting to chat with a fellow preemie mom and see what she thought of the experience.  There is so much on the internet to support “whatever”. 

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So that’s it for now.  I hope that each of you had and will have a great holiday.  Here’s to a fabulous 2013 for all of us!

Ice Ice Baby

This past Saturday Lola wanted to go ice skating.  And since Peppa Pig has ice skated – Bubba wanted to as well.  (Peppa Pig is his absolute favorite!)  The big boys wanted no part of it….

So off we went.

Lola is a wild woman on the ice – all I’m saying. I got NO pictures of her – she was too fast!  I think you might see her in a couple of the videos that I got of Bubba.

And Yes he did skate, with help.  Help that HE DID NOT WANT.  He just knew he could do it by himself.  Peppa says “swish swish push” so he knew HOW to do it.  Had we not kept our hands on him – he was hell bent on going without us!

And here is some video of tough guy and his first ice skating outing!  (Excuse the jumpy-ness of it – I was skating too – almost made myself dizzy!)

I can do it myself!

Sunday we went to the PANTHER’s game – all SIX of us!  Hubby’s work was very generous and gave us 6 VERY nice tickets, along with the Hospitality Tent passes.  We had so much FUN! 

Bubba and Crash

Me and the Hubby. 

Lola and two of the TopCat Panther “cheerleaders”  (FYI – I’m not really sure why they call them cheerleaders – seriously – no cheering going on….dancers, maybe.  I think they do a heck of a lotta bar girl hair swinging. )

And one of our favorite moments – getting to meet Dwight Stone, former NFL player. He is now a police officer here in town and on weekends he is one of the NFL’s Ambassadors.  He is awesome – and as a TRUE STEELERS fan- I was quite impressed!!!  As was the little Miss….

Here he is during his Steeler days…..

And the boys with the Top Cats….

And Bubba with his Sissy – holding up the card of his favorite player – CAM NEWTON

And in our seats –we had super fabulous seats – row 9 and 10….

Here is our “little” family…..all in our Panther’s gear…

Me with my boy Crash.

And Bubba really had the best time…

and as the game started to wind down…

he started hugging his daddy…..

and he was ready for a nappy noodle.

Not the Christmas Card

You may remember last year at this time, I was having a good ol time posting pictures of my kids – but letting you know that these were NOT the Christmas card pictures!

Welp – it’s that time of year again…time to play, NOPE not the Christmas card…and to show you how dang cute my kids are and how much they have grown.

The Bubba in 2010.  Seriously – cracks me up the think that he was BALD!

And December 2011 – the blond curls had been HACKED off once…..

And now – 2012.  He has grown so much.  He likes his hair cut short short like the big boys…..and the boy would wear a button down shirt everyday if I let him. 

 

And Lola – 2010.  She looks like a babe here…

And December 2011….the short hair cut year….she went the year then decided it was time to grow it back out.

And POOF – I have a preteen this year.  Isn’t she just gorgeous.  From the inside out let me tell ya.  Still the best hugger in the world.

And my blonde baby boy, Crash 2010…he has changed so much!!!

And December 2011…

And 2012….he is such a young man.  Heart still worn on his sleeve…just love him for that.

And Pootie - 2010

December 2011 – he had his braces – and was not happy about having a picture taken with them on!

And now, my baby, first born, is going to be 16 soon!!!!  uggggg  He is a fine young man….and I am such a young mother….

 

The group shot from 2011 – seems like longer than a year has passed  …….

….when you look at this picture.  And – this is not THE Christmas picture…

 

And 2010 -

2011…….

2012 …….fyi – this is NOT the Christmas picture!

And you guessed it 2010

And 2011

 

And YOU KNOW we had to do it this year – so 2012…the standard Dub Kid Family Photo.  And NOPE, not the Christmas card.

 

Disclaimer – we went to the Picture People the other day because Hubby won a FAT $200 Gift Certificate in a golf tourney.  That is the ONLY reason we went there.  My photo friend reminds me that those type of places make there money with traditional style poses – but that does NOT work for our family.  We’re just not like that.  The fabulous shots of my kids in the red and black outfits are done by Suzy of Suzy Moore Photography.  She has been taking pictures of all my kids since they were wee babes and gets the best out of them.  Portrait Innovations has done the rest.

A mom and wife

This is Leigh Wallace and her husband Chris.  They have both been friend’s of Hubby’s since college.  I remember meeting Leigh when Hubby and I first started dating (Fall of ‘92).  I remember sitting in their cute little house, and her retelling her about the evening back in 1989 when she was abducted, brutally attacked and raped, and how she escaped.  I remember thinking  - DAMN – you are the strongest woman I think I’ll ever meet.  She was a young mom back then – and she had decided that the attack would not become who she was, but simply a part of who she had become. 

A strong, loving, caring wife and mom and from what everyone is saying, an incredible role model for those who were blessed to be a part of her life.

Leigh died early this morning in a hospital in TN.  Right now, there is not too much information other than “unidentified infection.”

Below is the picture and article that was on the WATAGUA DEMOCRAT (the local paper in Boone, NC)

My heart aches for her family.  And once again, we are reminded that there are no guarantees on the time that we have.  And reminded that we need to hug those we love when we can.

Leigh Cooper Wallace, a Watauga High School teacher, a coach and a dedicated athlete, died Monday at Johnson City Medical Center, several sources have confirmed.

Wallace, 43, of Todd was diagnosed last week with pneumonia and was airlifted to the Tennessee hospital on Sunday as her breathing became labored, according to Facebook updates from family members. Low oxygen levels required her to be placed on a ventilator.

She is survived by her husband, Chris Wallace, and two children, Jake and Haleigh.

Wallace graduated from Appalachian State University, where she ran cross-country and track. She was a talented runner well-known in Watauga County for her athletic endeavors.

For years, Wallace helped coach the Watauga High School cross country teams, often outpacing the young men on the team. She also coached track and women’s lacrosse.

She was inducted into the Watauga Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

“When you stay physically fit, it empowers you,” she told the Watauga Democrat in 2011. “That's part of the reason I teach.”

Wallace also became a symbol of strength and courage after she survived a kidnapping and sexual assault in 1989, when she was a junior at Appalachian State University. The man who attacked her killed another young woman, Jeni Gray, shortly before approaching Wallace.

She shared her experiences for years at ASU's Walk For Awareness, which encouraged the community to be aware of safety risks and to stand against violence.

Her story also was shared on several television programs, including an episode of Investigation Discovery's "Sins and Secrets" that aired in October.

“I think the message I hope to give people is, ‘This is what I went through, and I still live my life to the fullest,'” she said in 2011. “It doesn't have to ruin your life. It's a part of your history. It's a part of you. But it doesn't have to consume and destroy your life.”

Pressure cookin’

The other day I was interviewed by a super neat gal and fellow preemie nicu mom, Jennifer, who is currently working on her thesis. Jennifer is precious(and gorgeous).

Her questions were interesting….and I think that my perspective was a different one for her to have.  Because of the 3 big kids and the fact they all had to be induced and they were big ol’ chunky fat babies….Pootie (the oldest) being the smallest of the big three, weighing in at a mere 8 pounds 7 ounces. 

One of the questions she asked me (and this is not verbatim by any means) was were there outside things that influenced what I thought having a baby was supposed to be?

Well, again, I have the Big 3, so I knew what it was “supposed” to be but even in my 4th child pregnancy I had a dream of what it was going to be….I caved to the dang pressure of the internet! 

Back when I was prego with the big 3 and having them – no one was taking all the cutsie monthly belly shots!  I mean really NO ONE!  The big thing back then was one big belly shot – that was it – no counting down, no chalk boards!  None of it.  Of course, by the time I found out I was prego and started yacking then I had him early, there was no planning any cute bump pictures.  (And FYI after having 3 kids, it only took the doctor saying I was pregnant for the bump to show up….)

And the cute hospital pictures.  I had it all planned out.  THIS time I was going to have on make up…I was 40 after all, I knew I was going to need it.

Didn’t happen. 

I looked like poop on toast just like with the rest.  (I think I looked the best after having Crash, but still not good)

I remember reading one mom’s blog who was prego with her first about the same time and she was making cute pink cookies, wrapped all cute, and was going to give them to the hospital staff that cared for her while she was there.

I wanted to do that too.

Didn’t happen.

Jennifer asked if I felt cheated – I did.  I still do. 

I just thank the lord above that Pinterest wasn’t that big of a deal in 2008-2009 because I’d really feel bad about myself.  Talk about pressure!

hahahaha…..

(P.S. the interview was very difficult.  I cried a lot.  Jennifer cried with me.  As many different times as I’ve told or thought about Bubba’s birthday – it is still this crazy rush of emotion that just races thru me….and I cry.  Everything happens for a reason, and I strongly believe that every moment needs to be celebrated for what it is.  Good or Bad.  The scary stuff is now part of who and what Bubba is….)

SMO’s and Chocolate Chip Cake

Today was the day for getting the new SMO’s.  Bubba was NOT looking forward to getting these things – AT ALL!  I have to be honest and say that I was anticipating him pitching a total hissy fit at the office – but he didn’t!  He was so good and actually said “thank you” to Mr. Jimmy…he said the new braces “don’t hurt at all”!  Last year's braces event......  and oh how he’s grown.  (Yes, check out the hair cut….)

In his typical form, he wants to do it all by himself!!! 

 

Now onto the saga of the Chocolate Chip cake….if you’ve been with me for a while, you know that Hubby makes over 100 little chocolate chip bundt cakes for the folks in his office…it is a long standing holiday tradition….This year, he has two office parties he must attend.  (His regular one, and his remote Shelby location that he still oversees)…the remote local party is tomorrow.  Hubby was reffing all weekend and was absolutely exhausted last night.  Since I am such a wonderful wife I offered to help him and get them started today so he would not have to be up all tonight making about 40 little cakes.

I finished them all and have them all wrapped looking pretty.

Here ya go…THE Chocolate Chip Cake…

Preheat over to 350 degrees

1 box of vanilla cake mix

1 small box of vanilla instant pudding

1 cup of sour cream

1/2 cup of oil

1/2 cup of water

4 eggs beaten

Dump all of that into mixer and mix until ingredients are, well, mixed.

Now add one grated german chocolate bar.

and one bag of semi sweet chocolate chips.

Stir until all mixed up….

Pour mixture into greased or well sprayed bundt pan.  Cook for 50 minutes….If you are going to use the little bundt style pan – it takes about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter per little cake and should cook for about 20 minutes. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool…..I’ve read you can also do as a regular layer cake and use a cream cheese frosting….

 

The growing stack of cakes….

 

One lone cake…isn’t it cute?

Sprinkle with powdered sugar….

And all wrapped up….

All of them ready to go for tomorrow’s festivities in Shelby.