No wonder they call it the s-WHINE flu.

Jack came down with a fever Sunday, but tested negative for strep and the flu. After three days at home, and almost 36-hours fever-free, I woke him up to return to school Tuesday morning. When he got up he was hot, congested, and extra whiny. So I made an appointment for first thing this morning.

So, when I wrestled him out of bed this morning, he complained about his head hurting, and he was really hot. He started crying when I asked him to open up to brush his teeth, so I knew his throat must really be hurting. It was about time to leave so I went into the nursery to wake up Brother who greeted me with sneezing and a raspy voice. I pressed my cheek against his warm little forehead and called the pediatrician. Make that TWO appointments, please.

To make a short story long, Jack tested positive for the flu and has a "bad" ear infection in his right ear... which has likely been lingering since the weekend. He sounds horrible and is really lethargic, but the antibiotic and pain meds are controlling the pain from the ear infection, and he is in much better spirits.

He advised us to assume this is H1N1, since the Influenza Type A hasn't really hit our community yet. Since the Health Dept is no longer trying to keep track of H1N1 statistics, there is no real reason to distinguish at this time. While it's more contagious, the treatment and symptoms are the same. The only thing this really means to us is that the boys will not likely contract the H1N1 again this year, but will still be susceptible to the Flu Type A when it comes to town this season (since they are both allergic to the vaccine.)

Davis is being given Tami-flu as well since Jack tested positive and his symptoms are pretty much the same. Luckily now that the Tami-flu is back in sufficient supply, they are easing up on the extra lab confirmations and are more proactively treating siblings. The main objective is to keep the boys hydrated and to try to keep Jeff well. I just feel blessed that I can stay home and wait it out.

In the meantime...

... we are staying home trying not to go stir crazy. We picked up (and have finished) the homework for the week, have watched more movies in four days than we usually watch in a year, and I am almost out of craft projects.

I called Julie today (whose kids have the flu too) and said, "We're sending TJ and Alli Jean some Get Well cards." She replied, "Alright, we'll send you some too."

I figure we might as well make the most of it.

It doesn't fall far from the tree.

I love Jack's response to the last question...

Yes, apple juice. He is most definitely MY child.

My buddies and me.

So glad to have Emily back in San Antonio...

From Right to Left: Davis, Evan, Jack, Boy who hit Evan on the slide.

"God is great, God is green."

Me: "What are some ways that YOU obey God?"

Jack: "I always throw away ALL my dishes."

(Wow, I guess we use paper plates more often than I thought.)

I SIP. KIDS LEARN.

That's right... I do it all for the children.

Perfectionist much?

Jack asked me to scan his latest piece of artwork, so I did. The little THUMBNAIL came up on the screen and Jack immediately said, "Erase it, it's not right."

Here is the first scan:

So he takes it off the scanner and runs back to the kitchen art table. A few seconds later he runs back in and I scan it again.

He immediately says, "Perfect."

Who can see what he's talking about?

(I can't imagine WHERE he gets this... )

Friends with Food Allergies

Before I order it on Amazon, has anyone read this book?

Better yet, does anyone have a copy of it?

The search continues for a positive children's book (yes, I know, I need to write one...) about children with food allergies. I have included a description below. It looks pretty cute!

A whimsical tale of eight friends with food allergies. Food allergies are never fun, but best friends always are! This light-hearted story explores the daily routines of eight best buggy friends such as Beetle, Cricket and Butterfly, as they face their respective food allergies with positivity and poise.

At home and at school, at the park, or on the beach, BugaBees find ways to stay safe, have fun, and remember that the joy of friendship is far sweeter than any food they can, or in some cases, can't have.

With captivating illustrations and clever rhyming verse, this fun and fanciful tale teaches children to be happy and healthy in spite of a food allergy diagnosis. While a child could be allergic to any food, BugaBee characters are based on the eight foods that account for 90 percent of all allergic reactions: peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, soy, eggs and wheat.

The BugaBees: Friends with Food Allergies brings fresh optimism and fun to children dealing with the everyday challenges of managing a food allergy. Additional activities and talking points in the back of the book inspire further learning and teaching opportunities for young children and their caregivers.

"Mr. Mischief" lives up to his name.

Davis continues to be the happiest kiddo I know. He's happy to explore, climb, throw, push, pull, chew, bang, kick... whatever he can find. He's so curious and spends his day toddling around jibber jabbering to himself with a big toothy smile on his face and drool on his shirt. I can hardly find time to sit down nowadays, let alone update the blog.

Here is a slew of pictures from this week to give a glimpse into life with my busy little buddy.

Here he is pulling on the floor lamp for the eleventy-hundredth time. It's such a wrestling match to change him from jammies to clothes, so he spends more time in a diaper than Jack EVER did. I know, it's classy... but I keep telling myself, at least it's not in public...

Jack cracked us up the other day when he turned to me and Jeff and said, "Look what YOUR SON is doing!!" We can hardly keep Davis from climbing under or onto the kitchen chairs. It won't be long before we have to gate off the entire kitchen.

The only time he lays still is when he's all wrapped in a blankie with big brother, holding his woobie, drinking his milk. Precious boys.

One of my favorite new places to take him is an indoor playground called "Just Add Children." It's a play gym designed for smaller kids and babies, and I just love it. He can run around to his heart's content without being told "NO." He is so friendly and has never met a stranger. He just walks up to random parents and starts handing them toys one at a time. He will just keep bringing them things until I finally re-direct him.

The play kitchen is by far his favorite, but I have been told not to put the apron on him ever again. It's just that several kids had them on and I couldn't resist. Plus, I want my boys to know their way around the kitchen and the training starts early.

The slide there is super steep and super fast. When I put him up at the top he immediately gets a huge grin on his face knowing he's about the fly down onto the bean bag waiting at the bottom. He is not a bit scared, but the other parents there sure seem to be.

Another favorite past time is Open Gym on Fridays at Sunburst Gymnastics. He can just run around, throw things, yell, pick things up, carry them around, and drop them wherever he pleases. He smiles the whole hour he's there.

"Weeeee!" Here he is sorting and collecting balls - another favorite activity.

I decided to let him ride the little see-saw with Alli Jean.

As usual, it was all fun and games until...

Yeah, he pretty much flew off. Crazy that I caught this picture right before it happened. But, he was up and at 'em in two seconds flat.

So, there is only one thing the kids are not supposed to touch in the entire gym... the speaker. Imagine that. I had to redirect the budding audiophile about a dozen times and no matter how far we went from it, we seemed to find our way back within a few minutes. Oh well, he comes by it honestly. Here is some video of him climbing some padded stairs. You'll see what I mean.

So, my days look very different with Davis than they did with little Jack. Poor Jack Everett was so sick at this age, not yet able to eat solid food without gagging, not drinking from a straw, and unable to swing, slide, jump, or run without coughing and gagging from losing his breath. We pretty much stayed inside away from germs, and stayed calm. Not to mention, he slept for hours and hours each day.

Davis wants to be on the move, so we try not to stay cooped up too much and I am always on the lookout for cheap outings to focus his excess energy... and by that I mean WEAR HIM OUT.

Mission Accomplished!

Davis, we love your BIG personality and wouldn't trade it for anything. You light up faces and draw tons of attention wherever we go. You are wonderfully made and your Dad and I want to foster your zest for life and go-get-'em attitude. We know God has big plans for you and that you will change the world.

You've certainly changed ours.

This weekend I color.

Where have I been?

The answer to the voicemails and texts asking what has kept me from the blog lately:

It's worth a thousand words, right?

P.S. Can't wait until tomorrow - early dismissal! Anyone up for the park after naptime?

September 11 ... follow-up.

As it turns out, the Principal addressed the school on September 11th during the "televised" morning announcements. She gave the students a summary of what happened and encouraged them to dedicate their daily "moment of silence" to remember and honor those who died.

That afternoon, I asked Jack if he knew what was special about that day. "We got to wear our Space Shuttle shirts," he quickly reminded me that he is five.

I explained that "there was a terrible accident in New York City on September 11th before he was born and a lot of people died in the accident. I told him that every time the calendar turns to September 11, we take time to remember the people who died. We pray for them and all of their families who miss them very much." His face was serious and he seemed to understand but did not say anything else about it. He didn't ask what kind of accident or anything and I didn't elaborate.

That night we prayed "for those in the war protecting us" and prayed "for the people who died on this special day... that they are safe in heaven with Jesus."

There you have it. That was it.

With that, I, like millions of others who were not directly effected by this tragedy, kissed my child, turned off the light, and headed off to bed with my husband by my side.

And on that particular night, I did not take any of it for granted.

Explaining September 11th.

Sitting at McDonald's today with Cara and Julie, I asked them, "Do you think they will talk about September 11 at school today?" Their immediate response: "Surely not in Kindergarten." I wouldn't be surprised - on his second day he got a coloring page home about Internet Safety - not sharing personal information, not chatting with strangers, and reporting anything that "makes them feel uncomfortable." Seriously.

These are the things I struggle with about sending my boy off to public school. I want it to be ME to first discuss these things with him... based on when WE are ready... framed with OUR values.

As I drove home, I started to wonder... if he DOES ask me about 9/11, what will I say? How will I describe what happened that day? Should I? Is he ready? Am I ready?

What happened eight years ago on September 11 must be remembered, but how do you explain it to young children? And when? I want him to know, but don't want him to fear. I want him to know love, but can he truly grasp it without an understanding of hate?

When those planes crashed, Mommys died. Daddys died. Children died. And we really haven't caught the bad guy. We tell him to hold tight to our hands, stay with us, don't go outside without Mommy, don't talk to strangers... We also assure him. God protects us and His angels watch over us and keep us safe. We pray for His protection and He provides. But what happened to those kids? Why didn't God protect them? Could this happen in San Antonio?

What if he asks me these things? What if he asks his teacher? What will a person who is not allowed to speak spiritual truth say to him? How will the words she uses or omits affect his perceptions or understandings?

I want to protect him from these things, but I can't shield him forever. We can keep the television off while he is awake and limit what he sees and hears, but not for long. Soon he will hear and he will read and he mustn't be scared or feel uninformed. He needs to be empowered with truth, and strong enough in his faith and values to understand that we live in a world where people do not believe the same things we do, talk the same way we do, or act how we are commanded to act. But at age 5?

He needs to know that people hate and fall prey to false teaching and deceptive leaders. They kill, they steal, and they destroy. I don't want him to know about the horrific things that happen in our lost world, but perhaps his understanding of the sinful nature of man will be the foundation of his understanding of grace, mercy, and the unconditional love of God. Until he knows about what it means to be lost, can he really understand what it means to be saved?

Do we start this dialogue a month after he turns five years old?

Each year on this day, we take time remember those who died at the hands of people whose hearts were filled with hate. We want to protect our kids from such horrifying things. Unfortunately for over 6000 families that day, they were given no choice. They weren't ready to surrender their kids' innocence either. They weren't ready to expose their kids either. It happened. And it happened to THEM. Still, they have pressed on, forced to live each day in the aftermath of death, loss, sadness, confusion, fear, and anger.

Today I remember and pray especially for THOSE mothers as they relive nightmares, answer impossible questions, dry tears, reassure fears, and fight to keep memories alive. I can't imagine how they must feel today as they try to explain the inexplicable, recall the unthinkable, and make sense of something so incredibly senseless.

It's the little things...

It was the tenth day of Kindergarten and I had already joined the chorus of Moms across the country complaining about backpacks and shoes piling up in the entry way of the house.

Sarah and Kim had both warned me, "Make him put his lunch box and backpack in a designated place the SECOND he gets home! If not, it'll get totally out of control!"

Well, in my house, that designated place was hanging over a chair at the kitchen table. Along with my purse. Along with the diaper bag. Along with the digital camera. Along with the jeans I don't dry. "Jaaaaaack, your baaaaack paaaack!," I call across the house every single afternoon as he immediately disappears to find a snack, leaving a trail of shoes, thermos, and lunch box behind him.

Well, that all changed tonight when Mom and Jeffry stopped by! I wanted him to "take a look" at the new storage solution I picked up on sale at Hobby Lobby this morning. I secretly hoped he'd hang it all for me to surprise Jeff, but realized they were just getting back from an anniversary road trip and would be anxious to get home. Well, I sweetened the deal with a home-cooked meal and was thrilled when he offered to hang it up right away! Yippee!

Here it is! I am so excited. Jeffry hung it all the RIGHT way, using a level, measuring tape, wall anchors, putty... the whole nine yards. I was so grateful because I was ready to "eyeball it" and slap it up on the wall. Thank you SO SO much!



I initially wanted a shelf/cubby/basket system but am so glad not to have a big piece of furniture (to dust) in that space. Besides, I can already imagine Davis kindly scattering said baskets and shoes all over the house. I got a jacket out of the back of Jack's closet just to hang on the lower hook for this picture. I know... I am a dork.

The best thing about it? Our kitchen table can finally stop being a coat rack and start doing what it was MADE for...

... Glow-in-the-Dark Dinosaur puzzles. It has been a while since I have seen that window seat all clean like that. I figured I had better take a picture while it lasts.

Tin printed "Simplify" sign: $9.99.

Wooden row of silver hooks: $12.49.

Three round silver hooks: $12.97.

A designated place for our son to hang his apron*: PRICELESS.

* Uh, Jeff is going to kill me for this one.

Missing Daddy.

I dropped Jeff off at the airport this morning for his annual trip to CEDIA (Consumer Electronics Design and Installation Something-that-starts-with-A). It's a five-night snore-fest... I mean, five-day/five-night extravaganza of all things techie and Jeff looks forward to it every year. Then when he gets home, he TIVO's all these in-depth shows about it and watches them again. I am like, "You were JUST there!!" It's kinda like how he watches highlights of the football game he JUST finished watching. He pauses the show to give me highlights and point out certain parts that were awesomer than others. I try to act interested in the Consumer Electronics products of the future, but all I am really doing is trying to spot him in the crowd.

The point of this post? Oh yeah.

So we put the car in park in the Departures lane at the airport, trying to ignore the scowls and looks of disdain from the Airport Crossing Guards wanting us to "move it along." It's not like we were making out, Jeff just needed to get his bag out of the back of the car. Jeez Louise, you give some people a badge and a whistle and the power goes straight to their heads.

Anywaaay, Jeff quickly opened the back door and kissed little Davey who was sitting in his new position in his car seat - facing forward taking in all the sights and air conditioning. Jeff said, "Bye, Bye!" and smiled as Davis' chunky little hand waved back at him.

He closed the door and I was genuinely surprised to see Davis' reaction. His little bottom lip started to quiver and he started to cry! He was looking out the window and had real tears in his eyes! It was so sad but so sweet. His crying started to die down a little until I said, "I'm sorry, baby... but Daddy's going bye-bye" and he totally started up the crying again!

It was the very first time I have ever seen Davis show even a hint of separation sadness - toward either of us! I mean, ordinarily I can hardly hold onto him because he is reaching both hands out leaning to go to the HEB soda stock boy.

When I was driving away, tears were sitting all pooled up in his blonde eyelashes and I could hardly stand it. I thought to myself, "I'll NEVER forget the pitiful look on his face right now!"

Well, I know better and that's why I have a blog. I will forget.

Jeff called earlier tonight and I couldn't hear very well (he was at a Sports Bar and I was running bath water... ahem...) and I totally forgot to tell him about it.

So Honey, I hope you are reading this in your hotel room... the little guy misses you like crazy and so do we!

Have a great time at CEDIA. I can't wait to hear ALLLLLL about it.

;)