Gotcha Day!

Well, today was Gotcha Day. Although we really liked the idea of the Knox Zoo, we decided next year (when Ephraim is a little older) might be a better time to go. The day ended up surprising "girly". Those of you who know Ellie well will understand this. For example, the first thing she said this morning was that she wanted to go to school (what we call daycare) so she could hold her worm. (Yesterday when we picked her up she was digging for worms - she does this a lot).

Anyway, so it started off with me painting her nails and toenails - a mani and a pedi! I let her choose the color - Mango Spice was her choice. Then I painted my toes to match. She still likes for us to match sometimes. We had pictures at CLC in Dalton - they were fabulous - Curtis does such a good job and Ellie is very comfortable around him. We came home for lunch and let Ephraim catch a quick nap.

Then it was off to our primary destination... Club Libby Lu! Ellie loved it. She told them she wanted to be a princess. They did her make-up and hair (would have painted her nails had I not already done it). They used glitter hair spray and even put a tiera on her. It was really fun! The teenage girl that worked on her really took her job seriously - we were there for about an hour. It really made it special. She got to choose some lip glosses and other little things to bring home as part of the package. A big hit - and I came up with it myself! Thank you all for your wonderful ideas - we will probably use them in the future!

From Club Libby Lu we met Daddy for dinner in downtown Chattanooga. Ellie took her bag in and showed him all of her Libby Lu stuff. Then we went to her swimming lessons. This was another reason we didn't choose the Knox Zoo - she did not want to miss her swimming lessons. Overall, I think she had a really fun day. I know I did!

Bucket List

So apparently there is a movie with this title. It is supposed to be a list of things you want to do before you expire (that's what we say at the hospital - its PC). Anyway, my sister is going to drive a race car next week (she is turning 35 years old). I am still so appalled by this. I can't get my brain around it - I can think of nothing that would make me want to drive a race car. Sorry Ash. And be careful!

I brought it up at work today at the lunch table and mentioned that I didn't have one - a bucket list. Then everyone started talking about what was on their list. I told them nothing sounded like anything I needed to do, that I was okay to go now if it was my time. My newest co-worker, who is so sweet, says "Bless your heart, you're so tired, aren't you?" It cracked me up - she really hit the nail on the head with that one!

So then I told Scott about the lunch conversation. He said he didn't have a list either but then managed to create one in about 2 seconds. His all revolved around sports of the swim, bike, run genre - so surprising, huh.

So what about you all? What are some of your top bucket list items? Maybe one will interest me...

"Yucky"

I guess you all noticed my lack of posts in the month of May. Let me just borrow a term from Ellie and say that May was "yucky". I can't point to one thing in particular, just overall it seemed kind of "yucky". And before you say "what about Mother's Day"... I had to work.

I did get through something I have been dreading for a long time - I had to work third shift one night. When I left the house at 9pm that night, both kids were still awake and crying. Ellie wanted to know when she would see me again. After that night, Ephraim didn't sleep good for two nights, he wouldn't settle down unless I was holding him. I was so tired. I told Scott to let me lay down and lay Ephraim on my back - it worked (see above picture). To use another of Ellie's phrases, we were both "fast asleep".

So, tonight I have been catching up on my blog reading. Two things really jumped out at me.

1) Ephraim must be huge. I read blogs of several friends with babies born around the same time as Ephraim. We did the weigh ourselves with Ephraim and then without method - he weighs 22 pounds. Enough said.

2) We have a lot of friends that like to camp. I feel like I work a lot. I don't want to work when I am trying to relax. Putting up a tent, building a fire, keeping bugs swatted away, cooking - this all sounds like work to me. Vacations are good that involve a lot of sleeping. I don't think I can sleep a lot on the ground - wait, no, I probably could sleep a lot anywhere, anyhow (again, see picture above).

So, on to June. I am hoping for a fabulous June. We will celebrate Ellie's Gotcha Day on June 19th. Haven't decided what we will do yet. In the past we have done Creative Discovery Museum and the TN Aquarium. Got any ideas anyone? We try and make it a special day for her. Ellie will also start swimming lessons next week.

Ephraim is doing well. He is eating well and had no blood on his last two stool samples. Yipee!
He is starting to scoot around - not crawling yet.

So, there's our update. I'll try and do better with posts this month as well!

9 Things I Love About Ephraim

Ephraim is 9 months old today. My friend from college, Carrie, had a little boy the same day I had Ephraim. His name is Nate. When he turns how many ever months old, she does that number of things that she loves about him on her blog. Such a cute idea, I thought I'd try it this time!

1. His big blue eyes surrounded by long lashes.

2. His laugh.

3. The way he adores his big sissy.

4. His chunky thighs.

5. How he crinkles his nose and breaths in and out really fast sometimes when he is done eating.

6. That he is not crawling, yet!

7. He yells "Da-da" followed by babbling - it's cute even if he's not saying Ma-ma anymore. (He said it on my birthday back in March).

8. How he jumps like a crazy man in the Jumperoo. He loves it!

9. That when he's tired he cuddles up with me and sucks my shirt.

Ephraim now has one tooth. Ellie has a new nickname for him, "Brud". This is short for Brudder (or Brother if you are not 3 years old).

On a completely different note... some of you have probably heard of Steven Curtis Chapman. He is an awesome Christian singer and songwriter. In addition to his three biological children, he has 3 little girls adopted from China. He was very inspirational to Scott & me as we were going through the process of adopting Ellie. His youngest daughter was struck in the driveway of their home in Franklin, TN yesterday and died. Please pray for this family as they go through an unimaginably difficult time. For more information visit his website at http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

And you can read the article published in the local paper at

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/may/22/tennessee-daughter-christian-music-star-killed-car/?breakingnews

Blessed

Friends, thank you for your prayers this week. And thank you for being so kind to let me whine a little. I know Ephraim is relatively healthy. The things we are dealing with are so minor and fairly treatable. We are so blessed to have two healthy children. I know many people, and some of you at times, have had children with very serious health issues. I just wanted you all to know I do have some perspective. Sometimes it is hard to convey in a few paragraphs written while half asleep.

I also wanted to add, that in all the sickness I forgot a very important thing...Ellie scored her first goal at her soccer game Monday night. It was the only goal her team got that night. (She also scored one for the other team!) We were so proud of her. She is really enjoying soccer. The above picture is from her first game (see, her hair is still long). I can't get any good shots during the game - I need a bigger lens for my camera (Scott, are you reading, dear?) Anyway, way to go Elle!

8 Months Old and Sick... AGAIN!

Ephraim was 8 months old today (April 22). It is so hard to believe!

Yesterday I had to take little E to the pediatrician's office. His cough was back and he was wheezing. You guessed it... we are back on breathing treatments. This time we have two different breathing treatments we have to give him, one of them every 4-6 hours until his cough is gone, and the other twice a day... FOR 3 MONTHS! He has a virus, and in a baby, with the second episode of wheezing, it is considered that your baby has asthma. So we go back in 3 months. If there is no further wheezing in the next 3 months, he can go to once a day on that breathing treatment for another 3 months for a total of 6 months. Yikes.

To top it off, Ephraim had a suspicious poo-poo diaper that morning. I took it with us to the pediatrician's office and confirmed that he is bleeding again. This, my friends, brought me to tears, and has several times since. My poor little boy! Our pediatrician recommended that I put a call in to our GI doctor. He called me back yesterday afternoon. He said not to get too excited, it wasn't even necessarily something that I ate, that it could be a virus. He had me to cut out the only new thing I've been eating, bread from a local bakery, and I have to mail in a stool sample in a week. He said he did not think I needed to switch him to formula (much to my relief).

Last night Ephraim had a fever, so I had to call out of work today. So he and I spend most of his 8 month "birthday" in bed. Oh, did I mention I am sick, too, with an awful cold. So, if you happened to think about it, pray for us. If Ephraim is not better by Thursday or Friday, we will have to add another breathing treatment. And PLEASE pray for a his little intestines to heal and that he would outgrow his food allergies soon (85% of babies do by their 1st birthday). Thank you so much!

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

We finally found something Ephraim will eat... green beans! It is one of the few things Ellie would never eat when she was little. She loves them now. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Ephraim loves them, but at least he'll eat them. So a small victory for us.

We are enjoying eating dinner on our back porch. These pictures were obviously taken before Ephraim ate - he is still clean.