Birthday Boy!

Every Thursday we have gym and swim. This morning before we went to gym we went to the grocery store. I needed to pick up some birthday necessities like candles and balloons. The kids were great as they usually are when we go shopping. We got back in the car and James asked if I was "proud of them for being so responsible and obedient." Absolutely!

I'm a strong believer in shopping with your kids so they can learn how to be well behaved, responsible, know where to shop for the nutritious food, price compare, coupon search, and practice proper life skills. How are they ever going to learn all this if you shove them in the baby sitter's room?! I must say that I also thoroughly enjoy them standing outside the windows of the babysitting room and watch all the kids inside there as though they were animals at the zoo. It cracks me up!

Today, James informed his gym teacher that it was his birthday and all the 30+ other kids cheered him on all day and he got "special" treatment. He scored a goal while they were playing hockey too! He was so proud of himself.

Teagan informed ME that I am "such a great mommy for pushing that great brother of mine out of your belly 6 years ago this very day!" She gave James first pick and let him go first and what not all day.

James asked me yesterday if he could have whatever he wanted for his b'day dinner as long as it was nutritious. He requested "baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and cucumbers" for his birthday dinner. "Oh and a piece of candy for dessert, MOM!...because a little sugar is okay."

Happy Birthday my Sweet Baby James!

Sick-erson

Ireson had RSV when he was 8 days old. Consequently, he is more prone to wheezing if he gets sick and potentially developing asthma as he gets older. Well, the poor boy didn't so much as have more than a measly cold this entire winter. Then his Dad got sick and come mid April he developed a horrendous chest cold and Ireson thought he would enjoy the mucusy fun and get it too!

Come Monday morning he was weak, had a fever, and was wheezing a lot- something he has only done when he had croup a year ago. Luckily, I have a nebulizer from when he had RSV and I whipped it out. I decided to take him to the Dr and get some meds since he obviously couldn't get rid of this thing on his own at this point and just as I thought- it had progressed to a sinus infection. Within 24 hours he was feeling much better. We actually got more than 15 minutes of sleep at a time that night!

He threw an all out fit (very unlike him) the first time I tried to give him a breathing treatment. About the 4th run through though, and a lot of my Pediatric Nurse "distractics", now he will even hold it and turn the nebulizer ("tractor") on himself! He thinks it makes a cool tractor sound. James and Teagan help out a lot by making it a game and playing things with him like dominoes.

So things are finally on the mend. Now- it's time to prepare for the big brother's 6th birthday! I'll keep you posted.

He Is Risen Indeed!

On Saturday we celebrated Christian Passover with Laura & Brian Ross and all the kids. As in the past 10+ years they have done it - it was complete with re-enactments; painted back drops; a tub full of feader fish (the Sea of Galilee); unleavend bread, figs and dates; a ton of decked out refrigerator boxes (Egypt)- on which we colored the doors with red crayons; the upper room; the garden of Gethsamane; the tomb and angel (thanks Kaitlin!), and the new live additions this year including a rooster and real lambs (one blemished, one perfect). Don't worry, we didn't eat that one for dinner.

The kids all experienced Passover (dinnerand all) as real as possible as though they were living then. Big James even got to be a soldier and get his ear cut off! I particularly enjoyed seeing Teagan and the other 4 year olds get chained up as a demonstration of how we are slaves to sin. As always, it proves to be an impressive, memorable, solemn, and most spiritual reminder of the meaning of Easter time. I was very proud of James and Teagan when they chimed in with the right answers throughout the event!

James, Teagan and Ireson spent half the visit collecting the 40 some chicken's eggs (that's the extent of what we do with eggs in my house for Easter!), and helping groom the 3 miniature horses; exercising them by running them on a lead and even riding! James got to canter on Misty! Teagan did too but I was especially proud of my introverted and reserved son having the guts to get on her and let her run! At first it looked like he was peeing his pants but then he realized how much fun it was and he was overtaken with pride and excitement. It was so cool! Abigail let him run the baby Stardust on the lead until we left. OF COURSE- I forgot my camera. Argh!

Ireson, in the mean time was getting sicker by the minute with a horrible chest cold that he contracted from his Dad. See next blog entry for those details.

Then on Sunday, we (James, Tea and I) went to Aunt Cindy's to have an Easter dinner. Devone planned an Easter egg hunt for the kids and then they hid them from the adults. I'm not sure which part they enjoyed more! Cousin Rach was there with her leg cast which she was going to have taken off on Monday. She let the kids decorate it with markers and then Teagan had the great idea of using nail polish to make it even more extravagant after she had finished painting Aunt Sue's nails. Oh the fun we had and Oh the cottonballs that they would be needing later!

We are so blessed with such a wonderful spiritual family. Thank you Lord Jesus!