Good Grief

The past few mornings I keep waking up, not only hoping, but expecting to feel much better than the day before. No such luck. It seems like we are all getting worse. We had to take Carter to the doctor yesterday because of a high fever (104.3) that wouldn't stop and back pain. Carter was also suffering from a frequent spasmodic cough resulting in vomiting. The doctor put him on steroids for his cough and he said we "might" have the flu. I am inclined to agree.

I haven't felt this bad in a long time, and Camden's cough is getting worse. After being stricken with a very untimely episode of insomnia last night, I am officially down for the count. I hope the boys can take care of themselves today! Oh, and the laundry....and the meals....and the baths....

Our First Trip to the ER!!!

Dan tucked Carter into bed around 9:00 last night and he and I settled into bed ourselves. Around 9:45, we heard a strange noise coming from his room and Dan got up to investigate. Over the monitor, I heard Dan say, "He can't breathe!". I assumed Dan was having a "Drama Queen" moment, and I tentatively wandered down the hall.

Carter was wheezing very badly and was unable to get any air in. He was coughing and throwing up. It was super scary! We gave him some of an inhaler that he had been given previously for another cold he had and called a neighbor (God bless you Mrs. M!!!) to come over and stay with Camden. All I could think about was whooping cough!

Our neighbor arrived and made us aware that she had just taken a pain killer for her ankle that she had surgery on. So, needless to say, she was very tired. Being the nervous Nelly that I am, I was afraid that she would be too tired to hear Camden if he needed her. But, Dan and I scrambled out the door to take Carter to the ER.

Once there, I called home to make sure that our neighbor was doing okay and she told me that Camden sounded really sick, and that I should probably come home and take him to the ER as well. So, I left Dan and Carter at the hospital and sped home.

Luckily, Camden only had a cough and was breathing just fine. I put Camden in the van and picked the boys up at 1:00am from the hospital. I sat in the bathroom with Carter, for a while, so he could get some steam from the hot shower running and we all settled into bed once again. Around 3:00am, Dan heard a noise from Carter's room and went in to check on him. He was draped over the end of his bed having a hard time breathing again. We gave him the inhaler again, and he spent the rest of the night with us.

The verdict? Croup. We thought maybe it was an allergy, but it looks more like he has croup. So after a scary, and very sleepless night, we are all in good spirits today even though we are all very sick. Thank GOD for Harris Teeter's Express Lane. If it weren't for them, we would all starve! I hope we don't ever have to go back to the ER.

Weeeeeeeeee

We all went to the mall today, and while we were there we enjoyed the carousel. Camden was so excited, the whole time we were waiting he said, "Weeeeeee, weeeeeee, weeeeeeee". It was very cute. Carter was chomping on the bit the whole time we waited. He couldn't get on fast enough!
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Christmas Has Come

Tonight we finally decorated our tree. We have been trying to decorate for sometime now, but we have been too busy. Christmas music played in the background, and we took our time. No one even picked a fight!

The weird thing is, as excited as Carter was to hang the candy canes, he now won't go anywhere near the tree. We just can't figure out why he is afraid of it. The only thing I can think of is that he might think Santa is coming now and he is a little fearful of the Big Man. He doesn't quite get it.

On another totally different note, we are night weaning Camden starting tonight. We need all the prayers we can get! He was waking up every hour to two hours, and this Mommy is way too tired to keep it up. It is now almost 11:00pm and he has been crying for an hour. Dan has been going in to comfort him, but he only settles down for a few minutes. He is determined, that's for sure. I must not give in, I must not give in, I must not give in, I must not give in...

Let There Be Art

So I have decided to foster the artistic side of myself. This has proven to be quite difficult, however, with the boys bouncing around me constantly. After years of "writer's block", I would like to finally create! I made this from a picture of Camden at his birthday party. I even have a shop online!

Beautiful

It's official. My Carter told me this morning at 10:56 am that I am beautiful. He has been telling me for quite a while now that he loves me, but today was a first. Carter came to give me a long hug and said, "Mommy, you're beautiful. You're my best friend". *Sniff, sniff*

Camden's FIRST Birthday Party

The cake

Cousin Seth

Getting ready for some cake!

He didn't like his hands all messy.

Auntie Fefes (Felicia) helping with the hat.

Savannah, Carter and Gabriel were there to help.

JaJa

Aunt Laura, Aunt Heather and Grammie

Aunt Heather

"Uncle" Jeff and "Aunt" Chrissy

This is why Auntie Fefes bought a new lawn mower for Camden.
Now, the boys each have one, and they follow each other around the house and copy each other.

Camden surveying some of the damage.

Camden is our little comedian. He loves to laugh and make us laugh! He is starting to talk and says, "gat" and "sss-gat", which is his why of saying "what's that?". He points to everything and asks what it is and so far has mastered the location of lights, the fans and his balloons. I also swear he is starting to say "Ca" for Carter. When I ask him where Carter is I hear a little "Ca". Camden sure does love music! Whenever he hears even a hint of a musical beat, he starts dancing. He sways his shoulders back and forth and bends at the knees moving up and down. It is so darn cute I can't stand it. Carter is a great big brother, and the two of them run around the house and giggle all day long (In between some power struggles here and there...to be expected). We are so lucky! :) Camden is my little "barnacle" and loves to cuddle. He is definitely a full blown Mommy's boy.

Thanksgiving

We spent our Thanksgiving with Grammie and JaJa (Dan's parents) at the Angus Barn again this year. It was nice, but I am planning on a more traditional (slave in the kitchen all day for 10 minutes worth of eating) Thanksgiving next year. I feel that the boys are old enough now that we should start more of a family tradition with memories.

Dan surprised me the other evening with this beautiful boquet of flowers.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY SQUISHY!!!

We cannot believe that a year has already passed. You have made our lives so happy and fun! We love you sweetheart, more than you could ever imagine!!!

Carterisms

In between his temper-tantrums and completely unpredictable mood swings, Carter is one of the neatest kids I have ever met. Dan and I were talking about some of the cute things he says and does, and I wanted to make sure we didn't forget how fun he is.

• If I pick-up something that I have previously deemed as "Daddy's", I am immediately called on it by him. "No, no Mommy, that's Daddy's put that down" (as he takes away the item and places it back from where I originally picked it up).
• Today while at the mall, I told him we were going to go into the KB Toy store to pick out a special present for going poo-poo on the potty. He followed me half-way into the store and then turned his body and said, "Okay, look. Mommy, you go and pick it out. I'm going to go over here and watch the train. Okay?". The funny part was the way he negotiated everyone's proper places by pointing and using body language. He might be a lawyer one day. A good lawyer though. :)
  
• When we go into someone's home or into a store, Carter is always quick to remind me, "Mommy, don't touch! That's not ours. Don't touch, okay?".