Recent Happenings

Here's a quick update on what is going on with us and the kids.

RYAN:
Ryan started a new job with NCR two weeks ago. He's enjoying his new role and is busy, which is a good thing. Ryan has spent some time training in Ohio and will be headed back that way soon. Also, his softball league starts up again next week, so he's excited about that.

ME:
Not much has changed for me, except for the fact that I recently entered a new decade. Ryan threw me a great surprise 30th birthday party. It was nice to have a party I didn't have to plan. Ryan did a great job putting everything together. THANK YOU Ryan, everyone who was able to make it, and those that were here in spirit!

I spend the majority of my days playing with the kids, researching jobs and sending out resumes, cooking, cleaning, looking for good deals on groceries and household items, etc. Now that it's starting to warm up, we've been spending a little more time at the park, which makes Preston a happy boy.

During Ryan's recent visit to Ohio, the kids and I went to Spartanburg so I'd have some help at night putting the kids to bed. I wanted to have a chance to hang out with some friends, but we all ended up being sick. We did get to spend time with my grandparents (albeit while lying on their couch), but it was still nice to not have to rush in and out like we usually do. We're all starting to recover and will hopefully be back to "normal" soon.

PRESTON:
Oh were do I begin??? Everyday is a new adventure. I love my little man. He has the ability to make me want to scream and laugh all at the same time. His biggest accomplishment lately is going potty!! He said he'd start going after his birthday and he's pretty much stuck to it. He has been doing a great job and the only accident he has is his daily bm. Although I'll celebrate the day we get that down too, I'm so super proud of how far he's come.

On another note, Preston's ability to learn and retain information continues to amaze me. He can spell his name with 100% accuracy, knows all his letters, and mostly knows all the sounds his letters make...next on the agenda, spelling and recognizing other words...then I'll let him read me bedtime stories ;)

I try to write down funny things he says so that he can read them when he's older. Here are two things he's said lately that made me laugh:

Preston: "Mommy, I'm growing up."
Me: "What makes you think that?"
Preston: "Men have hair on their knees and I'm getting hair on my knee. That means I'm growing up."

Preston: "I like saying Jesus, but I don't like singing it."
Said while driving down the road one day while I was singing to "Jesus music" and he wanted me to turn the station to Rock 'n' Roll

CADENCE:
Last, but certainly not least, is our sweet baby girl. There's so much new with her on a daily basis, that I can't possibly share it all, but I'll cover the big stuff.

*Cadence is doing better with eating more solid foods, but she still gags herself if you put something in her mouth she doesn't like. She also starts gagging when she's finished. She now has her two front/bottom teeth and we've tried some chunkier foods, but she doesn't seem quite ready for those yet.

*After months of dealing with severe eczema and me eating practically nothing, we had Cadence tested for allergies at seven months. After several stages of an elimination diet, I was fairly sure that Cadence was allergic to milk, eggs, and peanut products. I was right on two of those. She has strong allergies to eggs and peanuts. This means that as Cadence continues to eat more table foods, we will have to be very strict in watching her diet (especially in eating out). I will also have to stay away from these foods until she is weaned. This is tough for me, as I eat a lot of eggs and peanut butter normally, but my little girl is worth it.

*Waving and clapping are her new favorite skills (that she likes to practice in the middle of the night while she says "ah da, ah da").

*She is SO close to crawling. Right now she gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth. She can go backwards, but hasn't gotten the coordination quite right to move foward. With Preston I would have been in the floor coaching him until he got it, but I'll let her develop as she's ready, as I'm not sure I'm quite ready to chase both of them.

That's all for tonight folks...