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Merry Christmas from the Wilsons

>> Thursday, December 23, 2010

So no thanks to my precious son, I was a little late in getting our Christmas cards out this year. It's not that I didn't try {for weeks}, but I was just not happy with my son's performance for our perfect Christmas card.

Between camera-user malfunctions {thanks to Kristi for helping a momma out} and a busy boy that just wouldn't sit still and smile for me, we were a hot mess!

One day Jackson was looking quite dapper and in a good mode, so I opened the door to see what I could get...


But, for the life of me I could not get him to look at me. 
Instead he looked for Santa and his reindeer.
And then there were tears, lots and lots of tears, at the thought of sitting still
Until Momma brought out the goldfish and the tears dried up immediately

But, no amount of goldfish could keep this little man from running away
And laughing all the way...
 the hat was a lost cause, Jackson just wasn't having it.

As you can see, this was just as good as it was ever going to get - and a card was made.






I espically loved the quote I found for inside the card, 
I need to practice this every now and then!

Merry Christmas Y'all:)

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Surgery Day Recap

>> Wednesday, December 22, 2010

All of your thoughts and prayers were definitely felt y'all, thanks so much!!! Jackson surgery was a complete success and everything is going as well as to be expected. We arrived at the surgery center at 7:00AM on Monday and were on our way home at 10:15AM!

In case any of you have this in your future, below is the time line of our day so you'll know what to expect!

Sunday night I packed Jackson's bag with diapers, wipes, button down pj's to come home in, a sippy cup and his hippo. One last thing to worry about the day of:) We also pre-registered the week before.

5:35: Momma and Mr.'s alarm went off and it was time to shower for the day

6:35: Loaded car.  Woke Jackson up, changed his diaper, grabbed his blanket and put him in the car

6:55: Walked in the Surgery Center doors

7:00: We were sent to the Surgery Waiting Room

7:15: After watching some Mickey Mouse, we were called back to another room.

I'm not sure what to call this, but there were a dozen hospital beds separated with curtains.  ALL were full of people getting in there elective surgeries at the end of the year since they'd met their deductible.  Seriously, it was crazy busy!

7:30: Jackson was given some happy juice, Verset.  And he got loopy fast! The timing was perfect, as it was hard to keep Jackson on the hospital bed and not crawling under the curtains to the next patient.

We changed him into his hospital gown and a fresh diaper.

The anesthesiologist came and talked to us and played a little with Jackson so that he'd be comfortable with him.

We met the two nurses assigned to Jackson, they were all so very nice.

Jackson's doctor also came to meet with us to make sure we were all good.

The "happy juice" made Jackson so incredibly cuddly, it was precious.  He was giving hugs and kisses out like crazy {and actually hasn't stopped}.  The hospital have him a surgery bear and he loved that as much as his hippo!




8:45: The nurses came and got Jackson and said they'd call in the waiting room once he was put under.

9:00: The phone rang and my heart skipped a beat.  Mr. took the call and said everything was great.  They were ready to start...

I took one sip of my coffee, ran to the bathroom, and met Mr. back in the waiting room.

9:12: The waiting room phone rang, and it was for us.  They were ready for us to meet with the doctor.  I was certain that something had gone wrong.  I mean it had only been 12 minutes! But, the doctor came in and said that everything went beautifully! Jackson didn't have infection, but lots of fluid left from previous infections.  His adenoids were large and in charge, so she was very happy that we got those out.  She said that they were probably the root of our problems.

As we were walking out of her office, the surgery nurses were looking for us to come back with Jackson.  He was in a private pediatric suite (sound proof).  The poor nurse was almost the same size as Jackson, and was 5 months pregnant.  I felt terrible, as Jackson gave her a run for her money! He looked so pitiful with puffy eyes, hooked up to an IV.  I wasn't expecting to see that, but they wanted to make sure he didn't vomit before they took it out.

Jackson pretty much fussed and cried the whole time were were in there.  He drank some water and kept it down fine.  Finally, we asked the nurse if we could just take him home.  There was no way he was going to calm down in there.  And sure enough, we barely got out of the parking lot before he quit crying and was fast asleep.  We pulled out of the parking lot at 10:15 and went home. 

Jackson has been pretty good since we got home.  He slept on me most of the day on Monday and was just very clingy yesterday.  He's been running a low grade fever, so I've been watching him closely to make sure it doesn't spike due to infection.  Jackson also wanted to nurse pretty much all day on Monday, which was hard, but it made him feel better.
 

I had no idea the volumes of pee Jackson would have over the next 24 hours.  He exploded a Pampers Baby Dry during one of our naps.  We woke up soaked after about an hour!

He got two black eyes from the adenoid removal, but they are fading today.  He's rubbing his face and tugging on his ears still, so I know he feels something.  Mortrin has done wonders though!

And...Jackson has been sleeping through the night, hallelujah!!!
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prayer request

>> Sunday, December 19, 2010

I cannot believe Jackson's surgery day is here, well almost. I'm a ball of emotions right now, praying that this routine surgery will be just that.

Tonight I let Jackson play in the tub until his hands looked like raisins. All the while, knowing that this would be the last care free bath he'll have for the next 12-18 months. I know keeping ear plugs in his ears and the water out is going to be a struggle.

He also may or may not have eaten the entire jar of homemade cookies at Loli's today, just because:)

I have much to blog about, but for now I just ask that you keep our sweet Jackson in your thoughts and prayers. Please pray for his doctor and the nurses with him during his procedure. I know that tubes and adenoid removal is such an easy surgery, but that is also what makes me the most nervous.

Please pray for Jackson to have a speedy recovery and relief from his ear pressure. Please also pray for this Momma, as I'm feeling as any mother would the night before her child gets put under anesthesia.

Hopefully, tomorrow will bring lots of new updates and some pics of our little man in his new Pajamas and cuddle toys...one that happens to be red and laughs when you tickle his tummy:)

I'm looking forward to what tomorrow brings for us.  I'm dreaming about what his little voice will sound like and hearing him say Momma again!

Loves
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Pampers vs. Target Up & Up Diapers

>> Wednesday, December 15, 2010

For the past 18 months, I've bought nothing but Pampers diapers for my sweet baby J. We started with the Swaddlers, oh how I miss those tiny, soft, little ones. When I was pregnant we were given a package of Huggies and Pampers. But, there was just something about the smell and feel of Pampers that locked me in from day one at the hospital.   I actually never opened the Huggies and donated them to a shelter.  Is that brand loyalty or what?!?

When Jackson started to get bigger and sleep longer, we bought Pampers Baby Dry diapers for nighttime. Eventually, as Jackson outgrew the precious Swaddlers, we converted over to Baby Dry for day and night.

I tried a Pampers Cruisers once, and only once. I wasn't a fan of the way it felt, and they didn't fit Jackson well. He actually peed out the one and only Cruiser he ever wore.

I have terribly sensitive skin. Like to the point that I can't change my soap, detergent or hair products - ever. Even different types of water can make my skin quickly break out into a high school "pizza face". My parents said that the only diaper I could wear was Huggies, and if they switched my behind would be raw from diaper rash almost immediately.

Jackson's skin isn't as sensitive as mine, but it is still very sensitive. We have to use the Lansinoh wipes and Aveeno baby products. Pampers sensitive skin baby wipes and Johnson's baby wash ate his skin raw. So you see, if something works for us, like Pampers, I have a hard time switching!

But, after 18 months of shelling out $35 every two weeks for diapers {Target is the cheapest place for us to buy diapers.  Wal-mart is $2 more and never has Baby Dry in our size stocked in stores} I decided to give the Target Up & Up brand a try. The savings was $0.08 per diaper, $19.99 a pack of 108 vs. $35.99 for a pack of 136.

The Up & Up diapers are not as soft as the Pampers Baby Dry, but they're still soft. I actually think they fit his chubby behind and thighs a little better than Pampers. He's worn them for the past couple of days without getting diaper rash.

Last night was Jackson's first time wearing them to bed and he woke up at 5AM - screaming and soaking wet.  Maybe it was just a coincidence, but it seems that the Baby Drys are able to keep him dry a little better... I'm going to finish up the pack and see if it happens again. If so, the cost savings isn't really saving me enough. I gladly pay the extra 8 cents to not strip a bed at 5AM again!

What have your experiences with diapers been? Are you brand loyal or do you buy whatever is on sale?
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Nanny Interviews: The third time around

>> Monday, December 13, 2010

To give you a brief history, to date Jackson has had two nannies. We found Christine when I was pregnant with Jackson. Her and her husband were moving to Louisiana from Kansas City and we definitely bonded over being "Northerners".

Christine was with us from August through February. She wasn't a rock star, but she was good. She loved Jackson and soaked in all of his infant days. However, they both needed more and it was time to move on...literally, Christine and her husband wanted to start a family of their own and move back home.

At the time, this reality totally sucked. And well, the interview process for nanny #2 was awful. If you recall this post, I was sure we were being punked or on some hidden camera reality show. But, all that changed the minute that Felicia walked through our door.

Felicia is one of the sweetest girls I've ever met. Children are seriously drawn to her, I call her the baby whisper, and she is just 20-years-old. She has a gift, which may come from being one of 11 children. Yes, 11. There isn't much that gets to her. I mean she gladly piled into my little Honda and willingly drove 12 hours completely smooched in the backseat of my car. Seriously, rock.star.

When we got the news from her that she needed to move home to be with her family, my heart sank. We were completely devastated. I don't think I slept that whole week. I even went into a little bit of denial and avoided looking for a new nanny for weeks.

But, the time came. I paid my $30 and joined another month at care.com. I figured Felicia was well worth the $30, so surely my money would be well spent again. Oh my was I sadly mistaken.

I had about 20 applicants, which were weeded down to the handful I wanted to interview. Their living situation played a huge part in the process. I did not want to go through another situation were our nanny would move away, again. We're two for two now!

The girls that wanted to make more than my salary, in cash, were immediately cut...those and the girls with profile pictures that belonged on girls gone wild.

The first few interviews were okay, just not good fits for us. One girl had a few too many facial piercings for Mr. to see past. The other had a bad back and I had nightmares about her picking up Jackson, throwing it out, and suing us. There was also the girl who canceled last minute because her child was being rushed to the hospital...but it sounded more like she overslept and I didn't buy it. 

However, the last interview was by far the worst. She was scheduled to interview at out house at 6:15, but did not walk through our front door until 7:30!!! She called at 6:30 to say the traffic was bad and she'd be late. Which was no big deal, as Mr. and I were also stuck in that traffic and were running late as well.

When she called she said she was about a mile away, so I got concerned after another 20 minutes past and she still wasn't at our house. I called to make sure she wasn't lost, and sure enough she plugged us into her GPS instead of taking down the directions I gave her.  I explicitly warned everyone that this would happen. {We've lived in our house for three years and have yet to be able to straighten this issue out. Mapquest has just recently found us.} Since half of our mail goes to the other address, we knew exactly where she was.

I will stop with the play-by-play details here, and just say that the poor girl did not know her left from her right. And for the next 40 minutes I tried ever so patiently to get her to our house. I never knew someone could get so lost in a one mile radius in my life. All the while, still arguing with me that the GPS told her to go the opposite direction. I wanted to come through the phone and throw the GPS out her window! Mr. was not so quietly telling me just to hang up and tell her never mind.

I am not the greatest with directions, and it was a dark night in an unfamiliar area to her, so I felt bad for her.  Well, that was until she walked in my door and introduced herself as Ya-ya. That was about the last thing that I understood from her mouth. It was bad.

She tired to read Jackson a book, and it was painful. Ya-ya even thought the author's name was the book title. I could never figure out if she was planning on bringing her god-child with her to our house. Her "job experience" was always having her with her, 'cause her sister works a lot?!? I questioned whether or not she needed to bring her to work with her and she kept saying that was her work...

Oh and we never found out where so actually lived, only that she "stayed to her boyfriend's a lot" or "to her sister's house" sometimes.

And in a moment of FB status updates, our situation totally changed.  Our sweet neighbor offered up her services to keep Jackson. I never realized she watched kids during the day, which is going to be so perfect for Jackson! He absolutely loves them as it is, I can't imagine how excited he'll be to spend the whole day with them:) 

Now I can how a moment of relief, until the next "thing" comes along.  I mean it's always something, isn't it?!?
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One year and 6 months ago...

>> Friday, December 10, 2010

@7:45p.m. our lives changed forever as our son was placed in my arms. I had no idea what life was about to be like. I was in no way shape or form prepared for the love my heart was about to explode with. Today my baby is 18-months-old, just 6 months shy of his second birthday, and my heart is bursting at the seams.

This next month is going to be so full change and transition, as they all are, but this is different. I'm confident that Jackson will flourish, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little terrified.

I'm pretty sure this is the last month that I can refer to my son's age in months. He's no long a baby, he's a year and a half old. How did this happen so fast?!?

Jackson's surgery date, the 20th, is coming up on us so quickly. I find myself questioning whether or not we're making the right decision. Putting your child under anesthesia isn't something to take lightly. It was much easier to look forward to when he was sick and I could tell he was in pain. However, he's been healthy for a couple of weeks and now I question if the fluid has magically drained from his ears. I doubt it, but I'm being honest here:)

Jackson is nursing for shorter periods of time, and I think he's about ready to wean. I won't start this until after he's recovered from the tubes and adenoid removal. But, just knowing this phase is coming to an end makes me sad...and my uterus start to crave another baby.

We weren't able to find a suitable nanny replacement for our Fee, so Jackson will be going to our neighbors for "daycare". We're actually thrilled about this solution and think it's the best of both worlds. When Amanda offered up her services, it just felt right. She has three kids of her own that Jackson loves, so she clearly knows what's she doing:) She'll have a couple of babies during the day, so they will all get social interaction from one another. I really hate waking Jackson up in the morning and packing him up, but walking next door isn't bad. And, if I forget something, Amanda can always walk over and grab it. Not that I want that to happen, but it's one less thing to stress over.

Another transition we're going through right now is that Jackson wants to do everything himself. He wants to brush his own teeth and feed himself completely. Jackson loves to use his fork and spoon, and wipe his hands and mouth. He also LOVES to eat bananas. And by love, I mean that if we let him, he'll eat 3 in one day.

I'm hoping that Jackson will sleep better and start to talk more after his surgery. As of right now, Jackson only has a few words that he says consistently:

oh shit (yes, my son has his momma's potty mouth, and he knows when to say it)
all done
momma
dad-da
woof
uh oh
nana
yes


Jackson can point to his eyes, nose, ears, mouth and belly button. He loves to give knuckles and blow kisses bye. His favorite pass time is to move furniture or push anything he can. Sometimes his strength amazes me. Jackson is a climber. He climbs the kitchen island, the cabinets, the stools, chairs, the table. I swear he's like a little monkey.

Jackson also loves to sit in his rocking chair and watch his shows, but he always makes sure you're watching him. Yes, he's cute and he totally knows it:)

Jackson still wears size 5 diapers, size 6 extra wide shoes, and 18-24 months - 2T clothes. I'll have update with his height and weight tonight, but he's getting taller and slimmer. Jackson is still solid, but his gooey rolls are trimming down.

I ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers this month, especially as we get closer to his surgery date!

Loves:)



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St. Louis Road trip

>> Monday, December 6, 2010

I know this is quiet a bit late in posting, but better late than never:)

The Tuesday afternoon before Thanksgiving, we packed up the Honda again and made our way up North to St. Louis. Our travel strategy was a little different then our trip back in September. Instead of leaving at sunrise, we left at noon. No matter which way you do it, 12 hours is a long ass time to be in the car!

Jackson fell asleep for his afternoon nap as soon as we got on the road, which was great. He slept until about 3p.m., and woke up completely content. He played and watched lots of Elmo on his portable DVD player that Santa brought him early last Thanksgiving. We only use it on road trips, and it's on my top list for must haves! Anyway, we stopped in Jackson, Mississippi for dinner and a diaper change just before bedtime (7pm). I changed Jackson into his PJs, gave him his blanket, and he literally slept until we got to my sister's house and she loved on him until he woke up. It was a picture perfect road trip!

The next four days were a complete blur. 

Wednesday we unpacked, shopped, ate and prepared for Thanksgiving.

Thursday we played in the snow, which Jackson absolutely hated, and had a wonderful day with my family. My grandpa was even able to join us for Thanksgiving dinner and I'm so thankful for that. His health has declined so much since last year.

On Friday we did more shopping and got everything ready for my sister's baby shower - which also included decorating her house for Christmas.  By the end of the night, her house was a sea of pink and Christmas mixed together. The boys entertained themselves with lots of beer, pizza and football:)

Saturday was Megan's shower and it was perfect. From the cake to the flowers, everything was great. Of course, I was too busy hosting and chasing Action Jackson around so I didn't get many pictures. Thank goodness I thought ahead and asked Katie to snap a few pictures! After the shower we spent a few hours putting the finishing touches on Amelia's nursery, and made one last run to Pottery Barn Kids...at 9 p.m. And yes, I had my whole family to pack up and get ready to leave in the morning. I think I'm just now catching up on my sleep! We literally shopped til we dropped for Miss Amelia:)

The ride home wasn't as picture perfect, but we made it. Again, the portable DVD player saved the day and Mr. and I would be totally fine if we never heard Elmo's voice again:) We left at 10a.m. and got home at 10p.m., but Jackson only slept about an hour the whole way. He wasn't bad, but it's hard to be a busy toddler stuck in a car seat for 12 hours. I guess you're never to young to go stir crazy!

Happy Thanksgiving (weeks late) from the Wilson's:)
Jackson was ready to hit the road:)

Totally not in love with the cold, white, fluffy stuff falling from the sky

I just LOVE these two boys!

My grandpa and us

My dad and Jackson

Jackson got a new rocking chair, it was my dad's as a child
My mom, sister and me - Megan's Shower

where's Jackson?!?
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wishlist

>> Monday, November 29, 2010

I'm making lists, checking them twice, trying to find out who's been naughty or nice... From hippopotamuses to electric knives, I'm finding the perfect gifts for all my good little girls and boys:) The only problem with helping Santa and his elves is that I see lots of things that I'd like to have too.  So, I figured I might as well make my own list for Santa.  After all, I think I've been very good this year;)

Before last Christmas, I never wore a watch. Now, I can't hardly leave the house without one. I may be slightly obsessed. And I think this lovely watch would complete my collection, for a little while.

Now that Jackson is older I find myself not needing to carry around my big diaper bag as much.  A couple of diapers and wipes is really all we need.  However, I don't have a diaper case that I could just throw into my purse.  Instead I throw my wallet into my diaper bag and carry that.  This wouldn't be so bad if my diaper bag wasn't stained with ketchup and mustard from an LSU game.  I'm not saying any names here, Mr.:) But, I think one of these would totally fix this problem:) I'm in love and I could carry around my nice purses again!

And if I'd be lucky enough to have a nice diaper case, then why not have one of these to go with it?!? Or if that's a little pricey, then there's this one, in black, on sale! The zipper closure all the way around is key.

For days that I don't need a diaper bag, but need more than a purse, this would be great.  It could fit the above as well as my camera that is always needing a bag of it's own.

No list of mine would be complete without mention of finding new childcare or selling our house.  I'm oh so ready to have a family room large enough for the family I'd like to have.  This or this will be one of my first purchases.  Then, of course, I'd need a couple of these to cozy up on them with!

Lately, I'm obsessed with creams and blues.  It may be because our house is completely over done with reds, and I need some calming blue in my life.  A bedroom like this, this or even this would be heavenly!

What's on your Christmas list this year?

Oh did I mention that some of our applicants want to make more per month than I do?!? Seriously, I'd quit my job before I pay someone $2,400 {in cash, tax free} a month to watch my baby! Preschool is looking better and better everyday...
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$30 Pear Tree Winner

I hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We went up to St. Louis to spend the holiday with my sister and family.  In a matter of four days we drove 12 hour drive there and back, had Thanksgiving day, played in the snow, hosted my sister's baby shower, Jackson cut a new tooth, set up Amelia's nursery, bought St. Louis out of everything pink, and managed to decorate my sister's house for Christmas. Wow, no wonder I'm so exhausted!

With that said, I was a little lazy with pulling the Pear Tree winner. Jackson was way too tired last night, so I used random.org instead. Don't worry, I have many pictures of sweet Jackson to post later to make up for it:)

The winner of $30 in the form of a gift card code to Pear Tree Greetings is this sweet mama. She has two of the most precious boys I've ever seen, and shares the best shopping links and crafty ideas! I just can't wait to see what Meredith does with her $30!Happy Shopping:)

An update: Jackson will be having his tubes and adenoid surgery on December 20th.
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Tubes & Adenoid Removal

>> Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Just a quick post to update y'all on Jackson before we head North. Our appointment went wonderfully with the ENT this morning. I really loved her, and so did Jackson...or maybe not her, but her toy collection;)

I did not realize this, but Jackson has had over 6 ear infections within the past 11 months. Holy cow!!! 4 of those infections have been in the last 6 months. The antibiotics have done their job in killing the bacteria.  However, the fluid has not drained from the infections, and is quite built up.

So, basically Jackson can hear us but we're very muffled. The fluid doesn't cause Jackson pain, but pressure. She related the feeling to flying and not being able to "pop" your eardrums. Um no wonder Jackson isn't a great sleeper and frequently wakes up pissed at the world. Laying down makes the pressure worse.

The doctor wants to put in tubes and remove Jackson's adenoids as well. She described the process of removing the adenoids as more of a scraping. This will helps with his ever running nose and allergies. Decreasing fluid build up and infection.

Now I'm just waiting for the surgery scheduler to call me with our options for dates. We're looking at having everything done before Christmas!

I can't thank you enough for all of your emails, comments and messages about tubes. I know this is the best option for Jackson and I'm looking forward to him being back to "normal" and feeling well!!!

Keep the prayers coming though:)

30 more minutes to enter to win $30 from Pear Tree, don't forget to enter!

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$30 Up for grabs!

>> Monday, November 22, 2010

Y'all, I cannot begin to thank you for all of your words of wisdom and encouragement. Between Jackson's health and our nanny situation, you've been great! I love this little internet friendship we have going on here:) Seriously, it's amazing.

This month Pear Tree is letting us give you $30, in the form of a coupon code.  Sorry I can't mail you actual cash, but this is almost just as good! 

You don't have to have a blog, or be a public follower. Just leave me a comment with an email address and Jackson will pick a winner at random. So there you have it, $30 is up for grabs to anything you want from Pear Tree Greetings. From cards to labels, there's something for everyone!

Oh and the ENT's office had a cancellation for first thing tomorrow morning, so we got the appointment! I'll update y'all as soon as I can, and announce the winner:)

Giveaway ends at noon (CST) tomorrow, Tuesday, November 23rd.
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perspective & plans

>> Friday, November 19, 2010

I went to bed last night weeping from the confirmation that our rock star nanny would be leaving us at the end of the year. And I woke up this morning to an email message that said our potential home buyers had put an offer on another home.

Lovely, right?!? But, I am determined to not let this news bring me down. I have to keep things in perspective and have faith that everything happens for a reason.

Jackson is so incredibly lucky to have had Fee for the time that we did. He loves her, and she loves him. She plays with him, she really plays. She sings to him, she sings all of the nursery songs that I should know, but don't because I never took the time away from my job to look up the words. She makes me feel okay with being a working momma because I know that she's giving him more than I could. And this too, makes me weep.

I'm relieved that we didn't get an offer on our house. Everything happens for a reason, and I think God knew that looking for childcare on top of a new house is too much for me right now.

We have some big decisions to make. Some decisions that are going to force me to lose control and not be selfish. Half of me has kept Jackson at home with a nanny for completely selfish reasons. I'm sure that's somewhat obvious. Packing bags, drop-off lines, 5:30 pick-up deadlines in the extreme heat or pouring down rains, sleep mats, and sick bugs just don't sound appealing to our situation. Not to mention, I have strong feelings about Jackson being able to sleep in his own bed and play outside, when he wants!

But, the time as come. Jackson needs social interaction in an educational environment. He's ready, so I have to make myself ready as well. I mean, I cannot be that mom sobbing as I drive my kid to grade school in the rain. We all do it, and it's my turn.

I'm making lists, scheduling appointments and doing my homework. So my questions for you - would you do an in-home childcare or a daycare center? What are your experiences? What should I be looking for??? Am I nuts? Should I look for another nanny and think about daycare when Jackson is 2???

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Losing control

>> Thursday, November 18, 2010

It's no secret that I'm a complete and total control freak. I have to be in control to make my life work. I hate a surprise and not knowing what the day holds for me.

Thankfully, Mr. allows tolerates this behavior.

When I'm not in control I feel like everything is spinning and I panic. In the past 24 hours I have lost control, and it's not pretty. I had a little melt down last night and prayed for the ability to accept whatever God has planned for us.

Jackson still has fluid in his ears and now Strep throat. He is on a third round of antibiotics and we're waiting for the first available appointment with an ENT. I want my child to be well more than life itself. I hate that I cannot heal him. I don't understand how my child who stays home has turned into such a sick baby in the past month.

Our amazing, loving, trustworthy, rock star nanny may have to leave us at the end of the year. I cannot begin to tell you how sick this makes me feel. Jackson loves her as much as he loves us. She is truly an extension of our family. I believe that she was brought into our lives for a reason and I don't want her to go. I don't have the energy or want to start another nanny search. And I'm not ready to put my sick baby into daycare when his immune system is so run down.

As I type, potential buyers are taking one last look at our home. I'm not 100% sure that they will put an offer on our house, but the stream of emotions surrounding this is nerve racking.

Before the year's end we could theoretically have to: go through surgery with Jackson for tubes, find another nanny or a daycare, and either find a new house or decide to build.

It's no wonder that I don't sleep at night, or that my mind never stops racing, and that I'm losing weight from stress. I'm playing phone tag with my doctor to get my blood results. Her voice mail said that everything looked okay, but that she wanted to review everything with me.

So Dr. Momma Wilson prescribed a family date night at an ice cream parlor last night. Yes, we had ice cream {technically it was frozen yogurt} for dinner. I did make sure that Jackson had fruit with his:)



God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.

Amen.
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Wordless Wednesday - Gobble Gobble

>> Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Well y'all it's almost Turkey day, where has the month gone?!? While I feel more blessed then ever, I am praying that we are all healthy by next week.  Poor Jackson just can't catch a break lately.  This is the third day in a row that I'll be sitting in a waiting room.  Monday and Tuesday were for me and today is for my sweet boy. 

I hope to have some answer and test results today, and I'll be sure to share!




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Attention Teachers - Operation Gratitude

>> Thursday, November 11, 2010

In honor of Veteran's Day, I want to promote Operation Gratitude because we all need to do our part to say thanks.


Operation Gratitude is a project brought to you by Pear Tree Greetings. They are sending out color-in Christmas cards to teachers around the nation who sign up. Students will be able to color-in a snowman card and write a message thanking our men and women serving overseas for their dedication and hard work they provide this country.

Their goal is to send 75,000 cards to our men and women in the military. How awesome is that!

Here's the gist:

* Pear Tree will send a package to the first 2,500 teachers who sign up
* Up to 30 cards per classroom
* Free to you and your students

Through this partnership with Operation Gratitude, Pear Tree encourages teachers all across America to share with their students the value of saying thank you.

If you are a teacher, please check out this link and help spread the word!

Don't forget to check out Pear Tree's promo page for other specials.  I'll be giving away a $30 gift card soon, so be on the look out:)
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50 Free Shutterfly Christmas Cards

>> Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The countdown to Christmas and the list making has official begun at the Wilson's! And at the top my list right now is our family Christmas card. I found a precious smocked Christmas long tail for Jackson today, on clearance, for $10. Tis the season, right:)

So now all I have to do is find a card that's just as precious and get a family photo, ha! Thankfully, Shutterfly is making the card part easy.  They have tons of cute photo card designs that all fall within my budget.  We send out over 100 Christmas cards, so I have to have a card that's affordable for us!

I have my eye on a few layouts, but you'll have to wait till Christmas to see which one I go with:)  My goal this year it to find a layout that will allow for some of our friends/family to keep our picture after the holidays.  I just hate throwing away cards at the end of the year, so I started clipping out the photos and saving them a little longer. 

Here are some of the styles/layouts that I'm loving right now:




What do you think? Have you started dreaming up your Christmas card yet?

Did you know that Shutterfly not only has awesome Christmas card designs, but cute Christmas invitations and gift tags too?!? I have a feeling some of these tags will be found under our tree this year:)

If you're a fellow blogger and want to receive 50 free cards of your own, help spread the word about Shutterfly's incredible Christmas Card selection.  Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly if you click here: http://bit.ly/sfly2010 

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