Big Brother Duties

If there is one thing I know, its Aubrey LOVES attention!  When be drop Liam off at preschool she know just who to walk up to, arms out to be picked up.  If someone else decides to love on her along the way, she wont argue.  So when we went to see Santa this week, I knew we were going to have a successful trip.

 

Brian decided I was going to take the kids during the week instead of fighting the weekend crowds.  The mall parking lot did not look promising when we drove up, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the line to see Santa was super short.  We waited maybe 10 minutes, the whole time in line, Liam was peeking around the set, Aubrey was chanting "Sen-ta"... we were ready!

When our turn came, Liam walked right up and climbed onto Santa's lap.  Aubrey turned around and ran out.  As I carried Aubrey over to Santa, she help on so tight (girl can pinch with her grip!). 

Liam was so ready to help his sister out, taking those big brother responsibilities seriously.  He patted a spot on Santa's lap where Aubrey was to sit.  He continued to have a great time with Santa, laughing, smiling and giving high fives.  Liam was encouraging Aubrey to give Santa high fives and loving the squeak Santa had in his glove.

Aubrey still was not eager or willing to sit on Santa's lap, but I left her there and hoped for the best. 

Thank you Santa Max, this is the best picture we could have asked for!

Aubrey {17 months}

As I was sitting in the car rider line to pick up Liam last week, it hit me; Aubrey is 17 months old. For some reason I was waiting for December 16th for her to turn 17 months, probably because she was 16 months the 16th was on my mind.

This is the part I miss about blogging regularly- I haven't kept updates on Aubs in months.

As I reflect on the last few months, I remember a conversation I had with one of Liam's doctors when he was this age. She was telling me about her children, she would come to work each month, talking with the other doctors and nurses, announcing "this is the BEST age". It truly does keep getting better and better!

At Aubrey's 12 month appointment, she was babbling but had no real words. I was aware of this but didn't think it was a concern. So when the pediatrician recommended getting her evaluated, I was quite surprised. But luckily I have a few speech pathologist friends who told me to wait. By her 15 month appointment she had 3 words {doggy, shoe, jump}. They were odd words, no mama or dada, but they were words! By 16 months Aubrey had over 20 words! Little girl just needed some time. She continues to surprise me each day with new words.

Personality is no big shock, she was born with personality to the extreme! It's still fun to see the little quirks develop. Aubrey has never been my cuddly child- sure she will sit on your lap to read a book and wants to be picked up for attention, but she doesn't just cuddle and hug, there is no rocking her to sleep at night. This month she had began hugging. Not just laying her head into you, but wraps her arms around you and pulls you into her for a hug! The feeling really does warm my heart!

Even if it isn't on command.

Her enthusiasm is contagious.  When you say something she wants and she nods her head uncontrollably I can't help but smile.

 

 

This is the best age!!!

Being Thankful During Difficult Times

Our journey with this blog began over Thanksgiving 4 years ago, so I thought this week would be a great time to try again.

Every November people begin making lists of everything they are thankful for.  It occupies your Facebook newsfeed, it inspires self-awareness and discovery. 

I have had some many great, life-changing events happen in the month of November. 
November 13, 2004- Met Brian
November 26, 2004- First Date with Brian
November 24, 2005- Met Brian's family during Thanksgiving dinner
November 20, 2007- Closed on our first house
November 22, 2012- Found out we were being blessed with an Aubrey (Thanksgiving Day)

Even with all the great things that have happened to us in November, it is still a month I struggle through.  The one date that takes the most significance in my life is November 19, 2010; the day we heard "your child has cancer".  The year Liam spent his first Thanksgiving in the hospital. 

So through all this I work to tell myself- I am thankful for my home.  I am thankful for my family.  I am thankful for all the experiences this life has offered me.

WE'RE BACK!

So after a much needed break from the pressures of keeping up with this blog WE'RE BACK!
I can't say it was an easy decision either.  I went back and forth "Would anybody still be reading it?" I decided I didn't care!

Then when I heard 5 on Friday was coming back from break and I love writing in lists, I had my own deadline to get back online.  So here is my 5 on Friday to introduce (or reintroduce) us.

1.  The New Blog

Sorry family and friends, you will have to save a new blog address.  A virus or something took ahold of a post.  A very personal and life changing post.  The post I shared Liam's diagnosis, the post that started this whole blog.  And in an irrational, unexplainable way I was hurt.  But by changing the address, the spam comments have stopped!

So take note.  The design is still a work in progress, please bear with me.

And onto the family introductions

2.  Brian



Brian is the sane one in this family.  Just keep him away from golf carts.  Brian is a runner, training for his 5th marathon.  He loves all sports, there is not a season where sports don't grace our television.  A Super-Dad, always up for a game of crush with Liam. 

3. Dawn

I am the voice here.  I chase Liam and Aubrey around everyday, counting down the minutes til Daddy gets home.  During naptimes I keep myself busy creating, crafting and sewing at my home business LCF Threadz.  I have a love/hate relationship with running.  Training for my 4th marathon and hating every minute of it, I just can't quit this addiction!   

4. Liam

Liam is our superhero.  inquisitive.  entertaining.  Loves monster trucks, garbage trucks and rock n roll..  Liam is a big ham, with plenty of experience having his picture taken.  And he loves a good selfie. 

 

An excellent big brother

5. Aubrey

Aubrey is Aubrey :)  I call her difficult from conception.  She loves food, climbing and shoes.  Until recently she was our toothless wonder, only sporting 4 teeth currently (1 on top, 3 on bottom)

Welcome to our wild crazy family. 

 



Aubrey 9 months

Well we survived another month!  Honestly not much has changed, we have just loved on this little one and enjoyed each day with her.


At Aubrey's 9 month appointment she weighed in at 18 pounds 7 oz (42%).  28 inches (63%)  it looks like one of our children will get Dad's height. 

She has still been waking up once at night, but luckily its around 5am so we are getting up for work around that time anyway.

She gets around so fast!  Usually she is darting for something to pull herself up on to walk around.  She is able to stand independently as long as she doesn't know she is going it.  When she figures out that she is standing alone she immediately sits down.

Aubrey also crawls after her brother as fast as she can!  We are in so much trouble with those two!

8 months

Wow! A bit late in this one aren't we?!

Aubrey is growing so fast. I fully expect her to start walking anytime I am not looking.

She is so much happier now that she can go anywhere she wants, and she goes fast!

Aubrey loves all things Liam. Liam's toys- yum. Watches his every move.

She continues to eat everything. It's going to cost us a fortune to feed this child!

As soon as she started sleeping through the entire night she stopped.  Nights are so miserable.

Aubrey: 7 months

Sleep: naps have been horrid! She is tired, we rock, I puts her down in her crib, she lays, I walk out and get the monitor only to see her sitting up in her crib. great trick Houdini now lay back down and go to sleep.  nights have gotten better, Aubrey wakes up only once or sleeps through the night.  HALLELUJAH!

Activity:  So many new tricks this month.  She can go from laying down to sitting up on her own.  She is crawling, like hands and knees belly off the floor.  She is pulling herself up on all the furniture.  GIRL IS INTO EVERYTHING!

Eating:  I am becoming more and more convinced each day this child is not mine!  She will eat anything you give her, she does not turn down food.  One day I was making her black beans (a suggestion from a friend)  the smell in the house made me nauseous, but she devoured them!

We are in awe of this little girl, watching her grow and play each day.  She is a joy!

Liam's Hearing

Liam has now had hearing aids for almost a year. Although I am not certain on the length of time he has been able to wear them, as it seems we are continuous sending them in for repairs.

Speech was never an issue, strangers could understand him before the hearing aids. But I have seen an improvement in his speech since receiving the aids. Looking at his audiogram, Liam cannot hear anything above the markings without amplification.

 The blue line being normal hear, the red line represents Liam's hearing

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He is missing about 9sounds, we chose to get him hearing aids because as a teacher I know the sounds he is missing will be the hardest for him when he starts reading.
We are now facing a new challenge with Liam's hearing . Insurance. We have just learned that insurance will no longer cover his hearing aids. So every time they break and the audiologist has to look at them I can expect a large bill. Not to mention he is growing and constantly needs new ear molds, also not covered.

I am really left debating if the benefit is worth the price. Which really isn't going to be a question in the end, but I may have to sell Liam to pay for his medical bills.

Southern Sledding

Souther sledding at its finest!













Take 2

Date Night

Brian and I don't go out that often and most of the time I am okay with that.  We really do enjoy and take advantage of the times we do get to go out.  The other weekend our friends had their annual Christmas party.  Really genius if you ask me, having a party after the holidays means they don't have to compete with any other parties.

This gave me a great excuse to get out of my sweat pants for the night.  Brian wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures of us, but it is a goal of mine to get more pictures of myself with my children.

 

Now that Aubrey is crawling, most of the time if we are just hanging out around the house, she is jut in onesies.  We have wood floors and it is still too difficult for her to crawl without slipping on the floors with pants on.  And when her little gets get cold, we just slip a pair of Liam Legs on her.

Liam, however, gets to choose his own clothes and in the process is a lot like me choosing comfort over fashion and often ends up in sweats.

Celebrate Date Night with us.  Get $1 off your Liam Legs in the month of February by using coupon code datenight

How Do You Tell Your Child He Has Cancer

A question I get asked a lot is if Liam knows what he went through.

It was his little body that went through the treatment and fought with such strength, but it's Brian and I that livesd the nightmare. Liam's scar is so faint he doesn't even know it's there.

Recently Brian asked when I thought we should have that conversation with Liam, when will he be vale to understand? As the cliche says; we weren't given an instruction manual for this.

With an appointment happening last week I started sharing some things with Liam. Currently he has an abdominal ultrasound every 4 months, we had been telling him we were going to get pictures taken of his belly but never said why before. Last week I decided to ask him if he knew why he has to get pictures taken of his belly. If course he didn't. Since he had recently had a stomach bug he has a recent experience with being sick. I explained to Liam when he was Aubrey's age he had something growing in his belly and it was making him really sick. He doctors had to take it out and why he has a scar on his belly. We want to make sure nothing starts growing again so we take pictures of his belly to keep him healthy.

I know he can understand more than that, but cancer is such an abstract concept.  What we tell Liam will continue to change each time until he fully understands.  We just want him to know about his history before cancer is associated negatively in his mind. 

Liam, You are a survivor.  You are my hero!

Chocolate-y Goodness

Oh the weather outside is frightful...  why do we only hear that song at Christmas?  We aren't likely to see any snow until after Christmas in the Sweet Carolinas and polar vortex has made sure there is frightful weather all winter long!

I've got a drink recipe I think it perfect for these cold winter days.  Go ahead and turn the fire up, snuggle in and have a Godiva Chocolate Martini, but be carful- its good!

 

Of course the more chocolate the better, so swirl some chocolate syrup around the glass. 

 

The recipe is easy; Mix 1 shot of each of the following

 

Godiva Milk Chocolate Liquor

Godiva Dark Chocolate Liquor

Godiva White Chocolate Liquor

Chambord

Vodka

 

Cheers!

 

 



2014: New Year New You

As a public school teacher I have often encountered parents dressed inappropriately for bringing their children to school.  I always told myself, because conversations with yourself are the best, I would not take my children to school in my pajamas. 

This was very difficult with Liam starting school right after I had just had a baby.  Although I have never went in my pajamas, I am not sure my yoga pants and sweats are that much better. 

It might seem small, but one of my goals for this year is to get dressed.  Staying at home, it has been far too easy to spend the day in workout clothes or sweats.  But there is something about putting on clothes, maybe a little bit of makeup, that makes one feel human.

 

And, really, it doesn't take that much effort.  Most days my children are better dressed than I am, which probably won't change, but at least I can look like I belong with them!

 

Thank you Katie at For Lauren and Lauren for motivating me to get dressed.

 

Aubrey: 6 months

Stats
At her appointment last week she weighed in at 14 pounds 11 ounces  and 25.75 inches long.  She is thankfully gaining weight, just on the small side, but hey, someone has to be in the 10th percentile.

Eat
Not exactly what I had planned, but we switched to formula this week.  Its been about 4 days now and I already see a huge change.  At her 6 month appointment last week I spoke with her doctor about her not sleeping, we had been trying to give her a bottle before bed but I was having trouble keeping up with how much she wanted to drink.  This lead to another concern; was she eating enough throughout the day?
I am finding more peace with the decision to switch to formula than I had expected.  It is obvious how much more hydrated she is now, and her sleep has been better the last few nights.  Andplusalso she loves it, the girl is crazy!

Sleep

Yup, that's all I have to say on the topic

Play
We have been on crawl watch in the Fudge house.  She has figured out how to move, just not crawling yet.  On New Years Eve she began pulling herself across the floor.  This is definitely when I start to enjoy having a baby, yes they are cute and cuddly when they are little, but I LOVE when they can sit up on their own and start to explore things.

I know we need to rethink childproofing for a baby, however childproofing with an almost 4 year old is an oxymoron.  I am continuously yelling at Liam to pick up his legos.