Decisions, Decisions

After much thought and taking Financial Peace University twice, I think I've decided to sell my car.  I love my Camry and I have absolutely no problems with it, but I'm getting to the point where I absolutely HATE paying two car payments.  Especially since Chris does Driver's Ed and usually only one vehicle gets used for weeks at a time. (Unless I decide to switch around for some reason)  I hate to pay a car payment for something that just sits in the garage on most days.  So, anyway, we have it listed on Craigslist, 4042.com, and Carolina Trader right now for free and I hope it sells fast!  Then, we're going to do what Dave Ramsey would be proud of..make that car payment to ourselves until we can afford to buy a used vehicle strictly with cash.  It'll be so nice to only have one car payment for a change..I can't wait!

This one will make you cry!!

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

Click Here to Have it Read to You

World, I bequeath toyou today one little girl in a crispy dress.. with two blue eyes...and a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I Trust You'll Treat Her Well.

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning and skipping off down the street to her first day at school.
And never again will she be completely mine...
Prim and proud, she'll wave a young and independent hand this morning, and say goodbye and walk with little-lady steps to the nearby schoolhouse...
Gone will be the chattering little hoyden who lived only for play, and gone will be the delightful little gamin who roamed the yard like a proud princess with nary a care in her little world.
Now, she will learn to stand in lines...and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called...
She will learn to tune her little-girl ears for the sound of school bells, and for deadlines...
She will learn to giggleand gossip... and to look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the aisle sticks out his tongue.

Now she will learn to be jealous...and now she will learn how it is to feel hurt inside...and now she will learn how not to cry.

No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch while an ant scurries across a crack in the sidewalk...
Or will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to kiss lilac blossoms in the morning dew.

Now she will worry about important things...like grades...and what dresses to wear...and whose best friend is whose.

Now she will worry ab out the little boy who pulls her hair at recess time... and staying after school...and which little girls like which little boys...And the magic of books and knowledge will soon take the place of the magic of her blocks and dolls. 

And she'll find her new heroes.  For five full years I've been her sage and Santa Claus...her pal and playmate...her parent and friend.
Now, alas, she'll learn to share her worship and adoration with her teachers (which is only right).
No longer will her parents be the smartest, and greatest in the world.

Today, when the first school bell rings, she'll learn how it is to be a member of the group...with all its privileges, and, of course, its disadvantages, too. 

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies don't laugh out loud...or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms...or watch ants scurry across the cracks in a summer sidewalk...
Today, she'll begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. That "the group" can be a demanding mistress... and I'll stand on the porch and watch her start out on the long, long journey to becoming a woman.

So WORLD, I BEQUEATH TO YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL in a crispy dress, with two blue eyes, a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL.


AUTHOR:  Dan Valentine

Nixon's First Trip to the Dentist

On August 18th, we decided to take our first trip to the dentist.  I always schedule Landon's the same day as mine to make things easier.  This would be Landon's third trip and Nixon's first.  I was a little hesitant.  I mean, Landon, at five years old still is a little uneasy sitting in the big chair by himself.  I should have known my little butterbean would be the complete opposite of his big brother.  He didn't even want to hold my hand!  He's such a brave little thing.  He picked out the zebra polish head and did the whole exam right down to flossing and putting the fluoride on his teeth!  We only got reprimanded about giving him tea since he had a little bit of tea stain on his front teeth..I know, I know..I'm probably not going to get the Mother of the Year award, but he just loves it so much!  On the other hand, the hygienist commented on how pretty and white Landon's teeth are and they had absolutely no plaque build-up on them.  Overall, it was a good first experience and I was one proud moma of BOTH my boys! 

A Whole Lot of Sweetness Rolled Up Into Two Little Boys

Chris & I have been talking lately and we realized that we don't record the boys like we used to.  There's so many cute things that they still do/say and you wonder how long all that cuteness can last and if you'll remember it forever.  So, I figured a blog post was in order so that I know I won't forget it!

• Nixon loves to pull the stuffing out of pillows or stuffed animals.  The stuffing that he pulls out, he calls "clouds."  You can say, "What have you got Nixon?" and he'll reply, "That's my cloud."  He doesn't like to throw the clouds away.  You can usually find them stuffed into one of our cabinets in the living room.
• Landon & Nixon have an armoire in their bedroom full of books/games.  Landon, from day 1, has called it his "counter" instead of cabinet.
• I've never been able to find a nickname to stick with Landon.  But the other day, I was trying to explain what a nickname was for a baseball player and he said, "Oh, like Nixon is butterbean and I'm your baby cakes."  Guess that one must get used more than I thought!
• When Nixon was younger, it was the funniest thing to hear him tell you what an elephant said because he'd put his whole hand up at his nose like a trunk and then make the noise.  Now, when you ask him what a horse says, he can make his whole voice shake when he says, "Neigh."
• Trying to describe what a President was, Chris told Landon it was kind of like a king.  Now, Landon asks all the time when we're getting a new king b/c he wants to go to a Red Sox game.  He thinks the new king takes all our money.  Haha..
• Landon has always had a hard time saying his "L's".  They always come out as "W's".  Nixon, on the other hand has never had this problem, but for some reason, he still calls Landon, "Nandon".  I think he'll probably be "Nandon" forever. 
• Nixon has always been "Nic-Nac Paddywhack" since he was a baby.  But Landon didn't understand it all goes together.  He's been known to call him "Nixon Paddywhack".
• Every night, without fail, when we tuck the boys in, they have to use the bathroom as soon as they lay down.  They could have just gone right before they laid down, but something about lights out makes them have to go again.
• As soon as you pick Nixon up from his classroom at school, he'll proclaim, "I didn't go to the sad seat today!"  However, you can't always trust this statement!
• Both of our boys are very equal with their love.  If you ask, "Do you love me?" they'll both reply, "Yes, I love you, Daddy, Landon (or Nixon, depending on who you're talking to) and Ellie. 
• Nixon, just like Landon at this age, will sit on the couch, pat the seat beside him and say, "Come sit by me Mommy."  Melts my heart every time!

Wordless Wednesday

23 Weeks Now!!

I went for my monthly OB visit today.  I saw Dr. Bruton for the first time and I loved her!  She's very down-to-earth and honest when you ask her a question.  She asked if I had decided what to do about the MRI.  I told her that I had declined it for now because no one would really give me a clear indication on what the risks were.  She said there were really none after the first trimester, but that if the vitamins were working, she was fine with me waiting.  She just said it as bluntly as possible that "those radiologists are just hyperactive about working on pregnant women" and "I really don't think you have a tumor, they're just trying to cover their woo-hoos."  She was so funny.  I think I was laughing the whole time I was talking to her.  On a bad note, my weight gain finally caught up to me.  I gained five pounds the past month!  But I'm only up to 10 lbs total which I don't think is horrible.

On a side note, I guess I'm not sure which is getting bigger..my boobs or my stomach because Nixon has started asking, "Is the baby on top or on the bottom?" when he wants to kiss and hug the baby!

Landon's 5-Year Well Check

I took Landon for his 5 year well check today.  Luckily, we opted to do all his kindergarten shots last year at his 4 year checkup, so it was pretty much just a physical with his assessment for kindergarten.  He gets so nervous going to the doctor.  But he didn't cry, even when they did the finger prick.  He just squeezed my hand as hard as he could!  He's 44 lbs now, only gaining 4 lbs in the last year.  He's also grown 4 inches in the past year.  Mr. Chris (our P.A.) was pleased that he had thinned out.  Last year, his BMI made him a little on the chubby side, although I've never considered him chubby a day in his life.  Mr. Chris said that he's much happier now with his weight/height ratio.  Overall, I think it was a positive appointment and we're all set for kindergarten next week!

One amazing OB Visit

I went in on July 19th for my regular scheduled appointment, along with the big anatomy scan.  Nixon had an ENT appointment right after my doctor appointment.  Since his doctor's office is right down the road, we decided to take both boys with us.  We didn't let anyone know we were going to find out what we were having, except the boys.  They love a good secret!  We had the ultrasound first and to say I was nervous is an understatement.  I'm actually not sure who was more nervous, me or Landon!  He wanted a little sister so bad!!  Anyway, right away the tech found the girl parts and I immediately started crying.  I think I asked her like 10 times if she was sure it was a girl.  The baby weighed in a whopping 3/4 lb. (the weight of a canned drink)  Nixon, who wanted a brother, kept insisting that it was a boy and that maybe if it was a girl, that there was a boy in there with her.  I think he's coming around though because he told me the other day that it was okay that this baby was a Lily.  He said, "When Lily gets out, you can put Cooper in there."  Haha!  Kids say the cutest things sometimes.  A couple of days after the appointment, Landon looked at me one day and said, "Mommy, I'm glad we're having a Lily because I was kind of nervous that it was a Cooper."  Me too Buddy! 

On a side note, I have continued having really bad migraines and the prescription that Dr. Trollip put me on was not something that Dr. Campbell felt like I should take as often as I had been taking.  He referred me to a Neurologist.  They determined that I definitely was a migraine sufferer and that after my pregnancy, they wanted to put me on some preventative medicine for them.  She thinks that my hormone levels are probably what is causing me to have daily migraines and wanted me to have an MRI. I declined for right now because I'd have to sign a waiver.  In my opinion, if they're making you sign a waiver, it's either not good for the baby or they don't know enough about it to determine if it would be okay.  Anyway, she told me that she was comfortable with me waiting on that right now, but to take the vitamins (B2 & Magnesium) that she had told me about.  I scheduled a follow-up for 6 weeks to determine how that was working.  It actually seems to have helped, and I'm happy about that!