Whew! TGIF!!

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. So, last night my mom and dad came to Jonesboro and we took them out to eat for her bday, We ran to the mall and then went to Olive Garden (it's fairly new in town, for those of you who don't live here, and it's always packed!) and we only had to wait 20-30 minutes! Stratton was awful after we sat down! He acted like "he had never been out in public before" (in Jarrod's exact words) I know the people sitting beside us were so [not] happy. My guess is he was tired and hungry- not a good combination! But still! I was mortified! I don't want to be "those people" that bring in the fussy baby and everyone else just looks at like "thanks for ruining our evening". . . . I guess I should be thankful that this is the first time he has acted this way in public! I am spoiled since he is always so good!

Then Matt & Carla came over and picked up their puppy. It was a little sad separating them, but they promised they would bring him back to play soon. The other puppy did great last night! If she cried at all, we didn't hear it! I was really worried that she would whine and cry all night, so I was pleasantly surprised!

I am SO glad that today is Friday. My mom isn't working today so they took S home with them last night, and will probably bring him back Saturday afternoon. Which means if Jarrod doesn't work late tonight [crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath] we might actually get to spend some time together- I am thinking a trip to the movies might be in the cards, we got a gift card for our birthday and haven't used it yet. And maybe a trip to Lowes (seriously, I don't think I have been to Lowes since S was born!).  Tomorrow Jarrod will probably have to work again (ugh, more overtime--thanks, Entergy) but I really want to start working out in my yard, since I don't have to be anywhere Saturday morning. So, if I can pull myself out of bed in the morning, I need to pull weeds and move a couple of bushes then I would like to plant some colorful annuals and re-mulch. We have a birthday party for Olivia (S's girlfriend-haha) Saturday evening. I am sure I will have some cute pics to post from that party!!

Have a great weekend!!

Also, Say a prayer for me. . . .Monday is "D-Day". . . Daycare Day that is!!

Dr. Appointment

Really nothing new. He thinks now that I might have H. pylori. They took more blood to run a test to look for antibodies in the blood that indicate exposure to H. pylori. If I do have it I will most likely be treated with antibiotics, and hopefully that will be enough, but if I don't have it. . . .I really don't know. I guess on to another test. At this point I think it's a process of elimination. Ugh. I felt horrible yesterday, I actually left work because I thought I was going to be sick. After a little Phenergan,  am feeling a little better today. I just never know when it's coming, I could be fine one minute and the next feeling like I am about to be sick. It's super frustrating to not know what is wrong and what to do to make it better! I will go back to the doctor in two weeks. They said it will take a little while to get the results back from the blood test, since it has to be sent off. So, I guess I'll just be waiting to see what the test can tell us, if anything.

Finding a home for Fido, and a tough night

We found a home for one of the puppies! Some of our good friends Matt & Carla Nix came over last night and decided to adopt puppy #2! I am so happy that they are going to take him, I feel so much better knowing that he is going to a good home! Now, I am thinking that I might actually want to keep the other one, but we will see! My heart says "yes", but my pocketbook says "no"! Ha! We decided that since it was so nice last night and since Matt & Carla were coming over that we would get some burgers and grill out. We had a really great evening hanging out with them and playing with the puppies. We are entertained just by watching them play and seeing Stratton's reaction. He was especially "vocal" last night!

I had a pretty bad night last night. My stomach has been giving me problems again. It started Friday and has been coming and going since then. I felt horrible most of the day Saturday and Sunday, which was really inconvenient. I have an appointment to see the doctor again on Thursday. I am not sure where he will want to go from here, but they have to figure something out, I am so tired and miserable. Last night after we ate, I got so sick to my stomach, I started thinking maybe I was getting the stomach virus or something. I finally took a pain pill, thinking that might at least knock me out and let me get some relief, I think I finally got to sleep about midnight. I am much better this morning, but I just always have this "queasy/nauseous" feeling. It's really wearing me down.

Jarrod didn't have a great night either. He ended up sleeping in the recliner with Stratton all night. After we put him down around 9pm he woke up about 10:30 really upset. I thought he probably just had a bad dream, or something so Jarrod went to see if he could calm him down and then lay him back down. Nope. As soon as we laid him down he would start screaming again. So, Jarrod went to the recliner and got him to go to sleep. I think he tried to lay him down in his crib again around 1:30am, but the same thing happened, so back to the recliner they went. I of course got up to check on them when I heard Stratton screaming and offered to trade places with him so he could at least get a few hours of sleep in the bed, but he said he was fine. Plus, I was still feeling pretty sick. So, I went back to bed. I got up around 5:15 when I heard Stratton jabbering and got him from Jarrod and fed him while Jarrod went back to sleep for a little while longer. Stratton was really fussy this morning, but I think he was tired, too. Jarrod said he tossed and turned all night, he probably couldn't get comfortable. He was a little congested but I didn't think he sounded that bad, I guess it was bothering him more than we thought though. By the time we got to Kayce's this morning he was all smiles! I hope he is good for her today!

On a personal note, please keep me in your prayers. I am extremely stressed out right now. Between feeling sick all the time, Stratton teething, having a cold and being fussy, all the "issues" at work right now, dealing with putting Stratton in daycare and Jarrod working a lot of overtime lately, I am really getting discouraged and physically and emotionally drained. I would love to take a week of vacation in a couple of weeks and go with Jarrod since he is going to be gone all week to Harrison and just get away from it all, but I am afraid with the stuff going on at work that won't be able to take time off. Ugh. I know all new moms get to this point sooner or later, but wow, it's really hard! I know things are going to eventually get better, I just wish it would hurry up already! I guess I will just continue to take it a day at a time and hopefully things will get easier.

Daddy's surprise

When Jarrod called yesterday at 5pm and said "Uh, we may have a problem", I should have known what was coming. . . .

He had picked up a couple of puppies that someone had dumped off in the middle of nowhere near the substation he was working at. He said that he saw them and got in his truck and drove away. . .but he only made it down the road a few minutes before he had to go back and get them. . .awwwww. . . He put them in a box in the front seat of his truck and they laid down and went to sleep. When he brought them home I was anxious to see what Stratton would think.

[Stratton liked them, Taki not so much!]

[puppy #1]

[puppy #2]

[this puppy tried to pull S's sock off!]

[S was fascinated with the puppy's tail]

I have no idea what we are going to do with these puppies! Jarrod has been wanting a dog for a few years, and you know how much I love animals. . . but, I am worried that we aren't home enough to keep a dog. Then we would have to find someone to come and take care of them everyday if we ever went anywhere. It's a big responsibility! Stratton was so good with them and they seemed to not really care that he grabbed them or pulled their tails! Ha! I guess I wouldn't mind keeping one, but two?! Then again I hate to separate them. It might be nice having a couple dogs around in the yard, they could be our guard dogs!  Puppy #1 is very friendly and rambunctious, he likes to chew on Stratton, especially his socks. Puppy #2 is a little more subdued and low key, but he actually growled at Taki which was funny! They both seem to well very gentle and temperamental, for puppies anyway! I mean they are puppies and I will be surprised if they haven't chewed the fence down by the time I get home!  Jarrod ran to the store last night to get some dog food and came back with dog food, little bones and a dog bed. . . .hmmm, you think he's being a softy, or has plans to keep them? In that case there goes my plans to landscape the back yard! Pray for me, we may be a family of six now!!

My special Mondays

Since I went back to work last September, I haven't been working most Mondays. It's been so nice to be at home at least one day with my little guy. We don't get to spend much time together, it seems. By the time we all get home at night it's supper time, then bath and bedtime, and the weekends are always so full of places to be and things to do that we don't ever get to just spend time at home! So, I have thoroughly enjoyed spending this "extra" time with him. Our usual Monday's are full of a whole lot of nothing. I will do some laundry, and sometimes we will get out and run errands, but for the most part we just hang out at the house and play and take naps!  We had planned on starting him in daycare in April. Kayce is due at the end of May and I know she gets tired of toting him around. Plus, they are in the middle of building a house and she is very busy keeping up with Cooper, too! I had intended on just sending him a couple days of the week, at least through the summer months. But a couple of weeks ago I was informed that I needed to come back to work five days a week, which really bummed me out. I really like my job and the people I work with, but I am disappointed that I will be losing my special day with Stratton (not to mention the cost of full time daycare!). So, yesterday was my last day at home with him, he will start going to the Valley View Childcare Center next Monday. We had a great day. After Jarrod left about 6:45 Stratton wasn't going back to sleep in his crib so I went and got him and we snuggled in our bed until he fell asleep. He woke up about 9:30 and I fed him breakfast then we played and he took another nap. The rest of the day was pretty laid back, he ate lunch and took another short nap. He is still a little fussier than normal, I think it's all those teeth coming in! Then Jarrod got home a little after 6pm with a surprise (more on that later) and we spent the rest of the evening outside, it was so nice!! We even ate supper on the patio!

Here are a few pictures from meal time. I let him get a little messy!

[on the menu: peas and apples & blueberries]

[look at all those teeth!!]

[Yummy! Our little guy likes to eat!]

Here are a few other I took yesterday morning. I was trying to keep him happy and busy while I was stripping the sheets off the bed. . .

Stratton's First Easter

As usual Easter Sunday was windy and cloudy and not a good day for hunting eggs and playing outside. We went to church at Hickory Ridge and then had lunch with my parents, grandparents and aunt and uncle. I wasn't feeling good (stomach issues again) so our visit was short, but I think Stratton had a good 1st Easter. The Easter bunny brought him a basket full of [age appropriate] goodies; a stuffed "chocolate bunny", a new sippy cup, some pj's, a book, some cd's, a plaid Polo romper, new Puma sneakers, and a few other little things! . . . .he liked the Easter football the best (of course). My mom also got him a basket that had a couple of summer outfits and a bath toy and these funny rabbit ears! He also really likes playing with basket and plastic eggs. I think we might have to keep those out for awhile.

[little bunny with a carrot]

[our 1st Easter as a family]

[Sporting the cute shirt I made him]

 

 

Picture gallery is finally up!

[one of my favorites]

Our pictures have been posted in an on-line gallery! Go to the D'Lifeful web site and enter our password "Staggs". Click on "Spring Session" to see the newest ones. Due to the fact that our session was about half the time we scheduled due to the dreary, cloudy day, traffic and losing the light, She didn't get a a whole lot of good shots, (there is one in particular that I am not a fan of, where Jarrod looks really mad) but she did capture some really good ones, especially of Stratton! She was kind enough to give me a photo credit since the day turned out to be less than perfect for outside photography! We have another session scheduled in late June, I am hopeful that the weather will be better by then!