Busy! Busy!

We are still here!  I am just now getting to come up for air!! In the past couple of weeks we have been bombarded with things to do and places to be! Jarrod and I have both been struggling with cold's and we have also both had to work late a lot lately and that coupled with having a sick child puts us under more added stress.

We had our annual garage sale in Searcy and celebrated Margie's birthday this past weekend. 

Jarrod and I will celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary this week! Wow!! It honestly doesn't seem like it's been 4 years since our wedding?!  I don't know that we will do much of anything special, it's definitely different with a baby. We can't just run off to Memphis for the night on the spur of the moment. 

Stratton's 1st cold

We first thought Stratton had a cold because of either the shots he got Friday or allergies, since we were on the farm and outside so much this weekend. He started getting a runny nose Saturday and I just assumed that it would run it's course and since he wasn't running a fever what would the doctor be able to do anyway? I had read that babies get 6-10 colds in their first year so I wasn't too concerned that it was anything more that a run of the mill cold. But after listening to him wheeze all night it seemed like he wasn't getting any better and I decided something else might be up and decided to take him to sick call. Wow! I have never been to sick call and I was really intimidated since I was by myself! It was kinda scary. . . a waiting room FULL of sick children! Luckily we didn't have to wait very long. As it turns out Stratton has developed bronchiolitis which is caused by RSV. It's very common in infants and Dr. Beck didn't seem too worried. Jarrod and I have both had a cold recently (I still do) and he told us that in adults RSV just causes cold like symptoms but in babies they can develop pneumonia and bronchiolitis. He also said that we can pass it back and forth.  .ugh. He gave me a prescription for an inhalant (Yeah, ever try to give a baby an inhaler?? Not easy!) and a liquid to break up his congestion. Stratton really doesn't seem fussier or cranky, but you can tell he just doesn't feel good. I stayed home with him today and he slept most of the day. It was a good day for that, too. It was cold and rainy all day long. I am planning on staying home with him again tomorrow. I don't want to send him to Kayce's and then Cooper get sick. I can already tell that the meds are working, he isn't nearly as wheezy sounding, so I am hoping that by Thursday he will be feeling much better.  So, we've got one cold under our belt. . . just 9 more to go.

Hickory Ridge Church of Christ's Century Celebration

Every year the church in H.R has a "Homecoming" the first Sunday in October and this year they also celebrated their 100 year anniversary! There were over 200 people that attended! We had morning services at the normal time and after a potluck lunch we had another service at 2pm. The speakers were all previous preachers at HR. Bible class was taught by Pat Casey, morning worship was John Simpson and the later afternoon service was David Gibson (our preacher at Valley View). It was a nice day. We got to see lots of family and friends. It was a long day but Stratton did really well. Especially since he wasn't feeling good. Dad had our friend Matthew Walton come and photograph the event and here are some pictures that he took . . .

Stratton was the youngest there and probably the only one with a chance of being around for the next 100 year anniversary!

Stratton's 1st tractor ride

Jarrod drove a truck on the farm this weekend, so Stratton and I went with him and hung out with Gigi. We took lunch to Pops and Stratton got to ride on the tractor for the first time. He would have gotten on the truck with Jarrod, too, but Jarrod was gone taking a load to town while we were there. I also got my new car very dirty. Jarrod just shook his head and said "You just HAD to put that new car in the field didn't you" . . . .hmmm, maybe getting black wasn't such a good idea?!  The weather was great we spent a lot of time outside today. Man, I love fall and harvest time!!

 [Hey Pops, take me for a ride!!]

[Stratton and Gigi riding with Pops while he unloaded the grain cart, if you look close you can see they are waving at me]

[swinging with Gigi, we just bought this hat for him and he is already outgrown it!]

2 month check up & first SHOTS!

[waiting for the doctor ]

[getting dressed after his shots]

Our Little Guy isn't very little anymore! He weighs 14lbs! And is in the 95% for his weight and 97% for his height, and only 45% in his head measurement.  Dr. Beck said everything looked great. He was surprised at how long Stratton was getting. You really can't tell he was a preemie at all!  We asked him about Stratton eating so much and he said he didn't doubt it, he's a big boy and probably needs to eat that much!  He said just to keep on feeding him till he gets full. He also said that Stratton probably has some reflux and that should clear itself up in a few months. They gave him 3 shots and I think he did really well. He did cry a little but it was no time and he was happy again. This afternoon he has been a little cranky, but that's understandable!

[don't you love this expression on his face]

Silly Duck

Stratton thinks this taggie duck is so funny. It's a wind up toy and it actually plays the tune to "Go to Sleep" , he likes it until it stops playing then he'll start fussing until you turn it back on.

My new ride!

It's a Venza, Toyota's new crossover. I really love it. It has SO much room. We can actually have Stratton in his carseat in the back and Jarrod can still sit in the seat in front of the carseat,. . .so not happening in the pathfinder. The only person that could sit there would be me and it was tight for me, too.  The only thing I will have a hard time getting used to is the smooth ride (not used to that in the Pathfinder) and being lower than I was in an SUV. What will be easy getting used to will be less trips to the gas station. I will hopefully be getting about 23 mpgs in town as opposed to 13 in the pathfinder! I know I am crazy for getting black, but it's SO pretty. . . .what can I say? It really is all about the "look" for me!  Gotta love those 20's!!