Easter Eggs!

Stratton had a great time!

Arden had fun watching

Our colored eggs!

Our Growing Kids!

Arden had her 6 month check-up and shots yesterday. She now weighs 15.7 pounds (30th percentile) and its 26 inches long (50th percentile). She was a perfect angel the whole time and I had a great visit with doctor Bailey about Arden’s ears and the prospect of tubes. I feel so much better about everything now. I just love her, I bet she sat and talked to me for at least 35 minutes. She has 2 young sons so she can relate and shares her experiences just like she would with a close friend. It’s just so nice to be able to talk to a Dr. and not have them be annoyed like they are trying to get you in and out as fast as possible! They said she looked perfect! Arden had to get shots, and she did cry but not for long. This was the last time she’ll have to have shots till she’s a year old.

Stratton had a physical today for Pre-K. Our appointment/walk through at Valley View Pre-K is next week and they needed a documented physical. I picked him up from school to find out that they had moved their Easter Party to today!! The note had said Friday! I was so mad. Stratton was really disappointed that he was going to miss it and the egg hunt and mostly the cupcakes. PLUS I brought treats for the party I thought was tomorrow! Good thing I brought him some Lightning McQueen juice and a snack! He got over it pretty quick and he did so good at the doctor!! (And not because I was poking sour patch kids in his mouth to keep him happy). He weighs 38 pounds (75th percentile) and is 3 feet 8 inches tall (99th percentile). There was a new nurse and she just went on and on about he couldn’t believe he wasn’t a 5 year old. We get that ALL THE TIME. He’s just tall people, have you seen his daddy!

They checked him all out and I had a few questions and I thought we’d be in and out in no time. . .but no.  After looking through his chart it turns out that he missed some shots when he was around the 15 month mark and one shot he got wasn’t considered valid because they had given it to him too early. Really?. I don’t know how that happened. Especially with as much as we’ve been to the doctor! It’s not like we never go- in fact it seems like we are always there. It frustrates me! How did the Children’s clinic not notice that before?!  I am so glad we left that clinic and started going to see the Docs at NEA Peds when Arden was born!  I asked the nurse if there was a chance that he got them and it just didn’t get recorded and she said that could be a reason but it wouldn’t hurt him to have them again, and they won’t take him at Pre-K or Kindergarten unless he gets them. Oh boy. So, did I mention I took Stratton alone because I thought it was a physical and we’d be in and out?? I was worried since the last time he had to get a shot back in the fall it took 4 people to hold him down! Well, it only took two of us this time, but he still put up a good fight. I felt bad since the shot was sprung on him without warning, but it was probably better that way. I could tell one of them really hurt, he wouldn’t hardly put pressure on that leg and I had to carry him! He’s such a chunk, too! So, afterwards we went to J. Christopher's, the toy store and he got a “happy”.  He picked out a polka-dot ukulele (guitar, to him) Then we went back to school picked Arden up and came home! Stratton was in rare form all night. Not sure if it was from the shots or sugar rush from all the sour patch kids I let him have, but whew! I was glad to see him go to sleep!!

We also dyed easter eggs tonight and I will post pictures later!

Oh, and Arden had a tooth pop up on the bottom right! I felt it before I saw it! She was chewing on my finger and. . . ouch! There was something sharp in there! It’s just a little speck, but it’s there alright. I think next week we will be starting to send food to school for her to eat, instead of just giving her baby food at home in the evening. I could be wrong but she’s eating more and sleeping better, I have to think that the two might be connected? She slept thru the night 3 nights this week.

Church Egg Hunt

The egg hunt had to be moved inside since it was so cold and dreary. There were eggs everywhere! The little kids hunted in the classroom hall.

Stratton was picking the eggs up and shaking them, then throwing them back down. It took us a minute to figure out that he was finding out if they had candy in them, if so he'd put them in his basket if not he thre them back down! It took some convincing to get him to pick all the eggs up, not just the ones with candy in them!

"Say cheese"

Counting eggs. He got 47!

Arden had a good time, too. She was hamming it up for anyone who'd pay her attention.

Of course Stratton didn't want to have his picture taken. They were both ready for a nap at this point, so it was a long shot (literally) anyway.

Excited about peeps on a stick!

Completely worn out! He fell asleep mid fry. . . Look in his right hand.

Whew! What a week.

It’s a good thing Jarrod and I had a chance to get-away for a couple of days this past weekend! We needed it! We just went to Memphis Friday night and stayed a couple of nights, did a little shopping, a lot of eating and I got to rest! I slept till 11am on Saturday!

The kids have been swapped around this week! Friday Arden stayed with my grandma in Hickory Ridge till my mom got home from work then she stayed with my mom and dad the rest of the weekend. Stratton went to school Friday and stayed with Dillon and Brandye Friday night so he could go to his swim lessons. Dillon was of course working Saturday, so Brandye took Stratton to Hickory Ridge Saturday afternoon. It was really nice on Saturday so he got to play outside and had a big time climbing trees.

Sunday we stopped in HR on our way home from Memphis and had lunch at grandma and grandpas. I was so ready to see my babies!! It’s funny how they can drive me absolutely nuts but being away from them for more than 24 hours is almost unbearable!

Sunday afternoon, Jarrod’s parents came to HR and picked the kids up to take them to Searcy for a few days since Jarrod’s mom is off work for spring break!

Monday was SO busy at work! Trying to get everything ready for Tuesday night!! It always is crazy before any meeting or event and Tuesday was our annual Ag For Autism, Bracket Bonanza event, so I was overwhelmed with trying to get all the things done by the deadlines! Tuesday we spent the day loading up stuff, taking stuff to the Convocation center and setting it all up. There are always issues that arise, but it all turned out ok. We raised over $30,000.00! And there were about 250 people at the event! But I’m glad it’s over. . . till next year!

Wednesday I spent the day getting organized after the event. It’s like a vacation, when you have to come home and unpack everything. I hate that part! Jarrod’s parents brought the kids back Wednesday evening.  I think they were ready to come home! Especially Stratton! He was so clingy that night! Turns out Jarrod had to work late, so we met him at Fat City and had a late supper before his parents went home. 

I didn’t go to work on Thursday, which was good because both of the kids slept in! I took them to school and then I met my friend Amy and we got mani-pedis and had lunch and did some shopping (well, she shopped I browsed). It was so nice to have a “Me” day. Even though it was freezing! Nothing like shopping for spring and easter clothes on such a dreary cold day when there’s a chance of snow. We also went to Andy’s – shhhh! I picked the kids up at 5pm and we headed home cooked supper and got ready for bed. . . .then it started to SNOW!! Here’s what our backyard looked like this morning, as you can see it had already started to melt.

Craziness!! Snow on Spring break and a week away from Easter. . .

We don’t have anything major planned for the weekend! WooHoo! But don’t worry about me getting bored. The Easter Egg hunt at church is Saturday and I have plenty to do around the house.

In other news Arden is back waking up every 4 hours at night. Ugh! But she has mastered sitting up over the last week! And I know I’ve said this like three times before, but I am certain she is getting a front tooth! Stratton is excited about the Easter Bunny and hiding eggs.  He is also getting very detailed in telling us all about his day- EXACTLY what they talked about, what the letter, number and color of the day was and who got in trouble (which is rarely himself) I love hearing him talk about his teachers and friends.

Driving Lessons

I just realized that I posted these to FB but never but them on the blog!

Stratton tried to teach Arden to drive his cardboard race car, (totally his idea) but she got a little grabby with the wheel and got demoted to the “back seat”.

She obviously didn’t like being in the backseat.

Miss Personality

The many faces of Arden Grace. . .

My favorite.

And. . .the “Ok, mom, I’m SO over this” face.

Spring Pictures

So, Saturday wasn't exactly the best day for pictures. It was a beautiful day, not too cold and the sun was shining, but it was CRAZY windy. And as I mentioned before, Stratton was being a grump and wouldn't smile. Well, she got some good ones in spite of it all.

Here are my favorites. . .

A big thanks to Jessica King, who got her pants all wet and dirty trying to get good pictures of my kiddos. You should have seen her laying down to get a good shot- and she's pregnant! She's awesome!! Check her out on Facebook or her website: http://jessicakingphotography.zenfolio.com/