Messy Mouths

Harris loves, for some reason, to pat his head while he is eating, effectively spreading his food throughout his hair!

I just wanted to post some newer pictures of my boys eating and show off their wonderful table manners!!

Appointments

Wednesday, February 1... Jackson to the audiologist

Monday, February 6... Harris to the pediatrician (the NEW one!!)

Thursday, February 9... Jackson for a speech evaluation

Tuesday, June 27... Jackson for a developmental evaluation (hopefully the speech evaluation will allow us to bypass this one!!)

News

This will be short, as I am exhausted from a week of the funk going through our house, but I wanted to give an update about Harris' bloodwork. His ped. called and said that she thinks he just has an iron-deficiency anemia, meaning he isn't getting enough in his diet. So, she is boosting his dose of iron suppliments. She said his thyroid checked out just fine, but she wants to keep an eye on both his iron and his weight, so we are to go back again in a month. She also said that some of his "proteins" (no explanation) were low... she actually asked me if I was feeding him. Yes, I promise, he eats like a piglet, but he just moves nonstop!!

Needless to say, we are going to head to another pediatrician for a second opinion, just to reassure me that everything is ok and that we checked everything we needed to.

Thanks for the Harris prayers, and I will let you know more after we visit the new pediatrician.

While The Cat's Away...

This is what happens when Mom leaves Dad in charge of the boys for 30 minutes...

The Fort

Just posting some cute pictures of Jackson and Daddy in the fort. Notice that Lucky is in one of them... Jason "claims" that he hates Lucky... I'm not so sure that is 100% true!

Jackson...

... loves anything Thomas the Train.

... loves to sing.

... blesses each of his teachers and classmates before bed.

... loves to snuggle.

... is a super-picky eater.

... loves playing on the computer.

... still isn't potty trained (UGH!!!).

... calls one of his trains the "potty train".

... loves his little brother, as long as he isn't trying to play with the train table.

... loves looking in the mirror!

... loves playing with the "big kids" at school.

... memorizes his favorite books.

... mimics everything we say.

... loves his Mommy and Daddy!!

Blue Eyes

Look at those beautiful blue eyes!!

Baking

Jackson and I made cupcakes this afternoon... what a huge help he was!! He emptied the mix into the bowl, poured in the water and oil, cracked the eggs, and helped stir. He also watched them bake for the entire 20 minutes they were in the oven. As soon as the timer went off, he was climbing into his chair to wait for the finished product!

Harris Update

Harris went back to the pediatrician today for a recheck of his iron levels. He has been on an iron supplement for the past month, since at his 9 month appointment he had low iron levels. After an hour and a half of waiting (yes, I was livid waiting that long), I was told it was still low and he needed labwork. Along with that news, the pediatrician told me that he just isn't growing well (he only gained 5 ounces in a month).

So, we were off to the children's hospital for bloodwork. Poor Harris. The nurse had to dig to get the vein, and both she and I had to hold him down. Harris and I were both in tears. He did well, though, considering what was going on, and hopefully we won't have to go through that again any time soon.

They are doing several tests for anemia, and they are also doing tests for thyroid issues (growth). Unfortunately, since it is Friday, we won't have results until Monday or Tuesday. I will keep you posted and let you know results as soon as I have some to report. Please keep Harris in your prayers this weekend!

Sleeping

We find Jackson in the craziest places and positions while he is sleeping. This is how we found him the other night. It is better than the way we have found him the past two nights... buck naked!! No pictures of that!!

Hanna Games

Harris is loving the beautiful weather and playing outside with Hanna!!

Big Boy

Harris thinks he is such a big boy now... he loves drinking out of the sippy cup! Anytime he finds one of Jackson's lying around, he grabs it, plays with it, and drinks all he can. I have broken up numerous fights already over the sippy cup!

Hats

Ganny made the boys these cute hats for Christmas... there was one for Jason, Jackson, and Harris. I haven't been able to catch Jason in his when I have the camera (although he has been wearing it!), I have gotten the little ones on film. Harris hasn't taken to wearing hats in general yet, but Jackson LOVES his hat! He will check himself out in the mirror repeatedly when he is wearing it. The other day, he put it on when we went outside after his nap, and he didn't take it off again until bath time (we practically had to pry it off of his head!!).

Thanks, Ganny! They are too cute!!

Singing

Jackson sings all of the time in the car now. His favorites? Nursery rhymes. Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc.

Harris sings all of the time in the car now, too. His favorite? Aaaaaaaaahhhh, aaaaaaahhhhh, daaaaaaaa, uuuuuughhhh, aaaaaaaaah!

I love listening to the duets!!!

Harris...

... sticks out his tongue when he is concentrating on something.

... has just started cruising along the furniture.

... loves peaches and black beans.

... opens every plastic container he can with his two bottom teeth.

... has decided it is time to wake up between 4:30 and 5:30 am. Sometimes he goes back to sleep, sometimes he doesn't.

... loves trying to drink the bath water. Ick.

... is still wearing some of his 3-6 month clothes.

... loves taking his vitamins or medicines.

... hates sitting in the cart at the grocery store.

... wants to play with whatever Jackson is playing with.


... loves to laugh and shake his head "no".

... loves to clap and the reaction it gets.

... loves his big brother, Hanna, and the cats.

... loves to eat dirt out of my plants.

... is still big into Mama around other people, but he is starting to give me a break when we are alone.

... has the biggest and sweetest dimples ever!!

New Year's Boat Ride

On New Year's Day, we coaxed Dad into another boat ride. It was a beautiful day, and we went though the Wappoo Cut and down the Stono River, almost to the ocean. What a scenic ride! I wish I had taken pictures of the scenery along the way... the marsh was amazing, and the houses along the river were impressive. It was so nice to get out on the water... it has been so long since I have been able to spend much time in the boat, and I have really missed it. Hopefully this is just the beginning of many boat rides!

Boat Ride Pictures

Harris does really well in the boat. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about his "boat coat". Any tips on getting him to be more comfortable in his lifejacket?
The boys are really starting to love playing together!

I drove for awhile, but it still makes me nervous!
Captain Dad gots lots of experience driving and docking the monster!!
This is the anhinga that made himself comfortable on the pylon by the boat. I wish I could have gotten him with his wings drying....
Harris helped Papa drive for awhile. Jackson helped Jason drive for awhile.

Young Love

Tonight we had a social at our house with our cell group from church (a group of 8 married couples that get together every other week for a Bible study and fellowship). It was a family affair tonight, so there were lots of little ones around. Well, Jackson and Mary Kathryn (our friends, Gregg and Dorothy's, daughter) fell in love. It was too cute... Jackson was lying on the floor as Mary Kathryn tickled him. Then he would turn around and tickle her. The two of them just giggled and giggled!! I was able to snag a few pictures to display at their wedding in 25 years!!
Jackson and Harris will probably end up fighting for Mary Kathryn's affection... she is the one that Harris is gazing at in the Halloween picute I posted. (You'll have to scroll down a ways to find it.)
Tickle, tickle!!

Jackson's 3-Year Appointment

Yesterday Jackson and I headed for the pediatrician for his 3-year check-up. Parts of it went well, and other parts were very frustrating. He freaked out for the weigh-in and height measurement... not sure why. At that same time, the nurse wanted to take his blood pressure -- yeah, right. Not a chance. So, she takes us back to the exam room, and asks if I can get him to pee in a cup. Again, yeah, right... he won't even pee in the potty, let alone a cup!!

He was great for the exam, though, which suprised me after the weigh-in episode. His weight and height were good (28lbs, 36 inches -- 25% for both).

The biggest issue we had was his speech. Last year, the ped. said that all he needed to be on track was to be able to say at least 50 words and combine 2 in a sentence. She said that Jackson might be a little behind, but he would catch up before he was three. At this appointment, when I told her my concerns about his speech (not conversing with us, not asking questions, etc), she said, "Have we not had this evaluated?". Ugh... she told me last year not to worry about it!! So anyway, he is going to be referred for a speech evaluation.

My biggest frustration was what the ped. said to Jackson. In this sweet voice, she said, "I don't know what is wrong with you, why you fussed. Everyone here is so nice...". She told my child that she didn't know what was wrong with him. Excuse me??? Maybe I took it the wrong way, but I would never condescendingly ask someone what was wrong with them, especially not a child!

Despite what she said, Jackson is a healthy 3 year-old!!

And Finally, Christmas #5!

Christmas #5 was spent with my dad and Lois. They arrived on the 27th after a long drive. The following morning, we again opened a ton of presents... lots of great things: beautiful antique books, two pocketbooks, more toys for the boys, and that monstrous jump castle in our backyard! Harris was a bit of a party-pooper... he was a little under the weather with a fever, so he didn't enjoy the festivities as much as the rest of us. Later that week, Papa, Lois, Jackson, Harris and I went to the aquarium. Jackson gave us the "quick overview" tour... he has been enough times now that he runs to his favorites and bypasses the rest. We enjoyed it, though, and went for a nice lunch with a great view of the harbor afterwards.

It was a nice visit and a great way to end our Christmas!

The Amusement Park

Our backyard looks like an amusement park! Jackson and Harris got the swing set for Christmas and their birthdays, and Papa gave them the jump castle for Christmas. It is crazy back there now. They are never bored, though, and I never have to worry about how I am going to tire them out for the day!! Playgroup at our house!!!