Corny

Where's Daddy?

-- Posted from my iPhone

Spaghetti Slurps

Homemade spaghetti and meatballs makes for happy kids! Yum!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Another Allergy

We had to make another trip to Dr. Raine's office on Wednesday. This is the third time in ten days that we've graced him with our presence. We like him and all but this is too much!

Lemme tell ya how it went down...

We headed to our Moms in the Outfield playgroup at church on Wednesday morning with everyone feeling great. Jack had a wonderful time running off some energy and bouncing his head off in the bounce house. We sang songs and had a fantastic time. When it was time to go home the kids were helping clean up by picking up all the balls. Nothing unusual as of yet.

When we got to the car Jack had a little welt under his left eye and said it itched. It looked a little like a bug bite but seemed like no big deal. Well, in the five minutes it took us to drive home we were faced with a different story. His left eye had swollen almost completely shut. I'll admit, I freaked out a little bit. I had to step out of the car and calm myself down and then call the pediatrician who said to bring him right in. Here's what it looked like after about ten minutes in the doctor's waiting room. A little better but still super swollen.

Thankfully, Dr. Raine took one look at Jack and immediately calmed him (and me) down. Jack was so worried that he was going to touch his eye and was NOT happy about being in his office again. The doc proclaimed that Jack was just allergic to something and asked about the circumstances leading up to his condition. I explained about being at playgroup and putting away the balls. I then mentioned a couple of other incidents, both not as severe, that involved similar circumstances... playing in the gym at church with the balls. So, the verdict was that Jack was allergic to something either where the balls are stored or whatever disinfecting agent is used to clean the balls. Now I have to do some research and find out exactly WHAT that is.

So, here's Jack a dose of Benadryl and a few hours later, lounging on the couch with me and watching Disney's Robin Hood.

His eyes now are still a little swollen but he's back at 100%. I swear, this kid's gonna give me a heart attack by the time he's five! What can I say? He's my child, through and through... I was allergic to everything when I was a kid. Thankfully, I've outgrown it and I'm praying that Jack does too (though I don't think the peanut allergy is going anywhere).

-- Posted from my iPhone

Sweet Slumber

Just before I had to wake her up to get Jack from school. I hated to do it. She was so peaceful.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Soccer Shots

The Owls had their first soccer practice this evening. Jack had so much fun and only shed a few tears. He was mad when the team was playing Duck, Duck, Goose. He told me he came to play soccer and that's what he wanted to do. He sat and pouted for a bit and then was back at it in time for drills. He can't wait for his next practice though I think we'll work a bit on his team spirit. Go Owls!

Jack and Selah

Dribble, dribble...

KICK!

Man to man...

Jack got it. Too bad it was from a teammate!

Kick it!

Jack is getting accustomed to his new soccer gear just in time for his first practice this evening. I could only get them to pose together if I gave them lollipops. Bribery at it's finest.

Pantego Ink

Thankfully she used washable markers and it was all gone in a matter of minutes with a couple of baby wipes. She does make an awfully cute canvas, though!

Well, well, well...

We're all working on getting well around here. After the kiddos week of illness, Jason and I started feeling yucky near the end of the week. By Sunday morning we were full on sick. Really sick. We both headed to CareNow on Sunday morning to get some much needed meds. We both have the same thing the kids had - double ear infection and upper respiratory infection for me and an ear infection, sinus infection, and upper respiratory infection for Jason. Nice. So, our whole family made it to the doctor in one week. That's a first and I hope we don't have to endure that again!

We're all on the upswing. Jack's at 100% and Caroline's not far behind. Jason and I are still feeling puny in the evenings but are much better than we were a couple of days ago.

Jack's got his first soccer practice tonight and is so excited. Hopefully he'll be as excited when we get there as he is now. He's funny about changing his mind about things at the last minute. Thankfully, our friend Terry is his coach and Selah's on the team so he should do fine. GO OWLS!

Thanks for the prayers. Keep 'em coming! That is all.

If it's not one thing...

So, this week has been a challenge to say the least and it's only Thursday. It seems like we can't catch a break at the Maurice house.

We're in the thick of busy season. In essence, I'm a single parent from late January to mid-April. It's tough. I don't know how "real" single parents and military spouses do it. Seriously. I should just start putting money away for my therapy bills. Kidding. Kind of.

If busy season, in and of itself isn't enough to make me run for the hills, this week has been particularly hard. The kids went to my mom's on Friday night because Jason and I both had to work all day Saturday. They had a great time at Yaya's... cooking, playing outside, watching the sun come up, even a trip to the Gainesville Zoo. Fun times. Mom packed them back up, drove them home and delivered them to our house on Saturday evening.

When she got them here, she and Jason remarked about how red, swollen, and teary Jack's eyes were. He just wasn't acting himself either. The Thompsons came over and Jack just wanted to lay in our bed, in the dark, and watch TV. He didn't want pizza for dinner. He didn't want to play with Riley and Victoria. He wanted to be in bed and be left alone. Not normal for Jack.

Well, he seemed a bit better on Sunday but we kept him home from church. The extra time with Jason was really great for him but by lunchtime he was spent. He and Caroline both took nice, long naps. This is a rarity in our house - Jack hasn't napped at home in about a month. After naps, Caroline and I loaded up in Jason's car with a baby gift and some yummy appetizers that I'd spent the afternoon preparing for our friend Rae's baby shower. As we were pulling in to Rae's driveway Caroline threw up. A lot. We delivered the food and gift and headed back home. Caroline threw up two more times on the way back. Not fun. After getting her bathed and the car cleaned out she seemed better. She went to bed with no problem that night and the puking hasn't returned.

Jack seemed better on Monday but had a hard night's sleep that night. I kept him home from school on Tuesday and took him in to see Dr. Harris (she shares an office with Dr. Raine) who discovered that he had a severe sinus infection that had settled in his eyes and a pretty bad ear infection. We've not got antibiotics on board and Jack was able to return to school this morning. He's feeling better but still in a bit of a funk, attitude-wise.

Caroline was awakened early this morning. Jack was up before six and decided everyone else needed to be up too. She heard him yelling and was ready to get up... or just not able to go back to sleep because of the noise. After dropping Jack off at school she and I headed to Target (or mecca, whatever) to get a few things. After about ten minutes she started whining and crying that she wanted to go home. She'd say "Not in there! No more shirts! No more shoes!" She was having fits about what we were doing in the store at every turn. My girl loves to shop and be out so this was very odd. We came home and she wanted to lay on the couch and watch Dora... not unusual. She wanted oatmeal for lunch... a little unusual. She ate about five bites and then just started crying for no reason. She wanted to go to bed. "NO BOOKS! LIGHT OFF! TAKE A NAP!" She was very upset but settled once in bed.

About five minutes later she was screeching and yelling that she had a boo boo. I went to her room and she was inconsolable. It took me about five minutes to get her calmed down and find out what was going on. She finally was able to eek out "Ear boo boo!" between sobs. I gave her some Tylenol, some snuggles and kisses, and put her back to bed. She's got a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I'm nearly sure she's got an ear infection. Sheesh.

So, prayers for us to make it till April 15 would be great. Prayers for us to be well and happy would be wonderful. Prayers for me to stay patient with my kids, no matter how frustrated or sad they are (busy season's taking it's toll on them) would be fantastic. I know that Christ will give me strength to make it through but it seems like I'm having a hard time remembering that in the midst of these trials. Pray that I remember. Thanks friends!

UPDATE: Caroline does, indeed, have an ear infection. A really, really bad ear infection that's likely to rupture. She's cried most of the day. Thankfully, she's got ibuprofen and numbing drops on board as well as a super antibiotic. It must be super because it's super priced. $211 for 10 days worth. Thank the Lord for manufacturer coupons and a pediatrician that understands my crummy insurance policy.

Crafty Caroline

We're working on our fine motor skills. Pretty soon I'll have an entire collection of jewelry to sell on Etsy.

-- Posted from my iPhone

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

That's what we're in for. She's practicing her best diva-esque pose. Silly girl!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Sunny Day

On a gorgeous day last week we enjoyed a picnic in the backyard. Spring is coming!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Ladies and Gentlemen...

...we have pigtails!

The Snowy Day - Pictures

Nothing better than playing basketball in the snow!

The problem with having this much snow in Texas is that we're poorly outfitted for the occasion. Case in point - Hello Kitty rain boots instead of snow boots. Oh well. At least they were pink, Caroline's favorite color.Our snowman and attempt at a picture with him. Caroline is actually hugging him and Jack is just trying to get away.The best part of playing in the snow... hot chocolate!

The Snowy Day

Well, last Thursday was quite exciting here in North Texas! We had more snowfall ever recorded at DFW! The official measurement was 12.5 inches but I think we had around 13 or more here. As exciting as the snow was, it only added to the excitement of our day!

Jack had his school Valentine's Day party on Thursday morning. Caroline and I dropped him off at school, ran a couple of errands and headed home for a bit before heading to the party. On the way we picked up 20 Happy Meals from McDonald's. My car still smells a little like a french fry! The kids had a blast at the party. Caroline just loved being with all the big kids. She followed her brother around and did everything he did. They had lunch together, decorated cookies together, did art together, and played bingo together. So fun! I decided just to bring Jack home after the party rather then wait till school was out. I didn't want to venture out into the snow again if I didn't have to. After the party we made the trek to the car.

While we were still in the building we were walking behind a mom, Rachel, and three young girls. She was remarking about what a mess this weather was and how much of a pain it was going to be to trudge to the car in the snow and slush with three little ones in tow. I suggested I wait inside with her kids while she got her car if she'd do the same for me. She thought it was a great idea. After she'd retrieved her car it was my turn. I walked through the blizzard - this may be a bit of an exaggeration but it was a blizzard for us here in Texas - to my car. Hop in, key in ignition, turn the key... nothing. Just click, click... nothing. Lovely. Dead battery. Cold, wet, and embarrassed and a little PO'ed I slosh back inside to tell Rachel "Thanks for watching my kids. My car's dead and we'll just live at the church till we can dig our way out and walk home tomorrow" A little defeatist attitude? Yes.

Well, THANK GOD FOR RACHEL!!! She piled my munchkins in her car, popped in a movie and drove over to my cold, dead mom-bus. Another kind lady in the parking lot lent us her cables and we hooked up and got to charging my battery in the hopes that a jump start would do the trick.

As an aside... I do keep jumper cables in my car. Unfortunately, I hadn't thought the location of my cables completely through. They were under my third row seat, which was folded down, and cannot be unfolded unless you have power! Not. Smart.

Anyway...

The jump didn't work. We sat in the parking lot for about 30 minutes and tried it... nothing. Bummer. Time for plan C, or D, or Z. We took the kids seats out of my car and put them in Rachel's so she could drive us home. Did I mention Rachel is awesome?! Thankfully, our house is just a few blocks from hers. Amazing how God puts the right people in the right places, huh?

So, as we're moving the seats over, Rachel says, nonchalantly, "Jack just threw up in my car. It's no big deal". I get to her car with the seat and she's cleaning it up like he's her own child. Wow. Apparently, Jack was sharing Valentine candy with the girls in the back of the car and decided, against his better judgment, to eat a peanut M&M. Not smart when you're allergic. So, he threw it up. Fantastic.

Well, we made it home safely. Jason had to leave work early to change my battery in the blizzard. What a man I have! I am soooo thankful for him and that he knows his way around a car. I'm so glad it wasn't me freezing my tush off under the hood! He did make a point to take some time and play in the snow with us, though. We built a snowman and threw a few snowballs. SO. MUCH. FUN.

On Friday morning we woke up to a winter wonderland outside. Unfortunately, we also woke up to a broken power line in our backyard. So, we called 911 and the police and fire department came, all before 7:30am. The kids were uber excited! We've got electricity but have been operating on diminished power since then. Oncor hasn't made it out to fix the hot wire dangling over our driveway. They said they'd have it done by Tuesday... well, it's Wednesday. So, we're surviving. The only real inconvenience, other than the danger, is our inability to use our microwave and garbage disposal. It's just annoying, really. How am I surviving not being able to use the microwave, you ask...

I'm cooking my chicken nuggets in (GASP!) the oven. Old school.

There were seven in the bed...

All the kiddos snuggled up watching Elmo at our small group Super Bowl party. What a sweet, quiet moment. It lasted about three minutes.

Bling, bling!

Sweet Caroline had a big day yesterday! A rite of passage, if you will. She got her ears pierced! Now, I'll say we were planning on waiting until she was much older. I wanted her to be able to tell me she wanted them done, plan for it, make an event of it. I never thought we'd get them done this early. But... she's been really interested in my earrings for quite some time now. She has play earrings that she wants to wear all the time. For her birthday, her sweet grandparents, Pappaw and Gigi, got her some beautiful diamond studs! I don't even have diamond studs. Well, that was the kicker. I asked her if she wanted her ears pierced. I told her it would hurt like a shot. She said yes. That was several weeks ago and she hasn't stopped talking about it since.

What's wonderful is that one of the doctors at our pediatrician's office does ear piercing. Everything is sterile, she's comfortable with the office, Dr. Harris is very particular about placement and they even gave us a prescription for numbing cream so it wouldn't hurt. The most Caroline protested was when we had to take the band-aids off that I put on so the numbing cream wouldn't get on everything on the drive to the office. She also got mad when Dr. Harris tried to put dots on her earlobes with a little marker. We had to tell her that we were checking her ears so she would let us near her with the pen. When it came time to get down to business it was no big deal. She cried for just a few seconds. Then she noticed her earrings in the mirror and said "Oooooo! So brave! I love it!" Funny girl.

She's so proud of her earrings. She's been talking about them and the experience ever since. "My earrings. Cried and cried. So brave! So beautiful!", she'll say, over and over. Too cute.

In the car. She's got her band-aids on her ears so the numbing goo won't get everywhere.Waiting in the doctor's office

BTW... does anyone else see the crooked smile that she has in these two pics? I have the same crooked smile! I just noticed that. Maybe she does look a little like me after all. Anyway...

Right after. She's got a lollipop in her mouth that turned her lips the most lovely shade of blue.

-- Posted from my iPhone

There's a new sheriff in town!

And he's laying down on the job! Sometime between goodnight kisses and actually falling asleep, Jack found a badge sticker in his room from when the Tarrant County Sheriff's department came to visit his school. If he really wants to be a lawman he'll have to be sure not to fall asleep after putting on his badge.

Am I seeing double?

How many candles are on that cupcake?