Mikayla's First Visit with the Dentist!

Yesterday, January 17th, both Drew and Mikayla had a dental appointment for their 6-month cleaning and check-up. This was to be Mikayla's first cleaning, and she was definitely not sure about it! She kept saying "mommy, I don't want to go". She has always been timid at the doctors office so I expected no different with this. We had spent a lot of time talking about it, as I was trying to prepare her by letting her know what to expect. So on the way there it seemed as though she would be okay with this - maybe not enthusiastic but at least she wasn't saying she didn't want to go. Then once we got there she said "I want Drew to go first". Everyone in our dentist's office is really great, and of course they thought of this without even hearing Mikayla say it. I was grateful as I thought this might help Mikayla feel more at ease. It didn't. The whole time Drew was getting his teeth cleaned I said you are going to get yours cleaned just like that. To which Mikayla responded "NO" each time! The ladies there couldn't stand to hear her cry - it just broke their hearts. One of the receptionists asked Mikayla if she wanted to sit in her lap while she got her teeth cleaned. Mikayla also responded to this question with a definite "NO". So, Mikayla sat in mommy's lap while she had her first cleaning and while the dentist checked her teeth. The great news - both Drew and Mikayla's teeth looked great. No cavities - we were told to keep doing what we are doing! I asked about Drew's six year old molars - even though he is only five and a half his molars are all the way through. I worry about them because they are in the very back and they are permanent teeth, but the dentist said they looked great! Way to go Drew and Mikayla - keep up that brushing!

Drew and Mikayla get comfortable while waiting in the waiting room! We were the only ones waiting, and we didn't have to wait long at all!

Drew gets fluoride after his cleaning. This is the only part of the visit that Drew really doesn't like - he can't stand the taste of the fluoride. He is such a good sport about it though and doesn't complain - I guess he knows it wouldn't do him much good. :)

Mikayla sits with mommy as she gets ready for her cleaning. She was all smiles as long as she was sitting with me - until it was time to clean her bottom teeth that is. She didn't like the taste of the paste so after the hygienist rinsed her top teeth, she didn't want her to do the bottom ones. She didn't protest too long though and we were finished in a flash!

After their cleanings they are all smiles (Drew's is hidden by his mask)! Here we are leaving with all their "goodies". They each received a new toothbrush, rubber gloves, and a mask. Maybe one day they will be doctors or dentists!

"Look Mom...No Training Wheels!"

Drew has begun riding his bicycle this week without his training wheels. I was really surprised at how quickly he caught on! The first day he did very well, but his new red bike is bigger so he couldn't stop his fall as well. Then, on Monday while we were out of school my dad brought over a bike that he had gotten awhile back for Drew. It is a little bit smaller so when Drew feels like he is about to fall over he can put his feet down to stop his fall. Drew did really well on this bicycle. Of course he loved Poppi helping him too! He is able to ride pretty consistently by himself now without the training wheels, but he still needs a little help getting started - a push every now and then. He is trying super hard to get started by himself and gets frustrated when he is not able to. It won't be long before he's zippin' around our yard with no help at all! Boy he is growing up fast!! Where did my baby boy go??

Sunday night in our backyard Drew tried his red bike without the training wheels. He was so proud of himself!

Monday, Poppi brought over this bike, and Drew did even better with it. Poppi helped Drew ride in our front yard so he could ride down the hill. Drew gets a little wobbly this time!
Look at my big boy go! His Poppi (standing behind him) sure was proud as was mommy and daddy!

Mikayla takes her turn with Poppi's help of course! It's monkey see, monkey do around our house!

Basketball!

Yesterday, Drew played in his second basketball game. This time his team, the Cougars, was the "visiting team" so they wore silver uniforms. In Upward, all uniforms are the same color - with both the jerseys and the shorts being reversible. When your team is the "home team" you wear navy, and when your team is the "visiting team" you wear silver.

The Cougars practice before the game starts!

Drew dribbles the ball down the court - albeit takin' his sweet time! :)

Drew gets ready to shoot - it's good!

Drew and his team talk to the coach during the game! We think coach Jeff is doing an amazing job with these children!

Mikayla looks for her "bubba" after the game! Breanna was sick and wasn't at this game. That didn't stop Mikayla from sitting with Ms. Nanda for most of the game!

Bryson, Drew, Elizabeth, and Jeffrey enjoy their snack after the game. You can't see D.J. who was sitting right beside Jeffrey, or Mikayla who was sitting at the end of the table in this picture! We are soooo proud of this team - they all played so well Saturday. Drew's star for this week was the orange one for best sportmanship - Go Drew!!!

Sick Little Girl

Mikayla holds her baby as she takes a treatment. She is quite the little mommy!

Today I stayed home with peanut. She has not been herself since Monday. Craig stayed home with her on Tuesday because she ran a temperature Monday evening, but she was fine all day Tuesday. We even went to dance Tuesday night. She was fine Wednesday and yesterday too, until last night. She's had a cough all week and yesterday we started with the runny nose. Then, she woke up at 11 last night coughing so much that she vomited. We had to give her Motrin for fever, so this morning I decided to stay with her and get her to the doctor. Our doctor's office opens at eight so I called at 8:02, and I was amazed when they had an opening at 9:20 with Dr. Beavers. Several children in Mikayla's class at daycare have had the flu, so that's what I thought she would be diagnosed with. They have also had a case of pneumonia and strep throat, so it was important to me that she get seen. Dr. Beavers listened to her chest as soon as we got there - he could hear her cough. He said she wasn't wheezing, but he heard fluid in her lungs so he diagnosed her with bronchitis. He also said that her right ear looked a little inflamed.

While checking Mikayla's throat he couldn't believe how large her tonsils are. He said they were not inflamed much, and I informed him they are just very large in size. He asked if she snores and stops breathing at night. I answered that yes she snores, and yes she wakes up during the night. He said she needs to have them removed - and listed some of the ways that Sleep Apnea could hurt her later on. Some of the doctors have mentioned that she needed them removed before, but none as adamantly as he did today. Of course it worries me because that's major surgery, and also I have gotten different opinions from several of the doctors even though they are in the same practice. For example, Dr. Berry, our well baby doctor said he wouldn't recommend removing them unless they were giving her problems. So, Dr. Beavers has referred us to an ENT doctor and we will see what he says. If having the surgery to remove her tonsils will help my baby girl as much as Dr. Beavers assured me it would today, then I will agree to it, after all I only want to do what is best for my little girl! Of course I will keep you posted!

Dr. Beavers said to start using Mikayla's nebulizer 3 times a day - if that didn't seem to help increase the treatments to four times per day to clear her lungs. He also put her on Orapred twice a day to help with inflammation, and prescribed a cough medicine to use at night. So our baby girl is on three different meds right now. She is being a trooper through all of this, even the constant cough. We have had a fun day of hanging out. We enjoyed soup and sandwiches for lunch, watched movies, danced, sang songs, read, etc. We got to pick Drew up in the car-pool line at school - something new for all of us and a special treat for Drew because he usually doesn't get to be a "car rider" with me there.

Since we've come home with Drew, they have just been layin' around watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! They are my sweet angels!

New Dance Costumes

Mikayla's ballet costume for recital 2007! Notice her feet and hands - the girl is ready!
One of Mikayla's tap costumes for Recital 2007! Don't you just love her poses!

Tonight at dance, Mikayla received two of her four dance costumes that she will wear at recital this year (busy time for mom to change her all those times)! I can't wait to see her other two costumes! They didn't get their costumes for her tap/jazz class last night because they aren't in yet. Mikayla was sad that she didn't get to go to dance last night because she was sick - she cried wanting to go anyway! We weren't sure if she would be able to go tonight or not, but she is much better! Craig kept her home with him today and she did fine. She never ran a fever again and she played all day. So, when it got time to go to dance class I didn't hesitate when she said she wanted to go! I didn't have my camera at dance class, but I was able to get pictures of her in her costumes tonight after she got out of the tub as daddy wanted to see her in them! The good news about the costumes this year is that they are 2 in ones. That won't help me so much since Mikayla is in five dances, but it will keep the other moms from having to change their children completely!

Drew's First Basketball Game!

Drew had his first basketball game on Saturday morning! You may remember from an earlier post that he is playing his first year of basketball with Upward at a local church - our church does not offer this program because we don't have a gym. We are so thankful that he is playing in the Upward Program. He is playing in the K3/K4/K5 division so they don't keep score and everyone plays. With Upward it is more about teaching the love of God, sportsmanship, friendship, cooperation, perseverance, etc., than winning a ball game. Don't get me wrong, at the upper levels they keep score and such, but still every child gets to play and ALL children are winners! That is what we LOVE about this program! Drew has a wonderful team of six players: Bryson (he goes to school with Drew - he's in my class, and his mom, Nanda, teaches 1st grade there), Dawson, Elizabeth, Jeffrey (the coach's son), and D.J. Drew's team (Drew is on the far left) along with one of the older players practice before the game!

Drew takes one of his practice shots and make it!

The coach talks to the team before their game starts. Drew has a wonderful coach who is really great with the kids - you'd never know this was his first year coaching!

Mikayla and Breanna (Bryson's sister) are best friends - they are in the same class together at preschool! Nanda always says "yeah, if you could have waited one more day before you had her they could go to school together".

During halftime (our age group practices the first 30 minutes, and play their game the last 30 minutes), the children go with their coaches for a devotional and the pastor shares a story with the spectators. He does an excellent job!

Drew takes a shot (one of three during the game) and makes it! We are so proud of him - not because he made all of his shots, but because he showed true sportsmanship. When he rebounded several balls that the other team shot, he gave the balls back to that team after his coach asked him to. That's another thing that is great about Upward - they want to make sure that each player (at this age) gets at least one chance to shoot!

Drew heads down the court with the ball. Go Drew!

Drew takes the last shot of the game - it's good!

Poppi plays with Mikayla, Emily, and Breanna - he's always so good with children! Breanna, and Emily (Bryson/Breanna's cousin) quickly became friends with Poppi!

Both teams tag up after the game. All of the children did a wonderful job - I was very impressed!

Drew and his teammates enjoy snacks after the game. Each player was also awarded stars to put on their uniforms for different accomplishments, such as best defensive player, most improved, most Christ-like, etc. Each category had different color stars. Drew was awarded the silver stars for best offensive player! We couldn't be more proud of him and his team!

Happy New Year 2007! (albeit a little late)

Drew and Mikayla watch t.v. waiting for the ball to drop!
Happy New Year - just after 12 am!

Happy New Year! We hope that 2007 brings many blessings for all! I'm sorry for the delay, but you've seen the updates! You know by now (if you've been following my blog) that Christmas is always such a busy time for our family! But now here we are...I'm finally caught up with my blogging it seems!

Our New Years Eve tradition is to have snacks at home and watch the ball drop as a family! After church on Sunday morning, we went to Mimi and Poppi's house for Sunday dinner. Then we came home to get a Sunday nap. We all slept a long time which was good since we were going to be up late. After we got up, we went and ate supper at the Waffle House - that's one of Drew and Mikayla's favorite places to eat! Then we came home to relax, play, watch t.v. and wait for 2007. It was a lot of fun watching them jump around yelling Happy New Year - I wish I had gotten pictures of that! We had a lot of fun together as a family! That's how we want to spend our new year as well!

Happy Anniversary Baby!

On Friday, December 29th Craig and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary! In some ways it's hard to believe that it has already been 6 years, and in other ways it feels like we have been together forever! I am so thankful for this wonderful man that God brought in my life! He is an amazing husband and a terrific father to our two angels. I love you Craig, and I look forward to many more anniversaries to come!

Our beautiful family! This is one of the pictures we had made while making pictures for our church directory in April.

Christmas (the last Christmas post for 2006)

After leaving Greenwood we went back over to my mom and dad's house to spend the afternoon/evening with my mom's side of the family. They had already eaten dinner as well so everyone just nibbled really for supper...we were all still so full from dinner to eat much! All the cousins enjoyed playing together and then they opened gifts. We do the same thing on my mom's side of the family that we do on dad's...save gift giving for children and Grandma Nell (my mom's mom). It was a special time being with family as Christmas winded down.

As soon as we got there Mikayla and Drew went straight to their Poppi...Mimi was taking a nap. Mikayla is playing with Jennie - she likes to aggravate!

My cousin's daughter Samantha, my aunt Laura, and her daughter, Julie have a girls only discussion.

My cousins Carmen and Eric relax on the couch while they wait to open gifts.

My Grandma Nell and Aunt Leslie doing what they do whenever they get together - play SCRABBLE!

Drew holds up part of an outfit that he received. He LOVES the movie Cars!

Samantha LOVES Mikayla, and she is so good with her. She has a little brother so she gets lots of practice!

Christmas Day (Continued...)

After we saw what Santa left at our house we loaded up (Drew and Mikayla still in their pajamas) and went to my mom and dad's house. Drew and Mikayla are always excited to see what Santa has left over there!

Poppi shows Mikayla one of the dresses Santa left for her as Drew checks out some of the stuff Santa left on the couch!
Poor ol' Craig...all Santa left him was a can of Pork and Beans! Poppi told Drew to look under the tree skirt to see if Santa left daddy anything else! Poppi just likes to give Craig a hard time! Poppi and Mikayla read one of the new books Santa left!


Then we brought all of our goodies home and got dressed to go to Greenwood to celebrate with Craig's family. We had fun spending some time with everyone, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

Craig's brother, Jason, and our niece Belle.

Our sister-in-law Julie (Craig's brother Chris' wife), and our nephew Haston.

Mikayla loves to play with Uncle Ovid.

Drew loved playing with Rob's remote control car. Craig holds Mikayla and Belle. Mikayla is getting ready to pop a kiss, but Belle is not as happy to be sitting there!

Drew is busy opening his gifts!

Julie helps Haston open the drum set we got him - payback is so sweet! Uncle Chris and Aunt Julie always loved to get Drew the loudest gift possible, and we just knew Haston would enjoy this!

Nana with all of her grands - Haston, Bell, Drew, and Mikayla.

Drew and Mikayla pose with their cousins Rob, Katie Beth, and Claudia in front of Nanny's tree.

After taking a few last pictures we had to rush off to get back to my mom and dad's house to spend time with my mom's side of the family. We enjoyed our time spent in Greenwood on Christmas day. It is such a busy day for us!