Cameron had a really fun weekend at Granny and PawPaw's. We brought him over on Sunday and he came home on Tuesday afternoon. He fed crackers to the ducks, rode the riding lawn mower, and played with all of the cool toys at their house - enjoying every minute of it. Can you tell?
"Live from the Astrodome....in Houston Texas....it's Buckin' Bronco Buster....." - that's Buster's cue to find that toy and play this game. He's been doing this for the past six years. I have pictures of him doing this when he was a tiny little puppy. Too bad they aren't digital, or I'd post them. Chris plays this really rough game with Buster at least once a week, and Cameron never gets tired of watching it. But, it is too hard on the arms for me to do it with him!
With all the fun that summer brings, it's also important to think about safety. The folks over at Mommy Docs want to make sure everyone knows the following tips that can keep the whole family having fun in the sun!
You can find all of these safety tips at MommyDocs.com. Check out their site for even more helpful information!
Here's a shot of my three boys on the "bridge". Cameron has started crawling up the stairs. When he get to the bridge, he can see the cars on the main road. So, this is wonderful motivation. The therapist told us that stairs are the very best thing for Cameron right now to build strength all over. As you can see, Buster likes this spot too.
Here is a shot of my boys checking out the neighborhood. Cameron has a whole gameroom of toys to play with now, but he would rather just climb up to the windows and watch the cars and trucks go by. As you can see, Buster likes to do this just as much as Cameron does!
This Memorial Day we decided to have our parents over for a crawfish boil. Here's Cameron's first look at a live crawfish. He wasn't really sure about all of this, but Buster had fun spinning around and pouncing on his own crawfish (that thought it had escaped). Chris did a great job getting everything nice and spicy, and we all ate way too many! But, I think everyone had a great day.
I cannot wait until it warms up. This year I want to let Cameron play in his little backyard pool. I think he'll really love it now. The weather has been pretty lately, but it's still pretty cold. I'm ready for my Texas heat!
One of Cameron's favorite things to do is to mangle and pull my hair. He'll come up behind me when I'm sitting on the floor, and really sweetly climb up to standing using my back. Then he'll give me a nice hug...
But then he grabs my hair with the strongest grip you can imagine. It has even brought me to tears. He will also do this when I'm sitting with him in the recliner. He reaches for a hug, and then he'll grab my hair and play with it like he's cooking up an evil scheme. Trust me, it's instinctive or something.
Chris' grandfather bravely served in the US Navy during WWII at just eighteen years old. He was on the USS Yorktown during the Battle of Midway. But although he survived so much, he has never been one to talk much about his experiences. He's just a very humble person.
Chris found out that his grandfather had always wanted a flag that was flown over the US Capitol. So, after doing some research, Chris found a way to get him one. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a US Senator from Texas, was able to arrange for the flag to be flown on February 5, 2008 (a very appropriate date for a Louisiana Cajun - as this was Mardi Gras). Here is a picture of Chris' grandparents with the flag he received and the accompanying certificate. I'm so happy for PawPaw!
I just started putting our home videos onto DVDs. We bought a DVD Recorder and it's actually pretty easy to do (of course, Chris figured out how to get everything wired for me). We have a lot of footage from when Cameron was in the hospital. It's sort of hard to watch some of it, but it's also incredible to just see how far he has come in three short years. So much of his first few months is just a blur to me, so I'm glad we have so much recorded. He heard himself crying on the tape this morning and he stopped playing long enough to do a double-take. All of this just reminds me that he truly is a little miracle boy.
According to this week's issue of Time, marriage can actually help us live longer and happier lives. Of course, it depends on whether you have a healthy relationship or not. But, according to research, married people tend to have lower rates of heart disease and mental illness. While marriage isn't good for our waistlines, it is good for our overall well-being. However, a bad marriage can put extreme strain on the body, and can even lead to illness. We all know that holding in anger takes its toll. So I guess that when we do get upset we should let it out! There's nothing wrong with a respectful argument every now and then.
Wow, this week's Heads or Tails theme is Heads: Anything that starts with the letter C. Well, let's see...Chris and Cameron are the most important people in my life, and my mom's name is Carolyn. Thanks Barb! :) Here's a picture of my favorite Cs.
Give me five things you like and/or dislike about your job.
Well, as a stay-at-home mom right now, I love my job. I feel very blessed that I am able to stay home at this time in Cameron's life.
Here are five things I like/dislike about my "job".
1. I love the freedom of being able to schedule my day as I see fit. I don't have to spend the weekends cramming in all the laundry and cleaning, etc.
2. I like spending time with my son, and being there for his Physical/Occupational/Speech Therapy sessions. He continues to make progress almost daily. I learn so much from them, and then I can work with him myself on the things that they suggest.
3. I like having the time and energy to cook meals. When I was teaching we ate a lot of frozen stuff that I would just throw in a pan or in the oven.
4. I do miss the people I worked with and the kids, of course. I taught 3rd grade, and that's such a fun age.
5. I don't like the fact that I don't talk to many adults during the day. I tend to bombard Chris at the door to tell him about our day : ).
Head on over to BeccA's Buzz to participate in Give Me Five!
Well, after Chris' adventures in Louisiana last weekend, things are back to normal. Here's a shot of my boys watching the Chargers vs. Colts NFL game today, as sadly, college football will not be on again until the fall. The NFL will have to do for at least another few weeks, until March Madness begins in March. I can't leave out my other boy, Buster. Here he is decked out for the LSU game. (Cameron loves his "B".)
The last few weeks have been really fun and exciting, with our trip to Dallas and Chris' adventures in Louisiana. Our weekends usually consist of renting movies and ordering in pizza. But, it's nice to have just a normal weekend to stay home and hang out. We just took a "family" walk with Cam in the wagon, and it's 70 degrees outside! I love it. I'm sure we will have a few more cold fronts come through, but I am loving this weather!
Sometimes it's so hard to figure out what teenagers want as gifts. I know most of them would prefer a gift card, or just cash, but sometimes I like to find them something personal. My cousin used to like gemstone jewelry, but I don't think that's in my budget this year. Maybe I'll just give her a gift card to the entire mall. What do you think the perfect gift is for a 14 year old girl?
With Christmas coming on Tuesday, most of us have pretty much wrapped up our shopping. I still need to wrap a couple of books for Cam, and a gold anklet for my teenage cousin, but other than that I'm finished. I'm also still waiting on one more gift to come in the mail for Chris. He thinks he knows what it is, but he's wrong!!! What gift are you most excited about giving this year? I can't reveal mine yet, as people in my family might be reading this... Please share in the comments section!
Are you feeling the heat? Only six more nights are left to prepare for the big day. Chris and I went ahead and exchanged gifts yesterday. That's really good for us, because at least we made it until only a week before Christmas. Usually, we end up giving each other our gifts as soon as we buy them...I can't wait to give Cam to get his loot from Santa!!!
Here are a few new pictures of my boy(s). Buster was actually letting Cameron pet him for a while, and then he put his head in his lap! Of course, I couldn't find the camera in time. But, it's nice to see them "playing nice" together. Now that Cameron can really get around, Buster is typically annoyed with him. He finds places to hide (under the coffee table, on top of the poofy chair) that Cameron is unable to go. They are quite a pair!
My parents are so hard to buy for. My dad loves his computer, but sometimes it runs really slowly. I'd like to get him a Dell Memory upgrade for Christmas. This way he could send and receive the jokes he loves to pass around with his retired friends. I don't think my dad ever thought he'd be spending so much time on a computer for fun!
As a former teacher, I know that today's students are under quite a bit of pressure to be successful. Kids have different learning styles, and it's important to figure out what works best for your child. Individual tutoring can be very helpful. Score Learning centers are one option for kids ages four to fourteen. Their Innovative Tutor plan will help your child build knowledge while helping them gain confidence at school.
This weekend, Chris went out and found the perfect Frasier Fir Christmas tree. This is the first year that Cameron's really interested in it, so I'm going to have to really watch him around it. Last night, he threw his socks off into the bottom branches. Here's a shot of him headed for the tree in his walker, before it was even decorated.
To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.
Well, how was your Thanksgiving? We had a nice day with my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and their daughter. For such a small crowd we still made enough food to feed about 25 people. At least we won't have to cook for a couple of days. Chris is out getting our Christmas tree, and I've been trying to get the house ready for our decorations. I love this time of year!
This was two years ago around this time. I was determined to get a great picture of Cam with his Christmas buddies. But, Cameron was not amused at all. He was quite disgusted with me for making him play "photo shoot." There are only a couple of smiles in the bunch, but there are about twelve other shots where he's looking equally annoyed. This one is my favorite.
Here's Cameron on his Zebra bouncer. This was during the LSU v. Ole Miss game on Saturday. The Tigers were able to beat the Rebels by a score of 41-24. This is the second week in a row that LSU has been ranked #1 in the BCS. There are so many different scenarios as to who they could play in the National Championship Game if they can win out. This has definitely been the year of upsets, and there is still a lot of football left to be played. I really hope that LSU will be playing in the National Championship Sugar Bowl this year! But first, they must beat Arkansas this weekend, and then play in the SEC Championship Game. Geaux Tigers!
To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.
Cameron is doing so well with his Hippotherapy. The last time we did it the weather could not have been more beautiful. He loves the horses so much, and he is making so much progress with his physical strength. Unfortunately, we are going to lose our PT and OT when he turns three in March, because the Early Childhood Intervention Program moves into the public schools at that age. Since we aren't ready to enroll him in school, we're going to have to find a facility to bring him to, or other therapists that will make home visits. I'm a little stressed about this, because we love our therapists so much! I'm sure we will find really great people, but I wish we could continue with his current ones forever!
This Thanksgiving, we're having dinner at my mom's house. This year, it's just going to be my parents, Chris, Cameron, and I, and my brother's family. I'm going to make the dressing, because Chris really likes his mom's recipe. It's a Cajun version of cornbread dressing, and honestly it really is good.
When I was growing up, we would have all the holidays at our house, which I loved. But, it was so much work for my mom and dad. I am looking forward to a low-key Thanksgiving this year. Cameron has fun with his baby girl cousin, and we'll probably end up playing Trivial Pursuit or Spades. I can see Chris shuddering at this thought already. Whenever my brother and I get together, we love to play board games. What can I say, we're both trivia nerds.
What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? Please share!
It's never too soon to start thinking about Mother's Day! Now that I'm a mom, I think I appreciate my own mother even more. Sometimes I have a hard time trying to think of the perfect gift. This year I am using Mother's Day Central. This site offers tons of ideas and checklists that will help me be prepared when Mother's Day rolls around.
At Mother's Day Central, I learned all about the History of Mother's Day. Did you know that Mother's Day officially became a day of national observance in 1914, thanks to Woodrow Wilson? Actually, the tradition can even be traced back to Ancient Egypt and Rome. It's all pretty fascinating!
You have to read the Motherisms at Mother's Day Central. If you are a mom, or have a mom, you'll really get a kick out of these. You've probably said or at least heard a few of these yourself. I really enjoyed reading this list!
Mother's Day Central is the place to find the perfect gift ideas for this Mother's Day. You still have plenty of time to make this Mother's Day a memorable and special one.
Cameron isn't feeling too great today. He has a runny nose, and he's cranky because his molars are coming in. We will find out the results of his latest CT Scan tomorrow, so please say a few prayers that everything will still be just fine with his shunt. We have every reason to believe that everything is OK, he just has to get checked every six months. I hope he's feeling better tomorrow!
*update: Everything is fine with the shunt! We are so happy and thankful.*
This weekend was pretty laid back. We watched the LSU v. Louisian Tech game on Saturday evening, after going over to my parent's house for just a bit. Meme needs her Cameron fix....We are just still so pumped that Cameron is finally crawling! I know I've already said it, but we're so proud of him. His days of army crawling only are long gone. He finally wants to be up off of the floor. It's such a fantastic feeling to see him make this kind of progress. He's also pulling up to standing using the recliners and his Little Tike Picnic Table. This is a picture of him playing rough with Chris yesterday. But, of course, he had to stop and pose for the camera! Little ham....
To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.
The idea of needing life insurance is pretty scary. But, let's face it. We aren't going to live forever, and we need to be financially responsible for those we leave behind. It's important to look into all of your options now, so that your family is completely prepared for whatever lies ahead.
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What do you have to lose? Rest assured that your family will be well taken care of in case something happens to you.
This weekend we attended my brother's wedding in San Antonio. This is a photo of my husband, myself, and my parents. Wow, everyone's eyes are open! This hardly ever happens! The wedding was at a small chapel near the Riverwalk. If you've ever been to San Antonio, you know how pretty the weather is around this time of year. Thankfully, everyone had a safe and happy trip for the weekend. One of my aunts who was unable to attend the wedding, stayed with Cameron at our house. She enjoyed her time with Cam, and we had a fun little getaway!
To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.
I'm not good at keeping secrets. My husband is even worse at it than me. Each year, we give each other our Christmas gifts earlier and earlier. The first few years we were married, it was more like a few days before Christmas.....at least we had a tree up, etc. But as the years have progressed, it has turned into weeks, and last year even a month early. I even already had to give Cameron a couple of his books that were supposed to be for Christmas (because let's face it, they were for me too). I love getting new books. I get so tired of reading the same few over and over. But, I also know that repetition is what kids love and need. Anyway, I already know where one of my presents is, and I'm trying to enforce willpower this year. Hopefully we'll at least make it to December 1st.
Well, we were supposed to have a fun little Halloween at my mom's house with Cam's cousin, "girl pirate." But "girl pirate" had a bad cold. So, we decided that we better not bring him over there until after they left. We had a good time anyway. We ate pizza and cookies, and brought home a bag of candy. Also, we saw some super cute trick-or-treaters in my parent's neighborhood. Cameron was kind of cranky and sleepy since he didn't take a nap and only slept about 6 hours the night before (including the morning snooze). I'm hoping that he'll finally sleep really well tonight!
No Soup Sleep For You!!!
Last night Cameron decided that we really didn't need to go to sleep until midnight. Plus, we really did need to read all 21 books in his basket. Then, he woke up crying at 5am. So, after his bottle, I thought we'd all go back to sleep. Oh no. Those books are too enticing. So, we read them all again. He stayed awake until just now. He's crashed out on the floor near his bedroom. I guess he really wanted to be a nocturnal bat instead of a pirate for Halloween. This evening we're going to my mom's house so that he can be with his cousin, "the girl pirate." Mommy just might let Meme and Daddy deal with Mr. Nonap Crankypants.
This may be the last time I can get my son to wear this costume! He's had about enough of that pirate sash. But, Mommy can't get enough. He's just so darn cute in it. He's supposed to wear those eye patches every day for at least 30 minutes, but that hardly ever happens. Even when I cover his hands with socks, he can always pull it off. But, his lazy eye problem is so much bettter than it used to be. I tried to make him think it was part of his costume, but I don't think he's buying it. Well, so much for "Wordless" Wednesday.
When you have kids, sometimes romance is the last thing on your mind. You have to really make the effort sometimes, so that you don't take your special someone for granted. It is so easy to get bogged down by dinner and homework, etc. Sometimes, the most romantic thing you can do is listen. We all need a shoulder to cry on, and a listening ear. Yes, you may have heard all of this before. But turning off the television and really listening can help make things better. Slipping a note in your loved one's wallet or a lunch bag can really make his or her day. A simple,I miss you note will remind your loved one just how special he or she is to you. Next time you're out to dinner, or just out shopping together, consider holding hands. It's the little things that count the most!
This week's theme is Heads: Spooky or Scary
It might be a bit of a stretch on the theme, but I've got something spooky and scary to tell.
Last night, as we were watching the Red Sox play the Colorado Rockies in Game 4 of the World Series, I realized that my husband has issues.
Well, I already knew he had issues (smile) but this was something different. After bathing Cam last night, I brought him out looking super cute with his slicked back hair, and big smile for dad.....but there was a problem. He was wearing his Astros outfit. It's perfect for this weather - long pants but short sleeves. I put his Santa socks (Red Sox) to make sure we didn't jinx the game.....and I thought this would be enough.
But oh no. The Rockies started getting runs. Chris made me change him into a different outfit so that the "disAstros" wouldn't ruin the luck of the Red Sox. You see, we're Astros fans as well, and they had a terrible season this year. Chris even went to our room to change his own clothes. "Maybe it's these purple shorts..." (sigh)
Well, you know the rest. The Red Sox swept the Rockies in four games. Superstitious fans everywhere collectively say, "You're Welcome."
This week's theme is Heads: Train. Wow, what a coincidence! I was going to write a post about my son's Animal Train at some point, just because it has literally changed his life. I saw a commercial for it last year around this time, and I remember thinking, "Oh that looks like fun." I mentioned it to my aunt, since she had asked me what she thought she should get him for Christmas that might help him with his mobility.
Last Christmas, Cam was 21 months old. Part of his condition is having extremely low muscle tone, called hypotonia. At this age, Cameron was rolling a lot, but he wasn't scooting, or even pivoting around yet. When he received his giant loot of Christmas gifts, he seemed to like his Fisher-Price® Amazing Animals™ Sing & Go Choo-Choo™train. But, we had no idea how much it would help him.
After a few weeks, Cameron figured out that he could push the smoke stack to make it "go". But, first, the animals and everything but the engine had to go. Bye bye animals. You just slow it down. Within a month or two, Cameron started rolling out of the way after he started the train. Then, before our eyes, he pushed himself up and pivoted with his arms! We were so proud of him. By his second birthday in March, he started "army crawling" or creeping. By the summer, he was a pro. He would start the train, immediately roll out of it's way, and then "steer" it in the direction he wanted it to go. Now, his favorite thing to do is point it towards my husband's feet. Then, Chris flips it across the room with his feet and Cam gives his dad a mischevious grin. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat....
Now we're on Animal Train #2. After months of abuse, and probably 20 battery changes, the first train finally stalled out. Cam found train number two in my closet. He actually got inside my closet, shut the door, and then I heard, "All Aboard!!!" That stinker must have known his first train was about to die. 
We bought Animal Train #3, which is now hidden in a secret location, so that when this one is worn out, we won't have to worry about finding another one. Cameron is currently army crawling all over the house, and we owe a lot of it to his train. Physical Therapy helps so much, but finding something motivational was really the key to his progress.
.....the meme that forces me to recognize my laziness and do something about it!
Week 5: I'm not going to eat candy after dinner! My husband must eat something sweet after every meal, and I've gotten into the same habit. All these little bits of chocolate over the weeks add up a lot of extra calories. I'm not really that much of a sweet tooth anyway.
Week 4: Wow, a cavity made me actually floss my teeth! (7 out of 7 days). I haven't been using the elliptical much, but I have been jogging a little every night when I walk the dog. My allergies are starting to kick in though. This week I am going to drink less coffee. I'm only going to make this amount so that I can't cheat.
Week 3: OK, I took a month off from SHS. I just went to the dentist and I have a cavity.....ugggg. So I will really floss now every night. Also, I will make sure I go to the dentist for a cleaning every 6 months. We've been letting it slide to more like once a year.
Week 2: I pledge to start timing myself on the computer. For every hour I spend on the computer, I must use the Elliptical Machine 10 minutes.....will the computer time be worth it? (6 out of 20 days)
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