What I Love Wednesday

I'm linking up with This Kind of Love for "What I'm Loving Wednesday!"

I'm loving that the Dallas Mavs are up 2-0 in their series against the LA Lakers and the Lakers are even losing at home! I miss going to the Mavs playoffs when I lived in Dallas, I'm there in spirit though!

I'm loving my new Coach purse and wallet that Dennis got me for my Mother's Day gift. Talk about a surprise! 

I'm loving  this smile...

I'm loving that there are only 3 days until the girls and I go to Clearwater Beach. 

And finally...I LOVE my little helper. 

WBW

{one} When was the last time you used a pay phone (if ever)?
I was probably in middle school? I think I got a cell phone sometime in high school. Things really change so quickly. 

{two} Did you ever fail a subject in school?
Yup, most definitely. I couldn't tell you which one(s) but I'm sure I did fail a few..
{three} Where do you go to get your favorite hamburger/cheeseburger?
I don't eat burgers unless they are done at home. 

{four} Have you ever served jury duty?
I was requested in 2003 but I was off at college and able to get out of it. Then I got requested again in November of this past year but I was very pregnant and able to get out of it again, hooray!
{five} How old were you when you moved out of your parents' house?
I was 18 when I went off to college, and lived with a dear dear friend of mine, Ashley :) 
{six} What is your favorite color to wear?
Dark colors

{seven} Do you have a pair of shoes that you wear all the time?
Yep, my work flats

{eight} Do you enjoy talk radio?
Not really, a lot of it is pretty annoying. Dennis is able to find the funny ones though so those are sometimes bearable at least. 

{nine} If you could turn one unhealthy food into a healthy one, what food would it be?
Lately...ice cream! More specifically Americone Dream from Ben and Jerry! 

{ten} Who is the best speaker you've ever heard in person?
Probably Terry Bradshaw

Casting Progress

It's taken me a long time to get to this point, to the point where I am comfortable posting photos of Kaleb's feet. I know that probably sounds absolutely ridiculous to most people but it's my truth. I remember after Kaleb was born I was laying in my hospital room and someone was showing me the pictures that Dennis took right after Kaleb was born and then posted those to Facebook. One of them had one of Kaleb's feet in it and I was livid. I couldn't believe that he posted it. Does he not understand that's not okay? Does he not see how insensitive that was of him? Clearly in my moments of pain meds and epidural I was sure they had written a book, "How to React When you Have a Child With Birth Defects". And of course in my drug induced reality Dennis and I had read that book...therefore he should just know not to post that photo. Of course there was no book [although I'm sure someone should write that book, it may have helped]. I'm not sure if I was so upset over the feet issue because I was already trying to protect my son from the looks and stares that I knew he would get later in life [and hadn't prepared for this early on] or if I just had not "accepted" how my son's feet were. God, you probably think I'm a terrible mommy at this point. I use the term "accepted" loosely, of course I accepted every part of my son but I didn't have any time with him [he was still in the NICU] for me to see them, look at them, touch them, learn about them, and take in the fact that he would need a "feet intervention". So why was the whole world [well Facebook world] getting to do that before me? I think it was a combination of both really. I knew during my pregnancy that things were going to be hard for Kaleb and I knew that he would be "special needs" and we know how cruel children [and their parents] can be. I didn't want that to start so early on. Now, I've had time to deal with the "feet issue". Children and adults stare at Kaleb's casts...I CAN SEE YOU. I know most people automatically think that both of his legs are broken. Yes, I broke both of my son's legs and I still have him in my custody. Now stop starring before I break you and your nosy kid's legs. Kidding, promise! 

Anyways, here are pictures of Kaleb's casting progress. I am okay with posting the before picture because well, that was before. I am hope-full that our wonderful orthopedic specialist will do wonders with K's feet. Of course I still worry, a lot, about the up coming surgeries and if my son will ever be able to properly walk but I will no longer act irrationally when it comes to posting photos of K's feet. Just a side note, I know people want to ask us questions everywhere we go and I welcome that. So please, if you have any questions just post them...it's really awkward when people want to say something and you can tell but they are afraid they will upset you. I'm not upset. I'm incredibly lucky to be this little man's mommy! 

(Sorry about the quality of this one, forgot to take an actual picture of just his casts during week two, this was the only one I could find after they were colored)

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.”

Inspiration.

Sometimes I need a little inspiration, here's today's.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things go wrong that you must not quit.

Wee Bit Wednesday

 {one} have you ever been stuck in an elevator?I think maybe once, but it was only a couple of minutes and I was pretty young. 

{two} have you ever ridden on an elephant?No, but I couldn't imagine how exciting that would be. 

{three} have you ever met a well known celebrity?Not met them...only seen them (or should I say stalked them?)

{four} do you have any food allergies?No, thank goodness. Nolan is allergic to eggs, it made Easter interesting. 

{five} do you know how to sew?I used to but not anymore. 

{six} did you get an allowance when you were young?From my daddy

{seven} how often do you fill up your gas tank?Several times a week, my job is all about driving all over the place and being out in the field. The high gas prices are killing my wallet (I do get paid for mileage from my job but not enough to cover these prices now)

{eight} have you ever been stung by a jelly fish?No, but one did land in my swim top a couple years ago. Fun. 

{nine} have you ever been robbed?No, thank goodness. 

{ten} what is the worst haircut you’ve ever had?September 2008. I remember it so well (not because I looked like a child but it was our anniversary getaway weekend...my last vacation before my babes came along, can you tell I need a vaca?). Anyways, Dennis got me a haircut at the Ritz and I was super excited. I came out of it looking like Suri. Yes. I said SURI. As in Suri Cruise. I was so upset. I guess I made it work but I constantly felt like Suri and when I looked in the mirror I saw her. Yuck. 

My Dear Bubby

I recently bought a new camera and when it came I forgot to order a card for the damn thing. So we searched around the house for ones we have in other cameras and finally found one. We popped it in the camera and up came several pictures of Nolan that I don't even remember. It's like Christmas. I miss the newborn Nolan but I love who he has become. He is such a strong person and deeply loving. Nolan loves his brother like no other. He will bang on the infant room window until they show him his brother to make sure he is okay. When I bring Kaleb in his car seat to the toddler room to pick up Nolan, the other toddlers gather around to look at the new baby. Nolan runs to them pushes their hands off the carrier and yells "NO!" at them. And then he proceeds to rock Kaleb in his carrier. He has to kiss Kaleb goodnight, every night. He brings Kaleb his bottles, has even held them for me before and "fed" Kaleb on his own. I prayed for this out of Nolan before I had Kaleb but never thought this would happen. I knew that Kaleb would need a really strong person in his life, a protector, a best friend, and a brother. They have even begun "playing". Nolan will get Kaleb's toys out and wave them in front of him, Kaleb will smile and laugh and coo. Anytime Kaleb sees Nolan he grins. The first smiles we ever got from Kaleb were when Nolan would kiss him goodnight. I am such a lucky mommy. We've been through so much in the past 7 months, but this is a learning experience and both of my children are teaching me life lessons. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything.

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