Amazing the difference

As a mommy of two kids, it amazes me how different they can be. For instance, Brody is 2 1/2 and Seth is almost 8 months. They are wearing the same size diapers. ;o) Crazy.

Teddy Bear Tea

Today was a "Teddy Bear Tea" at Brody's preschool. The kids brought in their favorite stuffed animal, met the other kids in their class (10 kids in all) , met their teacher (who is Miss Erin, Brody's babysitter every Sunday night for our Covenant Group), and then had teddy grahams and juice. Brody got right in there and finished every cookie. He was such a big boy. I CAN'T BELIEVE he will be starting school next week!

Day Care Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the day. It is a day that I have been dreading, but also a day that I am now looking forward to. Strange.

Brody and Seth start Home Day Care tomorrow for two days a week. It is a really nice woman with a wonderful home who will be watching them. She comes recommended by friends, so that puts me at ease. She runs a preschool program for them too, and from the sound of it, they will probably be fed a lot better there than they are here. ;o) Also, they will be around other kids on a regular basis. I wonder what habits they will be picking up!

So... it all changes tomorrow. In the afternoon, we have an open house at Brody's preschool to meet his teacher (who happens to be his babysitter) and to see the school, etc... Then, Wednesday is the "Teddy Bear Tea" where all the students will meet their teacher. We are calling it the "Poochie Tea" because they are supposed to bring their favorite stuffed animal to have tea with them and the teacher. :o) Then, next week, Brody will be in school Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-12. I am actually looking forward to having time alone with Seth. He hasn't had that yet with me.

I didn't think I would be one of those people that got weepy when their kids went off to school, especially preschool. But I find myself feeing that everything is moving too fast. Brody will be taught by someone else now. He will be learning things that I didn't teach him. I think it will be wonderful for him, but my place in his life as "sole teacher/mentor/instructor" has passed. *sigh* Who knows, I may cry yet!

Anyway... hope everyone else has a great week and I will let you know how the meeting the teacher goes. Then, next week, it is OFF TO SCHOOL!!!

Kid Pics Fix

Here you go, some new kid pics.


Seth has a new thing he is doing with the tongue. Makes for a LOT more drool, if you can even imagine that.

Brody loves to "help" all the time now and it is so much more fun to do anything! He helps us see the wonder in everything, even making muffins or cake!

And I don't know who likes Seth's toys more. We find Brody like this all the time. At least he doesn't get bored and they enjoy being with each other. Seth thinks that Brody is the most entertaining person on the face of the earth. It takes forever to feed him because all he wants to do is watch Brody.

Sugar-free

Okay, so after having many conversations with doctors and all of these glucose tests, etc... I figured I would cut the sugar from my diet and see what happened.

So, it has been 5 days now with little to no sugar and I have felt great. I haven't been sick, I haven't felt like I could sleep for hours if I closed my eyes!

Hmmm.... I don't know whether to jump for joy or to cry! I am glad to feel great but will be missing my sugar if this is the case!

Anyone have any good sugar-free recipes for things like... say.. CAKE and ICING?

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger

It's Not A Tumor!

Wooo Hooooo! I don't have anything in my head that isn't supposed to be there! The doctor called back today to give me the good news... so we have more testing ahead of us! But at least I don't need brain surgery! Praise God!

4 Hour Glucose Test

I had one of the worst tests I have ever had done today. Now, with each pregnancy, I had to have the sugar test. You drink the yucky drink and wait a while, then drive to your doctors office and they take your blood. Done.

This test was SO NOT fun. I went to LabCorp early in the morning. I wasn't allowed to eat anything before I went (from midnight the night before). They took my blood. I drank the awful drink. They took my blood. Then waited. Then took more blood. Then waited. Then took more blood. Then waited. etc...

All in all, it was 1:00 when I was done and could eat something. They had drawn blood six times so I had six nice little bruises (I have terrible veins and bruise easily). Now, it hurts to bend my arms where they did all the work.

It was NOT FUN. Lets just hope I never have to do that again and that some kind of results come back from doing it.

My doctor still doesn't have my MRI results yet, so I am impatiently waiting for those.

Sorry to be so cranky. I am just "sick and tired of being sick and tired"! :o)

Sing-a-long with Brody

I added a new page to the kids website... check it out. it is adorable, if I don't say so myself!
Sing-a-long with Brody

Just made a favorite memory

The windows down in the car. Seth and Brody in the back HAPPY. Kurt and I up front listening to MercyMe. Cool evening breeze. Sun setting. Taking the long way home to drive slow and finish up the song. *sigh*

The Toddlers Creed

For those of you with 2-3 year olds... enjoy. For those of you who will have 2-3 year olds... prepare now. This is our daily struggle with Brody right now, ever since Seth has started "playing" with *his* things.

The Toddlers Creed

If I want it, it's mine.
If I give it to you and change my mind later, it's mine.
If I can take it away from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it's mine, it will never belong to anybody else, no matter what.
If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks just like mine, it is mine.

Nostalgia Lane

To take a trip to the past, Kurt and I thought it would be fun to hook up the PlayStation. The original. Number 1. The FIRST Sony PlayStation. I have NO idea how old it is, but I remember playing it well before we were married, so probably around 1995? 1996? Does that sound about right, you Gamer Officianados?

Anyway, we spent the afternoon (Me, Kurt, and Brody) in our PJs all playing Grand Turismo (Number 1) and TombRaider (The Revelation one). I remember thinking how incredible the graphics were when they first came out. Now, they remind us of Atari. ;o) But, still fun.

And I don't care what anyone says... the hardest part of any game I have ever played was in the boat in Italy in TombRaider (I can't remember which TombRaider). Anyone remember that? Heather Moye Clarke? How many DAYS did we try to open that stupid gate with the boat? :o)

Anyway... hope you all are having as lazy a Saturday as we are!

On the Mend

Kurts surgery went really well. He had some awful sickness coming off the anesthesia, but he is now up and about with one crutch. All he has to wear are 2 band-aids on his knee. He has some fluid on his knee, but that is supposed to go away when he starts to move it around some more.

It has been nice having him home. We went out to Olive Garden for lunch yesterday and enjoyed thier soup/salad/breaksticks. Brody ate Chex Mix that Mimi made. It was a hit. Mimi-- feel free to make that anytime! He was quiet the WHOLE MEAL. Unreal.

Seth was standing up in his crib after his nap. :o) I came in and he was just standing there smiling and waiting for me.

Also, we tried some "puffs" last night. He had a hard time getting them into his mouth, but once he figured it out, he was REALLY into them!

Brody's favorite past time seems to be undoing the train track that Kurt and I spend hours putting together. We think we are gonna give up on that and make one big circle for him. He will probably enjoy it more, anyway.

We got Seth's 6 month professional pictures back. When I can get them scanned I will put them up on the website under the "Professionals Link" off the main page. Just in case, here is the link to the boy's website... http:/members.cox.net/theakersboys

That is about it for now. I haven't heard back from my MRI and my doctor gets back from her vacation on Monday, so I hope to hear something then. I will keep you all posted!

Crazy Week

This is going to be a crazy week. It is one of those weeks where I have to write down what is happening each day with the times next to it so I don't forget to do something.

I have a Glucose Screening test tomorrow. My health has been awful and I have run the gamut of blood tests. My sugar levels were *off* so I have to do this awful awful test tomorrow. I can't eat after midnight tonight. I go in tomorrow morning and they draw blood to see what my levels are like in the morning before I have eaten anything. Then I wait an hour and they give me this sugary syrupy drink. They draw more blood. Then they wait an hour and do it again ( I think) and they do some other stuff and draw more blood, etc... Anyway, the test is over at 2pm. WHICH MEANS... I will not be able to eat until after the test is over. I am not gonna make it.
The reason I am having all the tests done is because I get dizzy and nauseated and light headed and pass out IF I DONT EAT. LOL. I guess they will see first hand.

THEN... I am also having an MRI done on my head tomorrow. My Prolactin levels are not right, and the fear is that I may have something anatomically wrong (meaning, a tumor) with my pituitary gland. Which is RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR HEAD. I made the mistake today of reading about all of it online today. I guess it is good to be informed, but you don't want to know how they perform surgery on your pituitary gland. *sigh* We are PRAYING that it is not a tumor.

So, needless to say, tomorrow is crazy. Mom and Dad and Suz are watching the kids for me.

THEN, Kurt goes into the hospital at 5:30 am on Wednesday for Arthroscopic surgery on his knee. He has never been operated on before. I am not sure how long we will be at the hospital, but I hope it is quick and they don't find anything more they need to do to his knee.

Thursday, I work in the office. So, Mom and Dad will be watching the kids for the 4th day in a row. They are saints (thanks mom and dad if you are readying this!)

Friday should be pretty uneventful (unless I am missing something, and I am sure I might be).

On another note, I have to have suregery on my left knee again (surgery #3). They will remove the screws from surgery #2 (which have been the source of most of my pain) and will also *clean up* in there. I hope to get this done ASAP so I will be fully recovered before we go to Disney in November.

Sooo... anyone have any good news? :o)

PRAY PRAY PRAY for us!

The Love of God

We LOVE our church, Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church. Mostly, we go there for the pastor and for the music. We find ourselves moved every week and usually end up talking about the sermon all the way home. Today the sermon was about the Love of God. I have heard sermons about how God loves us since I was 3, but NEVER have I had such insight as to how incredible his love is for us. It makes today seem so much brighter and more beautiful to know that I am loved NO MATTER WHAT I have done, am doing, or will ever do. *sigh* What a wonderful world He has created for us to show us how much he loves us!

We are off to Suz, Bry, and Evan's house for a swim and some BBQ tonight. Could life be any better?

My, aren't I just in a philosophical and blissful state of mind!

Enjoy your Sunday!

Pretty uneventful

Well, not a whole lot to report. I interviewed a woman on Friday to see if we would want to use her for day care 2 days a week. She works out of her home and has been doing it for 15 years. I really liked her and her house. Brody really seemed to like her too. We shall see. We are just one step closer, I guess. This must be the hardest decision we have ever had to make, choosing who will watch over the most important people in your life. It seems so *wrong* but I need to get over that and realize it is only 20 hours a week, if that. So many people have to use daycare.

Anywho, Seth's eye is better. It healed within a day and he is back to his old smiley self.

We went out to Toy's R Us tonight (always a big mistake) and ended up with MORE GeoTrax stuff. This stuff is addicting. Picture below of the new track we have set up in the playroom. It now takes up almost half of the room, but Brody loves it.

We also went out to dinner tonight at Red Robin (my FAVORITE burger place) but my tummy has been upset for so long now that I couldn't even think of getting something that heavy, so I got a salad. AWESOME Oriental Chicken salad there.

Here are a couple pics of the boys for the grandparents that need their fix... Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

It all goes so fast!

We had to move the mattress in Seth's crib down because he has started pulling up to stand. He pulls up anywhere and everywhere that he can. Only problem, he doesn't know how to get down, unless you call bopping his head on the hard wood floor and then crying loudly, thus sending Mommy running in. He has also mastered the step from the family room to the kitchen. There is no leaving him alone anymore and knowing where he will be when you come back! In this picture, he has also climbed up onto Mommy's diet coke.

We bought the coolest thing for Brody (and consequently all the kids in the neighborhood) to play with outside. It is called Mt. Tiki Soki and it is a volcano that fills up with water and then
"erupts". Brody had a BALL playing with it. Seth wasn't too fond of it. At least we can all go outside and play in this 100+ degree weather and enjoy ourselves by getting wet!

Afternoon in the Emergency Room

Well, Seth woke up from his morning nap and his eye was puffy and red and swelling. He was having a hard time opening it and he was really fussy. I called the doctor and they recommended I take him to the Children's Hospital ER. Dad came over since Brody was napping and Mom went with me to take Seth. It turns out that he scratched his cornea. They gave us a perscription for some drops but he should be fine in a day or two. All I could think of is how fortunate we were there and it was *only* a scratched eye.

No ear infection!

Seth doesnt have an ear infection! Hip Hip Hooray!

We did get a perscription for a "barking" cough he has though, so I am off to pick that up now.

Kurt just told me he is taking me to my favorite theater to see Pirates tomorrow night for my birthday. Exciting! www.commodoretheatre.com/ It is an old Art Deco theater that you sit at cute little tables in comfy chairs and order food over a telephone back to the kitchen. I love it. They have the best baked potato in the history of baked potatos.

Also, I have a mom's night out coming up on Sunday with a few of my friends. Dinner out two nights a week!

Here we are!

I have found that as I grow up and have people come into and out of our lives that I am not the best person for keeping up with the people that I love. Maybe I am a little too self involved. Or maybe I am just too busy with 2 jobs, a home business, and 2 kids under three. Ah, well, such is life. Maybe this blog will help me to keep up with others. We shall see. If anything, I KNOW the grandmothers will check in every now and then to see what we have been up to, but I have a feeling that will be more to see what Seth and Brody have been doing! :o)

I have pink eye. I have had it for four days now. I also have a sinus infection that has been here since Sunday. *sigh* Does it ever end? Will we be continually sick until the kids turn 10? We catch EVERY bug that goes around and I am pretty sure we probably start some also. Someone tell me... is there hope? Will I ever make it through a sick season without catching the bug at least once, maybe twice?!

Seth is also sick. We are taking him into the doctor today (his 7 month birthday). I am really hoping it isn't an ear infection. Not a fun road to start down.

My birthday was on Wednesday. I can't leave the house or touch the kids, so, not the best birthday ever. We plan to celebrate this weekend by going to the Commodore Theater (old movie theater that still has a sit down dinner with tables and chairs and little phones to call the waiters). I am not sure which movie is playing there, though. Need to look into it. AND my mom got me the light I wanted to hang over my kitchen table, so I am sure I will be pestering Kurt to hang it up for me this weekend. I love getting stuff for my house!

Anyway... I will do my darndest to keep this blog up to date. I don't have the best track record with journals, but we shall see how this goes!