I can talk talk talk!

Isn't it great That I articulate?
Isn't it grand
That you can understand?

I don't grunt, I don't oink
I don't even squeak or squawk
When I wanna say a something
I open up and talk

I can talk!
I can talk talk talk
I can talk!

That is the part of a song in one of my favorite childhood movies, Charlotte's Web.  And, I think about it when I hear my children talk.  Chris will make fun of me when he reads that!

Bradley talks constantly these days and has for a couple of years.  Now, Austin is starting to talk more and more and it's adorable! I LOVE there cute little words they make up for things.  I wanted to journal Bradley's first little words before I forget them. He had nicknames for a few things, and now I'm realizing how precious they were and am missing those sweet little words.  As his speech developed he replaced those words for the real ones: "Ah Ah" for Mickey Mouse, " 9, 10, 11" for a tape measure, "Gonka" for Uncle Michael, "Sockerwocker" for umm  . . well his boy's anatomy (he might be upset with me one day for sharing this with the world, but it's precious).  That last word it took FOREVER for me to figure out what he was saying, but finally one day he had a stuffed animal that he was playing with.  And, he had a diaper on it and as he changed it he mentioned the word and pointed and I finally understood. We didn't talk about it much, so I have no idea how he started saying that- but you know kids only have to hear it once.  When he would say that he was a little boy, which I had him say a lot because it was so cute  . . . he would say "lil lil lil boooyy" and drag the word out. M & M's was a cute word too, but I can't possibly write it out and wish I had videoed him more than the few times that I did. He rolled his tongue with this word and didn't really say much at all, but that is definitely what he was talking about.  When he would say "snack" he would scrunch his nose and say "naaack".  These days I love him to hear him say "I will" as he says it with a strong southern accent. He stutters a good bit, but the doctor isn't concerned.  She says it's just because his mind works so fast, and he gets so excited when he is trying to tell us something.  Bradley has always been a very verbal child and these days he talks from the time he wakes up until he goes to sleep (sometimes in his sleep too).
Now, Austin has started saying things. He says "bye" very well and "da da", and he is always walking around saying "Aaah mmmn" for Amen.  I think he is surely being grateful that God spared him and kept him here on earth to share his amazing testimony with the world. :-) I think Austin will be a preacher, so he has to get started early. Right?!!! :-) And he says "Austin" and pronounces it "Aaas tin" He also does a fairly good job pronouncing the following words: more, shoes, please, cheese, bottle, I love you, Mama, and Bubba.  I've noticed him saying "umpa" a lot and he pronounces like the Greek word "Oopaah." You know what I'm talking about? When Greeks are dancing and celebrating they say it? I've tried to figure out what he is saying, and I think it's his word for Mickey Mouse, which is his favorite show. I can't believe he has a favorite show as Bradley didn't even watch TV really at Austin's age, but what can I say besides that his big brother love TV and well you know how it goes. I limit their exposure TV, but it is nice to have when I have something I must do with Cameron or around the house.  Our little Goofy also walks around saying "Hup, 2, 3, 4" and trying to sing the "ABC's" as well as our "Night Night" song. He does pretty well with most of those and gets about every other word. 
Austin is going to be 2 before we know it; he is receiving monthly speech therapy.  At 2, with any therapy, they drop the adjusted age and expect them to perform at their actual age level.  So, we'll see how it goes with that.  His speech therapist is pleased with what Austin is doing.  He is making a lot more sounds and babbling more often.  Chris and I have been given directions on what we should be doing to help him which includes labeling things and activity's, singing, and reading are just a few things.  Austin talks more for Bradley than anyone else, and Bradley even works with him as well . . . TOO precious!
Cameron is turning out to be very verbal as well.  She likes to make this grunting noise and makes this other sounds like a growl- not sure about that one! She also has some sweet cooing and laughs too.  She laughs all the time. 
Speech therapy also includes feeding issues, so I'll journal that as well.  Austin has no problems with eating anymore, and it's wonderful.  His favorite foods are peanut butter and jelly, bananas, cheese, strawberries, and macaroni and cheese.  He will try almost anything.  The other week I put a PBJ on the table for myself and went to do something.  When I came back, Austin was in my seat (because he already had lunch and was down and playing) eating MY sandwich with a fork.  He will not let us feed him anymore and eats with a fork at every meal.  He is still taking bottles throughout the day; we just can't get him weaned since he see Cameron getting a bottle.  He drinks a lot of milk.  Bradley always has too, and the boys go through one gallon of milk at lease every other day! They are going to have some strong bones.  Bradley is probably the pickiest eater as funny as that is since he has always been so big (he stays in about the 80th percentiles).  Bradley's favorite foods are bologna, bagel bites, most fruits, peanut butter and crackers, and pickles.  Thank God for vitamins; the pediatrician says one day he will grow out of it.  We have tried everything to get him to try other things, but nothing works.  I'm open to any ideas that y'all may have!  Cameron has tried every flavor of stage one baby foods and will eat it all. She eats about 2 jars of baby food a day; one jar of fruit at lunch and about 1/2 a jar of vegetables and 1/2 a jar of fruit at supper.  She take her bottle better than any baby we've ever had, but she just takes the minimal amount most days.  Hopefully, she'll like milk as much as the boys!  Her size hasn't suffered at all as she is almost in the 100%! Big Girl! We'll see if she can hit 20 pounds at 6 months like Bradley; she has been about the same length as him all along.  Now, if we can just get Austin to move up on the growth chart that sure would be nice! Austin is in about the 3% for weight and 5% for height, but he did make it on there before 2- which is when they want them to catch up! He is on the go so much, and his lungs still aren't up to par.  So, he burns a lot of calories breathing.  He will get there eventually, and we are just thankful that he is here and has stayed so healthy. 
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend! We have a lot of fun things planned as a family. 

Chicken Gyros

We've used some new recipes since starting our quest to NOT eat out. And, the recipes have been so good that we don't miss eating out and we're certainly eating healthier at home.  I think everyone can cook good food as long as you're able to follow directions. Right? Anyway, I'm notorious for combining several recipes to make one dish and that is what I did the other night when we made Chicken Gyros (AKA Chicken Souvlaki).  We were both so excited, because it turned out just like we imagined.  I've had some requests to share the recipe, so here you go.  I'm going to try to start sharing more recipes here and there that are quick and easy, like this one, for everyone that leads busy lives! Enjoy! Yum Yum

Chicken Gyro

Marinate chicken in lemon juice, Greek seasoning, and olive oil for at least 30 minutes. Then, you can grill or slice and saute. Serve with lettuce, tomato and flat bread (awesome grilled or pan toasted as well). And, don’t forget the Tzatziki sauce! (that is the best part :-))

The Greek Seasoning we use is Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning.  We use it to make Greek Potatoes (just sprinkle on seasoning and olive oil and bake in oven), and I use it when I boil chicken.  The other night we sprinkled the seasoning and olive oil on zucchini, and it was good that way too.

Tzatziki sauce

* *must prepare and let sit in frig for at least 24 hrs**
½ cup cucumber: peeled, seeded, and diced very small. Squeeze all excess juice; you can just squeeze it in the palm of our hand.
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 minced garlic clove
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Mix and stir; store in frig.

Being the BEST we can be!

We're on a mission to better ourselves in many ways; I guess that is the best way to word that . . .  Life can be busy, and we'd love to make it as simple as possible so that we may focus on the most important things: serving God and our family! Of course our friends are our family in Christ too, and we're so blessed by them.  I just want so much to teach our children everything that they need to know. I feel a great urgency about it these days . . ."Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" Proverbs 22:6  So, things we've been focusing on:
* Getting Healthy* After having Cameron I knew it was out of the question to go back to Gold's Gym like I did after having 'B'. Austin isn't allowed to be in any kind of childcare setting, so I had to come up with something that I could do a few times a week in about 30 minutes. So, I started running.  It has been challenging, but I'm doing it! And, it feels awesome. I'm using a book my sister-in-law let me borrow and  combining it with a website  http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtm%20lwhich is the Couch to 5K program to make a plan that best suits me.  Since, I wasn't able to exercise AT ALL with any of my last 2 pregnancies I had to start slow.  I started walking for 3 minutes and ran a minute, and I've now worked up to walking 2 minutes and running 2 minutes.  I warm up for 4 minutes, then do the cycles of walk/run 6 times, and then do a cool down for a few minutes which keeps me on the treadmill for about 32 minutes.  Chris is doing it too, and we're both loving the improvement in ourselves.  My joints don't ache, and I have much more energy to name a couple of things.  We hope to instill in our children the importance of taking care of your body. It's your temple, and you need to take care of it in order to best serve God.
* Saving Money*  I attended the Southern Savers workshop.  I highly recommend it to EVERYONE. Even the busiest people can do the buy one get one free deals and save BIG . . . I'm talking 50% or more on your groceries and personal care products!  http://www.southernsavers.com/  Go check it out! Along with our getting healthier and saving money we're limiting ourselves to not eating out more than once a week.  Truly, we've enjoyed not eating out so much that now we're only allowing ourselves to eat out when asked by family or friends.  We went over our finances and were very disappointed to see how much we spent a month on eating out before we started this quest.  It was completely for convenience and we have no other excuse.  We want to make good use of what God provides for us.  It has been amazing to see how full our pantry and frig has stayed. We're going to try not to spend so much on the kid's clothes too which is what lead me to buying my first sewing machine.  We bought a refurbished one off of http://www.ebay.com/. I have many people that are willing to help me get started.  My machine also does embroidery and applique, so if/when I get good perhaps I'll be able to make a little extra $$$ here and there.:-)  I'll be sure to post a picture of my first attempt as soon as I get a chance to get started.   You know me, I have to have it organized before I start! :-) 
We're paying down debt, and trying to save too.  We feel as though this is God's will and everything has gone so smoothly with our journey to better ourselves and make life simpler.  It has just been amazing to see Him work in our lives and provide.  If anyone has any tips on saving please share! You can facebook me, email, or leave a comment on here. Thanks! Have a blessed week!

8/19/10 *UPDATE* Thanks Jennifer B for the $ tip!!! We had been looking for the Dave Ramsey stuff and just borrowed it from some family. So, we're going to start that too! Thanks US & JT for letting us borrow it!

Beach 2010

We enjoyed our first family vacation in 3 years in June.  We went to Hilton Head, one of our favorite vacation spots.  It was wonderful and had been waaayyy TOO LONG since our last vacation, but we obviously had our reasons why it has been so long.  We stayed in a nice house about 1/4 mile from the beach, but we had our own private pool.  Lisa's brother and sister-in-law stayed with us the first half of the week, and Chris' mom, sister and her family were just down the road the entire week.  It was nice having family there to hang out with.  Every morning, after eating breakfast, we headed to the ocean for a few hours then would head back to the house to swim in the pool and have lunch before naps. The kids did great.  We had a little pop-up tent that worked out great keeping Cameron out of the sun since she is too young for sunscreen.  Austin wasn't too crazy about the beach, but got used to it after a couple of days.  He enjoyed hanging out in the tidal pools and had absolutely no fear of the waves.  Bradley like playing with his cousin, who is a couple of years older than him.  They played in the sand and chased the schools of little fish in the tidal pools.  A couple of times Chris did some fishing from the shore and caught some small sharks! He fished, on vacation, with his Dad when he was younger. So, he wanted to share that with our kids too.  Cameron just chilled out in the shade in her bikini and enjoyed snacking on frequent bottles and naps.  Austin usually fell asleep on the walk back to the house, and took a short nap in the shade while we swam. 
Our evenings consisted of some wonderful meals, some were home cooked and others were enjoyed at local restaurants.  Chris and I agreed to not eat at any chain restaurants while on vacation, and that made for some very enjoyable meals.  We took a break mid-week from the sun and went to a local children's play museum, The Sandbox.  http://www.thesandbox.org/  It was nice to do something different for the day, and the big kids enjoyed it.  Some of our favorite seafood meals were enjoyed at the Sea Shack, Captain Woody's, and Marley's.  Chris and I love seafood, and all 3 were wonderful.  We also cooked at the house a couple times and enjoyed Ribs one night, and Chris' family made grilled chicken salads another night.  What can I say??? We like to eat! We also went to the Tanger Outlet and enjoyed eating at our favorite little restaurant there, CornerStone Grill. Then, we got some great deals at the Gap Outlet for the kids.  (it's pretty overwhelming to cloth 3 kids! :-) )  One evening we went to Coligny Plaza, which we were very close to our beach house, and had ice cream and another night we got cupcakes.  I was  a little disappointed because they weren't anything like Cupcake in town! http://www.freshcupcake.com/  *the link to Cupcake in Columbia and Charleston*
We enjoyed tons of family time, played games, and just enjoyed being together.  It was absolutely awesome, and we can't wait until our next vacation.  (which will be in October, a long weekend in the mountains to pick apples- which the cool weather and vacation can't come quick enough!!!! :-))

Harbour Town

Hilton Head

"B" 4 yrs 3 months

"A" 18 months

"C"   11 weeks

Our ABC's

His "cheese" face

Silly Boy

We're ready for the beach!

Enjoying the pool

Time for a little nap

Having fun in the pool with Daddy

"A" loved to just float around the pool in his float

Another day at the beach

Relaxing in her little tent

Laying on the beach

The boys enjoyed the ocean

"B" enjoyed the sand a little more than the ocean

Children's Museum

Afternoon nap

Sweet treat

Time to go home, but it was fun while it lasted.

A wonderful tradition that we hope will continue every year!

Renovations!

Thanks for being patient while I do a little remodeling on our site! I'm wanting to add a few more things here and there . . . hopefully I'll be able to make my vision happen!

You might be a mom to several little ones if . . .

I've been getting a lot of looks lately (and comments) from strangers.  Now I know that they are unaware of our little miracles, but I sometimes think that I must have a sign on my forehead that says, "please comment!" I've joked with new mothers and told them that once you become pregnant that people think they are free to comment or give any advice they wish.  I'm fully aware that the advice givers may be just trying to help or they're just saying . .  but really you can't just say anything you wish and follow it with "bless your heart". Can you??? This is all in good humor of course.  I laugh most of the time when I recognize that bug-eyed look trying to figure out if all 3 are my children and how close they may be.  So, in good fun . .

YOU MIGHT BE A MOM TO SEVERAL LITTLE ONES IF  . . .

daily showers have become optional.

you sit down for supper and realize you're having your first sip of drink all day.

you know when someone looks at you and starts out with "you . . ." that they will be following that with "sure have your hands full!"

you have to buy clothes to go on vacation, because you only have "comfy" clothes in your closet.

having only one child on your lap equals a good bathroom experience. 

you feel like all you must do is cut nails of children.

you are routinely asked if you're done having children.

you feel like it's a bore to just have one or two children to care for at a time.

you have an assembly line setup for the kid's bathtime.

you aren't used to sitting down at meal time unless there is another adult present.

you have more children than arms.

you sing and dance while doing the dishes to keep the kids occupied until you finish or really any chores you do.

you wish you could get a money tree to grow as well as your dirty laundry pile.

the thought of your kids starting school leaves you feeling afraid of being lonely and bored. Homeschooling is sounding better and better!

you say phrases such as, "no no", "stay in your seat", and "say please" in your sleep.

your social calendar is full of only playdates.

it's cheaper to buy a cow instead of all of those gallons of milk.

your cordless phone is off the hook for 171 minutes everyday, because a child pressed the "talk" button unbenowkst to you.

you get excited because you  managed to make it all day without getting any bodily fluid on you.

toilet paper is regularly shredded on the floor of every bathroom in the house.

your kitchen floor is vacuumed atleast 5 times a day, once after every meal and snack.

you call gas a "tooty woot woot" and a rear end "hinney" because the normal words sounds filthy coming out of your toddler's mouth.

bologna is a food staple in your home.

you give your children vitamins daily, becuase you finally come to terms with the fact that you CAN'T make your children eat food they don't want . . . thus after cleaning up vomit after the last failed attempt.

your car cd player is full of children's songs AND you have no clue where your music may be.

you decide to just shower instead of taking a bath because it will take entirely too long to take all the bath toys, kids different shampoos and soaps, and baby bathtub out of your tub (and you really need a good washin' since you haven't done so in a couple of days!)

you find yourself singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in the car . . . and you're ALONE!

you know that baby wipes will clean ANY stain on ANYTHING.

you can shower, do hair and makeup, get kids dressed and fed (including feed the baby a bottle), and out the door in 30 minutes.

you have caught vomit in your hands.

you get a giftcard for your birthday and use it on your children.

you wake up during the night and take a moment to figure out WHICH child is crying!

you and your husband communicate by spelling words, and your childless friends have no clue what you're saying.

you have laughed at most of the above and definitely know I'm for REAL.

you feel like the most blessed woman alive to be able to spend every waking moment with the most precious, God given, blessings and couldn't imagine your life any other way.


Now, I'd love to hear your comments and input too. . .

Mumble Jumble

Hilton Head Sunset

June 2010

The grief has been pretty strong lately for me.  I'm not sure if it is because July, for Chris and I, has been an exciting month in the past.  We found out, with all 5 of our children, that we were expecting them in July.  July 4th (2005) for Bradley, July 2nd (2008) for the triplets, and July 14th (2009) for Cameron are the days we got the positive pregnancy test.  Am I crazy to remember those things? No, I don't think so- just a mother that treasures every bit of her children and motherhood. 
Everyday, I love being a stay at home mom more and more.  We love the idea that I can help shape and mold our children into strong Christians and to be good people that help lead others to Christ. However, being home I am a little cut off from the outside world, and it gives me a little more time to think about things which can be good and bad.  I really thought that the hole in my heart, that Brayden and Lexi left, would have started to get a little smaller by this July.  Why?  I'm not sure, because they are our children too and their place in this family can never be filled. I don't want to mislead anyone I do believe that God has his reason and it was his will for Lexi and Brayden to return to Heaven so quickly and we're so truly thankful for our 3 blessings on earth. God has carried us thus far and will continue to do so.  Some people might wonder why we aren't a little more past the grief than we are on some days.  I still get so upset if I get the feeling that someone is trying to avoid the subject of Lexi and Brayden.  From that July 2nd in 2008, the day we got the positive on the pregnancy test, we started to imagine that child's life and what it would entail.  We had no idea that we were being blessed with triplets at that point, but we had an idea there was more than one.  We were thinking twins.  On July 3rd, I got up and took yet another pregnancy test just to reassure myself that the HCG (pregnancy hormone) was still in my system.  That pink line was even darker. . . then yes, on July 4th we wanted to share with family that we were expecting so I took yet another test just to reassure myself that this pregnancy wasn't going to end in miscarriage as the one before it did.  And, that day the pink line was even darker than the control line! Yeah, that doesn't normally happen that early as I wasn't even four weeks yet. So, we knew that actually I shouldn't even have a positive pregnancy test but we still wanted to share with all of our family that we were pregnant!  So, I dressed Bradley in a sweet little shirt that said "Big Brother."  The shirt was a little small as we'd had it awhile since we'd been trying so long. And, we just let him wear it around family and that is how they found out! It was cute. Then, that Monday I went to the doctor and when they called with my HCG level they were as surprised as I was because it was very high.  On July 14th, we got the surprise of a lifetime. It was too early for the hearts to be beating, but that ultrasound showed 3 babies that looked good! This may be a little too much information for some of you, and I'm sorry but I want this in writing so that I  will always remember that special time in our family. Chris had run upstairs to see the ultrasound as he was in orientation for his new job, and we both expected to see 2 because I had high levels on both HCG test. Then, the ultrasonographer moved her little wand around and counted "1 good, 2, good, and what is this??? 3  and it looks good too!"  We were amazed by this awesome blessing. Chris had to quickly leave to get back to orientation, but I stuck around and spoke to the staff.  Bradley was with me, and he was one of their miracles too, so they always enjoyed seeing him.  And, I was shaking so I wanted to calm down before I left the office.  My life changed forever that day as from that day on we started to imagine our lives with 4 children and we knew that they would arrive before Bradley's next birthday meaning that we'd have 4 children under 3! Just a couple of weeks later we had another ultrasound that confirmed all 3 children had heartbeats and looked perfect.  In September we found out that it was 2 sweet boys and a little girl.  Brayden was always so laid back in utero and during ultrasounds.  He would give just a small wave to say hello and that he was well.  That sweet boy reminded us so much of Bradley, everything from his movements to his looks.  Lexi was all over the place, always moving almost like she was dancing.  She looked a lot like Bradley too.  Now, Austin you never knew what he would be doing.  Sometimes he was dancing and other times he was very calm.  That description fits that crazy, little boy perfectly now too as you never know what he has planned from moment to moment.  So, from the start we imagined our lives with them.  We started to learn their personalities and compared their looks to us and Bradley.  We planned their lives as all parents do once they learn of their new little blessing.  I imagined being home with 4 children and how I was going to do my best to raise them in a strong Christian home.  I felt a huge responsibility since God had blessed us with 4 children and thought he must be expecting a lot from me to raise them to know and love God- what faith He had in me! We imagined everything in our lives, everything from simple walks and swimming in our neighborhood pool to to birthday parties, vacations, graduations, and weddings! In July of 2008 we bought a minivan as that was the only way in our minds to cart all 4 children around.  So, now when Austin passes a milestone or we're just living everyday life something - 2 things actually- just seem as though they're missing.  Life is amazingly good right now.  Last year, on the 1 year anniversary of finding out we were expecting "the trips" we found out God had amazingly blessed us with another child! We are certain that Lexi and Brayden had a hand in picking out their beautiful little sister when it came time for God to send Cameron to us.  I love that she looks like Bradley, Brayden, and Lexi!  Of course, it would be nice to have another one that looks like Austin! :-) (you'll have to stick around for awhile to see if that ever happens only God knows what is in our family's future!)  As you can see I go back and forth from thought to thought, some things are not so good but more things are good than bad these days. 
While on vacation we saw an amazing sunset (pictured about and the picture doesn't do it justice).  The sunset makes us think of Brayden and Lexi.  When the sky has that tint of pink we know that they're telling us hello and that they are doing great.  We also bought a stepping stone for our flower garden that we hope to one day finish in the backyard. The stepping stone says, "If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane, I would walk right up to Heaven and bring you back again." So thankful God is taking care of them better than we ever could, but some days we are selfish and just want them here with us. 
I recently met a woman, by chance, in the grocery store.  By chance, not so much, by God's will I should say.  As it turns out she just welcomed a new grandson who was born at 31 weeks. 31 weeks compared to Austin being born at 24 weeks is a big difference, but still scary for this family I'm sure.  We told her how well Austin was doing and walked away.  As we walked away I thought about those days in the NICU and all the things that go along with day-to-day life there came rushing back. Pumping, NEC, feedings, oxygen, brady's, desats, more alarms, blow by, vents, CPAP, and I could go on and on. Once, Austin was established in the NICU off the vent and more stable it still seemed each day brought something challenging that would often leave us fearful of losing him.  Chris and I kept most of it to ourselves as it would have seemed to those who have never walked the NICU path that we would have been "crying wolf" as it was constant. Obviously most things were just false alarms with Austin and he sailed through the NICU if you put into perspective what could have been.  I realize that I've stored the memories of this trying time in the back of my mind. The memories can easily be brought to surface, but they're kept in the darkest corners of my mind mostly.  I also recently ran into one of Austin's primary nurses, and she asked if I still remember that time.  I told her that it was very odd what makes me recall things.  One thing is the soap that we used each day before entering the NICU. Chris uses it before leaving work and if I smell this soap on him when he gets home I immediately ask him to wash it off.  It makes my stomach turn.  I also don't like to talk to Chris or any of my friends while they're working in the hospital where I may hear the alarms over the phone to name just a few things that bring those memories to the surface all too quickly. 
What is the point of this post? I'm not sure that is why it has the title above.  There is so much I want to say and think of as I write every word, but when I finish a thought the other things are just a big mess that I have trouble translating into words.  It does make me feel better to get all of these thoughts off of my chest.  God has given me this avenue in life to work through my feelings when they get to too LOUD in my mind. 
The woman I met in the store makes me wonder if that God wants me to somehow mentor other families of preemies and those that have lost children.  That would be one reason for us going through what we did.  We hope to be very active in March of Dimes for the rest of our lives and are open to whatever opportunities arise to help others.  Another reason, I think, is to keep us grounded.  We constantly strive for a more simple life.  We also will NEVER take our children for granted and why we are rarely away from them.  Is that the right thing to do? I have no idea, but it feels right and all in God's will. 
The kids are taking their naps right now. Hooray, most days all 3 of them are asleep for about an hour! I feel like I won the Mommy Olympics by that accomplishment alone.  I try to stay busy during naps, which isn't hard in this home with all the chores that are constantly waiting to be done.  Today, though, I just wanted to get everything off of my chest.  So, thank you for reading and allowing me to feel better by having this "out"!  I'll post all the new whereabouts of the Wickers soon.  Cameron goes for her 4 month well visit Thursday, so I'll be sure to post after that.  I can't believe how quickly the kids are growing!