Busy Body!

Wearing Pop Pop's hat!
Jack is such a busy little boy! Everyday I find something else I need to baby proof!

my special friend

I have a friend and her name is Erin Barker...the best thing about erin is she's my best friend, and she's the kindest most loving person I know, but the coolest thing about her is she's an amazing artist. Erin has lived down the street from me...well my parents for 14 years(I can't believe we've known each other that long) okay anyways...I've known her forever. Erin graduated from LSU and now she sells her artwork and prints as well. Here is a link to her website www.handpaintedkites.com I really recommend everyone checking it out...if you can't afford a real painting you can get prints made like me and they are just as wonderful. Her artwork is one of a kind and I know you will atleast enjoy looking at everything. I know she is still working on getting it set up so you can possibly order prints from her website, so if you are interested you can email her and she can get one made for you.

Once you take a look at her work I know you will find the same peace that I do in every painting. She is also willing to do specific paintings based on your own pictures or ideas so if you are interested just ask her about it.

My Special Place

I've always had this list of things I want to do at some point in my life. One thing thats been on my list forever is growing a garden. Finally this spring we did it!

Brad helped me build the frame and get everything prepared to grow my precious little fruits and veggies. We went to Lowes and bought all the materials we needed.

I have to say there is an art to creating just the right environment to actually get things to grow and produce fruit. It's been really fun, and I've enjoyed keeping everything alive. I actually love going out to water in the evenings and watching everything grow. I've learned so much already, and it seems like every other day I'm looking something up and learning something new! I can't wait to start harvesting! I'm already looking forward to my fall garden and already have plans to expand the one I have now...so I can add potatoes, corn, peas and who knows what else!
=I'm growing tomatoes in the two pots b/c they take up so much room and actually grow easier in a pot, squash, onions, strawberries, bellpepper, cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon, basil, parsley, rosemary, and shallots!

Great News!

We went to our check up today and Jack was doing much much better! His ear was already looking better, which made us all feel like he most likely just had some virus that caused an ear infection. We are still going to finish the Tamiflu just in case because we are still waiting for the test results to come back and confirm he didn't have the fascinating swine flu. He hasn't run a fever all day which has been great, and his cough is pretty much gone. I'm soooo very happy :)

On another note, Jack has been eating more finger foods lately b/c he absolutely loves to feed himself. I started giving him whole peas the other day and I have to say its hilarious to watch him eat or should I say play with them. He uses his pointer finger and individually mashes each one on the tray before eating them or tossing them over onto the floor for Sadie to enjoy. He is very focused while mashing them and makes sure not to miss one. Kids are so funny.

Hmph.

Ever since I stopped nursing...Jack has been getting ear infections and they suck...bad. He refuses to eat, which he can't afford to do, and he's super fussy and doesn't sleep well at night. A few days ago I started suspecting he had an ear infection b/c he stopped eating...started getting fussy...and was doing the famous tugging of the ear. I waited a couple of days b/c most ear infections are untreatable and will resolve within a few days on their own, but then he started running a fever so I decided we should go get it checked out...especially since this would be his 4th lovely ear infection since Jan. We went in on Monday, and I was stumped b/c the doctor said he had lots of wax(supposedly he has small ear canals) and cleared us for any ear infections. We were sent home and told to come back if symptoms get worse. I have to say I left feeling sort of silly since I was almost positive he had one. Oh well, right? Better safe than sorry. Well....early Tuesday morning around 5:30 AM my little man woke up with a cough, runny nose and fever of 102.7! I brought him in yesterday b/c something was obviousely wrong. We saw a different doctor that wanted to investigate what was behind all the wax so we did an ear wash...which Jack HATED and low and behold...he had a tremendous ear infection with fluid...pus...and all. Poor little guy :( We are almost positive he just has a viral infection which caused the ear infection and "flu like" symptoms...but b/c of the lovely H1N1 virus(aka Swine Flu) we are being treat for that as well just in case. We did a rapid flu test which came back negative, but they are saying that test normally does and its the culture test that comes up positive. You might be thinking we'd have the results by now...but we don't b/c it takes 2-5 days to get them back and Jack would already be out of the 48 hour treatable window. So, yesterday we went home with Tamiflu and an antibiotic for the ear infection. I'm pretty positive he doesn't have the H1N1 virus but we are taking precautions just in case. Most importantly...we are getting rid of that terrible ear infection that has been causing my baby to act quite out of the ordinary and leaving mommy with no sleep and a little stressed b/c I can't get anything done with a fussy baby.

Any who....we are on our way for a follow up appt. I'll let ya'll know how that test comes back...no worries though...if he does have the H1N1 virus...its a milder flu than the regular seasonal flu and all the babies that have gotten it at our clinic respond perfectly to the Tamiflu.

Pray for a well baby though...so I can become a functional mommy again who feels like doing productive things.

Laugh & Learn

For Christmas we bought Jack the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Kitchen. At the time he was just learning to sit up, and he didn't think the kitchen was the coolest toy. I knew he'd grow into it within a few months and boy did he ever! He loves his kitchen....he has figured out every gadget and has started pulling up on it to play! It took him awhile to figure out that he could crawl through it to the other side. When you crawl through it lights up and a song plays...he wasn't sure about it so for awhile he just sat in the middle and backed out. Its been a great toy and I'm pretty sure it will continue to be one for quite awhile.

We love visitors!

This past week Nana & Pop Pop(Brad's parents) came to visit! Brad's brother David was also in town. The last time he saw Jack was at Christmas time...not too long ago, but Jack has changed so much. It was fun to have family around. We cooked lots of good food and just hung out mostly. We did go to a baseball game...which was sooooo exciting(notice the sarcasm). I'm not a huge baseball fan, but it was nice to be outside in great weather with peanuts and crackerjacks and out of the house. Jack enjoyed chewing on the key chain we got for free and every now and then we looked at the field. Right now I'm having a moment because I really wanted to go to Fredericksburg but the weather was not good enough today, so now I'm moping and very grouchy and Brad is going crazy because he wants to have a good day but I'm driving him crazy. Basically what needs to happen is that I need to get over it, have an awesome day with my husband on his day off and find a way to cheer the f#$% up. The secret to life you know: cheer the f@$% up.

enjoy the pics.

david, pop pop, brad & jack.

jack with his key chain