Never Close Your Eyes Around A 2 Year Old

I've been overly tired lately and today I got up and fed the boys and fell back to sleep on the couch...not meaning to. I woke up to Matthew smelling like sweet pea fragrance and attempting to put mascara on me!



When I told him to put it away and that he was NOT to touch it...he pointed to my eye and said..eye...pretty!



All I could say was...GRRRR LITTLE BOY!

Happy Easter

So, the other day i was talking to Andrew about Easter and I asked him what it was all about. Of course he said the Easter bunny, but then he said...The rebirth of Jesus! I was floored and started laughing because I wasn't expecting it at all!

Then today, I thought I would ask him again what Easter is all about! This time he said...it is when jesus comes back life!

I was so amazed at how much a four year old knew! I don't know where he picked it up, but I know that if his Great-Grandpa Shoemaker heard it...he'd be crying!

Speech Eval

So...Matthew finally had his Speech eval. Mary Jo came to the house to eval him and he did okay. He took a few minutes to warm up to her, but then once he did he did very well! He passed the comprehension part with flying colors and is slightly ahead of where he should be at! However, he is way behind on his speech and Mary Jo said that she could see that while we did the study. I was surprised that he knew more than I THOUGHT he did.

In the end he didn't qualify for services becuase his comprehension was too high and it off sets the vocabulary! It seems like he's been talking more now that we had him evaluated. We will re-evaluate in August if we can because they can do more on his articulation at that time!

He just came up to me and puts his hand up and goes...up then he puts it down and goes...down! I didn't know he could do that! He's leaping and bounding! I LOVE IT!

Toot Toot!

For just this once, I have to toot my own horn.

Saturday, Feb. 16 was the Nebraska State Student Nurse Convention which was held at NECC. Our SNA had put a bug in my ear that they had nominated me for a Community Service award. I had kind of forgotten about it until yesterday at convention when someone asked me how I pronounced my name.

Needless to say, I was awarded the Individual Community Service award for the mentoring program I put together for our program at NECC. The program isn't the greastest yet, but we are working the bugs out of it.

I just wanted to share.

Valentine's Day

I haven't made a Valentine's day box in a long time...roughly about 15 years. However, my parents helped us make some REALLY cool Valentine's boxes.

This year, we got to help make Andrew's. Man how things have changed. I never remember boxes being this cool! Although my dad did make an awesome one, one time. Here is what Andrew's looks like this year. Jason is so creative!

FINALLY!

So...3 months later i am finally getting to blog again. I have wanted something so many times to just be able to write little tidbits here or there about quirky things the boys said or were doing, but my desktop has been acting weird so I haven't had to been able to do it a lot. However, I invested into a laptop and hopefully that will change!

So bare with me and keep checking in!

The results are in!

I received Matt's test results in the mail today from Dr. Murphy along with the lab. His egg yolk allergy is completely gone...however...his egg white still exists. However, it has decreased by almost half since last January. It wasn't the result I was hoping for, but I still did the happy dance. His peanut allergy is on the rise however so we have to get a script for an epi-pen to carry with us at all times. I kind of fail at the "at all times" part of it. One time my aunt suggested to tape it to his back and I'm thinking that it was a good idea now. So on Dec. 14 we go in for what the call an open egg challenge. They will give him eggs in little increments to see if he breaks out or not. It will be interesting!

On another note, Andrew comes up to me tonight asking me if he can eat a green onion and I was like...What? He pulled his hand around showed me a green pepper. The kid ate them raw like they were candy. He is so not my child!

A Month Later

Oh my goodness, I can't believe that it has been a month since I lost wrote anything. SOOO much has happened since then, but I will keep to the simple thing since it is 11:30 and I have to be up in like 7 hours to drive to Norfolk for class.

Well, Matt went to see Dr. Murphy for his flu shot testing on the 16th. Much to both of our amazment, after 5 pokes he was able to get the entire flu shot! This gave us hope that he has grown out of the egg allergy and the following Monday we did blood work to see if he is or not. I don't have the results back yet, but I can share with you for sure that I am not volunteering to draw blood out of a baby any time soon! Dr. Murphy was elated though and prescribed him singulair for his "asthma" like symptoms. He's hoping that after this winter we can d/c the singulair and let him be a healthy and happy 2 1/2 year old.

One draw back however is that he woke up this a.m. in a horrible, terrible break out and I have no idea why. I am hoping for his sake that he is just getting a cold or something simple which now that i think about it, it won't be simple for him. Dr. K had told us that when he has an unnanounced break out like that, more than likely ther is an infection in his system. However, more than likely it is Matthew curled up in the corner eating something he shouldn't be!

Andrew is doing good too by the way. He's been kind of a little bully lately, but I have not be around much between school, work and family happenings with the parents and my little bro. He's good though. I was laughing on our way home from Iowa tonight because more than once I said..."Andrew, seriously! Be quiet for 5 min!" Then I had to laugh because I remember my dad saying when I was little..."Jennifer Marie, we don't need to be singing all the time!" Andrew has picked up on singing lots of different songs. The other day it was "We wish you a Merry Christmas" and he just sang it over and over and I finally had to get him to "And a happy New Year" after hearing the first part like 5,000 times!

OH Lord, please help me find my sanity!

Long Road Ahead

When we started all of this allergy stuff the doctors had told us that eczema, allergies and asthma go hand in hand. We have had the eczema covered for almost 2 years now...allergies will be 1 year in December (diagnosis) and now...I'm afraid the third part might be here.

Last night Matt woke up from his nap crying and Jason went into the room and got him. He came out and sat on the couch with him and he was just listless and you could hear him wheeze from across the room. I took a quick listen to his lung sounds then called the doctor immediately. So at 5 p.m. we ran to the doctor where he agreed his lungs sounded HORRIBLE. They gave him a breathing treatment and he perked up. However, his lung sounds still weren't the greatest.

We came home with 3 new meds, but our albuterol neb treatments. We go see Dr. Murphy on Nov. 16 in Omaha, he's the allergy/asthma guy so we will see what he says.

I don't think it has set in what this could all mean for him. I just keep thinking...what if...what if...what if...it breaks my heart. I know we'll get through it though and all will be good!

Scary noises

Last week there was this creepy man that had escaped from the Neligh jail. Whoop whoop, yes I know, but to a mother of 2 this can be a very scary ordeal.

Anyway I was in the living room studying when all of a sudden I heard a weird noise and I was too chicken to go investigate it. It didn't happen again so I didn't worry about it!

However, this is what I found in my room when I turned the light on when I attempted to go to bed 3 hours later!

Andrew had crawled into my bed at some point and had then fallen off, taking the whole top blanket with him. I got a good chuckle out of it!

Secret Covert Operation

As if I have to explain this picture yet again, but here is Matthew in another one of his funny moods. He looks like he's attempting to work for a secret group overseas.

Please excuse the picture quality...it's off my phone.

What a Matt-nificant day!

The 15th of this month we ventured down to Omaha to take Matt Robert to see Dr. K, the world's best pediatrician, for his 2 year check up. We came out fine minus the fact that he pulled this rice krsipie size ball of wax out of one of Matt's ears.

Since then, we have been talking up a storm. Saying words and repeating phrases. Each day I get more and more excited about new words he is coming out with. He talks up a storm. Some words continue to be hard to understand, but you know what he is attempting to say.

Today was awesome though. He was playing with this toy and it was counting and it goes "1 - 2" and Matthew goes "3!" I did my little happy dance and praised him. Then we went out side and as I was hanging out clothes he screams...MOM! I look over and he's climbed up the fort all by himself! What a kid! Scary for me...but what a kid! I am feeling SOOO much better as to the direction he is going. OH, and he can tell you how old he is!

Never a dull moment

Does this need much explanation?

Escape of the Baby Monster!

I had just laid down in bed last night and Jason was cleaning up after using his new toy we bought at an auction yesterday. Anyway, Matt was in his crib in his room and Andrew had just gone back into his room after going potty. All of a sudden I heard someone crying and laid there for a minute because I wasn't sure if it was Matthew or Andrew, upset that he had to go to bed. After about 30 secs I headed to Matt's room to find him on the floor! Of course I had to laugh, but I quickly picked him up and we snuggled for awhile why he healed. I couldn't see any bodily injury last night, however, things appeared this morning. He has what looks like a rug burn mark above his left eye and a bruise that I know is coming. Crazy kid. It might be time for bunkbeds.

Lord...PLEASE help me!

So I thought that Matthew was going to be my quiet one. Remember that actions speak louder than words? Yeah, well then Matt has been yelling the last two days! Last night I was in the basement when the doorbell rang and I thought...why did my doorbell ring, everyone walks in. I run upstairs and there stands the neighborboy with Matthew. He was ACROSS THE STREET in their yard, playing with their dog. I was horrified as a mother! Then this morning I was laying on my bed with a wet wash cloth on my face (My grandma and grandpa's remedy for horrible allergies) when Andrew comes and lifts the washcloth and says: "Mom, Matt has your stuff!" This is what I found:

He had gotten into my mascara et painted himself. I had to throw him into the shower and scrub to get it off!

Then tonight he got into the cake...don't worry. He can eat this one. I made it so he could eat it. He tried to serve himself. This is of course after getting into the loaf of bread. Nothing is safe anymore! The bread he couldn't have.

Below is Matt's ideal meal. He's my junk food eater. Crazy kid. I am pretty sure I have my hands full for the next 16+ years!

Oh how a year can change.

I was looking at pictures of Matthew's first birthday as we are getting ready to celebrate birthday #2 next week. I have pictures of him with his birthday cake and i'm thinking now...he doesn't get to have a real birthday cake this year. He can have an ice cream cake, but no birthday cake. He won't care, he'll eat it no matter what anyway! :)

First Day of Pre-School

Well, today was the big day! Andrew started pre-school today, and much to my amazement-I held it all together! :) I had to fight to hold back tears as I was walking throught the gymnasium, but I didn't shed a tear. Now that I am thinking about it, I start to cry too. He's not supposed to be this big! He has a class of 8. He is the tallest by I would say 6 inches, but knowing my judgement, minus a couple. One of the boys that was on his baseball team this summer is also in his class. He got to be the prayer leader, from what I overheard and the teacher said he taught everyone how to pray too. I was SOOO proud of him! He did so good. Here are a couple of pictures. One is at home before we left and the other is by where he hangs his backpack.

I should add that his Pre-school room was my 2nd grade classroom! That was sooo long ago.

Following the leader!

I just thought I would FINALLY write again and tell everyone about our 2 new additions to our family. Their names are Monkey See and Monkey Do.

Monkey See is 4 and resembles our oldest son Andrew. He is very outgoing and THINKS he knows everything. He starts preschool tomorrow and is excited about it, at times. He loves John Deere tractors, horses, and basically the color green.

Monkey Do is almost 2 and resembles our youngest son Matthew. He has this HUGE beautiful brown eyes that melts your heart in a matter of minutes. He has some allergy problems, but is doing well with them. He hasn't shown any direct attractions to any one thing yet, but basically likes everything that his brother does or likes.

I can't wait for you to meet them next time you are here to visit!

Andrew left to his own devices!

Earlier in the day, a couple of days ago, Andrew was in his room...he was SUPPOSED to be taking a nap. Pretty soon he comes out and wants to paint. I told him no...he needs to be resting for swim lessons. So he goes back to his room and I don't hear from him again for awhile. So I go into his room and find him sitting on the floor "painting." No water, no brush, just fingers, walls and carpet...not to mention the paint book he was trying to hit. Needless to say, mom was unhappy.

Later that night I go to put him to bed and much to my astonishment I find this:

Supposedly it is a map to Grandma K's! At first I was upset because he KNOWS better than this and like any other parent I question as to what I am doing wrong and why he is OBVIOUSLY screaming for attention lately. I put him to bed, on top of his road map, because I wasn't washing sheets at 9:30 at night. So I pulled them off the next morning.

Now, after I walk out of the room with my big eyes, I look at Jason and say: You won't believe what I just found on Andrew's bed! I preceded to tell him the story and after I am all done, he's laughing and I had to admit I was quite impressed by the artistry of the whole picture! I swore I could have picked out a cow and a couple other things.

I also put in what it looked like after I soaked it with stain remover, which did get it out by the way...it's miracle stuff, let me tell you!

Reality TV

I know...horrible, HORRIBLE mother for not sharing all my fantastic moments about my amazing boys, but they keep me going in circles, that it's hard to keep up!

Matthew is a busy body and has found his voice, although he still doesn't say much, he's hilarious. Tonight we had a choir performance of us going back and forth yelling for dad! He was giggling by the time it was done!

I have decided that he is the world's CUTEST kid. Pardon my unfair judgement, but this has been a process by looking at other people's kids too ya know. I think it's the big brown eyes. I have decided to propose to a television station about strapping a camera to the back of him and just video taping him all the time. He's so funny and loveable, but yet he doesn't like kisses...only when he has to. I just know he's going to reach amazing things in his life. He's so quiet, but man, if you tick him off...WATCH OUT! He's so much like his dad!