Laurie's Life

Last Sunday, after church ,we went out to eat and I spotted a poster and some "free" tickets for a circus this weekend. We talked the circus up to Emily all week. But, I think I was more excited about it than she was. We invited some friends to go with us and we were all happy to be taking our children to their first circus. We when got to the circus grounds, we counted 5 cars on the parking lot , that should have been our first clue. We saw no big top tent , only 4 or 5 trailers and a bus that said circus. As we walked to the little arena, we all spotted the sign at the same time: $15 per adult. We looked at each other and said,"You have got to be kidding!" We did see some pony rides going on with the 3 children who were there . Steve asked a man if we could just pay for a pony ride and leave. We felt really sorry for the circus people, but we were NOT going to pay $ 30 for a little "circus" that could have been set up in our liv...

I have a best friend during pregnancy and it is a little chalky disc called a TUMS! I SUFFER from heartburn during pregnancy and it is just miserable. I don't like the name heartburn because I would describe it more as "throatburn." I have two sensations in my throat at all times: 1. The first is a feeling of acid bubbling in my esophagus. I tell Steve all the time that if I pass in the night it is because my esophagus just melted from the acid. We can hear the acid popping in my throat. 2. After I take a Tums or Pepcid or drink a little milk, I feel as if I have a huge lump of biscuit dough stuck in my throat. I keep Tums by my bed at night and usually take about 6 through the night. Yesterday when Emily came in at 6:00 and stood about 2 inches from my face as I kept my eyes closed, she said, "Mama take you medicine." I opened my eyes and saw she was holding the last Tums I had left on the bedside table. I really didn't feel the need to take the T...

I am very thankful that my parents have been here for almost a week. They left this morning. I enjoyed them being here and they were so helpful with Emily. She is a handful! I loved having my mother here for Mother's Day. It has been nice to get ready in the morning and have people here to watch Emily. I usually just rush and pray she does not burn the house down or something worse. My mother helped with laundry and did many other things to help. I am grateful!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is Emily giving Kristen the cat some treats. Emily would feed her the whole bag if I let her. Emily loves Sisten, as she calls her, but Kristen DOES NOT like her. Actually, Kristen does not like anyone but me. Emily on Mother's Day.

The nursery is ready and so am I........ I have another cold! This makes the 8th one, I believe. My immune system is just shot. I hate to take another antibiotic. Have any of you had multiple colds in pregnancy? All Sarah Kate has known in the womb is my coughing. Bless her heart. Emily loves to get in her old bouncy seat. I found her in it at 3:00 a.m. Sunday night. She is still not sleeping through the night, but we have had some good nights. She is waking up at 6:00 a.m. EVERY morning. This is the girl who used to sleep till 8:30 or 9:00. Speaking of sleep, I need to go get some!

Last Thursday night my Sunday School class gave me a shower. WOW! I got so many nice things. Sarah Kate is set on clothes for a while now. I was overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. Steve and I are so blessed to be a part of the church that we are. The picture of me was taken right before I left for the shower. I was 33 weeks pregnant. I went to the Dr. today. I got a good report. Everything seems to be right on track. BUT.......my feet and ankles are SOOOOOOOO swollen. The are so tight at night that I think they could pop! I took good notes at the Dr today. Sometimes I leave not knowing too much of what is going on. Today I left knowing my measurements, blood pressure, Sarah Kate's heart rate and all that kind of stuff. Sometimes you just have to ask. The Dr thinks she is going to be a little bigger than Emily was. Emily weighed 6lbs 6 oz. He is thinking Sarah Kate will be 7 something. But, it all depends on when she decides to arrive.

Emily had her Kay-K and Pop come visit from MS this weekend. We all had a wonderful time and Emily was spoiled with princess attire! She loves getting into my jewelry and shoes, so I hope this will hinder that a little. She now has her own stuff. And she is so proud. She was thinking she looked good and I might add, she did. Everyday I think I am going to get to report that Emily stayed in her big girl bed all night, but it just has not happened. She has had some good nights, but she still gets up several time while Steve and I are still up. And the sad news for me: She is getting up around 6:00 or 6:30 every morning. She just comes and stands by my bed. We bought her some princess sheets this weekend hoping it would keep her in the bed, but nope. This morning Emily and I played outside . She loves playing with bubbles. We came in for lunch and Emily insisted that I go outside and she stay in. She pulled me out and said, "I be right back Mama." I sat out...

One of my very best and lifelong friends, Kelly, sent me a belated Birthday gift today. She gave me the first one a couple of years ago and I have loved it so much. It is cute and easy to find in my purse. But, I had worn it out! It looked AEWFUL!!!!!!!!! Today I checked the mail and got this beautiful, fresh keycahin. I am so proud. Thank you Kelly! I LOVE it! Let me clarify: I have two Kellys. The one who sent me this lives in Little Rock and we have been friends since we were two. My other Kelly I met at Ouachita Baptist University.

Over the weekend I got Emily some new shoes. She loves them! In fact, she slept in them Sat night. I had a Dr appt. today and my sweet neighbor kept Emily. The Dr gave me an antibiotic for this mess I have. I sure hope this is the last of the cold/sinus infections. Here are some Emily facts: 1. Everyday when she wakes up, she says,"Daddy at work." That is the very first thing she says. 2. She wants a spoon or fork for EVERYTHING she eats. She wanted a spoon tonight to eat chips. She put each chip on the spoon and ate them that way. 3. She LOVES to flush the toilet and she says,"I close the door, Mama." That is what she says as she reaches for the lever to flush. 4. The bath water must run the entire time she is in the tub. Turning off the water is a major tragedy to her. 5. She loves to put on a bow or perfume or my shoes and say, "I pretty Mama!" 6. She is constantly trying to get her babies to go night night and many times she will come...

I have not blogged in a while. There are several reasons for this: 1. Steve got a new fandagled computer that has intimidated me with picture posting. 2. I have a had terrible cold that I STILL have and it goes from bad to worse and back again. 3. Emily is still not sleeping in her big girl bed. I am battling her for 2 hours or so in the afternoon to get her to take a nap. Now, she gets under the new dining room table so I can't get her. It makes me CRAZY! 4. Emily has been sick with an ear infection and sore throat with high fever. This has not helped the nighttime sleep patterns. So.....that is where I have been. But, I am still thankful. I have read so many blogs and heard so many prayer request at church of people going through terrible grief and pain. My struggles are nothing compared to that! I hope to post some pictures soon.

A few people have asked me how I am going to decorate Sarah Kate's room, so I thought I would just show you. We are just leaving the room the same as it was for Emily. I will take more pictures later on when everything is good to go. Steve and I got a new dining room table and chairs delivered today! I am so excited. I keep walking in the dining room and looking at it. Steve knew I would do this! I LOVE getting new furniture. Now we can have more people over to eat.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to give me good advice on keeping toddlers in the bed! We have had two good nights. We are just taking her back to the bed each time she gets up and she has also had a spanking or two. We may try the gate if she does not have a good week. I had told Steve we could get some of those really scary, rubber Halloween masks and sleep in them and when Emily saw us, I doubt she would get out of her bed anymore. Of course I was just kidding. Consistency is the answer. I really appreciate all your help! Here is Emily on Easter morning. She got a princess doll and horse. She loved the doll the most. But, the doll was just junk. She lost her arm and leg within 30 minutes. Her dress also ripped in half. This did not seem to phase Emily. I am so thankful that Steve has always been so helpful with Emily. He has gotten her ready for church every Sunday morning ever since she was newborn. Here, she is sitting on her changing table. Notice her new h...

Emily watching The Big Comfy Couch! This is her favorite show! Emily's former room and crib. Doesn't look too comfortable does it? Emily's new room and big girl bed. Very comfortable with all the pillows and comforter and space to move around. Emily after eating Mac and Cheese for lunch. She HATES to have her face cleaned off. Everything is "I DO IT!" This is her face after she cleaned it. She is chewing a Nerd in the picture. It is funny to her her chant," I WANT NERDS, I WANT NERDS!!!" We are having night night troubles. We may be on Super Nanny soon. We moved Emily to her big girl bed over a week ago. I made a big deal about it and told her that Princesses sleep in big girl beds and told her that she MUST stay in the bed. Most every night she comes in our room in the middle of the night and just stands by our bed. She does not make a sound. We just sense her presence. Steve used to do the same to his parents when he was little. I take her back and...

I took Emily with me on Thursday to do some shoe shopping. The girl LOVES shoes. She was saying,"OHHHHH, ahhhhh OHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" She kept yelling, "I want SHOES!" I let her try some on and she wanted to keep every pair. She threw a fit over some Disney Princess sandals. She cried and cried because we did not get them. The lady in the store gave her a Princess sticker, so we were able to leave in one piece. On Friday we went to MS for Steve brother, Justin to get married. It was a really fun weekend and a pretty wedding. Justin's new wife is named Cissy and that is what Emily calls her beloved pacifer. She came up with that name because I called it a paci. Here a few pictures from our weekend.

I teach art classes during the week and Emily LOVES for the girls to come to her house. She asks everyday if the girls are coming. I have girls two days a week and a boy one day when Emily naps. Emily does not even know he comes for art. But she wouldn't miss the girls for anything. She does art with them in her high chair. ( I have to use that so she will stay confined and out of their way.) I can tell she feels so grown up. She wants to do just exactly what they are doing. I love having these sweet little girls in my home each week. I really think Emily might be learning a little art and lot about being a young lady. In the Tuesday class, they like to play in Emily's room, but she likes it more than they do.

The first day of March had wonderful weather. Emily got to play outside for the first time this year! She looks like she is from Little House on the Praire with her dress. She loves her princess ball.

Today I had a Dr appt. I have sorta dreaded this day for about a week because I have been SOOOOOOOOOOOOO hungry lately, I knew I would weigh a bunch. I have been trying to think about and wash and iron my lightest weight outfit. Monday I found the perfect light weight garb. It was a thin cotton shirt and some thin knit pants. I put on the thinnest socks I had and did not wear much jewelry. My usual nurse did not weigh me, but one that I have had before did the duty. When I stepped on the scale, she just kept moving the bar to the right. Then she said, " Woooooooo girl, your at 1_ _!" She could have just kept that comment to herself. I could see the number. I was stunned that she said that. This made me feel REAL good about myself-HA HA! Afterward I went to the store and tried to buy some healthy food, but her comment didn't keep me from the Cadbury eggs or a box of Jr. Mints. I had to have another ultrasound because last month the lady forgot to mea...

Kelly's sweet mother tagged me on seven random things about myself....... 1. I love to look at new houses. I love driving around neighborhoods and catching the open houses on the weekends. I like to think about how I would decorate and paint and that sort of thing. I also like seeing houses that are lived in. You can tell a lot about a person when you see their house. 2. I LOVE babies. The younger the better. I love holding them and feeling their soft skin. I could hold a newborn all day. 3. I think Chili's chips and salsa is the BEST thing in the world. That is my favorite food. I wish I could eat it everyday for the rest of my life. But, I would be on a TLC obesity show. 4. I am an only child. 5. I ate in the school cafeteria from first grade through my senior year and loved very bite. I know that is REALLY WEIRD!!!!!!!!!! 6. I love medical shows and hospitals and all conversations about medical stuff. I am always telling Steve that I am a Dr. I would LOVE ...

Last night Steve and I were very into American Idol and Emily was out of the room and VERY quiet. I told Steve that she was probably up to no good. When she is REALLY quiet for a long time it is usually not good. I told Steve to go find her. He found her in our bed with my make-up bag. He called me in there and I thought she had swallow poison or marked on our duvet with a Sharpie or something because of his reaction. I fell out laughing when I saw her. Steve picked her up and took her to the mirror to show her the work she had done. Her face was the exact same reaction that Kelly and I had several years ago when we got complimentary make-overs/facials at the mall. We were horrified when we saw ourselves in the mirror. It looked like they were trying to get rid of all their non-selling colors. Well, it looked like a two year old had done our faces. This is the dazed look Emily had when she saw herself. She stared for a LONG time and then pushed her hair out of her face an...

Since I was single for many years, I often dreamed about Valentine's Day with my husband. I thought about dressing up real cute and going to a romantic dinner and writing mushy cards and eating and sitting at the table for hours talking. I had it really built up in my mind. And, I must say, since I met Steve we have had several of those Valentine's Days. I just thought they would always be that way. Well........the sick house continues on! Emily had a terrible night on Wed. night. She didn't sleep and when she was alseep she was whimpering. This is the typical pattern when she has an ear infection. So....Valentine's morning I took her temperature and it was 102. I was hoping I had read the ear thermometer wrong or that is was just messed up. I was thinking, "Don't be sick, this is Valentine's Day!" But, I knew Emily was really sick. I had a busy day ahead because I was giving art lessons and then taking Emily to one of her friend's party at Chuck E...

This past weekend we went to visit my parents. Emily did GREAT on the trip. She was the model child. She slept good and was very sweet. She got to see a horse up close and personal. It lives across from my parents. We took her to the pet shop. Of all the things, her favorite pets were the mice. Hummmm. She ate some chips and salsa and she got to be with her Mimi and Grandaddy. What more could a little girl ask for?