23 months...quite late

I am way late on writing this because I forgot!  Can you believe that after 2 years of writing these monthly posts that this one just got away from me?  Oops.   

Basically, the only thing B turning 23 months means is that she will be 2 IN A MONTH.  That is all. 

Here are a few little things about her and a photo dump.  Enjoy!

She loves to be tickled.  We call them her tickle spots (under her arms, on her neck, etc).  She will say "Mommy tickle spot" and point to one of them.  When we tickle her she just laughs and laughs.  The best sound in the world.  

She is doing great in school and talks about her teachers all of the time.  Since starting school she has become a little (okay, a lot) more attached to me.  She loves going and there is never any problem dropping her off.  But on days when she is with me she wants my undivided attention...which I give to her.  But when someone else is around she whines and just wants me to hold her and not talk to anyone else.  Even Lonnie.  When he gets home from work she whines and yells if he and I try to have a conversation.  It is a little difficult but I understand why she is doing it.  She misses me.  And boy do I miss her when she is gone.  To me this is one of the best things about school.  She can go there and play and learn while I get things done.  Then when she is home with me I can completely focus on her.  When she was with me all day everyday I felt like I was constantly trying to get things done and give her attention at the same time and I was failing at both.  We just need to work out this whining when others are around.  It is the worst after she has been in school for 2 days.  Then it gets better over the next few days.  Then it is time to go back to school!  I can't lie though, I love being her person ;)

She still loves daddy even though she is a big time mommy's girl right now...

Actually she loves school so much it is hard to get her to leave.  I have resorted to bribing her with frozen yogurt to get her to come with me without a freak out!  Probably not a good idea but it sure is yummy and fun!  

She loves her Sno.w W.hite.  She calls her "doh doh white".  We usually can't leave the house without her, Baby Doll and Daisy.  I have learned that even if Blakely says she doesn't want to take them with us that I should bring them anyway.  Because it never fails she will ask for them when we get about 10 minutes down the road.  :)

Razorback football started this month and we dress up in our gear to call the HOGS every Saturday!  

I love this baby girl so much and I can't believe she is about to be two years old.  I am feeling very emotional that my baby is so not a baby anymore.  She is a funny, sweet, strong, determined little toddler and I can't wait to see how she continues to grow into her own little personality!

outdoor weekend

We had such a great weekend.  The weather took a big turn towards fall and so we decided to get out and enjoy it.  

On Friday it rained all day long.  Not a storm but just that lazy all day light rain with no thunder or lightening.  You know, the perfect napping weather.  When we all woke up from those wonderful naps we decided to take a little walk in the rain.  I got this adorable rain coat with matching rain boots from Zu.lily a few months ago.  You've probably seen the rain boots in a few of my pictures because B loves to wear them in the house.  I told her we could finally wear them outside because it was actually raining.  She got so excited.  Then I asked her if I could take her picture.  This is the pose I got...

She's pretty cute if you ask me!  Anyway, we walked around the neighborhood picking up acorns and stomping in puddles.  She thought it was super fun but her favorite part was swinging in the rain, as you can tell from the picture.  It took me a loooong time to get her to come inside.

When Blakely went to bed Friday night Lonnie and I started talking about going camping.  We talked about weekends he was off and tried to plan.  Well finally we said lets just go tomorrow!  So we did!  

It was a totally a last minute decision.  When B woke up the Saturday morning I packed up all the things we would need for an overnight stay.  We gave her an early nap and then left to find the perfect spot to camp.  

We live on a lake but there are a few other lakes near us.  Lake Oua.chita is very close to us (like a 15 minute drive).  It is much bigger than the lake that we live on and no homes are allowed to be built near this lake.  Because of this, it is an extremely clean lake and just a gorgeous piece of nature.  There are many islands and Lonnie and I have camped on an island with our boat before.  We've never taken B camping because we weren't sure how she would do.  I mean a baby/toddler sleeping in a tent?  Sounded like a recipe for disaster to me.  

But Saturday was the most beautiful day.  Sunny and 75.  We wanted to get out there and have wide open spaces for her to run around and just enjoy being outside.  So we did and it could not have been a better idea.  I was proud of Lonnie and I for doing something so last minute.  Since having Blakely we have become such planners.  Everything is always completely planned out and we never just do something on a whim.  But this?  This was definitely on a whim.  

On our drive into the campsite Blakely spotted a playground so we stopped there so she could play for a little while.  

Then we picked out a PERFECT spot, unloaded the car and set up our tent.  

We walked around the lake and just let her explore her surroundings.  We picked up rocks and threw them in the water.  She liked it best when Lonnie picked her up (he isn't supposed to but try telling him that) so she could throw it from up high and make a bigger splash.  She also like "washing" her hands in the water.  Ignore the plumber's crack in the picture.  These pants are from last year and they still fall off with panties on...

Then we gathered a bunch of sticks and helped daddy build a fire.  I think this was her favorite part!

Once the fire was going we roasted hot dogs and then marshmallows.

By the time it was dark our girl was super sleepy.  I took her in the tent and laid down with her (and Min.nie, of course) until she fell asleep.  It took all of 10 minutes.  Then Lonnie and I stayed up and chatted by the fire for a few hours.  

Y'all.  It was so nice.  Just being outside all day with my loves enjoying nature.  I could not have asked for a better weekend!  And because I just can't help myself I have to post this picture.  You know you're the mommy of a toddler when.....

HAPPY MONDAY!

Spending the night at GranDi's

Last weekend Blakely got to stay the night with my mom {GranDi}.  Since we were supposed to be out of town and she was going to watch B anyway we just went ahead and sent her over there.  That way Lonnie could rest and I could sleep in.  HOORAY!  

They had a ball, of course.  We took her over there late Saturday afternoon and told her she was going to go night night with GranDi.  She didn't even bat an eye.  She spends a lot of time over there anyway so I wasn't worried about her sleeping or going to bed or anything.  

On Sunday morning she woke up bright and early at 645 and immediately asked to swing.  So that is exactly what they did in their pajamas.

After a while they went back inside and had breakfast.  My mom gave her oatmeal.  B loves oatmeal but she also loves to spread it in her hair.  I guess I should have warned GranDi about this.  

After breakfast they went back outside for a long time.  It was a beautiful morning.  (I wouldn't know because I was asleep!)  They went on wagon rides and Blakely had long talks with Baby Doll.  (Sit baby doll!  Hi baby doll!  Kiss baby doll!)

They played in the sand box and she poured sand in her hair.  No big deal.  

I finally woke up at 11.  I know.  Amazing.  I did wake up at 7 and it took me a while to go back to sleep but, really, eleven!  I texted my mom to check on them and she said they had been up since the crack of dawn and had been outside playing since.  

I am so thankful that B and my mom have such a great relationship.  I know that my mom loves this baby just as much as I do and would do anything to see her happy.  My mom just lights up when she sees B and B does the same.  They are total buddies.  Later Sunday evening after I brought B home, my mom and I were texting.  This is one of the texts that she sent to me.  

I am thinking this spending the night with GranDi thing needs to happen again soon.  B agrees.  She's been saying night night GranDi all week long!  

Happy Weekend!!

Things

I am full of randomness on Wednesdays

• Lonnie gets to avoid surgery.  For now.  His weakness has gotten better but it isn't normal yet.  The doctor said it could take 4-6 weeks to go back to normal.  We will see. He can't play softball this year and he can't run anymore.  He is not happy about any of that.  Thank you all very much for the well wishes for him.  He appreciates my bloggy friends :)
• Speaking of softball, we had our first 2 games last night and I got my first softball injury.  A nasty scrape on my elbow from doing a beautiful head first slide into third for a triple. No.  That is a lie.  It was from doing a major face plant in the outfield because the ball was stroked over my head and APPARENTLY my upper body moves faster than my lower body.  Hence, the face plant.  Oh and that was the FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME. I told my teammates that it was okay to laugh at me.  I would laugh at them.  Let's hashtag this one out, shall we?
• #iamnot17anymore
• #getwiththeprogramlegs
• #icannotmovethismorning
• #ididawesometherestofthegame
• #wellmaybenotawesome
• #itwasstillsofun
• but most importantly #iamnot17anymore  Let's move on.
• Is it cooling off where you are?  (not you Fiona ;) )  I'd say it is trying to cool off a little here.  Low 90's and upper 80's on sunny days.  You can smell fall in the air though and I am pumped.  We had a gloriously mild summer (which I am sure means a hellish winter) and I do feel like we took full advantage of it.  Now I am ready to take advantage of the fall weather.  Already on the search for a pumpkin patch.  
• You know what it is time for right?  PUMPKIN PAINTING!  Sarah and I have already been discussing our color schemes for our pumpkins this year.  I am leaning towards traditional Halloween colors but am always looking for ideas.  I am really wanting to do lots of purple.  Maybe shades of purple with some gold.  Or purple and black and white.  I'm not sure yet.  Do you paint pumpkins?  If not, you should...it's easy!  
• I am about to go on a pinning spree.  I am looking for some great (and preferably clean) fall recipes.  Doesn't the change of weather make you want to change your meal plans?  Not that I am a great meal planner but I do try.  I am ready for soups and crockpot meals and pumpkin anything!  Feel free to share if you have any ideas.  
• We have got to get some family pictures done.  The most recent one we have is from our beach trip in May and it is of our backs looking out on the ocean.  This is not acceptable.  I think I'll call and schedule today!  
• And because it doesn't seem right to have a post with no pictures I will leave you with this one from Saturday during the Razorback game.  

B has a friend

Well I guess you could call it a boyfriend.  Her first boyfriend.

He takes the baby swing when she wants the big girl swing.  

He plays with baby dolls when she is tired of playing with his trucks.  

He gives her kisses when he thinks she is upset.

He even holds her hand when she is sleepy in the car.  

So far, he is a keeper.  Lonnie will be keeping a close eye on him though.  ;) 

An injury

***just one thing before starting this post.  I just got my refund check in the mail from our screwed up IVF.  Some of you had asked so I wanted to update on that!  It was about damn time***

So last Thursday Lonnie called me from work and said that he got a cramp in his hip during a biopsy and it just would not let up.  When he got home that night it was still bothering him so I helped him stretch it out for an hour.  This was actually pretty comical because neither one of us are flexible at all. 

Friday.  He goes to work and has a horrible day.  He was in pain all day and could barely stand up.  He had to take some breaks during cases {unheard of} and even tried bringing in stools and chairs to help take some of the weight off of his leg while working.  {Obviously he stands up all day doing cases}  

Friday evening he comes home and he looks rough.  He has been dealing with severe pain all day and he said the day was a blur.  He went directly to the couch and fell asleep until the next morning.  

Then our whirlwind weekend happened.  What I didn't mention in that post is that Lonnie was in bed or on the couch from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon.  The pain got a lot better but he noticed that his leg was weak.  For example, he could not lift it as high as he wanted.  {Think if you were trying to march...he couldn't bring his knee up very high}  He also noticed that the medial part of his calf was numb.  We both started thinking maybe this was an issue with his back and not his hip.  

We both went to softball practice Sunday afternoon.  He was feeling better and said he was in no pain.  He is not the type to complain about every little ache {like I do!} so I know he was in some pain but he didn't say that.  He didn't do much at practice but it was obvious that his leg wasn't working right.  He was favoring it more than he had been.  

He went to work on Monday and had an "okay" day.  He said he wasn't in pain {lies} and that the weakness wasn't getting worse.  The problem is that it wasn't getting better.  I told him to get an MRI.  He said that wasn't necessary.  When he came home Monday he went straight to the couch again and didn't get up. 

Finally, on Tuesday morning he decided that he should go ahead and get that MRI.  {may have been my nagging} So yesterday after work, he did.  

Here is a normal MRI of the lumbar spine.  I added some text just to show you the discs and the spinal canal....basic stuff...I am no radiologist!  

image via

And here is a snapshot of Lonnie's MRI.  Sorry for the terrible quality...it is a picture of the computer screen.  

So here is what that picture means.  He has a severely herniated disc with a fragment of the disc causing severe spinal stenosis.  Lonnie looked at the MRI himself and also had the neuroradiologist in his group look at it.  Both agreed that it may require surgery.  Not good.  Need to talk to a neurosurgeon.  

Yesterday.  Wednesday.  He talked talked to the neurosurgeon.  He suggested getting an epidur.al stero.id injection pronto and then resting until Monday.  He said that if his leg weakness wasn't better by Monday then he will need surgery next week to fix it.  If you don't fix it soon enough then the damage could be permanent.  {As of right now he can't walk without a limp and feels like his leg may buckle every time he takes a step}

So that is where we are now.  Of course he couldn't get the epi.dural stero.id injection yesterday because he was too busy.  He went in early this morning and his partner did it.  {Irony...Lonnie does those but obvi can't do it on himself...ha!}  Now we just wait and see.  He is at work today but says he is feeling a little better.  We were supposed to leave for a trip, just the two of us, on Saturday and be gone until Wednesday but that has now been cancelled.  I am sad about that because we were really looking forward to having some hubby/wife time but I am way more concerned about his back.  We are REALLY REALLY REALLY hoping to avoid surgery.  Back surgery would be major.  Like avoid back surgery if at all possible.  He was scheduled to be off next week anyway {the trip} so hopefully he can get through work today and tomorrow and I can just take care of him after that.

Just UGH....  I want him to be better.  Blakely is totally freaked out that Daddy is "hurt".  I should have never even said those words.  I wasn't thinking.  I was trying to explain to her why he couldn't throw her up in the air 15 times and chase her around the dining room table when he got home from work....like he does every single day.  I said Daddy's hip hurts and now she cries every time she sees him.  I feel terrible about it.  

Here's hoping he has an easy day at work today and tomorrow and then the doctor becomes my patient.  Which requires doing everything I say.  You reading this, Lonnie?  

Whirlwind Weekend

Whew.  What a weekend around here.  I am exhausted!

I guess technically the weekend started on Thursday night.  Hello football!  B even wore her football jammers...

B and I spent all of Friday playing.  She wanted to go outside so bad so I finally sucked it up and went out in the blazing heat.  She looks like she is ready for kindergarten here....

Saturday was the Razo.rback game.  B dressed up in her gear and I was trying to teach her to call the hogs.  She has the Wooooooooo part down and she yells "RAY-BACKS" at the right time.  Might be the cutest thing I've ever seen.  Will get it on video soon.  The best part? This dress was from last fall but fits because of no cloth diaper booty.  Panties for the win!  I am now pulling out all of her clothes from last fall because I think most of the stuff will still fit now.  

My mother in law also came on Saturday and brought C and S.  She had them for the weekend so she brought them down to play with B.  Blakely was beyond excited for one big reason.  Collier built her a fort within the first 3 minutes of being here.  She loved it and played in it the whole day.  They all stayed the night and had a big time.  

Cousins!

My mom and my aunt Jenni's birthday was on Sunday so we (me, them and all their friends!) went to eat on Saturday night.  I meant to take my good camera to get some pictures of them but I forgot.  My house was a crazy place and I tried to sneak out of there and ended up leaving it on the counter.  Boo.  Anyway, it was a good time.  We went to Jenni's house after and chatted and gave them their presents.  I got them both a photo album full of pictures of Blakely from 18 months until now.  I wrote out beside most of the pictures a little tidbit about where we were or just something funny about the picture.  I think they liked it ;)

Sunday was a big day mostly because it was FOOTBALL!  It was my first experience with my new N.FL Su.nday Ti.cket.  Needless to say I am in love with it...  Blakely went to my mom's house and Jenni and my Grand went over to spend the day with Blake.  They have a big time.  Blakely yells DAN-DI, GIGI, GEE-MAMA the whole way over.  

Sunday afternoon Lonnie and I had softball practice.  Have I mentioned we joined a co-ed league?  I can't remember.  Anyway, practice.  At 430 in the afternoon.  In the 100 degree heat.  Let me tell you something...that is not awesome.  And then it lasted for 3 hours!  I had been loading up on water for 2 days knowing it was going to be so hot.  It was good and I am so glad we joined because it is going to be really fun when it cools off a bit.  But I don't think I can do another one of those practices.  I felt fine after practice, just exhausted and hot, but on the drive home I started getting nauseated.  Got home and proceeded to puke for 5 minutes.  Then I was better!  Crazy.  Here's to cooler weather soon.  

Oh and I can barely move today.  Ouch.  A good ouch but still...  I haven't played softball in 13 years and my body definitely is reminding me of that today!  I am looking forward to getting back into it though.  There is a girl on our team that has a little girl Blakely's age.  I see a lot of playing in the dirt together in their future.  And it is something fun that Lonnie and I can do together.  I can't wait!  

Did you do anything fun this weekend?