Catching Up...

This is the precious site I watched last Fri. My girls were waiting on Honey and Granddad to get here! It was so cute!! They were out there, yes I was watching the whole time, for almost 30 min. thinking that at any moment H&G were going to drive up! I love it! Then, when they drove up, I should have had my camera in hand because there was a lot of running and jumping! This past week someone said that I should try and clip a bow on Whitney's one curl on the top of her head! She's lost A LOT of her hair. You can probably tell from this picture. It is looking lighter for sure, but still has a dark and even sometimes a red tint (like Lindsey's does) to it. Anyway, she was sitting at the table (more like ON the table) one day and looked so BIG! I love the look on her face! She's just adorable! (at least I think so!)

Is there a more precious profile? I think not!

Then on Friday night we got 6 inches of snow! That is by far the most we have gotten since we have lived in Greenwood! It was so pretty! Most of it came in the late afternoon on Friday, so we didn't get to go out in it. As much as I don't like to be hot, I really don't like going out and hanging out in the cold either. I guess I'm just a fair weather kind of person. But, Courtney was happy to go out and play....alone!

She had so much fun!

"Look at this BIG snowball!"

Daddy helping build a snowman!

PERFECT!

What could be better after building a snowman than hot chocolate, or at least the marshmallows that go in it? I think that is all Courtney really wants, not the hot chocolate! She would NOT let me take a picture of her with her mug. She saw this picture and thought it was funny.

The reason that Lindsey is no where in these pictures is because she has the flu! Yes, my big girl who has been so healthy and avoided so much woke up with 103.3 fever this morning at 4:15! She didn't even call to me because she felt bad, she just needed to go potty. Then as I was tucking her back in her bed, she felt HOT, not warm, but her forehead was on FIRE! So I took her temp, saw the 103.3 and tried to calmly ask, "Do you feel bad?" Her answer, "No, why?" So I took it again, thinking surely this is wrong. How can you have 103 fever and not feel bad. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes looked sick. 2nd temp read 103.2 I guess that was it. I let her (asked her to) come to our room on the floor. She did and acted fine, never complained.

Then at 5:30 she was still awake, as was I. Not sure why she was, but I was laying in bed thinking about why she doesn't feel bad with 103. I guess that was a good thing, but was it? Why does she NOT feel bad with 103? Is that a bad thing? Just the worried mom thoughts...

She asked to get in our bed, so Ryan went to the couch. She started talking to me so we watched tv for a while and then around 6:45 she was ready to get up. Continuing to tell me she felt fine. I told her that just in case she couldn't touch Whitney. Thankgoodness! Because by 8:00 she was "cold" and was ready for more tylenol. Her fever was back up to 100.8. It had gone away with the Tylenol I gave her at 4:30. So I start calling the after hours clinics. (Remember, we have 6 inches of fresh fallen snow on the ground!) The one in Greenwood is not opening all weekend. So I call the one in Fort Smith. The answering service says as far as they know, it will be open. There are 2 locations. Ryan gets ready and takes L to one of them, CLOSED! Oh no! I call the other one and they are open! Praise the Lord! They tested her for flu and it was positive! Oh.my.word! It is type A, which is the type that the H1N1 strand is under. We didn't do the H1N1 test for $200, but either way, it is the flu. She came home with Tamiflu and a z-pack. She's slept ALL afternoon, which is highly unlike her.

The hard part is that she can't go to school for a while. They say until she's at the very least fever free for 24 hours. That means she's home they suggested until Thursday! WHAT?! Ryan is leaving town on Monday and come back LATE Thursday! So that means I'm home, can't go anywhere with a child that has the flu, for 4 days ALL.BY.MYSELF. Not to mention, they suggested that obviously Lindsey stay away from her siblings and me as much as possible (since I'm still nursing!) That is going to be pretty hard without someone else here! Mercy! Stresses me out to just think about it! Reality is, I'll do my best. I wiped the door knobs and bathroom. Kitchen counter and table. Light switches and such all with Lysol wipes. What more can I do other than pray for God's protection over Whitney, who is my main concern at this point.

Sorry for the long post, if you are still reading, pray for our family this week when you think about it! Safe travel, L to get well and for the rest of us to stay well!

A lot of Whitney

She seems to love our bed. She slept there very little when she was a newborn. Now, if she's really struggling to take a nap, I can cuddle her on our bed and get her to sleep. Isn't she precious? She's just getting so stinkin' big! This might be one of my favorite pictures ever! I was a thumb sucker (until 4th grade!) but neither of my other girls even came close. I'm not sure I want her to be totally attached to her thumb for fear of her sucking it until 4th grade, but it sure is precious right now!
Courtney has been really struggling with "middle child syndrome" lately. I was glad the other day when she asked to hold Whitney. She talks and sings to her a lot, but doesn't ask to hold her often. She's so sweet and getnle with her. This time Whitney was just looking and looking at her! Something about those sisters...I just love to watch them!

Lindsey is learning to read "one vowel words" as she tells me. She's LOVING it and thinks she is so big! Her readers from school are very very simple, but she still feels like she's reading a book. Both of her sisters were very interested in listening. I had to capture the moment!

Not having a sister of my own, I don't really know that relationship. However, I'm learning more and more what it must be like. These 3 girls love eachother so much. It is an amazing thing! I pray they will always be best friends and stay close!

Go Upward Go!

Yesterday we started another season of Upward! Ryan is coaching 5th-7th grade boys. This year Lindsey is cheering as well. To say she was excited would be the understatement of the year! This is most of the girls on her squad! I know some of them...The "big girl" in the back is Heaven, our pastor's adopted daughter! She's a helper on their squad. Here they are stretching
This is how Whitney spent the beginning of the game. When she was ready to get out, we had plenty of willing hands to hold her!

Warming up...she's got the stance down, wouldn't you say?

Next time I will know to bring my zoom lens! But, here they are standing to cheer!

Of course, Courtney had to be "in uniform" too! There is no telling what she was saying or thinking in this picture. Classic Courtney face for sure!

This is Lindsey's friend Paige. She and Paige have been friends since we moved here. It was her very first friend that she met at church. Paige started kindergarten so we don't see her as often, but they have fun together cheering!

Lindsey did good. I watched her and was proud of her. She was so happy to be out there. I guess it is in her blood! If she wants to play basketball, softball, volleyball, the flute or whatever she finds that she likes, I will still be proud! For now...I'm a happy momma with a cheerleader!

A lot of Nothing...

We have not been up to much other than our normal, busy, non-exciting lives. I thought that Ryan and Courtney looked so cute on Sunday. Of course, Courtney wouldn't smile. She's in that "don't take my picture" phase which I clearly remember Lindsey being in. So, getting her to smile is totally hopeless right now. Ryan looks good though! :) He's such a good daddy too. Courtney hasn't ever really been a "daddy's girl" but here lately she can not get enough of him! It is so cute! Lindsey has ALWAYS been his leech, but now he has 2! Ha! I'm so glad they love him and he is amazing to watch with them! He's such a good example of who they need to marry! Way to go, Babe! It has been super duper cold here. Honey got this for Whitney for Christmas and it is so cute! A perfect outfit for getting out on a cold winter's day! We had to take Courtney to gymnastics on Monday, so I bundled Whit up in it! She was snuggly warm for sure!

Today, Erin and Katie and their "non-school age" children came over for lunch. I got Lindsey from school and of course she wanted to hold Beau! She's so good with babies! Erin got a cute smile out of Beau!

It has been so cold here that we haven't gotten out much. Tonight all the Wed. night church stuff starts back. We are planning on going unless some winter weather comes between now and then. The girls are excited to eat supper at church again. I am too...1 less meal per week that I have to cook. :) They are yummy meals too! Then we all go to our classes. I'm going to do the Beth Moore Esther study. It is long and intense I have heard, but I'm ready. I'm ready to see what God is going to teach me through this study. Here we go...

Going to Church

Whitney and I have ventured out to church the last 2 weeks. This is her on her first day to visit! She is getting so big! I love the look on her face! I could just eat her up! Yesterday we "visited" the nursery when she got fussy during Bro. Ronnie's sermon! During the music she is entertained and then when it gets quiet and she's sleepy.....she started to fuss. Not really cry, but just wasn't content, therefore I didn't wait for her to scream. I walked over to the nursery with her to tell Tonia that Whit will probably be there next week! Tonia has a nursery blog and put this picture on there today, so I "stole" it!

Is she really big enough for the nursery? My baby is growing up!