The Goldens

My perfect little man...

2009-09-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Well...Gage turned two in July. In some ways I cannot believe he is already two, and in other ways, I do not remember life before him. He was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech in April, and we began speech therapy immediately and intensely...two 45 minute sessions weekly is about max treatment for his age/attention span. He has learned some sign language and that has lessened his frustration in being unable to communicate verbally. He says "Mama" constantly, but other than that, he uses only signs to communicate...and he screams at us A LOT. " It has been extremely frustrating and exhausting.

We were encouraged to put him in preschool by his speech therapist, trusting and hoping that the socialization with other children would be beneficial. I took him on Tuesday for his first day. He was excited about the "different" toys and other kids, and was happily playing when I sneaked out. However, they called me an hour later saying that he had been upset since he realized I was gone (5 seconds after I left), and they couldn't calm him down. I went there immediately and took him home. After school, I spoke with the director of the school and Gage's teacher and asked if I could stay with him at school for the first couple of weeks to see if I could get him comfortable. They agreed that may be the best approach, so today was MY first day of preschool (literally since I did not go as a child). He was a little clingy, but he interacted and played some with the children. I am still hopeful that this approach will work, although I am planning to attend preschool quite regularly at this point. They seemed to appreciate and need my help in there anyway!

I have so often heard people, who are "expecting," say "We just want a healthy baby...boy or girl...we don't care," and I said the same thing when I was pregnant. And after a terrifying pregnancy, scary delivery, several days in the NICU, and finally bringing our precious little 4lb 3oz Gage home, I felt like we had been given just that...a healthy baby. Two years later, after the frustration endured from having a child unable to communicate well, several months of speech therapy, an unsuccessful attempt at preschool, I still believe we have been given just that...a healthy baby. While I am exhausted and frustrated daily with this challenge, I am thankful that he can understand me and know that I love him, and I am thankful that he can laugh and run and dance... Each of us truly has so much for which to be thankful. Please never take for granted hearing your little one say "I love you." I eagerly...yet patiently await that day and know without a doubt that I will never forget that moment in time...

Catching up...again...

2009-04-02T05:54:00.001-07:00

Time seems to be minimal these days, so blogging has taken a "back seat." Gage had pneumonia about a month ago, and that consumed a lot of time with almost hourly breathing treatments at times. He still isn't talking (at least not in English:), so we are meeting with specialists, and trying to address that appropriately, keeping in mind that he isn't delayed in any other areas, so it is likely just that he has a speech delay for whatever reason. At the moment, he is well and learning more each day. He loves to sort shapes, play with puzzles, buckle and unbuckle (anything and everything he can). He would let me read and sing to him all day, and for that I am SO grateful! Reading and singing to him are the highlights in my day. He would stay outside all day long, whether it was 3o degrees or 110 degrees. He just LOVES anything outside. He often stands at the door and cries because he wants to "go!"He is especially fascinated with vehicles and would play in the driver's seat, turning the wheel and fidgeting with buttons...forever if we let him. He loves his baby cousin, Hayes and of course Gracie-those are two of his favorite little people for sure. He is a "Mama's boy" THROUGH AND THROUGH, and while that exhausts me and irritates me occasionally, I KNOW that it will not last forever, so I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

Josh and Gage at Gracie's Grammy's house

We visited the aquarium while we were at the beach two weekends ago and yesterday, we went to the Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, so we have been busy "exploring."

Gracie loved the tiny jellyfish!

Trying to touch a stingray

Gage admiring her bravery...

Big field trip with Mom, Aunt Tree, and cousins

Checking out the rain forest beneath us on a lower floor

Watching the butterflies, while Mommy "dodged" them.

Cade and Gage checking out the dinosaurs

Sweet face...checking out the bugs...yuck.

Laura Grace is growing up so quickly. She loves preschool, and is learning so much each day. I wish I could learn so easily! She recently started soccer and already loves it, though we are still working on the "no hands" issue... She never much cared for dance or gymnastics, so I am thinking she will surely be a "tomboy" through and through. She has been traveling a lot! Already this year, she has been on a trip to Disney World in Florida, to Mexico, to Utah on a ski trip, which she LOVED, and to the Cayman Islands, where she swam with dolphins. I love that she is experiencing so much at such a young age. She is full of life and a true to joy to everyone she meets.

Sharing her water with "Gagie"at her first soccer game

Best buds, climbing at Grammy's house

2009-01-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Holiday Happenings

2009-01-07T19:21:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe my little man is already eighteen months old. He is growing so fast and learning so much. He is our daily source of laughter.

December seems to have been swallowed whole (at least in my blogging world), but the month (as December always is) was full of cookie baking, party planning, present shopping, Christmas card making, gift wrapping, etc...

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas surrounded by family and friends. We flew home to Michigan on Christmas Eve successfully making all of our flights and although we had to...well, actually my dad and Josh had to drive back to the airport Christmas Day to retrieve our luggage, we were thankful that the weather cooperated with us and we got there safely! We thoroughly enjoyed getting all of the cousins together (we have FIVE little ones in total now, since adding Ava to the crew this past July-FUN)! I ALWAYS enjoy so much spending time with my nieces and nephews, and this trip was no exception!! I also love to visit with my Grandma, who is ninety-two and so full of life. And of course my parents soaked up every second with Gage they could! My dad even bought him a sled and built him a snowman.

Our time in Michigan was of course too short, and our flight home was of course TOO long:) Because our first flight was delayed, I had to run (literally) with Gage to our next gate and BEG them to wait for Josh (who was waiting for our stroller). This was the last flight of the day to our destination, and we did NOT want to spend the night in Atlanta.

We BARELY made it, so...our luggage did not make it. Josh had put the keys to our vehicle in his carry on, which he decided to "check" at the last minute, so we were an hour away from home at 10pm without keys. After renting a car, calling On Star to unlock our vehicle so we could get Gage's car seat, waiting for someone to come, and driving home, we arrived home at 1:30am--only then to turn around later that same day and head to the beach for a New Years Eve party.

Needless to say, by the time we got home from the beach on January 2nd, we were EXHAUSTED! Unfortunately, we came home to find that our house had been broken into while we were at the beach and someone had taken our television, video camera, laptop, gun, and a few other items. We did NOT have insurance. We do now.

Three days later, we found ourselves in the emergency room--Gage has bronchitis.

I am sharing all of this for two reasons. First of all, for your entertainment and perhaps mine someday too...looking back. And secondly, because I find myself coming out of this unfortunate week with optimism, and that could be only from God.

I am so grateful that some of the expensive gifts we received for Christmas were not sitting around for the "crook" to take, because our luggage was lost and had not been retrieved yet. I am thankful that we caught Gage's bronchitis before it turned to pneumonia and I CHERISH the precious quiet moments I am "forced" to have with him during his many nebulizer treatments (all for which he is ANGELIC)! I am so blessed that our new desktop computer, which contains ALL of my thousands of irreplaceable pictures and sits two feet away from the window through which the person entered is completely in tact.

God is so good to us, and we are so undeservedly blessed.

I hope you have all had a wonderful Christ-filled holiday season. I look forward to catching up with everyone as soon as I have the time to do so.

Pictures will follow...

Santa Visit

2008-11-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

Last year, we visited Santa at LaPetite Boutique in Kinston. He is a GREAT Santa-very realistic, velvet suit, genuine beard, and as sweet as pie! We made sure we got there again this year. We spent $45 for 1- 8x10, 4- 5x7's and 8 wallets, but it sure beat standing in those lines at the mall and visiting the questionable "Santa" there! Plus, I love that we have his picture with the same Santa both years! Anyway, the picture wasn't amazing by any means. They take three or four and then use THEIR judgement in picking one. Since I know he was smiling in one, and looking at Santa in the other, this would NOT have been my choice, but oh well... At least he isnt crying... (though I remember a HYSTERICAL picture of my niece, Chae with Santa from several years ago, screaming bloody murder-that could have won a contest!)

Harvest Fest/ Halloween 2008

2008-11-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

We had a great Halloween this year, starting with Harvest Fest at Greenville Christian on Thursday night which was followed by trick or treating on Friday night with Gage's cousins (fellow super-heros), and chili and cider at Shane and Theresa's afterwards! We had such a great time, and the weather was perfect!

Raggedy Ann and Superman ready for Harvest Fest!

Loving the "jumpers!"

Cousins ALWAYS more into eachother than the camera!

Spiderman and Superman...

Gage enjoyed throwing the candy out of his bucket, and Cade thought he was HYSTERICAL! (Xander was following behind, collecting the candy into his bucket:) I am VERY disappointed I did not get a good picture of all of the cousins together! Xander was batman, Cade and Hayes were both spiderman, and Gage was Superman! They were ADORABLE!

First Hair Cut--Mommy in mourning...

2008-11-04T11:54:00.001-08:00

This was very hard for me for some reason! There was something about those precious curls I just LOVED... However, he was starting to be mistaken for a girl, and his daddy wasn't okay with that. This new "do" has also made him look SO much older, and I am NOT ready to lose my baby to a toddler...

Before

After

Isn't she precious?!?!

2008-10-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Palin Convention

2008-10-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, my brother in law, Shane scraped together enough tickets (which was extremely difficult), so that he, Theresa (my sister in law), Michelle (Gracie's mom), and I could go downtown to the Minges Colosseum at ECU to hear Sarah Palin speak at a rally. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing and hearing her, and we were encouraged of course by her many supporters!

Go McCain! Please vote...and PRAY!

2008-10-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

The cutest little politician yet!

Ears and...TALKING!

2008-10-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

Keys!

First of all, yesterday was a milestone for us. Gage said his first word (first one understood by me at least)! "KEYS!" And he said it about a thousand times. I think most first words are probably "Mamma," "Dadda," or in Gracie's case "BALL!" But not my little man, he has been obsessed with keys since he first learned to hold things, so it is fitting that this was his first word. (As a sidenote, he is ALSO obsessed with his Mommy, so I am hoping that word is soon to follow...)

Secondly, he pulled through his procedure this morning perfectly! After about an hour of discussing the procedure, signing papers, and waiting, Gage willingly went to the nurse; I waited for about five minutes before they called me to the consultation room, where I waited another five minutes for the doctor to arrive; he explained that the procedure went well, I heard Gage whimpering behind the double doors, and seeing the look on my face, the doctor told me to go ahead in to see him. I went to see my little man who was seemingly not too impressed with the nurse who was trying to "wake him up." He was tired:) After a cup of milk, some apple sauce, and a few bites of banana bread, he was awake, and they were content to let him go home. Thank the Lord for such a quick and safe procedure this morning!

Not so "well" check-up...

2008-10-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Gage finally had his one year well check up (now that he is fifteen months), and it turned out he wasn't "well." The doctor saw fluid on both ears, so he refused to give him his immunizations (the second unsuccessful well visit and refusal to administer shots), but instead handed over yet another prescription for an ear infection, and he also referred us to an ENT in Greenville, because of Gage's recurring ear infections (he has had more than six in the past year).

The appointment with the ear specialist was this morning (a grueling two hour wait to see the doctor for a thirty second peak in his ears), where they determined that Gage needs to have tubes (sort of what we were anticipating). His surgery is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 7:30am. I know it is a simple procedure-he will have local anesthesia, and will be out of my arms for only 5-10 minutes (doctor's promise), but please pray for my little guy! I hate to see him in ANY discomfort of any kind...and simply not being able to have his MILK until after his procedure is over will be pain enough!

Hopefully this will end the ear infections once and for all!!

And by the way, his stats are as follows:

Height 32 inches (95th percentile)
Weight 27 lbs 8 oz (90th percentile)
Can you believe he was born EIGHT weeks early?!?!

He is a healthy, happy, thriving little man who has stolen his mommy's heart! We are hoping he starts talking soon. He hasn't said any actual words yet, and the doctors have said that the recurring ear infections could have something to do with that... I'm not too worried--I have a feeling that once he starts, he won't stop...

Before... (9/2007)

...and after! (9/2008)

Click here

2008-09-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

to see Gage's online gallery of his recent photo shoot. I know I am partial, but wouldn't he be a great model for Ralph Lauren?!?!

The things that are funny to a one year old...

2008-09-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

Collard Fest 2008

2008-09-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had Collard Festival here again in our small town of Ayden. We anticipated the effect that the hurricanes would have on the event, so we walked Gracie and Gage downtown on Thursday (opening night). The storms were predicted to arrive Friday evening, and they did, so it was a good thing we went Thursday. They had a great time, enjoying the live music and riding a few rides (I rode a few with Gracie; Gage could ride only the carousel). Grace even got to enjoy a few bites of cotton candy!

Can you believe that squirrel? Poor baby must have been lost.

I LOVE our sit-n-stand double stroller! And isn't he handsome?!?!

She loved the dinasour ride!

"PLEASE, can I ride too?!"

Idaho

2008-08-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it is certainly easier traveling WITH my husband. Gage slept through two of the three flights to Idaho (he was awake for the LONG three hr flight), and he didn't sleep for even a moment on any of the three flights home, but he did sleep through both layovers in his stroller. However, considering he IS only one, he did great! The very last flight was rough, but that WAS his tenth flight in the past three weeks, and it was only an hour of fussiness (and "some" screaming)... All in all, I can't complain.

Our visit was SO fun! Aaron and Selena just finished building a beautiful house! They were GREAT hosts, and took us to see all the "sites" in the area, and there were A LOT of beautiful ones! Claire is absolutely gorgeous, and it was certainly a pleasure to meet her (Gage especially thought so)! He learned to "love on" her quite easily and frequently.

Shoshone Falls-the "Niagra"
of the West-awesome!

Can you find Josh and Gage?

Evan, Rese, and me

Rese was glued to me, and Evan was glued to Josh, and we loved every second of that! Josh and I respect so much the way these children are being reared. They are SO well behaved, and that says a lot for their parents! Kudos, Aaron and Selena!

A surprisingly successful pic of the kids.

Gage was mesmerized by every "site." One evening we went to the races, but Gage made it all of five minutes, and the noise started to scare him, so Selena and I got our money back and went home to watch a movie (though we both fell asleep before the movie was playing five minutes, as a result of the exhaustion of motherhood:)--it WAS only 9pm!

I didn't take a TON of pictures, like I normally would--mostly because my camera's battery was low the whole time, and I forgot the charger, but it probably worked out better. I got a few shots of most everything we did, and spent more time "enjoying" the moments, rather than "capturing" them.

We spent one afternoon, swimming in a pool that was fed by natural hot springs. That was a lot of fun!

The girls and their babies... Aaron's sister in law, Jess joined us with her baby girl, Kara, who is just a week younger than Claire (that will surely make for a very convenient play mate).

Gage LOVES swimming!

The last evening we were there, we packed up all the kiddos and loaded all their "stuff" in the back of Aaron's truck, complete with a grill, food, blankets, chairs-the whole works, and drove to a remote lake in the middle of a dessert to enjoy the simple beauty of this part of the world. The boys fished, and we had a great time! Idaho is the opposite of North Carolina in most ways, and although Josh and I are both self-proclaimed "city folk," we thoroughly enjoyed seeing the other side of the country and the beauty out there!

Gage and Daddy enjoying the view...

love at first sight!

Gage loves any excuse to be DIRTY!

The most beautiful "site"(Claire)!

Michigan!

2008-08-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Gage and I had an "eventful" trip to Michigan. In short, I decided to stand by for earlier flights, and between that decision, weather delays, and ATLANTA, I ended up stuck in Atlanta's airport for eight hours with a one year old.

Our visit, however, was wonderful! We spent the weekend with Gage's cousins--Stephen, Chae, Preston, and the newest addition, Ava (who is absolutely GORGEOUS)! Trisha, Kim, and I took all five kids to the Saginaw Children's Zoo on Friday, visited with grandparents that evening, including Gage's Great Grandma Kelsey, who will be 92 in November.

Our attempt at a picture of all the kiddos

Precious Ava FINALLY in my arms!

Gage LOVED the carousel at the zoo!

Saturday morning, my brother David and Chae took Gage and me to see the property they recently bought at Higgins Lake. We walked through the model of their house they plan to build, walked around their property (which is complete with sand dunes! Gage was a fan of THAT!), spent a little time at the beach, and had a nice lunch together at a local diner before we headed back.

Beautiful, CLEAR lake!

Getting messy with Chae...

Gage's aunts threw Gage a birthday party in Kim's backyard on Saturday evening, which was a lot of fun. Once again, Gage slept for the first hour of his party, and then he enjoyed lots of fun with the kiddos outside. The party was complete with lots of yummy food, pool fun, cake, presents, and a campfire with s'mores! We enjoyed church on Sunday with everyone and another visit with Great Grandma on Sunday evening.

Choking hazard?!

Preston loving on Gage-yes, they matched:)

Sweet Great Grandma Kelsey...seriously Gage and Preston?

Monday was filled with more airport/plane frustration. Our first flight was delayed, which caused us to miss our connecting flight home, so Gage and I ended up in a hotel in Atlanta with very little luggage, three diapers, and one cup of milk. Nothing was in walking distance of the hotel, so we managed with that. I wore him out the best I could with makeshift toys (a phone book, pizza box, and stroller:), and we both were asleep by 8pm. Gage was up from 4-6am, but we made it back to the airport by 8am, fought our way through security, had a peaceful flight home (thank God the aircraft was only half full), and made it back home by about noon.

Pizza at the hotel (no other options)... and the socks were to keep his feet clean! I hate hotels.

I would love to say it will be a LONG time before we attempt flying again, but we are heading out again Thursday to visit our friends, Aaron and Selena Walker in Idaho and meet their newest addition, Claire! We are VERY excited about this trip! We haven't seen them since we went to Disney with them over a year ago (I was pregnant). Josh is going with us this time though, so I am confident, it will be smoother traveling with an extra set of hands! Please pray for us!!

Happy third birthday, Laura Grace!

2008-07-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated Gracie's third birthday. Her parents planned a luau in her honor at their beach house. We had such a great time!

Gage slept for the first hour or so of the party (as he did his own), but he was able to jump right in and enjoy the fun when he woke up...

Gage bought her roller skates, and they were a big hit!

Welcome Baby Ava! (almost a month late...)

2008-07-30T04:41:00.000-07:00

My newest precious niece, Ava JoAnn Kelsey was born July 8, weighing 8 lbs, 10 oz; 19 1/2 inches long. She is perfect in every way, and I cannot WAIT to get her in my arms! Each one of my nieces and nephews claims a special place in my heart, and I am so grateful for each of them! Gage and I are headed up to Michigan to meet her for the first time tomorrow! We just can't wait!! As a side note, pray for me as I endure a lengthy flight with a one year old!

Welcome to the world, Sweet Girl!!

Fourth of July (a little late)

2008-07-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Last year, we spent Fourth of July in the hospital. Gage was two days old, and I was still recovering from the c-section. The year before that, we kept Laura Grace, so Jim and Michelle could go see the fireworks (at the time, Grace was extrememly frightened of loud noises), so this year, we were determined to see some fireworks! We went down to Washington (which is about 30 minutes away) and watched them at the waterfront.

Gage's new wagon certainly came in handy-he LOVES it much better than a stroller.

We had a good time with Shane, Tree, and the boys, and Josh's parents. Gage and Hayes were even perfect through the whole thing-neither one seemed the least bit bothered by the noise.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-07-12T10:31:00.001-07:00

Little Sickie

2008-07-08T05:33:00.001-07:00

Gage had a bit of a runny nose I was blaming on new teeth on Sunday. On Monday, he woke up with a full blown cold, yucky nose, cough-the whole nine yards. By early afternoon, he was wheezing pretty badly, so I called his doctor and they got him in immediately.

He had to have a breathing treatment, for which he was ANGELIC, to my surprise. They insisted on consistent nebulizer treatments every three hours all day and through the night and another appointment today to make sure he is progressing. I woke him up every three hours last night, and he was SO perfect every time. He never fusses at the mask-he just sits in my lap, rather mesmerized by the whole experience. Bless his heart.

Before and After...

2008-07-06T13:15:00.001-07:00

The pictures speak for themselves. He was SOOO skinny. You can probably imagine how much I LOVE those chubbies on him!

Happy Birthday, My Love!

2008-07-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it is just past midnight, and I am typically in bed by 10pm, but Gage's birthday party is tomorrow night, and I have decided that I am going to start a tradition--in addition to the birthday cake for the guests at his party, I am going to make him his very own special cake every year. This year, I went with a baseball! It is by no means perfect, but if it were, then I would have started with the highest expectations, and that would be pure crazy. Okay, so that's just an excuse. I've simply no where NEAR mastered the technique of decorative cake baking.

I will take better pictures of it tomorrow as it sits on his high chair tray for a moment, before he destroys it...without an ounce of appreciation for the hours of careful effort and ridiculously sore hands of his mother.

Anyway, Gage spent his "actual" birthday at work with Mom, playing with Laura Grace. Tomorrow evening, we will have his party! Pictures will SURELY follow.

Reminiscing...

2008-07-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

For the past week, I have been constantly remembering back to a year ago. On June 26 of last year, I was transfered via ambulance to a hospital with a NICU capable of handling a baby so early, because my water broke at 31 weeks, and the only option was to deliver. I was scared to death that my precious baby was going to be born "too" early. The ultrasound showed that he was about 3 lbs. Doctors were very concerned about his lungs, so they pumped me full of steroids to help them develop more quickly. And then for the next six days, I lay in the hospital bed, allowing him time to grow, as doctors watched closely for signs of infection or irregular heartbeat.

On July 1 (exactly a year ago today), at about 10pm, I started noticing a tenderness in my stomach that the doctors were concerned could be an infection, since I was much more susceptible to infection without sufficient water around the baby as protection.

Early the next morning, after an exhausting c-section at 2:45am, I burst into tears as I heard the doctor say "he has baby fat!", and I heard that loud cry, his first noise--a sound I will never forget as long as I live.

I had prepared myself (as well as I knew how) to hear no baby sounds as doctors hurriedly allotted me a quick glance at my silent baby and rushed him away shoving tubes and needles in him. So I cannot begin to explain the joy I felt when I heard him crying so loudly, saw doctors smiling (obviously relieved that he was not as tiny or dependent as expected), and watched as Josh took him in his arms and brought him to me, and I will never forget that first kiss when Josh brought him close enough for my lips to brush his.

Gage was a whopping 4lbs 5oz, he had very slight breathing complications, but improved quickly, and though the doctors anticipated his hospital stay would be every bit of six weeks, he came home eleven days after he was born. God is so good!

I am convinced that this world is a better place because Gage is in it. To know this little man is to love him. He is a gift, and I cannot imagine life without him.

Tomorrow, he will be one year old, and this has been the best year of my life! I will be forever grateful because of this miracle with whom God chose to bless us!

My little chef

2008-06-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

Josh may kill me for posting a picture of his BOY in Gracie's kitchen set, but he was just SO cute! And please forgive the quality of picture-it was taken with my blackberry.

2008-06-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Here are some snapshots of the past two weeks, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the pictures WHERE I want them to correspond with the text, so I will have to explain... It is HOT here in North Carolina, so any outdoor activities require WATER! We've done lots of swimming at Jim and Michelle's beach house, but other than that we enjoy air-conditioned activities such as storytime at Barnes and Noble (where you can see Gage and Gracie were more interested in the Thomas the Train set).
Gage did NOT drink that Capri Sun (for you health crazed moms out there:) . He was simply enjoying chewing on Gracie's empty juice container.
The picture of Gage sleeping on Daddy was ironically taken on Father's Day. They had a sweet nap together. Gage has been fighting a bit of a cold (yes, it is 90 degrees here), so he has been spoiled a bit in the sleep routine department.
And yesterday, he decided to unravel the wrapping paper left out from Father's Day, and this is how I found him--happily in mischief.

Eleven Months

2008-06-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my itty bitty preemie will be a year old in one month and is nearing the 25lb mark. Sometimes, I wish I could freeze time! He's growing too quickly. Here is a picture of his "curly after bath" hair and his five teeth (three on top, and two on bottom)!

Silly Sleeper/ Xander

2008-06-01T06:34:00.000-07:00

I am constantly capturing Gage's adorable sleeping positions, but have neglected to post them for fear of rebuke from my safety consious friends (because he has a few pillow toys and a blankie in his crib). However, I just can't resist with this one. This is how I found him asleep for his morning nap just moments ago.

...and these are a couple of pictures of some more fun in the sun at the beach house. I took Xander with me this weekend, and he had a lot of fun with Laura Grace and her glorious pool! Gracie's favorite activity in the pool is getting thrown, and there is no such thing as "too" high to her, as you can tell from this photo of her being thrown by her daddy.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

We had such a great weekend! It was our first time staying at Jim and Michelle's new beach house (which is arguably more of a RESORT than a house). They have been building since this time last year, and we have watched it quickly come together these past few months. It is absolutely amazing, and Gage had a great time, especially in their pool, complete with fountains (that change color at night) and hot tub!

Laura Grace has become a little fish, and is rarely OUT of the pool. She and Gage had a ball!!

Monday, we drove back from the beach and had a cookout with Josh's family at his brother's house. We had beautiful weather the whole time and really could not have asked for a better holiday weekend.

As an added note, you simply MUST check out the newest picture of my nephew, Hayes on Theresa's blog.

More VB...

2008-05-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday, so Josh and Gage surprised me with this matching wallet and make-up bag this morning with a VERY sweet card! I just love it! I'll ignore the fact that my first surprise this morning was of a much different sort and was delivered via Gage at 5 am!

And can you believe that it is not even 11am, and I have had SIX people (not including Josh and Gage) send me an e-mail, text, or phone call, wishing me a happy birthday already?!?!?! How sweet is that? I feel so loved today!

Gifts

2008-05-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

For my first Mother's Day, Josh gave me this Vera Bradley bag (the bigger size was much needed since mommyhood), and Gage gave me this personalized frame (he's very thoughtful at such a young age:). I just thought I would share about the generosity of the two men in my life...

And as a side note, this particular VB bag has oodles of pockets inside to keep all of my goodies organized--goodies such as wipes, camera, wallet, hand sanitizer, etc... Such a "mom" gift REALLY!

And as another sidenote, the picture in the frame was taken during our Christmas vacation in Michigan--the only time Gage has had an excuse to wear such adorable winter clothing (thanks to his big cousin, Preston for sharing).

Happy Summer!

2008-05-18T05:24:00.000-07:00

I know that it "technically" is not summer for another month or so, but it surely FEELS like summer here in North Carolina! I just love
this time of year, and spending time in the sun and days at the beach are even so much more fun with Gage.

This time last year I was very pregnant and a tad miserable in the heat, so I am all the more grateful for May weather
this year!

Here are a couple of snapshots of two of the
greatest joys in my life...

Mother's Day...

2008-05-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Ten things I love about being a mom (even though there are LOTS more):

Playing on the floor
Gage's breath (there is no greater smell in this WORLD to me than that!)
Big blue eyes that I can read better than anyone else
Fresh from the bath smell (apparently, I am really into "smells" lately)
Kissing chubby hands, legs, and every part of his head and face all day long
Baby noises-he "sings" and "screams" a lot lately
Kissing boo boos
Hearing Gage laugh
Going to the park
Observing "Gage and Daddy time"

TEN MONTHS!!

2008-05-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just can't believe that my little boy is ten months old now. This picture is to commemorate this milestone. Notice he is sporting Daddy's Chicago Bears.

Strawberry Patch

2008-05-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

We took Gracie and Gage to pick strawberries on Wednesday, because Josh had the day off, and I like to plan those particular activities when I have a little "back up" help. Gracie thoroughly enjoyed it, and Gage thoroughly enjoyed watching her enjoy it (that's really all it takes for him). Anyway, it was a beautiful day, and we had a great time. The strawberry patch was followed by lunch at Sonic, which lasted about two hours, because they have the BEST playgrounds!

A day at the park...

2008-05-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Typically, one would describe a day at the park as "fun" or "relaxing" or at the very least "leisurely," right?! Ours was not to be.

Last Friday, my sister in law,Theresa and I decided that we would take the boys to the park, which is about a mile from her house and let Xander and Cade ride their bikes, so we could push the little men in strollers and get a little exercise and fresh air. We planned to get there at about 11am (Gage usually naps from 10-11, so we thought this would work well), but Gage decided to sleep until noon, so we headed over to Theresa's to pick the crew up about an hour past schedule. Theresa had decided to feed the boys lunch by this time, so when I got to her house, I thought it best to feed Gage as well. Hayes (the only "low maintenance" one of the bunch) had eaten at 11, so he would be good until 2 -ish. We started to load up the boys. About 30 minutes later, we had all three carseats in place (Xander would have to go without the booster this time-after all, it was only a mile), but there was not a chance we were going to fit two bikes and two strollers in the back of my Yukon (a car that most would consider LARGE). We DID try, but to no avail. At this point, our trip to the park had become more of a challenge. Kids are getting fussy, and we are running out of options. We finally decided to borrow a car from Aunt Char to transport the bikes and strollers. We all drove to her house, dropped Tree off to drive the borrowed car, drove back to the house, loaded up the bikes and strollers, and she followed me to the park. We unloaded the boys, strollers, and bikes, and we placed every one in their appropriate places, and off we went down the track. I think we got to the park by 3pm. Between diaper changes, potty breaks, and feedings, we got a mere two laps around the track and about thirty minutes on the playground. By the time we loaded everyone and every thing back in the car and arrived home, it was time for baths and bed. Whew... May be a while before we venture off to the park again. Though it made for a lot of laughing, we are not convinced the visit was worth the effort.

Catching up...

2008-04-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

1. Springtime: We have spent some time at the beach already this spring-not really swimming, but playing. Gage was introduced to the "actual" beach for the first time (he's been lots, but this was the first time he actually touched the sand). To my surprise, he did not eat it! That was a shock, because my little porker eats EVERYTHING!!

2. My brother and sister in law came down for a visit a few weeks ago, and it was so nice to visit with them and get some good quality time with my niece, Chae. We spent a couple of days at the beach, and Chae and Laura Grace became fast friends, of course.

3. Gage is officially crawling and pulling himself up (on EVERYTHING)! I say "officially," because he has been "army crawling" on his belly for a while now, but now he uses both hands and knees. He has been healthy, other than a couple of minor colds, and growing up so much daily. I feel like my baby has turned into a toddler already... He loves food (as I'm sure you can tell), and he actually bypassed stage 1 foods altogether! Now that I think of it, I believe he bypassed size 1 diapers too, and went from newborn to 2! I miss my baby, but I have fallen so deeply in love with this little man!

4. Josh's position at Segrave Aviation changed from "charter sales rep" to "dispatch," with hope to be moved into a management position within the 3-4 months. For that, we are extremely grateful.

5. Laura Grace is changing by the minute. She is a sharp little girl. Lately, we have been working on a "50 states" song, identifying the states on a map, and learning how to recognize letters. She is such a quick learner, and that makes teaching her a BREEZE!

6. My newest nephew, Hayes has exceeded the 8 lb mark and is doing fantastic! He is such a handsome little man, and Theresa's wisdom will surely come in handy for me, since this is her THIRD boy! Theresa has recently joined the blogging world, so check her out if you get a chance! She is a high school AP and honors English teacher, so everything she writes is an easy read!

Daddy's boy

2008-04-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Gage really did seem to be into the "ESPN" magazine... Dad was so proud!
And here is a picture of Gracie, giving Gage a ride on her sit n spin. While her silly face may seem to be that of a frustrated child, that is actually a "sweet" face. She was loving on him the whole time-she's very sweet to Gage (most of the time:), and for that, I am VERY thankful!

Happy Easter!!

2008-03-23T15:27:00.001-07:00

Okay..... I'm gonna do a little survey here. Let me preface by saying that I LOVE my baby boy's happy face! However, I prefer picture #1. I have this great camera (thanks to my employers), and I have the option of using my flash. I prefer not to. I think that the picture looks more natural without the flash and the colors are better. However, the camera does not allow ANY movement when not using the flash, and when Gage smiles, he giggles and moves A LOT...are you keeping up with me here? :) So, it is either a smiley picture with flash or somber (still) picture without flash. What do you think?!?!?! And does anyone out there have any photography advise (except to buy a more expensive camera!)?!?!

Hayes Update

2008-03-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

Whew... I finally got a post on there to announce his birth and request prayer, and I already have an update! Theresa called earlier today and said the ventilator is out, and she was able to feed him! Yay!! I can't WAIT to see him sans...tubes and at home!!

Jaxson Hayes Golden

2008-03-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

After a rough pregnancy, having been enduring contractions since December, my sister in law,Theresa had her third boy Tuesday, March 18th! Hayes was 6 lbs 8 oz, 19 inches long (a big guy for 35 weeks)! He is in the NICU with some respiratory problems. They had to put him on a ventilator early yesterday, but are hoping they can take that out soon-maybe even today. He is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute with LOTS of hair (surprisingly since Xander and Cade were baldies, as well as Gage:)!! Here are a couple of shots I took last night, visiting with him. Doesn't Mommy look great too?!?! Please keep him in your prayers...Theresa too!! I remember all too clearly how painful it is to leave your baby in the hospital-pray for strength for her and Shane, as they have the added responsibilty of caring for two other children at home! We are hopeful that Hayes will be home very soon!!

Veeeerrrrrry belated Valentines Day...

2008-03-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Gage had his six month well-checkup yesterday (it was postponed, because he had an ear infection last time, so they wouldn't give him his immunizations). Anyway, he is doing very well-right where he should be-maybe a tad on the "big" side. He is in the 70th percentile for weight and 90th for height-go figure! I think he is going to be a tall one, an attribute for which his father will be extremely grateful!

He is sitting up on his own, eating solid foods, laughing, and smiling constantly. His vision and hearing seem to be terrific too!

I am so thankful for such a happy, healthy little blessing. It takes all of two seconds to snap a picture like this. He is amazing!

Happy Little Guy

2008-02-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

We have been blessed with one of the happiest babies I've ever met! He smiles at EVERYONE!!!! It is so easy to make him laugh too. He's such a precious gift!! He loves his activity center too, as you can see. I'm daily amazed at how quickly he's changing.

And please pardon the drool! He now has two teeth-bottom front and center!

Contagious Laughter

2008-02-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

Laura Grace

2008-02-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything about LG, so I thought I would give you a little update. She has enjoyed preschool (just two three-hr days a week), gymnastics, and kindermusik for the past several months. She will begin swimming lessons tomorrow, which will replace gymnastics (don't want to "overdo" it:). She IS only two and a half.

She gets along so well with Gage--they are just like siblings. He is constantly laughing at her. All she has to do is smile at him, and he is SMITTEN. She is very sweet to him, and I notice jealously only occassionally. Josh's aunt keeps Gage one-two days a week, so I can get the things done that I need to at work. Managing two households has been a tad overwhelming at times with two kiddos, so her help is MUCH appreciated!

Laura Grace is a brilliant little girl--speaks very clearly, knows her alphabet, days of the week, where she lives, several songs (her favorite being Jingle Bells at the moment-hard to explain to a two-year old that Christmas is OVER). She's a joy. Here is a recent photo of her, sporting her daddy's logo.

**I am going on a cruise (Caymen Islands) with them this coming Sunday. We will be gone five days. LG and I will have a room. This is the first time I will be traveling without Josh, and of course the first time without GAGE!! I'm nervous about leaving him, but it will likely be a nice break and definitely fun! Gage wouldn't enjoy it yet, so I don't feel TOO guilty leaving him out:)

Baseball!!

2008-01-14T13:29:00.001-08:00

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-01-14T11:57:00.001-08:00

Our Holidays...

2008-01-14T06:57:00.000-08:00

Better late than never, right?! The holidays were so much fun this year. Gage has a way of making EVERYTHING even better! We had an early celebration with Josh's family here in Greenville, and then we headed north to spend Christmas Eve and the following week with my family in Michigan. We were able to spend lots of time with Gage's cousins (Stephen, Chae, and Preston), which was nice. Our week was full of Christmas parties, too many cookies (thanks to my sister in law, Trisha:), and family. Gage was introduced to snow for the first time, and Uncle David, Chae, and Daddy built him his first snowman!

He was spoiled rotten, as you can imagine, but he was a trooper for the entire trip. He cried only on the very first leg of the first flight (New Bern to Atlanta), and that was because he was hungry, they wouldn't let me take my own water, and the water on the plane was COLD! He isn't much into COLD formula:) They eventually brought me HOT water to mix with the cold, so the crying lasted only about 10 minutes. However, when you are trapped in a small area and you are annoying complete strangers, it seems an eternity. As a sidenote, I almost lost my temper when security FORCED us to remove GAGE'S shoes. Are you kidding me?!?! They weren't even real shoes-just those soft baby shoes-what in the world could be hiding in there, especially with those chubby feet... The frustration stemmed from the exhausting process of getting the shoes on his feet. Oh well. I didn't lose my "cool" too badly.

New Years Eve was spent with Shane, Theresa, Xander, and Cade. We had Laura Grace too, so the kids had lots of fun. Cade even made sure LG got a New Years kiss right at midnight (yes, the kiddos [minus Gage] made it into the new year awake)!

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday festivities, and we are thrilled to enter this new year with our precious boy!

Happy (belated) New Year to all of you!!

Yay! A milestone.

2007-11-29T05:21:00.000-08:00

I'm silly I know, but since the doctors determined that Gage has this "left torticollis" issue, I have been anxious to see progress. I faithfully work with him every day on this, so I was excited when Gage was successful with the Bumbo seat (which my sweet sis in law, Kim is letting me borrow). I've pulled it out a couple times before to try it, and he wasn't quite strong enough to support himself, even with the help of the seat. This time, however, he was intrigued! He won't stay in it long--he gets tired, I suppose, but this will be a great tool for me to use to strengthen those neck muscles!

Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T05:57:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

This year's Thanksgiving was so much fun. We had beautiful weather (64 degrees), so we were able to spend time playing outside, the food was great, and we had a total of 18 at dinner, including Gage. While he didn't eat any turkey, he WAS there, and he counts as a whole person! Josh's oldest brother and his two kids came to stay with us for most of the week, which was lots of fun! Thanksgiving evening, Theresa (my sis in law), Mom G, and I took all of the kids (excluding Gage--he stayed back with the guys) to a Festival of Lights Hayride about an hour away. It was so much fun. The kids loved it!

Here are a few pictures of our fun week, surrounded by family. Let me add that my heart was of course overflowing with thankfulness this year for our precious son, who brings new joy to us daily! Gage is truly one of God's greatest miracles.

Left Torticollis...heard of it?!?!

2007-11-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

We went to our appointment with the physical therapist on Wednesday morning, and she determined (after playing with Gage for a while, testing different movements and motions) that he has left torticollis, which basically means "tight neck." Spending so much time on his right side has caused his head to be slightly misshapen. He looks perfect to me, but I guess an impartial opinion was needed here:). This is not a HUGE concern, but we were assigned exercises (which are somewhat time-consuming) and changes, like lying him on the changing table the opposite direction, feeding him on the opposite arm, etc... Basically, we have to train him to use his left side as much as his right. You don't realize how much you depend on your side of strength (mine being my right side), until you have to switch gears. However, we are thankful that it is not more serious. We have an appointment to go back in two weeks to make sure that the changes made have proven productive, and then once a month to make sure this is not affecting him developmentally. I am very grateful we caught this early, so that we can (hopefully) correct it before it slows his development.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our precious Gage and strength and patience for his mommy and daddy, as we work hard at correcting this!

Laughter, the best medicine.

2007-11-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

I have been organizing my photos/ video clips, and I came across this one I took of LG as a baby. She was nine months old. I just HAD to share it! Now, if you could just guess what I was DOING to make her laugh like that...

Recipe Tag...

2007-11-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have thoroughly enjoying snagging all of the new recipes from this game of tag (thanks Kelly!-I think you started it), so in playing fair, I will post a couple of my seasonal favorites. (since I was tagged by Karen).

Spiced Fall Cider
4 c. water
5 apple-spiced cinnamon tea bags
4 c. cranberry juice
4 c. apple juice
2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. sugar (I actually use only 1 c.)
3 cinnamon sticks
12 cloves (whole)

Combine all ingredients. Simmer at least 1 hr.
(I love making this for fall parties; makes the house smell great!)

Caramel Fruit Dip
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping
Assorted fresh fruit

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Add caramel topping; beat until blended. Serve with apple slices (or fruit of your choice). Gala apples are my favorite. Refrigerate leftovers.
Yield: 3 cups

Neither of these is a very "healthy" recipe, but they are both yummy staples for our fall parties. We seem to have the most parties this time of year, so they are well-used. I think they work well all the way through the winter season though really! Enjoy!

Hmmm, I will tag Kim, Jenni, Ruth, Erin, and Steph!

"Gauging Gage..."

2007-11-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

This morning, I took Gage to his four month doctor's appointment with a list of concerns (just in my head--I didn't actually write them down). He is now four months, and he favors his right side quite significantly. He will look to his left, but only if I really make a "scene" on his left side, of which I am perfectly capable:). He also still crosses his eyes some, not a lot. He doesn't roll over, or hold him self up well enough for an exersaucer or Bumbo seat yet. So, anyway I just had a few "not SO scary" concerns.
The doctor agreed that he favors his right side, and she is referring him to a physical therapist for an assessment and possible treatment. No biggie-that is likely a very correctable issue, though of course, I would appreciate your prayers. Gage was much more cooperative with the little flashlight this time, although his right eye was a little lazy. (a problem about which they would be concerned if he had not been premature--it usually fixes itself anywhere between two-four months). Although he is four months, he is only two months past his due date, so they are not too concerned with that yet. If the problem continues, he will see an ophthalmologist. His weight, length, and head circumference were perfect. He weighs 15 lbs 10oz, which confirmed what we already knew--he's a chub! He had two shots, for which he cried all of five seconds. However, he projectile vomited all over the lobby on our departure, expressing his irritation at the "shot policy!"
I will conclude by sharing that my heart is SO FULL of gratefulness. While I am concerned (as any mother would be) about these issues and covet your prayers, they are so VERY small in comparison to what "could have been." We have been truly blessed by this miracle, and every time he smiles, laughs, or coos, I am again reminded of this undeserved blessing.

My Little Handsome

2007-11-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

I know I'm partial, but this little man has stolen my heart! He was laughing during this photo shoot, but with my camera, you have to have a still picture with no flash or you can have motion but need the flash. I am anti-flash (just typically don't like the picture as well with flash), so I had to settle for this sweet "still" face:)

Halloween/ Harvest Fest

2007-11-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, we dressed our little monkey for a few pictures, but we did not "trick or treat" this year. We relaxed at home with some homeade chicken & veggie soup and passed out candy to the precious little neighbors. We actually ran out of candy--we had quite a few this year. As much as I hate to be non-traditional, Gage cannot have candy, we do not need candy, and as you can see, his chubby little neck kept his costume from being the most comfortable outfit:) We thought we should take advantage of the last time (at least for many years) we have the "option" of staying home. Laura Grace enjoyed the holiday thoroughly as a lady bug. Anyway, he did get good use of his costume at Harvest Fest at Greenville Christian last week (which is why Grandma Golden is dressed up--she teaches 6th grade at GCA), so all in all, it turned out to be a wonderful "holiday." (not sure it is really a holiday, hence the quotation marks...) I should add that the "loving" LG is the recipient of in this picture is from Cade, my precious nephew (would you look at those lashes!! What a doll!).

Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

We took Grace and Gage to the pumpkin patch this weekend and had a great time. Grace enjoyed everything so much this year, and Gage was just "along for the ride," although he does thoroughly enjoy being outside! He was sporting his NC State wear, so he attracted quite a crowd (especially since State was playing ECU that day in Greenville). Poor kid--it was like wearing a TARGET! Oh well. He's got to learn early that supporting Daddy's team will be essential. And YES, that was the best pic Josh could capture of the three of us--think the sun is bothering him a little?

Lost Again...

2007-10-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have been hesitant to even post this, but I am getting desperate for the prayer! I have managed to lose my wedding ring AGAIN! It has been gone for almost four weeks now. I somehow misplaced it when my brother and his family were here visiting about four weeks ago. I have no idea why I am so irresponsible in taking it off so often (to wash my hands or put on lotion), but I cannot seem to conquer this poor habit of mine. It is quite possible that one of the little people in my world picked it up and "hid" it somewhere (still ENTIRELY my fault for putting it within reach of little fingers). Please pray that I find it once again. I will likely hand it over to my hubby when/if I do find it and wear an immitation for a while--perhaps until I gain a little responsibility. I am curious. Am I the ONLY one out there who feels the need to constantly misplace my rings?!?!

Check out my Slide Show!

2007-10-14T10:59:00.001-07:00

Annual Halloween Party

2007-10-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

For the past three years, my sister in law, Theresa, has hosted a Halloween/Pumpkin Carving Party! This year's was lots of fun with yummy festive food that helped us all excitedly anticipate this fresh season. Our weather is even finally cooling off, so it really does feel like fall! Laura Grace had such a ball last year, that we just had to include her this time. This was Gage's first of course, and he was surely overwhelmed with all of the excitement! At the first party in 2005, Xander and Cade were the only children attendees. Even though the party has consisted of the same couples each year, the children are quickly multiplying--we had SIX this year-Seven if you include Theresa's little one (still inside:)! God has truly blessed us all, and the children have undoubtedly brought much more joy to the occassion!

Tenth percentile?! Not for long!

2007-09-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

Apparently Gage heard the doctor and was offended by his "ratings!" He is a CHUBALUB and catching up quickly! The child loves to eat! Why is that cute only for babies?! I SO wish that was still "cool" at my age...

Just look at that belly!

Go Bears!

2007-09-14T12:23:00.001-07:00

I watched my very first Bear's game with Daddy on Sunday... Unfortunately, they lost. Dad says they need a new quarterback in a TERRIBLE way! As you can tell by the picture, we were both rather disgusted.

Robby Gould is our favorite player!

Going to School!

2007-09-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, Laura Grace is only two years old, and when her mom mentioned the idea of her attending preschool, I was APPALLED!! My first thought was "THAT IS TOO YOUNG!" She's just a baby. I don't want to leave her someplace. However, it is only two days a week for three hours each day (9am-noon). It is a church preschool with a GREAT teacher, fun activities, a safe playground, and sweet little kids (most of whom she already knew from Kindermusik), and she LOVES it! I think it will actually be good for her "socialization" skills, and truth be told, it gives me a little break in my mornings two days a week to focus on MY little angel!

She sure did look precious in her backpack too! :)

Gage's Stats

2007-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Gage is up to a whopping 9lbs 2oz, and he is 21 inches long! Little Porker! Doctor says he is doing just perfectly, although it didn't seem to me that he did a very good job at "following" the little flashlight, when the doctor turned the lights off.... Let's hope that was just his Mommy's stubborness surfacing. He is supposed to "follow" it right?! Who knows? I think it irritated him. He is only in the tenth percentile, but of course we are not concerned with that, since he WAS eight weeks early.

He is still a perfect a sleeper and eater (as his weight confirms),

and his mommy is still very much in love with him.

I do often find myself wondering "What did we DO before him?!" Every errand, every activity, and every second revolves around this little person, it seems. We must have been very boring people...

This weekend was Collard Festival here in Ayden... Yes, that's right COLLARD festival. We're just livin' in a good ol' country town. Josh and I took Laura Grace and Gage Friday night, where Josh and Laura Grace enjoyed some very questionable rides and danced on the dance floor (street) to live music. LG was SUCH a show-off, and we all had a great time!

Baby shower!

2007-08-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

Josh, Gage, and I flew to Michigan this past weekend for our baby shower finally! We had such a great time visiting with family and friends! Here are some pictures of my precious niece and nephew (Chae and Preston), whom I already miss DEARLY, bonding with their newest cousin.

And here is also a picture of precious Livvie, whom I have waited an eternity (it seems) to meet! She is such a beautiful child--looks just like her Mama! Karen was so sweet to drive so far with her little angel, so we could see eachother! Although I could have spent hours more with them and enjoyed every second, I so appreciate her taking her Saturday to see us!

It is always precious time that flies much too quickly when we are with my brothers and their families. God has blessed us all so greatly, and we so enjoy one another's company.

My angel

2007-08-15T19:04:00.001-07:00

Gage is truly such a precious gem! My world has changed to revolve around this little peanut, and I am so grateful for the change. I have been surprisingly overwhelmed by the feeling of responsibilty for this little man. I expected the unbelievable love for him, but I never (for some reason) anticipated that feeling of being solely responsible for this tiny miracle in the form of my son.

This morning (oh so early), I went to get him out of bed to get ready to head to work, and I just stared in amazement at this gift God gave to us. He just looked so peaceful and so perfect-the only way to describe it. Anyway, I grabbed my camera and snapped this picture.

So relaxed...

2007-08-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

Gage has a first love... his crib, a love for which we are very thankful! He is a great sleeper, and he is most comfortable in his very own bed, which is nice.

He has reached the 5 lb mark-still very tiny, but we are grateful he is gaining. He has had the "sniffles" for the past few days, so we are watching him closely, making sure he doesn't get a fever, etc... Hopefully, we can avoid a doctor's visit.

He and Laura Grace have become fast friends. She celebrated her second birthday last Friday, and we had a great time at her birthday party.

We spent this past weekend at the beach with them, and I enjoyed precious time both mornings cuddling with my little boy on the deck, oceanfront. There is surely nothing more peaceful than that.

This time in our lives is so priceless. I have been overwhelmed with such strong emotions, as I try to savor this time that I know will too soon be gone.

So precious...

2007-07-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

Laura Grace has adjusted beautifully to having a new baby around. She loves to hold and kiss him. It is very precious!

Gage is doing well. He amazes us more each day, and we are so grateful for him. He is also a perfect sleeper (so far!). I'm sure we have rough nights ahead of us, but he wakes up with a little movement (hardly EVER crying) every three hours to eat-almost on the dot! He is a great eater-rarely spits up anything, and we have semi-mastered breast feeding. We do a lot of pumping/bottles (mainly so Mommy can have peace of mind that he is getting enough), but so far we have not had to "supplement" at all.

My heart is so full, and we continue to feel incredibly blessed. We truly revel in God's goodness to us. Thank you for your continued prayers! I cannot imagine having gone through this without the love and encouragement of so many of you!

Back to work!

2007-07-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

Answering your question, Karen and Alicia, yes, I am back to work! Jim and Michelle have been extremely understanding throughout this whole time, and encouraged me to take as much time as I needed, but as soon as we escaped that hospital, I was ready to get back into a routine again.

I know that it probably sounds crazy to most people, but it is just how I operate. Jim, Michelle, and Laura Grace are our family down here, and their home is our "home away from home," so it doesn't so much seem to be "work" as much as "routine."

After being in the hospital for three weeks-one before Gage was born and two after, I just wanted to be surrounded by family again, and I was anxious to have LG and Gage together.
We know that we are very blessed to have such a wonderful situation for me and for Gage.

So...hopefully, that explains the quick return!

Life as we once knew it...

2007-07-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

is no more. For the first couple of days at home, I was still hearing the beeps and alarms of monitors, and if I glanced at the clock, I would think things like "It's almost time for his 'assessment' " I was still on hospital time. I am finally learning to relax and just enjoy my baby without worrying constantly about his temperature, weight, or his breathing.

Today was his first doctor's appt, and he is back up to his birth weight (even a tad more)!! His temp was a little low, but nothing too concerning--shocking that his temp is low in this ninety- degree weather! I feel a little ridiculous, wrapping him up so tightly in blankets and hats, but we will do what we need to of course...

We are getting into a new routine with Laura Grace. She loves him dearly already, and fortunately has not shown many signs of jealousy yet (except for the handful of goldfish she threw at him today, but I do think she was just trying to share:). I am surely enjoying having them both together, and I really think that the adjustment will be pretty smooth.

Here are a couple recent pictures of the little guy, and yes, he does open his eyes, but his sleeping pictures are just too precious to resist.

Gage is HOME!!!!!!!!!

2007-07-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

We brought our tiny miracle home early this afternoon, and I cannot begin to describe to you the gratefulness in my heart for your thoughts, encouraging words, and mostly for your prayers. God gave us not only the grace to handle this but the faith to maintain an optimistic view through this time. We were "stretched" certainly, but bringing home a healthy, though tiny (weighing 4 lbs, 3 oz) baby Gage brings enough joy to look past the rough journey. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we all strengthen (especially little Gage). This is certainly not the end--it is only the beginning of a whirlwind of change for us!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

In these pictures, you will see our little guy, praying fervently for his release, and through answered prayer, his sweet face, resting peacefully at home!

The "latest..."

2007-07-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

The past couple days have been very draining physically and emotionally! Gage is doing so well- his feeding tube is out--YEA!! NO MORE TUBES OR NEEDLES stuck in my baby! That is such a relieving feeling. They also graduated him from the NICU to "convelescent care." We are so grateful that he is well enough to be moved out of the NICU, but we really want him home! He is doing so well feeding, and keeping his temperature high enough--they are basically just trying to move him slowly, because he was SO early, and I don't really think that any of the doctors can "fathom" his being strong enough to go home this early, even though WE know it is possible. We serve a much higher power than these doctors, for whom we are SO grateful! Please pray for continued strength and patience, as we await that glorious day the doctor tells us he can come home! Josh and I both covet your prayers right now.

Laura Grace got to meet little Gage today! She is showing him a basketball here, trying to distract him enough to swipe his pacifier. She was successful, until Mommy made her give it back.

Our little trooper

2007-07-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

This little guy has amazed us every step of the way! Gage is now on the project of "maintaining" his own body temperature, and he did great with that all day. We even got to put clothes on him today! Tomorrow, he will have reached his "goal" in feedings (34 cc), which means his stomach is handling the food fine and we can concentrate more on method (feeding by mouth).

He continues to gain weight--he was 4lbs 3oz last night, and he has surpassed any doctor's expectations. We are so proud of him, and we are anxiously awaiting the day they tell us he can come home. The doctor estimated that he could come home in as early as 3-4 days!! Please pray that we do not hit any obstacles on this final home stretch!

More updates...

2007-07-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

First, let me explain that my hand is resting ever so softly on his tiny little head--the "smooshing" was all self-inflicted! He was comfortably sleeping... It certainly does help you understand how very tiny our precious little peanut is...

God has continued to strengthen this little guy. Today, they let me "attempt" breastfeeding. I have been pumping, and they have been giving him my milk through the feeding tube, but they encouraged at least "trying." I was more than happy to do that, and he did pretty well, especially considering it was our first time. We will continue to feed twice a day, while he still gets the milk through his tube. Hopefully, we will get the hang of this soon, and they will be able to ween him off of the feeding tube completely.

Tonight, he weighed 4 lbs, 1 oz, so he is gaining weight now, which is also great news of course!

I have been spending most of my day time with Gage and my nights sleeping at home. Josh and I had some sweet time with him this evening. I fed him and cuddled him to sleep, and then Josh "filled him in" on all of the newest sports news, literally. Please pray for continued strength for all of us.

I have truly felt the power of prayer in these past two weeks, and I cannot stress to you all enough how much your encouraging words and prayers have meant to both of us. I plan to save them all for Gage's baby book, so he will know how loved he was right from the beginning!

Great News!

2007-07-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

I met with Gage's doctor this morning, and he decided that Gage was ready to be taken off his breathing "help" completely! He had been mostly breathing on his own, but he still had horrible wires taped to his little face and tubes on his nose, so I was VERY happy to hear this. The doctor also decided he was ready to eat, so after they successfully took him off of the oxygen help (he actually started breathing better and more easily when they took him off), he had his first feeding at 3pm. He did very well with that as well, and if this continues, the next step will be to take the feeding tube out and let ME feed him. This is our biggest prayer request at the moment. Obviously, he can't go home until he is eating well without a feeding tube, so this is our primary concern. He has progressed much more quickly than the doctors had anticipated. This is truly a blessing! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers!!

Happy Fourth of July!

2007-07-04T18:32:00.001-07:00

I had a great day today! I did drop down to 3 lbs
15oz, but my doctors are all saying that this is

very normal. Hopefully, they will let me eat

tomorrow, but in the meantime, they are giving

me nutrition through my IV.

I am opening my eyes and stretching lots in these pictures, so you can see how precious I am.

Don't worry about my ear--the oxygen tube makes it look silly, but it really is perfect just like the rest of me!

Thanks for praying for me. I need to get bigger, so they will let me go home!

Holding hands...

2007-07-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

This may help you better "picture" his size. He really is so tiny, but most of his pictures make him appear bigger. At first, I could only put my hands in the incubator, so we would just hold hands...

My boys/ Gage Update

2007-07-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

The doctor saw Gage this morning, and said he was doing better with his breathing, so he lowered his oxygen help! Praise the Lord! He is still not comfortable enough to let him start feeding though, so that is my biggest concern right now. Please pray that they will let him eat soon!!! He is down to 4lbs--the weight loss is normal--we are just hopeful that he will not go any lower. It is already draining every ouce of energy I have to watch and hold him, unable to "make him better," but it certainly makes one dependent on God.

I held him yesterday morning for two and a half hours, praying and singing to him, and I know that God is going to give me the strength I need to make it through this. Please keep us all in your prayers, especially our little Gage!

His First Kiss

2007-07-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

This is an even better representation of that precious moment in time...

Explanation

2007-07-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

I probably should have explained the "before he was even cleaned" picture... That was one of the only pictures we have of him before he was all "hooked up!" I love it, because this picture was taken immediately after he was born, and it represents a moment in time I will never forget. I had prepared myself for a tiny baby, likely not able to breath on his own, so you can imagine the joy I felt when I heard that beautiful baby screaming! Nothing can describe it, but that picture will always be precious to me. This picture I am posting now was also taken right after delivery. I will post some more recent pictures soon! I would appreciate your continued prayers, as he is still in the NICU and will likely be here for a few weeks.

Gage Bryant

2007-07-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

After some tenderness in my stomach late last night, my doctor decided to deliver my little guy to avoid a potential infection. Gage Bryant was born at 2:45 am. He weighs 4lbs, 5 oz, and he is 17 inches long--an absolutely amazing size for 32 weeks! He is healthy, breathing on his own, and the most precious thing in the world! It was a rough, nauseating surgery, and early this morning, I may have even said "This will be our only child" to my husband:) However, I am doing well now, recovering quickly. I was able to hold Gage for the first time a couple of hours ago, and if I had been able, I would have held him all night. He is a miracle, as every baby is, and we are so very grateful to have our son.

As an added bonus, and many of you have probably already experienced this, I fell in love all over again with my husband as an amazing father!'

Thank you so much for your thoughts, encouraging words, and mostly for your prayers!

Still waiting...

2007-07-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

I am going on seven days in the hospital, but my doctor told me that typically for every day I can keep baby in me is two days fewer he has to be in the NICU, so . . . I am trying to be patient and WAIT. What a task that sounds so simple yet proves to be so difficult!
The fluid around the baby is low, so they are keeping a close watch on that.
The doctors are optimistic, and so are we! Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We appreciate and covet them so much!

Unexpected Blessing!

2007-06-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

My mom is here, cleaning my house top to bottom, and preparing the nursery, that I didn't quite get a chance to finish. Today, she came running into my hospital room with my WEDDING RING!! I lost it about two weeks after we found out I was pregnant--around Christmas, and we had counted it as "loss," after many months of searching. She found it in that tiny plastic pocket on the back of our dryer. I cannot tell you how much that has lifted my spirits. Rings can be replaced, but my wedding ring was SO special to me, and I knew that regardless, I would always miss "that" ring!
Just another blessing on this trying road!
I just came back from having a thorough ultrasound, and I am currently hooked up to the baby heart monitor. The doctor will be in shortly to discuss the results. We do know that from the ultrasound, the "estimated" weight is 4lbs 1 oz--better than we expected! Keep praying!

Rough Day

2007-06-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

I had a rough sleepless night, and the antibiotics they had been giving me made me severly nauseated. However, I am feeling much better now, they have changed the antibiotic, and the baby is maintaining a healthy heartbeat. Praise the Lord! God has blessed us in so many unbelievable ways with insurance issues (Josh changed jobs two weeks ago), baby expenses, and so much help from family and friends. We are feeling very blessed and resting in a much higher Power to bring us all through this safely.
As an added blessing, the hospital has wireless internet, which allows Josh to work from my room, and of course enables me to keep everyone easily updated.
I cannot thank you enough for your prayers. We know without a doubt that these coveted prayers are being heard and answered!

More News!

2007-06-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

A little change in plans came this morning, when I met with my doctor who was going to perform the c-section. He did an ultrasound and determined that the baby is "bottom down" and blocking most of the "break." This has allowed him to build up more fluid around himself, lessening the dangerous position. So, they won't let me leave the hospital, but they would like to hold off as long as possible to give the baby a better fighting chance. And as much as I hate sitting in the hospital (those of you who know me, know that this is not exactly my "cup of tea"), I would MUCH rather be sitting here, than in the NICU, feeling helpless and unable to care for my little man. The doctor says if I made it to 34 weeks, that would be great! He would love to schedule a c-section then--that is two and a half weeks from now. However, he said there is about an 80-90 percent chance that I will go into labor within a week and need to be taken to deliver via "emergency" c-section.
We are just trusting of course that the Lord knows best, and He will take care of us both. I cannot thank you enough for all of your prayers and encouraging words. To know that so many are thinking of us and praying for us is priceless, and this encouragement is allowing us to anxiously await the arrival of our precious little boy!!

PLEASE PRAY!!!!!

2007-06-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Tuesday), my water broke. I drove myself to the Kinston hospital (which is near my work and where I was planning to deliver), hoping it was a "false alarm." However, they quickly determined it was the real deal and transfered me via ambulance to Greenville, where the Neo-natal unit is capable of handling a baby so early. I am only 31 weeks, but obviously they will need to deliver. I am currently awaiting a c-section delivery tomorrow morning (Thursday, June 28). He is breech, and without the fluid cannot be moved or repositioned, so a c-section is the safest option. He will at best weigh just over three pounds, which is going to make his first few weeks very critical. Please pray that he will quickly learn to breathe and eat on his own. I have been given two doses of steroids to boost his lung development, and now that those are in me, they need to deliver quickly to avoid infection (since he no longer has a barrier).

God certainly has His hand in this, and we are optimistic that He is going to bless us with a healthy baby. Please pray that our spirits continue to stay positive and focused!

We covet your prayers at this time for the delivery of course, but more so for his quick development and recovery.

Thank you in advance!! I obviously don't know how soon I will be able to update, but I will post again as soon as I have the opportunity.

Bracelet and Bike

2007-06-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Laura Grace is VERY proud of her new bracelet from her dear friend , Chloe! ( I guess they would be more like "pen pals" since they have never actually met...)

She is also advancing in her bike-riding abilities quickly! I am very excited about that milestone. Each new adventure makes me all the more excited about my own little peanut, who should make his debut in about two months! Yippee!

29 weeks and counting!!

2007-06-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

I am getting SO very anxious to meet this little guy! He's going to be an ACTIVE munchkin, judging by his present traits! So...this is me...or he, whichever way you want to look at it:)

Everything is still going well. I have one more appointment with a fetal specialist to check for any major problems with baby or placenta, and if everything is still looking healthy, he will then turn me back over to my regular Ob-Gyn, so please pray that all is well! My appt. is Tuesday!

Kiddie Pool Fun!

2007-06-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing how nice the "kiddie" pools are these days? Amazing. Josh and I bought this pool for Xander for Kindergarten graduation. We are VERY proud of him, not simply because he graduated Kindergarten, but he is a special little guy and as brilliant as they come! We love you, buddy!

...and thanks for sharing your present with LG--she thoroughly enjoyed both the pool and the swimming lesson!

2007-05-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

I took LG to support Xander at one of his t-ball games this week;

she was very excited about it,

and even gave him a good luck kiss

before he went to bat!

2007-05-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend at the beach, and we had a wonderful time! Shane, Theresa, and the boys were able to come play for the day on Saturday, and Laura Grace was thrilled to have her "men" there! North Carolina surely has made me a "beach bum!"

2007-04-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Placenta brain?!?!
I have recently been made aware of this term, and I am starting to wonder if there is some truth to it. Now, let me preface by saying that I have been very cautious not to "falsely blame" ignorant mishaps on pregnancy. I am showing very little, so the pregnancy is really not a highlight of discussion with those other than close friends and family.
I have had very few "cravings" if any, and rarely do I "use" the idea that I should have cravings to coerce my hubby into getting some ice cream for me (though I HAVE used it once or twice:). Though I have trouble getting to sleep comfortably and have to get up several times in the night, rarely do I mention it to anyone.
HOWEVER, two weeks after finding out that I was pregnant, I lost my beloved wedding ring--broke my heart and still does make me tear up when I think about it (which is every time I look at my hand). I have lost my phone, blackberry, purse, and wallet on countless occassions. I leave things everywhere, and I am constantly having to make several trips back in the house to get something before we can leave. I leave my keys hanging in the front door (defeats the purpose of locking it, by the way). I lost my camera case with a very expensive camera (gift from employer), debit card, and drivers license (rather important when you are needing to fly back home) at Disney World. Praise the Lord, it was in lost in found. We also had to have our car jumpstarted when we got back from Palm Beach, because I left LG's dvd player on.
While, before I was pregnant, I did have "blonde moments," this is entirely different. I didn't send out Christmas cards this year, I forgot some gifts until the last minute (when I am usually on the ball and ready to roll for Christmas), and twice I have let the dish water overflow in the sink, because I got sidetracked doing something else. Once we got to Palm Beach, we had to purchase a pack n play for LG, because...you guessed it. I forgot it.
Today, I either locked my keys in the car or lost them somewhere in Wal-mart. Laura Grace and I had to call her daddy for a ride back to the house, and Josh (gracious hubby that he is) is on his way here with the other set of keys, so we can go check the car and search out Wal-mart again! By the way, he is catching on quickly and did not even question my stupidity.
So, anyway, this is just a general "wonderingment" (I DO know that is not a word, but I like it). Should I be concerned, or is this a natural tendency of "placenta brain?"

2007-04-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

I just love how sweet she looks and how well she holds her crayons! Laura Grace really loves to color!

2007-04-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

KINDERMUSIK

I had some friends inquire about Kindermusik, so I thought I would share a little about it. It has been wonderful for Laura Grace. I am sure that the success of it with your individual child is contigent on that child's interest and even more so on the individual teacher with whom you work. Her teacher happens to be wonderful--very outgoing and friendly.
You purchase your materials at the beginning of the semester, which include cds (of the music you hear in class), books (also that you read in class), and an instrument (typically UNannoying ones:). All of these materials coordinate with that particular semester's theme, and that is obviously based on his/her age group. Each class begins with the teacher singing a "hello" song, individualizing it for each child, and always ends with the "goodbye" song, which LG sings ALL the time at home. The kids dance and sing, listen to poetry and ryhmes, have storytime with the teacher, and work on different things such as high/low, loud/quiet, long/short sounds, etc...
Obviously, this is going to be different for each age group. Laura Grace started in the 18month-3 year class when she was 14 months, and she did very well. She may not have learned very much in the beginning, but she caught up to the other kids very quickly as far as participating and learning. A couple of things to remember is that it is very involving of the parent or caregiver (some days I feel like I've just finished an aerobics class!), and it also requires outside reinforcement (at home). Singing the songs at home and listening to the music has put Laura Grace at a great advantage over those kids who clearly haven't had that.
It is fun for me too, since I don't get a LOT of adult interaction during the day, and because LG lives in a different city than I do and than where I attend church, I don't know many people in her area, so this has opened doors for meeting other children her age.
Hope that is helpful at least a little. I think it is a great learning tool.

2007-04-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

All dressed and ready to head to Kindermusik.... I just had to post this picture!

2007-04-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

I am a little out of order here, but I forgot to post about our wonderful trip to Disney with our dear friends, Aaron, Selena, Rese, and Evan. We had such a great time with them, especially since it had been almost TWO years since we had seen them last (at our wedding).

We stayed at a great condo with them (thanks to THEM), and had 4 day park hopper tickets (they actually had 5 day tickets and arrived a day earlier than we did). We visited Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, MGM Studios, and Epcott. It was SO FUN!

2007-04-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Josh and I were so blessed this past weekend. My employers, Jim and Michelle took us to Palm Beach, FL via private jet to help with Laura Grace and enjoy the holiday weekend with them! They put us up at the Four Seasons Resort, beachfront. Our room had a beautiful view of the ocean, and the weather was perfect!

I have now passed my half-way mark in my pregnancy, and I am looking forward to seeing this little guy at my next ultrasound on the 18th. The positive side of having a "complicated" pregnancy is that I get to see lots of my little man! I can't wait to have him in my arms!

Here are a couple of pictures of our Easter weekend in Florida!

2007-03-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Update: Just a quick note to thank everyone for your prayers. God has been very good to us--He always is, of course! The specialist ruled out any major problems, that could have been a reason for the abnormal blood counts and concluded that the problem lies in the placenta rather than the baby. I will just have to be cautious, so as not to go into labor too early, and they will likely not let me go past my due date.
And.....it's a boy!
Thanks again for your prayers and thoughtful notes! Please keep this baby boy in your prayers as apparently I haven't created the best "home" for him at the moment. I have promised him that I will make it up to him though! :)