Picture day

Today is picture day for Braden.  It's so great to see him in the morning.  He wants to get ready for school and for most kiddos 5 am is probably tough.  But we are back to napping in this house so the boys are usually ready for the 5 am wake up.  I hope Braden poses for the camera and they are able to get a good photo.  We are also trying to get professional pics of the boys and hopefully family pics in a few months.  We are way over due.

I filled out all the paperwork on Wed. to get Grayson help with his feeding and sensory issues.  It is now messing with his sleep.  He has been going to bed hungry so I have to do something.  Today I bought an extra biscuit and hash browns to see if he will eat it for lunch or dinner.  Maybe if he has a full belly before bed he won't wake us up at 2 am to crawl in bed with us.  This is a child that has never been allowed to sleep with his parents.  So you can imagine our surprise that we are now dealing with a toddler who cannot sleep.  Braden and G have always been great sleepers.  But G is having such a hard time.  He eats a big breakfast and then gets really sleepy.  Yesterday he took a 3 hour nap.  Stephen and I got McD's for dinner last nite and G thought he was going to get hash browns and a biscuit.  He was so upset so we know he was hungry.  But when I showed him what was in the bag he wanted nothing to do with it.  I even offered a fruit bar (which he likes)  he refused to eat it.  ugh!!!  Bless his heart it's so sad.  I have tried buying extra before and if it wasn't breakfast he didn't want it but maybe then he wasn't hungry.  Oh the stresses of parenthood.  But as I'm sure I have mentioned in the past I was just like him when I was little.  Only I had a wider variety of foods I would eat than G has... so I didn't suffer as much.  Now I only wish I had that kind of will power because now with all this stress I want to eat all the time. ha ha!!!

Grayson is doing alot better though with transitioning activities and being around other kids.  I think he is going to do great next week when he starts MDO.  I will be sure to take some great pics of his first day. :-)  They also do school pics at MDO out so that will be great too.  Lots of photos for their memory books.  One thing we truley love about G is his desire to learn.  It is just amazing to watch him.  He is such a little sponge.  Watching him with his TEIS teacher is just the cutest thing.  He loves all the cool teaching tools and toys she brings in and he is so focused. 

Tonite is suppose to be Braden's first night of T-ball but I am afraid it may rain us out. :-(  We shall see... if we do get to go I will have pics.   I talked to B's teacher and they are so great about potty training with the kids I have decided not to wait till winter to get B started again.  So maybe just maybe he will be trained soon.  His interest comes and goes but if we hit it just right maybe it'll come together for him. 

Vacation

We had a wonderful vacation with my sister-in-law and her family.  We had a really nice condo and access to a nice playground (which we didn't get to use this time) and the lazy river which the boys absolutely loved.  I wish I had known about puddle jumpers before we went... but I will definitely have those for the boys next time.  This time we used full size life vests but I wanted to be sure that if one got away they wouldn't drown.  We are always thinking of the boys safety and since they haven't had swim lessons yet we were a little nervous.  They did great in the water and they both love it. 

Both of our boys played well with their cousins and I think they really enjoyed themselves.  Braden ate so much food.  It was AWESOME.  We ate at Red Lobster and he pigged out on the popcorn shrimp and garlic cheese biscuits. He loves playing games with his Daddy at the dinner table and eating whatever Stephen eats.  Stephen's not big on other people touching his food and Braden loves to grab his stuff off his plate. lol  It's great.  Braden also ate pizza for his Daddy at one of the local homemade pizza joints. 

I have to tell everyone how sorry I am for not getting any pictures.  I am a bit bummed myself  but our hands were full with all those boys.  We weren't very organized on what the plans were either.  We pretty much just winged it and with it being such a short trip we just forgot to take any.  I will definitely make sure we get some next time.  Maybe we will be slightly more organized and we can plan some good pics. :-) 

We are also really excited to see Braden is doing excellent keeping up with everyone.  He did not nap while we were gone.  He did great and even lasted past bed time a few nites.  That's not to say he didn't fall asleep in the car on the way back to the condo but he did really well.  He even had taekwondo on Monday after school and did great.  Grayson also hung in there well but he did nap. :-)  In fact, the no nap system is back to napping here at home.  ha!!!!  They actually both get up at 5 am now. ugh!!! So naps are pretty much needed.  They go to bed around 8:30 and we have tried to do even 8 pm but it just isn't easy.  By the time you get dinner on the table and time with their Daddy it's almost impossible to get them in bed that early. 

I am tired of G not eating so we are trying to get an evaluation on both feeding and OT (for sensory issues with food).  He's not loosing weight or anything but you cannot live on biscuits, hash browns and milk forever.  Plus when we were on vacation he wouldn't even face the table with everyone eating.  He just looks behind us and fusses the whole time.  He has ZERO interest.  I have never seen a kid not want to eat as much as this one.  On occasion here at home he will go to grab a bite and then in a split second he will drop it and that's the end of it.  It never makes it to his mouth.  If I quickly put something in his mouth to try he either chokes, gags, or won't close his mouth till the food falls out.  It's awful.  I know all kids have their stuff.  Some hate the car and scream the whole time.  Others won't sleep etc... so I know he will be fine but it's important to make sure he is really fine and even if he is it won't hurt him to have some help overcoming his fear of food.  Because really he does act like he is terrified of it.  I mean what kid cries when his parent takes a bite of food in front of them or wants to run. lol  CRAZINESS....

Next week Bam Bam finally gets to start MDO.  I can hardly wait because he is really getting bored at home.  Especially with B being gone in the mornings.  He likes it but doesn't... Braden loves going to school.  He has been jumping out of bed and even watched for the bus this morning.  :-)

Ok well I need to get dinner started...

School and Vacation

So this week we are getting ready to go on vacation for a few days.  We love going to Pigeon Forge since it is so close to our home and Vandy.  Hopefully soon we will be able to do other things but for now this is our yearly thing. :-)  Braden has been back in school and I can tell he is having a great time.  He is still a little apprehensive about getting on the bus in the morning.  But I think it's largely in part to the bus noise.  It's very loud that early in the morning.  When he comes home he is starving and he eats really well.  He gets breakfast before school and a snack so you know he has burned some energy if he eats when he hits the door at 10:30.  Makes us sooo happy.  He is even eating at the table with Stephen and I for dinner.  Unfortunately, that is not the case with Bam Bam (Grayson).  He is still highly opposed to eating anything but breakfast. :-(

Grayson is doing well with TEIS.  His vocabulary has improved but still needs alot of work.  Cannot wait for him to start MDO on Sept 4th.  In fact, I heard from his teacher today.  Her name is Gretchen.  Grayson's TEIS teacher is Kelly and she is going to start working on G's sensory issues.  She said it's not uncommon for kids to have some problems but noticed G needs some work.  I sure hope she can get him to take to new things as I have been very unsuccessful.  Sometimes they just don't want their Momma to teach them.  I mean we can't be all things to our kiddos even if we so desperately want to and try to be... :-( 

After naps today or quiet time which ever it ends up being we are going to attempt to give Briley a bath in the backyard kiddie pool.  ha ha ... I know it will be too difficult to take photos but I now it will be hilarious.  So glad it's nice weather again.  We may have to attempt the zoo again very soon.  I also may attempt the library with the boys as they are finally interested in books and actually sit pretty well for reading times. 

Here are a few new pics and thanks as always for checking in on us.

Rare moment.. two post in one day. :-)

So I have been doing alot of cleaning out this month and I am so happy to have reclaimed the den and the kitchen.  We have soooo much more room.  Now that the boys are older they have new boosters from Nana that actually fit in the regular kitchen chairs.  No more dining chairs in the kitchen unless we have guests.  The boys now have their rooms and the living room as their playroom instead of the whole house.  That doesn't mean however that they don't drag items into the reclaimed rooms.  As you can imagine they still think they own the whole house.  A few pics of their new seating and one of Bam Bam doing his water painting on the chalkboard.

I also decided today after all the tantrums from Bam Bam (Grayson) we are ending the nap time routine.  Both boys have been off and on with Naps lately.  Braden has been getting up at 4 am and G doesn't want to sleep at nite without lots of drama.  So I did a little reading and realized naps may not always be necessary for them.  So we are going to do the Quiet time routine.  You don't have to nap but you do have to sit in bed or on a palate and either rest or sleep.  Which ever one they choose will be acceptable and hopefully we can adjust our 8:30 bedtime to 8 pm.  This should ensure plenty of sleep on the days they decide not to nap.  Hoping it works.  So crazy how much things change and how fast. 

Kings of media

Soft gear My Booster... awesome.  We love them.

Sickness again... boo

Back to back illness really makes me nervous with Braden.  Both boys have had a minor cold.  Saline and humidifiers have worked great to get them over this... we are almost well.  Braden did not go to school yesterday or today. :-(  I hate he has already missed and has only been in school for a week.  He really wanted to go this morning.  He was up on time which is great because he has been getting up too early.  4 am is a killer... and 5 am isn't so great either but he has to be on the bus at 6:15.  So 5 is best so that we can get in a good breakfast, pack a lunch and get dressed.  I can tell already school has been good for him.   We get reports of how happy he is everyday. :-) 

Grayson is climbing tables and mantles as usual.  Now that he can get out of his room is giving us horrible fits at naptime and bedtime.  It's been terrible.  boo!!!  He will stay in his room he just wants to tear his bed apart.  Which is unacceptable but if I go in and discipline him he will go nuts and we start all over again.  Hopefully once he is well again this nonsense will cease.  He is so stubborn.  Just like Braden but different.  Cannot wait for him to start school.  He really needs the other kids and just something to expand his mind.  He loves learning and I can only do so much for him.   He really loves storytime now and both Braden and Grayson will take turns sitting in my lap depending on the book.
I made some science project type bottles for them.  One makes the sound of rain, one is similiar to a snow globe, one creates a wave, one's like a lava lamp and the other makes bubbles.  They seem to like the really well and I got the idea off pintrest.

Here are a few pics from the last couple of days with Braden being home from school.  We have had many fights over these trains.   They are both getting better with the sharing but not so good when neither feels well.

Mommies little helper :-)

Playing nice ... this time.



First day of school

Braden is really enjoying school.  He is such a morning person and he has been getting up WAY too early at times.  We are thinking he just isn't aware of time and since it's dark when it's time to get ready for school he just gets up when he wakes.  So we need to try and teach him some concept of time to keep him in bed. 

Here are a few pics from his big day back at school and his first year to ride the bus. :-)

Last week of fun..

So this week we have tried to squeeze in as much fun as possible before school starts.  Nana is coming today so that I can get some rest and take advantage of tax free weekend. :-)  I am excited to get out of the house.  Two weeks of being couped up has been rough.  The boys for some reason want to be home and do ok out and about but don't last very long.  I can tell though that Braden is ready to go back to school.  I think they just don't enjoy shopping.  They are boys...  I have been really working hard trying to find recipes for the boys lunches.  Braden will actually need breakfast snacks for school.  Grayson still doesn't eat much so he'll probably just eat a fruit bar.  However, I want to put other stuff in his lunch just in case the other kids encourage him to explore new foods. 

Grayson is doing awesome with his TEIS teacher.  She said she is going to have to bring new stuff because he is getting bored.  She worked with him on his OT skills and said he has great fine motor.  He still won't ask for a cup (milk) or his food :-(  But he has started to mimic dances on TV, nursery rhyme songs and we think he is saying Daddy in his own not so clear way. lol

Here are a few pics from this past week.