Texas Independence Relay

This past weekend, March 31-April 1 I participated in a relay along the Texas Independence Trail. We started at 6:42 Saturday morning, and ran as a relay team continuously until Sunday around 2:30. We began outside of Bastrop in Paige, TX and finished at the San Jacinto Monument. The relay was 201.92 miles, and I ran approximately 16 miles throughout the weekend. It was an amazing experience...it was an exhausting experience! Here are some pictures, in absolutely no order!

Stopping for a photo op in the bluebonnets ... just outside of Weimar

The Come and Take It flag at each exchange

My second exchange in Schulenberg

My first exchange in Smithville

The FINISH!

Running into Weimar

Napping in Schulenberg...on some old abandoned porches

My crazy teammate, Stacey

Stacey and I on the way up Friday night

My school's counselor and myself

Waiting for my second exchange! 4:00 in the afternoon on an open highway. It was H.O.T.

Rgith before my first exchange in Smithville ....clearly, I was still fresh!

The Road Apples!

The Road Apples .... 201.9 miles later!

Waiting at the downtown Houston exchange

Running up a hill...one of the many on my legs

Van 1 finihsed!  At the Monument

Waiting for one of our van members

At the start

Finishing my leg in Weimar

My leg in Weimar ...the ambulances were taking away a lady who overheated!

Florida!

We visited Orlando for Spring Break...it was a quick and fun trip. Scott did great, and Will had an absolute blast. Below is our trip in pictures. So much fun!

Mommy's Half Marathon

This past weekend I ran my third half marathon...and PRed! My goal was 2 hours, and I managed to come in just under that at 1:58:59. I trained with Montgomery Fit, a great little group! Completing another half made all of my Saturday mornings of waking up really early worth it. I will definitely be doing more in the future, and probably this same one again. The Woodlands put on an excellent race!

With my Montgomery Fit friends after the race!

Scott's Surgery

On Friday, February 17 our little guy had tubes put in his ears and an adnoidectomy. He was in such a great mood that morning, singing, coloring and running around. They took us back to pre-op where he got a bear and a coloring book. He played with both for a while as we waited. Then they gave him some medicine by mouth to relax him ... and it did! He was ready to go night-night. Then John (the anesthesiologist) came and scooped him up to take him back the operating room. He went without a fight, so we knew the meds were working!
We waited around 30 minutes before Dr. Burke came to let us know how it went. She said both ears were terribly infected, and his adnoids were full of mucus and infection as well. So, we made a great decision. We then had to wait again until he woke up...as we walked back into post-op I could hear him crying. They handed him over and he thrashed around and cried for a bit (very sad for Mommy and Daddy). Once he calmed a little he got some tylenol, drank a tom of water and we were released. He was great on the way home, ate once we were home, and then napped for 3 hours!
This week has been tough, he has been a total grouch. I know he has felt terrible. He even woke up in the middle of the night a few times, which is so unlike him. This morning was the first morning he woke up smiling and hungry! Hopefully the worst is behind us....

Coloring in pre-op

Hanging with Daddy

Ready to go night-night

The morning after eating some breakfast

Update

Our boys are both changing constantly it seems. Scott has really started talking, and communicating with us better. He is in love with his YaYa and wants to talk on the phone to her constantly. When we turn the corner to go to her house, he starts yelling, "YaYa, YaYa!" over and over. He is such a sweet boy, and loves to give hugs and kisses. He is eating much better these days, and loves his "nack" or snacks. The kid could live off of fruit, particularly apples, strawberries, and grapes.

Will came home with a reader this past week from school...and he read it. Talk about a proud Mommy moment. He also was also on Honeypot (the best for behavior at school) everyday last week. He told us, "I'm 5 now," very matter of factly, as if that changed everything in his little world. Being 5 makes your ears work better apparently! His eating habits have also changed recently...as in he eats constantly. He is always hungry. Always. These two are going to make us poor from buying groceries when they get bigger!

Will's 5th Birthday Party

We had Will's birthday party at The Woodlands Children's Museum this year. This was his first "friend" party and he was insistent about having it somewhere with friends...so we did! We had a great turn out, and all the kids had a blast. We enjoyed it so much we purchased a membership to the museum so we can go as often as we'd like now!

Happy 5th Birthday, Sweet Will.

Wow, five?! How did this happen? It seems like not too long ago I was waking up in the middle of the night to my water breaking, and our first baby boy being born 3 weeks early! Now, here we are celebrating a fifth birthday.


Will,
You are such a special boy to Mommy and Daddy. We love you more than we ever knew we could love another person. You bring so much joy and laughter into our lives. You are so smart, and amaze us everyday with the new things you learn. You are such an sweet big brother, and your baby brother think the world of you. I love how you take the time to play with Scott, when sometimes you'd raather be doing something else. We are blessed God chose us to be your parents, and I thank him every day for that.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy


Having his birthday donut ... ready to play with his new game for his 3DS!

Update on Scott

We had our appointment with the ENT yesterday, and got the news I was expecting...tubes for little man, and an added bonus: an adnoidectomy. I know this is what is best for Scott, but it makes Mommy very nervous! With the adnoidectomy they have a breathing tube during the procedure, and the anesthesia stresses me out too! I know what a horrible reaction I have to it, so hopefully he is not like Mommy! Of course the poor little guy had another ear infection starting and he is back on antibiotics. The procedure is scheduled for February 17, so please keep Scott in your prayers!

He loves to read! While I was working on something at the kitchen table he climbed in the chair to read a book. Sweet boy!

Christmas Day

We spent Christmas afternoon at my parents house opening presents, eating yummy food, and playing! It was a great time.

Our Family

Cousins

The girls

My sister and me

Taking, talking, talking!

Scott is full of new words, made up words, and nonstop babble these days. As I type this he is looking out the back window yelling for the dog who lives behind us and waving bye-bye since Bella went inside. He has started putting words together, it is so much fun! In the car a couple days ago, he pointed at Will and said, "Dat Bubba." To which I responded, "Yes, that is Bubba!" It is so amazing to watch him turn into a little person.

Words he is saying:
Bye-bye
diaper (biper)
trash (he likes to take his diapers to the trash when we change him)
Elmo (Melmo)
baby
uh-oh
dog (constantly)
ball
He can name all of us that live in the house, plus my parents and grandparents
He is also naming several animals and their sounds - horse, cow, dog, cat, duck, elephant, lion.

We are still struggling with his very strong personality, and the fact that the only time he slows down is when he is sleeping. I think once he can talk better, and can express what he wants he will be less frustrated. Regardless, he brings us loads of joy and is lots of fun!

Christmas Eve

We spend Christmas Eve in Baytown with all of Patrick's family. It is a busy, fun filled day! Scott barely napped, Will was a wild man...and they were both passed out within 15 minutes of our car ride home (at 6PM!) Here is hoping we get to sleep in a little in the morning!
Merry CHRISTmas ... Jesus is the reason for the season!

Santa Claus

Scott wanted nothing to do with the big guy, and Will would have stayed all day to hang out!

Ear Infections...

Scott just cannot seem to get rid of and keep away these ear infections. It is a vicious cycle...starts pulling his ear, nose starts running, then comes the cough and grouchy mood! We have been referred to an ENT specialist, and will be seeing her on January 16. We just want our little guy to be well.

Waiting at the doctor's office

The Boys

We lucked out this year with the pictures the boys had taken at school. They turned out great. I think we have 2 pretty cute boys if I do say so myself!

Grandma's Birthday

Last weekend we celebrated my Grandma's 78th birthday. We got a great picture of her with all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren! We are all blessed to have a Grandma like her. She is amazing, and I count my blessings to have grown up so close to her and that my boys have been able to meet her and spend time with her.

Birthday parties for the big boy and sick days for the baby boy!

That is what our life has been full of! Will has had several birthday parties, and we got another invitation yesterday! He has certainly had fun at them all, but it is wearing these parents out!

Poor Baby Scott...he had a very mild case of hand, foot and mouth, on top of several teeth coming in all at the same time. Then this week he has a double ear infection. Our poor little guy, he passed out in the middle of the living room floor Sunday morning after a terrible night Saturday. Luckily YaYa was able to take him to the doctor yesterday and we are on the mend.

We are all anxiously waiting for this week to be over so we can have 9 straight days off together ... starting with 2 birthday parties this weekend! I am ready for some rest and relaxation.