I forgot to mention...

That Chunk felt the need to wipe down the drink machine at the mall.

We were standing around talking when Chunk took the wipe, went over to the machine and started giving it a good cleaning.

Poor thing, we left her rubber gloves at home...there's no telling what all that hard work did to her cuticles!

And finally...

Monkey wanted to know just exactly why Bergen got a pair of Lelli Kelly's and she did not.

I wasn't about to tell her that it was because when we went to buy a pair, her Daddy just about had a cow because they were so GIRLY!

Never mind the fact that HE wouldn't be wearing them.

Then there was some lame excuse about how her braces wouldn't fit in them...what a very minor detail.

She won't be wearing braces forever (contrary to what one former PT said - too bad for her she is wrong {and annoying}).

Maybe in celebration of the end of braces we can join our friends in the world of glamorous shoes - there is a pair of blue Lelli Kelly's that will look beautiful on Monkey!

"Evil" employee!

One of the sweet employee's brought around a bear on a leash and skates and she just had to stop right in front of Chunky Monkey.
Had the bears skates not been so heavy, I think Monkey would have been out the door with the bear before anyone could have caught her!

Lets not forget Baby B!

Sweet Brock had a great time just hanging out and watching his Big Sister celebrate on her big day!

Just a few more!

We are all familiar with...

the Soup Nazi...but there are other forms of dictatorships as well...such as:

The Little Monkey who felt the need to Mother each and every child and show them how to give their bears a bath

She had to monitor their progress

She even had to show the little ones where to stand in order to properly administer a bath to a bear.

What a pro!

Monkey's Pictures of the Day!

Monkey is working so hard at learning how to pick her feet up to step over or on objects.

It's a big, huge work in progress! Sweet little Monkey bathing the Bear!

My little explorer!

Monkey is such a nosey an inquisitive little thing!

After patiently waiting...

The Bears started to come to life!

Not a clue!

This poor lady had no idea how things could have turned badly and quick.

One thing (of many things) that you don't do is take a book away from Monkey.

Check out the look on Monkey's face!

There was Mommy intervention taking place just seconds later!

Monkey didn't have a come apart and she didn't attack, but I could see the look in her eyes...I think she would have went for the jugular.

Waiting ever so patiently!

Bergen's Birthday was held at Build-A-Bear.

Patti is the perfect party planner and she never ceases to impress me.

On this night, for whatever reason, the entire state of Alabama was gathered inside of Build-A-Bear at the same time we were trying to enjoy Bergen's Party.

Had we not all been in fabulous moods, it could have been a disaster!

People were literally shoulder and shoulder, but after three years of practice, we were able to tune out the rest of the world and the bystanders and just enjoy our children!

They were so sweet and waited so patiently for their turns!

Patti and Bergen!

Addie was content to sit with her book and wait for the party to begin!

Poor Trenton on the other hand, just needed a reprieve!

Yes, we were sitting on the floor in the middle of a store...the things we will do for our children!

Happy 3rd Birthday Bergen!

We had the best time at Bergen's 3rd Birthday Party!

I am sorting through the 132 pictures that we took to capture these beautiful memories, but had to go ahead and post this picture.

Sweet Bergen was just precious as she was standing there looking in awe at the candles on her birthday cake!

Happy Birthday Bergen and thank you for blessing us with these last three years!

(More pictures coming soon)

Sweet Baby Girl!

Pictures by Kim

More pictures from Kim!

More pictures courtesy of Kim!!!

Who's in control now?

Monkey thought about sharing her smartie with Julien for all of about a second before she changed her mind!

She thought is was hilarious!

I just love this picture sequence!

The Vominator

Doesn't she just look so sweet and innocent?

Well, as we all know...looks can be deceiving!

We went to see Kim for Addie's 3rd Birthday Pictures back on Addie's Birthday - December 31, 2009.

As many of you know, Kim is very special to our family and knowing that she is there to share in our special day with us each year, means so very much to us!

The week leading up to Addie's Birthday was so very difficult and we had to decide if we were going to continue on with our tradition of seeing Kim or not.

In addition to that, Kim was sick too, but in the end, I had to go on with the appointment.

Going into our session, things were just "off".

Chris and I were definitely not at our best and it was very evident (hence no pictures of us). Julien was fine, but Addie-Pa-Tattie was having an evil moment.

She was still trying to recover from her terrible sinus infection and wanted absolutely no part of this silly picture making business.

There came a point when Kim decided we would bribe Addie with smarties (watch for updated header - from Diana - with Julien, Addie and the smarties coming soon).

I thought the smarties were a fabulous idea and Addie was thrilled with it...until

THE VOMINATOR

emerged!

Right smack in the middle of picture time, Addie got sick.

What a precious Kodak moment.

It was in Kim's studio and we were totally unprepared for the moment.

I was however, very pleased with how Kim and I improvised and then finished up the session.

Once again, Kim managed to come through for us by capturing sweet pictures of THE VOMINATOR and her sweet big brother!

If anyone is looking for a fabulous photographer who can withstand whining, fussing, mess-making and vominators and still manage to capture the beauty of your family - give Kim a call!

We think the world of her and you will too!

We're moving!

Well, not yet.

Chris and I have a permanent ongoing "joke".
We are moving to Homewood.
Not right this minute, obviously
but,
seeing as how we spend 68.72874% of our time running to and from Homewood, we might as well move there.

It has gotten to the point that when I call a new provider, store or restaurant, I don't ask them, "where are you located?",

I ask them, "where in Homewood are you located?".

Seriously.

94% of our providers are in Homewood.

I think that Homewood is eventually going to have a huge sinkhole open up and just swallow it whole because of everything that is located there.

Can the earth handle that kind of centralized mass?

So, we may have to rent a cottage to get us through until we make a permanent move.

Don't tell Julien - he will have no part of moving...I wonder how quickly the state could build a raised bypass to Homewood for us...I guess holding off on the move is a good idea, I don't think my thighs could handle living in that close of proximity to Pastry Art - they would explode!

After I get my vacation to Whidbey, Fidalgo and Vancouver Islands, then we can put our house on the market and move.

A girl can dream...right?

Modification of goals!

(I do not have permission from other parents to post this video, but I don't think anyone can really get a good enough look at the other little ones in the class to be able to identify who they are anyway.)

Addie's teacher tried something new during this class and brought out the "Ring of Fire!"

All the parents got so tickled and I started thinking that I should modify Addie's PT goals.

Sweet Addie is unable to step over objects in her way. It is something that we are really working on.

Instead of one of her PT goals reading:

"Consistently step over objects"

it should read:

"Consistently step over objects while walking through a ring of fire".

Sweet Baby Girl is trying so hard!

It makes me so happy just to see her walking and being able to participate with her peers!

(The video was taken on the iPhone through a two way mirror - not too bad.)

Happy Birthday to Me!

You know you're getting old when you want nothing more for your birthday than just to come home from work and do...nothing.

I told Chris that I was taking the night off.

After the kids had their baths, we cuddled up to watch the end of Up, which I had been trying to watch for three days.

(Yes, I look rough in these pictures, but I try to capture everything in pictures regardless. I'm just tired, didn't even care how my make-up looked. You'll forgive me...right?)

Preview Day

My family came over to celebrate my birthday.

My Mom made awesome Mexican (food) for dinner and my husband picked up carrot cake from J. Alexander's.

It was a very, very laid back evening.

It was nice not to have to do much of anything!

"Jumping"

Once the wild boys cleared out for a quick break, it was time for Addie-Pa-Tattie to have a turn.

She loved it!

Nonna Lovings

Big, big squeeze for Aunt Nonna before saying good-bye for the evening!

Sweet and Sweaty - Take Two

Julien was watching over the girls, making sure they didn't get hit by the basketballs or footballs.

Party pictures

Happy Birthday C'Jay and MK!

I have an incredibly intelligent and resourceful cousin.

Not only did she combine her children's birthday's into one party, she held the party at a gym at a local church.

The kids were able to run wild, play football and basketball or jump in the inflatable while contained within four widely spaced walls.

I was impressed.

Happy Birthday C'Jay and Mari Kynadee!!!

Haircut #3

Well, we won't technically call it a haircut because it was just merely a little tiny trim.

Monkey was such a good girl! Ta-Da!

Can you tell it was almost nap time?

Show me the money!

Help me, help you

Help me, help you

Help me, help you

Really...help me, help you

That is exactly what I felt like screaming when I found out that it took so long to get the CT results from a provider because this provider did not have a copy of the films to review for Addie's CT Scan.

For the love of all things good in this world.

I walked out of the hospital with a copy of the CT Scan.

This providers office is five minutes from the hospital.

I would have hand delivered it to that provider just like I did the other provider involved in the scan had I known.

By me helping you, you help me.

I just wish people would tell me what they need or are waiting on.

I would be happy to help them help me.

Addie's oral surgeon called me this a.m. with the results of the CT Scan. Let me just say that I truly do adore this provider. She has made a really good first and second impression on me (regardless of the lack of helping me to help her help me).

The growth on Addie's mandible appears to be just a bony growth - cause unknown. She doesn't know if it is "just a growth" or if a tooth happens to be pushing out part of Addie's mandible because her mandible is so incredibly small.

We don't know, so...we just have to "WAIT AND SEE"!

This awesome physician did ask me if I wanted to come in and talk with her and visually review the scan.

Of course I do - thanks for asking!

So, not only is this physician willing to go one step beyond giving us the results, she is willing to sit down with us and talk a little more

AND

she is willing to join our team as one of Addie's permanent physician's.

We do know that we could possibly be looking at surgery in the future due to the size of Addie's little mouth and jaw.

We'll just have to wait and see.

_________________________________________

As a side note

Since January 5th, we have added three new physician's to Addie's team

and

three new therapists

and

one new special education teacher.

I need to create a flow chart just so everybody else can keep up with which doctor has what specialty and how they fit in.

Whew.

(I do realize that the title of this post only vaguely indirectly ties into the content of this post, but it was the first thing that entered my mind. Just go with it.)

Championship Game

Yet again...we were the home team.

The season is officially over.

Sweet and Sweaty

Check him out, he's almost as tall as I am!!!I wonder how often the doors and windows of this school get sanitized. Look at all those hand prints...and Chris wonders why I don't want to touch the door handles!

:)