Please?

Eli still reverts back to hitting every once in a while when he's mad (which he gets a time out for). It's not very often anymore, which has been a nice relief. Yesterday, he got mad at Brandon and hit him. Brandon, of course, told him that was his warning and not to hit again. Eli said, "Please?" as in "Please can I hit?" It was one of those moments where both Brandon and I had to turn our backs so he couldn't see us smiling and biting our lips trying not to laugh. Nice manners son, but still NO! He's very good about saying "please" when he wants something. He'll say what he wants and almost always slaps a "please" at the end. At least I've succeeded at something! It's been really fun to watch the kids adore each other. Cora watches Eli nonstop and is a great sport about him touching her all day and practically smothering her with love. She'll turn her head to follow his voice and find him and smile and coo at him. Eli wants to play hide and seek with her a lot and always tells her "DONE!" if she's sleeping and he wants her awake so he can bother her. My mom was right when she said that having two kids is easier than one because they entertain each other!

Disaster Friday

This day will be forever known as "Disaster Friday". It all started yesterday when Brandon came home complaining of stomach cramps. He was feeling crappy on and off and didn't know whether it was flu or food poisoning. I about had a panic attack picturing both my kids with the stomach flu. Luckily, he's a lot better now and we're assuming it was food poisoning. Then, I realized my ingrown tonail was seriously infected and if I was unable to do a "home surgery" on it I probably needed to go to the doctor today. I was bound and determined and succeeded in my attempt! In the middle of the night, the AC stopped cooling. It was still running but the house was getting hotter and hotter. We opened the windows and prayed someone could come out first thing before it got up to 100 degrees today (which they did and it is nice and cool in here now might I add). Early this morning I noticed Cora had a gunky eye that looked like an infection. I panicked because I have serious issues when I get pink eye and have bad reactions to any medicine I've tried. Cora didn't act like anything was bothering her and has been her happy self. I took her to the doctor and it turns out she caught Eli and I's cold and stuffed up sinuses are causing her gunky eye. Her cold is very minor luckily (thank you breastfeeding) and all I'm to do is saline her nose. The doctor said, "Wow, she looks huge today!" She is BIG! She weighed in today at 11 lbs 10 oz. Eli is almost over his cold, but it has been a rough week adding to the tension of everything else today! I am really glad we're having "Disaster Friday" instead of "Disaster Monday!"

GRACKLE!

This evening I had my first mini escape from both kids...a haircut! It was the first time I've left both kids with Brandon. I was only gone 40 minutes, but it was nice to get away! Cora slept the whole time I was gone, so he had it easy! Yesterday, we had some excitement. I heard fluttering in the chimney and a young grackle flew down into the fireplace and was trapped by the wire cover. It spent all day trying to get out flapping and clinging to the side of the cover. I think it was a God send because all day Eli kept watching it and laughing and once in a while getting startled when it would fly. Brandon said he'd deal with it when he got home from work, but 20 minutes before he got home I noticed it was gone and thought it had gone back up the chimney. A few hours later Brandon and Eli went to the grocery store and I went down to the basement to do some laundry. That was when the grackle swooped by my head. Scared the crap out of me! It came upstairs and I got a towel and attempted to "shoo" it out of the house. It really was enjoying itself flying and landing on different things. At one point it even went down in the bathtub to drink some standing water. I was laughing because it was sitting on our computer, on the lamps, on the chairs, etc. It took me a while but I finally got it outside! It wasn't even that scared believe it or not. I'm glad it made it back outside without getting hurt or dying....even if it was a nasty grackle!

Farm fun!

I have too many awesome pictures to post of our great weekend at the farm. It was SUPER difficult to do on my own without Brandon's help, but he had an awesome time down in Odessa with his Dad and other relatives for his uncle's funeral. I'm so glad he was able to go, but really missed him! Eli had a blast with his cousins and grandparents. He did come down with a cold the day we got there so had some pretty miserable cranky moments, but we survived. The kids definitely had the time of their lives! The kids got to ride horses, ride the 4-wheeler, camp in a tent, go swimming, play basketball, ride in the combine, play in my mom's secret fort she made in her lilacs, eat special treats, etc. It was a wild and fun time! It was a real learning experience for my mom. I think we know now what to expect and can adjust accordingly. My dad started harvesting while we were there. Nothing like starting one of the most stressful times of the year with all 7 of your grandchildren home :-). He was a great sport! Eli loved seeing the combine running, the cows, cats, etc. He also loved swinging in the swing my dad built for us as kids. It was a great time, but we are all exhausted. I seriously lost 5 lbs :-) The best diet around! I'm really looking forward to 4th of July and another wild weekend! Cora was her usual sweet happy self. What a relief to have such an easy baby. She is just a little rolly bundle of joy! Praise God for family!

Farm living is the life for me!

Brandon is headed to his uncle's funeral this weekend in Odessa, mandolin in tow, to sing and be with his family. His dad was able to get the same flights from Dallas to Odessa, so they should be able to spend some great time together. It's not very often he gets to be with his dad on Father's Day! Eli, Cora, and I are headed to the farm! We haven't been in a long time since I was unable to travel at the end of my pregnancy. I'm so thrilled to get to introduce Eli to his cousins and see my beautiful and handsome nieces and nephew! I've really missed them! Eli is determined that he is going to be sleeping with the cows :-) My dad may even be harvesting wheat while we're there, so the kids are in for an experience. I'm hoping to survive the two hour car trip with the kids and wrangling without Brandon's help! I'm really looking forward to being with ALL my family! This will be the first time we're all in the same house since Becca and Joel got the kids! It's going to be wild and crazy fun! Another piece of good news is that Cora's head is pretty much completely better. Her hair is even growing back in nicely (dark too...yippy)! Brandon took Monday off, so we can still celebrate Father's Day with him as well!

I Love You

Eli has started telling Cora that he loves her. It is the sweetest thing, and it melts my heart every time! Yesterday, he was having his morning snuggle with her on the bed and he pointed to her and said, "I love ya!" several times. I said, "Do you love Mommy?", and he pointed to her and said, "Bree (what he calls her), I love ya". Then I said, "But do you love Mommy too?" He gave me a "no" sort of look and pointed and Cora again saying, "Bree, Bree, I love ya!" She has stolen his heart!

The one picture is of Eli praying. His prayer never makes sense, but it sure is cute!

We just found out this morning that Brandon's Dad's brother Roland was killed in a car accident last night. He lived in Odessa, so the last time we saw him was when Brandon's Grandpa passed away two years ago. Of course we are heart broken and waiting to hear if there is going to be a service or anything. Prayers for all the Judsons would be greatly appreciated.

On a happier note, we had an amazing week! We spent every morning outside walking and playing and Eli was SO much better. Less hitting, less screaming, less terrible twos! Maybe it was teething? Who knows with him. Like I always say, he's DRAMA like his MAMA! Cora's head infection has definitely changed and gotten a little bigger. I don't know if it looks different because it's getting worse or is responding to the medicine. So frustrating! I left some questions for the doctor yesterday, so hoping for some answers on Monday. At least it is something that doesn't bother her at all. I am very thankful right now for my life and the gifts that God has given me!

Summer fun

Our week is going SO much better than last week, what a relief! The hitting has barely occurred so far. How enjoyable! Today I took Cora to the Dermatologist. She thinks she has a fungal infection on her head that has caused that spot of hair to fall out. We are putting a cream on it twice daily and going back in a month. Right now I'm just praying that it doesn't spread, goes away quickly (can take a long time to go away), and that her hair will grow back (there are kids who permanetly lose their hair in the area of infection). Luckily the spot is on the side of her head so the upper hair would cover it if that was the case. It takes 5 weeks to culture it and actually know for sure that's what it is, but definitely worth taking action in case. Eli has been enjoying sliding into the baby pool the past few days. Summer fun!