The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!!

So Cool!!

Tonight, TNT aired the annual Christmas in Washington special...ya know, the one where all the famous people sing to the president! Well, to my surprise the IU born acapella group Straight No Chaser was performing!! I was so excited!! I have been a big fan since I was about 18.....I was introduced to the group back then by my sister-in-law who's husband, Patrick is one of the founding members of the group.

The group was recently signed to Atlantic Records after someone saw this highly viewed YouTube video of them performing their famous "12 Days of Christmas."

The group was awesome on the special!! Unfortunately, Patrick is not with the group at this time, but he is in the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

As soon as I can find the video of the special, I will be sure to post!!

Bad Mommy!

OK, Ok....I will get some pics up soon I promise. I am so bad...I know.

My New Blog

Making a Mommy

So my friend Kadi from the Classy Closet is mentoring a young mother to be. She has taken a young girl under her wing who is newly pregnant. She is journaling the whole expereince on her new blog Making a Mommy. Check it out!!

Win a $10.00 Starbucks Gift Card!!

Click Here For Details

In Memory of Nicholas

Please pray for the family and friends of little Nicholas. Nicholas was a very special little boy with CDLS. His mother notified our online support group the other day that he passed away while napping on the couch. He will forever hold a place in our hearts.

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=5&a=372110

Did YOU See It?

I did....it was as if I was 10 all over again! I love you Jonathan Knight...even if you don't like girls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqlI2Ioembk

Fab Friday's With Me!!!!

Don't forget to check out my posts every Friday on The Posh Parent!! If you aren't a member yet...go and check it out!!

Looking for Something New?

Come over to the greatest site, where you will meet some great "Posh Parents!" The Posh Parent has a group for everyone! You can even add your own group!! If you haven't checked out the Posh Parent, you are missing out on some great stuff!! From product reviews to great LIVE Giveaways!! Yes I said LIVE!! Also, there are some hilarious VLOGS..!! You will even make some great friends along the way!! What are you waiting for? Stop on by The Posh Parent!!!

Mason Pics

Aunt Leenie had a little fun with Mason....

Tupperware Giveaway!!

My friend Claire over at Single Mom Meltdown is giving away some fabulous holiday Tupperware! Who doesn't want free Holiday Stuff? Rush on over and enter her contest...also don't forget to checkout her online Tupperware site!!!

The Big Vote

Well I voted today. I was excited and have my own political views as does everyone else. I will be glad after tonight is over. I am so sick and tired of people throwing their political beliefs onto others. I have quit reading blogs because people are so ridiculous with this. I understand being passionate, but I am so tired of people of thinking that some are "uneducated" and "not informed about politics" because they don't agree with their beliefs. Get off your high horses people! Everyone has their own views. Not one party is all right or all wrong. We are all Americans. Get over yourself and pushing your views onto others!! Ok...I'm done now.:)

Call Girls Get More Candy!!

Ok, so my sister Anne and I took the boys trick-or-treating last night. There was a group of young teenagers dressed in costumes exactly like the picture above, stockings and all!! Did their mothers or fathers see them leave the house???? Maybe they put their costumes on after they left the house...who knows? I was just shocked to see butt cheek all-a-hangin trottin from house to house. Lock up your sons ladies!!! Halloween just got a bit scarier!!!

Under the Weather

Poor Mason Bear. He hasn't been able to keep his feedings down today. All he has done is slept. He has had diarrhea a few times tonight and the last time was just horrible. I have only smelled something that horrible in the hospital and it was C-dif. So now I think Mason has C-dif. (ok, I may be overboard, or it is just the crazy nursing student in me, but he has been on Antibiotics since 3 weeks old!). So first thing tomorrow we are heading to good ol Dr. Stroman's office!! I hope all goes well. Feel better my sweet bear!

Say Cheese!!

Are there even any words?

Are You a Parent of Special Needs?

Come join a great new group for us parents to get together and talk!!

The Posh Parent

Fun Game!!

Ok, this is a fun game that my friend Jen suggested....find the following answers by looking in google images!

What is your favorite color?

Where were you born?

What is your middle name?

Where would you like to visit?

How old are you?

Happy Birthday!!

Reece and Olivia.....Dancing with the Stars!!

Reece and Mason...Go White Sox!!!

Reece with his cousins, Jacob and Ian

Happy 7th Birthday Reecey Cup!!

I can't believe my little guy is 7 already!! Time goes by so quickly. It makes me sad to think that Reece is growing up so quick. It seems like just yesterday he was a little chubby bald baby!!





For his birthday, we celebrated with both sides of the family...it was really nice. My husbands whole family came in from New Jersey! I finally got to meet my niece Olivia for the first time!! She is soooooo adorable!! So smart for a 2 year old!!





Today Reece and I just hung out at home....it was nice. I filled his room up with helium balloons while he was at school...and decorate the house with streamers and signs. He was so excited!! I just love birthdays!!

It's about time!!

Ugh!! It has been so hard to blog lately! I feel so out of the loop!! Lots of things have happened in the past few weeks!!

-Congratulations to my good friend Dawn on the birth of her beautiful baby girl Lacey!!!

-Also, Bowl for Mason was an amazing event. I can't even believe how wonderful it all was. My family and friends are truly amazing!!

-Primetime Television starts new episodes next week!! I am so excited I need my Greys Anatomy and Desperate Housewives!!

-I am part of a new website panel and will be contributing every Friday on the topic of Beauty, make-up, and hair. Be sure to join up. It is a great little community for moms!!

Congratulations

Congratulations to my good friend Shawnie on the long awaited birth of her baby boy!!

Jack Anthony Barnett was born on Saturday August 23rd and boy is he a cutie!!!!

Winner of P&P Earring Giveaway!

Congratulations to Vanessa for winning the Prim & Proper Earring Giveaway! Thank you to all who entered and blogged! Stay tuned because I will be announcing the next Giveaway very soon!

First Grade!

First Grade Already!! It seems like just yesterday my baby was learning to walk. As I was making his lunch this morning he rushed into the kitchen:

Reece: What are you doing?

Me: Making your lunch

Reece: You didn't cut my sandwich in 1/2 did you?

Me: No, why?

Reece: Because first graders eat WHOLE sanwiches!

When did he grow up so fast!! Oh yeah, and he made it a point to give me a kiss goodbye before the bus turned the corner!

Prim & Proper's Very First Giveaway!!

To Win Me:

Click Here.

Safety Products

Be sure to check out Prim & Proper today. There is a great link to some neat baby products!

Another Blog

Be sure to get the button on the sidebar to visit my new hip mom blog...Prim & Proper. There are gonna be some great giveaways and fun times!!

Megan

Feeling Very Thankful

So, tonight I am feeling very thankful. I just read our church prayer chain and there was a prayer request that I can't stop thinking about. Right now down at Riley's: a 15 year old boy is on a ventilator with a life threatening infection after a routine appendectomy. His chances for survival are very slim. I can't imagine how his parents are feeling, coping, or even functioning.
When Mason was born, we were devastated and scared. My first initial thought was...why me? The past month or so now my feeling has turned into.....thank god it's me! What an amazing boy I have. (Actually 1 of 2 amazing boys) Each day he surprises me! He has such a personality at just 8 weeks old! He may not be what people think of as "normal" but he is such a blessing and I am so grateful to how he has opened my eyes up to a whole new world. Hopefully, I will be able to share that world with people I meet throughout my life.

I am also extremely grateful for my "Sunny Supporters." You know who you are!!!

Wordless Wednesday

10 years/Got Milk?

Well, Scott and I went to my 10 year reunion. We had a lot of fun! It was nice to have a few hours away....I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a while! My how everyone changes!!

I found it strange that people I haven't talked to in years would be so forward. For example, in 3 separate instances acquaintances of mine would be on their way to the bar to get drinks. They would offer me a drink and then say "oh wait, aren't you breastfeeding?" Not to mention one was a guy!!! Who asks that? Weird!

Very Excited!!

Very excited about tomorrow!! First I will be heading to get a mani and pedi with a few of my peeps. Then, it is off to my 10 year high school reunion! Man, I'm old! I'll be sure to post some pics!

Mommy's Favorite Picture...."Cat Nap"

Aww!

Big Brother!!

Welcome to Holland (aka The Beauty of Holland)
by Emily Perl Kingsley


I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability -- to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful vacation plans. The coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very, very exciting.After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The flight attendant comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland.""Holland?!?", you say." What do you mean, Holland? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy. ""But there's been a change in the flight plan. They landed in Holland and there you must stay." The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It's just a different place.So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for awhile and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills. Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, 'Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned.'And the pain of that will never, ever, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.



(Thanks Rhonda!!)

Set Backs

Best Buddies

Snoozing

Just Being Nosey

Well, after being home not only a week, we are back in Indy at Riley Children's Hospital. Mason could barely hold down any feedings so they wanted us to bring him back for fear of dropping anymore weight. Yesterday morning he had surgery for Pyloric Stenosis. This is caused by the enlargment of a stomach muscle that doesn't allow food to go down as it should. So, we had that taken care of along with a G-tube inserted into his belly. This is an alternative feeding method instead of the NG tube in the nose....in the long run, much more comfortable for him. This may not take care of the reflux issue, so another surgery may be necessary, but there is no way of knowing at this point. Mason is still having trouble keeping down feedings, but that will happen until he heals a bit more. He is quite the little trooper. He sleeps alot. He had a rough night last night, but we expected that being just a few hours out of surgery. Hopefully all the feeding issues will be solved and we can come home soon. We really miss Reece, who my wonderful sisters have been watching over...bless their hearts! I seriously don't know what I would do without the support of my family and close friends. My family has gone above and beyond to help us in any way they possibly can. I am so grateful for them and I thank god everyday to have them in my life.

Above are some pictures of Mason before we left Riley's last week.

Celebration!!!

Quick update:

Amazing news!!!! Our Mason had an in depth hearing test and his hearing is perfect!!!! We can't believe it! Apparently, the "other" hospital did the wrong type of hearing test! Anyways, we couldn't be happier right now. God works in mysterious ways!!

Ok...Just Killing Time...You Really Don't Have to Read All of This!

Wow. It is amazing how things change so quickly. We are now currently at Riley's Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. (I will tell you how wonderful it is in a minute).

But this is how our day played out yesterday....quite an eventful day I must say!!

8:00 am- I am in the shower heading up to Community Hospital to see Mason

8:02 am- Still in the shower, Scott comes in to tell me Community got Mason a bed at Riley's and they will be there to pick him up in a few hours.

9:15 am- Scott and I arrive at Community to see Mason and get him all set up for transport....also our final visit with Mason's favorite nurse Diane.

9:20 am- Diane fills mom and dad in on transport details......Riley is on the way to get Mason...By Plane!

9:30-11:00 am- Scott and I feeding Mason and filling out a lot of paper work.

11:00 am- Scary people in Top Gun jumpsuits come to say they are there to take my baby! Mason quickly swept away into the Isolette on a Gurney!

11:20 am- Scott and I arrive at Gary Int. Airport to see off our Mason!

11:45 am- Iceman, Maverick, and Goose, all load Mason and his belongings into the plane. (I am crying).

12:00 am- We Have Liftoff! (can you hear the Top Gun music?) Mason is airborne! (only a 35 min plane ride!!)

Okay, so after that I get home, pack up, get a call Mason got there safely (Whew!), load up the car with Reece coming along......2 + hour car ride and Reece talks the entire time!!

Finally get here...get in to see our Mason.....he is still in one piece and as precious as can be!

Of course Reece is bored and cries he wants to go home! Scott takes Reece down the street to a hotel (which Reece told me was gross and old. Oh yeah and there was a big spider in the shower...EEEK!) Thank goodness I stayed with Mason...except no sleep here...Mason had every test under the sun! This would of taken a month at Community!! But Mason slept through the entire night!! Poor baby, tuckered himself out!

Well, coming here turned out to be a blessing....we are finding things out that we didn't know, or they didn't find at Community. I'll post more later.....

5 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday Mason Turned Three Weeks Old, Today He Weighs 5 lbs and 1/2 oz!! On The Road To Coming Home!!

Mommy's Big Boy!

How Time Flies!!!

Getting Impatient

I can't beleive it has been over two weeks since Mason was born. However, it seems as if he has been in the NICU forever now!! It is so exhausting going up 2 sometimes 3 times a day...not to mention getting up twice a night to pump! (I could open my own dairy!) I am not meaning to complain, but I just want to bring my boy home!! It is so hard to leave him every single night. I know he is in good care, but I just want to get him home to start living our lives with him in our everyday activities. Reece asks every day if this is the day Mason gets to come home! I think he is even more impatient than I am!!

Scott and I feel as if we have been on a roller coaster for the past two weeks. Having a child born with a syndrome which no one has ever seen nor heard about can be the most terrifying thing for a parent to experience. The mere thought of my child struggling or hurting just tears me to pieces. At first I kept wondering "Why Me?" But now it is a different "Why Me?" I wonder why God picked me to be the mother of this amazing and special little boy. I have great fears....fears that I will not be everything he needs me to be....fears I cannot even describe. He continues to amaze us everyday....he has already beat a number of odds....he is so much stronger than I could ever be....he is just a little angel!!!

Please take a moment to visit www.cdlsusa.org.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to a Great Husband and Dad!!!

More Pictures

We can't wait to bring him home so we can post some pictures with his big brother!!

Say Cheese!!

Mason and Daddy

Our Little Peanut!