What A Beautiful Weekend!

We had a BEAUTIFUL weekend and spent a lot of time outdoors at various events!

First Up - KID FISH


Out neighborhood hosts a KID FISH DAY once a year. We are usually out of town, so we have never been. This year daddy was out of town, but mommy thought she could take Madden. Good thing our neighbors were there to help.....my fishing skills aren't too great!


This was the first time Madden had ever fished. He really wanted to catch one!








Our neighbor, Kris giving him a quick tutorial!




"Like this?" I'm not too sure about this.....

Good buddies!

"this is kind of fun!"

I wish my grandaddy was still alive! He was quite the fisherman and would've gotten a kick out of these pictures!

We didn't catch any fish....and Madden was REALLY bummed. But, we got a free donut, juice and had some fun. Hoping daddy will take him fishing again soon! We have several ponds in our neighborhood!

After Kid Fish, we ran a few errands. Then, Madden said he wanted to go to a playground. What a great idea! We picked up lunch and headed to the park - and we had it all to ourselves!

He's getting SO big! I think this is the first year I don't have to actually climb the equipment WITH him! I just sat on the bench and watched.....ahhhh!

Sunday was the All Church Family Picnic and Egg Hunt. Daddy came home from Lubbock and was able to join us for this! It was perfect weather and Madden was all set to hunt eggs.....

He waited so long.....that he became impatient and decided basketball would be fun. So fun, in fact that he REFUSED to hunt eggs when the time came. He wanted to play basketball. UGH. Remember, last year? Similar experience.

There were tears (his, not mine) and tantrums thrown.....and ultimately, he decided to play basketball. He did tell ME to go get some eggs for him, though. Ha!

So, here are the pictures of Madden hunting eggs playing basketball....

Sweet Boy!

.....and since I didn't get one of him actually hunting eggs, I made him stand with his *new that he picked out* easter basket for memory sake!

....and a rarity - a picture of our WHOLE family! Love it - cheesy grin and all!


Now, if the temps can just stay this wonderful for a few more months! :)

Our Anti-Climatic First Trip To The ER

Well, we can check our first ER visit off the list for Madden! Sure wasn't what I expected to be his first, but I guess I am glad it wasn't for anything major.

Here's the story:

Madden had a cough for several days. I just thought it was allergy and have been giving him benedryl. He'd been acting fine. Last night, I gave him benedryl at bedtime and noticed he was wheezing, so I gave him a breathing treatment and put him in bed. He started coughing....a lot. So, I sent Marc up to give him a drink. After about 10 minutes, Marc yelled for me. Madden had thrown up and was coughing so much he couldn't get a breath.

We watched this for about 30 minutes....trying to get him to calm down and breathe. We have a Pulse/Oximeter machine, so we checked his O2 levels and it was at 84 (supposed to be in the high 90's). So, I called the pediatrician.

The on call doc said it sounded like he was having an asthma attack and we needed to take him to the ER.

Really?

So, we load up and go to the "doctor". First, I said "hospital" and Madden freaked, so we changed it to the "doctor". We pulled up to the hospital and Madden said "I don't want to go here to the hospital!" I explained to him that 'this part wasn't the hospital, this was the doctor part'. Ha! He loves to drive by the fire station, hospital, etc.....but is actually terrified of ever having to go IN.

We get in and his coughing/breathing started to improve....of course. We get checked in and his O2 levels are at 98.

We question if we should just leave. But, we stayed.

Ended up doing X-rays 3 times. Fluid on left lung. Mild pneumonia/brochitis. Madden did great.

He finally fell asleep on the hospital bed around midnight. We got an antibiotic and left around 1am. He slept great and has been getting better each day.

Expensive trip for an asthma attack if you ask me! But, we'd do anything for our boy!!

Quick Trip to SA

Last weekend, we made a quick trip to San Antonio to visit Lainey and Pops. We hadn't been there in almost a year and Madden was missing the toys are their house! He loves to play with Uncle Ben's old toys.

Pops and Madden also did some cooking in the kitchen together.....

They made blueberry pancakes one morning - yum!

.....and strawberry milkshakes one night for dessert!

Saturday afternoon we headed to the Kiddie Park! It was a beautiful day and Madden loved it!

Batteries were dead on my camera, so we didn't take too many pictures.

It was a nice getaway - mom got some yummy pies from Fredricksburg, we shopped a little and just relaxed (while Madden played!)

The Days of January/February 2012

Where have we been? I haven't posted since the end of December....for several reasons.....but since this blog is a scrapbook of our lives, I want to give on update on what January/February 2012 looked like for us.....the good and the bad.

On December 29, 2011 we learned we were going to adding to our family. After the shock wore off, we were really excited! I spent January feeling icky with first trimester issues and we were anticipating seeing our little one on the ultrasound on January 27.

That appointment rocked our world. I never expected to hear the words we heard. "I'm sorry, but I don't see a heartbeat." Our doctor was so sweet and compassionate. We cried. We got our things are left. We then had to tell our family/friends that we had shared our news with that we would be losing the baby. It was a very. hard. day. I had blood work done on that Friday and again on Monday just to check my levels - but things were just not in our favor. A D&C was scheduled for the following Friday, but nature took its course and I was able to pass it on my own. It was a very raw, emotional and painful few weeks.

Our sweet Madden is our greatest joy! He has helped me to get out of bed some days. To smile and enjoy the blessings of this life. He has been so sweet. We had told him about the baby in mommy's tummy. So, naturally, he continued to talk about it after we learned our news. We told him the baby went to Heaven to live with Jesus. He showed some anger about that, but has mostly just accepted it and moved on. He has mentioned it a few times over the last month. It's hard, but it reminds me that he is also processing the news.

The past 2 weeks have been much better. I think I am out of the 'funk'.....feeling more happy and ready to live life again! I never imagined walking this road, but I know I am not alone. Many, many women go through this and I have been blessed with sweet friends that have showered us with prayer, meals and love. I believe that we will be blessed with a sweet baby here on earth....and I hope it will be soon! :)

I read a blog recently of a girl that just went through this. She wrote that she has rested on this verse: Romans 8:28 "I know He has purpose in even the things I cannot understand". I find comfort in that too.

I read Heaven Is For Real the week leading up to the miscarriage. In that book, the little boy talks about seeing his sister in Heaven. This 'sister' was a baby they had miscarried. What a comfort to know we will SEE our sweet one someday.

Marc totally surprised me with BEAUTIFUL flowers one day after I went back to work. It brought tears to me eyes. I loved them - and his thoughtfulness and love to me during this time was something I will treasure forever.

The day after we learned of our news (Jan. 28), we took Madden to the movies to see Beauty & The Beast. We needed to do something. Last time, it didn't go so well. This time, we made it through the previews.....and probably 30 minutes of the movie. Then, he got loud and would not be quiet. So, we left. He spent the next 2 hours throwing the biggest tantrum we had ever experienced. All he wanted to do was play the video games at the front of the theater. We said NO since he would not be quiet during the movie. Maybe we'll take you back to the movies when you are FIVE, Madden!

Also in January, I took Madden to the eye doctor. He had had a vision test a school and failed. They suggested we take him to an opthamologist. It was an interesting experience. I started wearing glasses in 2nd grade, so I am used to going to the eye doctor.....but this was different. Madden doesn't know his letters 100%, so I was curious to see how they would test him with the chart. They used pictures and he identified them pretty well. They dilated his eyes - which he did not like - and he kept saying his eyes hurt. Overall, the experience was OK. His eyesight is not great, but the doctor said at this age, it is normal and he may grow out of it.

Actually, the child sees just fine. He can spot an airplane, fire truck, ambulance, etc. miles ahead before we see it! So, we go back in a year for a follow up visit.

February was spent doing breathing treatments off and on. Thankfully, it didn't progress into anything serious and all we had to do were periodic treatments. We have had a very mild winter and allergies have been up/down all season.

We occupied our time with Lincoln Logs. Madden got these for Christmas and he loves to build with them. Usually he requests help from us, but sometimes he will try to create something on his own.


Of course, Valentines fell on the 14th of February. Madden took valentines to school and swapped with his friends.

Our little love bug! We love his SO, SO much!!!

They made this box at school....I thought it was really cute!

Our sweet neighbor brought this to Madden!

We surprised Madden with a drum set. Lately, he has gotten into the show Fresh Beat Band. He has a keyboard and guitar, but he was missing a drum. So, he has enjoying playing that. The kid LOVES intruments!!

I went a little overboard and cut our carrots in the shape of hearts...

....and we had a Papa Murphy's heart shaped pizza and pink milk!

Our Valentine dinner!

Very low key day, but perfect for us!

So.....that was January/February 2012. Not a great start of our year, but WE ARE BLESSED and the LORD IS CARRYING US THROUGH!