Where I’ve Been {Baby Update and a Visit}

Sleeping Benana

Yes, it is true!  I am still alive.  I know you have been seeing a lot of pictures and not as many other posts lately, but this little one is taking up a lot of my time:

Isn’t he just the cutest thing?

Between nursing and changing poopy diapers, there has just hardly been any time to do anything else.  But I haven’t forgot about you guys.  You are each near and dear to my heart.  And I want to be sure to share great things with you besides cute pictures of my family :)

A few things that you can look forward to in the very near future is some great reviews on a few products that I have had the opportunity to test out, as well as a few giveaways.  One of them is a huge giveaway.  So huge, in fact, there are 3 winners.  And all three will be winning an Amazon GC!

Speaking of Amazon GC’s, I got a great visit this past week in my email inbox.  About a week after our return from Banana’s birth, the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online graced me with their presence and bestowed upon me a gift card to use on whatever I want.  I am having a hard time deciding what to spend it on.  Diapers?  Portable DVD player for the car?  Sewing books?

Whatever I decide to use it on will be fun, I assure you.  And, if you are a blogger, be sure to leave me a comment letting me know what you would use the gc for if the Fairy Hobmother visited you.  You just might get a visit from them as well!

Disclosure: I wrote this post just to let you know how things were going in my life.  The gc was a nice bonus to mention, but it in no way influenced or changed my views :)

Family Friday: One Year at the Down Syndrome Clinic

Down Syndrome Clinic

As I promised you earlier this week, I have quite the Family Friday story for you.  This past Tuesday we headed to the Down Syndrome Clinic in St Louis, MO in order for Lion to have his one year check up.  These visits are always long ones because the Down Syndrome Clinic coordinates all of our appointments into one day so that we don’t have to travel as much, which is nice.

This particular visit was going to be a check up with Lion’s geneticist, a behavioral hearing test and a check up with an ENT.  And then Daddy Head decided that we would go to a St. Louis Cardinal’s game for good measure.  This would be fun to have a little outing, just the three of us.  Bear stayed back with Grammy Head.

Our first appointment was at 10am, so we left the house at 7am.  We had a little car trouble, so we ended up having to take Grampy Head’s car.  This made the trip even more enjoyable.  Thanks Dad!

We thought we might be late, but ended up showing up 30 min early.  After waiting in the waiting room for an hour, we finally proceeded back.  Lion weighed in at 22 lbs 10 ounces and was 28 inches long!  Doing very well, Dr. Grange said.  We asked about his heat rash and the shape of his head.  She said that his head looked great, so the scare we had at the last appointment over a helmet was now gone!  Lion did well, even though he peed on the doctor!

Down Syndrome Clinic

We went out to our car and ate our lunch that I packed.  I nursed Lion and put him down for a nap while we were out there.  Little did I know that this would be a problem for his behavioral hearing test.  Let’s just say that we will be repeating that test at a later date due to screaming and fear ;)

Down syndrome clinic

Chilling in a chair waiting for the ENT visit

Lion had a lot of wax in his ears, so the ENT had to clean them out.  They found a little fluid in there, so we have to go back in 2 months to see if that is gone.  If not, we will talk about putting tubes in his ears since we dont want to risk hearing loss.  As of now, Lion’s hearing is perfect and his speech is right on track.  That is what we want to keep.

After we finished at the hospital, I got to do a little shopping at a mall and then we ate at the Whole Foods Market.  Next came the game!

Not sure why the picture was cut off but it was a good one

The game was fun and we won 8 to 1!  Lion had a blast, and fell asleep at the end.

Our day in St Louis was great!  And we don’t have to go back to the Down Syndrome Clinic for another year!  Hard to believe that my baby boy is getting so big!

What fun adventures have you been on with your family lately?

Top 10 Favorite Birthday Cake Eating Pictures {Happy Birthday Lion}

one year old birthday idea

I am so excited to share with you my favorite pictures from Lion’s first birthday party.  I can hardly believe that my little guy is 1 now!  Makes me want to cry tears of joy!  He is such a doll and so very fun.

So here ya have it.  My link up for Top 10 Tuesday and Tell Us Something Good this week is my favorite 10 pictures from Lion’s cake eating at his party this weekend.

one year old birthday idea

This is his first cake. They decorated it just like the big cake

1 year old birthday party ideas

He get's his cake in sight

1 year old party ideas

Poor Aunt Hannah didn't expect him to reach out and get it.

1 year old birthday ideas

Not sure about this stuff.

1 year old party ideas

This is actually pretty good. Gotta get some more

1 year old birthday party ideas

Need more cake!

1 year old party ideas

Yay! I love parties and cake

1 year old party ideas

What is sister doing here?

1 year old birthday party ideas

Sharing with sister

1 year old birthday party ideas

The end result!

And well, I have to leave you with my favorite picture of all.  Me and my sweet guy!

1 year old birthday party ideas

A sweet kiss (that didn't happen)

Top Ten {Tuesday} The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too!

Whew! Vacation 1 is Done

Click Photo for Source

Click Photo for Source

Last week was a great week away!  Daddy Head, our children, all of Daddy Head’s family and I went on a week long vacation to the Smokey Mountains.  It was beautiful.  I love that place.  (I will be sure to share some pictures later)

The catch to all this is that I will be leaving again tomorrow morning for vacation 2.  I am leaving with my sister-in-laws and Hubby’s Gram to go to Amish Country in Indiana!  I am so excited, but sad to be leaving you again.

But, rest assured, there will still be fun stuff around these parts.  I have a few guest posts lined up for you, as well as some fun blog hops. 

Last thing, congrats to some recent winners here on MHA!

Selene was the winner of the $20 GC for Chili’s and Lori was the winner of the $50 GC for The Vintage Pearl!  Congrats ladies and thank you for accepting.

Have a blessed week and be sure to visit and join in all the fun!

Family Friday: Sharing a Hotdog

share a hotdog




So, today my story isn’t much of story. I don’t have an elaborate milestone to share with you (though Bear did say, “Hi, Bubba,” the other day).

This edition of Family Friday is about a hotdog.

share a hotdog

Click for Photo Source

The other night, Bear and I were awake kind of late.  I had spoke at our youth center, so I was looking for some down time.  I was really getting everything but that since I had so much laundry to catch up and planning to do in order to leave town for vacation.

Anyway, Bear was showing me all the signs of hunger.  Whining, begging, breathing hard.  She was putting on the works.  I kept giving her little snacks, but honestly, I was too tired to cook anything.  Seriously, it was like 10:00 pm!

I had kinda worked up an appetite, so I decided to make her a hotdog to share with me.

30 seconds in the microwave and we were both satisfied.

Well, I was.  She continued her whining and carrying on, but at least we had a bonding moment over those few bites!

What bonding have you done lately?  Why not write about it and link up?  Or you can just share in the comments below.

Family Friday is a weekly meme where everyone is invited to link up a story dealing with their family. This is not a blog hop. You can link up a story that you wrote in the past, I just ask that you place the button somewhere in your post