Too Fast

Somedays I realize my little girl...

...is growing up too fast!

Where is the time going?

Polka-a-dot Boy and the Toothy Crab

Those are the not so secret superhero names I have bestowed on Aric and Kellyn this week.  Monday after the kids and I arrived home from work and daycare, I realized that Aric was covered in hives and had a temperature.  I wasn't too concerned especially since he had his two year checkup with the doctor scheduled for the next morning. 

On Tuesday morning he had a low-grade fever and the hives had transformed into a full-body rash.  He was a little lethargic, very compliant (which is my cue that he doesn't feel good), and took a rare morning nap.  The doctor diagnosed him as having a viral exanthem and said he wasn't contagious.  Which I took to be fancy doctor speak for I-have-no-idea-what-your-kid-has-but-I'm-not-going-to-treat-it-and-I'm-not-concerned-by-it.  We went home.  By that afternoon, Aric was feeling better but looked terrible.  The rash was from head to toe and very red.

On Wednesday I spoke with Autumn about Aric returning to daycare.  She agreed to take him as long as he had no fever.  In my conversation with her she mentioned one of the other kids at daycare had a rash, too.  Hmmm.  Contagious, anyone?

In addition, I've been dealing with Kellyn who has been quite crabby.  Ryan and I were trying to figure out if her incoming teeth were making her crabby or if she's just mad that she can't walk.  We seem to agree that it's a little of the former and a lot of the latter.  She fusses when she crawls and tries to pull herself up on everything in site.

On Thursday night I began to feel achy and not quite right with no rash, though. I also noticed red spots all over Kellyn.

Hmmm.  Contagious, anyone?

Perfect Timing

Ever since Kellyn started to crawl, crawling has not been enough to satisfy her.  She rapidly progressed to pulling herself up to sit on her knees and within the last few days has begun to pull herself up into a standing position.  In one such moment when she was standing up, Ryan grabbed the camera in an attempt to capture a cute photo of her.  This is the photo he took:

Somewhere between him focusing the camera and clicking the shutter, Kellyn lost her balance and went head first over the chair rung.  The same chair rung that caught her and prevented her from splatting face first into the floor.  It seems I have another little daredevil on my hands...

Zoo Trip

Last year we went to the zoo on Aric's birthday.  Thinking that he might enjoy the zoo even more this year, I took the day off from work and we went back today.  It's a small zoo, which is actually kind of nice for small children's short attention spans.  We were only there for about an hour, but we were all hot, tired and ready to go home by the time we reached the end of the zoo.

Last year at the zoo:

What a difference a year makes!

Kellyn's first trip to the zoo.

Birthday Celebration

Neither Ryan nor I grew up with huge birthday parties and actually enjoy having smaller family birthday celebrations.  Which means our children will also have smaller, family birthday celebrations.  After getting home from work, we let Aric open have his presents.  Ryan found time during the day to put everything together while we were gone.  I'm certain it was much easier assembling gifts without having an impatient, inquisitive two year old hanging over his shoulder watching his every move.  The result were gifts assembled and waiting to be played with:

After creating quite the mess but having a good time in the process, we went inside for dinner, baths, more presents and cupcakes.  I think Aric had a good birthday.  He certainly enjoyed the attention, gifts and sweets.

Reflective

Reflective- that's how I feel today. Two years ago today, Aric was born followed by an F4 tornado. At times it's hard to believe he's already two and other times it seems that he's always been a part of our family.

After two miscarriages I wasn't sure we would ever have children. When I found out we were expecting Aric I gave God control of my pregnancy (not that I ever had it in the first place). After thinking there was a huge possibility that I would lose Aric early on, I came to terms with losing yet another child and took my pregnancy day by day because that's all I could handle. God had different plans for us, though, and Aric grew inside of me. I felt more confident as the months passed and genuinely looked forward to the fulfillment of my life-long dream to be a mom.

Two years ago I checked into the hospital, a week before my due date, to be induced. I was nervous facing the unknown outcome of the day. I'd heard horror stories of being in labor for days, the pain of pitocin, the pain of labor, etc. My labor wasn't easy. I had back pain, front pain and was starving through the whole ordeal. It's funny how you remember the weirdest things or maybe I was just that hungry. After 13 hours and no progression for the last 4, I came to a fork in the road. I chose to overcome fear and have a c-section rather than allow the doctor to screw sensors into my baby's head to monitor contraction levels for another couple of hours. (That still sounds barbaric to me.) It was scary being on the operating table, but I'll never forget the sound of Aric crying (or Ryan's descriptive play-by-plays of my operation). I cried when I heard and saw my son. It seemed unreal to finally have a child of our own. I was terrified to have such a responsibility in my life, but at the same time cherished every feeding, every diaper change and every little snuggle.

Fast forward two years and I no longer have a little baby. I have a little boy. We've had our ups and downs; days that I've wanted to go on forever and days that I've wanted to give him back. Aric is a complete joy, though. I thank God for every day that we have with him. It is fulfilling to view the world through his little eyes and again see the joy in a puddle of water, a dirt pile, or pushing a stroller up a hill and allowing gravity to take over and the stroller to chase you back down the hill. I can't describe the way my heart melts when he calls me "Mommy" or wants to cuddle with just me. He is truly a delight.

Happy Birthday, Aric! Enjoy your day.

Favorite Things

So far we have lucked out and Aric hasn't been attached to any one thing.  We haven't had to drag around any blankets or well-loved stuffed animals.  Sure there are things that he sleeps with, but if nap time or bedtime rolls around and one of those items happens to be missing Aric hasn't noticed.  Until now...

Aric is quite attached to this book.  He wants to read it every night before bed.  His favorite part is saying "No monkeys on bed!" while waving his finger in my (or Ryan's) face.  It's quite amusing especially when he hangs on to the book after the lights go out and when I later gently pull it out from under him before I go to sleep.  However, it wasn't so amusing the night the book came up missing.  Ryan and I searched everywhere with Aric trailing after asking us in a concerned voice where his "monkeys" were.  After looking everywhere Ryan finally found the book inside of Aric's pillow case.  He probably stuck it there for safe keeping during his nap time.  That incident kind of makes me think we should get a backup book, just in case...

Another one of Aric's current favorites is watching the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Yesterday I took the kids to the local video/bookstore and we traded in several old movies that we didn't want for store credit.  While the clerk was tallying up our movies, the kids and I wandered through the store and found this:

Aric really enjoys watching the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the Disney Channel and I thought he might enjoy the "full-length movie".  I was right.  After we returned home and I started the DVD, Aric was so excited he started shrieking and stomping in place.  He's asked to watch it several times since and gets quite excited when he sees Mickey.

Swimming

It was a warm, sunny and beautiful day today.  I thought it was a perfect time to let the kids play in the pool for awhile.  They had a blast and neither one of them stayed in it too long which meant I didn't get overheated.  The only downside is that we are using the pool we bought Aric for last summer.  It'll be fine unless either one of them gets any bigger!

They both love bathtime and playing with each other.

Aric kept poking Kellyn. He was being the bully and stealing all of her toys. Typical older brother.

Despite this face, Kellyn was the one who had the least issues with getting in the cold water.  I had to coax Aric to stay in the pool.

Kellyn kept trying to climb up onto the turtle.

After awhile Aric submerged his face repeatedly in the water.  He might be part fish.