HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY GRAYSON!

So I'll begin with the day you were born! Well, let's back up to before you were born. I can't imagine my life without you now. You bring laughter, joy and you completed our family. I'll admit, we were not planning on having any more babies. You were a complete suprise and I think I was in shock for a couple of weeks when we found out we were expecting you. Mommy found out on September 7th. I was sure you were going to be a girl. I had the name Gracie all picked out. You were a fun pregnancy (though I don't know anyone else would agree because I whined alot) but you were always moving and jumping around in mommy's tummy. We found out you were a boy when we had our ultrasound at "Before the Stork". I was so excited to know that Jake was going to have a brother and that day we decided your name would be Grayson Alexander Dominique Ketcham. We didn't realize just how well your name would suit you until you were born. You made your debut three years ago today. I woke up on Sunday morning, May 16th not feeling so great. I was having alot of contractions but not close enough together to go to the hospital. Daddy was working. Jake and I spent the afternoon at a park while he was riding his bike. We came home and I was still feeing yucky. Uncle Damon and Aunt Amy offered Jake and I to come stay over there if we wanted so we'd be closer to the hospital. I figured it was just a false alarm anyway and we stayed home. We still had one week until your "due date". Daddy came home and that night contractions were a little closer together. We called mamaw and papaw and yah-yah and papaw to put them on "alert". We went to bed and daddy and Jake fell fast asleep. It was about 10:30 p.m. I had just fallen asleep and I heard a "pop" and all of a sudden my water broke! I was so excited and scared. We knew it was time. We called the dr., called everyone. We loaded Jake up and took off for Bloomington Hospital. The contractions were rough and it hurt but I was so excited I could barely wait. We arrived at the hopsital and yah-yah and papaw met us. Papaw took Jake out to Aunt Kellan's to spend the night. Mamaw and Papaw got to the hospital about 11:00. The Dr. came in and thought it was going to be a while. Mamaw ended up getting sick so they had to leave at about 2:30. The nurse came in and me, daddy and Yah-Yah were all sleeping just a bit. I was feeling strange and when the nurse checked mommy, sure enough you were ready to head out of mommy's belly! It happened so quickly. You were born at 3:14 a.m. on Monday, May 17th, 2004. I can't explain to you what I felt when I saw your face. You looked EXACTLY like your brother Jake. You weighed 6 1bs and 7 oz and were 19 1/2 inches long. You were beautiful. The nurse placed you on my chest and you looked right at me. How amazing you were and still are. I don't think I slept at all that day just holding you. Your brother came to visit you at about 11:00 that day. You have the BEST big brother ever. He fell instantly in love with you and has been your buddy since the day you were born. He helped take care of you, giving you a pacifier when you cried. Stroking your face. He loved to hold you (with mommy's help). Even today Jake is so loving and gently with you and it melts my heart when I watch you two together. How did I get so lucky. Happy Birthday to my unexpected suprise that I thank God for every day. I am the luckiest mother.

Because that's How God made me...

The following is a conversation Jason and I had with Jake on the way home from the Ozarks on Sunday.

Me to Jason: I hope those weren't poisnous frogs you and Jake caught on the hike.

Jason: I doubt it.

Jake: No, mommy, there are two kinds of poisonous frogs. One is red/black and the other is green/red (I may have gotten these colors confused and Jake is not here at the moment to set me straight).

Me: Jake, how do you know so much about bugs, frogs and all those animals/reptiles?

Jake: That's just how God made me. Kevin knows alot about dinosaurs so that's how God made him.

Me and Jason look at one another and grin. God sure did creat two beautiful little boys for this world.

Happy Mother's Day

I had a really good mother's day this year, even though it was the first year I've never spent mother's day with my own mom, it was very enjoyable. We decided to drive to the Ozark's and go hiking. We stopped at a few parks, we hiked, we caught a minnow and two frogs. We stopped in a little town on the way home to eat dinner and as we continued driving we saw a little creek with a little bridge, something that looked fun to get out and maybe wade in a bit with the kids. The boys had a blast for about 15-20 minutes and then as Grayson and I were standing with Jason on a rock and Jake was off to the side splashing around Grayson says "wook, mama, a snake". Well, that did it. Jason cornered it in the water so I could get the boys out and we dried off and headed home! It was a fun and tiring day and a Mother's Day well spent with my hubby and kids!

Frogger...our pet frog

Well, we had a pet frog. Jake is known for "catching" frogs no matter where he is. He can spot them a mile away. Normally they escape after a day. This one lasted three whole days (but in Jake's defense, Grayson let it go). Jake likes to scare the bejibbers out of me with the frogs. I don't want them near me. It doesn't bother me that the boys hold them (as long as they are washing their hands after) but I don't want it jumping on me. Jake was almost grounded indefinatly once when a frog was "set free" in our minivan while I was driving. I got some great pictures of the boys and "frogger" before he was set loose.

The most pitiful little boy

Is that not a pitiful picture? Poor Grayson. He now has pink eye on top of his other sickness. We are awaiting the results of the second blood work to see if his counts have gone down. Hopefully they have and my worrying can cease a little. I'm going to go cuddle my little man.

Another Day...another sickness

Still sickness in the house. Poor Jake, he may not be sick but he is suffering for Grayson's illness. Today was parents/grandparents breakfast. Of course, I can't go with Grayson being ill and Jason, unfortunatly, had something going on at the plant. I think this weeekend I'll take him to breakfast just he and I. Not that it makes up for it and he is VERY understanding and concerned for his brother that his reply was "that's o.k. mommy Grayson is sick and we need to just make him better, there will be other breakfasts". I know that I am raising such sweet, caring and loving boys. They may be rambuctious and they may not be perfect as others expect them to be but they are mine and I love them just the way they are. There are times I have doubted myself as a parent and I know that there are those around me who have doubted me, but what I've learned these last 7 months being here in Missouri is that I am a good mom. I may jump the gun and I may get overly protective and freak out but that's me. I go with the philisopy I'd rather be safe than sorry. I know that am raising good, polite, caring, smart, energetic, creative, going to conquer the world, boys. They are a little spoiled, but so are other children whether parents admit it or not. When I see both of my boys (even as young as Grayson) kneeling down to ask another child what is wrong because they are crying, I know that I am doing something right. When both my boys don't let a day go by without hugging one another or myself or Jason I know they know they are loved and want to show that love back. When Jake is proud of himself for getting an A but not crying over getting a B I know that he knows all I expect his for him to do his best and when he knows he has done his best he is satisfied with that.
For those who may question me as a mom, I question you. I don't take time to worry about what another parent is doing or how they are raising their kids, if I did, I wouldn't be focused on my own and my kids deserve 100% of my focus. Not you.

Bad Mommy Days

Grayson is still fighting whatever sickness it is that he contracted last week. We are on day 4 of the 104 temperature, vomiting and constant diaper changing. I am going on little to no sleep and finding it hard to function each day more so just because I am filled with worry about my little man. I think that is one of the hardest parts of parenting...the worry. Two trips to an ER and the pediatrician and no "definate" answer and no explanation for the increase in the white count. We are due back at the pediatricians tomorrow if Grayson's fever continues through the night. Hopefully it subsides. I thought we were getting lucky today because it stayed at 100 most of the day but spiked back to over 103 by about 3:00 and now his right eye is pretty red and swollen. Anyway, for those keeping up with my blogs, please pray that this is just a bug and Grayson makes a speedy recovery. Lots of Love.

I sick Mommy

Poor Grayson woke up friday evening at about 1:00 a.m. and climbed in my bed. He was running a fever and just felt horrible. He started holding his stomach and screaming that it hurt "weally bad". I took him to the ER afraid he might have appendicitis. After 6 hours in the ER and a few tests (his white count was pretty high and they suspected appendicitis as well) his x-ray came back that he "might" have an infection on the appendix so we headed off to have a CT scan. The scan was clear and their conclusion was it's a viral flu. He has been so sick all weekend and is still running a high fever. We are getting ready to go back to the Dr. this morning because they were concerned about the white count as well. Pray for Grayson that he heals quickly.

Shhh...don't wake my sleeping prince

Grayson has pretty much outgrown naptime. I guess it lasted longer for us than most people and I sort of just gave up trying to force it. Since we got the new swing set and he runs all day outside he's been passing out in the afternoon all on his own. On Wedensday I was spring cleaning and he was downstairs playing. I didn't hear a peep out of him for about 15 minutes and I yelled for him and got no answer so I went downstairs to see what mischief he was into. I found him passed out in an akward position on the couch. He didn't even move when the camera flashed in his face. He looks so sweet, peaceful and adorable all tuckered out...I guess even monsters tucker out sometimes!

"Look at me I'm Mommy"

Last night I was getting ready to take Jake and Grayson to the book fair. Jake came walking down the hall saying in a silly voice "look at me I'm mommy" and when he walked in the room he was wearing one of my bras. Grayson started laughing and grabbed another bra and put it on his head. Jason decided to snap a picture (I'm not sure why because when we were first married and were snowed in our house for four days with no t.v. and we were really bored by the third day we played dress up and he let me put make-up on him, fix his hair, paint his tonails and he put my biki on and then made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone--sorry sweetie) so I figured he would never want anyone to know that the boys were playing "dress-up" with my bras! Well, the picture says it all!!!

The big back yard

Jason and I bought the boys a new jungle gym wooden gym set. We spent (um, I mean Jason) putting it together. His hard work paid off because the boys absolutly love it. Grayson awoke this morning at 6:30 and rushed to put his clothes on while shouting "I gotta swing, I gotta swing". It's hard to get them off the swing set and inside to eat!