Recently

We have started a bean jar with Emma to help with her behavior and trying to encourage her to be helpful and obedient. She lost interest in it a couple of days ago because the end prize (a dance party -her choice) seemed too far away especially for three year old. So, I decided have smaller goals and have her receive smaller rewards for her efforts. She reached the first line I drew on the jar and her smaller prize was ice-cream. The other night we went out as a family to the store and got some ice-cream. Here is the happy child with her ice-cream and her jar. I am so proud of her, she is a great little girl, and if I keep being patient with her she might actually like doing things I ask her and MAYBE doing things when I don't ask her, MAYBE!!! Thanks Becca for the bean jar idea, it is definitely helping.

Today we had yet another appointment. We had two yesterday and the most painful of all today- 18 mo. immunizations! He literally screamed bloody murder when the first shot hit, then he turned blue, then he screamed and cried more, and by the fourth shot, he was shaking. I have never seen a child shake before like that. It was awful and I was so glad to have them over. Too bad he has to have the synagis shot for RSV in 28 days. Not fun. But, I thought he wasn't going to hurt too much from the shots because he took a great 2 1/2 hour nap today and was fine when he woke up. Then a little while later he became really fussy and in pain when I would pick him up. This boy just really needed something to remedy the pain and discomfort of four awful shots. Here was our solution. We all think it did the trick!Everyone needs a bath to help soothe aches and pains. Here is B showing off his cute band aids.

Also, would you please admire his extra weight he is carrying around with him. He is now weighing 24 lbs. and is in the 30% because of it. He has never been that high on the charts. The feeding tube is for sure doing it's job, amongst other jobs that we all didn't anticipate! E is singing (actually SCREAMING) with excitement that she and B are finally in the bath. Maybe I ought to get them in there more often.Splashing is their latest thing to do. They just laugh and laugh. And it is so fun to hear B imitate Emma. If she laughs he will and if she splashes he will. His voice has pretty much come back all the way, but his laugh, he has a HUGE smokers laugh, and I just can't help but laugh at it myself. Think of the irony of a baby, yes a baby who is on oxygen, who has a smoker's laugh, now one might wonder why he is really having these heart surgeries now wouldn't you? That's really bad of me and I am TOTALLY kidding, but you really have to hear the smoker laugh, it is pretty cute!