This is Owen with my Papaw Jay and Mamaw June.

Well, I had a good day today. I started off in a bleary state of sleepiness, but I managed to wake myself up in time to get me and the kids ready for church. We got there right on time, but barely. I’ve still not got this whole “getting three kids ready to go out” thing down yet. My timing needs perfecting. Elijah was awful today, and laid down on the ground, kicking his feet, and saying, “No! No! No!” in front of the whole church because he didn’t want to go to Sunday School. I felt bad for his teacher, Mrs. Carla, who was trying to take him. I was too busy pretending I didn’t know the kid to do anything. Okay, not really. It’s a small church. They all know that the mean kids belongs to me. My mom ended up having to go with him to Sunday School. Little monster!
After church, we went to my mom’s for dinner, and my sister in law gave me a pedicure. Thanks, Misty!
We went back to church tonight, and, afterwards, me and the kids met Stephanie at Wendys, where we hung out for like two hours. Right before we left, Elijah told me, “Ma Ma, me poop!”. I was all like, “Okay, Lige. You’ll have to wait till we get home.” So, as we’re going to the van, Steph says, “Um, Rach, Elijah’s doing the poop walk.” I looked back at him, and he was walking with his legs completely spread out. It was so funny. He looked like some kind of two legged crab. I’m such a good mom. I mean, really, I deserve an award.
Now, the kids are all in bed, and I’m debating whether I should go to bed or stay up a while and fold clothes. It’s nearly one o’clock in the morning, and I am really sleepy. My house does look like someone broke into the house, though, and only had ten minutes to find some really small object that required them throwing all the contents of every room all around said room. I really need to deal with it. I really don’t want to, though. I’m such a good housewife. I mean, really, I deserve an award.

I got a late start on my day today. My friend, Claire, called while I was still in bed, to see if it was a good time for a visit. I admitted to still be laying in the bed, and asked what time it was. I nearly fell out of bed when she said it was eleven. (I can’t see the alarm clock without my glasses.) I guess I was sleepier than I thought. I had been up at seven fifteen and then again at around eight thirty, too change and feed the baby (along with a few times during the night), and each time I fell back into a deep sleep. My children are used to a slacker mother, though. At different times, they brought me food to open for them, and a drink to open for them to share. When I did get up, they had already ate, and were playing with Kyra’s Barbies and Elijah’s Superman action figure in Kyra’s room. I’ve got good kids. I can sleep later than them, and they never get into anything. I’m lucky, I know.
Anyway, I visited with Claire for a while. Her baby, Collin, was born a week before Owen was, so it was fun to compare how they were doing. The kids had fun playing with Piper, too.
Then, I took Owen to the hospital for his bili check. It was kind of upsetting to me to take him yet again, so, when I left, I went straight to the doctor’s office and requested to talk to him. He was very accomodating, and talked to me for a while. He explained his concern with what was going on, and set my mind at ease. I still hate that he’s had to be stuck so often, but at least I know more of what he was doing. He said that if his bili level went up on Monday, he would send us to Children’s Hospital to see a hematologist. If it goes down to around 10 like it should, then we should be through with the jaundice stuff for good. We’re hoping and praying to that end.
This evening, I went up to see my niece, Kylie. My mom was babysitting her while Aaron was golfing and Tasha was visiting her grandmother. I held her, and so did Kyra. She’s still not familiar with us. That’s the part that sucks about having my brother living so far away. My little niece has no clue who I am. We got some cute pictures. Me, my kids, Mom, and Kylie went to the church to walk. Kyra and Elijah played while Mom and I walked. I walk with Owen in the baby carrier. He loves that. (Mom pushed Kylie in her stroller.) We have been walking three miles, but we only got two in tonight, because a storm rolled in. At least I got two in, though.+
So, now here I sit. I’m tired, my leg muscles have that satisfyingly sore feeling, and I didn’t get much accomplished around the house today. In fact, I didn’t get anything accomplished around the house today. It’ll wait, though. Some things are more important…like bonding with my niece and overcoming sleep deprivation. You gotta have your priorities straight…or your excuses handy. Wink, wink.

…the recent influx of pictures is due to the fact that my camera fits quite easily into my diaper bag. When I have the camera handy, I tend to take more pictures. My kids are just so constantly adorable, I feel the need to share them with the world. You’re welcome.

He makes you want a baby, doesn’t he?

Well, at least for a little while.

I have had so much going on lately. I have barely had time to think, much less blog. Chris has been off of work since last Thursday, so we did a lot during that time. Friday was my niece, Keinzie’s, birthday party. On Saturday, I went and had my hair cut and colored (Thank you Dianna and Geraldine for the gift certificate!!!!), and then we went to my dad’s company picnic. Sunday, of course, was church. Monday I had to take Owen back to the doctor, where he said that he thought he still looked yellow, and sent me back for more bloodwork. That started off another week of taking Owen to get stuck. His bilirubin count had went down enough on last Monday after I had supplemented with formula for a few days that they let me not bring him for a week. When they checked his bili level on Monday of this week, it had went back up. Since it is normally not supposed to go back up once it comes down, the doc ordered a bunch of other blood tests, and was supposed to consult with a doctor at Childrens Hospital. He also had me quit breastfeeding again, and supplement with formula. So, he was stuck on Tuesday and Wednesday as well. Yesterday, they took blood from his arm as well for the extra tests, and it was so pitiful. They called us today and said that his tests came back okay, and that I can start breastfeeding again. I have to take him tomorrow to check his bili level again. Taking him to get stuck all the time is getting really old. I know he is tired of it. So, anyway, that is the update on him. We went to Knoxville on Tuesday so Chris could take care of some things that he needed to do. Monday and Tuesday evenings, I went to walk with my mom and my sister in law, Misty. I am trying to lose this baby weight, so I can fit back in my regular clothes again. We are walking every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday evening. Yesterday, we got up early, and went to Knoxville so that I could try to sell Kyra’s baby clothes at Once Upon a Child. That was a bust. They didn’t want hardly any of it, and they gave me like eight bucks for the few things they did take. That barely paid for the gas to get there. We also went to the mall, and then to church last night.

So, I’m sure you can understand my lack of blogging. I really am going to try to keep it better updated in the future, but, with all of the running around lately, it’s made it hard. If we could just get all of this jaundice stuff behind us, we’ll be doing good.

My brother, Aaron, and his wife and baby came home from Nebraska yesterday. They will be here for about two weeks. We saw Aaron and Kylie for a little while after church last night at my mom’s house. Unfortunately, Tasha was at the hospital with her grandmother. I’m not sure exactly what is wrong with her grandma, but please pray for her.