Happy Valentine's Day!

We wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day!  Gwen loved handing out (and receiving) valentine's at the babysitter's today!  She couldn't wait to do it again when she got home, and she can't wait to do it again at preschool tomorrow!  Tonight we made special Valentine's Day cupcakes from her Princess Cupcake Cookbook :-)  I love making cupcakes with Gwen!  Wyatt enjoyed watching all the action in the kitchen from his highchair.

Finishing up January and on to February!

Almost 4 and moving to a booster seat!  Check it out!  It has cup holders!

With such warm winter weather, the bikes have been out and having fun!  Wyatt has learned how to sit on the tricycle while I push!  So much fun!

With booster come boxes...with boxes comes endless possibilities!   Gwen and Wyatt enjoyed playing with the boxes and using them for forts :-)

I've mastered the zippy cup!  I can even drink it sitting down!

Our happy bunch!

I'm 11 months old!!!!!

I am on the move, but I still need to carry things in my mouth!  Hey Gammy...remind you of anyone?

Wyatt and Gwen with their boxes

Wyatt's walking!!!!!  He is getting better every day!

Our own roller coaster ride!

The last couple weeks for us can be summed up as "a roller coaster ride of change."  It has been a very difficult and emotional ride for me, but sometimes I wonder if anyone else here would say the same.  Brad is a guy and is able to mask his emotions well.  Gwen is 3 and is able to tell you exactly how she feels and the injustice of the world, and then run off to play and laugh.  Wyatt...well, he is really too young to know any different.  

Since our hospital visit in January with Wyatt, we have learned many things.  Wyatt and Gwen are definitely allergic to dogs and Wyatt to cats too.  Every day their bodies, with the assistance of Zyrtec, have been fighting the allergens and when the common cold comes along they try to fight harder.  However, their little bodies are exhausted from always fighting and the common cold is able to be 10 times worse than normal.  That is how it was explained to me by our pediatrician.  That is why we have to sell our house (too old=too many unknown and hidden treasures of allergens), and we had to rehome Pooka and Nimbus.  Sometimes it really stinks being a parent!!!!!  You have to make extremely difficult decisions that are like a double edged sword....keep the pets and the kids are sick or have no pets and miss them daily.  As hard as it was, and I am still having to remind myself that it was the best decision, we sent Pooka to live with Brad's cousin and Nimbus to live with a coworker of mine.  I am happy to report that both are settling in well and showing off just why we loved them so much.  Both families have continued to tell us how wonderful they are doing with the change.

Gwen was very angry with me at first, telling me how unfair I was being because "Pooka is a good dog and Nimbus is a good cat!  They have done nothing wrong!"  She even told me, "I would rather be sick and have my animals, than be healthy and have nothing!"  What a way to rip my heart out, huh? She has come around and was able to say good bye to both when they left without a tantrum or tears.  She asks about them often and if I think they are...."playing with the other dog," "eating all their food," "sleeping in bed with their new mommy and daddy." It is comforting to know that she hasn't forgotten them, but it isn't  fun when she is mad and uses it against me..."First you take my bunnies, then my dog, and then my cat!  I have nothing left!"  However she surprised us today with "Mommy, you and Daddy take really good care of me and Wyatt.  You really love us!" (remember she is 3 and I may never hear that again!)  Gwen is proving to be very much a drama queen these days.  Most days she is fine and happily playing and entertaining us.

Both have stopped coughing constantly and are back to sleeping through the night.  A huge milestone in our house!  Wyatt has a runny nose this week, but it isn't anywhere as bad as things were.  We can handle this!  Wyatt also has not been turning red in the face at all which used to be a common occurrence, but not one we could explain.  He is focusing his attention now to standing on his own and walking.  He has taken 2 steps at a time twice this weekend!!!  So, Brad and I agree that we have made one of the best decisions for our kids, even if it ends up being one of the hardest we ever had to make.  What we have learned from all of this is that life changes fast, so enjoy it, as it is right this minute, while you can!

One more picture

I picked out the dress for the day, but Gwen insisted on the tights and boots...she even tried for the hat for preschool

We have just started letting Gwen and Wyatt take a bath together...there is never a dull moment!  Wyatt always has something in his mouth, and Gwen's mermaids are always doing tricks!

Nimbus wanted one more picture too

Wyatt and his giggles!

Wyatt and Gwen are at it again...

Our children are wonderful, amazing and usually sick with a really bad cold. We are now finding out the allergies probably are playing a very big role in that last part. Today's adventure landed Wyatt in the hospital for fluids. The fun started Sunday night with Wyatt and Gwen coughing like crazy. Both were coughing so bad that they would spit up. The difference between them...Gwen was keeping most food down and kept eating. Wyatt hasn't ate and kept it down since Sunday evening. He went in to see the nurse practitioner yesterday, got a shot, and was sent home. Last night Carolyn kept them so I could catch some sleep and things just got worse. To the doctor they both went this morning, Gwen was mostly concerned about missing show-and-tell at preschool, and at the hospital I met them. Gwen had an IV placed and meds given to help them get into her system. Only 1 tear was shed! Wyatt had an IV put in and has been receiving fluids and meds all day. Gwen wasn't actually admitted to she and Gram have since gone home, but Wyatt gets to stay until rounds and maybe for the night. He is acting so much better, actually taking naps here and there, and keeping some pedialyte and applesauce down. Keep them in your prays please and hopefully we will be home in a few hours.

Welcome 2012!!!!

New Year's and Danny and Lee Ann's wedding kept us very busy when we returned from Chicago!  Brad was a groomsman so we attended the rehearsal dinner Friday night and then watched Brad in the wedding!  Gwen thought Brad married Dawn (his cousin and Danny's sister) since they walked together! Try explaining that one to a 3-year-old!  She was all upset that he married Dawn and wasn't married to me anymore, but so excited that Gracie was her sister!

Check out this handsome little man!

I just can't believe I get to wear another pretty dress!

How else will Gwen see the bride?

Gracie showing Gwen her basket right before her walk

Brad and Dawn...apparently getting married 

What happens when you let Gwen have the camera during church

After a busy night of dancing, the girls returned to our room to watch a movie...only problem was there was no DVD player!  They watched Scooby Doo on the iPhone!!!!  And were as happy as could be!

After all the wedding fun, it was time to celebrate Christmas with Ashley Beth and Tyler!

Entertainment by Gwen

Entertainment by Brad and Ashley Anne

 More Entertainment by Gwen

Now it's Ashley Beth and Gwen's turn!

10 months!

With all the fun and chaos of another Christmas season, we cannot forget to inform all of you of our other fun.  Wyatt has been having some interesting allergy symptoms again--mainly his face has turned bright red all over.  You may notice it in some of the pictures.  We couldn't link it to what we was eating or the detergent, so he went in for allergy testing.  Results-allergic to all molds (except 5), grass, cats, and dogs.  No food testing was done at this appointment, but will be done in June.  Needless to say, Mr. Wyatt is more allergic to the air than Gwen!  So, if you ever need a clean place to breathe...come to our house!  We are trying out some dander deactivating spray on the pets, vacuuming every other day, put in air purifiers up and down stairs....you name it!  Wyatt's face and symptoms have actually improved, so that is wonderful news!  He is still as happy as can be and is trying very hard to walk.

Happy 2012, I hope this year is a happy and healthy one for all of you!!!!!!

Christmas Day and more!

Guess who was the first one up Christmas morning?  Wyatt!!!!!!  I thought for sure it would be Gwen, but it was Mr. Wyatt.  Gwen had to have some help to get up:-)  We all went downstairs, and played with our toys from the day before while I started our Christmas breakfast.  Gwen checked the stocking just to make sure Santa had came and then was off playing!  

This is AWESOME!!!!

Open the doors and then Christmas can begin!

Opening the presents was so much fun! Gwen and Wyatt loved everything and wanted to play with everything as they opened their gifts!

After presents, Gwen and phlegm had a disagreement and she ended up getting sick. So, we missed out on the Tempel Christmas party. We ended up staying home and making a gingerbread house.  Still fun!

Monday morning, we headed for the airport for a trip to Chicago to visit Bubba and Gammy.  We played outside (without snow), played inside, and had a great time!  Gwen even went to the office and had her first teeth cleaning!  She was great!

AHHHHHH!  Such a good little patient!

Kelley and Sophie were all ready to do Christmas again!

Such cuties!

Gwen and Erin matched!

Opening presents and playing together wore Gwen and Lilly out!

Bubba, when will Gwen let me have a turn on the piano?

Gwen the pianist....

Gwen the singer!

We had so much fun playing and visiting Bubba and Gammy!  We had to leave Friday to make it back for Danny and Lee Ann's wedding....

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With so much going on throughout the holidays, this morning is the first opportunity I have had to even plug in my camera and download pictures from the last month!!!!!!!  That is horrible I know.  This morning is our 1st 2-hour delay of the year....Gwen is watching cartoons and Wyatt is still sleeping, so I am using this extra time to my advantage!  All the holiday fun won't fit in one blog, so this is the 1st of a few installments :-)  We hope all of you had a happy, healthy, and fun Christmas and New Year!!!!!

Christmas began with a celebration at Gram and Poppy's house on Christmas Eve morning...

Gwen loved showing Wyatt how to open presents 

Wyatt didn't know what to think of the bow situation, but he ended up liking to chew them

Gwen and Poppy were very excited to have more food to cook with in Gwen's kitchen...now Poppy can have more than birthday cake!

Gram loved getting to spend Wyatt's 1st Christmas together

Howdy partner!

Brad was excited for his new bee suit...his new hobby of raising honey bees is scheduled to begin in March when the bees arrive...

A classic picture of Christmas...Gwen could not be separated from her new Barbie airplane all morning!

All fancied up!  Ready for church and more Christmas fun at Grandmother's later that night

No tears this year!!!!!!!!!!!! 

(From Gwen or Wyatt)

Christmas Day fun to come.....