Best Christmas Present Ever

Well it all started last Saturday ... Tatum went to my mom's, Bowden went to Angee's. We went to dinner and then to a new bar in town ... Cooter's. They have Wii's set up for the patrons to play. For free. We had never played before and we had a blast ... for about 2 hours. Then Andy let go of the remote and YEP it went "threw" the 60" TV ... yep crash! Busted, messed it all up. About 15 minutes into talking to the manager about what we will do with the tv, my phone rings. It was Angee, she needed us ... Bowden had been crying for 2 hours. She kept saying I am so sorry I called you ... I was like "girl I would have called you a lot earlier than 2 hours." Anyway ... we got home with him from her house at 10 ... gave him a bottle and put him to bed .... OKAY Christmas Present here you go ... he slept through the night. YEP ... 10 - 8. Every night since then he has either slept 8 - 8 or only woke one time (usually around 3) and out of 8 nights he has only woken 2 times. So thank you ... thank you my baby boy I love you, this was the best Christmas Present ever!

I have to admit it has been very hard to love him the way I loved Tatum from the get go ... the night before the night he slept he was still waking every 3 hours ... and it was starting to get to me. Emotionally that is, I went to work Wednesday before the night he slept in tears ... my dad sent me home and told me to sleep, take a bath and rest! I needed it ... mentally I was work out, and while I have loved him from the day I found out I was preggo with him it has been rough loving him the way I should have been!

Anyway ... what was your best Christmas present?!

Christmas Eve with my baby boy!

My real cabbage patch kid!

His name is Bowden!

Body Parts

Several months ago I was so worried that Tatum couldn't point out any body parts ... Dear Internet you all told me to be patient, that she would get it ... Well OF COURSE you were right ... here she is showing off and pointing out some of her favorites! PS the way she says elbow is my favorite of all times! I LOVE LOVE IT!!
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Parade

Sorry for the lack of posts and the lack of my comments ... I am reading your blogs, but I am swamped! Mommy of 2 under 2 isn't going like I thought! Haha I am exhausted!

So Sunday we were in a parade - Andy's Company (Whole Sale Produce) is expanding ... they are now selling door to door - A & A Produce on the Go!

In Myrtle Beach you can go to the site and order any produce you want on line

then they deliver it to you ... in a refrigerated box! Very nice! Anyway we were promoting it in a parade on Sunday ... Enjoy the pics!

Tatum getting ready for the Parade
Me and Bowden


Tatum liked the hat better then the ears!
Blowing kisses from the float -

Tatum with Nana - take away the cup it would have been a great photo!

This is what Bowden did most of the parade, the rest of it he was screaming!

I Hope You Dance!

For your viewing pleasure ... Tatum Dances with the snowmen!
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Thank you S*ears!

We had our family photo shoot today ... it didn't go GREAT, but it wasn't bad either. My hormones are still raging so I was very hot and sweaty and I felt like I was melting. Hated that part, but the babies did pretty well with it. Tatum REFUSED to lay on her tummy and look at her brother, but she did kiss his head a few times. The photographer missed each kiss but got one that was pretty close.

So ... here ya go ...

and really you can tell me how cute they are, but I ALREADY KNOW!

HAHAHA

Oh No

Tonight while cooking dinner, Andy put Tatum on the counter. He usually takes her into the kitchen so she can "help" him cook while I play (tend to) Bowdie. When he put her on the counter she started to try and blow out a candle that at the time wasn't even lit. She was blowing and saying "hot." So I told Andy to let me get the camera and you light it .... check it out she is too cute for words!
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Christmas

Okay so in the past few years at work we were able to give out bonuses. 5 years to be exact. The first of those 5 my mom and dad took a loan out against their house to cover it. Last year me, and dad forfeited our bonuses so the guys could have them. Last year they ranged anywhere from $2000-$150. This year ... we can't do them. We have had to borrow money from the bank on 2 occasions to cover payroll. If you are asking why we can't cover it - we have 3 jobs that had/have extras. In construction extras don't always go as planned ... one extra cost us over $320,000 - we have filed a lien on that job and have also called in a arbitrator. So we are doing all we can to recover that money plus the $141,000 in retainage that they owe us. With just that job alone we could cover all our past due bills, and get caught up on payroll. Anyway I am rambling ... we aren't able to do bonuses this year ... all our guys are complaining about it. I blew up and yelled at all of them that they were lucky to even have a J-O-B ... they all looked at me like I was nutz. ASS HATS!

Okay thanks for letting me vent.

PS Joann if you are reading ... I tried to find your e-mail and couldn't - couldn't find your blog either ... the babies are 14 months apart - One in June 07 and the other in August 08. I don't know if twins wouldn't have been easier! hahaha

SnowBE Christmas 09

Every year - first weekend of December is my college girl Christmas party. This year there were 8 of us. Not to shabby for 11 years of tradition. We were only missing 4 of us, Kim K (yes there are 2 of us) Stephanie, BK and Ashley. Friday I left town at 2, an hour later than anticipated because Andy got stuck at work, he was keeping Bowden until Angee could get off work and get him. I made it to Concord, NC and I get a call from Angee, she can't keep Bowden at all this weekend, her son's class had an outbreak of Fifth Disease, and that can be very harmful to baby. So ... I call Andy to tell him I will turn around ... when I call him he tells me that my mom has strep throat and she can't keep Tatum. I am balling my eyes out, I want to turn around. I pulled in the parking lot of the hospital in Concord and cry ... Andy convinced me to go. Told me he could handle both.

So I went ... I got to Tennilles house around 6:30 Traffic was horrible. I was the last one in for that night. We hung out in our jammies and chatted all night. Saturday we woke up, ate breakfast and waited for Courtney and Amy to arrive ... then it began ... the drinking started! Everyone but Melbel (she is preggers) and Tennille (the DD) I think we started drinking at 10 ... we went to wally world to shop for our angles and then back to the house to hang out out before dinner. After dinner we went to "the club" haha it was so much fun!

I needed the break and to my surprise Andy did really well with both kiddos. They were all alive and very happy to see me when I got home! I love my SnowBE's I love my hubby, thanks for a much needed GREAT WEEKEND!

All of us!
Me and Courtney!
Me and my Naji!
Lisa, Me and MelBel

Me, making fun of a ex SnowBE at "the club"

I tagged myself

Over here ... at The Partins she was tagged to post the 4th picture in her 4th folder. She didn't tag me, but I tagged my self ... so here ya go!

So there you have it ... my 2 boys! Chillin'

I tag Robin, Melanie and Kimmy

News Flash

Andy just called me at work - Monday's are his days to keep Bowden -

He called to tell me that Bowden rolled over -

YEAH! From his tummy to his back!

Way to go big boy!

Turkey Day

I am so thankful for so much - I can't begin to list it all -

I am way too tired! I love my babies! I love my Hubby and most of all I love my life.
I often think of ways to escape my life, often this "what if it were different"

What if we didn't have babies?! What if I weren't married?

What if I had married that guy from college?

And then I take a deep breath ... look around

smile BIG and that is when I Thank God for all of his "Unanswered Prayers!

Okay enough of Thanks ... lets compare -

Tatum Turkey Day 2007

She was Born June so she was almost 5 months old -

Bowden Turkey Day 2008

He was born August so he is almost 4 months old -

Tatum on the top Bowen on the bottom

Again Tatum

Bowden

I feel horrible

Today we spent the day with my mom and dad - Andy had a catering gig to do at a football all star competition (yes even though he was sick he went). So mom and dad told me to bring the rest of the sick gang over and they would help me with them. We rode in their RV over to one of the local RV parks - my mom's sister, her hubby and my cousin were coming down from Ohio to celebrate Turkey Week with us! My parents wanted the RV at the beach to hang out and have fun. The park also has a indoor pool and several outdoor play grounds that we thought Tatum would enjoy.
Tatum is still not feeling very well - she now has diarrhea and is not eating, drinking or sleeping very well. She stayed with mom last night and mom said she woke up this am (6 am) screaming mommy mommy ... my mom got dressed and went to go get her ... she (Tatum) was covered in diarrhea, it was up her back, in her hair, in her bed, on all of her bankies and of course she was SCREAMING because her little tushie was burning. So all day ... she only went one more time and she told us right away ... Uh Oh ... and walked to the changing table ... so we knew.
Well our family got into town ... it all started out okay - but then everyone wanted to see THE NEW BABY ... not such a good thing to Tatum. It is always very obvious when people don't have little ones ... they don't think that the biggest needs attention too! Well Tatum started to throw a all out FIT ... screaming and kicking - I mean a FIT ... I put her in time out for 1 minute and she didn't come close to stopping. I took her in my mom's room and tried to talk to her, she laid on the bed just sobbing ... finally I asked her if she wanted to go bye bye she said ... yes bye bye and started to wave. So we load up the car and leave, her and Bowden cry all the way out of the neighborhood ... but by the time I get to the HWY they are both asleep! Awwe quiet I think ... I will just drive around! So I drive for about 40 minutes and then went home - as soon as I pulled in the drive Tatum started SCREAMING ... mommy mommy mommy! I brought her inside put her down and went back to get Bowden. When we came in the door she was standing in front of her changing table screaming ... I put her up there ... guess what ... YEP she had diarrhea. Probably at my mom's and her little tushie was so burnt that it was bleeding. OMG I felt horrible - still do. I have NO IDEA why I didn't think to check at my mom's ... I just thought she was throwing a fit.
So now 3 hours later she is in bed with Budros Butt Paste and Vaseline caked on her tushie and I am still in tears!
I FEEL HORRIBLE!

Whats Worse take 2

A. A baby with colic, and acid reflux that can't get comfy enough to sleep
B. Allowing that baby to sleep in bed with Mommy and Daddy
C. A Mommy that is still nauseous and sick to her tummy
D. A Daddy, aka our rock, our constant who is sick too - yep out of both ends
E. A 17 month old who now has moved on to not eating and diarrhea
F. ALL OF THE ABOVE

Yep you guessed it - we are officially now ALL sick!

Whats Worse

A. a baby with Colic AND acid reflux
B. a baby that will only sleep while being patted on the back and in mommy's bed
C. a sick mommy, yes out of both ends - from 7 am - now
D. all of the above?!

Yes the correct answer is D - but at least Tatum is feeling better!

EEWWW Gross

Last night we spent the evening running from room to room

Rocking and holding Bowden because his Acid Reflux is acting up

and holding Tatum's head while she threw up all over the damn place.

It was so sad - I would have taken her sick any day to save her from that!

Both of them for that matter!

She started to get sick at 7:30 pm and didn't stop throwing up until after 1am -

it was horrible!

9 loads of laundry later and some very blood shot eyes!

Tears and Prayers

Sorry I have been absent - I guess the lack of sleep is really getting to me -

The lack of sleep is not getting to me as much as my friend Adrienne, Jim and Owen

Please pray for them and the birth mother - they are all needing to feel God's presence.

Adrienne you are all in my prayers!

Our Weekend **** Updated with a picture

Friday night we went to a Oyster Roast at one of our friends houses ...

Bowden was with us, but Tatum was with Grammy (my mom).

She was staying with her so we could get up at the crack of dawn (5 am) to go fishing.

Bowden went home from the Oyster Roast with his second Mommy, Angee.

Saturday morning we get up at 5am and got to the fishing dock -

Fishing is canceled, the wind and seas were too rough.

Andy gets excited - "we have sitters in place"

"Lets go to Columbia"

I say OKAY ... I start texting Robin . Yes I sent her a text at 6:15am.

We got to Columbia (3 hour drive) around noon -

Had to get our tickets, Meet up with Andy's Uncle for a parking pass and then ...

We get a phone call ...

Angee calls, "Caden (her son) broke his nose. We are on our way to Hospital"

OMG let me find my mom - she will come get Bowden.

I start calling ... I can't find her she isn't answering any phones.

I call Ken, (He works for us, rents my house)

Can you please drive to my parents and tell my mom to go to the hospital to get Bowden ...

By the time he got to her - the story was that Angee fell and broke her leg - haha

Caden is fine, nose actually not broken.

We get home from Columbia around 7 pm.

Grab a bite to eat, go to a local bar to have a few drinks with Angee

Her daughter wanted to go to a sleep over, her son went camping with his daddy and

My mom kept Bowden over night - he didn't sleep well!

Sunday we went to the Soup Off at Market Commons.

Tatum danced and entertained all the pass-er-bys ...

It was a great LONG weekend! I am glad to be at work!

Wish I could lay down and take a nap!

My camera ran out of battery juice so I didn't get any pictures of me and Robin

but here is me and Andy at the game!

Robin sent me this to add to the blog! It was so great to see her!

This is me and Angee ... thought you may want to put a face with the name!

We are so lucky to have her in our lives ... she is a great friend!

Best of both worlds

You wont believe it ... Fishing was cancelled and we are on our way to Columbia.

We were having 20 mile an hour winds with 6-8' seas.

The fishing got put off to next week and I get to go to Columbia to see the Gamecocks play and ROBIN!!! Yeah!

Bowden in the Bumbo

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Slacker

It has been a week since I posted and for that I am sorry! I hate it when I go to someones blog and they haven't updated it. Serious that is one of my biggest pet peeves - matter of fact I just removed 3 people from my blog roll for lack of updates! I PROMISE I will TRY to do better! (please notice the TRY)

This week has really been hard on me ... the babies haven't slept in 2 nights. Yes I said BABIES - Tatum who usually sleeps 7pm - 7am hasn't been sleeping either and if I am not rocking and holding her then I am trying to calm Bowden down so he doesn't wake her. It is a vicious cycle. Last night Bowden didn't go down until 10 and then he was up at 1:30, 4 and 6:30. I am not sure what happened to him because he was sleeping from 8 - 3 then 3 - 8.

Besides the lack of sleep we are having major problems at work.

WE ARE BUSY, which is more than most construction companies can say, but it is because we have cut all our prices, we have tried to stay in the bids by being cheaper and we will get the job. We haven't made a "profit" on the last 12 jobs we preformed, but we are busy and we haven't laid ANYONE off. However now the owners of companies are all trying to penny pinch so we are suffering - they are handing out back charges like you would believe and where we used to scratch a back and they would scratch ours, we are now getting charges for that. We are hurting for cash and not making any "extra" money or loosing money on a job is very hard. On top of all that my dad has started to have heart "scares" (all related to work).Several times a day at work I have to remind him to breath and slow down. He has mentioned bankruptcy and how he would commit suicide before he ever did that. So I am on edge trying to watch him, watch our money, and watch all the spending, and bids. It is a handful ... that on top of not sleeping, I am very edgy and I have to say that my husband is paying for it!

So are the kids.

Last Friday one of our guys broke his leg on the job. Which resulted in a 3 hour surgery - he will never be 100%. He is out of work for at least 6 months. Hello Workers' Comp bills and never mind the up in rate we will have once he is done!

As if all of that wasn't enough we also had ANOTHER HUGE OOPS ... every year we go on a fishing trip. This year is our 15th (6th with me) and it is our way of telling the guys thanks. Every year we go deep sea fishing it is a 12 hour trip and so very fun. We also have a Turkey Day dinner on Wednesday before Turkey Day and pay all the guys from lunch on Wednesday until Friday afternoon but do not let them work at all! Christmas we have a LARGE party that my hubby caters, along with Christmas bonuses for EVERY Employee! Last year some of them got over $2000. (yes they still bitched) This year we are only able to do the Fishing and a small Turkey Day and Christmas Party. No Bonuses. We told the guys not to expect ANY EXTRA money from us - they are all freaking out!So the Huge Oops ... the lady from fishing called my dad to ask when we were going - we always go end October beginning November - he told her the 8th of November. Well if you read

Robin's Blog you would know that the 8th is the evening that
and

Play at USC. Columbia is only 4 hours from me, Matt (Robin's Hubby) is covering the game from their news station. We (me and Andy) got us tickets and we were going to meet Robin and Matt at the game, and stay in the hotel with them ... well my friends ... my calendar said the game was the 15th. It isn't it is the 8th and guess when we are fishing - yep the 8th. Now we called the fishing co. to reschedule - we can't go the following week - they are booked, that is the last weekend of the season. So we couldn't go again until January. Now I can choose not to go on the trip, but I am a Owner of this company, named the VP ... what kind of message would that be sending my guys?! So you see hell of a week I have had!

It sucks ...

But you know what doesn't suck - my babies! I love them ... even when they don't sleep! I love my Husband he rocks, he is wonderful! He would do ANYTHING for me! I love him with all my heart, mostly because he can put up with me and when he sees I am down he always says

"keep it up honey you are doing a GREAT job!"

So on a good note - check out my babies!

Tatum went to a Birthday Party at the Fire Station.

She rode in the fire truck 2 times - had a blast!

My Little Man!

They wore their costumes to school yesterday!

My little Lady Bug!

It's getting cold outside!

Check out her little hat!

Bowden had a play date last Friday with 3 girls ... haha

He is my All Star!