What's good for the goose....

It was the witching hour and we HAD to get out of the house.  I had promised the little if he took a nap then there would be duck feeding this afternoon.  He obliged (unwillingly).So when the after school fighting began, we loaded up and headed to a bit of a nostalgic place.  Most people don't know but my dad worked for 18 years right here in Nashville. He commuted weekly along with 4 other men from North Alabama.  One of his apartments, the one I remember visiting and possibly the nicest was this one, about 2 miles from where we currently live.  It was a bit newer and nicer then than now but it is still a beautiful place and there are still hungry ducks and geese to be fed! I can remember swimming in the pool and walking around the same ponds while my dad worked and mom had brought us up to Nashville when we were kids.  Now, I was here brining my two children and it was a full circle moment.    I knew we could just stand still and the geese would come to us but  Jackson was sure he'd seen babies when we drove in so we walked around the corner to the next pond where sure enough, there were 3 little goslings with their mom and dad.  I am always truly  amazed at how the geese mate for life.  Why can't humans seem to grasp that concept?  Like any mother and father, these parents were protective of their littles.  They would hiss and honk at us when we got too close or turn on Lincoln when he chased after them.

.  Speaking of,  he had  a few freak out moments when the geese would get a bit over aggresive in their attempt to get the bread he was toting around.  A few times, he got a little to far away from me and went into panic mode as the geese tried to snatch the bread right out of his little hand.  We encountered one particularly fussy mom when we walked by her nest of big baby eggs.  

We heard the dinner bell ring and headed home after a trip up the waterfall.  The boys loved hearing the stories about when I came here as a little girl and where their paw paw used to live.  It was a fun little outing and so much better than the nearest park!  I even enjoyed it myself.

Oh! The Difference a Year (or two, or three!) Makes!

The years just keep rolling by without my approval or permission.  I've been blogging for 3 years this month and it's thrilling to look back at what was going on in April over the last few years.  It's been some pretty significant changes each year different and exciting in their own right.  Come take a stroll down bloggity lane with me.  If you've read them before, read them again.  If not, these are probably some of the most significant dates in our lives to this point.  At least until next April when our life changes all over again!
Beware of Nostalgia.  It may make you cry.  It did me.

In 2009 I wrote My first blog ever!  It's probably still my favorite blog, serious one at least.  It was one of the most emotional days of my life and it bleeds patriotism.  I will forever love him for that smile!

One year and a baby later, came April of 2010.
 It is still to this day my self proclaimed The best day of my Life!  I held a sign up as Jason and his unit returned home from war that said "Never Again."  It simply said it all.  He had yet to inform his chain of command but I disregarded that fact because I knew we were done with deployments FOREVER.  I would never again have to experience that kind of worry and it was one of the most freeing thoughts.  Yep, better than weddings and childbirth.  It was hands down, the best day of my life.

Then came last year's reminisce.(Last year, last goodbye.) April 18th, 2011 was the last day I saw him in Army uniform.  It was the day we left the first house we ever owned.  It was the day we said goodbye to the life we'd always known and headed directly into the life we are now living....and LOVING.
 Don't get me wrong.  There are things I will ALWAYS miss about that place and the army life.  It will forever be a part of us.
But it's possibly an understatement to say we love the life we have here.
We both knew we were going to LOVE living in Nashville.  I think we both underestimated that also.  I knew I'd love having Jason home and he knew he would love school at Vanderbilt but I too have become part of the Vanderbilt family and I say regularly that I would have paid twice the exorbitant tuition cost to be a part of this great community.  And that isn't even mentioning the network of friends I've developed here through church at Crosspoint and the Bellevue MOMS club.  I started the networks before we even moved and continue to make lasting friendships here every day.  These girls accept me knowing I won't be here forever but we just live it to the fullest while we are here!

In the here and now, we are finishing the first year in MBA school and preparing for Jason to leave in 2 weeks to work possibly the job of his dreams.  He will be working for Exxon Mobil in downtown Houston, TX.    He's always been interested in gas and oil and it was no surprise when he accepted the internship they offered him.  I'm pretty sure I didn't even have a say in this one.  He's never led us wrong before though so I trust him.  He's headed for BIG things and I'm happy to be by his side.  After summer, we will have 9 more months to soak up the Music City.

Around next April, we will be moving on again to really live out this civilian life.  I plan to enjoy every minute of it and pray every night for happiness (a job near here!), health (another baby... a GIRL baby) and a life fullfilled (thank you, God!).

Positively Petrified

 On the very last day of Spring break we used our membership and took a quick trip to the Nashville Zoo. We (I) packed a picnic lunch and were off to see the animals.  We've been so many times, we each have our favorites.  We talked about what we wanted to do along the way there.  We all agreed we wanted to feed the lorakeets,  it's our favorite thing there.  They land right on your arm and head and will fight for your love (food)!  After we feed the lorakeets, Jackson couldn't wait any longer to enter the dinosaur exhibit that just opened.  It's a paid exhibit so it was a one time thing for us but I knew he would love it and Lincoln was all in too.  We were going to see the dinosaurs.  We prepped Lincoln on the outside with a smaller, non moving dinosaur and even with big scary teeth, he wasn't even a little bit afraid.  We walked the boardwalk to Dino-trek and Lincoln was a little apprehensive but still not afraid.  We viewed the first one and I could visibly see he was scared.  I calmed him and told him it was just a robot and there was nothing to be scared of.  He growled back at it and proclaimed "you are only a robot!"
So on to the next dinosaur.  This one was smaller but it's teeth and roar were much louder.  It was a bit more terrifying just in looks but again I assured him it was only robot.  Then as we waked by with Lincoln trembling, that dinosaur spit a big stream of water ALL over us!  Lincoln lost his little mind with fear, he came up out of that stroller and was climbing my leg with terror.  I picked him up and that child clung to me for the rest of the tour.  By clung I mean something like a tick.  He put his head in the crook of my neck and wouldn't pry his little fingers out of my back.  I couldn't even begin to have him look at another.

He refused to look at these harmless (ha!) babies or even the plant eating Brontosaurus.  He wouldn't walk across the bridge or peek at the famed t-Rex.  He begged to go home, poor baby.  He was DONE with the zoo if it included these beasts.  

I was finally able to pry him loose near then end when we mentioned the sand box with the dinosaur bones.  He got down and started playing in the sand box, then he looked up and saw we were still within seeing distance of the terrible T-Rex and the choke hold started all over again!  I especially love how he puts his hands over his ears so as not to "see" the T-Rex anymore.  When the torture was officially over we all received stamps "just in case" we wanted to go back through.  Lincoln let her know that would not be happening.  When we walked away, Lincoln started chattering...about the dinosaurs.  He talked about the scary ones, the baby ones and the one that spit on him and went "rRrrrrrawr".  You would have thought he had the time of his life in there.  It was all he wanted to discuss.  We made our zoo rounds and stopped by for a merry-go-round ride.  Both boys loved this and I admit, I didn't mind it myself.  I'm kinda a sucker for swings and carousels.  After the carousel, Jackson begged Lincoln to go back through the dinosaurs one more time and believe it or not, he agreed.  I wondered if it would be any different and was almost convinced........until that dinosaur spit on him!  It started the terror all over again and this time, we didn't delay.  Lincoln was begging to leave and I was allowing it.  I was ready to depart anyway and I couldn't handle his pitiful claws any longer.  We sped through right past T-rex and out the front gates of the zoo.  Once we got home, they were both clamoring to tell Jason everything about the dinosaurs before he even asked.  Now, when you ask Lincoln about it, you'd believe it was his absolute favorite part of the whole zoo, possibly a highlight of his short little life.

Spring Break 2012, baby!

 The ol' Spring Break just ain't what it used to be.  No, rewind this train 10 years and you'd have seen me and these boys daddy having ourselves a mighty fine time on the beaches of the Florida Panhandle.  Now, Spring Break is visiting friends that have just given birth to adorable children with my own children in tow.  It's driving 6 hours while listening to kids fight over what to watch on the DVD player that my parents never had for us.  It's hearing "low batteries" on my cell phone, kindle fire and leap pad which were also non-existent in those dark ages of my spring break years.  It's stopping every 2 hours to go to the bathroom and eating snacks out of my cooler because they are "healthier" and "cheaper" than stopping to get fast food.  (Oh, no.  I have officially become my mother.)  I always knew she wasn't half bad!
Yes, yes, Spring break of 2012 was 6 hours of "How many more hours do we have?" from a certain 6 year old who was excited to see his first friend again.

 We spent Spring Break in Portsmouth, OH.  It's a far cry from Panama City, FL but it is right where I wanted to be.  I had an agenda.  My best friend gave birth to her 3rd child and only boy just 4 weeks ago and it was always my plan to arrive just in time for newborn cuddles!  We didn't have any firm plans and it was a good thing.  We quickly learned that while it was possible, it wasn't easy to take 5 kids under 6 ANYWHERE.  We managed a nice picnic at a nearby park but while there we discussed how much easier it would have been to eat lunch at home!  The kids enjoyed it and that's what it's all about, right?  Yeah, that and our sanity or lack thereof.  We tried to kick the older kids into the back yard but that led to bickering 6 year olds.  We played playdoh and I'm pretty sure it had to be thrown away after these 4 got their grubby hands on it.  The bubbles were a huge hit.  The littles continually poured out the bubble solution and asked for more.  Aside from all the fun, the kids were glad to see each other.  Lincoln and Charlotte don't remember each other but they got along so sweetly (most times) and I'm pretty sure Lincoln charmed the socks off my bestie Renee.  True Lincoln style!
We did manage a day with fewer children to hit up the antique shops of  Portsmouth and I got a few treasures.  We also put her wine glasses to use nightly and with one or both of us preggo for the last 3 years, it's been a while!
We had such a good time with these girls (and baby boy!) and can't wait to show them around the Nashville scene this summer.  There just so happens to be a great new park downtown that I'm  making plans for.
And just in case we need a break....I'm calling a babysitter for standby!

Best friends, bathroom words and other deFoor musings

"What came first Jesus or the dinosaurs?"

I was recently asked this question driving to church one evening by my 6 year old.  I asked him to choose his own answer.  He chose Jesus.  We've got to work on the timing of our history and maybe a touch on the Trinity.
These are a collection of the latest musings from the deFoor boys.  They were collected over the past month or so for your reading pleasure and to insure I'd never forget some of the funny things they say.  Enjoy!

From the eldest (Jason jr):

On a recent trip to Home Depot, we were gathering materials for a project when we spotted the latest spring flowers.  We each decided which ones were the prettiest.  He must have been in a super sweet mood when he said " You always pick out the prettiest flowers mom."  "I'm sorry they all died."
We then had a discussion about how annuals require planting each year vs perennials keep coming back when you think they are dead.  He thought and then deducted, "So those kind are kind of like Zombies (they come back from the dead)?"  Sure, son.

We were having a little lesson in keeping our hands to ourselves and minding our own business.  I was confirming that's what they must do in school with Jackson when he said, "Yeah, Lincoln, Hominy don't play that!" 

 Hominy?  really?  What does my child know about hominy?

Jackson and his dad are best friends.  Since he could speak, he's been brainwashing that boy into claiming him as his best friend.  Well, it's worked.  Jackson is always proclaiming his dad as his best friend but it's not easy for tenderhearted Jackson.  He has a hard time when I act upset about the whole "best friend" thing.  We were alone in the car recently and he said, "Mom, you can be my best friend!"  I was melting and said "thanks, Jackson!"  A few minutes passed as I gloated in best friend style he finally confessed, "Mom, I'm not really your best friend, I'm still Dad's.  I just don't want to hurt your feelings so I'll say I'm yours when I'm with you and then I'll really be Dad's."  

Jackson was recently chowing down on some infamous girl scout cookies.  Mid bite he told Jason and I, "those girls make some good cookies!!"

Indeed they do Jackson, indeed they do!

After studying the presidents in school during February and hearing a little about the primaries at home, Jackson was full of questions.  He asked his dad, "How old do you have to be to become president?"  Jason said he thought it was 35.  Jackson said, "Dad, I think you'd make a great president."  

Later that same night while bathing, Jackson was still pondering the question of the future presidency (aren't we all!) when he finally came to a conclusion.  He said "Mom, I've decided I'm going to vote for Barak Obama."  I was very intrested to discover his reasoning so I inquired. His reply: "Well, he's already been the president for 8 years(?) AND he's still alive (as opposed to all the dead presidents he's been studying, Washington, Lincoln, etc.)"  I guess that's as good a reason as any.  He's still alive.

I rarely have sick kids but a couple of weeks ago, I surely did.  I got a call from Jackson's school that he was in the office crying and had a small fever.  I knew right away that if he had any fever at all, he was sick.  I think he may have only had a fever one other time in his 6 years of life!  I picked him up and he was warm and claimed his throat hurt.  I immediately called his doctor to rule out strep.  I had that a few years ago and I don't mess around with it.  Before we got home, he was sick to his stomach.  Luckily, I live like a vagabond out of my car and had a lunch sack lined with napkins readily available to save my car from disaster.  We were in and out of the doctor in an hour and he called the antibiotics into publix for me.  Did you know that publix has FREE antibiotics.  Apparently, it's common practice now but I see it as a genius marketing strategy.  You see, they said it would be free and ready in about 20 minutes.  Do you have any idea how much money you can drop on things you didn't even know you needed inside Publix in 20 minutes.  $40, in my case anyway.  And I'm a conservative, on sale shopper.  Free antibiotics, my foot.  They know you're not just gonna stand there and wait for it.  They might as well say come back when you've spent your weekly grocery allowance.
But thanks for the "free" antibiotics.  I had a well child the very next day!

Wisdom from the Young one, One big adorable mischievous MESS:

Lincoln could otherwise be known as the gum bandit.  We are in the process of looking up gum detox facilities for this gum hoarder.  It's like he has a gum radar.  He can see it/smell it from a mile away.  He can find it in a purse when you didn't even know you had gum.  He's quick as lightening and before you know it, he's chewing away on gum you didn't allow him to have.  When it's on my watch, the gum he didn't ask for goes directly in the garbage.  Sometimes Most times it hasn't even lost it's flavor before I catch him.  Lately he's been known to hid while partaking in the forbidden fruit flavored wax.  I called him from downstairs and he didn't answer.  That was my sign.  As I walk downstairs from the shower I see tiny bits of evidence(gum paper)  and as I continue to call him he bounces out from behind my glider rocker with the unmistakable scent of gum on his breath.  When I go to secure the crime scene, I find he has spit out his gum on my floor in fear of being caught.  He wasn't just caught.  He was going to gum jail.

After a recent stay at the YMCA, Lincoln emptied the mulch out of his shoes into my floorboard.  I asked what he was doing with his shoes off and he exclaimed, "I've got playground in muah SHOES!"

It was good while it lasted.  Lincoln is nearly 3 years old and has always loved his crib but he has recently learned how to climb out of it.  He's long been capable of doing so but he's pretty content in there with his fishy music box and his bank (blanket).  Lately he's been rising extra early and I can no longer ignore the "Mommy" cries he calls because now they are in my face demanding breakfast.

I was getting Lincoln out of the car one day and he asked me,
L:  "Mom, Did you poot?"
Me: "No, son, I didn't"
L: "Mom, Seriously?"
(for the record, I absolutely did not!)
We get a lot of what we call "bathroom talk".  I claim it's boys but there is something so appealing about saying words that only belong in a bathroom.  This is one of those times he's pushing the envelope to see how far he can go before spending 5 minutes in the bathroom.

His new favorite word-"Perfect!"
Lincoln how's your milk?  "Perfect"
Lincoln, how did you sleep? "Perfect"
How does your dinner look? "Perfect"

Before church, I was asking him "Lincoln, who are you going to see today at church?"
He replies, "God!"
I think he's got the right idea.

Also at church, my mom and dads church, we observed a baptism service.  He and Jackson were intrigued by the baptistry.  I overheard him telling Jackson, "That up there, that's where Jesus lives in the water."
Who knew, Jesus lived in the water.  I wonder if he thinks it's like his own private pool.

Now most of you won't really care much about this video but to the people mentioned in it, it is priceless!  And I feel confident that we should continue to save for Lincoln's college education.  There is no singing talent imbeded in those lungs.  But it sure is cute!

That's what it's all about!

Not a word was heard at the tomb that day.
Just shuffling of soldiers feet as they guarded the grave.
One day, two days, three days had past.
Could it be that Jesus breathed his last?

Could it be that his Father had forsaken him?
Turned his back on his son, dispising our sin.
Oh hell seemed to whisper, "Just forget it, He's dead."
Then the Father looked down to his son and he said..

Arise, My love.
Arise, My love.
The grave no longer has a hold on you
No more death sting
No more suffering
Arise...Arise...my love.
source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/n/newsonglyrics/arisemylovelyrics.html

Tomorrow is Easter.  It's always been a big deal in my family and it's never been about the eggs and the candy. Although I'm sure as a child, I made that a pretty big deal.  I'm happy to have grown up in a Christian home.  I've been going to church my whole life, not just on Easter.  But Easter was special.  We dressed up, we made photos and we always heard the Easter story.  I've always "got it" but as many a mother will tell you, it wasn't until I had my own children that I really GOT IT.  The sacrifice God made for us is placed on a whole new level when we have a child of our own to love and just try to imagine what he went through... for us.  Big, fat disappointing sinners like US.  I know that I am unworthy, yet he loves me still.  Easter gives us HOPE.  A hope that I've needed lately.  Just one tragedy after another keep reminding me that this life is short and FULL of trouble.  Thank you Lord for your Hope.  One day, all these things shall pass and the One that rose again will meet us in the air.  Oh what a joyous reunion that will be!

This week, the boys and I planted a resurrection garden.  It was the cutest idea but it was full of meaning.  At least for Jackson.  He fully understood what each part of the garden was.  He even told me about the robbers on the crosses on each side of Jesus.
I'm so excited to celebrate the Risen Savior tomorrow.  It's a Hope that I cling to and a reminder that I need to reflect on more often.

Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all


Folks, THAT is what it's all about!

Ya'll Come Back Now, ye' hear.

(thanks,http://www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/)

After a WONDERFUL kid-free weekend (thanks mom!) I had to retrieve the kids from them.  We met down I-40 about 50 miles from Nashville.  We may have been only 50 miles from music city but this place was still thriving off the country music scene!  I arrived to Hurricane Mills, TN just after lunch.  I was a bit hungry and I'm NOT a fan of McDonalds.  Ever.  So my other choices were the Mexican food trailer (um, no thanks, Montezuma!)  or Loretta Lynn's Kitchen.  I had to begin dining alone which I might have never mentioned but I have a serious issue with eating alone, in a restaurant.  I can do it any day at home or in my car but I hate eating inside a restaurant alone.  I always assume everyone is sizing me up, including the servers.  Wondering "what's her story?"  Can we say paranoid.  Anyway, its my issue.  I was having a pretty tasty buffet lunch when the gang arrived.  The boys were bustling ready to tell me about their weekend and all the amazing sites along the way.  One of them happened to be right outside as there was a gigantic bull? buffalo? in the front of the restaurant.  Not exactly sure what that had to do with Loretta Lynn but the food was good, I can't complain.  Now the rest of the dinner was a shrine to the past country music legend.  There were some fine quality larger than life size throws with her photos on them.  More photos and show prints than I could count and then came the wax statute and clothing display.

(thanks,http://www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/)

  Yes, it was full of facinating relics.  Not enough could be said when mom and I were rendered speechless over this fine piece of art.

 Good ol' George!  We've ordered 2 replicas to be framed for over our mantles!  Now you want one too, don't you?

On the way home we happened to ride behind this car.  Now if you look closely, the bumper sticker on the back says "I love my FIXED pet."  Um, apparently you waited until you'd populated the entire back window of your car before you made that decision.  Can we say contradiction?  I would say only in TN but this kind of thing happened ALL the time in NC and it appears this car is from Mississippi.  In case it's not clear, let me count it out for you.  There are 11 (ELEVEN) pets pictured on this car.  It appears there are 2 parents and ONE child.  Folks, first, unless you own a farm, 11 pets is way too many but second, if you are audacious enough to own 11 pets, please, for the love, don't represent each one of them on the back of your car.  It gives people like me reason to shake my head in wonder {and possibly roll my eyes.}

What's been going on?

1. Several weeks ago Nashville was in the center of a serious storm path that included the great possibility of tornadoes.  Schools were closing and everyone was finding their safe place.  We live atop a hill and there's no safe place in this house.   Luckily, after a small meltdown, Jason found me a friends house to go to while tornadoes rumbled all around but we only sustained a few broken window screens from the large hail. Thankful!

2.  My running group is continually increasing our milage to train for the  Nashville Country Music Half Marathon.  A few weeks ago we began our trek at Loveless Cafe and ran 9 miles UP the Natchez trace.  If you've never ran uphill for 2 miles, you can do it there.
This week we took a scenic route downtown.  It was the last 7 miles of the half and it was FUN.  We crossed I-40 twice, went across the Cumberland River, around Titan Stadium, by Centennial Mall, Farmer's market, through the Gulch and back up to Music Row.  I can not wait to run with 30,000 other people through this town!

3.  After running that 9 miles and picking my parents up from the airport, I participated in a missions event at our church.  They helped with The Fairy Godmother Project of Music City.  This charity provides prom dresses to high school girls who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford them.  I was a personal shopper and I was able to help one girls prom dreams come true!  She found the perfect dress and we were both pleased!

4.  Last week, I was the happiest southern girl on the block.  The owners of this house agreed to let me have a glass front door installed so that I can watch the kids at the playground and have a little more light in the evenings.  I've been basking in my glass front door all week.  I had clothes on...most of the time.
Perhaps one of the funnier occurrences was when Jackson rounded the corner to come inside and ran right SMACK into it.  Poor guy, it made his eyes water but if you'd been here, you too would have laughed hysterically.


5.  6 months ago I bought tickets to see Mary Poppins at TPAC.  It was a long time coming but worth the wait!  It was a wonderful show, better than I remembered and the set was so amazing that I didn't have to wonder how they spent my ticket money!

5a.  As I was standing outside waiting for the valet to retrieve our car the lady I went looked over my should and  said "(gasp) That's Allison Krauss."  I swung my head around to verify that we were in fact in the presence of a celebrity.  I carefully snapped this blurry photo.  I wouldn't have dared to be caught stooping so low as to obviously take a cell phone photo so this was the best I could do in my semi-starstruck state.  Nonetheless, Nashville's celebrity sightings are cool!

6.  It's not unusual for me to find strange guys in my bed.  Such as this one.

7. This is also not an uncommon occurance.  Surely God sees that I need to step on a barbie or two to balance this out!

8.  Why is he naked?  I had dressed this child and placed him on the couch to view (for the 100th time) an OLD vhs movie that he's in love with.  Funny thing is his brother liked it equally as well.  It's kids that are probably now well into their 30's singing toddler songs and bible songs.  Cutest thing is when he can sing what's coming up next.

9.  Lincoln "left" his papi at Aunt Linda's house.  He now claims he left it because he's too big (true).  The morning after he slept without it, I expected an earlier than usual wake up but instead I went in to check on him and he was up peeping out the window.  Who needs a papi?

10.  Have you ever wondered what we did without text and picture messaging?  It is now part of our every day life.  I can't imagine having to shop without sending my sister pix messages.  I guess in the good ol' days, we had to actually go shopping together.  For shame!

The new songs{"What's been going on?"}on my playlist (click here google readers!) are my new absolute favs.  Amos Lee is the next big thing, just wait and see!  Love!!

I got my MOM MD!

That's right, as of Friday evening, I received my undergrad from google.com and then obtained my master's in the very same night from none other than youtube.com.  Both are highly esteemed for information and higher learning.  Sure, some people use their degrees to do harm or laugh at others misfortunes but I used my new found knowledge to perform a medical procedure on my youngest child.  See, MOM MD at your service! Let me know how I can be of assistance to you.  I draw the line at delivering babies.

Let's back up to form the medical history on my very first patient.  He presents as a rambunctious 2 1/2 year old male with a 12 hour old possible arm injury.  Earlier in the day, the patient's older brother was known to have pulled him rather violently up the stairs to recieve punishment.  This resulted in an injury to the left arm which was still to be determined if it was false pain or indeed a medical emergency.  After spending the day holding the arm like a dead fish, another highly esteemed medical colleague suggested it may actually be an injury.  After this consult, we  she makes our diagnosis.  Nurse Maid's Elbow.

We, my para-professional colleague and I, did the appropriate research(google) to confirm the initial diagnosis and reviewed the medical procedure(you tube) to be performed.  We had 3 options for the procedure and we chose the one we thought knew  we could competently perform in our newly formed office (living room).  I held the patient and took the gimp arm (yes, thats a medically correct term) in my hands.  With one hand, I secured the elbow and with the other hand I lifted the arm while turning it to flexion at his shoulder.  I heard the "pop" (also medically correct) and knew that the procedure had been performed with accuracy and skill and was now complete.  The patient felt immediate relief and was rewarded with refined sugar.  After a few high five's congratulatory glances , my professional colleague and I closed up our office for the day with one satisfied patient.  I feel lucky to live in a skilled medical community (internet) that allows me to offer relief to children with gimp arms.

The REAL story:
So we're preparing to leave Nashville for Montgomery and Lincoln does something that requires a spanking.  Jackson being the tattle-tail big brother makes it his mission to ensure he receives the punishment and he proceeds to drag him up the stairs by his arm.  Some screaming is occurring but if you've been around here for long, you'll know it's not that uncommon.  When Lincoln comes up, he's crying his way out of his spanking by claiming his arm hurts.  Lincoln was is my dramatic child.  There have been boo-boos that have long since healed that I'm still kissing around here.  I thought this was another Lincoln ploy to secure his "baby doesn't need a spanking" rank.  Well, he whines for a while about the arm as I'm getting ready.  I find a sucker in the bottom of the suitcase I'm packing and decide it's perfectly fine to consume so I asked him if a sucker would make his arm feel better and he felt sure it would.  I gave it to him and the child places the sucker on his hurt arm!  Yes, indeed, the sucker is placed on the injury as if it's goign to make it better.  I'm not sure it was working because shortly afterwards the sucker had been consumed.

For the rest of the day Lincoln held that arm limp and wouldn't use it.  I was sure he was fine and just attention seeking.  We arrived in Montgomery and I was visiting a friend who's opinion I trust and she said she actually didn't think my little drama king was faking.  She said there was something to the way he couldn't turn his palm upwards.  She went on to say "it sounds like nurse-maids elbow" and I looked at her like she had a 3rd eye.  She said it's common in young kids that have been pulled and it can be placed back  with an easy medical procedure.  She had to google it to convince me and check her spot on accuracy!  After we felt confident in our google diagnosis, we watched a couple of you tubes on how to correct nurse maids elbow at home. I knew our insurance probably wouldn't cover crap in Alabama.   Since my friend, Rusty, was an occupational therapist, we felt sure this procedure was being performed under medical supervision but she insisted that I perform it on my own child, for legal safety's sake.  I chose the turn and flex method and all at once while he was sitting on my lap, I take his elbow in one hand and wrist in the other and turn his hand palm up while pressing his arm up toward his shoulder.  I distinctly heard the pop of it going back into place and knew that the child had been healed.  You'd think he was going to scream and cry but he whimpered a second before saying "You fixed it!"  So yes, I fixed his arm and all was right in the world.

There you have it, my Mom MD.

It's the end of the world as he knows it

There are 2 other blogs waiting in the wings but this one took center stage tonight as I try to stifle my sniffles over this very grown up event in my youngest child's life.  I can't say it went as planned because it was not at all planned.  I will say it went better than expected on his end, mine, maybe not so much.

This weekend we spent the weekend with Jason's Aunt and Uncle in Montgomery, AL.  They boys have their own room there and they slept in a big bed.  I sure wasn't going to volunteer to sleep with them as they turn circles all night.  Nonetheless, I do get one in the bed with me when Lincoln suddenly fell out of the bed because it seemed as if Jackson may have turned side ways and pushed the little guy right out.  I woke up to him crying and found him curled on the floor.  I felt bad enough to let him sleep with me at that point but it took me 15 minutes to find his papi (pacifier) while he lay in my bed content to wait.  On the way home, I stuck the papi in my purse.  Soon, he asked for it and I gave him his blanket complete with the tie from his bumper pad which he's always used as a "lovie."  Normally the papi and "bank" (blanket) go together but I just told him we left it at Linda's.  He said we'd have to get another one and I told him there were no more and he was too big for one anyway.

Jason and I were both playing the blame game on who was going to take the papi away from our headstrong nearly 3 year old.  I think we had agreed upon 1st grade being the absolute end all for papi's.  After all, they still take a nap in Kindergarten and he'd need it then!  He's a good kid and with that papi and bank, he'll lay in his crib for HOURS, ask to be put to bed and he's even been known to climb into the crib so that he could sleep with it.  It's definitely comfort item for him and he's a comfort items kid!  Speaking of cribs, this child is also nearly fully potty trained and has no intention of moving out of his crib.  He loves it and doesn't try to climb out so I decided I'd be a fool to take him out of it now.  He's stuck and we're both ok with that!  He also has a thing for his crib aquarium.  Sure, most kids out grow those by 18 months or so but not mine.  He's been blaring that thing in the middle of the night since he was 8 months.  I have watched him in the video monitor wake up, hit the button and immediately lay down and go back to sleep.  He loves that music box.  Recently, it was out of batteries and I promised him new ones.  After they were installed, he spent the next hour playing with it as it died a slow death.  It's been on it's last leg and at 6 years old  it finally kicked the bucket, he was devastated.  I asked my mom if she knew any 18 month olds that were done with theirs because my 3 year old needed a new one and she went right out and found him one in consignment (what a SWELL Nana!)  That boy loves his comfort items and always has.

We've been limiting the papi to the bed for many months now but we knew the time was coming to give it up.  Jackson was easy and I was 6 months prego with Lincoln when we gave his to Santa Claus.  We don't really do the Easter bunny so no giant bunny was going to be taking it and I have a feeling Lincoln would not willingly give it away either.  I just knew I held the only one we had in the car with me and if I said it was gone, I might actually start believing it myself.  No, I didn't really want to get rid of it now but I seized a good opportunity.  He slept great in the car with just the bank but the real test came at bedtime.  I put him down but he immediately requested me rock him.  Hmmmmm, YES, please.  Lincoln and I play the "rock me" game about 2-3 times a week.  I will tell him I will rock him to sleep as a treat or he'll ask me to "pease rock me" and I can not say no.  I knew this could be a no paci consolation prize and although he did whisper the whole time I rocked, he finally got tired enough to fall asleep.  We haven't made it thought the night yet but if this doesn't hold me accountable to not give it back, I don't know what will.  I do realize he doesn't need it and he's too old to have a stinkin' papi but right now, he's still my only baby and it's just as hard for me to let go.

 So here's my good bye to the papi.

 Until next time...

and there WILL be a next time.  Did you hear that Jason deFoor??