Simple Joy

Well though the school year has started and officially ended summer for many people, it is definitely still summer here.  Temps were in the 100s last week and in the mid 90s this week.  I don't anticipate any relief anytime soon.

So be it.

We can still hang at friends' houses and swim for hours.  We can ride bikes in shorts and tank tops all hours of the day and night.  We can sit outside with a glass of well chilled Pinot Grigio instead of Pinot Noir.  

All is good.

So what have we been up to?

Labor Day weekend found us home just hanging out.   We participated in Wear Your College Colors on Friday, August 30!

 I dropped him off at school after swim lessons.  He and his BFF were the only 'cool' kids who participated in the College Color wearing :)!  Way to BeSouthwestern!  I then ran off for a 90 minute massage...ahhhhhh!

I picked up sweet Tate before snack time and we headed off on a new adventure...his first visit to the library and his first library card!!  He was so very excited!  He was jumping up and down he was so thrilled!

His very own library card!!  

All his books!!!

We returned home for the rest of the afternoon.  He enjoyed his books which were of course all about trains and he watched the DVD he checked out.  A happier boy I've never seen!

 

Saturday we lazed about the house in the morning then headed up to Aunt Palmi and Alonzo's house for some fun in the sun!  Palmi has an gorgeous house and pool, so we made great use of both!  Tate and Alonzo swam for quite some time, then Tate retired to the house to play with Alonzo's three year old cousins and play with some new toys!!

Look at him swim swim swim!

My little Michael Phelps!

We're working on getting him to use his arms! 

Out for a quick break!

Me and one of my besties!

The boys hanging out!

His new friends, Alonzo's twin cousins!  They are so sweet!

We made our way home and Tate was down for the count almost immediately :)

Sunday we had another pajama morning....love these days!  Then we met our sweet friends N and her daughter H at our favorite restaurant aka The French Fry Place where Tate noshed on french fries as well as broccoli and half a grilled cheese sandwich with nary a nudge from me!  I was ecstatic, but didn't make a big deal because I want him to continue to eat for himself and not my approval.

He and I then made a pilgrimage to ride the Zoo Train!  Fun times as always!

Sunday night we met my sister, Kellie and her family along with my parents out for dinner to say good-bye to her stepson Preston.  He left on Monday to go into the Navy; bootcamp started on Wednesday or I guess actually Monday at the 2pm drop-off.  He was off to the Great Lakes!  We are all so proud of him and wish him so much good luck and God's blessings always!  We will miss him!

Monday we just hung out at home.  Tate is a true homebody.  There is truly nowhere else he'd rather be than here with me playing with his trains.  I was happy to oblige.

The work week started in full force.  Well in full force for a three day week :)

By Friday Tate's cough that had been present for 3 weeks was still in full force even on a course of antibiotics.  But he seemed no worse for the wear, so off we went for swim lessons!  I took him to daycare after swim lessons and ran some errands.  Then I picked him up around 2 and we headed off to...

THE MOVIE THEATER!

That's right!  I decided to take Tate to his first movie. 'PLANES!'

His first real movie!  He's seen 'The Polar Express' and a number of Thomas movies and a couple of Chuggington movies.  But never a full length feature at the theater.  'The Polar Express' is the longest movie he's sat through.  I worried about the noise and the length of the film but decided if he didn't like it we would just leave.  I checked on Common Sense Media to see if it was in any way, shape or form appropriate and decided to go for it!

(It cost me $30 for a matinee...$9.50/me $7.50/him $2.50/convenience fee to buy online $4.75/water and $7.50 for popcorn!)

He did awesome.  I warned him over and over again that it was going to be loud.  I warned him it was going to be really dark.  We skipped the previews and found our seats...there were 4 other people present and no other kids.

I gave him some popcorn and he was happy happy happy.  

30 minutes in he was ready to go home.

Another handful of popcorn.

15 minutes later..."The movie is over for me Mommy."

Another handful of popcorn.

And so on every 10-15 minutes when he was ready to go.  

The best part for him was the 90 second portion with a train!  In a tunnel!

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

We had a lovely time.

Sucking down some of
our water.  Popcorn makes
you thirsty! 

Doesn't look too sure does he?

Saturday we missed the FARE Walk and his first Soccer Shots meeting because his cough was so much worse and it was raining.

We headed out to the mall in the afternoon for a little train watching!  He was so excited that his favorite train place has re-opened!

We were there over an hour!  He was so happy.  I got to sit back and just relax.  Love it!

Saturday night he slept in his own bed (with me!) for the very first time!  I was so proud!  I laid down with him to go to sleep, went back upstairs and came back to sleep with him about 3 hours later!

Note how he left space for me on the
other side.  He never moved onto
that space!

Sunday we grocery shopped and played.  Even better while he was playing with his trains for about 45 minutes I laid down on the couch next to him and dozed!  It was wonderful!

Then we got our craft on!

Those are my creations on the floor.  He's holding his up
and on his knee!

Monday found me at my old stomping grounds!  The young lady who took my place at my old office delivered her baby at 29 weeks most unexpectedly.  Carl asked Rita and I if there was any way I could help them out a few days.  So I'm traipsing up there 6 days this month to see some op patients and try to get them through.  It's been an amazing time...I've so loved seeing everyone.  

Tuesday, September 11, 2013 I put Tate to bed and told him I needed him to stay in bed alone, that I was going to sleep upstairs.  (I had slept with him for 4 nights because he is 4 years old) I told him I would not be leaving at any time and that if he woke up and needed me he could come upstairs and find me and get in bed with me if he really needed me.  He made it until 2am with his new train, Whiff.  Sweet boy.  We've continued this trend of him joining me anytime between midnight and 3:30 (last night).  It's a work in progress.  And boy oh boy did I absolutely miss him that first night (ok and each subsequent night), but I'm so very proud of him.  So proud of him.  (and me :) )

Friday found us at swim lessons and then the allergist.  We were supposed to have skin testing for his peanut allergy, but I gave him some anti-histamine on Tuesday (He has to be anti-histamine free for 5 days prior to testing) because he was so ridiculously congested and coughing so very much. I kept our appointment though because I was so very worried that he had now had this cough for 4 weeks and had finished a 10 day course of Omnicef Monday with no relief.  The allergist thought he still sounded really congested though everything seemed to be upper respiratory and thankfully not asthmatic.  He recommended another round of a different antibiotic and starting him on a 3 or 5 day course of a steroid to get some of this inflammation reduced.  He knew I wasn't going to be keen on either one, and I wasn't, but I agreed there seemed like no other choice as Tate was not getting better.  He suggested if this didn't work that we then go to the ENT for either a sinus scan and/or swab of the drainage and see if we didn't need Tate's adenoids out.  

He also recommended a neti pot for kids for Tate with a saline solution.

I started that on Saturday morning, much much to Tate's dismay, hatred, horror and all around crying fits.

It has worked wonders.  He is 99% better.  Though Tate absolutely hated having the saline squirted up his nose only to stream out the other nostril and down and out of his throat it has made a world of difference.  The amount of unpleasant stuff that came out of his nose was shocking, but we've avoided the antibiotic and the steroid.  I've continued with anti-histamines and will for another week or so. I run a cool mist humidifier in his room at night and all seems much better.

Yay for non-medicinal ways to help my baby!

After the allergist we ran to lunch at Smashburger and Tate shocked me by eating a hot dog!  Of course that was only after his favorite part of the meal...milk.

We ran off and got my brows waxed (how lucky am I that Tate is so easy-going that I can take him to such appointments and he's so well behaved?!)

Then we returned our books and video to the library, played on the computer for the 15 allowed minutes and checked out a couple of new books!

Saturday morning we made our way to Soccer!!

Then we had a quick run home for lunch and then two birthday parties!

Party #1 at the Aquarium!

Party #2 at Pump it Up!
Now there's a face!

Much better!

My Saturday ended well..

Sunday was Children's Education Sunday at Tate's school's church.  The kids were awesome as always!

Our last outing on Sunday was to the Texas Children's Art Festival at the Bayou Bend Museum.  It was hot hot hot, so we only last about 30 minutes, but Tate seems to have had some fun.

We made a train stamp :) as well as a template for a train quilt.

Simple Joy.

How I love this boy!