The Adams Bunch

It's Been a While

2012-01-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

Wow! I didn't realize how long it has been since blogged. We have had a packed couple of months.
Christmas was wonderful. We really scaled it down this year. Santa brought the kids what they really wanted,DSI's. They really loved them. We just thought this year there was no reason to pack the tree with stuff they didn't really want or stuff they didn't need just to have a ton of gifts to open.

A very special little girl touched our families life this Christmas. Hallie Lynn Green was born December 19th to my friends Chris & Katie Green. Katie found out early in her pregnancy that Hallie had a rare genetic disorder call Trisomy 13. They were not sure she would even make it to birth, but she did! Hallie was alive 5 beautiful days. Chris & Katie graciously shared their story of love and faith with everyone. Hallie's story gave me the opportunity to talk with Emily & Mason about some very important things. We all prayed for Hallie and her family daily. Emily was able to ask a lot of questions about God. I am so thankful to the Green's for letting my family be apart of their journey. They are truly amazing!

Mason's Preschool Program

2011-12-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

Mason's preschool had it's Christmas program last week. I was nervous because I wasn't sure how he would do. We were all sitting and waiting and his class came in. I could see his little face at the back of the church. His eyes were full of tears and his face looked terrified. He was dressed as a Shepard and was just adorable. They sent the shepherd's and angels down one by one. Mason made it half down with tears rolling down his face. When he saw me he really lost it. I scooped him up and sat him on my lap. He covered his ear with one hand and held on for dear life with the other. Most parents giggled or "awwwwed" at him. They had no idea what my poor little guy was going through. I let him stay with me until it was over. We went up to the front so I could get some pictures. Once we were back in his classroom he knew he was in the "safe zone." Maybe next year will be a little better.

Mason's Finished Gift

2011-12-12T15:08:00.001-08:00

Well here it is :)

Mason's Gift

2011-12-11T07:01:00.000-08:00

I took pictures of Mason last night signing "I Love You." I am going to put each letter in a frame and then attach the frames to a bracket to make one long picture. I am going to give it to my mom & of course one for me :) Then I am going to do the same thing but with just the word "Love" for his therapist. When I get the frames done I will post the finished product!

Where in the World is Buddy the Elf?

2011-11-29T14:58:00.000-08:00

Our mischievous elf Buddy returned to the Adams house Friday morning. The kids are SO into him this year. Every morning they wake up it's like Christmas. The run down stairs look to see what kind of trouble buddy has gotten in :) Here are just a few.

Welcome to the Family Remmie

2011-11-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Santa came early this year. He did not have enough room on his sleigh for one of the kids gift so he dropped off a puppy to the kids last week. The kids LOVE her and we decided on the name Remmie.

SO Thankful

2011-11-26T08:19:00.000-08:00

I am SO thankful for these two :)

Playing in the Leaves

2011-11-21T08:26:00.001-08:00

I love fall! It is my favorite time of year. Although I hate raking leaves, they make for a fun afternoon and some great pictures :)

Mason's Walk 2011

2011-11-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

Turning 30...

2011-10-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

Well I turned the big 3-0 on September 21st. I was REALLYL nervous about it. But honestly when the day came I was actually ok. I thought about all of my blessings and how could I be sad or upset about turning 30! Plus my mom came up for birthday and that made it extra special. To celebrate my birthday I wanted to have a bowling party :) My inlaws, brother Nick and his family came along with mine of course. We had such a great time. Being 30 really isn't so bad ;)

Mellon Festivle Fun

2011-10-09T07:23:00.001-07:00

The kids and I went to the Milan Mellon Festivle a couple weeks ago with our great friends the Zieglers. We have the best time with them no matter what we do :) When we got to the festivle of course we had to eat yummy festivle food! I had cheese on a stick and the kids had corndogs! YUM! We ended the day with kettle corn and watching the parade. It was a fun day and we can't wait to do it again next year!

8 days

2011-09-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

In 8 days we will be holding the first ever "Mason's Walk for Childhood Apraxia" for this sweet boy! I am so excited. I can't believe we have raised over $17,000 as of today and have over 185 registered walkers & runners!!!! My goal was $5,000. I am so happy to be raising money for such an amazing cause and most important raising awarness.

Kindergarten...really

2011-09-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

My baby girl started kindergarten last week. She was SOOOOO excited. Mommy on the other hand not so much. She had her traditional first day of school pancakes in mommy and daddy's bed while watching cartoons. We got ready and headed to Brent's parents house so she could catch the bus. She was so gitty she couldn't stand it! As the bus pulled up she grew even more excited. The bus stopped and she gave us all a hug and kiss and headed up those stairs. She looked so tiny. As the bus pulled away she waved and waved until she couldn't see us anymore. I started crying. Just thinking of every milestone she has had. I was so proud of her! It was the longest 7 hours of my life. I couldn't wait for her to get off the bus! When she got off she hugged me like crazy and told me how much she missed me :) She had a great day and I was so blessed!

My Toothless Wonder

2011-08-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

My little Emily lost her 1st tooth a couple of weeks ago!!! Then 5 days later she lost another one. She was beyond excited. She got $5 for her 1st tooth and then a dollar for her 2nd. Even though she thought she it was worth $50 Ha! Now her top teeth are loose. My baby is growing up!

The Children's Museum

2011-08-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

The kids and I ventured to Cleveland to go to the Children's Museum. They had a blast!!! Everything was hands on. We started in the "Space" room. Emily dressed up like a astronaut and flew the shuttle. Then we headed to the "Farm" where Mason peddled around on the tractor and Em sorted veggies. After that we headed to the "Town." They had everything you could think of. The kids grocery shopped, drove the bus, played house, played hospital and Em was a bank teller. Mason's favorite sections was the water table. He loved it. The kids looked so cute in the little rain gear. Before we left Emily had to play the weather girl on the TV. It was a great day and I was so happy to spend it with 2 of my favorite people!

A Trip to the Zoo

2011-07-23T07:38:00.001-07:00

WE made our first trip to the zoo last week. We got a break in the weather which was really nice! Grandpa came along for the ride with the kids and I. Emily was very excited because the mamma elephant at the zoo had a new baby named Lucas. He was so cute and the kids just loved him. After looking at all the animals and having our picnic we headed over to the kids favorite part. The zoo has a kids center where there is a place to play and a stream (which is Mason's favortie) that the kids can splash around in. We had a great day and can't wait to go back!

Our 4th

2011-07-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

Our family loves to celebrate the 4th of July. Ever since Emily was born we always have a family cookout. Play all day outside and in the water. Then we head down to end of the street to watch the fireworks over the lake :)

Viva Las Vegas

2011-07-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

Brent and I went on our first vacation together since our Honeymoon!!! I know crazy huh! Our great friends invited us to go to Las Vegas with them for a couple of days. We left the same day we cam back from my moms so it was a little crazy. But when we finally got out there is was worth it. Brent and I had such a nice time together. Some much needed husband and wife time. I think it's so important to do vacations or little trips with just your spouse :) We did a ton if sight seeing and just spending great quality time together. We had such a great time with the Ziegler's too :)

Summer Vacation

2011-07-04T11:01:00.001-07:00

We just got back from the best vacation at my mom and step dad's. We really did a whole lot of nothing and it was awesome!!!! We really just enjoyed each other and our family.

Happy Daddy's Day!!!!

2011-06-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Daya to 2 of the most wonderful men I know!!!!

Mason's Story of Childhood Apraxia

2011-06-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

I guess I should just start from the beginning. I had such a wonderful pregnancy with Mason. He was born healthy and beautiful I might add :) He was developing great. Then one day I noticed that he didn't babble like a normal baby. I brushed it off because he was developing with his motor skills like crazy. By 9 months he still wasn't babbling or really make any noises besides giggling and crying. I talked to the pediatricians and they said he was fine and that we shouldn't worry. At age 1 he still was not saying anything not even Mamma or Dadda. Again I talked to the peds and they said not to worry. At 18 months we were in the same boat. I also started noticing that he was very sensitive to sounds and also sensitive to things he touched like different textures. I talked to the peds and they again said he was fine we needed to wait to do anything. So at 2 I had decided enough was enough. I knew in my gut something was up so I told the pediatrician's I wanted to get a second opinion. They sent me to our local Help Me Grow program and the speech pathologist and Occupational therapist evaluated Mason. They decided it was a good idea if we started Mason in speech therapy right away. They also noticed how sensitive he was to sounds and touching things. So he also started therapy for a Sensitivity Disorder. He has been in therapy for about a year and we really had no progress. The only things he was saying was "mamma", "bubble" and "woowoo" which is a little dog he sleeps with. He started doing a little better with the sensitivity issues. What was strange is he wass not a typical 2nd child where Emily talks for him. He wants to talk so badly but just can't get it out. His frustration is so sad.
On a Friday morning in September I went up stairs to get Emily some socks before pre-school and I peeked in Mason's room to check on him because I thought he was still sleeping. When I looked in he was laying flat on his back violently shaking from head to toe and his eyes were rolling in the back of his head. After about a minute he stop and his eyes kind of glazed over. I picked him up and took hip downstairs. I called the peds and they said it sounded like a a seizure. SCARY! They made him and appointment right away. When I took him in the doctor they said with his other issues they think our best option was to send him up the Rainbow Babies Children's Hospital in Cleveland. Finally we were going to get some answers for my sweet boy!
So on September 30th at 7am we packed Mason up and headed up to Cleveland. The hospital was great! Very kid friendly right off the bat. His first appointment was an EEG. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. Since they think he had a seizure they did this test. It was sad to watch them do it. It wasn't invasive or anything but it was traumatic for a 2 1/2 year old. He was a big boy and did great up until the very end. We were in the procedure room for about 2 hours. After that we headed to the atrium to get some lunch. He got to play and burn off some energy. After lunch we went to see the pediatric neurologist. She was great! We got the results from the EEG and they were normal. Which was good. She did not diagnose him with epilepsy. She said it may have been a one time thing which is actually normal. But if he has another episode then they will consider starting him on some medication. She started talking to us more about his other issues. They ruled out autism. She is leaning towards something called Childhood apraxia of speech. CAS is a motor speech disorder. She was also concerned about a possible tumor so he had a MRI the following week. Priase God that came back normai. She suggested we see a Developmental Pediatrican. After a 3 week clinical trial we finally got a diagnosis. Mason was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia and Sensory Processing disorder. Here is an overview of each disability:

Children with Childhood Apraxia have problems saying sounds, syllables, and words. This is not because of muscle weakness or paralysis. The brain has problems planning to move the body parts (e.g., lips, jaw, tongue) needed for speech. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words. Can you even imagine being trapped in your own body not being able say what you want or not being able to or tell someone when you are sad or hurt. It's so heartbreaking to watch him try and speak and not be able to. Research shows the children with CAS have more success when they receive frequent (3-5 times per week) and intensive treatment. We have also been teaching Mason sign language since he was about 18 months so that he can at least communicate with us his basic needs. One of the most important things for us and our family to remember is that treatment of apraxia of speech takes time and commitment. Children with CAS need a supportive environment that helps them feel successful with communication.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD, formerly known as "sensory integration dysfunction") is a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses. Pioneering occupational therapist and neuroscientist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, likened SPD to a neurological "traffic jam" that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Most children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) are just as intelligent as their peers. Many are intellectually gifted. Their brains are simply wired differently. They need to be taught in ways that are adapted to how they process information, and they need leisure activities that suit their own sensory processing needs. Occupational therapy with a sensory integration approach typically takes place in a sensory-rich environment sometimes called the "OT gym." During OT sessions, the therapist guides the child through fun activities that are subtly structured so the child is constantly challenged but always successful. The goal of Occupational Therapy is to foster appropriate responses to sensation in an active, meaningful, and fun way so the child is able to behave in a more functional manner. Over time, the appropriate responses generalize to the environment beyond the clinic including home, school, and the larger community. Effective occupational therapy thus enables children with SPD to take part in the normal activities of childhood, such as playing with friends, enjoying school, eating, dressing, and sleeping. Treatment for Sensory Processing Disorder helps parents and others who live and work with sensational children to understand that Sensory Processing Disorder is real, even though it is "hidden." With this assurance, they become better advocates for their child at school and within the community.

Mason is in intense speech therapy and sees a SLP twice a week. He also sees a Occupational Therapsit once a week. We are starting to see some progress.

Mason's family and friends have grown to understand his facial and body language. And yet, Mason is still frustrated as he gets older and has more to say. Imagine being told your three year old may never speak well enough for others to understand. Or even worse, imagine being a three year old with so much to say but one to understand you. My husband, Brent, and I, along with our family, are not ever going to stop raising awareness for Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Mason has a long journey ahead of him but I am so proud to be his mom and be by his side every single step of the way!

In honor of Mason will be holding "Mason's Walk- A 5k for Children With Childhood Apraxia" on September 25th 2011. For more information you can visit htt://www.apraxia-kids.org/clevelandwalk

Future Broadway Star

2011-06-06T16:54:00.001-07:00

Emily had her first dance recital 2 weeks ago. She took a tap and ballet combo class this year but only performed tap. The theme this year for the recital was "Everlasting Love." Her class performed to "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You." Needless to say her class was the cutest! They were the youngest so of course everyone awwwwed at them :) She performed on Saturday night as well as Sunday afternoon. She did so awesome. I was a little nervous she would have stage fright but she was a natural. She can't wait to start up again this fall.

5 really????

2011-05-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

My sweet sweet girl turned 5 last week. Yes I said 5 it wasn't a typo. It's still hard for me to say. I can't believe in her 5 short years how much love and joy she has brought to our lives. It's hard to remember life without her. I am so happy and proud of the little lady she is becoming. She is so tender and sweet and loves life so much!

Wedding Fun

2011-05-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Brent, Emily & I were all in a wedding. Em did SO good. The ring bearer freaked out right before the ceremony started so Em had to go by herself. I was so proud of her. She smiled and strutted her stuff. LOL. We had a lot of fun at the wedding and the recption. Brent's parents met us there with Mason and he and Emily danced the night away.

Finally

2011-05-05T11:51:00.001-07:00

We finally got a break in the weather. Thank the lord! We have had cabin fever so bad this last month. The kids were so excited to ge outside and run around and burn some energy. Brent was even able to fly a kite with the kids!

Priceless

2011-04-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Whirl Wind Month

2011-04-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

We had have a whirl wind kind of month. A lot has happened good and bad. So I think I am going to jam in a bunch of post while I have some time to catch up!

At the beginning of last month we had one of the most tragic things in our lives happen. My biggest fear became a reality. We got a phone call at 3:30am on Saturday, March 19th that a fellow officer and friend, Andy Dunn, had been shot in the line of duty. As Brent was on the phone I heard life flight flying over our house and I knew it was bad. (By the way my dad has been a police officer for 30+ years and when the phone rings in the middle of the night you know it's not good) Brent jumped out of bed, threw his clothes on and raced to the hospital as fast as he could! I paced and paced waiting for Brent to call. After the longest 20 minutes EVER Brent called....Andy didn't make it. I litterly fell to my knees sobbing. All I could think about was his sweet wife Julie and his precious 2 year old Caleb and 5 month old Connor. Andy's dad is also a police officer, his sister is a dispatcher and his step mom is a dispatcher too. I wanted Brent to come home and stay with me forever and never leave my sight! The week to follow was an emotional roller coaster. We had something everyday. It made it a little easier being surrounded by our police family. I have never been to a police funeral and I hope to never go to one again. It was amazing to see the thousands of officers and thousands of people that came to say goodbye to Andy and give our hero the farewell he deserved. Please continue to keep his family as well as his brothers and sisters in your prayers. RIP 2083 you will never be forgotten!

I Love Mamma!

2011-04-03T13:09:00.001-07:00

I have so much to catch up on. But for now I have to share this sweet video :)

Pretty Face

2011-03-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

I LOVE THIS LITTLE GIRL SO MUCH!!!!

Cookie

2011-03-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Mason is trying so hard to talk. Here is his attepmt at cookie! I love his sweet little voice!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MASON

2011-03-11T07:07:00.001-08:00

My sweet little boy turned 3 on March 1st! 3 can you believe it? I sure can't. A lot has happened in the past year with Mason and I am just so thankful for him. Since Mason really dosen't like parties we decided to take him to Kalahari for his birthday. Mimi & Pappa wanted to send him there as their gift. Best decision ever. He had the best time. It's been along time since I have seen him that happy :) Happy 3rd Birthday Mason! Mommy loves you so much. My life is better because of you XOXO

Prayers for Lucy!

2011-03-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take a minute to read this sweet families blog! There little girl Lucy is fighting the biggest battle of her little life. They could use all the prayers they can get!

http://erikandkatekrull.blogspot.com/

Mason's Walk!!!!!!

2011-02-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce the first ever Mason's Walk-A 5K Run/Walk for Childhood Apraxia!!!!! Mason's walk will take place on Sunday September 25, 2011 at Osborn Park. I am so thrilled and honored to be planning this in honor of Mason and all the kids who are affected by Apraxia. There is not enough awarness or attention on Apraxia. This is just our small way to educate ourcommunity on Appraxia. All proceeds will benefit CASANA where they research and educate parents, therapist and communities about Apraxia. If you feel at moved to participate or donate please do or if you know of anyone that might want to participate of dontate please forwarded it to them. Please visit Masons Walk at:
http://www.apraxia-kids.org/clevelandwalk

Purple

2011-02-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

Who knew that such a simple and common word that we never think twice about when we say it could be such an emotional word to me! Tonight Mason was coloring and looked at me and said "purple." My eyes filled with tears. The joy on his face was so precious! He was SO proud of himself and so was I. These are the moments that I realize how serious apraxia is and how much we take for granted the ability to be able to speak.

Where Have We Been?

2011-02-16T09:21:00.001-08:00

Geez, where have we been lately! Honeslty I have been really trying to focus on Mason the last few weeks. I have been on the phone everyday with someone about either therapy or grants or the insurance company. We finally found a local place for him to receive his speech and occupational therapy. He is going to be going to Firelands Hospital Pediatric Therapy Group. We met with his two therapist on Friday and we LOVED them! Mason really liked them too which is the most important part.

I have also been working on cordinating "Mason's Walk." A 5k walk/run for Childhood Apraxia. I am really excited about it! It is something that is very close to my heart (for obvious reasons)and I am really passionate about raising awarness and being a voice for Mason. So more to come on that later. I will keep everyone in the loop.

So I am going to try and blog a little more often. I thinks it's important to docuement Mason's journey as well as everything that is going on with our family :)

A Visit From Mimi!

2011-01-22T20:10:00.000-08:00

I was SO happy that my mom came to visit for Christmas! Pappa couldn't make it becuase of work but we sure thought abaout him. Emily and Mason had so much fum with Mimi. I was so happy that Mason warmed right up to her. He even learned to say "Meh Meh." It was so sweet. Emily had the best time with her. They played tea party and baked with her Easy Bake oven. I was so happy to have her here! I love my mom so much and miss her SO much! It was really hard when she left. I hate living so far away from her. She misses out on so much with the kids. But now that she is feeling better she is going to try and start coming overy 3 or 4 months. So we are looking forward to many more visit from Mimi :) WE LOVE YOU MIMI!

Childhood Apraxia & Sensory Processing Disorder

2011-01-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

We had our parent meeting with the pediatrician's last week. We finally got some answers. Mason has been diagnosed with Childhood apraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD. And because of these two diagnosis he also has Delayed Milestones. Pretty big words for such a little guy.

Children with Childhood Apraxia have problems saying sounds, syllables, and words. This is not because of muscle weakness or paralysis. The brain has problems planning to move the body parts (e.g., lips, jaw, tongue) needed for speech. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words. Can you even imagine being trapped in your own body not being able say what you want or not being able to or tell someone when you are sad or hurt. It's so heartbreaking to watch him try and speak and not be able to. Research shows the children with CAS have more success when they receive frequent (3-5 times per week) and intensive treatment. We have also been teaching Mason sign language since he was about 18 months so that he can at least communicate with us his basic needs. One of the most important things for us and our family to remember is that treatment of apraxia of speech takes time and commitment. Children with CAS need a supportive environment that helps them feel successful with communication.

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD, formerly known as "sensory integration dysfunction") is a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses. Pioneering occupational therapist and neuroscientist A. Jean Ayres, PhD, likened SPD to a neurological "traffic jam" that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Most children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) are just as intelligent as their peers. Many are intellectually gifted. Their brains are simply wired differently. They need to be taught in ways that are adapted to how they process information, and they need leisure activities that suit their own sensory processing needs. Occupational therapy with a sensory integration approach typically takes place in a sensory-rich environment sometimes called the "OT gym." During OT sessions, the therapist guides the child through fun activities that are subtly structured so the child is constantly challenged but always successful. The goal of Occupational Therapy is to foster appropriate responses to sensation in an active, meaningful, and fun way so the child is able to behave in a more functional manner. Over time, the appropriate responses generalize to the environment beyond the clinic including home, school, and the larger community. Effective occupational therapy thus enables children with SPD to take part in the normal activities of childhood, such as playing with friends, enjoying school, eating, dressing, and sleeping. Treatment for Sensory Processing Disorder helps parents and others who live and work with sensational children to understand that Sensory Processing Disorder is real, even though it is "hidden." With this assurance, they become better advocates for their child at school and within the community.

So that's a lot of information huh? Brent and I are still trying to wrap our heads around it all. We have already gone through the feeling guilty phase and asking our self's what we could have done differently. But we now know it's nothing we did it's just how God made Mason. And I am honestly OK with that! He is an amazing little boy who is so fun and sweet natured. I can not wait to see what he is going to do next!
We are now trying to get the insurance company to work with us and cover Mason's treatment. Also I am so excited to share with you all that we will be organizing the first annual "Mason's Walk" this fall in honor of our sweet boy and to raise awareness and research funding for Childhood Apraxia. (more details on that and how you can help if you are interested.)

Christmas in Pictures

2011-01-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

1 down 3 to go

2011-01-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

Mason's first appointment was more of interview I felt like for Brent and I. They asked a million questions. They did a physical exam on Mason. He is 85 percentile for height 92 for weight and off the charts for his head. (get's that from his daddy) We are thinking linebacker or maybe a fullback. So next week will be all about Mason. We will meet with the Developmental pediatrician again (who we loved by the way) speech pathologist and a psychological pediatrician. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers!

Clinical Trial Appointment

2011-01-03T18:37:00.000-08:00

Mason has his first appointment with the developmental pediatrician tomorrow morning. I am nervous and anxious. The is the 1st day of his clinical trial. It will be a three week trial. He will see several different specialist over the next three weeks. So hopefully after that we will have even more answers and a plan of action for Mason. I will keep everyone updated!

Disney Take 2

2011-01-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Wednesday Emily Linda and I went to eat lunch with the princesses. Emily was in her glory. She got to wear her Cinderella dress and meet all her favorite pincesses.

After the princess lunch we went home and got the boys and headed back to the Magic Kingdom! We got to see the electrical parade and see everything with the lights. It was "magical" as Emily said :) We also got to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride and meet Buzz! Mason was a very happy little boy!

Thursday we went to MGM and that was our favorite park with the kids!

Thursday was not a very good day for me! We went to Animal Kingdom and as soon as we got there I pulled out my camera to take a picture and dropped and broke my camera! So I have no picture for the last 2 days of our vacation. This was by far my favorite vacation I have ever been on. Watching the kids enjoy every second was so amazing! I can't wait to take them again in a couple of years. We are so thankful to Brent's awesome parents for taking us on this vacation. We love them so much and were very happy they could experience this with us!

DISNEY WORLD

2010-12-21T13:56:00.001-08:00

We just got home from our family trip to Disney World! We had such an amazing time. We left Sunday the 12th! The kids were so excited because a big car (a limo) came to pick us up! We were getting hit with snow pretty hard so the limo driver was a little late and the Kids were a little nervous.

The limo did arrive and we were off to the airport. The kids loved the limo drive. We got to the airport in plenty of time. We did notice outside that the snow was really picking up. After several annoncements we ended up being delayed for 4 hours. Then once we got on the plane we had to wait another hour so the plane could be de-iced. The kids did great on the plane. Mason was a little overloaded with his senses but was a trooper. We finally made it safely to Orlando around 8:30pm.

We rented a house and it was awesome! Perfect in everyway. Mason did so much better adapting to the settings then he has in a hotel rooms. Monday we decided to head to the Magic Kingdom even though it was really cold. We didn't care. We walked around looking and Emily got to meet the princesses!

Day 2 was pretty cold too so we decided to go to the outlet malls. Tuesday night we went to Chef Mickey's. By far my favorite thing we did at Disney! The kids and even the adults had such a great time. The kids got to meet Mickey and all his pals!

I think I will break the trip up in a couple of posts. So more to come :)

Disney Emily-ism's

2010-12-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

I tried to remember all the Emily-ism's from Disney. I love her age because you never know what she is going to say. :)

"Look for signs that say Kissimmee everyone..." Em "Hey everyone do you see the kissey signs yet!"

Pulling up to the magice Kingdom "It's real I can't believe it is actually real!"

Drinking her hot chocolate "Emily can I have a drink?" Em "Just one and that is it and I mean it!"

"We are going to MG cheese today!" (She meant MGM)

In line for the Buzzlightyear ride "This is so magical!"

New Docotors & Appointments

2010-12-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

I got a call this morning from Rainbow Babies Hospital telling us after receiving Mason's paper work they would like to see him sooner. His appointment will be January 4th. At first they told me it wouldn't be until June of 2011 that they could get him into the developmental pediatrician. I was not very happy about that! Well the nurse said in January they are opening a new clinic, an autism clinic!?!? When she said that I was like "umm excuse me an Autism clinic?" She said after reviewing his paper work and notes from the other doctors they have reason to believe that he may have Apraxia as well as Autism. I was NOT expecting that at all! So of course I was pretty emotional to say the least. He will see a variety of doctors over a 3 week period and go through different testing. After that we will have a parents meeting to discuss the results and get a plan together for his treatment. So once again I am asking for prayers for Mason as well as the doctors that will be seeing him.

On a different note we are getting very excited about our trip to Disney!!! We leave Sunday and will be home the following Sunday. Lot's of pictures and post about our trip!

So Thankful

2010-11-24T18:36:00.000-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for this year. But what I am most thankful for are these two...

Evan Nicholas

2010-11-12T17:47:00.000-08:00

My nephew was born November 10, 2010 at 3:58AM. He was 8 lbs 1 oz and 20.5 inches long. His name is Evan Nicholas Schnittker. My sister in law Lindsay is doing great and my brother is doing good as well. Evan is just beautiful. Emily and Mason are so excited to have a new little cousin.

Carving Pumpkins

2010-11-03T17:02:00.000-07:00

I know this is a little late but we have had a lot going on with Mason the last couple of weeks. We did manage to make time for pumpkin carving. We had a blast. I just put newspaper down on the kitchen floor and let the kids have at it. I was very surprised that Mason actually touched the pumpkin guts. With his sensitivity disorder he doesn't like different textures. But he surprised me and really had fun.
Princess Emily even dug in a little.

The Results are In....

2010-10-28T08:36:00.001-07:00

We got the best call ever this morning! Mason's MRI was normal!!!!!! I am so emotional but in a good way. The next step with him is a referral to a development pediatrician to get a plan in motion for his apraxia. We still have a long road ahead of us with a lot of hard work that needs to put in but we are up for the challenge and taking this head on. We will do anything for Mason and to help him. My heart is just overflowing with joy right now. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone that prayed for us or even thought about us. God is good! Love to you all!

Mason the Brave!

2010-10-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today was the day. We started out like any other normal Monday. I got up about 7:45 with Mason and Emily. Made Emily's breakfast and little Mason could only have Jello (clear liquids after midnight). I took Em to school around 8:45. When I got home we started getting ready. I packed all Mason's favorite things to keep him comforted. We picked up Brent's parents around 10:45 and headed up to Cleveland. We had to be at the sedation unit at noon. As soon as we walked back Mason started to hold on a little tighter. I could tell he was getting nervous. And I was doing my best not to show my nerves. We went through all the routine questions and the doctor came in from the sedation team. She was super nice and Mason actually really liked her which was great. Around 1:00 the nurse came back in to put the numbing cream on his arms where the IV was going to go. He was ok at first but when she put the clear bandage over the cream he freaked out. He was ripping at it and trying to wipe it off. I just felt so bad for him. That went on for about 15 minutes. The nurse came back in and saw how upset he was. I knew right then regardless if his arm was numb he would rip that IV out! She brought with her some medicine to calm him down. They gave him Versed and with in 10 minutes he was a different little guy. If really helped him calm down. At 1:50 the IV team came in and started his IV with no problem at all. Within 2 minutes they had the medication going to put him to sleep. Before I could even kiss and hug him he was out! They positioned him and taped his eyes closed (which was the only part that really bothered me) and we headed down to radiology. We got to the doors and we had to sit in the waiting room. I was a wreck! I was pacing and sweating. It was the longest hour of my life. When they came out to get us he was already waking up and before I saw him all I heard was "Mamma,Mamma,Mamma." My heart just melted. We went back up to his room and waited for the sedation to completely wear off. They gave him some juice and gram crackers. He was very happy about that :) The nurses and the doctor made it so much easier. They were so kind and wonderful and really talked to him on his level. I was very impressed! I am so proud of him and I am anxious for the results. The results will be in on Wednesday. Thank you all so much for all of your thoughts and prayers for our family. We are truly blessed and know whatever happens we will face it head on together!

Pumpkin Hunting

2010-10-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

Today we took our anual trip to Burgman's Orchard to find our pumpkins and to pick fresh apples. This is actually the first year we have picked apples. Mason mostly wanted to eat what he picked instead of putting them in the basket ;) We have gone to this orchard since Emily's 1st Halloween when she was only 5 months old! I love family traditions!

Frustrating....

2010-10-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

I got a call today from the Children's Hospital. They had to cancel Mason's MRI for Friday. They said the sedation team was not on schedule that day. Kind of frustrating since they should have noticed that when we scheduled. So now we have to wait until Monday, October 25th. I just really want to get this done. The waiting and not knowing is the hardest part.

Mason's MRI is Scheduled

2010-10-07T13:02:00.001-07:00

We FINALLY got everything squared away for Mason. His MRI will be Friday, October 15th at 7:30AM. I thought that once I had it scheduled I would feel a little beter. But honestly I think I am even more nervous :(

Update on Mason

2010-10-04T16:27:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who is praying for our family. We are hoping to have Mason's MRI done this week. We were having a problem with our insurance.(lovely huh!) So I just wanted to drop a quick post so everyone wasn't wondering what happened. As soon as I know something I will post.

Prayers for Mason

2010-09-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have been debating weather or not to write this post. I guess because 1 I wasn't sure if anyone even reads this and 2 I wasn't sure if I should really write about it yet. But I think the more people that know and the more people we have thinking and praying for Mason the better.
I guess I should just start from the beginning. I had such a wonderful pregnancy with Mason. He was born healthy and beautiful I might add :) He was developing great. Then one day I noticed that he didn't babble like a normal baby. I brushed it off because he was developing with his motor skills like crazy. By 9 months he still wasn't babbling or really make any noises besides giggling and crying. I talked to the pediatricians and they said he was fine and that we shouldn't worry. At age 1 he still was not saying anything not even Mamma or Dadda. Again I talked to the peds and they said not to worry. At 18 months we were in the same boat. I also started noticing that he was very sensitive to sounds and also sensitive to things he touched like different textures. I talked to the peds and they again said he was fine we needed to wait to do anything. So at 2 I had decided enough was enough. I knew in my gut something was up so I told the pediatrician's I wanted to get a second opinion. They sent me to our local Help Me Grow program and the speech pathologist and Occupational therapist evaluated Mason. They decided it was a good idea if we started Mason in speech therapy right away. They also noticed how sensitive he was to sounds and touching things. So he also started therapy for a Sensitivity Disorder. He has been in therapy for about 6 months and we have had no progress. The only things he is saying is "mamma", "bubble" and "woowoo" which is little dog he sleeps with. He is doing a little better with the sensitivity issues. What is strange is he is not a typical 2nd child where Emily talks for him. He wants to talk so badly but just can't get it out. His frustration is so sad.
Friday morning I went up stairs to get Emily some socks before school and I peeked in Mason's room to check on him because I thought he was still sleeping. When I looked in he was laying flat on his back violently shaking from head to toe and his eyes were rolling in the back of his head. After about a minute he stop and his eyes kind of glazed over. I picked him up and took hip downstairs. I called the peds and they said it sounded like a a seizure. SCARY! They made him and appointment right away. When I took him in the doctor they said with his other issues they think our best option was to send him up the Rainbow Babies Children's Hospital in Cleveland. Finally we were going to get some answers for my sweet boy!
Today at 7am we packed Mason up and headed up to Cleveland. The hospital was great! Very kid friendly right off the bat. His first appointment was an EEG. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. Since they think he had a seizure they did this test. It was sad to watch them do it. It wasn't invasive or anything but it was traumatic for a 2 1/2 year old. He was a big boy and did great up until the very end. We were in the procedure room for about 2 hours. After that we headed to the atrium to get some lunch. He got to play and burn off some energy. After lunch we went to see the pediatric neurologist. She was great! We got the results from the EEG and they were normal. Which was good. She did not diagnose him with epilepsy. She said it may have been a one time thing which is actually normal. But if he has another episode then they will consider starting him on some medication. She started talking to us more about his other issues. They ruled out autism. She is leaning towards something called Childhood apraxia of speech. CAS is a motor speech disorder. Children with CAS have problems saying sounds, syllables, and words. This is not because of muscle weakness or paralysis. The brain has problems planning to move the body parts (e.g., lips, jaw, tongue) needed for speech. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words. But she also wants us to have a MRI done to take a picture of his brain. She is concerned he may have a abnormality such as a tumor or that there is something wrong with the folds of his brain. I am nervous about the MRI because of his age he will have it done on the ICU floor because they will have to sedate him.
We schedule the MRI in the morning. So I am guess I am asking for some prayers. Pray for Mason, pray for the Doctors and pray for Brent and I. Thanks in advance friends. I will keep everyone updated on how he is doing and what is going on!

Family Pictures

2010-09-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

1st Day of School

2010-09-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

Emily had her 1st day of preschool on Wednesday. This is her 2nd year at St. Stephens. We love it there. The teachers and the administration are wonderful. We started out with her traditional breakfast in mommy and daddy's bed while watching cartoons. She thinks she is hot stuff! I loved her little outfit she helped me pick out. On the way there I can tell she was a little nervous. She was nervous about having new teachers. She really loved her teachers last year. When we got there we saw the Ziegler clan and got some picture of all the kids. Then my brother Brad, sister in law Kelly and the twins Finn & Aidyn arrived. Emily was very excited to see her cousins and even more excited they were going to her school! They even have her teachers from last year. We got some pictures with the boys and headed in. After one more hug and kiss for Brent and I she headed in with a smile.

When we picked her up she was all smiles. She had a great day. Her favorite part was the fact that they have to caterpillars in the class. She told us how they were going to turn into butterflies. Sweet girl :)

Tomorrow!!!!!

2010-09-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Emily starts her 2nd year of preschool! She also starts ballet and tap. We started last year and only lasted a few weeks. I think she was just to young :) So wish us luck on both tomorrow!!!!

Just like Daddy!

2010-09-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

2010-08-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

This little girl melts my heart! I got all her preschools stuff in the mail yesterday. This is her 2nd and will be her last year of preschool before the big K! (kingergaten) We went out got her new school clothes and got some new shoes. I ordered her the cutest backpack from pottery barn. I remember this time last year I was a wreck anticipating her first day of preschool. She is growing up so fast. I am really proud of the amazing little person she is becoming :)

Happy Birthday Honey!

2010-08-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today is Brent's 29th birthday! He is the best! He is an amazing lovng father and I love him so much for that! He is an awesome provider for our family. I love that he has been so supportive of me going back to school. He is everything that I could have ever wanted and more. I love him more and more everyday and feel so blessed to have him! Happy Birthday baby I love you so much!

Our Hero

2010-08-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

If you ask Emily what her Daddy does she says "my daddy helps people everyday and he protects them from bad stuff!" She is just so proud of what her daddy does. And she should be! I loved growing up with a dad for a police officer. I always thought he had a way cooler job then anyone else's dad. It really wasn't until I was older that I realized just how tough his job was. He sacraficed so much and we did to0. He wasn't at every game to watch me cheer or home every night to tuck me in. But I knew that what he did made a difference. He was my hero.
Never in a million years did I think that I would EVER marry a cop. But 5 years later here I am. I wouldn't have it any other way. Being the wife of a police officer is pretty though. Your heart stops if your phone rings in the middle of the night and he is working. (even though it's always a wrong number) You always make sure you give him one more kiss before he walks out the door. You are so proud to tell other people what you husbands does. You have an incrediable bond with other police familes. They are under paid and under appreciated by so many people. They are all someones father, husband, son, brother, friend and everyday they put their life on the line for all of us becasue that is their job! When was the last time you thanked a cop? Think about it....
To me and my kids Brent, my dad (aka Pops) & Matthew (aka Uncle Matthew) are our heros.

Future MVP

2010-07-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Brent is back to coaching football this year. He really loves it. He coaches for the school he went to and played at. If he wouldn't have gone to school to be a police officer he would have gone to be a teacher. I think coaching gives him that fix ;) The relationships he makes with these kids is awesome. Brent first started coaching when I was pregnant with Emily. Em's first football game was when she was 3 months old and she loved it! Brent's last year coaching was while I was pregnant with Mason. So he took a two year break to spend with us but now he is back to it. I don't think people understand how much time these guys put in with these kids unless you are a coaches wife. I love it. I love watching him interact with the kids...I love football in general.
A couple of months ago someone gave him a helmet. We decided to put it in Mason's room since his room is decorated in vintage sports. Lately that is all Mason wants to wear. He looks so stinking cute in it too. It's hilarious because it is way to big for him. I think I may have a future MVP on my hands. And of course Emily had to join in on the fun!

Swim Lessons

2010-07-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

We decided it was time to get the kids into swim lessons. We are going to Orlando in December and the house we are renting has in ground pool. I just thought I would be a little more comfortable if we got them a little more comfortable with the water. It only took 1 lesson for me to decide they are little fishy's!!! Emily went from being scared to getting in by herself to jumping off the side and going under water. I loved watching her. Mason loved when we would sing songs and paddle to getthe balls. The Y did a great job! We will definatley be going back

We Love to Swim

2010-07-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Brent's dad got us one of those blue pop-up pools a couple of weeks ago and boy are we getting a ton of use out of it! The kids absolutely love it. Our typical day consists of waking up and eating breakfast while we watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Then we play in side for about an hour. Around 11 we get on our swim suits and head outside! We play in the pool until about 1 and then come in for lunch. Emily and Mason go down for naps at about 1:30. Daddy get's home at about 3:30. They are usually up around 4. We get up and go outside and do it all over again until dinner.

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My!

2010-07-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

We had some beautiful weather a couple of weeks ago. We decided to head the Toledo zoo with our good friends the Ziegler family. Jason & Kerri have 3 kids; Elizabeth is 6, Jake is 4, and Joey is 2. Brent and Jason have been friends since they started coaching in 2006. Emily and Jake are in the same preschool class and have been friends since Emily was 3 months old. Plus they think they are getting married one day. Mason and Joey are only 2 months apart and have been buddies since Joey was born. I love having good friends with great kids to hang out with all the time. When we do stuff together it is quiet a large group. HA!

The zoo was awesome. They have a new baby polar bear that the kids loved. Of course we all loved the elephants. Mason had a lot of fun making all the animal noises.

Happy Birthday America :)

2010-07-04T19:59:00.001-07:00

We had such a nice 4th of July! Brent's parents came over for a cook out. The kids swam and played and we watched them have fun.

What's For Dinner????

2010-07-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

I LOVE making this for dinner. My stepmom got me hooked on it. It's from Cooking Light.

La Bamba Casserole
Ingredients
1 (5.25-ounce)can whole green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 black beans
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut green chiles in half lengthwise. Arrange chiles in a single layer in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add diced tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

Spoon turkey mixture over chiles. Top with corn. Spread drained black beans. Carefully spread beans over black beans. Sprinkle cheese over beans. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; top with chopped tomato and green onions. I also like to put a little low fat sour cream on top too!

Sheldon's Marsh

2010-06-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

We took the kids to Sheldon's Marsh yesterday. We walked 2 miles and the weather was so beautiful! Emily really loved the beach. Mason not so much. He really didn't care for the sand on his feet! We got some great pictures.

Summer 012, originally uploaded by Blynn2110.

Emily's Video

2010-06-01T17:28:00.001-07:00

4 Years of Emily Madeline from Baranda Adams on Vimeo.

A New Addition to the Familiy!!!!!

2010-05-27T05:44:00.000-07:00

Well I am going to be an Aunt again!!!! My brother Nick & his wife Lindsay are expecting their 1st baby November 8th. I am so happy for the two of them. They are going to be amazing parents and this new little baby is so lucky to have them as parents! I can't wait to spoil him or her :) Emily is also very excited she is getting a new baby cousin. Nick & Lindsay told her at her birthday party and it was so sweet. Please keep them in your prayers for a safe pregnancy and healthy pregnancy for Lindsay and baby Schnittker. We love you guys :)

Party Time

2010-05-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th Birthday Emily

2010-05-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday my sweet little girl turned the big 4!!! That is so hard for me to say. I can not believe how fast the time has gone by. People always tell me "cherish every second it goes by so fast." They are so right. I still remember the day I found out I was pregnant with her. I was so over whelmed and nervous. But I felt this the feeling in my heart like it got bigger or something. I had an interesting pregnancy with her. She moved like she was in there dancing. I was in labor with her for 36 hours. I will never forget that feeling when the Dr told me "she is here and she is beautiful!" Then they poked her sweet little chubby face over the sheet. I fell in love with her at that very moment!
Emily is such a special little girl. She is so full of life. Everyday is an adventure. She loves to pretend and play dress up. She has no limit to her imagination. She is really into the Disney princesses. She likes all of their movies. She is really into Cinderella and Beauty & the Beast. She likes to tell jokes, especially knock knock jokes. She says the funniest things at the funniest times. She is very Witty. She loves the water and is very excited that it is summer time. Cedar Point opened last week and we took her over there and she had a blast. She is really into gardening and playing in the dirt. She has a fascination with the weather. She looks outside every morning to give us the forecast for the day. At preschool her teachers tell me that she loves to give the weather for the day as soon as she gets there. She loves to sing and dance to anything. And what I love most about her is her sweet sweet heart. She is so loving. She is always concerned with others feelings and how everyone else is doing. I am such a proud mom that my little girl is so loving and polite. I think that is such great qualities especially in a little person. I truly love being Emily's mommy. I cherish every single second with her because you know "it goes by fast!"

Mason the Streaker

2010-05-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

Last week on night around 11:30 pm I had this feeling I needed to check on Mason. He had been down for the night since around 8:15. Brent had just gotten home from work so we tip toed upstairs to take a peek. As I opened the door I saw Mason's PJ shirt laying on the ground. Then next to that I see the bottoms. As I looked a little further there it was....his diaper. When I looked in the crib I see my little man laying there naked as the day he was born all spread eagle with a little smile on his face as he was sleeping. This child is a MESS :) But we love him SO much!!!

Offically on the Market!

2010-05-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

No I am not on the market our house is! We have decided it is time to say goodbye to our very 1st home. Which is really bittersweet. This was our first home we have ever owned. The house we were in when we had our first and second baby. Plus we have made such great friends. After a lot of talk and looking around we have decided to build a house :) Which I am super excited about because I get to pick everything out. I love to plan. We had the house on the market for 2 days and had a showing. The man is very interested and is just waiting on his house to sell. Once it does he said he wants it :)
Our house now

The new house

2010-05-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Wow I can not believe how long it's been since I posted. Things have been pretty low key for us lately. (wow did I probably just open up a can of worms.) We have patiently waiting for some nice weather. One day we will have 70 degree weather and the next day it's in the high 40's low 50's. Typical Ohio weather. We were able however to get outside and play the other day at Grandpa's & Nana's house. The kids had so much fun with sidewalk chalk and the bubble machine. It was nice to have some sun on our faces :)

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T05:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter. Emily knew they Easter Bunny was coming so of course she got up when the sun came up. Brent and I were laying in bed and we could here in the living room "ooooooh, wow, the easter bunny came!" This was the first year she understood what the Easter Bunny was. After we found our Easter baskets and found all the eggs the Easter Bunny left I made a yummy breakfast. We met Brent's mom and dad for 11:45 mass at St. Peter & Paul's and it was really beauftiful. It really is such a pretty church. I love that Brent and I got married there and both of the kids were baptized there. After church we headed home and I took some pictures outside. We came in and the kids went down for a nice nap! It was a really nice low key Easter!

Can I Carry You?

2010-03-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

I was reading my friend Katie's blog (http://thelittlegreenfamily.blogspot.com/) yesterday and ran across this poem. As I read it I seriously balled my eyes out! Thanks for sharing Katie :) So now I want to share it with you guys who read my blog...if that's anyone. After reading this it makes you not care about those days you want to pull all your hair out because they won't quit whinning. Or when you want to cry because you have to clean puke out of your car after a long drive. And those nights they just won't go to bed. It makes you want to hugg them a little longer and hold them a little tighter because they are not going to be this size forever and you will never get those moments back. You just have to enjoy them and cherish every single second and thank god everyday because he picked you to be their parents!

Can I Carry You ?
© Brad Anderson

I guess that I can hold you
one more time before you grow.
And tell you that I love you
so that you will always know.
Please let me tie your shoe again.
One day you'll tie your own.
And when you think back to this time
I hope it's love I've shown.
Can I help you put your coat on?
Can I please cut up your meat?
Can I pull you in the wagon?
Can I pick you out a treat?
One day you might just care for me,
so let me care for you.
I want to be a part
of every little thing you do.
Tonight could I please wash your hair?
Can I put toys in the bath?
Can I help you count your small ten toes
before I teach you math?
Before you join a sports team
can I throw you one more ball?
And one more time can I stand near
to make sure you don't fall?
Please let me help you up the hill.
while you're still too small to climb.
And let me read you stories
while you're young and have the time.
I know the day will come
when you will do these things alone.
Will you recall the shoulder rides
and all the balls we've thrown?
I want you to grow stronger
than your Mom could ever be.
And when you find success
there will be no soul more proud than me.
So will you let me carry you?
One day you'll walk alone.
I cannot bear to miss one day
from now until you've grown.

Happy 2nd Birthday Mason

2010-03-01T19:22:00.001-08:00

Today is Mason's 2nd birthday. I can not believe 2 years have gone by. Raising a little boy is so much fun. He is so sweet but such a bruiser! He loves to throw and kick the ball and race his cars on the kitchen floor. He wants anything and everything that his big sister has and he follows her everywhere. He thinks his Daddy is hilarious and loves to play video games with him. He loves his mommy more then anything. He has to be every where I am and always wants me to hold him so I can hug and kiss him. He loves to eat and watch Max & Ruby or the Wiggles. He is such a neat little boy. I was in labor with him for 39 long hours, but he was well worth the wait! I am honored that God picked me to be his Mommy. I could not imagine life out my little bug. I love you Mason and I am so happy I am your Mommy!

Enjoy the video posted below...I do one every year on their birthday :)

Mason's 2nd Birthday

2010-03-01T19:19:00.001-08:00

We are still here....incase you were wondering

2010-02-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

WOW I have not blogged in over a month! It's not that I haven't had anything to say, we have just been so busy. I started school the 1st week of January. In case you didn't know I am going to nursing school. I love it. It is so interesting and there is something new everyday. I am taking, fundamentals of nursing, nutrition, math, medical terminology, science 1, skills lab and I have clinicals in the hospitals on Mondays. It is A LOT! Of course my favorite part is clinicals. I am on a med-surg floor. It so neat meeting new people and being able to take care of them. The only down side is that I miss Emily & Mason like crazy. I feel like I never see them. So when I do I try and make the most of it. One thing I miss the most is taking and picking Emily up from school. Just seeing her little face when they open the door at the end of the day is priceless. She get's so excited that you came back to get her. The thing I miss with Mason is going to get him out of his crib in the morning. He is so happy in the mornings. He always has the biggest grin when you open the door and he sees you. Brent has been wonderful. He has really had to step up with kids and he is doing a wonderful job. I think it's good he is spending so much more time with the kids. I really miss him to. He has a lot of awesome things going on right now and I am so proud of him. I will post more about that when I can.
I can't believe we will be celebrating Mason's 2nd birthday in 2 weeks. The time really does go by way to fast. He still isn't talking so we took him last week to be evaluated. They don't think he has autism or anything like that they simply think he is speech delayed. They also want us to see an ENT to have his ears & throat looked at. They have a wonderful program where they actually come to your house and do the therapy sessions. I think he will be even happier once he can comminicate with us and express himself.

Emily is growing everyday. She has something new and funny to tell us everyday. She is hilarious and just the sweetest thing in the entire world! Her new thing is she wants to play Candyland or Shoots & Ladders ALL the time. So how she always wins too.

So that is what has been going on. I am really going to try and make more of an effort to try and blog but sometimes I would rather love on one of my kids or play a game of candyland.

Christmas (Finally) Part 1

2010-01-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

I am really slacking with my post. After Christmas I started nursing school and haven't really had time to update. So I will probably post a few post to let everyone know what has been going on with the Adams family!

Christmas was amazing. The kids had the best time. Emily was just head over heels this year! She thouht Santa was the coolest person ever! She talked about him non stop. She really got the concept of who Santa was. She also told all about Christmas being Jesus's birthday. She learned a lot good stuff at pre-school!
Here she is at a birthday party where there was a special guest :) All of the kids were so surprised. Also there is a picture of her and her best friend Jake. His parents and Brent and I are really good friends. Emily and Jake have been buddies since Emie was 3 months old and Jake was 8 months old. They are in the same pre-school class too. The Ziegler,s also have a little boy named Joey and he and Mason are 1 1/2 months apart. They have a very sweet 5 year old named Elizabeth too. We love the Ziegler family!

Emily's Pre-School Program

2009-12-27T06:07:00.000-08:00

Emily had her first Christmas program last Friday at her preschool. Her class has been practicing all month. I can't imagine 2 teachers trying to get 17 3 and 4 year olds ready for a program. God bless them! They told us we could get there at 10:15 to get seats. They program didn't start until 10:45. I got there at 10:20 and it was packed. I tried to get an isle seat so I could get some good shots of her walking in but that didn't work out so well. Brent didn't come with Mason until right before it started so he didn't have to sit to long. Brent's parents and Aunt came to watch too. A lady sat next to me who had a little baby that was about 3 months old. Mason was totally infatuated with the baby and kept wanting to touch the baby and say "awwwww." Well when I told him no he had a melt down. Brent's dad scooped him up and took him out! Fun stage!I found out later they watched from the back of the sanctuary. I was glad grandpa got to see his girl!

They program included Emily's class, 1 other 3-4 year old class and then 2 classes of 4-5 year olds. The first group were Reindeer and sang really cute fun songs. The second group were Elfs and 1 little boy was Santa. Then Emily's group was last. The little boys were Shepard's and the little girls were Angels. They walked in 2 by 2 to the song "Mary did you Know." I LOVE that song. When Emily walked by she was holding a little girls hand who saw her mommy and got sad. We heard Emily say to her "It's ok don't be sad I am here." I just thought that was so sweet. She is such a loving little girl :) The kids did SO much better at their Christmas program then their Halloween program. Pretty much all of them sang and did their little motions. Right before the very last song Emily finally spotted us in the audience! She had a big smile. Then she tried to get down and when she realized she had to stay up there she got her sad face and didn't want to sing of perform anymore. The last 2 pictures below you can see in the one picture she is really excited and the next she is sad. Over all she did a great job and we were all so proud of our little angel!

Deck The Halls

2009-12-02T17:18:00.001-08:00

We put up our Christmas tree this year the day after thanksgiving like we do every year. We took that tradition from my side of the family. It's so neat when you get married how you to take traditions from both sides of your families and make your own! The kids had so much fun decorating the tree. Emily did an awesome job. She even spread them out all over the tree. Mason liked it as well but has a hard time not touching them. Both of the kids think they are toys that they can take down and play with. He broke a bulb of mine from when I was younger yesterday. He thought it was a ball and threw it across the room. I was sad but couldn't be upset with him. He just a baby and dosen't understand. He's doing a lot better.

Everyday Emily is asking me if it's Christmas?? She is so excited this year. She really get's the whole Santa thig. She said when she meets Santa she is going to ask him for a Buzz, Woody, Jessie & Bullseye. She was playing in her playroom earlier and I heard her singing. She is learning songs for her school program. She was singing a song I have never heard before but it was so sweet. She was singing "Happy Birthday Jesus, Happy Birthday Jesus." It was such a sweet sound.

I am so excited about Christmas this year!!!

A Years Difference

2009-11-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

What a difference a year makes!

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2009

I wish I could just freeze them! So they wouldn't get any bigger.

Give Thanks

2009-11-26T17:59:00.001-08:00

I hosted my 1st thanksgiving dinner at my house on Wednesday. Since Brent had to work on thanksgiving I decided we needed to celebrate thanksgiving a day early so he could be included :) I made all the fixins. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, rolls,mac-n-chesse, pecan pie and pumpkin pie! My new sister in law, Lindsay, brought a apple pie her families rolls & a pumpkin roll. Brent's mom made greenbean casserole. Everything was amazing and I was so happy that we got to all be with each other. It really made me miss my parents and Matthew. Even though they weren't here we were all thinking of them.
Today we went Brent's aunts house. She is the sweetest woman and makes the best Thanksgiving feast!!! I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I am thankful for my loving and amazing husband who loves me and our kids more then anything. I am thankful for my 2 beautiful healthy children. I am thankful that we have food on the table and that we are able to have a nice roof over our heads and that we can put clothes on our children. I am so thankful for our amazing family. Our parents love and support us so much! They are all always there even though some live far away. I am thankful for my health (at least today). And I am so thankful for a loving and forgiving God who has blessed me SO much! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Random

2009-11-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

I don't really have a lot to say today. But I did want to post some fun pictures! So enjoy the pictures instead of listening to me babble!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T16:29:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

We have this great pumpkin patch that we love taking the kids to. This is Emily's 3rd year in a row. The kids love going into the pumpkin patch and picking out their own pumpkins. Mason wanted every pumpkin there. He had to try and pick up every single one of them. He was unsuccessful. I love that Brent and I have started family traditions with our kids. What kind of tradisitons have you started?

Water Park Fun!!!!

2009-10-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

We went to Kalahari last week for the night. It is such a neat place. It's only about 10 minutes from the house but when we go it's like a totally different world. The kids had such a great time! Mason LOVES the water. We were a little nervous about if he would like it or not. As soon as we put him down he took off. (that made mom a little nervous) Emily of course had a great time. She loved when Brent took her in the big pool to "float." She did really good with kicking her feet and paddeling. After we swam for a couple of hours we went to the room and ordered pizza! By the end of the night they were sacked out!! It was such a great family night. Thanks Granpa & Nana :)

Someone Has The Chicken Pox

2009-10-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ballet & Tap Class

2009-09-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

Emily started Ballet & Tap two Tuesday. The first class was not good. She was so excited about going but when we got there and she had to go into the classroom by herself she was not having it. I think she thought it was like pre-school and I was leaving her for 2 1/2 hours. I tried my best to tell her and show her that I was sitting out in the lobby watching her on the TV. So I kind of forced her in and shut the door. My poor baby stood in the corner with her head down crying for 30 minutes. I felt like mommy of the year! When we got in the car she said "Mommy I can't dance!" I felt so bad for her. When we got home I sat her down and had a little mother daughter pep talk! Everyday until her next class we put her tap shoes on and tapped away in the kitchen. She loved it. So last Tuesday when it was time for class I asked her if she was ready to got to ballet and tap. She said yes. I did tell her that after this class if she didn't like it she didn't have to go anymore. This time Daddy and Mason came with us. When we got there and it was time to got in she gave me a kiss and said "Emie is ready to dance now!" I watched her on the TV and she did great! She needs to work on staying in her spot but hey she 3! I was so proud of her. She looked so happy :) After dance we took her to get a kiddie cone at Golly Gee! Looks like I have a little dancer on my hands!

Pre-School or bust

2009-09-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today was that day that I have been dreading for months. That's right Emily's first day of pre-school! Last night when Brent and I were tucking her in instead of reading a story we looked through her baby book. She really enjoyed looking at baby Emie. For me it was sweet. I loved looking back and replaying the memories in my mind and smiling. My heart was overwhelmed.
This morning when I woke her up I surprised her with breakfast in bed. All of her favorites to make her feel extra special.

We loaded up Emily and Mason in the car for the trip to St. Stepehn's.

She did awesome when we got there. As soon as we pulled up she yelled "Ooooh there's Emie's school!" I took her picture in front of the school and then we headed in. We had to wait a couple of minutes before the door opened. When it was her turn to walk in I gave her a hug and a kiss and she said "bye mom I love you!" I walked away before I had second thoughts and grabbed her and ran. As I walked out of the building I started crying. When we got home I kept looking at the clock. It was the longest 2 1/2 hours ever! When we picked her up she said "I had a great time!" Brent & I took her to McDonalds after school to celebrate her 1st day. My little girl is growing up. And she is growing up into a beautiful little girl inside and out!

Our Son

2009-09-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Nobody else like him, he's unique this one. How fortunate we are that he is our son."
-Author Unknown

GOOOOO BUCKS!!!!!!

2009-09-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of OSU football and the Adams family was pretty excited! Emily has learned to say "go bucks" and if you say "O-H" she will say "I-O!" It's very cute! Mason and Emily got into the OSU gear right away this morning. Now Emily refuses to take her jersey off. I love football season and I love the fall!

Feels Like Fall

2009-09-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

We have had some awesome weather! It really feels like fall. Mid 60's during the day and low 50's at night. I love opening up the windows and letting in the fresh cool air. We decided to head over to Cedar point on Sunday. The weather was perfect and the crowd was scarce. It was great to not have to deal with all the people. The kids had a great time like always. Mason is getting more and more brave on the rides. Emily is being a great big sister. She tells him "Don't worry Bubba hold on tight!" It's really sweet. We are getting a little use to the fall weather. Football opens up this weekend and we are pumped! GO BUCKS!!!

Look at this face....

2009-08-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

He is not happy with his mamma!

Hats Hats and more Hats!

2009-08-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

Emily loves to play dress up! Now she even likes to dress her brother up. And he loves her so much he let's her. Through out the day she comes in and parades her new outfits. I love her imagination.

Wedding Fun

2009-08-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

We headed down to Columbus last weekend to celebrate Erin & Steve's wedding. Brent and Erin have know each other since they were born...litterly. Erin's mom and Brent's dad went to college together and have been friends ever since. The wedding was beautiful. It was held at an art museum. Mason made it for the first brides maid to walk down the isle. Then I grabbed him and hurried him out. He was way to interested in running up and down the hallways of the museum. Thank goodness the security guard thought he was adorable and didn't care he was running like a crazy man! After the wedding the reception was held at the same spot. We danced the night away and had a great time. Mason passed out about an hour and half into the reception. We spent the night in Columbus and went to a super nice mall the next day. I had no money to spend but wished I did. I saw way to many things I wanted. We headed home after the mall and and relaxed the rest of the night :)

Darika = big smile :)

2009-07-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends in the entire world came to see me last weekend. Most of the people that read my blog know her but some may not. Darika and I have been friends for over 10 years. We went to high school together. (wow that made me feel really old) She is one of those friends that I don't talk to everyday but when I do it's just like old times. I always appreciate that she understands that with a husband and 2 kids that I am super busy! We always have so much fun together. This is her 3rd trip up to visit me. She was in my wedding so she had to come, she came right after Emily was born for a week to help me out and now this visit. I think we showed her that Ohio is actually really fun. We spent most of the time just laughing, talking, laughing some more, looking at old picuters and laughing, playing with the kids, going to Kelly's island & playing at Cedar Point. Emily just loved having "D" here. She butchered saying Darika's name so we just stuck with "D". Darika was such a good sport. She palyed princess dress up, picnic & read to Emily a lot. Mason even warmed up to her. It meant so much to me she came to visit. Darika I love you and am so glad to call you friend!!!! Can't wait for our next visit!

What Have We Been Up To?

2009-07-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in quit a while. We have kinda been busy around here lately. Mason moved out of Mommy & Daddy's romm and into his own. That was really hard for me. The reason he was in our room was because we have 2 big bedrooms upstairs and 1 smaller bedroom downstairs. Out furniture is big and I never thought it would fit downstairs and I didn't want one of the kids downstairs by themselves. So we decided to try it out. Emily moved into our old room and Mason into her old room and we headed downstairs. It's not as bad as I thought. It's small but worth having a room to ourselves again.