My School

Clearwater Baptist Church, here in Athens, offers something for pre-schoolers called "My School". For 9 months - 3 years is basically a mothers day out program. Due to things going on in our lives, Don and I have thought about putting little miss into a program like this. That way I can get some work done with my graphic design job and then also get some work done around the house and not have to overload anyone in the family. We came across My School because we attend church at Clearwater. This program is twice a week, Monday and Wednesday, from 9am to 2pm, which gives me five hours to get some work done. :) And today was Capri's first day at school! This morning we got up bright and early, had our morning bottle, breakfast and then out the door we went at 8:30am. I truely feel Capri will have a great time playing with all the kids and will also give her some time outside of our "home". I really don't want her to get too attached to me and not be able to go with other people. So I'm hoping this program with help her with that.
Today, I did not have to get any work done, so it's been pretty empty here at the house. :( It's crazy how all I can think about is my nasty home and all the other things I need to be doing but I can not because Capri takes up so much of my time. And then on a day that I don't have to be sitting in front of the computer working, or washing dishes, clothes, floors, or toilets....all I can think about is wonder what Capri is doing?! I'm assuming this is totally normal for a mother. I kinda feel guilty because I put my little girl in a "day care" so mommy can relax. But as my husband said..."it is called mother's day out for a reason." So I guess I need to think about it that way, and just know that she is having fun! Please let me know if this is a totally normal conversation to be having in my head!!!!!
Well, it is 1:21pm and I guess I need to be getting up and off to pick up my little one. Back to a noisy house.

Here she is, in the car and ready to get off to school for the first time!

9 months

Our baby girl is now 9 months old. Wow as time flown by! Here is our latest picture of our precious doll!

Capri's 1st Vacation

Don, Capri and I went on vacation for the first time as a family this year. Capri is 8.5 months old and we really wanted her to enjoy the ocean for the first time! We went to the Outer Banks, NC and stayed with a couple that live in Kill Devil Hills, NC. They had a little boy that is 6 weeks older than Capri. When we left TN Capri was "army crawling" but by the end of the week, seeing Jared crawl, Capri was crawling like a big girl! She had a BLAST playing with the "big" kids, swimming in the pool, playing on the beach in the sand, and taking a dip in the ocean. We were so thankful that God allowed us to have this time as a family! Here we are on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean in NC playing in the sand with Capri! What an awesome memory!!!

photo taken by: j.lillard

Update

Capri went back to the doctor to have her ears checked again. The doctor gave her an exam and then a certain test that would check her ears for fluid. She looked much better but the test revealed that she had some fluid still behind her ear drum. We are to keep a eye on it to make sure that it gets better at her next well check.

Still Sick but getting better!

So as I posted before, Capri has had an ear infections. I noticed after her round of antibiotics that she was still pulling on her ear. We ended up going to the doctor again because I just knew she wasn't over it. The first round of meds helped clear up one of her ears but not totally on the other. So now we are on another round of 10 day antibiotics. I think this set is helping because I haven't noticed any pulling...just playing with the "other" ear that wasn't infected anymore. I'm just wondering if she is just now discovering her ears? Either way, I'm just glad that she's not up crying half the night because her ears are hurting.
On a happier note...Capri is saying Mama! She has been saying mama and dada for a while now. (Dada was actually first!) But she never really seemed to relate me to mama and Don to dada. But the other day I had to go out to work for a couple of hours and when I left she was sitting at the glass door crying. When I got home, Don said that she was saying Mama as I left. Then I started noticing that she will say mama when she fussy and wanting me to pick her up. So, I guess she realizes that I am Mama now! YEAH! That makes me smile everytime, even if she is crying!
Here is my new faviorte picture of Capri. Don and I got some new porch furniture and here Capri is playing with her duck on the swing. (I think by this time the duck had fallen on the floor) I was saying "uh-o-spaghetti-o" as the duck was falling to the ground and little miss thought that was sooo funny!!! So here she is laughing away!

photo by: a.nation

Sick Baby

Last week....Wednesday, June 30th, I kept Avery, my brother's little boy, so Austin (my brother) and his girlfriend, Kala, could go see a movie. This was the very first time that Avery had ever stayed with me alone, not to mention that Kala is a stay at home mom and only her and Granny (my mom) are the two that he is comfortable staying with. That morning Avery woke up with a cough. Austin called me to make sure it was still okay for me to watch him. At that time I asked if he had a runny nose...and the answer was no. So, sure, I decided that he could still come over. By that afternoon when Avery go here, he had a rough sounding cough, not that often though, and a runny nose. I thought...everything will be fine. Capri will take her naps like she usually does and they won't be around each other for longer than 2 hours. Every time Avery sneezed, I washed his hand with sanitizer, cleaned his nose, then washed my hands before touching Capri. She took her naps like usual and they were not around each other too long.
Avery did NOT have a good time!!! Lets just say he cried and slept! The poor guys was fine for 30 minutes after his mommy and daddy left. Then he realized they weren't there and stood at the door crying. I finally got him calmed down after 15 minutes, then he played for a little while until he realized they were gone again. After this I had him lay down on the couch, watch cartoons, drink some juice..and off to sleep he went.
Saturday, July 3rd...Mom brought Austin, Kala, Avery, and Destiny to Athens so we could all go swimming at Don's parents house. We stayed for an hour and a half and then back to our house we went. The crew stayed for a little while and then I decided to go back to Birchwood and spend the night since Don had to work.
Sunday, July 4th, I went to church with Mom and Dad...spent most of the day in Birchwood with the rest of the family for our 4th of July cookout. I started to notice then that Capri was very whinny and only wanted me. I just thought this was something new that she had started. After lunch at Nonnie and Pops, we headed back home so my old roomie Lori could come and spend the evening with me so I wouldn't be alone. We rented a girly movie and talked "girl talk". Right before I put Capri down for bed, I noticed she was a little warmer than usual, but she wasn't running a fever.
Monday, July 5th...Don and I got up early and headed to Birchwood again. That was the day Mom was have dinner at her house for the 4th. I spent the morning helping her get ready for Dinner...hotdogs, chips, potato salad, slaw, apple pie, homemade icecream, and watermellon...All American! Don had to leave early so he could get home in time for work, so Mom offered to take me home later. (This would be the 3rd day in a row that Capri was with Avery)
Tuesday and Wednesday Capri was very fussy all day long...by this time she had developed a little cough, a lot of sneezing, and a stuffy nose. Wednesday night she woke up at 5am crying. I ended up having to get her out of bed to come lay with Me and Don. Even then she would cry but we were not sure what was going on.
Thursday night, Capri woke up at 1am crying...but I got her back to sleep. Then she woke up again at 3am. This time Don went in to calm her down, but nothing worked. I got up and we both just held her, rocked her, cleaned out her nose...we did everything we knew to do and still nothing helped. We finally decided to give her some tylenol and after an hour of crying she finally went back to sleep. Once I started thinking about it, I noticed that when we would lay her down, she would scream. So I pulled on one of her ears and terrible crying she did. So, Capri slept on my belly the rest of the night.
Friday, July 9th, I called and made an appointment early with her doctor, and yep, the little girl has a double ear infection. :( So they have put her on antibiotics and tylenol. So hopefully she is on the right track to feeling better!

A desire to change

Lately I've been desiring to be the best that I can possible be! I want to be the best Christian that I can be, the best Wife that I need to be, the best Mother that I can be, best Daughter, Grand-daughter, Sister, Friend, In-Law, and Artist that I can possible be! I want to live my life 100% and I want to show LOVE!!! I know that I can NOT do all of that to the fullest without Gods help! I've asked him to give me the encouragement and strength to do all that I do to the fullest.

Wayne has been preaching on "Sawdust". He says that as Christians, we can sometimes eat more sawdust than oats. This means that we get used to the things of the world and place them above God and learning his word. Man, did I feel like he was talking to ME! Before Capri was born I went to God for everything. I studied my Bible to deepen my relationship with him. The more I read and learned, the more I wanted to read and learn. My relationship with God was growing! Once Capri got here, I put her above my relationship with God. I put my role as a Wife and as a Mother before everything and everyone. Now I have to change! I want my love for God to be as before. I want to desire to study his word again. I want to desire to worship again. I want to desire to love everyone and to show Gods love to everyone again. But most of all, I desire to be the best that I can be through God! My prayer is that anyone who knows me or anyone that I may come in contact with will see Gods love in me!

photo by: a.nation