sometimes life kicks you in the....

Sorry I left you hanging with that two in the morning blog post.  Days of no sleep and a baby in the hospital does not an eloquent post make.  My apologies.

My apologies also if you've called, text, or emailed us in the last ummmm.... week?  Life here has been rough.  Like on a "rough scale" with salmonella being tied for a ten with traumatic head injury, we've been at a fifteen.

With out dwelling on the past week too much {because I still am prone to hysterical outbursts} I can say a few things:

• I can safely add another pediatrician to my "do not allow this person to touch my child" list.
• I will never, ever doubt my maternal instincts again.  EVER.
• The love that I have for my child {and my husband} surpasses everything else in the whole world.  Everything.  

So how are we?  How about tired but surviving?  Reese is leaps and bounds better.  Actually, we may try going back to school tomorrow.  He's a little stir crazy, not to mention he's been spoiled rotten {deservedly so} by an influx of grandparents, great-grandparents, and great aunts.  Yep he's loved.  As if you were wondering!

Lofton caught the dreaded bug on Sunday afternoon, though, and he's been pretty much bed ridden since then.  I've resolved to sleeping with the toddler to try and keep myself well, but sleeping in Reese's bed doesn't exactly equate to a good nights rest.  I'm spent.  

Oh, and this morning, I walked in the dining room to see that the table was wet.  With water.  That was coming from the ceiling.  WTH, God?  Are you for real?  And work has been a n.i.g.h.t.m.a.r.e.  For reasons I won't go into here...

So, as I told someone this morning: When it rains it pours.  Literally.

I plan on being happier this weekend, friends.  Let's chat then.

a rundown

What is it about hospitals that makes it i.m.p.o.s.s.i.b.l.e. to sleep?  At least for me anyway.  I thought I'd ramble a little as I sit since both my boys are in dream land...

If you are new to the train here's a quick rundown of how we went from vomiting in the chinese restaraunt to be being admitted to the hospital:

After a rough Tuesday night, I went to work Wednesday morning and Lofton stayed home.  Around lunch I came home and was encouraged to see Reese was a little peppier.  Lofton had gotten him to drink some water, he hadn't eaten but that wasn't really a concern, and he had gotten some sleep.  We took him to the doctor primarily just to have him checked out for his fever.  It was hovering around 103 and would not budge.

Our pediatrician isn't working this week so we had to see someone we are unfamiliar with.  We were diagnosed as having a "virus" and sent home.

Later that afternoon and into the night Reese continued to sleep, and sleep, and sleep.  We were struggling to get him to drink much, but at the time weren't too concerned because he seemed to be retaining what he was in taking.  No he wasn't having his usual wet diapers, but the doctor had said that wasn't abnormal. And then he threw up...

After a very long night, we all woke up feeling a smidgen better.  Reese was drinking some water, and keeping it down so Lofton left for work.  Thirty minutes after he left Reese started throwing up and I didn't think he would stop.  At this point he was listless-- not even able to pick his head up off the pillow, in and out of sleep, not at all responsive to sounds or my voice.  And so I called the nurse, got nowhere with that, then called Lofton.  His response was that we'd had enough and he was headed home to take us to the ER.

He arrived home and we headed out.  At the last minute, something told us to go back to the pediatric clinic not the er.  We immediately were whisked into a room to see Dr. Jones.  He did a thorough examination and well, here we are, in the pediatric ward of EAMC.  They have been super,  Reese isn't doing a whole lot better, but blood has been taken and the iv fluids are flowing.  I've been a bit discouraged because I hoped to have my bouncy, sassy toddler back by now and a heap of tears have been shed.

As for specific information... dehydration is measured on some type of numbers scale with children usually being considered dehydrated at a 22 and adults a 20.  Reese was a fifteen when we were admitted.

And that is where we are now.  We hope to see Dr. Jones this morning and get some more information from him.  I'll post when I know more.  Thanks so much to everyone who has called, sent texts, or written on my facebook wall.  Your prayers are much appreciated.

almost famous

Good news for you-- being home with a stomach virus ridden toddler means you get a mid-day blog post.  Yippee!

How about this for a mid-week pick me up?

See that gorgeous toddler baby?  He's mine.  And he's the current face of Milestone's Learning Center.

I'd love to lie and tell you I was surprised, but nope, I knew it was in the works.  I will be honest and say that when I saw the bundle of Lee County Parent magazines bound and waiting at the school's door I eagerly tore into them, flipped through the pages frantically, and proudly displayed my baby boy to all the elementary aged children streaming off the bus.

Are you kidding me that Reese is famous?  Shoot me a message if you'd like an autographed copy and I'll see what I can arrange.

real life

Imagine if you will, Lofton driving my car in his jeans and cowboy boots-- no shirt, me in my linen trouser pants, heels, and an XL man's polo, and our little boo in nothing.  No shoes, no pants, no shirt.  Where were we headed?

A fun party?  A mid-year costume contest?

Nope.  How about home from the local Chinese restaurant?  Where we didn't even have a chance to eat because literally five minutes after we sat down Reese vomited.  On me.  And the table.  And the floor.  Oh and in my purse.  Yes I said in not on.

My high heeled self literally bolted for the door, carrying the projectile vomiting toddler as I ran.  It was awful. And then he got sick in the parking lot.

The car ride home?  Equally as pleasant as the non-dinner dinner.  My shirt was... ummm... saturated-- so I stripped it off.  Reese's clothes and shoes were equally as yucky so he got naked too.  And then I realized that a local third grade teacher riding through town topless might not go over so well in the community, so Lofton gave me his shirt.

What a vision he was in jeans, boots, and no shirt.  If only the smell of yak wasn't permeating my every pore....

And now, little boo sleeps.  Clearly feeling like yuck because he is pale, mildly-whiny, and ridiculously sleepy.  Like I was trying to get him to drink something and he fell asleep in my lap.  Shoot. 

Lofton is staying home tomorrow because I must administer some silly standardized test.  He's super excited.  You know how much he loves a tummy virus....

coming to a close

Boo on the end of Spring Break.  We have so enjoyed our time at home, especially the past few days.  The weather has been just delightful and Reese's stomach finally seems to be back on track.  Yippee!

I'm sure there will be lots of tears shed tomorrow when we return to our normal routine.  In fact, Reese has already told me {more than once} that "I no go to school tomorrow.  I go work wif Mama." Shoot...

fish and penguins and urine, oh my!

Boo on it being Thursday.  My yearning for summer starts NOW!

Moving on though---

Lofton graciously offered to take a day off so we could do something fun with Reese.  A day off without his work phone.  It was AMAZING.  We decided that since we already visited the zoo {last Spring}, maybe we should try the aquarium.  To Atlanta we went...

Y'all we had the best time!  Yes it was crowded, but we got there shortly after it opened so things weren't too bad.  We arrived right at feeding time for the whale sharks and had a front row seat.  We chose not to take the stroller in which was probably our best idea of the day.  Maneuvering a stroller through the masses would not have been fun and Reese would have been constantly in and out of it anyway.  Lofton and I just took turns holding him.

I could go on and on about how amazing it is to watch something like this through your child's eyes... just incredible!  But instead, how about some PiCtUrES?

watching the whale sharks being fed

refusing to look at the camera

not such a fan of the japanese crabs

Harry the sea otter.  Reese wanted to name him "peter rabbit" but we steered him  in a different direction.

pooped

And now we come to the urine part of our little field trip.  So, about mid-tour I decided little man could probably use a diaper change.  He hadn't had one since we left Opelika, and after breakfast and the car ride I just knew it was time.  I also had NOT packed a spare pair of pants.  I like to live dangerously.

Long story short {and this is much funnier in person} I take Reese into one of the large handicap stalls.  It had lots of room and since I refuse to use on of those pull down--eww gross--changing things a large stall is necessary.  You see, I have mastered the art of changing Reese while he stands up.  Patent is pending.

I take Reese's diaper off and reach behind me to toss his wet diaper in the trash.  All the while I'm saying "Hold up your shirt Boo so I can put your new diaper on."  I turn around and imagine my shock when I see my child pee-ing EVERYWHERE.  On the floor, his hands, his only pair of pants, did I say the floor?  I flipped out!  I was saying "Stop! STOP!"  But obviously he couldn't.  I have honestly never seen so much urine come out of a two year old in one sitting.  And he, of course, thought the whole thing was hysterical.  He was saying "Mama, dare is tee-tee everywhere" and laughing!

Needless to say the second half of our aquarium adventure involved him in some semi-wet pants.  Luckily, he only tinkled on the top part of his pants and his shirt covered that up.

Goodness.  Life with a toddler is never boring. Ever.

lucky in love

Can I tell you something?  I am one l.u.c.k.y girl.  Sweet husband returned last night and we've done nothing but celebrate his arrival.  If you could have seen the look on Reese's face when he woke up from his nap and realized that Daddy-O was finally home.  Melt my heart.

I am oh so thankful for many things in my life but one of the main blessings is that the hubs has a job where he only travels twice a year.  I mean, seriously, I don't think I could survive without a husband around.  While maybe I could survive without a husband but not my husband.  He's a keeper.

And speaking of keepers, today we celebrate a glorious occasion in the Buckley-Beasley family:  my parent's 33rd anniversary.  If you are a frequent blog reader you know the whole story so I won't go into it again, but let's have a round of applause for these two:

Thirty-three years is quite an accomplishment.  And I would like to emphasize they really, really love each other.  And we really love them.  So happy anniversary Emo & Buck!  Reese is blowing you kisses  from Opelika...

while the cat is away...

Three days is a super long time.  Especially on the weekend. A time change weekend no less!  That's how long Lofton has been gone--three whole days!  Lucky for my sanity, he returns sometime tomorrow.  I love my alone time with Reese but I also love my alone time with Reese and his Daddy.  Don't really need anybody else, but those two together just make a better package.

I can admit to you, my closest friends, that while changing Reese's diaper today {for the fifth time} he kicked me... hard.  And then he yelled "Get off me, mama!"  I popped his leg equally as hard.  Of course, he promptly burst into tears and yelled "I want my Daddy-O!"  Me too, little buddy.  Me too.

And so, a little recap of what the sassy toddler and I have been up to since we began our Spring Break.  It hasn't been all pops and tears, I promise!

Seed planting with our super cool new watering can. We planted some marigolds and some zinnias.  Usually I plant actual plants, but I thought growing seeds might be fun for a change.  Reese certainly enjoyed it.  Bet his G is super proud!

An almost accident in the bathtub.  And no mom, he isn't cold.  He is actively concentrating. And then he decided it would be funny to yell "Mama is a pooper" all night.  

Baking cupcakes for Daddy-O and just generally being adorable.  The cupcakes are vanilla with orange frosting because someone insisted orange is Daddy-O's favorite color.

And the best part of our time together?

I broke our cardinal parent rule and allowed Little Boo to sleep with me.  At first I was a little concerned when he brought Fletcher, both rabbits, two blankets and a pillow with him.  But he has cuddled up next to me both nights and slept soundly.  You know, until he decides to wake up at like five in the morning.  But I'll take the early rising because I do love seeing this sweet face right next to me.

crazy good

Run to the store immediately, buy the ingredients to make these delectable brownies, and bake them.  Then call me and thank me for changing your life.  They are divine.  I promise.

White Chocolate-Coconut Brownies

Yield: 24 brownies

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

11 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

5 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt together.

3. Put the white chocolate and butter in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature. {Or my own shortcut:  Microwave the butter and chocolate together, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted.}

4. Add 3 eggs to the white chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture and the coconut over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour and coconut mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.

7. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

(Recipe adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking) via Brown Eyed Baker

boo on belly problems

Shoot.  We've had some stomach issues here in the Beasley house and after contemplating, over and over, whether or not Reese really needed to see the doctor-- we took him.  Verdict?  Let you know Friday... his diaper has been sent to the hospital for testing.  What we do know is that it is a very odd consistency {cause you really wanted the deats, right?} and full of mucus.  And other than that we have no real fever and no real pain {other than when he is going}.  He isn't sleeping well, but who knows what that is about!

So, for your amusement, I present the funny things Reese has said the last few days--

• Last night we went to Durango's, a local Mexican establishment we frequent.  When our waiter, who basically knows us by name, came to the table Reese promptly piped up with "Hola!"  Thank you Handy Manny for teaching my child how to greet people in Spanish.  I was worried we had offended the man, but he laughed it off.  Whew.
• Reese may or may not have been allowed to sleep with us last night.  I'll never tell.  I will say that after a few nights of near negative sleep, Daddy-O and Mama were d.e.s.p.e.r.a.t.e.  With a capital D for some zzz's. And if Reese did sleep in our bed, I can assure you that is is the first time since he was a wee infant with stomach problems.  For real.  Anyhoo-- this afternoon when I was rocking him, I sweetly told him that he would be sleeping in his big boy bed tonight with his friends: Fletcher, Peter, and Bla Bla bunny.  His response, "No.  I sleep outside."  Really?, I replied.  "Uh-huh, on da porch.  Wif Raleigh and Jake." 
• At the doctor's office, while undressed, he points to his chest and says, "Dees my boobs."  Yes son, they are. "You no touch dem.  Okay?"   

And because when your belly hurts you pretty much get to do whatever you want:

A little afternoon Bambi watching.  Are they sweet or what?

we are...

• Tired.  Someone decided to pull an all nighter last night.  We aren't sure why-- we think maybe he's cutting molars-- but Lord I'm feeling it today.  Lofton and I took shifts but I'm just not as young as I used to be.  Evidently neither is Lofton.  He sent me an email that said "I picked up an iced coffee with breakfast this morning.  Bad idea.  Feel like I'm on speed."
• Ready for some down time.  Hello Mr. Friday! Can you please hurry up?  The spring break countdown has begun.  If you need us we will be doing absolutely nothing.  No trips, no traveling, just rest.  We have decided to take Reese somewhere fun for a day.... but I'll share the surprise later.
• Proud.  Lofton is heading to North Carolina this week for work.  Don't tell him I told you but he is being presented with a huge award: bronze level salesman.  For someone whom hates sales evidently he's not too shabby at it.  

family picture

No words.  Just cuteness.

All of my babies.  Sweetness abounds.

I asked Lofton the other night if he thought other toddler parents sat at the dinner table and just admired their child.  He rolled his eyes and got up to get more pizza.  But really-- I sometimes watch Reese from across the table, pretending his orange segments are dinosaurs and growling, and I think he is just amazing.

What a wonderful gift God has given us.