Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Power of Prayer

I don't know if you all remember when my friend had her baby at 24 weeks by emergency c-section last April. They named him Luke and the doctors weren't always positive about him and his survival. They gave him a 30% chance of survival and even if he beat those odds, he *could* be facing many obstacles in his life. He spent almost 5 months in the neonatal unit at Children's Hospital having many ups and downs. He came home Monday, just 2 days shy of being 5 months old. He is doing great at home and my friend and her husband are experiencing all the wonderful things that come along with bringing a baby home, especially sleepless nights!

They took him today for a visit to his pediatrician here, and was tested for cerebral palsy and other debilitating illnesses. Initial tests show that he is clear of the the obstacles they had originally prepared them for. And the pediatrician said he is nothing short of a miracle. He had so many people praying for him and asking God to watch over him, and he is doing great now. If this isn't a true testament to the power of God and prayer, I don't know what is.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Travel Help

I know I have posted about this before, but I am still in need of help/advice. Tom and I are wanting to get away for our anniversary but don't know where we want to go. We have been playing with the idea of going up to Cleveland, but would REALLY like to jump on a plane and get away for a long weekend. Preferably, on a SkyBus flight(CHEAP!). So any and all ideas are welcome and I would love to hear ideas from ALL of you! So this is your challenge, if you choose to accept it; SEND US ON A ROMANTIC ANNIVERSARY GETAWAY! We are looking at going the first part of November. Also, I would like some things to do at our destination, but not too much. Thanks a bunch in advance!! Oh, have a GREAT weekend!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Finding a Cure

I don't know how many of you watch Oprah. But she recently had Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson-Peete on her show and they spoke out about their sons having Autism. They spoke of startling statistics with children and Autism. Not too long ago, the ratio of children with Autism was 1 in 500, and as of late it has grown to an absurd 1 in 150!! And of that, it is 1 in 94 boys. 1 in 94!! That is entirely too many children, parents, siblings, grandparents and aunts and uncle having to face this neurological disorder. I have a nephew who just turned 15 who is Autistic, so I am close to someone suffering from it. My nephew is an incredibly smart and intellectual young man. He is in mainstream school and just started High School this year. So far, he is getting along very well and doing great in all of his classes. He just isn't very social to family or people in general. Although, he does do great with Nolan and Janey by being a great older cousin to them! It is heartbreaking to hear and read stories from parents that are trying to accept and move forward after getting an Autism diagnosis. Some parents never get to have eye contact with their children, or have their children show them affection or even hear them say, "I love you Mommy and Daddy".
My nephew Ryan.



Jenny McCarthy has a new book out regarding her journey of helping cure her son of Autisim. I can't wait to get my hands on it and read someone elses thoughts on this. I know that there are organizations and also the Center for Disease Control trying to find a cause and a cure for Autism, but it isn't happening fast enough. As I said before, the statistics are startling and how many will be affected in a few more years? Hopefully, a miracle will happen and Autism will be wiped out, and no other children will have to be "lost" inside themselves anymore. I hope and pray that someone will find a cure for Autism.


For more information on Autism visit here or here.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Because it's Tuesday

I really feel like I have been kinda silent over here in my little corner of the world. I just feel like I don't have a whole lot to say or share. Not that things have just stopped in the Carson house(things just don't stop when there are 3 kids around), but I just don't know how to go about writing about them. I am content and have found myself feeling peaceful and happy and lucky. Lucky to have the husband I have and the kids that I have and a warm home that is full of love. Maybe it has something to do with a new season approaching. I find that I am my best in the fall and I feel better about myself in the fall. Autumn has always been good to me. It was in October 15 years ago that Tom and met and 10 years ago this November that we married. I love fall and everything that goes with it.
I had many things to do today. Laundry, cleaning out a closet, cleaning, working out. But I think I am going to take a "vacation" and drown myself in my new book. I am not one to buy books very often(that's why libraries are so wonderful, although I buy a lot of books for the kids), but I splurged and bought 'Eat Pray Love' the other day. I have been on the wait list at the library FOREVER for this book and I was tired of waiting so I plunked down my moola and bought it. So today I declare as my mini vacation and I will lose myself in a book. Have a wonderful, crisp cool air, sunny, fall smelling beautiful day!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Little bit of this, little bit of that....

Day three with no Hubby or Daddy is going surprising well so far. I speak this before the girls are home from school. I am sure I will change my tune at 4:00pm. Bedtime is what really sucks for all of us. The kids miss Tom and I am lonely after I put them to bed. Sunday night I didn't sleep at all, so last night I decided to have a glass of wine to make me sleepy and it worked! So tonight I will indulge again and have a glass, so I can sleep. I don't normally drink alone.

Tonight Janey and I are headed for Kindergarten Family night at her school. She will walk me through her morning routine and show me some of the things that they have been working on. I am just sad that Tom isn't here to be able to go with us. After that we are going to order her birthday cake for her party on Saturday. She wants a High School Musical party and normally I try and make their birthday cakes, but I haven't a clue on what to do for a High School Musical cake. Therefore, off to the bakery we go. If any one has any ideas for a cake, I am all ears.

I have been cleaning and doing laundry all morning and I just put Nolan down for a nap, plopped down on the couch to type this post and turned the tv on and guess what is on one of the HBO channels?!?! 'Singles'. I am so excited. I haven't seen this movie in a long ass time. I love it!! So I declare my work down for the afternoon and I am enjoying a movie. All by myself. With no kiddies around. Ah, sweet serenity.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

"Happy Birthday Dear Janey-Do......"

As I started typing this post I realized that it wasn't but just a couple of hours ago 5 years ago that our little Janey entered this world and took us from a family of 3 to a family of 4 and became a little sister to Chloe. My pregnancy with Janey was so easy as pretty much it was with Chloe as well. I started labor just fine with just my water breaking at about 2:30pm. We took our time getting to the hospital after my mom picked up Chloe and I really wasn't feeling very hard contractions. Chloe and Janey( in my tummy!)

I started having terrible back pains, but not the normal labor pains that I had with Chloe. I could talk through all of the contractions that the monitor showed I was having. I remember telling my nurse(who looked to be about 13 years old) that I was having a tremendous backache and she brushed it off.


After awhile of having these back pains, the real labor pains came shooting through my body and my O.B came into to check on me. I was almost ready to push. Wow, that was fast! Little did he or we know that Janey had decided to come 'sunny-side' up and extremely fast through the birth canal. Less than two pushes she came screaming into the world and was whisked away by doctors and nurses because the cord had been wrapped around her neck and she was blue.


Janey's 1st Birthday

Not only was she blue, but she was completely bruised from her top lip all the way up her head. With her coming out the way she had, she had bruised her entire face on my pelvic bone. She had such a traumatic time trying to meet us for the first time. Janey's 2nd Birthday
Janey's 3rd Birthday
The doctors at the hospital said the bruising on her face and head wasn't a big deal and would fade over the next few days. When we took her to our pediatrician when she was a week old, he was concerned about the bruising because she had a serious looking bruise behind her ear which *could* indicate a skull fracture. He immediately sent us to Children's Hospital for a CAT scan to make sure that there wasn't any fractures.
Janey 4 years old Fall 2006

Thankfully, the CAT scan showed that everything was normal and we were utterly relieved that she was okay, just REALLY bruised! She has been 'perfect' to us and for our family since the day she came to us 5 years ago today. We are so lucky to have this little girl in our life. She makes every day a little brighter and a little more interesting.
Janey -Birthday Girl age 5

Happy 5th Birthday Janey! We love you so much skeeter.

In other news, Tom left for a business trip today and is just outside D.C until late Wednesday night. I will be doing it all on my own here until then. I am not looking forward to it considering he is my rock and my better half. I miss him so much already and he only left this morning. Wish me luck to get through until late Weds. night!













Friday, September 07, 2007

My Worst Nightmare


The girls ride a bus to school and this is a first. At our old house we lived very close to the school that Chloe attended and I had to take her to school everyday. This wasn't a big deal considering I stay at home with them. But I have to say I was thrilled when I found out that they could be bussed to and from school. Call it being a lazy mom, but the fact that I didn't have to get everyone ready and out the door by 8:15am excited me. Last week things went smoothly with the girls and the bus. They have memorized their bus number and know the routine of the bus. I knew it was too good. Yesterday afternoon I was outside waiting for the bus and I see Chloe crying as she is getting off the bus. I don't see Janey. I immediately ask Chloe what is wrong and she said Janey got off at the wrong stop and that she tried to yell for her not to, but she did anyway. I stopped the bus to ask the driver about my other little girl and he says, "Oh, I think I dropped her off at another stop back." He said this as if it wasn't a big deal. Are you shitting me asshole!!!!! I don't let him finish talking, I grab Nolan and tell Chloe to get in the van. I drive all over our neighborhood, she is nowhere. Chloe then tells me Janey was sitting with a little boy and got off with him. I still can't find her. I am in hysterics! I drive home get my cell, but then I don't know what to do but call the police. So that's what I do. Then they tell me to stay at home and they are sending an officer to my house. I don't want to stay at home, I WANT, NEED to go a look for my little girl who is only 4 and having a birthday on Sunday and I just bought her birthday presents today, and she can't be missing, this is not happening to MY FAMILY!!! I felt like I was in an effing movie and I was sitting in my driveway crying and trying not to puke. My phone is ringing and other lines are beeping. The school calls, my brother calls, Tom calls. They have found her, and the school gave me the address to where she was. I flew to the house and a nice lady opened the door and then my baby girl came running to me. I am sure I looked like a nutball to this woman. I repeatedly said 'thank you' and 'I am sorry' to the lady all through tears and sobs and kisses. Janey did try and follow a little boy and then got lost and tried to walk home, but then a dog that wasn't on a chain scared her so she started back from the way she came. This lady's son saw Janey wandering up and down the sidewalk and told his mom that there was a little girl outside that looked lost, so she went out and took Janey into her house, got her name and called the school so they could call me and let me know that she was safe. This all probably lasted 20 minutes, but it felt like hours and I still didn't feel quite right even later in the evening. I didn't know where my child was for 20 minutes and there are parents in the world who don't know where their children are and it has been YEARS! I cannot imagine......it is my worst nightmare.

* i apologize if this post is written with terrible grammar, I just don't feel much like editing it to make it read better....I promise a more positive and uppity post next time.