Birthday, and Grandpa Update

The boys birthday was sooooo much fun!  They played on the water slide all day long!  They swam in the pool, we had cake, ice cream and all of us grown ups sat and visited.  It was a great day.  Brody really dug into his cake, he LOVED it!  Cole LOVED his DS that we got him, and all his other toys!  He's so excited to play with it all!  After the party guests left Bill and I helped Mom and we cleaned up the mess, put tables and chairs up, picked up trash, and put Mom's yard back together.  Then we cut Dennis and Bills hair and ordered a couple Casey's pizzas we were all so pooped from the big day nobody felt much like cooking! 

I promise to post pics soon, but I splurged and hired a photog to take the party pics this year.  Since we were doing a double party, I didn't want to miss a moment, and knew I'd be too busy to be snap happy like I would like to be, so my best friend Di came and took pics for me.  When she left she had over 300 on her card from the party, I can't wait to see them all.  Once she edits them and gets me a disc I will post them for you all to see!  The ones I peeked at yesterday were AMAZING and it will be worth every cent I pay her to have those precious memories of my boys!  She even took some family pics of us all before the party started, so I can't wait to see them!!! 

Grandpa Trone update.   It was a long tiring weekend.  He's on a pain patch now, which really seems to be helping control his pain for the most part.  His hospital bed that he has been used to sleeping in is so uncomfortable, so we asked hospice today for a new mattress and they delivered one this afternoon.  It's an air mattress and it is adjustable and totally much more comfy than what he had.  We also are trying out a lift recliner chair and personally I think he's going to LOVE that chair.  He was in it sleeping all reclined when I left today!  He had a pretty good day today.  He knew who I was, knew my kids, and asked about Bill.  He even asked aunt Carla where Ryan Settles was.  He was pretty with it for the most part today.  Then he'd have a moment or two where he'd ask you to see someone who has been dead for ages.  He asked me today "where's chuck, I want to talk to him" I asked him if he wanted Chuck settles or Chuck Prichard, and he said Chuck Prichard, who has been dead for a long long time.  I told him he had died and he said "oh, nobody told me that" and he's known it for years.  He just has bouts of confusion, but it's much worse if he takes a pain pill on top of the pain patch, so we are trying not to give him the pills too if he isn't complaining of pain because it snows him over so badly. 

He's more able to help move himself today.  I had him wrap his arms around my neck and would pull him up, and then he'd lean against me and I'd walk backwards to where we needed to be and sit him down.  It worked well.  He wasn't such a dead weight today like he had been when he was so drugged he couldn't function.  He knows he is dying.  He told my mom he knows that.  I think older people get to a point when they just "know" and he's at that point. 

He cracked me up today, so many times... Carla and Grandma were making cupcakes in the kitchen and they would be talking and grandpa and I were sitting in the living room on the couch and he'd look into the kitchen and just bust out laughing!  I'd ask him what he was laughing about and he says to me "them girls just keep arguing all day today ...ha ha haha" and he'd laugh and laugh like it was so funny!!!  That would get me laughing and then Grandma and Carla laughing!  Ha ha ha.  Crazy old man!!!

Grandma and I gave him a birdie bath today, and I shaved him, and changed his clothes, and bedding.  He has sat up on the couch today,and like I said was in the recliner when I left.  I'm back on duty first thing in the morning.  Carla is headed to peoria to Hannah's graduation.  Grandma and I are the tag team tomorrow. 

Well I am off to cook supper.  Not sure what yet, but something...

Birthdays creeping up on me...

Today they brought my grandpa home on hospice.  They are waiting till tomorrow to get the bone scan results so that we can know what we are treating and know how much drugs, and what drugs will best control his pain.  If we had to guess, he's more than likely got cancer someplace.  This scan will hopefully just tell us what's going on and why he hurts so badly.  He's so confused and out of sorts, but I don't imagine that getting any better.  I think it's all downhill from here.  I hope they can get his pain more managed and can make him comfortable.  He's just pretty miserable at times right now.  My grandma sure could use a break.  My mom and aunt carla have been taking turns staying the night with him and I guess he's been pretty ornery keeping them up all night.  It's taking it's toll on them too.  I think they are both getting wore out.  Above all else he's home, where he's most at ease, hopefully soon pain free.

Today I made the trip to Macomb.  I did some birthday shopping for the boys some gifts.  I hadn't done that yet.  I also got the party supplies.  I got a few groceries and now all I have left is to wrap it all up.  Sunday is sneaking up on me fast.  I feel so out of it.  Totally not organized and flying by the seat of my pants for this party?  I guess it will be what it will be.  I just feel so not into it?  That makes me sad.  I just have so much on my mind and I am not ready for any of this.  I hope I will be come Sunday afternoon.   

Brody got another haircut today.  This makes his number 4!!!  He's had 4 cuts since birth.  He really needed a trim for his party!  His hair was down in his eyes again!  He looks like such a little man!  Cole was shocked when he got off the bus today and saw him!  I love it!  I will have to post pics soon!

Well I need to get off here and cook supper for the boys.  I have not a clue what to make tonight.  Something simple will do me just fine. 

It's a monday...

My Grandpa Trone hasn't been doing so well again.  He's on oxygen can't breathe well, and now he's in a lot of pain.  He says it's in his back and he can't stand to move.  He's been suffering for almost 2 weeks now and it just breaks my heart.  He does not look too good.  His color is pale and his spirits are low.  I have this horrible gut sinking feeling he will be called to the lord sooner than we all wish.  He's just not what he used to be.  We knew when he came home from Springfield back by Easter that he was living on borrowed time after those heart attacks.  We just prayed he'd continue to be comfortable.  He's not.  Right now my mom has him back out at the hospital hoping to get him some relief.  I haven't heard any news yet.  This is so hard on me because Grandpa has always been like a father to me.  He took me under his wing when I was a baby and has kept me there every since.  My poor grandma is getting worked to the bone by him and it's wearing her out.  She's just exhausted.  I am sad for her too because I can't imagine watching the man you've been married to for all these years suffer.

Cole is enjoying school now.  He likes being busy and doing homework.  He likes to learn.  Brody misses him all day long.  It is sad seeing him wave bye bye to him every morning.  He lights up at night when he gets home!  Such a bond those two have!

Well I am off to dish up supper for the kids and Bill.  I may have to go spend the night in town with Grandpa tonight.  I got to get organized in case I get the call to go.

First day of FIRST Grade!

Cole hopped right out of bed yesterday morning all geared up and ready for school!  He was pretty excited to see who all was in his class.  There are 20 kids and only 2 are girls!  Poor Mrs. Ramsey!  She's going to have her hands full.  Cole picked out some cool wrestling shoes for school!

He was also super pumped about his mario back pack, but really happy about the new toy story clothes he picked out for his first day! 

I am so excited I have a first grader!  He's grown into such a handsome little man!

Harold is still his bus driver this year.   I sure hope he doesn't retire before my boys are grown!  He's the best!  Cole loves him to pieces.  He really has made putting my child on the bus a lot easier for me!

Cole came home and said his first day was boring.  All he got to do was fill his pencil box with crayons  and then play outside.  Oh and go over the rules.  He didn't like that much!  They were only in school for a couple hours then they got to come home.  Today is their full day.  They go until 2 until labor day.  After labor day they will get out at 3.  He starts actual classes today.  He should be happier about that.  He must have gotten wore out at school yesterday though because he came home and slept from 1-5:30.  I couldn't believe he napped for that long.  He woke up and said he was exhausted!  Brody sure does miss him when he's gone.  He waves bye bye to him in the mornings, but then he takes a morning nap now.  He's got some peace and quiet around here!

My grandpa Trone is not doing so well.  He was put in the hospital last week.  He said he has horrible back pain, and they've x-rayed him and can't see anything wrong?  The Dr is wondering if he doesn't have a cracked rib from laying around so much?  Compression fracture?  He's so confused and disoriented it isn't funny.  He thinks while he was in the hospital that he was really in the nursing home, he thinks he still works at the hospital and keeps waking my grandma up at all hours of the night for his uniform, he's been retired for 20 some years.  He keeps thinking he is scheduled for surgery and then yesterday when I went in there he kept calling Brody, "Cole" and insisting that I had taken him to the Dr yesterday and that he told us he had a hole in his lung.  He is so confused.  It makes me so sad to see him like this.  He gets things straight for awhile and then it all slips his mind and he loses it all again.    My heart breaks because I think he might not get his mind back this time around.  He's been out of it for a week now.  He would not like to be living like this.  It's so hard on everyone.  Especially my grandma.  She's just exhausted from taking care of him.  My mom is sick.  She's exhausted.  It's just sad thinking for brief periods of time he has lost a major chunk of his life.  His memories are totally gone.  He doesn't remember some people and even remember things that happened.  I sure hope he gets rest and his mind comes back to him.

What an AMAZING week!

This has truly been a great week around here!  It all started off on the 8th for Joe's 16th Birthday Party.   We had supper, then cake and ice cream and gifts at Keith and Bevs.  It was so much fun!  I can't believe "little Joey" whom was toddling around in diapers when I first met him is now 16 and can drive!

Brody really really liked the cake and Ice cream!

Cole really did too!!!!

Whenever we all get together we usually have lots of laughs and everyone seems to have fun, this night was no exception!  Jenny and Anna were quick with many wise cracks and I think Joe had a great Birthday night! It was so relaxing and fun to all just spend some time together!

Monday night Grandpa Dennis, Grandma Nancy, Carla and I took the boys fishing and we had a weenie roast at the pond.  It was fun to just chill out, cast a few out and relax the evening away.  Nobody caught anything too impressive, but we had some yummy hot dogs and finger foods and lots of laughs trying to catch a fish or two!

Tuesday we had some pretty awesome storms roll through the area.  I spent some time outside before they rolled in taking some great photos of the clouds and approaching storm.  It was just beautiful out there. 

The clouds were moving so fast and the colors were just so amazing!

The wind really picked up and laid the corn flat for awhile.  It sprang back up though thank goodness!

Thursday and Friday we spent with my mom.  It was so nice to just chill out with her.  She has been working so much lately she really hasn't had time to spend with the boys this summer much.  She spent 2 days with us and they swam, played outside, made macaroni sald for Susan's party, visited, and just had fun.  I have dearly missed my mom these last few months because she works so much and has just been exhausted when she's off work.  It was nice to just chill with her and not have to worry about her being tired or having to go to work in a little bit!  I worked at the Peacock Friday night. We were pretty packed.  I got to see a guy I haven't seen since high school and that was pretty cool.  I worked and didn't get home till almost 2 a.m.  Brody woke me up at 6 on Saturday morning.  Ugh.  Little sleep!  I had to be up early Sat anyhow because we were decorating for my aunt Susan's 50th Birthday Party that evening.  We got the place all pertied up and then we all went home to get ourselves ready and put the finishing touches on the food. 

What a FUN night we had.  Susan is such a hoot to be around anyhow, so it was FUN to be around all the family and friends. 

 We had a wonderful supper, had cake, Karaoke and a few adult beverages were had by many!  My mom and her 4 sisters always have a good time when they get together, so it really was a BLAST! 

 

Brody was wore out!  He missed his afternoon nap, so while we were eating he snoozed!

Cole had been to Addyson's swimming pool party, but when they got to Susan's party they were ready to sing!!  They did such a nice job and looked pretty cute up there too!!!

Bill joined the party a little later in the evening, and in true cousin fashion he got teased by the half drunks!

I have decided I am keeping this till I turn 30 in December... I WILL be over the hill then!!

The Frakes family even came out to join in on the fun.  We even got Jenny to sing Karaoke!

Yesterday was a Lazy Sunday for sure!  We had all had way too much fun all weekend long!  We were all tired.  Bill came home early, we went to Addy's for Birthday cake, and then we came home to hamburger helper and tv!  Bedtime was before 9 and it was actually nice to spend more than a few hours in my bed!  Hope this weeks proves to be just as amazing! 

Friday I had the pleasure of back to school shopping ALONE!  What a treat that was!  I haven't been shopping alone in months and months!  Brody was going to stay home with Aunt Anna, that was the plan, but then Cole got all sorts of jealous, so he stayed behind too.  He really misses Anna off to college.  He never gets to see her, so that was a treat for him.  I hit up all the bargains!  I managed to stay under $50 for supplies.  I was happy about that.  I think I went on the best week.  I hit the crayola sales.  Everything crayola was super cheap!  I picked out Cole's new bookbag, which I was able to find in Mario and he LOVED it!

I even got the thumbs up sign!!!

It was overall a successful shopping trip.  It sucked that I had to be home early because Anna had other plans, but it was so nice to shop without fussing and hounding for things!  I may have to do that again soon! 

This week has been a trying week for us... we are getting rid of the bottles and moving on to the sippy cups.  Day one Daddy totally ruined it by giving in at bedtime.  I fixed Daddy for day two... I threw all the bottles in the trash!  Ha ha ha.  He did totally fine all day long.  I knew he could handle it at bedtime.  He will be a year old in 21 days, it's time to toss the bottles!  I personally think it's time to toss the formula too, but my mom and the Dr. think he needs formula up to the year mark.  I am not sure what a difference a few days will make, but to make everyone happy I will not start touching the milk until another week or so.  This has been a funny few days.  I think he's cutting the top teeth.  He's been all sorts of clingy and fussy, which is just not like him.  I don't know if he's just that way because of the sippy, or because of the teething?  I know he had a low grade temp for 2 days off and on.  Who knows?  We will wait and see.  He has now moved on to Cole's toy story sippers.  They came from the gas station, and had juice in them.  He likes to drink out of those because they are the most like a bottle.  He cracks me up stealing Cole's drinks!  Little turd!

Saturday was such a lovely day.  My mom actually had a weekend off, which hasn't happend in MONTHS, so we spent an entire day with her.  I think she loved seeing the boys all day.  We hit up some garage sales in the morning, we put the shutters back on the house that she painted, and then we headed off to Keokuk with a pool sample.  Our pool has been very cloudy this last week.  We have treated the crap out of it, to the point the pool people told us it's perfectly fine the only thing wrong on the list is that it has too much sanitizer in it.  We were told to rinse out filter daily, Oxidize with an entire gallon and then give it time.  We came home and spent 2 hours skimming, vacuuming, and rinsing the filter.  We backwashed the hoses, cleaned out the pump and had Cole swimming while we skimmed some more.  It looks totally clean, just still cloudy.  Not too sure what we will do about that?  Give it some time to work I suppose.  I know we need a new bigger pump, and we have one in mind, but we don't want to pay $500 for one!  Till next summer we are making this one work. 

After swimming Grandpa Dennis came home and we all decided to pack up some hot dogs and head to the pond to have a weenie roast and do some fishing.  We had a lovely evening!  Dennis is the only true fisherman of the day, the rest of us caught zilch!  Cole had fun with his new pole!  Brody was so pooped from the busy day he just wouldn't give it up.  Finally when he did at 8 he was OUT for the entire night!  He's taking less and less naps lately, which really stinks because I think that has a bit to do with the attitude he gives off daily! 

Bill missed out on the fun because Keith was having back problems so Bill had to go bale hay for him to finish up for the day.  When he got home I was exhausted so I went to sleep in my chair.  I felt someone shaking me awake and I jumped up startled and it was midnight, Bill had woken me to see Brody in the chair sleeping... this was too cute.   Bill grabbed the camera and took a picture, how adorable is this....

I told ya he was pooped!  He was a tired little boy last night! 

Wild Child

Yesterday was another reason I am happy to have started this blog... I was in the kitchen making lunch, came to the living room to find Brody following Cole up the stairs!  I could not believe he was 4 steps up!  By the time I got the camera and got to snap a pic he was back down to the stairs.  Last night when Bill got home Cole wanted him to see what Brody was up to, so he started playing bouncy ball on the steps again, and sure enough, Brody followed him up there!  Bill followed behind to see how far he would go and that little stinker was up them stairs in nothing flat!!!  Guess it's time to keep the stair gate locked from now on!

Daddy saves the day!!!

I just can't accept the fact that our litle "baby" will be ONE in a few short weeks.  Where has this whole year gone?  It just seems like yesterday I was spending long boring days home on bedrest, and in and out of the hospitals trying to get him here!  He was well worth all the struggles, but boy this is going way too fast for me.  I have my moments where I wonder if we made the right decision by me getting fixed, but then I look back on all the problems I have had getting the 2 we got here, and decide right away that I would not ever want to put my life on the line again.  We have a beautiful family, we just all seem to "fit".  I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love my boys! 

I am trying to decide if Cole was a tad "slow" or if Brody is just super "excelled" because  the difference in the two is like night and day.  Cole didn't crawl until he was right at a year, he started walking about 2 weeks later.  Brody has been crawling for almost 2 months now, and is pulling himself up to things already and climbing the stairs!   Basically what it boils down to is Brody has this Big Brother he idolizes and wants to follow everywhere.  He sure does his best to keep up with Cole!  It really cracks me up how Brody follows him all around. 

 Cole, bless his little heart is the BEST Big Brother ever!  He truly is a gentle soul.  I see a lot of my father in Cole.  I see his patience, understanding, kindness, gentleness, and love.  Cole has such a BIG heart for such a little boy.  When we lost our baby 2 years ago, Cole was truly hurt.  He wanted nothing more than to be a big brother.  When we finally got pregnant again and gave him that brother, he was the happiest kid ever.  I have never seen such acceptance and love come out of a kid for another child.  Cole just has such a big soft heart.  He is so helpful, he has the patience for interacting with Brody, it's so sweet to witness the compassion he has towards him.  They already have a bond that nobody can ever take away from them.  It's just going to break Brody's heart to have Cole go back to school in a couple weeks.  Poor Kid. 

I think today we will go shopping.  I need to buy Cole's school supplies.  He wants to pick out his own bookbag.  I remember last year school shopping, Bill had to wheel me around Walmart in a wheelchair because I was on Bedrest but demanded to go get my boy his school supplies.  We managed, but it was the worst trip ever shopping for me.  I hated every second of it.  I wanted nothing more than to do it on my own, and so this year we will!  Supplies alone will add up to more than $50 I am sure.  That list is LONG for first grade!.....yep FIRST GRADE... I have a FIRST GRADER!!! YIKES!!!!

Might as well start off with a BANG!!

So here it is AUGUST.  Are you kidding me?  School is starting in a couple weeks, I have yet to go back to school shopping, I am totally not ready!  Before I talk about the here and now I want to update on some big events from this last month that are important to our family!

First event is Brody is standing up to things now.  He's pulling himself up to all things possible.  He's climbing the first stair of our steps, he is cruising the entire length of the couch, it will be any day now that he lets go and takes off and we are NOT ready for that!

The next event was Bill's 32nd Birthday!  He's getting OLD!!!!  He has been working such long late hours we had a heck of a time actually getting to enjoy his birthday cake "like a family".  The night of his birthday the 26th he worked till after 11 and both boys fell asleep waiting on him.  The next night Brody was sleeping by the time he got home, but Cole was still awake, so we celebrated anyhow at 10:30 at night.  We lit the candles, turned out the lights and sang daddy Happy Birthday!!! The best part of it all was eating the yummy cake Cole helped pick out!

Cole had to blow out the candles because daddy was too old to have the wind for it!

Daddy's other present... BIRTHDAY KISSES!!!!

The next big event of July was Vacation Bible School at Mt. Pleasant Christian Church.  We had an amazing turnout this year!  The kids had so much fun each night.  They were all such great listeners.  They put on little skits every night to "act out" what they learned about.  Bev was the teacher for the little kids, she did a fantastic job!  The kids all listened to her stories, and loved acting them out.  The week was followed up by a carry in meal on Friday that had a turnout of over 25 which is AMAZING for our little church!  Sunday service the kids also sang their VBS songs and lead the service.  It was a wonderful week of VBS this year and many many thanks to Jennifer for all her hard work putting it all together, and Bev and Ryan for teaching the kids their lessons.  The kids sure did have fun!  Here's a pic of Friday's Family Night.

Now on to August... Oh my word!  We have so many things this month to get through.  Anna's roomate Kerstin passed away suddenly and very enexpectedly last week and her Funeral is Friday, Jenny has a Jewlery party, I have a Jewlery party with another company, My aunt Susan is turning 50 and her sisters are throwing her a Big birthday Bash, School Starts, Joe, Keith, Jeremy, Bev & Brody all have Birthdays this month!  It's going to be a busy time for sure!  Yep, that's what I said... my baby has his FIRST Birthday on the 29th.  I can't believe he's been here a whole year already.  I am pretty sad about this.  I am so sad he's growing so fast!  Every day it's something new with him.  Today well, he decided to get into the kitchen trash and dumped the ENTIRE thing over on my floor. This was a horrible move on his part, because I had just gotten done cleaning out the fridge and pitched a ton of leftovers into it this morning.  wHaT a MeSs!!!  He was covered in gunk, my floor was a disaster and to top it all off, I was on the phone with the Dr's office setting up some appointments, Cole was yelling at Brody telling him he was bad, which got Brody crying because his feelings were hurt, I was trying to still carry on a conversation with the secretary, all the while clean up a screaming filthy little boy!  It was pretty comical looking back now, but at the time I was flustered mess!  What a morning!  Let's all pray that this afternoon goes a lot smoother!  It sure is HOT out there today.  Another day with the heat index over 110.  Whew.  Stay cool everyone!