A baby no more...

Dear Braden,

Two years ago today you came into my life and changed my world forever. When I first saw your precious face, I prayed your life be touched with grace. Each night I laid you down to sleep, I gently kiss your head and cheek. I'd count your tiny fingers and toes and memorize your eyes and nose. I'd linger at your bedroom door, awed each day that I loved you more.

As if it were impossible, today I find I love you even more. My baby boy is now a toddler. And today I see two little eyes discovering what's new, two little hands touching everything in view, a sweet little voice asking me why and a little boy with a mischievous smile.

Happy 2nd Birthday Little Man!

Changes...

I am one of those people who believe change is good. In fact you could almost say I love change. It's the twists and turns of life. Change presses us out of our comfort zone and has an adjustment period that varies within each individual. It can be uncomfortable and awkward, but in the end you find you've grown and that my friend is important. Change is here to stay.

With that said, the Boatright household is entering a whole new world of change. Friday, April 10th was Danny's last day of work at the company he has worked for the past 12 years. We knew it was coming and started preparing early. Danny took on a part-time job working at night and more recently we made the decision I would return to work full-time after receiving a phone call from my old employer.

It was never in our 'original' plan for me to return to work this early. We figured he would work part-time (while job searching), collect unemployment, I would continue working part-time and his severance would help fill the void. But, when my old boss called out of the blue and offered me a job, I felt I would be a fool to turn it down. With this economy there is no telling how long it will take Danny to find another job, so its "hi-ho hi-ho, off to work I go".

This opportunity is defiantly bittersweet. I will miss my little world of being a stay-at-home-mom. I will miss being with the kids; seeing first hand all the 'ins and outs' of their daily lives. There is no way to know what it is like until you have been there and I feel fortunate to have been able to be there for the past four years. The hardest part is I know what I will be missing with them. At the same time I have often wondered what it would be like to be to work outside of the home full-time. (To have actual adult conversations without the interruptions.) Now I have my chance and the timing could not be better. Worse case scenario is I hate it and return to my current position (providing we have other income).

The best part is Brynn and Braden will be home with Danny. Yep, Danny is going to be a stay-at-home-dad while he is job hunting (and I have a feeling several weeks from now, the hunting will pick up dramatically). It will be good for them and for him. He has worked long and hard for our family, it will be nice to take a little break and enjoy some time with the kids. He also has a list of house projects (you didn't think I'd let him off that easy, did ya?).

Seriously though, it will be a big change for our household, but I think we are up for the challenge (at least Danny and I are). Braden really has no clue what is about to happen to his world. But, Brynn keeps asking, who will do her hair, pick out her clothes, make her lunch, and take her to school and dance class? (The list goes on and on.) I assured her Daddy can take her to dance and to school, I would lay out her clothes the night before and we may just have to cut her hair short (I'm joking, kinda). She did not like the last answer.

I have the funniest little boy. This morning he spent nearly two hours in his sister's princess skirt and shoes (and of course I followed him around the house snapping pictures with my camera). The really scary part is he can walk and run in the little plastic heels with no problem at all! I might even have to question his 'manhood' if he didn't act like a little boy in every other aspect. (For you serious people out there ~ that was a joke!)

He's having fun now, but I am sure the day will come when he will ask why I never bought him a superhero's costume to play "dress up" in. I know his sister would appreciate it, then she would not have to share her stuff with him. Right now, it is just too darn cute and funny, plus I am building quiet the collection of 'black mail' photos (do parents do that?).

Enjoy the photos!

Braden running into living room after Brynn helped him get dressed.

Braden playing with his truck and 'under the sea' puzzles.

Braden calling for 'kitty cat' (you know...our cat).

Braden stopping to catch a little 'Max & Ruby' (a show I can not stand).

Sleep Anyone?

I don't know about you, but I have never been one who could fall asleep just 'any where'.

I remember in high school being in class looking over at a fellow student next to me and they would be dead asleep. I never understood it, but there they were using their arms as pillows and drooling on their notebooks. Sometimes you would even hear snoring. Call me crazy, but I need comfort (like a bed or couch), a blanket and a pillow before I could even think about sleeping, none the less snoring uninhibitedly.

Don't get me wrong I would love to be able to sleep anywhere and at anytime, but it just does not happen for me. I can't sleep in a car when traveling long distances, long lay-overs at the airport or even when I am flying in a plane. I once flew 15 hours to Japan and I was awake the whole time (and that did not include my 3 hour connecting flight).

I am also not the person who lies down in bed and falls to sleep within minutes. As long as I can remember it has taken me at least 30 minutes or so to wind down once I get in bed. I guess this is why I often find myself talking to myself a lot at night. I'll think my husband is listening until I hear snoring or dead silence when I am expecting an answer to a question. He is one of those people....you know, head hits the pillow and two minutes later he's out. Must be nice.

So now you are probably wondering, why on earth I have become so obsessed with sleep cycles and am giving you my life history regarding my sleep habits. Well....of course there is a reason.

Yep, there she is my lovely daughter at the dinner table tonight. Danny and I are having a conversation and Braden is yelling, "Brynn", "Wake up, Brynn". We both look over and she is dead asleep. Now you know she did not get this from me!

Everyone's well! *Knock on wood*

No more trash cans full of Kleenex, no more antibiotics, no more breathing treatments, no more thermometers and no more sleepless nights. Yeah! I am feeling like my old self again (and so are the kids). March was a rough month for the Boatright household and we are keeping our fingers crossed that April does us right!

With that said....we do have some very sad news to report. On Monday, March 31st Brynn had her appointment with the allergist and we found out she is allergic to dogs. So Lacy has now moved in with Aunt Debbie (Danny's sister). We are so grateful we were able to keep her in the family and Brynn will be able to visit her from time to time.

It was a very rough day last Tuesday when we did the drop-off, but Brynn understands (as best as she can) it is the best thing for her and for Lacy. When she had the skin test done they tested her for 10 well-known allergens in our area and for dogs. Let's just say this little girl has a rough road ahead of her. She was allergic to 9 of the 11 allergens; with cedar and dogs being the worst. In fact, her doctor said she is a candidate for weekly allergy shots right now, but we are unable to do so because of her age. Apparently she needs to be five (which was really almost a relief to me, I can not imagine going once a week to give her a shot....she is scared to death of shots). So for the time being we will try to keep everything under control with Nasonex (daily) and Zertec. We are also keeping the nebulizer on hand just in case. At least we now know what has been causing the reoccurring sinus infections and will hopefully be able to keep them at bay.

As for dogs, they are just not in the cards right now. Someday I'll look into the allergen-free breeds that are out there, but for now we will keep a stuffed one on hand (even though she is not supposed to have those either).