What a week!!!

I'd love to start this week over.  Monday night Gabe complained of stomach pain before bed and then woke up crying and screaming in pain.  He settled down finally and I didn't sleep well thinking he may have appendicitis.  THEN Garrett starts coughing on Tuesday and it was the seal-barking cough.  Got worse towards the night and ended up on the phone with the on-call nurse at 10:45 p.m. who diagnosed him with croup.  Casey sat in steamy bathroom with him for 15 minutes and I sat in front of the freezer with him for 15 minutes.  He went to sleep about 11:30.  I go to bed around 11:45.  He slept pretty well after that.  But I didn't.  At one point in the night, I heard the cat who was sleeping on our bed start to throw up.  I kicked him off the bed and went back to sleep.  At 1:48 a.m. I got out of bed to check in on Garrett and had forgotten about the cat.  I walked into the living room and was centimeters from stepping in cat throw up.  I saw the throw up on the way back into the room. I get to clean up the throw up.  Now I'm awake!
At 5:30 I hear dogs barking outside.  Seriously people!!!  Why do you let your dogs out before 6 or 6:30?  On the way to the Dr. office this morning I got pulled over for an expired inspection (oops).  At Dr. office Garrett was officially diagnosed with croup AND and an ear infection.  Went to pharmacy to pick up 2 medications that he has to take 2x a day.  Spent day sitting next to Garrett because he would not let me leave the living room cage he has to stay in.  :)  This evening he ate pretty well at dinner and then I had the brilliant idea to give him his medicine before we went up to bed.  The 1st one went down pretty well.  The next one didn't go down at all and actually forced EVERYTHING up.  ugh!  Baby throw up everywhere.  Took Garrett to bathtub and then shower downstairs.  Surely he's tired now and will go to bed.  Take him upstairs and have a 6 oz. bottle that was leftover from before dinner.  Gave him the rest of his steroid and He ate the 6 oz.  I laid him down but he was not happy.  I picked him up and made another bottle.  He ate most of that and then FINALLY went to bed.

Father’s Day 2012

We went to Mimi and Papa’s for Father’s Day.  It rained so we didn’t swim but had lots of fun anyways.

Gabe's 6th birthday

We've made it an annual tradition.  Three years ago, Gabe saw a Red Lobster commercial for Lobsterfest.  He said, I want to go there.  So we went to Red Lobster for his 4th birthday.  March 22, 2011 we found out we were pregnant and we went to Red Lobster again on Gabe's birthday and invited the grandparents along.  We announced (or I should say Gabe announced) that we were having another baby.  And this year again we went to Red Lobster. It almost didn't happen.  It took FOREVER to get there with all the traffic.  So we show up at 6:30 and there is a HUGE group of people outside.  We have 2 hungry boys and an infant.  Any kind of wait would be too long.  So I go in to find out how long, having already determined that whatever it was we would not be waiting.  30-45 minutes the hostess tells me. Impossible it seemed to me.  I did not realize how important this was to Gabe and we said we'd go to Chuck E Cheese instead.  There were tears.  He did not want to go to CEC.  We had to turn around and go back.  The 40 minutes went by pretty quickly.  Gabe ordered the chicken.  He actually placed the order all on his own.  He ordered grilled chicken and mashed potatoes.  That was after the lady offered him french fries as his side.  Of course Gavin didn't make such a good choice and he got the chicken fingers.  Gabe was jealous.  After dinner they brought him a scoop of ice cream and had the entire dining room sing to him. 

Gabe turned 6 today!

My sweet little boy is growing up.  Hard to believe he started out at 3 lbs 15 oz.

Born March 23, 2006 at 1:07 p.m.

I love this boy!

Casey was a Watch Dog Dad at Gabe's school today.  At the end of the day the whole family went to his classroom and we served cookie cake!  The class sang happy birthday to him and instead of a candle, he got the first bite.

It's an annual tradition that we go to Red Lobster to eat on his birthday.  This started back in 2010.

Here he is at his birthday dinner.

And he got new Ninjago PJs.

Gabe's 6th Birthday!

I have a six year old.  I still cannot believe my sweet, gentle-natured little boy is six.  It's crazy to think back to what we were doing six years ago.  Gabe's birthday was the happiest and saddest day of our lives. 
Gabe was the balm of God's love to us.  God sent us Gabe to comfort us.  And what an incredible comfort he has been.  Although it is bittersweet at times.  Through many of Gabe's milestones I have often wondered what Nathaniel would look like or be doing.  I would wonder how Gabe and Nathaniel would interect.  Would they want to sleep in the same room, always be together.

Gabe is very proud that he is a twin and has a twin brother in heaven. 

The Balm Of God's Love

by M.S.Lowndes

When we lose someone we love
The loss seems too great to bear
God sends us friends to comfort us
To show that He deeply cares

But in the dark hours of the night
When there’s nobody else around
When we feel the saddest and loneliest
It’s there God’s love can be found

It’s like a soothing, healing balm
To soothe our broken hearts
The healing oil poured over us
That flows into every part

We can rest secure in God’s love
And know He’s by our side
He holds us when we feel as though
A part of us has died

My Baby is Growing!

November 12, 2011 - Birthday!

8 Weeks

3 Months

Garrett is 11 weeks old!

Garret is cooing, smiling, and eating every 2 hours still.  He will sleep 3 to 3.5 hours at a time during the night and at 4 weeks even went 4.5 hours one time.  I'm waiting for the day he sleeps 5 or 6 hours!

Brotherly Love

Gabe and I were working on a puzzle he got at his gift exchange at school today.  Gavin came up and asked if he could help.  Gabe said yes and Gavin said, "Gabe,you're my best friend."  A few minutes later Gavin said, "You're my best big brother.  I love you Gabe."  Gabe reached over and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek."  Ahhh,  so sweet!  Lord, please let them always be best friends.