Hurricane Gustav

well, its closing in on us...

We are going to spend today gathering our stuff and making suretaht things are tied down etc... and we will likely leave home today... We will be staying at Mike's grandparents house.

My mom is going to be at her mom's house... so if you need me you can call over there and get a phone number ...

I will try to update as soon as I can... I just don't know when we will have power again... they are saying to expect the power to be out for a week...

Good news is that Gustav has lost some stregnth and as of the last report I saw they aren't expecting it to hit as a 5 anymore... currently he is a CAT 3 ... they are saying MAYBE a CAT 4 at landfall... who knows really... please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers!

So, I guess that's about it.. I hope everyone stays safe...

2 1/2

Can you believe it???
Austin is two and a half today!

I just don’t know where the last two and a half years have gone... I mean... it seems like just yesterday I was pregnant... and now my little baby is two and a half!!

Well, I figured what better to mark his two and a half birthday than sharing a little funny... : )

So you all know we are potty training Austin...
Well I’ve been trying to get him to stand on a stool to pee into the big toilet, and with that has come trying to get him to aim into the toilet...

We a few days ago after peeing... he kind of shook it off (as awkward as it looked I knew what he was trying to do...)

He then proudly announces:
“MOMMY! I shake it off like Daddy huh?!?!?!?!”

Oh, the joys of raising a boy...

gustav

Ok, so we are off Monday... It’s a holiday...I won’t be online until Tuesday at the earliest...

But if Gustav decides to visit us, then I have no idea when I will be able to get online.
We are still in the path, please keep us in your prayers...

I don’t do well with bad weather... but what can I do... Its not like I can stop the thing...

Chances are if the storm comes we will stay at Mike’s grandparents house... because they’ve got room and a generator.

If you need to reach me of course try my cell phone... During Katrina the towers went down and I lost signal... but try it... If you can’t get me there, then call my mom, she’ll know where I am.

Talk to you later!

I will try to post again before this weekend.

Oldies but Goodies... and some new ones too...

Ok,

I added a music player.. I was in a bit of a nostalgic mood yesterday when I made it... so there are so old songs on there... but some of my very favorites!

Enjoy!

Its probably playing your head off right now... lol

Its at the bottom of the page... you can totally stop it if you want to...

I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it....

MMM-Monday.....

So I have miraculously, rekindled my love for Hanson...
And I’m loving it!
I missed it!
Its insane... I mean, you would think that after 10years... yes, its been 10 WHOLE YEARS! (actually, I’m thinking its really been 11 years? YIKES! I’m getting old!!!) It just wouldn’t be the same you know?
I’m actually a little bit embarrassed to say that even listening to the new music from The Walk I got butterflies in my stomach....
I mean omg! I feel like a 13 yr old all over again... but hey, I’m still young... and it seems to be helping me with my stress level... so I’m going with it!

Momma and I went shopping this weekend and got Austin some new clothes... I wish my camera batteries weren’t dead... But since they are here are a few pics from the Old Navy website:

Note:
Just incase anyone is considering buying him clothes... he is going to be in a 24 months / 2T (YAY We are FINALLY in Toddler sizes... lol) If you could find something with an adjustable wait it might be better... He’s awfully tall and thin... so sizes are a bit difficult for pants... Tops aren’t really a big deal...

I’m going to have to try and find some tennis shoes sometime soon. Ms. Lisa (the PT) told us about some inserts that would help him a little... Austin seems to be a little bit flat footed and walks a little on the inside of his foot instead of the outside... but to get the inserts he would HAVE to be in tennis shoes... with the hot summer weather... he is ALWAYS in sandals or crocs... and the inserts are $50 so I’m thinking I will wait until the winter to get those... I am also going to see what I can do to see if MDA or our Insurance will cover them... Because $50 is just a lot of money...

Mike starts his second job Tuesday... Well, orientation is Tuesday... I really hope this ends up being as good as it sounds... I am upset that he has to do this, and I guess in all honesty he doesn’t HAVE to...but if he doesn’t and we loose the house because we don’t have enough saved, then we would regret it... at least this way, we will know that we have done everything we can to get in... so I’ll be alone about 4 days a week... :( I am also going to try to pick up some extra shift with momma.... Austin desperately needs new clothes for the winter..( and yes, we picked up a few things, but nothing the child has is going to fit...) and then we’ve also got Shoes and Christmas and Halloween to think about... so ... we’ve just really got to get some more money coming in to take care of everything....

I guess that’s about it for now...

Random

Enjoy your weekend!!!!

happily rambling

Its Friday!
And yes, I’m in a better mood...
I told you all that I would be fine... and I am... I was fine after I posted that... Sometimes you just need to get the frustration out you know?

I talked to my dad last night, and I was extremely upset to find out that my mom did something I don’t think she should have done. But I won’t get into that here...

It was really nice to hear from him!

And Austin even got to talk to him. He was so happy, although he was eating spaghetti, so he didn’t stay on the phone long... 2 yr olds don’t have very long attention spans...

Mike got a second job, he will be delivering pizza for Papa Johns again, trying to save more money for the house, and Christmas and stuff...
I’m really sad that he is doing it... I know its going to be tough, but I guess we have to do what we have to do...

This weekend is a “Momma-Weekend” so I’m not really sure what we will be doing.. I think we might try to go to Old Navy to get Austin some Jeans (they are going to be on sale for $7 - $12) ... but other than that, not too much... Hopefully I cook something yummy!

Anyway, I guess I’m going to stop rambling now... I’ll try to post some more later this after noon... If not check back Monday for some pics!

rambling

So I haven’t posted in a while... and for those of you who care... here’s why...
I’m a bitch... I’m just not me.. I feel so freaking horrible... and in a green field filled with daisies and butterflies complete with a rainbow in the sky... I think I could find something wrong... Maybe ants would be biting me or something.. who knows?
My point is, I just haven’t had a day where I haven’t felt like strangling some one ...

So, here are a few ramblings from a few things that have been bothering me lately...

I’m so sick of pregnant people.. and all their happiness... I want to be happy for them, I really do... but damn... I just can’t... I want another child so bad... I want to be pregnant again... and Mike and I say we might try for another one... but then, I don’t know... SMA is genetic.. and there would be a 25% chance that the child would have SMA... or a 75% chance of an SMA free child... A risk that I’d be willing to take because Austin’s SMA seems so mild... but I just don’t know... (And the PCOS could me no more kids with out fertility treatments... I just don’t know how I feel about that)

Then I am so sick of the SMA ... and watching Austin with other kids... and knowing that one day he will start asking why he can’t do things... and eventually someone will pick on him because he is different and that just kills me... as I’m typing it I’m in tears... I just don’t know how I am going to handle these things in the future...

I am also sick of the whole Pregnancy response “I just want a healthy baby” ....
I even said it when I was pregnant... and let me tell you... my “un-healthy” child means the world to me... I wouldn’t trade him for a “healthy” child... The fact is that you will love this child whether it comes out a normal and healthy baby girl or a blue and green polkadotted one armed eight legged octopus boy... you just will because its your baby...

And most of all... I’m sick of feeling like crap...
I’m exhausted and bitchy... and I’ve got this horrible sinus drip, and the beginnings of a sore throat, and I’ve started my period...

I hate that when some people read this I will get calls asking if I’m depressed because I have a history of depression... no, I’m not... Life doesn’t suck, and I don’t want to dig a hole, curl up and die... I just want to RANT and VENT a little...

I am so aggravated that my dad lives so far away...
Do you know how heart breaking it is to hear Austin talk about “PawPaw Brian” and say that he “neber see PawPawBrian” and “we not see him today”

I hate that we have a family that is so nosey.. and that wants to tell us what to do and how to do it.. .and that when they see the post up there about us wanting another child, they will swarm us with reasons why that is not a good idea... They don’t realize that we are the ones that matters.. it affects us, and only us... You don’t pay my bills, you don’t take care of my kid on a daily basis... Its not your choice... its mine and my husbands... And a choice hasn’t been made... but I suggest that you don’t get involved.

Ok, well,. Now I’m hungry, so I am going to go eat lunch...

Its just a raining day here in Paradise... I’ll be fine...

Physical Therapy update

I can’t believe I forgot to post an update on this!

We saw Ms. Lisa Tuesday, and she is very pleased with Austin’s improvements in the last month. He was so cooperative and really seemed to be having fun with her. Its cute to watch him interact with someone else... Especially an adult... He makes me so proud...

She did give us a few more things to work with him on during our day to day life, but she said to keep it fun and follow his lead. Make it a game, and he’ll want to “play” along.

She was particularly impressed with his speed and “ease” getting up... Yes he is still pushing up on his knees with his hands... but he was doing it with one hand while holding a toy in the other.

And he is starting to try to pull down his own pants and underwear! And he is even trying to pull them up... He can get them about half way down.. so she was trying to find some ways that might make it easier on him to get them all the way down... so we are experimenting with some of them.

It was a really good visit and I am already looking forward to the next!

Another Friday

Well, Its Friday again...
I can’t believe I haven’t update much this week...
I can’t even really say that we have been very busy...

I’m not working this weekend... Mike’s reunion was supposed to be Saturday night, but it got cancelled... So we might just have a “date-night” instead...

But other then that, no real plans for the weekend.

I am going through Austin’s room... I mean, with the house and everything, I need to start going through his stuff and start deciding what to keep and what to chunk....
So I’ve been collecting boxes.... But the good news is that now his room is party cleaned and I have been able to put some of his clothes in his DRESSER!
This is a big deal because he has been living out of a laundry basket! (yes I’m a little ashamed... but it’s the truth... He has soo much stuff I couldn’t get to his dresser...)

So I’m sure I’ll spend some of my weekend cleaning... and re-organizing his room.

SMA AWARENESS MONTH

August is SMA Awareness Month

I have wanted to post sooner, but I just didn’t know what to post about... I am so new to a lot of the SMA world, and I don’t keep up with SMA news like I would like to... I actually just found out Friday about SMA Awareness Month... So I have been searching my mind trying to think of a way I could help spread awareness... and since the internet seems to be my best friend somedays, I figured it was my best bet, so then it was the what am I going to share?
And this morning on my normal blog reading (of other SMA patients and parents) I stumbled across this and I just thought it was a really great idea...
It just seemed perfect for me... (You know how I love to shop)



I have a really great fundraiser to share with you that benefits FSMA (which, by the way, raised $5.1 Million over the last year…and dedicated over 80% directly to research!) It is called “SHOP FOR A CAUSE” and FSMA has teamed up with MACY’S for this event. It is Saturday, September 20, 2008. On "Shop for a Cause" Day, guests have an opportunity to participate in a unique shopping experience including discounts, entertainment, special events and the opportunity to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes. Buy your $5 Shop For a Cause Saving Pass and enjoy special savings on select merchandise througout the store in addition to regular and sale merchandise specials.
20% off* regular, sale, & clearance women's, men's, & kid's apparel & accesories, fine,bridge & fashion jewelry, bed & bath items, housewares, frames, luggage, china, crystal& silver, all kitchen & personal care electrics & technology items.
10%* off regular & sale furniture, mattresses & rugs
Plus, open a Macy's account and get an additional 20% off
Click here to order your shopping pass...
www.fsma.org/shopforacause
100% of the proceeds from the sale of the shopping passes goes to FSMA!

Hello World!

The weekend is over… unfortunately… It just doesn’t seem like the weekends are long enough. It seems like I never have enough time to get anything accomplished… well, maybe not “anything” but definitely not everything that I want to accomplish. But then, maybe I just set my goals too high? I think I just expect too much from myself.

We did have a pretty good weekend.

Saturday was busy as always… lol
Momma was with us this weekend so our Saturday was spent on our “normal” walmart trip. But we did find a few good deals (Especially the Elmo sprinkler that Momma got for Austin!) Mike and Austin went to a pool party for one of Austin’s friend’s birthday. While they were at the party, Momma and I went to the mall… That was nice, because I NEVER go to the mall anymore… I really enjoyed it!

Sunday was kind of a lazy day … Mike left early Sunday morning to go for his bike ride. So Momma, Me, and Austin hung out at the house. And I cooked…. :) I actually made two big meals since I didn’t cook Saturday. I made a Roast and Chicken Rotel Casserole. We had the Casserole Sunday night for supper, and we will have the roast tonight. I can’t wait! It smelled so good.
After Austin’s nap, he got to play with his Elmo Sprinkler (which is really more like a slip-n-slide than a “sprinkler”). He had so much fun. And I managed to snap a few really nice pictures.

Here are the pictures of him playing:







This is what happened when I thought I would be sneaky and go outside and pick up the sprinkler without Austin seeing… He thought somebody had taken it…. I felt so bad… He was heart broken:



Hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as we did… It was just another weekend in paradise…

WTF????

That’s really all I have to say... read this conversation I just had with Mike (over the IM system here at work)

Megan /... (1:18 PM) you know that white dip that you like with ruffles?
Michael... (1:18 PM) french onion?
Michael... (1:18 PM) yeah
Megan /... (1:18 PM) ii want some!
Megan /... (1:18 PM) now
Michael... (1:19 PM) sorry
Michael... (1:19 PM) go take a pregnancy test
Megan /... (1:19 PM) I wan it NOW!
Megan /... (1:19 PM) wtf?
Michael... (1:19 PM) well you must be pregnant
Megan /... (1:19 PM) why?
Michael... (1:19 PM) you hate that stuff and you don't get DEMANDING for stuff you hate unless you're pregnant

I mean, WTF???
No, I really don’t think I am... but men are so funny...

***ok I have an IUD which is more effective than BirthControl Pills... and I have PCOS, so its really unlikely that I am... I just thought it was funny ***

TGIF

Its Friday again!

I can’t wait for the weekend... I am so excited!!! But not really for anything.. just the not having to be at work.

I don’t have a whole lot to say, but I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Just another day in Paradise

Its Thursday... and I’m looking at my desk wondering if I actually accomplished anything this week... I mean, it really seems like this week has just flown by... and I know I’ve been here everyday... and I know that I have worked... I remember doing it... but my desk says otherwise... It’s a wreck...
We’ve been busy... and it seems like I just can’t catch up... I mean, I’m still working... and making progress... but you can’t tell much... Oh well... this week is almost over... and maybe next week won’t be as busy... and I can actually catch up!

Austin is still doing well potty training... We haven’t had another accident since the whole hanging upside down from the potty thing (*rolls eyes* I still feel partly responsible). I have noticed that he seems to be better about holding it... He isn’t going as often anymore... and he is going more at one time... So I really think he is getting the hang of it... Now if we could only get him to go at daycare...

Oh yeah, what do you think about the new layout? I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed with the other one...

...Salt...and a Lake... in a City?

Salt Lake City

What’s in Salt Lake City?
I know I drove through...
But honestly I don’t remember much...
I remember seeing these salt deposits that stretched for miles... and appeared to look like water in the distance... but I don’t really know what (if any) else is in Salt Lake City...
EXCEPT:
one of the best doctors for SMA patients...
And guess who she would like to see:

Yep, Austin! I talked to his neurologist about a week ago and she told me that she had spoken with Dr. Swoboda about Austin to see if she’d be interested in seeing him... and she is!!!! Dr. Golden said that she would talk to us about it more at his next appointment (I’m not sure yet when that will be... I am thinking November for some reason... but its MDA clinic... so I won’t really know until I get the letter in the mail)...

I am so excited! I have wanted and secretly hoped and even said a prayer or two to get Austin in with Dr. Swoboda... but now the reality of getting to Salt Lake City is setting in... I don’t know if we will be able to do it... I mean, we’d have to fly... and 3 plane tickets will cost us an arm and a leg... and then we’d have to get a hotel room at least for a night... and that will be pretty pricey as well...

I’m still not sure when or if we will really go... and who knows, maybe I’d have plenty of time to save... My grandma said she’d try to help...

PLEASE pray that we find a way to get him there!!!

PICTURES... PICTURES... PICTURES!

Well, Saturday was my nieces birthday party... and since no one else in the family has a camera I was the “photographer”... lmao

I literally took about 250 pics... maybe a little more than that...

I’m a little bummed because I didn’t get in any really good ones of Austin... but that’s ok... I’ll do some new ones of him this weekend... if he lets me... lol

These aren’t all great, but definitely some of my favorites...

Here is the birthday girl:


And Austin, Alexis, and Nanny (their paternal great grandma):


Alexis and “Uncle Mike”:


Lexi and Daddy:


Elmo (I made the cake):


Birthday Girl:


Blowing out the candles:



Austin, Daddy, and Uncle Colton:


Eating Cake:


Austin and Daddy:


Mike, Austin, Aunt Jennfa (Mike’s Cousin):


Opening Presents:


Alexis Lynne:


Pool Time:







Pretty Birthday Girl:


Cousins eating snacks:



Lexi:




Austin and Alexis:


Sorry its so many... but I promised pictures!!!! :) I hope you enjoyed them...

Potty Training... :)

We have been pretty successful so far... (knock on wood)
We started REALLY training Austin last weekend... and it has actually been pretty pleasant... he is still wearing pull-ups to daycare... and I am honestly not sure how well or if he is even using the potty there... But when we get home we go right to the potty... and then we put on big boy underwear! And we have only had 1 accident!!!!
That was yesterday... We had been at Chuck E Cheese’s for a birthday party... Austin didn’t have an accident or ask to go potty... until we got home... So he went and he really needed to go... (I don’t think he knew there was a potty there) afterwards he was really cranky and kind telling me “You need go NiteNite mommy” so I thought maybe he needed a nap... Well he decided he needed to go peepee .... well after sitting in the bathroom for 10 minutes (literally), I thought he was just trying to get out of going lay down... (I mean he had just went like 15 minutes earlier when we got home) ... So we put his undies back on and put him in his room to watch tv... just for some quiet time... Well, he had an accident... I know I should have stayed in the bathroom...I know... I felt a little guilty about his accident... But he had JUST went... and after 10 minutes of him hanging upside down from the potty... I really thought he just didn’t want to lay down...

I still say we are doing good...

No accidents at all Saturday... none! And we weren’t even at home... We were at his grandparent’s house for Alexis’s birthday party! I was so proud of him!

We had a busy weekend!
Enjoying every little second in paradise! Pictures will be coming soon!