A Day at the Museum

Last week were were able to go to the Museum with some of our family. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I had never been there before. Thankfully my Mother in Law Cheri had some sort of season pass that got us all in (and there were 9 of us total). The kids had a great time. It was all hands on and they didn't want to leave. We played for a few hours and had lunch there as well. But, as the day wore on the kids began to get exhausted (well I was too) and it was time to leave. Abby keeps asking when we are going back. Briggs and the Tortoise
Briggs walking to the Alligator? I am not sure what it was.

Playing trains.

Abby and her cousin Leah playing at shopping.

Seriously doesn't she look ten?

Playing doctor.

Love this pic.

Briggs always finds a little nook to rest.

Do I see a future here?

Briggs Driving the Ambulance

Briggs and his cousin Izzy playing in the H2O

Abby and the Dinosaur

Briggs in the Dinosaur foot print.

What a pair

Digging up bones with cousins Leah and Becky

This is Abby's version of thumbs up!

Asleep before we leave the parking lot.

Good Times :)

Want To Lose Weight?

Want to lose those pesky last five pounds? Or fit into those old high school jeans? I know, perhaps you are coming up on a class reunion or holiday party at work that you would love to lose weight for.

Well I have the thing just for you!

• Catch some sort of stomach bug
• Stay in bed for 3 and 1/2 days
• Eat next to nothing
• Have no energy
• Consult an ER
• Finally be able to get out of bed but still eat next to nothing for another day and a half
• Then still feel sick but you have to take care of your family

Then magically (with proven results) lose 8 and 1/2 pounds. This is no gimmick folks. If I can do it, anyone can!

Abby's First Sleep Over

Abby had her first sleep over last week. Her cousin Leah who is five came and spent the night and they were both great. We had dinner, went to the splash park, watched a movie, played outside and various other things. I had made a little bed on the floor for Leah, but Abby really wanted to sleep on it. No surprise there. Of course there was the normal issues of getting to bed, but for the first sleep over I was really surprised. I wish I would have taken more pictures. These are just from breakfast but obviously there was better opportunities. Leah
Pancakes

The whole Gang




This is Leah Singing the Ants go Marching so Briggs will dance. Too Cute.

Briggs

With all the drama of last week I wasn't able to post some more things about Briggs being one. He is now in a forward facing car seat, Yay! He loves it, except he hasn't figured out how to sleep comfortably in it. Actually he hates sleeping in it and now fusses more in the car if he is tired. But when he isn't, its grand.

He had his one year check up and I cannot find the sheet where the doctor wrote his stats but I do remember that he was 20.2lbs and was in the 75-90% for head, weight and height.

He is almost walking. He tries all the time and can do about 3-4 feet at a time. He goes from couch to table to book shelf to try to get to where he needs to go.

He is still struggling with is breathing issues and at present has bronchitis again. Hopefully as he grows older and his airway passages expand this will not be such a problem.

He has become quite a picky eater, and I am unhappy to say it seems that textures bother him. This is a problem I have, mostly just with nuts but Briggs seems to have it with many more things. The only thing that I am guaranteed to know he will eat is applesauce and second foods. The third foods make him gag. He loves cheese though and that is another staple he eats, because he still wont drink milk or eat yogurt. Little stinker.

He bites all the time and hits as well. He is very reactionary, if he is mad you know it. He will either hit you or throw himself on the floor.

I know some of you may think that he is too old for his plug and I agree. The only reason we always have it attached to him is because it serves as a preventative. He sticks his finger down his throat and makes himself puke. Seriously it happens all the time. So when he starts to do it, if we stick the plug in his mouth he will stop, most of the time.

Other than that he is OK from the events of last week. He is his normal adorable self. Couldn't resist taking a pic of this cutie either.

Worst mom of the Year award goes to....?

Me. Yes, that's right the worst mom of the year award goes to me. Another trip to the Emergency Room but this time its on me. Yesterday while getting Abby ready to go to school I was in a bit of a rush because we were running behind. Mostly because Abby likes to dilly dally, and for some reason she pooped in her sleeping diaper. So I had to give her an in impromptu bath. Thus putting me behind.

I set Briggs in the middle of our bed and stepped about three feet away to our bathroom. Literally I was right there, how did I not prevent it? But I got distracted somehow either doing something or with Abby I really cannot remember. I think I looked away for about a second, but within that second Briggs was falling head first off the bed.

The way he landed was awful. I was pretty sure he had a broken neck. Honestly its one of those falls that you just cringe. Before picking him up I made sure it wasn't broken, phew! Then picked him up in a stretcher type hold to immobilize him as much as possible. I laid him down and he was crying pretty hard, I calmed him some and took him with me into the closet to get my shirt, where he vomited all over me. Red Flag!! It was a lot of puke. He does puke a lot and fairly often but this one was different, he was different. I don't know how to describe it. But it was a massive amount, soaking us both. When he finished I set him down. Normally he would still cry and crawl at me but, he just sat there, staring. Red Flag!! So at this point I am freaking out knowing he probably has a concussion. I have seen enough medical shows to know that. I quickly change my clothes and strip Briggs down as well. I get Abby and Briggs in the car to take her to school. On the way there I called my pediatrician and she said to take him to the ER.

I get Abby off at school, vomit in my hair and holding a half naked baby. I had managed to get a sleeve on him while walking Abby in. I felt so Dub T but I didn't care.

The ER is about 15 minutes away and I get there pretty quickly. However, Briggs was trying to dose off in the back seat. Freak Out! I was snapping at him and I rolled down his window. It was also near nap time so the odds weren't in my favor.

I get to the ER and he still isn't acting like himself, just dazed and confused. I get him registered and wait. Finally, it seems like eternity but it was only like 20 minutes, then they triage him. They take his vitals and what not and three different people at three different times asked me what happened. The Doc did some little tests and said he seemed to be OK but that its really hard to tell with babies because obviously they cannot tell us what they feel. She suggested getting a CT scan because he met the criteria with the vomiting, but left that decision to me. I said I wanted one. I didn't want to wonder for the next few days if he had a scull fracture or bleeding in his brain. When I agreed, she said she was glad because she would have worried all day as well. Huh? Then why didn't you just say he really should have one. Anyway... we wait for awhile for that... in the mean time Briggs is trying to fall asleep. They said to go ahead and let him, what? I thought that it was a no no to do with head injuries but you know, I am not a doctor. So he slept. We went in for the CT and Briggs did Awesome. He only fussed a little. He never cried once. They let me stay right next to him so I was singing and pointing at things and it was over before we knew it. When the lady came in she was so impressed. She said that was the best she has ever seen a baby do. Of course I was proud of him.

Then we waited. About 20 minutes later, we got the results. All the waiting leading up to this...it was clear. No signs of any swelling or broken skull. Yippee! However the doctor did say that it didn't mean that he is completely fine. Sometimes more serious symptoms can appear later. Thus, I was still to watch him closely over the next couple of days. Within the next 24 hours I was not to let him sleep more then 2-3 hours at a time to check on him and see how he was doing. So last night was fun. I got up a few times to wake him up make sure he was responsive, that he hadn't had any facial swelling or vomiting in his sleep. He made it through and he is back to his old self.

I was worried yesterday because he was still not himself for awhile. So I thought for sure there was something that was still wrong. But, thankfully that experience has past. I know I shouldn't have put him on the bed. We always do and I am always fearful yet it still happens, but never again if I am not holding on to him. How dumb. I guess its just been so long, he always just sits there while I do things, but I should have known better. So for all you moms out there. Don't put your kids on the bed, its not worth it.

Mr. Pitiful-Dancing machine

I mentioned before that Briggs loves to dance. He especially loves the song Mr. Pitiful by Matt Costa. If he is having a fit I start singing it and he usually will begin to dance and forget that he was upset. Abby loves to dance too as you can see in the background. Here are just a few short examples.

Our Baby is 1!

Where has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday that we were trying to decide on names for our baby and now that baby Briggs turned one. His birthday was on the 11Th and we celebrated it on the 12Th with lots of family and a few friends. We ate, had presents and then of course there was cake. As you can see in the many following pictures.

Briggsy at age one:

1. Dances when he hears music, it is so cute.
2. He can crawl really fast.
3. He can walk around furniture,
4. and for periods of time stand all by himself.
5. He tries really hard to walk and it will not be long before he is whizzing around.
6. He eats non-stop.
7. He loves applesauce, bananas, and cheese.
8. He screams constantly, mostly because he wants more food, or held.
9. He will fold his arms when its time for prayer.
10. Super smart. He knows how to take a cord and try and plug it in the wall.
11. He mimics everything. Like brushing your hair or Abby climbing and jumping.
12. He has been pretty sickly this last year being afflicted with but not limited to: Pink eye (in both eyes), Bronchulitis, pneumonia, has been in the ER, sent for chest x-rays twice, acid reflux, vomiting spells, allergies, sever diaper rash, eczema and I am sure there are more.
13. He is very mischievous
14. He has me wrapped around his little fat fingers.
15. He is a mommas boy and I hate to say it but, I love it!
16. He is a little brick, since he always wants held, I either have a back ache or a headache since he screams until he is picked up.
17. He just recently started sleeping through the night.
18. He likes to have his teeth brushed and says awww when I get the stuff out.
19. Speaking of teeth he has 6 but there are several trying to poke through right now.
20. He stopped nursing as of about a week and a half ago.
21. He hates milk and dislikes yogurt. Like I said he loves cheese.
22. Abby can make Briggs laugh so easily and he loves her.
23. Briggsy is getting much more vocal and he has a strong set of lungs.
24. He loves to take baths and will stick his face in the water trying to mimic Abby.
25. I think 95% of the time we went to the pool this summer he fell asleep in it.
26. He brings so much joy and laughter to our family.
27. He is a handsome little devil.
28. Unlike his sister he loves to snuggle at this age, I am sure that will change eventually.
29. He throws things all the time. Whether its food or toys you never know what will come flying your way.
30. Like his sister he is becoming a biter and has bitten Seth, Abby and myself, leaving teeth marks and sometimes bruises.
31. I know I can say so much more, he has is 1 year check up in a few days so I will update his stats later. But is suffices me to say that I love the little squirt and he has been a happy surprise to our family.

His personal cakeThe cake for everyone elseGetting some grub Becky a new cousin Uncle Dan and Aunt LindsayAbby's new favorite cousin Leah Papa and cousin Heidi Jerad and ClaireIzzy Getting ready for the presents
He loved this hot wheels from Aunt Tracy Abby assisting while Briggs decides to sit on the present rather than open it. A new toy from Papa and Nana

Cake time

He didn't care about being messy, the difference between siblings.

Taking him to the bath

What?

He can walk for days with this walkerAbby being a hamRiding his new rocket from grandma and grandpa Little goof

I took so many pictures but because it was so dark not all of them turned out. Bummer since there were so many people there. Here are a few videos of Briggs and his cake. Thanks to everyone for the presents and being there.