Too Darn Hot!

It was ridiculously hot here in Nashville today, so the kids and I had to find some cool things to do.  

We started off the morning with some finger painting while Graham was napping.  As you can see, "finger" painting quickly turned into "whole-hand" painting.  I think it took longer to clean up than it did to create this masterpiece.

After Piper's long afternoon nap, I decided she needed to be able to get out and play.  I hauled her slide from the middle of the yard to the shade on the porch and put it in her little pool.  She was so excited for her own little water slide!  Baby Leia took many turns down the slide, too.

After many times down the slide, she insisted on sitting on her chair in the pool.  I guess she was that hot!

Notice all the water on the deck.  Ever time she came down the slide, she displaced more and more of the water outside the pool.  She made a game out of seeing how much water she could splash out with each slide.

And I just couldn't have a post without this sweet boy's picture in it :-).

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Belly Laughs

Graham was cackling at Piper the other day before dinner, and I was able to catch the last bit of it on camera.  I could listen to this all day long!





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Lake Trip

I made my first solo (but with the kids) trip to E. TN last weekend.  Piper was awesome in the car.  Graham--not so much.  I estimate that he cried approximately four hours of the 5.5 hour trip, both ways.  But of course we had fun once we reached our destination!

On our way!

Piper loves the little pool on the deck at the houseboat.

Kayaking with Nana 

Happy smiles!

Tam-Tam came to visit!

Piper kept busy taking Gramp's money and redistributing it to the rest of us.  

Aunt Sarah Beth reminded us that she used to keep Ian contained in a laundry basket at the lake when he was Graham's age.  It worked perfectly!

Little boy cousins

On the way home--Piper was desperately trying to tune out Graham's screaming so she could sleep.

Someone was excited to see Daddy after four days away!

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Firsts

We've hit a few milestones around here lately!

Piper caught her first fish!

Look at that face!

She said, "Look!  I catched a fishy!"

Graham took his first dip in the lake!

And he had his first boat ride!

And he cut his first little tooth!

It's hard to see here, but I promise it's there!  And tooth number two isn't far behind!

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Cousins

We were lucky enough to get together with the cousins this past weekend.  They seem to really like being around one another!

I love how this picture captures their personalities so well.  Graham is furiously working with his toy, and Channing is just lying there, content with his rattle.

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Little Momma

Never have I cared so much about poop.

Today Graham and I returned to the pediatric gastroenterologist for another checkup.  The doctor  was pleased with the improvement in Graham's naps (length) and his nighttime sleep (only waking to eat once in 11 hours).  He was satisfied with my description of Graham's improved demeanor.  He was glad that Graham is no longer dropping percentiles in weight.  But he was most happy about the dirty diaper that I brought for him to evaluate.  It was blood and mucous-free which means that we are doing something right!

I have permission to begin adding foods back into my diet, two weeks at a time.  I'm going to start with wheat, then eggs, and then fish.  Hopefully Graham's digestive tract is finally healed, and he won't react to anything.  Unless he has a major reaction, we do not have to return to the gastroenterologist until September.

AND...the doctor sent me home with four cans of formula.  That's like handing me $200!  I obviously won't be giving Graham formula full-time, but it's nice to have it when I can't be with him and to mix in his baby cereal.

If breast milk is "liquid gold," then this formula is gold dust!

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Disappointing news

I found out today that our insurance will not cover the cost of Graham's elemental formula.

I am so torn.  On one hand, I am not sure how I will be able to keep up this restrictive diet for much longer.  It is costly and very time-consuming to eat the way I must.  But at the same time, I cannot bring myself to shell out $50 for a can of formula that might last three days.  It's not really a matter of IF we could pay for it--we could, but it would definitely stretch our budget.  It's just the principle behind the cost.  Why pay $400 a month for something that my body CAN produce?

There's no easy answer.

All for this little guy

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Carnival!

After riding one at Sea World, Piper goes crazy every time she catches sight of a ferris wheel.  One of those sketchy traveling carnivals set up shop in a parking lot close to our house last week, and we have heard near-constant requests from a certain little girl to go ride the ferris wheel.  Today she got her wish, and a lot more!

Getting settled

Ready to ride!

Going around and around

Putting on the harness

Jumping!

Bouncing!

Higher, Daddy!

Click to watch

At the top of a giant and very fast slide

Make sure to click on this picture to see Piper's face.

I think this is the first time she has ridden a carousel and actually enjoyed it.

Having fun

Pretending to be Lightning McQueen (she was distressed that there were no red cars)

So much fun!

Check out that grin!

Serious driving

She was so proud to be able to drive by herself.

To say Piper enjoyed herself would be a gross understatement.  We paid a small fortune and probably risked her life, but she had so much fun!

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