a weekend full of fun!

I am ready for the "wodeo"

This cowgirl has her boots and her hat!

This cowgirl didn't have boots or a hat, but she was ready!

We have had a wonderful weekend and so weren't looking forward to Monday morning!!  We took the girls to their first rodeo, or "wodeo" as Madeline says, Friday night.  Parklane sponsored their 7th annual rodeo at the Pike County Fairgrounds.  Madeline had told everyone at daycare that she was going to wear her boots and her hat.  I didn't know what hat she was talking about until we got home.  Before we left, she said that she needed to get her hat that was in her playroom.  She came out with a hat that she had gotten from a birthday party and it was too cute!!  She has a mind like a steel trap! 

Madeline was in complete awe at all the animals and cowboys and cowgirls!  Now Chandler on the other hand, not so much!  It was way past her bedtime and sister was getting tired of people watching and was ready for her bed.  Since this was our first rodeo with children, I never even thought about where we would go to the bathroom.  You know where this is going, don't you?!  Almost as soon as we got situated, Madeline declares, "I gotta go potty!"  So, her and I went off in search of a potty.  I am looking for BATHROOMS...not porta-potties, which is what ended up using.  All I can say is that it is bad enough going into one of those nasty places alone, but just add a wiggly, whiny three-year-old with you and it is a recipe for disaster!!  We get in and she immediately says, "NO MAMA, I not wanna go in there!!"  I know that that potty was a-rockin' cause it was like wrangling a goat inside that nasty thing!  So out we go without using the bathroom.  We saw one of her little friends from daycare and chatting with her and her Mama for a minute before Madeline starts doing the potty dance, saying "I gotta go!"  This time we went into one that had a white seat, so it looked a little bit like a real potty.  Can we say that I had to force her to let me hold her over it?!?  She went as soon as I held her over it...whew!!  I must love Madeline Randall Smith, because I wouldn't have done that for just anyone!!  And next time, I am just going to take her in the bushes and be done with it! Oh and her Daddy will be taking her, too!  haha

We ran into Nanny B and Hunter Ray's parents, Sue and Greg, and Madeline got extra spoiled rotten sitting in Ms. Sue's lap and Mr. Greg taking her to a better spot to see the action.  By this time Chandler was over the rodeo and there was no satisfying her, so Greg bribed Madeline to leave by saying that she could go pet the bull.  There was this huge bull, that I thought was stuffed because he wasn't moving at all, that you could take pictures with.  I knew where this was headed, but this was one step closer to the car.  The closer we got to the bull, the more Madeline climbed on Kris.  She wasn't having any part of that big, ole bull!!  But we had paid our money and they had put the "first rodeo" sign up for us and I had gotten Chandler out of her stroller.  All I can say is this is a memory we will laugh about for a long time, oh and we will laugh about the picture, too....

Madeline's face is priceless and Chandler couldn't care less!!  Kris and I look way more excited than them! haha

Saturday night was a long overdue date night for Mama and Daddy!!  We had gotten tickets to see Jamey Johnson at Bear Creek and were looking forward to it.  The girls went to Nana and Pops's to spend the night and we went with our friends, Benny and Michelle, to the Hitchin' Post in Tickfaw to eat.  Let me just tell you that I wouldn't have stopped there to eat if we hadn't have been with them!!  It resembled an old, painted barn, with no signs that indicated it was even a restaurant.  We took a chance and had one of the best steaks we had ever eaten!!  I am not lying!  We were pleasantly surprised and can't wait to go back!  Then we headed to see Jamey Johnson.  Now, just a little background about this man.. Kris LOVES old music, like really old music.  I tell him all the time, he was born during the wrong time.  Jamey Johnson sings this kinda music even though he is a popular singer today.  We saw him sing on the Coast a year ago with Benny and Michelle and let's just say that Kris had him a good, ole time!  He enjoyed listening to all that music, now me on the other hand, I had fun seeing Kris have such a good time and getting out of the house.  We give and take, right?!?  So, I have to admit that I wasn't as excited about seeing Jamey Johnson as I was about having a date night.  We met up with some other friends and had a good time, but we learned a few things.  The first thing is that this particular venue brought in a whole different crowd, lots of interesting people to watch.  Second, it was hard to hear him and there were entirely too many people (those same interesting people whom I didn't want sitting right next to me).  And lastly, we have gotten too old to stay out so late; therefore, we slept in and took a nap Sunday afternoon!!  Not kidding, we can't hang like we used to and I am pretty sure we are both okay with that.  Our lives have certainly changed, but they have changed for the better..

Jamey Johnson

Sunday was spent with Kris's family, as always, with good food and a good visit.  We finished the weekend with a great Revival sermon before we had to prepare for the week.  Weekends like this are what life is all about..spending time with the ones you love, making memories that will last a lifetime!

until next time,
Megan

I typically don't like them to dress just alike, but these were gifts and I couldn't resist!

Big sissy didn't want little sissy to wear her bow anymore..who knows why!!

I didn't ask her to do this, she loves her sissy so much!

Smart girl using her "markets" (markers)

Look at me holding my head up so good!

I see you!

Whew...after all that hard work I need to rest and suck my thumb!

eight weeks since surgery

Wow, has it really been eight weeks since Chandler's surgery?!?  It certainly has flown by, but I guess that is a good thing!  We went to Jackson yesterday to see Dr. Parnell, and we took big sis too.  She has never been with us for a cardiology appointment and she may not go back!  No, she really was very good but she distracted us from listening!  We took the toys that were donated for Madeline's birthday and what a good feeling that was!  We would like to thank everyone who donated for such a wonderful cause..just a little something we could do to give back.  We all have so much to be thankful for..

The appointment went smoothly until we had to do her vital signs.  She had lost just a little weight but no big deal.  The machine beeped when it checked her blood pressure..uh oh!!  That &@#% machine again, taking me back to that dark hole...  Anyway, it must have been set for older kids because they didn't mention it again.  Then she got her oxygen sats...which was 97 at our last appointment but was now 92 and wasn't getting any higher.  GRRRRRR  Remember we battled those darn numbers in the hospital?!?  95%-100% is where she should be.  The nurse did recheck it later and it was 97, thank goodness!  We went straight to get her echo done, and by this time she was getting annoyed..wonder if it had anything to do with her mama's blood pressure?!  haha  I will let you decide if she liked it or not...

What's going on here?!

I am not so sure about this!!

MAMA!!!  HELP ME!!! (real tears!)

I know what you are thinking, "That poor baby, her mama is so mean!!"  However, she stopped crying immediately after I took the pictures, and I came to the rescue with her paci.  You can't say that little round, red, mad face isn't the cutest thing!!  And you better believe that the little mama in the room was checking on her sissy and wondering what in the world that lady was doing to Chandler!  One of our dear friends, Briana, works there but has never done one of Chandler's echo cardiograms, but we did get to have a good visit with her though.  It helped to pass the time getting to talk about our girls!  They also did an EKG and then we waited, and waited, and waited.  During this time, I was really getting nervous.  I just didn't have a good feeling and I don't even know why.  Mama's intuition, I guess.  Buuuutt, boy was I wrong this time!!!  Dr. Parnell came in by saying, "How's my favorite girl?"  I asked my list of questions and we talked a little and then she said, "About the echo...."  Oh no, here it comes, I am expecting the worst possible news.  Only to be beyond surprised with, "Her heart looks great!!  Even better than it did six weeks ago!!  I had to look for the leak!!"  WOW..all I can say is GOD IS GOOD!!!  He has been a miracle worker in our sweet girl!!  Chandler does still have a mild leak, which is good and part of the heart is "floppy" but they will just monitor it, nothing to worry about.  Dr. Parnell just bragged and bragged and said that Chandler is still her poster child!  How nice to hear some positive news..just what this neurotic mama needed to hear.  We don't have to go back until June 5th, and she will continue the aspirin until the middle part of May and the blood pressure meds.  There is a possibility to ween off of those when we go back in June :) 

There were two extremely proud parents and an even more excited sister who was jumping around and laughing!!  All she knew was that Chandler's bobo on her heart was getting much better and we were all happy!  Of course, everyone treated her like a princess (diva), giving her suckers, stickers and a toy.  We left with only one toy, but if it would've been up to Madeline and her new buddies in the clinic, she would've left with much more!!  That girl is something!  We went to eat supper when we left, and Madeline felt the need to tell the waitress, "My name is Madeline Smith, I am 'free' years old.  His name is Daddy, her name is Mama, and her name is Chandler..hers my sissy."  She makes us laugh so much!  On the way home she said, "Whew, that song was making me asleep!"  Guess it was making her sleepy..we wonder where she comes up with all this stuff! 

One more funny story about Madeline...she likes to wait until the very last minute to potty especially when she is outside.  In fact, when her Daddy has her outside with him, he lets her go.  Yes, it's a site to see but she thinks it is hilarious and she gets the job done!  So at Ms. Misa's the other day, she waited until the last minute.  In the meantime a little boy had tee teed through the fence.  Well, Miss Thang thought that she could just do that too and go back to playing.  WRONG!!!  Lisa said she was trying, but all she did was wet her clothes.  She told her that that wasn't going to work and Madeline said, "I think you are right!"  Poor baby but how funny?!?

We are looking forward to Shimmy coming home this weekend, but not to Daddy having to work Saturday.

until next time,
Megan

Madeline and her friend Pascal thanks to Nanny B!!

sacked out!

snoozing

Easter 2013

Chandler's first Easter!!

Easter has come and gone and it is now April!!  Wow, where did the time go?!? 

I will start with Good Friday, which we all had off that day.  Chandler and I went to the doctor for her six month shots :( while Daddy and Madeline planted the garden.  When I asked Madeline what she would rather do..go to the zoo or plant the garden.  Her reply was, "Ummm, I plant vegetables with Daddy!"  So, that is what they did and I know one Daddy who was pretty proud!!  They fought over the rake, and he said we might have peas sprouting up all over the garden, but so what, that's how memories are made!  Chandler is now 14 lbs and 24 inches long...she has gained two pounds in six weeks!!  We are so proud of both of our big girls :)  Dr. Charles was very impressed with how well she is doing since her surgery and said that he had missed seeing us.  It's so very hard to believe that six weeks ago, our girl was having open heart surgery and just look at her now...

Her scar looks soooo good!

It's unbelievably hard to capture her sweet smile!!

Look how excited she was!!  It's the little things in life..

Chandler also got to experience her first real Walmart (hellmart) trip and it wore her out!

Saturday was the Easter egg hunt at church.  Chandler was feeling kinda grumpy from her shots, but seeing Nanny B perked her right up!  And if I could describe Madeline with one word from the egg hunt, it would be "diva!"  That girl had Shimmy holding her basket and Hunter putting eggs in it for her!!!  What a way to hunt eggs!  She is rotten, that's for sure, but they allow that sassy-britches to boss them around! haha

ready to hunt some eggs!

listening to the story

bring my bucket!

All this bossing, whoops, I mean, egg hunting is hard work!!

Well, after hunting all those eggs, we kept with tradition, as Shimmy, Madeline and I have done the last two years and headed to Super D to get the girls picture made with the Easter bunny, or so we thought!  All Madeline could talk about was taking a picture with the Easter bunny and was so excited!  (Which she was excited last year too, but we have no picture since she absolutely REFUSED to get in his lap!!)  And this being Chandler's first Easter and all, she had to have her picture with the Easter bunny, right?!  So, we get there and guess what..the Easter bunny had gone home!!!!  Can you believe that?!?!  So we had a very disappointed three year old and thirty three year old...  I felt like I had let my big girl down, and she probably wasn't even going to get in his lap, but that's not the point.  We get back in the car and go to Walmart and let her pick out a big stuffed bunny and that was that!  She loves her "Easter bunny" who sleeps with her every night now, and I promise to do better next year...there goes my "mother of the year" award..haha

Since Kris had to work at the firehouse Saturday, and he didn't get home until 9:00 Easter morning, the Easter bunny visited our bedroom after Kris got home.  Wasn't that sweet of the bunny?!?

Our bunnies must have been good!

For me?!?

My loves M&M's!

Everything dumped on the floor, even Chandler's!

"I got a fishing pole and my Daddy is going to take me fishing!"

Since the Easter bunny came late, that kinda made us run a little late!  So, we flew to church to a packed house and I stayed in the nursery with the girls.  It is so much fun to watch Madeline play with other children or play by herself, which she does most of the time.  It used to bother me that she didn't want to play with others but that is her personality and what makes her unique!  We went out to Kris's Mamaw Dot's for lunch and my Mama, Daddy and Mamaw joined us.  It is so nice that we can all get along and that we don't have to have separate gatherings for the holidays.  We really are so blessed and thoroughly enjoyed the day with our family, watching Madeline hunt for eggs and play with the big girls.  And remembering why we were celebrating this joyous day...He is risen!!

headed to church

headed to church

Us with Nana, Pops and Mamaw Dot

My heart is so full of love for these two girls..

All this celebrating is hard work!

Happy Easter from the Smiths..do you know how hard it is to get four people to look at the camera and smile or look like they are having fun?!?  I won't bore you with the other takes, but they are pretty funny!!

counting my many blessings,
Megan