Daddy's little helper

On Wednesday night, Richie and I were sanding the sheet rock in Michael's new room while Michael was sitting in our bed watching the Wonder Pets (his new obsession). That lasted about two episodes and then he was determined that he was going to help us sand. I just had to laugh and let him. He grabbed a sponge and started rubbing the wall just like Daddy! Of course, it was too cute so I had to run and get the camera to capture the moment. It didn't take long before he was covered head to toe in dust (as we all were). I took him to the shower and we got cleaned up. Everytime we walk by his room, he points and says "Oh, look at Daddy's mess!". It is quite funny. We are hoping to get the room finished except for the floor by Sunday night and then lay the floor the first part of next week. I will post pictures as soon as it's done!!

Take me out to the ballgame.....

This weekend we met a very good friend of mine and her family in Chattanooga to eat dinner and go to a Lookouts game. It was Michael's first baseball game - and he didn't care much about it. But, he did have fun playing with Kelly's girls. We had a good time and hope to do it again soon! Here are some pictures.

Michael playing in the water outside the Aquarium.

Chillin' at the game in my shades!

Me and Mommy with my foam finger!

The Becker girls - Lily (3 years), mom Kelly, and Ella (20 months)

The Deck.....

Well, here it is. The deck that was built over Memorial Day weekend. The deck that ended up bigger than we realized. The mammoth deck. But, we love it. And I am very proud to say that I had a big hand in helping to build it (and , yes, it is sturdy and won't fall down!) Richie still has to go back and add a single step along the front and then we are going to plant some little bushes along the edge to make it look pretty! (Maybe then Brownie will stay out from under it!). Richie saved some of the brick that he took down when he installed the french doors to build back in on the left side of them where you see the plywood. As you can see in the picture, to the left is a pool that mom bought for Michael for his birthday. Well, we have yet to get in the pool because Michael is TERRIFIED of it. And he loves water, which is one reason she got it! He loved the pool he had last summer and so we were going to get a bigger one this year so we could all play in it and now he won't go near it. He won't even play outside!! We are going to work on getting him out there and in it maybe this weekend. If we succeed, I'll post a picture!!

Happy Father's Day!

Here is a picture of my boys from Father's Day last Sunday. Aren't they gorgeous?

Audrey Caroline

This link was passed along to me by a good friend of mine earlier this week. I have finally finished reading the entire story of this family and I must say, it has touched me like nothing else ever has. I feel like this woman is my new best friend - and we have never spoken. She puts into words the things that I have been feeling over the past three months that I couldn't find the words to express. Finally, someone who understands EXACTLY how I feel. Sisters in sorrow. When you have a chance sometime, please check out this blog. Your life will be changed forever by her words and the story of this precious baby girl who is with my beautiful Caden, watching over us every day.

www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com

Thank you Casey, for sending me this at a time when i needed it very, very much. I love you.

Back to Work.....

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted all week but, unfortunately, I have gone back to work. I really wasn't ready but I had to go back. My patients were all glad to see me and most of my co-workers have made me feel welcomed back. My best friend, Lisa, called me Monday afternoon to check on me and she asked me if anyone had said anything "stupid" and at the time I answered "no". But as I was thinking about my day, I realized that one of my co-workers had made a comment about my being off three months and that she wished she could have had three months off. At the time she said it, I didn't really think anything about it. But, it really hurt my feelings as I looked back on it that night. It's not as if I was laying on the beach somewhere with a good book taking a vacation from work! Um, I have been thru hell and back the past three months and what right is it of ANYONE to say how long is an appropriate time to take off after losing a baby?!? Well, I tried to get over that and go on with my week. Until yesterday. A comment was made (by the same person no less) as I was discussing some of the things we are doing around the house. I was asked "Where are you getting the money to do all this stuff around your house since you've been out of work for three months?!". Um, first of all, our financial situation is of NOBODY's business but our own. Second of all, there's the three month off comment again. I know that this person probably isn't meaning to hurt me with these words, but they are. Then, to top it all off, today I found out some comments that were made about me while I was gone by some of my co-workers that I thought I was very close to. They evidently were also questioning the fact that I wasn't back at work yet and that they just didn't know how we were making it. If these comments were made out of concern, instead of catty gossip, I might could understand. Until someone knows the pain of not wanting to get out of bed everyday, until you understand the sorrow of having your arms literally ache at night as you are rocking your other child to sleep as you cry over the fact that you are never going to get to rock your baby to sleep, until you understand what it's like to literally have a part of you die, until you know what it's like to not be able to hold your baby until it is no longer breathing, until you go to sleep looking at your child's ashes in a box on your dresser, until you understand what it's like to live each day like you are in a nightmare and you keep hoping someone will wake you up soon - DON'T QUESTION ANY OF MY DECISIONS! For the most part, everyone else has been great. In fact, today I finally got the chance to sit down with one of my very best friends at work and tell her Caden's story. She was out on maternity leave when I was put into the hospital and it has been hard for both of us to really be able to sit and talk to each other until today. But, we got that chance and we cried, laughed, and cried some more as I told her about Caden. That helped me. I enjoy talking about him. To me, it keeps his memory alive. I'm sorry if this post has been a little "angry" but I just needed to vent. Thank you all for "listening". I love you all.

I checked it out!

While at the family reunion, Richie and Michael went down to the woods to explore. While looking around, Michael asked Richie "Daddy, what's that?" (one of his favorite phrases)...so, Richie answered him "I don't know, let's go check it out". After that, Michael ran back up to the house and told me "Mommy, I checked it out!" It was so funny because he emphasized the OUT! I took this video clip with my camera the other night trying to get him to say it. At the end, he says "cheese" because that's what he does now anytime he sees the camera!! Enjoy!

Potty Time!!

Ohmigosh!! Michael actually went pee-pee in the potty tonight for the first time!! Forgive me for being so excited but it was a big milestone for us! He has become very interested in the potty in the past couple of weeks and has been talking about it alot but not actually done anything but sit on it. Well, tonight as I was cooking dinner, he told me he wanted to go pee-pee in the potty. Shocked, I took him into the bathroom, pulled down his shorts, took off his diaper, and he sat down. I ran to get the camera just to take a picture of his sitting there and he got a funny look on his face. I thought he was just embarrased by me taking a picture but then he stood up and went to Richie and said "Daddy, I pee pee in the potty!" I thought he was just kidding but when I looked in the potty, it was full!! I was so excited I screamed! I think I scared him a little. Anyway, I guess we are on the way to potty training!! He is also moving up to the next class at school. My little baby is growing up so fast!

Family Reunion

This past weekend, we went to Mommy's Milligan family reunion in Vidalia, GA. I had a lot of fun playing on Uncle Billy's farm and meeting all my new relatives (this was the first time Mommy and Daddy have gone to a reunion since I was born). Mommy said she was very impressed with how quickly I became attached to my family since I had never met them before and I usually am very leery of people I don't know. Mommy said I must have sensed that this was family! We had lots of good food and good fellowship - although, it was EXTREMELY hot. I think the high reached 101 degrees! But, all in all it was a great trip and I look forward to going back again next year. Here are some pictures from the weekend....

*Playing ball with my cousin, Milligan. (Mommy and Milligan's mommy, Bronwyn, reminisced over the fact that they can remember playing together when they were our ages!)

*Leading Aunt Biddy around. She was lots of fun to play with!!
*Me and my cousin Emma playing in the dirt. We had a blast, much to the dismay of our mommies who had to clean us up!
*The Milligan clan*

(From L-R) My great-grandpoppy Joe, Uncle Rufus, Aunt Biddy, Aunt Bernese, Uncle Billy, Uncle Paul, and Uncle Mayo.
(Aunt Frances had already gone home.)

*This is how I spent most of the ride home on Sunday. I was worn out! It's hard playing all the time!

Before and After.....

Over Memorial Day weekend, my best friend and her family came up for Michael's party. Little did Damien know that he was coming to work! On Sunday, he and Richie took out the window and door in our kitchen and put in French doors. They look wonderful! Here are the before and after shots, along with one of Michael and Georgia helping clean up!

Maybe this means I am finally on my way to getting a new kitchen!!

Seriously, Mom.....

Mom always makes me say "cheese" and smile in my Sunday clothes so she can take a picture. She says I'm just too darn cute when I get dressed up. It's rough being so handsome all the time! (I don't like having my picture taken!)