Quick update....

Hope this post finds that everyone is doing well. We're getting much warmer weather here so we've been out walking, sitting in the backyard, watching Jackson run around playing....the simple things in life.

Audrey is 12.5 pounds now. She just turned 3 months old on the 18th. She also decided she wanted to roll over yesterday when she was doing tummy time. I think it really scared her because she gave me this hhorrified look when she rolled over. She's also been playing in her Jumperoo. She LOVES to stand up on her legs so I figured she must be ready for the Jumperoo. Anytime you hold her, she kicks those legs and wants to stand.

I'm going to get her evaluated for torticollis (wry neck). Her head tilts to the left a little. It's likely a mild case, especially compared to Jackson's case of torticollis (and his physical therapist even said his was an easier case) but I still want to get her some physical therapy for it, if it's needed.

Jackson now says Audrey but it's more like, "Audddd-ddeeee." He also says picture, cracker, cookie, tractor, truck. Dare I tell you that he picked up the word SH*T too? Occasionally Dan or I will say that word and guess who picked it up. He was playing with the leaves on the shrubs outside yesterday and kept saying, "H*T, H*T, H*T, H*T." I wondered if that is what he was saying so I guess time will tell. On the other hand, we are teaching him great things and nice manners: he can say "thank you" and "love you." He also says "night night."

Smiling in the Jumperoo


Mesmerized


Up close


Tummy time -- she is smiling at Jackson








Dan's eyes


Jackson




Model pose....






Together

Quick little update....

More pictures of the kiddos:

What is it with my kids sleeping in Bumbo's?


Chewing on the fists stage (the beginning of the oral fixation...ugh!)


I don't know how tall she is but Audrey is soooo tall...I'm anxious for her next visit b/c I think she's grown so much in length (I need to measure her again!)


Closer-up


Finally the fists come down...


She wasn't happy with Mom for making her take her fists out of her mouth...mean Mommy!


Happy Girl!


Dan killed his first Gobbler on Saturday. It was a combined effort between Dad, Mark & Dan. Mark & Dan went hunting together and Dad was by himself. After an hour of not seeing anything, Mark & Dan went over to where Dad was hunting. Dad was on the trail of a gobbler, Mark called it in and Dan killed it! It was 19lbs, 8ounces. Big ol' bird! And, of course, Jackson's new work -- TURK-KEY!




Dan & Jackson yesterday; look at how GREEN & lush everything is looking. Summer is on its way!


Jackson heard & spotted an airplane


One of my dear friends online (she's another July/August 2006 Mommy) made Audrey a crocheted dress. It's absolutely beautiful and totally hand-made. I cried when I saw it. It's just perfection and is stunning! I took pictures of her in it and I have a couple pictures of her in it. She was very sleepy when I took the pics so they aren't very good. My friend also made her a hat that matches it. I put it on her and when I looked at the pictures on the computer, I was amazed at the resemblance between Audrey & Dan. Don't know why I am amazed; we all know the Peters' genes are stronger than mine but still. I've thought (and others too!) for a long time that Audrey had my eyes (the shape and color) but this picture shows otherwise....what do you think?


The many faces of Audrey....

Jackson Flipping.....

Oh thank heavens, she slept thru the night....

Miss Priss decided to sleep through the night last night. Can I just tell you how refreshed I feel? So what if I did still get up 3 times last night to make sure she was still breathing? It sure was nice to sleep! Prior to this, she was sleeping from 8:30PM-3:30AM. She would only wake up for 10 minutes and nurse, then right back down. But still, the disturbance in my sleep was enough to drag me down (on top of Dan hitting the snooze button at 5AM every 10 minutes for an hour straight some mornings....we won't go into that:>)). Not that I expect this to occur again or anytime in the near future, but once in a blue moon is nice. At least I know that she CAN sleep through the night. I did notice that she has been decreasing the length of her 3:30AM nursing but I didn't put too much thought into it.....maybe this trend will continue.....a Mom can dream right?

Audrey also received her 2 month shots this past Friday. She received 4 separate shots (our pediatrician doesn't like the combo vaccines) and one oral vaccine, the rotavirus. Poor thing, she was miserable. She was doing okay until 7PM Friday night, at which point she proceeded to whail for 2 hours straight. Keep in mind that Audrey RARELY cries so it was awful to see her crying so hard and to be in such pain. She lived on Tylenol Friday evening, Saturday and into Sunday morning. Dan was very mad at me for allowing her to get 4 shots at one time and told me point blank that she was never to get 4 shots at one time again. I completely agreed so next time, we're doing 2 at a time and I will bring her back in a week or two later to do the next 2 shots. Our pediatrician thought it was better for not to receive the Pertussis part of the dTaP vaccine. Both my brother and I had reactions to this part of the vaccine (alot of children do!) so we will do the Pertussis vaccine later, maybe when she is 15-18-24 months. I won't go into the severe reactions and consequences that can happen due to this vaccine but my pediatrician was concerned enough that he decided not to give it to her. EEK!

Audrey is now 12 pounds and at least 23 inches. I can't get a good measurement on length but she's at least 23 inches. The scale reads 12 pounds when I weigh her. She's filling out and has chunky monkey legs. She also has the strongest legs imaginable. She already stands on them. She's been doing this for 3-4 weeks. Of course, I hold my hands underneath her arms and around her chest, lightly, but she can honestly stand on her own. Jackson never did this until 3-4 months old so I know Audrey is doing something special. Apparently my cousin Mandy did this at an early age, like Audrey and guess what age she walked at -- 7 months!?! Oh Lord, hope this isn't any foreshadowing! I guess a video is in order for this!

Same ol', same ol' with Jackson! Into everything, learning new words all the time. His new words for this week are apple, banana (actually, it's "nan-ah"), meow (in response to our question of what a kitty says), sister. There are more, I just can't think of all of them right now. He also learned how to do a somersault/flip. Ms. Risha will ask him to do a flip and lo & behold, flip he does. I'll have to get a video of him doing it; it's hysterical!

Dan & I are doing well. Dan's been putting in some long hours at work. He also got selected to go to a special 3-4 week school. I'll have to get him to explain what it is so be on the look out for that blog post.

Dad has completed 9 radiation treatments (as of today)! He has 19 more to go so he's almost 1/2 way there. He says it's going really well. I guess the thought of it was worse than actually getting it done (which is the way life is eh?). Once he gets done with this, he'll have 2-3 chemo treatments, though 2 is more likely the doctor's choice. I think our family would feel better with 3 treatments! Dad's nausea has dissipated and he is feeling more like himself. He still has occasional nausea from that awful Fentanyl withdrawal (bad stuff!) and he is experiencing fatigue, which is a side effect of the radiation. Otherwise, all is well and he's feeling much more like himself! He's even going turkey hunting tomorrow (he & Dan are), for it's the opening day. Hope he and Dan kill a big ol' gobbler (insert Hokie jokes at this point!).

Alas, the pix:

Jackson couldn't get his shirt off the top of his big ol' noggin....


If only all the dirty laundry wasn't in the pic


Cheesin'


"Okay, Ma, I'm getting tired of smiling...."


Up close & personal


Miss Priss, in something other than PINK! YA-HOO!


She does smile all the time, really....


Trying to get a good photo of the two together was interesting, to say the least. Let's just show you....

Jackson picking her nose!


He then took her pacifier; she wasn't happy!


Neither of them would stay still....notice the bluriness of the photo!


Back to picking her nose again -- WHY? Poor thing, Audrey has such patience with Jackson!


Won't stay still again....


Need I say more...??!?!


Another 10 pictures between these where I tried to get a good shot (I won't bore you with those....)

Now you sorta know how hard this was to capture on camera..


"WHEW, that was exhausting...I'm ready for a nap...." says Audrey! Who can blame her?


Until next time!! God bless!

Those are the smallest feet I have EVER seen....

So, I guess Audrey has really tiny feet like her Mommy. Mom & I went to Stride Rite (a children's shoe store) to get Audrey & Jackson summer sandals. I got both of them measured for their size sandals. First up was Audrey and the manager of the store was in shock at how tiny her feet were. I guess I wasn't all that shocked because I have such tiny feet (I wear a 5.5-6 size shoe) and I figured her feet were quite tiny, seeing as she's supposed to be wearing a size 1 and they are no wear close to fitting her currently. The manager measures her foot and lo & behold, Audrey's feet arn't even a size 0 yet. She promptly says, "Those are the tiniest feet I have EVER seen." And, of course, she is the manager of a children's shoe store.... I laughed and asked what size she thinks we should buy for the summer for Audrey. I was thinking a size 2 until we held up the size 2's to her feet and WOWSERS, HUGE. We went with a size 1 and the manager still feels like those are going to be too wide. She needs a narrow shoe and I'm not even sure if a children's shoe store even makes those. So, Audrey has tiny feet. At least she has SOMETHING of mine, right?

Her tiny feet in Dan's hand:


Dad's radiation commenced on Tuesday. He will have 5 weeks of radiation treatments. Dad is staying with his 2nd cousin, Judy, and her husband, Frank. Judy and Frank have been wonderful and are taking such great care of him. He still is feeling some nausea from withdrawal due to the narcotic (Fentanyl patch). He removed his last patch on Tuesday (9 days ago) but still is feeling withdrawal muscle twitches and nausea. Hopefully that stuff will be out of his system soon and he will start feeling better. The radiation has gone well and hopefully will continue to go well. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Dad has already lost 30 pounds (eek!) and we really hope he doesn't lose anymore.

Jackson is still learning and picking up new word after new word. There has been a vocabulary explosion lately. I can't even remember all the new words that he has said. He's definitely been using, "NO!" a lot more. He told Mrs. Risha the other day that he went "poopy" thereby letting her know that he needed to be changed. He also loves Daddy's cell phone. Well, who am I kidding? He loves ANYONE'S cell phone.

Exhibit A:


Exhibit B -- "Who is Jackson talking to?:"


Exhibit C -- "Enamoured by the phone:"


Exhibit D -- "Still enamoured....:"


Exhibit E -- "All MINE...."


Exhibit F -- "Time for chewing...."


Exhibit G -- "Back to talking on the phone..."


Exhibit H -- "Cheese for the camera...:"


Last weekend I figured out how to put bow's in Audrey's hair. Well, I figured out how to do them a while ago but this past weekend, I figured out how to do it so that it looked really cute on her. I just take an alfalfa sprout of hair and use the bow to make it stand straight up. I guess it may be a mix between "Alfalfa" and "Pebbles." Anyway, I thought it was cute and since anything goes on babies, why not?



We also took a bath-time picture of Audrey, just as we did with Jackson at this exact age. They look so similar at times, I just can't get over it. Here is Jackson at her age:

And Audrey:



And one last picture of Audrey & I from yesterday. Dan wanted a picture of Audrey, Jackson and I for his phone (hence the reason Jackson had Dan's phone in the above pictures) so we all posed for the picture. Jackson decided he couldn't stay still long enough for another photo with my camera, so it was just Audrey & I.


Dan's been doing well. He's been running alot lately to prepare for the Navy's Physical Readiness Test (PRT). He gets skinny so quick from running. He's been waking up early before work to go running. He had a teeth cleaning the other day on base. Well, you all know I had to inspect the work and I was rather disappointed. He informed me that the hygienist didn't use any of her instruments on him (never "scrapped" anything off) but instead used the Cavitron, which is the waterpik type thing. So, I definitely inspected because even when a hygienist uses the Cavitron, you ALWAYS use your instruments after b/c the Cavitron doesn't get every piece of build-up off. To my annoyance, Dan still had coffee stains and tartar build-up still on his lower anterior teeth. Not just a little bit, ALOT! I can clearly see it just by looking into his mouth. ERRR! How can someone say they cleaned his teeth and do such a cruddy job? I'd like to call and complain....but I'll just have to bring some instruments home and give him a proper cleaning. What is even more scary is that this is occuring with other unsuspecting people on base; hopefully she does a better job on other people! And the worst part is that Dan even informed her that his wife was a hygienist...you'd think she'd do better knowing that I'd want to make to look inside his mouth, to make sure all was well. Okay, off my soapbox!

That's about it!! Enjoy all the pictures!