Changes

Lots of things going on in September that has left blogging on the back-burner.  The stress we like to call life has taken over -- but a new normal is starting to sink in around here allowing more time for things like posting about life and our kids on my blog.  Both Aaron and I are dealing with career changes this month...some of it planned some if it not.  But it is what it is and we are taking each day as it comes!

Short and sweet tonight, but I wanted to post something.  Some pics of the kiddos below...these little kids have no idea how much their sweet blue eyes and giggles light up our household.  Thank God for my Sweet Babies :)



Addy loving on her brother...not so sure if he's enjoying it!

 


Going for a walk...Addy likes to run but then she'll stop and say "mom, I need to get some energy!" and then run again.  I love what they pick up on and that they have NO IDEA what they are saying but they say it anyway!



Our Harley boy :)  Thanks Papa Lowell for the outfit you got him for Christmas....he's worn it several times!

  

Team Anderson Friendship Bracelets!

Addy was obsessed with making friendship bracelets after watching a Dora episode that included some...so her and I made some one weekend.  Aaron was THRILLED that him and Blake got to wear pink/purple/blue bracelets on their ankles :)  Ha -  he is such a good sport and good daddy!

10 Months

Not too much is new for Blake since the post about his 9th month.  He is still loving his food --- a lot!  He is a very happy baby, but like I have mentioned before, when he's mad - he shows it!  He has a bit of a little temper.  I can't say much though, according to my sisters - I had a temper when I was a baby, so maybe Blaker is my payback for that!

He is pulling himself up on everything and walks around things.  He sometimes stands alone without realizing it.  It will definitely be interesting to see how quickly he gets the courage to stand on his own and/or walk.  It doesn't appear to be TOO far off, but I know it could still be a while also...

Blaker has started to say a few words.  The most consistent is "uh-oh".   A little ironic, that was Addy's first word too.  He says it at the right time too, which is almost always an indication that he has purposely dropped his sippy cup or some food onto the floor!  :) I am trying to get him to say mama and dada.  He says them, but not necessarily to either one of us so I'm not sure if it would be one of his words yet.

He still only has his 2 bottom teeth.  His top 2 front teeth have been right below the surface FOREVER now and also his next 2 on the bottom.  Seriously, they have to pop through any day now!!! 

He's just getting so so big.  It is so fun to watch him and Addy interact.  They love to play with eachother and giggle and such.  It's such a cool thing to witness.  I hope they always stay buds :)

One of the best characteristics Blake has is that he is a cuddler.  Not just with me, Aaron, or Julie (daycare) - but with pretty much anyone.  If you are holding him, he'll look at you all serious as if to check you out, and then he almost ALWAYS lays his head right in to your shoulder and cuddles.  BEST. CUDDLER. EVER.  I swear!  The other morning he woke up before anyone else had (other than me...I get up way to early these days!) and after I fed him his bottle, we sat in the chair for a while in the dark and cuddled.  I didn't want him to move and was totally loving that moment...I can't believe his first birthday is right around the corner. 

Why do babies grow up?  Bummer on that!



Handsome Man with his hair all styled by dad.  Tina - recognize the shirt?  :)





The kid loves his food.  And loves to be a messy eater!



Playing with his sister in her princess tent!

 

The look that melts his mommy's heart every time.  He's had this look since the day he was born...if he doesn't outgrow it, he's going to break girls hearts between this look and his cuddles :)



The Million Dollar Barrette!

Well, a few weeks back, we had quite the ordeal - to say the least.

It was a typical Friday morning - I was rushing to get me and the kids out the door.  Like toddlers sometimes are, my little Addalyn was being a bit "challenging" and not wanting to do what her mommy told her to do.  After asking her a few times to take a barrette out of her hands/mouth and give them to mommy...I had mentally decided to take the "pick and choose your battles approach" and let it go, deciding that I'd get the barrette from her once she was in her carseat.  Blake and I left the room when all of a sudden I heard what I thought was Addy throwing up. 

Unfortunately she wasn't throwing up...she was choking on the barrette.  After hitting her back a few times with no results, the barrette finally slipped down in to her tummy.

I say finally, because for her to continue choking......well, it could've been a lot worse than a barrette slipping into her tummy. 

Anyway, after the initial scare, Addy was acting fairly normal - talking fine, breathing fine, in decent spirits.  But, of course I called the doctor!  We got the first appt. we could to get Addy looked at.  After an x-ray and consults with the pediatric "stomach" doc, they decided to remove the barrette surgically.  Due to it's size, they did not want to risk having her pass the barrette...it was metal and could've puncture a colon wall or something.

They put her under anesthesia and went down with a scope through her mouth into her stomach. 

 Because of my phone, I got to document the day. 

Getting ready for her x-ray to see where the barrette was in that body of hers

 

"I got an x-ray and got fun stickers...life is good!"


  

The barrette.....in my daughters tummy.....seriously!




Daddy with Addalyn in recovery




My Poor Babe



Home & Feeling Good :)



Flowers from her daycare friends Autumn & Kyra...how sweet!



The barrette - the one on the left is what went in, the one on the right is what happens to barrettes after they sit in stomach acid!

Initially after things happened, and through the day, I was just going through the mommy motions and although I was shaking like crazy after the choking incident, I never really thought about the moment all day.  I got choked up when I saw them put on the hospital bracelet and it hit me she was having SURGERY.  Aaron got choked up when he was back in the OR with her and trying to calm her to get her under anesthesia - she was scared and crying, and apparently when people go under anesthesia their breathing and such gets weird ---- that was hard on Aaron. 

That night, after everything had settelled, I COULD NOT SLEEP.  I kept reliving the visualization of her choking and how scared I was.  And, I realize that it could've been so much worse.  And, it may sound silly, but I think I have thought about that almost daily since and thanked God for actually allowing the barrette to go into her tummy.  Choking scares me.  Really scares me. 

I joke that this is quite an expensive barrette - because of health insurance deductibles and such.  But in all honesty, it really is a priceless one -- because to me, my little Addy-babes is worth more than any money could provide - and I'm so thankful that things turned out as good as they did.