The Barnes Family

Wyatt, You are 17 months old! I know I say this every time I write one of these updates, but I really can't believe that you are 17 months old! One day this stage is my favorite and I never want it to end and then the next it truly makes me want to pull my hair out! Just when I thought all might be lost, I read a couple of my favorite mommy bogs and they all described their toddlers going through the same thing, it's as if I could go down the list and put big check marks in the box.... -My child throws himself on the floor in tantrums-CHECK -Yells because they are so frustrated-CHECK -Cries for no reason (that we know of)-CHECK -Throws food or plates in frustration-CHECK Not everyday is a pull out my hair day. These are very rare! At 17 months you amaze me every single day. I wouldn't change it for anything! Here's what you have been up to..... SLEEP: You have been going to bed around 7:30/8 and sleeping until 6:15-7:45. I have to admit I don't like the 6:15 but luc...

My sweet, happy go lucky 17 month old, was not so happy go lucky today! He was with his Mimi and Papa until 11 this morning, then we met them for lunch and took over. He was okay at lunch and up until nap time but after nap I am not sure what happened. He fussed and cried all the way to the Cudos, all the way to the mall, brief moment of happiness when he was enjoying a cookie, total meltdown when the cookie was gone (TOTAL!!!!), cried through the mall to the bookstore, brief moment of happy while playing on train table, meltdown when we had to leave, cried all the way to dinner. One would think that we would have given in and headed home, but no mommy and daddy had their heart set on Japanese food and so we forged on! Miyabi had a wait of over an hour, let me check with the screaming kid in the back... NO! So Todd thought about trying the place next to the Country Club (I can't remember the name), there was no wait and seemed perfect. We put the chair in the middle of us and I bro...

I remember almost a year ago when a good friend of mine invited me to a lunch group, Friday's at noon. At that time in my life I needed it! I needed to get out and meet new friends, other ladies with children about the same age, going through the same thing. This was a life saver for me. I am not a very outgoing person and it's hard to make friends when you don't have a full time job. Long story made short.... I made some GREAT friends in that group. As all good things to do though, things changed, people moved on and life became a little crazy for all of us. So the lunch group is starting up again and even though some people have left, we have some new faces to get to know! Wednesday a couple of us went out for a ladies night out and it was great! Two new people for me to get to know and I feel like I have made two new life long friends. It's so refreshing to just have a night out with the ladies and yes, we may spend the whole night talking about our babies and what t...

Yesterday was my birthday and I must say it was wonderful! I got to celebrate Saturday with my family and then yesterday I dropped Wyatt off at Viviennes and went to look at preschool programs without the little man, followed by lunch with Todd (childless!), then dinner at Bonefish! I also got some very sweet cards from my husband and Wyatt! The only kink in the day was the indigestion I had, let me rephrase that... the indigestion I now seem to have on a regular basis! I was drinking Maalox on the way to Bonefish. I then decided that even though i had this little issue I still wanted the bang bang shrimp and after all it was my birthday and its my favorite. My the time they brought the food out, I had to excuse myself to use the restroom which turned into, THIS IS GROSS.... WARNING..... Me throwing up, three different times! Not only was this gross but extremely embarrassing, even though I made it to the bathroom! After that I felt much better! I had told Todd as we were driving there...

Pregnancy Highlights: How Far Along: 26 weeks Size of baby: McKinley is the length of an english cucumber. (I took this from someone else's sight.) Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not sure! Maternity Clothes : living in my jeggings and maternity shirts. Gender : It’s a GIRL Movement: Man can she kick and move all around Sleep: Getting up once at least once a night to use the restroom. What I miss: Turkey sandwiches!!! Oh, and eating without getting indigestion so bad that I throw up! Cravings : no real cravings, just hungry a lot more these days. I don't want to eat red meat. Symptoms : HORRIBLE indigestion!!! So bad I have gotten sick on a number of occasions. Best Moment this week : Having Wyatt kiss my belly when I said, "Can you give the baby a kiss!" Three different times I have asked him where the baby is and he will point to my tummy. So sweet!

For now all we have are pictures. No real updates! We are testing the waters!

Today was a snow day here in Augusta! Which meant the following for the Barnes Family.... -7:15 NO work for daddy! -7:30 making sweet cinnamon rolls for my boys! -PLAY TIME -8:45 shower without having to worry about Wyatt -MORE PLAY TIME -11:45 yummy turkey sandwiches and fruit for lunch -WATCH A LITTLE TOY STORY -story time followed by nap for Wyatt, daddy and mommy! 2 hours!!! -MORE FUN FAMILY PLAY TIME -daddy cooking us dinner -a little time checking out the snow or should I say ICE! -VERY YUMMY dinner made my daddy followed by some cookie cake left over from mommies birthday -Bubble bath with mommy in the big tub -story time in mommy and daddy's bed followed by bedtime for Wyatt and down time for us! It was a great day! Todd and I both realized that we can't remember the last time we spent an ENTIRE day in the house! It was a good one though and nice to have Todd's help. I hope he can stay home for a couple hours tomorrow!

I have never put my thoughts about this out there, mainly because I think everyone should make up their own mind about the issue and there is no right or wrong answer. No one person has all the answers. However, I am putting my thoughts out there because I also don't think people should just do whatever the doctor says without looking into it. So here goes my rant... Tuesday when I turned on the Today show, my attention was grabbed by one of their top stories, “Study linking MMR vaccine to autism a fraud!” Crap, I have to go get Wyatt out of bed and get to school and I will miss this! No need to fear, that’s what my DVR and the internet are for. When I finally did get the chance to read this article I was not very happy with it. Couple things I’d like to get off my chest about this….. ONE: no one can say for certain what causes autism! So don’t tell me what you know for sure that the MMR is safe and we should all run out and get it! TWO: everyone has different reactions t...

I have decided that I am going to continue to not give him his pacifier during the day unless it's nap or bedtime. We will take care of those at a later date. So yesterday was our first day! For part of the day he was with Valery and she said he seemed to do fine without it. After nap I let him keep it while we were in his room reading a book and after we finished I said, "Let's put the passy and lambie in the crib." He walked over and reached as high as he could and I helped him put both in the crib and say goodbye. We had a snack and then headed out to return something at BuyBuy Baby and then go to target before dinner at Carrabas to celebrate Uncle Douglas's birthday. There were moments at both stores when MOMMY wanted to use the pacifier! Then as the night went on, there were times when WYATT wanted it! He was never to bad, I could just tell that he wanted something. When he saw his lambie and passy for bedtime he was so excited he could hardly stand it! This ...

When Wyatt was about 8 or 9 months, I started to teach him a small amount of sign language. I did, "more", "drink", and "all done". It took a long time for any of it to stick. Then one day out of the blue he started to use "more" when he wanted something, he would also use "drink" and "all done" on occasion. An from the other funny moment I shared, he created his own for "hot". Well here is what I think is so FUNNY...... not only does the kid use it for food but he does it when he wants more of anything. It is so darn cute!!! Here are a few funny examples: -Daddy was playing hide and seek with him the other day and when he left Wyatt looked over at me and did the sign for "more". -I was tickling the little fellow today and when I stopped for a minute he did the sign for "more" and just smiled. I couldn't resist! -When Papa or aunt JenJen give him a horse ride (on the back), the very moment the...

So, I have been thinking about a lot these days....... -potty training -giving up the pacifiers -starting a new semester at school -Should I get Wyatt a flu shot -Should I look into a closer MDO program for next fall? -Will I be able to handle two kids under two? Those are just some of the thoughts running through my head these days. The one that I want your advice on is the pacifier thing. I've read about the pacifier fairy, saying goodbye to it in a build a bear, going cold turkey, etc. I am not convinced that at 16 months he will understand any of the above ways to get rid of it. I could wait until he is a little older, but I worry that as the days go by, he gets more and more attached and it will get harder and harder to take away. I have also noticed, that he will talk A LOT more when that thing isn't in his mouth! SO... What to do? He was good at giving up the bottle so I am hopeful that maybe he will be easy on this. Today I tried to limit it to the bedroom. Only use it ...

Pregnancy Highlights: How Far Along : 25 weeks (tomorrow) Size of baby: McKinley is as long as a recorder- you know the instrument that you played in elementary school. Total Weight Gain/Loss: 12 pounds total so far Maternity Clothes : living in my jeggings and maternity shirts. I hate maternity jeans! Got some nice new maternity clothes for Christmas! Gender : It’s a GIRL Movement: feeling her all the time. Kicks a lot more!! Sleep: Getting up once at least once a night to use the restroom and since little man has been sick, hearing his poor cough is also keeping me awake! What I miss: Turkey sandwiches!!! Cravings : no real cravings, just hungry a lot more these days. Symptoms : feeling great Best Moment this week: (that has to do with this pregnancy)-sending off the fabric to get the bedding made and getting her diaper bag for Christmas!! I love it!

2010 brought a lot of wonderful memories, most of them involving our son and watching him go from a baby to a toddler. I will always remember these sweet moments. However, 2010 brought a lot of bad memories and changes to our family as well. The year started with Morgan's death and it felt like it was all downhill from there. With all the challenges we faced, we faced them together and have somehow made it and become stronger because of them. I am not sad to see 2010 go. I am looking forward to seeing what 2011 will bring us. I know of a couple of things we will see...... -Me turn 25 -Todd turn 32 -Birth of our sweet baby girl -Finally- Graduation!!! I will have a baby and two weeks later, walk across the stage! -Wyatt turn 2! I don't know what else God holds in store for our family. I will put my trust in him and know that whatever it is, he will take care of us and help see us through. Right now I just want to make it through whatever sickness has landed upon Wyatt. The poor ...

Thursday afternoon Wyatt slept again for 2 hours and then it was he got a second wind. He played and laughed when family came to visit him and then slept through the night. However, another man in the house did not sleep through the night! Todd was throwing up until about 3 he thinks. I was behind him spraying the lysol! Friday morning Todd was feeling much better, all he had was a lingering headache so we let him sleep in. Wyatt and I got up and attempted to eat breakfast, he just wanted to cry and then be held and at about 8:45 I knew he just needed a nap. I must say that after two days of him taking two naps a day, I miss two naps!!! He slept for two hours then we attempted to go to lunch. I had to get out of the house! It was worth a shot! The sweet boy who 99% of the time will sit pretty contently in his chair while we eat, didn't want to have anything to do with grilled chicken, bread, raisins or even nilla wafers! I held him while Todd ate then we switched and took him right...