Date Night!!!

I am thankful tonight for a MUCH needed date with my hubby!!  And especially grateful to our friend, Sarah, who is so willingly keeping our kids!  The kids are excited and won't miss us a bit!  Yeah for date night!!!

Snuggles & Morgan

I love to snuggle with my kids!  When Zach was really little, I would bring him into my bed most mornings and he would snuggle with me while I tried to finish waking up.  Sometimes when Chris was home, he would go back and forth between both of us for snuggle time.  I loved it.  I also remember many mornings when Chris would already be gone to class and Zach would wake up earlier than I wanted to get up.  I would put him in bed with me and he would then go back to sleep for another 30-60 minutes!  Heaven!

I have done this routine with all of our kids.  Those snuggle times with Karleigh are etched in my memories and I love that I have those to help heal my heart.  She loved to be held close and I loved to listen to her breathe (quite loudly) and just stroke her little face and arms and hands.  It would calm her little muscles that wanted to move wherever they decided at that point.  We would talk, laugh and just be.  It was wonderful!

 Parker is so full of mischief, climbing and curiosity all the time.  But last night, right after dinner, he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Neck hurt."  I rushed him to the toilet where we made it just in time for him to throw up in the toilet.  He looked at me crying and said, "Spit in toilet!"  Then all he wanted to do was snuggle on the couch and for me to "hold you" (hold me). 

This morning after eating breakfast (Chloe was still asleep and Zach was gone to school), I wasn't feeling too particularly great.  My sweet little Parker brought me a book and said, "read it, snuggle!"  That is code for...get the big blanket out, lay down on the couch with me snuggling next to you as close as we can and then read me a story.  We read and reread some of his favorite books (favorite for right now).  He laid by me for a very long time, "nice and warm" as he says.  Then we sang songs and played tickles and played, "oh no, here comes daddy!  HIDE!"...to which he would cling even tighter to me and say, "Oh no, save me!", to which I would get to squeeze him even tighter and get squeezed back. 

I was grateful for this little bit of snuggle time alone with my baby this morning.  It was wonderful while it lasted and oh, how I wish it would have lasted longer.  For the rest of the morning, he was a tornado around the house - getting into everything that he wasn't supposed to...over and over and over!  The second Chloe tells me she has to go to the bathroom (because she always has to let me know everything little thing she does and where she will be - and I have to do the same!), Parker will take off running as fast as he can to beat her to the bathroom.  All he wants to do is stand there while she is in the bathroom, but he knows it bugs Chloe to death and he can get her to scream!  It is quite hillarious to watch his face when he does it!  He loves to tease her already because he can get such a rise out of her!  He does the same thing when I tell her to go get dressed or clean her room.  He takes off full speed to get there before she does so that he doesn't get locked out of the room.  Funny!

I am grateful for his happy little self that loves to say everything these days and makes me laugh.  I am so glad he is such a snuggly boy and that even though he keeps me going all the time - he is just as genuinely sweet and nice as can be.  He really is just such a nice little boy!  He loves to hug anyone and everyone - even weirdos at Wal-Mart.  He loves to say Hi to everyone.  He is obsessed with a little baby doll and always tells me that she is crying and he needs to give it a hug.  He then puts the doll to his chest and pats her back gently.  Seriously, he is just a darling little guy!  Have I said that already?!?  I love my boy and I am so grateful I get to be his mom!!!

And one last little "I'm grateful" today...

To my darling, beautiful little neice, Morgan. 

This is my sister, Marci's, daughter.  Morg's turned 7 years old today!!  Happy Birthday, Morgan! 

You see, Morgan was the only other Clay grandchild born when we had Karleigh.  Morgan's middle name is Ann, same as Karleigh's.  She loved Karleigh and Karleigh loved her! (most of the time - see below)  She is only a little over a year younger than Karleigh, so seeing her do things has often times brought thoughts to my mind of, oh yeah, Karleigh would have done that last year, maybe. 

Since Karleigh passed, Morgan has always held a special place in her heart for my little girl and I am grateful to little Miss Morgan for remembering Karleigh and loving her for who she was.  (and I couldn't say that Morgan did it all on her own.  Her wonderful mom, Marci, has very much kept Karleigh's memory alive for Morgan!)  Thanks, Morgan for loving your cousin!  She loved you lots and I am sure watches over you often!  I love you!!!  Happy Birthday, Morg's!!!

(Karleigh-1 1/2, Zach-4 and Morgan-8 or 9 months - the girls wearing the matching dresses Grandma Clay picked out!)

Doctors and Nurses

My sister-in-law, Melanie, has had a rough week, but hopefully is on the mend.  She was due with her 6th child in 5 1/2 weeks and her body decided to go into labor early.  Though I have only some of the info, what I know is that she ended up being transfered by ambulance to a bigger hospital, because she also came down with appendicitis!  How awful!!  So, last night they did a cesarean to take the baby out and then she went right in for more surgery to have her appendix removed!  As far as the update last night, she and the baby are doing ok. 

So, Chris and I (and the rest of the family) are very grateful for doctors and nurses that know what they are doing, and do it well.  We are thankful that Melanie didn't develop the appendicitis way earlier in her pregnancy!  And we are also very grateful to have another little neice!  Welcome to the world, baby de Gaston!!  We love you, Mel, and pray for a speedy recovery!