Saturday, October 10, 2009

A Tale of Oatmeal, Doctor Visits and Cupcakes

The kids and I are having a low key weekend here at home. Curtis left early Friday morning for his first LPL event with my mom. His own mom, sister, aunt, and cousin are at the conference too, which is very fun.

I had low expectations for yesterday, but it actually had many high points. For example, when Jackson was eating his oatmeal he randomly said, "Mommy, does this oatmeal make my heart dirty?" What a weird question, right? I said, "No, oatmeal doesn't make your heart dirty, but do you know what does?" Then he answered by giving an example of something he gets in trouble for. We had a great conversation about sin making our hearts dirty and what we can do to make them clean again. He brought it up several times throughout the day. It's amazing to see evidence that God is working in his little heart.

Annabeth was scheduled to get her second (regular) flu shot in the morning, but I had to call first and make sure they hadn't run out of the vaccine. It took me forever to get anyone on the phone. I guess we have the H1N1 flu (also known as the hini/hiney flu in our family) to thank for that.

I'd known for a while that Jackson somehow missed getting his second Hep A shot, but I was in denial about having to schedule that appointment. Then we got a note from his preschool that he needed it asap or else. Dern! So I added him to the appointment with great dread in my heart. *I'm used to baby/toddler shots, but Jackson wasn't conscious of what was going on the last time he got one. Let me tell you, I was not excited about having to deal with this. It also was my third doctor visit in 9 days and it started storming a few minutes before we had to leave.

We were finally in the room and the nurse asked me which kid was going first. Jackson had figured out that he was getting a shot, but he wasn't even as freaked out as I was. I seriously started to feel like I was going to pass out because I was so nervous for him, which is ridiculous. I had Jackson go first so he wouldn't see Annabeth get hers and get scared. He had to lay back on the table and the nurse had me hold his hands. I made him look at my smiling face and I kept saying, "See how hard you can squeeze my hands!" He was smiling and laughing until she stuck him. He jumped and said, "Ouch!" That was it. No crying or drama. He was immediately distracted by the yellow crayon band aid she put on his leg. He did great. Hopefully we'll have a repeat of this x4 at his four-year appointment, but I won't count on it. It sounds dreadful. Annabeth went next and she was quite dramatic. Bless her heart.

Then it was off to the grocery store because we were all out of baby food. The kids were very good. I got Jackson two new Matchbox cars because he had done so well at the doctor's office. For the rest of the day we just chilled. At 3:30 it was pretty dark outside and it felt like bedtime should be getting close. The afternoon dragged on and on. I made supper and then Jackson and I baked cupcakes. We had a lot of fun doing that together.

Once the cupcakes were ready, Annabeth was already in bed and it was just me and my little man. He was standing on a chair I'd pulled up to the kitchen island and I was standing across from him, leaning on the counter. We unwrapped our cupcakes and partook of the white, sprinkled goodness together. It might have been my favorite mommy moment with Jackson so far - staring at each other as we enjoyed what we made together, pointing and laughing at the icing on each other's face. It was one of those sweet times that you know you'll tuck away forever.

Bedtime soon followed and I got to sit down and enjoy my recorded episodes of Say Yes to the Dress. Have y'all seen that show? It's my new favorite.

Jackson woke me up while it was still dark outside and that was when I missed Curt the most. He always goes out to the living room and sleeps on the couch while Jackson watches cartoons.

It's finally cool outside as of this morning. Praise the Lord! It's gray and soggy and I feel unmotivated to leave the house. Actually, I really want to go to a plant nursery and buy some cute stuff for my porch, but I think it would be impossible with the kids. Today may be one of those days when just getting my hair washed and dried is a plus.

*I know the topic of vaccines is controversial among parents, but it's not my intention to start a discussion about it.

46 comments:

Moose Mama said...

My first daughter was always a drama queen at her immunizations...took 4 of us to "hold her down" at her kindergarten shots. My second daughter has NEVER shed a tear over them or been the least bit concerned. Oddly, she has the more sensitive heart for others and for God. You're a brave mom for taking them alone.

What a sweet story about you and your boy and the cupcakes.

You can see that Jackson's heart is very tender toward God. It makes me all lumpy throated.

I hope Curtis was able to link up with some of the siestas and Miesta Moose. Moose is in Memphis for the LPL event. Hoping lots of siestas (and miestas) will get their pictures with him!

Melana

Melana

Liz said...

My dr's office ran out of the seasonal flu shots and won't have them back in until *AFTER* the new baby is born. I'm not thrilled about that. Means I have to take him to WalGreen's or someplace not dr-officey for a flu shot.

Marc and Charity said...

I am so happy for you that there was no drama about the shot. I can't bring myself to talk about the last time Cerys got a shot. It involved her holding up her umbrella to the nurse as if to fend her off. I was SO embarrassed. Ugh.

Heather said...

I love those precious mommy moments!!! I was home alone with both my kiddos yesterday, too, and at 5:00 I thought....isn't it bedtime yet? It was dark/stormy outside and we were so tired that I was tempted to just do baths and crawl in bed!!! :)
I LOVE Say Yes to the Dress! It's my new fav, too!

bethany said...

Awww....love the conversations about the Lord with little ones! Sounds like a fun relaxing weeekend! Praying it will be restful and enjoyable :)

MEGAN said...

What a special memory with your son! I love baking w/my nephews, probably more than they do!

Heather said...

The one and ONLY time my Dad took my sister and I to the Dr's office, we both had to get shots. Since I'm the oldest, he thought it best for me to go first. I did and did just fine. My sis, who's 7yrs younger, pitched a HUGE fit and totally embarrassed my Dad. So, while she was getting hers', I started feeling bad, as in getting dizzy and hot. They come out of the room, and we proceed to the check out counter. As Dad's paying, I start feeling really bad, and barely get out, "Dad, I think I'm going to pass out", before I do! Dad NEVER took us to the Dr's office again. ;)
Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of my passing out incidents. I can't even have my finger pricked without doing it. I'm 38, and had my Hep A/B shot last week and did the same thing. Only this time, my 4 yo was with me. I guess I won't be taking him next time.
Glad to hear that yours' did much better. :)
I heart the cupcake moment! And the God talk. :) Both do a Mama's heart good.

Anonymous said...

I've recently begun to LOVE "Say Yes to the Dress"....did you see the episode of the girl from Chattanooga who was in a wheelchair? It is my recent favorite and was so wonderful to see how beautiful she was and her sweet spirit after such a massive life change.

Enjoy a great weekend, Jill

Mary H. said...

My 10 and half year old got her flu shot on Thursday. Oh my goodness...it was the first time she got a shot in the arm. Since she didn't cry until the shot was over and not too much at that, she could get a treat. She wanted a green apple slushie from Sonic. I don't know how she drank the thing. I ordered a carmel milkshake since I didn't pass out when she got the shot!!!!

Have a blessed day!!!

Kelly said...

1. I can't wait for those cupcake moments with Harper. Glad you got to have one with Jackson.
2. So many fun bloggers are in Memphis right now - I wish I was too!
(and you!)
3. I LOVE Say yes to the dress. I've been watching it for several seasons. The only bad thing is it makes me itch to want to try on wedding dresses and get a new one. ha!
4. I love you for that last asterick. It CRACKS me up because I understand exactly why you said it.

Tabaitha said...

That is so funny that you recorded Say Yes to the Dress too. I set our DVR to record a bunch of episodes yesterday and my sweet hubby sat and watched about 7 episodes with me last night. I really wanted to watch the one where the girl lost 120lbs.

Kiki said...

Sweet conversations and moments with Jackson! Those moments make all the other ones worth it!

Liz said...

I love you last paragraph. Lately I feel like I should just wear a tshirt with that exact sentence on it, but with a little clear plastic pocket so I can switch out "vaccines" for "crying it out" or "Montessori preschool" or "organic food" depending on the day/group we're with. =)

The Petro Family said...

I love SYTTD! I TiVo the reruns every day and Wedded to Perfection is a new favorite!

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

Today was meant for chillin' for us too.

Hope your Curt makes it home to you soon. I always hate it when my man is gone even for a few days.

Loved the visual of your cupcake sharing! Soooo sweet. <3

Gayle @ thewestiecrew said...

By the way, EVERYONE was in Memphis this weekend it seems. :(

So sad that I missed it...

Heather said...

cupcakes, my favorite!! I wonder if I have any mix in my pantry?! I know a ton of girls that went to Memphis this weekend, hope it was a great time!

Bobbie said...

I'll never forget the only immunization 'event' I had with our little guy! He got an ear infection while visiting my parents in Houston and my childhood Dr always gave shots for any infection. (We were in the Air Force at the time and our kids got liquid antibiotics for the first 5 or 6 years!) The nurse asked me to wedge his right arm under my arm and hold his left arm with my hand! That worked until he looked at the needle going in his leg and he very quickly retrieved his arm and grabbed the needle and pulled it out of his thigh!! It then took the nurse and I both to hold him on the table. That was the first and last time he had a problem!

Your weekend sounds very nice in spite of the Dr. visit-especially the cupcake chat you had with your little man! What great memories!

Our Saturday was fun--the Aggies just ran out of time to beat OSU!! It was a good game inspite of the loss! Perfect football weather too! Next weekend---maybe!

Can't wait to hear about Memphis...

calista said...

Girlfriend, LPL in Memphis was AWESOME!!! Your man prayed this morning before we got started and it brought me to tears. You've got yourself a sweetheart there!!

Sarah said...

I'm taking Grayson and Addie both for their shots next week, and I'm already sweating cold when I think about it. When I got my flu shot this week in front of them, Grayson turned pale and said he was woozy--I have a feeling we're all going to need Matchbox cars after the appt! Or, you know, Diet Coke :)

Kari said...

You are so blessed to have Jackson do so well. The nurse has gotten to know my kiddos so well from the yearly flu vaccine that when we scheduled our son for his kindergarten shots she asked if my husband could come along --- she needed help holding him down! So my husband and I held him down while 2 nurses gave him 4 shots!! AWFUL! And we get to repeat this drama on Tuesday when we do flu shot this year!!! AUGH!!

Brian, Steph, Jada, Kiva, and Judson said...

that cupcake moment sounds precious! Have fun in Dallas!

Lauren said...

Seriously, your moment with Jackson made my heart melt!!!!! :)

Erin Ward said...

We had a great time seeing Curt this weekend! Wish you and the kidlets could have been there too.

Lauren said...

1. Shots are so hard!
2. The cupcake thing is precious. Noah was actually occupied for like 20 minutes last night (!) playing with muffin cups while I mixed up the stuff for cornbread. He had a wonderful time putting them in the pan and taking them back out again, stacking them, etc.
3. RE sleeping on the couch while the kid watches cartoons: Nathan does the same thing for me! It's awesome.
4. I'm so glad y'all finally got some cool weather.

Toknowhim said...

So cool about Jackson's response.
When my son had to get his Kindergarten shots he was so brave, he said he wanted all the shots at one time. He cried as two nurses held his legs down (2 in each leg), but as soon as he was done he was a brave boy again.
I love those moments :)

AugsburgDaisy said...

Last year when my 4-year old and my 2 year old were getting their flu shots, I witnessed my all-time favorite funny moment with the kids thus far. All the way to the doctor's office, my son was negotiating with me about getting his flu shot. Said I should just let him get sick this year. Then once he knew that I wasn't going to budge on that issue - he started negotiating the pay-off. I told him if he was brave like Prince Phillip (we'd been watching a lot of Sleeping Beauty at the time), we could all get ice cream afterward. He pushed it one step farther and asked if his 2-year old sister could get the shot first. I could see how nervous my son was, so I thought this would probably be a good idea so as not to freak out my toddler. When we were called back into the room, my son march in first and announced to the nurse, "Lilly is going first, and I'm (pointing to himself) NOT Lilly!" I could have died with laughter. Hysterical! And then, they both did a great job and we all got ice cream. This year, he said he would go first to give his sister a good example with NO negotiating for a treat. And he did! What a difference a year makes. :)

I'm about to be on my own for 5 days. Pray for safe travels for my hubby and good times for us left behind. :) Thanks for your blog - I really enjoy reading it!

bethany said...

You're so brave, I won't even go into the office when the kids are getting shots. I make Zak go-I have this awful phobia of needles.
Say Yes to the Dress is a great show!! Too bad we don't have cable anymore. I had totally forgotten about it. I'm going to check and see if I can get full episodes online.

Love the asterisk. :)

Shelly said...

Met your man and his cute family this weekend. I hope they had a wonderful time.

Was praying for you in your time away from him. It sounds like the cupcakes covered over a multitude of potential scary moments :)

Erica said...

Loved the cupcake story...so fun to share "sweet" moments with yoru little ones...especially one-on-one.
Brea FREAKED when she had to get her throat swabbed last weekend. So glad there wasn't a shot to get too.

AKat said...

Yea for Jackson being such a big boy! Neil reached out for me yesterday for the first time and it caught me completely off guard! I just got tears in my eyes as I held on to that "cupcake" moment.

Leslie Lauren said...

I just love that I happened to come here tonight to read your sweet story about Jackson :) :) :)

My Corbin is six-going-on-seven, and we've shared many wonderful nights like tonight because my husband has a second night-time job. Tonight while I washed dishes in the sink, Corbin sat cross-legged on the kitchen counter reading me a story about a little pencil. We ate dinner together on the couch (which never happens) and then had fun with a pair of scissors, an old t-shirt, and some pants that got too short for him. He ended up fashioning a little indian-looking skirt with scraps and duct tape (Native American Indian, I mean) and I made him a new pair of shorts to wear to school. Score!! Before bed he cuddled me and said I was the best mom ever. My heart is full :)

I don't get jealous often, but I love the thought that you now have TWO children that you can make memories like tonight with :) Nights like these make me so truly thankful that God in Heaven knew exactly what I needed when He blessed me with my beautiful boy. I know you can relate! :)

Marla Taviano said...

Ava didn't even FLINCH at her 4yr shots. I will pray that God bestows the same blessing on you and Jackson.

Darlene R. said...

My kids all did very well at their Kindergarten shots appointments. I think Jackson will do just fine, just as he did this time around. :)

Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

LOVE Say Yes to the Dress... Don't you get so aggravated at the family members who make it so hard on the bride to choose? Who's wedding is it anyway??

Wait, there may be a show called that too...?

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Amanda....you may not havve time to do this...I know you get mega requests...but I am planning a family vacation in January to Jackson Hole...We have never been there....any suggestions of must do's.....places to stay...GOOD EATS....would love any tips...

Teresa
annah99@aol.com

Debbie said...

Amanda, I have been a fan of your mama for a long time, but just recently come across the LPM blog and now your blog. I just have to say that you crack me up with every post. You descriptions in writing give perfect visuals on the receiving end. God Bless your beautiful family :-)

Susan B. said...

These quiet/slower days can be the best! Great moments to remember.

Can't wait to hear how Curtis and family enjoyed the LPL event!

Tasha said...

So glad that your little ones did well with their shots.My little girl had to go in for her 4 year vaccinations last month.We were all prepared(or not) to get 4 shots.But to our surprise,she only had to get 3!They said they have combined some of the stuff into one shot.She still cried some,mostly before the shots(anticipation) but she was over it pretty quickly.They gave her a bag full of books,stickers,play jewelry and candy.That,and hugs from mommy and daddy made everything all better!

creative gal said...

a cute story! Kids always react differently to vaccines. . .some are very laid back, others are dramatic. Thanks for sharing.

Geezees Custom Canvas Art said...

Mmmm...cupcakes my favorite!!

Missy said...

We may have had swine flu at our house already - Walker is convinced he had it last weekend. Who knows? Whatever he had he caught from Ike, whom I thought was just cutting molars until Walker began complaining, poor little boy.

The point of my story is this: if what we did have was swine flu, it earns it's title as the heiny flu. I'll leave it at that.

Lindsee said...

DVR Say Yes to the Dress? Check. Love it. However, sometimes it stresses me out when the friends and/or family make it terribly hard on the girl actually buying the dress. Stressful! But, I love it.

How cute was your cupcake moment with Jackson? Memory for sure.

Anonymous said...

1. I HATE that they coerse the parents into holding down the kids for shots. Isn't that THEIR job? We should be the ones standing off in a corner, blinking back tears away from our kids' line of vision, waiting to swoop in and give the comforting hug when it's over. NOT the one putting them in a WWF hold so someone can stick them with a needle! *sigh* At least as they get older we can tell them what to expect and they get over it faster.

2. I love those teachable moments that pop up, seemingly out of nowhere. Really, those moments are gifts from God for the purpose of molding the hearts of our young charges. We just had one the other day in the Target parking lot. I didn't expect it, and it came out of a humorous moment with my son, but it opened the door on a difficult subject that I had dreaded discussing with him (divorce of grandparents). God made it so easy!!

3. One of my favorite memories with my kids is making cookies with them every Christmas. We gather around the mixing bowl, pour the dry ingredients into the wet, roll the dough in flour, cut out shapes, make a big mess, and end the evening in a sugar coma. It's the best!

Completely unrelated to this post:

4. Before I began reading your blog, I had never heard of the term "baby bangs", and so when I read about them in your intro, I thought it was a silly wives' tale. But now, I can tell you that for the very first time, after FOUR babies, I have my very own set of baby bangs! If I had them before now, I did not notice them (well, I didn't know to look for them). But last week, the sun was shining in a window behind me while I was looking in a mirror, and I saw them! Yay! I'm a wives' tale!

5. We have 2 Aggie tickets we're not using if you need any for the next 2 games (they're in The Zone--armchair seats--and a parking pass is included). We will not make it to a single game this year!! ARGH! I think Hubs is listing them on the Aggie Forum (which is a great place to look for tickets, btw!), but if you want them, let me know.

6. That is all. :)

Kelli said...

I love the way kids minds work and that Jackson is already taking in SO much to his heart what his mama and daddy are teaching him!

I am SO glad that you have a "mental picture of that high point" to remember with Jackson!

Sorry the wedding was fresh on my mind... we just watched it... had to quote! :)

katiegfromtennessee said...

Reading about your mommy days is fun:) The cupcakes moment sounded like such a great moment for the both of you:) Talking to Jackson about sin and his heart was a great moment too:) God working that out for you to have opportunity to talk to him about that...:)

katiegfromtennessee