Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Not Me! Monday...Stellan Style
I decided to dedicate this week's Not Me! Monday post to show just how much I love the MckFamily! Normally this would be linked to MckMama's site, but since she's in the PICU with her Sweet Stellan, only 5-months-old, we're heading over here for today. So, here goes! Not Me! Monday - Stellan style...
- been glued to my computer, phone, anything with an Internet connection, repeatedly hitting the refresh button trying to get updates on Stellan.
- obsessively cycled through every application possible to get updated about a thousand times a day...MckMama's blog, Facebook Prayer Group, Twitter
- emailed everyone in my address book, demanding that they stop & pray for little MckMuffin
- told every co-worker who will listen to me about Stellan's condition as though I may know this family personally and carried my phone with me into interviews to make sure I don't miss a single Tweet from MckMama
- googled every medical term that MckMama has thrown out trying to learn everything I can about Stellan's condition
- cried a single tear worrying about this sweet little guy and his family and struggling with the fact that this is even happening at all to such an innocent little baby boy
- held my own baby so tight & so long thanking God profusely that he is healthy & happy
- already submitted two Stellan name pics for his Name Gallery
- posted comments on most every update from MckMama, as if she was my best friend, although I have never done so before
- dedicated at the majority of my posts to little Stellan & completely remodified my header (and anyone else who lets me) to show our love & support for Stellan
- realized how easily we take life for granted and have vowed to savor every second that I have here on Earth with my little guy!!
God Bless you Stellan!! I'm thinking about you every second and praying that you get better soon.
Posted with love by Brandy at 10:12 PM 1 comments
'07 Flashback
Sebastian, 5months & Ashleigh
Posted with love by Brandy at 8:25 PM 0 comments
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Stellan's Name Gallery
Sebastian & Ady made it to Stellan's Name Gallery on MckMama's blog! I'm praying so hard for this little guy right now as he has had such a bad day. I'm hoping that his little heart can hold out until they can find the right course of treatment. Lord, help us to understand your plans for this sweet little guy.
From MckMama's blog today...
Stellan is not doing well. I am not doing well. This has been our baby's worst day, health wise, since coming to Children's Hospital last Sunday.
Stellan's heart is still in SVT, and his heart function is slipping away. He is not perfusing to his extremities well anymore at all. At times, his pulse cannot even be felt in his feet whatsoever. He is pale, extremely irritable, and his mother is trying hard to keep from being a sobbing, wretched mess in front of him. I had two dreams last night about being trapped in different buildings; it's no secret to say I feel trapped in our current, extremely uncertain circumstances.
As I step away from the madness that is his PICU room at this moment, to breathe, gather my thoughts, throw myself at Jesus' feet, and try to keep from losing it in front of Stellan, a new course of treatment for our son is beginning. Lots of big decisions about his care, about what doctors he sees, and about what his treatment plan will now be are in front of us with this new change.
Posted with love by Brandy at 9:07 PM 0 comments
Labels: MckMama, Name Gallery, prayer, Stellan
Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Easter! Just two more Sundays to go. As I was sitting here watching the slideshow of Sebastian's recent Spring pictures...desperately trying to figure out what I want to order, [Help me! Sarah Kingree Photography, client proofing tab, password "brandy"!!] I began reminiscing about his very first Easter session. He was ALMOST six months as it seems that we did his 6-month session right around the same time as his first Easter session. Those were some of my very favorite pics. I don't know what it was about my little 6-monther, but he was like a roly poly ball of absolute joy. Not that he isn't now, just with a little less roly polyness!! Well, I couldn't talk about this session without including some of the pictures. I pulled that old photo album and had to pull some photos from the wall, but here they are (don't sue me Sarah for scanning your pics ;) Sarah & I really hit it off from the very first session and our friendship has grown so much that we now consider ourselves family! Unfortunately, I don't have the digital pics, so you'll have to live with scanned copies!!
Posted with love by Brandy at 3:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: baby, easter, peeps, sarah kingree
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Too Cool for Preschool?
LOL! He was so bald...and so freakin' long
Posted with love by Brandy at 11:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: growing up, planning a new baby, preschool, sarah kingree
Multimedia message
We love you guys!
please excuse my VERY Southern accent!!!
Posted with love by Brandy at 9:00 PM 1 comments
Labels: mms, sarah kingree, video
Lazy Day Saturday!!
I'm writing this in my pj's. The same pj's that I slept in last night. I love Saturdays when we have nothing to do. Sebastian woke up this morning about 7:30a.m., which is pretty normal for him unless he's sick. As always, David gets up with him and I sleep until Sebastian gets bored or Daddy doesn't do something to his liking, at which point he comes to get Mommy up. I really don't know what time this morning I finally rolled out of bed. Sebastian & I played and played. He, for some reason that only he understands, wanted to take all his clothes out of the closet and hang them on the end of his bed. Then he put the majority of them back in the closet. The rest he comes storming out of the bedroom with and throws them on the table. I guess he didn't want them anymore!?? Sebastian fixed us fried chicken, onion rings, celery, hot dogs and cookies for breakfast, which he said were "green beans" but were still d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!!
David grilled us some T-bones for lunch. He has a wonderful talent for grilling, but porterhouses seem to be his specialty. You seriously don't even have to use a knife. So good!! I was much too lazy today to drive 2 blocks to the grocery store to get some baking pototoes, because that would require me to get OUT of my pj's, which was not on the agenda after I noticed that it was pouring outside and had storms planned for much of the day. So, instead, I pulled out of box of scalloped potatoes and decided to bake them in the oven. They were so freakin' good. I'm seriously cooking-challenged and rarely make anything that can't be microwaved or poured into a pan to merely "heat up". David is the cook around our house and Sebastian is very thankful for that because sometimes chicken nuggets/strips/chunks, corn dogs and pizza rolls get old.
After our yummy yummy lunch, David & I watched Twilight while Sebastian destroyed my house. I loved it. It's a rare moment that we get to sit down and enjoy a movie together.
This afternoon, Sebastian finally decided that we wanted to take a nap at 4:30. I, of course, couldn't deny him one because his poor little sleepy eyes were too precious. He seems to get me with those eyes all the time and just today he was being a little brat baby and I couldn't help but crack up at him because he just looks at me and bats those baby blues. Anyway, back to the nap...my head was pounding AGAIN. I have a love/hate relationship with Spring...love to play outside, hate to be suffering from sinus/allergy headaches. He slept until 6:30, so you can expect us to be up until midnight with him. He is just exactly like David in that respect. He can stay up half the night & still get up at 6a.m.---he does still want a nap at some point in the day, so I guess that he is re-energizing for the rest of the night. I need like 14 hours of sleep a day LOL...well, maybe not that much, but you get the point.
Sebastian has just found a new toy...well, actually it's an old toy. I'm sure you know how toys get forgotten...sometimes never to be seen or heard from again. He found this little jig saw in a basket of toys that was about to go to daycare. It still had the tag on it and has never had a battery one in it. Well, David decides to put batteries in it for him and he's been driving us crazy with it ever since (and it's one of the loudest toys he has). He's been sawing everything in the house with his "gun". Everything's a gun...hmmm, should I be worried???
Before I end for the night, I had just read a post from my BFF's blog, "You Idiot Boy!!" I was cracking up because her little girl is so honest, so blunt with no realization about what she is saying. Her oldest, on the other hand, is just the opposite. She is more reserved, very caring and doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. She has the best of both worlds with them two and I'm excited to see where Kanon falls on that spectrum. We joke all the time about Sebastian & Ava getting married (OMG, can you imagine the gorgeous grandbabies that we would have??) and my mind immediately had a "Jon & Kate" moment...I can already see Ava screaming at Sebastian - "Don't use the pink hair bows at home you IDIOT BOY!!!"
***We are still praying hard for sweet Baby Stellan. His heart has been in out of SVT and V-tach all week. They are having so many ups & downs with him. He's still fighting hard in PICU and we hope beyond hope that he gets better soon. He's a real fighter. Lord, please protect him!
Posted with love by Brandy at 7:14 PM 1 comments
Labels: imagination, lazy, sarah kingree, steaks, Stellan, toys
Multimedia message
Watching jon & kate
Posted with love by Brandy at 11:21 AM 0 comments
Labels: jon and kate, silly, video
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sebastian is Spellin' Stellan
So, we spelled S-T-E-L-L-A-N on the fridge & snapped a pic!!
Posted with love by Brandy at 9:53 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Stellan's Name Gallery
Posted with love by Brandy at 10:21 PM 0 comments
The Protector
David & I were discussing motorcycles. I love his Ninja! I love riding. He was saying how unsafe it is for me to learn on that particular motorcycle. I said, "I don't have to ride that one, but I would like to be taught how to ride." He said he could get me a Rebel or something. I said, "I don't want some sissy motorcycle!" We were laughing and stepped into Sebastian's room where he was watching his Bee Movie & eating strawbees (strawberries) and I jokingly said "You tell your Daddy to stop being mean to your Mommy!" He seemed to be watching his movie intently, then turned around and said "here Mommy" as he handed me the stem from his strawbee. Then, so matter-of-factly, he walked past me to his Daddy who was standing behind me in the doorway, pointing & shaking his finger at him shouted "YOU DON'T BE MEAN TO MY MOMMY!!!!" We both laughed hysterically and I grabbed him up and kissed him & squeezed him so tight. "I love you my sweet baby boy! You are Mommy's protector!!"
Posted with love by Brandy at 8:04 PM 0 comments
V-Tach
MckMama's little Stellan has gone into prolonged V-Tach. I don't know much about his condition; however, this is a turn that she was praying he would not take. Praying with all that I am!! Please join me!!
Help us understand your plans for this precious baby!
Posted with love by Brandy at 12:15 PM 0 comments
My Heart Aches
Last night, after posting my last post of the day, I completed my nightly ritual of walking through the house, making sure all the windows & doors were locked, lights turned out, toys & other "walking through the house in the middle of the night" hazards were removed between Sebastian's room and ours. And, my last & favorite thing to do, tuck in Sebastian. (Sometimes that entails picking him up out of the floor where he's been falling asleep.) I always make sure he's comfortable, on his pillow, blanket tucked in around him and I steal several kisses from my sleeping angel before I turn in for the night myself. Last night, though, I was feeling extra blessed. I've been keeping tabs on poor little Stellan in the hospital in SVT, fighting so hard for his precious life. It has, in the words of my best friend Sarah, "made me appreciate the little things in life so much more".
I'm a hugely sensitive, sentimental gal. My heart bleeds for pain and injustice - it's just my nature. So, last night, when I was tucking in my sweet sleeping angel, I sat beside him in his bed stroking his hands and hair, smothering him in kisses, I just fell apart. I'm so, so lucky to be able to watch my little boy - strong & healthy - sleeping soundly, without a worry in the world. I don't know how long I sat in his floor beside his bed, watching him, praying that he's always healthy & safe, praying that Stellan will get better and be able to grow & know a long happy life with his family who love him dearly, thankful for all the blessings in my life that I know I take for granted too often.
I just can't put into words what an inspiration MckMama is, being able to completely rely on her faith and His guidance to pull her through this trying time. It's an amazing confidence that I wish everyone had, that I wish had. I'll never stop praying for you Baby Stellan and for your Mama! We love you Sweet Stellan!!
**I love you, Lord! Please look after this precious baby and give his family the continuing wisdom to be able to accept Your plans, though we may not know what they are.
**I love you, Sebastian! My little boy, my heart, my world. You will never know what meaning you have brought to my life. I hope you always know happiness & love. Be caring, generous and thankful in your life and always know that I love you!!
**I love you, David! My husband, my friend, my other half. You've supported me in bad times and are an amazing father to our little boy. He loves you so much! That alone makes me the happiest wife in the world!
**I love you, Momma & Daddy! You've sacrificed so much in your lives to give us happiness. Kimberly, Stephanie & I are so thankful that you've been our rock. Always behind us, supporting us and encouraging us. We're so lucky to have you as parents!!
**I love you, Kimberly & Stephanie - my sisters, my friends. We may not always see eye to eye on things, but we're always there for each other. Always!! I love you so much. I love your babies, my nieces and nephews to the ends of the Earth. I would do anything for you & them! Love them always as I love Sebastian. Hold them, protect them & tell them they're your everything!!
**I love you, Sarah! My best friend, my 3rd sister! I don't know what to say...you're my support, my encouragement, my unwaivering truth. I know I can be myself, sometimes brash and rather blunt, but you can see past my inperfections and know that I love you. Ady, Ava & Kanon have become my other neices and nephew. I love them so much. You know that you can always count on me. I look forward to our friendship growing. It's been amazing that less than 3 short years ago we were meeting for the first time, doing what you do best, taking amazing pictures and now I rely on you for more than just photography!
Ok, well I must end this post now as I can't see my screen through tear-filled eyes. Today I'm going to love my son as hard as I can. Find patience where I ususally have none, find forgiveness where it's hard to find, find love in front of my eyes. I'm also going to try a Stellan name picture, although it won't be as amazing yours, Sarah. I LOVE it!!
Posted with love by Brandy at 9:07 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Hello Sunshine!
*Still praying for Baby Stellan, never give up hope!
Posted with love by Brandy at 10:52 PM 2 comments
Still Praying Strong for Baby Stellan
Little Stellan is still fighting for his precious life in PICU. My heart goes out to his Mommy and Daddy and his brothers & sister. I can't imagine having to be put into a situation where I have no control over what the outcome will be except to hand my life and baby's over to God. She gives me such inspiration. I pray you to you, my Lord and Saviour, please take hold of Stellan, give him the strength to fight this and offer your guidance to his family that they may endure this with strength & courage. I'm still praying for you, Baby Stellan, with all my heart & soul. I'm asking, urging, pleading that you keep this precious little baby in your thoughts and more importantly in your prayers.
Click here to read Stellan's story!!
Check MckMama's blog HERE for regular update on Stellan's condition or, for you Twitterers (??), you can follow MckMama HERE!!
WE LOVE YOU SWEET STELLAN!!
Posted with love by Brandy at 7:15 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 23, 2009
Please Pray for Baby Stellan!!
I love turkey (well, not so much turkey) & dressing and all the fixings. I make dressing for Sebastian & I all the time. We don't keep it a "Thanksgiving only" kind of meal, nor should we keep the appreciation, graditute or "giving of thanks" to this once-a-year holiday. As I was updating myself on all my favorite blogs, I was devasted to hear about poor Stellan and his heart problems. He had miraculously escaped tragic death in utero, no doubt, by the hand of God and now he fights again. I just wanted to post a short blog urging everyone to pray for baby Stellan and am dedicating this post to him, may we all remember to be thankful everyday for the blessings that encompass us.
What am I thankful for?
- being healthy and happy, having all my senses, being able to see & hear my little boy playing and laughing, feeling his fingers wrap around mine, tasting his sugary candy kisses
- having a strong, healty little boy, full of energy and life, whose sparkling eyes melt my heart, his dimples tickle my toes and his laughter brightens my world - he's my world, my light, my air, my everything
- my husband, Mom, Dad, sisters, nieces & nephews - they, too, are my world, my support my confidence, my happiness
- i'm thankful we have a roof over our head, food in our bellies, more conveniences that we deserve
- i have a wonderful job, although sometimes stressful & overwhelming, it brings me great joy to be able to serve our communities, bringing assurance to someone's life they may not have had before
- i'm learning to appreciate the world in it's simplicity...green grass, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, birds chirping (or woodpeckers pecking in our case)
- i'm thankful for having love in my life and being able to share it with others as well as so many other emotions....hope, faith, fear, anger, excitement
- for living in this country, having the freedoms that so many others in this world have died for
- my friends, especially Sarah, for being there to share my thoughts and laugh with, no judgments or expectations, dependable, honest and trustworthy, just good times and somewhere to turn to when you just need a shoulder or just need to vent
I could go on & on & on, but I think I'll end hear as the one thing I'm most thankful for needs to eat, bath & get ready for bed. I'm praying for you little Stellan!
Posted with love by Brandy at 6:42 PM 0 comments
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Everything You Want to Know (And Some You Don't)
I know you are all dying to know every little detail about my life. Why wouldn't you?...with me being so disgustingly perfect and all. So, here's a few things that I bet you don't know about me, some you do know and some you probably don't want to know!!
- I am 28 and my husband will be turning 39 in April! Huge age gap I know, but when we were dating, I was much more mature than him and surprisingly...still am!!
- I am the oldest of 3 girls. My sister, Kim and I are only 11 1/2 months apart...which means... you mathmaticians...my "younger" sister was in attendance at my "first" birthday.
- When I was in junior high, my best friend & I kept a little fat notebook (remember those?) of all the reasons why we hated another girl in our class. We had like way over 200 reasons in that book. How retarded is that? If her mom knew that we had done that, she would have kicked our butts for sure.
- Another junior high moment...my best friend and I sprayed hairspray in a tin can and lit it with a lighter...it does go "poof" like you would expect. Thank GOD that we never killed or mamed each other.
- When I started driving and dating this weiro guy that went to school with my MOM stalked me trying to get me to go out with him. What a pedifile...I wonder if he's been locked up yet?
- I love pizza rolls dipped in french onion dip...only Prarie Farms French Onion Dip.
- I loved being pregnant with Sebastian. Not once single day of morning sickness. That was the best I ever felt in my whole life.
- I've never broken a bone...pulled a ligament in my knee, but that's it.
- I tried to get my sister to name their boys Sebastian...each time one had one. Then I finally had one of my own.
- I curse way too much.
- I am obsessively anal about being organized at work...not so much at home, which is very wierd.
- I HATE to drive. HATE HATE HATE it! Seriously. And, I'm a bad driver and I completely blame it on my mother who also hates to drive.
- David was not my "first love" although he's probably the first "real" love. I regret being in love with my "first love" because I was such a naive retard, but I'd probably do it again. If that makes any sense at all.
- I sometimes wash & dry clothes and am too lazy to put them away so they sit in the laundry basket for few days and are too horrifically wrinkled to put them in the closet....so I just wash them again.
- I don't wash dishes or vacuum...at least not as long as I can still get David to do it.
- I have a huge fear of something happening to my baby boy (and crickets).
- I can't stand to be ignored...don't ignore me. Tell me no or tell me to go the heck away...just tell me something. Don't act like I'm not there!
- When I was in high school, I seriously thought I was fat. Looking back, I was like a beanpole and my old self would think that myself now was morbidly obese.
- My middle toe is my smallest toe.
- I drink way too many Code Red Mountain Dews everyday.
- I was potty trained before my first sister was born...ok you mathematicians...how old was I?
- I love taking pictures. Love it! Lots!
- I love reading blogs...MckMama and Sarah "Mean"gree
- I would stay at home with Sebastian in a heartbeat if I could afford to quit my job
- My best friend in the whole world is Sarah "Mean"gree, she's photographer and I love having someone I can complain to and be stupid with and love her kiddos like my own nieces and nephew
- I have family that used to (or maybe still does) think that I'm a snob. I never understood that. My family never had anything...still don't. I don't get it. My mom always used to tell me it was because I was so quiet and reserved. So, I guess if you're not a loudmouth who gets in everyone's business you're a snob.
- I loved my job at Emerson when it was open in Kennett. Working with guys is completely different than working with mostly all women.
- I love my son more than anything else in the entire universe.
Well, it's so past my bedtime I can't even sit here for another minute. Stay tuned for all you could ever want to know about me. Got questions? Ask me, I love comments! Have any ideas for posts? I'm signing off tonight, but leaving a picture of Sebastian's new haircut. It's so adorable on him. However, he looks so much older and I bawled like a little baby when she cut it and ran my fingers through it (or lack of it). It was heartbreaking.
Posted with love by Brandy at 10:58 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My Wish for You...
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
More then anything, more then anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more then you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more then you take.
Oh More then anything, Yeah, and more then anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more then you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
Posted with love by Brandy at 10:04 PM 1 comments
Sarah Kingree Photography
Posted with love by Brandy at 3:13 PM 0 comments