Happy 10th Birthday Blake!

Dear Blake,
     Yesterday, you turned 10.  Double digits just don't seem possible!!!  We were so tired from your slumber party 7 boys, that I did not get to write to you last night.
     10 years ago, we had no idea how our life would change.  It was just me and Daddy and since you came along, nothing has ever been the same, and we wouldn't have it any other way!!!!
     You have been through a lot in the last year.  It was the most stressful year for us with you as we watched you suffer through many tests that determined that you had chronic osteomyelitis in your leg.  You and I (and your Daddy too) made many trips to Atlanta.  You went through 6 months of high dosage antibiotics and never complained.  You were such a trooper!  You also freaked us out when you almost chopped your finger off with the bike chain.
     You also watched your Grandaddy fall and go into a dementia care home.  This has been especially hard on you and you continue to have a hard time dealing with this.  You love your Grandaddy so much and he loves you more than you know.  The two of you have a special bond and have lots of great memories that you have made together.  You have become very compassionate and caring towards people with special  needs because of your Grandaddy.  You should be very proud of yourself.  We sure are proud of you.
     You contninue to keep us on our toes.  We never know what you are going to come up with.  You love to build and design things and have come up with many great inventions to help Grandaddy in situations that he has difficulty with.  I  hope you will continue to use that smart brain of yours to make GREAT choices.
    I can't wait to see what this year brings for you.  I hope that it brings fewer hospital visits, good grades and choices.
     We are so thankful for you and love you very much!  I hope you had a wonderful birthday.
Love,
Momma

Check Ups for Two

Brett had his 2 year old check up and Blake had his 10 year checkup today.  Bryson went for her flu shot and Grandmomma went along for the ride and to help!!!

Blake weighed 76 pounds and was 57 inches tall.  He had gained 11 pounds and grown 3 inches in the last year.  No wonder we skipped size 10!!!  He went from 8 slim to 12 slim in a matter of months.  He is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 90th for height.  Dr. Ben predicts that he will be around 6'3" as an adult...just like his Daddy.  I am amazed that he has gained so much weight considering all of the Clindamyacin that he was on for the last 6 months and had no stomach problems!!  No wonder the pantry stays empty!!!  We can't afford to feed him and he hasn't even hit the teenage years yet!!

Brett weighed 28 pounds and was 37 inches tall.  He is in the 80th percentile for weight ( probably from the gallon of milk he drinks every 2 days) and the 90th percentile for height.  He is perfect for the growth chart.  Dr. Ben says he is doing everything he is supposed to do and is developing normally!!!  He goes back for another hearing test next Friday.  He got his finger pricked and two shots today.  Broke my heart.

All three kids got the flu mist which had the combination H1N1 vaccine in it.  We are looking forward to a flu free season around here.  Gotta love the mist instead of the shot!!  I know I do!!

So thankful for my healthy children and the blessings that they are!

Help!

I am hoping that several of you that have commented on my blog can help me.  I can't read the comments.  They are a bunch of squares.  It shows that I will have 4 comments but none of them come through clearly.  Am I doing something wrong????  Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Firetruck Party

When Blake turned two, I had read in a Parents Magazine about a birthday party where the firetruck came and the kids got to climb on it!  I called the fire department and asked them if they would do a party.  They said yes and it was one of the best parties we had.  When Brett turned two, so many things were going on with Dad that I wasn't even sure if I would have a big party for him.  Unfortunately, when you have an older child that had the parties, you feel guilty if you do not live up to it with the youngest one.  So......I called the Effingham Fire Department to see if they would be interested in having a party.  About a week later, the chief called me back and said that he would love to do a party for us.  Keep in mind that these are VOLUNTEER firefighters and they did not have to do this.  Brett was so excited and all of the children waited patiently with their fire hats for the party to begin!

Karen Bradley from cakebelieve.net made this AWESOME cake!!!

At promptly 10:15, the firetruck came aroun the corner!!!

 Th

These firemen spent so much time with us, explaining fire safety and the tools that they use!

Then, they broke out the fire hose!!!!!!!!!!  Each one of them was able to hold the hose and squirt the kids that were playing.  They had a BLAST (literally)!!!!!

Brett got cold after Blake ran him through the water.

Brett's favorite part...blowing out the candles again and again and again!!!

And the best part.....opening the presents!

Thank you to everyone for making Brett's 2nd birthday so special and memorable!!!