Toddler Talk

More cute toddler talk. Mason is in a funny repeating phase. We are now watching our words and tone quite closely these days, but my favorite thing to get him to say, "what happened".

Mason will come in asking for help and as I assess the situation I say "uh oh, what happened?"

Mason: "wha hapeeen" 

(sounds like what happy)

My favorite part is that he says it with the same dramatic inflections in his voice as I do. My funny little chatter box! Loving this toddler talk!

Frequent Conversation

A frequent conversation these days with my little princess Mal...

(After 30 minutes in her bed talking at naptime...)

Me - "Mallory Grace, it's time to go night night."

Mal - "No niy niy!"

Me - "No ma'am. Naptime is not a choice. You lay down and close your eyes."

Mal - "No eyes!"

Me - (desperately trying not to laugh) "Yes, close your eyes and lay down."

Mal - "No yay dowm!"

Me - Lay her down and walk out of room laughing under my breath while pulling my hair out as she proceeds to flop around and make noises for another 30 minutes...

Being the mommy of a 2 year old is fun. Being the mommy of a 2 year old is fun. Being the mommy of a 2 year old is fun.

Woooooosaaaaaaaahhhh...

The Story Keeps Getting Sweeter

Literally. My friend Sara that I wrote about here, she's having a baby...

GIRL!!

She was shocked! She was so certain she was having a boy. So much so that she had me convinced it was a boy! So you can imagine how hard that secret was to keep for over 2 weeks. Sara really did not care what gender the baby was but like many moms, she did hope to have a daughter of her own one day. Little did she know that day will be this summer!

Her reveal party was adorable and she was so sweet to have someone video it to share with me. That moment when she looked up and saw the PINK silly string... priceless! Her reaction made me cry like a baby!

We can't wait to meet miss Coraline Mae!

Cold Weather Favorite

Today we are experiencing another arctic front that has brought in some bitterly cold temperatures. Although its not bringing the snow I had wished for at least once this winter, I am still enjoying the fire and bringing out one of my favorite cold weather recipes!

I am not a cook. I want to enjoy cooking. I want to be someone who likes to experiment and try new recipes. But, I am just not. I cook 2-3 nights a week but usually easy, staple recipes. This is one of those and it is my favorite thing to eat and make!

I have done it in both the crock pot and in a stock pot on the stove. Good both ways but the flavor after 4 or 5 hours in the crock pot is delicious. It makes a ton (probably feeds 6-8 people) but its also great leftover, so I just cook the full recipe. Give it a try and enjoy the cold! I know we will!

Taco Soup
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Directions

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

Baby Cousin!

That's right. I've been dying to shout it from the rooftops... I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!!! And the twins are going to be "big" cousins to this little angel...

My sister and brother-in-law are expecting their first child. The whole family has been ready for this for a long time. And how sweet is it going to be to watch baby J grow up with our buggies, and in the same town now!

I am so happy to have a sister that I am so close with to watch experience the miracle of a new baby and all the fun that comes along with preparing for a new bundle of joy. Now I can't wait until July to meet this little babe, who shall have a declared gender and name soon! Congrats Aunt Mami and Uncle Ada!!

Never Ends

I would love to say that a couple of good posts were a sign that all was well here. But Tuesday morning I woke up to this...

Seriously you say? Seriously. We haven't had one single week of good health since 2013! Doctors appointment on Wednesday showed a bacterial infection (so not true viral pink eye, but same appearance) which had also traveled to Mallory's throat and ears as well as Masons throat. Antibiotics and antibiotic eye drops for Mason and antibiotic shots and eye drops for Mal. My darling daughter fought so hard the first two doses of meds because she hated the taste, so we opted for 3 days of shots instead. Like really, never seen a child so efficiently gag and spit out medicine. Kinda impressive and annoying at the same time.

I'm at a loss really. I'm quite frustrated with my pediatrician and really want to change but I can't get into any reputable practice here. I know it's not his fault we get sick but there's a good chance this most recent bout was because he misdiagnosed the last illness the kids had. Which is a long story too frustrating to share here. I've pulled the kids out if school completely, have tried to keep them home more and when we do go in public I make sure we are in the stroller at all times, especially at the doctors office! I've cleaned and disinfected every part of my house, washed all the sheets and blankets, and sanitized toys.

So many moms tell me this is an unfortunate phase that a lot of kids experience and I feel like we are just getting double doses of it with two young ones, but sheesh it's been a tough season for us! The cold weather is my favorite but I am so ready for summer just so we can regain a sense of normalcy around here!!

Ok, rant over. Hopefully you'll get posts full of cheer, smiley well dressed tots, and lovely memories soon.

Today was our best day in several weeks so we are going to try to enjoy our weekend. Hope you do too!

Toddler Talk

Mason is such a talker these days. He loves to repeat words you say and he is adding to his vocabulary daily. He's also absolutely precious when he talks. If I could record everything he says you better believe I would. So instead I want to journal it here. Starting with my favorite Mason toddler speak.

"Monkey"

I call the blankets in our house "blankies". Well, my little animal loving Mason has associated that with the more familiar word monkey. So now he wakes up in the morning, climbs into the recliner to watch cartoons, and so sweetly requests his milk, puppers, and his monkey. I ask him several times a day about a blankie just to hear him call it a monkey. So cute!

I have previously used the word "neh" for milk because Mason, at just over a year old, began asking for his milk with the sound "neh". My big boy now says "milk" clear as day. I am not going to lie, this breaks my heart a little. I feel like he is just growing so fast. I kinda wanted him to be in elementary school asking the cafeteria lady for some "chocolate neh". So I could hold on to the baby cuteness forever. But it's probably for the best, yeah? Hummmm...

They May Be Twins...

But, holy cow, they are sooooo different! Let me enlighten you...

- Mason is disinterested in eating, Mallory LOVES food.

- Mallory is obsessed with her paci, Mason stopped taking one at a couple months old.

- Mason can't live without milk, Mallory drinks about half the amount of milk he does each day.

- Mason loves being covered up with big soft blankies, Mallory freaks out if you put a blanket on her.

- Mason has a very sensitive stomach and has thrown up more times than I can count, Mallory has never thrown up in her life.

- Mallory is short and stout, Mason is tall (almost 3 inches taller!) and lean.

- Mason wears a size 8 shoe, Mallory wears a 6.

- Mallory enjoys taking showers, Mason panics if you even pretend like you are putting him in the shower.

- Mallory sleeps with lullaby music at night, Mason loves sleeping in the silence.

- Mallory wants to sleep with her flashlight friend on, Mason throws his out because the light is too bright.

- Mallory enjoys posing for the camera, Mason typically runs from the sight of a camera.

- Mallory finds loud things fascinating, Mason cries and climbs up your leg to be held at the sound of the vacuum or blower.

- Mason is quite coordinated and has good rhythm, Mallory not so much, bless her.

- Mason likes to be destructive, Mallory likes to be organized.

- Mason has been in time out hundreds of times, Mallory only twice.

- Mallory is a fruit and veggie lover, Mason is a meat and carbs/junk eater.

- Mason loves to cuddle, Mallory can't sit still long enough to cuddle.

- Mallory is a gentle and sweet little girl, Mason is a rough and mostly sweet little boy! ;)

Love my very different little buggies! They know how to keep life interesting!!

Smile in the Rough

The last two weeks have been quite rough for us. It all started with Mason's ear infection the week of New Years. We had a couple of days of relief and were even able to enjoy a friends birthday party. Then that night Mason started coughing. I thought nothing of it because it appeared as allergies. Sure enough Sunday night he started running a high fever. His cough got worse and by Tuesday I took him in to the dr. His ear infection had not cleared and he had a viral respiratory infection. They decided to give him a 3 day series of antibiotic shots to clear his ears quickly but the cold had to run its course. Wednesday Mason started feeling better but Mallory started running 102 degree fever. She started coughing and having lots of congestion. I knew they would tell me it was a cold so I just treated her fever and went on. By Saturday night she was having a lot of trouble sleeping and breathing. I decided to take her to the ER. They gave her a breathing treatment which appeared to help but it was nothing more than a severe respiratory infection, most likely rsv or adenovirus, for which there is no treatment. So we were sent home. Yesterday Mason started having diarrhea and throwing up and his diarrhea has continued today, so it appears we have some sort of bug on our hands.

A sick and upset baby boy! 

(I only took a picture to update Daddy on the status of everyone that day. Clearly not well.)

My little sicky in the ER. Awful experience.

Life has been full of tears, sleepless nights, medicine, loads of laundry, and seclusion from the rest of the world. But we are still trying to find plenty of moments to smile.

Mallory has picked up on the concept of "bless you" again. Except for she thinks it's appropriate when someone coughs or sneezes, which I think is precious. Precious but heartbreaking... When she has a 5 minute long coughing attack and every chance she can catch her breath says "oh blesh you, oh" in the most pitiful voice. Sweet sickly baby.

A short lived moment of happy at my parents house on Saturday. She was refusing to wear a shirt that day! Tells you what kind of day that wended up being!

Mason has mastered "please". I am so proud of him. "Up, please." "More, please." "Help, please." "Eat, please." "Milk, please." He even signs it when he says it. Except for now I am having a hard time telling him no because it's just too cute. You want to play on my iMac and delete everything? Sure honey, because you so sweetly said please! Ha.

(I mean no offense to anyone on this one, it's just funny.) Mallory pronounces the word milk with an "n" sound and an exaggerated "ka" sound at the end. So she walks around the house saying "my nicka" "my nicka". I promise we are not teaching her bad things!! But you have to admit, that makes for a good laugh!

She can't reach the microwave unless she stands on the chair. She's always been resourceful...

Mason saw me looking at a picture of my friend Lacyes baby Harper on my phone. He saw it and said "sister". I said "no that's Harper." He immediately started pointing to the door saying "Harpers, Harpers, Harpers", almost in tears because he wanted to go bye bye to see Harper. It was the sweetest thing! We compromised and face timed Harper instead, and he froze of course. But today he overheard me talking to her, ran in, grabbed the phone and said "hi" to which she responded in the most girly gentle voice saying "hi". I think our boy might have his first crush! :)

He was kind of weirded out by the whole thing! Ha.

Girlfriends catching up, all smiles of course!

I am happy to have these good moments amidst all the unfortunate ones. They make the rough times a little easier to survive!

A Special Day

Several months ago I wrote a post and casually requested prayers for a friend, remember this? Well if you joined me in prayer I sure appreciate it and praise God for answered prayers, because sometimes the result is well, just too awesome...

Meet Baby H!

That sweet, tiny, in utero little baby belongs to this beautiful lady and her husband...

Sara and Ryan

Sara and I met in the summer of 2010 when we began working for the same company at the new office they were opening here. She sat next to me at our first team dinner and all I kept thinking is "this chick never shuts up!" Haha. Don't get me wrong, she was friendly as can be but it takes me forever to warm up to new people so to see someone hold conversations with strangers like she did, I was completely intimidated! Turns out, thats what makes Sara so successful at work, holding conversations with strangers like she's known them for years. And that is why we instantly became friends over co-workers! She is genuinely interested in other people and helping them in any way possible.

When Sara began opening up to me back in 2011 about starting her family, we again had another bond to share. Little did we know her journey was going to be long, but I am so thankful that I was able to go through it with her. Although our paths to getting pregnant were different, our pain and frustration were the same. Sara went month after month without a positive pregnancy test and then further medical evaluation showed her situation was also being complicated by ovarian cysts. Finding the right remedy to treat such a condition and being patient waiting for it to work also proved to be disappointing and more than anything, incredibly time consuming for someone who is so ready to have a baby.

When I got that call in early October, "Sarah, the cysts are gone! We got the green light!" I knew it was going to be that month we were ready and waiting for. We also bonded in my kitchen as I gave her a trigger shot (hCG injection used by doctors to induce ovulation at the optimum time of the month) in the belly! Haha! I had to give myself shots while trying to get pregnant and everyday while I was pregnant so she trusted me to do it, although I was a little nervous but tried to act confident to keep from freaking her out!

On October 23rd at 11 o'clock at night I was clinging to the phone waiting on her to get home from a big work trip so she could take a pregnancy test. (I tried to talk her in to taking one in an airport bathroom during one of her long layovers, she refused, lol.) Finally I got it, a picture of a beautiful, pee'd on, POSITIVE pregnancy test! She wanted to surprise her husband with a gift the next day so we celebrated by jumping around our own bathrooms and texting OMG over and over! Haha. That, that was her big moment and it was amazing!

Fast forward to yesterday, a very special day! Sara has given me the honor and privilege (and serious pressure, ha) of learning the baby's gender through a special ultrasound at just over 15 weeks and keeping it a secret for the next 2 weeks! She is having a gender reveal party with their family and friends in her hometown of Houston so I am busy prepping for the big reveal.

Baby H looks great and tiny! It was doing flips and started upside down. It also cooperated on giving us a good gender shot but I've talked Sara into doing one more ultrasound in 2 weeks just for confirmation before the big party, since this one was so early. Really, I just wanted an excuse to see the baby again. Because we are looking at a pretty special miracle here!

Can't wait to meet you baby H! 

You are blessed with an amazing Mommy and I know she is sure excited to be blessed by you!

Thank you Sara for allowing me to be part of all the baby fun and for letting me share your beautiful story. I am so thrilled for you guys and can't wait to snuggle that baby!

I'll update you guys on the big news after the party in a couple of weeks!

New Year and Changes

I feel like we have reached a milestone in the kids toddlerhood. We are now 2 years old and the holidays are behind us. Now it's time to start thinking about the transition to big kid beds, potty training and dare I say weaning from the paci for my girl. That's a lot of changes for my kiddos and I. I am operating on no timeline however and I am fortunate to be at home with my kiddos so these things can happen as they are ready and it's natural and not forced. In theory anyway.

Speaking of changes. I took the kids out of their PDO program today. My last post I discussed Masons trip to the doctor. Well guess who started coughing on Saturday night and started running fever Sunday night? All while already on antibiotics for his ears. Turns out his ears aren't clearing and he has contracted a nasty viral throat infection that he just has to tough out. He hasn't eaten anything but a prune, a breakfast bar, and 3 goldfish since Saturday. Thankfully his cold milk provides relief and comfort so he is staying nice and hydrated.

All that to say, the kids have been sick at least twice a month since staring PDO. Since we pay whether there or not and it's not a necessity, we decided to pull them out, survive the rest of cold and flu season, and try somewhere again in the fall when we've built a little more immunity to things!

Not to mention all these changes that will be happening will be much easier when we aren't going to a different environment 2 days a week. We will miss it but there will soon come a day when I don't have a choice but to send my babes to school everyday. So I want to savor all the time at home with them that I can, even if I go insane some days!

Now here's to a week of quarantine for the Burger household. Praying we are all 100% healthy in the end!!

Ringing In 2014

Every year after Christmas we attend D's Granny's family reunion about an hour away from us. Saturday morning we loaded up and enjoyed a nice lunch and visit with family.

Enjoying some lunch!

Mallory walking around the building.

Wow. Mallory last year at the reunion!

Mason and all the kids in 2012. Look how tiny he was!

We then drove another hour further to visit our friends and their sweet kids. We had a blast and decided to stay an extra night. 

Pax and Princess watching Tangled

The girls walking their babies

Love these sweet girls!

But, Monday morning Mason woke up screaming and would not lay back down. I noticed he kept rubbing the right side of his nose, cheek, eye and right ear. Then he started feeling warmer. We got up and abruptly threw everything in the truck to try to make the two hour drive home and get Maser to the doctor. He cried the WHOLE way home. It broke my heart. I had given him some Advil but the pain was too much for him. It was clearly an ear infection. He wanted so bad to just be cuddled by Mommy and not be pinned down in a car seat. He ended up throwing up about 10 minutes from home just from crying. It was the longest car trip ever. Really it only took us an hour and a half and we made it just in time for his appointment at 11 am. Or so I thought. They finally got us in a room at 1 PM! So annoying. He threw up on me in the lobby of the doctor too after napping on me for an hour, which he never does. I was so mad about waiting that I was a little happy he did, felt like my revenge for taking so long. I'm awful, haha.

After 3 straight hours of crying, he finally stopped because he fell asleep after I loaded him in my car to go to the doctor. :( His eyes were so red and puffy. Look at where he perched his little hands.

Sleeping on my chest at the doctors office.

 If we had been at home, I could have stayed like that forever!

Sure enough, his right ear was quite infected and puss filled. Bless my boys heart. Because he was showing signs of nausea they gave him a 24 hour antibiotic shot to get him started feeling better. Monday night I was still having trouble keeping his fever down and decided we should cancel our New Years Eve get together, which made me incredibly sad but I knew my job instead of prepping for a party all day NYE would be to get my little boy healthy again. So that's what we did. Thankfully he woke up with just a low grade fever on Tuesday and acted more like himself. Mallory had some gross diapers on Monday so I was worried that we might have also contracted some tummy stuff but she went back to normal on Tuesday. We ended up having a low key NYE watching the A&M game and playing with the babes. Dusty and I toasted with Sprite at midnight and watched a few episodes of the Unit and went to sleep. It was quite the party!

Not how we expected to ring in the New Year but I can't think of a more appropriate way to start 2014 than taking care of my little family. 2013 was a fabulous year for us and there are a lot of fun things we are looking forward to this year. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!