We're Still Alive

We're alive and well at the Daniel house...just kind of busy.  I think I'll update this in bullet points.  It just feels like a bullet point kind of day.  I feel like it gives me the ability to hop from topic to topic...as if I don't do that in these posts already.

-Gaines is still doing great.  I'd say that he is pretty much healed from his surgery.  All of his stitches are gone except for a few that are under some sort of tape that they said would dissolve.  It hasn't yet and I'm not messing with it.  He goes back in a couple of weeks for a check-up and I'm sure he'll get a good report. 

-Oxygen update:  Gaines is still doing great on the oxygen.  He goes back for that appointment the first week of November and I'm hoping that we'll get to start trying periods off oxygen.  The timing isn't great since we are getting into cold and flu season but I'm hopeful.  I actually made flu shot appointments today.  I can't believe its that time of year again.

-Still no walking for Gaines.  I'm trying not to worry about this but I am a little.  Actually that's a lie...last week I had a full blown meltdown over it but I'm at peace again (for the moment).  I just SO want life to be easy and normal for him.  I want him to be able to run and play with Reed and not have to sit on the sidelines.  Ok...off that before I have another pity party.  I swear part of it is just that Gaines doesn't seem to really want to walk.  He's got a little stubborn streak in him and no matter how hard I try to practice, if Gaines doesn't want to, he doesn't.  He and I tie up over this on a regular basis.  It usually results in me stomping off muttering under my breath about him being so hard-headed.  I really think I have a shot at mother of the year this year.  Prayers for the walking please.  You all know what your prayers have done for Gaines so far...they work. 

-Along those same lines on prayer...I am just amazed on a regular basis how powerful prayer is.  I mean, I know that God doesn't answer every prayer exactly the way we want Him to...sometimes he just has bigger plans for us...but it is just so awesome when He does.  And it happens all the time if you watch.   

-I don't know what it is about my boys and toilets but when Reed was little he was constantly playing in the toilet and Gaines seems to be following in his footsteps.  Every time it gets quiet around here I realize where he is and I have to go pull him and whatever he's got out of the toilet.  Last night it was Beau's shoe.  Oh, and now that its long-sleeve weather this has become even more of a problem because now there is clothes changing involved.  Did y'all like that segway from God to toilets?  See, I can do that with bullet points.

-Reed moved up to the next class at school today.  He is officially a Jungle Gem and he is SO excited.  His teachers said that he did great on his first day.  I'm so proud of him but I cannot believe how big he is getting.  He will be 3 in less than two weeks and I just cannot believe it.  This is the first time that I've really realized how much he's growing up and it makes me a little sad. 

-We are big into zurberts (the sound you get when you blow into some one's stomach) at our house these days and today on the way home Reed said, "Mama...when we get home...I want you to give daddy...a zurbert".  I just kind of laughed and said that I didn't think daddy would be home when we got there.  A few minutes later he said, "But, daddy really doesn't like zurberts"...I just thought it was funny because he does not.  I think it weirds him out.  A few other Reed quotes of late:
"Daddy, we've got a problem."
"Gaines, that is not what we do". 
"No, no, no Gaines!" 
"Mama, look at what Gaines is doing".
In response to me asking what he did at school that day, "I rode a motorcycle...but, I didn't ride a motorcycle".
He hears Beau call me "Brit" some times and he'll copy him and call me "Drit"
At a red light this weekend on the way to a birthday party:  "Mama, go!  I gotta get to my party".
Oh, and this is so annoying but he copies me when I get him in trouble some times.  "No Rweed"..."We don't do that Rweed".  I decided today that's a timeout offense.   

-I've started back running...which is part of the reason this hasn't been updated in a while.  Tonight is an off night.  I'm glad to be doing some sort of exercise again.  I'd kind of given up for a while.  Plus I don't feel so guilty for my eating habits.

-I am pumped about this fall weather we are having.  Any chance I get I open the windows and light my pumpkin spice candle.  I planted mums this weekend and pushed the season a little and made chili for dinner Saturday night.  Loving it. 

-OH!  We were out at a store the other day and Reed and I overheard a little boy (about 7) telling his mother that he was going to "punch her in the face".  Obviously I was appalled and quickly had a little quiet talk with Reed about how ugly it was and how we did not talk to people like that.  But, my question is this...how do you handle something like that?  That mother seemed to be ignoring it (and I'm not criticizing because I've never been in that position and different things work for different people and maybe that's the best way to deal with that) but I can't help but think that my child and I would have had a nice little "chat" outside.  Makes me want Reed to stay 3 forever.

I think that's about it for now.  I'll try and be back soon.  In the mean time we'll be living and loving life. 

Love to all,

Brittany