Monday, May 30, 2011

Wild Child



It's official! Christopher is our wild child! From 6 weeks old his life has been plagued with a car wreck - totaled van, 33 days in the hospital, throwing up for months straight, putting everything in his mouth (normal, I know, but Michael never did it and we are particularly weird about him choking or throwing up after what we've been through), and trouble always seems to follow close behind him! Saturday, we nearly got hit by a car at CiCi's pizza. We were walking in and someone decided to reverse quickly without checking their mirrors I guess... Casey yelled and they ended up stopping so close to us that he smacked their car out of anger. They just put it in 'drive' and drove off - after nearly hitting a family of 4. I looked at Christopher and told him "no more funny stuff". So it's kind of a running joke that trouble follows him around. Luckily, there is tons of sweet, precious, and cute moments to make up for it :) His curly hair of 'yet-to-be-determined' color is adorable. The way he sucks his thumb and grabs his lovey anytime he gets near a pillow is adorable. He loves to play with his big brother (and big brother helps take great care of him). The two of them keep us well entertained! I'm enjoying every minute!

In other news, we had some good luck this weekend buying clearance clothes for the boys next winter. Babies-r-us has already reduced clearance clothes buy-one-get-one-free this weekend! (and shoes too!). I got the boys matching shoes for $5 each, matching button down shirts for $5 each, matching polos for $3 each, toddler boy underwear 3 packs for $3, a tan suit coat for Michael for $6, 4 pack of carters white long-sleeved onesies for $4, winter boots for $2, another pair of shoes for $4....... and I even left more stuff behind that I wanted to get! You know I love it when things are matchy-matchy (like the shirts in the picture above). We also got some clearance diaper bags less $10 off coupons so $5 for one and $3 for one. I also got some matching CHAPS shirts for the boys at Kohls. Who knows exactly how much they were after 15% off, $5 off and $10 kohls cash, but I am thinking they were about $4 each. Great shirts for next Winter/Spring! Let's hope the sizing is right! I love a good deal!


At the Christian bookstore -- I also purchases the cd "Strings of Worship" which is a string quartet cd of hymns and another "Fiddle Levity" which I haven't heard yet, but it is also from the Christian bookstore. And the movie 10 Commandments. All were $5 each! Casey and I also got Othello ($5) and Pictionary ($6) on mega clearance at KMart. So we had a great weekend clearance shopping and treating ourselves to some games :)


Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Stacy { <>< }

Thursday, May 26, 2011

God is Love

I wrote this when I was younger and just happened across it tonight as I am cleaning out old files. I used to jot down random poems a lot.

God is Love

God is Love.
Love you can trust a depend on
when you have nothing else.
Love that reaches deeper than a broken heart
and into an empty soul.
Love that fills a heart with Joy
and a soul with peace.
Love that comforts hardship
and embraces happiness.
Love that never fails
and loves those who fail.
Love that is unexplainable
yet needs not to be explained.
God is Love.

Stacy { <>< }

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Brothers

I wasn't planning on posting today, but I am sitting at the computer doing other things and the boys are being just so cute! Both are down for bed (they share a room), but Christopher is talking and playing with a light-up musical toy and Michael is playing make-believe in his new bed tent. I keep hearing random statements about gorillas and Mickey Mouse fun (it's a Mickey Mouse clubhouse tent). SO I have had 2 revelations: 1) I am SO lucky to have a GREAT daycare where Michael learns more than I ever would have thought he could at 3 yrs old. They have been studying zoo animals leading up to a field trip on Friday. I SO wish I could go, but I only have 1 sick day left at school. Casey is going to go with Michael and his class. and 2) I hope the boys are great playmates the rest of their lives. They have so much fun together right now. I know, I know, wishful thinking... but I can hope for the best! We saw a mom with 6 kids tonight at Chick-fil-a and they were all playing together and taking care of the younger ones. That mom HAD IT ALL TOGETHER! I guess you HAVE to with 6 kids. But still, 6 kids 11 and under and she went out to eat alone with them. What a strong lady! Back on topic - I hope our kids are good playmates too : ) I love to see them interact.

Saturday, June 4th is my last day of school and Sunday, June 5th is our joint birthday party for the boys in Spartanburg! Michael is 3 and Christopher is 1 ~ where did the time go? : )

Stacy { <>< }

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sunny Days

We are enjoying sunny days in the Wiley family! I mean literally and figuratively! Christopher had his LAST visit with the surgeon last week. He weighed in over 16 pounds (which means he gained at least 1 pound since the last time they saw him 1 month ago). No more surgeons or Children's Hospital! [Well, I am actually planning on taking Michael and Christopher to the hospital to donate some 'clearance' toys to Happy Wheels after school gets out.] Christopher has been doing all sorts of new things like trying new table foods (pizza crust, banana, beans, shortbread cookies, shredded chicken, and more!), clapping his hands, practicing walking with a walker, clicking his tongue, shaking his head "no" (which is QUITE adorable!), and talking all the time (dada, occasional mama, uh oh, yeah, and more). He isn't very interested in standing on his own so I don't expect him to walk for a little while longer. He's taking his good sweet time.

Through all of these changes, I still stop and think about how lucky we are to even HAVE Christopher to go through all of these stages. I mean, it was special when Michael hit milestones, but it seems a little sweeter to see Christopher doing new things. I am beginning to forget the days that I spent watching my poor baby on a ventilator in the PICU. I still have random moments at work when I glance at a phone or e-mails to see if I have any messages about the hospital. Crazy, right? I know.

In other news, Michael helped me bag up some food and carry it to the mailbox for "Stamp out Hunger" through the postal service on Saturday. I just so happened to look out the window when the mailman came and took the food so Michael and I watched as they took it. We talked about sharing our food with other people who don't have any. I thought it was kind of fun to see his excitement! I hope I can start teaching him the importance of giving to others. He might not be as enthusiastic when it is TOYS we donate to Happy Wheels next month, but I think if I mentally prepare him in advance, he will understand.

Well, I have a million things to say and not enough time. I've even given up daily facebooking to make better use of my time! Boy, that was HARD!!!! But I know so many great things I can do with my family instead.

Have you hugged your "babies" today? Remember, each and every day is a gift from God. Kiss their cheeks, enjoy their smiles, make a mess and don't worry about cleaning it up, and savor every moment of the time you have together.

Stacy { <>< }

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Deals and Steals!

If you know me very well, you know I am always finding deals and steals and couponing away. Now that Christopher is all better and we are finally back to 'normal', I have been at it again! I was just ordering size 4 Huggies Jean diapers for $2.98 shipped to my house! I don't really like the jean diapers, but the price was right. Imagine my disappointment when I found out I could have been getting them from another website for $1.99 shipped to my house! Well, I did that too. After all, why NOT store up 10 packs of diapers when they're that cheap??

These are my favorite couponing sites:

Southernsavers.com (especially for PUBLIX)
Hip2save.com

a few others.... but there are MANY others out there...

freebies4mom.com
familyboundmom.com
thebudgetmommy.com

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to me!

This morning, Christopher waved bye-bye for the first time.

I couldn't have asked for a nicer gift today :)

Happy Mother's Day to all of the hard-working, dedicated, loving, mutli-tasking, amazing Moms I know!

Stacy { <>< }

Friday, May 6, 2011

Back in the swing of things!

Finally! This week felt like a "normal" week in the Wiley house. I had time to call family, time to chat with friends, time to focus on day-to-day details that got brushed aside for 3 months, and time to snuggle with my kids. Casey and I sorted and packed up 4500 Box Tops to send off for Conder. I made the boys' birthday invitation! I enjoyed inspiring my students through the musical brothers "Nuttin but Stringz". Casey and I took the kids on a fantastic and fun walk on a cool-ish evening. I was able to pull together a small gift for the kids' 5 teachers (Teacher appreciation week). I bought and mailed Mothers' Day cards to the special moms in my family. I went out to dinner with both kids on a work night and survived (okay, I met my sister and her hubby and baby so I wasn't completely alone). I proposed a change that will hopefully (and prayerfully) improve my job next year. I had daily conversations with co-workers and friends in which I was actually able to focus on the conversation instead of my mind racing in 1000 directions. I was touched by a great performance of some of my 1st year strings students at the Mother-Daughter Tea. I bought plates and napkins for the kids' birthday party. I printed coupons and we got groceries for the first time in weeks!!!!!!!!! I took pictures and videos of the kids.

It felt so good to do normal things again. It felt good to be happy. It felt good to know God is in control of my life through the struggles and back into the happy days again.

God is an awesome God!

Stacy { <>< }

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Empty handed...

I just went to the store to buy Mother's Day cards and left 30 minutes later empty handed. Why, you ask? Well,

1) How do you use the restroom with a baby in a carseat? I wasn't too interested in squeezing in and sitting him on the floor.

2) I had one of those "emotional moments" that I randomly and secretly have since coming home from the hospital. Even though Christopher is FINE and doing well, I still worry about him a lot. If I don't get a response to an e-mail or call from Casey midday, I begin to worry that he is gone to the daycare, doctor, or hospital, and is trying not to "worry" me at work. Illogical ~ I know in my mind ~ but I still worry. The funny thing is, I was a laid back worry-free mom before this all happened. Now, I am worried right up until the point I see him happily in front of me. When he isn't feeling well (teething grump the last few days), I am uneasy. I can remember the feelings I had when Casey didn't want to worry me at work yet Christopher was seriously ill at home and headed to the doctor. Or when I couldn't contact him at the doctor's office or the hospital later that day since we only have one cell phone. I re-live it in my mind worried it will happen again. Today was one of those "worry" days. And yet I try to convince myself to get past it because he is FINE. But I still worry. I think only time will make my worries subside.

Reading through Mother's Day cards talking about "you're the kind of mom that puts her children above dirty dishes, piles of laundry, etc., etc." hit close to home over the last few months and brought out all of these emotions.

3) Finally, how do you sum up your Moms and Grandmas in just one card? And what do you do when you want so badly to buy a card for a mom who has passed away? And how many more Mother's Days will you have with your Moms and Grandmas? And will you be the kind of Mom that deserves these special messages one day?

There was simply too much emotion in this Mother's Day card shopping experience. Better luck tomorrow!

Stacy { <>< }