Heartbreaker

Ironically, this is a post I began 8 months ago. It was nearing Valentine's Day, and Knox had just gotten a "heartbreaker" outfit from Old Navy. I had trouble with the computer and uploading the pictures, so I never actually wrote anything to accompany the picture and title above. Now, this picture is so very tongue in cheek for the post I need to write today.

Let me start with this evening. FINALLY, this week our family had a productive day, relaxing afternoon, and like so many other nights, we topped it off with a trip to the local Mexican resturant. Sounds silly, but the Mexican resturant has come to represent an important place in our lives. I have, over the years, celebrated birthdays, looked at engagement rings, starred into future daddy's eyes, cried for children that might have been, made important decisions, mourned, laughed-all over chips and salsa. Dan and I even chose to watch George W's speech on September 11, 2001 through the thick glass bottoms of La Siesta's margarita glasses. FINALLY, this week, I got my long over due margarita that I had been waiting for since Wednesday afternoon.

See, Wednesday was Knox's doctor appointment at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. When he was 4 days old, the pediatrician noticed upon his "exit exam" from the hospital, a heart murmur. We were directed to our regular physician that following Tuesday, and the pediatric cardiologist by Tuesday afternoon. We were lucky enough to get the Chief of the department as our doc. Chief of anything at Vanderbilt CH equals pretty darn smart in my book. We were assured then, and 3 months after, that the murmur was a VSD, a ventricular septal defect, in lamens terms, a "hole" in the heart. Of all congential heart defects, this was the one to have if you had to pick. Most of the time these defects "often close on their own" as did mine when I was a baby. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to fear. Until Wednesday. We went through the same rigamoroll as the last time except this time, the doc said see you in 6 months, and we will most likely be scheduling open heart surgery. I'm sorry, did you just say OPEN HEART SURGERY? Surely, you must be mistaken. See, my son is just a year old and although he's small, he's fine, more than fine-great. Turns out, he did in fact say surgery, even though to be honest, what I heard between then and us walking out is patchy-mainly because I was fighting the crocodile tears that were welling in my eyes and trying to play it cool. Apparently Knox's hole isn't closing afterall. His lungs are recieving twice as much blood-one side of his heart working twice as hard as the other, because it has a leak. And unless we want him to continue down the road towards high blood pressure and enevitable heart strain, he must undergo the surgery to patch his little heart up so it can beat normally.
God is wonderful in that he gently laid me into the hands of good friends Thursday, Friday and today. He is also good in connecting me to those who will be on a similar path and have the very same fears I will have. And, I think he knows that mentally, this will be almost unbearable for me. Hence the Mexican resturant. Hence all the friends he is surrounding me with. Hence the 3 day trip next week to a sunny locale that Dan and I have been wishing for.
So, long story short, my heart will most certainly break from having to endure the discomfort of my baby, but my heart break will be in order to fix his. Being a parent is bittersweet, isn't it? For now, we have to wait 6 months before hearing anything else. Keep his little heart in mind, would you?

Hungry for Fall

Fall brings out the best in foods. Caramel apples, pumpkin pie, candy corn: just to name a few of my favorites. I once had a chef friend tell me that I was unusual because I loved both chocolate and earthy flavors (pumpkin, apple, cinnamon) since most people usually prefer one or the other. I just call it hungry. This week to further emphasis the letter "a" that has been the talk at preschool and to take advantage of fall's bounty, some friends headed to Boyd Mill Farm to let the youngsters pick apples. Early Wednesday morning a line of mini vans and SUVs overran the small farm and easily overtook the apple trees! For $5 a family, the very nice owner allowed our kids to run around picking until their heart were content and because they were pesticide free, they could munch on them straight off the tree. Lucy has been spoiled with her Pap's apple tree this summer, but she still enjoyed picking and seeing her friends.

Us watching the owner pick some pears off her old old pear tree.

Ellie Spotting a Big Apple

Also with weather cooling off, its making us crank up the fire pit in the back yard and linger outdoors after dinner. The first cool evening we had, we were ready for smores. And although all I could dig out of the pantry was mini marshmallows, they were still good!

First, First

"They say its your birthday...happy birthday to ya."

Monday was the much anticipated celebration of Knox completing one year of life, and his parents successfully seeing him through it without too many scars. His party was smiley face themed, because if you haven't met him, its his favorite thing to do-smile. He donned his Mr. Happy tshirt and overall enjoyed seeing a few of his baby friends and being surrounded by family.

Cake Time! Now, unlike my first child, who's first taste of sugar was her 1st birthday cake, Knox probably had ice cream at 7 months (I know there are some moms out there that just screeched). He's the SECOND child, remember? From what I understand, the third child fixes their own meals. Knox was still pretty happy to be given his own cake. He looked at and then looked at us and kinda smiled. The whole time he ate, he looked around like surely someone was going to call him out on this! The little stinker even used a fork. What a gentleman!

Knox loved all his presents! (Lucy got a few too, since it just happend to be her half birthday also!) I tried the "no presents" thing with Lucy's first party and no one listened, so I gave up this time and let his family spoil his with obnoxious noise making boy toys. Goodwill: Expect a load of old toys from the Williamsons this week!

And more firsts for this post:

First Day of Preschool!

Poor Knox-he wants to do everything she does!

Lucy began her first day of preschool. Its a little more advanced than mothers day out with a curriculm and more activities. She loves her teacher (mom does, too!) and is going to get a taste of what boys are really like since right now she is 1 of only 2 girls in the class!

Hope your first week of September is a good one!

Austin Mental Limits

Dan had yet another trip to Austin last week, so we decided we would tag along and see what Austin had to offer. I really liked the city, however, if I ever go again, it will be sans children! For some unknown reason, both kids decided to pull out their devil horns for this mini vaca, leaving me frazzled and outnumbered most of the time. There were a few highlights.

Lucy loved the hotel. When we checked in, our room wasn't ready, so they upgraded us to a 2 bedroom suite. This meant Lucy had her own roomHer own queen size bed with down comforter and gazillion pillows, And her own flat screen TV!We could've just stayed there and she would have been fine! We went over to the sprawling Dell International Headquarters to meet some of Dan's cohorts that he talks about so I could but faces to the names. Lucy liked being able to see where he goes to work when he's in Texas.

Austin has some great restaurants. We liked Chuy's-sort of a tex mex red bar. I definitely liked and appreciated the "Keep Austin Weird" vibe through out the city. I never did pick up one of the tshirts, mainly because at the time, I was hoping the experience of screaming children would magically be erased from my memory. The wounds have healed a little now, so maybe I'll send Dan back there for the T.
Very Similar to Chuy's was Shady Grove, the left overs of a once motor village. This is Lucy thinking I am the worst mother in the whole world:

Thats right, just 5 cents a day could feed this poor orphaned girl

We "rode the ducks" and got to see some cool sights around Austin and then motored around Town Lake.

As close as we got to the Alamo, Pap:

Bigger in Texas:
Overall, I was glad to get home. However, I did have 2 heavenly retail experiences that although there is no photographic evidence, the shopping bags are real:

1. Whole Foods. Austin is home base for Whole Foods, and the store that houses the offices, is amazing! I walked in and never wanted to leave. They had food after food bar offering everything you could ever want. Texas laws allow you to DRINK while you SHOP (compose yourself), and there was live music (its Austin, remember!). We ate dinner there one night and probably had the best food. If I lived in Austin, I would weigh 300 pounds from eating there, but my body fat would be 100% recyclable.

2. "And on the 7th day He rested, but He obviously got up early the next morning and created IKEA." This place is the bomb. And I don't use "the bomb" very often. Its the size of like 3 costcos and divided into first a pier one like atmosphere with rooms set up like you can view how it'll look and then more of a warehouse section where you grab the big stuff you liked in the show rooms. The only sad part was I only had an hour, but don 't worry, I pretty much shoved anything I thought I could fit on the plane into the shopping cart. And the prices are so cheap. I have decided I should just drive a uhaul to Atlanta and redo the whole house. Dan isn't allowed to come home from Austin anymore without an IKEA purchase.

We did a lot of other things, more eating, the bats, the children's museum, which probably explains the cranky babies. Regardless, I am looking forward to my next adult only trip!

Happy Birthday to You

Look out world, here I come!

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday dear Knox, Happy Birthday to you!

Few Facts about the Birthday Boy:

1. At 1 year old, I can:

crawl, stand up, dance, play pat a cake, make elephant and duck sounds, say daddy, momma, grammy, pap, nana, papa, Lucy, Beau, all done, macoroni, yeh, Love you, hi, bye bye, and the occasional random word like Hayden, baby, texas.

2. My favorite foods are: green peas, mac n cheese, grapes, cheddar cheese, bread, blue berries, peantu butter (is it sad that he's already had that?!), corn, Clifford Cereal.

3. Activities include: banging on stuff, trying to stick fingers in light sockets, eating dog food, trying to climb stairs, putting small objects in my mouth, yelling for Lucy, patting Beau on the back, putting my food in my hair, crawling, crawling crawling.

4. Popular Nicknames: Knoxer, Knoxer Doxer, Knoxer Man, Knoxy, Brother Man, Brother Bear, Buddy Boy, baby, sweet muffin.

5. My favorite toys are: my loveys, the remote, balls, anything of Lucy's that makes noise.

6. I smile constantly.

And lets pay homage to the one who let you into this world, little buddy! Don't you forget it, either!

No pictures for this one...

For any of you kind folks who tune into my blog occasionally, I encourgage you to read and pray for our dear friends Danielle and Blake who again struggle with the difficult journey of trying to bring a baby into the world. I want desperately to one day post pictures of a chubby round baby on here for them, but right now their child is truly in God's hands, so please ask of him to make this child a reality. They need more than ever to feel the power of people praying for them.

http://blakeanddaniellemalone.blogspot.com/

Young Men

I am not used to photographing anyone who stays still and smiles on cue, but the Walton Boys were definitely no nonsense fellows and made my job pretty easy. Hunter is going into 12th grade, Chris into 8th. I look forward to capturing the whole family this fall.

But hold the phones, let's not forget who the cutest fellow around here is!