Dear Mr. Thumb

Dear Mr. Thumb,

I have never been a friend of yours, in fact one may consider us as enemies. I've mocked you, I've scowled at seeing you with others and I was determined to continue our distance. Well, you see, I've humbled myself in order to write you. Throughout the day I find myself glancing your way, well if I was completely honest, my look is one of longing. Oh Mr. Thumb, won't you please wiggle yourself away from Mr. Fist and find a way into my little man's mouth. Won't you show him what you have to offer, a life of convenience, calmness, slimy ooey goodness? I know there will come a day where I will loathe you, where I will hunt this letter down and rip it up with words of how weak I was once upon a day to write to you. But desperation calls my friend, and would you please consider helping this mommy out?

With much respect,

Kristen Plamondon

a mom who just wants to help

Magical is happening

There is something magical opening up those Christmas boxes.

There is something magical reminiscing on why each ornament is meaningful.

There is something magical watching your baby girl dance with Jesus.

There is something magical seeing the ornaments all on the same level and completely opposite how mom would have done it.

There is something magical introducing your miracle to THE Miracle.

There is something magical when you decorate with your children acknowledging that this is the moment you used to dream about when you first began to dream.

There is something magical watching the man you chose to call forever help your firstborn place the star as the grand finale.

There is something magical ending the day with The Grinch, popcorn, and hot cocoa.

There is something magical happening.

Ramblings from a not as sleep deprived mom

So, my hair is falling out in mounds. It is like we are swimming at our house in hair. My little red head who had rockin hair is now almost completely bald...like only patches of grandpa looking hair left. Blows me away how he could have lost it all, it all came out in like 48 hours, bizarre. So, between him and I, we are not lookin our finest. I actually think I had a hair ball the other day. The little hairless man is sleeping like a champ. One of his tests showed that he was indeed aspirating while he drank, that he was refluxing into his lung, and that he was swallowing alarming amounts of air with each sip of a bottle. Poor baby. Since we've been thickening his liquids he is a totally different baby, much calmer, a smaller squishable tummy, not as scary. The best thing about it...the speech pathologist said to thicken his liquids with some rice cereal at times instead of only using Simply Thick always. Well, of course I chose to give him the cereal at his last feed of the day (I have a wickedly delish smile on my face) and that rockstar slept 13 hours that night. LOVE life since then! Carter is becoming more like Carter to us, well to me I suppose (Kirk never sees the scary stuff, such a man! LUCKY!) He is cooing more which is music to our ears, we sit over tea and have full on conversations now...he is brilliant I say. Well, perhaps we'll scrap the tea and word full, but he is starting to interact with us, which makes our hearts soar! His laryngoscopy revealed what they thought he had laringomalacia. I can't even begin to seriously describe what that is, it is say it with me "typical of Down Syndrome". He also has some issues that were described like this...a slurpee straw with a spoon thingy at the end. He is breathing like a slurpee straw with the spoon tipped over the straw, that is why he pants. I think the spoon thingy is the epiglottis, and it is floppin over his airway which makes him "panic" mode pant. Good thing is, he doesn't realize what panic means and it is normal for him. They think he might out grow it in 3 years. They say that nonchalantly, I say it with big eyes and a question mark after the years. That is a LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG time to hear him pant. Christmas is coming and I am all giddy inside. I LOVE making Christmas memorable for my family and this Christmas is something I would only sometimes when I was brave let myself dream about last summer. I cannot tell you how meaningful it will be to have the five of us in jammies around the tree. I cannot wait to hold a little miracle that morning as well tell the kiddos about the biggest reason for all miracles and all hope. Contemplating standing in line at Toys R Us Thursday night to get $100 off a trampoline? Think that is nuts? I'm not a black Friday person at all, I'm an organized, mark things off a list calmly person, therefore there is no room for the color black while I shop. BUT, our trampoline is looking it's age and $100 is a lot of eh? Yep, decision made, I'll send Kirk to stand in line. I don't like pumpkin pie, stuffing, or turkey all that much. I'm thinking that Thanksgiving would be the perfect holiday if we ate mashed potatoes, wheat thins, and pizza...do you know how many people (well small people named children) would totally dig that idea?

I had the first two years of my blog made into a book, when it came in the mail I cried. There is something about holding your life and memories in your hand. I used blurb.com. It took me an entire 3 months to "slurp" it all into their format and then re-format it to my liking, but boy was it worth it. I highly recommend it, but I highly encourage you to save your money because it is alarmingly expensive. I've officially renamed cradle cap to cradle crap. My little boy is now wearing 6 month clothes...chubby tank. On the opposite note, Mckenzie came out of her room from her nap in new shorts. I couldn't figure out where she had gotten those tan shorts. She didn't know either, just said they were in her shorts drawer. After a while I checked the tag, it said "Carters" 0-3 months. Yes, my 5 year old fits into 0-3 month clothes, she fits into them perfectly. Perhaps I'll save some money this year on clothes and just pass Carter's on to her. hmmm.

It absolutely blows my mind that people can make money off these little green soldiers that I step on and bite my tongue almost hourly. I never knew that people actually could do something with these little green guys, seriously??? When I bought Zac's first bag years ago at Savers, I thought I was throwing my money away, but nope, we now own approximately 1000 little green dudes and my child who adores lining things up...well, these green guys were made for him. Green guys equal hours and days of fun for my little man.

Today I...

Today I...

plungered the toilet and felt immense satisfaction when I fixed the problem

realized that my bra actually smells like spit up

researched skimboards online and bought diapers online while at it

had an giddy feeling knowing I have an easy bake oven ready to wrap up and put under a Christmas tree

made ham, mashed potatoes, and veggies for a family of 5 to share around the table

brushed hair, scrubbed bodies, picked cradle cap, wiped poop, brushed teeth, and gave meds...repeat

homeschooled until I wanted to scream

entertained a nana

prayed for my husband

vacuumed, scrubbed toilets, spot mopped, and washed bottles

worked out

swept up crumbs off the floor, repeat, repeat, repeat, considered renting a dog

did baby yoga to make my baby aware of his legs, muscles, arms at least 3 times

wore a shirt with spit up and drool from a little tongue protruding on my all the time everywhere I went, which wasn't many places due to something called isolation

sang countless songs about my Savior so my children will have Him engrained in their hearts

read books, stepped on army guys, ate plastic chicken with plastic pink cake,

perhaps rolled my eyes a bit while trying to help my 8 year old memorize a stinkin long poem

sat on the floor more than a chair

made therapy appointments and did state therapy paper work

did dishes more times than can remember

did not get to a shower or makeup

collapsed into bed, set the alarm for 4 to get to the hospital by 6 for a procedure for my baby

recognized the awesome responsibility and privilege to hold a ministry named "mom".

My Pumpkin

My New Trainer

So Kirk finally gave in and let me get a personal trainer. I absolutely love my new workout routine, every morning we hit the ground runnin (well, perhaps walkin). I have one small problem, my trainer is pretty handsome and I think I'm already falling for him. He has a smile that left me hopeless...ho hum. I thought I'd show you a picture of him so you wouldn't fault me too much for falling for this guy...

I know right? Who could resist that face huh? You know you'd fall too!