For once...

Well, the weatherman was right. It will snow 1-3 inches today. I don't mind the white fluffy stuff but not the ice stuff.

New York trip

I am not skating. It was way too crowded and cold (28 degrees)

Mary Reilly and I in front of the big tree at Rockefeller center.
We drove to West Point and stayed the night (only $64 a night) Compared to $200 or much much more...I would have liked to have stayed at the Plaza but we didn't have an extra $1000. Then we took the train from West Point into the city.
We went to the American Girl store (which is bigger than Dallas) Mary Reilly wanted everything in the store. Then walked down to F A O Schwarz.
Anna Grace refused to wear gloves and a hat and with the wind chill being 18 it was time to go!
I think I liked New York better in the summer. Not that many people and much warmer. It was great to look at all of the Christmas decorations.

Ladson's Christmas party

Mary Reilly liked that she got a gift. Who cares about Santa! Anna Grace not a happy little girl.

Waiting to see santa

Ladson was Santa!

I kept her in the chair by feeding her Chocolate kisses

My girls!
Ladson had about 100 kids sit on his lap. Anna Grace was the only one who cried really hard.

Anna Grace's first haircut

In the chair and not too sure what's happening

All done!
I took Anna Grace to her first "professional" haircut about a month ago. (Just getting around to posting it)

It's looking like Christmas

Last night we bought our Christmas tree. I was all set on us getting a small tree...so don't you like our small tree? We went to the tree lot and all of their trees were one price. Why buy a small tree when you can get a big tree for the same price? My small tree idea was so my little tooties (as I call them) wont pull down my breakable ornaments. They are placed on the very top of this tree.

I want these!

I love leggings! If you asked me last year I would have said I HATE leggings but I have had a change of heart. These leggings are from HUE and they are Corduroy. It's so cold up here and these would be just cozy. If you want these you can get them here.
(I have to put this in here and if I don't Ladson will say something) Oprah says leggings aren't pants but I DON'T CARE!

Call me crafty

My "M" wreath

Broom's Bloom Dairy Tour

Since it was raining very hard and about 40 degrees we decided not to go to the barn to look at the cows. The owners decided to bring a calf to us! This baby calf was born LAST NIGHT! She was so sweet to let the little ones pet her. I was told her mom didn't like having someone take her baby away.

Why not have ice cream at 10am?

Hannah (She our friendly neighbor who lives down the street from us)

Anna Grace with pretzels stuffed in her mouth

Mary Reilly, Hannah and Anna Grace


Broom's Broom is a dairy store and a ice cream shop. They have really great lunches with homemade soups and sandwiches. We got the tour of how they make their ice cream and their kitchen. I just wish we were able to go to the barn but seeing that calf was awesome!

Remembering Rob

CPT Rob Yllescas on patrol near COP Keating, Afghanistan, in 2008. Targeted by terrorists on 28 OCT 2009. Succumbed to injuries on 1 DEC 2008. An American Hero and Friend.

2 years ago today Rob passed away. He left behind a wife and 2 small children. This really hit home since it was the first person I personally have known who has given his life for this country.

(Dena I stole this from Facebook)

More gift ideas

Mary Reilly and Anna Grace is getting this playhouse from Target. It needs to be furnished! It only comes with a few pieces. I think the furniture that is sold separately is reasonable.

Mary Reilly loves everything Rapunzel, Tinkerbell, and Barbie
Anna Grace will be happy with anything (SO EASY!)

Dancing Anna Grace

Sorry for not having sound. I don't know why :(

Christmas ideas

A doll stroller. We had one (Target brand) and it fell apart.

Mary Reilly saw this in Pottery Barn Kids

Mary Reilly is really into Christmas this year. She says "Maybe Santa will bring that"

update on Mary Reilly

Before I start I have two things I would like to say...

1) Mary Reilly's name is Mary Reilly. If you call her Mary She will not answer you nor will I. So to all the people at the hospital there is a reason why when I filled out the sheet I put Mary Reilly for her first name. People people people!

2) There are appointment times for a reason. Doctor's, when I rush downtown Baltimore and pay to park in a parking garage I don't want to wait in the exam room for one hour and 15 minutes. (was that a run on sentence?) It's hard to entertain both kids in an exam room for that long.

Ok sorry. I just had to get that out!

When we finally saw the doctor she said Mary Reilly will need an MRI. They want to see what her liver looks like. So that's where we are right now. They scheduling department hasn't call me on when we are doing the MRI.

A tale of Mary Reilly's tummy take 2

We had Mary Reilly's sweat test this morning. They wrapped her up in this blanket with a heater blowing on us for 30 minutes. (The warm blanket lasted 2 mins) Mary Reilly said "No thank you Mommy" to the blanket!

Her test came back NEGATIVE! (Which we knew it would)

This weeks recap

Last night I made shrimp and grits for dinner. Anna Grace insist she has to feed herself. Grits were EVERYWHERE!

Last week I had a playdate over and the 2 Hannah's joined us. The girls loved dressing up.

This is why we go through so much "TP."

A tale of Mary Reilly's tummy take 1

A few months ago Mary Reilly has been complaining about her tummy hurting and she was tired. -When a 2 year old tells you she is tired and wants to go to bed....that's not normal! Along with that she has been having diarrhea off and on for about a year...about 2 to 3 times a month....When she was staying at my parents house while Ladson and I were in Puerto Rico my mom noticed she was having white poop (I know it's gross) After I got back from vacation I took her to the doctor's. They told me she might be constipated and gave me something for that. The doctor told me every kid goes through spouts of diarrhea. I gave her the laxative and we were sick for 3 days after. They told me she needed to be on the laxative for 3 months...I only gave it to her once. There is no way this girl is constipated if she goes everyday at the same time. When I was going to South Carolina the last time she started to have the same thing. Diarrhea, white poop, and now vomiting. I knew this was not normal so I took her to the doctor's down there and they told me it needs to run it's course and not to worry.

I didn't like what the doctor said in SC so when we got back to Maryland I took her to her normal doctor. I told them I wasn't leaving until we looked into this further. She ordered a blood test, stool sample, and ultrasound of her abdomen. We did everything that day except the ultrasound. The ultrasound we did last Saturday. Mary Reilly was excellent! She stayed so still while the lady looked at her belly. We even got to listen to all the noises her tummy makes.
This past Thursday I received a call from her doctor. All the test came back normal except her ultrasound. The radiologist said she has mobile gallstones. The doctor is concerned because usually a 2 year old doesn't get gallstones. She then told me she this is a symptom of cystic fibrosis! WHAT?!? No one in my family or Ladson's has this disease. She is not having any breathing problems and only had bronchitis once or maybe twice.
I am waiting on the lady to call me back about making an appointment for a sweat chloride test. (That's the cystic fibrosis test) When we get this test back I will write more. (I KNOW this test will be normal!) We see the ped GI doctor on Nov 18.

The Wheel of fortune

My roommate in college was on Wheel of Fortune last night. Even though she didn't win she played the game well! (Katie is in the middle)

Katy Perry and Elmo

That's what Ladson and I were for Halloween. (If you don't know Katy Perry is a singer and she was kicked off Sesame Street for wearing "unflattering" clothes.)

Halloween 2010

(we didn't cooperate with the drawing of the face)

Anna Grace (kitty cat) Mary Reilly (Tinker Bell)
We did our Trick or Treating tonight. The neighborhood kids all get together and go door to door. After all the kids full their bags we all go to a neighbor's house for a party. On the menu was Pumpkin soup (which I never had and I really liked) and chili. A costume is required. -My picture of my costume will be posted later-
I hope everyone will have a great and safe Halloween!