MY JOURNEY THROUGH INFERTILITY

Just a little song to share with all of you!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:26:00 +0000

Hope you all enjoy this.... it is Cameron and his Daddy!!

Random Picture Post

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Tried taking some Christmas pictures of Cameron. Oh ~ that is such a process to say the least. I definitely got some cute ones and thought I would share them with you. As you can see here....he is just being plain ornery or is it plain cute (lol).

This one is just plain adorable in my book. He is getting so big!!
This is the one we used for our Christmas cards. Isn't he just so handsome?
As you can see.....he DID NOT like Santa at all. We attempted several times to have him sit on Santa's lap, but that didn't work. He refused and you can tell by the look on his face that he was actually pretty terrified. I felt so bad for him!!
Awww, this is just a wonderful shot that I wanted to share with you.....a beautiful smile and gorgeous eyes to boot!! Wow ~ I love him so much!!!!!!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy & Safe New Year!!

Longaberger Baskets For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Yesterday I posted to my blog (Primitives from Above) several pictures of baskets that I am currently trying to sell. I have several more, but this is the lot that I am selling right now. I have made a list of baskets and have pictures for each and everyone of them. If you are interested in one of the baskets listed below please e-mail me and I can send you a picture of that particular basket. I have had several e-mails already from gals that are interested and I also posted these on craigslist so it will be on a first come, first serve basis. Thank you so much for your interest!!

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-Spoon Basket with garter and protector - $25.00
-Cracker basket with protector - $20.00
-1999 Daisy Basket with liner and protector - $45.00
-2000 Woven Memories Basket with liner and protector - $25.00
-2000 Deck the Halls Basket with liner, protector and lid - $50.00
-1996 Mother's Day Basket with liner and protector - $42.00
-2005 Horizon of Hope Basket with protector -$30.00
-2002 Horizon of Hope Basket with liner, protector and tie on - $35.00
-2003 Horizon of Hope Basket with liner and protector - $32.00
-2000 Horizon of Hope Basket with liner, protector and tie on - $35.00

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The baskets do not include pricing, but I am willing to waive the pricing if you are willing to buy them. I would need your money previous to shipping out and it will need to clear my bank if you write a check. Thank you again!!

Here is a picture of the Horizon of Hope baskets… perfect for any breast cancer survivor!!

Random Picture Post

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:32:00 +0000

It has been awhile since I posted some random pictures so I thought I would share a few with you today. Last weeks weather forecast had a few warmer days so we took advantage of that time and got Cameron out of the house to play. I don’t know what we are gonna do when winter rolls around, but we will take advantage of the time now. Enjoy the pictures!!

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Time to Remember & Reflect

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:31:00 +0000

Today is a day to Remember and Reflect. If you lost a child then you probably know about today being Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day!! I remember Feb 25, 2004 like it was yesterday. A very hard day that I sometimes wish I could just forget, but then I think that if I forget about it then I would forget the picture of our sweet baby who was growing in my right fallopian tube. It was so strange to see my doctor keep swirling around that right tube during the ultrasound, I knew that was our baby, but I knew the picture that I was seeing on the monitor looked totally different from what it should look like. Well, after I had my ultrasound on the 22nd followed up by bloodwork and awful cramping and bleeding on the morning of the 25th, I was rushed in for emergency surgery. It was a whirlwind of emotions and uncontrollable crying. I literally don't think I stopped crying until I was fast asleep and going through my surgery. Little did I know that I was 3 months along. It was hard to grasp and so hard to go on, but I made it through.

I dealt with years of infertility after our loss and finally in January 2007, we were blessed with a little boy by the name of Cameron. God has richly blessed us and I couldn't be happier to have such a special little boy to share our lives with. He is a miracle and I must say that I am so happy that IVF worked for us! I don't really know why things happen, but after doing some major soul searching, I have come to realize that things happen for a reason and we just need to trust in God. I was always the type of person to take the wheel and try to control certain things in my life, but as I was going through IVF, I realized that I just need to give it all to God and let him take the reigns and when I did that, things fell into place and we were blessed with wonderful news!! We were pregnant and after so many years, we were so ready to hear that news!

So, today on this day, I will take a moment to light a candle at 7:00 pm in rememberance of our child that we lost and the many other men and women that lost their children as well. Can you picture what Heaven looks like with all of those precious children dancing around? Wow, I bet that is a beautiful sight!!

An Apple Picking Good Day

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:48:00 +0000

We decided to pick some apples this weekend so we went to an Apple Orchard in the next town to pick apples. I must say that Cameron loved it. He wanted to pick one, try one, pick one, and try one. It was so cute to watch him. That is one of the many things that I love about being a Mom. Just to watch your child’s eyes light up as they explore something new is so much fun and a true blessing. Here are some pictures that I took of him picking apples. Yep, we definitely found a favorite and if you haven’t tried a Honeycrisp apple then it is a must try!! They are soooo yummy!!

Yep, I would say he tried quite a few and this one he is eating is a Honeycrisp. Hope you all enjoyed the trip to the apple orchard. It was definitely fun for us!

Sick Little Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Cameron has been sick for about a week and half now and he is now on his 2nd round of antibiotics. He has one horrible sinus infection and this past weekend he was even experiencing a fever. I can’t stand it when he is sick!! It is so hard because all you want to do is make them better instantly and when you can’t….. well, it is just hard not only on them, but Mommy too. We have been spending alot of time inside lately even though it has been beautiful outside. He hasn’t felt like doing much of anything except laying around so we have been doing alot of reading, coloring and watching tv. I was cleaning out the garage this weekend and took a little break from cleaning to come in and color with him. We always enjoy coloring together.

Hopefully he gets to feeling better soon. In the meantime we will just be hanging out together and catching up on all of our favorite blogs!

Busy Days

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Wow, things have been crazy around here lately. We have been potty training Cameron and I am thinking that he finally has the hang of it. It took about a month to get him to the point to tell us that he has to go instead of us just keeping him on a routine about going, but we are thankful that he is FINALLY there. He might have an accident here and there and we are still not wearing undies at bedtime, but that is all to be expected for a little while or at least that is what I think (lol). He wears a large variety of undies. We have our Mickey Mouse undies and then we have undies just like Daddy. It is too cute seeing Daddy and Cameron run around in their boxer briefs in the early morning or late evening before bedtime. Shhh, don’t tell Shawn that I told you that he wears boxer briefs or he might turn a little red (lol). So, do you want to see some pics of Cameron in his cute little undies? I must admit that he is just too stinkin cute!!

Another thing that we have been dealing with alot lately is little Mr. Cameron talking back. Uh yeah, that is definitely not accepted here in our household so he has gotten in trouble quite a bit lately. He knows that he is in the wrong and as soon as we start walking towards him, he plops down on his tushie. It is pretty funny! I hate punishing him, but I also don’t want him to talk back and I want him to be respectful towards us and towards others. Nothing worse then a little kid that is rude, never says please or thank you and walks all over their parents. Oh, nothing works me up more then that (lol).

I will tell you that Cameron continues to be sweet as pie like he has always been. He is just so loving and really is a sweet boy with such a big heart! I love him to pieces. I can be sitting in the doctors office and he will just start kissing me all over my face. I could be sitting around the house and he comes out of the blue to hug and love on me. There is nothing like it!! I love every single bit of it.

I wanted to take a moment to send out well wishes, congrats and thinking of you thoughts to many of my great bloggy friends. So, get ready!!

Candi – thinking of you as you continue to move forward with your fertility drugs. I pray that you and DH will get pregnant again. Best Wishes!!

Kami – I have been thinking about you ALOT as you continue on with your pregnancy. I am so excited that you are pregnant with twin girls. How exciting for you!!

Dorn Family – Congrats once again on Landon. He is too stinkin cute and I love his beautiful eyes and that smile is simply precious!

Lyndsay – Congrats on being pregnant again!

Heather – Quin is absolutely beautiful. Such a beautiful miracle and what a gift from God.

Erica – Your sweet girl is just beautiful – Congrats!!

Liz – Congrats on Kate….she is simply precious and I am so happy that you were finally blessed with a little girl after 4 boys! She is beautiful and will always have tons of protection from her older brothers (lol).

Destiny- I am so happy for you!! Cayden is just beautiful and I can’t wait to see him when he is born. I am keeping you both in my prayers!

Jennifer – Your sweet girl is absolutely beautiful. I am so happy that you finally have your miracle baby. She is truly a beautiful gift. Enjoy her as I am sure you will.

Stacey and Hannah – I continue to keep you all in my prayers as you both work towards building that family. I pray that you all will be blessed as much as I have been blessed with Cameron. You both deserve to have children in your lives and hopefully that dream will come true for you soon. (HUGS)

Marci – Well, what can I say to you…. CONGRATS girlfriend. I am thrilled that you soon will be welcoming a beautiful little boy into this world. I couldn’t be happier for you.

Carly – Best Wishes with your pregnancy and thank you for helping so many Baby Lost Mommas!

Hope I didn’t miss anyone and if I did then I apologize. You really have been in my prayers and I think of all of you often! Hugs to all.

MIA – Where have I been?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Hi All. Yes, I have definitely been MIA lately, but I am still alive and well. I have been sick with a cold for 2 weeks, but that isn’t what is causing me to not post. I have had alot going on and that includes potty training. The good news is that potty training is going well, but just as I say that, he will have an accident. It is definitely a trying time, but he seems to be doing pretty good. I am heading out of town this weekend, but hopefully when I get back I will post some more pictures. Here is one to hold you all over until then.

Random Picture Post

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:42:00 +0000

I feel like I haven’t posted any random pictures in sometime so I thought I would do that today. Things have been busy here and very hot weather wise! The temps here in Ohio can cool down anytime and I would be perfectly fine with it. We like to go outside and play however with my asthma and the air quality alerts going on right now… well, we just tend to stay inside where it is cool and where I can breathe easily. I went to the doctors yesterday for a follow-up appointment regarding my diabetic meds and found out that I have lost 5 lbs in 2 months. Not too bad – huh? I personally think it is because they took me off this certain medicine, but I will drop 5 lbs anyway I can get it (lol). I also ended up getting a pneumonia shot which I wasn’t too crazy about getting, but since I am a diabetic I had to get it and will have to get the flu shot in Sept. and the swine flu vaccine in October or whenever it comes out. Yep, I am not too sure I am looking forward to those shots. After this latest shot, I must say that I feel for our children every single time they have to get a shot. My arm has been hurting like no tomorrow and I can’t even lay on my left side so I can only imagine what our poor little ones feel like after getting numerous shots in one leg. I felt bad for them before, but I have a new found respect for our little ones!

Potty Training is going pretty well. He is learning to hold it alot longer which is nice, but every time we take him to the potty he goes so that is wonderful news! If we can just get him to tell us that he needs to go then we would be all set. It is definitely trying, but he is slowly getting the hang of it. My husband has been a great help with potty training, but he goes back to work on Friday so it will just be Cameron and I. Oh boy, what will I do without my side-kick? I sure will miss my hubby when he heads back to work.

So, did you all hear that Selah is coming out with a new CD next week? Yep, it should be another great one and it even contains a beautiful song that was written in regards to Todd and his wife Angie losing their child Audrey Caroline. It is a beautiful song and very touching! It brought me to tears. Definitely touches your heart especially after losing a child of your own. If you haven’t checked it out yet then you can find the video and the song on YouTube. It is called “I Will Carry You”. A beautiful song to go with such a touching story and video. Be sure to check it out, but grab your tissues first.

Well, as promised here are some Random Pictures for you all to enjoy!

Potty Training, A Playhouse & Strawberry Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:13:00 +0000

Today has been quite a successful day with Potty Training. Cameron is what we would call a “peeing machine”. I started putting cheerios in the potty and telling him to pee on the cheerios and that is indeed what he does. Every single time he goes potty! He has a chart up on the bathroom door and I must say that he filled today up with stars of every color and they were all for going pee pee. A grand total of 20 stars and like I said he is a “Peeing Machine”. Trust me…. he didn’t even have that much juice or milk today so we know that it isn’t due to his liquid intake (lol). We personally just think he goes a little here and a little there, but never really drains his bladder. He loves getting the stars and well quite frankly he also loves the little celebration that we have afterwards. He is getting to be such a BIG BOY!

Here is little man celebrating after going pee pee. He just gets so excited and well I can’t quite blame him. I get excited for him too! There are also a few pics of Daddy and I celebrating with him too. Good Job Buddy! Mommy & Daddy are so very proud of you!

Another fun thing around the house currently is Cameron’s new playhouse. I have been searching high and low for one of these for sometime now and was so happy when found this one for only $50.00. I bought this from a real nice family that was selling it on Craigslist. Yep, I often find things on there and believe it or not there have been some great finds! I must say that Cameron loves his new playhouse and we also kinda use that as an incentive for potty training and it is working! Here are a couple pictures as he enjoys his new playhouse. Can’t beat it for $50.00 when normally they are in the high 100’s or low 200’s.

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I also decided to make a cake today and thought I would share the recipe with all of you. Oh, this is one yummy cake! It is probably a favorite of my husband’s and so I decided to make it for him. It is definitely a refreshing dessert and you should give it a try. It is called Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake. Here is the recipe and a couple pictures. Enjoy!

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~ Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake

w/ Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting ~

1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Strawberry cream cheese frosting, recipe follows
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
7 cups confectioners' sugar
Freshly sliced strawberries, for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the vanilla extract. (The rest of the puree is leftover but can be used in smoothies or on ice cream for a delicious treat.) Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth.

Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired

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Potty Training & Soccer Practice

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Well, we have been working on Potty Training since Friday and I must say that Cameron has been doing pretty good. Today was a bit frustrating to say the least because Cameron was just not into sitting on the potty. I would put him on the potty and he would scream and scream and scream some more. I was beginning to think that it wasn’t worth it. I was just worn out and quite frankly, I was ready to throw in the towel. He had a few accidents today, but those were due to him getting too engrossed with other things and not wanting to take the time to go potty. I made a call to our pediatricians office to get a few pointers and ask a few questions, but she told me that I was already doing everything that was needed in order to get him trained. She just said that it takes time and patience which is something I rarely have anymore (lol).

I was absolutely thrilled this evening when we went to Wendy’s for a burger and Cameron told me that he had to potty. I took him into the restroom and he was quite scared with the BIG potty. I went to pull his pants down and he wasn’t having that at all. So, instead of scaring him, I pulled his pants back up and headed back out to the table to finish our meal. We got home about 15-20 minutes later and were expecting wet pants and he was dry! I was absolutely thrilled and shortly after we sat him on the potty…… he went pee pee. What a celebration we had! He got another gold star and he was so excited and happy. Just made me realize that after all the hard work that we have been doing and reminding him – well, it paid off! I am thrilled and so happy and to be honest, that is exactly what I needed to be reassured that what we are doing is the right thing. So, we just keep chugging along and pray that things get better every single day. I had a feeling that potty training wasn’t going to be easy and indeed IT IS NOT.

For all of you Blues Clues watchers….. have you all seen the soccer practice show? Well, that has to be Cameron’s favorite one and we had to end up buying him a whistle just so he could be Coach Cameron. Well, I think I am gonna have a soccer player on my hands. Here are some pictures of Cameron pretending to be a coach and also of him making some funny faces! He is definitely quite the character to say the least. Until next time…..hope all of you Mom’s out there that are potty training are able to get some much needed rest and relaxation in the evening. I know that I am enjoying mine tremendously!

Potty Training 101 is now Underway!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:34:00 +0000

Potty Training 101 is Now Underway here in our home. Day #1 went ok. I was very pleased with Cameron and for only having 1 accident during the first part of the day is great news! Day #2 started this morning and we have had 3 accidents so far. He did however go pee pee on the potty this morning as soon as he woke up and also went #1 and #2 before we put him down for his nap. So, of course I was BEYOND thrilled with that. It is definitely ALOT of work, but it will be worth it when he is all potty trained. The good news is that he knows when he is going or when he has to go, but sometimes can’t quite get to the potty before he has to go. The whole thing is that we set a timer and it goes off every 20 minutes. So, we take him to the potty and hope and pray he goes (lol). We bought him some big boy undies awhile back and we are definitely putting them to good use and keeping them laundered frequently. Gotta love those cute little Mickey Mouse undies and well he had to have undies like Daddy so we got him some boxer briefs too! I have been doing my best at keeping him busy and his mind distracted while he is on the potty and that way he doesn’t think about it. We have been reading books, singing and just talking away and of course every now and again…… he will enjoy a cup of juice. He is more precious then anything I know and my love for that sweet boy grows more everyday. So, while he is down for his nap, I think I will lay down and rest myself. This running to the potty every 20 minutes is making me tired and keeping me busy. I will leave you today with this sweet picture of Cameron sitting on the potty. Gotta love that sweet smile!

New Decorations

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:24:00 +0000

My Mom bought Cameron some new magnets the other day while she was at the grocery store and as you can see…… he loves them! I have been meaning to buy him some however it always slips my mind when I am at Wal-Mart and I always forget. So, do you have some of these for your children? My DH taught our son that he should use them in other places other then the refrigerator. Sometimes me DH can be as ornery and rotten as our 2 1/2 yr old son. Is your hubby the same way? Ornery & Rotten?

We go from using these magnets on here…..

To Here…… on my lamp in between our two recliners. Don’t you love the new decorations?!? Gotta love those silly boys!

Feeling Better, The Fair and Prayers

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +0000

Well, I am happy to report that my little man is feeling much better. He is back to his good old normal self and is also back to eating. His fever broke which I am so thankful for. A temperature of 104.7 is just too high and frightening for me. So, I am happy to see that smile back on his face. This picture was taken last night at dinner time. He enjoyed a huge portion of homemade mac & cheese and some of Daddy's famous pork chops. Nothing better then seeing that sweet smile.

I see this sweet smile of Cameron's and I can't help, but to think that MckMama would probably give anything to see sweet Stellan smile and to feel better. Oh how my heart aches for that little sweetheart. A precious and innocent child and he has to go through so much and it really makes my heart ache. I feel for her and the rest of the family. My heart goes out to them and all I can do is pray so that is what I will continue to do. Perhaps you all can join me as well.......if you haven't already.
Shawn's cousin came to visit a couple days ago and brought Cameron a bag of goodies. He was so happy with everything, but he wanted to try out the bumblebee bubble blower last night. He kept pretending it was a whistle, but he loves it. Thanks Stacey & Scott.

After Cameron started feeling better and was back to himself, we decided to take him to the fair. We always enjoy going through all of the animal barns and he enjoys it more and more as he gets older. I even took some pictures for him and of course to share with you. We went through the duck barn and of course as we were trampling through the isles, all he could say was "Quack Quack Quack". It was so cute!! That is what he is doing in this picture.
After the ducks, we made our way to the cows. He of course had to start singing Old McDonald and well his rendition is hilarious. If I can get it on video then I will be sure to post it. He knows all the words and continues to amaze me as to how smart he is and continues to be. He loved the cows!!

We also looked at rabbits........

Chickens........

More rabbits........

and then we headed to the area that had all the food.

Shawn ended up getting a pork chop which was really tasty, Cameron wanted french fries and I ended up getting THE BEST FRIED MUSHROOMS around!! We also bought a lemonade shake-up and some sugar waffles to take home. It was all so tasty and I am sure all so bad for you as well. I guess that is probably why they only have the fair once a year (lol). Well, hope you all are enjoying the summer festivities happening in your area.

Lots of Prayers Needed NOW!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:01:00 +0000

PLEASE keep this sweet boy in your prayers. Stellan is in need of all the prayers that we can send up right now. I have been praying here in Ohio and if you all would just take a moment to say a prayer as well that would be great!!

Stay Strong Stellan!!I am praying for you buddy.

A Trip to the Emergency Room

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:49:00 +0000

I thought our weekend was going along pretty good until yesterday. Friday morning we took Cameron to the zoo and waterpark and he had a great time. We left there and the poor little guy looked worn out. He fell asleep on our way home, but I didn't think anything of it because I just thought he was worn out from a busy day. Well, we got home and probably a couple hours later I noticed that his eyes were real glassy looking and he was getting some dark circles under his eyes. Well, after I noticed his glassy eyes, I felt his forehead only to feel a very warm head and cheeks. I checked his temperature and he indeed had a fever. I gave him Motrin and he ended up sleeping with us Friday evening. He tossed and turned all night and was so restless. Saturday was another crazy day. The morning when he woke up he was fine. No fever and appeared to be acting like his normal jovial self. Well, we decided to go out for a little trip in the am and around 12:30 he spiked another fever. I gave him Motrin and then around 6:30 he spike another fever. I contacted our doctors office and we ended up taking him to the Emergency Room. They asked us numerous questions.......does he have diarrhea? Sore throat? Runny Nose? Cough? Well, no he didn't have any of that and he was still using the restroom too so after a strep test, checking his lungs and ears, they sent us home telling us that it was probably a viral infection. I thought to myself that with a fever of 104.7 that he must have had something more wrong with him and I was literally freaking out. We were told to allow for plenty of rest, give him plenty of liquids and to alternate Mortin and Tylenol so that is where we stand this morning. No temperature as of yet, but seeing as though that fever rears it's ugly head in the afternoon.........well, I am just hoping it stays away. Oh, Cameron just gets so hot, worn out and I feel so bad for my little man. I hate that I am not able to do anything more for him then to snuggle and love on him. Hopefully he starts feeling better soon.

This has been him so far this morning. He has been just laying around and not doing much of anything. No appetite, but I was able to get him to eat some applesauce. This kid LOVES applesauce!! So, we are just hoping that fever stays away and he gets some rest today.

I almost wish that they were able to give him some antibiotic to help him. They said that this could last up to 4-5 days. Poor little guy. It is so hard at this age because he can't really tell you what hurts. Well, I am off to get Cameron some more juice and see if he will eat a little more.

Dr. Mommy is coming!!

Busy Week, Busy Weekend, Busy Times

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:51:00 +0000

I am not sure if you all remember or not, but a couple months ago I re-finished my kitchen cabinets. I just recently decided to make myself some new countertops. Yep, you heard me correctly - I made my very own wood countertops. I love decorating with primitives and antiques and after seeing this done in one of my favorite primitive shops..... I decided to ask my FIL for a little help. He showed me the ropes and I took off. Here is what my kitchen looks like now. I stained my wood knobs a Dark Walnut Stain and stained my countertops the same to tie everything in together. Here are a couple pics to share with you.

We also added a new faucet. Something not so cheap, but yet something to add a different look.
I would take breaks here and there while finishing my kitchen countertops and one afternoon while I was sitting on the couch, Cameron hopped up into my chair and watched Wow Wow Wubbzy. Isn't he just the cutest little guy you have ever seen? He is just getting so big - I can't believe it!! It seems like yesterday that I was heading into the hospital to have him or better yet heading to the fertility specialist to create our little miracle.
It was funny because the other day I was finishing getting ready and Cameron comes in with a shirt that Daddy had on the previous day. Well, he wanted to be just like Daddy so he asked me to put Daddy's shirt on him. I gladly obliged and added a few clothes pins to tighten it up here and there. He was so proudly displaying the fact that he could wear Daddy's shirts. Isn't this too cute?!?
I was so happy to rest and relax after I got things done with my kitchen. Cameron came up to snuggle with me and we sat and watched some tv. Oh yes, we always have to have blankie and Horton close by. He has never gotten into Horton Hears a Who, but he loves the stuffed animal and believe it or not....... the only stuffed animal that gets a ticket to get out of the bed is Horton. The other 12 stuffed animals never get to leave......poor friends! Anyway, I just had to share this sweet picture with you. He is getting older and soon these snugly moments will be no more. Hopefully I still have plenty of time, but they are becoming more far and few between which is sad. Just enjoy those cuddly moments more and squeeze them a bit harder because they grow so fast!!
My parents are coming in for a couple days...... I can hardly wait!! Talk to you all in a couple days.

Hugs, My Pancake Maker & Some Funny Stories!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:59:00 +0000

This week has been a busy week for me. I am working on my countertops around the clock. Ok, maybe not around the clock, but it certainly seems that way. I am looking forward to getting them done. They are so close which is exciting for me. My DH has been watching Cameron alot which has been so helpful. It allows me to get alot of stuff done - Thank You Honey!! I took this picture of Cameron and my hubby last night. Don't they just look so ornery? Well, they were indeed made out of the same mold - ROTTEN & ORNERY and I love them dearly!!

I pulled weeds the other morning after a good rain. Oh, that is indeed the best time to pull weeds. Anyway, I left my working gloves outside and brought them into the house to put them away. Well, I must have got distracted because I threw them on the floor and forgot to go get them. Next thing I know I hear all this ruckus and go to check on Cameron and this is what he is doing..........
I started laughing. I thought it was too cute that he had my gardening gloves on!! I asked him what he was doing and he looked at me and said "I making pancakes Mommy". Hmmm, not sure I want my pancake maker to be wearing gardening gloves, but I guess that is ok (lol). Oh, I also had to share with you 2 funny stories. Stories that will definitely give you a laugh for the day. We were trying to work with Cameron on potty training - turns out that it isn't working so we will revisit it again in a month or two. Well, Cameron has poopied in his diaper and then started pulling on the butt/leg of the diaper and said "Ewww, I got beans". Seriously, where do these young kids get their little sayings? It was hilarious!! He definitely has me laughing all the time. The next story was when we were "TRYING" to potty train him and he was in the middle of going #2........well, we caught him before he went and he had poopied in the potty. Well, we were so excited, doing a little potty dance and exchanging high fives. Well, Cameron gets off the potty, turns around and looks in the potty and says "Yucky Stinky Beans". Once again - I have NO IDEA where he gets some of these things, but indeed his imagination runs wild 24/7 and he is just so funny! What a fun age!!

Beach Ball Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:11:00 +0000

I have been busy re-doing my kitchen countertops. You all know how I love my primitive look and after seeing some wood countertops in a primitive store not too long ago, I thought I would give it a try. Well, things are really taking shape. One section is almost complete and another should be almost complete today. I just love how it looks and if you all recall my kitchen cabinet make-over then trust me when I say that they countertops tie in perfectly with the knobs on the doors and drawers. Well, after working on those for a little bit last night, I decided to help DH get out the beach ball sprinkler for Cameron. I thought it was warm enough and what a great way to cool off. Well, he is way into much more then last year. He would run up and then hurry and run back as you can see here. He would squeal really loud and then run for cover. It was hilarious!!

Even Daddy got into the sprinkler too. He thought it would be neat to put Cameron on his shoulders and well Cameron hit the water and about took a nose dive off of Shawn's shoulders. Good thing DH had a hold of him. Geesh, Cameron is such a wild one!! I would've posted more pics, but DH wasn't too fond of me posting them.
Look at that GREAT smile!! Nothing better then hearing a little one laugh with excitement.

We went to enroll Cameron in swim lessons last night, but they didn't have Mommy/Child classes so we are going to have to try something else. I was hoping to find something close to home, but it doesn't look like that is gonna happen. We are also going to attempt Potty Training 101 today, but so far it isn't looking good. He pee'd 3 times within 45 minutes!! How can a child have so much pee in their bladder after they just got done soaking 2 pairs on undies, a pair of socks and shorts. Any suggestions from all you Mom's? Could he just not be ready yet? He turns 3 in January.

Crazy Busy Boy!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:56:00 +0000

I feel like it has been FOREVER since posting to my blog. Things have been crazy and hectic since we got back from the beach. The fireworks were enjoyable, but not as good as the years past. Cameron at first wasn't too sure of them this year, but halfway through he wanted to see more more more. I think he was fine just as long as he was close by to Mommy or Daddy and of course that is fine. I will take all the snuggling I can get!!

The other morning I got up and decided it would be a perfect day to fix Cameron some pancakes. Well, he LOVES chocolate chips so I decided to add a few to the Mickey Mouse head that I made. Uh yeah, I think he spent all the time picking out the chocolate chips and eating those instead of the pancake. Hmmm, lesson learned not to use chocolate chips (lol).
Look at that beautiful chocolate chip smile!! Ah, that beautiful smile warms my heart and makes everything ok. He is such a sweetheart and I am so blessed to have Cameron as my son. I really had no clue how WONDERFUL Motherhood could be and then when Cameron came along....... well, I knew that life couldn't get any better!! I love you my sweet boy.......
We were able to find some sweet corn the other night so we had grilled lemon butter chicken on the grill with some sweet corn. Yep, that is indeed one of my favorite summer time meals. The corn was still a little young, but we enjoyed it and I guess that is all that matters. Cameron LOVES corn on the cob. Yep, he really enjoys eating it like a big boy!
I am so happy that we bought this bean bag chair. We bought it last year and it has indeed been one of those items that he uses all the time!! He loves lounging in it every morning when he wakes up with some dry cereal and enjoys some cartoons. He is really into Dora the Explorer right now. He especially loves Boots and Swipper. Oh - if you could hear his Swipper imitation then you would crack up!! It is so funny......
Not only does he use his bean bag chair for lounging, but he also likes to use it for a soft place to land. Uh yeah, I caught him doing this the other night. He would climb up on his old excersaucer that we have out for the little kid that I babysit for and he stands on top of a ball that he has put in the chair of the excersaucer. Once, he stands on top then he goes FLYING TO THE BEAN BAG CHAIR!!
It literally cracks me up to see what else he comes up with, but I must say that this boy has such the imagination!! Notice that he has his eyes closed and he has lost one sock in the process of jumping (lol). Yep, I would say that if you lost a sock during the jumping process then it is probably a dangerous jump (hahahaha). Did you notice anything about these pictures? Well, Mom is not in them and running to his side. I was sitting in my chair, taking the pictures and shaking my head at the same time. Yep, I couldn't believe that he was trying something new and that he came up with it all on his own. Boys are definitely daring and this little one keeps me on my toes. Good thing that I have learned to relax over the past year!!

I guess I will leave you with this precious smile. Cameron can jump from the chairs, from the couch, jump on our bed and even wake me up in the morning and if he still shows that beautiful smile and those sparkling blue eyes.......well, he knows that he has his Mommy and Daddy wrapped pretty tight! Boys are gonna be boys and at the end of the day I sit and watch him and realize that I love him more and more everyday - even if he is ornery!!

Wordless Wednesday = 100% Cuteness!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:04:00 +0000

CAN YOU TELL THAT HE LOVES HIS HAT?

A Vacation To ALWAYS Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Being a woman that has experienced a life with infertility, you always dream about all of the wonderful things you want to do with a child once you have one. Well, I can definitely cross off these things off my list. After years of struggling with infertility and not knowing whether or not I would ever be able to have a child...... I was thrilled to FINALLY have the chance to take our little IVF miracle to the beach. We spent a week at Myrtle Beach and had a blast!! The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed every moment of the time we had together - Just the three of us! Cameron loved playing in the water, the sand and enjoyed the pool as well. He scrapped up his knee the first night there so I think that prevented him from going crazy with the ocean for about a day or two, but once his knee started feeling better......he went crazy! He would run into the ocean, run back out, build sandcastles, run into the water, look for shells, throw the shells and even throw the sand. He literally had a blast and we did too. It was WONDERFUL just seeing him explore the new surroundings and just enjoy something that he hasn't yet experienced or ever seen. Uh yeah, I took over 600 pictures so trying to figure out what pics to post was difficult, but here are just a few of my many favorites!!

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Here is Cameron running across the bridge over to the ocean. He had no idea what was waiting for him when he got over there, but trust me, he ran like crazy when he saw it.

This is the 1st picture that I took of him as the very first wave came up across his feet. As you can see...... he loved it!! He kept saying "Here comes more Mommy"
Look at that beautiful smile!!

He just loved everything about our vacation!
A family picture taken by a passerby. Look at Cameron's eyes! WOW - beautiful.

I love this picture of Cameron and I. Nothing more special then a bond between a Mother and her child. We do indeed have a very special bond.

I love the smiles that these two have. Shawn was running and Cameron just loved it!

What a beautiful boy resting his chin on his Daddy's head

Cameron's favorite form of transportation and you gotta love his new hat!

Mommy and Cameron looking for the perfect seashell - Look we found one!

Playing with some debris after a short 2 hour storm. Other then that 2 hour storm...... the weather was perfect!

He loved throwing the sand and as you can see "squeezing it". Gotta love the sand running down his arms!

This is the ONLY time he fell on his "bum" in the ocean. I was happy to have caught his reaction. Isn't it precious!?!

Cameron and Mommy feeding the ducks. He especially LOVED the white duck.

Looking for more shells as the sun sets for the night.

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures. I could share all 600 pictures with you, but you would literally be here forever. Hope you all can experience the greatness of this too!

Off to the Beach for Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:53:00 +0000

It has been a busy last couple of days here at our home. I have been a cleaning maniac and have accomplished quite a bit before leaving for the beach. Tomorrow we are heading south for a week in Myrtle Beach and I can't wait. It is a very long awaited and needed vacation for the 3 of us. I am so excited to take Cameron to the beach for the FIRST time ever and just watch him as he explores new and exciting things. He will love playing in the sand and I know he will totally love the water so it should be loads of fun. We are all packed so tomorrow afternoon we will take out of Ohio and head south for our 10 hour drive. We are hoping to stop along the way and sleep, but we will see. Anyway, I will see you all in a week!! Take Care........

Can you all take a moment to remember Collin as he heads in for brain surgery on Tuesday. Stellan is also experiencing more issues with SVT so if you could remember him in your prayers as well that would be great. Please pray that we make it safely to and from the beach and remember all of those other gals out there that have conceived miracle babies lately and are going through their months of being pregnant. Please pray that God has his hands upon all of these sweet babies!!

Vroom Vroom to Bed We Go!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:19:00 +0000

Last Friday was a busy day for us. We have a membership for our Zoo here in Columbus, Ohio as well as a membership to Zoombezi Bay which is the very nice waterpark attached to the zoo. We decided to take Cameron last Friday and we had so much fun. On our way home we stopped at Once Upon a Child to see if they had any beach shoes for our trip to Myrtle Beach. We were in luck...... they had beach shoes and we were so happy to find some that had the original tags on them. I was thrilled seeing as though we had looked everywhere and couldn't find them anywhere. I am not sure if any of you have ever been to Once Upon a Child, but it is a used clothing store along with strollers, cribs, toys and other various things. We normally go and pick up play clothes for Cameron there unless of course we find some real nice stuff then he will wear it for special occasions. I have been lucky a few times to find some great clothes. Levi jeans and shorts, Old Navy Clothes, Tommy shirts and pants to match, Gymboree and the list goes on. This past weekend we even saw this really neat car bed. I told my Mom that I wanted so bad to get it for Cameron and didn't have the money and she said that she wanted to buy it for him. It is a great transition bed from crib to toddler bed and he loves it. Is it not the cutest little bettle bug car bed you have ever seen? We picked it up for $67.00 and only with a few little scratches it looked brand new. We brought it home, cleaned it up and disinfected it just in case and now it is just perfect for him. THANKS MOM!! Cameron loves it!

I leave you today with this picture of Cameron. This is actually Cameron's excersaucer that we bought him when he was younger. We loved it because it is an activity center/excersaucer and walker in one. We got it back out for the little boy that I babysit during the week and well as you can see....... Cameron loves to use it. Here he is trying to just sit on the edge of the seat, but instead he slipped down into the seat and got stuck. It was so cute & funny when he did it.