What We Already Knew.....

When Greyson was in the hospital, one of the only things that kept us sane was our weekly support meeting at Parents Partnered for Preemies (PPP). The food was downright inedible, I mean they served hospital food for crying out loud, but the company was well worth it. Spending an hour with people who 'got it' and let us feel that we weren't alone was invaluable. We made friends in that group that we still have and keep in touch with the volunteer head of the group.

As part of the support process, Anne (the organizer), likes to connect families like ours (with older preemie kids) with families currently in the hospital to let them know that preemies will actually leave the hospital and, in most cases, go on to lead healthy normal lives. To that end, they have asked Greyson to be November's VIP (Very Important Preemie). Greyson's story and some pictures will be featured in their monthly newsletter and on their Facebook page. We are honored to give back to this wonderful group and hopefully our story will give hope to some families who are in the same position we were.

So come November Greyson will be a VIP....we will try to accommodate all autograph requests!!

Dancing Fairy

I learned an interesting fact this week about my daughter that I never knew. She sleepwalks.

Earlier this week, during nap time at school, Quinn got up off her cot. Quinn NEVER gets off her cot or out of a chair without permission so Ms. Tina (her teacher) knew something was up immediately. She watched for a second and saw Quinn flip her blanket over her back and then watched my daughter sort of skip, sort of prance across the room. Very gently Ms. Tina got up walked over and asked her why she was up. She didn't really respond and so Ms. Tina asked her if she wanted to go back to her cot. With a slight nod from Quinn, Ms. Tina gently guided her back down and told me her eyes were closed and fingers in her mouth before he head hit the pillow.

After nap time was over, Ms. Tina asked Quinn if she remembered getting up. Quinn said No. Then Ms. Tina asked her if she had any dreams. Why yes, Quinn giggled. She said that she had dreamed that she was a fairy prancing through a field of flowers.

I wish I had seen this sight but it made me wonder. Does she do this at home when we are asleep and we have just never known about it? Is she dancing through fields in the wee hours of the morning while the rest of us are sound asleep? I think we may be keeping the gate on the top of the stairs up a little while longer than we initially thought!!

The Toy

I know that this may come as a bit of a surprise to some....but Greyson really isn't into toys. Now mind you he does have some and he does play with them. But most days he would prefer to while away the hours playing sports outside or be inside having grand Jack and Annie (from the Magic Treehouse series) adventures with Quinn. Toys really don't hold his attention for that long. This makes it easy on me in keeping our toy closet under control but always presents a problem at gift giving time when the inevitable "What does Greyson want for his birthday?" comes out of my mother's mouth.

So this past July, as I usually do, I struggled with getting together a list for family and friends to pick and choose from. One of the last items I added, an afterthought really, was LEGOS. If he does anything with toys it is usually build something so I figured he might like them. Was I wrong, he LOVES them.

While every other toy from his birthday (including the ones that Raif and I gave him) had their moment in the sun and have since been put in baskets to be played with only on occasion the LEGOS have stood the test of time. He plays with them almost every day. In the wee hours of the weekend mornings, I can hear the pitter patter of his feet running to his LEGO box and he quietly works until the rest of the house wakes up. When we asked him what he wanted as his reward for doing well at school (we get a color coded report every day) I would have bet a million dollars it would have been an extra bedtime story but no it was extra LEGO time with Daddy. So every couple of days, he sits with his father and makes fantastic space ships and boat-cars and boat-planes and every other conceivable machine that can go on land, by water or in the air or in some cases in all 3. Most weekend mornings we are greeted by a knock at the door and a presentation of the latest work of art. I am so glad we have found something he enjoys to do so much, and quietly to boot. LEGOS, I love you.

Center Ice

As part of their opening celebrations, the Nashville Predators had a free skate at the Predator's arena. Needless to say, my children (and my husband) were in heaven. Admittedly, it was pretty cool to be out on center ice and to look up in the seats as we skated over the predator.....


(Greyson smashing into the boards like the real hockey players do.)

(My two very fierce goalies in the crease.)

Pumpkin Patch

Everything Old Is New Again

Last week I stumbled upon a little tradition at BGA. Friday was Homecoming for the school and as part of the festivities the Roar Store (the school spirit store) was open for business at the Lower School. I thought I would hop in and get Greyson a new t-shirt or something like that to mark his first Homecoming. What I didn't realize was that there is a tradition at Homecoming to sell game used jerseys to the little ones to benefit the football team. I got to school just in time to witness the unveiling of the jerseys. There was a mad dash of mothers and children to get this valuable item and I now know what my mother must have felt like when I made her get me that Cabbage Patch doll back in the day. With hawk like instincts I swooped in and got one of the last remaining jerseys and voila....


Greyson's most current prized possession. Stop on by and he will surely show it to you, along with the dirt marks on the shoulder that came from a REAL GAME he will say with enthusiasm.

The best part of Homecoming (which of course once again is not photo documented - I really just need to permanently attach my camera around my neck) was watching all these little tykes running around the side field in these gigantic jerseys that at best stopped at their knees. It was really a sight to see.

Sadly, this was our last football game of the season and even sadder was that we lost our Homecoming game (though we really should have won but that is another story). But I have a feeling that the jersey will still get a lot of use until the Boys of Fall return next August.

Let's Get Cooking!

OK, I know there are two tribes in the world, the kind, like me, who like to cook and more importantly love to eat and the other who really would prefer a root canal over stepping foot in the kitchen (that would be my mother). So for the latter group, this post probably isn't up your alley but for those who like to cook I thought I would share my new favorite cookbook with you.

I am loving Family Meals by Maria Simskey. It is an amazing cookbook filled with tons of kid-friendly, family-friendly meals (hence the title). The flavors are simple so that little taste buds will enjoy them. The recipes (at least main dishes) are relatively simple and quick to make helping all the busy Moms out there get dinner on the table. Most of the recipes have an aspect that kids can help with - which is one of the main thrusts of this book - to get kids in the kitchen. Whether it is breading the shrimp in the Crispy Shrimp recipe or mashing the apples in the Chunky Applesauce recipe I can always find something for a little helper to lend a hand with. But my favorite part of the book is all the decadent little treats you don't find in most cookbooks.....the homemade marshmallows are seriously one of the best things ever to come out of my kitchen and the from scratch chocolate pudding is to die for. These recipes are a little more time consuming but well worth the effort - I doubt I can ever eat a store bought marshmallow again.

So anyway, if you are looking for a way to spend some time with the kids and make some good food while you are at, pick up a copy.