Missing my family

So my mom comes to visit about every 3 weeks or so and it's wonderful! I am so grateful that the kids get to see her because my family and my parents are the only active grandparents in the kids lives. Don't want to get into too much detail but plain and simple my in laws have decided not to be in their lives....it's actually best!
Anyhow, seeing my mom with the kids just makes me miss Yuma and the family that's there, there's just something about having supportive family in your lives that you need. I have them in my daily lives but they aren't a car ride away( they are but it's 3.5hrs away!). I wish and pray that Chris' job could be moved to Yuma but I know for now that's not possible! He is very supportive of me and understands my need to travel and see my family. Unfortantley my car isn't driving worthy of a 3.5hr drive but soon it will be!!
I guess I just needed to vent but I do miss my yuma fam. and pray to be there someday....Only time will tell!

Life

ahhhh...LIFE!! It's been a little hectic around here lately but then again when is life not hectic with a preschooler and toddler running around? Let's see we have an appt. on Tuesday for Alexa to get tubes in her ears....poor baby girl is in so much pain! We have made 2 E.R. visits and tried 3 different kinds of antibiotics and ear drops to get her better. The antibiotics would work and once she was done the ear infection would start up again. Thankfully the ear drops are helping and we are getting seen so she will be in no more pain. It's starting to affect her language so we know it's going to be good to have this done!

My 4 year old has been crazy lately! He's 4 and he's acting like a independent 18 year old and it's driving me batty!!! He gets into the cubbards, goes out the backdoor without asking...AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! He did this when he was 2, he's FOUR!!!! I think with me threatening him he's starting to get the picture. Braden has some issues and when times get tough(i.e. life) he gets real anxious and acts out in ways like this. It's his way of dealing with the stress or tension that he feels from us. I'm sure he will have anxiety issues as an adult, as I do!
Speaking of which, I'm thinking of having my Dr. up my anxiety pills but I'm going to see if it's still like this once things calm down.

On a good note I've been doing Weightwatchers now for a little over a month and have lost 10.5lbs and it feels great!!! I did weightwatchers back in 2003 for my brother's wedding and lost like 30lbs but I didn't do the weekly meetings. This time I'm going to the weekly meetings and going online with it and it seems to help! Having that weekly support seems to be what I really need to keep going! Plus, I'm loving how my pants fit 10.5lbs lighter:)

Look who's back!!!!!

Okay so It's been awhile....okay I know it's been 5 months!!! Wait....5 months OMG I will be better for now on!
So a lot has actually been happening with us let see

September: Alexa got a bad Kidney infection and is now on atibiotics until next September for them. She's okay now though:) Braden started school(sob, sob, sob). At the sametime we had him evaluated with an ocupationl therapist and he's been going since November and doing well from it.

October: Halloween was fun! My parents came down that weekend and it was great having them here since they usually do Halloween with my brother and sister and all their kids. Braden saw the pyschologist for his OCD, Aspergers, anxiety and sensory issues. They diagnosed him with high funtioning aspergers( we didn't find this out til December).

November: We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year, first time ever!! It was great! We had my parents, my sister, her two kids and her bf. Chris, me and the kids and our two friends and their son....so yeah it was a lot of people but it was fun! Hey, what's thanksgiving without the drama right?!;)

December: Our baby girl turned 1!!!! I could NOT believe it, the last year has gone by soooo fast. I remember holding her in my arms in the recovery room of the hospital thinking how lucky I was to have a safe and easy pregnancy compared to Braden's. Our family is really complete now. As some of you know Chris and I for the last year had been toying with the idea of having a 3rd or not. We finally have decided to not have another child. We like our 2 and are 2 are a handful and couldn't see ourselves having another. We have talked about doing foster down the road but God will lead us in that.
Our Christmas was great! Braden was sooooo excited to see all the presents under the tree and Alexa LOVED her stocking!! She's 1, go figure?!

So that wraps it up. Now onto this month I started back on Weightwatchers, yay me!! I've lost a couple pounds so far and have been exercising about 5-6 times a week. It feels good to be exercising and eating right! I've done weightwatchers in the past but usually I would just go to the first meeting buy the books and never return obviously that didn't work because here I am! This time I am committed to going to the weekly meetings and sticking with it. I want to become a lifetime member!!

Hope you all are doing well and it's good to be back!:)

Interviews, 1st day of school, and being a mom oh my!

So this week is going to be a lot of first for us. First time I am venturing out to seek a part time job being a mom( a little scary I would have to say!). Braden is starting his first day of pre-k on Tuesday and has the open house on Monday( a little sad knowing that my once 3lb baby is now entering into school!).



I am so excited for Braden to be starting school and being around other kids and potential friends! He's got a backpack thanks to his Nana and we've already been school shopping for clothes and shoes and all that is left is for Tuesday to get here! We go on Monday with him for the open house at 10:15 and we get to meet the teacher and see his classroom but on Tuesday is his first "offical" day of school where we drop him off. He is so ready for this, he has been for quite some time now and I am just so thrilled for him, he's going to grow so much this year!!



So you are all probably wondering what I am talking about with the job. As some of you know I have been a stay at home mom since Braden was born. I worked up until the day I was admitted to the hospital for the severe preeclampsia and then I took my 3 months maternity leave and worked part time in the before and after school program at my school. I worked about 10 hours if that a week until Braden was 9 months old and have stayed home since then. Braden is now 4 and Alexa is 9 months old and it's starting to get tight with money and I think it's going to be good to get a job. Not only for the money but for me as a wife, mom and person. I've been having mixed emotions about this feeling bad that I may have to put Alexa in a daycare or a sitter but I know we would relax better if I had a job and it'll be good for her since she's such a mommy's girl and needs that experience of being away from mommy and knowing it's okay. Now I would just like to clarify that Chris had not ONCE asked me to do this, it's been all on my own. I've been getting a little worried and I would like to have a little extra money. I don't want anything full time, just part time. I have a couple places that I think I will be able to take Alexa with me to work which is a plus! That's the jobs I REALLY want!!

So, please if you will pray that I find a job that God wants me to have and one that will fit with our schedule and life.

I just need to let it out!!!!

So yesterday was Braden's 4 year check up at the Dr's. I knew what was going to happen at this appointment but yet I wasn't ready to "hear" it all. The words Autism just haunt me and now they are becoming the reality. Although it's not a severe case but it's still being said. I know that he can get help but as I've said before it still sucks to hear!

Good news though is that Braden is being seen by an behaviorist therapist tomorrow at 1230pm!! They told us when making the appt. to plan to be there for 2 1/2 hours with paperwork and the initial evaluation. Luckily my mom is coming down to be with us for this and lend her ears and most of all support! Braden also has an appt. with an OT on the 8th of Sept. It's a lot to handle but we can do it with God's help, friends and family!

4 years already

August 22nd 2009!!!!!!

November 2007

Mommy and Braden in the NICU

Chris and Braden in the NICU

Braden in the NICU

It's been 4 years since I gave birth to my wonderful miracle baby boy. It was 4 years ago that I was laying in a hospital bed with my blood pressure reading 195/125, swelling like a giant balloon and hearing the Dr.'s say that we must deliver because the unborn baby and I could die. It was not what I expected to happen as a first time mom but it was the reality. I gave birth to my wonderful son- Braden Gregory Coolman on August 22nd 2005 at 9:20pm by emergency c-section. Braden weighed in at 3lbs 11.5 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long. It was then that our lives changed, it was then that we were affected by the horrible pregnancy disease called Preeclampsia and we all were never the same since then.

Today I am looking at my preschooler and think how I am glad he is here today with us because I know many women and families who don't get that chance because of preeclampsia. I am thankful and so Blessed for my 3lb wonder because I know women who can't conceive a baby on their own. Saying that Braden is a miracle is an understatement. The day Chris and I met we knew we would be together forever and knew that we wanted children right away, we wanted it but it wasn't going to happen for us as easily as we hoped. Braden was our Clomid baby and we thank God everyday for the medical intervention of that! It's at every birthday that we are not just celebrating his birth day but we are celebrating that he is here and he survived all that he went through at birth.
So my baby boy you are indeed my miracle and will forever be my baby and you are an inspiration to me with your strong willingness to never give up and always giving your best!!!

Braden started Gymnastic's!

For the last 6 months or so I've been toying with the idea of having Braden been in an athletic sport. It came down to either soccer or Baseball but I just couldn't decide. Braden is what I would call a perfectionist to put it lightly and so I was hesitant to put him in anything because of that. I was just too afraid that if he didn't do it right he would get mad and feel bad and I know that sports are not what they were when I was a kid growing up, they are way too competitive now! I started looking into tumbling because he's a boy and needs to get all the energy out(lol!). I researched some places in the area and found a great one and Braden LOVED it! Yesterday we went for the first time as a trial class to see how I like it as the mom and how he liked it as the kid. He loved being around the other kids and running around and doing cartwheels, somersaults and jumping on the trampoline. I really believe that we may have found his match:)

His teacher's were really nice and very positive, something Braden needs. This gymnastics's studio is all about having fun with gymnastics's in a non-competitive way- YAY!!

I can't say more positive things about the experience, well one. It was mainly my fault though I take him there and on the way there he falls asleep he wakes up and is ready to go. Then it's over and he was SUPER mad that we were done and had to go home. I think the meltdown had all to do with the fact that it was dinner time and he was sweaty, tired and hungry. So, note to self MUST PACK FOOD FOR CHILD!!

When we got home that night Braden showed Chris all his new "tricks" as he likes to call them. He showed him how to do the somersault, the splits and the bridge. It was so great to see and with all that's been going on with Braden with his sensory and OCD this is what he really needs. I mean we haven't told Braden " The Dr. thinks you are OCD and have sensory dysfunction disorder" but it's just good for him to be with other kids and be "normal" Heck, maybe it's more for us either way it's a good thing for him and we love seeing him so happy and excited about it. Right before I got online to blog he was pretending to be in gymnastics's class and I was his teacher, gotta love it!