Florida Vacation

Well, we just returned from our annual Florida vacation with the Riches. I flew with Chloe which went really well. She was an angel as usual! Brent drove with Cole, taking 2 days to get there. Cole was such a good boy in the car. The Riches drove with their girls and we all ended up arriving within 5 minutes of each other. We had a total blast! We had rain just about every other day but the sun always came out at one point so we got plenty of beach and swim time. Cole is such a fish. He has no fear of the ocean and would run right into the water and float away if we let him. Brent took him down to the beach one day and didn't get sunscreen on his cheeks so he got pretty burned. That night he wandered into our room in the middle of the night which he has NEVER done. He was not feeling good so he slept with Momma and Dada. I think he had a mild bit of sun poisoning.
We went into Seaside several times to eat and play during our trip which we did last year. The kids ran around like wild indians and had a ball. Cole and Kate are quite a team. Both are 'monkey see, monkey do' and they love each other so much. Where you find one, you are sure to find the other. We went ACME Oyster Co for lunch one day which was one highlight of our trip. We had an amazing lunch which included 2 dozen grilled oysters. Best thing I have put in my mouth! As for the babies... Chloe and Abby did so good. Abby is the happiest baby I have ever seen. So sweet and just goes along with the flow. Chloe did great. She slept a lot and slept through the night almost every night. She will have so much fun next year but this year she was just so little. All in all, we had such a wonderful time. We are so lucky to have friends like Rhonda, Paul, Kate and Abby. It's almost funny calling them friends b/c they are more like family. We can't wait for all of the years and trips to come with them.

Videos

Cole watched a video of his friend, Kate singing the ABC's this weekend so he became obsessed and made us watch it like 300 times. So... we told him that he could make his own video. He then decided that he wanted to watch himself over and over and over and over. Everytime we get the laptop out, he wants to watch himself. So, here is his very first youtube video and one of Chloe!

The little things

Today is my Mom's birthday so I might as well start out by saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope it was a good one! Not much has been going on around here. We have just been in our normal routine, getting ready for our Florida trip. Brent has been training for a half marathon and ran a 10k this morning for extra practice. A few little exciting things have happened. The first to report... baby girl, Chloe rolled over onto her tummy yesterday! She won't even be 3 months old until Tuesday and she is already rolling over! I can't believe how fast this is going. She has discovered her hands which is super cute. She just holds her hands together and looks at them all day. It is so funny how mesmerised she is by them. Cole is doing good. He has been a wild, tantrum throwing toot, but just as sweet. He has cried a few times in the past few days when I'm not here, just out of the blue b/c he wants me to hold him. Makes me feel so loved. Oh, one other very exciting thing for me is that I got a pedicure today! I had not had my nails done since the Friday before Chloe was born. Yuck! I know, very gross. I feel like a new person. Like I said, nothing too exciting but it's the little things...

I hate fire hydrants!

So Cole's new obsession happens to be fire hydrants. We have no clue why he is so crazy for them. I mean, dogs pee on fire hydrants so what is so great about them! Plus, he doesn't even know what they do or their purpose. He just likes them! The only thing I can think of is that there are a million different colors of fire hydrants all over Houston. If we walk into Target, we say hi and bye to the fire hydrant out front. The street that takes us from Hwy 288 to our church has like 500 of them and some are blue with green tops and some are green with blue tops. Regardless, our child is crazy! We literally say hi to every single fire hydrant in the world b/c Cole is sure to find it. It is pretty funny. The best part is that he calls it a giar-odrick. Not sure if you can pronounce what I was trying to write but that's how he says it. No one has any clue what he is talking about when he says it except for us, so when we explain, people look at us like we have the most odd child ever. Tonight we took Cole to the park but baby sister got fussy so we left early. I don't know if many other kids do this but Cole always finds a comfort word. For a long time it was Elmo, for a while it was Mickey Mouse and now it is "giar-odrick" but we don't know why he does this. If he has a meltdown or is throwing a tantrum he says it over and over again. So when leaving the park tonight and for 15 minutes after we got home he screamed "giar-odrick" which is why I decided to post tonight. I can't imagine that anything else could be on my mind b/c that word seems to be on repeat in my brain. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
PS.... Chloe is doing great! I feel bad b/c most of my posts are about Cole b/c he is the crazy 2 year old and there are so many stories to tell. Chloe is 12 weeks old today. We can't believe how fast the time has flown by. She is the most precious, perfect little angel. She is in her own room now and such a great sleeper. She isn't sleeping through the night but has done so a few times. Most of the time she wakes around 4am and then that is it. This morning she slept until 7 and Cole until 7:20! It was awesome! Anyway, she is so much fun b/c she is smiling nonstop and talks like crazy. She is a big cooing baby and she loves to squeal. She is always on her play mat b/c she LOVES the blinking star on it and b/c big brother insists that he get most of the attention so poor baby gets left on her play mat. Everything else is going great in the Lunsford household. We go on our annual trip to Florida with the Riches in less than 2 weeks so we are getting so excited. More to come...

Many blessings, equal heartache

Well, I have a lot to report actually. I have been wanting to post since yesterday but wasn't able to b/c I couldn't get our dang camera to transfer pictures to the computer so I could post Cole's first day of school pics. Anyway, it still won't work so I decided to go ahead and post anyway. So, Cole had a great first day. He cried when I left him but a big part of that was b/c one of the kids was literally flipping around screaming. It set him off. Poor baby. Anyway, I didn't get much accomplished while he was gone b/c Chloe refused to take naps and forced me to hold her all day. The day before I made Cole a doctor's appt b/c he has been bruising easily and in odd places. I became concerned for several reasons so I knew that if he didn't go to the doctor that I would worry myself sick. This morning I took him in and Brent stayed home with Chloe. I explained my concern and Dr. Wilber was equally concerned. He felt that it was good that I had brought Cole in. He ran a CBC to get all of the information he needed on Cole's blood. For 15 minutes, I was terrified. I was on my knees begging God to make my baby safe. Cole was looking at me like I had lost my mind. Maybe I had! Just the thought of something being wrong with my children pretty much kills me inside. Finally, Dr. Wilber came back in with good news. Cole was healthy! The results showed to be perfect. There was little explanation other than "it's just Cole." This is just what his skin does. Anyway, while we were there we went ahead and got him the flu mist so we didn't have to return in a week to get vaccinated. He handled the blood work and the mist like a champ. He was really brave so I took him to Toys R Us after to get Buzz Lightyear. Cole is obsessed with Toy Story so he has really been wanting Buzz. Over the course of the day I got pictures of my Granddad 'ringing the bell' at MD Anderson which is a tradition amongst patients who complete their radiation. My Granddad was diagnosed with Lymphoma less than a year ago and had a place on his lung. The cancer seems to be dying and he seems to be pulling through. When I pulled up the picture of his smiling face, I teared up but also gained so much hope. A smiling 82 year old man was standing there so happy b/c he was beating cancer. On the same hand, Brent's Popo was laying in a hospital bed across town, being given the news that he for sure has an aggressive form of bladder cancer. They will find out tomorrow where they go from here. So, I have been given 2 beautiful gifts from God today. My baby is healthy, my Granddad is beating cancer but Popo is sick, very sick.
Today Lord, I am thankful... Thankful for my many blessings. Cole is healthy, Chloe is healthy, I have a wonderful husband, a loving family and friends. I just pray that your Will be done. I trust in you, even when times are tough and even when my family is dealing with heartache. Please continue to look after my children, as they are such beautiful gifts from you. Help me to be a better Mom, wife and friend. Lastly, please watch over Popo and give strength to those who love him.

Orientation

Today was Cole's Kid's Day Out orientation. I dropped him off in his new classroom with his new teachers b/f heading to the orientation. He scream, cried. Of course! This is what he does when he adjusts to new things. It does make me a bit sad, but now that Cole has already completed a full year of KDO, goes to Sunday school all the time and spends time away from me on Tuesday mornings when I go to Bible Study, I know that he is fine after a few minutes. I hate that he cries b/c I know it is due to him being confused. I like his new teachers, one of which he already knows pretty well from Sunday School but I am still just having such a hard time with him not having his same teachers from last year. I loved them! They just love Cole so much and with last year being his first year, they are the ones who took care of my baby for me. I just have this crazy attachment to them b/c they were his first teachers. Not to mention, they are awesome. Anyway, things went well at orientation. Chloe kept me busy keeping her happy but it was all fine and well. This afternoon the kids were great. They both napped at the same time which was great for me.
Once Chloe woke up and ate, I decided to attempt a grocery store run with both of them. Usually I go with just Cole when Brent gets home but today he was up at the hospital sitting with his Popo who was told today that he has an aggressive form of stomach cancer. That in itself is just so heart breaking. I really feel for Brent b/c Popo has been a father figure to him and he is very close with those grandparents. It's never easy to watch grandparents get sick.
Anyhow, the kids were both pretty good at the store, but it was quite a task to keep up with both of them while shopping. But... I made it home in one piece without losing my cool! This evening went smooth and it's just about time to feed Chloe her last feeding b/f we all turn in for the night. Tomorrow will be bittersweet... I am ready for Cole to get back into his routine of going to KDO but I will miss him. Over the past month I have enjoyed spending extra time with him even though we have had some major tantrums. I think it's best for both of us that he has something else to do besides stay at home with me. Man, I love that child. He is my best friend. I am so thankful for him. God, please watch over him and protect him while he is away from me. More later....

Twinkle, Twinkle and REJOICE!

I haven't blogged since last week and I just haven't felt like there has been much to report. But tonight as I was laying in bed next to Cole, singing his bedtime songs I just had a tug at my heart. He was giggling b/c I did "this little piggy" to his toes but then it was time for one more song. He wanted "twinkle, twinkle little star" so I began singing. It was dark in his room but some light was shining through the crack in the door so I could see our shadows. I put my hands above us and opened & shut them,like a star as I sang. Then Cole raised his arms up and began doing the same thing. Seeing his little hands doing what mine were doing was just precious. I felt a tug at my heart and almost shed a tear. A few things came to mind. 1. I can't believe Cole is getting so big and can now follow my lead and 2. I am so thankful for him. With a 2 year old it seems that all you do for the entire day is say, "No." It's only natural to have to do that b/c I think most people understand how 2 year olds can be. But at the end of the day when everyone is tucked in bed after a wild day, that crazy 2 year old who was in trouble half the day can still have complete, unconditional love for his Momma. In some ways it makes me feel guilty but if I didn't tell him "NO", I wouldn't be doing my job.
One another note, I want to end by telling about our sermon today. We had a guest speaker who is actually not a preacher. He is actually from Fuller Theological Seminary and asked to speak to our church. He told us that every single person came to church today carrying some sort of burden. For some it was something small, but for some it was something very painful. The reading for the sermon was from Philippians 4. Here are a few pieces that stood out.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
This is the part that sums it up...
"I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
So.... for anyone who actually reads this post, whatever burden you are carrying with you today, "Rejoice in the Lord. I will say it again, REJOICE." May you gain the strength you need to get through this day and be "content" that the Lord is with you.