The Davis' go to Disney - Part 1

Ok, so this is going to be a multi-part post for several reasons -
#1. I haven't finished editing my PhotoPass pictures yet, so I don't have my CD.
#2. My camera broke on day 4, and we rushed to WalMart to get a new one. Unfortunately, the impulse buy of the Kodak really sucked, so I returned it this weekend. Of course, the new Canon I got won't recognize the photos from the Kodak. GRRRR. I will have to get creative.
#3. I have tons of pictures and video to edit and not much free time.
#4. It's winter, so our lives are fairly boring. I'm gonna have to get lots of mileage out of the Disney trip to continue blogging.

So, as you all know we went to Disney World 14-20 December. We decided to drive this time - yipee, 900 miles! Here are the kids in the car, happy to be on the way to Disney! Yes, Taylor always poses when she sees the camera, and Yes, those are Taylor's sunglasses that Trace is sporting!




We took off on the evening of the 12th, and made it as far as Columbia, SC, which was the plan. We met up with The Brooks family Saturday morning for breakfast - it was so nice to meet up with them again! Mary Elizabeth is so adorable and it was fun to see how much she has "grown" since we met them in August. Unfortunately, I completely forget to get any pictures, and didn't even realize it until we were in the car - that's what breakfast with three kids and good conversation does to you, I guess. We drove the rest of the way to Orlando on Saturday, but we couldn't check into the Movies resort until Sunday, so we just crashed at the Royal Plaza at Downtown Disney.

Sunday morning we were up and went to check into the Movies resort. It is a Disney Value resort, so not really any bells and whistles, but my kids absolutely love the larger than life movie themes and I absolutely love the price! We were in the Dalmations building this trip, so we had huge dalmation statues in the courtyard. Here are some shots at the resort!






So for day 1, we went over to Disney Hollywood Studios. We had lunch at the Play and Dine at Hollywood and Vine, where characters from JoJo's Circus and Little Einsteins visit the kids while you are eating. Trace decided he was going to be shy this trip and not really visit with characters - every time a character appeared, this is what I heard "Mommy, I scared. I scared." Total bummer, especially since the same kid was absolutely in love with the characters on our last trip. Taylor also likes to pretend to be shy, which she thinks is cute, and I think is obnoxious.






After lunch, we met up with the Mazur family! It was so great to meet Danielle, Keith, and the girls! Our blogging community is great, it feels like we already know each other. We took the kids to Playhouse Disney Live on Stage and then to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set playground. Taylor had a great time playing with Laynie and Riley, and Trace and Peyton warmed up to each other, as is evident by these pictures! He even shared one of his beloved tractors with her!















After the playground, we caught the Block Party Bash Parade, and the Mazur's headed for home. It was really fun to visit with them and hope to get the chance to visit again soon! We played at the park a little bit longer, then headed for the hotel to get situated in our room. I'll leave you with some pictures from the parking lot trams, which the kids though were great, go figure!

Trace Update For Non-Facebook Addicts!

So, I didn't mean to totally say that Trace was having surgery and just leave everyone hanging, so sorry! Remember the *slight* Facebook addiction that I have acknowledged? I kept Facebook updated (yay Facebook mobile) with Trace updates, but completely forgot that there are still some people who are not on Facebook (so, get on Facebook and "Friend Me" already).



Trace was really cool with the getting up early and going to Grandma's. My mom works at the hospital, so Trace and I rode up with her so that John could get Taylor to school before he came up to the hospital. When we went back to start getting ready for surgery, Trace got the "VIP" treatment, as everyone there already "knows" him through stories from Grandma! Lots of stickers and a coloring book and a wagon to ride around in! He got a stuffed puppy dog and a cool fleece blanket - he was living large! The Christ Church United Methodist Women's Society donates blankets to the day surgery center at Ruby for children having surgery - I think it's great that they help children feel more comfortable when faced with all the scary things about surgery.





John showed up right after they gave Trace the Versed and he was starting to get kinda loopy. Trace wanted to have "blue hair" like the OR staff, he thought it was hilarious!



Trace's surgery went great, Dr. Ramadan said that both ears were filled with fluid and the left ear was starting to get infected - yuck! He also said that Trace's adnoids were 60-70% enlarged, so getting them out should definitely help both the mild apnea and the fluid in the ears. Back in the recovery room, Trace woke up seriously pissed at the world. Luckily, John got him to sleep and he woke up much happier! We went home a few hours later, and Trace was running around the living room playing that evening! Thank you Dr. Ramadan and the Same Day Surgery team for taking such great care of our little boy!

Shout Out to "Aunt" Gretchen & Fall Medical Update

Last month Gretchen, one of my best friends during college, came down and stayed with me for a couple days. It was so great to spend some time with her, we don't get to see each other enough! The kids were estatic, having Gretchen here was better than a new toy! When she was leaving, she asked the kids to give her a shout out on their Halloween video, so here it is! Gretchen, sorry it took so long to post, I think I might have a *slight* Facebook addiction (acknowleding the problem is the first step, right?). This video shows a tiny bit of the madness that happens when trying to get the kids to cooperate for photos and video. Enjoy!




So, it seems that this fall has been "doctor season" for us. In September, Trace went for his head/neck MRI in Morgantown. Thankfully, my mom works in anesthesia at the hospital, so we know Trace always has the best care! A couple weeks later, we went to see Trace's neurosurgeon at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Dr. Tyler-Kabarra wonderful, we just love her! She was very happy with Trace's development and his MRI.

On October 1, Trace had his sleep study. I must say that I was very, very worried about the fight he was going to put up after reading blog posts by Katie and Cat. So, I went prepared. I bought Trace a new Bob the Builder On Site movie, and a GeoTrax Old West Railroad. After Taylor's birthday dinner at Denny's (they have great kids meals there), Trace and I were off to Morgantown for the appointment. Once we got there, I popped in the video and gave him the train and he calmly let the tech put on all the wires - like 50 of them stuck all over his face, head, neck, chest, legs. Then he proceeded to lay on the bed and play with the train and watch his movie for 2 hours! Wow! Don't worry, our evening was not without a fight, I accidentally woke him up trying to move him over - after they had put the canula up his nose - and he freaked out and got all tangled up and it took both myself and the tech to get him out of the web of wires. Needless to say, the canula did not go back on, but that was our only issue! The results were pretty much that he had about 10 episodes where his ox sat dropped into the low 80s and they suggested getting his tonsils/adnoids removed.

To make October even more fun, Trace got two ear infections in is right ear - and we discovered that his tubes had fallen out. So, the poor kid got 10 days of augmentin followed by 5 days of zithromax the next week. But, I will say that those ear tubes stayed in for over 18 months, which is a long time!

Then in November, we were off to Baltimore to see Dr. Ain (orthopedics) and Dr. Jallo(neurosurgury). We got into Baltimore early evening and met up with The Greene Family at Barnes and Noble and had dinner at Hard Rock Cafe! It was great to meet them in person, it seems like Jennifer and I have know each other for years through the blogs and facebook! Simon is even more adorable in person, and he has the best smile that I have ever seen! Simon had a good time watching the kids play at the train table, and learned some bad manners at dinner (sorry Jen and Jason). We look forward to keeping in touch and future visits!

Dr. Ain says that Trace's legs are a little bit more bowed than when we saw him in the spring, but he wants to wait to see how he develops. Dr. Jallo echoed Dr. Tyler-Kabarra's good news - no compression! We'll be back to see Dr. Ain and "Dr. Jello", as Trace calls him, next November!

Last week I took Trace to the ENT for the sleep study follow-up. He confirmed that both tubes are out and that he has fluid in his right ear. We did a hearing test, with the normal range being from 0-20, with 0 being perfect - Trace got a 5 in his left ear, very good! But, he got a 45 in his right ear, very bad, moderate hearing loss! Dr. Ramadan said that Trace needs new tubes and he wants to remove his adnoids, but wait on the tonsils. He says they aren't that big and that tonsils are much more dangerous, which has been proven by our little buddy Caden earlier this month! We're glad you're all better Caden! When I went to schedule the surgery, I of course said, ASAP (don't want to damage his hearing permanently), and they said, "How bout Monday?". SO, Monday morning it is! They said he should be back to himself for Thanksgiving dinner!

Halloween Treats for You!!

Halloween is so much fun with young children! They get so excited to dress up, and hello, there is candy by the bagful! The biggest decision - what to be???? Here is pretty much how the conversation went this year:

Me: Tay, want do you want to be for Halloween?

Taylor: Tinkerbell.

Me: Okay, sounds good. Hope its warm enough. Ok, Trace, what about you?

Trace: Tractor!

Me: T, I don't think you can be a tractor.

Trace: Tractor!!

Me: I know, buddy, but I don't think they make tractor costumes. What about Lightning McQueen, or SpiderMan, or a Bat, or a Pirate?

Trace: Tractor!!! Tractor!!! Tractor!!!

So, John and I made a tractor for Trace, and it actually turned out really cute!

Everything taken care of right? Wrong!

As we watch the weather and notice that the trick or treat forcast is um, cold, I decide that Tay cannot be Tinkerbell - so, we went shopping the day before Halloween for a costume. After scouring the left-overs, Tay picks SuperGirl - which was okay, because it is great for tights and underarmor - plus she turned out totally adorable!

Eaden made an adorable dragon - no, he was not Barney!!!! He was so funny, he just wanted to walk around, but the suit is kinda bulky so he was weaving and stumbling like he was drunk!

Enjoy the photos and check back in a day or so for an update with video, I haven't had time to get it edited yet!

I've been tagged too!

So, as the runner-up blog slacker (behind Sarah, of course) I am just getting around to answering the "tags" from Tonya and Catie! I will pre-warn that my life is totally boring and pretty much always has been - that's okay with me!

10 Years Ago I....

1. Was in my second year of engineering school at WVU - Let's Gooooo Mountaineers!!!

2. Drove a Nissan pickup truck

3. Spent my weekends riding horses

4. Spent my Thursday nights at "The Little Village" in Morgantown, WV - good times!

5. Was loving the college life!


5 Things on Today's To Do List...

1. Go get a present for Taylor's friend Jack's 5th birthday. (must be done first, with no kids in tow to avoid the "Can I have...", "Mama, I want..." madness)

2. Get the kids from school

3. Convince family that leftover pizza is a great dinner

4. Laundry

5. Give the kids' baths


5 Things I Would Do, IF I Were a Millionaire...

1. Pay off our debt and invest for the future

2. Buy 500 acres and build the house and horse barn that we would like to have

3. Buy a Friesian horse (okay, maybe two) - they are sooo beautiful!

4. Make my children work on the farm to earn their allowances - you wouldn't be seeing them on MTV's "Sweet Sixteen"

5. Probably still go to work, can't waste that college degree!


5 Places I Have Lived...

1. My parents house in Clarksburg, WV

2. The honors dorm - Dadisman Hall - for the first year of college

3. The townhouse my parents bought in Mo'town - for the remaining 4 years of college

4. John's house in Salem, WV

5. On the farm, would never live "in town" again!

Okay I forgot 5 Jobs I have had...

1. Babysitting

2. Lowes (definitely the most fun)

3. Customer Service Representative

4. Electrical/Computer/Biometric Systems Engineer

5. Mommy (definitely the most rewarding!!)

I know that Tiffany hasn't been tagged yet, and I will tag Sarah as well (I agree with Catie, if we just keep after her, she will be forced to update) - I think everyone else already had their turn.

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!!!

Trace is at such a fun age! He is getting more and more verbal by the day, its so cute listening to him talk! He got new PJs today - Thomas ones - yeah! I am not even sure Trace has ever seen an episode of Thomas, because Thomas kind of creeps me out, but he still loves Thomas anyway! I was making the bed this evening and he climbed up and started jumping around - I ran for the video camera, it was too cute not to catch and share! Watch out for my camera hog, Taylor, as she tries to steal the show (and comes down the hall demanding doritos)! Please excuse the bare windows, time to change from summer to winter bed coverings.

Happy Birthday Taylor!!

Taylor turned 5 on October the 1st!!!

That's right, I said 5, *sniffle, sniffle*.

Our little girl is growing up.

Who am I kidding, according to her, she is grown up.

Goodbye Dora... hello High School Musical.
Goodbye cute little daisy earrings... hello pink dangly ones.
Goodbye princesses... hello pop stars.
Goodbye obnoxious Lori Berkner song... hello even more obnoxious Hannah Montana song.
Goodbye pigtails - that's right, she now refuses more than one ponytail!

Where has my little girl gone?

Oh, there she is, the pop star in training!

Taylor is so beautiful, and very, very smart, we are so proud of her. It has been so amazing watching her grow and learn and figure out the world so far, we are so lucky to have such a wonderful little girl!

Here are some pictures of Taylor over the years - enjoy! I *tried* to put them in chronological order, but no promises :) Please excuse the missing baby pictures, I can't find the CD - grrr!

No, that is not me, it is some crazy girl who thought a perm sounded like a good idea!

Come on people, focus on Taylor!

Yes, that is a drool droplet on Taylor's 6 month old chin!

Whee! This chair is pretty cool!

How cute is she! Sooo cute!

Taylor at one year!

18 months old, intensely studying the water!

(or maybe peeing in it?)

The Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa is so awesome!

Our little princess, riding the dolphin!

Does it get any cuter than this?

Gotta have the crying photo - this is one of my favorites!

Taylor the Turtle - at the Cincinnati Zoo, October 2005!

Taylor the Not-so-Fierce Dragon!

A ponytail for each year - yeehaw for 2!!!

Taylor loves her little brother, go ahead and say *Awwww*!

That's my little farm girl!

Taylor at 3 1/2, sincerely hugging Belle!

Christmas Photos 2007 - Taylor was 4!

Is that Tinkerbell? No, its Taylor!!!

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney is worth every penny!

I put sponge rollers in her hair last night, aren't her curls just gorgeous?

(I told you she was a pop star in training!!)

Are there any Shirley Temple look-a-like contests?

Oh, yeah, there are the pink dangly earrings, too!

Busy, Busy, Busy....

Wow, we have been so busy the last month that I don't know where the time went! The kids went to two different Vacation Bible Schools, where they made some new friends, learned some new songs, and had a great time! My good friend Myra got married, her and Brian's wedding was beautiful, and it was great to see some of my best friends from college! Taylor and Trace provided great entertainment at the reception.



The kids also moved up at daycare! Taylor is now in Pre-K and Trace is in the 2 year old preschool! They both had 'Movin' on up' parties where they "graduated" from their old rooms. Both of them love their new rooms, teachers, and friends. Taylor is continuing her riding lessons, and getting much more confident in the saddle. Trace never stops moving, climbing, running, jumping and is definitely exerting his 2 year old independence. His vocabulary has exploded and he sings all the time - his current favorites are "Herman the Worm", "Jesus Loves Me", and the "Bob the Builder" theme song. We have officially said goodbye to the nighttime bottle, although we aren't making any progress with potty training, oh well.




A few weeks ago, Trace wasn't feeling well, so I was working from home. The kids wanted to go outside, so I was sitting in the driveway working on my laptop and the kids were playing with shovels. Trace came over to me and I have never seen so much dirt - Taylor claims that Trace did it himself, but my guess is that she shoveled the dirt right onto his head. Here are the after photos:





Oh yes, I can't forget the new addition to the Davis Family, "the kids" new puppy, Rose. I have "the kids" in quotes because that is how John refers to her, although I believe that the it is more his puppy. Rose is a Treeing Walker Coonhound (definitely would not be my pick for the kids, but John got the dog so that "he and Trace" could go coon hunting - this is why I refer to her as John's dog - I don't see Trace trapsing through the woods in the dark anytime soon). Rose is a cute puppy, but she is growing fast and starting that hounddog bark. She puts up with alot from Trace - he'll be petting her one minute and pulling her ears or tail or trying to sit on her the next.







I finally broke down and got a video camera, so the video below is some clips of the kids from the last month - riding lessons, Myra's wedding reception (the other little boy in the video is my friend Cindy's son Mason), daycare, playing. I am pre-warning you about the loud noise at the beginning of the video - Trace was dragging a chair across the observation room at Taylor's riding lesson and it is loud. Enjoy!