Pumpkin Patch Part 2 Tractor and Pony Rides

Farmland Adventures has a wagon ride for the kids!  They take you around the property and you get to feed all of the animals from the wagon!  

Brooks and Nana!

I think Brooks liked the little red headed girl next to him.  He kept scooting closer and closer.  She did not like him at all!  She kept telling her mom that he took her spot! ha 

The farmer gave us all tortillas to feed the cows!  So fun! It was crazy how they walked right up to the wagon!  They were a little stinky though! 

We weren't allowed to touch Brooks!  The big boy wanted to stand up all by himself!  It's pretty cute when he swats your hand away!

Brooks and his girl!

This boy is in heaven!

Porter enjoying the view and a snack! 

Love this boy! 

The farmer driving the tractor was nice enough to let Brooks take it for a spin (not really, just pretend)! 

He loved it! 

Such a big boy! 

That tractor might not ever be the same because he touched all of the levers and pushed all of the buttons! 

Brooks had to walk around and really check it out! 

I think this one is a framer!

Pony Rides!  Farmland Adventures really thought of everything!  I put Ava on the pony first but she wasn't too sure about it!  

How funny is this face?!  My little cowgirl!

Knox, on the other hand,  loved it! I thought he might be scared but he squealed all the way around!  Look how dirty my pants are! I wouldn't be at all surprised if we all contracted a weird farm creature disease! 

Nana took lots of pictures of us! 

Brooksy loved the ponies!  He went around once and when I tried to get him off he cried so he just kept going around! 

I had to hold him on the belt loop because he does not want me to help him at all! Mr Independent!

We had such a fun morning!  We will definitely be heading back there soon!  The boys had so much fun they both got their first grass stains on their jeans! ha  As soon as we left we called Gigi and daddy to tell them all about how much fun we had!  B met us for lunch at Ferrells and then we all went home to nap and clean up!  Such a fun day with our friends!

The Pumpkin Patch Part 1

On Wednesday B's mom and I took the babies to meet their friends at the Pumpkin Patch!  I can't believe it's already that time of year!  I considered dressing them in Halloween themed clothes but it just seemed too early! I think we picked the perfect day to go because it was overcast and a lot cooler than it has been!  The kids were so excited to get out of the house and run free!!

They look so old!

This mommy pig had babies five days ago.  When I looked at her I felt her pain!  I think this is what I looked like with tiny little Ava, Brooks, and Knox when they were born! 

They were so excited to meet the piglets!

Guess who found a broom to clean up the pig pen?!

I'm not sure if Brooks liked the little pig...

Or the cute little girl!!!

Ava loved petting the little pig!

Hi Mr Pig

I guess A got tired of standing so she decided to plop down to get a better view of the pigs!

This boy had a hard time leaving the little piggies!  He had a hard time leaving everything at the pumpkin patch!  I think he might live on a farm one day! 

Next we moved on to the goats!

And a little drink break!

Caroline was nice enough to share her goat food and Lindsay helped Ava feed the goats! 

The Rutledges!

Our attempt at a family photo!

Attempt #2.  While Bethany was taking this picture we lost Porter

This is where we found Porter.  He spotted a 4-wheeler and decided to take a ride! Ha I guess he climbed under the fence and climbed on up!  He was proud of himself, he said Ta-Da!

Knox was more into the snacks than he was the pumpkins!

Another funny attempt at a group picture! 

We tried!  Maybe one day they will all sit still and look at the camera! 

Ava hanging with her boyfriends!

One of our pumpkins!  The nicest little boy helped us find three of the best pumpkins! 

Love this boy!

The boys showing off their new pumpkins! 

Brooksy loved the pumpkin patch! 

Running Free!

Picking out her pumpkin!

Rough Week

We had a rough week/weekend at our house.  It started with Brooksy's accident Tuesday.  Brooks was fine the next day but keeping his band aid on his head was no easy task.  He liked to pull it off and Knox liked to mess with it too!  Then on Thursday Knox woke up from his nap with 103 temp.  He was pitiful.  He couldn't hold his head up,  just wanted to be held, and wouldn't eat anything.  I took him to the doctor on Friday and she said he had an eye infection and a very red throat but that she thought it was just a virus.  So we went home without any medicine.  I think we went through two whole bottles of Tylenol and Motrin last weekend.  Monday morning he woke up with a swollen face and a rash all over his body.  It was time to go back to the doctor.  Gigi came to the rescue and took him back to see Dr. A.  I wasn't feeling my best either and couldn't get it together to load everyone up to go.  I kind of expected her to come back and say it was just a virus but instead she came home and told us he had every ailment you could think of!  He had an ear infection, eye infection, roseola virus, a skin infection on his face, and a virus that caused his runny nose and sore throat.  He was one sick boy.  I think I caught one of his viruses.  Nothing is worse than trying to take care of sick babies when you are sick.  Gigi took care of the babies while I slept and then while they were napping went to fill prescriptions, deliver food to their school for the teachers, and stock our house with groceries.  Thank goodness for Gigi! I slept all day and must have slept off my virus because the next day I felt lots better!  My throat was still sore but I didn't feel like I had the flu anymore!  Of course now the other two are getting sick.  Hopefully they will only catch like two of the viruses instead of all five! Maybe we will all be better by this weekend!  If not, I might have to rethink this whole school thing!  It's not going to be much of a break if I have to take care of sick kids all winter! And how has B not caught any of these things?  Lucky guy!

So, I wrote that last week.  Since then, Ava has gotten the terrible virus too.  She woke up from her nap Friday burning up!  I took her in that evening and she basically had everything Knox had.  Ear infection, eye infection roseola virus, rash, etc.  The poor baby was so sick!  I was so glad she was able to start antibiotics though!  I was hoping hers wouldn't be as bad as Knox's!  Saturday morning she woke up and didn't feel that warm so I thought we were on the mend.  Caroline offered to watch them while I went to tailgate.  When I put her down for her nap she was fine but apparently when she woke up she felt terrible and her little lips were purple!  Thank goodness Gigi was there with her!  Right before the game started I got a call from Caroline!  She told me I probably needed to come home because Ava was turning purple!  It scared me to death to say the least!  Gigi took Ava to the ER and I met them there.  When we got there Ava looked a little better but her temperature was still 104 even after she had Motrin!  This virus is no joke!   The doctor wasn't sure why her lips turned blue but he said to just keep giving her her medicine and hopefully the ear infection would clear up soon! When we were leaving the ER she threw up a little bit and she pretty much didn't stop that night.  It was definitely like a scene from the exorcist!  Gigi was covered, I was covered, poor Coco was covered.  Such a mess!  Ava had about three baths that night! Coco had one.  I felt terrible that I had to send her to bed with fever but she couldn't keep any medicine down.  It was a rough day to say the least!  Oh and my voice is gone and I sound like a man.  Not sure what that's about.  I'm hoping its just how the virus ends!  I still don't feel 100%!  Sunday we spent the day laying around watching Hi-5.  Ava felt a little better but still had fever.  She spent most of the day laying on my chest on the couch.  Gigi brought us soup for dinner!  It was super yummy!  It might have been just what we needed to make us feel better!  

I hate to even jinx it but I really hope we are getting better! I'm ready to feel better, I'm ready for the kids to feel better, and I'm ready for all of us to get out of this house!  I feel like the kids haven't seen their little friends in weeks!  Fingers crossed for a good week and healthy kids! 

PS-Gigi really deserves her own post but Mom, you have been such a big help these past two weeks/last two years!  Don't know how I could ever do this without you!  We are all so lucky to have you in our lives!  Thanks for everything! 

PPS-The receptionist at the emergency room knows us too well.  When we brought Ava in she said, "Oh good, I finally get to meet Ava, hopefully I won't be meeting Knox for a while."  Sad!

PPPS-We have several blankets in the living room right now and Knox is loving it!  He carries them around with him and sucks his thumb!  As soon as I put Knox in his crib at night and for naps he picks up his blanket and starts sucking his thumb!  It's so funny to me that the boys only suck their thumb in bed.  You will never catch Brooks with his thumb in his mouth when he is awake but it stays calloused and it is always in his mouth when he is asleep!   

Brooksy's Boo Boo

Tuesday night we went over to a friends house for a cookout.  We only took Brooks and Ava because Knox was going to spend the night with my mom.  The kids were having so much fun with all of the other kids at the party.  Ava stayed busy playing and Brooks did too!  He loved riding on the back of the four wheeler with the big kids!  He had fun dancing too.  Presley was showing us his Michael Jackson moves and Brooks was trying to copy him which was hilarious.  I think Brooks got a little too excited about his dance moves because he tripped on the edge of the rug and fell forward.  I immediately said, "You're okay Brooks" but then Melissa said, "No he's not!" He looked up and his little head was gushing blood.  I went into freak out mommy mode and scooped him up and started ordering people around! ha Karrie got me a towel and I went outside to tell B we needed to go to the hospital for stitches and to grab Ava.  Everyone was such a big help!  I left in such a hurry that I forgot my phone and Karrie was nice enough to bring it to me at the emergency room! Brooks was screaming his little head off.  Blood was everywhere!  B was freaking out way worse then me though!  I think all of Brandon's ailments and emergencies have prepared me for moments like this!  He put the kids in the car and rode on top of a car seat in the back so he could hold the towel on Brooks's head. I turned on Hi-5 to distract him and then literally drove 100mph to the hospital.  Oh and I called Leigh and Travis on the way to see if she was working that night.  Thank goodness she was!  Brandon later told me I would make a great ambulance driver!  I had my flashers on and everything!  By the way, it is amazing how dumb some people are! I had my flashers on and two cars just slowed down in front of me and went the same speed so I couldn't get around either of them.  I thought B might throw something out of the window at them! He was not happy!  Looking back, I have to laugh a little at how dramatic the whole thing was! I pulled right up to the front door of the hospital and carried him in like it was a life or death situation.  Everyone just stared at us.  There were a million people in the waiting room and Brooks was still hysterical.  The lady at the front desk said, "Can you fill out this form for me please." Really lady?  I'm covered in blood, holding a screaming baby covered in blood and you think I can fill out a form?!  That's when I decided to take matters into my own hands and to walk through the double doors to the back and go find Leigh.  Leigh assured me he would be okay but told me I was going to have to wait forever because there were 42 people in front of us (ridiculous) and she couldn't push us to the front of the line! So we decided to load him back up and take him to the physicians specialty hospital.  Thank goodness we went there!  It's very small and they only had one doctor, one nurse, and three rooms but we didn't have to wait at all and the doctor was so nice!  Brooks had calmed down at this point but we still had to work hard to keep him entertained.  It was three hours past his bedtime at this point too! He had to have a head x-ray and the technician was so nice!  She even burned me a cd of his little pictures!  He didn't have any skull fractures but he did have a deviated septum.  They weren't sure if that happened during the fall or if he was born that way.  They seemed surprised he didn't have any breathing problems.  I guess we can address that problem at a later date.  I told the doctor I wanted a plastic surgeon to stitch him up.  That got a huge eye roll from Brandon! ha I kind of got an eye roll from the doctor too! She told me no plastic surgeon would come in to stitch him up. Oh well, Brooksy, I tried! After an hour or two it was finally time to stitch him up.  They wrapped him up like a mummy in a blanket and held him down.  He completely flipped out so I had to leave the room.  He kept looking at me like, "Get me out of here" and I couldn't handle it! So I walked around the hallway.  By the time they were finished and unwrapped him he was soaking wet with sweat!  Poor baby! We were so ready to get out of there!  The doctor wanted me to take him in to Dr Averitt the next day for a little checkup and back to get his stitches out in a week.  But other than that we were good to go!  I think it was 11:30 at this point.  Way past the little man's bedtime!  Thank goodness Gigi was able to keep the other two and was at home to give Brooks some get well soon kisses!  At this point he was acting like nothing had ever happened!  B thought it would be a good idea for him to sleep with us.  Not a good idea at all.  Finally at 1:30am I put him in his own bed!  It was a crazy night for sure!   

Before and after.  The doctor assured me she was really good at stitches.  I hope she was telling the truth!

Brooks was a little cranky the next day but his mood quickly changed when all of his visitors started arriving! Brooks and I really have the best friends and family! Gigi brought yummy cookies and lots of new tractors, Brooks' favorite! Ava got new bracelets too!  Next Karrie stopped by with yummy cupcakes and balloons!  Later, Jessica and Sarah brought a card, stuffed animals for all of the babies and cute band aids!  Thanks so much everyone! Brooks loved all of his gifts!  They definitely put a smile on his face!

Brooks loved his balloons from Aunt Karrie!  

 Apparently Brooks wasn't very happy about sharing his Bliss cupcake with Knox!  I wouldn't be either buddy! 

Miss Priss loved her bracelets! They made her feel better too!  Thanks Gigi! 

I think I gained five pounds last week!  I had to help Brooksy and the babies sample all of their sweet surprises! 

Thursday was school picture day, of course, the day after we get a black eye and stitches.  I thought I would let him stay at home and have a special day with his mommy!  I did take him in when I dropped the other two off to have his picture made.  It didn't exactly go well.  He flipped out every time I tried to set him on the little table for his picture.  I'm not sure what the problem was.  Brandon was there which might have something to do with it or it might have been the bright lights that kind of resembled the emergency room lights.  Whatever it was he was not happy.  After thirty minutes I finally just told them to take a picture of him crying.  I couldn't have pictures of the other two and not Brooks.  Oh well, there's always next year!  

After pictures B and I took him to Rick's bakery for his first donut!  I think he ate one whole donut hole! ha He was too distracted by all of the people in Ricks!  I can't wait to take the other two!  I know they will love it!  After Rick's we went home and snuggled and watched Hi-5, then I dropped him off at the liquor store and he got to have lunch with B at the Harps deli! ha I think it was a pretty good day for my boy! When I picked up the other two the teacher told me she could tell Knox missed Brooks.  She said he looked around for him all day!

The surprises didn't end there!  Friday Caroline brought over even more get well soon surprises! 

She went all out!  They got new books, movies, a dinosaur, coloring book, a broom for Knox, and Ava got a brand new purse and sunglasses!  

Their new weapon!

This girl loves her new sunglasses! 

Saturday Uncle Ryan brought over even more surprises!  Brooks got a new dump truck full of blocks!  He liked it so much he decided to climb inside and go for a ride!  Knox got his very own vacuum cleaner!  Right up his alley!  Ava got her very own remote control!  She loved it of course!  Thanks Ryan!  What perfect gifts!

Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by, brought gifts, and checked on our sweet boy.  We appreciate it so much and we know he does too! He is one very lucky boy to have so many people that love him!