New Pictures of the GIrls

I loved this picture. I loved it even more once I got an app for my iPhone that would turn any picture on your phone to a black and white one.

April had to send this picture to me while I was out of town. That was very thoughtful of her.

Kylee and Ayden with Josh's new puppy, Pete

My favorite time, snuggle time.

Preschool, Colors, and Finger Paint

Ayden is really into the whole preschool scene. She won't really talk to us about it but from the word we get she loves it. She is "learning" her colors. Which she has known before she could talk. The morning they were going to start the first color, Red, I quizzed her on things that were red. The first thing she told me was a lady bug. She then said it wasn't completely red because it has black spots. She then said a STOP sign. She went on to define a STOP sign for me. Stating that you have to stop and look both ways before pulling out. Yea, my goal is to have her driving by Kindergarten. She then went on to tell me that Peepaw's truck is red and so is Grammy's "Go Car". They are also finger painting on Thurdays. She likes it, so I've heard. She has also started showing some OCD characteristics. She will line her pencils and crayons up. She will line all of her baby dolls up and feed them one at a time. She is just too much.

Kylee has started "talking", to April mostly. She will give me a word every once in a while. I really don't want to know what those words are. She is now eating applesauce. You can't get it in her mouth fast enough. I think a straw would probably work better for her. She is growing entirely too fast.

April and I are way too involved with our jobs and can't spend enough time with the ones that matter the most. The girls, and each other. We were able to decorate a wagon, which was the best I must say, for the Fall Festival Parade and pull the girls the entire length of the parade. Ayden had a blast. She had to take her American Flag and wave it for all to see. It was her idea. I was very proud. It was one of those moments I have been waiting for being a dad. I have had many of those and know I will have many more to come.

Yes, We Are Alive

It has been several days since the last entry. Life has a way of keeping us on our toes. Ayden has started pre-school and we can't get much information out of her about it. She talks a little about her friends she has made and that is it. She went to Uncle Matt's race this weekend in Yadkinville, NC. She left Thursday and just got home today. It is really a different house with her not here.

Kylee is really starting to vocalize now. It is so funny. She is laughing and kicking and starting to try to sit up. She is growing so well. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. We'll see how much she has grown then. I think she is bigger than Ayden was at this age. But the tape will tell as they say.

April and I have been sick. Not the pig flu. Sinus infection and I think April has Bronchitis. She hasn't had a voice for two days. We are both on antibiotics. So much fun. I feel worse today than any day. I am trying to stay away from the girls just in case.

Work is going well. I am taking administration classes. Two this semester. There is a lot of work involved. It is not really hard, it just takes time to get it finished.

Well, that's all the time I have for know. Be back soon. I have to make time for this. It's something I enjoy and I need to do it to document the girls.

So long for now.

Sleepwalker

In the early 90's there was a movie called Stephen King's Sleepwalkers. That was really brought to mind this morning. In the movie there is a lot of supernatural, demonic possession and vampirism. I know I like it. But this morning I thought that I had sworn off horror movies FOREVER thanks to Ayden, the possessed three year old. Ha Ha.

She woke up around 10:30 and April and I were still lying in bed playing with Kylee and just talking. I had gotten up to use the bathroom and heard Ayden cry as she came into our room. She flopped into the floor between the bed and April's closet. She kept saying she couldn't sleep. Yea, it's 10:30 no wonder, you have been asleep since 8:00 last night. I walked over to pick her up and put her on my side of the bed beside Kylee and this is when she pulled the exorcist, Linda Blair, Emily Rose trick on me.

She was crawling and spun around a couple of times. She crawled away from me as fast as she could, which seemed very fast. She crawled straight into April's closet and shut the sliding door. Wow. She kept saying, "I can't sleep, I can't sleep."

Yea, I know. You have been asleep for over 12 hours. But how do you explain that to a three year old. Oh well, ayden <---------Ayden had to type her name.

We have finally completed the Halloween costume search. I took Grandpa Ruben to the Mall yesterday to try on a pair of boots to make sure we got the right size when we order them and we went on to the Disney Store. Me, April, Ayden, Kylee, and Ruben in the Disney Store. It was priceless. Ayden decided on the Snow White costume and I had to get all of the accessories that went with it. The light up slippers, the flashing wand, the hairband. It is great. She loves it.

We spent a couple of hours in the Mall and Grandpa seemed to have a real good time. Of course, Kylee slept in the stroller the majority of the time and Grandpa and Ayden picked at each other. It was fun to watch.

We then went to Famous Dave's to eat. This is one of Grandpa's favorite places. April and I like it too. Plus, Ayden can get Oreo's in the kid's meal. Which is something that she doesn't often get. The girls fell asleep on the way home and it was a good day. It was enjoyable spending time with my grandfather. I don't get to do that nearly as much as I would like too. Not even close.

Sometimes I am so blown away by what my three year old has to say. We were on our way home the other night and she said, "I want a mysterical mermaid costume that is perfectly white." Wow. Where did she get that from?

April asked her what color her eyes were. She said, "Um, I think, blue, no, they are green mommy. Yes that's what color they are. They are green." Then April asked if she was sure that they weren't brown. Meaning that she is full of it. She then replied, "I'm pretty sure that they are green, but if you want turn the light on, I'll check what color they are."

Wow. Now I know that my three year old is smarter than I am.

Kylee is growing very well. She is starting to vocalize a lot. She laughs and grins so much. She has such a great disposition. She is so sweet. I can't wait to see how her personality develops. I'm sure we won't be disappointed.

My Grandma Violet watched the girls on Monday. Ayden asked to spend the night when I stopped after work to pick them up. She had a really good time. Grandma fixed her pancakes in the shape of snowmen. Of course, Ayden ate them without syrup. She doesn't get to see them very often so I was glad to take them down. She seemed to have had a really good time with them. I know the girls had a great time.

Ayden starts preschool on September 15. We ordered her a LL Bean Bookpack. It is pink with her name on it. She was thrilled. When it came in and we gave it to her she hugged it. You would think that she never gets anything. I brought her three glow sticks home from school that were left over from a fundraiser kick off. You would have thought that it was gold. She hugged me and told me thanks about 500 times.

We bought Kylee a Lady Bug costume for Halloween. It is cute. We tried it on her and it fits perfectly. We asked Ayden if she wanted the same one since Toys R Us had her size. She said no thanks. She wanted an ant costume this year. Oh well, where in the world are we going to find an ant costume? Guess I'll try the Internet.

Work is back in full swing. I am Faculty Senate President. That takes a lot of time. Plus all of the Special Education paperwork that is added each year. Federal mandates have gotten stiffer each year I have taught. I am also trying to get a BETA club started at the middle school, which I know very little about. I just know that it is a very good program that teaches leadership and community skills. Plus the main things of lesson plans, grading, and teaching I have to do every day are still a constant. I have a pretty full schedule when I arrive at 7:30 each morning. I could stay until 7:00 each night and still have things waiting on me every morning.

But I'm not complaining. I'd rather be busy in a job than to have ample time without a job.

Busy, Busy, Busy

With April and I back to work and finally the student back in our classrooms, things get a little hectic. It has been a few days since I have had an entry.

Kylee has at least three teeth coming in. She just turned three months yesterday. Ayden was also three months when she started cutting her teeth. What can I say, they are like their daddy, overachievers, haha.

I don't know why, I am watching the Ted Kennedy memorial service. Somewhat of a historical happening. How often do you see that many political figures in one place at the same time?

Ayden got herself a big girl bicycle. It has Tinkerbell on it. She likes it. It is at dad's shop for her on Fridays. She has trouble riding it. It will take her a while to get the hang of it, like it did the tricycle, but she will. She will grow into it.

The four of us are somewhat snotty and stopped up. I think it might be allergies or a head cold. Nothing major. Just aggravating this time of year. Other than that everything is going very well.

Gotta run. I have to finish some things for work. No rest for the wicked, so they say. Who are "they" anyhow? Oh well, trying to tie up some loose ends and get some things together.

I promise to post more often and get some recent pictures on here soon.

Life is good, I'm just along for the ride!

What a Weekend Already

Got home from the first day back to work to find a frozen up air conditioning unit. I was going to change the filters and removed the cover and WOW, there was a big bunch of ice.

Called the technician and he said let it thaw a few hours, replace filters, and turn it back on. Check. I did it. The girls were sent to cooler climates. Ayden to mom and dad's. Kylee to Will and Pam's. I miss them when they are not here.


I made sure the drain was cleaned out, and that it was free of ice before turning the unit back on. At about 10:00 I turned it back on. It doesn't seem to be cooling like it should. I went out today, and the filter was wet. I tried to get in contact with Ross and Williamson and as of now, 12:47, I have not heard back from them. It is cooler in the house, but it was exceptionally cooler outside last night.

Debbie and Pam called and wanted to know if they could come by until time for Sara's party. She is having a Welcome Home Party for Zach. I think it starts about 4. Debbie lives near Columbus. They came in a little early to see the girls.

April left to collect the girls so they would be here once Deb and Pam arrived. They got here about 1:00. It is always nice to have them visit.

The past few days I have been feeling really strange. I can't explain it. It's like I'm living in a fog. Like my brain is on a 10 second television delay. I don't know, just trying to stay as "normal" as possible. Whatever that is.

I ordered Ayden a LL Bean Book Pack for preschool that she is going to start on Sept. 15. It is pink. That is the color she wanted. Imagine that.

The air conditioning is fixed. Needed refrigerant, they said there was probably a leak and that they would be back during the week as not to incur a large call out bill. He put enough in to get us to then.

We had a wonderful time at Sara's welcome home party for Zach. There were several people there. A lot of his friends and a lot of our family. It was good. There was a little boy there that was Ayden's age so she had a blast. I manned the grill. Wow, I cooked several pounds of beef. There was tons of other food there also. Just the way a good cookout should be. The weather was great. It cooled down in the evening and we were all outside watching the children run and play tag, color on Sara's carport with sidewalk chalk, and just be funny kids. It was nice.

We stopped by mom and dad's on the way home and talked to dad a while. Mom was gone, and the girls were sound asleep in the truck. We got home and fed Kylee and I don't think Ayden even stayed awake to get her gown on. She played hard. April and I are exhausted. I'm ready for bed. I'm planning on going for a day hike tomorrow. We'll see how I feel when I wake up.

Two little girls, one doctor, and some shots...

Monday was going to be a rough day no matter how it started. So, why would it start smoothly? Ayden and Kylee both had checkups with Dr. Miranda at 2:30. That meant I had to leave here at about 1:15 to allow for traffic and the like.

I had to feed, dress, and bathe both girls. Kylee got up at 9:30 and wanted to eat immediately. Ayden got up at about 10 and wanted cereal. She, of course wanted to go back to sleep because she said she didn't get enough rest. I kept trying to get her to the bathroom and she kept finding excuses not to go. Most excuses revolved around her being too tired and not getting enough sleep.

I finally got her into the tub. She wasn't happy. Everything I did was wrong. I let the water out and left Ayden to play and went to fill Kylee's bath water in her little sink mounted tub. I dressed Ayden and combed her hair then bathed Kylee. I dressed her and it was time for another bottle. 12:45, right on schedule. I finished feeding Kylee and started getting the girls ready to go out the door. Ayden was putting her shoes on while I was putting Kylee in the car seat. She asked me if she had her shoe on the right foot. I told her to switch it. I assumed that she did, since she always does. I looked as I was asking her to grab Baby Sissy's passy off of the chair and she had both shoes on the wrong feet.

I asked her why. She said I had told her to put them on those feet. Sure. It took several minutes to get this situation under control. It was almost a Level 3 Ayden Meltdown. We got that straightened out and I was still attempting to get Kylee in the car seat. I kept asking Ayden to grab the passy. I finally got Kylee in the car seat and started toward the chair. Ayden jumped in front of me, headed for the chair. I almost knocked her down, tried to grab her, and ended up smacking her in the face. She grabbed her face and just looked at me in disbelief. If I hadn't felt so bad about it, it would have been comical.

April had a faculty meeting, so she didn't know if she would make it to the appointment. Since both girls would be getting shots; Ayden was getting one, and Kylee was getting 3, I thought it would be wise to get someone to go along to help. I stopped by and picked mom up from her office. I didn't have any Infant Tylenol so I stopped and Ran in CVS to pick some up. We always gave Ayden Tylenol before shots and it seemed to help. We gave her and Kylee a dose yesterday.

Ayden weighed 33 lbs and was 36 1/2 inches tall. Kylee weighed 11 pounds and was 22 inches long. We had been guessing that Kylee weighed around eight to eight and a half ponds. Boy, were we wrong.

We had opted to deny the chicken pox immunization for Ayden. Research was showing a lot of females that had received the vaccine were getting chicken pox while they were pregnant which is really harmful for the fetus. It was also being found that if children received the vaccine did contract chicken pox later in life it would usually be severe enough to mutate into shingles.

But, wouldn't you know it, the law has changed. In order to start Kindergarten, children now have to have the chicken pox immunization. It is two doses. She had to have the first one yesterday. She overheard the nurse and went into DEFCON 1. Total armed readiness. She watched Kylee get all three shots. She held her hand and petted her head. She was great. Kylee screamed for a total of about 1 minute. For all three shots combined. As soon as Kylee stopped, Ayden started. It was very loud. If we hadn't been at a doctor's office, I'm sure I would have went to jail for child abuse. And I didn't even touch her. By this time Kylee had went to sleep.

I had to hold Ayden down for the nurse, not only did she get a shot she got a Flu Mist. It is a mist up the nose. Boy, she liked this less than the shot. If that is possible. It took some petting, really soothing talk, promise of chicken nuggets, a Pinwheel, 2 packs of Smarties, and a My Little Pony Sticker to even get her to walk and stop screaming. She takes this after her mommy.

We hadn't gone two blocks toward mom's office and both girls were sleeping soundly. Ayden slept until we got home and Kylee slept until about 6:30. She only ate three times yesterday. She even slept through the night. She is running temperature from the shots and is a little cranky. She slept until 11:00 this morning. She has only eaten twice. It is odd to see her so cranky. She is like Ayden in that respect. Always happy and sweet. Not usually in a bad mood.

Saturday/ Sunday August 15-16, 2009

Whomever coined the phrase "Terrible Twos", obviously didn't have a three year old. I don't mean to make this sound bad, because its not. It just drives me nuts.

We went to the Beach Fork Pool on Saturday because it was HOT. And of course there were tons of skanks there. There was even one woman that obviously didn't get enough attention at home. She had a drain coming out of her back. Probably because she had an infection of some sort. The tube ran down to a bag that was hooked on to her cut-off jean shorts that were a really good paint job. I didn't see her in the big pool but I did see her standing under the water sprinklers of the baby pool. I did hear the the women that were with her, after examining the tube exit, ask her if she had hit it while she was in the large pool. You should have seen the act she put on when one of the small children hit her leg, her leg, not even close to her back. Of course, the lady standing next to her might have tapped her back, I don't know. I just know that she probably should not have been parading around in the open with nothing but a gauze 4x4 covering the tube exiting from deep inside of her. Just my opinion.

Ayden and I went out to the truck to eat lunch. I had packed a picnic and she was getting hungry and tired. I had to carry her all the way there. We ate and fixed April a Turkey sandwhich, grapes, Sun chips, and some cheese cubes to sneak into her. We took it into her and Ayden ate all of the grapes, even though she had eaten six or more at the truck. They were good.

Kylee was good. When she got too hot we would walk her under the sprinklers of the baby pool or sit on the edge of it. Ayden was really good she would cup her hands and put water on Kylee's legs and stomach. It was funny.

We left a little after five. Both girls were getting tired. We took everything out of the gate and I went to get the truck. When I got back April and I loaded Kylee and the towels. I told Ayden to sit up out of the stroller so I could put her in her seat and she said, "NO". I told her to sit up again, and she said, "I am resting first". I told her that if she wanted to come back to the pool she would sit up so I could sit her in the truck. She told me that she would wait till we were gone and she would leave and come back by herself. OK whatever, where does she come up with this stuff.

We got home and starting cleaning the girls up. Kylee was going to mom and dad's and Ayden was going to Will and Pam's. April was trying to get Ayden in the bath and she was throwing her normal fit. Then it was so funny. She asked April why she was so hateful. And we thought Ayden was the one being hateful.

We finally got her out and I put her into the living room to watch cartoons and watch for Pam so she could come and get us when she got here. I packed Ayden's bag and clothes for her to wear to Granny Doe's birthday party on Sunday. I went back to the Master Bath to help April with Kylee. She holds her in the shower and I wash her. Kylee actually loves it. She laughs and kicks. She has a great time.

I heard Ayden yelling Grammy so I went back into the living room. She had her head stuck out the front door yelling, "I miss you, Grammy" over and over again. I asked her if Grammy was here and she said no, I just miss her.

We got Kylee ready and I ed her before mom arrived to get her at about 9:30. It was odd to have both girls gone. If one of them is gone we usually always have the other at home with us. Unless of course we are at the hospital.

April and I had big plans. We were going to go to Rocco's to eat but it was too late. We then decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings, the food is good, and they are open late. We thought we wanted to go to a late movie, but none started late enough. So we went to eat. We chatted and talked to one of April's former students. We went to Rt. 60 Wal-Mart. By this time it was around midnight. We were both really tired. April was falling asleep in the passenger seat. I was falling asleep driving. I don't know how we made it home. I thought seriously about stopping and getting a room in town, just so I wouldn't have had to drive home. We are getting old. Just not the party animals we once were.

We got up this morning and just kind of lounged around. It was nice. We started getting ready to go to Dunlow. Mom and dad had gone to get pizza at Domino's and a cake for Granny Doe. Today is her 70th birthday. We visited with everyone and ate. We brought Kylee and came home. Ayden stayed with mom and dad so she could play with my cousin's little girl. She is about a year older than Ayden.

I just talked to mom and asked her to bring something that we had forgotten home with her, and I heard Ayden say, "I want to talk to my daddy right now!" I told mom to tell her not to be so bossy. Mom said that she had given her the look and that was all that it had taken.

Friday, August 14, 2009

It has been a few days since my last blog entry. It has been a little busy. April has got her first week back to work for the fall under her belt, and I have one more week until I go back. I'm actually looking forward to getting back in the swing of things.

Ayden went to mom and dad's last night so she could go to the shop with dad today. We had left April's car in town yesterday evening and we rode home together since we both had to be back in town early this morning. We dropped Kylee off with Will and Josh. They were going to watch her today. I had two doctors appointments today. Everything went well. I go back to Dr. Ahmed in 3 months for another check up on my Chiari Malformation. The medications seem to be really helping. He gave me a couple sample packs of a new medication to try instead of the injections of Immatrex. It is a tablet, so it will be easier, no doubt. I just hope it works as well. It is supposedly better.

April backed into a parked car in one of Marshall's parking lots yesterday. It was my fault. She came to give me a ride from there to Old Main to order transcripts for a job at the State Department I am going to apply for. It was an older car that was pretty beat up anyway. I called MUPD and they came over and were pretty shocked that I had called them and not just driven off. I took several pictures and made sure that they agreed that we hadn't done any damage to the other car. They took down April's information and left a note, along with the parking ticket, on the other instructing the owner of the car to call him if they had any questions. He said he would call us if the owner of the car contacted him and he would fill out an official report. We haven't heard from him yet. I doubt we will. April's car just has one perfect circular dent in the corner of the driver's side rear bumper. It is about the size of a softball. I had to laugh at her. I thought she had hit a kid on a bike. We had one of those days yesterday.

We left there and went to April's doctor appointment. She is on a few new meds and is really watching blood pressure and weight, aren't we all. She has to really watch her kidney's. It wasn't the greatest news, but by all means it could have been a lot worse. The news was a lot better than we had anticipated. We were relieved. It won't hurt either of us to eat healthier and be a bit more active. I am really proud of her. She is 30 pounds lighter than she was before she became pregnant with Ayden, over 3 years ago.

The past two nights Kylee has slept through the entire night. It is more than I can say for myself. I haven't been sleeping well. It comes and goes. I have lost so much sleep lately that my eyes are constantly burning and I have a headache. Not the same kind as the Chiari, Migraine. But aggravation none the less.

April and I rode to town together this morning. It was fun. We have been like a young couple just starting to date lately. We have been talking for hours on end. I was always afraid that after you were married for a while and had kids and so on, that you would just kind of talk about the necessities; what's for dinner, who's going to pick up the kids, I'll be late this evening, and so on. We have been so busy and worried lately that that's kind of what was happening, but the last week or so we have been talking about everything. For hours on end, until we would both fall asleep. I really enjoy it. I know that sometimes she just wishes I would shut up.

I ordered two new phone cases for mine and April's iPhone yesterday evening from Amazon.com. They were pretty expensive, but hey, they are Italian leather ;). You can also put your ID and Debit/Credit Cards and cash in them. They are called the Sena Wallet Book. Hers is red and mine is black. They are faux alligator skin. NICE. Anyway, I ordered them yesterday evening at about 7pm and they were on my porch by 3pm today. That's what I call service. They are pretty nice. For one, I won't have to carry my phone and a wallet now, and two, I haven't seen anyone (other than April) who has a case like this. Considering they were $50 each I probably won't either. That's a lot for a cell phone case you say. Well, we don't have a house phone because we choose to use only our cell phones. We have the iPhone which is a PDA, ipod (plays music, think Sony Walkman, only I have 2000 songs on mine), phone, camera (I have almost 300 pix of the girls on mine), I even have some really neat educational games for Ayden to play while we are traveling, and it is a miniature computer with Internet. These phones are amazing. I wasn't a big fan of them until I actually got one for Father's Day. The case protects the phone as well as replaces the worn out wallet I have been carrying for 3 years or longer. So, if you need a new phone, I would consider the Apple iPhone. If you already have one, I would recommend Googling the name of the case, it is really nice.

Thanks for reading.
Let the ones you love know it.
Tomorrow is not definite.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The second day that April has been back to work, the second day that I have had the girls all alone. It has been nice. I have secretly been brain washing them while April is away. Ayden and I have been having long discussions about getting a puppy. She is set on it. She mentions it at least 10 times a day.

We had a good day, we played and played and played. I fixed her breakfast and fed Kylee. Kylee slept most of the day today. Although, she did poo twice within 30 minutes of each one. Not a real eventful day just a good one because I woke up and am blessed to have three of the best women in the world under my roof.

Ayden has been making up stories and songs. She inserts the appropriate name to fit the person that is with her at the time. She sang me a song that went something like, "I love my special daddy, he is the best daddy, that takes me to the potty and fixes me milk". I know, sweet

She read April a story when she came home. It was the same sort of story with mommy inserted. Pam is out of town so Will and Josh came over to have pizza with us. It was good to have company. Ayden was sure glad to see them. Kylee like when Papaw Will comes to visit. She gets a lot of attention.

After showers and when I was fixing Ayden her nightly cup of milk, she came into the kitchen. She said, daddy, and batted her big blue eyes. I said what honey. She looked me dead in the eye and said I think I want a puppy...or a kangaroo...or a giraffe. I lost it. I cracked up. I tried to get her to tell April what she wanted but she said that mommy would laugh at her. I had to explain that I was laughing at her because she was cute. So then she told her. We are still laughing about it. I guess, at least she doesn't want a tiger or a King Cobra. It could always be worse.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Last night Ayden pulled another first. April was in the shower and I was in the bed playing a game on my phone. Ayden had been in her bed for some time. Kylee was asleep in her crib that is in our room. I thought I felt something bump our bed, but I didn't see anything. I started counting and nothing. I got up and walked around and said, "Ayden better not be in here or she will be in big trouble". Still nothing. The bed spread was off of the bed and in the floor. I just happened to pick it up and there was Ayden hiding under it. She immediately said, "I was playing hide and seek from you, daddy." She has been doing that a lot lately. She hides in the hall and at the doorway. I think she figures we will just give up and let her just jump right up in the bed with us if she makes us mad enough. Hate to tell her that it's not going to work.

Today is April's first day back to work from summer break. I don't go back to work until the 21st. I think. I am here, alone, with both girls. They depend on me to survive, which does nothing to ease my nerves. It wouldn't be nearly as nerve wrecking if it wasn't for all of their basic needs. Of course, Ayden can tell me when she needs to go potty or needs something to eat. Kylee, on the other hand, just screams. I have gotten fairly good at deciphering the screams. Which one means hungry or wet and so on.

I woke up this morning to feet and knees buried into my back and a screaming baby in the crib. Thinking, where in the world is April? Oh yea. She went to work. Kylee wanted to eat immediately and so did Ayden. She wanted pancakes. Dry, which means no syrup. That is good. A habit we have tried to get her into. I fixed a bottle as I was fixing the pancake so I could feed Kylee as soon as I gave the plate to Ayden. And that was none too soon.

As much as Kylee was screaming while all the preparation was going on she sure was content once she ate. Like a different baby. Ayden is now running around the living room playing with a stuffed Lady from Lady and the Tramp. I have been telling her we need to talk mommy into letting us buy a puppy. An Akita pup. If it wasn't so close to time to go back to school, I think I would. If I had a little more time to house train it I believe I would get one, "for Ayden".

I have talked to April a couple of times today and it seems that she is having a pretty good day. She is unpacking and getting things organized in her new office. the new office is really nice. I ordered her about ten 8X10 and one 13X19 prints from Megan Duncanson, the same artist I ordered her a couple of paintings from for her birthday, for her office. We will have to get them framed because they are prints but they are still really interesting and full of color. They should be mailed out today and arrive sometime later this week. I also ordered another original painting for here at the house. Bringing our grand total to 3 of her originals. April and I have became pretty big fans of hers.

I really think Ayden may be a tad warped. She has seen more than her fair share of surgeries and hospital stays to April and I and even grandparents. She is running around here playing doctor. Unfortunately, I am the failing patient. She is taking my blood pressure and looking in my ears and eyes. She has a couple of Disney Princess dress up outfits. She just told me to button it because it was her princess doctor outfit. WHATEVER. Where does she come up with this stuff? I tell people all the time that she is already smarter than I am at 3 years old. It really is not a joke. I blame Noggin. Maybe I could sue them.

Picture this, she is walking around the living room right now with her Princess "doctor" top, skirt, and high heels on. She has flashlight that moos every time you squeeze its tail and she is combing her hair.

There is never a dull moment in the Copley Household. I love it.

Saturday Evening, August 8, 2009

We arrived at Will and Pam's and helped with some preparation of the food and the setting of the table and things like that. It was a while before Sara and Zack arrived. Ayden was about to wear us out waiting on them. She was wanting to hide from Zack so she could scare him when he got there. Sara called when they pulled in the driveway so Ayden could run and hide. They came in and started looking for Ayden and you could hear her laughing and snorting around the corner. She was so excited she couldn't be still.

It was a good visit. Zack brought pictures and after what I must say was an excellent meal we sat down and looked at a lot of them on the computer via a slide show. Unbelievable. Afghanistan is beautiful but deceivingly dangerous at the same time. Zack and I discussed getting dogs. I've really been wanting one for some time now, but there are just too many more cons than pros at this time so I think I should probably hold off for the time being.

Sara and Zack brought Ayden her birthday gifts since all that is and has been going on we aren't going to be able to have her a party here. We had her cake and stuff at the beach, but we just have too much on our plate to do one here. Plus, it is just to long past her actual birthday. They bought her a set of story books. By the time we had left I think she had read each one about 1o times. There was also some sort of game with ducks. From the time I got the batteries in it, Zack was in the floor playing with her. Later, after dinner, (steak) Ayden wooled all over Sara and Zack on the couch. When Josh was tickling her, she yelled for Zack to come and save her. She really likes him. It is funny. Ayden and Sara caught up on lost time arguing. Ayden needed to go to the potty and would not let Sara take her. She layed in the floor of the bathroom and cried because Sara tried to take her. Later, Ayden wouldn't let anyone take her but Sara. I think it was on purpose because on that trip, Ayden ran her out of the bathroom. Sara had to turn the fan on and then clean out Ayden's little potty. She said it was completely full. They act like sisters. It is fun to watch.

Sara and Zack left out before we did, he had to leave out early Sunday morning to head back to Indiana for a couple of weeks. Then he will be back for a little while. I'm not sure what will happen after that. He has a couple of job opportunities.

We left and we were going to stop by mom and dad's but they weren't home. I was almost out of gas so we ran to BP to fill up. The way things are going, I could see me having to leave in the middle of the night because of an emergency and not having enough gas to get to the hospital. We pulled in and Ayden said,"Too many lights". April told her to close her eyes. Well, she did. And went to sleep.

Kylee was asleep most of the day. Except for when she was arguing with Josh. She was even pointing at him. It was hilarious. He was tickling Ayden and she was screaming and laughing. Kylee started giving Josh the stink eye and pointing at him. Then she would look away and we would all laugh. Then someone would tell her to tell Uncle Joshie to stop and she would look right at him and point her finger and glare at him. She did this five or six times. It was really funny. That was the extent of her "awakeness" today.

After we filled up, we stopped by the house to use the bathroom and let April grab her phone. April was feeling so well we decided to go for a drive. Since her Nanny is out of town we decided to drive to East Lynn and check on things. It was a good drive and we just talked. Something that we don't get to do much lately it seems. We got there and I checked the doors. Everything seemed to be fine.

On the way back, my cousin, Kent had just pulled into his driveway so we stopped and talked to him and his girlfriend Tiffany for about 30 minutes or so. They just bought a house and I hadn't talked to him in a while. He had done a lot of work and the place, from what I saw, looked nice.

We got home around 11:30pm and Ayden woke up just long enough to see her eyes while we were putting her pajamas on. Kylee woke up while we were changing her, but she always does. It was a relatively still night in the Copley Household. It was nice. April has to go back to work on Monday and I'll be here with the girls by myself. I don't know what I am afraid of more. April going back to work and over doing it, or me being here with the two girls by myself. I'll be fine. And so will she.

Saturday Morning, August 8, 2009

Yesterday was a very emotional time here for us. I can't elaborate now but will in the days to come. Just know that we will make it through because we love one another and our children and we will be here for each other no matter what.

On a lighter note, Zack is in WV until tomorrow morning. We are having a cookout for him later today at Will and Pam's. We are glad he is home safe and sound.

Ayden had a major meltdown last night because she wanted to sleep with us. She was in the floor screaming and crying. I picked her up to carry her to her room when she started kicking. She has never done this before. She landed a foot right in the business. I have to admit it was a good shot. I almost dropped her. April led her the rest of the way to her room. We both discussed with her the importance of sleeping in her own bed. She finally fell asleep. Thank goodness.

Right now she is imitating the dancers on television while eating her cereal. She is over it. I think part of it has to do with her sleeping with her grandparents when she goes to their houses. I talked to dad earlier this morning and he said he would have her a bed by the time she stayed there again. Now we just need to talk to Will and Pam about it. Not that it is a big deal, we just can't have her pitching a fit every time she comes back from staying the night with someone.

Ayden called Zack this morning to talk to him. She told him that she had a surprise for him at her house and that she would see him later. She is so funny, she held her arms out and told Sara she loved her this much. It was funny.

She is now retelling the story to April. April asked Ayden who she talked to this morning and she coyly said Zack. She is now telling how she told Zack that she has a blue present (the gift is in a blue gift bag) and a card for him. She said she can't wait to see him today at the cookout.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

April had a follow up with Dr. Jennings, the doctor that performed her appendectomy. He released her to go back to work on Monday. He said she looked like she was doing very well. He also told her to watch what she lifted and to take it easy for a while longer.I found out on Wednesday that I am to undergo a series of injections in my spine for my back pain. They are some sort of nerve block, epidural. There will be three of them given once a month. If, after the second one, they don't seem to help, they will discuss inserting a tenze unit into my back. That is a stimulator that sends electric signals into the spine to release the swelling and pressure placed on the nerves. I'm up for whatever gives me some relief.

After April's appointment today we went to buy some welcome home gifts for Sara's boyfriend, Zack. He landed in Indiana today, back from an eight month tour of Afghanistan. He is a really good guy. We got to spend a lot of time with him over Thanksgiving and Christmas before he was deployed. We are glad he is back safe. Ayden really likes him. He is really good with her. He always brought her some little something every time he came to visit. He hasn't got to see Kylee yet, I'm sure she will love him just the way Ayden does.

Today marked yet another milestone as parents. Ayden got her first haircut and style. It was great. Sonny was really good with her. He has cut my hair for several years. Today he cut mine, April's, and Ayden's. He does a really good job.

We stopped at Wal-Mart to get a card for Zack and some odds and ends and both girls were asleep so I stayed in the truck with them. April might have made it in the door before Kylee started screaming like a banshee. I knew she was getting hungry. I pulled to the end of the parking lot and proceeded to fix her a bottle. I fed her and she burped well half way of the bottle. She ate the second half and I noticed that she was passing an excessive amount of gas. It was really stinking. I started to put her on my shoulder to burp her and had a present in my hand. This is why I had started carrying hand sanitizer in my truck a while back. She was so generous with it she had it up the back of her outfit and boy did it stink. Luckily, April had made it to the truck by this time. She helped me get my hand cleaned off so I could at least finish burping Kylee. We put her on the changing pad and changed, what had to have been in the top 5 worst diapers ever. It was so bad I wish I would have gotten a picture. We didn't bother putting a new outfit on her, we just put a new diaper on her and headed home.

Jake stopped by to try to finish mowing the grass. It has been difficult with the rain and my mower. I have had it to Kenny Queen's twice, and it is still not running right. I was assured this last time that it was fixed. It is not. I am going to stop in there in person tomorrow and have a talk with them instead of calling on the phone. Not that will help any. It should last more than five years. It is a Lawn Boy, not some fifty dollar piece of junk. Oh well.

Here are some pictures of Ayden getting her first hair cut:

And we were afraid she wouldn't like it. She had been telling us for a couple of weeks that she wanted to get her hair cut.

Still doing great. She acted as if this was the 100th time instead of the 1st. We even let her go first instead of watching us.

After he was finished he told her he was going to style it for her just like a big girl. She ate this up and sat there for the whole thing.

And of course, we topped off the day with the best chicken nuggets on earth, Chic-fil-a...and ranch...and milk.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Wow, what a busy day. April is resting. She is very tired since her renal biopsy yesterday. She said it was more painful and she is more sore than when she had the appendectomy last week. I fixed Ayden cereal this morning then got April up to the couch. I fed Kylee and got her situated. I took all of the trash down because today is trash day. We went to Sam's and have a lot of boxes to get rid of so I was glad to carry them down. Of course it was raining. Once I got back in, I fixed April a grilled cheese and some OJ. By this time Ayden is hungry again and I fixed her some milk and a grilled cheese. I fixed some tuna salad for me and fed Kylee again.

I just fed Kylee again, changed her diaper and clothes and put Ayden down for a nap. She did not want to go. But my sanity needed her too. So she went. She must have sensed the urgency. It is amazing. I had to spank her at the beach and since then all I have to do is give her "the look" and she immediately says "sorry daddy". Kinda nice, because now I don't have to spank her. Kylee is awake. I hope she stays this way for awhile that way she will sleep during the nite. Not that she is doing bad, but there is always room for more sleep when normal people are supposed too. In my opinion.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Today was a good day. April continues to heal. She was up and around more today. Ayden wound up on my side of the bed last night. It was a long night. She was up from 3:30am until about 5am. But then she and April slept until about 11. I brought Kylee with me into the living room at about 9 so they could sleep. April really needs too.

Once they woke up I let Ayden help cook her breakfast. She loves it. It also allows for her to eat more of a variety of foods. She helped make scrambled eggs. She put the butter in the pan and watched it melt. I then let her crack the egg and put it in the pan. She also did a very good job of stirring it. Finally, she put shredded cheese on her egg. She was so pleased with herself. As were April and I.

Kylee had a really good day. Although she doesn't eat very well for me. It is a fight to get her to eat half of her bottle. April believes that she gets too comfortable and falls asleep. She does do this, but she also squirms and fights and spits out as much as she takes in. I don't know what I do wrong. I can't remember Ayden being that way with me although April says she was. Probably.

On a little personal note here, Kylee can give any full grown man a run for his money in a belching or farting contest. No joke. It is amazing.

Ayden went to stay the night with Will and Pam. They came over earlier and brought April her birthday present that had just arrived. It was Vera Bradley for her new office. It was a complete set with wall hanging, note pad and all. It was a combined gift from Them, Sara, and Josh. They left and would come back later for Ayden.

We played all day. We tried to get her down for a nap but she was having nothing to do with it. She is doing this thing now where she wants to climb all over me. I don't mind it. Well, she took full advantage of me not seeing her for a couple of days. She climbed on me for a couple of hours today. I don't know about her, but my legs are really sore. I guess I'm just getting old. Will came and picked her up around 8pm. She is going to the Clay Meeting with Will and Pam tomorrow. It is easier for them to get her up there than us here and then them coming to get her.

I'm glad April is doing better. I was worried about her in the ER on Wednesday. But like I posted before she is a strong individual. She can take a lot. And has. After both girls and her tumor surgery the only pain medicine she would take was Motrin. I would have been screaming like a little girl. I don't know how she did it. This past surgery is the only time that I know of that she has had morphine. It was rather funny. They had given it to her in the recovery room. She didn't get sick like she usually does. That is one reason she won't take pain medication. But she is a trooper.

Kylee is sleeping well, time to get some rest before the next feeding.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Well, things are slowly returning to "normal" here in the Copley household. If life with a 3 year old and a 2 month old could be called normal. Funny thing is, I don't remember life before children.

Kylee came home around 11:30 today. Dad had Ayden at the shop and she made it home later this evening. I called and ordered everyone pizza. Mom, dad, and Matthew had dinner with us. It was a good evening. Ayden was really glad to be home. We were glad to have both of the girls back where they belong. But, boy is it nice to have family to depend on in an emergency. Thanks to my Aunt Sherry and cousins Holly and Tiffany for coming to visit April while she was in the hospital after surgery. Family is the biggest treasure that we can have.

Ayden was very affectionate this evening, I love it when she is this way. Mom and dad stayed a while and helped with the girls. April is still sore and tired. I can completely understand. She has done really well after her surgery. Bad thing is she still has to undergo the biopsy next week. Kylee has been a good girl today. I have done the feeding and diaper changes. I never realized how much April did and I didn't do. I helped her, but not nearly as much as I thought I did. I now know that I need to help with Kylee more.

I'm getting a little anxious for school to get started back. I guess the sooner we go back, the sooner we will be on summer break again. That's one way to look at it. Next week I need to make follow up calls to the preschools for Ayden. April and I need to really sit down and devise a plan of where and when we want her to go. Which one would be the best, not only for curriculum but in location for transportation.

Getting really excited for October to roll around. It is a big month. It will mark our 7 year wedding anniversary. I never thought that April would keep me around for this long. I guess I have finally grown on her. I hope I make her half as happy as she makes me. That sounds really fembot, but it is true. She has given me two beautiful daughters and has been with me through all of my ailments and never missed a beat. In my defense I guess she has now had more than her fair share of medical problems. I would gladly take them for her. I hate to see her in pain. I would rather be the one lying in the flattering hospital gown, getting all of the good drugs. But then again, I'm a wimp and she deals with pain a lot better than I.

October will also be my first attempt at an official hiking trip. 18 miles in two days. I have a lot of work to do before the trip. Getting in shape that is. I have most of the gear that I need, I think. I just need to get in a little better shape. If you read this and think you would be up to the adventure just let me know. Don't worry about never having done it before, I haven't either.

As always, Life is good, I'm just along for the ride.

Romantic ER Getaway for Two

April had a kidney biopsy scheduled for 11:00 Wednesday at St. Mary's. Early Wednesday morning around 2:20 am she got really sick. Vomiting and diarrhea. This lasted until and during our ride to her appointment. We took the girls over for her dad, nanny, and brother Josh to watch. Her mom went with us.

Because she was sick, the Specials Procedure Department had cancelled the procedure before I could get the vehicle parked and inside to meet them. They did, however, suggest that she go to the ER to make sure she did not have an infection. We went to the ER and they did a CT scan and some blood work. All the while April was in pain. They gave her some medication for the vomiting and it did subside which was nice for her.

I went to the cafeteria to get her mom and I something to eat and when I got back she said that she had an appendicitis and that they were going to do emergency surgery within the hour. WOW! Who knew?

Within two hours she was in the OR and they called to say that she was doing really well. She stayed in recovery for about an hour and was then taken up to a private room. She didn't get sick once. I couldn't believe it. She did great.

I brought Pam home and sent some things over to for the girls. I grabbed a few things for April and I and headed back to the hospital for the night. Sara stayed the night also. Mom, dad, and Matthew stayed while I was gone.

Thanks to everyone that called, visited, and helped out with the girls. I am a little tired and my eyes are getting hard to keep open. April is doing well. Just a little tired. We are home. Ayden is going to stay with mom and dad tonight and Kylee is going to stay with Will and Pam one more night. I am afraid that April will get sick and need me and I won't be able to get to Kylee. That's just me and thinking ahead. Like I said before, Life is good, and I'm just along for the ride.

July 28, 2009

Not a great picture of the piece but you can see how colorful it is.

I would like to take a minute and do a little advertising. I recently purchased my first fine art pieces. They are very nice. Very vibrant and full of color. I bought them for April for her birthday. She really liked them. They are from an artist named Megan Aroon Ducanson. MADART is her studio name. Her initials plus ART. I have conversed with her numerous times and she is very helpful and prompt in returning e-mails. She has worked with celebrities and had a painting appear on Grey's Anatomy. She lives in a remote part of Alaska and is a very down to earth person despite all of her success. If you are looking to spruce up your house and add a little light to your humble abode, check out her work. It is all reasonably priced also. See her work here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5128694

More about Ayden:

Mom and dad bought her a little stuffed cat that came with a pink carrying case at the beach. She insists that it is a dog. She will not listen to anyone that it is a cat. She has named "him" Baby Clifford. I do not know where she gets the names? It is beyond me. I have told her she needs to teach him tricks. She has now taught him how to sit and to stay in his cage. I swear it is a hoot having a 3 year old around.

She also has a doll that she loves to brush her hair. She named this doll Amelia Mohawk. She calls her Amelia Hohawk. It is rather funny to hear, I must admit.

She watches a show on Noggin called Little Bill. It was created by Bill Cosby and a really good show teaching acceptance, sharing, and several other important skills for toddlers. Any who, Little Bill, the main character, calls himself a super helper in several episodes. He helps his parents, his grandmother, and even his brother and sister. April and I started calling Ayden our super helper and it evolved into "Super Ayden".

While at the beach I stopped at an airbrush booth and had Ayden a shirt made that says Daddy's Super Ayden. It has the Superman logo with an "A" instead of the of the "S". Of course it is in pink and yellow. She tells everyone it says, "Ayden's Super Daddy", which makes me beam. I love her.

We also had a little mishap with Ayden today. I was doing laundry and April was tending to Kylee. We heard a loud thump in our bathroom and Ayden started crying. Apparently, April had left the toilet seat up. Right. Ayden had completely fallen into the toilet and was soaked, even her hair. That was one story I should have gotten pictures with. Ayden has been doing really well going to the potty all by herself. Usually the only help she needs is washing her hands and buttoning her pants. I hope this doesn't set her back. She was so mad that she told me that she was going to tell Grammy on me. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing while trying to get her settled down.

Kylee has had a rough day. We think she may be teething. Yea, at 2 months. Plus, she has had horrible gas. She has been screaming a crying. We have been passing her back and forth all day. She is now in size 1 diapers. Yea. She is really growing. We have found that like her big sister did she really likes the big people shower. Now, Ayden hates it. She says that taking a shower and bath and eating are no fun. But we still make her do it. For the sanity of the entire Copley Household. I have found that my sanity is on the edge of the Grand Canyon when both girls are having meltdowns. Luckily, I have kept it from taking the Nestea Plunge off the edge. I love being a dad. I am so glad for two little girls. Ayden is such a joy. She loves affection and now I can look forward to it from Kylee. Life is good, and I'm just along for the ride!

Home Sweet Home

First morning at Cherry Grove.

Appropriate fish face for the beach.


Precious!

Ayden loves being the big sister.

Just after they brought her the birthday cake and we sang to her.

She is about to fall asleep. She was very tired every evening.

No Internet access in over a week lets you know how addicted you really are. The beach was grand. Ayden had a wonderful time. I don't think she took a step that she wasn't skipping, hopping, or jumping. It was wonderful just seeing her have a great time.

Mom and dad were able to come down for a couple of days. Ayden and I were able to go to Ripley's Aquarium for the day with them. They spent a day on the beach with us. We then went to Benjamin's for an evening of overeating. Will and Pam were also there the entire week with us. It was a great trip. Matthew and I spent every night on the beach until 4am looking for marine life. We found crabs, stingrays, squids, and a very largeand I would say old horseshoe crab. I caught a black tip sand shark and several salt water perch while fishing.

It's good to be back home. It is funny how we are so ready to get out of Wayne, but then so glad to be back when we arrive. The ride home was not real great. It stormed and we were forced to take a detour rather than get caught for 2 hours of traffic in Virginia on I 77. We took a scenic route that turned out to be nice but we didn't get home until 1am. Not too bad considering we left to come home about 9am.

Ayden turned 3 on the trip. She had a wonderful birthday. All three have been at the beach. She had a cake and was sang to by the wait staff at Duffy Street Seafood Shack. They were very good to her.

April turned the big 30 on the drive home Saturday. I gave her the paintings I bought her for her birthday. There by an artist named Megan Ducanson (MADART). They are very vibrant and we have really fallen in love with her work.

Kylee had a good time...I think. She slept a lot. She did get to spend a lot of time on the beach. She seemed to like it. She is growing so much. She is really filling out. I have two beautiful daughters. I am such a lucky man.

April has a very important procedure scheduled for Wednesday. We are somewhat anxious about it. I am staying strong for her. It will turn out alright. I know it will. She is a strong woman. She is one of the toughest women I know.

July 12-13, 2009

Saturday and Sunday were rather uneventful if you call not being able to do much in the way of walking normally around the house uneventful. We visited Will and Pam on Saturday and had dinner with them for Pam's birthday. It was really good. We stayed there for a while and Pam and Ayden really had a good time. They played and played and played. I thought Ayden would be exhausted when we left. Wrong.

Kylee. In typical Kylee fashion, slept almost the entire visit. When we left we stopped by mom and dad's. Ayden was still going strong at 11:30 when we left. She stayed the night with them so she could go to the annual Beckett Cemetery Meeting on Sunday.

April took Kylee and went with Josh and Pam to Target today. We had kind of a lazy day. They left around 3. Mom and dad stopped and dropped some food off for me and took Ayden on to their house since she was asleep in the truck. April arrived home shortly thereafter and we went to mom and dad's to get Ayden. Dad had bought a new 32 gig iPhone and he needed to help him set it up to Itunes on his laptop. Mission accomplished.

We arrived home about 10:00. I had April put some Icy Hot on my back to try that out. Anything is worth a try at this point. I have an appointment in August for the pain clinic at St. Mary's. Hopefully, they will get me in line to get a tens unit or a nerve block. We'll see. We got the girls ready for bed and settled in to watch a couple of new series on HBO that are pretty good. Hung and True Blood. They are good. Made for the adult audience, but good none the less.

We have a lot to get finished this week before we leave Friday for the beach. I have to change the oil in my truck and get it washed. We have a couple of doctor appointments and have to get everything packed. Its going to be a busy week, but it will be well worth it.

In just a few short days, I'll be fishing during the early morning in the inlet that separates Cherry Grove from the bird sanctuary. Watching the sun rise. Rising early gives me a chance to have "me" time and getting things moved to the beach for everyone else. I'll be basking in the noonday sun with the family; April, Ayden, Kylee, Will, and Pam. Mom and dad are going to try to come down at the end of the week for a couple of days. I sure hope they are able too. During the evening, I'll be sitting on the balcony in the setting sun enjoying a far too expensive cigar. And last, but definitely not least, I'll have my three girls there with me to share the experience and make memories to last forever. That's why I love the beach.

Sentry Fire Protection

Today I spent the day with my brother, Matthew, in Princeton, WV. I know, how did I contain myself in all of the lights and glitz of the big city. Well, we didn't get to see much because we were working in a vacant Lowe's store. All of dad's employees were out and Matthew needed an extra set of very incapable gopher hands. In I step. I am a great gopher. I can get tools like nobody's business.

Besides the three hour drive it wasn't such a bad day. Other than being away from my girls. It was really the first day since summer break has started and before. Because really, I was out before it began. I guess it will be good to get a few practice days in so it is not so difficult this fall. Yea, right.

Nothing major went on. We had some trouble with the scissor lift while 25 feet in the air. Matthew had to climb down to lower us. I had to end up controlling it the rest of the day from the ground. We then had to drive back in a thunder and lightning storm.

I ordered April's birthday present for later this month. It is not jewelry (her favorite color is diamonds), or crystal, I know I can't believe it either. I did just buy her a Movado watch with her favorite color on it for a late Mother's Day gift when Kylee was born. This gift is a first, we'll see if she likes it (them). I'll not let the cat out of the bag because she reads my blogs. But I'll be sure to let everyone know when the 25th arrives.

The mother-in-law's Birthday was today. Happy Birthday Boss. Sorry I missed the cake this evening, but some of us have to work. Glad the girls were able to be there with you.

April and the girls were able to go to the mall with her mom today. April got Kylee a cute little pair of sandals for the beach. Not that she will need them to walk in the sand, but they are cute. It is almost impossible to not buy for them. I know it makes me happiest to get things for the girls. Second happiest is when I am able to buy for April. I could care less if I ever get anything.

Ayden stayed the night with Will and Pam last night. She woke up at 6am and told Pam her "flowers needed another drink of water". I suppose this was because they watered them last evening after they picked Ayden up. She also wanted to eat cereal as soon as she woke up. This is a new favorite of hers. She thinks she has to eat as soon as her eyes open and it has to be cereal. She always wakes up with, "Its mornin' time. Time to wake up".

Pam tried to get her to lay back down but she wouldn't. So she stayed up until about 9am and then wanted to lay on the couch and watch cartoons. She went back to sleep and I believe that she had to wake her up at around one this afternoon. Wow, that would have been nice today. Of all days that I would have liked to have had a nap, today was the one. I guess because I had to be up. Yea probably.

A Day In the Life of the Copley Household

Yesterday we went to Sam's to get some of those things that it is better to buy in bulk. Things like sunscreen and tea. We bought Ayden a preschool fundamentals workbook. It is about 200 pages of greatness. We started working in it last night. It starts with tracing lines and fine motor readiness skills getting her ready to start writing her letters and numbers. She can spell her name but can't write it yet. She enjoys doing her school work.

I went to the grocery store today for April while she stayed home with the girls. She bathed Ayden. She told me that Ayden was pretty disappointed with this. Sometimes she doesn't like to do this.

I called a number this morning about getting the yellow paint off of my truck. (The Department of Highways was having the lines on the road pinted and I have yellow paint on my truck now.)Or at least reimbursed for having it professionally done. It is on the door and the fender of the driver's side. I called a couple of numbers. One man was real helpful and the other woman, not so much. She was actually pretty rude. I will just fill out the paperwork and take the appropriate pictures and send them in. We'll just wait and see what comes of it.

On another note, Michael Jackson is finally laid to rest. Maybe now the media coverage of his death will be also. I know, wishful thinking. I don't mean to minimimalize his death, but it was nothing more than a tragic accident. Or accidental suicide/homicide. He was gone too early as was Steve McNair and other celebrities that died with a black cloud over their name. I'm just tired of hearing about it. I want to watch the news without 25 minutes of the 30 minute broadcast being taken up by news of his death. He used his status to get what he wanted, drugs. Doctors gave into him because he was a star. Plain and simple. They catered to him. This led to his demise.

Matt Sansom, Albert Cover, Steve Clay and so many others I can think of left this world too early. I have known them on a personal level and they were all gone well before their time. Knowing them on a personal level, does that mean that they were better than these so called "celebrities"? In my eyes, they may just have been. So stop taking about MJ, I'm tired of hearing about him. Let's now let him rest in peace.

July Fourth Celebration Spectacular

Fun in the pool with her diving sticks.

Ayden eating icing from cake.

Ayden not wanting her picture taken.

My mom and Ayden. Ayden was mad because I took her picture.

Those of you that know my father know that he goes all out when he does something. From the RV he bought to go to my brother's four wheeler races, to his addition on his warehouse for his business. Even the swing set play equipment that he bought for Ayden was a bit above the norm. It looks like a community park playground with the two tons of recycled rubber tire mulch surrounding the entire play set.

Yesterday's cookout was no exception. All in all, by the time it was said and done there was probably a total of nearly 60 people in attendance. There were people in attendance from my mother and father's sides of the family. April's mom, dad, and brother even came over.

It lasted so long that most people there, were able to eat twice. Around noon then again around seven. The kids had a small blow up pool and, of course, the swing set to keep them occupied. The adults had the company of each other. Relatives that they had never seen, or at least not seen in 20 years. There was also several young kids and a baby to hold everyones' attention.

It was good to catch up with cousins, that when younger, were seen on at least a weekly basis, but who may now might only be seen once or twice a year. Yes, I know, it is really a shame. It is a bitch growing up and getting older, having kids and entering a career. Not that those things are bad. Just the fact that you lose touch with family that you may have seen so often when younger. But, we all must do it. I really enjoyed visiting with all of my relatives. It was more like a family reunion than just a simple cookout.

I met my cousin Lonnie's fiancee, Morgan, really for the first time. I had met her at Christmas dinner at our Grandmother's but never really had the chance to talk with her. I haven't really had the opportunity to have a good conversation with him or my cousin James for some time. The outside atmosphere is very open and conducive to these types of conversations. It was really nice to catch up. I also met one of my Grandfather's nephews and one of his nieces that I had never met. I find it interesting to meet family that I have never had the opportunity to converse with.

Ayden had a blast. We arrived early to help with the set up and get ready for the crowd. She had to get in the pool right away. She played in the pool for about and hour and then on her swing set. She played hard for a couple of hours before any of the other children showed up. Later in the evening when things started winding down, she finally took a nap.

April and I ran to the house with my cousin James and his wife, Stephanie. April had some maternity clothes that she was going to sale. Plus, I wanted to show them the house in case they would be interested in buying it. We left Kylee and Ayden with Pam and mom. Kylee was eating, boy that is a surprise. Ayden was trying really hard not to fall asleep. She was really tired. Kylee slept the entire day. Of course, there was no shortage of women there to hold and rock her. She was a very happy baby. And we were very happy parents. We returned and most people were still there and Ayden and Kylee were sound asleep.

Some neighbors started letting off fireworks. They weren't too pretty, just a lot of noise. They startled her and woke her up. This was about 10:00. We sat around and fed Kylee again and helped people load their coolers and dishes. Talked some more about the economy and children. By this time most people had left the festivities. My Grandma Violet announced that she was going to be making breakfast at nine the next morning due to the fact that family was visiting. I said I would probably pass in order to sleep in.

Hollie and Justin came back on their way home with the kids and stopped. We sat in the driveway and watched some other neighbor's fireworks show. It was a lot better than the earlier one. The kids liked it. April and I finally arrived home about midnight. Ayden was practically asleep by the time her head hit the pillow. She was a really good girl today. She played until she dropped. It was a really good time and went off really well. All the people there seemed to have a good time. Thanks mom and dad for another great Fourth of July.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

We got a lot accomplished today. Well, kinda. April had a doctor's appointment. The girls and I hung out in the truck while she was in. Kylee became hungry. It puts me in the mind or how Bruce Banner turned into the great green Hulk when his heart beat grew too great. Yea, that's how she gets when she goes too long between bottles. Ayden, of course, slept the whole time.

All good news from the doctor. He wants April to gradually go off of the medication and go in for some blood work. If the blood work comes back with anything left to question he will do a full panel and check for numerous reasons that are giving her kidneys fits.

After this we headed to the mall. It wasn't too busy. April needed to get another swimsuit since she has decided we are going to the beach. We are going to take my truck since there is a little more room in it for the girls and especially if one of us have to ride in the back with them for any reason. Plus, when you add a small cooler for water and milk, some snacks, and the portable DVD player it doesn't take long to take up room. I also think that my truck is safer. And with the amount of idiots on the road today, safety is the key.

I also wanted to stop at Sears and get one of those lockable turtles for the rooftop luggage racks. The only difference is that I am going to place it in the cargo area of my truck. One; to protect our luggage from rain and two; for protection from thieves when we stop for potty and food breaks. It is just the right length. I can lock it, shut my tailgate then lock it, and the units unable to be removed from my truck.

It was empty and on the way home it didn't even budge while we were on the interstate. That's how tight the fit is. Couldn't have planned it any better.

Kylee and Ayden did well at the Mall. Kylee slept the entire time. Ayden walked beside the stroller the entire time. About the time we were getting ready to leave, she said she was tired of walking and her legs were tired. She wanted me to carry her. Of course I said yes.

We are looking forward to the Fourth of July cookout at mom and dad's this weekend. It should be a blast. Now that there is a large play land there for the kids. April and I are also going to blow up the small pool we bought a couple of years back. The kids seem to like this when it is available. This year they will be able to get hot on the swings and slides and then cool off in the pool. Ayden wants us to put the pool at the end of the slide but I don't think that is going to happen. I think she is going to be our little Dare Devil. I see several trips to the ER for broken bones in the future.

Great News in the Copley Household!!

NO, WE'RE NOT PREGNANT AGAIN...

WE ARE GOING TO THE BEACH!!!

April said she was tired of vacuuming with one arm and carrying a baby with the other. (Not Really)

After much debate, and weighing the pros and cons, we have decided to go to the beach. We won't be able to go to our favorite destination of St. Augustine, Florida for the normal two weeks. And I won't be taking April to Hawaii as intended for her 30th birthday, but we are going to Cherry Grove for a week at the end of July. This is the northernmost area of North Myrtle Beach. Good for fishing and relaxing. No wild parties, just older couples and families. In fact, you have to be at least 25 to rent in this area.

Ayden has made mention of the beach too many times in the last couple of weeks to keep her in good ol' Wayne all summer. Yes, we can take her to the pool, but it's just not the same. You just have to have the sand and the salt. Years from now, I want to tell my future son in law that if he can't take my daughter to the beach and buy her flowers for no reason then he needs to find another girl on which to waste his time. This is something that we tell Ayden often, and April has started telling Kylee already. Yes, we believe in starting early. I don't want a dead beat son in law. Something I'm sure my in laws say daily about me. I sure hope not. Which, I have given them two beautiful granddaughters. Surely, that raises my value some.

Ayden has spent every birthday or her life at the St. Augustine beach and we can hopefully keep that tradition going by spending her 3rd one at Myrtle Beach. April and I like to go places and do things to model for Ayden what a good education and hard work can do for you. Not just material things, but manners and morals and things of that nature. Which, material things are nice, don't get me wrong. We just can't get obsessed by them, and make them our number one priority.

April says that we Copleys suffer from a rare condition. It is know as salt water deficiency. We just need to go to the beach every summer and soak to reset our systems and get ready for the coming year of work.

Monday, June 29, 2009

As I was leaving to go to my appointment "Aunt" Jenn came to visit. She had bought the girls shirts from her travels to Nashville. It was very nice of her. She stayed until I was on my way back home. She must not have wanted to see me. Too bad for her. I'm glad she and Sherry had a fun trip and returned safely home.

I just returned from my doctor's appointment with Dr. Ahmad. It was a rather short check up. He increased my dosage of Topamax from 50mg to 75mg a day. He seems to think that this increase will take care of the remaining headaches that are hanging around. He stressed that I should drink plenty of water with this medication. He also suggested that I take the meds in the night at bedtime rather than in the morning like I have been. It may be easier for me to remember if I start taking my meds of the night.

On the way home I stopped at Spurlock's and bought April and Ayden some flowers. Ayden was really excited. She placed them on her nightstand beside her bed and gave me a big hug for them. April seemed to be pleased also. I went a little away from norm and got April Carnations instead of Roses. The cards appropriately said, "Just Because".

When I returned home, I kept Ayden while April and Kylee went to Wal-mart for some groceries. Ayden and I played with her Little Tike's Animals and watched Noggin. Very fun. I think we are going to have Lasagna for dinner. Not my homemade, but good enough.

Kylee was up a lot last night. She must have had an upset stomach because she vomited three times. She went through two changes of pajamas and a sheet change. I was up all night. I was awake when Josh left for work. He had stayed all night because Will and Pam had gone to Columbus for a doctor's appointment. He came into Ayden's room during one off my many trips in there last night and asked if we were having a party. I told him we sure were and he was more than welcome to join us.

One thing about not sleeping at night is you can catch up on a lot of things. Like laundry, reading, and television. There is a new series based on a novel I read. The series is called True Blood. It is about Vampires and all other sorts of "Beings". It is my new favorite. I can watch it anytime using the On Demand feature from our cable provider which makes it nice.

Sunday, June 28, 2009 Fun in the Dunlow Sun

After I finally fell asleep at 4:30 this morning, I woke up at about 5:30 and helped fix Kylee a bottle. I went back to sleep and April woke me up at 11:30 to get ready for the pilgrimage to Dunlow for a cook out at my Granny's house. Also, let's not forget, the home of Ayden's chickens.

It went really well. Ayden was glad to see us and Kylee in all of her grace, slept about 90% of the time. She was awake long enough to eat. Twice. I think I am going to have to get an extra job to feed this child. She eats every two hours. I think I may start putting steak and eggs and pinto beans in the blender for her. That may get us an extra 30 minutes or so of down time.

Ayden got to see her chickens and was worried how "Blackie" was doing. All of the chickens, not just Blackie, were doing really well. Blackie was the first one to hatch out. April, Ayden, and I watched the entire process of her hatching. They looked healthy and like they had grown double since we had taken them to their new foster home. Daniel and Ava, Ayden's cousins, were there. She was happy to get to play with them. She likes playing with children her age. I watch her playing with other children and am simply amazed. She is such a little lady. She uses her manners and everything.

It makes me proud to say that I feel April and I have done an okay job with her thus far. Of course we can't take all of the credit. We have a wonderful support system. The jailer at the youth correctional facility where she spends her nights, the Warden at Shawshank, the supervisor of the work release program that is assigned to her case and the list goes on. She has really come a long way since undergoing rehab at Betty Ford for Cheez-It abuse.

Nah, she is only 2 1/2. She hasn't met these types of people yet. At least in a professional setting. She was tuckered out by the time we left. We hadn't driven three miles and she was sound asleep. I carried her in and put her in her bed. She didn't even wake up. It is now 11:00 and so far so good.

The visit to my grandparents was a good one. Not all of the family was able to be there but it was nice all the same. I was able to talk grown up talk to relatives that I don't often get to see. You know you are getting older when discussions revolve around politics, insurance companies, gardening...and flowers. My granny sent me home with some flowers she had dug up from her flower garden to plant in mine. (If you call a few planters and hanging baskets a flower garden). Her garden was somewhat overflowing with what we call 9 o'clocks. They are a green bush with have a yellow flower and appropriately, it blooms at 9:00 every night. It is a plain flower and a large green bush. But I believe a beautiful one.

I would like to have more time and energy to "garden". Not the corn and potato garden. But the flowers and trees type. I enjoy it, what I have done of it. Except roses. They take too much time and need far too much attention. When we moved into our house we had about 40 roses. We are now down to a little more than half of that. If I have my way, the rest of them will be gone by summer's end. I'm just not a big rose fan. At least growing them anyway. I'll stick to buying them for April and now Ayden. In a couple of years Kylee too.

Ayden is now up. It is Midnight. She had to have milk and Cheez-Its. She is also in the bed with us. She told me that someone forgot to put a Dora on her. Meaning a Pull-Up. She doesn't need one at all. In fact, she has slept several nights without one, but it is her security blanket so to speak. Actually, she didn't even have pajamas on, just the dress she was wearing today. So we put Ariel pj's on and got her snacks and of course Pink Baby. I had also forgotten to put her in the bed with Ayden earlier this evening. Big mistake. If you know Ayden, you know Pink Baby is her cocaine. She goes nowhere without her. Outside, inside, restraunts, Lowe's, and even church. She is actually on the third generation Pink Baby. Meaning that she has worn two out. Not necessarily worn them out just got them so dirty they couldn't be cleaned. They are battery operated and the clothes can not be taken off of them to be washed. The hand and feet are sewn onto the ends of the clothing, with the battery pack in the back. Wouldn't be so bad to just pick up a new one you say. Well, they are sometimes hard to come by and cost about 25 dollars. Not too bad if you are just going to get one. But we are going on nearly 100 dollars worth of Pink Babies now. Of course it is her favorite one. What we do for our children. Of course its only going to get better as the years go on; Proms, Senior Pictures, College, a Wedding. I better stop I'm getting depressed. I want her to stay 2 1/2 for the rest of my life anyway.

Stay tuned followers, more from the Copley Household to come...