Ears. Drainage. Tubes.

Cameron has bionic ears. He's super-kid. He fights evil and even though he's a champ at taking medicine, his body has decided it doesn't need antibiotics, it would rather have magic tubes!

That's not all entirely true.

Really it's just that the rounds of antibiotics that we've tried to cure his ear infections haven't made a difference and so he's basically gone the last almost 3 months with a constant ear infection. 

So today, we killed the icky drainage and we got "magic" tubes. Well at least that's what I'm calling them. I pray they're magic.

I know that everyone handles things differently, whether they're 1 or 81.  Cameron has been a trooper with his ear infections. He takes medicine well and sleeps well. --thank goodness!-- There are just moments of "moody-ness" or "sensitivity" (that's what his teachers call it).

The first time that I knew that the antibiotics didn't work and the Pediatrician (sort-of) questioned my judgement I instantly felt the Mama instinct take charge and I high-fived her when we were right! Sure I didn't want to be right, but it's nice to know that I know him well enough to know that something was off.

After the surgery this morning, the Doctor told us that the drainage was basically just pooled in his ear, not able to drain. I instantly see a picture in my mind of gross, nasty gunk just sitting in his ear. Eew, that can't make anyone feel good. Tim and I teased each other on Tuesday after scheduling the surgery that Cameron was going to wake up with magic tubes and say, "Yo Dad, what's up? Have you heard that one about (insert random joke here)..."

I wonder how things will sound to him with clear ears? Cameron didn't have a problem hearing before, but if there was a pool of disgusting-ness throwing a dirty party in your ears don't you think your hearing might be a little muffled? Clean, magic ears here we come!

Confessions of a busy Mom:

I confess: that Cameron ate a rollie pollie at school yesterday. 

I confess: that we haven't had a typical dinner this week. (maybe that's why he ate the bug?)

I confess: that I've been doing a lot of online shopping lately.

I confess: that this might be in preparation for an upcoming wedding/trip or it might just be because...

(see next confession)

I confess: that I've been feeling more emotional than usual recently.

I confess: that I only made it to the gym once this week.

I confess: that I miss the lake, but - 

I confess: that I'm thrilled, excited and really looking forward to the next month(ish) of busy-family-fun.

I confess: that I had a dance party with Cameron last night to cheer myself up.

I confess: that even though I'm sure he thought it was weird, it totally worked.

I confess: that my baby youngest sister is graduating high school and I'm not sure what I'm going to do without either of The Sisters "home" next year. I'm glad they'll have each other at school, but I've gotten pretty spoiled always having at least one of them here.

I confess: that I'm making a greater effort to be "hands-free". of my phone that is. There's a time and place when it's needed, but I don't want to be the Mom/Wife/Daughter/Sister that's missing the good stuff because of it.  (a camera -phone or otherwise- has a free pass though - just to clarify)

I confess: that it's a 3-day weekend and that I'm grateful for the extra day on Monday, but I have to say I'm super thankful that our dear friend is back on "solid ground" in Florida after his year deployment all in time for Memorial Day. It's not just about summer and BBQ people, thank a Veteran on Monday.

I confess:  I've never been to Oklahoma, but oh have I prayed for them this week. 

I confess: that no matter where you live, Our World Needs Love.

ONE-derful Birthday!

It was a wonderful, fun-filled day of goodness for this little boy. A day that he'll probably never remember, but that we'll look back in pictures and smile. Nothing big or over-the-top planned, just lots of smaller, sparkling moments.






We decided to get Cameron a sandbox for his birthday after they told us he loved the one at school. I'm not sure what we're going to do when he's older because we can't hold out at all - we gave it to him a few weeks early. We kept telling ourselves that it was ok because he didn't know the difference...that will work for now.

A little something for our friends at school.

We'll keep trying the cake thing, it's ok that you prefer a good cookie instead.

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

UNO. One. 1. Une. Ein.

Dear Little B,

You're one.
One.
I think I'm going to have to repeat that again and again to remind myself.
There's so much to say, and yet the words that come to mind don't seem good enough.

You are growing like crazy, in so many ways.

No longer sleeping in a crib at school...Cameron gets his blanky back and is rockin' the cot-life!

We finally "dropped" your crib mattress and the first day you sat up and started trying to pull up on the sides. Thanks for waiting until you knew it was safe!

Did I mention that you love to drive? Only supervised of course!

   You are a joy. You are a treasure. You challenge me and make me see things in a whole new light.  I already stumble when I think of what our world is going to be like for you in the future. Your Daddy and I see things with "parent-glasses" now. Not always, but when something is important or decisions have to be made it's like we step into a new set of shoes that changes how we walk or where we go.   We continue to pray that you will grow up to be the loving, sweet, comedian that we know today.  We are positive that you will continue to grow and change, that you will forever challenge us and that life is one big ball of goodness that only gains momentum as it moves forward.  Battles will happen and sometimes that ball will want to bounce too high, but we will be here together. Making it work.  Because that's what we do In a Benton World. 

We love you sweet boy. Thank you for one amazing and incredible year. 

Where will we grow from here?

Forever, to the moon & back.

The things we remember...

There are some mommy-style blogs that will give a count for count detail of their birthing stories.
I'm not one of those, and don't worry I'm not going to dig it all up now.

What I am going to do is giggle and reminisce a little at the path of events that went down a year ago. The basics that I started to laugh at last night as we just happened to end up back for dinner at the place that was my last meal outside of a hospital before I was a Mom.  (I hadn't been back since.)

May 15th:
4 days overdue and having a greasy burger at a local joint and VERY preggers
May 16th:
Doctor's appointment: Doc says that baby is running out of room and it's time to get things baby moving. "Seriously you don't have your hospital bag with you? Ok, go home and get it and then meet me at the hospital."  Sitting in traffic on Mopac and Tim saying that he's putting his foot down, that we are finally going to come up with a top 3 for Baby's name. (Cameron wasn't one of them)
May 17th:
After finally feeling a contraction (or two...or twelve) Baby arrives. Sure there's a lot more involved, but the important part was that Baby was here.
May 18th:
Name is finalized.
May 19th:
FINALLY got to head home.

That's not the glamorous, mushy, love-filled post that you were expecting...that's on hold until tomorrow. But right now, it's the giggle moments that I'm having fun playing in my head. The minute that the nurse looked at Tim and said, "oh you guys are going to be fun". The moment when I realized that stuff was getting real, that I was actually going to have a baby.  Remembering a nurse after everything went down that said, "don't worry we'll have you back to sexy in no time!" (TMI?)

The little things really are my favorite.

Book Report

I have always loved reading children's books to kids. When my Sister's were little we read The Rainbow Fish and The Berenstain Bears over and over again. When I was a nanny, my youngest love-bug couldn't get enough of Are You My Mother? Now when I catch a glimpse of any of these titles it takes me back when...
I can hear those sweet little voices reading along with me.

I read to Cameron a lot, but right now he doesn't have a lot of patience for the stories. He just wants to play with the pages and then he's off to the next thing in his toy box.  What gets me though is when I catch him grabbing a book and reading it to himself. He's much more attentive and really looks at the illustrations on the page.

We recently got these two books and I have to say that I still love the sounds and sense of humor in Are you My Mother. Kermit the Hermit was recommended to us and I instantly fell in love with the colorful illustrations.  It definitely helps that the story takes place at Monterey Bay in California, one of my favorite places!  I can't wait for Cameron to be more into story time!

Mother's Day Weekend!

I officially got to celebrate Mother's Day this year! What a treat!

Last year I was waddling around a local shopping center, washing windows and galloping around our home trying to spark labor!





This year though was just what I had hoped for! I got to spend some quality time with my Sisters, gave my feet some love with a pedicure, enjoyed the sunshine & a mimosa and topped it all off with lots of loves from Cameron -- a true Mama's Boy! I know there's lots of discussion about the terrible two's, but if Cameron becomes more moody at 2 than he can already be sometimes at 1...I'm afraid I have my work cut out for me! This kid knows how to battle and there's nothing "two" cool about it!

Someone fell asleep on the way to the grocery store. Then this Mom's muscles and multi-tasking skills took over. I had his 25 pound butt in one arm and was sacking apples in the other...oh yea and pushing the cart when need be. The produce guy thought I was awesome. Ok, so did I!

We went to the park on Sunday and Cameron loved playing with everything! He thought the swing was hysterical, especially since it was far too big for him. He got really mad at me though when I told him he couldn't eat the gravel. I had to tell him "no" 4 times, and each time he got so angry and cried like I had spit in his cheerios.

I'm so glad that I have had such wonderful women guiding me through motherhood.  They have taught me these three important ingredients: 

LAUGH at every possible moment

LISTEN to your heart

and above all else...LOVE! 

(even when it means saying "No, don't put that disgusting gravel in your mouth!")

Happy Mother's Day from my little crack to yours!

Bottoms Up!

Missing in Action

I apologize for being MIA lately.
This time of the year is always really busy for us. Tim's business is in high gear, birthdays are on every corner, there's usually a Graduation and well it's the best weather to get together with people! Oh ya, and last year I was very pregnant.

We've watched the Kentucky Derby and celebrated Cindo de Mayo!

Mother's Day is a couple days away and this year - it's official - I'm in the club!

Friends and Family are visiting and Cameron is growing.

Me? Well I'm enjoying all of it. Little Miss Busy doesn't mind the busy, especially when it's the good kind of busy!
Don't worry... After these messages, we'll be right back!
To our regular programming that is.