Go Tell it "Over" the Mountain

The church we are going to is new, and very small, with only about 30 people there for our Christmas service yesterday. We had a family service where all the kids joined us and we sang a lot of Christmas carols, the kids got to go down front for some of the carols and while the pastor sat in a rocking chair and read the Christmas story, and then we had a fellowship lunch afterwards. They were asking for requests for the Christmas carols, and when they were done, the pastor got ready to read the Christmas story. At the very last second, Anna piped up that she wanted to sing Go Tell it "Over" the Mountain. So, the pianist played it, and the music minister squatted down and he and Anna led us all in singing her song. She was too cute up there in front of everyone singing just as proudly as she could.

(Sorry that the picture is not great quality, but at least you can get an idea of what it looked like).

Nurse (or Doctor) Anna

Last week, Anna had a little bit of a stomach virus. So, she got to stay home from school and had a wet rag on her head and an empty trash can nearby to throw up in.
This morning, I was feeling a little nauseated, so Anna got a wet rag to put on my head. Then she went and found a trash can, emptied it into another trash can, and brought it to me with instructions - if you have to throw up, do it in this can. Then for a little extra good measure, brought me a book to look at, a present from under the tree, and used dry washrags to cover up my bare feet and hands.
She says that when she gets big, she is going to work at my office and be a doctor like me, and that her kids are going to go to her school. She is on her way!!

Merry Christmas - Our Christmas Card

Christmas Tree Hunting

Friday night, just before dark, we decided to get a Christmas Tree. The farm where we were going to get the Christmas tree closes at dark, but we thought we might be able to get there in time to get one. We knew that we were going to have a busy weekend, so we wanted to go ahead and get the tree. We should have known it wasn't a good idea when the kids were sound asleep by the time we got to the farm, which is only about 10 minutes from our house. So, we got there in time that they let us in. It was really dark and they didn't have any more lanterns, so we were picking out the tree in the dark. We had only the flash from the camera, and little LED lights on our cell phone. But we found this beautiful tree. Anna held the 2 cell phones with their little lights while Joey cut down the tree. Then we had some free apple cider while they trimmed the bottom of the tree and wrapped it and Joey put it in the car. It isn't really obvious in this picture, but Will was bundled up like the kid on A Christmas Story, waddling around at the Christmas tree farm.

When we got home, we put the Christmas tree in the stand and realized that it probably isn't a good idea to pick out a Christmas tree in the dark. And, yes, the bottom of the trunk is straight in the stand.

Will's First Haircut

Pie Stories

At halloween, Anna and Nanna made an orange colored cheesecake decorated as a jack-o-lantern for us. All four of us really enjoyed the cheesecake. So, when it came time for Thanksgiving, Anna was so excited about having "pumpkin pie". When she saw a real pumpkin pie, she said "that looks different, our pumpkin pie had a stem and a face on it".

Nannie Shirley made 2 lemon ice-box pies for Thanksgiving. We all had a piece at dinner, and there was still an entire pie left over. We took the whole pie home with us, and Anna wanted to hold it in the car. She looked at it, then looked at me and asked "Mom, we all had a piece of this pie, why is it still a whole circle?".

Wet Sheets

Anna is potty-trained during the day, but still wears diapers at night. A couple of weeks ago, she wanted to start wearing panties at night instead of diapers, so we tried it. We had a couple of dry nights, and a couple where I had to wash the sheets the next day. One morning, I found her wet in the bed. She said "I didn't have an accident, mom, you just didn't get the sheets dry after you washed them". We argued about this for a few minutes and then I realized that it was pointless to argue with a stubborn 3yo girl who firmly believes that I didn't let the sheets dry for long enough. Needless to say, we are back to diapers since I obviously don't know how to dry the sheets!!!

Impressive Daddy

This morning, I left for work at 7:45 and left Joey to get the kids ready, make dressing from scratch, take a shower, and leave the house at 10:45 to meet me at work for a Thanksgiving lunch. Amazingly, he was there right on time with warm dressing, and 2 well-dressed kids. To be honest, I doubted that it could all be done, but he did it and did it well!!!

Saturday Morning Playtime

Flowers

These are the flowers I received my first week of work. The first was from my mom on the first day. And the second are from my first patient (who happens to be Will's "girlfriend" and her mom is the education nurse at the hospital who did my orientation).

Bath Time

Finally Walking

Last Wednesday, exactly one week before his 1st birthday, Will decided to start doing what we all knew he could - and he is walking now!! I am sure that I will soon wish that he was a little less mobile, but for now it is exciting.

Sneaky and Stubborn Children

Sorry, but this will be a long story - but I am sure a few of you will get a kick out of it. (For those who want the really short version, scroll down to the bottom of this post.)

I had talked to the director of Anna and Will's director about doing some education for their staff. So, Monday afternoon she said that she had put a note in Anna's stuff for me. At dinner, Anna told us that she had gotten in trouble that day but her teacher wouldn't let her apologize. When we asked why she got in trouble, she said "I don't want to tell you". So, that night, I was going through her things and searched but couldn't find the note from the director. The next morning at breakfast, Anna said "my teacher put a note in my folder but I didn't know why, so I took it out and hid it". So, at 3 years old, she already knows that if she gets in trouble and the teacher puts a note in her folder, she should take it back out. Turns out that Anna had only gotten in trouble for not sleeping at naptime, and that she actually had apologized to the teacher.
So, I get to the daycare last night to do the education, and there are maybe 12 or 15 ladies there sitting is a semi-circle. Joey was sitting next to me with the kids while I talked. When the talk was over, and we were just having a group discussion about daycare issues, Will decided to stand up and walk across the room holding a bottle and a blankie (for those of you who don't realize, he took 3 steps about 6 weeks ago and has REFUSED to walk since). Everyone applauded and he raised his arms over his head and smiled. He then walked back across the room, so that everyone would applaud him again. But once we got home (and there was no audience) he again REFUSES to walk!! If you let go of his hand, while he is holding it and walking, he will sit down on the floor and throw a FIT. So, I guess for now, he will only walk for an audience.

So, long story short. If Anna is already taking "bad" notes out of her folder at 3, what are we going to have to deal with at 13?!?!?!
And, Will is a little ham - and a stubborn little ham at that.

Chase Devin Joiner

My best friend from medical school got some wonderful news on October 31st. They started the adoption process in August, and on Oct 31st found out that a birthmother had chosen them. Baby Chase was born November 6th at 2pm, and got to go home with mom and dad (David and Sarah) on November 8th. We are all so excited for them, and know that they will be wonderful parents. God has blessed them with little Chase, and has blessed little Chase with wonderful parents!

Funny Kids

Just a little note, that some of you might find humorous.

Anna was going potty when I picked her up from school one day. She informed me that she is not supposed to put too much toilet paper in the toilet because it might "underfloat". I said, you mean overflow. Her reply was "No, mom, not overflow, it is un-der-float".

And Will has a new talent. If there is a drawer that he can reach (Anna's dresser, his changing table . . .), he will proceed to open it and quickly and happily empty the contents onto the floor. He typically does this when I am trying to convince a singing, dancing 3yr old to put her clothes on so that we can get out the door.

Costumes

I guess these pictures are as good as it is going to get with 2 tired kids after a long week, and a night of trick-or-treating. But at least you can all see what their costumes looked like. Spiderman was not as happy with the whole process as Tinkerbell was.

Back to Work

I start work on Monday, November 3rd. These are the signs the posted outside the office and in the lobby of our office building. And, my assigned parking place.
If any of you know anyone in the Sylacauga area that needs a pediatrician, send them my way!!!

Anna's School Pumpkin Party and Costume Parade

Friday was Anna's Pumpkin Party and Costume Parade at school. She just loved getting to put on her sparkly Tinkerbell costume, and put hair glitter in her hair. Her "boyfriend" Ty is the one in the black ninja costume sitting next to her on the steps.

Off for School!!

As I was searching for my lost keys, and trying to load lunch boxes and backpacks into the car this morning, Anna and Will were playing. These were some shots I just couldn't miss. And, yes, Anna's face is still painted from last night!!

Fall Festival at Nannie and Pop's Church

Last night, we went to a Fall Festival at Nannie Shirley and Pop Joe's church in Trussville. Anna had A LOT of fun!! Will was a little frustrated that he couldn't get down and crawl around between people's feet. Anna's favorite parts were the inflatable slide, and getting her face painted. She has decided that if Nannie's church does that, we should go there every day!!

Pumpkin Patch

Well, I am a little bit behind. We went to the Harpersville Pumpkin Patch on Saturday, Oct 11 with Marc, Missy, Claudia, Nanna K, Paw-paw Bruce, Nannie Shirley, and Pop Joe. Everyone got to bring home their own pumpkin. Anna was so attached to hers, that it took a lot of convincing to get her to let the shuttle bring the pumpkin to the entrance while we rode the hay ride and walked.