My Mommy

Tonight at bedtime Emma wanted to have a serious conversation with me and it might be one of the sweetest ones we have ever had.  Every night at bedtime we do the same thing. Her Daddy and I both go in her room, tuck her in, pray with her, I give her 'two kisses & a hug', Daddy gives her 'two kisses & a hug' and I get 'two more kisses & a hug'.  She tells us good night while snuggling under the covers with Tilda, Piper and white dog then I press Violets paw and Jingle Bells starts playing.  Yes, she loves to go to sleep to Jingle Bells every single night. 

Tonight when it was time for me to walk out she said, "Mom, in the morning I need to talk to you about something".  It concerned me a little bit so I turned around said, "Oh Emma we can talk now, you don't have to wait until morning baby."   I did not have to convince her to talk, she was ready and willing, it went something like this.

E:    Mom, I love you and you are the best Mommy ever.
M:   Thank you Emma, I think you are the best daughter ever.
E:    Will you always be my Mommy?
M:   Of course I will always be your Mommy baby, why?
E:    Well what happens when I get big Mom?
M:   I will still be your Mommy Emma no matter how big you get.
E:    But what happens when I become a Mommy?
M:   I will still be your Mommy Emma.
E:    So even when I am a Mommy, you will still be my Mommy?
M:   No matter how old you are or if you become a Mommy, I will always be your Mommy.
E:    Mom, I am glad you will always be my Mommy.
M:   Emma, I love you and I am so glad I always get to be your Mommy too.
E:    Goodnight Mom, I love you.
M:  Goodnight baby, I love you too. (of course I had to hug and kiss her some more)

When I was getting ready for bed I remembered this little rock she found in the Bahamas and insisted I take a picture of her with it because it looked like a heart. She told me that heart stood for how much she loved me, her Daddy and Gavin. 

At four, she is so honest with her feelings and it makes me proud.  I love that she has such a tender heart and is such an affectionate child.  Thanking God tonight that I am her Mommy, she is my daughter and that will never change.

Heading Back

This morning I headed back to work after being off for 6 weeks.  This has been an amazing summer, which makes it even tougher to head back so soon.  My kids were big enough this year to be on the go constantly and that is how we spent our entire summer.  Of course we were gone on vacation for 10 days, but the rest of our time was packed with play dates and enjoying the outdoors. 

I spent time in prayer last night because I know it is difficult on all of us when I first go back.  We are so blessed and thankful to have an amazing Nanny that loves our kiddos.  She helps us in so many ways and affords us extra time with our babies during the work week.   Emma and Gavin were super excited to see her and Baby Kain this morning and will probably talk her ears off today.

Although I was a little sad this morning, I am excited to get back to what I do BEST and LOVE, mentoring 1800 high school students.  Every year I always struggle and ask myself if I am making a bigger impact at work than I could make as a SAHM?  Honestly,  the answer is YES!  I love what I do and feel that my career is my calling in life.  Every year I just pray I can make a difference in one life and if it ends up being more, God gets all the glory.

My sweet husband gave me the most beautiful card last night and thanked me for making sure our kids had a memorable summer and for being the best Mommy.  I will keep that card in my office and read it daily when I start missing the TWO most amazing kids I know.

After 15 years in public education there is still something very exciting about a new beginning and a new school year.  We are looking forward to Gavin moving up to the 2 year old room and Emma entering a very structured Pre-K program at MDO.  Our calendars will be packed with Emma taking Ballet, Tap and Jazz, while Gavin goes to Gymnastics.  I searched high and low for an extra curricular activity for our BUSY little man and this is all that is available for a 2 year old.  I think it is so important for them to be involved and to learn early on about commitment and not giving up.  We are longing for Friday night Football and can not wait to see some action on the Volleyball court.  So many things to look forward to at the start of a new school year and no doubt we will be super busy.    

While I struggled this morning to leave the two littlest people I love more than I could ever explain, I believe with all my heart that my career makes me a better Mommy for so many reasons.  There is no way I could be successful at what I do without a supportive and hands on Daddy, so Curtis is a huge blessing that does not go unnoticed. Right now this is what works for OUR FAMILY with the season we are in, but are fully aware that this season could change any day.  I encourage you to do what works for you and your family without passing judgement on others, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to being a working Mommy or a SAHM (both are incredibly difficult at times). I document our choices in hopes my children will one day reflect back and see that we were committed to them having the best life ever while balancing careers.

You better believe that when the clock strikes 3:00 this afternoon, I am running straight home to hug, kiss, laugh and love on the rest of The Frazier Four!

Ouch, It got me!

Every evening we try to spend quality family time riding bikes, swimming, walking, feeding the ducks, hunting for turtles, fishing or playing at the splash pad.  Last night we set out to go swimming and thunder quickly put a halt on that, so we headed to the splash pad. 

Our neighborhood splash pad is located by a clubhouse, a dry creek bed, a park and a little amphitheatre.  After the kids played at the splash pad they wandered off to the grassy section and I lounged in the grass while Emma sang and danced on the stage.  We had the kids compete in a couple little relay races while we cheered them on, it was hilarious.  Gavin decided to start picking flowers off all the plants and bushes and we gave him fair warning that he was going to get stung by a bee if he did not stop.

Next thing we know here he comes running saying, "Ouch, it got me Daddy. It got me".  No screaming, no crying, just a simple it got me.  When he woke up this morning it was pretty swollen, red and had fever in it but he has yet to complain.

I wanted to get a picture of it but he kept smiling and singing, "I am bringing home a baby bumble bee, OUCH it stung me" so this is the best I could do.

I would say lesson learned, but no doubt this boy would go right back to flower picking tonight if we would let him.

Three Ring Circus

Today we ventured out on a play date to the Circus with Brook and Luke.  I am so glad I took this picture before we left the house or there might not have been very many pictures since I rarely had a free hand.

These two little clowns wore me smooth out today and there were times I felt like I was part of the Circus, seriously!

Emma and Brook love each other so much and have grown up together since the day they were born.  Emma started asking me last night if I would put Brook's car seat close enough to hers where they could touch and hold hands.  Emma is the really cuddly one and Brook likes her personal space, but she has come around and I think kind of likes Emma's hugs and hand holding now.  This is the only picture I got of them today and I was lucky to get this.

By the time we finally got to our seats Cassi and I were sweating like we had ran a half marathon.  We chose not to bring strollers with us and it was a little nerve racking keeping up with 4 kiddos in a crowd.  Matter of fact we lost one of the four, can you guess who it was?   You are looking at him and it scared us to death.

Gavin is quick and not afraid to wonder off by himself, so when we go anywhere I NEVER take my eyes or hands off of him.  We got to the Circus an hour early so we could visit with the animals and see the pre show.   Within seconds of being on the circus floor I looked down and Gavin was gone.  I looked at Cassi and shouted a FOUR letter word and told Cassi not to move with the other 3 kiddos.  I frantically started searching for him within the 10 feet perimeter and he was no where to be found.  He had on a bright orange shirt, so I thought he would be super easy to locate (not so much).  I am not sure what happened next but I was scared to death and I think Cassi finally located him about 20 feet away from us headed back towards the animals.  I should have known since I had a hard time prying him off the elephant fence a little earlier.  It only took about 2 minutes to locate him, but felt like 2 hours.  For some reason I am afraid this little boy is going to give me many more scares in my life. 

The kids all loved the elephants, tigers and the miniature horses today.  I was not super impressed with the show and left there wishing the Circus was more like the one I saw as a kid, filled with real clowns and alot more animals. 

After the Circus we went to eat at Chik Fil A and to visit sweet Cortney that is on house-rest waiting for her little Princess to arrive.  We got to see her nursery which is cute as can be and it is obvious so much love went into creating such a sweet space for a special little girl.

Our play date was wonderful, but the girls were not ready to say good bye.  We promised Brook she could come back very soon to play again.

I am so thankful for the friendships I share with Cassi and her kiddos.  We have so much in common when it comes to where we are at in life with our kiddos and careers.   It is nice to have someone to talk to about the good, the bad and the ugly.  Today when we got in the car after the Circus we just looked at one another, high fived and laughed because it was hard work.  

Gavin vs. the Dentist

Both of the kiddos had appointments to have their teeth cleaned this morning bright and early.  We have been talking to Gavin all week about the Dentist and Emma even showed him what would happen when he got there.  Emma had the plan all organized and decided she would go first so Gavin could see how a FOUR year old gets their teeth cleaned.

While his brave big sister was up on the table getting her teeth cleaned this boy was playing Pac Man.  I have to be honest, I wanted to jump on and play too.  I think he ate a couple ghost up before it was his turn to jump up on the table or should I say off (ha ha).

Gavin found a big iguana he took a liking to, so we attempted to clean its teeth to make him happy but he was not having it.  It was a joint effort to get his teeth cleaned and Emma tried to keep him entertained with Buzz.  I warned all of them that he was a BITER and I am not sure she believed me until he bit through her latex glove and drew blood (OOPS). 

After the hygienist finished with him he had to see the dentist.   His teeth looked great and they were even able to get fluoride brushed on, so it was a successful visit.  It is safe to say that Gavin was afraid of the dentist and the dentist might have been a little afraid of him too.

When he finally got to dive out of the chair he was mad and decided to lay down on the floor and pout for a little while.  I just ignored him and eventually he decided to get up and head on over to the train table.

He was not a happy boy, but he sure was cute with that bottom lip sticking out.   The dentist gave him two golden coins to use in a vending machine, however he was so mad he stuck them in his pocket and brought them home.

Emma was quite the trooper this go around and very interested in everything the hygienist and the dentist did to her mouth.  She did get me in trouble with the dentist when she shouted out, "Dr. Jai, I am 4 years old now and I use my Daddy's toothpaste Crest White 3-D".  Dr Jai said, "Hmmmm Emma that is great but I am not really sure that is a good idea" and I knew at that time the lecture was coming.  He explained to me that the toothpaste was too abrasive for her teeth and she needed to go back to using kid toothpaste.  Emma frowned on this and Dr. Jai reminded her she needed to continue using kid toothpaste until she could not fit on the table anymore.  Lesson learned!

After we left the dentist we met my friend Jenny and her son Parker back at our house for a great lunch, swim and play date.  Parker is 3 months younger than Emma, they played so well together and had a fun time. 

We are looking forward to going to the Circus in the morning with Emma's best friend Brooke and her little brother Luke.  Emma went to bed convinced that she is riding an elephant tomorrow and I told her she might want to dream about it tonight.  As I was closing the door she said, "Well can I at least ride in the very back seat with Brooke?" (ha ha).  Yep, third row it is for both you silly girls tomorrow.

Family Vacation 2011

We have just recently returned from our family vacation to Walt Disney World and the Bahamas.  There are so many things about this trip I want to document for the sake of my children and to preserve the wonderful memories we shared as The Frazier Four. 

We tossed around so many things this year for vacation when we began planning and we knew all along we wanted to return to the Atlantis.  When we started planning airfare was outrageous to say the least, therefore we explored a ton of different options.  It ended up being far more economical for us to fly to the Bahamas by having a layover in Orlando.  This is where the dream was born to take a multi destination vacation, so we opted for a 5 day layover in Orlando.  Let me sum it all up for you, NO REGRETS!

We had lots of people tell us that our kids were way too young for Disney, it was way too hot, our kids would not remember it, it was the rainiest time of year and we would be miserable.  I am so glad that we followed our hearts, stepped out on faith and experienced the vacation of a lifetime.  In fact, our kids were the PERFECT age for Disney and we were able to do just as much on this visit as we would be able to do up until they are about 8 years old.  It was truly a MAGICAL experience for all of us and we are dreaming of the day we return, which will be soon but not soon enough for us.

Curtis and I have both been to Disney several times, but there is something far more SPECIAL about experiencing Disney with your own children.  There were so many times I could have bawled like a baby when I saw the look on my kiddos faces when they experienced the rides, characters, the castle,  parades and the shows. 

We happened to be at Disney on Curtis' birthday, so one of his birthday gifts was a replica of this bronze statue that he has loved since he was a little boy.  His Mom has a picture of him and his sister in front of this statue year after year.   Curtis is a lover of all things Disney and often recalls his best childhood memories being spent with his family on vacation at the HAPPIEST place on earth. 

We try to buy one very nice souvenir everywhere we travel to put in our home office to remember our vacations, so Curtis plans to get a plaque made to mount on the base of this statue that signifies "Our first trip to Disney ~ The Frazier Four".

My plan is to blog our vacation from the beginning to cover all the details since this is a journal dedicated to my children.  Let me begin by saying when we travel we take full advantage of the moment and rarely sleep. 

We arrived in Orlando and were shuttled to our hotel.  We chose to stay at the All Star Movies Resort in the Toy Story section for 2 reasons, cost and our children love Buzz, Woody and Jesse.  It all seemed grand until we put the key in the room and opened up the door of our VALUE PROPERTY.  Needless to say it was very small and well...it just was not going to work.   After we got further in the room, I decided to go down and see if we could be transferred to another property regardless of the cost. 

The second I walked out in the courtyard, which was Andy's room I felt horrible. I looked at the 3 story Buzz, Woody, Rexie, Bo Peep and everything that was in Andy's room and I said out loud, "I can't do this to my kids". I continued to walk to the front desk to see what the options might be and request bed rails, because there was no way I could let Gavin sleep in the crib they brought to us. The hotel manager was super nice and agreed to move all of our things the next morning to a room that had been renovated 3 weeks prior to our arrival. I wanted to move so bad, but I decided that it would have been so selfish of me to take my kids out of the Toy Story section. We stayed and I am so glad because we were only in our room to sleep about 7 hours every night.

Here is the view from where we stayed when we looked out by the elevator.  Now do you see why I could have stayed anywhere for a few nights for my kids to be able to see this every morning and every night?

We would leave every morning about 8:00 and not return until after midnight and a couple of nights we rolled in even later. We opened and close the parks everyday that we were there, woo hoo! Our kids would take a little cap nap in the double stroller for about 20 minutes when we were walking from one ride to the next, but besides that they were troopers.  They never complained about the lines, the rain, being tired or being hot and we were so PROUD of both of them.  They were perfect, enjoyed Disney so much and are eager to go back. 

R/C sat right outside of Andy's room and of course the kids had to touch and get in it every time we passed by on our way in or out.   You can see the entrance to Andy's room in the background, can you tell we are a Toy Story family? 

The weather in Orlando was hot and rainy with the temperatures rising to about 98 everyday.  We were so thankful for the rain that occurred daily because it kept things cooled down to about 85 and it made for great days.   We do not think we could have survived 16 hour days in the park had it been a consistent 98 degrees all day.  We were prepared with a stroller cover and ponchos so the rain did not slow us down at all, we just continued on with our plans and no rides were closed due to the weather.  Gavin would take his shoes off and run barefoot through the park, while Emma jumped in every puddle she could find.

We took full advantage of the Fast Pass system, Curtis was a genius and installed an app on his IPhone that told us the wait time in every line.  We researched the park before we traveled and had an itinerary for each park based on popularity/wait time.  This allowed us to cover all 4 parks and Downtown Disney, riding every ride we were eligible to ride, seeing shows and visiting with the characters.   We were able to go to Magic Kingdom one full day and every evening.   There were so many rides that we rode more than once because we loved them so much.  We took full advantage of the extra park hours and were able to walk right on so many rides every night after the parade and fireworks.  I do not think we waited in any line longer than 30 minutes to ride anything.  It paid to research the parks out and to go so prepared.

At the time we traveled Emma had just celebrated her 4th birthday and Gavin was 2 years and 3 months old.  They were able to do so much and were afraid of NOTHING.  The second night Gavin decided he was terrified of the fireworks, so I would go inside a restaurant with him until they were over. 

I can not wait to document the rest of our vacation and I am giddy now that I have started.  There is no doubt in our minds that we will return to Disney very soon.  We got a sneak peak of the new Fantasy Land that will be complete in 2012 and the new Beauty and the Beast Castle.  We are already making plans on where we want to stay and dreaming of what we will do when we go back.

When I look through the 2000 pictures of our vacation, I truly believe that we made "Magical Memories" that will live in our hearts forever.

Picnic & Park

We decided to have a picnic tonight for dinner at one of the lakes in our neighborhood.  The kids were super excited and I was determined to find a spot where we would not be invaded by the ducks.

It did not take long for the ducks to approach us and Gavin spent most of his time chasing them off opposed to eating.  What little he did eat of his sandwich he shared with the ducks.

This little girl always dreams of picnics in the park.  She told me this evening that she wished we could eat dinner like this every night and she thinks it is a good idea if we eat in the same place tomorrow night.

All that duck chasing made this little boy thirsty.  Gavin did make friends with an older gentleman that was fishing a little ways down from us and he was begging, "can I try, can I try please?"  Guess we just might have to squeeze a little fishing in our schedule this week.

This sweet girl enjoyed all of her PB&J and offered none to the ducks.  I think she might have the sweetest little smile I have ever seen.

He finally decided to take a little break, eat some Cheez-Its and visit with us.  Do not let this picture fool you, he sat down for about 45 seconds total and then he was up and off again.

Life sure is sweeter when you get to share it with a sibling.  I love watching my kids explore life together.  They both were creeping closer and closer to the lake until their feet were finally at the edge.  I am confident that someone is falling in before summer is over and if I had to guess...his name starts with a G!

We picnicked close to a little park that ended up being super fun for Emma and Gavin.

This little boy is so brave and gets braver and braver by the day.  I do not know what is funnier, watching him or watching other parents react to him (ha ha). 

I see more P&P in our near future as summer is winding down for us and we will be back in a structured routine soon.  For now, we will continue to soak up the sun, ride bikes, fish, eat popsicles, swim, enjoy all our scheduled play dates and field trips.

Singing and Barking / 49 Months

We headed out early this morning for Emma's scheduled surgery to have tubes put in her ears and her adenoids removed.  It was a rough night since her little piggy she had been bottle feeding for a week was no where to be found.   Not sure what happened to it, we are thinking she hid it somewhere in the house from her brother and now she can not find it either.  She had Daddy backtracking at 11:30 last night to Baskin Robbins thinking it might have fallen out of the car.  Needless to say, she went to sleep crying over piggy and woke up crying over him.  We ended up taking Tilda girl, Piglet & white dog with us instead and she was okay with it, finally!

Yesterday I ordered 4 boxes of chocolate dipped fruit to take to the hospital for the medical team that would be working on our sweet Emma Lou.  I am sure my husband thought I was CRAZY,  like always he just smiled and didn't ask any questions.  One of the things I love about him is that he never gives me a hard time about what I buy, spend or order and good thing because me and the UPS man are great friends. I just felt like I needed to take care of the people that would be taking care of my child and this was just a tiny way I could let them know I appreciated them.

Emma got to wear her night gown to the hospital this morning and good thing because we got there before the crack of dawn.  She did such a great job for us and was such a cooperative little patient.  The nurse kept telling us she wished all kids were as good as Emma.

The staff was amazing and let her choose her own bed when we went to register at the hospital.  She chose bed number 1, because bed 4 was missing and we all know how in love with the number 4 she is these days!  Lo and behold when we showed up this morning bed 4 was waiting on her.

The nurse gave her some medicine to make her loopy when we got there, actually she asked if I wanted to give it to her so I gave Emma the choice.  Guess who she picked?  She chose to do it herself, gotta love a strong willed child!

Within about 10 minutes she got super SILLY and started laughing hysterically.  At one point she told us she wanted to get up and jump on the bed and we told her that was not a good idea because she could fall.  She looked at us and said, "Well here I go" and attempted to get up.  She tried to get up several times especially when her Daddy walked out for a little bit.  She also brought each of her babies to life and started talking with silly little voices to them. When our Dr. came in to talk to us he commented on Tilda and Piglet and she squealed out, "and that's not all" while pulling white dog out from under the cover.

We asked Emma if we could pray with her at the hospital and she said she wanted to pray.   We all held hands while she prayed and this is how it went, "Dear Heavenly Father, please be with my baby brother Gavin, please watch over him at RaRa's house.  God, please keep Gavin safe and let RaRa take good care of him.  Please watch over Gavin. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!"  Sweet girl was worried about her brother instead of herself.

Daddy is getting a lesson on how to hold Piglet and putting his surgery cap back on the way Emma Lou wanted it done.

I must admit I was a nervous wreck about Emma being put to sleep this morning.  I had prayed and prayed about it and knew in my heart that God had this, but I was still worried.  I knew the procedure would be quick and so simple, but signing all those waivers at the hospital physically made me sick.

It only took about 35 minutes for the entire procedure and our Dr. came out and told us she did GREAT!  He said Emma kept them entertained back there by singing and barking at them just like her little white dog.  He was very pleased with how easily the fluid came out of her ears and commented on how large her adenoids were when he removed them.  

He reluctantly told me they had to end up sticking the IV in her foot because they could not get it in her little hand.  Of course I asked how many times they stuck her and he ignored my question with a funny look on his face.   It must have been alot because he did not want me to know or ask the question again. 

We are home now and both my babies are sleeping.  Nana, Aunt Stacey, Hunter and Camryn sent this to Emma and it looks so YUMMY.  Emma will be so excited when she wakes up because she wanted one of these yesterday when we picked our stuff up at Edible Arrangements.

Emma was able to eat when we got home from the hospital.  She chose Tomato soup from our favorite cafe and fresh watermelon that Mommy cut up.

We are praying that Emma will get some relief now that  these two things have been done and not be so susceptible to so many little illnesses.  Now that it is done, I am so glad we moved in this direction but it was not easy to watch them carry our sweet girl away this morning.  I did have to hide in a corner and cry for a little bit before I went back out into the waiting area.

PRAISING God for so many things today, feeling incredibly BLESSED and HOPEFUL as I listen to my most precious blessings snore their little hearts out!

Dear Summer,

We love so many things about you!  Tonight we took a long stroll in the neighborhood while Emma rode her new bike.

Little man enjoyed riding in his little car while Daddy and I took turns pushing him.  They have the cutest Mater bike that I am dying for this little boy to get as soon as he is big enough.

Emma finally got the new 16" bike that she has been desperately needing to replace her 12" bike.  We had planned on getting this for her 4th Birthday, but it took her a little while to learn to be more appreciative.

She actually got to go to Toys R Us Friday night and pick the exact bike she wanted.  It was between this Littlest Pet Shop Bike or a Pink Barbie bike.  It took her several different test drives and about 30 minutes to make her final decision.

She did a great job riding her big girl bike tonight and was super excited about showing it off to the neighbors that were outside watering their yards.


When we got home this Little Man got out and took off running.  What you see here is Gavin's mode of transportation all day long, except when he is sleeping.  The boy WALKS no where and RUNS everywhere!  I am telling you that this kid has the energy of about 5 toddlers combined.  I have truly NEVER seen a more ACTIVE child in my life and it is NONSTOP.  I love this boy more than life itself and I am thankful for his rambunctiousness even though I am exhausted at the end of everyday (well maybe the middle some days).

I still believe we have the best of both worlds, a "girly GIRL" and an "all BOY".  These two kiddos make for a very happy Mommy & Daddy no matter how tired we might be.  At the end of everyday when they wrap their arms around our necks, squeeze us tight and tell us they love us...it is all WORTH it!

Home Sweet Home

We have just returned from our vacation where we spent 5 days in Orlando at Disney and 5 days at the Atlantis in the Bahamas. I took over 2000 pictures, so I have my work cut out for me when it comes to getting all our memories organized.

It was truly an amazing vacation and by far BEST one I have ever been on in my life.  Our kids were PERFECT and such troopers, despite all the naysayers telling us they were too young for Disney. We were in the parks by 9 every morning and not back to our hotel room till midnight or later every night. No complaining, no fussing, occasional cat naps in the stroller and we accomplished every single thing we set out to do.

We covered all 4 parks, downtown Disney, rode every thing we were capable of riding, saw all the shows, hugged on characters, visited the Bippidi Boppiti Boutique, ate lots of food, enjoyed all the parades, stood in awe of the castle at night and Emma even rode her first rollercoaster with Daddy.

We fell in love with all the characters and the magic they bring along with them.  I think we could return to Disney every summer and never get tired of it, it truly is the HAPPIEST place on earth.  There was nothing better than the looks on my kids faces when they would see something for the first time. It was a magical experience to see Gavin's face when he saw Buzz and Woody for the first time and to see Emma transformed into Cinderella by her Fairy Godmother. 

The Bahamas was just as wonderful with our days spent on the beach, in the pools, floating the lazy river, swimming with the dolphins, Daddy snorkeling the main tank, water slides, a pirate party, adopting an Atlantis Pal, Emma going into an Estuary lagoon, playing with the Sea Turtles, Gavin trying to get in the lagoon with the sharks and just spending time with my sweet little family of four.

We love the beaches in the Bahamas, running into the water, building sandcastles, making sand angels, turning Mommy into a mermaid, jumping the waves and soaking up the sun.

We are so incredibly blessed to have one another and be able to enjoy such a wonderful vacation as The Frazier Four.  My kids learn so much every time we travel and are exposed to so many incredible experiences.  Gavin's vocabulary and curiosity exploded on this trip.  Emma's love for animals deepened and left me wondering if she might be a marine biologist, vet or animal activist one day.

We enjoyed swimming with the Dolphins as a family.  Gavin was a little nervous, but he made it through and managed to smile a couple of times.  We got to swim with a 26 year old dolphin and her 7 month old baby this year.  

After digging our way out from under the piles of laundry, bags, suitcases and souvenirs we are finally happy to be home.  We will always be grateful for the memories we shared on our 2011 family vacation and cherish the uninterrupted time we spent with one another.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Finally....

Before we left for vacation we were referred to the ENT and Audiologist to have Emma evaluated. My mind was made up that we were going on our own if we did not get a referral, so I was pleased to go with our Pediatricians blessing.  This referral came after 6 middle ear infections in the past year and was long overdue. 

After extensive antibiotics, ear test, ear drum xray, speech evaluations and meeting with the Dr. we have moved forward in this process and our sweet girl is scheduled for surgery next Friday.  Emma will be having tubes put in her ears and her adenoids removed.  After talking to the Dr. it seems to be a pretty simple process, but this Mommy is a little nervous about her baby being put to sleep. 

Emma is fully aware of what will be taking place and has asked lots of questions.  I realize that this is little compared to what others in the world are dealing with, but I still ask that you pray for us and our sweet girl as this day approaches.  I feel really good about this decision and know that long term it is what is best for Emma's health and her speech. 

She currently is suffering a MILD hearing loss, but the ENT is confident that will be corrected immediately once the tubes have been inserted and the fluid is drained off her little ears.  Her speech has NOT been effected at all, Praise God!  However, the Dr did tell us that she is hearing at a muffled level right now as if she were under water.  My poor baby, no wonder she has been saying, "huh" and "can you turn that up please".

We go for our pre-op visit Wednesday to make sure another infection has not set in and to get registered at the surgical center.  We are praying that her ears are not infected at that time and we get the green light to return on Friday for the scheduled procedure.  Please keep our little girl in your prayers as I am sure she will get nervous as the day approaches.  We are so thankful that we are able to move forward with this so quickly and are praying it gives Emma the relief she needs with her Asthma as well.

We love you Emma Lou and are so ready for you to get the relief you deserve.  Mommy & Daddy will be right by your side when you wake up sweet girl. 

4th of July in the Bahamas

We might not have been "HOME SWEET HOME" for 4th of July but we celebrated in the Bahamas with a huge Pirate themed party at the Atlantis.  The fireworks display was almost as amazing as Disney's and was choregraphed to music.

My two sweet kiddos were proud of their flags and of course we are PROUD to be AMERICANS.  Thanking God for a beautiful day spent on the beach, our poolside lunch, floating in the lazy river, swimming with a Mommy dolphin and her 7 month old baby, good food and most of all The Frazier Four!

28 months at Atlantis

Happy 28 month old birthday Gavin Thomas!  You enjoyed your day on the beach and in the pools at the Atlantis on Paradise Island.  You are all BOY and we love everything that brings along with it!

I pray that your zest for life never fades.  You have more energy than any child I have ever laid eyes on in my entire life.  We have been on vacation for 7 days today and everywhere we have gone you have RAN and made your presence known.  Everyone comments on how ACTIVE you are for such a little boy and we just smile.   You keep us super busy chasing after you and keeping up with your every little move.  You personality is HUGE and there is not one thing we would change about it.  You are HILARIOUS and often have us hiding our faces to laugh because we do not want you to think everything you do is funny.  Daddy and I have enjoyed spending so much time with you on vacation.   We love you to the moon and back!