Collarless, Liar Liar, Fire $#%&s, & Rocks.
We have an 18 month old. A legitimate kid who says things. How did that happen? I put him in some pajamas the other day – size 2T – that I remember getting. I thought, “He’ll neeeever be big enough to fit into these.” Not only did they fit, he verbally informed me they had “dinosaurs” on them. Sweet mercy. Why does time go by so fast? I will say, 18 months is a funny age. Personalities are emerging, emotions are being…explored, lies are being told, profanities are being used… I’ll get to all that. Collarless First…this. At first glance, you might think this reaction came when I told Beckett…
New Year, New Virus & Romanticles
New Year, New Virus Probably my favorite time of 2013 so far were the 5 days we weren’t stricken with some virus. Would you even believe me if I told you Beckett was sick again? This month is sort of starting to feel like the Beach Vacation of 2012, minus the whole running-over-a-deer thing. Timeline of recent events: Friday 1/11: flu symptoms start Sunday 1/13: DAY OF TERROR / ER / SEIZURE / EAR INFECTION / FLU / NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE / TRAUMATIZING OF ALL CHILDREN IN URGENT CARE WAITING ROOM / $1300 AMBULANCE RIDE WITH $52 “MISC” CATEGORY, PRESUMABLY THE COST OF THE TWO BEANIE BABIES WHO NEEDED TO…
Flupidemic & Santa Daddy!
Flupidemic Remember that flu shot Beckett had 2 weeks ago? I want my $20 back. 7 sleepless cough-attack nights, 893 Fresh Beat episodes, and 1,422 popsicles later, it appears that team Brooks is on the mend. And we finally had a good photo shoot. (I know you were all worried.) We’re now just waiting on the ear infection(s) to clear up. At the follow-up appointment with our pediatrician, he informed us that the infected ear had gotten worse and the previously healthy ear was headed towards infection. @%*#$ He gave us new antibiotics so it should clear up this week. If it hasn’t, we do x-rays and blood work. I…
Seize the Day: Part Dos
2:47 AM. Shut off, brain. I would prefer we be sleeping. Yesterday afternoon was so much better for the Beck…his fever broke, he was playing, talking, smiling on occasion…it was such a glorious sight. He still feels pretty miserable from the ear infection/flu combo, but overall he’s getting so much better already. Plus, the fever is gone. Hallllleeeluujah!! You know, the events from Sunday were terrible, but they weren’t out of the ordinary, unfortunately. Kids get sick and when they do sometimes it gets a little dramatic. Still, I wasn’t quite done being haunted by the first time he had an ambulance spin…now Taylor and I both are a little…
Seize the Day.
I should probably be sleeping while the wee one naps, but let’s be honest…I can’t shut my brain off just yet. Yesterday was easily the most intense Sunday in Brooks’ family record books. At the same time, it was oddly peaceful. For me at least. I’ll explain. Remember when Beckett was 2 days old and he was transported via ambulance and admitted to Cook Children’s for 3 days? Yea, that. Saturday was guys’ day at home, so Taylor and my broham watched Beckett while I showered Candace and her soon-to-be-born baby, Gavyn in another city. When I got home that night, I could tell Beckett had a fever and was…
Beach Vacation: 2 Parts Fantastic, 7 Parts Terrible
Why, yes, I do have a glow about me, don’t I? Thanks for noticing. No, this is not a pregnancy announcement. We just came back from a week and a half at the beach. The end of September/beginning of October is a perfect time to finally get a summer tan, amiright? We’ve had a Sparks family beach vacation on the books for a while now. I’d like to report that it was a relaxing, carefree time full of laughter and shrimp. But unfortunately enough, it just wasn’t that kind of get away. It was this kind: Saturday: Arrive in Cape Sans Blas, Florida, no thanks to Apple maps. Run around…
Alpacas & Swiffer
Did you read about Mercy Project last week? Go read it, if you haven’t. Important stuff, y’all. Alpacas Have you ever seen someone and thought, “You’re the kind of person who would kidnap me and wear my skin?” Our shuttle driver yesterday was that man and I was 99.9% sure he was going to kill me and dump Beckett. [Related: I may watch too many crime shows.] We met some friends at a big festival here and got to meet an alpaca named Benny. All in a Thursday’s work, y’all. (The festival is huge so parking is 1 mile away, hence the shuttle driver who makes and wears skin suits.…
A letter for Beckett
Hi sweet boy. We survived one whole year together. I can’t believe it’s been one year since I met you and your chipmunky cheeks for the first time. If we’re being completely honest, (something you’ll learn is unavoidable with me) I had no idea what to do with you when you came out. While you were in my belly, I just took you where I wanted to go, we ate what I wanted to eat, and we slept when I wanted to sleep. Once you were born, well…you had a few opinions of your own. Once you were born, our whole lives changed. At first, I wasn’t sure how I…
A Monsterous Affair
Yesterday was Beckett’s first ever birthday party. First ever. He’s been alive for a whole year. What do you do when you keep your child alive and well for a whole year? You celebrate! Monster style. First you invite all your friends. Then you decorate. The key to decorating for a monster party is to googly-eye everything: picture frames, drink dispenser, serving spoons, family dog…everything. Also, check the cupcake picture. No, I didn’t let the 3rd grade class at church decorate those. I did it all by my big girl self. I had a sobering realization that my dreams of opening my own cupcakery will probably not come…
Geckos, Fireworks, & Toddlerhood
I’m very grateful today. My accidental BFF Tara was in a nasty car accident and is doing AWESOME (and has a pretty killer shiner), my brother is about to close on a house near us, Beckett finally met Knox… we’re blessed. Geckos Something happened a few weeks ago that I haven’t been able to talk about until now – a trauma of sorts. Unless my mom is coming to visit, our bathroom rugs don’t get washed very often. It’s really easy to forget about them when your husband is going, “Hey babe…I just used the last clean undershirt. The ones from the dryer. They actually never even made it to…
