Happy Thanksgiving!

I had surgery Wednesday. Recovery took way longer than expected because I was in severe pain coming out of surgery. It felt like I was in labor and this women does not do labor pains at all. Anyway,  I believe recovery was about 2 hours. Dr. Adam double stitched me so maybe that's why my body was freaking out, I don't know.
We officially became "that family" that has a fake Christmas tree. I know, I don't love it either! It's the first time in my entire life but there are pluses to a fake tree. One being it's already up and decorated! Don't start with it's too early and all that jazz. Have you ever experienced the Christmas season with 3 year olds? It's so fun and magical!
Anyway, Saturday morning Madi woke me up before 6am telling me it was time to "put up Christmas." Once I got my eyes opened and was getting up, I realized she was fast asleep and must have been talking in her sleep. Her and I went to get special breakfast and when we came home there was a very special present on the door step from the North Pole!!! Everyone was up and they tore into the special gift to find Elfie our Elf, a special letter from Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause, and Christmas pajamas! Santa is a rock star!
Ricky took Harper to her new home in the country. She has 3 acres of land to run around as she pleases and is now a house dog. She needed a new home with a family that has plenty of time for her and we are so happy to have found one for her.
When he came home, the kids were begging him to "build Christmas!" Once it was built and fluffed, we all decorated it. It's so cute because most all the decorations are on the bottom, in three specific spots :) Love those Littles!
Ricky is working his last day for the week today. It will possibly be an early day because it's SNOWING 30 minutes from his job!
We ordered our Thanksgiving dinner today and it will be ready for pickup Thanksgiving day at 11am. How easy is that? We did go to the famous Flying Saucer Pie Company for my a chocolate pie but the line was down the road 100+ people waiting in the cold rain. I'll get my pie after Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from our little family to yours! The kids are so excited to go to the movies on Thanksgiving to see Frozen. Hard to believe this time next year we will be a family of 6!! We sure are thankful!

KP

Peanut update

Quick update: The baby is PERFECTION! Had my appointment today and the ultrasound was taking a while. I'm always very nervous going to the doctor considering what we've been through so I quickly asked if everything was okay. The nurse said everything was fine but she was trying to get a measurement of the neck and the baby wouldn't be still long enough!! It was amazing to see him or her waving it's little arms, specifically one like it was saying hello and it was turning from back to side over and over again. It's little hand is perfection. Everything is just wonderful. I even got to see it's face. The nurse was finally able to get the measurement and said we could find out if it is a boy or girl today but we will know for sure in 2 weeks so I opted to wait for several reasons. Dr. Adam came in and did another ultrasound for herself and is extremely pleased at the way everything looks and the baby. She said after surgery tomorrow everything will be great.
The kids were with me today and were so excited to hear it's heartbeat and see the baby. The girls both said they like my baby when we were leaving. Madi said she also has a baby and held up her shirt so now I'm trying to tell her only I have a baby.
Update soon!

KP

Surgery week is here!

Let me just say that I got really sick last Thursday. So sick I went to a doctor. Turns out I have a good ol' fashion cold.

Let me also say that Ricky and I will be married EIGHT YEARS tomorrow. 

We decided we would go out for dinner and some type of fun on Saturday to celebrate. Also because we desperately needed a break from a certain set of three year olds. It was the only day during this cold I was unable to taste or smell. To make matters way, way, way worse, we went to our favorite steakhouse. And to top it off, we were going to walk around Market Street but it started raining when we were walking to the car from dinner. Yep, can't make it up folks! 

Anyway, tomorrow the kids and I will be up and in the medical center early. I am going to register at the hospital before my appointment with the OB since the appointments are sooooo long. They are so excited to see the baby. It's so cute now because if they hear a little baby crying they ask me what that is and if it's my baby. Do they know something about this baby I don't? Like it will cry a lot? They follow that by telling me how much they love and like my baby. So flippin cute! 

Wednesday morning the five of us (+ baby Patton) will be leaving at 4:30 AM :( to head to the hospital. Surgery is scheduled to start at 7:30 and I figure we will be home by mid day at the latest. 

Also, I wonder if Dr. Adam will let 3 little assistants in the OR on delivery day? Probably not but we do EVERYTHING as a family and the thought of them having to stay somewhere for at least 3 days when I have this baby is not something I'm looking forward to. Unless it's an amazing vacation, I want my favorite peeps with me! 

That time the kids saw the Disney characters in real life!

Once upon a time there were two beautiful princess that spent their day dreaming of becoming queens! Each and every day was spent dancing and all things princess. One day their parents shocked them big time and they....

MET MINNIE AND MICKEY MOUSE!!!!!!

Saturday night we took the kids to Disney on Ice. They were beyond excited. Really I don't think I have words for the anticipation and I really don't have words for that moment they saw Minnie and Mickey Mouse in person. We left the house around 3pm to have dinner and plenty of time to get to the 7:30 show. We did get there a little early but it worked out. Anyway, Ricky decided well before the event that he was bringing a "little" cash for them to pick out something special. It was not nearly as costly as I thought it would be but it was so cute to see their little eye light up so big and have so many options to pick from. Madi settled on Bell the doll from Beauty and the Beast, Gracie settled for Snow White but she really wanted Ariel but her little world is going to be rocked come Christmas so we said no but she was excited to get Snow White. Brody picked out Woody. We then stopped and got some nachos (pregnant lady is ALWAYS hungry) and drinks and headed to our AMAZING seats! Our seats were so awesome. The kids were able to see everything and up close too! After nachos I got them a cotton candy which was their first time to ever have and was not their favorite thing. And then it was time for the show to start. When Minnie and Mickey skated out Gracie Ann's mouth dropped, both hands went to her mouth, and she said wow. She was nearly in tears! It was the sweetest thing we'd ever seen. Madi's mouth dropped open, both hands went into the air, and she squealed with excitement. Brody smiled so big and pointed. Hands down worth every single penny we spent. The next two hours the kids were glued to every character that came out. They danced and sang and danced some more. It was pure joy for 2 straight hours. We asked them what their favorite parts were at the end and Gracie shouted out Ariel from the Little Mermaid and Minnie and Mickey. Madi said the same and also Nemo and the princesses. Brody said Buzz and Woody, Minnie and Mickey.

We feel about this ---- big because we were going to take them on a Disney cruise earlier this year but Brody and Gracie were not potty trained and would have been limited on the things they could do. Then we decided to fly to Disney but canceled last minute because of all the walking we knew they were not strong enough to do yet. And now seeing how much they just loved the program, we want nothing more than to get them to Disney but now we can't because we have a little bundle of joy on the way. It'll be several years before we'll be able to get them there :(  First world problems.. I know.

We have a very busy couple weeks. My Psychology class ends this weekend!! So excited not to drive to Tomball every Saturday morning at 7:30 am!! Ricky and I are celebrating our anniversary a little early and going to our favorite steak house on Saturday night. Next Wednesday is my surgery. We have to be there at 5:30 in the morning but after these two weeks, the fun begins!! We are going to take the kids to see the newest Disney movie on Thanksgiving. They've been so excited to see it. Ricky will be off for several days that week as well. The weekend of the 13th we will be in Galveston to see Polar Express in 3D and the Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens. Luckily Ricky is taking a long weekend for that too. The following week I believe, we find out what our little peanut is!!! And the next week is Christmas! Ricky is off many days for that and we are also going to Grapevine to the Gaylord Texan!! We leave Christmas day and will return the next day. Shrek and characters are there and they have over 2 tons of ice they carve to make different things as well as several slides, etc. And all the lights!! They have millions of Christmas lights throughout the resort.

That's what's going on in the Patton house. I love this little family so much and we are all so excited for little Truett or little baby no name STILL to join us. Full term and healthy of course!!

KP

PS: Christmas cards might be a little late or turn into New Year cards but you'll get some type of card from us!

Baby Patton update

It's been a really rough week. Monday I was really sick and stayed in bed all day. By late that afternoon, I was in so much pain in my back and sides that I had to have the doctor paged. She advised me to head to the hospital to make sure everything was okay. Ricky had to fight traffic to get back home to drive me there (he'd only been at work about 30 minutes). The ER doctor thought it was kidney stones and ordered an ultrasound of my kidneys. It was the most painful ultrasound I've had to date. The tech kept pushing so hard around my ribs and down my side. Test came back that I had a kidney infection. I got IV antibiotics and we were home around 1:30 or 2 Tuesday morning. Tuesday I stayed in bed all day again. I started having new pain that afternoon so I called the doctor and she wanted to see me. This was right before Ricky had to leave for work.. go figure. Anyway, after waiting a couple hours (I was a work in and she has a very busy practice) it was such a huge relief to see the baby's heart beating away. The baby is measuring a little small but she isn't worried about it at this time. She said the baby looks great and also informed me that I have some fibroid tumors that are also very painful. I was unaware of these. The medications I can take to help with the pain will put stress on the baby's heart. She said I could take the medicine one time to help but I don't want to do anything to put stress on this baby. I'll already be put under for surgery in two weeks.
Ricky and the kids got to see the baby for the first time yesterday. Ricky was really excited, I'll never forget these experiences with him. The office is set up awesome... there is the ultrasound machine which the doctor looks at and usually you have to break your neck to look at the screen to see the baby but not at my doctor's office! There are 2 TVs that show what she is looking at. At first the kids asked what that was and when we told them the baby and they were so excited. They thought the heart beat sounded so cool. Madi said she liked my baby and insisted in holding the ultrasound picture out of the office and the entire ride home. Love this family of mine!
I have another appointment in two weeks, the day before my surgery.

KP

Still no girl name.

remembering

There is something about this time of year when the reality of my dad being gone almost makes the air thick to breathe. Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday and I always start thinking about him more than usual around late October through the holidays. He has almost been gone 10 years. You'd think it'd be easier and in some ways it is, but then in so many other ways it isn't. The short months after his diagnosis were hard to witness. When someone is dying of Cancer, it agonizing pain around the clock. It's physically and emotionally draining for the person that has Cancer but it's heartbreaking to watch someone die in front of you. It was so hard for me because I didn't know until maybe 2 weeks before that he didn't have a chance to survive. And really all those late night talks when he was preparing me, I thought he was just down and felt defeated. I never really understood until the very end that it was really going to be the end. I hate that my mother wasn't the person he needed by his side. I hate that he knew her for what she really was. I am so lucky for the things he shared with me.. his hopes and dreams for me and how much he loved me. We all slept on the floor around his chair the night before he died. That morning he spoke his last words and I left. I knew he was dying that day and I knew from our talks we'd said goodbye and everything we needed to say. I also knew I nor he wanted to see him leave so I arrived back after he was gone.
I can't figure out if it's normal for it to still be so painful or if it's because people changed so much for the worse after he was gone. I also don't understand how people try to kill themselves every single day with addictions but continue to survive or people who don't want to live or want to die by a certain age, live to be old. It blows my mind.
I often think about how excited he'd be about the kids. How much love he'd give them and how much they'd love him. Them not having him hurts more than me not having him.
I know everything happens for a reason but I don't understand why him. Nothing good came from him leaving. In fact, only bad things happened. I guess it isn't for us to know. All I can do is remember the good times and find peace that I will see him again one day.

KP

LOVE is when a MAN wipes away your tears, even after you left Him hanging on the cross for your sins.

The kids had the best time last night at their old school's church festival. The best thing was Ricky worked days and was able to be there with us. They got handfuls of candy after each game they played. Of course they wanted to dive right into it as soon as we got home but it was after 8 and they had to go to sleep. I emptied all the candy and put it in a bowl and HID it. This morning Madi was the first one up and joined me in the living room. When she walked in she saw her backpack and ran to it. She was extremely disappointed to find it empty and let me know all about how it wasn't okay with her. It was so funny. If I had any clue she would think about the candy and have a reaction, I would have video taped it.
Off to school they went. Today was the last day at Brody and Gracie's current school. Monday they will start a new program much more appropriate for them at a new school. I like the fact it's in our neighborhood and less than 5 minutes away. We've been up there every day this week and they seem to be very excited about the change. Ricky rode with B, G and I to get Madi. As soon as she got in the car she announced that she was born in Texas and that she went to San Antonio to see Shamu. We were so impressed! Ricky and I really hope Brody and Gracie will get that type of education in this new setting.
Next Saturday we are taking the kids to Disney on Ice. We've not told them yet and cannot wait to see the reactions! They have seen the commercials that come on and freak out.
Gracie and I get to see baby peanut next Friday morning before her appointment. I'll update soon.

KP