September

September was a WILD month full of the highest highs and the lowest lows. Here is a recap: Dan's Birthday, failed glucose test (3 hr), movie date, Brooks gets sick, Carson gets sick, I get sick, Dan gets COVID, quarantine, lots of testing, FREEDOM!, Brooks starts t-ball, Gestational Diabetes. The end!

For Dan's birthday he took the day off and we went to go watch the Rockies play the Rangers. The boys had the epitome of a good time- ate all the candy, chips and soda, watched baseball and had a great old time. A nice employee even gave Brooks a rangers baseball! 

We made scotcharoos for Dan's birthday, sang to him and gave him his gifts. He got a new wallet, a standing desk mat and some exercise and car kit things he's been wanting.

For Labor Day Brooks and Dan both had it off so we went to the trampoline park. Carson was a bit older this time so he enjoyed it more but near the end still wanted to explore everything but the trampolines haha This chair ended up being his favorite.

After jumping we had lunch as chick-fil-a where Carson drank the sauce and Brooks loved the funny glasses.

Brooks needed new tennis shoes and his were finally giving out so I took him to the store but their selection was awful! I scrounged around a found like 2 pairs in his size. Then hidden in the back we found these light up Paw Patrol shoes and it was meant to be! He loved them and they fit well, done! He was so excited to wear them to school.

He also has a new obsession with avocado toast

To kick off the first weekend of football we made some wings and fries but just for some added fun I made some Dr. Pepper cupcakes. Now although there was a TON of Dr. Pepper in these cupcakes and frosting, I'm not sure it tasted like the soda... but whatever it tasted like it was still good!

Carson has been busting out of the pj's so I pulled the next size out and how perfect was this? He LOVED Daniel Tiger and is just starting to recognize characters. I thought this tiger face really accentuated the belly well!

We soaked up our last few pools days in September! We've had so much fun playing at the pool, both boys have really grown in their water skills. We're sad to see it close but I'm not sad to wave goodbye to the 100 degree temperatures!

Now that Brooks is in school for a couple of hours in the mornings, Carson is truly enjoying the alone time. He's either totally engrossed with doing his own thing, lining up cars, crashing them or other things. OR he's attached at my hip/ on top of me, there's really no in between haha.

Sits RIGHT next to me as I read my scriptures. He brings his own books or will get stickers and put them on his legs and feet.

Constantly smooching me or laying all over my scriptures as I try to read. Is he part cat? But honestly how could you complain? It's the sweetest thing and he really loves his one on one time with his mama.

Carson, Phillip and James! We were joking Phillip was almost as big as Carson and once you stretch him out, he's pretty close!

Brooks matching his Paw Patrol shirt and shoes

The weather has been finally cooling off so sometimes afterschool we can play out front (enough shade for mama!) and today we had a picnic lunch.

I gave Carson an oreo and he just kept shoving it in his mouth, slowly eating it while is disintegrated. Resulting in this mess haha

We had a new pet for 10 minutes! This gecko Brooks named O-Coconut. He was a pretty good size so I wonder if he's been in our pantry eating out food.. hmm.. Anyways we were able to catch him, look at him then toss him back outside.

For a fun weekend activity we took the boys to the new Paw Patrol movie! We rarely go to the movies, seriously like once a year maybe. So we got the comfy recliner seats, kids get their own snacks and drinks. We had no idea how Carson would do with this being his first movie so I came prepared, toy, stickers, crayons and extra things to keep his attention. How much of that did I use? NONE! He was ENTHRALLED almost the whole time, then the last 20 minutes I kept him busy with redvines. It was a win all around and everyone enjoyed the movie.

Come Sunday afternoon is when everything started to go down hill. Suddenly Brooks gets a really bad headache, or almost what I would call a migraine. He was nauseous, in pain and couldn't function. About 2 hours later he has a low grade fever. Over the next two days it's this cyclical pattern of bad headache, low grade fever, I give him motrin, once it kicks in he feels fine but once it wears off his head hurts and his fever is back. No other symptoms.

Poor kid, you know your 4 year old is tired when he CHOOSES to nap. No less behind a chair haha! But whatever works, he must have found it comfortable.

2 days after Brooks started feeling bad look who's next. Same thing- it came on so FAST. Suddenly Carson is crying and won't stop when he was fine and sitting with me 2 seconds ago. I pick him up and can feel he's hot. Sure enough, low grade fever probably a headache he can't tell me about. Poor thing this was his first time being sick. Being a 2020 COVID baby he hasn't had a lot of experience being sick. I forget how hard it is when they can't talk to tell you what's wrong.

He was down for about 1.5 days. We did the same thing, meds around the clock. Thankfully they both slept well maybe except for 1 night. Then I find a couple of spots on both of the boys and there it is, Hand Foot Mouth. It all makes sense now! Brooks probably got it from school, it's super contagious and easy to pass around.

Sweet boy would still play when he was feeling up to it.

Once the boys started feeling better I took them out for cake pops to lift some spirits. I woke up with a sore throat but it just made sense because I'm sure I got HFM next.

Plot twist. Friday morning Dan wakes up and can't smell and Brooks after being totally better for 2 whole days has a barking cough. My first thought is oh my gosh, we all have covid. Did we have covid all week and didn't know? Was the pediatrician wrong about HFM? So we send Dan with Brooks off to urgent care and get tested. It's a same day test and I am FLOORED with Brooks comes back negative but Dan comes back positive. I'm thinking, there's no way we haven't been exposed when Dan has tested positive... I slept by him every night, we've been with him almost all week. BUT if there was the SLIGHTEST chance I or the kids weren't exposed I wanted to take it. So we shunned Dan to the master suite and his office while the kids and I took the rest of the house.

Dan experienced mild symptoms over the next few days, mild congestion, some achiness. Both kids got the cough and runny nose. Then I got the cough and runny nose. I slept on the air mattress for a week, solo parented 2 sick kids while being sick and pregnant myself, made all of Dan's meals and left them at his door. Dan was bored out of his mind being stuck in our room, only sneaking out for walks or to get tested. It was EXHAUSTING.

Watching cartoons together on mama's bed. This is how it was when I got up...

 This is how it was when I got back. Carson's a little spot stealer!!

While mom desperately needed a nap Brooks did quiet time and made these! The amount of tape using had me ROLLING but it was so worth it for the nap I got.

Brooks and I got tested again 5 days after Dan tested positive and we both tested negative for COVID, Flu and RSV. How? Literally how? Well I'll tell you how. I had a very personal experience which I'll share part of here. I was terrified and panicked on the inside about the possibility of my kids getting covid. I hoped I would be ok being vaccinated, and knew mostly likely they'd be ok, but what if we fell into the percentage that wouldn't? I got on my knees and prayed harder than I ever had. I'm not great at asking God for things, I'm usually trying to do His will in my life but I asked, I begged, I pleaded specifically that we would not be infected. I gave it everything and willed it to be so... and it was. It was a very personal and sacred experience and the feeling of peace I got afterwards told me that everything was going to be ok. 

I tested 1 more time 8 days after exposure and once again I came out negative for all three. The kids and I never got it. Although we were sick it was Hand Foot Mouth or something else. Blessings straight from heaven. I will never forget the miracle God performed in our lives that week.

FREEDOM! Dan could come out of his dungeon and we cleaned ALL the things, bleached all the things and man it felt good to have him back and I know he was ready to get the heck out of there. Since we were all COVID free, I took the kids to Walmart and picked out Halloween Costumes. Here's a sneak peek. Brooks of course was so excited to be Chase. We had Carson choose from baby shark and Mickey. He chose mickey and I could just die of cuteness!

We found our halloween shirts and decorated inside for Halloween. We still need to buy some more things to complete the outside.

During our quarantine the morning temperatures were in the 50's and 60's- perfect for morning walks, especially when we all had coughs and congestion, the cool air helped a lot and it was SO refreshing. I am so ready for fall!

Brooks missed his first day of t-ball due to quarantine but when we got to go he was so excited! He did so good! He's probably one of the oldest on the team and was hitting the ball so well. He even got the sportsmanship medal for the week for being respectful and he was just beaming with pride.

So I've been officially diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, meaning that because of my placenta and the hormone balances in my body right now, I'm actually diabetic this pregnancy which means this device is my new best friend. I'm kind of in denial about it but I really don't want to be put on insulin. I personally think I'm a mild case and I can get away with diet and exercise modification until I deliver. I mean was already 32 weeks when I started testing my blood sugar and me and my baby aren't measuring big sooo. My plan is to do really well on my sugars the first 2 weeks then maybe experiment a bit and see what I can eat.