Raleigh's First ASU Game.

This week Raleigh went to his first ASU basketball game.

It was very exciting because the Mountaineers beat UNC-Charlotte in double overtime.

We went to dinner at the Parthenon Cafe. Uncle Nick couldn't believe how big Raleigh has gotten. We walked over to the Holmes center from Nick's and had a great time. We bought our tickets an hour before the game and we sat in Row A directly behind press row. Raleigh read his school book to me while we waited for the game to start. I hope Laura and I can continue to press the lesson that school work is the top priority. We will do a lot of activities in our family but school work has to be done.

Bobby and Meredith were at the game and they called me on cell phone. All I could hear Bobber say was "2 O'Clock" so I looked at 2 O'Clock and there they were. Raleigh of course had to move up and sit with uncle Bobby and aunt Meredith. Raleigh learned a little bit about how to cheer for his team which will benefit some day I hope. We had a great time. Raleigh slept most of the way home. He was a very good boy and went right to bed as soon as we got home. I will take to other sporting events as he continues to grow.

O degrees!!!

This is a post I really didn't think I would ever make! I took Will back to the Shriner's today and he has NO curve left in his back! I was pretty much speechless. In looking at his back the last few days, I was predicting 13 degrees. I thought it was worse...but not much worse. The doc came in and spent all of 2 minutes in the room. He asked me how long it had been since he had been in a brace or cast...ummm...never! He said he was getting nothing on his curve. After asking how often we were coming in, he decided we would do 4 months this time as opposed to 3 months like usual. He reminded me that he never quits worrying about these kids, but didn't spend very long on that speech like last time. He then told me that he has about 35 kids in casts right now and almost all of them were small, frail, and had little hair that breaks off. Will is none of those.
Leading up to the trip I told Will he would be going to the doctor. He asked if it was his "picture doctor" or his "hurt doctor". Bless his heart, I guess the last few times of shots, needles, and IV's at his Peds office has made him think they are the "hurt doctor". On the way down there, he even said something about a "witch doctor" thanks to Madagascar 2.
He did well while we were there. I'm amazed at his memory of things. He screamed with joy at the waterfall, zebra, giraffe, and elephant in the main waiting area. He remembered the big Cat in the Hat at the x-ray entrance and even asked where the baby went (there was a small cat in the hat sitting in the big one's lap). I had even forgotten about that! The x-ray was the best ever. Not even a whimper from him this time. He kept telling the lady, "I be a big boy!" while he stood so straight and tall. Afterwards he got his sticker...part of the routine we have there.
When he went to the room he remembered that he got to play with blocks last time and kept asking for them. Due to budget cuts at the Shriners hospital, however, they no longer have the toy room or the woman that stayed in there. Lucky for us though, they had lots of toys...including his blocks...in a big bin near his room. So, we got lots of blocks and trucks and he played great in the room until the Doc came.
We took BEAR with us this time. Its a little beanie baby bear he got the last time he was there. Its the first and only stuffed animal that Will has been attached to. He sleeps with it every night and it even went on the Pumpkin Train ride with us. A lady came around in the waiting room handing out new beanie babies. This time he chose a pink flamingo. When I asked him what his name was he told me BINGO. I was excited that he had a real name and then asked him if he meant "flamingo" and he said yeah. But....the name BINGO has stuck and he is carting him around with Bear.
I must brag again on the Shriners Hospital. While the wait time there is crazy...the care we get is incredible. Everyone there is so nice. I get chills everytime we go there and I see the hospital. To know my son is getting the best care possible is beyond my words to express.
Above all, however, I praise the Lord tonight. The last 2 years of infantile scoliosis has been a roller coaster ride. I've been more worried about my son than I ever thought possible during this time. I've also had to depend on the Lord more, which has been a great blessing. I don't know if this is "it" as far as the scoliosis goes...but I will enjoy this time. No matter what happens, may the Lord be praised.

Raleigh lost another tooth!!

Ral's other tooth finally came out this morning. Its been super loose the last few days. When he got up and showed me this morning, I sent him directly to Daddy. I do NOT mess with loose teeth. Just to see them creeps me out.
Will insists that he is losing a tooth as well and even "showed" me in this picture!

Hide and Seek

My boys are playing hide and seek right now.....
To say its hilarious, is an understatement. One of them is "hiding" in the room and sends the other one out to count and then come right back to find them.
Ral just told Will to go out and count to 11. He replies, "okay!" and runs to the kitchen and counts 1...2....6...ready or not, here I come!" and runs right into the room to find Raleigh. Ral then tells him to count to twenty thousand. So, Will runs to the living room and says, "8...9...11...ready or not here I come!"

They are having a blast, laughing, and having fun.
Life is good...who cares if they don't play the game right!

Poop in the potty

We are working on potty training Will. He just told me he wanted to poop and put him on the toilet. After he he tinkled I asked him where the poop was. He told me it was in his bottom. I told him to make it come out. He looked at me and said, "It come out like the beautiful butterfly...."

Ummm....ok. That's a simile I never thought I'd hear about pooping.

Will's first movie!

We had family movie night last night. We all went to the theatre to see MADAGASCAR 2. Raleigh kept saying it was Madagascar THE 2 and then asked Will if he wanted to see Buzz Woody the 3. Oh, how we wish there was a Toy Story 3.
Can you believe it cost us 30.00 to see a stupid movie?????

Will was ....Will. I think the next time we go back he will be 14 or 15. He talked almost the whole time and liked getting out of his seat. I think my *favorite* part was watching my 2 year old in the floor getting popcorn and eating it..despite the fact that we had a large container of popcorn big enough to feed the Gosselins.

When he is sick this week, I'll definitely know why.

I love seeing what Will "takes away" from experiences, though. This morning he woke up talking about Alex the Lion and how he got a spank on his bottom and it left a red mark. He then proceeded to role play and make himself Marty while I was Alex and Mike became Moto Moto.

We voted!!!!

We voted today. Ral loves to tell people.."We vote for John McCain....and Jordin!" (Ral watched American Idol with me 2 seasons ago...he always wants to vote for Jordin, no matter what the contest.)
Both of my boys love to do the John McCain chant.
Will likes to taunt me though....looking at me and saying in a low voice, "I need Barack Obama...."

Umm..no Will. We DON'T need Barack Obama. I'm praying for a McCain victory tonight...for many reasons..the biggest few being McCain's pro-life stance, his military support, and his support of traditional families.

Regardless of the outcome, however, I know that the Lord is still in control. If Obama does win, I won't be happy, but I WILL be respectful. My mama taught me a respect for certain people in the world....our president being one of them. I hope to teach this same thing to my boys.