Lots of catching up to do!

Hey!  Do you remember me??  I have a blog titled "Laughing Lolly."  Ever heard  of it?  If you haven't, I'm not shocked because there's been zero bloggage in what, three weeks??  Sorry, y'all.  We moved into our new house two weeks ago, and we just got Internet yesterday.  I wish I was kidding.  Let's just say that next time we make a move (which we're not planning to do for a long time) we might rethink the AT&T relationship.  Not impressed. 

Anyway, we are all moved in to our new house and loving it!  We've never had this much room since we moved into our first home in December 2006.  More room=lots of empty spaces which we'll have to build upon as the time goes by.  The new house things I'm super stoked about are: a separate laundry room, separate master bathroom, carpet (yes, I know I'm crazy), and the fact that I have a foyer.  I haven't been able to access Pinterest that much over the past couple of weeks, but since things are finally settling down and since we finally have internet I plan to get my pinspiration on.  I'll post pics of the house soon, I promise.  My hubs is super pumped about the fact that we have a partly finished basement that's the size of the house.  His own personal "man home."  Oh, the things we have planned......can't wait to put these plans into action!

The most important "to do" right now is getting Harper's nursery ready.  I am so lame that I haven't even picked out nursery bedding yet.  That's cray.  I'll be entering 3rd trimester this Friday (28 weeks- whoop!).  By this point in my pregnancy with Aaron the bedding was already chosen, and Adam was painting the nursery.  The only excuse I have is the fact that we just moved, and haven't had much time for nursery planning.  I do have my eye on some precious bedding from Pottery Barn that I will most likely purchase this week.  Once I do, I'll give y'all a sneak peek.  I feel like once the bedding gets here, the creativity will take over.....hopefully.  Her walls are already painted beige, and I'm fine with sticking to that color.  My main color is pink (duh), and I feel like I can pull in all kinds of fun colors with that as the base. 

Speaking of baby girl, we went for her Fetal Echo two weeks ago Friday, and her heart is healthy and normal!!!  Ahhhh.....relief.  Like I've said before, I've felt pretty confident from our past two ultrasounds that her heart was normal, but it was music to my ears to hear from a pediatric cardiologist that her sweet heart showed no abnormalities and is normal.  We are so blessed.
This Friday is my Gestational Diabetes test (the glucose screening) where I have to drink the yucky, orange stuff.  Not looking forward to it.  However, I am looking forward to the 3D/4D ultrasound of Harper Beth next month!  I just want to see if she has hair.  Aaron had tons of it.  I've been plagued with heartburn again this pregnancy so I'm taking that as a good sign.  My Aaron Mo came out with tons of black hair, that had basically grown into a rattail it was so long.  I could not believe I grew all that hair in my belly.....hahah!  Guess we'll see!

Since it's been forever since I last blogged, and a lot of things have happened since I'm just going to let my photos document the past few weeks:

My girlfriends and I went to see NKOTB/98 Degrees/Boyz 2 Men a few weeks ago.  Y'all, we had a blast!  We started out in the nosebleed seats at Phillip's Arena, but ended up on the second row right before NKOTB took the stage (thanks, Lori!).  I know we're totally tweens, but I'm just going to put it out there and say: NKOTB put on a great show.  We even lingered behind after the show was over trying to get a glimpse of Joey and Company.  My sweet friend Brooke and I even tried to pimp out our pregnant bellies to get backstage access and all we got was a set list from a nice guy that was working production.  Oh well, it's the little things!  Here's a video of the guy's singing "Tender Love;" an old-school love song that I've been obsessed with forever!

The next day after the concert, we closed on our house!  Here's a pic of the front of our new casa:

Wish I could say the white BMW was mine also, but sadly I cannot.  Dreamers can dream!

Best news of the week!!! 

We were only in our new home for a week before we headed to Destin for our family vacation.  With the exception of the last three, rain-drenched days of vacay, we had a wonderful, relaxing time. 

The night we arrived.  Heaven. 

Crab Cakes at The Crab Trap.  My mouth is watering. 

We took our annual boating trip around the Gulf to Crab Island and Dewey Destin earlier in the week due to the terrible rainy weather at the end of the week:

The Captain & his Skipper ;)

We're on a boat, y'all!

My boys enjoying Crab Island.  The water was a little green this year, but nevertheless beautiful!

Mi familia

Our last night dinner at Whales Tail.  See you next year!

Sadly, I didn't get as many pics as I would have liked to, but like I said before, it rained.  A lot.  Boo.  Oh well, there's always next year!!

Enjoy your Tuesday, friends!

~LL

Is it Friday yet?

Aaron's at preschool this morning.  Hallelujah!  As much as I love being home with my favorite person in the world, Mama needs a break.  I don't know about y'all but this week has just dragged by for us.  Sunday afternoon we headed up to Kennesaw to spend time with family.  We had a wonderful time!  I noticed that afternoon Aaron started coughing, but I didn't think anything of it.  Monday the cough continued and he woke up from his nap with a low grade fever.  Monday night he woke up at 2 AM coughing with a fever of 101.8.  Bless it.  I gave him some Tylenol, got him some juice, and put him in the bed with me (poor hubs got assigned the couch).  So of course, I take Aaron to his pediatrician Tuesday morning where I'm informed that it's viral and has to run its course.  Ugh!  So after a long week of coughs, congestion, and fever it looks like we're on the up and up today.  Aaron has been fever-free for the past 18 or so hours (yay) and was able to head back to school today.  I blame the pollen.  I know allergies don't necessarily cause fever, but it seems like when the yellow stuff gets to swirling around your body reacts as if it has the flu.  Needless to say, we haven't spent much time outside since Sunday.  Ready to get back at it this weekend!

I also had a doc appointment Tuesday morning.  I got to hear that glorious heartbeat (156)!  I still have no clue what is growing in this belly.  I'm thinking it's a boy for sure.  Actually, most everybody thinks it's a boy.  We'll see soon!  My next appointment is April 25th and it's the big heart ultrasound appointment.  I'm incredibly nervous.  I feel confident that this baby is healthy, but of course there's the worry that lingers.  Praying every day!  I'm pretty sure I'll find out what I'm having at that appointment.  Eeekk!  I'm so excited!  I think it's crazy how this ultrasound will fall on Luke's due date.  April 25th.  I think that's him smiling down at me.  It blows my mind that I have a child in Heaven that I've never met.  One day I will.  But for now, I know he's my angel.  He's Aaron's angel, Adam's, and he's this unborn child's angel.  How blessed we are.

On a totally different note, are y'all watching Nashville?  I love this show.  Anyway, Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere are the big stars and they always looks fab.  The shows website has videos on how to get Hayden's look on Nashville and I (of course) love it since I'm obsessed with makeup.  Plus, Hayden is gorge so who doesn't want to know what makeup she wears?!  Anyway, watching these videos makes me want to become a full-fledged Neutrogena girl.  I've never really worn the brand's makeup, but I think once I finish my Makeup Forever foundation/powder combo I'm hitting up Walgreens for some Neutrogena goodies.  This kind've stuff thoroughly excites me, y'all!  I'll keep you posted.....

Which brings me to the question, where's my Birchbox this month??

Before I leave you, here's a little eye candy in the form of ASkars:

I heart him. Via

Happy Thursday!!

~LL

Blessings

Is it just me or does Thanksgiving feel different this year?  Most of all, the upcoming holidays have a totally different feel for me.  I feel happier, healthier, and more excited about what God has in store for me and my family.

This time last year, tomorrow to be exact, was when I found out our second son had a heart condition.  You can read more about that here.  I'll never forget that day; going from the excitement of finding out we had been blessed with another boy to finding out he had a sick heart.  It was a little over a week later that we found out he had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.  Basically, the left side of his heart never grew; my baby had half of a heart.  Upon hearing this diagnosis, we were in utter shock and despair.  How did this happen?  What did I do wrong?  Of course, there was nothing I did wrong, it was just a rare "thing" that happened; that's what the Doctors told me anyway.

We had named him Luke.  His brother has a strong biblical name, and we felt like our second son should, too.  Our sweet Luke went to Heaven Tuesday, December 13th 2011.  Although my heart will forever mourn his presence, I know he's in Heaven.  I know he's healthy and whole, and I know he's surrounded by love.  I also know that I'll get to meet him one day and that is amazing.

I know these holidays will be different for all of us.  Last year, I went through the motions of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I pretended to be happy because I had to for Aaron.  Aaron needed his mommy, and I needed him so badly.  Thank God for my sweet, beautiful, rambunctious Aaron Mo.  He is the best thing I've ever done, and the biggest blessing God has ever given me.  I know God will bless us with another healthy child when the time is right.  But for now, and every day of my life, I'll be thankful for this child. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving with your loved ones!!

~LL

Loosey Goosey

Today I visited a chiropractor for the first time in my life.  After today, I don't know why I ever waited so long.

After dealing with yet another sinus infection this week, I made the appointment.  I am so sick (both literally and figuratively) of going to the Doc, getting a Z pack, getting rid of the infection, and then going through the same motions 2 months later.  I don't do sick well.  I can't stand laying around, looking like a ragamuffin, and feeling like a a$$.

I'm sad to say that it's taken me almost thirty years to reach the point in my life where my head is not stuck in the clouds regarding mine and my families health.  I guess what I'm trying to say is, although I do feel that doctors are a vital part of this world, I no longer "prescribe" to the "get sick-go to the Doc-get an antibiotic-get well" routine that goes on EVERY.DAY.  Our bodies were created by the Master of the universe, and He built us to naturally rid our bodies of toxins and impurities without having to choose the Doc-in-the-box route. 

Of course, as I stated above, Doctors are a must.  There are so many situations where Doctors and their expertise are needed.  They are essential, and they are lifesavers.....literally.  If it weren't for a Doctor, I wouldn't have known that our second son had a very sick heart, and would have a very brief life.  If it weren't for that Doctor, I wouldn't have made the health changes in mine and my families life since that moment last December when we learned that our Luke had Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. 

All in all, the reasons above brought me to the Chiropractor today; a more natural approach to my health instead of going the typical medical route.  And I have to say, I feel so much better.  I already knew (from my sister's stint at a Chiropractors office) that the alignment of the spinal vertebrae is essential to our well-being.  Our spine controls everything.  Our spine tells our brain what to do to make our bodies right.  Isn't that amazing? 

As soon as I was seated in my Chiropractors office, he proceeded to show me a light-up board of the spinal vertebrae and what affects what in our bodies.  After performing an X-Ray I was informed that I have some neck (cervical) issues, and that very well could be a cause of the constant sinus infections.  Afterwards I got a neck and back adjustment.  Y'all, I feel great.  I never realized how much tension I carried in my neck, until I felt that release.  I go back for another adjustment Monday and I cannot wait.  I'm not saying that I'm healed, but at least my spine can now tell my brain, "hey, clear this up so girlfriend doesn't constantly have to gross everyone out by blowing her schnoz everywhere she goes!"  Okay, so that was kind of gross and uncalled for. 


So now that we have finished our science lesson of the day, why don't we..........

Hottness (image courtesy of: http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/88594317640722269_KUKOaZ5Z_b.jpg)

wish JHutch a very Happy 20th birthday!!!  Love you, Peeta, oops, Josh!!

~LL

Some days are harder than others....

Today being that day.  I woke up in a blah mood.  Overslept, had to jump out of bed, and literally only had time to wash my face and brush my teeth before Aaron got up and our morning routine began.  (FYI: I stayed up late watching Straw Dogs because my newest boyfriend happens to star in the movie.  Is this childish?  Yes.  Do I care?  No.  If someone could please come up with the airfare for a one-way ticket to Sweden that would be great.  Thanks.)  Anyhow, after trying to feed oatmeal to an almost-two-year-old (which is a pain in itself), I got us in the car, on the road, and both of us off to school.  Were my troubles over at that point?  Heck no.

Below is a list of things that have already happened today and it's not even 2:00 pm:

• Got to school, couldn't find a parking space and was 10 minutes late to class.  Classy.
• Got stuck talking to a chatty classmate and was almost late to my next class.  Why do I always make friends with the girl that has boyfriend drama?
• Got to next class and the discussion was the heart and how it works.  Fell apart and had to excuse myself to go to the bathroom and cry.  Do I know how the heart works?  Yes, I've done nothing but study a heart (my angel's heart, in fact) for the past two months.  I think I know how it works and when it doesn't work the way its supposed to.
• Went to Chick-fil-A dead-set on ordering a Chargrilled Chicken Salad.  At the last minute, ordered the number 1 combo because it's just one of those days.  At this moment feeling guilty......and sipping on some sweeeeetttttt tea.
• Came home to find that Sophie May had puked (what looks like leaves and mud) on my beige couch.  The puke was orange.  Seriously??  For all of y'all that don't know, Sophie May is my "Scheenie" (Shih tzu/ Dachshund mix) and she's a diva and a half.  

Looking at the list now, it doesn't seem that horrible.  Let's just say it's not one of my best days, K?  

 On the bright side:

• I ordered the Bare Minerals makeup kit to try again.....more like the third time.  This is the last time I will try it, and it better damn work.
• I am on book five of the Sookie Stackhouse series, and have six more to go.  I'm seriously going to go into a depression (like I did with Twilight) when the series is over.
• I'm having a Franklin and Rosemary boutique party Thursday night and I'm pumped for some hawt clothes. 
• Adam, Aaron, and I don't have to move until the end of February.  This works well in two ways: 1) It gives our house a little extra time to be on the market so if it sells we don't have to move; and 2) It gives us extra time to pack and not feel so rushed if we do have to move.
• Highlight of my day was an email from my sister's boss.  Here it is:  "Just wanted to share that Alec had a Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser for school and he raised $125 in honor of Luke Mosely... hope one day no one has to go thru what you went thru Hayley"  (Thank you so much Becky and Alec.  I hope no one has to go through this either.)  

Is 2:05 too early for a glass of Cab??

Ciao,
LL

Dear Luke

Wow.  I don't even know where to begin.  I honestly don't even know the last time I blogged because I haven't even bothered to look.  To say that the last half of this year has been hard is an understatement, so I guess I'll just start at the beginning.

There have been quite a few changes in my life since I last blogged.  My Aaron Mo is now 21 months (and getting bigger every day), and we have officially settled into our life in Griffin for the time being.  I started going back to school in late August for nursing, and I love it.  It's amazing how much better you are as a student at 29 versus 19.  As of right now, I have a 4.0 GPA and straight A's.  Who would've thunk?!?

My hubby is just as busy as ever with work, but we feel so blessed for his incredible job in a not-so-incredible economy.  He even got a 9.8% raise (what what!).  I couldn't be prouder of him for his ambition and his eagerness to bust his behind to take care of his family.

We also found out a bit of unexpected news in mid-August.  I was pregnant.  It was such a shock; we were very happy, just surprised because it was not planned.  Upon finding out, I went from feeling like a normal person to feeling like someone who could not awake from a coma.  I was nauseous, sick, dry-heaving constantly, and just in general trying to make it day to day.  Of course, chasing after a toddler contributed to the tiredness, but I still felt so blessed.  God had given us another beautiful, perfect child.  Who was I to complain?

Although I was without a doubt pregnant, I could never shake the feeling that something was wrong.  I lost 17 pounds within 10 weeks.  You couldn't even tell I was pregnant until I was at least in the mid-point of my second trimester, and you could barely tell then.  It was such a completely different pregnancy than my pregnancy with Aaron, but I knew all pregnancies were different.  This one was just very different.

On Monday, November 21st at my 18-week appointment Adam and I found out that we were having another beautiful baby boy.  We were overjoyed.  Although I had been absolutely convinced that it was a girl, I didn't care in the least.  God had given me another boy to love forever.  How lucky was I?  After seeing our boy on the ultrasound screen we were taken back to a room to wait for my doctor to discuss everything.  That was when I was told my son had a heart defect.

On Thursday, December 1st my mother and I drove back down to Macon to meet with a Perinatal Specialist.  We were referred to him by my regular OB the week before.  My doctor had been very aloof and nonchalant about the heart condition, only saying that it was "a spot that concerned them."  Now I know why he acted the way he did; he knew what horrible condition my baby's heart was in.  We were informed that day that my son had a serious heart defect known as Left Hypoplastic Heart syndrome.  That was the day that I went to Hell in a matter of 30 minutes.

I won't go into all of the specifics of this disorder, because frankly, everything is still so raw and I'm just not ready.  I will say that Adam and I talked to four different doctors (my OB, the Perinatal Specialist, and two Pediatric Cardiologists) who confirmed that my son, if he survived in utero, would have a very bleak future because of this serious heart defect.  If he had survived the pregnancy, he would immediately have had to undergo major open heart surgery for survival.  With this type of condition he wouldn't be able to survive without a series of surgeries, or a heart transplant.  And even if he had these surgeries/transplants, it still didn't guarantee a long, normal life for our son.  His precious life would consist of surgery after surgery, daily medications, probable seizures, strokes, and a never-ending concern if this was going to be the last day of his life.  There was no evidence at this point that my boy would make it past the age of 20. To say that Adam and I felt despair and sadness is an understatement.  Our lives will never be the same.  How could our beautiful, perfect son be so sick?  What did we do?  Why were we put in this horrible situation??

On Tuesday, December 13th God took our son to Heaven.  As I sit here typing this I have tears pouring down my face.  Yes, we are heartbroken in every way possible.  Yes, our lives are changed forever.  But, thank God He took our son to be with him.  Thank God my child is up in Heaven with a full, functioning heart and is healthy in every way possible.  The way we look at it is, Luke (that's his name) was too perfect to come to Earth, so he went straight to Heaven.  I feel him with me every moment of every day.  I tell him I love him at least once every hour.  He's probably so sick of hearing from me! ;)

My faith in God has never been stronger.  I know there's a reason, and I may never know why, but I do know this: God's plan is perfect.  I have been so incredibly blessed to already have been given a beautiful, healthy child in my Aaron Mo- he makes my heart smile every second of every day.  I've been blessed with a husband who loves me unconditionally; I have family and friends that are the most loving, compassionate, beautiful people I've ever encountered.  Yes, I am a lucky girl, yes, I am so blessed, and yes, I will thank God for this life he has given me every single day.

So in turn, I have decided to use my blog today to write a letter to our son.  Here goes....

Dear Luke,

You first need to know that you are beautifully and perfectly made.  God created you and He makes no mistakes.

You went to your eternal home on Tuesday, December 13th.  It was both a sad and happy day for me.  I am sad because I won't get to see and kiss your face, touch your hands, fingers, and toes.  You probably have a head full of hair like your big brother, and I won't get the pleasure of taking you for your first haircut at 3 months.  I know you have the cutest pug nose, and those lips I'm sure are so smoochable! :) I am sad because I won't get to change your first diaper, or see your first smile, hear your first laugh, watch you ride a bike, graduate kindergarten and eventually college, fall in love, marry a beautiful girl, have your own children, and watch you become the beautiful and amazing man you already are.

I am sad for those reasons, but most of all I am happy.  I'm happy that God took you to live with him, so you wouldn't have to come into this world and struggle.  I'm happy that you're healthy, and that most of all, that you're happy.  I can see you now: sitting in my Great-Grandmother's lap while she scratches your back with her long, beautiful nails; I can see you laughing at my Great-Uncle Sammy while he sings, dances, and plays the piano for you.  I can see you eating tons of yummy food that my Great-Grandmother Todd is cooking for you, and I can see you learning how to jet ski from my Great-Grandfather Todd who literally taught everyone in our family how to jet ski until he was in his seventies- no kidding!

But most of all, I can see you standing at the gates of Heaven waiting for me.  I can see your beautiful face smiling at me, and that is what makes me happiest of all.  I cannot wait to kiss and hug you, and tell you how much your mommy loves you.

Until then my beautiful boy, I will be the best I can be.  I will be the best mommy to Aaron; the best wife to your Daddy; the best daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin, daughter-in-law, friend, etc. that I can be.  Most of all, I will be the best servant to God that I can be, because in the end that's all that matters.

I love you, son.  You, my angel, are perfect in every way.

Love,
Mommy