Happy Birthday Josie!

It is so hard to believe that the first month of 2011 has come and gone. We have had a rough past couple weeks, but we are finally getting through it all. We have noticed lately that Jolie has been acting out and we have about determined it is for two reasons (1) she is 3, enough said; and (2) she is trying to find her place as the middle child. So Joe and I have been trying to make sure we spend quality time with her and Joe even took her out on a date Sunday, January 23rd. They went to Bass Pro Shops and Krystals to eat. Every time you ask her about it her little face lights up. It is so sweet. That Wednesday the girls went to Awana, and that Thursday we had dinner with MeMaw and Paw-Paw. On Friday, January 28th Joe and I got all the kids up and dressed and dropped them off at their schools, then I dropped Joe off at the church for his session retreat. I headed into work and got off around 2:30 p.m. I went home, changed clothes, and picked up all the kids and headed to Aunt Mona's house with Quint, Sheila, Caden, and Ansleigh for a visit. As always we enjoyed our visit and the kids loved spending time with Aunt Mona. The kids and I then went out to dinner with Quint, Sheila, Caden, and Ansleigh and things went downhill from there. Josie layed down through most of dinner with her head in my lap. For those of you who know Josie, that behavior is far from typical for her. Her forehead kept getting warmer and warmer and I finally decided that I probably needed to go ahead and take her to Pri-Med. Joe wasn't supposed to be home until Saturday evening, so Quint dropped Sheila off at Pri-Med (they were about ten minutes ahead of me going there), and she signed Josie in. Then when I got there she drove my van back to her house so that she could go ahead and lay Jolie and Joel down. Josie and I got to Pri-Med around 8:30 p.m. that Friday night. We didn't get into a room until 10:30 p.m. that night and we didn't leave until midnight. The verdict, the flu. I was not in a million years expecting the doctor to tell me that. Sheila came and picked us up and we dropped the prescirptions off at Wal-Greens while we waited so that I could get medicine in her as soon as possible. After waiting for the meds and going back to pick up Joel and Jolie it was after 1:00 a.m. when we got home. It had previously been planned for the girls to go spend the Saturday and Saturday night with Other Mama and Pap-Paw, so instead only Lollie got to go. Saturday morning Pap-Paw came and picked up Lollie and Josie and I spent most of the day in bed. Thank goodness Joel is still so young and sleeps a good part of the day. I was supposed to pick up Joe from the church Saturday night but Tim was nice enough to bring him home so that I would not have to get Josie out. Sunday morning Joe and Joel went to church and brought home Lollie. Pap-Paw came to our house on Monday and stayed with Josie because she was not supposed to go back to school until Thursday. Monday was also her birthday. We did a cake at home and she opened presents from us and Grammy's gift happened to come on that day as well.



The next morning Joe's was late getting up for work, thank goodness because shortly after he left I had to call him and tell him to come home. I could not get Joel to eat and I took us a long time to get him to quit crying. I knew I could not send a baby who was not eating to Ms. Debbie's so Joe came home and took him to the doctor. Josie went to work with me until Pap-Paw got finished doing his physical therapy and then he took her home until Joe got home with Joel who also had the flu. Joe stayed at home with Joel the rest of the week. Wednesday night I took Jolie to Awana and we actually got to church in time enough to eat dinner with Sheila and Caden before Awana started. Josie got to go back to school on Thursday which she was super excited about. Friday Josie and Joel were supposed to have regular doctor appointments her 5 year and his 4 month but the doctor's office had to cancel them and rescheduled them for this coming Friday. So Friday after I got off work I went and picked up Josie from school. I had to sneak so that Lollie didn't see me, but I was able to do it without letting Lollie know I was there. Sheila then met us at Wal-Mart where we were going to have Josie's ears pierced. However, when we got there they told me to do a child they have to have two people present. A nice little piece of information they failed to mention to me over the phone. So then we headed to the Prattville Wal-Mart. The girl there is not allowed to do it and the woman who could would not be there until 6:00 p.m., however there was a kit I could buy to do it myself. My response, "NO thank you." So then Sheila started calling everywhere, K-Mart, JC Pennys, Belks, Khols, jewelry stores, Sallys, no where else did it. We had prepared ourself to have to drive to Montgomery when it hit me-- tattoo shops. So yes, my 5 year old daughter got her ears pierced at a tattoo shop. How many five year olds can say that? The girl never flinched.
Waiting patiently for him to get setup:

Sitting in the tatto chair, getting her ears pierced:








After getting her ears pierced, we went for pedicures. This was Josie's first pedicure. She loved it.




Me enjoying my pedicure:

Josie's finished nails:




My original plan had been to be able to get everything done in time to pick up Jolie from school, but because of all our running I realized around 4:30 p.m. that that was not going to happen. MeMaw and Paw-Paw were kind enough to pick her up and take her to their house for a litle while. That night after getting the kids to sleep Joe and I stayed up until 2:00 a.m. working on Josie's cupcakes, cake, and other party stuff for her birthday party at the House of Java the next morning. Saturday morning came fast but me and the girls got up and ready and headed out for Prattville. Joe stayed home Joel. Josie had a great little birthday party and the setting was perfect. Her theme was Owls.
The cupcakes Joe and I made. The toppers say Looks Whoos 5 ... Josie Madelynn.

The owl cake Joe made out of cupcakes. Isn't he talented.

Josie in her shirt Aunt Tiffany made her:

Lollie in her shirt Aunt Tiffany made her:







Her new owl PJs



After the party we went home for naps. When Jolie woke up she felt warm, sure enough she had a fever. Joe and I decided we weren't going to take her to the doctor but just were going to go ahead and treat it like the flu. The doctor would not have been able to do anything anyways and the medicine made Josie more sick than it helped her, so I got Jolie some cough medicine and started giving her the prescribed Tylenol that Josie had gotten from the doctor. Saturday night Joe and Josie went out on a date. They went to Bass Pro Shops for dinner and shopping. I'm not sure who had more fun. Sunday morning Joe and Josie went to church while Jolie, Joel and I layed around. That afternoon while Lollie took a nap Josie and I went to Wal-Mart to get groceries. As we pulled into the parking lot a familiar car pulled into a spot a few down from ours-- it was Sheila and Caden. I got Josie out and she ran to Caden. They immediately held hands and we walked into Wal-Mart with them still holding hands. Sheila had only come for one or two things, but we hated to split them up when they were being so sweet so Sheila and Caden walked all over Wal-Mart with us so that Josie and Caden didn't have to stop holding hands. After Wal-Mart I went home and made chili and we watched the Super Bowl. Joe and I were shocked but the girls watched most of the game with us. Our favorite part was the halftime show. I love the Black Eyed Peas. Even Joel was dancing a little :) Daddy came to our house again this morning to stay home with Lol. And we shall see about tomorrow. Hopefully the flu has run its course through our house and we won't be seeing it again this year.

Although Joel didn't get to have his 4 month check up we did find out when he went with the flu that he weighs 16 pounds. We have started him on baby food becuase the formula is not sitting well with him right now. So far he has had banannas and applecause. He loves it.

I'll close with pictures of the girls at Caden's birthday party and pictures that Aunt Becca took at Christmas that I have not posted yet: