Light at the end of the tunnel

Caleb's fever finally broke today. It's possible it broke last night. I have been using a total of 4 different thermometers: ear, temporal artery, and 2 digital ones. They all give me different readings. But I think the battery is going out on one digital, plus since Caleb can't keep it under his tongue, those are really invalid. So I kept up with the other 2 and just used them both. I figured anything above 98.6/99 was a fever. Then I finally found the instructions for the artery one, and apparently there are different temps that are normal for different areas. I guess up to 100.something is normal for the artery, so maybe he never really had fever today. He played cars all afternoon, but since he still has the congestion and intestinal issues, we may keep him home from Sun AM church, so as not to expose all the kids in his class. Although I am pretty sure they have all had it by now! He did go to Walmart with Joe this afternoon... yeah, we don't care if we infect Walmart goers, but Bible class is different. Besides, they might figure out who they got sick from there! He has been taking Tylenol, Motrin, and Mucinex. He has decided he doesn't like the Mucinex. Don't know why I attempted to give it to him over the carpet, where I had a vision it would somehow end up there. He tries to bargain with us about which ones to take; "No, I think I'll just have the red one tonight.", etc. After 10 minutes of trying to explain the reason he has to have the purple, insisting he stay in his seat until he drinks it, talking about all the bad things that will happen if he doesn't take it, telling him that the doctor said he had to, etc, Joe finally offered 2 Robin Eggs (malt balls) if he will just drink it. Done. The kid will do anything for dessert. I didn't know dessert-loving was an inherited gene, but he totally gets that from me. I actually got a lot done today: posted items on Craigslist, organized the garage, worked out, cleaned the summer swim stuff to get it ready for storage, hung curtains (which have near been the death of me, have tried to hang them for a week), read my Bible and prayed, ran a load of laundry, snuggled with both boys (at different times), and started dinner (Joe had to finish as it was Levi's dinner time). Too bad I didn't have time for a shower.... put it on tomorrow's list. Ahh. I love the feeling of accomplishment. We are just so glad he is better... and that we made it through without antibiotics (so far, he has never had any in his almost 4 years). This was the first time he ever threw up, so we have that little milestone out of the way. Thank goodness it was only once and Joe was here... cleaning up that mess is not my forte.

Sick day # 5

August 27, 2010
Caleb has had a fever now for 5 days. His little eyes are so bloodshot, and he is so congested. He called me "Bob" today, for mom. I do think we are on the mend though... he has attempted to eat several meals today. So far, Levi has not caught it, but he has sneezed several times today... we are praying he will come through unscathed. Even though Caleb feels so crummy, he still asks "What are we going to do tomorrow?" and wants to go to the park and the Library. Levi still won't take very good naps, but he did sleep in the bed with me from about 6:30 - 9:45 this morning! Maybe that is why... since he was in bed from 7:30 - 6am, then breakfast, and in bed for another 3 hours.... hmmm.... He had a bath today, which he needed, since he always smells like sour milk. He doesn't seem to mind the smell though. He can be so grumpy, crying even, but then I put him on the changing table and he just lights up with smiles and giggles. He loves to be there, weird. But it makes diaper changes a lot of fun. He does so good going to bed. I can feed him, swaddle him (which wakes him up), and go lay him in his bed and tell him night-night (After a kiss and a prayer), and he will go right to sleep. It is fabulous. They are both SO precious to me. I worked for 1.5 hours today, and I will get another 2 hours of work next week. I figured out how I might be able to work for about 2 hours (3-4 days per week) and keep us afloat financially until Joe gets a job or the apartments come through. So that is exciting. I am just going to wait until Sept 7-10 to see if I really have to or not, since she wants me to commit until about Dec if she gives me those kids. But it's great to know that God will provide either way; of course, we'd both like for it to be the apartments for Joe rather than work for me, but we'll take what we can get.

wow.... ok. so I didn't realize it has been over a year since I posted. That is pretty ridiculous. So I am going to try this again. In hopes that one day I will print it all out and have a nice journal of life. to catch everyone up, since my last post, I had another beautiful new baby boy... Levi Toye. He was born May 15 (2 days after my birthday), at 37 weeks (yippee!!). I also got to have a vbac with him, which I was super excited about. Levi is 3 months now, and has been smiling since about 7-8 weeks (a month before Caleb), and sleeping through the night since about 5-6 weeks -- at least 6-7 hours. At 3 months, he sleeps from about 7:30-8pm to about 5-6am. He is so laid back, and super sweet. Caleb is now almost 4, and he is a whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm. Right now, he is sick with a virus, but even so, he asks me every night what we are going to do in the morning. He has a plan for everything, and an idea about how everything should go. He loves playing with cars, playing with any kind of ball, playing guitar (especially to church/devo songs, since those are mainly the ones he knows). I can't believe he is starting preschool in just a little over a week. At least I have 2 years of pre-k before he goes to "big school". He is learning how to adjust to being a big brother. I think he's doing ok, but it's a little easier for him since Dad is home as well as Mom right now, so he doesn't have to "wait" all the time. He has a gift for remembering directions/locations/verses, etc. He has the cutest ideas about things... he keeps telling me that we will have to go home before we go to heaven, because "they don't have clothes up there."

New Niece

I have a beautiful new neice! Mia Marie Simmons, born to Mark and Lindsay Simmons (my brother) on Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009 @ 6:35 p.m. We think she wanted to get here for the season premiere of American Idol. She is so precious... lots of blonde curly hair and dark blue eyes.

Frosty the Snowman

Happy Holidays, everyone! Love, Kelly, Joe and Caleb Toye (26 months)

Our Christmas Portrait

This was the best we could do with a timer and camera on a tripod. I was just glad he was still and looking at the camera. Next year we will try to be more creative with poses... Merry Christmas everyone.

Fun in the leaves

Caleb had a blast playing in the leaves we were trying to bag up. He doesn't really jump, but he loves to run through them and have us throw them at him. Too bad they are all gone so fast!

My time flies... here's an update

I know. I am a horrible blogger. I really only did it so I wouldn't have to do a Christmas letter each year. So actually, I am ahead of where I thought I'd be, which is one post per year!! So Caleb is now two. He loves reading books with mom and dad, going to the zoo/park/Bible class, riding in his new wagon (thanks Granna and Poppa), going to Granna/Poppa's house (which he asks to do at least one morning per week, and riding on trains (kid ones). He counts to 10 consistently, sings songs (church and Lion King are his favorites), says family and friends' names, asks questions, follows directions, and really talks a LOT. Gets it from his Dad, I guess. ; ) Of course, as a speech therapist, I am very proud of his langauge skills, and I try to incorporate new ones as often as I can. I've been working on plurals and possessives! He really loves watching Blue's Clues and The Lion King, plus his old favorites - Baby Einstein. We are attempting some potty training -- really just awareness, as he's too young, but he's not scared and he does go if we take him, so that is good. He catches balls, throws balls, and kicks balls, climbs stairs without a rail, and runs EVERYWHERE. People at church ask me, "Does he ever walk anywhere?" (or always run). I have to say he always runs, but we are trying to remedy that since now he is so fast and big, I'm afraid he'll bowl people over. He is so sweet... last Sunday he went around shaking everyone's hand, without any prompting. They were declaring him to be the next greeter at the church door! We just celebrated his 2nd birthday - Lion King theme (which was pretty hard, since it's such an old movie). Then for Halloween he was Simba, though it took a lot of convincing to get him into his costume the first few times. After he realized he'd get candy for dressing up, he was quite compliant. Go see more pics on my photobucket site... it's in the links.

Woohoo for Easter

We had a great time hunting for eggs. I tried showing Caleb in the house what he was supposed to do, and he picked it up pretty quickly...of course, it helps that he loves putting things in bowls, baskets, etc. We put little puff cereal bites inside for him as treats, but that wasn't as big a motivator as just putting them in and taking them out of the basket...over and over and over again. There is a hilarious video of him laughing at my Mom saying "Woo hoo, it's Easter". If it won't upload here, check it out on photobucket (see the links). Also, more pics on there too. Happy Easter, everyone.

I want to be like you, Dad

Caleb loves his Dad so much. He calls for him when he can't see him... "Da...Da!" and tries to tell him things that only make sense to him! He always wants to be picked up and held by him, and he can always be pacified by, "Where's Daddy?" For CJ, there's no place he'd rather be than wherever that place is...except maybe with Granna.

The ZOO

Caleb had his first trip to the Zoo. It was great... we saw lions, tigers, zebras, gorillas, monkeys, fish, birds, deer, rams, and way more, and we did it all, yes, less than 2 hours. That's right, you take the fast track through the zoo with a 17 month old, because they just can't take a lot of looking at scenery. Caleb roared at the lion, which was cute. We got the season pass, so we can just go for a couple hours a time every couple of weeks and rotate around to see the different things. I expect he will have quite the animal vocabulary by August, that is, if I can figure out how to say some of the names of those animals?!

I'm walking HOORAY

Caleb FINALLY decided that he really could walk. He'd been talking steps and walking around furniture for many months now, but this past weekend, he decided he could actually let go and get around by foot. We were at a restaurant and I didn't want him crawling, so I said, "Caleb, you can't crawl. If you want down, you have to walk." I held his hand some, but they he'd just let go and head off around the place. There were 2 little girls he kept chasing, which kept him going. He still crawls some if he falls down where there is nothing for him to pull up on, but then when he gets where he can pull up, he's off to walking again. YEAH! I wasn't worried.. I had been told my an OT friend of mine that the longer they crawl, the better, for learning, etc . later in life, but I was getting tired of knee pads and holes in pants. Also, he is talking more and more. I counted up his words yesterday and he has over 60 words, and some phrases (most of them "bye __" -- bye fish, bye car, etc). He will be 17 months on Saturday! go to the photobucket site (in the links) to see video of him walking!

Pumping Iron like Daddy

Caleb wandered into the workout room a few weeks ago and after watching Joe a minute, decided he'd get a workout of his own! Those are 3 lb weights, but he also went back and picked up the 5 lb weights! Those things on his knees are his knee pads, which we make him wear until he walks more so he doesn't wear out his jeans. He only has about 3 pairs that don't have holes, and those are showing wear!

my first golfing experience

When Beth was home for Spring Break, we all went mini-golfing. Caleb did great, although he preferred dropping the balls on the ground and watching us scramble to get them before they ended up in a water hazard or the street! He seems to be a natural and hitting, though!

Yo Ho, it's Blackbeard the Pirate

Hungry, CJ? Looks like someone decided that crayons must taste as good as they look. Joe called him Blackbeard, the Pirate, the rest of the day. Good thing they are washable, and non-toxic!

It snowed in Texas

It decided to snow here in March, so Caleb got his first experience playing in the cold, white stuff. He wasn't too thrilled, but we thought it was pretty funny.

Time Flies

So I guess those of you who check this often realize that I'm not a great blogger either. What can I say, time flies. We had a wonderful Christmas, full of fun with the family, although Caleb was way more interested in the paper, boxes, and bows than anything he got! He was, of course, scared to death of Santa, which suprised us actually because he really doesn't fear strangers. I don't have a picture because it was a poloroid.. I never could get around to justifying spending $30 on a portrait set of him with a stranger screaming his head off! visit our photobocket site (in the links for more pics and videos). The bottom pic is him all bundled up at Santa's Village, waiting to see Santa. And the top one is Caleb on Christmas morning, having more fun with Joe's old LSU hat than any of his new toys. Maybe next year we'll just wrap up our old stuff and give it to him!

The Polar Express...mini-me

Caleb and I rode the polar express at the mall...see our ticket. Check out our photobucket site for the video. http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Toyek/?action=guestlogin The password is Caleb. We have Halloween pics and videos. Everything from my birth on up is on there!

Merry Christmas from the Toyes

Well,

I have apparently been listening to too much KVIL. Their "wish list" and magic makers talk shows that highlight all the sick children and needy people have had me in tears more times in the last week on the way to and from work than I have cried in a month! So God has pricked my heart and turned me from Scrooge into...well, the reformed Scrooge I guess. I think also I am relating to the Karen Carpenter song that starts "Christmas cards have all been sent, the Christmas rish is through..." I was just a little stressed out, but I am better now and ready to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. For those of you checking this due to Christmas cards, I am toying with the idea of no cards next year...strictly virtual. We'll see. Maybe I'll take a vote on my blog. Some of you may have realized that there was no "Year in Review" letter. Several reasons for that, but mainly because this year really had no high points for us except for Caleb and we really didn't want to talk about it. Bottom line is that right now we are in Mansfield, TX. I work as a contract SLP for a school district. Joe is staying home with Caleb until he starts school in Jan. He is going back for a bachelors in Accounting, since Exercise Science is practically worthless (to him). We worship at New York Avenue church of Christ. We are still trying to decide exactly where we need to be and which path will be the best option for us long term. I really miss all my Minot, ND pals and wish we were still there...yes, even with the weather! But I count my blessings that I have a wonderful husband, the sweetest baby in the world, a great job, a house to live in, food to eat and all of us are healthy. We are truly blessed. May God bless you all and keep you until we meet again. Love, The Toyes

Bah Humbug...

Ok, now that I am an adult, who is apparently the one in our family in charge of Christmas cards, decorating the house, thinking of Christmas gift ideas, shopping, returning items, shopping again, etc.... I have decided that Christmas may not be my favorite time of year anymore. All I want to do is come home from work, eat dinner, play with Caleb, then read a book and go to bed. But oh, there is wrapping to do and things to plan for...goody, goody. Plus, ever since having a child who requires all the patience I have, I have no patience left over for anyone else in the world, including other shoppers, drivers, family members, etc. so I find myself, tired, grumpy, stressed out, and altogether not very jovial. If it weren't for the movie Elf, I might not have survived thus far. That movie alone is enough to make Christmas worth it. Oh, and I tried to get some cute pics of my snotty nosed, red-eyed, drooling little boy today....yeah, they're not good, but they may be the best I can do. I hope someone gets to enjoy them. Maybe I'll write a post AFTER Christmas, saying how great it was. For now, Bah Humbug!