Trev's renal ultrasound & hydronephrosis check-3/24/11

Once a year we do this dance, since Trev was in utero.  Trevor had to drink 24 oz of liquid an hour before his visit and hold it!  Ugh.  Well that didn't work.  Of course, an accident occurred and many bathroom trips happened.

In my journals (before there was bloggering) I wrote about our 3-4  hour visits to different appointments but since I am going to turn this blog into a family book, it is a good way to record this part of Trevor's life.  And hydronephrosis (click on this for a definition) isn't a once a year thing for Trevor.  It is daily.  It is hourly.  For me, I always wonder, when Trev complains of pain in his sides,"Well is it gas or does he have an infection?  For the most part I understand that he will have pain in his kidney and I know I don't need to take him to the doctor until he starts to complain of pain during urinating and has a fever. 

At his visit the doctor told me to put him back on a bathroom schedule.  So, I set the oven kitchen timer every hour or 2.  I am still trying to get used to this routine.  It is like potty training all over again.  (I just reminded Trev to go to the bathroom and he said "Why?"  & Lilly said "SCHEDULE!" and Trev said "Oh yeah!  I have to empty my gills!!!"  Oh my goodness he cracks me up!-Well at least he understands the process.)  

I also learned that Trev's right kidney still is not working properly. 

I remember when he was a little baby and toddler.  Both of his kidneys were pretty bad off.  The doctors told us that soon after he was born that he would have to have a VCUG (click on this for definition) and he may need to go to Duke.  That is not the most pleasant procedure to have to do.  It made me sad for him.  It was scary.  

I am happy that his body has corrected one kidney and is on the way to fixing the other.  I am glad that there is no need for surgery.  I just wonder how much longer is this going to take. 

Painting Lilly's room-start date 3/23-finish date ?/11

Helper #1.

Lilly's room was a mustard orange color when we bought this house.  It was dark.  So I finally took on the project of de-mustarding it, with the help of my little ones.

Mustard in the daylight.

Mustard at night.

This is fun.

Picnic in the back yard-3/23/11

My view.

It was relaxing and fun.

Alex's Birthday-3/23/11

                                                    

We visited Alex on his birthday.  Jeremy cooked a delicious dinner that I still think about and I probably won't forget for a long time.  And the red velvet cupcakes were to die for!  Oh my.




Lilly and Trevor had a blast playing on jungle gyms Bryan and Alex.  And I am positive jungle gyms Bryan and Alex liked it as well because when I raise my voice at the children as Alex was playing with them, he stopped and looked at me just as they did.  So I asked him something like, Oh I wasn't talking to you Alex but are you ok with them jumping all over you like that?  And he said with a huge smile, "Yes." And they all went back to their playing. 
It was really nice to be with Alex on his birthday.  I love him so much.  He is such a great uncle and brother.  I am so thankful that I was given a brother like him and I couldn't ask for more.  There really is a very reserved and special place in my heart for him. 
Happy Birthday Alex!

Dad & Trevor hang the birdhouse.

Lilly took this picture.  I love the angle.

And then there was a beautifully hung green birdhouse.

Lilly paints the birdhouse and Trevor paints the vegetable boxes.

After Trev & Neal made the bird house, well it needed a the touch of a lady.  Lady Lillian that is!  She picked out the color and "wa-wa" a beautiful abode for the birds at our house.
Hope they like it as much as we do.

 Trevor wanted to help Lilly paint.  I told him that he got to build the birdhouse & Lilly got to paint the birdhouse.  I asked him if he would like to paint our vegetable boxes....he went with the camo look.  I think he did great.

Camping at # 29 - 3/18/11-3/19/11

We decided to take the family on a camp trip this spring.  We wanted to go to the NC Mountains but with the gas prices being as high as they are, we decided to stay close to home, so Carolina Beach State Park it was!  And it was FUN, let me tell you!
 After packing the Pilot, we trucked it on up to the local Walmart to get some food.  Then we rode out to the the campgrounds.  All the way there, about a 30-40 minute drive, we heard different variations of when will we be at our destination, like, "Are we there yet?"  "When will we be there?"  "How much longer until we are there?" over and over and over again.  It was fun knowing that the sweeties were that excited about going. 

When we got to the camp grounds we drove around twice to find the best camp site.  Neal didn't want to be on the inside of the camp grounds because he didn't want to be the highway to the bathroom and the children wanted a camp site with a good climbing tree.  Neal really liked # 18 but we didn't see a climbing tree anywhere near by so we drove around.  We saw number 29....It did not have a climbing tree but there was one right across the way.  But boy it came with some awesome swinging vines and a vine that leaked water (I like to call it nature's faucet.)

Lilly needed help getting water.

 The children collected firewood, while Neal went to the marina to pay for our night's stay (20 BUCKS!!)  Then we set up camp.  Of course, we then ate.  We had a good time.  Often, the children would play in the woods and swing on the vines and run across the street to the climbing tree.  They got along so well. 

Before dinner.

 The raccoons were highly rude between the hours of midnight to 2 am.  Then our neighbors to the left us kept us up from 3-4:30 or 5 am!  After that, the geese decided it was time to take off and were up at the river honking away!  We slept from about 5:30-7am and it was good. 

Trev was digging holes to trap bigfoot.

Breakfast time.

Breakfast was yummy.  The tree was climbed some more (if it had a face, it would have smiled because it was dearly loved.)  The tent was packed and put away.  Neal saved me from a roach.  And then we went for a walk on some trails. 

It was all beautiful.  Good memories were had by all.  We can't wait to do it again and visit good ol' #29 next spring.

Thanks Grandma Rosie & Grampy for gifting us the tent.  We love it.  Thanks Chris D. for letting us borrow your cooking/camping utensils.  You're the best!)

Clean up your neighborhood-a special by Trevor and Mom. 2/20/11

Well we all know how important our environment is.  We are teaching our children the value of taking care of Mother Earth.  It is a little bit of hard work but it only takes a few minutes and then "wa-wa" (as Lilly says) the neighborhood street is clean.  

 It makes us feel good,

  it teaches life lessons,

  and neighbors are thankful.

Trev's reward was a cleaner neighborhood & a visit to our neighborhood park!  Yay!

Our visit to Brunswick Town. 2/19/11

It truly is wonderful to be here in Brunswick county.  New Hanover has history but it comes with a hefty price tag.  Here in Brunswick county you can visit the local 900 acre county park and hear about the history of the land from a local...FREE.  You can go to Brunswick Town and watch reinactments...FREE.  You can go to Orton Pond and see 9-13 foot aligators...FREE.

 While we were having our FREE visit at Brunswick Town we went for a walk up the bank of the Cape Fear River.  It was beautiful.  We found a nice peice of driftwood and it was a terrific photo opp.  I give you el retrato de nuestra familia en el río Cape Fear (our family's portrait on the cape fear river)...FREE.

Dad and Trevor build a birdhouse. 2/20/11

  

We love birds.  And with all the trees around our house, the birds are plentiful.  So I asked Neal and Trev to build another bird house for the backyard.  I knew it would be some good father-son time for them and we would gain a humble abode for a family of bluebirds. 

I have to admit, I was very nervous while 

documenting the making of Bluebird House #2 on Blah Blah Circle.  Saws and little hands make me.....well anxious, to say the least.

Papa's birthday

 We got a phone call from Granny, inviting us to see see Papa on his birthday.  Of course, we accepted the invitation.

 It was a nice visit and we got to see Lee Anna & Matthew.  I enjoyed talking to Matthew about the military and exercise.  Lilly and Lee Anna talked about cheering.  We invited Lee Anna to locals competition & she accepted.  Yay!  She is a sweet girl.

The cake was delicious and it is always nice to hug Papa's neck.

Cheer party for the RBA VIKINGS! 1/21/11

Awards and parties.  That is how we like it around here. 

Lilly & Tyshea.

Lilly, Coach Tina, & Tyshea.  (Coach Tina is JPW coach).

 The girls enjoyed seeing one another, eating, gabbing it up, and getting awards.  OF COURSE!

Coach Tina, Coach Jean (Head Coach), Tyshea, & Coach Teresa (JPW Assistant Coach).

Is your refrigerator broken? Just call Trevor.

Our refrigerator has been having some difficulties these past several months.  But have no fear because Trevor Galloway is here.
Check out these cute photos of Daddy's little helper.  And there is a BONUS video!

Pictures in December 2010 & January 2011

Playing with Jack Rocks.

Neal's childhood toy-vintage jack rocks.

Dad & Trevor January 2011.

We love spinning them around and counting the seconds of how long they spin.

A sweet little tufted titmouse came to say hello.