We are Back!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It has been crazy around here. We have so many projects we are trying to get finished before Alea's birthday party the end of May. We had forgotten how hard it is to work with a baby! Basically we take turns working and watching the girls.

Today I couldn't find the girls! After going into the kitchen I heard Alea's laugh and found them both under the high chair! How cute is that????

Playing Outside

Here are snapshots of Braylen playing outside. Notice the pink baseball mit and pink polka dot basketball--would Braylen have it any other way???

Play Pen Time

This morning while mommy was working in the flower beds and Braylen was playing, Alea played in her playpen for about 10 minutes happily and 30 minutes very upset!!! She wanted to be out with us. This afternoon went better. I had promised Braylen I would play basketball and catch with her and as long as we stayed close to the play pen, Alea did great playing with her toys!!

Girls and Flowers

What a beautiful day we enjoyed today! We spent a lot of time outdoors today and we couldn't resist getting a few pics with the flowers. Alea wasn't too sure about sitting in the mulch, but she did love the flowers! Are tulips poisenous if they are eaten???? She didn't actually eat any, but came very close! Oops!!!

Bray's New Boa

Mamaw and Papaw Anderson gave Braylen money for Easter and she finally spent part of it yesterday. She found this Feather boa and just NEEDED it!!! It is cute and right up her alley, but it has only been home for one day and I have picked up enough feathers to make a small pillow!!!!!

Alea's New Toy

Brad has wanted to buy this for Alea before we even got her home, but it says it is for 18 months and older, so we always opted not to get it. He gave in and got if for her yesterday and she LOVES it!! When you squeeze it, it shakes and giggles!!

Fixing the Deck

We have a mess at the Fleck home!! We decided we wanted to seal coat our deck with a color instead of clear like in the past this year. Well, we trusted a "new" brand that is rated number one on consumer reports instead of using the same brand we have always used. We did not like the color at all! It looked like paint and you couldn't see the wood grain through it, even though you were suppossed to. SOOOO, Brad has been working on stripping the stain!! It is a very time consuming process as you put the stripper on, but cannot let it dry. It is coming off, but it has taken 3 times so far and there are a few more spots left to do. If the wind would go away, it would be easier as the stripper could stay on longer. Anyway, here are picture of what Brad has been spending his time doing lately. I am not much help as Alea is in a very clingy stage and does not like to be left alone while mommy and daddy work!!!

Up Do Braylen Style

Last week, Braylen wanted me to do her hair in a "different" way she requested!! Here is what we came up with.

Date Night with Braylen

Alea is spending the night with Mamaw and Papaw tonight and we took Braylen on a date!! After ballet daddy and Bray played outside before we went to Cracker Barrell for supper and then off to Chucky Cheese for games. Braylen had so much fun playing games and winning tickets. She came home with a harmonica and a couple tatoos and noise makers. After Chucky cheese it was off to Baskin Robbins for ice-cream. Bray had pink bubblegum ice-cream!! We had a great evening. We all miss Alea, but it was nice to spend an evening with just Braylen!! She is growing up so quickly. We couldn't believe how grown up she was tonight. I cannot believe she will be 5 in a few months. Enjoy the pictures!!

Awana Awards Night

Wednesday night was Braylen's last night of Awana at Calvary Baptist and they celebrated with pizza and awards. Braylen finished her first book and won first book award, club attendance and Sunday School attendance. She LOVES Cubbies and will miss going to club this summer, but we will be in full gear in Fall when it starts back up!!

I'm A Big Girl Now

This is how I found Alea this morning--sitting up in her crib!! Actually, before I got the camera in there, she was trying to pull herself up to a standing position. Brad actually found her sitting up for the first time last week in the middle of the night when he went in to check on her. I found her yesterday morning, but didn't grab the camera. Today, I grabbed the camera to snap a shot of her. So this is actually her third time sitting up, but we can pretend it's the first, right? Our baby is growing up!!!

Happenings

No pictures today, just an update. Today Alea had a check up at the doctor. She has gained 2 pounds!! Woo-hoo!!! The doctor was very pleased and she doesn't have to come back until her 12 month check up. She now weighs 16 pounds 5 ounces at 10 months old. She is 27 inches long.

Braylen had her school carnival today while we were at the doctor. She came home with a rainbow and mickey mouse painted on her face, a cake that she won at the cake walk, popcorn, cotton candy and lots and lots of prizes. She had so much fun. I was unable to help at the carnival due to Alea's doctor appointment, so no pictures, unfortunately.

Brad is busy, busy, busy at work as this is the spring planting time and they are always on their toes this time of year. He is anxious to begin working outside, but unfortunately his lawn mower won't start. He did work in the landscaping tonight.

I have managed to catch the stomach flu on top of mono!!!! I go to the doctor tomorrow afternoon to talk about the mono and things to do to get over it faster. I have been advised by 3 medical professionals that sometimes mono shows up positive when in fact it is something else and that I need to talk to the doctor about that tomorrow. Since I have never had the swollen glands and sore throat they are all leary that it truly is mono. I have no idea!! Anyway, I haven't been able to eat anything except mints and saltine crackers since Sunday afternoon. I am drinking now, so that should help. I have had a lot of nausea and vomiting. Thanks for your prayers. We are so ready to be over all this and back to normal, whatever that is!

Awana Grand Prix

Bray's car is in the far lane
Bray's car in the lead!!

Eating popcorn in between races

They're off!!! Bray's is in the lead!!

Weigh in

Waiting to add weight to car




Adding weight to car



Proud Bray and Daddy displaying trophy, car and ribbon



Braylen wins 3rd place for design of car!!



Braylen's Car is in lane 2:







Saturday Braylen participated in her very first Awana Grand Prix Pinewood Derby race. She and Daddy made her car. Braylen chose the paint colors: Pink (of course!!), blue (because it is Daddy's favorite color) and green. She decided how she wanted to paint the car and did most all the painting. We just helped her touch it up. We tried preparing her for the fact that she may not win (Brad knew she wouldn't because he didn't really add weights, and cut a fast design, etc...). But when we got there, she saw the trophy table and was determined to win!!! She was in the first heat and her car won all four times! Unfortunately, there were more heats in her division and she didn't have the fastest times. She was very disappointed that she didn't win. She was in tears! We were trying to comfort her when they announced that they were giving trophies away for design of car. They called: 3rd place Braylen Fleck!!! She won a trophy and was oh, so proud and happy and I think Brad made it home with most the buttons on his shirt, but I am sure a few popped off! We were so proud of her. That trophy gets carried wherever Bray goes! Enjoy pics of the day!

Happy Easter, Braylen!!

Braylen was disappointed that it was too cold to hunt eggs outside, but she had fun all the same looking for them and a few big items in the house. She had 25 eggs to find, a ballerina basket with Smarties, M&M's, and a pink Bible, a BIG basket full of outside fun things and Charlotte's Web DVD and Wilber doll. It was fun to watch her go and to see her excited face with each new thing she hunted!!

After the hunt was over, Braylen brought me an Empty Egg and told me that I won the bestest egg ever! I opened it and saw that it was empty. She said, "Mommy, it is empty just like the tomb on Easter morning because Jesus isn't dead anymore, He is ALIVE and that is the bestest gift ever!!" I always worry when we celebrate Easter with eggs and Christmas with Santa that she will miss the real meaning, but this was proof that she got it!! I pray she always does!

Alea's FIrst Easter

I don't have pictures of the girls in their Easter Dresses. We had them professionally photographed in them, so family will get to see them soon. It was too busy of a morning to snap a photo and we ended up leaving church early because Brad was sick. Now, both Mommy and Daddy are sick and Mommy is the stronger of the two! Brad has stomach flu. Hopefully it will be only a 24 hour bug.

Alea had fun watching Bray hunt eggs all over the house. She loved playing with the empty Easter eggs. Since candy is out for her, she got a drum and it is already her new favorite toy!

Easter Goodies from Papaw and Mamaw

Yesterday Papaw and Mamaw brought the girls Easter buckets. They both got big flowers that will look so cute in their bedrooms. Alea LOVED her bucket! She got a couple outfits that look cute and springy! Braylen got a notebook, marker, pencils, chocolate bunny, money, jelly beans, magic beans and I am sure there were other things too, I just don't remember! Braylen thinks she is rich!!! Thank you Mamaw and Papaw!!!!

We have the Lab Work Results

Drum roll, please, ok, maybe not... My doctor's office called and the lab taken to test for malaria came back again negative. At this point they are ruling out malaria, but this still leaves the REAL problem up in the air. The past two days, my fever has stayed low, I have not had any sweats, rashes or headaches and I have had more energy. We are going to wait it out a few more days to see if this trend continues and if the fevers stay go away, they are going to say I had a bad case of the flu, however, if fevers continue, I am going to see an Infectious Disease doctor in Ft. Wayne. Please pray that the fevers stop and I continue to get better. The nurse told me that if it was the flu and I had it as long as I did, that I can expect to feel fatigue and weakness for a few more weeks. I am ready to return to normal life! I am ready to be a wife and mom again. I am ready to (I can't believe I am about to say this!!) go grocery shopping again!! A month is long enough to be down, I am ready to move on!

Don't worry, I plan to take it very easy this weekend. I am hoping to attend Easter Services at church, but other than that, I plan to rest, rest, rest and enjoy my girls!!!

Still Waiting....

The doctors office did not receive the lab results yesterday. They are contacting the lab today to be sure they get them before the weekend. If it comes back negative for malaria, then I will be referred to an Infectious Disease specialist. Yesterday was a good day. I did not run fever until later in the day and it only got to 100 degrees! Braylen was at Shelley's and I had Alea here. Brad's boss gave him the afternoon off and that was a great help for me. Today, I have Alea by myself, but so far, I am feeling ok. Maybe this "thing" is just going to go away! We are just ready for answers so we can start treatment in one way or another!!! Thanks for praying and I'll keep you updated.

Update on the Homefront

We are still here, we just haven't posted in a while. Many of you know, but I (Carmen) have been very ill for about a month now. We are having lots of tests ran and are waiting on results. Hopefully we will hear somthing tomorrow. My mother is experiencing the same symptoms and the doctors are wondering if we picked something up in Taiwan. I will keep you posted. For now, we want to give a big SHOUT OUT to the following who have helped us in GREAT ways last week and this week. I have needed a lot of help with the girls and these have really stepped up!!! Here they are: Grandpa and Grandma Weaver, Grandpa and Grandma Nussbaum, Mamaw Carol, Aunt Shelley, Beth Winer. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I could not have done it without all of you!!!