Great news for Harrison

I took Harrison in yesterday for a sedated ABR (which is a hearing test). Most of you know that he can not hear in his right ear. The test yesterday confirmed what we suspected... he has maximum conductive hearing loss in that ear. The GREAT news is that his hearing nerve is totally normal. They can do corrective surgery when he is 5 or 6 years old to open his ear canal, and then he will have normal hearing levels. Conductive hearing loss simply means that the sound can't get to your ear drum. You experience the same thing when your ear is impacted with wax. The doctor is confident that Harrison will develop normal speech patterns despite this early hearing loss... and we are thankful that he does not need a hearing aid. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and thoughts over this matter. The Lord has blessed us once more!

We had already started baby sign language with the boys... this just helped make us more diligent about using it. We LOVE baby signing. Carter and I are such geeks about it... we sign and sing their songs off of the video and CD, "Baby Signing Time" :) We know it may take a little while longer before the boys actually start signing back, but the results will be worth the payoff in the end.

School today has been MISERABLE. I am trying to get over a head cold, but our air conditioner has gone WACKO and it is like 150 degrees in my classroom and throughout the building. What a fun way to spend a Friday!

Happy weekend everyone!

MORE Bluebonnets!

We ran across this field of bluebonnets on our way home from Katy Mills Mall one day last week... and went back this weekend to take pictures. We met the neatest couple who own the property! They were both Tech grads (and were excited to see Carter's Tech hat and shirt!) and told us we were welcome to take pictures as long as we mailed them one. :) I have never seen so many bluebonnets in one place... they were absolutely gorgeous!

I hope you all don't think I'm obsessed with bluebonnets, but growing up in West Texas, they are still a novelty to me! They are around for such a short time of the year... we get as much enjoyment out of them as we can. This field of bluebonnets made our last pictures (from spring break) look pretty pathetic!

7 month old picture

Our Seven Month Old picture... we didn't get any that I just absolutely adored, but we're waiting for the proofs from Kathy Debbs. These were cheapies. I think Harrison looks really cute, but there just weren't any where both of them showed their personalities like I had hoped. 

Our Spring Break trip to Lubbock

This is a collage I made in Picassa to show how much fun we had on our recent trip to Lubbock for Spring Break. You see our cousin McKinley, us with Mimi and Papa D, in the bathtub, with Sweet Linda, and in the bluebonnets. We had such a great time! Harrison is just about to crawl. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth... I know as soon as he takes that first "step" forward my life will change forever! Palmer isn't as interested in crawling as he is in eating his toes. :) We are glad to be back home and settling back into our routine.

Bluebonnets!

The bluebonnets were in full bloom on our way home to Lubbock for spring break. We stopped on the side of the road to take these pictures... but this wasn't the best spot. The boys were fascinated with the flowers, though! I thought this was too cute not to share. More on our trip later! 

Spring Break is FINALLY here!

YEAH! Spring Break is here! This is the day I've been counting down to for SUCH a long time. I need a break from school, and I know my students need a break from me! :)

Papa D flies in today... hip hip hooray! I'm leaving right after school to pick him up. We are taking him to the East Bernard FISH FRY tonight. (every Friday during Lent... we look forward to it each year!) Then, Papa D, Palmer, Harrison, and I are driving home to Lubbock on Saturday morning! I am so excited I can barely stand it. I haven't even started packing yet... like a true Biggers! I think it is supposed to be cold in Lubbock this weekend... need to check accuweather.com.

Here's something crazy for ya... We bought the boys a dual-screen DVD player for the car. I know, I know, they are not even 7 months old. We are looking at it as an investment for our future sanity. :) Right now, Baby Beethoven is one of the ways we can keep them entertained... so I thought it would be helpful on the NINE hour car ride to and from Lubbock. It also happened to be on sale. We can use it for years to come, and this way each boy has his own screen. They are even able to do different things on those screens... one can play a video game while the other watches a movie! WOW! The best part (for the future) is that they have headphones! So even though I may have to listen to Baby Beethoven in the car almost all the way home, I can look forward to someday of peaceful car riding again. :)

My third period class is almost over. Three more to go... all freshmen. We are watching a video on FIRE... since we are studying thermodynamics (HEAT... for all you non-science geeks!) and all my freshmen boys are pyromaniacs. A fun way to finish the week. I made my chemistry students take a test, though. ICK! They have been looking at me with disgust all day.

My newest indulgence these days are Dove dark chocolates. YUM! I also love that the wrappers have quotes on the inside that are really fun. The one I just opened says "There's a time for compromise... it's called later."

I can't wait to see everyone...

The funniest thing I've read in a LONG time... For all you mothers of BOYS!

Dear God... I have TWO of them, plus their crazy Daddy! :) What stories will I have to write about?

The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, Texas:

Things I've learned from my boys (honest and not kidding):
1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3.) A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9) A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year-old man says they can only do it in the movies.
10.) Certain Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old boy.
11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
12.) Super glue is forever.
13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15.) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
20.) The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.
21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24.) 80% of women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.
25.) 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

Monday Blahs...

I'm feeling the Monday Blahs today... missing my boys like crazy. Being away from them every day is the hardest thing I've ever done! I know they are being well cared for... and that makes it a little bit easier, but I just wish it could be ME taking care of them!

We are counting down the days until Papa D flies in on Friday. He will spend Friday night with us and drive home to Lubbock with me, Palmer, and Harrison on Saturday. Then we get to go to church at Broadway on Sunday to show the boys off. (Papa D claims that some people actually want to see ME... but I seriously doubt that!)

I was totally disappointed in the Oscars last night. OK, so I fell asleep before they were over. But overall, not a banner year for Hollywood. No really exciting dresses (which is sad for my Fantasy Fashion League!), no exciting movies, and a BORING host. Glad to see that George Clooney and Reese Witherspoon won, though. I think she would be the kind of girl I could really be friends with... you know? She looked really pretty... classic. I can't wait to see Oprah today.

March marches on...

Spring break is still a week away... will it ever get here? Carter flew out yesterday to Dallas for a funeral of a dear family friend in Paris, TX. I had the twins by myself until almost 10:00 last night. We made a quick trip to WalMart, and they WAILED all the way home. I didn't plan their bottle time very well around our trip. :) Live and learn.

I have so many papers to grade this weekend it just isn't even funny. I need a suitcase to carry them home in. Carter doesn't have any competitions this weekend, just a Krispy Kreme donut pickup at the grocery store. (This is from their fundraiser.) They sold 800 dozen donuts!

We learned today that our friends, Renee and Anthony Wilson had their baby Nadia last night... what a time to rejoice! Can't wait to see pictures of her.

I am getting so excited about going home to Lubbock for spring break. Carter doesn't get to go with us until the last weekend which will be really hard. I know he will get a lot of PS2 time in while we're gone. LOL.

Happy Friday...

We got the boys' 6 month pictures today... this is a collage I created in Picassa of them. You can view them at www.thesmilestation.com but I need Carter to email me the login code. :) 

Our First Blog Ever!

Seeing that we are SO far behind the times, we've decided to start BLOGGING. I hope this is fun for everyone to read and share... since we're spread over the miles!

Mandy, Carter, Palmer and Harrison