ok, so my previous blog said... that we havent been since 2003, when Brett played,.....well I meant since 2003 for KU and Brett hasn't been w/a team since he played in 2002. Just wanted to clear that up. Thanks.

Rock Chalk, we did it!!!

So we're going to the FINAL FOUR!! WHEW HEW!! We haven't been since 2003, when Brett played, and we are SUPER excited to go w/ Coach Self and this staff and team. It was a nail biter of a game and I've never wanted to throw up more than last night, but we held it together. My mom, sister and Kaden were all watching the game together and after the last second shot didn't fall for Davidson, we screamed and hollered and Kaden started crying b/c he was freaked out!!!
So Kaden and I are off to San Antonio on Thurs. with the team. We didn't go to Detroit, and glad we took that week off, it's a lot of work on the road, but we're going now. Brett was gone for 5 days, and we're definitely glad to have daddy home and sooo excited to go with him on this trip. We meet North Carolina in the first game, and that'll be one of the most nerve racking/intense games we've ever had I think. I'm super excited for everyone and can't wait to get down there. My brother MIGHT get the chance to sit next to me, and help w/ Kaden of course, so I'm anxious to see if we can get a "crap" ticket for Kaden to just get in the game and he'll sit on my lap, like he always does. Brett's parents I think are going down too, I think they are driving on Friday. Barb, his mom, kept saying all year that she wanted this b/c her a Larry went on their honeymoon years ago, not sure how long they've been married, to San Antonio and that this would be a GREAT anniversary gift....so here you go Barb, congrats on your anniversary too!!!

We had fun while dad was gone, missed him terribly, but Kaden was a little angel the whole time, and I can't ask for a better baby boy!!! He's finally getting/got his 3rd and 4th tooth. Both on top, and they are shinning right through. He's walking all over, running at times(not really, but his type of run), dancing, squatting, flapping his arms when he see's basketball like he's dribbling, giving open mouth kisses, and just as adorable as he can be. I love him and love being a mom, this is so much fun. Soooo much work, but soo much fun.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!! Here we come!!!

We're Back

So Omaha was a success!!! We made it back late Saturday night and had a good time while we were there. We went to the zoo, watched a lot of good basketball and roamed our hotel many many times. Kaden is definitely off on his own. He would even just slip out of our room and start walking the halls and not afraid we weren't right there w/ him.(although we were watching) He also discovered a new "trick"....he can "dance". It's pretty darn cute. It all started Sat. night when we were in the hotel dining area and there was a big t.v. we were all watching the K-State game while it was "happy hour". So Kaden decided he wanted to entertain the entire group of hotel guests by walking up to the t.v. and just turning around and smiling. Of course everyone was laughing and thought he was cute, then he started doing these calf raises and then started wiggling...so I started laughing and said "are you dancing?" and he just smiled and started moving his feet real quick and shaking his right arm and wiggling his body, so now on command he can "dance". It's really cute I have to say.
We drove home after the game on Sat, so we got home really late, but made it just fine. We went to church on Sunday and did a little Easter Egg Hunt w/ Aunt Stephanie after the services, then went to eat w/ grandma and papa and did pretty good all day long. He liked throwing the eggs around and seeing if they cracked open so he'd have two sides to an egg!!! No treats inside, mom at those:) I'll send all the picts soon, not enough room to put them on here!!(to many to choose)

Yesterday was back to work and day care and I think he was ready to play with some kids!!! So now they are off to Detroit on wednesday. We were planning on going, Kaden and I, but last min. decision yesterday, we decided it'd be best not to go, mainly b/c the game on Friday isn't till 9:40 Michigan time, which means it wont start till 10:00 and that's pretty late for him to be dragged out there. So not being selfish, we'll sit this trip out and just plan on heading to San Antonio!!! (knock on wood)
That's about it from here....oh, and I have officially decided to NOT do the Ironman competition in June. I am still going to do the Lawrence 1/2 marathon April 20th. It's just a lot to try to get myself through b/c of Brett's job, and my job as a mother along with my regular job and house job and all that!! So, I'll put that off for now and just get back to normal working out. Which I snoozed my alarm this morning so I'll have to do it this afternoon, but that's ok, b/c I think it's supposed to be like 64, which is like a heat wave up here!!!
Till next time, love you all!!

And We're Off

So Kaden and I are off tonight to make the drive to Omaha! It's only like 3 hours away, so not to worried. I think I'm going to pick him up from daycare, feed, play and bathe him, then pj's on and off we go. I'll give him his bottle in the car. I'm hoping he'll sleep most of the way b/c it'll be about bed time when we leave. I'm pretty excited to go to this round since we missed all of this last year, and for GREAT reasons, but it'll be fun to experience this at least one more year and Kaden can learn to enjoy even more basketball. The team and family buses left yesterday and we were going to try to do that, that way I wouldn't have to drive or spend gas money, but I figured I needed a paycheck, so I worked yesterday and all day today and then I'll just miss Thurs and Friday. I'm excited to see Brett too. Don't get to see him very much this last part of the year. Even when he is home, usually I'm already asleep. So the time we spend together is in the morning getting ourselves and Kaden ready for the day, so that goes by quick as well. I don't really get to see him much on the road either, but at least I know we're there together. It's usually just me in the hotel room and now w/ Kaden I'm off being busy to keep him occupied and off doing things with the other wives/families. I think this trip they have some stuff planned for us to do if we want, so the zoo or something might be fun for Kaden weather permitting. We play tomorrow morning like at 11:30 I believe and then the Sat. game is in the afternoon, so we'll get back home at a decent time.
Kaden got sick the night before last, all over himself, crib, sheets, Brett...so that was a fun midnight wake up call!! Good thing Brett was home for that one to help.(it was only like a 1/4 of what was at the game and in the car) Bath, laundry, re-sheeting the bed, and then getting him back down took long enough, let alone if I had to have done it by myself. So yesterday and today he's been fine, just not eating a whole lot. I am trying to keep it pretty bland and he's really only had applesauce and crackers, plus some water and a little watery Gatorade. But whatever he wants right now, I just don't want him to get dehydrated or to hungry. When we went to his apt on Monday, they gave him a really strong/stinging shot for the ear infection (this is #6 or 7) and I think that's what made his stomach upset that night. I think this round he's finally getting sick of the ear infections b/c he's whinny and pulling A LOT at his ear and all the times before you wouldn't even know he had one. I don't blame him though, it's not comfortable. He was really cute last night though. We went on a little walk w/ Cooper and then came back and got Jack and did the same, then came in, ate a little, then played/read books/hit baseballs, and when it was time for his bottle we got that and he usually drinks all 8 oz...well he drank about 3 and pushed it away and then looked at me, snuggled into my chest and fell straight to sleep. It was really weird b/c he usually puts up a tiny fight and usually drinks alllllll his bottle, so I KNOW he's not feeling exactly right. But we woke up this morning and had no episodes during the night, so I guess I can just be happy he's not puking for the time being.
That's all I know for now, we'll post again in Omaha or when we get back with some victories!!ROCK CHALK!!! (and Happy Easter if I don't get one posted in time!!)

GO HAWKS!!!

So once again, we did it....the Jayhawks won the Big 12 tournament!! We had such a good time over in KC this weekend. Game after game, lots of fun. Kaden and I headed over on Friday for the game and needless to say, I saw most of the game in the concourse area walking w/ Kaden. So sat. my mom came over and went to the game w/ me and helped w/ Kaden. First half she did the same thing as me, then second half, well....he had so much fun he had to take a nap!!!(first picture). So we win, then played yesterday afternoon against Texas (next pictures), and it was SUCH a great game!!! We did so well and it was just really good basketball. Kaden....he did REALLY good. He sat w/ us the WHOLE time. So he ate a little pizza, had some water, a cookie, then took an hour nap on my arm, even with all the LOUD noise, he was passed out. So the last few mins of the game he was happy and then we WON!! The celebration started and streamers everywhere and announcer's talking then.......BLAH BLAH BLAH....Kaden started blowing chunks!! (sorry, kinda graphic) But it was seriously chunks allllll over. Had to warn Lauren Self to move her jacket, it was coming that way. So Cindy Self, my mom, and Tanya Dooley helped me clean him up, strip him naked then I headed up to the bathrooms.......poor little guy. I really don't know what happened. He was perfectly fine after that and just happy as a lark. We headed back to the locker room and stayed for the selection show. The team was obviously sooo happy and it was so much fun. Kaden played, walked around, laughed, and had a great time while we were back there. So we left and got our car at the hotel and started home. Halfway home to Lawrence I had given him some water and he was acting like he was hungry, so he ate a couple gold fish and some grapes......BLAH BLAH BLAH. I look back and he's gagging/choking, I had to literally dig stuff out of his mouth as I'm driving, so I slow down enough to pull over on I70. I wipe and clean as good as I can and put him in one of my t-shirts I found in the back and a blanket and he just looked so miserable and just wanted to be held. As I drive off, he pretty much just fell straight to sleep and looked just awful. We got home, had to get him in the bath, and he wanted nothing to do with that, just wanted me to hold him and let him sleep. We got through it, ate some apple sauce and some watered down Gatorade, then off to bed...whew!!

So, I'm tired, but there is a car full of vomit and a car seat full of it as well, so off to clean that out, do laundry, dry it, put the car seat back together, get it back in the car and now time to do regular laundry and get the house a little in order before we leave again Tues or wed. for Omaha!!! Brett didn't get home till 1 or so I think and I need to help him get all that done for him too so he can be ready to leave tomorrow. Yikes, lots of stuff, only 2 hands!!!

I guess you just do it, things happen, life throws curves, and you just do it. I love my life, wouldn't trade it for the world, but it gets hectic at times. So we're off to the doctors for Kaden's 1 year check up and to see what's going on with him not feeling well this afternoon. This morning he just screamed and wouldn't calm down, so I needed to switch the Dr. appt from tomorrow to today, we'll get that done and check that off the list.

I really hope Kaden is ok. I think a lot of this is his ears, and I'm preparing to be told that he has to get tubes since they say that every time we go in he has an ear infection. Whatever makes him better, will make me feel better.

After all that last night I got up and worked out early this morning and decided that I'm stopping, kinda, training for the Ironman. I might still train here and there for it, but I really don't think I'm going to compete in it and I feel ok about that. Now I just have to train for the 1/2 marathon in a month. Life goes on and there is so much going on in my life and things ahead for me to stay focused on rather than stressing about that race. So sorry to disappoint anyone, not that many care one way or another if I do it, but I think this will be best. Love you all. And I'll write again soon, probably in Omaha for the 1st/2nd round!!!! GO HAWKS!!!

Bday Party...Good News...Sad News....

So...Kaden's birthday party was a success!! We had such a blast. I know Kaden did too. He took a nap right before people started getting there and he was good to go from then on. His real birthday is March 15th, but with the Big 12 tourney, we had to do a party early...We're used to working around basketball, we love it!!

We started the party w/ snacky food and drinks, then opened presents.....boy did he rake in the gifts(lots of toys, clothes, and books!) Then we did the cake eating/smashing. Which by the way, the cake is Pablo-a Backyardigan (cartoon), and that thing took me over 2 1/2 hrs. to make...and I did it all by myself! (my mom helped make and color some of the icing) Then went to the garage for the car pinata for the kids. I think that was the most fun just watching them all try to hit it. And by the way, I don't know if pinatas are like this everywhere, but the pinatas at Target, are rock solid. I told the oldest kid there, that he'd have to really wack that thing, sure enough after all the little ones took their turns, he did his best and did break the pinata. Candy was flying everywhere and they seemed to have fun. Then after mostly everyone left (I guess he didn't want to show off) Kaden just completely started walking on his own!! I mean it was the most bizarre thing. I was on the phone in the kitchen w/ my brother and here he comes just strolling right by to the front door to see Brett outside. It was funny. Then he was just going everywhere. He didn't take his normal 2:30/3:00 nap for 2 hrs, which I was CERTAIN he was just going to crash, so we played and played and played ( I think it was all the sugar in the cake he devoured!!) Then Brett went up to work for a few hours and I decided that we would go on a walk, surely he would crash as soon as we start strolling.....nope! After 35-40 mins into the hour walk he finally let go. He was out, so I finished my walk home, tried to transport him to his bed....and up he was again and that was it till bed time that night. Daylight savings, and birthday cake....what was I expecting!!!

Ok, so good news...I got my MRI results back today and I DO NOT have a stress fracture in my hip!! YEAH!! (that could of been a big problem) What I do have... is the area that has been hurting is one huge muscle and well the muscle has pulled itself away from the hip bone area and there is a nerve right there, so the nerve is now exposed! Sounds great huh. That is why I am in so much pain. So good news, but not so good I guess. So Dr. Randall gave me a cortisone shot right there in the hip, didn't hurt as bad as I thought, and said swim or easy something tomorrow and then I'm fine for whatever.....so I was like, "Yeah I can run, race, whatever". So I called Brett and told him, and he asked, "ok, great, but what about long term, how is the muscle going to reattach itself?" Well I didn't really think about that and he really didn't say, so there are more questions to be asked this weekend when I see him at the Big 12 tourney. But I still plan on running the Lawrence 1/2 marathon April 20th!! About the Ironman 70.3.......well, I'm really torn right now and I think I'm leaning more towards the way of not doing it anymore. I have still and will still for a while, just to make sure, been following the training program and its going ok. It is getting harder/longer and I know its not to much longer for bball season, but then there's camp, possibilities of job changes, ect. and Brett won't be around any more than he is now, so Kaden & my family are still my #1 priority in life. I can do the 4:30 AM forever really, it's not so much that. To be honest, I hate the swimming (which I've been getting good at) and the biking is just biking, nothing that wow's me, just hurts your tushy area when done. With that said, my heart has really been pulling on me to not do this and for another HUGE reason...my brother's wedding!! His wedding is only going to happen once (hear that guys!!) and it's a REALLY important thing to ME, as well as obviously Brett and Amber. So with his wedding the DAY/NIGHT before this HUGE race, would mean I would have to leave early, like WAY earlier than I REALLY want to leave, just to get sleep and be prepared. So that has been really really tugging at my heart. I know they would come support me the next day, they have already planned on it, well not the swimming part, that starts at 6:45AM, but at least the running part, which would be like 4-5 hrs later! But I just don't know. I'm thinking maybe doing a relay team with it, and it wouldn't be as bad, but to train soooo hard for this and to just go do it to do it, which is what some people are telling me, is not my style at all, I'm WAY to competitive and to just throw away allll my hard work to just do it half a**'ed...I don't like that feeling. I'll get back to you on the FINAL answer to that.

Side note, I got my hair chopped yesterday, looks pretty cute I think. I don't have a picture yet, so the one's at Kaden's bday party were the old, yucky hair. Just thought I'd share!

(and no Brett T., it's really short, but doesn't look like a boy!) Oh and Kaden got his 1 yr. old pictures taken today by a photographer, he did really good, and I think they are going to turn out really good. I'll share when we get the proofs in a few weeks.

Ok, now for the sad news, and I'm not elaborating on this, just stating it, b/c it's really breaking my heart and I've been crying for the last 20 mins since I heard the news. My cousin, who has had a REALLY REALLY hard time w/ infertility, finally got pregnant!!! Well things have progressed on and she's now right around 16 weeks and found out the baby has deformities and a possibility of this condition that could end his/her life. The chances, as for what Taylor says, are not high at all for it's life expectancy. Either he/she doesn't develop the full term, or if he/she does, then it's a really short time of life after birth. So I'm writing this to those that read who are friends and other family, to PLEASE pray for my cousin and her husband along with the rest of our family. We've been through a lot of emotions w/and for her before baby was developed and now during the pregnancy and we just want peace and comfort for them and the baby. Thank you in advance for all the prayers!!

Love you all!!

Told Ya!!

So I told ya we would kick some bootay on sat., and we did it again last night against Texas Tech. It was Senior night and it was unbelievable 109-51!! It was so much fun saturday against K-State and the Fieldhouse was insanely loud, I think I can only remember one other time it's been that loud, it was a blast.
I got to see and hang out with Meghan and her husband Tyler a little and Tyler got to finally meet Mr. Kaden. First thing he said when we were at the house and Kaden was walking around everywhere was..."so this is what you do all the time huh!!!" Pretty cute.
The rest of the weekend Kaden and I did a little birthday party shopping, and I can't wait for his bday party this Sunday. It's going to be a FULL house at our little home, but it'll be fun. I'm at least excited about it, Kaden has no idea and probably won't care till he see's the little friends he has coming over, along with family as well.
I am finally going to get an MRI on my hip sometime soon, I called the dr.'s office yesterday and just waiting to see how much it'll cost me after insurance. I have had really really bad hip pain for over 2 months now when/after I run, so I talked to Dr. Randall, the men's bball team doctor and he looked me over a little when we were down in Austin for the UT game. He suggested I get this b/c if it's a stress fracture...well then I'd have to be out for a little, and that will determine a lot of things for me, mainly the Ironman race. So I'll keep you posted. Until then....