Nothing is Safe

Well the title says it all - Nothing is safe - at least not at our house. Emily has now discovered how to climb. She was just simply climbing on the couch and the recliners - ok - then she started standing on the couch and recliner - not ok - and now she is climbing up and out of her bed - definitely not ok!

I am beginning to think she is part monkey and cat. Monkey - because she can climb anything. No matter if it is a smooth surface or not - she must have suction cups for feet - she can climb anything. Caught her with her toes wrapped around the slats on her bed and making her way up - how does she do that??? Cat - because no matter what she climbs out of she always lands on her feet. She can be at the top of the bed and flip herself over the rail (terrible to watch) and plopped down right on her feet. I would have broken every bone in my legs and both arms if I had tried that. Uugghh!

I have toddler proofed just about everything in the house - but somehow she manages to find a way to get to anything she wants. About a week ago she is playing in the kitchen floor with her cups (all the toys in the world and plastic Riskey's cups are the toy of choice) I turned and took 5 steps away and she is up pushing over a table chair and trying to climb up onto the counter. Apparently she spotted the telephone and decided she needed to make a call. I am under the impression that no matter how high I place something - is she wants it she will get it.

Ok no worries - these incidents do not happen often. She is now NEVER left in her bed unless she is fully asleep. We can no longer let her play in the bed and run to shower - no more running to get the phone - nothing - she goes with us no matter what. I can leave the rail down, but she is still small and I am so afraid of her falling out or rolling out. I know I am not the first parent to do this - Michael even did it - but he was bigger and it just seems different this time I know she will grow out of climbing. Does anyone know when??? Soon I hope.

I have found a solution for my sanity and sleep. There is an item named Crib Tent - it is a big tent mesh thing that straps to the top rails of a bed. I think they use it to keep cats and bugs out of cribs - but it also states that it is for the safety of climbing toddlers - hey that's us! It is about 3 feet above the crib and is fully mesh so breathing is not an issue. I haven't purchased it yet - but strongly thinking about it. I am back to not sleeping at night because I am always afraid she is climbing - I can hear and see everything but any little move I am up making sure she isn't climbing out. It makes for long nights!

Alright - I am up to anyone with great ideas - new suggestions or encouragement at this point.

Happy Birthday Dublin Dr.Pepper

I have been trying to write this blog for almost a week now - life just gets in the way sometimes.


My Two Peppers!



Happy Birthday Dr. Pepper. I took the kids to the 119th Birthday celebration of the Dublin Dr. Pepper. There is a HUGE history to this place.

When the cost of pure sugar went very high all the drink companies went to using corn syrup because it was cheaper, the woman that owned this bottling plant tried it and hated it - so she refused her drink recipes to be changed. She insisted that they stay them same. Alot of things have been kept the same - like the fact that they still only deliver drinks to stores in a 44 mile radius from Dublin. This is the length they could travel with horse and buggy and still make it back the same day. So for most of you if you want some you must order online - that part is updated!


The original owner inherited it from her father, and since she never had any children of her own, she left the whole business to her longest, most loyal employee. He had to go off to war and promised her he would return to take his place back at the factory, so in return she sent him Dublin Dr. Pepper care packages. There are photos in the building of him sharing a Dr. Pepper with the German soldiers. When she was ready to retire she told him of her plans - he told her he wasn't worthy of it - and apparently she set him straight. He had officially worked for her for over 20 years at that point. His family still owns it today with his sons and grandsons running it. Quite a remarkable story.


The bottling area


The original founders desk


The delivery truck

Funny part: She moved the plant to Dublin, Texas because she said Dublin was going to be the next Ft. Worth - not sure how many of you have ever been to Dublin - but it is definitely not Ft. Worth.









EVERYTHING that day was about Dr.Pepper - free Dr.Pepper from the largest Dr.Pepper can, the Tour De Dr.Pepper bike race, Dr.Pepper birthday cake, free tours of the museum and bottling plant (which we loved b/c it had a/c), of course that included the gift shop, we saw the 2010 Miss Dublin Dr.Pepper, a sand artist created a huge Dr.Pepper sand castle, and Dr. Pepper fudge. They even change the city limits size to Dr. Pepper, Texas!




I can say that we have tried Dublin Dr.Pepper - I won't be buying any. I am sure there are many out there that love it, I am just a fan of the other Dr.Pepper - sorry Dublin! It was very hot - but a very fun day!

Her time has come

Well the time is here -I finally took Emily out of the house! She has been officially introduced to the world - and the shopping world at that. We headed right for the most typical store you would think to take her to - Babies R Us. Had just a few things to get and decided this weekend she would go with me. She did fabulous for her first time out. No fussing, whining or crying all day. None from Emily that is - me on the other hand - well - give me a break - it was her first time out! I managed to hold the emotions in all day until I got home - then found myself wondering why I took her - what if she gets sick now? What if something would have happened? What if she touched something that wasn't cleaned properly??? I think I may have a problem. But no worries - I had reinforcements with me. Memere and Emily's God Mother, Emma, went with us - I am glad because you would have thought I was the one that had never been out before. They kept things in check and made the shopping trip very easy.

The best thing happened when we entered the store. In her usual fashion Emily started saying "hi" to all that past by her, but then she got focused on one person. Well after taking a closer look, I discovered Emily had found someone she knew!. Now what are the chances of that? Would have thought very slim, right? Well guess again because Emily had found her NICU buddy Izzy! Can you believe that? It was wonderful to see Izzy and see how much she has grown. The girls sat in the baskets and played patty-cake and giggled at each other the whole time while the adults visited. It was amazing to me that her first time out in the world and she got to share it with the little lady that shared everything in the beginning with her. I found it only fitting that Izzy was there to experience Emily's first shopping trip - oh no - I bet that's a sign of MANY, MANY more shopping trips together! Watch out world!

Oh by the way - the 'few things" I needed to get - turned into alot of new things for miss E - E already loves to shop!

What a year it's been!

One year ago today we brought Emily home from the NICU. After spending nearly 4 months there, we rolled out of the parking lot at 6:24 pm.

I can remember everything about that day - like it was yesterday. After all that time we were finally going to "room in" at night and go home the next day. Little did I know when I arrived that day I was in for a big surprise. Michael had to work that day, so he dropped me off and went on to sing the Sunday Brunch at the Reata restaurant. I scrubbed in and walked back to Emily's famous room 5. Her nurse, Gwen, said "Oh By the way - do you want to go home today or do you really want to sleep here tonight?" Hello? Did I just hear that? Well Duh - I want out - and NOW!

Not even thinking I pulled out my phone and called Michael (you are not allowed to use use cellphones in the NICU, but since I wasn't thinking I got a pass) told him finish singing and go get the car cleaned - we are going home TONIGHT!! I don't have to tell you how that conversation ended - probably something along the lines of me crying hysterically again! We arranged to meet up with his Mom and get little Michael so he could be there too - I was not leaving until he was there - he went through it all too and he needed to see closure also. So basically I forgot all about the matching clothes we were all going to wear, all the beautiful pictures we were going to take, all the sweet things I had planned to say - out the window. It took us a couple of hours to get everything packed (we had been there a while) signed 400000000 forms and said good bye at 6:24.

That has to be the most bittersweet moment I have ever had. I had relied on all these people for 4 months - seen them everyday - called them on the phone an unbelievable amount of times during the day - and now I was leaving the only world I had known for 4 months. We made such great friends there and now to leave them all - and all my babies - how could I leave all my babies behind? Of course that passed and I found myself very busy with a newborn at home. Yes, I miss all my friends but we visit as often as we can.

We can NEVER thank the Harris NICU staff enough for all they did during our stay - not just for EMILY - for all of us! We are also very grateful for our friends that we have now because of our time there - we couldn't have done it without you.

Fast Foward - One year later - tonight at 6:24 pm we sat around our dinner table - as a family of four!

My First Family Blog

Hello

I am trying my hand at making a family blog. I should just go ahead and say that this will be the Cote Kid blog, since we adults in the house have no life except for our kids.

We will try and keep this one updated better than Emily's last blog site.

The newest information around here:

Emily is now 15 months old - can you believe it? I can't - hard to imagine what all she has gone through, but she doesn't let her slow start in life stop her now. She is quite the young lady - into everything!! VERY VERY MOBILE - she walks all around the furniture and, when no one is looking, she lets go and walks about 10 steps alone. It won't be long now she is ready to on her own. We can get her to walk to her daddy alone but when it's my turn she sits down - little stinker!

She is weighing in at 18 lbs. and 7 oz. and 30 inches. Although I measure her at 28 inches - so who knows. She is still a bit small on her weight, but theres nothing else we can do. She eats everything in sight and eats all day! You can give her anything and she will eat it. Loves her milk only at night - she isn't much of a drinker during the day, but always has her water around. She will get there - she used to be the "big girl" in the NICU - looks like now we will play catch up to all our friends.

Michael is doing great - he is the typical 10 year old. Loves the computer and can't be bothered with parents right now. If I need him to do anything I tell him Emily asked for him to help. She can do no wrong in his eyes - and I will use it to my advantage as long as I can! He is finishing up the 4th grade in two weeks and on to the next year in 5th grade. He does well in school and likes it most of the time. Right now he is mapping out the travels he wants to do this summer. He has a few spots he would like to see before summer ends - and knowing his Pepere he will get to all of them. We really couldn't ask for a better son - he hung in there very well during all the time we were away with Emily - she is very lucky to have such a great big brother.

As far as the adults in the house - we are doing well also. Our schedule seems to never change - it's always hectic. Mike is singing quite a bit lately - he is so talented and I can't wait until we can all go again to see him. If you ever get a chance to some out - do - you won't be disappointed! No I am not biased!!

The school year is coming to a close for me soon, but guess what - yes I agreed to do summer school. What was I thinking??? It's not bad - 4 days a week 8-12 and only 3 weeks. I can do it - at least I think I can. I just couldn't send those babies to another school without someone they know - so I am going with them.

When we are not doing work - we are doing work. Our embroidery/heat press business has really picked up this year. We took a lot of time off last year because of E and now we are back in full swing. I need to be doing some now and not writing this, but got have some down time sometimes.

I have lots of pictures to share and will soon. Don't want to overload the system just yet. I will get some up soon.

Take care and love to all!