Trip to coolidge park and Addie the terrible!

   We headed home for a visit to the mountain on March 18. Amberly and Atalie were coming in and Daly was already there (from coming in with Amy the week before). So I got to see Amy one week and Amber and her girls the next! Friday was supposed to be the prettiest day we were going to be in so Amberly and I decided to take the kids to Coolidge Park. Bryson had a doctors appointment for a cholesterol check, so it was just us girls going. A car load of girls mind you. Amberly, me, Ashely, Daly, Atalie, and Elliana!
  We got there around 11 and had planned on walking the walnut street bridge, but it was under construction. Plan B was just to walk around the park and let the kids ride the carousel. They all loved the carousel! Daly and Ashley rode it twice and Amberly and I took turns taking the babies for a ride. It was Elliana's first Carousel ride, and I think she would've rode it several more times. She really enjoyed it. After the carousel ride we went back outside and snapped a few pictures. We then decided it was time for ice-cream! Clumpies was nearby so we walked over. I tried a coconut almond chunk shake, which was incredibly good! I think everyone enjoy their treats...except the babies. Poor things have to wait a few more months for ice-cream. On the way back home we stopped over at Cracker Barrel, a definite Whetzell family favorite. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we had lots of fun! All that walking around had it's consequences, for me at least. My legs cramped for hours that night making it almost impossible to sleep. I guess pregnancy and being on your feet all day just don't go well together.
  Later that same night we went to Granny and Popie's house. The babies were so cute crawling around...until the attack that is. Elliana, who at this point wasn't crawling very well yet, was minding her own bussiness playing in the floor. Then out of nowhere Addie came crawling up and yanks on Elliana's hair and started yelling really loud (a war cry maybe??)! Don't really know what provoked it, but poor Elliana didn't know what to think of it. She just sat there and cried. We're going to have to teach that kid to fight back when her mean ol' red-haired cousin sneaks up on her. :) They were cute together, but I think Elliana was pretty scared of Addie by the end of the night. I'm sure one day they'll play sweetly together...well I hope at least. :)
  On Saturday we went to the Just Between Friends consignment sale at Camp Jordan. I went to my first big consignment sale in Albany when I was pregnant with Elliana and I was hooked from then on. It's amazing what you can find at some of those sales. I'm not talking about consignment shops, you get ripped off at a lot of those, but the sales that come through maybe twice a year for a week or two are really good! I was given an early pass by a friend from church, so me, Amberly, mom, and the 2 babies got to go in before the general public. That was really nice because it is so crowded when it opens to the public. Everybody had good finds. I was able to get a lot of things I needed for Elliana for the beach plus some clothes and new blankets for her and the new baby. Afterward we all decided to swing by the Sweet Basil for dinner. It's a really great Thai restuarant in Chattanooga. We had chicken panang curry and coconut chicken soup all around. It was so good! As we were passing the Krispy Kreme on the way home from there the 'hot now doughnuts' sign was flashing. Who could pass up hot doughnuts?!
  Sunday after church we got to go to Bryson's nanny's for a birthday dinner for Marianne (her b-day was March 13). Elliana througly enjoyed the all the good table food she was able to eat! After lunch we went and hung out at the Rogers house until it was time to go. It was a horrible day to drive home, cold, cloudy, and rainy! The kind of weather that makes you want to curl up with a blanket and sleep. We did make it home (after seeing 4 wrecks) though.
  In more recent news; since it's been almost 2 weeks since I've posted.... Elliana had a horrible day yesterday. She woke up twice in the night before with very messy diapers that left her with diaper rash. She also has her two top, front teeth coming in. Oh yes and she fell off our bed for the first time as well! Bless her heart. She was fine, but it sure gave me a big scare. I had been laying down with her until I got sick, from baby number 2, and had to visit the bathroom a couple of times. Elliana was sleeping so soundly that I hated to move her to her bed when I went downstairs to get lunch. I left the bedroom door open and thought I would hear her when she woke up. However, all I heard was a loud, sickening thud when she hit the floor. It was surely a sight to see my fat, pregnant self hurdling over the baby gate and sprinting up the stair as I raced to get her. She was laying facedown crying. I felt so bad, but she seemed fine after about a minute or so of me holding her. She must be a pretty tough gal. That will definitely be the last time she naps in our bed!
   Today's weather has been so nice! Bryson and I took Elliana hiking on the trails at the Dunbar Cave state park. Bryson toted the her on her little kangaroo-like pouch. Now that's she's about 16 pounds or so that's not such an easy task. I guess he carried one baby while I carried the other though. :) Also, I had seen signs for another state park somewhat close to our house. We decided to try to find it. The drive there was gorgeous. Lots of huge open fields and large mansion-like homes. Once we got there I just explored for a mintue or two while Bryson waited in the car with a sleeping Elliana. It really looked like a nice park. We'll definitely be back for a hike there. It was much more secluded than dunbar and more out in the country. Today has really gotten me looking forward to more spring-like weather. I love being outdoors!

The packet out pilot. Ashley was in the back with the double stroller and me and Amberly up front.

Sweet picture of 'sugar' Daly's baby goat

Ashley loving the carousel

Elliana was ready to ride!

The gang, with Ashley behind the camera. 3-19-10

The babies waiting their turn for the carousel

Daly and Bella really enjoyed their cones at clumpies

                                                                      
 

Me and Ellie at Coolidge

Such a bully Addie!

Sweet shot after supper one night this past week

She really hammed it up with the easter bunny!

Little Elliana will be a big sister soon!!!

  Bryson and I were very shocked, and overwhelmed, yet are excited and feel extremely blessed to have found out we are expecting baby #2! Elliana is going to be a big sister at only 15 months old (she's just so little to be a big sister!). :) Though we've been waiting until I got past the 1st trimester to spread to word to make sure things were going well with the baby, we've known since Jan. 28. I was feeling somewhat sick for about a week with no apparant reason, and I finally decided to take a test. Sure enough we found the cause of my nausea. It's going ot be tough having two babies in diapers and I know two so young will require a lot of attention, but we know God is in control. His plans are bigger and better than we could ever imagine. Bryson and I are so thankful God has decided to bless us once again with another precious baby!
   My sister Amy, her friend Keeley,and Daly got here Thursday and left today. It was great getting to see them all. I definitely don't get to see enough of them. Living so far apart is tough! We had a good time hanging out here at the townhome, and Amy's pup did great at the shows! He won first place in the puppy class on 2 out of the 4 days! He also did very well in the open show...3rd out of 31 dogs! We went out to eat one night, played board games, and went to the Bass Pro shop in Nashville. It seems like the time flew by!
  We had a big scare this weekend with my dad. My mom called about 2:30 p.m. on Friday and told  us that dad had gotten really sick while at the post office. He ultimately had the worker there call an ambulance because he was extremely dizzy, staggering, sweating, nauseous, his whole body felt really weak, and was he having left arm pain. They checked his blood pressure and it was 210/90, and my dad has never had any trouble with high blood pressure. Though,he has a history of heart trouble having already had a quadruple by-pass surgery at 45! Both his mom and dad died of heart-attacks; his dad being only 54 years old when he passed away. High cholesterol is a problem being passed on to lots of Whetzells, including me.  Once dad got to the hospital they ran lots of tests on him and decided that he had not had a heart attack. In fact they couldn't find the cause of his symptoms at all! They ended up sending him home that night and told him to follow up with his cardiologist on Monday. I for one had hoped they would try a little harder to find the cause of the high blood pressure, but I assume they ran all the tests that they could. Hopefully everything will be o.k. with him when he goes to the cardiologist tomorrow. We thank God that he did not have a heart attack and seemed to get better very quickly. Please keep him in your prayers and thanks for all who've already said a prayer!
   Well, it's been a long weekend (a 5 year old's energy level vs. a pregnant lady's engery level = no comparisson) :). Both Bryson and Elliana are sound asleep and a nap is sounding perfect to me right now. Remember that today is the day to spring forward with your clocks!

Daly goofing off on Elliana's motor cylce.

Bless her heart, she got stuck in her crib! It was so cute though.

Daly out back with Mugsy.

Daly's first night here. She was so tired after traveling to TN from Albany and getting up early for the dog show.

Elliana loved having a playmate for a few days. Daly made a great baby entertainer!

Daly reading Elliana her favorite book....and getting her hair messed with as well. lol

Sick baby girl

 Well we finally decided to take Elliana to the church nursery last Sunday. It was her first time getting to be all big and stay with all the other babies. I think she did well, but she sure is sick now. :( She caught a really nasty cold and has been puny since Tuesday. I swear her snot faucet is on full blast! The poor baby has so much snot she can't breathe correctly. She has to sleep with her mouth open and it's really difficult for her to eat when she can't breathe through her nose. She's also got a mean old cough, but at least the fever she had Tuesday and Wednesday is gone. Those darn suction bulbs you have to use are next to barbaric and she understandably hates them! She's none to fond of the saline drops either. Sigh. I know she's going to get sick pleanty, all kids do, but I'm not sure she'll be going back to the nursery anytime too soon. Sure she needs to build up her immune system, but I think it would be a little easier on her if she were a bit older. Anyhow, I'm sure she'll slowly start to lick this cold. I just hate seeing her so miserable.
 In other news, my sister Amy is coming for a visit next week! I'm excited to have her come up...it'll be the first time she's gotten to come to Clarksville. Actually, I'm thinking she's only got to visit me and Bryson once the whole time we've been married! Albany Georgia is just too darn far away! Of course she was in Kuwait part of that time too (definitely a little far for a visit). She has recently gotten into dog showing with her English bulldog; so that's what's helping to bring her this way. Looks like Elliana and I will be attending our first dog show! One of Amy's buddies and my oldest niece, Daly, will get to come as well! I really hate that I don't get to see her and Addie (Daly's sister who was born 17 days before Elliana) more often. Oh speaking of Addie, she's coming a little later on with my sister Amberly too! It's going to be an exciting week starting Thursday!
  Bryson has heard back on the first job he interviewed for and found that he didn't get it. We are still waiting on news about the second job. He checked on it yesterday and was told that no decision has been made as of yet, and that they are shifting a lot of positions around in that particular group and may have even more than one job opening. He should be hearing something one way or another soon. I know he will be very disappointed if he doesn't get it because he's eager to get back toward Chattanooga. Hopefully something will work out, but we know it's all in God's hands and he knows the best plan. I've heard it compared to a huge parade once. It's like God is in a blimp and can see the entire parade (of our lives) from start to finish. We, on the other hand, can only see the portion that's right in front of us. We have to just trust God knows what's coming up and he's got everything under control.
   Oh goodie! I just checked my bank balance online and our tax refund is in! We are getting to completely pay off Bryson's Alabama student loan!!! This is such a HUGE relief and we are so thankful to God! We will still have a debt with Auburn from his finance degree, but the intrerest rate was locked in at like 2.2 %. That's why we've been really trying to pay down the Alabama loan since the interest rate was more like 7%! Debt is just something we want no part of, so we have been putting as much money toward these loans as possible. It's great to be ALMOST debt free!! However, at about the time we think we'll pay off the Auburn debt  it'll be time to build a house. Bummer. I'm sure we will diligently work on that debt as well when the time comes. I guess debt is just a part of life.
  The weather for today and this weekend is supposed to be nice. I'm looking forward to some warmer temps. and lots of sunshine! Hopefully, Elliana will feel well enough by tomorrow to go for a short hike with me and Bryson. We love getting outdoors and I, for one, could really use the exercise! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Even though it was chilly last weekend, we went for a hike since it was so pretty. Not sure how much exercise Elliana got though.....:)

They have a little museum at the state park where we hiked. I thought these opossums would look a little better with a cute baby next to them. They are so creepy looking!