Well its been awhile, but I need to update this! I was supposed to be going back to school this fall, however because of Calvin's biting at school, he was asked to leave. I work at the daycare he attends so I was a little heartbroken. I told my bosses that I wouldn't be able to work there and pay for daycare elsewhere. They're working with me and going to see how Calvin is doing in January and decide if he'll be able to stay for good. It's a little confusing cause he is allowed to come into work with me if I'm needed on the days I was supposed to have class, and lately its been like everyday! But I am enjoying my time away from work. Getting the opportunity to spend more time with him and hang out with my family is a definite plus.

My husband Derek leaves for Navy boot camp in January. He recently left his main job a few weeks ago to spend more time with us. He still works at the grocery store around the corner at night. I have mixed feelings about the whole Navy thing. I am not too fond of moving...and not knowing where I am going. Plus its a lot of change for a little boy! We agreed that we would wait until I was done getting my Bachelor's degree before moving the family with him.
Fall in upstate NY is absolutely beautiful! It came all of a sudden and just about every tree is a lovely shade of red, orange and green. Halloween is coming up, and this year HAS to be better than last year! (You'll remember Calvin had shingles on Halloween) Calvin will be into it a little more. He is really into dinosaurs and I found a dragon costume on Ebay. It looks like a dinosaur and he loves it! We've gone apple picking a few times, I've posted pics below. They are also on facebook (my new addiction) so sorry for the repeats if you've already seen them!

Calvin's speech has really improved! It is easier to understand him now and he is using his words more to ask for things, and dealing with certain situations. He still has a little bit more to go to catch up to where he should be, but he is really into therapy and his therapist is just awesome!

I believe that's it for right now! I'm going to try and update this thing at least monthly!

Well here I am again on the Internet. We just got DSL, cheaper than cable, but still does the job. I haven't been on here in FOREVER!! Congrats to all of my cousins that have had babies in the last few months! How exciting!! And they are wicked cute!
Calvin went pee on the potty for the first time this evening, he was really pleased with himself as he was clapping and smiling and saying "YEAYY!!!" He is turning into a big boy every minute. He just had tubes in his ears and his adenoids removed in the first week of June. It was a little nerve wracking for me, but he was fine by the end of the day. The doctor said there was a lot of fluid in his ears and that the surgery would be the best thing for him. Hopefully his speech will improve. He currently receives therapy 2 times a week and he is doing really well with it!
We just got done with our summer vacation. We went to the Great Escape (Six Flags) on Monday and then Cal and I went to visit my moms vacation house in upstate Pennsylvania. It was a nice relaxing week off.

In other news, I was accepted to the College of St.Rose and start school on August 31st! I am super excited, I even bought a few school supplies (notebooks and pens etc.) today! I am going for my bachelors degree. I have 2 years left and then I will be able to teach in a school while earning my masters. This way, I can have the summers off and won't be so sad to go back to work after a week off.
I think that's it for now. Sorry about not having any updated pictures. I lost my camera about a month ago and I can't find it. St. Anthony, PLEASE HELP!!
ttys,
Love
Ashley

So it has been a loooong time since I've been online! Alot has happened! First of all, I am not pregnant again. Not yet. I am relieved, I don't think that another baby is a smart move right now. Maybe next year!
Anyway, we moved out of my dad's house, which explains the lack of internet. It is nice being out on our own again, but I miss the help I had with Calvin.
I ended up going to the neurologist because I get migraines, and latley they have been coming once a week (yuck!). They put me on blood pressure medicine that also helps migraines; it makes me nervous becuase I don't have high blood pressure, not even close, and actually its a little on the "low" side. But we will see. I have to quit smoking, wish me luck!!
I guess thats it for now. Chat with you soon!
Ash

Well it has been a crazy few weeks! We got an apartment across town and will be moving starting TOMORROW! I still haven't had a visit from mother nature yet either. More on that later...

So my boss tells me at the beginning of the week that we all need TB shots and possibly a physical and that if we didn't get it all done by Monday, that Tony (the owners' husband who is a doctor) would be in to do everything for us. And that he would charge $10. This kind of annoyed me because I specifically asked her MONTHS ago if I needed the physical (I knew I needed the TB test), as my doctors are usually booked for weeks if not months for physicals and she told me to wait, plus I don't really have 10 bucks floating around (its sad, isn't it?). So needless to say I was able to weasel my way into the docs' and they gave me a physical, which included yet another prego test and lo and behold, its negative, as usual. I have to go back in December to get a obgyn\pap exam. FUN. Also, they are sending me to a neurologist for my migraines.

Yesterday, HALLOWEEN mind you, Calvin wakes up with a mysterious rash. (See bottom) I have no idea what it is, if you do, let me know. I tell my boss and she tells me to bring him to the docs because she doesn't know what it is. I take my lunch break to bring him to the docs for them to tell me that they don't know what it is either. It's not ringworm (that's going around the daycare) though. They gave me a prescription for a fungal rash and sent me on my way. On the way back to work, my car started smoking! So I pull over to give her a rest as she is quite old (its a 1995 Chrysler LHS-in other words, a mafia car which I lovingly call Black Betty due to her color). The smoke clears and I continue to drive -slowly- back to work. I get on to the main road and all of a sudden, I hear a loud POP! and the back sagged down! I pull over on the busy road, and no one stops. Luckily Calvin was asleep! I get out of the car and notice that my rear tire is flat. And again no one stops. I was about MAYBE 1/4 mile away from work, I could see it from the road I was on, but I had no cell phone on me to call. I get back into the car and drive with a busted tire back to work. Now mind you, this is supposed to be my LUNCH BREAK! I make it safely back to work and get Calvin settled in for lunch and a nap. I tried calling Derek, but no avail. He's currently working nights so he sleeps, rather soundly, through the day and any persistent phone calls. I called my mom to let her know what happened as we had plans to meet up at my grandmas later for some good old fashioned trick-or-treating fun. Things ended up working out as far as my plans, but Calvin was a different story.

When he woke up from nap, I could tell he was in a lot of pain and was limping on his leg. At one point, he refused to get down. So in his Halloween costume, I had to carry him in the "parade" inside the daycare. Lemme tell you, I got a work out. I called the docs again to tell them and they prescribed another steroid to help him out.

Trick-or-treating was uneventful as Calvin wasn't really feeling it. We went to 2 houses and to my soon-to-be step-fathers work. Calvin did enjoy his first Reese's peanut butter cup...without chewing it. He let it melt in his mouth, lemme tell you it was the most oddest way I have ever seen someone eat a Reese's. He went right to sleep when we got home at 7:30.

This morning, he wakes up like he has all week, crying inconsolably. I get him some water and we watch some tv to wake up. He pretty much bumbed out on the couch all day. He's had 2 doses of his 'roids, but the rash hasn't changed. If hes not better tomorrow, I am taking him to urgent care.

In other news, my father-in-law (aka my personal mechanic) calls me to inform me about Black Betty. She has a broken strut which was rubbing against the tire, causing the tire to pop. I'm gonna have to wait til Monday to get parts and a tire, but its lookin to be about a $200 job. Did I mention we are supposed to be moving??

well here are some pictures that will surely cheer you up as you read my depressing and uneventful blog! Enjoy!

Calvin loved the Reese's.

'

Name the rash, win a prize!

So I called the drs for the test results and of course they tell me everything is fine and I am not pregnant. However, there is still no sign of either outcome. The doctor told me to wait another month and she would order up an ultrasound. How nerve wracking!! I wish they would just give me one now that way I would know for sure. A friend of mine when through almost the same EXACT ordeal when she found out with her second child. Its frustrating, but I have been under some stress so of course that doesn't help. I guess I need to learn to just let things go, I think I do a pretty good job of it already...but apparently not. Maybe I just need a well deserved professional MASSAGE.......talk to you soon, and I will keep you posted!
xoxo
Ash

So I went to the doctors bright and early at 6:30 AM. They did a urine pregnancy test, and sure enough, it was also negative. They then decided to draw blood to test for pregnancy and hormone levels and also to check out my thyroid. I hate getting blood drawn! My arm still hurts! The nurse told me to call back tomorrow afternoon to get results and if that test came back negative, the doc will do an ultrasound to see what (or what isn't) going on in there! I'll have more tomorrow night, so again, wish me luck I suppose!
ttfn
Ash

Well it just might be true that I am just a little bit pregnant.... I go to the doctors bright and early tomorrow. I am kind of nervous, as this is a total and complete surprise and unplanned. I wanted more children, but not right yet...however, it is still a mystery if I even am. I have taken 5 tests so far, and all have been negative and I mean NEGATIVE. There is nothing to even HINT that mother nature is on her way with my "monthly present". Nor is there any hint that I am pregnant. Any kind of pregnancy symptom can be justified with a logical reason. Only a little bit of queasiness but it goes right away, if I even have it at all; my back hurts, but some of the babies I take care of are quite heavy; and I am tired - did I mention I have an almost 2 year old? So it will be an eventful morning for sure. Not that I am not happy, I am, but this isn't something I wanted right yet. But God has a plan for everyone, and although I really wanted to go back to school in the fall (which I might be able to still do), I am still young enough where I can go. Who knows, maybe my dream of being a stay at home mom and homeschooling will come true?? Well, I better get some sleep. Wish me luck, I think.... I will let you know what happens tomorrow.
Take care!
xoxo
Ash