Updates Galore

So...I've been a little behind in blogging.  We are just super crazy right now and things don't look like they are going to slow down for months!  Here are some updates on the Mitchell Madness!

• Lilah's Elbow - Last week, Lilah woke up from her nap crying and not moving her arm.  Miss Julie was worried, but thought maybe it was asleep.  After talking with Brian, she gave her some Tylenol.  Well, it didn't get any better and hours later she was still whimpering and didn't want to use her arm.  I didn't know anything about this until about the time I went to pick her up.  When Macie was younger, she had "nurse maid's elbow" which caused her elbow to pop in and out of place.  She would scream in pain for a while, but it never lasted more than two hours.  I wasn't happy with it going on for this long.  I called Dr. Voyles' office and they said if I could be there in the next 5 or so minutes, Dr. V would wait for us (he was on his way out the door).  I rushed over there with all three kids.  I told the big two that if they were good, we would go out to eat for dinner.  Lilah was crying the whole time we were there.  Dr. V had to pop her elbow back into place.  It BROKE.MY.HEART!!!  Thankfully, he was so kind and gentle with her.  He gave her a dose of ibuprofen and we were on our way.  She favored that arm for the next day or so, but it is fully back in use now.  I'm hoping that it won't happen again, but Macie had several episodes before she outgrew it:(  Lilah is a wild thing and always has bumps and bruises on her.  The other day, we discovered a bump on her head and no one knows where it came from!  Thankfully, Macie and Gavin were super good at the doctor's office and we were able to eat dinner at Golden Corral that night!  They love that place because there are so many choices and we now take them up there to pick out their own dessert!  What is there not to love?!? 
• Macie's obsession with heaven and death has continued.  She makes up scenarios, talks about it often, asks questions, and has now started "playing with" and "talking" to my aunt and Brian's papaw who passed away a few months ago.  I've talked with several people and we've decided to take her to see a therapist over spring break.  I just want someone to assess her and see if this is a "phase" or if something else is going on.  Father Burns would also like to bless her and give her a special medal.  We are hoping that the combination will help us to help her through this.
• Brian finally got the results of his weight loss competition at work and he came in SECOND in both individual and team.  He ended up winning over $3000 this year.  I am so proud of him!  He is running his second half marathon in April.  He has also taken on a new challenge...a Tough Mudder.  Basically, it is a 10-12 mile obstacle course in mud.  It is insane if you ask me, but I'm just happy that he is continuing to work out and find things to challenge him!
• I'm still working at losing weight as well.  I bounce around between 43 and 45 pounds lost.  I've lost a little over 9 inches in my waist! I just went shopping the other night and was able to buy size 8 capris!  Seriously?!?  I was between a size 16 and 18 when I started...embarrassing to admit, but true.  I've stopped paying for Weight Watchers and am now doing it on my own.  I'm hoping to increase the exercise and tone up a bit to lose the last bit.  I have a LOT of loose skin.  Hopefully when the weather gets nicer, I'll have more chances to walk outside.
• Grandma Wolf: My grandma has been in and out of the hospital a lot lately.  She is currently in there and has been for over two weeks.  I'm really worried about her because her heart isn't working as well as it should.  Please pray for her!
• Cable: So we are debating whether or not to get rid of our cable.  We've pretty much cut everything in our budget that we possibly can.  We've kept cable because we like to watch it and it was our entertainment.  The reality is, we watch way too much tv and our time is constantly getting filled with more and more things.  Our friends, the Maurers, got rid of cable and have a system that allows them to watch many things.  Brian is talking with Eric and we plan to take the plunge soon.  This will be a hard change for me, but at the same time, I want to do it.  The good news is, if we hate it, we can always go back! 
• Kids - quick update on what they can do now
• Macie - write all letters of alphabet, starting to draw "pictures", can count to 100, by 10s to 100, and backwards from 10, is starting to add numbers, knows many letter sounds, is "reading" words, can spell many names/words, is learning to use the remote
• Gavin - can count to 20 (skipping 15 every time), can count backwards from 10, can spell names/words, is starting to recognize numbers/letters, stepped up on step without holding on, is a builder and likes to figure things out
• Lilah - has 15 teeth and working on molars and her last eye tooth, can climb on chairs, pretends to brush hair and talk on phone, says a few words (mama, dada, uh oh, bye bye) and is babbling more, starting to wave and point, trying to "jump", is in to EVERYTHING!!