Three Things

First of all, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

How was your weekend?! Did your team win on Sunday? I went to Shay’s to watch and she made the most delicious dinner for us. I’m still thinking about it! haha! I was hoping the Chiefs would pull it out so all my Super Bowl dreams came true this weekend.

It’s been a while since I’ve shared some tidbits about each of the Slaughters. And in honor of getting to talk about the nearest and dearest to my heart on this day of love. Today’s the day…

#1 Britt is absolutely LOVING kindergarten! She loves her friends, she loves her teachers, she loves art class, she loves pe, and I could just go on and on. The only thing she doesn’t enjoy is the early morning wake up. #shegetsitfromherdad

#2 We just had an appointment with her pediatric ophthalmologist and we’re patching one eye for two hours every night. It’s the new plan. We’ve tried in the past and maybe she was just too young? But she HATED it. She typically has the best attitude about anything and everything…hearing aids, glasses, etc…she’s a trooper. But the eye patch just made her sad and it broke my heart. Now that she’s older we’re attempting again. If you have any tips for this, PLEASE send them my way!

#3 M and G invited just Britt over to their house last weekend for a sleepover. She was ECSTATIC! It’s not very often as the youngest of four you get to have your own special night with your grandparents. She was in HEAVEN!

#1 Bowen Slaughter is ten going on seventeen. I guess THAT is what happens when you’re the third and you’ve always tried to hang with the older kids. He asked me just this past weekend if he could get his ears pierced like Travis Kelce. #thatdbeano

#2 He happens to be in that really sweet stage where he’s super independent and he loves hanging with his friends, BUT when Tab’s out of town he still asks if he can sleep in my bed. Trust me, those days are NUMBERED!

#3 We have four younger boys on our street that live less than four houses down from us. They’ve hit that stage where they’re outside playing all the time and when they ring the doorbell for Bowen to play, he feels like the coolest older kid. They’re playing outside as I type this right now. 🙂

#1 Nixon’s {and Bowen’s} baseball seasons are just about to get kicked off. Practices officially started last week and our slow weekend Saturday mornings are numbered. His team is traveling to Colorado this summer for a big tournament so he’s pumped about the season.

#2 He’s been my pickiest kid BY FAR for the last nine years or so, but guys-there is HOPE for our picky eaters. Over the last couple weeks, he’s started stepping outside of his “typical faves” and eating way more. I guess those teenage hunger pains are slowly kicking in. #finally

#3 I don’t even understand track and field. My school was SUPER small so any type of track meet-well, I’ve never been so I just don’t get it. He’s got track and field tryouts this week and when I picked him up after tryouts one day he said, “Mom, you’ll NEVER believe how hard pole vaulting is”. {Um, actually I would have guessed it was difficult.}. Here’s to hoping he somehow figures out how to get his body over that pole with a big stick. #fingerscrossed

#1 I cannot believe we’re down to the final months of middle school and Ebby Lee is headed to HIGH SCHOOL this fall! EEEKKKK!!! Time, please slow down!

#2 She got her first cell phone for Christmas and one of her very first text messages was to let moms with littles know she is babysitting! She’s helped out many moms in our neighborhood and is looking forward to continuing that in high school.

#3 She really wanted to have her friends over recently so we hosted a little “Galentine’s Party” this past Friday night. Those girls were so cute and I never dreamed when we came up with a scavenger hunt they’d be SO competitive. It just happened to start raining in the middle of the hunt and those girls were so committed they came inside wet and running. It was such a fun night for her and her friends.

#1 Tab has officially wrapped his third season in the NFL. While both big kids got to join him on a trip and then the entire family got to tag along over Christmas, we’re excited to have him home over the next several months.

#2 I must have one of the worst immune systems. I got strep throat recently for the fourth time since September. I asked my doctor what I can be doing to prevent that and she told me zinc and vitamin C. So I’m now taking both. I’ve even visited our ENT to check on this and he said that it sounded like I’ve just had terrible luck. BUT, I’ve gotta end the strep throat trend. If you guys have any other suggestions, please send them my way!

#3 There are been two Friday nights recently where it’s ended up being Tab, me, and just one other kid. Wow. This whole parent thing is going rather quickly. We’re really attempting to stop and smell the roses as much as possible because we realize it’s FLYING by!

Hope you guys enjoyed the little catch up session on the fam! See you back here tomorrow!

XO

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45 Comments

  1. 2.14.23
    caitlin s davies said:

    Oh your dress is really cute in your family photos! Would you mind sharing where it’s from?

  2. 2.14.23
    Mary said:

    Love these type of posts! For the strep, after 2 days on antibiotics, get a new toothbrush! My doctor gave me that tip years ago and it always worked.

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Hi Mary! Thanks for the tip! Yes, my doctor told me that too and I always finish my medicine. I know that’s another one that can cause problems but some terrible strep strand is still getting me down.

  3. 2.14.23
    Elspeth said:

    Love these kinds of posts! Happy Valentines Day!
    http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com

  4. 2.14.23
    M said:

    Same thing happened to me with strep… when I started dating my now husband 🙂 We realized he’s a strep carrier (gets and can pass along strep but has no symptoms himself). Maybe same with Tab? If so, try to get on antibiotics at the same time to break the cycle! And maybe take a probiotic if you do get on antibiotics as I feel like otherwise it seems to make my body more susceptible to stay sick or get sick again without really getting over it. Strep is brutal… we have also had it a few times in our house this year which is unusual. Hope y’all stay well!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      I actually think my strep carrier is Britt and it just keeps going around her kindergarten class. I’ve tried to think of everything…we don’t even share toothpaste anymore, no sharing food or drink, but clearly I’m forgetting something.

  5. 2.14.23
    TERESA said:

    PLEASE SHARE WHERE YOUR DRESS IS FROM!!

  6. 2.14.23

    My son had to wear an eye patch for 6 hours every day! We set up a sticker chart and he got to add a sticker to it after each day was completed. I had a treasure chest filled with trinkets/toys from the dollar store, oriental trading co. or dollar section of Target, etc. (we used a treasure chest since the eye patch was like a pirate). Every 7 stickers/week completed, he got to pick something from the chest. It made it a little more fun for him. I feel your pain – eye patching is no fun- hang in there!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      This is a great idea! I might have to add this to our set up!

  7. 2.14.23

    I am so excited to finally see these pictures! Each and every one is PERFECTION!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      THANK YOU!!

  8. 2.14.23
    Maura said:

    Hi! Okay so the same thing was happening to me and I’m 38 and it was miserable. My dr said that the infection was probably always in my tonsils and we would treat it and it would go away with meds and come back. Finally he said let’s remove your tonsils which are the source of the constant infection. I thought they only did that for kids but I got mine out a few years ago and it’s been a game changer!! Haven’t had one even slight sore throat since. Might be something to ask about. Stay healthy!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      I met with my ENT last month to discuss but to be honest I’m TERRIFIED of recovery at this age. How was yours?

      • 2.14.23
        Maura said:

        Super easy! Sore for a few days but it’s a quick procedure and it was so worth it!

        • 2.14.23
          Erika Slaughter said:

          Thank you, Maura!

  9. 2.14.23
    Mandy said:

    That’s awesome Nixon is trying pole vaulting, my daughter is a vaulter. He’ll need lots of upper body strength (push ups & pulls up are great for this) and doing sprints holding a stick with both his hands is helpful (and a lot harder then you think, lol!)

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      That is great! He was so funny! I think they just make it look WAY too easy on tv so he was shocked it was so difficult.

  10. 2.14.23
    Kathleen Gaul said:

    Test for strep after you’ve finished the antibiotic, to make sure the strep is gone!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thanks, Kathleen! I tested twice in between my last bout with it and they were negative so I do know it went away. I think they’re passing it around kindergarten and Britt’s so graciously sharing with me. 🙂

  11. 2.14.23
    Jessica Jacobson said:

    You can buy eye patches with really cute prints on Amazon. Try this with Britt:)

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thanks for the rec! We have the cute Orthopads!

  12. 2.14.23
    donna t said:

    I just wanted to say that these pictures are gorgeous!!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thank you, Donna!

  13. 2.14.23

    My daughter has worn glasses since she was a year & 1/2. She also had to patch. Not sure what type of patch you’re using. We tried the ones like band aids that went right over your eye, but they seemed to pull her skin off. Her eye dr. recommended a felt type patch that slides right over the lense of her glasses. So much better. Good luck!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      We’re doing the band-aid type patches too. I’m afraid with the slides over the lense she’ll just push her glasses down but we’ll see. She’s older now and did way better yesterday during patching then when we tried about six months ago.

  14. 2.14.23
    Tina said:

    When my son was younger, he had strep all the time! The ENT took his tonsils out, and he never had it again!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Tina, I feel like I’m WAY too old for this but it might be where we’re headed. I visited the ENT in January and he didn’t think we were there quite yet.

  15. 2.14.23
    Kim Dupree said:

    We had to patch my daughter’s eye for two years. She hated it also. But it’s because she couldn’t see well with the uncovered eye. So I made it really special time. tablet time, watch a movie, play with play dough. You could have a bag of special toys only for patch time. I do encourage you to keep on, because it greatly helped my daughter

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Hey Kim! That’s a great idea! We need to get some special things just for patch time!

  16. 2.14.23
    Gail said:

    Had to lol at the pole vault comment. When our middle son was in jr high, he’d come to the car after tryouts saying “I made the cut for pole vault today” each afternoon. We knew NOTHING about pole vault, lol. We learned quickly and enjoyed watching him for years as he vaulted in jr high, high school and for 3 years in college. Tell him to hang in there, it is challenging, but lots of fun 🙂

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      How cool is that, Gail?! Thanks for sharing!

  17. 2.14.23
    J said:

    I had strep, so often in college. My doctor finally put me on a nonstop anabiotic for almost a year until we could schedule time to get my tonsils out. It definitely was a more difficult recovery for a 21 year old than it was years later for my daughter when she was three, but I honestly haven’t had much sickness at all in the 30 years since I’ve done it. Everything that runs through our house misses me and hits everyone else. It was a good decision.

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      EEEK!! These stories are inspiring but make me so nervous. When I was in college, a guy in his 30’s in the next town over got his tonsils removed and developed an infection and died. It was absolutely terrible. So I’m so nervous to do it!

  18. 2.14.23
    Kelly Marie Sites said:

    Random- but I’m a RN- and our kids also got strep ALL THE TIME- but be sure to throw away your toothbrush after you get better. Always get a new one. Sorry you got sick. UGH

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thank you!

  19. 2.14.23
    Michele said:

    Have Britt decorate her eye patch with fun stickers or larger gem stones.

    Elderberry to help boost your immune system. They are packed with antioxidants. We like the elderberry gummies. I used to get strep all the time before I had my tonsils out (as an adult) and my ENT said the minute I start on antibiotics to change my tooth brush every time I brush my teeth. Seemed excessive but I went out and bought a cheap multipack and I swear it helped. Since I’ve had my tonsils out I hardly ever get strep now, knock on wood.

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thanks, Michele!

  20. 2.14.23
    Lori Hall said:

    My daughter has had glasses since she was 6 months old and we’ve been patching since then, too. We find the bag of special “patching only toys” work well. Also, we found patching in the morning worked better because as the day went on she was more tired, thus making her vision worse and adding the patch just frustrated her. She’s 7 now and pretty good, but it’s hard. Good luck!!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thank you for sharing! We’ve been patching right after school and it’s working okay but probably need to not do it any later.

  21. 2.14.23
    Sheaffer said:

    I absolutely loved this post! Even I as a real friend learned a lot about your fam!

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      Thanks, Sheaffer!

  22. 2.14.23
    Katie Compton said:

    Throw out your toothbrush! I’ve heard step can linger there for a while.

    • 2.14.23
      Erika Slaughter said:

      I’ve got a big pack of back ups just for this reason. Thank you!