LOL! I can't believe I'm going to admit this, and you guys will probably roll your eyes and think I'm insane, but I'm thinking about buying tickets to Monster Jam. Ahhhhh! Ethan is obsessed - OBSESSED - with monster trucks (along with planes, trains and his toy cars). My mom was switching channels one night while watching the kids and zipped past a channel that had a monster truck rally on. He caught a glimpse as he looked up and ever since then, we have to show him every night that it's not on tv. When it happens to be on, like Christmas day? We watched the marathon. Ugh.
Anyway, I guess this is where we make these sacrifices for our kids, right? LOL! I think he'd love to go and see the trucks up close. I'm already looking at Disney on Ice tickets as my husband's work purchases large chunks and offers them to the employees at discount rates. We can get good seats for $80 (for all four of us) for the DoI tour and pretty good seats for Monster Jam.
What's a mom to do? :p
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
61 degees in Washington D.C.
What on earth is with this weather!?!? Seattle and Portland are getting OUR snow, darn it! My aunt sent me a card from Portland asking if I was making a surprise visit because it never snows there unless I'm visiting. :)
We took the kids downtown tonight to see the National Christmas Tree. It seems everyone else in Maryland, Virginia and the surrounding areas decided it was a great idea, too, because it was much more congested than usual down there. For those who have never been, it's pretty neat. The tree sits in the center of 56 surrounding (much smaller trees) from the states and territories. In addition to the trees, they have a yule log, reindeer, Santa's workshop, various entertainment during the evening and a manger scene. Surrounding the large tree in the center is an entire scene of miniature trains (Ethan's favorite part of the evening!). Each of the small trees is decorated by a different group in their state each year.
Elizabeth was pretty miserable this evening, so there aren't too many pictures to share. But, we caught a very cute moment (terrible picture, though) between the two of them as we were walking from the car to the tree.
And then, as soon as Elizabeth realized mommy wasn't holding her other hand anymore...
And, finally, the National Christmas Tree...
We took the kids downtown tonight to see the National Christmas Tree. It seems everyone else in Maryland, Virginia and the surrounding areas decided it was a great idea, too, because it was much more congested than usual down there. For those who have never been, it's pretty neat. The tree sits in the center of 56 surrounding (much smaller trees) from the states and territories. In addition to the trees, they have a yule log, reindeer, Santa's workshop, various entertainment during the evening and a manger scene. Surrounding the large tree in the center is an entire scene of miniature trains (Ethan's favorite part of the evening!). Each of the small trees is decorated by a different group in their state each year.
Elizabeth was pretty miserable this evening, so there aren't too many pictures to share. But, we caught a very cute moment (terrible picture, though) between the two of them as we were walking from the car to the tree.
And then, as soon as Elizabeth realized mommy wasn't holding her other hand anymore...
And, finally, the National Christmas Tree...
Thursday, December 25, 2008
A very peaceful, content Christmas 2008.
As the day draws to a close and the kids are fast asleep, I am feeling tremendously blessed today. This week started off bumpy and full of anxiety, but everything fell into place and worked out just as it should. There was no anxiety surrounding having to spend Christmas Eve with people who don't like me (and vice versa) and was spent, instead, with my mom and the twins at home. We grabbed Outback takeout and rented two movies for the kids (Thomas the Tank and Kung Fu Panda - more for the big kids today) and had a quiet evening here. It was beautiful and peaceful and I didn't have to spend it running around and keeping them from touching anything they shouldn't. Jason did end up going to visit his folks and extended family, but it worked out just fine. His folks held onto the kids' gifts with the intention of visiting us soon. Needless to say, I won't be holding my breath as we all know how good they are with scheduling visits with their grandkids.
We woke up this morning and I was able to sleep for another hour before getting up and showering. When I came downstairs, we opened gifts from Jason's extended family, my aunt in Oregon, and the few gifts we got for the kids. It was all very overwhelming for them and they didn't understand the deal with tearing the paper and keeping what was inside. Maybe next year? But, they did have a grand time! :) I put the turkey and ham in the oven around 1:00 and we laid around being lazy for the day. My brother and sister-in-law came early and we just hung out and watched movies while waiting for dinner to finish. Once that was over, we opened gifts in a windstorm of activity and confusion and Elizabeth ended up having a major meltdown. Ethan became so overwhelmed that he took his cars to the corner of the living room where it was quiet, lined them up and sat quietly playing with them. Once all was quiet again and the family had left, we packed the kids up in the car and drove around town looking at Christmas lights. It was a beautiful Christmas. My husband even surprised me for the third time in our relationship and had me in tears with his gift. You see, he is usually a very predictable person and never really is able to surprise me. This year, he held onto a conversation that we had a month or two ago and ran with it. He got me tickets to see Fleetwood Mac when they come to DC in March! I was so excited. My tears were not necessarily for the tickets, but because he actually listened and came up with an idea out of the blue like this. It touched my heart more than any gift he could ever have given me.
Just when I think I have him figured out! LOL!
We woke up this morning and I was able to sleep for another hour before getting up and showering. When I came downstairs, we opened gifts from Jason's extended family, my aunt in Oregon, and the few gifts we got for the kids. It was all very overwhelming for them and they didn't understand the deal with tearing the paper and keeping what was inside. Maybe next year? But, they did have a grand time! :) I put the turkey and ham in the oven around 1:00 and we laid around being lazy for the day. My brother and sister-in-law came early and we just hung out and watched movies while waiting for dinner to finish. Once that was over, we opened gifts in a windstorm of activity and confusion and Elizabeth ended up having a major meltdown. Ethan became so overwhelmed that he took his cars to the corner of the living room where it was quiet, lined them up and sat quietly playing with them. Once all was quiet again and the family had left, we packed the kids up in the car and drove around town looking at Christmas lights. It was a beautiful Christmas. My husband even surprised me for the third time in our relationship and had me in tears with his gift. You see, he is usually a very predictable person and never really is able to surprise me. This year, he held onto a conversation that we had a month or two ago and ran with it. He got me tickets to see Fleetwood Mac when they come to DC in March! I was so excited. My tears were not necessarily for the tickets, but because he actually listened and came up with an idea out of the blue like this. It touched my heart more than any gift he could ever have given me.
Just when I think I have him figured out! LOL!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
It's here...
We have been hit by the virus. I called the ped this morning and they told me they didn't want Figgy anywhere near the office. *laughs* They are down to 1/2 staff because so many kids have presented with the virus and it's so wickedly contagious. So, they asked that I kindly refrain from bringing her in and thanked me for calling, first. What they did say was that just from the sounds of it, she definitely has it. She was up most of the night but finally up at 5:30. She's burning up, but nothing is bringing the temp down (read: motrin/tylenol/motrin/tylenol alternating). She has thrown up several times and can't keep anything in her tummy. She did ask me for a banana this morning and then proceeded to drink 5 ounces of water with 2 Tbsp. of juice mixed in. The problem, as I quickly found out? With this virus and children, you can't allow them free reign with the liquids as you would normally do. It came right back up. So, I've been offering her liquids by the 1 ounce. Ethan went back to bed this morning and slept until 9:00, so she and I snuggled on the couch until then. She wants to be on top of me at all times, which is fine. I told Jason I have no issues with not doing anything today and can run errands and shop for Christmas dinner tonight at some point. Poor Ethan, though. He just wants to get up on the couch with us and snuggle, too. He spent a good part of the morning climbing up and patting Ellie on the head, reaching in to kiss her, and then trying to wrap his arm around her. She wanted nothing to do with any of it, of course. There were a few cat naps on her part and each time I would slide out from underneath of her to crawl onto the floor with Ethan, she'd wake up and cry. If I went to the kitchen to get more juice or toast, she'd cry. Finally, sometime around 11:00, she was sound enough asleep that I was able to get some playtime in with Ethan. She did wake up around 11:30 and crawled off of the couch and over to us and sat for a few minutes before laying her head on my lap. She's just a rag doll and that makes me so sad. She lays there, lifeless, obviously not feeling well.
Ethan started with terrible diarrhea about 10:30, so I'm preparing myself for the worst.
I hate it when they're sick like this. :( I feel so helpless.
Ethan started with terrible diarrhea about 10:30, so I'm preparing myself for the worst.
I hate it when they're sick like this. :( I feel so helpless.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Norovirus
Norovirus.
Sometime around 5:00 this evening, I received two phone calls. The first was from my hospice coordinator. The second was from one of the hospice facilities that I have a patient in. Both wanted to let me know that I was exposed to the Norovirus yesterday, unknowingly. Two of my patients have it. The facility put up its sign late last night.
Not more than 10 minutes later, I was sitting on the couch talking with my mom and Figgy curled up in my lap (which is very out of character for her...unless she is sick). She got very, very quiet and snuggled in close. All of a sudden, she sat up and looked at me. She was white as a ghost and pointed to her lips. As I stood up with her in my arms to head to the kitchen, I asked her if she was going to throw up. She let out a very pitiful "uh huh" and the flood gates opened. She has been throwing up ever since.
Coincidence, or has the Norovirus invaded our home?
*groans*
Sometime around 5:00 this evening, I received two phone calls. The first was from my hospice coordinator. The second was from one of the hospice facilities that I have a patient in. Both wanted to let me know that I was exposed to the Norovirus yesterday, unknowingly. Two of my patients have it. The facility put up its sign late last night.
Not more than 10 minutes later, I was sitting on the couch talking with my mom and Figgy curled up in my lap (which is very out of character for her...unless she is sick). She got very, very quiet and snuggled in close. All of a sudden, she sat up and looked at me. She was white as a ghost and pointed to her lips. As I stood up with her in my arms to head to the kitchen, I asked her if she was going to throw up. She let out a very pitiful "uh huh" and the flood gates opened. She has been throwing up ever since.
Coincidence, or has the Norovirus invaded our home?
*groans*
Lion cake?!?!
Okay, here's the deal. We've decided not to do a birthday party this year for the kids. We're going to be doing way too much in the next few weeks and I'm afraid Ethan will be overstimulated. So, between a lack of finances and no desire to repeat last year's debacle (read: the in-laws), we've decided to keep it quiet and lay low. But, I do want to do something special. So, this is what I'm thinking...
I want to make them a lion cake. Or an elephant cake. But, how on earth does a complete non-baker do something like this? I tried a few years ago to make my niece a Barbie birthday cake and it turned out to be a disaster. Part of it was because our oven in the apartment didn't work and it took 2.5 hours to bake the dang thing. The other part? My lack of skills! LOL! Do any of you creative mommas have any idea? I am getting desperate, so desperate that I've thought of purchasing an edible cake picture of a lion off of the internet and just baking a sheet cake. Bah!
For the actual day of their birthday, since my husband will be at work and it will just be the kids and I, I want to take them to one of the local indoor soft playgrounds. And, when they wake up in the morning, I plan on having hundreds of (okay, so maybe just a few dozen) balloons on the floor downstairs. I want to make some safari animal hand puppets, too. I have the thing that I made a while back that is up in their bedroom, but I'm thinking something funner. Michaels must have something. I know I've seen stuff at Walmart in their craft area. (Ugh. I hate the Walmarts in this state. I don't shop there. The one's in Oregon and Colorado are MUCH nicer.)
C'mon, mommas. I need some baking help, here. Is there some easy way for a hopelessly blond non-baker to make a cool cake for her kids?
I want to make them a lion cake. Or an elephant cake. But, how on earth does a complete non-baker do something like this? I tried a few years ago to make my niece a Barbie birthday cake and it turned out to be a disaster. Part of it was because our oven in the apartment didn't work and it took 2.5 hours to bake the dang thing. The other part? My lack of skills! LOL! Do any of you creative mommas have any idea? I am getting desperate, so desperate that I've thought of purchasing an edible cake picture of a lion off of the internet and just baking a sheet cake. Bah!
For the actual day of their birthday, since my husband will be at work and it will just be the kids and I, I want to take them to one of the local indoor soft playgrounds. And, when they wake up in the morning, I plan on having hundreds of (okay, so maybe just a few dozen) balloons on the floor downstairs. I want to make some safari animal hand puppets, too. I have the thing that I made a while back that is up in their bedroom, but I'm thinking something funner. Michaels must have something. I know I've seen stuff at Walmart in their craft area. (Ugh. I hate the Walmarts in this state. I don't shop there. The one's in Oregon and Colorado are MUCH nicer.)
C'mon, mommas. I need some baking help, here. Is there some easy way for a hopelessly blond non-baker to make a cool cake for her kids?
Saturday, December 20, 2008
I've been tagged!
Amy tagged me! Yay! I was reading your blog and thinking, "This is really fun, I'd love to answer these questions." :D
2.How long did we date? 2 years before our wedding.
3. How old is he? 31 (I like 'em young! LOL!)
4. Who eats more? He does.
5. Who said, "I love you," first? Jason did. I was scared of saying those three words.
6. Who is taller? He is, by about an inch and a half/two inches.
7. Who does the laundry? He does! I hate doing the laundry in this house because I'm afraid of the basement.
8. Who does the dishes? It really depends. I do the breakfast and lunch dishes, obviously. We tend to sort of split the dinner dishes, but he probably does them more than I do since I cook.
9. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me! But, it's not set in stone because it depends on where the bed is positioned in the room.
10. Who pays the bills? I pay the bills, but Jason earns the money.
11. Who mows the lawn? The landscaping company! LOL!
12. Who cooks dinner? I do. I'm the one that stays at home, so that's part of my job description.
13. Who is more stubborn? Oh, totally me. It's disturbing, really.
14. Who kissed who first? blushes I did. We went to hug and as his cheek brushed mine, I thought he was going to kiss me, so I leaned in and planted a big one. I remember every moment, much like Amy said. It made me weak in the knees.
15. Who asked who out? Man, this is a hard one. I will say, we owe it all to a very dear friend of ours who was throwing a huge bonfire up in Marshall. I think it was really one of those, "Hey, you wanna go to the party?" sort of things. I'm not sure who did the asking.
16. Who proposed? Jason did. It was very sweet and very romantic, close to Christmas, at a Festival of Lights.
17. Who is more sensitive? I think I'm more overly sensitive about stuff and personalize everything. But, he is definitely one of the most sensitive men I have ever known (next to my brother).
18. Who has more siblings? We have the same number (2).
19. What were you doing ten years ago? That was, when, 1997? Gosh...ten years ago in December, I had come home from San Diego to mend a broken heart. The guy stole $1500 from me and went AWOL from the Navy. My grand plan was to move to Seattle and start over, but I ended up going back to San Diego and partying way too hard.
20. Five things on my to-do list: Christmas cards, hospice in the morning, cut Ellie's hair, get another gift for Jason and plan dinner.
21.Things I would do if I was suddenly made a billionaire. Oh, I love dreaming. I would pay off my student loans, pay off our smaller debt, buy a new vehicle, buy a home, pay back my stepmom and mom, invest some money, have more babies...
22. Three of my bad habits: swearing when I drive (I'm working really hard on this one), impatience, spending money.
23. Five places I have lived: Guam, Okinawa Japan, San Diego California, Monterey California, Jacksonville North Carolina.
24. Five jobs I have had: Selling Christmas trees in Carlsbad, Ca. Cashier at Giant Food Store. Barista and supervisor at Starbucks. Nanny. Loan officer.
25. Things people don't know about me: I had a good laugh at Amy's! :) Let's see... I was a professional clown. I "died" in a car accident the night before my 20th birthday and lost 6 months of memory of that time. I can still close my eyes on a rainy night and hear the sounds of the firetruck and rescue guys around me and feel the warmth of someone's hand holding mine. And, I distinctly remember the warmth of the light that surrounded me.
Look closely...this is really us! LOL! It was taken at one of those picture places on the boardwalk where they take your pic and superimpose it into a cartoon.
Can I tag two of you? Catherine and Amber.
1.How long have you been together? Gosh, "together, together"? We have known each other for 7 years but didn't start dating until November 1, 2003.
2.How long did we date? 2 years before our wedding.
3. How old is he? 31 (I like 'em young! LOL!)
4. Who eats more? He does.
5. Who said, "I love you," first? Jason did. I was scared of saying those three words.
6. Who is taller? He is, by about an inch and a half/two inches.
7. Who does the laundry? He does! I hate doing the laundry in this house because I'm afraid of the basement.
8. Who does the dishes? It really depends. I do the breakfast and lunch dishes, obviously. We tend to sort of split the dinner dishes, but he probably does them more than I do since I cook.
9. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me! But, it's not set in stone because it depends on where the bed is positioned in the room.
10. Who pays the bills? I pay the bills, but Jason earns the money.
11. Who mows the lawn? The landscaping company! LOL!
12. Who cooks dinner? I do. I'm the one that stays at home, so that's part of my job description.
13. Who is more stubborn? Oh, totally me. It's disturbing, really.
14. Who kissed who first? blushes I did. We went to hug and as his cheek brushed mine, I thought he was going to kiss me, so I leaned in and planted a big one. I remember every moment, much like Amy said. It made me weak in the knees.
15. Who asked who out? Man, this is a hard one. I will say, we owe it all to a very dear friend of ours who was throwing a huge bonfire up in Marshall. I think it was really one of those, "Hey, you wanna go to the party?" sort of things. I'm not sure who did the asking.
16. Who proposed? Jason did. It was very sweet and very romantic, close to Christmas, at a Festival of Lights.
17. Who is more sensitive? I think I'm more overly sensitive about stuff and personalize everything. But, he is definitely one of the most sensitive men I have ever known (next to my brother).
18. Who has more siblings? We have the same number (2).
19. What were you doing ten years ago? That was, when, 1997? Gosh...ten years ago in December, I had come home from San Diego to mend a broken heart. The guy stole $1500 from me and went AWOL from the Navy. My grand plan was to move to Seattle and start over, but I ended up going back to San Diego and partying way too hard.
20. Five things on my to-do list: Christmas cards, hospice in the morning, cut Ellie's hair, get another gift for Jason and plan dinner.
21.Things I would do if I was suddenly made a billionaire. Oh, I love dreaming. I would pay off my student loans, pay off our smaller debt, buy a new vehicle, buy a home, pay back my stepmom and mom, invest some money, have more babies...
22. Three of my bad habits: swearing when I drive (I'm working really hard on this one), impatience, spending money.
23. Five places I have lived: Guam, Okinawa Japan, San Diego California, Monterey California, Jacksonville North Carolina.
24. Five jobs I have had: Selling Christmas trees in Carlsbad, Ca. Cashier at Giant Food Store. Barista and supervisor at Starbucks. Nanny. Loan officer.
25. Things people don't know about me: I had a good laugh at Amy's! :) Let's see... I was a professional clown. I "died" in a car accident the night before my 20th birthday and lost 6 months of memory of that time. I can still close my eyes on a rainy night and hear the sounds of the firetruck and rescue guys around me and feel the warmth of someone's hand holding mine. And, I distinctly remember the warmth of the light that surrounded me.
Look closely...this is really us! LOL! It was taken at one of those picture places on the boardwalk where they take your pic and superimpose it into a cartoon.
Can I tag two of you? Catherine and Amber.
Christmas rush
In the midst of all the Christmas rush today, an amazing thing happened. I let three people in front of me while driving! LOL! May not sound like much, but if you know me, it's a Christmas miracle! Even my husband said something to me tonight.
We were intending on an early start this morning but, as we've come to learn, the kids rule the start. Of all days, they slept in until 8:45! Normally, we're talking between 7:00 and 7:30 on the weekends, so this was huge. I rolled over in bed and went, "WHAT!?!?" So, once showers were taken, clothes were changed, the dog was walked and breakfast was eaten, we were on the road closer to 11:00. Now, if you live in the DC metro area and are planning any sort of shopping at the mall this close to Christmas, you're taking your life into your own hands. But, we set out with the best of intentions and I kept reminding myself, "the kids are watching, the kids are watching..." The inside of the mall was really not bad, at all. We made all of our stops and grabbed lunch. It was leaving the mall that was insane. Take 15,000 people trying to leave a mall with only two ways in and out, and you've got serious problems. I think it took us 30 minutes? We drove down the road to...*gasp*...Toys-R-Us. The shopping center that the store is in is a joke this time of year and I should have remembered that. In hindsight, I should have chosen to make that stop during the week, at some point. The problem is, Jason's family just got back to us on Thursday about the wish list for the kids. Otherwise, we were all done with our shopping. Surprisingly, the line at TRU zipped along and we were in and out in minutes. It was the leaving, again, that took us nearly 45 minutes just to go 2 miles. By the time we got home, it was nearly 4:00 and the kids had not had naps. Miraculously, they were amazing children all day long and very patient with us. We laid them down for naps and they hit the sack hard. I did wake them up at 5:30, though, because I knew they'd never go to bed tonight. They were so confused! LOL!
Earlier this morning, I popped a new recipe in the slow-cooker and it had been cooking all day while we were out. So, for dinner, we had a delicious beef stroganoff that a friend passed on to us. It was a hit!
After dinner, we changed the kids into their jammies (at this point, it's nearly 7:00) and took them for a surprise car ride out to Bull Run Park. This time of year is my favorite for drives because of the lights. Bull Run hosts a Festival of Lights that is known to be the best in the entire metro DC area. We've never been, so we figured it was a great way to get out for a while and entertain the kids. Five years ago, we went to something similar in Gaithersburg, MD...which is where Jason proposed to me. He wrote a beautiful poem and stopped the car under the arbor of lights at the end of the trail to read it to me and pulled out the ring. *sniff* So, that's the last time we'd been to anything like this. The kids loved it. Lots of "wows" coming from the back made it all worthwhile (even though it was nearly 2 hours past bedtime!).
We were talking on the way home and it has really struck me this year just what Christmas is all about. I mean, I've always known what it's about, of course, but something in me changed this year. For the first time in my life, it's not about me. It's about the children, of course. I want nothing more than to teach them the true meaning of Christmas, to share the joy I feel everytime I look into their eyes, and to make it a special time for them. They are, after all, our Christmas miracles. I'll never be able to quite put it into words, but there has been a profound change in me this Christmas.
I love my family.
We were intending on an early start this morning but, as we've come to learn, the kids rule the start. Of all days, they slept in until 8:45! Normally, we're talking between 7:00 and 7:30 on the weekends, so this was huge. I rolled over in bed and went, "WHAT!?!?" So, once showers were taken, clothes were changed, the dog was walked and breakfast was eaten, we were on the road closer to 11:00. Now, if you live in the DC metro area and are planning any sort of shopping at the mall this close to Christmas, you're taking your life into your own hands. But, we set out with the best of intentions and I kept reminding myself, "the kids are watching, the kids are watching..." The inside of the mall was really not bad, at all. We made all of our stops and grabbed lunch. It was leaving the mall that was insane. Take 15,000 people trying to leave a mall with only two ways in and out, and you've got serious problems. I think it took us 30 minutes? We drove down the road to...*gasp*...Toys-R-Us. The shopping center that the store is in is a joke this time of year and I should have remembered that. In hindsight, I should have chosen to make that stop during the week, at some point. The problem is, Jason's family just got back to us on Thursday about the wish list for the kids. Otherwise, we were all done with our shopping. Surprisingly, the line at TRU zipped along and we were in and out in minutes. It was the leaving, again, that took us nearly 45 minutes just to go 2 miles. By the time we got home, it was nearly 4:00 and the kids had not had naps. Miraculously, they were amazing children all day long and very patient with us. We laid them down for naps and they hit the sack hard. I did wake them up at 5:30, though, because I knew they'd never go to bed tonight. They were so confused! LOL!
Earlier this morning, I popped a new recipe in the slow-cooker and it had been cooking all day while we were out. So, for dinner, we had a delicious beef stroganoff that a friend passed on to us. It was a hit!
After dinner, we changed the kids into their jammies (at this point, it's nearly 7:00) and took them for a surprise car ride out to Bull Run Park. This time of year is my favorite for drives because of the lights. Bull Run hosts a Festival of Lights that is known to be the best in the entire metro DC area. We've never been, so we figured it was a great way to get out for a while and entertain the kids. Five years ago, we went to something similar in Gaithersburg, MD...which is where Jason proposed to me. He wrote a beautiful poem and stopped the car under the arbor of lights at the end of the trail to read it to me and pulled out the ring. *sniff* So, that's the last time we'd been to anything like this. The kids loved it. Lots of "wows" coming from the back made it all worthwhile (even though it was nearly 2 hours past bedtime!).
We were talking on the way home and it has really struck me this year just what Christmas is all about. I mean, I've always known what it's about, of course, but something in me changed this year. For the first time in my life, it's not about me. It's about the children, of course. I want nothing more than to teach them the true meaning of Christmas, to share the joy I feel everytime I look into their eyes, and to make it a special time for them. They are, after all, our Christmas miracles. I'll never be able to quite put it into words, but there has been a profound change in me this Christmas.
I love my family.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
So excited!
You'd think I was the kid this Christmas! LOL! Everyone in the family was asking what the kids wanted, so earlier in the year I started their wish list. Things have been disappearing off of the list, but I didn't realize it until this evening, when the UPS man came to our door. Unfortunately, what was in the box was clearly marked, so I know what they got...I'm just not sure which of you got it for them. But! I'm so excited! The kids are obsessed with safari animals, a theme which was started by their great uncle Steve and great aunt Jeannie. For their first Christmas, they purchased the kids several huge stuffed animals (giant panda, elephant, zebra...) and Figgy sleeps with the panda while The Professor sleeps with the zebra. I found the perfect bedroom set for them that will take them into young childhood and it is a safari theme. Someone we love got them their book displays for Christmas! Yay!
ETA: Please, please, PLEASE - do not get them stuffed animals! Those things are dust magnets and I'll be darned if I end up with boxes of stuffed animals in two years. We've got 6 of them, now, and I'd like to keep it that way. :) I'm looking for bean bag sacks right now so that we can take all of MY stuffed animals from childhood that are in boxes and make use of them. Let's not start something we can't control...that's my new motto!
ETA: Please, please, PLEASE - do not get them stuffed animals! Those things are dust magnets and I'll be darned if I end up with boxes of stuffed animals in two years. We've got 6 of them, now, and I'd like to keep it that way. :) I'm looking for bean bag sacks right now so that we can take all of MY stuffed animals from childhood that are in boxes and make use of them. Let's not start something we can't control...that's my new motto!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Our real estate reality.
So, the cost of living in the Washington D.C. area and surrounding suburbs is ridiculous. We live in a small "town" just 20 minutes outside of the city in Virginia. I have been watching my dream home being built down the street and just noticed the sign go up in the front yard. Mind you, the homes around it are the typical "cracker box" style homes...all one level, box-like, surrounded by 100 year old maple and oak trees. It's small town America and I do love it here, but this is proof of why we'll never be able to stay.
The cost of this beautiful home? $1,250,000.00 A home like this in, let's say, Cary, NC where we're looking would cost a fraction of this house. And, to top it all off? This house has really no land associated with it. The entire lot size is 0.24 acres.
Just to give you more of an idea, we live in a four bedroom townhome that is 1800 sq. ft. They are enormous for this area and we're exactly one mile from a metro station. The home in the next court that is comparable to ours (not nearly as nice, curb appeal-wise) is selling for $389,000.00. For a townhome!
The cost of this beautiful home? $1,250,000.00 A home like this in, let's say, Cary, NC where we're looking would cost a fraction of this house. And, to top it all off? This house has really no land associated with it. The entire lot size is 0.24 acres.
Just to give you more of an idea, we live in a four bedroom townhome that is 1800 sq. ft. They are enormous for this area and we're exactly one mile from a metro station. The home in the next court that is comparable to ours (not nearly as nice, curb appeal-wise) is selling for $389,000.00. For a townhome!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Bake, bake, bake!
Today was an unusually productive day in our home. We arose before the sun thanks to a (still) sick little girl, hopped in the shower, ate breakfast, and went grocery shopping. Then, when we came home, I had two loaves of Amish friendship bread to bake, which got me in the mood for more baking. When all was said and done, I made two loaves of the bread, four dozen sugar cookies (with homemade frosting!) and homemade spaghetti sauce for dinner. In the middle of all of that, I managed to sneak an hour nap on the couch while my husband watched the debacle of a football game (Skins) and the kids napped. As I've mentioned before, Figgy is sick. She came down with a URI last Saturday and the cough has gotten worse. Last night, she could not stop coughing and today she was just miserable with a fever (later in the evening). After dinner, I laid down on the couch with Figgy and she fell asleep (drool and snot all over mommy's shirt, thank you very much). I told Jason to go ahead and take Ethan up for bath since she was sound asleep and snoring. Do you know that as soon as Jason said, "Ethan. Bath, let's go!", that Ellie sat straight up and said, "Ready!" She wobbled as she got down, still half asleep but determined that she was not going to miss a bath! LOL!
After bath, she climbed up on my tummy and Ethan decided he needed to be up there with us...so this is the picture that resulted...(I am cut out because it was a TERRIBLE picture!).
This is Ethan's eye, day two.
It seems that today was the day for baking in our neighborhood because our favorite neighbor knocked on our door with a tray full of homemade goodies. She made chocolate peppermint bark, chocolate matzo (Greek thing), coconut macaroons (I'm allergic, but Jason loves them), homemade biscotti and some Chex thing where you dip them in chocolate-peanut butter and drench them in powdered sugar. I am so not at that level of baking, yet! LOL!
After bath, she climbed up on my tummy and Ethan decided he needed to be up there with us...so this is the picture that resulted...(I am cut out because it was a TERRIBLE picture!).
This is Ethan's eye, day two.
It seems that today was the day for baking in our neighborhood because our favorite neighbor knocked on our door with a tray full of homemade goodies. She made chocolate peppermint bark, chocolate matzo (Greek thing), coconut macaroons (I'm allergic, but Jason loves them), homemade biscotti and some Chex thing where you dip them in chocolate-peanut butter and drench them in powdered sugar. I am so not at that level of baking, yet! LOL!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Our first real emergency.
Well, I suppose the age of (almost) 2 is as good a time as any, right? I'm still second guessing myself for not rushing to urgent care, though.
We had a party at our neighbor's house this evening for her daughter. It was a birthday party/get-together/haven't seen our neighbors since the weather got cold sort of thing. We're very close with our little set of neighbors. There are six houses in the corner lot here with kids under the age of 4. In the summer, we all sit outside and let the kids run around and just generally have a good time. I enjoy their company, immensely, and look to the moms for advice in child rearing. Anyway, we walked next door a little after 4:00 and were chatting away. As the house started to fill, kids starting running around and pretty soon I heard Heather (our neighbor) calling because Ethan was hurt, pretty badly. My husband got to him before I could because I ran around the opposite side of the house with the kids' plate of food to put in the kitchen (because I couldn't leave it sitting where it would get spilled). As I got to them, there were plenty of, "Oh my goshes" and "that's going to swell." Jason walked back into the living room with me following and Ethan screaming and reaching for me. At first glance, it appeared as though nothing was terribly wrong and it was just a head bump. Then, my husband's face whitened and he said, "Oh, honey." I grabbed Ethan and was in shock at what I saw. I kicked into mommy drive and scooped him up and headed for the kitchen for ice. My neighbor was frantic, I feel so badly because I think she felt just terrible about Ethan. I took Ethan upstairs to the bedroom and sat with him in the rocking chair, trying to soothe him. Ice is a terrible thing, but a necessary evil. I put the ice pack under my shirt and laid his head against my shoulder, singing to him. He was screaming much like you would expect a child in pain and having ice held to his head would scream. Thankfully, our other neighbor got there shortly after this happened and came up to check on us. I just love Kristy. She's a smart cookie with several years of biology and other training under her belt. (Plus, she has two rambuncious boys.) Everyone felt the injury didn't warrant a trip to the emergency room, so I agreed to sit for a few minutes with Ethan and see what happened. The swelling seemed to decrease and it didn't seem to have any effect on his eyesight. He did, however, cling to me for the next hour and a half and didn't have much to say to anyone. This is what his eye looked like after an hour and a half...
The pictures don't really do it justice, but you can get an idea of what it looks like. The red spot is not an open wound, so stitches would not have been necessary. My only concern was that the swelling seemed to be causing an issue with his vision, but there is nothing that they could have done for that. Concussion-wise, he maintained full consciousness for three and a half hours before bedtime and didn't seem to have any lasting effects. He was playing normally by the end of the evening.
Still, I find myself second guessing the decision to stay home. Everyone around me was convinced I shouldn't waste our time at the urgent care clinic or emergency room and that it was your everyday, run of the mill, boys will be boys accident.
*sigh*
This mom thing is hard, sometimes.
We had a party at our neighbor's house this evening for her daughter. It was a birthday party/get-together/haven't seen our neighbors since the weather got cold sort of thing. We're very close with our little set of neighbors. There are six houses in the corner lot here with kids under the age of 4. In the summer, we all sit outside and let the kids run around and just generally have a good time. I enjoy their company, immensely, and look to the moms for advice in child rearing. Anyway, we walked next door a little after 4:00 and were chatting away. As the house started to fill, kids starting running around and pretty soon I heard Heather (our neighbor) calling because Ethan was hurt, pretty badly. My husband got to him before I could because I ran around the opposite side of the house with the kids' plate of food to put in the kitchen (because I couldn't leave it sitting where it would get spilled). As I got to them, there were plenty of, "Oh my goshes" and "that's going to swell." Jason walked back into the living room with me following and Ethan screaming and reaching for me. At first glance, it appeared as though nothing was terribly wrong and it was just a head bump. Then, my husband's face whitened and he said, "Oh, honey." I grabbed Ethan and was in shock at what I saw. I kicked into mommy drive and scooped him up and headed for the kitchen for ice. My neighbor was frantic, I feel so badly because I think she felt just terrible about Ethan. I took Ethan upstairs to the bedroom and sat with him in the rocking chair, trying to soothe him. Ice is a terrible thing, but a necessary evil. I put the ice pack under my shirt and laid his head against my shoulder, singing to him. He was screaming much like you would expect a child in pain and having ice held to his head would scream. Thankfully, our other neighbor got there shortly after this happened and came up to check on us. I just love Kristy. She's a smart cookie with several years of biology and other training under her belt. (Plus, she has two rambuncious boys.) Everyone felt the injury didn't warrant a trip to the emergency room, so I agreed to sit for a few minutes with Ethan and see what happened. The swelling seemed to decrease and it didn't seem to have any effect on his eyesight. He did, however, cling to me for the next hour and a half and didn't have much to say to anyone. This is what his eye looked like after an hour and a half...
The pictures don't really do it justice, but you can get an idea of what it looks like. The red spot is not an open wound, so stitches would not have been necessary. My only concern was that the swelling seemed to be causing an issue with his vision, but there is nothing that they could have done for that. Concussion-wise, he maintained full consciousness for three and a half hours before bedtime and didn't seem to have any lasting effects. He was playing normally by the end of the evening.
Still, I find myself second guessing the decision to stay home. Everyone around me was convinced I shouldn't waste our time at the urgent care clinic or emergency room and that it was your everyday, run of the mill, boys will be boys accident.
*sigh*
This mom thing is hard, sometimes.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Seems appropriate.
I received this in my e-mail this morning from a friend. It's funny how things like this come when we least expect it. My life has felt so out of control these past few months and it's important to hear things like this.
Fully Committed to Now
Why We Are Not Shown the Big Picture Sometimes, we may find ourselves wishing we knew what our lives are going to look like or what gifts and challenges are going to be presented to us in the coming months or years. We may want to know if the relationship we’re in now will go the distance or if our goals will be realized. Perhaps we feel like we need help making a decision and we want to know which choice will work out best. We may consult psychics, tarot cards, our dreams, and many other sources in the hopes of finding out what the future holds. Usually, at most, we may catch glimpses. And even though we think we would like to know the whole story in all its details, the truth is that we would probably be overwhelmed and exhausted if we knew everything that is going to happen to us.
Just think of your life as you’ve lived it up to this point. If you are like most of us, you have probably done more and faced more than you could have ever imagined. If someone had told you as a child of all the jobs and relationships you would experience, along with each one’s inherent ups and downs, you would have become overwhelmed. With your head full of information about the future, you would have had a very hard time experiencing your life in the present moment, which is where everything actually happens.
In many ways, not knowing what the future has in store brings out in us the qualities we need to grow. For example, it would have been difficult to commit yourself to certain people or projects if you knew they wouldn’t ultimately work out. Yet, it was through your commitment to see them through that you experienced the lessons you needed to grow. Looking back on your life, you would likely be hard pressed to say that anything in your past should not have happened. In fact, your most challenging experiences with their inevitable lessons may have ultimately brought you the greatest rewards. Not knowing the future keeps us just where we need to be—fully committed and in the present moment.
Fully Committed to Now
Why We Are Not Shown the Big Picture Sometimes, we may find ourselves wishing we knew what our lives are going to look like or what gifts and challenges are going to be presented to us in the coming months or years. We may want to know if the relationship we’re in now will go the distance or if our goals will be realized. Perhaps we feel like we need help making a decision and we want to know which choice will work out best. We may consult psychics, tarot cards, our dreams, and many other sources in the hopes of finding out what the future holds. Usually, at most, we may catch glimpses. And even though we think we would like to know the whole story in all its details, the truth is that we would probably be overwhelmed and exhausted if we knew everything that is going to happen to us.
Just think of your life as you’ve lived it up to this point. If you are like most of us, you have probably done more and faced more than you could have ever imagined. If someone had told you as a child of all the jobs and relationships you would experience, along with each one’s inherent ups and downs, you would have become overwhelmed. With your head full of information about the future, you would have had a very hard time experiencing your life in the present moment, which is where everything actually happens.
In many ways, not knowing what the future has in store brings out in us the qualities we need to grow. For example, it would have been difficult to commit yourself to certain people or projects if you knew they wouldn’t ultimately work out. Yet, it was through your commitment to see them through that you experienced the lessons you needed to grow. Looking back on your life, you would likely be hard pressed to say that anything in your past should not have happened. In fact, your most challenging experiences with their inevitable lessons may have ultimately brought you the greatest rewards. Not knowing the future keeps us just where we need to be—fully committed and in the present moment.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
A post sure to cause raised eyebrows.
I'm having one of those days. They don't happen often...maybe twice since I became a mom?
Whining all morning. Couldn't figure out the cause, so I couldn't correct it. Nap lasted less than an hour. We are now in full meltdown mode and I have had to remove myself from the living room and come upstairs before I lose my mind. I can hear toys being thrown down the stairs to the basement. I can hear napkins being ripped apart as they dig through the china cabinet hutch. Ethan stood in the hallway for 33 minutes, screaming as he has taken to doing as of late, for no reason that I could determine. Ellie is, literally, grabbing everything in her reach out of sheer frustration and I can't determine what she's frustrated about...my drink...the tissues...the remote control....she turns the tv on and then turns it all the way up. They are being abnormally destructive today. The tree has tipped twice, been turned all the way around, cords are everywhere and the walls have been scratched to holy hell. I am within minutes of spanking both kids and sending them to bed for the night. And the best is yet to come. I still have to fight with them to put on their coats and shoes, load them into the car, and go get Jason from work. Ethan will scream all the way there, as he has been for the last week. The minute we get in the car, the pointing and screaming begins.
Today, I hate being a mother. I am ready to ship my kids off to boarding school in Switzerland.
Whining all morning. Couldn't figure out the cause, so I couldn't correct it. Nap lasted less than an hour. We are now in full meltdown mode and I have had to remove myself from the living room and come upstairs before I lose my mind. I can hear toys being thrown down the stairs to the basement. I can hear napkins being ripped apart as they dig through the china cabinet hutch. Ethan stood in the hallway for 33 minutes, screaming as he has taken to doing as of late, for no reason that I could determine. Ellie is, literally, grabbing everything in her reach out of sheer frustration and I can't determine what she's frustrated about...my drink...the tissues...the remote control....she turns the tv on and then turns it all the way up. They are being abnormally destructive today. The tree has tipped twice, been turned all the way around, cords are everywhere and the walls have been scratched to holy hell. I am within minutes of spanking both kids and sending them to bed for the night. And the best is yet to come. I still have to fight with them to put on their coats and shoes, load them into the car, and go get Jason from work. Ethan will scream all the way there, as he has been for the last week. The minute we get in the car, the pointing and screaming begins.
Today, I hate being a mother. I am ready to ship my kids off to boarding school in Switzerland.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Shhhh....
If you mute the hockey game that's currently playing on our television (GOOO CAPS!), you can hear the soft sounds of a buzz saw coming from the next room. That would be my son.
*chuckles*
*chuckles*
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
So, when I was trying to come up with something for my little profile blurb, I tried to give some of you an idea of the person I am. It's not a great glimpse, but I keep going back to something I wrote. "My kids are the first thing I've done right in my life, but I still feel like I never seem to do anything good enough." I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I do feel like that most of the time...that I never seem to do anything good enough. But, I think I'm selling myself a little short because as I look at the kids, I am snapped into the reality that I am (excuse my ego) doing a damn fine job with them. We are. Of course, Jason is my partner in life and in parenting. But, as a SAHM, I am responsible for so much of their raising, schedules, and morals. I can't help but feel a bit of pride when I'm out with the kids and they say hello and wave to everyone they see. As we were leaving Target the other day, they were waving goodbye to the cashier and Elizabeth hollered, "bye-bye, love you!" Yes, folks, we are Target regulars. They constantly surprise me with moments of pure love between the two of them. They sneak a hug here and there, hold hands when they think no one is looking, and are the first ones to comfort each other when it is needed. If I'm disciplining Elizabeth because she took my water bottle and hid it, Ethan will stop what he is doing and go find it without me knowing it. He will bring it to me and then put his arm around his sister, as if to say, "I got your back." They are learning manners. They are helping to put away their toys before naps and bedtime. They are extraordinarily affectionate with me.
I am a success with my children. If nothing else in my life, at least I have that. (Let's talk in 14 years when they're 16 and hate me.)
In all of this, however, I am accutely aware that I never would have made it this far without the help and support of my on-line twin momma friends. I've met one of you, only talked to a few of you, but hope that you know that I gather strength and purpose from each of you as you walk before me.
I am a success with my children. If nothing else in my life, at least I have that. (Let's talk in 14 years when they're 16 and hate me.)
In all of this, however, I am accutely aware that I never would have made it this far without the help and support of my on-line twin momma friends. I've met one of you, only talked to a few of you, but hope that you know that I gather strength and purpose from each of you as you walk before me.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
A few fun shares....
I found this in a magazine and will be purchasing it for the kids' second birthday. It's the Twilight Sea Turtle from The Twilight Collection and cloud*b. There are three options (the ladybug, turtle and sea turtle) and I chose this one because it teaches children about endangered animals (a passion in our family). We've had some issues with Ethan and bedtime as of late, and I'm hopeful that this will give him (and Elizabeth) something to draw their attention to.
Another magazine find this weekend took me to crazy8 children's clothing. I'm sure you moms know all about this site...but I couldn't help but share it, just in case. They're having a 60% off sale and I found jammies for $7.99 (originally $16.99).
I recently started trying to organize various areas in the house. It's a huge undertaking and I'm quite certain that I will never be done. But, one area that has undergone a huge transformation is our linen closet. When I fold the sheets, I now put them inside one of the matching pillowcases. Instant organization and no more digging for matching pillowcases! It looks neat, too. If you're anything like us, you have things piled high. Our top shelf is reserved for the sheets because it goes all the way up to the ceiling (about three feet). So, I'd reach for the sheets and everything else would fall out. No more! Yay!
Another closet that is undergoing a transformation of sorts is our tupperware closet. The lids were giving me such a hassle that I got a basket and all of them fit in it! Now, I just reach in the basket and find the coordinating lid. Voila!
In more personal news, I chopped off my hair. My husband is devastated. I'm relieved. But, my neck is cold! :)
Another magazine find this weekend took me to crazy8 children's clothing. I'm sure you moms know all about this site...but I couldn't help but share it, just in case. They're having a 60% off sale and I found jammies for $7.99 (originally $16.99).
I recently started trying to organize various areas in the house. It's a huge undertaking and I'm quite certain that I will never be done. But, one area that has undergone a huge transformation is our linen closet. When I fold the sheets, I now put them inside one of the matching pillowcases. Instant organization and no more digging for matching pillowcases! It looks neat, too. If you're anything like us, you have things piled high. Our top shelf is reserved for the sheets because it goes all the way up to the ceiling (about three feet). So, I'd reach for the sheets and everything else would fall out. No more! Yay!
Another closet that is undergoing a transformation of sorts is our tupperware closet. The lids were giving me such a hassle that I got a basket and all of them fit in it! Now, I just reach in the basket and find the coordinating lid. Voila!
In more personal news, I chopped off my hair. My husband is devastated. I'm relieved. But, my neck is cold! :)
Doctors offices and waiting.
Why is it doctors office waits can be so miserably long? I mean, if we (as patients) show up late, we're shown the door (only happened to me once, though). I've seen it happen a number of times. But, I've NEVER been seen on-time for an appointment - even if I've got the first appointment of the morning. Today I called to get a sick appointment for Elizabeth and was told to be there at 12:20. We arrived at 12:15 (because I always try to be places early) and do you know we waited until 1:50 to be seen? We were the last appointment of the day. 1:50!?!?!? An hour and a half past our appointment time. You better believe I didn't apologize or try to make Elizabeth stop fussing and screaming. I just sat there and let her do it. I would have joined along, if I thought it would make a difference.
Turns out she has a severe upper respiratory infection and gastroenteritis (fancy speak for diarrhea.) The URI came on so suddenly; literally within less than 6 hours. Very weird stuff!
Turns out she has a severe upper respiratory infection and gastroenteritis (fancy speak for diarrhea.) The URI came on so suddenly; literally within less than 6 hours. Very weird stuff!
Sleep
Ethan. Again. Up twice, screamed for 38 minutes the first time and 45 minutes the second time until Jason couldn't take it anymore and went to get him. By the 45th minute, he was hysterical and gasping for breath. Then, Elizabeth chimed in. They were in our bed the second time for about 35 minutes and we took them back to bed.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Update on us.
Not much to report here from cold, expensive Virginia. I had my ultrasound today and, just to put my husband's mind at ease, the tech did a thorough check and was able to tell him with 100% certainty that there was only one (very healthy, big) baby in there. (As if we didn't already know this!) The problem is this little bugger wouldn't sit still or cooperate. We were in the room for an hour and she spent a good 20 minutes just trying to get a picture. She even brought another tech into the room because she couldn't get certain angles. The one sure piece of information is that they definitely know what the sex is. Thankfully, they didn't share that info with us. The doctor didn't realize that we didn't want to know, so he never warned us that he was entering that territory when he was scanning (the doc scans after the tech, just to double check). So, I have a feeling I know what I'm having. But, I can't be 100% positive. :) The tech did tease us on our way out and wanted us to know that she knows... LOL! In the early stages of this pregnancy, the ob had one date set for a due date. The specialist felt it was a week later. They've argued back and forth about this and today we discovered that the baby is actually measuring closer to the original doctor's due date. But, the specialist won't change the date he has put down. My uterus is large (duh!) and the baby weighs nearly a pound. All throughout the sonogram, I was having to switch places from back to side and doing a lot of wiggling of the belly. In the beginning, the baby just wouldn't stay put and kept kicking and punching towards the wand. At one point, he/she gave the thumbs up sign before turning over and away from the wand. My placenta is anterior, just as I suspected it was, which is the reason I can't feel such a defined amount of movement. If the baby wasn't turned over and away from the camera, he/she was covering his/her face with his/her arm. Quite amusing, but frustrating, as we were hoping to have some good pictures. I'm sure we'll end up with a few more as the pregnancy comes to an end. I have to be seen every 4 weeks from this point on, then every 2 after we hit a certain point. I guess I'll never *not* be considered high risk. Either way, it doesn't matter. The baby is healthy!
I want to take this opportunity to express, out loud, my hopes for a natural childbirth. LOL! I know, insane. But, as this will be our last baby, I want to experience it all. The c-section was easy as punch, if I were to be honest, and I really lucked out in that regard. I hear a lot of really negative stuff about c-sections. The experience wasn't at all what I had hoped, because I didn't get to see them as they were yanked from my belly, but the recovery was a breeze. I honestly think that has to do with me having all of the tubes and such removed within 20 hours and was up and walking with a shower taken. But, I simply cannot handle not having control of my body for that long. The feeling (or lack thereof) from the epidural was incredibly uncomfortable and I don't want to experience that again. I may very well change my mind as the pain comes on, but I'm hoping I can get through it. My level of pain tolerance is unusually high.
The kids are doing well. Ethan has been having some serious meltdowns as of late and I'm not sure what that's all about. He will, literally, scream as though his fingernails are being ripped out one by one...and I have no idea what he wants. It's frustrating. Elizabeth has become super cuddly and will climb into my lap and wrap her little arms around my neck and snuggle for 20 minutes at a time. VERY unusual for her! They are really talking up a storm now and it gives me great hope. They are also spending a lot of time talking to each other in jibberish. They did this as babies, too, but this seems to be more deliberate and well defined. And, it's definite conversations instead of a few words here and there. As long as the English continues expanding, I'm not going to worry myself about it. :)
I want to take this opportunity to express, out loud, my hopes for a natural childbirth. LOL! I know, insane. But, as this will be our last baby, I want to experience it all. The c-section was easy as punch, if I were to be honest, and I really lucked out in that regard. I hear a lot of really negative stuff about c-sections. The experience wasn't at all what I had hoped, because I didn't get to see them as they were yanked from my belly, but the recovery was a breeze. I honestly think that has to do with me having all of the tubes and such removed within 20 hours and was up and walking with a shower taken. But, I simply cannot handle not having control of my body for that long. The feeling (or lack thereof) from the epidural was incredibly uncomfortable and I don't want to experience that again. I may very well change my mind as the pain comes on, but I'm hoping I can get through it. My level of pain tolerance is unusually high.
The kids are doing well. Ethan has been having some serious meltdowns as of late and I'm not sure what that's all about. He will, literally, scream as though his fingernails are being ripped out one by one...and I have no idea what he wants. It's frustrating. Elizabeth has become super cuddly and will climb into my lap and wrap her little arms around my neck and snuggle for 20 minutes at a time. VERY unusual for her! They are really talking up a storm now and it gives me great hope. They are also spending a lot of time talking to each other in jibberish. They did this as babies, too, but this seems to be more deliberate and well defined. And, it's definite conversations instead of a few words here and there. As long as the English continues expanding, I'm not going to worry myself about it. :)
Monday, December 1, 2008
Ethan
Saturday started with another unknown fever of 102. Saturday night he was projectile vomiting. Sunday morning, fever still present. Better in the afternoon, evening with another fever. Fever broke before bedtime. Spent several hours waking up screaming.
Jason called in sick today so that I can go back to bed. I'm calling the doc later and asking to have a repeat VCUG done to rule out the return of the hydronephrosis. I have no other ideas, but there has to be something to this high fever every month to month and a half.
Jason called in sick today so that I can go back to bed. I'm calling the doc later and asking to have a repeat VCUG done to rule out the return of the hydronephrosis. I have no other ideas, but there has to be something to this high fever every month to month and a half.
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