Thursday, March 26, 2009

Are you serious?!?

Here is our Bug--I was playing with our SLR camera outside on the "Portrait" setting. Turned out pretty good, I think.

Well, just when we were starting to venture out, have play dates, and go back to a normal life of being healthy, I notice "eye gunk" in Bug's eyes again. Yup. Pink Eye, round #2. ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!Two words...FED UP. Because I KNOW that LM will get it next, I decided to give him the eye drops too, just as a preventative measure. I called the pediatrician to just let them know, that I have leftover drops from "P.E, Round #1", and mentioned that I started LM on them too. Doctor called me back to tell me to discontinue the drops for LM. So help me, if he gets it next, I will be very unhappy.

Both kids were up at 4:30 this morning. Bug woke up and freaked out, because she couldn't open her eyes (they were pasted shut). We "melted" off the gunk from her eyes, went potty, rocked, and went back to bed. LM woke up because she was crying so much about her eyes, so DH got LM changed, and threw him in bed with us. Bug is not allowed on our bed till she has been on drops for 48hrs. Before I got back in bed, I had to change my shirt (because she was laying on me, and not risking LM rubbing his face on me and getting PE), and got back to bed about 5:30. I thought LM was sleeping, but when I kissed his little cheek, his eyes popped open, and he smacked me in the face. Well, I love you too, LM!!

Well, we started a new potty program for Bug, thanks to advice from her doctor. We lay out three pair of undies, each with a poker chip on them. Every time she has an accident, we take a new pair of undies, and Mommy gets to keep the "token". If she stays dry, at the end of the night, she gets to put her tokens in her bank, and when she gets enough, she can buy prizes from the "Potty Store". She seems to be doing better--we will see after a few weeks. Her pull-ups are actually starting to be more dry in the morning too, which is a good sign. I am amazed it has taken her so long, because I know she knows what she is doing, I just think she gets lazy when we don't leave the house. When we are out, she never has an accident. She can stay dry for hours, when we are running errands, but at home we have accidents all the time. For most kids, from what I hear from other parents, it is the other way....
The other day, we went to the mall. I was in search of a few things, namely a new pair of shoes. I have realized that I have to wear shoes inside all the time to avoid some major heel pain. So, I wanted to buy a new pair to only wear inside the house (or when we go visiting, to wear inside other people's homes, so my shoes are clean). I found a good pair for only $50, which I thought was a deal. The salesperson talked me into a pair of insoles too. I was skeptical...but they are actually pretty good. It sounds weird, but you actually bake them in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 minutes. After they are done, you hurry and put them in the shoe and wear the shoe. When you wear the shoe when the insoles are hot, they form to your feet, so when they cool the insoles are the shape of your foot (and rigid). If you want to use the insoles in another pair of shoes, you can "re-cook and re-form" the insoles as many times as you want. I think I am going to go buy myself another pair of insoles for my "outside" shoes. I ran some errands last night, and thought I could just take the insoles out of my "inside" shoes, and put them in my "outside" shoes...without re-cooking them...nope. Man, did my feet hurt when I got home....

Here's another picture of Bug I took yesterday while practicing with our camera:

We are going to visit LM's birthmom's mother and grandmother on Saturday (Birthmom "H" will actually be out of town with her father, so we won't see her this visit). We are pretty sure this may be the last time, that "Grammy Kit" will remember who we are, and we feel it is important for her to see LM. I am sure pictures will be taken. I will post them at a later date...but I think we need prayers for strength for Saturday. I think it will bring back too many memories for me, of my own Grandma.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Green milk is our St.Patty's Day....

Here is a picture of Bug on St.Patty's Day. Our SPD consists of green milk on our cereal, and green jello at lunch (which I meant to make, but it just didn't happen this year...), so I guess it was just green milk. After the green milk was gone, Bug said.."May I have lellow (yellow) milk now, Mommy?" Because I dyed the milk green for SPD, she now thinks we are going to have different colored milk each day. "I am pretty sure Daddy would get grossed out with yellow milk on his cereal in the morning, so no, we can't have yellow milk. Sorry, Bug."


Well, my sweet mother-in-law kindly reminded me to get blogging, because she wanted to see her grandkids, so here we go. Not much has happened since our recovery from all the sicknesses, but we have managed to get out of the house. We have made it to the zoo and an open house at our adoption agency for their new multi-cultural library, among other stuff. Friday night, we got together with some friends, kids played, adults played cards, and I even played "Guitar Hero" for the first time. Don't ask. I will just say I didn't get boo'ed off the stage, but not much better than that. It was fun though! Saturday night, DH and I made it to movie night at church--childcare was included. Can't beat that! We watched "Fireproof". Kinda made you do a mental check of you marriage...we both thought it was a good movie. I would definitely suggest it to any married couple, marital problems or not, it is a good movie for any couple to watch. Really makes you realize how important you are to each other, and that you are a team.

Today the kids and I headed to the mall to do some shopping and have lunch. Bug sat on the the Easter Bunny's lap--I think she too realized it was weird. I never make her sit, I just ask her if she wants to sit on ____ (Santa, Easter Bunny, etc), and she always says "yes". We won't be doing that again. She didn't cry, just had the weirdest look on her face. It was weird too, the bunny didn't say anything, just held her. After I realized that the Bunny wasn't talking to her, I said "ok...time to go." That was enough of that. Yuck.


LM's birthmom's mother called the other night. She called to let us know her mother was entered into Hospice care (so this would be LM's birth-great-grandma). Grammy Kit, as we call her, had/has breast cancer, but very recently fell and broke her arm. When they looked closer, saw that she had cancer in her bones. After surgery to repair her arm, she was having some memory problems, and balance issues. They did a CT scan of her brain, and have also found brain cancer. Their whole family is our prayer request. They are like our extended family. Please pray for strength and peace for everyone, and courage for Grammy Kit as she gets closer to her eternal home. They are going to need to muster alot of strength to get through the next days and weeks. We are going to visit Grammy Kit this weekend, so she can see LM. We want to visit her while she is still able to know LM (and us), and before Bug realizes what is going on. Grammy Kit loves our little Bug too. One thing I did promise Grammy Kit (while we chatted last summer at a cookout), is that we would let her see LM, and that he would be loved forever by us. I felt that conversation we had that day last summer, was her way of making sure LM was part of a good family. I will always respect her for that. Our LM is loved by so many. Please just pray for them...thanks.


LM had his 9 month checkup yesterday. He is 29 3/4 inches long (95%), and 22lbs 5oz (78%). His weight is slowing down now--which is what I remember happens about this age, because they are getting around much more. He still isn't walking (on his own), but don't blink, cause he will be across the room in no time! He will walk behind a moving toy, but not on his own yet.


I will just post pics with some explanations--Enjoy! Sorry about the pink bib, Bubby (our new nickname for LM). He is only eating (solid) table food now. Yay...much easier, but much messier too... Bug's new favorite thing to do...feed her brother. She will actually sit there for a good 15 minutes and feed him his entire meal. Perfect--until she doesn't want to anymore, and he expects me to feed him! He will feed himself, but he is getting spoiled with Bug feeding him all the time. A recent 60 degree day... Two cuties on the slide...
On the swings... One cool dude... My little Bug.... Bug playing her favorite game with Daddy...

Our visit to the zoo--I was taking pictures of a swan in the lake, then DH noticed this one napping right in front of us... Good thing I brought my zoom lens for the SLR camera....I got lots of good "up close" pictures. My favorite animal to photograph...the giraffe, not Bug! Having lunch... Another good picture... A happy baby... Taken yesterday....He loves playing with blocks
This picture totally reminds me of Bubby's birthmom....looks like a silly face she would make.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sick of being sick, but seeing a tiny bit of light at the end of the tunnel...

The picture above was taken on March 10th, when I thought we were all starting to get better. I thought it would be cute to blog and show you the medicines we had to use to feel better. Well, as I look back at the last "sick" blog, on March 4th, we left of with Bug having Pink Eye, and LM was clear of it. Well, that didn't last long. His eyes started getting goopy in a couple of days, and he isn't nearly as easy to use eye drops on. He can fight a pretty good fight, let me tell you! LM is a strong little boy. Saturday and Sunday (the 7th and 8th) was the worst. Bug was having a heck of a time breathing with her croup, and LM was in the midst of Pink Eye and a nasty cold. Well, by the beginning of the week, fevers were starting to break much more often, and Bug even went a day and a half fever free. We thought for sure, this was the end. OH, NO. Wednesday afternoon, fevers spiked, and everything went south again. A couple of times, Bug would say..."what you say, mama?? I can't hear you." Oh, great. Ear infections. Thursday, DH came with me to take both kids in to the doctor. Prognosis: Bug = both ears "badly" infected, and full blown bronchitis. LM= One ear "badly" infected, and mild bronchitis. The doctor gave Bug a breathing treatment in the office, and listened to her breathing again. Luckily, the treatment worked, so we were able to leave. Well, on our way home from the doctor, I start to shiver. What? I don't usually get fevers. Well, after spending about $100 on medications, we headed home. Yup, I have a fever. Never ending. Soon after the fever starts, I start to have some major dizzy spells, and some pain in the same place I had my sinus infection a week and a half ago. Dizziness to me, usually means ear issues as well. So, at this point, it is about 3:30pm. I call my doctor, and she gets me in at 10:30am the next day (Friday--the 13th mind you). Miraculously, I wake up in the morning, and have no dizzy spells. I feel fine enough to drive myself to the doctor--which is a great thing, it meant we didn't have to drag the kiddos out. My prognosis: Bronchitis, and another/the same sinus infection as before. My ears were clear. I was surprised. The dizzy spells and ear pain are probably from the sinus infection (in the same cavity close to my brain--maybe it knocks my equilibrium off??). Needless to say, here is a picture of what our drug pile looks like now:

They multiplied...me and the kids are both on antibiotics, and I am on two other drugs, and Bug and I take breathing treatments for the bronchitis.

After all this, I realized that I haven't taken a picture of either of my kids is about two weeks. So, here are a few: See, she doesn't look sick here does she?? No snotty nose, no weepy eyes, and a goofy, yet nice smile. Well, approximately 20 minutes after this picture was taken, she projectile vomited on me and the couch, and later in my hands. Looks can be deceiving. Wow...even I think his hair has grown in the last couple of weeks. He looks so sober here, because this picture was taken at about noon today, and he hadn't napped yet. He woke up this morning at 6am. His face is screaming TIRED.

I need to send a "shout out" to my little cutie nephew, KM, who's 2nd birthday party, we were supposed to be at today..in fact, right now. :-( Your Auntie, Uncle, and two cousins love you very much! Sorry, we can't be there today. We can't wait to see you again!! ((Has it really been two years already??)) Meeting KM when he was 6 days old. Awwww, what a cutie! Auntie loves you!!

Hopefully, this week, we will all be better, and will do something other then wipe our noses, cough, have breathing treatments, and pop pills, so you all have something more interesting to read. Have a good weekend/week!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Dear Grandma-


Happy 1st Birthday in Heaven, Grams. I think of you everyday and miss you so much. I love to think back to all the memories you gave me, and love remembering all those times we had together. Thank you for being the best Grandma to me. Thank you for making me feel so loved all the time (even when I misbehaved, and you pulled my ear or pinched my arm!). I always knew that no matter what I did, you would always love me. Everyone says that I was your favorite...it is true, we had a special bond.


When I was little, I remember picking berries with you in the backyard. I remember coming inside and washing them off, and you would let me eat as many as I wanted to. I am quite sure that's why I have a strawberry addiction now! I always was so excited when Mom would let me go with you for a mini-road trip to your hometown. I loved staying in the big hotel on the river and getting my picture taken next to "the big indian" (at least a few times!). While there we would always pay a visit to the cemeteries (and of course, the Sweet Shop too!). I learned very quickly the importance of visiting the final resting places of those we loved so much. I will never forget our trip to Colorado. We had such a fun time--even when you were getting mad because I was speeding on the highway! We had a great time on our trip to California too. I will never forget you, a 76 year old, going on the biggest ride at Disneyland. You loved it, and wanted to go again. We went again. You got soaking wet. You were hilarious!!


I think the most memorable time, though, was the week Bug and I spent with you while you were recovering from your broken hip. I will never forget our chats over our midnight snacks of chocolate malts. I will never forget you saying..."I think it's malt time". It was a busy week because Bug was there, but the times the three of us had that week were priceless.


After you healed and were more mobile, when we were visiting I would laugh when we would wake up to the sound of the blender at 2am--it was malt time, right? At the end of each visit you would ask as we were leaving, "When do you think you will be coming back?" I used to joke.."Grandma, we haven't even left yet!" I remember the last time I saw you in July. Like always, you asked us the question, and while I probably rolled my eyes and teased you, you looked up to me with your beautiful crystal blue eyes and said..."I was just wonderin'... I gave you one last hug and kiss and out the door we went. I won't ever forget that look you gave me.


I was lucky and got to share some of the most important days of my life with you--most of my childhood, my wedding day and the early days after both of my children were born, and for that I am grateful. I am so glad you were able to meet our son. He is such a joy. You would be proud of Bug too. She is such a kind, sweet little girl, and says her prayers very well. She is very "maternal" and knows that when I get sad sometimes, it's because I miss "Gramma Powwy". She knows you are "up dair (points to the sky), wif Jesus. I vow that all our children will know you, the love and kindness you shared, and the kind of Grandma and Mother you were to all of us.
Peace to you, Grandma. I miss you so much, and will rejoice the day we meet again. I love you.

Last picture I have of Grandma...taken the end of July 2008

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Move on, black cloud....

I wasn't sure where to begin with this blog--or what to even name this entry. After today, I knew exactly what I was going to name it. Again, it has taken me a week and a half to get another entry on. It seems as though that is how this may go---some things I just can't keep up on. This is one of them, obviously.

Lots has happened since the last entry--I will just go chronologically.

I wanted to mention, on February 25th my sister-in-law's cousin died. He was 27. He died from Wilson's Disease. I never knew him, but from what Aunt Kim has told me about him, and what I have read about him, he was an amazing man. To quote Aunt Kim--"Mike will be the most beautiful angel in Heaven..." We are praying for you Aunt Kim, and your whole family too. To learn more about Wilson's Disease, click here http://www.wilsonsdisease.org/. Here is a picture of Mike. Rest in Peace. Last week was a big milestone week for LM. He graduated to using only a sipee cup--like a trooper. He (on accident) went to eating just 3 meals (solids and formula), and skipping the bedtime "bottle". His schedule got off one night, and he just skipped it. He hasn't wanted it since. Yay! I don't have to change crib sheets every day now!! Over the weekend, we had some friends over for a pizza party, and while the kids were playing, and adults were chatting, LM decided he would walk behind a moving toy across the room. My friend and I stopped talking, and I was in awe. I couldn't believe it. She said..."you know, he will be walking in about a month, don't you..." Yes, I am aware. Great. Thanks. LM also cut three teeth in two days. Now that is a record!! The first two teeth he got are on top--not the ones right in front, but the two next to those. I know it has to be uncommon...I have never seen a kid get those teeth first. The next day, a little tooth on the bottom cut through. Since the teeth started coming through, he has been sleeping ALL the time. In the morning, he will take about a 4 hour nap, and in the afternoon about a 3 hour nap. Nice. Can't get enough of that! :-) I think that is all for milestones for now...


Here we are sleeping in on our lazy Saturday morning...I love that he is such a loverboy--he loves to snuggle...

Sunday, we all piled in and went to church. Bug got to wear her new dress that Grandma Kris gave her for Christmas. For the first time ever, she voluntarily went to the nursery (playroom) during church. I am such a freak--I missed her! I just wonder how I will be when it is time for kindergarten. I will be THAT Mom crying as she takes her baby to school. I am already dreading pre-school. Here is Bug in her dress after church:
Here is another dress, that I couldn't resist from Target. I think this will be her Easter dress. It really isn't as long as it looks in this picture...she isn't exactly standing straight up. Blue looks so good on her...(Can you tell I love to dress her up??)

So, after our nice relaxing weekend, we come to Monday. Monday was nice. Bug helped me make Daddy's birthday cake, and helped wrap gifts for his little party the next day. We enjoyed playing with the kids after dinner, and we had lots of fun jumping on pillows: Tuesday, Daddy's birthday, I woke up with a nasty headache. I hurriedly took 800mgs of Advil Luqi-Gels (my drug of choice!). Ahhh, it was gone pretty fast. I took most of the morning and early afternoon doing laundry, cleaning out the kids' closet, and going through all their clothes, packing away the ones that don't fit, and the most fun of all--playing with the kids. I was so excited to have gotten so much done, even with Bug making a lotion mess--see below.
"Mommy...I do it by myself--I put lotion on my owey nose!" (notice the huge glob of lotion about to fall off her finger..) Playing on Daddy's birthday... (that is the toy he can walk behind...) My two cute kiddos...yes, they are still in their pajamas...I think LM stayed in his all day. O-well. My sweet son, offering to make me breakfast....er, I mean lunch. My sweet babydoll...already starting to feel a little under the weather....

During naps, I sat down to rest around 3pm, and had this sharp, sudden horrendous pain in my head. I think I actually said out loud..."What the he@# was that?" It went away after awhile, but with every hour that passed, the pain got increasingly worse. I realized it was sinus pain, but not just regular sinus pain. It hurt inside my head not on my face. By the time DH got home from work, I was in bad shape. We did have dinner, cake and gifts:
Like my "39-3" cake...I didn't have a "6"
Daddy opening gifts
Bug insisted she wanted to get Daddy a ball for his birthday...(I am sure she was quite fond of the ball too....!)

After I muddled through DH's mini-party (sorry, babe.), I basically went to bed. I was in so much pain, I couldn't barely stand it. I took a "leftover" (from a past muscle issue) vicoden to deal with the pain and went to bed. The vicoden didn't touch the pain. I didn't sleep that night. I actually contemplated going to the ER--although not sure how I would have gotten there. I didn't even trust myself to drive, it was that bad. Anyway, I go to the doctor office on Tuesday morning, and my doctor was alarmed. First they gave me a shot of painkiller in my hip, so that she could examine me. I wasn't really able to hold my head up. After 10 minutes of waiting for the shot to "take", she came back to examine me. She was perplexed because she couldn't find anything wrong with me except for this horrible pain. She was concerned about a possible bleed in/on my brain , and ordered me to the hospital for a CT Scan to rule out any problem with my brain. When she told me this, all I heard was "ANEURYSM". Of course, I panicked. Not outwardly, but inside I was freaking. DH took the kids home to get some things, and dropped them at a friend's house. THANKS HEATHER D!!! He came back to get me at the Dr's office, and off to the hospital we went. I didn't wait long, and had the CT done, had it read, and got the results. No problems with my brain, but I have a severe sinus infection in the sinus cavity closest to my brain. Physically, that sinus cavity is almost in the exact middle of your head...which explains my severe pain. By the time I got home, I had been given 5 medications. Vicoden and ibuprofen for pain, antibiotic, prednisone for swelling in my face/sinuses, and OTC Sudafed. I actually, for the most part felt completely fine--after I got the pain shot in my hip. The pain I was supposed to get after that shot wore off, never came. Thank God. I don't know if the Vicoden/Advil would have done the trick. We got home from my 10am Dr appointment at 5pm. That was my Tuesday.
This morning, Wednesday (shouldn't it be like Saturday by now?!?), I woke up feeling perfect. No pain, no nothing. Great!! It's gonna be a great day! That also was not to be. Morning went fine, Bug just was having a runny nose. Nothing to get alarmed about. Lunchtime rolls around, she eats normally, mentions she is cold, but I don't think much of it. She tells me that almost everyday at lunch--she is cold all the time. Fine. We do our scheduled potty time after lunch, and she gets off the potty, and starts crying about something, and proceeds to puke all over the bathroom. When she started puking she wasn't exactly by the toilet...let's just say that. It was everywhere. I moved her to the toilet, and while I started to gather towels, etc to clean up, she went for round two, and missed the toilet. Lovely. Finally, round three made it in the throne. Amen to that. Ok, get her cleaned up. Mercifully, LM slept through the whole episode. I cleaned her up, changed her, cleaned myself up, changed my clothes, mopped the floor (twice--once with a mop, another time on my hands and knees, because after the first time, it just smelt like Mr. Clean and puke. Bleach mix did the trick.) Finally, I get her to bed. Great...she felt warm. Took her temperature--yup. 101.5. OK, give her some Tylenol, and she was off to la-la land. About this time, LM woke up. I get him fed, changed, and let him play. Just as he was getting ready for his nap, Bug woke up crying. I checked on her, and noticed "gunk" in one of her eyes. Didn't think much of it.
DH came home around 5pm, and by then I had noticed that Bug's eye was bright red. By the end of dinner, I noticed "gunk" in her other eye. It hit me then...she has Pink Eye...in both eyes. Great. I quickly decide the path of least resistance...and realize that I am so exhausted, it would be much less exhausting to take Bug to the Dr, versus staying home with "Mr busybody". I scarf my dinner and off to Urgent Care we go. Before we can make it to the car, she poops her pants--lets just say, it was messy. She obviously couldn't control it. Forget the undies, clearly it's pull-up time. At this point, ya just have to laugh, right? She was an angel...as she always is at the doctor's office. Yes, she has pink eye in both eyes, swollen lymph nodes, upper respiratory virus, and a fever. The doctor offered no explanation for the puking episode. She is still on clear liquids till I know she can keep stuff down, though. We got home at 8:45pm tonight. She is finally sleeping soundly. It is 12:15am. ((Why the heck am I still here....I know I will be up a few times tonight!))
So, since we have pink eye in the house, and I am quite sure that LM will get it, I am sure I will be stuck here for the next 4-6 days. I am hoping that our turn under the "black cloud" is over. I can't wait for the weekend.