My Sickie

I always had a hunch that my adventurous children would wind up in the emergency room sooner rather than later but when it happened, and not due to any daring behavior I still found it caught me off guard.

It happened just over a week ago now but each day that passes I'm thankful that I don't have to spend 5 1/2 hours in the ER. It's not a very exciting story. Basically Miss A woke me up to tell me she'd thrown up in her bed. Not the nicest way for either of us to wake up but, it happens. Peter called in to take the day off work and I planned to take Miss B to her sitter and go to work leaving Peter and Miss A to have a lounge on the couch watching movies day. That is not how things went down.

Miss A just kept getting sick, it wasn't long before her stomach was completely empty and yet, she still continued to vomit. I tried to get her to sip water but she barely took any. What happened next seemed to happen quickly. She seemed to suddenly become really lethargic and her vomit began to look bloody and was looking more so each time she was sick.

I was on the phone with Health Links by this time. They told me we should go to the ER so that is where we headed.

Peter held her in his arms in the back seat as we drove and Bella chirped at them about how they didn't have their seat belts on. When we arrived at the ER they weighed Miss A on the baby scale because she couldn't stand. Thinking it would be a while, I zipped Miss B over to her babysitters. When I got back to the hospital Miss A was in a bed, had her blood taken and they'd put in an IV. This was the part where I started to cry, I didn't want to upset her so I got myself under control pretty quickly.

Within 20 minutes she seemed completely better. They'd given her both an anti-nauseate and medication to reduce the acid in her stomach through IV. Then we waited. And waited. And waited some more. The pediatrician came to see her. He told us he suspected it was simply a virus that hit her very hard for some reason.

We waited for the test results to come back. They didn't show anything unusual and she kept some liquid down so we were cleared to go. They wanted to leave the IV attachment in overnight in case it started up again. This was a drag. They were confident that I could take it out the next day but instead I took her to a walk in doctor to have it removed. She would never have let me do it.

It took her a while to start eating more normally again. But she seems better now. I'm not convinced that it was a virus. I suspect her chronic constipation, actually but when I suggested it to our regular physician he seemed skeptical. So now we wait and see what happens. Hopefully no more ER trips in the near future.

Here she is with her IV under a bandage.

Photos...because I'm too tired to write a real post.

The inevitable has happened. My body has been a trooper through all this sleep deprivation but it finally reached it's breaking point. I am sick. Awesome. I took my first sick day, I don't know... maybe almost ever, yesterday. Can't call in sick from the mom gig though. And then Baby B slept decently. Go figure. Anyway, here are some photos since I've been too lazy to write.

Crazy kid. I'm almost positive she'll be walking by 9 months. Lord help us.



Since this winter is never ending we are trying to make the most of it.





This was taken at the annual fundraiser/dance party that I/we attend. Although I paid dearly for it the next day in exhaustion it was worth it for the sanity I gained.



I notice the photo is very similar to the one taken two years ago. Strange. I love wearing hats when I dance... don't know what that's about.

Long Overdue

Wow. So I haven't written in a while. Things have been a little out of control around here lately. I have wanted to write plenty of times but it just never seemed to happen for various reasons. Sick kids. Procrastination. Sleep Deprivation. Depression. Not necessarily in that order.

The girls have both been sick. Miss A has an ear infection. I actually took her to the doctor because she'd been running a low grade fever for too long. I was surprised to find out about the ear infection because she hadn't really complained about her ear at all. After we found out I remembered her asking me once what was in her ear but I never caught on. Baby B has croup. So far it's been manageable, we haven't had to make any trips to emergency in the middle of the night or anything. Poor little girls.

The sleep deprivation I mentioned in self explanatory I think. And is of course, never improved by sick kids.

The depression is better now. It was basically due to work related issues. I wanted to blog about it SO badly because I felt it would be therapeutic but I was (am) terrified that my employer would somehow find out about it. The fact that he doesn't like computers or spend time on the internet makes this possibility less likely but I'm still nervous. I don't want to join the many people who have been fired for writing about their jobs on the internet. I'm only writing about it now because I feel it is somewhat resolved. I spoke to my boss about everything (embarrassingly, while bawling my eyes out) that had been bothering me and although it's obvious we really don't see eye to eye I was satisfied that he knew my side of things. Also, I could tell that seeing me so upset really bothered him and I suspect it may have made him consider the situation further after we'd talked. This week was much more pleasant work wise and I'm hoping the rough patch is over. The whole situation just had me thinking "What the heck am I doing this for anyway?"

And then the procrastination. Ha! Well, when I'm feeling like my life is out of control I like nothing better than playing this game and controlling the lives of the tiny little people I've created. When do I find the time you ask? After the kids go to bed, when Miss A is at school and Baby B is napping. That sort of thing. And now there's a new version coming out. Which likely won't help me with the procrastination bit. Oh well. But seriously. Watch the video. How cool is that?!

Watch the video

Big Girl and Little Girl Developments

So Miss A has officially moved to a 'Big Girl Bed'. See here.




(Yes, that is a Barbie bedspread. Handed down from her cousin. It actually matches the room, saves me money and so on and so forth. A likes Barbies and I loved them too when I was little.)

I asked her to sit on her big girl bed and smile and this is what I got.







It's going pretty well so far, which is shocking to me. I did not think she would stay put but she has. We go through the same bedtime routine except that I lay bedside her on the bed and read to her, we pray, we sing (and at this point she often asks to go potty which is probably a stalling technique but she does actually go so I'm not going to refuse) and then when it's time for bed I kiss her, tell her I'll see her when the sun comes up (not literally) and say "Nighty, night night night night". She giggles, repeats and I turn the light off and pull the door almost closed. Done.

So far so good. Now, having said that said I will also say that I expect there will be issues... There always is. She seems to go through cycles with bedtime. Sometimes it's easy and routine goes well, sometimes she totally bucks routine and tries to pull all kinds of crap. So that is coming... I'm sure.

As for the little one. She continues to be an amazing baby. I can't believe she will be a month old tomorrow! Wow. My only complaints are her late owl tendencies as of late (she wants to stay up until almost midnight, meanwhile I'm nodding off in the chair) and her habit of overeating and then puking copious amounts. I'm not kidding. It is something to see. It comes out of her nose and mouth like a fountain. I sit there helpless, trying to catch it, fumbling for a kleenex, anything, while also trying to keep her from drowning at the same time. It's really rather ridiculous. Then we go and change all of our clothing.



I'm trying to keep up with things around here, without overdoing it and I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed. Trying to find balance with the scales weighing heavier on the 'spending time with the kids' side. I've been wanting to post for days and yet haven't until today. (And I've had to stop several times to - get paint, clean up paint, help wash hands, help brush teeth) I have dishes to put away, dishes to wash (I'm beginning to see the appeal of a dishwasher), I'd like to dust and wash the kitchen and bathroom floors and oh yeah there's that load of laundry downstairs...

Anyway. AND I read 'Breaking Dawn' which I thought was amazing and I'd love to write a review here but I'm going to wait to give people more time to read it. I recently discovered that there are fans(?) who really hated it. I of course acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their opinion but some of these people are starting a campaign encouraging people to return their books to 'send a message' to Stephanie. For pete's sake. Not only that, but some people are making ludicrous claims about things that the book is supposedly promoting. (I won't mention these because they could be considered spoilers.) Mostly this depresses me because I think it would be awful to pour your heart and soul into something, like this book, only to have people be ungrateful, misinterpret and basically crap all over your effort. You don't have to like it, just don't be so ridiculous... Rant over.

My Girls

The other day I was talking to a friend and I off handedly said "The kids" and then stopped for a second. Plural. I have kids. Wow.

Things are still going along nicely. This week will be the true test as I will be 'flying solo' starting tomorrow.

I have a terrible cough at the moment which I find incredibly irritating because it is stealing further sleep from me after I get the baby settled down in the night. I lay there hacking away, my face buried into a pillow in an attempt to disturb everyone else as little as possible. I am taking a mild cough syrup only at night as well as slathering myself with 'Vicks' and I keep 'Riccola' cough lozenges on my bedside table. I will be thrilled when it finally goes away but I'm certain sleep deprivation does nothing for the immune system and a person's ability to get healthy.

Miss A has been amazing with Baby B. At the moment she is 'reading' her a story. I am relieved that she seems to really love her sister already and I don't feel that I need to worry about her doing anything physically aggressive towards her if I'm not looking. However, she is playing the baby card with her Dad and I. She wants to be carried, is crying more, baby talking etc. She seems to especially dislike it when her Dad is carrying or holding B. She then insists that he carry or hold her also which he usually manages somehow. She sometimes does this to me as well but seems to understand a bit more when it comes to me. Perhaps because I have been unable to do certain things for/with her for a while now and so she is more used to it. For the most part I don't feel that I can really complain about her behavior much, considering the adjustment I think she's doing rather well.

*Sidenote Miss A is going to miss her playmate when he goes back to work. They play pretend all the time and she explains to him who each of them are. "I am the Mama and you are the Baby." and so on. But when she refers to him Daddy always precedes who his 'is'. For instance DaddyBaby, DaddyKitty, DaddyMonster etc.

Miss A has finally cut two (the bottom two) of her remaining molars. Sheesh. The kid has had a brutal time with teething. This might explain why she was getting up in the night last week. Seems back to normal now. (Thank GOD!)

And finally... I am totally immersed in Bella and Edward land reading the final book in the Twilight Series, 'Breaking Dawn'. I think I have been exercising incredible restraint by not getting up to read after settling Baby B back down in the middle of the night and feeling wide awake. Instead I lay in bed a while thinking about them and developing theories about what is going to happen.

My Eyes, They're Burning!

I had an um... interesting weekend. I was invited to a Halloween party. I love Halloween. I love Halloween parties. Many a year has passed me by that I had no Halloween party to attend. Thankfully, I have a wonderful client who throw a kick @ss Halloween party every year. Peter and I went together last year but he declined this year in favor of staying home with A. You see he's not really into that kind of thing. No problem, I asked a friend to be my date. The thing is my friend is only 20.

She called earlier in the evening to check and see if I wouldn't mind leaving the party for an hour to go to the bar where she works. (Who wants to go to the place they work when they aren't working?) I said sure. How bad could it be, right?

Wrong. So wrong. Possibly the most wrong I have ever been. See I was never really into the bar scene. Not even when I was younger. I've never been much of a drinker and it would bother me to watch everyone become more and more intoxicated and less and less inhibited. HA! HA HA! even. That was nothing. Those kids back then? They were chaste!

Upon walking into this bar with my 20 year old friend I was aghast at what I saw. Kids on the dance floor making 'Dirty Dancing' look like a Saturday morning children's program. It was a miracle that many of them were still able to stand up considering the amount of alcohol and possibly illegal substances they had ingested yet, remarkably, they were able to simulate sexual intercourse right there on the dance floor without any difficulty. I tried to avert my eyes but it was impossible, they were everywhere.

All that kept coming to my mind was that Reverand Shaw Moore had been right!

"Even if this was not a law, which it is, I'm afraid I would have a lot of difficulty endorsing an enterprise which is as fraught with genuine peril as I believe this one to be. Besides the liquor and the drugs which always seem to accompany such an event the thing that distresses me even more, Ren, is the spiritual corruption that can be involved. These dances and this kind of music can be destructive, and, uh, Ren, I'm afraid you're going to find most of the people in our community are gonna agree with me on this."

Which is funny right? Comparing myself to the guy we all loved to hate, or at least scoff at, as we watched that movie. But really, I'm thinking Rev. Moore had a point. Sure maybe what Ren and Ariel were doing wasn't SO bad. But I suspect if they made a movie about their grandchildren going to the clubs today dancing to 'Gimmie More' it would be a whole different story. AND I think Granny and Grandpa McCormack would be thinking that maybe their dad had been right all along.


Britney Spears Lyrics
Gimmie More (Remix) Lyrics

I'm not a prude. I'm not. But I have standards. And rules. There are certain things which I believe are not appropriate in public places. I felt horribly depressed about the degradation of our society and especially of young people's morals. I couldn't help imagining my daughter on that dance floor in 16 (16!) years, and wonder what that would look like. It makes me weak in the knees and sick to my stomach.

I'm optimistic and naive enough to believe that I will be able to raise her better. That this sort of thing will disgust her as much as it disgusts me when she is faced with it. That she will choose better than those kids. I have to believe it, otherwise the depression would render me useless.

Wow! I think I've come off as a complete nut job. Oh well! While I'm at it I might as well include the photo that will put the nail in that coffin.

This Blows

I would like to have something interesting to say. But I just don't. I am currently trying to survive a nasty cold and a busy toddler at the same time. Today I add work and a 3 hour class to the mix. Yippee!

Hopefully I'll be back to my old healthy, witty self again by next week!

Weekend Project

Peter and my brother built a play structure on Saturday. It was a sweltering hot day which was unfortunate since it was a planned activity. Consequently Peter had a terrible cold and was hacking up horrible globs of phlegm. (Sorry for the graphic description) So really, kudos to him for going out there and doing anything at all.

The pictures tell the story best.











In my opinion, despite the hassle it was to build, Miss A's enjoyment of it even thus far has already made it all worthwhile.

Lionheart

Today I was going to post a picture of my cat, Casey. I was going to make fun of him because on Monday he went to the vet for his usual check-up, blood sugar check (diabetes, for those of you who don't know) and for a shave. You see in his old age he has become unable to care for his long luxurious fur as he once was. And the matted fur is much too horrible and plentiful for us to brush out. Thus the haircut. We have never had this done to him before. I can't believe how tiny he looks without the majority of his fur. And everyone always calls him fat! Sheesh. You and me both buddy. We're just fluffy!

But then on Tuesday afternoon I went downstairs to do some laundry. Casey was down there and when he tried to follow me up the stairs I noticed he couldn't do it. It was almost like his leg was broken or something. I carried him up and then watched as he struggled to get around the house. I called the vet and told them what was going on and they asked me to bring him right in. May I take the opportunity to complain about what a pain it is to drag a 25 pound kid and 20 pound cat to the vet? No? Fine.

Casey who normally greets everyone at the clinic with scary guttural sounds and much hissing – was silent. The staff, who has gotten to know us quite well since Casey's diagnosis, were very concerned about his silence. As they picked up his kennel to take him to the back Miss A grabbed the front cage with her tiny fingers and cried. It actually broke my heart a little when she did that. We pried her little vice grip off the kennel and I took her home to wait for the news.

I was certain we would have to go back later that day to have him put down. I was trying to prepare myself for what that was going to be like and I wasn't looking forward to it. Finally the vet called and explained what he suspected was going on. He said that there was nothing wrong with his legs just that he was basically acting intoxicated. He told me it could be a side effect from the sedative they'd given him in order to do the haircut. They could give him more counter agent and see if that helped.

From there the story gets a bit carried away. To sum up – he took a long time to get 'back to normal' which was partial compounded by his diabetes. He spent the night and most of today there but he is home now and seemingly himself again. So many times I get frustrated with him, his incessant meowing, his tendency to get right underfoot but the truth is I'd miss him so much if he wasn't around. A missed him. She kept babbling and saying the word 'kitty' all day.

He is a member of our family and we're glad to have him home.

What he usually looks like:



What he looks like now:

Colder

I am nursing myself back to health from what seems like the fifth almost back to back cold I have had this winter. I have no idea what is up. I'm taking vitamins. I'm taking care of myself. I am getting a reasonable amount of sleep.

It's getting to the point where I am getting paranoid. I'm starting to think that perhaps there is something in our old home that is making me sick. Mold maybe? I don't know. Then I think it may have to do with all the snotty nosed (yet adorable) babies that I help take care on Sunday mornings at church two weeks out of every month. Or did the freakishly mild weather cause some kind of super cold virus to morph into some sort of crazy cold that never really goes away? Ever.

I know it's just a little cold but it's really cramping my style. It's also really discouraging. Depressing even. I'm sick of being sick. I'm sick of my coworkers and my mother assuming that I'm not taking care of myself. It's like people look at you and blame you for being sick. Like “What did you do?” pointing their pointy finger at you. Dude, it's not my fault. Seriously. I'm sick of dragging my sorry sick butt into work despite being sick because I'm not dying after all and unless I'm dying, I go to work. And I sniffle and snort and excuse myself to blow my nose while my clients think “She SO better not give me her dang cold!” But then I say, “What about all of you lovely clients of mine. You'd come here and sit in my chair if you had the plague just so long as I made you look pretty.” You know it's true. And that's okay. We can't all lock ourselves in our bedrooms just because we've got a little cold.

Some of us have kids to look after. And that's another thing. Looking after toddlers when you are sick, is not fair. But that's life isn't it. Sometimes it's not fair. Sometimes we just have to blow our nose and carry on. Because if we don't do it, it's not going to get done.