Head Cold

Hit with a bit of a head cold. Took some Sudafed (which, rumor has it, also dries up breastmilk ... so that might be a bonus SINCE I STOPPED NURSING SEVEN MONTHS AGO).

A manager (possibly the general manager) of the local Michaels called me last night and asked me to give her a call back. (I copy and pasted and blog post to Michaels' corporate email.) She sounded sweet-as-pie complete with a Southern accent. I was hoping a man would call me, because then I'd have no trouble standing my ground ... but I am hopeless with nice-sounding ladies! I don't want to call back, I said everything I had to say in my email. My mom says I am a chicken. Ugh.

Met up with some fellow Tastefully Simple consultants today for lunch. They're such a nice group. I mailed off four packages with catalogs, recipes, and samples to a few out-of-town clients today. Enjoy! I am hosting an open house at my home Saturday, Oct. 2 and am planning on a mystery host catalog party online too (need to figure out those details). I have a good feeling about all of it.

Moose has been in a mood this week. Maybe it's the Terrible Twos or maybe he has a bit of a cold, but he's so disagreeable and whiny when we drop him off at Mother's Day Out (though, he doesn't CRY, he's just not so gung-ho like he usually is). He's just not quite himself.

Bean is still doing great with school and is making improvements with his karate. He's just growing up fine and dandy.

The kittens are psychotic. I have never met two things that poop so much. They also yacked three times for my husband this morning. Lord only knows what they ate this time. Why are we adding chickens to our zoo? Crazy people. CRAZY.

I rearranged some closets and my craft/crap room last night with some help from Husband. I'm trying to relocate all my hobby-type stuff to the craft/crap room and keep it out of our master bedroom, our master bedroom closet, the dining room, the kitchen, the living room the rest of the house. I sure know how to take up space!

RAIN! FINALLY! I HEAR IT. I SEE IT. We so needed this!

Days Like This

Moose woke up screaming twice last night. I just ignored him and fell back asleep.

Bean woke up at 3:30 a.m. He puked all over his bed (and his pjs). The cleanup process woke up Moose ... Moose with a poopy diaper (no doubt why he was crying to begin with - he doesn't usually have a poop till he wakes up in the morning). Now, Moose has a super-terrible rash once again. It looks just awful. Everyone is exhausted. Bean hasn't thrown up again, but he's clearly still worn out (he hasn't asked to play the Wii yet today, and that's clearly a sign of illness in his world). Moose is also cutting two lower teeth and an upper molar.

I just love being a mom on days like this.

I do, of course, have two applie pies in the oven (one will represent my spirit at the House of Toys Thanksgiving and the other will go with us). I also have a frozen pizza in there ... quality lunch for me and the boys :)

Funk

So, the house is sprayed. Aside from a moth that flew in yesterday afternoon, I haven't spotted a creepy crawly (or a jumping, blood-sucking crawly ... whatever the case may be).

About a week in a half ago, I wore some shoes that I shouldn't (I have the feet of an 80-year-old woman). Anyway, the shoe dug into the left ankle and I've had a quarter-sized oozing sore there ever since. It is gross. I'll just leave it at that. It does, finally, appear a bit better today.

I found this new-to-me sit yesterday: Fly Lady. It's about household organization and all that fun stuff. Her first tip is to keep your kitchen sink clean. This is a task that Feng Shui also insists on. So, it's probably something I should start to do. The sink is currently filled with hot bleach water. I wonder how long this will last?

Moose is getting two new teeth! The bottom ones on either side of the front two. So, he's, um, less than pleasant lately.

Bean's favorite game lately is asking "What letter does ______ start with?" He loves when you "guess" the wrong letter and he knows the answer.

Oh, and I bought new flatware. It's a good weight (Husband doesn't like "too heavy") and there's plenty of it (16 settings). It's a neutral pattern, shiny stainless steel and some brushed. It also comes with butter spreaders and sugar spoons. (Please note that I did not pay that much for it. It was on sale at Kohls for a far better price ... but still enough to make my husband roll his eyes and say, "Why do we need new spoons? What is wrong with the stuff we have?" To which I say, I don't like it, I've never liked it, it's skinny and cheap-feeling, and we have two different sets that don't match, and I've wanted new stuff forever, and I found it, and ... no one is listening to much after that).

Sick Baby Pictures (still silly)

Poor, sweet baby on Sunday (10/25), the day before I took him into Urgent Care. He coughed himself into a sitting position while napping on the couch and continued to nap for another hour:

Crick in the Neck

Oh my goodness.

I am in excruciating pain. Seriously, not only can I not turn my head, I can't bend over. When it's not a shrieking pain, it's a steady pain that haunts the back of my head. The steady pain reminds me of my wisdom teeth ... when I had three dry sockets.

I've been reading online and trying to get some remedies.

Some say it will take 10 to 14 days to heal!!!

I've had cricks in my neck before, but nothing that has made me feel this useless and on edge.

I've heated and massaged. Nothing.

Am off to pop some Motrin.

*****

Moose is still sick. The raspy breath is gone, so I know he's doing better, but he's still far from 100 percent. Today is the first day I've taken him out - just this morning to the post office and grocery shopping. We came home for a nap, and he refused for a while. I really missed the mark on the whole self-soothing thing. The kid has no concept of it. I know he needs his rest, though, so I tossed him in his crib ... 90 minutes of screaming and he has passed out. We'll see how long this lasts.

Suck It Update

To make a long story, umm, long ...

I called the nurse hotline again and told them I'd been waiting. Someone called me back in 5 minutes. When confirming the information, she noted that they had the birthday, social security number, and a major symptom wrong (the CSR wrote in that he had a history of seizures ... at no point did I say this ... that's a pretty huge error, thank you, shotty phone connection).

Anyway, the nurse I spoke to was great (and relieved that my kid was not have seizures). We were referred to an urgent care clinic. We left at 9:40 and got in to see the NP on duty at 12 noon. She was very thorough and believed it was just his eye and not something neurological. Her husband is an eye doctor in town, so she had a special interest (I felt) in my concern.

Husband finagled an informal assessment from Bean's PCM at 1 p.m. (see: they walk into the waiting room to listen to you moan and take a glance at your kid and give you whatever referral you want). His PCM said she'd rush a referral to an eye doctor (something that usually takes 10 days) and try to get him a same-day or by Friday appointment. An hour later, the office called with an appointment ready!

We saw the eye doctor, who was also great. She was very thorough and very pleased that we had rushed to get this taken care. She definitely didn't think we were over reacting and was happy we had taken it so seriously (one perk to being married to a pilot: eyes are a very serious subject).

Bean is farsighted, like most kids. The symptoms he is exhibiting usually happen around 2 or 3, so she's thinking since they're showing up later that his case is more mild. The faster it's treated, the quicker and better the outcome. He can still see equally well out of both eyes, something that is usually not the case by the time she sees kids. She thinks his eyes will self-correct by 10 or 11. Till then, he's in glasses.

His first pair of glasses will be ready tomorrow afternoon. He has another appointment with the eye doctor in 2 months.

The NP at urgent care seems to think that Bean also has a mild virus which might be why the "lazy eye" showed up so suddenly - viruses tend to exasperate things.

So, it's been a long day, but it's turned out well. Bean received some great care and will be wildly cute in his new glasses. Hopefully, he will also be wildly thrilled when he doesn't have to wear glasses (or have a wonky eye) come his teenage years.

Bean has been on the road to or from a doctor or in an office from 9:40 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Considering that, he was very well behaved. I don't even blame him for rolling around the aisle at the eye glass place.

All's Quiet

Moose has been down with a cold that past week. He has a terrible cough, but the nurse hotline said that it still just sounds like a cold. I need to watch for a fever or wheezing, but he's fine. He's been sleeping pretty poorly, which mean so has everyone else. I think we're on the tail end of it now.

Bean is doing OK at school. Three green days this week and one blue and one yellow ... all for dumb stuff like, "Not following directions." We have out parent-teacher conference on Tuesday. Umm, I don't even know what to say. (One thing that crosses my mind is, "Listen, lady, I'm not going to apologize for my kid being FOUR. I don't know of a single other adult who has a problem with him except you, so maybe next time you're on his case you should take a good look in the mirror, you harpy freak." I won't say this, but I will think it ... and "freak" will likely be replaced with a much harsher word.)

I just wrapped up several crafting swaps. I don't have anything due till January 2010 now. I'm hosting a couple that are due in November and can't wait to see all the cool creations.

Yesterday, my husband actually got home early!!! After picking Bean up from school, we went on a mission to put together Halloween costumes. We started off at a Goodwill and found a long-sleeve green shirt for Bean and a long-sleeve red shirt for Husband (for $1!). We went to the farm store and got overalls for all three guys (you know my Husband was DYING for a pair of bibs!). Then we hit Salvation Army and scored a great peach 1980s prom dress (for $4.99). Then Hobby Lobby for fleece (to make three hats). Then the party store for white gloves and a crown. Put it all together, and we have Mario, Baby Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach! I sewed up the hats last night (waiting on a friend to embroider some letters on them) and they turned out great. Bean is wearing his overalls today - he's super excited. I need to make up some jewelry for Peach, but she's coming together ... would be nice to have a long, blond wig for her (but cheap wigs are so nasty, and I'm not up for buying one out of real hair ... so we'll see).

My grandpa and one of his buddies came down for the air show this weekend. They headed out to it this morning with Husband and Bean. Now Moose is asleep on my chest, and I'm hoping to get him in his crib and craft.

Oh, and I am reading I Love a Man in Uniform (it's OK, some parts are better than others. I heard her give a reading on Book TV. Yes, sometimes I watch Book TV. I will say that her description of meeting other officer wives in the beginning is dead on, and I'm relieved I'm not the only one who feels this way) and How to Teach Your Baby to Read (recommended by Bird/Katy. I haven't gotten past the preface yet, but it's fascinating so far. Well written, well researched.). I am also enjoying the new seasons of Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters (though, if it weren't for Kevin and Tommy, I would cease watching this show ... it's getting DUMB), and How I Met Your Mother. Oh, and the new show Modern Family. I also got a big shipment of craft stuff ... so, yeah, I'm busy :) Hope to post pictures soon, though.

Day Two

I interrogated asked Bean about his day yesterday. He reported that he had rest time and played outside. He mentioned a few friends' names. He also said that his fruit "fell on the ground." I noticed I only got the lid back on the fruit container, so I'm guessing it slide under the table and he didn't think to get it. Also, he forgot that his water was in the bottom on his bag, so he had nothing to drink. Geez.

Today, I made him watch while I put a Capri Sun in the bottom of his bag. Somehow, I think he'll remember today :) A couple days of Capri Suns to spark the memory, then he's back to water.

I asked if he liked his teacher ("Miss WOOK-is," as he calls her). He said, "Maybe not sure." I can only imagine that the poor woman was pretty frazzled yesterday - 22 four year olds and only her and an aid. Bean did say he liked Miss Toney, the aid. She does seem super-fun. I'm sure he'll warm up to Mrs. Wookis soon (Its Mrs. Lucas, in case you don't speak Bean).

Moose had two shots yesterday. Not sure if it was the shots, but he actually went to bed at about 8:30 last night and slept till 7. This is the first peaceful night we've had in a couple days. Lately, he will only nap on me and won't sleep till 10 p.m. and often wakes up screaming around 1 or 3 or 5. Yeah, umm, it's been loads of fun.

Yesterday, I also created a "Chore Chart" for Bean. It has a list of things for him to do in the morning (marked with a sun) and a list of things to do after he gets home from school (marked with a home). It has things like Brush Teeth, Make Bed, Eat Dinner, Hang Backpack, etc. All the chores also have pictures next to them. He loves it! Yesterday afternoon, he would walk up to it and "read" it and ask, "What we do next, Mama?" I can only hope this enthusium lasts into his teenage years.

The Dentist

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I took the kids to the dentist. Bean was deemed a "professional dental patient." He let them get all the x-rays they wanted, check out his teeth, clean them, do fluoride. The assistant, hygienist, and dentist all commented on how cooperative he was. Little did they know, he was just sufficiently bribed - he got another Thomas car (the Musical Caboose) immediately following the appointment and was promised the beloved GeoTrax expansion kit (M's mom insisted that I just rewrap the opened gift).

Bean's teeth looked good and healthy. The only area of concern was that his adult teeth are nearly twice as wide as his baby teeth. Since he has no gaps in his baby teeth, it's impossible for the adult teeth to fit nicely without some orthodontic intervention. Bean can thank my husband for this - there are advantages to a big mouth.

Moose happily showed off his two teeth to everyone. They just peeked at them and ran a toothbrush across them.

Swine Flu

I'm not sure how other parts of the country of reacting to Swine Flu, but Texas is taking it very seriously. Some schools have shut down (one where I live) and athletics have been postponed till May 11. (Does the flu magically die May 11?) Last I heard, there were about 18 unconfirmed cases where I live.

The base is also going crazy. Apparently, the hospital staff on base are in haz-mat uniforms. The gate cards no longer touch your ID (you hold it out and flip it over for them). I wonder how long this will last? The base has a history of hyping up security and keeping it that way (like about cell phones and closing the hospital gate). Are other bases like this?

Anyway, I used the downpour(s) we had yesterday as an excuse to stay inside (estimates say we got 6" in one day). We were out of milk and bread, though, so I had to venture out with the kids. I don't really overreact to germs, but I make it a habit to wash my hands when I come into the house and such. Out and about today, though, I'll admit that I was more cautious than usual. I opted to use Moose's stroller over the store carts. I wiped down the cart at the grocery store extra well (I always wipe the grocery cart down - do you know how nasty some people keep their kids?). I also wiped my own hands off when getting back in the car.

Bean's school is still open. Both boys are still healthy as of this evening. I just hope this thing gets behind us. One of my friends pointed out that the American media can only focus on one thing at a time - the election, the economy, and now the swine flu. I hate fear mongering. HATE. It's actually ranked above football, country music, and Holly from Brothers & Sisters. It is, ironically, ranked right beside Fox News and Anne Coulter. Go figure.

Also, I need a "No Soliciting" sign. Seriously, it seems like at least three times a week I get people knocking on my door trying to sell me magazines or vacuums or religion. No, no, and, seriously, no. Perhaps it's a job for my Cricut.

Yuckies

Bean has a sinus infection and strep throat. Lucky for him, one antibiotic treats them both. Hopefully, we see a marked improvement in his cough soon. I like this diagnosis a lot more than "sinuses" or "allergies." Thank goodness for a different doctor!

Moose has been running a slight fever since last night, about 101. He's had snots for days. Last night he had some projectile vomit, but I think that was a combination of the fever and overeating (he nurses to sooth himself) and gagging on Tylenol. He and I had a terrible night's sleep last night - I think we were up every 30 minutes or so. It was miserable. As soon as I would start to drift off, he would wake up. It was a very tough night. He's napping now with no fuss. We're not able to get him into the doctor today, but I'm hoping between rest and nursing that he'll work it out himself.

Right now I'm not planning on making our trip to Indiana. The drive was going to be hard enough with just me and two healthy kids. But now it's just me, two sick kids, and me operating on a terrible night's sleep. I also have a headache, and I only get headaches when I'm on the brink of getting sick. So, I have a feeling that things can still get worse before they get better.

Perhaps tomorrow or Saturday will bring a huge improvement in everyone's health, but if that doesn't happen ... hopefully we can plan another trip sooner rather than later. I had plans with three friends I haven't seen in years - I'm totally bummed to cancel on them. Part of choosing motherhood, though, is putting your family first.

Well, I am tired.

Sick Kid

As you may remember, a couple weeks ago the doctor said Bean's smoker's cough was due to sinuses and allergies. We've been giving him is Zyrtec and Singular every morning, and we haven't seen a huge improvement. His cough was particularly bad yesterday, waking him up at like 2:30 in the morning. It sounded like his lungs were going to come out his throat (they have not ... yet). Yesterday evening he started running a fever, about 100. He took a nap and it's pretty clear that he's tired.

Today, he's still running that same fever. We're giving him Motrin and just letting him veg on the couch. He's still coughing. I opted to keep him out of school for the day - he didn't have a fever when I sent him to school yesterday. He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 9:20 a.m. We're seeing a new doctor on base and, if it's who I think it is, I've heard less-than-good things about him. Luckily, Husband will be available to go in with me ... so hopefully that will make Mr. Doctor behave better than he has with some of my friends. Anyway, I'm actually hoping that seeing a different doctor will provide some more productive answers. I feel like this cough has been going on for years.

Moose is napping and still has a bit of a runny nose, but it's clear and nothing too exciting. He's eating and sleeping well, so I'm not so worried about him.

I planned on leaving around 8 a.m. tomorrow for the drive to Indiana, but obviously I'll be getting a late start. Worse case, I can wait till Friday to leave and still be on schedule to see the friends that have made plans with me. We'll see how the day and night and the doctor's appointment go ... but I really need to get out of Texas!

Since Husband was home this morning, though, I was able to pop in at the library and pick up several books on CD:

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
I've always meant to read this, but I've just never gotten around to it.

Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
I read his first memoir Running with Scissors, so I can't wait to see what this one has in store. I hope it's not about sobriety. Sobriety is boring.

Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
I've never read a Nicholas Sparks book nor seen any of the movies. Crazy, I know. Anyway, I thought it's be good to have something light.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wild
I read this in college, but I don't remember it. With more than 30 hours of driving ahead of me, surely I can find some time to appreciate a classic (but I'll admit that is the one I'm most likely to skip).

Doing Better

The new baby is doing better. The antibiotics are working, and he's pulling through. Good news! I can only imagine how tiny he is, though. He's down to about 4 lbs. 9 oz. and arrived several weeks early. Despite his small size, he's putting up a big fight.

=====

I baked up the practice pirate cake today. It came out of the pan quite nicely - all the details of the pan turned out, but I realized I have no frosting and don't have all the ingredients to make frosting. Hmm ... so I guess I won't practice decorating it today.

Moose is taking his second nap for the day. There is laundry to do and bathrooms to clean and loads of other fun housework stuff. My 80-something-year-old neighbor was outside today. He washing one of his cars, watered the lawn, and then washed his second car. I feel so lazy.

Prayers

A new baby joined the world yesterday. He's run into some difficulties and is having trouble breathing. He needs some prayers this morning. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts ... and be thankful for all the noise your healthy children are making at home today. I know I am.

A Cold ...

A cold stuck me down. The sneezing, the coughing, the Kleenex ... and more Kleenex. Ugh. I feel like I'm drowning. I simply have too much to do to lay around and cry about it, though. We have a Valentine's Day party with friends this morning, then school, a thing on base, and a crafting errand with Mrs. House of Toys.

Friday is Bean's party at school and then a night with the boys from House of Toys, so the their parentals can go out and enjoy Valentine's Day.

I suspect tomorrow will be less busy. I can be sick then. Do you hear that body, Thursday only!