If you haven't yet, click on the photo for a close-up view of the girls' facial expressions. It'll probably give you a laugh.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
For the Record, My Kids are Crazy
If you haven't yet, click on the photo for a close-up view of the girls' facial expressions. It'll probably give you a laugh.
Still Feeling Crappy
The fever is gone, but I still have the cough BADLY, and last night I got yet another treat that the rest of the family was lucky enough to miss out on - diarrhea! JOY! Had to keep getting up all night long. The Bug kept waking up too, so it was a pretty shitty night (totally unnecessary pun intended).
I went to see the doctor a little bit ago because I feel so awful and have gone to bed for a couple nights recently feeling very scared, wondering if I'd have another episode like that one a few years ago when I passed out from acute dehydration. This time, however, I've got Gatorade in hand whenever I need it, so my electrolytes shouldn't plummet like they did that time.
The doctor said that everything I'm experiencing is part of the joy of this godforsaken flu and I just have to wait for it to go away.
I'm taking The Bug to see the pediatrician at 3:45 this afternoon because she has been so difficult to live with for a couple days and nights. I have a feeling they're going to tell me the same for her - she just doesn't feel good because she isn't over it, suck it up and deal. But I want to be sure there's nothing wrong that we need to act on. She says that nothing hurts - her ears, etc. seem to feel fine (based on asking & having her answer). She probably just doesn't feel good in general, like me.
Interestingly, beginning two days before The Bug started coughing, and continuing through most nights of this flu, she has been sleeping better. Not every night, mind you; like I said, last night sucked. But most nights, even if she is waking up enough to crawl up and put her head onto my pillow, The Bug is nursing fewer times and actually waking fewer times as well. I hope this is due to the fact that that last eye tooth did finally cut, and she is perhaps experiencing less teething pain now than she has for a long time. I don't think we'll know if that's why she's sleeping better until we're all better and back to normal, but I have hope. And, really, obviously, the reason that she's waking less doesn't matter - what's important is the fact that she is doing that! Hallelujiah!
I went to see the doctor a little bit ago because I feel so awful and have gone to bed for a couple nights recently feeling very scared, wondering if I'd have another episode like that one a few years ago when I passed out from acute dehydration. This time, however, I've got Gatorade in hand whenever I need it, so my electrolytes shouldn't plummet like they did that time.
The doctor said that everything I'm experiencing is part of the joy of this godforsaken flu and I just have to wait for it to go away.
I'm taking The Bug to see the pediatrician at 3:45 this afternoon because she has been so difficult to live with for a couple days and nights. I have a feeling they're going to tell me the same for her - she just doesn't feel good because she isn't over it, suck it up and deal. But I want to be sure there's nothing wrong that we need to act on. She says that nothing hurts - her ears, etc. seem to feel fine (based on asking & having her answer). She probably just doesn't feel good in general, like me.
Interestingly, beginning two days before The Bug started coughing, and continuing through most nights of this flu, she has been sleeping better. Not every night, mind you; like I said, last night sucked. But most nights, even if she is waking up enough to crawl up and put her head onto my pillow, The Bug is nursing fewer times and actually waking fewer times as well. I hope this is due to the fact that that last eye tooth did finally cut, and she is perhaps experiencing less teething pain now than she has for a long time. I don't think we'll know if that's why she's sleeping better until we're all better and back to normal, but I have hope. And, really, obviously, the reason that she's waking less doesn't matter - what's important is the fact that she is doing that! Hallelujiah!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Bleh
Whiner alert:
I feel like hell. Despite what the thermometer says, I feel like my fever is returning. My eyes are starting to hurt again. They hurt a lot last night when I went to bed but felt better this morning when I awoke. But I've been going back downhill all day today. Everyone else backslid too, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.
The Bug woke up kicking and whining this morning, and has pretty much been like that all day. She denies any ear or other pain in her body, which is good, but I wish I knew what had her so cranky! I believe her fever is truly gone, but it's so hard to tell with her because I can't get a read. At least she's napping. Maybe she'll wake up happier this time.
Sweet Pea is still home today. I asked her if she misses school and she said, "yeah," so maybe we'll send her back tomorrow. I just hope her immune system is running well enough again to make it through a couple days of school without catching anything new before the weekend. And I hope I'm up to actually taking her to school tomorrow. 'Cause today, not so much.
Slipshod went in to work for a bit and will probably be home around dinnertime. I'm really thankful that he can work from home pretty easily. It has been good having him within reach the past few days. Mostly when he works from home he's closed upstairs in his office and to us it feels like he's not actually here, but today because I started feeling so crappy again and was actually feeling dizzy I went up and asked him to make us lunch while I laid on the couch. Whew. Not sure how dinner's going to go tonight - the girls may be hungry before he's home - but hopefully we'll figure something out relatively easily.
I feel like hell. Despite what the thermometer says, I feel like my fever is returning. My eyes are starting to hurt again. They hurt a lot last night when I went to bed but felt better this morning when I awoke. But I've been going back downhill all day today. Everyone else backslid too, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.
The Bug woke up kicking and whining this morning, and has pretty much been like that all day. She denies any ear or other pain in her body, which is good, but I wish I knew what had her so cranky! I believe her fever is truly gone, but it's so hard to tell with her because I can't get a read. At least she's napping. Maybe she'll wake up happier this time.
Sweet Pea is still home today. I asked her if she misses school and she said, "yeah," so maybe we'll send her back tomorrow. I just hope her immune system is running well enough again to make it through a couple days of school without catching anything new before the weekend. And I hope I'm up to actually taking her to school tomorrow. 'Cause today, not so much.
Slipshod went in to work for a bit and will probably be home around dinnertime. I'm really thankful that he can work from home pretty easily. It has been good having him within reach the past few days. Mostly when he works from home he's closed upstairs in his office and to us it feels like he's not actually here, but today because I started feeling so crappy again and was actually feeling dizzy I went up and asked him to make us lunch while I laid on the couch. Whew. Not sure how dinner's going to go tonight - the girls may be hungry before he's home - but hopefully we'll figure something out relatively easily.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Ruins of the Flu
This is the energy level at our house today.
Thankfully the fever seems to be gone. The Bug and I were the last two who had fevers, and today we feel cooler. I am trying to eat more today - that has been a problem for me, for a few reasons: It's very difficult to eat when you can't breathe through your nose, nothing has been sounding good, and I have not had the energy to fix things for myself (though over the past few days Slipshod was doing that for me, bless his heart).
Today Slipshod went to work for a meeting, which ended up being cancelled. Not sure when he's coming home but he said he was going to bring lunch, so hopefully he'll come soon... I also need to send him out to Trader Joe's for some things. I do not have the energy to drive yet. I did get up and take a shower and cook breakfast this morning, but it took so long to wash all the placemats, etc. necessary before cooking that by the time we sat down to eat I was shaking. Been spending more time sitting since then. We really need to do laundry today - lots of it - and maybe pick up and wash dishes - but I hardly have any energy. We'll see how it goes.
I'm (obviously) keeping Sweet Pea home from school today, and I'm not sure for how much longer. She missed the entirety of last week at school and I don't want her to miss this week as well, but I also don't want to send her back before her immune system is able to stand up to other viruses. She is still coughing quite a bit, and has a pretty runny nose. And as you can see, she doesn't have enough energy to go back to school yet anyway.
This flu is really scary. This is probably the sickest I've ever been without vomiting. When Slipshod was the only one who was sick, before any of the rest of us had it, watching him be completely felled by this thing gave me a glimpse into how people might actually die of the flu. Now that I've had it myself I can understand that even more. If one were alone with this, and perhaps compromised in some other way - housebound or had difficulty moving on one's own, etc., and had nobody to call for help, I can see how one might just lie in bed and not drink or eat for a few days, and for some people that might be enough to kill them. Slipshod said that this flu has actually been declared an epidemic in some states. And I keep hearing that this strain is one of the strains that this year's flu shot did not cover. Bleh.
Anyway, enough of that. I still feel crappy but it's nice to be clean, anyway. Now I need to figure out lunch (starting with calling Slipshod to see if he's bringing some home).
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Somebody Please Make it Stop
Oh geez, my throat hurts (from all the coughing). My fever hasn't gone even as high as 100 as far as I know, but even the low fever sucks. AND, I get to do this with two very needy attachments. Our big plan for tomorrow is to take a shower. The girls and I haven't had one since... um... I can't remember. I think Friday. Slipshod didn't get one today because he was too busy taking care of us and going grocery shopping. His head has been hurting and earlier tonight it seemed like he had a low temperature again. I really hope this horrible flu will go away soon. It is BAAAAAAAAD.
Sitting around feeling awful for so long can make a person want to make a phone call to share the misery, y'know, but I've been resisting all urges to call anyone in my own family. I e-mailed them at one point last week just to let them know what was going on because when we're dealing with illness over here and they don't hear from us for a while, I start getting phone calls and e-mails saying, "where are you?" Well, my letting them know before they started missing us was met with everyone but my brother saying things (AGAIN) like, "you're probably just passing the same virus around again and again, " "maybe you aren't eating well enough," and "what is it in your environment that is causing all of this again and again?" It really is enough to make me scream. WHY does it have to be something we're doing wrong? WTF? I know they care and they're concerned, but the way the express that always leaves me looking like I made it all happen due to my bad housekeeping or cooking skills. I think I'm going to have to educate them on the life cycle of a virus (which of course I'll have to look up first, but I seem to know more about it than they do already). Or maybe I should just tell them to shut up. In the mean time, I'm talking with my family as little as possible to minimize the insanity.
Let's see... Slipshod mentioned in his previous post that Sweet Pea's fever returned. That was Friday evening, and it really came back with a vengeance. Yesterday and today she did not have a fever, but she was completely WIPED and just laid around barely talking and attempting to refuse all food and drink. Today I napped with The Bug (who was also asleep) laying on my chest for 2 hours and 45 minutes. About an hour and a half into that nap Sweet Pea came upstairs and asked me to come back downstairs with her. Apparently (I found out later), Slipshod had fallen asleep down stairs and she had nobody to play with or talk to. I explained to her repeatedly that I could not go downstairs with her just then but as soon as I could I would. She sat next to me on the bed holding my hand, and eventually laid down and fell asleep next to me. The Bug woke up an hour and 15 minutes later but Sweet Pea was still completely zonked, and she stayed that way for a total of nearly 3 hours! After that nap Sweet Pea was much more chipper, which was good to see. We were also able to get a bunch more liquid into her, and some food as well, so she was in pretty good shape by bedtime tonight - at least compared to the way she looked & was acting yesterday.
The Bug was alternately whiny and playful today, and her face ran like an ice sculpture on the beach. She is not feeling well. She is sleeping now, though. It is really nice to be disengaged from her for a while. Much as I love her and want to make her feel better even if all I can do is snuggle her, it is really nice not to have her ON me for a while! She had a fever before bed so I gave her some Motrin. I hope she will be a lot better in the morning.
It worries me a lot that Slipshod may still have a fever. This flu is evil and nasty and it scared me last week when Slipshod was the only one who had it. Now that we all have it, I'm really a little freaked out. We'll see how the kids are doing tomorrow. I don't know if their pediatrician's office is open tomorrow, but if it is and they're not doing well, we're going to try to take them in. I just want to make sure they're as okay as they can be right now.
Well I snuck out of the bedroom so I could eat some more and watch some TV with Slipshod, but I haven't eaten anything yet, and Slipshod must have fallen asleep with Sweet Pea (he was snuggling her good night), because he hasn't come downstairs and I think I've been out of there for an hour. So good night.
Sitting around feeling awful for so long can make a person want to make a phone call to share the misery, y'know, but I've been resisting all urges to call anyone in my own family. I e-mailed them at one point last week just to let them know what was going on because when we're dealing with illness over here and they don't hear from us for a while, I start getting phone calls and e-mails saying, "where are you?" Well, my letting them know before they started missing us was met with everyone but my brother saying things (AGAIN) like, "you're probably just passing the same virus around again and again, " "maybe you aren't eating well enough," and "what is it in your environment that is causing all of this again and again?" It really is enough to make me scream. WHY does it have to be something we're doing wrong? WTF? I know they care and they're concerned, but the way the express that always leaves me looking like I made it all happen due to my bad housekeeping or cooking skills. I think I'm going to have to educate them on the life cycle of a virus (which of course I'll have to look up first, but I seem to know more about it than they do already). Or maybe I should just tell them to shut up. In the mean time, I'm talking with my family as little as possible to minimize the insanity.
Let's see... Slipshod mentioned in his previous post that Sweet Pea's fever returned. That was Friday evening, and it really came back with a vengeance. Yesterday and today she did not have a fever, but she was completely WIPED and just laid around barely talking and attempting to refuse all food and drink. Today I napped with The Bug (who was also asleep) laying on my chest for 2 hours and 45 minutes. About an hour and a half into that nap Sweet Pea came upstairs and asked me to come back downstairs with her. Apparently (I found out later), Slipshod had fallen asleep down stairs and she had nobody to play with or talk to. I explained to her repeatedly that I could not go downstairs with her just then but as soon as I could I would. She sat next to me on the bed holding my hand, and eventually laid down and fell asleep next to me. The Bug woke up an hour and 15 minutes later but Sweet Pea was still completely zonked, and she stayed that way for a total of nearly 3 hours! After that nap Sweet Pea was much more chipper, which was good to see. We were also able to get a bunch more liquid into her, and some food as well, so she was in pretty good shape by bedtime tonight - at least compared to the way she looked & was acting yesterday.
The Bug was alternately whiny and playful today, and her face ran like an ice sculpture on the beach. She is not feeling well. She is sleeping now, though. It is really nice to be disengaged from her for a while. Much as I love her and want to make her feel better even if all I can do is snuggle her, it is really nice not to have her ON me for a while! She had a fever before bed so I gave her some Motrin. I hope she will be a lot better in the morning.
It worries me a lot that Slipshod may still have a fever. This flu is evil and nasty and it scared me last week when Slipshod was the only one who had it. Now that we all have it, I'm really a little freaked out. We'll see how the kids are doing tomorrow. I don't know if their pediatrician's office is open tomorrow, but if it is and they're not doing well, we're going to try to take them in. I just want to make sure they're as okay as they can be right now.
Well I snuck out of the bedroom so I could eat some more and watch some TV with Slipshod, but I haven't eaten anything yet, and Slipshod must have fallen asleep with Sweet Pea (he was snuggling her good night), because he hasn't come downstairs and I think I've been out of there for an hour. So good night.
Everybody is sick...
Evil nasty flu.
Violet spoke too soon... Sweet Pea went down again with a big fever, and I'm hanging on OK but not great. This thing is rough. So far, I think keeping Sweet Pea hydrated is the hardest part. She doesn't want to eat or drink much, and is even picky about the popsicles.
Everyone is doing OK and there were naps all around this afternoon. The Bug slept for almost three hours on Mommy, and even Sweet Pea slept a couple of hours. Anyway, just dropping a note to everyone since Violet is not really up to posting.
Violet spoke too soon... Sweet Pea went down again with a big fever, and I'm hanging on OK but not great. This thing is rough. So far, I think keeping Sweet Pea hydrated is the hardest part. She doesn't want to eat or drink much, and is even picky about the popsicles.
Everyone is doing OK and there were naps all around this afternoon. The Bug slept for almost three hours on Mommy, and even Sweet Pea slept a couple of hours. Anyway, just dropping a note to everyone since Violet is not really up to posting.
Friday, February 15, 2008
End of the Week Update
I am thrilled to announce that Slipshod and Sweet Pea are over the worst part of the flu. They still have a nasty cough and Sweet Pea's nose won't stop running, but the fevers are gone and for that we are extremely grateful. Slipshod's "short day" at work yesterday was nearly a full day. Today will be shorter than usual as well, but not by much, probably. (*Edited mere minutes later - Slipshod is home! Working upstairs, but he's here. Yay!)
The Bug seems to be through the fever part of the flu as well, but her nose is even snottier than her sister's, if that's possible, and she is feeling really really miserable. I say this based on the amount of crying, whining, and clinging she's still doing. The past two nights were miserable with her waking up at least every hour for most of the time we were in bed, BUT did I mention that the two nights before that, she only woke up once each night? I have high hopes that when she's feeling better she'll be sleeping better like that (only one waking per night) again, since she FINALLY cut that last eye tooth! I really really hope we'll be able to catch up on some sleep before the 2-year molars start cutting. The Bug IS finally napping today, which is a huge improvement over the past two days. Thank goodness for that. Sweet pea and I have had some time together today, which is fun. We both really enjoy our time for just the two of us. :o)
Last night I was feeling really rotten because I have gotten the cough that goes with this flu. I also felt (and sort of feel today, though not as badly as last night) symptoms of a fever: creepy crawly skin, and achy eyes - but the thermometer says that I do not have a fever. Doesn't matter, point is that I feel kinda crappy. However, I do have hope that I have "flu lite," and won't be surprised if I'm almost better tomorrow, given how lightly (or not at all) I've gotten the other ailments that have passed through our house this winter. Here's hoping! Either way, tomorrow's the weekend and Sweet Pea doesn't have school on Monday, so I think we should all be completely better and raring to go on Tuesday.
Oh, and did I mention that I spent TEN HOURS in bed last night? That is unheard of for me. That's nearly twice the amount of time I'm in bed on a normal night (bad, I know). Of course I was awake with The Bug for most of it, but just being able to lie there and rest, even if I was awake, did me a bundle of good, I think.
Here's hoping for a weekend of happy family recovery. Oh - I need to tell our friends who are having the birthday party tomorrow that we won't be in attendance. TTFN and a fabulous weekend to all of you!
The Bug seems to be through the fever part of the flu as well, but her nose is even snottier than her sister's, if that's possible, and she is feeling really really miserable. I say this based on the amount of crying, whining, and clinging she's still doing. The past two nights were miserable with her waking up at least every hour for most of the time we were in bed, BUT did I mention that the two nights before that, she only woke up once each night? I have high hopes that when she's feeling better she'll be sleeping better like that (only one waking per night) again, since she FINALLY cut that last eye tooth! I really really hope we'll be able to catch up on some sleep before the 2-year molars start cutting. The Bug IS finally napping today, which is a huge improvement over the past two days. Thank goodness for that. Sweet pea and I have had some time together today, which is fun. We both really enjoy our time for just the two of us. :o)
Last night I was feeling really rotten because I have gotten the cough that goes with this flu. I also felt (and sort of feel today, though not as badly as last night) symptoms of a fever: creepy crawly skin, and achy eyes - but the thermometer says that I do not have a fever. Doesn't matter, point is that I feel kinda crappy. However, I do have hope that I have "flu lite," and won't be surprised if I'm almost better tomorrow, given how lightly (or not at all) I've gotten the other ailments that have passed through our house this winter. Here's hoping! Either way, tomorrow's the weekend and Sweet Pea doesn't have school on Monday, so I think we should all be completely better and raring to go on Tuesday.
Oh, and did I mention that I spent TEN HOURS in bed last night? That is unheard of for me. That's nearly twice the amount of time I'm in bed on a normal night (bad, I know). Of course I was awake with The Bug for most of it, but just being able to lie there and rest, even if I was awake, did me a bundle of good, I think.
Here's hoping for a weekend of happy family recovery. Oh - I need to tell our friends who are having the birthday party tomorrow that we won't be in attendance. TTFN and a fabulous weekend to all of you!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I Lied
Remember in my last post when I said that the girls had been healthy for a week? Well, I lied. Not just to you - I was lying to myself too. I didn't want to believe it. The Bug started coughing five or so days ago, but I told myself that since it didn't rapidly turn into a cold or anything much, it must be allergies or something. And maybe it was, I really don't know. But now, she's sick. And so is Sweet Pea.
The night before last Sweet Pea told me off and on that her tummy hurt, but there didn't actually seem to be anything wrong with her. Yesterday she was REALLY cold and shivery after I washed her hair in the bathtub, but I didn't think too-too much about it until she needed to wear a sweatshirt and snuggle into the couch to keep warm even after she was fully dressed. Shortly before it was time to take her to school I took her temperature, and the thermometer read 102.7. I think she has her dad's flu. I still haven't taken The Bug's temperature but her nose is running a lot and really bugging her now, and both girls coughed a lot during the night. Sounds like they've got a bunch of phlegm in their chests or something. Though now that they're up, they're not really coughing, so maybe the phlegm is in their heads. We can hope (except that we'll have to be on ear infection alert again).
My mother-in-law said to me last night, "well, stay healthy..." I told her, "given my track record this winter, I should be just fine." Everyone has been sick around me nearly the whole time, but somehow, magically, despite my extreme lack of sleep during the times when everyone else is sick, I have barely caught so much as a sore throat here and there. Which is good, but at the same time, it would sure be nice for somebody to take care of ME for once, and of course that would only happen if I were as sick as Slipshod is right now. Please don't misunderstand me - I do not want to get sick, especially not this flu. I'm just sayin', it's a lonely, hard job being a mom when everyone else is getting sick over and over and over and OVER! Slipshod is not difficult to take care of, but having him out of commission for this long is really tough. Today is Slipshod's 5th (well 4 1/2) day flat on his back on the couch.
That is all. I need to finish making the oatmeal.
The night before last Sweet Pea told me off and on that her tummy hurt, but there didn't actually seem to be anything wrong with her. Yesterday she was REALLY cold and shivery after I washed her hair in the bathtub, but I didn't think too-too much about it until she needed to wear a sweatshirt and snuggle into the couch to keep warm even after she was fully dressed. Shortly before it was time to take her to school I took her temperature, and the thermometer read 102.7. I think she has her dad's flu. I still haven't taken The Bug's temperature but her nose is running a lot and really bugging her now, and both girls coughed a lot during the night. Sounds like they've got a bunch of phlegm in their chests or something. Though now that they're up, they're not really coughing, so maybe the phlegm is in their heads. We can hope (except that we'll have to be on ear infection alert again).
My mother-in-law said to me last night, "well, stay healthy..." I told her, "given my track record this winter, I should be just fine." Everyone has been sick around me nearly the whole time, but somehow, magically, despite my extreme lack of sleep during the times when everyone else is sick, I have barely caught so much as a sore throat here and there. Which is good, but at the same time, it would sure be nice for somebody to take care of ME for once, and of course that would only happen if I were as sick as Slipshod is right now. Please don't misunderstand me - I do not want to get sick, especially not this flu. I'm just sayin', it's a lonely, hard job being a mom when everyone else is getting sick over and over and over and OVER! Slipshod is not difficult to take care of, but having him out of commission for this long is really tough. Today is Slipshod's 5th (well 4 1/2) day flat on his back on the couch.
That is all. I need to finish making the oatmeal.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The GOOD News!
Yes, we do have good news here, too. Sometimes I just get mired down in the not good, especially when it just keeps going. Right now Slipshod is very sick, has had the flu since Friday (he even went so far as to come home early from work with a fever) and since then has been glued to the couch making moaning noises - but the girls and I are well, and there are other good things going on around our house/in our lives.
1) Last Friday I went to Sweet Pea's school for a parent-teacher conference (they were doing them with all the parents - this is the second conference we've had this year, which is nice). Slipshod would have been with me if he hadn't been feeling so under the weather, so it was just The Bug and I who went. Sweet Pea played over at the neighbors' house while we were gone, and the teachers were so very sweet and accommodating with The Bug - gave her a doll and some other things to play with, took the scissors away from her when I didn't notice she was holding some, etc. ANYway - Sweet Pea's teachers said that they just love having her in class and are very happy that she will be back with them next year (she's in a 3-5-year-old room and will be turning 5 this summer). They said that while she does do some of the adademic "works" in the classroom, she is most drawn to art and practical life, which is works like undressing and dressing dolls, sweeping with a whisk broom and dust pan, pouring, spraying water on the windows & squeegeeing them off, etc. She does venture into the language area and do some of the works there, like matching pictures of words that have the same sounds, etc. They said that they can tell from things she says and does that she is getting the academics at home and that she is capable of grasping and doing most of the works in the room, but those mentioned above are what they have seen her doing and/or helped her with.
They say that Sweet Pea still prefers to work alone and that she sometimes sits and simply observes the other children, then starts to do something else by herself. She does not participate of her own initiative in group discussions but if they ask her a question she will answer them readily enough. She is gaining social skills and is more often approaching some of the other children on the playground to see if she can play with them or if they will play with her, which is good to hear. The teachers say that she most often hangs out with them and speaks to them in near-whispers. They are trying to teach her to speak up and encouraging her to engage with the other kids more. Over all the teachers say that Sweet Pea is doing very well and since they have seen so much social growth in her during the first half of the school year, they hope that by summer, or maybe next year, she will be a little more talkative during group discussions, etc.
2) Since the new year began I have unpacked several boxes! Really - several! I am very excited about this, especially since I have already freecycled a large, packed-to-the-gills moving box of toys, and have more boxes of clothes and children's kitchen items ready to send away as well. I love seeing the spaces the unpacked boxes are leaving in our overcrowded garage, and adore the idea that the next time we move (no plans for this, I'm just sayin'), we'll have less stuff to take with us! I don't know if it's a dream we can realize, but I also have happy thoughts of perhaps one day being able to put our cars in the garage. Can you imagine?
3) I've lost a bunch of weight! It's actually been kind of a surprise to me, especially since the pounds just keep disappearing, but hey, I'll take it! Simply by stopping my midnight-every-night snack of ice cream (yes, I'm serious, it was every night, and they were big bowls full, too), I lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks. Since then I have mysteriously lost 6 more pounds. Currently, speaking in numbers alone, that leaves me with zero "baby weight" from The Bug, and even down two pounds from what I weighed when I got pregnant with her - only 7 pounds heavier than when I became pregnant the first time - and I had gotten fit before I got pregnant the first time!
Of course, the number on the scale is only part of the story. While I love watching that number go down, the fact remains that I am soft and squishy and untoned all over, and my belly is a stretched-out pillow of an abdomen. So obviously, I want to start exercising again to tone up what is there, and maybe even lose a few more pounds in the process. I wouldn't complain if the number on the scale kept going down for a while. Hee. Slipshod and my neighbor friend and some family members have noticed and made comments here and there about how I looked like I had lost weight, which is the only thing that got me on the scale in the first place. I wasn't noticing, so I'm glad they did, because having weight loss actually occurring is a REALLY good kick in the pants to get fit again!
And of course, besides wanting to be healthier and all that, I really want to look better in the pictures we take this summer than I did in last year's summer pictures. Call me vain; there it is. I'm even planning to buy (and, more importantly, wear) GIRL shoes this summer, with the help of my shoe-addicted girly-girl neighbor friend. I need help with that sort of thing because I've never had an ounce of fashion sense myself.
4) If you have known us long enough and tend to remember this sort of thing (or have heard me griping about it enough times), you may know that in 1998, Slipshod bought a 1970 Corvette Stingray, intending to learn about cars by fixing it up. And that said car then sat in our garage, almost untouched, in San Jose until... well, until this very day.
Well, a year and a half ago we rented out that house and Slipshod told the tenants, one of whom is a good friend of ours, that we would have the 'Vette out of there by two months after they moved in. That was September 2006... and like I said, the durn thing is still taking up half of the garage.
Well, our friend-tenant just happens to work for EBay and gets really motivated about stuff all the time, so he has run several ideas by us for how to get rid of the car. Two days ago he said, "hey, why don't you just put it up on EBay?" and Slipshod agreed, so he washed the car inside the garage, took a slew of pictures of it, got the particulars about the car over the phone yesterday from Slipshod, and wrote up a big, shiny EBay post for it.
Today? It's sold. There was no auction, because some guy from New York saw the post last night, called our friend about it today, and agreed to pay the "buy it now" price, which - get this - IS WHAT WE PAID FOR IT WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. I NEVER dreamed we'd even get 10% back of what we paid for that car. It was in crappy shape when we bought it, but we were able to drive that car home when we bought it. Since then all the tires have gone flat and the thing doesn't even start. It's a mess. A tear-it-down-to-the-frame fixer-upper. So, I'm loving not only our friend/tenant, but also the buyer! And yes, we did give our tenant friend a break on his rent for helping us in such a huge way. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I can't believe that car will finally be out of our lives and their garage. WAHOO!!
There you go - that's some good stuff, no? I'm feeling really good about all of it. It has also helped my mood that the girls have now been healthy for AN ENTIRE WEEK, and during that week it has been sunny outside. Sun helps my mood a lot. And because of the sun and warmth, we have spent more time outside, playing with all the little neighbor boys (there is another little girl besides ours in the neighborhood but we never see her).
I hope that you are all doing well, and hope to get more of a chance to check more blogs this week!
1) Last Friday I went to Sweet Pea's school for a parent-teacher conference (they were doing them with all the parents - this is the second conference we've had this year, which is nice). Slipshod would have been with me if he hadn't been feeling so under the weather, so it was just The Bug and I who went. Sweet Pea played over at the neighbors' house while we were gone, and the teachers were so very sweet and accommodating with The Bug - gave her a doll and some other things to play with, took the scissors away from her when I didn't notice she was holding some, etc. ANYway - Sweet Pea's teachers said that they just love having her in class and are very happy that she will be back with them next year (she's in a 3-5-year-old room and will be turning 5 this summer). They said that while she does do some of the adademic "works" in the classroom, she is most drawn to art and practical life, which is works like undressing and dressing dolls, sweeping with a whisk broom and dust pan, pouring, spraying water on the windows & squeegeeing them off, etc. She does venture into the language area and do some of the works there, like matching pictures of words that have the same sounds, etc. They said that they can tell from things she says and does that she is getting the academics at home and that she is capable of grasping and doing most of the works in the room, but those mentioned above are what they have seen her doing and/or helped her with.
They say that Sweet Pea still prefers to work alone and that she sometimes sits and simply observes the other children, then starts to do something else by herself. She does not participate of her own initiative in group discussions but if they ask her a question she will answer them readily enough. She is gaining social skills and is more often approaching some of the other children on the playground to see if she can play with them or if they will play with her, which is good to hear. The teachers say that she most often hangs out with them and speaks to them in near-whispers. They are trying to teach her to speak up and encouraging her to engage with the other kids more. Over all the teachers say that Sweet Pea is doing very well and since they have seen so much social growth in her during the first half of the school year, they hope that by summer, or maybe next year, she will be a little more talkative during group discussions, etc.
2) Since the new year began I have unpacked several boxes! Really - several! I am very excited about this, especially since I have already freecycled a large, packed-to-the-gills moving box of toys, and have more boxes of clothes and children's kitchen items ready to send away as well. I love seeing the spaces the unpacked boxes are leaving in our overcrowded garage, and adore the idea that the next time we move (no plans for this, I'm just sayin'), we'll have less stuff to take with us! I don't know if it's a dream we can realize, but I also have happy thoughts of perhaps one day being able to put our cars in the garage. Can you imagine?
3) I've lost a bunch of weight! It's actually been kind of a surprise to me, especially since the pounds just keep disappearing, but hey, I'll take it! Simply by stopping my midnight-every-night snack of ice cream (yes, I'm serious, it was every night, and they were big bowls full, too), I lost 10 pounds in 6 weeks. Since then I have mysteriously lost 6 more pounds. Currently, speaking in numbers alone, that leaves me with zero "baby weight" from The Bug, and even down two pounds from what I weighed when I got pregnant with her - only 7 pounds heavier than when I became pregnant the first time - and I had gotten fit before I got pregnant the first time!
Of course, the number on the scale is only part of the story. While I love watching that number go down, the fact remains that I am soft and squishy and untoned all over, and my belly is a stretched-out pillow of an abdomen. So obviously, I want to start exercising again to tone up what is there, and maybe even lose a few more pounds in the process. I wouldn't complain if the number on the scale kept going down for a while. Hee. Slipshod and my neighbor friend and some family members have noticed and made comments here and there about how I looked like I had lost weight, which is the only thing that got me on the scale in the first place. I wasn't noticing, so I'm glad they did, because having weight loss actually occurring is a REALLY good kick in the pants to get fit again!
And of course, besides wanting to be healthier and all that, I really want to look better in the pictures we take this summer than I did in last year's summer pictures. Call me vain; there it is. I'm even planning to buy (and, more importantly, wear) GIRL shoes this summer, with the help of my shoe-addicted girly-girl neighbor friend. I need help with that sort of thing because I've never had an ounce of fashion sense myself.
4) If you have known us long enough and tend to remember this sort of thing (or have heard me griping about it enough times), you may know that in 1998, Slipshod bought a 1970 Corvette Stingray, intending to learn about cars by fixing it up. And that said car then sat in our garage, almost untouched, in San Jose until... well, until this very day.
Well, a year and a half ago we rented out that house and Slipshod told the tenants, one of whom is a good friend of ours, that we would have the 'Vette out of there by two months after they moved in. That was September 2006... and like I said, the durn thing is still taking up half of the garage.
Well, our friend-tenant just happens to work for EBay and gets really motivated about stuff all the time, so he has run several ideas by us for how to get rid of the car. Two days ago he said, "hey, why don't you just put it up on EBay?" and Slipshod agreed, so he washed the car inside the garage, took a slew of pictures of it, got the particulars about the car over the phone yesterday from Slipshod, and wrote up a big, shiny EBay post for it.
Today? It's sold. There was no auction, because some guy from New York saw the post last night, called our friend about it today, and agreed to pay the "buy it now" price, which - get this - IS WHAT WE PAID FOR IT WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. I NEVER dreamed we'd even get 10% back of what we paid for that car. It was in crappy shape when we bought it, but we were able to drive that car home when we bought it. Since then all the tires have gone flat and the thing doesn't even start. It's a mess. A tear-it-down-to-the-frame fixer-upper. So, I'm loving not only our friend/tenant, but also the buyer! And yes, we did give our tenant friend a break on his rent for helping us in such a huge way. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I can't believe that car will finally be out of our lives and their garage. WAHOO!!
There you go - that's some good stuff, no? I'm feeling really good about all of it. It has also helped my mood that the girls have now been healthy for AN ENTIRE WEEK, and during that week it has been sunny outside. Sun helps my mood a lot. And because of the sun and warmth, we have spent more time outside, playing with all the little neighbor boys (there is another little girl besides ours in the neighborhood but we never see her).
I hope that you are all doing well, and hope to get more of a chance to check more blogs this week!
Friday, February 01, 2008
All Is Well
WHEW! I think we're through the nasties this week. Slipshod has also returned home, and all is right with the world. Yay!
Sweet Pea totally could have gone to school yesterday but really really didn't want to, so I didn't make her. But she promised to go today and all of next week, and she's a girl who keeps her promises, so finally, on the last school day of the week, we'll be back to our normal schedule.
Sweet Pea happily announced to me the other day that she can breathe out of both her nostrils! It's been a VERY long time since that was possible for her. The Bug's nose finally seems to be drying up too, though it is still a little wet.
The doctor we saw on Wednesday said that Sweet Pea's hearing loss is almost definitely due to her ear infection, even though it's a very mild one. She said that her hearing could take 4-6 WEEKS to return to normal, and it takes 3 MONTHS after an ear infection for all the excess fluid to drain out of the head. Seems like that could explain why The Bug has had so many ear infections this winter. Since November we have not gone that long between colds, so her head has never had that long to dry out after an ear infection.
Slipshod got home last night around 9:30pm completely exhausted. He thinks he may be coming down with something. EEK. Not sure what to do; get him an astronaut helmet to wear until the cold passes?
This weekend we've got one set of grandparents coming over on Saturday and the other set on Sunday, so I think the girls will have a great time. On Sunday I'm finally going to get to go to my sister's new yoga studio space (it's one room in a studio) for a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy session. I had to put that off the weekend when The Bug broke out in hives from the amoxicillin. It's going to feel GREAT to get out of the house and away from my responsibilities for a while. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!
Sweet Pea totally could have gone to school yesterday but really really didn't want to, so I didn't make her. But she promised to go today and all of next week, and she's a girl who keeps her promises, so finally, on the last school day of the week, we'll be back to our normal schedule.
Sweet Pea happily announced to me the other day that she can breathe out of both her nostrils! It's been a VERY long time since that was possible for her. The Bug's nose finally seems to be drying up too, though it is still a little wet.
The doctor we saw on Wednesday said that Sweet Pea's hearing loss is almost definitely due to her ear infection, even though it's a very mild one. She said that her hearing could take 4-6 WEEKS to return to normal, and it takes 3 MONTHS after an ear infection for all the excess fluid to drain out of the head. Seems like that could explain why The Bug has had so many ear infections this winter. Since November we have not gone that long between colds, so her head has never had that long to dry out after an ear infection.
Slipshod got home last night around 9:30pm completely exhausted. He thinks he may be coming down with something. EEK. Not sure what to do; get him an astronaut helmet to wear until the cold passes?
This weekend we've got one set of grandparents coming over on Saturday and the other set on Sunday, so I think the girls will have a great time. On Sunday I'm finally going to get to go to my sister's new yoga studio space (it's one room in a studio) for a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy session. I had to put that off the weekend when The Bug broke out in hives from the amoxicillin. It's going to feel GREAT to get out of the house and away from my responsibilities for a while. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!
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