We had a great weekend! George's mom was here, and it was so nice to have her. We weren't able to go home for Thanksgiving because of all the illness and the time we had to take off work for that, so we asked her to come visit. It turns out the night before I asked her to come, she was thinking the same thing - that she'd like to come down for a quick visit. Anyway, it was great having her. We sat and talked a lot, and we ate out a lot, and the girls really loved having their Grandma here.
Madeline and I got to go see Merry Christmas Mouse at the Children's Theater, and that was a lot of fun. It was a cute show, and I think she really had a great time. And in other child related news, Lindley had a really big week last week. She learned to open closed doors, and she learned to JUMP! Ever since she has been JUMPING! all over the place. I think she knew she was close to getting it because Sunday night she just kept trying and trying until she got it. She literally worked on it for 5 minutes or so. That may not sound like much, but a person can jump a lot of times in 5 minutes. Try it. Are you done? See! I told you so.
12/09/2009
12/02/2009
Pain
So, I think we've figured out the problems I have been having with pain in my fingers and feet and shoulders. It turns out that I was depressed. I say was, because I've been on some meds for about 2 1/2 months and the pain seems to have gone away, other than this one pesky toe. Who would have thought? I had some depression before, but I went off the medication when I decided to get pregnant with Madeline. The weird thing is, I never felt horribly sad. I never had unreasonable crying jags, or times when I just couldn't get out of bed. Nothing that would be the usual tip-offs to a regular person. But off and on since I went off the meds before, I've had periods of foggy brain and then the whole pain thing. Now that I'm on the medication, I feel more alive than I have in awhile. I feel a little more emotional, but in a good way (having strong feelings of love for people in my life).
And there are some other strange side effects, one of which is that it seems like I need less sleep (not sure whether this is caused by the meds or that being depressed made me more sleepy). Also, the medicine I'm on makes me a lot less preoccupied with food - i.e. I don't really think about it much at all and I don't seem to want to eat as much. Unfortunately, I am not really noticing much of a change in my weight, but c'est la vie.
And there are some other strange side effects, one of which is that it seems like I need less sleep (not sure whether this is caused by the meds or that being depressed made me more sleepy). Also, the medicine I'm on makes me a lot less preoccupied with food - i.e. I don't really think about it much at all and I don't seem to want to eat as much. Unfortunately, I am not really noticing much of a change in my weight, but c'est la vie.
11/27/2009
Things Are Looking Up
Okay, really, can my blog be more depressing? Just to add a little icing on the cake of this year that has not been the best Lindley, George and I got the H1N1 flu! Luckily(?) not all at once. Lindley first, then me, then George. Two after hours clinics for the baby (with a high temp of 105 on Nov11) and 5 days of missed work later, we are all well again. Hooray. And the best news is that Madeline seems to have escaped getting sick. She had her first H1N1 shot October 14 and got her second one the day Lindley got sick (November 10) and they seem to have done the trick.
Unfortunately all the missed work put an end to any thought we had of traveling to Kansas for Thanksgiving. I think we won't be able to manage a trip until late January now, since George is in a new job, and since I'm still short on leave due to Lindley's maternity leave (and, yes, she's almost 2). I wouldn't trade the time I had off after her birth for anything, but I will be so glad to finally have sick leave and annual leave. It won't come soon enough.
We ended up having a pretty quiet Thanksgiving. In the morning, we went for a walk at the Big Dam Bridge whick was cold and windy! Then after nap time we went for dinner at Tallgirl's house, which was very nice. I got to meet some of Mr. T's family who I had not met, and that was nice.
Madeline is doing well back at her old school. She seems really happy to be back with her old friends. The other day she was talking about how she played with this friend and that friend that day in school, and it occurred to me that it was so different from when she was at the other school. When there, I would ask her every day on the way home who she played with in the classroom and at recess and invariably she would say nobody. She just never really latched on to any friends there, and I think it was hard for her. I worry a bit about next year, but at least next year she'll be starting at a new school where we know she'll be for a long time. Even if it takes awhile for her to find friends, I know she will eventually, and that the work of developing new friendships will be worth it because she'll be with the kids for so many years.
Lindley is doing well also. She's talking up a storm, and I think is getting cuter by the day. It's interesting how the love you have for each of your kids can be so different because of their different personalities, yet you know in your heart that you love them equally.
So . . . we enter the Christmas season. Despite all the hassles and expense, it's my favorite time of the year, and it's made even better now that I get to see it all through the eyes of my two girls. Last December began for me with a two week trial, which caused everything else to be delayed and rushed. I'm going to try hard to enjoy the season this year - ge the shopping done early and really have fun with my family.
Unfortunately all the missed work put an end to any thought we had of traveling to Kansas for Thanksgiving. I think we won't be able to manage a trip until late January now, since George is in a new job, and since I'm still short on leave due to Lindley's maternity leave (and, yes, she's almost 2). I wouldn't trade the time I had off after her birth for anything, but I will be so glad to finally have sick leave and annual leave. It won't come soon enough.
We ended up having a pretty quiet Thanksgiving. In the morning, we went for a walk at the Big Dam Bridge whick was cold and windy! Then after nap time we went for dinner at Tallgirl's house, which was very nice. I got to meet some of Mr. T's family who I had not met, and that was nice.
Madeline is doing well back at her old school. She seems really happy to be back with her old friends. The other day she was talking about how she played with this friend and that friend that day in school, and it occurred to me that it was so different from when she was at the other school. When there, I would ask her every day on the way home who she played with in the classroom and at recess and invariably she would say nobody. She just never really latched on to any friends there, and I think it was hard for her. I worry a bit about next year, but at least next year she'll be starting at a new school where we know she'll be for a long time. Even if it takes awhile for her to find friends, I know she will eventually, and that the work of developing new friendships will be worth it because she'll be with the kids for so many years.
Lindley is doing well also. She's talking up a storm, and I think is getting cuter by the day. It's interesting how the love you have for each of your kids can be so different because of their different personalities, yet you know in your heart that you love them equally.
So . . . we enter the Christmas season. Despite all the hassles and expense, it's my favorite time of the year, and it's made even better now that I get to see it all through the eyes of my two girls. Last December began for me with a two week trial, which caused everything else to be delayed and rushed. I'm going to try hard to enjoy the season this year - ge the shopping done early and really have fun with my family.
11/10/2009
Humiliation
I always knew when I became a mom that my kids would embarrass me in public. What I didn't truly understand was the frequency with which it would happen.
10/24/2009
Visit to the Ophthalmologist
I took Madeline to the ophthalmologist Friday afternoon. It turns out that she is not nearsighted like I though (since she failed her far vision test at school.) Instead she has astigmatism, primarily in her left eye, and because of that she is developing amblyopia or lazy eye. I have been doing a bit of research on this and basically amblyopia occurs when one eye does not see as well as the other one. Because of this, the brain quits relying on the bad eye when processing visual input and if not treated, the brain can eventually actually stop using the bad eye altogether. She has to get glasses and the doctor hopes that that will solve the problem. If it doesn't we will have to patch her good eye, which is definitely not appealing.
So we're trying to decide whether we should go back to the eye doctor we saw yesterday who is not a pediatric specialist, or take her to the eye clinic at Children's. The guy yesterday did okay with her, but his primary practice is not kids. Madeline seemed to like him. I had mixed feelings. Any thoughts?
So we're trying to decide whether we should go back to the eye doctor we saw yesterday who is not a pediatric specialist, or take her to the eye clinic at Children's. The guy yesterday did okay with her, but his primary practice is not kids. Madeline seemed to like him. I had mixed feelings. Any thoughts?
10/21/2009
Happiness Is
Getting a notice from the school that your 4 year old has failed the school vision test, and you must, by law, take her to get her eyes checked within 60 days. Now this would normally not suck that much (other than you feel bad that your 4 year old inherited her dad's terrible vision and will likely need glasses). No, what really sucks about this is that you took said child to the ophthalmologist last November or December to see whether she inherited her dad's terrible eyesight in order to decide whether or not to cover her on your vision insurance and she passed the vision test at that time. So she's not insured for the eye exam and the glasses she will likely need. Hooray!
10/19/2009
10/14/2009
Stuck
Not sure why, but I have felt like I have nothing to say lately. I considered quitting this blog, but I hate to do that since this is a record of my kids' lives. Sometimes it seems that nothing very exciting happens to us, but on the other hand, young children are constantly learning and doing new things and that, indeed, is exciting. So I will try harder to document how they are changing day by day and what our family has been doing.
Madeline is doing well at her school, and seems to be making some friends. I know she likes her teachers, and enjoys the things they do at school as well as all the things she is learning. In some ways, the things they are teaching are old hat to her, like the different letters, but I think they do a fantastic job of tying the letter of the week together with other topics that start with that letter. For instance, the week they did the letter A, they also talked about apples and how they grow from a seed, made applesauce and had the kids taste several kinds of apples and let them vote on their favorite. That's pretty neat. They also have formal phys. ed. classes, a library, and music. Still, all that being said, it will be a tough decision for us if an opening comes up at her daycare in the Pre-K class.
Lindley is talking up a storm, and I think her words are becoming more easily understood. I still think there's a strong possibility that she'll need some speech therapy. Cognition is no problem, she just seems to struggle with pronouncing some sounds. I really need to have her hearing tested again. She loves to sing, and unfortunately has become a tv junkie at an early age. I swear she could sit and watch tv all day long if I let her. So different from Madeline at that age.
I finally finished knitting Lindley's poncho. The first time I tried to put it on her she yelled no and ran away. Then I finally got it on her and she immediately took it off. This happened the second time as well. So glad I spent umpteen hours on that little project! Now I'm working on a cardigan for Lindley. I guess I'm somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 done with it. I think it's going to be really cute. I hope to make one for Madeline as well in a coordinating color before we take our Christmas card photos.
Madeline's school had a field trip planned for tomorrow to the pumpkin patch, but that had to be cancelled due to the fact that we've had rain here every day since last Friday. Unfortunately they could not re-schedule until November 2, but so it goes. At least we'll be the only people there that day! Hopefully they will still have some pumpkins left.
Madeline is doing well at her school, and seems to be making some friends. I know she likes her teachers, and enjoys the things they do at school as well as all the things she is learning. In some ways, the things they are teaching are old hat to her, like the different letters, but I think they do a fantastic job of tying the letter of the week together with other topics that start with that letter. For instance, the week they did the letter A, they also talked about apples and how they grow from a seed, made applesauce and had the kids taste several kinds of apples and let them vote on their favorite. That's pretty neat. They also have formal phys. ed. classes, a library, and music. Still, all that being said, it will be a tough decision for us if an opening comes up at her daycare in the Pre-K class.
Lindley is talking up a storm, and I think her words are becoming more easily understood. I still think there's a strong possibility that she'll need some speech therapy. Cognition is no problem, she just seems to struggle with pronouncing some sounds. I really need to have her hearing tested again. She loves to sing, and unfortunately has become a tv junkie at an early age. I swear she could sit and watch tv all day long if I let her. So different from Madeline at that age.
I finally finished knitting Lindley's poncho. The first time I tried to put it on her she yelled no and ran away. Then I finally got it on her and she immediately took it off. This happened the second time as well. So glad I spent umpteen hours on that little project! Now I'm working on a cardigan for Lindley. I guess I'm somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 done with it. I think it's going to be really cute. I hope to make one for Madeline as well in a coordinating color before we take our Christmas card photos.
Madeline's school had a field trip planned for tomorrow to the pumpkin patch, but that had to be cancelled due to the fact that we've had rain here every day since last Friday. Unfortunately they could not re-schedule until November 2, but so it goes. At least we'll be the only people there that day! Hopefully they will still have some pumpkins left.
9/11/2009
Dodging Illness
I sound like a broken record these days. Late last week, the vomiting was going around Lindley's classroom so I kept her out of school on Thursday and Friday to avoid it. She had had a cold that week and seemed to be getting better. Then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights she kept waking up crying. I had a hunch that she had an ear infection, but I was leery about taking her to the doctor after taking her the last time when she was 100% healthy, and because I figured there are probably some really sick kids at the doctor these days and didn't want to expose her. I finally bit the bullet yesterday and she did indeed have an ear infection in the same ear she had one a few months ago. Apparently that tube is not working. Poor girl.
Today I heard that the sweet baby of someone I know has to flu. He's at Lindley's day care, but not in her room. How long before the virus is running rampant in the day care? I hate to think of all these little sweet children getting sick. It breaks my heart.
On a happier note, Lindley is talking up a storm, which is so much fun. I know that George and I are practically the only ones who understand her, but who cares? She knows lots of animals and their sounds, and how to request many things that she wants.
Yesterday when I took her with me to pick up Madeline at the day care we stopped by Lindley's room and then I told her we were going to go get sister. We got on the elevator and as soon as the doors opened on the second floor Lindley shouted out "Sister!" She was so excited even though her sister was outside in the play gym. So cute. They've also stated giving each other kisses and hugs at bedtime. So sweet.
Today I heard that the sweet baby of someone I know has to flu. He's at Lindley's day care, but not in her room. How long before the virus is running rampant in the day care? I hate to think of all these little sweet children getting sick. It breaks my heart.
On a happier note, Lindley is talking up a storm, which is so much fun. I know that George and I are practically the only ones who understand her, but who cares? She knows lots of animals and their sounds, and how to request many things that she wants.
Yesterday when I took her with me to pick up Madeline at the day care we stopped by Lindley's room and then I told her we were going to go get sister. We got on the elevator and as soon as the doors opened on the second floor Lindley shouted out "Sister!" She was so excited even though her sister was outside in the play gym. So cute. They've also stated giving each other kisses and hugs at bedtime. So sweet.
9/03/2009
So the good news is that apparently I don't have rheumatoid arthritis. The bad news is that the doctor I saw really didn't seem to have any idea why my hands are so stiff and achy, and why my feet hurt. He told me that it was probably that I was just achy from having two little kids. I thought that comment was more than a little bit mysoginistic. That might make sense if my shoulders and arms were sore, but not with the problems I'm having. Needless to say, I am not going back to see him. He kind of made me feel like I was losing my mind.
I decided to try taking more vitamin D to see if that helps with the aches and pains. I haven't really noticed any improvement yet. In other health news, I have had a UTI for th past 5 weeks that just won't go away. I'm going to see the urologist tomorrow. The only symptoms I have had is some achiness in the right lower back. That is other than the fever and chills I got when I first came down with it.
The stomach bug has been moving around the daycare center the last couple of weeks. We went to a birthday party a week ago last Sunday and the next day, many of the people who were there ended up getting sick. Not the fault of the party-giver, just one of those things. Anyway, Monday night Madeline got sick, and I kept Lindley home the next day as well becuase I was afraid she was going to get sick, and I didn't want her to do it at school and get other kids sick. I was sick the next day. As the end of the work day neared, I was feeling really nauseated and Lindley kept wanting to sit on my lap and kept pressing into my stomach. By the time George got home I was in a cold sweat and went to lie down. Thank goodness I never threw up, but I had the other half of that particular ailment, which wasn't much fun either. I ended up taking a phenergan which I had left over from the illness I had 5 weeks ago. Then this week, kids in Lindley's room (and her teacher) have started dropping like flies. Sigh. I kept her out today because I was both worried that she was going to get sick today, and that if I wen ahead and sent her, she might catch it yet. And of course she hasn't gotten sick, but who knows! Maybe tonight is our night! I plan to keep her out tomorrow, too, just in case.
So basically all in all this has not really been a great summer. We've had a LOT of illness. It seems like our family gets sick more in the summer than in the winter. I'm ready to have things turn around for us!
Madeline is doing well at her new school. She seems to be settling in and making friends, which makes me happy. She was acting up a lot at home, we think becuase of the stress of the transition. Luckily, knock on wood, things have been better the last few days.
I decided to try taking more vitamin D to see if that helps with the aches and pains. I haven't really noticed any improvement yet. In other health news, I have had a UTI for th past 5 weeks that just won't go away. I'm going to see the urologist tomorrow. The only symptoms I have had is some achiness in the right lower back. That is other than the fever and chills I got when I first came down with it.
The stomach bug has been moving around the daycare center the last couple of weeks. We went to a birthday party a week ago last Sunday and the next day, many of the people who were there ended up getting sick. Not the fault of the party-giver, just one of those things. Anyway, Monday night Madeline got sick, and I kept Lindley home the next day as well becuase I was afraid she was going to get sick, and I didn't want her to do it at school and get other kids sick. I was sick the next day. As the end of the work day neared, I was feeling really nauseated and Lindley kept wanting to sit on my lap and kept pressing into my stomach. By the time George got home I was in a cold sweat and went to lie down. Thank goodness I never threw up, but I had the other half of that particular ailment, which wasn't much fun either. I ended up taking a phenergan which I had left over from the illness I had 5 weeks ago. Then this week, kids in Lindley's room (and her teacher) have started dropping like flies. Sigh. I kept her out today because I was both worried that she was going to get sick today, and that if I wen ahead and sent her, she might catch it yet. And of course she hasn't gotten sick, but who knows! Maybe tonight is our night! I plan to keep her out tomorrow, too, just in case.
So basically all in all this has not really been a great summer. We've had a LOT of illness. It seems like our family gets sick more in the summer than in the winter. I'm ready to have things turn around for us!
Madeline is doing well at her new school. She seems to be settling in and making friends, which makes me happy. She was acting up a lot at home, we think becuase of the stress of the transition. Luckily, knock on wood, things have been better the last few days.
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