A Halloween Trick

So my poor little girl woke up with a fever today. And tugging on her right ear. A number of things didn't seem right this morning, but I brought her to daycare thinking she was just mad to have been woken up, and was just warm from sleeping buried in blankets and in a fleece sleeper. Those things get hot! But when I handed her off to my daycare provider, Kelly, she almost started to cry, which she NEVER does with Kelly. I called to check on her shortly after I got to work, and Kelly was about to take her temp, and when she did discovered 101.2 after only a short read since she wouldn't hold still. Off to the doc again we go. But not till 3:30, thank you very much pissed nurse who hates her job! I'm SO sorry I had the audacity to see if my primary was available. Sheesh!

Just call him Ralphie

So the biggest, latest, most exciting development in these parts is none other than the release of the Toys R Us catalog. Matthew has not totally grasped the concept of Christmas presents until this year. Well, I was looking through it while he was eating breakfast and I kept catching him in my peripheral vision, peeking up and over into the Toys R Us ad while I was paging through it. Finally, after this had been happening quite a few times, I told him he could look at this when I was done and after he finished breakfast. (as incentive always helps get through a meal at faster than snail pace). So I brought it downstairs by his toys when I was finished with it. The next time I came down the stairs, I found him on his tummy paging through this catalog with his serious studying face on. I went over and asked if he wanted to show me the things he likes, and he started paging backwards to show me the Thomas and race cars that he likes. That released his inner Ralphie. Don't you think we all have an inner Ralphie? You know, from A Christmas Story? Where he window shops in front of the toy store and stops dead in his tracks when he sees the object of his Christmas desire? I wish I could come up with the exact way he describes the toy gun that stops him in his tracks. Matthew has now hit Ralphie age, and is it ever funny. I love it! Last night we finished looking through the catalog, and he was selective, showing me he wanted this and that, "mommy, I want THIS, and I want THIS," while he put his hand on each thing he wants. As we were turning a page, he caught a glimpse of a page further in and exclaimed with a gasp "I WANT THESE!!!!" Hulk hands were the thing that REALLY caught his attention. I could not stop giggling. He was so funny about all of it. I think his favorite, though, is still Thomas. Of course. Just call him Ralphie! And don't forget about your inner Ralphie! He's in there somewhere!

Back at home

Simone is back at home!! Her family is now matter-of-factly saying she's not going back to the hospital, and I think given how positive they are about it, that it's got to be true. So we're all believing she's past this. We even saw her and the family on Saturday. We went and picked out pumpkins together since they were in the area anyways. And Matthew jumped around like a total fool in a giant pumpkin bouncy while we were there! And he absolutely couldn't get enough of his grandma margaret. If she walked to a different area he'd suddenly say "hey, where's grandma?" and he'd take off running in her direction. And I am very proud to say he was in underwear for this outing and didn't have any accidents!!! I plan to update The Potty Chronicles, so I will spare the extra details on that for the moment. Ellie just chilled in her stroller - maybe literally, since it was so cold outside.

Poor little Simone

Well, our niece is back in the hospital again. The fluid buildup is back. What a HUGE bummer. They happened to have a cancellation on a procedure I can't spell, so they squeezed her in to that spot to have it done again. It's basically like putting a hole in the heart, and I can't explain exactly why except that her pulmonary artery was too small. A blood clot formed in the hole, so they had to go in and re-do it today. This is a really sad thing, since she finally got to go home and again had to return. They get a day or two at home, and are back again. This little girl has been opened up so many times to have different procedures done. The good news is she is awake and was eating this evening, so all in all she's doing well. I'm so sad. Let's all pray they can stop living in the hospital soon and they will find the solution for Simone! Jeepers! They don't think she'll be in the hospital very long this time. Oh please, oh please! Let it be true.

Picture post

Thrilled with her standing self
Being a stinker about getting up from a nap
1 month after cast removal - look at that beauty of a hand!
Awwwww

Where oh where has Julie been?

I don't know.

I've been scarce, and let me list the reasons why:

1. Ellie has a cold with ear infection
2. I just HAD to finish my Twilight obsession. That's right, I read all 4 books!
3. Appointments, appointments, appointments. I have had so many medical appointments for children that I spent all my spare time working to make up all my time away from work.
4. Exhaustion.
5. I've nearly lost my mind trying to balance the many facets of life.
6. Laundry. Load after load after miserable load.
7. Political debates. Why even bother? I'm glad there aren't any more. If you ask me, we're screwed either way. In truth, I believe what we should do is transplant Washington D.C. to a remote island somewhere and start over with all new leadership.

And here's just a random list of things going on in our lives:

1. We went to Veggie Tales Live, and Matthew fell asleep. :)
2. Sean FINALLY started a facebook account! (trust me, this is a big deal - he can stop mooching off my account now)
3. We spent last weekend (the 11th/12th) with the 'rents and had a great time.
4. Matthew took another step back into pill-dom. (aka - he's being a pill again) It is getting easier to deal with, however.
5. Ellie has become a stair-climber, master crawler, and master stander.

By the way, I'm aware I've been a whiny whiner in need of an attitude adjustment for some time now. It makes me feel bad that I can't snap out of it. Life is hard, and I need to accept it and move on. We have so many things to be thankful for. I'm just being run ragged lately. Maybe I need to start going to bed when the kids do.

And best of all, to end things on a good note, our niece is finally home from the hospital!!!! Hooray!!!!! It was nearly 3 months she was away from home, so yikes, what an adjustment for their whole family. Good luck, you guys!

Chronicle follow-up

Our son sat on the toilet for TWO HOURS last night, and never did the deed. He waited all the way till naptime today to do it in his pull up. And it was the motherload. Breathe....breathe.....serenity now