We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. My kids, husband, and I enjoyed a nice lunch of ham, potato pancakes, corn casserole, green beans, and rolls. It's a meal we have probably once a month - so it didn't feel very special, but it was good food, easy to make, and filled our bellies - all things to be thankful for. Later that night we had the REAL Thanksgiving food - turkey, coca cola salad, green bean casserole, squash casserole, sweet potatoes, spinach casserole, rolls, and deviled eggs (may be forgetting something). My brother's new girlfriend joined us for dinner and she seems to be very sweet. The kids enjoyed the food - especially the deviled eggs, we'll need to make 2 dozen next year instead of 1 dozen :)
The following day my in-law's dropped by to give me an early birthday present - an iPod Nano!! Now, I'm not one to get the latest and greatest techno gadget, in face, this is the first MP3 player I've ever owned. It is so cool! It shoots video, allows me to listen to the radio, has a pedometer on it and more. I'm having so much fun with it! I'm hoping to download some of my favorite pastor's pod casts soon. Yay!
The rest of the weekend was pretty lazy. We went to a local women's basketball game and had so much fun!! Little Man was learning how to cheer for the team and Lulu leaned over to me at the start of the game and said "Mama, tell me when to clap, ok?" Now these kids love watching me watch football because I'm a very active watcher--I scream and yell at the TV (all good things though) and have a grand time. They had a blast cheering with me during the game - and our team won - woohoo!
After that we didn't really have a schedule to adhere to and just did what we felt like. The kids played outside for hours each day - something they haven't been able to do for the past two weeks for various reasons. They'd come inside, exhausted, take a bath, sit down to play or watch a movie and conk out - it was great!!
My wonderful hubby bought me a sewing machine probably 6 months ago. I tried to work with it unsuccessfully three times. All the mending I needed to do was either done by hand, or shoved in the corner. Well on Saturday I decided to bring it back out (partly because my husband said he wasn't putting up the Christmas tree until our front window curtains were fixed and partly because I was in a good mood --- ok, really it was the Christmas tree incentive). My mom helped me correctly thread the bobbin and away I sewed! It took me about 90 minutes to get the curtains fixed, mostly due to user error, but I got it done!
A friend of mine from work gave me some fabric she purchased for her grandkids but never used and Ryan had claimed one fabric for a pillow. Well, we just started giving Buddy a pillow (or "low" as he calls it) at night and it had a really pretty white case with pink flowers on it. I loved it, but it's not very "boyish". So I used Ryan's fabric and actually made a mini pillow case for Buddy's pillow. I was so excited!! The first seam wasn't very good, but the other seam and the hemming looks beautiful. I gave him the pillow and he put it on the ground and laid on it three different times - so adorable. Now, I'm ready for my next project.. probably a big European style pillow for Buddy with the leftover fabric (to be used when he's older). After that, who kwows. I may venture outside the curtain/pillow realm (ie-my comfort zone).
On a completely different note, I'm reading through Exodus now and the first few chapters are full of notes I've written over the years and it's amazing. Some of the insight God has given me is incredible, unfortunately over half of it I don't remember at all and feel like it's all new.. But that's why I need to continue reading daily, over the years maybe some of this wonderful wisdom He's trying to hard to impart in me will actually take. Who knows, maybe I'll actually be able to hand it down to my children one day (I pray this is so).
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Pharyn-what-is
So Gavin and I finally succumbed to the "bug" the other three children have had over the past 6 weeks.. yep, 6 weeks. Every other Friday someone in the family has come down with it and it lasts for about 7 days.. giving us a one week reprieve before symptoms return in someone elses body.
I thought it was allergies - you know that little tickle in your throat and the throbbing pain above your eyebrow? Little did I know it would be accompanied by a massive sore throat, low fever, body aches, and horrendous cough. Gavin had the worst of it though. Aside from Hadassah having Kawasaki when she was 2 - this is the sickest any of my children has been, and it was scary. He'd wake up in the middle of the night choking because he was coughing so hard. His fever was getting up to 102 and 103 - temperatures we've only seen before in our sick little two year old before she admitted to the hospital.
On Monday morning, almost unable to get out of bed myself, I took Gavin into the doctor. I've only seen a doctor concerned about one of my children one other time - you guessed it, with Kawasaki. His fever was 102.7 and between crying fits and coughing spells he would give into exhaustion and sleep in any position he was being held. After rapid flu and strep throat tests came back negative we received a tentative diagnosis: pharyngitis (inflamed wind pipe - aka sore throat) or H1N1. Since his fever and symptoms started on Saturday, it was too late to start him on Tamiflu if it was the flu. So we were sent home, told to give him plenty of fluids and keep him on Tylenol and bring him back in two days if he's not better.
He seemed to take to Popsicles and thankfully we had a freezer full (we keep pops, Gatorade, and Tylenol in stock during flu season - heck, we keep them in stock year round now a days). His temperature went down and he seemed to be doing a bit better.
Tuesday I noticed I only changed his diaper once - this boy is a pee machine. Even inutero he could really let loose (as evident in the amount of amnio fluid I had while pregnant and how much overflowed on the operating table). He wasn't interested in his Popsicles or any other foods or drinks anymore, only mother's milk. Thankfully I hadn't fully weaned him yet, so nursing away I went (good thing I was home sick or he wouldn't have had any to drink). So on Wednesday, we were back at the doctor. The diagnosis, a little touch of croup. He was prescribed a steroid and told to continue the Tylenol and the fluids. He finally slept for more than 45 minutes in one stretch and wasn't as horrible when he coughed.
Now it's Friday, his medicine is finished and his cough sounds better - still horrible, but at least he's not about to choke himself while he coughs. His appetite is up a little bit and he's drinking cow's milk again. I'm hoping he'll be even better by this weekend. It's hard seeing little one's sick like this. He doesn't understand why it hurts so bad when he coughs or swallows or why he just can't seem to get comfortable.
It's times like this I'm reminded how lucky I am to have access to health care, medicine, and remedies to try at home. A lot of people are not this lucky and I can only imagine the worrying they do while enduring this, even if it is a "simple virus."
It's times like this I'm also reminded of the Heavenly Father's Love. All through this last week I've felt His arms wrapped around us, soothing, comforting, and healing. Knowing He, too, is experiencing this rush of emotion. I may love my son with all that I am, but He loves us with all that He is - which is WAY more than we are.. And I am left humbled and grateful.
I thought it was allergies - you know that little tickle in your throat and the throbbing pain above your eyebrow? Little did I know it would be accompanied by a massive sore throat, low fever, body aches, and horrendous cough. Gavin had the worst of it though. Aside from Hadassah having Kawasaki when she was 2 - this is the sickest any of my children has been, and it was scary. He'd wake up in the middle of the night choking because he was coughing so hard. His fever was getting up to 102 and 103 - temperatures we've only seen before in our sick little two year old before she admitted to the hospital.
On Monday morning, almost unable to get out of bed myself, I took Gavin into the doctor. I've only seen a doctor concerned about one of my children one other time - you guessed it, with Kawasaki. His fever was 102.7 and between crying fits and coughing spells he would give into exhaustion and sleep in any position he was being held. After rapid flu and strep throat tests came back negative we received a tentative diagnosis: pharyngitis (inflamed wind pipe - aka sore throat) or H1N1. Since his fever and symptoms started on Saturday, it was too late to start him on Tamiflu if it was the flu. So we were sent home, told to give him plenty of fluids and keep him on Tylenol and bring him back in two days if he's not better.
He seemed to take to Popsicles and thankfully we had a freezer full (we keep pops, Gatorade, and Tylenol in stock during flu season - heck, we keep them in stock year round now a days). His temperature went down and he seemed to be doing a bit better.
Tuesday I noticed I only changed his diaper once - this boy is a pee machine. Even inutero he could really let loose (as evident in the amount of amnio fluid I had while pregnant and how much overflowed on the operating table). He wasn't interested in his Popsicles or any other foods or drinks anymore, only mother's milk. Thankfully I hadn't fully weaned him yet, so nursing away I went (good thing I was home sick or he wouldn't have had any to drink). So on Wednesday, we were back at the doctor. The diagnosis, a little touch of croup. He was prescribed a steroid and told to continue the Tylenol and the fluids. He finally slept for more than 45 minutes in one stretch and wasn't as horrible when he coughed.
Now it's Friday, his medicine is finished and his cough sounds better - still horrible, but at least he's not about to choke himself while he coughs. His appetite is up a little bit and he's drinking cow's milk again. I'm hoping he'll be even better by this weekend. It's hard seeing little one's sick like this. He doesn't understand why it hurts so bad when he coughs or swallows or why he just can't seem to get comfortable.
It's times like this I'm reminded how lucky I am to have access to health care, medicine, and remedies to try at home. A lot of people are not this lucky and I can only imagine the worrying they do while enduring this, even if it is a "simple virus."
It's times like this I'm also reminded of the Heavenly Father's Love. All through this last week I've felt His arms wrapped around us, soothing, comforting, and healing. Knowing He, too, is experiencing this rush of emotion. I may love my son with all that I am, but He loves us with all that He is - which is WAY more than we are.. And I am left humbled and grateful.
Friday, November 13, 2009
A Boy Weekend
So my in-laws took the girls to see Mickey last weekend. They left Saturday morning and didn't return until late Monday morning. Thus leaving me with three boys (well, two boys technically and one handsome man). Little Man came down with a fever on Friday morning (same virus the girls had two and three weeks before) so we decided to just have a very low key weekend. By lunch time on Saturday Little Man was feeling MUCH better. So instead of lounge around and watch cartoons, movies, etc. we played blocks. Buddy Boy can actually put together megablocks now instead of just knocking down his brothers beloved creations. We built robots, sky scrapers, and houses. It was so much fun! Papa surprised us with Burger King and Buddy ended up eating almost an entire kids meal - he's only 14 months old! Doodle Bug was like that as a baby - what an appetite.
Sunday I took the boys to early church and then we went to visit the new Toys R Us. I think I like it. It's different than before, but still they have great stuff. After a few more errands, Gareth went downhill. He got pale and really tired, so we cut our running around short and went home.
I really enjoyed my "boy weekend" and need to remember that parenting boys is MUCH different than girls. Little boys are going to be rambunctious, they're going to push physical limits ("Look what I can do!") and it's going to scare me - but God has this. He SOOO has this under control. I just need to make sure I give that control TO Him instead of coddling it in my mind and heart.
Sunday I took the boys to early church and then we went to visit the new Toys R Us. I think I like it. It's different than before, but still they have great stuff. After a few more errands, Gareth went downhill. He got pale and really tired, so we cut our running around short and went home.
I really enjoyed my "boy weekend" and need to remember that parenting boys is MUCH different than girls. Little boys are going to be rambunctious, they're going to push physical limits ("Look what I can do!") and it's going to scare me - but God has this. He SOOO has this under control. I just need to make sure I give that control TO Him instead of coddling it in my mind and heart.
Friday, November 6, 2009
It's Fall!
Gavin has been saying more and more words lately. In addition to his vocabulary of "I love you" (I lulu), "what" (wud), and "hi" he is now saying "why", "snap" (na), and buddy (bu-ee). It's so cute! The other night Ryan called "Gavin, come here, please." to which Gavin replied "Whyeeee." We weren't quite sure whether or not we should be shocked or laugh.
The girls are now coming upon their second two week break. Although this break will be filled with a few math and reading lessons. Taking a complete break wasn't great for Zoe - she started writing her numbers backwards.
We're learning about dinosaur's right now and have been thrilled to read lots of wonderful information from www.answersingenesis.org We've had LOTS of different discussions about what evidence we have for the various theories of how the dino's became extinct and will be looking even further as to what the Bible has to say about them. It's been a lot of fun!
The kids also learned about Joseph, bats, Peanuts characters, and other things that seem to have escaped my mind..
We have a lot of things coming up this month: the fair, the dinosaur exhibit at the downtown museum, Thanksgiving, and a trip to the State Museum at the library downtown. PLUS - my inlaws are taking the girls to Disney for a surprise trip this weekend. They're going to have so much fun! I'm going to miss their smiling faces and wonderful giggles this weekend - but I know they're going to have a blast. :)
Gareth has now turned 4 and is such a little man. Every day he wants to do more and more "big things" like help set the table, take out the trash, button his own jammies. He's such an awesome little boy. I'm so thankful for the blessings God has given me.
The girls are now coming upon their second two week break. Although this break will be filled with a few math and reading lessons. Taking a complete break wasn't great for Zoe - she started writing her numbers backwards.
We're learning about dinosaur's right now and have been thrilled to read lots of wonderful information from www.answersingenesis.org We've had LOTS of different discussions about what evidence we have for the various theories of how the dino's became extinct and will be looking even further as to what the Bible has to say about them. It's been a lot of fun!
The kids also learned about Joseph, bats, Peanuts characters, and other things that seem to have escaped my mind..
We have a lot of things coming up this month: the fair, the dinosaur exhibit at the downtown museum, Thanksgiving, and a trip to the State Museum at the library downtown. PLUS - my inlaws are taking the girls to Disney for a surprise trip this weekend. They're going to have so much fun! I'm going to miss their smiling faces and wonderful giggles this weekend - but I know they're going to have a blast. :)
Gareth has now turned 4 and is such a little man. Every day he wants to do more and more "big things" like help set the table, take out the trash, button his own jammies. He's such an awesome little boy. I'm so thankful for the blessings God has given me.
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