A Year of Gratitude: Day 298

Today I am grateful that the kiddos and I got a chance to walk through Baylor's new school and learn more about how his days will go.  I definitely felt better after I learned more, and I hope Baylor did as well.  *sigh*  I can't believe kindergarten is already here.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 297

Today I am grateful that we got to see some of our closest friends for dinner.  They and their three kiddos joined us for the never-ending pasta bowl extravaganza that is Olive Garden this time of year.  Actually, this is kind of our thing; whenever this "culinary feast" rolls around we make sure to meet up at the O.G. at some point and gorge ourselves on all the frickin' breadsticks, salad, and pasta we can eat.  The food is great, but the company is even better.

Have a wonderful night!

Oh, and by the way, I'm also grateful for this article.  I have been feeling this firsthand over the last 297 days, and I'm glad the word is spreading.  We could all use a little more happiness, right?

A Year of Gratitude: Day 296

Today I am grateful for a warm, reassuring e-mail, a good, cathartic cry, and a hope for tomorrow.  I am, sadly, really stressed out about Baylor starting all-day, every day kindergarten next week and it's all I can do to take a deep breath and get through it so every little bit helps.

Now, off for some much-needed sleep.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 295

Today I am grateful I was able to take a "fast" (20 minute ... I know, I know) shower this morning.  There was a thunderstorm brewing outside, and I hate showering when I know there is lightning around, with good reason, I might add.  With all the stress I've been feeling lately I was worried that today's shower was going to be extra long, but the threat of being electrocuted certainly helped that problem.

Hooray for weird fixes!

Have a wonderful day!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 294

Today I am grateful to have kept it together when Baylor started expressing his worries about school before bed.  The little man comes by it honestly; I was a nervous wreck about school ... just ask my parents.  And I'll be honest; I am extremely anxious about him starting full-day, every day kindergarten.  He's my baby and it seems too early.  But it is what it is, and I know he's going to enjoy it soon enough.  Luckily he has a thirst for knowledge; knowledge is something school certainly provides and fosters, and right now I'm using that as the hook, the thing to get him excited about going to school.  Hopefully he and I can both get through this together and come out happier once these first few days/weeks/etc. are over.

I want to fix the situation so badly, want to make this better for him NOW, and this urge makes me search out books and websites and anything and everything I can think of to help.  But, in the end, throwing book after book after everything at the problem isn't going to make it go away; they might help, but the first day of school will still be there and undoubtedly there will still be nerves.

So until those first few days/weeks/etc. have passed, until this becomes our new normal, I will be attempting to hold it together.  We'll see how this goes.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 293

Today I am grateful to have gotten out without the kiddos this morning to run some errands.  Don't get me wrong, I love taking them with me, but the trips are much less productive when they're tagging along.  And I was able to go quickly from place to place without having to drag anyone behind me or convince anyone that this was a good idea.  Plus, it was extra sweet to see their little faces when I got home from my errands.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 292

Today I am grateful for the lovely time we had at my parents' house this afternoon/evening.  We swam, looked at pictures from my husband's very recent trip to Malaysia, and ate some delicious food.  (Sweet corn, homemade Parker House rolls, and apple pie, anyone?)  And then, to top it all off, the kids left Oma's house without melting down in the process.  In fact, Baylor was the first one in the car and happy to be there!  It was a regular little miracle.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 291

Today I am grateful that my husband made it home from Malaysia safely.  He had been there for nearly two weeks, and it was nice to finally have him home safe and sound.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 290 (whew!)

Today I am grateful that I finally caught up on all my gratitude posts!  It has been hanging over my head for days now, and I am so happy to be back where I should be.  What a relief!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 289 (one day behind ... ahhhh!)

Today I am grateful that these awesome divided lunch containers I got for Baylor's school lunch actually fit in his lunch box.  Getting organized and finding things that might make this whole thing go more smoothly makes me feel just the slightest bit better about him going to kindergarten all day.  (All ... day, people!)

Now we just need to practice using them.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 288 (only a couple days behind!)

Today I am grateful that I was able to talk about Baylor going to school soon without breaking down into tears.  I am a bit emotional about the whole event to say the least, and I was surprised when I was able to mention it without getting misty-eyed.  Hopefully I can keep it together this well on his first day of school.  (Knock on wood!)

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 287 (so close!)

Today I am grateful that I was able to, by and large, keep my cool with the kids today.  They were both over-tired, cranky, and emotionally-volatile, and I'm glad that I was able to see their behavior for what it was and try to work with them.  Yes, I melted down a little bit before bedtime, but we made it and there were smiles and hugs before they drifted off to sleep.  Win-win!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 286 (almost ...)

Today I am grateful I got to see a dear friend and her two adorable kiddos.  It had been about a year since we last saw each other, way too long in my opinion, and it was great to get to catch up.  Hopefully next time it won't have been so long!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 285 (so close ...)

Today I am grateful that I finally sent out an e-mail I had been attempting to write for weeks.  It's amazing to have that kind of load off your shoulders.  Oh, and I finally got the kids' humidifier cleaned up!  Getting things done all over the place, I tell ya!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 283 (getting there ...)

Today I am grateful that Mollie's appetite finally returned.  It's good to see my girl back to her usual self.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 282 (almost caught up ... kind of)

Today I am grateful I was able to see Mollie through a couple huge meltdowns and take them for what they actually were: out of control emotions brought on by extreme hunger.  She's done it before and I shouldn't have been surprised that the meltdowns happened, but I was and though it took a second I was able to snap out of my befuddled state (she, who had just spent the day prior throwing up quite a bit, wanted desperately to go out to eat for dinner tonight ... couldn't quite comprehend that) and help her calm down.

And sometimes that's just the best you can do.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 281 (getting there ...)

Today I am grateful that everyone made it through the night without incident of any kind.  No vomiting or other bodily fluids involuntarily expelled, no nightmares, no hunger pangs or extreme thirst, no confusion that it was in fact still time to be sleeping (I was really worried about this one since Mollie had taken at least a one hour nap just before bedtime) ... nothing.  I got up twice with Baylor to take him to the potty and that was it.  It was glorious.

And I am so, so very grateful for it.

Have a wonderful day!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 280 (catching up ...)

Today I am grateful that we made it through the day.  Between the late night and early morning vomiting, the giant pee accident on the couch, the naps on the living room floor, and a million and one hand washes, we made it through.  I'm still living and breathing, so are they, and they seem to still want me around.

That's a win in my book.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 279 (still so late)

It's funny how, in the midst of something bad, you can still find things to be grateful for.  My poor Amalia threw up last night and then again this morning, but I am still able to see the good that is around us and that makes me feel at least a little better about the whole situation.  And hey, every little bit counts, right?

Today I am grateful that Mollie was able to get a decent amount of sleep both before she got sick and between "episodes" ... and even a bit after she got sick the second time, now that I think about it.  I have no idea why she threw up, which disturbs me greatly - I am not an easy-going mom of sick children and tend to obsess on the fact until I know what is going on - but I can take comfort in knowing that she at least got some rest that will hopefully go a long way to making her feel better very soon.

Have a wonderful day!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 278 (still super late)

Today I am grateful that my kids left my parents' house relatively easily this evening.  Usually Baylor throws an absolute fit, but tonight we were able to keep him happy and we were able to get home without any tears.  Hooray!  Little victories are awesome!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 277 (late, late, late)

Today I am glad that the post viral myositis that plagued Baylor a few days ago went away much faster than expected.  The physician's assistant that examined and diagnosed him was sure it would get worse before it got better, and the blood test showed he did in fact have it, but he was better a day later.

This is the best he could do walking around when his legs were bothering him.  And eventually after a few steps on his toes, he'd go down, legs shaking all the way.

I'm so glad that didn't last long, and he's able to run around and keep up with his sister.  He's so much happier for it!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 276 (horribly late, as usual)

Today I am grateful for my daughter.  Yes, she is beautiful, adorable, as cute as can be, but she's also incredibly tenacious, super strong, and genetically disposed to be very stubborn.  I know that, though she loves princesses and thinks the color pink is the living end (sorry if there's judgement there ...), she is going to grow up to be an amazing young woman with moxie to spare.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 275 (again, very late)

Today I am grateful for my Grandma Betty.  It is her 84th birthday, and we actually got to celebrate with her, a rare treat now that we're older.  I love getting to spend time with her, and I'm so glad my kids are getting to know her; she's an amazing person with so much love in her heart.  I'm lucky to call her my grandma.

She even went on the swings with the kids and showed them how to pump!

So happy birthday, Grandma!  I hope you have many more happy, healthy ones to come!  We love you so much!

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 274 (again, very late)

Today I am grateful for this ...



Amazing dancer my little lady is.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 273 (soooo late)

Today I am grateful that Baylor went to bed without a fever.  After all the troubles he had today, it was a welcome step in the right direction.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 272 (tons of days late)

Today I am grateful that I was able to get the dishes done before the kids went to bed.

*sigh*

It's awesome!

Have a wonderful night!

Covered in Glitter and Urine

Do you ever have a day that by the end of it you find yourself thinking, "Wow, I did NOT see that one coming.  Today is one of those days for me.

The story really starts nearly a week ago; Mollie got sick the day after we got home from our trip to Chicago, I got sick the following day, and Baylor was a day or two behind me.  Mollie and I were mostly feeling the typical cold symptoms - runny/stuffy nose, fatigue, slight cough ... not much to write home about.  Baylor, on the other hand, started off with drainage from his sinuses causing him to throw up a couple times and a bad fever that didn't let up for over three days.  While Mollie has bounced back amazingly well, and I have slowly made my way back toward health, Baylor has been mired in this cold for nearly a week now.  We thought he was finally free of his fever yesterday only to have it come back around dinner time.  So this morning I decided it was probably best to get him in to see a doctor, and I called the office as soon as I could.  When they called me back, they agreed that he needed to see someone and suggested we come in during the open office hours this morning as they were quite well booked for the rest of the day.

After getting the kids to eat as much as they could for breakfast, I told them to go hop in the car, pajamas and Princess dress and all.  Baylor, though, said he couldn't walk and that he needed me to carry him.  Now he'd said the same thing last night as I took him to the potty, but I had figured his legs had fallen asleep because he couldn't stand and said they hurt to be touched.  I'll be honest; at first I thought my little guy was maligning to get a free ride from mommy.  But we were in a hurry and I didn't want to quibble about it, so I scooped him up and got him in his seat.  At the doctor's office, though, he said he couldn't get out of the car or walk to the door, and when it was time to get weighed he said he couldn't stand on the scale.  And THAT is when I knew something was up; Baylor just loves standing on scales.  The nurse noticed it too and actually assumed that's why we were there.  I told her it wasn't but gave her the whole story anyway.

She soon left and the physician's assistant came in.  After relaying the story to her as well, she examined Baylor.  First she asked him to stand up on the ground; instead of putting both feet flat on the ground he stood on his tip toes, legs wiggling about like a newborn foal, and soon asked to stop.  She plopped him back up on the examination table and started moving his joints around and pressing on his legs.  Each time she poked or prodded he'd take a sharp inward breath, a sure sign he's in pain.  Once she'd seen enough, she took up her computer and quickly looked up what she thought was wrong: post viral myositis.  (Also, here.)  Essentially, his leg muscles, particularly his those in his calves, have become inflamed as a result of his illness, leaving him with pain and weakness in his legs.  Luckily, it is an acute affliction and should be gone within a week.  Some complications can happen, however, so to keep tabs on how he's doing, they ordered a urine test and a blood test.  The former we could do right there in the office, but the blood draw had to be done elsewhere.

Already covered in glitter because Mollie decided to wear her Snow White costume to the doctor's office, 

I scooped up my little buddy and made our way to the bathroom.

Of course, never having had to get a urine sample from a little boy before, I ended up having him pee a bunch on my leg and on the floor.  Lucky for us, he had a pretty full bladder so there was actually some to spare.  Once we knew his pee was okay, they put a bunch of topical analgesic in the crook of his arm to help numb the area he was going to have blood drawn from and we left for Oma's as I knew I was likely to need a little assistance since Baylor HAD to be carried.

Unfortunately for us, there was a long wait at the lab we go to, and I think all that extra time to mull over what was about to happen really got Baylor nervous about the whole thing.  So I really shouldn't have been surprised when he instantly started crying when they poked him; I mean, he was watching them put the needle in, for crying out loud, I'd have freaked out, too.  But, freaked out as he was, he still sat there and let them get all the blood they needed for the tests ordered.  On our way to the parking lot, he got really upset that he hadn't been brave about the whole thing, and my heart broke for my little boy who had indeed been brave.  (Don't worry, I told him time and time again that you can still be brave even if you cry; I really hope he took it to heart.)

And that's what happened.  I honestly didn't even know this kind of affliction existed, but I'm certainly glad we went to the doctor, today of all days.  The PA warned us that it will likely get worse before it gets better, but hopefully Baylor's on the road back to good health, bumpy though it may be.  And Mollie, bless her little heart, has been a good helper since her brother's gotten sick.  I really do have two amazing children.

A Year of Gratitude: Day 271 (way too many days late)

Today I am grateful that, after having cut myself on a serrated bread knife while successfully killing a fruit fly, I didn't need to go to the med center.

So, clumsy as it may have been, I'm choosing to look at it as a win.

Also, I'm grateful for liquid bandages.  I went through a ton of bandaids today just trying to keep it covered and protected through all the hand washings that come along with having a house full of sick people.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 270 (too many days late to count)

Well, we went to Chicago for a little weekend getaway with the kids.  Then, the day after we got home, Mollie came down with a cold.  And the next day I got it.  And the next day Baylor got it ... and his has been the worst.  My poor buddy has had a fever for three days, most of the time over 103 degrees, and just hasn't been himself.  Usually a good sleeper, he has been having trouble the last couple nights, waking frequently either from dreaming or because he can't breathe through his nose or he's hot/ridiculously cold.

And while the nights have been tough, I am grateful to be there for my little guy in his time of need - for comfort, for compassion, for a cool drink of water, for a trip to the potty.  I'm glad he knows he can lean on me and that he finds comfort in just being near me; case in point, he called out for me the other night and after going in and finding him basically still sleeping, I leaned over to give him a gentle hug and a kiss to help calm him.  As I broke away from the hug, I found his little arms wrapped around mine, like I was a teddy bear perfect for snuggling.

This mom job might not pay anything, but it certainly has its perks.

Have a wonderful night!

A Year of Gratitude: Day 269

Today I am grateful that the garage sale my mom, sister, and I have been running the last day-and-a-half is over with.  For some reason, I kind of like having a garage sale, and I think part of that comes with the giant clean-out that must precede said sale.  And this time I am not keeping anything that was in the sale, and only a few things have come back to the house in an attempt to sell them another way (craigslist or e-bay).  I wish I could say that that is because I sold a TON of stuff, but it's actually because I was able to take all the stuff that didn't sell to Goodwill only an hour after the sale was finished.

So my house is a little neater and my pocket has a little extra cash in it.  Win-win!

Have a wonderful night!