Camping in the rain...
Monday, July 20, 2009
Ah, camping in the rain for four days has left me so tired I am unable to blog today. Promise to keep my eyes held open with toothpicks long enough to glance through the pics from the weekend. If I feel really motivated I will even post some for ya. I used the word Patience a lot this weekend so you just do the same...
The ENT visit
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Last Thursday brought the boys and I to Duluth yet again to see the ENT. (if you wish to skip my crazy story and just find out the results of the ENT appointment, scroll to the bottom where it says: RESULTS).
We left early in the morning and they were excellent in the car. Parker was a bit challenging some of the time but over all they were both very good. Emmitt fell asleep as we pulled into Hermantown. So I decided to get gas and juice and head down the hill with plenty of time.
That was until the first pump I pulled up to would not work. Some fine reversing on my part in a busy gas station to get angled into another pump. For that pump to just say "see attendant" after I had pumped my gas. It might as well read "hey lady, leave your kids, one of them sleeping, in the car, at a crazy busy intersection, in a strange town, for just a minute and come inside while I waste your time". Which is exactly what I did. I locked them in the car and I think said "don't move" while I went inside.
I asked what was the problem and he said I need your card.
Well I left that in the car buddy, let me go get it! I thought I already paid?
You did, ma'am or at least the screen said you paid but there seems to be an issue with your card.
Okay, here ya go, try again.
Nope, it is saying it is rejected. Do you have another card?
Of course I do...in the car! So I grab that one and check on the kids (still fine), swipe the card and it goes through and he says
well maybe somebody stole your other card and they put a freeze on it!
Well aren't you optimistic! Geesh.
So on the road again with rightfully paid gas in my car. Barely enough time to park, unload the stroller, wake Emmitt up, buckle him in, let Parker push all the elevator buttons for each and every person in the stinking elevator, briskly walk the sky walk, stop at every water fountain for Parker to get a drink and to listen to Emmitt whine that he can't have one, and check in for the appointments. We actually have some time to visit with all the other Falls people in the waiting room. For Parker to announce loudly that he has to poop. For him to poop. For me to get a whiff of Emmitt in the waiting room and realize he filled his pants. To maneuver the stroller back into the bathroom and change Emmitt. Sit down for just a second just for them to call our name for our appointment.
RESULTS:
When the doctor comes in the room the kids sprout devil horns and start acting like wild deranged children who just spent three hours in a car seat. Each time I apologized he just said, "it's okay, I understand". So since Parker refuses to move out of the exam chair I have doc check his tubes and they look perfect. Then my turn with Emmitt on my lap and Parker next to me in the chair. My ears, I have apparently poked a few times, too far and hit the ear drum with a Q-tip and he said to be careful or use the baby swabs on everybody in the family. My nose looks great, my throat too. But with my history of strep he recommends that I have my tonsils out. I can book a surgery on a Monday in Duluth or a Thursday in Superior. Thursday, he recommended since then somebody would be home over the weekend with me for the worst few days. He says I am not too old, it isn't fun, but survivable. He has operated on older. Then we review my CT scan and he says I am not a candidate for the sinus surgery but that we can treat it like migraines and allergies and hopefully keep the symptoms at bay. Having my tonsils out should reduce the amount of sickness I get and therefore keeping the colds from settling in my sinus' and causing that infection. It's all a cycle. Emmitt's turn. He still has fluid on his right ear after 5 months, but the left has cleared. The left had fluid on it for 3 months, but in the last 2 months that has cleared on it's own. So doc was hopeful that the right would clear on it's own. He said that any time we are in to see our family doc to have the ear checked to document the time frame. But that we are going to give Emmitt a chance without surgery and see if he grows out of it. He isn't having ear infections, just the sterile fluid on his ears like Parker did. It's common to have this run in families. So he recommended that any story telling on our lap be done by speaking to Emmitt's left ear so that he hears the words properly and not like being under water. That should help him develop his speech properly. If we speak to his right ear he is going to hear the muffled sound like Parker did for all those months. Or sit him on our lap facing us and the book propped up so he can hear the words straight on and watch our mouths while we speak. He is a great doctor with tons of patience. So next I just have to find 2 weeks time to be off of work and get help with the boys. Thinking the end of August. You know our Pequot scrappin' trip is the beginning of August...nothing between that and Fulton's wedding at the end of August. We shall see...
Oh and my card? I called the bank yesterday and she says, it looks fine and says active. Try using it in town. I did. It worked.
We left early in the morning and they were excellent in the car. Parker was a bit challenging some of the time but over all they were both very good. Emmitt fell asleep as we pulled into Hermantown. So I decided to get gas and juice and head down the hill with plenty of time.
That was until the first pump I pulled up to would not work. Some fine reversing on my part in a busy gas station to get angled into another pump. For that pump to just say "see attendant" after I had pumped my gas. It might as well read "hey lady, leave your kids, one of them sleeping, in the car, at a crazy busy intersection, in a strange town, for just a minute and come inside while I waste your time". Which is exactly what I did. I locked them in the car and I think said "don't move" while I went inside.
I asked what was the problem and he said I need your card.
Well I left that in the car buddy, let me go get it! I thought I already paid?
You did, ma'am or at least the screen said you paid but there seems to be an issue with your card.
Okay, here ya go, try again.
Nope, it is saying it is rejected. Do you have another card?
Of course I do...in the car! So I grab that one and check on the kids (still fine), swipe the card and it goes through and he says
well maybe somebody stole your other card and they put a freeze on it!
Well aren't you optimistic! Geesh.
So on the road again with rightfully paid gas in my car. Barely enough time to park, unload the stroller, wake Emmitt up, buckle him in, let Parker push all the elevator buttons for each and every person in the stinking elevator, briskly walk the sky walk, stop at every water fountain for Parker to get a drink and to listen to Emmitt whine that he can't have one, and check in for the appointments. We actually have some time to visit with all the other Falls people in the waiting room. For Parker to announce loudly that he has to poop. For him to poop. For me to get a whiff of Emmitt in the waiting room and realize he filled his pants. To maneuver the stroller back into the bathroom and change Emmitt. Sit down for just a second just for them to call our name for our appointment.
RESULTS:
When the doctor comes in the room the kids sprout devil horns and start acting like wild deranged children who just spent three hours in a car seat. Each time I apologized he just said, "it's okay, I understand". So since Parker refuses to move out of the exam chair I have doc check his tubes and they look perfect. Then my turn with Emmitt on my lap and Parker next to me in the chair. My ears, I have apparently poked a few times, too far and hit the ear drum with a Q-tip and he said to be careful or use the baby swabs on everybody in the family. My nose looks great, my throat too. But with my history of strep he recommends that I have my tonsils out. I can book a surgery on a Monday in Duluth or a Thursday in Superior. Thursday, he recommended since then somebody would be home over the weekend with me for the worst few days. He says I am not too old, it isn't fun, but survivable. He has operated on older. Then we review my CT scan and he says I am not a candidate for the sinus surgery but that we can treat it like migraines and allergies and hopefully keep the symptoms at bay. Having my tonsils out should reduce the amount of sickness I get and therefore keeping the colds from settling in my sinus' and causing that infection. It's all a cycle. Emmitt's turn. He still has fluid on his right ear after 5 months, but the left has cleared. The left had fluid on it for 3 months, but in the last 2 months that has cleared on it's own. So doc was hopeful that the right would clear on it's own. He said that any time we are in to see our family doc to have the ear checked to document the time frame. But that we are going to give Emmitt a chance without surgery and see if he grows out of it. He isn't having ear infections, just the sterile fluid on his ears like Parker did. It's common to have this run in families. So he recommended that any story telling on our lap be done by speaking to Emmitt's left ear so that he hears the words properly and not like being under water. That should help him develop his speech properly. If we speak to his right ear he is going to hear the muffled sound like Parker did for all those months. Or sit him on our lap facing us and the book propped up so he can hear the words straight on and watch our mouths while we speak. He is a great doctor with tons of patience. So next I just have to find 2 weeks time to be off of work and get help with the boys. Thinking the end of August. You know our Pequot scrappin' trip is the beginning of August...nothing between that and Fulton's wedding at the end of August. We shall see...
Oh and my card? I called the bank yesterday and she says, it looks fine and says active. Try using it in town. I did. It worked.
17 Months
Monday, July 13, 2009
Could he really almost be a year and a half? Not quite yet. Not for another month. But it hurts my heart just thinking that in one month he will be that age!
But for now...at seventeen months he is a busy monkey who is so loving and demanding at the same time it is exhausting. He gives the best hugs. He grabs onto your shirt by your shoulders and hangs on as tight as those little arms can. He will always lay his head on your shoulder and loves to be rocked or swayed. Loves the rocking chair at night. Loves to snuggle in the mornings and after naps. If you ask for a hug and kiss he comes running at your with a wide open wet mouth and arms open. He waves and says that high pitched Hi! to everyone that walks in a room. He is eager to blow kisses goodbye and a quick wave when we leave also.
He wants what he wants when he wants it. A bit like his mother in this aspect that he wants things done yesterday. He is communicating much better these days with signing and some words. To the point where we at least can figure out what the heck he is saying. The other night he was really whining in bed. 45 minutes had passed and he was still whining. So I went up there and picked him up, asked him if he wanted me to rock him (head shake no), okay. I asked him if he wanted more water (head shake yes and a frantic sign for milk/drink), okay. Then I saw his little finger point to Parker's empty bed and then to the door. I already knew that Parker had gotten out of his bed and snuck into ours, but apparently Emmitt had seen him do it and wanted him back in his bed. So we walk to our bedroom as Emmitt's little finger leads the way and spot Parker sprawled out sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed. Then Emmitt made the shhhhh sign with that finger and a loud hiss that meant brother is sleeping. I walked him back to his bed, gave him his cup of water, layed him down and not a peep came out of him until morning.
Bear and I keep saying how different it is this time around (second child). We swear we had Parker doing way more than Emmitt at this age and that we often still refer to Emmitt as "just a baby". When in all reality he is almost a year and a half.He is so determined to do things that I really have to sit back and let him learn by trying. I have to make a conscious effort to not do things for him, like in stead of placing him at the top of the slide, but letting him try the ladder. With assistance of course when he screams for it.
We realize that he is in fact doing many of the things that Parker did at this age. I have the pictures to go back and see what we were doing back then, thank God, because some days my memory is just gone.
We realize that he is in fact doing many of the things that Parker did at this age. I have the pictures to go back and see what we were doing back then, thank God, because some days my memory is just gone.Emmitt realized that it was a little scary to go down the big slide looking at the landing, so he took it feet first on his belly and did it again and again and again.
Big smiles each time he went down. He is much better at the park these days. Not as much sand eating, if any. Stays by me where we are playing. Sand throwing? Well that's another issue. He just can't resist that feeling between his fingers and just has to toss it in the air.
When you tell him no, no he just shakes his head no at you. Like, yeah I totally agree with you, no, no. But then tries it again with a sideways glance to see if you are really gonna catch him in the act.
This age is really fun. I love the talking and communicating. He can really show us what he wants. He tries everything his brother does, so in some ways he is doing more than he should. One of his favorite pass times is to be pushed in the doll stroller by Parker. They call it their snowmobile?! He will finally sit through as many books as I want to read to him. He will try most foods when they are on his plate. I am not sure he is growing with the little food he eats, but he is. He is still holding his own at 21 pounds. His white blond hair gets a comment out of every body. Lil' Toe-head. I don't love that phrase but what are you gonna do? Bear and I were both bleach blond babies too. It goes great with those brown eyes! I think my hubby still thinks there is some debate on whether or not they will still change color. I mean he is almost a year and a half. Almost. But not yet. He is still "just a baby".
Speaking of baby. (no were are not). But I reminded Bear that when Parker was 18 months we started trying for a second and a month later we were pregnant with Emmitt. Wow was all he could say.
Big smiles each time he went down. He is much better at the park these days. Not as much sand eating, if any. Stays by me where we are playing. Sand throwing? Well that's another issue. He just can't resist that feeling between his fingers and just has to toss it in the air.When you tell him no, no he just shakes his head no at you. Like, yeah I totally agree with you, no, no. But then tries it again with a sideways glance to see if you are really gonna catch him in the act.This age is really fun. I love the talking and communicating. He can really show us what he wants. He tries everything his brother does, so in some ways he is doing more than he should. One of his favorite pass times is to be pushed in the doll stroller by Parker. They call it their snowmobile?! He will finally sit through as many books as I want to read to him. He will try most foods when they are on his plate. I am not sure he is growing with the little food he eats, but he is. He is still holding his own at 21 pounds. His white blond hair gets a comment out of every body. Lil' Toe-head. I don't love that phrase but what are you gonna do? Bear and I were both bleach blond babies too. It goes great with those brown eyes! I think my hubby still thinks there is some debate on whether or not they will still change color. I mean he is almost a year and a half. Almost. But not yet. He is still "just a baby".
Speaking of baby. (no were are not). But I reminded Bear that when Parker was 18 months we started trying for a second and a month later we were pregnant with Emmitt. Wow was all he could say.
When it's raining...
Friday, July 10, 2009
A couple of weekends ago it was so windy and rainy out, we locked ourselves in the house, put on some good music, played marble run, play-doh, puzzles, read books and didn't leave the house until Sunday afternoon/evening.
The boys actually let me take a few pics of them playing without making strange faces at me (Parker) or hitting the camera with some random toy and then tackling me to the ground (Emmitt).
I love how babyish his cheeks can still look. He has actually gained 3 pounds since his surgery in February so we are moving in the right direction. He is stuck at 30 pounds now...but definitely better. His speech is still improving and most days it is crystal clear. I really notice the backslide in speech when he has a cold and/or is stuffed up. And it comes back to me-the way he used to sound-and then when it clears up, he sounds just fine again.
I think the weather made me want to shoot in black and white. It was so dreary that weekend. I had to dig out sweatshirts from the back of the kids' closets and then Parker ends up going topless most of the day. He made me cold just looking at him. He has this thing of wanting to sleep in just his underwear. Even if we put him in jammies, we go up to tuck him in and he has stripped them off onto a pile on the floor.
Oh and that Emmitt. What a character! He is a little stinker sometimes. We keep forgetting that he really isn't a baby anymore. I almost have to go back and look at scrapbooks and blog posts of what Parker was doing at 16-17 months. But I think we really put more on Parker and pushed him into doing things as our first. With Emmitt we just keep thinking he can't do much because he is just a baby and when he does something we aren't expecting we are actually shocked by it! Duh. You would think by this time around we would have figured it out.
Emmitt goes from being a total momma's boy to a daddy's boy in the same breath. One minute he wants me and only me and screams if daddy tries to take him away and the next he acts like I am not even in the room. He is so predictable sometimes it's hilarious and maddening at the same time. We can anticipate what he is going to do based on our day. Like when I pick him up from daycare, I know he is going to scream when I put him in his car seat. When we get home, I have to unload my car while he is still buckled or I won't be able to get anything done. When I take him out of the car I had better be prepared to hold him on my hip for awhile because if I set him down he will scream, throw his head on the floor and cling to my legs. So I hold him. Can't really blame him for wanting to see me after the whole day, but he does not understand that if he wants to eat, I'm gonna have to make supper. And I cannot stand the screaming and clinging to my legs...
My boys...they are different yet the same. Bear keeps saying "Parker did not do this" or "Emmitt is so much more____" Like snuggling. Bear is convinced that Emmitt snuggles more than Parker ever did. But with me, I think Parker snuggled me more. Emmitt is signing everything we show him now where Parker was not signing much any more at this age but actually talking. Emmitt says about 5 words! Lots of noises for objects though. Like shoes is ssseess. Bird is caw caw. But he signs it too. He signs milk for everything to drink. He waves frantically to anybody who walks into the room, followed by a very high pitched Hiiieee. He copies everything Parker does and his brother gets the biggest kick out of it. Just tonight they were both "swimming like Nicker" in the tub...laying on their bellies going as fast as they could from one end of the tub to the other laughing big belly laughs!
Sometimes we are not so sure what the heck we are doing raising these two boys, but we aim to have fun doing it.
Emmitt goes from being a total momma's boy to a daddy's boy in the same breath. One minute he wants me and only me and screams if daddy tries to take him away and the next he acts like I am not even in the room. He is so predictable sometimes it's hilarious and maddening at the same time. We can anticipate what he is going to do based on our day. Like when I pick him up from daycare, I know he is going to scream when I put him in his car seat. When we get home, I have to unload my car while he is still buckled or I won't be able to get anything done. When I take him out of the car I had better be prepared to hold him on my hip for awhile because if I set him down he will scream, throw his head on the floor and cling to my legs. So I hold him. Can't really blame him for wanting to see me after the whole day, but he does not understand that if he wants to eat, I'm gonna have to make supper. And I cannot stand the screaming and clinging to my legs... My boys...they are different yet the same. Bear keeps saying "Parker did not do this" or "Emmitt is so much more____" Like snuggling. Bear is convinced that Emmitt snuggles more than Parker ever did. But with me, I think Parker snuggled me more. Emmitt is signing everything we show him now where Parker was not signing much any more at this age but actually talking. Emmitt says about 5 words! Lots of noises for objects though. Like shoes is ssseess. Bird is caw caw. But he signs it too. He signs milk for everything to drink. He waves frantically to anybody who walks into the room, followed by a very high pitched Hiiieee. He copies everything Parker does and his brother gets the biggest kick out of it. Just tonight they were both "swimming like Nicker" in the tub...laying on their bellies going as fast as they could from one end of the tub to the other laughing big belly laughs!
Sometimes we are not so sure what the heck we are doing raising these two boys, but we aim to have fun doing it.
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