Do you think Mr. Bubbles or Ikea had this in mind when they developed their products?
Calm Amongst the Chaos
Mama of 5 seeking calm in the chaos
Do you think Mr. Bubbles or Ikea had this in mind when they developed their products?
We are trying a new med with Lily. Banzel. So far ehh, ok. I had to go twice as slow as the Dr. recommended with getting her dose up. She is still at less than half the therapeutic dose and she is sleepy, crabby and has no appetite. I still want to go up to see if it helps, the med is for the drops and the jerk (atonics and myoclonics). Those are just out of control right now so I do want to increase this med to see if it helps, but for heaven’s sake, why can’t they make a seizure med that doesn’t ruin these poor kids lives? It seems so unfair to have to decide between seizures and really crappy side effects. Blah.
A few months ago I caught Andi Jane picking her nose and eating her boogers. I said the first thing that came to mind in order to get her to stop. “Eating boogers gives you worms.” She didn’t seem too phased and I figured I’d be telling her that up until we drop her off at college. Day goes on, boogers forgotten. I’m doing something and I hear Andi Jane yell her typical mantra “wipe my butt!” I rush in because that is the highlight of my day and see she had a bit of a mess, details not needed. “You have diarrhea?” “Yes” she nods a little embarrassed, “is that because I ate my booger?” You have to imagine my delight. It was like I looked up at God, and he winked at me, he said Kim you have a hard time with that one, I will give you this one. I look at her very seriously and say “yes”.
Cut to last month, we are at the pool in our hotel at Disneyland and Andi looks at me seriously as says she has to go potty. There are two I have to go potty’s with her, one is I want to see the bathroom at this restaurant but I really don’t have to go and I have to go now or I will potty all over wherever we are. This was the latter. I sense the urgency and pick her up in a towel and look for the nearest exit. We make it and she goes. I’m in the stall next to her (what mom can pass up a potty break?) and I hear her. You know…details not needed. “Mom! I have diarrhea!” “That’s ok honey, you made it to the potty” and she says “But I didn’t even eat my boogers!”
New teeth, new wheels, new fall line ups!
Ok seriously Lily got her new chair yesterday and it is like a Cadillac compared to her old chair! The old chair was good, it lasted 5 years for goodness sake, but this one reclines, it has a head rest she can’t get her head past and padding and cushions to make the most uncomfortable comfortable!
It is a blue sparkle color that I am a bit disappointed with, I think it looks plain dusty, but we let Lily choose and she made the choice very obvious, so no pink this time around. I have to admit I kinda wish I just said pink anyhow, but Lily is 7 and every 7 year old should be able to make their own color choices, either it be their cereal bowl or wheelchair.
Oliver just won’t quit getting teeth. He and I both got a cold two weeks ago but his nose is still running and I looked in his mouth today and saw that more are coming in. This kids mouth won’t let up. I never know if he is sick or teething. I can’t wait to see how he is when he isn’t uncomfortable. He is still a sweet boy, but he is rather attached to me and it seems he is rarely out of my arms these days.
Andi Jane is doing well and LOVING pre k! I am so glad I decided to put her in. She can’t wait to go and has so much to say when she gets home. It is worth the extra cash, I get a break and she is having a blast. She seems to have a large crush on a boy in her class that goes up to her shoulders. Andrew says it is because she can push him around. I asked her if she likes him and she said yes and I said I’m gonna tell Joey (he best friend/boyfriend) and she said no mommy! Don’t tell Joey! Lol, it starts so early!
Oh and yes I am very excited about the new fall line ups. What can I say, tivo after the kids go to bed is my saving grace.
We had a great weekend! The drive was long and boring, but the kids were great and we got to Disney right at rush hour. Gotta love CA traffic!
Lily’s birthday was Friday and we first had breakfast with the princesses, it was very sweet and yummy. Andi said it was a dream come true. She hugged everyone. The princesses were all wonderful with Lily. They sang to her as well. Unfortunately though Anaheim was experiencing record heat, it was 105 plus humidity. Us folk from Arizona won’t even go to the zoo for a few hours when temps are in the 90’s so the weather didn’t fair well with us. We didn’t spend as much time at the parks as we would have liked, but we stayed at the Grand Californian that is IN California Adventures so we were able to go back and forth. We had a great pool so we spent a lot of time there. One night my parents watched the kids and Andrew and I went with my sister, brother, niece, cousin and Andrew’s cousin (whom we hadn’t seen in years but just so happened to be in CA when we were so we met up (very cool!)) went on the big kid rides until 10pm! It was a little too much for me. That Hollywood Hotel of Terror (or whatever) is just too scary for me! I felt like I was approaching death and everyone found that hilarious.
We went on It’s a Small World, Pirates (Andi found way too scary), Andi did the teacups with her cousins, and a few other rides. I do hope we make it out there again before Oliver is a toddler and do it during the week and in the fall. We were saying we had never been to CA and not had to have a sweater at night and no sweater needed on this trip! Too hot!!
But Lily’s day was very special. It appears that every single person employed by Disney has to wish you a happy birthday if you are wearing that button. One guy was sweeping the floor, looked up and wished Lily a happy day. That was very magical.
The kids all slept well there, Lily included! That is huge! I certainly was not ready to go home on Sunday. Hot or not, Disney is the place to be.
Tuesday however, not so cool. I took Lily to the Ortho, whom I do not like anyway but due to the services here in order to get her wheelchair we have to see their ortho. Anyway, he dx her with scoliosis. I knew this since the geneticists called to tell me she was referring us to scoli clinic. Anyway, he wants Lily in a rigid brace for 23 out of 24 hours a day. Obviously I wasn’t running to get that done. I listened to what he had to say and decided to get a second opinion.
I had a long talk with Lily’s PT (whom is wonderful and very knowledgeable) and she was saying this embarks on an issue about quality of life, and I agree. Lily’s movement is how she communicates, we take that away then what? I am not saying ignore her scoliosis, but I think he’s thinking may be a bit old school and I think there are more options out there. I am so thankful we have private insurance where we have the option to explore. If all we had were the states services (which I am thankful they do help with co-pays) we would be stuck. I spent way too many years listening to Dr’s and not my heart and I’m done. By the way this is the Dr who told me when Lily was 3 that she will never walk therefore didn’t require any bracing for standing. *Sigh*
VNS replacement is scheduled for my dad’s birthday 10/20. We are the first on the cancellation list so we may go in sooner. Lily has fall break two weeks before that so I asked if we could work something out during that time, that would be great. We’ll see.
Check out our slide show for recent pictures.
We’ll be celebrating in Disney so I’ll leave this up for the week. My life would be so insignificant without you Bug!
When Lily was born we thought she was the most amazing human being we had ever laid eyes on. We thought we were the luckiest parents on earth to be her parents. She is like the best home made ice cream we have ever taken a taste of. She is sweet. She is cool. She is refreshing on a hot day and makes even the worst day much better. There is nothing like loving her and having her in our life. From her cute gap tooth smile, to her belly laughs, and her ability to let you cuddle her as long as you want and of course her sweet spirit. She’s our sweet bowl of ice cream.
When I got pregnant with Andi Jane we feared, she can’t be like Lily. How can we love her like Lily? She could never replace the cool, sweet flavor that Lily brings to our life. Will we love her fairly? What if she is more like a stale cookie compared to Lily’s ice cream? But she wasn’t. Andi Jane is sweet and sticky. She is more hot than cold. She naturally has an abundance of energy just like most people get after a surge of sugar. Her big brown eyes, her perfect teeth smile, her ability to tell jokes, to make up songs, to dance. Is she like Lily? No. She’s different, of course! But she’s a perfect fit in our family. She is the hot fudge that makes the ice cream even better.
Adding Oliver to the family I feared again, not so much my inability to love him, but understanding and relating to him. He is a boy. What do I know about boys? Will he love me back? Will I treat him differently? But of course when he came those worries flew out the window. I loved him with this amazing intense love that overwhelmed me at his arrival. These past 6 months watching him grow; finding out his personality makes me fall deeper in love. His happy demeanor, his sweet smile, the way we can stop him in his tracks by rubbing his ears. The way direct sunlight will make him sneeze without fail every time. Oliver is indeed the whip cream and cherry on top of our hot fudge sundae.
I feel like I ordered my family according to my sweet tooth. How lucky can I be?
I thank God every day for my sweet life!
So we have our consult with the neuro surgeon Wed afternoon to discuss the VNS replacement. Pretty much just a necessary unnecessary appointment. I figure we will schedule the surgery then and I will update when I get that date.
Andi and I loved the pre school and I am so glad we decided to check it out. I still was going back and forth. This is my last year of having her at home, she will start Kindergarten next year and it will be all day. As much as she can drive me crazy, I know I will really miss not having her at home with me.
The school is great though, just 3 hours 4 days a week. They let her sit in on the class with them and she loved it! Then we got the grand tour and she wanted to stay. This will be so good for her! She loves socializing and I think we will get along a whole lot better when we get a little break from each other.
I’m totally convinced 6 months is way too young for a baby to be cruising furniture. Oliver has no idea what he is doing so when he tries to go from the couch to the music table he eats it every time and screams and gets crocodile tears. Every time with out fail. 9 month old kids who cruise kind of “get it” and try not to get hurt. This boy is hurt all the time.
Andrew and Andi just got back from Greer, they went for the weekend and I am glad to have them back. Lily and Oliver are a lot of work by myself!
I’ve been “staying home” for 6 months now. Previously Andi went to daycare 3 days a week from 8 mo old to almost 4 yrs old. So she was never in daycare full time, ever. Lily was with me until she started pre k half days at 3 yrs old. So I guess I’ve always been a half and half stay at home and work outside of home. Well for 6 months I’ve been “home”, were never there so that is why we air quote the word home. But I mean by “home” I mean all mama all the time. Dr. Laura said to do it. She sure made a lot of sense when I was driving to and from work feeling guilty the whole time. Driving. Alone. In a quiet peaceful car. Going to work with adults.
I do still work. I just do it mostly from home and I go into the office once or twice a week. I am in charge of the most ridiculous 401k plan that I want to throw in the dumpsters…by the way, why is there no 401k plan administrator day? We need one. We’re going through some changes demanded by our current economy and let me say it is a a bad word Andrew always says….something about clusters and f bombs.
But when I go into the office I carry a entourage and there is no Jeremy Piven involved. It is an energetic 4 year old and a baby, who honestly is a piece of cake to care for….let me reiterate, energetic 4 year old.
I have been running in circles with this whole thought of pre k. I figure, she already knows all she needs to know to go to Kindergarten, so that isn’t an issue. She gets socialized by gymnastics, church, play dates, etc. That is not a problem either. Pre k is expensive and our van just gave us a new payment to add to the list. But she is BORED at home. I cannot keep up with her constant, “Let’s swim”, Let’s dance”, “Let’s craft” etc. She has more energy than any other human I know and she never naps. Therefore I have decided she is going to pre k. I don’t care if I have to dance at night….. she is going to pre k. You all know no one wants to see me dance, but my point is, we will not eat groceries in order for her to get out, get some structure and make friends. We are going right now to tour the one I like most, from referrals and the website.
I’ll keep you posted.
And Dr. Laura, eat it. She will enjoy it better than hanging out with me, all day, every day.
Besides maybe now I can only take one kid to the gyno.
I’m sitting here while Lily is being double teamed by OT and Speech. Andi is playing with the therapists toys and Oliver is trying to do what ever Andi is doing. She doesn’t want to share and I am already getting a glimpse into the world of sibling rivalry, something I have managed to avoid even after being a parent to two kids for over 4 years. Let the games begin.
Last night we had a family day at a local pool for our church. It was so much fun! I really love our church and all the awesome families I am getting to know! The kids had a blast! I am amazed at the local High School pools we have here. They include huge areas for kids with jungle gyms, water slides, lazy river and a large toilet bowl type thing that spins you around. It is amazing at how well Andi swims! She was even jumping off the diving board and swimming to the edge. It was incredibly impressive, especially since besides her the youngest kids to jump were well over 6 yrs old. Lily loved swimming around with dad and Oliver is a water baby! He LOVES the water!
Today we used our Hab hours for some good! We found someone we like and she is able and willing to take Lily to horse therapy at 6am for me. WOW! What a blessing that is! I still have to get Lily up, fed and dressed by 5:45am, but then she takes her for me and brings her back. So far so good. Last week I took her with us to train her and this week she did it alone. This really makes our mornings easier, Andrew can now go to work at 5:30am like he likes to and not have to wait around for me to get back with bug after 7am. So this is a good thing, let’s pray it continues to work well. It is so hard to let someone else take your child in their car and be responsible for them. But I am doing my best to relax some. Just some. I can’t totally and won’t.
So we’re doing well. Totally looking forward to our trip to Disney at the end of this month, Lily will be the luckiest birthday girl this year and who deserves it more than her????
Calm Amongst the Chaos 