The Hall Way

A Quarter to Eight

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:14:00 +0000

7:45am is never a good time at our house. If we were crazy enough to televise our lives, my number one rule (I learned from Kate Gosslin that you can have rules.) would be that the cameras would have to be turned off from 7:45 to 8 0'clock in the morning.....every morning. This is the time of day that I am trying to get myself and three kids out of the house and into the car. I know, two simple steps......sounds so easy.

Today was especially bad and I will get back to it.....but generally, it is just a crazy time. This is what needs to happen during that time: last minute potty trips, jackets on, backpacks in car, lunches in car, kids in car, buckle up three year old, break up a few fights, unbuckle three year old to take off jacket, unlock four year old's seat belt, wait for 6 year old to run back in to go potty......I could go on.

A typical day in the Hall house starts at about 6am. Matt is usually up and getting ready for work by then and I try to get ready before all three kids join us in the bathroom at about 6:45. (From 6:45-7:45 things are relatively calm. We do all the normal stuff: breakfast, get dressed, wash faces, brush teeth, fix hair, make beds, etc.) It is not until 7:45 that everything begins to unravel.

Back to today: Today started at 3 o'clock in the morning. Emilie came into my room and said she was scared. I put her back to bed with a few comforting words. A minute later, I hear her crying. I go in to her room and turn on her lamp. Just as I get back into bed, she is crying again. I go back and am feeling quite annoyed when she tells me that she thinks she might throw up. After hanging out with her in the bathroom for a few minutes with no result, I put her in bed with me and tell Matt to go sleep in her bed. Just as I get set up with a large bowl and a box of baby wipes....the barf fest begins.....and continues every 30 minutes for the next four hours.

I slept in a little this morning and I was just getting out of bed as Luke and Zachary were waking up. This was not good.

Trying to get Luke and Zachary ready for school this morning was tough. I was tired and cranky and trying to comfort Emilie while simultaneously keeping the contents of her stomach contained.

I considered keeping Zachary and Luke home from school for a brief moment. I couldn't figure out how I was going to get everyone from the house to the car to school with my sanity in tact. But then I thought about poor Emilie being harassed all morning by her brothers and I figured it would be worth it to have a few hours without them. If only I could get them to where they needed to be.

7:45 rolls around and this is how it goes: I am helping Luke get dressed while reprimanding Zachary for his rude behavior towards his poor sick sister. I hear Emilie start crying from somewhere in the house. I know this means that she is about to throw up. I try to hurry Luke's legs into the appropriate openings in his pants and I'm yelling, "EMILIE, GO TO THE BATHROOM. THROW UP IN THE TOILET!" I see her run past me and pass the bathroom. Where the heck is she going? I run after her and see her heading towards her 'bowl' on the couch. She doesn't make it. Throw up on the carpet. "WHY DIDN'T YOU GO TO THE BATHROOM?" She wanted her 'bowl.' Wonderful.

As I begin to clean the carpet, I tell Emilie to go get in the shower and Zachary to start gathering supplies to make his lunch. This typically would be a day to buy hot lunch but since the menu said, 'Supervisor's Choice,' I understood why Zachary didn't want to chance it. I hear "Uh-oh!" And go into the kitchen to find the Strawberry Syrup spilled on the kitchen floor. A juice box was more of what I had in mind for lunch but since I had put Zachary in charge, Strawberry Milk was on the menu.

According to the clock, this is the point that we should all be heading to the car......except for there is throw up in the living room, syrup on the kitchen floor, lunch is not made and Emilie is in the shower.

I clean up the messes on the floors as quickly as I can, warm up the car, tell Zachary to get in, buckle Luke in and then go get Emilie. I wrap her dripping wet self up with my bathrobe and buckle her in the car. And we drive Zachary to school. He is 7 minutes late.

PFAPA

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:14:00 +0000

I took Zachary to the Doctor today. He goes to Valley Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital Central California) every 6 months for a check up because 2 years ago he was diagnosed with PFAPA Syndrome. I started noticing right after his 3rd birthday that he was getting a fever every month with no other symptoms (that I could tell) so I started keeping track of them and after a year and a half, he was officially diagnosed by his pediatrician. His pediatrician had only recently heard of this syndrome and referred us to a doctor who specializes in Immunology and Rheumatology.
Dr. Wright (http://www.childrenscentralcal.org/OurDoctors/Pages/dwright.aspx) is quite familiar with PFAPA and has five other patients with this syndrome.

Now that Zachary is in school and sports, I have had to try to explain this 'illness' more and more. I usually tell his teachers/coaches/school nurse that Zachary will seem very tired and complain of being cold. He will either have a fever or one will be coming on when these symptoms occur. His fevers occur about every 8-12 weeks and he is NOT contagious.

Before we found something to relieve his fever and the symptoms that accompany it, the fevers would last 3-5 days. Now that we give him a single dose of Prednisolone, the fever is gone within 2 hours.

Today I spent some time searching the Internet for a good description of PFAPA and the following is what I found:

Periodic fever, Aphthous-stomatitis, Pharyngitis, Adenitis (PFAPA) Syndrome

This syndrome includes recurrent episodes of fever with aphthous-stomatitis (mouth sores), pharyngitis (sore throat with redness and sometimes a throat that has a white covering – exudate - like that seen in a throat with streptococcal infection.

PFAPA affects children in early childhood, usually starting at age two to four years. Episodes usually decrease in frequency and resolve after the age of 10 years. This disease was recognized for the first time in 1987 and was called Marshall’s.

How common is it?
The frequency of PFAPA is not known, but the disease appears to be more common than generally appreciated.

What causes PFAPA?
The answer to this question is not yet known. No gene defect has yet to be found in PFAPA, although in some cases more than one family member has the disease. No infectious cause has been found in PFAPA, thus it is not a contagious disease. It is clear that the inflammatory process is activated during episodes but it is not clear why it is triggered.

What are the main symptoms?
The main symptoms are episodic fevers, accompanied by a sore throat, mouth ulcers, or enlarged cervical lymph nodes (glands in the neck, an important part of the immune system).

The episodes of fever start abruptly and last for three to seven days.

During episodes, the child looks very ill and complains about at least one of the three symptoms mentioned above.

The episodes of fever recur every few weeks and often families know the exact day when an attack will start. On the day the fever starts the child will feel a little ill before the attack and the family knows an attack is about to start.

Not all children have all symptoms, especially mouth sores. Some children have other symptoms like joint pain, abdominal pain, headache, vomiting or diarrhea.

How is PFAPA diagnosed?
There are no laboratory tests, or imaging procedures, specific for diagnosing PFAPA. The disease will be diagnosed based on the results of a physical examination and other symptoms. Inflammatory blood tests like the white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the C-reactive protein are increased during attacks. Before the diagnosis is confirmed, it is important to exclude all other diseases that may present with similar symptoms (especially a streptococcal throat). The dramatic response to treatment (see below) also helps diagnose PFAPA.

How is PFAPA treated?
There is no specific treatment to cure PFAPA. The aim of treatment is to control symptoms during the episodes of fever, to shorten the duration of episodes, and in some children to prevent attacks from occurring.

In most children, the disease will resolve by itself without treatment, usually after the age of 10 years.

The fever does not usually respond well to Tylenol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

A single dose of steroids (usually prednisone), given when symptoms first appear, has been shown to shorten an episode and sometimes even end the episode. However, the interval between episodes may also be shortened with this treatment, and the next episode may occur earlier than expected.

In some patients using cimetidine (a medicine that is used to treat stomach ulcers) may prevents attacks from occurring. In patients with very frequent attacks, a tonsillectomy (removing the tonsils by surgery) may be considered.

What is the outcome and course of PFAPA?
The disease may last for several years. Over time, the intervals between the episodes will increase and usually after the age of 10 years resolve by itself. Children with PFAPA continue to grow and develop normally.

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/periodic_fever_syndrome/rheumatology_overview.aspx The Cleveland Clinic © 1995-2009. All Rights Reserved. 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 800.223.2273 TTY 216.444.0261

Fear

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:03:00 +0000

I never would have thought of myself as a fearful person. Well of course I am scared of normal things like heights, small spaces, the dark.... But I wouldn't say that I "live in fear." When I think of being fearful, the picture that comes to mind is someone who is shaky, nervous....you know - those people in horror movies.

This morning I attended Bible Study at church. We are studying the book of Esther. Beth Moore is the author of the study and every other week, we watch her teach us on dvd. I always look forward to these days. Today when she shared that the topic was "fear," I thought, "Well, I am just going to tune out a bit since this doesn't really relate to me." If you have ever seen Beth Moore teach, you will know that she is very animated and very intense.....which makes it almost impossible to tune her out.

She shared with us a struggle that God had helped her through over the last year and a half. She said that around the time of her birthday that year, she started to fear that her husband wouldn't find her attractive anymore. She began to fear that he would be attracted to someone else and even worse.....fall in love with that person. She shared with us how painful just thinking about this was and how God worked in her life to bring her through this. (Mind you, her husband gave her no indication that any of this would occur.....but nonetheless, Beth was paralyzed with fear.)

As she shared this story, I immediately recognized my own fear. I realized that I DO live in fear.....on a daily basis.

I am absolutely terrified that some harm will come to my children. Those words don't even come close to describing my feelings. I don't even want to write the words but I will: I live in fear every day that one (or more) of my children WILL DIE.

It is not that I think about this all day long but little thoughts pop into my head a lot!

For instance, I asked my kids to take a dish back to a neighbor who lives across the street. As I stood in the garage and watched the three of them hold hands and cross the street, I thought: What if a car comes speeding down the street and hits them and then THEY DIE?!

Last week I watched a tv show where a young boy died and I thought: What would I do if one of my children had a terminal illness and DIED?!

Often, I pray a quick prayer: God, protect my children. When I pray this, it is for no other reason than the fact that I am feeling afraid.

What would I do if harm did come to my children......if they got sick.....if they were in an accident.....if they died?
That's the point I would stop the thoughts. I would move on to something else. I would push down the fear.

Beth Moore really made me think about my biggest fear.....and how it was affecting me.....in my everyday life.
Here are some of her points that really stuck with me:
*The most frequent command in the Bible: "Do not be afraid....Fear not."
*Nobody is born brave but we can become courageous.
*I am my biggest obstacle.
*God has no intention of leaving me this way.
*Conditional faith: "God is good if He does what I say."
*It's tough being a woman in the tight fist of fear.
*We will not know abundant life if we live in this fear.

Instead of cutting the thoughts off as they enter my head, Beth encouraged me to imagine the worst case scenario:
What if my children died?

I would be beyond sad....full of pain and sorrow. I would scream and cry and feel like the hurt would never stop. I would feel lost and lonely and weak. I would get in bed and want to stay there. I would cry out to God. I would search His Word for comfort. I would recognize that God knows my pain....has experienced it. I would remember that God is faithful and good and loving. And then I would get up. Because my God will take care of me.

I don't mean to make this sound simple. It is so not simple. But with the courage of God's presence, I will choose to be brave.

I will choose faith over fear.

I will choose to live.

to be continued......

excerpts from: Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore

For Jill

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

It has been a long time since I have cried for someone else.....well, until yesterday.

I can remember crying for Zachary when he was a day old and the nurses came into our room every few hours to jab his foot with a needle to draw blood. (The worst part being that they would warm his foot first with a heating pad and then WHAM!) I remember crying for my Granny when the love of her life - my Papa - died. I remember crying on each anniversary of September 11 for all the loved ones left behind.

I cry for myself plenty but how often do I really cry and pray and hurt for someone else?

I reconnected with a friend through Facebook about a year ago. We met on a mission trip when I was 17 years old. We spent the summer in Israel helping with projects at a school there. When we found each other on Facebook, I noticed that her kids were similar ages to mine. As most of you reading this know: when you find a mom whose kids are the sames ages as your own - there is a connection.

So, even though I have not seen my friend in 15 years, I do feel a connection. The summer that we spent together was life-changing for me. And she was a part of it. That, combined with our parallel lives, keeps us connected.

She is in a terrible amount of physical pain. You can read her story at http://www.jillrees.blogspot.com/ . I won't go into detail but because of her pain and weakness she has not been able to be the wife and mommy that she very much wants to. She had brain surgery a few months ago. The doctors thought this would fix the problem. It didn't. She had another surgery last week. It didn't work. The doctors don't know what to do any more. All she can do is lay flat on her back.....in pain. And watch other people take care of her children.

I just ache for her. For a while, I have been avoiding reading her husband's updates on her health. As if not knowing makes it less real. Yesterday, I let myself really FEEL for her. And it brought me to a place I have not been to in a long time. I cried out to God and begged for her healing. I just plain cried. The tears just kept coming.

In the last year, two women (friends of friends) who were my age, who had kids - babies, toddlers and preschoolers - like me - have died. I just cannot even comprehend this. Their kids will now grow up without their mamas. And now my friend is in a place that only God can get her out of.

I know that God is sovereign. I know that He has a reason and purpose for everything. I will never know the mind of God. I will never understand why bad things happen to good people. But I will trust in what I do know.

I know that God is good and loving and all-knowing and that nothing happens without Him allowing it. I know that God knows pain. I know that the troubles that we experience in THIS world do not even compare to the sweet glory that He is preparing for us in Heaven.

I love how The Message paraphrases Matthew 15:

"After Jesus returned, he walked along Lake Galilee and then climbed a mountain and took his place, ready to receive visitors. They came, tons of them, bringing along the paraplegic, the blind, the maimed, the mute - all sorts of people in need - and more or less threw them down at Jesus' feet to see what he would do with them. He healed them. When the people saw the mutes speaking, the blind looking around, they were astonished and let everyone know that God was blazingly alive among them."

I love that! I am so thankful that I serve a God who is still "blazingly alive!" I know that my God heals.

It hurts when we let ourselves really care for other people. To feel another persons pain is painful. But I know that this is what God wants me to do. It is His command.

Jesus said, "Love others as well as you love yourself." (The Message Matthew 22:39)

As I cried for my friend yesterday, I was "loving her as well as I love myself." To look outside myself is something I need to do much more often. A tiny part of me was changed yesterday.

Tips for surviving (and thriving!) in the baby/toddler phase

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:03:00 +0000

Here is a great practical and inspirational post that I came across today.

Click on the link below and ENJOY!

Conversion Diary: Tips for surviving (and thriving!) in the baby/toddler phase - The diary of a former atheist

The Things I Can Accomplish (when someone else cleans my house)

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Sat, 30 May 2009 04:33:00 +0000

Because someone else cleaned my house one day last week.....I was able to clean out our "Coat Closet."

In the winter there really are coats that hang on the right side of the closet. In the spring and summer, the coats get moved to their respective homes (ie. Emilie's coat lives in Emilie's closet). In the cold and rainy months (when we are reaching for coats, sweatshirts and umbrellas repeatedly) it seems silly to continually put them away in four different bedrooms.

Anyway, this is one of two closets in our home that is not in a bedroom. The other closet is called the "Linen Closet." But it actually stores our toiletries, first aid, medicine, and cleaning supplies....as well as our linens. These two closets must store everything that does not belong (or will not fit) in a bedroom closet. Stuff is constantly getting shoved in them.....especially when people are coming over! So, I try to clean them out a few times a year.

The picture above is what our "Coat Closet" looks like after I have taken an hour to organize it. It should probably be called the "Game Closet" or the "Gift Wrap Supply Closet" or the "Kids' Stuff That Makes a Big Mess Closet."

But I digress.

I have been wanting to clean out this closet for at least 6 months. I never wanted to begin that project when there were other more pressing things to do. By "more pressing," I mean the things that can be seen when I open my front door. There is always the kitchen to clean or the living room to tidy up.

But when someone else cleans your house, number one: you are not too tired to take on a project and number two: your entire house is clean all at once so you are able to focus on a potentially messy and time consuming project.

This closet may not look like much to you but for the last two days (whenever I need a pick-me-up), I open the door and peek inside.

It is something that I have cleaned and organized that will stay that way for at least a few weeks....unlike every other area in my house.

I wish I had taken a "Before" picture so you could see the difference but I did not think of that until I sat down to write this post.

Oh! A little bonus to cleaning out this closet is that I found my son's 200 page Kindergarten Homework Book that is due on Monday. It had been missing for a week. He would have been devestated to miss out on the "prize" for completing his book.

He has two days to complete 40 pages.....oops, maybe I should have avoided that closet for another few weeks. I have a feeling it is going to be a loooong weekend!

Shhhh.....

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Shhhh....
Isn't that what you think of when you go to the library? Apparently someone forgot to tell my children.

I thought that I would be a nice mommy and take my children to the library yesterday. Now I remember why we have not been there since last September.....what an absolute nightmare!
So, we had the "talk" in the car on the way to the library:
"We have to be quiet in the library. You can look at books, you can pick some books to check out, you can sit at a table with your books but you CANNOT yell, scream, run, hit, or throw books on the floor."

Well, it seems that my children got the speech all backwards. Everything I said that was a "can't" or a "don't" they thought was a "can" and a "do."

As we entered the Children's Room at the library, we were met by a large dog. Yes, you got that right, a dog! Well, he was on a leash that a nice elderly lady was holding. Two out of my three children are terrified of dogs. As the lady was explaining to us, "This doggie is very nice. She is a therapy dog," I had my 4 year old daughter climbing up my leg and my 2 year old backing into me screaming, "EWWWWW, EWWWWW doggie." And I DO mean SCREAMING! I don't really know why he was saying, "Ewww," as opposed to just crying but he was.....and he was LOUD.....and it was embarrassing.

If only I had known that this was only the beginning. We should have gracefully (yeah right) made our exit right then.

Luke's eyes lit up when he saw the book shelves. Actually, it was not the books that excited him; it was the aisles between the book shelves. Those wide open spaces just looked perfect for running.

Zachary was off to look for a book on reptiles.

Emilie asked me to ask the librarian to help her find a book on princesses. As the librarian tried to help us (to no avail), Luke decided to run around and knock books onto the ground. I was trying not to be rude to the librarian but I kept trying to get away so that I could catch Luke but she just kept talking and talking about how she "just could not believe that there was not one book about a princess in the library." Yeah, yeah we gotta go!

I hear another librarian say sweetly, "There is no running in the library." As Luke goes streaking by. I really wanted to defend myself and say, "You know what? I already told him that and I would really like to spank him because he disobeyed but I am afraid that you will call the police. And that is why I am talking in my fake nice voice to my child and glaring at him....it is so that he and I can go home together where I can discipline in private."

Then Emilie says that she has to go to the bathroom so I grab Luke and take him with us and tell Zachary that he can look at his books.

As Emilie is going potty, I give Luke a lecture. "Luke, you need to stay next to mommy. You cannot run around. You cannot pull books off of the shelves. STAY RIGHT NEXT TO ME!"
He sweetly says, "Ok mommy, I stay next to you."

As I turn around to help Emilie, he grabs the handle on the bathroom door and starts yelling VERY LOUDLY and jiggling it around. He must have unlocked it because a lady pulled the door open and was ready to save this child in distress. She was surprised to find me standing there with my two children. She apologized for walking in but I am sure she was thinking, "That lady needs to control that kid!"

When I left Zachary, he had found 2 books about snakes so I told the kids that it was time to go look for a book for mommy. Emilie had about 8 books so we had about all we could carry. (A good mommy would have brought her "Library Bag." Whatever.) Zachary declares that he is "done" with his books and now wants to put them back and pick out some others. Through clenched teeth, I help him pick out 2 books about Sharks. Let's go!

As we walk out of the Children's Room and enter the main library, Zachary decides to become a spy. He weaves through the book shelves and jumps from one aisle to the next, always keeping an eye on me but I could not see him. So I am hissing, "Zachary, come here. I want you to be right next to me." He would jump out for a moment just so I could see where he was but then he was off again. Ok people, this is my (almost) six year old! I could not believe how horribly he was behaving.

Well, Luke thought this was awesome. He decided to run after Zachary and try to find him. When I caught up to him, I grabbed his hand and said, "Luke, you need to hold mommy's hand." He said, "Noooooo." And tried to wriggle away from me. So I had to use the "death grip" and try to hold his hand without crushing it. That was when he began to sob.

Ok, forget mommy's book. Let's find Zachary and get out of here. We go to the self check-out. I scan my library card. WHAT?! I owe $21.75 in late fees! Aughrrr!

So we have to go to the Accounts Counter to pay our bill before we check out. Luke decides to crawl around on the floor and yell, "wah, wah," pretending that he is a baby. I tell him to get up and stand next to me and he does NOT so I quietly "discipline" him. He yells, "Owww, don't pinch me, mommy." And starts to cry.

The man who is taking my check says, "You've got your hands full." Oh, how I just love it when people say that. REALLY? YOU THINK SO???

I was trying to think of an appropriate punishment for Zachary's bad behavior. I considered not letting him check out his two books. But then I felt guilty because I knew that we would not be coming back to the library for a VERY LONG TIME.....like, years. So, I settled on letting him check the books out but he was not allowed to have them until tomorrow. Yeah, I know.....I am a weanie.

I do have to say that Emilie was very well behaved. That girl does have her moments but thankfully, she made some good choices while we were at the library. If she had joined her brothers on their "Team Obnoxious," I probably would have had to call CPS on myself.

So, we finally made it to the car where I told Zachary how disappointed I was in his behavior (all the while, Emilie chiming in "Mommy, I was good, wasn't I? I stayed right with you, didn't I? I listened to you, right mommy?"). Next, I gave Luke a 2 year old version of the same speech.

Going to the library is a bit like childbirth for me. It is excruciatingly painful at the time but then as time passes, I forget the pain and do it all over again. I vow to remember. No thank you on both accounts: library visits and childbirth.

Let's Get Real

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:13:00 +0000

This is the home of a self-professed clean-freak:

What you don't see: pee in the potty seat.

This is what my kitchen counter looks like....on a regular basis.

My desk is cluttered with all of the things I am intending to work on.

I am so tired of cleaning up messes! One of the hardest things about being a stay-at-home mom is going to bed at night without a sense of accomplishment. It seems like one hundred percent of what I do each day is undone within minutes.

Make breakfast, clean up. Make snack, clean up. Make lunch, clean up. Make another snack, clean up. Make dinner, clean up.

Take off diaper, put underwear on, clean up poopy underwear and poopy bottom. Forget to put on new underwear, clean up poop off of the floor and poopy bottom. Try again with a clean pair of underwear......or give up and put a diaper on. (I am referring to my 2 year old.....in case there is some confusion.)

Wash clothes, fold clothes, put away clothes. Repeat 100 million times.

Pick up toys, put away toys. Tell kids to "go play with your toys," then....pick up toys, put away toys.

Right now it is 8 o'clock on a Tuesday evening. My house is a mess. I did clean up (many times) today....but I have not done "the final cleaning" and I DON'T WANT TO! But I know that I will pay for it in the morning. The only thing worse than going to bed with a messy house is waking up to a messy house.

As I sit here writing, my husband says, "Don't you have other things you should be doing?" He is right. And I say so. "Yes, there are ALWAYS other things I should be doing." Which is why I have not written a post on this blog in 6 weeks!

A few months ago, I spoke to our MOPS group about keeping a clean and organized home. I have thought about that many times as I have looked around my messy house. I think, "If they could see my house now!" So, girls.....here is your chance.

I will try to rest in the fact that it will be clean again.....probably, even tomorrow.

Although, it seems like a daunting task at this time of night.

I am comforted by the fact that many of you are right there with me. We are cleaning and breaking up fights and wiping bottoms and putting away loads of laundry and praying for patience.....together.

Typical....

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:29:00 +0000

I decided when I woke up this morning that I am not going to the gym today and I am not going to feel guilty about it.

My plan was to take Zachary to kindergarten and then come home with Emilie and Luke to work around the house. My two lofty goals were to complete (wash, dry, fold and put away) two loads of laundry and vacuum the entire house.

It is my belief that children (at least, my children) were put here to thwart my plans.

The second we walk in the door, Emilie wants to change her clothes. She takes off her warm leggings and long-sleeved shirt in favor of a sheer, pink ballet skirt thingie and a tiny white camisole.

I can't stand when she does this because she has to change back into normal clothes when it is time to go get Zachary.....which is only a few short hours away.

I plug in the vacuum. She comes to get me, "Mom, my door is locked." Yep, it sure is. I get the screw driver out of the garage to take the door knob off. I am mad. This is not on my to-do list. The door knob won't come off.....it is hanging by the screws. My friend calls and advises me to use a paper clip to unlock the door. It doesn't work. My sister calls and says to use a bobby pin. It doesn't work. I call Matt for advice. I hear him answer his phone - meaning, I hear people talking in the background. Then I hear, "click" and then silence. Ok, I guess he will be of no help to me.

I decide to give up and worry about it later. Back to vacuuming.

The noise scares Luke (or so I think) and he hides under the kitchen table. Moments later, I think, "What stinks?" It is then I notice Luke pulling his pants and underwear off. "I go poop," he tells me. Great....

I take him to his little potty where he finishes the job and then clean him up.

I walk in the direction of the vacuum cleaner....."Mom....." WHAT????? Now, they are hungry. Can they have gum? No. A mint? No. Milk? Yes.

I go out to the garage to put one load of laundry in the dryer. My plans to start the 'darks' are interrupted by the clothes that Luke was wearing when he had his accident. I decide to wash those separtely before I start what was intended to be my 'second load.'

As I go back to the living room to finish vacuuming, Matt calls. I tell him the problem. He tries to help me over the phone - to no avail. He is shocked when I scream at Emilie and Luke "Shush! Be quiet! Just get out of here!" He laughingly tells his coworker that his wife is screaming at the kids. Oh yes, isn't it funny when you are not the one dealing with them.....

He gives up on me and tells me to just "dress Emilie in Zachary's clothes." What about nap time? What about time outs? What about "just go play in your room!" I need her door OPEN! I need her room to be AVAILABLE.

I figure out that if I take Zachary's door knob off, I can use it to open Emilie's door (yes, I did mangage to get her door knob off - but still could not get the door to open). So, now I have screws and door knobs scattered about and Luke thinks he is Handy Manny and wants to play with everything.

I open Emilie's door. I put Zachary's door knob back on. But now I cannot get Emilie's door knob to line up correctly to put the screws back in. Forget it! I gather the screws and knobs and put everything on the kitchen counter for Matt to deal with tonight.

I realize that if anyone shuts Emilie's door, I will have to take Zachary's door knob off again in order to open it. I instruct Luke and Emilie not to shut the door. Yeah, right. I am counting the minutes until I will be kneeling in front of her door to remedy the problem.....again.

The laundry is not done. It sits wrinkled in the dryer. The house is not vacuumed....except for about one-fourth of the living room.

It is time to go get Zachary.

Typical.

Down....but not out!

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:33:00 +0000

Somehow, I managed to hurt my back. It has been about a week now. The pain started in my right wrist, moved up my arm to my neck, down my back and has decided to make its home under my right shoulder blade.

My friend, who is a Physical Therapist, had a look at it four days ago. I happened to be at his house because his wife and I were hosting a dessert for the MOPS leadership at our church. I weaseled my way into a personal training session before I left their house.

The problem with Physical Therapists is that they don't give a lot of sympathy. But they do like to give homework.

I am supposed to ice my back a few times a day. I am also supposed to lay on a rolled up towel (because a don't have a 'ball') and do a few stretching exercises throughout the day. I was excited to hear that I should not exercise in a way that would strain my back.....but then he told me that working out on the treadmill was fine. Bummer!

He thinks I have a Damaged Nerve Root. Of course, I Googled this.....and I must say, this diagnosis sounds right on.

Every time I lay on the floor to do my "homework," Luke thinks it is time to jump on my knees to play "Flying Superman." Zachary and Emilie also seem to want to climb all over me. It is not often that my children see me on the floor (unless I am trying to get to some discarded food item under the kitchen table).

Writing this post has seemed to intensify my back pain. To describe the pain, all that comes to mind is that someone jabbed me in the shoulder blade with a screw driver. And then left it there.

So.....I will stop writing now.

p.s. I also have a cold (as do my three children and husband)......feel sorry for me.....please!

Thursday Night

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:42:00 +0000

It is 6:40 pm on a Thursday night. We had a delicious dinner (made by someone else).

The house is clean - or at least, "picked up."

All 3 kids have been bathed and have their pajamas on.

Zachary is reading to Matt.

Emilie and Luke are enjoying a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.

I have my pajamas on, my teeth are brushed and my face is washed.

The kids will all be in bed in the next 45 minutes.

After that, it will be time to catch up on some tivoed shows (American Idol) before The Office starts. (I love having a show that Matt and I both enjoy watching together - they are few and far between.)

Matt and I will most likely be in bed by 10 o'clock - where we will hopefully enjoy 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. (I just knocked on wood.)

Nights like this are the best!

Calling All Moms!

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:41:00 +0000

If you are a mom to little ones, I have something for you to read. If you have ever felt down or discouraged or depressed about your role as a mother (and all that one little title entails): READ THIS!

One of my favorite blogs to read is called "Preschoolers and Peace." It is written by a mom of 8 children so she is full of wisdom and experience. She is also real.

I found so much encouragement and hope in her post yesterday (and also in all of the comments that followed it).

Do yourself a favor, take a few minutes to read it.

Sometimes when I am feeling overwhelmed by the task of mothering, I just want a friend to commiserate with me. This is NOT that kind of post. This is for those of us who are looking for real HELP and ANSWERS.

I hope it touches you, like it did me.

It is entitled, "Can We Really Discover Joy in the Journey?"

http://www.preschoolersandpeace.com/

Money Matters

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:55:00 +0000

Every January, my hubby and I sit down and write out a budget. It all looks so nice and neat on paper! Matt sets up Excel spread sheets and tries (unsuccessfully) to explain how to transfer information from our bank account onto these forms so that we can track our spending.

There are two main problems here:

1. Neither of us has the time or energy to keep up with this on a day to day basis. We get so behind that it takes hours to catch up.

2. I honestly don't understand how to work the program. I have told you all before: I am computer illiterate!

So basically, by the time we enter all the data, the month has ended. We see were all of our money went but we were not tracking it all along.

I am an organized person. I like to have order in my life. This is one area of my life that is messy and confusing. And it drives me crazy!

I think I may have found a solution..... www.mint.com I read about it in a magazine and decided to try it out this morning. It only took about 5 minutes to set up my account. It is free. And it tracks our spending and puts it in easy to read graphs! It does all sorts of other neat stuff too (like reminded me that I need to make a payment on my credit card in 7 days).

When I am excited about something....I just have to share. Try it out and let me know what you think.

NOTE: Once again, I am endorsing a product yet not getting paid for it! Maybe, they'll track me down and thank me later.

All I Want for Christmas is You

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:22:00 +0000

I apologize for not writing more this month. I really do have a lot to say......but I am too tired and too busy to say it!

Take a minute and enjoy a great video. (My friend and fellow blogger, Teri, shared this on her blog.)

(click below on the green words)

YouTube - All I Want for Christmas is You: "All I Want for Christmas is You"

Merry Christmas everyone!
Love, Heather

Tagged

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Teri tagged me so I am now faced with the task of listing 6 things that make me really happy. I have NEVER done one of these "erase my answers and fill in yours and pass it on" emails. Mostly because I hate how they always end with the line, "Pass this on and something good will happen to you today" or "If you are really my friend, fill this out, send it back to me and we will be BFF's." No thank you.

Another reason I don't do these "questionnaires" is because I am computer illiterate. I don't know how to cut, paste, and delete. I usually get stuck after the "cutting" part.

One more reason I avoid these like the plague is that there are usually about 504 questions to fill out. And who the heck has time for that?

But because Teri and I have a picture of ourselves with our shirts up and our bare prego bellies sticking out - I do feel some obligation to her. I DO NOT want that picture getting out!

Another reason to make my list is because there is only ONE question.....although, there are 6 answers.....so here it goes:

6 Things That Make Me Really Happy
1. Hanging out with my girlfriends at the gym, Starbucks, out to dinner.....where ever.
2. Going on dates with Matt.....especially when we laugh a lot.
3. A clean house.....not just "picked up" but DEEP CLEANED.
4. Being the coordinator for MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at my church.
5. Pretty things: grassy hills, blue skies, fluffy white clouds.....
6. Laughing with my kids......there is just something about sharing a joke with someone who grew inside of you!

Tag, You're It!
1. Mom
2. Allie
3. Brandy
4. Matt
5. Kristal
6. Carol

These are the only people I know who read this blog and therefore will see this and know that they are tagged!

Please don't feel any obligation to "keep this going" (I hate being made to feel guilty about "breaking the chain"). Just do it if you want to! The one exception here is my husband. One reason being: because I want to see if he is really reading this and two, because I am curious to see what his answers will be.

I would like to take a moment to apologize to all of you who did not "receive a recipe" or a "dish towel" or "a book" or some "new underwear" because I "broke the chain". I hope you can forgive me.....I just hate these things!

Tag, You're It!

Going Home

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I am 32 years old and "going home" still means going to the home that I grew up in. I keep trying to change my thinking.....to grow up and recognize that I have a home with my husband and three children. Yes, I guess I do have two homes. But only one of them makes me feel giddy and weepy when we are within 30 miles of the place. My parents still live in the house that we moved to when I was 5 and my sister was 3. Many of my childhood friends' parents still live in the neighborhood. Some of my friends have even moved back. It is easy to see why..... Growing up in Bishop Estates (don't let the name fool you....the house I grew up in was 1780 square feet) made for a wonderful childhood. Bishop Estates is a true neighborhood. Everybody knows everybody. All the kids walked to school together, rode bikes together, participated in the 4th of July parades together and were teammates together on the neighborhood swim team. It was fun and safe and community......and I thought that one day I would be there, too.

But I am not. I am living a great and blessed life.....3 hours from my home town. So, when I get to go home - it is a thrill for me.

My husband has not come right out and said that I am a wacko but I am pretty sure he thinks it when we travel back there. The closer we get, the more "oohing and ahhing" he has to put up with. I think it is beautiful there. The hills and the blue sky and the trees and.....I don't even know what.....just everything....the familiarity of all of it.....that is what is beautiful to me. What my husband comments on is: the traffic. He can't stand it and he loves to complain about it but I try to ignore him and remember that "every party has a pooper...."

The actual house I grew up in looks nothing like it did when I was a child. Well, the outside looks the same, except for the new paint color. (I guess grey and white is more popular these days than yellow and brown.) There is new carpet, new tile, new hardwood, a family room addition downstairs, a master bedroom addition upstairs, all new paint, new windows, new EVERYTHING in the kitchen. All of the rooms have been changed around: the old family room is now an office. My bedroom is now a home gym. The laundry room is now a pantry. The sewing room is now an upstairs laundry room. The old master bedroom is now set up as a nursery for the grandkids. There is a beautiful pool in what was once a cement and grass playground in the backyard.

All of these changes and still, I feel complete and utter peace the second I step through the front door. I am HOME. This is the place that my mom waited for me everyday after school. Always with a snack. Many times warm from the oven. This is the place we ate dinner together every night at six o'clock. The table that we lingered over, long after our meal was finished, is still there. This is the place that my parents kissed every morning before my dad left for work and again each evening when he returned home. This is the place that all of my friends wanted to hang out. This is where my high school boyfriend, now husband, kissed me for the first time.

This is the place that I slammed doors and called names and had temper tantrums in.

This is the place I love.

When it is time to leave, I also look forward to coming to the home I now share with my husband and three children. I am happy to unpack and get organized and prepare for the week ahead. I love getting back into our routine. Right now, the laundry is done, everyone is unpacked (that is a lie....my husband has not touched his bag), the kids all had baths and are snug in their beds. I love this home, too.

Christmas is 4 weeks away. We will be preparing and packing and shopping and wrapping and driving - probably in traffic - and I can't wait......I am going home!

Huh?

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:02:00 +0000

OBEDIENCE. I am a little confused so I thought I would work through it on this blog....this public blog.....this blog that is read by my family and friends. This may be a very bad idea but here I go.....

So, I would like to live in a harmonious home. I believe that to have harmony, there must be order. The way that our home is set up is that Matt and I work together to raise our children to be good, caring, kind people who love Jesus and love others. To do this, we must teach them, right? It does not come natural to think of others before yourself or to deny your own desires so that a greater purpose can be fulfilled.

I think that ultimately I would like my children to serve others in their communities and around the world. I would also like them to respect people with whom they disagree. I would like them to take time out of their busy schedule to notice and care for other people.....basically, to take their eyes off of themselves and focus on the world around them.

It is my hope that they are on a journey to this "destination." I think that if they are practicing caring, kindness, respectfulness and obedience right now -when they are young- they will be on the right path. How do they learn this stuff? This is where I am a little bit stuck.

I know that it is my and Matt's job to teach them. But how do we do that? We do not think it is ok for our kids to talk rudely - whether that be to us, to their siblings or to a stranger. When they do speak rudely, we think that the right thing to do is to discipline them. To correct them and teach them the right way....the right words. (There are times we completely "miss the boat" here and we don't do what we know is right.....basically, because we don't want to interrupt what we are doing----but this is not what we desire to do.)

Talking rudely is just an example. There are a lot of "naughty" behaviors going on around here. There is lying, disobeying and laziness to name a few. I know that Matt and I are not perfect. We don't claim to be. But is is our job to teach our children to do right.....right? When my child tells me that he took his medicine, but secretly washes it down the bathroom drain.....should I say, "That's ok because Mommy has lied before, too."??? Or should I discipline for that behavior? Do I chalk it up to "childish antics" or do I "nip it in the bud" and do my best to see that the behavior does not repeat itself?

When I call my children and they do not come or when my two year old repeatedly pulls away from me when I am holding his hand, is this behavior acceptable because "they are just kids"?

I really do not think it is ok. If I have told my children my expectations, I believe that their job is to do what they have been told.

I am NOT trying to offend anyone here. I really am struggling with these thoughts and I am trying to work through them. How do I teach my children? What do I require of them? What is "kids being kids" and what is "willful disobedience"?

When my children know what is right (speaking with kindness, obeying the first time, being considerate of people and things....I could go on...), and then choose to DO what is right - they will see what a fun and happy and harmonious home we live in. When my children know what is right, yet CHOOSE to do wrong - there will be consequences. Matt and I don't want to be mean to our children. We want to teach them to DO what they KNOW. We want them to feel wanted and loved NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO.....but we want them to see how much better life and home and family can be, when they CHOOSE RIGHT.

Am I on the right track here? Should life not be altered by their behavior. Should we just "let them be kids" and go on with our normal routines?

I get that Jesus accepts us as filthy ragamuffins. I get that He loves us no matter what. I understand that it is only by His grace that I will spend eternity with Him. I also know that He loves me so much that He desires me to change.....to do what I know is good and right. It is through His acceptance and love and grace AND His discipline that I am being changed and molded and shaped into the woman that He has created me to be. When I do what I know to be wrong (disobey), there are often consequences, right? If there were none, would I want to change? I don't know.

Are God's standards too high? Well, without Jesus, yes. In His mercy He threw out a lifeline to us.

Are my standards too high for my children? I don't believe they are. But, like I said, I am working through all of this. Am I ruining their childhood by expecting them to listen and obey the first time they are asked to do something? I believe in discipline. I believe in teaching. I believe in mercy. I believe in grace.

NOTE: To any of you who have seen and heard me parent my children, you know that I do not live up to my own expectations. Many times, I do not drop what I am doing to teach or correct or discipline my children. But is it wrong to think that I should? Don't get me wrong....I am not trying to beat myself or any other moms up over this..... Once again, I will repeat: I am just trying to work through all of this...... Thanks for listening!

Kick in the Booty

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:40:00 +0000

I have been tired lately. Physically tired and mentally tired. It is hard work to teach kids to listen and obey the first time. It takes energy and persistence....both of which I seem to lack at any given moment. There are many times where I don't feel like doing what I know that I am supposed to do. Well, God must have seen my weariness and in His amazing grace, He threw me a lifeline. My mentor and friend writes an amazing parenting blog. Yesterday, God used her experience and wisdom to kick me in the booty. Here it is: http://www.mommymap.blogspot.com/ What do you think?

p.s. My friend did send me an email after writing her post to let me know that I was not the mom she was speaking of. I was happy to hear that. But seriously, it could have been me. Who am I kidding.....it is me. (She was just kind enough to pick on someone else for this particular post.)

I'm Back....

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Our computer "broke" again.....I know that there is a much more descriptive and technical term I should probably use but all I know is that for an entire week I did not have access to the Internet. I felt a little lost. I did not realize the habit that I have created using the World Wide Web. Whenever I have a spare moment and there are no kids crawling up my legs, I sit down and do the following: 1) Click on Google and check my email account (this is the address that I give out to my friends) 2) Next, I go to Netzero to check all my other emails (this is the address I give to all the stores who ask for my email address and also to my mom and my mother-in-law who like to send me emails that have been forwarded around the world and back. 3) Then, I log on to Facebook to see what all my buddies are up to (you know, the important stuff like what they ate for breakfast or who has sick kids that day) 4) Last, if I have time (and at least once a day, I make the time) to check my favorite blogs (check my Blog List on the right).

This process can take less than five minutes OR it can take a lot more than that if I....respond to some emails, forward a few 'forwards', write a 'status update' for myself on Facebook, comment on my friends' 'status updates', write on a few 'walls', and if my favorite blogs have new posts - I read those, too.

It was a little bit freeing knowing that I could not do those time-consuming activities even if I wanted to. Not that I did anything fantastic like write a novel.....but I did catch up on flipping through the hundreds of catalogues and magazines that have been piling up. I also relaxed on the couch while my hubby watched t.v. ---which is where I caught up on all those periodicals while he was glued to the History Channel. And I must confess, my house did seem to be a bit more clean and organized. (NOTE: Readers of this blog - specifically, my husband - may not use this information AGAINST me in any way, shape, or form.)

So, I now know that I can live without a computer....for five days. Well, that is actually a lie. I had to use two of my friends' computers during that time. One time to pay bills and the other time to respond to emails I had received.

If you know me, you know that I am very much a "people person." I enjoy my friends....I like talking with them, listening to them, helping them, being with them. I am sure that many people could turn this into a downfall or flaw of mine but I am not going to go there today. I am going to let myself find pleasure in friendship....I am going to indulge myself in people....I am going to enjoy staying connected.....whether that means meeting for coffee, going to the gym together, talking on the phone.....or even through the Internet - I'll take what I can get!

Halloween and the Stomach Flu

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:05:00 +0000

Zachary dressed as an "Army Man." He is even wearing Matt's beret from 10 years ago when Matt was a Sergeant in the Army!

Emilie as "Snow White." She was very excited about her red sparkly shoes!

Luke as a "spider." Most people thought he was either a turtle or a pumpkin??!

It is becoming a tradition to drive over to the Wilkinson's to show off costumes before we go back to our neighborhood to Trick-or-Treat.

I was so happy that the flu bug left our house just in time for Halloween! Here is the latest on the flu:
MONDAY: Luke starts throwing up
TUESDAY: Luke continues
WEDNESDAY: Emilie's turn
THURSDAY: Emilie continues and Matt begins and late that night Zachary joins in!
FRIDAY: Everyone is well!!!! (Zachary had the shortest flu ever - 5 hours!)

Friday morning, I Googled "Stomach Flu & Contagious" and I learned that a person is contagious from the time he starts vomiting (and depending on the type of flu) up until 3 days after and even up to 2 weeks later! And then the article added, "and in children, they may be contagious even longer than that." Well, I don't think I can keep my family locked up in our house for 2 weeks but I thought it would be best to stay away from our friends at school and church.....if I don't know you.....you are probably not safe! Since we would not be touching or spending a continuous amount of time with our neighbors, I thought it would be ok for the kids to hold out their Trick-or Treat buckets and let our neighbors drop a piece of candy in.....I promise, there was no hand-to-hand contact!

I kept Emilie out of school because we didn't want to spread any germs and she was sad about missing out. Zachary did not have school because of Parent/Teacher Conferences (as a former teacher I say, "Great idea!") and he was sad about missing out on Emilie's party, too. We were all bummed about not being able to go to church to see our friends and join in the fun there. But, once again, we did not want to get blamed if anyone started throwing up! So, by Friday evening, everyone was feeling great and anxious to begin celebrating.

After a quick trip to the Wilkinson's (they have all already had the stomach flu!), we came back home to find Nana and Papa had arrived. The kids were so excited to have them here to celebrate Halloween with us. After we went around 3 courts, we came home to pass out candy. I think the kids liked this part just as much as they liked Trick-or-Treating!

We have so much candy left over....it is ridiculous! What does everyone do with all their left-overs? What about all the candy your kids collected? Do you let them eat as much as they want in one weekend and then throw it out? Or do you give them a piece after dinner every night for the next year? I am already tired of my kids asking for it....and it is 9 o'clock in the morning! I did hear of a dentist here in town that will pay you by the pound for your candy.....I guess he is hoping to save some teeth from cavities. Which is pretty nice of him considering all the money he would make off those fillings!

Happy Halloween! And good-bye flu bug.....fly, fly away!

I Love This Picture!

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:04:00 +0000

A Bug in our House

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:04:00 +0000

We have a bug in our house. That sounds so much nicer than saying, "We have the stomach flu in our house." Exactly 48 hours after Luke started puking, Emilie joined in. She seems to have a much "bigger" bug. She has thrown up about 10 times in the last 5 hours. Luke only threw up 5 times in 36 hours. I hope hers ends quickly, like Luke's did. I also hope that Zachary does not follow suit. If Zachary starts throwing up 48 hours after Emilie, it will be 5 o'clock in the evening on Halloween. He will be so sad to miss all the fun!

I have not really felt too sorry for myself, surprisingly. Usually, I would be using the sickness of my children as an excuse to wallow in self-pity. The reason that I am not sinking into a depression is because of my awesome friends and my sweet husband. The first day Luke was sick, my friend Laura came to my house and picked Emilie up to go play with her daughter. I am not that nice of a friend. I would not let siblings of sick children into my home to spread their yucky germs. Laura says it is because she thinks her kids already had this virus. But I know her better than that....she is just that kind of friend....amazing.

This morning, when Luke was still sleeping and I was supposed to be taking Zachary and Emilie to school, I was able to call two moms to help me out. One came and picked up Zachary to take him to school and then after school took him with her and her son (Zachary's friend, Wyatt) to run errands and then brought him home. The other mom picked Emilie up for school and then brought her home afterwards. Amazing.

So many of my friends have been sending me sweet messages through Facebook. It is so nice to have a connection to other moms when I am trapped at home with sick, tired, and cranky kids. I know it only takes a minute to leave a sympathetic message but I have really been encouraged by all of their kind words. Amazing.

Matt agreed to be "on duty" tonight. He is sleeping on Emilie's trundle bed so that he can "hold the bowl for her." That is a good dad right there! Amazing.

Lots of Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:19:00 +0000

Since I am up with a sick baby, I thought I would post some pictures of the kids. I have been meaning to do this for a while so you will see that I had quite a bit of catching up to do! My friend, Laura, is so good at giving updates about her kids while I selfishly use my blog to ramble on and on about myself!

Zachary's Kindergarten Class on a Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Zachary is the one with his socks pulled up!

This is Zachary with his best buddy, Wyatt.

Jog-a-Thon at Nelson Elementary

Zachary ran 4 (big!) laps and got an otter pop and a medal to show for it!

While I ran with Zachary, Luke knocked down cones!

Being Silly

Zachary and Emilie wore red for "Team Color Night" at AWANA.

Zachary's 1st Soccer Game

Luke thought he was on the team!

Zachary is having a great time playing soccer....especially since his dad is the coach!

Playing Wii

Luke "thinks" he's playing, too.

Hang'in Out

This is what Luke and Emmy do while Zachary is at kindergarten and mom folds laundry.

Mother's Intuition

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:36:00 +0000

This afternoon when Luke woke up from his nap, he was crying his eyes out. He just wanted to lay his head down on my shoulder and hang out with me.....this is when I knew something was wrong. Luke does not like to sit still. So I decided to call the doctor. What was the reason I wanted to bring him in, they wanted to know. I don't know.....he's cranky? I am sure they thought I was nuts but sometimes a mom just needs some validation (I really wanted to hear someone say, "No, you're not crazy....there is definitely something wrong with this kid.")

After waiting 50 minutes to see the doctor(!), he let me know that there was nothing wrong with my son. His ear tubes looked good - no ear infection. His throat looked fine. His breathing sounded ok - no wheezing. No rashes. He did seem a bit concerned about Luke screaming his head off throughout the entire appointment but I didn't feel like explaining that he was probably crying because he was trapped inside this tiny exam room for almost an entire hour before the doctor made an appearance!

As we drove to pick up Zachary and Emilie at a friend's house, Luke was quiet in the backseat and he looked worn out. All of a sudden he started making this coughing/gagging/crying sound. After having three kids and going through one or two rounds of the stomach flu each year, I knew what was coming. I took him out of the car and let him stand next to me for a few minutes while I tried to steer him away from my shoes. Well, after about 3 minutes, he seemed to calm down and nothing came of it.

I put the kids in the car and since it was 5 o'clock, I decided to scrap my idea of barbecuing tri-tip and baking potatoes. We drove to pick up a $5 pepperoni pizza. Just as I pulled out of the parking lot with the pizza next to me, Luke started coughing/crying/gagging. As I looked in my review mirror, he began to projectile vomit. (I know....too much information!) How many times have my kids barfed in their carseats? Hmmmm, I think I have actually lost count. They must know that a carseat is so much more time consuming to clean than let's say....the tile floor in the bathroom.

Anyway, after the first incident (luckily, we were stopped at a light), I grabbed my daughter's baby doll carrier that she just borrowed from a friend (sorry, friend!). I ripped off the Winnie the Pooh cover so that only the plastic base remained. I shoved it under Luke's chin and it actually caught the next round of yuck! Seriously, it held probably one cup of regurgitated Ritz crackers, peanut butter and quesadilla! (I know....this is WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION!)

All of you moms out there know what comes next.....get home, wash sick child in the bath, put on fresh diaper and clothes, and put child on a towel in front of the tv while mom gets to work cleaning the car and car seat. I armed myself with washcloths, soapy water, vinegar, the shop vac, gloves, and plastic bags for trash. I scrubbed my heart out for about 45 minutes and on the advice of a friend, I ended up removing the carseat cover and throwing it in the washing machine. (Yes, I do know that you are NOT supposed to do that.)

Luke seemed completely fine after that one incident. He wanted to eat and no longer seemed sick. He was more than ready to jump in his crib at 7 o'clock this evening.

All this to say....I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. I WAS RIGHT. MY BABY IS SICK. I AM NOT CRAZY. So far, I have refrained from calling the pediatrician to inform him of my Super Mom Status.

Update: At 10 pm this evening, I was back to work cleaning up yuck. I have to give my husband credit here: he thought it would be a good idea to lay a towel down in Luke's crib. That made for a quick and easy clean-up. (I hope I do not have to write another update tonight!)

House Cleaning Tip #2

noreply@blogger.com (heather) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:39:00 +0000

I have written in the past about how much I enjoy a clean house. Not just a house where things are picked up....but a CLEAN house. When floors are swept, vacuumed or mopped, I am happy. When countertops are wiped clean, when tubs and showers are scrubbed, when furniture is dusted, I am happy. When ceiling fans and window coverings are washed....I am ecstatic!
House Cleaning Tip #2: Hire a House Cleaner.
Ok, I am partly kidding. I know that most of us are unable to afford someone to clean our houses for us....but wouldn't it be nice?
Every once in a while, my mother-in-law gives me me money with the sole purpose of hiring someone to clean my house. I LOVE that she does not say, "Here is some money; do whatever you want with it." First of all, my husband would tell me that I should either put it in the bank or pay bills with it. Second, I would probably buy clothes or some other unnecessary item. Although, I enjoy shopping for clothes and other "unnecessary items," they do not provide me the pure joy that a clean house does. Friday afternoon, 3 wonderful ladies came to my house and cleaned it for 3 hours!!!
I do have a cleaning schedule. I am sure you have all either seen one or have one of your own. For example, Monday: Clean toilets and tubs; Tuesday: Dust, etc. When I follow this schedule my house is "technically" clean at the end of seven days. What I mean is that every inch of my house has been cleaned BUT (and this is a BIG BUT) IT IS NOT ALL CLEAN AT THE SAME TIME. By the time I am vacuuming floors on Friday, the dust has piled up again on the dressers and the toilets need some serious scrubbing. The best part about having a house cleaner (besides the fact that someone else is cleaning my house) is that my house is ALL CLEAN AT THE SAME TIME.
It is so much easier to do all the "picking up" that comes along with children, when underneath all the toys, clothes, snacks, and crayons, the house is truly clean! We had a very busy weekend. Our Saturday was full with an appointment to get our family pictures taken, a soccer game, a trip to Costco, and a potluck dinner at a friends' house. Since we were basically running from one event to another, our house looked....well, you can imagine what our house looked like. Clothes strewn throughout, the ironing board in the middle of the living room, brushes, combs and spray bottles everywhere, dishes in the sink, groceries on the counters, evidence of food preparation left out. You would think I would be stressed. Guess what? I was NOT stressed out over my crazy mess of a house! Why? Because my house was CLEAN...not dusty, not dirty. It was scrubbed to a shine! It even smelled clean!
I do know that my house will get dusty again. I can barely see the markings from the vacuum cleaner today. I know that I will step on cereal and it will scatter far and wide. The mildew in my shower will reappear. But for now, instead of trying to play catch up at the end of each day - I am ahead of the game. For now, I feel like I have a fresh start. For now, I am happy.