Mama's Holiday Wish List Meme
Today's Mama (http://www.todaysmama.com/exclusives.php) and Provo Craft (http://bit.ly/4ikY3c) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I am sharing this meme with you.
1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year? Gift cards to Home Depot and Lowe's so we can get some stuff done to beautify this house (5 gift cards would be nice :)
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received? Anything by the monkey's that live here.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle? Not necessarily a gift, but I would love to actually get handmade cards done and mailed out!
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child? The Arena sweatsuit that I was totally convinced that I would not get (you had to actually live in the 80's in my hometown to understand this one!) I was 14yo.
5. What items are on your kids' wish lists this year? Ipod Touch (12yo), Skateboard (8yo) and Puppy in my pocket (4yo).
6. What is your favorite holiday food? Hands down....Pumpkin pie....MY pumpkin pie.
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays? Haven't decided yet.
8. What is your favorite holiday movie? Die Hard, seriously. Or Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
9. Favorite holiday song? Anything from Amy Grant's holiday albums.
10. Favorite holiday pasttime? Spending time with family!
Now you give it a try....go here.... ww.todaysmama.com/exclusives.php ...and you might win.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fevers suck.
Poor Allison had a febrile seizure this evening.
Scary.
I had run to school to go to parent-teacher conferences and left Allison sleeping on the couch. She had a low-grade temp all day, but was OK. Katie was on the computer and Em was watching television.
I came home to a frantic 8yo and 12yo. Apparently, 911 had just been called by my girls. Emily dialed and Katie talked. Allison had some activity that was later determined to be the seizure, vomited and then became unresponsive. Her breathing was shallow. I got there moments before EMS arrived.
When they got there, Allison's oxygen saturation was 92% (low-ish for a healthy 4yo girl) and her heart rate was 148. She was still shallow breathing and was not following any commands.
Scary.
We decided that the ambulance did not need to take her to the hospital, but that I would take her in myself. Eric would meet us at the ER (he was coming home from Greenville).
Allison was awake but still out of it and not following commands. She had not spoken any words still....hard to believe... :)
We were seen right away in the ER. Her temp was 102 degrees. The doctor later told us that it is not necessarily h0w high the temp is, but how fast it spikes. I think that is what happened. I asked if the doctor thought that it was influenza and she stated that it could be. But she would not treat Allison any differently. She stated that the incidents of influenza is decreasing. Yay!!!!
We were sent home about an hour later with a prescription for Amoxicillin (for a newly discovered ear infection in the ear WITHOUT the tube), instructions for Motrin and Tylenol and close observation. Check. Check. Check.
As I type, she is sleeping soundly. Sweating off the fever that is breaking.
As I type, Emily has fallen asleep, hopefully she will be sweating off the fever that she developed this evening.
When it rains, it pours.
God bless my little ones. Keep the healthy ones healthy and heal the sick ones. Thank you, Lord, for my usually healthy girls. Eric and I are so blessed.
Scary.
I had run to school to go to parent-teacher conferences and left Allison sleeping on the couch. She had a low-grade temp all day, but was OK. Katie was on the computer and Em was watching television.
I came home to a frantic 8yo and 12yo. Apparently, 911 had just been called by my girls. Emily dialed and Katie talked. Allison had some activity that was later determined to be the seizure, vomited and then became unresponsive. Her breathing was shallow. I got there moments before EMS arrived.
When they got there, Allison's oxygen saturation was 92% (low-ish for a healthy 4yo girl) and her heart rate was 148. She was still shallow breathing and was not following any commands.
Scary.
We decided that the ambulance did not need to take her to the hospital, but that I would take her in myself. Eric would meet us at the ER (he was coming home from Greenville).
Allison was awake but still out of it and not following commands. She had not spoken any words still....hard to believe... :)
We were seen right away in the ER. Her temp was 102 degrees. The doctor later told us that it is not necessarily h0w high the temp is, but how fast it spikes. I think that is what happened. I asked if the doctor thought that it was influenza and she stated that it could be. But she would not treat Allison any differently. She stated that the incidents of influenza is decreasing. Yay!!!!
We were sent home about an hour later with a prescription for Amoxicillin (for a newly discovered ear infection in the ear WITHOUT the tube), instructions for Motrin and Tylenol and close observation. Check. Check. Check.
As I type, she is sleeping soundly. Sweating off the fever that is breaking.
As I type, Emily has fallen asleep, hopefully she will be sweating off the fever that she developed this evening.
When it rains, it pours.
God bless my little ones. Keep the healthy ones healthy and heal the sick ones. Thank you, Lord, for my usually healthy girls. Eric and I are so blessed.
Friday, September 11, 2009
I remember....
I remember how I felt that day. As I watched the news breaks...and then the constant news coverage on TV.
I remember how I sat, crying, feeling totally helpless, as I held my then 4mo old, Emily.
I remember how I felt as I had to tell my 4yo that, yes, people got hurt. And that yes, you are safe. And hoping and praying that it was true that she was safe.
I remember feeling like I needed to go to the grocery store (to stock up on staple goods) and fill up the gas tank, just in case....
I remember how I felt so sad when they showed the wall of pictures that families had posted..."Have you seen this woman? Have you seen this man?" Pictures of Americans that would never come home.
I remember all of this. And not only on September 11th, but especially on September 11th.
As I watched the Boy Scout color guard take down the flag from the flag pole at my children's school this evening...and as I watched the Marine Corp color guard present the flag this evening....and as I listened to my oldest daughter play the Star Spangled Banner in front of the large crowd...I felt proud to be an American.
I felt proud to help my youngest daughter place her hand on her heart as the flag was presented. I felt proud that I could remind my middle daughter that we should ALWAYS be respectful when our flag goes by (she is a good girl and tries very hard to remember all of this).
I feel proud that I could stand with my husband by my side. My children at my side. And sing the national anthem.
God Bless America.
I remember how I sat, crying, feeling totally helpless, as I held my then 4mo old, Emily.
I remember how I felt as I had to tell my 4yo that, yes, people got hurt. And that yes, you are safe. And hoping and praying that it was true that she was safe.
I remember feeling like I needed to go to the grocery store (to stock up on staple goods) and fill up the gas tank, just in case....
I remember how I felt so sad when they showed the wall of pictures that families had posted..."Have you seen this woman? Have you seen this man?" Pictures of Americans that would never come home.
I remember all of this. And not only on September 11th, but especially on September 11th.
As I watched the Boy Scout color guard take down the flag from the flag pole at my children's school this evening...and as I watched the Marine Corp color guard present the flag this evening....and as I listened to my oldest daughter play the Star Spangled Banner in front of the large crowd...I felt proud to be an American.
I felt proud to help my youngest daughter place her hand on her heart as the flag was presented. I felt proud that I could remind my middle daughter that we should ALWAYS be respectful when our flag goes by (she is a good girl and tries very hard to remember all of this).
I feel proud that I could stand with my husband by my side. My children at my side. And sing the national anthem.
God Bless America.
Monday, August 24, 2009
We all survived Allison's first day....
School days....school days....I-don't-know-the-rest-of-the-tune days......
We all survived. I mainly roamed around the house this morning. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I felt as if I needed to get SO much done....and I didn't get anything done. I showered. I put on make-up and sort of fixed my hair. I folded a load of laundry and put it away. Started a load of laundry that still sits in the dryer. And that all took me 3hrs.
Allison has been away from me for hours on end. Spending time at a Grandparent's house, or shopping with Aunt Mandy. But this was different. I knew that she was with a new grown-up in her life. Someone who will have alot of influence on her little mind. That is when I started to miss her in a different way. A good way. The way that makes a parent proud that "we got her this far and she is still doing great! We haven't messed up too bad."
She has 8 students in her class. We were told of a Mindy (who didn't share) and Emerson (who wouldn't talk). When I walked into her room to get her, Allison was sitting, quietly, at the little table. She looked tired. She looked like Ms. Sherry had done her pre-school teacher job and kept the little ones busy.
We shall see how bedtime goes tonight. I am sure that it will be a bit earlier than last night.
The other 2 monkeys? They are settling into their routines with their new teachers. Emily is learning how to pace herself with her homework. And Katie is learning what middle school is like....with tons of homework and a little bit of socializing.
Here's to a great week for all of us.
God Bless my family (they are so special to me) and God Bless this mess. Please.
We all survived. I mainly roamed around the house this morning. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I felt as if I needed to get SO much done....and I didn't get anything done. I showered. I put on make-up and sort of fixed my hair. I folded a load of laundry and put it away. Started a load of laundry that still sits in the dryer. And that all took me 3hrs.
Allison has been away from me for hours on end. Spending time at a Grandparent's house, or shopping with Aunt Mandy. But this was different. I knew that she was with a new grown-up in her life. Someone who will have alot of influence on her little mind. That is when I started to miss her in a different way. A good way. The way that makes a parent proud that "we got her this far and she is still doing great! We haven't messed up too bad."
She has 8 students in her class. We were told of a Mindy (who didn't share) and Emerson (who wouldn't talk). When I walked into her room to get her, Allison was sitting, quietly, at the little table. She looked tired. She looked like Ms. Sherry had done her pre-school teacher job and kept the little ones busy.
We shall see how bedtime goes tonight. I am sure that it will be a bit earlier than last night.
The other 2 monkeys? They are settling into their routines with their new teachers. Emily is learning how to pace herself with her homework. And Katie is learning what middle school is like....with tons of homework and a little bit of socializing.
Here's to a great week for all of us.
God Bless my family (they are so special to me) and God Bless this mess. Please.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Preschool Days....
Littlest monkey is starting school tomorrow.
She is so excited (I wouldn't have it any other way). She will be in the same building as both of her sisters. How cool is that? I really don't sense any anxiety from her. She is at or in the school almost every weekday. It is just someplace that her sisters go...and now her.
Her teacher is Mrs. Sherry. We were thrilled to see her at the Open House. The former teacher left for a position at the University. Why were we so happy to see Mrs. Sherry??? She was Katie's pre-school teacher 8 years ago. We loved her. She is so good with the little ones.
What will I do with all of my free time??? Well....this is the first time that I have sent a little one to school when I wasn't expecting a new one...or had a new one on my hip. I will have 3 glorious hours home, 3 mornings a week....not alone. Eric will be around. But perhaps he can get some work done, too.
I will miss the little bug. But she is so attached to me. She needs to branch out...just a little. She still needs her momma. But maybe just a smidge less.
God Bless the little ones...and the grown-ups who teach them. We are entrusting them with our most precious creatures.
Have a great week!
She is so excited (I wouldn't have it any other way). She will be in the same building as both of her sisters. How cool is that? I really don't sense any anxiety from her. She is at or in the school almost every weekday. It is just someplace that her sisters go...and now her.
Her teacher is Mrs. Sherry. We were thrilled to see her at the Open House. The former teacher left for a position at the University. Why were we so happy to see Mrs. Sherry??? She was Katie's pre-school teacher 8 years ago. We loved her. She is so good with the little ones.
What will I do with all of my free time??? Well....this is the first time that I have sent a little one to school when I wasn't expecting a new one...or had a new one on my hip. I will have 3 glorious hours home, 3 mornings a week....not alone. Eric will be around. But perhaps he can get some work done, too.
I will miss the little bug. But she is so attached to me. She needs to branch out...just a little. She still needs her momma. But maybe just a smidge less.
God Bless the little ones...and the grown-ups who teach them. We are entrusting them with our most precious creatures.
Have a great week!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
School days and on-call shifts....
Well....school has started. For the 2 big monkeys...littlest monkey starts next week. She is SOOO ready. I am so ready.....
The girls love school and have always excelled in their school work. Thank goodness.
Katie's class is about a 2:1 ratio boys:girls. That is fine with Katie. We are approaching that age. Boys are becoming cute and are something to doodle about and giggle over. Ahhhh....the good 'ol days. I remember them fondly. But Kate's dad is not fond of the crush stage. I try to reassure hime that it is perfectly/wonderfully normal. We'll see if I am still saying that in 3 or 4 years. ha!
Emily is profoundly social and loves to have people around her. School is the place for her. She is bright and cheerful. She loves to talk...and that may be her only downfall. If that is one. She is a favorite of her teachers, for sure.
Allison is a blank slate. We shall see how school fits her. We shall see.
As for the on-call shifts....they suck. I got called in around 0130 last night. Don't get me wrong...I need the moolah, it was only 6 or so hours and I DID SIGN UP FOR IT!!! But, a delivery at 0707 is not the way to end a shift. I didn't clock out til 0815.
The delivery was great. The pt had had 4 or 5 kids prior to this delivery. She was requesting an epidural...but when a pt with that many deliveries under her belt tells you that she feels "pressure" you-know-where....you usually don't have time to get that epidural in. And we were right. But she did great. Cute baby boy. They are all cute...in one way or another.
I am not sure what the deal is with the insane amount of deliveries...but these babies all got their starts in October/November of 2008. Can anyone tell me what was going on then????
We have Obama Babies!!! Not Obama's babies...nooooo. But I think that everyone was feeling the "love"...professing the "hope and change"....and celebrating. Yeah....I think that that is it. We have to explain it some way.
We will have to see what this economic downturn will do to the number of pregnancies....people can't afford entertainment....people are staying in more.....we will probably keep seeing this surge of new people entering the world.
I am on call for a couple of more shifts this week. Hopefully I will get called in and not have to do crazy work....you think??? I love the time and a half pay...but hate the work level bumped up 50%, too. Go figure.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Anyone want to borrow some children???
Yikes! This summer cannot pass fast enough. The girls have officially gone stir crazy. I will be admitting them to the institution (their school) in 1 week!!!!!
That being said....I will miss them. It is something to have the insanity that is our home...but in overdrive during the summer. Allison will be a preschooler...I can't believe it.
Our "baby girl princess (self-proclaimed)" is now 4yo. Unreal. I had a patient, on Sunday night, who was 7 cm dilated and in full blown labor. It was unreal on the division and the CRNA (anesthesia nurse) couldn't get right to her bedside to place her epidural. The patient was feeling the unbelievable urge to push and kept grunting and bearing down with contractions...even though we were encouraging her to "breathe" and "not push" (she was not fully dilated). I apologized (lightheartedly) to her afterwards (beautiful baby girl) about that. The whole time I was having flashbacks to my own labor with Allison. I had tried to deliver her without an epidural (which I had with the first 2). I was completely dilated for about 2 hours and had that same terrible urge to push and couldn't help but to bear down. It is uncontrollable. She laughed and said that she understood that we had to do what we had to do.
School shopping is almost complete. We need to purchase the ever-important backpacks, lunchbox (Emily), pencil case (Emily), and accordian file (Katie). The right or wrong one of any of these can make or break a school year. Especially for a 7th grader or 3rd grader. ha!!!
Shoe shopping was a delight....not. But we ended it with 3 happy girls...Katie got the perfect pair of Nike's. Emily got the "cutest" pair of Sketchers. And Allison is very happy that her shoes have "diamonds" on them. You didn't know that Payless had diamond encrusted shoes, did you????
Last weekend, we went to Pere Marquet park past Grafton, Illinois for the annual TKE campout (my hubby is a TKE from his long ago SUIE days). They get together every year and I think that it is wonderful. This year was a good crowd...but the crowd now includes kids, spouses of said kids, and GRAND kids. Crazy!!!!
This is a great photo of the group!!! I love this photo!!!!
Have a great day...I am getting ready to go put 2 children into timeout....guess which 2.
Hint: Allison is not one of them.
Do you think that, if I put the children at the front doors of the school now...I will get in trouble??? ha!
PS...will I ever get to scrapbook again???
That being said....I will miss them. It is something to have the insanity that is our home...but in overdrive during the summer. Allison will be a preschooler...I can't believe it.
Our "baby girl princess (self-proclaimed)" is now 4yo. Unreal. I had a patient, on Sunday night, who was 7 cm dilated and in full blown labor. It was unreal on the division and the CRNA (anesthesia nurse) couldn't get right to her bedside to place her epidural. The patient was feeling the unbelievable urge to push and kept grunting and bearing down with contractions...even though we were encouraging her to "breathe" and "not push" (she was not fully dilated). I apologized (lightheartedly) to her afterwards (beautiful baby girl) about that. The whole time I was having flashbacks to my own labor with Allison. I had tried to deliver her without an epidural (which I had with the first 2). I was completely dilated for about 2 hours and had that same terrible urge to push and couldn't help but to bear down. It is uncontrollable. She laughed and said that she understood that we had to do what we had to do.
School shopping is almost complete. We need to purchase the ever-important backpacks, lunchbox (Emily), pencil case (Emily), and accordian file (Katie). The right or wrong one of any of these can make or break a school year. Especially for a 7th grader or 3rd grader. ha!!!
Shoe shopping was a delight....not. But we ended it with 3 happy girls...Katie got the perfect pair of Nike's. Emily got the "cutest" pair of Sketchers. And Allison is very happy that her shoes have "diamonds" on them. You didn't know that Payless had diamond encrusted shoes, did you????
Last weekend, we went to Pere Marquet park past Grafton, Illinois for the annual TKE campout (my hubby is a TKE from his long ago SUIE days). They get together every year and I think that it is wonderful. This year was a good crowd...but the crowd now includes kids, spouses of said kids, and GRAND kids. Crazy!!!!
This is a great photo of the group!!! I love this photo!!!!
Have a great day...I am getting ready to go put 2 children into timeout....guess which 2.
Hint: Allison is not one of them.
Do you think that, if I put the children at the front doors of the school now...I will get in trouble??? ha!
PS...will I ever get to scrapbook again???
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