A little--O.K., BIG test of trust

This week has been less than great for me. Mostly for my grandparents, but that frustration, fear & sadness trickles (quickly!) down to the rest of us.

My grandmother on my mom's side (My Nana) was diagnosed with lung cancer two days ago. She landed in the hospital with Pneumonia, but the X-rays & CT Scan showed more than just your run-of-the-mill Pneumonia so she ended up with a biopsy a few days later. She was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday and, yesterday, we learned she is not a good candidate for surgery (84 years old and not in good health) and she doesn't want to try chemo & radiation (I don't blame her!). At this point, we aren't sure what her prognosis is, however, SHE believes she has about a month. Truth be told, even if the doctor gave her days or months or even years I would still go with Nana's prognosis of herself--she's the kind of person who knows her body & mind more than any "expert".

Then I spoke with my dad and learned my grandfather's bank accounts have been hacked into and his money is being used by other people. I'm SO frustrated because it just makes me *incredibly* angry when people pick on the elderly. My grandfather was a pastor and my grandmother was a nurse. They worked so hard for their money and now some FREAKSHOW (other words come to mind but kids read this blog, too) is using MY grandfather's money to pay for his/her crap. *sigh* And now what? My dad and his siblings are doing their best to follow the financial trail, but its so hard to keep track of it all and its so hard to get anything back after its been withdrawn from the account. And besides all that, its the anger and hurt over the fact that Grandpa is disappointed, embarrassed, frustrated, confused...and so on and so forth. YOU DON'T DO THAT TO ELDERLY PEOPLE.

So, here I sit--far away from either one of them and no way to get there and, really, no way to help. I pray for them and I WANT to help them, but feel like my hands are tied. So comes the trust: I have to TRUST God to provide a way for me to see my Nana before she dies (she lives in Texas) and I have to TRUST God to, somehow, make things okay for my grandpa. I'm not very good at the trust thing. But I'm doing the best I can...

Some days are harder than others!

But today has been an especially good day. My kiddos are not quite two years apart which can make for some pretty hectic days. There are days when I think I'm not going to manage and then there are days like today where it all seems to work out! Tori was getting frustrated with a toy and, rather than fix it for her, I decided to let her figure it out. But then Andrew said, "Here, Tori...like this!" And HE helped her. I love it when that happens!

Uh-oh!

I know, I've posted quite a bit today, but I wanted to make sure I got stuff done before I forgot! And then this made me laugh today...

I came out of Andrew's room and found this:

(it's difficult to see, but its a pair of Tori's pants and a diaper)


And then I came around the corner into the living room and found this:

Terrible 2's at 9 months?

I think Tori must learn from Andrew. That's the only conclusion I can come up with. Today has been worse than usual with both of them and every time HE cries, she starts up some water works of her own! The reason I think she is learning from him is because her tantrums (and, yes, they ARE tantrums) are identical--IDENTICAL--to Andrew's. Every little bit of it! She starts with a whine and then stomps her feet or hits the ground with her hand and then checks to see what kind of reaction she's getting. If I don't respond with a swift swat on the hiney, she'll jump in with the screaming and crying and kicking. It's so strange to see because Andrew never did that at 9 months old. It's actually pretty comical because she's so little (I know she's not LITTLE because she's so tubby, but you get the idea--she's not 2).

Any ideas on how to deal with this one? It's new to me. Andrew spoiled us because he was fairly easy going as a baby. Busy and into everything, but easy going.

A project I'm thinking about...

I was watching Gilmore Girls (a fantastic show, by the way!) a long time ago and came across the idea of making a quilt out of baby clothes (Lorelai does one out of Rory's clothes). I've been doing some research and am getting ready to start this process. However, I'm not sure I can bring myself to actually cut the clothes for the squares!! I'm trying to decide if it would be better to just save the clothing items in tact. But then I can't imagine my kids actually wanting the CLOTHES for their kids so a quilt seems more practical. *sigh* What to do...what to do...

Plus, I have to decide if I want to make the quilt just out of baby clothes or use some of their clothes during all their growing up years like this lady does:

http://fun.families.com/blog/building-a-baby-clothes-quilt

If I do that, I would be able to use pieces of Tori's prom dresses (that is, if Mark ALLOWS her to go to the prom!) and pieces of Andrew's favorite T-shirts and sweatshirts & t-shirts from things they accomplish (sporting events, plays, whatever...).

HELP! I need some other thoughts & opinions on the matter!

"Momma, I scared! I scared of the shark in the door!"

Am I passing on my irrational fears to my son? This morning he INSISTS there is a shark on our front porch waiting to come in the door. He has checked and rechecked to make sure the door is locked so the shark can't get in. I can honestly say the only time he has seen sharks is while watching Finding Nemo and I haven't really talked about them in front of him.

I guess its just his 2 year old imagination hard at work! Who knows what will be on the front porch tomorrow!

Andrew's New Favorite:

For a while it was Curious George. And then it was Cars. Next came Finding Nemo. Recently, he made a change. If I let him, he would watch this over and over several times a day.



I wonder what the next favorite will be...

"I want a bat in my hand!"

We went to the zoo today! It was nice and sunny out so we decided to take advantage of the weather and head up to the zoo. Andrew had a great time and really got into seeing all the animals. In the bat exhibit, he INSISTED he wanted a bat in his hand. Ummm...no...I don't think so! The other big hit was the fish--anywhere there was water he wanted to know if there was fish. As you can see, both kiddos were tuckered out after all that walking! Can't wait to take them again this Summer!

My boy is back!

I love having my boy back to normal! I admit it: I did enjoy the quiet mornings brought on by his sleeping until after 9 AM but I was also so worried about him that I wasn't REALLY enjoying that time. This morning, for the first time in over a week, he was calling for me at 6:58 AM. "Mooooooommmmmy!!! I need to go potty!!!" And then he asked to get up and play with his sister. They've been chasing eachother, hitting eachother, sharing, playing & fighting since he got up. He also asked for breakfast and has downed applesauce and graham crackers. THAT'S what we like to see!

Okay, we are REALLY in the clear!

Andrew's doctor called about an hour ago to tell us she had received a late batch of results and Andrew's tests were among those received. ALL his blood work came back normal which means the high count of mono cells simply has to do with the two kinds of pneumonia and the bronchitis that we're dealing with. No mono and no hospital stay! She said she would like to schedule a phone appointment late next week to check in with us and see how we're doing.

YAY! I'm headed to bed now. I am exhausted.

*Almost* in the clear...

We heard from the doctor this afternoon and Andrew has a slight increase in Mono Cells but not so much that they think he has mono. Apparently toddlers (and babies) will have an increase in mono cells when they are really sick so that their bodies will be forced to rest. That's why doctors tell you to listen to your kiddos because they know what they need.

ANYWAY...they are doing one more blood test that will come back mid-day tomorrow. In the mean time, we are to assume he does NOT have mono and focus on the Pneumonia & Bronchitis. Now, he DOES have both Bacterial Pneumonia & Viral Pneumonia. The bacterial version will go away in less than a week thanks to the antibiotics but the viral version will hang on for about three weeks. We have to give him his medicine and make sure his lungs are as clear as possible by giving him his inhaler.

He was doing much better today after less than 24 hours of antibiotics. It was so great to hear him ask for snacks and meals throughout the day and he even had a shorter nap! I can tell he's not completely back to normal but this is closest we've been in over a week! He even picked on Tori a little. Ha!

Thanks for praying--its always appreciated and we can always tell when people are praying for us!

More updates coming tomorrow...

Staying Hydrated

How do you keep a 2 year old hydrated? POPSICLES!

Before:


After:


And what Andrew has, Tori must have:

Another bit of random info about me!

Four things about me that you may or may not have known:

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Nanny
2. Receptionist
3. Admin Assistant
4. Data Entry

Four movies I have watched more than once:
1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
2. Top Gun
3. The American President
4. Sound of Music

Four things that scare me:
1. Sharks
2. Spiders
3. The Ocean
4. Hospitals

Four Websites I visit religiously:
1. Hotmail
2. My Space
3. Facebook
4. Lots of Blogs

Four places I have visited:
1. Mongolia
2. Mexico
3. Canada
4. Nicaragua

Four Places I would like to visit:
1. Australia
2. Mongolia (yes, again)
3. Hawaii
4. The Virgin Islands


Four Bad Habits I have:
1. Biting the inside of my lower lip
2. Getting "stuck" on the computer and not getting the housework done
3. Leaving a load of wet laundry in the washer until it sours and then I have to re-wash it!
4. Stealing my husband's socks. They're warm!


Four things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Summer!
2. A trip to Seattle for a Mariner's Game
3. Andrew's 3rd birthday (can you believe it???!)
4. Tori's 1st birthday (Again: can you believe it???!)

Four Foods I don't like or won't eat:
1. Salmon
2. Crab
3. Lobster
4. Apple Pie

Four Books I enjoy:
1. Say Goodnight, Gracie
2. Dare to Discipline
3. Romans
4. Acts

Four Songs that speak to my soul:
1. Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle
2. Prince of Peace by Michael W. Smith
3. I Have Decided by Amy Grant
4. I Am by Mark Schultz

Four things I would like to do, but probably never will:
1. Become a dental hygenist
2. Become a massage therapist
3. Go to Isreal
4. Organize all our medical & financial documents.

Four things I can't stand:
1. Parents who abuse their children
2. Parents who don't discipline their children
3. The smell of sour milk
4. The smell of bread baking/toasting (weird, but true. It makes my stomache turn!)

Four Things that Aren't Funny:
1. My son being sick
2. Sharks
3. Cockroaches
4. The cost of infant formula

Four Things that are funny:
1. Listening to Andrew "negotiate". "I watch George...no? How 'bout...ummmm...Elmo? No! Wait minute...doggies? No! Ummm...how 'booooouuuuuut...Momma show? What Momma want to watch?"
2. Watching Tori chase another baby down in the nursery. The other baby had a cracker. Tori tackled her, bit her and took her cracker and ran.
3. The show "Friends"
4. How often Mark & I reference lines or scenes from "Friends"

Follow your gut!

I feel better having taken Andrew to the doctor--AGAIN. We went last week because he had a rash and we went today because he's had a fever for FOREVER and he's had a loss of appetite and he's been sleeping like crazy! I was feeling a little silly making him ANOTHER appointment. Well, we were there for 3.5 hours and they did chest x-rays and blood work. Turns out my little dude is one sick little dude! He has Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and possibly Mono. He's also severely dehydrated. *sigh* They are calling me with the results to his blood work tomorrow. They considered admitting him but decided to let me take him home and see how much he improves in the next 24 hours. If the bloodwork comes back positive for Mono, they will probably choose to admit him. If I can't keep fluids in him tonight, then I'm supposed to take him in tomorrow for admittance for fluids on IV. Ugh! What a day! But we are home now and we are grateful. I am amazed (and grateful!) at how patient and easy-going Andrew is. He let the lab gals poke him 3 times to get enough blood (took 45 minutes!!) and Tori was passed around all day from nurse to nurse so I could hold my little guy. He even sat still as still could be for his chest X-rays and we managed to get them on the first try! Whew! What a day! Here's hoping the new antibiotics work and we might *REALLY* be on the mend!

ANOTHER trip to the doctor!

Perhaps I'm being paranoid, but I'm taking Andrew to see the doctor AGAIN. He's had a nagging fever for over a week that just won't quit! Plus, his appetite is seriously lacking and he sleeps ALL THE TIME. He's a really active kid, so for him to sleep as much as he is and not go a hundred miles an hour when he's awake is really unusual for him! Yesterday he hardly played at all when we were at the church nursery and then he came home and slept for over four hours. I woke him for dinner (which he didn't eat!) and then he asked to skip bathtime and go to bed well before his bedtime. I gave him Motrin before bed to help cut his fever, but it still made him uncomfortable. UGH. I hate when my kiddos are sick!

6 Random, Quirky Things...

I was afraid to post six random & quirky things about myself for fear people would think I was insane. However, I've been reading other people's posts and figured, hey--if they can be brave, so can I! SO...here goes:

1. I hate bubble baths. There really is no explanation. I just don't like them. I feel like I get all hot & sweaty and then I just want to take a shower when I get out. So...what's the point?

2. I refuse to swim in anything I can't see the bottom of. No lakes. No ocean. No rivers. I LOVE swimming, just in a pool. A nice, clean, chlorinated pool. If I'm not able to see the bottom, it totally creeps me out.

3. I like the smell of Pine Sol. In fact, sometimes I will mop the floors just for the smell. Even if I've just mopped them the day before.

4. I'm a coupon clipper--its like a game to see how much money I can save.

5. I am terrified--beyond all reason--of sharks. More afraid than I am of spiders and spiders can actually get in the house. Yeah--figure that one out!

6. I will only drink water through a straw and it has to be very, very cold and on ice. It can't just be chilled water from the fridge, it has to be chilled water from the fridge over ice with a straw. If I'm in a restaurant, I ask for three lemmon slices and a straw.

I guess I'm supposed to "tag" people to post six random things about themselves. But most of the people I would tag have already been tagged. So if you want to post six random things about yourself, then post them and let me know that you did so I can go and read them and make fun of you--er--I mean, learn new things about you! Ha!

How to keep a 2 year old busy:

Give him a pile of change, his piggy bank and tell him to put all the money in the bank! He loved it!

I've had enough!

The past couple of weeks have been a rough go for us. Mark was sick and then I was sick and the kids were sick and then Mark got sick again and has been back in our bedroom sleeping for three days. In the mean time, I've been doing my best to stay sane (its a losing battle) so he can get well. I've also been helping his fellow teachers get his lesson plans together and get his wrestlers to their wrestling tournament. *sigh* I am TIRED. And I thought things were getting better...

...Andrew woke up this morning and is covered, head to toe, in a terrible rash! I called the pediatrician who was concerned it was an allergic reaction to the Amoxocillin we put him on for his ear infection & Pneumonia. Greeeeeaaaaat...so I pack the kiddos up and head to the doctor's office. It's NOT an allergic reaction (thank goodness!) but it IS a virus and will last about a week. It's not contagious but we CAN expect Tori to get it because its a reaction to the flu virus we've all had and sibling responses are similar.

We'll probably skip church this weekend simply because I don't want to deal with explaining Andrew's rash. And hopefully, *hopefully* this is the end of whatever this nasty flu is!

Before those potatoes go bad...

you gotta do something with them! Why not turn them into stamps? I was cleaning out the kitchen and realized I had a bunch of potatoes that were on their way out. I remembered in middle school my art teacher taught us how to turn potatoes into stamps so...I made Andrew some stamps! He had a great time!

It takes some getting used to, but she'll manage!

Tori is pretty attached to her bottle and even asks for it when she's tired and ready for bed. But, because I don't want to have a kid walking around with a bottle attached to her mouth 24/7, I've decided to SLOOOOOOWLY begin the weaning process now. She takes a sippy and, as of this weekend, uses a straw cup! Seeing as she just turned 9 months old, I figure I have plenty of time to get her used to the idea of not having the bottle all the time. At this point, she actually prefers the sippy or the straw cup at the dinner table or during play-time. We're off to a good start!


Here I go!

Wait a second...this can't be right!

Ah-HA! This is more like it! Now...if I can just...

SUCCESS!

On the mend! I *think*...

This cold/flu has been strange--just as soon as I think I'm getting better, I get knocked down again with a kickin' fever. BUT...I think today is the day. I haven't had a fever since yesterday evening and I got GREAT sleep and both the kids slept well which means Mark slept well.

In fact, Andrew slept so hard he woke up with some pretty intense bedhead:

The past 36 hours...

...have felt like a year. We took Andrew into the ER--well, "urgent care"--Wednesday night because he was screaming that his ear hurt and it was bright red and his fever was nearing 101. He was also having a little trouble breathing. Got him in to see the doctor and they sent us home with Amoxicillin for an ear infection and the beginning stages of Pneumonia. I woke up yesterday morning feeling kinda crummy but hanging in there. By noon I was weak and barely hanging on. By 4 I was puking and Mark was calling for a sub for today so he could stay home. As soon as Mark walked in the door after wrestling practice, I took a shower, climbed into bed and shivered and coughed and vomited my way through the night. By 3 AM I was feeling a little better. By 7 AM I thought I was doing great. We packed the family up and headed to Tori's 9 month well-child appointment (the doctor confirmed it: she is, indeed, a fat baby!)and came home. I was weak again so Mark sent me to bed and woke me up in time for him to head to wrestling practice. I was hanging in there but am back to being wimpy again. Just as soon as you think you're managing, it hits you all over again. Ugh. Here's hoping the kiddos don't get it...

My walkin' girl!

I couldn't get a good video so pictures will have to do for now!

I'm a big girl now!

Well, she's walking. YIKES! Pictures to come! Maybe even a video!

The one where the Patriots lose

I live with one of the biggest Patriots fans of all time. Yesterday was not a good day for us. However, I have to say he handled it pretty well. I gave him a little time to sulk and he snapped himself out of his bad mood pretty quickly. Before the game started, he and Tori were ready!




Saturday was Nana's birthday so we had a little celebration. During half time, it was time for cake! Andrew helped with the candles!



Despite the Patriots' loss, it was a good day. And, hey--there's always next year. Now they have something to work for...

Oh yeah...

Now that the teeth are in, we have to keep them clean! It's amazing how different two kids can be. The biggest different between Andrew & Tori: Andrew didn't cut teeth until he was a year and a half old. We would use the gum cleaner the pediatrician gave us, but we also didn't stress too much if we missed a spot here and there. Tori, on the other hand, cut her first tooth at the ripe old age of four months. And she has swiftly added teeth a couple at a time. She currently has six teeth and has 5 more on their way in. SO--that means we have to brush her teeth! She wasn't entirely sure what to do with her new toothbrush:


What on Earth is THIS?


Well, I might as well put it in my mouth just like I do everything else!


Hmmm...okay...now what?

Creative juices are flowing!

Andrew loves to color and use stickers to make some pretty interesting pieces of art. He recently learned how much fun using scissors and glue can be! A new favorite activity: "scrapbooking".

Baby Time!

My close friend, Michelle had a baby last night! And this is a momma and baby we have been praying for! She started out with a cold that turned into bronchitis that caused severe coughing that cracked a rib which caused pneumonia to develop which led to plurasy (sp?)--the inflammation of the lining between the lungs and the ribs. All of this in her last week of pregnancy. We prayed for quick healing and we prayed for baby Allison to wait a few extra days to make her appearance (yes, a pregnant woman in her last week of pregnancy was actually praying to remain pregnant for just a few more days!). We prayed and God answered! Here is beautiful baby Allison Lee born last night at 7:20 weighing in at 8 lbs. 2 oz. and 19 inches long. Michelle is a trooper and hanging in there--a bit sore and really tired but still smiling! Congrats Johnson Family!!!