CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOG LAYOUTS, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Monday, May 30, 2011

Can't they stay out of the ER?

Oh good grief. It's not even summer yet (though you wouldn't know that, seeing as how it's going to be in the 90s all week), and my nieces can't stop getting hurt. They're kicking off the summer with a bang, that's for sure.

Gracie broke her arm a couple of months ago. She got her cast off recently, and a couple of days later, BAM. Katie gets hurt. She was at school, and her class was walking "punishment laps" around the track because some kids were misbehaving. Don't even get me started about the stupidity of punishing an entire class for a few kids' misbehavior...not the best classroom management technique.

Anyway, she was walking along, probably talking a mile a minute to her friends, wasn't paying attention, and slammed right into a stage they'd set up on the track. I think they were having some ceremony celebrating the building of their new school, but I'm not sure.

The point is, she had to get seven stitches on her forehead!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

I'm not even going to post the pic of the gash on her head before it was stitched. Holy cow. They took the stitches out just a few days later, which I thought was very soon, but the doctor said it would leave "railroad tracks" on her head if they didn't.

Audrey and I spent the day after it happened with Katie and my mom, who took off work to take care of her. She described what happened, pointing out that one of the little girls in her class was the first to get to her. I can't remember her name, so I'll call her Ashton. Actually, I think that was her name.

So Katie ran into the stage, fell down, and blacked out for a few seconds. Ashton said, "Katie, we've got to get you to the nurse." Katie asked why, and Ashton said, "Because you're bleeding." I can only imagine what the little girl was thinking, seeing that gash on her head. Katie said, "I'm not bleeding", reaching up to feel the side of her forehead. Ashton said, "The other side", and Katie reached her hand up and came back with lots of blood. Wow.

So, Katie had been jealous of all the attention Gracie was getting about her arm, and now she's got it all. I think she's realizing it's so not worth it.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Little Things

I'm just overwhelmed lately by the miracle that is Audrey. She's just unbelievable, and she learns something new every day. Her vocabulary is off the charts. She's such a sweet, giving, loving little girl. I thought I'd list some of the sweet things she's been doing lately.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

That picture is from yesterday, when we spent some time outside in the morning. My in-laws have spent a lot of money and time beautifying our yard, so it's much more pleasant to be outside now. Okay, here's some of the things that have been melting my heart lately.

1. She brings things to me, such as her stuffed animals, and says "Peas" until I take it. If I don't take it, she shoves it at me. I end up covered in stuff. I may have mentioned this one before, but it bears repeating because she's so polite:) She's also started saying "Thanks".

2. Every time we get to a picture of a panda bear in one of her books, she leans over and kisses it. My heart immediately melts...

3. She's obsessed with shoes, especially David's. She brought a pair of his flip-flops to me yesterday. I said, "Honey, please put those in the closet." She immediately turned around and put them in our closet. Oh, how I hope she's so obedient when she gets older!

4. I guess I call her honey a lot because she says it all the time. Now, I don't like to see her upset, but when she's really tired or hurt she'll say, "Honeeeeeey" in a pleading way, like she's begging me to take care of whatever's bothering her. So sweet.

5. She's finally starting to warm up to Papa Jimmy. She sat on his lap last Sunday and he read several books to her. He's not much for reading, which made it all the more adorable.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

6. She said, "Wuv you" the other day. She hasn't said it since, but oh...it took my breath away.

7. She gives great kisses. If she's in the mood, we'll ask, "Can Mommy (or Daddy) have a kiss?" She'll lean right over and kiss us on the mouth. Best thing ever.

8. When I get her up in the morning, she usually hugs me really hard. She'll say "Huggy" and pat my back.

9. We've had a case of bottled water next to the kitchen table for the last week. While I'm eating breakfast or lunch, she'll sit on it, just to be close to me. She also admires herself in the stainless steel trash can there, saying, "Baby" while pointing at herself.

10. She dances. I'll put the TV on a channel with music for toddlers, and she'll sway and dance to the music. She's even started saying "Dance" when she wants to listen to that channel.

There are so many more things, but I can't remember it all. I'm just so grateful for this little Bug.

Monday, May 23, 2011

This day is...

...rough, to say the least. I was awakened by David around the usual time, just as he was getting ready to leave for work (or so I thought). He said, "Do you know how to work the coffeemaker?"

To be fair, he is not an idiot. My old coffeemaker died on Sunday morning, so my mom brought over an extra one. Since she keeps everything, I figured she might have one.
I said no, I didn't. I mean, I don't know anything that early, not even my shoe size.

Then I heard Audrey. I looked at him, and he said, "I went to close the door to her room and she stood up and said, 'Hey, Daddy'". So she's in the highchair." Aaarrrggghhh.

Two things are going through my head. Number one, I'm not getting any time to myself this morning. I usually get up when David leaves, and I normally have time for a cup of coffee and some time on the Internet before Audrey wakes up.

Number two, THERE'S NO COFFEE. I am not a morning person. To say the least. I really don't want to talk to anyone unless I've had a cup of coffee. Part of it is genetic, since I remember being that way in high school. A big part of it is the fibro, though. People with fibro wake up feeling stiff and sore, and it can last for 1-3 hours or more.

Anyway, even though David was seriously late to work (and a class of high school kids waits for no one), he quickly figured out the coffeemaker and started it for me. You see, he knows me very well.


Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Thankfully, Audrey was in a great mood, grinning like the cat who ate the canary because her daddy was home. She's been really good all day. She's such a sweetheart when she wants to be:)

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

I've just been feeling awful for the last few days. REALLY awful. I even had to call my mom for help with Audrey yesterday, because I seriously felt like I couldn't move, like I had the flu. I hate having to ask for her help, since she has my nieces every other weekend and works full-time, but I had to. David is going to school full-time for his Masters degree, and he had tons of work to do yesterday.

Thankfully, I'm getting a therapeutic massage tonight. I cannot wait. If I can only find the strength to drive an hour round-trip to get it.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

The Best Things in Life are Free

Having a child is so awesome. Yeah, I know it costs a lot to keep them up, what with diapers, clothes, food, etc. But they're free entertainment! This is what amused me the other day. We were trying to get a Popsicle stick away from Audrey, and she wasn't having it, so David tried to make it into a game.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

It just got cuter and cuter.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

And then...

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

And something to make Daddy's heart melt.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Good times.

Monday, May 16, 2011

The "D" word

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

There they are, the Three Musketeers. Excuse my daughter's unlady-like posture (hey, she's just a child!) and Katie's very fake smile. In fact, Gracie's the only one who's looking great in this pic.

We were over at Mom's yesterday, and I started talking to Gracie. When there's 8 people in the house, and a lot of those people are very loud, it's kind of hard to have a private conversation.

But Gracie wanted to lie on the couch with me, snuggling up like we used to do. She wasn't in the greatest of moods, but she's had a tough few weeks. She broke her arm, and then last week, we found out she has MRSA. Yep, you read that correctly.

Her oh-so-wise mother allowed her to visit two children who had just been released from the hospital for being treated for MRSA. My brother begged her not to do allow it, but that didn't make a difference.

So, we were all supposed to be together for Mother's Day on the Saturday before, but we couldn't because of Gracie's illness. She's on some strong medicine that messes up her stomach, gives her heartburn and rashes...I can't even remember what else it does.

Her principal said it was fine for her to come to school, as long as the areas were covered (I was very surprised by this). The following week, she had to take part in our state's high-stakes annual testing. You know, the one that forces teachers to "teach to the test" all year, instead of being given the creativity they and the students deserve.

Well, stress doesn't do much to help recover from MRSA (although I understand you never really recover, that you'll always be a carrier). She said she wasn't stressed, but I know better. Gracie pushes herself; she's a high achiever who can't stand it when she does badly.

And now, her parents' court date for the final divorce is tomorrow. She gets her cast off in the morning, then it's off to family court. I asked her if she was sad about it, and she just gave me a little nod. We talked briefly, I told her I was praying for her, and that she could call me any time she wanted to talk.

But it wasn't enough. Divorce is a nasty, nasty thing. Even when it's the right thing to do.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Sleeping Beauty

For the past 3 days, Audrey has gone down for her 2nd nap as usual, but then she's slept through the night. I'm getting a little worried, but David assures me it's just the teething. She has at least one molar coming in, and I know it's hurting her. The last time she was teething, she slept a lot, too, but this just seems strange.

The first night, I was really thrown off by it. I laid her down around 4:15, and I heard her in there talking to her bear and playing for about an hour. David got home, and she was asleep. We got ready for bed, and she was still asleep. I had only dressed her in a sleeveless onesie that day, but it got very cool that night, so we didn't know what to do. (She's been sleeping in lightweight pajamas with long sleeves and pants).

We finally decided to put a blanket over her. She's never had a blanket in the crib, so I was a little leery of it, but I did it anyway. She never even moved when I went in there to cover her up. I got up in the middle of the night and covered her up again. She slept until about 7:30 the next day.

And the pattern continues. She hasn't had dinner for the past 3 nights. If this happens again tomorrow, I'm calling the doctor on Monday. Maybe I'm paranoid, but this seems strange. Although, I have to admit that she's been acting strange ever since this tooth started coming in. The temper tantrums...yikes!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Balloons and Jelly Beans

The day before Easter, David and I made the momentous decision to get Audrey's hair cut. It was tough, but since she wouldn't wear a barrette in her hair, what choice did we have? See pics of Cousin It here.

So we took her to a salon that specializes in teenage and children's hair cuts. Great place, with tons of balloons, a chalkboard that almost covered one wall, TV, and lots of other distractions.

This isn't a great pic because of the sun streaming in, but here are David and Audrey right before "the Cut".

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Poor girl didn't know what was about to happen. The girl who cut her hair asked if we wanted her to wash Audrey's hair before the cut. They had seats that lay almost completely flat, so I thought it be would all right. BIG mistake on my part. She started screaming as soon as the girl (also known as The Trooper) laid her down.

So, we tried to calm her down as we headed for the hair cutting station, which had a little yellow car for Audrey to sit in. Adorable. Except Audrey was NOT going to sit down in that thing, I don't care how much coaxing was involved.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Then the cutting started. It wasn't too bad when The Trooper was cutting the back of her hair.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

But when The Trooper got around to the front, heaven help us. Audrey was crying so much that snot was running down her nose, and I had to keep wiping her face with a Kleenex. I was in tears myself at this point, but trying not to show it to Audrey, who always gets upset when I do.

It was fairly hideous and nerve-wracking for me. And, of course, for her! In this pic, she seems to be thinking, What are you doing to me, Mommy? Kind of in a resigned way.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

The supervisor had to come over and finish Audrey's bangs, since she was moving her head around so much. Since it was her first haircut, it only cost 1 penny, and The Trooper said it was usually a cute pic for the child to put the penny in the penny bank.

Not so much for Audrey, since she wanted to hold on to the penny. That's my girl!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

But it turned out well, and she even smiled at the end. She got a blue balloon, weighted down by a bag of jelly beans, as an extra treat.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Lord help us when we have to get her bangs trimmed...