Friday! It was supposed to be a great day. It was going to be my first Friday off in six weeks that I didn't have to take Petunia to the doctor for something.
No--its not Petunia today....its Bubba. He is home today with a "man-cold" which always seems to develop into either a sinus and/or ear infection. I really, really, really loathe this time of year. Petunia and I are almost over our colds/coughs and now we pass it on to someone else in the house. Which probably means we'll be getting it back.
-------------------------------------
Bubba is ADDICTED to sinus washes.
Its not a neti-pot but its similar and since he gets a lot of sinus infections we began using it a few years ago.
Well, every time he gets stuffed up he rants for sinus wash after sinus wash like a crack head on "Intervention." I should get him on video, but he'd never go for that. Anyways, you are only supposed to use them twice a day or so. He wants one every hour or so and when he can't have one, he isn't a happy camper.
-------------------------------------
At breakfast earlier this week Bubba asked me to pour him a bowl of cereal. I was doing something else and told him he could pour it himself. He said he didn't know how to pour a bowl of cereal and said, "If I have to pour my own bowl of cereal I'm not having any."
To which I replied, "Fine. Find something else to eat."
Then I found Luke and informed him our almost nine year old doesn't know how to pour a bowl of cereal. How could I have overlooked this tidbit? I guess every morning we are in such a rush to get everyone out the door I always pour his cereal...to avoid a huge mess. I supposed I need to work on creating more "independent" kids.
-------------------------------------
Week 2 of my 12-week half marathon training schedule has been successfully unsuccessful.
The Half Marathon I want to do is now 10 weeks away and I haven't ran once in the last two weeks. Being sick is not good for any kind of training regimen. Who can run when they can't breathe out their nose...and their head is about ready to explode?!
-------------------------------------
Its not a good idea to take Nyquil when you have a child who wakes up frequently through the night. (Just thought I'd throw that tip out there for anyone as stupid as me.)
-------------------------------------
My cake ball makin' days are on a hiatus. (At least until Super Bowl) :)
Before church last Sunday, Luke was flipping through the channels and we began watching this new show on A&E called "Heavy." Over the hour-long program it follows two people through "Fat camp" and their six months afterwards. I was watching intently (as they interviewed this 600+ lb guy and a 350lb mom) as I snacked on German Chocolate cake ball after cake ball.
When I realized the irony of what was going on, I started laughing at myself I immediately thought I needed to remove the 50+ cake balls left on my kitchen counter. I told Luke to throw them away. But then I couldn't get myself to let him do it...so I took them to church.
Needless to say, I think I made a few friends at church last Sunday.
-------------------------------------
I made the mistake of searching for gray hairs the other night before bed...and found FIVE! They had "button battery" written all over them.
I don't think I'm going to be searching for more anytime soon.
But I've come to the realization that it may be time to break out the "Miss Clairol."
(**Insert Heavy Sigh**)
-------------------------------------
After Christmas break my work began offering Pilates on Monday/Wednesdays during lunch (in our gym) and Zumba on Tuesday/Thursdays.
I am not much of a "class" person at the gym Luke and I go to because that means I need to be there by a certain time on a certain day....and it just doesn't work well for me.
But since I am stuck at work and usually just go home for lunch, I decided to try and take advantage of these classes instead of running.
I have to say, I am a fan of Pilates....Which really surprised me. I like it even more that I can do it during lunch, it's free, and I don't have to leave the building. I have tried Zumba once so far and I looked (and felt) really dumb. But that was ok, because everyone else in there looked dumb too.
Haha.
Just kidding.
The lady who teaches the class at work is the same lady who teaches it at our gym, so I have seen her before. She is GOOD! I don't know how she can get all of her "parts" to shake so naturally and not look lame. (Im just jealous)
I plan to go back next week and try it out again. What the heck, right!?
-------------------------------------
We were putting the boys to bed and Tubbs said he wanted us to turn on the shower in our bedroom. When we asked him why he said the sound of it in the walls above his room helps put him to sleep.
Funny boy.
Ok...whatever.
So Luke being the best daddy in the world downloaded an app on his phone with a bunch of nature sounds. Tubbs picks a different sound every night and puts it next to his pillow.
Was I "high maintenance" like this when I was a kid?
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hair Potential
Petunia is 17 months and we have recently given up on the elastic headbands because she rips them off and launches them across the room/car.
Luke cannot wait until we can put a little side-braid in the front of her hair! He saw a Dr on "Grey's Anatomy" with one last season and told me, "I want you to braid Petunia's hair like that." (Which I thought was pretty cute!)
Now it seems to be latest trend and every teenage girl seems to be sporting one. Needless to say, since becoming a mom I have been grooming chia-pet-heads and buzz cuts, I cannot wait to try it on Petunia.....eventually.
She doesn't have enough for a braid, at least from what my skills would enable me to do, but she did have enough for me to put in a little clip this morning.
She wasn't a big fan and it only lasted 10 seconds...but it was long enough for me to snap about 100 pictures.... as proof of the hair potential.
If only she would cooperate! :)
Right before she ripped it out...for the 10th time. I think she was exasperated with her mother.
Luke cannot wait until we can put a little side-braid in the front of her hair! He saw a Dr on "Grey's Anatomy" with one last season and told me, "I want you to braid Petunia's hair like that." (Which I thought was pretty cute!)
Now it seems to be latest trend and every teenage girl seems to be sporting one. Needless to say, since becoming a mom I have been grooming chia-pet-heads and buzz cuts, I cannot wait to try it on Petunia.....eventually.
She doesn't have enough for a braid, at least from what my skills would enable me to do, but she did have enough for me to put in a little clip this morning.
She wasn't a big fan and it only lasted 10 seconds...but it was long enough for me to snap about 100 pictures.... as proof of the hair potential.
If only she would cooperate! :)
Right before she ripped it out...for the 10th time. I think she was exasperated with her mother.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Can You Translate?
Tubbs got upset with his dad tonight after dinner after Luke beat him at tetherball.
When he's "disgruntled" with someone he likes to write them a letter. We try to hang on to these works of art because they are so hilarious...and creative.
I couldn't pass on this one.
When I got home tonight from our Cub Scout pack meeting I found it taped to the outside of his bedroom door for his dad to find. It took me a few minutes to translate but I finally got it.
"Dear dad Everything that used to be mine is now yours"
And apparently that is a recorder (flute) he drew a picture of on the bottom.
When Luke found the letter, Tubbs had taped his wooden recorder to the bottom of the note where the picture was drawn.
Where does this kid come up with these things!?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Cake Ball Addiction
Several weeks ago I finaly gave in to my desire to try and recreate some of the delicacies I had on Christmas day from Linda's Cakes n Things in Tehachapi.
And of course when I decide to do it, I couldn't decide which flavor so I bought a bunch of cake mixes, frostings, and dipping chocolate.
What are cake balls?
Basically, you bake a cake, crumble it all up, mix the crumbs with frosting, roll into balls, and dip in chocolate. Sounds delightful doesn't it? :)
My mother-in-law is friends with the owner of Linda's and got some of her "secrets." (Of course Linda makes her cakes from scratch and I wasn't going there!)
** First tip - Bake the cake and let it sit overnight to "dry out."
** Second tip - She mixes cake flavors together.
Knowing these two tidbits made the project a little easier and intertesting because I couldn't wait to see how many flavor combinations I could come up with between the four cake mixes I baked. I would bake a different cake every night, let it cool, cut it into large squares and put the pieces into a ziploc bag. I would let the bag sit out onthe counter unsealed to "dry out."
On my first attempt I made two homemade frostings: cream cheese and vanilla buttercream.
The cake balls combinations I made were:
**red velvet cake/yellow cake with cream cheese frosting, dipped in milk chocolate
**Strawberry cake/yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate
**Strawberry cake/lemon cake/yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate
Strawberry-lemon
Red velvet
You can purchase this brand at WalMart or Target
Red velvet cake balls before dipping
Red velvet dipped (on the left)
I am not too good at the dipping and making them look pretty yet. But thats ok, because they are good no matter how ugly they are!
I packed them up in bags and found homes for them!
On my second attempt I made homemade cream cheese frosting and store bought German Chocolate.
The cake balls combinations I made were:
**red velvet cake/vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting, dipped in milk chocolate
**German chocolate cake/vanilla cake with German Chocolate frosting, dipped in milk chocolate. I toasted some coconut in the oven (for the first time) and sprinkled it on top of the dipped balls.
I was surprised to open the can of frosting and see how far down it was filled!
(I used the whole can of frosting and thought it could have used more to make it more moist)
On my third attempt I used: store bought German Chocolate, lemon,chocolate chocolate chip and rainbow chip frostings. No homemade frosting this round! :)
The cake balls combinations I made were:
**German chocolate cake/yellow cake with German Chocolate frosting, dipped in milk chocolate. I toasted some coconut and sprinkled some in the cake mixture as well as on top. (I also used 1.5 cans of German Chocolate frosting this time.)
**Lemon cake/yellow cake with lemon frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate.
**Confetti cake/ with rainbow chip frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate.
**Chocolate Cake with chocolate chocolate chip frosting, dipped in milk chocolate
Why I did four flavors I have no idea. I was just curious to try some new flavors i guess.
But my clear favorite is German Chocolate, with Red Velvet in a close second.
Petunia loves the confetti cake balls, but she didn't disciminate on any of the flavors!
And of course when I decide to do it, I couldn't decide which flavor so I bought a bunch of cake mixes, frostings, and dipping chocolate.
What are cake balls?
Basically, you bake a cake, crumble it all up, mix the crumbs with frosting, roll into balls, and dip in chocolate. Sounds delightful doesn't it? :)
My mother-in-law is friends with the owner of Linda's and got some of her "secrets." (Of course Linda makes her cakes from scratch and I wasn't going there!)
** First tip - Bake the cake and let it sit overnight to "dry out."
** Second tip - She mixes cake flavors together.
Knowing these two tidbits made the project a little easier and intertesting because I couldn't wait to see how many flavor combinations I could come up with between the four cake mixes I baked. I would bake a different cake every night, let it cool, cut it into large squares and put the pieces into a ziploc bag. I would let the bag sit out onthe counter unsealed to "dry out."
On my first attempt I made two homemade frostings: cream cheese and vanilla buttercream.
The cake balls combinations I made were:
**red velvet cake/yellow cake with cream cheese frosting, dipped in milk chocolate
**Strawberry cake/yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate
**Strawberry cake/lemon cake/yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate
Strawberry-lemon
Red velvet
You can purchase this brand at WalMart or Target
Red velvet cake balls before dipping
Red velvet dipped (on the left)
I am not too good at the dipping and making them look pretty yet. But thats ok, because they are good no matter how ugly they are!
I packed them up in bags and found homes for them!
On my second attempt I made homemade cream cheese frosting and store bought German Chocolate.
The cake balls combinations I made were:
**red velvet cake/vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting, dipped in milk chocolate
**German chocolate cake/vanilla cake with German Chocolate frosting, dipped in milk chocolate. I toasted some coconut in the oven (for the first time) and sprinkled it on top of the dipped balls.
I was surprised to open the can of frosting and see how far down it was filled!
(I used the whole can of frosting and thought it could have used more to make it more moist)
On my third attempt I used: store bought German Chocolate, lemon,chocolate chocolate chip and rainbow chip frostings. No homemade frosting this round! :)
The cake balls combinations I made were:
**German chocolate cake/yellow cake with German Chocolate frosting, dipped in milk chocolate. I toasted some coconut and sprinkled some in the cake mixture as well as on top. (I also used 1.5 cans of German Chocolate frosting this time.)
**Lemon cake/yellow cake with lemon frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate.
**Confetti cake/ with rainbow chip frosting, dipped in vanilla chocolate.
**Chocolate Cake with chocolate chocolate chip frosting, dipped in milk chocolate
Why I did four flavors I have no idea. I was just curious to try some new flavors i guess.
But my clear favorite is German Chocolate, with Red Velvet in a close second.
Petunia loves the confetti cake balls, but she didn't disciminate on any of the flavors!
Monday, January 17, 2011
All is Well!
That may seem like an over statement, but I'm hoping all is well.
This morning we peeled out of bed at 4:45am and were on the road at 5:30am, headed to Madera Valley Children's Hospital. Petunia was scheduled for a follow-up esophogram to ensure there isn't a permanent narrowing of her esophagus. Her last procedure was December 30th and there was so much swelling, it was hard to tell.
We were told when we made the appt that we needed to be in the imaging department by 7:30am and the appointment was at 8am. We also couldn't feed her any liquids or food after 5am.
So, around 5am I woke Petunia up and tried to get her to drink a bottle. Amazingly she was too tired to wake up and wasn't interested in the bottle. As soon as we loaded her up in the car she slept most of the 122 mile trip.
I don't know why its so impossible to keep an appointment for the medical profession. They stressed, over the phone, several times that if we couldn't make it by 7:30am then perhaps we needed to reschedule for a later time.
Nope! We would be there....with bells on.
And we were....only a few minutes late. :)(We about ran out of gas 5 miles from the hospital and had to stop for a quick fill up.)
A tired girl pulling into the hospital.
Hospital up on the hill (to the left)
Needless to say, they didn't call us back until 8:45am.
I am soooooo glad I got out of bed at the CRACK of dawn to be seen 45 minutes behind schedule.
The radiologist technician reminded me of "Crush" from the movie "Nemo." It was entertaining to watch him move at a slow pace and just kind of checking us all out. He definitely moved at his own speed.
Her fancy gown she had to wear for the x-ray.
While waiting for "Crush" to get his stuff together we had a bit of time to play with Petunia before her procedure. She was very happy to be out of the car and have our attention all to herself.
The tech told us to lay her down for some reason, even though he wasn't ready and the doctor wasn't there yet. Petunia recognized the table and wasn't having any part of it.
The procedure was eventually performed and the doctor ruled there were still no leaks and the passageway looked fairly normal.(YAY!) So, we were free to leave and happily skipped out the door.....hoping to never return!
Hallelujah! It was a huge weight lifted off our shoulders AND an answer to many prayers. If there was a narrowing of the passageway she would need surgery to strecth it back out. I couldn't let myself even fathom the possibility of that happening. My mom put our names on prayer rolls at several temples and we received the comfort/encouragement of many prayers. Thank you just isn't enough for how blessed we are!
We made our way to Fresno and met up with Petunia's favorite pediatric nurse, Juli. We enjoyed breakfast at IHOP and visited for an hour or so before parting ways. Juli's 13 week gig at the hospital is up and she is off to another adventure. So, we were happy to get another visit with her before she leaves the area. She is truly an amazing and inspiring nurse and I feel good to know that she is working with children all over the United States. She shared that she went into nursing originally after watching her mother die from cancer.
It was an inspiring story and she truly does reach out to the children she works with and tries to make a difference. She really made an impact on our family during our visit to the hospital and believe she was a great blessing from Heavenly Father.
**The boys were able to stay behind today since they stayed the night with friends last night. It was Tubbs' first time staying the night with a friend and it was only Bubba's third time. (This made it even harder for Luke and I to sleep last night!)
We are very thankful for our friends for helping us out and entertaining the boys on this very stressful day!
This morning we peeled out of bed at 4:45am and were on the road at 5:30am, headed to Madera Valley Children's Hospital. Petunia was scheduled for a follow-up esophogram to ensure there isn't a permanent narrowing of her esophagus. Her last procedure was December 30th and there was so much swelling, it was hard to tell.
We were told when we made the appt that we needed to be in the imaging department by 7:30am and the appointment was at 8am. We also couldn't feed her any liquids or food after 5am.
So, around 5am I woke Petunia up and tried to get her to drink a bottle. Amazingly she was too tired to wake up and wasn't interested in the bottle. As soon as we loaded her up in the car she slept most of the 122 mile trip.
I don't know why its so impossible to keep an appointment for the medical profession. They stressed, over the phone, several times that if we couldn't make it by 7:30am then perhaps we needed to reschedule for a later time.
Nope! We would be there....with bells on.
And we were....only a few minutes late. :)(We about ran out of gas 5 miles from the hospital and had to stop for a quick fill up.)
A tired girl pulling into the hospital.
Hospital up on the hill (to the left)
Needless to say, they didn't call us back until 8:45am.
I am soooooo glad I got out of bed at the CRACK of dawn to be seen 45 minutes behind schedule.
The radiologist technician reminded me of "Crush" from the movie "Nemo." It was entertaining to watch him move at a slow pace and just kind of checking us all out. He definitely moved at his own speed.
Her fancy gown she had to wear for the x-ray.
While waiting for "Crush" to get his stuff together we had a bit of time to play with Petunia before her procedure. She was very happy to be out of the car and have our attention all to herself.
The tech told us to lay her down for some reason, even though he wasn't ready and the doctor wasn't there yet. Petunia recognized the table and wasn't having any part of it.
The procedure was eventually performed and the doctor ruled there were still no leaks and the passageway looked fairly normal.(YAY!) So, we were free to leave and happily skipped out the door.....hoping to never return!
Hallelujah! It was a huge weight lifted off our shoulders AND an answer to many prayers. If there was a narrowing of the passageway she would need surgery to strecth it back out. I couldn't let myself even fathom the possibility of that happening. My mom put our names on prayer rolls at several temples and we received the comfort/encouragement of many prayers. Thank you just isn't enough for how blessed we are!
We made our way to Fresno and met up with Petunia's favorite pediatric nurse, Juli. We enjoyed breakfast at IHOP and visited for an hour or so before parting ways. Juli's 13 week gig at the hospital is up and she is off to another adventure. So, we were happy to get another visit with her before she leaves the area. She is truly an amazing and inspiring nurse and I feel good to know that she is working with children all over the United States. She shared that she went into nursing originally after watching her mother die from cancer.
It was an inspiring story and she truly does reach out to the children she works with and tries to make a difference. She really made an impact on our family during our visit to the hospital and believe she was a great blessing from Heavenly Father.
**The boys were able to stay behind today since they stayed the night with friends last night. It was Tubbs' first time staying the night with a friend and it was only Bubba's third time. (This made it even harder for Luke and I to sleep last night!)
We are very thankful for our friends for helping us out and entertaining the boys on this very stressful day!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Random Mom Mutterings
The kids have been back to school, off Christmas break, for almost two weeks now. The first week back to school was a "struggle" (to put it mildly) because no one (except Petunia) wanted to get out of bed in the morning, much less get dressed in school/work clothes and leave the house.
I stayed home with Petunia for the first week back and that change in schedule made it that much harder for me to feel like we were in a regular routine again.
Every day was filled with a new or different challenge.
People or doctors would ask me if she seems to be in pain.
How the heck am I supposed to know that.
She is a turd....and she has been a turd for the past 16+ months! :)
I imagine getting your throat corroded as badly as she did, might give you a reason to be cranky. But she also got all four of her canine teeth in about the same time.
So...she isn't sleeping well at all.
So, I'm not sleeping well.
And like Luke likes to tout, "If mama ain't happy, no one's happy!"
----------------
I have been scared to death to leave Petunia's presence.
There i said it.
I can't put anymore explanation or detail around that.
Others moms can relate to this I know.
Something devastating happens to your child and you want to shield them from the world and everything around you.
Petunia went back to the babysitter this week and I returned to work.
Things had to go back to "normal."
---------------
I have lost my "normal" appetite.
I find that I still crave certain sweets or foods for dinner, but it may be the only meal I have in a day. I guess its not a bad thing, per say, but in a strange way I feel like my body/head is on overtime.
When I get "stressed" I don't necessarily eat more, but I can eat whatever and continue to lose weight. I don't know the physiological terms for everything, but it is easy to lose weight after coming back from a difficult/challenging situation.
When I had my quad accident in June 2007, and I fractured my sacral wing, I was losing weight like crazy. When I returned to work and began walking several weeks later I was eating Popeye's Chicken combo meals with fried apple pie every stinkin' day. It was great...while it lasted.
Everything good must come to an end!
------------
I feel the need to run. A lot.
(But I am not a cold weather runner. I am a pansy like that. So I rely on a treadmill)
My mind is constantly running on overdrive, along with my legs on the treadmill. People have told me they get bored when they run on a treadmill.... but I don't.
I can be watching the TV at the gym, blasting music in my headphones and totally zone out on the twisted thoughts/ideas going on in my head.
It can be very exhilarating. :)
I finally decided to run a half marathon....which is 13.1 miles.
Two months ago I kind of resigned myself to 5K/10K races thinking a longer race was unnecessary.
I still think its unnecessary.... but what the heck. There is a race in Lake Havasu on April 9th, so I'm going for it. It looks like a fun time and the weather should be nice. Its exactly 12 weeks away so I "officially" start training on Monday. Thankfully, with the exception of Christmas break and Sundays, I run almost everyday anyways.
----------------
Cake Balls!
Oh how I have developed a crush on you. (If anyone reading this does not know what cake balls are, you have to google them and you will find hundreds of blogs and web pages dedicated to these morsels of love.)
I tried them last year but recently had them on Christmas day. Since then, I have made two attempts to make my own.
I don't really think you can go wrong when you mix together cake, frosting and dip it in chocolate.
Its almost impossible to screw it up. But it takes so LONG!!
I am working on my third attempt today. I baked the cakes last night and I will make the frosting today. I use cake mixes but have a crazy notion that homemade frosting will make them taste better. Today I am making German Chocolate for the first time. I even toasted some coconut last night to sprinkle on top. (That was another first for me) So... I am turning quite "domestic" and Martha Stewart'ish among all the insanity in our house. I even made a breakfast casserole for dinner one night last week AND it was on the table by the time Luke got home from work!
That may sound like no big accomplishment for most wives, but in our house I wasn't going to let this event go unrecognized!
But its like I told my husband years ago: "I can't be good looking AND cook!"
Its quite the joke in our house.
---------------
My first grader wore shorts and a t-shirt today to school....with no jacket.
I would normally be really against this. But I am slowly learning my husband's tactic, which is: "Pick your battles."
If the kids gets sick from this he can do some chores to earn the $20 co-pay for his doctor visit.
---------------
My third grader has a chapped lip CRISIS on his hands. Of course its only a crisis to me and Luke....not him.
I am about ready to send him to school with a band-aids plastering his entire lip area. Or get him a mask like Hannibal Lecter.
It really makes me crazy. This and the fact that he never remembers to zip up his pants or tie his shoes really gets under my skin. Luke and I have a term we like to use for his appearance: Whiskey Tango.
I also discovered last week, when he leaned in to hug me, that my almost 9 year old, had body odor.
Heaven help me!
The kid has no sense of smell. Its beginning all ready!?
I thought I would have a little more time to get this kid to comprehend hygiene before his body odors shifted into drive.
Now we need to buy him deodorant (Which I keep forgetting to do).
The funny thing, is I know my six year old will be more willing to put it on every day than Bubba will.
I stayed home with Petunia for the first week back and that change in schedule made it that much harder for me to feel like we were in a regular routine again.
Every day was filled with a new or different challenge.
People or doctors would ask me if she seems to be in pain.
How the heck am I supposed to know that.
She is a turd....and she has been a turd for the past 16+ months! :)
I imagine getting your throat corroded as badly as she did, might give you a reason to be cranky. But she also got all four of her canine teeth in about the same time.
So...she isn't sleeping well at all.
So, I'm not sleeping well.
And like Luke likes to tout, "If mama ain't happy, no one's happy!"
----------------
I have been scared to death to leave Petunia's presence.
There i said it.
I can't put anymore explanation or detail around that.
Others moms can relate to this I know.
Something devastating happens to your child and you want to shield them from the world and everything around you.
Petunia went back to the babysitter this week and I returned to work.
Things had to go back to "normal."
---------------
I have lost my "normal" appetite.
I find that I still crave certain sweets or foods for dinner, but it may be the only meal I have in a day. I guess its not a bad thing, per say, but in a strange way I feel like my body/head is on overtime.
When I get "stressed" I don't necessarily eat more, but I can eat whatever and continue to lose weight. I don't know the physiological terms for everything, but it is easy to lose weight after coming back from a difficult/challenging situation.
When I had my quad accident in June 2007, and I fractured my sacral wing, I was losing weight like crazy. When I returned to work and began walking several weeks later I was eating Popeye's Chicken combo meals with fried apple pie every stinkin' day. It was great...while it lasted.
Everything good must come to an end!
------------
I feel the need to run. A lot.
(But I am not a cold weather runner. I am a pansy like that. So I rely on a treadmill)
My mind is constantly running on overdrive, along with my legs on the treadmill. People have told me they get bored when they run on a treadmill.... but I don't.
I can be watching the TV at the gym, blasting music in my headphones and totally zone out on the twisted thoughts/ideas going on in my head.
It can be very exhilarating. :)
I finally decided to run a half marathon....which is 13.1 miles.
Two months ago I kind of resigned myself to 5K/10K races thinking a longer race was unnecessary.
I still think its unnecessary.... but what the heck. There is a race in Lake Havasu on April 9th, so I'm going for it. It looks like a fun time and the weather should be nice. Its exactly 12 weeks away so I "officially" start training on Monday. Thankfully, with the exception of Christmas break and Sundays, I run almost everyday anyways.
----------------
Cake Balls!
Oh how I have developed a crush on you. (If anyone reading this does not know what cake balls are, you have to google them and you will find hundreds of blogs and web pages dedicated to these morsels of love.)
I tried them last year but recently had them on Christmas day. Since then, I have made two attempts to make my own.
I don't really think you can go wrong when you mix together cake, frosting and dip it in chocolate.
Its almost impossible to screw it up. But it takes so LONG!!
I am working on my third attempt today. I baked the cakes last night and I will make the frosting today. I use cake mixes but have a crazy notion that homemade frosting will make them taste better. Today I am making German Chocolate for the first time. I even toasted some coconut last night to sprinkle on top. (That was another first for me) So... I am turning quite "domestic" and Martha Stewart'ish among all the insanity in our house. I even made a breakfast casserole for dinner one night last week AND it was on the table by the time Luke got home from work!
That may sound like no big accomplishment for most wives, but in our house I wasn't going to let this event go unrecognized!
But its like I told my husband years ago: "I can't be good looking AND cook!"
Its quite the joke in our house.
---------------
My first grader wore shorts and a t-shirt today to school....with no jacket.
I would normally be really against this. But I am slowly learning my husband's tactic, which is: "Pick your battles."
If the kids gets sick from this he can do some chores to earn the $20 co-pay for his doctor visit.
---------------
My third grader has a chapped lip CRISIS on his hands. Of course its only a crisis to me and Luke....not him.
I am about ready to send him to school with a band-aids plastering his entire lip area. Or get him a mask like Hannibal Lecter.
It really makes me crazy. This and the fact that he never remembers to zip up his pants or tie his shoes really gets under my skin. Luke and I have a term we like to use for his appearance: Whiskey Tango.
I also discovered last week, when he leaned in to hug me, that my almost 9 year old, had body odor.
Heaven help me!
The kid has no sense of smell. Its beginning all ready!?
I thought I would have a little more time to get this kid to comprehend hygiene before his body odors shifted into drive.
Now we need to buy him deodorant (Which I keep forgetting to do).
The funny thing, is I know my six year old will be more willing to put it on every day than Bubba will.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Christmas 2010
This year Luke and I really tried to "simplify" Christmas gifts for everyone this year.
"NO CRAP" was our motto.
No "filler gifts" or trinkets that were going to end up in the toy box or thrown around the house within a few days.
We grilled the boys about 100 times over the last 2-3 months on what they REALLY, REALLY wanted for Christmas. I think they each wrote letters to Santa in November. (Tubbs of course made several addendums to his list and wrote a new letter each time.) Nevertheless, we really worked hard to track what we each bought and spent on them.
Something else we did was we bought fewer gifts for the boys. In the past we would buy them misc. items off their lists and then we say label them from whomever in the family. So they might end up with 2-3 gifts from mommy and another 2-3 from daddy. This year the kids each received one gift from everyone. It made the shopping EASIER and cheaper. I think we did really good sticking to our "plan."
(Luke did have to make an impromptu Christmas Eve trip back to Target to return some items that the boys located in our bedroom closet. They were organizing Luke's shoe rack in a last ditch effort to make sure they were on the good list! Since they were "stocking" items, they had to go back. :)
For the second year in a row instead of keeping a paper list, I used an app on my phone. Every time we would buy something I could track who it was fo, how much I spent and where I bought it. It also let Luke and I track how much was spent so far on each kid. Lucky for me, my kids (who like to play with my phone) don't know it exists.
Ok....on to the big day!
Why is it, when you WANT your kids to wake up early, they sleep in? At around 7am they finally came running down the hallway and we could hear their feet scuffle on the wood floor. I wish I could have recorded their trembling voices tell us what Santa brought. Tubbs was shaking! I love it!
We couldn't wait to see the boys find their stocking and Santa gifts this year.
Santa does not wrap his gifts at our house and Luke makes labels on the computer.
Tubbs REALLY needed new socks, so amazingly Santa brought both the boys socks in their stockings. I am not sure which Tubbs was more excited about...the DSi XL or the socks. This boy cracks me up!
A tetherball from Grandma and Grandpa Hogue
The Montana kids came over and played for a while in their PJ's.
Morgan played with Petunia while I made breakfast. Thanks you Morgan!
Breakfast:
Italian Turkey Sausage Bread and Mama's Cinnamon Rolls!
I even had to take a picture of myself eating it and text it to my brother....because that's what big sisters do! :)
Of course the boys were so excited playing tetherball, they didn't want to come in and eat. But being the gentle,loving mother I am , I forced them to sit down and eat. :)
Petunia got each of the boys a game for Christmas. "Headbanz" and "Apples to Apples."
Big hits!
A new phone for Petunia....so she can call her girlfriends.
It wouldn't be a holiday with a little drama or an injury. Petunia slipped in the bathroom and hit her cheek on the tile step to the shower. OUCH!
She had a nice bruise within seconds.
After breakfast we cleaned/packed up and went to Grandma and Grandpa Hogue's house in Bear Valley for Christmas dinner.
The boys each got a lap desk with their name on it. They loved it.
The kids and their cousin Kylee.
Luke's sister Jenny and brother, Jake
Dessert!!
So good I had to take a picture of all the cupcakes, lemon bars and cake balls. Holy Cow!
Merry Christmas! We love you.
"NO CRAP" was our motto.
No "filler gifts" or trinkets that were going to end up in the toy box or thrown around the house within a few days.
We grilled the boys about 100 times over the last 2-3 months on what they REALLY, REALLY wanted for Christmas. I think they each wrote letters to Santa in November. (Tubbs of course made several addendums to his list and wrote a new letter each time.) Nevertheless, we really worked hard to track what we each bought and spent on them.
Something else we did was we bought fewer gifts for the boys. In the past we would buy them misc. items off their lists and then we say label them from whomever in the family. So they might end up with 2-3 gifts from mommy and another 2-3 from daddy. This year the kids each received one gift from everyone. It made the shopping EASIER and cheaper. I think we did really good sticking to our "plan."
(Luke did have to make an impromptu Christmas Eve trip back to Target to return some items that the boys located in our bedroom closet. They were organizing Luke's shoe rack in a last ditch effort to make sure they were on the good list! Since they were "stocking" items, they had to go back. :)
For the second year in a row instead of keeping a paper list, I used an app on my phone. Every time we would buy something I could track who it was fo, how much I spent and where I bought it. It also let Luke and I track how much was spent so far on each kid. Lucky for me, my kids (who like to play with my phone) don't know it exists.
Ok....on to the big day!
Why is it, when you WANT your kids to wake up early, they sleep in? At around 7am they finally came running down the hallway and we could hear their feet scuffle on the wood floor. I wish I could have recorded their trembling voices tell us what Santa brought. Tubbs was shaking! I love it!
We couldn't wait to see the boys find their stocking and Santa gifts this year.
Santa does not wrap his gifts at our house and Luke makes labels on the computer.
Tubbs REALLY needed new socks, so amazingly Santa brought both the boys socks in their stockings. I am not sure which Tubbs was more excited about...the DSi XL or the socks. This boy cracks me up!
A tetherball from Grandma and Grandpa Hogue
The Montana kids came over and played for a while in their PJ's.
Morgan played with Petunia while I made breakfast. Thanks you Morgan!
Breakfast:
Italian Turkey Sausage Bread and Mama's Cinnamon Rolls!
I even had to take a picture of myself eating it and text it to my brother....because that's what big sisters do! :)
Of course the boys were so excited playing tetherball, they didn't want to come in and eat. But being the gentle,loving mother I am , I forced them to sit down and eat. :)
Petunia got each of the boys a game for Christmas. "Headbanz" and "Apples to Apples."
Big hits!
A new phone for Petunia....so she can call her girlfriends.
It wouldn't be a holiday with a little drama or an injury. Petunia slipped in the bathroom and hit her cheek on the tile step to the shower. OUCH!
She had a nice bruise within seconds.
After breakfast we cleaned/packed up and went to Grandma and Grandpa Hogue's house in Bear Valley for Christmas dinner.
The boys each got a lap desk with their name on it. They loved it.
The kids and their cousin Kylee.
Luke's sister Jenny and brother, Jake
Dessert!!
So good I had to take a picture of all the cupcakes, lemon bars and cake balls. Holy Cow!
Merry Christmas! We love you.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Recovery Food
After a rainy 120 drive, we anxiously arrived home from Madera Saturday around 4:30pm Saturday.
Grandma and Grandpa Hogue were there with the boys and the house was quiet...and CLEAN.
(Luke informs me what while Petunia and I were in the ER Wednesday morning he started cleaning the house and touch-up painting the kitchen because he didn't know what else to do. I LOVE this man!)
Anywho, about 30 minutes after we get home, friends call and offer to share their dinner with us. (Luke was originally supposed to be at this friend's house for a college football game so they had a lot of food to share. They had shrimp, craw fish, crab, potatoes and sausage.)
So nice of them to share their party food.
About an hour later our wonderful neighbors and friends came over to bring some lovin and treats.
Peanut butter cupcakes! (Petunia was able to sample the frosting....much to her delight!)
Sunday evening a surprise knock on the door brought more treats from a friend I adore.
I haven't figured out exactly what the ingredients in these morsels are yet, but they were so good the plate was polished clean by Monday afternoon.
I tasted M&M's + peanut butter + oatmeal = Deliciousness.
Not long after these morsels arrived, our neighbor friends drop off more goodies ....brownie cupcakes with marshmallow, peanut butter and chocolate drizzled on top.
WOW!
Thank you for the all fabulous treats. It appears my friends know just what to do in times like this! :)
Grandma and Grandpa Hogue were there with the boys and the house was quiet...and CLEAN.
(Luke informs me what while Petunia and I were in the ER Wednesday morning he started cleaning the house and touch-up painting the kitchen because he didn't know what else to do. I LOVE this man!)
Anywho, about 30 minutes after we get home, friends call and offer to share their dinner with us. (Luke was originally supposed to be at this friend's house for a college football game so they had a lot of food to share. They had shrimp, craw fish, crab, potatoes and sausage.)
So nice of them to share their party food.
About an hour later our wonderful neighbors and friends came over to bring some lovin and treats.
Peanut butter cupcakes! (Petunia was able to sample the frosting....much to her delight!)
Sunday evening a surprise knock on the door brought more treats from a friend I adore.
I haven't figured out exactly what the ingredients in these morsels are yet, but they were so good the plate was polished clean by Monday afternoon.
I tasted M&M's + peanut butter + oatmeal = Deliciousness.
Not long after these morsels arrived, our neighbor friends drop off more goodies ....brownie cupcakes with marshmallow, peanut butter and chocolate drizzled on top.
WOW!
Thank you for the all fabulous treats. It appears my friends know just what to do in times like this! :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Petunia's Latest Adventure
Tuesday night - Tubbs has a fever and vomiting. We get the ear thermometer out but the batteries are dead. We remove the button batteries and set them on the counter next to the thermometer. We tell ourselves that when we run to the store for more children's Tylenol we will pick up a new batteries.
We forget.
Wednesday - 10am
Petunia is sitting up on the kitchen counter and Luke is giving her the last dose of antibiotic for her ear infection. Then I then snatch her from the counter and take her to the changing table to get a diaper change. I lay her down, change her diaper and glance up to her face just in time to see a button battery in the back of her throat. I yank her up, lean her forward in an attempt to get her to spit it out.
No such luck. She has swallowed it.
I was in disbelief. I calmly walk out of her bedroom and announce to Luke, "...she just swallowed a battery."
(Earlier in the morning we were contemplating a trip to Bear Valley to play in the snow at Grandma and Grandpa's. The boys were both sick with fevers and misc. ailments, so we weren't sure what the plans were for the day.)
After I announce the battery consumption Luke says, "Well, I guess we'll be spending the day in the ER."
In my head, I was thinking it was just like swallowing a penny, and it would pass. Silly, silly me.
I call the pediatrician. The receptionist tells me to take her to the ER.
All righty then.
No one had showered yet and there wasn't time now. While I'm in my bedroom throwing clothes on, Luke gets Petunia dressed and ready to go. He starts the car, buckles her in, I throw my hair into a bun and I take off to the ER.
On my way I call my home teacher from church, who works at the hospital, tell him we are on our way and ask for help.
What a blessing he is to us! Our gratitude and love for him, for all he has done for our family, just cannot be put into words.
After I arrive at the ER, I sign her in and wait for Triage. As Petunia sits on my lap, I pull out my phone and begin googling "swallowing battery."
http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Baby-swallowed-battery-hidden-danger/0rm2kHROTUO-lQflqVLQyA.cspx
Time to freak out. But there is no time.
Petunia vomits on the lobby floor. No battery.
I start to panic again.
I give myself 30 seconds to cry and mentally smack myself back to reality.
A few minutes later I am called back to Triage. My home teacher arrives while I am answering questions and signing papers.
I calm down and try really hard not to cry again.
How did I let this happen?
They take us back to a room and order an x-ray.
The battery is about the size of a nickel and its lodged in her esophagus. I didn't know if this was good or bad because it hadn't been ingested.
I am informed that it needs to be extracted as quickly as possible but there are no Pediatric Gastrointestinal doctors available to do it. This meant we needed to go to Valley Children's Hospital in Madera.
Luke calls me to get a status. I let him know whats going on and he calls his parents and they make arrangements to pick up the boys. I am thinking to myself we may not be home tonight, so I ask Luke to bring my toothbrush with him.
We wait for the ambulance to arrive for transporting Petunia. While we are waiting, Petunia has to get an IV put in.
This escapade took three nurses and Luke and I, to hold her down. They couldn't find a vein and when they thought they found one, nothing was coming out. So they had to try again. As I am holding her legs down I can feel my face burning. The tears are coming and I am wishing I could fast forward time.
The nurse next to me rubs my back.
10 long minutes later, the IV is in.
The ambulance arrives and they get her strapped in.
I decide to let Luke ride in the ambulance and I follow behind in our vehicle.
I text my family to let them know whats going on. People are calling me and I can't answer because I am a sobbing mess. Thank goodness for technology because I was in no condition to talk to anyone or answer questions I didn't know the answers to.
122 miles later we arrive at the ER of Valley Children's Hospital.
Its 2:30pm.
I am feeling calm....and confident.
Petunia seems to have a smile on her face. I think this is going to move quickly and we could be home tonight.
Great!
They order another x-ray. Same response and we are told several times, "We need to get this thing out!"
Great. Let's get this thing out!
While we wait for the GI specialist to consult I head to the cafeteria...thinking I have plenty of time. I didn't eat breakfast before I left the house and I was starving.
I eat some pizza and head back upstairs to learn that she's been moved to pre-op exam upstairs. The ER nurse takes me to Luke and Petunia and I can feel myself getting anxious. But then I see Luke holding her close in his arms.
Amazingly, I feel calm again. The anesthesiologist explains whats going to happen and seems very confidant the doctor will be able to remove the battery successfully. A nurse asks me to give Petunia a syringe of magic pink syrup to "calm her" and would help them get a new IV in quickly. The nurse says the affect is like drinking two margaritas really fast....and I wanted to ask her for some syrup for myself! :)
I give her the syrup and we wait 15 minutes for it to take affect. It was the only time I want to see my child drunk. It was pretty funny to watch her demeanor change.
Luke and I say a prayer together. The nurse takes Petunia from us at 4:30pm.
When they take her I feel relief, because I knew that as long as I was holding her, I couldn't help her.
These people were going to "fix" her.
A nurse escorts us to a waiting room. An hour passes and we don't hear anything. We are going on 90 minutes. Finally, the GI specialist and his colleague come get us and call us into the hallway.
They were able to retrieve the battery and they hand it to us in a sealed container.
Thanks...its what I've always wanted.
This is what the battery looked like seven hours after being in her esophagus. (It was in perfect condition before she popped it in her mouth)
Then he hands us a photo. This is the battery in her esophagus before pulling it out.
Great....now where is my kid.....(is what I was thinking.)
Apparently, small coin-shaped batteries can cause harm if they do not pass through the body quickly, as the chemicals inside can leak out and burn the surrounding tissue, or they can cause a small electric current which can also do harm. Button batteries are not sealed, so if swallowed can leak into your system after two hours.
In Petunia's case, there is extensive damage to the esophagus and the doc was concerned there might be a hole. They were admitting her to the hospital and she was not to consume any fluids for at least 24-48 hours.
Another LONG hour later we are able to retrieve Petunia from post-op and we "check-in" to our room.
Our deluxe sleeping accommodations :)
Poor Petunia.
Poor, poor Petunia.
Now we wait.
The next step is a contrast x-ray (with a name that's more than 10 syllables long) to see if fluid leaks from her esophagus.
We call the boys and tell them we won't be home tonight.
I send texts to family. I was in no condition to talk on the phone.
Good night Petunia. (I was not a fan of her metal "cage" as we called it.) :)
Thursday
I am cranky. I don't think either of us slept more than 2-3 hours each.
All night long nurses are coming in and out to take her vitals. She is connected to an IV and two other machines to track her oxygen levels and pulse. All three machines would randomly start beeping and I would either have to go get a nurse or one would come in and try to fix it or reset it.
We wait to see the doctor. A resident comes in who knows nothing. I don't even know what the point of it is. (I also need to state that I haven't had one nurse yet who was very friendly or helpful. The night nurse was a hag. Yes, I just said it. A hag. Apparently since she is nocturnal, the rest of should be as well.)
After breakfast heads out to find a Target while Petunia and I take a nap.
Of course as soon as I fall asleep, the GI specialist arrives.
Finally!
He informs me the esophogram will be performed Friday because she needs as much time as possible to heal. I am disappointed because I am still optimistic...and want to take her home today!!
30 minutes later the GI specialist calls back and says the procedure has to be scheduled either today or Monday because Friday is a holiday. He schedules it for 3:30 today.
Great news.
I email Luke and we are excited to finally find out how much damage has been done to the esophagus. He returns with misc. toiletries and change of garments for us and Petunia. He always brings her a coloring book and crayons to help occupy her.
She was very happy.
3:30pm arrives and we take Petunia to the Imaging unit for the esophogram.
The nurse takes FOREVER (in my mind) to figure out how we are going to position Petunia for the x-ray. We have to wrap her up like a mummy, hold her down UNDER the x-ray machine and get her to drink some crappy clear liquid from a bottle. The "contrast" syrup will allow the doctor to see if there are any leaks in the esophagus and how narrow her passageway is.
Its almost 2011 and I am wondering why they are still using sheets and masking tape to constrain an infant for a medical procedure. Its crazy. And its really hard on Luke and I.
I am really, really done-done-done having to hold her down while she screams in bloody terror. The nurse is taking forever!!
When they position her under the X-ray machine Luke holds her head, The nurse takes her legs and I have to squeeze the bottle under the machine and try to get her to drink.
It tastes awful, she is screaming....so she isn't drinking anything.
So, I squeeze the bottle to get the liquid to drop into her mouth, forcing her to drink it.
Its awful. The radiologist lets this go on for about 4-5 minutes before he says he can see the contrast. He takes some shots and we're done.
Poor Petunia.
We pull her out, unwrap her and set her free.
Thank goodness she has forgiven us quickly. She snuggles in and we wait for the radiologist to review the films in case we have to do it again.
The GI Specialist calls us back later and the results are good. No leaks.
YAY!!!!!!!!
Great news.
The next step is to give her water/pedialyte.
She wants nothing to do with either. She won't drink out of a bottle or a sipper cup. There is a Starbucks next to the cafeteria so we take her down to get a cup of water because she loves straws.
Its a hit. She drinks the water and it makes us happy.
Friday - New Year's Eve
Another sleepless night. The night nurse, Pablo, wreaks of woman's perfume. He is in the room every 2 hours...along with all of the beeping machines.
This could be the day. The day we go home.
While I am cleaning up in the bathroom I hear Petunia start screaming. She stepped on her IV line which is in her foot and there is blood on the floor.
Luke goes to find a nurse. Thankfully the night nurse is gone!
Enter Julie....the most fan-tabulous nurse ever! She is a breath of fresh air after all the weird-os we have been dealing with. She saves the IV but unattached it from the saline bag so Petunia can wander free. She keep the line in though in case we need to use it. All day long Julie checks on us, makes Petunia laugh, plays with her in the hallway. It was an answer to my prayers. Really.
I thought I was going to snap and today we have this wonderful nurse who seems like we've known her forever.
Julie is a pediatric "traveling" nurse originally from the East Coast, so she changes assignments about every 13 weeks. We feel so blessed to have met her and have her for Petunia's nurse. When Petunia progressed to soft foods she got her a Popsicle, cut it into pieces and fed it to her.
She rigged up a bottle for her that would use a straw and not leak. I was so impressed...and Petunia drank and drank out of it.
The GI specialist makes his rounds before lunch and says he wants to progress her diet slowly. She will definitely be staying another night.
Bummer.
We call the boys and let them know.
Keeping our fingers crossed and praying tomorrow is the day.
Luke and I take turns taking Petunia for walks all around the building. We find a playroom downstairs which is a nice change for her.
A nurse down the hall also offers Petunia a little car for her to cruise around in.
Petunia crashes at 6:30 and we let her sleep---hoping she was out for the night.
We locate a Cheesecake Factory about 10 minutes away and we decide to order for pick-up. Luke brings back dinner and a piece of Red Velvet cheesecake for dessert. So good!
When Julie took off for the evening she came by to say goodbye. We thanked her for looking after us and all her help.
I cried. (Again)
(Yes.... I didn't want her to leave ....and I really wasn't looking forward to another rude night nurse. Of course I also didn't want to spend New Year's Eve in room 1504.)
She gave me a hug and said she might be back in our unit tomorrow morning, but wasn't sure.
Petunia wakes up at 9:30'ish and she is ready to party until midnight.
Not me. I was ready for bed.
It made for a very long night. Needless to say, Luke and her were walking the halls until 1:30am.
Saturday - New Year's Day
I am up early with Petunia...as usual. I shower and freshen up. The hospital provided us with some deordorant: Teen Spirit. Luke forgot to buy himself some deodorant Thursday, so he was rockin' the Teen Spirit too.
I have not washed my hair since Tuesday morning! Heaven help the curls. I have been wearing it in a bun for four days. Luke bought shampoo/conditioner but no hair pick or mousse. So, I had to live with what I had. I was also in the same pair of jeans I arrived in. Luke bought me pajama pants Thursday, so thankfully I didn't have to sleep in the jeans.
We are ready to go home! Is today the day?!
Julie pops her head in and unfortunately she is in the unit down the hallway. She won't be our nurse today but we promise to come say goodbye before we leave.
The GI Specialist arrives around 11:30am to check on Petunia.
We get to go home!!
Wa-hoo.
We call the boys and give them the good news. (They are ready to be home. They were spoiled at Grandma and Grandpa's but they are sick. Tubbs has been vomiting, had headaches, nasal congestion...and both the boys have had fevers. Thankfully Grandma and Grandma gave them the love and attention they needed and catered to their every whim.)
Now we have to wait. Apparently the resident has to sign our discharge papers.
Where was the resident?!
I was about ready to just leave the hospital without the papers. It was raining outside and we had a 120 miles drive ahead.
Freedom is so close!!
While we wait for discharge papers we visit Julie in the next unit and exchange Facebook information. (Amazing how a social network like this can connect you to people you meet and keep in touch. We look forward to hearing where she ends up next.)
There is a family from Taft (30 minutes away from home) in the hospital room next door. On Friday, the older son helped Petunia and I find the kids' playroom downstairs. The family was sleeping at the Ronald McDonald House and this morning they brought back a pink/white blanket for Petunia that was donated.
We loved the blanket and it was so nice of them to think of her. I also couldn't help but be appreciative of the volunteers who assembled the blankets and donated them for kids like Petunia. Its such a blessing....I only wish we had it a few days ago. It was so toasty!
Finally, after two hours of waiting, the resident arrives to check on Petunia. She signs the discharge papers and we practically RUN out of the hospital.
Hallaleujah!! We are headed home. We cannot wait to see the boys.
Doctors orders: Only soft mushy foods and non-acidic liquids for 1-2 weeks. We watch for signs of infection and come back on January 17th for another esophogram. .
Two minutes into the car ride Petunia is out.
A very tired girl!
We are so very thankful for the thoughts and prayers of our family and friends. With Heavenly Father's strength and love, they helped us in our moments of need. We love you!
We forget.
Wednesday - 10am
Petunia is sitting up on the kitchen counter and Luke is giving her the last dose of antibiotic for her ear infection. Then I then snatch her from the counter and take her to the changing table to get a diaper change. I lay her down, change her diaper and glance up to her face just in time to see a button battery in the back of her throat. I yank her up, lean her forward in an attempt to get her to spit it out.
No such luck. She has swallowed it.
I was in disbelief. I calmly walk out of her bedroom and announce to Luke, "...she just swallowed a battery."
(Earlier in the morning we were contemplating a trip to Bear Valley to play in the snow at Grandma and Grandpa's. The boys were both sick with fevers and misc. ailments, so we weren't sure what the plans were for the day.)
After I announce the battery consumption Luke says, "Well, I guess we'll be spending the day in the ER."
In my head, I was thinking it was just like swallowing a penny, and it would pass. Silly, silly me.
I call the pediatrician. The receptionist tells me to take her to the ER.
All righty then.
No one had showered yet and there wasn't time now. While I'm in my bedroom throwing clothes on, Luke gets Petunia dressed and ready to go. He starts the car, buckles her in, I throw my hair into a bun and I take off to the ER.
On my way I call my home teacher from church, who works at the hospital, tell him we are on our way and ask for help.
What a blessing he is to us! Our gratitude and love for him, for all he has done for our family, just cannot be put into words.
After I arrive at the ER, I sign her in and wait for Triage. As Petunia sits on my lap, I pull out my phone and begin googling "swallowing battery."
http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Baby-swallowed-battery-hidden-danger/0rm2kHROTUO-lQflqVLQyA.cspx
Time to freak out. But there is no time.
Petunia vomits on the lobby floor. No battery.
I start to panic again.
I give myself 30 seconds to cry and mentally smack myself back to reality.
A few minutes later I am called back to Triage. My home teacher arrives while I am answering questions and signing papers.
I calm down and try really hard not to cry again.
How did I let this happen?
They take us back to a room and order an x-ray.
The battery is about the size of a nickel and its lodged in her esophagus. I didn't know if this was good or bad because it hadn't been ingested.
I am informed that it needs to be extracted as quickly as possible but there are no Pediatric Gastrointestinal doctors available to do it. This meant we needed to go to Valley Children's Hospital in Madera.
Luke calls me to get a status. I let him know whats going on and he calls his parents and they make arrangements to pick up the boys. I am thinking to myself we may not be home tonight, so I ask Luke to bring my toothbrush with him.
We wait for the ambulance to arrive for transporting Petunia. While we are waiting, Petunia has to get an IV put in.
This escapade took three nurses and Luke and I, to hold her down. They couldn't find a vein and when they thought they found one, nothing was coming out. So they had to try again. As I am holding her legs down I can feel my face burning. The tears are coming and I am wishing I could fast forward time.
The nurse next to me rubs my back.
10 long minutes later, the IV is in.
The ambulance arrives and they get her strapped in.
I decide to let Luke ride in the ambulance and I follow behind in our vehicle.
I text my family to let them know whats going on. People are calling me and I can't answer because I am a sobbing mess. Thank goodness for technology because I was in no condition to talk to anyone or answer questions I didn't know the answers to.
122 miles later we arrive at the ER of Valley Children's Hospital.
Its 2:30pm.
I am feeling calm....and confident.
Petunia seems to have a smile on her face. I think this is going to move quickly and we could be home tonight.
Great!
They order another x-ray. Same response and we are told several times, "We need to get this thing out!"
Great. Let's get this thing out!
While we wait for the GI specialist to consult I head to the cafeteria...thinking I have plenty of time. I didn't eat breakfast before I left the house and I was starving.
I eat some pizza and head back upstairs to learn that she's been moved to pre-op exam upstairs. The ER nurse takes me to Luke and Petunia and I can feel myself getting anxious. But then I see Luke holding her close in his arms.
Amazingly, I feel calm again. The anesthesiologist explains whats going to happen and seems very confidant the doctor will be able to remove the battery successfully. A nurse asks me to give Petunia a syringe of magic pink syrup to "calm her" and would help them get a new IV in quickly. The nurse says the affect is like drinking two margaritas really fast....and I wanted to ask her for some syrup for myself! :)
I give her the syrup and we wait 15 minutes for it to take affect. It was the only time I want to see my child drunk. It was pretty funny to watch her demeanor change.
Luke and I say a prayer together. The nurse takes Petunia from us at 4:30pm.
When they take her I feel relief, because I knew that as long as I was holding her, I couldn't help her.
These people were going to "fix" her.
A nurse escorts us to a waiting room. An hour passes and we don't hear anything. We are going on 90 minutes. Finally, the GI specialist and his colleague come get us and call us into the hallway.
They were able to retrieve the battery and they hand it to us in a sealed container.
Thanks...its what I've always wanted.
This is what the battery looked like seven hours after being in her esophagus. (It was in perfect condition before she popped it in her mouth)
Then he hands us a photo. This is the battery in her esophagus before pulling it out.
Great....now where is my kid.....(is what I was thinking.)
Apparently, small coin-shaped batteries can cause harm if they do not pass through the body quickly, as the chemicals inside can leak out and burn the surrounding tissue, or they can cause a small electric current which can also do harm. Button batteries are not sealed, so if swallowed can leak into your system after two hours.
In Petunia's case, there is extensive damage to the esophagus and the doc was concerned there might be a hole. They were admitting her to the hospital and she was not to consume any fluids for at least 24-48 hours.
Another LONG hour later we are able to retrieve Petunia from post-op and we "check-in" to our room.
Our deluxe sleeping accommodations :)
Poor Petunia.
Poor, poor Petunia.
Now we wait.
The next step is a contrast x-ray (with a name that's more than 10 syllables long) to see if fluid leaks from her esophagus.
We call the boys and tell them we won't be home tonight.
I send texts to family. I was in no condition to talk on the phone.
Good night Petunia. (I was not a fan of her metal "cage" as we called it.) :)
Thursday
I am cranky. I don't think either of us slept more than 2-3 hours each.
All night long nurses are coming in and out to take her vitals. She is connected to an IV and two other machines to track her oxygen levels and pulse. All three machines would randomly start beeping and I would either have to go get a nurse or one would come in and try to fix it or reset it.
We wait to see the doctor. A resident comes in who knows nothing. I don't even know what the point of it is. (I also need to state that I haven't had one nurse yet who was very friendly or helpful. The night nurse was a hag. Yes, I just said it. A hag. Apparently since she is nocturnal, the rest of should be as well.)
After breakfast heads out to find a Target while Petunia and I take a nap.
Of course as soon as I fall asleep, the GI specialist arrives.
Finally!
He informs me the esophogram will be performed Friday because she needs as much time as possible to heal. I am disappointed because I am still optimistic...and want to take her home today!!
30 minutes later the GI specialist calls back and says the procedure has to be scheduled either today or Monday because Friday is a holiday. He schedules it for 3:30 today.
Great news.
I email Luke and we are excited to finally find out how much damage has been done to the esophagus. He returns with misc. toiletries and change of garments for us and Petunia. He always brings her a coloring book and crayons to help occupy her.
She was very happy.
3:30pm arrives and we take Petunia to the Imaging unit for the esophogram.
The nurse takes FOREVER (in my mind) to figure out how we are going to position Petunia for the x-ray. We have to wrap her up like a mummy, hold her down UNDER the x-ray machine and get her to drink some crappy clear liquid from a bottle. The "contrast" syrup will allow the doctor to see if there are any leaks in the esophagus and how narrow her passageway is.
Its almost 2011 and I am wondering why they are still using sheets and masking tape to constrain an infant for a medical procedure. Its crazy. And its really hard on Luke and I.
I am really, really done-done-done having to hold her down while she screams in bloody terror. The nurse is taking forever!!
When they position her under the X-ray machine Luke holds her head, The nurse takes her legs and I have to squeeze the bottle under the machine and try to get her to drink.
It tastes awful, she is screaming....so she isn't drinking anything.
So, I squeeze the bottle to get the liquid to drop into her mouth, forcing her to drink it.
Its awful. The radiologist lets this go on for about 4-5 minutes before he says he can see the contrast. He takes some shots and we're done.
Poor Petunia.
We pull her out, unwrap her and set her free.
Thank goodness she has forgiven us quickly. She snuggles in and we wait for the radiologist to review the films in case we have to do it again.
The GI Specialist calls us back later and the results are good. No leaks.
YAY!!!!!!!!
Great news.
The next step is to give her water/pedialyte.
She wants nothing to do with either. She won't drink out of a bottle or a sipper cup. There is a Starbucks next to the cafeteria so we take her down to get a cup of water because she loves straws.
Its a hit. She drinks the water and it makes us happy.
Friday - New Year's Eve
Another sleepless night. The night nurse, Pablo, wreaks of woman's perfume. He is in the room every 2 hours...along with all of the beeping machines.
This could be the day. The day we go home.
While I am cleaning up in the bathroom I hear Petunia start screaming. She stepped on her IV line which is in her foot and there is blood on the floor.
Luke goes to find a nurse. Thankfully the night nurse is gone!
Enter Julie....the most fan-tabulous nurse ever! She is a breath of fresh air after all the weird-os we have been dealing with. She saves the IV but unattached it from the saline bag so Petunia can wander free. She keep the line in though in case we need to use it. All day long Julie checks on us, makes Petunia laugh, plays with her in the hallway. It was an answer to my prayers. Really.
I thought I was going to snap and today we have this wonderful nurse who seems like we've known her forever.
Julie is a pediatric "traveling" nurse originally from the East Coast, so she changes assignments about every 13 weeks. We feel so blessed to have met her and have her for Petunia's nurse. When Petunia progressed to soft foods she got her a Popsicle, cut it into pieces and fed it to her.
She rigged up a bottle for her that would use a straw and not leak. I was so impressed...and Petunia drank and drank out of it.
The GI specialist makes his rounds before lunch and says he wants to progress her diet slowly. She will definitely be staying another night.
Bummer.
We call the boys and let them know.
Keeping our fingers crossed and praying tomorrow is the day.
Luke and I take turns taking Petunia for walks all around the building. We find a playroom downstairs which is a nice change for her.
A nurse down the hall also offers Petunia a little car for her to cruise around in.
Petunia crashes at 6:30 and we let her sleep---hoping she was out for the night.
We locate a Cheesecake Factory about 10 minutes away and we decide to order for pick-up. Luke brings back dinner and a piece of Red Velvet cheesecake for dessert. So good!
When Julie took off for the evening she came by to say goodbye. We thanked her for looking after us and all her help.
I cried. (Again)
(Yes.... I didn't want her to leave ....and I really wasn't looking forward to another rude night nurse. Of course I also didn't want to spend New Year's Eve in room 1504.)
She gave me a hug and said she might be back in our unit tomorrow morning, but wasn't sure.
Petunia wakes up at 9:30'ish and she is ready to party until midnight.
Not me. I was ready for bed.
It made for a very long night. Needless to say, Luke and her were walking the halls until 1:30am.
Saturday - New Year's Day
I am up early with Petunia...as usual. I shower and freshen up. The hospital provided us with some deordorant: Teen Spirit. Luke forgot to buy himself some deodorant Thursday, so he was rockin' the Teen Spirit too.
I have not washed my hair since Tuesday morning! Heaven help the curls. I have been wearing it in a bun for four days. Luke bought shampoo/conditioner but no hair pick or mousse. So, I had to live with what I had. I was also in the same pair of jeans I arrived in. Luke bought me pajama pants Thursday, so thankfully I didn't have to sleep in the jeans.
We are ready to go home! Is today the day?!
Julie pops her head in and unfortunately she is in the unit down the hallway. She won't be our nurse today but we promise to come say goodbye before we leave.
The GI Specialist arrives around 11:30am to check on Petunia.
We get to go home!!
Wa-hoo.
We call the boys and give them the good news. (They are ready to be home. They were spoiled at Grandma and Grandpa's but they are sick. Tubbs has been vomiting, had headaches, nasal congestion...and both the boys have had fevers. Thankfully Grandma and Grandma gave them the love and attention they needed and catered to their every whim.)
Now we have to wait. Apparently the resident has to sign our discharge papers.
Where was the resident?!
I was about ready to just leave the hospital without the papers. It was raining outside and we had a 120 miles drive ahead.
Freedom is so close!!
While we wait for discharge papers we visit Julie in the next unit and exchange Facebook information. (Amazing how a social network like this can connect you to people you meet and keep in touch. We look forward to hearing where she ends up next.)
There is a family from Taft (30 minutes away from home) in the hospital room next door. On Friday, the older son helped Petunia and I find the kids' playroom downstairs. The family was sleeping at the Ronald McDonald House and this morning they brought back a pink/white blanket for Petunia that was donated.
We loved the blanket and it was so nice of them to think of her. I also couldn't help but be appreciative of the volunteers who assembled the blankets and donated them for kids like Petunia. Its such a blessing....I only wish we had it a few days ago. It was so toasty!
Finally, after two hours of waiting, the resident arrives to check on Petunia. She signs the discharge papers and we practically RUN out of the hospital.
Hallaleujah!! We are headed home. We cannot wait to see the boys.
Doctors orders: Only soft mushy foods and non-acidic liquids for 1-2 weeks. We watch for signs of infection and come back on January 17th for another esophogram. .
Two minutes into the car ride Petunia is out.
A very tired girl!
We are so very thankful for the thoughts and prayers of our family and friends. With Heavenly Father's strength and love, they helped us in our moments of need. We love you!
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