Revelations..and more. :)

It has been awhile since I have posted. Not for lack of want for certain. I started doing a daily paper route on top of the other 2 day route. Needless to say it leaves me tired, cranky, sore and a few other choice words... I didn't mind it too much at first. I kind of liked it, but this week has taken a toll on me - my hand keeps going numb, I have knots on my knots on my back and the list goes on - everything points to me finding a real day job and stop hiding in the wee hours in my car, driving and delivering the daily news (aka commie rag as one of my co-workers has coined it - he is a little nuts). I will probably wait until after the holidays to start looking hard core. I have learned a lot this year about myself - not all of it great but I am working on everything and hopefully that is all that matters.


On a lighter note, I think my daughter really does want to be a doctor. I found her yesterday at the landing of the stairs bandaging Bugs Bunny. Aparently he had quite a spill. :) She had taken a new package of gauze, band-aids and scissors and went to work on poor Bugs. She doesn't mind the sight of blood and isn't sqeamish when she gets hurt.. Who knows right??

Steven has been busy with his friends and playing video games. He did participate in a band concert before school let out for the Thanksgiving break. I was disappointed I couldn't attend but Kevin went and he said they did really well. If I can figure out how to tape or record him playing a song I will do that. Don't hold your breath though. :) Here is his school picture - it came out so good! He is so handsome! I keep hearing how he looks like his uncle Brady. They certainly sound the same and have a similar sense of humor sometimes.

Kevin is really being an angel for me - I am not sure what I would do without him. Life as I know it would be difficult. He helps me so much - I am eternally grateful to him for everything he does and all the help he gives me. Today he started laundry and prepared dinner for us. We surprised him with putting up the Christmas tree this year - he usually has that job - it is pretty tedious. My dad helped bring it up from the basement and put it together. Then my wonderful children surprised us both by decorating it while I took a nap. They did a phenomenal job! Just like I would do but better because they saved me the time and trouble. It only lacks bows and that is my job and filling of the bare spots. No big deal - I love my family!!!

My dad came for a visit for Thanksgiving - it has been quite a while since we had seen him. We had a great visit albeit short but we enjoyed his company and I think he really enjoyed seeing the grandkids. We need to visit each other more often. I am such a slacker - I didn't get a picture of him while he was here! Ugh! Next time I will do better. He did come to church with us on Sunday and that was pretty special for me. I don't remember the last time dad came to church with me. Too many years I am sure.

Tagged....

Okay - I really don't know how to link to Jennifer's Blog... I am not sure how to do that... hopefully I will figure that out soon. :)

Random weird facts:

1. I have OCD when it comes to my hands and feet. Ridiculous amounts of hand washing and feet cleaning - I can just feel the dirt and it makes me crazy. But I have no problem having newspaper ink all over my hands - go figure.

2. I also have ADD - not officially diagnosed - but I get bored easily and have to change what I am doing constantly or I feel like I am going to explode. Very strange feeling - lots of neurosis going on here.

3. I love to try new things all the time - I get bored - so I try new things to keep me interested. Plus, I am always trying to find out what I am good at.

4. I hate to eat cold food especially if I have just made it and no one is listening to me when I say dinner is ready!

5. I have nightmares and strange dreams all the time about people I don't know and places I have never been. I am not really sure why and they don't make sense.

6. I am a pack rat but I am trying to cure myself of that. Baby steps. (Does that movie 'What about Bob?' come to mind?)

7. I secretly want to be a novelist. Some day I will actually work on one of the books I have started and actually finish one. :)

Tagged - Rachel, Kathleen, Erica, Sarah, Sara

Well, it has been a month...

Okay, so I have been busy - I love doing this blog because it is fun to write stories about my children who have been keeping me busy! A lot has transpired this month. Let's start with me. I have started a job working for the AJC - the Atlanta Newspaper - I am a paper girl - chunking papers once a week. 1,480 papers to be exact. It is a bit liberating and exhausting. Before you start thinking - why is she doing that - wasting her education. I am doing it for a little extra money so I can stay home with little Sophia for the most part so I don't have to deal with a 8 - 5 job with a commute, so I can be home when my son gets home from school and so Sophia can take ballet and tap which they have at 3:00 pm. Those were enough reasons for me plus I have started a business - my own business! Yeah!! And it allows me to work on my products during the week.

For those of you who don't know, I make jar candles, soaps and smelly jelly. I started making candles before I got pregnant with Sophia 4 years ago and then the smell made me sick so I just quit and didn't pick it up again until January of this year. I was inspired by a friend who makes candles and sells them so I decided to give it a try again. When I quit working in April I started making them more frequently and actually started selling them - yahoo!!! I participated in my first Arts & Crafts Festival this past weekend and did pretty well considering the turn-out. It is interesting to me how much of what I have done in the past has helped me be ready for this endeavor. Working for small businesses, working in retail, learning I am actually crafty doing scrapbooking and card making - what a long haul. Kevin is helping me do the stuff I have no patience for thank goodness and hopefully soon I can get a website up and running. :) Needless to say I have been incredibly busy working on all of it. So that is me...

Sophia started going to preschool 2 days a week - this has been a BLESSING! I love her but I need a break every so often. The twitch is getting fewer and further apart - thank goodness! The stress and lack of sleep don't help in that department. I trade babysitting with one of my good friends during the week so I can throw my papers and she can have a longer day free from her child to get things accomplished plus our girls can play together. Everyone wins! Sophia also loves going to her dance class and wants to stay longer or go more. I knew she would love it.

Steven has discovered he really does love playing in the band. He plays the trombone if I haven't mentioned that before and has gone on a field trip with the band to play with his future high school band - which he thought was fantastic! Yeah! Of course now he wants a new instrument for high school. Expensive!! So, he is trying to figure out ways to earn money to help pay for a new one. He will do odd jobs - he can mow grass, watch and feed pets, even babysitting, etc. He is for hire. :) I kind of want him to earn it himself. I think it will be good for him and he will probably have a greater appreciation for it.

Kevin has been busy with work and school. He goes 4 days a week to school and is managing it pretty well. I am so proud of him. He has 19 classes to go but is planning it and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I told him he had to finish before Steven started. He said - no problem. I know he can do it. I still think he needs to go to GA Tech for Meteorology but I don't see him doing that at least for awhile - he is quite the weather geek. For those of you who didn't know - surprise, surprise!

Well that is what we have been up to over the last month. This month is going to be just as busy! We have a yard sale this weekend, two more festivals, trunk or treat and Halloween. The month will be over before I know it - I really need to start Christmas shopping and making Christmas cards.

I will try to do better keeping up with this - promise! Let me know if you have any jobs for Steven - he could really use the money. :)

Feeding the babies

This is what happens when you are not paying attention to what your little one is doing - right behind you!!! And by your I mean mine and by you I mean me. I was doing a little work on my computer in the office - making tags or something - I turn around and see this line of plates starting from the front door.

I ask my little Sophia - What are you doing???? You are wasting perfectly good paper plates!! Wasting is not something she thinks about or cares about - ever! I have plenty of stories about that. She answers "I am feeding my babies." Well, let me tell you that she does not have that many babies. What you can't see further down the line when she has run out of food to put on the plates - she starts getting creative and puts glitter pens - 1 per and a calculator and she has a few empties plus cups and bowls just so she can get it to the end of the family room from the front door. I love that she wants to feed the multitudes and all that jazz but is it really necessary to waste that many plates?? Can you tell wasting makes me crazy!

What a sweet, innocent little face. "What mommy?? I am just feeding my babies...." I just love that child.

The Toy Box

Last night, my dear sweet husband took a trip to Target to pick up some milk and a storage unit - which was on sale - and of course they were out of them but he did find a toy box for us to put the over abundance of toys our sweet little Sophia has accumulated. When he walked in the door she was ready to burst with excitement! "A TOY BOX FOR ME!!!! Thank you daddy, thank you for my toy box daddy!!" And of course she wanted to put it together right then. Of course there was plenty do before that occured so he talked her into getting a bath which usually takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R!! Last night it was as though she had turned into Speedy Gonzales. She was so excited to build her toy box!

So of course she wants to help daddy. And he is such a sweetheart that he lets her try to screw the pieces together - I think he was a little surprised that she actually did it properly. She may be little and a girl but she is pretty crafty at the tender age of 3.

She does become something of a superintendent at this stage. Making sure he is doing it right. :)

"Dad, I want to help!"

Waiting patiently.... Steven even joined in the building fun. (I may be overstating the fun part for him).

No breaks were taken in the making of this toy box. She wouldn't allow any of that. And it is finally complete. She is really proud of her new toy box!! She thanked him several times after it was completed as well. She is the most grateful child! (She thanked him twice this morning too.)She also insisted on helping him bring it up to her room. He tried to bring it on his own but she freaked out. She yelled at him "I AM STRONG!!!!!". It was the cutiest, craziest thing I have ever seen. And sure enough she could hold up her end of the toy box.

He let her take it to the stairs and she wanted to haul it up the stairs too but Dad didn't think that was a good idea. I failed to get pictures of the fit that ensued. Needless to say Dad won that round and hauled it up the stairs. He did leave it at the top and let her push it all the way down the hall to her room. He didn't think she could do it - little did he know that she really is strong and managed just fine. We filled it with her toys this morning and we are now in need of that storage unit that Target did not have in stock. Thank goodness for rain checks!

Steven - Updated Photos

I took some pictures today of our growing young man. I took him shopping today - it is very strange buying size 18-20 for a 13 year old who all growing up wore the same size as his age. And maybe he just likes his clothes a little baggy.. Humm... I am not sure. Still can't believe the size 9 shoes he wears. Is this normal? I am in new territory.

These pictures are a little awkward but a short little person kept getting in the thick of everything pushing her big brother around. It has been a long day for all of us. Sophia tried to shoplift in a couple stores - putting glitter glue in her pocket at Michaels and filling a lunch box with lip gloss and boys underwear at the department store - I know - I have no idea what that was all about. She is a handful!! I also discovered fingerprints all over the camera lens - I was wondering why these looked all grainy!

Ode to Steven

I am just now really getting into this - which by the way is kind of fun and a bit time consuming. I could get sucked into this easily and let everything else crumble. I am making up for lost time today. Hopefully I will post in other months that don't start with the letter "A". :)

I do want to add a little bit about my boy, Steven, who by the way is getting to be pretty big - to me especially. We measured him today - he is 5'4 1/2" tall - yes - I am adding the half for accuracy. He is in the 8th grade - I know - 8th grade!! And he is currently obsessed with getting a new bike. Most of you don't know that he is the most persistant, obnoxious, got to see it, talk about it, do it right now kind of kid. Now, I am not sure where he gets that from (as I look around and should see a mirror). So, I have told him, Christmas is coming - be patient - give me a list and I don't want to talk about it until I am purple, don't change your mind 100 times, and I really don't need to see any youtube video of guys doing the sweet tricks (seriously!). And maybe I am being a little less than 100% supportive here but we have a little less than 6 mths and I am not shopping just yet. And do you really want me to start showing you papercraft/card making videos on youtube - no?? really?? Are you sure Steve?? Seriously, there is this really cute card technique I found that I am just dying to share. Come on!! I didn't think so. So we are even or at least agree we have different interests and won't bore the snot out of each other with the gory details.

Steven is a good soul though for all his little quirks (which mom has aplenty so he comes by it honestly), he has the best spirit, kind heart and will be helpful in just about any situation. I love that boy more than words can say. We have been together the longest in this family. I am the only one who remembers everything since we have been together - well not everything - but all the trials and tribulations. And boy, did we have some. I only hope we can stay close as we have been in the past especially in the years coming.

He is in the band at school - he plays the trombone, he does well in school - Honor Roll every 9 wks and he has lots of friends. He is taking a break from soccer right now and we are trying to find another team sport. We may just take a break until next year unless we find something he is interested in that doesn't cost us an arm, a leg and a small fortune.

I have to include a couple of pictures of him I pulled off of his camera today. They are from our trip to Disney in February. A little background on these photos - Sophia hated Disney - she wanted to come home. She didn't like the characters at all so we canceled a meal with the furry ones an opted for the Princess dinner. Well, she hated them too - not as much - but no thank you and stay away from me please. So I had to get pictures of someone with the princesses, right?? That was the point of being there. We got pictures of the Pooh Bear bunch at the breakfast we went to where Sophia dived across the table screaming when they came out to greet their guests. So, Steven was nominated - again. I don't think he was in too much pain do you??

I need to post some more current pictures of him. He got braces in April and looks a little older to me than these pictures. He is certainly taller.

Until next time... Who is next??

Recovery - kind of

This is Sophia shortly after waking up. She has her penguin the nurse let her have before the surgery. They were so good to her. Everyone was fabulous! We are so grateful. We stayed there for 2 more hours and they wanted her to drink something before they took her IV out. She wasn't/isn't a fan of the IV. She skips the popsicle she asked for and decides to have a couple of sips of water. Yeah! Her voice is kind of a raspy whisper. The doctor said it would probably change from what we are used to.

Part II of this mini series (jk).

We get home around 1:00pm. We are tired and hungry - at least Kevin and I are. :) She wants a drink - big surprise from our typical thirsty girl. She drinks like there is no tomorrow. Uh oh - too fast!! It comes back to visit all over her blanket and jammies. Fun, fun. We need to take it a little slower - she has no concept. She gets sick on various items 2 more times. Now it is time for the pain meds. They have only liquid - which she hates with a passion. I wish they had pills that tasted like candy that would dissolve in their mouths. I may just write to the pharmacutical company later. :) Right... I have that kind of time. Anyway - getting the pain meds in is a chore - she hates it, we bribe, plead, beg until it finally goes in. She falls asleep - she wakes up 2 hrs later - fever, tummy ache, screaming - I was told by the Physicans Assistant that she shouldn't scream - not that she can't but she really shouldn't scream because it could cause her throat to bleed. So, how do you get a 3 yr old not to scream - it is impossible I tell you. We give up and she finally calms down. This happens many times over as we are to give her pain meds ever 4 hrs. Needless to say by 12:00 midnight we kind of give up giving the pain meds and determine that this might be making things worse instead of better. We let her sleep -she falls asleep while we are with her - so we don't wake her. Who wakes a sleeping child??? No one in their right mind I tell you!

I have been in bed with her (she has a full size bed - so there is room) all night so I keep that up in case she needs me. She is up again at 4:00am in pain so we move to Tylenol. She takes it (again - finally)and falls asleep. Around 6:00am I am wasted so I go to our bed. Sophia is a sideways sleeper - so sleeping with her is no fun and very uncomfortable. I figure I can hear her pretty good and Kevin is home with me all day today too - no big deal. She wakes up later - I forget time. Yea - the Tylenol is good!

We speak to the Drs office and we talk to them about the meds - they suggest changing it to something else. But the taste is worse - ummm - No, thanks! We will stick with the Tylenol and so far so good. We do have to start giving her the antibiotic. This is another tsp of pink liquid. So it is a double fight 3 times a day at least. The routine goes like this:

"No, NO, NOOO!!" " I need my blanket" "No, NO, NOOOO!!" " I need my baby" " I need my drink" "NOOOOO!!" " I need to sit down on the sofa" "Don't count!!!" "Don't TOUCH ME!!" and finally after 5 minutes or more (usually more) - success!! I am practically committing to buying her a car to get her take her meds. (Not really but a huge bag of M & M's has escaped my lips.)

This is her hanging out on the sofa on Day 2 - still uncomfortable - some of her friends have stuck around - only because they can't make a run for it.

She manages a smile for the camera - little ham. :)

This last picture is from Saturday - yesterday. She seems like she is on the mend except for the nasty cough and the wicked nasty bad breath. Her voice is cute - it is like she has been sucking on helium. It is still scratchy and she sounds a little like one of the kids from South Park - Cartman maybe?? I forget those kids names. I am not a watcher soI just don't know.

Well we have another week to go before we go to the Dr again. Hopefully all the effort was worth it and she will be healed properly.

Current mantra - 3 more days of antibiotics - you can do it!!

Sophia's Surgery - 8/19/2008

Sophia had a Tonsillectomy and her adinoids removed on Tuesday. We tried to explain to her prior to the surgery this would be happening, etc. Of course we all know that she is 3 so this flies over her head and she doesn't know really what is going to be happening. I am completely paranoid about her getting a drink of water after midnight. Reminds me of that movie from the 80's - Gremlins - not that she will multiply so much as it is imperative that she not drink water - otherwise she will not be able to have the surgery which we have been waiting for for a couple of months now already. So I am having nightmares about her drinking water or any beverage for that matter most of the night not to mention waking up constantly with worry. Good Times!

Anyway... We wake her up at 5:45 am and head to the hospital. She is groggy - good!! Less demanding more sleepy. On the ride to the hospital - "Mommy, I'm tursty." Of course you are - when aren't you tursty!! The child has to have a beverage cup around her at all times. It was a miracle that she didn't wake up in the middle of the night letting us know she didn't have something to drink and we better hop to it getting her something! (She has done this - I swear!) Hence the nightmares..

I decided to document our short little journey in the hospital and some of the after. I need to scrapbook it for sure.

This is our sweet little clueless girl. It took us forever to get her to change out of her pj's and into the hospital gown. She was tired and cranky for awhile. Thank goodness her surgery was 2 hrs after we got there. Lots of hurry up and wait. She wanted pictures with Daddy too! I just love the sweet, happy, unaware and totally trusting girl.

They had to give her something that would help her transition into a pliable little girl - in other words drug her so she didn't care. The Dr. said it was like having 3 margaritas all at once. How much fun is that!! This was done by force of course- she wouldn't take it easily. You would have thought we were trying to poison her with all the fighting she did. Maybe if she knew how nice it was going to be she wouldn't have fought so hard. :) This is her a little after that. She loves that blue surgery cap. She asked if she could take it home for her doctor bag. She loves to play doctor - as long as it isn't with boys - play away! I've told her she can even grow-up to be one if you wants to. I can't keep her out of our first aid kit and she loves to give exams. She will step on you if you try to get up - excellent bedside manner. :)

She is all smiles - still clueless. Sweet baby girl! She tries to count her toes. 1, 2, 3, 4,....... humm... She tries again. 1, 2, 3,...... the doctor shows up and says she is probably seeing 3 of everything. :)

Well - she is ready - the anesthesiologist shows up and tells us what will happen and they wheel her off. She doesn't even care! She just looks at us like - see you later! I wish this came over the counter and we could use it as needed. I know there would be some wacked out kids out there though.

So we wait... and wait - it seems like forever but it is just 45 minutes to an hour if that. There is a lady in the waiting room who I talk to - she is there as a foster grandparent - complicated. The birth parents are there but not together - the mom is with her new husband. She looks 18 and the dad is by himself. I learn he is 31 and has another child he doesn't/can't see because the mom won't let him visit. He pays child support but he doesn't know were his daughter is - nice situation. He seems to genuinely care about his kids and tells the grandma foster parent that he is so greatful etc for all she is doing and he will call her to see how his son doing later that day (the little 9 mth old boy getting the procedure done). The mom on the other hand shows up late because she slept in - sorry - and doesn't even talk to this lady in the waiting room. Not ready for parenthood for sure. Me - can't sleep with worry. Her - not so much. No judging just noticing differences. Anyway - the small bit of soap opera in the waiting room. It made me grateful for my family and our situation and choices we made to get where we are. Long well traveled road - lots of lessons along the way and detours - ohh - the detours - I judge no one.

Well they call us back up to see her - she is awake and cranky. Same old Sophia just a few items shy of a whole Sophie. Poor baby girl. She is not happy to be here anymore....

Princess Party - Sophia is 3 years old!

Sophia turned three April 4th! It's hard to believe how quickly the time has gone. We planned a Princess Party after much debate on what the theme should be - Dora, Diego, Little Mermaid, Princesses! We invited little girls from her class so they would know each other and no one would be uncomfortable. Needless to say, they loved it!! Everyone had so much fun - the girls got their own Pink Feather boa, Tiara, Wand and bag of beauty goodies. As you can see, Sophia is very excited!! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - we did forget the ever popular pinata filled with candy in the back room -OOPS! And we skipped the make your own sundae bar - sugar high already in place with the cake. I suppose all that matters is that they had smiles on their faces - a sure sign of success!

First Post

I am going to give this Blog crap a try. :0 Seems like an epidemic at the moment. Everyone will either get to see how boring we really are or see that we actually do have lives - at the moment I am not so sure in which category to classify us. I hope I can keep it updated - we shall see. Life is crazy most of the time but we try to find time for our family and friends. We hope everyone is well and happy!