Hot!

Update: Julianna is getting better. She had several days of high fever and wanted to do nothing but sleep. The fever finally broke after a few days of antibiotics. Yesterday she was more active and even smiled a little. We were able to take her to church this morning and she did fine other than being a little cranky from missing her morning nap. Now if she'd just start eating again she'll be on her way to her silly little self. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Julianna woke up with a slight fever yesterday morning. After the new tooth, I thought maybe she was getting another. She was warm, kind of sleepy, and didn't eat much all day. Since it was family dinner night at my mom's house and I didn't want to take her in case it was something contagious, Arrty volunteered to stay home with her so that I could take the boys for dinner. When I got home and picked her up, she was burning up. I knew that she was at least 102 degrees. Mom's know these things. When I took her temperature, it was 102.5 under her arm which means you have to add a degree making it 103.5. Yikes! She also had red spots all over her body which I attributed to the fever. I gave her some Tylenol and after a while her fever went down (but not away) and she even got down off my lap to play a little. But all through the night, she was feverish and miserable and didn't sleep much. So this morning when her fever was still between 102 and 103 I decided to take her in to the doctor. He said that the fever, rash, and redness in her eyes made him think it was either a viral infection or a strep infection. (She also has an ear infection in one ear.) So he put her on antibiotics which will hopefully help her get better quickly. He then did something that I wish doctors wouldn't do. He said, "I don't want to worry you but her symptoms are also associated with a rare disease called..." (I don't remember what he said. I was too busy praying.) Why do they do that?!?! If I come back in a few days and she's not better or getting worse, then tell me about the rare disease!

As of now, she has had her first dose of antibiotic and a dose of Tylenol and is finally sleeping peacefully with only a slight fever. And can I just say that there is nothing more worrisome and sad than a sick baby.

Please pray for Julianna over the next few days that the antibiotics work and that she's back to her silly, sweet self soon. Thanks.

Let Her Eat Steak!

Julianna has a tooth!

Finally. I have been looking for it for months because her brothers both had teeth before they were 6 months old. She's 8 1/2 months old. Thursday night she was fussy and crying which isn't like her at all. She is normally really happy and content. She also had a slight fever this week and didn't seem to have as much of an appetite as usual. I've been feeling around on her bottom gums for teeth for awhile and I think she was getting sick of it because most of the time she'd stick her tongue out to push my finger away. But yesterday when she was in the bathtub distracted by the splashing and the floating frog toys, I reached into her cute little mouth and there it was. The tiniest little hint of a toothy ridge. I was so excited and called the rest of the family in to tell them the news. Everyone cheered and smiled.

And once again, Jules was probably wondering what all the fuss was about.

Babyness

I didn't think it would happen so fast. I remembered that it would happen, just not yet. This time of following a baby around the house making sure she doesn't put anything in her mouth that shouldn't be there. Making sure she doesn't pull herself up on something that will tip over with her. Making sure that she is safe in all of her new adventures and wanderings. Julianna started crawling only a few weeks ago and now she is going everywhere. We close all the doors to rooms we don't want her in, but even still she finds plenty to keep the rest of the family hopping to make sure she, and her surroundings, stay safe. At the moment she has pulled herself to standing and is busy pulling dvds off the movie shelf. They were in alphabetical order. Now she's laughing as she drops another. Now she's sitting and shaking a rattle as hard as she can. Now she's crawling toward me...pulling up on the chair...and now I'm back after some snuggling and giggling. So, yes, I know all about the following the baby thing. It just seems that since it was so long ago that my boys were babies, I'm a little surprised when baby things happen. And that they happen so quickly.

Here are some other baby things I've been reminded of lately.

*Cheerios that have been sucked on then dropped in the seat of the high chair stick like they've been super glued.
*Things like magazines or grocery lists will become a mid-morning snack if left in reach of a 8 1/2 month old.
*There's this game called "how many times will mommy pick up the toy I just dropped before she realizes that we're playing this game."
*Babies learn things on their own. For example, Julianna knows not only what dancing is, but how to do it when she hears the word.
*No matter what you put in front of things you don't want a baby to get to, they figure out a way to get there.
*Even if you have a basket full of really fun toys in the living room, baby's favorite toy is the remote control.

And some things I've learned about Julianna in particular.

*She loves music. (It must have been that Def Leppard concert she went to six weeks before she was born.)
*She especially loves the birthday song.
*She loves it when other people clap but she will only clap if no one else is clapping.
*She is ticklish under her arms.
*She loves yogurt but not chicken noodle dinner baby food.
*She enjoys chocolate. (I gave her the tiniest taste of my valentine Hershey bar and she tried to dive out of my arms to get to the rest of it on the table.)
*And just when I thought it wasn't possible, she gets cuter every day.

Heart Day

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. But this year, I haven't had to spend time this week helping the boys fill out little cards for classmates. I haven't had to fill treat bags with tiny chocolate bars and lollipops. I haven't had to put the names of kindergartners on Care Bear valentines. I haven't had to plan a party that, regardless of the plan, would include 3 1/2 minutes of frantic 5 year olds putting cards in each others decorated kleenex boxes, 6 minutes of oohing and ahhing over said cards, and then 10 minutes of a game I like to call "how much sugar can a kindergartner ingest in one sitting." And I've missed it. I miss days like this when I know that you can feel the excitement. Days that go beyond reading and counting. Days when the bond between teacher and student grows deeper simply because of the valentine that is lovingly chosen by each student especially for me. I even miss that feeling at the end of a party day consisting of one part excitement, one part sugar rush, and 98 parts exhaustion. It's days like today when I miss being a teacher.

Okay, so I'm still a teacher. I'm always a teacher. But this year our valentine's party will consist of picking valentines for each other off the rack at Target, showing them to each other, then putting them back. This is a tradition Arrty and I started many years ago and this year will be expanded to include the kids. We will also go to the valentine aisle and each pick out a treat. Then we'll go to lunch and a movie. Then stop on the way home to pick up the heart shaped pizza that I bought in the school fundraiser and head home for games and family time. This year I have four valentines. The one I'm married to and the three we've created.

So, yes, I miss party days. Crazy as that sounds to the other teachers reading this. It even sounds a little crazy to me. And just in case you read this before your valentine's party, Kathy, Katrina, and Marci, eat a heart shaped sugar cookie covered with pink frosting for me.

Reason #27...

...why not to leave a laundry basket of clean towels in the living room.



Your child will spill a bowl of chicken noodle soup into them while he's eating lunch.

Exactly

Me: Adam, go take a shower.

Adam: I don't want to take a shower.

Me: Adam, go take a shower.

Adam: Why? Showers don't even do anything.

Me: giving him the look

Adam: Well, except get you a little bit clean.

Me: Exactly.

Smurfy

Yesterday we were walking through the toy aisles at Target when all of a sudden I exclaimed, "Smurfs!" The boys thought I was crazy, which is nothing new, until I pointed out the little blue plush Smurfs on the shelf. I then explained to them what Smurfs were and told them to pick one out. I couldn't resist. They each chose a Smurf and I grabbed a Smurfette for Jules.* Then this morning I googled Smurf and guess what? There is a new Smurf movie in the works. The release date is December 2010. Apparently it takes a while to come up with all that smurfy dialogue.

Then this morning I was flipping channels on tv and saw Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, and two versions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I was right. I guess the 80's really did have the best cartoons.

*Julianna was more interested in the tag on the Smurfette than the Smurfette itself. She was chewing on the tag while she rode in the cart so I took it from her so that there was at least a partial upc code to scan when we got to the register. Well, she did not like that one bit. She screamed and threw herself around in the cart seat like I've never seen before. I tried to give her the toy we had brought for her to play with, but she wouldn't have anything to do with it. She was only happy when she was once again chewing on the Smurfette tag. (Note to self: Take the tags off toys before giving them to Julianna.)

Tagged

Alyson tagged me with this. I was supposed to bold the ones I have done and I took it a step further and asterisked (*) the ones I would like to do. Anyone who stops by and wants to do it yourself, feel free. (Kathy and Marci, you can post it in my comments if you want.)


1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii*

5. Watched a meteor

6. Given to charity

7. Been to Disneyland (actually is was Disneyworld)

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris*

13. Watched a lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty*

18. Grown your own vegetables (I can't even keep a cactus alive.)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France*

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Drank an entire Sonic Route 66 by yourself

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice*

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise (Does a lake cruise count?)

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person*

34. Traced your family tree at least 4 generations*

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Learned a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied*

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person*

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David*

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt* (We were there but didn't wait to see it erupt.)

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant*

44. Swam with a dolphin

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance (unfortunately)

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person*

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris*

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been IN a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Cut your own hair

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (I've bought a lot, though.)

62. Gone whale watching*

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial*

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square*

74. Driven a stick shift

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London*

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person*

80. Published a book*

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem*

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House*

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous (Patty Duke went through my line at Kmart once.)

92. Read an entire series of books by one author

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby (3)

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Seen the Pacific Ocean

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person (twice)

101. Learned to play an instrument (the recorder)

On The Move

Julianna has been trying really hard to crawl the last couple of weeks. She would get on her hands and knees and rock back and forth. She would even move her hands ahead a little and then dive to get a toy that was just out of reach. But Tuesday it happened. Hand, knee, hand, knee, forward movement. She crawled! And since then she has been practicing and can go quite a distance. I'm not sure that she really understands why the rest of the family claps and says, "Yeah, Julianna," or "You're crawling!" She's just happy that she can get to all those places she could only see before. So here's what that means. She can more easily and quickly move around the living room. I need to double check baby proofing. She can get into the kitchen now. I have to sweep every day. She can get to her brother's toys. I need to explain again why legos must be put away. She is growing. I have to treasure every second.

And apparently, enough of this...

...and this...
...leads to this.
The hole was tiny in the morning when she got up, but after just a little while of baby acrobatics, it grew to this. Oh, yeah. She's also ready for the next size of jammies.

Saturday

What I'd like to do today is curl up with a blanket and a good book.

But what I've done instead is...

take care of a sick baby
unload and reload the dishwasher
vacuum
dust
sweep
mop
organize the boys' school stuff for next week
wash, dry, and put away three loads of laundry
put away groceries
feed two constantly hungry boys
make chocolate chip cookies with said boys (okay, that one was fun)
check and reply to email
read a few blogs
research cloth diapers online

Oh, yeah. And write one itsy, bitsy blog post.

That's a lot of soup...

I was making dinner the other night and needed to open a can of olives. As I watched the can spin around on my electric can opener, I realized that I had received that can opener as a wedding gift. 16 1/2 years ago. I figure I open about 5 cans a week times 198 weeks of marriage. That's 990 cans that have been opened by that can opener. Then I began to think of other things that I still use that I got as wedding gifts. The blender, toaster, kitchen knives, silverware, dish towels, popcorn popper, mixer, crock pot, and several mixing bowls are some of the things that came to mind as I stood in the kitchen. Then I thought about things that are used in the rest of the house. Like the clock that hangs on the living room wall. And the bath towels and wash cloths in the hall closet. And various frames that hang throughout the house. It seems amazing that so many things have lasted so long. The towels are starting to get worn and my crock pot hasn't had a knob for a long time, but everything still does what it's supposed to. So, I'm thinking about starting a new tradition. When a couple celebrates their 20th wedding anniversary, I think they should get an anniversary shower. A big party to celebrate their marriage complete with balloons and cake and gifts. All their friends can shower them with congratulations and new kitchen appliances. I only have three and a half years to get this trend started. Because I figure that's about when my can opener will give out.

Woo Hoo!

So this morning I drove into town to pick up the boys who had both spent last night away from home. After I picked up Josh, I decided to stop by McDonald's to get breakfast. Some friends from church work there and happened to be working this morning. They asked me if we had signed up for the drawings that they were having to celebrate their grand re-opening. When I told them we hadn't, they gave us the forms to fill out. I filled out four, one for each of us who is old enough to know what a prize is. On the way home, I was thinking how cool it would be if we won the big prize. But I didn't think we would. How often do you really win in those kinds of drawings? Well, a few hours after we got home, the phone rang and it was a lady from McDonald's. And guess what? WE WON!! And guess what we won? We won an XBOX360!!! I can't even tell you how excited the boys are. Thrilled is an understatement. So this evening when I go back into town for something else, I am going back to McDonald's to pick up our new XBOX360!!!

I knew that all those trips to McDonald's would pay off someday.

Ramblings

I was holding Abby (my new niece) the other day when I went to visit my sister. My mom was holding Julianna. After about 30 seconds, Jules decided that she didn't like that one bit. We had to switch babies. When she was the baby on my lap, she was fine.

Speaking of Abby, she gets more adorable every time I see her. She is such a blessing.

During that same visit Aidan transformed himself into the cutest pirate ever. Even cuter than Jack Sparrow.

Speaking of Aidan, he has also informed me that he no longer wants to trade his baby for Julianna. He told me that he was afraid his sister was going to look like a green alien and since she doesn't and is cute after all, he'll keep her.

Josh and Adam went to take their Idaho Reading Indicator tests yesterday and both scored way above grade level. Good news for me as mom and teacher.

Speaking of reading, I bought the new "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book for the boys the other day at Costco. That evening, I picked it up, turned to the middle, and started reading it. I laughed out loud so many times that I went back and started from the beginning. Now I want to go back and read the first two in the series.

Julianna is so close to crawling. She gets on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth. Sometimes she even gets on her hands and feet like Mowgli. And even though she doesn't quite have the whole crawling thing down, she is still able to get around pretty good by rolling and scooting.

Speaking of Julianna, I had a very strange thing happen last Sunday when I was teaching the cradle roll Bible class. Jules and Lily were the only two babies in class and in the middle of singing songs about ducks, I looked at Jules and had to remind myself that this beautiful, sweet baby was mine. Some days it seems so surreal.

Awww...

Josh: "I feel privileged just be able to know Julianna."

Mmmm...smooshed bananas

This morning I was feeding Julianna her breakfast of baby oatmeal and Gerber stage 2 banana baby food. The smell of the banana mush suddenly made me remember eating it when I was little. Only I remember eating it when I was 4 or 5 years old. Too old to be eating baby food. Maybe it was when my sister was a baby and mom shared some of her food with me. Or maybe it was because I wanted it and mom obliged. I was a little spoiled. And still am. Even now she makes me my own personal sized pea salad without onions. She's the best.

Who Knew?

Who doesn't know that their own child can sit up on her own? ME! Yesterday I was changing Julianna's diaper and sat her up on the changing table and let go for just a second to see what she would do. And she sat there looking at me and grinning! Since then I have tried several other times and it wasn't just a fluke. She is still a little wobbly but undoubtedly can sit up on her own. How did I miss that? Maybe I've been too busy watching her rocking on her hands and knees about to crawl. Sitting and crawling? What's next?

Numbers

16.5--the number of pounds my sweet daughter weighs

7--the number of times Josh laughed out loud during "Bedtime Stories"

0--the number of times I got up with kids last night (yeah!)

2--the number of loads of laundry I did today

14--the number of minutes Adam laid on the bed with me this morning while I read and he played his gameboy

1--the number of books I read in the last 24 hours (Stargirl)

3--the number of pacifiers and teethers I fished out from behind the bed today

27--the number of minutes I held my sweet niece on my lap yesterday

27--the number of times that I smiled at my sweet niece yesterday as I held her

9--the number of things I learned about ancient Rome this week while homeschooling

6--the number of times I said, "Yes, you have to write all your spelling words."

26--the number of spelling words to be written

1.8--the number of seconds it takes Julianna to roll across the living room floor

1.9--the number of seconds it takes Julianna to find something that she shouldn't have

22--the number of times I smiled today because the sun was shining

100--the number of times I have been blessed today

Sugar and Spice

There have been many, many children in my life over the years. It all started when I was a teenager and took babysitting jobs. Then for several years my mom and I owned a preschool and cared for more kids than I can count. Then I started teaching and taught kids from kindergarten through the eighth grade. I have also taught numerous Bible classes and have even done a few stints as a Vacation Bible School teacher. All of the children that I have come in contact with have somehow influenced my life. Some have given me good stories to tell. Some have taught me more than any college professor ever could. Some made me glad that I could send them home at the end of the day. And some touched my heart.

Then there are the children of my sister-friends. They are so very special to me for two reasons. One, because they are all great kids. And two, because I love their mothers so much that the feeling naturally spills over onto them. I share with their moms the pride and happiness that come along the way. I share in their lives now and hopefully for a long time to come.

Then, of course, there are my own children. Oh my goodness. I never, never could have imagined a love like I have for these three little souls that have been graciously sent to live with me for a life time. First there was Josh. I was scared before he was born because being a mommy was something that I wanted but didn't know anything about. I read all the books. But nothing could prepare me for the reality of having a child. Or for the feeling of having my heart walk around outside my body. Then 19 months later Adam came along. I wondered how I could possibly love another child the way I loved Josh. Knowing that Adam was a boy before he was born helped me bond with him during the busy-ness of having a one year old. And when he was born, even though I thought it wasn't possible, my heart again left me to reside with someone else... this tiny, bald person that I hardly knew but loved more than life itself. Then seven years later it happened again. I remember lying on the operating table last June and hearing for the first time, the cry of my daughter. She was loud. And I was in love. Before I even saw her face I loved her. And in that moment my heart fled for a third time. Every single day I thank God for three beautiful, healthy, happy children. Is it always easy? No. Is it always fun? Not always. Is it always amazing? Yes.

And then there are two other children in my life who I could only love more if they were my own. One is my nephew, Aidan. He is amazing. He is smart and funny and creative and imaginative and sweet. He surprises me in a new and wonderful way every time I am blessed to spend time with him. There is some kind of special aunt love that makes me feel about Aidan like I feel about no one else. It was only he who brought out that unique feeling. Until Friday. Friday I met Abigail Mae, my brand new niece. She already amazes me. She amazes me because of her sweet little face and round cheeks. She amazes me because she has more hair than her seven month old cousin. She amazes me because of the miracle that she is. And she amazes me because she is part of my sister who is my best friend. I am so looking forward to getting to know this new child in my life. To finding out who she is and who she will become. To watching her grow up with Julianna and seeing them play together and be best friends. To being someone she can come to and count on and laugh with. I am already planning our first slumber party. We will watch movies and eat popcorn and bake cookies and paint each other's fingernails. Abby and Jules will do their mommies' hair and then Ada and I will do theirs. And then when things start to settle down, Ada and I will sit together in wonder as we watch our little girls whispering and giggling together. And I will reach over and take my sweet sister's hand in mine and we will remember the day Abby was born and tear up just a little. And smile a lot.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I was in the waiting room at the hospital waiting to see my sister and new niece. I was sitting there with Julianna playing happily on my lap. She is absolutely adorable and often gets noticed by strangers. About the fifth person to notice her was an elderly (and as you will see, slightly confused) lady who was out walking the halls. She came over to get a closer look and asked, "How old is he*?" To which I replied, "SHE'S seven months old." (She was wearing a green camouflaged sweatshirt with pink roses on it and pink pants.) "Oh," she said, "Are you her...(wait for it)... GRANDMOTHER?" After the shock wore off, I informed her that I was, in fact, her mother. I know that I am of advanced maternal age (36), but that is ridiculous!

*It doesn't matter if Julianna is dressed in pink from head to toe and covered with a pink blanket, holding a doll, somebody (usually an older lady) asks if she is a boy or girl. It's very strange.

Bedtime

This is how bedtime goes in our house. Teeth brushing, goodnight hugs for Jules (if she's still up) and dad, reading and/or singing, prayers, tucking in, goodnight hugs for me, Josh making sure his blankets are perfectly aligned, Adam making sure all his stuffed animals are in the right order, more hugs, me saying, "Sweet dreams," me turning off the light. Adam saying, "Mom." Me saying, "What?" Adam saying, "Goodnight." Me saying, "Goodnight." Again.

And just when you think it's over...someone is up to use the bathroom. And then the other is up to get a drink. Which reminds the other that he, too, is thirsty. More goodnights. More hugs.

Then since Adam got out of bed, he needs me to come straighten out his blanket. More goodnights.

And just when you think it's over...
one of the boys: "Mom."
me: "What?"
one of the boys: "Can you lay with us?"
me: *sigh* (At this point I really just want to sit with a glass of ice water and watch The Mentalist or Grey's Anatomy in peace.)

But I get up and go in to their room anyway. There was a time not so long ago when I wouldn't go in to lay with them. "You are 7 (or 9) years old," I would say, "You should be able to go to sleep on your own." Then one night a few weeks ago I did go in with them and as I lay looking at the faces of my sons in the dark, I realized that any night now could be the last time they ask me to lay with them. The last night that they need me to be there as they fall asleep. The last night that I get to watch as their eyes close, and their breathing slows, and their sweet faces relax into sleep. And when that night comes, I don't want my answer to be "no." So I go in to lay with Adam, who scoots over to the wall, looks at me and smiles. As his eyes close, I pray for him. His future. His protection and health and happiness. His soul. The little girl who will someday be his wife. That he will use his sense of humor and love of fun to help him in his life. Then after a few minutes I walk across the room to lay with Josh, who scoots as close to me as he can, looks at me and smiles. As his eyes close, I pray for him. His future. His protection and health and happiness. His soul. The little girl who will someday be his wife. That he will use his leadership abilities and soft heart to help him in his life. Then after a few minutes I start to get up but Josh asks me to scratch his back. I do and after a few more minutes I really do get up and walk to the door. "Mom," comes a voice. "Yes," I answer. "I love you," says the voice. "I love you, too. Sweet dreams," I say. Again.