Walking, Barfing, and Crying!!!

Same song, just a different tune -- there is an insane amount of stuff to blog about since last time.

Tuesday December 18th Ashton was sick with flu-like symptoms. He woke up early early in the morning throwing up. He threw up a total of 4 or 5 times between 5am and 12pm. The rest of the day he didn't eat, and was just kind of lazy and not too energized.


The next morning he woke up better. Cheery and hungry, he asked for waffles for breakfast! We had waffles, and then Aaron went to get his hair cut (he had the day off work). A couple days earlier we had gotten one of Ashton's old standing/walking toys out from the garage in hopes that it would help him walk! While Aaron was gone, Ashton was using it as a walker when I told him something to the effect of, "You know, now that your leg is better and that toy has helped you walk, you could probably let go of that toy and walk on your own." Not expecting him to believe me (because he hadn't up to this point), he moved aside from the toy and just started walking!!! Hallelujah! I instantly grabbed the camera. =) December 19th was a good day indeed. 9 days after the cast came off, Ashton walked.

We had made plans to go to Chuck E. Cheese as an incentive for Ashton to walk again, and so it worked out good that Ashton walked again on a day Aaron was off work. My mom had said that whenever Ashton walked, she wanted to go with us to Chuck E. Cheese. So Ashton, Sadie, Aaron and I met my mom and sister at CEC for lunch. Even though Ashton's walk was less than perfect, he was walking on his own, and we had a good time.

We went home so the kids could nap, Aaron stayed home, and I went Christmas gift shopping. Aaron called me about 3pm to say that Sadie was throwing up. Sure enough, she definitely caught the flu, and was throwing up about every hour. We already had plans to have a game night at my folks' house later that evening, and we went anyway. On the way over, my stomach became upset, but I wondered if it was just the nasty pizza CEC served. To make a long story not so long, Sadie and I both were sick all night long. My parents kept Ashton overnight because I was overwhelmed. Aaron & I kept a careful eye on Sadie so as to make sure she didn't get dehydrated. After all, she was throwing up about every hour. At one point in the middle of the night I remember feeling so sick and incapable of helping Sadie, I thought that it might be best to go to the ER simply to have Sadie under someone else's care other than my own (sorry honey -- turns out you did a fine job of taking care of Sadie).


The following morning I received a phone call from my parents who were watching Ashton to let me know that my mom and sister had caught the bug. In fact, my sister fell into the bathroom wall, put a hole in it, and suffered a small concusion. She even collapsed a second time, but my mom was there to break her fall. Craziness. We think she was just dehydrated because after sitting in the ER for two hours, drinking bottles of water, she felt better.


So there. That was going to be my original blog.


But what got me to actually write this post are last weekend's events. They were the straw that broke this camel's back -- I finally needed a place to vent and record life's events.

Saturday and Sunday were Christmas with Aaron's side of our family. Aaron's brother Josh, his wife Lynn, their daughter Kayleemarie, as well as Aaron's sister Tiffany, all returned home for the weekend. We had just finished opening gifts late Saturday morning. We were in Aaron's parents' basement which serves as the grandkids' playroom. There happens to be a rowing type machine down there and Aaron's mom was sitting on it with Kayleemarie in her lap. Lynn and I are chatting and next thing I know, Kayleemarie starts crying, Mary says "oh you guys, there's blood." Josh and Lynn get up and run to Kayleemarie. Lynn takes Kayleemarie's sock off and I'll always remember her gasping, screaming, and jumping backwards. Mary starts to carry Kayleemarie upstairs, saying, "call 911 -- or do you want to drive her to the ER?" Aaron and I remained downstairs with our kids, and started praying. There was so much comotion, so many loud voices, crying, etc. Christina called 911 and then was yelling orders to help stop the bleeding. It wasn't long before the ambulance arrived. I never did see the toe that got pinched in the the rowing machine. But evidently, the top half of Kayleemarie's right big toe was severed down to the bone. There was so much hysteria in that house, as well as tears. The adrenaline was definitely rushing. I just received word tonight that the top of the toe was not able to survive and is going to be amputated.


Saturday afternoon, our little family left in order to let the kids nap at home. On the way home, my sister called to let me know that my grandma who lives in Idaho had called my mom earlier in the day to let her know that my grandma thinks she's dying. Later I spoke with my mom to learn that my grandma is feeling fine and is healthy, but has received a word from God that she is "not going to India [which she was scheduled to do January 12] but is coming home." I could spend a couple hours expounding on this, but I will have to save that for another day. Needless to say, I was unnerved by the day's events. Right now I have nothing to go off of other than my grandma's certainty that her days are numbered. I spoke with my grandma that Saturday night and we said our "last words" to each other, that we want each other to know before she dies. Wierd, I know. We'll see what happens...

...On my mind

In order to finally blog, I'm putting aside my list of things to do. Because it is such a busy time of year, the list may never get done... I have so many mental notes of things I want to blog, so we'll see how many I remember.

About a week ago, Sadie, Ashton and I were at my grandparents house. I put Sadie down to sleep on a comforter on the floor of one of the bedrooms. (Fortunately, she's totally different than Ashton was when it comes to sleeping -- I can [and do] lay her awake in her crib and she'll put herself to sleep.) When it was time to leave my grandparents house, I went into the bedroom to get Sadie and lo and behold she wasn't where I had left her. My mind quickly started going every which way as I quickly scanned the entire room. She was nowhere. She rolls around a lot, so the only reasonable explanation was that she had rolled under the bed in that bedroom. I lifted up the bed skirt and sure enough -- there she was -- peacefully (but still breathing) asleep! That crazy girl will never live that one down!

On Thursday my boss gave me my paycheck AND a Christmas bonus/gift!!! I am so excited, thankful, and blessed. God is so good. (And Curtis too.) I hadn't even thought that far ahead about this years' potential bonus, so it caught me especially off guard. As I explained it to him, it's like Christmas is free this year! How freeing -- it makes the holiday more enjoyable.

It's somewhat beside the point, but it's a shame that society makes Christmas so expensive -- like save-all-year-or-go-into-debt-expensive! I feel as though this is the first year Ashton kind of gets Christmas, at least more than ever before (duh). Along with that ability of his to understand, I need to do my part and put it all in perspective for him. I notice at every new commercial he sees, he suggests another gift he'd like to receive. Where did he get that idea? Perhaps from all of us asking each other what we want for Christmas! I need to do a better job of emphasizing the meaning of Christmas and if anything -- giving to the less fortunate. This is something that's been on my mind ever since I explained to him what Thanksgiving is about, and I know I have a lot to figure out still! I'm just thinking out loud.

Sadie's in love with her toes and with rolling over. I love her so much.

Ashton's cast comes off tomorrow! Hopefully he doesn't struggle with walking again like I did 19 years ago when the cast came off my broken leg. Ha. Only my family will appreciate that last sentence. Let's just say it wasn't pretty (or quick).

Ashton has said so many funny / noteworthy things lately that I wanted to blog about and now I can't remember any of them. Arggh. I've learned my lesson. As soon as he says it, I am going to resist the urge to be lazy and I will immediately go write it down. He is so smart these days, I'm sooo amazed. (I wonder if it's those Expecta Lipil pills I popped every day. Or for that matter, I wonder if it's because he was breastfed for so long. Or maybe I'm just biased. =) )

I've reminded myself of something Aaron told me today. I was washing dishes and Aaron was drying them when a loud bang came from Ashton's room. Ashton called Aaron's name and when Aaron went into Ashton's room, the miniature car collection of Aaron's (from when he was a child), had dropped from where it had been. Aaron asked Ashton how that happened. Ashton's response started with his response to every question. "Um. Hmmm." Then, "me be naughty." At least we can agree on some things.

Ashton's Detriment

Saturday November 10, 2007. It was noon, and Aaron was at work. My mom was delivering Willie to his new home. Staci was home for the weekend. The temperature was in the upper 60s -- beautiful for November. The kids and I were over at my parents' house because my dad and my grandpa were building a retaining wall in my parents' yard. I knew it was a good chance to allow Ashton to be outside (his favorite place to be) and to be in the company of others.

Sadie was asleep inside the house; I had the monitor attached to my hip. My parents' backyard garage was open and Ashton was busying himself with pretend driving my dad's lawn mower (which he does all the time -- it's parked, no key, etc.). Staci and I were observing the stone-laying process when all of a sudden I heard some banging and then Ashton crying. Up to this point, every time I had glanced to check on Ashton, he had been on the riding lawn mower. When I turned to respond to Ashton, he wasn't on the mower, so I assumed that he had fallen off of it onto the ground on the far side of the mower (thus the reason I didn't see him).

I ran to pick him up and brush him off, but he wasn't there. I followed the crying into the garage (not far away) and I saw that the dirtbike (similar to a motorcycle) was no longer standing up like it should be. I ran faster and saw Ashton, his legs pinned to the ground underneath the weight of the dirtbike. I went to pick it up off of him, and realized that I could barely lift it, nonetheless pick Ashton up! I yelled, "Help me" and Staci ran over and pulled Ashton out from under the bike.

He was crying obviously. Nothing was protruding or bleeding. He was just crying. And crying and crying and crying. I took him inside to get him a drink, to take off his pants, to kiss his boo-boos, to give him some ibuprofin, to lay with him for a nap, to hold him, to rock him. Nothing was helping. He hadn't stopped crying since the bike fell. I was about 75% sure that something was broken, otherwise he would have stopped crying at least once. It was nap time anyway, and so I asked him to try and take a nap, and if it still hurt when he woke up we would take him to a doctor. Ashton instantly jumped at that and started saying, "doctor."

I called Aaron at work (who wasn't even scheduled to be at work yet, but was there anyway) to tell him what happened and that I was going to take Ashton to be x-rayed. He agreed to meet me there. We woke Sadie up and put her in the car. Staci drove as I held Ashton in the front passenger's seat. Ashton and Sadie both fell asleep. We went to an immediate care place and as I predicted, we got in right away, as compared to an ER -- only 10-15 minutes of waiting. Aaron held Ashton, who had stopped crying.

They took x-rays and said that there was a break in the tibia and fibula. They put a hard splint on him, and said on Monday the orthopedic office would call us to arrange to put a cast on (which wouldn't have been put off had we gone to the ER...errrr). Ashton fell asleep again on the way home, and ended up taking a good nap. Nana and GGma came over to see him and help me with Sadie. Ashton just wanted to be held.

We alternately gave him tylenol and ibuprofin every four hours, around the clock. He really didn't complain of pain too often. Only when we went to pick him up or move him, would he say, "hurt." Otherwise, he sat on the sofa and watched countless Dora and Diego movies. Opa and Oma brought him a new Diego movie.

Monday morning came around and the doctor's office called to set up an appointment for Tuesday afternoon -- the soonest they could see him! Errr. Joy watched Sadie while Aaron and I took Ashton to have his bright orange cast put on. :) Unfortunately, the cast goes up past his knee, therefore he can't bend his leg. It's on there for 4 weeks, and comes off December 10. He is doing such a good job -- hardly ever complaining of pain, accepting his lot. Ashton, I am just so thankful to God that you weren't hurt more severely. It could have been a rib, or lung, or your head that took the blow. Thank you God, for protecting my little boy.

There. I did it. I journaled it and will put it in his memory box along with the cast.

I'm Coming Out

I've decided to scratch using codenames for the kids. The whole reason it started was because someone recently brought up the point that a stranger could approach my children and call out their names and my children could instantly have undue trust in the stranger, simply because the stranger already knew their name. While this could be true, it's driving me crazy to call my children something other than their given name when I blog! So I shall just have to teach them about strangers and be careful when I blog to not give out information about our exact location.

(I've noticed there are ways to lock or hide posts, but I like being able to share my blog with family who don't have an account. Also, I like that my friends on facebook at least have the option to see my blog. I'll just be careful...)

Thank You Hal

I receive a weekly e-newsletter from Hal Runkel of ScreamFree Living and in the most recent newsletter, was the following excerpt. I love it because it sums up how I've been feeling and what I've been thinking, but just couldn't verbalize until now.

I want a child who recognizes the all-important law of sowing and reaping. I am only getting in the way of that if I rescue him from those consequences and allow my disapproval and anger to stand in their place.

When I tell Ashton to put this shirt on because we're leaving soon, or to eat your yogurt now because we're going to bed in five minutes, and when he doesn't do it, I don't want to be the one who goes back on my word and gets all bent out of shape -- it should be him who regrets not obeying!

I love it. I love it. I love it.

Birth, Work, and Bluebird-isms

I am so lucky -- today I got to see the documentery film that Ricki Lake directed, "The Business of Being Born." It concisely (1 hour 23 minutes) explains why I believe hospitals usually ruin healthy labor and delivery experiences, and why midwife-assisted home births (gasp) and birthcenters (which value midwives and the home-like setting) offer women the chance to experience life (scientifically: oxytocin, plainly: the bliss after the pain) and be empowered (if we can deliver babies, imagine what else we can do that we thought too difficult), all while bringing a healthy baby into the world. The film will be released theatrically in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco in January 2008 and the video release will be in March, 2008. Click to see a trailer.

Bluebird is so over his cough. Thank you for praying for us. Within a day or two of my last post, it was gone.

Can I just say how wiped out I am after a day at work? I enjoy my work but it's about all I can handle for a day -- I don't have the energy to come home to play with or be in charge of eventually getting the kids to bed. In addition, I've begun to feel slightly anxious about my work schedule. Right now, I work Tuesdays and Thursdays and the other part-time lady works Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. We both use the same computer, and between the two of us, we make one full-time person! My mom (and often times babysitter) will no longer be able to help me on Tuesdays. And because the [one] computer is already used Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I feel stuck as to when I can work instead of Tuesdays. Because I imagine the computer problem will only be magnified come January, I talked to my boss about him buying another computer. I'm sure it will work out. I just liked the routine of knowing I work Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don't like the inconsistancy and day-to-day stress of figuring out when I can work next...

Sweetface can roll over now. Both from her stomach to her back, and from her back to her stomach. I'd say she's probably been doing it for a couple weeks now. She can roll over, but she doesn't do it all the time. Maybe she hasn't found out how fun it can be and how it can help her move. Or maybe it's because she rarely gets any time on the floor. It makes me sad actually that we have hardwood floors and no soft carpeted area. What kind of parents are we?!?

I've been spending a lot of my free time putting Bluebird pictures into his albums. I probably have put about 200 prints away. I still have about 200 more pictures to put in their respective albums ("Bluebird", "Sweetface", and "Family & Friends"). Then I need to print a bunch more.

I've been meaning to journal a couple of funny / cute things Bluebird has said, that I don't want to forget.

Bluebird went through a phase where "try" was his answer to everything. 2 weeks after Sweetface was born, Bluebird pointed to my belly button and said, "Sweetface inside."
Mommy: "Yes, Sweetface used to be inside Mommy's tummy."
Bluebird: "More." (a common Bluebird word)
Mommy: "Sweetface can't go back inside Mommy's tummy!"
Bluebird: "Try."
It made me smile.

A bit more recently, I've talked him into saying "I love you too," when people tell him they love him. ;) I love it, I love it, I love it. I've been looking forward to the day when all my hard "mommy" work is appreciated and evidenced by him telling me he loves me. Also, he and I have our own love talk when he affectionately in a long drawn out way, says, "Moooommy, Moooooommy, Moooooommy." I in return say, "Bluuuebird, Bluuuuebird, Bluuuuebird." Well, not exactly, but you get the idea. It means, "I love you."

The other day after he had already been tucked into bed once, he called me into his bedroom. I was snacking on Rolos and I popped one more in my mouth before I opened his door, so that he wouldn't see me eating it. I laid down on his bed next to him, and he instantly says, "Choc-cho" (translation: chocolate). Trying not to grin, I said, "How did you know? It wasn't what he said next that cracked me up, because he didn't even say anything, but what he did. He exaggeratively started inhaling and exhaling through his nose! The little guy instantly smelled it on my breath -- I was busted!

A while back, Aaron was teaching Bluebird which Walgreens was "his." We were shopping at one that wasn't his, but Bluebird did not yet know better, and said, "Daddy's Walgreens." Aaron corrected him and said, "Well, no. This isn't Daddy's Walgreens. This is a Walgreens, but it isn't Daddy's Walgreens." Bluebird learned that day, and still every time we drive by that one Walgreens he let's us know, that that's "A Walgreens." He doesn't understand "a" is an article, but instead thinks that it is the proper name of the Walgreens at 21st & Fairlawn.

Well, hubby is home from work, and he comes bearing gifts (Sonic sausage, egg & cheese breakfast burrito), so blogging has lost it's lure. Later.

Everything from bangs to God

I'm so pleased with my new email address -- does that make me a nerd? I don't think so. The reasons I love my gmail account:

1. I have always used Google's search engine
2. I already have Google set to be my homepage
3. Google allows me to customize my homepage (iGoogle) with little Google
applications, tools, newsfeeds, etc. (see number 5)
4. I can now choose to have a Gmail summary (letting me know if I have any new messages and links directly to those new messages) right on my homepage! 5. Now my Google homepage includes not only the search engine box, but also a link to Gmail, the weather outside along with the forecast, my ToDo list, the
How to of the Day, and a link to my NIV Daily Bible reading of the day

I feel as though my life is streamlined -- efficient and simple, and that's the way I like it!

In other news, my bangs need trimmed. The rest of my hair could probably use a little pick-me-up as well, but now that I have bangs right above my eyes, it's more of an issue. Which makes me wonder: how short / long should I have them cut? Last time I was in, she cut them to the exact length that looked good. But that means it doesn't take long for them to be longer than what looks best. Maybe I should have them cut just a bit shorter than what looks best, so that I can go twice as long before they are so long.

Seriously now. I received a great email today from a friend and in it was a video she forwarded that reminded me of a lesson God taught me a couple months ago. It was great to be reminded. I had been reading Ecclesiastes 2:11 which says "Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." The little devotional in my Bible that goes along with this reading says, "The Bible teaches us that instead of searching for happiness, we should allow God's joy and peace to reign in our hearts. Instead of striving for the things we think will satisfy, we can learn to find true contentment by looking to God, whatever our circumstance." As I type that, I am reminded of another season in my life when God was trying to teach me the same thing -- I must really struggle with this! Anyway, when Sweetface was only a few weeks old, and my hubby had returned back to work, I would find myself looking forward to his return home so that I could have a little help or even do something for myself (thus equalling happiness). But I couldn't live like that every hour he was at work! I want God's joy and peace to reign in my heart, not discontent! I was taught that "blessed" in the Bible means "happy." Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven (Psalm 32:1), who trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:4) and who draw near to God (Psalm 65:4). The true source of pleasure is God. When I claim these as my own, I am happy, even if dishes, laundry, and kids are my reality. God's joy and peace reign in my heart regardless!

Make sure your volume is up while watching this video.

Could it be?

I'm shocked! I thought that V8 Splash would be a healthy fruit juice choice, because of it's healthy V8 vegetable juice. I was wrong. I tasted the Mango Peach flavor and not really digging it, I turned to read the label and was disgusted -- 10% juice, water is the main ingredient, followed by high fructose corn syrup! Yuck. I'm going back to Dole's 100% juice Orange Peach Mango.

I'm elated! Dr. (Robert) Sears has come out with a new book entitled The Vaccine Book. It won't be released for another 2-3 weeks, but I'm looking forward to buying a copy. It is supposed to be a non-biased source of information, research, etc. Neither Bluebird nor Sweetface have had any vaccinations (other than's mommy's yummy kind!), but I've been wondering lately, now that Bluebird is older if I feel that it'd be safe(r) now for him to have any vaccinations. All I have to do is hear another story of a child becoming autistic after being immunized to make me lean towards staying away from immunizations alltogether. I'm looking forward to this read, and becoming more educated on the issue.

I'm thankful! Bluebird's cough isn't any worse today than yesterday -- it's about the same. It's not bark-y-ish nor whooping-ish, so I'm optimistic. Keep him in your prayers please. It made my heart melt this morning to hear him wake up in his room, and the first thing he hollered was, "mommy, medicine." :( I feel for him, and want him to get better soon.

The Return

I don't even know where to begin, it's been so long since I last blogged.

In the background right now I hear my 2-year old (codename Bluebird) coughing in his sleep. I've spent a good hour googling children's cough syrup, after catching word that they could be more dangerous than helpful. I think I'll return the Robitussin I just bought, and pray he has anything besides whooping cough. And I pray God heals him quickly and protects the baby (codename Sweetface) from getting anything.

We had a lot of fun this past weekend...doing pumpkin patches and enjoying our friends' company. Specifically, we went to one on Saturday and another one on Sunday. When I tuck Bluebird into bed, before we pray, we debrief by listing the fun, good times we had that day. Both Monday evening and this evening Bluebird listed "punkin pash," even though that was two days ago! I guess he had fun. I think we'll go to another one north of the River on the 20th. Mark and Rebecca, I'm sorry we didn't get to visit with you more. Really. But I'm blogging! :)

I've recently found a new interest -- aqua exercise. It's offered at the local natatorium Mondays through Thursdays from 6-7pm, for $2.50 each class. I've always been a water girl, never a treadmill kind of girl, so this is right up my ally. In fact, I love it -- I can feel the workout, but it's fun! Right now I'm only going on evenings when the hubby is home to watch the little ones. :(

I can't readily think of anything else to write right now, but I've broken any writer's block I may have had, so it's a start!

Mark and Rebecca, you have inspired me to revisit this blog.