tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53186203180475696522024-03-05T16:31:16.467-06:00Mile Marker O: A Family JournalWelcome! This blog has been created for friends and family to join us as we travel to Ethiopia to complete the adoption of our two sons and to document future adventures.Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-89524494861188336502013-05-24T13:08:00.000-05:002013-05-24T14:32:49.513-05:00Moving Right Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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TEN<br />
I wasn't expecting much during this ten month photo shoot, so I came prepared. I knew the sticker would not work and gave myself a big pat on the back for thinking of the chalk board. I got a few good pictures, but she ultimately ate the sticker and licked the chalk off the board in a span of about five minutes. The only situation where she will consistently give the camera a good laugh is touching her big brother's head. Apparently, he and his head is and are hilarious. Maybe next month I'll paint a big '11' on his head...or get a sign that doesn't stick, crinkle or smudge.<br />
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There haven't been too many earth shattering changes this month but she continues to grow, babbles as if she is having a conversation, and stands longer, has tried to take an unaided step on occasion and gets into things more and more. Cabinet locks may still be in our future.<br />
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OUR YACKER<br />
Her interactions with everyone have grown a lot this month. She is very proud of herself when she knows you understand what she wants. She loves to wave at any occasion, clap her hands and play hide-n-seek/chase. She loves to laugh at her brothers whenever they are around. She has two personal comedians at her beck and call at all times. <br />
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She can say <i>Da Da</i> and <i>Dadi</i> very well, Baby O's name pretty well, and I am referred to as <i>Na Na</i> when she really needs something. If I'm right there, a loud cry seems to suffice and she gets what she needs pretty quickly.<br />
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Here she is talking to Big Bro number one while he finishes dinner. Does anyone else's three year old take an hour and a half to finish dinner? Everyone else was ready for bed. Including me. I like to think she was telling him to hurry up.<br />
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Big Bro number two loves to entertain her while I'm preparing her bath. She is one happy camper when he helps out and he is the only member of the household she will give endless kisses to. It's hit or miss with everyone else.<br />
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SLEEP<br />
In one month, she (or should I say 'I'?) has made huge strides. She is finally sleeping through the night. And just the technical sleeping through the night (which is six hours), she is sleeping 10-12 hours without a feeding. I took our pediatrician's advice, turned off the baby monitor and stopped going in every time she made a noise. It wasn't as easy as it sounds-there were nights where I slept on the couch because I was waiting outside her door in case she didn't go back to sleep, and there were some nights where I had to take some steps backward to wake her up to feed her because I was in some pain (the plight of a nursing mom)-but we made it! And it is so nice to be able to sleep again.<br />
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This next month is a big one-she will have both of her brothers home all day and I am preparing our summer schedule. Hopefully we can have a smooth transition and fit nap times in with our bucket list of things to do. I have a feeling we will see some major 'steps' this next month. Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-9611474354214743742013-05-12T20:27:00.001-05:002013-05-12T21:17:58.988-05:00Three Years Later: Celebration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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May 10th, 2010-Mother's Day-we stepped off the plane, drove home and became a family. It's hard to believe it's only been three years. It's hard to imagine life without my children, the joy, the noise, the laughter and the chaos. If you had asked me back then to look into my crystal ball and look to see what the next few years had in store for us, I would not have believed you. <br />
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We celebrated in style on our<span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://milemarkerfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/2011/05/one-year-later-celebration.html"><span style="color: red;">first anniversary</span></a></span>. Where is year two? I most certainly regret not recording our second anniversary, but there really wasn't much. Besides having just moved into a new house, commuting an hour each way for Boy O to finish Kindergarten, I was seven months pregnant and my moods were the opposite of celebratory. Enough said. I do remember some tidbits....we did let the kids each pick out a lobster from the live tank at H.E.B. They loved it and still request lobster on special occasions to this day. So, not a total wash but it didn't seem to have the same zeal as the year before.<br />
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It's been a crazy year adding Miss Sassy Pants to the family, so I thought we needed to take a little more time celebrate year three (although I think we all missed the lobster). I'm sure the kids would be up for an overnight stay somewhere fun, but Daddy O and I aren't at that point yet and are saving all our energy for an upcoming road trip this summer. <br />
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Finding an event or place to visit that a seven year old, three year old and a nine month old could enjoy turned out to be quite a task. I wanted a place that everyone could participate and not just sit in the stroller or be to small for rides. So we chose to drive a few minutes South to a place that each of our kids could enjoy. A <a href="https://www.morganswonderland.com/about-us/our-mission-vision"><span style="color: red;">fun family park designed for people of all abilities</span></a>. When I mean all abilities, I mean kids of all ages and/or special needs. It was truly awesome. Rides, activities, playgrounds-Boy O and Baby O ran around like crazy kids, never stopping once. And because everything was designed for everyone, Newbie O's stroller was welcome everywhere and she could even ride the rides. No waiting on the sidelines here!<br />
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The first photo opportunity as we walked into the park.<br />
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Newbie O's first ride on the carousel. Excited, but looking for her big brothers.<br />
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Playgrounds aplenty for all abilities, including Daddy O-minus one hand because he's holding his beloved Mountain Dew. If you know him well, you might be laughing...<br />
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Newbie O didn't require much to make her smile. Just being able to explore her surroundings and feel like one of the big kids was enough.<br />
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Ahoy matey!<br />
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This is Boy O trying to be a weatherman. I'm not sure if this would be a good career choice as he was trying to point to Texas.<br />
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Family O riding the train. Good times had by all!<br />
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Swinging is by far one of her favorite activities.<br />
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And one more ride on the carousel before we leave. Both boys had to take turns to ride on the giant eagle.<br />
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Three years and three kids...wow. I'm working on something slightly more meaningful and introspective than that as well as updating our sidebar pictures, but for now, that about sums it up. Three years-Wow.Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-69137031977809736252013-04-22T20:35:00.000-05:002013-04-22T20:35:52.355-05:00Nine Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every month as I type an update on Miss Sassy Pants, I say the same old thing...<i>Wow...another month...I can't believe it's gone by so fast...yada, yada, yada...</i><br />
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But there is nothing else to say. Nine months. It seems like we have very quickly gotten to that stage where I'm running after her or redirecting her at every turn. I remember it all too well with her older brother. At this point, she seems to be a shade less intense than her active older brother was, but we may just not be at that far along yet.<br />
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This little girlie still only has long strands of hair on the top of her head. The rest looks like a buzz cut. Very mod.<br />
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I still think hats are her best look.<br />
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She loves to play with her older brothers. She wants so much to be involved and be front and center with her brothers. Baby O is warming up to the idea, but becomes slightly irritated at her attraction to mouthing all paper products. In the picture below, he was very careful to place all the <i>Go Fish</i> cards just out of her reach. She didn't mind too much-she's pretty satisfied just to be close to him and make a big racket.<br />
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When giving/sharing his toys (she only wants what he has), he is sure to instruct her not to slobber on it. As you can imagine, there is some frustration when she does not follow his wishes. Everything gets goobered up in the end.<br />
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She is not afraid to get in the mix. She may not look it, but she is rough and tough (she practically beat up a two year old last week at a play date-she's a pincher). She fusses at her brothers when they take a toy away from her, she climbs all over them when they are watching television and has no qualms about plopping herself down right in the middle of whatever they are doing. She loves it and her brothers don't mind (too much).<br />
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One of the major differences I have noticed between her and Baby O at this age, is that she knows the meaning of the word 'no'. More often than not, she will stop, smile, and if you are serious about the 'no', she will cry. Baby O on the other hand would just forge ahead. His motto was that it was far easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. And still is to this day as a matter of fact.<br />
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A before and after example in pictures: Rocks are a big 'NO'. This is before.<br />
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This is after. But she took them out of her mouth and that's what counts.<br />
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AT A GLANCE<br />
At her nine month check-up this morning, she weighed in at 17 pounds 10 ounces and is 27 inches long. After being in the 3rd percentile at 6 months, she has climbed back up the charts to a very healthy 25th. Her two bottom teeth have come in and she is completely mobile-standing up, cruising along the furniture and crawling at warp speed. She waves good bye with proper zeal and loves to play peek-a-boo/hide-n-seek with the family. Too cute for words sometimes.<br />
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A full night's sleep is something I still haven't experienced in a good long while. My pediatrician told me that it will last as long as I want it to and to turn off the baby monitor. I know she's right. I know it. I have an amazing amount of resolve until about two in the morning...I'm going to try harder...this time. I'll let you know how I'm doing next month. Anyone taking bets?Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-12170037114667886362013-04-13T20:05:00.004-05:002013-04-14T09:49:17.570-05:00Different Scene, Same Old Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our backyard isn't what I would call 'cookie cutter' anymore. We do love it and it is certainly a work in progress (and most likely will be for years to come), but it isn't the nice family friendly, flat surface with soft grass that we had back in the Pacific Northwest.<br />
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Here are a few glances of the back of our property. Lots of cactus, rock and some creepy crawlies.<br />
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Cactus was an interesting new plant for the kids to get used to. You can tell them to be careful all you want....but it only takes once of falling into one of these prickly sensations to get the message across. Boy O learned a painful lesson early on and subsequently spent an extended period indoors having the spines removed from his backside. Like I said, it only happened once.<br />
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We have seen some pretty amazing wildlife from our dining nook and sitting on the back porch. In addition to the regular herds of deer that infiltrate our garden, there are some things I hadn't expected, such as large walking sticks, tarantulas, a variety of snakes and my least favorite-the scorpions. I never really thought much of them until I had my own experience of being stung by one in my bed. Having never thought much of enlisting the help of a professional to come spray our house (not a big fan of chemicals), I informed Daddy O that I would be spending nights elsewhere until our house was scorpion free. The very next morning, I joyfully answered the door and welcomed in our exterminator who proceeded to drench our house in scorpion napalm. And I continue to be happy to see him every few months.</div>
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This is a picture taken just this evening-they are easy to find if you lift a rock up off the ground. This little guy is pretty tiny...</div>
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...but as you can see, we have quite a few rocks they can find shelter under. The critters have been removed from our household, but I think we will have to coexist outside.<br />
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Despite the terrain being so incredibly different, we have found ways to have some backyard fun. We seem to be doing just fine without the flat, soft areas. The kids enjoy having the sprinkler right on the playground. <br />
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It makes for some super fast sliding, wet swinging, and about the same amount of splashing. The only difference is that we have learned to keep our shoes on!Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-79741136998616007022013-04-05T11:13:00.001-05:002013-04-05T11:15:23.495-05:00Perfect MatchIf you know me, you also know that I LOVE to play board games. Long before children, when it was just the two of us, it used to take a lot of begging and pleading to get Daddy O to the table. It was then that I wished for a child that would enjoy playing a good game now and then. <br />
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Boy did my wish ever come true. Boy O and I play all sorts of fun games before bedtime-right now we are wholeheartedly enjoying UNO, but we also enjoy a good game of Sorry, Monopoly, Sequence, Memory (thank goodness we are past Candyland!). <br />
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The other night he got creative and spent at least a half hour making his own:<br />
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My favorite part was the cards....I like the one that says 8 or 9...I always choose 9. The game pieces were M & M's. Whoever wins gets to eat them. Smart choice on his part-considering I don't care for them. He's a winner every time.<br />
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His time spent making the game even got Daddy O to the table-and I consider that quite an accomplishment. <br />
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Loving his creativity, loving his humor, and loving my son. I am so lucky to be his Mom.Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-55829821737601231012013-03-31T14:11:00.004-05:002013-03-31T14:45:12.598-05:00Easter Number Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our third Easter. Same traditions with a little tweaking here and there, but pretty much the same as the last. Although we are plus one child. Like I said, it has been a little different-a baby tends to require a few tweaks.<br />
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Dying eggs always starts the excitement before Easter and the boys sure did enjoy it. This was the first time Baby O did it all by himself. So independent now.<br />
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The day before was our neighborhood Easter egg hunt. The boys had a blast, and with over 500 eggs out for all the kids, the event lasted less than three minutes.<br />
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They had separate Easter egg hunts for the various ages-unfortunately for Baby O, there were many 'older' kids who knew the drill and he only got two eggs before the tennis court was completely clear. Poor kiddo, here he is all alone looking for some eggs that had long disappeared. I guess instead of taking pictures, I should have helped him out a bit.<br />
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On the other side of the field, Boy O knew exactly what to do and was filling his basket full. Such a good big brother (and probably because his cup runneth over), he shared his candy filled eggs with his little brother.<br />
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Newbie O had some help from her Mimi and was completely satisfied rattling her egg.<br />
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Back at home, enjoying all the attention.<br />
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Easter morning around seven. An improvement since Christmas, but Boy O still got up around one. He heard his sister crying and as I went to her room, I heard a loud whisper...."Newbie O, be quiet! The Easter Bunny might not come!"<br />
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Suffice to say, he was hushed and put back to bed with explicit instructions not to get up until there was light coming through the blinds.<br />
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The Easter egg hunt outside was a big success! We have always lived in places where this wasn't possible, either because of the weather or the size of the yard. The boys had a blast. And Baby O 'got it' and was able to collect many eggs for his basket. <br />
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Newbie O had no problems watching from the sidelines.<br />
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Success!<br />
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We had a baby egg hunt indoors. Eggs filled with cheerios.<br />
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The annual bunny cake. I let the boys do their thing. This year they insisted on bright blue icing.<br />
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From our family to yours, hope your Easter was as bright and laced with colorful candy as our bunny cake. Maybe one day we can make a pink one....although I still might be outvoted.<br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-4144076324688128742013-03-19T13:50:00.000-05:002013-03-19T13:50:00.100-05:00In One Month...What a difference one month can make. Newbie O can sit up all by herself, is pulling up into a standing position, calls her Daddy: <i>Da Da</i>, can sign for '<i>more</i>' food and has her very first tooth. Whew. It's been quite a month for Miss Sassy Pants.<br />
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Today's photo shoot was difficult. She insisted on chewing on the sticker. I would take it away, only to have her erupt in screams of protest. She certainly knows what she wants.<br />
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I think she lost sight of the sticker to try to put some blades of grass in her mouth for a couple of minutes. Why look at the camera and smile when you can chew on grass, leaves, a sticker or a sequined head band?</div>
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Here is a picture of the two of us earlier in the month-we traveled to Alabama to visit my grandmother for her birthday. </div>
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Newbie O has lost most of her hair. It only seems to grow on one side of her head now and sticks out at every opportunity. Still coming in blond, but the long strands that remain (on the one side) are half black and half blond. </div>
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No more baby tub for this little girl. She's just too big now!<br />
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She gets so excited when she pulls herself up. So proud of herself. Although she can get around on all fours, she's more interested in standing up, smiling and bouncing a bit. I think she would rather just walk. It really won't be long. <br />
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This is one of my favorite pictures-just Daddy and his Mini-Me, hanging out on the back porch and posing for the camera. <br />
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Spending a hot afternoonat the water table with her big brothers before they got into a splashing war.<br />
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She was sleeping pretty great during the day this month. Two regular naps....then her tooth came in. No more napping for more than 20 minutes, but at least nights seem to be getting better. She is sleeping regularly in four to six hour stretches now which is a huge improvement from...well...just about anytime in the past eight months. Everytime we seem to get on a schedule for any amount of time, some major life event takes place and we start back from scratch.<br />
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I'm not exactly sure how much Newbie O weighs-we'll find out next time at her nine month check-up. Tiny no longer, I'm guessing she has gained another two pounds and is probably around the 16 lb mark. She's going up a size in diapers, fits into nine month clothes...growing like a weed like the rest of the crew. <br />
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Every day is precious....each day is momentous at this stage. She has surprised me on so many levels this month...but I am selfishly hoping for a "<i>Ma-Ma</i>" next month.Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-75093301897841332282013-03-18T20:55:00.002-05:002013-03-18T20:55:48.500-05:00Belated ValentinesI had better get this one out before I start posting about Easter....<br />
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I love Valentine's Day. I love making Valentines. Mostly, I just love the excuse of having kids, and having them <strike>make</strike> help constructing the Valentines they bring to parties and school. After the ordeal of spending 10 days in the hospital, I freely admit to making my kids Valentines. Feel free to judge, but it was incredibly therapeutic to sit up the night before and put on the finishing touches and think of nothing else but how cool they were. <br />
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The kids did help a little...they are making tire tracks from black paint and rolling them on the card.<br />
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Baby O was much better at larger pieces of paper and of course larger mess.<br />
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Here are the final products. The vehicles and planes are actually erasers, and I just put a glob of rubber cement on the card, placed the erasers on that and waited overnight for them to dry. <i>Voila!</i><br />
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The finished product turned out well and it made me feel somewhat normal again. So I deemed this a successful venture, killing two birds with one stone: Valentines? Check. Mommy O feeling like a human being? Check. <br />
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And a happy Valentines day it was being home with all my boys and the little miss. Nothing was taken for granted that week, just being home and together was plenty. And that's what it's really about now isn't it?Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-68246643284407721492013-03-11T15:13:00.001-05:002013-03-11T15:13:45.655-05:00The New NormalIt has taken longer than I had originally anticipated, but I think we have entered our 'new normal'. I can definitely say it's normal because it's spring break, I have all three kids at home and I didn't blink an eye knowing that I would have to do my weekly shopping trip plus one kiddo.<br />
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This was Newbie O's first time sitting in the cart and she had a fabulous time. Usually I wear her and I think she really felt proud to be a big girl with her siblings. Her presence also seemed to entertain both of her brothers quite a bit (and cut down on their normal brotherly picking at one another).<br />
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As you can imagine, we can be heard on the other side of the state at all times throughout the store. I've pretty much given up on trying to make them quiet. We are loud and proud, I guess. <br />
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Hoping for many more successful, stress-free shopping trips, but I still maintain they are easier with two kids, not three. And for those of you with larger families, how do you do it? Where do they fit? <br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-27525538222763993852013-02-20T12:35:00.003-06:002013-02-20T12:35:53.225-06:00Super at Seven Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another month has passed. One crazy month to say the least. And through it all, Newbie O has proven that she really is the happiest, easy going baby I have ever known. Newbie O was there for it all. Surgery, emergency surgery, commuting back and forth to the hospital, spending time in lots of unfamiliar places. She did great and had a smile on her face the whole way through. Where she gets it from is beyond me. Certainly not from Mom and Dad. A lot of things can be said about Mommy and Daddy O, but easy going is not one of them.<br />
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Newbie O is what I like to call petite-at six months she was just over 12 pounds-nothing to worry about but I am happy to report that at seven months she has gained over two pounds! She loves food. In fact, it is about the only area she isn't easy going about. Food cannot be shoveled into her mouth fast enough at meal times. I cannot walk away from the table even to get a napkin or her fussing will begin. We also decided to skip the bottle and go straight to a sippy cup. She has figured out how to suck on it and get some liquid out, but she hasn't had that <i>aha!</i> moment where she actually wants to drink. It's still more of plaything.<br />
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She is sitting up better and better everyday. She has a much sturdier stance and doesn't topple over as much. She's getting close to sitting on her own-the other day I placed her down on her stomach and when I came by a moment later, she was sitting. I think her big brother had something to do with that, but he still won't admit to it. Although she still likes to roll around, she has transitioned to getting up on her hands and knees and rocking back and forth. It won't be long before she takes off. I'm hoping she's not as curious as Baby O was. I've been spoiled living everyday life without the child proof toilet, oven, cabinet, and door knob locks.<br />
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Photo sessions are getting more difficult. She doesn't want to be dressed up like a doll any more and also does not cooperate with posing. She would much rather eat the sticker and then cry about it when I take it away. I usually get about 50 pictures in and have a bunch to choose from. This photo session granted me a total of five photographs and I was lucky that two turned out to be good and one had the 7 month sticker on her dress (before she ripped and devoured it).<br />
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Cute as a button and we move on to another month of milestones...Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-60999547901159408882013-02-18T12:42:00.000-06:002013-02-18T12:44:22.973-06:00The Rabbit Hole, Redefined.I may have thought that a simple outpatient surgery was going down the rabbit hole. I may have thought it was stressful and I know I most certainly thought I was unprepared for seeing my son in a surgical gown hugging his favorite stuffed animal, not fully understanding what was in store for him.<br />
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I wasn't wrong. It was stressful. It was difficult. It was not an experience I would like to do over.<br />
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But here we are again. And it just does not get easier. I am struck by the fact that no matter how many times you experience your child being wheeled into the operating room, the sense of powerlessness that overcomes you never goes away. <br />
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Baby O had a very simple, short outpatient surgery on his hand for an issue that is not all that uncommon in children. It was a relatively positive experience-everything went according to plan, he did not have much pain and the whole ordeal was over by mid-afternoon. He was on the mend.<br />
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Five days post surgery, I noticed some redness and swelling around the incision and stitches. I made a call to the surgeon's office and we went in that very day to have someone look at it. They seemed to think it was a reaction to the dissolvable sutures, prescribed some antibiotics and sent us home. I was more than satisfied and expected the pain he was having to subside by the end of the day. By late afternoon, things seemed to be worse. I called the surgeon's nurse. I called our pediatrician. They both had the same response. Wait at least 24 hours for the antibiotics to work. Their answer appeased me for a bit and I waited until morning.<br />
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After a difficult night, Baby O would scream in pain if something even remotely brushed his hand. The swelling and redness had now spread up his arm and I was worried. I waited until 8 o'clock that next morning to call the surgeon's office once more only to get the same answer as before-wait. Wait 24 hours.<br />
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I couldn't do it. I called again. And again. Finally, I asked for an e-mail address so I could send pictures of his hand. Within ten minutes of clicking on 'send', I got a call, "The doctor would like to examine your son's hand. Can you be here in 20 minutes?" <br />
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I admit to feeling vindicated, right and had an <i>I told you so </i>chip on my shoulder<i> </i>from the moment we walked into that examination room. I felt I had won the battle and fully expected to receive a different antibiotic. <br />
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But once again, I was unprepared. Just plain unprepared to hear that the infection was bad enough to need surgery as soon as possible. Chip on my shoulder gone, the wind knocked out of us both, Daddy O and I went through the motions and did what had to be done.<br />
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I have never felt so adult in all my life. There is nothing fun about checking into a hospital and putting on a happy face while your insides are churning. There is nothing fun about trying to explain to a three year old what is about to happen. There were times when I didn't know if I was making the right decision or not and in hindsight would do some things differently, but I just didn't know. <br />
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Baby O's first day and night were difficult. He has never been the type to do anything half way and fought the nursing staff every bit of the way. It took two separate armies of hospital staff to get an IV in his arm. The first attempt was a disaster and left him and myself in tears. The second attempt was ultimately successful, but equally as traumatic.<br />
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The surgery went well and the doctor tended to the full extent of his infection. It was quite extensive but had been caught in time and had not spread to the bone or ligament where the initial surgery had been. Although<br />
things were looking up, Baby O would need to return to the OR each day to clean out the incisions that had been made to drain the infection. <br />
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In our wildest dreams, we never imagined this would be anything more than a few days, but a few days turned into ten full days in the hospital. Daddy O and I split duties, him staying with Baby O most of the time and me commuting back and forth.<br />
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Day 2-Waiting to go back into the OR. <br />
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Day 2-Getting ready to be wheeled into the 'big room'. <br />
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Day 2-Daddy O and Newbie O passing the time during surgery.<br />
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By day three, commuting got the best of me and Boy O, Newbie O and myself were able to stay in the Ronald McDonald House just across the parking lot for a few days. It was wonderful to be able to stay at the hospital for longer periods of time and take that walk across the parking lot at the end of the day instead of driving through traffic and spending an hour and a half in the car.<br />
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I didn't take any pictures that weekend, just making sure the kids were happy, had regular meals and were somewhat entertained took all of our energy and time. But I will say this about our brief stay at the Ronald McDonald House: It was a truly wonderful thing. After trying to keep things as normal and routine as possible for Boy O for a few days, I realized that it wasn't necessarily the daily routine that kept things going. The glue that keeps things normal for us is us. We really needed to be our unit again and it just wasn't working driving there and back each day. The Ronald McDonald House was how we were able to keep our family together during this crazy time. Words cannot express how grateful I am that a place such as this exists for families that live more than 25 miles away from the hospital. <br />
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DAY 6-This is a children's hospital and there are quite a few things around to entertain the kiddos. In addition to library, play room and boatloads of child life specialists at our beck and call, the 'ball thing' (as the kids referred to it)-was a great way to pass the time.<br />
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DAY 7-The bandage is getting smaller, fingers are no longer swollen and he even has a new splint to protect his thumb. He's also looking mighty sharp out of his hospital scrubs.<br />
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DAY 8-This is the day I took over for Daddy O and spent the night with Baby O and Newbie O. We were so lucky-the child life specialists visited Baby O every day to play with him. This was the day they brought in a painting project for him to do. Not the best idea in my opinion for a kid who needed to keep his bandage clean, but he sure had fun.<br />
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This is the picture I took right before bedtime. Newbie O got the pack-n-play, I got the pull out couch and Baby O got the roomy hospital bed. I was pleasantly surprised that both of them slept quite well with all the vital checks, antibiotics and pain relievers given at 11 pm and 3 am....oh and the person who came in at 10:30 pm to empty the garbage. That one kind of puzzled me.<br />
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Day 10-Waiting for the paperwork to be released. Baby O was so spoiled. The child life specialist left her Ipad in the room for him to play with. Poor girl, in addition to playing games, he managed to take several pictures of himself and override the language to Japanese.<br />
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And finally....out of the double doors and heading home.<br />
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I would not wish this experience on anyone. Ten days of seeing our baby go through hell. Ten days of walking around like a zombie, ten days of putting our trust in the doctors and nurses to take care of our son, ten days of the most terrifying emotional roller coaster ride I have ever been on.<br />
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I have however come away from this ordeal with quite a bit of clarity. I feel lucky, fortunate and ever so grateful on a daily basis. I have renewed appreciation for everything that I have. I feel silly that I ever felt down in the postpartem dumps...silly that I complained about not having time for myself, silly that I complained about my lack of sleep and silly in general because after seeing parents carrying around their precious child whose head had been shaved only to reveal the stitches from ear to ear, I realized that their journey was nowhere near over and it would be a long time before they would ever walk away from the hospital. I can only begin to imagine what they must be going through. <br />
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I will say it over again, but the kindness and generosity from complete strangers astounded me. I met so many volunteers who spent their time making meals at the Ronald McDonald house, people who brought their dogs into the hospital so children could pet them (they brought smiles to all of their faces), even an older gentleman who spent his free time making and delivering get well cards to young patients from his wheel chair. It all makes a difference. They make a difference. And it isn't small. And I will remember it and pay it forward every chance I get.<br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-43449946098649075642013-01-25T09:13:00.004-06:002013-01-25T21:15:56.272-06:00Through the Rabbit Hole and Back Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have known for awhile. We thought we were prepared. But when you get there and see your child hug his Mr. Lamb and sit waiting to go into surgery, you realize that nothing, absolutely nothing can prepare you for the moment the nurses wheel your baby away from you through those double swinging doors. It does not prepare you for the moment when your baby asks you why you can't come with him. It does not prepare you to hold back your tears and feelings of absolute fear from your son when you tell him to listen to the nurses and doctors and that you will see him very soon.<br />
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Fortunately, there are moments of humor amidst the seriousness of the situation. In the seemingly endless sixty minutes before the patients go into the operating room, our little man of steel was a fantastic trooper. He was hungry, thirsty and in great need of a nap, but he sure did make the most out of a mask with vanilla cake flavor on it. Personally I thought our little nook of the pre-op area smelled like a stinky rendition of one of those holiday body shower flavors at Bath and Body Works, but Baby O seemed to like it. <br />
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His choices of gas flavors were grape, strawberry, bubble gum or birthday cake. He chose birthday cake. In his mind, he thought they were asking him what he wanted when he went through those doors and having had not one bite to eat in the last 8 hours or so, he was fully expecting an actual birthday cake.<br />
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He came through like a champ, but was an absolute bear when he woke up and the birthday cake was not there. He did however settle for a rainbow Popsicle and a sticker. <br />
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Although pretty disoriented and out of it for a few hours, the next day he was back to normal and obviously recovering well. <br />
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We are relieved and thankful. Relieved because the build-up seemed extreme. I really thought we would never make it to the day of surgery. Despite becoming a complete germophobe of a Mother for about a month, (no play dates, no jumpy place, just good old fun outdoors, right?), in the 6-8 weeks before, he weathered three colds, an infected lip (from a cut in a fall off his bike), an apparent allergic reaction what we believe was a poisonous plant (when he deconstructed the plant and touched his infected lip), and a black and swollen eye (from a tumble off his scooter) just a couple of days before hand. After the last incident I decided that movie marathons were the only safe activity.<br />
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Now it's about recovery and movie marathons really are the only way to keep him from playing in the dirt or falling off his bike etc...Just a few more days of yet another viewing of <i>Madagascar</i> and <i>Toy Story</i> and he will be as good as new. So thankful it went well and hopeful that this will be our only and last experience visiting the surgeon's wing of the hospital. Frankly, I don't think I'm cut out for it (pun not intended).Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-6266327139349233992013-01-21T20:37:00.000-06:002013-01-25T19:42:57.393-06:00Smiles-A-Lot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you are a fan of <i>Dances With Wolves</i>, you'll understand the title. Nothing seems to get her down. For a girl who still doesn't sleep through the night (not even barely) and only naps 50 percent of the time, she sure is happy. All the time. I guess I can't ask for more than that, but I sure would like some down time during the day or some sleep at night.<br />
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Secrets to her priceless facial expressions during photo shoots? Jumping up and down with the camera and her older brother doing the same. Works every time. <br />
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These stickers never last long. In the past she has spit-up on them almost from the very moment I stick them on her onesie. No spit-up this time, but she did attempt to eat it.</div>
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So much has changed in the course of a month. She grabs EVERYTHING now. I definitely have to be aware of what toys are around her. She immediately puts them in her mouth or shakes them as hard and as fast as she can. Small tanks and pirates with pointy guns are not good for this and are sure to go straight into her eye. And believe me, we have plenty of those hanging around.<br />
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She loves rattles, her squeaky giraffe and just recently is especially pleased with herself when she gets a hold of one of Baby O's trains or train tracks. She absolutely knows and is delighted that she is playing with one of <i>his</i> toys. Baby O is not especially happy with this new development. He is actually very good at sharing with other kiddos his age, but this-this is new territory. For now he is almost content letting her play with <i>Dirty Diesel,</i><i> Diesel 10 </i>(the bad guys from <i>Thomas the Train</i>), and maybe a random train track or two, but every once in awhile he will tell her that she should not eat his trains.<br />
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She is getting better at eating solid foods. She seems to still prefer her Mommy at the moment, but it's getting better. She loves apple sauce and sweet potatoes. Not a big fan of rice or squash, but we are still trying. This week the doctor gave the go-ahead on more solid foods and we will start on cheerios, some chicken and maybe beans. I'm a little nervous about beans. The doctor may think it's all well and fine, but the doctor also doesn't have to deal with a gassy baby and the subsequent aftermath. Enough said.<br />
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Newbie O is still a roller and seems to get around fine when she wants something (like trains), but I have noticed that she is becoming much more frustrated at the time it may take her to get to that 'something'. She has the legs/knees all figured out, but cannot coordinate it quite yet with her arms. Most of the time she ends up with her behind up in the air and her face in the carpet. <br />
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She also hasn't figured out how to sit herself up, but is more than happy to be propped up and play on her mini piano. You have to be close, because she will topple over after a couple of minutes, but she always enjoys the sitting time. And I'm almost positive she has inherited the Family O musicality. Which is none. <br />
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Her hair is most definitely falling out. It's coming back in blond. No more crazy cowlick, but there are random scraps of two-tone long hair all over her head and she can look a little crazed sometimes when they decide to stick up. Hats and large bows are definitely a good look for her.<br />
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She's still teeny-tiny. At her six-month check-up today she weighed in at 12 pounds 6 ounces. She has gained 2 pounds since her 4 month appointment, and although she's barely on the charts she is still gaining, healthy and happy. Her pediatrician says she's right on schedule and we are looking forward to the next month. Every day is a new day and a new milestone at this age. Despite the sleepless nights, the days are fun (once I get myself moving). <br />
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And here we are-this is about as good as it gets. Boy O with his 'fake' smile, Baby O having just gotten a black-eye in an unfortunate scooter incident, Newbie O not looking at the camera, and my giant calf. Seriously, why does it look so giant?Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-52120658719770823702013-01-14T21:06:00.002-06:002013-01-25T09:15:36.219-06:00This Is LoveLove comes in all different sizes, shapes and forms, but tomorrow it's coming as a surprise in Boy O's lunch box and it's in the form of a pizza lunchable. <br />
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Apparently (according to Boy O) I'm pretty old school when it comes to lunches-it's a <strike>standard</strike> boring lunch meat on whole wheat bread sandwich, fruit, juice, and some sort of snack like pretzels or a granola bar. Every once in awhile, I add a cookie or a piece of candy, but he knows what to expect from day to day.<br />
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Last week he came home and asked me if I knew about something called 'lunchables'. Yes, I've heard of them...they even existed way back in my day. He said, "Mom, they even have pizza lunchables. They are so cool. Can we get that?" I responded by saying (old woman that I am), "No, absolutely not. I make your lunch. It's healthier." He looked pretty crestfallen knowing that his only experience with a pizza lunchable would be to look on from the sidelines in the cafeteria.<br />
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I happened to come across this so called lunchable today and thought it might be a nice treat to open up his lunch box and see this:<br />
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This is love. Seven hundred mg of sodium love to be exact, not to mention other interesting nutrition tidbits, but I guess it's okay every once in awhile. The large heart message from his mother might cancel out some enjoyment, but he'll never get away from that one.<br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-49523983199370166132013-01-10T19:43:00.000-06:002013-01-10T19:43:33.258-06:00Deja Vu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was the first sunny day in about a week, so I thought we would load up the stroller and bike and try to do about a half mile around our park and see how things went. It was slow going and at times I wondered why I was so optimistic as to take the time to adorn myself in running clothes, but all in all it was good start.<br />
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Here is the enthusiasm before we began. It probably took us just as long to get ready and load the car as it did to walk/run the entire route.<br />
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He got a lot of practice figuring out his brakes (about every two seconds). This picture reminds me of <a href="http://www.milemarkerfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/2010/06/speed-demon.html"><span style="color: magenta;">this post</span></a> from 2010. He's not a speed demon yet, but he's got at least a year and a half to catch up and it was fun to see him really try out his new bike without his big brother telling him what to do.</div>
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I kept telling him to look where he was going in order to steer the bike and this is the end result after looking at a bird off in the distance.<br />
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Then came the hill. He got a bit nervous when the bike started to drift backward. <br />
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Even after a few pushes, he decided that walking back to the car was his best bet. It was certainly faster.<br />
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Proud of his efforts, but excited to get on with his day...such a big personality in a small package. Gotta love it!<br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-6792991224343878412012-12-25T21:15:00.000-06:002012-12-25T21:17:05.862-06:00Operation Onion and O Dark Thirty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So as not to ruin the big surprise for the boys, we referred to their new bicycles as 'onions' in regular conversation with one another. The code was a success, they never suspected, although I'm sure they wondered why Mom and Dad were always talking excitedly about onions so close to Christmas time.<br />
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Daddy O assembled them late last night and I am happy to report that the strong smell of rubber tires is gone from my bedroom and that there is some walking room inside the closet once again. As you can see, he was pretty excited and couldn't help but admire his work while we waited to make sure the kids were asleep.<br />
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By 10:30, everyone was sleeping, we placed the onions beside the tree, yawned and called it a night...</div>
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ZERO DARK THIRTY (FAMILY O STYLE)<br />
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<b>1:00 am</b> - We awoke to a pitter patter of feet and a light knock at the door. Foregoing any response from Mom and Dad, Boy O entered the room to inform us that he had fallen off the bed, hit his face, and oh, by the way-Santa came! We should all get up and look.<br />
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Daddy O took him back to his room and told him to go back to sleep. On the way out the door, I specifically remember him saying not to wake his brother under any circumstance (they were sharing a room).<br />
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<b>1:45 am </b>- I hear a small commotion and see a light on in Boy O's room while getting up to nurse Newbie O. As Daddy O went to their bedroom to see what was going on, I caught a glimpse of Boy O fully dressed and Baby O stark naked. I heard Baby O running around saying how he wanted to ride his bike.<br />
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Apparently, Boy O could not contain his excitement, immediately got dressed at 1 o'clock in the morning and in the process <i>accidentally </i>woke his brother and decided that he too must be fully dressed to start the day. Somehow he managed to get Baby O undressed, but of course Baby O lost interest half way through-explaining the exuberant naked child jumping around the room.<br />
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I don't know how Daddy O managed to get them back to sleep...<br />
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<b>3:30 am</b> - We were again awoken to children telling us it was time to get up. I'm pretty sure I remember the response being something like, "<i>GET BACK IN YOUR ROOM AND DON'T COME OUT BEFORE 5 AM!"</i><br />
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<b>6:15 am</b> - I truly can't believe they made it this long and it was finally time to discover and inspect.<br />
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Operation Onion in all its glory, Baby O no longer in his birthday suit and Boy O still fully dressed.<br />
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As usual the generosity overflowed and all my kids, myself included are incredibly spoiled.<br />
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I'm kind of hoping the kids go into a Christmas coma for the evening and sleep all the way through 'til morning. Then my Christmas wish of just a few hours of uninterrupted sleep would come true....not likely but there's always hope I guess.<br />
<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-74249536831228652832012-12-24T20:23:00.001-06:002012-12-24T20:24:08.662-06:00AnticipationTHE DAY BEFORE<br />
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Getting to Christmas eve is at least 1 month worth of preparation, assorted decorating, cookie baking, gift giving, and party going. The anticipation is palpable and there seemed to be a huge sigh of relief today when grandparents arrived, the gifts around the tree grew substantially, and cookies for Santa (and a carrot for the reindeer) were placed on the plate.<br />
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We started off the morning with North Pole pancakes. Sweet, but the boys seemed to appreciate it.<br />
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Then some sibling horseplay while watching the Polar Express. Newbie O loves her brothers.<br />
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Making cookies for Santa. I'm too cheap to buy the cake pop materials, so we just improvise with Popsicle sticks. Works for us!</div>
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Later that afternoon, the boys played Beyblades with their Mimi up in the play scape while I had fun feeding her some butternut squash. The squash was a big success. Much better than last week's apples.<br />
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You would never know it by these pictures, but Newbie O has been feeling pretty cruddy-she caught yet another cold that was brought home from first grade. I'm hoping it passes quickly.<br />
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Then it was time to change her into her new Christmas pajamas. She's a big drooler, so bibs are necessary at all times now. I think those teeth are beginning to push through.<br />
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And finally it was time to pick one present to open before bedtime-Baby O had his eye on this one for a few days and Boy O kept changing his mind until he finally settled on the pair of Spiderman pajamas. They were both a big hit.</div>
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Boy O was so excited, he rushed to his room and put them on immediately. Very sophisticated. Daddy O commented that he now resembled Hugh Hefner. Boy O responded by saying, "Who's Hugh Hefner?". Never mind.<br />
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This gift is bittersweet-Boy O was just still fitting into a size 3T when he came home not even 3 years ago. These pajamas are a good fit and they are a size 10. He's growing like a weed.<br />
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It's 8 o'clock. All the kids are in bed. The cookies have been oh so carefully/strategically placed near the fireplace. Baby O was so tired that he asked to go to bed before 7:30 and after Boy O spotted a bright red light traveling through the sky, he immediately turned off the movie we were watching and informed everyone that they should hit the hay as well.<br />
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From our family to yours, hoping your holidays are very merry!</div>
<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-3418104862709625322012-12-19T19:11:00.003-06:002012-12-19T20:11:37.453-06:00The Advent Calender<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The advent calender has become quite the fixture in the O Family household. Boy O enjoyed it solo his first Christmas with us and last year Baby O was able to join in the fun. Sometimes it's candy, sometimes a small toy, but I saved the miniature whoopee cushions for the 17th which coincided with a special visitor. Such fun.<br />
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Their Grandpa aka 'Chief' also brought a larger version and we had fun with them for a couple of days until they kicked the bucket from too much use. Nothing better than children erupting in giggles before you even have a chance to sit down. We also enjoyed subjecting Newbie O to the festivities. I think she got a kick out of it as well.<br />
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Pffffttttt!</div>
Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-61018625550636305002012-12-16T19:07:00.000-06:002012-12-16T19:11:01.786-06:00Continuing the Tradition, Part Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We created many new traditions a couple of years ago in <span style="background-color: magenta; color: magenta;"><a href="http://milemarkerfamilyjournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-traditions.html">this post</a>.</span> Last year I was a little preoccupied with being pregnant and not being able to find any of my baking materials in my teeny tiny rental kitchen so I didn't document too much. We did do a gingerbread house, but it was from one of those kits from the store. And after trying to recreate year one, I found myself thinking to myself many times that the pre-made kit is the way to go. It's almost as if in the back of my head I think it doesn't count if there isn't some sort of <strike>serious</strike> painful labor involved. </div>
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Since two kids would be participating this time instead of just one, I decided there would be less strife if there were two separate gingerbread houses. This was a good decision. Luckily, Newbie O was happy to just enjoy the show.<br />
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The gingerbread itself is hard as a rock. I even told them that if they wanted to eat it, they could. Both of them did their very best to try but found it much easier to eat the royal icing and bowls full of candy. And that's exactly what they did. More of it made it into their mouths than onto the house itself.<br />
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The finished products were pretty amazing. And don't think for a moment I haven't noticed that M & M's have been slowly disappearing from the gingerbread village. Normally my first suspect would be Boy O, who is tall enough to reach the counter, but I did catch Baby O this morning with a mouth full of something. Later I noticed the kitchen stool had been placed right below these colorful creations....unfortunately, he doesn't yet know how to fold it back up and put it back in the pantry to cover his tracks. I guess he thought the payoff was worth it...<br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-76403194859452797672012-12-12T19:24:00.001-06:002012-12-13T20:41:39.726-06:00Good Tidings of Comfort and Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was given to Boy O last week by a very sweet teacher. I laughed and laughed when I saw what he had done. Apparently it just ate him up inside wanting to know what kind of 'joy' was inside. He was so disappointed to learn that it was just a piece of Styrofoam. He said he was sure it would be some type of candy. In his own words, "Mom, it says that there is joy inside-but there's nothing in there. You can have it if you want."<br />
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Hee, hee, hee.....still laughing.<br />
<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-48402901353516919552012-12-09T18:56:00.002-06:002012-12-09T19:19:23.843-06:00Serious Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think I've finally met my match. Competition wise that is. This is how Boy O and I spend our evenings. It's usually a five game minimum of the game 'sequence' for kids. At the moment Boy O is ahead. But there is always tomorrow....<br />
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-63595856990236278152012-12-07T18:53:00.004-06:002012-12-09T18:59:20.486-06:00Fabulous at Five Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another month for Newbie O. She is slowly starting to get on a schedule (can you hear the angels in my head singing <i>Hallelujah!</i> in the background?) She goes to bed around 6 o'clock in the evening and every once in a while will take two naps a day. On one hand it's great, but on the other, poor Daddy O sees her for a few minutes in the morning and when he gets home at 5 pm, she is usually at her fussiest. She still gets up several times a night, but I can take it if there are some breathers during the day. I can't quite put my finger on what has changed-I'm sure it's a combination of just getting older and gaining some weight. <br />
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This month she started a slow introduction to solid foods with some pureed sweet potato and mushy bananas. She doesn't quite have the hang of it and most of it ends up elsewhere, but it's a start. She is also great at grabbing things now. She could grab things before, but now the grabbing seems to have more of a purpose. Jewelry and hair are her favorites, so it's back to ponytails and no earrings for the next year or so (and I was just getting to know the contents in my jewelry box again). She also likes to grab her foot and give it a good chew. Oh to be that flexible again. <br />
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Miss Sassy Pants is finally figuring out her youngest older brother. Up until now, she has withheld judgement, not knowing what to think of all the noise surrounding Baby O. Now, all he has to do is jump up and down and it's a giggle fest. She thinks he's the most hilarious thing ever. Baby O loves the positive attention and carries on a full conversation with her all the time. He does get a bit jealous from time to time and after the above 5 month photo session, insisted on his own. With the 5 month sticker of course.<br />
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Unfortunately, he refused to wear the headband and bow combination-I thought it would add a more realistic touch, but he had other plans. Such a handsome boy.<br />
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So, five months in a nutshell: not sure if life is getting better or if I'm just used to functioning on an incredible amount of lack of sleep. Thank goodness these kiddos are so cute during the day-their smiles make it all worth while.Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-47543889644533113012012-12-02T18:56:00.003-06:002012-12-02T18:56:32.411-06:00Seeing Santa<br />
Cowboy Kringle (as he is known here), started seeing kids at noon and although we had all intentions of getting there right away, 3' ish was about as good as it could get with our crew. I don't have the end result in hand, but they were classic. Newbie O's cowlick was in full swing, Baby O's <strike>smile</strike> grimace was the biggest ever and Boy O spilled salsa on his brand new sweater not 10 minutes before go time. But hey, no one cried so I deemed it a smashing success.<br />
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The title is a bit of a tease, but we <i>were</i> on the way to take pictures with Santa, so this is the best I can do.<br />
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And don't think for a second that Newbie O wasn't in on all the fun. <br />
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Just in case you think we are always rainbows and lollipops, I did not capture the two bestie brothers fighting/kicking/tattling on one another on the way home (I was too busy yelling). Despite the typical sibling interludes, they sure do make spirits bright and it was a great way to start on the countdown. More to come.Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-41663832506909282612012-11-24T19:59:00.001-06:002012-11-24T20:06:31.489-06:00ThankfulI am most grateful for my family. Some scenes from Family O this past Thanksgiving.<br />
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Singing '<i>the wheels on the bus</i>' to his little sister.<br />
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Playing with play dough-pure entertainment for Newbie O and her big brother loves an audience.<br />
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Evenings on the front porch.<br />
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Is there any other way to spend the first night of Thanksgiving break than taking a bubble bath in Mom and Dad's tub? Not in this house.<br />
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These are supposed to be bunny ears, but I think they look like horns...<br />
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Tummy time with big brother.<br />
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My new running partner.<br />
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Big brothers wanted in on the action.<br />
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Boy O loves to play football with his Dad. He's really good too. Kind of scary how good.<br />
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Here's a family photo-not everyone is happy. And yes, Newbie O's entire head of hair is one big cow-lick. She prefers to wear hats most days.<br />
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From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!</div>
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<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318620318047569652.post-60817250981537851302012-11-20T11:46:00.000-06:002012-11-20T11:50:04.786-06:00The Tag Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It would be an understatement to say that I need more sleep. There seem to be too many mornings when I wake up groggy and cranky feeling like the previous night was a tag team wrestling match. My kids are the mighty wrestlers and I am the one being flung around the ring by my ankles.<br />
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Newbie O is not the greatest sleeper. At her best, she wakes up three times a night to nurse. At her worst....well, it's not good. By four or five in the morning, I'm exhausted, give up and she eventually falls asleep between Daddy O and myself. <br />
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Baby O has gone from being a fabulous sleeper to regularly getting up at least once a night for any silly, inane reason. It started when we moved with all the unfamiliar sounds of the new house. Then it was onto needing to go to the bathroom. Then it was just needing a hug. Then it was because his toe hurt or he needed to blow his nose...and now it's most often because a stuffed animal has fallen off the bed.<br />
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Boy O is awesome-he rarely has a moment in the middle of the night...<br />
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...until...<br />
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<b>MONDAY NIGHT-THE PERFECT STORM</b><br />
It started out pretty normal. Newbie O and the boys went down at their normal bedtime. Newbie O woke up for her normal late night feeding around 11:00 pm. I remember waking up a couple hours later thinking, <i>Wow! She's doing great, I haven't heard a peep....</i><br />
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Boy O nudged me awake around 2:00 am saying he didn't feel well. His temperature was a whopping 104.3 degrees. Normally I panic when the kids go into high temperature mode, but after having two expensive ER visits in the previous year for a simple dose of Tylenol, I managed to stay calm and Daddy O stayed with him for the next hour waiting for his fever to come down. And down it came. Whew.<br />
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Second feeding at 2:30 am. 3:36 am-Baby O ran into our room screaming that his dream lite had fallen off the bed. 4:02 am-Newbie O got up again. 4:42 am-Baby O's dream lite fell off the bed again (followed by an intense screaming session). The screaming woke up Newbie O so I gave up putting her back in her crib and tried to catch some shuteye before our morning officially started. Baby O woke up at 6:00 am bright eyed and bushy tailed. Newbie O stayed sound asleep with a faint smile smudged on her face in the warmth of our bed and I only wish I could say the same for everyone else.<br />
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<b>KID # 1</b><br />
Boy O's fever was kept in check on Tuesday with more Tylenol and rest. Daddy O came home to spend some time with him while I took Newbie O and Baby O to the doctor for previously scheduled wellness checks. A couple of minor issues, but everyone was deemed happy and healthy.<br />
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Boy O was not able to shake the fever and after a couple hours of medicine, his fever would shoot right back up to 104 degrees. He got into see his pediatrician on Wednesday who discovered that he had pneumonia. And I'm happy to report that after a couple more nights of a high fever and some antibiotics, he is doing much better. Other than developing a sudden aversion to taking liquid medication, Boy O has been an ideal patient. So quiet and stoic. I know I would have been a whiny mess at that age.<br />
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Lots of rest in front of the television. Lots of cajoling him to eat and drink anything at all...not even a strawberry smoothie made with ice cream worked. In the last four days he has had a total of 4 clementines, 2 fruit roll-ups, 1 animal cracker, 3 slices of salami, a bit of homemade chicken-pot-pie and a sip of hot chocolate (didn't even try to eat one of the marshmallows).<br />
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As of now, the doctor has given him a clean bill of health and I have many plans to fatten him up over the next few days.<br />
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<b>KID # 2</b><br />
I don't know how to resolve his sleep issues. We've tried pretty much everything we can think of and are hoping this is just another phase. Is it just his age? When will the screaming stop? He screams at every little thing. It's hard to know when something is really wrong. Baby O screams just as loud when a piece of his pancake doesn't make it on the fork as he does if he falls off the monkey bars and splits his lip. We try to remain calm and instruct him to use words instead of howling screams, but gee whiz it's hard to maintain the peace inside my brain when I'm woken up by blood curdling screams in the middle of the night. I sprint to his bedroom, thinking the worst....only to discover that his dream light fell off the bed or his toe nail is catching on the sheet. Year three is turning out to be very loud.<br />
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This was one of those times where the food didn't make it onto the fork and the camera happened to be at the ready. Unfortunately and not surprisingly, the sound of the flash didn't do anything to improve the mood.<br />
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<b>KID # 3</b><br />
Up until the perfect storm, Newbie O was still sleeping in our room. In her crib, but still in our room. I don't really see any way around that-it was incredibly convenient when she was a newborn to have her at our bedside for hourly feedings. Four months later, I don't think anyone was sleeping particularly well with the said sleeping arrangements and on Tuesday morning, I half-hazardly stated that Newbie O should start to sleep in her own bedroom. About 40 minutes later (around 6 am), wondering where my husband had gotten off to, I saw that the crib had been quietly dismantled and placed into the baby room. Hmmm....was he trying to tell me something?<br />
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In her<b> own </b>room!<br />
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<b>AND EXHALE...</b><br />
I think sometimes, things have to get worse before they can get better. I had to let myself get beaten up in the wrestling ring to make some changes. Having my bedroom back was and is a huge step towards getting more sleep and more space. Newbie O is handling it just fine and even though I have to get up to nurse her a couple times a night, the quality of slumber in both bedrooms is much improved. <br />
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There's something to be said about having some breathing room. After four months of tiptoeing around my bedroom, kicking Daddy O each time he began to snore and sleeping with the bathroom light on, I can finally take a relaxing bath, watch television in bed or heck, I can even flush the toilet without having to worry about waking the 'sleeping bear'. <br />
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I'm still in need of a full night's sleep, but this was a giant step in the right direction. I can breathe again. Now if I can just get Baby O to stop the screaming....<br />
<br />Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07624402412785640623noreply@blogger.com2