Last night, after enjoying a meal with their grandparents, my kids wanted to go back to their house. But it was late, so I was taking them straight home to go to bed. I told them that we would see Grandma and Grandpa another day. In fact, I told them, we would see them at church on Sunday since they would be attending Zachary's first Primary program.
Ashley responded, "O-kay, I wear my pwincess dwess! O-kay Mommy?"
I told her that her that, yes, she could certainly wear her princess dress (which actually is her Christmas dress from Grandma--not some sort of Disney get-up) and that Grandma would think she looked beautiful.
Zachary replied, "And I will wear my Christmas shoot!" (That would be his Christmas SUIT.) Unexpectedly, he continued. "And I will bring my guns and shoot all the bad police guys at church."
Ashley, knowing exactly what her brother would be wearing, said, "No, Zachary, you be a PWINCE!"
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Jesus is my Autopilot?
After ignoring Ashley's pleas for me to put on It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, I reluctantly accepted the fact that my nap on the couch was over. I might as well let her watch it since continuing to endure her climbing all over me was not the better option. So, I put the DVD in the player and went into the kitchen to check on some brownies that were in the oven. I washed some raspberries and returned to my spot on the couch. Zachary and I were enjoying the raspberries when the DVD stopped on the menu screen. Both kids began a little chant for me to go start the movie for them. My mouth was a little full at the time, but I told Zachary to go press "play"...only it sounded more like, "Pless play!" They thought I had said, "Let's pray," and before I knew what was going on, both kids bowed their heads, folded their arms, and began, "Dear Heav'y Fodder...Jesus Cwist...Amen!"
See? They ARE learning!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Silly Mommy, Clips are for Kids!
(Zachary decided to experiment with his sister's hair last week. I pulled out 18 of these tiny clips, and you can see there are only about 6 in the front. I can't believe she let him do that to her!)
Meet My Kids: "Crash and Burn" and "Sick and Twisted"
We had quite an eventful weekend at our house, and since I have been neglecting my blog again, I figured you all (all 2 of you?) would want to read about it. I don't have any pictures this time, but maybe that's why I'm not putting it off like I usually do. So here goes!
Chris spent all of Saturday at school putting in his hours for Law Review after discovering, Friday night, that his project deadline was this weekend and not next weekend. Fortunately (fortunately?) the kids and I were all suffering from colds last week, so we didn't have any plans we were intent on keeping. Though Zachary and Ashley didn't seem to be lacking in energy, I certainly was, so spending the day at home and recuperating was fine by me. I really don't know what I did all day other than try to keep up with them, do a little cleaning around the house, and, in general, move at a snail's pace.
I had no idea when Chris was planning on getting home, but as the day grew longer, I was feeling a little better and was itching to get out of the house. I decided to make a trip to Target to pick up a couple of things. I just needed to summon my inner Executive Director in charge of Ever Accomplishing Anything to get my body moving...and I needed to feed the kids dinner. So, I put a pot of water on the stove with plans for something quick, easy, and gourmet: good ol' mac & cheese. Well, I disappeared for a few minutes to check some email or do something else equally necessary, and in those few short minutes I was neglecting my children, Ashley decides to advance her education in the field of What Happens When I Touch the Hot Stove? This was the first time either of my kids had ever had a burn (Zachary was more of a scholar in the field of Testing the Effects of Gravity on Various Parts of the Body as you might recall.)
Having been inexperienced in childhood burns up to this point, I went in search of my trusty little book full of helpful advice and written by our very own pediatrician, Toddler 411. That might as well be the doctor's name, since all of her expert medical advice is contained therein. It sure comes in handy when I don't really want to pay for an after-hours call or actually have to make an unnecessary appointment. During this time, Zachary was being a great big brother and announced, "Hold on, Ashley, I'm going to go find out about burns! Zachary to the rescue!!!" He was in the computer room, so I half expected him to google it. After leafing through the book, I still wasn't sure what I needed to do. She had burned just her fingertip (perhaps 4 fingertips, but only one was obvious.) The skin was red with a layer on top that appeared a powdery white. (Toddler 411, p. 346: [Third degree] burns may look white.) Was this a third degree burn?!? I was almost convinced it was...but only because it was my kid and I had to be a little paranoid because of that.
Remembering that the doctor's office had recently extended its hours, I made the call. It was closed after all, and I was instructed to either call 911 (if it were a real emergency) or call the nurses at the hospital and pay a $12 surcharge. No way I'm going to pay $12 bucks to talk to a nurse! Those people should be happy to have someone like me to entertain them with my (OCCASIONAL) motherly cluelessness! That is why it's great to have a nurse in the family. I called my sister in Boston to find out if Ashley was going to need a skin graft, or if perhaps she was going to succumb to this macaroni & cheese burn. It took awhile to get a response after being put on hold for what seemed like forever. It was so exciting--like talking to a real nurse! (Insert big smiley face here just for you, Wendy!) My sister had to first consult the internet and then my cousin who works in radiology (both experts in the field of stove-top stuff, I'm sure.) It was nice just to have the moral support on their end, but my sister finally recommended that I just pay the $12 to be told that, no, Ashley did not need to be rushed to the ER where the charges for talking to triage nurses skyrockets from $12 to about $112.
I can see the ridiculousness of my plight now, but it seemed serious at the time. I watched Ashley practically begging me to amputate the burned appendage to ease the pain. Oddly, she was slapping the effected hand with the other. She wanted the pain to go away that badly. I did run the finger under some cool water for about 5 seconds until I decided she didn't like that. My sister convinced me to get a backbone and get that finger back under the cold water. I was glad I took her advice, because it seemed like some relief came the second time around. While she might not be as experienced in critical pediatric finger burns, she is a great cardiac nurse and, over the phone, mind you, single-handedly saved me from having my very own little heart attack. How can I ever repay her? (Feel free to humor me by sending suggestions to my comment box.)
After Ashley had had enough of the cold water, she was still pretty upset. Somewhere between touching the stove and this point in the story, she had also managed to trip over my leg and fall on her face...on the wood floor. Hence the name: Crash and Burn. Blood was coming from some inconspicuous part of her mouth, as I learned only after cleaning up a previously unidentified spot in the bathroom. She'd had a hard night. I held her in my arms and rocked her until she fell asleep and I could no longer leave to go to Target.
Around 8:30, Chris finally got home. Ashley was so fast asleep, I noticed, that she had rolled off of the bed and onto the floor and went right back to sleep. I took the opportunity to take Zachary out for some special one-on-one time with me at Target. What is so special about that, you ask? For one, it occurred when he normally should have been in bed. For two, I made up my mind that I was going to let him walk instead of ride in the basket, and for three, I wasn't going to yell at him for touching things. I was going to let him just enjoy being a kid with a fun mom instead of a grouchy one this time. (In my defense, I think I AM a fun mom usually, but shopping with kids?... Need I say more?) For, like, the ONE thing I really needed to get (which, by the way, I didn't end up buying), we stayed until closing time. He got to peruse the toy aisles almost to his little heart's content. When I was ready to move on and he didn't follow, I didn't have a cow. I stayed fairly nearby so I could hear him when he called out for me, "Mommmmmmy, I'm lost!" This happened quite a few times, so I figured as long as I was within earshot, it was time for him to learn how it feels to be separated from me in a store. All kids need to experience that once or twice before they can genuinely appreciate not being lost.
After our shopping adventure was over, we made a late-night run to Sonic on the way home. That was at Zachary's request, and I knew that, to him, it would mean the difference between a fun time with mom and a truly special time with mom. There are so many things that make this special for him: 1) getting to push the call button, 2) getting to sit in the front seat with me, 3) getting to order just what he wanted (a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blast this time), and 4) getting to throw our trash away all by himself like a big boy. Seriously, he jumped at the chance to do that for me. That aside, Zachary really is a special boy, and I enjoyed every moment I got to spend with him that night.
Fast forward to Sunday. Except for oversleeping by about 45 minutes, everything seemed completely normal. Thanks to Chris who always gets the kids ready for church, we actually still made it there on time. The kids were even a little better-behaved in Sacrament Meeting than they most often are. They didn't really fight over snacks or get upset about who had which book. (The key, I learned, is just to forget to pack any at all.) Afterward, they went to their classes and I went to Sunday School. Halfway through, Zachary's Primary teacher came and told me that Zachary was not acting like himself. He wanted her to hold him during Sharing Time, and he was crying a little and saying his ear hurt. He didn't want to leave Primary, so I sat with his class and held him on my lap. Otherwise, he really didn't want to participate. When it was time to go to his class, I gave him the option of coming with me to Young Womens or going by himself to class. He ended up choosing his own class, but there was a period of musical classes where Zachary went to Chris, who brought him to me, and back to Sunbeams when he got sick of YW after about 2 minutes.
As we were driving home, it occurred to me that I could take Zachary in to see the doctor that same day instead of waiting until Monday morning. He was really looking miserable, and after having been out late the night before, he was also sleepy. I called and we got an appointment for 2:00. I had to wake him when it was time to leave, and he was not happy about me taking him to the doctor. I packed him into his carseat along with a blanket and his favorite stuffed bunny for comfort. About halfway there, he started throwing up in the backseat. I might have been pulled over for wreckless driving, but I had a pretty good explanation ready just in case. Luckily, it wasn't "bad"...well, not nearly as bad as it could have been anyway. We made it to the doctor's office and I got one of my "green" grocery bags out of the trunk and put his blanket in it. So handy! I left the bag there so he could use it if he needed to on the way back. (He did.)
Zachary was so upset about having to go to the doctor. He isn't always that resistant, but this time he was especially so. While we waited to go back, he was crying and pleading with me to take him home. "But, Mommy, I want to go home. I'm scaaaaaared!" On and on with that one for a minute. Seeing that it wasn't working, he changed his tactics. "I want to go hoooooooome. This place is BORING!!!!" On and on that went for another minute. I couldn't keep myself from laughing. When that didn't work, either, he tried to tell me that the office was closed so we had to leave. (I'm afraid my boy is getting pretty good at manipulation.) Alternating between tears and wails about being scared or bored, Zachary reluctantly followed when the nurse took us back to a room. We waited and waited. We waited until we BOTH fell asleep. After almost an hour, Zachary was finally seen by the PNP. Sure enough, he has a bad ear infection. Luckily, this is only his second ear infection (and Ashley hasn't yet had one.) So, yes, I really AM lucky and so are they.
I took Zachary home so he could sleep while I went back out to fill his prescription. When I returned, Chris woke him to give him his first dose. That's always torture...for parents and kid alike. It took forever to get the medicine in him, and no more than a few minutes later, he threw it up all over his bed. Ugh. Time to start a load of laundry. Time for Chris to take a shower because a little barf touched his foot. :) While all this was going on, Zachary burst into laughter and repeatedly announced, "Barfing on my bed is FUNNY! Barfing on my bed is FUNNY!" Hence the name: Sick and Twisted. Delirium, you think?
After soaking in a warm bath for awhile and put in fresh pajamas, he slept the entire rest of the day. He slept until 4 a.m. and then woke me just for a drink of water. He seemed to be feeling better and is happier today. After a huge struggle, I got him to take his medicine. The next 10 days of this will be so fun! :)
Happy Monday! (If you aren't happy it's Monday, just be happy for me, because I'm glad this weekend is over!!!)
Chris spent all of Saturday at school putting in his hours for Law Review after discovering, Friday night, that his project deadline was this weekend and not next weekend. Fortunately (fortunately?) the kids and I were all suffering from colds last week, so we didn't have any plans we were intent on keeping. Though Zachary and Ashley didn't seem to be lacking in energy, I certainly was, so spending the day at home and recuperating was fine by me. I really don't know what I did all day other than try to keep up with them, do a little cleaning around the house, and, in general, move at a snail's pace.
I had no idea when Chris was planning on getting home, but as the day grew longer, I was feeling a little better and was itching to get out of the house. I decided to make a trip to Target to pick up a couple of things. I just needed to summon my inner Executive Director in charge of Ever Accomplishing Anything to get my body moving...and I needed to feed the kids dinner. So, I put a pot of water on the stove with plans for something quick, easy, and gourmet: good ol' mac & cheese. Well, I disappeared for a few minutes to check some email or do something else equally necessary, and in those few short minutes I was neglecting my children, Ashley decides to advance her education in the field of What Happens When I Touch the Hot Stove? This was the first time either of my kids had ever had a burn (Zachary was more of a scholar in the field of Testing the Effects of Gravity on Various Parts of the Body as you might recall.)
Having been inexperienced in childhood burns up to this point, I went in search of my trusty little book full of helpful advice and written by our very own pediatrician, Toddler 411. That might as well be the doctor's name, since all of her expert medical advice is contained therein. It sure comes in handy when I don't really want to pay for an after-hours call or actually have to make an unnecessary appointment. During this time, Zachary was being a great big brother and announced, "Hold on, Ashley, I'm going to go find out about burns! Zachary to the rescue!!!" He was in the computer room, so I half expected him to google it. After leafing through the book, I still wasn't sure what I needed to do. She had burned just her fingertip (perhaps 4 fingertips, but only one was obvious.) The skin was red with a layer on top that appeared a powdery white. (Toddler 411, p. 346: [Third degree] burns may look white.) Was this a third degree burn?!? I was almost convinced it was...but only because it was my kid and I had to be a little paranoid because of that.
Remembering that the doctor's office had recently extended its hours, I made the call. It was closed after all, and I was instructed to either call 911 (if it were a real emergency) or call the nurses at the hospital and pay a $12 surcharge. No way I'm going to pay $12 bucks to talk to a nurse! Those people should be happy to have someone like me to entertain them with my (OCCASIONAL) motherly cluelessness! That is why it's great to have a nurse in the family. I called my sister in Boston to find out if Ashley was going to need a skin graft, or if perhaps she was going to succumb to this macaroni & cheese burn. It took awhile to get a response after being put on hold for what seemed like forever. It was so exciting--like talking to a real nurse! (Insert big smiley face here just for you, Wendy!) My sister had to first consult the internet and then my cousin who works in radiology (both experts in the field of stove-top stuff, I'm sure.) It was nice just to have the moral support on their end, but my sister finally recommended that I just pay the $12 to be told that, no, Ashley did not need to be rushed to the ER where the charges for talking to triage nurses skyrockets from $12 to about $112.
I can see the ridiculousness of my plight now, but it seemed serious at the time. I watched Ashley practically begging me to amputate the burned appendage to ease the pain. Oddly, she was slapping the effected hand with the other. She wanted the pain to go away that badly. I did run the finger under some cool water for about 5 seconds until I decided she didn't like that. My sister convinced me to get a backbone and get that finger back under the cold water. I was glad I took her advice, because it seemed like some relief came the second time around. While she might not be as experienced in critical pediatric finger burns, she is a great cardiac nurse and, over the phone, mind you, single-handedly saved me from having my very own little heart attack. How can I ever repay her? (Feel free to humor me by sending suggestions to my comment box.)
After Ashley had had enough of the cold water, she was still pretty upset. Somewhere between touching the stove and this point in the story, she had also managed to trip over my leg and fall on her face...on the wood floor. Hence the name: Crash and Burn. Blood was coming from some inconspicuous part of her mouth, as I learned only after cleaning up a previously unidentified spot in the bathroom. She'd had a hard night. I held her in my arms and rocked her until she fell asleep and I could no longer leave to go to Target.
Around 8:30, Chris finally got home. Ashley was so fast asleep, I noticed, that she had rolled off of the bed and onto the floor and went right back to sleep. I took the opportunity to take Zachary out for some special one-on-one time with me at Target. What is so special about that, you ask? For one, it occurred when he normally should have been in bed. For two, I made up my mind that I was going to let him walk instead of ride in the basket, and for three, I wasn't going to yell at him for touching things. I was going to let him just enjoy being a kid with a fun mom instead of a grouchy one this time. (In my defense, I think I AM a fun mom usually, but shopping with kids?... Need I say more?) For, like, the ONE thing I really needed to get (which, by the way, I didn't end up buying), we stayed until closing time. He got to peruse the toy aisles almost to his little heart's content. When I was ready to move on and he didn't follow, I didn't have a cow. I stayed fairly nearby so I could hear him when he called out for me, "Mommmmmmy, I'm lost!" This happened quite a few times, so I figured as long as I was within earshot, it was time for him to learn how it feels to be separated from me in a store. All kids need to experience that once or twice before they can genuinely appreciate not being lost.
After our shopping adventure was over, we made a late-night run to Sonic on the way home. That was at Zachary's request, and I knew that, to him, it would mean the difference between a fun time with mom and a truly special time with mom. There are so many things that make this special for him: 1) getting to push the call button, 2) getting to sit in the front seat with me, 3) getting to order just what he wanted (a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Blast this time), and 4) getting to throw our trash away all by himself like a big boy. Seriously, he jumped at the chance to do that for me. That aside, Zachary really is a special boy, and I enjoyed every moment I got to spend with him that night.
Fast forward to Sunday. Except for oversleeping by about 45 minutes, everything seemed completely normal. Thanks to Chris who always gets the kids ready for church, we actually still made it there on time. The kids were even a little better-behaved in Sacrament Meeting than they most often are. They didn't really fight over snacks or get upset about who had which book. (The key, I learned, is just to forget to pack any at all.) Afterward, they went to their classes and I went to Sunday School. Halfway through, Zachary's Primary teacher came and told me that Zachary was not acting like himself. He wanted her to hold him during Sharing Time, and he was crying a little and saying his ear hurt. He didn't want to leave Primary, so I sat with his class and held him on my lap. Otherwise, he really didn't want to participate. When it was time to go to his class, I gave him the option of coming with me to Young Womens or going by himself to class. He ended up choosing his own class, but there was a period of musical classes where Zachary went to Chris, who brought him to me, and back to Sunbeams when he got sick of YW after about 2 minutes.
As we were driving home, it occurred to me that I could take Zachary in to see the doctor that same day instead of waiting until Monday morning. He was really looking miserable, and after having been out late the night before, he was also sleepy. I called and we got an appointment for 2:00. I had to wake him when it was time to leave, and he was not happy about me taking him to the doctor. I packed him into his carseat along with a blanket and his favorite stuffed bunny for comfort. About halfway there, he started throwing up in the backseat. I might have been pulled over for wreckless driving, but I had a pretty good explanation ready just in case. Luckily, it wasn't "bad"...well, not nearly as bad as it could have been anyway. We made it to the doctor's office and I got one of my "green" grocery bags out of the trunk and put his blanket in it. So handy! I left the bag there so he could use it if he needed to on the way back. (He did.)
Zachary was so upset about having to go to the doctor. He isn't always that resistant, but this time he was especially so. While we waited to go back, he was crying and pleading with me to take him home. "But, Mommy, I want to go home. I'm scaaaaaared!" On and on with that one for a minute. Seeing that it wasn't working, he changed his tactics. "I want to go hoooooooome. This place is BORING!!!!" On and on that went for another minute. I couldn't keep myself from laughing. When that didn't work, either, he tried to tell me that the office was closed so we had to leave. (I'm afraid my boy is getting pretty good at manipulation.) Alternating between tears and wails about being scared or bored, Zachary reluctantly followed when the nurse took us back to a room. We waited and waited. We waited until we BOTH fell asleep. After almost an hour, Zachary was finally seen by the PNP. Sure enough, he has a bad ear infection. Luckily, this is only his second ear infection (and Ashley hasn't yet had one.) So, yes, I really AM lucky and so are they.
I took Zachary home so he could sleep while I went back out to fill his prescription. When I returned, Chris woke him to give him his first dose. That's always torture...for parents and kid alike. It took forever to get the medicine in him, and no more than a few minutes later, he threw it up all over his bed. Ugh. Time to start a load of laundry. Time for Chris to take a shower because a little barf touched his foot. :) While all this was going on, Zachary burst into laughter and repeatedly announced, "Barfing on my bed is FUNNY! Barfing on my bed is FUNNY!" Hence the name: Sick and Twisted. Delirium, you think?
After soaking in a warm bath for awhile and put in fresh pajamas, he slept the entire rest of the day. He slept until 4 a.m. and then woke me just for a drink of water. He seemed to be feeling better and is happier today. After a huge struggle, I got him to take his medicine. The next 10 days of this will be so fun! :)
Happy Monday! (If you aren't happy it's Monday, just be happy for me, because I'm glad this weekend is over!!!)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Disowned!
Four months after she visited from Boston, I am just now posting pictures of the great times we had while Wendy was here. Such a loser, I know! Anyway, here they are!
Wendy flew into Austin on Father's Day (June 15th.) Since that was just a week after Zachary's 4th birthday, I decided we had to have a celebration that included her. Here's a picture of the birthday boy--happy about the cool Lightning McQueen cake his dad made for him and even more so because his "Chia" came for a visit.
Ready, Set, Play!
There were just a few mandatory things that Wendy really had to do while she was back in Austin. One of those included a trip to Rudy's for the "Worst BBQ in Texas."
Schlitterbahn Waterpark was another mandatory stop. The kids and I went down with Grandma, Wendy, and her friend, Yi Jeng, to New Braunfels for a day of fun in the sun. We got there right about when the park opened and found the perfect spot to stake our claim on picnic tables--right by a nice new kiddie area that was put in since the last time we visited. I was happy to notice that along with these and other improvements, the park, in general, was looking significantly cleaner, and it was not nearly as crowded as it has been on other past trips. We got to go on lots of rides and didn't have to wait in lines much. Grandma, Wendy, and Yi Jeng were a huge help with Zachary and Ashley, and the kids loved hanging out with them, too. Ashley went on a couple major tube rides (White Water and Cliffhanger) just to say she did. :) She pretty much spent the rest of her time in the kiddie areas. We took Zachary on just about everything, and even though some of the rides were a little scary for him, it was fun that he would brave them all for us. (I got some pictures with some disposable water cameras we bought, but there was no way I was taking my digital camera near the water, so you will just have to imagine the fun we had.)
Time to (Watch Them) Make the Doughnuts!
Zachary loves to see how our favorite foods are made, and since I hadn't gotten any pictures the first time we visited Krispy Kreme, we took Wendy along for our second trip. Wendy suggested we conduct a taste test to see who makes the better Boston Cream doughnut: Krispy Kreme vs. Dunkin Donuts. I'm pretty sure I remember Dunkin Donuts winning that one.
Halfway through the week, we drove to Houston. My mom had agreed to keep Zachary and Ashley's cousins (Scott and Karen's kids) while their parents went to San Francisco for Scott's business trip and a vacation. That had been pre-arranged before Wendy had her vacation time approved, so she had booked a return flight to Boston from Houston. I was either going to go down, too, or get cheated out of half of my time with my sister. Unacceptable! So why not make the trip a bit more fun?
I had always wanted to visit the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, TX where they make the "Best Ice Cream in the Country." I sort felt like I needed to do that at least once before I die. We were born and raised in Texas (on Blue Bell ice cream!) and yet we had never been. It was time for us to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. For a small fee, we got some complimentary paper hats and got to see how our favorite ice cream is made.
Blue Bell's Top Five Selling Flavors:
5) Cookies & Cream,
4) Dutch Chocolate
3) The Great Divide (half Dutch Chocolate, half Mexican Vanilla),
2) Buttered Pecan,
1) Homemade Vanilla
None of the above are my favorite flavors...and just so I don't keep you wondering:
Robin's (Current) Top Five Blue Bell Flavors:
5) Peppermint,
4) Banana Split,
3) Chocolate Almond Marshmallow,
2) Banana Pudding,
1) Chocolate Brownie Overload.
The best part of all came after the tour when we got to enjoy some of the "fruits" of their labors. The tour included a generous scoop of delicious Blue Bell ice cream in their nostalgic ice cream shop. Yum!
After a day or so in Houston, it was time for Wendy to go home. We were sad for her to have to leave, but Zachary and Ashley enjoyed hanging out with their cousins for several days before we, too, went home.
Wendy flew into Austin on Father's Day (June 15th.) Since that was just a week after Zachary's 4th birthday, I decided we had to have a celebration that included her. Here's a picture of the birthday boy--happy about the cool Lightning McQueen cake his dad made for him and even more so because his "Chia" came for a visit.
Ready, Set, Play!
There were just a few mandatory things that Wendy really had to do while she was back in Austin. One of those included a trip to Rudy's for the "Worst BBQ in Texas."
Schlitterbahn Waterpark was another mandatory stop. The kids and I went down with Grandma, Wendy, and her friend, Yi Jeng, to New Braunfels for a day of fun in the sun. We got there right about when the park opened and found the perfect spot to stake our claim on picnic tables--right by a nice new kiddie area that was put in since the last time we visited. I was happy to notice that along with these and other improvements, the park, in general, was looking significantly cleaner, and it was not nearly as crowded as it has been on other past trips. We got to go on lots of rides and didn't have to wait in lines much. Grandma, Wendy, and Yi Jeng were a huge help with Zachary and Ashley, and the kids loved hanging out with them, too. Ashley went on a couple major tube rides (White Water and Cliffhanger) just to say she did. :) She pretty much spent the rest of her time in the kiddie areas. We took Zachary on just about everything, and even though some of the rides were a little scary for him, it was fun that he would brave them all for us. (I got some pictures with some disposable water cameras we bought, but there was no way I was taking my digital camera near the water, so you will just have to imagine the fun we had.)
Time to (Watch Them) Make the Doughnuts!
Zachary loves to see how our favorite foods are made, and since I hadn't gotten any pictures the first time we visited Krispy Kreme, we took Wendy along for our second trip. Wendy suggested we conduct a taste test to see who makes the better Boston Cream doughnut: Krispy Kreme vs. Dunkin Donuts. I'm pretty sure I remember Dunkin Donuts winning that one.
Halfway through the week, we drove to Houston. My mom had agreed to keep Zachary and Ashley's cousins (Scott and Karen's kids) while their parents went to San Francisco for Scott's business trip and a vacation. That had been pre-arranged before Wendy had her vacation time approved, so she had booked a return flight to Boston from Houston. I was either going to go down, too, or get cheated out of half of my time with my sister. Unacceptable! So why not make the trip a bit more fun?
I had always wanted to visit the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, TX where they make the "Best Ice Cream in the Country." I sort felt like I needed to do that at least once before I die. We were born and raised in Texas (on Blue Bell ice cream!) and yet we had never been. It was time for us to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. For a small fee, we got some complimentary paper hats and got to see how our favorite ice cream is made.
Blue Bell's Top Five Selling Flavors:
5) Cookies & Cream,
4) Dutch Chocolate
3) The Great Divide (half Dutch Chocolate, half Mexican Vanilla),
2) Buttered Pecan,
1) Homemade Vanilla
None of the above are my favorite flavors...and just so I don't keep you wondering:
Robin's (Current) Top Five Blue Bell Flavors:
5) Peppermint,
4) Banana Split,
3) Chocolate Almond Marshmallow,
2) Banana Pudding,
1) Chocolate Brownie Overload.
The best part of all came after the tour when we got to enjoy some of the "fruits" of their labors. The tour included a generous scoop of delicious Blue Bell ice cream in their nostalgic ice cream shop. Yum!
After a day or so in Houston, it was time for Wendy to go home. We were sad for her to have to leave, but Zachary and Ashley enjoyed hanging out with their cousins for several days before we, too, went home.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Playing the Victim
Tonight I had the opportunity to be a witness in a mock trial presentation for Chris' Trial Advocacy class. For this assignment, Chris and his partner were assigned to be the "prosecution" and two of their classmates were assigned to be the "defense" in an obviously fictional purse-snatching/robbery case. Both sides had to plan out and present their opening statements to the court, directly examine and cross-examine witnesses, re-direct, and then end with their closing arguments. There were four witnesses (2 for each side) and one judge (played by a real attorney from the County Prosecutor's office.)
My role in this case was that of the 28 year-old victim. Luckily, all I had to do was familiarize myself with the details of the case that pertained to me--the actual crime itself and my statements and involvement with the police. (Chris had given this info to me a few days prior for review.) Following the opening statements, I was called as the State's first witness. I have to admit that it was pretty fun, even though I was a little worried at first that I might goof up and say something that Chris would not like me to say. We had a good laugh earlier about what some of those things might be, but I can no longer remember what they are. And to save him from potential embarrassment, I suggested that he tell noone that I was his wife should I accidentally commit such a blunder. :) Chris had assured me beforehand that I would do just fine. Of course, I wasn't so sure I believed him. Then again, this is a pass/fail class, so he didn't have much to worry about, either, selecting his stay-at-home wife to play the key witness while the rest were 3rd year law students who had all done this before. Hey, at least I used to like watching Court TV! :)
Anyway, I felt pretty confident on the stand while Chris was directing me, but it was a little harder to maintain that same level of confidence upon cross-examination. The other team, I have to say, was really on top of their game as well. I tried my best and just hoped that I was saying all the right things. I was glad when the defense "rested" and Chris stood up to finish me off before I was officially dismissed. One by one, the other witnesses took the stand and I got to enjoy the rest of the show from the sidelines. The State's other witness was the police officer who had handled my case, and the defense's witnesses included the defendant and his girlfriend (both of whom just happened to be played by men--it was pretty funny.)
In the end, both sides did really well, including all of the witnesses. The judge concluded by giving feedback to both teams, but a little to my dismay neither was declared the winner. (That's just the way they were doing it for this class.) It was pretty cool, though, for me to get to see Chris take the floor and demonstrate his courtroom skills-in-training. I thought he did a great job! And as he later said, this will probably be my first AND last time to witness him in this kind of action. Yeah, I guess they probably don't like for lawyers to bring their families to court with them in real life...none of this "Bring Your Kids To Work" in that sense anyway. :) Oh well, then...I guess it was fun while it lasted!
Way to go, Chris!
A Lot Of Catching Up To Do!
I know that many of you have been waiting anxiously for me to get back on the wagon and start posting about the many adventures we've had this summer. I have gotten so far behind, but I still would love to share pictures and stories for as many as I can remember. We made a lot of great memories this summer, and now we are glad to be enjoying a new season. There is so much to look forward to. Hope you are all well and enjoying a bounty of blessings. And I will sign out now since I have a bushelful of blogs to get started on!
Happy Birthday, Christopher!
Saturday was Chris' birthday. Lucky for him, he also had a lot of studying to do AND it was the weekend of Stake Conference. Not a terribly fun way to spend one's birthday, I would say, so the least I could do was to *let him* stay home with the kids while I attended the adult session of Conference on Saturday night by myself. Happy birthday to you, Chris! Next year will undoubtedly be better. :)
I tried to make his birthday a little special anyway by making him a yummy breakfast on Saturday morning. Breakfast burritos are, according to Chris, a "Texas thing" that he really likes but I never make. (The sausage, potato, egg, and cheese filling turned out great and there was enough leftover that he also ate some for his birthday dinner ALONE.) In the afternoon, we took the kids out to a local pumpkin patch to enjoy some pre-Halloween festivities and we let them choose their very first pumpkins for carving.
We had our actual celebration with Chris last night, and my mom and dad joined us for that. He requested that I make a roast for his birthday dinner. I hadn't made a roast in years probably. To my surprise, his birthday dinner was probably the best meal I have made all year! So, I told him that, once a year, for his birthday, I will make him a roast. :) More likely: How many times can I make roast without burning him out on that, too? For dessert, I made Chris' favorite double-layer triple chocolate cake which we ate with vanilla ice cream. That's EXACTLY how he likes it, so I was happy to oblige. While I was making the cake earlier in the afternoon, Zachary exclaimed, "Thank you, Mommy, for making the best chocolate cake EVER!" Isn't he the best KID ever?!
After Chris opened his presents, we ate that yummy cake and ice cream and enjoyed some fine entertainment that was the highlight of the evening. Enjoy!"Happy Birthday to Daddy!"
The encore:
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Quick Change
Ashley has surprised us by learning a new trick. Last night, when I went in to make sure the kids' CD player was turned off before we went to bed, I discovered a peculiar present left on the floor. No, not THAT kind of present. Well, not exactly anyway. There, in the middle of the floor, was her (slightly wet) diaper...just sitting there waiting to be disposed of properly. Expecting to find her pants-less in the crib with wet sheets, I was merely annoyed by Ashley's initiative. But to find that she had removed her wet diaper and then REPLACED her pants all by herself while staying DRY...well, I couldn't have been more proud of this "first" for her. And, now, I guess she's mastered this new skill overnight because I made the same discovery this morning. Funny girl! (Let's just hope that she likes the dirty ones enough to keep them on!)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Counting Down to Candy
Zachary (tonight, and completely out of nowhere): "Maybe next time it will be Halloween behind the church!?" (hope, hope, hope)
Ahh, the Trunk or Treat. It's the most wonderful time of the year...for some, apparently.
Ahh, the Trunk or Treat. It's the most wonderful time of the year...for some, apparently.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Pimp My Ride (and Take Off That Packing Tape While You're at it!)
Yes, two months ago, the power window broke on the driver's side of my car. Being that this was the second time this has happened within one 356-day period, I have to thank the lovely service people at my local Ford dealership for their excellent workmanship the last time I had said window replaced. Unless there is something about power windows that require that they be used excessively to avoid disrepair, I cannot imagine why I am going through this again.
Never fear! "MacGyver Dad" to the rescue! At least this happened immediately after I took my dad out for a Father's Day lunch, so he felt compelled to help me find a temporary fix for the problem. (Actually, he would have done it no matter what. That's how nice he is!) He added some shiny new "bling" in the form of a few swatches of clear packing tape, and, voila! The window has stayed up just like that for the past two months.
Unfortunately, due to our busy summer schedule, I couldn't find a convenient time to "go green" and just live without my car, but I DID stretch our dollars a little further by putting off the repair. *AND* I now have a trusty do-it-yourself solution for broken power windows! If it weren't for a couple other recent motor quirks (imaginary, I am told), I bet that tape would have stuck for at least another month.
Thanks, "MacGyver Dad" for sparing me from having to replace this window again until at least next August!
Note to Service Department: Next August is a joke. See if you can really fix it this time, will ya? Oh, and would you mind removing the tape? I hear it is no longer in style. Thanks.
Never fear! "MacGyver Dad" to the rescue! At least this happened immediately after I took my dad out for a Father's Day lunch, so he felt compelled to help me find a temporary fix for the problem. (Actually, he would have done it no matter what. That's how nice he is!) He added some shiny new "bling" in the form of a few swatches of clear packing tape, and, voila! The window has stayed up just like that for the past two months.
Unfortunately, due to our busy summer schedule, I couldn't find a convenient time to "go green" and just live without my car, but I DID stretch our dollars a little further by putting off the repair. *AND* I now have a trusty do-it-yourself solution for broken power windows! If it weren't for a couple other recent motor quirks (imaginary, I am told), I bet that tape would have stuck for at least another month.
Thanks, "MacGyver Dad" for sparing me from having to replace this window again until at least next August!
Note to Service Department: Next August is a joke. See if you can really fix it this time, will ya? Oh, and would you mind removing the tape? I hear it is no longer in style. Thanks.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Golden Boy
I love watching the Olympics! I look forward to the next Games before the current ones are even over...and that, I'm afraid, is going to be happening too soon for my liking. I really get bitten by the Olympic bug. Like so many others whose blog posts I have read recently, I feel so proud to be an American during this time, but I also appreciate the national pride that ALL of the participants (the athletes, their families, the coaches, the spectators, the vendors who sell roasted scorpions on a stick...everyone, really) must feel when representing their countries during the Olympic Games.
I've been letting Zachary sneak out of his room after bedtime to watch some of my favorite Olympic competitions with me. The swimming, diving and gymnastics are at the top of my list during the Summer Games. Just now, as I went and found Zachary already perched in position and ready to watch, he motioned to the TV screen (as if to excuse himself for not officially having permission to be out of bed) and, with excitement, he announced, "Look, it's Michael Phillips [sic] ...and he is winning 600 golden medals!" Yeah, it sort of seems that way, doesn't it?
Oh, I love that Zachary, too, loves the Olympics already!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Remembering Ryan
Today commemorated the 6th anniversary of the day Chris and I said goodbye to our son, Ryan Jacob, whom we lost when I was 4 months pregnant. For many people, four months does not seem significant, but personally knowing this loss would give one a much different perspective as it has given me. The day that Ryan was born, the day that I held him for the first and last time on earth, will never be forgotten. The experience of becoming a mother to a child I will never raise in this lifetime has changed me in ways that I cannot begin to fully comprehend. After six years, I can truly say that I am at peace concerning him, but as I write this, I am reminded of how much I love and miss him. Ryan will always be a part of our family, and we do love him and cherish the hope we have of being reunited with him again someday.
Last night, I pulled out the video of an ultrasound that was taken 2 weeks before we learned our baby had died. We haven't watched this video in years, and I wanted to see him and to know that Chris, too, has not forgotten. As we were watching our son, a sense of familiarity returned but I was surprised at how much bigger he was than I had remembered. Toward the end of the video, there was a comedy of errors when I realized that we were actually watching a video of Zachary's ultrasound. Oops. :) I quickly found the right video, kept in a special box with the only tangible things we have to remind us of our little angel, and made Chris watch it with me all over again. We were up late anyway, so as it turned out, we ended up watching the right baby at the right time: 1:10 a.m., the actual time of Ryan's birth on August, 12, 2002. Leaving the hospital that following day without our baby was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but time has brought healing and his memory is sweet. I know that, one day, I will hold him again in Heaven.
Around this time each year, as I remember Ryan, I try to find some special way in which to honor him. It is important to me that I let his life, as brief as it was yet eternal, help me to become a better person. I have often felt that the loss of my son can enable me to feel greater compassion toward others, particularly those who experience difficult losses of their own. I will not share the details, but I am grateful to have recently had an opportunity to fulfill this desire of mine in a way that has, in turn, also brought greater peace and healing into my own life. Though I did not exactly plan for this to happen the way that it did, nor did I intend for it to be my gift to Ryan--or even myself--this year, this was something even more purposeful than anything I might have planned. It has reminded me that it is greater to love than to be loved.
"How very softly you tiptoed into our world. Almost silently. Only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your tiny footprints have left upon our hearts!"
Last night, I pulled out the video of an ultrasound that was taken 2 weeks before we learned our baby had died. We haven't watched this video in years, and I wanted to see him and to know that Chris, too, has not forgotten. As we were watching our son, a sense of familiarity returned but I was surprised at how much bigger he was than I had remembered. Toward the end of the video, there was a comedy of errors when I realized that we were actually watching a video of Zachary's ultrasound. Oops. :) I quickly found the right video, kept in a special box with the only tangible things we have to remind us of our little angel, and made Chris watch it with me all over again. We were up late anyway, so as it turned out, we ended up watching the right baby at the right time: 1:10 a.m., the actual time of Ryan's birth on August, 12, 2002. Leaving the hospital that following day without our baby was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but time has brought healing and his memory is sweet. I know that, one day, I will hold him again in Heaven.
Around this time each year, as I remember Ryan, I try to find some special way in which to honor him. It is important to me that I let his life, as brief as it was yet eternal, help me to become a better person. I have often felt that the loss of my son can enable me to feel greater compassion toward others, particularly those who experience difficult losses of their own. I will not share the details, but I am grateful to have recently had an opportunity to fulfill this desire of mine in a way that has, in turn, also brought greater peace and healing into my own life. Though I did not exactly plan for this to happen the way that it did, nor did I intend for it to be my gift to Ryan--or even myself--this year, this was something even more purposeful than anything I might have planned. It has reminded me that it is greater to love than to be loved.
"How very softly you tiptoed into our world. Almost silently. Only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your tiny footprints have left upon our hearts!"
Thursday, July 31, 2008
You Think I'm Fruity, Don't You?
Today, the kids and I went Kawaii's to get some Hawaiian shaved ice to celebrate my birthday. It was a REALLY hot day out, so this was the perfect way for us to cool down. We just recently discovered how much we love Kawaii's! (Have any of my local friends ever been there, and if so, why did nobody tell me about this before? It is becoming one of my favorite summer hangouts!) Anyway, as were enjoying our mix of cherry and grape, Zachary looked down and said, "It's turning your toenails red!" I couldn't tell if he was serious, but I got a good laugh out of it. :)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Ten Things I Am Celebrating Today
1. The 30th anniversary of The Cheesecake Factory! Thanks to my awesome VT companion and friend, Stephanie, who passed along the news, the kids and I made a trip across town to enjoy lunch and cheesecake at $1.50 a slice. Ashley, of course, had Strawberry, I had my usual White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, and Zachary chose the Snickers. We braved the masses and the kids were incredibly good for me. I felt like Supermom afterwards. I love celebrating with my wonderful kids!
2. The arrival of my new "nephew", Garrison Elvis Christensen. This is the son of my good friend and former roommate, Jean. I talked to her just a little while ago, and everyone is doing well. Garrison weighed 7 lb. 8 oz. and is 20" long.
3. My birthday...is tomorrow. I feel like I've been celebrating all week (and half of last week.) I love my birthdays, even though I never feel like I've gotten any older. My dad is coming to take me and the kids out tomorrow night to celebrate. My mom took us out to lunch last week (because she's in Boston visiting my sister for 2 weeks) and I'm sure we will celebrate with Chris when he gets home this weekend. In between all of that, I have enjoyed and appreciated all the birthday wishes and cards from family and friends. Thank you!
4. I found my driver's license! I went to the bank to cash a check today and couldn't find it anywhere. I finally left and went home to search for it there, still to no avail. I was positive I had it this weekend while I was out doing some shopping, so I called a few places I have been since then--also with no luck. I kept searching, and finally I decided to say a little prayer that I would know where to look for it. I got up and looked at the bag I always take swimming, and I was SO SURE that it wasn't in there. I don't remember the last time we went swimming, but I know it was over a week ago and I never leave my license in there. With a look of "Whatever, I know you're not in there!", I unzipped the inside pocket, and sure enough... That's why I am also celebrating...
5. Answers to my prayers!!! And the fact that I don't have to go get a new license made ASAP. Seeing as I need that license next month for my trip to Southern California, I was very worried that I wouldn't be able to get a new one sent to me in time. Never underestimate the power of prayer!
6. Did I mention I'm going to California?! Wooohooo! I am really excited! This was an unexpected trip, as I had no plans to do any leisure travel while Chris is still in school, but the stars all seemed to line up just right and we were able to get a great deal on our tickets. The kids and I will be staying with Jean, whom I haven't seen since she was a bridesmaid at my wedding reception almost 7 years ago. It has been a crazy 7 years that have taken us on quite a rollercoaster, but our friendship is stronger than ever and I'm excited to meet her husband, Dustin, and her 2 kids, 4 year-old Faith and little Garrison, for the first time. This will also be her first time to meet Zachary and Ashley in person. (By the way, for many who are reading this, YES, I feel INCREDIBLY GUILTY that I won't be seeing you this time around, but hopefully someday I will!)
7. Chris will be back home in about 24 hours. He has spent half of last week and all of this week in Dallas doing work-related things, and do I miss him! I will be happy to have him come home tomorrow night. I also know a couple of kids that can't wait to see their Daddy!
8. A friend who called me up out of the blue just to find some time to hang out. She is also my faithful partner in my church calling, and she is GREAT!--another answer to a prayer. Along with her, I'm celebrating all of my dear friends who are a wonderful example to me and whom I love! I am so thankful for all of you!
9. My family...every last one of you...reading this blog or not. I can't go without mentioning how much I love you all and am grateful for all you do for me and my little family. There are too many things to mention, but each one of you is deeply appreciated!
10. My faith, which has been strengthened these past few weeks in various ways, through various people. I am gratefully indebted!
2. The arrival of my new "nephew", Garrison Elvis Christensen. This is the son of my good friend and former roommate, Jean. I talked to her just a little while ago, and everyone is doing well. Garrison weighed 7 lb. 8 oz. and is 20" long.
3. My birthday...is tomorrow. I feel like I've been celebrating all week (and half of last week.) I love my birthdays, even though I never feel like I've gotten any older. My dad is coming to take me and the kids out tomorrow night to celebrate. My mom took us out to lunch last week (because she's in Boston visiting my sister for 2 weeks) and I'm sure we will celebrate with Chris when he gets home this weekend. In between all of that, I have enjoyed and appreciated all the birthday wishes and cards from family and friends. Thank you!
4. I found my driver's license! I went to the bank to cash a check today and couldn't find it anywhere. I finally left and went home to search for it there, still to no avail. I was positive I had it this weekend while I was out doing some shopping, so I called a few places I have been since then--also with no luck. I kept searching, and finally I decided to say a little prayer that I would know where to look for it. I got up and looked at the bag I always take swimming, and I was SO SURE that it wasn't in there. I don't remember the last time we went swimming, but I know it was over a week ago and I never leave my license in there. With a look of "Whatever, I know you're not in there!", I unzipped the inside pocket, and sure enough... That's why I am also celebrating...
5. Answers to my prayers!!! And the fact that I don't have to go get a new license made ASAP. Seeing as I need that license next month for my trip to Southern California, I was very worried that I wouldn't be able to get a new one sent to me in time. Never underestimate the power of prayer!
6. Did I mention I'm going to California?! Wooohooo! I am really excited! This was an unexpected trip, as I had no plans to do any leisure travel while Chris is still in school, but the stars all seemed to line up just right and we were able to get a great deal on our tickets. The kids and I will be staying with Jean, whom I haven't seen since she was a bridesmaid at my wedding reception almost 7 years ago. It has been a crazy 7 years that have taken us on quite a rollercoaster, but our friendship is stronger than ever and I'm excited to meet her husband, Dustin, and her 2 kids, 4 year-old Faith and little Garrison, for the first time. This will also be her first time to meet Zachary and Ashley in person. (By the way, for many who are reading this, YES, I feel INCREDIBLY GUILTY that I won't be seeing you this time around, but hopefully someday I will!)
7. Chris will be back home in about 24 hours. He has spent half of last week and all of this week in Dallas doing work-related things, and do I miss him! I will be happy to have him come home tomorrow night. I also know a couple of kids that can't wait to see their Daddy!
8. A friend who called me up out of the blue just to find some time to hang out. She is also my faithful partner in my church calling, and she is GREAT!--another answer to a prayer. Along with her, I'm celebrating all of my dear friends who are a wonderful example to me and whom I love! I am so thankful for all of you!
9. My family...every last one of you...reading this blog or not. I can't go without mentioning how much I love you all and am grateful for all you do for me and my little family. There are too many things to mention, but each one of you is deeply appreciated!
10. My faith, which has been strengthened these past few weeks in various ways, through various people. I am gratefully indebted!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Blog Gone?
I know there is no need to apologize for not posting anything for awhile, but I am going to anyway. It is not for lack of things to write about or for lack of wanting. I will be back again soon, I hope. It sure doesn't help that our other computer appears to be on the blink and that's where our photo software is located and all of my pictures are stored. That only makes this more frustrating. I hope everybody is having a great summer. I miss you all!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Superbug
I got the call back from the doctor's office this morning, and Ashley's culture came back positive for MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.) It is a skin infection that is caused by a type of staph bacteria that has become resistant to many types of antibiotics similar to penicillin. It's pretty serious stuff actually, so we were very fortunate to catch this when we did. Had this gone on for awhile without treatment, the infection could have become much more serious. Because the test results take several days to come back, doctors will prescribe MRSA-fighting antibiotics if they suspect it, and that's exactly what ours did. So, Ashley just has to continue taking the same stuff this week and hopefully that will completely take care of the infection. I am so thankful that she seems to be feeling better this week and that the sore on her foot looks like it is healing.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Infected
Ashley has been suffering from a nasty cold for several days now and has had a mild rash on her face to go along with it. For the past 2 days, she has been unusually fussy, and last night, I caught her touching her hands to her ears and immediately I began to be paranoid that she might have an ear infection. Since Zachary has only had one ear infection so far and Ashley hasn't had one at all yet, I'm always afraid that if my kids had one, I would miss it.
My mom suggested I might take Ashley to the doctor to have her checked out, but I'm always hesitant. I hate the thought of spending money on an unnecessary doctor visit when there is really nothing that can be done. But, of course, I don't hate that any more than I hate having to watch my kids suffer. Sometimes it is better to go ahead and make the call or take them in even if only for a little peace of mind.
We were at Zachary's swimming lesson yesterday and Ashley was very cranky, and while I normally take her to the park and push her on the swings during that half-hour, today she wasn't enjoying it like she normally does. We went to sit in the air-conditioned car for the remainder of the lesson, and she looked and was acting just miserable. I decided I'd better make the call.
Just as I was dialing the number to the office, I noticed something about Ashley's foot. A couple of weeks ago, she got sores on each of her feet from wearing water socks all day at Schlitterbahn. The tags inside the water socks rubbed the skin off, creating some painful-looking sores, but both seemed to be healing just fine, or so I thought. It was right then that I noticed that one of the sores had developed a slight bit of an infection. One more thing to ask about, I thought, but I was sure that it was no big deal. If it weren't for Ashley being sick, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. I certainly wouldn't have given it a second thought if it was on MY foot.
I finally called, and as I thought, there was no reason to bring her in over this cold and rash, but for the foot, she had to be seen. I thought that was sort of ironic. Here she's had this horrible cold and is MISERABLE and I need to take her in for the FOOT!?? Totally unexpected.
We went to the appointment, and the nurse had to hold Ashley's foot still so the doctor could puncture the skin with a needle and squeeze out some liquid to take a culture for testing. Of course, you can imagine how well Ashley liked that. She was on my lap and I really had to restrain her to keep her from hurling herself out the door. After it was over, the doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics that she has to be on for the next 10 days, and that's just until they know what sort of bacteria it is. We will know in 3 days, and presumably they will give her another prescription for something to fight the specific strain causing the infection. While we were there, I had the doctor check her ears, and she said both looked good. Whew!
I thanked the doctor as she was about to leave. Neither she nor I expected what happened next. Ashley, too, said, "Dankooo!" It was a proud moment for me that my daughter would thank the doctor after causing her so much pain. Of course, she could have just been mimicking me, but she said it with such sincerity. Maybe she really was just thankful that the doctor was going to leave her alone. I don't know, but she was so cute about it. Later, in the car, she kept saying, "Bye doctors!" over and over again. She seems to be doing better and has been resting, but we'll see how cooperative she is when she starts those antibiotics in the morning!
My mom suggested I might take Ashley to the doctor to have her checked out, but I'm always hesitant. I hate the thought of spending money on an unnecessary doctor visit when there is really nothing that can be done. But, of course, I don't hate that any more than I hate having to watch my kids suffer. Sometimes it is better to go ahead and make the call or take them in even if only for a little peace of mind.
We were at Zachary's swimming lesson yesterday and Ashley was very cranky, and while I normally take her to the park and push her on the swings during that half-hour, today she wasn't enjoying it like she normally does. We went to sit in the air-conditioned car for the remainder of the lesson, and she looked and was acting just miserable. I decided I'd better make the call.
Just as I was dialing the number to the office, I noticed something about Ashley's foot. A couple of weeks ago, she got sores on each of her feet from wearing water socks all day at Schlitterbahn. The tags inside the water socks rubbed the skin off, creating some painful-looking sores, but both seemed to be healing just fine, or so I thought. It was right then that I noticed that one of the sores had developed a slight bit of an infection. One more thing to ask about, I thought, but I was sure that it was no big deal. If it weren't for Ashley being sick, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. I certainly wouldn't have given it a second thought if it was on MY foot.
I finally called, and as I thought, there was no reason to bring her in over this cold and rash, but for the foot, she had to be seen. I thought that was sort of ironic. Here she's had this horrible cold and is MISERABLE and I need to take her in for the FOOT!?? Totally unexpected.
We went to the appointment, and the nurse had to hold Ashley's foot still so the doctor could puncture the skin with a needle and squeeze out some liquid to take a culture for testing. Of course, you can imagine how well Ashley liked that. She was on my lap and I really had to restrain her to keep her from hurling herself out the door. After it was over, the doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics that she has to be on for the next 10 days, and that's just until they know what sort of bacteria it is. We will know in 3 days, and presumably they will give her another prescription for something to fight the specific strain causing the infection. While we were there, I had the doctor check her ears, and she said both looked good. Whew!
I thanked the doctor as she was about to leave. Neither she nor I expected what happened next. Ashley, too, said, "Dankooo!" It was a proud moment for me that my daughter would thank the doctor after causing her so much pain. Of course, she could have just been mimicking me, but she said it with such sincerity. Maybe she really was just thankful that the doctor was going to leave her alone. I don't know, but she was so cute about it. Later, in the car, she kept saying, "Bye doctors!" over and over again. She seems to be doing better and has been resting, but we'll see how cooperative she is when she starts those antibiotics in the morning!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Re-Naming the Rubik's Cube
Did you know that the Rubik's Cube is being re-named? Zachary was just looking at the picture of WALL-E that I posted on my blog a couple of days ago, and this is the name he is giving it: The Color Roller Upside-Down Upside-Up Ball Dice. Catchy, isn't it?
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Out at the Old Ball Game
The law firm where Chris worked the first half of this summer hosted a family day at the Dell Diamond where our minor league team, the Round Rock Express, played against the Memphis Reds on June 13. It was our first time to take the kids to a game, and it was also my first time to see the Express play. It was very nice to get to meet Chris' colleagues (also for the first time.) What a great group of people he got to work with!
Lucky for all of us, it was a breezy summer night, otherwise, it would have been pretty hot. On the downside of that, the wind was blowing pretty hard, so food and plates and cups were flying. The kids were getting restless, so we visited the playscape which was conveniently located inside the ballpark on the lower level. Zachary and Ashley didn't mind that the place was crawling with kids and quickly lost sight of me. (I see how they are!)
We really didn't get to see much of the game, but we did visit quite a bit with the other families there. Probably the most memorable part of the night for me was when Ashley, who was being ornery and trying to run away from our party, heard the organ suddenly start playing "If You're Happy and You Know It" and she stopped dead in her tracks to go through all the motions. Everyone who was watching her got a kick out of that. In the end, the home team won, so that made for a great ending to an already fun night!
Lucky for all of us, it was a breezy summer night, otherwise, it would have been pretty hot. On the downside of that, the wind was blowing pretty hard, so food and plates and cups were flying. The kids were getting restless, so we visited the playscape which was conveniently located inside the ballpark on the lower level. Zachary and Ashley didn't mind that the place was crawling with kids and quickly lost sight of me. (I see how they are!)
We really didn't get to see much of the game, but we did visit quite a bit with the other families there. Probably the most memorable part of the night for me was when Ashley, who was being ornery and trying to run away from our party, heard the organ suddenly start playing "If You're Happy and You Know It" and she stopped dead in her tracks to go through all the motions. Everyone who was watching her got a kick out of that. In the end, the home team won, so that made for a great ending to an already fun night!
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