Game Over

The kids and I have been spending a lot of our free time at the base pool.  The weather has been nice and I needed to even out my tan (I'm about 4 different shades of tan right now!)

Well, the other day, I was in the pool with Lillian and this girl comes over to us and says, "I know your kid" pointing to Charlie.  I'm like, how do you know Charlie...he's like 4.5 and you're a big kid (she was 10).  Her mother was nearby and saw me talking with the girl and she came over to make sure everything was alright.  I said that her daughter knew my son, but I wasn't sure how they knew each other.  Her mom said that her daughter is in Special Ed. and as a treat she gets to visit the preschool class and read stories to them.  Her daughter has Autism.  Ahhh...well that makes perfect sense now!

So, a few minutes later, Katie comes over to see what was going too.  I asked her if she knew the girl and she said yeah.  Then she said that some of the kids at school were mean to her.  She went to say that they play the "M game" and it wasn't very nice.  The game basically is like cooties, and whoever touches her can pass the cooties around.  Katie then tells me that she got tired of them picking at her so she touched M and said Game Over.

You see, Katie understands that kids are different.  She understands that kids who are different are still kids, like she is.  She's at the age, where she is not tolerating mean behavior and is willing to stick up for those who can't.  I'm very proud of my Katie...she did well!  I don't and can't expect her to be everyone's hero, but she really made me proud and is my little hero!

Well, done My Sweets!  Well, Done!

Have you ever been so proud of your kid?  Please share your story!

Organize Me! pt. 2

Thank you everyone for your helpfulness!  As a recap...I did not get to run my first 5k :(  There just wasn't enough time to fit that in.

However, I did have a wonderful time at the Down syndrome Support Group.  We got to meet a two wonderful new additions to our group...a little boy and brand new baby girl!  I am in love all over again!  Holding Ms. T in my arms was wonderful and it made me miss all things baby!  She had that intriguing baby smell and wonderful baby breath that I miss dearly.  And she gave me the most wonderful smiles that filled me up with happiness.  For her, I was happy to have missed my first 5k.

Soon after, Lillian and I met the rest of the family at our church to volunteer for a rummage sale.  There was so much stuff!  Sadly, Katie realized that I gave away a bag of our toys.  I did not do this intentionally either, it was purely incidental!  The majority of her Webkinz and Care Bears were in this bag of toys.  This bag was meant to be put away but somehow was put in the church pile.  Ugh...I felt horrible.  Especially, when she told me that she thinks her toys were part of the sale.  I kinda just brushed it off thinking someone else had the same stuff as we did.  Nope.  I was wrong.  When we got home, the bag was missing.  I really felt really really bad, because she could have salvaged her things, but I wouldn't let her. Thankfully, her birthday is around the corner.  Hopefully, I can make it up to her!

SO....Now, I am learning how to use the calender on my phone properly.  I think this is a great idea since my phone is always by my side.  I just hope that I don't loose it!  Maybe, I should by a pocket calender also.  I can't go wrong with writing plans out in more than one calender...right?

TIME...Time...time

Oh where has the time gone? It has been so long since I abandoned my lovely blog, but I'm glad to say that we're back...I'm back! I have to admit that I've had Internet now for a week, but once you're away from the computer, my need to blog and facebook and even email went down the drain. I'm just now getting back into the groove of things.

The move was a little stressful but not too bad. I don't think moving will ever get any easier. No matter how much I prepare for the movers to arrive, it's when they drop off the boxes that drive me into craziness. And every time I move, there seems to be one more extra person moving with us. Last time, it was Lillian. This time it was my dog, Maxie. 3 children, 2 dogs, and 2 adults...we need more supervision!

Also, the week we moved in was the week that Katie started school. Third Grade! She just recently had to make a classroom switch because there were 29 kids in her classroom and they are only allowed 28. She volunteered to go to another classroom, a room where her best friend is in. So, far ... so, good! I figured if they were going to move her she might as well pick a classroom that she wanted to be in and they let her. This year, the school grew a lot. There were many school closures where we are and people moving around, so now the classrooms are much bigger than they have been. I hope and pray for patience from both students and teachers this year!

I think the last time I updated, I mentioned that Lillian was really walking. Well, she's just getting better and better by the day! Today, she was chasing...well, more like tottling after Charlie in the house. Normally, I don't approve of running around, but it was really cute to see her going after him and hearing both of them laughing. Now, the only thing I really want to work on is the hair pulling. Lillian is a little brute ... not a princess. She loves to rough house and tackle, I worry that she will over power her big brother one day. I will have to wait and see. However, I've noticed that she is also becoming my little dancer. I hope she has moves like her momma :)

I will have to update more tomorrow. Just thought I would add that Facebook is great!

So lazy...laundry

I am so LAZY! Now that the Drama Queen is out of school I've slowed down on doing laundry. Really, just laundry though. I cannot and will never ever enjoy doing laundry!

But, now I need some input, some motherly advise. Drama Girl is officially 8 years old now. My hubby of man says that I have spoiled her. So, I thought that one of my summer task is to introduce her to laundry. Not the washing and sorting part, but maybe the folding and putting it away part. Just hers! I know she is old enough to handle that, but I sometimes feel that she should just be a kid. But, then again, being a kid also involves learning how to responsible and taking care of your things. I guess, my laziness in laundry won't help motivate her to keep up with her part. I need to work on me.

Actually, doing the laundry is just part of our summer task. I kinda decided to make this the summer of learning. She's brilliant when it comes to schoolwork, but she's kinda of dysfunctional everywhere else. We will organize, take pictures, and post them on her bedroom door or wall, so she will have a visual reminder where her things belong. Not under the bed...or the behind the door!

OK...I will have my cup of coffee. Maybe I will get some energy back and hence not be so lazy. Uhhh...gotta go sort that laundry now!

Happy Birthday Princess!

Today is Katie's 8th birthday!  

Katie is my first born.

My first baby.

She and I experienced a lot of firsts together!

There's something to be said when you change, grow, or morph in someone different, and motherhood is one of those things.  There are things that you never thought you could do, say, or act upon until you become a mother.  Really, there is no love like the love of a mother to her child.  It's one of the most amazing things to experience!

On Thursday, May 17, 2001, at 5:35 p.m. my first baby, my first born, came into this world.  What a beautiful sight!  My baby girl...how much I fell in love the moment my eyes saw her and when my ears heard those first cries!

Katie was the baby that every first parent wished for.  She was so peaceful and so happy.  She was, still is, perfect.

8 years!  

8 wonderful, tearful, and happy years!

Happy Birthday my Love!

Wordless Wednesday: Up close!

Enjoying a day of sunshine and warmth!

Urinary Tract Infection

Lillian at 7 months

Charlie at 6 months

Katie at 6 months

Just wanted to post pics of my babies at around the same age in their lives.  What do you think?  do they favor each other or what???

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Well, the doctor called and confirmed that Lillian does have a Urinary Track Infection.  So, she's on antibiotics until after she has her ultrasound and xrays done to confirm if she does or does not have a VUR.  I'm hoping that she does not, but my children seem to out do each other one way or another!  So, I'm betting that she does.  She has the xrays and ultrasound on October 24 and then will meet with the Urologist on November 17.  

Katie on the other hand has her xrays and ultrasound on November 13 and will see the urologist the same time as Lillian.  Hopefully, the results say she's good to go! 

Speaking of Katie, she received two reading awards today at school!  She is so smart that girl! Katie has a passion for reading, but lacks that passion for math.  She's good, but she only does enough to get by.  Any ideas on how to spark a love of math would be greatly appreciative. 

Vesicoureteral Reflux or VUR

Yesterday, I briefly mentioned that the girls went to see a Urologist.  Both Katie and Charlie had Vesicoureteral Reflux  until they both had corrective outpatient surgery in May and June 2006.  They both had a grade III VUR, I being the lowest and a V being the highest grade.  Because Katie suffered from more than one Urinary Tract Infection that lead to Kidney Infections, she suffers from kidney damage in both kidneys.  It is not a life threatening disease, but something that might cause high blood pressure.  When we knew for sure that Charlie also had a grade III, we opted for him to have the surgery so he wouldn't sustain any kidney damage either.  

Apparently, having a VUR is hereditary and either Bobby and/or I were carriers and gave it to them.  So, now we have Lillian and she will be examined also to see if she has this condition.  Katie still has a grade I, which the doctor hopes it resolved on its own.  The problem is the only way to check it is through Ultrasound and a VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram).  The VCUG is not very comfortable.  They insert a cathetar to fill your bladder with a dye and you must void the dye while they take x-rays of the dye voiding the bladder.  They are looking for the "reflux" part, and to see how far the dye will travel up the urethra and into the kidneys.  For little kids, this can be very intimidating and scary.  Although, Katie has had four procedures done, she still hates the thought of doing it again.  On the upside, if all goes well, she won't have to ever do it again!   I'm just happy that Lillian is young enough, that she won't remember.  Lillian's procedure will be towards the end of May and Katie will have hers during the 2nd week of November.  Both girls will go back on November 17 to see the doc again.  Wish us LUCK!  Hoping that neither of the girls will have to worry about surgery!

I'm so tired and a stinky poopy story!

This week I started working out with a friend of mine at her gym.  I meet her at 5:45 a.m. and I run about 2 miles on the treadmill and finish off with push ups and crunches.  I'm trying really hard to keep motiviated so I can finally fit into my old clothes from before Lillian!  Well, today I'm just tired!  My back hurts and my legs hurt.  

So, then I'm trying to get ready for bed and Charlie comes out of his room having to go pee, but I smell poo (mind you that he's been having some stinky farts all day long) .  He goes to the bathroom and pulls down his pants and I see poo all over his butt and underwear!  Oh ... come on!  Why now?  I just want to sleep!  Then, as he is peeing he farts again and stuff lands all over the floor!  So, I get him cleaned up, the bathroom cleaned up, and  I put on one of Lillian's diaper on his butt, give him some diarreah stuff, and put him back to bed.

Asked my husband to write for me tonight, because I'm tired, but he said, "No.  It's not my blog and my challenge.  If I write in it then you wouldn't have completed the challenge."  I think otherwise.

Now, I remember what I really wanted to write about.  Lillian and Katie both had a doctor's appointment for the same reason.  They had to see a Urologist.  But, I'm saving that one for tomorrow.  Because I'm going to bed now.

Almost a bad accident!

The family went shopping today at COSTCO and Katie took it upon herself to jump on top of everything.  Needless to say, she was warned many times!  Well, at check out Katie jumps onto the cart and pulls Lillian's car seat, with baby, down!  OMG...my heart raced and I just threw everything down.  Lillian cried for less than a minute, she was safely strapped in and didn't hit her head or anything!  COSTCO employees came to check and we were all fine.  I think Katie learned her lesson.  She was so terrified of the situation and of me!  The car ride home was quiet, except for Charlie telling Katie she was being bad :p

Lesson learned for us...always always keep baby strapped in her car seat, because you never know what might happen!!!