Keep 'em going!

Maysen ended Session 1 of swimming this summer and starts his second session of swimming lessons tomorrow. When he first started, any feat he conquered was made known by the “thumbs up”. He LOVES lessons and although he plays the rebel by not wanting to stay on the steps (even being made to get out of the pool – how humiliating!), he does really really well. This coming week is the first week of the new time and he’ll go M/W afternoons now.

That’s good because I have enrolled him into karate, which are on Thursday evenings so that pretty much has him doing something every day of the week except Tues/Fri. Those can be recoup days. I know, I know … he’s only 3. But you don’t understand this kid. He is soooo wound up that he goes BONKERS inside the house. It’s been rather warm so not a lot of kids to play with outside and if I let him in the back, he destroys things when he’s alone. He doesn’t mean to, but “I think I’ll get out the hose and chase the dog …. Which means she’ll blow through all mom’s flower beds and rip up the grass” … or “think I’ll play train with the hose and drive it along mom’s trenches which happen to be filled with flowers …. Well, were”. Things like that. Bushes knocked down, missing fence boards. *sigh*. We even just recently bought a Wii. I don’t know who likes it more, me or him. The games are so fun, and very addicting. Boxing rocks my arms, girls! So … try it. Your husband will love you for it, and you can shape those arms while he’s gone. I’m also hoping karate will be a success.

Remember my bummer of a post about my dad and Jo leaving California and moving to Kentucky. In a weird twist of events, they are no longer there, and are taking a few weeks off for a needed vacation and are heading their way (slowly) back here for some visiting. They are working toward getting their old jobs back down in California, but that could be a few weeks out, so they’re taking this time to see family and just relax while driving their big beast back up here. It’s a brand new 5th wheel that unfortunately there have been a few mild set backs to them just busting out of KY, but hopefully it’ll be fixed tomorrow and they can start heading our way.

I hope I hear from the realtor tomorrow! Not getting my hopes up, but we had a real prospective buyer so I’m hoping we hear something this week (tomorrow would be great!).

So, I need to get my tires rotated. You’d think that would be simple. Well, not only is the task complicated by having 2 children aboard staring at you like ‘ahhhh c’mon mom! Lets go!!” I find out as I’m made my best attempt to take care of this problem that “they” can’t do it for me, because apparently my van is equipped with sensors on my tires that notify me if my airpressure is low in one of them. Therefore, that requires me to go somewhere else who has a sensor re-calibrator for post-rotation. HUH?! This is too damn complicated …

Longwinded, no point post as always … and it’s 130am. Gee…. oh, and PS; Fin is 7mo old today. Updated baby blog complete.

Dentist

This week has been a long one. Nathan was back in Denver for some leadership training. He and his supervisor went, and while there, his supervisor asked him if he'd like to lead a group of contractors. When Nathan first got out of college he got hired on at W as a 1yr contractor because they were doing some huge massive project. He was one of 20 that were hired for the year. He left after his year and they tracked him down when they were able to hire him fulltime/permanent. Now they've been approved for another huge project, and now Nate's been sorta asked to lead a group of contractors. Huge promotion if that's the case, so that was nice.

While it was great he had a successful time there, that meant that I was home alone with both boys. Needless to say, I have great respect for single mommies. It was an exhausting and trying week. In the middle of it, Maysen had his first "real" dentist appointment. Last week he met Dr Page, but this appointment he actually had a cleaning. The above picture is him having his flouride treatment. He absolutely LOVED it!!! He can't wait to go back!

Another great adventure while Nate was gone, is that Fin's 2 bottom teeth were born. FINALLY. He's been drooling for 2 months so that's finally over with for now.

My birthday was great, by the way. Nate and I snuck away for the afternoon and watched Get Smart (FUN-EEE!), then ate spaghetti. It was short, sweet, and to the point -- I think it has to be that way with 2 kids!

Tomorrow is another Open House. I'm a tad disappointed in our realtor, only because I feel like I have to contact him always. I understand I am a very hard person to work for. I expect a lot, often too much, when I'm paying you for a service. I expect you to call when you say you'll call. I expect you to be 3 steps ahead at all times. For example; "Not this sunday, but next Sunday we'll do another Open House. I'll call you about Wednesday next week to go over details." No call. So finally I email last night. By noon, still nothing (and here it is FRIDAY). So I call, twice, and finally 3pm he returns my call and the open house is TOMORROW. So, things like that. We are in a contract with him until October and if it hasn't sold by then, we'll probably take the house off the market until next spring. I certainly hope it sells, but not holding my breath. There were two lots we wanted to build on, if our house sold .... and one of them is gone. Luckily it was the lesser of our favorite, so the one we would like is still for sale. That was a month ago we found them, so I doubt it'll be around much longer. Torture! The last open house didn't go so hot, so Mike has sent out post cards with our housing information on it to the public (not sure his formula as to who got a card?), and he said he usually gets a good turn out with that. We'll have to see ... One thing is for sure. I'm tired of living in a 'staged' house. It sort of has to be, because realtors can call/come at last moment's notice. But when we pile all our stuff away, it's amazing what I've lost.

Will let you know how tomorrow goes.

Slip-n-Slide Day

Today was a hot summer day and we celebrated by getting a new slip-n-slide before swimming lessons. After our quiet time we put it out front and the whole neighborhood came by!

We had watermellon and took turns with the Super Soakers and water balloons. This is one of the many perks of living here; it's one big family. It was great fun!!

I'm not sure if I killed by grass or not, but you can sure tell where the slide was!!

Tomorrow is my birthday, the big 2-8. Nate is getting off work early and we're heading to Portland to have dinner at one of my favorites . We'll probably go to a movie afterward, but we're playing it by ear. The boys are staying here with Nate's mom...so it'll be a date day for Nate and I.

Maysen had his first dentist appointment on Tuesday. He did great! He was actually excited and when Dr P asked how his summer was, he went on and on about birthday parties, pools, swimming lessons, his favorite toy ... it was great. They counted his teeth (10 in all!), showed him all the tools, let him wear gloves. Next week we actually do the cleaning, but we've prepared with multiple dental books, including the Berenstein Bears Go to the Dentist. So, we'll see how it goes!

I could save myself a lot of breath during the day if I only recorded the following and played it all.day.long. It would sound something like this:

"Maysen stop, please get down, don't touch his face, put that down, I said STOP, MAYSEN, ONE.....TWO....., I said no, go pick that up, STOP, calm down, inside voice please, stop-don't, listen to me, look at me, plea-- oh great it's broken...ONE....TWO...........................Time out!"

There are other versions available but I think you get the point.

I will end on this note: Maysen went to give me a raspberry on my Xd-old non-shaved leg (I'm not admitting anything on the X amount). All I hear is, "OUCHHHHHHHHHHHH. Your leg bit me!" Ha! That'll teach him.

Happy 5th birthday to our nephew, Jonas!! We love you!!

Winner is ...

... AMY, who guessed that it was renal/kidney involved. My doc believes it was more than likely a kidney stone that I either passed that day (did I strain my urine ... NO!), or if it did revert back into my kidney I'll get to do this all again some day and hope to pass it then, or have lithotripsy and have it broken up. We didn't do any formal testing because there really isn't any reason. I'm telling you, if that goes down again, though, I'm heading it to the ER! (mainly for the good drugs ... hehe).

I love this picture taken above. Mainly because my Grandma Harbaugh, who passed away in November, made it for me when she was visiting my dad and Jo in Florida. She was so worried I wouldn't like it ... and in fact I absolutely love it! It's made out of PVC piping if you can believe that! I think of her everytime I see it sitting on my front covered porch.

Luckily I've felt better over the last couple of days. Until about mid-week I was still feeling really worn out and just icky from Sunday's ordeal. Today was dedicated to getting the house/yard ready for Remax's Open House which is tomorrow from 1-4. Today was just the yard part. So tomorrow we'll have to rush to get all the house clean and "kidfree" by noon, which is when we have to be out of here. Then we're on to Albany for my nephew's 5th birthday party.

I think the kids and I are going to enjoy a little getaway during Nate's next business trip to Denver, which is in a few weeks. I'm not exactly sure what we're going to do, but I think it would be grea to get away while he's gone. Who knows ... maybe we'll fly to Denver to be with him there ... spend a few days after his conference. That's a thought!

Ok, 1am is approaching. Chat later ...

Alright ... $20 to the person who guesses right to my diagnosis:

a) kidney infection
b) kidney stone
c) ectopic pregnancy
d) uterine fibroid/cyst post C Section
e) "just a bug"
f) gallbladder/pancreas?
g) flu

.... and that's all I got. Remember the symptoms, my nurse friends: vague peri-umbilical abdominal pain/nausea radiating to lower/mid back during 'attack', which was severe pain with sitting/standing relieved with lying. Continued spotting x 5mo. Post attack is continued intermittent nausea x 2mo, fatigue, headache, and inner irritation to R flank area. Temperature chronically runs around 99.8 (as in, forever now). No vomiting. Weird new factor: engorged grapefruit-sized rash to abdomen with raised borders - swelling to standing 1/4" off abdomen.

There. Diagnose that! (That'll cost me about $450, huh?)

Oh, and as if that wasn't enough: I slipped and fell in my shower today. Nice 5" bruise across my left butt cheek/hip that hurts when I walk ... because all of my fat is bruised and I landed full weight on the bathtub ledge. What is going on!? I swear I've had more crap go on with me in the last 4 months than I have in the last 5 years!! Wish me luck!

Independence Day Weekend

We had a great 4th of July weekend. Some of these photos are courtesy of Jenn, who came on Friday morning in time for Creswell's annual Independence Day parade. The weather was perfect, as the clouds lingered in the morning making the parade cool-weathered. Every year they have a great airplane show and a F15 fighter plane even flies overhead, so the clouds made the airplanes easier to see this year as the sun wasn't blinding everyone.

Papa and Sherrill met us at the parade and so we got to enjoy it with them, which was nice. They were in town for just a short trip as they were attending a wedding Saturday. After the parade we went to the park for picnic, booths, and patriotic music entertainment. The sun was out by this point, so we only stayed a short while. Griffin was a bit overexposed to stimuli and was ready for a quiet nap.

Nate marinated chicken and veggies, and together we all put skewers together for Friday nights' BBQ. The neighbors came over, as did my sister in law and my neices. We had a great time BBQ'ing and chatting. Laughing and joking always make its way into our house so there was lots of that going on as well. The kids played and had a really great time. By nightfall it was time to start lighting off our fireworks, just in time for Papa and Sherrill to show up for fireworks. All the neighbors were home this holiday so the cul-de-sac was filled with multiple fireworks and families. It was fun. My house is centered perfectly for the community fireworks that are lit off in the highschool field. It is located right behind my neighbors' backyard so we all sit in our front yards in our neighborhood as we have the best seats in town. Griffin, thankfully, was in bed by 7:30 and slept through all the fireworks. Bailey was just as freaked out this year, despite tranquilizers. (Side note: Thursday night while shopping for fireworks, she was in the backyard when someone lit off some loud ones, she tore the gate down and high-tailed it down our street before some neighbors rounded her up).

Saturday Jenn and I had a nice lunch in town and then headed to a movie. The Strangers is the scariest movie I have ever seen. What makes it terrifying is the pure suspense that is tied into this movie. Just thinking of being trapped in a house while people were trying to get at me is horrifying. But to see it ... well. And even though it's a movie, it's still scary!

Jenn took this picture, as Maysen wanted "New ears". Well ... doesn't he look like something out of Lord of the Rings? It amazes me everytime my sister comes, what an electric relationship she has with Maysen. He will talk about her until blue in the face, and when she comes it's the best thing in the world. He'll drag her all over the backyard, eats with her, wants to pee with her, and God forbid we try and leave. Melt Down City! Jenn has to make promises to that kid so that he'll calm down and it usually involves swinging, chase, and other varieties of crap Nate and I are tired of. She loves it, he loves it, so we're all good to go. When she left, he came home and said, "AUUUNNTTTIIIEEEE, where ARRREEEEE YOUUUUUU?" I had to inform him that she went home. He looked sad, then a new hope overcame him when he saw the new lotion I had just bought. "Mom," he says, "You're just teasing .... this is Auntie's lotion!!!". That was yet, another let down. She'll see him in just a few more weeks when she comes to town for my bday!!!

With Maysen we waited until he was 1yr before giving sugars. That's all a hoax. Griffin had ice cream for the first time this past week. I thought he'd wonder what in the heck this stuff was, but he ate it like he had eaten it his whole life, and none too happy when we took it away. In reality all we did was let him suck a little off Nate's cone.

Saturday night we had a fire with Jenn and cooked s'mores. Something about campfire, s'mores, and being blasted in the face with firesmoke no matter how many times you move is just great! It was a blast. Reminded me of home and times at the lake.

Sunday night around 1am I started having some abdominal pain. Nate had made plans for the day Sunday so gracefully the boys went elsewhere so I could rest for the day. And it was a good thing. By 2pm Sunday I was in so much pain I was fearful I would have to find someone to take me to the ER. My abdominal pain had radiated into my back and although I have never been in labor (thanks to Drive-Thru C-sections) I could have sworn I was in labor. After 800mg of Ibuprofen, a hot bath, and a 3hr nap, I felt better when I woke up. I was nauseated but at least the pain was gone. As of today, I'm all better with the exception of a massive headache. I see my doctor on Wednesday to f/u with my plantar fasciitis so I'll be talking with her about this then. Of course between now and then, Nurse Leslie has a laundry list of self-diagnoses from 1) just a bug to 48985) gall/kidney stones?

And with that, it's bathtime. I think this is enough to digest for now.