Happy 8th Birthday Evan!

I know that this is such a cliche, but I really did blink and all of a sudden my toddler is and 8 year old wearing deodorant! How did he get to be this big? I don't know if it is the hectic schedule kids have once they hit school age, but I really feel like once Evan entered Kindergarten we have been flying through his life at warp speed. I try so much to stop and treasure little moments with him, but the more people we add to this crazy family, the harder it gets! Maybe that is the difference too...for so long it was just me and Ev, and I could concentrate all of my energy on him.

Anyway, he has a big weekend planned for himself! Today (his actual birthday) we are having what we call a "campout" in our family. Of course, with me as his mother, this does not actually involve sleeping outdoors or bugs of any kind. We set up in the living room with a good movie, some popcorn, and the dog...and we just have fun spending time together. Then we get to have a sleepover in mom and dad's room, which is a treat for Evan. Tomorrow we are having family over to celebrate (not enough energy or funds for a friend party this year!!). The big event there will be that his Grandma Liem and Grandpa Marvin (Dan's parents) will be coming over. Evan has not seen them in 2 years, and he is so excited. I hope that they are too. He is really looking forward to having everyone over and his birthday dinner for which he picked fried chicken, scalloped potatoes, and peas. (That's right! My kid LOVES peas!)

It's nice to end our sad, stressful week on a high note. Charlie stayed home from school again on Tuesday (this time with Jeff) after being diagnosed by the doctor with a sinus infection and bronchitis. They increased his asthma medications, and put him on his third broad spectrum antibiotic in only 6 weeks. We have to give him this special medicine called Culterelle once a day to help prevent cholitis because of this. I guess the antibiotics have killed off all of the good bacteria in his intestines, and he is at risk for bloody diarrhea. Would it be too much to ask for Sam to be born with good health???

On Monday afternoon, we did put Tekla, our sweet dog, to sleep. Trudy's vet provides an awesome service where they will come out to your home to do this, so that the dog can be at home, and comfortable through the whole thing. So, we picked out her favorite spot in the family room, and I held her while she died. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life. Afterwards, the vet quietly let himself out of the house, and we were able to have a lot of time with her before we buried her, which helped everyone. I think my parent's were shocked by how much they are grieving. My dad keeps saying he can't believe how much he loved and is missing her. She was such a smart, sweet little girl. We will miss her always.

Then on Wednesday, my dad's Aunt Ceil passed away unexpectedly. She was the closest sibling to my Grandma Sophie, and so close to all of us. My poor father!! It's been a sad week for everyone. So, having Evan's birthday today has been a welcome relief.

It's Just Not Right

I've just finished watching an episode of Sesame Street with Charlie. I have been absent from this show for awhile, but I never thought things could have degraded this much in the 4 years since I have been a regular viewer. Cookie Monster was the star of one of the "skits" and he was eating a bowl of fruit!!! Granted, he did eat a cookie for desert, but really. Does everything have to be so politically correct? I want my good old fashioned Sesame Street from the 70s where it was okay for Bert and Ernie to live together, nobody but Big Bird could see Mr. Snuffleupagus, there was no goofy red monster named Elmo who was checking his email, and Cookie Monster ate COOKIES!!!

Weekend From Hell

I have just had the WORST weekend. It all actually started before the weekend on Thursday afternoon. When I picked up Charlie from daycare, he was pretty congested in his chest, and that night had a pretty scary asthma attack. Since he had no other symptoms, I assumed it was purely his asthma that was bothering him. By Friday morning he was running a low grade temp (not high enough to stay home from daycare) and he had a strange rash on his cheeks. Not seeing anything else wrong with him, I took him to school since I had a conference to attend. My mom was sick and gone from work that day with pink eye, but I told the other workers there that he did have a low grade temp, I showed them the rash, and I said if ANYTHING seems weird, or if his temp goes up, call me and I will come get him. They didn't, but nonetheless by the time I picked him up he had a temp of 101.5. (Made me realize how nice it is to have my mom the nurse there!!!) He proceeded to get worse all day Saturday until 11:00 when we progressed to the "I am so miserable all I can do is scream" stage. His fever was 102, he had thick green snot, his cheeks were so irritated they were bleeding in places, and he had a constant cough that was affecting his asthma. He literally didn't sleep Saturday night, or at all during the day Sunday, which of course means I didn't either. Too top it off, on Sunday I started running a fever too, and today I feel like crap. So Charlie and I are both home from school today (so much for not using up my leave days before Sam is born). The thing that really scares me is I can't get him to drink more than a couple swallows at a time, and yesterday he only had 2 wet diapers. We are going in to the doctor at 1:15. Then, to top of my day, Tekla (my parent's dog) is being put to sleep this afternoon. At least Charlie has finally given in, and is now taking a nap. I think I will go take one too.

Week 30 Appointment

I went in yesterday afternoon for my 30 week appointment. As I was driving home, I was thinking about how much more I wrote about Charlie in my blog when I was pregnant with him, and how I excitedly posted tummy pictures and talked about how excited we were. I decided it was time to stop giving poor Same the short end of the stick. I need to somehow stop being terrified of this poor little boy and get excited, so this blog entry is my first step.

The good news we heard yesterday was that Sam has finally flipped head down after many weeks of standing on my head at night before bed (I swear that neither Charlie or Sam will ever be able to repay me for what I have gone through to bring them into the world!) This is awesome, because it means no c-section for a breach baby (at least for now...his size which is already estimated at 6 1/2 pounds could do the trick later). The bad news is that Sam is so far head down he has already engaged in my pelvis, and his head is pushing on my cervic (Sorry Adam, I know you are blanching and screaming TMI!!) They are worried I am going to start dialating, and they think this is why I have been having so many contractions. She looked at me and said, "Now don't laugh when I tell you this, but you need to be off your feet for at least an hour a day!" At which point I laughed and cried, because a) I teach 30 six year olds on my feet all day long, and b) Charlie my precocious 9 month old is well on his way to taking his first steps. (He is cruising around furniture, loves walker toys, and is trying to stand independently in the middle of the room). I have 9 weeks to go, while putting my feet up? Not likely.

Other than that, everything looks very healthy and is progressing nicely!!! He is a big boy with a heart rate of 133. The wallpaper should be here soon, so I am excited to finish the nursery for my two baby boys.

Baby Progress and Dumb Priests

I have to rant about my church experience on Saturday. I was scheduled to help with Communion on Saturday and Jeff was out of town, so my mom met me at church and watched Charlie while I helped out. They were sitting in the back row, and Charlie had a very small toy that happened to have a VERY quiet rattle in it (actually the indsides of the toy are broken so it is very quiet, but it's his favorite so he can't live without it). He was happy, being quiet, and simply chewing on his toy. As the priest was waiting with the processional to enter church while the announcements were being read, he walked up to my mom, told her to take his toy away, and not let him play with anything during church. A 9 MONTH OLD BABY!!!! WHO WAS SITTING QUIETLY NOT MAKING A SOUND!!! Then, to top it all off, he proceeded to give a sermon on being pro-life, after making a family with a baby feel unwelcome at church!!!! Would Jesus have said that to my mom? I DON'T THINK SO!!! My Mom was livid,and will not be coming back to our parish. I am having second thoughts myself. THIS is why priests should be married, and have kids. They have no idea how to relate, and certainly this one does not know how to create a pro-life atmosphere. GRRRRR.

So, still riding on adrenaline from the previous night, I decided to attack Charlie and Sam's room. I picked out wallpaper, ordered it, and then bought paint. My saint of a dad came over and painted the ceiling and walls for me, and we will put up the wallpaper next weekend when it comes in. Scarily enough, I only have 10 weeks left before Sam is born. I need to start getting to those last minute details. Sadly, the monkeys were discontinued from Charlie's first, very cute room. I am keeping the new theme a secret until it is finished, and then I will post a picture. It is adorable! I can't wait to see the finished product!!!