Well almost a year has passed since Ethan was ripped from my womb. Sounds harsh doesn't it? But truly with a c-section that's kind of how it feels. The boy is about to turn one, well in a couple weeks that is. However I have birthday fever, and a planning I will go.
We have his birthday party planned for May 4th and Grandma and Grandpa R will be flying into town to join the festivities. How fun to have G and G R in town for the big B’Day party. I can't help but wonder how Skylar is going to handle Ethan having presents to open and not her. I'm not a huge believer in bringing the sibling a present to the party so they don't feel left out, honestly I find that ridiculous. But each to their own, Skylar will just have to realise her day is coming and this is Ethan's big day. Now I will encourage them to share the new toys of course. And even if Ethan won't share Skylar will rip it out of his hands or put it out of reach or run off with it anyway. So goes having an older sister I guess.
So the guests, all of our wonderful friends will be in attendance and the menu is planned. The cake will be a doggie cake that I will carefully hand-craft to look just like the picture in the recipe. Yeah right!!! Who am I kidding? It will be a cake with a jumbled mess of frosting that vaguely resembles a dog, road-kill perhaps but a dog nonetheless. And the guests will have to be told that it’s a “doggie” and then of course they will all have to compliment me on my Martha Stewart like prowess, even though none of them believe it for one second. This is why we have friends, they lie to us to make us feel better about ourselves. I love my friends and am very blessed to have each one of them in my life.
The sun has been shining down on us brightly the past few days, as the Winter dullness makes way for Spring sunshine I feel a shift in the mood. I love this time of year, I get to celebrate my babies, a birthday in May and one in June. Bring it on Summer, we are ready for days filled with laughter, bubbles and general shenanigans. I am not ready for a swimsuit, but that's an entirely different blog.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Close Encounters of the Excremental Kind...stay with me here
This is not for those with weak stomachs, or for those who don't enjoy poop-talk. It's been a week from...well instead perhaps I should say, and quite appropriately so, it's been a shitty week.
The week started out with Daisy (furry kid with the herniated disc) having terrible problems with her stomach. I started out Tuesday morning by giving her a bath, and then ended the day with giving her a bath. Three baths and about four spray downs later, Tuesday was done. That was just the dog.
Ethan, same problem, only in addition to the constant liquid poop, he also has a double ear-infection and two top teeth that are taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R to come through and of course a good old fashioned diaper rash that is so bad he could barely sit down. The boy clings to me like a tree-monkey. So as a result Tuesday night yielded no sleep for me (are you starting to see a theme here?) and Wednedsay morning I decided to stay home and take care of my boy and help him heal. Well it worked. He is on the mend and had a great nights sleep last night.
But, still, I am not done. So Ethan is sleeping and relatively pain free, Daisy has eaten a half can of pumpkin pie filling (who woulda thunk!) and that leaves Skylar. Well in true form, things can't run smooth, there will be no 8 hours of sleep in my house, no way, no how. She starts coughing, coughing leads to gagging, gagging leads to puking. Of course...why not right! So goes the rest of the night, a couple pjamas and a few changes of bedding later. And yes I had to clean the carpet, which by the way, I just steam cleaned on Saturday. Then I had to scrub the bathroom floor. My knees smelt like puke, my knees people. Hard labourous scrubbing = puke knees. I love my life!
Tonight, I'm drinking, heavily! Oh how I wish. Tonight, in reality I'll be doing the 5 loads of laundry that one day brings.
Do you all feel sorry for me yet?
The week started out with Daisy (furry kid with the herniated disc) having terrible problems with her stomach. I started out Tuesday morning by giving her a bath, and then ended the day with giving her a bath. Three baths and about four spray downs later, Tuesday was done. That was just the dog.
Ethan, same problem, only in addition to the constant liquid poop, he also has a double ear-infection and two top teeth that are taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R to come through and of course a good old fashioned diaper rash that is so bad he could barely sit down. The boy clings to me like a tree-monkey. So as a result Tuesday night yielded no sleep for me (are you starting to see a theme here?) and Wednedsay morning I decided to stay home and take care of my boy and help him heal. Well it worked. He is on the mend and had a great nights sleep last night.
But, still, I am not done. So Ethan is sleeping and relatively pain free, Daisy has eaten a half can of pumpkin pie filling (who woulda thunk!) and that leaves Skylar. Well in true form, things can't run smooth, there will be no 8 hours of sleep in my house, no way, no how. She starts coughing, coughing leads to gagging, gagging leads to puking. Of course...why not right! So goes the rest of the night, a couple pjamas and a few changes of bedding later. And yes I had to clean the carpet, which by the way, I just steam cleaned on Saturday. Then I had to scrub the bathroom floor. My knees smelt like puke, my knees people. Hard labourous scrubbing = puke knees. I love my life!
Tonight, I'm drinking, heavily! Oh how I wish. Tonight, in reality I'll be doing the 5 loads of laundry that one day brings.
Do you all feel sorry for me yet?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Will I Ever Sleep Again?
This is a question I have been asking myself a lot lately. It seems that sleep is something from the past, much like most of all the other activities I once enjoyed. Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge having my children that resulted in my altered lifestyle, but I sure wish these babies that turned me into a home body would just lie down and go sleep, for say, oh ten or twelve hours at once. I have worn a pathway in my carpet from my room to theirs, hour after hour tending to one, or the other, or even both at times. Ethan is teething, Skylar has nightmares. I understand, truly I do, well I do when it's 8am and I'm supposed to be awake, I do not when it's 2am and I'm supposed to be asleep.
I look at sleep like it was once my most passionate lover, always left me feeling amazing. We have since parted ways and I'm left with nothing but the memories of euphoria that I once felt.
I'm feeling exceptionally whiney this morning, perhaps it's because...ummm, let's see...that's right, it's because I had NO SLEEP. Bingo!
So in toddler news Skylar cracks me up these days. She relays stories about kids at her daycare that go something like this. Me: "So how was your day today sweetie?" Skylar: "Good. Blake pooped his pants.” Oh so matter-of-factly. I love it.
Skylar also likes to tell me what Ethan wants or needs. For example, he wants cheese, or he's crying because he wants me, that he is stinky. She also likes to tell on him when he is about to get into some mischief you know she is dying to partake in but instead rats him out. I can't wait to hear their first conversation. It's going to be a good one.
I want to end on this note. I'm so grateful for my family, my husband and my two beautiful children. I hope some day when I have slept you will all feel the same way about me.
I look at sleep like it was once my most passionate lover, always left me feeling amazing. We have since parted ways and I'm left with nothing but the memories of euphoria that I once felt.
I'm feeling exceptionally whiney this morning, perhaps it's because...ummm, let's see...that's right, it's because I had NO SLEEP. Bingo!
So in toddler news Skylar cracks me up these days. She relays stories about kids at her daycare that go something like this. Me: "So how was your day today sweetie?" Skylar: "Good. Blake pooped his pants.” Oh so matter-of-factly. I love it.
Skylar also likes to tell me what Ethan wants or needs. For example, he wants cheese, or he's crying because he wants me, that he is stinky. She also likes to tell on him when he is about to get into some mischief you know she is dying to partake in but instead rats him out. I can't wait to hear their first conversation. It's going to be a good one.
I want to end on this note. I'm so grateful for my family, my husband and my two beautiful children. I hope some day when I have slept you will all feel the same way about me.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Furry Kids
Yes, in addition to the two human children I also have three furry ones. We had four until last November when we lost one of our kitties to a Lily! It was a sad time and we still can't believe the manner in which he went out.
It's been a bad time for the kids of the furry kind in our house as of late. Upon our return trip from Africa we came home to our one dog with a herniated disc, some steep medical bills from emergency room visits and a $4500.00 - $7000.00 quote for a surgery. Fun times, fun times!!!
Firstly, what?? $7000.00?? It didn't even cost me that much to have two kids by c-section. Anyhoo, in my quest to find an alternative to the surgery I found a doc who does acupuncture and holistic healing in a small mountain town about an hour from here. Well after the consult I was given an 80% chance of a full recovery for my pooch. What a relief. Now I know it sounds a little quirky, but I'm willing to give it a shot and see where it takes me. I can't help but have faith in the methods of the madness.
It's been a bad time for the kids of the furry kind in our house as of late. Upon our return trip from Africa we came home to our one dog with a herniated disc, some steep medical bills from emergency room visits and a $4500.00 - $7000.00 quote for a surgery. Fun times, fun times!!!
Firstly, what?? $7000.00?? It didn't even cost me that much to have two kids by c-section. Anyhoo, in my quest to find an alternative to the surgery I found a doc who does acupuncture and holistic healing in a small mountain town about an hour from here. Well after the consult I was given an 80% chance of a full recovery for my pooch. What a relief. Now I know it sounds a little quirky, but I'm willing to give it a shot and see where it takes me. I can't help but have faith in the methods of the madness.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Are we there yet??
Well it's Thursday morning, I think, although I'm not entirely sure I know what day it is, where I am, or why Ethan's cries are still ringing in my head from yesterday. All I do know at this point is, I'm at work staring at my computer in a half daze wondering what it is I need to do next. Now...what was I doing? Oh yeah!
The trip was fantastic. Going home is always such a wonderful thing for me, it reminds me of who I am and where I came from and how lucky I am to have the things I have. We drove through some truly depressing parts where you can't even imagine people live. It always humbles me. I go back and have to set my clock to South African time, which means everything takes forever, the food, the driving, and the washing to dry on the line. The thing with this is, I have noticed that on African time I seem less stressed, less rushed and less angry. It feels as though there is more time in the day and not so much pressure to cram a busy day into 10 hours. The kids played and laughed and had fun, Skylar didn't miss TV, she loved the beach and playing outside, and she swam and laughed and glowed. Ethan learnt to pull himself up on everything and how to get dirty. He smiles and waves bye-bye to everyone; he got so much attention and love he was exploding with happiness. We took time to be a family, to relax and to have a little fun. It doesn't get much better than that.
On our trip we did have some hiccups, Skylar choked on some meat and I had to give her the Heimlich, Ethan held his breath till he passed out while I frantically ran around the restaurant hysterical, there are many other crazy instances of danger and living on the edge, almost too many to list, but we made it. Skylar learnt that in the vast expanses of African bush that the need for a potty break simply means pull off the road and go, she loved the idea and it's as if she waited to have to go until we were surrounded by miles of nothing just so she could experience the freedom of bush-peeing. And then on one occasion on a drive through the game park she was laughing so hard she peed her pants and continued to laugh even harder. I think laughing that hard pardons any potty accident, I wish we all laughed so hard we pee our pants. It's good for the heart!
On this trip, we have built relationships, renewed old friendships, fallen in love and learnt that nothing should ever be taken for granted.
Things that I learnt to not take for granted:
Electricity (due to load shedding)
Hot water (see above)
Pot-hole free roads
That someone won't overtake on a blind rise and potentially kill you as you approach
Food to arrive within an hour of ordering it
There are a few more things I could add to my list, but it seems unfair, as if I'm complaining. I'm not, I love Africa, it's my home.
I have many more tales from darkest Africa to share, however at this time I find myself staring blankly at my screen again. I wish the screams of my overtired, exhausted child will stop in my head. Did I mention that he cried all the way from JFK to Denver, no nipple in the world could pacify him. The lady in front of us was clearly not a "baby person" and her hatred was felt with every nasty stare and huff and puff. I wanted to speak, I wanted to ask her if she had a problem with my screaming child, I wanted to scold her for being so insensitive, but my efforts would have been lost on her. I'm not sure we'll be friends, but I do hope that she still has my child’s screams in her head today too. Ahh yes, how does that slogan go..."fly the friendly skies", this does not apply to you my dear friend in seat 8F. May the screams of my child and the whining of my daughter forever be with you.
The trip was fantastic. Going home is always such a wonderful thing for me, it reminds me of who I am and where I came from and how lucky I am to have the things I have. We drove through some truly depressing parts where you can't even imagine people live. It always humbles me. I go back and have to set my clock to South African time, which means everything takes forever, the food, the driving, and the washing to dry on the line. The thing with this is, I have noticed that on African time I seem less stressed, less rushed and less angry. It feels as though there is more time in the day and not so much pressure to cram a busy day into 10 hours. The kids played and laughed and had fun, Skylar didn't miss TV, she loved the beach and playing outside, and she swam and laughed and glowed. Ethan learnt to pull himself up on everything and how to get dirty. He smiles and waves bye-bye to everyone; he got so much attention and love he was exploding with happiness. We took time to be a family, to relax and to have a little fun. It doesn't get much better than that.
On our trip we did have some hiccups, Skylar choked on some meat and I had to give her the Heimlich, Ethan held his breath till he passed out while I frantically ran around the restaurant hysterical, there are many other crazy instances of danger and living on the edge, almost too many to list, but we made it. Skylar learnt that in the vast expanses of African bush that the need for a potty break simply means pull off the road and go, she loved the idea and it's as if she waited to have to go until we were surrounded by miles of nothing just so she could experience the freedom of bush-peeing. And then on one occasion on a drive through the game park she was laughing so hard she peed her pants and continued to laugh even harder. I think laughing that hard pardons any potty accident, I wish we all laughed so hard we pee our pants. It's good for the heart!
On this trip, we have built relationships, renewed old friendships, fallen in love and learnt that nothing should ever be taken for granted.
Things that I learnt to not take for granted:
Electricity (due to load shedding)
Hot water (see above)
Pot-hole free roads
That someone won't overtake on a blind rise and potentially kill you as you approach
Food to arrive within an hour of ordering it
There are a few more things I could add to my list, but it seems unfair, as if I'm complaining. I'm not, I love Africa, it's my home.
I have many more tales from darkest Africa to share, however at this time I find myself staring blankly at my screen again. I wish the screams of my overtired, exhausted child will stop in my head. Did I mention that he cried all the way from JFK to Denver, no nipple in the world could pacify him. The lady in front of us was clearly not a "baby person" and her hatred was felt with every nasty stare and huff and puff. I wanted to speak, I wanted to ask her if she had a problem with my screaming child, I wanted to scold her for being so insensitive, but my efforts would have been lost on her. I'm not sure we'll be friends, but I do hope that she still has my child’s screams in her head today too. Ahh yes, how does that slogan go..."fly the friendly skies", this does not apply to you my dear friend in seat 8F. May the screams of my child and the whining of my daughter forever be with you.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Well we have safely landed in SA but it's been quite the trip. First of course we had to take the midnight flight from Denver to JFK and spend the day in New York, that part of the trip was easy and quite painless. Then we boarded the flight from JFK to Johannesburg and it was a long, long plane ride. Skylar had been so excited about the trip but even to her the long haul got a bit much, about 10 hours into it she looks up at me from her seat, barely keeping her eyes open and says: "Mommy, I don't want to go to Attica anymore". Ha, poor baby, she was so exhausted. But between the two of them I can't complain, they were incredibly good and made the trip pretty stress free.
Since we have been here the kids have been having so much fun. Africa, I do love coming home. Makes me feel like a kid all over again too.
Ethan has developed and ear infection, took him to the doc today, I'm still amazed at how the trip to the doc and the prescription cost me less here than it would in the USA with insurance. Boggles the mind.
Johannesburg INTL, gave us an unregistered car rental, nice, so I come out of the store and sure enough I have a R600.00 ticket for not displaying a valid registration. Honestly, how can you screw up something like that? Anyway all taken care of and we now have a spanky new car that doesn't smell like cat pee.
I have had little sleep in four days, so as I write this I realise it is probably boring and completely un-funny and who knows if any of it even makes any sense. All I can think of right now though is curling up in my 100 degree room and sweating myself into slumber land, that is for a moment until Ethan wakes up again.
Since we have been here the kids have been having so much fun. Africa, I do love coming home. Makes me feel like a kid all over again too.
Ethan has developed and ear infection, took him to the doc today, I'm still amazed at how the trip to the doc and the prescription cost me less here than it would in the USA with insurance. Boggles the mind.
Johannesburg INTL, gave us an unregistered car rental, nice, so I come out of the store and sure enough I have a R600.00 ticket for not displaying a valid registration. Honestly, how can you screw up something like that? Anyway all taken care of and we now have a spanky new car that doesn't smell like cat pee.
I have had little sleep in four days, so as I write this I realise it is probably boring and completely un-funny and who knows if any of it even makes any sense. All I can think of right now though is curling up in my 100 degree room and sweating myself into slumber land, that is for a moment until Ethan wakes up again.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Random Thoughts
Well here I am again...trouble in slumber land. It's 9:25pm and Skylar is whining about what CD she listens to, it's 9:25pm, at this point I'm ready to throw the CD player through a window. Does it matter if it's Curious George or Mermaid?? I think not! GO TO SLEEP.
Right, onto the next thing. While I was dressing Skylar the other day I had to tackle the tiniest button on her shirt. Honestly, do the people who make childrens clothing not have kids? Have they not ever tried to push a tiny button through a tiny button hole and a wiggly tiny person. Hello folks. I think buttons are a bad idea, period.
While shopping the other weekend, seems I've been doing a lot of this lately, I encountered a very rude mother/child combo. The little girl was sitting in the stroller and as we walked by she made some rude noise at Skylar and took a swipe. I didn't pay too much attention, that is until the Mother started yelling at the cashier and practically threw a pair of pants at her. I was amazed. Now this is my question, is she a bad Mother for passing on her nastiness to her daughter who will probably grow up to be a school yard bully? Or am I the bad Mother because I am ready to throw the CD player through a window, along with the CD's and then lock myself in the bathroom and scream until I am hoarse. Hmmm, it's a tough one isn't it?
Ethan said Mamma today, no really he did! I know he did. He said it because he loves me and doesn't judge me for wanting to throw the stupid CD player through a window.
Well the plan was to pack early so that I had time to take things out and rethink things and all of that good -in-theory kind of stuff. Well the plan was to take two suitcases, now a week later I have three. What the heck happened? I guess the plan backfired, it just gave me more time to remember more crap that I don't need but have to take. Ahh yes, still enjoying the wonders of packing.
I wish all these people with the flu would stay home and stay away from me. I'm taking a trip in two days and I'm paranoid as all get-out that I'll wake up Friday morning with the flu. Stay away people, I don't need to share your ickies!
Right, onto the next thing. While I was dressing Skylar the other day I had to tackle the tiniest button on her shirt. Honestly, do the people who make childrens clothing not have kids? Have they not ever tried to push a tiny button through a tiny button hole and a wiggly tiny person. Hello folks. I think buttons are a bad idea, period.
While shopping the other weekend, seems I've been doing a lot of this lately, I encountered a very rude mother/child combo. The little girl was sitting in the stroller and as we walked by she made some rude noise at Skylar and took a swipe. I didn't pay too much attention, that is until the Mother started yelling at the cashier and practically threw a pair of pants at her. I was amazed. Now this is my question, is she a bad Mother for passing on her nastiness to her daughter who will probably grow up to be a school yard bully? Or am I the bad Mother because I am ready to throw the CD player through a window, along with the CD's and then lock myself in the bathroom and scream until I am hoarse. Hmmm, it's a tough one isn't it?
Ethan said Mamma today, no really he did! I know he did. He said it because he loves me and doesn't judge me for wanting to throw the stupid CD player through a window.
Well the plan was to pack early so that I had time to take things out and rethink things and all of that good -in-theory kind of stuff. Well the plan was to take two suitcases, now a week later I have three. What the heck happened? I guess the plan backfired, it just gave me more time to remember more crap that I don't need but have to take. Ahh yes, still enjoying the wonders of packing.
I wish all these people with the flu would stay home and stay away from me. I'm taking a trip in two days and I'm paranoid as all get-out that I'll wake up Friday morning with the flu. Stay away people, I don't need to share your ickies!
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