Monday, November 30, 2009

Back to the Dr for Nathan

Took Nathan back to Urgent care last night - more steroids were given. They are helping. He has a secondary infection now. He had a rough night but his breathing was good enough to not go back to the ER. Keeping you posted.

How do you get on the naughty list?

Recently Caleb,while clearing his plate and cup from the dinner table, sloppily dropped his plate into the sink breaking one of the plates.

1 day later while fooling around in the bathroom (he was supposed to be brushing his teeth) he dropped and broke my q-tip holder. "I was looking at it because it was sooooooo beautiful - and I dropped it in the sink. It broke."

Now fast forward 1 more day. Out of the blue Caleb is thinking about Christmas and asks. "Mom, how do you get on the naughty list?"

I can't help myself and say: "Well, by doing naughty things like being sassy or breaking your moms things."

You should have seen the eye brows go up! HA if you can't mess with you kids then there is no fun to life.

Of course I told him I was kidding. Then he said "Mom, that is not funny!"
It was to me.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

911 emergency

Out of nowhere last night Nathan got slammed with a rapid progressing case of Croup.

At 7 pm he began to sound like he was congested. Ok a cold coming on, I thought - 'tis the season you know.

By 9:30PM we had the vaporizer going and a baby sleeping upright on my lap on the couch.

By 1:30AM his breathing was so laborious, his heart was racing and he had a fever of 100.

We called the on-call pediatrician. Who at first was not the least bit alarmed until I told him Nathans Aortic Valve stenosis issues. In about 10 seconds our conversation went from "get him in a bathroom with steam" to " Hang up and call 911". Which we did. His heart rates were sky high and his blood pressure wasn't good either.

Hence our first speedy trip to UW Children's Hospital ER via ambulance.

Nathan was not responding to his medicine in a positive way so he was admitted to be monitored and given steroids and epinephrine at regular intervals.

Please pray for him as he may not have seen the worst of it.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Cleaning up our language

I can't believe I did it , but it is true.

I washed David's mouth out with soap.

Since he has been back at school he gets to hear all kinds of terrible stuff.
Now for the last few weeks we have been hearing some not so nice stuff come out of his mouth.

"My teacher is an idiot." (his teacher is wonderful!)
"Oh crap."
" You're a patoutskie."
" Wiener face."
Things like that, not swear words - true, but certainly not the garbage I am going to allow David to say (and Caleb and Nathan who genuinely think it is hilarious.)

John and I have had multiply discussions over this behavior with David and have tried to help him see the "heart behind the action " behavior here. We have talked to him about how the garbage he is putting in his head at school, in the playground, and the kids he sits with at lunch (it is assigned seating) , is causing garbage to come out his mouth. He flat out told me which kids it is coming from, so I know he is recognizing it, as it is happening. We have talked about what to do in order to prevent ourselves from being influenced by this garbage and that it is not acceptable to be swayed into this type of behavior.

He agrees, but it continues to reoccur. So in an effort to make this lesson memorable - I conclude we must make it uncomfortable.

So I washed his mouth out with soap after the last occurrence. (Which was on the way home from CHURCH no less.)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Full Moon?

Is it a full moon or what? 'Seems like we are getting hit from all sides lately.

Thank goodness we went away for our anniversary because we have been PAYING for it in many ways since then. It has only been 5 weeks since back and these are the highlights.

Got home from vacation and kids were sick. H1N1 was found in one of the boys our kids stayed with while gone. Took 2 weeks + to get over that. Nathan was the only one who didn't get it - Praise the Lord, I always worry about him and his heart being vulnerable.

Our dishwasher stopped working. Repair bill. $100

Unexpected dental bill for Jenny - my portion $70 thank goodness we have dental insurance.

Johns cell phone literally broke in 2 pieces - new phone $68 - good deal on EBAY

Johns car needed a $400+ exhaust.

The toilet (which is only 1 year old and the second most expensive model) won't flush properly. Haven't spent money here yet - except in the upcoming water bill which is already ridiculous in my opinion.

The 1 year old back door handle got broken 2 days ago. aurggh - can't have anything nice!

Our tenants were 13 days late on rent. This never happens - we have THE BEST people in there.

The refrigerator door is broken - like don't let the kids open the door broken - we have to buy a new door for our 7 year old side by side - repair guy comes again says it takes 2 weeks to order - can't fix the current one as components inside the door are broke - hope it stays together because I have THANKSGIVING dinner in there, for goodness sake. New fridge $800 min - repair $500. Went to American to look at scratch and dents - no help there - getting the fridge fixed - sigh

We sign up for YMCA for something to do in winter. 1st day - 40 minutes after paying $, Caleb slips and falls and gets a concussion - vomit and the whole nine yards. Stellar.

Both John and I get some sort of stomach - dizzy sickness that last a day.

Someone steals our Baseball Tee (Nathans FAVORITE toy) and our wheelbarrow toy from our outside playhouse in our backyard. Who did that? I shake my fist at you!


'Have a sleepover and 2 of the 5 kids pee in the sleeping bag and all over the Futon and the ONLY pillow that has no plastic cover. Then leave pee clothes on the carpet. Ok now I need to steam clean the floor, somehow clean the futon, and do 2 more loads of laundry. Glad it was fun for the kids.

So today's devotional verse for me was really a good one. I am indeed thankful that we can actually handle all of these items without me going back to work or taking out a loan or pulling out a credit card. But there are a lot of other places I would have liked to see that money go, like Christmas.

The verse for me today was:

Psalm 100: 4-5
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise :
give thanks to Him and praise His name,
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever.
His faithfulness continues thru all generations.

What a good one as thanksgiving approaches. Our house in not in foreclosure (we have a few on our block), John is still working despite all the cuts at his employer, I can still stay home with my preschoolers, and our family is filled with love. We know our security is in the Lord as we have built our house on His firm foundation and His love endures forever.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Nathan's bedtime tonight

Just a quick post - Putting Nathan to bed tonight was so cute. He is speaking in full sentences much of the time now so this short baby like conversation was precious to me.

As I was reading him his bedtime bible story we notice 2 beetle bugs flying into his light. They are making a clink clink clink sound as they bounce around in the glass light cover.

Nathan hears them:"Huh! Bugs!" raised eyebrows
Me: "Yup, beetle bugs, they like the light"
Nathan: "GET ME!" back straight - eyes wide- hands over mouth
Me" No, they won't get you"
Nathan " GET YOU!"
Me" No they won't get me either"
Me:" Let's turn the light off"
Nathan: "O TAY"
Nathan: "not hurt me." statement with a shaking head as if he needed to convince me
Me:"Nope, Nathan they won't hurt you"
Nathan:" Not hurt you." statement
Me: "Nope, not hurt me either"
Nathan: "O TAY - 'Night" closes eyes to go to sleep

Solves that - It happened in about 15 seconds but it was just one of those great mom moments that you are so thankful to experience. Childlike faith - good lesson.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Happy Halloween












Happy Halloween from our 3 action figures:

David Transformers Bumblebee

Caleb Venom (Spiderman villian)
Nathan Batman

Nathan did not say trick or treat until about the 5th house. That is when he realized if he held his bag out candy would be dropped in. By then all he would say was "treat" and smile real big and say "Tank OOH" (thank you for those who don't speak toddler)