It's been so long, it's hard to know where to begin.
We had a great time in Chicago and the kids were really great, especially considering the disruption in their normal sleep patterns. I was there for work (a class) and George and the girls were there for fun. The best part of the trip was that on Wednesday of the week we were there, George's brother Jake and his wife Leslie and their son Thomas joined us there. They live in Pittsburgh. It was really great to get to spend time with them. It had been a long time since I'd been to Chicago. It's really a great city to visit and we had a great time.
On the home front, things are just plugging along this summer. What with the trip, and some CLEs I had to attend the following week and a sick baby, I've hardly been in the office at all. The break was nice.
I was feeling a bit sick one day last week and stayed home. I've been needing to go to my doctor's to have my thyroid and cholesterol levels checked and hadn't been able to find the time (especially since the cholesterol has to be a fasting test) so I went that day. Anyway, I asked the nurse to check my vitamin D since after I had the mega dose of it before, the pain I've been having in my feet for over a year now seemed better. I guess they decided to also check my rheumatoid factor, a diagnostic test for rheumatoid arthritis because I got a call from them last Friday telling me that my RF level was 34 (above 20 is high) and referring me to a rheumatologist for more testing.
I have to say that while it's a little depressing to find out I most likely have an autoimmune disease that will be with me for the rest of my life, I really wasn't all that surprised. In fact, when I thought about it, it really made a lot of sense, especially after consulting Dr. Google about the disease. For the last probably 12 or 13 years I have often woken up with warm, slightly sore hands. Actually sore is not really the best adjective. Stiff is better. Add to that the foot pain, and the knee problems I had earlier this year and it makes a lot of sense. I really just thought they were all separate issues, and I didn't really realize that rheumatoid arthritis causes stiffness as well as pain. I just didn't know much about it. I just thought I was getting older and that's what happens when you get older.
It's not that I feel a lot of pain right now. I know there are so many people out there who have rheumatoid arthritis who are in a lot of pain. The photos you can find on the internet of people with severely disfigured hands scare me a bit, but generally I believe that although I will probably have some times in my life when the pain is fairly bad, the treatments for RA today are much better than in the past, and that I will probably not wind up in a terrible condition. I look forward to visiting the rheumatologist and getting on some medications that will help me, and keep my joints from sustaining permanent damage. Another symptom of RA for many people is tiredness. I think I have some of that too. I am tired a lot, especially after a work day, but not tired in a sleepy sense, but rather in the sense of just not wanting to move or do anything. Hopefully meds will help with that as well.
Unfortunately, my appointment with the rheumatologist is not until August 21! I'm on the waiting list for a cancellation, but that probably won't help. Sigh.
7/09/2009
18 Month Stats
I took Lindley in for her 18 month checkup yesterday. Two shots, poor sweetpea! Here are her stats:
Height 33 1/4" - 90th percentile
Weight 25 lbs 4 oz - 65th percentile
Head 19" - 90th percentile
and Madeline's at the same age:
Height 33 3/4" - 95th percentile
Weight 27 lbs 12 oz! - 88th percentile
Height 33 1/4" - 90th percentile
Weight 25 lbs 4 oz - 65th percentile
Head 19" - 90th percentile
and Madeline's at the same age:
Height 33 3/4" - 95th percentile
Weight 27 lbs 12 oz! - 88th percentile
6/12/2009
On Our Way
Well, we're off on our vacation! We ended up leaving a little late today, and that combined with some bad weather made for a little change in plans. We were planning on spending the night in Sikeston, Missouri, but decided to just stay in Memphis. It will make for a longer day tomorrow, but it was going to be pretty late night tonight. All I cna say is, I can't wait until this drive is OVER. The girls really were great, but who really wants to spend 9 hours in a car?
6/10/2009
Strep Part Deux
As of Friday, Lindley had strep throat. Apparently it's really unusual in children as small as her. Aren't we lucky. The best part of it was that we found out Friday evening, and George had to work Saturday, so basically the three of us were stuck at home all day Saturday. We made the best of it by playing in our little pool after nap time, but it was not exactly the fun day I had planned!
My other big activity Saturday was removing the tile backsplash in the kitchen in preparation for our new counter installation that will happen today! I am very excited. We have the cheapest, crappiest counters ever, and I say good riddance to them! They are the same ugly tile we have on our kitchen/dining room floor U-G-L-Y. Not that the new ones are fabulous granite or anything like that, but I will just be so happy to have a countertop that does not have grout seams. So happy. Of course, once they are installed, I really will need to get serious about painting the walls and cabinets. Not so fun, but it will be so great once it's all done.
Sunday was much better. We went to the zoo in the morning, and then after naptime we went to the swimming pool, which, by the way, was still a little bit cold. Yikes. Lindley was not a fan of the cold water. She did like the kiddie pool.
This week is a little crazy, preparing for our trip while also getting the new countertops. A little more upheaval at once than I would prefer, but it's all very exciting. I'm pretty excited about our trip, even though I have to sit in a class for several days of it. It will be fun to go somewhere we haven't been together, and there will be so much to do and see.
My other big activity Saturday was removing the tile backsplash in the kitchen in preparation for our new counter installation that will happen today! I am very excited. We have the cheapest, crappiest counters ever, and I say good riddance to them! They are the same ugly tile we have on our kitchen/dining room floor U-G-L-Y. Not that the new ones are fabulous granite or anything like that, but I will just be so happy to have a countertop that does not have grout seams. So happy. Of course, once they are installed, I really will need to get serious about painting the walls and cabinets. Not so fun, but it will be so great once it's all done.
Sunday was much better. We went to the zoo in the morning, and then after naptime we went to the swimming pool, which, by the way, was still a little bit cold. Yikes. Lindley was not a fan of the cold water. She did like the kiddie pool.
This week is a little crazy, preparing for our trip while also getting the new countertops. A little more upheaval at once than I would prefer, but it's all very exciting. I'm pretty excited about our trip, even though I have to sit in a class for several days of it. It will be fun to go somewhere we haven't been together, and there will be so much to do and see.
5/29/2009
Strep
Madeline awoke in the middle of the night with a fever and complaining of a sore throat. I took her to the doctor this morning and she has strep. Apparently for the third time since last September. I waked about her tonsils, and she told me that if a child has strep 5 times in a year, they might need their tonsils out.
5/27/2009
Why is it so hard for me to get on here and write about what is going on with our lives? Another two weeks has gone by without an update from me. Sigh.
Last Wednesday was the highlight of Madeline's short life - her first ballet recital. I have never in my entire life been around so many squealing little girls!
Click here to watch the cuteness. Madeline is the second girl to go.
Really, all the little girls did a great job, and other than the screaming, it was a lot of fun for us to watch her. I think Lindley really liked seeing her sister. Tallgirl tells me that Lindley practically jumped out of George's arms when she saw her sister on stage.
Last weekend was great and terrible. We went home to Kansas to visit family. We had two new little babies to see, and we hadn't been home since last Labor Day. I dreaded the drive all week, and all in all, it wasn't too bad. Still, Lindley is at a really bad age for long car trips. She wants to move, and isn't all that interested in watching tv. She did pretty well, though, and I am proud of both of them. Madeline was up until 11:45 on Friday night (!) - her usual bedtime is 8:00, but she was surprisingly not that unpleasant throughout the trip. I know she had a lot of fun seeing her grandmas and grandpas and most of all her cousins. I think we've decided that from here on out, if we're going to make the long drive, it's going to be for more than a 2 day visit. It's just too much driving for such a short visit, and we never get to see any old friends because we are so busy seeing all our family.
Last Wednesday was the highlight of Madeline's short life - her first ballet recital. I have never in my entire life been around so many squealing little girls!
Click here to watch the cuteness. Madeline is the second girl to go.
Really, all the little girls did a great job, and other than the screaming, it was a lot of fun for us to watch her. I think Lindley really liked seeing her sister. Tallgirl tells me that Lindley practically jumped out of George's arms when she saw her sister on stage.
Last weekend was great and terrible. We went home to Kansas to visit family. We had two new little babies to see, and we hadn't been home since last Labor Day. I dreaded the drive all week, and all in all, it wasn't too bad. Still, Lindley is at a really bad age for long car trips. She wants to move, and isn't all that interested in watching tv. She did pretty well, though, and I am proud of both of them. Madeline was up until 11:45 on Friday night (!) - her usual bedtime is 8:00, but she was surprisingly not that unpleasant throughout the trip. I know she had a lot of fun seeing her grandmas and grandpas and most of all her cousins. I think we've decided that from here on out, if we're going to make the long drive, it's going to be for more than a 2 day visit. It's just too much driving for such a short visit, and we never get to see any old friends because we are so busy seeing all our family.
5/12/2009
So-so Weekend
It was okay. Madeline was having some issues with listening to her Mama and talking back. Add to that the never-ending rain and the fact George had to work Saturday, and it made for just an okay weekend. I think we're all getting a little bit stir crazy what with all the rain. I think we've going about 3 weeks with rain every day. Sigh. I'm definitely not cut out for life in the Pacific Northwest. I just read that Portland averages 151 days of RAIN every year and Seattle gets 150. No thanks. Little Rock has plenty of rainy days at 105. Anyway, enough of that.
George certainly did his best to make Mother's Day nice for me, and I appreciate that. We went out for breakfast and dinner. I got some nice new knives to celebrate the occasion, which is very exciting. You don't realize just how average your knives are until you get nice, new ones.
Sadie did not have a very good Mother's Day. We awoke to find that she had had diarrhea on the dining room floor. That is where her kennel is, and to her credit, it appears she backed her rear end up to the gate of her kennel and did her business to avoid a mess in her kennel. I credit her for that. The cats don't seem to care where they yak up a hairball. They will often do it on the favorite sleeping place. Yuck. So poor George got to clean up that mess and Sadie was sick on and off all day. Poor girl. Madeline kept complaining about how bad the house smelled, and she was right. I can't say exactly when kids start to be bothered by bad smells. Obviously babies don't care because they walk around in their poopy diapers without ever complaining. Maybe it's sometime after potty training?
Yesterday we had a break in the rain during the evening and we went down to the Big Dam Bridge for a walk. The river is pretty high, but it was higher last year for sure. The girls liked getting out for a walk. We went across and back, and I think Madeline ran about 3/4 of the way. Lindley walked the whole way back, which was pretty impressive for such a little kid. She had fun pushing her stroller and hopping on and off the standing board on the back. So cute.
George certainly did his best to make Mother's Day nice for me, and I appreciate that. We went out for breakfast and dinner. I got some nice new knives to celebrate the occasion, which is very exciting. You don't realize just how average your knives are until you get nice, new ones.
Sadie did not have a very good Mother's Day. We awoke to find that she had had diarrhea on the dining room floor. That is where her kennel is, and to her credit, it appears she backed her rear end up to the gate of her kennel and did her business to avoid a mess in her kennel. I credit her for that. The cats don't seem to care where they yak up a hairball. They will often do it on the favorite sleeping place. Yuck. So poor George got to clean up that mess and Sadie was sick on and off all day. Poor girl. Madeline kept complaining about how bad the house smelled, and she was right. I can't say exactly when kids start to be bothered by bad smells. Obviously babies don't care because they walk around in their poopy diapers without ever complaining. Maybe it's sometime after potty training?
Yesterday we had a break in the rain during the evening and we went down to the Big Dam Bridge for a walk. The river is pretty high, but it was higher last year for sure. The girls liked getting out for a walk. We went across and back, and I think Madeline ran about 3/4 of the way. Lindley walked the whole way back, which was pretty impressive for such a little kid. She had fun pushing her stroller and hopping on and off the standing board on the back. So cute.
5/06/2009
Crisis of Confidence
So I've been having what I will call a crisis of confidence. It is related to the weight I have gained and any efforts to lose it. I am afraid I will a) never lose it and b) if I do lose it, that I won't be able to keep it off.
Before I had the babies, I wouldn't say I was the weight I wanted to be, but it was a weight I could live with. I was lucky that both times, the weight I gained while pregnant fell off pretty fast - like in 4-6 weeks. I would have liked to weigh less, but I could live with where I was and how I looked. After I stopped nursing Madeline, I joined Weight Watchers and lost about 12 pounds and I was really happy with how I looked. I did it through the diet and exercise. But then when I was trying to get pregnant with Lindley I had a big trial and I stopped exercising as much and following the diet and gained back around 8 pounds. After Lindley I was back to my "normal" weight pretty fast and was there for about 8 months until my thyroid got out of whack and I gained about 10 pounds. So now I am about 8 or 9 pounds over the weight I don't really love, but can live with and about 20+ pounds over the weight I'd really like to be and I feel a bit scared.
It's odd, really. I'm a pretty successful person. I did well in school, went to law school and did well there. I have a good job, a great husband. I feel like I'm a pretty good mom to my kids. So why am I almost paralyzed with fear about this? I'm so afraid of this failure, that I don't want to even try. It's crazy, I know, but that's what's going on in my head. I actually did get the gumption to start exercising in March, and then I got injured. It almost felt like a slap. But now I've been to the doctor and physical therapy and have been given the go-ahead to start running again. That was 3 weeks ago. Have I gone even once since then? No.
Before I had the babies, I wouldn't say I was the weight I wanted to be, but it was a weight I could live with. I was lucky that both times, the weight I gained while pregnant fell off pretty fast - like in 4-6 weeks. I would have liked to weigh less, but I could live with where I was and how I looked. After I stopped nursing Madeline, I joined Weight Watchers and lost about 12 pounds and I was really happy with how I looked. I did it through the diet and exercise. But then when I was trying to get pregnant with Lindley I had a big trial and I stopped exercising as much and following the diet and gained back around 8 pounds. After Lindley I was back to my "normal" weight pretty fast and was there for about 8 months until my thyroid got out of whack and I gained about 10 pounds. So now I am about 8 or 9 pounds over the weight I don't really love, but can live with and about 20+ pounds over the weight I'd really like to be and I feel a bit scared.
It's odd, really. I'm a pretty successful person. I did well in school, went to law school and did well there. I have a good job, a great husband. I feel like I'm a pretty good mom to my kids. So why am I almost paralyzed with fear about this? I'm so afraid of this failure, that I don't want to even try. It's crazy, I know, but that's what's going on in my head. I actually did get the gumption to start exercising in March, and then I got injured. It almost felt like a slap. But now I've been to the doctor and physical therapy and have been given the go-ahead to start running again. That was 3 weeks ago. Have I gone even once since then? No.
5/04/2009
Inevitable
Saturday morning conversation:
Madeline: Let's get up!
Me: No, I want to sleep some more!
Madeline: It's time to get up!
Me: Daddy and I are still tired.
Madeline: It's time for y'all to get up!
Her first real y'all.
Madeline: Let's get up!
Me: No, I want to sleep some more!
Madeline: It's time to get up!
Me: Daddy and I are still tired.
Madeline: It's time for y'all to get up!
Her first real y'all.
5/01/2009
Happy Weekend
Last weekend was so much better than the rainy one before. We were able to get out and do some things, and we actually got some stuff done around the house. On the fun side, Madeline and I went to see the new baby of our friends Cathy and Jaysson. It was a nice visit. They live about a half hour drive from us, out in the country, and it was fun to see their house again, and their sweet son.
While we were there, our new refrigerator was delivered! It is very exciting to have a new one. It is a counter depth side by side and it really makes our kitchen seem bigger. I'm so happy we got it. We're doing a mini-remodel of our kitchen (new countertops, new paint and new faucet). I want a better kitchen, but don't want to spend much money. Because it is such a small kitchen, the counter depth fridge really helps, and when we move, we can take the fridge with us. That way we're getting improvement without having to leave the money spent with the house.
We reorganized the storage room off our carport, which was really awesome to get done. We got a new shelf and organized all our junk. We have room in there now for a little freezer, which we bought this week at Sam's. I'm so excited to have a freezer now. We can buy local produce this summer when it's reasonably priced and freeze some of it, and we can maybe buy some grass fed beef in bulk and get a better price. Yea!
Lindley is saying some cute stuff. She'll run around and say "I got you" meaning she wants you to chase her. She also seems to be saying "I love you" as well. She is also amazingly good at saying "thank you" when you give her something.
Madeline has been doing pretty well at school. She's just gotten so big and smart it almost hurts my heart to see her growing up so much. Where did my baby go? As Lindley gets bigger, Madeline seems more interested in her, which is so great. I thought it might never happen.
While we were there, our new refrigerator was delivered! It is very exciting to have a new one. It is a counter depth side by side and it really makes our kitchen seem bigger. I'm so happy we got it. We're doing a mini-remodel of our kitchen (new countertops, new paint and new faucet). I want a better kitchen, but don't want to spend much money. Because it is such a small kitchen, the counter depth fridge really helps, and when we move, we can take the fridge with us. That way we're getting improvement without having to leave the money spent with the house.
We reorganized the storage room off our carport, which was really awesome to get done. We got a new shelf and organized all our junk. We have room in there now for a little freezer, which we bought this week at Sam's. I'm so excited to have a freezer now. We can buy local produce this summer when it's reasonably priced and freeze some of it, and we can maybe buy some grass fed beef in bulk and get a better price. Yea!
Lindley is saying some cute stuff. She'll run around and say "I got you" meaning she wants you to chase her. She also seems to be saying "I love you" as well. She is also amazingly good at saying "thank you" when you give her something.
Madeline has been doing pretty well at school. She's just gotten so big and smart it almost hurts my heart to see her growing up so much. Where did my baby go? As Lindley gets bigger, Madeline seems more interested in her, which is so great. I thought it might never happen.
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