On Tuesday afternoon, I picked up Henry. Miss Marissa said it had been a rough day and that Henry had been aggressive. Miss Valerie corrected that it had been four boys who'd been handfuls, of whom Henry was one. She mentioned that when the boys hit, Henry defends himself by hitting back. And I confess that I'm totally OK with that. No, hitting isn't a good thing. But I'm not keen on Henry being a punching bag, so I think that a shove back is OK as long as he isn't the instigator, which I don't think he is. I've watched one boy in particular go after Henry unprovoked in the afternoons. I mentioned to Miss Valerie that Henry came back with abrasions on his back last week and a cut on his face. Miss Marissa wrote it off as "Henry rolls around on the ground sometimes." I suppressed an eye roll. Yes, I know that he climbs and runs, but the cut on his face looked like it was a scratch from someone else.
Henry asked me where we were going, the question that he asks every time I pick him up...because he's hoping that I'll say Monkey Business. I told him that we were going to Costco. He told me that he wanted to eat cinnamon rolls and crab...two of the featured items when he went to Costco with Poppy last visit. He was disappointed when I told him that Grammy and Poppy wouldn't be there this time. Jeff and I finally got Costco cards of our own. I absolutely *love* my Costco card picture. The woman taking the photo yesterday let me take it with Henry, cheek-to-cheek. So while I look absolutely average, I have a gorgeous son by my side, which makes the picture fabulous. Henry like that the card is now his as well as mine because his picture is on it.
We ended up getting a couple DVDs, much to Henry's liking. He was disappointed, however, because there were no free-sample stands open. And he informed me several times that he wanted to eat "cinnamon rolls and crab."
We went home and had dinner with Jeff and Miss R. It was a relatively uneventful evening, which was good.
On Wednesday, we managed to get the kids ready and out the door without incident. That was probably a first. Jeff weighed Baby A at 8 lbs 13 ozs (up 2.5 lbs from her birthweight; she's 6 weeks old). I was pretty annoyed at the daycare director. She said that the teachers weren't allowed to give kids eye drops even with clear instructions and a copy of the prescription. They can only give medications for life-threatening situations (e.g. nebulizers). This frustrated me on multiple levels. Miss R has pink eye because she got it from daycare. In short, they are the cause and yet they are unwilling to provide the treatment. Moreover, let's look at the obvious. It is in THEIR best interest to have Miss R's eye situation resolved quickly so that she doesn't pass it to the other kids. Duh! I was informed that I could stop by and give the drops myself...but of course I have a job...the reason why my kids are in daycare!
My dad picked up Henry and Miss R at daycare. Apparently, Henry was very upset when Poppy didn't stay.
Before dinner, Henry said that he wanted to watch Frosty the Snowman because it was scary. Toward the end of dinner, Henry informed us that "I'm a good eater and I drink from my cup well." This is Henry's latest strategy for being released from the table early. If he can convince us that he's eaten well, he thinks that he'll be released from his chair so that he can watch TV. Henry watched Buzz Lightyear after dinner. That was about it this evening. Another uneventful evening. Yes!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Pink Eye and Knee Brace
On Monday afternoon before my 3:30PM class, I received a call from the kids' daycare. They said that Miss R had pink eye. I had to get to class, but Jeff called the ped's office and they sent out a prescription for drops. My parents got the kids and brought them to our place b/c Jeff can't drive with his hurt knee. Jeff and I aren't 100% convinced that she has pink eye. I think that she has allergies. Her eyes get goopy and a little puffy, but they don't have the "pink" characteristic that pink eye normally takes. Perhaps I'm just cuing off my recollections of my sisters' childhoods when they really had pink eye. In any event, we're going ahead with the antibiotic just in case.
Monday night was fine. Our household actually seemed a little less chaotic than usual. I mean, it looks like a disaster but everyone's temperments were good. The kids have pretty much managed to toss the "grass" from their Easter baskets everywhere.
On Tuesday morning, we couldn't let Miss R attend school b/c in the event that she has pink eye, she isn't allowed into daycare for 24 hours after receiving drops. Emma is today's nanny. She took care of both Miss R and Baby A while I dropped off Jeff at the orthopedic doctor and then Henry at school. We just got back. Jeff is going to have to wear a knee brace for awhile. And in a month, he'll go back to the doctor for knee exercises.
Hopefully, this concludes our past week's round of plagues: Baby A with colic, Henry with breathing issues, Miss R with breathing issues, Kate and Jeff with food poisoning, Miss R with pink eye (maybe), and the usual sleep deprivation. Now, we turn out attention to my favorite task...taxes.
Monday night was fine. Our household actually seemed a little less chaotic than usual. I mean, it looks like a disaster but everyone's temperments were good. The kids have pretty much managed to toss the "grass" from their Easter baskets everywhere.
On Tuesday morning, we couldn't let Miss R attend school b/c in the event that she has pink eye, she isn't allowed into daycare for 24 hours after receiving drops. Emma is today's nanny. She took care of both Miss R and Baby A while I dropped off Jeff at the orthopedic doctor and then Henry at school. We just got back. Jeff is going to have to wear a knee brace for awhile. And in a month, he'll go back to the doctor for knee exercises.
Hopefully, this concludes our past week's round of plagues: Baby A with colic, Henry with breathing issues, Miss R with breathing issues, Kate and Jeff with food poisoning, Miss R with pink eye (maybe), and the usual sleep deprivation. Now, we turn out attention to my favorite task...taxes.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Snuggling
I stayed up until about 2AM getting some things ready for Monday. I was going to ask Jeff how he wanted to handle the sleeping situation but he was already asleep on the couch, curled up with a blanket, and Baby A near him in her swing, also sound asleep. I gather that she only woke up once around 2:45AM. Had 2 ozs and then went back to sleep.
Jeff got me up at 6:15AM. Baby A was still asleep in her swing but he wasn't able to move her b/c of his knee. Normally, he moves the swing near his work area so that he can start his work day and keep an eye on her. I went out to the living room and snoozed on the couch until 6:45AM, when I was joined by Henry. He came out to play, but was willing to give me about 10 minutes of quality Henry snuggle time, which is a fantastic way to start off the day. We got up, changed his diaper, and got him some waffles and sausage. I then went to check on Miss R who was in bed but her eyes were slowly opening. I got her breakfast. Baby A stayed asleep until 8AM, which gave me a decent amount of time to get the kids going. I hope that this sleep incident becomes a pattern!
It was recycling day. With Jeff indisposed, he watched the kids while I got our two bins plus tons of cardboard to the curb. By the time I came back into the garage from recycling round three, Jeff already had the kids in the car. He was ready for them to get to school. Henry and Miss R were a handful. Miss R was trying to embody the definition of pokey. Henry was just being his contrary self...a trait that apparently disappears when he hits the threshold of his classroom. The good thing about difficult drop-offs is that it makes coming to work seem like a vacation!
Jeff was planning to pick up the kids at school this afternoon, but we think that's not going to happen. His knee is a mess. I think that he's going to have to go to the doctor's office, but I'll have to drive him, which I can't do until tomorrow. Both of our cars are stick shifts and I don't think that his leg will be able to hold down the clutch. Sigh.
Jeff got me up at 6:15AM. Baby A was still asleep in her swing but he wasn't able to move her b/c of his knee. Normally, he moves the swing near his work area so that he can start his work day and keep an eye on her. I went out to the living room and snoozed on the couch until 6:45AM, when I was joined by Henry. He came out to play, but was willing to give me about 10 minutes of quality Henry snuggle time, which is a fantastic way to start off the day. We got up, changed his diaper, and got him some waffles and sausage. I then went to check on Miss R who was in bed but her eyes were slowly opening. I got her breakfast. Baby A stayed asleep until 8AM, which gave me a decent amount of time to get the kids going. I hope that this sleep incident becomes a pattern!
It was recycling day. With Jeff indisposed, he watched the kids while I got our two bins plus tons of cardboard to the curb. By the time I came back into the garage from recycling round three, Jeff already had the kids in the car. He was ready for them to get to school. Henry and Miss R were a handful. Miss R was trying to embody the definition of pokey. Henry was just being his contrary self...a trait that apparently disappears when he hits the threshold of his classroom. The good thing about difficult drop-offs is that it makes coming to work seem like a vacation!
Jeff was planning to pick up the kids at school this afternoon, but we think that's not going to happen. His knee is a mess. I think that he's going to have to go to the doctor's office, but I'll have to drive him, which I can't do until tomorrow. Both of our cars are stick shifts and I don't think that his leg will be able to hold down the clutch. Sigh.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Mad Libs
Sunday has been one of those days. The kids have been terrible...absolutely awful, non-compliant. It's one of those days where one questions the non-spanking philosophy of parenting. At least a spanking might make me feel better.
On the baby front, we are wondering whether we need to get a hypoallergenic formula for Baby A. She goes through intense periods throughout the day where nothing ails her pains. Would something like Alimentum be easier on her system? There are disadvantages to such formulas. For example, being lactose-free isn't a good thing as lactose helps with calcium absorption.
On the Henry front, he is pretty much the definition of non-compliant. He complete disregards direct orders.
On the Miss R front, she went to the bathroom by herself this afternoon. She's done it before. This time, she managed to pee all over the stool, base of the toilet, the floor, and herself. I found her using her undewear to sop up the mess. Then, she was a pain in the rear this evening about her dinner. Then, she was mad that I was snuggling with Henry at his request. I had done so with her last night, so it was Henry's turn. I put the kids to bed. She started screaming. She said she had to go potty. I said, "OK. Go potty." Then she cried, "No! Bed!" I said, "OK. Bed." Then she screeched, "No! Potty!" So I put her in timeout. Then took her potty. I put her on the Elmo potty. "No! Dora!" I put her on Dora. "No! Elmo!" I was about to put her on Elmo when "No! Dora!" So I left her on Dora for a few minutes. Then she screamed out for me. I went to take her off Dora and she had a meltdown. I put her pull-up on her with much protest. And decided to let her scream it off in timeout. Oy vey!
So as not to end on a parental sour note, the kids did a couple cute things this evening. Baby A is doing superb with her head tracking. She's following moving objects with her eyes and turns her head to retain the object within her sight.
I played a version of Mad Libs with Henry and R. In this game, I begin to tell a story and let them fill in the blanks. Here was tonight's story with Henry:
KATE: Once upon a time, there was a boy named...
HENRY: Henry.
KATE: He lived in a big...
HENRY: house!
KATE: He had a sister named...
HENRY: R!
KATE: R was very...
HENRY: brave.
KATE: One day, a monster came to do the door. What did Henry do?
HENRY: He peed on the monster.
I totally wasn't expecting that ending.
I did a similar story with Miss R. In her version of the story, R called Aunt Erin and Aunt Erin came over to the house and took care of the monster.
We did a third version of the story which involved Henry fighting off the monster (presumably with something other than his urine).
Afterward, we called Aunt Erin and told her about the story.
OK. That's all from The Wild Kingdom. Hopefully, tomorrow will be filled with more compliance and less tears.
On the baby front, we are wondering whether we need to get a hypoallergenic formula for Baby A. She goes through intense periods throughout the day where nothing ails her pains. Would something like Alimentum be easier on her system? There are disadvantages to such formulas. For example, being lactose-free isn't a good thing as lactose helps with calcium absorption.
On the Henry front, he is pretty much the definition of non-compliant. He complete disregards direct orders.
On the Miss R front, she went to the bathroom by herself this afternoon. She's done it before. This time, she managed to pee all over the stool, base of the toilet, the floor, and herself. I found her using her undewear to sop up the mess. Then, she was a pain in the rear this evening about her dinner. Then, she was mad that I was snuggling with Henry at his request. I had done so with her last night, so it was Henry's turn. I put the kids to bed. She started screaming. She said she had to go potty. I said, "OK. Go potty." Then she cried, "No! Bed!" I said, "OK. Bed." Then she screeched, "No! Potty!" So I put her in timeout. Then took her potty. I put her on the Elmo potty. "No! Dora!" I put her on Dora. "No! Elmo!" I was about to put her on Elmo when "No! Dora!" So I left her on Dora for a few minutes. Then she screamed out for me. I went to take her off Dora and she had a meltdown. I put her pull-up on her with much protest. And decided to let her scream it off in timeout. Oy vey!
So as not to end on a parental sour note, the kids did a couple cute things this evening. Baby A is doing superb with her head tracking. She's following moving objects with her eyes and turns her head to retain the object within her sight.
I played a version of Mad Libs with Henry and R. In this game, I begin to tell a story and let them fill in the blanks. Here was tonight's story with Henry:
KATE: Once upon a time, there was a boy named...
HENRY: Henry.
KATE: He lived in a big...
HENRY: house!
KATE: He had a sister named...
HENRY: R!
KATE: R was very...
HENRY: brave.
KATE: One day, a monster came to do the door. What did Henry do?
HENRY: He peed on the monster.
I totally wasn't expecting that ending.
I did a similar story with Miss R. In her version of the story, R called Aunt Erin and Aunt Erin came over to the house and took care of the monster.
We did a third version of the story which involved Henry fighting off the monster (presumably with something other than his urine).
Afterward, we called Aunt Erin and told her about the story.
OK. That's all from The Wild Kingdom. Hopefully, tomorrow will be filled with more compliance and less tears.
Spring Fling
On Friday, Emma was the nanny for the day. Henry convinced her to read a Winnie the Pooh and Tigger story to him and Miss R before they left for school. In the afternoon, my parents picked up the kids.
On Saturday, we took the kids to UA's Spring Fling. We got there early when it was not crowded at all. Henry loved the three-four story side. He went down once with Jeff and once with me. Miss R went down once with me. Unfortunately, most of the rides had 36" height limits. Henry is 37.5" tall or so. Miss R isn't yet 35". Henry loved an attraction that involved climbing up nets, running across bridges, jumping into a ball pit, and going down some slides. He also went on a ride with me that involved a lot of ups and downs. Given Miss R's immense dislike of ups and downs (e.g., she didn't like the Dumbo ride at Disneyland), we kept her off those attractions.
She and Henry got to ride on an Aladdin ride together. There was a 36" height requirement but we snuck her on it and the operator didn't say anything. She liked that ride. Henry, Miss R, and Jeff went on a second attraction that involved climbing, bridges, slides, and such. Miss R was too short to go alone but that ride allowed adults on it too, so Jeff accompanied her. If it had been an American Gladiator contest, Henry would have whooped Jeff and Miss R's backsides with his attack of the course. In fact, he finished it and then did it again and caught up to them. The operator thankfully didn't charge us for Henry's second run.
We had lunch. Henry liked the hot dog. Miss R didn't. But she got upset when we gave her leftovers to Henry. Fortunately, some Jamaica punch quelled her irritation. While she had punch, I took Henry on "The Haunted House." It was perhaps the lamest excuse for a ride that I'd ever been on. But Henry seemed to like it because of its title. It involved sitting in a car that took one into a completely dark room. At three different points on the ride that lasted about 90 seconds, a lighted skelton appeared. That was it. If you ask Henry what his favorite ride was, he'll say "The Haunted House," so I'm at least glad that he was happy with it. Miss R looked like she was going to fall over, so I sat with her while Jeff took Henry on two fun house type attractions. Jeff wasn't impressed but they seemed well-suited for Henry. Then, he and Henry tried to win a SpongeBob at a basketball booth. They didn't win however. We then tried Henry's hand at a dart game on our way out. Henry was closely monitored of course. The operator of the booth seemed to sense that Henry wasn't going to win a prize and gave him a couple attempts at throwing the dart toward the balloons. Henry didn't quite make it to the board but he did hit the ground.
Then, we took the kids to Grammy and Poppy's house. Henry didn't sleep. He stayed up and watched things on TV. My parents took care of Baby A too, so that Jeff and I could catch Date Night, which was very funny. Then, we went back to their place and took the kids home.
Today is Sunday. We are having a stay at home day. I get to clean the garage. Yeah! [sarcasm]. Lily got into the trash bags and ripped them open so that there are diapers strew everywhere. If anyone wants a black lab, please let us know. Lily is such a flippin' menace. I want the puppy years to be over already.
I told Jeff to go to the driving range this morning so that he could get some non-kid time. That didn't work out as planned. His knee popped out during one of his drives. So he's currently sitting in our living room with Baby A with an ice pack on his knee.
Alright. I'd better put down the keyboard and get to getting. A garage with dirty diapers awaits!
On Saturday, we took the kids to UA's Spring Fling. We got there early when it was not crowded at all. Henry loved the three-four story side. He went down once with Jeff and once with me. Miss R went down once with me. Unfortunately, most of the rides had 36" height limits. Henry is 37.5" tall or so. Miss R isn't yet 35". Henry loved an attraction that involved climbing up nets, running across bridges, jumping into a ball pit, and going down some slides. He also went on a ride with me that involved a lot of ups and downs. Given Miss R's immense dislike of ups and downs (e.g., she didn't like the Dumbo ride at Disneyland), we kept her off those attractions.
She and Henry got to ride on an Aladdin ride together. There was a 36" height requirement but we snuck her on it and the operator didn't say anything. She liked that ride. Henry, Miss R, and Jeff went on a second attraction that involved climbing, bridges, slides, and such. Miss R was too short to go alone but that ride allowed adults on it too, so Jeff accompanied her. If it had been an American Gladiator contest, Henry would have whooped Jeff and Miss R's backsides with his attack of the course. In fact, he finished it and then did it again and caught up to them. The operator thankfully didn't charge us for Henry's second run.
We had lunch. Henry liked the hot dog. Miss R didn't. But she got upset when we gave her leftovers to Henry. Fortunately, some Jamaica punch quelled her irritation. While she had punch, I took Henry on "The Haunted House." It was perhaps the lamest excuse for a ride that I'd ever been on. But Henry seemed to like it because of its title. It involved sitting in a car that took one into a completely dark room. At three different points on the ride that lasted about 90 seconds, a lighted skelton appeared. That was it. If you ask Henry what his favorite ride was, he'll say "The Haunted House," so I'm at least glad that he was happy with it. Miss R looked like she was going to fall over, so I sat with her while Jeff took Henry on two fun house type attractions. Jeff wasn't impressed but they seemed well-suited for Henry. Then, he and Henry tried to win a SpongeBob at a basketball booth. They didn't win however. We then tried Henry's hand at a dart game on our way out. Henry was closely monitored of course. The operator of the booth seemed to sense that Henry wasn't going to win a prize and gave him a couple attempts at throwing the dart toward the balloons. Henry didn't quite make it to the board but he did hit the ground.
Then, we took the kids to Grammy and Poppy's house. Henry didn't sleep. He stayed up and watched things on TV. My parents took care of Baby A too, so that Jeff and I could catch Date Night, which was very funny. Then, we went back to their place and took the kids home.
Today is Sunday. We are having a stay at home day. I get to clean the garage. Yeah! [sarcasm]. Lily got into the trash bags and ripped them open so that there are diapers strew everywhere. If anyone wants a black lab, please let us know. Lily is such a flippin' menace. I want the puppy years to be over already.
I told Jeff to go to the driving range this morning so that he could get some non-kid time. That didn't work out as planned. His knee popped out during one of his drives. So he's currently sitting in our living room with Baby A with an ice pack on his knee.
Alright. I'd better put down the keyboard and get to getting. A garage with dirty diapers awaits!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Grammy's Cards and Other Adventures
On Wednesday, my parents picked up Henry and Miss R. They had dinner together. At one point, Henry apparently got my mom's purse and told her that he wanted one of her cards for his piggy bank (that would be credit card). He got a dollar instead.
Henry has been relatively happy about his Albuterol situation b/c it means that he gets to watch SpongeBob while getting his treatments.
Wednesday night was a tough night b/c Jeff and I got mild cases of food poisoning. I had picked up dinner at Lovin' Spoonfuls--veggie burgers and curry carrot soup. Those did us in. It was a tough night b/c I had to get my editing done as we are on a hard deadline to get the book editing completed and yet I was vomitting profusely every hour. Jeff was quesy but still managed to take care of Baby A.
In the middle of the night, Henry came out to see me and wanted water. He decided to sleep on the couch while I worked.
On Thursday, I was still feeling sick. I'm still not 100%. Jeff took the day off and got the kids to school.
When Jeff picked up the kids, Miss R did not give him her usual enthusiatic greeting. She'd been cleaning up and wanted to finish her tasks so that she'd get a sticker from the teacher. So Jeff had to wait.
That's all from here. Most of my edits on the book are completed. I'm still finishing up footnotes, but I think that all will be well in a couple hours.
Henry has been relatively happy about his Albuterol situation b/c it means that he gets to watch SpongeBob while getting his treatments.
Wednesday night was a tough night b/c Jeff and I got mild cases of food poisoning. I had picked up dinner at Lovin' Spoonfuls--veggie burgers and curry carrot soup. Those did us in. It was a tough night b/c I had to get my editing done as we are on a hard deadline to get the book editing completed and yet I was vomitting profusely every hour. Jeff was quesy but still managed to take care of Baby A.
In the middle of the night, Henry came out to see me and wanted water. He decided to sleep on the couch while I worked.
On Thursday, I was still feeling sick. I'm still not 100%. Jeff took the day off and got the kids to school.
When Jeff picked up the kids, Miss R did not give him her usual enthusiatic greeting. She'd been cleaning up and wanted to finish her tasks so that she'd get a sticker from the teacher. So Jeff had to wait.
That's all from here. Most of my edits on the book are completed. I'm still finishing up footnotes, but I think that all will be well in a couple hours.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Trouble Breathing
On Tuesday afternoon, I attended a CFT for Baby A. Unfortunately, the bio mom didn't show, so the Child Family Team meeting consisted of me and the coordinator from the Blake Foundation, Alicia. Alicia did the initial assessment of Baby A but won't be her permanent coordinator. She'll get assigned a new coordinator soon. I think that Alicia is going to assign whoever was assigned to Baby A's brother, as that person would know the family and history. Basically, the Blake Foundation follows kids while they are in foster care. For sibling groups, La Fronterra handles the cases...we weren't impressed with them when it came to Miss R...thankfully, she didn't need anything from them (not that they knew that given that they didn't bother to meet her). We'll be having monthly meetings with whomever gets assigned to Baby A's case from the Blake Foundation.
As I drove to the CFT, I received a call from Henry's school. He was having trouble breathing at naptime. At times, he couldn't catch his breath. While I was at the CFT, Jeff made an appointment at our ped's office. As soon as I got out of the CFT, I rushed to Henry's daycare, picked him up, and took him to Dr. Bianchi's. Henry weighs 29 lbs 10 ozs. His lungs sounded clear to Dr. Bianchi. We are to give him Albuterol treatments up to every four hours as needed. I suspect that Henry's problems are allergy-induced.
After Dr. Bianchi's visit, I took Henry to Barnes & Noble. He selected lemonade and a blondie blast as his after school snack. He enjoyed playing in the kids' section. We bought a Tinkerbell book. As we left the store, a man commented on how neat it was to see a kid so interested in books.
We came home. Watched Sherlock Hound on YouTube. Then, Henry went for a walk with Jeff and Baby A. Baby A had been up since 2PM. She's been more alert and the nanny, Corinne, said that she's been smiling more and more.
My parents picked up Miss R at school. They had planned to take care of the kids after school, but Henry stayed with me and Jeff. Miss R had a fabulous time getting all of Grammy and Poppy's attention. They said she loved it. And Grammy said that she is so much easy to take care of than Henry...not a surprise.
Jeff gave Henry a bath before Miss R came home. That was because Henry decided to smear macaroni & cheese in his hair.
Both kids were very whiny...a sign of being tired. It didn't take too much to get them to sleep.
On that note, I'd better get back to editing so that I too might be able to get some sleep before 4AM.
As I drove to the CFT, I received a call from Henry's school. He was having trouble breathing at naptime. At times, he couldn't catch his breath. While I was at the CFT, Jeff made an appointment at our ped's office. As soon as I got out of the CFT, I rushed to Henry's daycare, picked him up, and took him to Dr. Bianchi's. Henry weighs 29 lbs 10 ozs. His lungs sounded clear to Dr. Bianchi. We are to give him Albuterol treatments up to every four hours as needed. I suspect that Henry's problems are allergy-induced.
After Dr. Bianchi's visit, I took Henry to Barnes & Noble. He selected lemonade and a blondie blast as his after school snack. He enjoyed playing in the kids' section. We bought a Tinkerbell book. As we left the store, a man commented on how neat it was to see a kid so interested in books.
We came home. Watched Sherlock Hound on YouTube. Then, Henry went for a walk with Jeff and Baby A. Baby A had been up since 2PM. She's been more alert and the nanny, Corinne, said that she's been smiling more and more.
My parents picked up Miss R at school. They had planned to take care of the kids after school, but Henry stayed with me and Jeff. Miss R had a fabulous time getting all of Grammy and Poppy's attention. They said she loved it. And Grammy said that she is so much easy to take care of than Henry...not a surprise.
Jeff gave Henry a bath before Miss R came home. That was because Henry decided to smear macaroni & cheese in his hair.
Both kids were very whiny...a sign of being tired. It didn't take too much to get them to sleep.
On that note, I'd better get back to editing so that I too might be able to get some sleep before 4AM.
Always the Robber, Never the Cop
On Sunday night, we had a nice dinner at my parents' house. Aunt Erin and Aunt Gloria were there. We celebrated by dad's upcoming birthday. We brought the dogs with us to the house. Lily wasn't invited before (owing to her bad potty behavior). My parents recently acquired Winston, a lovable sheepdog who is young and energetic. I figured that Lily would be more likely to stay in line if she had a pack around her. That appears to have been the case. She and Winston had a wonderful time playing together. Henry and Miss R were loud. Baby A was good. She settled down when my mom held her.Henry demonstrated his fascination with "bad guys" throughout the evening. He said that he was Dr. Fancilier (the "shadow man" from The Princess & The Frog). He also loves to pretend that he's Captain Hook, his favorite character. At the end of Peter Pan, he will often cheer "Yeah for Captain Hook!" Earlier in the morning, he claimed to be Jafar (the bad sorcerer in Aladdin). And he has been heard to say "I'm Gaston, the vain hunter!" (bad guy from Beauty & The Beast). Jeff has wondered allowed whether we should just book a cell now. My mom and Aunt Gloria independently pointed out that the bad guys in movies are usually the more interesting characters, which is true. But I'm perfectly OK with Henry being less interesting and more law abiding, as Henry has oodles of personality to spare. From Toy Story, he has thankfully identified with Buzz Lightyear and loves the phrase "To infinity and beyond!"
On the way home in the car, we somehow got on the conversation of hitting and kids at school. I asked Henry about Elijah. He said "Elijah hits me." I asked about Aidan. He said that Aidan is a hitter as well. This concerns me a bit. One wonders what the heck goes on in a toddler classroom. I then asked if Joaquin hits him. He said, "No. Joaquin doesn't hit. He's a good boy." I'm fascinated that Henry has such understandings of the kids in his class.
On Monday, I picked up the kids after my class. They were in good moods. Miss Marissa reported, however, that Henry had a coughing fit earlier in the day and was having trouble catching his breath. He's been coughing at night, and I am wondering if allergies are getting the better of him. I have him an Albuterol treatment when we got home and another one late at night. We gave the kids a bath after dinner. That was about it.
I talked with Miss Stephanie this morning (Tuesday). She's going to watch our for Henry's coughing situation. I may have to take him to a pulmonologist or an allergist or both.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy Easter
On Friday, something snapped in me and I decided that it was time to rip out the carpet in the kids' room and start afresh. The carpet was only three years old and of great quality, but long story short, we have rotten cats who urinate in the kids' room when they are peeved. Apparently, they are peeved a lot and our SpotBot (a wonderful machine) can only do so much. It was beginning to smell such that I called Empire to see if they'd come out to replace it. Unfortunately, they don't provide services in our area. Sigh. We don't know how long our cats will act out. So we figured that it was best to just get a cheap replacement and if we have to replace it again in 6 months, so be it. Our cat Jackson has not been doing well. I hate to type this, but the truth is that he probably won't last through the year. He has lost a lot of weight. He is hungry but can't seem to eat. He gets dehydrated easily. And when he drinks, it just runs through him. Whenever one of the pack gets weakened, the other animals usually act out, rather than being sympathetic. When our beloved Hershel got sick, Princess and Jackson freaked out. That may be happening here to some extent.
On Friday afternoon, Jeff got Henry and Miss R and took them to Home Depot for supplies. He bought a laminate tile that looks like wood. At dinner, Henry didn't want to eat. The kids, in general, were handfuls. Baby A was colicky. It was one of those nights.
On Saturday, I took the kids to my parents' house after their naps in the afternoon. We colored eggs and had dinner while Jeff stayed home working on the flooring situation. I think that he was relieved to get us out of the house. The kids had fun coloring eggs. Miss R was particularly fond of putting stickers on the eggs. The evening went well, except for Miss R landing in timeout b/c she refused to get off a glass table. Then, as we piled into the car to go home, Henry hit Grammy with his cup and got a severe scolding (no place to put him in timeout in the car). When we got home, I made him say "We never ever hit Grammy ever" several times. My mom was fine of course, but the big picture concern is the hitting. I know that he's picked it up from daycare. And I don't like it.
On Sunday morning, I asked Henry to help me with Baby A. I was hoping that he could distract her while I got supplies. He told me, "Help with Baby A? But I don't know how."
We went to my parents' house for breakfast. My parents hid the eggs around the back patio, and the kids had fun finding them. I thought that finding eggs would be Henry's thing, but it was Miss R who was very motivated and excited to find the eggs. She was a Easter egg finding genius. Henry enjoyed finding the balloons that went with the Easter baskets. He also enjoyed unwrapping the chocolates but didn't want to eat them (except for one bite shown in one of the pictures below).
After playing with their baskets, we spent some time in the living room. Henry enjoyed playing the piano. He eventually informed me that he was tired. It was nap time and I think that the sugar high had finally taken a plunge. The kids are spending the day at Grammy and Poppy's house. We're headed there tonight for Easter dinner. We kept Baby A for the afternoon. Baby A and I took a nap. Jeff put the furniture back into the kids' room. He did an excellent job on the flooring.
On Friday afternoon, Jeff got Henry and Miss R and took them to Home Depot for supplies. He bought a laminate tile that looks like wood. At dinner, Henry didn't want to eat. The kids, in general, were handfuls. Baby A was colicky. It was one of those nights.
On Saturday, I took the kids to my parents' house after their naps in the afternoon. We colored eggs and had dinner while Jeff stayed home working on the flooring situation. I think that he was relieved to get us out of the house. The kids had fun coloring eggs. Miss R was particularly fond of putting stickers on the eggs. The evening went well, except for Miss R landing in timeout b/c she refused to get off a glass table. Then, as we piled into the car to go home, Henry hit Grammy with his cup and got a severe scolding (no place to put him in timeout in the car). When we got home, I made him say "We never ever hit Grammy ever" several times. My mom was fine of course, but the big picture concern is the hitting. I know that he's picked it up from daycare. And I don't like it.
On Sunday morning, I asked Henry to help me with Baby A. I was hoping that he could distract her while I got supplies. He told me, "Help with Baby A? But I don't know how."
We went to my parents' house for breakfast. My parents hid the eggs around the back patio, and the kids had fun finding them. I thought that finding eggs would be Henry's thing, but it was Miss R who was very motivated and excited to find the eggs. She was a Easter egg finding genius. Henry enjoyed finding the balloons that went with the Easter baskets. He also enjoyed unwrapping the chocolates but didn't want to eat them (except for one bite shown in one of the pictures below).
After playing with their baskets, we spent some time in the living room. Henry enjoyed playing the piano. He eventually informed me that he was tired. It was nap time and I think that the sugar high had finally taken a plunge. The kids are spending the day at Grammy and Poppy's house. We're headed there tonight for Easter dinner. We kept Baby A for the afternoon. Baby A and I took a nap. Jeff put the furniture back into the kids' room. He did an excellent job on the flooring.
Friday, April 2, 2010
All Quiet on the Western Front...Well, at Least Not as Loud
On Wednesday, my dad picked up the kids at daycare and brought them home. Henry was really mad at Poppy b/c he wanted to go to Grammy's house.
On Thursday, Jeff made the mistake of telling Henry that he'd be taking him to the eye doctor's after daycare. When I took the kids to school, Henry announced that he didn't want to go to school. He wanted to go to the doctor's. But, he said that it was Dr. Bianchi's office that he wanted to visit, so that he could play with the toys in the waiting room. He got quite fussy when I told him that he had to go to school. Jeff picked up the kids at daycare and took them to the eye doctor's office to get Henry's glasses fixed...again. At least he didn't snap the frames in half again and they could be melded back into form.
Jeff gave the kids a bath after dinner. After the bath, Henry said, "I don't want to wear my nightgown. I want to be naked." He lost that argument however.
Baby A has had two good nights in a row. She has an incredibly intense "colicky" period before midnight, but then she seems to settle down. She's sleeping for three hour stretches, which is great.
On Friday morning, Henry said he wanted to be Tiana from The Princess and the Frog:
In other news, the adoption agency called on Wednesday to see if we would consider taking Baby A's one year old brother. He *may* go to kin in May, but it is uncertain that will take place. For some reason, the foster parent with whom he was placed has not had her license reinstated, which meant that he had to be pulled from her home yesterday. His caseworker is hoping that we'll consider him after May if he doesn't return to kin b/c we'd essentially be the last hope for the siblings remaining together. Right now, we don't have the bed space. We really wish that we'd gotten our studio remodeled already so that this wouldn't be an issue. In addition, we aren't licensed to foster three kids at the present time. But we are discussing options. Currently, it is hard to think straight b/c we have been somewhat sleep deprived b/c of Baby A. We know that the "no sleep" phase doesn't last forever. Hopefully, sleeping through the night is right around the corner!
Overall, the addition of Baby A has been as good as a new addition can be. The kids don't feel threatened by her at all. They kind of think of her as a baby doll. Both Henry and Miss R give Baby A air kisses and will lean their heads against her legs or tummy tenderly. Henry was very sweet last night helping me change her diaper. That involved him handing me wet wipes and distracting Baby A while I diapered her. He was very cute announcing "Baby A touched my hand!"
On Thursday, Jeff made the mistake of telling Henry that he'd be taking him to the eye doctor's after daycare. When I took the kids to school, Henry announced that he didn't want to go to school. He wanted to go to the doctor's. But, he said that it was Dr. Bianchi's office that he wanted to visit, so that he could play with the toys in the waiting room. He got quite fussy when I told him that he had to go to school. Jeff picked up the kids at daycare and took them to the eye doctor's office to get Henry's glasses fixed...again. At least he didn't snap the frames in half again and they could be melded back into form.
Jeff gave the kids a bath after dinner. After the bath, Henry said, "I don't want to wear my nightgown. I want to be naked." He lost that argument however.
Baby A has had two good nights in a row. She has an incredibly intense "colicky" period before midnight, but then she seems to settle down. She's sleeping for three hour stretches, which is great.
On Friday morning, Henry said he wanted to be Tiana from The Princess and the Frog:
In other news, the adoption agency called on Wednesday to see if we would consider taking Baby A's one year old brother. He *may* go to kin in May, but it is uncertain that will take place. For some reason, the foster parent with whom he was placed has not had her license reinstated, which meant that he had to be pulled from her home yesterday. His caseworker is hoping that we'll consider him after May if he doesn't return to kin b/c we'd essentially be the last hope for the siblings remaining together. Right now, we don't have the bed space. We really wish that we'd gotten our studio remodeled already so that this wouldn't be an issue. In addition, we aren't licensed to foster three kids at the present time. But we are discussing options. Currently, it is hard to think straight b/c we have been somewhat sleep deprived b/c of Baby A. We know that the "no sleep" phase doesn't last forever. Hopefully, sleeping through the night is right around the corner!
Overall, the addition of Baby A has been as good as a new addition can be. The kids don't feel threatened by her at all. They kind of think of her as a baby doll. Both Henry and Miss R give Baby A air kisses and will lean their heads against her legs or tummy tenderly. Henry was very sweet last night helping me change her diaper. That involved him handing me wet wipes and distracting Baby A while I diapered her. He was very cute announcing "Baby A touched my hand!"
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