Halloween

Well, Halloween has rolled around again. I still wonder why people call it a holiday when nothing is closed and it isn't designated a federal or state day of no work. (See me smiling). It really isn't my favorite day of the year, but I do realize that my kids enjoy it. We, well I, carved a pumpkin last night. Charlie and Marcie dug out the innerds with their hands (yes, up to their elbows and now I have pumpkin to wash out of their clothes) and managed to keep the mess confined to the pan (to wash out the seeds) and the newspaper underneath. After the innerd digging, Marcie lost interest, but Charlie stayed with me to watch me carve the face. That was quite difficult as the pumpkin was large and thick. Charlie kept a running commentary and it was really funny. He kept telling me "good job" and making suggestions as to how to get the carved pieces to come out. Did I say that the pumpkin was really thick?!!! The "skin" and the pulp was about 2 inches, if not more, thick, so my not really sharp knives needed much elbow grease from me to get through the pumpkin. However, I was successful with Charlie's support and encouragement, and now we have a carved pumpkin on the front porch. Marcie wasn't happy that I didn't zig zag the mouth giving pointy teeth but she'll survive! The kids want me to put a candle in it but I said "no." I can't risk the porch catching on fire!

We are planning to trick or treat tonight. We were going to my church's fall festival, but now I'm thinking that it would be better to skip the driving and stay close to home. Charlie will be Darth Vader, Marcie a bride (!), Kyle, spider man (just like last year) and Joanna, Winnie the Pooh. I will get pictures and eventually post them. Maybe by Christmas, I'll have new pictures on this blog!

I always remember, every year, that today is my grandfather's birthday. He went to heaven many years ago, but still I think about how his mother must've felt having a Halloween baby. He was 1 of quite a few children, I can't remember how many, but I'm sure he was special to his mom. I can't think of anything sweeter and representative of good in this world, than a new baby (a fresh baby as one of our pastors says!). So, here's hugs and kisses to all the fresh babies to be born today and a loving remembrance of my grandfather, a World War II veteran and parent to my daddy. :)

Moments of Sweetness

This morning I had taken Kyle and Joanna to their classrooms at daycare, then went over to the school-age room to ask the teacher a question. During that time I remembered that I had forgotten to give Kyle insulin (through his pump) after his breakfast at home. When I walked into his classroom, I saw him by himself and looking very sad. I went over to him and asked why he was so sad. He said, "because I want my brother" in the saddest little voice possible. It was so sweet!

Back in September, not too long after school had started, Charlie started crying on the school bus because Marcie wouldn't sit with him. We could see him through the window and before the bus pulled away, I mouthed "what's wrong" to Charlie. He replied, "Marcie won't sit with me" and buried his face in his hands. It was really pitiful. I told the other parents at the bus stop why Charlie was crying and then Kyle pipped in and said, "I will sit with my brother."

I have heard Charlie talk about, and have seen in action, his love for his family, but I've never really seen or heard it from Kyle. The teachers at daycare have told me how much Marcie admires Charlie and how she looks after him, and I have seen some of that at home. This is really the first time that I've seen the display of Kyle's emotions. It is just too sweet for words!

Most Improved Player

On Saturday, Charlie was awarded "most improved player" of his soccer team (U-8 division of the YMCA sports program). I was so proud of him! The "prize" was a soccer ball signed by every child on the team. Charlie is so proud of it. He slept with it Saturday and Sunday nights. I will post pictures when I get the film developed.

Life As We Know It

We got back to normal quickly after Marcie's bout with pneumonia. She recovered quickly and is back to her normal antics. She is pretty hilarious from time to time and makes an excellent argument for getting her way most of the time. I really have to try not to laugh when she makes a good point and gets the best of me. That girl is just too smart!

Speaking of smart, she has figured out that spelling is fun. The other night she wanted to ask a question by spelling it. She began "C-a-n U" and then you could see the wheels turning in her mind as she tried to figure out how to spell "get." Of course, they haven't gotten that far in school. So, she asked if I could get her some water. Then, when I took it to her, she spelled "l-i-k-e" and knew it spelled "like." So, now Kyle is trying to spell and this morning asked if I would spell "car" for him so that he could write it in his little book. He has just turned 4!

Last night, Charlie told me that he cried at school and a teacher (he named her) came and got him and took him inside. He was on the playground at recess and couldn't remember where he had put his snack (in his back pack). Since he didn't have snack, he cried. I just wish someone had thought to help him go to his classroom and look in his book bag. Poor thing, he is just so stressed with school this year. They are increasing his time in the special ed classroom but I think he needs some more supports. I just had a conference with his teachers last week but guess I will need to contact them again.

Joanna is still lying about things. I know that is age-appropriate but it is just so frustrating because it is nearly constant. On the plus side, though, she is doing amazingly well with her writing and coloring. She makes her Js upside down. It's really cute.

We are plugging along. There were a few other things I wanted to write about but I've totally forgotten them. Gee -- wish I could find the fountain of youth and a better memory!!!

Update on Marcie

When I picked Marcie up from daycare Friday evening, she looked fine and said she felt fine. She had no fever, and no coughing. She didn't want to eat dinner, though, and was easily aggravated. I finally sent her to bed at 8:00 PM, and within 5 minutes, she was sound asleep. I got all of the other kids in bed by 9 PM and while watching Supernanny, I thought how strangely quiet the house sounded -- no one was coughing! She started coughing around 11:30 but didn't wake up (or at least she didn't seem awake when I checked on her). Her forehead is still cool. I am very thankful for antibiotics and for Marcie's quick recovery. We are not going to do too much this weekend and hopefully, by Monday, she'll be her old self again. Well, wait a minute....maybe she'll be her old self minus about 50% of her strong-willed behavior.... I can always dream, can't I? : )

Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu

Poor Marcie has definitely experienced feeling really sick and also having to function. She started with this dry, hacky cough last Wednesday and I just gave her some allergy medicine figuring that was the problem. Saturday morning, she awoke with a 104.4 fever, headache, sore throat and stomach ache, so I took her to the pediatrician thinking maybe she had strep (child in daycare had it). The rapid strep was negative but the remainder of the weekend, Marcie spiked fevers of between 101 and 103 whenever the motrin wore off. While the motrin was in effect, she pretty much acted like her normal self. By Sunday afternoon, her cough was tighter, so I started her on nebulizer treatments, which really worked well. Monday morning, her temperature was 103.8, so I took a urine sample to the doctor's office but there were no white cells so we figured no urinary tract infection. I wondered about testing her for flu but this illness wasn't really acting like the flu, so we didn't do the rapid test. (MD and I talked about it and mutually agreed). We also talked about getting a chest X-Ray but Marcie looked so good and her lungs were clear, so, we decided to wait a few more days to see if she got better or worse. Since she was feeling much better after the motrin, I went ahead and took her to the rally (I know, not a great idea). She did really well the rest of the day and her fever did not return when the motrin wore off, so I sent her to school on Tuesday and Wednesday. She didn't have enough energy to make it through the entire dance class Tuesday night, and had a headache when she got home, but otherwise seemed alright. I should've known when she refused breakfast and dinner that day that she was really sick. Her cough was still a bit tight, so I used the nebulizer Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. She was hungry Wednesday morning and ate breakfast then ate a good lunch (her lunch box was empty and she said she ate). When I picked her up from daycare Wednesday evening, though, she was hot and whiny. Her temperature was back up to 102.8, she was grunting when she breathed and her left lung had crackles in it (not normal). So, I gave her the motrin, started a nebulizer treatment and called the doctor. After I got the other kids fed and a babysitter arrived, I took Marcie to the ER. Of course, by this time, she was perky, playful and hungry with clear lung sounds and no fever. We waited 2 hours before they did the chest X-Ray and then it came back -- Marcie had pneumonia in both lungs. I wasn't at all surprised considering her symptoms and the way it progressed, but I did feel bad about sending her to school. She got an IV antibiotic and I convinced the doctor that Marcie would be okay at home and that I would bring her back if she got any worse. We were in the ER until 2 AM and then when we got home, I had to get all of the kids out of bed to take the sitter home. Phew!

Marcie was better on Thursday with *only* 100.8 fever in the morning and no fever the rest of the day after the motrin wore off. I did give it again in the afternoon because her headache came back. She also was started on oral antibiotics, and her first dose was Thursday afternoon. She only required one nebulizer treatment last night and her cough was even better this morning. I sent her to school today because I needed to work and she felt ready to go, and haven't gotten a call yet to come and get her. I figured since she had had the potent IV antibiotic and had started the oral ones AND her lungs sounded much better that she would be okay at school. I sure do hope that I was right.

Political Rallies

This past Monday, Oct. 13th, Sarah Palin was in Richmond for a rally at the Richmond International Raceway. I decided to go and take the kids (daycare closed that day and school let out early) so that they could experience a political rally. To be totally honest, I also wanted to hear Sarah Palin in person. We got there a little late because I spent too much time trying to find our "ticket" which we really didn't need. There were so many people there that we had to stand behind the main area where others were seated. It was okay, though. I could see the podium and could see her when she came out. The kids did so well in the heat and with a 40 minute wait for anything at all to happen. When she began speaking, I held each child up for a few seconds so that he or she could see her, and then the kids resumed picking grass or walking in circles around me while I was listening to the speech. While it was hot and tiring, I was glad we went and the kids experienced that type of event. I tried to explain in simple terms about the election and why it is important for us to understand each candidate's ideas before we vote. It probably went way over their heads.

The most fun part, though, was when we were trying to leave. The kids were hungry and thirsty and happened to see an ice cream truck so I let them get frozen treats since they really had behaved well. We got to the parking area and I really had no idea where I parked, so I told them to sit on the grass and just eat their ice cream (and I drank a bottled water). As the cars thinned out, I found where I had parked. After we got in the car and got in the line to leave, the traffic just stopped, so I parked again and asked what was happening. The police had blocked all other traffic so that the campaign motorcade could leave. So, we got out of the car and walked to the side of the road. About 15 or 20 minutes later, the motorcade came by and we waved to Gov. Palin. She was in a bus and the windows were tinted, but I'm certain she saw us. It was so cute watching my kids waving furiously not really knowing who they were waving to!

The best part in my kids' minds was the ice cream followed in close second by a trip to CiCi's. That was negotiated by Marcie who felt like they deserved that since they had behaved so well and I deserved it since she was sure I wouldn't feel like cooking. Smart girl!

She Did It Again

Joanna swallowed her conformer again (the porcelain piece that fits in her right eye socket). It had been in for 11 days without problems. When I picked her up from daycare, it was gone. This time no one knew about it. I think it happened right before I picked them up (the kids were on the playground). This time, also, she admitted she had put it in her mouth, though, she could not tell me why she had put it in her mouth. I asked her if it tasted good and she replied, "no." I asked her if it were supposed to be in her mouth -- again, "no" and then I asked what does go in your mouth -- "food." So, then I asked why she would put it in her mouth if it doesn't belong there and she said, "because it doesn't taste good." Who knows what goes through her head but I know one thing -- after this time, I'm not digging it out of poop again. I will ask the ocularist if he has any ideas but I know that most people do not expect a nearly 5 year old child to have trouble with swallowing small objects! Maybe we'll just have to wait a few more years before we start this process again, which isn't good because that side of her face won't grow. More later.

Student of the Month

Guess which little kindergartener in my family has an award already? You guessed it -- Marcie! My little fiesty, spunky girl is the first "Student of the Month" in her classroom (for September). This is what her teacher wrote:

"Marcie is a wonderful young lady and is an excellent student in my class. She works hard to follow the rules and sets a good example for her classmates to follow. She is kind and helpful and always respectful to those around her. I am so proud of Marcie!"

I knew she would distinguish herself early on in school. Look out world, here she comes!