I was talking to my sister in-law and part of the conversation went something like this:
Me: "Well I will still be working those three days before Christmas so it would be nice to be close to home."
Sister in-law: "Wait, you have a job?"
Me: "Yeah I got it pretty suddenly about a week ago..."
At that moment it dawned on me that no one (expect the people I live with and the recipient of that phone conversation) know my happy news about no longer being unemployed. The job is at Mathnasium (you can google it if you are curious) which is a math-only tutoring place. I went in for an interview that turned into a math competency test, an interview, and some tutoring practice (the half hour I was planning on turned into nearly two). I got a call a little over a week later asking if I could start that day. That was last Tuesday.
The job is fun but the pay isn't stellar. However, I get raises as I finish their training program and as they see progress in my abilities. Hopefully that will be a pretty big raise, but if not the people I work with are fun, the job is enjoyable, it will look good on my resume, the hours work well with Cam's class schedule, and it is five minutes from home. And it is some financial stability so I am not stressed which Cam appreciates.
Now the more exciting stuff:
In the last week Chelane passed the line of "preferring to crawl" over into "preferring to walk." She can be seem waddling everywhere she goes now, rarely resorting to crawling.
In the last week or so she has reminded us that she is on her way to being two; vehemently expressing her opinions and complaining when things aren't to her liking; I am already worrying about her as a teenager.
Since Monday she has insisted on drinking liquids from a cup without aid of a sippy-top, straw, or a mommy/daddy helping out. Yep, she takes the cup from you puts it to her own mouth, tilts it by herself, and drinks. She gets quite annoyed with you if you try to help her. Cam and I are a little floored by this since she seems to be on par with Dallas' mastery of this skill.
In the last week she has increased her signs from one (her hand moving to her mouth to mean "drink", "food", and/or "binki") to "food/eat", "drink", "please", and "more". She is putting a "buh" sound with waving bye-bye.
Dallas said, "Mom watch this" to me at lunch and proceeded to do some silly dance while shaking his head. He is talking more and more; attempting more and more words and repeating things he hears you say.
We tried playing a memory-type game with him a few weeks ago. He caught onto the order you turn things over in and how to wait and take turns. Playing games is now when of his favorite things to do.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Happy Birthday Chelane!
This did happen back on September 30th but with being in Canada, I am just now getting around to writing and sharing pictures about it. (sorry the pictures are pixely or something, they do look better if you click on them and view them full-sized)
Here is the ever-happy birthday girl with her birthday cupcake. I remember Dallas and my little brother's first birthdays both ended in tears and un-touched cake (unless someone making them touch it counts). Chelane was completely different.
As you can see she adored the attention.
And couldn't wait to dig into the cake. (Yeah I started to freak a little too with how close she came to touching fire and hot wax; but, hey, that is the hazard of having a birthday party... we live on the edge).
Big brother Dallas approaching an oblivious Chelane. Yes, he blew out the candle.
After the candle and paper was removed Chelane began to inspect the sprinkle laden cupcake.
Either she really inhaled it that fast or I stopped taking pictures... It reminds me of my first birthday picture (apparently I liked the cake so much I tried to eat the plate). Such a happy girl on her birthday!
Here is the ever-happy birthday girl with her birthday cupcake. I remember Dallas and my little brother's first birthdays both ended in tears and un-touched cake (unless someone making them touch it counts). Chelane was completely different.
As you can see she adored the attention.
And couldn't wait to dig into the cake. (Yeah I started to freak a little too with how close she came to touching fire and hot wax; but, hey, that is the hazard of having a birthday party... we live on the edge).
Big brother Dallas approaching an oblivious Chelane. Yes, he blew out the candle.
After the candle and paper was removed Chelane began to inspect the sprinkle laden cupcake.
Either she really inhaled it that fast or I stopped taking pictures... It reminds me of my first birthday picture (apparently I liked the cake so much I tried to eat the plate). Such a happy girl on her birthday!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Eventful Canada
For anyone that has asked if I have any good Canada stories I usually relate this little gem. I am sure everyone is anxious to see the pictures too...
The only tub in Cam's parents' house is in his parents' bathroom (notice I said tub not shower or bathroom apparently that point had my father confused when I told him this story; and, since I usually credit him to being an intelligent man, I decided it could be a common misconception and I should clarify on that point to avoid confusion). From the room we were living in it is down some stairs, through the kitchen, and down the hall. At bath time we would usually undress the kiddos in the hallway; and when they were squeaky clean we would run them, wrapped in towels, to our room.
During one of Cam's long days I was bathing the kids (it must have been Wednesday; Wednesday has long been "bath day" around here, and by "around here" I mean while being apart of Cam and mine's family, because it isn't like we have stayed in any one place long enough to refer to it as "around here"... anyway I digress). I couldn't very well carry both kids upstairs and I didn't want to leave one in the tub, so I relied on Dallas' listening/obeying skills and asked him to follow me upstairs. He didn't reach the room with me, but I thought "Grandpa is downstairs, how much trouble could he get into?" So I dried and dressed Chelane and came back downstairs for the Dallas.
Well he wasn't in the kitchen, or down the hall, or in the bathroom, or in the living room with Grandpa... And his blue crocs were gone. I asked Grandpa where he went and he pointed to the front door. I looked out the window and there he was, with his blue crocs on (at least he put shoes on to cover his clean feet) and his towel slung over his back leaving him in view of the world, playing in Grandma's garden.
Like a good Mom I ran upstairs to grab the camera before calling him inside to keep him from getting too cold. Future blackmailing pictures > kids well-being.
And so I give to you Dallas climbing back onto the porch, sporting his blue crocs and matching blue towel.
The only tub in Cam's parents' house is in his parents' bathroom (notice I said tub not shower or bathroom apparently that point had my father confused when I told him this story; and, since I usually credit him to being an intelligent man, I decided it could be a common misconception and I should clarify on that point to avoid confusion). From the room we were living in it is down some stairs, through the kitchen, and down the hall. At bath time we would usually undress the kiddos in the hallway; and when they were squeaky clean we would run them, wrapped in towels, to our room.
During one of Cam's long days I was bathing the kids (it must have been Wednesday; Wednesday has long been "bath day" around here, and by "around here" I mean while being apart of Cam and mine's family, because it isn't like we have stayed in any one place long enough to refer to it as "around here"... anyway I digress). I couldn't very well carry both kids upstairs and I didn't want to leave one in the tub, so I relied on Dallas' listening/obeying skills and asked him to follow me upstairs. He didn't reach the room with me, but I thought "Grandpa is downstairs, how much trouble could he get into?" So I dried and dressed Chelane and came back downstairs for the Dallas.
Well he wasn't in the kitchen, or down the hall, or in the bathroom, or in the living room with Grandpa... And his blue crocs were gone. I asked Grandpa where he went and he pointed to the front door. I looked out the window and there he was, with his blue crocs on (at least he put shoes on to cover his clean feet) and his towel slung over his back leaving him in view of the world, playing in Grandma's garden.
Like a good Mom I ran upstairs to grab the camera before calling him inside to keep him from getting too cold. Future blackmailing pictures > kids well-being.
And so I give to you Dallas climbing back onto the porch, sporting his blue crocs and matching blue towel.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Walks in September
Finally some long-promised Canada pictures!
Something I love to do is walk in nature. I am not too fond of taking walks around a neighborhood; I would rather look at flowers and trees than houses and cars. An advantage to being in Vanderhoof was the abundance of nature. Just looking out the window we would see fields and forests, not to mention horses and the occasional coyote (or coyote pack, no joke we had 4 of them walking along the house fence once).
The kids and I went on a two walks together. The first time was September 14th. Cam had been working a week already of 10+ hour days. I got a little stir crazy once and a while so I decided to go on a walk along the horse/ATV/farm-truck road (or dirt path) that paralleled the highway into town, but first we had to go down the 1/2 mile driveway.
Above is a picture of the driveway that I took while I was bored of waiting for this:
Or this:
There is something very interesting about grass to a toddler... it may be that it was taller than he was.
Chelane and I on this adventure:
She was happy some of the time, see? Well maybe "happy" is too strong a word... she didn't look like she was ready to kill the photographer during the whole walk...
We did eventually leave the driveway, which is more than I can say on any other walk. This is a view of a field by the highway. When we left in late October is was housing cows.
Dallas showcasing his amazing stay-with-mommy skills. He has ran away from me in Target since we have been back, I had to go collect him from Customer Services... (You can see the cars on the highway to the right, don't worry there was a big ditch between us and them).
Funny story behind this next picture. I took it, looked at the screen, and decided to zoom in (so you could actually see Dallas, he is that speck in the wheel path). When I held the camera back up and zoomed in I couldn't see Dallas anywhere, then I heard him crying. He had fallen out of the wheel path and into the bushes and brambles off to the side; he couldn't stand back up. I had to fish him out.
If you would like more Canada posts just say so, or tell me you don't... whatever. It doesn't matter though, you will still get them muh-hahaha.
Something I love to do is walk in nature. I am not too fond of taking walks around a neighborhood; I would rather look at flowers and trees than houses and cars. An advantage to being in Vanderhoof was the abundance of nature. Just looking out the window we would see fields and forests, not to mention horses and the occasional coyote (or coyote pack, no joke we had 4 of them walking along the house fence once).
The kids and I went on a two walks together. The first time was September 14th. Cam had been working a week already of 10+ hour days. I got a little stir crazy once and a while so I decided to go on a walk along the horse/ATV/farm-truck road (or dirt path) that paralleled the highway into town, but first we had to go down the 1/2 mile driveway.
Above is a picture of the driveway that I took while I was bored of waiting for this:
Or this:
There is something very interesting about grass to a toddler... it may be that it was taller than he was.
Chelane and I on this adventure:
She was happy some of the time, see? Well maybe "happy" is too strong a word... she didn't look like she was ready to kill the photographer during the whole walk...
We did eventually leave the driveway, which is more than I can say on any other walk. This is a view of a field by the highway. When we left in late October is was housing cows.
Dallas showcasing his amazing stay-with-mommy skills. He has ran away from me in Target since we have been back, I had to go collect him from Customer Services... (You can see the cars on the highway to the right, don't worry there was a big ditch between us and them).
Funny story behind this next picture. I took it, looked at the screen, and decided to zoom in (so you could actually see Dallas, he is that speck in the wheel path). When I held the camera back up and zoomed in I couldn't see Dallas anywhere, then I heard him crying. He had fallen out of the wheel path and into the bushes and brambles off to the side; he couldn't stand back up. I had to fish him out.
If you would like more Canada posts just say so, or tell me you don't... whatever. It doesn't matter though, you will still get them muh-hahaha.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
We're Back
We are back! In the Seattle area, that is. I should have posted this a few days ago. We drove through the night,leaving at about 7:45PM on the 30th to arrive about 6:30AM the 31st. Cam and I had never driven through the night before and while Cam survived gallantly I lost it about 4:30 right after we crossed the border leaving Cam to, so I have heard, brave a torrential downpour with blinding rain. Apparently he was fearing for all our lives.
Cam let me sleep until about 10:30AM after we arrived at my parents' house at which time he slept until about 1PM; then we went for another car ride to see my brother, Jeremy, and his family to go trick or treating. Dallas was Buzz Lightyear, I will have to post some pictures of that soon.
Driving through the night really got Cam and I in the Halloween mood, we were both zombies for the rest of the day! (Bad joke, sorry!)
Cam let me sleep until about 10:30AM after we arrived at my parents' house at which time he slept until about 1PM; then we went for another car ride to see my brother, Jeremy, and his family to go trick or treating. Dallas was Buzz Lightyear, I will have to post some pictures of that soon.
Driving through the night really got Cam and I in the Halloween mood, we were both zombies for the rest of the day! (Bad joke, sorry!)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Shoe Shopping
We went shoe shopping today mainly for me and Chelane, but Dallas got a pair of the next size up too. We needed to find some type of shoe Chelane couldn't just pull off her foot willy-nilly like all the other cute Mary-Jane-type shoes we tried in the past, and we found some really cute, gender-neutral, black, converse-y like high tops.
My eyes were pulled to some girly - but not too girly - brown dress shoes; and I decided black converses wouldn't be so appropriate for church, no matter what Karma may say to the contrary. So I tried them on Chelane's foot. Chelane regarded the beige sandal-like shoes with no apparent interest and immediately pulled some shiny, black, slightly-heeled, strap-around-the-ankle dress shoes (in her size) off the shelf and handed them to me. She watched as I put them on and giggled in delight seeing them on her feet.
I had to go talk to Dallas about his shoes and left Cam to finish with Chelane. Cam and I talked back and forth down the aisle; we agreed we should get the brown shoes: they would stay on better, wouldn't show scuffs as easily, and I thought they would match more. Well they cost the same so Cam and I decided to let Chelane choose. She chose the shiny, patent black shoes... twice.
I took her with me to my area of the shoe store where she started pulling out shiny red shoes. Apparently I had a real girl with a shoe fetish and all.
My eyes were pulled to some girly - but not too girly - brown dress shoes; and I decided black converses wouldn't be so appropriate for church, no matter what Karma may say to the contrary. So I tried them on Chelane's foot. Chelane regarded the beige sandal-like shoes with no apparent interest and immediately pulled some shiny, black, slightly-heeled, strap-around-the-ankle dress shoes (in her size) off the shelf and handed them to me. She watched as I put them on and giggled in delight seeing them on her feet.
I had to go talk to Dallas about his shoes and left Cam to finish with Chelane. Cam and I talked back and forth down the aisle; we agreed we should get the brown shoes: they would stay on better, wouldn't show scuffs as easily, and I thought they would match more. Well they cost the same so Cam and I decided to let Chelane choose. She chose the shiny, patent black shoes... twice.
I took her with me to my area of the shoe store where she started pulling out shiny red shoes. Apparently I had a real girl with a shoe fetish and all.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Competency Test
Apparently as part of "No Child Left Behind" Washington OSPI decided that, along with the content area competency test, prospective teachers need to take a basic skills test in reading, writing, and mathematics to decide if they know enough to be "good teachers." The reading and math portions of the test consists of approximatly 60 multiple choice questions, the writing portion is approximatly 50 multiple choice questions and 2 writing prompts. The test is over a period of about four and one-half hours and the test-taker is allowed to do the test in any order and pace themself.
This is the last step in being certified to teach in Washington. I don't know if I am going to teach here soon but I have come this far and it gives me more options in the future. I have needed to take this test since May and have been putting it off and putting it off for two reasons: first, I haven't been in a school setting for nearly three years and I am not sure about my test-taking skills, knowledge, etc. and secondly, it feels awfly like another blasted hoop to jump through.
I finally stopped dragging my feet and registered for the test last night; I'll be taking it January 9th. My guess is most prospective teachers worry about brushing up on their math skills, I am sure this won't be a problem for me, I am more worried about the writing prompts. Even though I have plenty of time before the test, I decided to check the online study guide (ten questions per sub-section) to see if I needed to worry for the next two months about my ability to pass.
Ironically the only section I got anything wrong on was the math section, and that was because I misread the question. I guess I don't need to worry about being competent enough to be a teacher and I can enjoy my Christmas/Thanksgiving holiday.
This is the last step in being certified to teach in Washington. I don't know if I am going to teach here soon but I have come this far and it gives me more options in the future. I have needed to take this test since May and have been putting it off and putting it off for two reasons: first, I haven't been in a school setting for nearly three years and I am not sure about my test-taking skills, knowledge, etc. and secondly, it feels awfly like another blasted hoop to jump through.
I finally stopped dragging my feet and registered for the test last night; I'll be taking it January 9th. My guess is most prospective teachers worry about brushing up on their math skills, I am sure this won't be a problem for me, I am more worried about the writing prompts. Even though I have plenty of time before the test, I decided to check the online study guide (ten questions per sub-section) to see if I needed to worry for the next two months about my ability to pass.
Ironically the only section I got anything wrong on was the math section, and that was because I misread the question. I guess I don't need to worry about being competent enough to be a teacher and I can enjoy my Christmas/Thanksgiving holiday.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Still Alive
Not much has happened. The "season" for temporary work has gone so Cam hasn't worked for two weeks. The mill(s) have gone through two waves of hiring and he hasn't gotten a call yet. Cam is thinking about school again.
We are doing a bit of reflecting and thinking/praying trying to decide what we want in life and what is important. Hopefully a plan will solidify soon. If nothing else, this has been a good vacation and has given us some perspective.
We are doing a bit of reflecting and thinking/praying trying to decide what we want in life and what is important. Hopefully a plan will solidify soon. If nothing else, this has been a good vacation and has given us some perspective.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
AHA!
Ok so I figured out (sorta) why it wasn't letting me cut and paste yesterday (or whenever I last posted) so here is what I had written:
Dallas has been enjoying that almost constant companionship of his 4 year-old cousin, Braycen. Both of Braycen's parents work so he spend his days around Nana and Papa's house with us.Dallas has mastered the word "Brace."
He is enjoying palying outside on the trampoline, reading his leapfrog books and Jadon gave to him, going on walks, and watching the retro-cartoon channel (things like GI Joe and Fragglerock). It is nice to let him go outside and not have to worry about cars. I am learning very quickly about outside play-clothes, inside play-clothes,and nice clothes. Dallas is also sleeping on the top bunk of a bunk bed and isn't having any problems (it does have built-in rails on it).
I discovered Chelane is completely NOT adequatly outfitted for the cooler weather or being outside. At night and when she is outside (she likes being on the trampoline with the boys) She typically has babylegs on her arms and legs under her pants and coat. We only have one blanket sleeper for her current size (I think we are planning on doing a little clothes shopping now that Cam got his first check) so when it is dirty we put her in her cotton PJ's with leg warmers on her legs and arms as well. She is still happy as can be and climbing up on furniture and cruising (walking while holding onto furniture) there doesn't seem to be much progression towards walking alone, but we will see. She loves eating peas from the garden, playing with the big kids, cuddling, and making messes.
Cam got a temporary job that started the Wednesday after Labor Day. A man in the ward has a construction bursiness and due to college semesters starting and students leaving, he had some openings. For the last two weeks Cam has been working 11-15 hour days (mostly around 11-12) and making $20 an hour plus a lot of time-and-a-half. We know he will have work through tomorrow (Saturday), but nothing is definite after that.
Luckily he will make enough in those three weeks to have us set for a few months of car payments and other bills. Cam doesn't seem to mind the work or the long days (except yesterday went so long, he was out of the house before the kds got up, which is normal, but didn't get back until they were in bed so he missed the kids).
I made and canned some applesauce with apples from a friend's trees, have dug up potatoes and picked beans, and helped in the garden (I need to apologize to Dad here for not helping him that much in his garden this year). We went and saw "UP" again in the local theater last Tuesday and have spent a little time around town. So far it has been a good experience.
I will try to keep this blog updated fairly consistantly. There is only dial-up at Cam's parents' which makes the blogs take 5 minutes to load so I don't get on the internet too often. I have taken pictures but have no computer to put them on, so be prepared for a slough of pictures soon (which included a squeeky clean nekkid Dallas in the garden).
Dallas has been enjoying that almost constant companionship of his 4 year-old cousin, Braycen. Both of Braycen's parents work so he spend his days around Nana and Papa's house with us.Dallas has mastered the word "Brace."
He is enjoying palying outside on the trampoline, reading his leapfrog books and Jadon gave to him, going on walks, and watching the retro-cartoon channel (things like GI Joe and Fragglerock). It is nice to let him go outside and not have to worry about cars. I am learning very quickly about outside play-clothes, inside play-clothes,and nice clothes. Dallas is also sleeping on the top bunk of a bunk bed and isn't having any problems (it does have built-in rails on it).
I discovered Chelane is completely NOT adequatly outfitted for the cooler weather or being outside. At night and when she is outside (she likes being on the trampoline with the boys) She typically has babylegs on her arms and legs under her pants and coat. We only have one blanket sleeper for her current size (I think we are planning on doing a little clothes shopping now that Cam got his first check) so when it is dirty we put her in her cotton PJ's with leg warmers on her legs and arms as well. She is still happy as can be and climbing up on furniture and cruising (walking while holding onto furniture) there doesn't seem to be much progression towards walking alone, but we will see. She loves eating peas from the garden, playing with the big kids, cuddling, and making messes.
Cam got a temporary job that started the Wednesday after Labor Day. A man in the ward has a construction bursiness and due to college semesters starting and students leaving, he had some openings. For the last two weeks Cam has been working 11-15 hour days (mostly around 11-12) and making $20 an hour plus a lot of time-and-a-half. We know he will have work through tomorrow (Saturday), but nothing is definite after that.
Luckily he will make enough in those three weeks to have us set for a few months of car payments and other bills. Cam doesn't seem to mind the work or the long days (except yesterday went so long, he was out of the house before the kds got up, which is normal, but didn't get back until they were in bed so he missed the kids).
I made and canned some applesauce with apples from a friend's trees, have dug up potatoes and picked beans, and helped in the garden (I need to apologize to Dad here for not helping him that much in his garden this year). We went and saw "UP" again in the local theater last Tuesday and have spent a little time around town. So far it has been a good experience.
I will try to keep this blog updated fairly consistantly. There is only dial-up at Cam's parents' which makes the blogs take 5 minutes to load so I don't get on the internet too often. I have taken pictures but have no computer to put them on, so be prepared for a slough of pictures soon (which included a squeeky clean nekkid Dallas in the garden).
Friday, September 25, 2009
Vanderhoof
I had typed this big thing out on notepad prior to firing up the internet (because I didn't want to take lots of time on the internet since it ties up a phone line) but the computer won't let me cut and paste. So you will have to deal with a short update:
We are alive and the weather up here has been unseasonably warm until today.
Cam got a temp job shortly after arriving here that has kept him employed up til now making more money than either of us has in our married life. He knows he still has work through this weekend, we are not sure after that.
The kids are great, I have some pictures and stories to share but I don't have a computer to load the pictures onto so you will have to wait til a later date to get those.
I was doing this while the kids were napping but it sounds like they prematurely woke up (they only went to bed an hour ago) so I need to go. More to come later.
We are alive and the weather up here has been unseasonably warm until today.
Cam got a temp job shortly after arriving here that has kept him employed up til now making more money than either of us has in our married life. He knows he still has work through this weekend, we are not sure after that.
The kids are great, I have some pictures and stories to share but I don't have a computer to load the pictures onto so you will have to wait til a later date to get those.
I was doing this while the kids were napping but it sounds like they prematurely woke up (they only went to bed an hour ago) so I need to go. More to come later.
Friday, September 4, 2009
We Are Moving
So just to let everyone know that won't hear about it right away: Cam, the kids, and I are moving up to Vanderhoof tomorrow. We will be back later to get all our stuff from Mom and Dad's and we will be back for Christmas. There are job opportunities up there that would put it in a better situation (and I would like to live in the smaller-town sorta area anyway).
Well try to think/pray good thoughts for us rather than "man I hope they don't find anything so they have to come back to Washington with absolutely no employment"... I am sure no one is thinking the "... with absolutely no employment" part but that would be the reality of it since I resigned my post in the Auburn district.
Anyway, we aren't gone forever. I don't know if I will be able to post much up there since we will be staying with Cam's parents to start off with (which should only be for a few weeks, yes I know that is what I said about staying with my parents back in December) and his parents don't have great internet. I did do two other post before this (the 30th of August and the 1st of September) about the kids and things (before we knew we were going to move, yes it all really was that sudden) so please check those out.
Oh and Cam and I pulled all the little bushes around Mom and Dad's driveway on Thursday using a shovel and that heavy iron pole Dad has. I have nice blisters to prove it (because I was stupid and didn't use gloves, Cam used gloves and his hands are still as soft as a baby's bottom...) Dallas and Jadon were playing catch while the bushes were meeting their end (Dallas fished Cam's two old baseball gloves out of the garage and held one open with both hands in front of his chest and Jay tossed the ball into it... I am not sure how long that one lasted though). After the bushes were out Cam proceeded to play baseball with Jadon.
Today we went to a park and then to the children's museum in factoria (it is free from 5-8pm every Friday) which I HIGHLY reccommend, we will definitely take the time to go back there when we are in the area. Dallas and Chelane have had a good last few days playing with Jadon and the grandparents.
Well try to think/pray good thoughts for us rather than "man I hope they don't find anything so they have to come back to Washington with absolutely no employment"... I am sure no one is thinking the "... with absolutely no employment" part but that would be the reality of it since I resigned my post in the Auburn district.
Anyway, we aren't gone forever. I don't know if I will be able to post much up there since we will be staying with Cam's parents to start off with (which should only be for a few weeks, yes I know that is what I said about staying with my parents back in December) and his parents don't have great internet. I did do two other post before this (the 30th of August and the 1st of September) about the kids and things (before we knew we were going to move, yes it all really was that sudden) so please check those out.
Oh and Cam and I pulled all the little bushes around Mom and Dad's driveway on Thursday using a shovel and that heavy iron pole Dad has. I have nice blisters to prove it (because I was stupid and didn't use gloves, Cam used gloves and his hands are still as soft as a baby's bottom...) Dallas and Jadon were playing catch while the bushes were meeting their end (Dallas fished Cam's two old baseball gloves out of the garage and held one open with both hands in front of his chest and Jay tossed the ball into it... I am not sure how long that one lasted though). After the bushes were out Cam proceeded to play baseball with Jadon.
Today we went to a park and then to the children's museum in factoria (it is free from 5-8pm every Friday) which I HIGHLY reccommend, we will definitely take the time to go back there when we are in the area. Dallas and Chelane have had a good last few days playing with Jadon and the grandparents.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
I Hope This Doesn't Hurt Your Head...
I caught this back in July. I was crouching just outside of the room with my arm around the dresser to catch the cuteness without being seen by the munchkins (and risk distraction).
I can't figure out how to turn the video... and maybe you can't... Although i bet you could with some video editing software, which I don't have... I really just don't know, SORRY!
FYI (and incase you can't tell) the squealing is Dallas and the laughing is Chelane.
I can't figure out how to turn the video... and maybe you can't... Although i bet you could with some video editing software, which I don't have... I really just don't know, SORRY!
FYI (and incase you can't tell) the squealing is Dallas and the laughing is Chelane.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Just Because I Couldn't Leave August Out...
I realized I hadn't posted yet in August and felt I couldn't not do this month it's justice (All you English majors are totally cringing at that sentence... I can feel it). So here it is, the fat and the skinny of it:
This month I got old(er).
I applied to school districts all around this area (we are talking Tacoma out to Snoqualmie) and only got one callback (to the job I think I wanted the most out of everything that I applied for; it was teaching math at an alternative school in North Bend with a student body of about 300), but they ended up not wanting me. Turn out schools like prior experience... Go figure. So, I am going back to the job I got last February. I am happy to have a job, just annoyed to not have made any progress in the getting-out-of-my-parent's-house-and-having-a-stable-life direction.
Chelane is 11 months today! She is a crawling fiend and is starting to lean out. She is still very happy, loves to play with her brother, and enjoys cleaning things up (or it might just be "putting things in" because, many times, she promptly takes them out again...). You know how people call kids "ankle-biters"? Well Chelane is a "knee-biter" and I am not saying that to allude to her height... she really is a knee biter.
I am sure there are cute pictures around here somewhere, but chances are my mom took them (since my camera SUCKS) and I haven't gotten them on my computer yet. She is following in her brother's footsteps as a curious, energy reserve of moving chaos (I like to call Dallas "Entropy in Motion" because I am a geek). She is still sweet as can be and we all love her to death, even when she is trying to eat the rocks in the bottom of Grandma's bamboo planter...
Dallas is getting more and more verbal. He is attempting words and yesterday when we were walking out of a store to the car, I was telling him we were looking for the "red car" (because our car is, you guessed it, red) and I asked him where it was. He was looking around with me and trying to say "red car" but he didn't have a strong 'r' or 'd' sound; so it was more like "eh co." I asked Cam if he could hear him (Cam was a few steps away with Chelane) and he couldn't. But I could tell what he was saying.
Wow, that was a very anti-climatic story. The point of it was that I can't recall Dallas doing spontaneous correct sounds before, many times he just mumbles and then you have to focus his attention on your mouth so he can get the visual cues and have him try again.
Anyway the kid is doing more compound wordage (more than one word at a time, so like two-word sentences?), mixing words in with his signs, and can be frequently caught babbling or singing to himself (and others). It is all very exciting for us since he didn't do that babbling or singing when he was younger. The language is coming!
I feel like I should write something about Cam... but he isn't doing anything nearly as exciting as the kids. Although, he did do chores yesterday (lots of them, in succession) without being asked; that is pretty major for him.
This month I got old(er).
I applied to school districts all around this area (we are talking Tacoma out to Snoqualmie) and only got one callback (to the job I think I wanted the most out of everything that I applied for; it was teaching math at an alternative school in North Bend with a student body of about 300), but they ended up not wanting me. Turn out schools like prior experience... Go figure. So, I am going back to the job I got last February. I am happy to have a job, just annoyed to not have made any progress in the getting-out-of-my-parent's-house-and-having-a-stable-life direction.
Chelane is 11 months today! She is a crawling fiend and is starting to lean out. She is still very happy, loves to play with her brother, and enjoys cleaning things up (or it might just be "putting things in" because, many times, she promptly takes them out again...). You know how people call kids "ankle-biters"? Well Chelane is a "knee-biter" and I am not saying that to allude to her height... she really is a knee biter.
I am sure there are cute pictures around here somewhere, but chances are my mom took them (since my camera SUCKS) and I haven't gotten them on my computer yet. She is following in her brother's footsteps as a curious, energy reserve of moving chaos (I like to call Dallas "Entropy in Motion" because I am a geek). She is still sweet as can be and we all love her to death, even when she is trying to eat the rocks in the bottom of Grandma's bamboo planter...
Dallas is getting more and more verbal. He is attempting words and yesterday when we were walking out of a store to the car, I was telling him we were looking for the "red car" (because our car is, you guessed it, red) and I asked him where it was. He was looking around with me and trying to say "red car" but he didn't have a strong 'r' or 'd' sound; so it was more like "eh co." I asked Cam if he could hear him (Cam was a few steps away with Chelane) and he couldn't. But I could tell what he was saying.
Wow, that was a very anti-climatic story. The point of it was that I can't recall Dallas doing spontaneous correct sounds before, many times he just mumbles and then you have to focus his attention on your mouth so he can get the visual cues and have him try again.
Anyway the kid is doing more compound wordage (more than one word at a time, so like two-word sentences?), mixing words in with his signs, and can be frequently caught babbling or singing to himself (and others). It is all very exciting for us since he didn't do that babbling or singing when he was younger. The language is coming!
I feel like I should write something about Cam... but he isn't doing anything nearly as exciting as the kids. Although, he did do chores yesterday (lots of them, in succession) without being asked; that is pretty major for him.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Out of the Mouth of Babes...
While at a resturaunt for Mom's birthday, Dallas had some deep conversations with his uncle Dane...
Dane: Yeah, we were just talking about stocks and stuff. Dallas what are your thoughts about the economy?
Dallas: (after a short pause) Uh-oh.
Dane: Yeah, we were just talking about stocks and stuff. Dallas what are your thoughts about the economy?
Dallas: (after a short pause) Uh-oh.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Now That is Talent
This was taken the last Sunday in June. Our church is from 11-2, prime lunch and nap time for Dallas. When we get home we stuff some lunch into him and try to get him in bed quickly. Once and a while (when we are unlucky) he falls asleep in the car home and is a mess until he is able to go back to sleep (or he catches his second wind and refuses to go back to sleep at all).
The last Sunday in June was an interesting case...
The last Sunday in June was an interesting case...
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Bed Time
Dallas tends to fight going to bed, but really what kid doesn't? Cam and I try to have a routine around bed time of: cleaning up, putting on pj's, brushing teeth, reading books, and saying prayers before putting (locking) him in his room.
It has become a family affair with Chelane joining in on the fun; although she escapes the teeth brushing (which we should start soon) and usually is spared being locked in the room right away. She even participates in the cleaning up by putting toys in their bins. It can be the cutest thing you have ever seen a 9 month-old do.
Anyway, the book-reading and prayer-saying takes place on Dallas' bed, which can barely accommodate one adult, let alone an adult and two children.
Chelane tends to smack Dallas when they are in such close quarters. Dallas usually just says something like "no, ses" ("no Chelane" or "no sister"... we aren't too sure which one) and moves her hand away. Other times he just takes it and doesn't complain. He is a great older brother.
Cam has been laying off the drugs since that last picture was taken, I promise...
Dallas enjoys putting baby leg-warmers on his arms. I think he is trying to start a trend.
Another nighttime ritual on Wednesdays is a bath. We used to bathe the kids separately, but since Chelane is sitting up just fine, we decided to see how they fair together.
They have a blast splashing and dumping water on each other. Chelane has picked up how to drink bath water from a cup thanks to Dallas' great example...
It has become a family affair with Chelane joining in on the fun; although she escapes the teeth brushing (which we should start soon) and usually is spared being locked in the room right away. She even participates in the cleaning up by putting toys in their bins. It can be the cutest thing you have ever seen a 9 month-old do.
Anyway, the book-reading and prayer-saying takes place on Dallas' bed, which can barely accommodate one adult, let alone an adult and two children.
Chelane tends to smack Dallas when they are in such close quarters. Dallas usually just says something like "no, ses" ("no Chelane" or "no sister"... we aren't too sure which one) and moves her hand away. Other times he just takes it and doesn't complain. He is a great older brother.
Cam has been laying off the drugs since that last picture was taken, I promise...
Dallas enjoys putting baby leg-warmers on his arms. I think he is trying to start a trend.Another nighttime ritual on Wednesdays is a bath. We used to bathe the kids separately, but since Chelane is sitting up just fine, we decided to see how they fair together.
They have a blast splashing and dumping water on each other. Chelane has picked up how to drink bath water from a cup thanks to Dallas' great example...
Miss Independent
Chelane has started waving her arms frantically around after a only a few spoonfuls of food, inevitably hitting the spoon and sending food flying onto her tray and face. The frustrating thing is that she is isn't doing this because she is full, oh no, on the contrary she is still hungry. Someone is starting to not want to be fed anymore (or at least that is my diagnosis).
So, Cam and I decided to stop fighting it. Last night for dinner and this morning for breakfast Chelane has fed herself finger food. She seems to enjoy doing things herself. We set up Dallas and Chelane's chairs right next to each other as well to encourage Dallas to share.
Last night dinner consisted of some cut up canned pears, peas, half a cheese stick, and cheerios. Normally we give Dallas his peas frozen but, since his sister was trying solid peas for the first time (and she only has two and a half teeth), we heated the peas to room temperature. Chelane decided she really liked peas. She has the cutest little pincer grasp and shoveles those peas right in.
Cam and I discovered Dallas should only be fed frozen peas. He discovered how far you can launch the insides of peas by pinching their shells... he almost shot one into the living room.
So, Cam and I decided to stop fighting it. Last night for dinner and this morning for breakfast Chelane has fed herself finger food. She seems to enjoy doing things herself. We set up Dallas and Chelane's chairs right next to each other as well to encourage Dallas to share.
Last night dinner consisted of some cut up canned pears, peas, half a cheese stick, and cheerios. Normally we give Dallas his peas frozen but, since his sister was trying solid peas for the first time (and she only has two and a half teeth), we heated the peas to room temperature. Chelane decided she really liked peas. She has the cutest little pincer grasp and shoveles those peas right in.
Cam and I discovered Dallas should only be fed frozen peas. He discovered how far you can launch the insides of peas by pinching their shells... he almost shot one into the living room.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Our Little Problem Solver
Dallas has been keeping us on our toes pretty much since birth. He got mobile early on in his career and hasn't ever seemed to stop moving, exploring, and breaking through boundaries except to sleep.
Cam has started to tape the childproof doorknobs together with packing tape because Dallas has popping those things off the door down to a science. Dallas has also been known to improvise and use baby-wipe containers to give him that little extra boost to - among other things - reach light switches or climb into his sister's crib.
His ingenuity exasperates and excites us. The other day he topped himself. He was carrying in a bag of three cereal boxes from the car. The cereal was stretching the bag to its limits; Dallas had to hold each bag handle with one hand. When he got to the garage stairs he reached a seeming impasse: the stairs are a little farther apart than normal steps and Dallas needs a free hand to steady himself. Dallas tried to hold the bag with one hand by stretching his thumb and pinky to their extremes. It worked for a moment and then his pinky popped out.
At this point I overtook Dallas and continued into the house thinking, "If he hasn't come in by the time I get the milk put away in the fridge, I'll come back and help him." Before I had gotten the fridge door closed Dallas came tromping in the house carrying one box of cereal. Without any prompting he set the box on the table, turned around and proceeded to bring in the other two boxes.
I guess this probably doesn't seem like much to many people, but I am proud of my two and a half year-old for thinking outside the box and getting his task done against all odds!
Cam has started to tape the childproof doorknobs together with packing tape because Dallas has popping those things off the door down to a science. Dallas has also been known to improvise and use baby-wipe containers to give him that little extra boost to - among other things - reach light switches or climb into his sister's crib.
His ingenuity exasperates and excites us. The other day he topped himself. He was carrying in a bag of three cereal boxes from the car. The cereal was stretching the bag to its limits; Dallas had to hold each bag handle with one hand. When he got to the garage stairs he reached a seeming impasse: the stairs are a little farther apart than normal steps and Dallas needs a free hand to steady himself. Dallas tried to hold the bag with one hand by stretching his thumb and pinky to their extremes. It worked for a moment and then his pinky popped out.
At this point I overtook Dallas and continued into the house thinking, "If he hasn't come in by the time I get the milk put away in the fridge, I'll come back and help him." Before I had gotten the fridge door closed Dallas came tromping in the house carrying one box of cereal. Without any prompting he set the box on the table, turned around and proceeded to bring in the other two boxes.
I guess this probably doesn't seem like much to many people, but I am proud of my two and a half year-old for thinking outside the box and getting his task done against all odds!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Escapades in Solid Food
This first picture has nothing to do with food or eating, but it had been sitting on the camera for a while. Back in March or April Dallas grabbed the witch hat that was in the dress-ups and put it on Chelane. It was very cute and Chelane had a ball trying to take the hat off or re-position it on her head. Plus the outfit fits perfectly. I am not sure why she was wearing the purple striped onsie and dark blue leg-warmers... blame it on Daddy.
These next pictures were taken just today. While Chelane only has two bottom teeth she handles solid food admirably. She has no problem with graham crackers or cheerios and, since a lot of her baby food has been fruit or vegetables mashed with a fork, she has had a steep learning curve.
Today I got home from work and she was just waking up. She had fallen asleep before lunch and hadn't had her second solid food meal yet. You could tell. She was pretty whiney. I decided to get her a banana. While I was getting the banana ready I was also trying to get Dallas ready to go outside and failing to convince Jadon to go outside with Dallas, so Chelane got a few crackers while she was waiting... then a few more. I think she ended up eating an entire graham cracker before her bananas were ready.
I only mushed up half a banana at first. She gobbled it down. I didn't particularly feel like mushing up the other half and feeding it to Chelane, plus I had other things I needed to get to, so I broke up part of the remaining banana (have you ever noticed that bananas naturally break into thirds?) and put it on her tray thinking "that will keep you busy for a while." It didn't. It was only three pieces the first time so I broke up the rest of the banana (about nine pieces) and left her again. Before I knew it she was done again with banana evidence all over her face.
You can't see much on this first one, but it shows Chelane with her "normal" coloring. Once I got closer to Chelane the pictures became really yellow/orange. Don't worry it is just the camera, she does not hace jundice.
You can see the mushy banana pieces. The things that look like they are sores or zits for something are graham cracker remenants.
Such a happy face. A little drooly. And you have to love that banana on her onsie...
I think this one is my favorite. You can't see much of the mess but she is SOOOO cute (but I am bias, I know).
Cam has also imformed me that she is getting into crawling positions! She is growing up so fast!
These next pictures were taken just today. While Chelane only has two bottom teeth she handles solid food admirably. She has no problem with graham crackers or cheerios and, since a lot of her baby food has been fruit or vegetables mashed with a fork, she has had a steep learning curve.
Today I got home from work and she was just waking up. She had fallen asleep before lunch and hadn't had her second solid food meal yet. You could tell. She was pretty whiney. I decided to get her a banana. While I was getting the banana ready I was also trying to get Dallas ready to go outside and failing to convince Jadon to go outside with Dallas, so Chelane got a few crackers while she was waiting... then a few more. I think she ended up eating an entire graham cracker before her bananas were ready.
I only mushed up half a banana at first. She gobbled it down. I didn't particularly feel like mushing up the other half and feeding it to Chelane, plus I had other things I needed to get to, so I broke up part of the remaining banana (have you ever noticed that bananas naturally break into thirds?) and put it on her tray thinking "that will keep you busy for a while." It didn't. It was only three pieces the first time so I broke up the rest of the banana (about nine pieces) and left her again. Before I knew it she was done again with banana evidence all over her face.
You can't see much on this first one, but it shows Chelane with her "normal" coloring. Once I got closer to Chelane the pictures became really yellow/orange. Don't worry it is just the camera, she does not hace jundice.
You can see the mushy banana pieces. The things that look like they are sores or zits for something are graham cracker remenants.
Such a happy face. A little drooly. And you have to love that banana on her onsie...
I think this one is my favorite. You can't see much of the mess but she is SOOOO cute (but I am bias, I know).
Cam has also imformed me that she is getting into crawling positions! She is growing up so fast!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
No One Seems to Have Open Positions
After the budget cuts EVERY school district seemed to go through it is "good luck" to finding any district that is hiring. There are a few that are, but the closing date is in October or December, no where near September... sigh... Suppose I should look into something else...
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
He Didn't Need the Laxative...
His two BM's yesterday confirmed that he REALLY doesn't need a laxative. We bought some disposable diapers to keep him in until he shows us his intestines are normal again. So that gets me to wondering what else could they be seeing on that x-ray that looked like constipation? Was Dallas just holding it (he doesn't seem to like to have messy diapers when we are out and about)? Is there some other explanation?
I didn't stay home yesterday, but that may have been a mistake I had a headache all day and felt very drained. So I took a sick day today. The headache is doing better and I have been able to relax, and got to go to playgroup with Dallas which is something I never got to do before.
Dallas still doesn't enjoy taking the antibiotics but they are doing him a WORLD of good. He is sleeping through the entire night and his mood has improved dramatically. The pharmacy didn't have enough amoxicillin so we got to go back Friday and pick up the next dose!
I didn't stay home yesterday, but that may have been a mistake I had a headache all day and felt very drained. So I took a sick day today. The headache is doing better and I have been able to relax, and got to go to playgroup with Dallas which is something I never got to do before.
Dallas still doesn't enjoy taking the antibiotics but they are doing him a WORLD of good. He is sleeping through the entire night and his mood has improved dramatically. The pharmacy didn't have enough amoxicillin so we got to go back Friday and pick up the next dose!
Monday, May 18, 2009
I Am Tired
Dallas has had this on-again, off-again relationship with a fever most of this weekend (starting on Thursday actually) so we decided to take him to the doctor today. I called in sick and we scheduled an appointment with his regular doctor (well the doctor he has seen once since we moved up here, but he is to be Dallas' primary care physician) for 10am. We left the house right around 9:30 only to find of DSHS switched insurance on us and Valley Medical won't take it. So we drive to Covington Multicare Urgent Care and discover some more "fun" things about the new insurance we were assigned to. After some phone calls and me getting close to shedding tears of frustration, finally Dallas gets into see a doctor around 11:30.
Dallas screamed when they tried to take his temperature, he screamed when they tried to look in his ears, he screamed when they tried to listen to his heart (I trust you are beginning to see the pattern). They wanted to take x-rays so I held him down during those. Of course there is a long wait in our room after the x-ray because it has to be developed, I think we all fell asleep (did I mention Dallas didn't give us much more that 3 hours of interrupted sleep last night?). They came back wanting to do a stomach x-ray to verify something they thought they saw in the chest x-ray, they also want to take a urine sample, and probably do some blood tests... It is getting close to 1pm so I tell Cam to take Chelane home and I'll call him to come pick me up (I am thinking around 5pm at the rate this is all going, the x-ray place is WAY on the other side of the clinic).
Of course Dallas won't pee in a cup, so they tape a "wee bag" to him (poor kid) and I need to get him to drink to try and encourage the urinating part... but Cam took the diaper bag with him, doh! After waiting a half hour or something to try to get Dallas to do his thing in the "wee bag" the doctor comes back to talk about all the things we have learned about Dallas today:
1) the fever isn't due to an ear infection... at least I don't think so, I can't be sure because he has some waxy build-up in his ear... but the parts I can see don't look inflamed at all
2) the fever isn't due to strep of another throat inflammation-thingy because his throat looks fine (she got a pretty good view of it with the aid of a tongue depressor while he was screaming his head off when we first got there)
3) he doesn't have any pneumonia that I can see, although his body was slightly twisted in the x-ray so his heart is covering a portion of one of his lungs so it could be in that area
4)he doesn't seem to have appendicitis or another abdominal problem because he laughs when his belly is pushed on
5) he has lots of gas in his intestines and quite a bit of blockage; in short he is constipated (which I wouldn't have guessed, the kid has a BM everyday, more than one sometimes, and he never seems to strain and the BM's aren't overly firm or anything...)
The doctor decides to fore go doing bloodwork but still wants us to get a urine sample (to check for a UTI or any weird bacteria in his system), but we can just bring it back in when he does decide to go. We need to keep the fevers down if they happen and she gave us a prescription for amoxicilin and a laxative, but don't start the medicine until after the urine sample is taken. By now is it close to 2:30, so I call Cam to come get me, we need to get Jadon off the bus at 3:45...
I wasn't able to get to the store until around 7pm to get the prescriptions filled and when I get home Dallas is asleep, when he wakes up he is running a fever so he has turned into Mr. Noncooperative. With Cam's help we manage to Oreo-bribe some fever-reducing medicine and the antibiotics into him but he won't take the laxative mixed up in root beer. We did finally get that into him about a hour later (by making him cuddle with us and telling him we wouldn't put him down until he drank all the pop...).
Luckily Chelane has been her usual way laid-back, I-will-just-sit-here-and-look-cute,-get-to-me-whenever-you-have-the-time self. She had the same sort of cold Dallas did, but hopefully she won't develop a fever at all, she isn't getting amazing food with built in antibodies (provided by me) that Dallas isn't, that may be part of the difference.
Chelane has been in bed for an hour or so now and I just looked over at Dallas and he is finally asleep on the couch... I wonder how long that will last. It is very possible I may take a sick day tomorrow to recover from my sick day today.
Dallas screamed when they tried to take his temperature, he screamed when they tried to look in his ears, he screamed when they tried to listen to his heart (I trust you are beginning to see the pattern). They wanted to take x-rays so I held him down during those. Of course there is a long wait in our room after the x-ray because it has to be developed, I think we all fell asleep (did I mention Dallas didn't give us much more that 3 hours of interrupted sleep last night?). They came back wanting to do a stomach x-ray to verify something they thought they saw in the chest x-ray, they also want to take a urine sample, and probably do some blood tests... It is getting close to 1pm so I tell Cam to take Chelane home and I'll call him to come pick me up (I am thinking around 5pm at the rate this is all going, the x-ray place is WAY on the other side of the clinic).
Of course Dallas won't pee in a cup, so they tape a "wee bag" to him (poor kid) and I need to get him to drink to try and encourage the urinating part... but Cam took the diaper bag with him, doh! After waiting a half hour or something to try to get Dallas to do his thing in the "wee bag" the doctor comes back to talk about all the things we have learned about Dallas today:
1) the fever isn't due to an ear infection... at least I don't think so, I can't be sure because he has some waxy build-up in his ear... but the parts I can see don't look inflamed at all
2) the fever isn't due to strep of another throat inflammation-thingy because his throat looks fine (she got a pretty good view of it with the aid of a tongue depressor while he was screaming his head off when we first got there)
3) he doesn't have any pneumonia that I can see, although his body was slightly twisted in the x-ray so his heart is covering a portion of one of his lungs so it could be in that area
4)he doesn't seem to have appendicitis or another abdominal problem because he laughs when his belly is pushed on
5) he has lots of gas in his intestines and quite a bit of blockage; in short he is constipated (which I wouldn't have guessed, the kid has a BM everyday, more than one sometimes, and he never seems to strain and the BM's aren't overly firm or anything...)
The doctor decides to fore go doing bloodwork but still wants us to get a urine sample (to check for a UTI or any weird bacteria in his system), but we can just bring it back in when he does decide to go. We need to keep the fevers down if they happen and she gave us a prescription for amoxicilin and a laxative, but don't start the medicine until after the urine sample is taken. By now is it close to 2:30, so I call Cam to come get me, we need to get Jadon off the bus at 3:45...
I wasn't able to get to the store until around 7pm to get the prescriptions filled and when I get home Dallas is asleep, when he wakes up he is running a fever so he has turned into Mr. Noncooperative. With Cam's help we manage to Oreo-bribe some fever-reducing medicine and the antibiotics into him but he won't take the laxative mixed up in root beer. We did finally get that into him about a hour later (by making him cuddle with us and telling him we wouldn't put him down until he drank all the pop...).
Luckily Chelane has been her usual way laid-back, I-will-just-sit-here-and-look-cute,-get-to-me-whenever-you-have-the-time self. She had the same sort of cold Dallas did, but hopefully she won't develop a fever at all, she isn't getting amazing food with built in antibodies (provided by me) that Dallas isn't, that may be part of the difference.
Chelane has been in bed for an hour or so now and I just looked over at Dallas and he is finally asleep on the couch... I wonder how long that will last. It is very possible I may take a sick day tomorrow to recover from my sick day today.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Teeth
I am being very creative with my blog post titles lately. I am also trying this new thing with colors a bit, instead of using paraenthesis everywhere, to seperate my thoughts. Let me know if it works for you or is more confusing.
Well we were wondering what was up with Chelane's mouth. Not really. Dallas teethed at three months, getting his bottom two teeth. I know that is pretty rediculously early. He had eight teeth before he was one. He never seemed to complain about teething; apparently growing teeth and jamming them through his gums came very naturally to him.
So when Chelane was going on six, then seven, now eight months without a bite nor pinch of a tooth I was starting to wonder if she even developed teeth again not really... much. She has decided to make up for it this weekend. Chelane finally seems to have teeth breaking through and it is confirmed today that is it not only one tooth but BOTH bottom teeth. I thought there may have been a top tooth coming through as well, which would have really impressed me, but it is just the two bottom teeth. We are hoping we are reaching the end of the runny nose since the teeth are breaking through.
Well we were wondering what was up with Chelane's mouth. Not really. Dallas teethed at three months, getting his bottom two teeth. I know that is pretty rediculously early. He had eight teeth before he was one. He never seemed to complain about teething; apparently growing teeth and jamming them through his gums came very naturally to him.
So when Chelane was going on six, then seven, now eight months without a bite nor pinch of a tooth I was starting to wonder if she even developed teeth again not really... much. She has decided to make up for it this weekend. Chelane finally seems to have teeth breaking through and it is confirmed today that is it not only one tooth but BOTH bottom teeth. I thought there may have been a top tooth coming through as well, which would have really impressed me, but it is just the two bottom teeth. We are hoping we are reaching the end of the runny nose since the teeth are breaking through.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Speech
After all the worries about Dallas not talking he is finally seeing a speech therapist once a week. It seems to be helping, the kid is babbling now (which is not something we ever heard him do), and we can get him to copy most sounds we make (he wouldn't use to do that either). However he is still having problems blending sounds (I can get him to say "pah-ee-sah" but not "'pees" (trying to be "please")) and there are some sounds that still seem to be beyond him ('n' and 'l' are difficult); so we take any milestone when we can get it. And here is another one! Dallas is now saying two word sentances!
Ok it is really only two, two-word sentances... but he says them over and over...
They are "No Mom" which was closly followed by (can you guess) "No Dad."
Aren't we lucky?
Ok it is really only two, two-word sentances... but he says them over and over...
They are "No Mom" which was closly followed by (can you guess) "No Dad."
Aren't we lucky?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Waiver Day
Also known as "teacher workshop days" when I was growing up. The kids all get the day off while the teachers (and para educators) have to come into work. Last waiver day I spent getting Red Cross CPR and First Aid certified, this time there weren't any optional classes to go to. I spent the weekend thinking what we could do to keep us busy ALL day long. This morning I was dreading that today would be a long day.
I am still getting over a cold and am in the "smoker's cough" phase today. I was thinking if it was slow and very tedious day I would just leave early using my sickness as an excuse and spend the day recuperating. But today was the FASTEST day I have had at work yet and that is saying alot. I did alot of copies, corrects lots of work, found a few AWESOME websites for time and money worksheets.
I got to work a little late and was able to leave a little early but the hours all worked out because I took a working lunch (I usually pump at lunch but since Dallas destroyed one of the membranes on the pump this weekend, single pumping would just take too long). All-in-all it was a good day.
I am still getting over a cold and am in the "smoker's cough" phase today. I was thinking if it was slow and very tedious day I would just leave early using my sickness as an excuse and spend the day recuperating. But today was the FASTEST day I have had at work yet and that is saying alot. I did alot of copies, corrects lots of work, found a few AWESOME websites for time and money worksheets.
I got to work a little late and was able to leave a little early but the hours all worked out because I took a working lunch (I usually pump at lunch but since Dallas destroyed one of the membranes on the pump this weekend, single pumping would just take too long). All-in-all it was a good day.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Kid #1
Dallas
Favorite Food: Cereal. Special K with red berries, multigrain or fruity cheerios, honey bunches of oats. He use to be all about Chex but has moved on to bigger and better things (plus Grandma and Grandpa get better cereals than that).
Favorite Drink: He is all about the "brown juice" (root beer). Daddy let him have some a few months ago and he recognizes the stuff whenever it is around and isn't very happy if you don't let him have it. He also loves milk and juice. The kid asks for water pretty often too (whenever he isn't at the table).
Favorite Book: Right now Mommy thinks it is a tie between Go, Dog Go! and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Dallas loved The Monster At The End Of The Book before he was a year old. Mommy would recite it to him in the car when he got fussy. He enjoys that once and a while, but asks for "brown" or "go" at night now.
Favorite Activity: Anything that gets Dallas into trouble, like ransacking Uncle Jadon's room... Actually Dallas is really into play-doh, coloring (with markers or pens - Mommy and Daddy have had to ban crayons), potato heads, train sets, books, puzzles, and toy cars. Unfortunatly the cake is taken by movies. If given the choice Dallas will pick movies over anything except playing outsid; Dallas loves to slide and swing.
Favorite Color: Orange. Dallas picks it more often than others at least.
Dallas loves being a big brother and is very gentle with Chelane. Dallas shares with her and helps make her happy (he is great at giving her a pacifier and blankets). He has started "babbling" which is the first time he has really done that. He likes to mimic his talkative sister so hopefully the talking is on its way! He really does love to learn and you can get him to take a bite of almost anything by singing "Old McDonald Had A Farm."
Favorite Food: Cereal. Special K with red berries, multigrain or fruity cheerios, honey bunches of oats. He use to be all about Chex but has moved on to bigger and better things (plus Grandma and Grandpa get better cereals than that).
Favorite Drink: He is all about the "brown juice" (root beer). Daddy let him have some a few months ago and he recognizes the stuff whenever it is around and isn't very happy if you don't let him have it. He also loves milk and juice. The kid asks for water pretty often too (whenever he isn't at the table).
Favorite Book: Right now Mommy thinks it is a tie between Go, Dog Go! and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Dallas loved The Monster At The End Of The Book before he was a year old. Mommy would recite it to him in the car when he got fussy. He enjoys that once and a while, but asks for "brown" or "go" at night now.
Favorite Activity: Anything that gets Dallas into trouble, like ransacking Uncle Jadon's room... Actually Dallas is really into play-doh, coloring (with markers or pens - Mommy and Daddy have had to ban crayons), potato heads, train sets, books, puzzles, and toy cars. Unfortunatly the cake is taken by movies. If given the choice Dallas will pick movies over anything except playing outsid; Dallas loves to slide and swing.
Favorite Color: Orange. Dallas picks it more often than others at least.
Dallas loves being a big brother and is very gentle with Chelane. Dallas shares with her and helps make her happy (he is great at giving her a pacifier and blankets). He has started "babbling" which is the first time he has really done that. He likes to mimic his talkative sister so hopefully the talking is on its way! He really does love to learn and you can get him to take a bite of almost anything by singing "Old McDonald Had A Farm."
Enlightenment
Or "the post in which Kassie talks about herself." Don't worry, I won't do this often.
Meniere's Disease is a disorder of the inner ear. It is characterized by four symptoms. It has no clear cause and it seems to worsen or disappear at its leisure. I have always thought it would be better off called a 'syndrome' since it has no known cause and is defined by symptoms; but maybe the real reason I want it called a 'syndrome' is I don't like thinking myself as having some 'disease.' If you haven't guessed or didn't know, I have Meniere's Disease.
Like I said it is characterized by four symptoms:
1. fullness or pressure in the ears
2. periods of vertigo
3. some hearing loss in one or both ears
4. tinnitus (ringing or other noise) in one or both ears
The real kicker is you don't have to have all of these symptoms to have Meniere's Disease. I seem to have all but the fullness or pressure (although I do have that on occasion, usually before/during the vertigo episodes).
This disease occurs slightly more frequently in men and is most common in the 40-60 age group. My start of Meniere's Disease was vertigo episodes when I was sixteen. I had them pretty often and would go weeks with my head being sensitive to movement, noise, and light (but it wasn't a migraine). Other times I was vomiting. There wasn't much the doctor could do, only suggest that I come in when I was actually having an attack, but the last thing I wanna do when the room is spinning so hard I am vomiting is to get in a car. The hard attacks aside, I could function pretty normally with the vertigo. I still went to work and school and drove myself around if necessary (being extra careful and super alert to my surroundings). It has tapered itself down. I am at one or two bad episodes a year now. I can't go on carnival or amusement park rides anymore (although roller coasters seem to be ok for the most part which is good, those are my favorite). I also get car sick easily. But lots of people have those problems.
I first noticed the hearing loss my first semester of college. I came home and told mom I was having hearing trouble; she took me to the doctor who administered a typical hearing test (raise your hand when you hear the 'beep') and I passed with flying colors. The next semester I took a math course from an old retiree who resembled yoda and talked softly with a low voice. He really was a great teacher and a very cute old man, but I went from sitting in the back of the classroom to the front-right in order to hear. I can home that summer and mom sent me to specialists. They determined I had a moderate hearing loss in my left ear, took MRIs to rule out tumors and other scary things, gave me balancing tests (really hard ones like standing on one foot with your eye closed... ok so not that hard, but apparently I only did about as good as a five year-old), and did other tests to determine I had problems.
I have the tinnitus and hearing loss in my left ear. The tinnitus for me is more of a 'rushing' rather than a ringing (like a TV is on but not plugged into the cable) and the hearing loss is on the moderate/severe side. Because of the white noise I constantly have in my ear, low tones (men's voices) and places with lots of background noise make hearing harder for me. I have figured out how to compensate. Tricks like turning my head or watching someones lips and trying to fit things they may be saying into the current context of the conversation. I also ask people to repeat themselves A LOT (just ask Cam).
The inner ear is pretty much a black box to scientists and doctors. They don't know how to fix inner ear problems. So now I know what I have but there isn't a way to fix it unless it goes away or stabilizes on its own - which I think it has (stabilized I mean).
I don't tell these stories to get sympathy. I know how to deal with the vertigo when it happens (which isn't too often), I hardly notice the noise in my ear unless I focus on it, and I honestly don't remember what it was like before I couldn't hear very well. I tell you this to ask you to cut my some slack once and a while. I don't hear everything. Sometimes I can be looking right at you and not realize you are talking to me because I can't hear what is going on (especially if there is lots of noise). Once in a while I won't look at you when you are talking to me so I can point my good ear at you. Other times I will be staring at your mouth (I don't think I am too obvious with that though). I may ask you to repeat yourself... a lot... Please just humor me, I am trying.
Meniere's Disease is a disorder of the inner ear. It is characterized by four symptoms. It has no clear cause and it seems to worsen or disappear at its leisure. I have always thought it would be better off called a 'syndrome' since it has no known cause and is defined by symptoms; but maybe the real reason I want it called a 'syndrome' is I don't like thinking myself as having some 'disease.' If you haven't guessed or didn't know, I have Meniere's Disease.
Like I said it is characterized by four symptoms:
1. fullness or pressure in the ears
2. periods of vertigo
3. some hearing loss in one or both ears
4. tinnitus (ringing or other noise) in one or both ears
The real kicker is you don't have to have all of these symptoms to have Meniere's Disease. I seem to have all but the fullness or pressure (although I do have that on occasion, usually before/during the vertigo episodes).
This disease occurs slightly more frequently in men and is most common in the 40-60 age group. My start of Meniere's Disease was vertigo episodes when I was sixteen. I had them pretty often and would go weeks with my head being sensitive to movement, noise, and light (but it wasn't a migraine). Other times I was vomiting. There wasn't much the doctor could do, only suggest that I come in when I was actually having an attack, but the last thing I wanna do when the room is spinning so hard I am vomiting is to get in a car. The hard attacks aside, I could function pretty normally with the vertigo. I still went to work and school and drove myself around if necessary (being extra careful and super alert to my surroundings). It has tapered itself down. I am at one or two bad episodes a year now. I can't go on carnival or amusement park rides anymore (although roller coasters seem to be ok for the most part which is good, those are my favorite). I also get car sick easily. But lots of people have those problems.
I first noticed the hearing loss my first semester of college. I came home and told mom I was having hearing trouble; she took me to the doctor who administered a typical hearing test (raise your hand when you hear the 'beep') and I passed with flying colors. The next semester I took a math course from an old retiree who resembled yoda and talked softly with a low voice. He really was a great teacher and a very cute old man, but I went from sitting in the back of the classroom to the front-right in order to hear. I can home that summer and mom sent me to specialists. They determined I had a moderate hearing loss in my left ear, took MRIs to rule out tumors and other scary things, gave me balancing tests (really hard ones like standing on one foot with your eye closed... ok so not that hard, but apparently I only did about as good as a five year-old), and did other tests to determine I had problems.
I have the tinnitus and hearing loss in my left ear. The tinnitus for me is more of a 'rushing' rather than a ringing (like a TV is on but not plugged into the cable) and the hearing loss is on the moderate/severe side. Because of the white noise I constantly have in my ear, low tones (men's voices) and places with lots of background noise make hearing harder for me. I have figured out how to compensate. Tricks like turning my head or watching someones lips and trying to fit things they may be saying into the current context of the conversation. I also ask people to repeat themselves A LOT (just ask Cam).
The inner ear is pretty much a black box to scientists and doctors. They don't know how to fix inner ear problems. So now I know what I have but there isn't a way to fix it unless it goes away or stabilizes on its own - which I think it has (stabilized I mean).
I don't tell these stories to get sympathy. I know how to deal with the vertigo when it happens (which isn't too often), I hardly notice the noise in my ear unless I focus on it, and I honestly don't remember what it was like before I couldn't hear very well. I tell you this to ask you to cut my some slack once and a while. I don't hear everything. Sometimes I can be looking right at you and not realize you are talking to me because I can't hear what is going on (especially if there is lots of noise). Once in a while I won't look at you when you are talking to me so I can point my good ear at you. Other times I will be staring at your mouth (I don't think I am too obvious with that though). I may ask you to repeat yourself... a lot... Please just humor me, I am trying.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Frost
The hail and frost we had a week ago killed all the zucchini and tomato plants Dad and I put in the ground. They look really pathetic just standing there all dead. We need to go get some more if we want to grow anything this year but it is already late in the growing season (it was late in the growing season when we planted the stuff in the first place).
The lettuce, herbs and onions seem to be thriving. I would have thought frost and hail would kill herbs. Herbs just scream "fragile" to me (don't worry; plants don't really talk to me, that would be silly). Apparently peppermint, rosemary, and basil are heartier than they look.
The lettuce, herbs and onions seem to be thriving. I would have thought frost and hail would kill herbs. Herbs just scream "fragile" to me (don't worry; plants don't really talk to me, that would be silly). Apparently peppermint, rosemary, and basil are heartier than they look.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Writer's Block
I figured it was something you get when you are either in school or trying to write something for a living, not when you are trying to blog for Pete's sake!
The total lack of posts is due to my total lack of creativity. I am trying to figure out how to write things being all cute and witty but I can't seem to come up with it. So instead of some cute story that ties a sock-eating-dryer to Dallas you just get: Dallas likes to take socks off. Everyone's socks. His, mine, Daddy's, even Chelane's.
I will now also relate that other big fun new thing I am doing: making my own baby food. Yeah it is SOO hard too. I put cooked up veggies (so far I have done yams and carrots and peas) in either a small food processor or my mom's baby food grinder (it was an awesome find, I found it in her cupboard) with some water and volia! I have also taken to mashing up avacados and bananas with a fork. All you have to do is add some water to it and mix it up really well.
This kid loves it. We just started solid foods a month or so ago and I am thinking we need to up the times of day she eats, once again, to a total of three.
There is my bland, non-creative, I-wrote-it-because-I-felt-obligated-to-do-it post, enjoy.
The total lack of posts is due to my total lack of creativity. I am trying to figure out how to write things being all cute and witty but I can't seem to come up with it. So instead of some cute story that ties a sock-eating-dryer to Dallas you just get: Dallas likes to take socks off. Everyone's socks. His, mine, Daddy's, even Chelane's.
I will now also relate that other big fun new thing I am doing: making my own baby food. Yeah it is SOO hard too. I put cooked up veggies (so far I have done yams and carrots and peas) in either a small food processor or my mom's baby food grinder (it was an awesome find, I found it in her cupboard) with some water and volia! I have also taken to mashing up avacados and bananas with a fork. All you have to do is add some water to it and mix it up really well.
This kid loves it. We just started solid foods a month or so ago and I am thinking we need to up the times of day she eats, once again, to a total of three.
There is my bland, non-creative, I-wrote-it-because-I-felt-obligated-to-do-it post, enjoy.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Comments
So I haven't had any comments in over a week. It isn't due to lack of posts - there are three in the last week. So am I just too boring for you? You are all giving me a complex.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Spring Break!
I am loving this Spring Break thing. I get to spend the days with my kids and hubby (and other assorted family members depending on the day)! I have also planned to make this a very productive week (ie doing all the things I have been putting off for the last month or two).
On Monday I am getting fingerprinted for my paraeducator job (I sorta needed to do that within about ten days of being hired...). I also need to be fingerprinted for my Washington Teaching Certification application that I have (finally) finished. Luckily I can do it all at the same time for only one fee and I have to be fingerprinted at the building I need to turn the application into so it works out beautifully. Then I can start on my application to the Auburn School District (they have a middle school AND high school math teacher opening for next year).
Wednesday it my most exciting day (of things arleady scheduled). I go to the dentist at 7am (and I am ECSTATIC about it, not kidding at all), hopefully schedule another dentist appointment for later this week, and then get my haircut at 10am. I am very ready for a hair change. Cam says he doesn't care what I do with it and when I warned him I may come back with it shorter than his he didn't bat an eye. I just can't keep it long. It gives me headaches when there is too much weight on my head. And I just put it up in a ponytail all the time (which causes worse headaches). I am thinking of a Keira Knightly thing (when she had short hair) or the current Natalie Portman.
Thursday the SKIP therapists are doing a home visit/evaluation to start Dallas' speech therapy. I am very happy I will be home for it. We are also scheduling them so they can be done in the evenings after I am home from work. I am hoping we can get Dallas to be more verbal.
I get to do some outdoor/lawn work as well as starting the garden(!!) Dad bought some already started tomato, zucchini, and lettuce plants that can be put in the ground soon. He also wants some bushes ripped up and the gate to the fence finished. Cam will need to do a bit of the outside work too, but since I am here to watch the kids he is free to.
I will be home to take Dallas to the park in the afternoon if we want (the weather should be in the 60's on Monday). Hopefully we can hit the Science Center or Zoo or Pike's Place sometime this week too.
On Monday I am getting fingerprinted for my paraeducator job (I sorta needed to do that within about ten days of being hired...). I also need to be fingerprinted for my Washington Teaching Certification application that I have (finally) finished. Luckily I can do it all at the same time for only one fee and I have to be fingerprinted at the building I need to turn the application into so it works out beautifully. Then I can start on my application to the Auburn School District (they have a middle school AND high school math teacher opening for next year).
Wednesday it my most exciting day (of things arleady scheduled). I go to the dentist at 7am (and I am ECSTATIC about it, not kidding at all), hopefully schedule another dentist appointment for later this week, and then get my haircut at 10am. I am very ready for a hair change. Cam says he doesn't care what I do with it and when I warned him I may come back with it shorter than his he didn't bat an eye. I just can't keep it long. It gives me headaches when there is too much weight on my head. And I just put it up in a ponytail all the time (which causes worse headaches). I am thinking of a Keira Knightly thing (when she had short hair) or the current Natalie Portman.
Thursday the SKIP therapists are doing a home visit/evaluation to start Dallas' speech therapy. I am very happy I will be home for it. We are also scheduling them so they can be done in the evenings after I am home from work. I am hoping we can get Dallas to be more verbal.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Benefits
In the Auburn School District benefits kick in the 1st of the month after you have worked ten days. I only worked four days in Febraury so I have been waiting ALL March for the 1st of April and my dental benefits to kick in.
I had a filling fall out in the back of my mouth in December. It really hadn't been that bad until the end(ish) of February but has been steadily getting worse and more sensetive. I can't eat cold cereal because the cold milk ends up in every nook and crany of my mouth and I have massive sensitivity issues. Also food loves to get stuck in that gaping chasm in my mouth. I use to be able to play with it with my tongue and stuck the inside of my check and that would remove alot of stuck food. Now sucking the inside of my mouth causes a huge pain in my tooth (and jaw. It has gotten bad enough that I have to be careful how badly I suck my spit together before I swallow... I know you really didn't want to hear that but, too bad, you got to anyway.) Floss does jack, and a tooth brush doesn't do too much either. The best I can do is swish with body temperature water (it can't be too cold or too hot or it hurts).
So imagine my elation when APRIL finally rolls around. Well my health card arrived promptly on the 1st but nothing from the dental company... so I email the person in HR that deals with benefits. They gist of her response was to wait until the end of the month and then call if I hadn't gotten my card; they usually tell new employees not to expect to schedule anything the first month of having their benefits because it takes a while to get new employees in their systems. Well I wasn't taking that. I had already waited a month and I had those benefits NOW dang it! It wasn't the end of the month yet but I want that root canal ASAP (never thought you would hear someone who wanted a root canal, did you?)
I called the dental company Friday after school. I wasn't in the system yet... but my name was on the new list they got from the school district that day. The operator quickly put me in the system and transfered me over to make an appointment. I go in Wednesday morning for my new patient exam and hopefully I can get the root canal soon thereafter; both of my back teeth are shot all to heck I fear. I will let you know if a root canal is all I hope and dream it will be...
I had a filling fall out in the back of my mouth in December. It really hadn't been that bad until the end(ish) of February but has been steadily getting worse and more sensetive. I can't eat cold cereal because the cold milk ends up in every nook and crany of my mouth and I have massive sensitivity issues. Also food loves to get stuck in that gaping chasm in my mouth. I use to be able to play with it with my tongue and stuck the inside of my check and that would remove alot of stuck food. Now sucking the inside of my mouth causes a huge pain in my tooth (and jaw. It has gotten bad enough that I have to be careful how badly I suck my spit together before I swallow... I know you really didn't want to hear that but, too bad, you got to anyway.) Floss does jack, and a tooth brush doesn't do too much either. The best I can do is swish with body temperature water (it can't be too cold or too hot or it hurts).
So imagine my elation when APRIL finally rolls around. Well my health card arrived promptly on the 1st but nothing from the dental company... so I email the person in HR that deals with benefits. They gist of her response was to wait until the end of the month and then call if I hadn't gotten my card; they usually tell new employees not to expect to schedule anything the first month of having their benefits because it takes a while to get new employees in their systems. Well I wasn't taking that. I had already waited a month and I had those benefits NOW dang it! It wasn't the end of the month yet but I want that root canal ASAP (never thought you would hear someone who wanted a root canal, did you?)
I called the dental company Friday after school. I wasn't in the system yet... but my name was on the new list they got from the school district that day. The operator quickly put me in the system and transfered me over to make an appointment. I go in Wednesday morning for my new patient exam and hopefully I can get the root canal soon thereafter; both of my back teeth are shot all to heck I fear. I will let you know if a root canal is all I hope and dream it will be...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Rolling Goodness
We finally got confirmation back from DSHS that our children will be insured by the state. I am very happy there are programs like that out there, but I hope we can get jobs and income squared away soon so we don't have to use everyone's tax dollars (or where ever the money comes from) for long.
Turns out it was also pre-dated. The kids were technically covered since March 1st, meaning Dallas' stitches are now taken care of. Chelane has a scheduled appointment for her six month check-up and Dallas has a referral for speech therapy. The evaluation done by the therapy center will take place next Tuesday.
Chelane is rolling back to front as well as front to back (now it is time to work on sitting up). She did it for the first time last Saturday (and I still can't believe Friday is over already, I didn't think I was THIS far behind) at Dallas' first friend-invited birthday party at the Little Gym in Issaquah. He was invited by a friend in his church nursery class and Dallas seemed to have a lot of fun there. He wasn't too adventurous though (he didn't even want to try the balance beam). Cam and I sorta fell in love with (that area of) Issaquah too (since it is out of the way but not far away from big cities and in the mountains).
But anyway back to Chelane's rolling... she is now getting around quite aptly, although she seems to favor rolling to one particular side; so, when she goes as far as she can go, she is frustrated by the furniture. She also in known to randomly start giggling. Jadon calls her "goodness."
Dallas and Chelane are still getting along really well, I guess I keep waiting for Dallas to be jealous or something but I don't think that will happen. He likes to play with her, be on the floor by her, is excited to see her in the morning when they wake up, talks sweet "baby-talk" to her (soft sounds in a high(er) pitched voice), have her in his bed when/if we read stories at night before he goes to bed, likes to make sure her arms are folded when we say prayers, and jump onto her off of furniture... actually he only did that last one once and just today, but hey, what are big brothers for right? He also has tried to build a tower on her (it is hard with a moving foundation) this last week and tried to stick the bulb syringe up her nose this afternoon... I guess she was sounding stuffed up.
Dallas and Jadon still have their problems once and a while. There are times I come home and they are sitting side-by-side watching a movie. They also wrestle and play ball together. Other times Jadon moves the water pitcher or pizza box around on the table so Dallas can't look at him. What are you gonna do?
Turns out it was also pre-dated. The kids were technically covered since March 1st, meaning Dallas' stitches are now taken care of. Chelane has a scheduled appointment for her six month check-up and Dallas has a referral for speech therapy. The evaluation done by the therapy center will take place next Tuesday.
Chelane is rolling back to front as well as front to back (now it is time to work on sitting up). She did it for the first time last Saturday (and I still can't believe Friday is over already, I didn't think I was THIS far behind) at Dallas' first friend-invited birthday party at the Little Gym in Issaquah. He was invited by a friend in his church nursery class and Dallas seemed to have a lot of fun there. He wasn't too adventurous though (he didn't even want to try the balance beam). Cam and I sorta fell in love with (that area of) Issaquah too (since it is out of the way but not far away from big cities and in the mountains).
But anyway back to Chelane's rolling... she is now getting around quite aptly, although she seems to favor rolling to one particular side; so, when she goes as far as she can go, she is frustrated by the furniture. She also in known to randomly start giggling. Jadon calls her "goodness."
Dallas and Chelane are still getting along really well, I guess I keep waiting for Dallas to be jealous or something but I don't think that will happen. He likes to play with her, be on the floor by her, is excited to see her in the morning when they wake up, talks sweet "baby-talk" to her (soft sounds in a high(er) pitched voice), have her in his bed when/if we read stories at night before he goes to bed, likes to make sure her arms are folded when we say prayers, and jump onto her off of furniture... actually he only did that last one once and just today, but hey, what are big brothers for right? He also has tried to build a tower on her (it is hard with a moving foundation) this last week and tried to stick the bulb syringe up her nose this afternoon... I guess she was sounding stuffed up.
Dallas and Jadon still have their problems once and a while. There are times I come home and they are sitting side-by-side watching a movie. They also wrestle and play ball together. Other times Jadon moves the water pitcher or pizza box around on the table so Dallas can't look at him. What are you gonna do?
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Wound
Dallas' head cut has been healing up nicely. The stitches were removed last Friday (as in two Fridays ago... so I guess that isn't "last Friday", how about "a past Friday"?).
When I mentioned we would need to take Dallas back to the urgent care facility on Friday, Cam asked why we couldn't just remove them ourselves. Save a bill.
I had never heard of such a thing. It seemed very dangerous and crazy. Cam said they took them out at home all the time when he was a kid. Hmmm, so it has been done before... So I asked Mom and Dad (I am still check in with my parents about stuff like this, they know everything) and they weren't surprised. They concurred, as long as you are careful it shouldn't be a problem. Well, ok, shows how much I know.
So Cam and I took them out.
We soaked tweezers and cuticle scissors in hydrogen peroxide and got some cotton balls ready. I held Dallas, pinned in my arms, on the toliet seat, while Cam tried to cut the stitches out. He wasn't being very succesful. He got about half a stitch out (yeah I know you are confused about getting "half a stitch out"... it basically equates to not getting the stitch out but trying really hard). So we switched places.
I would look hard at the stitch in Dallas' head while counting "1, 2, 3" and quickly snip in the best place I found; then "1, 2, 3" and use the tweezers to pull the thread-stuff out. It worked really well. Counting before doing anything not only gave me ample time to study where I wanted to cut/grab, it also gave Dallas a warning that something was going to happen. Cam didn't have to hold him much at all.
The wound has since scabbed and been band-aided many times. Dallas doesn't leave it alone (he didn't leave it alone when the stitches were in either), but it is finally completely closed (I think) and the skin is working on making the scar. I think it will be a bad one since he played with it so much.
His cousin, however, doesn't even have her stitches out yet :(
When I mentioned we would need to take Dallas back to the urgent care facility on Friday, Cam asked why we couldn't just remove them ourselves. Save a bill.
I had never heard of such a thing. It seemed very dangerous and crazy. Cam said they took them out at home all the time when he was a kid. Hmmm, so it has been done before... So I asked Mom and Dad (I am still check in with my parents about stuff like this, they know everything) and they weren't surprised. They concurred, as long as you are careful it shouldn't be a problem. Well, ok, shows how much I know.
So Cam and I took them out.
We soaked tweezers and cuticle scissors in hydrogen peroxide and got some cotton balls ready. I held Dallas, pinned in my arms, on the toliet seat, while Cam tried to cut the stitches out. He wasn't being very succesful. He got about half a stitch out (yeah I know you are confused about getting "half a stitch out"... it basically equates to not getting the stitch out but trying really hard). So we switched places.
I would look hard at the stitch in Dallas' head while counting "1, 2, 3" and quickly snip in the best place I found; then "1, 2, 3" and use the tweezers to pull the thread-stuff out. It worked really well. Counting before doing anything not only gave me ample time to study where I wanted to cut/grab, it also gave Dallas a warning that something was going to happen. Cam didn't have to hold him much at all.
The wound has since scabbed and been band-aided many times. Dallas doesn't leave it alone (he didn't leave it alone when the stitches were in either), but it is finally completely closed (I think) and the skin is working on making the scar. I think it will be a bad one since he played with it so much.
His cousin, however, doesn't even have her stitches out yet :(
Friday, March 20, 2009
Adventures Of A Stay At Home Daddy
Cam is taking many cute pictures during the day (while I am at work) and showing them to me when I get home. I get to hear very cute stories narrated by Cam, but then it is up to me to upload the pictures and re-write the stories. Apparently I don't have enough to do already...
So, since Cam won't post I will make up funny things about him too...
Dallas has figured out how to open the child safety handle on the door at the top at the top of the stairs. Since then Dallas has had unsupervised excursions to the lower levels of the house. Dallas found his way back up with a band-aid over his owie... well sort of over his owie.
In this picture you can see where his owie really is. No one told Dallas the adhesive part of the band aid isn't suppose to cover the cut. I am sure it felt very nice when Cam pulled it off.
Cam was preparing for the worse when he went back downstairs. The band-aids are kept in my parent's bathroom and heaven knows Dallas likes to make messes. Interestingly enough the bathroom was clean and the all but one of the band-aid pieces were in the garbage. Dallas had a mission to get a band-aid and wasn't distracted or tempted by other downstairs oddities... or so we thought.
After I got home from work Cam told me the cute band-aid story and showed me the candid shots he took. Later I was downstairs helping Dad put away some groceries. We had to make some room in the fridge for a huge Costco chicken pot pie. I was on my knees crouched over the bottom shelf when my eyes wandered to the bottom shelf in the fridge door where mom keeps her yoplait light yogurt. Can you guess?
Dallas had (apparently) taken out the 5 yogurts one-by-one, taken off the lids, stowed the lid garbage neatly behind the soy sauce, vinaigrette salad dressings, and lemon juice in the above shelf and replaced the now capless yogurt into their proper places.
Since they had only been capless for a few hours we just all pitched in and ate one at huge personal sacrifice... Do I need to even say that we all fought over who got to eat the key lime pie one? Even Dallas did his part. I figure one thing of yogurt containing aspertain won't kill him.
Needless to say Dad (and kids) are surviving this interesting switch in rolls.
So, since Cam won't post I will make up funny things about him too...
Dallas has figured out how to open the child safety handle on the door at the top at the top of the stairs. Since then Dallas has had unsupervised excursions to the lower levels of the house. Dallas found his way back up with a band-aid over his owie... well sort of over his owie.
In this picture you can see where his owie really is. No one told Dallas the adhesive part of the band aid isn't suppose to cover the cut. I am sure it felt very nice when Cam pulled it off.
Cam was preparing for the worse when he went back downstairs. The band-aids are kept in my parent's bathroom and heaven knows Dallas likes to make messes. Interestingly enough the bathroom was clean and the all but one of the band-aid pieces were in the garbage. Dallas had a mission to get a band-aid and wasn't distracted or tempted by other downstairs oddities... or so we thought.After I got home from work Cam told me the cute band-aid story and showed me the candid shots he took. Later I was downstairs helping Dad put away some groceries. We had to make some room in the fridge for a huge Costco chicken pot pie. I was on my knees crouched over the bottom shelf when my eyes wandered to the bottom shelf in the fridge door where mom keeps her yoplait light yogurt. Can you guess?
Dallas had (apparently) taken out the 5 yogurts one-by-one, taken off the lids, stowed the lid garbage neatly behind the soy sauce, vinaigrette salad dressings, and lemon juice in the above shelf and replaced the now capless yogurt into their proper places.
Since they had only been capless for a few hours we just all pitched in and ate one at huge personal sacrifice... Do I need to even say that we all fought over who got to eat the key lime pie one? Even Dallas did his part. I figure one thing of yogurt containing aspertain won't kill him.
Needless to say Dad (and kids) are surviving this interesting switch in rolls.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My Excuse
I am sick. I started getting a cold day before yesterday. I felt tired all day and couldn't figure out why (I had gotten enough sleep, it had been a relaxing weekend, etc.) then woke up the next morning with a sore throat and felt just as tired. Today I feel MORE tired (I am almost done whining, hang in there with me) and the cold is moving. Today I had a slightly drippy nose and a sore throat again and one or two throat-ripping, nasty, phlegmy coughs. It is on its way to settle in my chest, I just know it...
Anyway, it makes me feel good becasue I know I will soon feel better. I am washing my hands like a maniac trying to keep anyone else from getting sick. And this is by far NOT the worse cold I have had (it is actually very mild as far as my colds go) so don't fear to be near me.
I will blog about something worth-while soon. I have a few really good stories and pictures just waiting to be published on the world-wide web. You will just have to wait with bated breath for a few more days until I feel like I have enough energy after the kids go to bed to do something other than fall asleep myself.
Anyway, it makes me feel good becasue I know I will soon feel better. I am washing my hands like a maniac trying to keep anyone else from getting sick. And this is by far NOT the worse cold I have had (it is actually very mild as far as my colds go) so don't fear to be near me.
I will blog about something worth-while soon. I have a few really good stories and pictures just waiting to be published on the world-wide web. You will just have to wait with bated breath for a few more days until I feel like I have enough energy after the kids go to bed to do something other than fall asleep myself.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Potato Heads Make You Say the Darndest Things...
Dallas and I were cleaning up the Potato Heads. We had finished with all the pieces (so I thought) until Dallas moved. Under him were a few more pieces. "Hey," I said in my stern mommy-voice. "You need to pick up that tongue and eyeballs mister."
I heard Mom laughing as she was walking down the stairs...
I heard Mom laughing as she was walking down the stairs...
I Hate My Camera
This thing makes not-so-hot pictures. I can't even get what is on the veiw screen. It is either too dark or washed out (you have seen some of my pictures) and can be grainy and weird to boot.
It is very hard to capture the cute pictures (like Dallas building on Chelane and trying to pick her up) when you have to try five different settings and none of them give you a good picture. The cute poses don't last forever.
This is my excuse for lack of pictures lately.
It is very hard to capture the cute pictures (like Dallas building on Chelane and trying to pick her up) when you have to try five different settings and none of them give you a good picture. The cute poses don't last forever.
This is my excuse for lack of pictures lately.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Empathetic
Dallas was a key player in the cutting of his cousin's hand who needed to have stitches. He must have been feeling pretty bad about it because the following Monday he decided to run into something in his room and split his head open above his right eye while Mommy and Daddy were out to dinner and a movie for Daddy's birthday. Maybe it made him feel better sharing in his cousin's misfortune. Unfortunately he didn't do it right. his stitches only need to stay in for 4 days while his cousin is destined to two weeks...
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Old
Today is Cameron's 27th birthday. Be sure to congratulate him of his old age and subsequent impending death! All joking aside (or at least a good deal of it) I don't express thankfulness or praise to the man I love enough - especially not in the blogging world - and his birthday seems the best day to do just that!
Cam and I met through mutual friends. There were 3 guys sharing an apartment. I knew one of them, Cam knew a different one. We both had gone to many potluck dinners (these roomies did this every Tuesday night during college) without talking or interacting much. One of these Tuesdays happened to be the birthday celebration for a brother of the girlfriend of the roommate (everyone follow that?) neither Cam or I knew. Our usual intimate Tuesday night of 6-8 people had more than doubled (mostly by theater majors), leaving little room in the small apartment. When the couch was moved back to allow for more room to open presents I found myself sitting close to Cam. Halo 2 had just come out and I was expressing my excitement to play it sometime when Cam cut in the conversation - his roommate had just bought Halo 2.
I had no car in those days so I relied on the favor of my other friend (and Tuesday night dinner goer), Breton, to pick me up and drop me off. That night I left with Cam instead to go check out Halo 2. When he dropped me off at the condo I was living in and drove away, I kicked myself for not giving him my number or inviting him in. I hadn't thought he was anything special all those other Tuesdays I had seen him, but after getting to know him a bit I was sad to see him leave so quickly.
Well anyway, that Friday I came back to Washington for Thanksgiving. Cam called his friend who asked my friend my phone number and got in touch with me. We talked for a few hours every day for the week I was in Washington planned to go out to a movie the day I got back. We were married six months later.
Cam jokes that Halo 2 brought us together. In all seriousness our shared interest of computer games, video games, fantasy, and sci-fi (books and shows) gives us a lot to talk about and common activities to participate in.
The thing I love most about Cam is his very laid-back personality. One of the first things I fell in love with was his positive disposition. This man is ALWAYS happy. He loves to joke, play, tickle, cuddle, and laugh. I don't always appreciate what such an upbeat mood does for us. He makes me a happier person.
Coming is a close second (not really) is his sexy calves.
I am constantly surprised by what I am still learning about him. Every so often a new, hidden talent is brought to light. He can build houses ("everything but pouring the foundation and wiring - my dad always did that part, but I am sure I could figure it out"), he grew up hunting, he was teased in school, he can do math quicker (and better) than me in his head, he is a mama's boy. His love and respect for his mother is very endearing (and dare I say, attractive). He doesn't disclose all his talent's readily because he doesn't like being judged on what he knows, he would rather be judged for who he is.
He is honest, trusting, positive, hard-working, supportive and a wonderful father to his children. He dotes on Chelane to no end. I really would be an uptight stick-in-the-mud if it weren't for him. He puts up with my constant worrying and all-too-often criticism. I don't tell him I love him enough.
Well, here is to you, Cam, on your 27th birthday! I love you to no end and look forward to many more years together. As long as I am with you I don't care where life takes us.
Cam and I met through mutual friends. There were 3 guys sharing an apartment. I knew one of them, Cam knew a different one. We both had gone to many potluck dinners (these roomies did this every Tuesday night during college) without talking or interacting much. One of these Tuesdays happened to be the birthday celebration for a brother of the girlfriend of the roommate (everyone follow that?) neither Cam or I knew. Our usual intimate Tuesday night of 6-8 people had more than doubled (mostly by theater majors), leaving little room in the small apartment. When the couch was moved back to allow for more room to open presents I found myself sitting close to Cam. Halo 2 had just come out and I was expressing my excitement to play it sometime when Cam cut in the conversation - his roommate had just bought Halo 2.
I had no car in those days so I relied on the favor of my other friend (and Tuesday night dinner goer), Breton, to pick me up and drop me off. That night I left with Cam instead to go check out Halo 2. When he dropped me off at the condo I was living in and drove away, I kicked myself for not giving him my number or inviting him in. I hadn't thought he was anything special all those other Tuesdays I had seen him, but after getting to know him a bit I was sad to see him leave so quickly.
Well anyway, that Friday I came back to Washington for Thanksgiving. Cam called his friend who asked my friend my phone number and got in touch with me. We talked for a few hours every day for the week I was in Washington planned to go out to a movie the day I got back. We were married six months later.
Cam jokes that Halo 2 brought us together. In all seriousness our shared interest of computer games, video games, fantasy, and sci-fi (books and shows) gives us a lot to talk about and common activities to participate in.
The thing I love most about Cam is his very laid-back personality. One of the first things I fell in love with was his positive disposition. This man is ALWAYS happy. He loves to joke, play, tickle, cuddle, and laugh. I don't always appreciate what such an upbeat mood does for us. He makes me a happier person.
Coming is a close second (not really) is his sexy calves.
I am constantly surprised by what I am still learning about him. Every so often a new, hidden talent is brought to light. He can build houses ("everything but pouring the foundation and wiring - my dad always did that part, but I am sure I could figure it out"), he grew up hunting, he was teased in school, he can do math quicker (and better) than me in his head, he is a mama's boy. His love and respect for his mother is very endearing (and dare I say, attractive). He doesn't disclose all his talent's readily because he doesn't like being judged on what he knows, he would rather be judged for who he is.
He is honest, trusting, positive, hard-working, supportive and a wonderful father to his children. He dotes on Chelane to no end. I really would be an uptight stick-in-the-mud if it weren't for him. He puts up with my constant worrying and all-too-often criticism. I don't tell him I love him enough.
Well, here is to you, Cam, on your 27th birthday! I love you to no end and look forward to many more years together. As long as I am with you I don't care where life takes us.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
HA!
I realized after my last post that Dr. Seuss didn't write Go Dog, Go! Is there a reason no one pointed this out to me?!?!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
This town ain't big enough for the two of us...
This job is totally going to cramp my blog writing, I can already tell...
We all seems to be adjusting well. I am really enjoying my work. I only do any one thing for an hour tops so the day is split up nicely. Everything goes by quickly. The kids are great and the school is full of nice, positive, accepting people. Anyway I don't notice how much I miss my lil'uns until I get home and see their faces/cuddle with them.
Cam seems to be enjoying being home with the kids for the most part. He also admits it is making him try to find things to do to help out around the house more. This is all probably a good thing since it looks like I maybe teaching fulltime next year (if I can get my WA certification and someone will hire me that is, Auburn District does have a high school and middle school opening so hopefully the odds are good).
Chelane is stilljust as happy as ever. Someone at church this past Sunday asked me how old she was, when I responded "5 months" (which I think I can safely say now that we are into March) he said "oh so she is still keeping you up at night." That is when I got to thinking, yet again, how blessed I am to have had two really good sleepers. Since I have to deal with any mid-night problems, working could be very hard if she wasn't snoozing for 6-8 hours a night. I am also really blessed to have Uncle Jadon around. He keeps her entertained like it is nobody's business. I don't think I mentioned when she started laughing. I got her to do it really once right around four months and never again. I have tried acting silly, tickling, eating her tummy - you know, all the tricks. But Saturday Jadon was jumping around (or something, I was downstairs) and Chelane was laughing up a storm... I guess I am just not that funny...
I actually find that I have more patience with Dallas after being gone all day and after being at school all day I find I want to do productive activities with him (reading, puzzles, colors, drawing, etc.). We read Go Dog Go tonight and Dallas really got into it (and signed along since I was signing some of the words - he also said "go" a lot). After we were done he was asking for the book again, I don't know why I didn't think of Dr. Seuss books earlier...
Oh, that was another things I was going to mention, I don't think I would have known that March 2nd was the birthday of Dr. Seuss if I wasn't working at an elementary school, but most teachers revolve their whole day around something Seuss-like. With all the rhyming there is a lot to do with "word families" and the longer stories have pretty deep things to talk about. Dr. Seuss sure was one smart cookie.
We all seems to be adjusting well. I am really enjoying my work. I only do any one thing for an hour tops so the day is split up nicely. Everything goes by quickly. The kids are great and the school is full of nice, positive, accepting people. Anyway I don't notice how much I miss my lil'uns until I get home and see their faces/cuddle with them.
Cam seems to be enjoying being home with the kids for the most part. He also admits it is making him try to find things to do to help out around the house more. This is all probably a good thing since it looks like I maybe teaching fulltime next year (if I can get my WA certification and someone will hire me that is, Auburn District does have a high school and middle school opening so hopefully the odds are good).
Chelane is stilljust as happy as ever. Someone at church this past Sunday asked me how old she was, when I responded "5 months" (which I think I can safely say now that we are into March) he said "oh so she is still keeping you up at night." That is when I got to thinking, yet again, how blessed I am to have had two really good sleepers. Since I have to deal with any mid-night problems, working could be very hard if she wasn't snoozing for 6-8 hours a night. I am also really blessed to have Uncle Jadon around. He keeps her entertained like it is nobody's business. I don't think I mentioned when she started laughing. I got her to do it really once right around four months and never again. I have tried acting silly, tickling, eating her tummy - you know, all the tricks. But Saturday Jadon was jumping around (or something, I was downstairs) and Chelane was laughing up a storm... I guess I am just not that funny...
I actually find that I have more patience with Dallas after being gone all day and after being at school all day I find I want to do productive activities with him (reading, puzzles, colors, drawing, etc.). We read Go Dog Go tonight and Dallas really got into it (and signed along since I was signing some of the words - he also said "go" a lot). After we were done he was asking for the book again, I don't know why I didn't think of Dr. Seuss books earlier...
Oh, that was another things I was going to mention, I don't think I would have known that March 2nd was the birthday of Dr. Seuss if I wasn't working at an elementary school, but most teachers revolve their whole day around something Seuss-like. With all the rhyming there is a lot to do with "word families" and the longer stories have pretty deep things to talk about. Dr. Seuss sure was one smart cookie.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Job
This job is wonderful. First off, I get an alloted amount to spend on dental/vision/health insurance before any money is taken out of my pay check. I am able to cover myself and my entire family with vision and dental insurance and get health insurance for myself out of this amount. Second, I am only working through the end of the school year (June 20th-ish) but will continue to get paid through August (not that what I am getting paid would be enough to live on quite yet). Third, I work with a good group of kids and have the opportunity of teaching almost every one of them in a small group setting at some point in the day. Fourth, one of those kids is Amanda, an old friend of Jadon's. My mom knows her mom and all that jazz. Fifth, I get to listen to an average of two chapters of Holes every lunch period. Honestly I could go on and on (and maybe sometime I will, but I need to go to the store with Mom right now). But let's just say I look forward to the day and they go by faster than any job I have had...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Worthless Post...
I really should post about my first day on the job, but I really don't want to right now. So this is me commiting myself to some future post regarding it. Hopefully that will expidite the whole blogging process, but, let's be honest with ourselves, it probably won't help...
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Five Months?
Chelane is rapidly approaching her five month mark.
She rolls over. She hasn't mastered back to front, but she twists off her belly to either side with ease and expertise. She has discovered and uses her hands to a level I didn't know was possible for a small baby.* Chelane is also going through the cute stage of making loud,obnoxious, ear splitting, concentration-destroying, cute sounds. I know I have mentioned it before but she is also wearing 6-9 month clothes (and they fit now without drowning her at all).
She is so happy and getting so big but I am worried about her this month. She was born September 30th... so when exactly does she become five months old?...
*my past experience and knowledge is limited to Dallas, who at this age was: rolling, starting to sit up, bouncing for endless hours in his bouncer and had two teeth; but had no interest in sitting still and manipulating objects with his hands
She rolls over. She hasn't mastered back to front, but she twists off her belly to either side with ease and expertise. She has discovered and uses her hands to a level I didn't know was possible for a small baby.* Chelane is also going through the cute stage of making loud,
She is so happy and getting so big but I am worried about her this month. She was born September 30th... so when exactly does she become five months old?...
*my past experience and knowledge is limited to Dallas, who at this age was: rolling, starting to sit up, bouncing for endless hours in his bouncer and had two teeth; but had no interest in sitting still and manipulating objects with his hands
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