Love Bugs and Cake

My mom's birthday is on Monday but we decided to celebrate this evening. My dad needed a ride to get my mom a birthday present so I took him to Wal-Mart. Before the Wal-Mart stop I decided to use the Build a Bear coupon I'd gotten from being part of their club. They have been sending me a lot of free things lately and the current coupon was for a little stuffed love bug. I use the name "Love Bug" for Inara a lot and I decided I would get the love bug for her.Jadzia had won a contest we had going between the kids so her reward was she got to go with us and be the one to pick out Grandma's cake. Jadzia loved the love bug but I reminded her from the beginning and throughout the entire trip that she was making the love bug for Inara. Jadzia has an unbelievable amount of stuffed animals so she definitely didn't need another one. Also I thought this was a good lesson on giving to others. She told the clerk "I'm making this for my baby sister, Inara. I love her and I want her to be happy." Jadzia named the bug "Princess Lady Bug".Jadzia did get a heart antenna headband that they were giving out to everyone who got the love bug. While at Wal-Mart Jadzia selected the cake and for some reason she chose a blue cake and not the expected pink. The cake looked like a sort of flower or perhaps a water puddle and it matched the pillow my dad picked up for my mom. Jadzia picked out smaller treats for the boys. The boys still did a good job in the contest so I thought they deserved something as well.
When I got back I had another message from a technician at the place Ronan got his CPAP. I was supposed to be receiving a call from the doctor and had been trying to get a hold of her for the last week and my phone calls weren't being returned. A long story unfolded so I'll try to sum it all up.Basically the receptionist had been giving my messages to the technicians and not the doctor even though I had specified this was a doctor matter. She still refused to give my message to the doctor and said she would note my concern on the note and give it to the therapist. The reason I needed to talk to the doctor was because Ronan was no longer wanting to wear his CPAP and the doctor was the only one that could change up equipment. The technician couldn't do anything. But even after explaining this the receptionist wouldn't let me speak with the doctor. I knew the matter needed resolved and I was getting pretty frustrated so I drove down there.When I arrived the receptionist wasn't going to let me see the doctor but I told her I needed to talk to the doctor today or I was going to find Ronan a new doctor. Ten minutes later his doctor was out to talk to us. She confirmed that she had not been given any of my messages and she assumed since she'd not heard from me that everything was going fine. She gave me her direct number, apologized and promised to get to the bottom of why none of my messages over the last week had reached her. She decided she's going to change Ronan's mask to a full face mask (more like his nebulizer) instead of the tiny nose mask.She said most likely his sinus infection a few weeks back had left his nose area sensitive to the pressure of the nose mask. Unfortunately since it was late in the day I can't get the mask until Monday because the place is closed which means I'll just have to keep his monitor on him and watch him close until then.

By the time I was done being Mama bear and ensuring my son was going to be taken care of it was time for my mom's party. Everyone came over to our house. My mom loved her cake but I soon realized I'd forgotten to pick up candles so I made my mom pretend there was a candle on top. Ronan even enjoyed a cupcake without a single choking incident. This brought back memories of his first birthday.Jadzia was very proud to have been the one to pick out Grandma's cake and was even more happy to discover that blue is Grandma's favorite color.This next picture I'm not sure whether to title this "The Three musketeers" or the "Three Stooges". I'm thinking either would work.The picture below I title "We are seriously cool."

How to get rid of a Solicitor ?

For the last three days we have had the same man from a local cable company showing up on our doorstep asking if we wanted to switch providers. He always shows up at the same time (when I'm trying to make dinner). The first time I was polite and simply told him we weren't interested. He then inquired about how much we pay our current television provider. I told him I wasn't going to disclose that information to him. Immediately in a very monotone, reading a script type voice he said " It looks at that price I can indeed save you money if you switch to our provider."

I lowered my eye brows wondering if he'd heard a word I said and then I said "I didn't tell you what we pay so you have no idea if you can save us money. We're not interested." I shut the door. The very next day he returned with the same spill. I simply told him I still felt the same way as yesterday and we did not want to switch television providers. Sure enough we get to today. I have something cooking on the stove and I hear the door bell. Surely it's not that cable guy?

I answer the door but left the screen shut. "I told you we aren't interested. Please don't come back again." I shut the door and turned around to resume cooking. Ding Dong. Seriously? I peek out the window and he's still standing there expecting me to open the door again. So what do I do when someone won't leave me alone? I stick my husband on them. Trust me you don't want this to happen to you. I went upstairs and explained to Isaac what was going on.
He opened the door and the guy was still standing there expectantly. Isaac went outside and shut the front door behind him. They were out there for about five minutes and I was getting very curious. Isaac came back into the kitchen where I was trying to complete supper.

"The guy said that someone at this address owed them $200 six years ago. " I stirred my soup as I said "All he ever said was that he wanted us to switch to his Cable company." "Yeah, I told him we didn't even live here that long ago and that we've never even had his company as a provider. I'm going to go buy a no solicitation sign."

I got to thinking about the whole thing later. If the guy was truly trying to collect a debt why would he put up the ruse of trying to get me to switch providers. The entire thing seems very strange and I've decided if he diligently returns tomorrow that that cable company is going to get a call from me.In the world of the kids, Ronan has been signing "All Done" all day. His OT was here today and he would play for a little while and then sign "All Done". I haven't decided if he was just in a non compliant mood or if the newness of the sign has brought fun to being done with everything. He did a lot better at pulling things out of containers but he still doesn't want to let go of anything. He is pretty possessive of things he attaches himself to. Some of you may remember the comb?
Inara is getting closer to crawling if she could just get past the frustration of only going backwards. She gets pretty mad when she gets stuck under the couch when all she wanted was to reach the toy that used to be two inches in front of her.Grandma and Grandpa wanting to get Ronan to show off his new walking skills.
I did it!

One Step At A Time

Ronan has taught me character traits as have my other children. Ronan has taught me to pick myself back up when I feel defeated. He's taught me that things don't need rushed and my timing isn't always the best timing. Back when there was that tiny baby in his incubator inside the NICU I was so unsure of myself, so unsure I would be an adequate mother. Sometimes I wish I could go back and let myself know where we'd be a year and half down the road. Things would have been a whole lot less scary.I realize though if I could do that I would have missed out on the journey I desperately needed to take. I needed to accept God's timing and not my own. Many tears, hopes and dreams have been set in my heart for a single milestone. The milestone of my baby boy taking his first steps and today he did just that.
As he lifted his tiny feet and moved them forward I felt tears swell in my eyes. He made it five steps with a beaming smile on his face. He knew his accomplishment. He held out both his arms and I embraced him and twirled him around the room. He grabbed my face and planted several kisses and then looked up at me as if to say "Are you proud of me, mom?". This moment was huge.He's been taking more steps all day. Sometimes he falls down but he always gets back up. One step at a time, little by little he makes it to me or a piece of furniture. I know someday soon he'll be running everywhere and I hope I never forget how valuable those first steps were, how hard Ronan worked to get here and what he taught me through all of this. I hope I never forget the lessons God has taught me through a little 23lb, blue eyed, baby boy.

A Day For Xander

Every once in awhile Isaac and I try to give each of our kids a day out with just them and us. Today Xander had a Dermatology appointment and it was also my mom's day off. She said she would watch the other kids so Isaac and both took Xander to his appointment.

Xander has the same Dermatologist as Ronan and she immediately asked me where Ronan was and how he was doing. She looked over Xander's dry skin and gave us prescription. It turns out they don't do allergy testing like our pediatrician had thought. Now Xander will be going to the allergist which is where he probably should have been sent in the first place. I was wondering about that and his pediatrician had said the Dermatologist will test the allergies and take care of the skin issues that go with it. It sounded good at the time so I didn't argue.

After we were done getting Xander's skin checked we headed to the mall and got Chick-fil-a. Xander was excited to get a book in his kid's meal. He was also thrilled he got to drink lemonade (which he later shared with Landon) and sit at the small kid's table. He had an option of trading his book in for a bowl of ice cream but seeing as it was a tough choice I told him to keep the book and he could have ice cream at home. He readily agreed.
We arrived home and I kept my promise and Xander got his ice cream. Jadzia and Landon were glad to also be included in the ice cream fun. I got a phone call later on from Xander's doctor to let me know they would contact me by the end of the week with an appointment time.

Speaking of ice cream, Isaac and I are in for an ice cream movie date tonight. That's one thing we've learned. We can't always go out but the biggest picture is having time together each week even if it just watching a movie here at home.

Mommy Meltdown

Sweet, smooth, delicious; adjectives that all pertain to chocolate (an indulgence I partook of today). I'm not for emotional eating and I especially don't advocate for it. But sometimes you have to do what you have to do and today that was for me to eat chocolate. I found myself locked in my bedroom sitting back on the couch breathing deeply and there it sat. My husband's "secret stash of chocolate bars. That's when it hit I must have one and somehow I can make it through this mommy meltdown.

The events that lead up to the mommy meltdown were small in magnitude but many in amount. Bright and early I was up and trying to make sure the house looked extra clean for the therapist that was coming mid morning. The house was looking good and vacuuming was all that was needed to top it all off.

As I began vacuuming an obnoxious sound made it's way from the vacuum. That's never a good sign. As I reached to shut the whole thing off an obnoxious smell wafted it's way to my nose. I was all too familiar with the burning the belt with too large of an object smell. I hit the switch and turned the vacuum over. A cloth wipe? How had I not seen a cloth wipe? I untangled the wipe from the bottom which was hot and burnt. Now the entire living room smelt as though we'd just lit a bonfire. I glanced at the clock only 15 minutes and the therapist would arrive and my mind ran quickly through how to eliminate the odor so the therapist wouldn't be afraid that she was walking into a burning building.

Many candles and fabreeze later the smell was starting to diminish. Ten minutes to go. Shoes. Ronan had to have his shoes and braces on for the therapist. I went to their usual location and they were missing. I searched the vicinity and they were no where. I felt the urgency to tear the house apart looking but I realized that would be counter productive. I asked the kids and they all claimed they did not know where they were. Ding dong. I let her in and the session went ok. His teacher was the one who arrived and not his therapist. After she left I was getting Jadzia clothes and I looked in the corner and sitting on Xander's favorite stuffed dragon were Ronan's shoes.

Phone call time. I had no appointments today in person anyway. I had a lot of phone negotiating to do. One rule of mommyhood when you are distracted your kids know it and they will somehow try and take advantage of that. First phone call to discuss why three different doctors want Ronan on three different doses of reflux medication. No one can come to an agreement. Isaac being logical decided we gather the facts from each and calculate all their reasoning and then decide what we think is best and who we should follow in this case and then tell all three of them what we are doing and why. Me I'm more emotional and worry I will mess him up if I make the wrong choice.

The first phone call went ok. Second phone call to try and arrange all the appointments so they will fit together well. "What's the name of the doctor?" The lady asked. I should know this. I tried to think quickly Lozier? wait no that's his heart doctor, Auron no that's kidney. Sheets is pulmologist, Sieler is Endocrinology. I couldn't for the life of me remember his sleep doctor's name. "I don't really know." I admitted sheepishly to the lady. A bit annoyed she added "Well do you know your son's birth date." A very sarcastic remark surfaced in my mind but I pushed it back down and told her Ronan's birth date.

The next phone call was to the sleep center to discuss the fact Ronan no longer wanted to wear his CPAP and this is when it all went down. "Please Hold." was the only response I got when the receptionist answered the phone. Jadzia ran out of the bathroom. "I need a hairbrush!!!" and she attached herself to my leg. Xander was looking at the fridge. "Mommy I need a drink!" Inara started bawling and I knew she wanted held because she is in the only mommy holding me will suffice stage.

Ronan crawled into the kitchen and began hitting his food cupboard and falling apart because I wasn't coming to feed him. Landon decided he would use this opportunity to leap from sofa to sofa ( an activity he absolutely knows is off limits). "You are not a monkey!" I said sternly. "Excuse me?" That voice was coming from the phone. The lady had chosen that moment to take me off hold.

I tried to explain what was going on while children screamed in the background. I ran into the bathroom shut the door and pushed my back firmly against the door. As quickly as possible I finished up the conversation and then I dealt with the tornado swirling around my living room and kitchen. Jadzia had found the large bag of m&ms hidden in the top cupboard and had opened them by ripping the bag from top to bottom and I had m&ms all over the kitchen floor.

I cleaned up the m&ms and made Jadzia assist. I then turned my attention to feeding Ronan while I strapped a distressed Inara in my moby wrap and could be hands free while still helping her feel secure. I always give Ronan his medications at lunch time but as I looked in the cupboard, his thyroid medication was missing. I pushed things out of the way but no medicine. Panic began to set in. Had one of the kids somehow found it? It's childproof and placed extremely high up but you never know. After a tearful search and a half an hour later I remembered I had moved it to the locked cabinet so it would be more secure.

I'm not sure why but the final straw was the lego confetti. As I came back downstairs from putting laundry away I found my children celebrating with legos as though it was confetti. There were legos everywhere and the house was in great disorder. I needed to breathe and I need to do so now. I needed to have a temper tantrum and not in the presence of my children. I calmly gave the older three a snack with strict orders to remain at the table. I put Inara in her jumparoo and Ronan in his play pen with a few toys. I went upstairs and there I sat telling myself to breathe. Then came the chocolate. I gave myself a quick pep talk and said a prayer and with the strength of chocolate surging through my veins I emerged from the room in much better spirits.

As I turned the corner of the stairs there stood Jadzia drenched from head to toe in milk. I accepted this was not my day and lead Jadzia to the bathroom.

Shoe Laces

I was rushing around trying to get the kids ready for church this morning and had Landon trailing behind me. In frustration he clutched his shoes "Mommy! Help me tie my shoes!". "I can't right now Landon. I have to get Jadzia socks give me just a minute." In near tears he sat down and his shoes plopped to the floor. I paused and sat down in front of him. "Ok Buddy, let's get this shoe tying thing down." I slowly tied the first one giving instructions as I went. He watched intently. For the next one I let him do it but gave him pointers as he went and the occasional help. Then I untied one of the shoe laces and told him to try by himself. And he did it! He tied his shoe completely on his own for the very first time.
I gave him a double high five and we both did a little dance around the kitchen. I gave him a big hug and then showed him how to double tie. He did a great job too because they stayed tied all through church.The boys are in Patch club and today they received a certificate for attendance and a candy prize for saying their verses. Jadzia got candy for saying her verses but she's too young for Patch club so she didn't get a certificate. The boys are going to get pins but they haven't arrived yet. Once they earn their first pin they will get their sailor hats which should be as soon as the pins arrive in the mail.I'm not sure why other than I suppose it was fun but this morning Ronan was body surfing with the kitchen stool as his surfboard.
And here are Inara's weekly photos. She is so close to crawling off belly. Of course I always say that and then it ends up being a few weeks but either way all too quickly we'll have an Inara fully on the move.

Pictionary Champions

I had high hopes that the kids would sleep in this morning. But they were up bright and early at their normally scheduled time. The morning passed quickly. Isaac designed and built a work bench out in the garage and completed the entire thing in about an hour. He only has to add a extra layer to enforce the top. His building skills never cease to amaze me. For lunch we left for my brother's house for their New Years get together. For the afternoon we played Apples for Apples. The kids put on a puppet show for us and Jadzia and my niece Hannah put a big alphabet train puzzle together. Note Jadzia has the W. As soon as she saw it was an alphabet puzzle she tossed all the pieces around until she found the W.Isaac once again put his skills to good use when the light/fan above my sister in-law's stove fell. He ran home and got his tools. He secured the fan back in place and lunch was prepared without any more obstacles. I'm very grateful for my handy man. He can fix or build just about anything.
With the fun of game playing time flew by and before we knew it dinner time had arrived. We had pizza and then it came time for the Pictionary championship. We have couple against couple and Isaac and I always win. This time it wasn't looking too good for us. Isaac and I got stuck on a difficult category and my brother and his wife left us in the dust. Slowly we edged to catch up and finally we were neck and neck. The next team to guess correctly would win. The winning space was an all play so this left it open for my brother and his wife to guess my drawing before Isaac could.I had to draw blonde. I drew a cheer leader with an arrow pointing to her hair. My brother said "What does hair have to do with cheerleader?" And with that Isaac shouted "Blonde!". We won! We are still the reigning Pictionary champions.Speaking of champions today is January 1st. The day I had to complete the challenge. Should we have a drum roll........ My husband officially said I get my surprise!!!! Yeah! I will be unexpectedly surprised around the beginning of February. I have worked extremely hard and only had a couple of hard points where I fell a bit behind but the illness clause made me exempt for those time periods. After all this I get the point of this entire exercise. This was my husband's attempt to help me better myself and he did so not by criticizing but by making the entire thing fun and giving me praise. I'm thankful for the wonderful man he is. Even if he is a little ornery