Wednesday Randomness...

I woke up this morning completely unaware of what day of the week it was. Not really surprising considering how crazy this week has been so far. When I realized that it was, in fact, Wednesday I felt both excited and depressed. Excited because that meant the week was halfway over with, depressed with how little I've accomplished so far this week. Such is life with kids. Anyway, onto the randomness....

• After lamenting the fact that I've gotten little writing done lately I actually sat down and got some work done yesterday. It was quite sporadic since I was working in between taking care of the kids, but I did get a good little bit done. I got the first ten chapters of book two outlined pretty good. Even better I think I've got the plot down in my head, which is huge. I never seem to know for sure where I'm going with it until I start outlining.


• I think outlining is both my favorite and least favorite part of writing. I'll explain. When you start an outline you have basically nothing to start with, but a general idea of where you want the book to go. You have to come up with everything off the cuff, which is not easy. Also, it lacks the really fun part of writing, the words, the dialogue. It's just a raw skeleton. But on the other hand, that's what I love about the outlining, it's where your true creativity kicks it. One minute you're at your wit's end, completely unsure of what's going to happen next, "And then she...." Blank, nothing. You get up, walk around the house, maybe change a diaper or get a snack and the BAM! Suddenly you know exactly what should happen next. It's like magic.


• Now do you know why I love writing so much? That's why.


• Back to the sickies. Elijah is now completely better, which means he's back to talking my arm off 24/7, yay. I'm glad he's feeling better, but oy, that child is a handful. Sophia is still pretty congested and unhappy, which is fun. Surprisingly she slept really good last night, which means I slept surprisingly good, which means I woke up feeling...weird.


• Yeah weird. I think it's also called well-rested? But I'm not completely sure, I've forgotten what that feels like.


• Matthew never did get sick, which is great. Me, well, I seem to have the most lingering symptoms, fun.


• Is it summer yet? I have a general countdown until vacation going on in my head, but I can't mention the number, it's just too darn depressing.


• You know what else is depressing? Snow in the forecast for April. Snow. SNOW!


• What the?


• I keep trying to remind myself that when we do get some warmer temps the weather will be simply gorgeous instead of hot and humid like it will be soon in the south. But still, it's hard to keep that perspective in mind when there is the "S-word" in the forecast.

All for now.

In other news...

Because goodness knows I'm tired of talking about being sick and tired, as I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it! (But to answer your questions, yes we're mostly better today. And YES I finally got some sleep!)

So, what else do we talk about if not sick kids? Oh right, there's not much going on around here other than that.

Well, for one thing it's been a really long time since I sat down and worked on my book. I started out in January with such a good work ethic, writing every single day pretty much. I have the whole thing written by hand, I just need to finish typing it and then edit the entire thing. Okay, so basically I have a lot of work still ahead me. I just can't manage to find any time or inspiration to do it lately. Hmm wonder why? I've already typed up eleven chapters, and I still have three or so to go. It's becoming more and more apparent to me, even thought I've attempted to write a novel before, why I've never finished one. I just can't seem to wrap it up! I've written at least three different versions of my ending, none of which are very different, I just can't seem to find one that fits. I'm sure when I finally sit down to type it all, it will just come to me, as it does most of the time. But until then I'm at a loss.

I'm not sure if it's hurting me or helping me that I'm already working on the second book (hopefully second of three). I can't decide which loose ends I want to tie up in the first and which I want to leave to be discovered in the second. Grrr. I guess I just need to sit down and write, something, anything.

Also, I'm soooo not looking forward to the massive amounts of editing that will be required when I'm done. Though it would be kind of nice to say, "Hey, I wrote a book!" Even if that's all it ever comes to.

Right? Right.

So, what's the problem then, why am I not writing?

It's time for another installment of...

Sleep issues! Wherein we discuss how I can possibly get more sleep and take a look at what a severe lack of sleep can do to you.

You would think that I would be used to sleepless nights by now. I'm on my second baby, second bad sleeper. But no, not used to it, at all. Especially when I had a night that trumps every night, including the Elijah newborn nights. See, I didn't realize how spoiled I was, even though we had plenty of crazy, sleepless nights with Elijah, seriously, nothing like last night. Ever. Sophia wins the prize.

Wait? Is this even coherent? Probably not. Wanna know why? I think I got about two hours of sleep last night, in several fifteen minute segments. Fun stuff. I mentioned yesterday that Sophia had come down the cold that Elijah and I already had. Well, she seemed to get the worst of it. She woke up around three in the afternoon burning up, she had a fever of 103. I gave her some Tylenol and she was fine. She went to bed around the usual time of 7:30 and went right to sleep, no problem. I was seriously planning on going to bed at eight myself, because I was not feeling so good. But she was up at eight, burning up again. So we gave her more Tylenol, a cold rag for her head and sippy full of water and her fever went down again. But she wouldn't go back to sleep. I guess the congestion had set in pretty bad, which is difficult when your baby is a paci baby.

So, basically Matthew and I took turns trying to put her to sleep, none of which worked, ever. She would sleep fifteen minutes in her crib and then wake up screaming. Fifteen minutes in our bed and then wake up screaming. I don't know who was more miserable us or her. The only good news is that Elijah officially sleeps like a rock, since none of this even woke him up.

She seems a teeny bit better today, though still not sleeping much at all. If it wasn't for the two large cups of coffee I already had I'd be dead on my feet. Yeah, I'm still sick too, but that's the least of my worries. Elijah is already mostly better, so I'm hoping she bounces back as quickly as he did.

Yay...

*Disclaimer: that is a sarcastic "yay", as will be all my "yays" in this post.

After Friday's exciting news I was quickly brought back down to reality Saturday morning by a very snotty-nosed kid. Yup, Elijah is sick. He doesn't get sick very often, once in the beginning of winter and once at the end. I guess this is the latter. Good news is, it usually only lasts 48 hours or so with him, and he's generally his usual chatty, outgoing self the whole time. (Again, yay.) Bad news is, cold germs spread like a wildfire. Though I was trying hard to avoid him, what mom can avoid her kid? I was Right there wiping his nose, giving him medicine all day yesterday. So at around eight, after the kids went to bed I felt it, the sore, scratchy throat that always seems to signal an oncoming cold. Yay. By the time I went to bed I was feeling pretty crappy, but hoping a good night's sleep would do me some good.

Guess who didn't get a good night's sleep? Me, that's who. Because Sophia got up around midnight, Matthew brought her to bed so I could feed her. As I'm trying really hard to not breath germs on her I can hear her snorting, she's congested now too. Yay. Repeat this scenario about ten times and you'll get my night. Except I didn't feed her all those times. We eventually both got up at seven, yay.

Elijah swears he feels better today and assured me that Sophia and I will be better tomorrow. But he doesn't Fortunately Sophia and I both took a really long nap this morning and I think we're both considering a second one now.

Yay.

That one wasn't sarcastic.

Everyone loves a little good news...

In case you haven't heard by now, and I'm sure you have because I've been broadcasting it everywhere tonight, Sophia got the all-clear from her orthopedist!

I'm so, so happy for her and excited that this is all finally behind us. Her appointment was around 2:45 this afternoon so I had a long time to sit around and think about it. Once we got to the waiting room I was starting to feel really anxious. For the first time in all her hip appointments I was feeling really nervous. For once, I actually didn't have my hopes up for good news. I took her back for her x-ray, which she did really good for, considering it was only her second one and I had to kind of hold her down while they did it. Finally they called us back to report on the x-ray. The first doctor we spoke to wasn't the head orthopedist and he said her hips looked good, but that they would probably recommend she remain sleeping in the brace for a little while longer. Instantly, I was discouraged and began to wonder if, and when she would ever be completely better. But then the head orthopedist came in and said she looked so good she could be done with the brace FOR GOOD!

I swear, I think my jaw hit the floor. I went on to ask a few more questions, like if there was anything she should avoid. We had been told previously not to put her in any jumpers, exersaucers or baby carriers and she said no she could do whatever she wants now. I'm so happy to hear that. She has to go back when she turns one, then again at eighteen months and then every year basically until adulthood, just to make sure nothing reverts. I really don't mind that at all, as long as we can get rid of that brace!

I tossed it in the trash as we were walking out! Tonight will be her first night sleeping with out it in eight months straight! I'm really interested to see how well she sleeps. I'm not crazy, I don't think she's going to magically sleep through the night. But hopefully this will help her habitual night-wakings.

Big sigh of relief.

As we were walking out I was telling Matthew, "Get ready to sign her up for gymnastics, ballet, oh and karate." I'm glad nothing is going to hold her back now.

I don't want to talk about it...

And by it I mean the two inches of snow on the ground outside!

What do I want to talk about? I guess what's at the forefront of my mind today. After all, that's why I have this blog, to be able to write about my thoughts on life and stuff.

So...Sophia has her x-ray and follow-up with the orthopedist tomorrow. This is her first one in the past four months. I guess I should start at the beginning so you can get an idea of the timeline. At her first appointment with her pediatrician when she was six days old, her left hip "clunked" out of the socket (that was the word her ped used). She told us she could have a loose hip and sent us for an ultrasound at Yale Children's Hospital. We were told a lot of babies have loose hips, so it could be nothing, or it could be something. I think it took a while to get the results back. But they informed us that she had "dis-locatable" hips. Meaning her hip sockets were looser than they should be. It took about another month or so, but eventually we got a referral for her to see the orthopedist at Yale. This meant another ultrasound of her hips and then her follow-up. At the time she was two months old. I guess I let the possibility that she might have grown out of it on her own go to far. Because I was completely blindsided when the orthopedist officially diagnosed her with hip-dysplasia and said she would have to be in a brace from now on. Not only that, she would have to be in it for 23 hours a day, for an undetermined period of time.

Now, I know it's not a big deal, compared to what some babies and parents have to go through. But I'd be lying if I said I handled it well. I cried, she cried, no one was happy to see that brace that day. I was assured her condition was very likely to be fixed by just the brace, though surgery or a cast could be in her future if she didn't improve. It took a lot of getting used to, but eventually we all became accustomed to her brace. Initially they gave us a follow-up six weeks later. At that appointment she showed improvement,which meant the brace was working, but not enough to get out of it. This continued for several months, little improvements, but not enough. By October they decided she had shown enough improvement that she could start weaning out of the brace. She was allowed four hours out a day for two weeks, then eight. Then finally, she only had to sleep in it. After having her in it all day, every day, four hours seemed like such a big deal! When we went back in November I was fully expecting, after the six-month weaning process, that they would finally say, "DONE!" and we would be able to toss the brace once and for all.

Since she was six months old then, she was finally old enough for an x-ray instead of an ultrasound. When we were waiting in the room for her follow-up one of her doctors stuck her head in the door and said, "Did you hear the good news? Her x-ray looked great!" I was so, so excited. But, the other orthopedist said that her left hip was still a bit "premature", and added, rather nonchalantly, that she should remain in the brace at night until she was nine months. To say that I was a bit stunned was an understatement. Maybe he didn't realize what that meant. But to me that meant three more months of not sleeping well at night for me and Sophia. (She was practically sleeping through the night at two months before she got her brace!) To make matters worse, they couldn't get her in for her next appointment until March, which meant four more months in the brace, just like that.

So here we are, that appointment is tomorrow and I don't know what to expect. Part of me, the really positive part, thinks that she'll finally be 100%. But the other part of me says, she hasn't gotten better fully after eight months, what makes you think it will happen now? I know it's silly, it's not really a big deal. She crawls and stands, so it can't be that problematic, right? But it's still a Thing. It's still something wrong with my baby and I don't like it. I'm ready to be done. I know she's probably used to it by now, she's slept in it every night for most of her life. So, what if they say two more months, or three, or more? As long as she gets better eventually, right? They said even if and when her hips are tightened up enough to get out of the brace they will still have to follow-up with her once a year until she's an adult, so I guess there will always be a Thing.

For now I'm staying positive, they basically said she was 99% better last time, so theoretically she should be 100% by now. And if she has to wear it a little longer that will be okay too. But I'd really, really like to be done.

I'll let you know what happens.

At least I survived...

My mom and I have this sort of mantra when it comes to Mondays, they are only meant to be survived. Yesterday was one of those Mondays, where I knew I’d be lucky to do even that.

Admittedly, I woke up in a bad mood to begin with. I’m still not getting enough sleep thanks to my little teething monster, and I’ve been having to wake up far too early as well.  You can imagine the effect it had on my already dismal mood when I looked out the window to see that it was cold, dreary and raining outside. Especially when it had been in the seventies and sunny just this past Friday. What happened to Spring?

Anyway, I’m not exactly sure when it became apparent that my whole day was going to go sour eventually. Maybe when the teething monster refused to take a much-needed nap around nine so that Elijah and I could start school. Or maybe it was when my student decided to write all his numbers backwards on his math worksheet. Possibly it was when the rain turned into snow. But perhaps it was when I managed to set off all three smoke detectors in our building’s stairwell…yeah, that was what it was.

I can explain, really. And I didn’t even burn anything. For one thing, I have set them off before, as have my neighbors. They are really finicky smoke detectors in the hallway outside our back door, if I’m ever cooking anything that might get remotely smoky, I make it a point to never open the back door. Well, yesterday I was baking some little cinnamon knots to take to Bible study this morning. I have some really stupid baking sheets with no edges and some of the extra butter that you dip the knots in before dipping them in cinnamon and sugar runs off the edges and gets burned up in the oven. When I came to take them out of the oven nothing smelled burnt, I didn’t even see any smoke. So I moved on to my second task, taking my laundry out of the dryer. The dryer that is in the basement, which meant I had to open the back door to go down. I’ve nearly made it back upstairs and am about to close the door when it happens; that deafening, panicky chirp of a smoke detector. I can tell it’s just ours so I start looking around for a way to shut if off, trying desperately to remember what I’ve seen Matthew do to shut it off before. I vaguely remember seeing people whack their smoke detector with a broom to get it shut off, so I grab a broom. Only one problem, we have ten foot ceilings, I’m 5’3”, which means not tall enough to whack the alarm. Just then there’s an echo from the stairs of more loud beeping, I’ve set off the alarm on the second floor (nope the neighbors weren’t home, so there was no one to help me.) Then there’s more echoing from the stairwell, and I’m pretty sure I have set off the third floor alarm as well (no one lives up there, so I’m still on my own.)

At this point I’ve gone completely deaf. Sophia is still miraculously napping, even though her bedroom door is close to the racket, Elijah is still nonchalantly eating his lunch and watching cartoons, while I’m freaking out. My first thought, as it almost always is on days like these, is to call my mom. At least she would have some idea as to when and how it might shut off. But for once, she doesn’t answer! Second thought is to call my landlord, but I immediately rule that out. There was just no way I was going to be the helpless short girl from the first floor who couldn’t shut off the smoke alarms, no way. Yes, I think that’s called pride, but you haven’t met my landlord.

So, to make a long story a little bit shorter, I eventually got them to shut off by standing on top of the stepladder with Elijah’s little step stool precariously balanced on top. Yay me.

See, this is why I don’t bake.

And I haven’t even gotten into all the other reasons why Monday sucked! We’ll save those for another day, shall we? But just to add insult to injury, or maybe the other way around, I did manage to hurt myself no less than four times yesterday. Matthew suggested, sarcastically of course, that I should keep a list like Raymond did of all the times I get hurt. Gee thanks honey.

But like I said, at least I survived, barely.