Jane at gymnastics

Over the summer Jane told me she'd like to try gymnastics, so we signed her up and she started in the fall.

She LOVES it!

Yesterday was "camera day" when parents are allowed to come into the gym and take pictures. It was dark in there and she was moving quickly, so you'll have to excuse the "grainyness" of the pictures (I'm still hoping to get a fast lens one day.)

 Pay no attention to this "photobombing child" who was running for her turn!

 Handstands.

 I'd kind of like to do this myself -

bouncing down the length of the trampoline doing straddle jumps ...

... then landing in the giant foam pit.

Pivot turns on the beam.

Even as she falls, she smiles.

Handstands on the beam.

Looking at those long, lanky legs I realized that even though I am the shortest of my siblings - I must be a "carrier" of height because she definitely gets those from my side of the family!

Where Have You Been All My Life?

A few years ago my friend Melissa raved to me about the Sargent Steam machine & it's amazing abilities. I was fascinated because I LOVE a good cleaning product. However, it was expensive, so I didn't really give it that much more thought.

Over the past few years the benefits of steam cleaning have become more widely known and several steam cleaners have come on the market. My washer & dryer clean with steam, the dishwasher sanitizes with steam ....

As we were building the new house the comment I most often heard was "How are you going to clean it?" I wondered myself. In our last house we had 1 full bathroom & 2 1/2 baths. Here we have FOUR full bathrooms and FOUR half baths. Also lots of wood floors, marble and other things that are "delicate" to clean. Then I remembered the steam cleaner. I looked into it & did some research and decided it was the answer to keeping up with cleaning the house.

I ordered one and it came 2 days before Christmas. With moving and unpacking I hadn't had a chance to use it but today I watched the instructional DVD and started to use it. I am already totally IN LOVE.

I started by cleaning Rick's grubby slides that we keep by the door to run the dog out or take out garbage and recycling. They had grass satins and dirt all over them and I figured if I did something wrong and melted them they were more dispensable than my wood floors!

Within seconds they looked brand new! I could NOT believe how easy it was and wished I had taken a "before" photo! Then I cleaned the mudroom bathroom, floor and cubbies. WOW did I get a lot of dirt up. It was very easy and efficient and I got lots of bits of "construction" stuff like drops of glue, splatters of paint, spills of caulk, etc off the floor. The part that made me the happiest? Not only was it clean - it was SANITIZED. The steam is 298 degrees, so sanitized instantly. It's like autoclaving your house!  Also, the only "product" I used to clean was water - so no chemicals hurting the earth and no chemicals left for my kids to come into contact with.

I was getting such a kick out of using it I barely wanted to stop cleaning and go get showered so we could meet friends for dinner! Seriously, this and a powerful vacuum is all I'm ever going to need to keep this place clean. I am sure I will use it everyday. Definitely my new favorite toy!

Weak at the Knees.

On April 27th I had knee surgery.

My FOURTH in 10 years.

I have osteoarthritis and have had knee issues since I was pregnant with Emily. Actually, the first 3 of my knee surgeries were after each of the last 3 kids were born (being pregnant hammered my knees and is one reason Rick didn't really want to have any more kids.)

{iPhone Photo. Afternoon of the surgery}
My leg isn't that freakishly huge. Its' pretty swollen but I think mostly just the camera angle.

Jacob brought me a flower to help me feel better. Darling boy.

{iPhone Photo}

Jane visited me on the couch and told me stories. She loves to carry her baby around in her sling and hear about how she LIVED in hers for the first 8 months of her life!

{iPhone Photo}

After my surgery I came home still pretty groggy and slept on and off the rest of the day. The next day the Dr. called to let me know how things had gone. He said "Your knees have further deteriorated. The arthritis is very bad. There's pretty much nowhere to go from here except total knee replacement." 

I wasn't really expecting that and I think I was in shock because I didn't really respond or ask questions. He said because of my age and the fact I have young kids at home we should try and put it off as long as possible and to come in three weeks for follow up. Then he hung up.

I spent the next few days feeling pretty sorry for myself. How was I supposed to get a surgery that required a 6 month recuperation period? How am I supposed to take care of my kids with limited mobility? We just started building a 4 story house. Should I plan on putting in an elevator? Seriously, I am really still young. OLD people get knee replacements - not me. "As long as possible." What does that mean? 6 months? 10 years? Jane would be 15 in ten years. That would be OK. ... you get the picture. I was depressed and self absorbed.


Part of my knee therapy is to ride a bike, since I can't do anything that is high (or even moderate) impact. A few days later I was riding the bike (slowly because it was still very painful to straighten my leg) and reached for the Ensign to read. There was an article on Infertility. I know several people who have struggled with Infertility and it's in my field, so I flipped to it. As I read Melody Linton relate her experience and say 
  
“I began to think, ‘Why not me?’ I’m strong enough to handle this."

Tears began to flow and I felt selfish for the wallowing in pity I had been doing. Why not me? I questioned myself. Did I expect to have a life free from trials? Would I even want that if it were possible? I knew I did not. The trails I have experienced in my life have taught me and stretched me and helped me grow. My life is rich with blessings. I have a husband I adore, who worships me. Four great kids who are healthy and doing well. We have a loving and supportive extended family and lots of great friends. Rick has a good job and we are building a wonderful new house. I reminded myself I am strong enough to handle this and instantly felt the burden of self pity lift from me.
I knew I could face this challenge and make the best of it.

It is still hard. I am in pain all the time - sometimes severe and sometimes just a mild throb. I can't run. Ever again. I can't ski (I am unrealistically hoping I get to the point that I can do the bunny runs with Jane ....) I'm supposed to take the elevator instead of the stairs, park as close as I can to the grocery store doors, and not lift my kids. Oh, and ride my bike each day and rest my knees for 8 hours at night. Yeah right!

I am trying my best to follow the directions I was given. I am grateful that we are building a house that will have a gym in it, so I can do what's best for my knees (and put the dog on the treadmill while I do, since walking Millie is also on my list of forbidden activities.) My knees "snap, crackle and pop" and I often have a limp at the end of a busy day. I am appreciative of the mobility I DO have and working to keep it as long as I can.

Definition of an Addict.

Rebekah had all four wisdom teeth out on Friday (ouch!)

I was in the waiting room when they called me back to say she was in the recovery room & I could come back.

There she was still 1/2 sedated, packed with ice, mouth full of gauze and shivering. She looked at me and said (actually - mumbled) "Where's my phone?"

She was texting within minutes.

We love you bek - speedy recovery!

Jacob's Tooth

About a year ago Jacob was running across our lawn and tripped on the Belgian Blocks lining the walkway. Unfortunately, he was just the right height that his face hit the blocks on the other side. He grazed his nose, there was blood, he was crying ....

I comforted him and calmed him down. About 1/2 an hour later we headed to the pediatric dentist for the kids check-ups I already had scheduled.

When we walked in they asked what happened to his nose - and we explained the fall. During Jacob's check-up she pointed out a laceration on his gum. We guessed it had come from the fall - and that he must have also hit his mouth, even though there was no outward sign of it. One of the teeth also seemed a little loose. She x-rayed him, and sure enough, the root on one of his lower teeth was fractured. She told us not to let him wiggle it, and hopefully it would repair and firm up and we would just keep an eye on it. Then I promptly forgot all about it. (Jacob saw Uncle Dan this summer, and it seemed fine.)

At the beginning of February, I noticed one of his teeth was loose. I already had appointments for over their winter break, but called and moved them up to be seen sooner.
As the dentist looked at him she said "Isn't this the tooth that had the trauma?" I though a minute and remembered - it WAS the tooth he had hit. His gum was inflamed around the tooth. She did another x-ray, which showed that the tooth was disintegrating below the fracture. His permanent tooth was not far below - she thought it should come out.

I have SO MANY fears related to traumatic experiences at the dentist as a kid. I never want my kids to have a bad experience, so I was pretty anxious.He went in a few days later, and it was great. Really, I love this dentist - it's super kid friendly, they are very patient and kind, I NEVER, EVER wait in the waiting room (the place where my anxiety just builds) .... really they are top-notch.

I wish I'd taken my camera, but I was so anxious and focused on dropping Emily & Jane at friends houses before we went, that I forgot it.
Jacob picked his "nose color & smell" for his gas, lay back and watched TV and got pretty giggly. He wasn't restrained in any way - I sat right next to him and he didn't even flinch as she pulled it out. She was worried that the disintegrating root would be left in his gum and she'd have to dig it out - but it all came out in one piece (prayers answered.)

Here's the new smile Jacob will be sporting for a few years, until his adult tooth comes in.

He really likes it, he says "There's a window for my tongue."

You're still super cute buddy!

We kept forgetting to out his tooth under his pillow for the tooth fairy - so we finally did it the other night (in this cool glow-in-the-dark, tooth shaped holder the dentist gave him.)

Putting it under his pillow.

I'm surprised he went to sleep, he was so excited.

The next morning he was delighted to find $2 instead of the tooth. He quickly put it in his wallet - he's planning on buying Lego when he has more money!

Stinky Arm

When Jane got her cast on the Dr. told us she would probably only have to have it on for two weeks, so we headed back to the Dr. to hopefully, get it off. Her arm was getting so stinky. All those years working at Primary Children's gave me great practice for bathing kids with casts & keeping them dry - but we still had a few water mishaps, some food that got smashed into it, oh and the play dough she got up there - really there's just no way to keep a two year olds hand totally clean & dry!

There was a boy in the waiting room who had his put on the same day as Jane. He went in before us and came out looking sad, and with the cast still on!
Uh-oh, I thought, I really hope we don't have to keep Jane's on.
However, her arm was all healed and she got it off!

Before.

During.

After!The bigger kids thought the left over cast was cool.

When the Dr. asked if we wanted to keep it, I hesitated - really, it stinks.
The kids however were sure that we must save it - so it came home with us. I pulled all the cotton out, and left it outside to air out - maybe that will make it tolerable.

Jane has a bad rash all over that arm, but hopefully with a few days of good cleaning and lotion, it will clear up.

We're so glad she didn't have to have it on long & that she's all good as new.
We love you Janie Baby - stinky arm and all!

Jane's Big Bandaid

I was going to spend some time posting about our tenth wedding anniversary - but instead we were busy doing this.

While I was at swimming on Saturday morning with Emily, Jane jumped from the train table to the couch and broke her arm. It's a distance of about 2 feet - she must have just landed in a funny way on it. I'm always telling them not to jump like that - but because I thought they'd break the table, not a bone!

When I got home Rick said she'd been crying since she did it - about 1/2 an hour earlier. If we moved it or touched it at all, she screamed in pain. Suspecting it was broken, I immobilized it on a small Rubbermaid container lid with a loose ace wrap, gave her some ibuprofen and we took her to the ER to get it x-rayed.

They were very good, and we didn't wait at all - but don't these pictures break your heart!
They splinted it there (with a 1/2 cast thing), gave us pain meds and referred us to a pediatric Ortho guy for Monday (today.) "Don't let her bump it, keep her quiet" they said. Yeah - sure, no problem!

Stickers for her sling & a lollipop made her feel much better,
(the Tylenol with Codeine might have helped too.)

Today she went to the Pediatric Orthopedist and had a real cast put on, purple, her most-very-favorite-color in all the world. She calls it her "big bandaid."

And I bought her a new purple "my little pony" & fed her Tim Tams - so she was feeling pretty good by this afternoon.The Ortho doc said its not bad, and he thinks she'll probably only have to have the cast on a couple of weeks - phew!

Now we just have to locate some sort sleeved shirts. She doesn't fit her one's from the summer, and her long sleeved one's don't fit over the cast .....

Bike Trailer

I had a Burley bike trailer for a long time. I used it for Rebekah all the time. Someone borrowed and rolled it & damaged it beyond repair, so I have been without one for a few years.

I just used one of those seats that go on the back for Emily, which was more convenient in crowded Brooklyn, but we are planning a lot of bike riding this year with our kids, and I can't put two kids back there - so I'm in the market for a new trailer.

Really, I have put WAY to much time into this decision already and just cannot decide between the two final options - so I am enlisting help from all of you. Do you have a bike trailer? Either of these brands? What do you love / hate about them? Even if you don't have one of these - what features of yours do you love / hate?

I found some great tips from a website (ibike.org) all about bikes - go here to view it.

They say, things to look for in a bike trailer are:

• Is the child prevented from interacting with the wheels in any way while in motion?
• Is the trailer stable, with a low center of gravity?
• Is the child protected from sand and grit thrown up by the bike tires?
• Is the hitch to the bike well designed and sturdy?
• Is the point where the hitching bar is joined to the trailer (a stress point) sufficiently strong?
• Is the harness for the child well designed and secure?

Other nice features:

• Can the bicyclist communicate with the child easily?
• Is there sufficient storage space to carry the child's supplies and other items (i.e. a bag of groceries)?

Tip: If you have a bike trailer with a chain stay attachment and are carrying two kids, be sure to put the heavier kid on the side where the hitch extends out. If you hit a bump or curb just right the trailer can tip. The seat belt/harnesses are good, as is the roll cage, but if the heavier kid lands on the lighter kid, it may be bad. If the smaller kid lands on the larger kid, well, they usually just giggle a lot.


So - to the nitty gritty. The two I am considering (in no particular order) are -

The Burley d'lite.


Here's what I like about this -
* I am familiar with, and trust this brand. I had the d'lite before, and really liked it.
* The 2008 model has reclining seats for if they fall asleep.
* There's very little extra to buy (comes ready to go.)
* I like the overall shape.


Then the other one -


The Chariot Cougar 2



What I like here -

* It comes in 3 colors. I like the green, but would probably end up going with the yellow, since it seems more visible to me.
* System to hitch to the bike is the easiest I've seen (although Burley has really made theirs a lot easier than it used to be.)
* Adjustable suspension on each side, (for when one kid is a big weight difference from the other - which ours are.)
* It is about 2" wider - since Jake is a big sized kid, we need all the room we can get. Then again, is 2" all that much different?

SO - the prices are about the same. They both have all the features that are a must (5 point harness, helmet pocket, cargo room, sunscreen & rain cover, etc.) I'll buy a stroller attachment for whichever I decide on - and they are about the same. They both have covers available (to keep clean when stored).

Hmmm, so what it comes down to is do I choose adjustable suspension & ease of hitching, over reclining seats, a shape I prefer, and brand I know or vice versa???

Give me your opinion. I wanted to buy this months ago, and every beautiful day we have I think "We could go for a bike ride today - except we don't have a trailer, darn it!"

All Is Well

Everything went very well today.

EVERYONE at the hospital was completely lovely to us. I don't think Jane was worried a bit. They gave her a new little stuffed animal in admitting (it's a cat, but she's calling it "puppy.") They never separated us at all, through the whole admission & prep procedure. It reminded me a lot of when I worked at Primary's - completely child focused.

We were there at 6:30am for admitting. I got in all my gear (Jane thought the hair cap was funny) and went back with her to the OR around 7:30. That was the hardest part. I wasn't really worried about the dental work, I was worried about the general anesthesia - she's so little, she's never had it, what if there was a bad reaction, what if she had trouble coming out of it .... The room and equipment was so big, the table was so big, her body so small. She seemed so vulnerable. Still, they never took her from me. I held her on my lap, and the anesthesiologist told her to "blow up the balloon" (a trick I've heard before.) She fought the mask a little, so I held it on her and felt her body go limp, and saw her eyes droop. I put her on the table - they had a cute air filled teddy bear covered warmer for under her .... I gave her a huge kiss, and walked out (sobbing.) I really don't know how parents with serious issues do this - so different to be on the receiving end!

I went to the parents waiting area, where they gave me a pager, and said I could go and eat, and they'd page me if they needed me. I got a bowl of oatmeal and some OJ and went back. I took a cross stitch with me, and the book club book to read, and snacks, and a water bottle. I was planning on a long wait, but it was faster than we thought. They only took about 2 1/2 hours, and didn't need to do any root canals, nerve work or caps. She said a few were under her gum, and she had to dig a little, and her gums would be tender - but really a great outcome.

I went back to recovery, to be with her as she woke up. She was crying, agitated & disoriented, but I held her and she started to calm down. She was retching, so they gave her some Zofran. They also gave her Fentanyl to slow her waking up a little, and help with any pain she may be having. I held her and rocked in the rocking chair for about another hour and a half, and then she started to wake up happy. She was thirsty, and hungry. She sipped water, and ate some crackers, then some apple cake. She was smiling and talking, and other than wanting her IV out, was happy.

At noon, they said we could come home. They gave her a teddy bear (and one for Jacob) in recovery. They warned me that she might get nauseated in the car - she did, but I told her to close her eyes, and she fell asleep. She was a little shaky on her legs the rest of the day, and took another brief nap in the afternoon - but otherwise seemed her happy little self.

THANK-YOU to everyone who said prayers on our behalf, who worried with us, and called to see how she was doing, and to Kathryn for bringing dinner. We love you, and feel grateful and blessed to have such great family & friends and access to great medical care, and really (despite December) healthy and vibrant children!

I am one happy, and relieved, Mama!

Are you kidding me?

This morning as I was making breakfast in the kitchen, Jacob walked in. Without saying a word, he threw up all over the floor. He threw up several more times in the morning. I didn't let him eat or drink anything after that (to rest his gut), and he seemed to do better.

I was going to leave him home with Rick, and go to church with the girls. Then I thought about it - how does a man having trouble bending over and only has use of 1 hand clean up vomit? We all stayed home from church. Too bad, because today was Jacob's last day in nursery. I wonder if they went to visit the Sunbeams class, and he missed it.

This afternoon, he sipped Gatorade, and didn't throw up again. I still didn't let him eat, but he also didn't ask for anything, which shows he wasn't ready. These things tend to be pretty short lived, so I am hoping by tomorrow he's over it. I admit, I am having trouble maintaining my good "these things happen" attitude. I'd really like to catch a break on the whole illness thing.

Tonight, just before dinner, Jane threw up.

Think Pink

It's October, and that means it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Statistically, one woman in eight will get breast cancer. In my family, I have a mother, five sisters, a sister-in-law and myself.

Eight.

It's a sobering thought, and that's not including my 3 daughters, my future sister-in-law (when my baby brother decides to settle down), my future daughter-in-law, cousins, friends, or all the women on Ricks side of the family.

Last weekend was "race for the cure." I'm hoping that by next year my knees will be in good shape, and we'll skip out on church and join it.

In the meantime, I wanted to encourage all the women I love to do regular breast self exams. Start this month, and do them EVERY month. Not sure how? No problem, the Susan G. Komen, site has a great video tutorial, and all the information you'll ever need - check it out HERE.

You can even order a free BSE (Breast Self Exam) card for yourself. I gave these to all my family a few years ago - and for a long time when I'd visit, I'd see them hanging in the shower, but they've begun to disappear .... so here's the chance for new one's guys!

See, so now you have no excuse to delay any longer.

This post is dedicated to my dear friend Margo, (whom I met in Nepal 35, years ago.) Margo, I'm so glad you fought. I'm so glad you're still with us. I love you.