Stay-cation

We were supposed to embark on this 2 week vacation.  Driving 22 hours to Orlando with 3 toddlers to meet up with friends, do Disney & see the sights along the way.  We were going despite the craziness in our lives....kind of a "if we don't, we never will" mentality.  But things got crazy on their end too.  So we decided it was not ment to be & we are instead finding some things to do around here for a little stay-cation, getting things all in line with this house selling & buying craziness & Hayden surgery scheduling!!

To top off everything we have brewing in our lives, I have pink eye!  Literally the day I got it, my new glasses came in or I would have been in big trouble.  My old lenses were a prescription from 3 years ago & it made me sick to wear them for more than 30 mins at a time.  If I had to get pink eye, great timing I guess?  Banished to glasses for 2 weeks per my eye dr (who slipped me a few boxes of trial daily contacts incase I couldn't survive 2 weeks in frames.)  I don't think I have worn glasses for a whole day, let alone 2 whole weeks since I got contacts in like 7th grade!

We are enjoying watching the kids start to actually play together, rather than just beside eachother.  Don't get me wrong, they still fight A LOT over toys.  But they are starting to have coordination in their play activities together & I am having a blast watching their little minds work!

 They were playing nap time. 

 I walked up & they were all singing their own versions of "Jesus Loves Me."  So I started singing along with them to help them get it right.  Livi told me I couldn't sing it, because "I'm playing Church mom."  Guess they thought their car/bus/truck needed a visit to Church too? 

 More playing Church :)

 We took a trip to the park & tried out this new contraption.  When you get on it, it spins all on its own.

Grandma GG's work had a family picnic at Mahoney State Park.  We got to do so many awesome things.  Ride on a BIG bus.  Ride on a trolley & an open air trolley. 

We spent a TON of time playing in this Activity Center. Its big enough for adults too.  Keep in mind how tall these slides are!

 Analeigh came & played in the ball pit too.

 Bravely crawling up....

 Here she goes down the slide.... all by herself!

Logan went a few times on our laps, (not necessarily all by his own choice).

 This was more his speed! 

 Hayden did the slides by himself & on our laps.

 She just blew me away.  Took off.  Climbed up to the tip top all by herself.  Went down these huge slides.  No fear! 

 Seriously.... could have played for days.  Probably would have slept there if they could have.

 We also got to do some pony rides.  This is Logan's idea of pony rides, hanging on the sidelines with Grandma.

 Livi wanted to ride a black horse.  She of course did it all herself. 

 Hayden rode very nicely too.

 Even Analeigh rode her first horse!

 She didn't make it the whole ride though, so I slipped Logan on her horse & he lasted just long enough to snap a picture with a cell phone.  He was not impressed.

AND we got to ride on the paddle boats!! 

 The girl boat!  Lee Lee, Molly, Livi & Mama GG

 I got stuck on the boy boat!  I wasn't sure how Logan's little chicken-self would do, but he loved it.  Loved chasing the geese!  And Hayden would have just dove off the end & gone swimming had we let him. 

A few days in to Stay-cation 2012 & were having a blast!  Can't wait for whats yet to come!

BiG dAy!!

We have a house!! 
It got CRAZY... but we have an accepted offer.  The market around here is definately not in a recession.  Not in these 1st & 2nd time homebuyer price ranges at least!!  Fingers crossed the rest of this process goes smoothly or this husband of mine might just loose it. 


And we have a date for Hayden's tonsil removal.  JUNE 26!!  HOLY FAST!  No messing around I guess. 

The next 6 weeks are going to be wild!  Hopefully this gets me motivated to pack?!

Prayers for Hayden please!!!!  I know he will do amazing & its a "routine," but its still surgery & anesthesia & its still scary. 

-ectomy

"-ectomy"
Definition:  act of cutting out

Yup, their coming out.  Those tonsils.

After a 10 minute conversation with the ENT about the risks of taking tonsils out before 3.  And how its not always the actual size that matters, but rather how they impact the individual kid.  How he hasn't really been sick-sick & isn't having any apnea issues.  She looked briefly in Hayden's mouth.  And said "He definately needs more room in there.  I will get him on the surgery list & they will call you today or tomorrow to get a date set up."

Feeling pretty good about my assessment of the situation.  Glad I made this consult appointment!  He is sleeping somewhat better at night on this round of Omnicef.  But overall its not helping.  He is still more cranky than normal & I think its because he isn't sleeping soundly.  And even she said she could tell just watching him for 15 mins that he is uncomfortable.  Swallowing hard.  Etc.  And they must be pretty huge for her to change her 'tude after a 30 second peek.

I have NO idea how fast we'll get this done.  Heck, when I called the ENT Monday to schedule an appt I didn't think we would get in until July.  I never imagined we'd be there in 48 hours.  Who knows, we could be doing this next week?  Or August? 

So prayers for Hayden (& us) & this whole process of surgery & Hayden's first hospital stay (outside of the NICU).  Since he is under 3 he has to spend for sure one night in the hosptial to make sure he drinks well before he can go home.  He just a tad of a different character than Olivia, and for that I'm a bit nervous.

Round 2(s)

Round 2:  of attempt to negotiate price on house... fail.  They obviously don't really want to sell.  He was completely & utterly rude beyond words.  Moving on.  Homeless again. 

Rond 2:  of 2 year molars.  I was oblivious.  Livi's been asking for extra "nuggles" at bedtime & fighting bedtime hard.  So I did a quick mouth sweep, just to see.  And surprisingly from the best I can feel without using vice grips to pry his mouth open, both of Logan's top ones are in.  I imagined he'd be working on them still at 4!  Making him D.O.N.E!  And Livi (who sits nicely says "Ah" & lets me look in her mouth) her top right is in & the left gum is bulging, bulging.  So we're almost there!!!!

Round 2:  of antibiotics.  For those HT (Hayden Thomas) tonsils so big they are officially TOUCHING.  Yup, I said touching.  14 day course this time.  {like thats going to do some miracle work compared to what the 10 days did before.}  About 3-4 days into the last course, the complaints of "puke in mouth" stopped.  About 4 days after course ended, extreme drooling, coughing, gagging while coughing & sleeplessness resumed.  I will be double checking insurance coverage of various ENTs & taking it upon myself to schedule a consult.  Because as much as I appreciate the suggestion that is better to wait 'til they are 3 to take them out.  This boy will have spent 24 of the last 31 days on antibiotics.... and nothing about that is really safe either.  I refuse to have him endlessly on Omnicef for the next 5 months.  And beyond the over exposure to ABX risk.... I don't want him to be miserable, or potentially in danger of choking because of those mosters mangling his throat.  JUST because he is 2.6 yrs rather than 3.  Nothing about putting the words tonsils & touching together in a sentence sounds good to me.  A vaporizer by night seems to help him sleep some.  Wednesday night when he was up ALL night coughing, I kept asking him if he had puke in his mouth.  That night I set up a new vaporizer & the next day he called it "my big puke!"  Anyways.... we'll see where this goes.  But those suckers need to come out in my humble opinion. 

Round 2:  of potty success.  Yes round 2.  I'm stating my belief that a mid-potty training regression {at least for us} is the norm.  Livi had one that lasted about 2 weeks.  Went from having no accidents, to having like 2 a day.  Frustrated the heck out of me.  The boys went from doing well, to Jeff being ready to plop them back in diapers.  But we stuck it out & just like that.... {er... maybe after a few strong suggestions that babies don't get to play with trains, or have blankies or lovies, or have fruit snacks or jelly beans.... and babies pee in diapers & on the floor... big boys do NOT}... we are back on the up & up (knock on wood.)  Does that go beyond the holy rule of never punishing for accidents?   Maybe. Judge away. It seems to have worked.  I guess they decided they are big boys!  (PS by us calling them big boys, Livi started calling herself "a big sister"... so if you hear her say that, it does NOT mean I'm pregnant.)  We are 3 days with really no real pee accidents.  Logan is napping & staying dry.  He has even woken up at night on random occasion & asked to go potty.  (During which time you can't really get mad at him for breaking the flusher at 1am considering he did just wake up mid-sleep & ask to go pee.)  He has pooped in the potty 6 of his last 7 (in just 2 days).  I think he's finally REALLY got it.  Hayden is dry by day, wet by sleep.  And hasn't got a handle on the poop thing yet.  But he is in SUCH an incredibly better place than he was a week ago & I can totally handle sleepytime diapers & 1 poop accident a day.  Livi could probably go an entire month using just 2 diapers.  Thats about all the more often she is wet in the morning.  We are down to being more or less a 3-4 diaper a day house.  Livi is pretty much self sufficient.  She likes to go on her own.  Get the step stool out.  Close the door.  Try to wipe.  Washes her own hands.  Put the step stool away.  If only I trusted her to do a good job wiping, she would be 100% self sufficient.  Hayden this week we found making a huge mess trying to pee like daddy.  And really is pretty self sufficient too (besides needing a jelly bean each time or to dump a little potty if thats the potty he chose).  Logan however NEEDS you to come help.  He thinks someone always has to "put my pee-pee down"  From peeing in public potties he's decided he always needs help pointing it down.  And infact as he is learning to hold it in longer, the little potties are not working for him.  He pees so hard it shoots up over the edge a lot of the time.  I can't wait until they can all 3 do this at least 80% on their own!  Between jelly beans, hand washing, butt wiping, little potty dumping, frequent potty stops & reminders to be a big boy & not pee in your panies... this is really more work than changing 3 diapered butts.  With time... with time.... it will be better with time....  Right?

An awesome Thursday!

Feeling a little stressed.  So instead of packing or doing something productive.  We procrastinated to the fullest, got out of the house & had a fun filled day with the kiddos. 

First the ZOO!!

Are they really this old already??  And this ornery!

"I'm being a fish mom!"

I actually got them all looking!!  Livi even said "cheese!"

And of course goats.  They LOVE goats!

No food for them at the zoo, but instead brushes to comb their hair.

But we did get to feed the fish.  Best $0.75 I spent that day!

Black swan swimming with the fish.

 

"BIG Bridge!"

They were asleep before we left the parking lot! 

Threw them in bed when we got home.  So we could stay up late & go to the CIRCUS.  Just like last year, the Optimist Club put on a little circus in the middle school yard.  It was JUST our size.  And I love that you can get SO close to watch everything.  We got there a little early again to get front row seats.  Which is a must with these 3 mobile bodies & all the potty runs they require!  (Seriously like 6 trips to the way.too.far.away.bathroom during the 2 hour show!  I guess we can't complain, they all 3 stayed dry outside of naps all day.)  There wasn't quite as many big acts as last year, but it was fun!

Hayden

Logan

Daddy & Liv

The clown had an act with this old car.

This is what Liv thought of the clown.  BOTH times he performed.... THIS!

She did really like watching the fancy girls swinging up in the sky from the ropes & rings though!

The boys liked them too!

Intermission was time for popcorn & rides.  Hayden WANTED to ride the elephant.  Mom said, in a few years.  So he instead hopped on board with Livi, who was begging to ride the horses!!  She was just soo cute asking, we couldn't say no.

She did it all herself.  And LOVED every minute.  Way too grown up!  And definately a girl after her Grandma GG's heart.

Hayden rode too.  He was a little unsure at first, but did have fun.

Logan of course said NO.  He can be such a chicken!  Or maybe a little like his mama?

After intermission we watched the elephant perform.

Finished up our popcorn.

And ended the show with watching motorcycles in the cage.  Perfect ending to the day!

Me & my boys at the end of the day, sporting their new summer buzz cuts.  (I'm gonna get good of this hair cut thing yet!)

Fantastic Thursday!!