About Me

Mother to 2 sweet girls who were born in China. and a very happy little baby boy from Vietnam. Wife to a loving husband Chris. Also mom to dogs, cats, and birds. I am a very tired pediatric ER nurse.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Disco Christmas


This about sums it up for us. We have another dog and life is a disco dance!

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Circ!

Well I have been trying to put this one off since we came home, but after a summer of balanitis, and complaints that his "pee pee" hurts, we took the plunge. Personal choice, not advocating anything except what is right for anyone! Today was that day the foreskin came off. Of course when I told my 80 year old mother she asked if I knew a rabbi! I said, Dylan is 2 1/2 and we are not Jewish. She replied "Well don't you have one at your hospital that takes care of this sort of thing, you know they are the specialists?" Not knowing quite what to say, and trying not to laugh, I just said "No we do not have a rabbi on staff at St Clare's"

So anyway, this is Dylan after 30 minutes of general anesthesia, morphine 1 mg, and tylenol with codiene 5 ml:

He is painting his face with ice cream




This is daddy:




2 hours later running about no pain, no hint of being tired even after getting ripped out of bed at 5am, this Dylan:




This is daddy:





Shadows gettng still, on his 20th meal of the day post op, flying around the house....Dylan;





daddy:

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

trains and naps


Let me tell you something! All day long my little human pup wants to play with his trains. One or 2 hours is ok, but a dog can only take so much. The trains are eating, getting tucked in, going to "the barn" to see the "animals! Up and down and all around the room. Mommy just sits an the floor and plays trains all day. I think she may really like it or something. What about me? The dog? I can only take so much trains. I live in the moment, and these moments are pretty darn filled up with train nonsense! What about lunch, cookies, meat and lunch? A dog can only take so much....




Now this is more like it naps are almost as good as lunch, but then again I live in the moment....


NOW SOMEBODY GET THOSE CATS OUT OF HERE!

Thanks! Where was I? mmm...sleeping....

Monday, October 12, 2009

6 months later...

The same old cast of characters only 1/2 a year older (except me)

Chris and Dylan in Maine

Group hug

Don't you wish an apple could make you this happy?





I kissed a dog and I liked it!

The speed machines in motion!

Claire on her 11th birthday

....6 months have passed since I have had the time and energy to write about my world. The lack of energy was mainly due to Dylan being up all night crying, screaming and fussing till the cows came home. Hard to deal with, especially with other kids, a life, working full time and trying to be nice. Oh I am not complaining but in the past I used to enjoy blogging at night, but the lack of sleep caught up with me, (plus my husband hogs the lap top to look at cars when I put HG TV on!)

So here we are 6 months older, Dylan is so cute during the day! Squeaks and giggles, hugs, skipping, dancing, running, and eating! He loves animals and trains with all his heart. I have honestly never ever see someone more captivated by a good meal or snack. He is sweet and adorable as evidenced by the way he can still melt me, even after he has kept me up all night!

Things are the same comfortable pace. I am married to my best friend (No not the dog silly!) Emily is in 8th grade, Claire is 11. Bailey and I still run every day, in fact we had our 1st dog and human race this weekend. It was awesome! So much fun. The kids loved it too. 150 dogs with 150 humans, running the miles away.

So, hello again my friends out there. I have missed everyone and am going to catch up tonight on all the blogs I have been a missin!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Underwear?????


Mr Dylan has been very interested in pee pee on the potty. Requesting to go many times during the day, no luck but close. So yesterday while recovering from major surgery I did what any mother would do, went to target to buy a potty, a potty insert, pull ups, a step stool, and every kind of big boy underwear I could find. 85 dollars later we are home. It is 70 degrees and sunny outside. So I stripped Dylan down to his shirt and shoes (this worked like a charm for the girls you see. They did not like pee pee dribbling down their legs and caught on quick).

So there is Dylan running free in the back yard as if having no pants or diaper was the key to eternal bliss. Running WILD! Swinging from the bars going down the slide, skipping, chirping, you get the picture. Peed all over the patio, and completely unphased by what came out of his body. Okay, so now I have a time frame. I think we can offer the potty every 30 minutes. So we move inside, because my husband finds a bloodly mess of a tick on my neck. My husband pulls the disgusting thing off my neck, and we look for naked Dylan. At this point I put Thomas the Tank underwear on him, knowing that once he feels the wet underwear he will make the connection. 5 minutes later he returns with loaded underwear. A double header.

Sometime after diner we are putting away the toys and discover what Dylan thinks of potty training. All four corner of the living room were soaked, and we found a turd we thought came out of our 75 pound dog on the floor by the train table. It was not the dog. Way to go Dylan! Maybe it was the drugs I've been taking for pain that made potty training seem like such a great idea, but I am sticking to diapers for a little while longer.


Dylan leading the war on underwear!


Underwear does have its proper place

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Mr Cuteness






The man is back 100% and better than ever, he gave us quite a scare, but after 8 long days he is happy, playful and full of life!

Me on the other hand, cannot take a deep breath without extreme pain, but then again I am old. Oh well, every day I hope will get better. I cannot eat, so maybe I'll loose some weight! Always that bright side, right?

Friday, April 3, 2009

Better!

The healing powers of my kids love. I love my family with everything I have. They make me feel like the richest, most blessed human on earth!


So I had my gallbladder surgery today, aside from horrific pain when I woke up from anesthesia (which the pain meds addressed) I feel pretty good. I lied about peeing just to get home quickly, and now I am home and cannot pee! Serves me right but I needed to go home. My husband is teasing me.

Dylan looks amazing, Today is his best day so far. I pray he never gets that sick ever again,

Thanks to all my friends who wished us well, it means the world to me to know that so many people care.

Monday, March 30, 2009

1st Hospital Admission

My little man is a rag doll. It started off with an ear infection, then a few days later some vomiting, very sleepy not eating, but drinking. Then the diarrhea sent in. After 2 days of the worst I've ever seen, he just could not keep up with the fluid losses. Believe me, I work in a pediatric er I know all the tricks and am not one to jump the gun. But I feel bad because his CO2 was 12, which means pretty dry. Even after a fluid bolus and then some he was still lethargic and still having diarrhea. So here we are. He is in the crib and I am in the bed next to him. I hope he wakes up tomorrow and is a new man, full of life and silliness! Sleep tight little man, we all love you and are rooting for you. Poor Daddy is a mess at home. He loves you so so much (we all do). Bailey may starve with out the extra food he steals from you.

PS. I am having my gallbladder out on Friday! It is pouring! But not bad stuff, just....stuff.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Happy Birthday!!!!!


To my son,



I just wanted to say Happy Birthday and let you know how proud I am of you and how much I love you. You make my life complete in ways I never knew existed. Know too that you are always on my mind and forever in my heart. You are the best son a father could hope for and the answer to my prayers.


All my love always,

Dad

Happy 2nd Birthday my little man.



Dylan-Mommy just wanted you to know how much the entire family loves you. You are 2 years old today and make our worlds a better place.

It is hard to believe that 2 years ago this sweet little boy was born across the world in Vietnam to a young mother that made a painful choice, that placed him in are arms a short time after that. I am beyond grateful whatever fate my be, Dylan is here with us. We cherish him and love him intensely. I think about the tears we shared as she placed him in my arms, and how I left the building, my heart exploding with rapture, and her heart, aching...devoid of joy. So hard to comprehend but I realize the blessing in this beautiful child I was given and love him. Just love him. I love him all the time.

Dylan always is talking, babbling jibberish, some words we know. I love our daily conversations. Very simple, but so sweet. He runs over to tell me the color of everything special. A yellow ball will rock he world and we can dicuss it length for 45 minutes. Trains and trucks thrill him like Christmas morning. Give this kid a shovel and a dirt pile and he is set for hours. Ask him to go for a walk and he bounds to the door rearing to go, and can go and go for hours. The playground? Wow! Mention the words and he is singing and skipping, you pull up in the care and he giggles and clapps his hands! I love being outside, and am so happy to share the world with him.

He is also gentle and sweet. He is very loved my 3 strong women, 1 great mushy Dad, and a very excited dog.


I love you Dylan. Happy Birthday my darling son.




Monday, March 16, 2009

My little Picasso





Wow, I think to myself. Dylan is being so good, playing by himself while I was loading the dishwasher and cleaning up the kitchen. I even paused to read some of the newspaper and savor my morning tea while it was still hot. Then I hear it. What was that sound, It sounded like...drawing on the plaster walls with...a pencil??? I was right. Dylan decided we needed a mural in our center hall. Thanks Dylan, that was great. I love it and was planning on scribbling on the freshly painted wall with pencil myself, but you saved me the trouble! Awesome! Oh well. We had to touch up the paint anyway, and no big deal, nothing a good roller would not cover. By the way, if you have not tried it yet, get Ben Moore, Aura paint. 1 coat covers and it is wonderful paint to work with. More expensive but you use less and finish in half the time.

My sweet little artist, tired himself out. Creative energy is just so draining.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Just an afternoon...just one, please?





Can you imagine a life where all you worried about was which couch, bed or pillow you could get unlimited sleep in? Then in your next life come back as one of my pets.

I have to admit that ever since I saw Marley and Me, I have been especially in love with all of them, my favorite being Bailey. He is just wonderful with the kids, and I love him far too much!

A temper tantrum update... We have been tantrum free for almost a week now. I realize Dylan's limits more and have adjusted our days to avoid random encounters with balls that not ours! Dylan is growing so much and is all about animals, colors and numbers. Loves to count, loves to color, and loves to play chase. Little boys really love to rough house. Very cute, he chatters away the days. My favorite words are MOE! (No), and BONGE BOD (sponge bob), he will, willingly repeat them for me all day long, as I cannot get enough.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Still here!







Well, hi again. I have to apoligize for being such an unblogger, but as all you parents of toddlers know...shit happens!

Today was one of those days.

I took Dylan to a local train museum. He was so adorable, checking out all the engines, counting all the RR tracks, tossing the gravel. I was almost in tears as we left, he was saying "bye bye and blowing kisses to the engines" OMG I could eat him!

Then. On the way home. I stopped at Toys R US... and the tantrums began! He is one of "those" kids that you hear (anywhere) and say a silent prayer inside to thank God, YOUR kid is not like that. Oh yah! That one screaming, turning purple, twisting about on the floor. THe one arching his back, kicking off his shoes and socks, snot EVERYWHERE...is my kid....Today it went on for 2 hours straight, and then an encore at 6pm for 30 minutes. His all time record is 2.5 hours. My favorite part to all of this is the well meaning moms that share there own person horror stories, the gentle pats on the back from total strangers, as if we re all in this together.

Todays tantrum was over a ball. We have about 100 at home, and Dylan loves them. We have balls from every store, including a starbucks ball. Loves balls with all his heart. Loves them so much that when I walk into a store with the great big cage of balls it is like heaven opened up a door and is hanging a ladder and a light over those bloody balls. I try distraction, blindfolds, sprinting by them, and it worked today almost. A sweet well meaning 5 year old boy handed a ball to Dylan. It was almost as if he handed him a beer or a dead animal, my response was about the same. So after awhile the ball needs to go back, and Dylan will not have any of it. The best part is, he knocked me over as we were leaving the store (wailing at the top of his lungs), there I am on my bottom, he is screaming, and I just am like trying to be a good mom and not loose it.

So now here I am. He is sleeping, it is over. Tomorrow is a new day. A day with out balls, we are ball-less, the anti-ball, just say no to more balls. Love the balls you have at home. Life is to short to have so many balls. reminds me of an AC/DC song I used to love!