Ruby's Baby Photo Book - Her First Year!

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"I will protect you."

Ian and Ruby were so precious at bedtime tonight.  I was in Ruby's room trying to get her to bed and she said, "Hug Ian!" and sprinted out of the room.  I went into Ian's room to get her and they were cuddling in his bed.  She was sucking her thumb with her head on his chest.  He said, "Ruby I'll always be your big brother."  He said, "You can have Max for the night, I don't need him."  Ruby was thrilled and said, "Max!"  Max is Ian's favorite stuffed animal, a giraffe.  Max has slept with him every night for at least 2 years.  Ruby then went back to her room and then her crib with Max.  Ian came in to give her a kiss and said, "Don't cry Ruby, I will protect you.  I will protect you from bugs, monsters, and bears.  Don't be scared."  He then went on, "I'm brave and I will protect Ruby from monsters.  I will say 'don't get my little sister' and kick them."  He then demonstrated the kick (kinda like Kirate Kid).  He then said, "I will think about Ruby and dream about her.  I will dream about buying toys at Target (his eyes got big)!"  He went on, and on, and on...

I'm really enjoying watching Ruby and Ian's relationship grow.  I love to see them hold hands and watch Ian's pride in being a big brother.  He loves to teach Ruby and tell me all the things she knows.  It warms my heart because I always wanted an older brother and I think Ruby is going to really enjoy having him for her brother, at least most of the time. 

As it got closer to 9:30pm, he said, "I need someone to help me go to sleep."  I put on NPR on the radio in his room and he was out.  :) 

Ruby Do Turned Two!

Yesterday, my baby girl turned 2-years-old!  It seems like she was just born yesterday.  She is such a blessing and I am so grateful for her.  Since she was born in 2008, our family has endured so much like my illness, our parent's illnesses, Daddy's job change, and deaths in the family.  Her beautiful smile and pretty face (and precious girlie clothes) has helped me persevere.  She is smart, cuddly, independent, and fun.   Here's a photo from the day she was born, and a photo from her 2nd birthday (with her bathing suit and Minnie Mouse ears). 

We had a nice day of celebrating.  Unfortunately, I had a little too much fun at the Magnolia Ridge Wine Night so I was a little sick in the morning.  I got an early morning birthday cuddle with Ruby and then Chris took Ian and Ruby to Panera for breakfast.  Thank you!   We then got ready for Mom Mom, Aunt Trudy, Aunt Christine, Kyle, Taylor, and Grayson's visit.  Uncle Allen was working.  When they all arrived, we headed to the pool.  We enjoyed swimming and seeing our friends at the pool.  Then, we went home for a yummy lunch of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.  Thanks Daddy.  We had Minnie Mouse cupcakes and chocolate ice cream and then Ruby opened her presents.  She got 2 phones (Dora and Elmo) and a tackle box to go w/ her fishing rod.  She also got a new bike helmet, pink Crocs, Play Doh w/ shapes, a pink watch, precious girlie outfits and much much more.  She, and the boys, enjoyed her new toys.  Then Ruby took a good nap.  :)  Grayson stayed for a sleepover so Ian and Grayson had a great time playing together.  Ruby had fun busying around with her new toys.  There was a thunderstorm so we didn't head back to the pool.  Ruby got a quick visit from Meg, Landen, and Kate and a great voice mail message from Amanda, Chris, and Drewbug.   We are looking forward to celebrating with the Folsom crew next weekend.

I was proud of my Minnie Mouse cupcakes.  Here's a photo:

Some good news... our ENT physician, Dr. Dodson, recommended ear tubes for Ruby due to the level of pressure in her ears.  It did not resolve w/ a month of Nasonex.  That's 5 out of 6 grandchildren on the Folsom side w/ tubes.  Can we say, genetics?  And unfortunately, Ian and Ruby have it from the Starrett side too.  Luckily, it's a pretty easy and painless solution.  So, Ruby will get her tubes soon, hopefully.  I am hopeful that maybe if she is more comfortable, we will see her pull her hair less and less.  It already seems to be a little better but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. 

Some other GREAT news...my boss/friend, Kiki, was discharged from the hospital on Friday, one week after her lung transplant.  She's doing great.  She will stay near the hospital for about 2 months to complete rehab and be monitored closely.  What a blessing!  Here's a photo of Kiki holding Ruby 2 years ago.   A lot has changed since then. 

It Continues...

Miss Ruby now has a documented ear infection.  I got the dreaded call from the daycare and her teacher said that she had a 101 degree temperature.  I picked her up after her nap and took her downtown to see her pediatrician.  She seemed happy on I-95, she was telling me everytime she said a truck.  So cute!  She's now on Amoxicillan and I hope it will help to make her feel better.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  Her pediatrician says she can return to daycare but I need to see if the director agrees.  I really need to quit missing work!  But I hate to not be with my sick baby (although she didn't get the memo that she's supposed to ACT sick).  Ah, the juggling.

I had my appointment with my neurologist, Dr. Waterhouse, this morning.  She was very pleased with my progress.  She said that my "positive attitude" helped in my good outcome.  I find her perspective interesting because I didn't feel that positive, I just kept going.  I had some rough days.  I will do another round of MRIs in June and then will see her again in August.  I am so thankful to be feeling healthy.  I am forever changed by this experience.  And I hope and pray that I will remain healthy.  I can't stop thanking God, my wonderful husband, my children, my sisters, my parents, Chris's parents, my friends, my coworkers, and my physicians.  A couple of months ago Chris started telling me about falling asleep on his arm and waking up with an arm that would not wake up.  He said that the numbness and tingling felt like it went on forever.  He explained that he was thinking the whole time that that must have been the way I felt through those very difficult months.  I felt so validated by that, he was trying to imagine what I'd gone through and how frustrating and uncomfortable it must have been.  I was so touched by that.

The winter weather continues too.  It seems that we're going to get a winter mix tomorrow afternoon that will last through Wednesday morning.  Enough already!!   Although sledding with my little monkeys has been fun. 

Go Saints!  I enjoyed the Super Bowl, it was a good game and I really wanted the Saints to win.

Ruby Seems Better

Ruby made it for the full day at daycare.  I gave her a nebulizer treatment before school and one this evening and she seems to be feeling well and not coughing as much.  I hope it continues. 

Chris got to sleep 5 hours today since he didn't have a sick toddler to care for.  He also went to the gym, made our dinner, and helped with bedtime.  It is great to have his help again in the evenings!  Ruby is happy to have Daddy putting her to sleep at night.  Tonight she repeated every letter in the alphabet.  I was amazed!  She has been counting steps with me when we go up and down the stairs.  She seems to love the number, 9.  Ian loved the number, 9, too.  They both scream 9 with such enthusiasm.  We assume it's the German in the genes.  We're so proud of Ruby, she's so smart and cute!

I had a CJSTUF Selection Criteria Meeting today.  The foundation is moving along nicely.  CJSTUF is going to do great things for families who have a child with a chronic, life-threatening illness!  I'm proud to be part of the beginning of this foundation. 

I WON THE CONTEST!!!

I won the weight loss challenge! 

$100 for losing 9lbs. in a month (since Jan. 4th). 

I'm so thankful for this challenge to help get me focused on getting healthy.  My coworkers have been so supportive and we are motivating each other.  The one year anniversary of my strange illness, Transverse Myelitis, is coming up on 2/6/10.  I'm so happy to be feeling good and healthy!

Now I need to figure out what I'm going to do w/ my money.  Save for Disney?  Spend on a pedicure and new clothes?  Pay the housecleaner?  I'm not sure...

The weight loss challenge for February will just be $5 a person, so the pot will be smaller but I hope to win that one too! :)

Update on the household:  Ian, Ruby, Chris and I all went sledding on Sunday.  We ended up getting 13 to 14 inches of snow on Sunday.  I went down the hill once, Ruby went down twice (w/ Daddy) and Chris and Ian continued for at least an hour.  Ruby was done quickly and she and I went to the car.  She ate a snack and listened to songs while we watched "Da Da" and "Broder" sled. 

Chris worked OT on Saturday and Sunday.  He risked his life to get there Saturday but the roads were better by Sunday.  We are thankful that he made it safely.  He started nightshift last night.  Ruby was sent home from daycare w/ a 101 degree temperature on Monday afternoon.  She saw the pediatrician this morning and he didn't see a sign of any infections but she wasn't moving her air that well.  She has a tight cough.  She got a nebulizer treatment and we will keep those up over the next few days and hope for improvement.  I'm sick of the illness in our house!  Ian is congested but seems to feel okay, thankfully. 

Happy Birthday to Taylor!!!  He is 7 years old today.  Geez, time flies.  I'll never forget waking in the wee hours of the morning after hosting our engagement party at our house and driving my very hungover husband to be to see our newest nephew.  Time flies.  Taylor got a snow day for his birthday.  That's a great gift!!! 

Also, a year ago today Chris started at Kraft after just being laid off from Qimonda at the end of January.  We are so blessed that he got that job and only was unemployed for a weekend! 

Any updates on that Groundhog?  This winter has been a doozy!  And the rumor is that we're getting a storm this weekend that may drop 12-20 inches.  Yikes!  I'll have to make another emergency trip to the library for new books and DVDs.  Of course, we can watch the all-day Super Bowl coverage on Sunday.  Go Saints!!!

Poop in the Tub!

The cleaning lady, Mrs. Edwards, was here today.  She made our house smell and look so clean!  Since I have a rule of not eating dinner at home on the days of the BIG CLEAN, Ian, Ruby, and I went to the New York Grill for dinner.  The kids enjoyed cheese pizza and I had a yummy chicken philly hoagie (that's for my father-in-law who is constantly annoyed by Southerners who don't call a sub a hoagie).  I like to go there because they are very kid-friendly and when I'm alone w/ the kids, it helps to be waited on.  Plus their chicken philly hoagie is yummy!  We got home and after some dancing to the Romp 'n Roll Summertime CD, Ian and Ruby got in the nice clean bathtub.  I've started letting them put the clear shower lining between me and them so they can splash like crazy.  So they were splashing and pulling back the curtain to say "Hello" to me and laughing when I heard Ruby stand up and look at me and say, "Poop, poop, poop!"  Ugh, she pooped in the nice, clean tub w/ her nice, clean brother to be an innocent victim.  Ian surprised me and I find it funny (now) that he jumped out of the tub fast and grabbed his towel and went to his room w/ bubbles in his hair.  He knew that poop floating in the tub was a deal-breaker, he was outta there.  I cleaned Ruby off and cleaned the tub and then brought Ian back to rinse the suds out of his hair.  Geesh!  I shouldn't complain since I'm blessed to have a lady clean my house so thoroughly every other week (and she arranges the kid's rooms in the cutest ways) but GOOD LORD, could I please have it stay clean for 30 minutes at least?!  I swear, either it's Ian missing the toilet when he pees, or milk on the kitchen floor, or poop in the tub...my clean house isn't clean for long. 

All of the Starretts were in their assigned places all day today.  On Tuesday, the daycare called and said that Ruby had a fever and no appetite.  I stayed home w/ her in the afternoon.  She then stayed home all day on Wednesday.  One blessing of Chris being on 2nd shift is that he can be home most of the day w/ a sick child and I only have to miss 3 hours or so from work.  Ruby did have a fever on Tuesday but nothing too high.  And thankfully, it didn't do any crazy spike that would cause another terrifying febrile seizure.  I'm forever traumatized by Ruby and fevers.  There's no way around it.  This must have been the same sick bug that Ian had that passed quickly last week.  He was home from daycare last Thursday w/ a fever and tiredness.  But he bounced back quickly.  So, it was nice to have both kids in daycare all day and Chris and I could focus on just going to work.  I'm sick of sickness. 

Tonight Ian was cuddling a teddy bear that he is taking to daycare tomorrow so he'll have a bear for the bear caves they are making in class.  He said something that made me laugh out loud, he said about this stuffed bear wearing a sweater, "It's a teddy in a sweaty!" Oh my goodness, he is a trip!

The asphalt work was completed and although you can see the patches on the driveway, it definitely is better. But their tools are still here.  I hope they come back to get them soon.

I've been working on our taxes and am amazed by the amount of money I spent on medical care last year.  And ironically enough, it's not enough for a medical deduction.  But, it explains why I felt like I had no money last year.  I paid a $15 copy everytime I turned around.  But it's a new year and the copays are not as frequent and I wised-up and now have a medical and dependent care FSA.  Love it! 

Richmond is expecting snow tomorrow night.  Accumulations may be from 6-10 inches or so.  I'm excited.  I was sick during the snow in December, so I wanna get out and play.  All the Richmonders are freaking out like they always do.  This is proving to be a snowy winter in Richmond.  I don't mind it if its on a weekend, it saves my PTO so I can use it for vacations and sickness. 

I'm getting excited about our trip to Disney World in April.  Although, I'm realizing that the tickets to get into the Magic Kingdom are expensive!!  But, the good thing is that Ian and Ruby don't know what they're missing yet, so a day in the resort will be really exciting too!

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

Ian watched Mary Poppins for the first time tonight.  I've wanted to get the DVD for him since Charlotte's memorial service and I finally picked it up from the library tonight.  Ian was excited to watch it and sat there glued to it for all 139 minutes.  He laughed when they children, Mary Poppins, the Uncle, and friend (can't remember their names) were having afternoon tea while floating near the ceiling.  I haven't seen the movie in years and didn't get to watch much of it with Ian since I was chasing busy Miss Ruby.  After the movie was over and I was doing the bedtime ritual with Ian and we started singing "Let's Go Fly a Kite" and he said, "Mommy, you need the words."  He was right, I was really messing up the lyrics.  But it has such a catchy tune that I'm struggling to get it out of my head, wrong words and all. 

Speaking of kites, the wind is crazy here.  I sounds like it's going to blow the house away.  It poured rain early this morning but then it was warm and sunny during the day and started raining some this afternoon/evening.  Of course, the asphalt guys were here today to dig out some of our dirt/mud to repair our driveway issues.  The builder of the house thought it would be nice to have a nice driveway that was narrow torward the bottom and widened on the way to the garage.  Well, that hasn't worked.  The grass next to the driveway is always driven on and makes a muddy mess.  Plus, there's a big crack in the asphalt that needed to repaired so they are digging that out too.  But, hopefully when it's done it will look nice and be more user friendly. 

I enjoyed a nice walk around the capital this afternoon with my coworker, Marty.  She and I have been motivating each other to go for a walk daily.  Today was very pleasant and now they've taken down the temporary bleachers from the inauguration so you can actually see the beautiful capital again, you just have to look past the really messed up sod. 

I needed a walk because this morning I learned that a 2 of my coworkers are retiring within the next 6 months and my boss, who is battling a serious pulmonary illness, now is using oxygen at work (and home).  All 3 of these people are/were the core of the organization and were there when I started in 2001.  So, although it wasn't a surprise, I was sad and wanting to throw a tantrum (see we're all just socialized toddlers down deep).  I am happy for them to be able to move on and find life past "serving the children of the Commonwealth".  It kind of depresses me that I have 30 plus years before I will be talking about retirement.  Seems really far away but I'm sure it will pass like a flash. 

We had a great weekend full of fun.  I was off on Friday and enjoyed my day.  Ian was sick on Thursday so there was a moment that I thought I wouldn't be alone on my Friday off but by Friday morning he was dressed and ready for school before I even woke up.  Chris had worked from 3pm to 6am on Thursday night/Friday morning so they could work on their big project so he came home and did a run to McDonald's for breakfast.  Ian and Ruby then went to school.  I took the Pilot in for it's inspection, oil change and tire rotation.  Seemed simple enough...$547 later, it was good to go.  I guess it's worth it to keep my trusty Honda running nicely.   While the Honda was being worked on I walked across the big street (Rt. 1) to my optometry appt.  I've set up as many doctors, mechanics, dentists, possible within walking distance of my house and it worked out beautifully.  After my appt., I just walked home since Chris was sleeping.  It would've worked out nicely except I left my house key with the mechanics so I had to wake him up to let me in the house.  Best laid plans...  I then ran errands in the other car and worked on decluttering and purging baby stuff.  I have a coworker that is having her 2nd baby in March so I'm sending a bunch of things to her.  I also had a bunch of baby gear to tackle in the garage and I was pleased that I made a dent in that.  I've posted to Richmond Mommies to try to get rid of some of it. 

I had set up for a babysitter to come Friday night since I thought Chris would be working.  Shira was scheduled to come and was looking forward to hanging out with the kids.  I figured since Chris ended up being off Friday night that we'd just take advantage of having a sitter and go to dinner together.  Shira arrived with a roll of cookies to bake with Ian.  He was so excited I don't think he even noticed us leaving!  Chris and I then went to Ruby Tuesday's for dinner.  We had a nice time.  Then he went to see Avatar at the movies and I went to Wine Night in the 'hood.  We both enjoyed our outings.  Wine Night is always so much fun.  I love seeing my neighbors and we're able to complete our sentences since there are no children around.  Plus we laugh A LOT!  I had lots of fun and lots of wine.  I got home around 1:30am. 

Saturday, my dear husband took the children to the mall and to Romp 'n Roll so that I could nap/rest in the morning.  Then, when Ruby woke up from her nap, the 2 of us (Ian was still sleeping) went for a long walk and to play at the playground.  We had a great time.  She's just exploding with language.  It's so cute.  She says, "All Aboard" when she hears a train.  She loves going "outside".  She will try every word, she's just at the cutest age. 

Later, Chris went to the gym and when he returned I headed out for Girls Night Out at Pizza Fusion.  I met Whitney and a few other ladies.  We had a nice dinner and it was good to catch up.  I then took advantage of being near Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries. 

We had planned to go to Wintergreen for tubing with the Helsleys on Sunday but since the meterologists were calling for rain, we decided to postpone the trip.  Instead, Chris, Ian, Ruby, and I took a chilly bike ride/walk to the playground on Sunday morning.  It is great that since Chris got a bike, he and Ian can ride together.  It seems like Ian seems to be riding a little better (obeying the rules of the road) since he has Daddy to model.  And I feel better since I'm not running after him w/ a stroller screaming "STOP" or "BRAKE" like a crazy lady.  We then enjoyed  watching some great football later in the day.  The Vikings/Saints game was a nail-biter. 

Off to bed.  "Let's go fly a kite..." 

The Rules of Gender

Ian is full of quotes.  He told me this evening that "Boys get Mack trucks and girls get Ariels and Cinderellas".  Of course, I pipe in with, "Some girls like Mack trucks and some boys like Ariels and Cinderellas."  Ian said, "Well I like Mack trucks."  Where is he getting this?  Daycare.  It's definitely not from our house.  Chris and I have tried not to teach gender rules.  The funny thing is that he has never even watched The Little Mermaid or Cinderella, so he doesn't even know those movies. 

Chris is working hard this week.  He's feeling better and actually took a long ride on his new bike yesterday.  This was even after he'd gone to the gym.  I noticed that he'd bought some multivitamins.  I'm sure he's tired of being sick.  Chris has been on a special team for wok where they were testing a new computer system for tracking items at Kraft.  Well, the system is to "Go Live" next week so Chris is working hard to prepare for that and I'm sure he's dreading next week's actual attempt to use the system.  By the way, Kraft is buying Cadbury.  Yum!

Speaking of that, I'm doing great with my weight loss challenge.  I didn't lose that much weight this past week but I feel so much more focused this week.  I have walked around the capital every day this week.  It's about a 25-30 minute walk w/ a couple tough hills.  I'm feeling really great and I hope that I will have lost more weight next week.  I've recently reconnected with a friend from Richmond Mommies.  She has lost 117 pounds since last February.  Her before and after photos are amazing!  I'm so proud of her and inspired with her commitment and dedication to making a dramatic change in her life. 

During my walks around the capital I've encountered quite a few Fruit Loops.  On Monday there was a man dressed as Thomas Jefferson giving out material about the Revolution.  And then there was a very large group of people with stickers on them that said, "GUNS SAVES LIVES".  First, there's something wrong with the grammer, should be Guns Save Lives, at least based on what I know.  Second, I don't get it?  It seems like everytime I turn on the news, I hear how guns are taking lives.  Fruit Loops.  Third, a lot of them were wearing their guns proudly.  Yuck!  I trusted that the Capital Police on their bikes would maintain the peace so I could enjoy my walk.  Oh, and by the way, this was all happening on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Wait, didn't he encourage peace and nonviolence?  Ironic.

Ruby has just been so cute recently.  She says "Dance" and just starts shaking and bouncing.  She LOVES to dance.  She's saying tons of words and is just so precious.  Her teacher says she's so involved with circle time and says all of the words and is very confident.  She's so happy and loves her brother.  Her latest activity has been to yank a car or train from Ian just to get him to chase her.  And then she screams really loudly when he tries to get it back.  I try to encourage Ian to ask for it back nicely and offer her another car or train instead.  He's doing pretty well with that.  He's a great big brother!   Unfortunately, Miss Ruby continues to pull her hair out.  It's been 5 months now and I just wish she'd STOP.  Her hair was looking better and growing longer and then yesterday or the day before she woke up and a lot of her hair was gone on one side.  I was feeling somewhat "at peace" with it and had accepted that I could not do anything to change the behavior and the more I tried to combat it, the more she pulls.  So I've been ignoring it and I've encouraged Chris and the daycare staff to ignore it.  But, it's still hard.  Chris and I still worry about it and her and we don't like when she's just playing in her crib at night, morning or naptime because we think, "oh she's pulling".  I'm continuing to trust our pediatrician when he says, "It's a weird toddler thing."  I do have moments when I envy the moms that get to pull their little girl's hair up in the most precious pony tales but I guess the good news is my Ruby's hair is a lot less maintenance. 

So, today marks the end of President Obama's 1st year in office.  I think he's had a tough job for this year.  He's had a lot to deal with since Old What's His Name left office.  

It also marks 1 year since Charlotte Reynolds was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Wow, what a year!! 

Off to do dishes and bed...

The Princess and the Frogs

Meg and I took Kate, Landen, and Ian to see The Princess and The Frog. It was Ian and Kate's first movie in a theater. They did great. They ate a ton of popcorn and stayed in their seats nicely. Kate took one trip to the potty but overall they did great. I enjoyed the movie and liked the story. It had scary parts and Ian refused to look (definitely my child) but I didn't think it was as scary (from a child's perspective) as some Disney movies. I loved the music! All the reference to cajun food and New Orleans made me miss my friend, Jessica.

Ian, Ruby, and I went to church briefly this morning. We were alternates for the nursery and didn't know if the scheduled person would show up or not. Of course, the scheduled nursery person was there but it allowed the kids to play w/ those toys for about an hour and it was good to catch up with some of our adult friends. Then we left for a movie. I felt kind of bad about ditching church for a movie but rationalized that it was an important "family activity" and the 11am movie time was better for naps. Regardless, it was good for Ian and Ruby to have a change of scenery on a rainy morning. It also gave Chris some quiet time to rest and recover from his most recent illness, the stomach bug. So far, Chris has struggled in January. Hopefully his immune system will resist future illness for a while. He came home Friday night from work with an urge to get to the bathroom and he didn't leave most of the night. Poor guy! Today he seems to be feeling a lot better.

Because of Chris's illness, he did not get to go to Charlotte Reynolds's memorial service. Ian and I went with Meg, Erik, and Landen. Ruby stayed home napping. Meg and Erik had a sitter for Kate and Cohen. Chris did watch the service through the live feed from the http://www.cjstuf.org/ website. The service was amazing and perfect! The children's sermon was phenomenal and Ian and I loved the music. Again, I was so amazed and inspired by Roger and Rachel and their ability to speak at THEIR child's memorial service. And what they said was so rich and "full of Charlotte". I can't say it enough, I have been changed by this experience and so appreciate them sharing their journey with me and thousands of others. The reception was just as amazing and perfect. There was a chocolate fountain and Ian LOVED that. After he was done, it appeared that I had skewered him and dipped him in the fountain. He had so much chocolate. The funniest part was between the service and reception, Ian and Landen were running around some trees. From across the grounds I see Ian start to pull his pants down next to a tree. I ran across the lawn screaming "NO"! He gathered himself and we jumped in front of the line to go to the potty. Geesh, that could've been bad, but we made it! I connected with some of my favorite Richmond Mommies at the reception and that was great. Now, we've become Facebook friends. We also loved the balloon launch. It was so beautiful to watch the purple and pink balloons float up into the sky. As they got farther and farther away, Ian said, "they look like polka dots in the sky." He later asked if the balloons were going to Charlotte. I said, "Yes".

When we got home, Chris and Ruby were reading books and both Chris and Ruby had napped well. Chris was so happy to have been able to watch the service from the website. Ruby, Ian and I then went to the playground and were lucky to find a neighbor and her three kids there. It was great because Ian could play with Will. Ruby was more interested in the apple she was inhaling to play much but it was still good to get some fresh air on a warm January day.

The kids went to bed well and then I went to GAP with Meg to check out the sales. Meg and I both found some good items for great prices. We are sad that the VA Center Commons GAP is closing. Ugh! It's about the only reason I go to our mall.

Chris and I both slept pretty good through the night. Much better than Friday night! Chris is off for MLK Day but I have to work. I'm glad he has another day to get better. I feel like I've got a bullseye on my head since Ian, Ruby, and Chris have all had this yucky bug. I'm still crossing my fingers and praying that I don't get sick. I hope it works...

Back to the Grind

Everyone went to their "places" today.  Ian and Ruby went to daycare.  Chris and I went to work.  Both kids slept until 8:00am, which is sleeping in LATE for this house.  So, Chris got a little more sleep and even felt good enough to go to the gym.

I went to see my rheumatologist this morning.  I had not seen her since July.  She was pleased with my progress.  I was so proud to tell her that I'm not taking any medication for my TM!  She was really pleased w/ my weight loss.  Apparently, I've lost 17 pounds since I saw her in July.  That was a surprise to me!  That damn Prednisone.  At least 12 pounds had to have been in my face.  Geesh!  She did labwork and said that she's just going to continue to follow me every 6 months to ensure that no Lupus "shows up" since I had that elevated ANA.  But I still have no symptoms of Lupus, thankfully.

I had a good day at work.  I got to see a precious little girl I case manage who used to have numerous seizures a day as an infant.  She had brain surgery at 8 months and now, at 2 years old and on anti-epileptic drugs, she's having a brief seizure every 3 days and loving school.  She's definitely got a lot of challenges still but it was nice to see her doing so well!

I picked up the kids.  Yes!  They both made it ALL day at daycare.  We came home for dinner and then my neighbor, Cathy, came over to visit.  She is caring for Ruby on Saturday so that Ian, Chris, and I can go to Charlotte's memorial service.  She wanted to see Ruby again so she wouldn't be a "stranger" on Saturday and it gave me a chance to give her an idea of Ruby's schedule.  Cathy and I had a nice talk while the kids played busily around us.  Cathy is so sweet to help us out on Saturday! 

I've got to straighten up this house and get ready for bed.  Let's hope for another good night's sleep...  Is that too much to ask?  Yes, probably.

Poor Sick Ian!

I went to bed last night at 11:30pm.  Our cleaning lady was here so the house was so nice and clean.  At 12:00am, Ian was screaming and I stumbled to his bed to find a disgusting mound of nastiness.  He'd thrown up and was scared and confused.  I went into clean up mode and stripped his bed and clothes.  So much for Ian's nice clean room.  Then I got the yucky hospital basin from under the sink for Ian to aim when needed.  He continued to retch and vomit a little more.  No fun!  Luckily I knew my back-up was going to be coming home soon.  So, Daddy got home and brought in the 2 boxes of Kraft/Nabisco items for Charlotte's memorial service reception.  Then he came upstairs to change clothes and found me cuddling with poor little Ian.  Chris took over so I could go to bed for a little while.  And then the night was full of nasty sounds and smells and Ian was very restless.  Of course, Ruby was up at 4:00am to make sure she got some attention.  I cuddled with her for a bit and then we listened to her scream for a bit and then she was back to sleep.  She's cutting some teeth and her room was chilly.  I was so relieved to find that her crib wasn't filled with throw up too! 

So, I got up and got ready for work and took Ruby to daycare.  I went to work for 3.5 hours and then came home to relieve Chris so he could get to work by 3pm.  That's the only positive about 2nd shift (besides that Chris is employed)...the ability to tag team childcare when kids or sick and not miss a whole day of work. 

Ian seems better.  He's had some apple juice and Premium Saltine Crackers (Kraft plug) and kept it down.  He said, "I'm feeling better cause I'm not throwing up."  He's having a cartoon marathon and enjoying Olivia right now.  It's a cute show and he likes that Olivia's little brother's name is Ian. 

I made a pot of vegetable soup and had some for lunch.  Yummy!

He's so sweet and cuddly when he's sick.  Chris and I feel guilty for liking it when he's sick.  He's just so cute and sweet.  Last night I told him that he scared me when he screamed.  He said, through his tears, "well I needed you!"  Oh my, too sweet. 

Apparently this bug is going around the daycare and I'm hearing that there are kids in other setting with this bug too.  We were at Chick fil A with Erik, Landen, Kate, and Cohen last night so I sent them an email this morning sharing about Ian's condition.  I remembered Ian sharing ice cream with Erik and Kate.  Geesh!  I'm hoping it will be quick and that no one else will get it.  I'm a little uncomfortable since Ian had some strange stomach bug about this time last year and I believe that's the virus that my body overreacted to and caused transverse myelitis.  So, I'm a little creeped out by it but trying to not worry too much.  I'm still feeling great eventhough I feel weird nerve flutter/twinges multiple times a day. 

I'm also really sad about the earthquake in Haiti.  I can't imagine the devastation.  My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.  I did send a message to Magda Munoz Gonzalez, a mother of child who I case managed in Richmond who moved back to the Dominican Republic, their home.  I hope that they are okay, I haven't heard much about the Dominican Republic but I know they share the same island. 

Ian and I will go pick up Ruby from daycare soon.  Hopefully she will continue to feel well.  And maybe we'll ALL get a good night's sleep.  :)

Birth, Life, Death, & Resurrection

We attended church this morning.  Ed, our priest, had a great sermon discussing the passing of Charlotte and his thoughts surrounding the experience.  He, the social worker and nurse from Noah's Children, Roger, and Rachel were the people with Charlotte when she took her last breath.  His sermon was about birth, life, death and resurrection.  He discussed the rebirth you experience at the death or end of something or someone.  It was a great sermon and Chris and I shed many tears.  Coincidentally, I hear Ian, who is supposed to be napping, singing "Frosty the Snowman" in his room.  Very neat.  Back to thoughts about Charlotte...  I was struck by a post on Chris's Facebook status.  Chris had put a status that included his feelings about the passing of Charlotte.  One of his friends wrote that he had not said a prayer in years and was going to pray for Charlotte tonight.  Maybe that's the meaning/purpose of the loss of a vibrant little girl.  I think I will be searching for the answer to "why" for a long time. 

Chris seems to be feeling better today.  He's required less headache medication and seems more "normal".  We went to Allen and Shirley's (Pop Pop and Mom Mom's) house in Heathsville, VA yesterday to visit.  It's about 1hr 30min from here.  I drove and the 3 others slept.  It was quiet, which is always a treat.  Ian loved Pop Pop's trains and enjoyed going down to see the creek/river.  Ruby had a great time exploring their house.  She loved coloring at the kitchen table, playing in the snow (stomping it w/ her pink boots), and playing with Mom Mom.  Mom Mom and Pop Pop prepared a nice dinner that we enjoyed.  I'm glad we made it because I think they are taking down all their Christmas decorations today.  Ruby was asleep in her carseat before we turned off of their road and Ian was asleep not too long after.  That's such a beautiful thing!  Chris dozed off and on.  Both kids then went to bed really well last night and slept well all night.  I first heard Ian around 7am which is sleeping in for him.  By the way, his bed was dry the last two mornings but his underwear wasn't.  I guess he's not getting to the potty soon enough when he gets out of bed.  But I can handle wet underwear more than wet sheets.  So, we'll see if we can make no pull-up a habit. 

Chris screamed at the Eagles a lot last night.  They were playing the Cowboys for the third time.  It was painful.  The only positive was when Vick came in and made a touchdown pass.  But the next time he came in the game he fumbled.  Geesh!  I went to bed at 10pm and was out!

Ian was sweet to Ruby this morning. She bumped her head and was whining about it. He went to the freezer to get her ice. He put it on her head and said, "there you go Little One." Very sweet. He really takes care of Ruby. He doesn't like to see her upset.

We were hoping Whitney, John, Lily, and Ben were going to come play today but it seems that Lily has been coughing a lot and Whitney doesn't want to expose us.  We could probably handle the bug but why risk it, especially when Chris is seeming to be feeling better. 

We're transitioning to 2nd shift tomorrow.  I know it is mainly Chris, but it's a big transition for all of us.  It means Chris does drop-off and I do pick-up.  And I'm a one woman show at night.  Chris's hours are 3-11 but they always seem like 2 -12:30 or so.  We'll see how long he stays in 2nd shift.  Thankfully, it's not 3rd shift (nightshift). 

Well, Ian just came out of his room and said he is done napping, which he never really did.  So, I guess my time is up.  Hopefully this means an early bedtime.

We are enjoying life and are blessed to have each other.

My Friday Off

I enjoyed my day off. 

Chris went to work this morning and he tried to keep Ian quiet so I could sleep a little longer.  He got an A for effort, but it didn't work.  I got ready for the day and got Miss Ruby up for breakfast. 

Ruby and Ian enjoyed looking out at the deck and seeing the snow.  We got a dusting of snow last night.  They both insisted on wearing their snow boots to school.  Ian took his school bus for show and tell so he "plowed" the sidewalk with the school bus before he got in the car for school. 

I then went to the grocery store to buy items for a couple of recipes I've wanted to try.  Then I came home and got sucked into email, Richmond Mommies, and Facebook.  There is so much support and love being expressed for Charlotte's family.  It really is remarkable how the community has joined together. 

I then went to get my eyebrows waxed (ouch!) and showed up at Ian and Ruby's school to have lunch w/ Ian.  I'm always torn about which child to spend lunch with but Ian at least understands that I'm going to leave him again but will be back to pick him up.  I also enjoy sitting at his table with him and chatting w/ his friends.  I shared macaroni and cheese, carrots, pineapple, and milk with Ian and his classmates.  I read Ian and his friends a book, The Gingerbread Boy, while his teacher got the cots ready and the children went to the restroom.  They were pretty attentive.  I felt good about Ian's teacher and he seems to be doing well.  I checked w/ the director and she said that Ruby was having a good day.  She'd been in the room dancing w/ Ruby earlier. 

I then left to take the Camry to be cleaned.  Chris has been feeling like the Camry is triggering his allergies since his headache has been worst Tues. and Wed. evenings on his drive home from work.  The 1995 Camry was a gift from my parents before Ruby was born and it has dust and animal hair (Molly's too) in it.  We've cleaned it before but some of those allergens are hard to get out.  It was time for a new vacuum and wash down.  It was a good opportunity to clean out all the children's daycare crafts and artwork that had accumulated in the backseat.  I took it to a place that washes the exterior and interior.  I made sure to tip 20% because it was cold and it is so nice to just pay someone to do it!

It was time for shopping.  I had a Kohl's gift and I need a new winter coat.  The old maroon Columbia coat that I bought in Boone, NC in 1997 (before the month-long twin study in NYC) needs to be retired.  I actually think it may be a men's coat.  Anyway, it's served me well and clearly, was a good investment.  But, I luckily found a purple (of course) winter coat that fits well and seems really warm.  And it was only $64.  So, I'll get to try it on my daily walks to and from the parking deck.  I try to wear my nice dress coat daily but recently, it's just been way too cold.    I also found a winter coat for Landen.  Meg has been looking for a new one for him for a while.  I also picked up a new baby gift for our friends, Gary and Terry, who live in Bellingham, Washington and had their second boy, little Winter on 1/1/10 at 12:01am. 

Then I made a quick run to Trader Joes for some of our TJ favorites.  I also picked up some red wine.  I'm enjoying it while I write.  :)

I then came home to start cooking one of my chicken recipes for dinner.  Chris came home and changed clothes.  He then went to pick up the kids from daycare.  He didn't seem to be feeling that good but took another headache pain medication and thought he'd feel better. 

Chris was frustrated when he got home w/ the children because Ian "did not want to go home" he told Chris he "wanted to go to something special".  That means Chick Fil A.  I'm not sure why he calls it that, it may be from us trying to not tell him where we're going when we're younger so he wouldn't drive us nuts w/ questions before we got there.  So we tried to be vague but he figured it out quicly enough.  We usually go on Tuesday evenings because we can get free kids meals.  So, Ian really likes to eat out and thinks we should go "somewhere special" every evening.  His protests to "going home" don't work but it makes for an unhappy ride across Rt. 1 to the house. 

I made a chicken recipe emailed to me by Kraft Foods. It was easy and yummy. The children really didn't eat it but Chris and I enjoyed it. And my wine went nicely with it.  Here it is:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/kf/recipes/tuscan-chicken-simmer-111677.aspx?pf=true.  I substituted 1/3 fat cream cheese and whole wheat rotini for the fettuccine/ravioli. 

After dinner Chris gave Ruby a bath and put her in her PJs.  I did the dishes and Ian worked on a project.  I gave him a bunch of leftover envelopes and he started coloring pictures and putting in the envelopes for his family and friends at school.  It was really cute and kept him occupied.  Chris had said "no cartoons" earlier because of his behavior/attitude related to not going to "something special".  So, I was glad that he stayed busy.  Chris had sent Ruby downstairs to say goodnight to me but I realized that Chris was lying down.  We had a minor crisis with Ian trying to help Ruby downstairs that became an unattended push and Ruby started falling down the stairs.  Luckily she caught herself and I responded in enough time that she didn't hit the hardwood.  Ruby was scared and Ian was upset.  He sat in time out and cried.  Ruby cried.  Chris yelled from upstairs, "What's going on?"  I took Ruby to Chris to explain.  Chris tried to get up, lost his balance and fell into the dresser, I ordered him to lie back down.  I then went back to Ian.  He was so remorseful and worried about Ruby.  He's such a sensitive little boy and I love that he has a conscious and cares about others.  I reassured him that Ruby was okay, he said he was sorry and we moved on.  Lots of hugs.  Ian got back to work on his envelope project. 

Ruby and I read books.  She loves The Going to Bed Book and she says "exercise" at the right time.  It's so cute!  She hit the sack at 7pm and I didn't hear from her again.  She was sleepy tonight.

Ian then got ready for bed and we read 3 books, sang 3 songs and did prayers.  Then we had our "one last hug drama" but he eventually got quiet and fell asleep.  I realized that we were out of pull-ups so cross your fingers that he doesn't wet his bed tonight.  I'll be shocked if he doesn't and Mama will be doing a jig in the morning if he is dry!  No doubt. 

So, Chris is still asleep.  I'd hoped that we can go to Allen & Shirley's (my inlaw's) tomorrow but I'm not sure about Chris's health.  We'll make the call in the morning.  We want to see Pop Pop's trains before he takes down the Christmas decorations. 

We hope to get together with John, Whitney, Lily, and Ben on Sunday. 

Until the next adventure...

My First Blog!

I have been thinking about starting a blog for months and decided to do it!   The title, Purple Lisianthus, is the flower from my wedding.  I love the color purple, and I loved my wedding bouquet because it was full of purple lisianthus.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/theresae/3297313830/ 

I have been married to Chris for 6 years and I still cry everytime I watch our wedding video, it was a great day!  Poor guy, he's upstairs asleep.  He's got a sinus headache and has not felt well the past 2 days. 

Both kids are asleep.  Ian is so funny.  He challenged me this morning by telling me that "boys are football players and girls are cheerleaders".  I told him that some boys are cheerleaders and some girls are football players.  He didn't buy it and began to argue.  I decided I couldn't rationalize with him about this.  It was tough for me, a social worker that appreciates equal opportunity. 

Ruby challenged her teachers at daycare today.  Apparently she is saying "no" more and having more defiant, toddler behavior.  Geesh!  Sounds like an 18-month-old to me. 

I am working on losing weight right now.  My coworkers and I have started a money pool to win if you lose the largest percentage of weight.  I'm hoping that this will motivate me to make changes.  So far, I've been doing pretty well.  It's a constant battle.  But, I'm feeling great and recovering nicely from my transverse myelitis!  http://www.myelitis.org/  My symptoms began on 2/6/09, so I've almost reached my 1 year anniversary (if you wanna call it that).  I'm off all of my medication and feeling really wonderful.  I continue to count my blessings! 

The vigil for Charlotte Reynolds continues.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers.  http://www.cjstuf.org/Home.php 

I've got to get ready for tomorrow and get to bed!