Winter is finally just about over! Yay!! We survived and it's almost a miracle. January was ROUGH. February was much, much better. No one got sick, praise the Lord! It was also pretty uneventful. We made a day trip to the outlets and Iowa City just to get out of town. Kolbie got some new spring/summer dresses and a sweet pair of Nikes (that I am totally jealous of by the way). Kaija got some new books that she really loves. Kolbie also finally got to take advantage of the play area at the Coralville mall! She loved it! She wasn't quite walking yet, especially in her new shoes, but she had a wonderful time crawling around. March is about half over and also is going pretty well! Nothing exciting yet, but that's still to come.
Valentine's Day weekend Kolbie finally started walking! I know, finally seems odd to say about a 10.5 month old walking. That's still fairly early. But compared to Kaija starting to walk at 8.5 months, finally is warranted! She took her first steps just before Christmas and left it at that until Valentine's Day. She now loves chasing her sister all over the house. It's so fun to hear them wandering around giggling at each other!
Kaija has been working on potty training for about forever. We started last summer in fact. By September she was fully in big girl underwear day and night with almost no accidents. She wasn't going #2 in the potty, but it was bearable. Then sometime in November she completely regressed and was back in pull-ups day and night. So with her 3rd birthday in January we started trying to tell her she was too big for pull-ups and she needed to use the potty. It's been drama every since. This week, after changing sheets every single day, we have gone back to Overnights for bed time. She's been getting up at 6 a.m. because she wets the bed and that just leads to a crabby kid for most of the day after that. She's still not going #2 in the potty and only has done so a handful of times, ever. We're at a loss. Rewards aren't working. Consequences don't seem to mean anything to her.
Dean turned 28 on the 7th. He had originally wanted a full turkey dinner but (thankfully) changed his mind and chose Texas Roadhouse for his birthday meal. And man was it good! Way better than any turkey dinner I could have made! Kolbie's favorite was the green beans and baked beans. We've even bought her her own little can of baked beans! Kaija just wanted to eat peanuts and fill the bucket with the shells. Dean and I enjoyed wonderful steaks and sides. Oh so good! This was also the last time we are allowed to go out to eat until Easter. We've given up dining out for Lent along with a group of friends. We need to cut it down/out anyway because it's so expensive and we've got to start saving some money/paying some things off.
As for me, I was finally offered a job. Sadly I had to turn it down. The cost of childcare is so high that there is just no way for me to work right now, unless someone wants to pay me a ridiculous amount of money to do easy work! At first I was pretty upset. But the whole thing, along with other circumstances we found ourselves in, have shown us how we can start to cut and make things work for me to stay home indefinitely. Now I need to learn how to properly be a stay home mom! We've been too lazy for too long and I think my kids and I are suffering for it. Our days revolve around watching Nick Jr. and sitting on the couch. It's time to start making changes there as well.
So, that's where we are right now! Things are pretty good. Stressful, but good. Things are getting worked out! And that's what matters.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
I'm Done With January
I'm over it. I'm done with it. The next 2 days can just not exist to me.
At least one person, if not 2 or 3, has been sick since December. First it was Kaija and a cough. Last summer I let a cough go and she ended up with bronchitis. I didn't want it to get that far so off to the doctor we went and home we came with antibiotics. The next day was Christmas Eve and I noticed Kolbie's nose was now running and she didn't seem well. The following Thursday Kolbie had a hacking cough and Kaija was still miserable. Back to the doctor we go... This time "non-specific virus" is the diagnosis. Super. I was told to just watch them for a week or so and bring them back if there is no change or they get worse. Exactly 2 weeks later is Kaija's 3 year well child check up as well as Kolbie's 9 month. I wanted to save myself a trip and just scheduled them for the same day. Good thing... Kolbie started running a fever in the evenings only 2 days before. On top of that my ears started hurting and it felt like a brick was sitting on my face. Gratefully Kaija was feeling much much better, finally! Sadly, Kolbie and I came home with antibiotics this time. We both had ear infections. I don't know if I've EVER had an ear infection! And prior to that day neither of my kids had! Within a couple of days we were both feeling much much better. And then it hit again. Kaija woke up from her nap on Wednesday with a fever of 102. Guess we're not hosting small group tonight! We cooled her down in the bath and gave her some Tylenol. By morning she was feeling better. However Thursday and Friday nights were the same with her temperature nearly hitting the dreaded 104. Saturday though, she was my wonderful happy girl! Sunday we woke up and went to church, but she wasn't very excited like she usually is. By that night she had another fever and I realized we needed to do something. Especially since she woke up with it still the next morning. Soooo... back we trudge to the doctor. Now Kaija has the double ear infection with one ear drum threatening to rupture. I felt TERRIBLE. What kind of mom lets an ear infection rage on that long? The kind who has a kid with a ridiculous pain tolerance apparently. She never once said her head or ears hurt. If she had we'd have gone much earlier. Once again, within 2 days on antibiotics she was a million times better. Only for me to start running a fever and feeling like death warmed over again.
And that brings us to today. No trips to the doctor - yet - but I found a cough syrup that is my new friend. Kolbie is coughing and has The Green Ooze coming from her nose again but so far no fevers from her. If she has even one, no matter what it is, we're going to the doctor.
Also for the record: Kaija's official 3 year stats are... 38" tall and 34 lb. She'd lost a couple of pounds due to being sick and having no appetite. Kolbie weighed in at 19 lb. 12 oz. and 28" tall.
I need Spring like I've never needed it before.
At least one person, if not 2 or 3, has been sick since December. First it was Kaija and a cough. Last summer I let a cough go and she ended up with bronchitis. I didn't want it to get that far so off to the doctor we went and home we came with antibiotics. The next day was Christmas Eve and I noticed Kolbie's nose was now running and she didn't seem well. The following Thursday Kolbie had a hacking cough and Kaija was still miserable. Back to the doctor we go... This time "non-specific virus" is the diagnosis. Super. I was told to just watch them for a week or so and bring them back if there is no change or they get worse. Exactly 2 weeks later is Kaija's 3 year well child check up as well as Kolbie's 9 month. I wanted to save myself a trip and just scheduled them for the same day. Good thing... Kolbie started running a fever in the evenings only 2 days before. On top of that my ears started hurting and it felt like a brick was sitting on my face. Gratefully Kaija was feeling much much better, finally! Sadly, Kolbie and I came home with antibiotics this time. We both had ear infections. I don't know if I've EVER had an ear infection! And prior to that day neither of my kids had! Within a couple of days we were both feeling much much better. And then it hit again. Kaija woke up from her nap on Wednesday with a fever of 102. Guess we're not hosting small group tonight! We cooled her down in the bath and gave her some Tylenol. By morning she was feeling better. However Thursday and Friday nights were the same with her temperature nearly hitting the dreaded 104. Saturday though, she was my wonderful happy girl! Sunday we woke up and went to church, but she wasn't very excited like she usually is. By that night she had another fever and I realized we needed to do something. Especially since she woke up with it still the next morning. Soooo... back we trudge to the doctor. Now Kaija has the double ear infection with one ear drum threatening to rupture. I felt TERRIBLE. What kind of mom lets an ear infection rage on that long? The kind who has a kid with a ridiculous pain tolerance apparently. She never once said her head or ears hurt. If she had we'd have gone much earlier. Once again, within 2 days on antibiotics she was a million times better. Only for me to start running a fever and feeling like death warmed over again.
And that brings us to today. No trips to the doctor - yet - but I found a cough syrup that is my new friend. Kolbie is coughing and has The Green Ooze coming from her nose again but so far no fevers from her. If she has even one, no matter what it is, we're going to the doctor.
Also for the record: Kaija's official 3 year stats are... 38" tall and 34 lb. She'd lost a couple of pounds due to being sick and having no appetite. Kolbie weighed in at 19 lb. 12 oz. and 28" tall.
I need Spring like I've never needed it before.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
New Year, New Start
I'm sitting her begging Kaija to get her Goldfish crackers out of the entertainment center and to just eat them, for the love of GOD! Why she took them all out of her bowl and put them on the dusty shelves I will never know. I'm pretty sure I don't want to know how the mind of a 3-year-old works. Or maybe I do... hmm...
January always arrives with the promise of something fresh and new and exciting. It might be cold as all get out, but it's a New Year. There's just an air of rebirth every January for me. We get to "erase" the year that is gone and try again. 2010 was an interesting year for us and if I'm honest one of our best. We welcomed Kolbie into our lives and did a lot of things we wanted to do. No, I didn't find a job and we didn't win the lottery. But we still have a roof over our heads, a car with gas in it in the driveway, food in our pantry and refrigerator, and our girls have clothes on their backs. You can't ask for a whole lot more than that I don't think.
2011 started the same way most of the past 11 (11?!) have - Dean at work, me home alone. We realized on New Year's Day that we've only spent a few NYE's together at home. 2002 was our first, he was in Scotland busting his ankle and drinking too much vodka. ;)2003 we were both still in school. 2004 I probably went to visit but he probably worked. Hanging out at a college police station on NYE is SO COOL. I promise. 2005 and 2006 were likely spent doing the same. 2007 we were at my parents house, getting ready to move to Illinois. Ready to start our new adventure in the Quad Cities. 2008 we actually spent together at home!! Kaija was due in 20 days and Dean was working afternoon shift. He got home at 11 p.m. and we crawled in bed to watch TV. We were sacked out by 12:05. And then the last 3 he's worked third shift and been at work. Saying Happy New Year via Facebook chat just isn't the same as a sweet kiss, but it will do for now!
That night we talked about all the promise this year holds. Kaija will be 3 in less than a week. Kolbie will be 1 in just a couple of months. And best of all I started a job on Monday. We have been blessed with an amazing group of friends. One of whom is letting me work for him either until I find something else or eternity, which ever comes first. It's an interesting and challenging job, but I'm up for it!
January always arrives with the promise of something fresh and new and exciting. It might be cold as all get out, but it's a New Year. There's just an air of rebirth every January for me. We get to "erase" the year that is gone and try again. 2010 was an interesting year for us and if I'm honest one of our best. We welcomed Kolbie into our lives and did a lot of things we wanted to do. No, I didn't find a job and we didn't win the lottery. But we still have a roof over our heads, a car with gas in it in the driveway, food in our pantry and refrigerator, and our girls have clothes on their backs. You can't ask for a whole lot more than that I don't think.
2011 started the same way most of the past 11 (11?!) have - Dean at work, me home alone. We realized on New Year's Day that we've only spent a few NYE's together at home. 2002 was our first, he was in Scotland busting his ankle and drinking too much vodka. ;)2003 we were both still in school. 2004 I probably went to visit but he probably worked. Hanging out at a college police station on NYE is SO COOL. I promise. 2005 and 2006 were likely spent doing the same. 2007 we were at my parents house, getting ready to move to Illinois. Ready to start our new adventure in the Quad Cities. 2008 we actually spent together at home!! Kaija was due in 20 days and Dean was working afternoon shift. He got home at 11 p.m. and we crawled in bed to watch TV. We were sacked out by 12:05. And then the last 3 he's worked third shift and been at work. Saying Happy New Year via Facebook chat just isn't the same as a sweet kiss, but it will do for now!
That night we talked about all the promise this year holds. Kaija will be 3 in less than a week. Kolbie will be 1 in just a couple of months. And best of all I started a job on Monday. We have been blessed with an amazing group of friends. One of whom is letting me work for him either until I find something else or eternity, which ever comes first. It's an interesting and challenging job, but I'm up for it!
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