Here we go again......

So both girls were due to have their post-of hearing tests this morning with Dr. Vest. We go in for a look to see if the tubes are still in the eardrum so they can do their thing, and wouldn't you know it, both of Kendall's are out and one of Maggie's is out. The ears missing tubes aren't showing any fluid buildup (good sign) but all eardrums are slightly retracted. Arrrrggggg!!!! So another six weeks of decongestants and we go back on June 1. At that point, either their ears are doing OK and we'll actually be able to test their hearing (they've yet to keep tubes in until the post-of test a few months following surgery) OR there will be a buildup of fluid or the eardrums will be so severely retracted that they'll be rubbing the inner ear bones and damaging them. If that happens, the next step is bigger tubes, which tend to stay in place longer but carry a greater risk of leaving the eardrum with a permanent hole in it. Once again, I have been cursing the Hood DNA that has left my kids with malfunctioning ears!!! While I am VERY thankful these surgeries are short, out-patient deals, having 5 (6 if you include Maggie's stye) in a 12 month period between both girls starts to get old really fast. I absolutely cannot imagine how stressful it would be to have a really sick child and to deal with multiple, life-threatening treatments and complications. Again, I do give thanks for not dealing with a BIG thing, but I still get frustrated. So I'm back to just cussing the bad DNA they inherited from their father (Dr. Vest said I could!!!).
Thanks once again for reading my rant. I don't know about you, but I feel better now!! ;-)

This girl is on a roll!!!

Warning: Icky parenting story ahead!
My baby girl Kendall was unstoppable last night!!! I probably should have been better prepared at bath time last night, since for the past week she is currently batting a thousand for pooping in the tub. It doesn't matter what time her bath is, she has some need to make it her own. But last night she did not one, but TWO better. After contaminating the tub, I whipped her out and stood her on the bath mat, which she promptly peed on. Then, as I was getting Maggie out of the now-yucky tub and trying to avoid the peed-on bath mat, I turn around to see Kendall pooping on the floor!!! Ugh! How come nobody ever told us about these things versus all the adorable things we hear about?? I'll tell you why: nobody would have kids! I mean, I worked with all kinds of body fluids in the lab, but that was from a specimen cup with gloves and a lab coat on; plus the smelly stuff you could stick under a vent hood to work on. I'm ranting, I know, but the bath incidents just happened to cap off a fairly stressful day. Honestly, I was this close to opening a bottle of wine, sticking in a crazy straw, and going to town. I totally understand Bill Cosby's comment now: God made kids cute so we don't kill them!! Think about all the icky stuff you've done as a parent that NEVER would have crossed your mind before having kids. I want to hear some stories to make me feel better!! Happy parenting!

Only Four More to Go!!

I have to rant on behalf of my poor baby girl. I think Kendall is working on those last four baby teeth, the second-year molars. She has been downright crabby lately, not my usual happy-go-lucky baby. She hates being told "no" and cries like you've just broken her heart, especially when Maggie tells her no. She is also displaying the temper she inherited from her PaPaw (Jeff's dad) and apparently took a swing at another kid in the nursery Friday night. The main reasons I'm blaming it on teething is that she's chewing on her fingers a lot and has just developed diaper rash, which she only gets when she's teething. (Sigh) I really hope it's just a phase; I don't want her to be a moody bully. I want my happy baby back!!!!

We made it!!!

We survived Spring Break at home with our kids!! And I can actually say I don't want to kill them both!! Don't get me wrong, I adore my girls, but 7 straight days (8 if you include the first Friday) with no GSPS while trying to work at home and I don't have to explain why I'm on happy drugs. I think the only thing that is bothering me the most is the desire to be a total slug; I'm ready to get back in a routine, and I think the kids are, too. Kendall only took naps 5 out of the 8 days, so I'm a bit worried there (Mags gave up regular naps around age 2) but since she was usually ready for bed a good hour earlier on those days it wasn't too bad. So a big pat on the back for everybody; school starts again this week!!!! Yeah!!!!!

You're Dune!by Frank HerbertYou have control over a great wealth of resources, but no one wants to let you have them. You've decided to try to defend yourself, but it may take eons before you really get back what you feel you deserve. Meanwhile you have a cult-like following of minions waiting for your life to progress. This would all be even more exciting if you could just get the sand out of your eyes
So where are all the members of that cult, huh??

BTW, I am also Sweden and Indiana.

Is it just me........

or is anybody else currently creeped out by the huge flocks of black birds that have descended on Ada?? I was in my kitchen the other day and suddenly realized I could hear what sounded like a LOT of birds making noise in my back yard. I looked out and the trees were literally covered with birds. I kept thinking of that Hitchcock movie and got the heebie-jeebies. When I finally let Cookie out (she was going nuts because she could also see and hear them) she went tearing across the yard and as the birds all flew off it looked like this huge black cloud lifting off from my house. They also like to congregate in my front yard on the west side of my driveway and when they do you can't even see the grass through the black carpet of birds. I just don't remember seeing this many at once since we've been here. Hmmmmm........

A Need for Speed.......

For those of you who didn't know, Jeff got himself a 2003 BMW M5 about two weeks ago (four-door sedan with about 400 hp and a sport suspension). I finally got around to driving the thing today and it's AWESOME!!!! I took it over to Allison's house but couldn't really gun it on that road (too curvy and I hadn't driven a standard since 2000) so I got it on 3E. Wow. I had that sucker up to 90 in third gear!!! I can honestly say I have to appreciate Jeff's need for toys because now I have the best of both worlds: my monstrosity (Ford Excursion; desiel, baby!)that can hold LOTS of stuff and the sporty car that still has room for my whole family. My man certainly has good taste!!!!

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Hey Kiah - Look what I found!!!! This IS cool!!

Well, it's our last day in Colorado. Jeff & I skied hard yesterday in the fresh powder on the backside of Vail. We were doing a bumpy, narrow run under the lift when I fell and somehow managed to jam my thumb; nothing serious, just a little swollen and stiff today. I guess we really pushed ourselves because we were dying on our last run; muscles from waist down were one solid block of tired tension. We went straight to the hot tub then crashed until dinnertime. We took today off and headed back to the outlet mall. Coldwater Creek isn't open yet, but they were laying carpet where it will be. After a few hours of shopping, we headed across the road to the Dam Brewery for lunch and samples (8 for $8.50!!!). Found several good enough to buy a six pack to take home (surprise, surprise, surprise). We got back just in time for Jeff to get to his massage at 4:00 pm and got several curious glances from people in the lobby when the bellman filled our cart with all the beer (we also stopped by a liquor store to stock up on all those microbrews we can't get in OK). I'm not sure how we're going to get all this stuff home........

I'm waiting for my laundry to finish drying so I can get dressed for dinner at some Italian place Jeri found today. We also started packing (big sigh). I do miss the girls but still hate to see our trip end. See you guys soon.

Rocky Mountain High, Baby!!!!

Oh, if life could be this wonderful all the time!!! Have I mentioned that I love the mountains?? My stress level here doesn't go beyond which run to take or what massage do I want?? Yes I miss the kiddos, but I know they're having fun with Oma (I heard they DID make it to church). Went shopping today at the outlet mall (forgive any spelling errors you see; I'm drinking Fat Tire) and bought way too much stuff but had a ball. There was a little incident at the shoe shop when one of the employees said we'd have to leave the store because their manager had collapsed and they'd called 911. We told them we had two docs with us and they went back to assess the situation and determined the woman probably had kidney stones. Once we knew it wasn't an actual emergancy, Debbie was like "So, can I buy these shoes now?" and the guys said "It's our first day and we don't even know how to work the registers!!" Wow. What a way to break them in!!!
Jer & I are killing time before our dinner reservations. Jeff & Lad are talking anesthesia nonstop and we're going to have to separate them; Bob promised he'd see to that!!
Miss you guys!!!

And Away We Go!!!!!

Well, I'm all ready to go to Vail and see some snow!!! My mom just drove up and I've got to start the "things to go over list" with her. Talk to you guys when I get back!! Keep the Andersons in your prayers as Grace & Maggie have their first sleepover!!!!!!!!!

It's a done deal!!!

Well, our little Randi is now a married woman. She looked beautiful, as did her mom and Amanda, and I'm assuming the ceremony went well as I spent most of it walking Kendall around at the back of the church. Funny how a quiet atmosphere can make a 21 month old decide to test her voice.......Randi DID insist that all the kids be there. As if there was anybody availible to babysit!!
Hey Lo: Maggie seems to have forgotten her name. It's as if, I don't know, it got knocked out of her or something. Would you know anything about that?? Just kidding. She's fine and is currently tormenting her sister, who actually did perk up the minute that dress and bow were off of her. She hates dressing up as much as Maggie loves it. Sisters. Gotta love 'em.

Decisions, decisions.......

OK, now that I'm on the better living through chemistry track I can move on to more important issues such as, "What to wear to Randi & Justin's wedding??"
I found two cute little dresses for the girls at that place we love to hate, Wal Mart. They're white with flowers, pink for Maggie and blue for Kendall. Will it clash too much in pictures if I'm wearing an ivory suit?? Opinions, please.

Warning: This is a vent!!!

OK so I've broken down and decided to try this thing my friends are all raving about and figured I might as well use it to vent and clear out my system!!
I've been struggling with something since November (Amy & I had a semi-deep discussion regarding this in the GSPS alley back then) and I think my body finally made it clear to me yesterday that I need to stop being so darn stubborn and get some help with it. Back in college I was diagnosed with mild stress-related depression mixed in with seasonal affective disorder (i.e. winter blues). I think it's been something I'd dealt with for years but never sought out help or treatment for it. I was on Prozac for a year and it made a huge difference. I thought I'd learned how to deal with life on my own during that time, and for about 10 years I've done that, but last November things started changing. I recognized some of the signs & symptoms but kept telling myself that it was just that time of year and were I to get on a prescription the stress-causer would be over by the time the meds really kicked in. That was 3 months ago, and I'm still irritable, fatigued and restless. Yesterday I broke down in my church, and you have to understand that I absolutely hate crying in front of other people. I don't care if others cry in front of me, but I guess I tend to not apply those rules to me. Mandy (bless this woman!!) gave me a hug and got me calmed down, but I couldn't go to the service because I knew I wouldn't make it. So instead I ran a few errands and then talked with Donna until the kids were done with Children's church. Donna was a godsend, too, and basically reaffirmed that no, I'm not crazy, and it's OK to get help. All of these things I already know, but again, I'm stubborn. I think I've managed to put it off for so long because it's not like I haven't been happy for 3 months because I have (my birthday party was a great example) but there have been times I feel like I'm putting on a happy front or that it seems like I'm really having to work hard to have a good day. I think I could have gone on like this for longer except I think my body told me yesterday in a way I'd be forced to listen that enough is enough, I need help with this. Looking at myself, I don't know what the problem is; I don't have a stigma about going on meds as I've done it before and they helped me until I could deal with things myself. I have a wonderful group of friends here that I know would let me cry on their shoulder any time I needed to, but I tend to think "They don't need to be worring about me; they have their own lives & families to deal with without my pity party dropping in on them". Again, this is a rule I apply only to me; if a friend was having a hard day I'd love to be her shoulder to cry on or her sounding board to vent at. Actually, I'd expect it. But for some reason I have a hard time accepting the help that would be there for me. Goes back to that stubborness thing again. Jeri- I know you were trying to help me yesterday and get me to talk, and had we been anywhere else I probably would have. I just kept pushing it off because I knew I'd start crying and didn't want to take anything away from Randi's happiness at her shower; it was her time and I wanted all the attention on her, not me. So if I seemed short with you I am very sorry; it's kind of a coping mechanism to talk as little as possible when I'm on the verge of tears. I know you'd have let me sob my heart out to you, but I wouldn't forgive myself for ruining her shower. I'll talk; I promise!!
Anyway, I finally talked to the hubby and told him I'd decided it was time to get some help and he was supportive. I have a call in to my doctor and am waiting for a call back so I can talk to her and decide where to go from here. I already feel better just having finally admitted out loud to needing help and taking the first step towards getting some. In my heart I know it's a temporary thing but it's already taken over a larger period of my life than I think is normal. The on-line test I took yesterday gave me a score that was smack in the middle of the mild range and I showed some of the signs of the anxiety disorder, even though 'anxoius' isn't one of the words I'd use to describe myself. It'll get better, at least I know that.
So thanks, guys, for letting me vent. I know that for me it's a form of therapy and I'm ready to move on!!!
To my buddies: You guys rock my world and have helped just by being you, so thanks.