What We've Been Up To

Been a little while, huh?

Well, that's not for a lack of material to write about, just a lack of time.
A lot of medical news, actually.
I had a serious muscle in my back about 2 weeks ago that laid me up for a few days. I was thankful it wasn't something more serious, though the pain was pretty severe. I was told I was getting 2 Rx to help. A muscle relaxer, and a pain reliever. Chris returned home from the pharmacy with only a muscle relaxer. He handed them all the papers, yet somehow I didn't get half of my medication. That wasn't great. I was in pain for awhile, and the muscle relaxers did very little, that I noticed anyway. I was told I would feel pretty drowsy and sleepy when I took them...I did not. I honestly couldn't tell you when the medication was in my system and when they weren't. I'm not saying they didn't help, I can't say that for sure, but my high tolerance for medication is beginning to be a hindrance.
My worst fear was a herniated disc; my dad had one and needed surgery when he was in his 40's. Unlikely, I know, but my family has an inherited skeletal disorder (the name escapes right now) that does cause issues in your joints and such. My uncle had 2 knee surgeries before he graduated college due to this.
So, the point is, I am ok and doing fine now.

The other medical issue was Phoebe's eyes again. The day before I wrench my back, her eye was flaring up again. Despite all the medication I have been administering, all the watching over her, she had yet another ulcer forming. Chris took her in for me, and the Dr. gave us a referral to a animal optometrist. Did you know that existed? I didn't. They were booked for a while, but I was put on the top of their cancellation list. Lucky for us, some canceled yesterday morning, and Phoebe got in.
Instead of chronic dry-eye, the optometrist used his fancy gadgets to determine Phoebe actually has immune keratitis in both eyes, a genetic disorder. He basically explained it as "her body attack its own corneas much like rheumatoid arthritis attacks joints." There is not cure, but is well-managed with a couple of drops in each eye, every day, for her life. Not exactly the diagnosis I was hoping for (I was hoping for a procedure that would fix it permanently), but we can manage some eye drops (and their expense).

Luckily, my girls, though cranky, are doing just fine. They are healthy and happy  well...they're healthy. I think Addy issue is teething combined with some separation anxiety. The separation being anything greater than 3 feet. She is still the messiest eater I've seen, needed a mini bath after most feedings. Apparently she feels that spitting out food into her hand and immediately wiping it in her hair is an important step to every meal. Other than that she is doing well. She sleeps through the night about 2 nights a week, wakes up once for a bottle about 3 nights a week, and the rest of the week she gets up about twice for multiple bottles. It's progress, but not like Lorelai who went from waking up for bottles to sleeping through the night and never waking up again.

Lorelai is making up for that now with zero naps. The kid never naps. Maybe once every 3 weeks she will, but as all you moms/dads out there know, that is just drop in the bucket compared to what she needs. The poor kid whines and pouts about half the day, the other half she spends refusing to eat, taking off her pants, and putting up a big fight on potty training. No bribes, rewards, punishments, reprimands, or self-prompting seem to work. Just like most things my LEL does, this will most likely be accomplished on her terms, in her own time.

On to the holiday season!

M.LEWIS    

My 30 List

I love the idea of posting one thing you are thankful for every day for the month of November. I mean, you should do that all year round, and I try to, I just don't write it out in status updates.
While I love the idea of reading one everyday, I fear I will not remember to do it everyday, or find the time to. So, I decided I will just list my 30-day thankful list all at once, right here.

1. my house- as I sit here, away from the chill and the rain outside, I am thankful that I and my family have a nice house to live in. Full of warmth, love, and toddler toys.
2. coffee- it might sound silly to some, but being a SAH mom for a almost 3 year old and a 7 month old take its toll on your energy level. "Let's make pancakes this morning!" would not be possible with my coffee.
3. Chris- I know, I put coffee in front of my husband, but these are not in order. I am thankful for a husband who is a great father to our children. Lorelai lights up when he walks in the room. Her little heart bursts with love for him. 
4. the internet- it sounds shallow, but it's not. The internet gives me the ability to search for new foods to feed my clan, creative projects to do with my girls, and it gives me the opportunity to keep in contact with my friends and family that I don't get to see enough.
5. my mom- she allows me and my kids to come over all the time. We show up, make a mess, clean it up a little, then usually leave with someone crying...and yet, she always welcomes us over. She is the first person to show up when I need help. Taking Phoebe to the vet, needing to go to an unexpected doctor visit, she will always help if at all possible.
6. a comfortably stocked bank account- this kind of coincides with Chris, but I am grateful for this. Chris earns a comfortable living, and I make sure we don't spend too much, but in general, we lucked out in a lot of areas. We are not rolling in cash, but we have enough to pay all our bills, provide food and clothing to our children, and enough extra to give them some pretty great adventures. (zoo, aquarium, etc.)
7. my home town- I am not a huge fan of Texas weather, scenery, or stereotypes, but I am thankful for all my city has to offer. Plano (and the surrounding cities) has a great reputation. We have access to a lot of opportunities, it has great schools/colleges, and a lot of job growth. I am grateful my kids will have all of this.
8. sprinkler system- you know how annoying, time-consuming, and frustrating it would be to water a Texas lawn by hand? Oy. I am so very thankful I have a sprinkler system to do this chore.
9. our veterinarian- as you know, Phoebe has some health issues that require close monitoring. She has the tendency of needing medical attention at a moments notice. Our vet will always take her. Any time of day, no matter how busy, they will help my dog. That is comfort.
10. Lorelai- this one does seem rather obvious, but I want to pick out something specific...her sense of compassion. She is always looking out for Phoebe, and now her little sister. She gives great hugs to those in need, she always says "thank you" over the simplest of gestures, and she loves, loves, loves her family. Animals and all.
11. Adalaide- naturally, this little one has to be next. Addy will always smile when she wakes up. That cute little smile, with one dimple, greets me every morning. Sure, she is teething right now, and is quite draining, but that precious smile is something I am most thankful for.
12. my car- at a drop of a hat, I can pack up my kids and leave. I can go anywhere at any time. It seems simple enough, but for those who have only one car, or to those who need to plan out a bus route, or hitch a ride with a friend, this simple task is something not to take for granted.  
13. disposable diapers- again, since we are blessed to afford them, I am so grateful they are available. Toss some in a bag and go, throw them away when needed, I am thankful I do not need to use cloth. Nothing wrong with cloth, but it is something I am thankful I can avoid.
14. a backyard- in the apartment we had to walk out with Phoebe, rain or shine, convince her to go when it was best for us, then pick up the mess with our hands, walk across the lot and throw it away. Now, she goes out with she needs to, and I get to stay inside, not touch poop, and be thankful.
15. photographs- I sat here thinking of my next idea and turned to see a precious black and white newborn photo of my Addy...and that was it. Photographs are something I am slightly obsessed with. I want to capture every moment, every smile, every eye twinkle, every tiny, lovely thing about my girls. Photos make that happen. Photos preserve my life's happiness.
16. snow- it is a rare commodity down here, and maybe that's why I love it so, but snow is pure magic. The feeling I get when my world is blanketed with snow is so brilliantly unique.
17. the ability to stay home- lately, it is hard to convince myself I am thankful that my days are filled with screams, cries, dirty diapers, food battles, potty training, and unknown goo on my clothes...and hair. But if I think about it for more than 8 seconds, I am thankful for this. I get to be apart of my kids lives in a way I will never get to be again. I get to see it all. It's a good show.
18. amazon.com- it pairs with the internet, but online shopping (especially amazon) is something relatively new in our lifetime, and well, it rocks. No browsing, no hiding gifts from the kids you are buying for, no crowds, no lines...just sit down, click around, type in a few things and viola! They bring it to your door. Thank you Lord.
19. friends- no, not the tv show, though I am thankful for that as well, I am talking about real people in my life that actually like to take time out of the lives to see me, talk to me, listen to me, and want to be apart of my world, and want me apart of theirs. It's an awesome gesture that many times gets overlooked. Thank you my pals.
20. my siblings- close to friends, but yet, so different. Whether it's ragging on each other, challenging each other with movie quotes, or remembering past events with laughter, my brothers and sisters are my best friends and my strongest links to everything that made me me.
21. Phoebe- how have I not listed Phoebe yet? This dog is quite a handful, but at least once a day she does something that makes me laugh. She is a blanket addict, a ridiculous eater, a great snuggler, and a best friend. I am thankful for this crazy pup.
22. grandparents- whether talking about my own, or watching our parents become some to our kids, I am grateful that grandparents have such an active role in our family. It can get overwhelming at certain times, but they mean the world to my children, and that alone is worth it.
23. Nick Jr.- I know, I am one of those evil parents that not only lets their kids watch tv, but is actually publicly saying "thank you" for it. My LEL has learned so much from it, it's amazing. Whether it's odd shapes, obscure jobs, unique problem-solving, or a growing vocabulary, I am grateful that I can turn it on at any time, tend to my crying infant, and know my toddler is being occupied by something worthwhile...most of the time. ;)
24. Lowe's- in the past 2+ years of home-ownership, we have visited Lowe's hundreds of times. If I want to spruce something up, they've got it. If we need something urgent to fix a problem, they've got it. They have made it possible to turn my house into something I love and enjoy being in most of my time. It's also 5mins down the road. That is definitely something to be thankful for.
25. Netflix- there is that pesky tv again, but hey, I love it. I used to get so excited to see a new movie in the theaters, and I got to do it often. I became a mom on a budget, so that kind of ended. Movies are so special to me, and netflix makes it possible for me to keep a little part of that.
26. trash pick-up- It's pretty great that I can throw all the junk I want to get rid of to the curb and have someone take it away for me. A modern day luxury I am not overlooking.
27. toddler-targeted food- you know, the food that has hidden fruits and vegetables in it? That's ingenious. Lorelai is one of the pickiest eaters I know, and I can still sneak in some food value with fruit snacks or fun drinks. This is a load off a parent's mind.
28. healthy children- I see a lot of parents online talk about how their kids have the stomach flu again, or another cold, an unrelenting cough, or yet another fever. I am so thankful my kids are rarely sick. Lorelai has only been under the weather a few days in her life, Addy has yet to be sick. I am grateful for their strong immune systems.
29. texting- I can freely "talk" to my husband through out the day, asking him how he is, what he's doing, when he'll be home, and not feel guilty about bothering him too much. It's a form of communication we've used often during our time together. I think it is a worry-free way of keeping in touch. Thanks cell phones.
30. positively humbled- I have learned over the past 5 years or so that I have an unusually positive mindset. At least I feel I do. I have watched people close to me feel beat-down, depressed, and hurt by various life experiences and events. I watch them struggle to rise above it, to consciously try to be happy. I feel helpless to watch them go through this. Problems, big or small, I do feel I can naturally focus on the positive. After the crappiest day, I can genuinely think back and find several things I was grateful for that day. I know that even through the worst days, I have it darn good. I am thankful for the ability to be humble, and happy.

Think about your 30, heck, go beyond 30. Even in these uncertain times, we have so much. Just make a note of that.

M.LEWIS