Mama Knows Best

Too much fun, what’s that mean.

Lately, the kids and I have been having a lot of fun.

Two weeks ago, we took a trip to the zoo with Addison’s school. Both kids enjoyed themselves and loved seeing the animals. They were both able to feed the giraffes, walk around the petting zoo and run wild when there were not too many other people around us. Ethan amazed us all with his stories about Lemurs and Addison screamed “Roo” every time we walked past something that bounced. By the end of the trip, I was making mental notes about various other zoo’s I would like to take the children to this summer.

Last week, I took the kids to our local park. We had hours of fun up town at the park and Ethan made a new friend, who politely informed me that he would be there every Wednesday afternoon. I watched Addison try to climb up the slide the wrong way, Ethan jump from fort balconies and both kids laughing from sheer excitement to be there. Our park is nothing magnificent, but it is a very nice park still. There are lots of things for children Ethan’s age and up to do, which is great, but for the younger ones, not so much.

Taking the kids to do something special each week is a big goal of mine right now. With them gone on the weekends and me gone all day long on Tuesday and Thursday’s, I feel as though I am missing out on a lot of their life. And the guilt of being gone haunts me every time I apply for a job. I am literally developing stress wrinkles (oh, prototype 37c. how i need you.) and stress lines. I just have to keep reminding myself that several single mothers before me were able to do it.

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Head Start & Early Intervention Picnic

Addison, wanting to take part in the ball bounce.

Ethan riding the barrell bull with one of

the early intervention teachers.

Ethan shooting water at the llama poster.

We had such a great time at the picnic, visiting with Addie’s EI teacher, playing with the small farm animals and taking part in crafts and games scattered about throughout the school. Lunch was delicious and was nothing like I expected. By the end of the day, the kids were ready to come home and crash, which they did, for about two hours.

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The Escape Artist

One of Addison’s new talents?  She greets us every morning

by climbing out of her crib, then trying to climb back

up into it when she sees us approaching.

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Practing Good Hygiene

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Let there be baby chub!

After months and months of fighting with doctors to get my daughter the help she needed, we finally got somewhere. Mott’s Children’s Hospital was able to help us out and then some. We are officially parasite free and overjoyed! I have known for a while, but did not want to update y’all without telling everyone in the family first. We got the phone call last Wednesday that Addison’s test results, had in fact, come back negative this time around. Hallelujah!

Despite her “clean” bill of health, the doctors are still concerned about her weight loss and that possibility that she may or may not be malnourished do to those unwanted visitors, so they are going to try out a few things in hopes of putting the weight back on her. Our available options are: a weight gain supplement, increasing her caloric intake and switching her from drinking formula* to drinking a couple of Pediasures per day.  Obviously, we want to do what is best for her and think out each of these options carefully.  I am against the weight gain supplement and worried about increasing her caloric intake.  My fear with the increased caloric intake is this: what if we increase it and cannot get it back down within normal range?  Will it cause her weight problems later on?  The doctors assured me that with the help of a dietitian, we can avoid the worst case scenarios.  We have an appointment with a dietitian next week, so I shall see.  As for the Pediasure option– I’m just not sure.

* It was recommended to us that Addison stay on formula through the duration of the parasite in hopes of pumping her full of nutrients she may/may not be getting through her normal diet and because she was on a lactose free diet.  However, I am happy to announce that I think we may *finally* be able to start her on milk again!

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Joys of girls.

My daughter, bless her little heart, has always been a clothing fanatic.  Anytime that we have a holiday where presents are given, Addison quickly scans over her open gifts and dives right into the mounds of clothing.  The joys of having a little girl are much different than the joys of having a little boy.  Girls, or at least mine, is very much like me in the sense that she loves dressing up, but she also loves dressing down to play in the dirt. Addison is one of the only little girls in our circle of friends and definitely the center of attention, especially with Samantha and Kyle’s family.

Samantha’s two boys desperately want her to have another baby, in hopes of having a little sister this time around.  They adore Addison, which has driven their desire for their mother to have another baby.  Ethan wants me to have another baby because he’s suddenly longing for a younger brother.  Sam and I talk about pregnancy all the time and it’s helped me come to the realization that I am done having children.  So many aspects of my life would have to change in order for me to bring more babies into this world and I do not foresee that happening.  I am mostly content with how things are.

Samantha’s and my conversations are such a change of pace from what I am used to.  It is not that my other friends are not good conservationists, it’s that Samantha and I have so much in common.  Whether it be about children, body image (wrinkles, cosmetic surgery, hgh supplements), education and life in general– we agree on pretty much everything.  Anyway, after many long, long conversations about babies.. Samantha and Kyle have decided to try one more time in hopes of having their little girl.   So if y’all could say a prayer, it would be greatly appreciated.  My specific prayer requests are that they are able to conceive and that the baby is healthy!  Samantha went through several miscarriages a few years ago and her doctor told her that getting pregnant this time around could prove difficult.

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You’re gonna miss this.

About two weeks ago, it dawned on me that my babes are growing up far too quickly.  Sure, Ethan still puckers up for mama every now and again, but he would rather steer clear of me if given the chance.  He is always excited to leave with other people– e.g. Granny, Grammy or Gamma.  Say that three times fast!  And Addison?  Well, she has a mind of her own.  She has never been much of a cuddler and now that she is mobile– she has no use for me. I took a bit of a hiatus from the site these past two weeks (do not let posts fool you- Amanda’s been doin’ my work) to heal up my injury and soak in my two amazing children.

And for some Ethan humor before I go..

Last week while at a friend’s house, Ethan had an accident while going to the bathroom. He got himself stuck on the top of his pants, forcing him to pee upwards onto his shirt.

Ethan: UGH!
Me: What’s wrong bud?
Ethan: My penis is broken mama… it just won’t work! IT’S NOT WORKING!

and about two minutes later, after getting all cleaned up… he comes out of the bathroom, into their living room and randomly says “hey Uncle Doug. Did you know girls have baginas?” We all broke out into laughter as the kids went back to playing with their toys. Some days, I wonder what I was thinking when I made the decision to teach my children anatomically correct names for their body parts.

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