Just a quick step onto my soap box

I do not like to push my political beliefs on others.  99.9% of the time it just ends in anger.  These days, I can't even talk to my husband about it.  But since this is my blog, I figured I'd throw out one comment.  I cannot stand Paul Ryan.  We have complete opposite beliefs.  That is all.

First Week of Pre-K 3

Aiden's first week of "school" went really well.  He loves it.  On Monday he ate breakfast with his old teacher, then she brought the whole class over to the new area.  They all did well, so Tuesday I dropped him off directly with his new teacher.  He immediately ran up to her and gave her a giant hug.  He didn't even say bye to me!  He just ran off.  Gah.  He's repeated that every day this week.

When I picked him up Monday, I was a little late, so he was back over with his old teacher.  As we were leaving, he insisted on running over to the new class to show me his new room "with the big kids."  It's so cute.  I love that he loves this transition.  In the past, moving to a new class (or daycare) has been stressful.  Aiden is usually cranky for weeks and cries every time I drop him off.  This time it's the complete opposite.  He is thrilled to be one of the "big kids."

On top of all this, he's been really good in the evening.  He's not cranky, he does what I say when I ask him (for the most part - he is THREE) and he seems in good spirits.  Normally he asks for tons of things he's not allowed to have and then throws a fit when he doesn't get any of it.  Most days he ends up in his room while he cools off.  Not this week though!  I really hope this lasts because it is amazing.

In Motion

I have learned in my many years as Me that I am sensitive to movement. I get car sick, airsick, seasick . You know how when people get off a boat they sometimes have what is called 'sea legs'? When I came back from a trip to Las Vegas I would randomly get the sensation I was going up or down in an elevator. This is now rolling over into my job. I walk A LOT on a daily basis. So much so that I now get motion sickness when I stop moving and sit down. I literally still feel like I am walking even though I am stationary.

I would love to go on a cruise some day, especially since we live in a port town (I can go on a trip without having to purchase plane tickets to get to the boat). But I am terrified I will be seasick the entire time. I've heard if you start taking Dramamine before you step foot on the boat it works really well. That gives me hope, but there's still that inkling that I might spend the entire trip laid out, having wasted my money.

This is what Travis would call "White people problems". Poor me.

Three

Aiden is moving up to the next class at daycare on Monday.  They told me a month or so ago they were planning on moving his entire class up together.  This week they are taking turns bringing each kid over to the older class for a few hours so they can get used to the new room.  Aiden did GREAT, so he only went over for a bit on Monday.  Every day when I pick him up from daycare he tells me in disappointment that he "didn't get to go with the big kids today."  I keep telling him, next week!  You will get to go next week. 

On Monday, I stopped by the front desk to talk to the director about the move. She mentioned that it was the Pre-K 3 class. I had no idea it was a pre-Kindergarden class! I knew there was a pre-K class at the daycare, but I assumed it was for 4 year olds. Apparently they have one for 3 and one for 4!

After I spoke with the director, I went over to formally introduce myself to the new teacher and see the class room.  She said Aiden was super interested in everything on each shelf.  He was really bummed when he had to go back to the other classroom.  He loves his current teacher, so I don't think it has anything to do with her.  He just loves new toys and new kids.  Whenever we walk by the window to the older kids, he stops and stares in jealousy at their cool toys.  Aiden tends to gravitate towards toys for older kids.  Most of the things we buy for him say 4 or 5+ on the box. 

In the new class, Aiden is going to start learning the alphabet, numbers, how to spell his name, learn about Stranger Danger and more.  The class he is in now has already introduced him to letters.  He can recognize some, particularly those in his name.  If you ask him how to spell his name, he gets to the 'd' before he peters out.  I asked the teacher if he will have homework (I'm not ready for that!) and she said no.  She will periodically send home things for him to work on (like tracing his name), but none of it has to be brought back to her.  Apparently when he gets to Pre-K 4, they start turning in assignments.  Good god I had no idea we were this close to the time of homework!! 

I am so excited for him because he loves to learn new things.  I am also super excited about helping him with his homework.  I enjoyed school for the most part, so I look forward to doing this with him.  I just cannot believe its just about time for that.

Because he is moving over to Pre-K, his tuition will not go down at all in this move.  Now when I drop Aiden off, I will have to bring Aiden to his class room on one side of the building, then I'll bring Mila over to the baby-side of the building.

Speaking of Mila, she rolled over at daycare yesterday (back to front).  I am so sad I missed her first foray into locomotion, but at the same time, I know I will have many chances to see it for myself.  I gave her lots of time on the floor last night, but she didn't feel like showing off for me.  That girl has been SO DROOLY lately.  Gross.  She pulls her dresses or skirts up and chews on them.  Most of the time, the daycare has to change her clothes in the middle of the day because of all the slobber soaked into her outfit.  It's crazy.  The bibs help when she's just in a onesie, but if she's got a skirt on, she pulls that thing right over her bib to her mouth.  I give her burp cloths at home to chew on.  They said she doesn't like the microfiber cloths they have at daycare though. So weird. 

Last night while we were on the way home, Aiden asked, "What are you making for dinner tonight?"  I don't know why it was so cute.  Sometimes he pulls out these very adult things that catch me by surprise.  My beebs are growing up!

3 years old

3 months old

Gummy Bear

Well, Ariel still has not scheduled an appointment with the neurologist or the follow-up visit with the general practioner.  She continues to have episodes pretty much every day.  She said she can feel it coming on for an hour beforehand.  It sounds horrible.  Sometimes I find her very frustrating.

We had a good weekend.  A friend came to visit from out of town so I had a few of our mutual friends over for dinner.  We stayed up late and I drank too much.  It was totally unplanned, but we had a great time!  We let Aiden stay up since our friends had their daughters with them (3 and 8 years old).  Both girls fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie.  Aiden was sitting straight up, eyes wide open, refusing to fall asleep.  When everyone left and it was time for him to go to bed, he still fought us.  I swear, that kid would never sleep if it was up to him.

Sunday we went over to the Yeager's house for dinner.  Aiden and Luke had a dance party towards the end of the night.  I had turned on music before everyone came on Saturday and he showed me his break dancing moves for the first time.  I had no idea he liked to dance like that!  In the past, he has pretty much refused to dance for us.  That's why we put him in the dance class at his daycare.  I guess it opened him up to getting his groove on because he chose to dance on his own.  The funny part is he and Luke have very similar moves.  It was so cute.  They really enjoyed dancing to this music (it really is very catchy):

Mean Kids

I don't want to think about this in my children's futures.

Dateline’s Hidden Cameras Capture Kid Bullying

Another Hospital Visit

Thankfully this trip was not for Mila.  This time it was for Ariel.  You know how more often than not, men refuse to go to the doctor for one reason or another?  Ya, well Ariel is the same way.  She only goes if her life is threatened.  The last time I took her to the ER it was because she stepped on a rusty nail on the beach.  Two days later, her foot was red and swollen to the size of a softball.  This trip was for something much more tricky. 

A week ago on Saturday she had some sort of an episode.  When she first told me about it, she said she'd had a seizure.  But after she described it to me, it sounded more akin to a stroke.  She said her left arm curled in and her face drooped on one side, complete with drooling.  But then she said it lasted for 30 minutes, then went away.  It happened again, daily, for four days.  Then Friday rolls around and she has three episodes in one day.  It was affecting her ability to do her job because she couldn't work during the episode and afterwards, her hands are immobile. 

My entire family, and Robert, spent the entire week trying to convince her to see a doctor.  Last weekend she said she'd go on Monday.  Monday evening rolls around and she promises to get in by Thursday.  FINALLY, on Friday afternoon, she caved and had Robert take her to the ER.  Robert had to go in to open the bar for Ariel before he left for his new job at a steakhouse on the island, so he left.  After work that day, I ran the kids home to Travis and then headed back to the hospital to sit with Ariel.  I brought her food, since by that point, she'd been waiting for her turn for over 4 hours. 

While she was in the waiting room, after Robert had left and before I had arrived, she had another episode.  The nurses thought she was hyperventilating (she has labored breathing during the event), so they gave her a Xanax.  When I got there, her thumb on her left hand was immobilized.  I gave it a wiggle and it was trying to break a branch of a tree.  Stiff as a board.  So strange.  I was finally able to hear all her symptoms in person. 

Turns out, it's basically a Charlie horse in her hands, arms, shoulders, neck and lower face.  She said the pain is excruciating and it makes her groan uncontrollably.  She can't talk very well during, because her lips are affected, but she is fully conscious and aware during the entire thing.  She can still walk, but she usually ends up curled in a ball from the pain.  Afterward, she said it feels like she just ran a marathon with her upper body.  She is sore and exhausted.  It takes longer for her hands to uncramp for some reason, but they always loosen up eventually.

The ER doctor, RN and PA were all baffled.  They called her the mystery girl.  The doctor asked Ariel if she uses her hands very much.  Ummmmm.  Just curious doctor, do you eat with your hands?  Open doors with your hands?  Wipe your ass with your hands??  I'm pretty sure my sister does too.  And that's just the basics.  Because they have to document some sort of diagnosis, the doctor put it down as carpal spasms.  HA.  When the nurse told us that, I laughed so hard.  I looked at Ariel and said, "You're having carpal spasms of the FACE!"  The doctor told her to do HAND STRETCHES.  Because that'll fix everything.  Ugh.  The best thing he did was refer Ariel to a neurologist.  That clinic was suppose to call her yesterday to schedule an appointment (I haven't talked to her to see if they called).  I hope to god Ariel actually gets her butt in gear and makes it to that visit.  I don't know what's wrong with her, but the problem needs to be addressed by a professional.

Oh!  Forgot to mention, the nurse gave Ariel an entire Xanax pill.  She was so loopy by the time we left that hospital, giggling at silly things.  Robert was working late and Ariel had left her purse in the truck, so she didn't have her keys to the house.  So, I brought her home with me.  I think we got home at about 10 PM.  It was probably for the best because she kept feeling like she should go into work.  That girl's guilt about missing ONE night of work is outrageous.  I can't imagine Ariel sitting in a bar with a bunch of drunk people while she's all looped out on Xanax.

Clothes and Coffee

When Brenda was visiting she left money for birthday presents for all of us. We decided to make a day of it and go shopping on Sunday. I haven't been shopping (aside from the grocery store) in AGES. It was so fun!! Travis got a couple outfits, Aiden got some clothes and a turtle nightlight (we're hoping it helps keep him in bed) and we found several cute outfits for Mila. I'm going to look for toy we had in mind for her as well. (Brenda bought a really nice purse for me.)

I cannot believe we picked out these clothes for our daughter.

At the end of our shopping spree we walked over to look at some coffeemakers. I have been eyeing the Keurigs for some time now. This was a self-congratulatory gift for landing this new job as a safety specialist. We went with the Keurig Elite. It's not the fanciest version, but it's much more so than the pot I was using before.

I had my first cup of coffee from the new machine this morning. Travis opted for Chai tea.

Visitors

I don't have a whole lot going on here.  I'm loving my new job.  There is a lot of variety, which makes time fly.  Sometimes I'm at the desk doing paperwork or computer work.  Sometimes I'm out on UTMB campus shadowing someone from the department.  I have lots of training to do before I can take on some things by myself.  I'm getting it done as fast as I can manage. 

Travis' dad came to visit two weekends ago.  It was great to catch up with him.  We did our best to keep things interesting for him.  It's getting harder and harder to entertain guests with two kids in tow. 

This past weekend, Travis' mom came to stay.  She was extremely helpful with the kids.  I feel bad because Travis got sick Saturday night and I was sick Tuesday.  I am grateful she was around to help out though.  It may not have been that much fun for her, but it was good timing for me.  She ran to the store when I realized we were out of a few important items.  She fed Mila and bathed Aiden.  So nice!

Brenda was here for my birthday party. I turned 30 this year, so I decided to have an actual party. I invited everyone I knew and there was a huge turn out. I had a lot of fun, but that's definitely not something I want to do on a regular basis. My partying days are numbered.

For party favors, I tied a mini liquor bottle to a mixer.  So cute! 

Crown and Sprite

 You should have seen me describing this to the cake lady at Walmart:

"Holy Crap She's 30"

I had to do this TWICE.  Once when my party was originally planned, but Mila ended up in the hospital.  Again, this past week.  I was so mortified when I realized I had forgotten to cancel the cookie after Mila was admitted to the hospital.  That poor woman made this cookie and then had to throw it in the trash, I'm sure.  Who else would buy this??

This weekend we don't have much planned.  I signed Aiden up for a day camp at Moody Gardens on Saturday.  I'm hoping Travis will take him and it can be a father-son day.  But if he's not up for it, I would love to go.  This week's theme is "Jaws".  They will do some crafts and activities that are related to sharks and I'm pretty sure they do it in the room that shares a wall with one of the aquariums.  At the end, they get to walk through the Aquarium Pyramid to see all the sharks.

If it's cool enough, I'm going to take the chance to go on a walk with Mila.  I wish I had the opportunity to go on more walks, but it's so miserable here in the summer.  It's so hot and humid, which is hard with a baby.  Add mosquitoes on top of that and it's almost an impossible feat.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed though!

The Kids

Aiden can't stand having the sun in his eyes so he had to borrow my sunglasses one day. He had left his in the house.

Mila is learning to hold onto toys!

Men Throwing Rocks With The Other Hand

I'm pretty sure this is how I look when I throw, no matter the arm:


Men Throwing Rocks With The Other Hand from Juan Etchegaray on Vimeo.

Happy Toes

The Solution

Hopefully it's not dangerous, but we've found the solution to Mila's nightly cough attacks.  LET HER SLEEP IN THE VIBRATING CHAIR.  It's slightly elevated so she's not lying completely on her back, allowing for the mucous to drain.  It's really very fantastic.  We've done it for three nights now.  The first two nights, we put her to bed in her crib.  An hour and a half later she was hacking up a lung so we moved her to the chair.  The third night we just put her straight in that chair.  Last night was the first night I have slept all the way through the night. 

Like I said - FANTASTIC.

Outrageous

Lots of things will have to go right: