Ill Effects

My kids are ill again. It's becoming a little too common for my taste. They also have this knack for getting sick a week before we see the grandparents. Doesn't matter whether the grandparents are coming here for a visit or we're traveling to see them, they just have impeccable timing. And of course, now that Thanksgiving is fast approaching they seem to have caught another bug.

Bear caught the bug first. The fever was so sudden that it caused her to have another febrile seizure. And yes, I know it's a normal reaction to a sudden, rising fever for many young kids...nonetheless, it's still hard to watch. At least this time I didn't panic...just went down my mental checklist of to-dos (tylenol, lukewarm bath, lots of liquids, wait...). She was over the worst of it after a day of rest...

Next it was Chipmunk's turn (minus the seizure). He just felt warm tonight, so to be cautious I took his temp and the thermometer blinked 101.9 at me. So just to be safe, we took the same precautions and went down the fever checklist. Now he's sleeping, feels cooler to the touch, and I'm holding my breath because I know it's going to be a long night of wakings.

I know they'll be fine, they have strong immune systems, but every time they get sick my head runs through lists of questions usually starting with "Is it my fault??

I know I can't control what germs they come in contact with, nor would I want to be constantly covering them with antibiotic junk (not good!), but I start developing this itch every time they fall ill. It's the itch that tells me that my kids got sick because of something that I did or didn't do. I didn't clean the house enough. I didn't give them proper naps. I didn't wash their hands after letting them play somewhere. I let them eat that cheerio that fell on the carpet.

I know that it's not true, but I still think this way despite. Is this normal? Or am I the one that is sick?

Nine Months...

Well Chipmunk has now officially been outside the womb just as long as he's been in it, and I must say that it's quite impressive how much he's grown.

Weight: 21 lbs, 12 oz (70%ile)
Height: 29 and three quarters inches (90%ile)

All the doctor had to say was, "he's a big boy!"

Yup, he is a big boy. Oof.

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry that we've been neglecting you lately. As much as we'd like to keep up and post our daily thoughts and adventures, it's just been hard getting to the computer to do anything besides mindless internet surfing (or computer games).

It's been busy. Mostly because now that Chipmunk is at a place where he's more content doing things on his own...playing, falling asleep, eating...I've been working more on those goals that I've left by the wayside since his birth.

So papers are finally getting organized, Bear is potty training and learning her alphabet sounds, I've been finding some time to read and to craft, we've been utilizing our local library, and Matt has been keeping himself busy, too.

The other reason we haven't had much to post is because well, life has gotten to a rather routine point. Our days are filled with organized naps and meals and I always said I didn't want to just write fluff. But perhaps now that the holidays are coming we'll at least have some trips and merry diversions to post about in the near future.

Until then, dear blog, sit tight. We'll catch up with you soon.

Sincerely,
Us

Our library visit

Today, at our visit to the library, Bear outdid herself. I couldn't stop laughing at her comments.

On the weather outside:

Bear: Exiting the library "Wow, whatta nithe(nice) day! Nithe, thunny (sunny) day outside."

When you realize perhaps there should be more visits to the library and less television:

Bear: Sitting outside by a water fountain "I see a quirl(squirrel), mommy! A quirl like on tv like on Curious George!"

On being sixteen:

Bear: Getting into the car "I want to drive the car, mommy. I want to drive home."

Me: You know, you're not supposed to drive the car unless you're sixteen years old.

Bear: "Sixteen? Oh, okay."

Hungry?

I just watched Bear finish two hard-boiled eggs, 1 bowl of cereal with milk, and a whole banana and then ask for more. Meanwhile, on the other side of the table Chipmunk ate a whole container of baby yogurt, a quarter cup of oatmeal, one egg yolk and then follow with a whole banana himself. Then he pounded the table asking for more, so I sprinkled the table with Cheerios.

Yes, I do feed them regularly.

People are always commenting on my kids' eating habits. Not just about how much they eat, but what they eat. My daughter would rather eat her salad than her slice of pizza. My kids could sit through a whole meal scarfing just broccoli and tofu. So when Bear asks if she can have a little ice cream, I indulge, only because I know it won't curb her regular appetite for things like celery and carrots.

I'm not complaining, especially since I've seen families who run after their kids with spoon in hand forcing them to eat something. It's just that I've noticed how much more I've been purchasing at the grocery stores and how much more often I have to visit these establishments just to keep up with their little bellies. Plus, what goes in, must come out as they say, and I often get the short end of the stick on that one.

One day I'll tell them about what good eaters they were as babes. I'll tell them stories about how strangers at restaurants always commented on how they loved watching them eat or at the amount of greenery that inhabited their plates. I'll tell them about how meals were no problem because they sat the whole time and ate. But I'll also remind them how blessed they were that they could get their fill on a regular basis and how blessed they were for never having to want.

In the meantime, I think I need to go cook. I'm running out of cooked broccoli.

Bear's Vote

While throngs of citizens around the nation are casting their vote for what is probably the most historic election that I've witnessed in my lifetime, Bear is sitting in her room trying to decide what shoes will adorn her tiny feet.

Carefully she pulls pairs of shoes out of her shoe drawer and inspects them. She makes comments here and there and tries each pair of shoes on. Then when she's finished she replaces her shoes carefully back into the red plastic drawer. And it goes on for an hour or so.

"Oh, wow! Nice shoes!"

"So pretty!"

"I like these shoes!"

"These my dance-y shoes!"

"Oh, shiny!"

In the end she decided on her "dance-y shoes," well, because they're "dance-y" and they matched her shirt. That's our little girl for you.

Next vote: Purses

Priorities

So we realized this week that we haven't taught Chipmunk how to do any of those basic baby things...oh, you know, like clapping hands...yet he already knows how to signal a touchdown. We have priorities in this household.

Pumpkin Aftermath

After you carve pumpkins, you roast the seeds!



After carving pumpkins the kids were too excited and riled up. So excited were they that naps were scarce that afternoon. After putting Bear to bed twice for her nap, I thought she was finally asleep. Nope. I found her a half hour later playing with her toys in the hallway. Sneaky. So napless and tired we headed out.



Bear did her usual Trick or Treating at the local mall amongst the throngs of costumed kids. "Twick or Tweet!"



Chipmunk was a little upset...perhaps because Bear wouldn't share her candy with him.

Then it was on to our church where they were hosting a "Children's Night." Bear ran around playing games to her heart's content. Chipmunk was a little tired, so he stuck to me like glue. All twenty-something pounds. Oof.



After we put our overtired kids to bed, I told Matt, "I'm so glad everyday isn't Halloween." Pooped.