Off to Durango, Colorado

Well, we are off to Durango, Colorado tomorrow for some skiing, sledding and Polar Express with my vet school friend Mo and her family. Should be alot of fun. Can't wait. Just gotta pack and put together some winter clothes. Had to find them all in storage and have my kids try them on. Also had to go to 2nd hand store to buy Devin a "real" winter jacket and also went to Kohl's yesterday to buy Kyle another pair of "closed toe shoes" for the trip. Can't wear sandals in the snow!

Kids & I went to see Santa the other day and they had a great time. Kyle wasn't scared and they both told Santa what they want. Devin wants Zhu Zhu Pets, Pet shop pets, and a pretend dog. Kyle wants a cement and garbage truck (of course). They both smiled for the camera and we got a great picture ... a miracle.

Well, Kyle is sleeping now ... so gotta do laundry and pack.

The tooth fairy is coming tonight.

Well, Punky Doodle (aka Devin) lost her 2nd tooth tonight. Thanks to Aunt Krista who is the official "tooth extractor" for Devin now. She won't let me pull her teeth- but will let Krista do it. So, the tooth fairy is coming to our house tonight. Don't know what that going rate is... but we've been giving her $2 per tooth. She really doesn't know the value of money anyway. I was really proud of her when her first tooth came out a few weeks ago. She got $2 bucks from the tooth fairy. We told her we would take her to the dollar store to spend it anyway she wants. When we got there, she gave Kyle half her money ($1) b/c she wanted him to have something too. I was so proud of her. It was totally her idea.

Devin had her first dance recital for Stepping Out last weekend. We were really proud of her. She did great on stage and had no anxiety about being left back stage or going on stage with the other girls. She also did the Daddy/daughter dance at the beginning with her dad and it was really sweet.

Devin is doing great in school now. No anxiety and really happy. It has been good.

Had a productive day... got my new truck's(which I love) title and license plate. I got all my Christmas cards finally done. I got all my stuff in the garage donated to the Goodwill. Went to the gym. Had popcorn and beer for dinner (yummy). Catching up on my blog. Watching Vampire Diaries. It's a good day.

Christmas Newsletter 2010

Here is a copy of my Christmas newsletter this year....

Merry Christmas 2010!
A lot has happened over the last year… we’ve had our ups and downs this past year. 2010 started with me & the kids traveling to Delaware in February for a week during the “biggest snowstorm” in the last century. We went to visit my parents, and especially to see my dad who was still going through chemo and radiation treatments for brain cancer. We had a great visit with my parents and sister, Katherine. Devin loved the snow and cold. To say Kyle didn’t like the cold is an understatement. Sadly, my father passed away 3 weeks later. We then all traveled back to Delaware for another week for his funeral and to be with my family.
For the rest of the spring and summer, we kept busy with everyday activities and work. The kids both took swim lessons all summer. They are both great swimmers and love the water. Kyle even moved up to the 3-4 yr old class at 2 ½ because the kid has no fear in the water…scary for the lifeguards and me, great for him. Kyle is doing well. He has been fully potty trained since July and just turned 3 yrs in November. He is talking up a storm and has been using full sentences since last summer. We mostly hear… “Why? I’m hungry! I want to do that!” ... ALL DAY LONG. . He is still car and truck crazy and wants a “purple Mac truck” and cement truck from Santa this year. Devin turned 6 yrs old in August. Devin finished preschool in July and started kindergarten in August which caused some school anxiety. So, it was very stressful for all of us the first couple months of school. Thankfully, she is doing well and enjoys school now. Devin has been doing tap/ballet classes for the last 6 months and likes it. She just had her first successful recital this weekend. Currently, “all she wants for Christmas is her 2 front teeth”. She recently lost a tooth and has one ready to go anytime…can’t convince her to let me pull them out even though I do it all the time with horses!
Jack is now working for Netsian. They offered him a job this past summer. He used to work for them about 10 yrs ago when they were Adkins Cabling. He is glad to be back in his nitch and enjoys working there again. He is still actively Dutch oven cooking and does fly fishing when he can. In October and November, he suffered from severe sciatica which was very painful (literally a pain in the @$$). He is almost completely healed now. Sadly, Jack also lost his brother, Joe, in September. We recently had a memorial service for Joe in Camp Verde the day after Thanksgiving.
My mom came out to visit for the month of October. It was great to have her here and we celebrated her 80th birthday in conjunction with an Arizona Bradshaw reunion at our house that weekend. My 3 sisters, Vicki, Katherine and Susan, flew out for the weekend to celebrate. We had about 40 relatives come to the reunion and it was a great success to see family during a happy occasion. We also had our annual Thanksgiving Bash at our house with about 50-60 relatives (mostly Jack’s). We had our usual horseback rides, tractor rides, fire pit, and potluck dinner.
I am still working actively as a horse vet. I still love my job and try to balance being a working mother and veterinarian. Not always easy to do. I crave boredom. In between all this, I try to find time for myself with Mom’s Club activities, working out, and riding my horses when I can. This spring, I went on a painting rampage in the back and power-washed and repainted the pool fence, the storage shed, our barn, and tack shed. Stress reliever--- kind of…until you realize you now need to finish these monumental projects that you started. We are looking forward to a much overdue vacation in late December with my vet school friend, Mo, and her family, in Durango, Colorado. We plan to go on the train ride the “Polar Express” to the North Pole to see Santa with the kids. We hope to get a little skiing and sledding in with the family (if we can convince Kyle to go out in the “coldy” snow).
Hoping all of you have a great 2011… Love, Traci, Jack, Devin & Kyle Hulse

Crisis Mode is Finally Over

Ok. Sadly, I have not blogged for awhile. I feel like my life has been somewhat in constant crisis mode from August through October. It finally started slowing down in November. So, now I am in "catch up" mode. I will try to be a better blogger. So, what has kept me so busy... Well, besides work, kids, husband and farm.....

On my last blog I discussed Devin having problems in school. That was the tip of the iceburg. It was a complete nightmare for 6-8 weeks. She had a REALLY hard time adjusting to school. The school was NOT helpful despite me asking for a counselor, coming every day at lunch to sit with her, picking her up early, etc.... She cried hysterically everyday at drop off for over a month. The school was not helpful and kept sending her to the principal's office or by herself every time she cried. It made it worse. She wasn't eating well, losing weight, etc. On top of it, my pediatrician's office wouldn't allow me to make an appt to talk to my doctor about it. Being fed up, I switched my pediatrician. I loved their doctor, but didn't like the front office staff AT ALL. So, we have a new doctor now. Anyway, finally, I got in touch with the school "psychologist" (not "counselor") after much prodding and investigating on my own. Still don't understand why it took over a month for this to happen- not a single person in their school suggested this to me. And let me tell you.... EVERYONE in the school knew she was having a problem... the principal, the nurse, her teacher, the front office staff, the lunch ladies... etc. Still don't get it. Anyway, the school psychologist and our new doctor really helped us and got Devin and her teacher on the right track. She is doing much better now and seems to like school now. During this whole saga, I was running around with my head cut off... running between school, Kyle's daycare, Devin's school... back to work, back to daycare... I got REALLy sick for weeks at the end of August and missed a few days at work. Ended up at the doctors myself with a sinus infection.

During this time, work got crazy in September. My boss and all the other vets at the practice decided to go on vacation or take time off at the same time... leaving me to do all the work myself. It was a nightmare. During this time, my husband's brother, Joe had a massive stroke and died a week later. Jack was by his side all week and it was just stressful all around.

In October, my mother came to visit for a month. It was great to have her here. The kids loved having their grandmother here. During this time, we decided to have a mini- family reunion and 80th birthday party for my mom. Well, it ended up being a huge "party weekend". My 3 sisters flew in and we all went out to eat to celebrate my Mom's birthday. Then, we had a party and family reunion at my house all day the next day. I thought it was going to be a small party of 15-20 people. It ended up about 40 people. Then, we had "spa day" with my sisters and Mom. That was fun and I really needed it. My sisters stayed another day. Overall, it was a great weekend... just a lot of planning and hectic.

Another crisis we had during October was my husband Jack. He got severe sciatica at the beginning of October. He was severely incapicitated the whole month of October and basically was just lying around in pain on meds. He was back and forth seeing mulitple doctors. So, he was no help with the kids or any of the events for the month of October. He is still on the mend, but doing much better now. But, it has literally taken 2 months.

During October and November, I also sold my 3 horse gooseneck trailer and bought a smaller 2 horse slant. I just recenty sold my one ton truck, which I'm sick to death of driving. We are in the process of buying a smaller 1/2 ton truck which should be done by tomorrow. I finally feel like things are slowing down a little. Still really busy but not in "crisis mode" anymore. Actually got a chance to ride and workout a few times in last 2 weeks. Had about 50-60 people over for our annual family Thanksgiving bash. We went up to Camp Verde last Friday for Joe's memorial service and spread his ashes. Got my Christmas cards ordered. Finally been able to go to a few Mom's club functions in last few weeks. So, life is getting better.

Jack's parents are not doing very well and Jean has really been going down hill lately. Jack's sister in law, Geri, is also not doing well. So, don't know what will happen with them in next 6-12 months. Doesn't look good.

Well, gotta go. Kyle's finger is bleeding and Devin's tooth is about to fall out.

Potty Power

Well, the good news is... Kyle is potty trained. He was VERY easy to train. He still wears a diaper at night and sometimes at nap time. We trained him about a month ago. He loves his underwear and wants "to do it himself!" He only had one poop accident the first couple days. He has had a few wet pants.. but mostly pretty good. He loves the movie, Potty Power. Has watched it incessantly the last few weeks. We can all sing the songs now.
Kyle is doing well. Still has his temper tantrums and fights with his sister. But, when he is out with other kids, he does very well and everyone loves him. He has been taking tumbling class this summer and loves it. He can do back bends and forward rolls, cart wheels (kind of .. his arms are too short) and head stands (kind of). We are taking a break for a month or two and then we will do gymnastics again. He is very talented. In the meantime, he is taking swim lessons. He has been taking them for the last 10 weeks. He is a very good swimmer and can doggy paddle about 10 feet and hold his breath and swim under water. At first, we did Mommy and me classes. But, he was much more advanced than the other kids, so he switched a couple weeks ago to the 3-4 year old class early. Everyone is like.. Oh, he's so small, how old is he?! At first, he cried for me. But, now he is getting used to it and likes it.
Kyle is still at daycare at Miss Julie's and loves it. They are all 2 year olds now... he is the leader with his potty training and shows the other kids. I'm a proud mama.

Devin Drama

Yup. Kindergarten has started and so has the drama. I knew it was going to be a little hard b/c Devin is not good with lots of kids and new situations. But, I underestimated the situation. She has not adjusted to kindergarten well at all. She is having a lot of anxiety about going to school. The first day wasn't too bad... and then it went downhill from there. Unfortunately, our schools are way overcrowded with not enough teachers because of the budget cutbacks. Which means, there are 29 kids in Devin's class with just one teacher. So, that doesn't help. So, the teacher can't deal with a crying kid and they just send her to the principal's office. I understand that Devin is disturbing the class... but it doesn't help to send her to the office 2-4x per day. Ugh.
By the 4th day, she worked herself up to hysterics before school... crying before school, late to school, wouldn't go in. So, I went to principal's office and talked to principal. She felt Devin wasn't doing as badly as we thought and to stick it out. She agreed it would be ok for me to visit at lunch or stay in morning until Devin gets adjusted. She took my hysterical daughter back to class and I came back at lunch. That helped a little. On Friday, Jack went to school with her and stayed for awhile. Then, he came back at lunch. She was still rather distressed, so he signed her out early. He talked to Principal Nelson again... we are going to try picking her up early for a week or so until she adjusts. We will start that tomorrow. Hopefully, this will work. It is stressful for all of us.

Family Photos

June 2010 update

OK- I'm lame for not posting for a month. But, I have good excuses. After my last post, Kyle got sick - AGAIN- with another ear infection & high fevers> 104 degrees. He went back to Urgent Care and given an antibiotics shot. That was about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Yesterday, I took him to new dentist, West Valley Pediatric Dentists, and had his front two teeth repaired for the 4th time. They sedated with oral sedation this time before the nitrous oxide. They put caps on his two front teeth. Personally, I think they are a bit large... but whatever. I don't think his front teeth will ever be normal until they fall out and he gets his permanent teeth in. Guess I have to wait YEARS for that to happen. He didn't really get very sedate and still cried and screamed throughout the procedure. Poor guy... he'll either grow up hating dentists forever or become one. Then, today, he spiked another 103.1 fever. Ugh. Back to doctor... they couldn't find anything wrong (except a fever). They did a throat swab, urine test, checked ears, etc.. Hope he comes out of this ok. Had to take this morning off work & Jack & I are switching in next 30 min so I can see some calls.

Meanwhile, Devin graduated from preschool. They had quite the production. That was about 2 weeks ago. It was very cute. She is still in summer school because she doesn't take to "change" well and we thought consistency would be best. She will stay in preschool until kindergarten starts in August. Meanwhile, she started ballet/tap classes at Steppin Out studio in May. The girl dances like Elaine from Seinfeld (it's a sad sight to behold)... but at least she likes it. I'm trying to convince her to try hip-hop or musical theater instead. She also started swim lessons again last week. Kyle is also taking a couple classes. He started a "Mommy & Me" tumbling class in June and just had his first swim lesson last week.

Work is going ok.... picked up more this spring,so that is good. Well, that's all for now...

Things that make you go hmmm....

Ok- Here are a few things I've had to say to Kyle in the last couple weeks... they really make you go "Hmmm... I can't believe I have to say that!"

"Kyle, please don't drink the water out of the dog's bowl". (He's done it twice this week and Devin used to do it too)
"Kyle, don't lick the shower floor after you peed on it." (Yes, he did that)
"Kyle, don't stick both your hands down your pants" (in public- just to get a rise out of me!)
"Kyle, stop sticking your tongue out at _____ (fill in blank... me, Devin, Rowyn)".
"Kyle, stop taking out all the DVD's out of the DVP player (and changing them to his movies)."
"Kyle, please don't cram so much food in your mouth at once".
"Kyle, please don't put smash mud in your hair." (too late!)

And, that's just the last 2 weeks!!!!

We survived all the fungus among-us.

Yea. I think I can finally see the end to all the sicknesses. My home has been the den of bacteria and viruses for the past 2 weeks... but the end is in sight. After all the drama... Devin had the flu. I had a sinus infection. Kyle got the flu. Then, he just never seemed to get better.... so I took him to doctor yesterday. He was diagnosed with infections in both ears AND a sinus infection! Poor peanut. They gave him a shot of antibiotics in the office yesterday... and said we had to bring him back again today for another shot b/c he was so sick yesterday. They kind of scared me b/c they said if he was doing much worse last night I'd have to take him to the ER! He was such a sick boy yesterday-- he actually fell asleep in my arms in the doctor's exam room! He NEVER falls asleep in my arms unless he is very sick. Actually, he can rarely sit still. So, the fact that he wanted to lay in my arms for the last week for up to 40min at time tells me how sich he was.

Well, thank God he responded and didn't need another shot of antibiotics today. He is much improved and no longer running fevers today! He is now on oral antibiotics and eye drops (for the sinus infection which is backing up his nasolacrimal ducts into his eyes- YUCK). This is the first night he didn't need ibuprofen for the last 8days! He can finally go back to daycare tomorrow afternoon.

Thank God. It has been so difficult for Jack and I to juggle our work schedules to be with our sick kids for the last 2 weeks. I still have a snotty nose but otherwise doing ok. Feel much better with the Z-pack antibiotics. Here's hoping for a good weekend and good Mother's Day!!!

Sick, sick, sick. Ugh.

Yup. We have all been sick. It has been a pain in the butt. About 10 days ago, Devin & I were the first to get sick. She had the flu... high fever, cough, snotty nose, laryngitis... for days. Of course, Jack and I had to juggle our work schedules for 10 days. I take a day off. Then, he takes a day off. Then we juggle back and forth each working 1/2 days to watch whoever was sick. During this time, I had a sore throat for days. Since Devin tested negative to strep throat...I figured it was just a really bad cold. Anyway, as I was suffering through that, I was working and taking care of Devin. Then, just as Devin was getting healthy... Kyle got sick with the flu. So, I didn't take him to the doctor since I already knew what it was. I was starting to feel a little better and then all of a sudden worse again. So, I went to Urgent Care and was diagnosed with some respiratory allergies and a secondary sinus infection. You know I don't feel good when I go to the doctor! So, now I'm on antibiotics, decongestants, and antihistamines. I finally feel better today (after 10 days). I think the decongestants made me feel worse--- dizzy, light headed. So, I didn't take them today. Glad I wasn't on call this weekend. Went to a bridal shower/ Derby day yesterday.. then to a neighbor's party last night for a while. But, overall, pretty low key weekend. Trying to let us all rest, relax and get better! Devin should be back in school this week and back to a normal daycare schedule. Yea!

Sometimes ya just need your mom

Yup... sometimes ya just need your mom, no matter how old you are. I finally got to talk to my mom today. I hadn't spoken to her in a week.... missing each other when I called. It was so good to talk to her. She just makes me feel better. She gave me some good advice with Devin... and just made my problems seem like nothing I can't handle. Devin had a pretty good day yesterday (after my "stressed" blog)and a better day today. I feel much better today. Like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. She is eating better and is happier. Thus, I feel better and feel happier.

Talking to my mom is bittersweet. We laugh, we cry. We talked about my dad... my mom got over 100 cards saying what a great guy he was...always happy, smiling and upbeat. It made my mom proud. I talked to her about a dream I had the other night about my dad... I could see him and we were talking. It seemed so real. Then, in my dream, I realized it wasn't real and started sobbing in my dream. Then, I woke up and was sad. We both talked about how my dad being gone seems like a dream we should wake up from.

Overall, I just feel relieved today. Talking to my mom. Devin feeling and eating better. Kyle being a good boy talking up a storm. He was so sweet this morning. He got in bed with me this morning and snuggled up with me. Then, I said I had to get ready for work... he said "one more minute Mommmy". So cute. Gonna go read my library book about dealing with worried kids. :)

Devin's choking incident

OK- If I don't have enough drama and sadness in my life right now... my daughter, Devin, choked on a piece of ice about 2 1/2 weeks ago. She was eating a cup of crushed ice, and a large piece got lodged in her throat and Jack had to do the Heimlich to unlodge it. Thank God we were sitting right there! Needless to say, it scared her (and us) badly. She slept with us the first couple nights and I thought she was doing ok. Not so.

Over the last 2 weeks, she has had nightmares, wet her pants twice, and has increasingly had anxiety over eating solid foods. It has been a nightmare. I tried calling my pediatrician, but they want to refer to a behavioral specialist. Jack is fairly admament about not taking her to a specialist. I am having great anxiety over this. Jack says I am like Elliott and Devin is like ET. I FEEL her pain and anxiety. She is a part of me and I have great difficulty if she is not doing well. She takes forever to eat, only eats small bites, soft food or liquids only, and chews forever before swallowing. She has had quite a few tantrums these last 2 weeks. We went out and bought her lots of soft food options, have to sit with her when she is eating, and we recite "positive affirmations" with her before eating.

Jack and I don't see eye to eye about taking her to a specialist. I will give it a few more days - but then I am taking her. It causes me great stress and I have trouble concentrating at home & work. I am having trouble sleeping and many times feel like crying. Part of my sadness is still because of my dad's death. I am still very sad about it and having a hard time dealing with this too. I want my happy girl back!!!

My kids are whiners

My kids are whiners. Where did I go wrong?! And guess who they are the whiniest with?...ME. At least they are better in public and at other people's houses. But, it doesn't make it any easier on me. They are SO WHINY with me. It totally gets on my nerves. I pick them up from daycare... Julie, my daycare provider, says how great they were all day. And then, the whining begins. The whine about EVERYTHING. It's a nightmare. We are sick of it. So, Jack and I have taken a new stance and are going to be much stricter about the consequences of whining. From now on... if they whine too much... time out. They may be living in time-out if this keeps us. We have had enough. Wish me luck- I gotta stick to my guns. Kyle's been in time-out 4x today and Devin has been in once. Let's see how tomorrow goes...

Hanging in there

Well. I'm back to Arizona. Back to work. Back to my wild children. Still feeling sad and down. Took the kids to the Phoenix Zoo this morning with the Mom's club. Didn't really feel like going b/c I just don't really feel in that great of a mood- but I did it anyway. My kids were really good last week. They deserved a nice day out- they were stuck inside all last week. I was sad and probably not the best mom last week in terms of giving them lots of attention. Thank God for Jack last week- he really helped me a lot by watching the kids when I was sad or trying to help my family. The kids had a nice time today and burned off some energy. Kyle didn't take a nap today- totally bummed me out. I really look forward to those 2 hours! Devin is awake then- but she can watch a DVD or draw or play quietly to give Mom a "time out". :)
I went back to work yesterday. I tried to stay focused to keep my emotions in check- but did cry a little when we first went out on calls. Then, things got hectic and I ended up euthanizing my first two patients. So, no time for crying. But, it was good to be busy and take my mind off my Dad. My dad was buried yesterday in West Virginia. My mom and 3 sisters went- plus about 15 other relatives in that area. Would have liked to go--- but had to get back.

The Angels are Crying today

Someone told me today that it is raining b/c the angels are crying. Today was my dad's funeral. They say the angels are crying with us as we grieve the loss of our father. It seems fitting that it should rain all day b/c it doesn't feel like a sunny day. I am sad. It has been rough. I spoke today at my dad's service. I miss him already and it feels strange to be at home where I grew up without my dad here. You can definitely feel the void of his presence. My mom is so sad... I grieve with her and for her as well. She hasn't been without my dad for 52 years. She doesn't remember what life was like without him. I wish she lived close by so I could stop by and see her more often. So sad today.

Big Girl Bed

Well, we finally did it. We got a "Big Girl Bed" for Devin. I have been looking and looking for just the right bed. I looked in several stores and have also been looking on line for a few weeks. We were desperate for a new bed for Devin. She literally has outgrown her toddler bed. Her feet are about to stick out the slats at the bottom. She has gone through a huge growth spurt in the last few months. I finally found a really nice maple twin bed on Craig's list. It has a headboard with cubby spaces, drawers underneath, and a really high quality/ barely used pillow top mattress. I would probabaly cost $800-1000 brand new. I was stoked to find it for sale in a swanky neighborhood in Scottsdale. They needed to move to a smaller house and were down-sizing. So, we scooped it up the first day it was on sale. :)

Since we were moving furniture around, it motivated me to clean her room, get rid of some toys, put away some other toys, and de-clutter. I asked Kyle if he would like Devin's toddler bed. He said No. He wants to sleep in his crib still . Oh well, we will try again later.

Kyle & Devin talk

Here are some interesting things the kids have said lately...

Devin:
When I picked her up after work..."Mom, you smell. You need to take a shower."
"Dad, don't look at Mom when she's changing, she needs her privacy."
When blowing a dandilion... "I wish I could touch the moon."
Crying.. Devin, what's wrong?... " I had a bad dream last night. I dreamt I drank a bad potion and it turned me into a bat."

Kyle:

Thank you.... tankoo
Please.... pease
Truck... fruck, twuck or fwuck
Excuse me.... cuse me
Don't like it... just says "like it" when nodding back & forth, or "no like it"
mine... MINE!!!!
Mac truck... MAC!!!
sprinkler... spinker
fish... Jingle (our fish's name)
potato.. tato
bottle... ba
water... wawa
motorcyle... momo
tractor... tactor
swimming...simming

It's so cute to see Kyle learn how to talk. He is learning new words everyday and starting to put two words together now. We finally weaned him off his bottle last week. It's been about 1 week. We have slowly been only letting him have bottles at night and at naps and sippy cups/juice boxes during the day. Well, he has chewed through all the nipples on all his bottles. So, I gave him warnings if he chewed through all the nipples, no more "ba". So, I finally said, no more ba's. I put them all in a bag and put them in the garage. He has done better than I would have thought. He has asked for his bottle several times, but we have been holding our ground. Course, then he went on a milk strike and wouldn't drink milk for 5 days. But, now he is finally starting to drink milk out of a sippy cup. I figure one week without milk won't hurt him. We wanted to do this a while ago, but he kept getting sick and then we went on a trip. Not good times for changes.

The other new news is he is starting to use the potty. Course, it helps to have an older sister encouraging him. We have a talking potty chair. He has been using it at least once a day for the last few weeks and has pooped 3x! I have not been pushing him yet. I wanted to wean him first. Then, we will start encouraging to use the potty more. I think he will potty train much faster and earlier than Devin (she was '3 yrs 4 months). Part of the reason it took Devin so long was b/c she was at a daycare she was unhappy at and they didn't help me potty train during the day!).

We are looking to purchase Devin a "big girl bed". She truly has outgrown her toddler bed. I am looking at a twin bed on Craig's List. Put in a request last night. Once we buy her bed, we will move Kyle out of his crib into her toddler bed. Then, it will be easier to potty train him. Plus, he is now climbing out of his crib anyway. So, it is time.

A new milestone

A new milestone was reached this morning... Devin didn't take a lovey to school today!!! That is a big deal. She is growing up. :)

On another note, Kyle has a new way of saying truck now... he says "fwuck" or "fruck" (on purpose I think b/c he used to say it correctly). Needless to say, when he yells "FWUCK" as loud as he can in the grocery store... it doesn't sound good!!! I get quite a few stares and tried, embarrassingly say, he is saying "TRUCK". Uh Oh.

Happy Tet 2010

I took the kids to the Phoenix Vietnamese Adoption Group's 2010 Tet Celebration this past Saturday. We went last year as well. It was held at another adoptee's house. They served a lot of Vietnamese food... Kyle loved it, Devin did not. We made some photo frames with "Year of the Tiger". The kids watched some of the other kids perform a Vietnamese dance and they performed a dragon dance as well. It was so cute. It is great to see all the other children and families. We got to see Henry, also adopted from Que Son orphanage where Kyle was from. He is doing well and loved. I try to at least expose my children to some of Kyle's heritage and other kids like him. When he is older, he can decide if he wants to learn more about his birth country. When I was telling Devin where we were going and about how most of the kids were adopted from Vietnam, she said she wished she were adopted too. So cute.

Devin has said some pretty cute things lately... Specifically, I told her we were going to buy her a new bed soon. Well, my truck had an emergency oil line break and it cost us $500. So, we had to post-pone buying her bed. Anyway, she really wants a new bed BAD! I told her we couldn't afford one this month and would have to buy it later. She says, "Well, I have money in my piggy bank Mom, we could go get it to buy my bed." So sweet. She really does need a new bed- she is still in her toddler bed and just about maxed it out. So, we hope to buy her a new bed by mid-April and then give her bed to Kyle who is still in his crib.

Speaking of cribs, Kyle has officially learned how to climb out of his crib. The boy is growing up! He has been saying "excuse me (cuse me), thank you (tank you), Please (pease)" lately. We are going to attempt to wean him off his bottles soon. He is down to his last few bottles (he chewed up all his nipples). Wish me luck. He LOVES his "ba". He has been using the potty a lot lately- about once a day for the last 2 weeks. I haven't been pushing to potty train him yet. Just letting him go at his own pace. After we wean him off the bottle and switch him to the toddler bed, I will work on potty training him more. Devin didn't potty train till she was 3--- but I think Kyle is ready soon. He's a smart boy.

I had a great visit with my parents last week. Unfortunately, my dad took a turn for the worse on Monday (2 days ago). He had a grand mal seizure for over 50 minutes. My mom wasn't home at the time... she was at drugstore picking up his medications. She called 911 and he was in ICU last couple days. They had to intubate & sedate him to get the seizures under control. He is conscious now and talking a little. They moved him out of ICU today. So, we shall see how he does over the next couple days. My mom is a rock during times of crisis. Vicki & Michael have been helping out a lot. That has been great to have them so close. It's hard to be far away and feel helpless.

Snow Snow Snow

Well, we made it to my parent's house in Delaware. They've had an all-time record of snow this year since the beginning of time. They've had about 60" this year and it may snow again tonight. About a week ago it snowed 2 feet and then another foot just before I came to visit. So, obviously, we made it here ok. The kids did pretty well on the plane and I survived it! Kyle did MUCH better than he did last summer and I even got complimented by fellow passengers that my kids were well behaved during the 4-5 hour flight! So, I must be doing something right. Course, I had a few tricks I used... movies, candy (yes, I know - BAD MOM- but it helps in a jam), stickers, a computer game, fun snacks, and toys. I was packed to the hilt... I don't know how I carried it all through the airport by myself.

It has been a good visit so far. Kyle got to experience snow for the first time. The first few days were NOT good. He didn't like the snow and definitly doesn't like to be cold. He just starts to cry and says cold, cold, up, up (wants me to carry him). Well, we have been here 5 days now and he seems to have excepted it better now. Course, it doesn't help that the snow is so deep. So, today, we went for a long walk around the neighborhood and he was ok. It was a bit warmer (low 30's) and sunny. He just laid on the snow and smiled in the sun. He's my Phoenix boy. Devin really likes the snow and made a snowman with me. She gets cold- but not like Kyle.

My dad is doing fair. His brain tumor has started to grow back causing some swelling and left sided weaknesss again. With high doses of steroids, it has reduced some of the brain swelling- so ha can use his walker again and his strength has improved. They have consulted with specialists and decided to do Cyber-knife radiation therapy. That should start in 2 weeks. Sadly, my dad's health and mental status are not great. I don't think any treatments are going to save him. He is a fighter and really has high hopes to beat this. So, we try to be optimistic around him and spend time with him. I brought the kids here to spend time and see their grandfather... but he really isn't interactive with the kids. I'm glad to spend time with him but it's a grim reality. He hasn't showered since I've been here and gets mad at my Mom if she asks him. He says he's too tired to shower. The steroids make him puffy, hungry, tired and moody. So, it's not easy for anyone.

On a good note, I've been also able to see my sister Katherine who coordinated her visit. My sister Vicki came up for the weekend. And, my brother Michael and his family came up for a couple days too. Michael's kids Eben & David played with Devin and Kyle- they had a good time together. Course, I've been able to see my Mom too. It's nice to be with family- wish we all lived closer together- espeically now that I have kids- I wish they got to spend time with and know their cousins better.

Off to Delaware- I hope.

Well- I haven't written for awhile b/c I did not knock on wood enough. A few weeks ago both Devin & Kyle got sick with a viral pharyngitits.... trip to doctor. Negative for strep throat. I thought that's what they had...both had sore throats, fever and Kyle had sores all over his tonsils. Poor kids- poor Mom. Both Jack and I missed work and Kyle was sick for days. Devin only got it mildly for 1-2 days.

Then, last week, Kyle got sick again with cough, runny nose and high fever. I decided to sit it out ( with lots of tylenol and ibuprofen) for 1 1/2 days. Then, his fever spiked to 105 last Wednesday afternoon (even with ibuprofen in morning). Thus, a trip to Urgent Care. Diagnosed with a upper respiratory virus...blah blah blah. Devin got a little cold and cough.. but not too bad. Once again, I missed some work. Kids being sick is very inconvenient for working parents. Ugh.

Anyway, we seem to be on the mend.. Me, emotionally,from dealing with sick kids. What a nightmare.... all I can say is thank God for wine. Some nights after the grumpy kids finally got to sleep, a nice glass of wine and "The Bachelor". :) Yes, I like to watch cheesy shows to take my mind off of the stresses of life... kids, illnesses, not enough money, work being slow (thus- not enough money), my dad getting worse again.

Speaking of my dad, the kids and I are supposed to go visit my parents in Delaware in two days. My dad's tumor is growing back and they decided to discontinue the chemo. They are going to try the cyberknife radiation to see if this will stop the progression of the tumor and buy him more time. I wanted to take the kids to see my parents to spend as much time with them as possible. Plus, we wanted to see the snow. But, be careful what you wish for--- it snowed 2 feet there last weekend and is supposed to snow another foot tonight. The most snow Delaware has gotten since the 1800's. Crazy. So, I don't even know if the airport will be open on Thursday. I hope so. Knowing my luck lately... not likely. So, we shall see how this week goes...

Pants on the ground...

Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground.... can't get that out of my head. Now, Devin is singing it too. :) Yes, I'm an American Idol fan. I am also watching The Bachelor right now as I write this. Yes, I know - its cheesy... but I need cheesy to escape the downs of my job (had to euthanize a 1 day old foal this morning) and my crazy kids. We are all healthy again. BIG KNOCK ON WOOD. Kyle's appetite is back. All is great but Jack learned not to wrestle with him after a big dinner. He ate an entire Ramon noodle package last night... and then projectile vomited 1/2 of it after Jack threw him all around after dinner. Nice. Guess who had to clean it up?!

Devin sick too, ugh.

Devin is sick too. Ugh. Kyle was finally feeling better... I didn't work Monday or Tuesday. Then, Devin spikes a 102.4 fever last night. Poor peanut. All shaky and hot. Of course, she slept with me all night... but was very restless b/c of the fever. Still having a fever today- but not at high. Only 100.4 tonight. Fortunately, Jack was able to take work off today and watch the kids. Kyle's throat lesions seem to be healing & Devin's throat looks good so far (knock on wood). I have tomorrow off work. Hopefully, they will both be healthier by Friday and be able to go to daycare. I need to work. We need the money!!!

Sick, again.

OK- Kyle is sick again. Ugh. I really should have knocked on wood somewhere last time when I said he was getting healthier... Had him rechecked by doctor at end of December. He hadn't gained any weight but did not lose any either. His vomiting/diarrhea has almost 100% resolved once I switched him to almond milk. I had two more of his vaccines boostered at the end of December. So, now he is only behind in two vaccines.

Anyway, he spiked a high fever 2 days ago (102.6). Since then, he has had a high fever for last 3 days It was really high yesterday- spiking up to 103.5. Then, it would only drop to 102.2 on ibuprofen and then start climbing again. So, I gave him a warm washcloth bath last night too. Last night, he was drooling a little and sticking his hands in his mouth. So, I looked in his mouth with a flashlight and he had some white spots on the back of his throat/tonsil area and a ulcer on his tonsil. Poor guy. So, I stayed home from work today and took him to doctor this morning. His strep test (quick swab) came back negative. I asked for them to send in a culture too. Anway, they initially thought it was Hand,Foot & Mouth- but Kyle already had that last spring. So, they just called it a "viral pharyngitis". He seems to feel better this afternoon and this evening. His fever isn't as high, but his temp goes up and down all a day. It was 102.3 this morning, 100.1 this afternoon, 97.1 at dinner, and 101.1 at bedtime. So, I have been giving him a lot of ibuprofen these last few days. So, we shall see how tomorrow goes... I hope he gets better soon. I can't miss work on Wednesday too. Fortunately, I don't work tomorrow.

Well, that's the update for now. Spending a lot of time at home watching the movie, Cars, for the millionth time and Thomas the Train. I wish he liked to watch something else when I'm holding him.

Can I have some personal space, please?

Ok- I'm serious. I would really like some personal space. If it's not the kids, it's the cat. I can't even write this blog b/c my cat is trying to lay on my right arm. I keep pushing him away- but he is very persistant, and fat. So, it's not only a cat, but a very fat cat who is weighing my arm down. So, Jack is putting the kids to bed b/c my last nerve is gone. They are pushing my buttons today. As I write this, I am having a Bailey's on the rocks to calm my nerves. As Jack & I always say when people ask us what our parenting secret is... cocktails. :) I just shoved the cat off my arm for the 6th time... he is finally lying next to me rather than on me. Jack says I repeat, "What did I just say?!" about a thousand times a day to the kids. I say it, they ignore it....

"Kyle, stop hitting your sister"... he does it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"
"Kyle, stop throwing your food"... he does it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"
"Kyle, dont' jump on me, that hursts"... he does it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"
"Devin & Kyle, stop spitting water out of the bathtub"... they do it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"

Seriously. This is just a taste of what today was like. And, I would really like to pee in peace. Kids can't stand it when I close the bathroom door... and stand on the other side, knocking, asking me what I'm doing (What do you think I'm doing?!), can they come in, when will I be done, can they flush the toilet...

On a good note, Kyle is finally letting me drop him off at daycare at the gym for the last few weeks and is no longer crying. YEA! I finallly get to work out on a consistent basis. Of course, I am in sad shape and the last 3 weeks have sucked. After the first week, my fitness instructor asked me how I was doing... I said, "Well, it sucked". My second week working out, she asked me again how I was doing (obviously I look pathetic in class), I say, "It sucked less than last week." This week, she hasn't asked me yet, but I can say, I am feeling a little better but still have a hard time doing all the exercises in the classes. It kicks my ass! But, there is hope for me yet and I really want to get back into good shape. Since Kyle, I have not exercised consistently b/c of his neediness and I look like it too. I hate being in my 40's, looking in the mirror, and LOOK like I'm in my 40's. My age is showing. Ugh.