Tidbits and Such

1. AJU5 is not really aware of what "racing" really means. Recently at Cubbies they were having races, and she was happily running where she should without a bit of urgency. I don't mind it really - it means she isn't super competitive and likes to just play along. But, it is funny to watch when she has no clue she should be trying to beat the others!

2. AJU6 is SLOWLY potty training. Part of me wants to push it and get him trained, but part of me doesn't want to. The whole needing to go potty in a store is a PAIN with a younger child in tow as well. So, it is easier for him to be in diapers for that reason. But I am tired of changing his diapers. Oh, and I am not sure how his pants will stay up when he is out of diapers... some of his 24M shorts are already falling off even with a very fluffy (cloth diaper) rear.

3. I hate trying to get out of the house with 3 kids these days. The biggest issue is finding a time when the older two won't fall asleep in the car. We still go lots of places. But, I just don't like the "stress" of finding a time to go. Luckily some things are scheduled so the time is already set. The biggest downside of AJU6 falling asleep in the car is that he doesn't transfer well. So, that means the car nap is often all he gets (which isn't enough). It also means there isn't any "me" time when that happens too - when the younger two are napping. Luckily it is almost summer, which means most of our activities are drawing to a close. Hopefully by fall AJU6 won't fall asleep int he car if we leave before noon...

4. Finding time to work out is getting harder. Like I said above, getting AJU6 to nap if we have errands to run is almost impossible. That means on those days I can't do the work out normally. We have gone for a walk once, but it isn't easy to go with 3 kids. I wish they made a "jogging" stroller with a jump seat I think. AJU7 isn't terribly happy in a carrier (except hip carry), so I need a "seat" for three kids most of the time...

First Real Step to Homeschooling

I made the first big step in our decision to homeschool yesterday - I ordered curriculum for AJU5 for kindergarten. I plan on starting VERY slowly once it arrives. That way we can do 1-2 lessons a week to get used to a more formal school life and still get kindergarten done by next May.

So, why did we decide to homeschool? My husband was set on it before we got married. I wasn't so sure. I had a great public school experience, and he had a so-so one (he homeschooled for high school). He had seen some things happening in education that I hadn't seen as much, partly because we grew up in two different states. The first year we lived here (and were married) I substitute taught in the local middle schools and high schools. By the end of that experience, I had decided that I didn't want to send my kids to those schools. There were so many things kids get exposed to (mostly from other students whose parents don't have the same values and expectations as us), and I didn't want my kids to be put through that. I still thought private schools would be a great option. Then, as I was teaching at the community college, I saw more and more that even the private schools aren't a great option. First is the price. My salary wouldn't cover the cost of 2 kids in many of these schools. Second is the fact that even the private schools have some of the same peer "teaching" that I didn't want. Third, I saw more and more the options of homeschooling in our area. There are co-ops, athletic teams, bands, and field trips. There is a graduation ceremony each year as well. So, by the time AJU5 was born, I had pretty much agreed that homeschooling was our best option.

Now on to what we are going to use. There are a number of good homeschooling curriculums out there. And you don't even have to use a curriculum if you don't want to. But, since I work part-time from home, having some things already decided for me was a nice option. Also, I had seen already in AJU5 that workbooks tend to work with her. Printed pages from the computer aren't as enticing. So, a little over a year ago I went searching for preschool curriculums. That is when I "stumbled" onto Horizon from Alpha Omega Publishing. They have a great preschool curriculum, but I decided we didn't need one. AJU5 had already mastered many parts of it, so the price tag on it made it not a great buy. Instead, we have been using the workbooks you can get from big box stores to work on writing letters, counting, and other basic skills. But, while I was looking at the PK material, I looked at the K material as well. I like that Horizon has math and reading/phonics as its two main subjects. It actually doesn't have science or history/social studies. But, that was a plus for me. I want to do more of a unit study for those (since we will have 3 kids in 3 grades before too long). With a unit study, all of the kids could learn the same big concepts from experiments, field trips, and literature. I could then expect different levels of learning from there. I looked at some other curriculums, like ABeka, Bob Jones, and single subject ones like Hooked on Phonics and Math U See, but I didn't love how the material was presented. Some were very watered down. others were designed more for a private school setting. I wanted something rigorous but still involved me in some of the teaching. Horizon seemed to have that. Their material goes on sale (as to most of the other companies) in April, so when I saw 20% off and free shipping, I went ahead and ordered the K phonics and reading, math, and health. Next year, if we like it, we will order the same "subjects" in first grade as well as the PK material for AJU6. AJU6 seems to be more "average" in terms of what he knows, and he likes to be like his sister. So, by the time he is 3-4 yo, I bet he will want to sit at the table with her when she is learning.

Hopefully everything will go smoothly. Technically AJU5 wouldn't start K here until the next year (August 2013), so if it takes us more than 1 year to complete K, it isn't the end of the world at all. I like that I won't have any pressure for sure.

Icky

That is the best word to describe our house right now. It started on Saturday with AJU6 throwing up 5 times. Sunday was "clear" but we also took it really easy. Yesterday morning AJU5 woke up not feeling well, and she started puking around 6am. I think she puked 5-6 times, and luckily she has been "clear" since about noon yesterday. But, she still has a fun cough and isn't herself yet. I started felling bad yesterday afternoon. It got really bad around 5pm just as my husband got home from work (huge blessing that it stayed away until then!). I was "stuck" in bed basically all night. By around 11pm, I was a little better, able to go downstairs and get my cell phone and my own drink without thinking I was going to die along the way. Since then I just have been mending from getting very dehydrated.
My husband started getting sick around 2am. He has been stuck in bed almost all day. He was supposed to leave on a work trip this morning, but that is on hold. He did get out of bed around noon, but then he overdid it and ended up back in bed.
AJU7 started throwing up this morning. She threw up once in her bed and then once as we went downstairs. Since then I think she has thrown up 4-5 times. Most of the time I only notice because I either see it or feel it. She doesn't complain unless it comes out her nose (and she can't breathe well). That means she is attached to me right now so I know if she gets sick again.
AJU6 has also had some bad diapers last night and today. He seems to be "acting" like AJU5 did two years ago when the stomach bug last hit our house. She would puke one day, have bad diapers the next, etc. It last almost a week with her, although AJU6 seems to have done all the puking in one day.
I just hope we are done with it after today. I have done more laundry and carpet cleaning the last few days then I do in some months. I am tired of all of that house work for sure!

So New Routines

I am finally getting more sleep at night. AJU7 still isn't a great sleeper - waking 2-4 times a night - but I don't expect any different since her siblings were that way. But, what has made a huge difference the past few weeks is getting AJU5 to stay in her bed and not come to our room unless she sees a light on. The past two mornings, she has opened their door numerous times between 5:30 and 6:15 only to go back to sleep. I have also heard her in the night open it, but she isn't coming to our bed at least. AJU7 will sleep until about 6:15 or 6:30, and AJU6 will sleep past 6:00 if he doesn't hear us, so it is a lot better than the 5:15 they were trying to do. Weekdays are harder though. My husband is up around 4:30 to work out. He then leaves for work by 5:45. It is fine if AJU5 wakes while he is not in the shower or actually leaving the house. But, if she wakes at like 5:35, then I have to get up with her. Also, if she wakes when he is in the shower, I might have to get up.

I am also working out most afternoons while AJU6 (and normally AJU7) are napping. I am using the Kinect Your Shape 2012, and I am trying to get in 30-45 minutes at least a day. I started over a month ago, and I can tell I am in better shape. Unfortunately the weight isn't coming off, but at least I am in better shape! Maybe soon the weight will come off (12 lbs still to go). I guess that is one big positive of AJU7 not really eating solids yet (she spits them back out 99.9% of the time) - I am still her primary food source and hence burning more calories that way.

I am also having to be more diligent with cleaning up, as AJU7 is mobile. She isn't really crawling, but she can inchworm all around the house. She can almost make it up the step from the living room to the kitchen even. It won't be long until we really have to sort through the toys and hide the choking hazards...

Teething - Ugh!

AJU7 is teething. She is crying a ton more than normal. It is a lot harder to lay her down and keep her asleep. And she isn't sleeping as long.

Add a little guy (AJU6) getting over a bug (I think he is better now), and it is "fun" around here. AJU6 is SUPER clingy and wants me to play with him the whole time.

So, I have a clingy AJU7 when she is tired, a clingy AJU6, and an AJU5 who still wants attention. I guess that is why our house is a mess... and I am stressed... But I know it could be a lot worse. The younger two just went down for naps, so now I can get the laundry another step towards done. And hopefully I can get a workout in too...

When Sleep Gets Complicated

It started out well. AJU7 fell asleep after 9pm, and we headed to bed at 10.
There were 2 in a king bed - lots of room!
Sometimes between midnight and 2am, AJU7 joined us in bed. Still, there was a ton of room. And I didn't have to worry about anyone pushing me out of the bed!
Then 2:45 came. AJU5 "couldn't sleep" in her own bed. Luckily she went to my husband's side of the bed to climb in. So, I still had almost half the bed for AJU7 and myself - still content.
A few minutes pass, and AJU6 enters our room and climbs up on my side of the bed. I knew that wasn't going to work so well. I would be squished and having to protect AJU7 too much. So, I took her to the guest bed room. Two in a queen bed and three in a king bed still seemed fine to me, especially since my "bed partner" is very small.
But, it wasn't meant to be. About 15 minutes later, AJU7 is nursing (after being stirred enough during the move that she couldn't get back to a deep sleep) and AJU6 is crying for mommy. I "yell" that I am stuck with AJU7 eating, so Daddy brings him to me. He (AJU6) proceeds to smack me in the head 2-3 times getting snuggled in. Luckily he does fall asleep, and so do the rest of us.
Daddy wakes up at 4;30am, and I hear him exercise (Kinect Your Shape) and then get ready for work. AJU5 is getting the king bed all to herself, but I am afraid to move AJU7 for fear of waking her (and waking AJU6). So, we stay in the queen bed.
AJU6 wakes at 6:15 - ready for a cup of milk and a show. I oblige and then return to the queen bed to sleep. AJU5 wakes at 7:00, upset that her show isn't on (she was promised the pick this morning). Luckily I was able to calm her with a promise that her choice would be "up" next (and a cup of milk).
I snuggle into the king bed alone (AJU7 is asleep in the queen alone) until AJU7 wakes around 7:30...

How to make an 1100 mile drive in 1 day with 3 kids

The inlaws live about 1100 miles away. And we make this trip in one day - about 17 hours in the car. The main motivation for a 1 day trip is to avoid the hotel stay - the kids never sleep well the first night in a new location, so we wouldn't be too rested for the second day on the road anyways. Plus, we can save about $100 each way - always a nice bonus.

On the way there, we leave as early as we can. The latest we will leave and try to make it all of the way from here is 6am. It is actually easier to wake the kids up and then go because they sleep more in the car that way. I make sure AJU5 has gone potty and AJU6 and 7 have clean diapers before we leave. I double diaper AJU6 actual - with a size 3 diaper under a size 4 diaper - to ensure no leaks. I also feed AJU7, so she is ready to fall back asleep as soon as we get going.

We pack the car as much as we can the night before - leaving only the last few things for the morning (drinks, electronics, and the overnight bag normally). The "big" kids each have a bag of toys and books as well as a pillow and blanket, and these are in the back seat of our SUV with them. We often put one suit case (duffle bag) under each child so toys aren't lost as easily on the floor too. AJU7 and I are in the bucket seats in the middle. Around us is the diaper bag, our entertainment (a couple of toys for her, my cell phone, and my touch pad), the snack, and the drinks. My husband gets to play "taxi driver" sitting up front alone. He has control of the GPS and his phone (with our mp3 selection).

We normally stop 3-4 hours in for a potty run/diaper change. Then we drive another 2-3 hours. We stop them for gas and food (as well as the potty and diaper changes). This last trip we just got Wendy's chicken nuggets and fries, but we have stopped at Arby's before too and gotten sandwiches and salads. But, when we stop and eat in a restaurant, it takes FOREVER!!! The kids won't sit still, so it is a challenge to get them to eat enough. So, the car seems to be working better (even if the food isn't as good). From there, we make 2 more stops, about 6 hours apart, for gas, potty, and diapers. AJU7 also gets to nurse as much as she wants during these times, so the stops are about 20-30 minutes. The big kids roam around the vehicle and stretch there legs while they wait too.

As for snacks - we have granola bars (Fiber Plus, Zone, and Fruit and Nut), trail mix (fruit and nut), crackers, gold fish, pretzels, apple chips, and peanut M&Ms. The non-bar stacks are served in small ziplocks, which helps with portion control and mess containment. For drinks, the adults each have two 27oz water bottles. The big kids each have 1 milk cup, 1 water cup, and 2-4 very weak juice cups (about 1oz juice to 5oz water) - all sippy cups. We used to bring more milk, but AJU5 and AJU6 each have thrown up in the car in the past, and "sour" milk is NASTY coming back up. So, we keep the milk for after lunch, and it seems to work great.

On the way home, we normally don't leave until 8-9am. That means we get home a lot later, which can be a little tough. But, we also tend to stay up later at the in-laws, so it isn't TOO bad. We normally have to stop about 3 hours after we leave for gas (and potty, etc). Then we stop 6 hours later and get food with the gas. Then, we can often make it with only one more stop - 6 hours later. Occasionally we will stop for potty once in there too, but it depends on how tired we are and how much everyone drinks.

So, how does AJU7 survive only getting to nurse every 6 hours? She doesn't. The first trip I pumped and gave her bottles. It worked great. Then we went to my parents, and she refused the bottle. She would occasionally take about 1oz, but there was a ton of screaming. On the way tot he inlaws, I pumped some, but she still would only take about 1oz. The first two segments were fine - only 3 hours apart. The middle segment she drank a little more from the bottle - maybe 2oz, so it wasn't terrible either. And, that also coincided with her long nap, which I think was a life-saver. But, the last segment I had to be a little naughty. I unbuckled and leaved over so she could nurse while we were driving. We were on the interstate in an area with very few exits (and no wide shoulders). It was dark and the road was pretty empty, so I went for it. And it worked great. She ate and then went right to sleep. I had to do this more often on the way home, which was a little harder - simply because it wasn't at night once or twice. But, it always seemed to happen that she would be hungry where pulling over to let her out wasn't easy/safe. If we had a bench int he middle row, I probably could have just leaned over instead of unbuckling...

So, that is how we "roll." I am not looking forward to AJU6 potty training. I highly doubt he will be able to go 6 hours between stops like his sister (she has NO problem holding it that long we found out over a year ago). That means our "plans" may change. But, AJU7 won't be nursing as much, so it might be a wash...

TOtal Slacking Over Here

So, having three kids is a lot of work. It isn't terrible, but the time without one or more kids on your lap, pulling on you, or screaming is very limited. This is especially the case since they aren't in day care, preschool, or with a babysitter on any sort of a regular basis. So, I haven't had much chance to blog lately. I haven't even had a chance to comment on most of your blogs, simply because by the time I am done reading a post (or two), I get distracted by one kid or another. But I have been reading them!

AJU5 is now 4 years old. She LOVES dresses, especially the shiny ones with fuller skirts. She now has two long skirts she loves as well. But, rarely will you find her in just pants. She has started to wear jammies to bed most nights, but most mornings she enters our room with a dress in hand (she can't button/zip and bow them on her own).

AJU6 is now 2 years old. He is a ball of energy and emotion. He is so close to fully talking, and it has been fun to watch is vocabulary grow in the last couple of months. He LOVES Thomas, Veggie Tales, and Cars. He got a ton of Thomas things for Christmas, so he is a happy guy for sure.

AJU7 is now 4.5 months old, and she is sitting up already on her own. She can sit for at least 30 seconds without falling. She is definitely going after things (paper, toys, her siblings), which is getting dangerous. She still doesn't sleep all night (like her siblings), but she also doesn't take a pacifier at all. So, she is a little more high maintenance than they were. But, her smiles will metal any frustration for having to entertain her so much.

Hopefully in the new year I can at least get a monthly post out. That is my goal - although a weekly post would probably be even better...

Life with Three Kids

Some days I definitely wish I had three sets of hands - or at least 3 hands. But, we are doing okay. I have had all three of them in my lap at times, but other times I am child-free (even with my husband at work).

The biggest challenges:

• Trying to meet the needs of all three if they all of legitimate needs at once (hungry, hurt, potty, etc).
  
• Making shopping carts work with three kids.
• Keeping the house in order.

The shopping definitely depends on the carts available. Costco is manageable if I put AJU7 in a sling. The other two can get their normal spots that way, and AJU7 is content until she gets hungry. Grocery stores, WalMart, and Target are going to be hit or miss based on shopping cart availability. If the huge ones are available with the extra seats, we are good to go. Some times I can even leave AJU7 in her car seat that way. But, if only the standard ones are available, it is a little cramped. We did WalMart once with a standard cart, and it worked luckily. But, we only needed a few things which I could pile around AJU5 (in the back with AJU7) and AJU6 (in the actual seat). If I needed to get a good amount of stuff, it wouldn't work. And then there are the places with the tiny carts like Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and Cost Plus. I won't even try those with 3 kids for a while! I took AJU5 and 7 to Michael's yesterday, and it was hard enough with the two of them. You can put the infant car seat in the back, so AJU7 wasn't as happy at a "weird" angle (and woke up and cried). There is no place to really put AJU6 if he went unless AJU7 was in a sling. And even then I know it will be a challenge because those places have WAY too many things to entice little ones...

But we are making it for sure. School started back for me (teaching), and I have been able to balance everything so far. My husband is struggling some with the transition, but I think it is mainly because the kids are too good at pestering him when he is around. AJU5 and 6 will play together alone when he isn't around, but they are less likely to do that if he is home for some reason...

Why I Love Our Pediatrician

Yesterday was one of those days. AJU5 and AJU6 took a bath just before 9am. When AJU6 got out, he was ready for a nap (totally normal). I pulled out a dress and undies for AJU5 so we wouldn't wake him when she got dressed (they share a room). Well, the dress I picked wasn't "good enough" for AJU5. So, I either had to deal with her screaming (which would probably wake AJU6) or let her pick out a different dress from their closet. I thought there was a chance we could get in and out without waking AJU6, but it didn't work. Then he refused to go back to sleep. He stayed in bed for an hour total, but he only slept for 15-30 minutes. We had to go to AJU7's check-up, all four of us, and I knew it might be an adventure.

Getting to the doctor's office was easy. There weren't any real fights there. The waiting room time (only a couple of minutes) went easy too. The walk from the waiting room to the back had only one fit - because I was carrying AJU6's sippy cup and not him. But that was an easy fix. The weighing, measuring, and waiting in the exam room went okay. AJU6 didn't like when the door closed, but he was content with a book before too long. Then the doctor came in. First, she complimented us on AJU7's name, which always gets brownie points. Then came the big things I like about her.

AJU6 quickly insisted on being held. So, the doctor helped me put AJU7 on the table and did everything there (normally we just do it with the baby in my lap). I loved that she was so flexible with us. She wrapped AJU7 up afterwards for me so she would stay warm while I nursed her (she was waking up and was hungry but not upset). Then, when I nursed AJU7, AJU6 had a FIT! He wanted to go home. He was crying, pushing on me to stand up, and in general throwing a huge tantrum. The doctor came back in and asked if she could take the two older ones to get their stickers while I finished up with AJU7. It worked perfectly. They had Thomas the Tank Engine stickers, which both kids love. AJU5 picked Percy, and AJU6 picked Thomas. Add that AJU5 let AJU6 hold hers, and they were "happy" through the rest of the time we were there.

For AJU7's next appointment, we are trying afternoon. Hopefully that will avoid the lack of nap tantrum. But, of course AJU6 could change his schedule between now and then too...

The Past 5 Days (and 9 Months)

As most of you who read this already know, we welcomed AJU7 into the family last week. At first my husband wanted to keep the pregnancy quiet at work - just because he wanted the surprise factor I think. Then it got to the point where it just felt weird announcing it to the "world" on facebook and here, although I had told MANY people. This is part of the reason there had been so few posts the last 9 months - there wasn't much to talk about not involving being pregnant/I was too tired to post much.

So, now for the birth story. Let me just say in so many ways it was perfect.

We thought the baby would come by the due date, as AJU5 was 4 days early, and AJU6 was 2 days early. But, it wasn't to be. This one came one day late. We had decided to "force" the baby out the day she decided to come on her own, and I guess knowing her eviction date was what she needed.

At 4 am, I woke up in pain. She was on a nerve, and it HURT. It wasn't contractions - just a constant pain until she moved. This happened again at 5am. Most likely she had dropped some in the night, which is probably a good thing. So, at 5am, I took a shower, hoping that would move her to a better position. While in the shower, I thought I might have had a contraction. So, I took a bath. By the end of the bath, I knew I was in labor. So, at 6am, I texted my husband since he was on his way into work (he left shortly after I got in the shower). Well, he didn't get the text since he was already in the office and his computer hadn't synced yet. So, 30 minutes later I called him and "ordered" him home. I also called the doctor at this point because the contractions were real and fairly regular. The kids where watching TV, and my MIL had just gotten up (and was taking a quick shower).

Around 7 my husband got home and he finished packing up snacks and water, and we left. His mum was pushing us out the door although the two of us weren't so impatient. I just wanted to get to the car BETWEEN contractions. I had gotten "stuck" on the stairs mid-contraction, and I didn't want to repeat that for sure - OUCH. We got to the hospital before 7;30, and we figured out how to get into registration after a minute or two. They have "secured" both the labor and delivery unit and the post-partum unit in the last 20 months, so the doors were "locked". You had to go around the corner to get into registration, but luckily we finally saw the sign which said that. After going over all the registration stuff (since I didn't pre-register again), we walked to triage. Since I had already called the doctor, they lead us to the room. I of course had to change and pee in a cup, and then they hooked me up to the monitors and took my vital signs. Then the nurse came in and repeated the vital signs.

Eventually the midwife on duty (for my OB practice) came in an checked me. I was definitely having strong contractions at the point and was being a little vocal. The midwife was really nice and actually complimented me on how I was handling everything. She checked me, and I was 7 cm. She asked about pain meds, and I said if it lasts much longer I would like the epidural (because boy were they starting to hurt). She said they would move me to the real room and get things going as quickly as possible, but there weren't any guarantees there would be time. A few minutes later I was starting to have to say more during the contractions and have my husband rub my back at the worst of each one. And a few minutes after that I felt pressure. I told him to go get the nurse (he asked if I was sure), and just as he got into the hall, the nurse was coming in. They believed me, and rushed me to the L&D room. By the time they wheeled me into the room, they could see the head (but I had missed that conversation). I made it onto the real bed, pushed a couple of times (I had been pushing some along the way because, well, my body said I had to), and she was born. The midwife barely made it into the room before I moved beds, and she placed the little girl on my stomach so I could see what she was (just like the other two we didn't know the gender). AJU7 got to lay on my stomach for 30 minutes or more - they didn't move her until she had nursed already and everything was calm in the room.

From start to finish, labor was at most 3.5 hours (I am not 100% sure on the first contraction's time). I was able to deliver for the second time without drugs. There was no fetal distress or any of that craziness - something I had been praying about. I only had a VERY small tear and didn't need any stitches. The midwife that delivered her was great. She was very complimentary and joked with us afterwards. The rest of the medical staff welcomed us to have 5 more babies there (something that WILL NOT HAPPEN). Oh, and the hospital now does "room service" instead of set meal times, so I got breakfast in the L&D room (cereal and yogurt)!

Now, the only things that would have made it better:
1. My OB there (but I knew it wasn't that likely since she is only at the hospital 12 hours a week normally).
2. In the L&D room a few more minutes so I would have been more aware that they baby was coming out (but I am not sure how much of a good thing that would be).
3. No blood clots after birth. Having them work to get them all out was painful.

So, it was a great labor and delivery, especially compared to the craziness of the other two. We think we are done now, but of course God could have other plans...

My MIL left on Sunday, and my parents arrived about 2 hours later. They left this morning, and now we are working on getting the bigger kids adjusted to the new normal. AJU5 is being difficult and talking back at times, but we think a lack of sleep/over stimulation might be more behind it than the new baby. AJU6 is very clingy to either my husband or I. This is going to be the biggest challenge I think, especially since he can't say what he is feeling like his big sister can. Luckily my husband has a flexible work schedule for the rest of the week...

The Tale of Two Sessions

We started the second session of swim lessons yesterday. And it is like a totally different world with the AJU's. Part of it I expected, part of it I didn't. But, at least I think I know the reason for the unexpected part.

AJU5 is doing great! Yesterday she cried twice - first when I left her (but she didn't stay upset) and then when she was done and I wasn't there yet. She was cold and having difficulty with her towel. Luckily another mom helped her, and I was walking over anyways so she finally saw me. Today there wasn't a tear at all! Well, after we got our swim suits on and to the pool that is. I was there when she got our, and she was happy in class again.

AJU6 isn't thrilled with his class. The first week (it turns out) is more structured than the second week. Week 1 they go over the holds and skills, and they expect the class to stay together in a circle. Of course, my 19.5 mo doesn't want me to hold him for 40 minutes, even if we are moving. He wants some control. Add a cold pool today, and we got out about 5 minutes early. He was shivering, and I had enough of him whining about getting down. I think the structure is making it even harder for him to progress. If he isn't happy, he isn't going to do what I ask, especially since his vocabulary isn't that huge. Things like blowing bubbles and kicking he can do, but normally it isn't on command. Tomorrow we bring toys, so we will see how that goes. I know next week will be like the week we did before (at least partly), so I think we will be okay in the long run.

Hopefully by next Friday AJU5 will be "graduating" from the preschool class and AJU6 will not be wanting to get out of the water like he is this week...

Swim Lessons - Takes 2-5

Day 1 was definitely the worst. Now, that is not to say the others days were easy, but Day 1 was definitely the worst!

Day 2 started with me joining AJU5 in the circle for her class again. When it was time to get in, she was not willing. I had even bribed her, but it was a no go. So, I took her to the big pool where she had to sit on the bench while AJU6 and I swam. Well, the big pool was a little cool for the little ones, we just after AJU6 did a couple of jumps into the pool (one of his favorite things), we went to the little pool. I decided to let AJU5 in with us, hoping that watching her class AND doing many of the same things with me would help on Day 3. And since the water is at most 2.5 ft deep, it was easy to keep them both safe (AJU5 can walk the whole pool, and AJU6 can walk half of it).

Day 3 started off like the others. I got AJU5 to go into the water with her class, and AJU6 and I went to the big pool - for one jump. Then it was back to the little pool. AJU5 tried to "escape" her class once, but between the teacher and myself, we got her back to her side of the pool and she stayed. She just wasn't comfortable with putting her face in the water (no surprise to me - she HATES getting her face wet), and so she wanted away! Since she did well enough, she got an ice cream cone on the way home.

Day 4 started off okay. The little class just started outside, so AJU6 and I got in before AJU5. I had to get out to help her get in line, but everything was going well. Then they moved to the big pool. AJU5 did not like that. The teacher carried her over, and before too long a parent carried her back to me. She was afraid of sinking, and I accepted it. She swam with AJU6 and I until class was over. AJU6 figured out a new trick - going underwater and trying to swim. He walks a few steps and then pushes his feet back and goes under the water. It is oh so fun to "save" him every couple of seconds. It made it so I couldn't work with AJU5 much at all, but I did get her "dunked" a few times at least.

Day 5 was today. It started out like Day 4, with the parent/tot class just swimming outside. Again AJU5 wasn't sure about lining up with her class, but I got her to join in. They went straight to the big pool. I had to bring AJU6 and join them on the deck until she got settled. But she stayed! She didn't' get in initially like the other kids, eventually she got in even! She is slowly warming up to one of the teachers, and I think that is a huge help! That teacher is willing to push AJU5 a little, but knows that when AJU5 gets upset enough to let her calm down and just ask again later. I hope she is one of AJU5's teachers next session for sure. If she is, I think AJU5 will make big progress! I want her to at least be able to put her face in the water after 2 more weeks of lessons. If she doesn't get beyond that, I am okay.

Oh, and AJU6 kept up with his going under water today. He loves it, and he isn't taking in water at all. So, I think he is getting the idea. Now I just have to figure out how to get him to kick and/or use his arms so he can go somewhere. He is definitely more like me when it comes to water. I am guessing AJU5 is more like her daddy...

Swim Lessons - Take 1

So, AJU5 is feeling 100% other than not having all of her energy back (i.e. she needs a nap for sure each day and often sleeps a little more at night, both of which I don't mind in the least). The fever went away Friday/Saturday, her nose isn't running any more, and she has been eating like normal (if not a little extra). So, we went to church yesterday and tried to tackle swim lessons today.

I have her signed up for the preschool class and AJU6 and I signed up for the parent/tot class. I thought they would have everyone in the big pool, but it turns out they have the preschoolers in the kiddie pool. The biggest issue with this is that she can't see us and I can't see her. Normally (when the pool is open for the public) they have the doors open so you can see the kiddie pool fromt he big pool. But, they have them closed during lessons for some unknown reason. I finally thought I had gotten her settled in her class (after they took role, went over the safety rules, got a little wet on teh side of the pool and then eventually got in the pool, but before too long one of the lifeguards brought her too me. So, I got to try to hold on to both kids int eh parent/tot class.

AJU6 is big into "Ready, Set, Go" and loved to jump into the pool (that is all he wanted to do actually). But, after one jump AJU5 was done with jumping in, probably because I let her go under some. But, she loved climbing in and out on the ladder, so it wasn't too bad. But, it is hard to work with them on floating and kicking when holding on to both at the same time...

Hopefully tomorrow will be better... I want to get AJU5 to stay with her class. We have another two week session in July, and I really want to be "normal" participants in lessons by then at least. If the rest of this week is spent getting her comfortable with her class, I am okay with that. I just have to corral AJU6, as he wants in the pool too (I had to grab him at least a handful of times as I tried to get our towels out and shoes on so we could go home as he toddled to the edge of the pool). He even tried to climb in a few times with AJU5's class in the little pool. If only he would follow instructions - I would just put them both in the preschool class! But he isn't verbally ready for that just yet (maybe next summer)...

So here is to praying tomorrow goes better. At least I now know the routine and everything so I can prepare AJU5 a little more. If only her baby doll was water safe - then maybe she would be okay (but then trying to participate with a toy might not be that easy)...

No Answers...

I ended up taking AJU5 to the doctor Tuesday. She had a low fever in the morning, but then it spiked to over 104 in the afternoon AND she threw up the Advil I was trying to give her. It turns out her tonsils are nasty, so they did a strep test. The rapid test was negative, and since the lab was already closed by the time we knew that (well, about to close - would be closed before we could get there), we waited on the over night version. It came back negative, so today I took her to get a mono test. There is a "rapid" mono spot test and then another test for the other antibody. The rapid test came back negative, but the CBC levels are indicative of mono or a mono-like virus. So, (hopefully using the blood they already have) now they are testing for the other antibody tonight/tomorrow. We should have an "answer" by tomorrow afternoon...

AJU5 is miserable though. She is okay for a few hours at the "height" of the Advil, but she still isn't herself. And she doesn't want to take the Advil, so it is a struggle. Baths are also a struggle, but she smells so bad after she sleeps because of all the sweat and her throat. Her face also swelled up Tuesday morning, and we have no clue why. Luckily she can still open her eyes, and it is mostly around her eyes and cheeks (and she doesn't notice it). Keeping her hydrated has been not too hard, but she isn't eating much. Luckily I can get at least one sippy cup of milk with carnation instant breakfast in her and a few bites of something each day (yesterday was a pickle spear and one or two bites of cereal, and today was about 1/3 of a hot dog).

Hopefully tomorrow will bring an answer and no fights over medicine...

Thwart by a Bug

Also - How to Second Guess Yourself and an Apology (again)

Today was supposed to be day 1 of swim lessons for the kids, but we aren't going. AJU5 is sick :( Yesterday she woke up with a fever and complaining about her throat. I gave her some benadryl and advil, and she napped. By the end of the nap and a little TV, her fever was gone and her throat didn't hurt. But, I guessed (and was right) it was just the medicine. Her fever came back as the Advil wore off, but we waited until she wasn't comfortable to give her more. The throat wasn't bothering her, and now her complaints were her nose (which was congested/runny the whole time) and her mouth. She slept and watched TV all afternoon, and with a second dose of Advil in full swing, she was a little more herself in the evening. Her fever didn't drop completely, but she wanted to play "person game" (Chutes and Ladders), and she was up and moving at least. She had been drinking all day and even snacking a little, so I wasn't too worried. She got some more benadryl and tylenol before bed, and we were praying by morning she would be fine.

Around 3am, she cried enough for me to get out of bed (i.e. it wasn't just a dream cry). It turns out either she coughed up a little crud or her nose ran enough on her pillow to bother her. Since it was dark, I thought it was worse than it was until I got to the bathroom and just saw a little snot in a few places on her pillow. Luckily there is a second pillow on her bed, and she went back to sleep. Well, for an hour at least. Then she joined up in bed, asking for some milk. She was half awake from then until 5 I think, and then she pretty much slept until 8. Periodically I would check her temperature this morning. First it was 100. something. I was happy - I could deal with that. About 45 minutes later I checked again and it was 105. I was worried. Luckily I checked about 2 minutes later and it was down to 101. I checked again about 30 minutes later, and I got temperatures between 102 and 103. So, I knew it was time for Advil again. After with more Advil and milk in her system, she asked to be carried downstairs to watch her favorite TV show (which today appears to be Curious George). She is sitting up about 1/3 of the time and zombie-like the rest of the time. Hopefully once the Advil is in full affect, she will have a little energy....

I definitely have been second guessing myself with her and this bug. First I was afraid it might be strep, but I quick look online revealed that wasn't likely due to the congestion. And since her throat isn't bothering her anymore, I have ruled that out. Now it is the bug (virus) vs. infection debate. Is it worth going to the doctor? If it is just a virus, they won't be able to say or do much to help. But, if it is an infection, we could get medicine. I know it isn't a sinus infection (still running clear), and there is no stomach issues. So, it is just a head "disease" of some sort. Right now I am thinking virus and praying it is over by morning...

And today I realized once again I have been terrible at commenting on blogs. I gave up and closed about 10-15 tabs in Firefox, all of blogs I had opened and meant to comment on. But, when I am on the third row of tabs (and I have a wide-screen monitor), it is just too overwhelming. So, I cleared the deck and hopefully I can try to stay on top of them now!

Slacking - Again!

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog - AGAIN! I have had posts in my head, but I havne't sat down at the computer to type them for one reason or another.

Summer is in swing around here. We bought a plastic baby pool last week, and the kids like it. AJU6 is actually more of a fan of getting in than AJU5 it seems, but I guess part of it might be he doesn't care if his clothes get wet. AJU5 on the other hand requires her swimsuit to get in, and the thought of changing out of her dress isn't always desirable. I also signed "us" up for two sessions of swim lessons this summer. AJU5 will be in a preschool class, and AJU6 will be with me in a parent/tot class. I used to teach swim lessons, and I hated the parent/tot classes! But, I know he won't be happy watching her and taking them to the pool alone is a pain, so I decided to let him have some fun too (my husband isn't a big pool fan...).

We also planted a garden, as our backyard transformation is almost done. We have sunflowers, corn, beans, radishes, tomatoes, pumpkin, watermelon, strawberries, lettuce, peas, and bell peppers (I think). Most we started as seeds, and we are getting seedlings already so we are happy. Hopefully we will produce something this year!

Oh, and now I have been labeled a "cloth diaper expert." I am a page administrator for two Facebook pages about cloth diapers now. I get a little money to feed my addiction there, and it is easy work. I just have to answer questions as they are asked (and check in at least twice a day for said questions). The funny thing is 14 months ago I had very little clue about cloth diapers. I knew there were cute/colorful covers and you put things in them. Now I know most/all of the lingo and have tried out a good number of them (and want to try more but am not willing to spend the money YET).

Well, I think that is it. How is your summer going?

Dentist

So, I took the kids to the dentist today. They went back in October/November. AJU6 went because his front two teeth were short and discolored back in October, and it turned out to just bee some staining and genetics. I took AJU5 back a few weeks later since we liked the office we went to. She was not very cooperative, so I didn't know how today would go at all.

Turns out both kids did AWESOME! AJU5 only whined/cried once. She was completely cooperative during the cleaning, fluoride treatment, and even an x-ray. Then, shortly after all that she threw up... That is what caused the crying, which I can understand. But the dentist bribed her with a sucker (that she didn't get to eat until we were home), and she sat still for him to look at her teeth, etc too. Then it was AJU6's turn. The dentist decided to try him in the big chair instead of the lap board, and he was quite cooperative. The other dentist (it is a father/son team) walked through the area and joked about us drugging him. He even sat still for the dentist to polish a few of his teeth that had a tiny bit of staining.

Both kids do have alignment issues thanks to their love of pacifiers, but other than that their teeth are perfect. I am just relieved that there was no fighting at all today!

(Hopefully I will catch up on some posts I have planned to write sometime in the next month. I know, I am terrible at blogging these days!)

Egg Issues (and Apology)

First, let me apologize for being such a bad blogger lately. Not only have I not written, I haven't commented much either! I will sort of blame the kids. They are rarely giving me any time at the computer these days, as they both like to use the mouse and keyboard. So, I only get a few minutes here and there between 6:30am and 8:15pm most days. Oh, and they refuse to nap at the same time. AJU6 naps in the morning (he is down by 10 at the latest), and if AJU5 naps, it isn't until after 1 (normally after 2 or 3). So, yeah, no time to sit, read, AND type. I have been reading all of your posts, but I just never find a few moment to type without little fingers trying to "help" me with it...

So, on to today's adventures. We are going to dye eggs for the first time as a "family." First issue: forgetting to watch the eggs while cooking. Luckily only 2 eggs (out of 14) were cracked, but the water when I went to turn it off made it look like all of them were ruined. Luckily the second batch was perfect. Second fun: AJU5 found one of the cracked eggs on the counter. I let her look at it as I put AJU6 down for a nap. Then she met me upstairs without the egg. I forgot about it until I saw a Faceb00k post about eggs. I asked her where it was. Luckily she had put it back on the counter. But, she had investigated it for sure! She tried to eat it without pealing. I was trying to figure out why she was telling me about crunchy bits on the way to the kitchen... So I peeled it for her, and she was a lot happier! Hopefully the afternoon won't be so interesting!

Perfectionist

I think AJU5 is a perfectionist. And I think that is why she won't color. Instead, she "makes" me do it.

She found the love of some software I have on my computer. It is meant for die-cutting (for scrapbooking), but you can also print your creations. So, we have printed a few creations so far. And she says before we print she wants to color. But, we get the colors out, she might make a mark on the paper, and then she says she can't do it and I have to. Today she "had" to do some of it on her own since AJU6 wasn't napping. She got outside the lines twice and flipped out. She got the pencil, and tried to erase the crayon. It didn't work great, but it helped a little. Luckily I still had the picture on the computer, so I just printed her another one. It is still blank...

I hope she gets over this soon. She is the same way with writing letters. She has successfully written T, L, I, and A before, but lately she has refused. She makes a mark and says she can't do it. I hope to get her over this, but there doesn't seem to be a quick solution. I keep pushing her to do some - taking turns for some things - and it isn't making a big difference. But, she is only 3. So, there is time.

Luckily, she does have her colors and shapes down now and can count to at least 12. Our next goal is to know the numbers visually (what number is this game). But, she isn't interested really. Again, she is only 3, so we have some time...