Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A Stream of Neverending Laundry...Alexander's Sick 2.15


Eleven loads of laundry later, Alexander is still tossing his cookies, etc., and I have still not begun our family's regular laundry.

It all started late Saturday night, which was really early Sunday morning around midnight. I heard acry and went to Alexander's room to check on him. It was not quite his normal middle of the night cry. I opened the door and smelled it (I will spare you the detail of the odor, but it wasn't roses). I immediately knew something was wrong and flipped on the light--vomit everywhere--poor kid. That was load of laundry number one. Andrew helped me bathe Alexander and remove bedding. At that point Alexander was a bit traumatized and wanted to sleep with mom and dad and vomit on mom and all of mom and dad's bedding. We should have known better (load of laundry 2-3, plus pillows 4-5)--we did know better and ignored it, because we were tired. Then we all had a camp out in the living room--auxiliary blankets and pillows vomited on a couple more times (loads of laundry 6-11, I threw in all the blankets he used for good measure, and towels used to cleanup). Whew. All day Sunday he was tired but stopped vomiting and kept food down; Monday he was feeling fine, but had fevers; Tuesday, today, I woke him up and he immediately had diarrhea and a little bit of vomiting. Woohoo! and more laundry to do.

A lesson for all parents of little ones with an upset tummy: have a plan for vomiting. We were so tired we didn't think about letting him vomit all over the blankets would create so much laundry. We did have a bucket for him, but it's not easy to get a little one to warn you they are going to throw-up. In the past we have handled it better putting Alexander on towels and getting him to do it there. It created a lot less laundry. I think Andrew and I were both too sleep deprived to think and just wanted to cozy up and get some sleep. It was a bit of a cold night. C'est la vie-back to it

Friday, January 16, 2009

7 Takes Friday (Kacy Style)

1. I am going back to work February 9th. Though I will miss the children terribly and will probably have to work even harder than before in every area of my life, I am grateful to have a job when so many in our nation do not have jobs. On the news this morning they announced that 90 workers at Mrs. Baird's bread bakery in Waco would lose their jobs. These are trying times.

2. O This week we endure, Thy name is colic. Kristiana has developed a little colic and it sounds like she wants to die when it comes upon her. All day long every day--I am not able to get too much done, because she is terribly unhappy. She could also be having a growth spurt. She can't seem to stop eating.

3. Flat Belly "Bam Ba lam" - Andrew and I started the Flat Belly Diet (as found in Prevention magazine February '09 issue) on Tuesday. It's pretty simple and easy to follow and in just four days we have both lost four pounds. We are coming down from our rich holiday food high. You should check it out. But, the fact that I am losing weight while nursing a 6 week old baby may be contributing to her colic. I don't feel bad. I was eating really poorly and now I am eating nothing but vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, some fruits and most importantly on this diet MUFAs. You'll have to read the diet to figure that one out. This diet is pretty much like all the other healthy diets--south beach, zone, insulin resistance--except I have found it easier than the others.

4. Help, I am drowning in clutter. Is it just me, or does everyone struggle with clutter as much as I do? Seems like there are always piles I have to deal with. I like to think I am good with organizing, but maybe I am not good at letting go, because you always need something a day after you get rid of it. Besides what do you do with it all?

5. Insurance companies are evil bastards--I got a bill for $305 this week for a lab that should have been 100% covered. I called a million people (okay, three - the three companies involved, my doctor's office, the lab billing and the insurance company). After a couple of hours and no answers later I was ready to have a meltdown. The only conclusion that came from all three was that the lab was not in my network. But, how did it happen that it was sent to an out of network lab...After several days and more calls the conclusion is that either the insurance will pay or the dr.'s office will, but I do not have to pay. Whew! I'll admit in my half starved, over-tired state I shed a few tears, while no one was watching. I don't know why this particular incident seemed like the end of the world to me. Maybe it had to do with the five loads of laundry piled around my living room I was attempting to conquer at the same time.

6. How do all you mommies and grand mommies keep a two year entertained (short attention span) while getting stuff done around the house and also juggling a newborn. Alexander always wants all eyes on him, or playing with him, or he must watch T.V. I don't want him to watch so much T.V., but every time I have to leave the room or breastfeed he starts breaking stuff, or has to follow me, or sit next to me, or hit the baby. Eeek, what to do with the dethroned first child?

7. Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, for all the blessings he gives us even in these troubled times. He is with us and He shows us signs everyday. Do not forget to thank him today.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Kristiana's Rites of Initiation - Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Communion


BAPTISM (see video), CHRISMATION, HOLY COMMUNION