life

Isaac can climb over the buckets.

Ryan woke up with MY strep throat - I promise I tried not to share. Luckily he has a nice doctor who lets Ryan walk in at 7 am and will just write him a prescription.

I have been on the computer WAY too much this morning. Being sick makes me dumber I think.

I am very very very jealous that Mel got to hold baby Sage.

and the doctor said

OK, it was the PA - but the verdict was strep throat. So, antibiotics here I come. I haven't taken one since the BIG allergic reaction of '98. Hopefully I'm not allergic to this kind. At least it's not finals week, like in '98.

The PA did say the meds should kick the strep, but occasionally it doesn't work and then you get mono. I promptly informed him that as the mother of 4 I do no have time for mono, thank you very much. He agreed - nice man.

A big huge apology to all with whom I have had contact this last week. I really hope I did not get you sick and I honestly believed it was "just a cold". Shows how much I know. Dang.

odds and ends

Isaac got stuck in the bucket tape - heehee.

An example of Emily's clothing choices.

Nora's legs. She is a mosquito and bruise magnent. However, please notice the BEAUTIFUL shoes.

sit with diana day

Your tax dollars (if you live in AZ) pay for Diana and 7 or 8 other half day kindergartners to ride this big 'ol bus to school every day.

For some reason, a few weeks ago all the kids decided to start sitting in the back of the bus. After the swearing incident the second day of school on the home bus, we made it our policy to sit in the front of the bus and in order to maintain consistency, I asked Diana to sit in the front on the kindergarten bus too. Being the great kid she is, she said OK even though her friends REALLY want her to sit with them in the bus but once they have chosen a seat in the back they cannot move (she is the last one picked up). The nice bus driver, finally decided to do something about Diana in the front all by herself and has designated Wednesday and Friday "Sit by Diana days". It cracked me up and touched me as well. There are good people everywhere.

sick food

Lunch today: soup from a can that has been in the pantry forever (not expired yet though), O.J. (a special treat because we HAD to go to Wal-Mart this morning for Young Women's stuff), and rosemary bread toast. If only Jessica were here, we would lay on the couch and watch Winnie the Pooh.

super girl

We put together Emily's super girl costume today. Honestly, she is more excited about the leotard and red tights. She told me as I was doing the last stitches that her costume was "boring" but boring costumes are fun - whatever that means.

Here she is before and after adding the "S" to the front. I liked it without, but she wanted to have it. One thing I am getting better at as a mom is letting my kids have or wear or do stuff that I would say "no" to for no good reason, like Emily's pink and orange flower dress over her hot green flowered capris. Does it REALLY matter if she matches? Nope.




Other news, I have a cold, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat - ikkkk.

security breach

The tape on the buckets has been fun. Perfect for torturing little people.

On Friday I was in the kitchen and heard incriminating tape sounds and found this. I told Isaac "No" (my child development book assures me children understand "no" by 9 months and Isaac is now 10 months).

Later, I heard it again, but did not investigate immediately, and later found this and Isaac upstairs playing with the diapers.

Ryan started intensive "climbing down the stairs" lessons today. We shall see. Part of the problem is Isaac does not WANT to come down the stairs. Diapers are more interesting than toys.

We do have a gate that bolts onto the wall, but I'm a little tired of temporary holes in our house that will have to be patched and painted on the magical day when we decide to move away from AZ (which may be never, but that's a post for another day). Lets just say I do not heart the economy, but I do heart Isaac, even if he is more brilliant than I.

barricade

Isaac likes to climb UP the stairs.

Isaac does not know how to climb DOWN the stairs. It is dangerous and makes me nervous.

I bought a gate at Wal-Mart and broke it that same day, Ryan finished breaking it about a week later (we are quite a team).

I moved my food buckets in front of the stairs.

Isaac can move a 25 lb bucket of rice.







hahahahaha says Mom.

Of course, a few hours later, one of the girls had made an opening and up he went, and it's only a matter of time before he can climb the chair, over the buckets and up the stairs again. So, I moved the chair and with packing tape, taped all the buckets together and to the wall. As I was loading these pictures, he was screaming in rage at my brilliance. Ah, success. For now.

baby, baby, baby

Head on over to "Rosie and Stephen" for a precious pic of baby Sage and a happy update.

baby update

Baby Sage is doing well, but she DID NOT like her helicopter ride. For the latest news and updates, go over to the "mom and dad" link on the side for Mumsy's report, the diagnosis, and pictures. Thanks for all the prayers, this one is a strong one.

aunt jessica and baby sage

Baby Sage is here and has given the world a bit of a scare, but is on the mend. As if this pregnancy wasn't enough of a nightmare for poor Jess. She has been in labor for days with a bruised liver (thanks Sage), so she was really ready to deliver. Delivery went super, but Sage (weight 6 lb 14 oz or there abouts) was struggling to breathe and they discovered fluid around her lungs and had to get that off, after which her lungs inflated great and they were able to take some more pictures and saw some "shadows on her heart" that they weren't comfortable diagnosing or exploring in Logan, so Sage got to ride a helicopter to Primary Children's and will be evaluated, diagnosed, and treated there. Jess will spend the night in Logan at the hospital and then can go down to SLC to be with baby. All this seemed very catastrophic this morning in the flurry of panicked phone calls, but we are all feeling a lot, lot better this afternoon. Brian and Grandpa were able to go into the ICU before the flight to give Sage a blessing and she was promised no further complications so peace was restored. However, she may have a bit of a road ahead of her and Jess, Brian and baby would be very grateful for your prayers.

Grandma said the life flight crew was WONDERFUL and made sure Jessica saw baby again before the flight and were just very, very professional, in charge and great to work with, further making everyone feel a little better.

I will keep y'all posted as we find out more. Mumsy (aka Aunt Jeanne) is with David, Josh, and Katie, so you can catch her at the Logan house if you need to chat with the boss.

touring company

Emily went to the doctor today for another listen to her heart (actually 2 doctors listened today), and apparently the opera in her heart was the touring company and has moved on. Cosmic weirdness.

a what??

Emily had a check-up with the intestine doctor yesterday (poops are going MUCH better, by the way - hallelujah!). As part of the exam, Dr. Schenkein was listening to her heart and got a funny look on her face, listened some more and told me she thought Emily had a heart murmur. She listened a little more just to make sure and then gave us a little performance of what Em's heart sounds like, whoosh, pump, pump or something like that, different from the normal heart murmur that is like pump whoosh, pump or something. Anyhow, Em and I get to go have the primary doctor check it out on Monday and then probably the cardiologist which will of course take months to get into because that's how specialist work. Nothing like a little suspense to keep life interesting.

According to the web most heart murmurs are innocent and 100% no problemo, so it should be not big deal, but of course, the 5% of my brain that insists on the worst case scenario was in hyper-drive last night - ahhh anxiety dreams. Anyhow, the saga continues.

I told Emily we would probably have to go to another doctor who wanted to listen to her heart and she informed me that her heart sounds like this: lalalalalalalala! Mystery solved, it's not a murmur it's a full on opera in there.



In other news, Isaac has completely rejected "baby food" rice cereal, applesauce, the whole enchilada. Why is it my kids always have to do everything cold turkey???? I am at a bit of a loss as to what to feed him - more graham crackers anyone?

sunshine

Aunt Jessica said she was in need of some "Sunshine". So, here you go.

preschool

After talking about it for a year, Emily FINALLY got to go to Mrs. Billings pre-school and "it was great". She has so looked forward to this year and I think will do really well. Carole is a wonderful lady, no nonsense, but really loves her job and these kids. She and Emily should make a good pair. After breakfast Emily was rip roaring, ready to go and had to wait a whole hour until 8:30, so she decided to enhance her outfit with dress-ups. She was a little disappointed she couldn't wear her ensemble to school, but hey.

The official first day of school picture. Ryan has claimed the job of school supplies shopper, so he and Emily picked out her backpack. Yes, it is as big as she is, but who could resist all those hearts?

labor day madness

We bought a national Parks pass this year, so every day off, it's just a matter of picking a natl. park or monument and off we go. Monday we trucked down to Coolidge, AZ to the Hohokam ruins of Casa Grande. We not only saw the ruins, but 2 or 3 lizards and a snake - a successful outing. Although, as always, the juice pouches were the biggest hit. Any outing is only as good as the snacks!



Diana and Nora tend to get sunburned heads.


In the afternoon, Ryan took Emily and Diana climbing. Diana had a good day, Emily was off. Honestly, weekends are hard for Em. Dad isn't as keyed into the delicate balance we keep during the week and so her stress level goes up, affecting her poops, her attitude, and her general Emmy-ness. Here is Diana reaching the top of the wall. She was proud of herself