An the universe throws me another curve ball

Today I took the youngest two tikes to see good ole' Dr. H.  Our ENT.  Noah had an appointment for a re-check.  The last time we saw Dr. H it was more of an emergent situation.  Noah was screaming in pain and I called begging for them to fit us in immediately....which they did considering we were under a tornado watch or warning at the time....whichever one it is that they actually see a tornado.  We were the only people there that day....no wonder they fit me in.

Anyway today was our "2 week check-up" to make sure the antibiotics that Dr. H gave Noah worked.  Well since the Universe thinks I am awesome with dealing with sickness, guess what....his ears are still infected.  Yep, Dr. H said Noah will once again need surgery to put tubes back in.  And then he so casually mentioned that while he was under we might as well take his adenoids and tonsils.  I knew that part was coming.  Then he asked where in the world my children got such large adenoids and tonsils?

This is where it all went to hell in a hand basket.  I said..."well I've never had an ear infection, but I do have abnormally large tonsils.  I've had lots of doctors trying to take those suckers out for years, but I wouldn't let them."  Big Mistake.  HUGE.  Dr. H then told me to open wide and say Ahh.  He peeked in with his super cool light and tongue depressor and said "Holy smoke they are huge....we have got to get them out of there." 

He asked if my throat was bothering me now....which it is.  He then asked what kind of medicine I was on....to which I said none.  He then said that they were infected now with lots of puss and stuff on them.  And that whether I liked it or not he was getting those tonsils out of there.  He then proceeded to sit me in his fancy chair and suction the disgusting stuff off my tonsils.....too much information.  That's why I put all the cute pictures. 

So after he was done with me. I asked him to peek into Margot's ears....you know for shits and giggles. She had just gotten the all clear on her ears last week from Dr. B, our pediatrician.  So we held Margot down so Dr. H could take a peek and again he said "Holy smoke has she got fluid in those ears....yep I have to do something about those ears too." 

I told him just last week they were fine, and he disagreed based on the amount of fluid in them and the consistency of it. He asked how long this had been going on and when I told him since November, he was a little blown away that we hadn't made it there with Margot's own appointment by now.

So the next thing I know, Dr. H's sweet nurse is putting all three of us on his surgery schedule.  And while I committed to a date for the two youngest tikes, I would not commit to a date for me.  No three for one special for me.  Come on, we have all heard of the scary tonsil removal in an adult story.  No way am I doing that.  I'll keep my tonsils and my funk with me and that is exactly what I told Dr. H.  He took me very serious to my word because before I could get everyone loaded up and in the car he had called Josh to break the news to him and made him promise to see my tonsillectomy through.

And that my friends is how it goes here.  Never a dull moment.  Never a doctor visit that says...things are going great.  See you next year.  Or even see you in three months, nope it is more of a "see you for surgery in a few weeks", or "we need to get this kidney stone out right away", or "you really need to get that MRI now", or "she will then follow up with a neurosurgeon on Thursday", or "we need to repeat her blood work in a month", or "your blood work came back abnormal for xyz and we need to draw some more". 

Yes, that is what we have been going through here on top of stomach bugs, viruses and ear infections.  And it is no freaking fun.  AT ALL.  Yes, Margot has a diagnosis of Congenital Hypothyroidism.  We have no other diagnosis for her at the this time.  She is growing well and meeting all her age appropriate milestones, but we do have a surgery scheduled now and we also have an MRI on the books for her, with a follow up appointment with a neurosurgeon.  We could use your thoughts and prayers.

Noah has a diagnosis of shitty ears and abnormally large tonsils.  I hear his surgery won't be pretty either.  Although it will be prettier than mine.  I'm guessing my mother of the year award will be in the mail for making him go first and me being too chicken to do it.  So when you are praying for my sweet baby girl, please pray for my baby boy as well.  And hell go ahead and throw a little prayer in that Meredith's tubes stay put or we will be doing a three for one special that day.

And that my friends is a small sampling of what my life has been like for the last 7 months.  Okay let's be honest.  The last 15 months.  Margot has kept us on our toes.  But she is perfectly healthy and perfectly, perfect.  And for that I am so very thankful.

I hope you enjoyed my pictures from my impromptu photo shoot with Margot and Noah.  I am by no means a photographer.  I have the fancy camera, but I just point and shoot and I know that is sad.  But at least I am taking it out again and taking pictures.  My motivation to do that lately has been overshadowed by my exhaustion.  But Margot is growing so fast these days andI know I need to document it.  You can also see how easy it is too take pictures of two children when one is named Noah.  You ought to see the outtakes of trying to photograph three.  Well hell the only way for you to do that is for me to show you, so tomorrow I will.

And one last photo of Margot in deep thought.....I wonder how long she is going to point that thing in my face and yell Margot....Margot....clearly if Noah doesn't need to listen, then neither do I. 

Sometimes our similarties even scare myself....

People tell me all the time how much Meredith is such a mini-me.  I know her attitude is all me....there is absolutely no denying that.  I just never realized her much her mannerism are just like mine too.

Like mother....

Like daughter.....

Scary isn't it?

Sick of it...

I am sitting here typing this with my Kleenex box by my side, my nose running, my throat sore, my head aching and my eyes burning and I am longing for the days of summer, when no one is sick. 

Today is my 6th day with this cold.  The cold that came after the most awful stomach virus that has ever hit our family...pre and post tikes.  I am OVER it.  We have had RSV, fevers, the flu symptoms without the presence of the flu, bronchitis with breathing treatments, ear infections, more fevers, constant runny noses, the most awful stomach virus and kidney stones.  Dear Universe.....I have dealt with more than my fair share.....so take your sicknesses and shove it. 

My tikes are driving me crazy.  And I am not myself.  I'm exhausted, I'm irritable, I'm rundown and worn out.  I'm OVER IT!  Completely over it.  I long for the day that hearing my sweet children's voices at a high pitched squeal doesn't remind me of nails being scratched across a chalkboard.   I'm sick of being on edge and wanting to just retreat to my room with the door locked.  This is not me.  I thought about postpartum issues, but I am sure it is more cold and flu season issues.  I just want to feel well and while I am at it.....I am sick of my kids being sick.  Margot's nose has been a faucet that has been turned on since Halloween, and I am not exaggerating.  Poor baby has been so sick she probably has no idea what it is like to feel well and not have a fountain permanently attached to her face.

But despite all these illness that have plagued our family, we have managed to keep it real here. 

We have road monster trucks.

And we have gone bowling...

We got a jump start (thanks to garden club) and planted our spring garden.

 We have soaked up the beautiful weather outside.

We have gone fishing.

No we don't let illnesses keep us down.  I have tried convincing my husband to just blow up the house and build a new one.  I'm convinced that is the only way to get all the germs out.  Then once our house is rebuilt for insulation I'm going to just a cellophane type thing to keep it germ free.  Think that will work?  So Internets what has plagued your house this cold and flu season?

Meredith's first father-daughter dance

It seems like only yesterday my dad was toting me to my father-daughter dance.  No really, it does.  Am I old enough to have a child to be sending off to her own....I guess I do.  Sniff....Sniff.   So Saturday night was the big date.  We ordered the dress, grabbed some last minute shoes, borrowed some very costume jewelry from the babysitter
(unbeknown-st to me....thank you very much Carrie.)  And we did a sprinkle of makeup....and I mean a sprinkle.  Although someone....uh-hm Carrie....also gave her a little of that, so she also put on a sprinkle before I got a hold of her.  But none the less I have to say my baby looked beautiful and like a little lady.  She glowed with excitement and came home beaming from ear to ear over how much fun she had. 

Her dad was also very excited about his date and said he looks forward to doing this again and again and again.

My baby girl.....getting too big too fast.

Getting her dad to do the famous Meredith pose.

Pinning on his boutonniere

And attaching her corsage....today father/daughter dance....tomorrow prom.

Her first dance date was a double date too.  Here is she is with her gorgeous little friend Grace.

With their dads ready to head to the fancy restaraunt....Olive Garden.....girls choice!

I'd say she was having a good time.

Dancing with her friends.

They had a table where she could make a mask.

And here is the room full of girls and their dads....well the dads are somewhere right?   I guess they are like thirteen year old boys and stand around the perimeter of the room too.

When she got home she was just as excited as when she left and a little bit tired.

She started showing me how she danced.

And then she broke out in a rap song of some kind.....Peace out baby!

Cowboy day at school

On Friday Meredith had cowboy day at school.  This was actually our second cowboy day, since we jumped schools mid-year.  But that's okay because we have the cutest cowgirl gear around.  The kids not only dressed like cowgirls and cowboys, but they also ate cowboy food.  I signed up to bring Capri Suns because we all know how those cowboys LOVE Capri suns.  I also volunteered to bring anything they may be lacking for their cowboy meal, the teacher asked if I minded bringing some corn-beef hash.  I had no clue what that was.  I used the wonderful tool of  facebook to send her teacher a message asking what it was and where one might find this particular cowboy food.  Luckily this stuff came in a can and was easy to find.  My little cowgirl even tried it....she is so NOT her mama's daughter, because I wouldn't have even attempted it at her age or now. 

The rest of her cowboy meal included baked beans, bread, beef jerky and an oatmeal raisin cookie.....and don't forget that Capri sun....a very important part of a cowboy meal! 

Here is my little cowgirl....HEE HAW!

And her baby sister just sat in awe watching as she did her posing.  So we let her get in the next one.  She is so hunched over because her latest method to move from here to there is to scoot her booty on the wood floor while sitting up.  She leans over, moves her hands forward and then pulls her booty and chunky thighs forward.  It's adorable!  Here is the world's best big sister and her baby.

Enjoying her cowboy lunch at school.

And here is cowboy day at her old school back in September....I have to say she is a really cute cowgirl.

And this is what she looked like the first time she wore this cowgirl get up.  My has she grown.

What she says....priceless

How was school today bug?

"It was good, but Mrs. Parvin wasn't there because her son was sick."

Oh that's too bad, who was your teacher since she wasn't there.

"Well it was Mrs. Lisa and Mrs. Katie.......and Mrs. Bustitute."

Mrs Bustitute?

"Yeah Mrs. Bustitute!"

Mrs. Bus-ti-tute.....do you mean Mrs. Substitute?

"Oh yeah, that's it!"

Since you've been gone...

Since you've been gone.....well since I've been gone, but the song doesn't say that so.....since you've been gone...here is a little of what you missed.  Condensed.  Trust me...you want the condensed version.  And because blogger and I are disagreeing over which orientation my pictures should be, this is now really condensed.  Damn you blogger!

Noah turned three and had a shark party to celebrate....

It was a join birthday party with his girlfriend Bella and all 6 of our kiddos matched...

Margot started eating baby food...and by the look on my face it must have been pretty tasty!

We once again took the kids to the north pole tea at the Roosevelt.

Noah was Joseph in a play and Bella was Mary.

For the most part Joseph sat still, but then......well he's three come on.

And they were the cutest Mary and Joseph ever, I think the star might have been a little jealous.

We made it to Christmas Eve Mass.

The guy in the big red suit and boy did he deliver...

and deliver.....

and deliver....

and deliver!

We snuggled and giggled and played, the entire two weeks Meredith had off for Christmas break.

Margot started sitting up by herself.

The kids took a train ride with Josh and got some funky looking cute train hats.

They were a tad excited about this experience.  Margot and I traveled by Yukon to pick them up from the following train station.  They beat us there, thanks to On-star.  That is a post for another day.