Sick, again.

This "winter" (because, California. So what's winter?) I'm excepting as our sick season. This season is the first time as a mom that I've dealt with vomit. It seems pretty common and I thought it would come sooner in life but Garrett made it to three, and Addie to two before they threw up. (Not counting spit up, and Addie's cry/cough/barf episodes, but sick throw up is worse than upset throw up.)

It lasted a week in November, and those turned to colds that lasted till Christmas. We've been good most of January. And then this week. 

Side note: I've been more diligent this season than ever about shopping cart wipes, hand sanitizer after every store, every play ground, every walk, every elevator, etc. and good hand washing before every meal. For everyone. The kids even ask for sanitizer now when we leave somewhere. They call it squeezy squeezy. But whatever. 

Early Tuesday morning 2-3am Garrett threw up twice. He and I slept in the guest room the rest of the night and he slept fine. All day Tuesday he was his normal self. Said nothing hurt, he wasn't sick, he felt better, etc. We even took some friends to dinner that night and he ran and played with the kids and had fun. (Sorry friends.) I blamed it on expired ranch dressing from the night before. He went to bed Tuesday night and at 11pm I went to check him before going to bed and he was asleep in a pool of vomit. (New worst feeling as a mom: not hearing your child throw up, and then finding them asleep in it.) I cleaned him up and again, he and I slept in the guest room. At 1:30am he coughed a little, then threw up a little. I self diagnosed during the night. (because if I'm in bed with a child, I can't sleep) Everything I read online about night time vomit but fine during the day was related to a cold or post nasal drip. Garrett has been on an allergy med (off and on) for post nasal drip so I decided we needed to be more faithful with giving him that. 

Wednesday he was fine again. I was exhausted, but he was fine. Wednesday night before going to bed, I said to Paul, "you know those nights where you tell yourself, I HAVE to get some good sleep tonight or I will not function tomorrow? This is one of those nights." I slept in the guest room alone because Paul knew I needed sleep, and Garrett was in our bed with Paul just in case he got sick again. I fall asleep, and 50 minutes later was the end of rest for the night for me. 

Addie's turn. Between 11:20pm and 3:30 am she threw up at least 8 times. In that time we did four loads of laundry, scrubbed two carpets, and bathed her three times. She finally calmed down just before 4am, and then it was my turn. (Oh, Garrett had diarrhea in there somewhere and was frustrated with Addie screaming, so once again, ended up in the guest bed with me. Addie also had diarrhea.) At 4am when I finally felt like I may get a couple hours of sleep, I got sick. I was up at least twice an hour and by 7am it was time to start the day. But I was REALLY sick. Paul had a busy day, but was able to push everything off till 11:00 so I tried to sleep for a couple of hours and then it was time to put my game face on. The kids were feeling fine and watched tv all day. I napped when they napped and I laid down off and on until Paul got home that evening. It was a rough day. 

Today is a new day. We all slept great! The kids 12+ hours each, and I slept

10 hours. And I think we all feel better. 

I'm ready for spring! Not because much about the weather will change. I just want longer days and healthier people! 

I took this yesterday when I was in and out of consciousness. The kids were so

cute together, and I think they really liked having a tv day. They were taking turns massaging each other while watching a movie. 

predictions for 2014, re-cap of 2013

Disclaimer:  I realize the year is already more that 1/24th over, but I've had my predictions made and saved in a list on my phone since around Christmas.  So even though I was hopeful about my January prediction and now I'm not so much, I'm still keeping it the same.

Here are my 2013 predictions, and what actually happened:

January- I start Project 365 again.

I got this one right.

February-  William gets released from the NICU in St. George.

Wrong.  He was released in January. 

March- My parents strike it rich and start traveling to and from CA often so we don't have to.  Or they buy a condo here and stay for long amounts of time.

Wrong.  Of the three years we've been here, this year we traveled to Utah far less, and had less visitors. I guess the newness wore off, and people no longer miss us.  But, my parents did come visit in March.
  
April- Potty training Garrett begins.

Hah! Nope.  We went away for the weekend to Dana Point with the White's.  I did a lot of crafting, redecorating, etc. (way more fun than potty training.)

May- We go to Utah for Great Strides.

Yes!  I Paul and I, with the help of my whole family had a sweets booth to help raise more money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. William was also life flighted to Primary Children's Medical Center around this time, so we went a few days early to be with him and the rest of the family.  He was there for a month.

June- Paul and I go on an anniversary trip.

Yes!  We spent a few days in Vegas with Mara and Aron.

July- I get a(nother) speeding ticket.  I'm not wishing, just saying.  I struggle with speed guidelines limits, and it wouldn't surprise me.

Thankfully I was wrong on this one, too.  We enjoyed lots of beach days.  I did a lot of prep for a surprise party for Phil's 50th.  Garrett spent a week in Utah.

August- Scott and Laura announce that they are pregnant.

Nope. :(  Instead, Paul and I announced that #3 is on the way.  We had a surprise party for Phil.  Taylor, Samira and William came out for the party and surprised me!  My parents also came out for a week.

September- Taylor and Samira announce that they are expecting twins.

Nope. :(  We spent a week in St. George with the whole family.  Garrett turned three.  


October- Something awesome happens to us.

My mom came out for a few days just to hang with the kids.  I got to go to Atlanta to visit Mara and Aron all by myself!  Both of those things were pretty awesome.

November- Addie turns 2 and Paul and I discuss a 3rd child.  I'll also probably remember that I was supposed to start potty training Garrett in April, and I'll start potty training both kids at the same time.  (Can you tell this isn't on my priority list?)

Addie turned two.  Paul and I learned (on Paul's birthday) that baby #3 is a girl, so instead of discussing the possibility of a 3rd, we discussed girl names because we were so sure it was a boy! Thankfully, I very easily potty trained Garrett in three days back in August.  Addie started to want to sit on the potty, but not pee in it.  And I have a feeling that come March/April, I'll once again have two kids in diapers.  Everyone got a stomach bug but me in November. It turned to colds for the kids and they passed it back and forth until early January.  (Garrett, as usual, got the worst of it.)  We paid off our van, (and the Paul scratched the side of it against a cement pole two days later.)  I had an emergency root canal. I had one at this exact same point in my pregnancy with Addie too.  Apparently its common to have sensitive teeth while pregnant, and I'm a lucky one who's teeth problems and sensitivity surface only when I pregnant.  

December- We go to Utah for Christmas.  I successfully complete Project 365 for the second time.

Correct on both!

And here are my 2014 predictions:

January-  Paul gets a raise.

February- We figure out how to fit another kid and create an office space for Paul, and we do some painting/rearranging.  (This may take a miracle.)  We take a small family-of-four trip before baby.

March- People tell me I look more than 9 months pregnant.  Scott and Laura announce they're pregnant.

April- Baby #3 is born.  Taylor and Samira announce they are pregnant.

May- The rest of April and May are a blur.  (I already know I'll get that one right.)  We try really hard to make it to SLC for Great Strides.

June-  June is also a blur.  I get the older 2 in swim lessons.

July- We go on a White Family trip.

August- We go on a Greenhalgh family trip.  My older brother David gets engaged.

September- Garrett starts preschool

October- We slowly start the house shopping process and sell our extra car that we never drive.

November- We go to Utah for Thanksgiving.  David gets married.

December- We go on an unplanned trip.  Like a cruise or something that we win.  

Resolutions for 2014

I think my only resolution in 2013 was to return my shopping carts to the cart return. And I'm happy to report that I accomplished it! Not a single cart left at the side of my car, pushed up to a curb, or clustered with a herd of carts that looked like a cart return. Even at Costco. C'mon Costco, add a couple more cart returns near the back of the lot. Twice I wanted to ditch my cart and really thought about it. Once at Costco, once at Stater Bros. Both times I was mad at cashiers. But I didn't.

On to 2014. 

-Lower my expectations. Sounds like I'm giving up on someone or something, or like I'm being negative. But I'm not. And I'm always happier in general with lower expectations. Examples: going to see a movie, having/attending a party, reading a book, planning an outing for the kids, keeping up with traditions, going on vacation, having a conversation with spouse/in-laws/parents, eating out, trying a new recipe. I tend to have unreal hopes and expectations. I want everything to go smoothly, everyone to enjoy/communicate well, the movie to be better than the book, (ahem, Catching Fire, ahem), no one to pee their pants, or need to poo RIGHT NOW!! just as we're getting on a trolley ride, the food to look like the picture and taste as good as my house smells, etc. I'm not giving up. I'll still work really hard, get excited, plan fun things/parties, cook, go out, etc. but my overall expectations will be lower, and I think that's a really good thing. 

-Read and study more. Not 30 minutes a day or even daily. I'll fail. Just more. 

-Focus a lot on two words. Patience and Intentional. Mostly regarding my kids. But also, my marriage, myself, family, extended family, friendships, strangers, etc. Giving people the benefit of the doubt, believing that people are trying their best, trusting that people are inherently good, knowing that sometimes people (kids) are really trying to learn and just don't know any better. Get on the floor more and play trains and really talk about the fun we're having and what we're learning, take advantage of teaching moments, get excited about the little things that are oh so big to my kids, apologize quicker, slow down. 

Happy New Year

Our New Year's Eve was very simple. We picked up ice cream and mix-ins to make shakes. (Milk shakers, according to the kids.) We got a couple things to make waffles the next morning. And we picked up a pizza on the way home. We ate and watched Turbo. Made shakes. Took a couple pictures. And were all sound asleep right around midnight (east coast time). I text my friend in Atlanta at midnight her time (9pm our time) and said, " We're celebrating with you so we can go to bed now!" And we did.

We were well rested on New Year's Day and we headed to Huntington Beach. Garrett asked me on the way there where his swimming suit was. I told him it would be too cool so swim and the water would be really cold too. Famous last words I suppose. Lesson learned: if it involves Garrett and the ocean? ALWAYS bring a swimming suit. Watching Garrett at the beach energizes me. It's strange sounding maybe. But it's magical. He is so, SO happy at the beach, it just makes me even happier.

Happy New Year! Resolutions and predictions are up next, and then maybe I can officially accept 2014. Oh, and my blog(s) will soon be private. I know I've threatened this for almost a year, but it's real now. A comment from someone telling me a baby photo of Addie had been stolen and put on an adoption instagram account was what finally put me over the edge. Well, I guess clicking on the link provided and seeing my baby on a crazy IG adoption account is what really did it. It'll be before #3 comes, my blog(s) will require an email log in. I know it's annoying, but you don't have to read if that extra step is too much. I'll let you when in the coming weeks.

White Christmas (last name, not snow)

We got home Saturday night the 28th and had our last Christmas celebration the next morning. There was a giant pile of gifts and each of us had our own wrapping paper (assigned by my MIL). Garrett was over gift opening. He was happy to help pass them out at the beginning, but would not open a single one. When Addie got something he wanted, my MIL would tell him he had one like it and she'd try and get him to open it. Didn't work. He just wanted Addie's. So she'd open his. Or someone else would open it for him.

That's G's growing pile behind him.

Their main gifts were balance bikes. Garrett loved it. Addie liked to look at it but wasn't quite sure about getting on it. None of us thought about helmets so we didn't let them play for long. (Still need to get helmets.) Garrett slowly rides his up and down the hall but we haven't gone outside again with them yet. 

Paul and I got a deep freeze. Just what we wanted! 

After gifts, the in laws did a little activity for the kids. A live version of the book 'The Z was Zapped.' The kids LOVE this book. I can't find it in stores and I haven't ordered it online yet. And my MIL has had her copy for 20+ years. Garrett is always telling me what happens to each letter. "The R rolled off stage." "The M melted." "The I was Iced." And so on. Anyway, my creative in laws and sister in law made the stage (three stages actually so we could run from place to place and they'd each have time to set up their next letter), made all the letters, and acted out each letter. It was pretty amazing.

The B was bitten. It's a huge cookie.

 The D drowned. 

The F was flattened. It was foam and they stepped on it. 

Icing the I. 

Kidnapping the K. 

The M was made of wax and my FIL melted it on his warmed up grill cover. 

Putting nails in the N. 

Soaking the S. 

The kids totally loved it. It was really fun. 

And for the last activity of the night. Poppy got a mento soda launcher kit. And it true redneck fashion, my FIL pulled out a couple of 2-liters to see if it worked. And it did. 

I enjoyed the Utah white Christmas. But I don't mind hanging out outside on Christmas either. 

Christmas in Utah (Part 2)

Addie did not sleep well on this trip. (Unless she was snuggled up to her Daddy.) She napped once in the crib, and maybe slept there half of one night. It's nice that my parents have a crib though, I'm sure someday another grandchild will use it! When Addie got tired enough we usually found her like this.

Or this. 

Or this.

Or this.

Or this.

Or this. 

And sometimes Garrett joined her. 

Anyway, not a whole lot of sleep happened. But the good times still went on. 

Christmas morning. 

I took a gift for each of them to open just in case there wasn't much Christmas morning. (Haha. Never again.) 

We got cleaned up and headed to my Auntie's for lunch. And more gifts!

You can tell Garrett's the oldest Grandkid. He thinks he can keep up with the uncles. 

And Addie thinks she can keep up with Garrett. And she can. 

Later that night we went and played games at my Grandpa's house. And after that we did our annual trip to Denny's for late Christmas dinner. Except that, the Denny's near my parents closed, so this year we went to IHOP. This is our 5th year doing it, and we brought Taylor, my at Barbara and my grandpa with us. They all joined in on the leave-a-big-tip tradition. It's really so fun. And this year we stood outside and spied from the window to see our waiter's reaction, and it was a good one!

The next day we visited three sets of friends in SLC. I failed at picture taking. 

That night we went to the Zoo lights with the rest of northern Utah. 

We spent a lot of time just visiting and playing at my parents' and Grandpa's house, and in no time, it was time to say goodbye. 

And the next day it was Christmas with the Whites back in California. I will get caught up. I will get caught up...