Why I Didn't Blog Last Night...

It's HER fault! The kids and I had gone up to visit my parents for the afternoon and she was fine. She fell asleep in the car on the way home and woke up screaming about 2 minutes from the house. We got home and I got her out of the car and she was fine. It was a little after 9 so I changed her and put her to bed. She wasn't having any of that and screamed until I came and got her up. I held her for a few minutes and just as she was about to drift off I put her back down.

Nope, didn't work. She screamed again. So I got her up and she hung out with John and I for awhile. At about 11 she was getting droopy eyed so I took her back to bed. Within a minute of me leaving the room she was LOSING IT! I picked her up to calm her down (which normally does the trick right away), uh-uh. She screamed so hard and so loud I was sure the neighbors could hear her...yet Max, Abby, and Lucy slept through it all! This screaming lasted for about 10-15 minutes.

During this time I was holding her and walking with her and she would arch her back and go stiff as a board then curl up into a tight little ball in my arms. John tried to take her and hold her and she wasn't having any of that either. By this time I was freaking out a little (okay, more than a little) and all of a sudden she just stopped screaming and took a big breath, sighed and laid her head on my shoulder. She went to sleep. I held her as she slept for about an hour then laid her back down around midnight.

About 15 - 20 minutes later she fussed/cried again but I was able to calm her down without holding her. At 1am she was awake and screaming in full force again. It was the same as before with the stiff body then curling up. I was patting her back and doing all the tricks (you learn a few when you've had 4 kids) to get a burp out in case this was just a massive gas bubble. It would just make her more upset.

By this point I was convinced something was wrong. I knew I couldn't take her to the ER in the condition she was in and John couldn't come with me because the other 3 were sleeping. We made the decision to call 911. A whole host of things was running through my head at this point as to what could be the problem. My biggest fear, by the way she was moving her body, was that it could be appendicitis. She obviously couldn't tell us what hurt so we made the decision we felt was best.

Just before the paramedics arrived she did something that REALLY freaked me out. She stopped screaming, closed her eyes, and her head flopped back over my arm and she went limp. At this point I thought I might need an ambulance too! It only lasted a few seconds and her eyes opened and she was alert and not screaming. Paramedics and EMS arrived, they checked her out and breathing was normal, her stomach felt and sounded normal and there were no other signs that indicated she needed to be taken in the ambulance. They assured me it wasn't appendicitis because otherwise she'd still be screaming.

They told us that it was up to us whether or not we wanted to take her but since she was alert, making eye contact with them, watching them as they talked with us and checked her out, and then even saying "bye" to them (I guess she wanted them to leave), they felt like there wasn't an emergency (but they did assure us that we did the right thing by calling). John and I decided that we'd wait to see if she would go to sleep and how she did but that I would be taking her to see her dr. in the morning regardless of how the rest of the night went.

She fell asleep on me about 5 minutes after paramedics and EMS left. That was at about 1:45 this morning. I was so freaked out that I sat up holding her until about 3:30. I put her in her bed and she was fine for the rest of the night until I went to get her up at about 9:15 to go to her dr. app't.

Dr. S. checked her out and aside from the hives she has all over her back (which I mistook for an eczema outbreak) she is fine and dandy. Ears, lungs, belly, nose, throat are all clear. He said she probably went limp due to a breath holding episode which a lot of kids will do (Lucy does this when she starts screaming...lips turn blue before she takes a breathe to scream again then she's fine...well, except for the rest of the fit!). Anyway, so that's that. Don't know what started it. I had given her Tylenol when she wouldn't go down when we got home because I thought maybe her teeth were bothering her but I don't think it was teeth that caused all of that last night.

So now you know why I didn't blog last night...

I'm Trying

I promise. I really am trying to get back to the blog but it has been hard these days getting a chance to sit down at the computer without constant interruptions. The kids are asleep tonight and John is at the neighbor's house with a bunch of guys watching...well duh...football. I thought, hey, the kitchen is clean, why don't I stay upstairs after the kids fall asleep and watch a movie and fold laundry?

Don't wanna...

Then I thought, okay, let's go downstairs and get on the computer and update the blog. I guess I am kinda sorta doing that but not in the way I need to or planned to. I just don't know what it is. Maybe it is because I am SO FAR BEHIND that I just don't feel like I can ever catch up (I have amazingly similar feelings when it comes to laundry!).

Well, I have changed the background and attempted (poorly but I did give it a shot) to change my header. I think the picture in the header might have come out a little creepy looking but I'll go in and fix it later. At least my blog has a fresh look if not a fresh post...but wait a minute...isn't this a fresh post? WOOHOO!

The picture in the header is the one I chose for our Christmas card this year. As we have added kids to the family the Christmas card photo shoot has gotten a little trickier. Below are some that ended up on the cutting room floor (so to speak)...

Take 1... REJECTED! for obvious reasons... (Hello creepy light coming down the side...and Ruby looks like she sees it on the stuffed reindeer) But doesn't Max look like he's saying something like, "Oh Abby, you're such a silly girl"...

Take 2... apparently the light must have zapped the reindeer away and Ruby isn't liking it! REJECTED!

Take 3...Ruby STILL showing much displeasure at the disappearance of Prancer, Abby is trying to look at the insides of her eyelids, Lucy is singing, and Max is just wondering how he was so blessed to have 3 sisters :)...REJECTED!

Take 4...Everyone is rejoicing that Prancer is back and Ruby is trying to figure out where he came from...REJECTED!

Take 5... "Ruby, show mommy what a "rein"deer in headlights looks like"...REJECTED!

Take 6...Max is taking a snooze and Ruby looks about ready to make a break for it...REJECTED!

Take 7...The reindeer has been replaced with a hairbrush because it was there and Ruby wanted it (why else?) Abby is hamming it up for the camera, Lucy is just being cute, and Max is like, "Dude, are we DONE yet?"...REJECTED!

Take 8...Ruby needed a moment to have a meltdown away from the camera because shame on me I tried to get the camera out of the picture...I didn't make that mistake again! I figured I'd get a shot of the cooperative (did I just use that word to describe my children?) ones...REJECTED (but cute!)

Take 9...Figures...as soon as Ruby decides to smile at the camera the other three are giving up...REJECTED!

Take 10...I'm losing them...Ruby is fascinated by the brush, Abby is half smiling, Lucy is smirking, and Max...well...not sure what that face is but do you notice the secret peace sign he is holding up right next to Abby's head...REJECTED!

Take 11...Ruby and the brush...REJECTED!

Take 12...Max and Abby are belting out Christmas Carols, Ruby is still all about the brush, but doesn't Lucy look adorable?...REJECTED!

Take 13...Almost a keeper...they are all FINALLY looking at the camera at the same time, no one is crying, smirking, sleeping, singing, or making kissy faces. Now if I could just get a smile out of everyone at the same time we could wrap this thing up...REJECTED...

Lucky 14!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

The brush is still there but who cares :)

Special thanks to...

Nana (my mom) for the Christmas pj's (she buys all 8 grandkids matching pj's every year) and Me! Because I flew solo on this since John was not home for some reason ;p

Hey, I guess I ended up doing a real post after all...YAY ME!

I'm Such a Slacker!!!

Please accept my apologies for being the "WORST BLOGGER EVER" (at least for the month of December anyway).

We have been extremely busy this past month and are still on the move. For some reason I got the "nesting instinct" (you know, the one a woman usually gets right before she gives birth?) after Thanksgiving...a year AFTER I had Ruby :P

My parents so graciously gave John 2 gallons of paint in the color I had picked out for the living room (because I was sneaky and told them he wanted it...HA!) for his birthday back in October. I got a Bee in my Bonnet or a Bug in my Butt or whatever and decided...ahem...insisted that the living room would be painted before Ruby's first birthday. Her party ( a small one) was planned for Sunday the 12th (her birthday was the 13th) and I wanted it done before then.

So one day I got out the painter's tape and taped the living room. Boy you should have seen the look on John's face when he got home...it was kind of like... "Oh cr**, she really wants to paint". Well, I wasn't about to let the Christmas tree into the living room until the walls were painted and since the tree was sitting out in the garage it just had to get done :)

Well, since we had some paint left over I went ahead and started painting the Butler's pantry the next day when John was at work thinking I would surprise him. Ummmm, I kinda thought we had more paint than we did and ran out before the whole thing was done. I couoldn't very well leave it that way could I? Nope. So I set out will all 4 of the kids to buy 1 more gallon.

Since I had even more paint I figured why not venture a little more into the foyer (our downstairs walls in the living room, dining room and foyer all flow together so I chose 1 color for all those areas ad it will also go up the stairs and through the upstairs hallway...like you care... HA!) So I taped four teeny tiny little walls going into the foyer thinking I could get it all done before John got home. Seriously, who was I kidding? REALLY hard to paint while 4 small kids are in the house... awake... demanding to be fed.

So what did I get when John got home that night...yeah, that same look :) Good thing he loves me :) So we got the walls painted before the party :) Party post to come later...

Fast forward to the Monday before Christmas. Since I hadn't yet finished my Christmas shopping or baking, I had all 4 kids at home full time since winter break had started, I hadn't done any of my baking yet (or laundry for that matter), and I obviously had SO much extra time on my hands, what did I do???? Taped and painted the dining room in 3 hours! Dang I'm good (or stubborn...I'll compromise and say both!) Ruby was taking awesome naps that day and Lucy even took one and Max and Abby were busy with friends so throwing caution to the wind I figured I'd surprise John.

I got everything done...AND even made dinner that night! The stinker didn't even notice when he came in the front door even thought I had the buffet lamps on in the dining room! It wasn't until after dinner when he was...GASP!...rinsing his dinner dishes that he saw the paint roller and brushes sitting by the sink drying. He had this panicked sound in his voice when he said, "What were you painting???" I showed him and I think I heard the sigh of relief when he realized it was all done :)

I explained that since we would be eating Christmas Eve dinner in that room it only made sense that it should be painted too. I mean really, how could he argue with that sound logic?

On Christmas Eve as he was setting the table he came in the kitchen and reluctantly told me that I was...choke...choke...gasp...gasp...wheeze...RIGHT about painting it :)

Now that you have read this ramble (you're still here aren't you?), I'll leave you until 2011...

Coming Attractions in the New Year...

Ruby's First Birthday
Abby's Tooth Drama
My Tooth Drama
Christmas

Good Night and Happy New Year...I hope 2011 brings Peace, Hope, Good Health, and Love to you all!

An Important Announcement...

Someone in this family...

I won't name any names...

but someone in this family will be turning 1 year old on Monday! (I REALLY hope you didn't think I was going to say I was pregnant!)

Here's a hint...

Hmmmmm...got any guesses?

I'm Here...

Lots to update on...when I'm feeling better...when everyone stopsa being sick for crying out loud!

Fighting a Losing Battle...Licking My Wounds...

I haven't been around the blog this week. How's that different from any other week you ask? Ha! This time I have an excuse :P

Last Tuesday evening our family began the epic battle against... A STOMACH VIRUS (insert high pitched screams)

Lucy got it good (well, really bad actually) Tuesday night about 10ish and so I ended up camping out with her on the living room floor where she was up and down to the bathroom several times during the night by 4am she had stopped getting sick. She was better (eating foods that she deemed would not make her stomach "blow up") by Wednesday evening. No school for her on Wednesday though and we are trapped in the house.

Friday morning, about 4:50am, Max woke up and went to the bathroom and ended up with diarrhea. He kept writhing in pain saying his stomach was "killing" him (have I mentioned before that my children are HIGHLY dramatic and that I expect each of them to win an Academy Award at some point in their lives?).

By 5:10 he was throwing up. 15 hours later...yes, I DID say 15 hours later he was done. No school for him on Friday needless to say and we were once again...trapped in the house. I also camped out with Max on the living room floor Friday night.

I should also mention on Friday Ruby got sick all over me, her, and the office floor...yuck.

Fast forward to Saturday morning and I wake up (who am I kidding? I couldn't sleep on the floor) nauseous and dizzy. I could feel it coming on. I pretty much felt like I had been hit by a truck all day. I figured...okay, not the bug, just worn out. Nope...it was the bug. So I was trapped in the house all day Saturday as well...sigh...

Sunday morning dawns and shines right in my eyes that are reeling in pain from a migraine. I was able to down some Motrin and sleep the edge of the pain off. By 8, John was ready for me to get out of the bed (all the kids were up). I was recovered well enough to take Lucy to a birthday party and bake and decorate the cutest turkey cupcakes for Lucy's Thanksgiving "party".

Also insert that Ruby threw up again randomly...

My husband, always the optimist ("I am 100% sure we are going to get this virus Staci"), was not gloating so much when he woke up early this morning with said virus. If he could have mustered up the energy he would have. I had told him the other day that if he got it I was going to call his mom and tell her to come and take care of him...he's harder than all 4 kids being sick at the same time! He stayed home from work in bed and although I couldn't play nursemaid (it's not like he coddles me either people) I did bring him ginger ale and water and crackers and called in sick for him (etc).

The last one to fall was Abby. She was the only one who didn't get hit with this the last time it made it's way through our house.

She came home from school today complaining of a belly ache. She got progressively "poopier" acting as time went on. About 5:30ish it hit. She has on;y gotten sick once and was acting for apple juice (I made her drink water) and crackers within about an hour). She has fallen asleep on the couch and I'll camp out with her tonight. No school for her tomorrow...we'll be trapped in the house :P

So, the bug has defeated us all and now he needs to get OUT OF MY HOUSE so I can get to everything I need to do before Wednesday! I have been spraying everything I think a sick person may have touched. Tomorrow is a deep...deep...deep cleaning of all bathrooms...guess it's a good thing I'll be trapped in the house anyway!

Happy Birthday Mama!

What an adorable couple :)

Happy, Happy Birthday to my awesome mama :)

She has always been there for us and has taught her three girls to be tough and "get it done". She has been friend and confidante and disciplinarian and a rock that we could always count on(and still can and do).

I hope she knows how much she is appreciated and loved. I can only hope and pray that I can be the kind of mom to my kids that she was to my sisters and me (although Mallory got away with so much more since she was the "baby").

She still worries about us even though we are grown and out of the house...a mom's work is never done I guess. Then we go and make her a "Nana" and multiply her worry (8 times!).

She is always thinking of others and how she can make someone feel better (of course she tells her own kids "oh you're fine, shake it off"... :P...Did I say I love you mom?)

She's not really big on confrontation but she is by NO MEANS a pushover! She says no and she means it, "gosh doty soctamolie".

Her grandkids LOVE her to pieces (mostly her stuff turns to pieces but she's okay with it when it happens..."Soooorrrrry Nana!"). I was talking to her the other day on the phone and when I hung up Lucy asked me who was on the phone. I told her I was talking to Nana and Lucy said, "Oh, I love Nana". I said, "Me too Lucy". She said, "I love her mommy, she's a nice girl!"

Oh yeah, she's also been known to give up her snack to her grandkids (they have inhaled a few bags of her Goldfish crackers from time to time!)

Mama, I hope your _ _th birthday is filled with love and peace (the kids and I will wait until this weekend to see you :) and joy. You deserve it.

Love and appreciation always and xoxoxoxoxoxox,

Your oldest baby,