Wednesday night is church night. We go at 6:00 for a quick meal (nothing better than having someone else cook for me!). From 6:15 to 6:45, there are a couple options for children who eat quickly. There is a sign by the entrance telling the kids that they may go down the hall to children's choir or upstairs to practice a short skit/drama to be performed for the rest of the kids later on.
After I finished eating on Wednesday, Nolan needed to use the bathroom. I took him out to the nearest restroom and observed a boy (around 8 years old), studying the choir/drama sign. He was reading the sign out loud. "'Chore' starts at 6:15".
His mother sounded amused and said, "It's 'choir', not 'chore'. You're mispronounciating it."
I managed to wait until I was out of the room before I started laughing.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
My student
Sam continues to amuse and amaze me with his love of learning. He is suddenly very interested in drawing and writing. He also is enjoying painting. We are almost out of watercolor paints, so that is definitely going on his Christmas list.
This morning, he brought me a piece of paper and asked me to sign my name. I did so, after verifying that he wanted me to write 'Mommy' and not 'Beth'. If I did it wrong, we all know I would be in hot water with him. I wrote my name and he took the paper back. He said he had more work to do.
Awhile later, he brought me this. I did not help him ONE bit. He just knows how to do this. I'm so proud of that little guy!
This morning, he brought me a piece of paper and asked me to sign my name. I did so, after verifying that he wanted me to write 'Mommy' and not 'Beth'. If I did it wrong, we all know I would be in hot water with him. I wrote my name and he took the paper back. He said he had more work to do.
Awhile later, he brought me this. I did not help him ONE bit. He just knows how to do this. I'm so proud of that little guy!
Overly effective medication
It's been a few weeks now since Sam started his daily inhaler. It does seem to be helping. Over the weekend, I commented to Bill that I was pleased with the fact that Sam hadn't had a single breathing episode since we started the daily inhaler.
THAT VERY NIGHT (Coincidence? Or does God have a sense of humor?) I heard Sam coughing after I put him in bed. Every minute or so, he was doing his gaspy, frantic-sounding cough. I listened for awhile and then went to check on him. He was asleep but moving around restlessly and coughing often. I got out his albuterol inhaler, which is stronger and to be used in instances like this. I read the box and saw that Sam could have 1-2 puffs every 4-6 hours. I figured I'd start with two puffs since he was having such a hard time. It's a bit tricky to wake up a sleeping child, convince him to breathe in his medication and then get him to drink water (the medicine isn't good for his teeth) before he nods back off. I did it and slipped back out of the room.
About a half hour later, I noticed it was perfectly silent in his room. I opened the door and peeked in. I was surprised at how still Sam was. I went over to his bed and tucked him in. Typically, he rolls over when I do this. He didn't move. I bent down over him and listened. Nothing. At this point, I have a tiny bit of panic in the back of mind. What have I done to this child??? Finally, I held my hand over his mouth and was able to detect breathing on my hand. Whew. He was still alive! I can not believe how soundly he was sleeping after I gave him that albuterol. It definitely works...almost too well!
Four days of albuterol twice daily and Sam was as good as new. Not one single breathing treatment with the nebulizer, which everyone was pleased about!
THAT VERY NIGHT (Coincidence? Or does God have a sense of humor?) I heard Sam coughing after I put him in bed. Every minute or so, he was doing his gaspy, frantic-sounding cough. I listened for awhile and then went to check on him. He was asleep but moving around restlessly and coughing often. I got out his albuterol inhaler, which is stronger and to be used in instances like this. I read the box and saw that Sam could have 1-2 puffs every 4-6 hours. I figured I'd start with two puffs since he was having such a hard time. It's a bit tricky to wake up a sleeping child, convince him to breathe in his medication and then get him to drink water (the medicine isn't good for his teeth) before he nods back off. I did it and slipped back out of the room.
About a half hour later, I noticed it was perfectly silent in his room. I opened the door and peeked in. I was surprised at how still Sam was. I went over to his bed and tucked him in. Typically, he rolls over when I do this. He didn't move. I bent down over him and listened. Nothing. At this point, I have a tiny bit of panic in the back of mind. What have I done to this child??? Finally, I held my hand over his mouth and was able to detect breathing on my hand. Whew. He was still alive! I can not believe how soundly he was sleeping after I gave him that albuterol. It definitely works...almost too well!
Four days of albuterol twice daily and Sam was as good as new. Not one single breathing treatment with the nebulizer, which everyone was pleased about!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Inappropriate content
Very early Thursday morning (around 2:45 a.m.), TJ got me up. I could tell something was wrong, because he didn't sound whiny or sleepy, he sounded anxious and a little frantic. He told me his tummy felt funny. I asked him if he was going to throw up and he said "Maybe!" and ran into my bathroom. He sat on the floor and started shaking. I was pretty sure he was going to vomit, so I stayed in bed. I could see him from where I was, and honestly, I didn't want to get any closer! Within a minute, Nolan stumbled in the room. He was very sleepy and confused and just wanted me to put him back in bed. I got up and was tucking him back in bed when I heard TJ vomit. My children very rarely throw up, but TJ has always been quite tidy about it. There was no mess to clean up. All I had to do was flush the toilet for him, set him up on the cot, hand him a bucket, and crawl back in bed.
The next morning, I decided I'd better keep him home from school. He was acting like TJ again, but I felt it was too soon to give him any food, and I didn't want him to vomit at school. So, I told Bill I would work from home and keep an eye on TJ.
TJ never did get sick again, so I guess something he ate had upset his stomach. He was pretty good about letting me get some work done and only occasionally needed something from me. He entertained himself by watching TV shows on Netflix and watching cat videos on YouTube (using our tiny netbook computer, since I was using the desk top).
At one point, TJ wanted to watch "Titanic" with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. He knows we own it (on VHS) and he has never seen it. I told him no, because of the inappropriate scenes in it. TJ was disappointed, but asked if I could find him a movie on the Hindenburg instead. I did a search on Netflix (I love that feature!) and found a movie called "Hindenburg" from the mid-1970s. It had George C. Scott in it. The movie was rated PG. I read the info on it and finally said, "I guess you can watch this TJ. I just hope there is no inappropriate content in it."
TJ replied confidently, "Oh, it's okay, Mom. I don't even think there was a toilet on The Hindenburg, so there won't be anything bad in the movie."
I laughed at his logic. He watched the movie and then came and told me it was done. He said there were a few scary parts. I asked if he watched those and he said, "Nope. I sat behind the chair until they were done."
The next morning, I decided I'd better keep him home from school. He was acting like TJ again, but I felt it was too soon to give him any food, and I didn't want him to vomit at school. So, I told Bill I would work from home and keep an eye on TJ.
TJ never did get sick again, so I guess something he ate had upset his stomach. He was pretty good about letting me get some work done and only occasionally needed something from me. He entertained himself by watching TV shows on Netflix and watching cat videos on YouTube (using our tiny netbook computer, since I was using the desk top).
At one point, TJ wanted to watch "Titanic" with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. He knows we own it (on VHS) and he has never seen it. I told him no, because of the inappropriate scenes in it. TJ was disappointed, but asked if I could find him a movie on the Hindenburg instead. I did a search on Netflix (I love that feature!) and found a movie called "Hindenburg" from the mid-1970s. It had George C. Scott in it. The movie was rated PG. I read the info on it and finally said, "I guess you can watch this TJ. I just hope there is no inappropriate content in it."
TJ replied confidently, "Oh, it's okay, Mom. I don't even think there was a toilet on The Hindenburg, so there won't be anything bad in the movie."
I laughed at his logic. He watched the movie and then came and told me it was done. He said there were a few scary parts. I asked if he watched those and he said, "Nope. I sat behind the chair until they were done."
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Things that make me laugh
TJ sees a commercial tonight that has Justin Bieber on it. He turns to Bill and says, "You know, I don't think he's that cool." I laughed and was extremely proud of him!
I have some orange-scented hand sanitizer sitting on my dresser. I keep meaning to put it in my purse, but it hasn't made it there yet. It might not ever make it there. Sam and Nolan are obsessed with it. They keep requesting that I put some on their hands. Only, Sam can't say 'hand sanitizer'. He calls it 'hanitizer'.
Nolan is learning about letters and sounds, and how you go about sounding out words. But he doesn't understand the connections at all. This morning, he's sitting on the toilet thoughtfully saying, "Cuh, Cuh, Cuh...dog" "Buh, Buh, Buh...Cat". I tried to show him how to properly sound out a word "Cuh, cuh, cuh, CAT" and then of course, he thought it was hysterical to keep doing it wrong.
I have some orange-scented hand sanitizer sitting on my dresser. I keep meaning to put it in my purse, but it hasn't made it there yet. It might not ever make it there. Sam and Nolan are obsessed with it. They keep requesting that I put some on their hands. Only, Sam can't say 'hand sanitizer'. He calls it 'hanitizer'.
Nolan is learning about letters and sounds, and how you go about sounding out words. But he doesn't understand the connections at all. This morning, he's sitting on the toilet thoughtfully saying, "Cuh, Cuh, Cuh...dog" "Buh, Buh, Buh...Cat". I tried to show him how to properly sound out a word "Cuh, cuh, cuh, CAT" and then of course, he thought it was hysterical to keep doing it wrong.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Nolan-isms
Nolan has just been a hoot to talk to lately. He uses such big words for such a small three-year-old.
**Yesterday, Grandma was on the computer. Nolan was playing behind her with Mia, my sister's dog. Suddenly, Nolan yelled out, "Grandma! We have a situation!" (Mia's dog toy had fallen in the pack-n-play and Nolan couldn't reach it)
**Last night, I was preparing to go to the wedding of a co-worker. I put on a new top and a long black skirt. Nolan wandered in my bedroom and watched me get ready. He said, "Mama, you look really nice!" I was genuinely flattered and started to thank him when he continued on, "You look JUST like Daddy!" Bill and I were both stumped by that one and Bill said it didn't sound like a compliment to either one of us.
**Nolan has still been struggling on the potty. He is afraid to poop on the potty, so he holds it in until he gets constipated. Then, his tummy hurts, but he's afraid to poop because he thinks it will hurt. Then he is simply unable to go more than teeny tiny amounts. We get stuck in a vicious cycle. I've been stuffing the boy with fiber and the other day, finally had to give him an enema because he was so miserable. I then got him comfortable on the potty and told him he needed to stay there until the poop came out. About ten minutes later, I heard his awed voice coming from the bathroom. "Mama. Come here! I did two huge poops. That was INCREDIBLE!" I laughed all the way down to the bathroom.
**Yesterday, Grandma was on the computer. Nolan was playing behind her with Mia, my sister's dog. Suddenly, Nolan yelled out, "Grandma! We have a situation!" (Mia's dog toy had fallen in the pack-n-play and Nolan couldn't reach it)
**Last night, I was preparing to go to the wedding of a co-worker. I put on a new top and a long black skirt. Nolan wandered in my bedroom and watched me get ready. He said, "Mama, you look really nice!" I was genuinely flattered and started to thank him when he continued on, "You look JUST like Daddy!" Bill and I were both stumped by that one and Bill said it didn't sound like a compliment to either one of us.
**Nolan has still been struggling on the potty. He is afraid to poop on the potty, so he holds it in until he gets constipated. Then, his tummy hurts, but he's afraid to poop because he thinks it will hurt. Then he is simply unable to go more than teeny tiny amounts. We get stuck in a vicious cycle. I've been stuffing the boy with fiber and the other day, finally had to give him an enema because he was so miserable. I then got him comfortable on the potty and told him he needed to stay there until the poop came out. About ten minutes later, I heard his awed voice coming from the bathroom. "Mama. Come here! I did two huge poops. That was INCREDIBLE!" I laughed all the way down to the bathroom.
Music Lessons
A week ago Thursday, TJ began taking weekly piano lessons. Their only downfall so far is how expensive they are. Good grief.
Anyway, TJ was excited to start. He doesn't call them 'piano lessons', he calls them his 'music lessons'. Bill brings him right after work on Thursday and stays at the woman's home while TJ has his lesson. He says TJ seems to have a lot of natural talent, but he has a lot of trouble focusing and sitting still. (Like father, like son???)
To date, TJ has had two lessons. Tonight at bedtime, he was fretting over where he was going to keep all of the awards he is going to win for playing the piano.
Cocky or confident? You decide. I'm just glad he is enjoying them. I want all of my children to love, appreciate, and understand music.
Anyway, TJ was excited to start. He doesn't call them 'piano lessons', he calls them his 'music lessons'. Bill brings him right after work on Thursday and stays at the woman's home while TJ has his lesson. He says TJ seems to have a lot of natural talent, but he has a lot of trouble focusing and sitting still. (Like father, like son???)
To date, TJ has had two lessons. Tonight at bedtime, he was fretting over where he was going to keep all of the awards he is going to win for playing the piano.
Cocky or confident? You decide. I'm just glad he is enjoying them. I want all of my children to love, appreciate, and understand music.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Allergies
Last week, I took Sam to see an allergist. When I took Sam to the ER for a prolonged asthma attack in late August, they advised me that we might want to get him tested for allergies, to see if they were aggravating his asthma. I asked his pediatrician about this at his five-year check-up, and she agreed he should be referred to an allergist. Personally, I didn't think he had allergies, but I agreed to get him checked. I figured it would be nice to rule something out.
I took Sam in last week Wednesday. They told me to anticipate a three-hour appointment. Again, I didn't think he had allergies, so I figured once I described Sam's medical history (lactose intolerance, severe reflux, tendency to catch colds), they wouldn't do the testing and would send us on our way. Well, I was wrong. Apparently, the reflux, the frequent colds, and of course, the asthma, are somehow connected to allergies. So, they did the full testing. Sam and I were there for 3 hours, 10 minutes.
First, they did the testing on his back. 59 scratches. They weren't extremely painful, but poor Sam was terrified. His doubting mother had done a lousy job of preparing him and he couldn't see what was happening. He was cooperative, but sobbed into his arms. It was rather heart-breaking. I attempted to distract him with a video on the iPad, but was only marginally successful.
There were no obvious signs of allergic reaction, which meant we had to go to the pokes on the arm. 10 on one arm, 8 on the other. These were more invasive (like getting 18 TB tests), but since Sam could see what was happening, he didn't cry. He made awful (humorous) faces at the nurses, but held still. They marveled over how well he handled this. My Sam is a tough little boy. The fact that they gave him prizes each time we finished a round of testing helped. Why he selected a sparkly blue ring as one of his prizes was a mystery to me, but I certainly wasn't going to stop him!
When all was said and done, Sam showed allergies to: dust, dogs, cats, mold, trees, and grass. No food allergies, thankfully. We need to keep Katie out of his room, he needs a better mattress pad and pillowcase cover, and we need to use good common sense with how much junk we expose him to (we need to keep his bedroom window closed). He is also on a daily inhaler to try and keep his asthma under control. I have a second inhaler with stronger medicine in it for when he has colds or an actual asthma attack. We have time to decide if we want to do allergy shots. Frankly, I don't want that type of commitment, so I want to see if the inhaler works first. Sam doesn't mind it and says it is helping him breathe better.
After the appointment, I took Sam to Kohl's, where he got new pajamas (see picture above!), a decorative pumpkin that blinks, and a small, glittery Christmas candle that also blinks. He felt much better after our shopping trip, and I felt a little less guilty about the whole experience. Poor Sam.
I took Sam in last week Wednesday. They told me to anticipate a three-hour appointment. Again, I didn't think he had allergies, so I figured once I described Sam's medical history (lactose intolerance, severe reflux, tendency to catch colds), they wouldn't do the testing and would send us on our way. Well, I was wrong. Apparently, the reflux, the frequent colds, and of course, the asthma, are somehow connected to allergies. So, they did the full testing. Sam and I were there for 3 hours, 10 minutes.
First, they did the testing on his back. 59 scratches. They weren't extremely painful, but poor Sam was terrified. His doubting mother had done a lousy job of preparing him and he couldn't see what was happening. He was cooperative, but sobbed into his arms. It was rather heart-breaking. I attempted to distract him with a video on the iPad, but was only marginally successful.
There were no obvious signs of allergic reaction, which meant we had to go to the pokes on the arm. 10 on one arm, 8 on the other. These were more invasive (like getting 18 TB tests), but since Sam could see what was happening, he didn't cry. He made awful (humorous) faces at the nurses, but held still. They marveled over how well he handled this. My Sam is a tough little boy. The fact that they gave him prizes each time we finished a round of testing helped. Why he selected a sparkly blue ring as one of his prizes was a mystery to me, but I certainly wasn't going to stop him!
When all was said and done, Sam showed allergies to: dust, dogs, cats, mold, trees, and grass. No food allergies, thankfully. We need to keep Katie out of his room, he needs a better mattress pad and pillowcase cover, and we need to use good common sense with how much junk we expose him to (we need to keep his bedroom window closed). He is also on a daily inhaler to try and keep his asthma under control. I have a second inhaler with stronger medicine in it for when he has colds or an actual asthma attack. We have time to decide if we want to do allergy shots. Frankly, I don't want that type of commitment, so I want to see if the inhaler works first. Sam doesn't mind it and says it is helping him breathe better.
After the appointment, I took Sam to Kohl's, where he got new pajamas (see picture above!), a decorative pumpkin that blinks, and a small, glittery Christmas candle that also blinks. He felt much better after our shopping trip, and I felt a little less guilty about the whole experience. Poor Sam.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
In case you are wondering
The original title of my last blog post was "Who is reading to who?". You may now notice that the title has been changed to "Who is reading to whom?" The grammar police (also known as my parents) could not bear to see my drastic error. So, to save their sanity and blood pressure, I corrected my mistake.
TJ was reading to his brothers again tonight. Sam was sitting next to him, repeatedly interrupting every time he spotted one of his sight words from school. "There's one!" "There's another one!" It was rather distracting...and amusing. For some reason, TJ never got mad. He just kept on carefully reading about Mr. Putter.
TJ was reading to his brothers again tonight. Sam was sitting next to him, repeatedly interrupting every time he spotted one of his sight words from school. "There's one!" "There's another one!" It was rather distracting...and amusing. For some reason, TJ never got mad. He just kept on carefully reading about Mr. Putter.
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