Happy Birthday Antie!

I think most of you have heard that Emma has been having tummy troubles. It is very sporadic, but has been going on since probably the beginning of the year. She gets terrible stomach cramps, throws up here and there and often gets the scoots. It does sound like the stomach flu, but it isn't. It usually lasts 24-48 hours, although she had a 4 day episode in May where we went to the dr. They weren't sure what it was but gave her some acid reflux medicine. (Usually her episodes start in the middle of the night or after she gets up in the morning). She had an episode a couple weeks ago and she had to miss school so we went back in. The doc sent her to a pediatric gastronologist this Weds. He did an initial exam and then they had to do the dreaded blood test. (And of course we kept getting lost in the hospital). They did a bunch of tests including testing for celiac disease (gluten allergy). The women in my family and also some in Steve's family have stomach issues too so the poor thing is probably screwed. Today we went back for an ultrasound and and xray where she had to drink Barium. I thought it was an MRI, but I guess not. They were also checking to make sure the tube to her stomach wasn't twisted. If it is she'd need surgery, although the dr is pretty sure it is probably abdominal migraines. I have never heard of those!

She was a trooper! She asked the cutest questions and was totally adorable. They mixed the barium with Hershey's syrup and she said it was delicious. She did have some trouble getting the pop rock thingies down, but they looked like shards of glass...I wouldn't have wanted them either! After she got all done the child liason lady let her pick a toy. She picked a Beanie Baby anteater..and I will name her Ant she said. We looked at the tag tonight and it's bday is today...how weird is that? Today she drew some ants and cut them out for him and tonight we had a bday party for Ant. She made him a hat and we wore party hats too. We sang Happy Bday to him and we celebrated with slices of cheese with candles in the middle. Of course I didn't have the camera! And she said real seriously to me, "Now Mom, you know I ate Ant's cheese for her don't you?"

We should know the results of everything early next week. The migraines are treatable with medicine (although she would have to have an EKG first, so that's a little creepy) and they also said you can outgrow them. Of course that might not be the problem, we'll wait and see. Right now she's feeling 100 percent!

I'll end this post with a tap dancing unicorn!

We've Made Progress!

We've had the hole in the back yard for a couple weeks...then it rained....

The cement dudes were finally able to get started and they've been here yesterday and today and this is what the back looks like now. Stay tuned for more excitement!

Halloween Hijinks

Since it was too windy to go to any Trick or Treat stuff tonight, we tackled the pumpkins. Emma is also excited that we are roasting some of the seeds. Can you tell whose pumpkin is whose? I just can't believe how artistic she is! Parker's was very simple and clean and also very cool.

Here they are in their costumes when we went to Night Eyes Friday night. It stopped raining long enough that we were able to go. We had about a million things to do this weekend (and the flu also hit us during some of the craziness) Emma wanted to be a unicorn or pony again (she's been one the last 2-3 years) but we could no longer squeeze her into it. Most of the little girl costumes were "prostitoty" and she didn't like them anyway...whew! We went with another unicorn. Unfortunately they only made them in small, but since it just sits around your waist we should get another couple years out of this. She gets a new costume and Parker ended up with a 25 cent Frankenstein mask. That is what he wanted to be, so everything worked out ok. Still trying to fit in time to go to LHF, also hitting a TorT thing tomorrow night at a park, and the local college on Thursday - weather permitting. And Steve is gone part of the week so I will be deranged by the weekend. Sprinkle in some TKD and dance and the week will go by in a blur.

Also wanted to post a some bday pics when Parker turned the big 0-8 on the 19th. He got bday muffins in the morning (he totally hearts muffins so that was perfect), wanted UB Funkeys and a Sponge Bob Cake.

I will try to post again soon with more details of other Happenings, but no promises. I've been getting some grief the blog hasn't been updated, but my life is nuts so you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!

Miss Noodle is Six!

I was going to post a goo goo baby picture of her and then realize I wasn't digital back then! Too much work this late at night to find a "regular" one and then scan. Maybe another day :-)

She has been WOUND up all day from the sounds of it. Apparently bday cupcakes aren't a good idea? Every single person she met today at school, at soccer, on the bus etc. heard it was her bday. I've never had to worry about her being shy.

I would post pics from the morning, but the camera currently hates me and we're having some uploading issues. So instead here is one of her (and her hair) recently at soccer. It was a little cold!

Goo Goo Babies

The kids were asking today about when they were goo-goo babies and again there was the story of how Parker didn't cry when he was born, but peed all over the doctor and then Emma screamed her head off. Pretty much they are still that way!

Then I jokingly said to them, "What if Mom had another baby?" I've asked before and they very adamantly say NO! Well that backfired on me today. Parker definitely wants a brother or sister. He said he didn't care if they cried and if it was a boy he wanted to name it Josh and if it's a girl Leah. He said you have a belly is there a baby in there? (He's not winning any points here!) He then wants to know how long it takes to get a baby in my tummy, how does the baby come out, etc etc... Emma says, "I know how the baby gets in there. Mom and Dad get married. When they decide to have a baby Mom takes a pill and gets a baby in her tummy. It's like those pills on TV that you put in water and turn into a farm animal." She was very serious as she's mentioned the pill things before...lol.

I told Parker that babies cry a lot and that he would have to help with the diapers. He said that was more of a thing that moms and dads do but he would play with it. I'd better get them the fish they've been asking for to take their minds off this baby business!

He's Got Catitude!

This time of year seems to come up so quickly...the dreaded annual vet appointment. Actually it's been 2 years. We kept procrastinating and last year it got away from us. When he was a kitten the visit went smoothly. He is now 12 plus, and does NOT like the vet. He never goes anywhere and so the minute he's in the car and them smells all the animals at the dr, it gets ugly. The last few years we've had to medicate him. The vet has a "Panic Attack" note in his chart. The vet would try to wear the leather bird gloves and Cooper would still try to gnaw his arm off. Each year we are given a pill to break in half. One half for this year, one half for next year. One year it was the big half and he would be a little more mellower than the small half year. He would try to hiss but couldn't quite attack. After we'd bring him home with his kitty hangover, you'd have to try to keep him from walking around for a bit since he was totally stoned. Once the buzz wore off, then he was mad at you for a day or two. This time the vet recommended the whole pill since he was pretty violent the last time. I haven't seen Cooper at all today, so apparently he's still sleeping of the 'ludes! Cooper can be a bit stuck up, but he generally isn't mean (well ok most of the time he's nice....). He was once an only child, then put up with two moves, then two kids and we never had any of the peeing, spraying, destroying issues so I'll give him props on that. Now that the kids are older he will let them pet him sometimes and he especially likes Emma. I'm of course his favorite and the minute the kids go to bed, he climbs out from sleeping under the bed and is attached to my side or lap for the rest of the night.

Thank goodness it's another year before checkup and shots! This is always way more stressful than when the kids got them!

P.S. He also doesn't like to wear hats!

So Far So Good!

I know, I know. It's been forever since I posted. Just busy with life as usual.

I've been getting some heat to post some updated pics of the front porch. Here is where it's at today. Steve has been working hard and got it shingled yesterday. I'm guessing a month or so from now they addition will be started and eventually that ugly siding and trim will be gone! The rooms will be added to the back of the house. Contrary to what someone thought - no - we are not jacking the house up and putting the basement under it. The basement is going in the back with two bedrooms above it. (The back of our house is already partially underground already) We're still in discussion about if we're keeping the rock front or not??

It's almost midnight so I'm off to bed.