Our Five Ring Circus: Just Words

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Just Words

Life lately...

* Dylan and Lexie are almost finished with week 3 of school.  Just another example of how time is flying.  They are both doing really well.  Dylan reads way above level and has been acing his tests.  Lexie loves her teacher, and loves school once she gets there, but hates the bus ride.  Because of this, she's miserable most mornings.  We live just 6 short minutes from the school, but their bus picks them up 1 hour and 15 minutes before school starts.  That's just beyond ridiculous.  They end up riding the bus for over 45 minutes.  Dylan never complained about the bus ride, but Lexie dreads it.  I drove them to school this morning, and it was wonderful.  We got to sleep in an hour, and leave an hour after the bus arrives.  This morning went perfectly, and Lexie was excited to go to school!  That being said, I don't want to drive them every single day.

*I forgot what it was like to have a toddler.  Selective memory perhaps?!?  Little Miss Liliana is into EVERYTHING!  I spend most of my time chasing her around.  She runs from me, cracking up as she goes, climbs up onto everything, is a walking tornado (TOYNADO!), and is so mischievous!  She can scale the climbing wall to our playset and go down the slide in less than 30 seconds.  She both amazes me and terrifies me!

*Lily went back to hematology/oncology at the end of August.  She had been getting weekly blood draws (which completely sucked) so they could analyze the results and see if there was a pattern.  The good news is that her hemoglobin (iron level) is going up.  She is still anemic, but it's minor.  She still has Neutropenia, and they don't know why.  If it had been cyclic, her numbers would have been high, then gone down, then gone back up.  Her numbers dropped every week.  Her doctor is puzzled.  However, she is very healthy, growing well, and developmentally ahead of the curve.  We are now just getting monthly blood work done, and go back to hematology/oncology in late November.  Once again, if she gets a fever over 101, we have to get her to the doctor immediately, because she can get very sick, very quickly if her counts are low.  Other than that, no precautions or worries.  I'm supposed to continue to nurse her, but that's not going to happen much longer.  She nurses only at night, for about 2 minutes, and then she's done!  I have to say, it's bittersweet!

*Storytime at the library started back up yesterday.  My friends bring their sons, too.  Summer storytime ended in late July, and Lily was still so well behaved then. Not yesterday.  Girl kept taking off out of the children's section, heading into the main library.  Gone are my relaxing visits with my awesome friends!

*Lexie loves gymnastics!  She really looks forward to it.  Today was her third class, and she has learned so much already.  I enjoy watching her!  I'm going to try to arrange for Lily to stay home while I take Lexie.  She came along twice, and I spent the entire time chasing her. She's beyond adorable, but exhausts me! The one time I went alone, I was able to watch the entire class.

*I missed the deadline for Fall baseball.  Dylan was really bummed, and I feel so bad!

*I've been meeting my friend at a local park almost every weekday morning.  They have a 1.3 mile difficult trail, and we walk that several times.  I consider it my therapy.  We spend the entire time talking, plus it's nice to spend an hour outside every morning!  The hills, though....they kick your butt!

*At the end of first grade, Dylan brought home his class project:  A pair of guppies.  On Sunday morning, he went into his room and started yelling for me.  He ran out and shouted, "There's a baby!  They had a baby!"  Well, there's never just ONE baby.  Sure enough, there were around 30 tiny flecks darting around the bowl.  I am not one to be able to kill something, so we're currently stuck with all the guppies.  Luckily a friend is taking some, and I'm sure some won't survive, but...I was half tempted to leave them outside of Dylan's 1st grade teacher's classroom door!

 *I haven't mentioned it much, but Grant's dad is very, very sick.  My husband and his family are going through a very rough time right now.  He's not going to get better, and hospice is now involved. We had to explain all this to Dylan and Lexie.  It's not something I ever wanted to do.

*Fall is coming.  The days are still very warm, but nights get cold.  Too cold for me.  I swear, I'm meant to live in the South! I'm always cold. So...I'm being dragged, kicking and screaming, into Fall.  I love Fall. I just hate the long winter that follows.  

*Speaking of Fall, I needed a new Fall centerpiece for my table.  My first mistake was taking Lexie to the store with me.  My second was actually letting her pick out the centerpiece.  She vetoed the beautiful wicker pumpkin adorned with flowers.  A "Cinderella" pumpkin now resides on my table.  It's an orange, glitter-covered wire pumpkin, and Lexie had to have it.  It is pretty, but not my first choice!

*Lexie had school pictures today, and Dylan has them tomorrow.  They are so expensive!  There's no way I'm paying $60+ for pictures that I don't even get to see first.  So I just bought a cheap ($23) basic package for each kid.  The pictures I take of them are better anyway!

*I feel like I'm constantly cleaning up messes.  Last week, it was a junk drawer that broke and spilled its contents all over my floor.  Tonight?  Somebody left the kitchen sink faucet running, with the drain plugged. I heard a splashing sound, and ran to the kitchen, only to find a wide river of water gushing through it.  Not only was the floor flooded, but the counter was as well!  The only plus to that mess is that my floor, counter, and area under my refrigerator are spotless!

12 comments:

  1. I was so excited to have the kids in public school this year for two reasons, book orders and school pictures. But like you the cost was CRAZY! And we have a favorite photo studio that only charges $79 for 45 minutes of time and you get all the edited pics on a flash drive so instead of boring school pictures we are doing that, now I better just decide what we are wearing! I love reading your blog, I really need to get back on the blogging wagon...

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  2. Kaylees almost at the end of week 3 of school too. She loves it. Sounds like your busy busy.

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  3. Ahhh .. the REALITIES of life with three kids. Fun at times, huh?? Good thing you get to start your morning with that walk. Gets you energized for the day to come.

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  4. It sounds like Macy and Lily are in the same exact stage, like you said, adorable but exhausting! I used to bring her with me to Graham's physical therapy and I just can't anymore. It was one thing to chase her around the lobby, but not she takes off and goes right into treatment room during other people's therapy. Then she shrieks if I pick her up. Oi vey!

    I am not looking forward to fall either, for the same reason as you. Winter will be here too soon.

    So sorry to hear about Gran't's dad! :( :(

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  5. I just had to pay for pictures too and I hate them everytime! I just buy them to keep for memory's sake!

    Sorry Grant's dad isn't doing well - you all have my prayers!

    I think I forgot how "active" toddlers are too! Ha!

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  6. Oh girl. I feel your pain. 3 kids is a lot of work and very constant! I love fall too but growing up in the south I know I belong there. Winter is my worst enemy! Praying still for Lily. It would be nerve wracking to constantly be wording about her catching something.

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  7. I could not imagine having blood drawn each week with my little one. When she was sick for that year, she had her blood drawn several times and with her rolling veins, it was so sad to see. It was very difficult for then to get the needle in and they would try over and over. I empathize with you and your baby. I will say prayers. Thank God she is doing very well otherwise. Hang in there mommy. I know it isn't easy.

    Mama Hen

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  8. Wow woman, you seriously have so much going on. Sorry to hear about Lilys blood draws and Grants dad too. I'll be sending prayers your way for sure!

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  9. I hate picture buying, they are ridiculous. So much money.

    I love fall weather but hate winter too.

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  10. I love fall but I dread winter!

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  11. We have never had the luxury of a school bus. But it is wonderful to have a carpool!

    I'm jealous of your walking! I walk my dogs every day but they are so slow!!! I'm not getting much real exercise!

    I love Lexie's pumpkin! But yeah, I like going to the store by myself! I get tired of being bugged for stuff!

    So glad Lily is well. I get tears in my eyes every time I read about Grant's dad. With my own dad in cancer treatments right now, for the third time. We just have to cherish every moment!

    I have always loved school pictures but yes, so expensive for what you get! I too buy the minimum for posterity and the frame I have!! Yes yours are way better!! Haha!

    I cannot dread winter. I do love it but it is too long! I love sweats, candles, running the fireplace, warm fuzzies, fresh crisp air with a (little) snow, two-hour delays, and some downtime to just watch TV!

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  12. I have to say though.. you make it look so easy with three!! I am only hoping I can look as good as you!

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