Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Being a Mom


It doesn't get any better than this.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Let me take you down . . .

. . . 'cause I'm goin' to . . .

Jack: Mom? I want to go to Strawberry Fields.
Me: You do? Well maybe we can go there.
Dean: Nothing is real.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Balloon Conversation

When I arrived at daycare on Friday night, both boys had balloons - Jack's was pink and Dean's was red. It was one of the girls birthday and they had a little party. Dean's balloon was tied to his wrist but Jack insisted on just holding his. It was a windy night.
You see where this is going?
He and I both held the balloon out to the car but with the distraction of opening the car door and him climbing into the seat, we both let go. Dean let out a scream and I watched as Jack's balloon sailed away. Jack was heartbroken. I promised him we'd go to the farmer's market on Sunday and get him another one.
They got into their seats and we started driving home. As we neared our house, this is the conversation that took place:
Jack: Well, Dean you better be really, really careful with your balloon or else the wind is going to take it away and then you won't have a balloon anymore. Just like me.
Dean: Well, it's tied onto my wrist.
Jack: It doesn't matter, Dean! That wind is really, really strong and it will come and untie it from your wrist and then it will be gone. Then you won't have a balloon anymore. Just like me.
Dean: Well, ok.
Now Dean holds his balloon between his feet and it's making that awful squeaking noise. You know - that really annoying noise?
Jack: Dean. You're going to break your balloon.

Jack: Dean! Your balloon is going to pop.

Jack: DEAN!!!!! Your balloon is going to pop and then you're not going to have one anymore. DEANN!!!!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Updated: ENT Update

The boys had their appointment with the ENT doctor yesterday. He took a look at Jack's ears and determined that there is no fluid and both eardrums are responding to soundwaves. He is not concerned about his hearing but wants to have him back for a hearing test with the audiologist just to be thorough. His expectation is that his hearing is normal.
He looked at Dean's adenoids and determined that they are larger than normal but that it doesn't necessarily mean that he'll need surgery. He requested an xray of Dean's soft palate tissue and adenoids. We went to the imaging place after we had lunch. Sunday night when I was telling the boys that they were both going to the doctor, Jack said, "Oh, maybe when we are done at the doctor? Maybe we can go to dat rest'rant, 'member? Dat rest'rant where we got milkshakes? Dean, do you want to go to dat rest'rant tomorrow and get a milkshake?"
Yeah. So we went to dat rest'rant and got milkshakes. Chocolate for Jack and vanilla for Dean. When they told us the flavor that they wanted Tom just looked at me and said - it's just amazing. I knew exactly what he was talking about and nodded my head and smiled. We've often marvelled at how the DNA just seemed to split 50/50 with mine going to Jack and Tom's going to Dean. Down to their preferred milkshake flavor.
Anyway, we went to imaging place to get Dean's Xray. Jack was really jealous that he didn't get to have a picture taken of his bones. Now, we wait for the results.
I talked to the ENT on Friday. He was "impressed" with the size of Dean's tonsils and adenoids but not yet convinced that he needs surgery. He's leaving it up to us. We can do one of the following (or a combination of):
  1. observe him sleeping and if he stops breathing, count how much time until he starts breathing again. True apnea is 10 seconds between breaths. Watch him to see if he ever seems to struggle to breath. Watch him to see if he's getting restful sleep.
  2. Get a formal sleep study.
  3. Surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids.

We're leaning towards number 1.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Jack's Playdate Look

The boys had a playdate on Saturday. It was around 80 degrees so I dug out some shorts and short sleeved shirts. Jack's hair was hanging in his eyes (this was before the haircut) so I asked him if he wanted me to comb it back and put some gel in it to keep it off his forehead. He also wanted to wear a shirt like the one I was wearing. After he was dressed and gelled, I told him to go show Daddy how cute he was. He did and announced that I put jello in his hair.


Haircuts

It was about time the boys got some hair cuts.
Cute, huh?

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Best Valentine's Day Ever

Snuggled up in bed after reading a bedtime story:

Me: I love you boys. This was the best Valentine's Day ever.
Jack: What is your favorite Valentine's Day song?
Me: Oh, that's a tough one. Hmm, while I think about it why don't you tell me your favorite Valentine's Day song.
Jack: Well . . .
Dean: Well, I have a favorite Valentine's Day song.
Me: You do? What is it?
Dean: Well, it's a secret and if I tell you, it won't be a secret anymore.
Me: Oh. I just remembered what my favorite Valentine's Day song is! It's about a fuzzy caterpillar who curls up on a leaf . . .
Jack: starts singing the song

Best Valentine's Day Ever.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Valentine's Day Massacre

Jack: Well, I will use my sword and if a policeman comes up to me, I will cut him.
Me: But Jack, policemen are good. They protect you.
Jack: Protect me from what?
Me: From the bad guys.
Jack: What bad guys?
Me: Uh...
Dean: You mean like the Joker?
Me: Yeah! Like the Joker.
Jack: Well, if the Joker tries to get me I will cut him with my sword and I will cut his head off. And, even I will cut up his whole body.
Dean: What about his bloooooood?
Jack: Even I will cut him blood because he needs his blood and I will cut it.

Hmmm, maybe they were too young to watch SAW III.

Happy Valentine's Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrAdi-D6MJU

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

note from Great Grandpa and Great Grandma

Hi Jack and Dean,
Great Grandma and Grandpa received a package yesterday. Thank you for
the neat cup with your pictures on. We really like it. It is to neat to use, so
we put it on a shelf so you can watch us and we can see you.
Thank you so much. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL OF YOU.
We are getting a big snow now, we are to get 15 inches. You would love to play
and slide in it. Great Grandpa said we wouldn't get out of the drive for a few days.
You all take care. Thanks for the neat cup.
Love to all,
Great Grandpa and Grandma

Monday, February 12, 2007

The Ride Home

Jack: 'Member that time that grandma, your mom, came to our house and when we got home we got aprised?
Me: Yeah, I remember.
Jack: That was fun.
Me: Do you want grandma to come to our house for a visit?
Jack: Yeah, I love her.
Dean: But we're going to go visit her.
Me: That's right. We're going to go see her in the summertime.
Jack: Do she have toys at her house?
Me: Yes, she has toys.
Jack: What kinda toys?
Me: She has a closet that has toys and games in it.
Jack: When we go to her house can we play a game?
Me: Sure we can.
Jack: Then we'll be really aprised.

Thursday, February 08, 2007


Monday, February 05, 2007

Magical Unicorn

Dean sometimes doesn't like to take baths. Sometimes being always. It's ok, I get it. Having to get undressed, get in the water which is sometimes too cold and sometimes too hot, getting your hair washed when you don't really like water especially when it drips into your ears, then finally getting out which is always too cold. I get it. I used to tell my mom that I took a bath but I really just ran the water and then sat on the toilet and read a book. I always thought I was getting away with something but I'm pretty sure she just let it slide because she wasn't up for the fight.
Anyway, back to Dean. So the other night in order to wash his hair, I had to convince him that he would be a magical unicorn whenever he gets his hair washed and to prove it, I created a horn on his head.
He totally bought it. Check out the evidence:
Don't you think he's magical? I know. So, this really worked out well . . . until the horn came down. Whooo boy, the drama! Remember, this is the kid who is always gunning for the oscar so I should have known. I thought I prepared him well - I told him that he could only be a magical unicorn when he was in the bathtub but sometimes, there's just no reasoning. He got over it quickly and taking a picture of him preserved the magicalness.
In other news, remember we have a dog? Her name is Tikka and she's a big, energetic, hairy beast of a german shepherd. She is also really stinkin' smart and has figured out how to unlatch our back gate so she can take herself for walks and go a-visitin' with the neighborhood dog folk. Which is cool except that she's a big, energetic, hairy beast and some people, especially people with itty bitty terriers who walk their dogs on silly retractable leashes as if that's gonna control the little yappers, are afraid of beasts. Don't worry, I see the irony of that sentence and mostly I'm poking fun at myself because clearly, I am not controlling the hairy beast seein' how she keeps escaping. The new plan is that I take her for at least one walk a day but I shoot for 2 - one in the morning and one at night. Each walk is a minimum of 2 loops around our neighborhood which is roughly 1.8 miles . . . y'know, roughly. I mean I haven't driven it or anything.
I mapped it out on google.
The walks are helping and Tom fixed the gate so she can't unlatch it without opposable thumbs which even as I type this she is attempting to grow.
Here's a picture of the beast:Isn't she gorgeous?

Jack is being his same old lovey self and he and Dean played so well together on Saturday that Tom and I got a case of ambitious thinking. Yeah, we thought that was the start of a new trend and that we'd be able to get all kinds of things done around the house and peripheral environs this year. Like paint and stuff. But, by Sunday morning they were back to their crankypants selves and the dream of a freshly painted house went out the window. They're still the best boys I know.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

The love post

Jack: I hear Tikka! I love Tikka.
Me: She loves you, too.
Jack: I love you mom.
Me: I love you, too.
Jack: I love you Dean.
Dean: I love you, too.
Jack: Dean, were you a little bit sad today when I left?
Dean: Yeah because I didn't know where you went.
Jack: But I came back, didn't I?
Dean: Yeah you came back. I missed you.
Me: You guys are the best brothers.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Say what?

Tom and I took Jack to the doctor today because he has been having trouble hearing lately. At first, I just thought he wasn't paying attention but it lasted long enough that it was time to check him out. After taking a peek in his ears, the doc ordered a special test:
Acoustic immitance testing (tympanometry and acoustic reflex testing). This 2- to 3-minute test measures how well the middle ear relays sound. The soft tip of a small instrument is inserted into the ear canal and adjusted to achieve a tight seal. Sound and air pressure are then directed toward the eardrum. The test is not painful, but slight changes in pressure may be felt or the tone may be heard.
http://www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw222815.asp

The doc was given a printout of the results and where there should have been a bell curve, there was just a flat line. In other words, Jack's ear drum is not responding to sound waves. The doc saw some fluid in his ears and feels that's what is causing the hearing issue. He prescribed antibiotics and gave us the name and number of an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. If the antibiotics don't take care of the fluid and his hearing hasn't improved then he may have to have tubes in his ears.

We also took this opportunity to ask about Dean's snoring. Dean sounds like a pretty feisty bear cub when he's sleeping. The doctor asked if he snores continuously or if he has pauses and then snorting sounds. He does. That's apnea. The doctor thinks he has enlarged adenoids and also wants to send him to the ENT doctor. If he does have sleep apnea, and I'm pretty sure he does, then he'll have to have surgery to remove the adenoids.
http://www.webmd.com/hw/sleep_disorders/hw48845.asp

The doctor says it's all very treatable so that's good to know. We just hope neither of them will have to have surgery.