Two New Babies....

My daughter is well beyond outgrowing her children's furniture. We are going to move her to the secondary master bedroom. With her being our only girl, we feel that deserves her own bathroom. Who wants to share with two little brothers if you don't have too right? Yuck..enough said. 

So our week has been spent looking at new paint colors and "big girl" dressers. I'm trying to save a little dough and check out craigslist for a good deal. In doing that one day...I happened to just look at the pets section. And what did I find you ask? Sweet little ole Violet looking for a new home. She being a 5 month old Puggle, needed to find a new loving home. We already have a pup named Holly that we adopted or that should say...adopted us. So yes...I was just a little insane when I hit that email address wanting to know if Miss Violet still wanted a new home. Heck we JUST got Miss Holly house broken. I know I'm gluten for self punishment. 

Of course we got the call back that we were to late. Others beat me to the punch. I moved on and kept to the furniture section. 

Low and behold...the next day we get an email that Miss Violet is still needing a forever home. The people that were planning to take her never showed. I jumped on the phone and set up a meeting place to met her and see if we suited her taste. 

She took to us at first sight....she has been with us a week now and fits in with our family perfectly. She is 90% house broken already...so sweet and gentle with the kids and has made Holly her adopted sister or partner in crime. I say that because they've already ganged up on me and ripped me off of a pound and a half of sliced deli meat and managed to roll in 50 lbs of mud before running back into the house to spread their brown gold all over the family room and kitchen. Its fun bathing two nasty muddy dogs and trying to fend off a toddler who wants to join in the fun. 

With that said...she makes the best foot warmer at night and she keeps your lap warm and toasty during the day. We love her dearly. We've also renamed her...Meet Miss Layla Violet Wagner. 

My second baby is my new sewing machine...I've begged for a new one for what seems like ages! 

Book Smarts vs. Common Sense

My oldest and only girl is going to turn 7 in June. She was our first and by far the brightest of our three (so far). She excels so much academically. Reading on a 3rd grade level in 1st grade. Doing multiplications and word problems. Writing 2 page book reports. Things I didn't do until I was well into 3rd or 4th grade. And I'm no dumb chica, but she has much more book smarts that I ever did. 

HOWEVER, she is the typical airhead. Yes, I just called my 6 year old daughter an airhead. The Lord knows how much I love and adore her...but I swear she would go to school NAKED if I didn't remind her to dress herself. She is very independent. Not one to ask for help and always wants to do things her way. The only thing is....she literary FORGETS what the heck she is doing right in the middle of doing it. Is this normal for girls? No clue. I don't remember being so flighty at her age. She minds me of an older lady with a bad case of CRS (Can't Remember Shit). You know the type...I even have it on occasion. You walk into the kitchen to make coffee but forget why you went into the kitchen in the first place. Or taking off your shoes and making your way to put them away, yet you get side tracked and somehow they get placed in the freezer. Yes, I did that...but I blame that on my "mommy brain". Which I never had until my second was born. So I promise its not genetic. 

So I believe its a classic case of lack of common sense...which if you ask me, isn't very common. I've run across many who got the short end of that stick. But why my daughter? Seriously it drives me INSANE. How in the world do you help your children develop common sense or just to walk and chew gum at the same time without falling on their face? I'm clueless... Anyone have any bright ideas? I foresee my gorgeous girl becoming a rocket scientist yet, without the ability feed and cloth herself....HELP!

In Memory

Lola Grace "Bitty" Ellett

April 20th, 1954-April 26, 2009

Goodbye mama.

Sniff Sniff

It sure has been awhile. I'll try to keep this short. Mom is still on 100% ventilator. They moved her to another hospital called Kindred hospital that specializes in long term ICU care. She has kidney failure, heart attack, a septic infection and atrial fibrillation just to name a few that I can spell. It is still unresponsive to weaning her off the vent. We were basically told to prepare ourselves but hope for the best. 

Its just that once they treat her for something it causes other problems. Her amputation site looks good...but that's about all that is positive at the moment.

My screams for today are....

I'm down...depressed, bummed...pissed off at hospitals and doctors. Tired of trying to find people who give a crap enough to help care for my three while I go and visit my mother. Now that she is further away it will be even harder. I hate repeating myself to family and friends OVER and OVER again. Hate that people who haven't spoken with her in 30 years think now is the time to fly in and make their peace. I hate that in the back of my mind I think my husband really hopes that I make the choice to take her off the vent just so she will die and not live with us any longer and I'll not have to care for her. I hate the fact that she can't talk to me and tell me what she wants. I hate the fact that my mom can't hug me and tell me its okay.

I want my mommy....

Mom

She's been in the hospital since last Thursday. She developed eschar on three large spots on her foot. 8 months of the pain and wound clinic just did not help. The infection has gone down into the bone. They've been pumping major antibiotics in since Friday but its not working. Elevation has made some of the color around her toes improve but still not very well. They've called in two specialist. Both agree that the leg needs to come off right above the knee. My mom requested a second opinion, he should arrive sometime today. Although I don't blame her a bite for asking, I personal don't see a way to save it. Eschar also is appearing on the other foot.

I am living a horror. I have no idea what to do for her and she is not a strong person emotionally. I feel a little closed off, but I know I'm doing that to myself to keep my chin up. I have NO idea how I can still care for her after this. She being a very heavy woman...there is just no way I can help much without live in home care which we can not afford.

I feel like the worst daughter in the world not being able to be at the hospital with her as much as she needs me. But with the three kids, not really having family and friends that aren't working who can take them. I just can't be up there since its Spring Break and the kids are out of school. Ugh, its just a mess. I'm babbling....just keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

I want to say this to those reading. Take care of your body!!! Do it NOW. My father lost both his legs due to blood clots. He was a VERY active man all his life. But he smoked and drank like a fish and paid the price. My mother..never watched her diet or exercised much. Developed diabetes in midlife and didn't change her lifestyle. Diabetes WILL kill you. Don't put faith in medication alone...you yourself have to make changes early. She is only 54. So young..yet so old.

What I've learned about Boys

Growing up I was an only child to divorced parents. Same story that millions of others share. My mom was usually busy. Working or off to one of her auxiliary meetings or functions. I learned early how to develop multiple personalities. You have to, Barbie can't live in her dream home without friends, and My Little Pony would be awfully lonely in the stable without other candy colored four legged friends. It was easy. I decide who won the races or ate the best oats in the stable. I decided which Barbie wore the best clothes and got to go out with Ken. What was really hard though was board games. I never understood why people would gift an only child a board game. I'd play them though...two or three "personalities" at a time. Problem was, I couldn't decide which "me" I wanted to win. 

Now, all grown up and married I don't need those tag along losers anymore. I gave birth to more personalities than I can handle. Of course two of them are boys. I was scared to death when my first son was born. He was a BOY! I didn't know anything about little boys. What the heck did you do with that thing? Did you clean it? Have to make sure it was pointed in a certain direction? I was lost. Now two boys and 5 years later I know more about boys then about girls. Here are just a few I've learned along the way....

Firs thing I learned and learned quickly...Cover it! Before you get sprayed in the face...or better yet, they spray themselves in the face. They always look at you like YOU did it. You have to be a quick draw.

Second...boys are just dirty little monkeys. No getting around it. You dress them for church and somehow before they leave the bedroom, something in on their face, shirt and shoes. How DO they do it? I've decided that its a magnet. Yup, that's what the Adams Apple is...a huge giant dirt magnet. 

Third, boy are just gross. They are just wired differently than girls. In that faulty crossed wiring something makes them obsessed with their own bodily functions and the farts of others around them. I'm beginning to think being called a poopy head is an endearment.

Fourth....they already know their ancestor great great great great great great great great great great and so on Grand pappy Ugh-Unga Bunga invented the wheel...and still millions of generations later appreciate that invention. Anything with a wheel is to be rolled, driven, crashed, and raced. This last well until adulthood when loads of money gets thrown into a set of wheels. 

And then...there is the mother. All boys are mamas boys. Sorry, its just a fact. There is nothing in this world that is better than a mama....that is...until they reach the teen years and discover the shower soap. Then if their mama is still number one...I think therapy is needed. It's those boys that end up being 40 year old basement dwellers

And last...if that boy has a brother...there is a bond between brothers that nothing can break. It makes all that faulty wiring and dirty habits not matter. They strangle each other one moment then 2 seconds later would kill a rabid tiger to protect the other. Someone to dig holes with,build forts with, squash caterpillars with, talk shop, trucks, cars, and wheels...someone to beat up, someone to share popcorn with...

With all their faults and habits, I wouldn't trade them in for anything in the world...not even more girls. Now GIRLS have problems of their own...especially those with two little brothers. But that's another post.

 

Screams!

SCREAMS:

MY HUSBAND BOUGHT OUR 5 YEAR OLD SON HIS OWN TRUCK! A 68' FORD! Okay, okay, it barely runs, needs a major paint job, and a little body work but COME ON. He says it will be something for him to learn on and a way to bond together. 

Okay, maybe it sounds like a good idea. But wait...I foresee a curious boy going to try and DRIVE this truck that his father says is his.....I'm scared to death. I've been promised the battery will be taken out while John is not around and the wheels blocked. Not sure that is good enough for me. I'm paranoid. 

Ryan's also been promised it will be a 100% finished classic when they are done. Hopefully that won't take 20 years. 

Not much really going on here lately other than the truck which will arrive on Sunday. Ryan finally got his appointment to spend the night with the sleep center on the 14th. He seems pretty excited about it. Choose his daddy to stay with him. 

Just a few crafts I've been working on for Hannah. She picked out the fabric, but hasn't seen them yet. I can't wait to see what she thinks. Just standard pillow case dress patterns used. Also, bows to match.