Today, Heaven Opened Its Gates and the Angels Smiled Upon Me

(Q) You know what's better then having a child with a cold that just won't go the fuck away?
(A) Having a perfectly healthy child!

Kyra is going on a week and a half of sneezing, coughing and dribbling green snot from her nose. Remember the last time I complained about her having a cold? It was one month ago. That's it. One, little, itty-bitty month. I swear, the child has most of my looks, a great deal of my attitude and her father's immune system (or lack there of) thrown in for good measure.

Last week I was convinced she was going to eventually cough up one or both of her lungs. I was quite disappointed when she didn't. It would have been fun to see what it looks like on the outside of the body.

The cough and snot fest started to subside but never completely left.

Monday brought on a lack of appetite and a testier child then normal.

Tuesday morning Kyra vomited in her cereal bowl. As well as the table, her hands (which she swiped through her hair), a trail from the table to the potty and finally finished the never ending up chuck in the potty. Happy but easily cranky attitude continues though most of the day.

Wednesday brings an easily offended and crying toddler from the get go. Complaints of leg pains begin from the instant she climbs out of bed. Then, after lunch, the diarrhea kicked in.

I'm done. This is the cold that just doesn't stop giving and I call the pediatrician for reinforcements. The surprising and shocking thing of the day is not only can they fit me in, but "Can you be here in an hour?" Um, hell ya!

This is the first time she's seen her newly assigned pediatrician so I'm weary considering the last two visits.

I was thoroughly impressed from beginning to end with the new clinic and doctor. Every word that came from my mouth was listened to, notes taken and not shoved off as crap. Kyra's exam was fully hands on. She was looked at and touched from her ears to her legs.

Ears: looks good.
Nose: filled with snot.
Mouth: no obvious signs of sickness.
Neck: swollen lymph nodes.
Chest: raspy, gunky sounding lungs.
Belly: normal.
Legs: Kyra points out that they hurt, but no obvious signs as to why.

Diagnosis: She contracted one cold virus and as she was getting over that, contracted another, different cold virus.

I kept saying "She was getting better, then platoed, and now she's just off and pitiful in her day to day manner and refusing to eat more then 3 bites for meals."

They said the first cold was probably all upper respiratory. This second cold is upper respiratory as well as body aches and pains, thus the cranky behaviour and refusal to eat. She plain just doesn't feel good. Give her some Tylenol to help with the aches and pains and the upper respiratory should be good and gone in a week. If not, follow up next week.

We came home, gave her a dose of Tylenol and Voila! she's a whole new kid again. Magic! She still refused to eat her supper but she didn't cry and complain.

Who would have thought? Tylenol is the cure all. Hmph? Coughing and snot I can do. A cranky toddler who wants nothing more then to be permanently attached to my body for 3 days? Administer the Tylenol.

It's like Heaven opened its gates and the angels smiled upon me.

Now, if we can just get rid of all these damn colds.

The Good and The Bad

The good thing about Jeremy not being on deployment during this pregnancy is he can run out and get me random food items because "the fetus wants it."

Like, for lunch when I really wanted a Firehouse Sub or, tonight, after we left our friend's house where we were fed a full supper and I was happy and content but got home only to peruse the day's mail and find a menu for a local hole in the wall restaurant that has cheese fries with ranch dipping sauce. "Honey, the fetus wants these! Please? I love you!"

The bad thing about Jer not being on deployment is I have apparent sever bubble issues while pregnant. I don't want to be touched, kissed or have anyone closer then 12 inches from any point in my body. Jer doesn't understand this concept and throws his hands up every time I yell at him to "Don't touch me!" when he rubs my leg, puts his hand on my shoulder or leans in for a kiss and lingers to long.

You'd think after 4 weeks of my bubble issue he'd have the hint by now. But, no. He has yet to grasp this idea.

Still, the idea that he brings me home a Coke Slurpee every time he visits 7-11 far out weighs his lack of basic understanding when it comes to my bubble issues.

This Is What Happens When I Have Nothing To Say

I have had such a fabulous weekend I don't know how to put it into words. We didn't do anything specific. Shopped. Rearranged the living room. Cleaned house. Church. Window shopped. Ate ice cream for supper. The exciting part was that things just got accomplished. It wasn't another wasted weekend and that has absolutely thrilled me to pieces.

Friday evening Jeremy made our living room look completely different by simpling exchanging the couch on one wall with the television on the other wall. The results, after 5 months of living here I finally want to actually hang pictures on my walls. It doesn't look thrown together anymore, it's starting to look like a home. Which is quite nice.

After all, we still have at least 7 more months left living at the Mason Dixon Line.

I also bought my first piece of maternity clothing for this pregnancy. It was a dressy pair of crop pants that I would like to wear to a wedding I'll be attending in a month. What I learned from this purchase is that I'm not quite "maternity" size yet. But I'm hoping this might change in a month. At the very least, pop out just enough to hold my pants up. If not I'll be duct taping the suckers to keep the modest appearance I'm going for.

We've also decided we'll be needing a new stroller/car seat combo for the new babe when it gets here. We plucked Kyra's stroller out of the trunk to confine her so I could try on clothes and Jeremy wouldn't have to fight so hard keeping Krya both stationary and entertained. When he picked up the front wheels to hop a curb, one of the wheels fell off. Didn't roll away, just stayed where it was while the rest of the stroller carried on.

Combine the three wheeled stroller with the car seat Jeremy broke the canopy off years ago, we now have ourselves an excuse to buy something else over priced, shiny and new!

Seriously, it's the easy things in life that get us off.

Besides, Saturday I cleaned up the stroller, made it look less used and hauled it off to the local Goodwill. Hey, maybe some needy person knows what to do with at three wheeled stroller and a perfectly good car seat that's missing its canopy.

Oh, look there. I said I had no words to explain what a glorious weekend we had and there I go, rambling on. Guess I underestimated myself again. Or, maybe it's because I'm tired and I know if I shut up I might just actually fall asleep. And we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?

Really, I don't know where Kyra could possibly have picked up that trait. Yawn! RUN RUN RUN because if I stop I just might collapse in a heap where I stand! Certainly sounds nothing like me...

Favorite Parenting Moment

Kyra wraps my neck in a big bear hug, gives me a kiss and says "I love you, Mommy. You're my friend."

Smiley Faces for Lunch

At lunch Kyra decided her bologna was the perfect tool to make smiley faces out of. I thought it was so darned cute I took pictures. One day she'll be so very proud of first piece of edible artwork.

This first one she declared the cheese to be two eyes and a mouth. Couldn't you tell from first glance that's what it was?
Her second piece of work was created using her craisins and Spanish olives. A complete face- eyes, nose and mouth- that she even models for the camera.
Looks just like her doesn't it?

And those olives there... she ate one and declared they made her tongue feel funny. I'm not exactly sure what that means but she didn't eat the other three.

Father/Daughter Conversations That Happen On A Regular Basis

Kyra, supposed to be asleep...
Kyra: DADDY!
Jer: What?
Kyra: I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!
Jer: What do you need?
Kyra: Horsey needs to be under the blanket. His feet are cold.

Kyra often refers to Jeremy as Monkey instead of Daddy...
Kyra: MONKEY!
Jer: What do you need?
Kyra: I NEED YOU TO WIPE MY BOTTOM!
She's been wiping her own bottom for months now, but when Monkey is home she needs his help and only his help. Which suits me just fine!

Notice how Kyra always shouts to Jeremy? Its as if he doesn't listen if she's not shouting. One day she'll realize Daddy usually doesn't listen to Mommy unless she's shouting too...
Kyra: DADDY!
Jer: What, baby?
Kyra: My bottom itches.
Jer: What do you want me to do about it?
Kyra: I need you to scratch it!
Jer: Um, no. You can scratch your own bottom...?

Summing Up the Weekend

1- I might very well have ate my weight in salad this weekend. Pregnancy cravings or normal reaction to hot weather?

2- If I lived anywhere near a very tall cliff, Saturday could have very well been Kyra's last day on earth. She was an absolute holy terror and by 6 o'clock at night we were both in our respected beds crying when Jeremy came home from work. I'm sure his first reaction was an overwhelming desire to be back on the boat. Today? She was a peach. An absolute peach.

3- Kyra's latest thing is to pick up random books and ask if we'll read Army Wives to her. She's never seen Army Wives and I have no idea where she picked it up from, but Jeremy's using this as another reason for my corruption of his little girl. Shaking his head he repeats "First Oprah, then the news, now Army Wives." How can this possibly be my fault when Army Wives comes on at 10 and Kyra is in bed by 8?

4- Bishop and Cricket are still scratching and driving me crazy. Jeremy's been slathering them with some kind of flea spray every other day and tonight they received their second flea dip in a week. He says he didn't see a single flea on either of them while they were in the bath. Does this mean their flea free or the fleas jumped off and hunkered down in our rug until the dip effects wear off? Also, do you know if I can put two doses of Front Line a dog in three weeks?

There's Something Creepy Going On Around Here...

What are your guesses as to why a bodiless doll head is appearing next to my shampoo bottle?

Start Spreadin' The News

Hey Ya'll! Guess where I've been!

Vay-cay-tion! Vay-cay-tion! We went on vay-cay-tion!

It was our first family vacation in 3 years. The last time Jeremy has had time off work was three years ago when Kyra was brewing in my belly. We drove 20 hours- did you hear that? 20. Hours. with two dogs and a 2 year old -to The Natural State.

Or as I like to call it, Land of the Country Bumpkin.

Its Jeremy's home state and where my paternal side of the family resides. Even then, they don't live anywhere remotely close to one another, so after our 20 hour drive we still had to criss cross the state to see everyone. Gotta love the 4 dollar gas prices when you're traveling around in a gas guzzling SUV.

For 2 weeks we were all lost in our own bliss in the sticks. I came home 3 pounds lighter. Kyra came home in love with 4 wheelers and cows. Jeremy came home with chigger bites. The Babies came home with a flea infestation they've never-ever had before. Our time was lovely.

The best part of our vacation is the fact that we've all come home smiling, still speaking with one another and Jer and I aren't on the verge of signing divorce papers. Significantly better then our last family vacation. Always a good sign.

We were on a mission this vacation. We had to spread all kinds of wonderful and glorious news. It went a little something like this.

Kyra, take this picture to so-and-so and tell them "I have a present for you."

And they took a look and said, "Oh, Kyra, this is a picture of when you were a baby!" And Jeremy would chime in and say "Um, you might want to check the date on that." And they all screamed and cried and hugged and congratulated and Jer and I got all flustered and embarrassed over the attention.

The picture was similar to this one:

Except this one is from today and a much better shot.

Here are the stats as they stand today:
We started trying January 1st.
Success took place in early April.
Positive test the 28th of April.
Baby is 15 weeks and so far looks healthy.
I've lost 10 pounds to date!
Due date is January 6, 2009.
In and around week 39 they will decide weather or not I can deliver VBAC or repeat C-Section.

So, what'd'ya think?

You're not going to be all cocky and snottish and say "Oh, I already knew." because if you say that it'll just piss me off and I'll call you're bullshit. Some family members tried to pull that already and I just laughed because if the people we hang out with on a daily basis had no idea, people living in completely different states wouldn't figure it out either.

Besides, I'm hormonal and lets be really nice to me, m'kay?