Fall Days to Fall For

After what seems like a crazy couple of weeks Will, Cam and I enjoyed a relaxing day at home today with nothing 'to do' on our schedule. The fact that the rain stopped made for an even nicer day to be home playing, being Friday seemed to help a bit too. Between working with Jon, getting sick and school commitments I feel like it's been forever since I've had a day with my two little ones. After breakfast we headed outside for some bike riding and driveway fun. Will had me take off his training wheels so he could try to ride without them. I never let go of his seat but he probably would have done a pretty good job if I had. Later we collected leaves and played Operation and Animal Pinball while Camryn napped. All in all it was a very relaxing and enjoyable day. I really hope there are more of those days ahead of us!

This is one of my favorite bushes. I love that it blooms like crazy in the fall. Now if I can just figure out what it is. Right now my roses and knock-out azaleas are blooming too. It really is a pretty time of year here. All the fall leaves mixed with pink blooms. Very different from the Novembers I remember growing up.

We were supposed to be collecting leaves but somehow Camryn interpreted that as licking the leaves. Lovely.

Showing off her favorite leaf. You can't really tell in this picture, but Camryn has a nasty snotty nose at the moment ... 'tis the season!

This is the face Will makes when you tell him to smile. Cracks me up. He has his prized leaves in his hand. I wanted to make place mats with them but Will decided he wanted to spread them out on the island in the kitchen between candle holders. That's my little decorator!

It has rained non-stop for the past three days and the ground is saturated. Here are a bunch of mushrooms we found in our flower beds today after the skies cleared. Will and Camryn were very interested in them and made me take this picture.

Ella Rae

Ella Rae was born last Monday night and I had to wait almost a week to meet her, thanks to being ill. But it was well worth the wait. Ella is just perfect! She reminds me a lot of Logan when he was born, only Ella has a ton of brown hair. She did what most 6 day old babies do while we were there ~ slept and pooped. Chris, Kristine and Logan are enjoying their new little bundle very much. Congratulations to them all. What a perfect little family! (And I don't know why blogger insists on putting all my pictures backwards in order, urgh! I can't even click and drag to rearrange them. Guess I need to brush-up on my blogger skills!)

Camryn was very interested in Baby Ella. Here she is pointing out that Ella has hands just like she does.

How come my baby girl looks so much bigger than their baby girl? Has that much time really passed us by?

Camryn was so excited she could barely contain herself.

Happy Mommy, Happy Baby.

Ahh, newborn love. There is nothing quite like it. I love babies ... I would have many more if they didn't grow up to be kids. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids. But there's just something about a newborn baby.

Kate has had a cough for a couple weeks so I had asked her to keep her distance from Ella. She didn't seem to mind too much. She made a couple picture for Ella and Ben weaved her a bracelet (that she can wear as a headband it's so big). But he weaved it himself on the weaving board he made himself. It was very sweet. They were all very excited about meeting Ella until we got there, then they just wanted to play with Logan. That was more than fine with me, gave me more time to get my baby fix!

Rasing Readers

Kate jumps into the car after school one day and exclaims "Mom, I got my Reading Record today!" ... "YAY! I'm so proud of you Katie!" I exclaim. As we drive away, Katie and Claire (a friend we car pool with) begin their normal 'on the way home' chatter, talking about their day, comparing the contents of their school bags and just being silly five year old girls. Listening to them a tear rolls down my cheek. Katie can read. Really read. I am heartbroken. Last year when Ben brought home his reading record for the first time I was so proud of him. What exciting times lie ahead as the world of literature unfolds in front of him. My first born reading, I was so happy for the little guy. But this time I'm sad. Not sad for Kate of course, she too is on the cusps of unlimited knowledge and imagiative places that reading will bring her. I'm just sad that she CAN read. That I have TWO school aged kids that can read. It's wonderful I know, but it has all happened so fast. I still see them (Ben and Katie) as I see Will and Camryn. A preschooler and a toddler. Forever annoying the heck out of each other and getting into everything. The world itself a magical place, growing and learning but still very much dependant on me for everything. I can't believe that inquisitive preschooler and funny blonde toddler are now in school and reading, and doing math, and science and speaking more Spanish than I ever will. How did this all happen?
Growing up there was a comic strip my mom put on our refrigerator that depicted a mom tucking-in her little boy for the night explaining "No dear, there is no pause button." As a teenager I always thought it was the stupidest thing I've ever read (Duh! Of course there is no pause button in life.) I always thought my mom was a little off her rocker to have taped it up there: surely mom isn't so dumb that she thinks there is a pause button and needs some stupid comic strip to remind her that's not true right?! Now I totally get it. (And as always, Mom was right;)

Medical Update

While my kidney infection appeared to be healing nicely, the strep throat was getting worse so I called my doctor. The nurse (who I liked up to this point) was just trying to blow me off and say ok I'll call in another prescription, sometimes if the strep is really rampant you need something more aggressive. Ok, but could you listen to me first?!!? I'm really not feeling well, my lungs hurt, my heart hurts and my neck is killing me. I can't turn my head and I feel like I can't take a deep breath. The nurse replies: That's probably all because of your cough. I DON'T HAVE A COUGH!! Ok let me get the doctor on the phone.
Turns out I have Streptococcus Pneumoniea and the beginning signs of Meningitis. Wonderful. Doctor puts me on some intense steroids and more antibiotics that I started last night, saying I should feel better by morning. Boy do I love that man! I woke up this morning a new woman!! I literally feel like I could run a marathon, but have been advised not to ... so I guess I'll just tackle the mountain of laundry that lies ahead. Anyway doing much better, thank you for all your concerns and emails. Modern medicine is a beautiful thing.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

As Liza put it, waking up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning to drive around in the dark, get lost, and then run a 5K next to planes taking off and landing wearing a Super-Mom cape is, well, it's CRAZY. But I'm going to file it under The Good category for now. I think we could all use a little more crazy in our life, keeps us young, flexible and entertained. Running on the airport runway in capes wasn't our idea of a wild Halloween prank, it was an actual race. On the runway. Too interesting to pass up. On Halloween morning. Way too interesting to pass up. As Frances and I explained to Liza, with a race like this on Halloween you just HAVE to dress-up, EVERYONE will be in costume. So maybe we were a little off ... there were like ten people in costume. Com'on people!! It's Halloween morning, you are running at one of the busiest airports in the country lets have some fun. We might have gotten some funny looks and wise cracks, but no one can say we take ourselves too seriously around here.

Here we are donning our capes that Frances made. You are quite the crafty lady Frances! Thanks for all your time and effort! They are great capes.

I figured the race would be pretty fast considering it was on a flat runway and all. My 7:40/min mile wasn't my best by any means ... it's actually 'my pace'. I need to work on getting out of that pace. Speed work is on my list of things to start next week.

Here I am later that night dressed as The Perfect Wife and Mother. The kids didn't really get it. Either did Jon. I thought it was brilliant.

Little Camryn couldn't have been more excited to Trick-or Treat. She made the perfect little lion and I never tired of hearing her say 'tank oo' to everyone who gave her candy. She tried to go to the neighbors house today with my mom to get more, too cute!

Here's the whole gang. Notice the lack of theme?? I really wanted (and tried) to get everyone to go along with The Wizard of Oz theme. At first they were all on board, then Mr. Cool seven year old decides he wants to be a football player, and of course little brother had to follow suit. In the end they were all adorable and had a great time. I wonder when I should break it to my boys that they will never be allowed to play football??

The Bad. The Bad is my camera, my GOOD camera , the Nikon SLR is having issues. Again. Ugh. I think it may just need a good professional cleaning ... something it's never had in the two plus years I've been abusing it. I was told it would take SIX WEEKS to send away and get back. How am I supposed to part with it for six weeks? Well since it's not working at all I guess it wouldn't be any different than leaving it on the counter and wishing it would work for the next six weeks. Guess I'll add that to my list of things to do next week too.

So here comes the Ugly. I'm sick. Really sick. Gross, disgusting, want to die, sick. It really ain't pretty. If you know me at all you know how I avoid doctors at all costs. It's not that I don't like them, well maybe that's a small part of it, I just don't agree with most of the medical treatments in this country, it isn't all their fault, they are just doing what they have been taught. And they have been taught to treat the disease and give medicine to ease symptoms. God forbid anyone ask the question as to WHY things might be happening or looking into the actual cause of something instead of just writing a prescription to take care of the symptoms. I've had some weird stuff going on for over a week. Last Sunday night I started feeling pretty lousy, kind of ache and lethargic. When I started peeing blood the next morning, with LOTS of pain, I figured I must have a UTI. Keep in mind, that in 34 years I have NEVER had a UTI . So this was new to me. But I didn't freak out. I started drinking pure cranberry juice (yuck!) tons of water and doing shots of apple cider vinegar (double yuck!). I also called my doctor and made an appointment for Thursday (yes, I called my doctor). By Thursday I felt quite a bit better, I was pretty sure I kicked the infection out of my kidney since it was no longer killing me. My initial urine test on Thursday came up negative. They cultured it anyway and said I would get the results by Monday. Saturday morning was the race. I was feeling pretty good, but later that day I started getting really, really sore. Not something that usually happens after a 5K, a FLAT 5K at that. But I didn't think much of it. I had lifted (yes, weights ~ I lift weights) quite a bit that week and thought maybe I was still feeling the affects of that. Sunday morning rolls around and I'm feeling even worse ... by Sunday afternoon I am contemplating removing my right kidney myself ~ with a spoon if I have to. Then the fever, chills and sore throat kick in. Monday morning I was pretty sure I was going to die. Having my bladder fill up with blood and stain the toilet a dark brown was not helping any. I called my other doctor (I like to have choices) and Jon took me in (I couldn't even drive!). Turns out I had a RAGING Kidney infection AND Strep throat. Lovely. I get a shot of Penicillin in the rear and a prescription for oral antibiotics. This was after I passed out on the exam table. I'm sitting there as the doctor is exclaiming how he wouldn't want to trade places with me for a million bucks and I start seeing stars (that really does happen) ... as I start ripping off clothes the doctor looks at me and realizes I am about to bottom out. He lays me down and holds my feet over my head until the blood returns to my brain. So now, not only do I feel like I've been hit by a semi, I am totally embarrassed. My dear, dear husband however is texting (or emailing or whatever) and can't seem to be bothered to get out of his chair and help his sick wife. I love my husband, I do. I really do. But the man could use a little more compassion in his logical brain. Granted I'm emotional and overly dramatic enough for the two of us, but just a little concern every now and then would be nice. Even if it were forced, I don't care. Lie to me. Tell me you can't believe how sick I am and you feel really bad and you would do anything to make me better. The "uh-huh" isn't cutting it when I'm peeing quarter sized blood clots. Or at least get out of the chair and help the doctor hold my legs up while I'm loosing blood pressure. I swear the next time I go in there they are going to hand me brochures on the emotional abuse and neglect. For me this is normal, but I think the doctor was shocked and amazed. (Just kidding dear. I love you to pieces even though you really suck as a nurse!). So why is all of this happening to me? I don't know yet, I was too busy passing out to ask. But it's my goal to get to the bottom of it. After all this, all I'm going to say that modern medicine can be a very good thing. A little more than 24 hours later and my kidney is feeling so much better. I am peeing like a normal human again. The strep throat and fever are still kicking around, making it very difficult to keep up with my fluids, but I'm getting better, slowly. The best part? When I got back from the doctors on Monday there was a message from my other doctor saying they got the culture back and I did indeed have a pretty bad UTI. Thanks Sherlock, but I think I figured that one out on my own.

This is more like it!

Ahh, the fall weather we know and love has returned to North Carolina. Cool nights and mornings, warm sunny days with low humidity ~ kinda like Maine in July. It's perfect! Along with the nice weather my Aunt Kathy paid us a visit this week. It was so nice to spend time with her and so great of my cousin Vincent to send her here to visit her big sister. Will, Camryn and I spent Wednesday at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden with them and Thursday morning Camryn and I joined Ma and Kathy for a little antiquing in quaint little Waxhaw. Kathy is now off to Cali to visit Vince before he heads back to the middle east, and Ma is in Kentucky visiting the rest of her family and staying with Grandma.

Will in the Willow Maze at Daniel Stowe.

Sharing a pear along with some giggles.

Sometimes Will tolerates holding Camryn's hand, it just makes her day when he does.

Sisters.

Aunt Kathy and Ma walking with Cam at Daniel Stowe.

I was chasing butterflies all around the orchid pavilion when this one decided to land on me. Very cool.

Camryn was very impressed.

Our trees have just started to turn.

Logan's Birthday Party

Cousin Logan's 3rd Birthday Party was this weekend at Gymboree in Huntersville. I love living close enough to Chris and Kristine that our kids get to grow-up together. I only got to see my cousins a couple times a year when I was little, and while it was always very special, I did long to know them all better. I really hope our kids will continue to get closer as they get older, especially Will and Logan ~ they are only six weeks apart.
The birthday party was a hit! Can you tell by those smiles? Happy Birthday Logan, we love you! (The pictures go backwards in time ... I don't have time to fix though so just start at the bottom and scroll up ;)

"Yes. Yes, I do believe I like this cake stuff."

Make a wish!

Will and Logan singing and drumming together. I love this picture.

Logan couldn't be happier!

The gang clapping along ~ even Ben and Katie joined in!

Little Camryn was everywhere and into everything. She had a blast. (Frances, the dress is just adorable! Thank you!)

Look at that happy boy!