Rain, rain, go away

Normally I don't mind rain. I know we need it, and the sound of it is comforting.

But I am in a wedding tomorrow.

My cousin's wedding.

And it's outside.

Yikes.

-------------------------

Not much else to report here. I am a little worried that Benjamin is getting some more chest congestion. If I still hear a trace of it on Monday, I will call the doctor. I know he is teething so he is a bit snotty. This constant rollercoaster is exhausting.

Especially when you're in the first trimester of your third pregnancy.

And you have an active and very talkative toddler and a baby who gets into everything.

Whoops. I guess that's not quite right. Andrew is a preschooler, not a toddler. But Benjamin is still my baby. So there.

Wordless Grilled Cheese Wednesday

Got 25 seconds?

Pause the music at the bottom of the page to hear his cute little giggle at the end!

I can handle some peanut butter poop

Benjamin had his swallow study on Friday.

Matthew had to meet me downtown at Children's to go in the room with him b/c I couldn't go in the xray room. LOL

It was confirmed that Benjamin is aspirating when he drinks the thin liquids, but not the nectar consistencies or the solids. They said to keep thickening his liquids to a nectar level for the next nine to twelve months and then come back for another study.

I think the worst part of all of it is that his poop is NAAAAASTY. Because he's not getting anything liquidy throughout the day, his poop has the consistency of peanut butter. It is the grossest thing ever and is very hard to clean.

So I was sitting in the waiting room feeling sorry for myself and then I met a mom. Her son was with her. He is 18 and in a wheelchair. He had casts on both arms. He doesn't talk. I'm not entirely sure what his situation was, but his mom said that he has gotten a cold every month for the past year and a half. They finally did surgery to clean out his lungs. Twenty minutes later, they were full again. They can't figure it out. He was there for a chest x-ray and an upper GI. She said they're talking about giving him a tube. She said that eating is the only thing in his life that gives him any joy. And now he won't be able to do that anymore.

Wow. And I realized that I can handle some peanut butter poop.

How an OCD mom organizes her time

I've always been obsessed with the thought of those really thick planners with all the tabs and the leather cover. I've perused through the calendars in Target and Franklin Covey, but as much as I like the idea of having one of those planners, my life has never been busy enough to warrant such a purchase. Let's face it; watching Project Runway and ordering a pizza don't exactly have to be written down in a planner. And the thought of having all that unused space would have bothered me.

In college I loved my planner. I found this particular one my freshman year that I really liked, and I tried to find one each year that was as good. It was just basically a monthly academic planner with large spots for each day because I, ahem, have rather large handwriting. Kind of like the apostle Paul. ;)

I figured that I was a monthly planner kind of girl. I don't need all those weekly things, and I most certainly don't need an hour-by-hour daily planner. Heaven forbid. I would spend all my free time filling in my planner!

Over the course of the past few years, I have tried to find a monthly planner for my purse that was the right size. But I never ended up using it. It was always stuck in my purse. Then I started carrying a diaper bag, and then a backpack. (I love my boys' monogrammed Pottery Barn Kids Fairfax backpacks. Click this link and look at the small backpack. Andrew has a navy one with red lettering, and Benjamin has a red one with white lettering. They're small enough for Andrew to carry to preschool next month, yet large enough for me to carry on my back when I'm grocery shopping and have no room in my cart for a bag or a purse. Also, I love having two so that I can leave a bag with each boy in the church nursery.)

So I resigned myself to the fact that I just can't handle carrying a planner in my bag. I pride myself on having a great memory (even though a lame Facebook quiz tried to tell me that my memory was only at 92% capacity), and I have never had a problem remembering when things were scheduled. But I needed a place to write down our family's appointments and activities. What better place than the refrigerator?

A few years ago, I bought one of those magnetic dry-erase calendars for the front of our fridge. Each month I would erase all the old stuff and add the new stuff. One downside of this method, however, is that it is hard to plan in advance. So each month, next to the calendar, would be a stack of appointment cards and reminders that were scheduled for the next month. Or the next.

Then that stack of appointment cards and reminders got too thick to fit under my magnet. So one day at Target, I saw it. The perfect calendar. And made by my most favorite magazine in the whole world, Real Simple. Sigh. It was a match made in OCD heaven.

Here is a link to the calendar at Amazon.com, but you can also buy it at Target. Don't be fooled by those random colors on the website (the same ones are shown at target.com). My colors are green, blue, yellow, and red. Each color has a sheet (as big as the calendar) of stickers so that you can organize things by person (here, Matthew, Angela, Andrew, and Benjamin) or categories (i.e., business, personal, church, community, etc.). It's an 18-month calendar, and while it's a pain to have to fill in every month and every day (b/c it's undated), it's nice that I don't have to worry about months that have already passed that I paid for but cannot use.

So now I have a great calendar for my fridge. Some things are not specfic to one person and may involve two, three, or four Amicks. So those things are not color-coded. I try to reuse some stickers (for instance "PT 8:30 a.m.") from month to month so I don't run out. I guarantee you that Benjamin is the busiest member of this family, so I try to conserve my red stickers.

Here is my July calendar:



And a close-up shot of the color-coding that is at the bottom of each month.



But then, it happened. I was at the doctor's office with Benjamin, having a follow-up visit about his pneumonia and all that jazz. We discussed needing to schedule a swallow study for Benjamin. Then she said, "In fact, wait right here, I'm going to go call the hospital right now. Are you going on vacation any time soon?" "Ummm...no..." I replied. And off she went.

I panicked. My July calendar with all its commitments and colors flashed before my face. I knew we didn't have any trips planned, but goodness knows we were already pretty booked. And I didn't know if my 32-year-old mommy brain could remember all that is now involved in being a busy, albeit special needs, family.

Thankfully, the date she gave me only interfered with my annual OB/GYN appointment, which I had just rescheduled that morning, but I was glad to able to move it a couple of weeks down the road later that day.

So off I went to Target again to buy a planner that I almost bought at the same time (I think in February?) I bought our fridge calendar. (OH, I almost forgot, the only bad thing about the Real Simple calendar is that it is not magnetic, but I use two heavy-duty magnet clips to attach it to our fridge. It's a good thing I had already looked through the calendars and had an idea of what I wanted, because this was the fateful Target trip when Andrew got sick, and time was not on my side.)

I bought two separate items from the Franklin Covey 365 collection. The leather cover was only $12.99, and the monthly/weekly (yes, I know) insert was $9.99. (Incidentally, not having a panic attack at the pediatrician's office = priceless.) Here is the picture of the leather cover (atop the wonderful blanket from the 80s that I "borrowed" from my mom. (It is the blanket we use to sit on when we go outside.)



And here is the inside. If you click the picture to make it larger, you will see that I have color coded this calendar to match (except that I have to pretend that pink = red, but I'm okay with that) the one on the fridge. To do that, I use my Sanford Accent Dry Pencils (Bible Highlighting Kit) that I bought a couple of years ago at our local Lifeway Christian Bookstore. I love these things. They are retractable, have thick, colored lead (I love thick lead) that does not bleed through even thin Bible pages. They're not that great to highlight over pencil (though I do it sometimes), but they do great with pen.



I decided not to stress about the weekly pages. Instead of stressing about filling in every day (weird, I know), I am just using that space to write down things I want to look up (what I wouldn't do for Google or IMDb in my head) or the never-ending lists that occur throughout the week. The things I write down don't have to be from that particular day or even that week, although I do try to put things down on the week where I think of them. It's like a giant Post-It note!



I try to keep my planner out in my kitchen near my fridge so that when I add something to the fridge calendar, I also add it to my planner. And vice versa. It isn't quite as small as I wish it was, but I can still fit it in my purse when I need to.



Wow. That took a lot longer than it should have. But, if you're OCD, you have to be OCD about telling people about your OCD. Otherwise, you're just an OCD-wannabe.

I Quit Weight Watchers Today

Let's Play Outside!

When I went to Texas last month, it was sweltering. I seriously don't know how people live in 105-degree weather on purpose.

Usually in the summer here, it's hot and humid. But lately, here in the Chattanooga/North Georgia area, the weather has been very nice lately. (Even though I had to reschedule a pool playdate today b/c of bad weather.) It's been 80 to 85 and just really, really nice.

So in the late afternoons, it's perfect to go outside and play. Andrew likes to run around, playing with trucks or his bubble mower. But basically he just wants to talk and talk. And talk.

I usually don't mind. But it's nice when Matthew is here and he can listen. He's been at work all day, talking to adults, so he enjoys the three-year-old blabber.

And I get to sit on the blanket with my sweet little pumpkin. Thankfully, he doesn't like the grass so he pretty much stays to the blanket. I have tried the past two times to bring something to read, but he isn't cool with that. He destroyed my Entertainment Weekly one day and tried to rip the concordance out of my Bible the next.

So next time if I bring some reading material, it will be a board book of the ABCs.

Here are some pictures from our last outing.

*This* close to picking his nose.



Straws are the best toys, and McDonald's straws are the best of the best.



A Family Portrait--All four of the Amicks in one shot



A Ticklefest



Watching Andrew and Daddy head to the backyard, leaving us in virtual silence. (Except for the ruffling pages of my concordance...)



I'm a Boy Mom, through and through. My girlfriends were teasing my last night when I showed my ignorance about girls' clothes. ("Does each dress come with bloomers?") We just laughed. I'll bet those girly moms don't know the difference between a backhoe and an excavator!!



I know I say this all the time, but I love this boy!











Shhhh....don't tell Daddy I let you chew on play with his stopwatch, okay, Baby B?



Last but not least, here is a short video of Benjamin pulling himself up to stand from my stomach (I'm lying down), and then letting go and standing up on the ground for a few seconds. I love the way he pulls his straw out of his mouth once he PLOPS down. [There's not much sound (except my silly "YAAAAAY!" at the end), but you might want to pause the music at the bottom of the page.]

What do you mean, pajamas?

I thought it was funny in this post from last week when I read this comment:

Astrid said...
So cute. Elijah has those same pjs! I love them.
July 16, 2009 11:15 PM

Then I read this one:

Gisela said...
Great pictures! And we have those same jammies- they're a favorite of mine!
July 17, 2009 9:46 AM

And then I knew that the joke was on me.

Because I never realized that those were pajamas.

My sister-in-law bought them for Andrew for Christmas the year he was nine months old. (They're 12-18 month.) He wore them the following spring/summer.

In our house:



And out in public:

Oops!

Around here, we do footed sleepers for pajamas, even in the summer, b/c at that age, they don't have a blanket and the air conditioner makes things cool all year long.

It doesn't really matter now b/c another realization I had was that the shirt is entirely too small for Benjamin's buddha belly. The pants he can still wear.

Just not sure where.

:)

Wordless Wednesday--Oops, It's Tuesday

Q: Who gets sick in July?

A: Andrew

Ugh. We were at Target on Wednesday and Andrew said, "Mommy, I want to go home and take a nap because I hurt everywhere."

Gulp. You know they're sick when they *want* to take a nap. So as soon as I ran to get some new hairclips and toothpaste, we headed home. Because, hey, a girl's gotta have priorities.

His temperature was 101.4, so it was Motrin and nap time. Later that night, it was 102.6. Incidentally, am I the only mom who still takes her three-year-old's temperature rectally? I mean, it's the most accurate way, and if he'll let me, that's okay, right? I just don't trust those other methods. LOL

Anyway, he never again has complained about body aches, and though his temperature has come down, I have had to give him Motrin three times a day every day since Wednesday because he has had a fever. And he's been Mister Fussy Pants. Don't you hate that? You want to be loving b/c they're sick, but then they act like little jerks. And you don't feel like you can punish them b/c they're sick. Well, buddy, lemme tell ya. All that ended today when I ascertained that MFP (Mister Fussy Pants) was well enough not to roll his eyes at me or throw a fit every time he was asked to do something.

But I digress.

I thought his fever was gone, as it was 98.6 for almost a day, but then it was back up to 99.1. And his cough, which was very sporadic last Wednesday, has gotten much worse. (Do you know how hard it is to teach a three-year-old to cover his mouth--with his elbow, no less--when he coughs? UGHHHHH) I called the doctor on Thursday and she told me that it sounded viral and I could bring him in if I wanted to, if his temperature was in the 102-103 range, which it only was once, and that was four days ago.

In other news, Benjamin is starting to get better at standing. It's like a lightbulb went off and he discovered that "Stand" is more than just a Rascal Flatts song. He's a big fan, you know.

Sometimes I can put him down on the floor on his feet and he'll just stand there for like five to six seconds before he PLOPS down on his bottom. (He still doesn't know how to bend his legs and sit down. Nope, it's all PLOP here.) Also, he stood up once completely by himself from the downward dog pose (LOL--not kidding) but then proceeded to fall and bust his lip. That was yesterday. Today, over at mom's, I was lying on my back on the floor and he was crawling on me. Over and over and over. Like I was an obstacle course. He was smiling and laughing and loving it. Then he realized that he could use my stomach (maybe four to five inches off the floor??) to put his arms on and then he just stood up from that! He would stand up, we would clap and cheer. Then he would look all confused for a few seconds. Then PLOP. Over and over. It was great!

It's late and I have a date tomorrow with some laundry and housework. Oh, and two adorable boys I like to call mine. I just hope Andrew feels better. For his sake and for mine.

Before I leave, I'd like to leave you with a few pictures:

After two weeks of gaining at WW (0.4 lb each week), I lost 2 pounds last Thursday and got my fourth 5-lb star!! My total loss since February 26 is now up to 21 pounds. YAY!!!



I found these dried apple crisps at Wal-mart last week. I will do anything to get Andrew to eat fruit.

Like pay $0.75 for the equivalent of 1.5 apples.

And tell Andrew they're "Mickey treats" because he can't tell they're apples.

Kind of like how I call yogurt-covered raisins "yogurt bites."

Because, really, who can taste the raisin?



And to Mickey's credit, they are really good and do taste like treats. Not like other dried apples I've had with hard pieces and the occasional stem and/or seed. These are really good.

And it got Andrew to eat fruit.

I guess I can overlook the misplaced apostrophe on the package.

Maybe...



Have a great week!

How do you ride a bike without using the pedals?

Matthew and I bought bikes a couple of months ago, and Matthew also bought an extension that (easily) attaches to his bike so Andrew can "ride" with him around the neighborhood. We got it at Walmart.com. It is called a Wee Ride Co-Pilot Child Trainer. Andrew won't really pedal his bike with training wheels. Or his tricycle/big wheels thing. His feet reach. He just won't pedal.

I had to laugh out loud when I heard my friend Megan describe her son Jack's way of riding his bike. She said he wouldn't pedal either and just "Fred Flinstoned it." That is exactly what Andrew does. I don't know if it's caution or stubbornness or inability. I think a combination of all three.

So we bought this co-pilot. But his legs are just slightly too short and he can't reach the pedal when it's at the bottom of the rotation. But he can still ride. Because the back pedals do not have to be pedaled in order for the wheel to turn.

He and Matthew go on laps around the neighborhood, which is just a half-mile circle. I peek out the window with my eyes squinted when they go by b/c I am afraid that Matthew is going too fast.

He usually is.

But I suppose that is what dads do.

Give the moms a heartattack.

But Andrew loves it and always asks to go "bike riding." I always tell him to be sure to hold on really tightly. And does he ever. He comes home from each ride and shows me his hands which are dented from the grooves in the handlebars.

It's a small price to pay for a fun time with daddy.

Even if they do go too fast.

From one Andrew to another

I've never bought or sold anything on Craig's List. I'm not sure why, but I guess part of me was just hesistant about meeting someone in person to trade off used possessions.

But last week, my friend Beth sent me an email about something she found on CL.

The reason? It was monogrammed Andrew. It was a red Pottery Barn rocking chair contraption. It was originally $75 but a lady in town named Jennie was selling it for only $15. It was gently used but still in great condition. I showed it to Matthew and told him that it might be just the thing to keep Andrew from constantly watching TV like this:



So I bit the bullet and emailed her about it. Well, awhile back, I added my blog address to the signature of my email, so that it automatically posts whenever I email anyone. Jennie (the original owner of the Andrew chair) emailed me that she would meet me over by the mall on a certain day. She also mentioned that she checked my blog (to see if I had a son named Andrew) and she would be praying for Benjamin. How sweet!

So I got $15 cash and drove out to the mall to meet her in the Walgreens parking lot. She was so nice! She had all three of her kids with her (including her Andrew, who I think is six) and was headed to the pool. As I went to hand her the money, she wouldn't accept it! She said to enjoy it and use it for Andrew and then save it for Benjamin and to just put the money toward taking care of Benjamin b/c it's hard to be the mom of a special needs child. How great is that!?!?!?

Here it is in our living room:



Here is Andrew watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse:





And while it came from a pet-free home, it went to a pet-infested home. And is already quite the favorite with the cats.

And already covered in cat hair.

Good thing it's washable.



So if you're reading this, thanks so much, Jennie! It was great to meet you. My Andrew thanks your Andrew, and I thank you. :)