First Swim Meet

Joshua and Rebecca had their first swim meet today. It was a practice swim meet, and a good learning experience for both of them...and Mom too!

At first, I wasn't sure I would make it though today. I got home from my FAMILIA class, finished packing things up, and got into bed around 11PM. Well, by 12:30, I was trying not to freak out, because I was wide awake, and couldn't figure out why. David had the hindsight to go see what the side effects of all my meds were. Turns out the new antibiotic I'm on "may cause trouble sleeping." Oh great! I took 1/3 of a sleeping pill and finally fell asleep around 1:30AM.

The alarm went off at 6:00AM, and I was so jittery, like someone might be on a caffeine kick...I kept dropping things, and it was awful. It took me forever to get ready, but we finally got out the door and got to the pool...late. I just couldn't make my limbs move fast enough. The shaky feeling lasted until around 10:00AM, thankfully after that, I felt much better.

The kids got into the water, warmed up, and then joined me in the age group tents while the other team warmed up. I got one pic after warm ups...don't they look all bright-eyed and bushy tailed?

Then it was just waiting for their events to come up and swim in their individual heats. I got some great pics of Joshua and Rebecca, and tried out the "sports" setting on my camera...it worked beautifully.

Here's Rebecca waiting for her first event, the freestyle. She was SO excited!


GO REBECCA!

Later on, our girl was getting tired, but she rallied for her last event ;-).

Joshua did fairly well, and I was so proud of him, but next week we'll put him on his ADHD medication. He had a hard time concentrating, especially during the 100 meter individual medley. I saw one of the coaches repeating the order of the strokes several times...just to make sure he got it. He did do all the strokes in the correct order...whew!

GO JOSHUA!

By the end of the swim meet, Joshua was cranky, and started to come unglued, which didn't surprise me. It was too much for him...he needed some down time...preferable in front of the TV or computer. But we had to go straight to Rebecca's soccer game after swimming...and my poor boy just lost it. He didn't calm down until the soccer game was almost over. Once we got home, I told him to just go chill in front of the computer, and he was fine afterwards.

Rebecca was a trooper, I was proud of her too. She was nervous about doing the backstroke (since she's really learned only the freestyle), but I told her to just go for it. Well, she made it down the entire length of the pool without turning around or touching the ropes! Her coach came over and told me,
"You know, she's really petite, but so buoyant, she floats like a cork!'

(I guess that's a good thing, right?)

Honestly, neither one of our kids had great times...but they did their best, and that's all we wanted. For their first time on a swim team, they jumped right in, and weren't intimidated by all the other kids...'cause I sure would have been!

We had pizza for dinner, since everyone was pooped. Both Joshua and Rebecca ate like crazy, even though they'd had snacks all day long. Good thing David made that run to SAM's Friday night :-).

Only 5 more Saturdays of swimming to go, (6 if they make it to divisionals)!

GO CROCS!

My 5 Drug Lineup

Last night, I went back the doctor because I just didn't think I was getting better. I was still coughing a lot, and I could feel all this congestion in my chest. Once there, Dr. D listening to my lungs, took x-rays, and told me I didn't have pneumonia. Okay...that's good. But I still had bronchitis (well...duh!).

I explained to Dr. D. that I wasn't sure the amoxicillan was curing the infection in my lungs because I was still coughing morning, noon, and night, and I was really tired. I also said I really needed to get better because I had 4 kids to chase around, and no time for pneumonia, let along bronchitis. I mentioned last time I was prescribed amoxicillan (for mastitis), it didn't work either. He said he would prescribe something stronger, so I felt relieved.

Little did I know he was going to give me not one, but FIVE different medications. He gave me samples of 2, wrote up prescriptions for the other 3, and I left feeling completed overwhelmed.

So...here's the lineup. I have a cough suppressant, an inhaler, a nasal spray, an antibiotic, AND a steroid (in the box).

I quickly discovered I really cannot take the cough suppressant unless I'm desperate (I was last night, but I'm certainly not anymore). It contains codeine, which makes me loopy, jittery, and I do NOT like that feeling at all. (I'll bet it has something to do with the fact I get motion sickness rather easily). Hopefully the rest of the drugs will take care of the bronchitis.

Two days after I started this drug regimen, I realized I'd severely pulled a muscle in my left side because I was coughing so hard. I couldn't pick up Gabriel without tears coming to my eyes, or sleep on my left side. Oh man...talk about offering up pain...which I did, otherwise...it was almost unbearable at times.

And I'll say it one more time...I hope I NEVER get bronchitis again. Cough!

Not me Monday

I've decided to follow McMama's example and do a "Not me Monday" post. I'm not sure how this will go, but since the past week has been so nuts, I figured I'd give it a shot.

First of all, I did not develop a horrid cough and wait 2 weeks to go see the doctor until last Monday. He told me my lungs were a mess, gave me prescriptions for 3 different medications, and orders to back on Wednesday for a pulmonary breathing test to check for asthma. I told him I certainly did NOT have asthma (after all, I had just done the March of Dimes Walk the day before without a problem), but he gave me a stern look and said,

"I want to make sure you don't have asthma, and I'll see you back here on Wednesday!"

(Of course, I obeyed doctor's orders, went back on Wednesday, and was told I had a bad case of bronchitis--not asthma. I was given yet another medication--an inhaler, and sent home).

I will never, ever wait 2 weeks to go see the doctor again, since I am STILL coughing just a bit, and probably made everyone nervous in church yesterday. We've got this swine flu scare going around, and I'll bet people wanted to avoid me like the plague.

Nope, Not Me!

I did not get all upset on Saturday when we found out the kids' school would be closed for 2 WEEKS because there was a "probable" case of the swine flu at their school. Not confirmed mind you, "a probable case." Even when we got an email today from Christina's preschool asking us to keep her home as well, since her siblings' school was closed and to limit exposure to the rest of her classmates, I held back my tears. I was praying they would still have a Mother's Day Lunch with Christina and any other children who would miss it; because it's my absolute favorite event every year...my special time with my sweet little girl, who will make a placemat, craft, and lunch for me, sit next to Mommy while I smile proudly, but secretly grieve over the fact she'll start kindergarten this fall.

Nope, Not Me!

(I did get an email from my friend Katie later on, saying the preschool staff would likely have a lunch for the kids who would miss the Mother's Day Lunch...so I managed to stop crying and breathe a huge sigh of hopeful relief).

I did not sit down after the kids were in bed last night, and make a list of all the things we were going to do for the next 2 weeks (not including swim lessons, swim team practice, playgroup, a jaunt to the library and Daddy's new office):

* Pick the green beans in the garden (which we've already done this AM, nearly 4 pounds!).

* Pull up the largest leeks, scallions, and onions from the garden, clean, blanch, and freeze them for later.

* Clean out all the junk from their rooms (although I daresay I'll have better luck and throw away more stuff once they go back to school).

* Take a day to visit the Museum of Natural Science (I'll bet there won't be any crowds during the week). Heck, maybe we should go down to the Space Center in Clear Lake :-).

* Work with Rebecca on all the craft kits she got for her birthday, her Marian lantern, and the assignments she missed from Formation Class.

* Definitely take one day to pull out the finger paints, play-dough, and stamp art kits, spread them all out on the kitchen table, and let the kids have at it (all the while not thinking about how long it's going to take me to clean the mess up afterwards. It's not great being a recovering neat freak you know!).

I did not think about how I'm going to steal Easter candy from the kids' bags in the pantry, because now I might have to wait until they're either all outside playing or asleep for the night. Never mind the fact I've eaten WAY too much of it lately, and I haven't even started on the solid milk chocolate bunny David got for me.

Nope, not Me!

I definitely did not let all the kids pile into our bed this morning. They immediately asked if they could watch TV or play on the computer. Of course I said, "NO"! because I firmly believe too much TV and computer will turn my kids' brains into complete mush. We're going to find constructive, educational activities and spend the next 2 weeks cramming as much academic knowledge into their heads as possible, right?

Nope, not Me!

Your Age in Chocolate

A friend send this to me...it was easy, fun, quick, and painless ;-). If you are a chocoholic like me, this one's for you!

YOUR AGE IN CHOCOLATE MATH

Don't cheat and scroll down to the end...work this out by

reading all the way to the bottom.

1. Pick the number of times you would like to have chocolate in a week (more than once, but less than ten).

2. Multiply this number by ten (just for the heck of it).

3. Add 5

4. Multiply by 50...yes, you can use a calculator!

5. If you have already had your birthday this year, add 1759. If you haven't, add 1758.

6. Now subtract the 4 year digit year you were born.

7. You should have a 3 digit number.

Did you get the number of times you wanted chocolate in a week and your age? I did! I said 5 times a week, and my age is 34. My answer was 534.

Now...if I could only have chocolate 6 times a week...without it showing up on the scale. Somebody should come up with a math formula for that!

Frustration

DEFINITION: Frustration

frustration

n 1: the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted
in attaining your goals [syn: defeat]
2: an act of hindering some one's plans or efforts [syn: thwarting,
foiling]
3: a feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized; "her
constant complaints were the main source of his
frustration"

It seems like things have just not been the greatest around here lately...not really bad, but not really good either.

Christina has struggled with #2 ever since we started potty training her over 2 years ago (yes, 2 years and counting now). She'd been mostly fine for a few months, but now the potty business has eluded her and we're back to having accidents. Frankly, I am sick of it...seriously, heartily, and wearily sick of wiping and cleaning off a 4 years and 8 months old little girl. Plus...she has been having the worse temper tantrums, screaming, kicking, earth shattering tantrums, at the frightening rate of nearly one per day. In fact, she is having one right now because I wouldn't let her have a bag of chocolate chip cookies for snack. I can't help but wonder if she'll be ready for kindergarten this fall after all. Sigh...

Gabriel's had a bad diaper rash for nearly a month now...we held off going to the pediatrician because at one point we didn't have health insurance (when David lost his job). We do now, but it took until last Friday to get the new insurance cards. I finally got an appointment this morning, and was floored when I was told Gabriel has strep of the anus. Yes...down there. (Well...I never!) At least it can be cured with a course of antibiotics for 10 days. Hopefully, that is taken care of now.

Both the older two kids have decided to not listen to me when I tell them to do something. It probably has to do with the fact that I have let discipline slip a little. But I've just about had it with the "But MOM!" attitudes and the back talking around here!

Last weekend, it poured rain, and David couldn't work on the new garden shed he's building behind the garage. So this weekend, even though I've not been feeling great...David worked all weekend on his shed. I try really hard to be supportive of his projects, but it just irritated me to no end...even though I begged the Blessed Mother for patience, and tried to just keep going.

It doesn't help that I've had a cough for over 2 weeks now. I don't have a chest cold, and I don't have a head cold either...so I can't figure out why I have a cough. But it keeps me up at night, so I am just really tired. I dragged myself to Rebecca's soccer game on Saturday, and the March of Dimes Walk yesterday, tried to nap when we got back home, only to be awakened by David's vigorous hammering on his shed in the back yard and the kids fighting over the computer. Sigh...

I know I should go in to see the doctor, but Gabriel's had a fever for 2 days, so I need to wait until he is well before I can go. I'll bet I'll be sitting at the clinic for hours too...because even with an appointment, we still usually have a long wait. Sigh...

I am sorry to have this pity party...really...I know people have it worse out there. But I really wish Christina would just poop in the potty, David would just hurry up and finish the darn shed, Joshua and Rebecca could be more obedient, Gabriel would just be well, and that I would stop coughing!

Cough...sigh...

March of Dimes Walk

Every year we participate in the March of Dimes Walk, held on the grounds of the University of Houston. This year, we walked with David's new employer, Sterling Bank.

In the past, the kids get rather cranky about halfway through the walk, but this year, they were marvelously well-behaved, and we hardly heard a whimper out of anyone. The girls took turns riding on Daddy's shoulders, and Gabriel was perfectly content in the stroller (even though he came down with a fever last night, and had one this morning too). We told Joshua he had to walk the whole 5 miles, since his ADHD gives him PLENTY of energy (ha ha!).

Here we are just starting out. It's pretty slow going at first, because the route is so crowded. Joshua kindly pushed the stroller for me for just a second--he's at the bottom of the shot.

Last year, I remember it being very hot, and there wasn't a breath of wind. Today, it was warm, but not too humid, and we had a good breeze most of the morning...thank goodness.

We had 10 rest stops, were we got bottled water, coupons from Macy's (I know who is going to put those to good use, lol), and Blue Bell ice cream sandwiches--yum! That rest stop is always the kids favorite :-).

At the end (it took us just under 2 hours), we got a family picture.

Lately, Gabriel hasn't let us take his picture, (it must be a two-year-old thing) but I managed to get one cute shot before he started to fuss at me.

It was a long wait in line for lunch, but it was catered from Taco Cabana (yum again!).

There was an DJ who played great music, and little toys and sidewalk chalk for the kids (always helpful while waiting for food). Rebecca even tried The Macarena, and David showed off his juggling skills.

I have to make a little confession here. David's former employer, that other bank had a tent too, but it wasn't even half the size of Sterling Bank's tent. David thinks their marketing budget was drastically cut, because they didn't even have lunch brought in for their walkers, just some breakfast rolls and bags of chips. I admit...I let myself be human for just a minute and was thankful David wasn't working for that other bank anymore.

We finally got our fajita plates...everyone was hungry... and Gabriel ate on David's lap (poor baby, his fever was starting to come back, but he still had the best temperament).

We got home, I crashed for about an hour, and Gabriel slept for nearly 4 hours. He woke up without a fever just before it was time to go to mass, so I told David I'd stay home with him. I still hadn't had a chance to grab a shower anyway...and didn't want to go to mass smelling like sunscreen and sweat either (always a lovely combination!).

So it was a long day, but truly worth it. Our nephew Daniel was born at 26 1/2 weeks gestation and he's now a perfectly healthy 5 year old. I always think about him during the walk.

Here's to a great walk, and a day of fun. We'll be back again next year!

What I Won

If you want to see what I won on a blog giveaway, click here.