I am not a very fun mom. I don't like extra messes and I don't like cleaning up dirty kids any more than I have to. And I don't enjoy being dirty or cold myself. So, my kids don't get to do a lot of playing in the mud, or with paint, or in the snow. Poor kids. But we did get some snow back in January, and I did let Anastyn play in it one day. She had a blast! And she didn't come back inside on her own free will. I had to drag her in after I decided she was freezing!! I am so ready for summer!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Snow Angel
I am not a very fun mom. I don't like extra messes and I don't like cleaning up dirty kids any more than I have to. And I don't enjoy being dirty or cold myself. So, my kids don't get to do a lot of playing in the mud, or with paint, or in the snow. Poor kids. But we did get some snow back in January, and I did let Anastyn play in it one day. She had a blast! And she didn't come back inside on her own free will. I had to drag her in after I decided she was freezing!! I am so ready for summer!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Grrrrrrrr.....
Just back from a Baby Leithead doctor appointment. It seems that this baby will be known on my "baby ticker" as just that - Baby Leithead - for a very long time. Like around 10 weeks before I am due.
This makes me unhappy. Very unhappy.
I don't like surprises. I like to have a plan.
I had to have an ultrasound last month because I was measuring bigger than we thought I should be. It was too early to tell the sex of our baby. But I just figured I would still get my 20 week ultrasound. Silly me. My doctor told me "no". He said my ultrasound showed that I have a low-lying placenta and that I would need to have another ultrasound between 30-33 weeks. And that was it. No in-betweens. I complained quite a bit - even with my whiney voice. And he still said "no".
What a bummer.
This makes me unhappy. Very unhappy.
I don't like surprises. I like to have a plan.
I had to have an ultrasound last month because I was measuring bigger than we thought I should be. It was too early to tell the sex of our baby. But I just figured I would still get my 20 week ultrasound. Silly me. My doctor told me "no". He said my ultrasound showed that I have a low-lying placenta and that I would need to have another ultrasound between 30-33 weeks. And that was it. No in-betweens. I complained quite a bit - even with my whiney voice. And he still said "no".
What a bummer.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Heartbreaker...
(intended to be posted December 4, 2009)
I hate taking my kids in to get shots. That’s probably why I finally got notified by the school that I had to get Matty’s kindergarten shots taken care of before today or she couldn’t come to school.
So I finally set up the appointment. And yesterday when Matty got home from school, I casually mentioned to her that we just needed to stop by “an office” for a minute. She was cool with that. Until we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital clinic.
Then it dawned on her what was going on. She is no fool. “No! No doctor! – No Matty hurt!” she started whimpering. This little girl has had pain inflicted on her too many times at the doctor to believe that this wasn’t going to end badly for her. Oh, I felt like such a jerk. I am sure she was thinking, ‘Why would my mother bring me here? Does she like to subject me to pain?? Doesn’t my mother love me??’
What do you say to your child in a situation like this? So I just smiled at her calmly and said, “We just need to run in and talk to the doctor for a minute, ok?” My beautiful, trusting child took my hand and willingly walked into the waiting room. Thankfully she was entertained by the fish swimming in the fish tank while we were in the waiting room for way too long.
As soon as Matty’s name was called, I gathered up the girls and herded them along behind the nurse. As soon as we went through the door, Matty started volunteering Anastyn for whatever was going down. “No Matty hurt. I fine. Sissy hurt. Sissy’s turn!” I couldn’t help but giggle under my breath.
As usual, we had to wait quite some time before the doctor came into the exam room. Matty wasted no time pleading her case with the doctor. Again, she tried to explain to him that she was fine and didn’t need to get a ‘hurt’. She was more than happy to offer her little sister in her place.
All the while I just wanted to grab her little hand and take her home. My heart was breaking as she was begging me not to let her get hurt! Finally it was time. Poor little thing had to get four shots. And it is always fun when they make Mom help hold her own child down. That’s just mean! Thankfully they sent in enough help to give her three of the shots at once in her legs. As soon as that fight was over, she was given to me so I could give her a big hug and comfort her. But that was just a dirty trick because they gave her the fourth shot in her arm as she was hugging me.
She was so sad and I am certain she felt betrayed by me. But one of the most endearing things about Matty is that she is quick to forgive. She has always been a very tough little girl, and even though she hates to get shots and have her blood drawn, she has always been such a trooper about it. And it always melts the hearts of those that have inflicted pain on her when she says “Thank you” in a weak little voice when they get done hurting her. She does that quite often and it always surprises me. I’m not sure why she says it – maybe she is just thanking them for being done. I don’t know.
Thank goodness we are done with regular immunizations for a while now! However, it is time again to go get blood drawn in the next few weeks. And I will get to go through the guilt all over again!!!
February 11, 2010
I hate taking my kids in to get shots. That’s probably why I finally got notified by the school that I had to get Matty’s kindergarten shots taken care of before today or she couldn’t come to school.
So I finally set up the appointment. And yesterday when Matty got home from school, I casually mentioned to her that we just needed to stop by “an office” for a minute. She was cool with that. Until we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital clinic.
Then it dawned on her what was going on. She is no fool. “No! No doctor! – No Matty hurt!” she started whimpering. This little girl has had pain inflicted on her too many times at the doctor to believe that this wasn’t going to end badly for her. Oh, I felt like such a jerk. I am sure she was thinking, ‘Why would my mother bring me here? Does she like to subject me to pain?? Doesn’t my mother love me??’
What do you say to your child in a situation like this? So I just smiled at her calmly and said, “We just need to run in and talk to the doctor for a minute, ok?” My beautiful, trusting child took my hand and willingly walked into the waiting room. Thankfully she was entertained by the fish swimming in the fish tank while we were in the waiting room for way too long.
As soon as Matty’s name was called, I gathered up the girls and herded them along behind the nurse. As soon as we went through the door, Matty started volunteering Anastyn for whatever was going down. “No Matty hurt. I fine. Sissy hurt. Sissy’s turn!” I couldn’t help but giggle under my breath.
As usual, we had to wait quite some time before the doctor came into the exam room. Matty wasted no time pleading her case with the doctor. Again, she tried to explain to him that she was fine and didn’t need to get a ‘hurt’. She was more than happy to offer her little sister in her place.
All the while I just wanted to grab her little hand and take her home. My heart was breaking as she was begging me not to let her get hurt! Finally it was time. Poor little thing had to get four shots. And it is always fun when they make Mom help hold her own child down. That’s just mean! Thankfully they sent in enough help to give her three of the shots at once in her legs. As soon as that fight was over, she was given to me so I could give her a big hug and comfort her. But that was just a dirty trick because they gave her the fourth shot in her arm as she was hugging me.
She was so sad and I am certain she felt betrayed by me. But one of the most endearing things about Matty is that she is quick to forgive. She has always been a very tough little girl, and even though she hates to get shots and have her blood drawn, she has always been such a trooper about it. And it always melts the hearts of those that have inflicted pain on her when she says “Thank you” in a weak little voice when they get done hurting her. She does that quite often and it always surprises me. I’m not sure why she says it – maybe she is just thanking them for being done. I don’t know.
Thank goodness we are done with regular immunizations for a while now! However, it is time again to go get blood drawn in the next few weeks. And I will get to go through the guilt all over again!!!
Sorry, Matty! Mommy loves you!!
February 11, 2010Hey! Hey, Lady!..... (more of the same)
As many of you know, Matty had congenital leukemia when she was born. We were blessed that it resolved quickly and without treatments. However, since there is a chance the leukemia could make an unwanted comeback, we regularly have her blood checked. And this means she has to be “poked”. At first, she got blood drawn every two weeks, then monthly, then every other month, etc. until finally we got clearance to do blood work annually. (The chance of getting the disease again decreases the older she gets.) You can guess how many times this little girl has been “poked” in her lifetime – on top of the normal childhood immunizations. So naturally she associates hospitals and doctor’s offices with pain. And the above episode with the vaccinations is branded into her recent memory.
Well, back in June or July last year we had gotten her annual CBC done. And they found that her platelets were a little bit enlarged. The doctor told us to make sure she got her multivitamin every day for six months and then we would check her blood again to see if it was due to a lack of folate or something. So, last month we did just that. We drove Matty to Billings to get “poked”. It was another heartbreaking event for me. When she saw the lab guy come in with his little tool box of vials and needles, she begged and pleaded and looked at me like I was betraying her in the worst way. She fought like she always does. She is a strong little girl. It took three of us to hold her down (why do they include me in this???) But we all got the job done together. And then she forgivingly thanked everyone involved and sweetly accepted her sucker and stickers.
The results this time weren’t much different. And the hematologist/oncologist she is seeing wonders if she might have a bit of sleep apnea causing her blood cells to be lacking in oxygen which can cause them to be enlarged. So we had to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist. -Another trip to Billings-. I thought I was going to go insane on the way there. Every couple minutes, Matty would say, “Where we going?” Alternating between my patient voice and not-so-patient voice I would tell her, “We are going to Billings.” Then she would say, “No doctor – I fine.” To which I would respond, “Yes, we have to go to the doctor today. But I promise no pokes. Mommy won’t let anyone poke Matty today.” And then she would be fine for a few more minutes. And then we would have the exact same conversation over again. Well, we finally made it to the hospital. While we were there, she went up to every receptionist and nurse we talked to and started tapping their arm until she got their attention. Once they were listening to her, she would say, “Hey, lady. Hey. No pokes. I fine. Matty all better now.” And while we were in the exam room with the doctor, no less than twelve times, Matty did the same thing to him...“Hey. Doctor Office. (she thinks Office is every doctor’s last name.) Hey. Matty fine. No pokes!”
Well, back in June or July last year we had gotten her annual CBC done. And they found that her platelets were a little bit enlarged. The doctor told us to make sure she got her multivitamin every day for six months and then we would check her blood again to see if it was due to a lack of folate or something. So, last month we did just that. We drove Matty to Billings to get “poked”. It was another heartbreaking event for me. When she saw the lab guy come in with his little tool box of vials and needles, she begged and pleaded and looked at me like I was betraying her in the worst way. She fought like she always does. She is a strong little girl. It took three of us to hold her down (why do they include me in this???) But we all got the job done together. And then she forgivingly thanked everyone involved and sweetly accepted her sucker and stickers.
The results this time weren’t much different. And the hematologist/oncologist she is seeing wonders if she might have a bit of sleep apnea causing her blood cells to be lacking in oxygen which can cause them to be enlarged. So we had to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist. -Another trip to Billings-. I thought I was going to go insane on the way there. Every couple minutes, Matty would say, “Where we going?” Alternating between my patient voice and not-so-patient voice I would tell her, “We are going to Billings.” Then she would say, “No doctor – I fine.” To which I would respond, “Yes, we have to go to the doctor today. But I promise no pokes. Mommy won’t let anyone poke Matty today.” And then she would be fine for a few more minutes. And then we would have the exact same conversation over again. Well, we finally made it to the hospital. While we were there, she went up to every receptionist and nurse we talked to and started tapping their arm until she got their attention. Once they were listening to her, she would say, “Hey, lady. Hey. No pokes. I fine. Matty all better now.” And while we were in the exam room with the doctor, no less than twelve times, Matty did the same thing to him...“Hey. Doctor Office. (she thinks Office is every doctor’s last name.) Hey. Matty fine. No pokes!”
It didn’t matter that I had spent an hour and a half promising her that no one would poke her. She obviously didn’t trust me. She knew that I had let it happen so many times before and she wasn’t about to believe me. Isn’t that sad? I found it sad. And so I am the bad guy…at least on doctor appointment days. Next up – a night at the sleep lab – so they can see what goes on while she is sleeping. Ought to be fun!!
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