Dress it Up, Show it Off

Our celebration of the recent Friday the 13th was our very own house warming party...we have a knack for throwing ourselves parties lately.

There are a lot of projects to do around our house. Unfortunately, that is not all there is to life and we were not able to finish many of the projects we had hoped to complete before the party. Sadness. Hopefully none of the guests noticed. In final preparations, though, we did complete this:


That was our list for the day of. Well, it was actually 11 lists, 7 each for individual rooms, then the basement, outside work, get ready for the party, and the "It would be cool if these things got done but we don't really expect them to" list. I am happy to report that, after starting at 6:30 in the morning and working literally non-stop until the first car pulled up for the party, we completed all but two things on the list: sweep the basement and remove the lists from the fridge (they are still there even today...). We didn't finish the "cool if" list, although two more things have been checked off since. Yay for Chris!

We kept this as a family shindig, knowing that between the two of us, we had enough relatives to fill the place up.


We have parents...


and siblings...

and grandparents...

and aunts and uncles and cousins...

and a nephew who likes to sweep...

and a couple of kids who were invited by default because they live in the house, too.

Megan really, really likes watermelon.

Thank you to everyone who came! We were especially (and pleasantly) surprised by Tom and Cindy showing up from Wyoming. Yay! And sorry--I know I don't have pictures of everyone who was there. We still love you.

But now, what is a party with us without some, drum roll please,

Car repairs!

Chris's grandparents' brakes were fit to fall off, so Chris ditched out on the few lingering guests to replace them. It took longer than anticipated, as car repairs generally do, but I was glad. Then Jackie stayed longer and helped me clean up while Amy (no car troubles reported) kindly put my kids to bed. Thank you both.

To end the evening, once all guests were gone and children were asleep, Chris and I took advantage of a gift my Grandpa Phillips and his wife Georgia brought for the girls.


We began our block collection with a small hand-me-down box from a teacher I worked with. We bought a few more of the same type for Jane's last birthday. We have now more than doubled that amount...I don't know if we'll ever have a box that will actually fit them all.


Who says kids get to have all the fun? (P.S. Christopher, I think you're cute.)

My house is still basically clean, aside from the normal day-to-day clutter, and besides the kitchen, which I just haven't felt motivated to clean all week. Chris and I do occasionally walk down into the basement, though, to enjoy the complete clean (as long as you don't look at the floor too closely). It's amazing how clean a space can stay if you never, ever use it!

And here are a couple pictures of my family just because I like them. My family, I mean. And the pictures, too, I guess.

P.P.S.

Happy 5th Anniversary, Britta and Matt!

and

Happy Birthday, David!

Silver Lining...I mean Lake

I have felt a little anti-blog this month...anyone noticed? It's already the 19th and I've only blogged twice. Oh man.

Things have been going on. I still need to post about our House Warming party (we are thoroughly warmed), the Police and Fire Safety Fair (we are decidedly not fire safe, but we're working on it), and a few other random dates and hikes and cute kid moments. But, to break me out of my blogging slump, I am skipping all of that and going straight into yesterday's adventure to Silver Lake.

I had never been to Silver Lake before--actually, I had never heard of Silver Lake until Lisa suggested going there. The day started off rather poorly, long before we ever left the house. The drive wasn't so amazing, either.


We kept hitting traffic on our way there. This was a major accident on I-215...according to Chris, there was a drunk driver driving down the wrong side of the freeway, which ran into a semi, which then exploded. You can easily see the semi and the burn area to the right. If you look closely, you can see the very top of the smashed car peeking over the barrier on the far right edge.

For a while there it looked like we wouldn't make it at all, but I'm glad we did. We started with a little picnic.



Michael had already eaten, so he kept himself occupied by tying knots. In bushes.


Then we headed around the lake. Lovely view. (Notice Dalton's arm trying to grab all the plants?)


The path is 100% stroller accessible. Very convenient.


This is what was so interesting. If you can't tell, there is a school of fish (at least their tails) poking out from under the bridge.


We even saw a real beaver dam. That was cool.


And more baby ducks. Those never seem to get old.


Well, I guess the ducks get old. They grow up. But it never gets old looking at them. At least to small children.

Jane occasionally tried to be helpful and push the stroller. This only worked when we were on the boardwalk...


It was very helpful having Michael with us to keep up with Jane and Dalton. They are often opposed to the strollers. Thank you, Michael!


And just some more cute pictures from our walk:



I think Megan looks much older here. Sigh.


The requisite sleeping baby picture. Sigh. They are still so cute when they're asleep!


Megan has learned that it can be highly entertaining to run your hands along whatever we happen to be walking past at the moment. And yes, she usually does only use one finger.



Cheesy grin.


More normal grin.


Did I ever tell you that Megan likes to eat rocks? Every time I took one out of her mouth, she'd put at least two more in.


"Mom, you forgot to buckle me."


And finally, we managed to get a pretty darn cute picture of all four grandkids. Dad, is this what you were looking for?

Sometimes, we all just need to get outside.

One for you, Three for me

My experience at the temple two weeks ago can be classified as a life-changing event. Unfortunately, changes to perspective and desire and attitude don't always translate directly to changes in habit and character. While I am now fully committed to being a successful stay-at-home mom, I do need a little help with the successful part. One source of insight and inspiration I have found thus far is reading.

Without knowingly intending to, I discovered that I was simultaneously reading at least one book pertaining to each individual in my family, with a few extra for myself. I thought I'd share.

For Megan

The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau

and For Jane

The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers, by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau

I generally do not read a lot of parenting books. I often find them a little rigid and strict to one supposedly fool-proof program--not always a lot of wiggle room for differing children and/or situations. I like the Baby Whisperer because her theories and suggestions are more middle-of-the-road. She advocates parenting based on the needs and disposition of the child, rather than what is convenient or most desirable for the parent. I like that I can pick up and read a section regarding one particular issue I'm facing without having to read the entire book to really understand what she's talking about. I also find that I have no problem, with these books, completely disregarding some portion or another while still remaining faithful to some other part. That works for me.

By the way, if you are at all familiar with these books you may be interested to know that Jane is a Textbook/Spirited toddler and Megan is a Touchy baby.

For Christopher

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, by John M. Gottman and Nan Silver

Besides actual parenting, I believe that being a stay-at-home mom also includes being the best possible wife. This book is based on Dr. John Gottman's years of research in his "Love Lab," where he studied the interactions of married couples. He claims that by watching 15 minutes or less of one argument, he can predict a couple's chances of divorce with 96% accuracy.

I'm not so much interested in that, though. His basic idea for a successful marriage centers around two main principles: One, happy couples treat each other like best friends. Two, happy couples have healthy and productive ways of dealing with conflict. This book gives suggestions and activities to help build skills in both those areas. Besides being useful, some of the activities are also quite entertaining.

For Myself

In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms, by Dr. Laura Schlessinger

Thank you, Erin, for the recommendation. This book is all about attitude. I have enjoyed reading it both for the validation of being a stay-at-home mom in the eyes of the world and the attitude check for myself in what I need to do to make it work for me and my family. Good book.

Spiritual Roots of Human Relations, by Steven R. Covey

Of course, family is an eternal matter. One of my biggest struggles thus far has been giving up my control and personal wishes in favor of what is best for my children and our family. This book--don't be fooled by what I think is an ugly cover--is a collection of articles that can be read consecutively or independently. The idea is that the root of all problems, be it in the family, the community, or the world, are spiritual and thus the solutions are spiritual, too. Each article addresses a different type of problem that can be solved by studying for and correcting the spiritual root. I have only read a handful of the articles so far, but I already feel that I have made significant jumps in my spiritual strength and understanding in those few areas.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Yes, zombies. No, this book does not have any advice on being a better wife or mother. In all of my reading to better myself--which requires a certain amount of humility and pride-swallowing--sometimes I just have to set it all aside and enjoy a little vanquishing of the undead. I don't want to let myself get overwhelmed, nor try to solve all my problems at once. Reading can be a good source of advice and it can also be a good escape from reality.

By the way, if you are a Pride and Prejudice fan with a healthy sense of humor, and you don't mind a little blood and guts, I do recommend this book. I find it hilarious.

* * * * *

In the working mom versus stay-at-home mom debate, I consider myself to have some experience and a little bit of perspective on both sides. I can give a full list of pros and cons to each argument. My personal standing, however, is no longer on the fence between the two.

I have come to realize that my own desire for working stemmed more from a worldly standpoint. I enjoyed the praise and recognition of colleagues, success in the work, and the financial and material benefits of the paycheck. Yes, it was necessary for me to work while Chris finished school in order to support our family (and not postpone having children), but I believe that my working now, when Chris is able to fully support us, would be purely selfish--"seeking after the pleasures of man."

Through the plan of salvation, we know that our purpose in this life is to be tested and tried in order to prove our worthiness to return to our Heavenly Father. I want that for my children as much as, if not more than, for myself. Does it not stand to reason then that I would want to do everything in my power to make sure they have all the knowledge and tools they need to get there?

I do not deny that there were great benefits to being a teacher, beyond the paycheck. I was part of many a child's success and growth, a blessing that cannot be given a dollar value. And I know that circumstances may dictate a mother's working outside the home. I, however, am glad that I can be home to raise my children in the gospel without merely hoping they'll make it with guidance from me coming only in the evenings and on weekends.

I'm not there yet. I still have a long way to go in building up my own skills and spiritual strength. But I'm at least headed down the right path.

all things doctor

Megan is doing just great. Aside from a couple bad moments, honestly, you can't hardly tell that she had major surgery a week ago. She was even standing up by herself last night--so much for falling behind!

She is still very attached to the stethoscope.

We never leave home without it.

In nitty gritty news, she had the stent removed on Tuesday. I had a harder time with that than she did. As Jess can attest, I hate stitches. I can do gushing blood, vomit, broken bones...but I hate seeing stitches. Megan had only one stitch holding the tube in at the end of the incision. I had to look away while the doctor pulled the stitch out, but I looked back just in time to see the six inches of tubing being pulled out a hole in her stomach. That was a little unusual.

I thought about posting a picture of her incision as it is now. Would that be weird? Or too much of an invasion of Megan's privacy? Hmmm...

A few days before surgery both girls had a checkup with our new pediatrician. Most recent stats:

Audrey Jane

3 ft. 1/4 in. tall
58th percentile

27 lbs. 13 oz.
37th percentile


Megan Leigh

2 ft. 5 3/4 in.
96th percentile
holy cow

19 lbs. 3 oz.
48th percentile

Jane's birthmark on her eye is growing again. Sigh. I had really hoped that it would have disappeared by now. Since it is in fact getting bigger, we will be taking her back to a dermatologist to discuss our next step.

As I recall, the last options offered were do nothing (not working so far...), put her back on steroids (ugh), or consider the possibility of removing it entirely through laser surgery (double ugh). We're waiting until we switch to Chris's insurance in September, then we'll take her in. I'll keep you all posted, as usual.

Thank you again for everyone's care and concern and interest.
Life is much more entertaining when you have someone to swap stories with.

Bilateral Ureteral Reimplantation

Yesterday morning, Megan had no idea what was coming.


She was ok with us taking pictures, although Jane quickly lost interest.

"Mom, Jane's not listening. Again."

We started the day off with our usual walk, with the special treat that Dad joined us. The girls both got apple juice on the ride--Megan couldn't have any food after midnight, and juice only until 8:30 in the morning. We let her have that bottle right up to the line.


After dropping Jane off at Grandma's house, we headed off to check in at Primary Children's Medical Center.


They use a system similar to a lot of restaurants. You get a pager that beeps when it's your turn to go back. Unfortunately, this one doesn't end with food...


Megan kept herself--and the other patients in the waiting room--quite entertained while we waited.


Chris stayed entertained, too.


When we were called back, the nurse pulled out the bubbles to distract Megan while the blood pressure cuff tried to squeeze her leg off.


Ready to go! She looked so cute in the hospital pajamas.


Too bad, though...they weren't ready for us. After letting Megan nap for an hour in my lap, we spent the rest of the time playing while we waited.


Surgery was running behind, so we ended up going in two hours later than scheduled. The procedure lasted two hours as well. That's how I managed to get halfway through Hunger Games in one day.

...Going In...

And then she had surgery.
All of that fuss for the one thing we can't take any pictures of.

...Coming Out...


She was out for the count. I've never heard her snore so loud before.


She was, however, highly entertaining when she woke up. Drunk is the best word to describe it...she staggered around on her hands and knees, occasionally lunging forward and sometimes just collapsing then popping right back up. Oh, it was hilarious. She also alternated between deer in the headlights eyes, weighted eyelids eyes,


and angry eyes. Made me think of Toy Story 2.


We had to distract her with glucose water to get her to hold still long enough to get her vitals taken.


Once she got Mom, though, everything was fine.


We got settled into our room around 5:00 in the evening. Megan just slept. How could I write a post about Megan without pictures of her sleeping?


Grandma, Deborah, Sarah, and Jane all came to visit. This was the best picture of Jane we got.


She took it herself. Can you tell?

Aside from throwing up all over me once as she came off the anesthesia, nothing terribly noteworthy happened to Megan during the night. I, on the other hand, passed out around 4:00 in the morning and had to be admitted to the Emergency Room. It was so dumb. I hadn't eaten enough and I hadn't slept enough, then I stood up too quickly after being in bed when the nurses came to take care of Megan. Since we just happened to be at a hospital, I ended up admitted instead of just going back to bed for a while and drinking some juice. Sigh.

The doctor did thank me for saving them a trip. I was just upstairs. Most people pass out in the parking garage.

Megan is doing quite well today. She's up and about.


She quite enjoys playing with all the wires she's got attached to her.


Her absolute favorite new toy is the stethoscope. We went out to the playroom to give her a break from her cage, and all she did was crawl around dragging the stethoscope. I hope they'll let us take it home. They seem to have plenty...they've opened three or four new ones since we came in.


Megan has had some good bonding time with Dad today. For the first time ever, she even fell asleep on him as I write this.


Everything went well. No complications whatsoever with the procedure. We should be headed home this afternoon. Megan has a stent (tube) coming out directly from her kidney through her incision. While that is in, she has to wear two diapers--one worn as usual, one worn on top of that for just the stent. We will come back Tuesday or Wednesday to have that taken out. Beyond that, she will continue taking antibiotics to prevent possible infections up until we go back for the follow-up appointment in four to six weeks.

Just know that for now, we're all fine. We're just waiting to get this little girl all the way back to herself.