5 Dentist Visits in ONE day!

We took all 4 kids to the dentist today...a few days ago...

I was supposed to mother the adventure alone, but my husband had compassion on me.

Actually, he took my care into his hands, walked in from his morning visit to a client in town, and was on the phone with a new dentist office...

for me!

Just so happens, that on the day that the children were scheduled for routine visits, a tooth of mine reached it's pain threshold, and I...once again...was in need of an emergent dental visit.

(Yes, this happened all within a week of getting a speeding ticket, the day I shattered my phone for a second time sending shards of glass into my hand every time I tried to pick it up, and the morning I attempted a run with the girls in 25 degree weather only to listen to Miss Maya, bundled in warmth, scream her lungs out for 25 minutes....never mind the injuries I've acquired only 6 weeks from the marathon I've trained so hard for.)

My joy...children with perfect teeth!!!

Maya screamed her little lungs silents and cried her eyes dry...but had her Daddy for comfort.

Her puffy eyes are still so beautiful!

Daddy encouraged her to get the lips toy...

And taught her how to use it!

The dentist was AWESOME...honest, straight forward, kind and funny!  Perfect for parents and children!

Lydia begged to lay on the chair to have her teeth cleaned, though she was completely unaware that this visit would trigger the dreaded "bye bye binky" day!

Lydia loves to play doctor at home....she has me lay down on the dining room table and climbs up to me.  She taps on my tummy and listens to my heart.

She was calm outwardly but freaking out on the inside...as I could see by her little eyes...when the chair went from laying to sitting in a matter of moments.  Her breathing intensified and her stiff little body was fighting a bend in her waist as she tensed with fear.  My hand, reaching in, was meant to calm her as I anticipated a screaming daughter!

I am shocked that Aiden has pearly whites...but grateful indeed!

And Connor looked so big in a pediatric chair with his arm dangling down.  His feet hung off the bottom of the chair, and the dentist informed us that he is a very fast developer.  Yep, our baby with teeth at 3 months already has teeth he shouldn't have until 10.  EEEKK!!!

ALl that started well...ended well.  Miss Maya hugged me so tight at the beginning of the day, and was smiling at days end as well.

The Magic Continues...

We've had out fair share of magic shows over the last little while.  Connor shows us tricks that we "have never seen before" and he mysteriously whispers the phrase, "prepare...(pause for effect)...to be...(another creepy pause)...amazed" with his head tilted down, and eyes piercing your soul!

His "handy" side kick, Aiden, is always nearby...and by nearby, I mean close BEHIND, and even kneeling on the ground.  I haven't quite figured out why he is almost hidden and behind...or, could it be that the amazing appearing and disappearing of items is simply a slight of hand?

Hmm...so perplexing!

Of course, their binky bound sister is learning their masterful tricks as well! 

Intermission was brought to us by "Sprout"...probably Papa Bear...or maybe even Thomas!  The magicians needed a mental break! 

Today...there was no magic...

Well, if you call entertaining the girls with buckets of water and seeing the water "magically" disappear from the buckets time and again magic, then you can say it still goes on when the boys are away.  

Maya walked to me today with her little yellow tea cup in hand and sweetly said, "Wa'er".

I couldn't resist, so I quickly swept the crumbs from the floor in preparation for its cleaning.  We moped about three times in the course of an hour time, changed clothes, encouraged Maya with the counting game to stay out of Lydia's chair as she gathered more tea set supplies, and told each other, "I'm being very careful" as we walked across wet floors on our tippy toes for more toys and drinks.

Today Lydia had me laughing as she stood at the counter top, casually leaning on her elbows as I sewed away.  She gently took Maya's hand away from the "off" button on the machine a number of times...often too late.  In between garbles of talk, half of which were totally unrelated to my sewing skills, she said, numerous times, "Thanks Bob!" in the sweetest slangy voice she has ever uttered.   

Bob?  Bob who?

All did not end well for Lydia.  She fell at scouts tonight, tore some skin off her big left toe and screamed the entire way home from scouts.  Her whole body was shaking and heaving with pupils dilated and fixed on her owie.  Aiden was genuinely concerned, and as I drove, exclaiming, "It's alright baby, when we get home, Mommy will take care of it," I glanced back and Aiden had the first aide kit out.  His hand fumbled through the contents for a bandaid.  As he retrieved one, and asked me to open it, I could see his concern worsen...in direct correlation to Lydia's panic. 

Unfortunately, he could not ease her pain, and he felt the sorrow of watching his sweet sister suffer.  Aiden's heart is made of gold with the words compassion written so clear and deep upon it.

I love this boy, my red headed little fire...who holds the fire of God in his tiny little frame.

Now, tell me...who would want to steal his food and his jacket???  Poor guy has been facing a thief this school year...and we are losing miserably.

 Maya recently freaked Daddy out with her bath time tricks; he seriously thought Lydia was going to drown our little gal.  Nope, this is all Maya! ;)

 And in case you didn't forget, "Tin Can Man" is sitting proudly on our fridge....

Connor's teacher is requesting the tabs...they are hard to part with!

Homemaking

I've been on a homemaking kick this week...standing at the counter-top and ironing board all day...

sewing...

cutting...

stamping...cleaning...

providing snacks and drinks...

and enjoying the fruits of my labors.

Steve and  I are both nurses, so it wouldn't be surprising that there is always a bottle or 2 of hand sanitizer and lotion.  I got tired of the clutter, so I threw them all into a basket with an accompanying sign that should read..."Clean and Soft (in) hand, heart, and word."

It encompasses everything we should be clean and soft in, on a spiritual note...physically, expressively, and within (spiritually).  Just so happens that placing them by the physical reminder of hand sanitizer and lotion is a perfect symbol, and helps me make the clutter look cute!

How Do I Love Thee?

It has been one rough week with these kiddos.  From hours without sleep, to hours of homework, to hours of a husband who is on call 24/7 for a full week...

It's just been busy!

There were many nights when the kids went to bed in tears, and I went to bed with a heavy heart.  The pressure of the world weighs so heavy on them at such a young age.  They go to school for 7 hours a day, come home and do homework for 2-3 hours, have dinner, take a shower and get ready to head off to bed after just a few minutes of play.  The boys express their stress over tests and responsibilities, while I sit back and wonder why they aren't just kids???

And allowed to be kids...

I worked Monday, on Tuesday I attempted to make homework time enjoyable--got a pizza with the last few dollars in my wallet, went to get happy hour drinks...and half of them went plummeting to the floor of the Ford.  I wanted to cry, but I screamed...

...then the kids cried.  

On Wednesday, I gathered the left over macaroni and cheese after desperately trying to get the place cleaned up before the school bus arrived.  We took our swim suits to Mimi's house and used the hot tub for the evening.  When we got home, the boys threw tantrums and screamed words at me strong enough to provoke me to walk away for the course of the night and leave their routine in their Dad's hands.  The boys, with tears falling down their faces, yelled, "I'm sorry Mom, I love you...Do you forgive me?"  Again, I went to bed with a heavy heart.

On Thursday, I woke determined to change the course of the week...I had spoken with my sister and let her know that I had tried so hard all week long and things were just getting worse.  She informed me that the fact that I keep trying is what matters...I'd be a failure if I stoped trying in the end.  So, I spent the entire day, a day late (2/2/2012), making quilted Valentine bags for all of my children.  I picked them up from the bus stop and we made a trip to the grocery store.

Connor is quickly becoming more of a helper than a hindrance to a successful grocery trip!

He insisted that he do the work on his own! 

We actually picked up pizza again...with lava cakes too!  We were celebrating! 

 The kiddos all bathed themselves to pristine quality!  Well, I bathed the girls, but Maya is showing me that she has no fear of laying down in the water...to enjoy the warmth up over her ears!  She's a brave little gal!

Daddy wrote notes for the boys before he headed to work in the morning...I stuffed them into their bags as a sweet little surprise...

...well, I added Dove chocolates as well! 

I worked away, and upon completion, the light bulbs in the kids heads went on, and they realized that all the "cool things" I was doing was for them!!! 

And so the count down to Valentine's begins....

a day late!

But...even at a day late, it has begun...

and that's what matters most in the end.

It's never too late to make things better, to turn a heavy week into one of success, to change for the better...and to love. 

They most certainly appreciated all of it! 

 The joy on their faces with Daddy's notes was priceless...

Now, that's the right way to raise a kiddo--to build them up when they do good instead of tearing them down when they have done bad.  Way to go Daddy!

So, on the 2nd they were told, "As I have loved you, love one another." John 13:34

And today, they were informed that "I have loved thee with an everlasting love!" Jeremiah 31:3

Tea Anyone???

Daddy initiated a tea party for the girls a few days ago.  Everyone, eventually, was in attendance...

Maya had to look prim and proper with her hair pulled back...and yes, she did that her self!

Elmo became the guest of honor...and Daddy taught Maya how to do the best Elmo impersonation yet!

Is she REALLY 3???

Last Monday was the 100th day of school...yep, the day when the 100day projects are due!  I received fair warning from Connor's teacher, and was under the assumption that Aiden's teacher was okay with no 100 day celebration.

Still....we procrastinated until Monday morning!

My creative Mommy gears kicked in, and I found 100 coke can tabs...yes, I drink that much soda pop...and I sewed them onto a piece of paper to make the body of...

TIN CAN MAN!!!

It was 7:35, and I was yelling at  gently telling Connor to, "Hurry and pack your lunch so we can get to the bus on time!" 

 He didn't pack his lunch. 

So, I did...

PB crackers, a juice container, a M&M kudos bar, and prepackaged Ritz crackers...Connor was in heaven watching me throw lots of junk in his lunch box! 

It was 7:40, and Aiden said, "I need a hundred day project too!"

Determined to make it to the bus stop on time (7:56), I threw beans into baggies, 100 to be exact, and he drew...

BEAN BOY!!!

We rushed off to the bus stop and made it on time!

Next...Lydia's 3 year appointment...

She measured  39 inches, the 90th percentile for height...

and 32 pounds, the 50th percentile for weight.

The doctor said she's tall and skinny...perfect!  (I guess Mommy's not so perfect!)

While we waited for the doctor, I looked at Lydia's new boots and said, "Lydia how about we count the HEARTS on your new boots?" I was attempting to distract the girls from all the intricate doctor tools they were so desperate to touch, keep them from the chairs that were their own personal mountains to climb, and to make the computer they so sweetly broke the last time we were in appear invisible to their angel eyes!

Lydia yelled at me, "NO...I DON'T WANT TO COUNT THE HEARTS!"

Okay...

The doctor walked in moments later and assessed Lydia on all fronts...

She spoke with Lydia and said, "Lydia can you count yet?"

Lydia said, "Ya (and she points to her boots)...I can count the STARS on my boots!"

I'm thinking, I guess the doctor can put a big red X through the category SHAPES, she obviously doesn't know that!  BUT...she counted to 12 for the doctor, and as the doctor listened and told me that Lydia is basically the size of a 4 year old, she exclaims, "Is she almost 4? When is your Birthday Lydia?"  She went on to talk about how smart Lydia is, and how we will have full hands with her!

The doctor assessed Lydia's knowledge of her body parts...

She pointed at her nose, her cheeks, her knees (which she had to force the jeans up to show the doctor her little knees), and when she was asked where he MOUTH is, she pointed at me, her MOM!

As she begins her physical assessment of Lydia, I place her on the examining   table, and the doctor says, "Let's see Lydia, do you know your colors?"

Of course, Lydia said "Ya" and went on to call pink "reel", white "....", and blue "grilln".  I laughed as the doctor assured me that it's totally normal for her to not know her colors, and if she did she was going to start assessing her knowledge of the Presidents of the USA.

(I decided to withhold the fact that I was teaching my 3 year old son presidential facts 5 years ago!)

SO the doctor starts to look in Lydia's ears with an otoscope, and she says, "Lydia, what's your favorite thing to do at home?"

Lydia nervously stated, "Play with my ears!" 

Now, you see, the doctor knows I am a PICU nurse, and my husband is a NICU and Peds specialty nurse as well...we talk about out jobs all the time, so when it came time to listen to Lydia's heart, you best be sure Lydia should have pointed to her heart when asked by the doctor, "Lydia, where is your heart?"

Lydia, without hesitation, opened her mouth as wide as she could, took her right index finger and stuck it in her mouth, pointing at her....

heart???

I was doubled over in hysterical laughter at this point, enjoying my favorite well visit amongst all 5 of my children!

When all was said and done, the doctor told her that she would be getting a shot today...she said, "Okay!" as cheerfully as she could!

After her shot, the tears poured endlessly along her little red cheeks.

She was offered a band-aid, and to my surprise she screamed until I removed the band-aid that was placed to comfort an "owwie".  Then it hit me...she had ironically played with a dozen band-aids she found that morning, as though they were just stickers...

She was officially boycotting band-aids once and for all....because when you get a band-aid, it means you really get an owwie!

Maya shocked the doctor as she said, "I wan milk!" while the doctors head was turned in the opposite direction!  When she turned to see the girls, she came to realize Maya was talking, and with a look of disbelief said, "That was Maya???  You guys really are in trouble!"

Lydia cried inconsolably, and on the way out the door, she said, between sobs and tears, "I want mozzarella sticks and a soda!"  We made a Sonic stop...and everyone was happy as can be! 

Lydia's Three...and Sweet as Can Be!

Our little princess turned three Friday!  Three years ago, I delivered her into her Daddy's hands in the middle of a hallway with the ones who adore her most frantically throwing towels, calling 911, and trying to keep kids away from the natural, but almost frightening sight to young eyes!  It was a night to remember...a night given to us in grace after the loss of our son...a night when we heard and felt the Lord reaching out to us through the tiny cry of our baby girl.

Now Little Miss Lydia is three...and sweet as can be!

Her first Birthday request was to have Mimi (my Mom) at her Birthday party.  Mimi is in Mexico! : (

We had cupcakes for breakfast!  The boys were overjoyed when I walked into their room and delivered the announcement that they better get their behinds out of bed if they want cupcakes for breakfast before school starts.  I have never seen my boys hop out of bed so fast...I should do this more often!

Each child presented their treasure! 

 With tired eyes of course!

Oh ya...we had donuts too!

 I dressed Liddy in her new clothes from Christmas time...

And let her dig away at the treats! 

 We braved the winds and went to eat lunch with Aunt Sunny and the cousins at McD's!

 We went to the park...and did her favorite thing (which is my favorite thing too!)...

 I embraced the reality that I do have a triplet...just 2 and a half decades too late!

 And then I watched her brave the big slides alone...for the first time ever!

 When we got home, she changed into her jammies and we all waited patiently for Daddy to come home.

 With her binky close by...we are working on that!

 Daddy arrived with pizza and cake...and we continued our day of yummy delight and indulgence!

 She explored her cake...and allowed me to frugally reuse the striped bag that Aunt Sunny packaged her puzzles, shirts, socks, and purse in.  I also used a bag that I received gifts for her three years and 2 weeks ago on the night of her baby shower.

 Lydia actually practices blowing out the candles before the candle was lit and the song was sung.  She blowed several times and then said, "I can't do it!"  She then looked at Connor and said, "Connor can do it!"  As Connor pretended to blow out an unlit candle, she looked confused, disappointed, and frustrated as she exclaimed, "Connor can't do it!"  I laughed and let her know that the candle has to be lit before you can change it by blowing at it!  She understood only after she blew out a lit candle in one little breath!

 She opened a card Daddy got her that sang a pretty tune from Tangled...we ended up dancing like ballerinas to the song repeatedly through the course of the night.

 Can you see the delight?  She LOVED the song!

 Everyone loved the smurfette house...graciously saved from a late Christmas order.

 When she got through her big striped bag, she pulled out a box.  She lifted it up high in the air, and with eyes as wide as we have ever seen them, she yelled out, "A BOX!!!"  When asked what it was, she excitedly said again, "A BOX!!!"  The boys helped her open it, to reveal her new boots, to which she said, "MOMMY'S BOOTS!"  She was so happy to receive a box, and even more happy to open boots for Mommy...

This is the gift I have in Lydia!

When she found out the boots were hers, she was happy as well...

 She put them on right away....

The following day she woke and immediately placed them on her feet...only after she placed her new socks from Aunt Sunny on!  She also walked around with her new hot cocoa pajama bottoms on her head, giggling and claiming, "I am a lion!" 

 Daddy loves his little girl!

 We tried so hard to call Grandma Fultz with our face time feature...but had no luck...

 So we face timed Daddy instead!

He was a good sport!

When I laid her down to bed, she whimpered.  I told her "It was such a good day honey!"  She said, "It was a good day to call Grandma Mommy." (She wanted to see Grandma so bad.)  Every time I told her Happy Birthday, she would repeat, "Happy Birf-day Mommy.  I love you so much!"

We are so blessed to have Miss Lydia in out lives!