RollersInVegas

Sunday LATE night post:

**Isaac sat up by HIMSELF tonight--that means that he was laying down and sat up to reach a toy!! AND..he did this while I was in another room! But, Joe saw him do it! and...of course...he hasn't done it again:( He's been a little "off" today. He only ate by mouth once...he was just too tired the other times and couldn't hold his little head up. (maybe he's depressed about his bouncy seat)

We ALL made it to church. It was great to go...but, still...lots of sneezing going on...so, Isaac will be on LOCK DOWN soon!

We are STILL eating turkey day leftovers...and I believe that I've gained 10 pounds:( I am going to start having an eating disorder....I can't be anorexic...I like to eat too much....and I don't like to throw up...uugghhh...I don't know what I'm going to do~! I have some thinking to do.

So...school starts again tomorrow for Chris...but, Eli is on track break until Jan. 5th!! What in the WORLD am I suppose to do with him everyday....he talks my head off!!! You guys better watch out...I've got your numbers...and I'm going to start handing him the phone!

I am going to email Fisher Price though....because this is suppose to hold up to 25 pounds...and he's only 19 pounds. (It doesn't say that it can't hold a 20 month old that bounces with all his might!)....maybe they should add that disclaimer.

This is what I ordered today....a new bouncy seat that holds up to 30 pounds! Isaac is too heavy for his...when he bounces...his back hits the ground! poor little thing. BUT, he can't eat sitting in any other seat...so, a fancy new seat it is! I can't wait for it to arrive!!!

Sorry for the lack of family pics...but, my belly is too full to get off the couch...and my arms can't reach the camera from where I sit.

We had a great, quiet Thanksgiving. Our friend Janice brought over TONS of food, I cooked tons...we're going to gain 10 pounds each this weekend alone! (and I haven't even started making Christmas cookies and fudge!)

Isaac is doing great. He's only eating twice a day by mouth...the other three times are by g-tube. He's just sleeping through his afternoon feed...and you CAN'T wake a sleeping baby! (not even for food!) He knows how to roll to the tv...and pull out the dvd's from underneath....it's just the beginning!!!!

Eli had a mini-meltdown today when he couldn't beat his Star Wars video game....notice a pattern with him?? I limit his video game time when school is in...but, he's on vacation....so, I let them run wild. I guess it's my fault!

Chris will NOT stop picking on Eli. He will NOT stop talking to me. He will NOT help Eli beat the Star Wars game. what a stinker!

I bought a new attachment for my sewing machine last month...and tonight I finally got a chance to play with it....a gathering foot. I'm working on a dress for my niece Meghan. I call her Maggie Moo...so, I have this turtle neck that I'm sewing some cow-print fabric to the bottom (hence, the gathering foot) and I will applique "Princess Moo Moo" on the shirt. I will post pics if I EVER finish it! The idea is too cute in my head...I just hope that I can execute it!

Short and sweet update:

**Isaac had speech. He did not talk..but, worked hard.
**Eli is grounded for calling me a mean mom.
**Chris is grounded for waiting until almost bedtime to do his homework.
**(maybe I'm just a little grumpy and tired)
**I put up my xmas tree
**I pulled the weeds in my front yard, made Chris take out ALL the trash, and made Eli clean up his toys from the back yard.

Tomorrow:
**I need to grocery shop for my supplies for Thanksgiving
**Isaac's WONDERFUL PT comes over tomorrow.
**I need to finish decorating my tree
**and...see the eye doc again...my new contacts don't work..I think my eyes are too old!

**and...I just saw a Wal-mart commercial that says that they will price match any ad...even black Friday ads on Friday morning...hmmm...I may have to re-think my shopping strategy!

Isaac had community OT today. I LOVE her! She had all of the toys on a table that he was going to play with...to show me that she just washed them!!! He works so hard for the therapists...and doesn't even complain (that means that I'm not working him hard enough at home!) oops!

Isaac WAS ALSO up at 3am! Laughing and kicking and playing. His crib is in our room. So, I get up, change his diaper, and lay back down. Seriously, an hour goes by...and he's still laughing and ahhhhhing to himself! So, it's 4am....and I decide that Joe might need his sleep...so, I take the little man downstairs. We snuggle on the couch...in the dark...and he laughs and plays and kicks until 5:30 when I need to wake Chris up! So, I might as well turn Yo Gabba Gabba on..right?? I start feeding Isaac...get Chris off to church...and get to see Joe off to work. THEN, it's 7am and I sneak back to bed with Isaac...where he snuggles right up to me and FINALLY goes to sleep.
(at least he's happy when he's not sleeping and not screaming at me!)

Eli.....I forgot to tell you how swim practice went Friday. He jumped in the pool, screamed, and we had to leave. So, today...we have a talk. He understands how to close his mouth...he will be brave and try again. We're on our way, getting off the interstate at our exit...and he just starts screaming! (he's totally freaked out about going). He tells me that he's a little scared and just not feeling well. SO, I tell him that we can turn around and go home. He is miraculously healed!
This was the last week of lessons...so, I suppose we'll just wait until spring and start up again.

Nothing new to report on Chris. For his "prize" for a good report card...he just wanted 2 dozen boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts! and so....that's ALL we've been eating!

Jan. 1st....I'll diet then.

Eli picked up his new glasses this weekend...but, I didn't get a pic....I will..I WILL..he wears them all day! He's taking such good care of them. They are safely in their case right now...while he sleeps!! (He doesn't eat them like SOMEONE~!) ISAAC!

Chris went out on a Turkey shoot this weekend with scouts. They didn't shoot any turkeys...just targets. BUT, he had a blast!

Joe...I think that man worked 90+ hours this week. Seriously. I miss him still...one day..we'll meet again!

This morning we had a teacher's conference with Eli's teacher. He's doing amazing! He got all A's and one B (that B was an 89.3 and it was in writing). YEAH FOR ELI!!! The awards ceremony is in the morning....so, I guess Isaac and I will have to go and take pics!

THANKS Holly! Holly started tutoring Chris in Algebra today. Whoa...you've got your work cut out for you!

Nicole and Rob (specialist and OT) came over today to work with Isaac. He's doing SO good. He works hard, doesn't fuss too much...I'm so proud of him. He's still a bobble head, can't sit up by himself very long...but, he's working so darn hard!

shhh...don't tell Joe...but, tomorrow after the awards ceremony...my friend Tasha and I are going to the Outlets! I have a Disney coupon....and I MUST use it...I can't stand to see them expire!

What a cutie pie I have...I mean..what THREE cutie pies...urrhghhh....I mean what FOUR cutie pie guys I HAVE!! I'm the luckiest gal!!!

Isaac is STILL eating like a champ! He had his speech therapy today (it's every Wednesday)...and she played bubbles with Isaac...and he was POPPING THEM! HOW cool is that??!?! I've never pulled out bubbles...because he really doesn't play with anything yet...he just eats everything. SO, of course Chris used a bottle full of bubbles playing with Isaac tonight!!

****CHRIS GOT HIS REPORT CARD*** All A's and B's and a C in Algebra (which, for him..is GREAT!) He's going over to our friends house tomorrow so that she can tutor him (oh...I hope it helps).

Eli almost drowned tonight at swim practice. He forgets to close his mouth while swimming...poor little thing. Other than his mouth...he's doing great!

It's LATE...after 10...and Joe is STILL at work:( Somethings NEVER change!

GUESS WHAT?!?!?
(are you guessing yet??)

OK...we went to see our great Dr. Mayman (card)...Isaac's valve leakage has gone from a 6 to a FIVE! That's a DECREASE...which is AWESOME! He said at this rate...Isaac might not need another heart surgery until he's about FIVE YEARS OLD!!! Now...we ALL know that their little hearts can decide to change at any moment...but, HOW COOL! There is HOPE! Isaac's heart rate was still high...but, his heart function was good...so, that crazy high rate is just something that we will have to keep an eye on. His sats were in the mid 90s. If he gets a cold, we could still be on O2...but, for now...WE ARE NOT!!! We don't have to go back for SIX MONTHS!
I don't know what to think about that!!!

I told Eli the good news, and he said, "Does this mean we can go on vacation now??"

While I was at the cardiology appointment, I got a text from Chris. "my ears hurt really bad!"
SO...I go to the school to pick him up. He's got a yucky ear infection.

I pick up Ei from school. He told me that his ears hurt. I said, "Why didn't you call me"...he said, "because you won't let me play video games if I don't go to school"....so...I'm not certain that Eli's ears really hurt. But, if he wakes me up tonight...I'll know.

I made dinner tonight (yes...everyone should applaud). I cleaned a little. It was just a really good day!!! (OK....so, I'm the only one in the house that did...but, I did).

Ok...I'll upload some new pictures tomorrow. But, Isaac just made me laugh SO HARD I thought I was going to pee in my pants! You know that he likes the cardboard rolls that my tulle is on...well, today I had to wrap up a present for one of Eli's friends. The wrapping paper was left on the loveseat...and throughout the afternoon, someone knocked it on the floor. WELL...Mr. Isaac saw the BIGGEST ROLL HE HAD EVER SEEN....and started rolling across the floor to get it! He's eating it as I type, has it all unrolled all over himself...and is just having a blast! He's not going to believe me when he's older and I tell him that his favorite toys were cardboard rolls!!!

AHH...I can't remember much of our weekend. We DID go to church (YEAH for us!). We sit in the back..away for germs....or so we always think! Someone sat behind us with a baby coughing up a lung and there was a little boy in front of us sneezing his little head of...SO, Joe and I will keep Isaac at home and alternate weeks. BUT, Joe does sing at church in December...so, anyone here in town HAS to come with us!!! (he'll make you cry!)

Oh, Eli picked out his glasses this weekend. We had his eye exam at LensCrafters....but, they only had a small selection of lenses for kids to choose from. So, I told him that we'd go to the mall....look at all the stores. BUT, he wanted to go to Wal-mart. (he always sees the vision center). SO, ok..whatever. We take him on Saturday....and he only wants GOLD frames. BRIGHT, SHINY, GOLD frames! I begged him to get others...but, Joe told me to let him pick out what he liked. SO, his GOLD frames will be in soon (about a week) and I'll post pics. NOW...isn't it sad that I had Isaac's glasses imported in from Germany and poor Eli has to get his from Wal-mart (I'm not showing favorites...am I??)

CHRISTOPHER is suppose to get his report card any day now....I have no idea when...I think all the kids are keeping it from me and not telling me that they really got them last month!
Chris went to a church dance on Saturday...looking might cute...and he said that he danced with 5 different girls! I'm SO glad that he's not shy......I can imagine what a GOOF he is at those dances! HIS FAVORITE weekend is this Friday...the Turkey Shoot with the scouts! They'll go camping and shoot it up (I guess)... Chris LOVES guns. I've told you his plans to go to the Naval Academy, then be an officer in the Marines?? Our world will be a safer place with Christopher in command!

I think that about covers it...it's 9:30 and Joe is ON HIS WAY home!
PLEASE Obama....let us all just stay at home and live off of LOVE!

OH...I almost forgot to tell you. We took Isaac to meet his new OT (this one is out in the community...not, the one from the state)...and she was SO SWEET. She appeased my germ-a-phobias and wiped down the mats with clorox wipes....and wiped everything she had before she let him touch it! Now, I'm sure he'll still get something soon...and we'll have to stay home...but, it's nice to get a little more therapy in while he's so healthy!!!

So...Isaac had his RSV shots (yes...two) yesterday:( I put the numbing cream on him...but, it didn't help decrease the crying. She told me that cream is good for blood draws, but it's the liquid that burns going in:( :( :(

Our speech therapist and nutritionist came yesterday also. Isaac weighed in at 19 lbs 14 ozs and 31 in tall! HE'S GROWING!!! Ok...slowly, but surely! He's still wearing 12 month clothes...poor little thing. He is eating like a champ! While we were at the cards office getting the RSV shot...they checked his sats...and for about 5 minutes he was only 92-93...but, he slowly got back up to 95!

Chris just left us to spend the night with a friend....and Eli just had a melt down because the Star Wars video game was TOO HARD!

OH...Eli went with me yesterday to the eye docs. I HAD to have an exam and get new contacts...so, I made one for him (he keeps telling me that words on paper keep playing tricks on him). WELL....wouldn't you know that he NEEDS GLASSES! (we had to buy braces and glasses in the same week--I'll need to start working soon!) We're going out tomorrow to pick out new frames for him. He's not too bad...just astigmatism in both eyes and farsighted in one eye. But, they told me to start correcting it now or it would turn into a lazy eye. (and we already have enough crazy eyes in this house!)

I think I remembered all the important things that we've done in the past two days...boy, we've been busy!

I'll post more pics tomorrow!

WE....woke up this morning to find that Eli had a sore throat and he couldn't walk. (I mean...that's what he said). SO, he didn't think that he'd make it to school. But, with ace bandages wrapped around each knee, Tylenol for his throat....maybe he'd think about it.

We then took Joe's parents to the airport. THEN, Eli said that he could go to school--at 11:00am! But...only because he wanted to play video games tonight. (and yes...he went with the bandages wrapped around his legs)

Then, Isaac and I filled up with gas. $50.o0 to fill up the minivan!!! Last month it was over $100!!! whoo hooo!!!

Then, we went 20 miles in one direction to meet this new speech therapist he'll see once a week. She did her quick eval...he's in the 0-6 month range for speech (duh---he doesn't speak!). That office isn't clean enough for me...but, she told me that I could bring my own blanket, toys, clorox wipes, and hand sanitizer. (I'll think about it).

THEN, we RUSH back towards our house (after a quick stop at McDonald's for a kids meal for ME)...and we pick up the high school kids.

We drop off the kids and rush to Target! They had a wagon on sale for $17.00 (the one in the pic)....I thought that Eli wouldn't be able to walk tonight...so, we got it!

RUSHED again to pick up Eli from school at 3:00.
RUSHED again to eat a quick snack before swim class at 4:30.

Swim class was fun..but, then we had to RUSH again to get home, feed everyone...because it was CHRISTMAS LIGHTS tonight! The children's heart foundation had a fundraiser this year...and we were able to walk through the light show (the kind where you normally drive though)...soo cute! (those are the pics I'll share tomorrow).

It was beautiful today! 75 during the day..and about 65 tonight...just perfect for strolling around looking at lights!

Joe's home...the kids are asleep...and my HOUSE IS CLEAN (ok...kind of)..but, did you see Oprah today?? Ok...I recorded it on the DVR and watched it tonight. De-cluttering your house! I SO SO SO SO SO need to do this! ANYWAY...she's giving away a free 20 photobook on snapfish if you go to her website. The offer is only good until Friday night at midnight....SO...GO GET YOUR FREE BOOK OF YOUR BABIES MADE!!! Here's the info:

To help you get organized, Snapfish.com is offering The Oprah Winfrey Show viewers a free 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book! *

Create a Snapfish.com account now or log in to your existing account to receive this special offer. Get your free book!

* This offer is only good for one standard 20-page 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book per household. Coupon dispersal ends at 11:59 p.m. PST Friday, November 14, 2008. Free photo book must be redeemed by 11:59 p.m. PST Sunday, November 16, 2008. Offer does not include customary shipping and handling changes or additional pages. Offer applies only to mail-order delivery to U.S. customers. Offer cannot be combined with other coupon codes. Coupon cannot be resold or otherwise transferred and is void on the earlier of redemption or the offer end date.

Due to heavy demand, you may experience some slowness navigating to the website. Please be patient and try again later.

AND...she also has a coupon for 20% off The Container Store for the next week. (I love that store...just not allowed to buy boxes at this time!)

ok...that about covers it for today!
See you tomorrow!!!

I must talk fast..
I have MORE pumpkin pies in the oven,
Isaac needs meds,
I need to finish a few tutus...
and I forgot that I haven't eaten dinner yet!

So...we go to the orthodontist today. Eli will need YEARS of work...but, for now....we've got to get him to stop sucking his thumb. Chris....his teeth are so stinkin' straight..i'm so jealous! BUT, they said he NEEDED braces for TWO years! WHAT?!?!? When they show me the pics...his teeth don't line up in the back and there are two teeth out of line, and the inside of his teeth aren't straight. SO, why wouldn't I just give them 7k to fix those pearly whites??
GEEZ....they are so nice though. (that's how they get you!) BUT, they are the only orthos in Nevada that sell Invisalign for Teens..and Chris qualified to get them. SO...his new invisaligns will be in the office in 4-5 weeks...and he'll start treatment.

I don't know....is it really worth that much money?? But, we spend SO MUCH on Isaac and his needs..if this is all Chris needs, then I need to sell more tutus! AND if Chris was 7k, I can only imagine how much Eli is going to cost me. (I think I should check into going to dental school)!

Joe should be home by 10:00....oh, I miss him!
OH...and Eli told me again today that I had anger issues and he wanted new parents.
I told him, FINE...after school...just pick out a new mom. I'm not coming to get you.
Eli: mom...you're not coming to get me??
Me: NOPE...if you want new parents...you take your time and pick out whomever you want!
Eli: I'm sorry. Will you pick me up??
Me: NOPE!
Eli: PLEASE...I won't say that anymore.

Then I proceeded to tell him how ugly that was, how ugly that made him sound, that those ugly words are why I have anger issues. His poor little puppy dog face (really, he just needed a nap today...and was tired)...but, what an ugly thing to tell the mom that just spent 3 hours at the dentist with you and your brother, just made you lunch, just took you to Target, AND even made you dinner!

Hope everyone else had happy, grateful children today...mine HAVE LOST their minds!