Thyroid Stuff

About 18 months ago I got sick of being depressed and annoyed and angry and depressed and overweight and thought "gee, maybe there is an actual medical reason I'm so off." So I started googling and found this extended list of thyroid symptoms and it fit me, all the way down to being cold all the time, losing hair, and well, just everything. As in, symptoms I've experienced my whole life. So I called, made an appointment at 3 different places to get my bloodwork done and followed through with my OB as they were the shortest lead time. FYI - for some reason the Chicago area has the looooongest lead time to speak to anyone but a doc-in-the-box.

Anyway, my OB, love him, he says "wow, you DO have an issue." What I love is that he actually followed the current "guidelines" for thyroid issues. So I made an appt. with an endocrinologist and 3 months later, got some medication. It helped! For a few months. Then I made a new appt. and waited longer and she bumped it up a tiny bit. So nowadays I'm getting that same ol' lovely "your thyroid is outta whack" feeling and I called to make an appt. at the end of January. Fantastic.

So in the meantime I want to tear my hair out, quit my job, hide out with my children and never face humanity again. Someday when my thyroid is removed or my meds are more regulated, I want to be able to look back and remember just how crazy I felt so often. Maybe it's my sensitive nature, maybe it's my charisma, but I am so itchy to do something different and new and well, not live the days that I am living right now. I am curious how much will change when I change my job.

Today I talked to my co-worker as the office was empty, and we both talked about how we hated working there. Good grief, they could lose their entire architectural department if they aren't careful to maybe perhaps become a better office. I've been miserable every single workday and I'm even having panic attacks on certain days. Ugh. So, finally, this Monday there were a few funny things that happened and brightened my mood. Of course, it involved another co-worker driving one of my least favorite comrades nutsy, but hey, take the humor where you can get it right? Today at the end of the day, after said comrade dealt with Mr. Coworker, I found out he has been re-relegated to another cubicle. By me. That's a good thing because he makes me laugh and the other lady drives me crazy. Gotta take some smiles where we can get them until this "Great Recession" really and truly lifts eh?

A-Maze-ing

I got this idea from

http://ittybittylove.blogspot.com/

We don't have long pretty red blocks, but we do have a mishmash and it was enough to make a maze. I helped guide the kids on when to turn directions on the blocks, but they did well! Logan usually has a lot of patience for building things, but today Sylvie was really into this activity. She loved the addition of the bell at the end of the maze. Logan enjoyed doing the maze walking silly, acting like a chicken, etc. After the maze, it was fun building castles and fortresses for our favorite characters.

Countdown to Christmas

We've had sort of a non-traditional month. We had a double Thanksgiving, one at my mom's house with lots of not-often-seen relatives, and over to the in-laws to a meal they made (which tasted divine, we usually go out with his family). Plus a new addition- Joe's fiance- was so exciting! Of course we've met Emily before, but knowing there will be a wedding in the summer was extra fun. Jorge and I experienced Black Friday in all its sleepless glory when the kids slept over at the in-laws. Toys R Us at Midnight threatened to be a mob scene in the frigid cold, but the security guard and police presence seemed to nip that in the bud. We opted to go home and sleep as it seemed they were letting 10 people at a time inside the store. Woke early and got some great deals. When you're being careful about money there is something thrilling and overwhelming about going "shopping" for good deals and buying a lot!

I waited too long to find an advent calendar and decided that the kids just needed a countdown and chocolate, so I improvised. I think it's kinda fun! And I made sure to get extra candy so these don't disappear before they are supposed to.

We didn't want a big ol' tree this year. We're heading on a trip this January and the trees around here have gone up in price, and we just rearranged the house for new flooring and did not feel like doing it again for a tree. So we welcomed to the family a tiny tree. We love it! The kids love it. Logan thought it would keep growing if we kept adding water, so I hated to crush his hopes of this new live tree we brought home, but I promised we could do some planting in the spring.

We went out with some friends last night downtown, I love seeing the city in the cool crisp winter in all it's holiday glory. Such a great reminder of why we love being a part of "Chicago." We had to walk a ways from the parking garage and haul kids, toys and food, but we all survived and had a great time. It's funny how holidays are so much about family, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but this was a fun holiday celebration the way WE would plan it.

Today we did the Polar Express train and went to pick up Santa, and bring him back with us. It was cute! Sylvie was very uncertain, and then when she realized what was going on, she got all happy and excited:)

Paper Dolls

I love the internet and its plethora of free things to download and cut out.

Gotta Love those Dreams!

Last night was super-intense. I got a chance to see some old friends from Seattle (and some local) but it brought back so many emotions, memories, and thoughts. At the end of the night we were discussing living a more urban lifestyle and so when I finally went to bed, those thoughts were fresh on my mind.

I dreamt we lived in the city and we had just moved. One of the annoyances with our current life is dealing with the drop-offs at various places. So in my dream of course this was resolved! We were all in the car and miraculously I was able to drop everyone off at one corner and they dispersed into their separate directions and we were commenting on how much easier it was! Hilarious.

Then I was driving my SUV and somehow it miraculously parked for free and I found myself walking into a subway tunnel (aka my memories of subway stations in New York) and I rode the train to work (I actually currently work in the suburbs, not the city). So I'm at the next subway station and I am looking at this modern sculpture and there are kids sliding down these metal bars that come to a point (no guard rail) and then drop about 15 feet to the floor below. I was suddenly frantic about someone pushing ME down the sculpture and angry at the parents that didn't seem to notice the major safety hazard. Then I walked upstairs into a grungy stairwell and into my office.

I am usually prone to premonition dreams, I definitely knew the gender of each of my children very early on. And I knew I was pregnant with Sylvie before the tests read "yes." But it would be pretty darn crazy if we did overhaul our lives to fit this dream. Especially if my car could park itself, that would be awesome. I'll keep you posted if this occurs anytime soon:)

Home Sweet Home

I'm getting really attached to our home! We moved in 5 years ago and it's by far the longest we've stayed put in one home in our 12 years of marriage! The last time I lived in a home for so long, I was in High School. The other day Logan said:
"Mom, do you know where I'm going to live when I grow up?" "Where?" "Here in this house. With you." Ah, the optimism and idealism of a little boy who loves his mommy:)

But it also makes me think about having to leave here someday or hand the home over to someone else would be a sad day. We've left our mark. I have tick-marks up the closet door jambs marking Logan's growth from 17 months to 6 years. And Sylvie from age 2 to almost 4.


The person we bought the house from lived her for a few decades and put the addition on it. She had 2 boys and cut a door into the "nursery" and closed it back in when it wasn't needed. Her husband had a workbench all organized with tools, pegs and rows of containers with different nails and screws taped on for identification. They left the tool bench. They left the addition. They left the old appliances and the new ones. We have made our mark as well. We've added a pretty paver patio. Painted and changed out flooring. Knocked apart a countertop in the kitchen to fit a big family sized fridge there. Had a dead tree removed and added plants.

I like to think that someday when we leave here we'll leave a cd or data of some sort with a history of the house, then and now. It fascinates me that a place can be so solid and so fluid at the same time.

Oooh the itch....

You know the one where you want to turn your life upside down, shake it around a bit and start anew? I do love our house and our neighborhood and our schools. But the job, my appearance, the routine with the kids, the daycare situation and the stress, well, I could be happy messing around with all of those for sure!

Job- ugh I'm so ready for something different! I just wade through work telling myself "Just hold out til after the new year and our planned vacation and maybe in the new year the economy will pick up." And some weeks at work are okay and others, well, let's just say I am SO happy to have survived. I know all jobs have their ups and downs, and working is never as fun as being home:) But would it be bad if I started a countdown til I could send some resumes in the mail?

My appearance, well, I'm getting older, I need to lose weight, get a good haircut, and better fitting clothing would help. This week my favorite shoes broke and I have had to compensate with some flats I dont' love because then I have to roll my pants up which is way out of fashion. So hopefully this weekend I can find some new ones!

Daycare- it just seems so jumbled and some things have happened this week that make me want to scoop the kids up and never let them out the door with anyone else but me and Jorge. I don't like giving up control, and I've come a LONG way to trusting others with our kids and letting them do things their own way. I hate when things get messed up in that department.

And I could use my husband back. He's been gone alot traveling. And we've survived! But his deadline is not over so he's been a maniac running around trying to get things done and it'll take a day til he gets his head screwed back on. I'll be waiting:)

My 6 year old!

What is Logan like at age 6? He is definitely at the crux between babyhood and big-kid-hood! He brought his Blue Blankey to school for show and tell (student of the week) and yet likes to build ugly scary Bionicles. He gives into his sister even if she wants his brand new toy before he has played with it. He doesn't care much for the zoo or animals or as much about sports or balloons (halleluja!) as he did when he was little. He's more well-rounded and less obsessive. He lost his first tooth this week and must have lost it during his sleep, we couldnt' find it. It never bothered him, he just figured the Tooth Fairy would come no matter what. And of course she did! Five whole dollars!

When he gets to the line for Kindergarten, the kids call his name and his whole face lights up. He has real friends and he's really good at it! He amazes me every day when he comes home with schoolwork. How could a child who still isn't sure of half the alphabet by sight write out a list of 10 recognizable words from the teacher saying them and him sounding them out?!?! I mean really!? He never ceases to amaze me. And when you point out his incredulous achievements (well, at least they are amazing to his adoring parents), he just shrugs and tells you like it is.

His demeanor still is a bit of a mystery. One minute he's running through the house screaming and excited because he's happy, and the next he's sobbing telling me he wants to be 5 forever (seriously, is that so cute?!) He can be serious and non-challant and boisterous depending on his mood. He still doesnt' love baths, but can jump on the trampoline with the best of them. He loves superheroes and playing legos. He adores new toys and gets plenty of them from all of his biggest fans.

I love my little Logan. He's still quite the individual and a very very very sweet soul.I can't imagine life without him:) Happy Birthday my Logan Anthony, my firsborn and my sweet baby boy.

Future Predictions

Logan: "We could get married and then have babies." (I'm not sure who he was actually talking about, we were talking about marriage.)

Me: "Logan, if you get married someday you can be a daddy and have babies. How many babies do you think you would want."

Logan: "I would want 162 babies."

Me: hysterical laughter

Logan: "Mom, I could totally handle that. I could totally handle 162 babies."

Me: "Logan, you crack me up!"

Logan: "Well, I could have 10 then, that would be way more easier."

Me: "Sylvie, how many babies would you like someday."

Sylvie: "Maybe one."

Proof is in the Numbers

I don't have the official numbers in front of me because they will be mailed to me, but I got a sneak peek at Logan's Phonological Test Scores. Here is the rundown:

Age 3 when he entered Phono: 181 (profound)

Age 4 beginning of the year: 165

Age 4 at the end of the school year: 151

So that's why they recommended he continue Phono in the class, he hadn't really made enough progress and was still high on the scale of needing help with speech.

So, they tested him this week, about 6 months after his last exam:

You ready? He scored a.... 24

Holy cow what a difference! 24 is considered "Mild" so my boy has improved quite a bit! So exciting. He had his last day of Phono, I had his IEP meeting where we changed his goal and met the new in-district speech teacher. She was already putting together ideas for Logan at the meeting and he will most likely come in with one other child from kindergarten. The speech room is right nearby and he will enjoy bonding with one other child for sure, the kindergarten class is pretty large, and he won't feel alone.

Graduating from Phono!

It started at age 2, we did Early Intervention where he ended up getting therapy sessions in my mother-in-laws house.

Then it moved to Early Childhood with testing and placement in the Phono class. 3 Days a week he went to Kensington and 2 days a week he got on a bus and went to Phono preschool. 5 days a week of papers, parties and treats and special days to coordinate, with things to practice at home from both schools.

Then he turned 4 and did the same thing all over again.

Then he turned 5 and while I wanted to pass him out of it, they weren't really offering the option. So we did phono again with the bus and the crazy schedule of 3 different schools to get 2 different children to on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

And finally I was able to get the school district to allow him to do therapy for 15-30 minutes a week during kindergarten hours! I was all worried that his Phono teacher would talk me out of it, and she said she agrees, he has improved enough to "GRADUATE" from phono!

I know it's a silly thing but this has been a part of our lives for 4 years and I guess I'm just taking this moment to revel in the fact that he has moved ON. We have survived, we have done a good thing and he is now in regular kindergarten with a mostly intelligible speech! I couldn't have done it without the grandparents. And it was worth it. This summer we had a meeting and they specifically said that all of our hard work (especially Logan's hard work!) has kept him out of Special Ed. Yeah for Logan!

He has always been my quirky backwards, do everything different than the books say, intense beyond belief for that first year to the point that I had to quit my job, adorable and not predictable boy. He has mellowed to a sweet boy beyond compare and now I can stop being the mom at the park who has to interject for him when the other kids don't understand. He talks to his friends on the playground and he talks a LOT more then ever before.

I just wanted to share my good news and send a note of encouragement for any mom in the group heading down the long road of "therapy" in any of its forms. It's so worthwhile to give your child a hand up when they need it so when all they want to do is be a "normal kindergartener" they have all the tools at their ready.

Playground Anctics

This was all this morning, in the 5 minutes waiting for the school bell to let my son into Kindergarten.

A to Logan: "You're #5 in line! How come you didn't get here first?"

W:"You know what Allison told me? She told me she likes me!"
A: "No she did not! That's a lie!" W looks like he's going to cry.

I turn around to see Allison making eyes with a boy in the next line. There is a cluster of girls saving a spot for another girl and all clamboring around Allison. She's cute, she's got a big sister and apparently she's not afraid to talk to the boys. Should I warn her mom?

A: "Hey Logan, guess what?"
Logan: "What?"
A: "BLPHTTT!" practically spits in his face and makes faces. Nice huh?

Geesh! This is KINDERGARTEN kids? Where's the sweetness? Apparently left behind in preschool.

11 -5 year old Boys.

Oh my! I just attended the first birthday party of the kindergarten year. This party was at home which to me conjures innocence, fun games and homemade cake. Well we had the second two but innocence, man I can picture some of these boys in junior high already. I think I need to send a spa certificate for their teacher this Christmas. Or perhaps buy her a trip to the Bahamas to recoup and get ready for round 2 of the rest of the year!

There was rowdiness, pure insane disregard for the kids toys, and knocking over of juice cups by whipping an inflatable pumpkin everywhere. They had some fun Halloween decorations like the one with a skeleton hand that comes out, and instead of just standing there laughing, it became a contest to see who could break the darn thing faster.

The mummy contest was crazy. The musical chair contest was ruthless. And the pinata left some kids in tears!

The parents hosting were great, they really did try to keep a handle on things. But what do you do when you announce "Time to play a new game!" and a child stands their ground and says "Not me!" and continues to destroy the playroom by throwing things all over the place.

I was actually happy to be there as I had to defend my son a few times, steal his toy gun back from 3 different kids (who took it right out of his hands), and pull a few boys off of him that were in a punching kinda mood. Good grief!

We have a birthday party coming up at Chuck E Cheese for Logan with the same 11 boys, and a Halloween party at kindergarten, I'll be curious to see the behavior of the kids for these events.

And to think, the 11 boys are only half of the kindergarten class. Now I'm glad to be an architect again!

What's for Dinner?

This is a typical dinner for the kids and me. I love serving the kids in these trays, as Logan especially is not very "Mixed food" friendly. He would flip out if I served him a casserole, he prefers compartments. Plus it makes it easier to say "eat all of your veggies or fruit" Since we had a big lunch and neither child is in a growth spurt at the moment, I had to do some cajoling to get them to eat this.



This, on the other hand, is Logan's dinner request. And lunch request. He tells me he would like to eat Ramen all the time. Even though it isn't healthy. And every food presented comes with the question "Is this healthy?" and eaten better if it is healthy.



I have to say it is nice to have ONE food you KNOW the kids will eat, no matter what. Sylvie's fav is rice from the in-laws restaurant. For a Long LONG LOOOOONG time, Logan preferred Hot Dogs, Scrambled eggs, Chocolate Milk and Breakfast Sausage. Sylvie is not as routine, she goes in phases. Usually when you stock up on something, she decides she no longer likes it:)

Robot Control Tower

I had a blast with the kids pulling out some old boxes from the recycling bins, our art supplies, and let them go to town. I made them 3 of the "cottages" and they made the others. Sylvie's is the well-colored variety and Logan's is a "Robot Control Tower." We had a great time!

A few weeks back, you know, when it was warmer!

I can't believe it was warm enough for a sundress and a sunny trip to our favorite sandbox park just a week or two ago! It's so chilly and wet and windy right now, Fall has come aknocking. I even turned on the radiant floor to help keep our toes warm!

I love this park. The smaller equipment is in a huge sandbox. There is a very accessible playground with neat swings and lots of ramps (not pictured). And there is the "Age 5-12" park. The kids took on the big kid park with gusto and had a great time! We stopped at Target on the way there to buy kites, but they were put away for the season- waah! This park even has a "kite-flying hill."

Room Parent

I'm so in love with the idea of helping when I can in Logan's school. Believe me, I'm not the one with 50 ideas and volunteering for every committee. Have to make sure I'm not spread too thin. Plus, everything I offer takes a bit away from either the kids time or my husband's time, or both. But there is just something so cool about walking through those halls with art projects and kids' names and desks lined up that makes me so happy for my Logan to be in school. I guess it means I have good memories from my school days and I'm excited for my kids to be given the chance to go just like I did.

But yes, I am excited to wrap things for a Halloween surprise and have some fun helping at the "parade" and so excited for all of these fun experiences we give these kids and watching them enjoy enjoy enjoy!!!!!

In the green schoolbag- Sylvie

And here are Sylvie's drawings. She likes to draw something and then change her mind about who it is depending on who she is discussing it with. So for me, in my interpretation, she always tells me all tall people are me. I like being tall:) I'm the one in purple. She recently drew some stick figures with REALLY long legs and said they were Logan- grown up.



I really like this apple tree she brought home this week. Very directed in what and how to make it I'm sure, but pretty nonetheless!

In the Backpacks- Logan

I thought I would show some papers that have come home from school that put a smile on my face recently


This one cracks me up. They do a cool activity where they have teh 4th graders come in and read to them. Apparently they read half the story and the kids had to draw/discuss what they thing the end was. The story was about a "big golden surprise thing." Logan drew a spaceship and was all excited for what it could be. He was extremely disappointed that the "Golden thing" was a sunflower. How boring compared to a spaceship!

We have words! Lots and lots of words! Most of his worksheets involve him copying words from somewhere, he lets me know which words he got to "pick myself."





And this one made me actually laugh out loud. This drawing is very different looking than anything he had previously done. He said it's an ice cream truck. Running over a mouse. BOYS!

Silly Sylvieisms

Sylvie: "Mom, can you cut the crusts off of my apple?"

Logan:"You're under arrest! Put your arms in the air."
Sylvie: "All of my dollies arms are in the air."
"Won't you be under arrest with me?"
Logan: "Are you a bad guy? Do you want to be in my club?"
Sylvie: "No, I'm a good guy. And I want to be in your club."
Logan: "Well only bad guys can be in my club."
Sylvie: "Well can your guy be good so I can be in your club?"
Logan: "Oh, okay, we'll be good guys and you can be in our club."

(Sees image of anything scary, say an alligator)
Sylvie: "Mom, are Alligators on our planet?"
Me: "Yes but they are only in zoos."
Sylvie: "But do they lick us? Are they nice?"
Me: "Alligators are not nice and they don't lick us. But they only live in cages at the zoo."
Sylvie: "Well DOGS are nice. They lick us. And snakes are nice, they lick us too."
Me:"Yes, snakes may have long tongues, but let's hope they don't lick us okay!?!"

Sylvie: "Mom, I wish our house looked just like this one!" (looking at the house that looks most identical to our house in the whole town).
Me: "That house really does look like our house! What is different that you like?"
Sylvie: "The door!" It was an older styles storm door with amber colored panels. Fancy!

Me:"Wow, looks like this house is getting a new driveway and garage" (looking at the mesh of metal laid over gravel waiting fora concrete pour)
Sylvie: "Or a giant 'Trapper Trapper'. You know, like to trap bugs." Heck yeah I hope it's really a giant Trapper Trapper because there won't be any bugs left in the neighborhood if they install a bug zapper that big!

We had a somewhat busy weekend so I was attempting to multi-task and dye my hair in the downstairs bathroom so I could fill the 25 minute waiting period with useful activities. Sylvie had never noticed that I dye my hair and was totally intrigued.
Sylvie:"Mom, will you look just like that lady on the box?"
Me: "No, just my hair will look like hers. I won't look like her thought."
Sylvie stares at the box thoughtfully for the entire time I dye my hair.
Sylvie: "Mom, I'm really glad you won't look like her. Her eyebrows look wrong. They look mean." She's so observant! The lady had shaped eyebrows and they were outlined with makeup and sure enough, they turned in at the center making her look meaner!

Tiddlywinks

I have no idea if this is the actual name for the game, but it's been fun! We got a big container of poker chips from a garage sale for 25 cents and it has been a good buy! Yesterday we played something like Bozo buckets with our bowls lined up on the floor. Then we built towers. And today we played what I called Tiddlywinks. You take one chip and press down on the edge of another chip and watch it "hop" aiming to make it land somewhere. Sylvie was able to do it pretty well so I would recommend it!

School Days

The kids did great for their first 2 weeks of crazy orientations, back to school adventures and the teary (for me) dropoffs at their respective schools. Logan has been very even-keeled about the whole thing. I ask him "So, Logan, are you getting used to kindergarten yet?" and get answers like "Mom, I'm ALREADY used to Kindergarten. I always listen to the teacher and I like it every day." So far he has talked about going to the gym, doing Jolly Phonics and saying the Pledge of Allegiance. He's always telling Sylvie what she'll get to do in preschool and that she's lucky she gets to play EVERY day.

We've hit a new phase at the park. Cowboys and Indians with the bigger boys. Including weapons, plotting, bombs and lots of running around. The big boys are really good with the 5 year olds. I'm not a big fan of weapons or politically incorrect games, but whatever, it's better than playing video games, involves social skills and talking to other kids, and it's playtime, which seems to be something he needs after a hard day at work at kindergarten.

Sylvie has Kimi in her class and we know the teacher, so it's been an easy transition. She's really ready for preschool and I'm sure she'll be a social butterfly in the class in no time. The crazy routine has been just as I expected, crazy and lots of waiting watching my watch at the same time.

All in all, a good start to the year, tons of paperwork to read through and keep track of. And a good dose of freaking out on my part about all I am supposed to do with Logan each day to help him succeed this year in kindergarten. Eeek!

August Snapshots from the Bike Trail

The Rocking Chair

"Mom! My rocking chair stepped on my brother's foot!"
Tend to a crying Logan, lots of love, he's okay, just a bruised toe and a bruised ego.

Later, never to be outdone by her older brother.....
"I just walk around my rocking chair and then sit on it.
But sometimes, my rocking chair steps on my toe too."

"Oh, I'm sorry, then do you cry when your rocking chair hurts your toe?"

"No..... I just laugh about it."

Breakfast Meltdown, Dinner Meltdown

Last night, Dinner Meltdown.....
Me:"Sylvie, how about this soup for dinner?"
Sylvie" YEAH!!!!" helps me make it, get it in a bowl she picked, so happy.
THEN she sees Logan's chosen soup. I say she can have it as well, but it's still cooking.

Total and complete meltdown.

This morning,
Sylvie "I want CANDY!"
Me: "It's morning, we don't eat candy in the morning. How about this or that...."

Sylvie obsesses over candy for about 10 minutes, starts tearing apart the kitchen by grabbing towels from the drawer (Freshly washed) and throwing them on the floor).

Logan: "Is this breakfast healthy?" ( a pre-made breakfast bar with a lot of sugar)
Me: "No, not really."
Logan: "Are grapes healthy?"
I get out grapes and Sylvie says
"Are carrots healthy? "
So the kids eat grapes and carrots for breakfast.

Hold strong, say no to the candy! At least until after breakfast.

Tales from the Vertically Challenged.....

That would be me. All 5 feet, 1/2" inch of me. It doesn't really bother me on a daily basis. We live in a world of handicap accessibility and Ankle-length pants. But in the past few days a few things have come up.

*Kohler Presentation: As in the toilet manufacturer. Despite the giggles and hilarity involved in any formal discussion of flushing, "grams of solid waste" at work, I promise it relates. There was talk about the direction water-management is taking and one thing they mentioned is a government-mandated move towards universality by making all new toilets "comfort height." For the record, that means about an 18 inch high base toilet when the current ones are 14" base height. Somehow by 2011 I don't see the bottom portion of my legs growing an additional 4 inches. I may have to start hoarding toilets.

*SUV: We got a loaner and MAN that thing was high. It's the same car I have but a different model. I couldn't get comfy because I couldn't put my seat low enough to drive with my heel on the floor. So I was hovering with my foot over the gas pedal to be able to see over the dashboard. Totally not a good fit for me and after driving for only 30 minutes, I had a pinpoint muscle ache from sitting incorrectly in the car. I also had to haul my body up and into the car, where with my slightly smaller SUV I just lift up onto my toes a bit and I'm in.

*Convenience shopping. Stopping back from an errand for the crucial gallon of milk, I reached up to grab something else from the dairy case and couldn't reach it! I could ask an employee, but the 5 people in line would not have been happy. So I asked another guy nearby to reach it. Only he had no idea what I was saying and his friend helped me. He could barely reach it either! Geesh!

Maybe I need to start wearing more heels! I do have a few pair for the colder months, but in summer I'm more of a flats and gym shoes kinda gal.

Conversations with a Curious Sylvie...

Watching Peter Pan, some remake...."Mom, do we have that pirate ship on our planet? Do pirate ships really fly?" "Yes.""Are there real pirate ships?""Yes. Just not real pirates."

Last night after she couldn't fall asleep, sparked by watching 'The Land Before Time' movie... "Mom, are dinosaurs real?" "Yes, they are real, but they lived a long long time ago, and they are all dead now." "But they can't come to our house?" "No, they are not alive, they lived a million years ago." "They lived 30 days ago?" "No, a million years ago." "Oh. Why did all the dinosaurs die?" "Because God decided that it was time for some people to live here to he waited til all the dinosaurs got old and didn't make any new baby dinosaurs and a long time later he put people on the earth instead. We know about dinosaurs because we found their bones."

Flashing back to when I was 12 babysitting for a family, I spent a few weekends explaining Fantasia and the meaning behind it to a 6 year old. And he was obsessed with reading about dinosaurs. I was relaying back a particularly funny comment to the mom and the mom said "Wait, now, were dinosaurs real?" So yeah, I think I had better start mentioning that one to Sylvie and Logan now so someday they can be smarter than their 5th grade babysitter!

Flashback Journal Entry: 10/23/05

Flashback to a Road Trip with Logan: just barely aged 2. Sylvie: In Utero

This weekend we attended a wedding for Ryan and Chrissy, who we knew both from U of I and Seattle (they still live in Seattle). We were very excited to see them, despite the 4 hour car ride to get there. The whole week was a scramble for us, staying up late and waking up early. Jorge was working on a competition at work and I was compensating trying to get everything ready for the trip- groceries, outfits for the wedding, etc with Logan around too. Thursday night Jorge worked until 2 am. He was hoping to come home by noon on Friday and take a nap. Of course not. So we hit the road around 5:30pm- not early like we planned, but just in time for rush hour. At least Logan got some baseball playing in the backyard in before we took off. I even had my neighbor watch him next door so I could pack the car while Jorge packed his suitcase! It took forever just to get to the expressway, and I think Logan's first video was over by the time our patience with it all ran out.

So after sitting in traffic forever, we hit McDonalds. With a playland. It was a toddler playland, so Logan loved the rubber flooring, the climbing toys, the small slides, and of course, playing with the balls we brought in with us. Okay, back on the road. It's dark, so it's hard to entertain Logan with much now. A few hours later, around bedtime for Logan, he has a serious meltdown. He's grabbing his bare feet, and I'm trying to see if he wants his boots on, his socks on, his slippers on, a foot massage, who knows! AAAHHHH.

Trying to drive with a screaming toddler is absolute chaos. So, stop two at a McDonalds. With no shoes yet. We bring the boots in, and get them on him once he sees the playland. It's after 9 and the playland is supposed to be closed, but thank goodness it isn't. We eat some apples and have a happy toddler again. Back in the car, and off the to the hotel. More videos and meltdowns for Logan later, he falls asleep for us in the car around 10:30. Less than an hour later, we're there. Our little light sleeper doesn't just lay in our arms, totally limp. No, he looks out of squinted eyes out the window the moment the car stops and spots balloons at the car dealership across the street. The kid is obsessed!!!!!

Into the hotel room, and as soon as the bags come in on the trolley, he sees his baseball bat and wants to play. It's around midnight. So we're thumping around the room, trying to put together his portable crib, and playing baseball. And tennis. And soccer. At midnight. With a very awake child. And a very tired mom and dad. We found out the wedding party is next door, so we stop by and say hello, with an awake Logan. Calming down the child is next to impossible. But we try, and when it looks like he may be tired, we put him in the crib. Yeah right. Jumping, kicking, throwing- SCREECHING!!!!!

And we're in a hotel, so the neighbors probably hate us. We try bringing him in bed with us. No go. He hates that anyway. He's still screaming, so Jorge suggests more baseball. It's now about 1 or 2 am, and Jorge is playing baseball with Logan once again. We put the baseballs to bed in the bathroom, and try to get him in bed with us. The kid moves all over. After about 1/2 hour, he falls asleep between us. Sideways. Shoving his head in my pregnant belly and his feet against Jorge. We don't dare move!

He woke up freaked out a few times in the night, and moved every 10 minutes, so thank goodness he finally woke up around 9, not 7 like usual. The day was great, we spent a few times on and off outside playing sports, and he was great at the wedding, which was beautiful. He tried to blow out the unity candles from the back of the church- his new trick. He was so tired by the reception, he was good and calm, didn't want to dance like I figured he would. He just wanted everyone to draw balloons for him. Which must have energized him for another evening!

We tried to get him to bed, and you guessed it, he just wanted to play baseball! So our friends came over and hung out to watch the World Series. (more baseball excitement for Logan). Between the 4 adults we spent another few hours drawing balloons and playing ball around the room. They headed out and it still took awhile to get him down, but he did sleep between us again.

This morning he woke up saying "ball" and wanting to get the balls and bats from their resting place in the bathroom before he was even awake enough to walk straight! The ride home was a blast- ha. He did okay, but when he passed naptime by two hours, he started screeching, I just said loudly "Logan, it's time to sleep, you've been awake for too many hours." He was silent. With some Sarah McLaughlin, he was asleep in about 5 minutes. We got home and when the car stopped, he woke up and said "ball."

As Jorge said "4 stops at McDonalds- $50, Two nights in a hotel- $100, a road trip with a future Hall-of-Famer in the backseat- priceless!" I swear, when he wouldn't sleep on Friday night we were contemplating calling up the Sox and asking if they needed a pinch hitter with unlimited energy and no need to sleep!

The good thing is Jorge and I kept a sense of humor over the weekend, and had a good time with our friends. And Logan spent way more time playing baseball than he could even imagine. So I would call it a success. As for future road trips anytime soon- NO WAY!!!!!!!!!

Flashback Journal Entry: 9-13-06

Vacation to see my husband, who has been working in California for weeks on end..... Logan: 2-1/2, Sylvie: Aged 9 months

The flight there.....It took three adults and a monster SUV to get all our stuff to the airport. Logan started crying realizing we were leaving Jorge's parents at the airport, then we went through security and he wanted to be in the stroller, so of course he wasn't happy knowing he was going to have to get out of it. So here's me with Sylvie in the Bjorn, two diaper bags- one with food and diapers, one with entertainment and extra clothes, and a purse, and a pillow, pushing the stroller with Logan crying. Lilia made the sign of the cross over me and Jorge and I were joking later that it probably meant "you're f-ing crazy."

So, I tell Logan we're taking our shoes off and he HATES that idea. I do it anyway then try to start dumping each bag into a separate little bin, calm Logan down and reassure him his shoes will go back on his feet in a minute, but in the meantime, could you please walk through the metal detector to that nice evil looking lady over there? Then to fold up the huge stroller and lift it onto the conveyer belt with Logan below me and a baby strapped to my chest. When I flew previously they made me take the bjorn off and put it through the detector, but this time I didn't have to. They took my entire diaper bag apart and made sure each thing was actually formula or baby tylenol or baby food, etc. and not a biological weapon.

Yeah! We made it through, 10 minutes of loading the stroller and attempting to tie gym shoes on with a bjorn on my chest and we're off! I couldn't wear slip-ons since there was so much walking involved, so I got the lovely challenge of tying my own shoes as well. I felt ready for the marathon ahead.

I had plenty of time to change two diapers, grab some french fries and fruit (no food on the 4 hour flight except brie and goat cheese on crackers for sale, a 2 year old's favorites) and listen to Logan whine and Sylvie started to headbutt me from being in the Bjorn too long. So I let the kids loose on the chairs and prayed that no real germs got onto their hands since I could not bring any Purell on the plane!

Lo and behold, both kids fell asleep- wonderful! Only, that leaves me with a stroller, three bags, a pillow and two children to load onto a plane!!!! I was envisioning how I could pack everything onto me, and thank goodness a kind mom (without her kids) offered to bring all my stuff onto the plane and that left me with just two kids. The flight attendant stood at the door and said "you really have your hands full!" I almost kicked her.

So, we took off, and as the pressure built, both kids woke up. Logan was very content with some stickers, markers, a new little Dora coloring book and scissors, for about an hour. We read books, talked, etc. for another hour. Then I brought out the DVD and played Baby Einstein to calm Sylvie down, nursed her, and she fell asleep on my lap. Put on Logans' DVD and he was zoned into it for the rest of the trip. The pillow came in VERY handy. When Sylvie fell asleep, she had to stay on my lap, so it was nice to have. And for the beginning of the trip, Logan fell asleep against it. He snuggled with it and fought with me for it. I also used to to hold Sylvie up while nursing.

Later in the flight, the flight attendants had me buckle Sylvie into the third seat in our row, she liked the man across the aisle, and did pretty well hanging out with us. Uneventful landing, and we all were awake leaving the plane. Found Jorge and Logan was soooo happy to see him! Four hours is a long time on a plane. But really we hadn't been home for 6 hours!

The flight home.....Getting checked in was a big ordeal since you had to leave from one certain place, go out the door, and back into another door. So strange! We waited in line right at security for about 4 minutes, letting people pass us because Logan wanted to finish his sippy of apple juice and Sylvie had to have some too, then I had to empty the rest in the trash. They didn't even bother to open the diaper bag, and we got through security quickly.

At the time, I thought the Chicago airport was bad, my goodness LA was worse! Chicago involved a lot of walking, LA was just plain unlabeled and ridiculous because they shifted everything around for security. We kept having to go down weird hallways to get to an elevator. I think I asked directions from 10 security people! And then in the elevator, I wasn't sure which floor to go to! Sat down to lunch with Logan and he did very well, ate well and Sylvie was entertained.

Then as we were leaving, he smacked his head on the wall (walked into it) and that was the end of Happy Logan. He was upset, and his upset about leaving dad, not being home, not knowing what was going on, all translated to tears on and off for the rest of our trip. And a few meltdowns. The flight was delayed 1/2 hr. Okay. Then they make an announcement. Bad Chicago weather, we may be up to 3 hours delayed. All the food and drink places close, and no one has any with them because of security restrictions. And we have to take an elevator to get to the bathrooms, or anywhere else. And Logan is upset that we are there still, and keeps telling me we need to go outside to get Daddy. Sylvie is now crawling all over the disgusting airport floor trying to put any little crumb into her mouth. Both kids eat all the snacks in my diaper bag, Logan drops half a Nutra Grain bar on the floor and smashes it with his foot, grinding it into his shoe. Lovely.

And of course, Logan is asleep again right before we need to board. I get the kids to the place where drop off the stroller, and the flight attendant actually gets all our bags on. She offered to take the baby but she was in the bjorn, so noto too helpful. Jorge bumped us up to business class with our miles -sweet! We waited one more hour on the plane before take-off. We left Jorge's place around 11am and got to Chicago at 9 pm LA time(11 pm Chicago time). Logan stayed asleep the entire flight!!!! He was so cute all curled up with his pillow and blankets. About an hour into the flight, Sylvie fell asleep, and I had something to drink and some warm nuts. And my feet up with the cool airplane chair watching outside. I felt like I was in a spa. It was wonderful.

Sylvie was pretty good until it got dark in the plane. I let her on the floor and she was climbing on the bags and making a mess. She only slept another few minutes the rest of the flight. She was pretty cranky at the end. When dinner came, I had her propped next to me and we both took turns eating from my special business class dinner. It was so cute. She was saying "mym mym mym." after each bite. We also shared a cookie:) Before we landed, Logan woke up and after freaking out, I got him some apple juice and a cookie and he was happy watching his little tv. Then he was upset we had to close it all up to land.

Sylvie cried the entire car ride home, and the kids are totally off with sleep. They went to bed at 12 last night. And Sylvie woke again at 1 and 6. Aaah! Well, there's my novel. We survived and it was a great trip. But ooh am I tired!!!!!