kinder fun

Making gingerbread at school.

Halloween

Since it is official and Kate has sleep apnea, I have decided to treat it as a medical condition.

Last week she went to bed late Saturday because of her school carnival (7pm), and Sunday (6:30) because of a friend's shower. The week continued with her waking every night with a nightmare (someone chasing her its a knife one night). By Thursday night she was tantrum in and exhausted. Friday morning she couldn't get her shoes on without freaking out (throwing, hitting). I then decided it was a medical necessity she rest and kept her home. She rewarded me with a two hour nap and no tantrums the rest of the afternoon.

Princesses

Sweet Kate

Doctor says, tonsillectomy.

Jacob will wait. If he gets worse, then we will do it.

Nurse says to expect two weeks out of school.

I'm hoping it changes our routine... Which is currently at 5pm so Kate is in bed at 6pm...

Oktoberfest

One of my favorite outings. Polka, beer and food. Yay!

6 years old!

Home sick on her birthday... But still ate a few bites of cake! Looking forward to her party Sunday now that she's feeling better.

Exceptions made

Cardinals at dinner time...

First school project!

Sleep Study

We survived.

For a sleep study there is not much that promotes sleep. Bright lights, television, a very late bedtime, waking kids to reposition breath tunes and electrodes. Kate went to bed almost three hours later than usual. Almost pulled everything off in a tantrum at 1am. Glad to be home. Bought them Toys r Us "thank you for not losing it" presents....

She had electrodes glued to her legs to see if she kicks, to her throat to see if she talks, to her head and scalp for brain waves measuring sleep cycles, to her chest for heartbeat, a finger clip for oxygen measurement, a band around her chest and her belly to guage breathing movements in addition to the tunes in her nostrils to measure breathing. I'm sure I'm missing some.

This is my kid who needs a heavy blanket, her sheets tight, her hair off her neck, her clothes just right and not itchy.... It's a miracle we slept at all.

Now to wait for the results...

Birthday Planning

Nothing is greater than an Oriental Trading Company catalog amoung friends... Let the party planning begin!

Braindeath

When you haven't had more than thirty nights in six years of sleeping through the night you do weird things. Like, buy beds. Beds and more beds. We buy them as though they might actually create sleep. Haha. If only they had a mouth and could gobble you up and... Anyway... We have: two twin beds, that can be Bunker, one twin that can be lofted, an inflated twin in our outside workshop that gets frequently slept in and a queen. And... Four people... We have discovered that the backyard is peaceful and sleeping on an air mattress in the workshop is quieter and more comfortable than the living room couch. We have beds all over so people can sleep in any room, anytime, with anyone. It all feels like college without the thrill or the ability to sleep in.

Counting down to the sleep study... And hopefully... A decrease in the number of beds in my house...

New "Kate Creamed Corn"

She decided she wants to make a cookbook with her own recipe adaptations.

Jacob

This morning Jacob wanted a horsey ride. Paul said no. Jacob's response: daddy, you are breaking my heart.

Pony ride results.

Two weeks down

Highs and lows, but overall we have all survived. Happy for a weekend of chilaxing. Bedtime still is 6:30 or earlier. Kinda crazy. But it seems to be working. Some meltdowns. Complaints about having to sit for so long, having only two fifteen minute recess times, about having to "say that prayer with that flag" in the morning... But overall she loves her teacher, and is getting lots of good attention from her old teachers who have showered her with love and left her notes in Jacob's box. Feel so lucky for that little daycare. Might have to have a third just to stay there. I'm going to have a nervous breakdown on our last day. This is the place I go and sit around and talk in the morning when I need community... Sigh...

Kate has a "new best friend" at her school but I haven't managed to meet her mom yet. I'm in this weird world of parents who can pick up their kids at 2:45. We hang out, the kids play. I'm hoping it is a way to get connected.

Jacob is adjusting. This week has been much better. Slathering special attention and treats on them. Lots of parent time to help them feel better.

Next weekend we spend the night at Dell Children's with electrodes taped to my kids. Sounds fun.

Reuse, recycle

Kate: "Look, Mommy! I gave Jacob muffins and got something for him to eat it on."
Mommy: eyeing the wrinkled napkin... "where did you get that something?"
Kate: "The trash. Reusing things is good! We should all recycle."

Pictures from school

Click here to see them

'Night night

Our little kindergartener is in bed asleep (at 6:30pm).  She declared it a good day, but hard at first.  She said she made a friend named Ian and they played Kindergarten at recess along with Escape the Alligators.  No qualms about going back, which to me is an excellent sign.

Her teacher sent us a note at lunch time via email assuring us all was okay.  She also sent home a baggie with a tissue, a tea bag and a Hershey hug to help us cope.

We ate yummy cake and relaxed this evening.  Off to bed for all.

Kinder!

She's currently making her special First Day of Kinder cake for tomorrow night. Tonight she picked dinner so we are heading to Bill Miller 's BBQ. She says she is excited and a little nervous.

First Stop Animation Experiment

Jacob's:  http://youtu.be/xOcl3oF4Wq4

Kate's:  http://youtu.be/bih_fsbmjh0

Annoying Doctors

Kate's ENT told us she has to have a sleep study before she will take her tonsils out. A two month wait for the only pediatric sleep center in town, and another month for surgery. This was after waiting two months for an appointment with the ENT.

Jacob's ENT said that no matter what size the tonsils, if they have sleep apnea, the tonsils need to come out, no sleep study needed. He said, go in after an hour of falling asleep and listen for ten minutes. Gasping and then moving indicates sleep apnea.

In ten minutes, Kate had gasped for air three times and rolled twice.

Jacob's ENT won't see Kate because the doctors are in the same practice, even though he disagrees with Kate's doctor.

Which means, we have to find an entirely new doctor to avoid waiting three months to do what we know needs to be done.

How mad am I? Guess. Just guess. My kid starts kindergarten in a week and is chronically sleep deprived and no one seems to want to help.

The Bedtime Cure

So far, a 6:30pm bedtime has ended the severe tantrums.  It's also ended any dinners out, evenings with friends, and travelling... but, it has ended the severe and terrible hour long tantrums where furniture is broken and things are torn off the walls. 

Jacob, who still naps, still has a 8pm bedtime, so the evenings are strange.  

Who knows what will happen in two weeks when Kinder starts.  My friends who have been through it said their kids who normally went to bed at 8pm moved bedtime up to 7pm so we may end up sleeping before people eat dinner at the rate we are going. 

For those of your with your own behavior battles, I was recommended "Sleepless America"... 

Peek a boo!

Putting clothes away, and what do I find?

The results of a small child with but allergies drives everyone to hide sweets I guess.

Playing Hookey

Me:"you really like those red chips."
J:"yeah, I feel like they are cool. "

The Reluctant Update

I haven't written much lately because I haven't wanted to.  The past few months have been awful.  Neither kid is sleeping -- and while this is not entirely new, the results have been devastating.  So, we are holding on by a thread.

Both kids have appointments with their pediatricians and ENTs in the upcoming weeks.  Jacob's doctor suggested his tonsils might be too big and that he looks exhuasted.  (yeah, we all do...)  Kate is having 1 - 3 meltdowns a day.  Most days it takes 30 minutes to get her in the car.  She is just so damn tired that she can't hold it together.  She won't/can't nap, and even though she's in bed from 7pm to 6:30am, she wakes up with big dark circles under her eyes and begins to ask for a nap by 10am.  It's both so desperately sad and infuriating at the same time.  I feel like I have an Asperger's kid all of the sudden with the number of insane sensory-related tantrums we are dealing with.  It took twenty minutes last week to get her carseat adjusted to the perfect tightness so that she'd stay in her seat buckled in.

We're surviving.  We have resources to draw on:  babysitters, daycare for Jacob, alcohol, throwing things, running, television, friends who babysit and let us cry and complain, therapy.  I'm desperately hoping the doctors will want to cut some part of my children out that will make all of this end, but that seems pretty maniacal so I try not to say that out loud.  Last summer when she had her adenoids out she went from terrible to great in a week so I'm hoping something similar can happen again.  I'm good at wishing.

We've agreed for the time being that the best approach to Kate is to treat her like a wounded animal when she flips out.  You can feel that it's beyond her control, and we know how much she doesn't want to upset us.  Holding her responsible for what's going on feels misguided and cruel.  But, it's pretty hard to comfort her when she just threw and broke a lamp.  

Our goal for this week is to prep for the doctor appointment by recording how they sleep (Jacob's talking in his sleep nightly these days and the last two nights woke 3 times each from nightmares).  We shall see... 

In the meantime, we accept care packages with chocolate and tequila.

Favorite Texas Passtimes

Hiking at local streams, biking on the trail, biking to our local coffeeshop.

Bathroom etiquette

Both Paul and I have received separate lessons from Kate now on how to leave the bathroom using your paper towel so that our hands don't get dirty again. This was her big take away from a weekend with her Uncle Willie. Still giggling over this.

Two questions at midnight

"mommy, do all stories have happy endings?"

"if you hear elly barking, will you come run and get me? "

Then I had to prove I am strong and can fight. Despite my liberal raising of her she seemed to think that was Daddy's job. She obviously doesn't know us that we'll. #pacifistdaddy #hellraisermommy

The other side

Just so you don't think Jacob is too refined...

While Jacob was putting on his swim trunks today, he laid down naked on the floor, flipped his feet in the air and said, "Look at my butt!!  See my butt, Daddy??  It's big!"

Daddy P, then, not sure what exactly to say says, "Well, it looks kinda normal size butt."

This was not enough for Jacob, who then proclaimed, "No, I have a big butt, Daddy.  My butt is bigger than yours."

Daddy P says, "uh...no, it's not bigger than mine."

Jacob, emphatically:  "Yes.  Yes it is, Daddy."

Jacob-ism

"daddy, why is this is bird jealous?"
"what makes you think it's jealous? "
" it is alone I am the dark. "

First Sleepover

A success!

Of course, we cheated by sending the kid that doesn't sleep to my parents' house.

Nail painting, play dough, dress up, digging in the dirt... It was a very busy time.

Playdate Sibling Rivalry

Jacob had his first playdate rejection experience.  Kate and her friend Will were playing and there was no room for little brother.

Tonight, lying in bed, he recapped for me...

"Mommy, I was lonely."

"When Will was over?"

"Yeah.  I went on the swing.  Daddy pushed me.  But it didn't make my body feel better."

"You felt sad?"

"Yeah.  I just colored with Daddy.  I didn't get to play."

"I'm sorry, baby.  Sometimes we feel sad.  Daddy tried to keep you company."
"Daddy didn't fix it."

"No, he didn't.  He tried, but sometimes Mommies and Daddies can't make the sad go away.  We can just try to help and keep you company."

Sniff.  Sniff.

My sweet, articulate, not-yet-3 year old.  Geesh.  Kills me.

Big kids

There are things I desperately miss about having a baby.

But it's really nice that this is my view while the kids play on the playground. (Kate is that pink dress way back there.)

Night terrors:round two

I'm not sure what we did to deserve two kids with night terrors. I guess the good part is we know what's going on. Not far unto it tonight I just picked him up and hauled him out in the chilly cold night air. And just like that, awake. A little befuddled, definitely upset at me, but not screaming like a banshee.

I hope this is a stage. Last week I got two nights of sleeping through the night. Two weeks before that we slept from ten to three and that was it each and every night. Last night was midnight to five (I went to bed at ten, mind you, but #2 was up at 11 and #1 shortly after).

So, here we are. Trying to do bedtime again. Hoping for sleep.

And tomorrow, I'm sure will be the same. My Monday of recovery. Meaning, from noon to two, between classes I teach, you can find me in UT's parking garage, basement level, sleeping in my third row.

Really glad we bought the Mazda 5 right now.

Very exciting news!!

Kate is getting married!

She asked her best friend Baron and he accepted! We are all excited.

Except Jacob. She had told him they'd marry, but I guess that didn't work out.

Craft day

Kids took a half day with me today, and Paul cancelled the afternoon due to threat of ice up north. So we did crafts!! It was so fun to have a little family fun after a long yucky weekend with Jacob feeling so sick.

Drinking in the yard with my boots on.

Officially a Texan.

Day of Firsts!

What an amazing day!

I completed my first half marathon! I'm darn sore from all those hills, but pleased with finishing. Excites to work on my time and try again next year.

Kate, my amazing five year old, convinced me to take her training wheels off and road by herself! About twenty feet without help before Paul caught her. Hopefully will get a video of it tomorrow.

Hope you all are well!

Super amazing day!

Things I take for granted

#5275055 Having a 5 year old who does her Valentines entirely by herself.

Anticipation

Jacob: I will cry when Kate goes to Kindergarten. I won't see her very long.

Disneyland

My pretty pretty princesses.

And their papa.

I was proud of all Disney goers today: not one person said anything disparaging about Jacob's outfit. He was twirling up a storm and very happy to meet the princesses and see Minnie Mouse (his fav). More to come...

Princesses

Getting ready for Disneyland!

Weekend fun

Chasing out the squirrel that chewed through wood to live in our attic...