Friday, January 21, 2011

The Saddest Story EVER Told

Elsa went to a birthday party at the skating rink, where she fell, and then got up and skated some more.

When I picked her up she said it really hurt. I called the after hours clinic and they said they could squeeze us in later, but we got home, she could move it, she never cried, and she could move it completely. I pushed on the area she said she hit, and she giggled and said, "ow..ha ha..ouch...he he" so I didn't take her in after all.

The next morning she said it hurt but not too bad. So I sent her to school.

When I picked her up that night, she said it hurt so bad it made her stomach hurt. SO, I took her in to the doctor. After an eval, the doctor put a splint on it and sent us to the hospital for x-rays. On the way over, Elsa said (while hopping up and down as if she had no cares in the world, throwing her possibly broken are up and down) "I hope it's broken so I can get a cast. I hope it's broken, I hope it's broken" and so on.

So when the doctor called to let us know the results of the x-ray, I asked, sarcastically over-dramatically, "Will she live, Doctor?" Only to hear an unamused doctor respond, "Actually her arm is broken."

Worst momma in the world, right here folks!

This pic below is Elsa after the doc splinted her (just in case) and before the news it was broken. She tried to force herself to look distressed and sorry she was hurt, but she could not keep the smiles and giggles down.
Doc said she could not do the cast in her office. She said that Elsa would need to see an orthopedic specialist to get the cast she needed for the kind of break she had. We had to wait a week. Seven full days of "I hope they have pink!" "People are going to sign it!" "So-and-so has a cast and it's soooo awesome!" "People with casts are the best people to ever walk the Earth and soon I will be one of them!" etc.

Still she tried to do stuff she shouldn't ought to, like carry Ben around, climb things she normally would not try to climb but feels the need to try now that she shouldn't, etc.

We compromised on the Ben thing. How could we not? After all he is 1/3 hers.
Then today, tragedy of tragedies! We waited over an hour to see the orthopedic doctor and in less than five minutes, he dashed her dreams.

NO CAST! He said the break was straight and the cast could actually cause something in there to fuse to something else in her arm as she grows and that she should just keep the sling on and get x-rays again in a few weeks.

She was a trooper, holding back the tears of disappointment as we left the office. From which we went directly to the craft store, bought some diamonds, and flowers, and made the best of things:

You know how usually you carry a purse on your arm? Well now she carries her arm in a cute little purse.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Ganna Share Daddy?

Benjamin likes to ride Ryan. On weekends and evenings, Ryan's gotta strap on the Daddy Saddle (the baby carrier) and wear him for an hour or two to keep him happy. It's the ONLY way to keep him happy some days.

Ryan's gotten used to the routine of wearing the baby and going about his business - which at baby wearing time is usually the business of watching T.V.

That's what he is doing in this picture, he's watching the T.V. and apparently there was an exciting moment, which captivated Ryan so that he forgot to take his next bite. Benjamin was captivated by something else.


Sunday, January 9, 2011

Elsa's Baby



After we had Adele, Elsa begged me to have one more. She said if I would just have one, she would take care of "it" and it could be her baby and she would take care of it and I wouldn't have to do anything.

I told her the other day that she, Ryan, and I can split Ben three ways. She was SOOOOO excited! She takes her 1/3 of ownership of her brother VERY seriously. The other morning she insisted he was hers and wouldn't let me near him, even though he was fussy. After some floor pacing, and some rocking, she got our baby to sleep.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Happy New Year!

I learned a long time ago that there is no magic in January that makes me better at being thinner, smarter, nicer, or more productive. So, all year, I just plug along delegating the energy and time I have to what’s most important to me as I go.

I like to make my New Year’s Resolutions like I choose my sports teams; I pick my pony after the fact, cheer on whomever has already won, and woo hoo! Total satisfaction every time!

So here they are, my resolutions for 2010:

Number one: Spend about 1/3 of the year letting other people clean my house, care for my kids, and make my meals while I sit in bed.

Number two: Survive at least two near death experiences.

Number three: Add a few gray hairs to the heads of both my mother and grandmother.

Number four: Get Elsa to her eight birthday, and Adele to her first without major injury to either party.

Number five: Laugh with my husband/best friend at least one thousand times.

Number five: Have anesthesia administered, and undergo the first incision of surgery within the same 90 second time span.

Number six: Get our baby boy here still breathing.

Number seven: Become the world class master of the soft-bake chocolate chip cookie.

For 2010 I am Check, Check, Check, Check, Over-achieved, Thank Heaven-Yes!, and barely managed but it counts for the win, and hands- down- no-argument true dat!

Clearly, it’s far too early to predict what my resolutions will be for 2011. Here are a few on my wish list:

· Read to my kids enough that when they are grown up, certain books feel to them like a part of their childhood they can take with them to their own children

· Have a clean house, warm dinner, and set table ready every Sunday night when Elsa gets home from visiting Paul for the weekend

· Laugh 2000 times with my best friend, again

· Take Adele to the Tiki-Tiki-Tiki-Tiki-Tiki Room

· Teach my girls how to take a wave without washing out to sea

· Dance with my babies every day

· Hear Benjamin’s laugh every day

· Get a flu shot (What? Their important!)

· Tell Elsa to keep up with me this spring while we hike up to one of the most unique and beautiful places on the planet. (I love Delicate Arch and ever since I first hiked up there, I have been waiting for her to get old enough to come with me.)

· Stay in a raft that’s navigating at least class three rapids

· Take roller skates off of our blistered feet at least 20 times before next year