Saturday, December 18, 2010

Checking in here while I have a moment to spare

What a week of sickness. I didn't feel well the entire week and tended to as little as I could tend to. Now I am trying to get caught up.

Last Sunday, I woke up with the same cold that had been plaguing me, but it seemed much worse. On top of that, it was pouring outside and dark. We were supposed to take the kids to the Heifer Project in Rutland to meet with Ping's Daisy troop, but I canceled. I never cancel. It wasn't the rain that had me cancel. It was the fact that I felt awful, Bill wasn't feeling great and neither was Ping. We also had plans in the afternoon to meet up with Mindy, Joe, Connor and Ciara, but I canceled that as well. I did not want to be around them with this cold and we couldn't do what we had planned on doing which was to walk around and see the Christmas lights at an outdoor place near them. The rain was going to nip that plan in the bud. So we stayed home and watched movies and did some organizing around the house.

On Monday morning, I woke up and felt so awful. I asked Bill to take the girls to school so I could stay in bed and sleep. He did so with great disappointment. Sorry, Mommy occasionally gets sick!!!! I spent most of the morning in bed. In the afternoon, I got up and did a few things here and there around the house. That night Bill was supposed to go to the Masons, but flat out forgot to go. He did go at the end of the meeting to give a gift that we had purchased for an 11 year old. Not sure if the child is in foster care or what, but Bill had an 11 year old boy to buy for. So Bill ran out and handed that to the correct person and then came home. He wasn't feeling great either, but he was better off than I was.

On Tuesday, I asked Bill again to take the girls as I was miserable. I had the flu shot on Thursday and that may have led me to feel even sicker, I don't know. We did have a 12:00 pm meeting with Holli to come see the kids. So we visited for an hour or so. I sat as far away as I could as I didn't want Holli to catch my cold. In the afternoon, we picked up Ping and took the girls to the rink for their ice skating lesson. That night Bill went to the fire department for training. While I was sitting at my desk, I got the worst pain in my side. I immediately had to lay down. It was so painful I could barely breathe. I couldn't lie on my right or my left or stand up. I was just miserable and teary. I was home alone, the three kids were sleeping as were the three cats. I was concerned I may have a perforated ulcer or something. I was also shaking and cold. Part was cold, part of it was pain. Bill called and said he was heading to Walmart. I begged him to come home. When something like this happens, you have no idea if it's surgery related or something else. It wasn't bug like. It was like something was moving. Sort of like a gallstone or kidney stone? When Bill came home, he covered me with a blanket. Twenty or so minutes later, the pain was gone. It was like my body warmed up and got rid of the pain. So very bizarre. I was fine for the rest of the night.

The next day I was going to get up and take the girls to school, but my stomach was bothering me on and off. Mostly the pain. Wasn't sure if it was gas trapped or a gallstone or kidney stone or something else. I asked Bill to take the girls to school. I stayed in bed for the morning and then I got up and the four of us went to school to see Ping's Holiday concert. It was so adorable. We had a nice time. I felt awful, but seeing her smiling face and the other kids was so cute. We then did a few errands and picked up Ping. Bill dropped off me and Manny and took the girls to their gymnastic class. My stomach would bother me and then disappear. It was very nerve wracking. Either way, I didn't want to be away from the house long in case I doubled over in pain. After about 5:00 pm that night, the pain had disappeared. It was no longer coming and going. I was thrilled and hoped it was gone for good.

I woke up Thursday and got ready to head to school as I was the helper in Mrs. Kiefer's classroom. I felt so much better. It was a good 75% improvement over where I had been. My stomach wasn't bothering me anymore and my cold was so much better. I helped the children with a stocking project. They used pom poms, cotton balls, glue, glitter and little shapes to decorate. I then went home for an hour and then back out with both Yamira and Manny for a routine dentist appointment and a trip to Target. My stomach started to bug me just a little, so I put a call into one of my local doctors. I had called my Florida doctor the other night just to let him know what was up with my stomach. He had no clue what it was and why would he? He can't diagnose over the phone. I just wanted to make him aware and I was so desperate since I was in agony! Anyway, my local doctor called me back and said that if it continued, I should go for a urinalysis at my primary care office. Well it seemed to have cleared up because for the rest of the day I was pain free. I suspect it was a kidney stone that was moving around. Hopefully it has moved itself permanently!!! I ended up feeling so decently that night that I wrapped for hours. I was up till 2:00 am wrapping and then went I went to bed, I couldn't sleep. I thought I would sleep like a baby, but I guess not. It felt so good to get all of the wrapping done. I honestly only have a few more things to wrap and then I am done. We ran out of paper!

Friday I got up and went swimming. I had missed it all week long and I was feeling pretty good even though my cold was still hanging on to me. I then did a few errands before heading home to shower. I then to Yamira to therapy and then to the bank and back home. I spent the rest of the afternoon working at my desk. I had a lot to do. I had a few more Christmas cards to get out, some bills to organize and so on and so forth. Last night, our wonderful neighbor Hania came over to watch Yamira and Manny because we had plans to go see "A Christmas Carol" at the Hanover Theatre. I had planned on taking all of the kids, but the show didn't start till 7:30 pm and Manny and Yamira are a mess after 7:00 pm. Hania has been offering to babysit for months and so I gave her a quick call the night before to ask her if she could and she said she would be delighted. If she couldn't, we would have just taken the kids. I never call anyone last minute, but I figured I would just give it a try. Usually I give a boatload of notice. So Hania and her daughter Heidi came over at 6:45 pm. The kids were all ready to go to bed, so they were not going to be up much longer, but the ladies decided to make gingerbread ornaments with the kids. They came out so cute! They then went to bed with a story or two. We got home around 10 pm. Ping went straight to bed as she was exhausted.

Yesterday we stayed home for most of the day. Just got some stuff done around here. Then last night we met Marghrit and Berj and their two girls at Zoolights in Stoneham. We walked around and saw the lights and the kids went on a few rides. It was so nice to be with our friends, but we were all frozen stiff.

Today was a great day. The girls were in a pageant at church. Sadly I missed it because I thought they were just singing and I was so tired. Bill went and got a few pictures of it. So cute. We went to Anita's parents house for a little get together with her family this afternoon. We sat and chatted and exchanged gifts. We all loved our gifts. Bill got a bird feeder with food and an App gift certificate for his iPhone. The kids got candy, a gingerbread house to build and some cds so we can listen to them in the car and I got UGGS. The ones I so desperately wanted because my feet are always so cold. She also gave me some pretty stationary with my name on it. We had a wonderful time. Well off to post some pictures!

Mama Out!!!!!!

New hats from Ayi Stephani.

Christopher Pop In Kins.

Cub at Shayla's school.

Shayla at her school concert.

The kindergarten group.

Manny in Ping's shoes.

Big project.

Porch.

Mom and Dad's Kissing ball.

New mailbox decoration.

Construction.

Ping in Worcester.

Gingerbread house at Hanover Theatre.

Big tree in Hanover Theatre.

Santa and Ping.

Zoolights.

Zoolights with Armig and Noushig.

The group.

Carousel.

Lady who lived in a shoe.

Wizard of Oz.

Big polar bear.

Dolls.

Berj, Marghrit and girls.

Me in Yamira's hat with Marghrit and the girls.

Manny.

Ping.

Carousel.

Manny on the carousel.

Manny on the little car ride.

Yamira as a cow at church.

Ping the donkey.

Loving sisters.

Andreassi tree.

Yamira with Anita's niece.

Manny upside down.

Yamira having a nice time.

Anita.

New bird feeder.

Anita's mom and Yamira.

Yamira a little excited over her gift.

Anita liking her gift.

Anita and me.

Ping, me, Anita and Manny.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Where did this week go?

I have been so awful about catching up here. I don't mean to be so awful, but I have not been home all week. Bill has. Too bad he has no interest in blogging. I told Bill he was the house husband this week. Him being home has allowed me to come and go as I have needed to. It's been a blessing having him home this week.

On Tuesday, I went to Shayla's class to volunteer from 9:00 am till nearly 11:00 am. I had a great time. I helped the children make Menorahs out of Popsicle sticks, glue and glitter. The kids were really great. There was only one rotation of students that sort of sent me over the edge. I have 4 or 5 at a time. Then they would move on to the next station. There was one group of 5 that was really unruly, but the rest were fantastic. It was nice to get to know Shayla's classmates. Unfortunately, every singe one of them is sick with a nasty cold and I already had one, so I felt like it was just one big mishmash of germs! After volunteering at school, I came home and made out all of my Christmas cards. I am running short this year, so I just ordered some more!

I had a 1:00 pm appointment for CASA. I was supposed to meet a new judge with several other CASA workers at 1:00 pm in Fitchburg. Well I didn't realize that the courthouse I assumed I was going to was the wrong one. So I get to the courthouse in Leominster to realize I am in the wrong spot. So I drove a million miles down the street to the Fitchburg courthouse. I was 20 or so minutes late. How embarrassing and totally my fault for not paying better attention. Once I left there, I raced home to get Bill and the younger two so that we could pick up Ping and head to ice skating. When we got home, the kids ate and went to bed. Bill went to the fire department. What a long day!

On Wednesday, Bill took Yamira to school and I took Ping to an eye appointment. Ping failed one part of her eye appointment at her doctors back in August. However, we returned in September and she passed. Well in October, I got a letter from her school that she failed her vision test. So we were going to an official eye doctor to see what the scoop was. Well her muscles seem to work fine. That isn't an issue at all. Her vision isn't bad, but she is like 20/40 in one eye. The doctor jokingly said that Ping would need plastic surgery to get a bigger nose if she was going to wear glasses. It was funny. Bill and I always laugh at how she can't really wear sunglasses! Anyway, we decided to wait another six months to see how her eyesight is. So no glasses for now. I was going to take Ping to school, but we were there for so long, that I decided not to. So Ping and I went to Michaels to get a few things and then we did a few other errands. Bill took the girls in the afternoon to gymnastics and then when he got home, I headed out the door. I went to DCF to speak about how it has been having the two little ones in our family. I was asked to speak to the waiting families group. It went well. Sadly I drove home with a sore throat. I felt awful.

I got up on Thursday and felt pretty awful, but my throat had cleared up. I was thrilled about that. I was going to go swimming since I had missed a few days, but really needed the rest. I asked Bill to take the girls to school. I got up late and got ready to leave for my physical in Norwood. This was the first time my doctor and her office have seen me since losing so much weight. She was shocked. There were a few people in the office that said hello, but they didn't recognize me. It was funny. One person that has worked there for years said hello and then looked away puzzled. A few minutes later she motioned me to come over to the window. She then admitted she had no idea who I was. She was blown away. This has happened a few times this week. Feels good. So I had my full physical and then headed home. I wasn't home long before I headed back out to Lights of Love in Worcester. It's an hour long dedication for those who have lost loved ones. It's run by Hospice. I have been attending since my mom passed. I attend one every year in Norwood as well, but this year is the first time in 13 years that they did not have one. There have been a lot of changes and so the hour they dedicate to lighting a tree was let go. I was sad about that. I always go as a way to remember my Dad. I went to the one in Worcester alone. We figured that three kids in tow wouldn't be good for us or the rest of the people there.

On Friday, I went swimming after dropping off the girls at school. I ran a few errands after swimming and then I came home for a shower and to take Yamira to therapy. I spent the rest of the afternoon doing a few things and then the family headed over to Pump It Up for Lucas' birthday party. The kids had a great time. I had a terrible sore throat again. So that ruined it for me, but it was nice to see the kids having a blast. Once home, we popped the kids into bed and then settled into watching some TV. I desperately wanted to clean the house, but was too tired from this whole week and I wasn't feeling great either.

Today was a great day. Bill and I both felt lousy, but we had a good day. We took the kids over to Anna Maria college for the DCF party. They had pizza and cookies and saw Santa. They got a book and a gift. The girls got Barbi dolls and Manny got a truck. They were thrilled. We then headed over to my friend Kirsten's house for a cookie party. We all had a blast. The kids made five cookies each. They decorated with frosting and used all sorts of toppings. We then played Bingo with M&Ms. The kids had the best time. It was so nice to see Kirsten, her husband Roger and their two beautiful girls. We are now home. The kids are having dinner and now they are off to have a bath. I have to go assist. I am then going to read them "Christopher Pop in Kins," which is about an Elf that watches them. Sort of like Elf On A Shelf. Then the kids are going to pass out as they are exhausted from the day.

Tomorrow we are supposed to meet the Daisy troop at Heifer in Rutland and then see our friends in the afternoon, but I am not sure if we will get there as they don't feel well, the husband lost his mom this week and we aren't at the top of our game either. I haven't had a voice since last night. Hard when you have no voice and three kids!

Special thoughts go out to those who have died this week. My mom's first cousin and second cousin. Our friend's mother. Also to the many friends who have lost loved ones this week. It's been an awful week of loss.

Off to the bath.

Mama Out!!!!!!!

Addition.

Addition.

Addition.

Addition.

Ping on the wheelie.

Manny getting out the wrong way.

Yamira at the end of the slide.

Manny having fun.

Joe and Ryan.

Joe and Ryan.

Ping in the police car.

The group.

Pizza.

Lucas.

Lucas and friend.

Lucas and friend.

Gifts.

DCF Santa.

Ping and Julia.

The girls.

Yamira twirling.

Yamira twirling more and more.

Ping at the cookie party.

Cookies.

The beautiful Kirsten.

Bingo with M&Ms.