Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Polk-a-Dots


This week has been a rough one up until now. Lincoln got the chicken Pox and he hadn’t been immunized yet only because he was exposed before immunization time. So, the same time he was meant to go to the doctors, he popped out with the “Polk-a-Dots” (Lizzie’s words).
They showed up last Thursday morning with a few on his tummy and a couple on his chest and by next day’s time, he was covered in all the warmest places. He didn’t want to eat or drink (they were inside his mouth and throat as well). He was Miserable!!
The moments when he felt his worst, the only thing that made him feel anything better was to have me hold him and even then it didn’t help how uncomfortable he felt. He cried himself to sleep in my arms several times. I think that may be the worst thing in the world; to hold your baby and not have any control over the situation; to feel completely helpless.
I had tried everything—For anyone else, dealing with the same things, these are a few things that did help:
      Warm Oatmeal baths- there’s an old wives tale that you give your kid a warm bath to bring out the chicken pox because they don’t all come out at the same time and it helps them to pop, basically speeding up the process. Although, if your kid is already running a high fever, this isn’t recommended- wait until the fevers are gone. Lincoln had high fevers for the first couple of days so the oatmeal baths came later. He was very curious but loved them!
      Basically anything cold- Popsicles, milkshakes, smoothies, yogurt and for some reason, Lincoln liked oyster crackers (the ones that dissolve in your mouth). Ice, cold water, not milk. Lincoln lived off these things this week.
     Calamine Lotion and Desitin- Lots of it!!
There were several times, he’d wake up in the night crying and the only thing that seemed to calm him down was for me to lay him on my chest and rub or pat his back, This, however, did not help me to sleep at all, but if a few days sleep is my sacrifice to help him feel more comfortable, then I’ll do it!
After finding the things that worked best, I felt much more capable of taking care of Lincoln. I cried when I was finally able to get him to eat the first strawberry milkshake I made him, so you can imagine how I was feeling beforehand.

Now, he’s been feeling much better and most of the “Polk-a-Dots” have scabbed over. He’s eating solid foods again and sleeping much better at night. Today is the first I’ve felt like things are back to their usuals. Lizzie is prancing around the house dancing and singing, “Nothin’ can break this” over and over and over again (a song I’m pretty sure she made up herself), while Lincoln is still under the impression that grapes are tiny toy balls. He insists on chucking them across the room instead of eating them. Normal-acy  is something I take for granted until I have experienced a week like this one.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Summer Games

This week, I sort of put running on hold because I didn't want to wear myself out too much before all the summer games, indoor volleyball took place. It was a blast. It was more complicated with one of our players hurting her knee just a couple of days before the tournament. But we made it work and took a bronze medal in the Silver bracket. Whatever that means- but hey, we still went home with a medal!
Here's a picture our first day before games started.
 But the pictures I got the next day with our medals in hand didn't turn out so great- sorry!

There were 22 teams signed up to play this year. It was a lot of playing and So much FUN!!

Monday, June 11, 2012

The Three F's- Family, Fun, Festival

Family-This weekend was filled with Family. I love my family- they are the best!! And big family get together's like this, are even better...

















Almost Everyone- minus Robert, Cambra and Russel, Corey and Noelle, Caitlin and her family, Dustin and Jennie, Val, and Chris...Did I miss anyone?

Needless to say, it was a blast! Potluck at the park made for a perfect afternoon.



Fun-The kids loved the Awesome Play Ground..

 The slides that "Popped" every time a  kid went down them...


 This is our new found friend Lorenzo (Kelly- Do you recognize him?) He just happened to be at the park for a birthday party and when I noticed we needed someone to take our Big family photos, I wandered over and asked if he wouldn't mind but little did I know that he went to school with you and Rick. Rick recognized him and later was able to catch up while pushing the kiddos on the swings- crazy coincidence, Right!
 Lincoln loved the swings- Perfectly Content. And I have to admit, I loved the play ground too, but not as much as I love my kids, nieces and nephews.


Festival- The following day, Rick, I and the kids went to the Scottish Festival with his family.
It was windy but totally worth it! I freakin' love the Scottish Festival! It was so much fun and this year, I got myself a Wicked Tinkers t-shirt because Hello! The Wicked Tinkers Rock!! Here's me in my Wicked Tinkers shirt hanging out with one of the best in the band, Keith Jones
(Yeah- I secretly want to braid his hair)

Here's Keith performing his solo...




Awesome!!


And here's some of all the band together, Jamming out...


And getting a little wild and crazy...

Oh, That's right, we mustn't forget the infamous CJ, he's the one all the girls go wild for- yes, me included.


And here's some more for everyone's enjoyment

Family, Fun and the Scottish Festival makes it to top ten on my list!!

Lincoln's 1st Birthday!

My baby boy is One year old--I can't believe how fast it came. It seems like yesterday, I was in the hospital, holding him in my arms for the first time.

But, he has been such a blessing in my life- He lights up every room and makes me smile every day. He is a boy through and through...He loves Balls and Cars! And he has managed to add himself to my exercise routine every day, with his fondness of the Toilet, Garbage, toilet bowl scrubbers, mud, dirt and pretty much anything disgusting and messy--Oh so Messy!!
Which brings me to his birthday celebrations, He loved the cake! Thanks to my Brother, Dustin, who asked to do his cake-I was more than Happy to let him...It turned out So Cute!




Happy Birthday to my Sweet Lincoln!!


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

This last week's progress

I've done 6.5 miles and some 3.5 mile runs and I'm hoping to get to where I can do 7+ miles every time but my problem has been a Time issue. I don't have every evening free and that's when I like to go running, so I become limited especially when we end of doing family get together's. I'm thinking I may have to start waking up early to go running, but since Rick works early that would require me waking up even earlier and I hate waking up that early. Only because getting my kids to bed at a decent time at night is hard enough as it is. So, I'm working on some adjusting here and there to make it work.
Overall though, I was thinking about this whole process, the training for this race and all the time and effort that goes into it-- I've learned So much. About myself and about my body. You know, I've gained weight for the first time in like 6 years (aside from pregnancies). I feel healthier, I've been forced to be more organized. I've been humbled in a lot of ways and continue to be. This has been a great experience for me so far and if I were to just take away from this; the things that I've learned in preparing for it...I'd be okay with that.