I want my baby back!

My poor baby Mason has been very sick this weekend.  He started with a runny nose on Friday morning.  He was very fussy, and crying most of the day.  By afternoon he was running and fever which I was trying to control with Tylenol.  He took three naps.  When he woke up from his last nap, he was burning up and I had given him the Tylenol only an hour and a half before.  I took his temperature and he was running 104.7!  That completely freaked me out.  I took off his clothes and put him in a cold bath.  He screamed and cried the whole time but I had to try to get his fever down.  I called my friend Leslyn.  She's an RN.  I guess I just wanted confirmation that I needed to take him to the ER.  She said yes, absolutely take him.  So I dropped the big boys off with her and went straight to the ER.  We went straight into triage and she gave him some Motrin.  Then we were sent over to Urgent Care.  We got straight into a room and the doc came right in...I guess they weren't busy yet.  So his fever was going down and he was obviously feeling better.  It turns out that he has his first ear infection.  We got a couple of prescriptions and were out of there within 40 minutes.

I knew it was going to be a long night and I couldn't have been more correct.  Mason slept from 9 pm until about 12:30 am.  I went to bed but hadn't fallen asleep by the time he woke up at midnight.  He stayed awake until 3:45 am.  He and I slept on the extra bed in his room for one hour when he woke up at 4:45 am.  Then we went back to sleep together at 6 am until 7:45 am.  That's it.  That is all the sleep that we got and I thought I was going to die!  I was SO tired.  All day yesterday was long and horrible.  Mason didn't feel good and cried almost all day.  He only took one nap.  He went to bed at 7 pm, I put the boys to bed at 8:30 pm and I went to bed at 9 pm.  Mason woke up for the first time at 1:30 am and went back to sleep at about 3:45 and slept until 7:45 this morning.  It wasn't perfect but I finally got some sleep.  I'm not sure what I would have done if I hadn't.

Mason is feeling much better today.  He ate some scrambled eggs with cheese and went back to bed.  I'm hoping that we can get out of the house for a little while today.  The boys were very bored yesterday.  Maybe we can go to the park or something.

Dominic is hearing that they got a flight for the 19th instead of the 17th.  It's not certain...just what he heard.  They will be moving from their dorms to the tents tomorrow.  He says they're junk.  I just hope that the last couple weeks goes quick for him and us.  We have two more weeks to go.  I can't wait to see him!

Christian starts his Scouts Day Camp tomorrow.  He will catch a bus at 8am and be back at 5pm Monday-Friday just for this next week.  He will have a blast and I know he will learn a lot.

The Countdown Begins

Dominic gave me the "all clear" to go ahead and make a countdown chain for Ayden.

Summer: Day One

Today was the first official day of the beginning of Summer for us.  That really just means that Christian is home now.

Ayden woke up and turned the TV on.  He doesn't know how to change the channels so he watched The Daily Show With Jon Stewart on Comedy Central.  I think I will just set the channel to Noggin before I go to bed that way when he wakes up and turns on the TV, its good to go.  Christian slept in again.  He woke up around 10:30 am.  Mason and I were up at 9 am.  Wow!  It's great to sleep in once in a while.

Last night we had a friend and her 11 month old son over.  Her name is Jordan and her son is Cooper.  Her husband is over there with Dominic and they live only a few blocks away.  She is the one I went to the Garage Party with.  Anyhow, I made spaghetti and salad.  She brought over some garlic bread and dessert.  We talked and dreamt about the homecoming :)  Her son Cooper fell and hit his head on one of the wooden chairs (we think).  No one was near him and all the sudden he started screaming.  He split open his eye lid a little bit below his eyebrow.  We discussed stitches but she was okay with just letting it heal.  The cut didn't look very deep.  Hopefully it won't scar.  Aside from that we had a nice relaxing evening.  Ayden wanted to run with Jordan so they went into the front yard and raced across the grass.  That was cute.

We didn't have any plans for the day but I did need to get Mason some milk.  We hung out and I picked up the house a little bit.  Dominic and I emailed a few times and then he called.  He talked to both of the boys.  Ayden mostly likes to talk about camping.  He LOVES to go camping.  That is what he wants to do when daddy gets back.

My lawn guy came by to mow today.  I've only had him mowing the front yard and around to the alley but not the back.  The back yard has lots of sticks and pine cones from our two pine trees and its NOT a nice backyard by any means.  Well the weeds were really starting to get tall and I just figured at this point by the time Dominic gets home and gets around to cleaning it up back there the weeds will be waist high!  So I asked the guy to go around back and let me know how much he would charge me to mow it.  He said 5 bucks!  I pay him $20 to do just the front.  He said that he normally charges $25 for front and back.  What a deal!  So I gave him $10 for the back since it was such a mess then when he comes back I will start paying him $25 to do both front and back.  I paid Christian $3 to pick up all the sticks and pine cones too.  He also discovered a dead bird.  Hmm, I wonder how it got there.  Did it fall out of the sky?  Interesting.

We went to the grocery store to get some milk and fruit, came home and had dinner.

Ayden has a weird cough going today.  Its not constant but its pretty hoarse.  I hope he's okay tomorrow.  If he is, I am going to take Ayden and Mason to day care and Christian and I are going to the movies together.  We are going to see the new Night at the Museum.  Christian has been wanting to see it.  The only bad part is that from what I have seen in the previews, there is a huge computer generated octopus!  I am deathly afraid of them as irrational as that may be.  So we'll see how that goes.  I'm hoping that Ayden is feeling okay.

I'm old!

I turned 29 yesterday.  I was fairly sure that it wasn't going to be a great day from the start and maybe that's where I went wrong.  I should have felt positive from the beginning and I certainly didn't.

I did wake up to several emails followed by phone calls, messages and texts...oh and a couple of cards came in the mail too.  That was great and I am so grateful for all of them.

I got an email from Dominic and later a call.  He told me that it was looking like they wouldn't be leaving until somewhere between the 24th - 26th of June.  That was terribly disappointing.  When we are so close, all we have to cling to are these dates and nothing is for certain.  Its all rumors!

It was Christian's last day of school.  He got out at 1 pm.  We picked him up then came home to hang out for the rest of the day.  I figured that maybe we would order some food to pick up and bring home just to make the day a little different than the rest.  Mason took a very early nap yesterday so he was cranky for most of the evening.  Christian was in one of his moods and I was starting to get very irritated.  I finally just said "screw it".  We stayed home, I cooked hot dogs and beans for the boys and a typical diet meal for myself.  I made myself an ice cream cake and ate it alone since neither of the boys wanted any.

I heard LOTS of  "happy birthday's" and LOTS of "I love yous" but I was so completely hurt that the boys didn't wish me a happy birthday or give me a hug or make me a card.  I got nothing and it made me feel very unappreciated.  Then I felt bad for feeling that way.  They are kids and they are not worried about anyone but themselves.  That's completely normal.  I know they love me.

By the time I got the boys to bed and my dad called me I couldn't hold onto all the emotions that have built up over the past 6 months.  I completely lost it.  Why can't I be grateful for what I do have?  I always focus on all the bad stuff or the things that don't go the way I want them to go.  I don't know why I am wired that way.

I just needed to get to bed and wake up to a new day.

Today was much better.  Mason woke up at 6:15 this morning which is very odd for him.  He normally sleeps until 7:30 am.  At 9 am he was ready to go back to bed and I was too.  Ayden was up watching cartoons and Christian slept until 11am (he must have been up all night).  I laid back down while Mason slept and Dominic called me at 10 am.  I was awake, just laying in bed.  

Dominic said today that the word coming directly from the Chief is that they will most likely be leaving on the 17th (this one is not a rumor).  Of course, we never know and I am going to try to not get my hopes up (yeah right!).  I just want my husband back!

This afternoon I took the boys to walmart so we could get a pool and water toys.  I got an inflatable pool that we can put on the deck.  Its big enough for Christian to play in but also fine for Ayden and Mason.  We bought a package of those splash balls that soak up water.  Those are by far the best pool toy ever made.  I LOVE playing with them.  I got the pool set up and filled, the boys in their suits and we started playing.  I got a good work out chasing the balls down, dipping them in the water and throwing them at the boys.  They loved it and I did too.  That was fun.  Then the next door neighbor girl came over and played with the boys for a while.  Then her mom came out and invited the boys to come over to their house to play with their slip and slide.  This was the first time that both Ayden and Christian went over there.  Mason was taking a nap and the house was QUIET for one whole hour!  That was awesome!

When the boys got home we got ready for our dinner date.  We went to On The Border because I have been really missing Mexican food.  Its hard to get Dominic to go to a Mexican restaurant anyway because he's always disappointed by it.  He would much rather make his own tacos than go to a restaurant and be disappointed.  So my friend Leslyn and her 2 year old, Carson, my friend Erin and her 11 mos old son and the boys and I went out to dinner.  It was a little loud and hectic but fun.  It was nice to get together and catch up with them.  They each brought me a gift which I didn't expect.  That was very sweet of them.

Anyhow, dinner was good.  We came home and I took off my clothes to get jammies on.  The door bell rings.  I thought "oh hell".  Ayden answered the door while I pulled on a dress really fast.  Guess what it was?  Flowers, chocolates and a stuffed bear from my Aunt Val and Uncle Bill.  What a surprise that was!  I never expected that and it really made my day.

Its now 8 o' clock and everyone is quiet and doing their own thing...but everyone is happy, including me.

3rd Grade Achievements

Christian received the A-B Honor Roll, Citizenship Certificate for A in conduct and work habits all year, Commended Performance for Reading and Math for the TAKS test and Jump Rope for Heart.

He did so well academically in spite of everything we've been through this year.  We are so very proud of him.

Lazy week

I haven't done much this week.  I have, just nothing really significant.

Mason and Carson playing in the pool.

Monday turned out to be a nice day.  I was hoping for something to do but didn't have any plans.  After I took my shower I checked my cell phone and there was a message from my friend, Leslyn.  She said that they were having a bbq and invited us to come over.  I gladly accepted that invitation.  The boys had fun playing with their friends and I got to visit with my friend.  Mason and Ayden played in the baby pool.  They loved it.  It was a good time and kept my mind off of my sadness.  

Tuesday Christian went back to school.  Wednesday we went for his allergy shot and took him to the clinic for a physical.  He needed one for his Boy Scout day camp that is coming up.  Its June 8th - 12th every day from 8am to 5pm.  He's looking forward to that.

Today is the 3rd grade achievement awards ceremony at Christian's school.  We will be going to that.

Tomorrow is the last day of school!  Another year down and so, so many more to go.  I am very excited about Christian being a 4th grader and Ayden going to Pre-K.  I will have Mason home during the day for the next few years.  How great is that?

Tomorrow is also my 29th birthday.  Dang!  I'm old :)  Dominic and I can't believe that we are almost 30!  That's hard to wrap my brain around.  My friend Leslyn is going to take me to dinner on Saturday so that will be nice.

I talked to Dominic last night.  He was so tired.  He had to get up 4 times last night to either take or pick up teams.  I asked him if there was someone that could help pick up the slack but he said that if he doesn't do it himself, it won't get done right.  Today he said that he only ended up sleeping maybe 4 hours last night.  It was also 130 degrees there today!  No, that's not a typo.  130!!!!!  He said that once it gets over 110 you don't notice a difference.  Hot is hot I guess.  I hope he doesn't just spontaneously burst into flames.

There have been a few dates flying around about when the guys will get back.  On Monday I heard that they will be back on the 19th.  Then Dominic said yesterday that the latest rumor is that they won't leave there until the 25th.  That was disappointing.  Unfortunately these dates are what we cling to and the fact is that nothing is certain until they are on the plane and in the air.  That's just how it is.

Memorial Day

Thank you so those who fought and died for our freedom!

And thank you to those who are still fighting.

We celebrate you today!

Oddly enough, today is one year to the day that my mom passed away.  I spent all last night and all this morning thinking of her.  I've been thinking about how much she is missed.  I wish she didn't have to leave us so soon.  I wish I could have one more hug, one more phone call.  I can hear her voice in my head which breaks my heart.  I miss my mom so very much...words cannot express.  I love you mom!

Strawberry Pickin'

Last night I decided to look and see if I could find somewhere where the boys and I could go to get out of the house for a bit.  I thought maybe the farmers market which is downtown.  It opened today for the season.  When I looked it up on the Internet I found a website for an orchard that is nearby.
I printed the directions and off we went this afternoon to Young's Orchard.  It was 45 minutes away.  The drive was nice.  Mason slept, Christian read and Ayden called out EVERY SINGLE motorcycle he saw (FYI, motorcycle riders can ride all but about 2-3 months per year...so there are A LOT of them).  "Mom, you're never gonna guess what I just saw!"  Oh I bet I could :)
The man that runs the orchard was very nice.  He gave each of the boys a basket and pushed us out the door to the field.  He said we can eat as many as we want while we're out there.  I ate only one because they were pretty dirty.  We bought 5.5 lbs of strawberries freshly picked by ourselves.  They were dark and so sweet.  They were small but so tasty.  He also grows onions, peaches, tomatoes, asparagus and black berries.  He said to come back in two weeks for the blackberries.  I can't wait for the peaches!

Christian was totally into picking them.  He loved it.  Ayden picked...maybe three.  Then he decided that it would be much more fun to run up and down the rows, which was totally fine.  We had a great time and we will most definitely be going back...very soon.
I made 6 jars of strawberry/orange jam and 4 jars of sugar free strawberry jam.  This one event made for a great day.

Success!

It worked!  I heard Christian going to the bathroom at 6:45 am.  At 7:15 I heard him pouring himself cereal.  When I got up he was dressed, with the exception of socks and shoes, he had eaten breakfast and got his backpack ready.  Amazing!  He was sitting quietly in the chair reading a book while the other two boys were waking up.  Christian made it to school just after 8 o' clock this morning.  It was perfect!  Completely stress free, I love that.

I praised his efforts and hugged him and told him that this is what I expect from him.

Christian is completely capable of doing these things but because he knew I was going to make sure he did, he didn't HAVE to be responsible for himself.  That was my mistake.  I have learned a huge lesson from this.

In other news, Dominic took his math final last week.  He got an 86 in the class which isn't as good as he hoped but he's okay with that.  He's happy that its over and he feels like he made something of the deployment.  The month of May is going quickly for me.  Once this week is over we will have next week which is the last week of school.  Friday the 29th is the last day.  Then it will be maybe two or three more weeks before Dominic comes home.  Its right around the corner and I am so excited!

Ready for change

Okay, so I went to the bookstore yesterday.  I was looking for a book called Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours.  A friend of mine is reading it and suggested it to me.  Well the store didn't have any copies so I continued to look.  I found a book called Have a New Kid by Friday.  I found out that both of these books are by the same author, Dr. Kevin Leman.  He suggests that parents these days are so focused on their kids achieving success that they aren't letting their child fail.  I am not an extreme parent in that situation but I did see myself in some of the things he discussed.  

I have read over half of the book and started immediately with some changes.  It starts with me after all.

Last night I told Christian that he needs to get up, get dressed, brush his teeth and have shoes on in order to be on time to school this morning.  I decided (with the help of the book) to let Christian make some choices.  He needed to choose wether he was going to be responsible for himself and be on time to school or not.  I told him that I wouldn't be yelling, or reminding him of the time, that it was up to him to make sure he was at school on time.  

Here's what happened.  Christian's alarm is set for 7:15am.  At 7:30 I heard him go to the bathroom.  After that I heard a lot of laughing, playing and screwing around between Christian and Ayden.  At 7:45 I went in to get Ayden out and get him dressed.  At that time Christian was dressed but didn't have socks or shoes on.  I didn't say anything to him.  Ayden got dressed and went back in to their room where they continued to play.  At 8am Christian went to the bathroom where he remained for over 10 minutes.  He still didn't have socks or shoes on and hadn't eaten breakfast.  So time just keeps going by and he realizes at 8:25 am that he is going to be late (he has to be there at 8:30).  He finally gets his socks and shoes on which takes another 10 minutes or so.  He grabs a granola bar and we head out the door.  He was 15 minutes late to school and his first time EVER to be tardy.  I gave him a note for his teacher saying "Dear Mrs. Hill, Christian has no reason to be late.  He simply chose to play instead of getting ready for school.  This is a lesson of responsibility.  Please do whatever you do with children who are tardy.  Thanks."

Tomorrow Christian has a field trip.  He has to be on time or he will miss the bus.  I will tell him the same exact thing at bed time tonight.  If he's late, he will miss the field trip.  It will be his fault because he needs to be responsible for himself and also learn the consequences of his actions.  Whatever happens tomorrow morning will be the true test if this is going to work.  I am very anxious to find out.

On a final note I have to tell you that it was KILLING ME not to do anything this morning.  To not remind him of the time, or tell him what still needs to be done.  A true test of patients for me.