Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Brrrr...

I am cold....

**Edit**
No, I am freezing. My toes are numb under the two pairs of socks and shoes I'm wearing (only one pair of shoes!). My right fingers are so cold. Adam said I am now officially a Clark. I wasn't informed that this was part of the deal!

Seriously, there is very little left for us to do to weather-proof our house. I found one more window in the kitchen that is allowing some air to get in from under the molding. Adam said he'll caulk it when he comes home. There is plastic on every window...we even keep rolled up towels by the outside door bottoms to (try to) keep air from coming in. It's just too stinking cold today. I woke up this morning to four cats laying practically on top of me. Finnegan was halfway under the covers! My nose was pretty numb, too. I just piled on my clothes and went in the basement for my morning appointment with the treadmill...and it was COLDER down there. That was okay though because when I came back upstairs, it felt warm for a little bit. When Elijah woke up and when I went in his room, it was SO warm! Thank goodness at least one room in the house stays pretty warm...and thank goodness it's Elijah's room.

Spring can start any day now...what's that groundhog's name? Poindexter? I know it's a P...anyway, if that crazy varmint sees his shadow and starts running for his hole in the ground again, someone needs to stop him and tell him he's wrong. I can't tolerate winter too much longer.

And now my rant shall end...


for now!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

ugh...day 3

It's just not getting better over here...

I talked to Adam on the phone last night between 12:30 and 1am (he's driving a truck, for those who don't know). He was super tired and needed a little company to help him stay awake. My throat had been hurting since dinner time and finally I told Adam I was going to take some Advil Cold and go to sleep.

Once I got comfortable in bed, whadda ya know? Eli starts wailing...the bad kind again. Poor little guy...so I stayed up with him until almost 2am, trying to rock him back to sleep. I go back to bed. When I wake up again, I heard him whimpering...not the bad kind, but enough to wake a mama! I laid there for a little bit, listening to make sure he went back to sleep. It was about 5:30am. As I laid there, I became VERY aware that I was running a fever. I contemplated getting up to take more medicine and decided against it (stupid ) because I was really warm in bed with all the kitties sleeping with me! So I just let myself fall back asleep.

7am...who's awake and singing in his room? Yup...I laid there for a minute to hear if MAYBE I could lay there and let him just hang out for 15 minutes or so. Nah, he wanted up. So we got up.

And I hurt...sore throat, (the kind where it hurts to swallow ANYTHING), headache, body aches, fever of about 101.5 (which of course means the chills), and WAY too much saliva in my mouth! (It hurts to swallow so I'm trying I'm trying to do it as little as possible). This bites...I haven't been sick like this since before Elijah was born. It was bad enough that at the beginning of the month, I had that flu, but at least Adam was home then. Now he's in Ohio, and that means even though I'm sick and want to sleep, I am up and trying to be as active as possible. Elijah seems to understand...it's weird. I told him when he got up that mommy wasn't feeling very well and we needed to play today without freaking out so much! He smiled. He's had a couple moments, but I've been able to divert his attention to other stuff from my place on the couch: "Where's frog-toad? Bring it here!" or "Where is your truck? Show mommy how it works!" and even "Where's a kitty? Go find a kitty!" That last one is kind of mean...he takes off down the hall looking for a kitty that I know FULL well he can't bring back to me. But it keeps him occupied for about 5 minutes before he comes back in the living room and plays some more with his toys.

So yeah, I'm eagerly awaiting to see the first signs that he's ready for a nap...should be VERY soon! Then at 11:30am I can take more medicine and take a nap. I'm not even going to pick up his toys first! (I'm such a rebel, huh?)

It's super cold today...again...wind chills around 20 below still...I really loathe winter weather. I am ready for spring...whenever it wants to come around, I'll be here, ready to throw a party for it!

So that is "ugh...day 3"...we're going to nap soon and hopefully we'll both be in good shape when we wake up.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

ugh

Last night made me remember what it was like to have a newborn again. Elijah didn't fall asleep until midnight, and I went to bed. At 3:13am, I was awakened to a shrill scream...that didn't stop. I have NO idea what was wrong but Elijah was sitting straight up in his crib, eyes closed, screaming. He wasn't even fully awake. To get him to stop screaming, I had to wake him up! He woke up and I had to sit with him in the rocker while he calmed down. About 4:00am, he fell asleep again. I went back to bed. 6:00am...I woke up and heard him "talking to himself" in his crib. Then I heard him throw his paci across the room (I can hear when it hits the hard wood floor!). I know what follows...blankets and stuffed animals get thrown next...then he cries. Yup. So I went in there and picked up his stuff, gave him his paci and told him it was definitely not time to get up yet. He sat looking at me so innocently, laid down and appeared to be going back to sleep. 7:15am...no kidding...he was loudly announcing that he was awake. So I basically slept in 1-3 hour increments last night, after he decided it was time to go to sleep! Just like when he was a little guy. He is gonna be tired today when he goes down for a nap...and since we got 8 inches of snow yesterday, I have to take care of that before I can nap. Actually, I went out last night and took care of the first 3 or 4 inches so it won't take too long to clear the rest. It's very light, fluffy snow...the pretty kind that sparkles in the sun. Hopefully Elijah will nap for at least 2 hours; I think I could squeeze 30 minutes in there to nap.

That's my update for today. I need to get the chili started in the slow cooker for tonight. I think as long as I stay busy, I won't fall asleep. Here's hoping...

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

pictures

Still here...just been busy with various other things (job interviews, etc!)...here are some pictures to hold everyone over until the next batch!

IMG_3591
Elijah regressed a little...we had his swing out for cousin Olivia while my sister and her husband were visiting. Elijah decided he wanted to use his swing again! HOWEVER, he's going to be too big for it soon, and all he wanted to do the past week was be in his swing. So Adam and I put it away last night. So far today, he hasn't seemed to miss it too much!

IMG_3598IMG_3604IMG_3602
Elijah enjoying some oreo-cream pie...he has a serious sweet tooth.

IMG_3628IMG_3624
He also likes to eat his rubber ducks...or at least suck on their heads like a paci!

IMG_3643
...pushing his truck around...pretty soon he'll be big enough that we can put that seat down and he'll ride it!

IMG_3621IMG_3618
This was a Christmas present from the Kollers (my older sister's family)..we call it Yoga Monkey because you can position him in some crazy ways!

IMG_3653
And finally, Elijah's new favorite toy. Yes, that is a snot sucker...it has never been used for nasal secretion removal, however, so it is clean. Still pretty yucky though, hey? Crazy monkey!

That's all for now...will update again when I can!

Saturday, January 5, 2008

nic and stu's visit

My poor little monkey is sick today. He didn't eat his normal huge breakfast...instead he ate about a third of his banana and two or three pieces of pancake. Then he proceeded to throw the rest on the floor and tell me "all done". OK, I guess! About an hour after he ate, he followed me down the hall while I was vacuuming and threw up...a lot. It happened again a little later, this time on me. Then on his changing table after his nap. And again on me. It's been a wonderful day here, between changing Eli's clothes four or five times and cleaning up banana puke. He won't eat or drink, but other than that (and the vomiting) he's pretty normal. Still playing and acting like his usual, monkey-like self. This is really the first time he's been sick in almost 14 months so I feel really bad for him. Poor little monkey!

So here are some more pictures for those who have asked for a few more pictures!

IMG_3525
Olivia enjoying Eli's exersaucer...I had almost forgotten that Elijah was once a tiny five month old!

IMG_3527
Eli and Livi helping Great Grandma Guenther open some late Christmas presents.

IMG_3524IMG_3523

IMG_3530
Elijah really liked the name tags on the presents.
IMG_3533
IMG_3576IMG_3578
Olivia looking super cute in a reindeer hat...

IMG_3546
Elijah with his "puppy-puppy"...

IMG_3559
And Hussy...looking kind of creepy here!

IMG_3537
Nicole, Great Grandma Guenther and Olivia...obviously not looking at my camera!

That's all I have for now...more to come as the weekend progresses, I'm sure.

Teagan Riley Clark