Joys

Lots and lots of joy yesterday!!!!!
1. I am an aunt again! Sarah had a HEALTHY baby boy, Joseph Alexander. He tipped the scales at 8 pounds (even though he was early and Sarah was worried he would be little). I am so excited that Tan man has a playmate. But I am more excited that they are both healthy and no problems. Praises to God! I can't wait to hold this little miracle.
2. Dad and I finished painting another side of his house yesterday and Dad did not fall off the scaffolding. It looks awesome.
3. Jeff finished his midterm test. Three more weeks of this class, then one more!!! I am so proud of him. And I can't wait until he is no longer grumpy about doing homework. :)
4. I started work this week and it is going well so far. I bought a little new paper. OOOO, so many fun things. I am itching to scrap beeeg time!

Speaking of itching...Those welts are bug bites on her face and they are all over. Poor Princess Sparkle reminds me why I don't like the great outdoors. I think it is beautiful. I think it would be fun. Just bug free, because I look the same way. We even put on OFF yesterday. I was swarmed by biting gnats the entire time I was painting. Dad didn't even see them.

She had fun collecting flowers, pine cones, and dead bugs though. She is way into bug carcasses lately. Seriously. She thinks they are pretty, cool, and interesting. We have a box of them. And actually she is right on all three points. She especially likes the cicadas (we have 10 in the collection). She also collects leaves. Dead or alive. We have bags and bags of leaves.

So I asked Ahnka to smile for the camera this morning. She said, " This is my handsome smile." She was making all sorts of finger motions at me. Maybe she would make a great gangster or she will be really good at sign language.

Two funny quotes from my little peanut...

Just now...she and Jeff left to get haircuts. I asked Jeff if he felt comfortable telling the stylist what to do for A. He jokingly said a mullet. I said noooo. He asked A what she wanted and she said, " I just want it really short on the sides and handsome on top." A mullet. Too funny. What are ya gonna do? We'll see what she comes back with. I'll post her pic tomorrow.

Yesterday...she pulled weeds and little trees for Grandma (with Sparkle), so Grandma told them she would pay them. Grandma brought out the money and was going to let them choose between a $1 bill and 4 quarters. Sparkle went for the shiny quarters. Peanut said, " I only like the cash with 5 on it. I don't want it." Whaaaat? We laughed so hard! I knew I should reprimand her for being greedy (and we did have a little talk later about being thankful and taking what is being given). But it was so hilarious, she said it without a thought. The other side of me was proud of her that she knew 5 meant more, and that she thought her time was worth more. HA! If only we all had the courage to ask for more pay sometimes! Good thing she is not acquainted with $20 bills yet.

And Mr. Wigglebuns. He got on his knees yesterday and went backwards a few spaces. Not long now. He is figuring out how to pull stuff off of tables. He loves to dive at Peanut if she is on the floor and pretends to tickle her and drools all over her (which she actually likes because she has someone to wrestle with now). His current fave toy is a wooden spoon. Keeps him busy for 20 minutes easy. Not the fancy plastic stuff. Nanything that makes noise or lights up. A SPOON. Hope his taste is always that cheap and easy!

the doctor

Okay. I was totally rambling the other night. Maybe that isn't anything new though. But I will explain the whole doctor thing because there seems to be confusion...

I am hypothyroid. If I don't have the right amount of medication coursing through my little veins I get insanely tired (can sleep 14 or more hours a day), my skin looks like an alligator, I start gaining weight (or can't get it off no matter what), depression, monthly female issues, among a whole bunch of other symptoms. Before Utah it was pretty much under control. Then some quack lowered my dose right before we moved. I had all sorts of problems while we lived in Indiana, but no one seemed to put two and two together that it might have something to do with the thyroid. I read a book that mentioned that just because my blood levels test inside the range, it might not be the best level for me. I wasn't sure that it was thryoid related either, and just chalked it up to being a really tired new mommy that wasn't taking care of herself.

So that brings us to Ohio. And my quack of a OB/GYN. The one who made me go three weeks overdue that resulted in a ten pound baby so I would be scheduled for her on call week. She told the surgeon this when she thought I couldn't hear (he was giving her the third degree while they put me back together). She was supposed to be monitoring my thyroid as well (She lost the labs once, and after I got my records for our move, I am not sure she ever actually checked it.) I complained the whole pregnancy of all sorts of little stuff and lots of pain. She just told me out right I was whiny and needed to go home and put my feet up. If I had had the energy, I would have switched doctors...even in the eighth month.

So that brings us to this summer. Turns out all of the pain I was having was from kidney stones I've been passing for the past year. Because I was taking too much calcium and prenatal vitamins. And lo and behold ALL of it circles back to my dear old thyroid. I got a little information out of my urologist in Ohio. But I have been doing A LOT of research myself, and everything keeps pointing back to the fact that I need a higher dose of thyroid meds.

And that brings me to dear Margo. Little wench that she is. So for my first appointment with her here in IL, she comes in and says, "So just what do you think is wrong with you?" Excellent bedside, huh? So I explained it was time to test my blood and I thought I needed a little more dose. I told her some other symptoms. I showed her my lab results on the kidney stones. She told me what I already knew about the stones and then she told me I had gout, I needed to become a vegetarian, and I was stupid to be breastfeeding still, or even in the first place. And then would not explain any of those opinions.

I stuck with her so I could at least get my blood work started and get at least some meds to get me through (my prescription ran out during the move). She scheduled an ultrasound. I went and did that. The guy looked at my kidneys. I went back to Margo to find out the results of everything. (I'm skipping the run in I had with her office staff over attempting to set up an appointment about my labs). She told me 1. I should feel fine, 2. I have kidney stones, 3. she won't do anything for me including recommending a decent urologist. She said, "You're on your own, you'll find somebody."

1. I don't feel fine. I haven't really felt fine for three years now. I have a bunch of other health problems that have been related to this freaking thyroid all along. I finally argued her into upping my dose a little just so I would leave her alone. By the way my levels during pregnancy were below the range, and are now just barely over normal--according to all of the labs I have collected from everyone now that I am taking things into my own hands.
2. I already knew I had kidney stones. No new information there. So she wasted my time with the ultrasound and that extra appointment.
3. She won't even give me ONE freaking name of a doctor. But then again I hate Margo, so I should not go with anyone she likes, huh?

So I am on my own again. I am starting to notice some differences already with the new dose, but it takes awhile. One of these days I will get around to having my other kidney stones taken care of. But I am again so frustrated with the medical community that I don't want to mess with it.
There you have it. Most of the story. Should make more sense now.

I hope ya'll are super healthy and don't have to visit doctors! (Sorry to any doctors who may read this...I am sure you are very reputable and don't fall in the category of idiots I've been choosing lately.)

Curtains, water/messes, Ahnka witiicisms, the hottie of kindergarten

Long title, Huh? Mostly to keep me on track of what I want to write about. :)

1. Got curtains up (shout out to my mom and dad for their help hanging rods, sewing, and giving me their cast offs that match my house better than theirs:) ) Love having privacy, love that it is making the house seem more homey, love the curtains. looking awesome. some pics/artwork up. Just want to paint. I decided the house is going to look as good now as I want it to look if we had to sell, not just the last month.

2. Had water in the basement. Just enough to soak the carpet and all of the moving boxes. Didn't lose too much except the sump pump full of mice and a few things I should have gotten rid of a long time ago. Again shout out to my parents for watching the kids and the use of fans and such.

3. Ahnka. Oh sweet funny one. Just a sampling of what I can remember from the past couple days...
"Mom, I'm going to marry a girl. Somebody is gonna have to like the pretty stuff."
"What? It matches. Orange (horizontal) striped shirt, orange (vertical) striped pants. I like them. But somebody made my button (one on the pants) shrink."
As she is stuffing donut gems in her mouth and has one in each hand, on the stool, pulled up to the counter..."How many have you had?" "Just one or two, but I'm done now."

4. So Phebers has a boyfriend, or two, or more it seems. One sits at her table at K and is teaching her to snap, three in our neighborhood yell if they drive by and she is outside and want playdates. Oh to be the cutie with the pigtails.

5. Tan man is cutting two more teeth, attempting to clap, and his hair is growing. It is curly. The mini-me of Jeff is very, very strong. he is reaching for me and attempting to say mama. Love his leetle self. Wish he would sleep better. Leetle shee...

6. By the way I really like mojitos. They make me feel very nice. Sorry if there were any typos tonight. :) HA! I made kind of nice with my doctor, only because she was willing to give me the correct prescription and I feel better. thank you idiot dr.-- I know how I feel all of the other minutes of my life besides the five you give me. Anyway. STill ditching her. STill don't like her. she impressed me with her knowledge. After two appointments and an ultrasound she informed me in a haughty know it all way that I had kidney stones and needed to see an urologist, but would/not could/would not give me any recommendations. Didn't I know that before I saw her?????????????
I start work Wednesday at Archiver's. Will miss my children and early bedtime. Glad to see women and be in a scrapping atmosphere again. Soon, after I finish sewing and decorating, I WILL scrap!

7. Jeff is plugging away on classes and GMAC. The drama is high at work. We had a pep talk and he is going to start playing hard ball. Good thing I am not babysitting that woman's child (a pre-move idea/plan) because the poo is hitting the fan between those two.

8. So we don't really live in Chicago. We are on the very very very outskirts and are in a rural town pretending to be a suburb of Chi, maybe Joliet. I miss Target in a very real way. But I am liking the little town.

9. Okay, I added a followers button. Please sign in so that I know that I am not only writing this for myself to read. Although that is cool, because this is keeping me in touch with my inner fam workings for scrapping when I get there. But I still have that need to know You like me. You really like me. HA
Dude

Okay that is enough. My new issues of Country Living (I do like the decorating and recipes...I fit in out here maybe) and Creating Keepsakes (OOOOH eye candy and gets my juices wanting to create) are in. And maybe I could have one more mojito. Just one.

levelin'

So my brother Cliff was wondering what the new digs look like. I took a couple pics of the main level of 4 and the front. We are still settling in and finding homes for everything. I haven't hung a single thing on the walls. YET. It is starting to drive me crazy. So I may go at our walls with a hammer this weekend. Jeff and I are at odds about purchasing window coverings, so still none of those. But many plans in the works. And for paint. Void of color and filled with clutter days are getting difficult.
The kitchen is nice. I am actually liking the layout better than I thought. Stainless steel is okay. Miss having a pantry...as you can tell by the horrid amount of clutter about. We are already talking about adding extra cabinets where the rolling cart is, but I want a swingset more. I can barely stand waiting for the rest of the move money. This is the really crappy part of moving all the freaking time. Starting over with all of this stuff each time, and part of the great thing about the house on Crom. It was done-ish, or at least super easy to move into: coverings on each window, had our swingset, partially fenced, lots of storage spaces. Maybe not pretty or up to date or exactly what I would have chose, but very workable. Unlike nanything as Ahnka would say. AAARRRGGHH. Okay, got it out, no more complaining. Thank you for listening.
It'll be a great house, I just have to practice patience. Not one of my personal traits as we all know.

kids aplenty

Here is the Phoebinator on the first day of kindergarten!!!! What a proud, excited, adorable little, no big, girl.






















Tank enjoying sitting up and chewing on Ahnka's rock star guitar. Don't tell her. Just one of the first of many things he will slobber up for us. But why stop him? He's so darn cute even doing this!















We met Mom to go shopping in Schaumburg for fall stuff and then went out for lunch...Thai. One of my new favorites to get when Jeff (Mister Steak and Potatoes) is not along. They chopsticks were rigged, but the girls did a great job and loved them. They also enjoyed the pad thai. I hope to expand their palates beyond plain macaroni with butter and salt. This was a step in the right direction.





And the Jeep...got this little number at a garage sale for 15 BUCKS! Whoo hoo! Ahnka especially loves it and tears all over the yard. She could be Danica Patrick. Heck if she crashes it, it was worth all 1500 pennies.



There now I am caught up! Ta dah! Hopefully no more marathon posts.

Croms in the Park

Crom Moms and our cutie kiddies in the tie dye we did for Mess day. Aren't they cool...the people and the shirts. Each unique and fabulous in their very own way. Missin' 'em hard core. This was taken at the goodbye pizza party at Bain Park at the end of our street. It was a lot of fun. Good way to end the summer for the Nelsons.
And the Black Knot. Because the men refused to enjoy the Crom word fun and came up with their own name for their poker/drinking/tool borrowing/emailing club complete with nicknames and I am quite positive they have a secret handshake as well. Boys.