Leah, Emma and Claire (and Jen and John)

Yay!

We had a very busy week. We managed to get the car everyday except Monday so we’ve been out and about enjoying our health and mobility. We have a very nice neighbour who now drives John to the train in the morning when I need the car and it has made my life so much easier. 

We had three programs at the Early Years Centre this week and this morning we went on our very first playdate. It has taken me 2.5 years to actually arrange to meet another mom and their child. I’m weird about stuff like that. The girl is very nice and she has a little girl the same age as the girls (who was also a preemie) and is due in January just like me. We had plenty to talk about and the girls played well together. The only snag was they have a dog but I asked that she not be put away so the girls could get used to it. I’m not happy with the overwhelming fear of dogs they both have (yes, even Leah).  It’s funny because she is the first mom I have met in real life who also had a preemie and it was just nice to have that in common. I’m not one to sit around and think about how rough that was but at the same time it is nice to have a conversation about what it was like with someone who knows exactly what I’m talking about.

This afternoon we went to the doctor and Leah’s ears are clear. Hopefully we can all stay healthy for  few weeks!

I am doing ok. I’ll be 28 weeks on Sunday. My joints are still bugging me and it is pretty frustrating to be in so much pain. John looked at me trying to move around in bed the other night and said that I am in just as much pain now as I was near the end with the girls. This is my punishment for thinking for the past two years that a one baby pregnancy would be a walk in the park :). When I thought that I never factored in how long my days are now or how much work it is effectively looking after the girls.

So I am very happy that it is the weekend and that John can do all the grunt work for a couple of days while I rest up for another week with the monkeys. 

I took the girls to the doctor on Thursday and Emma’s ears are clear but Leah’s are still a bit inflamed. She is not done her antibiotics yet (which she is taking no problem with the bribe of chocolate chip cookies or nacho chips) so we are going to go back in on Friday to get her checked once again. You would never know her ears weren’t fine so I’m glad we’re going back. I talked to the doctor a bit about antibiotics and he seemed to share my opinion that the next ear infection (that is not accompanied by bronchitis) can be treated without antibiotics but he wants to monitor them if I do that. Works for me - I was very happy he was open to it, I was half expecting him to look at me like I was some kind of weirdo mom.

So we had a nice and relaxing weekend enjoying our happy girls. John hosted poker on Friday night and we both were up later than normal so Saturday was a lazy day. My ribs and hip joints are throbbing by the end of the day lately and the only comfortable place I can find is John’s chair. Friday night it was so bad that I had to abandon my plan to make myself scarce and got a front row seat to the poker fun. I laughed so hard I cried - it reminded me of university and I must say I was impressed how silly those boys can be drinking nothing but pop and water. They could have saved themselves a lot of money in University.

The girls were a bit of a handful this past week. We were a bit easier on the rules when they were sick and boy oh boy did they have some trouble adjusting to life with a mom who knows there is now no reason for you to be whining. By midweek I decided that I was no longer helping out with any sister related whining. If they were crying because of something the other one did/said etc etc etc I simply told them to stop crying to me and to talk to their sister. To my complete amazement it seems to be working. They still scream and carry on but when they realize that their sister a)isn’t bothered by the screaming and b)doesn’t even attempt to figure out what the screaming is about and make it stop - they quickly decide it is easier to stop screaming and talk to their sister. They are even saying please and thank you to each other once they are done working out their problem. While I don’t expect this behaviour to happen all the time anytime soon it is so nice to hear some civilized arguments coming from our 2 year olds.

Here are some pictures of John painting with the girls this afternoon.

Things are going much better these past couple of days. The girls are back to sleeping and we haven’t had any visitors in our bed in a few nights.  I took them to “school” yesterday since their noses have dried up and they had a ball. The caregiver commented on what good little dancers they are - anyone who has seen the girls dance knows she was being funny.

Leah is no longer putting up a fight with the antibiotics which is a good thing because she still has a few more days. Emma is still not cooperative but thankfully she’s done tomorrow. I finally have an appt with our family doctor tomorrow (all this other stuff has been at the clinic) and I am looking forward to talking to him about our options going forward with any more ear infections. Things happened so suddenly and went downhill so quickly here last week that I didn’t fully process what was happening. I just went into please make it better mode!  I have since done some research and I want to hear his opinion on just riding out the ear infection with pain meds rather than antibiotics.

They were a bit whiny today and I was very happy to see John home. I took them outside around 4 and let them rip out all the annuals that have died with the recent freezing cold craptacular weather. This morning we went to the park but they were a disaster when we got home and I sent them to bed as soon as they were done screaming about eating lunch. They knew I meant business - not a peep from either of them or even an attempt to get me to carry them up the stairs.

John is now feeling crappy - poor guy. I had a sore throat at the beginning but I seem to have survived. 

The girls took their medicine willingly this morning and then ate their breakfast all up. Everything was going well until Emma projectile puked all over me. I had told John to stay in bed and get some rest (he is now getting sick) but I had to scream at the top of my lungs to wake him up because I was just covered. Leah was up at the table giving us the play by play “Yuck, Emma sick” “Ack, Ick” (pictures lots of disgusted faces as the waves of puke cover me) “ohhh Emma” and then the after John took Emma and Leah saw my shirt/hair/face she let out a big “OH MY GOD”. I nearly died laughing. They both picked up an “oh my god” habit from my mom but I thought they’d forgotten. I wish I had it on video.

They were ok most of the day but we’re having another medicine revolt right now. I’ve got some good ideas (thanks Aurie) that I think might work but just not at the end of the day. We need to get them mid afternoon when they’re not hungry and cranky. The only reason I’m actually here writing this is because John sent me upstairs because I was going to lose it. My patience is wearing thin, it’s a good thing I married a patient man.

On to happier thoughts. Today I am 26 weeks and about to start my third trimester. I had an appointment with Dr Shuen yesterday morning and everything is going well. Baby C’s heartrate was 147 and my belly is measuring big still at 28 weeks. Dr. Shuen thinks if I go full term (and he doesn’t see any reason why I won’t) that Baby C will be at least 8lbs if not 9lbs. Yikes. The girls were really big for 33 weekers but I had always attributed that to the fact that I didn’t move much from week 26 - 33. It’s crazy that at this point with the girls I had finished work the day before and I was on my way to the hospital for a steroid shot for their lungs because he was very concerned I was going to go before 30 weeks.

Apparently the internet jinx applies to ear infections as well as sleep. I will keep this short - I’m approaching the point of exhaustion where you think everything is funny. I need to go to bed, I mean I know John’s jokes aren’t funny but I can’t help myself.

Leah is very sick again. Yesterday she was running around and singing then last night she started to whimper and we were right back to square one with her. She had a fever of 103F in the night and she would not settle for more than an hour. Today she was lethargic and only wanted to lie on John (John has graciously offered up the theory that the girls find my belly uncomfortable to lie on so I’m not to be offended when they tell me to go away). She would not eat and then she started the very familiar “I feel sick. My ear is sore.” Today was her last day on the current antibiotics so we took her in. Her ears are still very bad and they’ve given her a third antibiotic.

The house of ear infections/snot is going into it’s third week and we are tired. If there is anything to take comfort in all of this it’s that apparently it took a superbug to bring the girls down. I am really hoping that this isn’t the beginning of ear infection issues.

The other challenge we are facing today is a pretty substantial revolt from both of them on taking any type of medicine. The novelty has completely worn off and it’s a fight. If anyone has any suggestions on how to get 5mls of vile tasting bubble gum crap into a 2 year old I’m all ears.

They both just started crying (they were sleeping) and now Emma is saying she feels sick again. Her fever is back and they now have matching fevers of 101.5F. Looks like it’s going to be another long night. I really should go to bed.

We had another rough night last night although it was a bit better. Emma woke up crying at around 3 and when John went in to get her she puked up some liquidy stuff.  She was really hot and had a fever of 103F. We brought her into bed with us and she slept on John until 8am when Leah woke up. I can’t lay on my back anymore (nor can she lay on me with my belly) but luckily John thinks having his kids sleeping on him is one of the greatest parts of being a parent (I think it’s hot and uncomfortable for more than an hour even without the belly).

By morning Emma’s fever was down to 101F but she was still crying unless John held her (she wanted nothing to do with me). I had already decided I was taking her to the clinic so I got her all bundled up (it’s freezing here today) and off we went while Leah stayed with John. The clinic was much quicker today and it was no surprise to me that she now has a very bad infection in both ears in addition to the bronchitis. I told the doctor that Leah is on the same meds and full of energy/improving health wise and he agreed that the antibiotics weren’t working for Emma so she’s on some new ones.

Once we got home I gave her the new antibiotics and some advil for the pain and she got back to laying on John and crying. They were both a disaster by nap time so we put them down and I think they both slept for about 10 minutes and then woke up and started a party. I could hear Emma talking away while reading Curious George. We haven’t heard her say much more than “yep”, “nope”, ”I feel sick”, “My ear hurts” and “Go away Mommy, I want Daddy” if the past two days so  things were looking up. Sure enough we got them up and she’s been playing, chatting away and even managed to eat a pretty big dinner.

Hopefully she’s over the worst part now. I’ve never seen her so sick and when she had the high fever and threw up last night we both started wondering if there was something more seriously wrong with her.

One crappy part of all this is that now that she’s not so sick she’s decided that medicine isn’t so great anymore. Good to see she’s got some fight in her though

I think the girls got together late last week and decided to test out their mom and see if she was ready for a newborn and two toddlers. Baby C better keep on cooking because I am most definitely not ready…and I don’t know that I ever will be. I honestly don’t know how I functioned when the girls were newborns…actually I don’t actually remember much of it which isn’t all that comforting!

Although we haven’t been back to the doctor because they are on cure all antibiotics, I’m pretty sure Leah now has bronchitis as well as her double ear infection and Emma now has a full blown ear infection in her left ear in addition to her bronchitis. Leah’s pain and congestion are being managed quite effectively by the antibiotics/decongestant and she is a bit out of sorts and clingy but still able to play. Emma hasn’t slept more than an hour in 2 nights now and she is pretty sick. I know the antibiotics take a few days to kick in so we are just waiting it out at this point and trying to keep her comfortable. Emma has historically been a bit more (and I don’t mean this in a mean way) of a whiner when she’s sick so I’m hoping that’s all it is.

I’m so tired. The part that is killing us is that Emma doesn’t sleep at all from 12am-6am and then she seems to fall into a deep sleep just in time for Leah to be up for the day. It’s a glimpse of what our life might be like when Baby C comes and oh boy I think it’s making me more tired just thinking about what could be. When Leah is really sick Emma usually plays independently. Emma is so sick today that she cries unless I hold her. Leah who is still whiny sick gets pretty upset when I’m not able to respond to her requests (on average 1 every 2 minutes) immediately. This morning she had a meltdown because I couldn’t do up her seatbelt because I was giving Emma her medicine…and I can’t get mad at sick meltdowns so I had to hold them both. The belly is getting a bit big to be cuddling two toddlers!

The girls are napping now and John is coming home early at 5:30 (yes, it’s pathetic that 5:30 is early isn’t it - he has to leave at 4 to make it). He’s taking tomorrow off. I’m going to go have a nap now.

John’s mom and I took them in this morning. After a very long wait we were told that Leah has a double ear infection and Emma has bronchitis and what could be the beginning of an ear infection in her left ear. They both got antibiotics (different from the stuff that Leah was on).

Good times at our house. John’s parents are on their way back to Windsor, the girls are doing some drug induced napping and I’m off to nap myself. Last night was not fun.

This year John and I decided we wanted to do Thankgiving at our place. With the girls still new to beds, me being pregnant, John’s work schedule etc etc etc we just wanted to be completely selfish and have everyone come to us rather than packing up the travelling circus. Thankfully everyone indulged us and we had a nice holiday.

John’s parents arrived on Friday afternoon. We had our big Turkey dinner on Saturday with Drew, Jen, Great Grandpa, Bonnie, Tom and Tina. Did you know that I am 30 years old and I have never cooked a turkey? Well the streak is still alive - John’s parents brought everything and I was told to sit down and relax. I started to get a bit pissy (I was reminded of my wheelchair days) but then I remembered that nobody tells me to sit down when I have the girls all day by myself so I sat in the chair, swung up the footrest and kept my mouth shut. Dinner was delicious.

The girls really enjoyed all the company. Tina brought some facepaint and made them little bunny faces. We still have no firm plans for Halloween - they aren’t really into keeping costumes on. They did sit still for face painting though and once they were done they hopped around and told everyone they were bunnies. It was pretty cute.

Yesterday we took them up to Springridge farm to see the pumpkins. The weather was fantastic this weekend (low 20s) and it was nice to be outside. Afterwards we came home and they went to bed while John and his dad started to tackle my list. My list (it’s actually our list but John refuses to refer to it as that) are all the things that need to get done around the house that never get done. With John gone from the house 12 hours a day there is no time for anything during the week. When the weekend comes around we chose to spend most of our time doing things with the girls. While we could do this solo, by the weekend neither one of us has the energy for much one on two toddler activities. This leaves the girls weekend naptime for all things that can’t be done with two toddlers underfoot (pretty much everything if you want it done right) - which is on average 4 hours a week. At least one of those hours is spent laying on the couch basking in the glory of 1 hour of life as we knew it before kids.

So my list was long. Very long actually. John and his dad worked yesterday afternoon and all of today and I am very pleased and grateful to report that my list is over and the stupid stress of all that unfinished business is gone. Everything got done. We have more shelving in the basement, the storage rooms are organized, the gate at the bottom of the stairs is fixed, furniture is moved, Baby C’s room is furnished, the guest room is furnished, the Christmas lights are up (and even on for a bit - we’re tacky), we hung a new picture, we hung a new wine rack, the lighting in the playroom is fixed, the furnace filter is clean, the outside windows are washed, the grass is cut, the garage is cleaner, the protective edges on the painting we bought months ago are off (which I’m sure will disappoint a few people who really enjoyed making fun of us on that one!) and there are more things that I can’t think of right now but they’re done!

In addition to all that fun the girls are sick again. Their noses started running Saturday morning and Leah was a disaster after her nap today. She told me her ear hurt again but I’m waiting to see how she is tomorrow. She is definitely sick so I might just take her into the clinic tomorrow morning just to have her checked out. Emma is snotty but she’s still able to play through it - I hope it stays that way. John’s parents are leaving tomorrow so hopefully I can get Leah sorted out before they go.

Emma with bunny makeup

Leah with bunny makeup

At the pumpkin patch

The four of us and Baby C’s 25 week belly (more pics in Flickr with my belly for those of you making those subtle hints I’ve been ignoring). And for a good laugh check this out (it’s where I go when I’m feeling big ;)).

I can’t believe it’s October. The summer ended so suddenly and it seemed to go by so quickly. Part of me misses the warm weather but another part is glad that the months are flying by and that Baby C is getting bigger and stronger. I’m starting to really remember where I was at with the girls 6 months along and it’s causing me some weird anxiety. I find myself counting down to 32 weeks and then I catch myself and remind myself that at 6 months I had 2 weeks left of work and I was really hurting. I couldn’t walk across a parking lot without my stomach starting to get Braxton Hicks contractions. What a difference one baby makes. I do get tired but it’s after a 12 hour day or keeping up with the girls.

Leah is feeling much better and there has been no mention of her ear. She has to take the course of antibiotics til Friday and she is loving the banana medicine. They are both sleeping well and Saturday they napped for 4 hours. What a difference from last weekend.

We had a nice weekend. We were up early on Saturday morning and we took the girls to Tim Hortons for a bagel. We then went to Home Depot, ToysRUs (to pick up a 2nd shopping cart), Chapters (to pick up a 2nd Curious George), Dollarama, the bagel store and the grocery store. It’s no wonder they napped for 4 hours. Alicia, Jeff and Amelia came over for dinner and I cooked for them for the first time in forever. I used to cook for them all the time and then they went all gourmet and I got weird about feeling like a crappy cook. Well I decided that at 30 I needed to get over that and I cooked for them. They ate it all up and by all accounts they are still alive ;).

Sunday we went to Walmart and I picked up a Pet Shower  for the girls. John had a good laugh til he saw what it was - it’s a shower attachment that fits on the bathtub faucet. The girls despise having their hair rinsed and I remember my Granny in Ireland didn’t have a shower and instead she used a shower attachment for her tub. I couldn’t find it anywhere so I googled and found the pet shower. The girls love it and hair rinsing went a lot smoother last night.

Today we made the most of the warm fall weather and spent the morning at the park and the afternoon outside playing in the yard. The new park is so close and I’ve started going when I know a couple of other moms in the neighbourhood will be there. It’s nice to have some adult interaction and the girls are old enough now that I just have to keep my eye on them rather than follow them around to ensure they don’t hurt themselves. I’m glad I’ve met some normal people. There are a bunch of people that drive to the park from other neighbourhoods so it can get pretty busy. There is one particular group of moms (I use that term loosely) who arrive around 10:30 in their SUVs with their expensive lawnchairs, their Starbucks, their designer shoes/clothes/purses, their blackberry…oh and their children. One woman even has a white poofy designer lap dog that sits on her lap. These women sit and talk and do not get up for anything..they might for blood…that hasn’t happened yet. It is actually pretty entertaining to see their reaction when one of their 2 year olds (in an outfit that probably cost more than our monthly van payment)  dares ask for some help getting down the slide. I’m hoping they open another new park soon and ours becomes passe.