Crikey!

Barbara Walters interview with Terri Irwin last night was simply heartbreaking. Larry and I were lying in bed watching it, and the tears just rolled down my cheek. The viewers could hear the love in her voice and her determination to continue her husband's work at the zoo and to encourage everyone to be "Wildlife Warriors." They also showed footage of their daughter Bindi and her speech at her dad's memorial. Poor Terri couldn't even speak and was in tears the whole time.

Bob, their son, worries me the most though. He's not old enough to have strong memories of his father, and he will be bombarded the rest of his life with footage and people telling him how great his dad was. I can just see him being so pissed that he never was able to have a relationship with his dad and shunning the whole animal community. I sincerely hope and pray that he will have someone to help him work through that kind of emotion. What a huge void in his little life already.

When Barbara Walters asked Terri what she would miss the most, she tearfully said, "Steve was fun. He didn't sweat the small stuff." I often say that about Larry, "He makes me laugh." I feel as long as you love one another and can laugh together, you can survive anything. I hope Terri Irwin is able to find the laughter again soon.

Passing on the Pacifier

Monday morning on the way to school I decided, Today is the day to give up the pacifier. Well, for Shey, not me. I find it best to just jump in, make a split decision, and go for it when it comes to things like this. Thankfully, both my children have been pretty accepting to my mad, mad methods of weaning them off various items.

So Monday, I dropped him off at school without the pacifier, and off we went. I guess I should preface this by saying, it seems the last few weeks, Shey has become really attached to this little plastic device that has become parked in his mouth so much that we would rather suck on it than eat the fine meals I provide. It also seems his teachers have been giving into his demands as well, when in the past he would go all day without it. This was especially evident when Larry picked the boys up on Monday afternoon and his teacher commented, "You forgot to leave a pacifier this morning. We had a difficult time at nap." Oops, guess I should have clued them in on the change.

Surprisingly, Monday evening, Shey was more cheerful than he's been in a while, which continued up until his bedtime, at which time, he screamed for about 15 minutes. Which really, isn't horrible. Peyton used to do that on a nightly basis. Shey woke up about 3:45, I gave him some juice and did break down and offer the pacifier then, so I could sleep. When he woke up again at 7:30, I made him leave it in the bed, which he was not happy about, but we survived.

Tuesday he slept at naptime and last night, he went down without a fuss. He did wake up at 6 this morning, but I just got him some juice and brought him to bed with us. He was pissed! He beat Larry's ass for a good 10 minutes before he calmed down and asked for cartoons. It was so early, but at least he made it through the night without it. I'm giving him a few more days before I throw them all away.

Now, if only potty training goes this smoothly.

RIP Cyst

We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 and after getting Peyton registered and all, he was finally called back for prep at about 10:45. We entertained him by playing UNO, which is the champion of the world, and reading a new dinosaur book we bought him. He was such a big boy. They made him walk back to the OR without us or any sedative, then had him lay down on the table and gave him the mask to put him to sleep before they started the IV. The nurse told us afterwards, he did great.

The procedure itself only took 16 minutes, and we were back in the recovery room with him just after he woke up. That was really the only time he was upset, and understandably so. He looked so little curled up on his side with the hospital blankets pulled up around him. After 15 minutes or so, he had calmed down, and the nurse brought him a popsicle. After that, we played more UNO waiting for him to finish the bag of fluids.

They finally took him back to the original waiting area about an hour after the surgery, and the nurse removed all the heart monitors and IV (which he did, with Peyton watching and Peyton didn't even feel it.) After that, Peyton wanted to get dressed and he hopped off the bed and grabbed a puzzle to play with. I thought he would be groggy for most the day, but apparently, he has energy to spare. We had to work to keep him somewhat calm that afternoon and he never really complained of any pain.

We go back next Tuesday so they can look over it and remove the butterfly band-aid, and then he will be good as new. No outer stiches to remove, so hopefully not too bad a scar.

Thanks for all your comments and prayers! I'm so glad this is over. :)

Proceeding with the Procedure

When Peyton was born oh so many moons ago, he had a small cyst in the hollow of his throat. It looked like a little pimple one could pop quite easily. However, the peditrician told me to leave it alone for fear of infection. Last year, we had scheduled him to have it removed, but the day of the surgery, while we were waiting on the doctor, Peyton had the greatest coughing spell known to man and they promptly (after 2 hours of waiting) cancelled it. We finally got our shit together enough to reschedule it and tomorrow is the big day.

I'm not nervous so much about the actual procedure itself. It's really quite simple, and an adult would have the cyst removed with local anethesia, however, a four year old runs the great chance of moving, and as such, they knock them out. And this is the part that bothers me. That slight, slight chance that something may happen with the anesthesia. I've never even been under, I hate for Peyton to be.

Thankfully, the procedure really shouldn't take that long, I'm guessing 30 minutes tops, so we won't have terribly long to worry. Send up your prayers for my little guy, please.

Working with Dad

Since my parents live in Alabama and we are in Florida, I rarely have the opportunity to work on home improvement projects with my dad. I'm definitely the "handy" one in Larry and my relationship, so I enjoy doing things around the house myself. A few weeks ago while we were in Lake Placid, we picked up a copper outdoor shower that I intended to install myself. Larry kept telling me to have a plumber do it, but I wanted to figure it out myself.

Mom and dad were in town this past weekend, so it was the perfect opportunity to have dad help me install the shower, and it's a good thing he did. We headed to Home Depot Saturday morning to pick up the connections and piping we needed. Apparently, there is much more to rigging an outdoor shower than I imagined because we needed several different connections, an elbow, a splitter for the hose, and 7 ft of copper tubing.

It took us the better part of 2 hours to hook everything up, mount the shower and run the tubing. It was hot and we sweated our asses off, but it was nice working with my dad. I wish we had more chances to do it.

Chell help

I was just on the home page and saw something about upgrading your blog to Blogger Beta. You would need to have/create a gmail account, which is just an e-mail address through google, if you didn't know that. It was easy to upgrade, they save all your stuff and put it on a new template, and then you can add categories and such and it's easier to move things around.

Motivation (or lack thereof)

I was doing so well, really. Exercising almost every day, eating good, feeling good, and then it just went all down hill. I haven't touched a yoga DVD in 3 weeks, and I'm eating like shit. Thankfully, I haven't really gained any weight, but I just feel bloated and blah. The thing is, I don't even want to do it now. Ugh, I hate this. I know I would feel better, it's just getting up off my ass and doing it. I should probably fast again for a few days just to purge my system of the crap I've been putting in it. That would take motivation too though. I need my own personal cheerleader.

(Chell, I've tried to leave you a couple comments, but my new blogger beta won't match with your blogger, and D-land won't take them either. Upgrade your blog, woman.)

Baby Girl

Dear Sita Leigh,

I know it's crazy of me to be writing to you at all, but I'm feeling a bit melancholy and you were the one I wanted to talk to. Your dad and I have decided to not have any more children, and while I know it is for the best, it still breaks my heart just the same. I love your brothers with all my heart, but you were the one I always imagined growing up. I pictured us shopping, having spa days, fighting and being best friends. I guess I was always so close to your grandmommie, that I couldn't imagine not having a daughter of my own. And here I am with two little boys and I space in my life where you should be.

This is a bit over the top, I know, but I thought it may help to get it out and let you go. It's silly really, to be upset over a child I've never met, but there it is. Your mom's a nut job. She loves you though, here or not.

Love, me

A Blessing

When Larry came back to work for our company last September, they told him he was eligible to earn a bonus for 2005, but his review would not occur to January 2007. We agreed to the terms at the time because really, our company is a good one to work for, and we wanted him back here. I figured the extra 4 months really wouldn't be that big of a deal as far as monetary matters were concerned.

In March, our property taxes were reevaluated at our two year anniversary, and being the first year they were calculated on our buying price, they jumped about $500.00 a month. I tried not to think too much about it at the time, but these past six months have been a little difficult. This was exaggerated by the fact that Larry and I didn't cut out spending right away. Even though we've tried to do better the last couple of months, it still seems we are living paycheck to paycheck.

I've always felt God looked out for us, whether I was faithful to Him or not. Life's always worked out for Larry and me. Somehow the money has always come through.

As my whole profile thing states, I've been evaluating my life lately and trying to be a better person overall, physically, emotionally and spiritually. This included starting to attend church again. I made excuses about going for years, the main one being that I would be basically going alone since Larry has no interest in going, and the kids would be in Sunday School. In May, Larry took me to the Baptist church by the house and I really liked it. The next week, I found out the new guy that started working with us goes there with his wife and kids. Hello Divine Intervention. Since then, I go when I'm in town and my coworker and his family save me a seat, and I don't feel so alone.

After a couple months, I knew I wanted to place membership and as such, I felt I should start offering contribution to the church. (I'm not writing all this as a "look at me", there is a point.) Things are sometimes tight, but I felt it was important and Lord knows (no pun intended) that we spend money on much, much less when we want to.

Tuesday afternoon, Larry received a call from my boss who had conducted Larry's review, (without being prodded, which is a rarity, and also even though it's not January like they negotiated in the beginning) and gave Larry an 11% increase in his salary.

I know God's not going to just hand over life on a silver platter, but I do feel this is a way of Him saying, See, I will take care of you. Our preacher just completed a series on Stress, how to handle it, and how to be done with it. I've grown up knowing the verses which talk about the birds in the air, who don't worry about where their food will come from and God provides for them, how much more so He will look after us. About not worrying about the future, each day has enough troubles of its own, but these were words in a book, that I haven't always put my full faith in. Now though, I've been given a big glaring billboard of my very own.

A Different Kind of Anniversary

It was 6:00 that morning and I had awoken with an agenda. Larry had no idea that there was a little test in the guest bathroom waiting on me and that first morning pee. So, of course, this was the morning that he asked me to walk the dog, and as to not raise suspicion, I did. I rushed Zeus downstairs and let him out for as long as my bladder would allow.

I hurried back to the bathroom, peeled open the foil packaging and read the directions for the zillionith time. One line, not pregnant. Two lines, pregnant. I took off the cap and finagled my body into that lovely trying not to pee on yourself, but rather a little test strip position and let loose. I sat the test on the counter so that it was perfectly straight, lest I disrupt the angle and get a bad reading.

The wetness moved along the strip and instantly one, then two lines appeared. My heart caught in my throat and my stomach dropped. One year and nine months of waiting had just come to an end.

I ran into our bedroom and woke Larry up, who stared at the test like it was a cryptogram he didn't know how to read.

"See, see, two lines."

"I only see one."

Exausberated, I turned on the light, "Ow!"

"See???"

The recognition dawned in his eyes, and we were both quiet. We laid there together, deep in our own thoughts, planning, wondering, imagining.

Zeus

Apparently the stress of being our mascot was too much for Zeus because he woke me up at 2:30 this morning having a seizure. I first heard a tapping, like popping gum out of a plastic wrapper and I thought he may have gotten into the trash and was chewing on something. When I got up though and found him, it was his toenails tapping on the tile floor. I picked up one of his front paws and his nails were extended and his paw felt like a muscle cramp, which is what I thought it was at first, but then I felt the other paw and it was the same and his whole body was tense. I just petted him telling him everything was ok, I guess trying to talk him out of it. I’m not even sure he knew I was there, and after talking to the vet this morning, I think that a good assessment.

It lasted a couple more minutes, so I yelled for Larry thinking we may have to take him to the emergency vet, but thankfully 30 seconds or so later, his body relaxed and he shakily got to his feet. He acted all excited, like what are you guys doing up, so I don’t think he knew it had happened at all. It was pretty horrible, and even after we got back into bed, my hands were tinkling from his nails pressing into them.

I spoke with the vet this morning and he said that epilepsy is actually not uncommon for sheepdogs, and a few other breeds. In fact, his Labrador had the same thing and lived with it for 7 years without medication. He recommended running some blood work just to rule out any other issues like liver or blood sugar problems, but more than likely it’s epilepsy. He also said to monitor him and keep a journal to make sure that they aren’t getting longer or more frequent, but as long as they stay apart, that there’s really nothing to do.

I do hope that’s all it is. Zeus has been with us since we were married and he’s our first baby

Reduce Me

In about 5 hours, this man will see me partially naked.

(How's that for a grabber. ha ha no pun intended.)

I'm going for a consultation on a reduction/lift that I hope to have done next April with Larry's bonus money. I know people say you should love your body, blah, blah, blah, but I've wanted this for years, and it's for me, no one else. I know I'm not huge, but I'm larger than I want to be, and I'm tired of buying bigger shirts so my boobs will fit, and I'm tired of them drooping around my knees. (It's so attractive!) And maybe, I can even play golf without them getting in the way. I think that's the biggest thing, they're just in the way.

Bye, bye, boobies, good riddance.

Crocodile Hunter

The untimely death of Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin has really bothered me. I have such a fascination with people who live with such passion and knowledge of a particular topic, and this death hits me with a devastating blow. Also, he and his wife, Teri, seemed to share such a love for each other, staying married for 16 years, when most couples nowadays, especially those in the spotlight do well to make it a couple years. My heart goes out to her and their children. I just can't even imagine their heartache right now.

Meet our Mascot

I've been thing lately about building my readership. All the big names cross my mind, Dooce, Fussy, and Ballpoint Wren. I think, hmmmm, what do these amazing women have on their blogs that I am missing (aside from great content and witty commentary?). And then it hits me . . .mascots!

Dooce has Chuck . . .

Fussy has Cookie . . .

Ballpoint Wren has Mojo . . .

Let me introduce you to . . . Zeus!

Zeus is a Shetland, who has been with us for almost 7 years. He's very talented and has an arsenal of tricks up his sleeve. Observe . . .

Zeus can

Sit!

Zeus can

Lie down!

Zeus can

Walk away from the camera!

and for the "piece de' resistance." Zeus can

Yawn!

Look at Zeus go. I can feel the hits hitting harder already. Step back, Mommy Bloggers, we are on the scene!

As promised, here are a few photos of us slippin' and slidin' down the huge water slide at our cousin's birthday party. As you can see, we had a grand old time.

Today, we went to a friend's house who lives on a lake and rode their jet skis. The boys passed out on the way home. Don't have much else to report.

I'm not as good as I once was

Tonight. Tonight, is the long awaited Toby Keith concert. I am PSYCHED! Polictical, whatever, views aside, he puts on a amazing show. This will be the third time I've seen him and Larry's first. Yes, my Jewboy is in to country too. We have a group of 10 of us going, going to do a little tailgating beforehand, then rock the house. (that sounded so dumb) Anyway, yay for concerts!