Monday, January 14, 2008
My Kingdom for Teeth!
Parker finally lost his second tooth today. He's had three loose teeth (bottom right incisor and top two middle incisors) since forever, and even back when he saw the dentist he was predicted to have them all gone by Christmas. That didn't happen and today was finally the day to lose the bottom one. The top two are so loose that they've moved together and outward to be kinda buck-toothed.
Now, Parker has always been a sensitive child, and I am a-okay with that. But it is heartbreaking when he cries because he's lost the tooth. He wants it back, even though he's amazed that this same little tooth was able to help him chew all of that food! He is currently going to sleep very sad, and crying intermittently, and I don't know how to help him through this loss.
Hopefully, the tooth fairy will be extra sweet to him, and he'll have that to look forward to!!
Labels: milestones, Parker
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Dentist Visit!!
Kira had her first dentist visit, and Parker went in for a check-up -- on Halloween!! (Yes, a little cruel, no??)
I was really impressed with how well they both did! Kira was a little more scared, and didn't get as much done, but she did finally let the dentist examine her teeth.
Brave lad:
A little more apprehensive:
Labels: Kira, milestones, parenting, Parker
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Saturday, October 20, 2007
To the ER They Go ...
Parker and Jeff are at the ER right now. Of course, when they got there, the doctor said he couldn't exactly hear a wheeze .....
Again, there is a question of if this is an allergic asthma. See, I can't figure out what the trigger is, if it is allergic. It only comes when he's already got a cold. We'd talked with Dr. Wyatt about doing seasonal meds just to prevent these high boluses of steroids (which he'll no doubt be getting tonight).
Labels: health, milestones, parenting, Parker
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Friday, October 19, 2007
Parker's First Baby Tooth Lost!
Yeay!! After almost two months since his permanent tooth started showing, Parker's baby tooth got pretty, loose, hung in there a day or two, and today, thanks to the help of two peaches, back to back, it came out! At first I thought Parker swallowed it with the peach, but it was on the floor, looking like a piece of lint. I was surprised -- it seems hollow inside, with almost no root. A quick look of two on Google, and my fears are allayed -- no partial tooth still stuck in his mouth. Thankfully, now, that permanent tooth can start to fill in to its own space, and not continue to grow sideways!!
Oh, and Parker claims the tooth next to this one feels loose too! A true sign that he's moving on to that more awkward middle adolescence age ..... help!!
Labels: milestones, Parker
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Monday, August 27, 2007
First Permanent Tooth Making Appearance
So, about a week ago or so, Parker said something about his front left bottom tooth hurting. When I went to look at it, I noticed that behind it, it looked like another tooth was coming up. Well, yesterday, his baby tooth in front of it is loose!! I think he'll lose his first tooth soon, which is pretty exciting stuff around here.
I'd been a little concerned, since the permanent tooth is coming up behind the baby one, but apparently it isn't unheard of, and the recommendations range from leaving it be to pulling the baby tooth. This can also lead to what is called "shark teeth", which looks more than a little disturbing. I think we'll go for the wiggling frequently manuever. He's eating an apple right now, so I'm sure that'll help.
Labels: milestones, Parker
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Friday, August 03, 2007
Follow-up to Parker-love
Yesterday's exclamation was the first time to really see that type of behavior in Parker. He has several other girl friends and holding hands and all is often part of friendships at this age, but this was .... different. There was a kind of possessiveness involved which was a little creepy to see. I don't know. He seems to have forgotten her name today, which I'm fine with.
Labels: milestones, parenting, Parker
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Thursday, August 02, 2007
Parker loves Alivia
Oh man am I in trouble!! We had our homeschooling group yesterday, and Parker told Alivia that he loves her, she kissed him, and then they did everything together holding hands or with their arms around each other. We got in the van at the end of the day to leave, and he told me "Alivia's dress was really pretty". When we got home and I was talking on the phone with my sister, he told me to tell her that he loves Alivia. AAACCCCKKKK!!!! Five-and-a-half!!!!!!
I am not going to survive parenthood.
Labels: community, homeschooling, milestones, Parker, playgroup
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Monday, February 05, 2007
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ugh! Up until 3 am with three -- yes, 3!! -- of Kira's 2-year molars coming through ....
Labels: Kira, milestones, sleep
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Friday, February 02, 2007
Happy 2nd Birthday, Kira!!
It has been an overall sucky birthday, what with Parker and I having to go to the pediatrician's because of an asthma attack, and now Parker is on steroids, but my parents made the day start special by having a balloon bouquet delivered, and then our playgroup called and sang her "Happy Birthday" in the evening!! Normally, we would have gone to playgroup today.
Labels: health, Kira, milestones, Parker
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Friday, October 20, 2006
We went for Parker's 5-year visit on Tuesday, when Jeff was up in Tally on his interview, and the beginning part went EXTREMELY well. Parker was more than happy to see Dr. Wyatt, and he was very cooperative and not scared at all -- this was the VERY FIRST visit of his that he did so completely well! He used to be filled with terror when he was littler, so it was very nice change. He weighed 38 pounds (50%ile) and was 41.5" tall (25%ile).
They tested his eyes (20/30 for both, which they said was normal at this age??) and his hearing (he also passed), we talked about his virus-induced asthma, and he said we could call it mild-intermittent asthma or respiratory airway disease or whatever, but the thing is that he does not need to be on any kind of maintenance meds, like the Peds After Hours (Pediatric ER in town) said a few weeks ago when we were in for steroid treatment), but just to be rescued if and when it became an issue.
We also talked about his accomplishments, and he was impressed with his reading prowess, but also followed up on my concern about his speaking ability. To try and assist me to get help for him, he wrote a prescription for speech therapy -- my friend who is also a Speech Therapist is going to do an eval on him next week, so we can know the best ways to get him to speak more clearly, and to get him to say his dipthongs (double consonant sounds like "th", "tr", etc.). I know he can make the sounds, but he doesn't do it much on his own, and doesn't use them in appropriate ways. He also still isn't saying "r"s well, and also has trouble with some "L"s in words. For example, for "yellow", he says "yeyow" -- KIRA already says "yellow!!"
Finally, the shots. Parker was due for 3 boosters: MMR (measles/mumps/rubella--German measles), DTaP (diptheria/tetanus/acellular pertussis), and IPV (polio). He was going to be brave, and then he saw the needles. Oh my goodness did he freak!! He was screaming and crying and hitting and kicking ... it was HORRIBLE!! Finally, I had to drag him out of the chair in a fireman hold, sit him on the table, and then pin him down with my body while the nurse gave the DTaP and IPV in the left thigh, and then the MMR in the left arm. It was HORRIBLE. He was crying out for help ("Somebody help me please!!!!!") and asking the nurse to stop ("Doctor please stop -- owwwwww!!!") -- it broke my heart.
Afterwards, he was in SO MUCH PAIN!!! Seriously, it was PAIN and not just upset ... I felt like the shittiest mother IN THE WORLD right about then. 
He needed me to hold him for a good 10 minutes, and wanted me to carry him out to the van. Well, I had Kira too, so I couldn't do that, so instead, I took Kira OUT of the stroller, put him in, and we left, with Kira walking holding my hand, and me pushing Parker all through the hospital. Left and right, people said, "Oh, he must've just gotten some shots" -- like it was written ALL over him!!! He wanted to go straight home, so we did.
Well, next morning, I notice that his leg is swollen up about 25% of his other leg, BRIGHT red over much of the thigh, and HOT-HOT-HOT!! Called the doctor, but they said it was a "normal reaction, to be expected. Keep an eye out for secondary infection."!! It is finally starting to go down. The night we took these pictures, we measured his leg circumference and took his skin temperature (we're little scientists over here
-- nerdy too!!) -- normal leg was 11.75" diameter and 95.5-F; injection leg was 13.25" diameter and 99.0-F!! Difference of 1.5" of swelling, and 3.5-F SKIN temperature increase.
_______________Labels: health, homeschooling, Kira, milestones, Parker, vaccinations
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Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Is it October already??
My month of October is just crazy busy -- we have one website that is about a local art show, and it happens this weekend, so there are a ton of last minute changes, etc. (and I took this over from another mom-friend who is due the first week in November and took on grad school this fall -- and got overwhelmed), we have a new textbook to design, we just finished a 16-page brochure for a national health care campaign, and we're slated to do another brochure for the same organization to promote their educational courses across the US. We were just contacted by an apparently "very prestigious" man (according to Jeff, who decided we could take on a few projects after realizing who is was) to do some new identities for organizations he oversees/controls. We're still in the process of three rebranding campaigns, and completing materials for an international association's annual meeting. Oh, and then there are the two local political campaigns .....
I haven't had a chance to update picture albums or even denote major milestones ... like Kira starting to sleep through the night, having all but her 2-year molars, starting to count (OMG ... she amazes me DAILY!!), really getting into the independence/tantrum thing full throttle. Or like Parker finally drawing a self-portrait (yes, I cried. He just busted it out like he did it every day!! I was so proud!
), reading a CALVIN & HOBBES in the van and LAUGHING at it!!, writing all the letters of his name, and finally getting into art for the sake of art (and drawing recognizable things!!). Two of Parker's local cohorts have lost their first tooth, and I'm nowhere NEAR prepared for that! I don't know what we'll give him, or have a tooth pillow, or anything. 
Labels: artwork, homeschooling, Kira, milestones, Parker, politics, reading, Union Design Photo, writing
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Monday, July 10, 2006
Crazy Busy July
I can't believe how busy my life seems to have become -- my calendar just seems crazy! I am actually looking forward to mid-August, when Parker's classes end and everyone else is starting to get crazy with the start of school! We still haven't signed Parker up for preschool, and the closer we get to that time, it seems the less likely we are to do so, especially with the classes he's taking at O2BKids.
So, for me --
1) I'm still doing lots of work on our business, including a conference brochure, the birthday party company still, an architecture-related international service, and a couple of others. We have one client who is refusing to pay us right now, and they owe us about $600!! I'm very "put out!".
2) I am still effectively running the playgroup for Kira, which involves keeping about 10 moms, working and not working, organized enough to keep regular meetings. We've just completed our first complete 2-month rotation, and people are even more excited about it than before (before the whole group was going to just peter out, so this is awesome!).
3) I am now on the board of MOMS Club here, doing the newsletter, and helping as we sister a new group. It has actually been really fun, and I've already learned a lot more about my community.
For Jeff --
1) He's as swamped with freelance as I have been, as well as trying to revamp our entire website including a complete portfolio -- it is quite the undertaking!!
2) His work may be in for some upheaval, though I can't talk about it yet, since it doesn't go public until the end of the week.
For Parker --
I love this boy!! He can be a pain in the neck, but he's so sweet, so smart, and so full of energy!
He's really great with all of the family he's been meeting (though at times he's TOO friendly with strangers. I really need to work with him on a healthy distrust ...)
His big thing is that he absolutely WILL NOT let me cut his hair. I had to cut his bangs recently, but that was all he'd allow. I should have known this was coming with all the fussing he often does about it.
He totally loved having my mom (his Oma) come for a visit, and to go with them to his Great-Granny's house.
Of course, that means that I'm having to deal with him stealing my cell phone and calling them every chance he gets and him constantly talking about going to visit them or them coming here.
Parker mostly loved spending time with his 12-year old second cousin, Ross. They really had lots of fun and Parker talks about going back to see him.
That's them at the fireworks on the 4th.
Kira --
She's become such a firecracker! She's very smart -- I think moreso than Parker! She says lots and lots of words, uses a fork/spoon, already remembers/reads books, and is a pretty darn happy girl (until it is sleep time).
More than that, she ADORES her Grampa (my dad). Oh my goodness, I've never seen a child take to a non-parent like that! She often ran to him instead of to me! I loved it.
She also favored my mama, but not nearly the same. Still, it was a nice reprieve for me.
She was much more shy meeting the extended family, like her Great-Grandma Morris (Jeff's grandmother) above, and her Great-Aunt Kathy below.
She always seems to have a serious look on her face, like Parker did. It is almost like she is trying to completely digest and comprehend the world before she's 2!!
Okay, I'm including the following out of obligaton:
I have some videos I have to download from my camera to share. As much as I adore my kids, more and more I feel like we're done. Maybe I'll change my mind -- I'm only 33, and they are only 4-1/2 and 17 months. We'll see.
Labels: community, family, homeschooling, Jeff, Kira, Kristin, milestones, Parker, Union Design Photo
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Monday, June 19, 2006
He May Be Reading, But He's Not Perfect
I called my mom and sister THAT night and talked giddily about it for like an hour each. I feel badly for them -- they were like, "unh-hunh ....". See, my sister and I both read before 5, and I beleive Jeff was reading by 5 as well, so it is definitely something that runs in the family. I haven't been drilling him, and I even bought this "Lead Pad Phonics" system, and never even used it with Parker.
So, to compare: Parker STILL can't sit still long enough in his extra-curricular classes and is corrected, he still can't talk clearly, he still can't hold a writing utensil correctly, he still isn't really drawing, he still needs a diaper at night (though it is occassionally dry now, and he has gotten up once or twice), he is a tantrumming fool who refuses to share with his sister, and he has bad teeth!!
Labels: homeschooling, milestones, Parker
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Thursday, June 15, 2006
Parker is a READER!!
So, a few nights ago, I was in there to read Parker his night books, and I really didn't want to. So, his first book was "Go, Dog, Go" by P.D. Eastman, and I asked him to read it to me, pointing to each word as we went. Well, he pretty much read the first 50 pages on his own!! There were a few words I had to help him with, and he made some assumptions and didn't really look at others (like "as" versus "is" and "in" versus "on"). He read so well, I assumed that Jeff had read the book to him several times before.
Well, last night, when I was talking to Jeff about it, he said he'd never -- NEVER -- read it to Parker, and I had only ever read the board book version about a year ago!!
So, tonight, I brought him the book he'd picked out at the library today and asked him to read it to me, and then I'd read it to him. He did it!! ALL!!! Only once did I have to point out he "in" versus "on", too!!
OMG -- I am SOOOO PROUD of him!! I guess letting him have a pile of books to "read" himself to sleep at night actually did make him teach himself!!
Labels: family, homeschooling, milestones, Parker, reading
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Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Another night, another dry diaper ...
AGAIN this morning, his sleep diaper was dry! I can't believe how giddy this makes me.
Labels: milestones, Parker
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Monday, June 05, 2006
Parker JUST woke up to go Pee!!!!
I'm VERY excited!!! He's had a dry sleep diaper a couple of days now, and then THIS?!?!? Ack!! He might finally be getting bladder control/awareness at night!! WHOO-HOOOOO!!!
Labels: milestones, Parker
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Wednesday, December 21, 2005
First Steps
Kira is starting to take independent steps!! She took 7 for Jeff this morning. How cool that she'll be just starting to walk over our Christmas vacation!!
Labels: Kira, milestones
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