Drip Drip Drop

Nope, it's not the start of that chipper song from - what is that from? A ballet? A musical? I suddenly don't remember. But the tune sure is stuck in my head.

Anyway, the drip drip drop I'm writing about today is far from chipper or cute. I had quite a little scare on Tuesday night that resulted in a midnight ER visit. Oh the joys of being me and having quirks. I never get the normal stuff, like headaches, morning sickness, or hangovers. But bring on the Bell's Palsy, non-growing toenails, and most recently, a bloody nose that wouldn't quit.

It all started out of the blue. I was changing Lillian into pajamas when I saw a drop of blood hit the carpet. Great. We're in a rental, and I'm bleeding on the cream carpet. I grabbed a tissue and figured it would be enough to contain the bleeding. I must have sneezed too much during the day. Welcome, harvest season in the valley!

At 11, I had my own pajamas on, teeth brushed, contacts out... nose pinched. Still bleeding. So I went to Web MD and followed the instructions for stopping a nosebleed. I wasn't too worried, since the bleeding wasn't heavy and it would stop when I kept my nose pinched. But I couldn't keep in pinched all night and I just wanted so badly to go to sleep.

I followed the instructions to squeeze the soft part of the nose and apply ice for 10 minutes. The bleeding started up right away when I let go. I did two more 10-minute freeze-outs. No luck.

I then woke up my DH, who promptly flew out bed and freaked out. Right away he asked if it was something happening with the baby. I calmly reminded him that miscarriages don't come out of your nose. He then got on the phone with Ask-a-Nurse, who said I'd better get to the ER right away.

Thankfully, it was a very quiet night at the hospital. I was seen immediately, and after we tried a few different options, the super-nice doc decided to cauterize the inside of my nostril. Whatever... at this point, I just wanted to sleep. He told me to put on a gown (for my nose?) because the burning flesh would probably make me sneeze. With an eye roll, I dressed in a gown and asked him to return and get the show on the road. Sure enough, this guy knew what he was talking about. I sneezed about a dozen big hard sneezes, with blood spraying everywhere except into the washcloth I was trying to use as a hankie. It was disgusting!

Wouldn't you know, there was a second section in my nostril that was also bleeding. So he had to go in again. Ick. Much deeper this time. The sensations going through my face were by far the grossest feelings I've ever experienced. There's no way to describe the sliminess.

Anyway, I guess it's my side-effect to pregnancy. An icked-up nose. I knew it was a stuffy problem (that's the symptom that made me think, "Hmm. Maybe I'll take a pregnancy test. My nose is stuffy out of the blue.") But this doc said that the inside of my nose is plenty "mucked up" and that I'd better get on some allergy meds to avoid more bloodbaths. He sent me home, with a dry nose, at 2:30 AM.

I sometimes wonder if I'd just rather be normal and have expected side-effects. Then again, morning sickness sounds pretty awful, too. Regardless, everything's fine now, although I'm still tired.

Have a wonderful long weekend, friends! Rest up if you can! (I hope to get my rest on an air mattress. All I ask for is one hour. Isn't that reasonable enough? Keep your fingers crossed for me!)

The Big Girl Tub

One of the very few perks to our apartment is the garden tub. I've had several relaxing soaks with good reading materials and fake wine, and our girls have found out that they love bathing (ahem, splashing) together.

After a long weekend full of relaxation and running around town, the girls soaked and splashed until they were prunes. Here are a few snapshots. In the top one, Lillian is laughing on the left and Breanna on the right. The second shot is Lillian flirting with Dad. The bottom is Lillian on the left again.

The "-ies"

I'm no longer just 30. I've officially passed the threshold and entered "into my 30s." I can't believe how much different it feels to have made the transition. Gone is my youth forever. If I didn't have so many terrific things going for me these days, I think I'd be sad. But life is grand, so all is great!

Thanks to my sweet family, I had a very nice birthday weekend at the lake, exhausting as it was. My sister came bearing a basil plant and and aloe plant - what a dear! And my folks bought me a bright red raincoat - and in perfect time! My dad and I went shopping Friday night after the girls went to bed, and we found their first tennis shoes. They're adorable! Lillian's are navy with pink flowers on the side and Breanna's are pink with silver stripes. Cuuuuuute!

Unfortunately, the girls both got sick and didn't let me get much sleep either night, and we ended up coming home early Sunday morning so we could go to the clinic. They both recovered quickly in plenty of time to help Mom celebrate her birthday.

DH surprised me with a beautifully wrapped box full of shirts and even a pair of sandals. While I was at the beauty shop the evening before, he'd taken the girls to Macy's and had a bit of a spree. And they picked out wonderful clothes! Great fabrics, colors, and cuts! He later told me that he'd looked at the pants a bit, and when he held a pair up, they came up to close to his armpits. And he's not exactly a shrimp. I think he finally understands the misery of being a short woman. Nonetheless, the gifts he did buy are great! Some of the tops will have to wait until after the baby comes out, but that's ok. They also bought me a Madeleine Peyroux CD, which completely delights me!

We met my sister and went out to eat at the Texas Roadhouse. Not my normal pick for a birthday meal, but with tots in tow, I wanted someplace noisy and ok to be spilled at. This place was perfect. The food was delicious and the girls received their very own cowboy hats. I took some pics with my camera phone, so if any techie readers can help me figure out how to get those shots onto the computer, I'll be happy to share. It was a really fun day all around.

Birthday Weekend

It's our annual Birthday Weekend at the lake - just in time for rain and cold weather. I guess it will be an inside celebration. My mom, cousin, cousin's girlfriend, and I are all August babies. Why have 4 cakes when we can all celebrate together and share? I'm really looking forward to some down time with family.

Poor DH has to stay in town and work, so the girls and I are going to take the road trip ourselves this afternoon. I'm hoping for content travelers, and also hoping that I haven't forgotten anything.

Wish us luck! Happy weekend, everyone, and stay warm!

Last Big Day for a While

I had a great appointment with my OB doc today. She answered every question on my list and gave me a terrific report. Yay! And she even laughed at DH's lame jokes!

From there, DH and I ran to the title company downtown and closed on our house. After depositing our nice check, I headed back to my office. All is quiet in my work world today. The phone hasn't been ringing, and I spent most of my morning in a zone of productivity. The afternoon looks like more time to concentrate - not a single meeting on the books. So, as I return from my reuben break (Arby's now has turkey reuben wraps!!), off I go back into my zone. I love days like this!

15-month Checkup Today

Our growing girls got 5 shots each for immunizations today. Poor babies were so sad -until we enticed them with fresh chunks of banana. They received good reports from the doctor. They're two inches apart and about 2.5 pounds apart still.

With jeans and a T-shirt on, Breanna weighed 21 lbs., 13 oz. Lillian weighed 19 lbs., 3 oz. That little stinker still hasn't reached 20 lbs.! Oh well, they're on good growth curves, so the doctor said to keep doing whatever we've been doing. Easy enough!

I'm not sure about everyone's fascination about their weights, because that's one of the first things people ask us about. I can't say that I've ever wondered how much anyone else's child weighs. Regardless, I'm always anxious to find out weights when we have their checkups. Maybe it's because they were so darned small when they first entered the world. And just look at them now... (well, Lillian, anyway).

Changes Right Up to the Last Second

DH is wonderful and so very talented. But he's driving me a little crazy. We're planning to break ground any day now and he's still adjusting the house plans. I trust his judgement, but, sheesh, can we make up our minds already? I'm ready for this move to be over with so we can just settle in a little bit.

The new baby is due on March 5th, and we have no idea if we'll be in the new house then or not. All I know is that there's no way I'm planning to move when I'm huge and miserable, so we'll have to see where this ship takes us. I'm trying to be light-hearted and go with the flow, but you know me. Laid-back is probably one of the last descriptions you'll hear about me. I'm trying, though.

If anyone is in the mood to carry some boxes and share some pizzas, please help us out - we're moving this Friday evening and Saturday. The more the merrier. I'll provide an endless supply of beer or anything else that you request. I'll expect I'll be hearing lots of "You need to get off your feet" and "You shouldn't be doing so much." Such is life.

Finally at Terms

Not sure if you've noticed or not, but the dogs have not been mentioned in my posts in quite a while. That's because they haven't been in my daily life for the last few months. One evening this past spring, I noticed that I was having to remind myself to pet the dogs right before bed. As the last step of my tiring days, I had to remind myself. What kind of rotten dog owner had I become? One who puts her kids ahead of all else, and the dogs pretty close to last, apparently.

After some very serious, realistic thought, I decided to give Maddy and Tootsie away. I'd tried to keep them in the family, but no one was ready to take on two 7-year-old shih tzus. So one Sunday, I ran an ad in the paper, looking for a retired couple to adopt them. Several people called, and the ones who are the new owners are certifiably "dog people." For the first month, the new mom called once a week with an update, and to point out the dogs' personality quirks. It's obvious that the girls are in the right spot with the right family. They don't travel or believe in kenneling, and the woman is home all day with them. She takes them on a short walk each afternoon, and they spend a lot of time hanging out on the deck overlooking their hobby farm. For the dogs, life is grand.

For me, it was hands down the hardest thing I've ever done. Even tougher than filing for divorce all those years ago or facing back surgery as a teen. For the first week, I cried at least once a day. After the first night of not having them, DH (who'd always claimed that he hated dogs) suggested that he call the couple and tell them that we wanted the dogs back. Because he missed them. How cruel would that be after they'd taken the dogs into their home and created a new life around them?

I still haven't gone to see the dogs. Maybe later this month, after we're moved into the new place. With selling the house and moving into the condo, we'd have had to do something anyway. But at least I had time to think it through and find the best option for them.

It is getting easier - very slowly - to adjust to their absence. But knowing that Maddy and Tootsie are in the right place for them makes it ok. It feels good to be able to finally write about it.

Non-poopy Picture Updates

When my sister comes over to do daycare, our girls love it! Here's jolly Breanna enjoying her Oreo after ravioli or lasagna or something like that last week. Our daycare lady was on vacation, so the chaos of finding replacement help was interesting. But everyone survived!

And then there's miss Lillian. Messy is so much fun!
This bottom photo is from last Saturday. We had lunch and a little park visit with our niece, Kaitlyn, who lives in Idaho. She was back in MN for a vacation. What a nice day together!

Not for the Weak of Guts

Not for the Weak of Guts

Before I begin, let me issue this blunt disclaimer.

IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, DO NOT READ THIS POST. IT IS GROSS AND LONG AND QUITE POSSIBLY PUKE WORTHY. CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED.

The reason I haven’t posted lately is because of my distraction from the grossness of last Sunday. I feel haunted, and a little dizzy each time I think of it. So maybe writing about it will get it out of my system.

Sunday started off as a beautiful day. The girls slept in, which meant that the whole house slept in, too. After nice long morning naps, we decided to go for a picnic. We picked up some chicken strip baskets at the Dairy Queen and headed for a big, shady park. Everyone ate well, and we proceeded on a walk down a tree-lined walking path. The girls were laughing, and we were all enjoying some outside time.

As the girls tired, we decided to drive out to our lot to see if any other lots have been sold. We have to keep an eye on our next neighborhood, after all. Perfect time for naps, right? Not long after leaving the park, I smelled a foul odor. Both girls were playing happily in the back seat, so I suggested that my DH pull over to change a diaper at the next convenient spot. Moments later, the smell overwhelmed me. I glanced back and was horrified to see that Lillian’s hands were full of feces. In her hair, on her face, and wouldn’t you know, her chunked up finger was on its way into her nostril.

I screeched to DH to pull over immediately, and we whisked her out of the car. In the process, I also became covered in poo. Our tiny, feminine, precious little girl had exploded. As I went through wipe after wipe, trying to remove the disgust, DH tackled the car seat. She’d leaked through the car seat and filled the base, which also spilled over onto the actual seat! There was no way we could put her back in there.

Wearing only a diaper, she sat up front with me and shared my seatbelt. For any readers who know me well, you know that I am the biggest rule-following nerd of all time. But there was just no way that I could plunk her back into the car seat o’ filth. We rushed home and I raced her to the shower. No inflatable duckie tub today. Just the force of a warm shower and LOTS of soap. While she and I scrubbed, she splashed and giggled. This sweet child was completely oblivious to my nausea. And she seemed to be completely comfortable!

Each time I remember the grotesque image of her finger entering the nostril, which seems to be forever branded into my memory, I have to talk myself out of vomiting. Queen of the strong stomachs, I’ve finally found my weakness.

As I began drying Lillian off, DH traded me for a screaming Breanna. She was soaked and covered in grass clippings and was very, very upset. Apparently, while I was rushing Lillian to the tub, DH took Breanna out of her seat, and as he plopped her onto his hip: splat. Same explosion, in the car seat and onto my car seats, as well as onto DH’s white shirt and khaki shorts, and all over a good portion of my car’s upholstery.

Being the man that he is, he rushed her outside and began hosing her off. As he told me this, I was picturing her clumsily trying to run away into the yard, naked. But he reassured me that he held her as he sprayed her, and that the grass clippings just found their way onto her skin from the breeze. I’m still not sure.

After thoroughly washing her (yes, it was in her hair and on her face, too), I lotioned and dressed them and put them down for a nap. Then off I went, in search of new car seats. It was time to move out of the infant seats, anyway. In the meantime, DH had the fun task of pressure-washing the soiled car seats and laundering the cloth parts on hot a couple times. I think they’re ok.

After numerous, NUMEROUS attempts to scrub and sanitize my car, I think I might still smell a faint bit of ick. I use Lysol each night after we get home, and then Febreeze right before bed. After all the scrubbing we did, I can’t imagine there could be even a hint of a feces-infected germ, but my paranoia is driving me a little crazy. I’m going to spend my lunchtime tomorrow at Don’s Carwash, opting for the heavy-duty, expensive, upholstery cleaning. I’m guessing they don’t have too many 2007 models in for that already, but who really knows?

Needless to say, I didn’t eat a thing the rest of Sunday. At first I thought it was just a pregnancy thing, since I’m still in my first trimester. But after some consideration, I’m convinced that this experience could make pretty much anyone sick. As big of a fan as I’ve been of DQ in the past decade, I’m never eating there again.

So there you have it. There’s your mental nausea for the week. May you have a poop-free rest of your week.