Strawberry Picking...but first

G'parents Ohio are in town for the weekend. They took the kids Strawberry picking so that Den and I could have a solid day to work around the house. We got quite a bit done, but judging by how much is left to do, we could have used a solid week to work on things around the house, I feel like I barely made a dent. Suppose I also could have picked a project that I could say was 'done' instead of the nebulous--work in our room (aka the room where everything that doesn't have a home goes).

We selected this farm for everyone to visit because they had lots of other activities besides just strawberry picking.

Strawberry Picking...With G'parents Ohio

Trying out the farm tractors...

Philadelphia

We went to Philly this weekend. As usual, we learned many things, number one of which was how to spell Philadelphia. All my life, I've been using two 'L's together. Also, as with most trips, I post a couple photos, promise more and never deliver. This is it, just 4 pictures out of the approximately only 250 or so we took. They represent the trip the best, or have good stories, I will of course endeavor to post more at some point...this first picture (taken today) sums up the trip. J running off to make life interesting and Eddie jumping up to lend a hand (sometimes the roles were reversed). It was a fun trip, but not as relaxing as we had hoped.

It was a quick trip, we left Saturday afternoon right at naptime. We didn't get in until after 5, but were lucky with traffic in both directions (it took just about 3 hours each way). We saw two different childhood friends of mine, both that I've known since when we first moved from Florida to Ohio, but they don't know each other. It was of course too short a visit with each, but fun nonetheless.
So while I didn't do a whole lot of planning and wasn't really worried as it was both a short trip and we would be spending a good deal of time visiting with friends, I had intended to buy a guidebook. I always buy a guidebook, which I usually read through as we are trying to decide what to do, but at least I have it with all the phone numbers/urls for attractions, resturants, etc. Boy, do I wish I'd bought a book, especially as we had less than 48 hours there.

If I had, I might have known that the zoo (the proported first in the Country--it seems everything in Philly is in terms of superlatives according to our tour guide--the highest, the biggest, the first, the best--clearly the guy loved his hometown). I digress. The zoo has a hot air balloon, seen to the left of the Art Museum (think Rocky running up its steps) in the distance. It's 2.1 miles from where I took the picture. I know this, because we waited for a bus for 45 minutes at the zoo and Den and I contemplated several times using another method to get back to the hotel and I had to look up how far we would have walked had we pursued this option. It is Ed's desire to someday ride in a hot air balloon (and he tells us this all the time). When we learned the zoo has a balloon, we hopped off to see if we couldn't get a ride. Bought tickets, came to find that not only was the balloon not running due to high winds (clearly at the 400 feet level and not ground level), but you don't have to actually go into the zoo to ride the balloon. We never got on the balloon, as there were high winds at ground level today ('this day', in Ed speak).

We could see the balloon from our room and on Sunday morning, we excitedly called Eddie to the window to look at the balloon. By the time he got there, it had gone back down and you couldn't tell it was a balloon, just some ball, almost like a water tower peaking out of the trees. Then later, it went up and just as soon, down again. We couldn't figure it out until we asked the drive of the $2 Phlash bus (the 45 minute wait one). The zoo looks like a nice zoo with some nice features. We just wish we'd gotten in that balloon!

We were able to visit the 'Please Touch' museum, which I am at a loss of superlatives to describe. It is simply the biggest, best kid's museum I've ever heard of, been to, etc. (and there are some great ones we've seen)Knowing how much we are spending on the Soft Playroom and how much our original rendering was going to cost, I know that the price tag for this gem is well into the millions and I would not be surprised if double digit millions weren't spent on the museum. If I lived in Philly, this museum would be my second home. They had entertainers in the lobby to keep the kids amused while you buy your tickets and it gets better from there. I would venture to say Disney could learn a thing or two from these folks. Eddie and Josie are playing in the supermarket. They have shopping baskets and kid carts to push down the aisles with all the food labels and then samples behind plexiglass so you can reshelve the food you buy. Kids take turns playing cashier and as Eddie said, being 'the payer'.

We missed the Smith Playhouse, an outdoor playground that is supposed to be spectacular, but which is closed on Mondays and so because of the zoo debacle we couldn't have gotten there in time, but we know for next time.

We went out to dinner at a local joint and then on to eat some great gelato when we learned Josie had pooped her diaper. On the way back to the hotel for a change (and to call it a night), we passed the Comcast HQ and as I'd read about the lobby being open 24 hours/day, thought we could get a diaper change and check out the LED screens (pictured above--the screens are the wood grain looking panels in the photo. The bottom two rows are actual panels and all the other panels in the photo become screen)--the building is LEED certified. It was easy to fool yourself into thinking the people and objects on the screen were really there. Alas, I realized mid-diaper change (I thought) that we had no more diapers for J. She wasn't into the MacGuyver diaper I fashioned, so we hurried back to the hotel with Josie going commando. Oh the excitement on weekend night for us. Good thing she'd been potty training herself.

Today we made time for the double decker (open top) bus tour around town that Eddie had wanted to take. I think he was alternatively bored and intrigued. Our guide wasn't the greatest and the driver took off from the curb just as Eddie started to board, but otherwise, it was like riding around in a convertible whilst someone told you a canned speech with some childhood memories woven through. We were dropped at Independence Hall and that whole area, so ran in quickly to snap some photos of the bell (Den had never been to Philly and it had been a while for me). Just in time too, as they cleared everyone out thanks to a bomb threat.

Then it was time to head down Market Street for a Philly cheesesteak before heading home. We tried out Campos, bot a couple sandwhichs and then wanted to hit it's rival, but their line didn't move but 2 people through in the 10 minutes we stood there, so we had a light lunch and headed out of town, getting home in time to have the nighttime routine...we learned also that travel for the next couple years will still consist of doing one, and if we are lucky 2 things in a day before it is time for a break--even if the kids love it and are engaged. Ed says he had a good time, but I think we spent more time than usual disciplining/reprimanding (we think because the kids were tired and out of the usual routine). Great place to visit--look forward to going back, but would like to have not been so rushed, limited in what we could see.

I will NOT be one of those parents, I will NOT be one of those parents...

I will not be one of those parents who posts about every little health issue of their kids...that is after this post...

Good news: J is potty-training herself. Cookie was changing her clothes last night and Josie said she had to go to the bathroom. She ran into the bathroom, climbed up and pooped in the toliet. Eddie read a story to her to keep her company. Yay Josie! The other day, she and I were shopping (a shock I know) and she told me she had to pee. There I was in the bathing suit I'd been trying on, in the store's bathroom, helping J sit on her first public toliet. I kind of thought we'd be further along in the training process before we took it out of the house. Unfortunately, by the time we got in the bathroom it was too late, but she wanted to give it a whirl anyway.

Not so good news: Eddie had an asthma attack last night--at 1am. While Den is out of town. I'm sure he's had an attack since his initial ER visit Nov. 2006 that got us the asthma designation, but nothing quite this bad. He woke himself (and Josie and me) up coughing that croupy cough and he was clearly struggling to breath. The doctor had told us to wean him off his pulmicort each summer to see if he was outgrowing the asthma, so he hadn't had any in 2 days. Now, granted he didn't have a bath last night to wash all the pollen out of his eyes and face, which may have contributed to the attack.

There we were at 1am, with him taking the nebulizer, not complaining one bit about taking it. He got both pulmicort (maintenance drug) and albuterol (emergency drug). His little stomach was going in and out and he was struggling to breath in between coughs. Fortunately he responded a bit to the albuterol, or we would have been making a wee hours visit to my second home, the ER, as you can only give the albuterol once every 3-4 hours.

We then sat in the bathroom with the shower on full bore soaking in the sauna for an hour. I spread out some blankets, put down the pillows and he just breathed. He was much better after that, but still had the cough. He managed to sleep through the night, but we will be seeing the doctor today. He still has the cough, but I think I've got it under control.

Now you see why I wanted to open with poop story.

What Can You Do in Six Weeks?

Today Den and I attended the Memorial Service for the baby of friends of ours (their third child). We wondered what the minister could possibly say to console both the family and those in attendance. The homily he gave was both uplifting and pragmatic. The baby had been born on Josie's birthday. The parents knew that there was a problem in utereo, but it was thought the problems could be worked out once he was born. The baby and his family endured test after test and never reached a diagnosis, only that he couldn't exist without mechanical and medical assistance.

In six weeks time, he explained, this baby's ministry involved getting others to think about their relationships with God, life and family. He renewed and strengthened connections amongst people. For Den and I, this baby made us hug our own children extra tight, spend the extra time with them. He made us appreciate what we have, both our children and our lives. He brought out the best in people as everyone pitched in to help out in whatever way they could. He made you search deep as over the course of his short six weeks everyone kept hoping for a miracle.

I'm watering down and missing large parts of the sermon, but we were just truly amazed at while we were so sad for our friends, for the baby and his family, we walked out of the church with not so much an explaination, but rather a point of view that went beyond 'why this baby?'. We took comfort in his words, yet find ourselves unable to stop thinking about this little boy.

12-16 of 16 photos (or post 4 of 4)

J started a tickling game and Eddie gladly jumped in. Here she is starting to tickle herself...

I think it's possible Eddie would have been wiling to take a nap...
I think this picture of Josie speaks for itself. And for some reason I had a hard time getting photos of Eddie, I know not why.

Here he is in the same pose as Josie earlier...except here he is having his hair pulled.

J over the Course of 15 minutes

Taking the pictures...Josie, we're over here...look up. Now point the camera at us...
Next picture indicates J is getting close to nap time. She curls up in a ball like this both when she is trying to shut out the world and it's her version of a temper tantrum.




Next is a picture through the pollen-haze on the table (3 day accumulation) and peeking around.

More Photo Session

We moved the photo session to the back porch, which can I state for the record that if we had paid the extra money (we know not how much), we could have made it 6 feet longer and instead are paying what we guess would be the same amount for a retaining wall and steps to connect our terraced levels...

I digress. The Butterfly is from Ed's gymnastics class. We dropped Josie off with Cookie to hang out because the doctors wanted her kept out of gymnastics class for 2 weeks. Getting an hour with Cookie was just as good as class, I'm guessing.

Josie definitely wants to take pictures with the camera (she uses Eddie's), but she has yet to get the hang of where to point the camera, despite Eddie's instructions each and every time.

Making Myself at Home

We were hanging out in the kitchen after lunch and Josie and Eddie were being really cute with each other, so I got out the camera (should have made it the video-camera). Josie walks over to Eddie, aligns herself and just sits right down on his lap. He thought nothing of it, working to accomodate her. They played like this for a good 10 minutes, her repeatedly sitting back down on his lap. Oh do I hope they remain this close growing up.

Course earlier in the day there had been the fight over the keyboard and then later there was the fight over the balls...

G'ma Wisc handiwork

G'ma Wisc. made this dress for Josie. Clearly she liked it.

And check out the Merry Month of May in the side-bar, little bits about the kids in May...

It Ain't Pretty, But It Will Work for Now

As with most of our home improvement projects, there was significant discussion as to how the basement stairs 'barrier' should look. Should we screw up some drywall and call it solid? Neither of us wanted a solid wall, which was why we had removed the paper-thin paneling (shown behind Den in this picture) when we first moved in 8 years ago. So we decided to create a criss-cross of wood that someone as little as Jo couldn't fit through.

Den initially said I could not post pictures of the completed project, as I had fought for wider boards and he said it was not up to his standards, aestheetic or otherwise. Understandable given this was coming from a man who had his level out for the job.

I did screw in a couple pieces of wood and helped hold the rest in place, but left Den to his table saw in cutting the wood.

Next is to sand the wood and paint it so little fingers don't get splinters.

At least they shouldn't fall through again--they'd basically have to crawl through...maybe the drywall isn't such a bad idea after all.

Josie Update...

This picture was actually taken Monday night, the day of the accident. We asked Josie what kind of treat she wanted and she wanted a lollypop, so a lollypop she got.

We went in to see the pediatrican today. We really like her and plan to switch to her as our regular one is switching to another 'branch' of the same office, plus we wait FOREVER to see him. At any rate, she did a very thorough exam of Josie, from literately touching every part of her body, to looking into the eyes, ears, nose, etc. She made her walk across the room. She felt her head, she asked us (and her) lots of questions. And she answered all of mine.

Then, when I realized we'd forgotten to ask a couple other questions, we waited 15 minutes for her to finish with her next apointment and she came back in, apologizing for keeping us waiting. Josie is fine at this point, and should heal without a problem.

Summary of the visit:
It will take 1-2 weeks for her to heal. We subsequently found out that the fracture is on the front (forehead area) of her head. We plan to ask the neurologist about this, as she hit the back of her head.

Asked about her head hurting when she rolls: kids this age have a sense of not doing what hurts them, so she likely has learned not to do that right now. Also leaves out somersaults :)

Brain activity/issues: Because she is fine in all the other areas, they don't worry about it.

Eyesight (she was asking where daddy was when he was right across the room and complaining of darkness when we just had on the table lamp). Doctor said unless she is running into doors or having other issues throughout the day, not to worry (these were occuring the last 2 nights).

Stay out of gymnastics class for 2 weeks and we can resume if she has no complaints during this time.

She checked the burise on Josie's cheek and said it was at the 'dip', not on the cheekbone. She felt the whole area quite hard and said it was fine.

I then called the doctor this afternoon because when we went to look at the potential purchase of some play equipment, they had a teeter-toter. I didn't think anything of it until Eddie slammed his end down, giving J the rattle at her end. Happened twice before I realized what was happening (that it was stupid). She said her head hurt a bit and the doctor said to be aware of the signs we discussed (I was worried her head was swelling again) and not to worry if everything seemed fine.

Not easy for me.

In short, Josie is going to be fine (we have to make an apointment with a neurologist for 5 weeks out to get an xray to confirm it's healed). I am not so sure I will be. The doctor asked if she was having any nightmares--none that we know of--doctor said some kids when they experience something like this will go through a post traumatic stress disorder. I explained that I was experiencing it for her. I am trying to get better and know that with each day that passes, I do feel better, but I have burst into tears on more than one ocassion explaining to doctors or friends what has happened. I don't really like to talk about it, but every now and then, I just prattle on to someone about it. She will be okay, somehow I think I will take longer to heal.

Josie's Update

2 lollypops, a balloon and stuffed giraffe later, Josie seems to be doing well. I still am not. Thanks for the comments, wishes and stories of reassurance.

She does have a small bruise on her cheek that I pointed out to the ER doctor, who seemed unconcerned. Being the neurotic mom that I am, her face in the ER and still today doesn't look 'right'. She's always had a perfectly symetrical, round face with everything in proportion. She doesn't look that way at the moment. Cookie thinks her eye/face is swollen. I can't quite pinpoint it, but it's not 'right'. It's like a droupy eye or that part of her face shifed down--highly technical I know. I'm going to give it through tomorrow to see if it's just swelling that needs to subside, or if I need to start worrying more than I already am. We have a follow up appointment with the pediatrician on Friday.

I hate this. How's that for articulate.

Nothing like a Medical Trauma Story to Bring out the Experiences of Others...

First of all, she is fine now. Both sets of g'parents have been told, so we can share it here. It is gut-wrenching to retell the story, but here goes:

Josie fell off the side of the basement steps today--about 6 feet straight down. The layout of the steps is such that there is an opening at the top of stiars where there is no railing (soon to change obviously).

Josie is never allowed to go down the stairs first, it is always mommy/daddy first holding tightly to her hand. Today, as we were late for preschool. Eddie started down the basement stairs and Josie followed. I don't know if I grabbed her hand and she slipped from my fingers, or she missed her footing, or what (I think it's blanked from my memory), but the next thing I know she is falling off the side of the stairs in a free-fall, landing on her back.

I scooped her up and ran upstairs and called 911. It seemed like forever before the paramedics could arrive and Josie kept trying to drift off and I kept trying to keep her awake. I was pretty hysterical. I had called Den and he wasn't home from work yet, having just pulled into the driveway at work.

Poor Eddie had to stand in the kitchen watching the EMS team work on Josie. They attached all these monitors and took all kinds of information on her. They then put her on a tiny backboard and strapped her in like a burrito. She did well, and they wisely decided not to immobilize her arms.

They took us not to the close to us hospital where the kids were born, but to a special hospital that has a peds ER department. It was pretty quiet by the time we arrived around 9:30am and we had our pick of rooms. It took maybe 15 more minutes, including skirting the traffic back up on the shoulder.

When we arrived about 5 people came into the room with us, one whom said "we'll take good care of her". I replied, "I know you will, clearly I didn't." All the way over, and until about noontime, I had visions of brain damage, paralysis, etc. I still have fleeting visions of those problems despite being checked out by 2 doctors and a neurosurgeon. We also had a CT scan, which is how they found the "minor" skull fracture.

All told, we were in the ER about 6 hours. Things went very quick in the morning, but I think they got busier as the day wore on. Everyone made a point to talk about their kids and comprable ER experiences to make us feel better.

Josie had some pretty good swelling (about a 4 inch long spot shapped like a teardrop--that within 2 hours had already started to decrease) that was swollen pretty nicely on the top of her head and a bump on the back, accompanied by some raspberry like abrasions. Because of the height she fell and the swelling, the doctor ordered a CT scan. I was amazed at how calm and methodical everyone from the EMS folks to the doctors were. I of course wanted them to move faster, but they were taking the time to explain everything and for once I just wanted them to work on J.

At home, the whole way in the Ambulance and at the hospital, Josie kept asking for daddy. Everyone thought it was so cute, as they heard her calling for daddy, to wit I explained that she was a daddy's girl (that is until bedtime tonight, when she switched allengences).

When they tried to get her a CT scan around 10:30, she would not have anything of it. They advised that we should get her to fall asleep and come back later. It didn't take long, with the lights turned down for her to drift off. Den got wheeled in with Josie and as soon as he transferred her, she woke up. Remarkably, she was willing to lay still for the five minutes it took to put her in the CT. She did great!

So the first doctor to tell us, the attending, says she has a skull fracture. Eekkk! The second doctor said it was minor and the neurosurgeon said it was a matter of cenemeters and really tiny. He had to read the report to figure out where the fracture was, that it wasn't really easily visable on the scan. She has to be pretty careful with her head for the next week or two and in addition to a pediatrican visit this week, we are to follow up with a neurosurgeon in 6 weeks.

They gave us all the things to look for over the next several days, all the precautions to take, etc. I don't know if it was because they talked to our pediatrican or what, but 2 doctors and the RN commented that it was clear we were going to be caring well for her. I believe it was the neurosurgeon who said he was quite confident that she would be watched like a hawk by us not only for the next several days, but likely the next month. He also said he thought his wife and I were two of a kind in many ways. That she won't listen to him because he's not a pediatrican. I digress.

Josie is thus far fine. Any changes, we'll report. I am now on my second glass of wine and am finally losing the knot in my stomach and the stress in my neck. I will never recover from this having happened...I am quite confident it will be something I remember for the rest of my life.

Thankfully our neighbor's nanny (who watches Eddie and J's best friends and happens to be good friends with our Cookie) was able to pick Eddie from preschool and he had a playdate with her charge, Lizzie. Nice to have that as he didn't even care that we were gone. Lizzie's mom regalled me with 2 stories are far more serious head traumas that had recently occured to her friends which necessitated multi-day hospital stays. We are going to be okay.

Oh and the photo is of Josie and Den a few minutes before we were allowed to leave the ER. Nice to have her smile back...

This evening: She will easily go down any set of steps, including from the second floor to the main level, but refuses to go down the basement steps without being carried. Wonder how long she'll carry this hesitation...

Phone pictures...

I just love this top photo. Wish Eddie were in it, because then it would be perfect. This was the day we took Josie to the doctor for pink eye. Love her pink glasses...


When g'parents Wisc. were in town, we hit the local custard shop, which also has killer sorbet. Both kids picked the same thing and although Eddie dropped his whole cup (which managed to survive), both did really well sitting on the bench w/o a table. This was when we were having 90 degree weather. It is now 57 degrees. Gotta love it.






Deciding the pink glasses didn't offer enough sun protection, we went for some darker shades, which J loves just as much.











J LOVES the phone. I mean really loves the phone. I can't wait until her vocab really starts to come in, cause then she and Eddie will be duking it out for phone time. Here she is I think talking to daddy.

Sorry Ed this spread is a little light on Eddie pictures...more of you to balance things out another time.

Arts, Crafts and Cooking...

Reason number 681 why we doubt we'll send Josie to preschool next year. Cookie not only provides individual attention, but she also has the kids doing lots of fun stuff. I was home sick all week from work with a bad cold, so I got to take some photos.
Josie and Cookie (while Ed was at preschool), made the crust for a spinach quiche and then for a potato based quiche. She proceeds to tell me how easy it is, that even Josie was doing it. Cookie then tells me her mother made her own pasta...just to put it in reference for you.

Eddie said he wanted to make a picture for his buddy Grace who is moving to Japan for 2 years, he also wanted Josie to make one too. There is a reason finger-painting is recommended as an outdoor activity!

Kids and running water--it's fun. So I bought the kids a play sink that has a pump to recirculate the water. They can play in running water to their hearts content without wasting water. And, when they are cooking with Cookie, Josie can pretend she is interested in scrubbing the potato and the other 50% of the time, play in the running water. It is really cool to see Cookie involve the kids in cooking--Josie even cracked the eggs!