Growing Boys

B has grown a lot the last 8 or 9 months.  And during that time he apparently hasn't worn his scout shirt much.  He had a board of Review last week and when I saw him in his uniform shirt I wanted to laugh.  (maybe I did).  It was way little.  But he didn't care.  He is advancing to Life (I think thats what its called--the last one before Eagle) and he has an Eagle project planned and plans to have it done this summer.

On the other hand, D has never done an Eagle project and probably never will.  He turns 18 in May.  There were two different projects he has had in the works but they both fell through.  The first one wasn't entirely his fault but the 2nd one he just decided he didn't want to do it.  He has an idea for another one but I don't know if it will happen.  The motivation and drive just isn't there and he only has 3 months to get it done, including meeting with the district board a few times which only meets once per month.  D will do fine in life I am sure but he just wasn't born with much drive, unlike his younger brother who sometimes has too much ambition.  Eagle project aside, I am proud to say that D spoke in Stake Conference last weekend!  He did great (and it is something I hope I never have to do).

We found out that B needs glasses.  I have been surprised that none of my kids have needed glasses since I have horrible eyes and most of my siblings wear glasses also.  Well, last week B came home and said that he took an eye test at school.  The school had already called and told us we need to get his eyes checked.  Well B said that he can see just fine but the machine was all messed up. It was all blurry he said.  It was the machine, not his eyes.  Yesterday he had a physical because he wants to play on the tennis team at school.  So guess what the doctor said?  He needs to see the eye doctor.  I made an eye appointment for next week.  Yet he insists he can see just fine.  I told him he doesn't know what he can't see!

We are the Champions--Again!

For the third year in a row my city league volleyball team has taken 1st place.

The first year we won our league and the tournament.  However, we were in a lower division that we didn't really belong in.

Last year we moved up two divisions and took 2nd in league play and 1st in the tournament.

This year we have won league play with a record of 13-3 and are waiting to play in the tournament.

There are 3 of us that have been on the team all three years.  This year's team is pretty much the same as last years team with a few changes--one gal moved so we picked up someone else.

It is fun!  Every Tuesday night for about 4 months I get to leave the house, forget about being a mom, and play some ball.  Get some exercise and some laughs!

Mornings 2

I have two children who don't like to be wrong, and think they are never wrong, or its never their fault.  And I know that most people don't like to be wrong, but maybe most people just aren't so stubborn about it.

This morning we were doing scripture reading as a family--one thing that has been good for January. we have been more HIT than miss on this.  So today J started reading the verse that D just read.  So he said that he just read that one.  Instead of her accepting a mistake and reading the next verse she got mad and wouldn't read anything.  I know it is just a little thing but that is how she is all the time. I don't know how to teach her that it is okay to make a mistake and she doesn't always have to be right or always know the right answers.

Later on, maybe 10-15 minutes before time to leave for school, I reminded A to get his shoes on and lunch packed and he got mad at me.  "I am reading!"    So I told him I am not going to remind him anymore and if he is not ready when its time to go too bad.

We do have a rule that they are supposed to have shoes on before breakfast but I have gotten lax about it and it came back to bite me today.  Also, I make the sandwiches and they do everything else for their lunch.  Andy always had school lunch until this year when he decided he never wants school lunch again, so it is a new challenge.

Anyway, I leave him and comb J's hair.  In fact I French braid two braids which takes about 8-10 minutes--plenty of time for A to get his shoes on and put his lunch together. Scott tells the kids "lets go."  (I had already prepared Scott and told him to leave Andy if he isn't ready). A gets franctic because he is not ready and doesn't have shoes on. Scott walks out the door with the other kids so A starts going balistic having one of his meltdowns.  He said "I was getting my lunch!"  and I said it doesn't take 10 minutes to get your lunch ready."  (I know he has a problem focusing but how and when is he ever going to learn?)  I was trying not to argue but I am not very good at not arguing.  And he is trying to tell me he was not wrong and it wasn't his fault because I told him to get his shoes AND do his lunch and he was doing his lunch just like I said.  He has his shoes on but won't go out the door because he "can't catch up to them."  a bit more arguing.  Finally I realize that I have to get out of the situation so I tell him I am going to get in the shower, and I do.

I take a long shower.  Scott comes home and tells me A caught up to them at the cross walk.  I was actually surprised that he left. Maybe next time I start arguing with him I will go take a shower.  It seemed to work.

but the lunch?...well, he left it on the couch...

Mornings

So here is a glimpse of my morning today.  I thought you all could use some laughs or at least feel better that you are not the only one that has crazy mornings.

The dishwasher didn’t get started last night so besides having to wash some forks for breakfast and the fact that I won’t be able to have someone unload it before school, it causes another problem later on. 

For the 2^nd day in a row the cat decided to use Andy’s bed as a litter box—because of the urine smell I suppose.  (Andy still has night-time problems).

Cameron started crying because Andy “jinxed” him and said he is in a locked jinx, meaning even if someone says your name 3 times you can’t get out of it until Andy says he is not jinxed anymore.  Still tears even though I explain that jinxed doesn’t really mean anything.

Because the dishwasher was on, and Andy decided to make hot chocolate in the microwave, and I was making pancakes with the electric griddle, the circuit breaker tripped and the power went out in the kitchen.  (the refrigerator and range are on that circuit too).  When I tried to explain to Scott that the power was off in the kitchen and he needed to fix it he didn’t understand because I didn’t say the “breaker went off”. He thought I was talking about power going off in the middle of the night.     Anyway, finally he understood what I meant and went and reset it.  (and I realize that I am capable of flipping the breaker, but I haven’t learned which one it is yet, which I guess I should put on my to do list).

"Didn't we already do this?" Dustin asks looking at the order form for his cap and gown that came in the mail. I answer "Yes, but it didn't get mailed on time and it expired so they sent us a new one." so he asks if I can mail it today.  yes.

Andy got up early to do finish his homework, and he did great and finished but then he is ready to early and too playful and wild and silly which prevents anyone else from focusing on getting ready.  

The dog got into the bathroom garbage so it was all over the floor in the bathroom when I went in to comb J’s hair.

Janessa wanted her hair braided like the little sister on Narnia.  I haven’t a clue what that girl's hair looked like but I do my best with her describing.  And I am happy that she is letting me do
her hair :).

I overwatered the plant on the top of the bookcase and so water was running down splashing on the books…

I bought Strawberry-kiwi Capri-Suns for lunch and Cameron doesn’t like that kind.

 Andy almost leaves his homework on the table as he walks out the door, but I get it in his backpack.  (yay Mom!) 

But finally everyone is out the door and it is quiet.  (Everyone except the animals and I wonder why exactly we have pets?)

We did have scripture reading with the kids before the big boys left and I made breakfast—more than frozen waffles or pancake sausages on a stick.   Not really a bad morning, just a regular morning with a few extra things to be expected I guess with a family of 7 people. (and two animals).

A Birthday and A Baptism

  Janessa turned 8! 

Showing off her new birthday outfit from Grandma--and being a little silly.
Can't believe my baby girl is 8!

She was baptized on Thanksgiving weekend.  

With Grandma and Grandpa Berkley who came down from Utah.
Grandma made her dress.

She was baptized by her oldest brother Dustin and confirmed by her dad.

With Grandma and Grandpa Waite

Brennen, Andy, Dustin, Cameron, Janessa

Cousins from New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona

A Tough Laser Treatment

Yes, it has already been two months since Cameron's last laser treatment, so we went back to Albuquerque again on Nov 9th.  I have been striving to be positive in all these posts about his laser treatments.  But honestly, I am getting tired of them and they are hard for me.  He is a trooper and seems to know it is just part of his life and what he does every few months.  And never he complains or says much about them.  In fact, after his first laser treatment right after he turned 4, when we came home from the hospital, the only thing he had to say to his Dad about it was that we stayed in a hotel and the room number was "one zero one".

He had a harder time with this treatment, and so I did too.

All went well at the hospital.  On schedule so we didn’t have to wait.  No emergence delirium when waking up from anesthesia. Hooray.  However, the treatment area looked different this time.  Instead of the usual purple, his skin was gray on his cheek and chin.  I didn't see the doctor again before we left the hospital so I didn't get to ask her about it.  (I saw her after surgery but that was before I saw Cameron post-op).   He woke up, ate his orange popsicle and we were on our way.

But sadly, for the first time he got sick from the anesthesia--twice.  But he is my 5th child (and we have been frequent travelers over the years between Utah and New Mexico) so I am a bit experienced in noticing symptoms of a child who is going to be sick in the car.  I pulled over in time.  But we still had to change his clothes in the cold by the side of the road.  Poor guy.

And this time, he hurt.  He has never let me put an ice pack on before and I have rarely even given him Tylenol. But this time he needed both.  We were up in the night in the Lazyboy with an ice pack for a few hours. I finally gave him a second dose of Children’s Motrin (don’t tell) after the first dose didn’t seem to help much, and then he slept.  Until about 4:30 a.m. when I got him another ice pack.  Still though, he didn’t complain or cry. In fact, I heard someone up in the bathroom around 10:00 and found him trying to put a wet washrag on his face, but dripping water down the front of him.  He didn’t even come and get me!  I gave him pain reliever the next few nights before bed and he did fine. It was only that second night he had a hard time.  I suppose the first night he still had some anesthesia in his system.

The doctor told me that they did notice more gray this time and if it still a little gray, make sure to keep the Vaseline on it.  I said it is still a LOT gray.  She said send me a picture.  So I emailed her one.  Yes, she said, it is quite gray.  Perhaps we got more of a response than we might have wanted she said.  She said she may have pushed up the power too much this time since he has been tolerating it so well up to now.  Keep it well lubed to prevent blistering and peeling.  And she would call us in a stronger pain med if he needed one.  (I really like Cam’s doctor, but isn’t it interesting how she sort of dances around with the “mays and mights” not quite admitting a mistake).  So basically, he got “lasered” a little too much.  

And I know doctors make mistakes just like everyone else, but it is hard when is happens to your kid.

I sent her another picture 6 days after.  He still had gray but not as much—it had turned purple. She said it was doing what it was supposed to do, just slowly.  Keep it well lubed and out of the sun. 

After a week and a half he is still pretty purple, with barely noticeable gray. His neck and chest have faded quickly as usual.  But I am thinking that this time the usual 2 week bruising after a treatment is going to last a bit longer.  It will be interesting to see how long it takes to clear up.  And I am rethinking our January treatment appointment.  Because I need a break, and I am sure Cameron could use one too.

And as you read this maybe it doesn’t sound like a big deal and I handled it.  But really it shook me up.  Sheesh, I have enough problems with my anxiety when things are going well.  I went through a lot of emotions last week.  Feeling bad that my baby has to hurt.  Feeling guilty for putting him through this. Second guessing myself wondering if we are really doing the right thing with these treatments. Just a bunch of stuff that maybe isn’t logical, but nonetheless, feeling it anyway.  And feeling a little upset at the doctor, I do have to say. Plus nervous about the gray--and if it blisters and peels, then what? All the while still having to be a mom and get kids to school and dinner on the table and laundry done etc etc.  Feeling a bit overwhelmed with it all.  But I am ‘back on my feet now’ -- I think.

Anyway, enough said…

Still some gray showing on his cheek after 6 days
(his neck is clearing up and the light is skin color, not gray)

And I threw in this photo because it is too dang cute!
It was taken in October by Lydia Jane Images
(the PWS doesn't really show up in this photo but is does look darker most of the time)