Play-Doh

po.ta.to: formally called "Play-Doh" n.; a commercial modeling compound similar in texture to bread dough that has been sold as a children's toy around the world for a half century.

Tonight before baths we were playing with some Play-Doh. Taigen was doing all sorts of neat things with it and the kids were having a ball. Literally. They were rolling it up and trying to bounce it. When it was time to clean up, Taigen said, "All right...it's time to put the Play-Doh away." After a brief moment Shaylen said, "But I don't want to put my potato away!"

Sickos

September 26th: Taigen has completely finished painting the basement so we were able to actually sit down and relax last night. This morning there is other news to be had. Poor Shaylen woke up this morning at 6:30 and was throwing up! Oh No! There wasn't much of a mess...I'm wondering if her phlegm from her coughing (leftovers from a cold) made her gag. So I got her cleaned up, took off her jammies and took away wet blankets, etc. etc. She went back to sleep, believe it or not. At around 7:30 she cried out for me again and when I went in, she was coughing again and starting to throw up. I took her to the bathroom (where there is no carpet) and she proceeded to throw up a little bit more. I cleaned her up a bit more (new jammies, new blankets) and brought her to our room and snuggled with her wrapped in a blanket. Poor peanut. She seems to be doing fine now and says that her tummy is "feeling better." She's walking around singing about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Baaabe!

September 22nd: This morning we were all downstairs playing. Marshall went upstairs to get something and then wanted to tell me something before he came back down. He called for me, "Moooommy!" I answered, "Yes, Marshall?" He must not have heard me because he called to me in a louder voice "Baaaaabe!" (hmmm sounds like his father). I just about died laughing to myself.

Sweet Talkin'

September 20th: This morning after breakfast Marshall and Shaylen were playing in the living room on the couches. Marshall had just buried himself in the pillows and Shaylen was trying to talk to him. Of course, he couldn't hear a word she was saying. He said, "What did you say sweet baby?" Hmm...sounds like their mother.

Dead...Like a Bug!

September 18th:Tonight after dinner we were discussing the Bible stories we had read about during the day. (We had been to a garage sale on Saturday and I had purchased a Bible story book and we are now making our way through it.) Of course, the story of David and Goliath came up. It is their favorite story. Marshall said, "Goliath was almost 10 feet tall! He fell down dead! Like a bug!"

A while back he told the same story except he said, "He fell down dead. He got a big boo-boo!"

Family Picnic at Fort Williams

We took a day and went and enjoyed the great weather at Ft. Williams in Cape Elizabeth. This is where you see the popularly photographed Portland Head Light (Lighthouse). We had a great time and the kids enjoyed the fresh air.

Mary Poppins

September 14th: Since they have been sick they have watched Mary Poppins a few times. Enough to have some parts memorized. They are now going around the house singing "Supercalifragi LIPSTICK expealidocious!"

A Visit to the Local ER

September 2nd: Well, after naps yesterday Shaylen was still feeling hot. It was too soon to give her more Advil. Around 4:00 Shaylen started this jerking action that really scared me. It wasn't like a seizure, and not like shivering. It was a happy medium. Janelle showed up (thank the Lord!) and she noticed it too. We were both concerned. Shaylen's skin was mottled and she was so hot & lethargic. I called the pediatricians office at 4:30. After explaining the symptoms the nurse relayed to me that the doctor wanted me to go to the ER.

Thankfully, Janelle was there to watch Marshall and allowed me to take her car (which had our old carseats in it) to the hospital.When we got to SMMC (Southern Maine Medical Center) in Biddeford the triage nurse took her temp (103.5) and gave her some tylenol. Then we proceeded to wait in the lobby FOREVER!!! Finally around 7:00 we were taken back into the ER. There we waited another 1/2 an hour for the doctor to come in the room and he did a quick checkeroo and said that some people do that jerking when they have those high fevers. It was probably just a viral infection. He said he was going to go and examine her urine sample and see if she had some other infection.

He left us there for another 1/2 an hour. I quoted the stories of Cinderella, three Curious George stories, the Gingerbread tale and Goldilocks and the Three Bears before he finally came back. He checked Shaylen again and looked at her rash, her bum, her legs and chest and told me she was fine, it wasn't seizures and not to worry. I informed him calmly and tactfully that it was the dr that had told me to come in. Soooo, finally at 8:05 we were on our way home. Shaylen hadn't had dinner. She was an angel. You would have been so proud of her. Her fever was back up to 103.7 this morning, but she seems to be more active today and there has been no return of the jerking! Praise the Lord.

Zippered

September 2nd:I was putting Shaylen to bed tonight and we sang "Jesus Loves Me." After that was over, I asked Shaylen what she wanted to sing next. She said, "The zipper one." I said, "Zipper? I don't know that one, honey. Sing a bit of it for me." She said, "ZIPPER." I said, "The bird song? (We had just finished watching a bit of Mary Poppins and the last scene we saw was Mary Poppins singing "Feed the Birds.") "No," she said, "The Zipper." I thought for a moment. "The Shepherd song?" "Yes!!!" So I sang "Jesus Tender Shepherd Lead Me." I need a linguistics degree.

Two Sickos, Two New Beds

September 1st:Last night the kids got their new big boy/girl beds. They look so little in them! They went to bed so well. No fussing and no fits. We have such good kids!Unfortunately, Marshall got sick in the night and ended throwing up twice. They don't quite understand at this point so he was pretty scared. The first time he was in his bed. Fortunately, only a little got on the sheets. Unfortunately, most of it got on Marshall and Taigen. We cleaned them up and I took Marshall to our room and rocked with him for a bit. He started to cry again so I stood up to take him to the bathroom (where there is no carpet). He promptly threw up all over himself and all over me. We ended up giving him another bath. Thankfully, Shaylen slept through the whole thing. She is sick today. Don't know exactly what is wrong with her, but she is running a fever (102.6). I'm giving it time, but if she's not better by this afternoon, I'll probably take her to see the pediatrician. She's currently sitting on the couch listening to her Care Bear that tells her stories (from Grandma Sherry). She's so sweet.

Marshall is playing happily with his train (another gift from Grandma Sherry).

"I Growed Up"

September 1st:Well, Shaylen went to bed last night with a bit of a fever. I told her this morning that I would need to take her temperature again today to see if she had a fever. Later on in the morning, I heard Shaylen tell Marshall, "Mommy needs to take my temper!"Marshall was sick last night. VERY sick. He threw up...twice. Poor baby. This morning he said to Shaylen, "I growed up my lunch & dinner."