Memory Lane

It's 2:00 a.m., and I can't sleep. So, I've been trolling our old babyjellybean blog. It's hard to remember, sometimes, just how little my T used to be. She always looked so much older than she was to me. I look back at these pictures, and realize just how much of a baby she was.

I particularly like this photo, taken when she was learning to walk. The tongue sticking out and the proud look on her face, as she is actually walking, albeit with a little help, is priceless.

One of the reasons that I started tonight's night-owl stroll down the lane, is that I was reading about another little girl getting a helmet like T used to wear when we first came home from China. Had to go back and look at T's old pics. They just make me smile!

For anyone new, T had 2 helmets b/c the first place I went to didn't fit her correctly. I think T got another little girl's flowered helmet by mistake..."Taylor Jordan Norman" was that child's name, fitted on the same day as my Taylor X. Jordan. What are the odds of that? Anyway, the flowered one never fit T right, so I went to the competition at Cranial Technologies, and got a totally different shaped helmet...proving my point! (neither of which were covered by insurance, grrr). The new place actually took a cast of T's skull, vs. the other place that did a laser imaging measurement.

Anyway, the things did the trick, and T's little head is much better. All her parts (ears, jaw, eyes) are better aligned, which will be less potential pain in her future from TMJ and the like.

On the mend...in more ways than one

...the doc was not concerned on friday about T's fever. Today, T seems to be better. I'm spending the day with Leonor, cleaning out all my closets. Because I yoyo so much in weight throughout my life, I have wardrobes in all sizes...6 - 16. Unfortunately for me, I'm at the top end of the scale and starting to work my way into the "W" sizes. Anyway, since I'm always planning on losing weight I keep the smaller clothes around. Well, not any more. If I ever do lose weight again and get that small, I don't need to be wearing out of date clothes with hems that really are too short, now that I'm "a certain age"...fat or skinny. So, out the door they go.

In other news, I spent friday afternoon dealing with a fender bender my mother got into. My mom is fine, but she's 85 and having memory issues, and doesn't need to be driving. I think she had an episode of some sort, as she was very out of it at the scene and not herself. Fire Rescue wanted to transport her, but she refused. I'll be taking her to the doc for some tests very soon. On Friday, she hit an undercover policewoman...who was 6 month pregnant. When I was told that on the scene, I lost it.

I shudder to think what would have happened under slightly different circumstances...one of them going faster...one of them losing control and vering into oncoming traffic...you get the picture...one of them losing control and vering onto the sidewalk and pedestrians, etc. All the time in my mind as I was on the accident scene was the moving story of another blogger that I just read a week or so ago: a firsthand account of this blogger's accident wherein she was seriously injured and in recovery for more than 1 year, due to a car accident... I think with an elder driver. It hit home so much. Needless to say, my mom no longer has the keys to the car. The car will be given to my sister after its fixed. So, I'm now in search of services to drive my mom around. If anyone knows of any in the So Florida area, please drop me a line. Also, if you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears.

I can't tell you what a relief it is to my sister and I, to have this situation resolved. Whoever was upstairs looking out for my mother, was certainly doing their job and justified their place in heaven. I wonder who it was?

It's Ba-ack...

...the fever, that is. Yep, I was just rocking T and thought that she felt warm. Temp is 101.5, both ears.

She has another appt with the doc on friday in the morning. She's now had a fever since Sunday.

I hate this.

Single-Working-Mom's Guide to Surviving Her Kid's Cold

Well, my dreams of putting in a full day at work today, with T in daycare, have been dashed. We woke up this morning, and T's cough seems to be worse. She had a fever of 99.8...that's boardering on 100. Crap. So, we both got dressed and I dragged her to work, so that I could do a few things and pick up some stuff. As we were there, I noticed that her nose is now starting to run. As soon as we got home, T turns to me and asks if she can go to bed. My kid NEVER voluntarily goes to bed. Looks like we'll be home again tomorrow.

I've spoken before about how staying home with a sick kid is a million times harder than going to work. I'd rather go to work, as even the most stressful day there, is easier than staying home with a sick kid. So, I thought it might be helpful to compose a list of tips that have made my life more bearable in the last few days. I call it the Single-Working-Mom's Guide to Surviving Her Kid's Cold:



1. Make sure you have a TV & DVD player in the child's room, so you're not stuck watching their assinine movies and TV shows all day long.



2. Put on a news channel, such as MSNBC, to give you the illusion that you're participating in adult conversation.



3. When she's feeling slightly better, go out to a restaurant for dinner. Order a glass of wine. A big one.



4. While out, buy her another assinine movie or some other game or craft. Distraction is the key!



5. Have cheesedoodles in the house. They clearly have excellent healing powers. (I really should call the CDC and let them in on this little tip)



6. Allow her to play on Noggin.com for idiotic amounts of time, so that you can get some things done...and drink a glass of wine...a big one!

That's it so far...perhaps I'll add to it as the days go by.

A Future in Law Enforcement?

Introducing....

Officer Taylor!




(picture taken at the Miami children's museum)

Ribbon Fun

T woke up today much better. She hasn't had meds since about 4:00 p.m. yesterday, and her temp today has been in the 99's at the highest. Yippee!!!!

Despite what you see in these pics, she still seems to tire a bit more easily and is napping now, as I type. We ventured out this morning, and went to the children's museum. I let her run around there for an hour or so, and she seemed to enjoy it. Especially since we encountered one of her school friends there. The two had lots of fun running around the place with each other.

I took a few shots there with my telephone, so we'll see if they turn out.

What could possibly be more fun than playing with her ribbon stick?


Why, standing on that little table that you see, and then go flying off with a big jump, of course. Apparently you get much better ribbon action that way.

The Healing Powers of Cheesedoodles

T woke up from her nap feeling really hot again. 102.7. She wandered out into the living room, all cranky and grumpy with red in her cheeks from the fever. I go running for the medicine, and she's crying and not wanting to cooperate. After much coaxing, I get the stuff in her and give her some water. I then ask if she wants anything else...
Me: You want something else, baby?

T: Yes, Mama (in a major whiney voice)

Me: OK, honey, what do you want, I'll get it for you

T: (again all whiney) I want something orange and curly. That would make me feel better.


Once again, a miracle took place. As soon as I said OK, but you can't eat them in bed, the kid pops up, grabs her blanket, and says,

"OK, Mama, let's go"

She then hops off the bed, takes my hand, and pulls me out into the living room, and informs me...

"They're in the kitchen, Mama. They're in the kitchen!"

Still at Home

Yep, we're home again today. T woke me up at 1:00 a.m. this morning. She was burning up, poor kid. Over 103 fever. The heat woke me up, not her actions. I should have given her motrin before going to bed, but I kind of wanted to see it the fever would go back up as the meds wore off. I was hopeful that it wouldn't . Unfortunately, it did. After dosing her with the meds, the fever broke and T was raring to go. I turned on the TV, and let her watch it while I slept/dozed. It went back off at 3:00 a.m., and we both got a sound sleep. So far today, the fever hasn't risen over 101 with no more meds, and its now noon. We'll see what happens when she has her nap.

In other news, the results of the ultrasounds came back as perfectly normal. Yippee! I can cross another item of worry off my list.

T's throat is still hurting her. When she was eating her english muffin, she'd swallow and start complaining that that "the ants are biting me" while holding her throat. That's how T desribes pain...ants are biting her. Usually, though, she's just referring to when her foot, hand or some other part of her body falls alseep and starts tingling. Too cute!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

Welcome the Year of the Ox!

Its officially the lunar year of 4707. The chinese keep their own calender and also don't subscribe to our zodiac signs. Instead, one is born during the year of a certain animal, that were involved in a race (the rat won).

Dot is an Ox, T is a Rooster, and I am a snake. We were thrilled to discover that the rooster gets along best with the snake and the ox. Gee, how many tantrums would T have thrown if we hadn't had compatible signs? I shudder to think!

Anyway, you can use the handy chart below to find out what animal you are. Depending on the animal you are, you supposedly have certain "traits", almost like the zodiac, but not.

Its a good thing that we took this picture last week, as T is sick as a dog...or should I say Ox?, and we're celebrating the day with shots of Motrin.

Its a Miracle

Quick, call out the priest! Alert the Media! Its a miracle!!!

Poor T woke up this morning with a 104.3 fever. Off we went to the doc who pronounced that she believed it was a virus, and not an infection. A swab of T's throat, which she has been complaining hurts, confirmed that diagnosis. All the while in the office, T was listless and cranky.

Then we left to pay. Lo and behold a miracle took place. T looked out the window into the waiting room and spied her beloved Sophia and Nick, who were awaiting their wellness visit. She threw off her blanket, insisted on putting her shoes back on, and sprung out of the stroller proclaiming, "Mama, I feel much better. Look, there's Sophia and Nick!"

I couldn't believe my eyes. Of course, the poor thing still remains sick and her fever remains, but it was really amusing to witness this miracle.