Target trip 12/30/11

So one of my big New Years Resolutions this year is to get serious about couponing. Tonight I had a bit of a "practice run" at Target. I spent $42.85 after tax, and saved $40.29.

I think my savings could have been better, but I got a couple higher priced items. The prenatal gummy vitamins were the most expensive item, after the sale and the .75 coupon I had, they were still $6.59. Totally worth it since I am still nursing and prefer these over the non-gummy vitamins. The Children's Triaminic was also still somewhat pricey at $2.50 a bottle. The rest was all a decent price. The stain remover was all free, which I am beyond excited about (actually, I made .30 each, so $1.20 altogether, since it was on sale for $1.75, I had a coupon for $1.50 off each, and they all came with a .55 cent off coupon). I went expecting to get the cereal for free, as somebody got it for $1 each at their store and I had $1 off coupon for each, but at my store it was $1.34. I may have been able to get that cheaper at Winco, but even if I could, oh well. Over all, I am pretty pleased with my first attempt!

New Years Resolutions

Here is my list of resolutions:

1. Deepen my relationship with God
2. Do something fun as a family at least twice a month
3. Do seasonal crafts with the kids to decorate the house at least every other month
4. Work on my patience
5. Get serious about couponing, and save at least $1000 in 2012 with coupons
6. Organize my house better

And here is how I intend on accomplishing these things:

1. Have alone time with God daily, no excuses to skip, pray more, seek God daily
2. Make trips to the zoo, beach, park, wherever a priority for Sundays after church, seek out more inexpensive/free things to do as a family
3. Plan ahead, and be organized! Mark the dates I want to do these crafts on the calendar, then when the date arrives, do it right after breakfast
4. This goes along with number one, I suppose, but seek God for help and strength in this area daily, ask loved ones to help me to remember
5. Spend at least one hour a week looking for coupons, read adds, make my "price database" for the things we use frequently at places I shop frequently, only buy items we need and will use, its not a deal if you don't need it
6. Keep clutter under control, stick to the rule if it has no home, it doesn't belong, spend time daily on "hot zones" to prevent them from taking over

Naomi

So, it took me posting about something else to realize I never posted an update on Naomi. Well, we got some wonderful news at her intake. Since being put of Pediasure (at that time) three months ago, she jumped from the 10% for weight for age to the 40%! I was even noticing just last night that she is a little pudgy, which is so nice after all the problems. 22 month olds (yes, she turned 22 months yesterday, I can't believe it!) SHOULD have some pudginess!

At the intake, they referred her for an UGI scan, as well as OT to see a food therapist. They were able to get us in right away for the UGI, and we had it one week after her intake. It showed nothing abnormal, praise God! The food therapy starts the 29th. Hopefully we'll be able to work with Naomi and get her to eat more food. She has had a couple of days in the last month that she really impressed us, but there still is definitely room for lots of improvement, since we haven't so much as had two good days in a week, much less in a row.

I'll (at least try to remember to) update again after her next appointment. :)

By the time you have four, you have learned a thing or two

There is a lovely bug out there called Roseola that effects babies and toddlers, and is characterized by a sudden, high fever that lasts for a couple of days, then drops, followed within a couple of days by a red rash. I do not remember if Elli had it or not, but then, I was working so much the first two years of her life, that I remember far less than I wish I did. So my first encounter with it that I clearly remember was with Tobiah.

Tobiah was about 14 months old, if I remember correctly, and it was during the lovely swine flu "epidemic" we had in 2009/2010. My best friend's daughter had contracted swine flu, and was in the hospital. We had all been exposed very briefly shortly before her daughter started showing the serious signs, so I was overly paranoid about every little sniffle that came out of any member of my family. I am sure you can imagine my distress when Tobiah became listless and very snuggly, then very suddenly spiked a fever of about 104. Without hesitation, I loaded the kids in the van, and rushed him to Children's. Thankfully, it happened when Rich was home (or maybe I picked him up from work? This was two years ago, so I'm not completely sure), so he was able to be there with me. They did the "quick test" for swine flu, which was negative, then also did the test that took longer, and told us they would get back to us the following day if it was positive. They did not seem concerned, but I still did not sleep at all that night. I think knowing a little girl just three months old than Tobiah that was in the hospital, struggling, with swine flu made things a little too scary for me. And, well, lets admit it, I tend to worry about my kids, sometimes I bit much.

Anyway, needless to say, we never heard back from the hospital, and the next day Tobiah's fever was lower, and the following day gone. The day after that he broke out in that lovely rash. I believe the doctor at Children's had mentioned roseola to us, or perhaps I had heard it from another source, but I remember being very relieved when I saw that rash appear.

Fast forward about a year, and Naomi is not quite a year old, and very suddenly spikes a very high fever, and becomes very fussy, not wanting to be put down. By this point I was a little slower to rush the kids to the doctor, knowing kids get better far faster if left at home, at least when there is not a true medical need to be elsewhere. So, I called the consulting nurse to get their advice on what to do, and they basically said if she was staying hydrated, to keep her home, but if the fever lasted more than three days, went over 105, or she started having other signs like vomiting, shaking uncontrollably, etc., to take her in. If I remember correctly, the thought of it being roseola never even crossed my mind until the rash showed up, and I felt pretty dumb. Needless to say, Naomi was fine, and never ended up at the doctor for that one.

Well, by the fourth child, you learn a thing or two! Last week Ruth was getting increasingly crabby with every passing day. She had been getting teeth (and still is working on at least one), so I just chalked it up to teething and did my best to comfort and console her. Thursday rolled around, and I was working like a fiend to get the laundry caught up and the house cleaned since we were having my in-laws over and having Elli's party on Sunday, and were going to be gone Thursday night and all of Saturday. Yeah, I worked pretty hard. I did notice Ruth felt a little warm, and was a little surprised she wanted to wake up long enough to nurse and eat a few bites, then right back to sleep, but figured she was still getting teeth, and might have a bit of a cold. We went to Tobiah's Preschool Christmas Program that evening (Tobiah was so cute, honestly could have done better, but I think he was just done from literally being at school since 8:15am, and it was then 7:00pm), and she thankfully stayed pretty content as long as we were holding her. Then we got home and got everybody to bed, and Rich brought her to me to nurse her, and she was burning. Poor babe had a temp of 103.5. The very first thing in my mind this time was roseola, but I called the nurse, and basically heard exactly what I did with Naomi. Well, her fever was mostly gone by Friday night, maybe a slight one Saturday morning, then at church Sunday I was holding a sleeping Ruth (which was a rare treat) and spotted the rash on her back. It is now all over her torso, and even a little on her sweet little face. I am so thankful this rash does not bother them!

You blink, and six months go by...

Wow, it has been six months since I posted a blog! I've been very busy, clearly, and had a lot going on. I guess here are some highlights:

We put Elli in privet school, at the school a good friend teaches at. She started the very end of August, and absolutely loves it. She's doing well, too. A month after she started, Tobiah started preschool two days a week at the same school. He also loves it, and on more then one occasion has told me he doesn't want to leave when I have gone to pick him up. Did I mention he's at the head of his 3s class, and is the youngest?

Tobiah turned three. This was easier for me to accept than last year, I think in part because he started acting three before he was two and a half.

Awana started again, and Tobiah is a Cubby, while Elli is in her second year of Sparkies. I also started working with a Sparks team (not Elli's, as that is not allowed). This has been a huge blessing on my life. Those kids are just so wonderful to work with. I even have a couple of my friend's kid's in my group.

Tobiah met his biological dad. I still have a lot of mixed feelings surrounding this situation, but I am trusting in God that it will be a good thing.

Naomi has finally started to consistently use a handful of words. Mostly "more" and "done", but she also loves to say, in a silly playful way, "hello, Nae-Nae, Dada, Mama, Rue-Rue, Bubu, Elli". She is smart as a whip, and shows it in many ways, but is just as stubborn about talking as Elli was.

Ruth has changed a lot. She got two teeth literally overnight, she is crawling, she can sit (although will sit is a different story), and get herself in a sitting position. She also started saying "Dada" and "Mama".

Naomi has taken a turn for the worse again. She started vomiting a lot, at one point daily for almost three weeks. It has died down some since then, but hasn't completely stopped. She started refusing foods again, and basically lives off of Pediasure most days. She has some days that she does better, but not many. When she is "in one of her moods", as we put it, she won't eat, is very whiny and clingy, and it is just so obvious she is miserable. After fighting for it, we got a referral to Children's to see a GI Specialist. Her intake appointment is next Monday.

There are so many other things, that I could type out eighty pages and scratch the surface. Hopefully soon I will have time to blog about the couple fun things I did back in August, and even took pictures of so I COULD blog. Also hoping to have more time for the day to day, since that was kind of the point.

Until next time.

Naomi's update

Well, Naomi decided to start developing by leaps and bounds about a week after my last post. She's still a little behind, and we may still end up doing some early intervention with her, but we are no longer nearly as concerned as we were. The biggest thing now is her lack of growth, which we are working on. The basic plan is to get as many calories in her as possible daily for the next few weeks, then go in to have her seen again. If she has not made adequate improvement, we'll be putting her on a special diet and possibly doing some testing. All in all, I'm not nearly as concerned as I was.

Hello, Goodbye

It has been four years since I found out about you. Seems as though with my busy life I no longer think of you as often, but my heart is just as burdened as ever when I do. I was so happy four years ago. I spent my time thinking of you and what our life together would be like. I wanted only the best for you, and from the moment I knew about you started to make plans and changes so that I could give it to you. I would have done anything for you. I still long to see you, long to know you.

One of the hardest days of my life was the day I said goodbye. My heart was crushed, and my world falling apart. All the plans and dreams I had had were gone, and I was faced with spending the rest of my life with the knowledge of what I had lost, something that was so precious to me.

I want you to know that despite the passage of time, despite my busy life, despite your three younger siblings, despite it all, that you were longed for, you were wanted, you were loved. Nothing will ever completely take away the pain of loosing you, and nothing will ever make me forget. You were a precious person taken from me too soon, and you will always be in my heart.