Monday, May 31, 2010

Run

I've decided to start running. For those of you who know me, when asked if I run, I usually say "Only from the Cops". Frank laughs at this because he calls me a "Gooder" - he knows I've never had to run from the cops, but still, I think I'm funny.

Why run? Why not?  It's become one of those things on my bucket list.  And seriously, the runner's I know are some of the healthiest people I've ever met.  Some people I know recently ran the Cellcom Green Bay Half Marathon. They totally inspired me and I've decided to do it. I'm giving myself a year to train, which I'm sure is more than enough. Since I made my decision, my friend Becky also decided to do it with me. She's running a half in the fall and I'm very excited to join her next spring.

I never before wanted to do any running so the entire idea of it is very new to me. My girl, Diane, over at Anytime Fitness is already helping me out by giving me some tips. It's pretty cool to know people who are willing to help.

I will post my triumphs here and because there won't be any failures, I won't need to post them!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Sick and Tooth

May has been another sick month around our house. Frank had a horrible ear infection, Sydney has been up several times in the night almost every night over the last few weeks and she, Abby and I ended up with the stomach flu. First, Sydney had a runny nose and goopy eyes and after yet another horrible night, I took her in for a checkup and you guessed it - double ear infection. Again. Poor baby. On another round of antibiotics, which resulted in throwing up day 5.  Because it was a similar medication that she got sick on last time, I assumed it was a side effect and immediatly stopped giving her the meds.  That was Saturday.  Then on Monday, I started throwing up.  It was then I realized that it wasn't a medication side effect, it was actually the flu.  It was my day off for the week due to child care issues and it sucked.  BAD.  I was so sick that Frank had to come home from work to take care of us.  Turns out Abby also ended up sick that day.  Sydney was acting wierd and I was worried - not exactly sure if it was because I was sick or because something was wrong with her, so Frank took her in for another checkup.  I was scared that becuase I stopped her meds, her ears weren't healed.  Turns out the doc said about her ears, "I couldn't be happier with how they look".  What a relief!  She was good for about a week, then started to act funny again on Sunday. I took her to daycare on Monday even though I new something was up and she felt a little warm. You guessed it they called me around 2:00 to pick her up becuase she had a fever of 102.4.  I immediately called the clinic and got her in . By the time I got her there about an hour later, her fever was 99.9 and her throat was a little red.  As we were fighting to hold her still on the table so the doc could check her ears, I noticed a white spot on her upper gums.  That's right, my baby girl has her first tooth.  Upper right and not center - totally wierd, right?  Due to the fever, I had to keep her home on Tuesday, even though she was totally fine, the 24 hour rule was in effect.  Have I mentioned how I hate the 24 hour rule?  She went back to daycare on Wednesday and I got a call about 2:30 from her teacher.  Her eye is a little red, swollen and leaking.  Because she had been there all day, they could keep her and I just had to get her drops in a couple times before taking her back.  I'm glad because I really needed to be at work that day.  Last night, she woke up around 10 with a bloody nose.  I'm not sure what that is all about, but I got her fixed up, and back to sleep.  She continued to wake up MANY MANY times through the night and this morning she had a runny nose and cough.  As the day has gone on, she seems ok so I'm not thinking much of it.  Hopefully it's just a little bug that will be in and out of her system fast so we can enjoy our long weekend and get back to sleeping through the night. Momma's tired, yo!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Love The Gulf

I have never visited the Gulf.  It doesn't matter though.  My grandparents used so spend months in Gulf Shores, AL.  I have always wanted to go there and see what they have seen.  It makes me sad to know that things will probably be drastically different by the time I get there. 

What BP is not doing to protect the world is enough to piss a person off.  The anger, sadness and worry that I feel is nothing compared to the people who live on and near the Gulf.  I listen to NPR almost daily and story's like this really break my heart. 

When I first heard about the spill and the oil rig workers that were killed and hurt on the rig, I got teary and sad.  That's what I do these days.  My heard aches for those workers and their families.  Then I got teary and sad when I started to think about the animals in the ocean and everything and everyone else who is going to be affected by this horrific incident.  I immediately told Frank that we needed to go buy a case of Dawn because that is one way we could help the animals.

The impact to the people of the Gulf, the US and the World is unknown. 
The impact to the organisms living in the Gulf is unknown. 
The impact to the local economies is unknown.
The impact to the US and World economies are unknown.
Life is always unknown, but this is the most horrible kind of unknown. 
I can only hope that those responsible for this receive a punishment that fits the crime. 

I hope to someday visit the Gulf.  I also hope that it won't be totally destroyed by this collosal mistake.

It's a Love the Gulf blog carnival.  Write your story, and share it here or here.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Calm

I grew up in the country.  Not in the middle of nowhere, but a couple miles from town.  My parents still live there.  In the same house I grew up in.  Last Sunday, I took Sydney with me so Dad could work on my car. 

Just me and my girl. 

We got an early start, and arrived around 9:00.  The weather was perfect.  The sun was shining, there were just enough clouds in the bright blue sky and it was quiet.  I didn't realize how much I truly miss the quiet until I was there this week.  At work and there is noise, copier, printer, phones, people, radios.  At home, there is noise, buses a block away, the highway 5 blocks away.  Since we live in a condo complex, we share a wall with the neighbor, the driveway and garages are right out our back door.  The TV is usually on after Sydney is in bed.  On the baby monitor I hear the noise machine.  When I sleep I hear the noise machine - which is not all bad because it drowns out the other noises.

Sunday was quiet.  Dad worked on the car and Sydney hung out in the bed of the truck.


We walked the estate and checked out the grapevine that is getting so big it knocked down the post.  Sydney took it all in. There was a slight breeze that she loved.  Mom hung up the swing and that was the end.  I could have stood there pushing my girl in the swing all day.  Sydney loved the sun, the swing and the cows. 

Things I love about this pic: Tongue/Smile, Hat, Cows

We talked about how we used to have a rope swing in that tree. We talked about how we used to set up the orange tent under that tree and the neighbor girls used to come over.  There were so many memories and I can't wait for Sydney to start creating memories there too.  And I can't wait to move to a quieter place someday because on Sunday I felt calm and content for the first time in a while.

Monday, May 3, 2010

We Marched

This post is a couple weeks late becuase I'm a slacker and didn't get the pictures uploaded sooner.

I am so inspired by the people I have found in the Twitterverse and the Blogosphere.  Everyone has a story to tell and they all do the March for Babies for their own reasons. I shared my reasons here.

Our March for Babies was April 24.  The whole week before I avoided listening to the weather because I just didn't want to know.  They kept forecasting rain and I didn't want to believe it.  I wanted our Sydney to walk with us and all the other families.  When we woke up on Saturday, it was raining.

And cold. I think the temp was about 50 - maybe even colder.  Sydney stayed home with Grammy which was all the better.  The rain was sometimes light and sometimes hard during the walk.


I was surprised by the number of people.  They were of all kinds, young and old, all sizes, shapes and colors.  All walking for their own reason's.  There were kids in strollers.
There were those with umbrellas, some with raincoats, some with no rain gear at all.  And they walked for babies.
And we walked and I cried.  You couldn't see my tears because of the rain, but I cried.  I cried because there were so many people walking because they know a baby that was born too soon or with issues and I hate it.  It makes me so sad.  Mom's and Dad's and babies and sister's and brother's and Grandma's and Grandpa's and Auntie's and Uncle's should never have to go through dealing with what Heather Spohr and Paula Hoitink are going through. 
When I decided that we should create a March for Maddie and Jack team, I set a goal of only $250.  I know it's not much but I know that every little bit helps.  Well, we raised $330 for the March of Dimes!!!!  I was very excited we were able to exceed our goal.
It was a rainy dreary day, but it was a good walk.

We were a little wet but not too soaked and I was very happy to be a part of something that is doing good.

And we also had fun splashing in the rain!