I think it's the Estrogen

Dilemma: I have no idea when Ella is sick or just trying to control me.

Evidence: Let's go back three weeks to an afternoon when Ella decided she wanted some applesauce. I told her she could get it herself because she had refused to eat any lunch when it was offered so I was not going to get her a snack. She cried and cried about how she didn't feel good and how she couldn't do it. She kept saying "I can't Mommy. I just can't!" We went the rounds for about 3 hours before she finally gave up.

After she ate her applesauce she begged to go to bed. It was like 5 so I thought that was pretty weird but I took her upstairs and she fell asleep while I was putting on her pjs. She woke up a few hours later and starting vomiting. So, I got that one wrong because she was really sick.

But while I have your attention let me bring up the fact that whenever it is time to go to school or church she insists that she is too sick to go. She will say that she has a cough or that her ribs hurt. I have tried forcing her, wrestling to get the boots and the coat on but that was unsuccessful because she took the boots off and through them at me. So, I have ended up putting her in her room until she decides to get ready to go. She is also under the threat that if she doesn't get ready she will have to stay in her room during all 3 hours of school. This has got her in gear each day and she ends up at school where her teachers report she seems very happy. So, all those times I was right. She was not really sick.

But then there was this morning. Where after arriving at school she said her tummy hurt and her nose hurt and she wanted to go home and go to bed. I talked it over with the teacher and I brought her home and immediately put her to bed where she was told she would be staying for 3 hours! Well..she fell right to sleep for over 3 hours. So, that time I was wrong. She really is rick.

And so I start to think, I am a bad parent. All this time I am punishing her for lying about being sick and she really is and I start to feel so bad for Ella but THEN....

I remember last week when she didn't feel good and her legs didn't work and she wanted me to get her goldfish to eat and I said I wouldn't and she ended up holding her hand over my mouth and saying "You get me my fish, NOW!" And after I put her in her room and told her "You can come out when you say you are sorry." She said "I am not gonna say I am sorry, you better say sorry to me!" She eventually said she was sorry but peed her pants because in her own words "I HAD to. My legs didn't work." And that time I was right, she wasn't sick.

And so I ask you...How do I know if she is really sick or trying to control me?

And by the way is it normal for a 3 (almost 4) year old to be this fascinated with control?

It Should be Illegal...

To be this happy!










There he is suffering with pink eye and only a lid to play with and I turn around and this is the smile I get. I love this happy boy.

He is growing and changing all the time. I am pretty sure that he can say Ella and loves to call for her whenever she leaves the room. Even Ella says he is saying her name BUT if I ever ask him to say Ella he looks at me like I am a fool (they must be born with this behavior).

He still loves his food and has learned how to tell me if he wants more and I am taking too long. He makes fists with both his hands and growls at me. I probably shouldn't think this is cute but seriously, I can't help but laugh every time.

So Proud of My Sunbeam

So Ella is officially a Sunbeam. It is exciting to have her in Primary. Her favorite part is learning the new songs during Singing Time. It is too cute to hear her singing songs that I don't even know. I also love hearing her tell me about Sunbeams. This week she came home and said "My teacher teached me a special lesson today about the activity (Nativity) and a new bersion (version) of "Once there was a Snowman"." I love it when she tries to use new words and has no idea how to pronounce them.

One of the things they are doing in Primary is memorizing scriptures. Ella was given a little book that has a scripture each month for her learn. Each night before we read from the Book of Mormon we work on her scripture for the month. And I am so proud because she memorized it!! She learned the scripture for January and is now so excited to learn the scripture for February!!

It's fun to be in Primary :)

My Doctor needs a Nap!

For over a week now, Ella has been very sick. It started with constant vomiting (she didn't understand throwing up in a bowl so we were spending our time trying to catch vomit). After 3 days she stopped throwing up and developed a horrible cough. She spent every second coughing without a break and literally didn't sleep at all at night because of it. It was at this point that I decided to take her to the doctor.

Now let me tell you, I hate trying to decide whether or not to take my kids to the doctor. I go back and forth about if they need to go or if it is going to be a big waste of time. My final decision was to call and talk to a nurse and see if they wanted to see her.

When I called the office I told the receptionist that I wanted to take to a nurse. She asked for Ella's name and pulled up her chart and then asked what was going on. After I told her she had been throwing up the receptionist said "Oh, you don't need to talk to a nurse. They will want to see her for sure so they can test for strep."

So, into the doctor's office we go for what I think is going to be a strep test. That is not what happened. I ended up spending the whole time holding Ella (who was too weak to walk) while the nurses and doctor each took their turn at giving me a lecture about not giving her the flu shot. They even had someone come in who said they were doing a study with the university on kids who didn't get the flu shot and got the flu. They wanted to take Ella's blood and a swab of her mouth. I said "Are you kidding me? Do you see how sick my daughter is? I am not going to submit her to unnecessary tests right now!!!"

And as I am sitting there holding my daughter who can't stop coughing and has lost 8 pounds (she weighs 25 pounds right now and literally looks like she is starving to death) the doctor made his diagnosis. He listened to her lungs, looked in her ears and said "She has the flu. And your whole family didn't get the flu shot so now everyone in the family will get the flu. You will spend the next two weeks with a sick family and when you baby gets the flu he will have to go to the hospital. After he has had a fever for 24 hours you will need to bring him into my office and I will have to have him sent to the hospital where he will be for 5 days. I just saw a baby his age with the flu this week and that is what happened." So, I say "I have kept the kids away from each other and have tried very hard to keep disinfecting everything and I always wash my hands before I pick him up." And then he says, "It doesn't matter. Now that Ella is coughing so much the germs will be flying all over your house and he is going to get it!" At this point he walked out of the room, shut the door and said to the nurses "She decided not to give her kids the flu shot so what am I supposed to do?"

So, I left the doctor's office crying. But here's to you Doctor.....YOU WERE WRONG!!!

I am happy to report that Will did NOT get the flu. He has a nasty cold but no vomiting. I am also happy to report that I did NOT get the flu and Chris did NOT get the flu. So, next time don't tell this mom there is nothing I can do!!!!

God Given Right to Be Loved

I promise to spend a ridiculous amount of money on crayons and goldfish.

I promise not to notice the cracker smeared on my shirt and instead notice your tiny hands.

I promise to know all about princesses and construction trucks.

I promise to read the same book over and over again until I have it memorized.

I promise to let you chew on my coasters and smile at all the teeth marks.

I promise to play dress-up and not be embarrassed when the UPS Guy sees me in a tutu and cowboy hat.

I promise to go to the game even if I don't like sports and cheer louder than anyone else.

I promise to kiss all scrapes and bumps even if they are covered in dirt.

I promise to watch Barney and laugh when I can't fall asleep because the songs are stuck in my head.

I promise to be just as excited about playing peek-a-boo as I am about going shopping.

I promise to listen to Wheels on the Bus in the car and do all the motions.

I promise to use my purse to hold sippy cups and animal crackers and of course diapers.

I promise to forget the bad and remember the good. To spend more time playing and less time disciplining. To hold you at 3am and kiss you goodnight. Mostly, I promise to give these years of my life to you, after all you are only mine for a short time.

Signed: "Just a Mom"

WillYum!

I think that this cute little boy deserves a post all to himself.

I mean look at this face...

This boy is so much fun that I feel sad when a realize how quickly he will grow up. Of course, I wish he slept as well as his sister...he seems to think that he needs to eat twice a night. Actually, he would like to eat all the time. I have started feeding him solids for this very reason and from what I can tell he will eat as much food as I will offer. He usually eats an entire banana and a bowl of rice cereal before he goes to bed. And don't worry, he still has plenty of room to nurse. I am pretty sure his sister has never finished a banana in her life!!! This might have something to do with the fact that he is the size of most 9 month olds...a fact that makes Chris smile thinking maybe his son will be tall :)

I Never Saw It Comin'

So, life really is full of surprises or maybe it's just that Ella is full of them (or it)...however you slice it...I would have never guessed that after the first week of school Ella's teacher would be waiting in the hall to talk to me...

That's right y'all, my kid is getting in trouble at school...(as a side note, for some reason having a kid that is getting in trouble at school feels a lot like YOU are getting in trouble at school).

But seriously, look at her. So cute, So happy....

So crazy...

I never saw it comin'.

I will never forget that day her teacher was waiting to tell me that Ella was having a hard time following directions. She said in particular that when it was time to go outside Ella refused saying such things as "No, I won't go!!" "You can't make me!!" and my personal favorite. "Don't tell me!!" Her teacher of course made her and she was very unhappy the rest of the day.

Well, after my little talk with the teacher I assumed things were better. Her teacher kept saying, "Today was a pretty good day" so that is what I thought until we went to the school's open house. At this event all the parents played toys and looked at the pretty pictures their kids had made. All but us that is because we were too busy being talked to by Ella's teacher, the teacher's aid, and the speech pathologist. They each took a little time to come talk to us about Ella. They shared things with us like how Ella never wants to do what they tell her to and how she is too loud during circle time for the other students to hear and often has to be taken away from the group and it went on..Chris and I just kept looking at each other thinking "We had no idea it was this bad." Her teachers kept reassuring us but we realized..we are the parents of a trouble-maker...where did we go wrong?

I can say all this now because things at school really are better. She finally likes going to school and her teachers are now saying "Today was a really good day"(fingers crossed for the next open house).

But man ohh man does this little girl keep me guessing and really, I love it because I would be a bored mommy without her.