10 MarReaching the Maximum Out of Pocket

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I took the Madster to a pediatric ENT yesterday on the recommendation of her pediatrician. My poor girl has had more ear infections and bouts of strep throat than any other child I know. She spends two weeks on antibiotics, gets well, and within a month is sick again. At first we attributed it to the evil daycare germs, but then began to wonder if she wasn’t reinfecting herself. Turns out, it’s been her all along.

The ENT said that it’s fairly obvious to him that Maddie’s reinfecting herself and it’s not coming from outside sources. Her tonsils looked ok yesterday, but the lymph nodes that they drain into are distended from being filled so often. She’s got fluid built up behind one eardrum and the other is protracted. The ENT believes she’ll benefit greatly from having a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and ear tubes placed. This doesn’t come as a total surprise, but still.

It’s a day surgery, so that’s nice. And she’ll need about a week to recover. We’re going to go ahead and have it done right away so that she can have undivided attention during recovery instead of dealing with a new baby at the same time.

I saw my OB this afternoon for a follow-up. Things are going well. He reduced the amount of procardia that I’m taking and relaxed some of my restrictions. So, YAY! for that. I go back in two weeks for a full blood work-up and sonogram. I’m still taking it easy because as much as I’d like to explode in a flurry of activity, I sure as hell don’t want to end up in the hospital for the next six weeks, you know? Although, it was pretty damn nice being waited on hand and foot and not having a kid running around like some kind of deranged hellbeast. OH! OW! Contractions! I’d better get to the hospital right away! (Think Gerald will fall for it?)

Category(s): Bed Rest 2010, knocked up, maddie

08 MarFull Circle – Or some other ironic title like that.

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Well, it seems that life is, indeed, cyclical here at Chez Dressed Up. Apparently, I only grow the over-achieving babies who don’t feel like they need a full 37 weeks of gestation. Thank goodness this is our last kid.

Here’s where things stand presently: I’m at risk for pre-term labor. I’m home on bed rest until 34 weeks. Luckily, it’s the “light” kind of bed rest in that I can still do things around the house and sit in my recliner instead of lying in bed on my left side all damn day. I’m taking a medication called procardia to ward off contractions. It works unless I’m too active, but it’s got some shitty side effects like racing heart, dizziness, headache, and shakiness. Plus, I already have pretty low blood pressure to begin with so this stuff lowers it even more and makes me feel like ass.

Those of you following along at home will remember that I started a new job a little over two months ago. Queen of Horrible Timing? Yeah, that’s me. Anyhow, the good news is that my job is totally work-from-home-able and management would much rather me work from home then do my work themselves for the next however long. I’m going into the office tomorrow to meet with them and go over the details. And if for some reason that all goes to hell in a hand basket, then I’ve got short-term disability that will cover me. The fact that I’ll still be getting paid means that Maddie can continue to go to daycare during the day. We’ve reduced her hours to 5 hours a day, 5 days a week and I feel like it’s a win-win. She gets to sleep in since we don’t have to be there until 9am, she still gets the benefit of playing with other kids and learning new things, and I can rest/work without feeling guilty for ignoring her.

Most importantly, The Boy is doing very well. At my last sonogram on Wednesday, he weighed 2lbs, 8 oz and was in the 69th percentile for size. This is a relief since I’ve lost another pound, putting me at gaining just 7 pounds for this entire pregnancy. All of his parts are accounted for and seem to be functioning within nominal parameters. He’s extraordinarily active which is a blessing and a curse. I’m guessing he’s going to end up being a total spaz like his big sister but it’s reassuring to feel him kick the shit out of me and know he’s still in there and doing all right.

The big downside to the whole bed rest debacle is that I’m crazy nesting and can’t really do anything about it. I’m trying to limit myself to one chore per day so that I feel like things are still being done and my house is still clean without overdoing it. I’m DYING to put together the nursery and start buying things, but that has to wait. The Boy’s room is currently our guestroom and last remaining bedroom. (Note to self: Go back in time and choose to build the bigger house. You’ll thank me for it.) Gerald’s mom will be here next week for a follow-up on her heart valve replacement, so we need a guestroom for her. Then, we can at least set up most of the baby’s furniture. Gerald’s mom will be coming back again when The Boy is born and staying for a few weeks, so she’ll need a place to sleep. We’ll leave her bed in there and then move it out when she goes home. We’re most likely going to move it into Maddie’s room and move her out of her toddler bed. (The guest bed is a twin trundle, so if we have guests we can expand it and boot Maddie out to sleep with us or whatev.) All in all, we’ll be in pretty good shape. I’m just so anxious to GET GOING, ALREADY!

GAH! This post is rambley and all over the damn place, isn’t it? I go for months not posting anything worthwhile and then BAM! Overload! Well, you’d better get used to it, my pretties. I have a feeling I’m going to finally have the time to blog again on the reg. Now might be the time to manage your Reader subscriptions, if you catch my drift.

Category(s): complaining, knocked up, where do I come up with this stuff?

26 FebLife Savah

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With my first pregnancy I was on bed rest for months. Which translates into “not working.” Which equals BROKE. Therefore, we relied on the generosity of our family and friends in order to outfit both our daughter and her nursery. We were so blessed in that we were given just about everything we could possibly need to bring home a newborn.

With this pregnancy, we are in a much better place financially and we have the benefit of being able to use the majority of the items we got for Maddie. The only things that I really need to get for The Boy are clothes (that aren’t pink!), a travel system (that isn’t pink!) and a dresser for his room. HOWEVER – there are some items that I really wanted to get for Maddie, but they weren’t necessities so finances dictated that we skip them. For instance, I really wanted a Baby Bjorn carrier for her and never got one. (Aside: A month or so ago I lucked out and got one for The Boy at Target in an open box for $27 marked down from $98. SCORE!) I’m not going crazy spending money on this kid, but I want to know what was the ONE THING you purchased, or were given, when you had a baby that was indispensable. What saved your sanity or made your life easier and will forever be the shower gift you give your pregnant friends and family?

Category(s): knocked up, products

23 FebThreshold

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I’m pretty sure I’ve reached the limit of the amount of douchebaggery I can tolerate from my kid. Lately, EVERY damn THING is a battle of wills. I always win because I’m good at picking my battles and I never relent, but at what cost? Maddie and I seem to spend the majority of our time together being at odds. I miss playing and having fun with her. Oh sure, we start out that way, but inevitably she needs to push boundaries and shit goes downhill FAST. Gerald and I simply will not tolerate bratty behavior. We refuse to have one of those kids. I believe with all my heart that we’re doing what’s best for Maddie and raising her to be a respectful, polite and honest person but DAYUM! It’s not easy. (Please don’t get your knickers in a twist over this. Yes, we are firm and somewhat strict with Maddie. We are in no way abusive or mean to her. Unless you count forcing her to have clean hair, go to bed at a decent hour and live on something other than chocolate milk and M&Ms. Which she, of course, considers abuse of the most heinous nature.)

I know this is all normal, healthy development, but oh the absolute suckage that is the age of three. I miss my sweet, non-hellbeast of a daughter. I’m positive she misses her patient and kind mama, too.

I’ll just keep reminding myself that this is just a phase and like every other sucky-ass phase we’ve been through (not sleeping, screaming, not eating, teething, etc…) it will end and we’ll be better of for having gone through it. Maybe if I say it enough, I’ll start to believe it.

Category(s): complaining, maddie

12 FebFun Fact Friday – The Catch Up Edition

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  • I took Swistle’s advice and got some Olay products for Teh Wrinkles. I got the Regenerist Regenerating Cream Cleanser, and the Target “compare to Olay” versions of the night cream and the day serum. It’s been a little over a week and I’m already noticing a huge difference in my skin. It seems to drink the night cream and day serum right up. No more flakes or dry patches. This by itself makes my fine lines less obvious. I can’t tell if they are lessening, but I notice them less and that’s what counts. I’ll definitely keep up this regimen. I’ll probably have to switch to something a little lighter than the night cream in the summer months, though.
  • On Friday night, I’m flying out to Vegas to meet Donna, Becky and Shelly for a girls’ weekend away. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. I’ve never been to Vegas and I can’t wait to see my besties. It’s going to be so nice to have one last hurrah before I’m mired down in toddler/newborn/post-partum hormones/brokeness.
  • It snowed 12 inches here yesterday. This is unheard of. In the 14 years that I’ve lived here, we’ve never had accumulation. We always get ice storms. Needless to say, the whole Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex shut the hell down. We all stayed home from work and made mutant looking snowmen. Maddie got to play in the snow for the first time ever, despite us all being completely unprepared wardrobe-wise. Pics to follow.
  • Um, I painted my nails today.
  • I’m still pregnant and miserable.
  • I’m out of facts.
Category(s): friday facts

08 FebFiction

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My new job is quite conducive to listening to music or audio books for the majority of the day. While I must admit that I miss the social interaction of my old job, I’m really enjoying getting to listen to books all day. Since I hear them at work and read them before bed, I figured books would be a great subject to post about. So, here’s what I’m reading (listening to really, but for the sake of brevity, we’re going with reading from now on):

Fool by Christopher Moore – I read Lamb a couple of years ago and promptly fell head over heels in love with Moore. His style, his imagination, his wit… he’s the author equivalent of my soul mate. I’ve read all of his books, and while I enjoyed all of them, none came close to the brilliance of Lamb until Fool. Have you ever seen Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead? If not, you MUST see it immediately. Anyhow, long story short, it’s the story of Hamlet told from the perspective of two minor characters in the play. It’s brilliant. Fool uses much the same concept in that it’s the story of King Lear told from the perspective of a minor character. Namely, the Fool. Moore gives the Fool a background and a personality and really develops quite the likable character out of this “nobody.” He uses a mixture of Shakespearean prose, modern British slang and an ass-load of swearing. (Favorite phrase: fuck stockings.) All in all, I’d put Fool on par with Lamb: Moore at his best.

The Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs – I’ve read these in paper form, but the next installment of the series will be out on 3/30, so I wanted to refresh my memory of the story line. Briggs does a fantastic job creating a believable world where preternatural creatures live amongst humans in tenuous peace. Mercy is a Walker, but Briggs doesn’t use the original Native American idea of skin walker. She adapts it in a way that really makes it wholly her own. The characters in this series are believable and likable. Well, those that you’re supposed to like are, at any rate. I can’t wait to see what’s in story for Mercy in the next book.

The Kitty Norville Series by Carrie Vaughn – This is another series where the supernatural lives along side the mundane. Vaughn’s heroine, Kitty Norville, is a radio talk show host and werewolf. She’s forced to take an alpha role after years of being an abused submissive in her pack. Kitty is intelligent, witty and full of self-doubt and not a little fear. However, she doesn’t let anything stop her from trying to do what’s right. I didn’t bond with the characters in this series as well as I did in the Mercy Thompson books. I have a hard time accepting the relationships that Vaughn has built for Kitty, but it’s not enough to make me dislike the books. Vaughn does a great job in creating her world and making it believable which is difficult to do in the paranormal fiction genre.

Now it’s your turn: What are you reading? I’ll be needing to load up the ol’ iPod again soon, so spill.

Category(s): books, reviews

02 FebVanity

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Since I’ve lost weight, my face has become noticeably older-looking. Without all the fat underneath to plump it up, I look sort of drawn and gaunt.

Also, WRINKLED.

GAH!

Specifically, those pesky naso-labial folds (aka: laugh lines) are aging me. I keep telling myself to wear them with pride as I’ve obviously smiled A LOT in my life, but who am I kidding? I’m only 33 and I’m wrinkled! I’ll be proud to be wrinkled at 50. Not now.

So, here’s where you come in… can you recommend a good, reasonably priced anti-wrinkle concoction? A moisturizer or treatment or something? I’m clueless about this stuff, but I’ve got my finger on the “add to cart” button over at Amazon. Just tell me what to try.

Category(s): complaining, products, where do I come up with this stuff?

28 JanChastised

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As I was leaving work yesterday, another member of my team was teasing me (good-naturedly) about being stupid. I jokingly, and sotto voce, called her a jackass. No big deal, right?

Wrong.

Today, my boss called me into a conference room to chastise me for it. Item The First: There is absolutely NO PROFANITY tolerated in the workplace. Yes, “jackass” counts as profanity. Item The Second: Calling someone a jackass is “name-calling” and could be an HR issue, should anyone want to pursue it. This serves as my “off the record” warning.

Lessons learned: It’s ok to call a coworker stupid, as that is not technically “a name” nor is it swearing. Also, apparently, I’m 8 years old again.

Category(s): Workplace, complaining

25 JanUnfortunate

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Instead of regaling you with my tale of The Terrible Week (hint: premature labor scare! norovirus! broken bones!) here at the Dressed Up Homestead in a blatant attempt to garner your pity, I shall instead talk about pregnancy/babies. Because who doesn’t love babies?

Communists. That’s who.

There are several “unfortunate” developments in my pregnancy. I’ve reached 22 weeks and have begun to waddle. Seriously, I waddled today. I’ve also got that sway-back action going on. I end up with a sore back every evening because I spend the day over compensating for the weight of  my son’s giant penis my womb.

Also, my belly button is no longer an innie. Well, it’s still an innie, but it’s got a serious case of bloat. It’s almost a flatty. Since I was so overweight when I was pregnant with Maddie, my belly button never popped or even got to be a flatty. I thought I’d be thrilled with getting to experience something I consider to be a normal part of pregnancy this go ’round… instead, I feel like a turkey that’s about to be fully cooked. POP!

In other tragic news, I’ve got cankles at the end of every work day. Despite my constant water/decaf iced tea consumption and 50 trips to the bathroom, that is. My feet nearly burst out of my pink ballet flats today. Not exactly the look I was going for this morning when I got dressed. Good thing my office is casual and I don’t have to worry about wearing dress shoes all the time.

The Boy is in perfect condition, btw. A surprise in-depth sonogram last week showed him to be on track and chugging full speed ahead. He weighed 14 ounces and was all formed with no evidence of defects at all. He’s also Very Active like his sister was. He was actually so active today that it was distracting as I tried to work. I swear to gawd he’s doing scenes from A Chorus Line in there. Maddie’s activity level in utero was definitely indicative of her personality, (read: she’s a hyper spaz) so I hold little hope that The Boy will be calm and mellow. I’m pretty much figuring that I’ll spend most of my time chasing them around and wondering why the hell I ever thought having one kid was a good idea, much less two.

But oh, he’s so adorable. I got to see his little face in the sonogram and he looks like a baby now. Not some amorphous blob or alien being. He’s got a little nose and little cheeks and little fingers and toes. I cannot wait to meet him and introduce him to The Best Big Sister EVAR.

Category(s): knocked up, where do I come up with this stuff?

20 JanBright Spots

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I’m spending tomorrow evening with a wonderful woman with whom I spend far too little time. The icing on the cake (or death!) is that we’re seeing Eddie Izzard in concert. I absolutely adore Eddie and honestly never thought I’d get a chance to see him in person in my lifetime. To say that it’s going to be a FABULOUS time is the understatement of the decade.

And as if that weren’t enough, in less than a month I’m meeting Donna, Shelly and Becky in Las Vegas! Can you believe it??!! Although, my first trip to Vegas with three known alcoholics social drinkers while being knocked up isn’t the best timing in the world, but soon I’ll be slaving after two kids and when will I get another chance?

I’m having a hard time adjusting to working full-time again and adjusting to Maddie having a hard time going to daycare and these two bright spots are really helping me maintain a positive attitude. Life sure is better with some BFFs!

Category(s): daily, where do I come up with this stuff?
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