Friday, March 27, 2009

A little too close to home...

I am a BIG fan of grammar blogs. And while I probably run across enough material to start my own, I just don't have the time. But once in a while, a heinous error hits a little too close to home. My thoughtful husband sent me flowers at work for our anniversary earlier this month. He called 1-800-flowers and placed an order over the phone. When asked what he'd like the card to read, he dictated his sentiment over the phone.



But when the BEAUTIFUL flowers got to my desk, this is what the card said:



I wonder what the customer service rep thought "muchrob" was...

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

So I'm Not Crazy: Sickypoo Part Two

The pediatrician just called and it turns out lil' Abby DOES have a kidney infection. I guess they sent the cath culture to the lab and it came back positive for a type of bacteria that their office screening kit doesn't pick up.

And in a weird way, it makes me feel better to know that there is really something wrong and that she's not just teething with 103 degree fever every night. Now they are referring us to a fantastic urologist--he's one of ours at CHOC. And I know we're in good hands--he's the guy that wrote the books about pediatric urology that our residents (and others across the globe) study.
Even though her other studies came back fine a few months ago, she's worried that there might be another underlying cause that might be causing these recurrent infections.

Not to play the Monday morning (or Wednesday afternoon) quarterback, but I KNEW there was something wrong. I know it's lame to invoke mother's intuition here, but I would have bet a million bucks that it wasn't just teething. And it feels extra defeating to have a doc tell you that everything is fine with your baby when you know in your heart it's not. I hear it all the time at work--stories of moms who had to fight tooth and nail to get their kid's doc to believe that there really was something wrong, only to find out later that it is something serious that was overlooked or misdiagnosed by the primary care doc. But then again, I only hear the horror stories of the kids that end up in the hospital, so I have to try and keep it in perspective.

This is going to sound so selfish: I am so incredibly tired of her being sick. I'm sure she is too! So bottoms up to yet ANOTHER round of antibiotics.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Little Sickypoo Abbygoo



Abby got a high fever AGAIN yesterday, so I called my folks (since it was an early evening appointment and Rob was stuck at work) and begged them to come with me to take her to the pediatrician. Because she has a history of rip-roaring kidney infections, they usually end up doing a catheter to get a urine sample, since she can't exactly pee in a cup.

I know it isn't a picnic for her, but it is REALLY hard on me too. My job as the "momma" is to simultaneously help the nurses pin her down and try to soothe her. Meanwhile, she is fighting against us, crying and looking deep in my eyes as if to say "Why have you BETRAYED me!!???"

(Grandpa and Abby waiting for the doc to come in.)
I think it's the one-two punch of seeing my lil' baby in so much pain, and the pregnancy hormones racing through my veins. It usually results in both of us crying. It's a pretty sad sight. So my dad agreed to go in with me for emotional support. But when the nurse came to take us to the procedure room, she said that there was only room for one adult. WHAT?!

So my emotional safety net (dad) stayed back and Abby and I went in. I know, I'm trying to kick the bottle habit, but it seemed to help.After all that, it turns out that she doesn't have a kidney infection. Which is a blessing. But with an unexplained high fever, we're just going to "wait and see."

But that might help explain some of her crazy middle-of-the-night antics as of late. We were up again all night last night. But for now, she's conked out. So now I ask, why am I still up typing when I should be sleeping? Just a few more misc photos and I really am off to bed.

Uncle Miles came over for lunch on Sunday. Abby just loves him:) He's so good with kids.




We went to the park around the corner a couple of weekends ago and tried out the swings. It seemed very unsafe so we made sure Granny or Grandpat were within arm's reach. Here she is with her lil' push/ride along toy. She is her father's daughter.

She really likes to find odd places to have a bottle. Exhibit A.

Monday, March 23, 2009

No Wonder Sleep Depravation is Used As a Form of Wartime Torture

Let's face it. Things around here are busy and getting busier. We've had an incredibly busy and hectic month, with lots of ups and downs. I'm not going to lie--I'll be happy to see the month end next week.

Abby is finally teething, which makes me happy (READ: glad that she isn't teething in 11 weeks when we also have a screaming newborn). But I am in a sort of downward spiral. She has stopped sleeping for longer than a two-hour spurt at night. And she doesn't just wake up with a whimper. It's a full-fledged, teary howl that is enough to push even the most sane (which I don't claim to be) mom over the edge. Poor Abby, she's got five teeth coming in all at the same time. I'd be fussy, too.

It isn't like I can look forward and say "at least in June I'll be able to sleep." I am thinking a little more long term, like "when the girls are in college and don't live here anymore, I'll be able to sleep."

But just because she screams and keeps me up all night, it doesn't mean that I get to skip work the next day. Professional Pam is supposed to show up looking put together. In clean, pressed business clothes, and shoes that aren't Uggs or Old Navy flip flops. As my belly grows, it's getting harder to fit into anything that looks presentable, or shoes that fit. And the WORST part is that I have a job that requires focus and brainpower. So the whole half-asleep thing doesn't really fly. But I make it work because I have to--even though by the time Friday night comes, I find myself literally thanking God that I didn't keel over that week.

A dear friend here at CHOC (who shall remain nameless) told me once that she had a plan to shut her office door and take a nap under her desk, a la George Costanza. She would take a handful of paperclips with her so that if someone came in or knocked, she could simply explain that she had dropped the paperclips under her desk and she was picking them up.

I have so many pictures to post, but they are very random and spread out over the last month. I promise to upload some recent pics with some quirky photo captions sometime in the next couple of days. But if you need me in the meantime, I'll just be here under my desk picking up paperclips.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Happy Birthday Little One

Happy Birthday, Abbygoo!

I can’t believe that it’s been a year since you charged into our lives and hearts. To say that we love you is an understatement. You have brought us joy, hope and a closeness we’ve never experienced!

Here’s to another fabulous 99! We love you dearly.

Xoxo,
Mommy and Daddy

Here is a quick recap of how you spent your first birthday:

We were both feeling under-the-weather today with tummy aches. After a very tearful slumber party with the two of us in the spare bedroom, we were very tired this morning. I called the pediatrician, Dr. Cater, and they were able to fit you in. Little did mommy know that they were going to lump your “1 year well visit” into this one, so you ended up pumped full of shots. We were both glad that Granny Nanny was there to lend a hand since mommy wasn’t feeling well, and mommy does not do well with shots.

At first, you were mad. I don’t blame you.

Then, you were a little better.

Once we got home, we both took long naps while Granny Nanny held down the fort. Sometimes mommy needs to be taken care of too:) And when you woke up from your nap, you were very fussy. You little thunder thighs were probably sore from the shots…

I made you a yummy dinner of your favorite finger-sized pastas. You had a good time eating it, you always do.

Then you were very tired.
Once we cleaned up the spaghetti mess, I chased you around the house as you ran in circles. And after Daddy got home from work, you went to bed.

I'll post Uncle Chris's pictures from your party tomorrow, Mommy is tired and has to go to bed. Love you little one. For everyone else, here's the link to Chris's site: http://photos.christopherwrenphoto.com/gallery/7603344_xcEw7#491604784_xVTUk

Friday, March 6, 2009

Grandma Bernice

Early yesterday morning, Grandma Bernice went home to be the Lord. Thanks for all of your prayers and uplifting thoughts.

I've posted a couple of photos of Abby's first Easter, with Grandma. I have more recent photos (in earlier posts) but these are some of my favorite. We love her and will certainly miss her.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Tough Times

The De Jong family has sure been through a lot lately. Rob's Grandma Benice has been very ill, passing in and out of consciousness in the Intensive Care Unit. And it's with a heavy heart that I share the news that tomorrow, she'll be removed from the breathing machine that's kept her going. Needless to say, the De Jong family needs your prayers as they wade through a lot of very complicated decisions.

These are circumstances beyond our control and that it's truly God's plan for all of this to be happening at the same time. And even if I wanted to change the outcome, I couldn't. And I stopped for a moment to thank God that it's Him in charge, not me. It always seems that in times like these we are forced, through circumstance, to reevaluate what's really important.

And Rob's sister Kim gave birth last week to a happy and healthy baby boy, Nathan John Rockhold. But her delivery wasn't without complications. She actually ended up spending the night in the ICU in the room NEXT to Grandma Bernice. The irony wasn't lost on me--watching a brand new life enter the world, juxtaposed with a very serious illness. But even amidst all of the uncertainty of it all, I was overcome with a very profound sense of peace.

When we're born, we don't know if we'll have 100 days on this earth, or 100 years. And it's a healthy reminder to stay focused on the big picture, and not get bogged down in the small stuff. With everything we're going through right now, knowing that the outcome is all part of God's plan for us is such a comforting thought. The Bible teaches that the only productive thing to do with worry is to pray about it, then let it go. And then refocus your energy on staying positive (Philippians 4: 6-9)

It's very cheesy, I LOVE that Irving Berlin song that Bing Crosby sang in White Christmas, called "Count Your Blessings." I often sing it to Abby as a lullaby:

When I'm worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep. And I fall asleep counting my blessings.

When my bankroll is getting small, I think of when I had none at all. And I fall asleep counting my blessings.

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads, and one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds.

If you're worried and you can't sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep. And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Bath time!

I finally took some photos of our little butterball in the bathtub. Not just for the blog, but to save for her teen years when they'll be extra embarrassing. Like my dad says, "It's wonderful to finally be able to be an embarrassment to my children."

I took a ton, but I saved the full-frontal ones for our private collection. This blog is public-facing and the world is FULL of weirdos. I guess that's the paranoia inflicted on me by Oprah. Here are some with strategically-placed bubbles, toys and washcloths.

I was so happy the day that she had enough hair to make the obligatory bath-time mohawk.