Hanging out at Michelle's, like usual, today and well, there was more bloodshed again! So far Melody lost her first tooth and Michelle's and fell and cut her hand open needing stitches, and other things to cause blood and now today, she rammed her nose into Amanda's head while running around outside. She started crying so hard at first I could only hear her gulp. We got the bloody nose stopped but not before her feet, legs, clothes and face were covered in blood. Upon getting the blood flow dammed up, she told me of her desire to go home. I loaded her up in the car and as we were driving she said to me "Mom, Amanda's head is made out of wood." I couldn't let her see me laugh so I'm giggling about it now.
Sorry about the blood still on your driveway Michelle. If it is still there in the morning, I will hose it off.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
karate kid with missing teeth and the cutest chicken with tap dancing feet...... a blogging update
Well, I guess I've been away long enough and now I am going to have to give a huge update..... I guess we will start with the beginning of the madness.... My sister put her kids in karate and since Melody was hanging out with them everyday while I went to work my sister put her in the karate class with them. When the kids received their first belt (white) their instructor had them break a board. Watching the kids line up and each take their turn was so exciting. All of them asked if they could keep their boards so, yes, I have a broken board in my house. You usually toss broken boards or burn them in the fire but I have a very good feeling no more harm shall come to this poor defenseless board.
I dropped Melody off for a day of hanging out with her cousins and karate lessons with a full mouth of teeth, when I picked her up after karate class a tooth was missing. Michelle informed me that she didn't know when it fell out but thought that I knew about it and just forgot to mention it to her..... nope, never did find the tooth.... Melody was so upset that the Tooth Fairy doesn't come unless you put your tooth under the pillow and she didn't have a tooth to put under her pillow but she knew she deserved a visit from the Tooth Fairy. She asked me if she could stay up all night so that she could talk to the Tooth Fairy and let her know what happened so that she could still get paid for the missing tooth. It took a bit of convincing but eventually we wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy that said "I can't find my tooth. Can I still have $1" The Tooth Fairy luckily obliged and Melody got over the missing tooth. I, however, have not. I feel like I missed out on a life experience with my daughter.
A few days later, we lost Grandpa to his battle with cancer. Melody, being Melody, made it a bit more difficult on us. I was asked to play the music for Grandpa's funeral but knowing that Melody would most likely act up and that I can't guarantee that my hand and wrist would hold up, I asked one of my sisters to come and help. I played a bit of the prelude music, then tended to family matters. As mourners, we sang a song together and I got up to lead the music and promptly had Melody wrapped around my leg. As I began to lead the music, Melody tackled me and became upset with me because she didn't want me to help others to sing a song. Joe was able to pry her off of me and take her into the hall to which all of the mourners heard a very loud "I HATE YOU!"..... Why is it that children learn the word "hate" and the "f" bomb from birth even if they aren't used around them (at least that most parents are aware of).
Melody has prepared and practiced for her dance recital since January and I must say, I know I'm a bit prejudiced and all being her mother, but she was the best tap dancing chicken on the stage. Her dance recital was one week ago tonight. They danced to "The Wizard of Oz". Her whole dance school did a wonderful job, but, of course, my kid was the best!
The photo that I've attached to this posting was taken on June 12th at Melody's Aunt Alessia's wedding. Joe recently updated my laptop and I backed everything to an external hard drive that I have promptly missplaced. As soon as it is located, I will post more pictures.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Why oh why?
Why oh why do children make it their calling in life to torture their parents? I guess as I tell Melody, "it's my God given right to make your life miserable." Tonight (this morning?) she is returning the favor. As I lay here, writing this post on my laptop, I can hear her down the hall, singing. I have repeatedly told her to go to bed and have been quite unsuccessful. Is this God's way of getting back at me for bragging that she started sleeping through the night at 3 weeks old? Bragging that when she started sleeping through the night it was for 12 hours at a time? She still sleeps for about 11 hours so I'm sure she isn't going to be happy when I wake her up early to get her to my sister's early so that I can get a few hours of work in before our joint appointment at the allergist.... just heard her sneeze again... maybe that's what is keeping her awake. Glad we see the allergist in a few hours. We both need it.
Some of the things she says still suprise me, thrill me, make me laugh, and make me cry. She is definately mine, even if DNA says otherwise. She had a tough morning of things just not going right. She started to take her frustrations out on me and upon seeing me starting to get upset, she gently climbed into my lap and whispered, "mom, I love you". Talk about softening my heart. She knows how to push all of my buttons, good and bad. She cracks me up right now with her 2 loose teeth. She isn't quite sure what to make of them. I keep telling her to wiggle them. At her last dentist appointment (3 cavities and 1 broken tooth), you could see 6 teeth are closing to falling out. I'm excited for the toothless grin. It is so cute on children.
Off the subject, my favorite waitress disappeared so to speak. Everytime I have gone to this particular restaurant for a while, I've looked for her and tried to be seated in her area. Well, I was looking at some of the obituaries tonight and happened to catch her name. I will miss sitting in her area and laughing with her wit and charm. She was always wonderful to Melody and always told me how beautiful she thought she was.... even when Melody was misbehaving, it never seemed to bother her. She would just laugh and clean up the mess or entertain Melody's request. I don't recall ever seeing anyone she didn't get along with or seeing her get upset with anyone. I hope my reciprocations to her were as appreciated as she always made me and my family feel. I always tried to leave her a little something extra and requested her area whenever I could and made comments to management at the restaurant whenever I could. I hope all of us can treat each other with as much unconditional love as she showed me and my family.
Now I must go because I hear Melody actually running around and it is 1am. Off to rock my Melody to sleep before I fall off my rocker for lack of sleep.
Some of the things she says still suprise me, thrill me, make me laugh, and make me cry. She is definately mine, even if DNA says otherwise. She had a tough morning of things just not going right. She started to take her frustrations out on me and upon seeing me starting to get upset, she gently climbed into my lap and whispered, "mom, I love you". Talk about softening my heart. She knows how to push all of my buttons, good and bad. She cracks me up right now with her 2 loose teeth. She isn't quite sure what to make of them. I keep telling her to wiggle them. At her last dentist appointment (3 cavities and 1 broken tooth), you could see 6 teeth are closing to falling out. I'm excited for the toothless grin. It is so cute on children.
Off the subject, my favorite waitress disappeared so to speak. Everytime I have gone to this particular restaurant for a while, I've looked for her and tried to be seated in her area. Well, I was looking at some of the obituaries tonight and happened to catch her name. I will miss sitting in her area and laughing with her wit and charm. She was always wonderful to Melody and always told me how beautiful she thought she was.... even when Melody was misbehaving, it never seemed to bother her. She would just laugh and clean up the mess or entertain Melody's request. I don't recall ever seeing anyone she didn't get along with or seeing her get upset with anyone. I hope my reciprocations to her were as appreciated as she always made me and my family feel. I always tried to leave her a little something extra and requested her area whenever I could and made comments to management at the restaurant whenever I could. I hope all of us can treat each other with as much unconditional love as she showed me and my family.
Now I must go because I hear Melody actually running around and it is 1am. Off to rock my Melody to sleep before I fall off my rocker for lack of sleep.
Friday, April 24, 2009
and life continues....
Anyone who says life is boring is kidding themselves.... I run from sun-up to sun-up and I'm lucky when I don't have a great urge to fall asleep while attempting amazing feats like playing with my daughter, chasing the dogs, or catching up with my hubby after a long day apart.
I spent last night up listening to Melody cough. Tried what I could, I couldn't get it under control and the 3 of us (daddy included) had a rather restless night. I took it in my power today to fight insurance companies and find help for Melody's cough. She had this same cough starting last April and it took until June to get rid of it. Letting her cough until June is unacceptable. Last year, I worked with her pediatrician until all resources were exhausted and an appointment with the pulmonary department at the local children's hospital was made. In a last ditch effort (pulmonary couldn't get her in until July), I called my allergist and found out that he does pediatrics as well and set an appointment for Melody immediately. Unfortunately, at the age of 4, children can't tell you whether the cough is coming from the throat or chest. After a couple trial and errors and a full run of allergy scratch testing (poor kid, I had to use her as a guinea pig) we found a medication to use in a nebulizer that made her cough a bunch of crap up and all was good. The allergist told me to follow up with the pediatrician and that the only thing she was allergic to is grass. Well, I took it upon myself not to call the pediatrician's office this time but called the allergist as soon as I could. The allergist is out of town but due to the nature of this and the fact that Melody is only 5 and most cold/allergy remedies for children under 6 have been pulled from the market, they called another allergist and I recieved a phone call back. After following instructions from the "on call allergist"... I don't know for sure who you are but thank you, Melody is sleeping quietly on the couch and has an appointment to see the allergist as soon as he gets back in town.
I learned another important lesson while going through all of this dealing with insurance companies. I've been on the phone with doctor's offices and pharmacies over prescriptions medications and Melody's cough. Aparently, the people who work in the pharmacutical side of insurances don't know what meds you can buy and try over the counter. Well, while verifying Melody's coverage, I called my insurance company (yes, my family is divided amongst insurance companies, we aren't all on one policy) to let them know that I was quite upset that they wanted me and my husband to go through the "step" program for prescribed meds that both he and I were put on a while ago. What gives the insurance companies the right to tell the doctor that he has to put us on a "lessor/cheaper" medication? Well, I let the poor guy on the phone know in no uncertain terms that I was quite upset that my hubby was having to repeat the "step" program for a med he's been on for one year and that they were requiring me to do the same thing for a med I had been on for 2 months. The insurance guy remained calm with me and explained, "Well, there is no records of you or your husband ever having prescriptions for these medications that we are requiring." I quickly responded with "Have you ever heard of 'over the counter'?" He asked what that had to do with anything and I explained to him that I had already bought the meds that they insisted Joe and I switch to over the counter and they weren't working. I asked him why he was wasting his time, my doctor's time, and my own time and playing with our health to make us take something we had already been on because he didn't research and when my doctor sent in the letter telling them we had already been on these different meds why he didn't believe that was possible simply because a prescription had not been written for something I could buy off of the shelf? He quickly responded with an apology and a few button clicks later the hold for our meds were released and I was able to pick them up from the pharmacy. Calling out insurance companies aparently works!
Thanks to anyone who read my rant tonight. I needed to get it out. I guess I can't say tonight, it is 1:30 am. Guess I better go to sleep cuz tomorrow is scheduled to be another busy day.
http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=639
Please cut and paste the above link into your web address box and urge your senators and congressmen to keep the tax deduction to help offset the costs of adoption. Without the tax deduction I'm not so sure I would have Melody in my life.
Good night, or should I say good morning?
I spent last night up listening to Melody cough. Tried what I could, I couldn't get it under control and the 3 of us (daddy included) had a rather restless night. I took it in my power today to fight insurance companies and find help for Melody's cough. She had this same cough starting last April and it took until June to get rid of it. Letting her cough until June is unacceptable. Last year, I worked with her pediatrician until all resources were exhausted and an appointment with the pulmonary department at the local children's hospital was made. In a last ditch effort (pulmonary couldn't get her in until July), I called my allergist and found out that he does pediatrics as well and set an appointment for Melody immediately. Unfortunately, at the age of 4, children can't tell you whether the cough is coming from the throat or chest. After a couple trial and errors and a full run of allergy scratch testing (poor kid, I had to use her as a guinea pig) we found a medication to use in a nebulizer that made her cough a bunch of crap up and all was good. The allergist told me to follow up with the pediatrician and that the only thing she was allergic to is grass. Well, I took it upon myself not to call the pediatrician's office this time but called the allergist as soon as I could. The allergist is out of town but due to the nature of this and the fact that Melody is only 5 and most cold/allergy remedies for children under 6 have been pulled from the market, they called another allergist and I recieved a phone call back. After following instructions from the "on call allergist"... I don't know for sure who you are but thank you, Melody is sleeping quietly on the couch and has an appointment to see the allergist as soon as he gets back in town.
I learned another important lesson while going through all of this dealing with insurance companies. I've been on the phone with doctor's offices and pharmacies over prescriptions medications and Melody's cough. Aparently, the people who work in the pharmacutical side of insurances don't know what meds you can buy and try over the counter. Well, while verifying Melody's coverage, I called my insurance company (yes, my family is divided amongst insurance companies, we aren't all on one policy) to let them know that I was quite upset that they wanted me and my husband to go through the "step" program for prescribed meds that both he and I were put on a while ago. What gives the insurance companies the right to tell the doctor that he has to put us on a "lessor/cheaper" medication? Well, I let the poor guy on the phone know in no uncertain terms that I was quite upset that my hubby was having to repeat the "step" program for a med he's been on for one year and that they were requiring me to do the same thing for a med I had been on for 2 months. The insurance guy remained calm with me and explained, "Well, there is no records of you or your husband ever having prescriptions for these medications that we are requiring." I quickly responded with "Have you ever heard of 'over the counter'?" He asked what that had to do with anything and I explained to him that I had already bought the meds that they insisted Joe and I switch to over the counter and they weren't working. I asked him why he was wasting his time, my doctor's time, and my own time and playing with our health to make us take something we had already been on because he didn't research and when my doctor sent in the letter telling them we had already been on these different meds why he didn't believe that was possible simply because a prescription had not been written for something I could buy off of the shelf? He quickly responded with an apology and a few button clicks later the hold for our meds were released and I was able to pick them up from the pharmacy. Calling out insurance companies aparently works!
Thanks to anyone who read my rant tonight. I needed to get it out. I guess I can't say tonight, it is 1:30 am. Guess I better go to sleep cuz tomorrow is scheduled to be another busy day.
http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=639
Please cut and paste the above link into your web address box and urge your senators and congressmen to keep the tax deduction to help offset the costs of adoption. Without the tax deduction I'm not so sure I would have Melody in my life.
Good night, or should I say good morning?
Saturday, January 31, 2009
It's about time....
Well all, I guess it is about time to update everything going on. Christmas was bitter sweet. Melody adored it. She still plays with pretty much everything from Christmas everyday. She loves going in her room and watching movies with mom.... it is nice for me because there is a lot less fighting to get her to bed and we spend time together almost every night. She absolutely adores dance and told her pediatrician recently that she wants to be a dancer when she grows up. Now she is questioning me as to why she has to start school and learn to read and write if she is going to be a dancer.... What does dancing have to do with reading and writing??? I've been having a lot of fun telling her all the reasons going to school will help her being a dancer.
For the bitter part... as most people know there have been issues with my husband's empoyment and they continue.... I spent the Friday before Christmas in the ER and the doctors never did figure out what was wrong with me but they were able to get me stablized and sent home to rest which, of course, I didn't do. The next day, in my weekness, fell down the stairs at the family Christmas party and landed with my foot buckled under me which, promptly, my foot turned purple. Did I go in like I should have and have it x-rayed? Of course not. I did see my doctor today and he checked it out and informed me that I have upset some nerves in my foot but it will hopefully continue to heal... and the best news.... the screw that was put in my foot 1 year ago is still in place. Whew... dodged surgery.... add in the extended family illnesses, etc. and the holidays weren't very sweet.
Let me go back to the sweet now. So many people have come forward in our lives and blessed us with wonderful gifts that have allowed us to keep food in our tummies, a roof over our head, and utilities to keep the house warm and bright. I will never be able to show enough gratitude for everyone's help, prayers and well wishes. Let me say now THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
For the bitter part... as most people know there have been issues with my husband's empoyment and they continue.... I spent the Friday before Christmas in the ER and the doctors never did figure out what was wrong with me but they were able to get me stablized and sent home to rest which, of course, I didn't do. The next day, in my weekness, fell down the stairs at the family Christmas party and landed with my foot buckled under me which, promptly, my foot turned purple. Did I go in like I should have and have it x-rayed? Of course not. I did see my doctor today and he checked it out and informed me that I have upset some nerves in my foot but it will hopefully continue to heal... and the best news.... the screw that was put in my foot 1 year ago is still in place. Whew... dodged surgery.... add in the extended family illnesses, etc. and the holidays weren't very sweet.
Let me go back to the sweet now. So many people have come forward in our lives and blessed us with wonderful gifts that have allowed us to keep food in our tummies, a roof over our head, and utilities to keep the house warm and bright. I will never be able to show enough gratitude for everyone's help, prayers and well wishes. Let me say now THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Let's dance
Well, Melody started formal dance lessons yesterday (Saturday). I hate to brag but she's a natural unlike me and Joe. We both have 2 left feet, but not her. She went straight into that dance studio and did everything the instructor told her to do and did it as though she had taken lessons before. If you can't tell, I'm very proud of her. I keep trying to download the photos from her first dance lesson but the computer keeps stalling on me. I will get them uploaded shortly.
I don't think I will get in trouble for this so since some of you have asked, here's the address to my etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6518517
I don't think I will get in trouble for this so since some of you have asked, here's the address to my etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6518517
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
update on Joe
For all of you checking on how Joe is doing, here's the update: His last comment to me Sunday night was "I don't feel right, I have a feeling you are going to have to take me to the doctor tomorrow." Well, Monday morning came with a call immediately to the doctor's office as soon as they opened with a request to get him in quickly. I'm so glad we have the primary care physician that we do have because I like him, he's good, and he got Joe in quickly Monday morning. Joe's lips swelled up again and they went numb. It appears to still be some sort of infection raging in his face. The doctor doesn't think the urgent care doctor treated him with antibiotics long enough so now the poor guy faces round number 2 of antibiotics. These antibiotics are some of the strongest available and some of the most expensive I've ever seen. $10 per pill after insurance and a discount coupon our doctor found for us. Luckily he only has to be on this antibiotic for 5 days. We are all praying that it works. Today, his face seemed a bit less swollen but I guess I can't expect the infect to go away after only 1 dose of medicine. Please pray that the infection isn't drug resistant.
Now to update Melody. She is so excited to be starting dance lessons Saturday. I think she is going to be darling in her little dance outfits twirling away. I will have to post pictures as soon as I have some. She keeps telling me how much she needs to practice. I think she is bummed that I won't get her tap shoes out and let her practice with them. Do you blame me? She can still practice ballet and insists on showing me her new moves as much as possible.
Now to update Melody. She is so excited to be starting dance lessons Saturday. I think she is going to be darling in her little dance outfits twirling away. I will have to post pictures as soon as I have some. She keeps telling me how much she needs to practice. I think she is bummed that I won't get her tap shoes out and let her practice with them. Do you blame me? She can still practice ballet and insists on showing me her new moves as much as possible.
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