Poor Finley

Our littlest one is ill. I am afraid the diarrhea and vomiting that Arlington had over the weekend has caught on to our little Finley. She had to come home early today from daycare today it was so bad. Poor baby! Mat was able to leave work early today, so I didn't have to. She is still having it this evening, so it looks like she won't be going to school tomorrow either. I am the lucky one to stay home with her tomorrow. Arlington and Cainan will still be going to school, though. No need keeping them around a sick baby! Especially Cainan who hasn't gotten it. Let's hope he doesn't. Or the rest of us, for that matter! Finley is acting fine - still her silly self. But she has had many diapers today that have been less than desirable! Sigh.

Other than that, things are good. Yesterday I went out to dinner with the other nurses in my district. It was a lot of fun! We chatted for about 2 hours at a yummy Italian restaurant and had a great time. We did talk a few minutes about work related stuff (chuckle chuckle) but mostly it was chatter. We are hoping to be able to get together on a regular basis. It is great to have such a support system in our school. Again, these towns are VERY different than what I am used to. Everyone is NICE to each other - what a concept! I love it, but I it never ceases to surprise me that someone doesn't just walk passed me and duck their head so they don't have to talk. Even me, who is USED to this terrible behavior, have had to come out of my shell to make eye contact and say a warm hello - even if I am the first to respond. It has been great.

Anyway, tonight was my first PTO meeting. It was from 7-9pm!! It was long, but fun. I learned a lot about our new school, and am excited about the programs that our school offers, even being a small school (around 500 kids grades K-8). I really want to be involved in the kid's school, and hoping I get some opportunitites even though I am working full time. The meeting was insightful and I got to meet some new people, which is always great.

Oh, and I got asked by one of the teachers to join her on an outing to see
Jersey Boys (the musical) in Hartford! A couple of teachers are going and she asked me to go too! I was thrilled. She is around my age, so I was hoping we would get to be social outside of school, and I am getting my chance! So I am excited and can't wait to go!

Cainan had his first speech therapy today. It went really well and the speech therapist was very pleased with his responses. His wonderful daycare teachers are eager to participate and continue his goals in between the time the therapist sees him, and that was very promising. The school has a copy of his goals, and will be working with him daily to help him complete those goals. Today at school the teacher told me he said "where is Nathaniel". Can you believe???? A little boy that has a hard time stringing more than 2 words together said this sentence! We were very happy.

Arlington is doing well. I have discovered, though, that she seems to like the nurse. The woman gave her stickers the first time she saw her, and she has been back there again! Today she went down because she said her belly hurt again. The nurse called and said she was there again with a belly ache. I think that Arlington is on the tail end of her illness, and she and I had to have a discussion that the school nurse is REALLY for emergencies or if she is feeling REALLY, REALLY bad. I don't want her to become a frequent visitor to the office! It is a fine line. I want her to go if she needs to, but I don't want her there for minor things that I think she can deal with in class. It is VERY important to me that she stay in class and learn and not think that every little thing at a time she might be feeling a little bored, or distracted, calls for a visit to the nurse for something to do. So hopefully drilling that into her over the next couple of days will work! Nice mom/nurse I am right????

Here are just a few pictures I took of the kids in their pjs. I am not good with pictures on Tuesday! Enjoy!

First full week of school

This was both Arlington, the babies and my first full week of school. It actually went by very quickly! We did have one downside - Arlington was pretty sick on Thursday night into Friday. Thursday night she had a stomach bug (and I will spare you the details), but it kept her up until about 11pm. She felt better Friday morning - no fever, and wanted to go to school. So I sent her and she kept her meals light. But by 2pm, she did have to go and see the school nurse because she wasn't feeling well. She used the bathroom and felt better. It did last until Friday evening, but she has been fine all day today. I guess she had a little stomach bug. Poor little girl. I am glad she has felt better today.

Finley is doing well. She still has a runny nose, but it is mild. I have a feeling she will have that awhile if it is anything like the last time she attended daycare. But she is feeling and acting fine, which is a plus.

Cainan also has a runny nose. It doesn't seem to be bothering him, either. He still hasn't started speech therapy. I called Easter Seals 4 times this week, and finally got a human being on Friday. She told me that my case worker was on vacation all week, but that they would call Monday to set up a start date. I complained that it was supposed to start September 1st, but she didn't have an answer for that. So hopefully I will get him started with that this week.

My job is still going well. The kids are a hoot. I have heard some real zingers this week from the little ones! It has been fun. I have a fondness for most of the teachers and staff, and love being able to work with them to keep the kids in class. I have a few favorite students, and a few frequent visitors! I have a diabetic patient that I see several times a day and he is hysterical. He is a 3rd grader and tells me the funniest stories. I am officially off of orientation and ready to be on my own. I will miss the person who was orienting me, though! She was good company during the day.

This weekend has been pretty productive! I cleaned the playroom - like really cleaned it throwing things away and reorganizing. It felt good! And we did some grocery shopping and some TV shopping. I don't know if I mentioned - our main TV bit the dust this week. I am sad in a way because we really weren't looking to by a TV right now. This TV was 8 years old and has moved about 6 times, so I think it has done pretty well for us. We did some shopping today and will do a little more research tonight and then buy a new TV. I didn't realize it was only flat screens now. How out of the loop am I?

I have been hooked on a book series lately. Has anyone out there read Stephanie Meyer's series that starts with Twilight? It is pretty good. I am on the third of 4 books. I have been listening to the last two as books on CD and that has been entertaining to and from work on my 30 minute a way drive. I think the books are pretty good. There are no Harry Potters, but if you are looking for a light read, these are fun. I am looking forward to the movie "Twilight" that is coming out in November

I have a few pictures below. Now that I am working I have been bad about taking pictures. I need to get better!
Enjoy!

September 11th

Today we remember one of the worst days in our history. 7 years ago today thousands of people lost their lives and 1000's were seriously injured. I remember where I was. I was working at the Hopkins Children's hospital in Baltimore. We were close to Washington DC, so when everything started happening, they locked down our hospital and we weren't allowed to leave. We were prepared to get many injuries to find that most people had perished. It was a hard day. Hard to watch on TV and do nothing. Hard to shield the kids from what was happening. I look back now and see that this has made a lot of country become a country of fear. The airports are so different. The way we view people is different.

I give a blessing for all the wonderful people in my life on this day (as well as every other!) and remember how lucky I am. I am very blessed for my husband and children and my family and friends. I don't want my children to grow up in fear, but in love. I want them to learn that basically, people are good - sometimes you just have to look a little harder. I hope my children's world is always filled with love for each other and not hate. It has to start with me and Mat. I know that if we teach them right, hate will not prevail.

Everyone is sick Tuesday

Ah the fall. The breeze is blowing, the air is crisp,the temperature is perfect, and everyone is sick. Hey, that rhymed! I am a genius.

Anyway, everyone in my house (but me) is sick right now. All three kids have head colds, and Arlington has laryngitis. I am hoping she gives that to Finley (just kidding). Mat is even feeling under the weather and has a cough. Gotta love daycare and school! My poor kids got hit the first week in. But they are all still happy, just suffering through and mostly a little tired. I am sure I will be the next one to get it.

Things are going well. We had a great start to the week. Arlington is doing great and is off to a great start in school. She even has homework and she loves doing it. Let's see how long that last! Finley hasn't cried this week at all about attending school. She went willingly both days, and that has been a relief. I am on my own dropping the three crazies off each morning, so for her to go peacefully has been a blessing. I was smart this past Sunday and laid out all of our clothes for the whole week (the three kids and mine - Mat passed!!), and packed all the lunches for all 5 days! I was proud. Now, each evening when I come home I am not having to stand around and fix lunches for the next day or pull clothes off. I can just hang with the kids, help Arlington with her work, and make dinner.

I have my own homework now anyway. Being new to the job, AND being the beginning of the year, I have work I bring home each evening. It isn't much, and I know soon I won't have to do that anymore. I don't mind, really. While I am watching TV, I play catch up and then at work I can concentrate on more important things. I still see between 30-40 kids a day, which in a school of 250 kids, that seems like a lot! But minor things, of course. Yesterday one class sent me 9 kids with a stomach ache. Hmmmmmm...... So I finally had to say - "okay, everyone is fine!" It was funny. I definitely am forming a fan club. :) I see some of the same kids a lot, and that is funny. I will have to get hard on them eventually, but that is going to be hard! I had a Kindergartener come to me today who banged his head on a desk, and he was afraid. I asked him his name, and he told me and then said, "I'm the new kid in town". Too much! I could just eat the little ones. Even the 4th graders are cute. (my oldest kids!)

Most of the staff has been great. There are a few teachers that seem a little nuts and if Arlington was at that school I wouldn't want her in their class. But I LOVE a few and I am so glad for a few co-workers my age. Overall it is a really great group. Oh and this week I had my first case of.........head lice. Whaaaaaaaa!!! Seems a bit early to be initiated into that group. (sob). Let's hope that was the last time. (chuckle chuckle)

So anyway, we were really busy and I didn't have time for pictures this week and I do apologize! I promise to be better.

Take care!

Rain rain go away

Actually, I don't really mean that. When it rains, I don't have to water my yard!! That is always a good thing. :) Thanks to Tropical Storm Hanna, who will be hitting our house in a few hours, we are getting a days worth of rain. The kids are going kind of bananas in the house today due to the fact that we haven't been able to go outside at all, and that has been a little tough.

Things are pretty good. This was Arlington's first week of school and the babies first week of daycare. Arlington and Cainan LOVED every minute. Arlington even loves Kindergarten enrichment and her afterschool program. She always whines when I am there to pick her up because she wants to stay longer! And Cainan is all smiles and saying hello to everyone when we arrive and byes when we leave.

Finley on the other hand......is Finley. Always the drama queen, she has not been as happy with the transition to school. She did fine the first day, but then the next three, not so much when we dropped her off. She would cry and say "no school". The teachers say she is fine 5 minutes after we leave and is all smiles all day. I am sure!! We did this routine with her at her last school and after about 2 weeks, she was over it and loved going. She is just spoiled. And, of course, (for all of you who know her) she has a cold. Of course. She even ran a low grade fever on Friday and the school thought I might have to come for her. But it came down on its own and hasn't returned. Sigh. It is going to be a long couple of months. Now that she has a runny nose, it probably won't disappear for a few months. Poor girl. She just has a weak immune system.

Finley, today got into red paint. I tell ya - can't leave her alone for even a few minutes. The babies wanted to play in the playroom, so they went downstairs, and I wanted to clean up the morning dishes before heading down. It wasn't even 3 minutes, and up she came. She was covered in red paint. Her lovely older sister had left it out last night and she got ahold of it. At first, I thought she was bleeding, but it was paint. And no only was it on her and her clothes, it was on the steps, the wall, and our CARPET in the basement. I was very sad about that. Luckily for us, our basement has the FLOR carpet squares, so I was able to change out the painted ones for some clean ones. But she was still in really big trouble! Bad baby.

But the preschool is great. They have a small class, and a small ratio, and the kids are doded on all day. The babies are eating REALLY well there and are getting a lot of attention. And Arlington is getting a lot of extra Kindergarten learning in the morning before she leaves for school in her enrichment class. They mimick the school's activities so she gets extra worksheets and extra cirriculum and I love that. I have hated that Kindergarten was only 1/2 day, so this is nice.

Cainan will be starting speech therapy again, hopefully this week. We got his IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) in the mail and he is all set. After this year, when he turns three, the public school will take over his speech therapy and he will get an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) from then on each year until he no longer needs the service. The service is VERY inexpensive, and they will see him once a week at the daycare, which is cool (the service comes directly to wherever he is). I am anxious for him to start again, and hope between them and daycare, his speech will get clearer. He gets better every day.

Arlington also started fall soccer today. It is from 8:30-10am for the next 6 Saturdays. She got it in before it started raining. Mat is an assistant coach for the team, so they went together this morning. She loves going and can't wait to actually get to play some real games - which will come when she is older!

Tomorrow we are going to church - FINALLY! We have been very bad about that. Tomorrow starts the fall sessions at our local church and sign ups for Bible School are then. I need to check to make sure bible school for Arlington is the same time as church service. That would be the best, but we will see. Arlington loves bible school, so it starts up not tomorrow but next week. She will be excited about that.

That is all that is up this weekend! I only have a few pictures - I am sorry. They are from last weekend and a few others, I think. Last weekend we had a fun set of guest. Our friends the Dominquez family came to visit us on Sunday! It was great! They were are wonderful neighbors while we were in Florida, and about 1 year before we left Florida they moved to New York for a job transfer. We were so sad to see them go - their girls are around our girl's ages, and they always had fun playing together. So when Belinda called to say they were going to be in the area and wanted to come for a visit we were VERY excited! We haven't seen her girls in a while and they are getting so big! They are 7 and 4 now. When we first met them, the girls were 4 and 1!! So different. The kids had a blast together. They stayed all afternoon and left around 7pm to head home. We were so greatful for their visit and now that they are only 1 1/2 hours away from us, we hope to see them more often.

Today is my Grandmother Bonnie's birthday. She is 83 today. She looks like she is about 50 years old.!! She is a beautiful lady both inside and out. We are very very lucky to have someone like her as a grandmother. You will not meet someone more giving, compassionate, firey, God loving, humble, life loving, beautiful person EVER. Her passion for life and love are unparallel to anyone I have ever know, and I strive to be even 10% of the woman she is. Happy Birthday to the best Grammy and GiGi in the world.


On a sad note, today my grandmother Bonnie lost her sister, Angie. How sad to have someone you love so much die on your birthday. Angie was my grandmother's youngest sister. She has been sick for a few months and even though we all prayed that she would get better, she lost her battle today. She was surrounded by her children and family when she passed into God's hands today. Now she will be an angel in Heaven watching out for us. My Aunt Angie was firey just like my Grandmother! Just thinking about her now makes me smile because she was a terrific lady and we grew up spending a lot of time with her. My family is small and very close, so we knew many of our extended family members very well. She will be missed terribly.

Enjoy the pictures. Oh - in some of the pictures you will see what happens to Cainan with two sisters. One - Arlington has put a diaper on him on the outside of his clothes. In the other, Finley has gotten ahold of the sunscreen and put it in his hair. Sigh.

Stand Up To Cancer

I hope most of you watched this on TV tonight and will donate to Cancer research. We all know someone who has lived, died or survived cancer, and we are SO CLOSE to a cure. Cancer will stop in our life time. I am sure of it.

Arlington

Today was Arlington's first day of Kindergarten. I can't believe we have a child in Elementary school. It doesn't seem real! Where did the last 5 1/2 years go? This post is only going to be about our little girl. We had a fun weekend and some surprise visitors, and I will blog about them on Saturday.

Anyway, Arlington was so excited this morning. She got right up when I went in to get her. Mat stayed home from work today, but we needed to get the babies to their first day of daycare (which went fine BTW). I got her up and got her dressed and did her hair and sprayed it so much that it didn't move the whole day! Daddy was nervous about having to do it again, so we wanted to make sure he didn't have to.

After dropping the babies off at daycare, I went on to work and Mat and Arlington came home for their "first day of school" breakfast. Which was.....pancakes of course! For all of you who know Arlington, she could live on these things. She and Mat watched cartoons and played all morning until it was time to catch the bus at 12:00. She did such a good job. She was excited to see the bus come and she and our little neighbor hopped on the bus and away they went!

We did have one little snag in our perfect day. Even after a phone call, and email, a letter to the teacher, and a daycare reminder to the school, they sent Arlington home on the wrong bus. Imagine our panic this afternoon when we saw the bus and didn't see Arlington on it. They had sent her accidentally to the daycare. I was really mad and called the school and gave them "what for" on the phone as we drove to the daycare to get our little girl. Arlington told us she even told them she was going home, but no one believed her. Poor thing. She was fine though - took it in stride, like always. She was happy and playing when we got there. The daycare even apologized because they tried to help and the school still did it wrong. Oh well. Hopefully tomorrow they will send her to the daycare - where she NEEDS to go!

Anyway, she was so excited and talked all the way home. We even took her to McDonald's for a special treat for her first day of school (and the bus incident). She and the babies bounced off the walls all night, so we finally had to shoo them outside to play before they went nuts.

But she had a great day. She had a little name tag at her desk. She has "special" activities everyday (art, music, gym). She loved her teacher. She made some friends. She loved the bus. She loved aftercare. And she didn't cry at all. (although her mom can't say the same!) She is just a big girl. Arlington is the kind of girl that will always - at least to us - be mature beyond her years. She is smart, thoughtful, kind, caring and will always be a good friend to everyone. We have always taught Arlington that you never judge anyone - you accept EVERYONE for who they are. And she has taken that advice and run with it. I am proud of the girl she is becoming and the woman I know she one day will be. I couldn't ask for a better daughter, and her siblings have the best sister in the world. Arlington is as unique and special as her name. And she will always be my baby - no matter how big she gets.

So we sent her off into the world today. I decided to put together a little video below of our girl over the years. It is only 5 minutes long, so I hope you will watch it. Make sure you turn the volume on your computer so you can hear the music. The pictures of her first school day are at the end!!!

Enjoy!