Category Archives: Health

Staple in the head

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Sweet Z-Bird, that poor child had to get a small staple in his head on Tuesday. Not to worry too much … it’s the kind of staple that is used to bind a laceration, used in place of a stitch or medical glue, and Zeke’s cranium should be completely healed by next week.

It all started when we were getting ready to head to NSC for an omnisphere redo with Miss Christie and her brood. We had attempted to see a movie in the high-resolution domed-projection theater the week before, but it had sold out due to field trips en masse.

(Despite our missing the show, we did, of course, manage to have tons of fun with Asher, Jackson and Piper that day — especially outside in the sunshine with all the cool critters.)

So, Miss Christie and I decided to give the omnisphere another shot, but this time with Miss Jessie in tow. Lunches were packed, bags were stuffed with necessities, and we were ready to roll into town a couple hours pre-showtime as to ensure our ticket purchase.

Why we went to Texas: to see our pal, Ryan, tie the knot with his sweetheart, Amanda.

Miss Jessie was grabbing a few things and I was about to lock up the house when we heard Zeke screeching. By the time we made it out to the driveway, we saw that the back of Zeke’s was bleeding. It wasn’t gushing out, but anytime you see blood coming from your kid’s head or face, it definitely strikes the fear of God in you.

Turns out that Houston had pushed Zeke down and he hit his head on a some gravel. Zeke says “Houston was being mean” and did it on purpose, while Houston maintains his innocence, insisting that “I was helping you and Miss Jessie.” See, the best-behaved boy was going to ride with Jessie, so I’m guessing there was a mad dash for her car that resulted in some overzealous policing on Houston’s part.

I was able to stop the bleeding quickly, which lessened my worries. We sadly headed back inside, I canceled our outing, and Jessie and I proceeded to tend to Zeke’s wound. I used my trimmers to remove hair from around the gash, making it easier to apply medicine and enabling us to get a better look at the short, but deep cut.

I got Zeke in to see Dr. Gay, and she decided a staple would work best. Unfortunately, it took two tries to get one in flush with his head, but Zeke handled the trauma extremely well, as he always does with medical-related stuff. And as of today, our boy with the bald spot is doing just fine, thank the Lord!

The Pasadena boys reunite in Dripping Springs for Ryan’s wedding.

I’m still working on getting my health in working order, most notably healing my crunched-up core and its adverse affects on my left hip most specifically. In fact, I had my first orthopedic appointment last Friday with the physical therapist who gave me that free screening at the Y back in February.

The appointment entailed electro massage (painful), firm hand massage (a little less painful), and a forceful bend/snap of my quadratus lumborum muscle back into place (surprisingly not painful). The orthopedist gave me a regimen of home stretches to do, and then I’ll be going back to see him in a few weeks.

After a two-week hiatus, potty training resumed on 4/18. We are using pull-ups this time around, which has decreased some of the stress and mess. We are also pitting the twins against each other in the hopes that competition will motivate at least one of them to master the life skill. So far, there have been no huge breakthroughs, but things are indeed moving along, albeit very slowly.

There have been other (more enjoyable) things going on, besides medical visits and dealing with pee and poop … like another “date” Stephen and I had a few weeks back. We kicked off the romance with a trip to Costco, while Jessie watched the kids. Yep, lame, I know, but a necessary to-do that we both find more enjoyable when done with the other.

Check out this old married couple! (Click to see part 1 pics from our Texas trip.)

Luckily, the fun didn’t stop there. After unloading the perishables at home, we headed back out to a nearby sports bar for cheap eats, drinks and some adult conversation. It was a nice evening of both business and pleasure.

Similarly, Stephen and I took the kids with us downtown for early voting in the NC primary on 4/20. Once we were done with the errand, we treated our well-behaved “guacamole heads” to Mexican for lunch at an authentic joint they had not been to before.

That night, the kids had soccer practice, which was their first in a while because of time off for Easter and spring break. The next morning, it was team picture day and a game. The twins held their own, and Houston scored the only goal for the Marvels. The 3 Amigos were thrilled that both Mommy and Daddy were there to cheer them on, as well as Miss Jessie and Kaylee.

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon my old copy of Charlotte’s Web. (Thanks, Lisa, for passing down these treasures to me and my kids.) On the inside cover, you see my name scribbled in elementary penmanship, along with the name of my first-grade teacher.

The cool find inspired me to read the book to the boys. And despite its lack of pictures, they absolutely love the classic and have even gotten into acting out the story — stellar dramatizations that are replete with pig oinks and squeals.

Gathering @ the Salt Lick w/ some of our favorite Lone Star friends. (Click to see our part 2 photos.)

I was notified earlier this month that Houston wasn’t picked in the lottery drawing for the one charter school in which I was interested. Hes currently 154th on the waiting list.

No worries, though, because I’m increasingly optimistic that I can pull off this homeschooling thing. The book I’m currently reading on what the author calls family schooling is helping me become more confident. Apparently, we’re already doing so much of what needs to be done. Our practice by home-preschooling has readied us for the big leap into official kindergarten instruction.

I don’t have any illusions of grandeur. I know there will be some great days, some awful days, and even days I wonder, “And why did I want to homeschool?!” But I know we can meet the challenges by learning from our mistakes, and repeating and growing upon what works for the kids as individual learners and for the family unit.

I already enjoy the flexibility of homeschooling. For example, when our St. Patrick/Ireland/Viking lesson went a little long due to other curriculum and time restraints, I told Jessie, “We shouldn’t really stress about it. After all, we are not only the teachers, but we are the school administration and the school board. We run the show!”

This Ron Paul portrait, entitled “2012,” was on display in the Austin Airport. Man, you just gotta love Texas!

Likewise, in addition to Mommy, wife, family manager/planner, nurse, housekeeper/chores supervisor, and light gardener/landscaper, I would also include curator in my resume. The boys are so overflowing with creativity and artistic expression that I am constantly changing up their beautiful displays.

Sure, my house looks like a preschool, but I guess it really is. And some of the noted lovely art as of late includes tissue-paper/clothespin butterflies, egg-carton caterpillars, cupcake-liner lillies, popcorn cherry-blossom trees, and origami dogs and foxes.

The latter was from this week’s Japan theme. The dudes like learning about different countries through presentations and activities, but I do believe their favorite part of these lessons is the food.

Just like devouring the meat pie Houston and I made during our Ireland studies, the kids’ Japan highlight was eating a homemade stir-fry and fish feast and drinking tea from saki cups. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, well, perhaps the best way to his brain is the very same path.

Happy belated Easter!

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Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there. — Clarence W. Hall, author

Easter weekend

We kicked off Good Friday with a Moms Club Easter egg hunt. Saturday consisted of geocaching and playing at the park with Daddy, doing a resurrection egg hunt I set up for the boys, Maddie and Dixie, and then watching Puss In Boots.

Houston gets coached on proper shooting techniques during his first time handling a BB gun.

Sidebar: Zeke is now quite passionate about pretending he’s Puss. He discovered some hand-me-down cowboy boots hidden in the closet and wears them proudly, while also donning my Tilley hat snapped up on one side with a feather poking out of a grommet, and a piece of Hot Wheels track (what the 3 Amigos have been using as swords as of late) stuck in the waist of pants.

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime. — Martin Luther

On Easter Sunday, the boys received chocolate crosses and Bible-story puzzles as sweet and simple gifts celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and its significance to us as Christians. Then we attended a glorious church service and spent the afternoon outside, appreciating the exquisitely sunny and temperate weather. It was a lovely weekend for which I am thankful.

The 3 Amigos relish the freshly fallen snow.

From the Lone Star State to the Shenandoah Valley

Stephen and I were in Texas from 3/30-4/2 to go the wedding of one of his dearest pals, Ryan, who was also the best man in our wedding. The nuptials and festivities that followed were held at a private campground in beautiful Dripping Springs. The Hill Country was the perfect backdrop to see Ryan commit to his lovely bride, Amanda; catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances; and rock out late night to an excellent Phish cover band.

We also feasted at the legendary BBQ restaurant, The Salt Lick in Driftwood, and did a lot of chilling in Austin. We devoured authentic pescado y carne de res tacos at a dirty, but delectable roadside joint; munched on ceviche y cordero empanadas at Curra’s Grill; visited H.E.B., the best supermarket in the world, at least four times; and relaxed and slept a bunch at the hotel.

Then the boys and I made an impromptu visit to Roanoke to visit Stephen, who was there for work last week. It was his birthday on 4/5, so we drove up the day before to do dinner. Interestingly, Auntie Lisa also happened to be there on business and was staying in the hotel right beside Stephen’s, so we met up with her for a bit so she could get her 3-Amigo fix.

Of course, the dudes were super excited to sleep in Daddy’s hotel room and then do a continental breakfast with him on his birthday. After that, we trekked up to the Roanoke Star. Although it was drizzly and foggy, we were able to see some good views of the valley, snap some nice photos and take a brief hike before hitting the road for Carolina.

The dudes, Alyssa & snowman, made of not-so-fresh snow.

Critter fever

On 3/26, Houston found an injured winged ant. So, he adopted the flightless bug and named him Jeremy, since J was our letter for the day. Although we were never 100% sure Jeremy wasn’t a termite — yep, these destructive insects look quite similar to winged ants — Houston took great care of him.

Unfortunately, just two days later, the Jeremy died. We had a short funeral for Houston’s beloved ant, buried him on the mountain and marked the spot with a cross made out of found branches.

That evening, the 3 Amigos and I dug in wet soil in search of easier-to-maintain pets for Houston. As of today, earth worms named Hermie, Wormie and Billy have been living quite contentedly in their coffee-can ecosystem.

I had also told the boys about caterpillars — low-maintenance pets that I had every spring as a kid. Houston spotted one on a family walk last Friday, so he brought him home and named him Friendly. A few days later, Friendly got a new pal, who Zeke named Dinky. The two butterfly larva seem to be thriving in their makeshift ecosystem: a Spidey shoe box covered with a thin cloth.

Gabriel as a snowman, made of toilet paper (unused, of course).

Yesterday, the boys stumbled across a baby caterpillar, named Zinky. Regrettably, he wasn’t as lucky as Friendly and Dinky: he was got critically injured by accident this morning, so I had to euthanize him. It was actually quite sad. The 3 Amigos and Jessie buried the tiny, green caterpillar beside Jeremy and marked the spot with another homemade cross.

And then there’s Norman the Nightingale, another critter who has become part of our family this spring. No, we don’t have him in a box, a jar or a cage. Norman simply visits a tree alongside our driveway, which runs up right beside our living room. So, on nice evenings when the windows are open (which are most nights these days), Norman sings us to sleep with his lilting melodies.

Kicking & bouncing

Miss Jessie surprised the boys by showing up to their second soccer practice with her boyfriend, Joseph, and sister, Kaylee. Daddy says the dudes loved having all the “fans” there to watch them play.

The game on 3/24 got rained out, so Granny ended up taking the kids to their first game on 3/31, since Stephen and I were in Texas. Not only did she lug them to the Y, but she also took them to their pal Matthew’s birthday party prior to the game. It was at a bounce place, so the twins were pooped for soccer. But Granny says, “Houston played his little heart out.” Thanks, Granny!

“There’s no snow south of the border, so I’ll wear this sombrero instead,” Zeke says.

From butts to eyeballs to boo-boos

On 4/4, I got official pediatrician approval to take a brief hiatus from potty training. I was going nuts with all the accidents and the cycles of progression to regression. It has been nearly a week of total liberation from the messes, headaches and wasted time that constant accidents produce. But we’ll be back at it as of 4/18 (sigh). Please pray for us … seriously.

On 4/9, Houston went back to the doc for his pink eye, which never fully healed. Turns out, the redness is due to seasonal allergies, so he has to take a daily regimen of oral, nasal and eye meds for the remainder of spring. Poor little dude … well, he now weighs exactly 50 pounds, so I guess he’s big dude … but at least his allergy symptoms aren’t as nasty and severe as when he was a toddler.

Picture this: While sprinting across the grass, Gabriel dramatically trips and falls. Cries of pain echo throughout the backyard. “Are you okay, Gabe? Did anything get hurt?” Miss Jessie asks. “The ground,” he replies.

To check out February photos, click the top pic to see Part 1 and the group snowman shot to see Part 2. You can also view February fun had a Chuck E. Cheese — the boys’ reward for painstakingly earning 30 marks on their good-manners-while-eating chart.

To Ned, Lucky & Dusty w/ love

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Seems I had spoken too soon about Gabriel and Zeke’s headway with potty training. After my positive update on 3/13, I am sad to report that the twins regressed. It was an occasional accident here and there, but major mishaps were becoming the norm.

And then at our playgroup at Miss Amy’s on Friday, both Gabriel and Zeke went doo-doo in their undies. All the Moms Club gals were supportive and consoling, but that was just the last straw for me. So, Stephen (who was also at his wit’s end) and I decided to give up on trying to win this dirty, discontenting battle.

Instead, Gabe and Zeke are now commanding their own ships. Each is at the helm and can steer his boat toward the bathroom or back into diapers. Whatever works for him as captain, but we’re done with the exhausting prodding, the ineffective rewards, and the tireless timed potty breaks.

The boys hesitantly pose with their finally completed Word Wall. (Click to see the January gallery.)

I figure this is a control issue, plain and simple. And the more I try to exert my authority and my rules, the more the twins are going to resist. Let’s face it, the twins know what to do and how to do it; the choice just has to be theirs.

Over the few days that we’ve been more hands-off, the pirate ships of Captain Jack Sparrow (Zeke) and Will Turner (Gabriel) have been sailing on much smoother waters. Maybe it’s due to the cool “Pirates Of the Caribbean” references, but whatever the case, I think this new approach may be just the motivation needed to help each of our stubborn boys charter his own route on these stormy seas. It also serves as a nice break for the rest of us.

Comportment: Beyond the potty

  • CHORES

I started keeping better track of the kids’ chores. Instead of saying, “Hey, who’s gonna help me with laundry?” and having all three gleefully volunteer for the task or none (I’m not sure which was worse), I decided to have one at a time help me with what I’m calling teamwork, as opposed to the less inspirational housework.

Daddy talks snow globes w/ Zeke on New Year’s Day.

This method offers me a conducive environment to instruct said child in the chore at hand (better focus on his part and greater patience on mine), while also helping me more fairly delegate whose turn it is to assist. It’s just a much better use of our time and energy and, so far, seems to me both more effective and enjoyable for everyone.

  • REST

Keeping the boys on a structured sleep schedule is always a feat. Whether it’s coping with Daddy sometimes traveling for work, tweaking our days to fit with Miss Jessie’s college schedule, or getting Miss Karen to babysit for whatever reason, it’s so darn easy for things to get out of whack.

For instance, we used to let the kids stay up late the night when Daddy would arrive home from a biz trip. But we soon realized that this homecoming treat was just asking for trouble, i.e. fatigue-induced meltdowns, lengthy whining spells and pterodactyl boy: when Gabriel or Zeke uses a high-pitch, screeching form of communication, even while saying, “Mommy, I’m being good now. Can I please have some water?”

Moreover, the dudes all intermittently have what Dr. Gay classifies as night terrors, of which a main cause is being overtired. Luckily, these bad dreams are rare, but still, it’s just another reason to remain vigilant in keeping the 3 Amigos on tight nap/nighttime schedule and as rested as possible.

The dudes feast on frozen yogurt during Zeke’s kicking-his-thumb-sucking-habit celebration.

  • MANNERS

An additional hill on which I’m willing to die is the battle for the boys to have good table manners. It has drastically improved from the days of food-throwing and constant drink-spilling, but we still have a long way to go to achieve genteel.

Case in point: the twins often consume at break-neck speed while gulping down huge bites, and this resulted in my having to give Zeke the Heimlich on 3/7. Scary! Then again, I had to use the maneuver on Houston once or twice long ago. And these days, he is pretty dignified during mealtime.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, however you wanna look at it), all the kids exhibit pretty polite behavior while eating out, as recently exhibited at Red Robin and Fuji Sushi, where the dudes ate their first-ever California rolls — a big hit with Houston, but not so much with his cheeky bros. Point is, I suppose progress is being made, however slowly and painstakingly it might be.

Early March saw both Gabriel and Houston regaled with their fancy-dinner rewards. Each dining experience treated the guest of honor to a candlelit meal on a non-plastic plate while drinking from a wine glass or champagne flute. Zeke also recently earned his final signature on the scroll, but we still own him his hoity-toity dinner.

Steve Martin, Chevy Chase & Martin Short: The original 3 Amigos. 

For all you “sons of a motherless goat”

I tagged Houston, Gabriel and Zeke as The 3 Amigos after the 1986 movie of that name. Being that the slapstick motion picture (a la Blazing Saddles) had such an impact on me back then and starred some of the day’s best comedic actors, I just assumed that everyone else knew about the classic flick.

But not so. Miss Jessie hadn’t heard of it or any of its stars, but then again, she’s half my age. So I wrote that off as a generational thing.

Yet, only one of my MOPS gals, who range in age from early 30s to mid-40s, was familiar with the funny film. Oh, the injustice!

I’ll leave you with the immortal words of the 3 Amigos themselves from the Singing Bush scene: Ned Nederlander, “Chip, chip, chip, chip, chip. Nanny!” Lucky Day, “Faaaaaaaarley, farley, farley, faaaarley!” Dusty Bottoms, “Hfurhrmrgurny.” Nuff said.