Be Grateful There Aren't Pictures

I am serious about that title. Please stop for a moment and send thanks to me that there are not pictures accompanying this post. Moving on...

This story begins with L's father-in-law being nice. L doesn't get to the Temple for her church very often due to a lot of miss-prioritizing and a little legume we like to call Peanut. Anyway L's father-in-law arranges for L to do a session at the Temple on Wednesday while he watches the 'Nut outside. Problem solved. L is excited.

However, on Tuesday Peanut is a little clingy in the morning and after being up for about a half hour he vomits twice in the living room. It's not a big deal, especially since he hasn't eaten anything yet and as he has been having problems with allergies L chalks it up to that appealing-sounding sinus drainage. She watches what he eats all day and isn't overly concerned.

Wednesday he's still not back to normal but not even any vomit. L's sister, from here on out to be known as 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever', comes over and dyes eggs with L and 'Nut and much fun is had. Although 'Nut seems mostly back to normal L determines she doesn't want him running around too much outside yet so has Ox take off work early to watch the 'Nut and she heads on down to the Temple. 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever' watches the 'Nut for the few minutes between L having to leave and Ox getting home.

On the drive to the Temple (approx. 70 miles/1 hr 15 mins) L realizes she hasn't eaten since lunch and won't get dinner until late. Well...life happens. However, after L gets to the temple her stomach starts hurting. Then aching. Then grinding and twisting into a tornado of pain. This eases into a wave of nausea. L is sitting through the approx. hour and a half session alternately praying to NOT VOMIT IN THE TEMPLE!!! and wondering what would happen if she did. Probably not a lot of quality worshiping.

After the session is over L rushes to the bathroom fully intent on vomiting but nothing happens. The nausea diminishes and the pain becomes bearable. Maybe God loves L because she stoically endured under pressure? L would be proud if she wasn't in such a rush to get home. So starts the 'short earlier this afternoon and now unbelievably long' trip home.

L drives down the freeway trying to decide if it's better to be distracted at a higher speed or for a longer time. If she vomits on a cop will that get her out of a ticket or into jail as he will surely not believe she's not drunk? Being a planner L starts to look around for what she could vomit into should such a situation arise... Ahh thanks to L and Ox's slovenly ways here is a WhataBurger bag within reach. Problem solved. L even calls her Ox to make sure he will still love her if she fills their car with vomit. He responds positively but hints that love will not extend to cleaning vomit from car upholstery.

And then it happens. Uncontrollable Vomit. Left hand on the steering wheel, looking over the right shoulder to change lanes and pull safely off the freeway, right hand holding the WhataBurger bag to her face to catch pulsing streams of something hot and rancid. Almost to the side...almost safe...then the WhataBurger bag disintegrates under a burden it was never meant to bear. Suddenly things have gone from bad to worse.  

***Pause to calm yourself... She doesn't get eaten by the eels at this time.*** 

As we return to the scene L is safely off to the side of the freeway. However the gratitude that should be forthcoming is mired in the vomit covering: L, her lap, her seat belt, her center console, her gear shift, the right side of her car seat, a small section of the passenger seat...

If the world were fair L would be immediately transported to her own bathroom to get cleaned up and then pampered by her loving husband. Alas the would is not fair and L is still over 45 minutes from home. Calling Ox results in sympathy but no logical quick fix. So L calls 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever'. 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever' immediately agrees to meet L at a gas station about 2 miles from L's current location.

'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever' meets L at the gas station and sends L into the bathroom with her own back up clothes. L ignores the horrified look of the attendant. While L cleans herself up and seeks to wedge herself into her sister's much smaller clothes, 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever' uses a half carton of baby wipes to clean L's car better than could be ever imagined. L comes out (with a resolve to think on thigh and tummy fat at some later point), buys a water and thanks 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever' in an inadequate way. 'Wendy the super queen and best sister ever' heads into the city for a date/night out (with her friend who has been sitting horrified in her car the ENTIRE time) smelling of someone else's vomit. She truly is amazing.

And so L heads home. She still has 45 minutes of driving and is eager to get to it. She does vomit once more but makes it off the road and out of the car first. As she makes the last stretch the following words come through her mental fog from a song playing on the radio:

Ooh, ooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, ooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Instead we...

Well last Tuesday was supposed to be 'Clean the Bathroom Day', instead I took Peanut and his cousin Madi to the OKC Science Museum.


First, the ride there. I'll admit it was the hardest part. If you don't know I live 35 miles from Rachel (and Madi). So Peanut and I drove there, picked up Madi, dropped off books due at the library, dropped off promised bread at the Institute and then finally got on the freeway for the 60 mile (hour and 15 min) drive to the Museum. By Guthrie (30ish minutes from Stillwater) the kids were already done. 

Madi was quiet and grumpy. Peanut was loud and grumpy and had somehow managed to get his arms stuck awkwardly in the car set straps.

Luckily I had a few tricks (and treats) up my sleeve. We stopped at a gas station, got out the satsumas Rachel had packed and readjusted toys and snacks (and Peanut's arms). 

On our way...again.

However once we got to the museum everything went wonderfully. Both kids were amazingly well behaved and stayed close and played a lot and went to the bathroom when they were supposed to, and LISTENED. I don't ever expect this to happen again but it was a marvelous one-time occurrence.

They played together which was wonderful and unexpected. We love having cousins around but the one problem has been slight bullying. Madi bullies Peanut, Peanut bullies Cal etc. Thankfully everyone is soft with Baby Katie Mae. 

But on this trip no bullying or grumping. Hallelujah!

They played in the water, had their faces painted (note: I am not a professional face painter) and just seemed to have a great time. 

At one point we tried to see a show but it was more geared toward older kids so Peanut was bored and Madi got was scared (it was about explosions). So instead we went and had lunch.

(insert missing lunch pictures here)

After lunch we played for about an hour longer and then packed up and headed home. I love the freedom of a yearly pass! No feeling bad about only going for a half day- especially since kids this little can't stand more than that.

On the way home we stopped at Freddy's Frozen Custard to see my sister, Wendy. I got Peanut and Madi one mini vanilla custard with gummy bears to split. The mess Peanut made with his half was incomprehensible. He honestly got more custard on him than there was in his cup- I'm sure of it. We ended up striping off his shirt. Yes, I was that mom.

Madi chose to be the good child and ate carefully while coloring her picture. She was super excited when the manger posted it immediately. 

Then the ride home, where blissfully both children fell asleep. All in all a wonderful day. I can't decide if I should do it again because it went so well or leave it a perfect memory...

It's a Test

OK so it's been way too long since I've blogged (no internet at home remember...) to actually catch up on everything going on with me, Ox and Peanut. However the birth experience was amazing so I've prepared a short exam to see how well you know what happened...(this picture to help remind you it was all worth it)

1. L has been in early labor (reasonably regular, mild/medium intensity contractions) all day. It is 8pm and she's exhausted. She...

• a. goes to bed immediately


• b. putters around getting things ready for the baby and is in bed by 9ish


• c. decides to make sure she's exhausted (so she can sleep through the contractions when they get worse) and stays up playing games until midnight

2. T/F In triage L is asked not only the same questions she came in weeks earlier to answer (about smoking, medical history etc) but is also asked if she is experiencing any pain (at this point she has been in labor for about 24 hours). The nurse does not find her sarcastic "yes" amusing.

3. Which of the following people were with L pretty much the entire time through labor and delivery (even though the hospital told her beforehand the max was 4 people):

• a. Ox


• b. L's Dad, Papa Shawn


• c. L's Sister, Wendy


• d. L's Sister, Hillary


• e. L's Friend, Amanda


• f. All of the above
  

4. Ox, as L's birth coach, was:

• a. distracted and bored


• b. scared and grossed out


• c. irritated and snappy


• d. amazing and supportive

5. While L labored those in the room performed which of the following services:

• a. getting water/ice/juice


• b. rubbing L's feet/back/side


• c. being back support to lean against


• d. letting L use them to brace her legs against during contractions


• e. all of the above

6a. T/F L did not allow any kind of pain medication during labor or delivery

6b. If 6a is T, which of the following did L do in the midst of labor pains:

• a. hit a nurse


• b. throw the water cup when offered to her for the 8,000th time


• c. scream "this is all your fault" or "we're never having sex again" at Ox


• d. ask for pain medication


• e. tell Ox she was tired and "it was his turn"


• f. stab someone with a needle for talking during a contraction

7. To allow for the possible emergency need of fluids or medications, L had:

• a. an IV


• b. a hep lock


• c. nothing

8. The shower in the birthing room was:

• a. relaxing


• b. warm


• c. like icy needles

9. T/F Instead of wearing a hospital gown, L wore her own dress from home. It has been washed and worn repeatedly since.

10. T/F After watching Peanut's birth, L's sisters and friend, Amanda, are all very excited to get pregnant.

Answers: 1. C 2. T 3. F 4. D 5. E 6a. T 6b. E (although f was threatened) 7. B 8. C 9. T 10. F!!! :)

Frontier City and Miguel

Saturday my sister Amber's fiance, Miguel turned 24!!! To celebrate we went (with free tickets courtesy of Wendy) to Frontier City. It was Miguel's first time to an amusement park. He had never been on a roller coaster before or experienced all the craziness of lines and heat and annoying kids and fun. We were super excited to take him (although I admit to some jealousy since I LOVE roller coasters and couldn't go on much there). Here are some pics:

We start out in the car. Where are we going Miguel??? Surprise!!
The first ride...Diamondback. Yes he was scared and maybe we are jerks for making that his first roller coaster ever...
Crappy picture taken by park employee. You'd think basic camera skills would be part of the training.
Amber, leave that poor fake bison alone!
Quick Draw. You sit in a car and shot at things. Nate was ridiculously good at this, usually getting double what everyone else got. I did get to go on this ride.
The Carousel! Mighty spry for a 7 1/2 month pregnant woman!
Next, the log ride. I went on this too.
Surprisingly I felt fine on this spinney ride. Amber, however, almost vomited. Miguel spent a lot of time laughing (and probably a lot of time praying she didn't vomit straight on his shirt).
Bumper cars were next. Amber and I sat out- me, because of Peanut and her, because she was still feeling sick. But the boys had fun!
Somewhere around here we went out of the park and ate the sandwiches, pasta salad and fruit we brought. Nate made Miguel a dump cake with fresh peaches and blackberries- it was amazing!

Then there were some big rides I didn't go on and I begin to remember I was really pregnant and starting to get hot and sick and uncomfortable. I sat out for a bit.

Then we went on Renegade Rapids. It's a big tube, 8-seater ride through the water. We got soaked. Also we had a broken raft that didn't drain properly. This was gross for everyone else but allowed me to have my feet, up to my ankles, in cold water for several minutes. It totally revived me!

Somewhere around here I also got to the only employee that wouldn't let me on a ride. He never actually said no he just stammered and stuttered and looked so uncomfortable I felt sorry for him and left. It was the ride where you sit in an old car and drive around a track- ooooh the danger to my fetus!

Then Wendy showed up. She went with the boys on another spinney ride while Amber and I sat out. Amber couldn't even watch, it made her so nauseous.
Standing in line to go on the Rapids ride again. Wendy and Amber decided to make a happy face on my belly (it looks a little sinister)...
What happens when you've been standing in line too long and Amber has the camera:
Around here we went on the Pirate ship ride. Peanut was moving a lot as it got going. Then it got to the 'lifting your stomach into your chest' part and he stopped moving completely. As soon as it ended he went crazy! I'm not sure if he loved it or hated it but he definitely noticed!

Eruption for those not pregnant or too big...
Dinner at Red Robin completed the night. Happy Birthday Miguel!!!