Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Let's start with some good facts.  Neither of my kids have been to the emergency room, which is pretty good considering I have an 11 year old, in fact he hasn't even had to go to the doctor in probably two years.  No stitches, no broken bones.  I always knew that Hannah, my energetic, crazy climbing, gymnastics girl would be the first one to go.
Last Thursday, unfortunately that came true.
It was the afternoon, the kids were home from school.  Earlier in the day I had picked up the candy pictured above.  I rarely buy candy. I have no willpower and it makes Hannah WAY too hyper.  But I had a crazy work day and I needed sugar.  So I gave her a couple pieces.  Minutes later I hear a choking noise.  Followed by more choking.  Then feet running into my office.  Her face was red, she was grabbing her throat.  I wasn't too worried.  I asked her if it was stuck, she only nodded.  I looked in her mouth.  I turned her around and did the heimlich about two times.  It didn't do anything.  Her face was really red.  I was worried at this point that she wasn't getting air.  The size of these candies are perfect for getting stuck in her airway.  Without hesitation I tell Taylor to call 911, now.  Hannah is now on her hands and knees drooling and I can hear that damn candy rattling in her throat.  Now I'm freaking out, but she is so panicked I can't be.  I tell her it's okay, people are coming to help.  I'm giving the dispatcher our address and she is telling me to look at Hannah's face.  Then I hear a wonderful sound, a little voice that says, "I don't want an operation."  That sound told me she COULD breathe, if she was talking, she was getting air.  She was really scared and the paramedics came and said she had to go to the hospital, as the candy was now lodged right in her trachea.  She was upset because it was hurting and she couldn't swallow, so she was drooling.  Her vitals were fine, she wanted paper to draw on, because she  said, "It relaxes me."  We get to the ER and she starts looking really pale.  The nurses get us a bed and check her and leave, saying the doctor will come in.  Now, the ER was really busy. I understand we are about a 1 on the important list here, she is breathing, etc., but everyone's attitude was killing me!! This is like a #10 emergency to me!

She is looking really uncomfortable trying not to move because her throat really hurts.  Then she starts gagging and I'm worried that stupid candy is moving-well it did move.  Up and out! I've never been happier to see bright blue puke!  She leans back on the pillow and starts watching TV, like nothing at all had happened. 

Good grief.  I've stayed calm and re-assuring but at that moment I lost it.  What could have happened was racing through my mind and I was so incredibly grateful she was okay.  Mike picked us up and in an hour she was running around the house antagonizing her brother, like usual.

It's crazy how a couple minutes or seconds can change your life.  I'm so thankful my girl is okay.  She said she wasn't eating candy anymore, but that didn't really stick for 24 hours. However, we will not be eating any Tootsie drop pops soon, or at all!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

I read an article the other day about rising food costs and it had some families in there that were talking about how they shop and how much they spend, and how higher food prices have affected their family budgets.
 
Now before I go on, I'm really not a professional shopper, or couponer...just a regular mom that shops for a family of four BUT I use some strategies that has really saved me money.

Anyway, the Mom, who has three kids and a husband complains that she used to spend $100 a week and now because of food costs she has to spend $150 a week.  She said that her kids ate 8 boxes of cereal a week and it was hard to keep up because of how much they eat.
I'm thinking to myself, cereal is one of the most expensive things to buy right now.  Only if I can get it for a little over a dollar a box do we buy it.  So we eat pancakes, oatmeal, toast, fruit, yogurt, smoothies.....etc. instead for breakfast.  There's your extra $50 a week lady!! You're spending it on cereal!!! Make some muffins the night before and serve them with fruit and milk.  I admit I live in an area where food costs aren't as high as national prices but if you are trying to reduce grocery costs, you can't just do into the grocery store and shop to buy whatever you want.  
I'll stop now.
I'm just sick of hearing people complain about all they don't have, what they lack, rising costs, down economy.
Go look at your healthy kids, stand in your home, look in your cupboard and feel thankful for all you do have!  And if you don't have any of those, call a friend-they can help you see the goodness around you.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

something I made for today.  It was fun to think of all the things that make up our life together

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Confession: I don't have any videos of my kids when they were really young.  Well that isn't completely true, I have some from my digital camera, but they are really short.  When Taylor was a baby, we were so young and broke, just paying bills was an accomplishment.  I was going to be prepared for Hannah though! Two months before she was set to arrive, we bought a camcorder with a work bonus I got.  I was so excited to fulfill my parental duty of getting videos.  So we taped our way through Thanksgiving, and Christmas before she was born (Taylor was almost 3) and Mike videotaped her birth.  I specifically remember getting my epidural, gripping my Mom's hand, and he is filming behind me saying, "Wow honey, that needle is REALLY long".  Um, thanks babe for sharing.  Well right after Hannah was born our house was broken into by some naughty teenagers and they took the camera.  I was so upset (hormones still running strong and all) and heart broken.  For weeks I put fliers up around our neighborhood pleading to just give us back the tape-leave it on our front porch, anything! Keep the damn camcorder, just give me my tape.  No such thing, it was long gone. 

Since I'm a visual person, I make "pictures" of things to remember them and ever since my kids were born, I have been making these memory snapshots in my head when I really want to remember a specific moment.  When I held each baby for the first time, I will never forget that.  Details of their birth gets fuzzier as they get older but I remember that moment of holding them for the first time, looking into their beautiful face.  Another one I have is of Hannah as a baby.  We lived in this old home built in 1920 and her room had a great built-in dresser, high moldings and we painted it a lovely lavender color...can you tell I loved her room?  I had a rocking chair by her window and I spent hours rocking, singing, nursing and holding her.   I remember telling myself to remember this time with her, those moments of holding my sweet baby, getting her ready for a nap or feeding her through the night and the feeling of complete happiness I had.

This morning since Mike was up before me as always on a Sunday morning, he brought in the Sunday paper. Taylor was already up too, but like me he likes to glide into the day.  Meaning a slow start, so he came in, nestled into his Dad's spot with pillows and read the paper with me.  That was a snapshot of him so comfortable, hanging out with me, reading the paper and the comics, giggling every so often, or sharing a story he was reading.  I love that kid and the ease of the morning and just relaxing.  I love that he enjoys the paper, it shows me how curious he is about everything in the world. That was today's snapshot.

There are so many memories with these kids, and as I keep this digital keepsake of memories and write in their journals that I have kept since I was pregnant with them, I guess it will have to be enough and in place of videos. I'll keep making those snapshots of memories....and there is always the thousands of photos I have taken, too.

Now here is a really dark video of Hannah taking her first steps (while sucking her thumb):