Saturday
So, it turns out, the reason Ruby was a pain on Friday was because she was sick. I woke up at 7:52 am on Saturday and hadn't heard anything from Ruby. I panicked and ran into her room. She was awake, laying on her tummy, in the middle of her room. She looked up at me and said, I have the sick. I picked her up and took her into the living room and she told me, I coughed and the sick came out. I knew that meant she had thrown up. I told her if she had to throw up again to do into the toilet. And about five seconds later she was running for the toilet. She was sick all morning.
That evening we were supposed to go to a Halloween party at Nana and Gran's house. I decided if she was still sick after I saw a client, we would not go. And she was. I felt awful but we had to cancel. Maggie was irate. But I couldn't even let her go on her own because it was her Dad's weekend and I didn't know when he was coming. She started calling him trying to get an answer but it took several hours. During that time, Ruby was markedly better. She stopped throwing up and seemed fine. Finally, around 6 pm, their Dad came and got them. I went straight to bed (FORESHADOWING!!!!). I woke up for a few minutes and then went back to bed.
Sunday
I cleaned a lot and cooked. I didn't have a ton of energy but I thought I was just still sleepy. I tried to work out and couldn't. Around 7 pm, my stomach really hurt. It was the first time I'd really tried to eat and I just couldn't. It finally dawned on me, oh sh!t I have a bug. The girls got home at 8 pm. I immediately put Ruby to bed and was puking right after. AND ALL NIGHT. Every 30 minutes to an hour. It was bad. Luckily (I guess), it wasn't affected by eating. So as soon as I finished, I would try to eat a few crackers and drink anything so I had something to throw up next time. Then about 15 minutes after, the intense nausea would start and then back to the bathroom. This went on for about 15 hours.
Monday
When it was time to take the girls to school, I knew I couldn't drive. I called Dad.
God bless my father. He dropped everything. Brought me tea and pepto bismal and took the girls to school. THANK YOU!!!! The rest of the day was less bad. The times extended but I couldn't really sleep. I just kind of laid there. Dad picked the girls up from school and took them to McDonald's. Again, THANK YOU! I was trying to eat soup and feeling better.
Tuesday
I actually was able to get up. I'd more or less slept through the night. I felt awful. That awful sick hangover. But I wasn't getting sick nearly as often so I knew I could take the girls to school. I got them ready with minimal screaming and we got in the car and. . . IT WOULDN'T START. I'm not going to lie, this was a bad moment. I didn't cry but I could have. I was so sick feeling I genuinely had no idea what to do. I just sat there for a while and then went back inside and called my poor father. He told me to call roadside assistance. Duh. So they came and jumped the car and I drove my children to school and straight to Firestone.
Oh my god, I felt awful. I literally could not stand. When I was at the counter and I had to lay on it. I must have looked drunk or something. It took forever and I just felt awful. My whole body hurt and I was dizzy and hazy and gross. It was awful. At one point, I texted Laurie and she said, go to sleep! I told her they frown on that at Firestone. She said, go to sleep at home when you're done. Then I remembered I had a home study due and I actually teared up. Like I said, it was a bad day.
I finally got my car done and I was starving. I wanted a burger so I stopped at Wendy's. Not surprisingly, I threw this up. But I finally was able to sleep for a little while, maybe an hour or two. When I woke up, I felt so much better. I cleaned some more and did some work. I went and got the girls. I told them I'd take them to McDonald's again because I just couldn't do much else. While we were there, somehow the subject of 9/11 came up and I actually cried explaining what happened to the fourth plane.
We got home and ate. I kept all of it down. I put Ruby to bed. Maggie wanted to read some of her baby books. All of this blog is in book form. She doesn't usually show much interest but she's wanted to read it lately. Which I love. We ready her full birth story.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Friday, October 25, 2019
Ruby is a lot
Thursday
I forgot to write: our pumpkins have already rotted. On Monday (!!!), Maggie said, Mom, why is your pumpkin's nose all gross? So I went and looked and it was filled with mold. It looked like a science experiment. So, alas, goodbye pumpkins. We truly hardly knew ye.
Another night of bad sleep. What can I say? It's the worst.
I work late on Thursdays so Grandpa picked the girls up from school. He took them to McDonald's for dinner and then to Math-o-ween at Maggie's school. They got home around 7 pm full of stories and candy. Ruby went straight to bed. I reviewed the rules about her clock and she said, oh I knocked before it was green this morning. I'm so sorry. I definitely forgive her. Who needs sleep?
I saw a post (a little too late) about how to preserve pumpkins using a bleach solution spray so next year hopefully we won't have to throw them out more than a week BEFORE Halloween.
We still aren't watching any TV and I don't think either girl even notices. Maggie asked if she could watch one cartoon while she ate and I said no and that was it. She's been organizing stuff. She labeled all the drawers in her room and cleaned out her school bag and binder. And reading, of course.
Friday
Ruby and I had breakfast with Maggie. It was COLD this morning.
I am trying to decide whether or not Ruby can do The Nutcracker this year so I thought we would try going to a few movies to get an idea of how she does. I picked the girls up around 3 pm and we went to the Studio Movie Grill to see The Addams Family. I don't think Ruby is ready. At a loud, fun kids movie, where we had food, she was still loud and up and down and all over the place. Maggie went to The Nutcracker at two years old and was great, but they are just very different kids.
We came home and played There's a Moose in the House. After the first few minutes, Ruby started crying and throwing a fit and I rushed her to bed. The fit went on for a while and I finally got her to calm down. I don't know what's going on.
She's had three pee accidents this week at school. All the same. It's nap time and she asking to go to the bathroom over and over again (because she doesn't sleep) and finally, they are saying no and either she really needs to go or she's doing it to get back at them. I don't know. Ruby is a lot.
I forgot to write: our pumpkins have already rotted. On Monday (!!!), Maggie said, Mom, why is your pumpkin's nose all gross? So I went and looked and it was filled with mold. It looked like a science experiment. So, alas, goodbye pumpkins. We truly hardly knew ye.
Another night of bad sleep. What can I say? It's the worst.
I work late on Thursdays so Grandpa picked the girls up from school. He took them to McDonald's for dinner and then to Math-o-ween at Maggie's school. They got home around 7 pm full of stories and candy. Ruby went straight to bed. I reviewed the rules about her clock and she said, oh I knocked before it was green this morning. I'm so sorry. I definitely forgive her. Who needs sleep?
We still aren't watching any TV and I don't think either girl even notices. Maggie asked if she could watch one cartoon while she ate and I said no and that was it. She's been organizing stuff. She labeled all the drawers in her room and cleaned out her school bag and binder. And reading, of course.
Friday
Ruby and I had breakfast with Maggie. It was COLD this morning.
I am trying to decide whether or not Ruby can do The Nutcracker this year so I thought we would try going to a few movies to get an idea of how she does. I picked the girls up around 3 pm and we went to the Studio Movie Grill to see The Addams Family. I don't think Ruby is ready. At a loud, fun kids movie, where we had food, she was still loud and up and down and all over the place. Maggie went to The Nutcracker at two years old and was great, but they are just very different kids.
She's had three pee accidents this week at school. All the same. It's nap time and she asking to go to the bathroom over and over again (because she doesn't sleep) and finally, they are saying no and either she really needs to go or she's doing it to get back at them. I don't know. Ruby is a lot.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
No TV!!!
Monday
Ruby's clock worked!!! I set it up yesterday and explained how it works. She is not allowed to bang on the door until the green light turns on. I did not have high hopes but it worked. At exactly 7:15 am, she banged on the door. And she had been up before. She immediately told me her clock was green. I let her play a game on my phone and we did lots of celebrating!
She did wake me up at 3 am. I went in and she was in the middle of her floor, insisting she had no water. I got her water (it had rolled under her bed) and tried to get her to get back in bed, but she said she wanted to stay on the floor so I just put her blanket on her where she was.
We had another day with no TV. No complaints this time. Maggie wanted to play Spot It, but Ruby couldn't keep up. So I worked with her to just try to understand the game. It's a visual discrimination game so we just worked on matching.
Ruby had to wash her hair because she put lotion in it (again). When she went to bed, we reviewed the new clock and how she needs to act in the morning.
Maggie and I played a new game, There's a Moose in the House. It was silly and fun. It isn't fast paced so I think Ruby could probably play it too. We'll try tomorrow.
After playing, we went to read Harry Potter but Maggie decided she wanted to read her own book instead and then fell asleep. I can't remember the last time she fell asleep on her own before 9 pm and she's done it the past two nights. Does this have to do with not watching TV? It must. Whatever, it's great. She must need the sleep.
Tuesday
The clock did not work. She started knocking around 5 am and continued off and on (off just long enough to fall back asleep, like an evil snooze alarm you cannot turn off) until her light turned green. When I went in there she told me she had peed her pants. I told her she has a potty in her room and if she has an accident she can just take off the wet stuff. I'm not sure what that's about, she's been potty trained for a long time.
The whole day was awful. I was so tired and I had a bunch of work and a paper due for class. I hate being exhausted. I picked up the girls around 5:30 and they were both exhausted. We came home and tried to play games but there was a lot of crying and fighting. Finally, we just ended up reading books.
Ruby was so overtired that she freaked out when I put her to bed and there was more crying. Awful, awful. I played one more game with Maggie and then I was done. Maggie fell asleep on my floor in a towel (she wanted to take a shower) at 8:30 and I was asleep a few minutes later.
Wednesday
Well, Ruby slept through the night and didn't knock before her alarm turned green, but Maggie woke me up at 2 am to complain she couldn't sleep. In unrelated news, I have two children for sale. Ugh!
Today has been less sleepy, I guess. I had lunch with Maggie and we just sat there like bumps on a log and I literally could not find the energy to strike up any conversation. Maggie drew, of course.
I picked the girls up and we had dinner at Braum's. We each got a burger and no one finished it. I always forget to get way less food. On Friday, I got one meal and all three of us ate it and still didn't finish it.
After dinner, we went home and I told the girls we had to walk the dogs. As we pulled up, we saw our neighbors were out. Maggie wanted to play with Dessie so they went over there while I got the dogs. They ended up coming with us on a quick walk and we played with them for a while.
At one point, Megan (the mom) said, Maggie, I was looking out my window on Friday and I saw all of your teachers. What did they come over for?
I asked, wait, didn't they come to your house? I assumed they had gone to all the students. But Megan said no. Maggie then said that each homeroom teacher had selected one student to receive a pumpkin and note that best represented the school values of ready, respectful, and responsible. So Maggie was one of only six students in the entire fifth grade who got this honor. I'm soooooooo proud of her.
After playing we came home and played There's a Moose in the House. Ruby was much better this time. Then Maggie and Ruby played for a long time. They were laughing so hard. It was great. I'm a big fan of this no TV thing. I can't believe how much happier the whole house is. Maggie even came in to help me put Ruby to bed and hugged her goodnight. That never happens.
Ruby's clock worked!!! I set it up yesterday and explained how it works. She is not allowed to bang on the door until the green light turns on. I did not have high hopes but it worked. At exactly 7:15 am, she banged on the door. And she had been up before. She immediately told me her clock was green. I let her play a game on my phone and we did lots of celebrating!
She did wake me up at 3 am. I went in and she was in the middle of her floor, insisting she had no water. I got her water (it had rolled under her bed) and tried to get her to get back in bed, but she said she wanted to stay on the floor so I just put her blanket on her where she was.
We had another day with no TV. No complaints this time. Maggie wanted to play Spot It, but Ruby couldn't keep up. So I worked with her to just try to understand the game. It's a visual discrimination game so we just worked on matching.
Ruby had to wash her hair because she put lotion in it (again). When she went to bed, we reviewed the new clock and how she needs to act in the morning.
Maggie and I played a new game, There's a Moose in the House. It was silly and fun. It isn't fast paced so I think Ruby could probably play it too. We'll try tomorrow.
After playing, we went to read Harry Potter but Maggie decided she wanted to read her own book instead and then fell asleep. I can't remember the last time she fell asleep on her own before 9 pm and she's done it the past two nights. Does this have to do with not watching TV? It must. Whatever, it's great. She must need the sleep.
Tuesday
The clock did not work. She started knocking around 5 am and continued off and on (off just long enough to fall back asleep, like an evil snooze alarm you cannot turn off) until her light turned green. When I went in there she told me she had peed her pants. I told her she has a potty in her room and if she has an accident she can just take off the wet stuff. I'm not sure what that's about, she's been potty trained for a long time.
The whole day was awful. I was so tired and I had a bunch of work and a paper due for class. I hate being exhausted. I picked up the girls around 5:30 and they were both exhausted. We came home and tried to play games but there was a lot of crying and fighting. Finally, we just ended up reading books.
Ruby was so overtired that she freaked out when I put her to bed and there was more crying. Awful, awful. I played one more game with Maggie and then I was done. Maggie fell asleep on my floor in a towel (she wanted to take a shower) at 8:30 and I was asleep a few minutes later.
Wednesday
Well, Ruby slept through the night and didn't knock before her alarm turned green, but Maggie woke me up at 2 am to complain she couldn't sleep. In unrelated news, I have two children for sale. Ugh!
Today has been less sleepy, I guess. I had lunch with Maggie and we just sat there like bumps on a log and I literally could not find the energy to strike up any conversation. Maggie drew, of course.
I picked the girls up and we had dinner at Braum's. We each got a burger and no one finished it. I always forget to get way less food. On Friday, I got one meal and all three of us ate it and still didn't finish it.
After dinner, we went home and I told the girls we had to walk the dogs. As we pulled up, we saw our neighbors were out. Maggie wanted to play with Dessie so they went over there while I got the dogs. They ended up coming with us on a quick walk and we played with them for a while.
At one point, Megan (the mom) said, Maggie, I was looking out my window on Friday and I saw all of your teachers. What did they come over for?
I asked, wait, didn't they come to your house? I assumed they had gone to all the students. But Megan said no. Maggie then said that each homeroom teacher had selected one student to receive a pumpkin and note that best represented the school values of ready, respectful, and responsible. So Maggie was one of only six students in the entire fifth grade who got this honor. I'm soooooooo proud of her.
After playing we came home and played There's a Moose in the House. Ruby was much better this time. Then Maggie and Ruby played for a long time. They were laughing so hard. It was great. I'm a big fan of this no TV thing. I can't believe how much happier the whole house is. Maggie even came in to help me put Ruby to bed and hugged her goodnight. That never happens.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Busy fall weekend
Saturday
There was a miscommunication with Arlene so she didn't get here until late and I didn't get home from my client until late. But I really wanted to run stairs at a local stadium so we went a little later than intended. I was afraid this would require trespassing but it was open. There weren't many people there so the girls just ran around the field and track and sometimes in the bleachers.
Running stairs was so hard. My legs! My calves! My heart! My lungs! In other words, it was great. After I finished, the girls complained about how hot and tired THEY were! I told them when we got home, we had to walk the dogs but they insisted they were too tired (from what?!?!). So I walked the dogs while they watched TV. Then we showered and got ready for Ella's birthday party.
Ella's party was at an Arlington Rec Center in a rock climbing room. We had so much fun. Jeff and I did lots of belaying. I quit after an hour but Jeff went the whole time. He wins at belaying!!! It really made me want to climb again. Maybe I'll take the big girls again.
The kids had cookie cake at the party but food was scheduled for after. So, all the kids went nuts after eating their cookies. I mean tears and out of control wrestling and running and gah! It got crazy.
Maggie slowed down a ton at the end and we got in the car she described basically a sugar crash. She was not feeling well. As soon as we got to Laurie's house, I fed her some nuts. It took a few minutes but that did the trick.
She went back and forth over whether she wanted to spend the night or not but in the end she stayed. And had a great time. Ella and Eden were crazy and loud and all over the place. Vera and Maggie were calm and quiet and reading and making bracelets. It worked out quite well.
Sunday
Ruby got up early, of course. Laurie texted me around 8 am that the kids were up so we headed over. Laurie got donuts for the kids and Jeff made bacon, coffee, and candied ham. It was great. I feel like I've been eating nothing but crap forever. Bleh!
The kids played for a while but eventually we came home. We got tomato basil soup and sourdough bread for lunch/dinner. Perfect fall food. I set up a lamp and Ruby's new clock.
So, a couple of months ago, I finally bought a couple of chairs for the living room. The living room can be quite dark (on account of the wood paneling and covered patio that covers both windows). It has four recessed lights, one in each corner. So, we got the chairs and I started sitting in one corner and it was so dark. It was driving me crazy and finally I decided to but a lamp. I found a reasonable one and ordered it. After I ordered it, but before it had even arrived, I noticed the light in this corner is out. Wah wah! I replaced the light and now it's quite bright in this corner. I feel like the dowager in the first season of Downton Abbey when she keeps her face covered after they get electric lights because it's so bright. But no worries, because now I'll have a lamp too.
In the afternoon, I had a bit of a realization: our TV is always on. Ruby only occasionally watches but it's all Maggie does. So I bit the bullet and just turned it off. Maggie freaked out for about 30 minutes. She insisted she needed to go live elsewhere and she hated everything, etc. And then she suggested we all do a puzzle together. So we spent the rest of the day doing puzzles, playing games, and reading. It was great. She was even kind to Ruby.
There was a miscommunication with Arlene so she didn't get here until late and I didn't get home from my client until late. But I really wanted to run stairs at a local stadium so we went a little later than intended. I was afraid this would require trespassing but it was open. There weren't many people there so the girls just ran around the field and track and sometimes in the bleachers.
Running stairs was so hard. My legs! My calves! My heart! My lungs! In other words, it was great. After I finished, the girls complained about how hot and tired THEY were! I told them when we got home, we had to walk the dogs but they insisted they were too tired (from what?!?!). So I walked the dogs while they watched TV. Then we showered and got ready for Ella's birthday party.
Ella's party was at an Arlington Rec Center in a rock climbing room. We had so much fun. Jeff and I did lots of belaying. I quit after an hour but Jeff went the whole time. He wins at belaying!!! It really made me want to climb again. Maybe I'll take the big girls again.
The kids had cookie cake at the party but food was scheduled for after. So, all the kids went nuts after eating their cookies. I mean tears and out of control wrestling and running and gah! It got crazy.
Maggie slowed down a ton at the end and we got in the car she described basically a sugar crash. She was not feeling well. As soon as we got to Laurie's house, I fed her some nuts. It took a few minutes but that did the trick.
She went back and forth over whether she wanted to spend the night or not but in the end she stayed. And had a great time. Ella and Eden were crazy and loud and all over the place. Vera and Maggie were calm and quiet and reading and making bracelets. It worked out quite well.
Sunday
Ruby got up early, of course. Laurie texted me around 8 am that the kids were up so we headed over. Laurie got donuts for the kids and Jeff made bacon, coffee, and candied ham. It was great. I feel like I've been eating nothing but crap forever. Bleh!
The kids played for a while but eventually we came home. We got tomato basil soup and sourdough bread for lunch/dinner. Perfect fall food. I set up a lamp and Ruby's new clock.
So, a couple of months ago, I finally bought a couple of chairs for the living room. The living room can be quite dark (on account of the wood paneling and covered patio that covers both windows). It has four recessed lights, one in each corner. So, we got the chairs and I started sitting in one corner and it was so dark. It was driving me crazy and finally I decided to but a lamp. I found a reasonable one and ordered it. After I ordered it, but before it had even arrived, I noticed the light in this corner is out. Wah wah! I replaced the light and now it's quite bright in this corner. I feel like the dowager in the first season of Downton Abbey when she keeps her face covered after they get electric lights because it's so bright. But no worries, because now I'll have a lamp too.
In the afternoon, I had a bit of a realization: our TV is always on. Ruby only occasionally watches but it's all Maggie does. So I bit the bullet and just turned it off. Maggie freaked out for about 30 minutes. She insisted she needed to go live elsewhere and she hated everything, etc. And then she suggested we all do a puzzle together. So we spent the rest of the day doing puzzles, playing games, and reading. It was great. She was even kind to Ruby.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
FALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maggie asked me to start having breakfast at her school once a week. So, on Friday, Ruby and I joined her for breakfast. Maggie was actually very sweet to Ruby and explained how to get her breakfast and how to go in line, etc. It was so nice to see.
Gwen did this after making her own super cute pumpkin. Gwen is a pumpkin ninja.
Ruby has a black eye. Or, rather, just a little bruise under her eye. No one has any idea how it got there.
At home, yesterday, she started saying, bescuse me (excuse me). I asked her why and she told me her teacher told her to say bescuse me to her farts. Gah! That kid.
Maggie got this 3D printed thing for her birthday and I just saw it. Isn't it amazing?!?!
Friday, Maggie got out of school early. We were sitting around before our afternoon/evening plans and all four of Maggie's teachers showed up. They brought her a pumpkin and a note. Amazing!
We didn't do pumpkin carving last year (I don't remember why, but it was probably Ruby's fault). This year I wanted to make sure it got done so I scheduled a night to get pumpkins and carve them. I asked Laurie if her kids would be interested and she said yes. Gwen has been wanting to come over on a Friday evening to spend some time with us so I suggested this one. Laurie wanted to get dinner first so we met up at Uncle Julio's. The kids were extremely excited.
Next up, we went to the pumpkin patch. Perfect weather. Perfect sun. It was great. Although, as we were leaving, we saw two ladies leading PONIES up. So I guess it could have been a little more perfect. Maggie wanted the longest pumpkin I've even seen. She wanted to do the scream on there (Edvard Munch's The Scream). I assumed she wanted to draw it on; she wanted to carve it on. Foreshadowing!
After that, we came back to my house and started cleaning out pumpkin guts. It was messy and took forever. Uncle Jeff did Ruby's pumpkin because I, for some unknown and silly reason, got my own huge pumpkin. Laurie did Jill's pumpkin.
The babies mostly did their own thing and played. A little later I put on Ghostbusters and made popcorn. We let the kids have a couple of pieces of candy too. Aunt Gwen showed up and flew through making an amazing pumpkin. Turns out Aunt Gwen is a pumpkin master.
It took Maggie FOREVER to clean out her massive pumpkin (although this was the first year she ever actually helped with that part). Once she cleaned it out, she announced she wanted to carve the scream on to her pumpkin. I had no clue how to do that but Aunt Gwen to the rescue. Maggie made a drawing, which Gwen used to poke onto the pumpkin and then she lightly scraped out the lines so she could do all the details.
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