Sunday, March 31, 2013

A Large Part of Us Is Missing

The kids and I all got haircuts...some more dramatic than others...

Clyde got his shorn back down.   He didn't want to, but we were mean and made him.  I think it's adorable and it's been a WHILE.

I got mine cut.  Not good at taking pictures of myself...Stephen kept saying, "Don't take it straight on."

And for the grand finale....


Lucy got the MOST length cut and seemed quite happy about it.  And though Iris cried driving to the salon, walking to it, while it was being cut, and while it was drying, BOTH girls now love their new dos.

My Sweet Geeks

One day, my husband came up from his office and announced that there was going to be a local 3D printer fair.  My kids squealed in delight.  I looked at them like they were nuts.  Why was this so exciting?  Anyway, it was.  So we all went and I took pics of the all the wonderfulness.

This is mostly what I saw there....3 little brunettes scrunching together peering into the inner workings of various 3D printers.

Iris is manipulating some gears that a printer made.

Clyde is holding a ball...withing a ball....within a ball....within a ball...within a ball...

Apparently when you blow air at this ball, the inner balls will roll.

Lucy adored the designing software.  She spent quite a while here dreaming and designing what she would print, if she only had a printer.

Clyde holding a Yoda head...

Clyde and Iris worked little printed puzzles FOREVER.

Here they are learning how 3D printing helps playground designers see how the parts will work together before spending the big bucks making the pieces from more expensive materials.

Apparently, Lucy found this 3D printed cathedral (Notre Dame?) to be astonishing.

Iris thought the chains were impressive.  I didn't have my flash on while she was twirling this one, so you can't see the links very well. 

I have a feeling will be attending any of these we find out about, so if you plan on coming to one...
expect to see us there!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Iris's Tooth Extraction

Iris has been complaining of her cheek hurting for some time.  I really thought it was a muscle problem... maybe just some weakness.  She's always had trouble chewing meat and I did as a kid, so that is to what I attributed the complaints.

But when it started waking her up and causing her to cry, I took her to the dentist. 

He found a huge hole on the back side of one of her molars.  It looked as though it COULD be infected.  He told us it would have to come out, sent us home with antibiotics, and told us to come back in a week.

I was very torn about this dental office.  I had heard wonderful things about the office.  I wasn't going back to the kids' old pediatric dentist, because he's far away and did some not so stellar work on Lu.  BUT this one was not going to let me go back with her.  BUT, most pediatric dentists don't.  BUT, they said I could go back with her for her FIRST visit (Iris has extreme anxiety.)  You see my dilemna.

But she LOVED them and wanted to go to them for her extraction even though I couldn't go back with her.

However, afterward was a different story.

The dental assistant brought her out and Iris just clung to me and whenever the lady spoke to her, she kept her face turned away and wouldn't look at her.  The assistant told me she would be numb for 2 hours, and would be fine with Tylenol or Motrin.

She had had Tylenol w/ codeine too recently, she couldn't have more for quite a while.  But they said she'd be numb for a while, so I thought I was good.  I took her out to the car, told her how proud I was of her and snapped this picture to message immediate family.  (replaced the bloody gauze for clean, first) But I knew something was wrong.  She kept holding her cheek and her face muscles were so tense.

Right after I snapped the picture, she starts sobbing. 

"Mommy, it hurt so bad!"
"Honey, I'm so sorry!  Did you tell them?"
"Yes."
"Did they say anything or give you more medicine or gas?"
"No.  And when I asked if my tooth was out yet, the lady said they weren't going to pull my tooth.  Why did she say that?  And they hurt me.  And YOU weren't there and I wanted you and it HURTS!"
"It hurts now??"
"Yes!"

So I drive to get her ibuprofen.  It doesn't help.  She's crying off and on for a long while.  I stay in the pharmacy parking lot, because I'm hoping they'll call something in for her and she REALLY doesn't want me to put her in her seat (she never does this.)  When I talked to the dental office (a couple different times) they just kept telling me she shouldn't be hurting.  Which was NOT helpful, because she was.  They didn't believe me.  Finally the dentist called and listened and informed me that she shouldn't be hurting.  Gee, thanks?  He closed with a, "Call me if you have any problems."  Hmmm.  I couldn't figure out how to help ease the pain, they gave me no advice or tips.  I went back inside to buy some instant cold packs.

Eventually she calmed a little.  Then the bleeding slowed and I wasn't changing gauze as often.  Then she got in her seat, Clyde held her hand and I got her home.

She walked in the door, got a paper towel to keep drool from getting on her clothes and laid on the couch.  She had her head propped up in a most uncomfortable looking manner, but did not want to be moved, propped on a pillow, or held.  She did not want to talk or answer questions.  I wasn't sure what to do.

I was just about to pop a movie in for her, when Lucy crawled up on the couch and started reading a book to her.  Then Clyde crawled behind her and started petting her head.
(he won't pet heads for pictures!)

After an hour of this, she seemed much improved...just uncomfortable, but no longer in pain.

Two more hours and it was like nothing ever happened.  But I do NOT believe she was not in pain earlier.  And for some reason, she does NOT want to go back to that dentist.  She insists she wants to go to a grown-up, boring dentist with no movies or toys as long as they will let me go back with her.  So we will not be returning.  I'm thankful she bounced back so quickly.  Obviously, they were correct that she would return to normal quickly, but I just felt like they didn't take her pain seriously.

Here she is showing Daddy her tooth.

Here's the tooth.  You can see the awful hole on the one side...the other side is just the plain tooth.  Look at the roots on that baby tooth!! 

A few hours ago, she ran to get ready for bed proclaiming that she was, "the happiest little girl in the world!" 

Stephen and I just looked at each other like is this really the same child?...same day?  So thankful that tooth is out of her head! 

Prospero

We got a new pet.  I know, right!  When will I learn?

Well, I needed a fish for my science class to show my kids.  I didn't want to have to do the whole air pump, filter, etc thing... so I got a beta.

He's lovely.  The kids and I love to stare at him, and feed him one pellet of food at a time, and watch him eat any gnats that land on the surface of his water, and stare at us while we eat, and, and, and....

He is now the centerpiece of our dining table.

I decided since he's so terribly lovely, he really needed a Shakespearean name.  Lucy was really rooting for "Puck."  I strongly considered "Othello" because I love that name, but he just isn't an "Othello."  Finally I decided he needed to be a fellow "Tempest" player, like myself, and named him "Prospero."

We take pet names VERY seriously around here :)
He is already much beloved.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Incredible Inflatables

 The Nena took the kids and I to the local indoor inflatable house.  The kids always love this and have a wonderful time.  Here's a few pics:

 my fave
 Thanks, Nena!!!

Clyde, Personal Trainer

I left the house for a few hours while Stephen was working downstairs.  The kids had instructions to play quietly, which they followed very well.  When I got home, I thanked them for being so obedient.

I saw an unusual number of stuffed animals in the hallway and when I asked about them, my boy gave me an exclusive tour...

There are two climbing walls in Clyde's workout gym.  One is being utilized by Otter and Bear, while the other was left free for Monkey.

Guinea Pig is burning the calories on the treadmill.

Stitch and Pooh are practicing headstands.

Bear is doing pull-ups.

Big Stitch is weight lifting.

While waiting their turn for Clyde's services and superior exercise equipment, some others are taking advantage of the diversions Clyde left for them in the waiting area.

Sonic is working a cheese puzzle.

Leo and Heffalump are practicing multiplication.

while Hedgehog and Bunny are playing cards.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Game Night

When my Grandmother was living, my aunts, uncles, and cousins used to get together EVERY SUNDAY.  When I was small, they always played games, I can remember how they would kindly let me play, even though that might mean their team might suffer :)

After a while, it just became a hang out time and that was still fun.  I remember pushing Baby Lucy in a stroller a couple blocks to my Grandma's house (which is now Sherry's house) every Sunday so everyone could "oooh" and "aaah" over her.

Well, last Saturday, my Mom had a game night and several of them showed up to play.  Now, of course, Sadie, Lucy, Clyde, and Iris are old enough to play.  And David was there, and my Uncle Ricky brought his girlfriend, Johanna :)

We had a great time playing Pictionary, ImagineIff, BuzzWord, and Taboo.

Here's Iris drawing a crowd as she sketches a bicycle for an AllPlay in Pictionary.  Her team got it.

David drawing...

We watch Rita intently...

Johanna's turn...

Lucy drawing...

Ricky guessing what Mom is drawing...

Clyde's mushroom.  Right before starting this drawing he said, "Now watch careful, whoever sees it first will guess it real fast!"  It was an allplay too, and I guessed it!

Much laughter ensued.

Sissy reading...

Iris drew this shape, we guessed "necklace", "earring", and others.  She just looked at us as we floundered.  We asked her; was there nothing else she could draw to help us?  She said, "um....I can draw it again!"  And she did!  We were all laughing so hard.  It was a big toe.

Thinking faces of Mom, Sadie, Sissy, and Johanna.  Keep in mind they are in deep concentration!!

I like this of Ricky watching Johanna draw :)

These two sillies tried to keep Sherry from leaving.