Another trip to the ER

So I've been a mom for 6 1/2 years, and I have now taken my 3rd trip to the ER with one of my children. Way less than some moms I know, but also, way more than other moms I know. The first trip was a mistake, Nate was about a year and a half old and he had an ear infection. I only wanted to take him into the dr, but on the phone with the nurse, she heard his breathing and it worried her. Of course, it was nothing, but all the same, in the ER for a standard ear infection. I was kind of annoyed about that.
Then about a year ago, we thought that Graham had broken his nose. He hadn't, but it looked pretty bad anyway.
So then there was Friday. It was a nice day here, and Nate had a half day of school, so we had gone to the park that afternoon. Nate and Graham were on the seesaw, and Graham was at the top, and wanted to get off. You all know what happens next. So he comes over to me screaming, with blood pouring out of his chin. I get him to the car, and give him a tissue to hold there. By the time we got home, it was no longer pouring out blood. I was able to bathe him and not have it still making a mess, so even though it kind of looked funny, like something was sticking out of the cut, I put a band aid on it, and thought that we'd see how things went. Well, at bed time that night it was still bleeding a bit, but I put him in his pjs and put him to bed anyway. Then I started to think that maybe I should take him in. After a quick Facebook survey, and Jesse's brilliant idea (Can't you call the pediatrician's office?) I decided that I ought to take him in after all. He was not thrilled about it. He was a trooper though for the first half. But then he screamed his little head off throughout the whole procedure. He had to be strapped into one of those papoose things. I was standing at his head while they were getting things ready, and giving him the local antithetic, and all of the sudden I didn't fell so well. So the nurse got me a chair and a drink of water. I felt so badly that I couldn't stand and look at him, he kept on calling my name, but I had my hands on his head the whole time, and was talking to him.
As it turned out, the wound looked funny at first because there was fatty tissue hanging out of it, so it's a good thing that I took him into get it taken care of. I think it probably wouldn't have healed well, and it probably would have gotten infected. End result? 3 stitches.

But the nurse got him this little wolf beanie baby, which he has loved ever since. Now he's just annoyed that he has to keep the band aid on until he gets the stitches out next week, just to keep him from picking at the stitches.

So there was our weekend. Graham is my child that it all happens to. There was one other time that he probably should have gotten stitches, but it was the night before my race last fall, and I was going into Baltimore to spend the night, so it was not a convenient time to take him to the ER. He still has a large scar from that cut. Interestingly enough, when we thought that he broke his nose, we didn't take him to the ER until the next morning because Jesse and I had tickets to a concert that night. He just doesn't get hurt at convenient times! He's also the one who always gets bloody noses, rashes, etc. It sure will be an adventure raising this one!

Snow

This has been the most pathetic winter in terms of snow. We have had maybe 3 times when we have gotten enough to cover the ground, but not even a full inch of snow. We have not had a single late day of school, or snow day. It appears that we will be getting out of school a week early this summer!
So the other night we got some snow. Nate had to go to school, and as soon as he left the rest of us bundled up and headed out in the snow. We needed to go out as early as possible because I knew it would be gone before lunch!

This was really Olivia's first time playing in the snow. She loved it! Her boot kept on coming off (it's hard to find boots for someone with feet as small as hers!) but she would keep on playing until I caught her to put her boot back on.

Peek A Boo!

We picked up a new end table from a yard sale last week. Olivia has already claimed it has her hiding spot!

Peek A Boo!

Ice cream

For Christmas my brother Tim and his family sent us an ice cream maker. It is one of those ball things, that has an inner container for the ice cream, and an outer one for the ice and salt, and then you just shake it, throw it, kick it around, etc for like a half an hour until it firms up and you have ice cream. We pulled it out for Family Home Evening the other night, and had a blast playing with it.
Nate tried to kick it like Jesse and I had been doing, but it got him on the leg. It actually is really heavy, and it hurts if you're not prepared for it! Olivia really wanted to be included. She was sad that she had to keep on getting out of the way.

But after half an hour it was finally hard enough that we could eat it instead of drink it, and man was it delicious!

So thanks again Tim and Rebecca for such a fun, delicious gift!

pig tails

I love having a girl!

A first

So when you get to your third child, you find that there are very few things that the third child can do that are a first for you. However, Olivia took out all of the stops last night so that she could surprise me. When she started to cry in the middle of the night, and I got up to see why she was crying, I walked into her room, and picked her up. I immediately knew that she didn't feel right, but since she broke my glasses a few weeks ago, combined with the darkness in her room, I couldn't see very much. Upon further investigation I realized that she had somehow pulled off both her pants and her diaper. Luckily it was not a dirty diaper. I guess that I should just be glad that in the 6 1/2 years that I have been a mother, I have not had to deal with poo filled diapers being taken off by those less than qualified to clean the mess up. But all the same, last night sure was a surprise.

My pioneer girl

The other day I was making some bread dough and was kneading it on the table when Olivia found the measuring cup that had a tiny bit of flour left in it. She thought it would make a nice afternoon snack, and finished off the tablespoon or so that was left. It must be her pioneer heritage peeking through!