Oh the gall of it all...

I realize I failed to mention that I had a problem with pesky gall stones. I was diagnosed last November to have several small stones in my gall bladder. My physician at the time informed me that my gall bladder likely sprung into action making these little suckers in response to the floods of hormones my pregnancy and post-partum time produced. Strange I cannot recall ever reading about that "side effect" of pregnancy in any of the literature...I think an addendum might be in order for the "What to Expect When You're Expecting Book".

Anyway, for those of you who have not experienced a gall stone or gall bladder "attack", I congratulate you. Imagine cramping, burning pain under your right rib cage and radiating across your upper abdomen, coupled with nausea . In my case, the discomfort would last from 30 minutes to several hours. Some the pain was comparable to the intensity of labor pain. For those of you who have not experienced that, I also congratulate you.

The single most effective treatment for gall stones is to remove the entire gall bladder. Apparently it's one of the body parts one can live without like the tonsils, the appendix, or even a kidney. Thanks God for all the spare parts!

I put off having surgery as I was in the middle of changing to a better insurance plan...and I also wasn't exactly eager to go under the knife. At that time, I had only had about three gall bladder episodes, two of them not being very intense.

However this past May my little gall bladder started throwing regular gall stone parties without the decency of any forewarning. So on a weekly basis, or more often, I found myself huddled in pain or sprawled out on the couch for a while until the brunt of the whole thing...er...passed. At that point surgery began to really gain some luster.

This past Thursday I got the gall bladder removed. There was a friendly nurse who shared some interesting stories about the different body piercings she has encountered in her line of work, and the anesthesiologist who seemed to lose his focus once in a while when explaining about the drugs they planned to give me. He however didn't forget to mention the fact that he was a student. Great. Oh, oh, the best part had to be the crazy set of stockings I had to put on to help with circulation. Over the stockings came a set of leggings that velcroed around my legs...sort of like a knee brace. These leggings however got hooked up to a machine that pumped air through them and massaged my legs, again for circulation. I'm kind of bummed I wasn't awake for the massaging part.

Despite his status as a student, and apparent distraction, the anesthesiologist seemed to have done a good job. I knocked out quickly in one room, and woke up in another one. I was told to expect to be nauseous for a full 24 hrs. later, but did not have any trouble with that at all. Thanks God! Now I'm pretty much all back to normal except for the four small incisions still healing on my belly...one of them being in my belly button. I'm thankful to be rid of the thing and glad that surgery wasn't all too much of a big deal. It's funny how having a baby can really put things in perspective...it sort of sets the bar of comparison for all other bodily trauma...at least it does for me. So now my life can continue as normal again, and I've got one less spare part to show for it.

Party!!!

The party was a success! The weather was perfect, not too hot like had been predicted all week long. Cadence seemed to enjoy herself, she played, ate and opened presents. I think her favorite parts were probably swimming and tearing down decorations! Oh, the big bucket of ice that held the drinks was also a big hit with her...unlimited amounts that she could reach on her own!

Swimming with pal Jasmine and her mom

Uncle Mark, Oompa, and Ooma

Great Granny Mouse

My cutie pie

It must be bright dad!

Cupcake Cake

Yum!

Aunt B...being Aunt B

Ah...refreshing

Rampage

I've never been a huge video gamer, but as a kid there was one arcade game I particularly favored. In the game Rampage, you get to be one of three or four people that has mutated into a giant animal...either a rat, a lizard, or monkey, I believe...and then run around terrorizing the city and trying to rack up as much destruction points possible in a limited amount of time. The premise of the game was simple and entertaining in an antisocial kind of way. The destruction included smashing buildings to the ground, throwing cars and eating hapless victims of circumstance who appeared in the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course throughout the play of each level, various forms of law enforcement would try to take you out in dutiful protection of their beloved city. So police choppers, squad cars and heavily munitioned foot soldiers all became mutant fodder in the wake of chaos and destruction. Recently as a heartfelt gift from my hubby, I received the PS2 version of this game, complete with original arcade mode. Ah the memories of innocent terror and destruction...

As it turns out lately, I need not plug in the good ol' PS2 to enjoy a few moments of mindless destruction and entertainment, but merely peek into the next room where a playing child has gone eerily silent. Funny the things that can happen in mere minutes at the hands of a toddler. From hands in the toilet and refuse recovered from the kitchen trash to misplaced keys, cell phones, and remotes. Needless to say Eric and I have been on a Rampage of our own installing safety latches, outlet covers, and closing doors securely behind us.

Ok, I have to admit, it's not as bad as it could be, I've heard of far worse, but here are a few highlights for your amusement:

1) One morning while preparing to head off to the work, I have the fridge open as I am packing food for the day for my daughter and I. I turn around and see Cadence peering into the refrigerator and kind of leaning over the bottom produce bins, pointing with great emphasis. Being that these bins are clear, curiously I peer down as well and can see some object that has made its way underneath, between the bottom of the bin and fridge. Naturally I thought something had fallen off the back of one of the shelves and slid under there, perhaps a stray ketchup packet. As I crouch down to get a better look, a familiar form meets my eye and I quickly use the tips of my fingers to retrieve none other than my set of house and car keys! I must humbly admit I'm not sure how this happened, well not exactly that is, as Cadence cannot open the fridge on her own. I'm just glad that despite my moments of distraction my child can seem to remember what she's done with some of her little treasures and have the decency to remind me of how clever she can be.

2) Another fine day I enter the dining room and look over into the living room to see my daughter examining the purse I had foolishly set down on the couch not moments ago. I don't know how she emptied the entire contents of my wallet so quickly...as I watched her fling credit cards onto the floor. This continued for a few minutes while I gathered the evidence of my daughter's deeds and let her know she had been caught. I'm just glad she hasn't figured out how to open makeup yet!

3) Just the other day I was in the kitchen while Eric sat in the living room relaxing. I turned around just in time to see my smiling daughter approach, appearing quite pleased as she leaves a trail of tampons behind her, not too unlike little Hansel and Gretel must have with their breadcrumbs. One by one they gently roll out of the box she is carrying in one hand, while chewing on another tampon with the other. To a one-year-old tampons are great fun. You take them out of the box, you put them back in the box, you take them out, put them back in, out again, in....so a few might not make it back in and instead end up in random and potentially embarrassing locations throughout the house, what's the big deal?

Reflections on the Year

Here I am 9 months preggo at a my baby shower!

( My cousin in the background was probably newly pregnant at the time, she had her son in late February this year..how fun!)

Just born....

...about a year later!

It's not January, but the past week has held a lot of reflection. I know it is mainly because our little girl is turning one. It's funny how different events order our lives. Through the many years of schooling I was oriented more toward the year beginning in September. For now I guess my world is more and more about the celebration of new life marked by the birth of my daughter.

I year ago at this moment I was in the local hospital in my final hour of labor. The pushing began around midnight. The next 45 minutes seemed to fly by until at last my little girl emerged from her cozy cocoon, took her first gurgly breaths and blinked at the ferocious light. Those first tiny cries....now babbles with a myriad of expression and the beginnings of words.

A few nights ago I looked through all the photos from the last year and felt myself falling more and more in love with my daughter. As she's learned to walk over the past few months, I can relate to those first tenuous steps. As new mom, though well educated in the field of child development and infancy, I was still sometimes so unsure of what to do. I can vividly remember the agonizing despair of those moments when I could not seem to soothe my own crying infant. There were the ongoing disappointments of breast feeding not going how I had imagined. The polarity of feelings of relief to return to a job in which I felt a measure a competency, and the grief of becoming a working mom...something I had never imagined I would do while any of my children were still so young.

Becoming a mom has turned my world inside out and upside down in ways I cannot describe. It has been a humbling and revealing experience. It has tilled up personal values I had not been so aware of, revealed weaknesses for what they are, and even still unearthed a whole new set of strengths. And now in these last past few months motherhood has begun to yield some of the sweetest of fruits of joy and laughter and love.

And though my daughter has been walking for a couple months now, she still falls a least a dozen times a day. Sometimes she gets a little ahead of where her feet can go, sometimes she trips over something, and sometimes it just for the sheer thrill of falling down. And I am so often amazed at the tears that are not shed, and how easily she is comforted from some of these spills. In fact, this past weekend, she got her first scraped knee. She wimpered a little when it happened but was quickly off to play again...I didn't even really notice the scrape until a little later on, when I got a good look at the knee. I can't help but think there is a lesson for me to learn here. As a mom I can now begin to feel the ground more firmly beneath my own feet, am learning to catch my balance, and am getting ready to run through this great adventure. It doesn't mean I won't take my own set of spills along the way, but perhaps I can mirror the resiliency of my own daughter, and even once in a while, delight in the butterflies in my tummy when I do come crashing down.

In memory of...

After a few years of being in and out of different care facilities, and a couple weeks of severely declining health, my Grandmother passed away. It's still kinda surreal. The emotions of it come and go. Last night we had dinner over at the house, along with my parents. As I walked back into her room with Eric, echoes of memories danced through my mind. I showed Eric the tub where the lot of us would end up after a long day of play when we were little. I remember how Grandma would take her powder puff and dust me lightly with talc after a bath. I can still feel the cool on my skin.

I looked at her jewelry still hanging where it always has, and stepped into the large walk-in closet. It has the same smell it did when I was young. I remember loving to go in there, so captivated by the space, lined with clothes from decades past. I remember she used to keep a couple wigs up on one of the shelves, near the still remaining bottles of champagne from Aunt Deb's wedding. Every so often the family pops one open. It's still pretty good to this day. I also remember this particular pair of silver glittery shoes I used to try on for fun. And a floppy light blue hat.

I remember Grandma used to keep her perfumes and lipsticks on the vanity counter. She never went out without painting her lips a shade of red or pink. She also used to keep a small drawer full of assorted vitamins. I would always beg her for a Vitamin C tab, and pucker all the while at its tang.

There were the lazy summer days spent at the pool. We always got an ice cream bar or Popsicle after a swim. There used to be the large tree swing, that I once broke. The summer also meant fresh nectarines, loquats and grapes. It meant hissing June bugs, catching frogs and the feral kittens that lived in the shed. It meant sticky fingers, dirty feet, the scent of chlorine in the hair and pretending to play croquet in the oval. It meant the whir of the ice cream maker, and salt covered ice I could only lick twice. It meant hide and seek after dark, with the sound of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune in the background. Years later, it still means some of these things. Now it's time for a new generation to discover summer.

One of my last visits with Grandma I was talking about my daughter a little. "It's too bad I won't be able to see her grow up, " she remarked. At that moment I knew we both knew this was goodbye. And even though I'm a Bible believing kinda gal, I still won't dare to say I think I know what heaven is like. For now I'll think of it as an endless summer, where one can experience all the joys of being young while keeping all the wisdom of being old. And maybe, just maybe we'll get a glimpse of Grandma this summer in a cloudless starry night, or hear her in the humming of the Bottlebrush filled with bees.

What's new...

Well, our little one is quite the entertainer these days. She took her first steps earlier this month, but has really started to get it down. She still crawls quite a bit, but is walking more and more, and quite proud of it. She waves bye-bye, points to things when named, and knows where to find her books in her room if you ask her. She's eating all sorts of foods. Her favorites are whatever mom and dad happen to be eating. She starting to talk just a tad, using mama and dada and baba, but not all the time. With some things she just makes the sound that that word begins with. We've been trying to teach a few basic signs as well. She just started using a modified version for the sign, "more", by clapping when she wants more food. She also just claps to play, and when she does something she thinks is particularly grand, like push buttons on her play table that make music and sounds. And it's so fun to watch her with other children. She just loves other little people! Of course she's been known to knock a few of them down when trying to use them for balance. She likes to make all sorts of sounds with her tongue, like raspberries, and clicks. She's learned she can blow raspberries on people too, which is pretty funny. She's really at a fun age right now and I'm loving it. I will be taking a two week vacation at the beginning of July, I can hardly wait! I'm always talking about wanting to be a full-time mom, so this will be a good practice run to see if I've got the stuff it takes, or if I'll be running back to my job when my vacation is up. I'll keep ya' posted on that one.

Sick Baby, Super Dad

Not too soon after the big ol' beach trip, Cadence surprised us one evening during dinner by vomiting all over her high chair. Perhaps she had choked on something we were feeding her, or was simply repulsed by the food. The next day and a fever later not too much had changed. Super Dad sprung into action, taking the day off to take sick baby to the doctor and nurse her back to health with lots of cuddling at home. A few days and several changes of clothes, bedding, and many towels later, our little sprite was feeling much better. Not too fun, but another "milestone" is now behind us.

Surf, Sun and Sand

In early May we spent a weekend with my folks in Cayucos. This was Cadence's first real experience with the beach. I have to say she seemed to like it. She definitely handled it a little better than dear old dad...Eric is actually not a big fan of sand and the places it seems to travel too. He also is not a fan of cold water. So while he danced in place as the icy waters caused his toes to tingle, our daughter babbled with delight at the new sensations that each wave brought with it. Cadence also got to see and taste a hermit crab for the first time. Fortunately she spit out the bewildered crab, still nestled in its shell, before I decided to put my first aide skills into action. Unfortunately for Eric...good sport that he is...to add insult upon injury, there was something at that particular beach on that particular day, that he was highly allergic too. I never knew eyes could get that red and puffy! Let's just say its a weekend we won't soon forgot. Maybe Eric will be ready to give it another go next year.

Easter

Better late than never they say. Here are some pics from Cadence's first Easter:

Basket time:



With grandpa at Granny Mouse's house:

A fountain!

"Live long and prosper"

Splish-splash!

Glug, glug, glug...

Cadence also has a nice bunny family now to keep her company in her room. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Lessons in First Aide

I've been CPR/First Aide certified a few times in my life. Mainly just as a requirement for a job, and all with the hope of never having to actually put to practice any of what was learned. As a parent, even just of one small person, those skills suddenly take on a new kind of importance.

So maybe I might have over-reacted just a little, first-time mom and all, but my daughter does tend to put anything...and everything...into her mouth to eat. I've become pretty attuned to the too silent silences, and the pauses taken in a bounding crawl across the floor. I've learned to recognize the cues that she's carrying something small in the pocket of her cheeks by these certain little noises she makes or the way she sucks her lip. And yet, even with all these newly acquired skills, I honestly couldn't begin to guess all the things my daughter has probably ingested.

One day I was playing with Cadence outside. We were looking at a fish pond we have in our back yard and she reached for a dry leaf. I saw this, with my ever-watchful eye, and decided it would be a good time to head inside, proud that I had averted a leaf-eating catastrophe. As I headed back to the house, child on hip, to my surprise I see the small brown tip of a leaf poking through her fingers. I quickly removed the offending shard of nature and continued up the back stairs looking intently at my child's countenance. Sure enough, the telltale signs were there...soft grunting, small lip smacks, and faint sucking sounds....she had something in her mouth!

Horrified at the thought that she might eat this mysterious object, I attempted to fish the thing out with my finger. In protest she met my finger jabs toward her mouth with arm flails, clenched jaws, and head swerves. I then placed my child, ever so gently, on the floor and used one arm to keep her arms out of the way while I attempted to execute the Red Cross approved finger-sweep technique. Again met with some resistance, I finally managed to maneuver my finger past her lips and into the pockets of her cheeks, and finally deeply towards the back of her throat...a little too deeply.

What came next was not anything my first aid classes had prepared me for. The unmistakable sounds of someone about to hurl. As my little one began to make retching sounds I quickly scooped her into my arms and ran to the kitchen sink, where I tried to hold her waiting for the inevitable to come. With each heave she tried to cling to my chest, a bewildered look on her face and small tears beginning to stream from the corners of her eyes. Needless to say, a tiny shard of dry leaf did produce itself from her mouth, along with the entire contents of her stomach from the past two hours.

The moral of the story...do not attempt first aide skills except for in actual emergencies. Small amounts of yard debris, dirt, paper, or carpet fuzz have probably never harmed any of us. And if you do intend to actually practice being a hero someday, it might not hurt to be prepared with a spare change of clothes for you and the victim, I mean recipient, of your bravery.

Say "no" to pot

Cadence has discovered the toilet. Actually, she's discovering many things these days. First she discovered that she likes water. Bathtimes are a great opportunity for me to get the floors clean as a result. Nothing like multi-tasking as a mom who works full-time outside of the home! Since our home is small and has one bathroom that connects our room to Cadence's, she's in the bathroom frequently when mom or dad are doing whatever they need to do in there. Well after months of careful observation, she has figured out that the toilet must be an important and fun part of the house. Now that she's getting around quite well, we must always remember to close the lid as she can make a pretty quick go for the pot when the opportunity presents itself. Of course the real fun of the toilet is that it is filled with water...water that can be touched when one stands on tip-toes and reaches one's whole arm down into it. And like everything else within her reach, Cadence decided the toilet was also worth tasting...yes, you may take a moment to shudder if you must. And finally lately, she has decided the toilet can still be quiet a lot of fun even when it's shut because there's this shiny metal thing that will make strange and curious sounds when toggled just right. I'm just glad she cannot yet lift the lid on her own, who knows what might go missing when she learns to do that!

The latest..

Cadence is on the move! She got the crawling thing down probably a couple days after my last blog. What she really likes is pulling up on anything and everything...not a good thing when mommy is wearing sweatpants or a stretchy skirt! She ends up on the floor and I end up...er...exposed! Along with pulling up she has also begun cruising along funiture...it may be slow going for now but I think I dont' mind that. She's also getting her first tooth. It's on the bottom, front and center. We've handled it pretty well...a little irritability all around, we'll get through it! She enjoys her messy meals and "helps" us get the spoon to her mouth. Sometimes the spoon makes it but the food doesn't. She also is a big fan of Cheerios and gets her milk from mom in the mornings and then mixed with cereal in a bottle throughout the day. Speaking of the little darling...she's now wailing after waking up from her post-immunization nap. Gotta run!

Er...Sleeping Beauty?

I thought I would snap some shots of our little sleeping beauty during her morning nap...except she had already woken up. I guess even little guys aren't too fond of a camera in their face right after sleeping!

Weekending

Red light, green light

The little one is becoming mobile! She's up on all fours and scooting around. She doesn't quite have the hang of crawling, but can inch herself around, and climb all over us! Pretty soon our little world is gonna change. She is also trying her hardest to pull herself up to stand, and can do it sometimes. She's got just enough strength and coordination to be dangerous since she can pull herself up, but can't maintain it too well. I think her crib is getting lowered this weekend since she has figured out how to use the bumper pad and rails to get up. It's all so fun though. She keeps us laughing as she explores more and more of the world around her. Lately she's been fascinated by the black and white round wall clock hanging in the kitchen. Whenever we take her in there, she peers around to watch the clock. So silly!

Today she got her first experience of grass. Since the weather is nice, I took her out on the front lawn and showed her leaves and grass and some flowers. As she reached for a leaf the first couple times she would pull her hand back once it was brushed by the taller blades of grass. Soon she was touching it all and trying to taste it too! Well, I suppose"dirt don't hurt".