smoke signals...

while sitting in the gas station parking lot after church, kate sees a man and asks, "what's he doing Momma?

M: He's smoking a cigarette and that's a very bad thing to do to yourself."

K: Hmm, I want one.

Momma's message to Kate: don't even think it, kiddo.

2 for 2...

uh oh...kate said tonight, "mommy my mouth hurts..."

i dose with a little tylenol & cross my fingers...

the little peanut wakes up crying a few hours later and says, "my mouth really hurts!"

i grab my diagnostic flashlight & took a look to find this gnarly little virus had set up shop on her tongue and palate. apparently the crummy little virus wasn't satisfied with making our little dude miserable, so now they both need lots of TLC.

it could be a long sunday here...

You Go Girl!

Shalane Flanagan sets a new American record in the 10,000 meters at the Olympics.


Earns a bronze medal--the first American medal in this event in years--a proud moment for US running!

photos courtesy of letsrun.com

ouch!

It started so innocently. We had a lovely Sunday morning in church followed by a pleasant afternoon. Bliss...

Then, it appeared out of nowhere...Sam feels warm and has a low grade fever. Runner Boy isn't too worried, but my "mommy medical mania" starts up and I start to form a differential diagnosis.

Dose tylenol, put kid to bed.

Monday a.m.: fever back, no other symptoms, more tylenol. Runner Boy still not worried. Mommy ruminates on potential causes.

Monday afternoon: fever increases as tylenol wears off--Mommy admits that people who work on adult bones have no idea what causes kiddie fevers, but continues to pool her ignorance with herself.

Monday dinner: Sam seems fine until he eats his first bite of melon and explodes into tears...a perplexing turn of events...fever seems to break.

Tuesday: Prolific drooling starts...appetite disappears...mommy decides to take a look with the flashlight into the drooling, cavernous throat.

Well, low and behold I see this.

I don't have to be a pediatric infectious disease savant to know this is NOT normal...blisters and ulcers were spread all over his tongue, palate and cheeks.

hand, foot, mouth disease=herpangina=coxsakie virus=days of misery, inconsolable crying and evil behavior.

Desperate times demand desperate calls to the kiddie doctor. Bless the doctor...

Sammy is now drinking the kiddie codeine kool aid and Mommy and Runner Boy are hanging by a thread.

a slip of the tongue...

Sam was just a goof ball tonight...he danced along with the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, practiced his typing and culminated his evening by laying on his back on the couch thrashing his legs...annoying his sister.

He finally kicked "sissy" and made her cry (his antics were keeping her from seeing the ceremonies).

I turned around and said "Sammit! stop that!!

I guess that's my hybrid way of getting his attention...

say what?

Recent Kate quotes:

Kate: Mom?

Mom: What?

K: When I get big can I ride 'da bus?

M: Sure. (...I think to myself...it's so over-rated Kate...)

*****

K: Mom?

M: Yeah?

K: When I get big can I sleep nudey...without my jammies?

M: Huh? (she went to bed with her jammies ON!)

*****

M: What would you like for supper tonight?

K: How 'bout chocolate ice cream and Kate-on-a-stick?

We ordered Chinese food instead...

Mini Midwestern Reunion of the Sichuan Sisters...

We all have special moments in our lives that are etched in our memory. One of our special memories is the day we met our beloved Kate. We waited with 3 other families in a simple government building in Sichuan, China in December of 2005. We each held our arms out and had our daughters handed to us. What a special moment for us to share with our girls and one another. Kate, Sam & I were able to have a mini reunion with one of her China sisters recently and it was fantastic.

I so appreciate that we have tried to keep our girls in touch with one another...Kate loves checking out her friends' blogs and talks about the girls frequently. My dream would be that all 4 girls would continue and build their special connection.

It didn't take Kate long to feel comfortable hanging around with Gwen...Kate loves the playground, but Gwen encouraged her to "take it to the next level" while they were together. Kate's eyes have been opened to a whole new world of testing gravity.

Kate was thrilled to find out that Gwen had crocs, too. The shoe divas had to get a photo in their swinging thrones...

What this railing isn't a balance beam? Please, let's not get too caught up the safety issues here, you're looking at 2 future gymnasts.

Gwen is currently living in China with her family...apparently they let kids learn to drive sooner there...Gwen is taking Kate for a spin on a motorcycle. Yeah, I know they should have their helmets on, but Gwen's Mom assured me that she was a very safe driver. (It takes a lot of skill to negotiate the streets of Chinese cities...)

Kate loved that railing...

oh, yeah, Sam was there, too. He was busy flashing his smile and dimples trying to dazzle the other toddler girls...

He forgot about the chicks when he saw the motorcycle. He could feel the powa' and he was off! Yes, I know he also should have had a helmet on, but do you have any idea how hard it is to fit that size head with a helmet? He wears a size "large planet"...available through special order only.

He's just so darn cute...(I can say that because he doesn't look like me)...

It was so much fun to see Gwen & her Mom. I so appreciate that she made the time to see us during her hectic trip. Kate adored Gwen's Mom in China...she would run to Lynne and happily give her a big hug. In the short time we had with Lynne in China, I saw the ease she had around children, the fact that she got down on their level on the floor and how the girls responded to her. I observed her and tried to pick up some of the wisdom during those scary first days as a Momma. (Kate still thinks Lynne is pretty wonderful.)

Our biggest regret about our mini reunion was we were missing members of the group. Our special friends K & her Mommy really tried to get up to the north, but this time it just didn't work out. (It would be so easy if we would all just cash in on the lottery.) We all have hopes to get our girls together in the future. I can already hear their giggles, shrieks of laughter, camera shutters clicking as we savor the moments, and the sounds of busy feet running everywhere. Gives us something to look forward to!!!