Sunday, February 26, 2012

Do What You Say You are Going To Do



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The other Orion was trying to play hide and seek with Grace.....just to get her to hide so he could sneak next door for an outing with Grandpa. She is only two but she would have for sure realized he didn't come looking for her like he said he was going to do. I tried to make it clear that you have to do what you say you are going to do because that is how people learn to trust you. Crazy yet very creative kid he is. Another problem we have with him is his "forgetting". Every time he doesn't do what he is supposed to or tells a lie his excuse is "I forgot". A perfect excuse for some things...but you can only forget what you did two seconds ago so many times.

The very next day after the hide and seek incident we were getting ready to do school. We hand out tickets at the end of the week for all the chores that were completed and I give Orion an extra few if he has mastered a new skill with his school work. We have a box full of miscellaneous toys and pencils, stickers and whatnot's that are priced by tickets for them to choose from. I told him we would do them after school when he asked ahead of time. We did school then went about our day. Not only did I forget, I didn't do what I said I would do. A DOUBLE WHAMMY!

I've always known they learn from watching and not hearing. What I do not realize is how often I display the behavior I attempt to correct in them. "Do as I say and not as I do" is NOT the kind of mom I want to be. I wonder now if many of the times he has said "I forgot" is because of how often he has heard me say it.  I stay pretty busy but I say that way too often. I forget to do what I say I'm going to do. Now the sad part is that he says "I forgot" when he lies about something. Does he think I'm lying about the things I say I forgot? He obviously thinks it's a good enough excuse for Momma it should be a good excuse for him too. I am not sure how to correct this issue in myself.

I have started asking him to remind me, which I suppose is a start. I've also started using the phrase "we'll see" rather than "later". That way I'm not saying yes or no and can make up my mind when the right time arises. Right? I Don't know what the best way to handle this situation is. I know one thing though....I need to do what I say I'm gonna do.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The End of the First of the Third Child's Injuries


FUNNY KID COMMENT OF THE WEEK
Orion's Grandpa took him to the barber shop for a haircut. Once Orion's hair was done it was Papa's turn in the chair. The lady didn't do a really good job. She cut his side burns and around his ears REALLY high. As they were leaving Orion calls out, "Good thing they stopped Papa! You woulda been bald!"


What a week! After the insane amount of frustration and worry about Faith's head,  it is FINALLY over! I found ONE honest Doctor to tell us the truth and not let every decision and thing that came out of their mouth depend on policy. We went through one doctor, a radiologist, and a neurosurgeon (all of whom told us, "she looks OK but let me send you to so and so just to be sure") before we finally said forget it and got a second opinion from an unaffiliated Dr. which was the best decision in a while!

 It took the neurosurgeons office "policy" of calling CPS if we didn't agree to a CT Scan and full skeletal xray for us to do it. Why these people are willing to put a little baby who acts 100% normal without any evidence of injury through 101 tests to get to the same answer of "she's fine" is completely beyond me. So glad I found Dr. Capps at Lost Pines Family Medicine! He's a medical renegade apparently...he said "she's fine as long as there are no symptoms, definitely doesn't need a CT Scan and if CPS calls I'm happy to talk to them." .....WHAT?! You don't need me to pay you $4000 for a scan just to make sure you CYA?! You can just use your 10+ years of medical training? 

WOW! I have for certain found a new family doc. Anywho, I am very ready to get life back to normal around here. It's amazing what you don't get to keep up with when you have worry hanging over your head. I can't believe how far behind I can fall and how our schedules can become so quickly non-existent. But that's ok. After all your kid only gets a skull fracture once right? Lord I hope so! That's all I can take!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Helping Hands 2-7-12

Little Miss Grace has a way with helping. She LOVES to "help". Everything from cooking to feeding the animals to taking our trash. She is now in the "I do it" stage and accepts little help from anyone once she gets it in her head she wants to do something. I will give her a job while I'm cooking like putting the washed lettuce in the bag or putting seasonings in the food. So far shes done great. She can't stand for you to be doing something she isn't though. You start her on lettuce and she sees you cutting onions and immediately its "I do that"... she wants to try that instead.

 I'm always amazed at how much she picks up from watching. The other night I had dinner about ready in the oven and was changing the baby. I go into the dining room once I finish and she has everyone's places set with silverware and plates and pot holders on the table waiting for me to bring the food. How much a two year old can help is surprising to say the least! What a BLESSING! 

For the past 6 months or so we have cooked for the homeless ministry of our church. Well, it's mostly Dan but we all pitch in some...I'm usually the cleaner upper. :) Usually Dan will meet our Pastor in Austin and serve the food we've cooked. Orion went once several months ago and he loved it and was so happy to have the job of handing out water to people at the park. He HAS to go now, after all, it's his job. We had a schedule conflict a few weeks back and Grace ended up going along for the adventure with Dad and big brother. Now she's hooked too. Every week or two when it's time she gets all excited about going to feed the "homes". 

Today we did the usual prep and Grace was getting to go help all by herself since I needed Orion's help with Faith on our adventure to the Dr's office. There was a mix up and the Pastor wasn't going to be able to make it so it ended up being just Dan and Grace to serve 40-50 people lunch in the park. And of course she had to help. She got right in there with Dad and passed him plates and helped dish up food. He didn't have to say anything, she just kind of knew what to do.

So often I see her help as "help". It slows me down and makes a mess! But what a joy and privilege to watch when I slow myself down and appreciate it for what it is. A tiny sweet heart just wanting to do something for someone...and maybe craving a bit of attention for being the big girl she is.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Fractured and Exhausted

Funny Kid Comment of the Week - 
"I don't get paid until Tuesday? That's not fair! I've done all my jobs!" says Orion. I reply, "I don't remember the last time I got paid for doing your laundry". His reply, "That's because that isn't a real job!" He now owes me $30 for doing his laundry this month! What a stinker!

 Last Tuesday we discovered our 7 month old Faith fractured her skull during a fall that weekend. She was fine after the fall, none of the tell tale signs they say to look for if there is brain damage, concussion, etc. So we didn't worry much until we noticed she had a giant, not regular size, GIANT knot on the side of her head. The doc checked her out, ordered x-rays, and gave us the news. Then he asks they we take her to a specialist to confirm we need to do nothing else and just let her heal. They schedule the appointment for the following Tuesday. One week after we find out about her initial injury.

What are we supposed to do in the meantime? "It would be good if she didn't hit her head in the same spot again." Ok. A very active 7 month old just learning to crawl and pull her self up on furniture is supposed to not hit her head again for a week. That should be easy right? NOT AT ALL! I am so far beyond exhausted at this point, 5 days later. I never realized how many times babies fall at this stage until I tried making sure it doesn't happen. Helmet? yes, we need a helmet. Padded room? yes, that too. And Momma? She needs an EMT standing by for when her heart attack or seizure finally occurs.

I don't think I realized until this week that I handle things much differently than I did years ago. I used to get chest pains when I was younger related to stress but haven't in years though much remains the same. We have the usual stressors - money, kids acting up for a day- but this is a new level of stress, accompanied by the return of chest pains and gritting my teeth....awake. I think the last two days the adrenaline in my body has finally been completely drained and the plea for sleep came in it's place. But sleep...psht...that would be too easy.

The same little baby came down with a runny nose yesterday, slept most of the day (as long as I was holding her anyway), then spiked a fever last night and was up all night. I am so glad Dad is off the next two days. It has been an insanely long, strenuous, exhausting, emotional, trying week. I am definitely ready to hand over the reins for a two hour nap! And the specialist appointment? I was relieved it was schedule a week later because I thought "that means it's nothing urgent, Yay" Which is still true, but it hasn't made the anticipation go away. If they ever try to make me wait a week again (which hopefully will be completely unnecessary because no one here will ever again need a specialist)  I do believe I will throw a fit! Or at least buy a helmet, pad a room and find an off duty EMT to remain on call. It would sooooo be worth it.