I just like 'em

I can not think of a situation in which Double Stuff Oreos would not make me feel better. Bad day? Oreos in my Pjs on the couch. Good day? Oreos and champaign! I am pretty sure that I am going to turn into an Oreo. At the end of every day, no matter what has happened, I would like Oreos.

Parker Daycare update #2

Well...week one ended pretty well for Parker! By Friday he had attached himself to one of his teachers - Miss Mary and as long as she is within 10 feet of him, he is a pretty happy camper! It is just so much change for a little person who's life has been structured to the hour for 15 months! He has never missed a nap! His sleep is just totally thrown at daycare and it is backing up at night here too. We are just exhausted. We have never liked to he leave him to cry on his own, but he has been getting up all hours of the night and for LONG periods of time! Even that I can handle - but he is waking up before 5 in the morning for the whole day! Those who know me know...I am not capable of being friendly, functional or much less motherly at 5:00 am. Rough week! But we have made it!
So that is the quick update on Parker. I, on the other hand, am LOVING it! It does not feel like babysitting at all which is just such a change. I am a two year old teacher and we have lessons and curriculum, and they are all just so sweet and funny. My co-teacher is awesome and I am so excited to get to know her better.
I think that this will work out. I am hoping that by this next Friday Parker will be back to his old self (specifically sleeping until after 7:30 would be GREAT).
We have been really trying to love him up in our home time. We have made an effort to keep the computer and tv off when he is up and be focusing more on him. Here are some pictures of our first zoo trip! He had a BLAST!

Daycare Drama

Well...Parker started daycare last week. He went for 4 hours on Wednesday, 4 hours on Thursday and 1 hour on Friday. He did GREAT on Wednesday and Thursday. His teachers said they had never laughed so hard and that he was just so cute. Friday - he understood that this was the new deal and he did not like it one bit! He cried for an hour and I went and picked him up. He has acted weird ever since. He cries all day, clings to me...like claws up my body to get into my arms, and does not want to be alone. There are not words to describe how guilty I felt! Our house has been one big tear fest!
THEN - the vomiting started....then the nasty diapers, then the kind of crying that means he's in pain. I am sorry to say that after his few short hours in daycare - he has contracted HAND FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE!!!! He has "lacerations" (that is the doctor's word not mine) in the back of his throat. He has been sick since that Friday. That explains why he has been so sad and clingy. I just feel so bad for him. Needless to say, he has spent the week at home and Jon and I have juggled around my work schedule and his school schedule so that one of us was home with him all week. The doctor told me this morning that he would be feeling better by Monday.
We are all pretty tired. It was a really emotional week as he has never really been sick (aside from the heart surgery that is). I am really really hoping that once he feels better he will get into his classroom at daycare. His teachers are AWESOME and really want him to adjust quickly. Still - it's hard on us because we have always been together. I hope by next Friday we are in a great little routine and we are all comfortable!

Startin' Somethin' New!

Well, after a LONG year, I finally quit my job! It was way past time to leave when I walked out and Friday and have not been back since. I spent the whole weekend agonizing over what to do now. There was a job available at my old daycare center and a place open for Parker. His teachers are three of my friends and they are all just so great. Needless to say - I took the job!!
I cried and cried the night before I left him the first time. I have never done anything so difficult in my life and I don't know how so many women do it!! Geez...but it was all for nothing. He walked right in and had a GREAT day! I could not believe it! He only stayed for a few hours Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Tomorrow is our first full day. I have been working 52 hours a week for Paul and Heather and will be working 40 now. I can not imagine that kind of extra time! I am just so excited.
I will have to update later this week to let everyone know how he held up!!
Here we go!!

Amazing story!!

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome is the most complex heart defect (generally). There is still a worrisome mortality rate with these kids. Children who have this defect have 3 open heart surgeries early in life and over the course of the surgeries, doctors literally shut down an entire ventricle so the heart is functioning with 3 chambers instead of 4. Because every heart and every body is different, each child responds differently to this transition. It is a really scary defect. They have only just recently began really doing these surgeries well. 20 and 30 years ago, almost all of these kids died. This is a video though of a 30 year old man born with HLHS!!! He is the oldest survivor with the defect! It is just amazing!
I wanted to share it with you because it makes me so happy! This is a LONG video clip and this story begins 19 minutes and 42 seconds into it, so when you start it, move it ahead so you don't have to watch the whole thing! (I haven't watched any of the other clips - so don't hold me responsible!! :-) )

http://www.wedu.org/Content/VideoPop/SH_March_2008.aspx