Bedroom Board

Just wanted to post my biggest excitement for the month! Addison has slept in her own bed for 2 nights in a row! Seriously - it's been months since that has happened. Maybe our perstistence is finally paying off! She only has to get 2 more stickers on her "Bedroom Board" until she gets to head to Sea World! Yeah for Addison!!

Why do you have water on your face?

Man, busy busy lately. It seems that I barely have time to breath. My new job is fun and new and allows me to be creative.. and I am doing great, but man, I miss those days of having a second or 2 to google random illnesses that I might have on any given day.

I am having a HECK of a time with Addison lately. This girl has gotten into the serious habit of NOT sleeping through the night and further more - trying to get into our bed up to 3 times a night... no matter how many times we put her back into her own bed. I have done everything from make her a stickerboard to reward her for sleeping in her bed, create "friends" out her toys to make her feel safe, left her door open, closed it, etc. I am even ashamed to admit we gave her Benedryl one night just to get her to get some sleep cause she was exhausted and that didnt even work. I am tired. Thomas is tired. She is tired. I am desperate. Any ideas or helpful hints would be gladly accepted. And some background - she has been the BEST sleeper ever since she was 7 weeks old and she still goes to bed ok... its just in the middle of the night.... Help!

Kirstynn is talking more and more! She now says mama, dada, bird, dog, night night and somewhat of a version of "whats that?"... Its really cute. She is a roamer and generally very quiet and keeps to herself. I love watching their different personalities. Growing up so fast and I was watching Jon and Kate last night and thought about what I will do when my first turns 5! I'll be a mess. Addison was watching it with me and I teared up and she said "Mommy - why do you have water on your face?" I had to laugh and said "Honey, I just dont want you to get big"... and she, of course in her infinite wisdom replied "Ok Mommy. I won't". I wish it were that easy.

I am still working out and still not losing weight. Story of my life. I am ok with it. Whatever. :)

Vegas

Well, wow. What a wonderful weekend. Vegas was so much fun and it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

We stayed at the Wynn Encore and it was a gorgeous hotel. Our room was beautiful.

We actually made it around to almost the entire strip and saw a show and ate delicious meals and got lots of desert sun. We had a blast.

What is funny is our favorite part of the trip was hanging out at the Harrahs Carnival Court! They have the best "flair" bartenders in the world, the alcohol flows freely and CHEAPLY, the music is rocking and the crowd us fun!

No one won big (in fact poor Thomas couldnt win to save his life)... but we cant wait to go back in September and stayed far within our budget (not an easy feat in VEgas).

My girls did great and had an awesome time at their Nana Pops house! Although I am sure they were ready for a break after 4 days, they took it on like superstars and the kids loved being there!

Now back to reality and ready to start the summer! Swimming on the agenda for this coming LONG weekend!

Austin

What an exciting weekend!!!!
Friday night was spent in my favorite town in the entire world - Austin, Texas. A bunch of friends and Thomas and me drove up after work, got a hotel room and had a great night out among adults (thanks mom and Steve for watching the kiddos). We first went to an old-school favorite college hangout Aquarium on Sixth to say hello to friend and then proceeded to check out another old buddy's new bar Molotov. We had an awesome time and ate a delicious lunch on Saturday at Hula Hut. Highly recommended for anyone who hasn't been...
I did, however, get a full-faced reminder that I am now 30 because I had one of the worst hang-overs of my life. Weird thing was that it was delayed until late Saturday night. I guess that is good that I didn't have to endure it in the car but Saturday evening was painful...

Sunday was awesome... Happy Mother's Day to all my mom friends! We spent the day at my Nana's house with about 20 family members and BBQ'd and put the sprinkler on for the kids... I got lovely cards and chocolates from my little Addison and hubby and some flowers from my mother. It couldn't have been better really.
Well, it could have been better in one aspect - I could have not had a WORSE hangover on Sunday leftover from Friday night. Why it was worse on Sunday I have no idea but my joints ached, my head hurt and my tummy grumbled. I remember why I only do this once or twice a year now.

We are off to Vegas on Thursday. Not ready AT ALL...

DOH!

I am an idiot and started screwing with my blog. Now I hate it and cannot get anything back the way I had it!
All my blogger friends.. please send me links to yours so I can add them on to my sidebar again!
Ugh!!!! Going nuts!!!

Cornyval and the brave..

Weekend was fabulous!! Friday night we headed out to this neighborhood annual carnival called Cornyval! It was a blast! Addison is normally extremely scared of just about EVERYTHING! She finally got over it and rode on everything! Even the huge Ferris wheel! I am so proud of her! My little baby is growing up!!!

Kiki on Sunday laid down and fell asleep in my arms and we napped together all snuggled in bed. I actually got a little teary as I dozed off because we used to do this when I was nursing and she was a newborn and I was off work. It was just her and me.

Ever since I have been back from Charlotte, she just isn't as close to me as she was. She latched onto Thomas and that has been her security. Part of me doesn't mind because it gives me a little more freedom, but part of me gets sad and swallows the guilt like a bad drug. Either way - I feel like maybe she is finally forgetting that I left a little and is giving me another chance. Yeah Kiki!

We also took her swimming on Sunday! It was beautiful out and Addison spent most of Saturday and Sunday with her Nana Simon so we had some free hands! She loved it and her bathing suit was adorable!!!

Friday night we are off to Austin, TX to celebrate my big 3-0! I am so excited and am determined to lose 3 or 4 pounds this week before I go. I got my teeth whitened, my skin tanned and my hair bleached. Only thing left for my "dirty 30" party is 15 pounds to be lost...

lol

Fridge

Also - something less serious....

we have had a number of "thefts" from our fridge at work and it looks like someone has taken the crimes into their own hands...

This was posted on the fridge downstairs.. Straight off of something from The Office... Michael Scott Paper Company...

ha ha!

Dr. Gitterle - H1N1

So, the swine flu is everywhere here in Texas and rumors are nice and rampant in San Antonio. They have closed 3 of the 6 total school districts and right in the middle of TAKS testing. Its crazy! I still am not sure whether or not to believe it or not but I did get an email from a doctor yesterday and this was verified last night on our local news... read it and take it for what it is worth. These are not my opinions or am I stating as fact - but the doctor did in fact send it.

I checked his credentials on the web. He is a real doctor. It was also on Kidd Kraddick this morning
Marcus Gitterle, MD: (Director of Longevity Research) Doctor Gitterle is an Emergency Room Physician in Texas, owns a dietary supplement company, and has studied the science of human life-extension for many years. He is involved in developing bio-diesel infrastructure on a local level, has recently built a home powered solely by photovoltaics and tirelessly researches methods of improving health and prolonging life.(830) 643-6166512 452 8533

Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:55:31 -0500 From
Subject: Flu Update from Dr. Gitterle

-- Jack After I returned from a public health meeting yesterday with community leaders and school officials in Comal County, Heather suggested I send an update to everyone, because what we are hearing privately from the CDC and Health Department is so different from what you are hearing in the media. Some of you know some or maybe all of this, but I will just list what facts I know. - The virus is infectious for about 2 days prior to symptom onset - Virus sheds more than 7 days after symptom onset (possibly as long as 9 days) (this is unusual) - Since it is such a novel (new) virus, there is no "herd immunity," so the "attack rate" is very high. This is the percentage of people who come down with a virus if exposed. Almost everyone who is exposed to this virus will become infected, though not all will be symptomatic. That is much higher than seasonal flu, which averages 10-15%. The "clinical attack rate" may be around 40-50%. This is the number of people who show symptoms. This is a huge number. It is hard to convey the seriousness of this. - The virulence (deadliness) of this virus is as bad here as in Mexico, and there are folks on ventilators here in the US, right now. This has not been in the media, but a 23 month old near here is fighting for his life, and a pregnant woman just south of San Antonio is fighting for her life. In Mexico, these folks might have died already, but here in the US, folks are getting Tamiflu or Relenza quickly, and we have ready access to ventilators. What this means is that within a couple of weeks, regional hospitals will likely become overwhelmed. - Some of the kids with positive cases in Comal County had more than 70 contacts before diagnosis. - There are 10-25 times more actual cases (not "possible" cases -- actual), than what is being reported in the media. The way they fudge on reporting this is that it takes 3 days to get the confirmatory nod from the CDC on a given viral culture, but based on epidemiological grounds, we know that there are more than 10 cases for each "confirmed" case right now. - During the night, we crossed the threshold for the definition of a WHO, Phase 6 global pandemic. This has not happened in any of our lifetimes so far. We are in uncharted territory. - I expect President Obama will declare an emergency sometime in the next 72-96 hours. This may not happen, but if it doesn't, I will be surprised. When this happens, all public gathering will be cancelled for 10 days. - I suggest all of us avoid public gatherings. Outdoor activities are not as likely to lead to infection. It is contained areas and close contact that are the biggest risk. - Tamiflu is running out. There is a national stockpile, but it will have to be carefully managed, as it is not enough to treat the likely number of infections when this is full-blown. I don't think there is a big supply of Relenza, but I do not know those numbers. If I had to choose, I would take Relenza, as I think it gets more drug to the affected tissue than Tamiflu. - You should avoid going to the ER if you think you have been exposed or are symptomatic. ER's south of here are becoming overwhelmed -- and I mean that -- already. It is coming in waves, but the waves are getting bigger. - It appears that this flu produces a distinctive "hoarseness" in many victims. The symptoms, in general, match other flu's; namely, sore throat, body aches, headache, cough, and fever. Some have all these symptoms, while others may have only one or two. - N-Acetyl-Cysteine -- a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that. - Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in Europe, with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy. I will try to keep everyone posted if I have any new information. Meanwhile, don't be afraid just avoid infection. The fewer people infected the easier it will be for our public officials to manage it. Marc