sickness
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Saturday, February 4th, 2012Dear JSL,
This has been a rough week for you. First, a fever in the middle of the night. Then, you had nap/night terrors that scared us out of our mind. When we went to the doctor, your throat was swabbed and ear blasted with a new contraption to clean it out. In the end, it looks like you have a virus. The fever went away, but suddenly a horrible cough and leaky nose appeared.
While I sat by you and you slept away the fever, I pulled out some old school knitting of mine. I wanted to make something special to help you smile. It brought me back to when I was knitting next to your hospital bed in February 2008. Of course, this time you knew I was making something for you and were so excited when you saw what was hidden within the cloth. The minute it came off the knitting needles you declared it was yours and a blanket for your little monkey. Of course, you were too tired to get your monkey, so you went to rest with it on your puppy pillow.
When NHL saw the hidden Mickey in the cloth, he asked me to make a blanket for his little lion. With your help, we made sure this was made quickly.
Of course, now you are asking me to knit you a Mickey Mouse blanket. Hmmmm……I will have to figure that one out. Now, to work on getting rid of the cough and making you feel better.
Love,
Mommy
Under the Weather on Groundhog Day
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012While everyone else is watching to see what Phil the groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania sees this morning, I will be busy. First, I will be taking one kid to school and trying to make an appointment for the little guy to see the doctor. Much of Wednesday was spent trying to get the sick little guy to do this
He was so exhausted after waking up during the night with a fever. There are no other symptoms, aside from a cough when he gets upset. He did get sick all over me, but it was not illness related. JSL is NOT a fan of medicine. Unfortunately, with his febrile seizure history, we do not wait around with fevers. We have to act quickly to get his temperature down. While he has gone eight months without one, we never know if today could bring another seizure.
We did not go to the doctor Wednesday because it may just be viral. If he is miserable during the night, we will likely head to the doctor to have his ears and throat checked to make sure. JSL never complains about his ears bothering him and often they are the cause of fevers.
While we rest, I do hope to read some Groundhog Day books, like the one I reviewed last year.
Source: theangelforever.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
If you are looking for other Groundhog Day ideas, I found some and pinned on my Groundhog Day board. There are pancakes, fruit snack, predictions craft, cupcake push pops and more. Stop by because the photos are amazing and they link to the items shown.
Do you have any special plans this Groundhog Day? What do you think about the little rodent’s prediction given the relatively mild winter in a lot of the country?
Winter Means Pinning Lots of Soup
Thursday, January 12th, 2012Yes, I do mean I am pinning lots of soup this winter. If you don’t know what I mean come on over to Pinterest to find me.
Thanks to a sweet four year old that shared his cold, nothing sounds good to eat. I am craving my mother’s chicken soup, but that isn’t going to happen. So while trying to clear the congestion in my head, I went to Pinterest. I wanted to find soups for my family to enjoy, keep warm, and devour the rest of this winter. It may not have been THAT cold yet, but there are many more months where Mother Nature will likely have her last laugh.
I sent a call out to my friend on Twitter to see if they had any soup recipes to share. @Kimberaka who writes at From My Corner of Saratoga sent me three items on her blog. She shared how to make soup into dinner, a great New England Clam Chowder recipe, and the one below for Corn Chowder. Thanks Kim!
Source: frommycornerofsaratoga.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
Then, I started to do random searches on Pinterest for soup. Something I have also been craving is Pho. Since TechyDad does not like to eat meat when out, we have not been able to locate a place to get Pho for him. Thanks to this pin, we just may be able to make some at home soon.
Source: keepitskinny.wordpress.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
It was hard to decide what to and what not to pin, but I was selective at this point. My love of cauliflower and the fact that my oldest son also likes it made a recipe for Caramelized Cauliflower Soup jump out. This sounds really delicious and different to me.
Source: sproutedkitchen.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
Since we keep a kosher kitchen, we often make vegetarian soups. I do miss the hearty meaty soups, but love when I find alternatives. Plus with “burger crumbles” from companies like Morning Star, you can easily revamp a great recipe. Here is one for Morning Star Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.
Source: morningstarfarms.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
Of course, a girl can also dream of a soup that looks like a major splurge. I wonder if this one from the Disney Parks Blog for Loaded Baked Potato Soup can be tweaked into a kosher variety (hello soy bacon in a pinch).
Source: disneyparks.disney.go.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
Do you have a favorite soup recipe to share? I would love to know about it. Please let me know about it in the comments. Feel free to leave a link to a post or the recipe online. My need for soup thanks you and I will add it to my soups pins on Pinterest.
The Humidifier Saga
Monday, November 7th, 2011Our doctor has been telling us to us a cool mist humidifier with the boys to help them when they are sick. For years, we have tried humidifier after humidifier and they have never worked. Each time the doctor tells is, we have to remind him that we are THE ones that are the joke of of the humidifier industry.
A while ago, my Aunt T needed to downsize a humidifier to one that she would be able to refill on her own. She knew that we were having issues and gave it to us. We had never set it up until Sunday. When I got back home, the little guy was miserable. So TechyDad hauled out the humidifier and tested it out in our bathroom. Check out what happened.
Why yes, it actually works. Not only is cool mist coming out of the humidifier, but the water level goes down after a short amount of time. So now with any luck, we can set this up with the boys for tonight to help the little guy who is so stuffed up. For now, JSL is intrigued with the “smoke” that is coming out of the machine.
Do you have a cool mist humidifier? I would love to know what you have that works. We may purchase another for use in a different room.
MIA – Catch me at KidsFunPlaza
Sunday, December 26th, 2010I thought I was finally feeling better yesterday. My nose was behaving, the cough was calm, and I was able to sit up for longer periods of time. The joke was on me. This morning I woke up in agony. Although the fever appears to be gone, I have intense sinus pressure. So please excuse me while I go to hang out with my new BFF’s and wait for this snow storm. Don’t be jealous, these are my friends right now:
With any luck, my head will explode and the pressure will be gone. Seriously, I think that may be the best cure. Of couse, the big storm that may dump 9-12 inches of snow could be part of the issue today.
So while I try to recover, the ladies and I have been posting over at the KidsFunPlaza blog. Please stop by, check out the latest, and say hello.
Over the last week or so I have written the following:
Other recent posts from my talented colleagues are:
- What to Do with Your Preschooler over Winter Break
- Savings for baby items
- Mommy and Me Moment of Giving
- 10 Things to Say to When Someone is Rude to Your Special Needs Child
The December/January KidsFunPlaza magazine should now be out at all of the Northeaster NY Price Chopper locations. Also be sure to check out the KidsFunKitchen which has great menu and recipe ideas.
See you at KidsFunPlaza!
Christmas Day Fail Whale
Saturday, December 25th, 2010As I was sitting in bed trying to make the best of being sick, Twitter crashed. It went out of service for quite time time. Of course, most people immediately went to other Social Media areas. While in one of those locations Kelby, TypaAMom, mentioned that she wished the Fail Whale was a little more festive. I immediately went to Picnik and had some holiday fun. I wanted to at least make her smile.
This is the Festive Fail Whale that I made with Kelby’s inspiration:
Of course, TechyDad added that it would be fun to change some of the Twitter birds to dreidels, so here is what I came up with just for him.
Now we can just hope that the Fail Whale behaves as we head into the New Year. As fun as holiday inspired themes are, I would prefer not to make another.
Sea lions and asthma weekend
Sunday, June 27th, 2010Nothing like spending the night of your 9th anniversary on the road with your kids (please note the extreme sarcasm here). That is exactly what we were doing Thursday evening on our way to a long weekend with my in-laws. Not that I have anything against my in-laws, but the road from here to there is a bit nerve wracking to say the least. You see, travel from here to there requires driving through roads that border the Bronx and other parts of New York City, and going over two large bridges. By the time we arrived at the Long Island Expressway, I was curled up in a fetal position with my eyes closed and sprouting new gray hairs by the minute. My biggest mistake of the trip was opening my eyes at one point when TechyDad yelled out "Holy Cow!" Let’s just say that NYC drivers are rather daring to say the least. Luckily, we arrived safely and got the kids into bed.
Friday morning, we all headed out to the Atlantis Aquarium. We had been there before when NHL was three (JSL’s age) and so much had changed. The boys had a lot of fun exploring things, but both really loved the sea lion show.
Those were a few of the pictures that I took with my camera. TechyDad took many more of the show, the kids and inside and out of the aquarium. No doubt he will be sharing them and the video of the sea lion doing her dance coming soon.
We had a very nice visit with my in-laws. I did not enjoy myself as much as I could have thanks to my asthma. Usually, I have issues there because of their dog. Lacey has passed away and I actually went there having lung issues. After my sinus infection came and went at my cousin’s wedding, my asthma really kicked into high gear. This seems to be something that happens with any small illness since I had the flu in October. It is safe to say that my rescue inhaler has become my best friend since I realized the cough was really my airways being constricted and needed to be opened from an asthma attack. The heat and humidity outside and even inside really made it difficult to breathe and sleep.This week I am hoping to call my allergy/asthma doctor to get an appointment. Obviously, I need some help getting my lungs up to speed and maintaining them if I get a cold or something else.
On that note, I am off to rest in my nice cool room and enjoy the AC that is making it a bit easier to breathe at the moment. More photos and items to share coming soon.
Taking Daddy to the ENT
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
A rough day for TechyDad. Went in to ENT for a sore throat, ear pain and bloody noses that will not end. Had to have his nose cauterized (more about it on his post –> A shocking experience) – not a happy camper tonight. All plugged up and miserable from the procedure. I love you and hope that this solves the problem so you can breathe easier in the long run.
An Eeyore kind of evening
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010Keeping this short right now. At this exact minute, the world is not spinning. Unfortunately, for much of the afternoon/evening my world has felt like I was on a roller coaster. Just before I went to pick up NHL from school, I bent over to dance with JSL. As I did this, the world started to spin. If I kept my head still, I was fine. As you can imagine, chasing after a two year old does not allow for a lot of quiet, still head time. The world was moving around in waves and I was feeling down right green from this.
When JL got home from work, a really bad wave hit me. I went into our room with the light off and put my head down. At first I thought this was a huge mistake because, once I closed my eyes, it was much worse. I believe I fell asleep for about 30 minutes and woke up to the boys eating dinner.
I have a feeling I will be spending most of the night in bed trying not to move my head around too much. Hopefully, in the morning things will be better, if not I may be heading to the doctor to have my ears checked. So right now I feel a lot like my favorite Disney character.
As Eeyore would say, "Thanks for noticing me!"
The Year that was 2009
Thursday, December 31st, 2009I remember it like it was yesterday, December 31, 2008. The boys and I were snuggled onto the couch. We were looking at a photo album from our honeymoon at Disney World. The boys were fascinated because we told them we would all be going there in 2009. That day we had officially booked our first big family vacation. Yes, in a few short months the boys would be going on an airplane for the first time to experience the magic of Disney.
The year has gone by in a blur. It is hard to believe that 2009 is just hours away from being over. Here are some memories from a year in my life:
January:
- JSL learned at 19 months old that snow is tricky to maneuver in. We captured this life lesson on video.
- Last year, I joined the anti-resolution craze. Did really well with this until things gradually slipped back and H1N1 killed it all.
- Going back on Weight Watchers, I was obsessed with my Nalgene water bottle. I was constantly drinking that and living my life in points (heading back on this as well).
- Then 5 year old NHL showed me that Word Families can be rather fun thanks to the "-it" clan. My angel was growing up too quickly.
February:
- Disney planning happened early one morning when I called in to make our dining reservations. This was huge and important for our trip that now included Nana and Papa.
- We continued to battle for control over NHL’s allergies and breathing troubles.
- A year passed from JSL’s first febrile seizure. A false sense of security from a year with no additional issues as I recalled the events from 2008.
- We went to Sesame Street Live. This was the first time for JSL and Cousin S, NHL was a pro and showed them what to do.
March:
- Reality hit and I learned that simply doing Weight Watchers was not enough. I had to move it, move it and Leslie Sansone became my friend. Time to dust those off again for 2010.
- We said goodbye to TechyDad’s long time car and bought a new one in the snow.
- Everyone dressed up for Purim and went to the parade for some fun and games.
- A weekend away for a family party = fun at a hotel pool. It was also the weekend that we questioned where the adult-parent line is in certain situations.
- 13 months had come and gone and nightmares returned as JSL had 2 febrile seizures in 30 hours.
- With 4 years of physical therapy behind him (to improve low muscle tone), NHL learned to ride a bike. This was a HUGE milestone and he was so proud, so were we.
April:
- For the first time in my life, I actually liked exercising and sweating. I walked and kicked with Leslie Sansone for miles each day. Leslie and I are going to be good buddies next week, asthma permitting.
- Lots of preparations went into Passover and the Seders were fun. This year, NHL really got into it thanks to Hebrew School.
- An early morning phone call on Shabbat from TechyDad’s parents proved to be bad news. Grandma had passed away. She was a beautiful woman who is missed greatly.
- Flowers were planted for Earth Day. They were gorgeous while they lasted. Sad to say, the neighborhood bunny dug up the bulbs and they will not be coming back this year.
May:
- Just in time for the trip to Disney World, I bought a pedometer. I tried daily to get in my 10,000+ steps. Need to get this puppy back out for the new year.
- Lots of packing, errands and last minute items were bought for Disney World. This included a shopping trip to buy everyone a new pair of shoes for sunny Florida. I lived in my Teva while we were there and all summer long.
- A week away from the computer meant scheduling posts for my blog. Right before we left a prize arrived with Mickey Ears. Check us out!
- While at Disney, the little guy turned 2. Here is a look back at two years in his life.
- Before we could blink, our week at Disney World was over. I wrote about a lot of the trip, but hate to admit I never finished. Our trip there, Chef Mickey in photos, Mother’s Day at Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom & Boma, and Day at the Magic Kingdom.
- This month also brought us EA Sports Active. Loved this, but my knee did not. An old injury came back to life thanks to a million lunges, squats and the like.
June:
- Memories from my childhood visits to Disney World and a Figment bribe from my father.
- We all celebrated a big birthday for my mother. Thanks to Aunt L, we had a nice party for her with family all there.
- After the allergic reaction at Disney to walnuts, I went to the doctor and got my blood test results. New inhaler to help asthma and lots of vitamins were added to my routine. . . need to go back to those again too.
- Shooting at the National Holocaust Museum brought back memories of living in fear of hatred that I have had as a Jewish American.
- The end of Kindergarten for NHL was filled with fun events. There was Field Day, Cake Balls for the last day with the horse rides, and kindergarten graduation. NHL went into kindergarten with the goal to read and came out with that and so much more!
- TechyDad and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary. Here’s a look back at our wedding.
July:
- NHL learned to play tennis at a local tennis program. He had a lot of fun, and we hope to do it again in 2010.
- I learned what was causing my intense stomach pains for weeks – SOY! Our almost vegetarian lifestyle was turned upside down.
- A long weekend trip to visit Uncle I, Aunt M and Cousin S meant a stop to see the Berenstain Bears at the museum. The kids loved entering their world.
- Thanks to season passes, we had a lot of time at Six Flags/Wiggles World. NHL conquered his fear of characters, we drove in Big Red Cars, and followed the M&M Road.
- A BIG event also came to our area. We were lucky enough to take the boys to see Walking with Dinosaurs. It was amazing on so many levels.
- NHL learned to swallow pills! Nice to be able to give him a little pill than tons of liquid or chewables.
August:
- When the rain stopped long enough, we went to the park. JSL liked going on the swings with Daddy. Here they are having a blast.
- In an attempt to relive the yummy memories from Disney, we tried our first stab at the Pop Century Tie-Dyed Cheesecake. This was in time for TechyDad’s birthday celebration .
- I also got my first pair of Crocs, some wedges that were really fun. Since then I have added 3 more pairs, including some boots.
- NHL went to camp for the first time. He had a blast during the week long Dinosaur camp.
- In the middle of the month, my first born turned 6. NHL was growing up before my eyes, so I showcased the past year for him.
- The summer was filled with Wiggle Tooth woes. It actually required the Tooth Fairy to write NHL a note to encourage him to keep wiggling.
- My knitting took on a new adventure as I tried circular needles for the first time. A baby blanket for my new nephew due in February 2010 is in the works.
September:
- My best friend that I went to kindergarten with had her baby shower. It was so nice being a part of this special day for her.
- A night away from the boys was a special treat as I went with my parents to see Cirque du Soleil while it was in town.
- NHL got ready to begin first grade. A new adventure was waiting for him as he went back to school.
- A beetle invasion in our house led to the discovery of termites in the basement below. A quick plan of action and lots of money invested led to at least the termites being taken care of.
- We celebrated the Jewish New Year with family eating lots of yummy food of course.
- A weekend away to celebrate my sweet niece’s 2nd birthday also included craft time with MY little brother.
- NHL was off to a great year in first grade. He was reading a ton, getting perfect scores on spelling tests. Of course, a little fun and excitement at pick up happened one day when JSL landed head first on the concrete at school. Yet another ER visit for our family.
October:
- We took the boys to a pre-season hockey game. We had a blast and the little guy loved the zamboni the most.
- After the hockey game, I started to feel lousy. Being a Mom, I ignored the symptoms until it was too late. A week later, a visit to the doctor confirmed that it was likely H1N1 (thank you ER visit). We left with my asthma being treated and a script for Tamiflu for the little guy just in case.
- A 2:00 in the morning call to Nana and Papa required the Tamiflu being filled. H1N1 attacked JSL fast and furious.
- While taking NHL to get his 6 year old portraits, we learned there is a great conspiracy involved.
- TechyDad and I entered the wonderful world of texting. We dropped our cable phones, added texting and have never looked back.
- Between sicknesses, we managed to get out to pick 35 pounds of apples. We had a blast with the boys out in the orchard.
- During Halloween week, NHL was one of the 30% of kids out from his school with the flu. That same week, JSL had febrile seizure #4 while I was home alone with both of the boys. We still do not know what caused this one.
- By Halloween, NHL was feeling well enough to head out to trick-or-treat at a few houses. Check out his costume here.
November:
- Both of the boys are Wiggles Fans. We bought tickets over the summer to take JSL to his first Wiggles concert. He had a blast and could not believe what he was seeing.
- There were several absolutely gorgeous days in November. The little guy and I took advantage of this and went to the park for some fun while NHL was at school.
- LEGOs came alive in our house with a fun discovery. Lots of imagination and building have followed.
- NHL has been learning Hebrew each Sunday at Hebrew School. He even made items to use at home for Shabbat.
- Twas the day before Turkey Day and we went to visit the 1st graders. . . later that night we went to a fun filled hockey game.
December:
- My birthday arrived this month. I finally picked out something from my parents from last year and this year. I now have a gorgeous Pandora bracelet that has so much meaning behind it. Oh course having a December B-day often means snow ruins plans. This year the snow, illness and a trip for NHL to the ER got in the way. TechyDad also got me a premium Picnik membership, so lot of photo fun has taken place over the last few weeks.
- Chanukah arrived and there was so much going on. Here are each of the boys enjoying the special time of year.
- A gingerbread house building party closed out 2009 in the first grade. The kids had a fabulous time. I was so glad to be home and able to watch this.
Of course, these are just some of the major events that took place here in my world. Thanks to my blog, I have many other moments captured for our family. 2009 has had it’s share of good and bad moments. Even with all of the ER visits, scares and things I would not change the year gone by. If we did, who knows if we would have had our magical memories at Disney World and other fun family moments.
Thank you to my family, friends (both IRL and online) who have supported me this year. Another thank you to the wonderful PR people and companies that I have worked with this year. Eveyone’s interest has been crucial to helping TheAngelForever.com to be a success. I look forward to 2010 and beyond with all of you.
Happy New Year to all of you and your families.
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