Pull Up

We are doing some upper arm training around here.

Last December, The Referee bought himself a pull-up bar that hangs in the doorway.  He wanted to increase his own strength.  The kids were curious, so he let them check it out too.  That turned into quite the demonstration of skill, because Jersey #3 could already pull himself up multiple times.  

He was enjoying practicing pull-ups each time he visited his Dad's apartment, so The Referee bought a pull-up bar for the our house as well.  It hangs in the boys' bedroom doorway.  

It has been a big hit with all of the kids.  Every time I turn around, someone is hanging from the bar, swinging from the bar, and attempting to pull themselves up.

In gymnastics class, Jersey #2 is doing pull-ups as conditioning for the uneven parallel bars.  So, she is enjoying using the pull-up bar at home to continue to practice some of her strength drills.

Of course, being the monkey that she is, she also scales the walls for fun...

Big sister has become quite the athlete, due to swim team this summer.  So, she is enjoying showing her siblings a thing or two about the strength of her arms and core.

As impressive as it is that the kids can do all these things on the pull-up bar, it is still most fun to watch Jersey #3 pull himself up from a dead hang.  That boy has some serious upper body strength!

Gymnastics

What do you do with the child who swings from the rafters?

You put her in gymnastics class.

Jersey #2 does not appear to be cut out for contact sports.  I am not fully clear if it is her personality, or if it is a product of her heart experiences, but she is very set that she does not want anyone or anything  crashing into her torso.  She will run and duck from a ball that is tossed to her, instead of catching it.  She will step aside and let an opponent dribble a soccer ball right past her, or even step away from the ball if she has it and an opponent is approaching.  She does not understand the point of tackle football.  

Jersey #2 will also have limitations about the extent of aerobic activity her heart can sustain.  (Her surgeon warned us the day of her first heart surgery that she would not ever be able to be an Olympic level aerobic athlete).  That physical limitation is uncomfortable, and actually makes playing sports a challenge for her.  I suppose it would take the fun out of sports if you felt like you couldn't breathe well enough and your heart was pounding out of your chest.  (So far, she does not report pain, but a "strange" feeling).   

At the same time, we want her to be active and healthy.  It is my goal to introduce my kids to a variety of sports and activities, so that they can discover which ones they enjoy.  Being active is the best way to maintain fitness and health.  

As I watched Jersey #2 kick and stretch, and attempt the splits, it dawned on me that she might like gymnastics.  She also enjoys monkey bars.  She has an incredible amount of upper body strength, for a child who has had her chest muscle cut into twice.  When she started trying to do flips on the trampoline, I was certain that we needed to let her try gymnastics.

Jersey #2 LOVES gymnastics.  She takes 1 class a week, but wishes she could be at the gym every day.  She is such a determined child that she makes great improvements in her abilities each week.  She is still quite nervous about flipping over on the bars.  At first, she was a bit nervous about the balance beam too.  The beam height fear is fading quickly, as she gains confidence her own strength and balance.

Right now, she is enjoying a basic introductory gymnastics class.  As she progresses in that, we will consider a competitive class.  It looks like gymnastics might be a good fit for her.

Watching Jersey #2 in gymnastics class has inspired some younger siblings to attempt those cool tricks too...

Distance Learning

I took the plunge and returned to college to complete the pre-requisite coursework for a Nursing program.

This summer, I am taking 1 class:  Human Nutrition.

The class is online.  Thankfully, I managed to get into the class on the first day of the term.  I had been on the waiting list for weeks.  

This is my very first online class.

This is only the 4th week of classes, and I am already a big fan of distance learning!  I had no idea online classes were so awesome.   

I suspect that one of the reasons this online class is so nice is that the instructor is a pro at online teaching.  She is simultaneously teaching 2 or 3 sections of this class online, and she is extremely organized with the syllabus, links, notes, discussions, and assignments.  She is very clear on what is expected for this course, and how to succeed.  The assignments for the first week were so simple, that they really seemed to just be a lesson in how to follow instructions and pay attention to details.

One of the things I like most is the way that the class is organized.  The syllabus lists the assignments and tests, on a weekly schedule.  Each course week runs from Monday morning to Sunday night.  Each weekly assignment or exam is due by Sunday at midnight.  I really like having a full week to complete assignments like that.  It is not that I want to wait to the last minute.  What I like most is picking which day of the week I can sit down without interruption and complete the assignment or exam. 

I tend to do the reading early in the week, and work on the assignments on Wednesdays or Thursdays.  I ended up taking the first exam just before midnight on a Friday night.  Some weeks are busier for me, so I end up working on schoolwork Friday or Saturday afternoon.  I am just in awe of that kind of flexibility.

I am also a huge fan of not having to find childcare in order to take a class.  That is a big deal for me.  I get to be home with the kids, and I don't have to stress about care.  I can study and work on coursework while they are playing in the backyard, or after they are asleep at night.  They can be ill or grumpy or tired, and it won't affect my ability to complete assignments, since I am not having to show up on a certain day at a certain time.

With the online assessments, the instructor can input all the questions and answers in multiple choice format so that the tests and quizzes are graded immediately.  It was a really neat feature to take the exam near midnight, and get the results immediately!  (I got an A).  I was able to see exactly which questions I missed on the exam right away, which I think actually improves my learning.

For this class, books and notes are permitted for exams, but the exam is timed.  So, it would be very difficult to look up all the answers, if you haven't studied or familiarized yourself with the content.  I am suspicious that the instructor made the exam questions more difficult also.  

There is one question on the exam that has stuck with me because of how detailed it was.  I got the answer correct, because somewhere in my brain I remembered that detail from my previous anatomy coursework (many years ago).  Goblet cells produce mucous.  I could win that question in a trivia game, because I have random pieces of anatomy trivia in my brain.  It just seems to me that such a detail is way beyond the scope of an introductory nutrition class.  The chapter was about the digestive system.  I expected questions about saliva, the stomach, and the intestines.  But goblet cells?  When the exam was over, I actually went back to my textbook to look and see if there was mention of goblet cells.  They were there, in a small section, a minor mention in the paragraphs about the stomach and small intestine.  I am trying to decide if this is typical of college exam material....and maybe my study skills are not as good as they need to be.  Or, is this an example of the instructor picking a really minute detail out of a chapter, to use as an exam question?  Either way, this shows me that I am not retaining the material that I am reading as well as I thought.      

From this experience so far, I wish there was a way to take ALL of my coursework online.  Unfortunately, I do not see a way to have online laboratory classes, so I am going to have to go to campus for those.  But, now that I see how this opportunity works, I am going to keep my eyes open for more online classes to continue my education. 

One fun tidbit in the field of nutrition is that the "Food Pyramid" that I was taught in school as a child, has been replaced by the "My Plate" campaign.  First, the food pyramid was redesigned, making the outer edge look like stairs (to remind folks to keep active).  Apparently that awareness campaign did not improve the public's understanding of nutrition.  (I think the new design went in the wrong direction and did not provide the  simple visual that the original pyramid had).    The My Plate system seems more simple and logical to me, so I am curious if it is having a positive impact yet.  I am amused that these awareness measures are only focused on serving size (which is important), but my health conscious friends are discussing the changes in the food quality itself--genetic engineering, mass production techniques, and such things that have reduced the nutrition content of our food.  Is serving size awareness enough to overcome the poorer nutrition quality?  I doubt it.  Time will tell, I suppose.  I find awareness campaigns to be interesting, but not really informative enough to make an impact the size they are aiming for.

Another blessing in my Human Nutrition course this summer is the requirement to use a Diet Analysis software program.  The instructor is having us input data on a made-up subject, but we are also doing some assignments that are about our own diet habits.  Regardless of the assignments required for the class, I am able to use this software to analyse my own food intake, to see its size and nutrition quality both.  I am taking advantage of this opportunity this summer.  I have already been focusing on being active to improve overall fitness.  I am taking care of the medical side of my health by treating the thyroid issue.  So, the next logical step is to analyze and improve my overall diet and nutrition.  

What great timing for this specific class!     

                

The Road to Orthodontia

Jersey #2 had an appointment with an Orthodontist this afternoon.

That was an adventure.

Everything is an adventure with Jersey #2.  You would think that I would be used to it by now.

From the time that Jersey #1 was two years old, I have been told that she will need Orthodontic treatment.  No surprise there.  My sisters and I all had braces.  We have big teeth and small jaws.  It happens.  Jersey #1 also has a couple gum issues that are suppose to be addressed by the Orthodontist as well.  All these years, I have been waiting for the visit when the dentist would announce that it was time for Jersey #1 to go for an Orthodontic consultation.  Much to my surprise, our new pediatric dentist announced that Jersey #2 needs an Orthodontic consultation immediately, and Jersey #1 will most likely be able to wait until around age 12, when all of her permanent teeth have emerged.  I did not see that coming!

In addition to very large adult teeth, and a very small jawbone structure, Jersey #2 has a crossbite.  On one side of her mouth, her top teeth fit over her bottom teeth.  By the time we look at the other side of her mouth, her bottom teeth fit over her top teeth.  

The problem that suggested to the dentist that it was time to meet an Orthodontist, was her severe overcrowding.  On Easter, Jersey #2 lost a tooth that was not suppose to fall out for another couple years.  Her adult teeth are so crowded that they are now pushing baby teeth out of their way.  

Our pediatric dentist gave us a recommendation for an Orthodontist.  I had not taken the time to research Orthodontists yet, so I made a point to inquire with my friends on Facebook.  In the past few years, I have paid attention to Orthodontist threads and conversations, to prepare myself for what to expect.  When I was a young teenager, my Orthodontist pulled the first four molars in my mouth, to make room for my incisors that were growing in front like fangs.  Nowadays, I hear from other parents that pulling teeth is not the preferred method, and expanding the upper jaw is more common, to make room for the teeth.  I have also heard rumors that some Orthodontists push for treatment on young kids, which is twice as expensive because they often also need treatment during the usual young teen time frame, after the permanent teeth are in.  I have observed more 10-12 year olds in braces these days.  I was pleased when my friends assured me that the Orthodontist we were referred to was really good, and quite conservative in his treatments.  A nice guy who doesn't push for treatment, and doesn't charge until treatment actually begins!  When his office staff were extremely sweet on the phone, I was even more encouraged.

The Orthodontist and Jersey #2 hit it off right away.  She said he was "very friendly."  He commented that she was "funny."  When a provider enjoys a visit with Jersey #2, then I know that they really enjoy their work.  Jersey #2 never follows the textbook.  She is always a challenge, that doesn't always make sense.  When the Orthodontist made a point to bring up her need for antibiotics prior to treatment....and to explain which treatments would need the pre-med....I knew we had found the right Orthodontist!  

I almost forgot what it was like to take Jersey #2 somewhere by herself.  She has so much energy, and just climbs the walls.  She explored every detail of the office, from the big couch in the waiting room to the electrical socket in the floor near the chair.  She was up and down and all around the place.  It is amusing to me that she is still this energetic and curious at 8 years old.  

She was this way as a toddler, and it was exhausting.  I was reminded of the time I took her to the urgent care when she was 2 years old, because he was sick and not acting herself.  I told the Doctor that Jersey #2 had much lower energy than usual.  The Doctor had such a puzzled expression on her face as she watched Jersey #2 climb all over the exam table, and jump off it.  She just could not believe me when I said her energy level was much lower than usual.  (Jersey #2 did have an ear infection and a sinus infection at the time, so she was treated anyway, in spite of her "energy" level).

I was internally amused when this "conservative" Orthodontist, who has a reputation for not pushing treatments, especially at younger ages, recommended some pretty heavy-duty treatment for Jersey #2.  I was not surprised (because this is just the way things go for Jersey #2), but I was amused.  There are going to be 2 phases of treatment for her.  By the time she is grown, she will have an 8 thousand dollar smile to go with her multi-million dollar heart!  Praise God for Health Savings Accounts and interest-free payment plans!

Phase 1 pertains to the treatment while she still has baby teeth in her mouth.  Phase 2 will be the normal braces process after all of the adult teeth are in.  The goal of Phase 1 is to expand her upper jaw, and make some room for those big teeth.  Thankfully, her crossbite is not a true crossbite.  It turns out that her teeth do align midline, but she compensates by adjusting her jaw into a crossbite to get her teeth to touch and be more comfortable.  The Orthodontist was able to get her to hold her teeth in proper alignment.  Jersey #2 thought that made her mouth and facial expression look "mad."  So, we started calling it her "growl" face.

    

Even with the expander treatment, there is a big chance that Jersey #2 may need to have some teeth pulled anyway.  The crowding on the bottom jaw is so bad that her permanent incisors are starting to turn sideways under the gums.  It would be a mess if those become impacted.  So, the Orthodontist hopes to monitor them for the next 6 months and see if they will make attempts to come upward.  If not, she may need to have some baby teeth pulled, spacers put in to keep permanent teeth from taking up the space, just to encourage those incisors to come up.  

Jersey #2 is taking it all in stride.  She was excited to hear that she will get braces put on 6 of her top front teeth.  There are many colors of bands that can go on those braces.  Jersey #2 wants to get a band in each color of the rainbow, so 6 braces is a perfect number for her plan!  

I wish I had her spirit to find the rainbow in my life's abnormalities.  

What a heavenly gift she is!

Thyroid

My Doctor called me the morning after my postpartum checkup.  I asked him how he was doing, and he answered,

"I am great.  My thyroid levels are not low like yours."

He was trying to be witty.  I laughed.  What I really wanted to do was get up and start dancing!

It turns out that the reason I am so freaking exhausted day in and day out, is not because I have 5 kids.  I am exhausted all the time because my thyroid gland is not working very well.

There is no treatment for exhaustion from 5 children.

There is treatment for an under-active thyroid!  Hallelujah!!!!

My self-medication method of treatment for the past 7 years has been Mountain Dew.  Tons of sugar and caffeine.  Not healthy.  Mountain Dew contributes to weight gain, which is another symptom of the sluggish thyroid.  I just assumed my weight struggles were because I could not give up the Mountain Dew  without falling to the floor in a puddle of tears, and feeling as though I needed to spend the whole day in bed.  

It is a self-defeating cycle.  I woke up tired every morning.  I depended on Mountain Dew to wake me up, and give me the energy to keep going throughout my day.  I told myself that my exhaustion was from raising young kids, and my weight gain was from drinking Mountain Dew all day.

It never dawned on me that I might be dealing with a health issue instead.  

When I was being discharged from the hospital after delivering Titus, the doctor informed me that my blood work showed that my thyroid levels were low. The first thought inside my head was, "is this why I have so much trouble losing weight?"  The doctor explained that since I was not complaining of any of the symptoms, they were not going to start treatment that day, but that they wanted me to tell my family doctor so he could follow up on it.  

I have friends who fight Grave's disease, and have various battles with their thyroid gland.  Their symptoms are rough, and I would not want to travel that road.  This information is really not good news. 

I mentioned the details to my family doctor, and he explained that thyroid levels vary quite a bit during and around pregnancy.  He suggested that we test it again at my postpartum checkup, and see where I was then.

At home, I did some research on the symptoms of a low thyroid, and that is when I had my eye-opening realization that this is probably something I have been dealing with for a while, and certainly recently.  I have always blamed my exhaustion on the stresses of life.  I have always assumed my weight struggles were due to soda pop and poor genetics.  A friend recently commented to me that she could not understand why I was overweight, considering how active I am.  Her comment really came to mind when I was researching thyroid function.

By the time I went in for my postpartum appointment, I was expecting the levels to still be low, and treatment to be advised.  It all made sense after I studied it, and put the pieces together.  The part of my research that I liked the most was the part where the effects of low thyroid (exhaustion and weight gain) would start to reverse about 2 weeks after treatment was started.  That sounded so promising to me, which is why I was rather excited to get that call from my Doctor.

My Doctor called in a prescription for me and I picked it up at the pharmacy on my way to the gym that evening.  In conversation with a friend at the gym, I received some great advice about how to take the medication.  It has to be taken on an empty stomach, with a full glass of water, and then do not eat for at least 30 minutes.  My friend suggested I keep the medication and water in my bedroom, and take them in the wee hours of morning when I get up to use the restroom, before returning to bed.  Then, by the time I wake up for the day, I will be able to eat breakfast and go through my day.  

I followed that advice.  The first day, I took the med and drank an entire water bottle of water at 6am.  I was not expecting much to happen at first.  The medication information says it takes 2 weeks to have a noticeable effect.  Well, I know that I am really lucky that medication works very well and exactly as intended in my body.  But, I had no idea that I would see results as fast as I did.  

By 7:30am, I had to get out of bed because I was SO alert!  Only an hour and a half after taking the first dose of this medication, and I was ready to tackle the day with gusto!  I texted my friend and told her that I hoped this was not a placebo affect, or that the med would taper down over time, because I was already feeling so good!  I was not exhausted at all.  It was quite a shock to go through my whole day and not feel the desire to take a nap.  I actually researched the medication again, to make sure the pharmacy gave me the right thing, and didn't give me speed by mistake!  It was just that big of a difference!

The absolute best part of this thyroid treatment medication is how alert I feel each day.  It is as if my brain has been turned back on.  I can fully function in my life.  I can go about my business all day long, and not need a nap.  I will joyfully take this medication every day for the rest of my life, just to continue this feeling of being awake and capable.  

The second best part of this treatment is the weight loss.  I dropped 4 pounds in the first 8 days of treatment!  I imagine that my body's metabolism is ramping back up to normal, which makes a big difference.  Another big difference is that I do not feel the need for soda pop, since I am so alert.  I am certain that not adding those empty calories is also helping encourage weight loss.  

I decided to use this to my advantage, and began cutting back on my Mountain Dew intake immediately.  I used the method of cutting my intake by half, every few days.  It ended up that I did not suffer with caffeine withdrawal at all.  Sugar was my addiction, and I had to be careful to not replace the sugar decrease with other sweets.  I am very pleased to report that I have not had any soda pop at all for the past 3 days.  I am still a bit surprised by that, myself.  Soda has been such a big part of my life for so many years now, and all of a sudden it has become completely irrelevant.  

I am hoping that this treatment will continue to work wonders.  I am so pleased with its effect so far.  

Visiting the Good Doctor

I took my thundering herd to see the good Doctor yesterday.  

Dr. S has been our Family Physician for the past 13 years.  He is the best.

Today's visit was scheduled to be a well-child check-up for Jersey #5.  Normally, I try to schedule the kids' well-child appointments within a month of their birthday.  It is easier for me to keep track of them that way.  Well, last Fall, life was a bit crazy, so I got behind on appointments, and now I am trying to catch up.  

I have learned my lesson!  It has been a challenge to catch up the missed well-child check-ups for my late summer babies, at the same time that my winter and spring babies are having more birthdays.  It seems like we are visiting the doctor's clinic a lot lately.

Today, I took full advantage of the scheduled appointment.

In addition to going through the well-child routine for Jersey #5, I lines up all of the kids and asked Dr. S to scan their current ailments.  He is real good about that.

We addressed Jersey #5's little, crooked toes.  Poor kid has toes that are various lengths, and overlap each other.  It doesn't appear to inhibit his motion, running and playing, so there is nothing to do but wait it out and see how his feet grow.

Jersey #1 sprained her ankle.  I dismissed her complaints at first, because she tends to be over-dramatic about every bump.  But, this time she was serious.  Her instep is showing the bruising discoloration.  The doctor examined it (or made it "really hurt" by pressing all over her foot, according to Jersey #1).  She should mend well with rest and some Ibuprofen.  She should be ready to run again for her next AWANA Games practice.

Jersey #2 has had a rough time this winter with dry skin on her hands.  We've tried all kinds of lotions and grease, and could not get it to mend.  The good Doctor gave us some hydrocortisone cream to try with the lotion.  The pharmacist also agreed that it should do the trick to help with her hands.

Jersey #3 developed a sudden cough, with no prior illness.  I suspect it is his allergies, which are really terrible right now.  But, just to be safe, I asked Dr. S to listen to his lungs.  All clear!  That is good news.  We will stick with my allergy theory.

Jersey #4 has a terrible wart problem on her hands.  Warts are caused by a virus, and will usually go away once the immune system rises to the challenge (which can take a long time, it seems).  One wart is really bothering her, because it is on her thumb and pressing into her nail.  I started a home treatment for her  thumb wart, and it made the skin all over her thumb start to peel away.  I had Dr. S take a look at it and make sure she wasn't having a bad reaction.  We are going to continue the home treatment and hope it works.  I dread her having to have them frozen off.  That is not fun.

Jersey #5 is healthy and growing great.  At his 2-year old check-up, his height and weight measurements were completely off the top of the growth chart.  Dr. S simply wrote down "greater than 100%" and laughed it off.  He said Jersey #5 was the largest 2-year old in the USA.

Now, at age 3 1/2, Jersey #5 has returned to the growth chart.  He is 3 feet, 5 inches tall (92%), and weighs 42 pounds (97%).  He is still a BIG boy!  

BMI calculations are popular now, instead of the height and weight curves.  According to his BMI, Jersey #5 is overweight.  The Doctor and I had a fun chuckle over that.  I am not sure there are any recommendations for what to do with that information for a 3-year old.  We dismiss it.  Jersey #1 and Jersey #3 were the same way at that age.  By kindergarten, they both gained more height than weight, and completely flipped their BMI status.  We will see if Jersey #5 does the same thing.

Poor Jersey #5 had to get 2 shots today.  We do not follow the full vaccine recommendations, choosing to decline the unethical vaccines that are made from cell lines of aborted babies.  But, we vaccinate with most of the ethically-manufactured vaccines.  I did not expect Jersey #5 to need any vaccines today, but I had forgotten that he was behind on 1 that was out of stock for a while when he was younger.  We caught that one up today, in addition to permitting an additional dosing of the pneumococcal vaccine.  Normally, I am not a fan of the recommendation to add a booster to the vaccine regimen just because there is an increase in disease (I would much prefer a more calculated recommendation taking into account how recent the original vaccine was given, and the reason for the increase in disease, before a booster is also given).  This time, I approved the booster because of the source (respiratory tract) of the illness that the vaccine prevents, and the child (Jersey #5) who is known to have a weaker respiratory response to illness.  I tend to have to make these choices on a case-by-case basis with my kids.

Jersey #5 was so brave for his immunizations.  He announced, "that hurts," but he did not cry.  He was pleased to pick out a sticker, and even asked the nurse for a second sticker.  He was so sweet, that the nurse gave him 3 stickers!  That made his day, and the pain of the shots was forgotten.  

At the end of the visit, Dr. S asked me how I was doing.  I shared with him my status of having better days and worse days, and that I seem to be progressing into more better days with time.  I also told him about how folks were recommending I see him for antidepressants at 2 weeks, because I admitted to being intensely sad, and I was crying a lot.  He shook his head in disbelief, and told me that there is a trend in society to try to eliminate sadness and pain.  He encouraged me by saying that since I am usually such a positive, happy person, that if I was crying in deep sadness then folks were probably nervous that the world was coming to an end!  That made me laugh.

Our Family Doctor is so sweet.

A Real Tree

We decided to try something different this year, and bought a real, live Christmas tree.

I have had an artificial tree my entire life, so I did not really know what to expect.  I have been told that live trees are messy, with needles falling down, and need to be watered regularly.  Oh, and folks also say they are expensive too.  Other folks rave about how wonderful a real tree is....the scent, the tradition of picking the perfect tree, etc.  

Last Christmas, our artificial tree wore out and broke.  We had to tie it to the wall to keep it standing for the rest of the season.  It was so wimpy that the star on top fell to the floor and busted.  We made the decision to get rid of the broken tree after Christmas, and plan to try a live tree this year.  The timing seemed good.  If the live tree did not work out for us this year, we could always buy a new artificial tree when they go on sale after Christmas.  We would purchase our live tree at Galloping Grace Youth Ranch's Christmas Corral.  That way, money spent was for a great charity cause anyway.  Sometimes it is fun to break tradition and try something new.  So, we did.

We bundled up warm and visited the GGYR Christmas Tree Corral.

They had trees of all shapes and sizes.  We had no clue what we were looking for.  Jersey #2 was only interested in the price.  The Referee had to remind her that she was not the one paying for the tree, so she did not need to be so concerned with the price.  After browsing the rows and rows of trees, we decided to pick a tree that would be short enough for the kids to be able to reach majority of it.  Had we gone with too tall of a tree, it would only get partially decorated by our young crew.

We picked a Douglas Fir that was close to 5 feet tall.  We bought a tree stand, and had the tree volunteers attach it for us.  The tree fit great in the back of the truck.  The Referee hauled it into the house and stood it up, and that was it.  Jersey #1 filled the stand with water right away.

The whole live tree experience seemed easy enough.  We are happy with our choice.

Decorating the tree was a blast.  Lights, garland, ornaments, oh my!

Jersey #2 just cannot resist wearing stockings on all her limbs.  

It took me a while to figure out that Jersey #4 was taking the ornaments that lacked hooks, and setting them on the TV stand.  She was stashing them away to play with later.  Before I knew it, our TV stand was loaded down with decorations.

We were having a blast, decorating with gusto.  Then, Jersey #1 said something that sealed the deal that this would probably have to be our first and last live Christmas tree.

"Mom, my arms are getting a rash, and I am itchy all over."

She is allergic to the Christmas tree.

Poor kid.

It confirmed my suspicions about the cause of Jersey #1 and Jersey #3 having an increase in nasal congestion from the day we brought the tree home.  It is easy to dismiss such "seasonal" allergies as being...well, seasonal.

Jersey #3 is also allergic to hay.  He can go out to a farm, ride horses, or go on a hay ride without complaint, but his little nose just pours and pours many colors.  I was hoping that the response to the Christmas tree would be just as livable.  Unfortunately, rashes and hives are just not as easy to brush off.  

At the moment, I think we can keep the tree.  Christmas is not far away.  We told Jersey #1 to not touch it anymore.

But, it looks like I will be shopping the after-Christmas sales for a new artificial tree.  And, we will just make a donation to GGYR next year, instead of buying a live tree from their corral.

There is never a dull moment in this Game of Life...   

Weight!

I need to vent.

Brace yourself.

I joined a gym and started exercising regularly.  I need to lose weight.  I really wanted to lose my "mother's apron" (that wimpy flap of tummy fat that is the result of many, frequent pregnancies, and 2 c-section surgeries.....and the fact that I did nothing to improve my tummy region between each such event). 

I did not struggle with weight or fitness issues in high school because I played sports.  One winter, during swim season, our swim team was required to participate in step aerobics classes at the gym, while our pool was being super-treated with chemicals.  I had a blast.  I learned that I really enjoyed step aerobics classes.  That is a fun way to "dance" without actually knowing how to dance. 

Knowing this history about myself, I decided to try out some group fitness classes when I joined the gym.  I like group fitness classes.  I am a social creature.  I like being around other people, even if they are strangers.  I like following a work-out routine.  I like the upbeat music.  I like having a class to attend, as a way to schedule a workout.  

I was not prepared for just how out-of-shape I am.  The first couple classes, I was certain that my body would never recover.  I actually laughed at myself when I went to get into the push-up position, and my arms gave way, dropping me to the floor.  My body simply refused to boost myself up after that.  I could only lay splat on the floor and giggle.  For most of the exercises, I could not rely on my abdominal muscles to support my body in any way.  I had no abs to speak of.  Actually, I think I found my rib muscles (intercostals) before I fount my abs. 

Unfortunately, I did not lose weight.

I gained.

At first, I told myself that I was simply building muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat.  Eventually, that muscle will kick in and help burn calories.  I know I build muscle easily, so I believed myself at first.

3 weeks of working out 3 times a week, and I gained 12 pounds.  I was SO discouraged I was about to cry.  I was actually in the middle of an aerobics class when I said to myself that this was clearly not working.  It was that same class that I also realized I was able to do more of the routine, and I was able to do more push-ups.  So, I told myself that clearly my fitness was improving.

My clothes were also getting looser.  I was pleased by how much my lower tummy was tightening up too.  That was a huge indicator for me that things were going in the right direction.  But, I was still so bummed about the weight gain.  I joked about throwing the scale out the window, at first.  Then, I had a meltdown.  I was so discouraged that The Referee actually went and looked up information on the internet to see if he could help me.

He learned that it is quite common to gain weight in the first 3 weeks of working out....especially for women.  (That is so unfair!  The Referee can do 1 set of crunches and drop 5 pounds.  I go to aerobics classes for 3 weeks and gain weight.  Did I mention it is not fair!)  He encouraged me to keep going, convinced I was about to turn a corner. 

I felt better with that knowledge, and decided to stay the course and wait for the muscle to kick in and help me out.  Just to make sure I was not eating more now that I was working out, I started watching my portions more, and adding salads.  I gained 3 more pounds.

4 weeks of working out, and I had a net gain of 15 pounds.  Honestly, I would have totally given up, if it wasn't for how good I felt, and how much I could actually see my stomach shrinking.  I decided my scale must be broken.  I bought a new one.

My scale was not broken.  The new scale actually weighed me a pound heavier than the old scale!

5 weeks of working out, a new scale, drinking more water, adding salad to my packed lunches for work, and a net gain of 16 pounds.  I was a prime candidate for a pity party.  The only thing keeping me from sinking into a state of despair was the fact that my abdomen was visibly shrinking.  It really is a good thing that my body tackled the "mother's apron" first, because that was the part that was plaguing me the most.  Plus, I had more strength to play with the kids.  So, I knew the workouts were helping.

I was having a hard time.  I started to doubt if my abdomen was actually shrinking, or was it a figment of my imagination.  The scale doesn't lie.  And, I was worse off.

I decided to put my body to the test:  denim

I went shopping for blue jeans at a department store.  I did not order jeans from an online store that specializes in plus-size women's clothing.  I went to the mall.  It was a make it or break it moment.

I made it.  I got my proof.

I dropped an entire pants size!

This is huge for me.  I went on a bit of a shopping spree.  Well, a shopping spree for me (which means everything was on sale).  I bought 2 new pairs of jeans to wear to work, a pair of jean shorts, and 2 shirts.  Everything was a size smaller than I previously wore.  The jeans and shorts were button/zip too....not elastic waist pull-up pants.  That is huge.  That was proof that the workouts were working, and my flabby tummy was definitely shrinking.

I still have no clue why my weight went up.  It did at least plateau at the 6-week point.  I am thankful for that.

The icing on the cake for this ironic misery I am enduring occurred last week.  Life got out of hand, causing me to miss my gym workouts.  

I went 8 days straight without entering the gym.

I dropped 2 pounds!

I don't know if I should laugh or scream.

Fitness Flop

I joined a gym this month.

When my "baby" turned 2, I was embarrassed to realize that I was still carrying 4 pounds of "pregnancy" weight. Oops.

Clearly, I did not make fitness a priority during the 8 years I was birthing 6 babies. Clearly, I am overdue for some serious exercise. Unfortunately, I have not been running as much now that my weekends are spent working in the lab.

So, when my work sent out an email talking about job perks, I snapped to attention when I saw the discount gym membership. There is a location near my house. It even has a "supervised playroom." That means they will keep the children from hurting each other, but they are not running a diaper service. My kids all fit within the age requirements.

The last time I joined this gym, Jersey #3 was a year old. He did not cooperate, even with his sisters there. I would start an aerobics class, and barely make it into the warm-up before the staff had to come get me because my toddler was hysterical. So, I gave up on that. This time, though, the kids are much more cooperative.

We turn heads as we parade into the gym, in the middle of the day when it is mostly college students and elderly working out. So far, the whole experience has been good. I sign the kids into the playroom. They play, color, and watch a movie while I take a group fitness class. Then, I pick them up and they race me to the van. It is all so smooth that I thought I would go workout 5 days a week.

Well, my body thinks otherwise.

So far, I have made it 2 days each week. It takes me 2 days to recover. I know I am out of shape. I know I am older. But, I am still shocked at the way my body is revolting against me.

For starters, squats in the gym are a great exercise.....until I try to sit on the toilet the next day and my thighs refuse to work properly.

My husband commented that I was holding myself with such great posture after just 1 day at the gym. I had to admit to him that my posture was so good because I could barely move from all those sore muscles. Let's just say that my abs are used to being relaxed, not flexed.

I am not sure how long it takes to adjust.

I certainly enjoy the feeling of working my muscles again though. I was an athlete once. I kinda miss it. Here's hoping I can find a piece of that athletic life again this summer.

Ouch!

This kid is a mess of bumps, bruises, and scrapes lately.

He and gravity are just not getting along very well, it seems.


I am not sure if it is because he appears to be going through a very fast growth spurt in height recently. I think that could be throwing off his balance and coordination.

Or, maybe, it is because he keeps trying to keep up with his older siblings and thinks he should be able to do a lot more than he really can.

Or, maybe he could just be a klutz. (If this were the case, he certainly gained that attribute from his Mama).

Whatever the source of the problem, the reality is that I am spending a lot of time cleaning (and kissing)"boo-boos" and applying band-aids. That is just for the big things.

Jersey #5 tends to brush off the little injuries.

I realize there is a whole school of thought that tells parents to not react to a child's injury....that if we don't gasp or make it into a big deal, then they won't register the level of pain and over-react. I have heard the stories of parents who cheer and clap when their child takes a hard tumble, so that the child does not get upset. They are so proud to share the story that their child learns to react with a smile instead of a cry.

I actually find that little psychology experiment to be rather disturbing.

I prefer to teach my children to listen to their bodies, and address problems according to their body's needs. Kids are pretty resilient. They know when an injury requires more than a kiss. They know when it is time to get back on the playground, or sit in Mommy's lap and regroup. I watch their cues in order to know how to tend to their needs.

Some kids are more dramatic than others. So, I also remind them that trips and tumbles are part of being a kid, and learning new skills.

Jersey #5 and I have a nice little "tumble routine" now.

He trips, falls, or otherwise hurts himself.

I ask "Are you Ok?"

He answers....1) "Yes, I Ok." Then, he gets up brushes his hands across his shirt, then runs off to play......or 2) "No. I hurt." Then, he cries and comes to me with open arms for some assistance.

We've got the communication part down.

Now, we just need to figure out the coordination to keep him on his feet a bit more.

This Doctor

This Doctor is the most wonderful Family Physician in the world. We claim our beloved Dr. S as part of our family.

The Referee and I met this Doctor 2 months after we were married. He has been our family physician, obstetrician, and pediatrician ever since.

I am certain that this Doctor was hand delivered to our family, by God. When The Referee and I were first married, we had to name a primary care provider for our new medical insurance. I picked the clinic right next door to my workplace, and called to get appointments to establish us as patients there. This Doctor was not suppose to be there. He was the director of a different clinic, across town. His clinic was under construction, and he had relocated temporarily. Since he had just relocated his practice, he had room to accept new patients. There was not another physician in that entire clinic who was accepting new patients. I wanted a woman doctor. There was not a single woman physician accepting new patients in that entire medical network in town. I spent hours calling clinics and our insurance company to learn this. Each time I called the clinic, I happened to get the same receptionist. He was patient with me as he looked up each and every doctor on my list, only to tell me they were not accepting new patients at that time. He repeatedly suggested Dr. S. By the 3rd phone call, he was going into great detail about how wonderful this physician really was. He even shared that Dr. S was his doctor too. Finally, at my wits end, I surrendered. I called our insurance company and learned that Dr. S was in our provider network. I called the clinic again, and scheduled appointments with him.

We liked this Doctor from the moment we met him. He smiles. He sings. He has a passion for helping people. He has a gift for guiding people through their healthcare decisions, without judgment.

Yet, when I became pregnant with our first child, I tried to seek out a female doctor at a Women's clinic. I was disappointed to learn that the obstetrics process at the clinics I called was quite lengthy. It was going to be 2 months before I could get a pregnancy test....and I would already be in the 2nd trimester before I even met an obstetrician. That was not the level of care I wanted for my first pregnancy.

Frustrated, I called the clinic and asked for guidance. Not only was I told that I could walk right into the lab that morning and get a pregnancy test on my own, but the nurse who gave me the positive result informed me that Dr. S delivers babies, so there was no need for me to find a new obstetric doctor. The icing on the cake was that he had a cancellation and was able to see me that same afternoon. He celebrated our growing family, and made the excitement of that first pregnancy even higher. From that moment on, I never considered looking for another physician.

This Doctor is open and honest with us about our health. This Doctor tells us the truth, even when it is bad news. This Doctor held our hands as we grieved the death of our firstborn. He made sure to be there for the labor and delivery, staying the entire night at the hospital, just to deliver our stillborn daughter himself. He braced us for what we may face. He admits when he does not have the answers and has to do more research. He finds joy in the routine and in the rare experiences that we bring.

This Doctor was the only physician who admitted to us that Jersey #2's heart murmur did not sound very normal to him. He was diligent to follow up with tests and specialists until we had answers. He called to ask how we were handling the shocking news of her heart condition. He advised us to "go with it" and follow the steps laid out by her Cardiologist.

This Doctor managed every one of my pregnancies. He "caught" our first 3 daughters the moment they entered the world. He claims an "assist" on Jersey #3, as he ran into the room right as Jersey #3 was flying into the world. (He had a suspicion labor was going to go fast).

This Doctor answers phone messages and emails, letting me manage our family's health needs outside of his clinic too. He is calm when I called up with bleeding scares during pregnancies. He always advised me to go to the hospital "so we can see what we are dealing with."

This Doctor came to the hospital outside his regular schedule, just to be the one to circumcise our boys. I asked him if he would be the one to do the procedure. I also asked if I could be there both times. It was funny to watch his "team" of residents scramble at the sight of him at the hospital on the weekend like that, offering to do the procedure for him. It was also funny to hear his colleagues tell me that they doubted he would arrive on his day off, just for that. He always arrived, just as he said he would.

This Doctor celebrates every time our family grows. At every postpartum check-up, I would ask him how things looked in terms of having more children. I would share with him some of the negative comments I received from others. He always answered, "Go for it. I'm ready!"

We joke that we are stalking this Doctor. He has changed clinic locations twice. We have followed him each time.

This Doctor spent hours talking with me about vaccine safety and ethics when our concerns arrived. We always said that if anyone was going to change our minds about a parenting decision, it would only be Dr. S. We respect his wisdom that much to reconsider our own position. It turns out, he respects our parenting choices as well.

This Doctor is Pro-Life. I am confident that he would do everything in his power to save the lives of our children.

This Doctor finds joy in the bold personalities of our children, much like we do. He shares stories and laughter at our parenting (mis)adventures.

This Doctor even takes the time to pose for a picture with our thundering herd.

B.I.G.

Jersey #5 appears to be the largest 2-year old in America.

When I took him for his well-child check-up, we learned that his height and weight measurements do not even fit on the growth chart. The nurse declared that she was just going to write "greater than 95th percentile" on his chart, and leave it at that.

So, when we tell him he is a "Big Boy," we are speaking the truth.

There is an emphasis on BIG.

3 feet, 2 inches tall

40 pounds


Our pediatrician joked that we may not be feeding him enough.

The good news is that his height and weight are proportional to each other, even if they are not proportional to his peers. He is healthy.

He is simply hearty as well.

I find it funny that the baby of the family looks like he is going to be the tallest of them all. There are tall genes in our families, so it will not surprise anyone if Jersey #5 grows over 6 feet tall by adulthood.

Go Red For Women

Jersey #2 participated in a fund-raising event for the American Heart Association this month. She does some publicity work for them on occasion. We say that she is the cutest face of heart disease.

This time, she took us to the Go Red For Women luncheon. Go Red For Women is a national campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women, the warning signs, and how to seek prevention and treatment. The girls of our family were invited to attend the fund-raising luncheon for this event. (The boys decided that it would be more fun if they stayed home in their PJs and played video games instead).

We dressed up in fancy red dresses. I was proud of myself for buying dresses at Christmas time, when red was rampant in the stores. I bought the dresses on sale too! We felt like princesses.

Part of the luncheon presentation was a "Survivor's Fashion Show." Each heart disease survivor walked the runway, modeling red outfits from a local department store, while the MC read a short speech about their heart condition and experience. Each survivor was escorted by a loved one. We chose Jersey #1 to accompany Jersey #2, thinking that the girls would love to be runway models for this event.

Jersey #4 and I sat in the audience, enjoying the fancy luncheon.

The event was spectacular. It was fun. There was a huge turn-out. It was the largest crowd yet. 550 people attended.

And, we learned that Jersey #1 does not enjoy being in front of the crowd. She would rather that Jersey #2 keep the spotlight. She liked the outfit. She liked the food. She did not like being on stage in front of all those people. She developed a stomach ache and stressed about it for hours. She did a great job holding herself together for the fashion show. But, she is certain that next time she would rather be in the audience.

Jersey #4, on the other hand, decided that she liked the spotlight. One of the survivors motioned her on stage at the end, and she did an encore lap up the runway, with Jersey #2. They were adorable.

They actually ended up walking that runway ramp over a dozen times after the event ended, because they enjoyed it so much. I finally had to coax the older girls into changing their clothes and returning the fashion show outfits.

Then, we took a sassy model pose on the catwalk before returning home

It's Been A While...

No, I have not fallen off the face of the Earth.

I can hardly believe it has been nearly 2 weeks since my last blog post. For some reason, January has been a whirlwind. It is actually busier than December was. How is that possible?

Life is good.

And very busy.

Work, school, travel, illness, birthday party, and big milestones in growing children...

I've got plenty of stories to tell and pictures to share. I hope to resume that again soon.

But, for now, I am returning to bed. I am the sick one. I'm battling a big upper respiratory infection that I acquired from work. This is bad news, considering where I work and the quality and concentration of the "bugs" there. Ugh.

2011 Goals

I love a fresh start.

I enjoy flipping the wall calendar to the new month. I really enjoy hanging up a brand new calendar for a new year. I like that feeling of setting goals, making plans, and organizing the path to get there. So, a new year is just my thing. A new beginning. A fresh start.

2011 is already a great year for my planning and goal-setting tendencies. In previous years, it seemed we were in the midst of crisis management. The dust is settling this year, so I have the chance to enjoy some brainstorming and planning.

I have been evaluating my life overall. In many ways I want to re-prioritize the way I live, to fall in sync with what I value most. There are many areas where I seek to improve. I think I am going beyond the concept of a New Year Resolution. Instead, I am pursuing a series of goals to be accomplished in 2011. I like having my priorities in focus. It gives me a sense of direction. This year, I hope to keep moving forward toward all of these goals.

Bible Study: Spending time in God's Word is the highest priority. I want to get better about completing the homework assignments for the Bible study I am participating in at church, in addition to completing the Sunday School lessons each week (whether I am able to attend class or not). Then, I want to add a devotion time with the kids. I bought some simple Veggie Tales devotions that should give us a nice start. Lessons on treating each other with kindness seem like a good idea.

Marriage: I am excited that we are in a rebuilding season. The Referee and I need more together time as a couple. I am already brainstorming date nights, and ways to celebrate our anniversary this year. Even on a daily basis, I need to make more time to make him a priority. It is easy to let our busy-ness as a family distract us. We were a couple first, before we were a growing family. We will return to being a couple again, as our nest empties. It is so important to keep that relationship growing strong.

Health: It is no secret that I need to lose weight. That is a common resolution for folks in general, but for me it is a necessity. Youth and activity have allowed me to be overweight without health issues for a long time. But, it is not a good path to be on. It will catch up to me. The solution is not quick or easy, but it is simple. Eat healthier, exercise, and sleep. So, that is my health goal. As Jersey #1 pointed out to me a couple years ago, "Mom, you and Dad would not have to worry about losing weight if you ate and played the same way you make your kids." Good point. Replace the sodas and junk foods with fruits and vegetables. Run. Get to bed on time. One motivator for The Referee and I both, is to become more fit this year, so that we can add another life insurance policy (at the lowest price) that is not tied to our employer.

Mothering: I am filled with schedules, routines, activities, and tasks for caring for our kids. What I seek to improve is to make more memories. Stop and smell the roses. More rocking together. More cuddling. More baking together. Join them outside when they play. Coach their teams. Play card games and board games. I am seeking all the opportunities I can to spend play time with my kids, as this season of motherhood goes by so quickly.

Service and Relationships: Much like my mother goals, I need more focus in areas of service and strengthening relationships with friends and family. With the attitude that it is good to go out of my way for others, I seek to serve and love. In simplicity, I hope to prepare more meals, make more phone calls, send more cards, and let others know that they are not alone in this journey of life.

Homemaking: Housework is usually the first to go when times get tough. It starts with the laundry and dishes, which quickly pile up. Raising a young, active family, I do not expect to have a house that resembles a museum. But, I do think it is reasonable to have things organized, clean, and easy to quickly straighten. Organizing chores, teaching the children how to help complete chores, and finding the discipline to wash up the dishes daily and run a couple loads of laundry daily, seems worthwhile. Add in meal prep and yard upkeep, and our home will be a nice haven.

Finances: I have finally made my peace with working outside the home again. Our financial goals are clear--pay off all consumer debts, followed by building up a savings account for adoption expenses. Those goals seem to be justification for the time I am spending away from home, the long days and late hours, and the overall adjustment. Plus, it is temporary. Our planned focus in this area, should yield great strides toward those goals, throughout 2011. Our debt snowball is growing!

Education: I have education goals for our whole family, it seems. The Referee is working on a Master's Certificate that will benefit his career as well as set him up to return to Graduate School and complete that Master's Degree he began over a decade ago. I keep my eyes open for continuing education opportunities at my work, to help enhance my career path as well. One day, I hope to pursue a degree in an area of medicine, as preparation for medical mission trips...my "next career" plan for that season after our children are grown. The direction for which medical field to pursue is not yet clear to me, so I take learning opportunities as they come and wait patiently for direction from God. Since we are a homeschooling family, I have many, many education goals for our children. Recent advice for how to educate gifted children has opened my eyes to some needs in our children, and ways I can alter our curriculum schedule to encourage our children to follow their interests. I also seek to be more mindful of enrichment classes for their specific interests, so that they can continue to be challenged. Managing their education is a BIG job, and a high priority.

Discipline: Many of my life goals can be accomplished by growing in the area of discipline. I am not referring to training my children. I am referring to self discipline. Washing a load of laundry every day. Exercising every day. Buying only those items on the list. Staying within the budget parameters. Reading the Bible every day. Hug my children and kiss my husband every day. I have grown lazy. I have settled for a lower standard of living. I have gone all day without a shower. I even run late. I do not like that about myself. It is easy to dream big about goals and resolutions, but the path to get there is one very disciplined step at a time.

So, for 2011, I am keeping my big-picture goals in mind, while I attempt to discipline myself to success.



* It looks like I will have to begin my disciplined life starting on January 2nd, as I ran late to work on New Year's Day. Yep, I've got my work cut out for me...